The holidays are coming, so many of you are probably getting ready to start buying gifts, if you haven’t already. We have a number of gift guides on the site to help you with that, including price-based ones, like this one. In this article, we’ll focus on gifts that cost less than $100, following the under $50 bracket that we talked about recently. More such guides will come to help you with your holiday shopping. With that being said, let’s get down to business. You’ll find six different products listed here, with more information about each of them. We tried to be as diverse as possible, and yet still keep things tech-related, of course. Do note that we’ll list items from the cheapest (closest to $50) to the most expensive one (closest to $100).
Best 100W charger: UGREEN 100W charger
UGREEN is a very well-known company at this point. It’s well-known for its charging equipment and multi-port GaN chargers. Well, we’re here to talk about one such charger, the company’s 100W multi-port charger. This one has four ports on it, and you can utilize all of them at the same time. There are three USB-C ports included, and the bottom one is a USB-A port.
Do note that the max output is 100W. It’s up to you to choose whether you need to charge one device at 100W, or if you want to split that. The charger will automatically split the charging speed if you have more devices plugged in, of course. This is a wall charger, as you can see, and this particular variant is made for the US market. I’ve personally had plenty of experience with UGREEN chargers, and they’ve all been positive.
This charger has a number of safety measures. It has dynamic temperature sensors, an intelligent PWM chip that adjusts power outputs, and more. You don’t have to worry about overcurrent, overheating, or anything of the sort. Maximum support is 5A current, by the way. This charger will set you back $54.99, should you choose to buy it for yourself or someone else. It’s on the lower-end spectrum of this category.
UGREEN 100W charger (Amazon) – $54.99
Best ultra-portable console: Miyoo Mini
The Miyoo Mini handheld gaming gadget/console managed to become immensely popular in the last couple of years. Miyoo even had huge issues keeping up with the demand. This console is, to put it mildly, inspired by the GameBoy. That’s part of its appeal. It’s also very small, it includes a 2.8-inch IPS display, and it’s easily pocketable. That’s also a huge advantage for it.
What does it run? Well, it emulates various classic games, all the way up to PlayStation 1 games. It can technically run GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, Nintendo, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, and several other systems. You’ll need to have those games ready on a microSD card for them to run, though. This console comes with its own OS, but if you (or the person you’re buying this for) want to mess around with it a bit, there are better OS’ available to install. They’re also rather easy to install, by the way.
This is the fourth iteration of the console. The device includes a 2,000mAh battery, and it measures 3.7 x 2.6 x 0.7 inches aka 93.5 x 65 x 18mm. The Miyoo Mini weighs 0.24 lb aka 109 grams. You’ll also get a carrying case in the box, and several different colors are available. You can choose between Yellow, Retro Gray, White, Transparent Black, and Transparent Blue colors. This console is priced at $68.99.
Best ebook reader: Amazon Kindle
If you enjoy reading books, or know someone who does, getting a Kindle may be the right call. Some people simply love to read directly from books, while others prefer to have all that in one device to reduce clutter. The Amazon Kindle is the right device for those people. This is not the most expensive model of the device, but it’s more than enough for pretty much everyone.
It’s very light and compact, while its display is ideal for reading. It has a 300 ppi resolution, and it’s glare-free. This display actually mimics a piece of paper, it’s an E Ink display. You also get options to adjust front light and dark modes to make things as enjoyable as possible. This Amazon Kindle also comes with an extended battery life. A single charge via its USB-C port can last up to 6 weeks, says Amazon.
There is also 16GB of storage included on it, which basically means you can pack a ton of books on it. It’s worth noting that Amazon also used 30-75% recycled plastics and 90% recycled magnesium to make this device happen. There are a ton of books on Amazon that you can grab for this device, and simply disconnect from the world at any point in time. The device is priced at $77.27.
Amazon Kindle (Amazon) – $77.27
Best gamepad for your smartphone: GameSir G8 Galileo
Gaming is becoming more and more prominent on smartphones. There are some truly compelling games out there. For many of those games, gamepads are recommended, such as Warzone Mobile which I enjoy from time to time, for example. Luckily, there are a number of great gamepads on offer, and the GameSir G8 Galileo is one of them. This is a gamepad that I’ve had the pleasure of using, and it’s… great.
This gamepad can accommodate smartphones of various sizes, as it gets as wide as necessary, and the spring mechanism closes the gap. You can use a phone between 110 and 185mm in length, and 13mm or below in depth. The GameSir G8 has two back buttons, in addition to the usual array of keys you’d expect. Like two analog paddles, a d-pad, four action buttons on the right, and more.
GameSir Hall Effect sensing sticks are very comfortable to use, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s compatible with most Android devices and Apple’s iPhones. There is also an app for Android that can be installed for additional settings, I didn’t really need it, though. This gamepad comes with a Type-C port at the bottom that supports passhtrough charging, so you don’t even have to remove your phone if you have a dedicated gaming smartphone. The GameSir G8 Galileo costs $79.99.
GameSir G8 Galileo (Amazon) – $79.99
Best compact keyboard: Logitech MX Keys
There are all sorts of keyboards available out there. Ranging from various different chicklet ones, to a ton of different mechanical options. Logitech’s keyboard have managed to become quite popular over the years. The company makes some really nice ones as part of the ‘MX’ series, like the MX Keys Mini that we’ll talk about here. This keyboard also comes in a regular size, this one doesn’t have a numpad.
In any case, this is a product that I’m actively using, and have been doing so for quite some time now. The keyboard still feels as great as it did the first day, and as long as you’re not used to a mechanical keyboard, the key travel is also really good. This is a Bluetooth keyboard but it also has the option to connect via WiFi, as it comes with a WiFi dongle that you can plug into a USB-A port of your computer.
The keyboard has very nice keys with indents on them. I’m not convinced that they do make a difference, but they surely don’t hurt my accuracy. This keyboard can also connect to three different devices. You’ll note numbers 1, 2, and 3 in the top-left corner, so you can quickly jump between them. The keyboard is rechargable, and the keys are illuminated, though you can disable that if you want. This keyboard is priced at $94.99. It’s not exactly cheap, but for many people, it’ll be worth it. It’s great for typing and productivity.
Logitech MX Keys Mini (Amazon) – $94.99
Best productivity mouse: Logitech MX Master 3S
The Logitech MX Master mice are well-known at this point. The MX Master 3S is the latest in the lineup, and it’s the best one yet. This is an ergonomic mouse for right-handed users. It’s not a small mouse, though, so keep that in mind. Trying this one out before getting it would be the best idea. This is definitely not one of the most affordable mice out there, but for many people, it’s worth it.
This mouse can track on any surface, basically, even glass. It has 8K DPI, and it’s rechargeable. It can work via Bluetooth or via a WiFi connection, it’s up to you. It also features what Logitech calls ‘quiet clicks’, but with the same feel as before. The company says you’re getting 90% less click noise. Darkfield tech is also a part of the package, and with the Logi Options+ you can go hardcore on customization.
There is also the Magspeed scrolling wheel included here, which feels incredibly solid. It also doubles as a button. There is a DPI button at the top, and you’ll find three additional buttons on the left. Two are obvious, and the third one is in the thumb rest. There is also a vertical scroll wheel placed on the left side of the mouse. This mouse costs $99.99, in case you’re interested. It’s the go-to choice for many creators, especially if video editing is a part of the process.
