The Newest Upgrades for Kids & Teens

New: A bigger 7.9-inch 1080p screen (up from 6.2 inches and 720p on the original) that runs at up to 120Hz, up to 4K on the TV, and 256GB of storage instead of 32GB. Most original Switch games still play on it.

Upgrades: The original Switch, Switch Lite or Switch OLED

Skip if: They got a Switch 2 in the last year and a half. Spend the money on games instead. If budget is tight, a refurbished Switch 2 from a reputable seller costs less, but check the warranty.

New: Amazon's redesigned 2026 lineup: lighter, with a flush-front screen and books that open about 30% faster. The Kids editions add a year of Amazon Kids+ and artist-designed covers. Paperwhite and color Colorsoft Kids versions cost more.

Upgrades: An older Kindle Kids, or reading on a tablet full of games

Skip if: They already have a Kindle from the last few years that works. The 2026 changes are lighter and faster, not a different experience. Or they mostly read paper books from the library and like it that way.

New: A rounder body, a new self-timer (2 or 10 seconds) that makes group shots and selfies easier, and four new colors. Lens and image quality are essentially the same as the mini 12.

Upgrades: A phone camera, or an older instax mini 11 or 12

Skip if: They have a mini 12. The only real difference is the self-timer. Also skip it if you don't want to keep buying film, at roughly 80 cents a print.

New: Phone calls are new (the original only sent voice messages), voice messages are now transcribed, and it has a round 1.2-inch AMOLED screen instead of the old square one. GPS tracking with location alerts, music from Amazon Music, about two days of battery.

Upgrades: The original Bounce, or a first phone you're not ready to give

Skip if: You don't want another monthly bill: calls and messages need Garmin's $9.99 a month ($99.99 a year) plan. If they already carry a phone, it's redundant.

New: Stronger noise cancelling, with 12 microphones instead of 8 and a new QN3 chip Sony says is seven times faster than the XM5's. The case is smaller and has a magnetic lock. Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on.

Upgrades: Cheap wired earbuds, or Sony's WH-1000XM5

Skip if: They're under about 12, or tend to lose things. A $460 pair is a lot to leave on a bus. Also skip it if they have the XM5. The gains are real but incremental.