Favorite gadgets of the 2020 version

We’ve covered nearly a hundred products on our YouTube channel in 2020 and countless here on the site. But when we give back to all our review units, there are some products that we get sad about sending back – so sad, in fact, that we bought it for ourselves (or at least have a willing idea to buy it) because That we simply cannot live without them.

Below are some of the devices that are our staff Really Liked.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

The Galaxy Buds Live (or Galaxy Beans, as they should be called) is not the perfect pair of true wireless headphones, but it fits my specific needs perfectly. That’s because I want to wear a pair of earbuds when cycling. So for starters, they can’t be heavier or have a stem that clings to the strap of my helmet. Neither did I want a pair of earbuds that were very good at blocking environmental noise; It’s more important to me to listen to the traffic coming than the end of the guitar solo. This turned the open air design of beans from negative to positive for me. Drop in USB-C port and support for wireless charging, and you’re left with my favorite gadget of the year. – John Porter, journalist

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Samsung’s unconventional wireless earbuds are shaped like beans, but they produce a powerful sound and come with lengthy battery life.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The Oculus Quest 2 is a big compromise as a platform, since it ties virtual reality directly to the Facebook service. As a gadget, though, it can’t be beat. The Quest 2 is the first piece of consumer VR hardware without a big and obvious compromise. It’s self-contained and can be used without any wires, but you can also plug it into a laptop to play higher-powered games. It’s light enough to wear without hurting your head, although it’s best when tricked out with an alternate head strap and some special short-cord headphones. And it supports some of the best VR games around, including my personal obsession Beat Saber. The Quest 2 isn’t quite the Nintendo Switch of virtual reality — but it’s surprisingly close. — Adi Robertson, senior reporter

Oculus Quest 2

Prices charged at the time of publication.

New default for VR, if you’re ok with Facebook.

Piloton bike

Review of the new Peloton bike, Bike Plus, is a brilliant spot in a terrific year. I’m still testing it and working on a review, but the small bugs I’ve found so far don’t take into account the fact that having good music, sweat and a place to listen to all my 2020 frustrations has been incredible. I need an outlet for what it feels like to agree to my apartment. That said, the bike costs about $ 2,500, including. 40 monthly subscription plans attached. It’s a big expense that attracts me to spend, but I would be surprised that, when the epidemic is over, I will crave the gym experiences personally again. – Ashley Carmen, Senior Reporter

The PS5 was the most anticipated piece of tech this year, and I’m glad to say I’ve lived up to the expectations set for the console. While I’m still worried about how expandable storage will work, I think the PS5 has a stronger launch than its rival, the Xbox Series X. For this reason, Dual Sense is one of the most innovative controllers I’ve seen. The last few years. Its haptic response and adaptive triggers provide additional reality to immerse me more in the games I play. – Taylor Liles, author

PlayStation 5

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Sony’s flagship next-gen console priced at $499. Compared to the PS5 Digital Edition, this console is $100 more and includes a disc drive. (Be warned: these consoles can be extremely hard to find and are often out of stock.)

Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

I reviewed a whole bunch of convertible laptops this year, but the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the closest to being one that I’d actually consider buying. There are certainly things I don’t love about it: the keyboard is a bit flat for my taste, and the lack of USB-A ports means I can’t connect some of my peripherals without a dongle. But when it comes to the most important aspects of a 2-in-1 laptop, the XPS 13 doesn’t just check all the boxes — it blows the boxes off the page. The build quality is exceptional, the touchpad is comfortable, the 16:10 display is roomy and gorgeous, the battery life lasts all day, and the chassis is unbelievably thin and light. You can even play games like Overwatch at well above 60fps. As someone looking for a reliable, portable machine, I really couldn’t ask for anything more. — Monica Chin, reporter

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

Prices charged at the time of publication.

The XPS 13 combines 2-in-1 premium design, convertible flexibility and excellent performance in a very attractive package. That’s the Dell Ultrabook to get.

DJI’s new Mini 2 drone is a drone I didn’t really love. It’s not a drone-it-all drone – in fact, it loses many of the features you would find on a more expensive drone. The Mini 2 has no barrier ignition sensor, has a small photo sensor, and photos are only 12MP. But it also nails the basics: those 12MP photos look sharp, the dynamic range is good for small sensors, and the video looks crisp. It also has two awesome features: it includes DJI’s Ocusink 2 wireless connectivity and weighs in at just 249g. Compared to the flaky Wi-Fi connection in the original Mavic Mini, cusync2 enables radio transmission and an almost flawless connection. And having a sub-250g drone means you don’t need FAA registration (but don’t forget to follow other FAA rules). It’s easy to bring wherever you go and it’s incredibly fun to fly. If you are a content maker, drone enthusiast or total beginner, this is a perfect drone to get. – Vajran Pavik, Senior Director

DJI Mini 2

Prices charged at the time of publication.

The new $ 449 DJI Mini 2 looks similar to the Mavic Mini, but it now comes with DJI’s Ocusink 2 wireless connectivity for 2.5 times the wireless range and more stable connectivity. Plus it has 4K video recording.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Edge

The iPhone 12 Mini is not the best iPhone 12 for most people. If you asked me, I would ask you to get a regular iPhone 12 or 12 Pro Max, especially if you really care about me. But the 12m is my favorite and I bought it. We’ve been around a long time because we have small phones with true flagship specs. In general, small phones either do not exist or deeply compromise. With the 12 Mini, there’s really only one compromise that’s important: battery life isn’t the best. This is the reason why I do not recommend it outside the bat. But if you’re aware of that battery life and think it might fit into your lifestyle, having a small phone again is great. It just feels like it was designed for human hands rather than designed to maximize screen size. That’s why it’s my favorite. – Dieter Bohan, Executive Editor

Apple Pal iPhone 12 Mini

Prices charged at the time of publication.

The iPhone 12 Mini is the smallest phone in Apple’s lineup and the best small phone you can get in 2020.

Photo by Beka Farsase / The Verge

Fujifilm went back to the basics with the Instax SQ1, the least tech-y gadget I’ve reviewed this year. Without the screens, just two shooting modes and a rotating ring around the lens that turns the marrow on and off, the SQ1 looks more like a toy than a $ 120 camera. And it’s perfect in that way because it inspires creativity and entertainment. Although it’s a little big, the pleasure it provides by developing instant memories in the iconic Polaroid frame makes me want to bring it everywhere. Also, taking pictures of the contents of your friends ’refrigerators and then hiding the milk under the milk carton never gets old. – Beka Farsase, Senior Director

Instxx Square SQ1

Prices charged at the time of publication.

The Instax Square SQ1 is Fujifilm’s newest point-and-shoot Intex camera that prints photos on polaroid-framed film. Instead of adding more technology, Fujifilm made the SQ1 as simple as possible.