IFA, short for Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, meaning “International Radio Exhibition Berlin” because it started in 1924 when radios were the hottest things in tech, doesn’t see as many major gadget announcements as CES. Still, it’s Europe’s largest tech show to close out summer, and this year the show doubled down on the stuff its Messe Berlin convention halls are typically known for: smart home gear and robots. That’s not to say there weren’t the usual new laptops, speakers, and wacky concepts—there were!
We’re still stomping through Berlin to bring you the best tech we can find from IFA 2025. For now, here’s our Best of IFA 2025 Awards for every gadget that the Gizmodo squad found innovative, well-designed, or just plain fun.
Best Gaming Handheld
Lenovo Legion Go 2 The Legion Go 2 will cost you an arm and a leg, and then Lenovo will still demand more than $1,050 for its revised handheld PC. And still, the device is enticing thanks to its 8.8-inch OLED screen and variable refresh rate (VRR) between 30Hz and 144Hz. The more ergonomic controls may make it easier to hold for longer—which may help considering the upgraded 74Wh battery should let you game for longer. Read more »
Best Robot Vacuum
Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone The Deebot X11 OmniCyclone has a few things going for it that make it stand out from Roombas and the suddenly very competitive market of robovacs. There’s an onboard AI model that Ecovacs says helps the X11 better understand when to clean based on your habits; improved motors help it get over gaps where different floor materials meet; and there’s a built-in GaN fast-charging technology that supposedly lets it recharge while it’s rinsing its mop. The Deebot X11 should also clean corners and wall edges better. It seems to have it all. Read more »
Best Robot Vacuum Accessory
Eufy MarsWalker Eufy’s MarsWalker is straight out of a sci-fi movie. When a Eufy robot vacuum slips on the “mech suit,” it can then use the arms and legs to climb up and down stairs, eliminating the need to manually haul the bot between floors to vacuum. The MarsWalker is cute, a little creepy, but damn, come on, technology that levels up our laziness is too good to ignore! Read more »
Best Laptop
Acer Swift 16 Air When light is right, the Acer Swift 16 Air is your best choice for a laptop that has more screen real estate than any 13- or 14-inch notebook. It clocks in at 2.18 pounds for the version with an IPS LCD display, but the heavier AMOLED will barely weigh you down at 2.43 pounds. The major caveat here is the Swift 16 Air sacrifices battery life for the sake of a thin and light 16-inch device. If you can stomach being near a charger, the Swift 16 Air will barely register as anything in your backpack. Read more »
Best Gaming Laptop
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 Lenovo’s new version of its Legion Pro 7 is very enticing since now it comes with AMD’s Ryzen 9 9955X3D. The CPU promises to beat Intel’s high-end offerings exclusively for gaming performance with the same GPU. The Legion Pro 7 is already a great gaming laptop; the better chip will just make a good computer better.
Best Smartphone
Tecno Slim Tech giants like Samsung say you need to sacrifice battery life for the sake of a super-thin phone. Tecno responded “hold my beer” with the two versions of the Tecno Slim phone. They’re each barely any thicker than a USB-C port, and yet Tecno claims they have enough battery life to last more than a full day. Read more »
Best Smart Lights
Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism Sometimes you want to deck your house in colorful lights all year, and Govee is here to help you do just that. With support for 16 million colors, the Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism are ready for any holiday. Easter lighting, here you come. Read more »
Best Speaker
We Are Rewind GB-001 Damn, we love nostalgia, and We Are Rewind’s next-gen GB-001 boombox has it in spades. There’s a tape deck that can play and record tapes, VU meters for levels, and it still has Bluetooth when you’re feeling lazy. We just hope it sounds as good as it looks. Read more »
Best Charging Stand
Max Headphones Charging Stand Apple doesn’t make a wireless charging stand that charges both AirPods Max and a pair of AirPods earbuds so Mophie did. The Max Headphones Charging Stand is what every Apple fan has been waiting for and displays your Apple over-ear headphones while juicing them up. You do need a little USB-C dongle to magnetically charge the AirPods Max, but seriously, why didn’t anybody make this sooner? Read more »
Best Wireless Headphones
JLab Jbuds Open Ear Headphones Open-ear audio is coming to headphones, and we couldn’t be more ready. JLab showed off a pair of headphones with an open back that could be the perfect form factor for quality audio that still lets you hear your surroundings. The best part? They’re set to debut at only $99. Read more »
Best Tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra If there’s one thing Samsung is an expert at, it’s making big-ass tablets, and the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the largest one that matters. Thinner than even Apple’s thinnest iPad Pro, Samsung’s Android tablet is better as a laptop or desktop replacement thanks to the new DeX Extended Mode and four desktop workspaces to spread windows across. It’s truly made for working as opposed to watching Netflix, though that’ll look great on the massive screen, too. Read more »
Best Projector
Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro There are projectors, and then there’s Anker’s Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro, which is basically an upright party speaker with a 4K, U-shaped optical laser system to splash a massive picture of up to 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness onto any wall. It’s such a tank of a projector that it may as well be called R2-D2. As if that weren’t enough, the Nebula X1 Pro hides four wireless speakers inside that you can set up in any room or backyard for a 7.1.4 surround sound system that’ll shoot you into hyperspace. Read more »
Best Power Bank
Anker Prime 300W Power Bank Finally, there’s a power bank that’s got enough juice and throughput to charge up your entire mobile office. Anker claims its Prime 300W Power Bank can charge two laptops and your phone all at once. The Anker app will also let you determine which devices you want to prioritize during an emergency charge. Read more »
Best Grooming Tool
Laifen T1 Pro Nothing says high-end like some aerospace-grade, sand-blasted aluminum alloy. Laifen knows that, which is why it made the T1 Pro with one single piece of airplane-grade metal. The result is a sleek but sturdy shaver that is designed to last—and would probably make Jony Ive proud as hell. Read more »
Best Wearable
Polar Loop As much as fitness bands like those made by Whoop are great for anyone that doesn’t want another screen in their life, adding another subscription is just as bad. If you want a screenless fitness wearable, this one from Polar does what Whoop does but without the annual fee. It looks comfier, too. Read more »
Best Smart Glasses
Inmo Air 3 The sprint towards functinal and powerful AR glasses is in full swing and Inmo’s AIr 3 is proof. Inmo officially launched a kickstarter campaign to make 1080p glasses with a smart ring that controls UI for apps and multiple interactive windows. It’s a different approach from Meta and its alleged wristband, and unlike anything we’ve seen yet. Read more »
Best AI Gadget
Plaud Note Pro If you liked Plaud’s original card-sized AI recorder, then there’s no reason not to like its newest addition, the Note Pro, which adds two microphones for better recording range and extends the battery life so you’ll never miss a word.
Best Toy
SwitchBot Kata SwitchBot’s Kata asks, “What if a stuffed animal had an on-device LLM?” That may not be a question most have thought to ask, but this wheeled robot is pushing boundaries. According to SwitchBot, this little guy even experiences jealousy. Can your non-AI-equipped plushie feel jealousy? We thought so. Read more »
Best Concept Device