MacRumors 2025 Spring Gift Guide

[MacRumors]

If you're looking for the perfect tech or tech-adjacent present for someone who loves Apple products or just uses them daily, we've come up with useful suggestions that might be helpful to you.

These are some of our favorite products, many of which we use personally or have gifted to our friends and family members in the past. We'll be adding to the list regularly, so make sure to check back often.

Apple Music: 100 Best Albums

Last year, Apple announced a partnership with the luxury book company Assouline for the Apple Music: 100 Best Albums coffee table book, priced at $450. The book features gold-edged pages encased in a linen hardcover, and it highlights Apple Music's list of the 100 best albums ever made across 208 pages.

Although expensive, the Apple Music: 100 Best Albums book is a solid addition to anyone's coffee table book collection.

Sonos Ace Headphones

Apple's 2024 AirPods Max "refresh" was disappointing and only added a USB-C port, and there are several other noise cancelling headphones on the market that are a better investment in 2024, like the Sonos Ace. Normally priced at $449 but available for $349 in a Black Friday sale at Best Buy, the Sonos Ace are cheaper than the AirPods Max and offer a more comfortable fit thanks to a lighter weight. There isn't as much pressure on the head with the Sonos Ace, and the ear cups are a comfortable memory foam that can fit a wide range of ear shapes and sizes.

When we tested out the Sonos Ace earlier this year, and we were impressed with the sound quality. Sonos added support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, and there's a TrueCinema feature that maps the space around you for the best surround sound. ANC blocks out irritating noise around you as well as the AirPods Max do, but if you need to hear sounds from the surroundings, there's an Aware Mode.

You can also pair the Sonos Ace with the Arc and the Arc Ultra Soundbars, which makes them a solid gift for someone in the Sonos ecosystem or someone looking for comfortable, premium over-ear headphones.

Aura Frames

Priced starting at $149, Aura digital frames make a good gift for anyone who has digital photos, which is most of us these days. You can load photos on the frame using the Aura iPhone app, and since images are stored in the cloud, there's no limit.

Multiple people can upload images to a single frame, so it's a great way to share photos with friends and family members. If you know someone that's not technically savvy, like a grandparent, it's still the perfect gift because you can load photos for them remotely. The $149 10.1-inch Carver is Aura's most affordable option, but there are sizes up to 15 inches, like the $299 Walden. Aura also makes higher resolution options, including the $199 Mason, and all the frames come in multiple colors to match any decor.

Everyone I've gifted an Aura frame to has loved it, and it's my go-to for people that are hard to shop for.

LEGO Retro Radio

Priced at $100, the Retro Radio from LEGO has a sweet, nostalgic design, complete with a tuner, knobs, and speaker grille. It's actually functional, because you can remove the back plate from the set and place an iPhone inside so that the radio plays music.

There's a built-in smartphone stand that holds the iPhone in place, but if you don't want to use an iPhone, there's also a little sound brick that plays different sounds when you turn the knob.

Nanoleaf Light Panels and Display Boxes

Nanoleaf recently came out with some of its most useful light panels to date, the Blocks. Priced starting at $225 for the combo kit, the Blocks come with different options like a pegboard you can hang things on, a shelf for knick knacks, and a texture panel that adds visual interest. There are smaller and larger squares, and all of the pieces are interchangeable for creating a unique setup.

Like all Nanoleaf products, the Blocks can be controlled with the Nanoleaf app or with HomeKit, and can be set to multi-colored patterns in a range of shades. These lights are bright enough to serve as a replacement for a standard light, which makes them extra versatile. Any gamer would appreciate these panels for a gaming setup, but they also work around TVs, in offices, and more.

If you know someone that has collectibles, Nanoleaf also has the $250 EXPO Smart LED Display Case. This is the perfect gift for someone that collects high-end sneakers, anime figures, or anything in that vein. It can be set to 16 million colors or shades of white, and colors can change in time with music... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: MacRumors 2025 Spring Gift Guide

 

[iZac]

I’m skimming down this list and my only thought is:

“I wonder how many of these products have subscriptions?”

EDIT: The Macrumours staff tell me that delightfully the only thing in the list that has a subscription option is the bird feeder. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that a digital picture frame with cloud storage doesn't have a subscription. Nice to know some companies factor in a maintenance cost at time of purchase.

 

[Happiehappie]

I’m skimming down this list and my only thought is:

“I wonder how many of these products have subscriptions?”

I actually appreciate this list, first time hearing about the aura and am genuinely interested
felt a bit exp + unfortunately they don't offer international shipping (living in Japan)
but prob a good thing to keep in mind and get one in someday
for sub, surprisingly not really, but yea I had the same thought too >.<

 

[HeThatShallNotBeNamed]

No offense but if I received these items I’d hope it come with a gift receipt lol

 

[dannyyankou]

The Aura frame is only $109.99 at Costco if anyone wants to save money-

Carver Stone Collection by Aura 10.1" Digital Picture Frame with Wi-Fi

Carver Stone Collection by Aura 10.1" Digital Picture Frame with Wi-Fi

www.costco.com

 

[ghanwani]

There's so much pressure for gifting around the holidays. There has to be a better way.

 

[Tagbert]

The Aura frame is only $109.99 at Costco if anyone wants to save money-

Carver Stone Collection by Aura 10.1" Digital Picture Frame with Wi-Fi

Carver Stone Collection by Aura 10.1" Digital Picture Frame with Wi-Fi

www.costco.com

My sister and I got our parents an Aura frame several years ago. They like it a lot. The grandkids like sending photos to it. it works pretty well.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

Was not impressed by the Aura Carver in person: a low-res screen, that either doesn't try or doesn't at all succeed in not looking like a run-of-the-mill LCD, in a thick casing of flimsy plastic. An old iPad in a book easel would look worlds more premium. I get that there are plenty of technical, fiscal, and liability reasons that Apple doesn't make a limited-functionaliy "retirement mode" iOS, but it's really too bad that these aren't easier to configure for such kiosk-type uses.

 

[davide_eu]

If you're looking for the perfect tech or tech-adjacent holiday present for someone who loves Apple products or just uses them daily, we've come up with useful suggestions that might be helpful to you.

These are some of our favorite products, many of which we use personally or have gifted to our friends and family members in the past. We'll be adding to the list throughout November, so check back in for more ideas.

Aura Frames

Priced starting at $149, Aura digital frames make a good gift for anyone who has digital photos, which is most of us these days. You can load photos on the frame using the Aura iPhone app, and since images are stored in the cloud, there's no limit.

Multiple people can upload images to a single frame, so it's a great way to share photos with friends and family members. If you know someone that's not technically savvy, like a grandparent, it's still the perfect gift because you can load photos for them remotely. The $149 10.1-inch Carver is Aura's most affordable option, but there are sizes up to 15 inches, like the $299 Walden. Aura also makes higher resolution options, including the $199 Mason, and all the frames come in multiple colors to match any decor.

Everyone I've gifted an Aura frame to has loved it, and it's my go-to for people that are hard to shop for.

Nanoleaf Light Panels and Display Boxes

Nanoleaf recently came out with some of its most useful light panels to date, the Blocks. Priced starting at $225 for the combo kit, the Blocks come with different options like a pegboard you can hang things on, a shelf for knick knacks, and a texture panel that adds visual interest. There are smaller and larger squares, and all of the pieces are interchangeable for creating a unique setup.

Like all Nanoleaf products, the Blocks can be controlled with the Nanoleaf app or with HomeKit, and can be set to multi-colored patterns in a range of shades. These lights are bright enough to serve as a replacement for a standard light, which makes them extra versatile. Any gamer would appreciate these panels for a gaming setup, but they also work around TVs, in offices, and more.

If you know someone that has collectibles, Nanoleaf also has the $250 EXPO Smart LED Display Case. This is the perfect gift for someone that collects high-end sneakers, anime figures, or anything in that vein. It can be set to 16 million colors or shades of white, and colors can change in time with music.

For those that already have a Nanoleaf setup, the $27 Sense+ Smart Wireless Switch is a sensible and inexpensive add-on that's super useful. It provides a physical control option for HomeKit lights, and there are built-in motion and daylight sensors for automating scenes. The Sense+ can be used for turning lights on or off, dimming lights, and swapping scenes.

Sonos Ace Headphones

Apple's recent AirPods Max "refresh" was disappointing and only added a USB-C port, and there are several other noise cancelling headphones on the market that are a better investment in 2024, like the Sonos Ace. Priced at $449, the Sonos Ace are cheaper than the AirPods Max and offer a more comfortable fit thanks to a lighter weight. There isn't as much pressure on the head with the Sonos Ace, and the ear cups are a comfortable memory foam that can fit a wide range of ear shapes and sizes.

When we tested out the Sonos Ace earlier this year, and we were impressed with the sound quality. Sonos added support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, and there's a TrueCinema feature that maps the space around you for the best surround sound. ANC blocks out irritating noise around you as well as the AirPods Max do, but if you need to hear sounds from the surroundings, there's an Aware Mode.

You can also pair the Sonos Ace with the Arc and the Arc Ultra Soundbars, which makes them a solid gift for someone in the Sonos ecosystem or someone looking for comfortable, premium over-ear headphones.

AirPods

You'll never go wrong with AirPods as a gift, and this year there are three solid options to choose from. For the best noise cancelling, Apple sells the $249 AirPods Pro 2, but you can probably find a pre-holiday sale to get them even cheaper.

The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips that fit snugly in the ears to drown out sound, and with hearing aid support, these are the best bet if you have a family member that has mild hearing loss but doesn't wear hearing aids.

People with hearing loss that have tested this out have been impressed with how well the hearing aid capability... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: MacRumors 2024 Gift Guide

Or buy a cheaper product and give the money you have saved to a charity organization.

Believe me, you will feel better.

 

[TVreporter]

Got my parents the Aura last year and they love receiving new photos of the grandkids. Solid product, have never had any issues.

 

[joecomo]

Great tips - can the aura be coupled to iCloud or does it need always to be separately fed with photos?
(the latter would still be sufficient for my mother)

 

[3304614]

There's so much pressure for gifting around the holidays. There has to be a better way.

There is. Don’t do it.

My Mom, for example, refuses to accept any Christmas gifts. Not because she hates Christmas or anything. But simply because she doesn’t want anybody spending money on random things for her.

And I’ve kind of followed her example as well. But I know people like to give things regardless of what I say. So I now just give this gift buying advice:

“You don’t have to buy me anything. BUT… if you are going to do it anyway… you know that coffee store that sells many varieties specialty coffee blends? If you need to buy me something, just buy me a small pack of coffee (that often costs less than $10). And if you somehow think a pack coffee isn’t enough: Trust me. I will love a gift of coffee WAY more than almost any other gift you could possible think of, lol.” ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️

 

[svish]

Good article and nice to see some gifting ideas.

 

[macbookj0e]

I’m skimming down this list and my only thought is:

“I wonder how many of these products have subscriptions?”

Probably even the power banks 🤣

 

[macbookj0e]

There's so much pressure for gifting around the holidays. There has to be a better way.

About 5 years ago my family agreed to limit the amount we spend per person. Has worked really well and means we just give small gifts up to £20 each.

Just an idea.

 

[iZac]

I actually appreciate this list, first time hearing about the aura and am genuinely interested
felt a bit exp + unfortunately they don't offer international shipping (living in Japan)
but prob a good thing to keep in mind and get one in someday
for sub, surprisingly not really, but yea I had the same thought too >.<

Not really a dig at their choices so much as a depressing reality that when I read ‘WiFi enabled’ or ‘managed through the app’ or ‘downloaded from the cloud’ that it’s almost guaranteed that the user will be bilked for a monthly fee.

 

[polyphenol]

About 5 years ago my family agreed to limit the amount we spend per person. Has worked really well and means we just give small gifts up to £20 each.

Just an idea.

We've gone further. None at all - at any price.

Whatever we really want, we buy, we defer to the future, or we do without.

And have the freedom to try to get the best price/value.

Have to say, no children are involved and that makes it much easier.

 

[m.x]

Was not impressed by the Aura Carver in person: a low-res screen, that either doesn't try or doesn't at all succeed in not looking like a run-of-the-mill LCD, in a thick casing of flimsy plastic. An old iPad in a book easel would look worlds more premium. I get that there are plenty of technical, fiscal, and liability reasons that Apple doesn't make a limited-functionaliy "retirement mode" iOS, but it's really too bad that these aren't easier to configure for such kiosk-type uses.

There's a great solution if you have an old iPad laying around:
The app "ReFrame" is just $9.99 (once) and turns your old iPad into a digital picture frame (website). It syncs over iCloud shared albums so there's no third party service involved. And it can be downloaded onto an iPad with iOS 12.0 or newer, which means even very old models are supported. I really like this solution instead of having to make compromises with such a frame.

 

[Eggtastic]

If I got one of those colorful compute bags for a gift it better have a gift receipt or it's going right on fb marketplace.

 

[jclo]

Great tips - can the aura be coupled to iCloud or does it need always to be separately fed with photos?
(the latter would still be sufficient for my mother)

It's separate, you need to upload via the Aura app.

 

[jclo]

Not really a dig at their choices so much as a depressing reality that when I read ‘WiFi enabled’ or ‘managed through the app’ or ‘downloaded from the cloud’ that it’s almost guaranteed that the user will be bilked for a monthly fee.

There aren't subscription fees for Aura. In fact, I'm not particularly fond of hardware that requires a subscription either, so nothing on my list does. There's an optional subscription for Bird Buddy, but it's not required and you get full functionality without it.

 

[jclo]

If I got one of those colorful compute bags for a gift it better have a gift receipt or it's going right on fb marketplace.

They're not for everyone! But I do often see recs for your standard black and gray bags, so I wanted to do an alternative. I prefer color, and these are what I use.

 

[joecomo]

It's separate, you need to upload via the Aura app.

For my mother that is definitely the best option (with other family members uploading to prevent havoc)

 

[Tagbert]

Great tips - can the aura be coupled to iCloud or does it need always to be separately fed with photos?
(the latter would still be sufficient for my mother)

The Aura that we got is several years old now so not sure if they have changed but you need to login to their website to upload photos. It’s pretty easy, though.

 

[iZac]

There aren't subscription fees for Aura. In fact, I'm not particularly fond of hardware that requires a subscription either, so nothing on my list does. There's an optional subscription for Bird Buddy, but it's not required and you get full functionality without it.

That's good to know! Sorry I think I must be a natural pessimist. Infuse Pro 6 broke for me other day and i've been simmering over the thought of paying a damn subscription to watch videos on iPadOS!

I'll edit my first comment with your update so I don't sour people in the thread