5 Tech Gadgets I Didn’t Expect to Get So Much Love in 2025 (Including Surprising Earbuds)

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a favorite source On Google.

This year has been very good for technology lovers and enthusiasts. We’ve seen thinner and lighter foldable phones, smart glasses increasingly common, and some quality of life improvements in flagship audio gear. I tested at least a few dozen products, but there were exactly five devices, including smartphones and earbuds, that surprised me in the best possible way.

Also: 9 tech gadgets I can’t live without in 2025 (and the ones that fit best in my pocket)

I went in with low expectations due to their predecessors or weaker rivals in the category, but after the review period I enjoyed using them. Instead of sitting in a drawer after my testing, I found myself living with these five gadgets for a long time. here’s why:

1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

i stuck with it galaxy z fold 7 Despite its limitations, for a few months. That’s because this is the Samsung foldable I’ve been wanting for a long time. The last three generations were minimal iterations of galaxy z fold 3I was blown away in the first week of my review period, thanks to Samsung and Qualcomm’s optimizations on the chipset. I didn’t expect the 4,400mAh cell to last so long on a single charge.

Plus: The 5 Most Innovative Tech Products We Tested This Year (Including a Triple Surprise)

galaxy z fold 7 The 2025 is my favorite foldable phone thanks to its lightweight design and intuitive user interface. It feels like a regular phone in the hand, and One UI 8.0 remains as smooth as ever even when multitasking. Although I wish the phone had a bigger battery and a better telephoto camera, it does a good job as a reliable all-rounder.

2. Huawei FreeClips 2 Earbuds

The only open-ear earbuds I use often meta ray-ban – Because they look so good. I didn’t want to have to carry another pair of open earbuds with my ANC headphones, but the Huawei FreeClips 2 made sure I did. They are stylish, light weight and look great.

There have been instances where I forgot that I have been wearing them for hours because they are so comfortable. These earbuds not only sound great in their class but also look beautiful while doing so.

Also: Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs. Sony WH-1000XM6: I tried the two best ANC headphones, and this pair wins

The FreeClips 2 are a fashion accessory that clips onto your ear, with the speaker part sitting right outside your ear canal without actually touching it. They have an impressive bass response for the size, and you also get tactile controls on the stem to play/pause music, increase/decrease volume, and more. They are compatible with Huawei phones and Apple iPhones, but not Android devices.

3. RedMagic 11 Pro is almost too good for me

The RedMagic 11 Pro’s stunning design and under-display selfie camera compelled me to stick with it even after the review period. It offers many interesting design options in the now boring slab phone market. The RedMagic 11 Pro is also one of the few phones with a seamless full-screen experience and a completely flat back panel, with no camera protrusions.

Too: I switched to Android with liquid cooling for a week – now I wish every phone had it

You get the usual apprehensions of shoulder trigger buttons, high refresh rate screens and big batteries on gaming phones, but the new RedMagic device has a unique liquid cooling trick. It is the first mass-market smartphone with a functional liquid cooling system that is visible to the user.

The 11 Pro has a blue liquid cooling system in the center, which forms a circle under the glass. I may not love its cameras, and the UI is a bit much, but the fancy but pocketable design and powerful capabilities make it my new favorite gaming phone.

4. 360-degree action cameras are legit

I didn’t know I needed a 360 action camera until I started using it. In mid-2025, I was attracted to the new Insta360 X5Thanks to its better battery life, sleek design, and easy-to-edit apps. I can record just about anything and edit it in post to get either a 360-degree view or more traditional POV footage.

I switched to gopro max 2 Later in the year I became interested in color science. After playing for a week, I realized it was like carrying a gopro hero 13 And a 360 camera in one device. Both of these action cameras allowed me to get POVs that were impossible to get from a phone – and made my trips more memorable in the process.

5. Poco F8 Ultra is considered to have the best audio

Poco F8 Ultra is the best sounding phone of this year. Its Sound by Bose partnership took me by surprise. The F8 Ultra added a speaker to its back to ensure that I use a regular slab phone instead of my folding phone for content consumption.

Also: The 40 Best Products We Tested in 2025: Editors’ Choices for Phones, TVs, AI, and More

Poco’s F8 Ultra is equipped with three speakers: a top and bottom speaker, as well as an additional Bose-branded subwoofer located alongside the rear camera module. This allows for full 2.1 stereo output, which adds a pleasant amount of depth and bass to the audio. This speaker setup has a denim-like finish on the back that looks like a pair of jeans. I love the in-hand feel and audio capabilities of the Poco F8 Ultra.