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Welcome to ZDNET’s Best of 2025 Awards, our annual celebration of the year’s top-performing gadgets and gizmos, from 100-inch TVs to smart rings to AI chatbots that help you get more done.
Over the past 12 months, our team has unboxed, benchmarked, dropped, dunked, and doom-scrolled hundreds of devices. We’ve worn dozens of smart glasses in an attempt to understand the next frontier of mobile technology — while making face-worn geekery cool again. We’ve tested headphones with enough noise-canceling noise to block out the sound of a jet engine (and, sometimes, our own editors argue about the brightness). We’ve talked to so many AI assistants that we remember each one by voice.
Also: The 10 most popular gadgets this year (including a surprise pick), according to thousands of readers
But amid the flood of “Pro,” “Ultra,” and “Max” monikers, true innovation often lay quietly in the background. The winners listed below are not simply details on a single sheet; These are the devices that survived our challenge in real-world tests. These are the gadgets our writers and editors recommend with confidence.
Here is the full list of our 2025 winners:
best smartphone
This year’s selections address the most significant pain points of past generations. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 differentiates itself with a reimagined chassis; At just 4.2mm thin when unfolded, it offers a standard tablet experience without any bulk, while the advanced 200MP main sensor finally brings flagship photography to a foldable form factor.
Also: The best phones to buy in 2025
The iPhone 17 “Pro” was a sleeper hit among Apple’s flashier-than-usual 2025 lineup for democratizing features, getting a 120Hz ProMotion display and a dedicated telephoto lens, making it the most attractive base iPhone in years.
While released at the end of the year, oppo find x9 pro Receives an award for its optical engineering, with a 200MP telephoto sensor that our reviewers found produces flawless clarity at 10x magnification (with a mountable Hasselblad lens), setting a new benchmark for mobile telephotography.
best laptop
This year’s winners focused on exceptional performance. lenovo thinkpad
The Alienware 18 Area 51 serves as a true desktop replacement, using an 18-inch display and advanced thermal headroom to maintain high frame rates without throttling.
Also: Best Laptops of 2025
Meanwhile, the MacBook Air M4 continues to be the leader in efficiency, now featuring hardware-accelerated ray tracing, enabling gaming performance without compromising its already impressive battery life.
best ai
Generative AI has entered professional workflows, and companies are opening up new and deeper ways to use the technology. Codex is the premier tool for developers, as ZDNET’s David Gewirtz can attest, offering advanced code generation and debugging with improved accuracy.
OpenAI’s Sora 2 has refined AI video generation, allowing creators to create photorealistic B-roll clips suitable for production use.
Also: Best AI Chatbots of 2025
Meanwhile, Apple continued to expand its Live Translation feature in new products like the AirPods Pro 3, integrating real-time, offline translation directly into the operating system, enabling seamless cross-language communication without the need for third-party apps.
best tv
The focus in home theater this year was on processing, extreme brightness and a splash of AI. The Sony Bravia 8 II set records in image processing and color accuracy in ZDNET’s Louisville test lab, using the XR chip to upscale low-bitrate streaming content with exceptional clarity.
The Samsung QN90F, although often overlooked in comparison to its OLED siblings, uses Mini-LED technology to achieve higher brightness levels, making it the optimal choice for well-lit rooms.
Also: Black Friday TV deals now live with massive sales: Here are our 40+ top picks
And as for our value-leading pick, the TCL QM8K offers up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness and strong local dimming performance at a significantly lower price than its competitors.
Best Headphones & Audio
Advances in processing power have greatly improved active noise cancellation (ANC) and usability. The AirPods Pro 3 are exceptional for their integration of health sensors – capable of monitoring heart rate – and real-time, in-ear translation features.
The long-awaited Sony WH-1000XM6 leads the over-ear category in pure noise isolation, using a new 12-microphone array and updated processor to filter out a wide range of frequencies. As determined by ZDNET’s audio experts, this is the definitive ANC champion.
Also: The Top 10 Headphones Readers Will Buy in 2025 (And They’re Not the Usual Suspects)
Finally, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 remains the benchmark for long-term comfort, offering a new “Immersion Mode” that spatializes stereo content for a more natural listening experience.
Best smartwatches and wearables
Wearable devices have evolved from fitness trackers to comprehensive health monitors. The Google Pixel Watch 4 (with Fitbit integration) is recognized for its “Loss of Pulse” detection system and high-luminance 3,000-nit display that’s visible even in harsh lighting.
Apple Watch Series 11 introduces non-invasive hypertension notifications, allowing users to track blood pressure trends without the need for a dedicated blood pressure cuff.
Also: Best Smartwatches 2025
For those who prefer a discreet form factor, the Ora Ring 4 Ceramic offers clinical-grade sleep tracking in a scratch-resistant ceramic housing that accommodates a wide range of finger sizes.
best smart glasses
Smart eyewear is divided into different use cases: fitness, capture, and display. The Meta Oakley HSTN is designed for athletes, foregoing performance in favor of a voice-activated coaching system and sweat-resistant construction.
The Meta Ray-Ban 2 significantly improves on the camera capabilities of its predecessor, offering better low-light performance for 3K video recording and social capture. Needless to say, long battery life is something every user benefits from.
Also: Which Meta Ray-Ban model should you buy? I tested both pairs, and here’s how to decide
Rokid glasses are the ideal choice for productivity and media consumption, offering a high-resolution AR display that mimics a multi-monitor setup or theater screen in a lightweight frame.
best tablet
Display technology defines this year’s top tablets. The TCL NextPaper 11 Plus features a unique matte display texture that eliminates glare and reduces blue light, making it ideal for extended reading sessions.
While the Remarkable Paper Pro bridges the gap between e-readers and tablets by offering colorful e-ink with high responsiveness, perfect for document annotation. This is Remarkable’s most premium offering yet.
Also: These are the 10 most popular tablets our readers bought this year (No. 1 is an older model)
We recognize the iPad Pro (2025) for its performance improvements thanks to the new M5 chipset. Paired with an ultra-thin OLED chassis, it is the most portable high-performance tablet currently available.
best mobile accessories
These accessories address specific friction points for mobile users. The AAWireless 2 Plus is a significant upgrade to vehicle infotainment, with a physical toggle that allows users to instantly switch the wireless Android Auto or CarPlay (finally!) connection between multiple phones.
The Nomad Stratos band offers superior build quality, combining a durable titanium structure with a soft FKM rubber interior for a blend of aesthetics and comfort. It’s a blend of materials that work surprisingly well together, creating a premium looking yet comfortable wearable experience.
Also: The 10 most popular gadgets this year, according to thousands of readers
For a powerful and versatile charger, the Baseus EnerCore 70W Charger is notable for its integrated retractable USB-C cable, providing a streamlined charging solution for laptops and phones.
Best PC Accessories
In the peripheral category, display technology and ergonomics took center stage. The Dell Alienware 34-inch QD-OLED monitor is our top pick for visual fidelity, offering infinite contrast ratio and near-instant response time that benefits both creative workflows and gaming.
The SanDisk 256GB ExtremeFit remains a valuable device, delivering SSD-grade transfer speeds in a robust, compact form factor.
Also: Upgrading your office? 12+ Accessories That Turned My Laptop Into the Ultimate Work Machine
As for input devices, the Logitech MX Master 4 refines the industry-standard productivity mouse with an improved “quiet click” switch mechanism and a familiar electromagnetic scroll wheel for precise navigation.
best robot vacuum
Robotic cleaners have improved their navigation and self-maintenance capabilities. The Roborock Saros 10R has an active chassis system that can lift the unit to climb over high thresholds and thick carpets.
Then there’s the Ecowas Deebot
Also: Best Robot Vacuum Mops of 2025
Ultimately, ZDNET’s Maria Diaz believes the Eufy E25 offers the best price-to-performance ratio, using twin-turbine suction to effectively clean carpets without the premium price of advanced navigation features.
Best Smart Home Gadgets
This year’s best smart home devices focus on invisibility and security. The Level Lock Pro hides its miter-over-thread technology within the door mechanism, preserving the aesthetic of a standard deadbolt while providing smart functionality.
For something more unusual, we voted in the Ting Smart Sensor, a security-focused device that monitors a home’s electrical grid from a single outlet to detect microscopic arcs that could cause a fire.
Also: My Favorite 8 Smart Home Upgrades of the Year (And Why They’ve Already Paid for Themselves)
Finally, any smart home owner will get access to the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, a portable security camera that prioritizes privacy with local video processing and offers “True Color Night Vision” for clear identification in low-light scenarios.
best security software
Privacy tools have adapted to new threats. Using its proprietary NordLynx protocol to maintain high throughput for streaming and browsing, NordVPN remains the top choice for speed and security.
Incognito Broker provides a unique service by automatically removing personal data from the database, effectively reducing the user’s digital footprint.
Also: Best VPN Services 2025
Bitdefender is recognized for its low system impact, providing comprehensive malware and phishing protection without compromising PC performance.
