Buying a man a gift for Christmas is a minefield dotted with opportunities to disappoint. Do you buy clothes when you’re not sure about his size or taste? Should you go for a novelty gift which will inevitably end up in a landfill by January? This year, do neither. Instead, try giving him some seriously smart tech to avoid making an offensive size judgement or inadvertently contributing to the world’s environmental baggage. There’s no need to sift through potentially dodgy devices either, because we’ve partnered with the undisputed king of the tech world, Apple, to devise a list of gift ideas which fuse field-leading specs with pulse-quickening design. No fake appreciative smiles here, all killer no (stocking) filler.

AirPods

Untangling intertwined headphone cords is all the fun of attempting a Rubik’s cube while refereeing the annual family argument. Fortunately, Apple’s revolutionary AirPods take minimal design to a whole new level, connecting wirelessly to any iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or Mac and can even be charged on the go in the case, leaving him tangle-free and unrestricted while running or at the gym. Buy Now: £159.00

Apple Watch Series 3

The days of solely relying on a watch to find out what hour of the day it is are long gone. In 2017, time-tellers can multitask with the best of them. The just-released Apple Watch Series 3 not only looks like your typically cool Apple fare (sleek, tick; minimal, tick; understated, double tick), it will answer calls, send texts, stream music and, of course, let him know what time it is. Buy Now: From £329.00

BeatsX Earphones

Beats earphones have long been the gold standard for any self-respecting audiophile, but if you thought overear cans were the only option, you’d be wrong. The in-ear BeatsX wireless headphones offer all the sonic prowess you’d expect from the Apple Beats range, but slimmed down into a sleek package capable of pumping out two hours of playback on just five minutes’ charge. Buy Now: £129.95