Working from ho-ho-home? Thinking of upgrading your tech set-up this festive season? Here’s our pick of the best gadget gear.
It’s that time of year again. With the season of goodwill rolling around and Black Friday and Cyber Monday drawing ever closer, it’s time to think about doing the Christmas shopping.
Chances are, somebody you know has been hinting that they’d like a new gadget in their lives. Maybe they’ve been trying to convince you that they need the latest hi-spec laptop to complete their home office. So whether you’re a total techie or a complete technophobe, we have just the gadgets for you and yours this year as remote working looks set to continue.
If the hint dropping gets too strong, just pop on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones – which, by the way, are the number one gadget everyone needs for WFH in a crowded house.
WFH novices
For a remote worker, the gift of silence may be the greatest gift of all. Noise-cancelling headphones are a great buy, and if you’re new to the WFH scene or you just haven’t gotten around to putting them on your Christmas wish list, consider these Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones (€199, Harvey Norman).
If you prefer in-ear noise cancellation, check out Sennheiser’s Momentum True wireless earbuds, (€199, Harvey Norman).
For gym bunnies concerned their fitness routine will suffer while working remotely, a Fitbit Charge 5 Fitness Tracker (€179, Currys PC World) may make a great gift. The wearable tech comes in black, blue and gold.
Fitbit Charge 5 Fitness Tracker. Image: Fitbit
Everyone who works from home needs a good laptop. While most companies provide them to remote workers, if you’re looking for your own, a solid workhorse option is the Asus C202 11.6-inch Chromebook with 32GB storage (€159, Currys PC World).
If your budget is bigger, Dell’s Inspiron 15 3000 15.6-inch laptop (€549, Currys PC World) has 256GB of storage, which will definitely keep hoarders happy this Christmas.
For work and play
All WFH and no PlayStation makes for a dull life! While Logitech’s G435 wireless bluetooth headset (€69.99, Smyths) might be marketed at gamers, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t put it on your list.
The lightweight headset is compatible with PC, Mac, smartphones, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. It is suitable for all ages and comes with a built-in mic and controls, as well as a volume limiter and surround sound.
You would have to work very hard to afford the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (€1,899, Harvey Norman). But if your eyes light up at the thought of fancy gadgets, you might be happy to find one of these multitasking foldables in your stocking.
We wouldn’t strictly recommend it, but if you feel like your WFH life wouldn’t be complete without an automated mouse mover, AFK Technology’s Automated Mouse Mover/Jiggler v1.1 (€66.56, Storkz.com) is tech for tricksters at the top of its game. You can keep your online status on Teams and go back to bed. Fair warning: probably won’t work unless your boss is Michael Scott from The Office.
Tech on the go
If you are the kind of remote worker who frequently finds themselves typing up documents on trains, planes and other non-specified terrains, this section is for you.
Typists in transit will love Logitech’s MX Keys Mini wireless keyboard (€109.99, Currys PC World). The Bluetooth keyboard can switch between multiple connected devices, including Mac, PC, and tablets. Its keys are backlit and ergonomically designed for comfort and ease of typing. It is available in three colours: graphite, pale grey and rose.
For anyone who has been eagerly reading our coverage of e-scooters recently and fancies bagging themselves one this Christmas, this relatively inexpensive option could be a good buy. The LeXgo R9 Lite 6A E-Scooter comes in black and white and, like lots of the items on this list, its price has been cut for Black Friday (€299, mintplus.ie).
LeXgo R9 Lite 6A E-Scooter. Image: Mint+
Ear buds and smartwatches are great productivity buys for remote workers on the go. There are loads of options on the market, but the folks at Huawei are doing a Band 6 smartwatch and FreeBuds 4i bundle so you can grab both. (€99, mintplus.ie).
Home comforts
Many people don’t bother using a mouse any more, but some like to have one to hand. The Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball is the newest addition to the Logitech Ergo Series, offering easy thumb control to minimise movement while keeping your hand and arm relaxed. This piece of tech won’t set you back too much either (€54.99, Currys PC World).
Get over hump day with a lovely morning coffee (or three) thanks to the Tassimo by Bosch Style coffee machine (€99.99, Currys PC World).
Tassimo by Bosch coffee machine. Image: Bosch
Or if you or someone you love can’t get through a Zoom session without a mug of something sweet, why not try the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser hot chocolate machine (€129.99, Currys PC World).
Level-up your conference calls
If you want to up your Zoom game in 2022, check out the C920 HD Pro webcam from Logitech,(€109.99, Currys PC World). This webcam features two microphones on either side of the camera to help your voice sound clear during calls. It works in dim settings also and can adjust to different lighting settings.
If you want to look good on calls – or if your work requires you to make a lot of video content – the LED Selfie Ring Pro by Cellularline could be just the job (€50, Vodafone). You’re worth it.
For those who are all sound and no vision, no home office is complete without a good quality microphone like the Yeti Nano (€109.99, Currys PC World). It gives your voice great clarity so you’ll be heard loud and clear on conference calls. Lights, camera, action – and a very happy Christmas to you!
All prices correct at the time of publication.
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