The everything gift guide for Mac users

Macworld

What do you buy your favorite Mac user this holiday season? We’re going to help you select the best gifts available for users of the MacBook, iMac, and Mac mini.

If not a brand new Mac (check out our Mac Buying Guide if your budget stretches that far), then how about one of the many available Mac accessories? Throughout the year we have tested and reviewed the best Mac accessories from Apple and trusted companies, and we can recommend the best ones for the people on your list. Whether your friend or family member owns a MacBook Air or Pro, an iMac or a Mac mini, we’ve got some great Mac gift suggestions for you (and them).

Mac Gift Guide: Bags and sleeves

The MacBook makes an excellent static computer, especially when hooked up to an external screen or Mac docking station, but it is of course also an excellent portable computer. MacBook owners are likely to carry their Mac laptops around with them either on a daily basis or every now and again.

We have tested the best MacBook bags and sleeves and most are available for all sizes of MacBook. Check that list to see the widest range of MacBook bags and sleeves you can select as a gift. here we’ve picked out a few of our favorites, from simple sleeves to rugged backpacks.






1. Journey NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve – Wireless Charging MacBook sleeve











Pros


Luxury sleeve

Includes MagSafe wireless charger


















Here’s a modern-looking MacBook sleeve with some very modern extras: not only will this padded vegan leather sleeve keep a MacBook safe from bumps and scrapes, it also includes two wireless chargers (one MagSafe compatible at 7.5W for your iPhone, and another 5W Qi charger for your AirPods) and can work as both a deskpad and mousepad to free your workspace of clutter.







2. Troubadour Apex 3.0 Backpack – Super-stylish MacBook backpack











Pros


Super stylish

Plenty of storage

Hidden iPhone and AirTag pockets










Price When Reviewed:

€316




Best Prices Today:



€316 at Troubadour





Available in Black, Navy, Air Force Blue and Obsidian Green, this 25L MacBook backpack oozes chic luxury and premium design. There’s a generous selection of storage pockets, including one for your iPhone hidden in one of the straps, and there’s even a special pocket for an Apple AirTag. The laptop section is at the back and easy to access, with easily enough space for a 16-inch MacBook Pro. For more details read a full Troubadour Apex 3.0 review at Tech Advisor.







3. Bellroy Laptop Sleeve – Premium MacBook protection sleeve











Pros


Premium feel

Magnetic closure










Price When Reviewed:

€59





Available in Black, Slate, Navy, Bronze and a leather-free Saltbush., the Bellroy Laptop Sleeve is a quality protector for your precious laptop. Outside, the woven, water-resistant material is made from 100% recycled PET bottles. Inside, the quilted microfiber lining features a soft ridge that holds your laptop in place. The sleeve snaps shut with a magnetic bumper.







Mac Gift Guide: MacBook power banks

You might think that power banks are just for iPhones, and we have tested the best MagSafe power banks. But there are larger-capacity power banks that carry enough charge to revitalize even a MacBook that has run out of juice.

MacBook users shouldn’t leave home without one when heading off into the wilderness, on a road trip and flying long haul.






1. HyperJuice 245W USB-C Battery Pack – MacBook power bank











Pros


Portable 27000mAh power

245W total power output

4 ports


















This USB-C airline-safe battery pack has a mighty 27000mAh power pack, plus two 100W USB-C ports and two 65W USB-C Power Delivery ports. The OLED screen shows the remaining battery capacity as well as the charging usage of each port.







2. Ugreen 145W Power Bank for Laptop – MacBook power bank











Pros


Portable 25000mAh power

145W total power output

3 ports










Price When Reviewed:

€149,99





Boasting a meaty 25000mAh battery, this air-travel-friendly laptop power bank can recharge a fading MacBook Pro back to full power and still have enough power over to fast-charge your iPhone—indeed you can charge both at the same time, along with your AirPods or Apple Watch as this MacBook power bank has three USB ports. A handy LED battery-capacity percentage indicator shows you how much power is left before you leave home.







Mac Gift Guide: Docks and hubs

A docking station or hub gives your connected MacBook access to multiple ports, many of which are more powerful than the few that are built into the MacBook. Look out for fast USB ports, Ethernet for wired Internet access, video display ports, card readers and more.

For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best Mac docks and hubs. For cheaper alternatives, check out the best USB-C adapters for Mac.






1. Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock – Extra storage MacBook docking station











Pros


Thunderbolt 4

19 ports

Built-in speedy SSD enclosure

100W PD

2.5 Gigabit Ethernet










Price When Reviewed:

402,40 €




Best Prices Today:



€375 at Macway€402.4 at MUSIC STORE Professional





It’s certainly an expensive gift but the Sonnet Echo 20 is our favorite Thunderbolt 4 dock, boasting a ton of fast ports plus an SSD enclosure so you can add up to 8TB of inexpensive flash storage to your MacBook’s desktop setup. With two downstream TB4 ports and a dedicated HDMI 2.1 port you can add up to two 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 6K screen at 60Hz—Macs packing a M2/M3 Pro/Max/Ultra chip support up to 8K for the single display option.

Read our full

Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock review






2. Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – Add multiple displays











Pros


12 ports

100W PD

Triple 5K displays


















It’s not Thunderbolt but this USB-C dock offers support for up to three 5K displays if you install DisplayLink software—even with for MacBooks with plain (non-Pro or Max) M1/M2/M3 chips. It also packs a bunch of non-display ports, such as three USB-A and a spare downstream USB-C port, plus fast SD and MicroSD card readers and Gigabit Ethernet.







3. Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub – Add eight super-fast ports











Pros


4x Thunderbolt 4 ports

4x 10Gbps USB-A ports

150W total power










Price When Reviewed:

Dès 212,33 €




Best Prices Today:



€212.33 at CalDigit





You don’t need a full docking station if you add some adapters to the eight ports on this compact, powered Thunderbolt 4 hub. As well as three downstream TB4 ports, there are four fast USB-A ports. You can add Ethernet adapter and a card reader to create your own customizable and updateable dock.

Read our full Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub review.







4. Twelve South StayGo USB-C Hub – Super-portable MacBook dock











Pros


8 portable ports










Price When Reviewed:

106,80 €





It might be only USB-C rather than Thunderbolt but this hub offers a lot in a very portable form: 85W passthrough charging via USB-C, 4K HDMI Port, three USB-A ports (including one that can charge at 7.5W), Gigabit Ethernet port, and both SD and MicroSD card readers. It comes with a 1m USB-C cable plus another 5-inch travel cable that sits within the hub case. There’s a cut-down version, the StayGo Mini, that has HDMI, one USB-A port and a headphone jack that’s built for the iPad but works just as well with a MacBook.







5. Baseus 7-in-1 USB-C Hub – Great-value USB-C hub











Pros


7 ports inc 4K HDMI

100W PD

Great value


















You might not need 15 or more extra ports for your MacBook, and this USB-C hub has seven that should cover most needs, including 100W passthrough power and an HDMI port that supports a 4K display at 60Hz, as well as card reader ports for inexpensive extra storage. If you need Gigabit Ethernet the Baseus 9-in-1 goes that step further.







Mac Gift Guide: MacBook chargers

Who wants to unwrap a present to find a USB-C charger inside? We think you might be surprised. Apples chargers are great but they are dull and mostly can charge just one device. Premium third-party USB-C chargers boast multiple ports and are still much smaller than the charger that Apple shipped with its MacBook. Some (wall chargers) plug straight into the wall socket, some have a longer power cable, and some USB power strips even include extra AC power sockets.

13-inch MacBooks require at least a 45W charger; 14-inch MacBooks can charge with a 65W charger but work best with 100W. The mighty 16-inch MacBook Pro demands a 140W charger for fast-charging.

For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best MacBook chargers.






1. Ugreen Nexode RG 65W USB C GaN Charger – Robot-shaped MacBook charger











Pros


Cute robot-shaped charger

3 ports


















Chargers might ordinarily be quite dull, functional products but three cheers for Ugreen is at least trying to add some humor and personality into the market with the RobotGaN series. This micro-sized wall charger offers 65W power—enough to charge even a 14-inch MacBook Pro—and three ports: two USB-C and one old-school USB-A port. The LED screen shows a different expression based on the charging status and even the robot’s little boots are magnetic. If any charger makes a user smile, it’s this little but powerful cutie.







2. Anker 715 Nano II 65W Charger – Tiny MacBook charger











Pros


Compact

65W

Foldable plug (U.S.)


















Suitable for all the MacBooks apart from the mighty 16-inch MacBook Pro, this dinky little charger is selected as a great gift because it is so tiny that it will delight anyone used to lugging around a giant charger.







3. OneAdaptr OneWorld135 – Travel-friendly MacBook charger











Pros


135W

Four ports plus one power socket

Travel plug adapter










Price When Reviewed:

€104,95




Best Prices Today:



€104.95 at OneAdaptr





If your Mac user friend is a keen traveler, then this triple-function charger will save them from foreign-socket frustration. Not only does it boast four USB ports—two at 100W, enough for any MacBook plus a couple of other devices—it includes a passthrough power socket that will fit just about any nationality plug type and works as an adapter into US, European, Australian/NZ/Chinese and British wall sockets. There is also a slightly cheaper OneWorld100 available in Black if you don’t need all that simultaneous charging output.







4. UGreen Nexode 140W Charger – Best MacBook Pro charger











Pros


4 ports

100W

Foldable plug (U.S.)










Price When Reviewed:

€109,99




Best Prices Today:



€119.99 at Ugreen





Suitable for all MacBooks, the four-port Ugreen 100W wall charger, with a foldable U.S. plug, is an excellent choice of versatile power adapter. It may not be as pocketable as some mini chargers, but it is still highly portable. It has multiple charging options, such as 65W for laptop and 30W PD for light-laptop powering plus lower outputs for phones and other devices. Using three ports you could charge at 45W, 30W and 22.5W. Using all four, it can support laptop power delivery at 45W and 30W plus two devices each at 10.5W. And it can fast-charge a 14in MacBook Pro using one of the 100W PD ports.







5. Ugreen Nexode 100W 2-in-1 GaN Desktop Charger – USB-C MacBook and MagSafe iPhone charger











Pros


3 ports

Compact 2-in-1 charger

100W

15W MagSafe adjustable iPhone stand










Price When Reviewed:

€159,99




Best Prices Today:



€159.99 at Ugreen





Here’s a compact desktop charger that offers two 100W USB-C ports and one 22.5W USB-A port at the front and a fully certified 15W MagSafe tiltable charging pad for iPhones 12/13/14/15. Using all four charging options you could power at 15W (iPhone), 45W MacBook via one of the USB-C ports, 25W with the other, and the remaining 10W via USB-A. It comes with a 2m power lead to connect to your wall socket.

Read our full

Ugreen Nexode 100W 2-in-1 GaN Desktop Charger review






iPhone Gift Guide: Mac monitors

They’re not the cheapest Mac gifts but a monitor sure does look impressive wrapped up.

Every Mac mini needs a monitor but you can treat a MacBook user to a bigger screen, either connected directly or via a Mac docking station, see above. Here we have picked out a budget and a touchscreen monitor, and you’ll find more of our favorites in our feature on the best Mac monitors.






1. Samsung M8 Smart Monitor, 32-inch – Great budget 32-inch monitor











Pros


Great price

Bright, colourful 32-inch display

Adjustable stand (tilt and height










Price When Reviewed:

Dès 493,29 €




Best Prices Today:



€488.8 at Rue du Commerce€493.29 at Topbiz€496.9 at RueDuCommerce FR





Unlike Apple’s 27-inch Studio Display, Samsung’s M8 provides a larger 32-inch display with 4K resolution and also allows you to adjust the height of the screen without paying an extra £400/$400. It doesn’t support color standards for graphic design or professional-level video-editing, but it does support the sRGB standard and HDR10 to produces a bright, colorful image that will work well for general office work and web browsing, as well as streaming video and simple graphics and photo-editing work.







2. Alogic Clarity Pro Touch Display – Touchscreen display for Mac











Pros


Impressive 4K 60Hz touchscreen

Fantastic adjustable stand


















Apple doesn’t offer any screens with a touchscreen display outside of its iPhones and iPads. The Alogic Clarity Pro Touch offers Mac users a large, premium touchscreen on a monitor that boasts one of the best height-adjustable, tilt and pivot stands that we’ve tested. It’s a precision, 10-point multitouch, One Glass Solution (OGS) touchscreen that combines the monitor’s protective layer with its input layer via a conductive medium keeps the Clarity Pro Touch’s screen as thin as the other Clarity monitors, while maintaining the monitor’s bright picture.







iPhone Gift Guide: Mac mice

Apple pioneered mouse use back in the 1980s but its own mice have always aimed for minimalism rather than functionality. There are better third-party mice out there for Mac users: check out our roundup of the best Mac mice.

You don’t get a mouse included when you buy a MacBook, but we find them much easier to use than the laptop trackpad.






1. Logitech MX Master 3 – Our favorite Mac mouse











Pros


High-speed mode

Horizontal scrolling










Price When Reviewed:

109 €




Best Prices Today:



€109 at Logitech





Logitech’s MX Master 3 mouse has a smoothly curved surface that fits the palm very well, along with a thumb rest for extra comfort. It has the usual left/right buttons and a scroll wheel, but the scroll wheel works in two different modes, with a high-speed mode for zooming through long documents and web pages, as well as a slower mode that provides greater precision and tactile feedback. There’s also a second wheel on the side, which allows you to scroll horizontally, and two more buttons that can be programmed using the Options app. Battery life is good too, at around two months–twice that of Apple’s Magic Mouse or Trackpad.







2. Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse – Great budget Mac mouse











Pros


Allows for very accurate scrolling

Curved ergonomic design

USB-C charging










Price When Reviewed:

29,99 €




Best Prices Today:



€29.99 at Satechi





Having a spare mouse is useful if your Apple Magic Mouse runs out of juice and you have to charge it with the cable port unhelpfully situated on its base, leaving it unusable while charging. And MacBook owners will appreciate a mouse to free them from continual finger action on the MacBook’s trackpad.







iPhone Gift Guide: Mac mini gifts

We love Apple’s compact desktop Mac mini—twinned with your own choice of external display (see above), it’s much more flexible than the 24-inch iMac. We don’t appreciate its lack of front-mounted ports or the fact that you can’t add internal storage after purchase. But we do have some tips on how to upgrade a Mac mini and a Mac mini gift idea that will delight your mini friends.






1. Satechi Stand Hub for Mac mini with SSD Enclosure – Add ports and storage











Pros


SSD bay

Front-facing ports

Card readers










Price When Reviewed:

€109,99




Best Prices Today:



$99.99 at Satechi





This inexpensive USB-C hub adds much-needed ports to the front of a Mac mini setup. These ports include SD and microSD card readers, which are lacking from the mini itself. You can buy a slightly cheaper version without the SSD enclosure but we advise spending the extra as it gives you the chance to add extra internal storage later. If your Mac mini has a 512GB internal SSD, then a 1TB or greater SSD within the hub offers excellent and speedy Time Machine backup or just extra space for your files.

Read our full

Satechi Stand Hub for Mac mini with SSD Enclosure review






iPhone Gift Guide: USB-C cables

Oh come on, you’re seriously suggesting a power cable makes a great gift? Yes, we are. The cable that shipped with the MacBook is fine but there are more able, more colorful, and more robust cables that we’d be happy to unwrap from shiny gift paper.

Modern Macs use Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 cables, which look like USB-C cables but are capable of faster data transfers and charging. In general, buying a Thunderbolt 4 cable makes the most sense as it will be backward compatible with USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 and also future-proofed even if you don’t yet own a newer Mac.

Check out our roundup of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt cables for Mac. Pair one of these with a USB-C charger, see above, for the fastest charging, or connect and daisy-chain multiple devices via a Mac docking station.






1. Cable Matters Retractable USB-C 2.0 Charging Cable – Reduce cable clutter











Pros


Retractable

60W

Tangle free


















It’s USB-C rather than Thunderbolt and is pretty hopeless at data transfer (limited to USB 2.0’s 480MBps compared to Thunderbolt’s 40Gbps) but this is a neat travel cable or spare charging cable that won’t tangle in a pocket, bag, or drawer.







2. Casetify PowerThru USB-C to USB-C Cable – Fun and colorful











Pros


Colorful

60W










Price When Reviewed:

€50




Best Prices Today:



$28 at Casetify





Let’s face it, cables are just too black or white, so this colorful and robustly braided USB-C to USB-C charging cable should brighten anyone’s day.







3. Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable (1m) – Best Mac cable











Pros


240W Power Delivery

40Gbps data transfer

8K monitor support

Robust braided design










Price When Reviewed:

€39,99




Best Prices Today:



$39.99 at Satechi





Thunderbolt 4 is backwards compatible and future-proof so is worth spending extra on when considering a new or spare cable for your Apple device. Yes, it’s more expensive than USB-C but this tough cable supports 240W PD 3.1 laptop charging, 40Gbps data transfer, and full 8K video support.







iPhone Gift Guide: Stocking stuffers

Aside from the gift ideas listed above, there are some great stocking stuffers available for smaller budgets.






1. SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Memory Card – Super-cheap portable storage











Pros


Inexpensive portable storage


















Laptop storage is super expensive, but adding more storage in a tiny portable form is now possible at ridiculously low prices with MicroSD cards. With the included adapter this will slot into the current MacBook Pro range or connect with any Mac via a docking station or hub. Storage capacities go all the way up to 512GB— that’s half a terabyte!







2. Pureport Multi-Tool Phone Cleaning Kit