Best tech gifts under $50

BY ANDREW UTTERBACK /  Multimedia Journalist

Christmas is right around the corner but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank on gifts for your tech-savvy loved ones. Here are my favorite tech Christmas gifts under $50 that I either personally own or have been able to use. 

Apple AirTag

Without a doubt, one of the best tech gift recommendations is an AirTag. As long as the recipient is an iPhone user, these small trackers let you see where your keys, backpack, wallet etc. are at all times. The battery lasts around a year and the accuracy when hunting down your lost items is great. Retail price is $29 but you can frequently find them on sale for closer to $20.

New Xbox/PlayStation controller 

For the gamer in your life, a new Xbox or Playstation controller is a risk free gift. Controllers lose their “new button” feeling after months of usage and can suffer from stick drift. PS5 controllers are usually pushing above the $50 range, but Xbox controllers can frequently be found for less than $50. 

Smart Plugs

More and more people want a smart home in 2024 but not everyone wants to shell out hundreds of dollars for Philips Hue lights in every room and smart speakers in every corner. 

A pack of smart plugs turns pretty much anything from your lamp to your coffee maker into a smart device. Simply pair to your smart home of choice and then from your phone, flip the power on and off.

The Kasa Smart Plugs have 4.5+ stars on Amazon and work with Homekit, Alexa and Google Home. 

Smart Speaker

For those looking to start their smart home journey with smart speakers, both the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini are both $50. These speakers put Alexa or Google Assistant, respectively, in whichever room you please and are loud enough to fill a room with music. 

Bluetooth speaker

Even for under $50 you can score a solid Bluetooth speaker from JBL, Sony or Anker. These speakers can still fill a room pretty well and are all available in multiple color options. 

The JBL Go 4, Sony XB100 and Soundcore Anker 3 are all rated the best in their category and fall right around $50. 

iFixit Screwdriver Set

Not everyone is taking apart computers, but this screwdriver and bit kit from iFixit is perfect for taking batteries out of regular household items or tightening whatever loose screw you come across. The screwdriver tips are even magnetic so you never drop a screw. 

The Moray Driver Kit comes with the screwdriver and 32 bits for $20. 

Power bank

A portable power bank is a life saving gift, especially if you’re shopping for a college student. For under $50, you can get stand alone battery banks to charge all of your devices or even MagSafe capable ones that can snap to the back of your phone and charge it wirelessly on the go. 

Anker makes a wide variety of well priced battery banks with very positive reviews. 

LED light strip

A $25 Govee LED light strip behind your desk or shelf adds the perfect amount of fun to a room. Even if you don’t want fun colors, having a light glow from behind your desk gives your workspace a perfect visual and functional upgrade. You can also change the color and create color gradients all via the Govee app. 

Screen cleaner

The OXO Good Grips Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner features a brush to clean your keyboard and laptop, plus a microfiber wrapped pad to wipe down your screen. At $12, this is a perfect stocking stuffer for the person who always needs to clean their tech. 

CMF Buds

If you’re looking for budget wireless earbuds that are still feature packed, the CMF buds are a very solid pick. They feature decent sound, build quality, transparency mode, noise cancellation, battery life and a very good app all for $39. They’re some of the very best budget earbuds out there and even come in fun colors.