6 Awesome Gifts for Programmers

If you have friend, family member or significant other in your life who loves programming, you may be looking for a thoughtfully chosen gift that ties in with their interests for Christmas or for an upcoming birthday.

Trying to find just the right present but not sure what exactly makes a programmer tick? Here are a few gifting ideas to help you spoil them.

1. Raspberry Pi

For the programming enthusiast who is just starting out, a Raspberry Pi is the ideal gift. This is a tiny computer that uses a system on a chip. It doesn’t use too much power and is a great tool for teaching programming to anyone who already has an interest. When set up, it can be used as a desktop computer.

2. BeagleBoard

In a similar vein, a BeagleBoard is a tiny piece of open hardware that can be plugged into household appliances to provide hours of interesting tinkering opportunities and it allows its user to experiment with the open-source Linux and Android systems.

A BeagleBoard is ideal for students learning to program, hobbyists experimenting with DIY, and fully-fledged developers alike.

3. A gaming keyboard

Many programmers are avid gamers, so a gaming keyboard is one of the pieces of kit they’re going to need. You can find a gaming keyboard with nifty features such as customizable backlighting behind individual keys.

Look out for information about the actuation force required for the keyboard to register the keys pressed and the tactility of the keyboard, or the audible feedback given when the keys are pressed. Bear in mind that some gamers prefer quieter keyboards.

4. Intel Compute Stick with Windows pre-loaded

There are various compute sticks available from Intel that come with Windows pre-loaded, such as the Intel Compute Stick CS125. This is a stick PC that any coder will love because it can be connected to an HDMI port to turn a screen monitor or TV into a smart device.

5. Binary wristwatch

A wristwatch that gives the time in binary code is a fun present for any programmer. Models are available that save energy by displaying the time with LED lights that only show when the button at the side is pressed.

6. Neck and back massager

Though not strictly related to programming, a neck massager is an excellent gift for someone who spends a lot of time at a desk, coding. These can be worn around the neck while sitting or standing, available with different massage nodes that automatically change direction every so often.

Hopefully, these tips have given you a better idea of how to give the programmer in your life something they’ll love. From gadgets that fine-tune their coding skills even further, to gaming accessories and wellbeing items designed to counterbalance the inevitable effects felt from a hobby that involves a lot of deskwork, the options really are endless.