Here Are the Best Tech Gifts Under $50.
Tech items can quickly become expensive. Given the historical demand driven by the ongoing memory crisis , you may find yourself spending more than you’d like on gifts for the people on your list. But this can be avoided. There’s a surprising variety of products available for $50 or less. While not everything in the tech world can be found at that price (at least considering the expected quality), you can buy brand-name speakers, headphones, trackers, and more. If someone on your list is looking for a new gadget, these items under $50 might be just what you need.
Best Portable Speaker Under $50: JBL Go 4
If your gift recipient needs a portable speaker, the JBL Go 4 is a great choice at this price. It’s a beautiful portable (and I mean portable ) speaker from a company that makes excellent audio equipment. It runs for up to seven hours on a single charge and is IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, making it equally suitable for the beach or the shower. Incidentally, one of my favorite features of this speaker is that it’s made by JBL: for under $50, you get a speaker that can pair with any other compatible JBL speaker, large or small. I’ve found it’s a great asset at parties, events, or when traveling: someone in the group usually owns a JBL speaker (or several), making it easy to create a makeshift sound system. What’s more, retailers like Amazon often have these speakers on sale, meaning you can get one for significantly less than its already reasonable MSRP.
The Longest-Lasting Portable Speaker Gift Under $50: Soundcore Select 4 Go
If you’re looking for an even more affordable gift option, the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a great choice. It also has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, though its main selling point is its 20-hour battery life. You can pair two of these speakers together to create a stereo system, and depending on available discounts, you can get two speakers for under $50—even though their suggested retail price is $34.99.
Best Wireless Microphone Under $50: DJI Mic Mini
Wireless microphones are often expensive, and “cheap” options often don’t justify their price. However, if you need affordable wireless lavalier microphones for someone on your list, DJI “Mic Minis” could be an excellent choice. This particular model comes with two mini microphones and one USB-C receiver. You can connect the receiver to any smartphone (iOS or Android) that supports USB-C and record audio from two different people remotely. Your subjects can move up to 300 meters from the receiver while recording, and each microphone supports noise cancellation.
Best Smartphone Gaming Controller Gift Under $50: 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller
Dedicated portable gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck are great, but most of us already have our own gaming systems: smartphones. The problem is, playing on a touchscreen doesn’t even come close to the feel of using a physical controller, so smartphone gaming accessories are a great gift for any gamer on your list. One of the best options—at least for $50 or less—is the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller from 8BitDo . This device transforms your gift recipient’s iPhone or Android into a Switch or Steam Deck, with a button and joystick layout designed for Xbox.
Best Game Controller Gift Under $50: 8BitDo Ultimate 2C
Let’s switch gears a bit. If your gift recipient wants a great gaming controller for PC, console, or for wireless connection to a mobile device, the Ultimate 2C from 8BitDo is also a great option. Unlike other gaming controllers, which can quickly become expensive, the Ultimate 2C retails for $29.99—but Amazon reviews note that it doesn’t feel “cheap.” The build quality seems solid, the connections are clear, and there are even three sets of triggers in case you need to assign additional functions in games. While third-party gaming controllers have developed a bad reputation over time, 8BitDo products seem to offer great value for the money.
Best tracker gift under $50: Apple AirTags.
When it comes to tracking the location of things, AirTags truly stand out—provided the gift recipient already owns other Apple products. AirTags work with Apple’s Find My iPhone network: while they can’t connect to the internet themselves, they can securely and privately share data with other internet-connected Apple devices, which then update the AirTag’s location on the Find My iPhone network. Additionally, if the gift recipient is within Bluetooth range of their AirTag, their compatible iPhone or Apple Watch can use the pinpoint feature to pinpoint the device’s location. The retail price is $29.99, but during sales, you can get two devices for under $50.
Best headphones for free under $50: Anker Soundcore P30i noise-canceling headphones.
Wireless headphones can be expensive, especially if your friend or family member wants noise-canceling headphones. However, the Anker Soundcore P30i headphones retail for $49.99 and feature both noise-canceling and a transparency mode. Anker claims a charge lasts up to 10 hours of playback (or 6 hours with noise-canceling enabled). The charging case even doubles as a phone stand, which is pretty clever—especially for the price.
The best headphones to give Apple users under $50: Beats Flex wireless headphones.
You might want to consider these Beats wireless headphones for Apple users. The Beats Flex wireless headphones are equipped with the Apple W1 chip. This means your gift recipient will be able to quickly switch between different Apple devices (iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, etc.), and the Beats headphones will work without having to reconnect. Although their retail price is over $50, according to Keepa, Amazon hasn’t offered them at that price in the last three months. Therefore, I recommend them here, if only to offer Apple users an alternative to Anker.
Best Headphones for Gifts Under $50: Soundcore Anker Life Q20
Like the Beats Flex, the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones retail for over $50. However, for the past three months, Amazon has been selling them at a significantly lower price, making them an excellent choice among over-ear headphones. RTings claims these headphones offer a “captivating sound profile” and nearly 50 hours of battery life. They feature noise cancellation, a transparency mode, and 40mm drivers in each earcup. The gift recipient can also connect them to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, allowing for quick switching between them as needed.
Best Portable Charger Gift Under $50: Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
When I travel, I always have two things on my mind about my iPhone: I want to prop it up, and I worry about when I’ll be able to charge it. This MagSafe external battery pack from Anker solves both of those problems. It magnetically attaches to your iPhone for extra battery life and also serves as a stand, allowing for hands-free use. It’s perfect for planes and trains, though perhaps not for cars—unless the latter have a seat-back tray. Anker claims this 5000mAh charger typically lasts for one full charge, meaning your gift recipient can double their iPhone’s battery life.
Best Streaming Device for Gifts Under $50: Amazon Fire TV 4K
If your gift recipient needs a new streaming device but doesn’t have more than $50 to spend, the Amazon Fire TV 4K Select might be the best option. As its name suggests, this device can stream content in 4K resolution and is also HDR10+ compatible. Amazon actively promotes the Alexa+ capabilities, which add the company’s generative AI assistant to the device. But even if your gift recipient simply needs a device for streaming Apple TV, HBO, or Netflix in 4K, this stick will do the job. Plus, at the time of writing, the device is on sale at a significant discount, making it a great buy.
Best gaming mouse gift under $50: SteelSeries Rival 3 gaming mouse.
If your gift recipient needs a new gaming mouse but the “best” options are shockingly expensive, consider the Rival 3 from SteelSeries . It’s a CNET-recommended model , and despite its $35 price tag, it features the same switches as some premium SteelSeries mice, as well as an 8500 DPI sensor. It’s lightweight, weighing just 77g, and while that might not be a surprise at this price, it makes a comfortable travel mouse as well as a dedicated gaming option.
The Best Razer Gaming Mouse Under $50: Razer DeathAdder Essential
If your gift recipient is more of a Razer fan, the company has its own affordable gaming mouse. The DeathAdder Essential is a budget version of the more expensive DeathAdder, but it features a 6400 DPI sensor, five programmable buttons, and supports up to 10 million clicks. At the time of writing, Razer is offering this mouse for just over $20, a great price for a functional gaming mouse.