These are my tech EDC essentials — and they’re discounted right now

As someone who tests gadgets, I have plenty of tech gear on hand. That list includes latest foldables like the Find N6, the innovative Huawei Mate XT tri-fold, or just interesting accessories like an ultra-thin power bank or a USB SSD flash drive.

Basically, I like using tech, and I tailored my everyday carry items based on things I like the most and get the most use out of. While some of these change regularly — I switch phones weekly, so my Android device constantly varies — others are constant, like the TeamGroup X2 Max SSD flash drive.

Anyway, with Amazon running a spring sale, I thought to highlight items I use daily, as they’re discounted at the moment. This is my tech EDC.

Honestly, I’m astonished at how much the diminutive sling was able to fit, and the build quality is exquisite — as you’d imagine. The Travel Crossbody Sling is still being crowdsourced, so you can get your hands on it for just $79, a $21 discount from its retail price of $100. With Peak Design guaranteeing lifetime warranty on all of its products, this may just be the only sling bag you’ll need. On that note, you can also get your hands on other travel products by Peak Design, with discounts going up to $201.

I don’t usually need a power bank in the middle of the day as recent phones like the Find X9 Pro, Vivo X300 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Ultra have massive batteries that are designed to last over a day, but as I also use the iPhone 17 Pro and have the Galaxy S26 Ultra as my primary phone right now, I carry a power bank should I need it.

I have dozens of Qi 2 power banks, and I like this Baseus Picogo model the most. The 10,000mAh battery ensures I can easily charge my phones with relative ease, MagSafe connectivity makes it a breeze to charge the iPhone 17 Pro and most Android phones (with the requisite cases), and it hits 15W over Qi 2 and has a USB-C port that goes up to 27W. It usually costs $49, but is down to $37 now.

Nomad’s $29 ChargeKey is the best travel USB-C cable around — there’s no doubt about that. This tiny cable hooks around a keyring should you need it, and it has a nylon-braided design that’s built to last. The two USB-C connectors are held together magnetically, and the best part is that the cable handles 240W of power and 10Gbps data transfers.

My second phone is the iPhone 17 Pro, and as I use it over the course of the year, I put a case on it. I tested over 50 cases, and settled on Nomad’s Modern Leather Case. It has an exquisite finish, and the sides have added protection.

I tested hundreds of earbuds, and Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 have the best combination of sound quality, comfort, and customizable sound. While they’re costly at $299, they’re easily worth it for the noise isolation and sound quality.

I used the Apple Watch as my go-to smartwatch for the better part of a half-decade now, and while the Series 11 doesn’t bring huge upgrades, it lasts a little longer and it gets a bit brighter when using it outdoors. I decided to switch to an aftermarket band this time, and just got the Nomad Stratos Band. Coming in at $179, it costs more than most budget smartwatches, but the titanium links with fluoroelastomer in between gives it a unique look, and it’s been great to use.

The X2 Max has proven itself as the most versatile portable SSD around. It is the size of a regular USB drive, but it houses an internal SSD that lets you transfer data at 1,000MB/s, and the best part is that it has USB-C and USB-A connectors — no need to use a cable. I’ve had the X1 Max in my travel bag in the last two years, and the X2 Max is just as reliable. The 1TB X2 Max is the ideal choice, and it costs $124 right now.

AI-assisted note-taking utilities are all the rage these days, and having tested several of these products, Plaud’s Note Pro is hands-down the best. It is the size of a credit card, does a great job recording audio and transcribing on the fly, and the battery lasts long enough that I only have to charge it once a month. It is on the costlier side at $189, but if you attend a lot of meetings, it is worth it.

I recently tested the Xiaomi Tag, and while I really like that tracker, I needed something that’s thinner. That’s where the KeySmart SmartCard comes in. The naming is awkward to say the least, but the credit card-sized tracker does a good job, and just like Xiaomi, it can be used with the Find My or Google’s Find Hub. With a modest discount to $25, now is the best time to get it.

I have a regular wallet that holds 14 credit cards and my IDs, but in day-to-day use, I prefer something smaller that can slot in a few credit cards and my driving license. That’s where Nomad’s Card Wallet shines; it is thin enough that I don’t even notice it, and it holds up to eight credit cards with ease.

With the Astra, Redmagic made the best gaming tablet. The OLED panel on this tablet is a delight to use, and what I like the most is that the 9.06-inch size makes it ideal to take anywhere — it’s just a smidgen bigger than the iPad Mini, but you get much more powerful hardware, and the OLED is in another league altogether.

I was hesitant to use smart sunglasses, but after getting the Oakley Meta Vanguard, I don’t see myself switching to my regular Ray-Bans. These glasses are fabulous to wear, it’s easy to interact with Meta AI, and the image quality is good enough that I just take videos with the glasses when I’m traveling. They’re costlier than the Meta Ray-Ban at $499, but they look much cooler, and I like the fit a lot better.

Having a flashlight just makes sense, and the $110 ArkPro Ultra combines a regular floodlight with a spotlight and a UV light. It gets plenty bright at 1700 lumen (in floodlight mode), the aluminum body is built to last, it’s tiny enough to take anywhere, and the built-in battery lasts long. Best of all, it charges via USB-C, making it highly convenient to use.