"I have to travel for work a lot, and I’m usually hauling a backpack full of tech wherever I go, so I need an awesome battery bank to keep things running when I’m on the road. For the past year it’s been this Ecoflow Rapid Pro power bank. Not only does it have enough juice to charge both my laptop and my Xbox Ally X at the same time, but the pogo pins on the bottom go with this cool little charging station – which unfortunately costs extra – which makes charging it a breeze. It also has a handy built-in USB-C cable, so I don’t have to dig through my backpack just to dig out an inevitably tangled cable." - Jackie Thomas

2. Analogue3D

"This is the ultimate Nintendo 64. Preorders sold out almost instantly when it was first announced way back, and the first restock has already come and gone. Maybe, just maybe, there'll be another one and you can grab it. Whoever gets one of these will be as happy as the original Nintendo 64 kid from the home video that springs up this time of year on social media.

This isn't an emulator: it's a field-programmable gate array. What does that mean, exactly? Too complicated to get into now, but essentially this IS a Nintendo 64, it's not emulating it. It's an actual piece of futuristic technology that lets you play your N64 games on modern TVs in 4K. If you manage to score an Analogue3D this year, you will be the Hero of the Holidays. Four-player GoldenEye never looked so good." - Seth Macy

3. PNY Duo Link V3 Flash Drive (256GB)

"Everyone needs a flash drive, and the PNY Duo Link is by far my favorite – and I’ve used hundreds of the things. The one I carry around has 2TB of capacity, which is more than enough for transferring basically any kind of data. It also has both a USB-A and a USB-C connection, on either side of the drive, which means I can plug it into whichever device I’m using at the time. The best part, though, is the rotating metal cover, which I’m always finding myself fiddling with." - Jackie Thomas

4. Meta Quest 3

"The Quest 3 continues Meta’s legacy of offering a cost-effective headset that doesn’t require an expensive gaming PC, but can still benefit from one if you have it. That’s a unique feature that sets it apart from almost every other VR headset out there, other than its own predecessors. The Quest 3 goes even further by offering us a ticket to mixed-reality gaming with a full-color passthrough mode that’s sharp enough to read things in the world around you, the lightest and most precisely tracked controllers available, and more. The sheer amount of upgrades are well worth the $200 generational price increase. For everyone else who is willing to splurge, the Quest 3 sets the new standard for VR and mixed reality gaming." - Eric Song via IGN's review

5. CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

"Remember Guitar Hero and Rock Band? Well, while there hasn’t been a new entry in either franchise in years, games like Clone Hero and YARG are reviving the genre, especially on PC. Plus, after buying Harmonix in 2021, Epic Games built a rock-band-like Rhythm game into Fortnite, which will let you use a guitar controller like this to jam out. Even after reviewing this CRKD guitar controller, I still can’t put it down." - Jackie Thomas

6. Mechanism Gaming Pillow

"I’ve reviewed basically every PC gaming handheld that’s come out over the last couple of years, and so when I say I spend a lot of time cuddled up playing games on them, I’m not exaggerating. The one downside to PC handhelds, though, is that they’re quite a bit heavier than something like the Nintendo Switch 2, which I typically address by just stacking up some pillows and propping up the device that way. But the Mechanism Gaming Pillow takes that idea to another level, with a metal arm attached to what’s essentially a bean-bag pillow. It definitely looks silly, but attaching it to a heavy handheld like the Lenovo Legion Go makes it way easier on your wrists, especially for longer gaming sessions. The company also sells attachments for a wide range of different devices, which you can swap out at will – so it’s not just for your handheld." - Jackie Thomas

7. Nintendo Switch 2

"The Nintendo Switch 2 has been one of the hottest gifts of 2025 so far. When Nintendo first launched its Nintendo Switch successor, I was inclined to wait before making a purchase. That plan went out the window almost immediately after IGN gave Donkey Kong Bananza a perfect 10 out of 10 review. Now that I've taken the plunge, the Switch 2 is my gaming console of choice and I use it almost every day. If you're a fan of Nintendo games, this is the Nintendo gift to buy this year." - Jacob Kienlen

8. Higround Basecamp 65% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

"I’ve used hundreds of gaming keyboards in my life, and recently I’ve fallen in love with small 65% gaming keyboards. Yeah, it makes some things a little harder to do, but the portability and the small footprint is a worthy tradeoff for me. There are a lot of these little keyboards out there, but the Higround Basecamp 65 is the perfect blend of aesthetics and incredible switches. I’ve been using this keyboard for something like two years now, and while a lot of keyboards I use develop some kind of problem in that time – I write a lot – this one is still working like the day I took it out of the box." - Jackie Thomas

9. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

"I've had multiple Kindle e-readers over the years, but the Kindle Paperwhite is my overall favorite. It has a slightly larger screen then the standard Kindle and the adjustable lighting is awesome. It's totally revolutionized how I read, and the addition of a night mode has made it possible for me to keep reading into the night if I want to. If you're looking for really good tablet for reading, this is the one I'd recommend to anyone. Just make sure you get a good case to go with it." - Jacob Kienlen

10. Sony WH-1000XM5 Premium Noise Canceling Headphones

"I used to be really cheap when it came to headphones, but then somebody bought me this really nice pair for Christmas. It's hard to go back to average sound quality once you have experienced really good noise cancellation. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are about as good as it gets and I use them for pretty much everything. They are particularly excellent for gaming if you don't want any outside distractions. I've had these headphones for more than a year now and still recommend them to everyone I know. Though Sony has since released the new WH-1000XM6 headphones." - Jacob Kienlen