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"What gadget should I get?" is a timeless question. To answer it, here's our current leaderboard of favorite gadgets, including smartphones, laptops and cameras—updated with the latest and greatest.
We know you don't want to blow that paycheck on merely the shiniest, or the the simply newest. So we've considered a balance of price, features, reliability—and above all, quality—to make sure you're choosing a gadget that isn't just great, but one that's sensible. We've updated our roster of Giz-approved gadgets, and below, you'll find these picks.
The Best Smartphones
We can geek out all we want, but the best way to choose is a phone is not just by the hardware or the OS, but the phone and the carrier. Here's the smartphone to pick on each... for now.
Best AT&T Phone
Apple's iPhone 4S is the slightly-flawed champion. (October, 2011) If you want to take a crack at Windows Phone (and we recommend that you do!) it's worth tracking down a Europe-only Lumia 800, or waiting for Nokia's stateside WP hotness. Want an Android? Then the Galaxy S II is for you. (Feb 22, 2011)
Best Sprint Phone
We recommend the iPhone 4S for Sprint, too, but Sprint's Galaxy S II, dubbed theEpic Touch 4G is a great alternative for Android fans. It absolutely screams. It's faster, brighter, bigger, thinner, lighter and more powerful than any Android phone to date. Long story short: It's the best Android phone you can buy. (September, 2011)
Best T-Mobile Phone
We really like the myTouch Slide 4G, but if you're totally anti-slider, the HTC Amaze is pretty great too.
Best Verizon Phone
It's the iPhone 4S on Verizon as well, but we're comfortable calling the Galaxy Nexus the best Android phone. But that's only because it's the only Android phone you can get with a clean build of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and that supersedes all of its faults. And the Verizon LTE version is faaaaast.
The Best Computers
The measure of a computer isn't just a mess of specs and benchmarks: it's the confluence of performance, design, usability, and the machine's fit to its particular task and pricepoint. These are the computers we think bring the total package.
Best Power/Pro Laptop
The new 2011 15-inch Core i7 MacBook Pro is beefier than ever. (October, 2011)
Best Laptop
Apple's MacBook Air line has taken ultraportables from being a niche, luxury item to being the most sensible laptop to own for regular people. They're fast, portable, and can do essentially anything you need to on a day-to-day basis. The 13" pulls ahead, though, because it includes an SD card and for a little extra real estate. (July 2011).
Best Windows Ultraportable
The Samsung Series 9 is our favorite, least MacBook-like ultaportable laptop out right now. More than the MacBook Air or the Zenbook, this is the one that people perk up and ask about when they see it. It's got a wonderful matte screen, a very usable trackpad, and a solid keyboard. Just beware: There's a new wave of ultraportables coming this year that promises to be really, really good. (January 2011)
Best Value Laptop
Good design, comfortable typing and a great sound system make the HP Pavilion G6x the best budget laptop out there. ( April 6, 2011)
Best Gaming Laptop
Pretty much the diametric opposite of a budget laptop, the Alienware M17x (2011) is a monster. Its massive benchmarks are made more ridiculous by five hours of battery life-an eternity for gaming laptops. (February 21, 2011)
Best Processors
The Core i5-2500K hits the critical bang/buck sweet spot for smooth gaming. Otherwise, pick your budget and check this list. (Feb 28, 2011)
Best Desktop Graphics Cards
The best combination of top notch performance and moderately reasonable price you'll find right now is probably the Radeon HD 6970. *
Best Motherboard
The Asus Rampage III Extreme barely edged out the competition in our new motherboard roundup.
Best Router
We're happy to report that benchmarking Netgear's new WNDR4500 left us grinning from ear to ear. This is the fastest router we've ever tested, and it's packed with new features. (December, 2011)
Best SSD
Kingston's SNV425-S2 64GB drive stood out by delivering blazing performance on the (relative) cheap. (Sep 1, 2010)
PC Case
The Silverstone Temjin TJ11 is 9 inches wide by 25 inches high and 25 inches deep. It's massive and expensive and absolutely a preposterous thing to own. But it has amazing build quality, thermal control and moddability.
Best Networked Storage Alternative
Some aspects of the TS-459 Pro II hardware are comparable to the competition, and in other respects, it's just head and shoulders above the rest. A 1.8GHz dual-core Atom powers the TS-459 Pro II, and 1GB of DDR3 RAM comes preinstalled, though you can upgrade to 3GB yourself. QNAP also offers more connectivity options than most mortals will know what to do with, and it's strong on the software side, too. (September, 2011)
The Best Tablets
It feels like the tablet market has been bursting at the seams, but for now the top choices are still relatively straightforward. Expect this list to get a lot more crowded in the coming months.
Best Tablet
Here's the simple truth about the Apple iPad 2: there is nothing else like it. Maybe it won't replace your laptop. Maybe it could be even thinner and lighter and faster. But there is nothing else like it. (March 17, 2011)
Best eReader
This one's an about-face. We loved the Nook Simple Touch from the time we laid eyes on it, but the Kindle Touch's amassment of features swayed us. After extended day-to-day use, though, smaller software features melted away and the superior reading and use experience of the Nook won out.
Best Android Tablet
If you know you want an Android tablet, the Transformer Prime is the one to buy. It's the best constructed, fastest Android tablet out there. The only people who should hesitate are those who don't want to be confined to Wi-Fi. (January, 2012)
The Best Cameras
The great megapixel race is over. But now what the hell are you supposed to do? These are the best cameras of the post-megapixel world.
Best Budget dSLR
The Canon T2i is the ideal first DSLR. The simple controls shouldn't intimidate you for long, plus it can hold your hand a decent bit of the way, thanks to clever innovations like the Creative Auto Mode. (May 19, 2010)
Best Midrange dSLR
The Nikon D300s and Canon 7D deliver for the money, but the 7D delivers more, since it's packed full of newer technology and for the people who want it, the video component is truly killer (Nov 10, 2009)
Best 'Spensive dSLR
The Nikon D3s is a peek at the near future of photography where shooting in any lighting condition is possible. It's really exciting. (1D Mark IV if you're shooting more video) (Feb 26, 2010)
Best High-End DSLR Alternative
Micro Four-Thirds cameras have long promised to bridge the quality of DSLRs with the size of point and shoots. The Olympus PEN EP-3 is the fullest realization of the Micro Four-Thirds dream so far.
Best Affordable DSLR Alternative
Simply stated, the NEX-C3 performs much better than the other cameras in its class in nearly every situation. It's better, and, yup, bigger and heavier. The 18-55mm kit lens isn't collapsable, so this camera is never going to fit in your pocket, and while taking a quick shot in auto is easy enough, you're going to want to spend some time learning the menus, and programming the camera's customizable buttons to get the most out of it. In terms of image quality, the 16.2 megapixel, 23. 4mm x 15.6mm sensor blows the rest of the cameras in its price range away. It's not even close.
Best Point-and-Shoot Camera
Canon's S95 was our favorite pocket camera. Um, it's probably not anymore. Meet the S100. What's new? Oh, Canon's first Digic V processor. A wider 24mm zoom lens. A 12-megapixel CMOS sensor (up from a 10MP CCD). 1080p video. And GPS built-in. (September, 2011)
Best Pocket Camcorder
The Kodak Playfull is a very capable shooter with several great features and one major shortcoming-a too-small display-but the fact that we found it selling at multiple online retailers for less than $100 goes a long way to make up for that deficiency.
Best Phone Camera
The iPhone 4S camera is lightning fast and really gorgeous. It's not as super in-your-face saturated as the iPhone 4 was, which gives it truer-to-life colors. It's also got excellent auto-focus.
Best Waterproof Camera
The Nikon AW100 is right at the forefront of ruggedized specs, and backs it up with a very respectable 16MP BSO CMOS sensor.
Best Helmet/Sports Camera
The images the GoPro Hero 2 takes are great. It's not just HD-sized, it actually looks HD. We like the Contour ROAM a lot, but the Hero 2 has more options and the image quality simply wins. (August 2011)
Best Camera Lenses
We're adding our roundup of well-priced, excellently-performing lenses to the list, for those of you looking for an upgrade. (Dec 6, 2010)
Best Photo Printing Service
Despite its outdated website, Wizard Prints can realize almost any scenario you can dream up-adhesives you can walk on, super-sized canvases, beautiful matte prints, and textured fabrics that turn into wall murals. (Jan 20, 2011)
The Best Home Theater and AV Gear
In the absence of the side-by-side benchmark comparisons when you find when shopping for computers, home theater gear can be particularly hard to get a handle on. Giz has your back.
Best 3DTV
The LG 50PZ950's THX Certified display has amazing picture quality worthy of your Blu-ray collection. If streaming services are more your style, the TV has built-in apps for Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and even a web browser. 3D performance itself could be better, but the whole package is one of the best TVs out there. (September, 2011)
Best Budget TV
The well-loved Vizio's XVT3SV series is a cheapass's dream come true. Its matte screen especially drew high praise. (Dec 9, 2010)
Best Blu-ray Player
The LG BD570's key virtue is file compatiblity-you can use this thing pretty much like an HD media player, a full-fledged Apple TV killer. The PS3 still holds its own, though. (May 13, 2010)
Best Receiver
The Pioneer VSX-1020-K is controlled by your iPhone, and anyone who's slagged through their fair share of shitty AV receiver menus-whether on screen or on the receiver itself-knows what a boon it is to have a nice GUI in the palm of your hand. (Mar 4, 2010)
Best Game Console
The new Xbox 360 is smaller, has more ports, runs quieter and costs the same: $300. It has a 250GB hard drive and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi. (Jun 14, 2010)
Best Media Extender
Now taking claiming the title as champion video streamer is Sony's diminutive, underrated almost to the point of nonexistence NetBox. It streams Bravia Internet Video (read: Netflix and Amazon), is DLNA-compatible and plays MKV and DivX files streamed across your local network. (Aug 25, 2010)
Best Affordable AmplifierThe Topping TP-30 is the best audiophile-worthy amplifier to be had for under $500.
Best All-in-One Home Entertainment
The home theater doesn't have to be a patchwork affair of gear you put together one layaway at a time. The LG LHB976 all-in-one does a downright enviable job, with solid speakers, a great user interface and an iPod dock.
Best MP3 Player
When Apple reshuffled the iPod lineup, the iPod Touch became something else. It's not the expensive, fancy iPod. Or the cheap, gimped iPhone anymore. It's the iPod.
Best iPod DockThe Octiv 650 nails a near perfect harmony between sound quality, easiness, and price with a few unique features to boot. If speaker docks are unremarkable almost by definition, the Octiv 650 is a shooting star.
Best Speakers
Audioengine's been proving that you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a good set of speakers for a while now. Their A5 speakers last year were our favorites, and the A5+s are a direct upgrade. They have an improved cabinet design, better thermal management, a remote control, and a bunch of other nice improvements.
Best Headphones
We're finally recommending an official pick for cans, Bowers & Wilkins P5s—and they're a doozy. As our Joe Brown says, they are, in a word, "DOPE." (March 22, 2010)
Best Budget Headphones
With a closed-back, over-the-ear design, and a durable design that has some portability, the Sennheiser HD280 cans are the king of the budget earphone mountain. They're not the cheapest, or the smallest, or the best looking, but they strike the best balance between clarity and resolution and the ability to handle multiple genres of music old and new. (December, 2011)
Best Home Audio Streaming
We've added the dreamy Sonos system to our end of year list—read Brian's lifechanger-status writeup and you'll understand why. (Nov 26, 2010)
Accessories & Miscellaneous
Some of the coolest stuff you own doesn't fit into a broad, big box category. Here are some odds and ends that we love.
Best Solar Charger
Gizmodo Editor Emeritus Brian Lam said the Joos Orange is the "best solar charger [he'd] ever tested." It's rugged, works in weak light and can charge an iPhone four times with just one full charge. (Jul 12, 2010)
Best Bluetooth Headset
The Jawbone Era already has downloadable voices ("You have...two hours... of talk time remaining") and runs lightweight apps. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to envision future apps that utilize the motion sensitivity. (Jan 20, 2011)
Best Cloud Storage ServiceIt's SugarSync—with a few caveats. SugarSync was the best confluence of price, ease of use, and features, but if you're looking for pure, sheer simplicity for sharing your sharables with the lovable luddites in your life, Dropbox might still be the better option. And if you're a total cheapass, maybe take a look at Google, or Microsoft's SkyDrive.
Best Mobile InternetYou already knew this, but here it is in writing: Verizon's LTE network is the country's fastest 4G service. LTE is just better. AT&T's nascent LTE service is plenty fast, but Verizon's MiFis, dongles and hotspots will serve you very, very well.
Best Online Music Streaming Service
Spotify's main draw over the competition—even more than the free access—is the ability to meld your local library with Spotify's streaming catalog. We'd note, though, that Rdio still has the superior mobile app.
Best Urban Winter Jacket
Brent didn't think he was going to like a jacket called the Mountain Hardware "Downtown Coat". It sounded pretentious and he didn't think it would hack it. Turned out to be love at first wearing. It's a thigh-length coat that provides ample booty-warmth. It has the Best. Pockets. Ever. Overall, this is definitely your winner. Grab-n'-go winter goodness.
Best Stroller
The B.O.B. Ironman Jogging Stroller rolls like Curtis Mayfield circa 1972. It flies. Its ultralight frame and spin-happy hubs make for a delightfully easy ride.
Best Bluetooth KeyboardThe Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 hit the sweet spot. First off, it's compatible with everything you can throw at it: OSX, Windows, Android devices, iOS devices, they all pair easily and you're good to go. They keys have great click to them. They're slightly stiffer than the Logitechs', but they're not at all hard to press. There's a very slight curve to the keyboard, making it gently ergonomic without alienating people who are used to a straight tray. (December, 2011)
Best Wireless Mouse
The Logitech Performance Mouse MX takes everything that's great about the Marathon Mouse-the same wonderful scroll wheel, the same smooth glide, similar (but better) thumb-buttons-and improves upon it. The laser it uses to track its position will even work on clear glass, which is crazy. It's also rechargeable. (December, 2011)
* We realize these picks are a little out of date—we're working on a fresh batch of reviews and roundups.
