No more time for deliveries — last-minute gift ideas for the techie in your life
Tech gifts you can still buy that will arrive with no waiting.
Christmas day is almost upon us, and If you're reading this, chances are you've run out of time to pick something up at the store or get the item delivered after purchasing it online. So if you want a gift that will arrive in time for Christmas your options are limited to last-minute gift options like cash, gift cards, or digital items with instant delivery.
You can buy digital gift cards for a host of different products and services these days, from stores like Amazon and Newegg to more specialty stores that cater to your giftee's hobby or interests. It's much better to buy someone a gift that’s targeted to their interests and shows that you've thought about them rather than a generic gift card. Although some may just prefer the universally accepted cash option - I'll leave that to your discretion.
To help you choose, we’ve curated a list of the best last-minute digital gifts for tech enthusiasts that we can quickly think of that hopefully put a smile on the face of the recipient.
1. Digital Game Store Gift Card
Is the giftee a gamer? Maybe you know they're already getting a new game console for Christmas. Here's a way you can add to that with a gift card for one of the online stores for Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox, or even a PC game via Steam.
Gift cards can range from $5 - $100 plus, and the price of games also varies greatly, so you might have to do a little research to check how much you want to spend.
- Xbox Gift Card ($1 - $100)
- PlayStation Store Card ($10 - $75)
- GameStop (any amount)
- Steam Store ($5 - $100)
- Robux gift card ($10)
- GeForce NOW ($20 - $100)
2. Individual Games and Games Subscription Services
Physical game media is becoming rarer as everything continues to move digital. Some of the latest generation of consoles like the PlayStation 5 Pro don't even come with a disk drive, so picking up a subscription gift to PlayStation Now, Games Pass, or a code for a new game is a nice gift - stealthily investigate to make sure it's not a game they already own. You can purchase digital game codes from a variety of different websites like Steam or Amazon, which will allow you a direct download once the code is entered.
Here are some suggestions:
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Microsoft Xbox / PC $49): Access to an instant library of games on either console or PC, with the ability to play on your tablet or phone with cloud gaming.
- Nvidia GeForce NOW (Multi-Platform $9.99 - $19.99): A way to play your games libraries on almost any device with a supported browser. Connect your Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Xbox games libraries and stream your already-owned games from the cloud using powerful Nvidia graphics solutions.
- Baldur's Gate 3 (Steam $47): Experience one of the best RPGs ever made, with a perfect mix of both story and adventure, with a combat system that synergizes with your characters' build choices. Currently on sale in Steam's Winter Sale.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Xbox Cross Gen Edition $69): Go on over-the-top missions in locations from all around the world in this action-packed shooter.
- Elden Ring (Steam - PC $34): A game of the year when it was released with over-the-top big boss fights and a massive yet dangerous open world to explore.
- Shadow of the Erdtree (Steam - PC $39): The absolutely massive expansion to Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree gives you more lore, boss fights, spells, and weapons.
3. Streaming subscriptions
With the ability to watch and consume content on so many devices, there's no excuse to be bored. Gift someone a subscription to one of the most popular streaming services and watch and listen or your old favorites or discover new music or movies. Here are some services you can buy.
- Disney+ ($10.99 a month): A great gift for anyone who is not already a Disney+ subscriber, this service features all the Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, and Pixar content you can imagine. This doesn't come as a gift code unfortunately and would be on a subscription basis.
- BritBox ($25 - $250 gift cards): The ultimate gift for fans of British TV, especially Doctor Who, BritBox is the only place in the U.S. where you can stream all 26 seasons of Classic Doctor Who. It also has all eight seasons of Red Dwarf and a slew of British mysteries.
- Paramount Plus ($25 - $100): The ultimate gift for Star Trek fans, this network provides exclusive access to all the new Star Trek shows including Discovery, Lower Decks, and Picard. It also has all the current CBS shows and Nickelodeon content for kids. A year (with ads) costs only $49, while the ad-free version is $99 a year.
- Netflix (any amount): The good thing about this card is that, even if your giftee already has Netflix, they can always use it to upgrade their plan or pay some months in advance.
- Spotify ($10 - $60): The most popular music service has something for everyone. If your giftee already has a single-user subscription, they may want to use the extra credit to move up to a family ($14.99 / month) subscription.
- Hulu ($25 - $50): Get access to a slew of movies, network TV shows, and original programs like The Handmaid's Tale and Castle Rock.
- HBO Max ($99.99 for 1 yr): With all the new Warner movies and series like House of the Dragon coming straight to HBO Max, this makes a great gift. However, there’s no gift code so you’d have to do it for someone with their knowledge.
- Audible ($45 for 3 months): Plenty of stories and tales to keep you entertained through Christmas and beyond.
4. Newegg, Best Buy, and Amazon Gift Cards
OK, maybe not the most exciting gift card, but always useful if you know the giftee uses the stores to buy their favorite PC components or bits of tech. Newegg is known for having a great selection of PC parts and often some of the best prices, same goes for Amazon, with Best Buy becoming a great choice for the occasional tech deal. Gifting a gift card from one of these retailers would help to put some credit towards a nice techie gift.
- Newegg Gift Card ($10 and up)
- Amazon Gift Card (Any Amount, or $25 - $200)
- Best Buy Gift Card ($1 - $500)
5. MatterHackers 3D Printing Gift Cards
If your giftee is into 3D printing, MatterHackers is a candy store of bits and pieces to assist in your hobby. Everything from high-quality, custom filaments to 3D printers and accessories are available. You can get gift cards in denominations ranging from $25 to $1,000.
- MatterHackers Gift Cards ($25 - $1000)
6. Adafruit gift card
If your giftee loves doing electronics projects with Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or other types of single-board computers -- and if they don’t, they should start -- a gift certificate from Adafruit could be your best option. Not only does Adafruit stock all the major single-board computers and microcontrollers -- every version of Raspberry Pi, for example -- but it also has an entire universe of add-on boards, RGB light setups, robot kits, and more.
If you buy an Adafruit gift certificate, you can also feel good about supporting this amazing business. Founded in 2005 by Limor “Ladyada” Fried, Adafruit employs over 100 people and is dedicated to helping everyone learn more about STEM. The site has a vibrant community and more than 2,000 tutorials to help you do everything from creating an LED sign to soldering or designing RGB clothes.
- Adafruit Gift Certificates: Available in any denomination and emailed.
7. Pimoroni Gift Card
Pimoroni is a maker electronics site based in the UK with a focus on Raspberry Pi and microcontroller products, however, don't let the UK location put you off as Pimoroni ships to the U.S. and elsewhere without hassle. Pimoroni has a selection of tech bits and pieces including the company’s line of programmable conference badges, eInk displays, and retro arcade kits. Gift cards are available at prices ranging from 10 to 100 pounds.
- Pimoroni gift cards (10 - 100 pounds)
8. Twitch Gift Card
If your giftee enjoys watching content on Twitch and has a favorite streamer that they would like to support and subscribe to, you could gift them a Twitch gift card. You can use the credit to buy or gift a “sub” or buy "bits" to show streamers' support.
- Twitch Gift Card (any amount)
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Stewart Bendle is a deals and coupon writer at Tom's Hardware. A firm believer in “Bang for the buck” Stewart likes to research the best prices and coupon codes for hardware and build PCs that have a great price for performance ratio.
-
Steweh Reply
You're right, that is a good idea. Thanks for your suggestion, I've now included GeForce Now.Alvar Miles Udell said:Surprised GeForce Now wasn't on there. -
Alvar "Miles" Udell Reply
Especially since starting next year they're capped to 100 hours per month of usage, so now is the time to get it while it's still unlimited.Steweh said:You're right, that is a good idea. Thanks for your suggestion, I've now included GeForce Now.