25 fun tech gifts teens will get excited for, from gaming gear to mobile accessories

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When it comes to entry-level record players, you can’t go wrong with Victrola’s Suitcase Record Player. 

The Suitcase Record Player can play music through a built-in speaker, or any other Bluetooth speaker. And it works the other way around, too — your teen can connect their phone to the record player to play anything through its speaker. It also has a headphone jack for an even more personalized experience.

The Re-Spin is made from 25% recycled plastic. Pair this gift with a subscription to Vinyl Me, Please, and they’ll be all set to start their collection.

Best Buy

The ASUS Zenbook is the ideal laptop for teens. It gives you an ultra-fast solid-state hard drive, beautiful OLED screen, and even decent gaming performance from the 12th-gen Intel Core i5. It’s a fantastic mid-range option that delivers bang for the buck, especially for users who need a computer for both school and play.

B&H Photo

Whether it’s for selfies, live streams, or video chats, a ring light brings out more facial details — even under bright conditions. For teens who are always in front of their camera phones, the Beamo Ring Light from Joby is a handy accessory that attaches to a tripod, camera, or phone with its various mounts. There are three color temperatures to choose from for that perfect on-camera complexion.

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When it comes to true wireless earbuds, the pair that you buy really depends on what kind of smartphone your teen owns: An iPhone or an Android.

If they own an iPhone, AirPods are by far the best true wireless earbuds you can buy. The AirPods Pro are the top-tier model that comes with resizable tips and noise cancellation. Although they’re a bit more expensive than the basic models, your teenage giftee will appreciate the sound quality whether they’re listening to tunes or chatting with friends.

If they own an Android, you can’t go wrong with Galaxy Buds. The Galaxy Buds2 have resizable silicone tips, and combine active noise cancellation features with deep, high quality sound. They come in four different colors: Graphite gray, Lavender purple, Olive green, and plain white. And a full charge should last for about 10 hours, more than enough for a commute, workout, or study session.

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There are few things more frustrating than losing your keys, especially if you’re in a hurry. That’s where the redesigned Tile Mate comes in handy: The Tile Mate is a tiny Bluetooth alarm that can fit right onto a keychain, and can be triggered from a smartphone.

Each Mate has about a year of battery life, and you can sync them with an iPhone, iPad, or Android. And they’re not restricted to keychains — try leaving them loose in your bag, or gluing them to a remote control. They’re an inexpensive but incredibly useful gift for anyone prone to misplacing things.

Power Up Toys

They don’t make paper planes like they used to — they make them better. A fun gift for budding hobbyists, PowerUp’s F22 Raptor remote-controlled airplane is built from foam and carbon-fiber with up to 10 minutes of flight time. They’ll be able to use the PowerUp app to maneuver and fly the plane, with the option to livestream the flight.

Julian Stratenschulte/Picture Alliance/Getty Images

The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling console of this generation, and it’s not hard to understand why. Between easy portability and dozens of great games, it’s one of our favorite consoles on the market today.

Nintendo currently sells three versions of the Switch: The standard model, which is the best for most people; an OLED version with a crisper-looking screen; and the Switch Lite, which is cheaper but can only be played in handheld mode (the others can be played on a TV). They all play the same games, so if you don’t see yourself playing it on a TV often, then definitely save money and go with the Switch Lite.

Urban Outfitters

Digital is so yesterday. Teens today value authenticity, and nothing is more authentic than real film photography. 

The LomoChrome Metropolis brings back the feel of old-school disposable cameras, except this one is reloadable (a roll of film is preloaded). It also teaches the fundamentals of photography: Because film is finite, it forces one to think about composition. Whatever photos you shoot with it, they’ll come out looking like they’re one-of-a-kind.

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There’s no way to feel cooler while working on a computer than by using a mechanical keyboard. Mechanical keyboards give a distinct tactile and audible response as you type, which many users swear has helped them work faster and more efficiently — useful skills for any 21st century teen.

There are plenty of mechanical keyboards to pick from, but the Varmilo VA87M is a great pick. It’s available in a variety of configurations and color options.

Headspace

In these stressful, uncertain times, self-care means something different for everyone. For busy teens, a subscription to Headspace is the perfect place to start. The app offers easy-to-navigate guided meditations — from one-off sessions to help with burnout, to full-blown courses on stress and anger — from a variety of teachers, each with different perspectives. It’s a simple, thoughtful gift that can help build an effective self-care routine.

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Govee’s new M1 LED light strip is a great alternative to the expensive gradient light strips from Philips Hue. Measuring in at 16 feet, the Govee M1 produces bright, colorful lighting and has a built-in mic that lets it sync to music and movies playing nearby. It also has 50 customizable segments and 17 animation effects, and offers hand-free control using Alexa or Google Assistant.

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USB cables may be a dime-a-dozen these days, but the 541 from Anker is a bit special. It is made out of plant-based materials like corn and sugarcane, and it’s been tested for durability and longevity. Available in USB-C-to-Lightning and USB-C-to-USB-C, you can choose from five colors that best match your teen’s likes. With the right charger, like the Case-Mate Fuel listed here, the 541 supports 30-watt fast-charging.

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This portable Bluetooth speaker stands just 4.5 inches tall and packs high-quality audio and powerful bass sound. It lasts more than 14 hours on a single charge and has a Bluetooth range of more than 130 feet.

XP Pen

The XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is an affordable and feature-filled drawing tablet, making it perfect for beginner digital artists. For less than $70, it provides a sizable amount of drawing space with eight reprogrammable buttons, and a pressure-sensitive stylus that never needs to be recharged. It works with PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, and even Android phones, and it comes with USB adapters to help connect it. If you have a budding digital artist on your gift list, the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is a great place to start.

Meta

The best virtual reality headset you can gift without breaking the bank is the Meta Quest 2. It is comfortable to wear and easy to use. You can play nearly every major VR game with it, whether it comes through the built-in app store or SteamVR on a PC. And for a limited time, you can get a discounted bundle with a Quest 2, Beat Saber, and Resident Evil 4 for $50 off.

Best Buy

The latest generation of Apple’s classic iPad is a great budget pick for anyone who wants a fast, durable tablet that will last for years. You can still easily use it to play games, take video calls, draw pictures, and more. 

Best of all, the iPad now uses a USB-C port like the rest of the iPad line. This means that you can charge it with the same cable you probably already have for your laptop or game controller, and it supports more accessories.

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There are few things more important for a streamer or video maker than a good microphone. The Blue Yeti X is a USB microphone that’s easy to use and offers great sound quality, along with multiple recording styles to fit any user’s voice and room setup.

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The see-through colored shell gives this charger a fun and unique appearance. Despite its small size, it can provide up to 30 watts to phones and tablets — recharging up to 50% in an hour or less, depending on the device. It employs a charging technology called GaN that reduces heat and lets it charge faster.

Fitbit

For health-conscious teens, Fitbit’s latest fitness tracker can help you monitor and manage all sorts of personal health data on a daily basis. Fitbit Inspire features a 24-hour heart rate sensor, sleep tracking, workout tracking for more than 20 exercises, and a personal wellness report.

HyperX

This wireless headset works on PlayStation consoles as well as PCs, and can last hundreds of hours on a single charge. It’s perfect for communicating with party members during online games and it’s also compatible with the PlayStation 5’s immersive spatial sound features. The mic can be removed when not in use, and the headset features controls for mute and volume control.

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If your gift recipient is a messy teen, why not help them organize with this stylish desktop accessory from Satechi? This sleek stand provides a place to hang a pair of headphones and charge a phone at the same time. The stand also has a USB-C port for recharging wireless headphones, or accessories like mice and keyboards.

Backbone

The Backbone is a portable controller that turns your phone (available for iOS or Android) into a full-fledged gaming device. While smartphones can already connect to Xbox and PlayStation controllers via Bluetooth, the Backbone provides a direct connection to the device through its USB charging port. This provides a faster, more stable connection, improves battery life, and keeps the Backbone’s controls firmly in place. The controller also features a 3.5mm headphone port and a passthrough for charging while you play.

Casely

When you can’t get to a power outlet, a portable battery is your phone’s best friend. If your teen has a smartphone that supports wireless charging, they’ll love the Power Pod from Casely. Slim and compact, it supports both regular wireless charging and MagSafe, meaning that it can magnetically attach to the back of an iPhone — no cable needed. In addition to colors, the Power Pod comes in fun patterns and graphics.

Baggu

Anyone who has a laptop will appreciate a stylish laptop sleeve, especially if it’s from the bag makers at Baggu. Available in different of-the-moment prints and patterns, you’re bound to find something that matches your teen’s style and taste. The puffy laptop sleeve will slip into any bag easily, but we wouldn’t be surprised if they end up toting it around on its own.

Microsoft

Microsoft’s Xbox wireless controllers already come in a huge variety of colors, but you can also create your own custom controller with the Xbox design lab. The online tool will let you or your gift recipient decide how each part of the controller looks, including the buttons and thumbsticks. Microsoft also recently opened customization for the premium Xbox Elite controller, which has extra customizable buttons and a rubberized grip.

Pricing starts at just $10 more than a standard Xbox controller. If you want to let your gift recipient design their own Xbox controller, you can give them a Microsoft or Xbox gift card to cover the final price after customization.