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I don't know about you, but I've never gotten a techy or tech-adjacent gift I wasn't excited about—it's true. Opening up a gift and getting a new pair of headphones or a fun gadget I wasn't expecting is almost always fun, even if it isn't something I thought I wanted.

The one caveat to this rule: getting a techy gift that doesn't... uh... work. That's the problem with trying to buy a fun new tech gift for a giftee: How do you single out the small margin of great products from the ocean of sub-par stuff? Easy—you check out our picks below. Reviewed tests tech all year long and this list is chock full of our favourite gadgets.

1. For the binge-watcher: Roku Streaming Stick+
Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Roku Streaming Stick Credit: Reviewed / TJ DoneganBest tech gifts 2020: Roku Streaming Stick Credit: Reviewed / TJ Donegan
Roku's media streaming device has been our favourite for a while now, and for good reason. Processing is snappy and the UI is extremely friendly and intuitive, making it easy to settle in for a night of Netflix (or Amazon Prime, or Disney+, or YouTube, or Twitch, or anything else) without a hitch. 

Get the Roku Streaming Stick+ from Amazon for £59.99

2. For the techy type: Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen.)
Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Echo Dot (3rd Gen.) Credit: AmazonBest tech gifts 2020: Echo Dot (3rd Gen.) Credit: Amazon
If you're shopping for a tech generalist or somebody who just really loves asking Alexa to tell jokes, why not pick up the Echo Dot? This tiny smart speaker integrates with your Amazon account, meaning you can ask it for shopping recommendations, what the weather's going to be, to play music, or to integrate with your existing smart home fixtures (like turning lights on and off). This isn't the ideal music-lovers smart speaker (it's a bit too small for great sound), but as an all-around device, it's a great addition for any technophile you're shopping for.

Get the Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen.) from Amazon for £39.99 

3. For the book lover: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Credit: Reviewed / Michael RoordaBest tech gifts 2020: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Credit: Reviewed / Michael Roorda

Amazon's latest Kindle Paperwhite, technically the 10th generation model, is the best one yet. Not only does it continue to do what Kindles do best—hold hundreds, perhaps thousands of novels, short stories, poems, comics, and PDFs—it's also waterproof, and features multiple colours and storage options with a battery that lasts weeks. It's no wonder the Paperwhite is #1 in our Best Kindles roundup.

Get the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon for £119.99

4. For the one who's sick of wires: Samsung Galaxy Buds+

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Samsung Galaxy Buds Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Samsung Galaxy Buds Credit: Reviewed

If your giftee has been pining for the pure wireless freedom of true wireless earbuds, Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ make a great gift. These are some of our favourite headphones that we reviewed in 2020, and they deliver high-quality sound, excellent features, and a comfortable fit for a price that notably undercuts the competition. In fact, they're altogether a better choice than Apple AirPods, and they're cheaper, too.

Get the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ for £159.99

5. For the one who loves to game: Nintendo Switch

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Nintendo Switch Credit: Amazon / NintendoBest tech gifts 2020: Nintendo Switch Credit: Amazon / Nintendo

If you're shopping for a gamer and they don't have a Nintendo Switch yet, now's the time. Nintendo's latest home console delivers fun for kids of all ages, and doubles as both an on-the-TV device and a handheld device, giving it an unsurpassed amount of flexibility where gaming goes. With award-winning titles like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey at hand, the surprisingly hard-to-track-down Nintendo Switch is a winning gift for any gamer in 2020.

Get the Nintendo Switch from Amazon for £279.99

6. For the music lover: Sonos One SL
Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Sonos One SL Credit: Amazon / SonosBest tech gifts 2020: Sonos One SL Credit: Amazon / Sonos
Sonos has been a leading name in home audio solutions for years, and the Sonos One SL is a testament to that legacy. We loved the One for its clean audio presentation, including crispy trebles and booming bass, as well as how easy it is to set up and interface with existing Sonos speakers in the home. While it's not a take-it-to-the-park speaker, as a home solution it offered better audio than anything we tested, and will impress any music lover you might be shopping for.

Get the Sonos One SL from Sonos for £139.99

7. For the podcast addict: Apple AirPods Pro

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Apple AirPods Pro Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Apple AirPods Pro Credit: Reviewed

While they've been on the market for a couple of years, Apple's AirPods Pro are still some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy—especially for iPhone users. While we've had some qualms about the comfort and audio quality of the original AirPods, the Pro variant is a major upgrade: much more comfortable, with better audio and great noise cancelling.
Get the Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon for £198

8. For the music lover on the go: JBL Flip 5

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: JBL Flip 5 Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: JBL Flip 5 Credit: Reviewed

JBL's "Flip" line of portable, waterproof Bluetooth speakers continue to top our list of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. These rounded, meticulously designed speakers produce warm audio with plenty of bass and midrange, and with their rubber-capped ends and water-sealed inputs can be toted along on hikes, beach trips, or just out to the backyard without fear of damage. If your giftee likes to bring the jam wherever they go, a Bluetooth speaker may be the perfect gift.

Get the JBL Flip 5 from Amazon for £79.00

9. For the serious cinephile: 55-inch LG CX 4K OLED TV

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: 55-inch LG CX OLED TV Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: 55-inch LG CX OLED TV Credit: Reviewed

If you want the best of the best in TVs, it isn't cheap, but for dedicated, movie-loving, AV-club-attending, home-theatre-having cinephiles, the price might be no object. LG has been the uncontested leader in OLED TV production for many years now, and the company's 2020 CX series OLEDs continue the tradition of being one of the best TVs you can buy. OLEDs use emissive display technology that allows each pixel to produce its own light, making for purer colours and truly black shadows. That's not to mention the CX OLED is kitted out with a fetching design, snappy smart features, and all of the HDR/Dolby Vision/HDMI tech you can shake a stick at.

Get the 55-inch LG CX OLED TV from Amazon for £1299.99

10. For the PC gamer who wants to be comfy: HyperX Cloud Alpha S

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: HyperX Cloud Alpha S Credit: HyperXBest tech gifts 2020: HyperX Cloud Alpha S Credit: HyperX

HyperX's comfy, gaming-facing line of headsets continue to warrant praise amongst console and PC gamers, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is one of our favourite gaming headsets currently. It may not be wireless, but if you've got a PC tower or laptop setup to stick by, these comfortable cans deliver excellent audio and microphone support and feature very effective virtual 7.1 surround sound. They're also compatible with Sony's PS4 if you're more into gaming on the couch.

Get the HyperX Cloud Alpha S from Amazon for £115

11. For the one who wants movie theatre sound: Sonos Arc

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Sonos Arc Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Sonos Arc Credit: Reviewed

There are some great affordable soundbars out there, but if you want cinematic, room-filling sound that competes with the bone-rattling audio you'd get at a movie theatre, check out the Sonos Arc. This is Sonos' first-ever Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar, meaning it's capable not just of great stereo sound presentation, but of implementing Dolby's proprietary object-oriented and height-channel based audio solution, placing sound all around you in a room—yep, even overhead. Naturally, a soundbar this awesome doesn't come cheap, but if your giftee never misses movie night, this gift will blow them away.

Get the Sonos Arc from Sonos for £799.99

12. For the dedicated listener: Sony WH-1000XM4

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Sony WH-1000XM4 Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Sony WH-1000XM4 Credit: Reviewed

Sony's new WH-1000XM4 are simply amazing headphones—in fact, we think they're the best you can buy right now. Not only do these sound awesome, but they’re also packed with the most useful headphone features you can get: awesome noise cancelling (that automatically listens and adapts to your environment), wireless/Bluetooth connectivity, and a lightweight, comfortable design that you can wear for hours. If your giftee is serious about listening to music (and nothing else), these pricy cans will make their day.

Get the Sony WH-1000XM4 from Amazon for £349

13. For the one who needs to upgrade their TV: 43-inch TCL 4 Series
Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: TCL 4 Series Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: TCL 4 Series Credit: Reviewed

To be honest, you don't need to spend £1,500—or even £500—to upgrade your giftee's TV situation, especially if they haven't made the jump to 4K yet. The TCL 4 Series is one of our favourite options in this regard: you can get a solid mid-size 4K HDR TV from this series at a price that feels like a steal (because, honestly, it is).

Get the 43-inch TCL 4 Series from Amazon for £299

14. For the serious mobile gamer: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Credit: AmazonBest tech gifts 2020: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Credit: Amazon

If your giftee likes playing games wherever they go—on a smartphone, tablet, Nintendo Switch Lite, or whatever—SteelSeries' Arctis 1 Wireless gaming headset is an awesome choice. It's compatible with PC, PS4, Nintendo, Xbox, and basically all mobile devices for a very reasonable price, and delivers solid sound, good microphone clarity and plenty of comfort.

Get the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless from Amazon for £99.99

15. For the one whose big house needs better WiFi: Google Nest Mesh System

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Google Mesh WiFi Credit: AmazonBest tech gifts 2020: Google Mesh WiFi Credit: Amazon

Maybe you've never heard of mesh WiFi systems—but we have, and we've tested lots of 'em. A mesh WiFi system is an excellent solution for essentially blanketing your entire home or apartment with high-speed WiFi. If you've got a giftee whose place is full of WiFi "dead zones," a mesh system might be just what they need. The Google Nest system is one of the best we tested, so it doesn't come cheap, but it's an excellent solution for anyone who just can't seem to stay connected.

Get the Google Nest Mesh WiFi System from Amazon for £310

16. For the committed distance learner: HP Envy x360 15.6-inch laptop

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: HP Envy x360 laptop Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: HP Envy x360 laptop Credit: Reviewed

Whether your giftee is earning an online degree or simply forced to distance learn due to the global pandemic, a good laptop is a must. Even if you are attending school in person or on campus, HP's Envy x360 is a solid choice. It's flexible, powerful, and—for the specs, you're getting in the 15.6-inch version—priced very fairly. If you've got a giftee who needs to gear up for school, this laptop is a solid pick.

Get the HP Envy x360 15.6-inch laptop from Amazon, starting at £799

17. For those seeking luxurious streaming: Apple TV 4K
Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Apple TV 4K Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Apple TV 4K Credit: Reviewed

There's a lot of ways to stream content. If the "blech" end of the spectrum is watching hyper-compressed Netflix on your tiny phone during a 12-hour bus ride, the "yay" end of the spectrum is Apple TV 4K. This marvellously zippy, perfectly polished streaming box is for that giftee who loves binging and wants to do it in style.

Get the Apple TV 4K from Amazon for £179

18. For the shutterbug traveller: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 Credit: Reviewed

If you've got a giftee who loves travelling and taking photos, needs something more robust than a smartphone, but doesn't want a huge, clunky camera, say no more. The longstanding Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 is one of our very favourite travel cameras. It's not cheap, but it's a sight more affordable than many high-end DSLRs, powerful enough to take excellent photos, and compact enough to slide into a pants pocket.

Get the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 digital camera from Amazon for £399

19. For the aspiring vinyl record collector: Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB turntable

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Credit: Amazon / Audio-TechnicaBest tech gifts 2020: Credit: Amazon / Audio-Technica

It's a big debate about whether analogue vinyl recordings sound "better" or "warmer" than digitally formatted audio files, but one thing's for sure: the ritual of laying a well-loved record on a vinyl player and listening to it as the musicians and producer intended will always be a special experience. If you've got a giftee who might be eager to collect records but needs a viable turntable, this Audio-Technica is one of our top picks. 

Get the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB turntable from Amazon for £219

20. For the one with too many remotes: Logitech Harmony Companion

Richmond and Twickenham Times: Best tech gifts 2020: Logitech Harmony Companion Credit: ReviewedBest tech gifts 2020: Logitech Harmony Companion Credit: Reviewed

We all know that one giftee whose living room feels like a defunct Radio Shack. A remote for the TV, the soundbar, the Blu-ray or DVD player, etc., scattered haphazardly about the room. Enough's enough—gift that friend a Logitech Harmony Companion, one of the best universal remotes we've tested. Sure, they might have to do a bit of programming and tinkering to bring all their disparate devices into the Harmony hive-mind, but we promise they'll thank you for being so thoughtful.

Get the Logitech Harmony Companion from Amazon for £118.95

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.