Best tech gifts for 2024: Top new gadgets of the year and other present ideas

In the last 100 years, technology has grown exponentially. So much so that computer speed and power have generally doubled each year since the 1960s.

Here’s a staggering fact: our current phone chips are more powerful than the guidance computers NASA used to put man on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.

Every September like clockwork, there’s a new crop of Apple products brought to market. Similarly, the likes of Samsung, Google, Nokia and Sony are constantly updating their devices for faster processors, more features, better battery life and more advanced models than ever before.

While this does make the previous iterations outdated, it creates a strong hankering from technophiles everywhere to upgrade - often a costly affair, but incredibly helpful when the gifting season rolls around. You really can never go wrong with the latest phone, tablet, laptop, headphones, TV or the like for ardent tech supporters or those with die-hard loyalty to a particular brand. Selecting the optimal gift for the present exchange can be as easy as treating them to the latest innovation.

But which are worth your hard-earned pennies? Well, that’s where we come in.

We’ve put the recent tech unveilings to the test to find the ones that will delight any lucky recipient. From new releases (with more added as they drop), to digital devices that have revolutionised the space since their inception, we’ve scoured the market for the best tech to gift.

See below

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses

The new iteration of the collaboration between Ray-Ban and Meta arrived in time for Christmas 2023. This is the second release of the smart glasses, taking the original design to the next level but enhancing previous features. It is easier than ever to take photos and videos - all of which can then be uploaded to your social media platforms at the touch of a button.

The silhouette is sleek and stylish, in line with the other Ray-Ban models - in fact, they are hard to distinguish unless you opt for the see-through casing. There are 150 different combinations of frame and colour - and it's lightweight too at just 48-50g. Live streaming is a doddle and you can switch between your camera and glasses with ease. The camera is 12MP, storage is 32GB and the battery life is 4.5 hours with the charging case.

Buy now £299.00, Selfridges

Meta Quest 3

With better immersive graphics than ever before, the Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest VR headset to hit the market. The latest redesign has seen the addition of two GB colour cameras with an innovative depth projector, which gives you the ability to seamlessly blend virtual and physical spaces.

This is mixed reality and the result is transformational. Your living room is digitised and infiltrated with the Stranger Things Upside Down or you can get lost in all four corners of this world and others, whether transported to Venice in Assassin's Creed or into space. As you climb, the possibility of falling feels real, while fighting off invaders in lifelike situations gives the feel of real consequences.

Lightening-fast performance is supported by the Qualcomm Snapdrgon XR2 Gen 2 processor and the 4K+ infinite display will leave you struggling to discern reality from fiction.

Buy now £479.99, Meta

WHOOP 4.0

A balance of sleep, strain and recovery is essential to optimise your body’s performance and it’s these elements that the WHOOP pays close attention to. Disguised in a seemingly minimal black strap is a hi-tech wearable that connects via an app to reveal a wealth of data about the quality of your dozing, physical exertion and how effectively your body is able to bounce back - all of which are recorded via five LED sensors adorned on your wrist.

Given the seal of approval from professional athletes like LeBron James, Rory McIlroy and Michael Phelps, WHOOP has been proven through studies to positively change behaviour, ensure sleep is prioritised and improve physiological biomarkers.

Price includes 12-month membership, which typically costs from £16 per month.

Buy now £229.00, WHOOP

Google Pixel Tablet

Google has entered the tablet space, bringing with it clever hacks and elevated features that are designed to make our lives that extra bit easier. First and foremost, you simply need to say “Hey Google” to power apps or ask questions, leaving your hands free to do other tasks around the home. You can also split the screen to