Rolling Stone Essentials 2027: Standout Tech and Gear

Samsung

Amid a crowded year of smartphone launches—particularly foldables—Samsung’s S26 Ultra introduced a display feature that largely flew under the radar. Its built-in privacy mode can be activated for specific screen areas, such as a banking notification. In practice, the panel remains bright and legible head-on, yet becomes nearly illegible from off-center viewing angles.

ASUS

ASUS enjoyed a strong product year, though much of the spotlight landed on its dual-screen designs. The company’s conventional laptops, however, deserve equal attention. The Zenbook A16 pairs a featherweight chassis with a generous screen and a vibrant OLED touchscreen. It also offers an expansive port selection rare in modern laptops: two USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI, and an SD card reader. The result is a versatile, powerful machine suited to a wide range of workflows.

Google Pixel

The Pixel Watch achieves what few smartwatches manage: it looks like a traditional timepiece. Its domed display downplays the screen beneath the glass, and the Pixel Watch 5 delivers essential health and sleep tracking alongside safety features such as car-crash detection and SOS satellite communication.

TCL

Long recognized for budget-friendly televisions, TCL has evolved into a well-rounded TV brand that balances innovation, quality, and value. Its SQD mini-LED lineup delivers enhanced brightness and contrast, peaking at 3,000 nits for a vivid picture even in brightly lit rooms.

Boox

Boox has demonstrated that an e-reader can be more than a dedicated reading device. Its Android-based e-ink lineup spans phone-sized readers to large note-taking tablets, granting access to a broad range of apps. The newest addition, the Picco, is about the size of a playing card and supports ePub files plus expandable storage via microSD, making it a portable option for reading on the move.

Nex Playground

While the gaming console market is controlled by a handful of major players, Nex is disrupting the space with a family-focused system. The cube-shaped Playground console uses a movement-tracking camera to promote active gameplay. Privacy is addressed through local processing that does not store video or audio, plus a physical lens cover. The console ships with five games.

Skylight Calendar

Marketed as a tool for managing family schedules and chores, Skylight Calendar also proves useful in homes without children and in office environments. Its at-a-glance layout simplifies daily planning, and it syncs with numerous calendar applications. While a subscription unlocks additional features, the free tier remains highly functional.

Switchbot

SwitchBot offers a broad catalog of smart home products with extensive platform compatibility. Its smart locks support fingerprint and facial recognition, while its cameras provide a budget-friendly alternative to competing brands. Accessories such as smart shades and lighting enable a complete home ecosystem. It is easy to overlook that the brand began with a simple Bluetooth button pusher.

XGIMI

XGIMI produces projectors for everyone from home theater enthusiasts to portable gamers, and this year brought several significant releases. Highlights include the cinematic Titan Noir Max, the compact short-throw Aura 3 Max, and the battery-powered Vibe One. Across all price points, XGIMI combines stylish design, strong picture quality, and ease of use.

Daisy

It is uncommon for a headphone brand to challenge established leaders, yet Daisy has emerged as a buzzworthy, insider-favorite label thanks to its premium design. Aluminum accents distinguish it from the all-plastic construction typical of most headphones, and the build looks far more costly than it is. Tactile controls refine the experience, while strong audio performance and effective noise cancellation round out the package.

PSB

PSB’s iQ bookshelf speakers rank among the most contemporary designs we have encountered, featuring a distinctive layout that places the bass driver above the tweeter. The speakers connect wirelessly to one another, simplifying placement. They support BluOS for multiroom audio and include inputs for HDMI eARC, RCA, optical, USB-C, and USB-A, offering flexible connectivity.

Q Acoustics

Q Acoustics remains a hi-fi brand that audiophiles consistently return to. Its newest offering, the 3040C floorstanding speaker, is arriving in the U.S. market soon. Slimmer and more refined than most tower speakers, it delivers clear highs and distortion-free bass without compromise. Visually striking yet understated, it serves as a stylish complement to any living room or home theater.

Nanu

Nanu embraces a less-is-more philosophy, currently offering just two products: a mechanical counter and an alarm clock. We have been testing the Arc alarm clock in daily use, and it may be the low-tech solution we have been looking for. It combines sturdy metal construction with a retro aesthetic, while its digital alarm adjustment offers greater precision than most analog clocks. Though expensive, it feels built to last—a welcome alternative to the cheap digital clocks that tend to break.

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