Even with most people’s eyes fully fixed on blockbuster developer conferences like Google I/O in May and Apple’s WWDC in June, there are still plenty of notable gadgets rolling in before the summer fervor. Some of those gadgets are off the beaten path—like, well off.
This past month, we saw rare entries like a space-age printer and even real, tangible new Valve hardware, which definitely doesn’t happen every day. It just goes to show that you never can sleep on consumer tech, even when it’s sandwiched between tech-packed shows like CES and MWC earlier in the year and iPhone season in the fall.
If you’re a fan of gaming or audio, or you just love a plain old good value, this is a list you’re going to want to pay attention to closely.
Steam Controller
The Steam Machine might be the big thing everyone is waiting for, but if you’re dying to get your hands on the next generation of Valve hardware, the Steam Controller isn’t a bad appetizer. The trackpads are the star of the show, but with Hall effect joysticks that resist the dreaded and inevitable drift and a surprisingly ergonomic design, there’s more to like in this controller than a couple of unmistakable touchpads. Valve is on a roll with gaming hardware, and the Steam Controller continues its streak.
Anker EufyMake E1
Printers don’t often make our best gadgets list, but this one isn’t just any printer; it’s a UV printer, meaning it uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure inks onto all sorts of surfaces. Because of that special UV method, you can print on mugs, coasters, and all sorts of fun stuff that would turn a regular printer into a big heap of ink and plastic. Sure, there are quirks—these prints take some time, and they don’t always come out perfect—but the EufyMake E1 is easily one of the most interesting developments in a printing world that isn’t exactly known for its frequent innovations.
Asus Zenbook A16
Laptops are in a tough spot right now with RAM and component prices putting a crunch on machines across the board. The Asus Zenbook A16 isn’t exempt from that phenomenon. Just an hour after this laptop launched, the price went up from $1,600 to $1,700. The good news is that there’s still a lot to like for that price, including an ultra-light and thin chassis, excellent CPU performance from its Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip, and great battery life. If prices are going to keep ballooning, the least you can ask for is a laptop that actually delivers on its promise.
Soundcore Space 2
There are a lot of different pairs of wireless headphones at a lot of price points, but it’s hard to beat a good value when you find one. The Soundcore Space 2 might not be the flashiest pair of wireless headphones in the world, but they have much better-than-expected ANC, sound, and battery life, and for those reasons alone, they feel like a steal at $130, even if they still look and feel like a budget pair of cans.
Soundboks Mix
Party speakers aren’t for everyone, but if you’re the kind of person who needs to crank some tunes for a big audience, the Soundboks Mix is a solid way to do so. While it’s pretty heavy at 21 pounds, it’s still surprisingly portable and even more surprisingly loud—a hallmark of other Soundboks speakers, which can be cranked (literally) to 11. Sure, $800 is a lot to spend on a Bluetooth speaker, but no one ever said partying is a cheap hobby.
HP Eliteboard G1a
Superficially, the HP EliteBoard G1a might be one of the more boring gadgets on this list, but that’s only until you realize there’s a whole computer shoved inside this keyboard. Why on Earth would you want something like this? Well, most wouldn’t, but as Gizmodo staff reporter Kyle Barr notes, the EliteBoard G1a is for “working stiffs” who might use such a device in a call center or other such enterprise setting. All you need is a monitor, and you’ve got hours of mind-numbing productivity at your fingertips.
Even if this gadget is geared toward work, the EliteBoard G1a gets points for having a great typing feel and solid performance for a device that crams a whole computer inside a keyboard.
DJI Osmo Pocket 4
There’s a lot to drool over in DJI’s new vlogging camera: the Osmo Pocket 4 records in 4K at 240 fps, it has an optional light accessory for recording in dark interiors, and it also has better image stabilization and subject tracking features compared to the previous generation. If there’s one thing that sucks, it’s the fact that you won’t be able to buy one in the U.S. for now, since DJI products are de facto banned by the FCC. That being said, other DJI products have trickled in through Amazon, so keep your eyes open and your fingers crossed.
Framework Laptop 13 Pro
If modularity is your thing, Framework’s PCs are the number one name to know, and the company’s recently announced Laptop 13 Pro furthers that reputation. This time around, Framework’s customizable laptop has a touchscreen as well as a better battery life and more performant chip options, including Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors and older AMD Ryzen 300 series processors. You can also ditch Windows 11 and go with a Linux option, which might appeal to more people than usual as Microsoft struggles to get its Windows act together.
GoPro Mission 1
GoPro might be falling behind in the action camera department, but it’s not giving up the race just yet. The Mission 1 Pro is meant for (duh) professionals, with the ability to capture 8K footage at 60 fps and also record in 4K at 240 fps. An eventual version of the Mission 1 will also let you swap lenses with your professional setup, with a mount that’s compatible with third-party micro four-thirds lenses. The Mission 1 Pro is expensive at $700, but this is a competitor to a DSLR, so a high price point is to be expected.
Samsung Frame TV
Samsung started the art TV craze, and its Frame is still pushing the category forward. The Frame and Frame Pro 2026 both come with the wireless One Connect box that streams content to the TV from up to 30 feet away and a new flush mount that cuts down the gap between the wall and TV even further. That new mount also lets you access the back panel without having to pull the whole thing off the wall. Probably the most interesting upgrade is a new glare-free tech that makes the TV look even less like a TV. Kyle Barr got a chance to see it in person, and the results are promising—there’s a reason why Samsung is still arguably the biggest name in the art TV space.
Playnix Console
The PC-ification of gaming consoles is upon us, and Valve’s Steam Machine isn’t the only game in town. The Playnix Console puts a full PC build inside a 3D-printed chassis and comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 CPU, a Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a base of 512GB of storage. As we noted, this is one of the few self-contained, console-sized PCs capable of running AMD’s FSR Redstone upscaler, so you’ll be able to play Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K and 60 fps.
Sony Inzone H6 Air
Open-ear audio is all the rage these days, and that trend is finding its way into gaming, too. In this iteration of Inzone gaming headset, Sony turns to an open-back format that lets air pass through the ear cups so you can hear your surroundings. While the open-back design is great for people who don’t care about noise cancellation and is nice for reducing weight, it’s the incredible sound and mic quality that really solidify this headset as something gamers should have on their radar.
