As much as I love high-priced tech like my 4K projector or my AMD-powered Asus Zenbook 14 laptop, most of us can't regularly spend several hundred dollars on a tech gift or purchase. But that doesn't mean you can't substantially improve your tech life (or the lives of your tech-focused friends and family) while spending a comparatively small amount of money.
I own all of the affordable tech gifts in this list below, and all are on sale for less than $50. In fact, some are under $20! Each of these products has made my nerdy world a little nicer in its own way. If you're looking for a small tech splurge for yourself, or an affordable gift for that techie friend or family member, one of these 50-or-under options might be just what you're after.
My favorite sub-$50 deals:
HOTO Wireless Screwdriver: was $60, now $39
Lenovo Go Qi Charging Mouse: was $70, now $39
Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam: was $60, now $48
I've used the HOTO NEX O1 PRO 3.6V Screwdriver Set to build dozens of PCs
I build a lot of PCs, and I also do a fair bit of home improvement work around my apartment. So a cordless screwdriver is a nice thing to have. I also own a much slimmer Wowstick, but have found HOTO's NEX O1 Pro to be handier thanks to its extra (and variable) torque. It's great for loosening those factory-installed screws on PC cases that just don't want to let go, and also good for assembling small pieces of furniture.
The HOTO won't replace my DeWalt impact driver or drill for bigger, tougher jobs. But for everyday tasks, it's powerful enough, easy to charge over USB-C, and even looks good on my workbench. I just wish it came with and stored more than 12 bits.
USB cheap media control box puts volume and track control a touch away
For those of us of a certain age, few things beat a chunky tactile volume knob and physical buttons for controlling media, and Vaydeer's USB device provides that and then some. I own the previous version of this device and love it for controlling and muting music at my treadmill desk while I work.
I can also use the buttons on it to play / pause audio and video, move forward to the next track or backward to the previous one. It's totally plug and play as no drivers are needed.
Wireless retro controller takes me back to the 80s, removes the cord
What's not to love about a $42 SNES-inspired wireless gaming controller that's compatible with Windows, Mac, Android and the Nintendo Switch? Not much, but I own the original Pro model and not one of these newer models with translucent plastic shells. That's peak late-90s nostalgia and I really don't want to love it as much as I do.
As you might expect given this controller's small size and many more buttons than the SNES controller it was based on, its Rumble motors aren't the strongest, and the layout can feel kind of cramped for some modern games. But for any kind of retro game and especially platformers (I'm looking at you, Super Mario Bros. Wonder), this is my go-to controller. At this price, maybe I should pick up another one.
Lenovo's Go Qi Charging Wireless Mouse never needs to be plugged in
I have wireless charging pads at my desk and three other places around my apartment, as well as my desk at the office, for keeping my phone and watch juiced up, and I take one with me when I travel. So when I saw Lenovo had a Go Wireless Multi-Device Mouse that charges wirelessly using the Qi standard, I was intrigued. And now that I've owned one for more than a year, it's my go-to travel rodent. In fact, I just retrieved this mouse from my suitcase after a trip to Scotland.
There's not much remarkable about this compact mouse in terms of its design. It houses a USB-C dongle under its magnetic top, and it also works over Bluetooth for pairing it with up to three devices. Lenovo claims 2-3 months of use if you use it a couple of hours a day, which is probably fairly accurate.
I've never been able to tell because whenever I'm done using it, I just drop it on the Qi charging stand on my desk and it's fully charged whenever I pick it up again. Plugging things in is so 2019. However, it does have a USB-C port in the front if you want to pry off the rubber door and charge it the old-school way.
Anker's PowerConf C200 2K Webcam delivers good performance and good-enough resolution for under $50
I experimented with a 4K webcam during the worst of the Covid pandemic. But the truth is, almost no one needs that level of image quality for office and family chats. And many chat programs will just down-res you to 1080p (or less), anyway. So unless you're a serious streamer or have some other niche case, I recommend something more affordable.
I've been using Anker's PowerConf C200 2K Webcam for the past two years and I couldn't be happier with it. Its somewhat nebulous "2K" resolution looks sharper than 1080p webcams I've used in the past, and its low-light performance is great. It has an easy-to-see red privacy shutter for when you're not using it, and it's compact enough to easily clip onto a laptop screen and toss into a bag if you want to travel with it. It also has a screw mount on the bottom for mounting to an arm or stand, which is how I use it with the 55-inch OLED TV I use as a monitor. My old 4K webcam is in a corner gathering dust. But I use Anker's PowerConf C200 2K almost every day.
Add recessed power and USB ports to your desk for just $15
OK, this one's only for the DIY-inclined, because it involves cutting a hole in your desk (or anywhere else you might want some flush-mount power ports, like a nightstand). Jgstkcity's recessed power strip lets you drop a couple of AC outlets and two USB charging ports (one 30W USB-C) anywhere you need them – again, once you've cut a hole for it.
While it's always smart to be wary of no-name power strips, I've owned the older non-PD version of this strip for over two years and it's been functioning just fine. I have it installed in the narrow stand I built right behind my couch. It's a super-convenient place for power outlets, especially when friends or family stop by. I just warn people not to put drinks there. Thankfully, the coffee table is even more convenient for that and it's right in front of the couch.
Govee RGBIC LED Neon Rope Lights for Desks
If you want to give your existing desk that gaming look with some app- or Alexa-controlled RGB lighting, Govee's RGBIC neon desk rope light is great. Its diffused lighting looks great. It can be cut in 12 places to best fit your desk, is designed to bend nicely around corners, and has a strong, sticky backing that has held it on my workbench without issue for just about a year for the past several months.
I ran these lights around the back of my bench rather than the front to give some colorful backlighting to my product photography. And thanks to Alexa integration, I can change the colors on the fly while I'm taking photos. It also provides some nice mood light to my office when I'm not working, and the app lets you choose from attractive and dynamic presets, or create your own custom light show.
Powerowl's rechargeable batteries are good and surprisingly cheap
When I first started using rechargeable batteries with my Walkman in the early 90s, they were kind of awful (but still better than spending all my money feeding my music addiction). They couldn't hold a charge and didn't last nearly as long as name-brand disposable batteries. But here in the mid-2020s, rechargeables are surprisingly good.
Panasonic's Eneloops arguably ushered in the rechargeable AA and AAA renaissance, but PowerOwl's batteries are a lot more affordable and I haven't had a single one fail in over three years of using them in my various remotes, smart door locks, and other devices.
Baseus 65W Flat GaN wall charger is great for travel and commuting
If there's one thing everyone with modern tech could probably use at this point, it's an extra high-speed and compact charger. The Baseus 65W Flat Wall Charger is my new-found favorite. It's especially great for travel, because it outputs 45W over USB-C for my laptop and up to 20W over USB-A for my phone or other devices, all while folding to a slim 0.66 inches thick. It's smaller than a deck of cards and easily fits in pretty much any bag pocket.
Its slim shape should also help keep the device fully inserted in loose hotel room power sockets, and while the outer shell is plastic, the build quality feels solid, and it includes a 3.3-foot USB-C charging cable for those of us who aren't already drowning in cables from other devices. You'll have to provide your own USB-A cable to charge a second device, but at its current sale price, there's hardly a reason to complain about that. And who doesn't have an extra USB-A charging cable at this point?
Hang your headphones on some under-desk charging ports for $16
Do-it-all devices that pull together disparate features often turn out to be junk. But it’s hard to discount a $16 device that combines an under-the-desk headset hanger / cable holder and a three-port USB charging hub is hard to discount. Depending on where you place the device, the ports are great for charging phones and tablets. PD charging is supported, but only up to 20W, so don't expect to be plugging your laptop here. Cozoo's device ships with both 3M tape and screws for mounting under your desk, as well as cable tie-downs to help make the setup as tidy as possible.
Given the price (and the fact that I've never heard of the brand outside of these devices), I generally wouldn't want this to be my only charging option. But I've had this hanger under my standing desk for nearly a year now and it's always worked for me as expected.
Spend $5 to save your GPU and X16 slot from extra stress
There are lots of ways of dealing with a sagging GPU. You could just ignore it (so long as you aren't transporting your PC somewhere), get an expensive RGB and glass model like Cooler Master's Atlas (which is currently on sale for a pretty reasonably $36), or you could spend just $5 on this magnetic adjustable screw-type GPU brace.
With a magnetic base and a twist-to-extend screw top that adjusts its length between 72 and 117 mm, it gets the job done while costing less than most cups of coffee those days.
TP-Link's AX1800 WiFi 6 USB Adapter delivers Wi-Fi 6 to older devices over USB
Have you upgraded your router to Wi-Fi 6 or later, but your desktop or laptop doesn't have the requisite hardware to take advantage of your recent network tech? TP-Link's AX1800 WiFi 6 USB Adapter is here to solve that problem for you. It's quite large by USB Wi-Fi dongle standards, but I've found it works quite well with the Wi-Fi 6 router I bought in 2020.
I have the router running downstairs from my office. And it instantly fixed an issue I was having with very poor reception from the SFF PC I built in the Fractal Terra case.
Replace your old power strips with Anker's Power Strip Surge Protector (2100J)
What's exciting to say about a surge protector? If it's old and defective, it could help burn your house down. And even if it isn't, it's recommended that you replace surge protectors every 5 or so years because the parts that actually do the protecting can become less effective over the years. So there's a good chance you're due for a new one. I own three of these Anker Power Strip Surge Protectors (2100J) and they all have worked flawlessly.
Aside from the usual things, like 10 three-prong outlets and a handy switch, Anker also includes USB-A and USB-C power outlets, each rated to 12W. I wish these came with more than an 18-month warranty, but I've always had good luck with Anker's customer service, which makes me feel a little better on that front.
Orico USB 3.0 Clamp Hub is easy to mount on many desks
This is a four-port USB hub that's designed to clamp onto your desk and give you extra convenient connectivity. Orico's device delivers USB 3.0 speeds, which is good enough for most modern devices.
It comes in black or silver and has a nice sturdy metal frame. Just note that its clamp section is pretty shallow and its adjustable screw can only open between 10 and 32 mm, so it won't fit on all desks.
Clean up the cables under your desk with a tray
If you to get a handle on the PC cables in your home or office, some cheap cable management trays will do the job. This two-pack comes with tape, though heavier loads will ultimately require some screws.
Besides the trays, this kit also comes with cable ties and a few cable clips you can place along the bottom or sides of your desk. One of these has been holding up the PC cable clutter in my living room for the past year. But I had to screw it into my desk because it's holding one of the above Anker power strips, plus the large external power brick from my LG OLED TV/Monitor.
