Looking again at 2025, the units that left the strongest impression aren’t essentially the flashiest or the most costly—they’re those that perceive how we stay, work, and create. From devices that make on a regular basis duties easy to instruments that assist productiveness and creativity, this yr has proven how considerate engineering and good design could make know-how really feel intuitive moderately than intimidating. The widespread thread throughout all our favourites is practicality assembly type, proving that essentially the most compelling tech isn’t nearly pushing boundaries — it’s about enhancing life in significant, on a regular basis methods.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Category: Smartphones
The no-nonsense flagship
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The refined design on this highly effective, succesful fan favorite feels lighter and extra comfy regardless of the huge 6.9-inch show. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy, paired with 12 GB RAM, it handles all the things from heavy multitasking to gaming with out breaking a sweat. Where it actually pulls forward, although, is productiveness — due to deep Gemini integration, granular UI customisations, sensible AI instruments resembling Live Translate throughout calls and Google Meet, and extra. Add to {that a} versatile quad-camera setup, reliable 5,000 mAh all-day battery life, and the S25 Ultra emerges as essentially the most well-rounded Android flagship of the yr—highly effective, succesful, and genuinely helpful in day-to-day life.
The sexiest new design
Apple iPhone Air
No different smartphone this yr has overhauled design aesthetics the way in which the iPhone Air has. It’s tremendous slim at 6.1 mm skinny and weighs below 165 grams – it’s featherlight but unmistakably premium, with a matte aluminium body and frosted glass again that appears refined, and is unmistakably Apple. The muted color palette, particularly the sunshine gold and cloud white finishes, enhances its minimalist attraction, whereas the expansive 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED show with 120 Hz ProMovement sits seamlessly inside the impossibly slim chassis. In a yr crowded with cumbersome digicam bumps and overdesigned frames or rear panels, the iPhone Air stands out by doing much less, and higher!
The flip you possibly can’t skip!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
This one’s all the time been a head-turner — marrying kind, perform, and on a regular basis usability very well! The standout 4.1-inch Super AMOLED cowl show stretches edge to edge and is not only for glances — you possibly can reply utilizing a full keyboard, run apps resembling Google Maps and YouTube, and even use Interpreter mode with out opening the cellphone. Inside, the 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED show with a 120 Hz refresh fee is vivid, fluid, and a pleasure to make use of. Powering all of it is the Exynos 2500 chip with 12 GB RAM, which delivers clean efficiency with out heating points, whereas the bigger 4,300 mAh battery comfortably lasts a full day. Add to that reliable 50 MP cameras that profit from Flex Mode taking pictures, sensible Galaxy AI instruments baked into day by day workflows, an IP48 ranking, and Samsung’s promise of seven years of updates, and the Flip 7 emerges as essentially the most full, assured, and genuinely usable flip cellphone you should buy this yr.
The solely side during which our different favorite — the Moto Razr 60 Ultra — has an edge over the Samsung Flip is that we will immediately play video video games on the quilt display with the Moto, a characteristic that Samsung didn’t have on the time of assessment.
The creator’s favorite
iPhone 17 Pro
The iPhone 17 Pro (& Pro Max) continues to be the go-to for content material creators as a result of it stays one of the dependable, polished instruments for taking pictures, enhancing, and publishing content material straight from a smartphone. The triple 48 MP digicam system, together with the brand new tetraprism telephoto, delivers constant color science and reliable outcomes throughout extensive, ultra-wide, and zoomed photographs, whereas options resembling Dual Capture now make it particularly interesting for vloggers who wish to keep on digicam whereas filming their environment. The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR show with 120 Hz ProMovement and three,000 nits peak brightness makes framing, reviewing, and enhancing footage outside easy, and the A19 Pro chip handles 4K video enhancing easily. Add to that the upgraded 18 MP Center Stage entrance digicam, sturdy battery life even on heavy taking pictures days, and Apple’s tightly built-in ecosystem for enhancing and sharing, and the iPhone 17 Pro stands out as a creator-friendly gadget that additionally provides nice workflow effectivity.
Category: Audio units
The audiophile’s go-to
Sennheiser HDB 630
These headphones come closest to delivering a real reference-grade listening expertise in a wi-fi kind . Unlike bass-forward rivals, it prioritises a impartial, well-balanced sound signature with glorious separation, a large soundstage, and tonal accuracy that stays devoted to the unique combine. The inclusion of the BTD 700 USB-C dongle unlocks high-quality codecs resembling aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, making wi-fi hi-res audio genuinely worthwhile. Options for USB-C and analogue wired playback as much as 24-bit/96 okHz add versatility to listening choices. Features resembling customisable EQ, cross-feed, refined ANC, and the promise of 60-hour battery life additional strengthen its audiophile credentials. In a market dominated by convenience-first flagships, the HDB 630 stands out for placing sound constancy, management, and adaptability first, making it essentially the most compelling selection for discerning listeners in 2025.
The finest buds to plug in
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The solely factor we didn’t love concerning the newest AirPods Pro is how related the audio high quality is to that of the earlier technology. Which by itself, isn’t a draw back as a result of the acoustics on the AirPods Pro 2 are stellar!
With class-leading Active Noise Cancellation that’s noticeably more practical than the earlier technology, richer and extra spacious sound powered by Apple’s H2 chip, and high-definition Spatial Audio with dynamic head monitoring, these ship an immersive listening expertise. Add to that the genuinely revolutionary upgrades resembling coronary heart fee sensing throughout exercises and Live Translation make it laborious to discover a competitor to match this available in the market. Also, with improved name readability and a dependable 8-hour battery life with ANC on, this one’s a simple winner.
Category: Laptops & Tablets
The gamer’s final wingman
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 delivers uncompromising, next-gen efficiency precisely the place it issues most — uncooked energy, visible fluidity, and sustained stability below strain. With Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (175 W), it powers by means of fashionable AAA titles and aggressive shooters alike, whereas the 16-inch Nebula HDR mini-LED show with 240 Hz refresh fee, G-Sync, and 100 per cent DCI-P3 protection ensures each body seems to be sharp, clean, and colour-accurate. Thoughtful touches, resembling tool-less RAM and SSD upgrades, superior cooling with a vapour chamber and liquid metallic, and a keyboard tuned for quick and exact inputs, make it a machine constructed not simply to carry out, however to endure lengthy gaming periods. Heavy, costly, and power-hungry although it’s, the Strix Scar 16 earns its place in 2025 by being the form of no-compromise ally critical players need at their facet.
The on a regular basis laptop computer perfected
ASUS Zenbook A14
We selected the ASUS Zenbook A14 as a prime contender for an all-rounder Windows laptop computer as a result of it nails the stability that the majority ultraportables wrestle to realize — excessive portability with out compromising on a regular basis efficiency. At simply 980 grams, it’s effortlessly gentle, but the 14-inch Lumina OLED show, glorious keyboard, and Snapdragon X efficiency make it genuinely succesful for actual work, not simply travel-friendly duties. Add to that excellent two-day battery life, a compact quick charger, and considerate AI options baked into Windows, and also you get a laptop computer that feels fashionable, responsive, and future-ready. While not flawless, the Zenbook A14 stands out in a crowded area by delivering a uncommon mixture of consolation, effectivity, and endurance, making it considered one of our favorite laptops this yr.
The pill all the time!
OnePlus Pad 3
This one earns its spot as the perfect all-rounder pill with out burning a gap in your pocket! The OnePlus Pad 3 strikes a reasonably satisfying stability between efficiency, show, battery and worth. Its huge 13.2-inch LCD show with 144 Hz refresh fee makes motion pictures, animations, and video games look seamless, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with as much as 16 GB RAM ensures clean multitasking, gaming, and artistic work. The 12,140 mAh battery retains you powered for over a day of blended use, and the eight-speaker setup delivers punchy, well-rounded audio for leisure. Sleek design, stable software program optimisations resembling OxygenOS 15, and elective equipment such because the Smart Keyboard make it versatile for each work and play, providing a premium pill expertise at a value that’s much more accessible than flagship opponents.
The smartwatch that received us over!
Google Pixel Watch 4
The Google Pixel Watch 4 has shortly change into our favorite smartwatch due to its good combine of fashion, performance and battery endurance. Its curved AMOLED show is each elegant and sensible, providing crisp visuals and simple readability from any angle. Powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor, the watch handles day by day duties, notifications, and health monitoring with clean effectivity, whereas Gemini AI makes interactions with the watch intuitive and responsive. Health and exercise monitoring are thorough and dependable, protecting coronary heart fee, sleep, and a variety of exercises. What actually units it aside is the long-lasting battery – a key characteristic that the majority premium smartwatches nonetheless fall quick on. The watch simply provides two days of monitoring, whereas continually linked to the web, and with frequent display-on time all through the day!
Published on December 24, 2025