The best new gadgets right now

If I could, and if physics would let me, I would happily fly away on my Zephyr(us). From the time I opened the box on the newly-redesigned ROG Zephyrus G14 to finally sitting down to write this review, I was constantly surprised by all the ways I liked the Asus-owned brand’s pint-sized gaming laptop. For somebody who has long considered 16 inches the best form factor for a laptop, gaming or otherwise, 14 inches never felt so grand (get out your chuckles now). — Kyle Barr Read More

Do you never want to go back into the office again? We created a list that would make anybody’s work-from-home setup so ergonomic, comfortable, and so convenient it will make you want to avoid ever stepping into an office again. Those currently in an office can instead stare at this list with a burning jealousy. — Kyle Barr Read More

I tried to wear the OnePlus Watch 2 for a short weekend workout but couldn’t. The watch is too big for me and too dense. It’s not just me, either; I asked my partner if his wrists would be interested in trying on the smartwatch, and he rejected it after seeing the relatively ginormous 47mm display. “That’s way too big for me. You know that’s why I hate wearing a watch.” — Florence Ion Read More

Since Alienware first unveiled its Aurora R16 last year, I’ve been jonesing to see it in person. The brand had been synonymous with high-end, though strange—often polarizing designs for a while now. Previous Auroras under the so-called “Legend 2” Design had a raised effect, with an odd conical front panel that seemed to come off a starship’s steering apparatus that wasn’t actually designed for human hands. It was certainly unique, but it was also cumbersome and overly large for a mid-range tower. — Kyle Barr Read More

The OnePlus Buds 3 offers a lot for its price. They’re a decent budget-friendly pick unless you’re a big bass fan. The sound feels nicely layered, and the ANC is powerful enough to silence everyone on the subway. Unless I’m to blame for having extraordinarily small ears (which isn’t true), I wish they fit more snugly. You might find the design a little boring, but at $100, I’m not complaining too much. — Dua Rashid Read More

If you like vaporware and looking at phones and gadgets you’ll never own, then Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the trade show for you. This week’s annual menagerie revealed new devices like the TCL Nxtpaper 14 and a working model of Motorola’s rolling phone display. Other brands—namely Samsung—used the venue to tease us about a product that likely won’t see the light of day until much later this year. We also caught a glimpse of Lenovo’s new see-through ThinkBook concept laptop. — Florence Ion Read More

If you’re like me, your desktop monitor often does double duty as a TV. The Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 4K gaming OLED, released last year, wants to be that and look good while doing it. — Jorge Jimenez Read More

I did not have Lenovo rolling out the red carpet for see-through laptops on my bingo card, but here we are. I saw the ThinkBook transparent display concept laptop in person a few weeks ago. I didn’t get to do much with it besides touching it, though I did get to sit there and imagine devices soon looking like they did in the six-season run of The Expanse. Lenovo’s ThinkBook is not it, however, and you’ll want to keep reminding yourself this is conceptual when you look at my photos in a bit. — Florence Ion Read More

Sometimes, or–hell–most of the time, you need something simple to remind you of life’s simple pleasures. The newly-announced X100VI camera from Fujifilm can capture some of those golden moments with some impressive depth of color. Still, the $1,600 digital camera and the return of the still-popular X100 lineup itself feels like a small treasure, one that’s both nostalgic and fully capable of capturing the small moments in full detail. If single-lens, faux physical, and all digital are your preferred ways to shoot, the X100VI has a lot going for it, especially with the new touted 40 MP sensor. — Kyle Barr Read More

I don’t like big phones. They are cumbersome to carry, they don’t fit into most of my size of pockets or purses, and I’m constantly dropping them. I wasn’t made for larger phones. But I can’t deny that they have their advantages. The bigger the phone you go, the longer the battery you’ll have so you can watch TV and chortle on the train. Plus, most of the latest large phones have extra photography capabilities you won’t get with a small phone, like the ability to zoom in at a farther distance. — Florence Ion Read More

Aging is rough. I often joke to my friends that I’m perimenopausal, though I don’t have an official diagnosis. I do have all these new symptoms that have shown up since birthing my child four years ago that have been confirmed by my primary care physician as being part of the journey, as they say. My constantly fluctuating body temperature is the latest ailment, causing me to make adjustments. I mean, I always knew that being in an ovulating meat suit told that it was par for the course, but as I near 40, I feel like I’m physically embodying the idea of “night sweats” for at least a week every month. — Florence Ion Read More

World-renowned audio maker Bose is known for its quality audio and industry-standard active noise cancelation technology. But instead of coasting on its many accolades, the company is jumping onto the bleeding edge of audio with the new Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. The earbuds sport a daring, innovative design, offering all-day comfort and nearly eight hours of battery life with clear, balanced, and 3D audio. — Sherri L. Smith Read More

The Razer Blade 16, long the north star of gaming laptops emphasizing portability and power, is prettier (and far more expensive) than ever before. This latest laptop refresh also makes it clear that Razer is keen to sit back on its bed of laurels, and that’s not necessarily good news for somebody like me who wants to get the most out of a laptop that costs more than twice my monthly salary. — Kyle Barr Read More

I had just 30 minutes to test out Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset. Others who received a review unit from Apple or purchased one themselves have spent a week or more with it by this point. We’ve seen a lot of interesting use cases for the headset and an equal number of people hawking dumb and potentially dangerous Vision Pro clips for clicks. The latter has gotten so notorious they’ve been dubbed “Vision Bros.” After my short stint in Apple’s new, beautiful, and very impressive “spatial” environment, I’m not sure if there’s any reason for anybody who doesn’t have thousands of bucks to burn or a burning need for fleeting internet fame should ever consider owning one. — Kyle Barr Read More

The dawn of the “AI PC” is here, and every major PC maker from Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and more is throwing around laptops, claiming this is a true revolution in how we will use our computers. Should you believe the hype? No, not quite, but does AI make our standard laptop design a bit smoother? Yes, though mostly on paper. — Kyle Barr Read More

When the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs square off at the Super Bowl LVIII set for Feb. 11 at 6:30 ET, you’ll be able to watch it on CBS and even Nickelodeon if you’re really in demand of a kid-friendly, slime-covered Bubble Bowl, of sorts. However, if you’re the type who wants to make the day as memorable as possible, you’ll need food. You’ll need friends. And you’ll need stuff. Unfortunately, if you’re like me and you live in a small, two-bedroom apartment, the one thing you can’t necessarily get more of is space. — Kyle Barr Read More

HP recently released an interesting all-in-one that trades in performance and power for portability and ease of use. The pitch for the HP Envy Move All-in-One is that it’s a PC you can take with you anywhere without having to plug it into anything. While it is a novel idea, does that justify the steep $1200 price? Not if you’re looking for serious performance. — Dua Rashid Read More