It's that time again: what do 15-year-old boys like?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Time flies, and my little brother will shortly be turning 15. (Actually he’s not that little; unlike me, he takes after Dad, who is tall, and he’s probably 5’10" by now - I should clarify that he’s a half-brother, and his mom is 5"10, while mine is 5"1" - and his voice is about to change any second).

So I need birthday gift ideas. Like last year, I am categorically ruling out porn and 15-year-old girls. (He is my brother, after all.)

About him: he has a geeky streak, which is why I am turning to you folks. His geeky streak is rather different than mine was at that age; rather than sci-fi and fantasy and choral music, he is into video games, chess, and rap, and he desperately wants an iPod, which is out of my price range. 2 years ago, I got him a really cool hand-carved stone chess set, which went over well (mainly because he loves to kick Dad’s butt at chess), and last year I got him a bunch of guitar accessories, but then he decided to blow off guitar (he is at a very competitive magnet high school, and he has too much homework to have time to practice, so he gave up guitar).

So my fellow Dopers, inspire me! It’s for a good cause.

2

Well, it’s been my experience that they like 15 year old girls.

But video games are good too.
When the oldest boy was 15, I think we him got some video games and a gift card to Media Play.

I know that 15 year olds accept cash too.

3

Depending on how much you’re willing to spend, I’d reccomend getting him one of the three major game systems out right now, if he doesn’t already have all three. (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox). The Gamecube is $99, the others are $149.

4

My 13 year old brother, and most of the kids around his age group, want money more than any other gift. Sure, it isn’t as personal, but it also allows them to spend it however they want. Or, you could buy him a video game or a CD- if you don’t know which one, get him a gift certificate to a place where he could buy one for himself.

5

Playboy subscription.

Trust me on this.

6

And some like other 15 year old boys.

Actually when I was 15 I liked 16 year old boys. I’ve always had a thing for older men.

7

ipod mini = 220ish with student discount

dell DJ = 200 or something for 20 gigs.

Creative zen = 200 for 20 gigs

don’t get him an archo.

Could you possibly team up with dad for the present?
… damn… I want an ipod =/

8

I think you’re a little behind the times. The internet has created a way for teens to access all the porn they could ever want, for free. Playboy is now obsolete.

How about a chess video game that plays rap music? :slight_smile:

9

Get him one of these.

Useful and high cool factor.

10

Playboy is not obsolete. Far from it. I second the Playboy subscription idea.

(Been a subscriber for many years. Best magazine ever.)

But if you, like Canada, consider Playboy to be porn, get him a gift certificate to a local video game store. Make sure it will cover the full cost of a game with tax and whatever. That way he can get whatever he wants. If you like the idea of immediate playability when he gets the present, try rentals.

As in, give him the certificate as a present. After he thanks you, hand him 3 games you rented for him that morning (or the day before) and explain he can try them out for a couple days before deciding what game he wants to buy.

11

That’s a good idea ^^^
I’ve been given many crap video games because my parents just didn;t know. (Once cause I peed off my brother and he told my parents that I wanted a crap game.)

BTW those leathermen are good knives, but be careful, there are imitation junk brands that fall apart, so get the brand name if you do.

12

I third this. I got my brother this for his birthday. He has loved me every month ever since then. The internet may be nice, but Playboy has pictures they can tear out and take with them to class and such. They also have intresting articles, so says my brother.

13

As a fourteen-year old, I’m inclined to jump on the Playboy bandwagon as well. :smiley: That is, if he hasn’t yet become a connoisseur enough to have a distaste for airbrushing. :wink:
Even that circumstance, I’m sure he’ll enjoy it more than the par-for-the-course gift certificate for the bookstore or suchlike.

Thanks.

14

Sorry, it’s nothing but “Highlights” magazine for you little mister!

15

Hmmmm…thanks to all so far for your contributions, and it’s nice to see you have my brother’s best interests at heart. :wink: However, some comments:

I have nothing against Playboy; in fact, I used to read it regularly (for the articles, really!) My ex had a fair proportion of the editorial staff as clients, and they gave him a free subscription. And I’ll read anything if it’s lying around and I’m having coffee on a Sunday morning, and just about the only other reading material he ever had around the house was on massage techniques (his job).

However, a) for the purpoe of this discussion, I am not going to give my brother magazines with naked women in them; and b) even if I were so inclined, my dad and stepmom would strangle me. (Actually, Dad would probably think "right on!"but well, he’s not the one who wears the pants in that house.)

Gaming systems: his parents have specifically not allowed him to have one. They think a PC is perfectly good for gaming, and that he spends too much of his free time on that stuff anyway. So if there are games under consideration, it will have to be either PC or GameBoy Advance software.

I can’t rent games and then hand them to him; he lives in NY, and I live in Chicago. However, if you want to recommend specific games, feel free, and I’ll ask Dad if he already has them.

Leatherman: I like this idea, but I just got him a really cool Swiss Army knife for Hanukkah (schlepped all the way from Switzerland!), so that seems a bit too similar.

Dad says they may well get him the iPod, so that’s probably out.

I’m not a fan of gift certificates in general - they’re awfully impersonal. But I understand nothing of 15-year-old boys, and he’s in that awful adolescent stage where if you ask him what’s going on, he says “Nothing.” That’s all anyone can get out of him lately.

Anyone feel like thinking outside the box a little bit? He’s also a huge Yankees fan.

16

Why would one do that? Let the other kids get their own porn!

17

Oh, I’d also reccomend both of the two GBA Metroid games: Metroid Zero Mission and Metroid: Fusion. They’re both very good games, and if you buy them used they’re cheap enough to buy both. But if you only want to get one, I personally think Zero Mission is better.

18

What’s his furniture setup? Maybe he’d appreciate a nice new bookshelf or computer stand.

What’re his favorite movies? A framed poster would be really cool.

15 is getting up into that age where clothing is more appreciated on the gift scene. Maybe some really nice boxer shorts?

How about some cologne? If he’s not dating yet, he will be soon. Tips on just how much to use will be scoffed at but secretly appreciated.

19

$50 will usually get you Diablo, Diablo II and the Diablo II Expansion in your typical mass chain store. If he can get online, there’s a massive Diablo II thread in Cafe Society (like, 38 pages now) where he can pick the brains of some of the board’s best players (and me). Online also has Battle.net, where he can play with some of the game’s best (and some total dipsticks).

Thousands of hours of replayability. I got the game two or three years ago and I still play it an hour or so a day if I’m not overly sleepy or busy.

20

My concern here is not what he likes-- you seem to have a pretty good idea. At least, better than my relatives have of what I like. :stuck_out_tongue: What I don’t know is your relationship-- like, there are people I’d happily accept some nice new boxers from, and then there are people whose doing so would be the subject of much dinnertime discussion. :smack:

I’d say some of your safe bets are:
-DVD sets [X-Files, Family Guy, Simpsons, whatever]
-Posters [Movies or bands, as Johnny Bravo recommended
-Headphones for the new iPod [Any good geek knows the earbuds packaged with it suck. I got the Sennheiser PX200s, which seem perfect for your budget]

[Aside: The parents have an odd take on gaming. I’m suprised they’re going with the iPod if he’s survived on burning CDs thus far.]

Thanks! :slight_smile: