The Verge’s 2021 holiday gift guide for creators

Rode Invisilav

If you're going to mic up another subject or yourself with a lavalier, it looks best to keep it off your lapel. That's where the Rode's Invisilav mounting system comes in.
Price: $18

Ikea gaming hand

Does a cooler headphone stand exist? No. Gamer hand is maximum gamer, maximum hand, and the best stand.
Price: $25

LaCie Rugged Mini 2TB External Hard Drive

LaCie's rugged drives are used by art students and pros alike. They offer a lot of portable storage and can survive in your bag or in the event of an unfortunate tumble.
Price: $90

Elgato GameCapture HD60 S+

Elgato's higher-end capture card connects to your PC or Mac for streaming console gameplay to Twitch or YouTube. It can also enable webcam use with most mirrorless cameras.
Price: $199

iPhone 13 Pro

The iPhone 13 Pro has the best camera for capturing stills and video, and its triple camera offers a plethora of options for a beginning YouTube or TikTok creator.
Price: $999+

Sony A6600 Mirrorless Kit

Sony's A6600 is the ideal starter mirrorless camera for capturing both still photos and impressively high-quality video. It's compact and travel-friendly, with excellent 4K video output and a large ecosystem of lenses and accessories to grow with.
Price: $1,798 to $1,800

DJI Ronin SC2 gimbal

DJI's Ronin SC2 is the industry go-to if you're in need of a small(ish) gimbal to use with your mirrorless camera. It can help even a larger full-frame camera get rock-solid footage that looks fluid and professional — even when filming guerilla style.
Price: $499

Shure MV7 Microphone

The Shure MV7 is the younger, more versatile, USB-capable sibling to the legendary SM-7b that you see used on all the biggest podcasts.
Price: $219

2021 MacBook Pro

Apple's new M1 Pro processor and conventional ports with MagSafe have finally returned the MacBook Pro to form, especially for content creators who need portable horsepower.
Price: $1,999+

Rode VideoMic NTG

Rode's VideoMic NTG is a versatile shotgun mic for on-camera use, boomed above subjects during interviews, or even plugged into USB for podcast use.
Price: $249

Peak Design Everyday Backpack v2 20L black

Peak Design backpacks are the uniform of carrying solutions for creators. They can fit a lot of tech and look smart and discrete while doing so. We recommend avoiding the 30L version if you can help it, however, as you are likely to overpack.
Price: $260

Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED

Gigabyte's Aero 15 OLED is great option for a creativity-focused Windows laptop. It offers plenty of horsepower, a nice display, and something no Mac is good for: gaming.
Price: $1,499

Zoom H6 Portable Recorder

The H6 is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to audio duties. It can be the preamp for your podcast mic, a field recorder when filming video, a multi-channel multi-mic instrument recorder for jam sessions, and a variety of other things.
Price: $350

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro

Beyerdynamic's DT770 Pro are a comfy set of studio cans that are versatile enough for music recording or audio monitoring.
Price: $149

Godox UL60 LED Light

A video creator space needs good lighting, and if you go fanless, you can ensure your audio stays clean and crisp. Godox's 60-watt UL60 is a good fanless option that also comes with eight built-in lighting effects.
Price: $219

Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro

The diminutive little Lume Cube is a versatile, smartphone-sized light that has full RGB colors. It's great for small projects or using as a colorful accent on video.
Price: $160

Elgato Master Mount L

The Elgato Master Mount L provides enough flexibility for any desktop video recording / streaming setup. You can set it up with a key light or mirrorless camera behind your monitor to save room on your desk or add an attachment for a straight-down tabletop view that adds a unique second camera angle to the mix.
Price: $40 to $50

Philips Hue Smart Lightstrip Plus Base Kit

Adding a touch of color around your desk or workspace can make your studio shine, and Philips Hue is one of the most versatile systems to invest in. This starter package includes a 6-foot, Bluetooth-enabled LED lightstrip and a compatible plug, providing an easy way to dip your toe into the vast sea of smart lighting.
Price: $68 to $80

Wacom One Drawing Tablet

The Wacom One is the company's most affordable pen and tablet offering with an integrated display, one that measures a generous 13.3 inches in size and is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Chrome OS. Using a pen interface directly on a large display can be a freeing experience for digital artists, giving them a larger canvas to perfect their craft.
Price: $400

Aputure MC Video Light

The Aputure MC is a credit card-sized RGBWW light with magnets, which allow you to attach more panels and combine them into a larger lighting array. Singular or stacked, MC lights also sync with a smartphone app for special effects and customizable color.
Price: $79

Keychron K6 Mechanical Keyboard

Keychron's K6 is an affordable mechanical keyboard that's compatible with both Windows and macOS, thanks to a side toggle and a set of alternate keycaps. The wireless keyboard is great for typing and enhancing the look of your creator space.
Price: $69

Kanto Yu2 Powered Speakers

Kanto's Yu2 are a pair of small yet powerful desktop speakers, complete with USB, 3.5mm, and phono inputs. They also come in a bunch of colorful finishes, so you can better match your home decor.
Price: $240

Ikea Fejka fake plant

Ikea's Fejka is one way to dress up your space with some greenery. The grass-like plant may be fake, but you don't need to water it, and it looks tidy in a minimalist space.
Price: $20

Fender Mustang LT-25 amplifier

For the at-home guitarist who doesn't want to spend a fortune on pedals and other audio equipment, the Mustang LT-25 digital amp offers some fun tones and effects to color your sound, along with a USB interface that allows you to easily record on a computer.
Price: $180

Adobe CC subscription

The Adobe Creative Cloud suite is the default editing software for most creators. The photography plan offers Photoshop, Lightroom, and 20GB of cloud storage for $10 per month.
Price: $10/month

Blue Compass Boom Arm

This tube-style boom arm is a sleek and sturdy solution for mounting a microphone to your desk. It pairs perfectly with heavier podcasting mics when you need it and easily folds out of the way when you don't.
Price: $96 to $100

Neewer Green Screen

A basic green screen can be an essential for any creator, whether your giftee intends to stream on Twitch or produce videos for a large YouTube audience. Luckily, Neewer's collapsible option is relatively durable and packs down into a 24.8-inch disc, making it an easy rec.
Price: $48

Logitech StreamCam

The Logitech StreamCam is the top pick in our webcam buying guide for those who desire better picture quality. The compact peripheral supports 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second, as well as an optional mode that will automatically follow your face around the frame.
Price: $130 to $150

Nanoleaf Shapes Triangle Smarter Kit

Nanoleaf Shapes are the ultimate flex for creators who are into colorful and dynamic smart lighting. The seven triangular panels included in this kit can provide your office or studio with dynamic accent lighting that looks excellent on camera.
Price: $180

Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard

The Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard makes for a higher quality typing experience with hot-swappable switches and RGB backlighting, making it a great pick for those looking to step up their typing game.
Price: $180 to $200

SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD V2

Every creator needs a place to store content, and it's convenient to have storage that's fast enough for you to work and edit directly on. SanDisk's portable SSDs may not offer the same kind of capacities as external hard drives, but they can help a ton when filming or shooting on-location.
Price: $88

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2x2 USB Audio Interface (third-gen)

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is considered a staple among podcasters, musicians, voice actors, and other creative types. It's one of the most popular USB audio interfaces you can get, and it's flexible enough for a variety of purposes thanks to its dual inputs.
Price: $170