All of these devices, from the affordable to the pricey, make for great gifts while you can still get them.
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Has December slipped by and left you with little time to finish your holiday shopping? I’m not here to judge you for waiting until the last minute (we’ve all been there, after all). Instead, I’ll do you one better by helping you find a variety of gift ideas that should still arrive in time to be wrapped and tucked under the tree before Christmas.
There’s a wide swath of excellent gifts you can still nab — some of which may even be on sale — including smart home accessories, tablets, wearables, and headphones. Everything here is tech or tech-adjacent stuff that The Verge has tested or vouched for, so you can rest assured you’re not compromising on quality for the sake of timeliness. And if you need additional ideas, be sure to check out our various holiday gift guides, which are filled with unique and fun presents to gift any dad, mom, kid, or gamer in your life.
Note: many products listed here sold by Amazon require a Prime account to arrive before Christmas. That said, other retailers may offer timely free shipping without the need for a paid subscription.
- Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic. Apple’s wired EarPods are on sale at Amazon for around $15 in the Lightning configuration or for around $18 in the 3.5mm and newer USB-C configs — and all three should arrive in time to be the perfect stocking stuffer. Using wired earbuds in the year 2023 may sound a little backward, but the microphone on these bad boys absolutely trounces the mics on most Bluetooth earbuds.
Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds improve upon the previous model with richer sound quality, slightly more powerful ANC, and vastly improved comfort thanks to their reduced size and weight. Read our review.
- The Sony WH-1000XM5, one of the best pairs of noise-canceling headphones you can get, are available for around $328 ($71 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The overhead cans support high-quality audio codecs like LDAC and feature multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to pair them with multiple devices at once. Read our review.
Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are the company’s first earbuds to include active noise cancellation. They also combine impressive sound, great battery life, and good comfort — all without the connection issues of earlier models. Read our review.
- If someone you know loves Olivia Rodrigo (or the color violet) and wants some comfy noise-canceling earbuds this holiday, the Sony LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo are on sale for around $178 ($21 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. Though, frankly, you can get the same earbuds in some plain and simple colors for as low as $128, also at Amazon and Best Buy.
- A Philips Hue starter kit containing three bulbs, a Hue Bridge, and a smart button is on sale at Amazon for $134.99 ($35 off), arriving well in time for Christmas. With these 1,100-lumen bulbs, you can light most rooms and set them to all kinds of festive colors. Read our guide on getting started with smart lighting.
With 24/7 recording, facial recognition, reliable smart alerts, and some free video recording, Google’s newest wired doorbell is the best option for most people. Read our review.
This sleek Bluetooth smart lock supports Apple Home and will auto-unlock for you as you approach your door. An onboard Wi-Fi module adds out-of-home control and more smart home support for an extra $80. There’s also the option of a fingerprint reader and Apple Home Key, just not both.
This robot vacuum has superior cleaning power over the competition thanks to its wide, dual rubber brushes that get up more dirt and debris. While it can map, there are no keep-out zones.
- The seven-panel Nanoleaf Elements starter kit is on sale at Best Buy for $169.99 ($80 off). Nanoleaf’s wooden, hexagonal lighting panels can bring a unique accent to any wall in your home. When their white LEDs are turned off, you just see that sleek wood look, as opposed to other Nanoleaf lights that are devoid of life when off.
Sonos’ Era 100 smart speaker is a replacement for the older Sonos One, utilizing two tweeters (left and right) and one larger woofer. In addition to Wi-Fi, the Era 100 also supports Bluetooth audio and line-in playback via an optional 3.5mm to USB-C adapter.
- Not only is time running out to get an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 before Christmas but also you won’t be able to buy one from Apple at all come December 21st at 3PM ET due to an ongoing patent dispute. Thankfully, for now, you can still get the 41mm Series 9 for around $329 ($70 off) at Amazon, Target, and Walmart. The Ultra 2, meanwhile, is selling for as low as $699 ($100 off) in select colors at Amazon or for $749 at Best Buy.
The Apple Watch Series 9 features a brand-new S9 processor that enables offline Siri use, brighter displays, and the double tap gesture. It also has the second-gen ultra wideband chip for Precision Finding if you have an iPhone 15. Read our review.
The rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in one size: 49mm. It offers the brightest display of any wearable in Apple’s lineup, along with better battery life and improved performance. It sports Apple’s new S9 SiP, too, allowing you to take advantage of Apple’s new double tap feature. Read our review.
The Garmin Epix Pro comes in three sizes, includes a handy flashlight, and has multiband GPS. Plus, it lasts over a week on a single charge. Read our review.
The latest iPad Air retains the iPad Pro-esque redesign of the 2020 model but does away with the A14 Bionic processor in favor of Apple’s fast M1 chip. It also comes in one of five colors and boasts a 12MP front-facing camera with support for Apple’s Center Stage feature. Read our review.
Apple’s revamped iPad Mini ditches the home button and opts for a larger edge-to-edge display. It also comes outfitted with a faster processor, support for USB-C, and a top-mounted power button that moonlights as a Touch ID sensor. Read our review.
Amazon’s kid-friendly Paperwhite is the same as the standard Paperwhite, but it’s ad-free and comes with the added benefits of a two-year hardware protection plan, one year of Amazon Kids Plus, and a choice of three kid-friendly covers.
- Amazon’s entry-level Kindle from 2022 is a very good e-reader with a high-res display and USB-C charging for just $99.99, and it makes a great gift that’ll arrive in time for Christmas if you order it from Amazon, Best Buy, or Target. Read our review.
Google’s 4K-ready Chromecast introduces new software that brings together recommendations from all of your streaming services. It also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Read our review.
- The Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices you can get, one that’s available at B&H Photo for $124.99 ($5 off) or its regular price of $129.99 at Target and Best Buy. The compact streamer has a fast A15 Bionic chip for lots of performance headroom as well as 64GB of built-in storage. Read our review.
- Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K is a dead-simple device for streaming TV shows and movies with Dolby Vision, and you can get it in time for Christmas at Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy for around $39 ($10 off). Read our review.
- The Elgato Stream Deck MK. 2, a macro controller that’s a Verge favorite among many of our multitasking staffers, is down to $129.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The macro pad features 15 fully customizable LCD keys, which come in handy for carrying out everyday computing needs and controlling Twitch / YouTube streams.
The MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight computer that’s powerful enough for most people. The M2 model has a 1080p webcam and a better display than its predecessor, while retaining features like long battery life and MagSafe charging. Read our review.
Apple’s new entry-level model for the MacBook Pro line is now a 14-inch laptop powered by the new base M3 processor. It uses a similar design to the pricier 14-inch MacBook Pro with Apple’s Pro- / Max-series chips but is offered at a lower price with the same ports and less RAM. Read our review.
- The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is available at Best Buy before Christmas for $1,799.99. The midrange gaming laptop offers a great mix of affordability and power, as the 16-inch machine is packed with an Intel 13th Gen Core i7 processor, an RTX 4070 GPU, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. Read our gaming laptop buying guide.
The Link features a 0.5-inch Sony sensor mounted on a gimbal that can follow you around the room. It typically runs $299.99, and it comes with numerous features that take advantage of the gimbal’s flexibility. Read our review.
- The Keychron V1 wired mechanical keyboard is available at Amazon for $74.99 with either red linear switches, brown tactile switches, or blue clicky switches. Some of these hot-swappable keyboards are low in inventory at Amazon, but each of them should arrive in time for Christmas. Keychron’s V1 is a perfect gateway into mechanical keyboards, with a compact but easy to get used to 75 percent layout, hot-swappable switches, and VIA support that allows you to do all kinds of tinkering. Read our mechanical keyboard buying guide.
- The standard Xbox Wireless Controller is great for either an Xbox Series X or Series S as well as a PC or laptop. Right now, you can get it in time for Christmas in a variety of colors for around $45 ($15 off) at Target.
Fires of Rubicon marks the return of FromSoftware’s long-running mech game series. Armored Core VI brings back the frantic, mission-based gameplay and eye-watering levels of user customization for your high-flying robots.
Tears of the Kingdom is the latest installment in the Zelda franchise. The storyline and gameplay are similar to Breath of the Wild’s, but enough has changed to make Link’s return to Hyrule plenty special. Read our review.
The controller designed for the PS5, featuring adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone, and haptic feedback technologies. Read our review.
A bundle that pairs Sony’s new PS5 with a disc drive and a digital copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
- A single AirTag is down to $23.99 (about $5 off) at Amazon and Best Buy; they’re also available at Best Buy in a four-pack for $78.99 ($21 off). Apple’s handy location trackers are great for helping locate personal items like keys or luggage, and they’re affordable enough that they make for great stocking stuffers. Read our review.
- The Slice Micro Ceramic Blade safety cutter is an indispensable tool for someone opening lots of packages, and it’s just $5.99 ($1 off) at Amazon. It can be one of those nifty “I never knew how much I needed this” type of gifts.
An SD, microSD, and SIM card holder with a built-in 3.1 USB-C card reader and SIM card removal tool.
The Theragun Mini massager is a small, ultra-portable massage device that’s quiet and effective at providing relief for muscle pain and melting away tension.
- If you know an iPhone user with a MagSafe-compatible phone, the Belkin BoostCharge Pro with MagSafe is available for $22.99 ($27 off) at Amazon or $29.99 direct from Belkin. The compact charger outputs 15W of wireless power and features a handy little kickstand — not to mention a lengthy cable that’s over six feet.
The ChomChom is a reusable cat and dog hair remover that works great for furniture.
Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 is the best instant camera for most people. While it lacks more advanced features, the simple instant camera takes good-quality shots quickly and easily and offers a built-in selfie mode. It’s sold in a variety of fun colors that’ll especially appeal to kids and tweens. Read our instant camera buying guide.
- Wordle The Party Game makes an excellent gift for any fan of the popular New York Times game. You can get the tabletop card game, which accommodates up to four players, for $9.97 (about $10 off) at Walmart.
