8 best tech gifts for teens
Which tech gifts are best for teens?
Buying gifts for teens can be challenging, but electronics are always sure to impress. Laptops, tablets and cameras are just a few of the incredible tech gifts that teens will love. If you’re unsure what your teen might want, taking the time to compare the most popular tech items for teens is a surefire way to make the right choice.
Cool tech gifts for teens
Best laptops for teens
Regardless of your teen’s interests, there is a pretty good chance they’ll be impressed with a laptop. When buying a laptop, it’s essential to consider whether they’ll use the device for gaming, how many tasks it can manage at a single time and how much storage space the machine has for their pictures and videos.
What you need to know: The Macbook Pro’s intense multitasking capabilities make it ideal for school, browsing and even gaming.
What you’ll love: The vibrant LED display features 2,560-by-1,600-pixel resolution. The Dolby Atmos sound is perfect for listening to music or streaming movies. The Macbook Pro features a touch sensor that allows you to unlock it, rent movies and view locked documents without entering your password.
What you should consider: The Macbook Pro is expensive compared to most laptops.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: This affordable laptop features a surprisingly great HD display and high-quality speakers.
What you’ll love: This HP Chromebook has an impressive 13 hours of battery life. This laptop has an anti-glare display that’s excellent for users who enjoy working on homework outside.
What you should consider: This isn’t a great option for system-heavy projects or travel.
Where to buy: Sold by HP and Amazon
Best tablets for teens
Tablets are another gift that’s guaranteed to delight, regardless of your teen’s interests. A capable tablet gives teens the freedom to connect to their friends and family, no matter where they are, and many of them are perfect for mobile gaming and streaming. When shopping for a tablet, you’ll want to consider whether your teen needs a headphone jack and how much traveling they’ll do with the device. Many tablets no longer include 3.5mm headphone jacks, and some are larger and heavier than others, making them harder to take on the go.
What you need to know: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is a high-end but relatively affordable device that makes a perfect gift.
What you’ll love: This tablet features a crystal-clear 12-inch Super AMOLED display that is perfect for watching TV and movies. The 14-hour battery life is both impressive and convenient. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ comes in four colors and includes a stylus that’s great for taking notes.
What you should consider: This model is fairly large and heavy, meaning it isn’t ideal for travel. You’ll need a USB-C adapter to use 3.5mm headphones with this device.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dell
What you need to know: This advanced tablet is ideal for creating art, multitasking and playing games.
What you’ll love: The Apple M1 processor gives this tablet multitasking capabilities on par with many high-end PCs. Apple devices are known for their incredible cameras, and this device is no exception. The 2021 Apple iPad Pro has about 10 hours of battery life.
What you should consider: This is a fairly pricey device, and the magic keyboard isn’t included.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Other great tech gifts for teens
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera
What you need to know: This modern camera is reminiscent of the classic Polaroid cameras that allow you to print any photo you take instantly.
What you’ll love: This camera’s instant printing abilities make it ideal for teens who enjoy making wall collages. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera comes in over 10 fun colors. This updated model features a selfie mirror and automatic exposure measurement that recommends the perfect settings for your photos.
What you should consider: The instant film replacements can be pretty expensive.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: The impressive Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer allows you to print photos directly from your smartphone or social media sites.
What you’ll love: This device’s small size makes it incredibly easy to pack and bring along to a friend’s house or on vacation. The Canon IVY uses photo paper rather than ink refills, and setup and installation are astonishingly simple.
What you should consider: The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer only holds 10 sheets of photo paper at a time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: If the teen in your life wants a drone but has never flown one before, this is the perfect model to get them started.
What you’ll love: This affordable, compact drone shoots photos with 5-megapixel resolution as well as clear HD videos. The versatile Ryze Tech Tello can be controlled via VR, smartphone or remote control. This option includes multiple faceplates in different colors and can be used to perform astonishing tricks and maneuvers.
What you should consider: You only get around 13 minutes of flight on a full battery.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite VR Headset
What you need to know: This high-end VR headset makes a perfect addition to any PC gamer’s arsenal.
What you’ll love: The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite features immersive graphics and highly accurate motion controls. This device’s 2,880-by-1,700-pixel resolution is optimized for PC gaming. Unlike some VR headsets, the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is incredibly comfortable.
What you should consider: This is a relatively pricey headset and requires you to use the Viveport software, which some users find irritating.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Lenovo
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
