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As a tech reviewer, I get the chance to test many expensive products every year – whether I like it or not. Some of them are so good that if I had that much money sitting in my bank account I would consider investing my money in them.
Too: 5 Tech Gadgets I Didn’t Expect to Get So Much Love in 2025 (Including Surprising Earbuds)
From an expensive pair of wireless headphones to a trifold phone, there are many items on this list that wouldn’t be considered value for money. However, they excel at a specific task or have a unique feature that no other product can replicate. If you’re looking to spend money this New Year, I recommend these products.
1. Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 Headphones
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 There are premium wireless headphones that deliver exceptional sound and look great. Their headband and ear pads are covered in Nappa leather, the earcups have aluminum trim, and the aluminum yoke features an exposed braided cable. They are comfortable to wear for long periods of time (battery life lasts up to 30 hours). Plus, these headphones sound just as amazing as they look.
Too: Why I put my Bose QuietComfort headphones away immediately after testing this competitor
When you use the Px8 S2, you’ll see crystal clear detail in the music you’ve been listening to for years. The bass is clear, and the vocals are front and center with a wide soundstage. In terms of connectivity, the new Bowers & Wilkins headphones feature Bluetooth 5.3, 24-bit/96kHz playback via a wired USB-C connection, and an integrated amplifier and digital-to-analog converter.
They also support AptX lossless and adaptive Bluetooth codecs. The active noise cancellation isn’t as effective as Bose and Sony rivals, but I’d buy these for their excellent sound clarity and high-end aesthetics.
2. Xgimi Horizon 20 Max Projector
I love watching movies on this XGIMI Horizon 20 MaxIt has effectively replaced my TV at night, The flagship XGIMI projector supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, delivering an immersive experience and strong contrast with vibrant colors, It’s very bright (rated for 5,700 ISO lumens) and can cope with even ambient lighting,
Also: I replaced my bedroom TV with this $180 Roku projector and now can’t go back
It has solid built-in sound, which should be enough for a small living room. But if you want to add a soundbar to the system, you can do so, thanks to eARC support. I couldn’t test gaming performance, but it does have gaming capabilities, including 4K 120Hz support. There are no real downsides to the Horizon 20 Max. If you can afford it, buy it.
3. Huawei Mate XT Trifold Phone
The Huawei Mate XT was also on ZDNET’s list of the most innovative products of 2025. It is a unique device that combines a phone, a mini-tablet, and a wide-screen tablet in a 12.8 mm design. When folded, you can feel the thickness and its 298g weight in your hand, but open it up once or twice, and its 3.6mm thin design really shines.
Also: I tested Huawei’s $3,600 tri-foldable phone
I like the Huawei Trifold phone for its all-in-one design. Do you need to make a call or respond to a text quickly? Use it as a 6.4-inch phone. Do you want to browse online or read e-books? Unfold it once and you’ll find a 7.9-inch display with 2048 x 2232 pixels resolution. Need to watch videos or play mobile games? Open it all the way up to a 10.2-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio, providing minimal letterboxing and an immersive experience. It doesn’t have Google services, but you can install those apps in a variety of ways.
4. Asus ZenBook Duo Laptop
asus zenbook duo It features two 14-inch FHD OLED displays that support Dolby Vision and a peak brightness of up to 500 nits. They are connected by a hinge, and yet the laptop is only 19.8 mm thick and weighs 1.65 kg. You get one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, so there are no real compromises in this form factor.
You can use the ZenBook Duo as a traditional laptop by connecting the bundled wireless keyboard to a second display, or use both displays together in horizontal or vertical orientation (on the built-in kickstand). It offers unmatched flexibility for a laptop. Although I wish the battery life was better (my M4 MacBook Air spoiled it for me), I’d choose it for its flexibility.
5. Apple iPhone Air
iPhone Air One of my guilty favorites on this list. This is a compact phone in terms of weight, not in terms of screen size. You get a big and bright 6.5-inch display, flagship power with the A19 Pro chipset, and a brand new 18MP center stage selfie camera. I’d love to use the thinner Apple iPhone as my primary device, but its mono speaker and single camera keep me from making the switch.
Too: I tested the iPhone Air for a week, and here’s why 17 Pro Max users shouldn’t sleep on it
I’d love to use the thinner Apple iPhone as my primary device, but its mono speaker and single camera keep me from making the switch. However, if those are not an issue for you and you need an iPhone that doesn’t compromise on performance or performance but weighs less than 170 grams, then the iPhone Air is a good option.
