Video games, smart TVs and computers galore. There’s so much to choose from when trying to pick out some cool electronics to buy for family members and friends. Plus, how can you keep track of all the new releases? Have no fear, College Magazine is here to get all of your tech gifts needs sorted.
Check out these 18 cool electronic gifts that rocked 2018 and will rock your family and friends’ worlds.
1. Nintendo Switch
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros all find their homes on the newest Nintendo console. What group of friends doesn’t want to yell at each other while cruising various Mario Kart tracks? Maybe your sibling just wants to roam around Hyrule with Link as their trusty sidekick. As something that will really bring everyone together, you and your friends will have a blast. (Mario Party might not bring everyone together, but hey, that’s why it’s fun right?). Either way, for the gaming person in your life, this gift is perfect.
Price: $299.992. Firestick for TV
No smart TV? No problem. With the Firestick for TV from Amazon, you don’t need one. You’re able to download Netflix, Hulu, HBO and any other app that would allow you to watch all of the shows and movies your little heart desires. The Friends marathons can be endless my friends. (See what I did there?). Not to mention having everything at your fingertips with one small remote. You can even get Spotify (for the jam sessions of course) and you can harass Alexa all you want.
Price: $39.993. MacBook Pro
Laptops are the literal savior of everyone’s lives these days. Apple has brought out their newest MacBook Pro. With the option of getting a touch bar or just getting the usual keyboard setup, it’s the MacBook that your artsy friends and family can use for Photoshop or drawing on their laptops. As a bonus, Apple made this MacBook Pro less impactful on the environment by using recycled elements to craft it. (High five for that one). The real downside though is the heavy price tag. But don’t forget about the iCloud integration across all Apple products to keep all your precious photos and that perfect resume from being lost.
Price: $1,599.994.Echo Dot
“Alexa, play Despacito!” The Echo Dot is one of the least expensive home systems and with all the same capabilities as a regular Echo, why not just use the small one? Can you imagine all the pranks that could be played with how small this is too? The possibilities are endless. Or you could get it for that special someone who loves the idea of being able to change the color of their lights with their voice. Either way, the cute Echo Dot offers an affordable option for that tech lover in your life.
Price: $49.995. HP Sprocket
At Christmas time, it’s prime time for pictures and capturing holiday memories. For that friend who loves collecting pictures and having them on display, the HP Sprocket is a pocket printer that allows for printing on the go. Take an awesome selfie with the fam? You can print copies for them right away instead of waiting to send them or even having to print them somewhere else. You also have the option of creating stickers for laptops or even scrapbooks. Being the photographer of the friend group isn’t so bad with this gift now is it?
Price: $99.956. JBL Flip 4
Phone speakers just don’t cut it sometimes. For those songs that you absolutely have to listen to louder, the JBL Flip 4 Speaker gives you that added volume and is a great gift for your music obsessed friends and family. “It’s a fully waterproof speaker with controls on it so if you’re a shower music listener you don’t have to step out to adjust the volume or change the song. It’s got roughly a 24-hour battery life and the sound quality is fantastic for a bluetooth speaker under $100,” sophomore at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Chris Kroenig said. They can play DJ with easy to use buttons and a battery life that won’t fail you. This gift is also great for that infamous shower singer so they can drown out their thoughts and bring out those bathroom acoustics. (Even if they aren’t the best singer).
Price: $74.957. Apple Watch Series 4
Say goodbye to FitBits and other fitness trackers. With the Apple Watch Series 4, you can give a fitness junkie the best gift. Not only does the watch do all the basic health tracking like a pulse tracking and step counting, but it also has a breathe app to help take a moment to catch your breath every once in a while. “I have been looking into smart watches and feel like this one would be the best option for me because it’ll go well with my phone and track my workouts.” junior at UW-Green Bay Chayla Dobson said. This gift works even for the non-active person in your life as it can be useful to just keep them in the loop of the weather forecast. (Plus, they can sneakily check their notifications in class or at work).
Price: $399.998. Samsung Galaxy S9
So many Apple products, where are all the Androids and Samsungs? Well, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is one of the fastest selling smartphones that has came out this year. With a dual aperture camera, Dolby Atmos speakers built in and the ability to take the microSD card out, there’s a lot for android users to love about this new phone. “The interface is great to use and it looks really nice. I also enjoy being able to remove the microSD card,” junior at UW-Green Bay Adam Fredrick said. Not to mention that the phone itself is pretty sleek and easy to customize. Android users are just dying to get their hands on it.
Price: $618.959. Ninja Air Fryer
Chicken nuggets are probably the best invention ever and when they’re dripping in grease, it’s harder to enjoy them. The air fryer gives you chicken nuggets, just without the dripping grease. For the health conscious person in your life, they could use this to get that crunch without hurting their grease-free life. “It’s a healthy alternative to deep frying, the possibilities are endless and it’s just cool,” junior at UW-Green Bay Amanda Bothun said. Plus, it’s good for the environment with taking the grease out of the equation all together and who doesn’t want to help the environment while enjoying the crunch of a french fry?
Price: $99.0010. KitchenAid Mixer
Christmas cookies, all the pies imaginable and so many more desserts become possible for your baking friends and family with a KitchenAid Mixer. “KitchenAid is the best for Christmas because what baking person doesn’t need one this time of year,” sophomore at UW-Green Bay Haylee McDonald said. The mixer is the most popular of its kind with everyone that’s used one always commenting how easy the essential kitchen item is to use. Maybe your mom or your baking-obsessed roommate has been talking about getting a new one complaining about always having to use mixing bowls and hand stirring. As a bonus, you’ll get some darn good desserts.
Price: $279.9511. Roomba iRobot 675
Vacuuming sucks. Literally. Okay, besides for puns, vacuuming a house, dorm or apartment is kind of horrible. “I need a Roomba because I hate vacuuming and it would do it for me,” junior at UW-Green Bay Caleb Schultz said. There’s never really a good way to know if you got everything that was on the floor or not. The iRobot 675 from Roomba solves your family or friend’s vacuuming woes. With the click of one button, off it goes. Plus, maybe they’ll let you name it so you can cheer the little guy on as it cruises through the house, dorm or apartment.
Price: $248.0012. Kindle Fire Paperwhite
We love books but they do take up a lot of space over time. And for a book lover, getting rid of them is one of the hardest things to do. With the Kindle Fire Paperwhite, the book lover in your life doesn’t have to go through the struggle of rearranging their bookshelf for a fifth time to fit new books. “I want an E-reader because I’m running out of space to keep all of my books,” junior at UW-Green Bay Raven Mory-Pagel said. They can download apps to the E-Reader too if they really want to get their Angry Birds on.
Price: $99.9913. Canon EOS Rebel T6
Aesthetic pictures are the one aspect of Instagram that makes it so popular. Your photography obsessed friend would love to get a Canon EOS Rebel T6. And good news, it won’t entirely break your bank. The perks include a clear focus and easy learning curve. Not to mention the clear video that comes from the lens and the easy lens switching mechanism. “I need a better video camera and the features on the camera seem the best suited for my needs,” junior at UW-Green Bay Guillermo Gomez said. The future YouTubers of the world ache to own this gift.
Price: $341.4914. Tile Mate
Do you have a friend or family member known for losing things? Like their keys or their phone? You know, the one that would lose their head if it wasn’t attached? Tile Mate solves that problem and for a small price. The actual attachment of Tile Mate can be clipped to their keys, while the Bluetooth on their phone lets them press a button to find either. It’s also great for someone with kids and the endless slew of toys that can be lost at any moment.
Price: $24.9915. Photoshop Subscription
Artsy pictures, great backgrounds or even just small lighting mistakes can be easily solved with this gift. “I need a photo editing program that isn’t going to break the bank and is easy to learn,” a trying tech mom Tracy Larson said. You can pick from two plans to give this holiday season. The photography plan comes with all Adobe apps and the single app plan gives your photographer friend just Photoshop. The app will give you guides on how to use it and there’s always a YouTube tutorial your friend or family member can watch. Either way, they’ll get insta-worthy pictures and you’ll be the one with the pat on the back for winning Christmas.
Price: $9.99 – $20.9916. Samsung 32 inch TV
Laptop screens just don’t cut it sometimes. For those big movie buffs and TV lovers, they need a wider view to fully appreciate their favorite shows and movies. This Samsung Smart TV has Internet capabilities so your friends and family can download Netflix, Hulu and any other streaming services they want to their TV and have the world of entertainment at their fingertips. Maybe your best friend has been complaining about not being able to watch TV. This would be the best way to give them their TV freedom back.
Price: $197.9917. HoMedics MyChill Personal Space Cooler
We all know that person who always feels too hot. Why not get them a personal space air conditioner for Christmas? They might not be able to use it until summer, but who knows? Maybe their room at home feels like a sauna. Plus, it’s a nice gift for the college student who doesn’t have the luxurious option of air conditioning.
Price: $52.9818. Toshiba External Hard Drive
Let’s be honest, not every computer comes with enough storage for all tech needs. Lots of people dread the moment they have to delete things from their computer to make room for more. Whether it’s pictures, videos or even just old school papers, storage is a necessity, especially as a full-time college student. With an external hard drive, that hoarder friend or family member of yours can keep all of their most prized pictures, home videos and documents in one place. Plus, it’s much harder to lose this bad boy than a flash drive.
Price: $47.99
