Key findings:

  • 50% of U.S. adults don’t plan to buy any tech this holiday season, and only small shares intend to purchase categories like smartphones or laptops.
  • Most Americans (59%) experienced no tech issues during past holidays, indicating largely trouble-free festive periods.
  • Among those reporting problems, Wi-Fi/broadband routers (14%) lead, followed by laptops/computers (11%) and smartphones (10%).

The holiday period is typically a major moment for both buying and relying on technology, from gifting new devices to keeping households connected. To understand how Americans plan to approach tech this season, and how their devices have held up during past holidays, we used YouGov Surveys: Self-serve to explore buying intentions and previous experiences.

Holiday tech purchase plans

When asked about the tech devices they plan to buy for themselves or their household this holiday season, half of U.S. adults (50%) say they don’t intend to buy any tech at all. Interest in specific products remains relatively modest: two in ten (19%) Americans say they plan to purchase a smartphone, 14% a laptop or tablet, and 13% a home appliance such as a vacuum, air fryer, or blender.

Women are slightly more likely than men to consider buying a smartphone (22% vs. 17%), while men are marginally more likely to say they’re not buying any tech (49% vs. 51% for women reporting the same).

Most Americans report no tech issues during past holidays

With relatively low demand for new devices this year (as the survey data shows), people may simply feel satisfied with the tech they already own. To explore this further, we also asked respondents about their experiences with tech during past holiday periods.

A majority, 59% of U.S. adults, say they experienced no tech problems, suggesting that most households navigate the season without major device failures.

Among those who did report issues, home Wi-Fi or broadband routers are the most common source of trouble (14%), followed by laptops or computers (11%) and smartphones (10%).

While men are slightly more likely than women to report Wi-Fi problems (17% vs. 12%), “none of the above” remains the most common response for both groups.

The findings point to a relatively calm digital season in the U.S., marked by modest demand for new tech and limited frustration with the devices people already own.

Methodology: 

YouGov polled 800 US adults online on November 27, 2025. The survey was carried out through YouGov Surveys: Self-serve. Data is weighted by age, gender, race, political affiliation, education level and region. The margin of error is +/-2.7% for the overall sample.

Image: Getty Images

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