Christmas shopping always starts out fun. Then you walk into a store or scroll online and get hit with a million tech gadgets. All shiny. All convincing. All promising to be the perfect gift.
But here is the truth. A lot of Christmas tech gifts look great and break fast. We see these items show up at STEM Support every January.
Let’s save you some money and stress.
Here are 7 tech gifts to avoid and smarter options instead.
1. Cheap Wireless Earbuds
They look like a deal, but the sound quality is rough and one earbud usually dies within weeks.
Buy instead: Mid range wireless earbuds or refurbished AirPods from a repair shop you trust.
2. Super Cheap Smart Watches
They glitch. They freeze. The heart rate monitor goes wild. Half of them do not sync properly.
Buy instead: A reliable mid range watch or a refurbished Apple Watch.
3. No Name Phone Chargers
They are dangerous. They can burn out your battery or damage your charging port. We replace chargers every holiday season.
Buy instead: Certified Apple or high quality brand chargers.
4. Low Storage iPads
They seem affordable until your kid downloads three apps and the iPad is already full.
Buy instead: A refurbished iPad with at least 128GB.
5. Budget Laptops From Black Friday Flyers
These laptops usually have:
• super slow processors
• tiny storage
• low quality parts
• short life span
We see them break within the first year.
Buy instead: A refurbished MacBook or a solid brand with decent specs.
6. Knock Off Gaming Accessories
Cheap controllers are glitchy and break easily. Gamers notice the difference instantly.
Buy instead: Authentic accessories or mid-range brands.
7. Overpriced “Christmas Tech Bundles”
They throw in a case, screen protector, earbuds, and a stylus to justify the price. Half the items break by New Year’s.
Buy instead: One great product plus a professional screen protector from STEM Support.
Final Tip
If you want a gift that actually lasts, buy refurbished or professionally checked tech. We test everything, replace worn parts, and make sure it works perfectly before it hits the shelf.