Gift Ideas for the Tech Enthusiast

Gifted giving is all about understanding the motivations and fascinations of your giftee. Got a Tech Enthusiast on your list? You won’t need a biometric scanning device to recognize what makes their heart race. A gleeful early adopter of the latest and soon-to-be greatest in technology, the Tech Enthusiast can be hard to buy for, because they’re usually the first on the block to snag the newest phone or smart watch. That said, you can earn a spot on their Faves list with thoughtful finds that support them in their effort to be one step (okay: two or three steps) ahead of everyone else. Here’s what to look for.

How to ID them:

Tech Enthusiasts often self-identify, which makes things easier if, by comparison, you’re less tech inclined and can’t tell the difference between version 10 and 11 of the hottest smartphone. Suspected Tech Enthusiasts can often be heard saying things like: “It launches [insert date of hot new phone/app/software upgrade],” “How fast is it?” and “Ooooh: Shiny!” When in doubt, peek at their web browser bookmark bar. If it includes sites like TechCrunch, Mashable or Engadget, you’ve got a Tech Enthusiast on your gift list.

Natural Habitat:

A weekend in Vegas (i.e. the annual Consumer Electronics Show), local tech shows, the Apple display at Staples, taking their new fitness tracker out for a spin at the gym

Statistics:

According to the Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s 2019 edition of Canada’s Internet Factbook, 45 percent of Canadians provide informal tech support to their friends and family members. Of that tech-savvy cohort, 79 percent are confident in their ability to trouble-shoot for their less-tech-confident buddies.

Priorities:

Tech Enthusiasts value metrics like fastest processor speed, highest pixel density, longest battery life etc., and know the difference between RAM and ROM. They like finding the most efficient route from Point A to B, if only to free up more time to spend on their fave pastime…technology.

Great gift ideas:

Tech Enthusiasts are early adopters of smart phones, smart homes, wearable tech, etc., so it may be a challenge to beat them to the punch. But here are some ideas for finding next-gen gifts they’ll love.

• Apple Pencil 2.0: In case they missed this iPad upgrade while focused on their iPhone instead

• 3D Printer: Next-gen creative technology at a laptop price point

• Google Nest Mini 2nd Generation: They already have the first-gen version, so upgrade them with the newest iteration that just launched

• Corsair Premium Gaming Headset Stand: Upgrade their existing headset with immersive multi-channel surround sound. The stand improves charging power and data speed for devices, too!

• Waterproof Action Camera: Get them a new 4K video camera for hyper-smooth video and epic photos, ready in a flash for posting to social!