Looking for the latest tech gift guide to celebrate the upcoming Christmas 2023? We’ve reviewed hundreds of gadgets this year, as usual, and are ready to recommend some of our findings. There are definitely many hidden gems this year and lots to recommend, so sit tight!
Work & Gaming
For gaming, we’ve reviewed a couple of awesome, new wireless gaming mice that deliver performance and ergonomics. We like the Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed, and not just because it’s wireless. It’s powered by a single AA battery that can last up to 280 hours. Normally, a gaming mouse powered by an AA battery is clunky, has weird weight distribution, and doesn’t last long – but not this mouse. It still weighs under 100 grams and can support up to an 8,000Hz polling rate if you purchase the additional Razer HyperPolling Wireless Dongle.
I’m also currently reviewing CORSAIR’s latest wireless gaming mouse – the M75 AIR WIRELESS. It has an ergonomic design and accurate sensor – so stay tuned for the review that will be out sometime this week.
To spice up some audio in your room, we fell in love with the Razer Nommo V2 Pro‘s sleek design and sound. The Subwoofer is cordless (well, you still need to plug it into a power socket) and the backlighting is bright and enhances the aesthetic of your desk.
But what if you prefer something to spice up your ears close and personal? I’d highly recommend the Logitech G PRO X 2 with its revolutionary Graphene drivers. It has become my primary go-to gaming headset for now and possibly for months to come.
While we are on the topic of audio, I’d also like to recommend both the SteelSeries Alias and Alias Pro microphones. I was there at the launch event in Melbourne and experienced these microphones firsthand. I was quite surprised to see how they can pick up my voice clearly even in the midst of noisy background. The quality (both design and sound) is superb too. We’ll be reviewing one here at Craving Tech soon so stay tuned for that.
Am I missing a keyboard? Yes, indeed. For an ultimate wireless gaming keyboard, my recommendation is definitely the Apex Pro TKL Wireless. It comes with fully customisable OmniPoint 2.0 switches, the lowest actuation point of 0.2mm, and very fast response times. It’s high-performing and has a durable design. If you are looking for something smaller and more compact, the CORSAIR K65 PRO MINI is an excellent compact gaming keyboard that supports up to an 8,000Hz polling rate. Just hope your PC can handle the power!
But enough about gaming. What if you are looking for something for non-gaming-related purposes? The recent Logitech Pebble 2 Combo is a great gift option. They have an elegant, compact design with various colours to choose from, and allow you to simultaneously connect to different devices, such as your work laptop, desktop, and an extra mobile device. Now that’s multitasking and efficiency. I’m also typing this gift guide on their latest Wave Keys Ergonomic Keyboard, and oh my, it’s really good. The review should be up soon, in a week or so.
Portable Power
This year, we’ve seen many Portable Power Solutions from various brands like BLUETTI and EcoFlow. The BLUETTI AC60, for example, can output 600W of power with Power Lifting Technology that can further boost it to deliver 1,200W. This means you can plug in your hair-dryer or even an electric BBQ machine to this portable power station while camping. It can even run a portable aircon for about an hour or so, which might be enough to cool a small room or tent down.
And to harness complete renewable energy solutions, they even sell solar panels like the BLUETTI PV200 to power the AC60 easily using the energy from the sun. If you get the perfect sun condition and angle, you can even fully charge the AC60 within 3 hours.
Need something bigger? The EcoFlow DELTA 2 can output up to 2,200W of power. Sure, it’s bulkier and heavier, but heck, if you can afford and need all the power you can get, why hold back? With this, you can run that portable air conditioner I mentioned earlier for 4-5 hours instead. You can even plug it into a Nespresso coffee machine and make great coffees everywhere you go
Speaking of portable air conditioners, EcoFlow actually has one too that we reviewed and really liked. The EcoFlow WAVE 2 is perfect for those hot days or nights, anywhere in the world. You can use it while camping or even in your own bedroom where you don’t have a wall-mounted air conditioning system. Imagine being able to host a BBQ on your balcony during summer but everyone can still enjoy a cool breeze while savouring the food. How awesome is that?
Home Appliances
Doing chores around the house? There are plenty of smart appliances this year to significantly reduce the time, so you can use your valuable time for something else. For the best time saver, definitely look at the eufy Clean RoboVac X9 Pro. We may have a ton of robot vacuum cleaners on the market already, but I’m quite amazed by the RoboVac X9 Pro’s performance. It confidently navigates through our house, goes through the corners, and vacuums and mops the floor simultaneously. It can even smartly recognise carpet and small objects on the floor like socks and toys. As a bonus, it can even auto-clean its mop while charging at the same time.
If you like getting your hands dirty (not literally) or want to be in control of the cleaning session, then the next appliance is a must: Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 PRO. It’s a powerful, cordless vacuum cleaner but also mops cleanly with its rotating roller brush. It can also auto-clean the roller brush after each session while being charged at the same time. If you’re used to vacuuming the floor first before mopping it with a mop, you can now cut the time in half with the S7 PRO. If you want to save some money, the S5 PRO is also as good (check the S7 PRO review for comparisons between the S5 PRO and S7 PRO).
Enough about cleaning. What about some indulgence? I love coffees, so it’s really easy to recommend either the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima and Vertuo Creatista. They are designed towards different demographics, but honestly, I’m having a hard time deciding which machine is better. They both create great coffees and milk coffees. If you already have an old Nespresso machine at home, it’s time really to ditch it and upgrade yourself to a nicer, better Nespresso coffee machine like one of these.
Other Tech Gift Ideas
Want to gift yourself the ultimate gift this Christmas? Then it should be no other than the Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone. It is an amazing Android smartphone capable of many things, including taking excellent photos in all kinds of conditions and capable of processing magic features using its built-in AI (make sure to also read the recent Gemini update).
If you are looking for a new, nice smartwatch, then check out the Google Pixel Watch 2 as a good combo with the Pixel 8 Pro. For something more classic, we also love Withings ScanWatch Light (or any of the Withings smartwatches, really). It looks classic and, while it’s not a full-blown smartwatch like the Pixel Watch or Apple Watch, it still has its place among many users, including myself.
For travelers, this is still the one and only gadget I recommend to have with you at all times: the AirFly Pro. It transforms your movie listening experience on the plane into a much better one: cordless – which means you don’t have those pesky dangling cables in front of your seat and more wireless earphones/headphones support. The AirFly Pro Deluxe adds a nice, elegant pouch to store the little gadget in style.
For creative professionals or even casuals, the recently-reviewed Cricut Joy Xtra is a must have. It stands out as an ideal crafting companion, especially for beginners. Compact and user-friendly, it excels in creating stickers, custom cards, T-shirts, and more, fitting easily into small spaces. It also offers a wide range of creative possibilities with full access to its extensive design library if you subscribe monthly.
