TechRadar Choice Awards 2023 winners: meet the best tech of the year

TechRadar Choice Awards 2023 logo on an art deco background
(Image credit: Future)

It's time to meet the winners of the TechRadar Choice Awards 2023, sponsored by Norton! The winners of these awards are chosen in part by you, the readers of TechRadar, to help make sure we're honoring the tech that's most-loved by the people who actually use it.

We'll lead in with our Editor's Choice awards, which are chosen solely by the TechRadar judges. But then we'll get into the full list of categories across all kinds of tech products, which were decided by combining the votes of our readers with scores from our judges.

We've got more categories than ever this year, reflecting how the world of tech continues to broaden. And one of these new awards is what we'll open with: the Reader's Choice Award. This was 100% voted by you, from a shortlist of the biggest-name tech released in the last 12 months. So let's start with the people's winner!

Reader's Choice Award

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

In our award decided 100% by readers, where you could vote on the biggest-name products across a range of categories, Samsung's elite phone won out – and it's no surprise as to why. In our review, we called it the "indomitable showman" of the phone world, and a substantial upgrade over what came before, despite its similar looks. From its camera to its screen to its battery, it's as good as phones get right now – and as good as tech in general gets, according to our voters.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

Editor's Choice awards

Phone of the Year

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is just the kind of update we want from Apple, one that keeps all that was good about its predecessor but improves in powerful and exciting ways to deliver a fantastic overall smartphone experience. This is the big phone that no longer feels big (it's now lighter and slightly tinier). It has better cameras that produce top-tier images without adding what some might argue are sometimes unnecessary AI tricks. It melds an exquisite design with the best mobile OS in all of tech. Apple increasingly walks away from flash in favor of pure excellence, and we’re here for it.

Read our iPhone 15 Pro Max review

Laptop of the Year

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i

Dual-display laptops have been around for a while, but we’ve yet to see one do it this well. A multitasking monster, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i packs two gorgeous screens and plenty of power, along with a ton of extra features. Sure, it takes a bit of getting used to, but this laptop can send your productivity to the stratosphere if you take the time to master it. It's a ground-breaker, and what could be more worthy of our award?

Read our Lenovo Yoga Book 9i review

TV of the Year

Samsung S90C

Samsung S90C

The Samsung S90C is the ultimate mix of picture quality and performance. Whether it's movies, video games, or sports, the S90C can handle everything, and exceeds any and all expectations. What puts it above the competition is its value – its QD-OLED screen is brighter than OLEDs at the same price, and its built-in sound is better. It's shaken up the comfortable rut of premium TVs in the best way possible, and earned this award in the process. It's simply the best.

Read our Samsung S90C review 

Streaming service of the Year

Max

Max

HBO Max merged its content with Discovery Plus in spring 2023, creating a mega-streaming service with the shortened name Max. And while there’s the case to be made that the new service is difficult to navigate, our much bigger argument is that this is mostly because there’s something here for everyone, from new and classic movies, to live news and sports, with a seemingly endless assortment of cooking, comedy, and reality TV shows in-between. Adding to Max’s value is the HBO Max library of excellent original series, which strongly contributes to making it the best streaming service for its sheer breadth.

Read more about Max

Headphones of the Year

Edifier Stax Spirit S3

Edifier Stax Spirit S3

Is it the Stax Spirit S3's latest proprietary planar magnetic technology (using 89mm x 70mm planar magnetic driver units) that makes us honor them with a TechRadar Award? Or could it be their foldable nature, their light but solid and classy construction, or their 80 hours of playtime? In truth it's all of these things and more – but pushed for a single reason, we'd have to point to their divinely detailed, expressive and dynamically agile listen with depth and snappy bass clout in spades. 

Read our full Edifier Stax Spirit S3 review

Health & Fitness Device of the Year

Apple Watch Ultra Series 2

Apple Watch Ultra Series 2

Health and fitness tech has been very incremental this year. Next year, we expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Ring break the mold, but there have been no innovations on that scale in 2023. As the original Apple Watch Ultra missed out on the top spot last year, we have to give it to the Ultra 2 this time – it builds on a fantastic concept, it's the best Apple Watch ever, and is a dream to run with, making features such as virtual pacers highly accessible and fun to use. The tweaks and upgrades to watchOS make a real difference.

Read our Apple Watch Ultra Series 2 review

Camera Device of the Year

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Many new cameras have impressed us in 2023, but few had the wow factor. That was until the Mavic 3 Pro, the world’s first triple-camera drone and DJI’s crowning achievement. It’s attracted so much praise from readers and reviewers alike, and we particularly love the quality and versatility it offers aerial photographers, aptly supported by class-leading safety features, active subject tracking, and automated Quickshot flight patterns.

Read our DJI Mavic 3 Pro review

Home Tech of the Year

Swan Alexa 1.5-litre Smart Kettle

Swan Alexa 1.5-litre Smart Kettle

It's been a while since we were this impressed with a smart home product, but this Swan does for the kettle what Philips Hue did for light bulbs, adding voice control for smart functions that actually feel like an improvement over the old ways. Using the scheduled routines, Alexa requests and keep-warm functions just make life easier – and are great for accessibility as well as convenience.

Read our Swan Alexa 1.5-litre Smart Kettle review

Game of the Year

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Baldur's Gate 3

It could only be Larian Studio’s sprawling D&D RPG – the game that launched just before Starfield, but was the only one anyone could talk about. Unmatched depth, writing quality, and the real feeling that there’s a whole world that your actions and inaction are messing up combine to create the best game not just of 2023, but of this decade.

Sustainability Award

Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition

Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition

Framework was our One to Watch award winner last year, and that turned out to be a great call, because here's a new version gaining its own special award. The Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition is a leading light on what sustainability in tech products should look like, in our view. The laptop itself is easily repairable and upgradeable, so there's as little e-waste as possible. As a Chromebook, it will get at least 10 years of software support and updates, which is longer than anything else around. This combination of both hardware and software that are designed to last and grow with you is what we should be aiming for in more products.

Read our Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition review

Brand of the Year

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Sony

Debate was heated over this award among the TechRadar team, but one thing no one could deny is that Sony's had a hell of a year when it comes to its products, and that's ultimately what we're here to celebrate. It has the highest number of wins among these these awards, and it's easy to see why – it's in a real groove. From world-first speakers (the HT-AX7) to five-star earbuds (the WF-C700N) to a way to visit new worlds (the PS VR2) to uniquely gaming-friendly soundbars (the HT-A5000 update) to multiple class-leading cameras (the A7C R and A7R V), to a fascinating range of new PlayStation accessories, including the cutting-edge Pulse Earbuds and the new Access Controller. Sony has been packed with ideas and polish in 2023, and we're happy to see it on top of its game.

One to Watch

Apple Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro

What else could it be for this award? There's no other gadget out there that's so technically impressive, but with so many open questions about its future. We've tried Vision Pro and we know it's absolutely astounding, but we need to see what kind of experiences happen on it in practice – and most importantly of all, we can't wait to see what a more affordable non-Pro version looks like. The potential is here is huge, and we've no doubt Vision Pro is going to be endlessly talked about next year.

Read our Apple Vision Pro hands-on

Phones category winners

Best Value Phone

Google Pixel 7a

Google Pixel 7a

Google’s Pixel 7a continues the winning formula of the Pixel a-series by offering great phone photography, a distinct design, decent performance, and probably the best version of Android around. With plenty of smart features and big camera improvements over its predecessor, the Pixel 7a is a worthy winner.

Read our Google Pixel 7a review

Best Mid-range Phone

Google Pixel 7

Google Pixel 7

Another win for Google, this time with the Pixel 7. A host of smart features – including the ability to unblur hastily shot photos – improved performance and a great display. All this is wrapped up with a price tag that undercuts rivals from Apple and Samsung, meaning the Pixel 7 is really a near-flagship phone for a mid-range price.

Read our Google Pixel 7 review

Best Folding Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Sometimes iteration is the key to turning a good device into a great one, as seen with the latest Samsung Fold. It refined the folding phone foundation set by the original Galaxy Fold into something that’s no longer a fringe device, and is instead a true flagship to help make folding phones mainstream, even as the competition heated up dramatically.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review

Best Camera Phone

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

This was the closest vote in the whole awards, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max just losing out – but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra grabs the win thanks to its quartet of rear cameras offering the most flexibility for smartphone photography. A 200MP main camera is partnered with a great ultra-wide camera and pair of telephoto lenses to help you pretty much capture the exact shot you want, however you're positioned. Add in the S Pen to help with precise editing, and you’ve got a superb camera system on top of a fantastic phone.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

Best Gaming Phone

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

As mobile games get more impressive, the idea of a gaming phone becomes less niche, and this proved itself to be ideal for discerning gamers. Not only does it have an enviable spec list, it also sports two USB-C ports for supporting extras such as an external monitor, as well as the AeroActive Cooler accessory to keep the phone cool even when it’s pushing the latest mobile games to the max.

Read our Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review

Best Tablet

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Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022)

It was almost a given that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro was going to be a winner here, winning with both our judges and the readers. Apple has refined iPadOS into almost unbeatable tablet software, which when combined with the mighty specs and stunning mini-LED display of the largest iPad Pro, makes for the best tablet experience money can buy.

Computing category winners

Best Budget Laptop

Asus TUF A15

Asus TUF A15

We’ve long been fans of the TUF A15 series from Asus, which consistently provides a higher level of performance than we’d expect from an affordable gaming laptop brand. The new-for-2023 generation brings Nvidia’s RTX 4000 GPUs to the table, coupled with AMD Ryzen processors for optimal energy efficiency too.

Read our Asus TUF A15 review

Best Laptop for Gamers

Razer Blade 14 (2023)

Razer Blade 14 (2023)

Razer has always been a premium brand when it comes to PC gaming hardware, and its latest 14-inch Blade model is the new gold standard for what a lightweight gaming laptop should be. Powerful gaming performance with impressive speakers and a high-end aesthetic makes this a laptop worth the price of admission.

Read our Razer Blade 14 (2023) review

Best Computing Innovation

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Come on, it was never going to be anything else. OpenAI’s now-seemingly-omnipresent chatbot won this category by an absolute landslide – and how could it not? ChatGPT absolutely exploded in popularity this year, and is already being implemented as the AI tool of choice by numerous businesses in the tech sphere and beyond. What’s next for our favorite chatbot? The sky's the limit…

Read our ChatGPT explained guide

Best PC Gaming Accessory

Microsoft Adaptive Accessories

Microsoft Adaptive Accessories

Microsoft already set a high bar for gaming accessibility with its Xbox Adaptive Controller, but earlier this year it raised the stakes with a whole host of PC accessories designed with accessibility in mind. Six new products, all remappable for your exact needs, shows that Microsoft takes user accessibility seriously when it comes to PC gaming hardware.

Read our Microsoft Adaptive Accessories review

TV category winners

Best TV for Gaming

Samsung S90C

Samsung S90C

While there are lots of TVs that come with next-gen gaming features, the Samsung S90C comes out on top when our experts’ votes were combined with the readers. With 4x HDMI 2.1 ports with full gaming compatibility including 144Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium and HGiG support, this is a well-stocked gaming TV – and the Samsung Game Bar makes it so easy to make the most of its features. It may lack Dolby Vision gaming, but the image quality is so good for the price anyway, it just doesn't matter.

Read our Samsung S90C review

Best TV for Movies

LG G3

LG G3

The LG G3 is a fantastic TV for movies. Its real highlights are not only its dynamic colors, but also its ability to maintain a natural image despite high brightness levels that could easily turn to the artificial. With Dolby Vision support for wonderful HDR tones, the phenomenal black levels and shadow detail you expect from LG’s OLEDs, and a new anti-reflective panel that helps make sure the movie is all you see, the LG G3 is a movie fan’s dream.

Read our LG G3 review

Best OLED TV

Samsung S95C

Samsung S95C

Offering dazzling brightness levels, amazing QD-OLED colors, powerful sound and having it all wrapped in a stunning super-slim design thanks to the One Connect box, the Samsung S95C is the best OLED TV around according to both readers and our experts. The only reason it didn't win TV of the year? The Samsung S90C gives so many of the same features for a lower price tag, which is even more impressive in its own way. But if you have the higher budget, the S95C is the complete OLED TV package of unparalleled image quality and features.

Read our Samsung S95C review

Best Mid-range TV

TCL QM8

TCL QM8

TCL’s flagship TV for 2023 is a high brightness mini-LED model that, like other TCL TVs, is sold at an affordable price. Performance is very good for the money, with the QM8’s local dimming delivering finely detailed shadows to complement the bright highlights in its picture. An anti-glare screen coating makes the QM8 a great option for daytime sports viewing and it’s available in screen sizes up to a gargantuan 98 inches.

Read our TCL QM8 Class review

Best Value TV

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 

With a QLED panel for rich brightness and colors, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10 Adaptive support for the best HDR performance, and both variable refresh rate and Dolby Vision gaming support for next-gen consoles, all for under $500/£500 for a 55-inch TV, this is unbeatable value. When it comes to balancing picture quality, features and price, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is a total winner.

Read our Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

Best Projector

Hisense PX2-PRO

Hisense PX2-PRO

Hisense’s PX1-PRO has long had a spot on our best 4K projectors list, so we were eager to see how its successor, the PX2-PRO would perform. We were not disappointed. The new model excels during dark room viewing, with the stunning color delivered by its three-laser DLP engine helped along by Dolby Vision HDR support. It also has a great design, and at $3,000, it’s priced lower than its predecessor – a winning move with both the judges and readers.

Read our Hisense PX2-PRO review

Best Soundbar

Samsung HW-Q990C

Samsung HW-Q990C

Our experts and readers agreed that the Samsung HW-Q990C is simply the best soundbar you can buy for Dolby Atmos thrills. It gives you the full Dolby Atmos experience, thanks to its stacked 11.1.4 channels all driven by real speakers. It's so powerful and immersive, but also has a finesse and delicate touch that means everything is perfectly balanced. It's another home-run for Samsung's flagship soundbars.

Read our Samsung HW-Q990C review

Streaming category winners

Best Streaming Device

Apple TV 4K (2022)

Apple TV 4K (2022)

The new Apple TV 4K arrived in 2022, and it quickly earned its status as our favorite streaming box. While not a radical departure from the previous version, it adds HDR10 high dynamic range support, USB-C charging on the included Siri Remote, and the company’s A15 Bionic chip for slightly faster menu navigation and Apple Arcade gaming performance. The latest tvOS 17 version brought further updates such as FaceTime capability, audio and Control Center improvements to cement its best-of-category status.

Read our full Apple TV 4K (2022) review

Best Streaming Service for Movies

Max

Max

When HBO Max recently merged with Discovery Plus, the impressive HBO Max movie library was fortunately left largely intact, and it continues to be a prime streaming destination for movie fans. Horror, sci-fi and other genres are all well represented, and so are new movies such as Garbage Fish classic Meg 2: The Trench. But to truly appreciate what Max has to offer you need simply browse its catalog, which is packed with wonderful stuff new and old.

Read our guide to the best Max movies

Best Streaming Service for Documentaries

Netflix

Netflix

Netflix may be best-known as a go-to option for TV series new and old, but it’s also a great destination for documentaries. From Beckham, about the global football superstar, to Academy Award-winner My Octopus Teacher, there’s loads of great stuff to choose from, whether your thing is sports, nature, or serial killers. And the best thing about docs on Netflix is that they just keep coming, with new, high-quality Netflix-sponsored productions constantly in the works.

Read our guide to the best Netflix documentaries

Best Streaming Service for TV Shows

Netflix

Netflix

Netflix had an incredibly strong year for shows, somehow delivering a live-action anime that actually pleased fans in the form of One Piece, building on the strength of existing shows with the likes of Queen Charlotte and XO, Kitty, and adding popular original hits such as Beef, FUBAR and The Night Agent. And that's on top of its great library of older shows – according to Nielsen's data, eight of the 10 most-watched TV shows in 2023 were on Netflix. How could anything else be more award-worthy than that kind of dominance?

Read our guide to the best Netflix shows

Best Streaming Service for Value

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video

The fact that Prime Video is just included with Prime gives it a head-start when it comes to value, it's true, but actually for its monthly price, it's still a great-value service. You don't have to pay more for 4K HDR, and it's had a really strong run of movies in particular, too. From originals like Catherine Called Birdy and Totally Killer to getting hot new releases early, including Creed III and John Wick Chapter 4, plus a strong rotating list of catalog stuff (with even more in the app from Freevee), you really get a lot here.

See the best Prime Video movies

Audio category winners

Best Wireless Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 

For stunning build quality, a seamless app experience and clarity across the frequencies, our editors simply had to give B&W's top-tier over-ears the recognition few aspirational sets of cans receive. Where to begin? Probably with the oodles of detail, agility and expanse on offer, all underpinned by a gloriously weighty bass. If audio quality is your top priority and hang the cost, you just found the best cans in the business. 

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review

Best Wireless Earbuds

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Samsung truly turned a corner with its Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which forego futuristic looks (no rose-gold kidney-beans here) in favor of great 24-bit sound, head-tracked spatial audio and a design that fits comfortably and securely. They're good. No, really good as well as being packed full of useful perks such as excellent ANC, voice detection, wearer detection, and customizable on-ear controls, you also get IPX7 water ingress protection and a sound that's supremely expansive and realistic. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review

Best Value Headphones

Sony WH-CH720N

Sony WH-CH720N

Sony has delivered superb sound balance and detail in a comfortable, lightweight and inexpensive package with these headphones, giving you that finely honed Sony sound for less. The noise cancellation is effective too, easily besting most other cheaper options. And as with all Sony headphones, you get a ton of great connected features in the app, so you can make the whole thing work better for you. When it comes to value, they're an excellent winner.

Read our Sony WH-CH720N review

Best Value Earbuds

Sony WF-C700N

Sony WF-C700N

With these little budget beauties, Sony ripped our notions of what is achievable in the realm of wallet-friendly earbuds to bits. Truly, they've no business sounding this good and featuring all these perks for money. What perks? Think Sony's 360 Reality Audio guided by the excellent Sony Headphones Connect app, multi-point connectivity plus adaptive sound control (you can select between 'Walking', 'Waiting', 'Travelling' or 'Registered places' in the app) all of which is frankly incredible at this level. Some decisions are tough. Not this one – this is one of the easiest nods for an Award we've ever given. 

Read our full Sony WF-C700N review

Best Bluetooth Speaker

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Sony HT-AX7

Sometimes, sheer coolness carries a product to victory, and that seems to be the case with this Sony Bluetooth speaker that turns into a surround-sound system. It's not the best-sounding speaker you can get for the price just for music, but nothing else lets you grab two little discs on top and instantly create a real surround system for watching movies on your iPad – or it's especially killer with a portable projector. A weird and wonderful new idea, and one that was super-popular with readers as well as our judges.

Read our Sony HT-AX7 review

Best Wireless Speaker

Sonos Era 300

Sonos Era 300

Sonos' new Dolby Atmos speaker is a beast, designed with pro-style compression drivers for a super-accurate sound, with six separate drivers to create spatial audio that's seriously impressive, placing different speakers in different areas of the soundscape. But even just with regular music, it's an incredibly detailed and balanced speaker. And if you add two to a Sonos Arc for a home theater setup, it takes what a Sonos Dolby Atmos system can do to new heights (no pun intended).

Read our Sonos Era 300 review

Best Audio Player

Sony NW-A306

Sony NW-A306

The beauty of this bijou player is its ability to boost the quality of your sound on the fly without putting a big dent in your bank account – or a big device in your pocket. Look, Sony obviously has previous in this game, so we weren't surprised by the rock-solid build quality – but we were pleasantly stunned by its formidable hi-res clout (NW-A306’s DAC chipset operates at a native 24bit/96kHz resolution) and its spacious, detailed and spirited sound no matter what type of file we threw at it.

Read our full Sony NW-A306 review

Health & Fitness category winners

Best Smartwatch

Apple Watch Series 9 

Apple Watch Series 9 

A big crowd-pleaser that absolutely crushed the reader vote (gaining over 50% of the total votes), the Apple Watch Series 9 may look the same as the Series 8, but the new double-tap function is ushering in a new era of hands-free smartwatch interactivity. The faster chip, improved screen and on-device health tools don’t hurt either. The best keeps getting better.

Read our Apple Watch Series 9 review

Best Running Watch

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Garmin, Coros and Suunto all put out some strong entries this year, but the Ultra 2 won out. Like almost every other running watch this year, it’s an incremental upgrade on its predecessor, but the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a stunner that wins on design, construction, performance and even green credentials thanks to its claimed carbon-neutral status.

Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Best Fitness Tracker

Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit Inspire 3

Cheap fitness tracker bands have fallen off in recent years, allowing the Inspire 3 to reclaim a valuable niche. The ‘traditional’ Fitbit style still offers a whole bunch of Fitbit’s best features, including daily readiness score and guided workouts, 10 days of battery life, and an old-school pedometer clip. Fitbit may have had its share of knocks this year, but the Inspire 3 stood out as a light in the dark.

Read our Fitbit Inspire 3 review

Best Electric Toothbrush

Oral-B iO Series 10

Oral-B iO Series 10

Oral-B’s Premium iO series is all about smarts, and the iO Series 10 is the smartest toothbrush yet. 3D in-app teeth tracking shows you wherever you’ve missed a spot, offering real-time guidance as you brush your teeth by recommending that you focus on correct zones. It may be pricey, but we struggle to see what new innovations can possibly be brought to brushing beyond what this brush includes. You could probably play Doom on this toothbrush.

Read our Oral-B iO Series 10 review

Best Smart Scales

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Withings Body Scan

Withings Body Scan is, like so many smart scales now, more than a weight-measuring device: it’s an overall health checkup. From the soles of your feet, it can check your heart with an ECG scan, and body composition with bioelectrical impedance analysis. This isn’t a new phenomenon, but displaying your body composition in different areas of your body with great accuracy, and presenting the information in an accessible way, definitely is.

Best E-bike

Volt Infinity

Volt Infinity

British bike builder Volt led the charge with an outstanding hybrid all-rounder. It’s comfortable, with impressive range (90 miles!), and still carries a fitness element while assisting where needed, thanks to its customizable settings via the on-board computer. It’s got a high initial cost, but it’s comprised of nothing but premium components of outstanding quality. Wet conditions during our testing left this premium bike undaunted.

Read our Volt Infinity review

Best E-scooter

TurboAnt V8 Dual-Battery

TurboAnt V8 Dual-Battery

With a 50-mile range, this might be ultimate commuting scooter. Not only can it go further than most of the competition, it's also a smooth and solid ride thanks to its sizeable pneumatic tires, able to absorb vibrations and handle different surface types. It's practical in the best way.

Read our TurboAnt V8 Dual-Battery review

Cameras category winners

Best Beginner Camera

Fujifilm X-S20

Fujifilm X-S20

It might be a little too expensive compared the X-S10, but the X-S20 is the most capable beginner camera on the market, if you can afford it. Photo quality was already a strong area, but the improvement in video performance surprised us, with stellar 6K open gate recording. This is truly a hybrid camera with longevity for beginners.

Read our Fujifilm X-S20 review

Best Hybrid Camera

Sony A7C R

Sony A7C R

The previous-gen Sony A7C was a flawed travel camera, but its successor, the A7C II, ironed out most of issues we had. However, it was the pricier high-resolution version, the 61MP full-frame A7C R, that stole our hearts to became our favorite travel camera. Those extra pixels and cropping potential make extra sense for a travel camera where you might want to rely on a single lens.

Read our Sony A7C R review

Best Professional Camera

Sony A7R V

Sony A7R V

The A7R V is so much more than its class-leading 61MP full-frame sensor; it also boasts Sony’s latest processor, a new AI chip that improves subject detection autofocus including the variety of subjects the camera can recognize, eight stops of in-body image stabilization, and the best EVF in the business, too. What a camera.

Read our Sony A7R V review

Best Video Camera

Panasonic S5 II

Panasonic S5 II

Receiving a five-star TechRadar review, the full-frame S5 II is a solid workhorse with an unbeatable video spec for the price. It shoots decent 24MP stills, but the S5 II is more for filmmakers, with 10-bit ‘open gate’ 6K video and outstanding in-body stabilization. It also became the first Panasonic to gain phase detection autofocus for video – a seminal moment for the brand. Judging by votes, it seems like readers are taking Panasonic seriously now.

Read our Panasonic S5 II review

Best Instant Camera

Polaroid I-2

Polaroid I-2

This pro-grade instant camera is the most expensive of its kind that we can remember, but also the most capable in terms of what you can achieve with it, and rewards those with deep pockets willing to experiment for creative effects in their instant prints. It transported us back to a simpler, happier time.

Read our Polaroid I-2 review

Best Action Camera

DJI Osmo Action 4

DJI Osmo Action 4

This was the year that DJI really brought up the heat on GoPro. The Osmo Action 4 gained a larger image sensor than its predecessor, plus a log color profile for video, and consequently betters the low light image capability and dynamic range of GoPro’s latest flagship Hero Black model. We also prefer DJI’s convenient magnetic mounting. There’s a new action camera king in town.

Read our DJI Osmo Action 4 review

Best Drone

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

The Mavic 3 Pro was the world’s first triple-camera consumer drone, and flagship Mavic model with class-leading safety features. The main camera with 20MP Four Thirds sensor offers outstanding 5.1K video image quality, while additional telephoto cameras extend what’s possible for aerial image makers. DJI has had an incredible year.

Read our DJI Mavic 3 Pro review

Home Tech category winners

Best Smart Speaker

Apple HomePod 2

Apple HomePod 2

A strong showing from the reader votes pushed this ahead of hot competition. Apple's strong smart home control options make this a great home hub for iPhone users, and the sound quality for music is just about as good as it gets at this price. And it's still a good-looking, fairly small device considering how powerful it is.

Read our Apple HomePod 2 review

Best Smart Lights

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Philips Hue Lustre

Bringing Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (via the Hue Bridge) control to your smaller lamp bulbs, the Lustre range is a fantastic addition to the Hue line up. Just grab one and control it directly over Bluetooth to give your lamp a big ambiance upgrade – or use it as part of a more elaborate setup to get the exact effect you want. The Lustre adds even more flexibility to the class-leading Philips Hue range.

Best Home Security Camera

Ring Indoor Cam (Gen 2)

Ring Indoor Cam (Gen 2)

Adding more privacy and general flexibility to the Ring Indoor Cam won us and the readers over here. This second-generation version has an improved mount to angle it however you need, and a privacy cover so it can be easily blocked by someone staying in your home. On top of that, you've got the generally slick Ring integration, and good performance – especially for the affordable price.

Read our Ring Indoor Cam (Gen 2) review

Best Video Doorbell

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

The latest and greatest Ring doorbell for the home looks much like… well, all the other Ring doorbells, but it comes with improvements all over it. We loved the new "head-to-toe" view that makes it easy to see packages that have been left, the new higher-resolution screen, and the improved motion detection. You might say it pushed the right buttons.

Read our Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review

Best Robot Vacuum

iRobot Roomba Combo J7

iRobot Roomba Combo J7

This robot vacuum and mop combination gives your floors a better clean than anything else, and manages to avoid any problems with its mop on carpets too. We found that it was even great for pet-heavy households too. If you want your place to feel spotless all the time, let the Combo J7 take all the effort of your hands.

Read our iRobot Roomba Combo J7 review

Best Vacuum

Dyson V15s Detect Submarine

Dyson V15s Detect Submarine

Dyson's first cordless vacuum/mop combo delivers the convenience you'd expect from the company, offering great maneuverability and ease of use for vacuuming, cleaning spills, or both. The long battery life means you can give your home a long and thorough clean too.

Read our Dyson V15s Detect Submarine review

Best Air Fryer

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Ninja Double Oven

The sheer convenience of this air fryer can't be underestimated – and, once you try it, is something you can't go back from. Between its spacious cooling compartments and Smart Finish tech so different things are ready at the same time without you having to put effort into making that happen, it makes feeding a lot of people feel easy – and what could be more worthy of an award than that?

Best Blender

Nutribullet Smart Touch Blender

Nutribullet Smart Touch Blender

This isn't a win for being super-smart or innovative. It's for just doing the most important things better than anything else. It's got a large capacity, and can reduce even more difficult fruits to a smooth juice in under a minute. If you just want to get things blended evenly, smoothly and quickly, this is the way.

Read our Nutribullet Smart Touch Blender review

Best Coffee Machine

Nespresso Vertuo Pop

Nespresso Vertuo Pop

Another champion for the cause of doing simple things well, this smart-looking pod coffee machine can make great-tasting coffee in different sizes, depending on the pod you use. It detects the type of pod automatically, so there's no effort on your part. It's affordable, it's easy, and it's a winner.

Read our Nespresso Vertuo Pop review

Best Hair Dryer

T3 AireLuxe

T3 AireLuxe

The premium-feeling hair dryer is easy to use and control, with its range of variable heat and flow settings, and lock-in cool shot option, making it easy to get exactly the finish you want. It gives you that professional feeling at home, and what more can you ask from a blow dryer?

Read our T3 AireLuxe review

Best Mattress

Helix Midnight mattress

Helix Midnight mattress

The Helix Midnight delivers pretty much everything you'd want from a mattress, with a modern yet luxe-feeling design that combines soothing sink-in memory foam with supportive pocket coils. The contouring surface cradles the sleeper's joints and relives pressure, as well as absorbing movements, so you won't be bothered by a restless partner.

Read our Helix Midnight mattress review

Best Memory Foam Mattress

Nectar Memory Foam mattress

Nectar Memory Foam mattress

The flagship Nectar has been our favorite US memory foam mattress for a while now. It punches well above its lower mid-range price tag in terms of quality, and the extras are extremely generous – a full year's trial period and forever warranty. The medium-firm feel and gentle contouring will suit most sleepers, even those transitioning from a traditional innerspring mattress.

Read our Nectar mattress review

Best Pillow

Casper Down pillow

Casper Down pillow

Made with ethically sourced duck down, the Casper Down pillow feels like sleeping on a cloud. The clever five-chamber design is plush yet supportive in any position. We also appreciate the cool cotton cover, and the fact the whole thing can be popped into the washing machine for easy cleaning. 

Read our Casper Down pillow review

Gaming category winners

Console of the Year

Sony PlayStation 5

Sony PlayStation 5

The PS5 is an exceptional console that’s only gotten better with age. As more current-generation games – such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy 16 – take advantage of its power and advanced features, it’s apparent that Sony has produced a piece of hardware that’s able to continue evolving the console gaming experience to greater heights.

Read our PlayStation 5 review

Best Gaming Service

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass continues to be the service to beat in 2023, offering a simple, great-value route into the largest game library. As well as supporting a whole host of devices through cloud game streaming, offering day-one access to the biggest games of the year like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and Cities Skylines 2 ensured it was 2023’s best gaming service.

Read our Xbox Game Pass review

Best Gaming Accessory

Nitro Deck

Nitro Deck

The Nitro Deck is an easy choice for the best gaming accessory of 2023. It effortlessly provides a phenomenal upgrade to the Nintendo Switch’s portable experience, offering sublime build quality and high-end controls that allow for responsive and tactile feedback. The standout feature is those fantastic Hall-effect analog sticks, which use magnet-controlled voltage to effectively eliminate stick drift.

Read our Nitro Deck review

Best Debut Game

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Vampire Survivors

An indie title developed by just one man that went on to earn rapturous critical acclaim and a dedicated playerbase, Vampire Survivors came out of nowhere and surpassed all expectations. It’s the development story of dreams, and this engrossing roguelike is one that’s held the attention of fans for a full year (even if there still aren’t any vampires in it).

Best Mobile Game

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Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap could be the holy grail of licensed games – while there are scores of Marvel games on mobile, Snap is the only one that feels like it’s taken your phone hostage. A tense ever-changing card game that you can play for three minutes or three solid days, Snap launched and was immediately, instantly, essential.

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