Engadget's best-of-2026 list, compiled from more than 150 reviews, highlights a year in which incremental upgrades and category-defining value mattered more than flashy redesigns. Google's Pixel 11 earned best Android phone by refining the Pixel 10 formula, adding a Tensor G6 chip, double the base storage, and a 5x telephoto camera that rivals cost more for. Apple's iPhone 18 Pro won best iPhone almost by default after a shift to just three iPhone models, but it also delivered genuinely new hardware like variable aperture and photo-authentication tools.
Apple also dominated the laptop categories. The $600 MacBook Neo was named best affordable laptop, praised for feeling close to a premium notebook despite its price, though it now costs $100 more due to what Engadget calls the "AI-induced RAM crisis." The MacBook Air M5 took best macOS laptop, combining the M5 chip, silent fanless design, and strong battery life. On the gaming side, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo won with dual 3K OLED displays, up to an RTX 5090 GPU, and a fully detachable keyboard—but its $4,500 starting price puts it firmly in luxury territory.
The list shows a clear split: buyers can get exceptional value at $600, or pay a premium for extreme performance. Engadget's writers consistently favored devices that improve on proven designs rather than chase novelty, a theme that carried across phones and laptops alike.