15 best tech gifts for parents — laptops and smart gadgets suited for work and family life

Acer Aspire Go 15
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a great workhorse for the money, taking the top spot for value in our best laptops guide. A decent battery life and spec sheet for an affordable price that'll fulfil work and life needs.

MacBook Air M4
The MacBook Air M4 is the best laptop for most people because it's lighter, faster and longer-lasting than most competitors. Because of this, it's also great for parents on-the-go, if you can afford to spend a little more.

Acer Aspire 16 AI
Get ready for a lightweight and affordable laptop that can do it all. The Acer Aspire 16 AI is powered by The Snapdragon^® X Series processor with Copilot+ integrated AI, a 16-inch touchscreen display at 1920x1200 resolution, and unmatched all-day battery life. It's the portable productivity powerhouse you need to tackle whatever tasks come your way.

Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 is our expert testers' favorite Windows laptop for its lightweight design, bright display, powerful performance, and long-lasting battery life, ticking all the boxes for a day-to-day laptop user.

Asus Zenbook Duo
The Asus Zenbook Duo is the most versatile pick on our gift guide for its dual OLED displays allowing for very easy multi-tasking. Plus, the detachable keyboard and touchpad are some of the best our expert testers have ever used.

MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 2024
Apple's MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 is an older model, but no less impressive on features. It's sleek and boasts excellent battery life (nearly 21 hours, in fact). But, it's a little more expensive than the other picks on our list, though cheaper than newer models.

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
If you're looking for a Chromebook, the Lenovo Flex 5i is one of the best budget laptops on the market. Good performance, a bright touchscreen and comfy keyboard just some of the features that may impress a parent.

Dell 14 Plus
If you're looking for an Apple alternative for your parents who favors Windows and Dell, the Dell 14 Plus is an affordable laptop under $1000. Solid everyday performance for a decent price.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
It's all about Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon chip in this Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 that gives it speed, power and endurance. Perfect for a busy parent that needs to tick off that ever-growing to-do list.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is the best budget laptop on the market. For well under $1000, you get decent performance, a 16-hour battery life and snappy keyboard. All solid features for remote work and easy to carry around.

Acer Chromebook Plus 515
If battery life isn't top of the gift-buying spec sheet, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 seriously impresses on performance and AI features. But, where it really excels is its budget $400 price that is still capable of producing killer speakers.

Skylight Calendar
As a parent, there's a lot to keep track of. So, how about giving the gift of precise, smooth and colorful organization with this wi-fi connected digital display? Perfectly streamlined planning is one gift a busy parent could really use.

Roku Streaming Stick Plus
This is one of the best streaming sticks money can buy (and fortunately, it's also very affordable). For under $50, you get all the streaming services in one compact stick with tons of extra features, including HDR10/10+ support.

Amazon Echo Hub
The Amazon Echo Hub is a touchscreen panel that'll let you monitor and control all your smart home devices in one place. So, you can keep a close look on your home with the touch of a button, streamlining your day-to-day chores.

Google TV Streamer
Another solid streaming device is the Google TV Streamer, a more affordable option that the Apple TV 4K for Google lovers. Forget Chromecast, navigate all your streaming needs with this simple remote and throw in some smart home features for good measure.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1
Voted top spot amongst the best robot vacuums, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 will make any parent's life easier, intelligently mopping and vacuuming your floors for up to a month. Hands-off cleaning for under $1000.