20 Handpicked Apple Gifts for First-Time Users to Longtime Brand Followers

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Apple products and accessories for them have a rock-solid reputation as incredible gift options for close friends and family. I'll never forget my excitement while unboxing an iPod for my birthday in the early 2000s, followed by beginning my iPhone journey with the iPhone 5s a decade ago. In the years that followed, I've gifted countless Apple products to my loved ones — and they were always a hit.

Today, the iPhone, the iPad, the MacBook, and the Apple TV are by far the best in their product categories, so gifting these devices is a no-brainer. To be honest, I've lost count of how many social media posts I’ve seen of people being overwhelmed with joy at receiving them as presents for birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions. To help you find the best Apple gifts, we curated a guide with amazing Apple gadgets and accessories, ranging from an iPhone case to a big-screen MacBook.

Find the best Apple gift for someone in your life among these extensively vetted devices and accessories — and rest assured that the product you pick will make a lasting impression, regardless of your budget.

AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

Apple’s refreshed AirPods Pro earphones with a USB-C case are a foolproof gift for all iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch users. Thanks to the H2 chip, the premium buds will link to any Apple device that uses the same iCloud account. Once paired, the buds will provide the recipient with excellent sound and powerful noise cancellation that can adapt to their surroundings.

The recent AirPods Pro refresh made the earbuds more durable and, therefore, an even more appealing gift option. The earphones’ high-tech, instantly recognizable case will also allow their owner to keep tabs on their whereabouts via the Find My app on their Apple devices.

More: A Guide to the Best Wireless Earbuds Out Today

R1 Foldable iPad Stand

The all-metal Satechi R1 iPad stand is a stellar gift option for any iPad user in your life. Its sleek design and premium build will ensure that iPad owners will always have a reliable spot for their slate. What’s more, the product’s easy-to-adjust viewing angles make it equally great for watching video or gaming, working with a wireless keyboard and mouse, and interacting with the Apple Pencil.

You can order the Satechi R1 stand in iPad-matching black, blue, silver, and space gray colors. This slightly pricier iPad stand from the same maker is an even better option for graphic designers and illustrators who frequently rely on the Apple Pencil as an input device.

More: The Best iPad Stands Worth Your Attention

Watch Series 9

You can’t go wrong with gifting the latest Apple Watch to an iPhone user, whether they own an older iteration or never experienced it yet. Depending on your budget and the gift recipient, you can choose between the Apple Watch Series 9 with an aluminum or stainless steel case or the titanium-clad Ultra 2 with a larger case and a tougher build.

Regardless of your pick from the above ones, the giftee will receive the absolute best smartwatch for the money — I've tested both, and they are the best in their class by a mile. In addition to an intuitive platform with an industry-leading set of health- and activity-tracking tools, the latest Apple Watches bring intuitive gesture controls, speedier chips, and brighter screens.

iPad Air (5th Generation) with M1 Chip

The iPad Air with the Apple M1 chip is the best tablet in its price range, thanks to its iconic design, incredible performance, best-in-class platform and app selection, and a peerless ecosystem of original and third-party accessories. The slate is a perfect gift for family and friends who need a bigger screen than their phone but don’t want a traditional laptop. Like the MacBook Air, the iPad with the same moniker is perfect for first-time and experienced users alike.

If budget permits, consider gifting them the iPad Pro with a more powerful M2 chip and a ProMotion Retina display. On the other hand, the 10th-generation iPad is a great buy if you want to spend less.

More: Our Review of the iPad Air (5th Generation)

Impact iPhone Case

A personalized iPhone case from Casetify is a gift option we’ve been recommending for a long time. Treating the recipient to a sustainably crafted, MagSafe-compatible cover with a bespoke design and their name or initials will make their go-to gadget even more personal. You can choose between many case designs and patterns, as well as various fonts in many colors.

Of course, the case will also reliably protect their iPhone from damage. Depending on the recipient’s lifestyle and your budget, you can choose between a slimmer option, like the Bounce case pictured here, or a pricier and bulkier Ultra Bounce case. The latter will make their iPhone virtually invincible. You can order a custom case for the latest and much older iPhones.

BoostCharge 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station

Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 is rightfully our favorite Apple charging station. Its beautiful design with stainless steel arms and fast charging speeds for MagSafe-equipped iPhones, Apple Watch, and AirPods or other wireless charging-compatible earbuds will also make it a hit with owners of these gadgets who receive it as a gift.

The accessory is available in black or white. Unlike some big-name rivals, it comes bundled with a charging adapter. Belkin backs its creation with a two-year warranty.

More: The Best Charging Stations for Apple Devices

AirTag

The Apple AirTag is a must-have object tracker for Apple users because it's the best product of its kind. If, for some reason, the gift recipient doesn't own one (or many) of these gadgets, giving them an AirTag will change their life by doing away with the anxiety a lost item can cause. They can attach it to anything — from wallets and luggage to their bag, all the way to the collar of their pet via countless handy accessories.

The inexpensive accessory has a swappable battery that can last for a year between changes. Buying a set of four will make its impulse-buy price even lower.

Prime Charger (100W)

This high-capacity charging adapter by Anker is a foolproof gift option for Apple users, especially those who travel frequently. By being able to rapidly and simultaneously charge their Apple devices — from a big-screen MacBook to AirPods — alongside other gadgets, the impressively compact accessory will reduce the amount of charging gear they need in their bag.

The Anker Prime Charger can deliver 100 watts of charging power via one USB-C port. I relied on it to power up a big-screen MacBook Pro over the past few months. A cheaper version of the product with the same amount of ports but a lower capacity that's great for MacBook Air owners is also available.

Studio Pro Wireless Headphones

The all-new Beats Studio Pro wireless headphones, like the AirPods Pro we already mentioned, are a superb gift option for Apple users who need new over-ear cans. Their proprietary chip brings the same seamless Apple connectivity to go with amazing sound, powerful noise cancellation, and outstanding battery life. And like the pricier AirPods Max, the Beats Studio Pro headphones are also capable of delivering immersive spatial audio-enhanced content.

Remarkably, the Beats headphones’ wired audio capabilities are just as impressive. In USB-C mode, the cans will allow Apple Music subscribers to experience lossless audio without the need to use additional hardware. You can order the Studio Pro in black, navy, deep brown, and sandstone finishes.

Sport Band for Apple Watch

The Nomad Sport Band is a great gift option for Apple Watch owners, especially if they use the wearable gadget for exercising. A longtime favorite of ours, the accessory offers an amalgam of cool design, durable build, supremely comfy fit, and a sturdy closure. It is the best third-party Apple Watch strap worth your attention.

The waterproof rubber band is available in many colors for the big-screen Apple Watch models, including the range-topping Ultra. A version for 40- and 41-millimeter Apple Watch iterations is also available.

Classic C1 MagFit Case for iPhone 15 Pro

Inspired by the iconic iMac G3 desktop computer from a quarter century ago, this incredibly cool iPhone 15 Pro case by Spigen is guaranteed to impress a millennial Apple user. The budget-friendly MagSafe accessory has a striking design with a semi-translucent colorful cover that will showcase the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone. I received many compliments when I began rocking it.

Like all Spigen cases, the Classic C1 MagFit will reliably safeguard their phone from damage, too. You can order the case for the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max in graphite, blue, and ruby finishes. Consider this excellent Spigen case if you are shopping for gifts for iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus owners.

MagSafe Wallet with Stand

This Peak Design MagSafe wallet is a fantastic gift option for iPhone users regardless of the occasion. Available in several beautiful colors, the accessory is one of the best of its kind, thanks to an elegant and durable design, an eco-friendly, decidedly premium build, and ample storage capacity. Of all the MagSafe wallets I’ve tested, this is the only one that successfully replaced my previous cardholder.

To top things off, the wallet has an integrated stand that can hold the iPhone in landscape and portrait mode. A cheaper and more minimalist Peak Design slim wallet is also available in the same colors.

More: We Tested the Best MagSafe Wallets

MacBook Air (15.3-inch)

The 15-inch MacBook Air is the best big-screen laptop for most consumers and, unsurprisingly, a fantastic gift for Apple aficionados. One of our favorite tech products to hit the shelves in 2023, the notebook will treat the recipient to a timelessly elegant design, top-notch hardware specs, superb everyday performance, and exceptional battery life, all at an agreeable price.

After extensively testing the big-screen MacBook for months, I can personally vouch it’s an equally great gift for longtime MacBook owners who haven’t upgraded in a while or first-time users who will ditch a PC or a Chromebook to upgrade. You can order the big-screen MacBook Air in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray.

More: Our Review of the 15-inch MacBook Air

HomePod (2nd Generation) Smart Speker

Apple’s second-generation HomePod is a gift that will do a whole lot more than provide the recipient with incredible sound and seamless access to Siri in a beautifully designed package. In addition to being a beautiful and proficient speaker, the device will also double as a powerful smart home hub, which will allow the gift recipients to set up and control connected appliances from their Apple devices’ Home app without the need to install additional ones.

If your budget and their space permits, consider giving them two HomePods. They can connect them in a stereo pair and create a home theater system that will link wirelessly to an Apple TV 4K streaming player. The compact HomePod mini is a great buy if you are looking to smarten up the recipient’s home for less.

More: Our Review of the Latest Apple HomePod

One Mobile Gaming Controller (2nd Generation)

The latest iteration of the excellent Backbone One controller will transform the gift recipient's iPhone into a portable gaming console with clicky buttons and thumbsticks and even a standard audio jack for plugging in wired headphones and earbuds. Gaming aficionados will love the gadget the moment they snap it onto their iPhone.

You can order the Backbone One with a USB-C connector for the latest iPhone 15 lineup or with a Lightning plug for older iPhones. The accessory is available in black or white, with the latter featuring PlayStation controls for cloud-based gameplay.

2-in-1 Power Bank with MagSafe

If the giftee is constantly on the go or frequently traveling, treating them to this multi-functional portable battery will make a positive impact on their daily routine and charging habits. The versatile gadget consists of a high-speed MagSafe charging pad and Apple Watch dock, as well as a USB-C output for powering up earbuds or other gadgets. Its 10,000 mAh battery can fully charge their go-to devices and have power to spare.

We love that the accessory’s MagSafe charger supports both vertical (a must for StandBy Mode in iOS 17) and horizontal charging. Its Apple Watch dock is adjustable, too.

Laptop Case

Anyone in your life who uses their MacBook, especially a Pro model, on the go will fall for a gift like the Pelican laptop sleeve. Sporting a soft interior, a shock-absorbing hardshell, a nylon exterior, and a zipper closure, the accessory will reliably safeguard their pricey laptop during their commutes and travels. Its interior features a compartment for cables and other essential accessories.

With built-in corner straps, the laptop sleeve will allow the giftees to use their MacBook without removing it. Such functionality is perfect for use while traveling or in challenging work environments. The sleeve is available in two sizes, so it can accommodate any MacBook.

iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max

A new iPhone is always one of the most highly coveted splurgy gifts, regardless of the occasion. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are our picks in the current range for their sleek titanium builds, cutting-edge hardware specs, industry-conquering performance, and outstanding camera quality. Whether the giftee rocks last year’s iPhone 14 Pro or a much older one like, say, the iPhone 11 Pro, I guarantee you that the latest one will take their experience to another level.

You can order the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in a quartet of titanium finishes – natural, black, white, and blue — with up to 1 TB of storage. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are great alternatives if you don’t want your gift budget to exceed $1,000.

More: A Guide to the Entire iPhone Lineup

iPhone 5S Collage Frame

A meticulously deconstructed and framed iconic Apple gadget by Grid Studio is an incredibly thoughtful gift for a friend, family member, and coworker who’s been rocking Apple hardware for many years. Depending on your budget and the person you’re shopping for, you can choose between gifting them a framed version of the first-ever iPhone or a newer one up to the Face ID-toting iPhone XR.

Every Grid Studio frame includes a description of the components and the date of the product’s debut. In addition to the iPhone, you can shop for a framed iPad mini or Apple Watch and even an encased Apple chip.

Modern Leather Case for iPhone 15

A leather case like this one by Nomad is a nice gift option that will give the recipient’s iPhone a distinctively luxurious look without skimping on damage protection. Like all genuine leather accessories, the MagSafe-compatible Nomad cover will develop a unique patina over time, too.

We are big fans of the product’s metal button covers, especially the textured one for the power key of the iPhone. You can order Nomad modern leather cases in black, brown, and English tan colors for the latest iPhones. Versions for older iPhones are also available.

How to Gift Shop for an Apple User

Depending on your gift budget and the person you’re shopping for, you can opt for a big-ticket item like a new Apple device — a stellar option for close family and friends. Alternatively, you can opt for a thoughtful accessory that will improve how they interact with their iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.Choosing a new Apple device is fairly easy — all you have to do is make sure it is a generation (or many) ahead of the one they are currently using. If you are gift hunting for first-time Apple users, giving them one of the latest Apple gadgets will ensure they won’t have to upgrade for years. Be sure to visit our in-depth iPhone, iPad, and MacBook guides before making your decision.

If you're looking to gift an accessory to an Apple user, make sure it’s compatible with their current device, especially if you have a protective case on your radar. You can casually confirm this by asking the recipient without mentioning gifting or reaching out to someone close to them.

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