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2023 is coming to a close, and that means we here at Android Police are looking back over the year in tech. Once we waded through all the AI innovations and iMessage drama, we realized that 2023 has been a banner year for consumer tech. The changes have largely been iterative, but many of the major manufacturers have had exciting years with big changes to top-end products. We pitted each gadget against each other to come up with our list of the very best of the year, and you’re able to read each of our picks below.
Best smartphone
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Another year, another Pixel. Try as we might, we just can’t quite beat the excellent marriage of hardware and software provided by thePixel 8 Pro. Google refined its flagship design in 2023, pairing slick matte glass and a flat display for a device far more comfortable in the hand, case or no. Its trio of cameras continue to impress as well, delivering brighter images in low-light and wider photos in ultra-wide shots.
But as usual, the Pixel 8 Pro truly shines thanks to its software. From AI-powered tools like Best Take and Audio Magic Eraser to the unprecedented seven years of promised support, this is a phone that could — and should — last you the rest of the decade. -Will Sattelberg, Phones Editor
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is still a good deal in 2025, with plenty of software support and a premium flagship experience. The Tensor G3 is powerful enough for most tasks, and you’ll enjoy plenty of Pixel extras on Android 15. If you’re in the market for a Pixel but don’t want to pay flagship prices, the Pixel 8 Pro is worth a look.
Runner-up: OnePlus Open
OnePlus Open
OnePlus' first foldable packs an impressive specs sheet and boasts some equally remarkable features. The lightweight design, the super-bright cover and folding screens, the high-end internals, and the triple-camera setup make the OnePlus Open a great alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup.
Best value phone
Google Pixel 7a
If the Pixel 8 Pro represents everything a smartphone can be in 2023, thePixel 7arepresents some of the best value you’ll find in mobile. Sure, it’s not quite as cheap a bargain as its predecessor — though holiday sales certainly helped with that — the Pixel 7a is a remarkable deal by any metric.
For $500 (or less!), you’re getting a flagship-worthy processor, a fast 90Hz display, wireless charging, and some truly phenomenal cameras. It’s tough to imagine how any company can beat the sheer value on display here — including Google, as we march forward into 2024. -Will Sattelberg, Phones Editor
If you are looking for a new device at a midrange price, the Google Pixel 7a checks off all the boxes. It has a fantastic camera system, strong power, great software support, and good battery life. It may be midrange in price but feels closer to its flagship siblings overall.
Runner-up: Motorola Razr
Motorola Razr (2023)
The Motorola Razr (2023) doesn’t offer the same external display as the Razr+, and the older Snapdragon 7 processor certainly slows things down. However, its budget-minded price, larger battery, and compact size still make this a worthwhile pick for those looking to relive the flip phone glory days but with all the modern smartphone conveniences.
Best gaming phone
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
Asus has secured the top spot as the best gaming phone for several years in a row, and that’s because it offers the best gaming hardware and software together in one package. This still holds true for 2023. The best gaming performance on Android doesn’t come cheap at $1400, but at this price, there are few compromises.
Dual front-facing speakers sound phenomenal, punching well above their weight. The OLED screen remains unobstructed, so content can be enjoyed in full, all the while supporting a high refresh rate that can be locked to 165Hz. It’s the gaming phone that reigns supreme above all other gaming phones, manufactured by a company that knows a thing or two about gaming. Cheaper options may exist, but when the cost isn’t a factor but spit and polish are, ROG is where you’ll wind up. -Matthew Sholtz, Games & Apps Editor
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate stays true to its name; it is the ultimate gaming phone. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chews through any games, and with 16GB RAM and a minimum of 512GB storage, you can easily use this phone as your central mobile gaming hub, always in your pocket, ready to go.
Runner-up: RedMagic 8S Pro
RedMagic 8S Pro
The RedMagic 8S Pro offers specs similar to competitors that cost twice as much, ensuring you’ll get top-of-the-line gaming within a handset that is actually affordable to the masses. Some caveats come with this low price, like buggy software and infrequent updates, but what you get in return is hands-down one of the most powerful gaming phones on the market.
Best foldable phone
2023 was the year foldables finally went big in the US, and the best of the bunch came from not one, buttwosurprise companies. TheOnePlus Openwas good enough to earn our runner-up place for best smartphone of 2023, so it’s naturally taken a claim to this award as well. From its excellent thin-and-light design to the multitasking-friendly software tools, OnePlus completely nailed what a folding phone should be in 2023, making the competition look years behind its refined design. OxygenOS might be lacking in some key ways, but the overall experience issogood, it’s easy to ignore. With any luck, Samsung and Google are taking notes.
And hey, don’t sleep on the Motorola Razr+ if you’re looking for a clamshell phone. It might be our runner-up, but it’s as much a surprise hit as the Open. -Will Sattelberg, Phones Editor
Runner-up: Motorola Razr+
Motorola Razr+ (2023)
Motorola might have taken some time off from launching its foldables in the US, but it’s raging back with the Moto Razr+. This year, the focus is all on the outer 3.6-inch display, which promises to let you do virtually anything without opening the phone. And when you need a larger screen, the 6.9-inch display inside feels just like the company’s other smartphones.
Best tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
Another year of Samsung’s tablets being the absolute best Android slates to choose from. This year, we’ve awarded theGalaxy Tab S9+the title of Best Tablet, and it’s because it’s the Goldilocks model. It may be an iterative update, but if you own an older Samsung tablet, or you want to have your first foray into the world of Android slates, this will be a great place to end up. It’s not as big as the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, but people rarely need that larger screen.
The highlights here are the S Pen is better than ever, the speakers are second to none and the screen size is just right for watching movies or whatever else you want to do on your tablet. If you’re looking to buy a new tablet, you’ll likely be happy with the Galaxy Tab S9+. -James Peckham, Editor-In-Chief
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a powerhouse of a tablet, and while the cost is high, it provides users with a device capable of handling an assortment of applications. That’s why it has won the title of best tablet for 2023.
Runner-up: Google Pixel Tablet
Google Pixel Tablet
Looking for a smart home hub that can double as a tablet? Google’s Pixel Tablet fits the bill. It’s a unique option that may not suit everyone, but we’ve liked that Google is trying to do something different with this one.
Best wearable
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Look, we’d love to tell you the Pixel Watch 2 or some new contender came in and ran away with the Android wearable crown, butSamsung’s Galaxy Watch 6has too much of a lead right now for anything else to catch up. And this is saying something because outside four small (but quite noticeable) spec upgrades, the Galaxy Watch 6 was a carbon copy of the 5 and 4. The screen is twice as bright and bigger while keeping the watch itself the same size, which makes a world of difference for everyday use, and everything flows just a little faster than to the processor bump and finally moving up to 2GB of RAM.
Samsung’s software can integrate with both Samsung’s suite of apps as well as Google’s, including alarms and timers via the Google Clock app. You can also have more than one Galaxy Watch synced to Samsung Health, which you shockingly can’t do with Fitbit trackers and thePixel Watch 2. -Ara Wagoner, Senior Commerce Writer
With a 2,000-nit screen that’s crystal clear even on a sunny day, battery life that can go all day and then some, and the stability of Samsung’s One UI Watch, the Galaxy Watch 6 is the hands-down winner for anyone looking for a fresh Wear OS watch heading into 2024.
Runner-up: Google Pixel Watch 2
Google Pixel Watch 2
Bringing the performance and health tracking consistency that we so desperately needed out of the first Google Pixel Watch, the Pixel Watch 2 offers that gorgeous design and Google’s clean take on Wear OS for a sophisticated wearable experience with the prowess of Fitbit behind its health trcking.
Best headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bose headphones may have not been too exciting over the last few years, even if they’ve always been a solid choice. TheBose QuietComfort Ultraheadphones changed in 2023 with their seamless multipoint audio, impressive sound quality, active noise cancelation, and a comfortable fit, making them our favorite headphones of the year. At $430, they’re anything but cheap, but you’ll likely be able to use them for years to come. -Manuel Vonau, Google Editor
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are some of the best flagship over-ears from the company in years, replacing the iconic but aging Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. They sport a handy folding design and come with Bose’s new Immersive Audio tech that enables spatial stereo audio on any device. They also support Fast Pair for easy pairing on Android.
Runner-up: Fairphone Fairbuds XL
Fairphone Fairbuds XL
The Fairphone Fairbuds XL may not have won our hearts with the best sound quality and ANC this year, but they certainly have one quality that no other mainstream headphone offers: they’re made with repairability in mind. Replacing the battery is as easy as removing a cover, and the rest of the product can be disassembled with a standard screwdriver, with replacement parts readily available. With their comfortable fit as the icing of the cake, these are the second-best headphones we reviewed this year.
Best earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony’s been making some of thebest earbudson the market for years, so it’s no surprise that its latest flagship earbuds, theWF-1000XM5, are AP’s pick for 2023’s top earbuds. The XM5s carry on in the tradition of Sony’s premium earbuds, offering outstanding audio quality, some of the best ANC you can get in any earbudsorheadphones, and class-leading battery life of up to eight hours with noise cancelling turned on.
The buds manage all this in a considerably smaller, sleeker form factor than the XM4 earbuds that preceded them. If you’re looking for a new pair of high-end earbuds right now, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are very hard to beat. -Taylor Kerns, Gadgets Editor
The Sony WF-1000XM5 offer everything you could want in a pair of earbuds, including fantastic audio quality, very effective ANC, and battery life that’ll last a full workday. Sony’s been making great wireless earbuds for years, but the XM5 set a new bar, and easily took our top earbud honors for 2023.
Runner-up: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are a minor refresh to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. If ANC is your top priority, the QC Ultra Earbuds should certainly be worth a look — when it comes to blocking out the outside world, Bose’s newest buds beat our top pick, the Sony WF-1000XM5. Their spatial audio feature is a bit of a gimmick, though, and they don’t come with wireless charging.
Best speaker
Sonos Era 300
Sonos has been making high-quality, premium-priced connected speakers for a long time, and this year’sEra 300is an excellent new entry in the company’s storied portfolio. With some of the best audio quality you’ll get out ofanyconnected speaker you can buy, convenient connectivity options (over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth), an attractive design, and a considerable ecosystem of other compatible devices at its back, the Era 300 is a great option for anyone who can afford it. Its $449 retail price means that’s a fairly narrow set of users — but hey, you get what you pay for. -Taylor Kerns, Gadgets Editor
The Sonos Era 300 is a powerful connected speaker that slots easily into most existing Sonos setups. With outstanding audio quality and a unique, attractive aesthetic, the Era 300 is our favorite speaker that we tested this year. At $449, it’s premium in the extreme — but the price tag will be worth it for anybody whose wallet can take that kind of heat.
Runner-up: Sony SRS-XB100
Sony SRS-XB100
If the above Sonos speaker is too expensive or too stationary for you, our runner-up, the Sony SRS-XB100, provides a very different option. It’s a tiny Bluetooth speaker that clocks in at a very affordable $60. It’s IP67 water and dust resistant and easy to take anywhere, making it an excellent travel speaker.
Best Chromebook
HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook
Announced almost a year ago at CES 2023, HP brought us the most premium Chromebook of the year in theHP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. At $999, this was the most expensive non-Enterprise Chromebook of the year, but it felt reasonable next to the $1,200-$2,200 Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. While the Intel Core i5 inside may technically be “last gen,” it’s still plenty powerful, and we’d rather put that money towards one of the brightest touchscreens available for Chrome OS.
While the Lenovo Flex 5i andAcer Spin 714were incremental updates, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook gave us a breath of fresh air. -Ara Wagoner, Senior Commerce Writer
HP’s Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is a gaming Chromebook without the hyper-edgy gamer aesthetic. We still get plenty of power and memory, we still get Bang & Olufsen speakers, we also get an extra bright screen, and we get the loveliness of an RGB keyboard without it looking like a Razer or ROG machine. You just have to look past the $999 price tag and lack of USB-A ports.
Runner-up: Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
Premium Chromebooks are cool, but you know what’s really cool? A Chromebook that offers almost equivalent power and experience — and exclusive Chromebook Plus features — for half the price or less. The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus will be leading our Best Chromebooks collection because while it may not be cutting edge, it is the lost reliable choice with the perfect balance of price and performance.
