Top tech essential for your holiday: Gadgets for your getaway in 2024

Everyone wants the tech comforts of home for their holidays.

Holiday Tech Feature

by Olivia Sheed |
Updated on

Despite going on holiday to get away from things like work and stress, we can't survive without our creature comforts. Whether it's music, books, or just making sure you can stay connected to post holiday photos on socials, it's important to have the right tech to help you on your journeys. We're here today to break down the best holiday tech for you heading into summer 2024.

According to research conducted by Staysure Travel Insurance in 2023, over a quarter of the population take a laptop on holiday, with the tech side of travel insurance growing more and more each year. It's clear that many like to have their tech comforts even while on holiday, with the rise in e-readers saving thousands on their book-laden luggage allowance each year and the advancement in noise-cancelling headphones saving travellers the headaches of screaming children in transit. There are many little things that help make the process of travelling, and your time on holiday, just a little bit better.

The best holiday essentials at a glance

• The best item tracker: Tile Starter Pack - View at Amazon
• The best noise-cancelling headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones - View at Amazon
• The best power bank: Anker Prime Power Bank - View at Amazon
• The best portable Bluetooth speaker: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 - View at Amazon
• The best e-reader: Kindle (2022) - View at Amazon

No matter where you end up, these tech picks will help you get there, and relax without a care in the world. We rounded up a selection of travel tech essentials we have reviewed and stand by for your time away, and at home.

Top tech picks for holiday in 2024

Please note: All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

ESSENTIAL - Best item trackers

Expert rating:
5.0
Tile Starter Pack (2022) Bluetooth Item Finder

Rrp: £54.99

Price: £52.00
Alternative retailers
Walmart$35.95View offer
Target$43.99View offer
Best Buy$52.99View offer
B&H Photo Video$54.99View offer

Never lose track of your luggage at the airport again, with these handy item trackers. Just slip one in a wallet, backpack, or on a keychain and with a smartphone, or even any smart device, you'll be able to keep an eye on your belongings wherever you are. You can even stick some of them to objects, ensuring that all your valuables are safe and sound, ready to be found should they go missing.

The battery lasts up to three years, so you'll never have to worry about losing track of your bags again. If that isn't enough to convince you, read our review of all things Tile trackers.

Pros

  • Excellent tracking and widespread anonymous network
  • Versatile selection in the kit
  • Defended against dust and water

Cons

  • Better features locked behind paywall
  • Batteries can’t be changed
  • Design
    5.0
  • Build
    5.0
  • Features
    4.0
  • Value
    4.5
CompatibilityAndroid, Apple
BatteryThree years

Best noise-cancelling headphones

Expert rating:
5.0
WH-1000XM5William Austin-Lobley - What's the Best
Price: £349.99
Alternative retailers
Newegg$826.45View offer

It takes a lot to knock the Bose QuietComfort headphones off the top spot in noise-cancelling headphones, but Sony has done it. With a minimalist design, "soft fit leather" and multiple colour variants, these headphones feel and look as good as they sound, which is to say they sound excellent.

The carbon-fibre drivers offer great bass extension but never allow the music to get too muddy. They improve the tuning for the mids and high-end frequency, allowing instruments and vocals to shine like they never have before. The headphones pack a punch, almost rivalling some audiophile offerings. All this, while offering some of the smoothest noise cancelling out there is certainly impressive.

When it comes to travel, these are robust enough to sit around your neck as you rush to your terminal, but also come with a hard-shell case for quickly stuffing into a bag. The battery is long enough to last any road trip or long-haul flight. While you may find similar value with the predecessor XM4s, these are still the best Sony has to offer in the consumer headphone market.

Read our review of the WH-1000XM5's here.

Pros

  • Fantastic audio quality
  • Comfort beyond measure
  • Well-implemented noise cancellation

Cons

  • Similar value to the slightly cheaper XM4 model
  • Design
    5.0
  • Build
    5.0
  • Features
    5.0
  • Value
    4.5
Drivers:30mm carbon fibre
Battery:Music playback - 30hrs (NC on), 44hrs (NC off)
Connection:Bluetooth, USB-C, Aux
Smart assistant:Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Weight:250g

Best power bank

Expert rating:
4.5
Anker Prime Power BankKyle Purves - What's the Best
Price: £129.99
Alternative retailers
Walmart$13.00View offer
Best Buy$129.99View offer
Dell$129.99View offer
Newegg$129.99View offer

If you're taking tech on holiday, it pays to have a backup power source should you run out of juice away from any plugs. The Anker Prime power bank is the most powerful and capable power bank we have ever tested, packing about 10 times the average phone battery, and sturdy enough to handle wherever you need power most.

Equipped with a USB-A and two USB-C connections, you'll be able to charge multiple devices at once, to make sure the rest of your tech stays charged and ready at a moment's notice. The incorporated screen displays charging information and battery percentage, taking just a quick glance to see when the mammoth of a charger needs a top-up.

Though the build is quite blocky, it makes it durable for transporting. Keep in mind if you're flying with a portable charger it needs to go in your carry-on and not in checked luggage, so if the form factor is a deal-breaker, Anker also offers the slimmer 313 Portable Charger.

Read our review of the Anker Prime Power Bank here.

Pros

  • Great battery capacity
  • Handy display
  • Charges multiple devices quickly

Cons

  • Very durable, but can be hefty
  • Overall
    4.5
  • Charge
    5.0
  • Value
    4.0
  • Portability
    4.5
Dimensions:4.9 × 2.1 × 1.9 inch
Connections:USB-C x 2, USB-A x 1
Charging output:200 W
Recharge100W
Capacity20,000mAh

Best portable Bluetooth speaker

Expert rating:
5.0
Tribit StormBox Micro 2 ProductOlivia Sheed - What's the Best

Rrp: £79.99

Price: £59.99

This little speaker packs a big punch. The latest entry from Tribit is a bass-heavy, pint-sized powerhouse of a Bluetooth speaker, that has some surprises of its own. As one of the best speakers in the price range, the Micro 2 has brilliant bass extension, great soundstage and a handy strap for attaching to luggage while on the move.

That's not all, in additino to being small enough to fit in your back pocket, should you (somehow) run out of charge on your Anker Prime Power Bank, the Tribit doubles as a power bank. Never worry about running out of phone battery whilst listening to music at the beach, where the tunes go, power goes with this speaker.

Built to handle all the elements can throw at it with the rugged design and IPX67 rating, feel fearless when you adventure with the Micro 2. If that isn't enough for you, read our full review to get your head around this little wonder.

Pros

  • Power bank feature is unique
  • Fantastic bass extension for such a small speaker
  • Included strap handy for attaching to bags, handlebars, anything you could think of

Cons

  • No AUX input
  • Build
    4.5
  • Sound
    5.0
  • Features
    5.0
  • Value
    4.5
Dimensions:4.27 x 9.91 x 4.27 cm
Weight:456g
Connections:Bluetooth, USB-C
Battery life:12 hours
Waterproofing:IPX67
Available colours:Black, Blue, Red
Additional features:Power bank, stereo pairing

Best e-reader

Expert rating:
4.5
KindleRyan Houghton - What's the Best

Kindle is synonymous with e-readers these days, and for good reason. They've made themselves a mainstay in the e-reader economy, calling back to Amazon's beginnings as a book-selling website. As times change, you no longer have to buy books that will take up precious room and weight in your luggage allowance, you can fit countless books in the palm of your hand.

The electrophoresis screen mimics paper and ink, giving you the familiar feeling of thumbing through pages as you read. This also allows the screen to function great in various light settings, if it's outside in the sun while you're topping up your tan, or reading on a plane trying to avoid jetlag, you'll have a brightness mode right for you, allowing you to catch up on your reading no matter where you are.

The battery life is hefty thanks to the simple design, enough to last up to 6 weeks with regular use. This model of Kindle comes with 16GB of storage, for thousands of books at your disposal, and with a subscription to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, you can chop and change whatever book you want to read whenever you want with access to a massive selection of books in multiple languages.

Read our review of the Kindle (2022) here.

Pros

  • Great value e-reader with all the essential features to move your library to digital
  • Slim and light design makes it perfect for keeping luggage allowances down
  • Long battery life to make sure you're never caught short on the road

Cons

  • UI can be a little unresponsive
  • Design
    4.5
  • Build quality
    4.5
  • Performance
    4.0
  • Value
    5.0
Dimensions:157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0 mm
Screen size:6-inch
Resolution:300 nits
Storage:16 GB
Battery life:Up to six weeks (based on 30 minutes of reading per day)
Charging time:Up to four hours (dependent on power source)
Colours:Black, Denim
Weight:158 g

Best charging hub

Expert rating:
4.5

Now you have your power solutions, you're going to need a place to charge things. To save taking up precious travel adapters with multiple devices, this MagGo 3-in-1 is all you need for your Apple devices.

Certified with Apple's fast charging and Mag Safe, this charging dock can handle an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all in the same station, whilst being about the size of a deck of cards. The included USB-C charger ensures you can draw all the power you need to charge all your devices at once.

There's nothing worse than bringing three cables, all of them getting tangled in your luggage, and needing three plugs with three adapters. Never worry again with this convenient charging solution, that will be as effective at home as it is on the road.

Pros

  • Able to charge up to three devices at once
  • Packs down into a compact package
  • Qi2 and MFW certification for super-fast charging

Cons

  • Only supports Apple devices
  • Performance
    4.0
  • Build
    5.0
  • Value
    4.0
Connector type:MagSafe, USB-C
Compatible with:iPhone 13, 14, 15, Apple Watch series 1-9 (incl. Ultra), AirPods Pro 1, 2, AirPods 2, 3
Adapter included:Yes, USB-C
Power:40W

Best earplugs

Expert rating:
4.5
Loop EarplugsChris Duffnil - What's the Best
Price: £34.95

You might just want a bit of peace and quiet when on the road, and this is where the Loops come into the loop. With several types of earplugs for diffrent situations and scenarios, these ones are designed to reduce the world by 17dB, just enough to protect your hearing whilst maintaining sound quality.

These little heroes help take the edge off your surroundings, after a stressful day of travel it can be essential to help avoid a headache. They work perfectly for those with hearing sensitivities, or even as hearing protection from the screaming child on a flight when you're trying to sleep.

There is a multitide of colour options, with the Experience earplugs made from high-quality precision engineered materials, and with multiple ear-tips to make sure you get just the right fit for the long-haul. The reusable earplugs are rated to last at least five years, so when we say long-haul we mean it.

Find our review of the Loop Experience earplugs here.

Pros

  • Work great for sleeping in all positions
  • Effective noise cancelling
  • Very compact, great for stuffing in a carry-on

Cons

  • Ear and fit adjustment can be tricky
  • Volume reduction
    4.5
  • Frequency retention
    4.5
  • Design
    5.0
  • Comfort
    4.5
  • Value
    3.5
Noise reduction:18, or 23 decibels with Loop Mute fitted
Ear tips:Silicone ear tips x4 sizes, foam ear tips x3 sizes
Accessories:Loop Mute accessory: white x2, black x2
Washable:Yes

Best earbuds

Expert rating:
4.5
Sony Linkbuds sSony
Price: £169.95
Alternative retailers
Walmart$179.99View offer

The smaller cousins of the WH-1000XM5 headphones, these earbuds pack a lot into the small case they come in. The earbuds on offer here pack in the features, but somehow stay under £150, we have no idea how Sony have pulled it off when looking at the specs.

With active noise cancelling that lasts more than six hours, a lightweight case and with their Earth Blue colourway, you can help ocean conservation efforts whilst listening to your favourite album. Not many companies are capable of pulling that off.

With great build quality in a small form factor, the touch and voice controls are intuitive, intelligent, but most of all functional. Many companies try and sell noise cancelling, when it should rather be called noise "dampening". If you want o be in your own world, these buds are how you get there. And if you need to have a quick listen for any reason, the ambiance mode enables you to step away from your music for a moment.

If you're at home on the bus or across the world on a walk through a new city, these handy little pocket pods are perfect for your ears.

Read our review of the Sony Linkbuds S here.

Pros

  • Comfortable for long-term use
  • Great audio quality
  • Affordable active noise cancelling

Cons

  • There are some better models in the Sony lineup
  • Design
    4.5
  • Build
    4.0
  • Features
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0
Weight:4.8 g
Noise cancelling:Yes
Battery:6hrs earbuds, 14hrs in case
Voice control:Google and Alexa
Water resistance:IPX4 water resistance

Best handheld console

Expert rating:
4.5

While it may stick out on this list, for many gamers they can't do without a gaming session for a few weeks. The ASUS ROG Ally packs in the features of a high-end gaming laptop into a compact and convenient package.

While there are many options on the handheld gamig market these days, this brings a resonable price, great internals and the added bonus of being able to be used as a desktop in-between matches set it ahead of the rest. With top-of-the-line internals like the Ryzen Z1 and a whopping 16GB of LP-DDR5 RAM, even AAA games like Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and Apex Legends run smoothly on this machine.

Small enough to fit in a bum bag if need be, your luggage space will be saved, as well as your next high score.

Pros

  • Compact design makes it perfect for travelling
  • Powerful gaming and desktop machine, capable of replacing your PC while away
  • More game offerings than the Switch or SteamDeck

Cons

  • Desktop UI can be clunky to navigate
  • Performance
    5.0
  • Build
    4.5
  • Battery
    4.5
  • Features
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0
CPU:AMD Ryzen Z1 (8 core)
GPUAMD Radeon RDNA3
RAM:16GB DDR5
Storage:512GB SSD
Display:7-inch FHD 120Hz
Battery life:Up to 8 hours
Dimensions:H280 x W111 x D21.2 mm
Weight:600g

Best adventure camera

Expert rating:
4.5
insta 360 ONECurtis Moldrich - What's the Best

While many people rely on just their smartphone for taking holiday pictures, there are some places even the most robust of phones shouldn't go. If you like active adventure holidays, then investing in an action camera is essential for capturing all the best moments. This is where the insta360 ONE comes in.

A robust shell and waterproof up to 16ft, this camera can go anywhere you want to go, and get a great image all the way. A 4K 48MP sensor, active HDR and 60fps video, these are features you'd look for in a professional DSLR, never mind a camera capable of fitting in your pocket.

This kit comes with a removable lens, as the camera processor is it's own unit, meaning should the worst happen and you get a big scratch across the lens, it's easily remidied. You're also given a micro SD card, so you can shoot right out the box.

Read our review of the insta 360 ONE RS here.

Pros

  • Very versatile thanks to the modular design
  • Compatible with other insta360 gear
  • Rivals bigger names like GoPro

Cons

  • Can be fiddly to set up
  • Performance
    5.0
  • Build
    4.5
  • Value
    4.5
Aperture & focal Length:F2.4, 16mm
Video resolution:Up to 4K, up to 60fps
Photo resolution:4K
Video modes:4K, HDR, slow motion, timelapse, standard
Runtime:75 minutes recording 4K at 60fps
Storage:MicroSD
Weight: 125.3g
Dimensions: 70.1x49.1x32.6mm

Best gimbal

Expert rating:
4.5
DJI OSMO Mobile 6DJI
Price: £139.00
Alternative retailers
B&H Photo Video$99.00View offer
Adorama$108.00View offer
Newegg$121.18View offer
Walmart$147.53View offer

If you'd prefer to keep your photos all on your phone, but still want a way to upgrade those holiday instagram pics, look no further than this DJI gimbal. Offering great video stabilisation, the included stand makes it a great companion for solo travelers too.

Able to pack down into a small package, this is a great addition to your travel phttography toolkit. Many gimbals designed for DSLR cameras will run you a lot more than this handy smartphone one. Not only are DJI responsible for great drones for photographers but their gimbal-game is growing fast. The OSMO has all you'll need to film with your smartphone, with many features that make it perfect for the on-the-go videographer.

The FPV mode tracks one subject and keep a consistant framing, and the DJI app helps to activate even more features and get you the best shot possible, and the included "roll" controls make it even easier for first time users. If you want steady holiday shots, this is your go-to.

Pros

  • Great image stabilisation
  • Magnetic phone clamp
  • Lightweight, but with great battery

Cons

  • Larger phones will struggle to operate
  • Design
    5.0
  • Build
    4.5
  • Features
    5.0
  • Value
    4.5
Weight:309 g
Payload capacity:170 to 290 g
Battery life:Approx 6 hours
Charging time:2 hours, USB C
Compatibility:2.6" to 3.3" wide, 10mm thick (max)
Tilt:-101.64° to 78.55°
Roll:-120.30° to 211.97°
Pan:-161.64° to 173.79°
Dimensions:Unfolded: 276 x 111.5 x 99 mm, Folded: 189 x 84.5 x 44 mm
Extra features:ActiveTrack 6.0, Follow mode, Tilt locked, mode, FPV and SpinShot

The little essentials

There are a few things you can't reasonably do without when travelling, so we round out the list with some quick picks most people might forget for all your tech needs whilst away.

To make sure you're never caught without a travel adapter, this Worldwide Travel Plug is equipped for use in over 150 countries, as well as coming with two USB-A ports for smart devices. One of the main items sold to tourists on holiday is a travel adapter, this way you'll not be caught short, or without charge, ever again.

Speaking of cables, never get caught short by bringing the micro-USB instead of the USB-C charger again with the 4-in-1 Cable that allows you to charge with multiple different connections. No more need to bring a rat nest of extra cables in the bottom of the bag anymore.

We all know how much airplane headphones suck, they're uncomfortable, the sound is terrible, and you'll normally be charged for the luxury of listening through them. Never worry again if you find yourself caught short with only your AirPods to hand, with this Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter. With a chunky 28 hours of battery, even the longest of journeys will pass quickly with this little hero.

The feeling of dread as the holiday comes to a close and all the little bits and bobs you picked up along the way seem to just tip your luggage over the scales. Worry no more, when you get this Travel Sized Luggage Scale to keep on top of your allowance, and avoid the pricy surprises on the flight home.

Now you should have everything you need to enjoy your holiday, and if it isn't on this list, it probably isn't worth worrying about. So relax! You've earned it, kick up your feet and relax, surrounded by all the tech you could need.

Olivia Sheed is a Tech Writer and Reviewer at What’s The Best. Here she writes reviews, how-to guides and articles across all things technology.

Her interests align with “anything nerdy.” Olivia is an avid fan of TTRPGs, board games, miniature painting, and video games. Outside of that, she loves to discuss horror films, campy classics such as those from Hammer Film Productions in the 70s are her favourite for a comfy watch. An avid hiker, she visits the Lake District often, for both walking and wild swimming.

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