Engadget Review Recap: The Best Of 2026

After an absolute deluge of reviews to close out September, we’re still steadily testing new products before the October onslaught. While we wait for Apple’s long-rumored smart display, the latest Amazon tablets and a new Surface laptop to hit our desks, there’s plenty for you to catch up on. Read on to do just that, including our first batch of the best products of the year. 

We recently announced our first round of winners for best of 2026. These categories are decided based entirely on review scores, with the highest-rated devices in each earning the top prize. There are a few categories we haven’t yet finalized, as Apple events and other anticipated product announcements loom this fall. 

We don’t test many Android tablets these days, partially due to proliferation of budget and midrange models. When Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra though, senior reviews editor Sam Rutherford was ready to take on a premium slate running Google’s OS. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra can be a difficult device to wrap your head around,” he said. “Its 14-inch display is absolutely massive and the only thing bigger than its screen is its price.”

When we reviewed Dell’s entry-level XPS 13 earlier this year, it was clear the base model’s 8GB RAM wasn’t enough for Windows 11. Sam was given the chance to test a midrange spec of the laptop, and he quickly discovered that spending a little extra will make users a lot happier. “I will concede that there’s an argument to be made that if a laptop runs so much better with 16GB of RAM, the 8GB model shouldn’t even exist,” he said. “But for those who are on tight budgets, I appreciate that there is an option, even if it’s far from an ideal solution.”

Screenless fitness trackers are all the rage these days, thanks to companies like Whoop. Our latest test subject comes from an unusual place: silicone ring maker Qalo. “If the SL-1 was cheaper, I’d have more positive things to say about it, because you could easily see it as a My First Whoop,” said senior editor Daniel Cooper. “But for this sort of money, I’d say there are better alternatives, even when you factor in additional subscription fees.”

Smart watches have never been the most repairable devices, at least for DIY fixes. Una’s GPS watch is a step in that direction, allowing users to swap out components like the back cover, display and battery as needed. “Producing a wearable that’s affordable, modular and comically easy to repair is no mean feat these days,” Dan said. “On that basis alone, Una has already done far more than the rest of the tech industry, and has made the titans of wearables look bad in the process.”