The Hottest Gadgets Reviewed

The best e-reader? The best tablet? The best smartphone?
Reported by Jill Cornfield

Reviews of the hottest technology gadgets are in, and the answers may surprise you.

Here is a roundup of the must-haves and the maybe-nots from online tech site Engadget, which offers an annual compilation of all things “e.”

Everything from smartphones to your kids’ game system comes with a bewildering array of pluses and minuses—not to mention some high price tags.

For e-readers, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2013) took the top spot. There is little different from the previous year’s model, but an improved front light and some tweaks to the software enhance an already great reading experience.

Other e-readers are:

  • Kobo Aura HD. Packed with features for the “power reader,” it includes a 6.8-inch display and “robust” internal storage. Unfortunately, it also comes with a stiff price and a hard-to-hold design, and
  • Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight. The best Nook so far, it is still burdened with the microSD slot, physical page-turn buttons and a contoured back.

For laptops and hybrids, readers overwhelmingly chose the Microsoft Surface Pro 2. They enjoyed the faster performance and longer battery life than its predecessor had, but said its heft makes it a better notebook than tablet. Other popular laptops are:

  • Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display. At $400 less than the 2012 model, a better—and speedier—deal with improved graphics, good battery life and thinner, lighter body, and
  • Google Chromebook Pixel. At $1,300, the price may be too high, unless you live on the Web.

The most popular smartphone, surprisingly, was not Apple’s iPhone 5s but the Motorola Moto X. Readers said it does not compete with heavyweights such as the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, but after enhancements and the addition of Moto Maker customization, it truly is “a phone for the people.” The other top phones are:

  • iPhone 5s. Apple continues to improve on its iconic line. This has the same body as its predecessor but “packs in enough upgrades to appeal to hardcore and casual users” alike. Still, “only the most forward-looking Android power users will find incentive to switch” from their current devices;
  • HTC One. A top-shelf smartphone boasting a unibody aluminum shell, a gorgeous display and a fast processor, it is one of the best phones this year, Engadget reports; and
  • Samsung Galaxy S4. Worth considering if you are due for an upgrade from an older Samsung device.

Another surprise, Apple’s iPad did not win most-wanted tablet. That spot went to the Google Nexus 7, which cost-conscious readers called “an obscene value,” as they weighed features against cost. Other tablets are:

  • Amazon Kindle Fire HDX. Advanced users might scoff at the somewhat limited capabilities, but the display has impressive color accuracy;
  • iPad mini. This shrunken version of its powerful sibling is an inexpensive way to join Apple’s tablet family but still costlier than similar products from the competition;
  • iPad Air. Although the best Apple tablet reviewed, it is hard to justify the price when the iPad mini now offers nearly the same experience for less.