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Engadget’s 2025 roundup names its highest-rated reviewed product in each category, with scores and editorial reasons to choose—or skip—each one. It is a category-by-category shortlist, not a single ranking across products that serve very different needs.
How Engadget chose its 2025 winners
Engadget says the picks are based on the highest review scores it gave in each category, with editors explaining the choices. The publication also says its team performs “well over 100 in-depth product tests” each year; that figure is Engadget’s description of its own review output, not an independently audited count. The roundup was updated December 15, 2025, and its scores are editorial ratings out of 100—not a direct measure of value or a guarantee that a product is right for every buyer.
Engadget’s own caveat is especially important for phones: “While it’s hard to compare an iOS device directly to an Android one, it was clear the Pixel had the advantage thanks to its AI features that are actually helpful.” — Cherlynn Low, Managing Editor, Engadget. [Engadget]
Phones and computers
| Category | Engadget’s pick | Score | Why it stood out | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall phone | Google Pixel 10 Pro | 94/100 | Camera versatility, useful software and AI features including Add Me, Camera Coach and Magic Cue; premium build, battery life and Qi2/Pixelsnap support. | No wireless powersharing; full-resolution image processing can be slower; US models are eSIM-only. |
| Best iPhone | Apple iPhone 17 Pro | 93/100 | A19 Pro chip, vapor chamber, triple 48MP rear cameras, Center Stage selfie camera, battery life and aluminum construction. | Expensive, and it scored below the Pixel in Engadget’s overall phone category. |
| Best foldable | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 88/100 | Thin, light construction, an 8-inch inner display, Snapdragon 8 Elite, camera and battery. | High price, no S Pen support and mediocre charging speeds. |
| Best laptop | Apple MacBook Air M4 | 92/100 | M4 performance, a thin and light design, keyboard, touchpad, battery life and silent fanless operation. | Limited ports, a 60Hz display and heat constraints during demanding workloads. |
| Best Windows laptop | Dell 14 Premium | 91/100 | Slim design, battery life, keyboard and touchpad, with optional OLED/touch configurations and discrete graphics. | Capacitive buttons may divide users; the optional discrete GPU is an older generation. |
| Best gaming laptop | Acer Predator Triton 14 AI | 90/100 | A 3.5-pound, 0.71-inch chassis, OLED screen, useful ports, optional RTX 5070 GPU and a touchpad that works with the included stylus. | Price and speaker placement are drawbacks. |
| Best desktop | Apple Mac Studio M4 Max | 91/100 | Creator-app performance and local AI workloads, with six USB-C ports including four Thunderbolt ports, plus HDMI and Ethernet. | Upgrades are expensive; on the M4 Max model, front USB-C ports are slower. |
How to choose between the phone picks
The Pixel is Engadget’s overall winner, while the iPhone is its separate pick for people who want an iPhone. Treat the scores as the publication’s review judgments, not as evidence that one operating system is universally better. Weigh ecosystem compatibility, camera features, software you will actually use, battery and price against your own priorities.
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Match a computer to the workload
The MacBook Air is the portable, fanless choice in this group, but its display refresh rate and ports are compromises for some users. Dell’s pick gives Windows users optional OLED and graphics configurations. The Acer is specifically a gaming-laptop choice, while the Mac Studio targets creator and local-computing workloads. Compare the actual configuration, weight, screen, ports and workload performance—not just the category label.
Wearables, tablets and gaming
| Category | Engadget’s pick | Score | Why it stood out | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best smartwatch | Apple Watch Series 11 | 90/100 | Improved battery life, watchOS 26, hypertension notifications, wrist-flick gesture and close iPhone integration. | Price; Engadget says many users may be better served by Watch SE 3. Android users should look at Google or Samsung watches. |
| Best tablet | Apple iPad Air M3, 13-inch | 89/100 | Balances performance and price for common tasks and creative work; pairs with Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. | 60Hz LED display, no Face ID and extra cost for accessories. |
| Best gaming handheld | Nintendo Switch 2 | 93/100 | Larger 7.9-inch HDR LCD, improved performance and storage, kickstand and magnetic Joy-Con attachment. | Battery life, dock port count, price and no TV-connected VRR. |
For a watch, tablet or handheld, compatibility and use case matter as much as the rating: check phone ecosystem, comfort, game library, portability, display, battery and accessory costs.
Audio and accessories
| Category | Engadget’s pick | Score | Why it stood out | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best headphones | Sony WH-1000XM6 | 94/100 | Sound, active noise cancellation, fit, automatic sound adjustment and feature breadth. | Higher price, imperfect Speak-to-Chat and weak calls in loud settings. |
| Best earbuds | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | 90/100 | ANC, sound, transparency, Live Translation, hearing-health features, battery per charge and foam-infused tips. | Some users may need to adjust fit; total battery life is lower than before, and launch language support was limited. |
| Best wireless mouse | Logitech MX Master 4 | 87/100 | Revised finish and scroll wheels, haptic panel, Actions Ring, multi-device pairing and battery life of more than two months per charge, as reported by Engadget. | Size and handedness may not suit everyone; 125Hz polling, no onboard memory and no receiver storage. |
| Best charging accessory | Anker Laptop Power Bank (25k, 165W) | 92/100 | 25,000mAh capacity, two built-in USB-C cables, screen readouts and a stated capacity below TSA’s 100Wh limit. | Engadget noted that the display scuffs. |
Headphones and earbuds are not interchangeable for every listener: compare fit, noise cancellation, call quality, phone compatibility and battery. For the mouse and power bank, consider hand fit, ports, portability and how you will use the readouts or built-in cables.
Components, cameras and drones
| Category | Engadget’s pick | Score | Why it stood out | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D | 90/100 | 16 cores, 4.3GHz base clock, 5.7GHz boost clock and 144MB combined L2/L3 cache; aimed at gaming and creation. | High price. The roundup’s cache comparison is attributed to AMD, not an independently verified benchmark. |
| Best GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 85/100 | Positioned as a 4K gaming card with DLSS 4 upscaling and frame generation; Engadget compared it favorably with the RTX 4070 Ti. | Engadget cited a $750 MSRP context in the historical article and warned that price and stock fluctuate; that is not a current quote. |
| Best drone | DJI Neo 2 | 94/100 | Prop guards, LiDAR and omnidirectional sensing, gesture controls, 49GB storage, longer battery life and 4K capture up to 100fps. | Engadget identified lack of US availability as the biggest issue at publication; current regional availability may differ. |
| Best camera | Sony A1 II | 88/100 | 50MP stacked sensor, 9.44-million-dot EVF, 8.5 stops of in-body stabilization, dual SD-UHS II/CFexpress slots, RAW bursts up to 30fps and high-resolution video. | The roundup listed $6,998 at publication; it is not a current price quote. |
| Best smart glasses | Ray-Ban Meta, second generation | 87/100 | Design, camera, open-ear speakers, Meta AI, battery and video quality. | Smart glasses will not suit everyone; prescription lenses add cost, and privacy concerns are understandable. |
For PC parts, evaluate the intended workload and the complete system cost rather than treating a CPU or GPU score as a standalone buying answer. For imaging gear, balance sensor and video capability against stabilization, sensing, controls, portability and regional availability.
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Home, kitchen and vehicle picks
| Category | Engadget’s pick | Score | Why it stood out | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best home theater | Anker Nebula X1 | 90/100 | Three-laser 4K projector rated at 3,500 ANSI lumens, Dolby Vision HDR, built-in speakers and Google TV. | No Dolby Atmos. The roundup described a roughly $3,000 price at publication; verify the product configuration and current price. |
| Best kitchen appliance | Ninja Swirl by Creami | 91/100 | Soft-serve dispensing, ice cream settings, and options for milkshakes and fruit whips. | Larger and more expensive than the original Creami; no deluxe-sized model. |
| Best kitchen accessory | ThermoWorks RFX | 92/100 | Wi-Fi wireless food probe, separate ambient sensor, IP69K rating and stated tolerance up to 1,000°F; starter-kit Gateway supports over 50 probes. | Bluetooth connectivity was not ready, and the kit lacked a case. |
| Best EV | 2026 Nissan Leaf | 90/100 | Engadget described up to 300 miles of range, updated design and infotainment. | The article’s starting price of around $30,000 and range are publication-time claims; check current configuration, pricing and range details. |
For home and kitchen equipment, account for setup, space, cleaning, accessories and total cost. An advertised specification does not by itself settle whether a projector, appliance or probe fits your room, cooking habits or budget.
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Engadget named Proton VPN its best VPN. In the publication’s 2025 review test, it reported retaining 88% of starting download speed and 98% of upload speed. The article also reported servers in 117 countries and a free plan without a data cap. These are publication-time review claims, not current performance guarantees or a promise about today’s plan terms. Compare current coverage, features, free-plan limitations and subscription terms before choosing.
What the scores and shopping links do—and do not—tell you
The scores make it easy to identify Engadget’s category leaders, but they are not directly comparable across unlike products, and a higher number is not necessarily the better purchase for your needs. Check the stated drawbacks, your ecosystem and workload, configuration, regional availability and current price before buying.
Engadget disclosed: “We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.” The roundup’s shopping links and disclosure do not establish current stock, pricing or affiliate terms. Verify those details with the seller before purchase.
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