Christmas Eve is just a few days away, which means your shopping opportunities are dwindling — especially for shipping. Thankfully, Walmart has you covered: If you’re within driving distance of a local Walmart, you can opt for “pickup” or “delivery” (the latter option is delivery from a local store, while the former is shipping from a remote warehouse).
Both options will give you specific time windows ranging from tomorrow to a few hours in the future — and unlike wandering the aisles at the last minute, making an online reservation guarantees that the gift you’ve chosen will be safe for you.
And your options on the electronics front are still plentiful. If your stocking stuffer budget is less than $25, you can still buy a hot video game title or maybe a streaming media player.
Do you have a little more to spend? Find a great pair of noise-canceling headphones for under $250, and everything from blenders to coffee makers and soundbars for under $100.
Our latest update to this list also found some last-minute price drops, with Bose headphones and Sonos soundbars now available for significantly less than they were at the beginning of the month. Conclusion: There are options available for every price point and every person on your list.
Top tech gift ideas
Before we discuss items by price, here’s a selection of gift recommendations from Engadget’s list of top products.
Apple AirPods Pro 2
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are not only the company’s most advanced earbuds ever, but they can also work as a hearing aid thanks to clinical-grade features and scientifically validated hearing tests.
Even if you just want a great pair of buds without taking advantage of those features, they’re still a solid option for iPhone users. You get a comfortable fit, top-tier noise cancellation with awareness mode, and a sturdy design that resists dust, sweat, and water (yes, this also applies to the MagSafe charging case).
Meta Quest 3S (128GB)
Virtual reality headsets aren’t just for gamers. You can enjoy a lot more with it, like interactive fitness, video entertainment, and immersive virtual experiences.
This new-for-2024 model, which our Engadget reviewer says “has the potential to become one of the most important VR products Meta has ever created,” comes with Batman: Arkham Shadows and a three-month trial for the Meta Quest+ service, so you can start enjoying everything mixed reality has to offer.
And here’s where “mixed” reality is important: You can overlay digital objects on top of your room thanks to passthrough cameras built into the headset. Watch YouTube videos, live concerts, or play games while keeping real life in view.
More powerful, faster, and smoother than the previous generation headset, there are thousands of experiences to explore. Our reviewer says this affordable headset is fast and comfortable and calls the included controller “excellent.”
Apple iPad (10th generation)
Apple’s entry-level iPad can’t handle the latest and greatest in Apple intelligence, but it’s great for just about everything, with tons of apps, a nearly 11-inch screen, and compatibility with Apple Pencil if you have budding artists in your house. That’s a little higher than the Black Friday price, but still much lower than what you’d find at the Apple Store.
Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Console
The 2024 holiday season is the best time to buy a PS5, as it recently dropped to its lowest price ever. The PS5 is available with or without Fortnite at no additional cost. If you’re coming from a PS4 and also have a ton of game discs or Blu-rays, would you want to buy this? Get the model with a built-in optical drive instead.
Either way, you get the same 1TB of storage, great graphics, fast processing, stunning images and more. And the PS5 gives you access to some of Sony’s exclusive games like Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War – none of which you can play on the Xbox or Nintendo.