Does he like to read at all? There's a bunch of very popular series out for that age in a range of reading levels and interests. Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, anything by Rick Riordan, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Wings of Fire, etc. Some are more graphic novel style, which is really popular with kids that age.
My soon-to-be 12 yr old DS wants a soft, cozy blanket (he wants Harry Potter themed), crazy socks, hoodies or pj's (especially with graphics tied to his interests) and good headphones. He also likes "experience" gifts - a trip to the movies, mini-golf, laser tag, ice skating...anything like that with a friend is a huge hit. His grandparents gave him a subscription to Tinker Crate last year and he loved that.