Iterative innovation was a big theme in tech this year — a lot of our favorite gadgets simply got better. That’s certainly not a bad thing, as everything from the iPhone 14’s improved camera and safety features to the truly remarkable noise cancellation of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 contributes to everyday life. Our day is a little better. We also dived into virtual reality for the first time with a headset that emerged as the clear winner and spent countless hours gaming picking out the best gaming monitors and controllers to play with. like a professional.
After another year of rigorously testing all the latest tech products to help you find what’s really worth buying, here are the big winners in every category.
Best smartphone overall
The iPhone 14 is the best new iPhone for most people, especially if you’re on an iPhone 12 or later. Those willing to invest in a more significant upgrade should opt for the iPhone 14 Pro.
Best Android Smartphone
If you prefer Android, then the Galaxy S22 (or the larger S22+) is the way to go. These phones offer beautiful displays, long battery life, great cameras, and some of the best performance we’ve ever had on a smartphone. Plus, these phones look great, with glass and metal textures available in four attractive colors.
Best budget smartphone
If you’re looking to spend under $500, there’s nothing better than the Google Pixel 6a. This sleek phone has the same speedy Google Tensor processor as the more expensive Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, offers all-day battery life, and gives you a smooth Android experience with no bloatware. annoying.
Best smartwatch overall
For those still using Apple Watch Series 4 or later, the Series 8 is a great upgrade and also a good choice for first-time smartwatch buyers. With a familiar feel, the Series 8 has great performance, beautiful design, and lots of new features.
Best Android smartwatch
The Galaxy Watch 5 is the best Android smartwatch for most people, offering long battery life, good performance, and plenty of fitness tracking capabilities.
The best true wireless earbuds for Apple users
The AirPods Pro 2 are the best they can be for Apple users, offering some of the best sound, controllability, and active noise cancellation you can find in a pair of headphones. Existing AirPods Pro owners don’t need to rush out and upgrade, but others will enjoy.
The best true wireless earphones for Android users
The $199 Sony LinkBuds S offers stellar sound, strong noise cancellation, and Sony’s truly intelligent Adaptive Audio Control to tailor performance to your surroundings. LinkBuds S is a good choice for Android users, with support for LDAC high-resolution audio, and they work well with iOS as well.
The best true wireless noise canceling headphones
The Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones deliver the best noise cancellation you can get in a headset, along with great sound, so if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the world around you while traveling, office room or at home without resorting to large over-ear headphones, This is the way to go.
The best headphones for running and outdoor workouts
Shokz OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones don’t sound as good as closed-ear headphones like Beats Fit Probut we love them for running and hiking because they let you hear your surroundings as clearly as if you didn’t need to wear headphones.
The best wireless over-ear headphones overall
The Sony WH-1000XM5 improves on the XM4, with a slimmer design and refined noise-cancelling microphone — these are the best Bluetooth headphones you can buy right now. XM4 owners have little reason to upgrade, but for anyone else, the XM5 are the high-end headphones to have.
The best over-ear wireless headphones for audiophiles
This latest update to Bowers & Wilkins’ Bluetooth flagship delivers superb sound and superb build quality in a package that will appeal to those looking for the ultimate in sound quality in a headset. wireless.
The best budget over-ear wireless headphones
The 1More SonoFlow wireless over-ear headphones sound better and have more effective noise cancellation than anything we’ve tested at this low price point. If you want all these features on a budget, look no further.
Best laptop overall
The MacBook Air M2 is Apple’s best laptop for most people, perfect for everyday multitasking and can handle lots of games and video editing. It’s the fastest laptop you can get for your money, and a particularly big upgrade if you’re using an Intel-powered Mac.
The best Windows laptop
The Dell XPS 13 is the best Windows laptop you can buy, offering a gorgeous display, great keyboard, and long battery life in a slim, attractive design that’s easy to take anywhere.
Best performance
The iPad Pro M2 is the best tablet available for serious creators who want the power of a laptop and the versatility of a touchscreen. It’s one of the most powerful machines we’ve ever tested, outstripping any tablet we’ve ever tested — and some laptops.
Best Android Tablets
The Galaxy Tab S8+ impresses with a vivid, clear display that’s great for playing and has plenty of power for almost anything, from drawing to video calling. And it works great with the rest of Samsung’s Galaxy products.
Best budget tablet
The latest Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a great affordable option for kids or anyone who needs a simple device to read and watch shows. It’s perfect if you need an extra piece of equipment in your home or when you’re traveling or on vacation by car.
Overall best indoor home security camera
Arlo’s Essential Indoor Security Cameras are built with privacy in mind, are easy to install and inexpensive, with a monthly hosting plan. The video quality is top, the motion alerts are quick and the sound is great.
The best indoor home security camera on a budget
Ring’s Indoor Cam isn’t just cute and affordable — it’s also an impressive performer, with sharp video and precise motion alerts. Its small footprint allows it to fit anywhere, and it has deep integration with Amazon’s Alexa platform and Ring’s home security products.
The best HomeKit indoor security cameras
Logitech Circle View has wide viewing angles, sharp video, and solid built-in security features. It’s been around for a few years, but it’s still the best camera for Apple households.
Best wired outdoor security camera overall
Ring’s Floodlight Cam Wired Plus gives you a complete outdoor security camera package. It has floodlights with ample brightness, easy setup, solid video and audio quality, and motion alerts that keep you up to date with what’s going on around your home.
The best wireless outdoor security camera
Arlo’s Essential Spotlight Camera runs on batteries, records 1080p video, can be installed almost anywhere around your home, and is one of the most affordable cameras we’ve tested.
The best outdoor security camera without registration
True to its name, Eufy’s Headlight Camera 2 shoots great-looking 2K video, has bright headlights and, best of all, has internal storage that means you don’t need to sign up to watch recent clips.
Best HomeKit-compatible outdoor security cameras
Apple HomeKit fans don’t have too many options when it comes to outdoor cameras, but the Eve Outdoor Cam offers full HomeKit Secure Video integration, efficient lighting, solid video quality, and reliable activity notifications. .
The best VR headset for PC gamers
An exceptional audio/visual package, the Valve Index is a PC-based VR headset, thanks to its excellent “knuckle” controls and loads of great software on SteamVR. It certainly helps that the excellent Half-Life: Alyx is included for free.
Best budget VR headset for PC gamers
PC gamers who aren’t satisfied with the Valve Index and higher price tag of the HTC Vive Pro 2 and want something more powerful than the Meta Quest 2 should try HP’s Reverb G2. Expect an easier setup than other PC options, besides the impressively high resolution per eye.
Best VR headset for PlayStation owners
Until PlayStation VR 2 launches in 2023, the original PSVR was a great choice for PS4 and PS5 owners looking to get into VR. From impressive first-party titles to a handy cinema mode for playing non-VR games and movies in a cinema-like setting, there’s still a lot to appreciate with this headset.
The most versatile VR headset
Featuring a high resolution of 2448 x 2448 per eye in a truly comfortable design, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is a worthy choice for those on a tight budget. Unlike its PC-based competitors, the Vive Pro 2 offers add-ons like body tracking and wireless functionality—if you’re willing to pay the extra fee.
Best 1440p gaming monitor
For gamers who don’t have the best looking system — and that’s a lot of us — the 27-inch Alienware delivers great performance, with a better mix of color accuracy and response times. faster than any other monitor we tested.
The best 4K gaming monitor
Asus’ flagship 4K monitor has the best picture quality we’ve tested, along with incredibly low input lag — it’s expensive, but it’s the best gaming monitor we’ve found and is for Serious gamers can invest, which is the one to get.
Best ultrawide gaming monitor
With incredible visuals and blazing-fast performance, this ultra-wide OLED display from Dell delivers the fastest response times in our testing and will delight any gamer looking for an immersive typing experience. shoulder.
Best 1080p gaming monitor
For gamers on a budget — especially fans of first-person shooters — this small monitor with excellent color accuracy, HDR support, and a fast 360Hz refresh rate really effective.
The best PC controller in general
The excellent ergonomics, build quality, and near-universal compatibility of the Xbox Wireless Controller make it the best controller for any type of PC game.
The best PlayStation-style PC controller
The DualShock 4 remains one of the most comfortable controllers you can buy (especially if you like the PlayStation-style layout), and its motion controls and trackpad can be used in a number of ways. neat for PC games.
Best budget PC controller
The PowerA-enhanced wired controller feels almost as good as the core Xbox keyboard at a fraction of the price, and packs in useful programmable buttons that even the more expensive options don’t. yes.
The best premium wireless PC controller
With a rugged, rugged design, plenty of replaceable components, and lots of software customization options, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller is the best choice for competitive gamers or those ready to go. willing to pay for maximum comfort and durability.
