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Tech essentials

13 Tech Essentials Everyone Should Own


Anyone with two eyes and a heartbeat can tell you that there’s no shortage of available tech for us in the modern world. in fact, most would argue there’s a surplus. Hence, the question arises: how much of that technology is truly essential? After all, we live in the age of rapid-fire communication, where not having the proper gadgets could make or break your next career move. There are in fact a lot of tech essentials with most of them being downright indispensable.

We’re here to help by separating the must-have electronic gadgets from the rest of the herd is our trusty guide. Here you’ll find a general overview of essential tech, along with some specific recommendations within each category. Consider every gadget a must if you plan to get ahead in this crazy world. Without further ado, we present the Tech Essentials Everyone Should Own.

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Man of Many’s Tech Essentials

Smartphone
Image: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G

1. Smartphone

The modern smartphone does absolutely everything. This sophisticated gadget was a game-changer upon its debut and remains quintessential today by delivering the same amount of functionality as a laptop in the palm of your hand. At its core, the humble smartphone offers unfounded levels of communication (email, texting, social media, messaging), entertainment, research, gaming, banking, budgeting, fitness, photography and videography. Throw apps into the mix and it becomes all too easy to understand why smartphones are far more than just cool electronic gadgets.

Similar to laptops, no two smartphones are created equal. For that reason, you should know exactly what you plan to use your smartphone for before buying one. For example, if you’re big on photography or videography, you’ll want to make sure your smartphone camera is top of the line, and that the phone itself comes with plenty of onboard storage (some have up to 1TB of internal storage these days). You’ll also want to make sure your smartphone is compatible with peripheral gadgets, platforms and add-ons. Then there are things to consider like water and dust resistance since you don’t want to spend hard-earned money on an essential gadget just to have it fall apart. And don’t forget to protect that new iPhone with a trusty case.

Suffice to say, the smartphone remains THE essential gadget for men.

Smartphones

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Smartphones.

Samsung Apple Huawei Oppo TCL Sony

Laptop
Image: ASUS ProArt Studiobook Pro 16 OLED

2. Laptop

Bon Jovi once compared himself to a cowboy with a loaded six-string on his back. Every modern hustler is likewise a cowboy, and a quality laptop computer is arguably his most essential weapon. Indeed, when it comes to tech essentials, nothing is more important than being strapped with a flagship laptop. After all, it’s a mobile workstation, communication hub, entertainment centre, gaming console and storage unit wrapped in one.

Because of a laptop’s status as arguably the most essential gadget for men, you don’t want to just grab any old product off the shelf. In other words, read the reviews and consumer reports, and brush up on your laptop lingo. For instance, if you plan to load up your laptop with extensive software like film editing suites and apps, you’ll probably want to make sure the device is equipped with an Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processor, or M1+ chip for Apple fans. You’ll also want to familiarise yourself with storage features like RAM and solid-state hard drives (SSDs). Put simply, you wouldn’t walk into a gunfight with an inferior gun, and you wouldn’t step into an office with an inferior laptop. For that reason alone, this gadget stands out as the most essential tech for those in the modern world.

Computers

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Laptops.

Dell Apple Lenovo ASUS Microsoft

Television
Image: Sony BRAVIA A90J

3. Television

Even in the age of mobile everything, a premium television remains an essential gadget. For starters, your den or entertainment room is simply naked without one, making it integral to interior design. Furthermore, have you seen what they’re doing with TVs these days? We’re talking curvy, razor-thin bodies, stunning OLED/ QLED displays, and a range of peripheral audio accessories like sleek soundbars. While the technology inside them continues to move at the speed of light, TVs aren’t going anywhere. If anything, these must-have gadgets are only getting smarter and better every year.

Televisions

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for TVs.

Samsung LG Sony TCL

Noise cancelling headphones
Image: Sony WH-1000XM4

4. Headphones

If only the most immersive audio experience will suffice, accept nothing less than the best headphones. Each pair uses proprietary technology to play high-quality audio while drowning out exterior sounds like crying babies or honking horns. The brands listed below are certainly dependable, but the truth is there are a ton of options out there. For making important calls and/or swimming in a sea of music, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones represents audio tech for men at its finest and most modern.

There might very well come a day where we tell our grandkids about the struggles of cords and wires. In other words: thank heavens for wireless headphones. This is essential tech and delivers the satisfaction of top-shelf sound, minus the nuisance of cords. No one would argue with that. Meanwhile, brands keep optimising and innovations keep piling in. That’s in no small part why we’re dubbing headphones a tech essential.

Audio

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Headphones.

Sony Bose Sennheiser Apple Samsung B&O

 
Portable charger
Image: Goal Zero Sherpa

5. Chargers

A portable battery charger might not seem like a must-have gadget for men until the moment you’re hours away from home and in need of a boost. Suddenly, this handy invention becomes as essential as all your other cherished tech, if not more so. After all, what good is a killer smartphone or laptop if it fails you when you need it the most? That’s not to mention all the gamers out there, who would lose their minds if their devices shut down right as they were about to defeat an end boss or cross the finish line in the Grand Prix. Best equip yourself with a portable charger to avoid any worst-case scenarios.

Chargers

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Portable Chargers.

Goal Zero Belkin Apple IKEA

Camera
Image: Fujifilm XE-4

6. Camera

While a steadfast camera isn’t necessarily an essential gadget for everyone, it’s an indispensable asset for those who work with any sort of modern media. Quality cameras are fast, reliable, optimal and compatible. This top gadget expects a pristine resolution and nifty features like touchscreen display. Most these days come with the wifi built-in, meaning you don’t even need to transfer storage cards to bring up images or videos on your computer.

When shopping for a camera, you’ll want to be aware of specs like aperture, shutter speed, resolution, ISO and lens compatibility. If you need to brush up on the basics, speak to your local camera shop. You might also consider getting a mirrorless camera, which is similar to a DSLR, but usually lighter, faster, smaller and occasionally better for video. At the end of the day, cameras are accessible, convenient and intelligent, easily making them one of the best gadgets out there, and thereby an essential addition to any modern arsenal of tech. The best camera is the one you have on you!

Cameras

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Camera’s.

Sony Canon DJI Leica

Canon PowerShot V10: ‘First Compact Camera Specifically Designed for Vlogging’ 

Tag smartwatch
Image: Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition

7. Smartwatch

As our tech gets smarter, it also gets smaller. For proof, look no further than smartwatches and fitness trackers, both of which slap all sorts of brilliant technology around your wrist. Are these cool gadgets for men important enough to be essential? We say yes, whereas they equip you with vital metrics like heart rate and calories burned, meaning they can help you live a better, healthier lifestyle. That’s not to mention the slew of other functions offered by smartwatches in particular. Meanwhile, the recent smartwatches allow you to use certain apps without an adjoining mobile device. Smarter and smaller, indeed.

Smartwatches

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Smartwatches.

Tag Heuer Apple Samsung Huawei

Corsair monitor
Image: Corsair XENEON 32QHD165

8. Monitor

What good is a prime desktop computer or laptop without a sleek, high-performance monitor to go along with it? As any gamer or businessman might tell you, not good at all. That’s why a premium computer monitor is as essential a gadget for men as the computer itself. Look for high-resolution displays and fast refresh rates and you’re heading in the right direction or simply check out our article featuring the best monitors right here.

A quality monitor will also need a quality HDMI cable.

Monitors

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Monitors.

Samsung LG ASUS Apple Dell Lenovo

Bluetooth speaker
Image: Harmon Kardon

9. Speaker

With the advent of Bluetooth technology came a bevy of cool audio gadgets for men and among them are Bluetooth speakers. This tech essential allows you to stream music from your mobile or smart home device without relying on cords or outlets. Like wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers evolved at a breakneck pace throughout the 2010s and in the 2020s they’re integrating things like WiFi and voice controls so you can wireless stream without even touching your phone. They’re not just an essential piece of tech right now, but they will be for a long time to come. Check out the best portable Bluetooth speakers right here.

Speakers

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Speakers.

Sony Bose Sennheiser Samsung B&O

Streaming device
Image: Google Chromecast

10. Media streamer

As long as cable companies continue to shove unwanted channels, convoluted contracts and overpriced packages down our throats, streaming devices will continue to gain market share at record rates. In fact, there may soon come a day where cable TV seems as antiquated as the antennae or the twist knob. After all, with an affordable streaming device and fast Internet connection at your disposal, you gain access to an endless supply of movies, TV shows, YouTube videos and more. Meanwhile, the power to decide what you get and what you pay for rests squarely in your hands. If you’re looking for something new to watch, check out out our Netflix section for more. Does all that make a streaming device an essential gadget? You bet it does. Modern entertainment has never been as streamlined as it is now.

Streaming

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Streaming Devices.

Amazon Google Foxtel Apple Microsoft

Storage Drive
Image: Turbohub

11. External Storage

In the modern age, both your personal life and digital life are basically one in the same. In other words, you best back that data up on a third-party hard drive. Not only will it provide an extra layer of security, but it will allow you to seamlessly transfer files onto another device. Like a portable battery charger, this is one tech essential that might not seem crucial until the very moment you need it, at which point it becomes an absolute lifesaver.

External Storage

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for External Storage.

Samsung WD Corsair

Playstation 5
Image: Sony Playstation 5

12. Gaming Console

What was once for boys is now for men of all ages. We’re speaking, of course, of gaming consoles. They’re more comprehensive and entertaining than ever before, not just providing games but connecting users with one another and serving as streaming platforms as well. Killing time (or enhancing brain power, according to some studies) simply doesn’t get better than this.

Consoles

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for Gaming Consoles.

Playstation Xbox Nintendo Switch

Dji drone
Image: DJI Mavic 2

13. Drone

Drones are fun, swift and savvy, but are they a tech essential for men? Let’s grade them on a curve and say that these cool men’s gadgets are indeed a must-have. Find one that works well and have yourself a blast.

Drones

Man of Many Recommends

These are the brand’s Man of Many recommends when you’re looking for

DJI

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