MacRumors 2024 Gift Guide

By Julie Clover

If you're looking for the perfect tech or tech-related holiday gift for someone who loves Apple products or simply uses them on a daily basis, we've come up with some helpful suggestions that might be of use to you.

These are some of our favorite products, many of which we use personally or have gifted to friends and family in the past. We'll be adding to the list throughout November, so keep checking back for more ideas.

Aura Frames

Starting at $149, Aura Digital Frames are a great gift for anyone with digital photos, which is most of us these days. You can upload photos to the frame using the Aura iPhone app, and since the images are stored in the cloud, there are no limits.

Multiple people can upload images to a single frame, so it’s a great way to share photos with friends and family. If you know someone who isn’t tech-savvy, like a grandparent, it’s still a perfect gift because you can upload photos for them remotely. The 10.1-inch Carver at $149 is Aura’s most affordable option, but there are sizes up to 15 inches, like the Walden at $299. Aura also makes higher-resolution options, including the $199 Mason, and all frames come in multiple colors to match any decor.

Everyone I’ve gifted an Aura frame to has raved about it, and it’s my go-to for hard-to-shop-for people.

Nanoleaf Light Panels and Display Boxes

Nanoleaf recently released some of its most useful light panels to date, the Blocks. Priced from $225 a set, the Blocks come with a variety of options, like a pegboard to hang things on, a shelf for knickknacks, and a textured panel to add visual interest. There are smaller and larger squares, and all the pieces are interchangeable to create a unique installation.

Like all Nanoleaf products, the Blocks can be controlled via the Nanoleaf app or HomeKit, and can be set to flash different colors in a range of shades. These lights are bright enough to replace standard lights, making them very versatile. Any gamer will appreciate these panels for their gaming setup, but they also work next to TVs, in offices, and more.

If you know someone who has collectibles, Nanoleaf also has the EXPO Smart LED Display Case for $250. It’s the perfect gift for someone who collects high-end sneakers, anime figurines, or anything in between. It can be customized to 16 million colors or shades of white, and the colors can change to the beat of your music.

For those who already have a Nanoleaf setup, the $27 Sense+ Smart Wireless Switch is a smart, inexpensive addition that’s very useful. It provides physical control of HomeKit lighting, and has built-in motion and daylight sensors to automate scenes. Sense+ can be used to turn lights on or off, dim lights, and switch scenes.

Sonos Ace Headphones

Apple’s recent “update” to the AirPods Max was disappointing and only added a USB-C port, and there are a few other noise-canceling headphones on the market that are a better investment in 2024, like the Sonos Ace. At $449, the Sonos Ace is cheaper than the AirPods Max and offers a more comfortable fit thanks to its lighter weight. The Sonos Ace doesn’t put as much pressure on your head, and the ear cups are made of comfortable memory foam that fits a wide range of ear shapes and sizes.

When we tested the Sonos Ace earlier this year, we were impressed with the sound quality. Sonos has added support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, as well as a TrueCinema feature that maps the space around you for the best possible surround sound. ANC blocks out annoying noise around you just like the AirPods Max, but if you need to hear sounds from your environment, there's Aware Mode.

You can also pair the Sonos Ace with the Arc and Arc Ultra soundbars, making them a solid gift for someone in the Sonos ecosystem or someone looking for comfortable, premium over-ear headphones.

AirPods

You can never go wrong with AirPods as a gift, and there are three solid options to choose from this year. For the best noise-canceling, Apple sells the AirPods Pro 2 for $249, but you can probably find a holiday sale to get them for even less.

The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips that fit snugly in your ears to block out sound, and with hearing aid support, they're a better choice if you have a family member with mild hearing loss who doesn't wear hearing aids.

People with hearing loss who have tried it out have been impressed with how well the hearing aid feature works, and the AirPods Pro are much, much cheaper than traditional hearing aids. The hearing aid features aren't available everywhere yet, including Canada and Australia, but support is available in Europe, the US, and more than 90 other countries and regions.

If you're buying for someone who doesn't like silicone ear tips, the AirPods 4 are an option. You can get them with or without active noise cancellation. The active noise cancellation version doesn't cut out as much noise as the AirPods Pro. 2, but it's enough to feel the difference.

With Active Noise Cancellation, the AirPods 4 cost $179, while without Active Noise Cancellation they cost $129, which is the lowest price Apple has offered for AirPods. You might see some small sales on Black Friday, but big discounts are unlikely since the AirPods 4 are newer.

Aqara U300 Smart Lock

It might feel a little weird to give someone a smart lock for the holidays, but it's a really useful home product that many people probably don't have yet.

I've tested a few different smart locks, and I like the Aqara options. The $200 U300 is the newest model, and it's designed for doors that only have a handle and no deadbolt, like a garage door.

The $270 U200 is designed for doors that have a deadbolt, like a standard front or back door, plus there's a more affordable version, the $190 U100. I like the Aqara locks because they have a variety of ways to unlock them. They support Home Keys, so you can use NFC with your iPhone or the Apple Watch Wallet app, but there are also passwords you can enter using a keypad, NFC cards, and even a fingerprint scanner, which works surprisingly well. You can let guests in, automatically lock the door when you close it, and set an alarm.

Aqara recommends using a hub with your locks so you can control them when you're away from home, but it's not entirely necessary. I also like the hub because it ensures my locks are always connected to Wi-Fi and I don't have any connectivity issues. Aqara has some other useful sensors, like a presence sensor for detecting motion and activating HomeKit scenes, but I haven't tried them. They're worth looking into if you're considering an Aqara lock and hub, as they also connect to the hub.

Philips Hue Lights

I think I've tried every smart bulb and HomeKit light available right now, and the Philips Hue lights are hands down the best. I can't stand lights that keep turning off or having trouble connecting, but Hue bulbs do. Yes, there is a $60 bridge, but it's worth it and not all lights need it.

The $200 White and Color Starter Kit includes four Hue bulbs that can be used in any E26 bulb, as well as a hub. This is one of the best options if you’re buying a gift for someone who is new to smart home products. The bulbs can be controlled using the Home app or the Hue app, and can be customized with 16 million colors. Hue has great lighting effects and scenes that really shine when you have multiple bulbs.

For a cheaper option, there’s the $70 Starter Kit, which comes with a hub and two white E26 bulbs. They don’t come in color, but they can be customized to different shades of white.

For computer or media setups, the gradient light strips, starting at $70, are a great choice. Here are some more ideas:

Lightguide bulbs – these would go perfectly with the simple lamp base because the bulb is supposed to be the star. I have two elliptical bulbs, they are huge and look great.
String Lights – For those who love the holidays or have a patio that lacks lighting, the Hue Festavia String Lights are a great gift.
Signe Floor Lamp – The Signe Floor Lamp isn't the most practical light because it doesn't have a large radius and has to be pointed at a wall, but it's great for accent lighting.
Hue Go – The Hue Go is a portable light that can be used either plugged in or with a built-in battery, and it supports all the same features as the Hue bulbs. It's a nice accent light to have on hand in case of a power outage.
Hue Go Portable Table Lamp – This is very similar to the Hue Go, but has a more traditional look. It is waterproof, so you can use it outdoors too.

Mokuyobi Bags and Backpacks

For something more than the boring black and brown computer bags you see everywhere, Mokuyobi has a range of colourful bags in a variety of styles. Most of them feature padded laptop compartments that are perfect for Macs and iPads, as well as plenty of other pockets.

I’ve had a few Mokuyobi bags for years now and they still look brand new, and I get compliments on them all the time. They’re a solid option if you’re shopping for someone who loves colour. I particularly like the Mega Backpack because it holds a laptop and a whole bunch of other stuff, making it a useful carry-on for flights.

There are also smaller backpacks, from the classic Atlas to the pocket-sized Flyer Backpack. You can also buy colourful laptop sleeves that will fit everything up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Mokuyobi bags are not cheap, but they come with a lifetime warranty.

Bambu Lab 3D Printer

Bambu Lab makes a number of 3D printers that you can print with just an app on your iPhone or Mac. The A1 Mini costs just $200, or $349 with AMS Lite, which lets you print with up to four colors of filament. Bambu printers are the iPhone of 3D printers, as they’re relatively easy to use and come with a lot of bells and whistles to make printing easier and less of a hassle. Models like the X1C even come with a case.

I’ve been using the $999 X1C for over a year now and have no problem recommending it to anyone interested in 3D printing. It's easy to use, there are thousands of STLs to create anything you can imagine, and you can even make your own using software like Tinkercad or Fusion 360.

I haven't personally used the A1 Mini, but it's a much more affordable way to try 3D printing, and would make a great gift for an older teen or partner who loves to tinker.

Ugreen Uno Chargers

I wasn’t familiar with Ugreen until this year, but their “Uno” line of products caught my eye. Uno is a line of charging accessories that Ugreen has cleverly outfitted with little digital faces, and I really like them.

I’ll be reviewing Ugreen’s Uno products later this month, but I wanted to include them here because I think they’d make a fun gift that won’t be too expensive and will stand out from other chargers on the market.

There’s a $47, 100W charger with four ports and a $36, 65W charger with three ports, both of which have feet and digital panels with emoji faces that change depending on the charging status. For example, when the device is fast charging, a face appears that looks like it has a full mouth, and when charging is complete, a small face with sunglasses appears.

There are also two power banks with little emoji faces, one 10,000mAh with Qi2 for $50 and one 5,000mAh with USB-C and 7.5W Qi charging for $33. They come with built-in stands that look like little earbuds, which is a nice touch since you can use the stand for watching videos or FaceTiming.

There's also a $49 desktop charger that can charge an iPhone and AirPods, a $17 6-port USB-C hub, and even a little-faced USB-C cable for $13. Of all the gifts out there, I think the best would be power banks, because who doesn’t need another power bank?

As an adult, I’m a fan of the little robotic chargers, and I’m sure I’m not alone, but they’re also fun for kids.

Bird Buddy

Available from $189, the Bird Buddy is the kind of gift that just about anyone will love, making it great for the person who has everything. It’s a Wi-Fi-connected smart bird feeder that sends you photos of birds coming to visit.

You’ll need to fill it with seed regularly and charge it when needed, but otherwise it runs on its own. To eliminate the need to charge the camera, I recommend the solar-powered version, which starts at $239.

There’s now the Bird Buddy Pro, which can shoot 2K video in HDR and slow motion for even better shots, or if hummingbirds are your thing, there’s a model specifically designed for feeding them. I gave the Bird Buddy as a gift, and it was a hit with both adults and kids.