Here’s a round-up of all the best gadgets of this year.
IPHONE 12 PRO MAX
This year, Apple unleashed four iPhones for the first time ever. The 12 Pro Max isn’t just the largest in this line-up; it’s also the most feature-packed. Apple rejigged the design language with a gorgeous flat-edge design that makes the larger iPhone easier to clasp. Apple stretches the vibrant XDR OLED display to 6.7 inches, the largest ever on an iPhone. But it’s the triple rear cam that truly justifies the device’s ‘Pro’ tag. A new ƒ/1.6 aperture on the wide camera and a LiDAR sensor add to its low light photography creds. Rs 1,29,900 onwards
SENNHEISER AMBEO
This Sennheiser soundbar scores not just on the quality of its immersive surround sound experience, but also on its good looks, and lacquered brushed aluminium finish. It’s powered by 13 drivers, and is compatible with Dolby Atmos, MPEG-H, and DTS:X. It features a unique ‘Upmix’ Technology that can recreate stereo and 5.1 Content in stunning 3D. Rs 1,99,990
PLAYSTATION 5, XBOX SERIES X
Gaming took a giant leap this year with the launch of the new series of Microsoft Xbox, and Sony Playstation 5. The quality of the graphics, upload time, processing power, visuals, the touch sensitivity of the controllers — everything is now in a different orbit. Both the consoles employ ‘ray tracing’, one of the most consequential upgrades in graphics technology in many years. Named after the fact that it traces every ray of light in a gaming visual, it makes everything look more real life because of the high-quality rendering of shadows, reflections, and illuminations. But the most hyped launch this year has been that of the PS5. Seven years in the making, it is truly a new generational masterpiece in terms of its space age looks, feel, and performance. As compared to the Xbox X, it boasts of a much better load time, and initial launch games. But the bigger difference is in the controllers. The PS5 DualSense is in a different league as compared to its predecessor, with a superb new-age haptic feedback capability that makes the feel of everything true to real-life situations. Both expected to be launched in India soon. Expected price: Rs. 49,990
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 20 ULTRA
The Android smartphone of the year, by a long distance. The Note 20 Ultra became the first smartphone to be finished with Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and rear of the device. The Mystic Bronze colour is a showstopper, while the S-Pen comes with a whole new bag of tricks. The 6.9-inch (3088 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display gets an extra boost with a 120Hz refresh rate. A 108MP lens (f/1.8 ) headlines its triple rear cam, which also includes a 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto lens. Rs 1,04,999
NIKON D780
This camera represents a big leap in the Nikon FX-format DSLR. It boasts of two autofocus (AF) systems that ensure a more versatile and agile performance. The D780 features a 51-point AF system that takes on an algorithm equivalent to Nikon’s FX-format flagship — the Nikon D5. The 180K-pixel RGB sensor is the key to enhance the accuracy of the advanced scene recognition system. It impacts the overall performance of AF, AE (Automatic Exposure), and AWB (Automatic White Balance). Rs 1,98,995
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S7+
Just 5.7mm thin and weighing only 575 gms, while boasting of a large 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display (2800×1752 pixels), this is the best tab to come out in 2020. Its display crams 287 pixels per inch, and gets a further boost with a 120Hz refresh rate. The AKG-tuned quad speakers add to the immersive appeal. Samsung has made visible improvements to the optional Book keyboard cover. It’s much easier to type with multiple function keys, making it a great work + play device. Rs 79,999
BOSE QUIET COMFORT EARBUDS
Bose’s 2020 True Wireless earbuds raise the bar for noise cancellation. They come with multiple levels of active and passive noise cancelling, including a clever real-time environment sound monitoring that produces an opposite signal to cancel out unwanted noise. The other innovation is volume-optimised Active EQ technology. It boosts the lows and highs so that the music remains consistently balanced — even as you tweak the volume. Rs 26,990
DELL XPS
Among the world’s lightest 15.6-inch laptops, it is crafted from a single piece of machined aluminium. A 10th Gen Intel Core Processor powers this machine. Road warriors will appreciate the 21-hour battery life. Dell’s InfinityEdge display enables top camera placement with the best in class screen-to-body ratio at 92.9 per cent. It’s easy to switch to Netflix mode thanks to the XPS’ up-firing speakers featuring Waves Nx technology for a 3D surround sound experience. Rs 1,86,072
APPLE WATCH SERIES 6
The newest version of the Apple watch widens the gap over the competition with new wellness features, and a new line-up of colours and finishes. A powerful new S6 chip is at the heart of this smartwatch and offers a lightning-quick experience, as well as better battery life. The new Always-on display (500 nits) is now 2.5 times brighter than its predecessor. The headline feature of the sixth-gen watch is Blood Oxygen monitoring or SpO2 tracking, which measures the oxygen saturation in your bloodstream. Rs 40,900 onwards
SONY BRAVIA (KD-85X8000H) ULTRA HD TV
Sony’s flagship, 85-inch Bravia Ultra HD TV, is perfect for binge-watching sessions. It’s propelled by Sony’s powerful X1 4K HDR Processor, which uses advanced algorithms to cut noise and boost details. This processor delivers clearer 4K signals, with life-like colours and great contrasts. Images filmed in 2K or full HD are upscaled to 4K resolution by Sony’s 4K X-Reality PRO. This Android-enabled TV offers access to over 5,000 apps — more than any other smart TV.
