The best gifts for geeks

These four symbols mean the world to any pedigree geek and will allow them to showcase their love and continued support for the gaming world. Plus, it reacts to music for that extra tech-shine.

While the PS4 and Xbox One held the market share for console gaming for some time, the Nintendo Switch has broken through and proven its value as a true innovator. With an impressive roster of games and functionality, the standard Switch setup's versatility far surpasses its competition before you even look at the peripherals available separately. It ticks all of the geek's gift criteria.

Turning a geek's love of retro tech into a true fashion statement. As if the iconic GameBoy design wasn't enough, the alarm sound is the Super Mario Land theme tune.

Gadgets gadgets everywhere, but, actually – where? Misplaced tech is a nightmare. The Tile Pro operates in two ways. Push the central button and it'll ring the linked smartphone, even if it's on silent, or call the Tile Pro and it'll ring to let you know where its attached item is (perfect for those pesky keys). If the Tile Pro is lost, the wider Tile community can be enrolled to anonymously ping the lost finder – genius! Compatible with Amazon Alexa devices. Available in packs of one, two and four.

Time to put those controller skills to the test with this mini helicopter. The gyroscopic controls make for a very quick and nimble little gadget. Don't worry, it comes with a spare tail blade in preparation for the inevitable collision.

Kick the geek in your life right in the nostalgia gland with this plug-and-play time machine. The Mega Drive is a legendary console in the gaming community, and this one comes loaded with 42 timeless classics, including; Sonic the Hedgehog, Earthworm Jim, and Street Fighter II.

This is the future of digital entertainment – even though for the time being it still sits on the PS4. One day, gaming, television and movies will all be part of the VR universe. And that, to any tech geek, is a darn exciting prospect and adopting it into their entertainment system as soon as possible is a huge must.

The Trust GXT 711 is a treat for anyone who spends most of their time sat at their desk gaming or tinkering with the latest tech. It's a great size, the curved front allows the user to get sit closer to the task at hand and there's built in cable management. Oh, and a metal headphone hook and drinks holder.

This is an easy one – geeks love gadgets, and an Alexa device will help transform their house into a voice-controlled tech-haven. This latest model has some quality eco-credentials, too.

Think about how much stuff you touch. It's gross. Now imagine how much you touch all that stuff… and then your phone. Super gross, especially considering that thing touches your face. While a quick wipe is a great way of removing grease, this device from Obli uses UV light to kill 99.9% of germs in just 20 minutes – plus, it'll even charge the phone at the same time. Available in black and white.

This isn't a gadget, but it'll help any tablet-wielding geek out. An iPad is to a geek what a lightsaber is to a Jedi – a reliable tool that never leaves their side, and they're lost without it. The iBed will keep them in touch with the digital world hands-free and in full comfort, while lounging on the sofa, bed or when having breakfast.

The Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect blend of technology and escapism, allowing the lucky reader to take advantage of a tireless digital library and the finest of easy-reading screen tech. With the right subscription package, the Paperwhite can even link with Audible to have an audiobook take over whenever they like and playback over some connected headphones. There's also a 4G option, which gives the reader free access to wireless downloads wherever they may find themselves.

Cloud-based tech is incredible, but it comes along with one very tedious feature – two-factor authentication. It's a necessary evil which protects our precious files from ne'er-do-wells, but that doesn't stop it being a pain that any geek could do without. In steps the YubiKey 5C! A little USB security device that's compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux, and smartphones with a USB-C connection. Simply insert, press the gold button, and you're in. It's both quicker and safer than a password and passcode.

What can the Fire Cube do? What can't it do, more like! This little shiny box takes the Fire Stick's capabilities and pumps them up to true geek-pleasing degrees. The Cube is the ultimate entertainment centre, allowing the user to control their television, Blu-rays players, hi-fi and any other smart-compatible products with simple voice commands. Plus, the more the Cube is used, the more it learns – so the user experience only gets better.

Geeks spend a lot of time exploring digital playgrounds and universes far. Sadly, most of this adventuring takes place at a desk. Because it's tough to step away from these fictional wonderlands, often times the desk is also the scene for lunch, snacks and, on occasion, dinner. Because of this, crumbs are a major issue. This handy vac will keep nacho crumbs at bay with ease.