The Best Christmas Gifts for a Techie (On a Budget)
View(s):By Mahesh de Andrado
With the Christmas season upon us, you might be on the lookout for some good deals and gadgets to gift yourself or your loved ones. Fear not; here’s a list of options that might be to your liking. The goal here is to be under the budget of LKR 10,000/- and as such, pricing is accurate to the time of publishing. So let’s kick things off, shall we?
For the Gamer in you
If you’re a PC gamer looking to improve your accuracy, then the first thing to do would be to get a good gaming mouse. While there are a plethora of “gaming” mice, the important thing is to choose a brand that is reputed. While you’re free to pick and choose as you wish, the Logitech G102 is one of the best picks for under Rs. 10,000/-. At just Rs. 7,000/-, it has excellent build quality, an extremely accurate sensor for the price at 8,000 DPI, customizable buttons, and of course, customizable RGB lighting, both of which can be done via the Logitech G Hub app.
The Logitech G102 is by far the best mouse to get under Rs. 10,000/- (Image Credits: Gaming Central)
Looking for a more lightweight option? Then the Cougar AirBlader is worth a look at too. The build quality is solid and the mouse weighs just 62g and packs 6 customizable buttons. The PMW3389 sensor on the AirBlader is rated up to 16,000 DPI and is also priced at Rs. 7,000/-.
Gamdias might be a relatively unheard of brand in Sri Lanka, but they have an interesting combo offer. The Gamdias Ares | M2 Keyboard + Zeus | E2 Mouse + Mouse Mat 3 In 1 Gaming Combo (definitely a mouthful to say), packs a keyboard (in this case the Gamdias Ares M2), a mouse (Gamdias Zeus E2) and a mouse pad, for just Rs 6,000/-.
For the absolute budget gamer, Gamedias has you covered (Image Credits: YouTube)
While the pros are obviously the price and the fact you get all 3 peripherals, the build quality isn’t exceptional and might feel a little cheap, but if you’re on an absolutely tight budget for peripherals, you can take a look at it and see.
Looking for some on-the-go audio?
Headed to a friend’s place to watch a movie? Grab a Logitech X50 portable bluetooth speaker on your way. This thing is cute, but certainly packs quite a punch. Priced around Rs.3500, the X50 comes in a variety of funky colors. I myself have a green and a Purple/orange one and I love it to bits. The sound is clear and loud and the bass gets quite punchy as well. While it obviously won’t be as powerful as a proper speaker setup, if you want a bluetooth speaker for your phone/laptop, the Logitech X50 is my definite go-to.
The Logitech X50 is definitely a worthy investment if you want a good speaker for an affordable price
Building on the reputation that the original Redmi Airdots had, the somewhat upgraded Mi Redmi Airdots 2 offer a slightly better sound signature, better battery life and also come in white (if you’re into that sort of thing). The buds themselves offer around 4 hours of use on a single charge and the charging case holds up to 12 hours of battery. At Rs. 9,000/-, they have gone up in price due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, which is unfortunate. But if you can find a pair for a lower price, I’d recommend it wholeheartedly.
The Redmi Airdots 2 are some of the best sounding truly wireless earbuds for the price (Image Credits: Tech Advisor)
Haylou is another up and coming brand that promises affordable gadgets that don’t skimp out on features and performance. The Haylou GT6 and GT7 TWS Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones are identically priced at Rs. 7,000/- and offer almost identical features. The difference lies in their form factor.
Meet the Haylou GT6, an affordable Airpods like pair of TWS earbuds (Image Credits: Scarbir)
The GT6 is shaped more like Apple’s AirPods where it rests in your ear, whereas the GT7 is a more in ear approach like the AirPods Pro. Both devices support AAC and offer up to 5 hours of playtime for a single charge, and up to 20 hours of use via the charging case.
The Haylou GT7 is identical in terms of features and price to the GT6, just differing in terms of design (Image Credits: Scarbir)
Speaking of charging cases, both the GT6 and GT7 charge via USB Type C so if you already have a Type C charger, you’re all set.
If you are on the lookout for more gadgets, then stay tuned to the second part of this list. If you have any gadgets you would recommend, we would love to hear from you.
Stay tuned for Part 2 in the coming week
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