The best T-shirt gifts for the true tech geek in your life

Shopping for the tech geek in your life can feel like a major challenge — but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Instead of trying to find yet another gadgets for the tech geek in your life who seems to have everything, why not buy them one of these very low-tech tees? 

Whether you’re shopping for the engineer in your life, or just looking to pick up something fun for the office exchange, even the geekiest among us will appreciate these shirts.

Ah, debugging. This “6 Stages of Debugging” tee is both too real and instantly relatable to anyone who spends their days writing code. Get them this shirt and maybe the next debugging cycle will be a little less painful.

Best for: Programmers, obviously.

$18.95, Amazon

The dreaded BSoD, striking fear into the hearts of PC owners for 25 years. Luckily, it’s much more amusing in t-shirt form. 

Best for: Smug Mac owners who want to troll their PC-using coworkers.

$16.95, Amazon

Oh, Wikipedia. It’s both an endless source of knowledge and a purveyor of sometimes questionable “facts.” This shirt is all that and strikes exactly the right balance of nerdy and self-depreciating.

Best for: Your teacher friends (they’ll know why).

$22, Snorg Tees

Sure, the Commodore 64 hasn’t been culturally relevant since Bush 41 was in office, but the 8-bit computer still has a place in the hearts of many. So why not honor it with a tee. Just because the computer is dead doesn’t mean the logo isn’t worth hanging onto.

Best for: That friend who loves to hang onto obsolete tech.

$22, TeeFury

It’s pretty self-explanatory, but we love the look of this ‘Motherboard heart’ shirt. It comes in a variety of colors and sizes for men and women.

Best for: Westworld fans.

$14.95 – $19.95, CafePress

If you’re old enough to remember floppy disks, VHS tapes, and cassettes, then you’ll appreciate this tribute to old-school media storage (which is available in 22 different colors). If you’re not old enough to remember, well, you can always wear it ironically. 

Best for: Your friend who still talks wistfully about their Walkman.

$12.99, Amazon

When all emoji fails, you can’t go wrong with a shruggie, so why not have it on your shirt. Yes, we have real emoji, but sometimes a good, old-fashioned shruggie is best. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Best for: Your office gift exchange.

$20, Snorg Tees

From afar, it looks like a generic keyboard, but look closely and you’ll quickly see the joke. It’s a subtle but delightful joke, and the design’s available in men’s and women’s tees as well a crewneck sweatshirt.

Best for: Anyone who loves a good dad joke (which, let’s be honest, is all of us).

$25, Threadless

Yes, really, another spacebar joke! But if there’s one thing everyone has an opinion on, it’s whether or not you should be a one-space kind of person or a two-spacer. The magic of this shirt? It appeals to both sides.

Best for: Grammar nerds.

$19.99, TShirt Laundry

Ah yes, the age-old advice so good and true that even South Park has hilariously spoofed it. It’s may be a meme now, but there’s a reason why “unplug it, and plug back in,” has been a go-to for 20+ years. 

Best for: The family member always fixing grandma’s computer.

Cafe Press, $24.95