We’re living in a brave new world of high tech and high spec, with advanced computing power at the tips of our fingers – and a huge array of sophisticated gear within easy reach. So how come we can’t find anything to give the techie in our lives for Christmas?
Shops and websites are bursting at the seams with all sorts of gadgets and gimmicks, everything from automatic massage guns to robotic vacuum cleaners, but despite this abundance of cool machinery on display we just can’t seem to land on the perfect tech pressie. Surely it can’t be that difficult in this digital age to find a gift that can light up your loved one’s face?
It’s an age-old problem, though, long predating the advent of electricity. Every year the shop shelves are stuffed with seasonal tat and technology is not immune to the annual quality-control fail. You don’t want to spend a fortune on some cool-looking new drone only to see it fly straight into a mobile phone mast and crumple into a million pieces on its first flight. And you don’t want your relative calling you up on St Stephen’s Day to tell you that cheap new air fryer nearly burnt down their house.
And there’s another problem – your average techie probably already has all the coolest gear known to humanity, so what on earth do you buy the plugged-in man or woman who has everything?
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Easy – just get them the latest updated version or the pro version. They’ll be delighted because they were going to ask Santa for it anyway, so you’ve given them exactly what they want. Just to get the snowball rolling, here are a few tips for avoiding the tat and picking up some top-notch pressies that will last well past next Christmas.
Marshall Middleton portable speaker
£269.99 marshallheadphones.com
Who’s it for: The unreconstructed rocker
The portable Bluetooth speaker market is getting rather crowded these days and the sound quality is getting more sophisticated but sometime you just need something good and loud, and rock solid, to really shake up that barbecue party or campsite session.
The Middleton is the latest in the Marshall line of portable speakers, launched last May, and it’s no middle-of-the-road job, boasting a heavy, heavy monster sound that most other portables can only dream of.
Inside the iconic Marshall speaker shape is a quad speaker set-up that blasts out the multidirectional True Stereophonic sound at the full 360-degree range and ensures that wherever you bring it, the Middleton will give the house band a run for their money.
And you won’t be sacrificing sound quality at the altar of loud: the Middleton has built-in Dynamic Loudness that pumps out the decibels without lowering the reproduction. The Middleton is also tough and durable, able to take a knocking at that Hell’s Angels convention or shake off torrential rain and mud at Monsters of Rock. Slip this under the tree and you’ll guarantee a happy, beardy face on Christmas morning. But beware: it might just shake the Christmas tree out of its stand.
Apple Watch Series 9
From €449 apple.com/ie
Who’s it for: The punctual uncle
Just in time for Christmas comes Apple’s latest-model smartwatch, the perfect present for the busy techie on the go. How busy, you ask. Let’s put it this way – even when your hands are full you can use the Apple Watch 9 without even touching your screen – thanks to its magical new S9 chip which allows you to do stuff such as answer calls, open notifications and play your favourite tunes by simply double-tapping your finger and thumb together. Very snappy.
So no matter what you’re doing – shopping, gardening, paddleboarding or walking the dog – you can still get on with the important stuff with hardly a pause. And there’s more innovation on your wrist: the Apple 9 has an advanced display system that’s twice as bright as the previous iteration, up to 2,000 nits, making it a breeze to read in outdoor settings where the sun is glaring.
And when the light is low, the watch display will dim to just a single nit, so you won’t annoy your fellow cinema-goers at crucial moments in the movie.
The watch is also tougher and more durable, and it’s also Apple’s first carbon-neutral product, thanks to innovations in the manufacture of the strap and case.
Nintendo Switch OLED
€364.95 harveynorman.ie
Who’s it for: Gaming girls and boys
The big games consoles, the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, have been available since 2020 and are pretty much still well up to speed. But if you’re looking for something new to give the gamer in your life Nintendo has brought out its new OLED model Switch in sleek, bright white, adding a new dimension to the portable gaming palette.
At seven inches, the screen is bigger than your average Switch, and the OLED screen delivers near-perfect colour definition – vivid across the spectrum and well defined in the black.
The superb-sounding enhanced speakers mean you won’t have to put on your headphones to hear all the on-screen action. The kickstand has also been redesigned to make tabletop gaming go nice and smoothly.
When you dock it with your main TV, you may not see much of a difference between this and regular Nintendo Switch models but when you’re in the portable gaming space – whether travelling, at the coffee shop or hanging out with friends – this console that will raise your game to a new level.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo turntable
€499 hifihut.ie
Who’s it for: Teen turntablists
What do audiophiles and vinyl vultures want for Christmas? More turntables, of course. They just can’t get enough of those swirly decks to spin their favourite vinyls.
And with young people able to afford a deck, a shiny new Pro-Ject Debut in one of the many available colours – from high-gloss red to satin golden yellow to satin steel blue – will be a welcome addition under the Christmas tree.
The Carbon Evo has been hailed as a great overall turntable, with excellent, rich sound that deftly picks up on all the little musical details. The carbon fibre tonearm has an Ortofon cartridge and, unlike previous Pro-Ject models, where you had to lift up the platter to switch speeds, the Carbon Evo has automatic speed switching.
All this sleek design and sound quality doesn’t come cheap but Hi-Fi Hut are knocking €80 off the €579 price tag, so you won’t have to dip into your kid’s college fund to feed their vinyl addiction.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
€379 currys.ie
Who’s it for: The audiophile auntie
How to you get high levels of noise cancellation without compromising on sound quality? Sony has nailed that conundrum with its WH-1000XM5, released in 2022, the follow-up to 2020′s XM4 model.
Not only does it boast the best noise cancellation in a can, it also beats the competition when it comes to getting hi-fi quality via wireless. So, when you’re listening to tunes off your smartphone on the bus it still sounds like you’re relaxing in your livingroom with the stereo system on.
And if you’re worried that the looks won’t match the sound quality, the XM5 is gorgeous – sleek and smooth in a sultry midnight blue, and easily as luxurious-looking as high-end rivals the Bose Quiet Comfort or Bowers & Wilkins PX8.
On the outside of each ear cup are intuitive touch panels that give you all the control you need on the go. You can also customise your EQ and other settings via the handy app.
