Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Students and Professionals

The best gift ideas for students are functional, wearable, and a blast to use. Here are some of our favorite student gift ideas in 2021.

Where has the year gone? With Christmas upon us imminently, many parents are scrambling. If you've got an A+ honor-roller that you're still shopping for, we've got plenty of holiday gift ideas for students of any age.

Is a tablet or laptop better for college? Does a high schooler really need a smartwatch? The answers to come may shock you. Read on for our best student gift ideas for last-minute shopping.

1. A Starter Laptop or Chromebook

Are tablets or laptops better for students? Should you choose a Chromebook, or something with just a little more juice? It depends. What is the recipient studying? What will they need in the upcoming semester?

Much of a student's life will fit perfectly within the means of a Chromebook—things like note-taking, studying, access to the web for homework assignments, and essay-writing will rarely take an undue toll on the machine. They'll be able to handle pretty much any curriculum-mandated resource, including online textbooks, required apps, and the like.

For digital artists, technical majors that require high-end software (such as computer-assisted drawing programs, for example), or those entering a media-related field like film production, an actual laptop will almost certainly be the way to go. Either way, you'll be setting them up for success down the line.

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2. A Tablet Device

For purely remote students and high schoolers, times have changed. Our new world of online learning has made the virtual classroom much more accessible, even through a tablet device alone. If your kid is still in middle school or high school, a tablet device might be all that they need to participate fully.

Tablet devices are lightweight, affordable, and much easier to manage through parental controls for those with very young students at the tops of their lists. For a quality learning experience, tablets are often the perfect option for those getting educated from home.

3. A Smartwatch

Smartwatches make awesome gifts for everybody. They're especially suitable for students graduating from high school and preparing to leave home for the very first time.

A smartwatch keeps you connected with your student at all times, which might be ideal for parents with separation anxiety. More importantly, though: smartwatches can help a new college student stay on top of every aspect of their new life. They're also one of the best gift ideas for students studying abroad, standing in as an excellent emergency resource if they find themselves in hot water unexpectedly.

The right smartwatch can help your favorite student manage their days, weeks, months, and semesters in the most convenient way possible—assignments, alarm clocks, goals, exams, grades, events, and even fitness can all be managed, tracked, and stored on the device and in the cloud, available on a moment's notice.

4. A Brand New Smartphone and a New Pair of Wireless Buds

This one, admittedly, is a real treat. We recommend a new smartphone for only the most deserving student, and we have no doubt that your kid fits the bill.

If they've been especially good this year, a brand new smartphone boasts all of the same benefits as a smartwatch with expanded access to many education-related apps and other useful considerations. Toss in a pair of wireless earbuds (and perhaps a stylus for note-taking), and your stocking stuffers for Christmas are totally set.

They're slick status items, but a new smartphone will do much more than win your kid some new friends. Fold-out displays, high-quality cameras, and performance beyond the capacity of any wearable all make smartphones one of the best Christmas gift ideas for students across the board.

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Last-Minute Christmas Shopping: 2021 Flew Right By

New tech is the perfect holiday gift idea for any student, young or old. With only days remaining between now and the big day, time is running out. Thankfully, all of our favorite brands are right here with us.

We're still shopping, and there are plenty of deals to be found online. It's never too late to pick up the perfect Christmas gift for the student in your life that deserves nothing but the best.

We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! MUO has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.

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