The Geeks2U tech gift guide for 2022

The role technology plays in our daily lives has increased exponentially over the last couple of decades, and we don’t think it’s that much of a hot take to estimate that this trend will continue. What this means is that Christmas gift guides such as this – guides that are all about those tech gift ideas – have a lot to cover.

But where to begin? Do we focus solely on the hottest tech gifts of 2022? Do we break it down by cost, providing you with a roundup of the best tech gifts under $100? Or do we get really specific and list the best gadgets and gifts for men, women, children, parents, and pets? We want this guide to be as robust as possible, but we don’t want you to spend the next six hours reading about tech gifts when there is shopping to be done.

Here is our compromise then: we’re going to touch on all the major categories of tech and provide you with a trendy, inexpensive and solid all-around choice in each category. We will also try to keep our rationale as concise as possible so that we can all get back to celebrating the season.

Smartphones

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That’s right, our very first recommendation is also our most biased. To be fair, we did strongly consider recommending the Google Pixel 7 in this space, because it is new, has a frankly brilliant camera and is jam-packed with very cool features, but at the last minute, we switched our pick to the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 because we are flip phone fans from way back and even though foldable smartphones have been around for at least a couple of years now, the awe-inspiring aesthetics of this gadget is mighty impressive.

Affordable

Again, we strongly considered putting a Google Pixel in this spot with the slightly older (as far as smartphones go) Google Pixel 6a oft-cited as one of if not the best affordable smartphones currently available. But “affordable” remains a subjective term and $700+ isn’t that in every context so we decided to go with the less-heralded Vivo Y52, a 5G smartphone with excellent processing power, ample storage and an impressive camera packed into its no-nonsense case. Add in its enticing price point and you’re looking a winner.

Solid

Apple has done a pretty good job expanding its offering in recent years and the performance and features on even the most basic iPhone are more than most people need. The Apple iPhone 14 lacks the flashy changes of the top-of-the-line models but still manages improves on its predecessors in just about every conceivable way and there is no way anyone who is still sporting an older model would ever turn their noses up at an upgrade.

Tablets

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We’ve opted for the Microsoft Surface Go 3, a small do-it-all tablet that runs the full Windows operating system and can be customised to your liking. Plus, it’s backwards compatible with the previous Microsoft Surface Go accessories, which is a subtle but convenient W in our book.

Affordable

We’re putting our left-field choice in this spot instead of the one above and it’s not just because we’re the type of geeks who like to read. Okay, it is almost entirely for that reason that we’re running with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. In our defence, this specialist tablet can hold thousands of eBooks, has a glare-free screen that replicates the printed page feel of a traditional book and has a battery that can last up to 10 weeks between charges.

Solid

It’s tough to argue that the Apple iPad Air isn’t the best all-around tablet currently available. Whether you use your tablet for work, play or some combination of the two, the Air has you covered. Sitting exactly where you want it to regarding the trade-off between portability and power, it handles everything from content creation to binge-streaming sessions with aplomb and has a starting price that gives you exceptional value for money.

Laptops

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We can’t remember a time when everything Apple produced wasn’t trendy, so it shouldn’t come a surprise that we’re recommending the Apple MacBook Pro here. It’s not exactly the most affordable piece of tech, bit if you’re happy to pay the price you simply won’t find a better, more powerful right-off-the-shelf laptop. From the gorgeous display to the exceptional speakers and best-in-class battery life, this laptop is one of those head turning tech gifts, the good will of which you can live off for years to come.

Affordable

A high-performance laptop for under $500 is almost one of those Christmas miracles than everyone is always talking about this time of year, but that’s what you get with the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14″ Chromebook. Ideal for work or study, it ticks all the boxes for everyday use, with the crisp visuals on the ant-glare screen and 10-hour battery life being the standout features. The slim design also makes in rather smart looking piece of tech, if that sort of thing is important to the person this gift is for.

Solid

The HP Spectre x 360 2-in-1 is a great all-around machine. We’re not sure whether to spend this paragraph to speaking to its performance, flexibility, aesthetic appeal, or features, so instead we’ll just say that it nails all these things and then some, with all the connectivity ports you could want and a battery life that pushes past the 10-hour mark. Oh yeah, it also has a built-in stylus for when you switch to tablet mode.

Headphones

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At the risk of coming across as full-on Apple shills, we’re going to have to go with the Apple Airpods in this space, if for no other reason than peer-group pressure. It’s true, we can’t turn around without running into some one rocking a pair of these little beauties, and we can’t blame them either. Compact, comfortable and with their own cool carry case, all exceptional reasons for making these tech treats your stocking-stuffer of choice this Christmas.

Affordable

We waxed lyrical on the brilliance of the Sony WH-1000XM4 in that aforementioned Bluetooth Headphones piece, and while they may not match their high-end cousin when it comes to clarity and noise cancellation, the Sony WH-CH510 wireless over-ears don’t actually compromise all that much on the crucial components you’re looking for in regular-use headphones. Certainly not so much that you’d be willing to reject the sub-$100 price-point.

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We’re going to use this space to highlight a pair of headphones than capably tick two of the boxes we have yet to make a recommendation for thus far: games and wires. The JBL Quantum 100 Wired Gaming Headset comfortably checks these boxes, as comfortably as they cover your ears. They have a detachable boom mic, which is great if you’re going to be using them outside of gaming experiences. Since gaming situations require less flexibility when it comes to range of movement, the lack of wireless technology isn’t really a hinderance.

Smartwatches

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Go ahead and give this category to the Google Pixel Smart Watch which in our humble opinion, is on of the better looking gadgets to hit the market over the past 12 months. With a design that manages a nod to both future and past simultaneously, this relatively new player in the wearables game delivers the best of Google and Fitbit with its sleek, understated watch face and all the regular smart watch features. Sure, it’s not going to work for the iPhone crowd, but we have them covered below, and the built-in Google Assistant and well-known Google apps make this one as functional as it is fashionable.

Affordable

You know who we haven’t specifically name-check in this article yet? That’s right, kids! Children love tech, it’s a bigger part of their lives than it was ours growing up, so it’s only fair we make a pick here that has them in mind. Spacetalk’s range of kids’ smartwatches are designed to appeal to the people wearing them – teens and pre-teens – and the parents of those people, with features that appeal to both. And because they don’t necessarily need the same level of performance as your Fitbits and Garmins, nor all the bells and whistles of your Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, they are quite affordable.

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Speaking of Apple, they’ve been at this for a while now, so it’s no surprise to find them listed in this spot. The Apple Watch Series 8, as is usually the case with Apple products, looks great and has all the features you’ve come to expect as standard in a smartwatch. With different watch bands available for different occasions and three distinct price points, this is a great gift for everyone, from a loved one who is looking to pay a little bit more attention to their health indicators, to those who are just looking to decrease the amount of time they spend with their eye glued to their phone but don’t want to miss any important notifications.

Smart Home

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The future really is now with the Ecovacs DEEBOT x1 Plus robot vacuum. Camera, autopilot, obstacle avoidance, human recognition, auto-cleaning and a built-in air conditioner – whatever feature you can think of that would be handy in a robot vacuum cleaner, chances are that this one has it. It has strong suction power and an oscillating mopping system, so you get a thorough clean and the voice control assistant that is completely independent of your smart speaker make it simple to operate.

Affordable

For most people, the entry-level gadget for smartening up their home is a smart speaker, so we figured that if you or the intended recipient of this gift is new to the game, this would be the ideal recommendation here. The JBL Charge 5 isn’t necessarily the most inexpensive when compared against other Bluetooth speakers, but if we’re talking about durability and sound quality, probably the two most important aspects of a Bluetooth speaker, you would be hard-pressed to find a piece of tech that provides better value for money.

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We’re going for the safe pick in this category, in every sense of the word. The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera is a simple yet effective way to beef up your home security and one that works seamlessly with the big name smart home hub devices. It is wireless, has two-way audio and 160-degree viewing, so you only need the one for a lot of homes, but it can also work with additional units for larger properties and connects to your existing doorbell’s wiring. Our favourite feature however might just be the motion detector that can even differentiate between a package, person, vehicle or animal.

Small Business/Home Office

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What could possibly be on-trend than receiving fair an adequate payment for the goods and or services you have provided from your very own small business? We’re almost at the end of this article so we’re just going to go ahead and answer that one for you: nothing. The Square Terminal is the modern solution for sole traders to be paid electronically and instantly, allowing customers to tap using magstripe cards, chip cards and NFC tap and go devices like smartphones and watches. It offers 24/7 fraud protection and phone support and even comes with a built-in printer for printing receipts.

Affordable

With so much off-site collaboration in businesses of all sizes these days it really pays for offices to have access to adequate web conferencing technology on site so that meetings, presentations and video calls can proceed without a hitch. The Logitech HD Pro C920 webcam is an affordable way for you business to stay connected with its Full HD 1080p video calling and recording, dual built-in microphones with automatic noise reduction and universal compatibility.

Solid

As with laptops, HP have been making printers since forever, so you know you’re going to get value for money/ The HP LaserJet Pro M283FDW Colour printer is aimed at people who are serious about their home office/small business set up. It prints, scans copies and faxes, efficiently and wirelessly, with automatic two-sided printing, a 250-sheet tray and refillable ink. Plus, it features in-built security that keeps your network safe, a must for any home business.

Accessories

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Print your photos instantly from your smart phone with the Instax Mini Link 2. Operating in much the same way as an instant print camera, except using you smart phone as the image-capturing device – and let’s be honest, the best cameras you can get these days are built into your smartphone – when you gift your friend or family member this handy printer what you’re really gifting them is a memory-making device. Plus, you can use the free app to edit your photos before printing, adding another level of fun to the experience.

Affordable

It’s funny that no matter how advanced society becomes with the development and adoption of new technologies, there are some failings of the human condition that we can’t seem to grow out of. Such as losing your keys. Which is what makes gadgets such as the MyTag Edge Bluetooth key tracker so useful. Compact and unassuming, you can hook this little beauty to your keys, your handbag or gym bag to ensure you’ll never lose them again. It’s operated via an app on your phone, has an outdoor range of up to 90 metres and can even be used as a selfie camera remote.

Solid

We’ve saved the best until last. Here it is, our pick for number one tech gift for 2022, and it’s not even something you’d immediately identify as tech. The Samsonite Technology Backpack is the ideal Christmas or anytime gift because it holds almost universal appeal. Designed hold your laptop, wallet, power bank, phone, headphones and more, it keeps all those things safe and secure whilst remaining stylish in that modern minimalist way and can be had for under $100. It works as a gift for a friend, a family member, a work colleague or even as an admittedly next level Secret Santa gift.

Need help setting up new technology?

If you’re giving or receiving new technology these holidays, Geeks2U can help you get it set up. From computer and laptop setup to smart home setup services, we’ll get IT sorted.