It’s the time of year to start looking for gifts for all the important people in your life. If you’ve got a loved one who’s a Mac obsessive — or you just want to get a great Mac accessory for yourself — our round-up of tip-top Mac gifts will have you sorted this holiday season.
We’ve put together a range of goodies that’ll work for even the most demanding of Mac users. From mice and keyboards to Thunderbolt docks, microphones, and webcams, there’s something here for everyone.
Logitech MX Master 3 for Mac
Apple’s Magic Mouse is great for MacOS gestures, but its low-profile shape can become uncomfortable to use after a while. The good news is there’s a much better alternative that’s designed specifically for Mac users: The Logitech MX Master 3 for Mac.
This superb wireless mouse is comfy to use and features a clever scroll wheel that automatically switches between precise ratchets and free-flowing movement, depending on how hard you spin it. On the side, there is also a thumb wheel that scrolls your pointer horizontally.
Even better, the mouse comes preloaded with built-in MacOS shortcuts. In Photoshop, for instance, the thumb wheel adjusts your brush size, while the thumb buttons undo and redo actions. Press and hold the button at the foot of the thumb rest, and you can even perform native MacOS gestures — just swipe the mouse as you would on an Apple trackpad while pressing the button. When it comes to Mac mice, there’s simply nothing better.
Logitech MX Keys
The perfect pairing for a great mouse is a brilliant Mac keyboard, and Logitech’s MX Keys is just that. It’s the ideal gift for any Mac user stuck on a MacBook’s older butterfly keyboard or for anyone who is left unsatisfied by Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
Each key is dished slightly so that it comfortably fits your finger with each press. There’s a built-in backlight and full numpad, plus a row of function keys too. It can switch between three different devices — no need to use multiple keyboards for multiple Macs — and if you install the Logitech Flow app, you can copy and paste files directly from one Mac to another. There’s even a smaller MX Keys Mini if you want to ditch the number pad.
If you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard to match with your Mac, try the Keychron K8. It’s superbly comfy and reliable and can switch between multiple devices in a snap. And with its satisfying mechanical switches, it’s a great option for someone who spends all day typing on their Mac.
Satechi Aluminum Laptop Stand
If you know someone who spends a lot of time hunched over a MacBook, do their back a favor by getting them a MacBook stand that raises their device to a more comfortable height. The Satechi Aluminum Laptop Stand does exactly that.
What it does well is combine style and substance. Its aluminum frame comes in silver or space gray to match your existing Apple devices, and its simple hinge is unobtrusive and unassuming. It looks great and will fit right in on your desk.
It’s solidly built and clever, too. Because it works on a single hinge, it folds down flat and is easy to slip into a backpack. There are rubber strips on the top and bottom, helping to keep the stand in place and prevent your MacBook from slipping. It’s fairly priced, so won’t break the bank either.
Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB-C Hub Adapter
Apple’s latest MacBooks have finally restored some of the port variety that the company’s laptops have been missing for so many years. While they added HDMI and an SD card slot, you still don’t get any USB-A ports. And if you use an older MacBook, all you have are USB-C ports.
A USB-C hub can go a long way to fixing this problem, and Anker’s PowerExpand+ is a great choice. It adds seven new ports, including HDMI, SD card, microSD, two USB-A slots, and two USB-C ports. One of those USB-C slots supports up to 100W of power delivery, so you can juice up your MacBook via the PowerExpand+ if all your other USB-C ports are in use.
You get all that for $35, which is an excellent price for the frustration it prevents and the expansion options it brings.
CalDigit TS3 Plus
If you’re looking for some more serious port expansion, a Thunderbolt dock will be right up your street. Our favorite — by some distance — is the CalDigit TS3 Plus.
Why do we love it so much? It sounds strange, but one of its biggest draws is simply its reliability. When you’re plugging a host of different devices into a Thunderbolt dock, you want them to work properly 100% of the time. That’s surprisingly unusual in the Thunderbolt dock world, but CalDigit’s offering never skips a beat.
It offers a ton of ports (15 in total), including five USB-A, three Thunderbolt 3 (including one that provides 87W of power delivery), audio in and out, an SD card slot, DisplayPort 1.2, Gigabit Ethernet, and more. If you need to connect something to a Mac, chances are the CalDigit TS3 Plus can handle it with ease.
Elgato Wave:3
With so many of us working from home these days, either permanently or temporarily, sounding your best on work calls is essential. The built-in mics inside Apple’s MacBooks are fine, but if you want to go to the next level, the Elgato Wave:3 makes for an excellent gift.
Part of its appeal is how easy it is to get set up and running. For instance, instead of needing to monitor and adjust levels, the Wave:3 has a built-in feature called Clipguard, which helps combat sudden peaks in volume that can produce rasping or unpleasant sounds. You can tweak levels if required, but it’s nice knowing Elgato’s mic has your back from the off.
Outside video calls, it’s our favorite microphone for streaming, thanks to its Mac companion app that lets you blend audio inputs while your show is live. That makes it a great all-rounder that excels in a number of different fields.
Logitech Brio Ultra HD Pro
Apple has been dragging its heels in recent years when it comes to webcams, and we had to wait until the 2021 MacBook Pro before we saw the first 1080p webcam grace the company’s portable Macs. If you’re stuck on a 720p MacBook (or know someone else who is), you might be looking for a better webcam to help you look your best on video calls.
If it’s quality you’re after, there are none better than the Logitech Brio Ultra HD Pro, which is one of the best 4K webcams you can buy. It offers ultra-sharp 4K resolution running at 30fps, or if you need smoother footage, it also runs at 1080p 60fps and 720p 90fps. There are further customizations for the field of view, ranging from 65 degrees to 90 degrees — depending on what you want to capture.
There’s much more, including RightLight 3 tech that corrects your lighting, HDR image capture, and omnidirectional microphones with noise cancellation. It’s a brilliant gift for someone who needs a webcam that can do it all.
iFixit Essential Electronics Toolkit
For all the great things you can do with a MacBook, you’ll be hard-pressed to repair it if it ever breaks. Apple packs so much inside its laptops that finding your way around the components, cables, screws, and glue can be a real nightmare. If you’re a tinkerer, there’s a secret weapon that can make things much easier: iFixit’s Essential Electronics Toolkit.
Produced by the famous repair company and used in all its product teardowns, this toolkit contains everything you need to pry open a MacBook and dig into its high-tech internals. You get 16 screwdriver heads of different shapes and sizes, tweezers, a suction handle, a spudger, and more.
Put together, these tools should make light work of the booby traps you often find inside Apple devices. If you’ve been dying to repair your Mac or know someone else who is, this kit makes for a great holiday present.
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