Best Mac accessories for gift-giving [2017 Gift Guide]

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These best Mac accessories are perfect for any Mac owner on your gift list.
These accessories are perfect for any Mac owner on your gift list.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2017 Gift Guide bug Christmas creeps up on you quickly, so if you haven’t already started your shopping, it’s time to do something about it. Cult of Mac can help! In this guide, you’ll find a selection of stellar gifts that are perfect for the Mac lover in your life.

We have killer keyboards, stunning stands, super speakers and more!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Best Mac accessories

Woolnut Leather Sleeve for MacBook Pro

The Woolnut sleeve is pure leather luxury for your MacBook.
The Woolnut sleeve is pure leather luxury for MacBook Pro.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

If you know someone who’s getting a shiny new MacBook Pro for Christmas, help they keep it in pristine condition with this stunning leather sleeve from Woolnut. Made from full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather, it protects against scuffs and scratches during travel.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on one for review, and we were delighted by it. Order now from Woolnut to get it delivered in time for Christmas. 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Air models are also available.

Buy from: Woolnut — €85

Apple Music Gift Cards

Apple Music gift card
Music makes everyone smile.
Photo: Apple

Everyone loves music, which is why an Apple Music Gift Card is guaranteed to fetch a smile.

They can be used toward a three- or 12-month subscription plan, or you can give them a full year for the price of just ten months. And if they’re new subscribers, they’ll get another three months free.

Prices start at $29.97, and because you can email them directly to the recipient, they’re ideal gifts for those you won’t get a chance to visit over the holidays.

Buy from: Apple — from $29.97

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones

Sony headphones
Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones are surprisingly affordable.
Photo: Sony

To make the most of that Apple Music gift card, gift them Sony’s excellent MDRZX110NC noise cancelling headphones. They offer a great balance between sound quality and affordability, with 30mm neodymium drivers, a 12-22,000 Hz frequency response, and up to 80 hours battery life.

They’re also wired, which means there’s no audio lag like you get with Bluetooth headphones. That means they’re not just great for music, but movies and TV shows, too. Get them on Amazon now for under $30.

Buy from: Amazon

Apple AirPods

AirPods and case
AirPods are the best wireless headphones for Apple Watch.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

For those who want wireless headphones, look no further than AirPods.

They look and feel a lot like EarPods, but they sound even better. They feature Apple’s W1 processor for super-simple pairing with any Apple device, and they last an impressive 8 hours on a single charge. They also let you use Siri hands-free, while the AirPods case keeps them topped up on the go. (Read our full review: “With AirPods, Apple gets back to ‘it just works’.”)

Buy from: Amazon

Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo is now even better.
Photo: Amazon

Apple’s HomePod speaker won’t be here in time for the holidays, but there are plenty of wonderful (and more affordable) alternatives available right now. Amazon’s all-new Echo is one of them, and right now it’s even cheaper with $20 off.

Echo is powered by Alexa, which means it has the power to answer queries, play music, order pizza, control other smart devices, and more. It plays nicely with iPhone and other iOS devices, as well as a whole host of popular services, including Spotify and Pandora.

Echo can also book Uber rides, fetch information on local businesses, and play music stored locally on a Mac through its 3.5mm audio jack. It also sounds terrific, thanks to Dolby processing and 360-degree omnidirectional audio.

Buy from: Amazon

HooToo USB-C Hub

HooToo-USB-C-adapter
A must-have for any MacBook.
Photo: HooToo

If you know someone who owns a MacBook or MacBook Pro, you know someone who needs a USB hub. And they don’t come much better than the HooToo USB-C adapter.

This baby gives any Apple notebook an SD card reader, three USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI port that’s ready for 4K displays. It’s slim and durable so that it can be taken anywhere, and it uses USB-C for connectivity and power transfer, so it can be plugged directly into a MacBook.

It comes in four colors to match your machine, and it’s incredibly affordable.

Buy from: Amazon

ZSMJ External DVD Drive

ZSMJ external drive
Not everyone is done with CDs and DVDs.
Photo: ZSMJ

For those who still need to read and write CDs and DVDs, gift the ZSMJ External DVD Drive. It looks just like an Apple USB SuperDrive — and it’s just as good — but it’s a lot cheaper.

The drive just needs one cable for data and power transfer, and reads CDs at 24x speed. It’s ultra-slim and lightweight, which makes it ideal for carrying alongside a MacBook, and it’s compatible with Windows for those who also have a PC.

Buy from: Amazon

SteelSeries Nimbus Wireless Gamepad

SteelSeries Nimbus controller
The Nimbus controller is a great gift for any gamer.
Photo: SteelSeries

If you’re buying for someone who loves to game on their Mac, give them the SteelSeries Nimbus Wireless Gamepad. It has all the buttons and controls you’d expect to find on a modern gamepad, packed into a robust and comfortable design that connects wirelessly over Bluetooth.

It also packs a built-in battery that’s good for up to 40 hours of gaming in between charges, and a Lightning port that lets you charge up using the same cable you use for your iPhone. And because it uses Bluetooth, it can be connected and used on an iPhone, iPad, and plenty of other devices.

Buy from: Amazon

Logitech K811 Keyboard

Logitech K811
The best wireless keyboard money can buy.
Photo: Logitch

The Logitech K811 is one of the finest keyboards available for Mac. We’ve been big fans of it for years here at Cult of Mac — so much so that we reviewed it not once, but twice. That’s because it gets everything right, and it’s incredibly versatile.

The K811 is a joy to type on, with keys that feel great and have plenty of travel. It has all the function keys you would expect on a Mac keyboard, plus backlighting for late-night shifts in the dark. It also has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to a year in between charges.

What makes the K811 even better is that it can be paired with three devices over Bluetooth, and then lets you quickly switch between them with just one button. It’s perfect for those who use a Mac alongside an iPad.

Buy from: Amazon

Azio Mk Mac Mechanical Keyboard

Azio Mk Mac
A great mechanical keyboard with a Mac layout.
Photo: Azio

If the Mac lover in your life prefers the clickety-clack of a mechanical keyboard, get them the Azio Mk Mac keyboard. It features white keys with LED backlighting and an aluminum faceplate that looks right at home in front of any Apple machine.

It also offers brown K switches for great tactile feedback and a satisfying sound. There are handy function keys for media playback and features like Mission Control, plus a volume wheel and mute button. And of course, the keyboard has a Mac layout.

Buy from: Amazon

Anker PowerCore+

Anker PowerCore+
Plenty of power wherever you go.
Photo: Anker

Thanks to USB-C connectivity, Apple’s latest notebooks can be charged with portable battery packs. And the PowerCore+ from Anker is an excellent solution. With a 20,100mAh battery, it packs enough juice to charge a MacBook, an iPhone and an iPad on a single charge.

It’s also compact and lightweight, which makes it ideal for those on the go. And because it has standard USB ports, too, you can plug almost anything into it — such as digital cameras, Android phones and tablets, drones, Apple Watch, and even the Nintendo Switch.

Buy from: Amazon

Twelve South HiRise for MacBook

HiRise for MacBook
Make any MacBook comfortable to use at a desk.
Photo: TwelveSouth

Twelve South makes some excellent accessories for Apple devices. Its HiRise stand for MacBook makes using Apple’s beloved notebook even more enjoyable. It’s adjustable, so it can be placed in a comfortable position on any desk, and it fits MacBooks of all sizes.

The HiRise is made entirely out of metal, so it’s incredibly robust, and it looks right at home alongside any Apple collection.

Buy from: Amazon

HiRise for iMac

HiRise for iMac
High-adjustable and attractive.
Photo: Twelve South

Buying for an iMac owner instead? Twelve South has them covered, too. Its HiRise for iMac is also height-adjustable, and contains a hidden compartment that lets you safely store memory sticks, cables, a wallet, and keys. It also works wonderfully with Thunderbolt Displays.

Buy from: Amazon

AmpliFi HD Wi-Fi router

AmpliFi's HD router
AmpliFi’s HD router boasts a smart LCD screen.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Now that most of us benefit from having blazing-fast broadband to our homes, it’s the Wi-Fi inside that drives us crazy. The AmpliFi HD system, one of a new pack of mesh systems that pave the way to our trouble-free Wi-Fi future, solves the problem.

With a charming little router and a couple of mesh points, AmpliFi HD makes it possible to get a strong Wi-Fi signal to any basement, attic or awkward back bedroom where you can never stream anything. It also eliminates the sort of nerdy pain points typically associated with setting up and managing a home Wi-Fi network.

It’s ideal for anyone who uses wirelessly devices (all of us). We reviewed it, and we love it!

Buy from: Amazon

LG UltraFine 5K Display

LG 5K UltraFine Review
One of the best 5K monitors money can buy.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you have bags of cash to burn on your loved ones, the LG UltraFine 5K Display is the ultimate Mac companion. It’s one of the most impressive 5K displays on the market right now, with excellent colors and impressive speakers.

Check out our full review to find out more. And before you buy, just make sure that the Mac user you’re buying for has a machine capable of powering all those pixels.

Buy from: Amazon

Creative iRoar Go

Creative iRoar Go
A spectacular Bluetooth speaker with tremendous sound.
Photo: Creative

Even the MacBook has decent speakers these days, but they don’t come close to filling the room like the Creative iRoar Go Bluetooth speaker. For a relatively small device, this thing packs incredible sound. It has a 5-driver design with a built-in subwoofer, two high-frequency tweeters, and more.

Its battery lasts 12 hours on a single charge, and you can use it top up your iPhone, iPad, and other devices when they’re getting low. You can also use it for things like FaceTime calls thanks to its built-in microphone, and for pool parties, since it’s IPX6-rated for water-resistance.

Buy from: Amazon

Western Digital My Passport

Western Digital My Passport
Ample storage you can take anywhere.
Photo: Western Digital

If you’re shopping on a tighter budget, give the gift of ample storage this holiday season. Western Digital’s excellent My Passport drives offer up to 4TB of storage and are small enough to carry anywhere.

They’re perfect for those who take lots of photos, watch lots of movies, or listen to lots of music. They come in a range of pretty colors, boast super-fast USB 3.0 connectivity, and also work with Windows machines. Check out our full review for more info.

Buy from: Amazon

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