The Best Y2K Tech Presents That Our Editors Still Can't Get Enough Of
Although DVDs and MP3s were meant to be outdated, it seems like Y2K tech devices are making a resurgence. An enjoyable throwback to bygone eras is offered by once-ubiquitous devices that appeared to lose favor with the advent of smartphones, but are again regaining popularity due to nostalgia, smart-tech overload, and a new wave of youngsters.
The Y2K tech gadgets that our editors enjoyed before the start of the new millennium and have subsequently rediscovered are listed below. Many of the models featured here have been updated for 2023, even if some of the models we remember are no longer in production. For those who would want a taste of the simple life (or who have seen The Simple Life before), these gadgets make unique, quirky, and somewhat strange gifts.
Top 8 Y2K Gadget Gifts
1. Anbernic Portable Vintage Game Console
Play classic games from earlier systems like the NES, SNES, PS1, and Game Boy with this portable device. I like that it's a little bigger than my childhood Game Boy Color because my hands have become bigger since I was seven. You can't top the classics, thus the Anbernic is the perfect gift for a gamer." Written by Senior Electronics Editor Brandon Carte.
2. Tamagotchi by Bandai Namco.
"There's no better way to teach responsibility than to make sure your virtual pet is always alive. I love seeing other people's pets, and my friends and I have a lot of these.Chief Digital Designer Hunter Young
Read also: Top Technology Presents for Dads Across All Ages
3. 8 GB MP3 player from Sony
"I never left the house in the first ten years of the new millennium without an MP3 player in my back pocket. This inexpensive Sony Walkman reminds me of my favorite gadget from back then with its little color screen and tactile button controls."— Senior Technical Editor Stefan Vazharov
4. Children's Electric Scooter, Razor E100.
"Razor Scooters were popular in the early 2000s, and my brother and I received matching green ones as birthday gifts one year." Therefore, it's been thrilling to watch the brand come back in recent years with a line of affordable e-scooters. This child-friendly model is driven by a hand brake and twist-grip accelerator. Kids won't be racing off into the sunset because it just has a 10 mph top speed."— Senior Home Decor Editor Melanie Yates
5. Kodak Single-Use FunSaver 35mm Camera
"At their reception, my college friends who recently got married scattered many disposable cameras on tables across the venue. I felt it was a creative and cost-effective way to get enough more photos from their wedding day for an album. They are also quite entertaining. It inspired me to start using a disposable camera as well. My mother was ecstatic when I gave her one; she is getting ready to travel with her siblings." Carte de Brandon
6. The second generation Motorola Razr phone
In its brief existence, the original Motorola Razr sold 130 million units, making it a cultural phenomenon. So when the company announced that it was bringing back the traditional cell phone, I was ecstatic. The upgraded model keeps its elegant design while including the modern smartphone features we've come to expect, such a 48MP camera, an interactive display for seeing conversations and messages, music playing, Google Assistant, and much more—all with exceptional 5G speed." Through Nicole Saunders, Editor of Beauty.
Read also: Top 6 Electronic Gadgets for Tech Lovers
7. Ceihoit TV-Amp HDMI DVD Player
Yes, I still have a DVD player in my home, and this under-$30 one has lasted for a long time. I have a ton of DVD movies that are nearly hard huge obtain on streaming platforms. I enjoy that I can go back in time and just turn on a movie that I already own without having to pay for it on demand or scour the vast library of Netflix.Deputy Editor Joana Mascioli
8. Foldable DVD Player Sunpin
When the local library branch reopened following a lockdown, I purchased this portable DVD player so that I could once more browse its remarkable collection of movies. All I want is a giant, brilliant purple device that looks a little goofy, but at least it has a remote control and plays movies loudly and clearly. Its independence from my laptop and all of its distractions is another feature I enjoy.— Senior home decor editor Melanie Yates