The best tech of 2024: Android Authority's picks for the top smartwatches, foldables, tablets, more!

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is not only the pinnacle of the company’s smartphone project, but it’s also the best point-and-shoot camera phone you can buy. Its easy operation, coupled with capable hardware and a reliable flow of AI features, makes it our choice for capturing meaningful scenes without fuss. It’s also a pretty good smartphone, thanks to its great screen and lengthy software update promise.

The vivo X100 Pro has one of the best periscope zoom cameras on a modern smartphone we’ve ever tested. It offers 4.3x optical zoom, but the detail captured by the 50MP sensor behind it is truly phenomenal. Low-light photography is also a strong point thanks to its equally exellent ultrawide and primary cameras. Supporting its imaging efforts is a flagship-level hardware platform, from its MediaTek SoC to its roomy 5,400mAh battery.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a camera phone powerhouse that excels in nighttime photography challenges and portraiture and offers just enough manual options to keep purists interested. Beyond its imaging abilities, it offers rapid charging, blazing performance, and a stunning display. It’s an all-around excellent camera phone, and a solid flagship device.

Motorola is responsible for two of the best clamshell phones in 2024: the more affordable Razr and the bleeding-edge Razr Plus. Both are excellent handsets but the former is our preferred pick, thanks to its more reasonable specs, larger battery, and lower price. However, as proof that a foldable can be a rapid performance option, the 165Hz refresh rate screen and faster charging of the Razr Plus ($799.99 at Amazon) will likely tempt some buyers seeking even more.

The original Pixel Fold was a landmark device for Google. It was its first foray into foldables, but those problems definitely showed. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the company has remedied all the issues present in the first edition. Its screens now use a more comfortable aspect ratio, making it a sensible daily driver. While it may not boast the “Pro” hardware of its siblings, it injects a much-needed sense of wonder into Google’s phone lineup.

If money is no object, the best foldable you can buy in 2024 is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. What is now the most mature foldable series shows its strengths with supreme build quality, great displays, and software that further enhances the experience. It does have its drawbacks, but this is the pinnacle of book-like foldables if you can stomach the near-$2,000 price tag. Of course, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 ($1099.99 at Samsung) is another excellent and more affordable device if you prefer slimmer clamshell-style foldables.

We’re big fans of the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Not everyone needs an all-inclusive flagship, and this particular phone fills that niche perfectly. It offers just enough of the Galaxy S24 series‘ traits to keep users interested while wrapping it all with a solid build, great display, and capable primary camera. Sprinkle in a lengthy update support period and Galaxy AI smarts and you have one of the best mid-range phones you can buy.

Google staked its claim to the mid-range with the Pixel 8a. This well-balanced device snaps the best photos of any budget device, displays them on a rich OLED panel, and offers battery life that’ll appease the most avid users. While its design and hardware may feel dated in light of the Pixel 9 series’ arrival, it’s often available on sale, making it a sensible value option.

The OnePlus 12R is a near-flagship wrapped in a mid-range phone’s clothing. It offers rapid charging that outpaces devices far pricier than it, and packs pacey performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. If you can find it in your region, it’s a flagship killer that’s well worth its sub-$500 price.

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus is the absolute best budget phone you can buy in 2024… with only one caveat. It integrates the company’s familiar Glyph lights with an industrial design that really sets it apart. It’s joined by a surprisingly good display and plenty of pace from its MediaTek heart. Its ill-defined US availability is the only thing that really dulls its shine, but if you’re feeling experimental or live outside the US, this is the one to get.

Not everyone needs a Galaxy S24 Ultra. In fact, the Galaxy A35 5G will be more than enough phone for most people. You won’t look past its bright AMOLED screen, long-lived battery, and flagship-like looks. Sure, you miss out on some premium creature comforts, like a telephoto camera and wireless charging, but it’s easily Samsung’s most balanced budget device currently available.

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G costs far less than a modern flagship, but it arguably offers even better value. For its sub-$200 price, you get a bright AMOLED screen, excellent battery life, and a surprisingly reliable primary camera. It’s more than good enough in every other facet, too. This device proves that there’s no need to settle if you’re hamstrung by your budget.

There are few faults with the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus. It punches well above its weight as a budget Android tablet, offering a solid cocktail of specs and features for a little more than $200. That’s some solid value for money. For anyone craving a slate without any headlining features, this is the best budget prospect by far.

Apple’s new iPad Air (2024) is a big slate with a 13-inch display, but the tablet offers a lot more. It includes punchy speakers for great entertainment sessions and seamless integration with Apple and its myriad services. Sure, it’s not as powerful as the Pro, nor are its accessories well-priced, but it’s a great upper-end tablet for those who want a portable smart screen.

Samsung’s Fan Edition devices offer great value, and the Galaxy Tab S9 FE duo is no exception. The base model and the Plus option ($599 at Amazon) are equally adept, offering Samsung’s renowned build quality, S Pen support, and plenty of promised software updates. If you prefer a smaller display, the base model will appeal, however, the Plus option is great value for money — even better than the newer, flagship-tier Tab S10 Plus.

There’s not much the Garmin Fenix 8 leaves on the table. It epitomizes the idea of the ultra-style smartwatch, packing a crisp AMOLED screen, incredible battery life, and Garmin’s ever-reliable fitness tracking. It’s an expensive product, but you get what you pay for — one of the best adventure smartwatches of the year.

After two underwhelming releases, the Google Pixel Watch 3 finally hit the sweet spot. Google’s Android equivalent to the Apple Watch now offers a larger case option for wider wrists, accurate and well-stocked fitness features, and much-improved battery life, all while keeping the minimalist pebble-like design that sets it apart. It easily earns its place among the best smartwatches of the year.

If style and endurance are your two demands from a smartwatch, this titanium octagon has you covered. The HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro can easily go a week without meeting its charger while offering a choice suite of fitness and wellness features. HUAWEI sweetens the deal for restless adventurers with sleep apnea detection, trail navigation, and a freediving mode.

Great fitness trackers don’t have to be expensive, and the Garmin Forerunner 165 is a prime example. It sheds more serious training features to keep its price down but retains the Forerunner line’s solid core, including reliable GNSS, on-point heart rate tracking, and recovery advice for post-workout sessions. All this for under $250 makes the Forerunner 165 an incredible value-for-money training companion.

Plenty of smart ring makers entered the segment in 2024, but the old guard nevertheless came out on top. The Oura Ring 4 is the best smart ring of the year, thanks to its comfort-minded redesign, reliable automatic fitness tracking, and detail-rich app. It may still be hamstrung by its higher price and that unfortunate subscription fee, but the overall experience makes investing in it a worthwhile endeavor.

When your smartwatch’s heart rate monitor isn’t accurate enough for your tastes, a chest-worn strap is a necessity. The Wahoo Tracker Heart Rate is our preferred affordable option. It keeps a keen and accurate eye on your heart while training and includes a built-in rechargeable battery that runs and runs. More importantly, it’s comfortable to wear and easy on your wallet.

Chromebooks might not be synonymous with gaming, but the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE wants to change this. While it fares well for general computing and daily tasks, it packs excellent performance thanks to its Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Install Steam and tack on a controller, and you have a capable gaming companion with a sharp 16-inch display.

Microsoft’s first flagship Arm-based Copilot Plus PC packs immense power and efficiency. Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, this machine plows through office work while going ages without a charging cable. Windows on Arm still has a few issues to iron out, but the early signs are good, and the Surface Laptop 7th gen is the pinnacle of this movement.

Portability is a huge selling point for laptops, but this Samsung Chromebook is among the thinnest and lightest machines you can buy. We loved its beautiful design, 11.8mm thickness, and 1.1kg weight, but it also offers stellar performance and a bright, dense OLED screen. That’s something you won’t find on many of its competitors. The Galaxy Chromebook Plus is expensive considering the rest of its specs sheet, but its travel-ready package makes it a perfect transcontinental flight buddy.

As cleaning companions go, we’d be hard-pressed to recommend anything other than the Narwal Freo Z Ultra. This superb robot vacuum keeps your abode sparkling thanks to its large dust bag, self-cleaning smarts, and strong suction power. It’s also quiet and thorough in its operation; no need to follow behind it with a hand broom or mop. While the Freo Z Ultra is incredible, it has an incredible price to match. However, if hands-off cleaning is your dream, this fee shouldn’t be a problem.

Eureka packs an awful lot of features into its sub-$1,000 robot vacuum. The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra plows through tough dirt and hair thanks to its massive suction power and built-in razors. While it takes a while to learn its way, it’s incredibly effective once it gets going. Patrol Mode is a particularly exciting feature that turns this robot vacuum into a home security scout.

Pet owners know the constant battle against dirt and dander, but the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra takes it all in its adorable stride. The robot vacuum pairs powerful suction with an effective mop, ensuring that pet- and human-related spills are addressed in time. Its navigation and object recognition smarts are exceedingly effective. Smartly, the S8 MaxV Ultra doubles as a pet monitor, so you can easily keep tabs on your tabby wherever you are.

If reliable, comfortable, and efficient true wireless earbuds are on your shopping list, look no further than the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. These excellent wearables extend the reach of Google’s ecosystem to your ears, offering users access to Gemini Live when required. A decent price and class-leading ergonomics add to the Buds Pro 2’s credentials as the best buds for Android users.

With their superb comfort, brilliant sound quality, and affordable price, the Nothing Ear is a pair of earbuds worth your consideration. They also offer ergonomic pinch controls, customizable equalizers to further tweak their sound, and ANC support — a massive positive for commuters. For its price, there’s not much you don’t get. If you need a little less, the more affordable Nothing Ear A buds ($95 at Amazon) are also well worth considering.

For our final pick, we asked the experts at our sister site, SoundGuys, and they chose the Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 — a powerhouse pair of buds in a tiny package. These little earbuds have the best ANC performance we’ve seen in this segment, alongside a comfortable fit and excellent audio quality. They’re further boosted by the good app and smart charging case, which can be used as a transmitter to extend their range. Nifty! If you’re looking for the best true wireless earbuds of the year without compromises or buds for working up a sweat, the Elite 10 Gen 2 are tough to topple. With Jabra leaving the consumer audio industry in 2024, the Elite 10 Gen 2 were a big part of an incredible farewell tour from the beloved brand.

Fitting screen protectors shouldn’t be an extreme sport, and dbrand’s Prism 2.0 takes all the risk out of trapping unsuspecting bubbles, ripples, and imperfections with its clever, “idiot-proof” applicator. It’s the perfect option for dummies, with dbrand offering this nifty system for several devices, from Samsung to Apple. The protector itself is made of tempered glass, and with a Mohs hardness rating of seven, it should rebuff pocket attacks from coins and keys.

The HUAWEI MatePad Pro (2024) is a classy premium tablet, but it also innovates in the space as a creativity and productivity slate. The tandem OLED PaperMatte display with nanoscale anti-glare etching reduces reflectivity and eliminates 99% of environmental light interference, making it great for art and leisure in any environment. Meanwhile, the HUAWEI M-Pencil (3rd generation) supports over a whopping 10,000 pressure sensitivity levels when paired with that tandem OLED — a first for a pressure-sensitive tablet. Plus, if you pick up the 2-in-1 Glide Keyboard case, there’s a very handy storage spot for your M-Pencil so it doesn’t get lost!

When you can’t choose between Android or Windows, it helps to have a device that offers both. Dual-booting may be out of vogue, but the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid (what a mouthful!) wears it like a badge of honor. The laptop is actually two devices in one, able to switch between a Windows 11 laptop and an Android 14 tablet at the touch of a button. While it’s clearly a first-gen device, suffering from a high weight, even higher price, and a slightly cumbersome design, it’s no less impressive and innovative. We can’t help but admire it.

Foldables don’t get much thinner than HONOR’s Magic V3. True to its name, the device measures just 4.35mm thick when fully open and 9.2mm folded — only slightly thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Beyond its remarkable design and beautiful facade, the Magic V3 also houses impressive hardware. It’s propelled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, powered by a silicon-carbon battery, and includes rapid 66W wired charging.

With its basalt body and incredible thinness, the HUAWEI Mate X6 is one of the most spectacular foldable phones we’ve seen in 2024. The 7.93-inch device’s premium allure is further enhanced with its marble-like glass or leather rear cover, triple camera system, and satellite calling support via BeiDou. It may have drawbacks for Western users, but you can’t deny the incredible engineering behind its creation.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a favorite at Android Authority, and it’s not hard to see why. Finally, after years of asking, Google finally delivered a premium Pixel that’s easy to hold and pocket. The 6.3-inch screen fits snugly into this compact device, joining a capable camera system and onboard Gemini features powered by its Tensor chipset. It may not be the pinnacle of the Pixel lineup, but the 9 Pro is the small premium Android phone we’ve been waiting for.

Wireless Android Auto is a huge convenience, but if your vehicle doesn’t have this function, the AAWireless Two is the ticket. This affordable dongle plugs into your car’s USB port, enabling wireless functionality whenever you hop into your carriage. It’s small and discreet and offers multi-user functionality for shared cars. Best of all, it’s shed the failings of its predecessor while demanding a much lower price, making it a far more reliable investment.

When it comes to powerful portable chargers, few come close to the CUKTECH 20. This 25,000mAh capacity battery offers enough power to juice up a MacBook Pro and an iPhone multiple times. Its ability to deliver up to 140W for laptops and 45W to mobile devices adds to its allure. Best of all, it can top itself up in just two hours thanks to its 110W capabilities. A display offers users vital information about its status and charging performance while its relatively compact design makes it travel-ready.

The Razer Kishi Ultra is a no-fuss, work-anywhere telescopic controller that transforms your smartphone into a portable gaming powerhouse. It’s well-built complete with a backbone for stability, ergonomic with its large grips, and supported by a great companion app. An accessory for serious gaming enthusiasts, the Kishi Ultra demands a high price but delivers in the moment, and that’s why we can’t recommend it highly enough.

If you’re searching for smart lights to enhance a room’s ambiance, the pliable Govee Neon Rope Light 2 is worth considering. Its flexible design allows for multiple shapes and color zones, allowing you to craft scenes and shapes only limited by physics and your imagination. The app makes this particularly simple, while Matter support plugs the Rope Light 2 into a wider smart home environment. It has its flaws, like single-use clips, but that’s a minor fault in an otherwise excellent package.

Nanoleaf Blocks is proof that the company can make more than just aesthetic trinkets for your smart home. Thanks to its mini shelves and pegboard addons, Blocks doubles up as a smart storage solution, allowing users to easily hang headphones, game controllers, or even pot plants. Couple this with the company’s smart lighting system and edge-to-edge coverage, and Blocks becomes a great way to add personality to an otherwise bland space.

This massive Pixel Watch-like puck for your wall is actually Google’s smartest thermostat ever. The Nest Learning Thermostat, now in its fourth generation, is encompassed in a beautiful design, rooted in Google’s ecosystem, and offers Matter support to chat with the rest of your smart home. While it’s expensive and may not be too kind to your wall, its AI-boosted temperature control is a luxury that’ll appeal to those in extreme climates.

When Google retired the Chromecast name from its repertoire, we all envisioned the worst for the company’s streaming device plans. However, the excellent Google TV Streamer has allayed those fears. It’s easily the best TV streamer for most people, packing great performance, a smart home management component with Thread and Matter support, and a healthy dose of AI goodness to aid content discovery.