TechRadar Choice Awards 2022 winners: we reveal the best tech of the year

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra knocks it out of the park once again. With an all-round fantastic design, an incredibly versatile camera and the return of an integrated S Pen, as a hat-tip to the now-defunct Note line. It improves on its predecessor in so many ways, and ticks all the boxes you'd expect from a premium flagship.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch

The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch is our pick as the best laptop of the past year. Apple has done an amazing job, fitting some of the most powerful components you can get into an impressively portable device. It also has an excellent battery, and the best screen you can currently get on a laptop. It's a class act all round.

Read our Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) review

LG C2

The LG C2 simply can't be beaten when it comes to the overall mix of features, price and image quality. It comes in more sizes than any other OLED TV, and all look fantastic for movies, TVs or games – and are perfectly future-proofed for connectivity. And though the price is premium, it's far from unachievable. The balance here is cosmic.

Read our full LG C2 review

HBO Max

If you're looking for the best mix of excellent new shows, top documentaries, and great movies from the past and present, HBO Max is our pick. Its new management has made decisions that have made this mix look shaky in the future, it's true, but the fact remains that over the last year, HBO Max has been an essential destination for streaming the best stuff around. We'll see whether the recent changes mean it can hold onto the award next year… 

Read our guides to the best HBO Max movies and best HBO Max shows

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Our editors picked these because nothing else does so many things so well. They don't just sound exquisite, they don't just feature great noise cancellation, they don't just offers giant 60-hour battery life, they don't just look nice… they do all of this, and much more. There are so many great headphones available, but Sennheiser's still stand out because they just don't stop checking boxes.

Read our full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review

Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar

Beating out the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra, the Turbo Vado 4.0 and the super-smart iO Series 10 toothbrush is no mean feat. But the comprehensive package of training tools included with the Forerunner 95 Solar, the new stuff added to Garmin Connect to make use of your improved metrics, plus the overhauled hardware and battery life, makes this our top choice for 2022.

Read our Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar review

Nikon Z9

The Nikon Z9 isn't a camera that most of us will buy, but it is a landmark achievement in photography. It shows what happens when a camera giant melds its traditional DSLR strengths with forward-thinking mirrorless power. The result is an incredible all-rounder that can shoot 20fps raw bursts and rival cinema cameras with its 8K/60p video. The Z9 is the camera that professionals needed, but also one that every other photographer will ultimately benefit from.

Read our Nikon Z9 review

Ninja Foodi Max AF400

Air fryers are the hottest products on the planet – no pun intended – this year, and this Ninja is the hottest of all. With its two independent cooking drawers and generous capacity, it can handle a huge number of tasks, from baking to dehydrating to… well, air frying. And it does it all with efficiency and speed. This might be the most impactful upgrade you can make to your kitchen in 2022.

Read our Ninja Foodi Max AF400 review

Discord

2022 has been Discord's year. It now has official support on Xbox and PlayStation, and its new app store suggests a future where the service shifts into a platform supporting all your cross-platform gaming needs. Discord is set to become an essential app for gamers – more than it already was.

Google

Google takes our Brand of the Year accolade for its impressive reinvention of its entire Pixel line. In just over 12 months, it’s launched the brilliant Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, followed them with the even better Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, given us the budget powerhouse Pixel 6a, revealed the Pixel Watch, teased next year’s Pixel Tablet, and taken the earbuds fight to Apple with the Pixel Buds Pro. Plus, outside of Pixel-land it’s also given us a sneak peek at the future in the form of the next Google Glasses prototype. For the first time in a while, we're genuinely excited to see what devices Google has in store for next year.

Read our Pixel 7 review and Pixel Watch review

Samsung Galaxy A53

Samsung's star mid-ranger might not offer the best performance for the price, but the company knows how to wrap the features people want in an attractive package. Its 120Hz AMOLED display is a particular highlight, as is Samsung's commitment to software update support beyond most of the competition. A stylish, capable phone that offers great long-term value.

Read our Samsung Galaxy A53 review

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The S22 Ultra offers up a similar rear quad-camera setup to its predecessor, but Samsung has worked hard behind the scenes to improve the whole imaging experience. Low-light and zoom abilities are hugely improved year on year, and the overall experience and versatility lift the phone above the competition.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review

Asus ROG Phone 6D

Asus retains its crown for delivering the most comprehensive gaming experience on a phone. The curveball this year is that the 6D line relies on MediaTek silicon in place of Snapdragon chipsets, and proves that Qualcomm's rival can deliver comparable top-quality gaming performance. This is complemented by Asus' incredible ROG Phone hardware, which is loaded with unique, helpful features that gamers will love.

Read our Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

An incremental upgrade over last year's Watch 4 line, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 offers color, character and the latest WearOS 3 user experience. It's twinned with Samsung-specific features, and health, fitness and wellbeing smarts that are hard to match. You get more than rival wearables offer for a similar price, plus flexible band options and fast charging on top.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021)

It should come as no surprise that Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro finds itself in the top spot for tablets. While the 2022 iPad Pro has since launched, it arrived after voting for these awards was underway. Even so, the 2021 Pro was already so far ahead the competition in terms of versatility, user experience and performance that it's likely to be a similar story next year. 

Read our iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) review

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15

Asus retains its spot at the front of the pack when it comes to gaming laptops with the still-incredible ROG Zephyrus G15. The Republic of Gamers boasts a host of great laptops, but this is the definitive article: powerful, sleek, stylish, and packing great battery life. There's a choice of models, and considering the performance it's excellent value too.

Read our Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 review

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook

When it comes to the best-value laptop of 2022, nothing comes close to the fantastic Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook. Not only is it eminently affordable, it's got a fantastic battery life and a gorgeous display. The keyboard can be detached, allowing you to use the IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook as a tablet, offering the kind of versatility you'd usually expect from more expensive laptops.

Read our IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook review

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch

The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch is easily the best laptop for creatives that's come out in the past 12 months. Powered by a choice of Apple's super-powerful M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, this laptop can handle pretty much any task you throw at it, including rendering complex 3D scenes. It also has one of the best screens you'll find on a laptop, and its 14-inch size makes it a workstation that you can take just about anywhere.

Read our Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090

Yes, it's ludicrously expensive; yes, it's seriously power-hungry; and yes, it's sold out basically everywhere – but it's hard to deny that Nvidia has knocked it out of the park with the RTX 4090. This is the most powerful consumer graphics card the world has ever seen, smashing records and delivering mind-boggling performance in everything from games to statistical modeling.

Read our Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 review

Sony A95K

When combining our experts' votes with the readers', this set came out as the OLED pick of the year, and it's impossible to argue with their verdict – we rated it as having simply the best image quality of any TV available in 2022. You'll need to pay major premium for it, but its Quantum Dot OLED screen delivers natural and refined pictures that stand out against some truly excellent competition.

Read our Sony A95K review

LG C2

LG has dominated this category for a while, but that's because nothing else delivers such a comprehensive and future-proof set of features at all six sizes this set comes in. It has four HDMI 2.1 ports for full flexibility, 4K 120Hz with Dolby Vision, AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, and an ultra-low response time, while the great gaming menus make it easy to customize how it works. It's a no-brainer for next-gen console or PC gaming.

Read our LG C2 review

Samsung QN900B

Not only does this TV deliver 33 million pixels of stunning 8K resolution, it also features Samsung's most advanced mini-LED Neo QLED backlight so far, enabling it to deliver unprecedented contrast for HDR. It's incredibly bright, and can deliver truly deep black tones, to produce a dynamic range that's remarkably close to real life. It's an expensive beast, but you'll see the money spent every time you turn it on.

Read our Samsung QN900B review

Hisense U8H

The US version of this TV delivers mini-LED technology and a 120Hz screen at a ridiculously low price, without compromising image quality. It supports every key feature for next-gen gamers, while the deep black tones and wide colors are perfect for movies. When it comes to visual bang for your buck, it's unmatched. (Note that the UK version of this TV features fewer dimming zones and a different type of panel, so performance is weaker.)

Read our Hisense U8H review

Epson Pro Cinema LS12000

Looking to build the ultimate home theater for movies and games? The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 delivers on both, combining astounding image quality with support for 120Hz gaming – and it's much easier to place well than most high-end projectors. It's a beefy boy, but when you see the pictures its 3LCD laser system produces you'll appreciate that there's a lot going on inside.

Read our Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 review

Sonos Beam (2nd Gen)

This was incredibly tight between the Sonos Beam and the Samsung Q930B, but thanks to huge support from the reader vote, the Sonos came out on top. Matching the impressively clear and full sound of the original Beam with extra precision in the height and width thanks to Dolby Atmos, this is a soundbar that's compact enough to fit under small TVs, but sounds big enough to pair with a large-screen.

Read our Sonos Beam (2nd Gen) review

Hulu

Hulu's slate of its own movies – including great new Fox and Searchlight releases – and its range of other options (and the ability to add Showtime easily), helped it to edge out Netflix for this award. There's a great mix of genres, and movies that everyone's talking about that you can't find anywhere else – ranging from Oscar contenders such as Good Luck To You, Leo Grande through to satisfyingly tight thrillers such as Prey.

Read our guides to the best Hulu movies and best Hulu shows

Netflix

The wonderful range of Netflix's documentaries have made it the service to go to for incredibly high-quality windows into the world. The Tinder Swindler became a sensation, but that's just one highlight from an impressive portfolio of sports documentaries, musician profiles, lost history, and – of course – true crime.

Read our guide to the best Netflix documentaries

HBO Max

From House of the Dragon to Peacemaker to Abbott Elementary to The Rehearsal to The White Lotus, HBO Max's shows have been the biggest driver of watercooler (or social network) chat this year. It's steered the culture more strongly than any other service, and you're simply missing some of the best that peak TV has to offer if you don't have it.

Read our guide to the best HBO Max shows

Apple TV 4K (2021)

A new Apple TV device appeared just too late to be on our shortlist this year, but the existing model is still the best streamer overall, thanks to its unbeatable image quality, its excellent format and app support, its usability, and the fact that you have Apple's movie store at your fingertips, which offers the biggest and best range of 4K HDR movies with Dolby Atmos sound.

Read our Apple TV 4K (2021) review

Sony WH-1000XM5

You might notice that this award is different to our pick for 'Headphones of the year' – that's the power of the reader vote in the TechRadar Choice Awards! You overwhelmingly chose these Sony cans as your favorites, and it gave them the edge in this category. And there's no mystery why they're so loved – Sony's phenomenal noise cancellation, detailed sound, and app support that's overflowing with useful features are all simply excellent.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Of the buds released in the last year, these are simply the most mind-blowing around – the reader voting and judges were unanimous on this. The sound is a huge upgrade over the original AirPods Pro, adding so much more depth and detail, and the 50% increase in battery life was much-needed, but the real magic is the active noise cancellation, which creates a wall of silence around you like you've never heard – so to speak.

Read our Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) review

JLab Go Air Pop

There's nothing else out there that sounds this good for under £20/$25. It's really that simple – when you're judging on sheer value, nothing lays a glove on these. And JLab made sure to keep them lightweight and comfortable, and to give them reliable controls, which are elements that can be neglected at lower prices. They're just a marvel of affordable earbuds excellence.

Read our JLab Go Air Pop review

Sonos Roam

Available in regular flavor, or as a slightly cheaper version without smart assistants built in (the Sonos Roam SL), this small and tough speaker balances the bass power you need for a rich sound when outdoors with Sonos' usual excellent audio detail. It can take a splashing, it's small enough to fit in a (large) pocket, and it can seamlessly switch from being on your Wi-Fi Sonos network to being a Bluetooth speaker. It's the best of all worlds.

Read our Sonos Roam review

Garmin Forerunner 955

The Forerunner 955 isn’t going to win any style competitions, but it’s quite simply one of the best running watches we've ever tried, and the readers agreed. It’s a beast of a timepiece, with all the features you’d expect like multi-band GPS, music playback, and advanced running metrics, plus Garmin’s latest innovative features, such as a Training Readiness recovery score. One version even carries the Enduro’s battery-extending solar-changing Power Glass. 

Read our Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar review

Oral-B iO Series 10

An electric toothbrush is a step up from a manual, but a connected toothbrush is a step up from electric, and the best-in-class Oral B iO series is back with the Series 10. It uses AI, pressure sensors and brush positioning software to detect which zone in your mouth you’re cleaning and whether you’ve done a thorough enough job, and it can even recommend programs to improve your oral health. 

Fitbit Inspire 3

The Fitbit Inspire 3 narrowly nabbed the top spot ahead of  the Huawei Band 7. With its innovative pebble design that can detach from the band and clip onto your clothes, Fitbit’s advanced suite of activity- and sleep-tracking features, and loads of workout profiles, the Inspire 3 is our entry-level tracker of choice.

Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale 2

We were impressed with the simplicity of the setup and use of the Mi Body Composition Scale 2, and its ability to interact and automatically upload your stats to all the major health networks like Samsung Health, Apple Health and Fitbit. Its body composition metrics, which calculate BMI, muscle mass, bone mass and more, were all measured and found to be extremely accurate.

Read our Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale 2 review

Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0

This five-star electric bike is every rider’s dream. From the robust, slender build incorporating the battery into the frame, down to the top-of-the-line high-capacity battery and SRAM 11-speed derailleur. It’s not cheap by any means, but in terms of quality, the Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 can’t be bettered.

Read our Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 (2022) review

TurboAnt V8 Dual-Battery

This scooter received high marks from both our experts and from readers, and it's easy to see why: with its 50-mile range and pneumatic tires that can handle a variety of surfaces, it's an e-scooter that's equipped for basically anything you can throw at it. Its ride is smooth, and it handles hills well – it's the ultra-flexible, long-range ride we've been wanting.

Read our TurboAnt V8 Dual-Battery review

Canon EOS R10

The EOS R10's combination of powerful autofocus skills and useful burst shooting speeds make it the best camera around for anyone starting their photography journey. Its ability to shoot at 15fps with its mechanical shutter sets a new standard for mid-range cameras, and at 426g, it's small and light enough to be taken almost anywhere.

Read our Canon EOS R10 review

Sony A7 IV

If you need a camera that can thrive in almost any situation, the Sony A7 IV is the nigh-on perfect all-rounder. It hits the sweet spot for both photos and video, thanks to its combination of a 33MP full-frame sensor, class-leading autofocus and ability to shoot 4K 10-bit video. A vari-angle touchscreen and comfortable grip make it a joy to shoot with, too.

Read our Sony A7 IV review

Nikon Z9

Nikon really knocked it out of the park with the Z9, a modern-day classic that melds its DSLR heritage with some seriously innovative mirrorless power. The full-frame flagship has no mechanical shutter, a bold statement that pays off with its ability to shoot speedy 20fps raw bursts and 8K 60p video. The Z9 is also a tough cookie that should last busy pros for years.

Read our Nikon Z9 review

Panasonic Lumix GH6

Panasonic's GH-series cameras have earned classic status among filmmakers of all stripes, thanks to their combination of a compact, user-friendly design and versatile video skills. The GH6 takes that formula to a new level, with a huge range of recording modes, superb stabilization and unlimited record times. It's a real video star.

Read our Panasonic Lumix GH6 review

Polaroid Now+

By combining point-and-shoot simplicity with the new creative possibilities of its companion app, the Now+ becomes the best modern Polaroid camera yet. It churns out satisfyingly large prints, while its twin autofocus lens keeps your hit-rate high. Throw in Bluetooth connectivity, a tripod mount and optional filters, and the creative possibilities are endless.

Read our Polaroid Now+ review

DJI Mini 3 Pro

The best compact drone you can buy, the DJI Mini 3 Pro somehow packs a 1/1.3-inch CMOS chip, obstacle avoidance and intelligent flight modes into a tiny 249g bundle. With excellent image quality and the ability to shoot 4K/60p video, DJI's little star has surprisingly few compromises.

Read our DJI Mini 3 Pro review

Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum IZ300

With so many excellent vacuums around, picking the winner was a tough call. But the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum IZ300 overcame the competition to be awarded best vacuum. This is a great all-rounder that offers excellent suction and comes with a handy selection of tools, making it a versatile cleaner for all around the home, though it is a tad noisy.

Read our Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum IZ300 review

Ninja Foodi Max AF400

The Ninja Foodi Max AF400 takes the crown of best air fryer in a hotly contested category. With a large capacity, dual cooking zones, and a number of additional functions including bake and dehydrate, this is a multi-purpose appliance that’ll cover all your air-frying needs, and more besides. It’s your go-to air fryer for speedy fries that are cooked to perfection.

Read our Ninja Foodi Max AF400 review

De'Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370

The De'Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370 is the coffee machine that can replace your local barista, and the best coffee machine for coffee connoisseurs who want a menu of coffee choices available at the touch of a button. Admittedly it’s pricey, but it’ll grind beans and deliver fresh espresso-based coffee with minimal hassle, making a great addition to your kitchen.

Read our De'Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370 review

iRobot Roomba S9 Plus

Investing in a robot to take care of your household chores sounds like a futuristic dream, but the iRobot Roomba S9 Plus makes it a reality, albeit an expensive one. Excellent dust pick-up together with an uncomplicated app and advanced mapping system make this the best robot vacuum you can buy. Oh and did we mention it can even empty itself?

Read our iRobot Roomba S9 Plus review

Vitamix A3500

Blenders are rarely more capable than the Vitamix A3500, which is why it’s the winner in our best blender category. It’s expensive and big, but it’s got muscle and plenty of it. It’ll blitz ice in seconds, and pulverize your smoothie ingredients to the perfect texture. With five auto programs, 10 speeds and a programmable timer, this large-capacity blender is all you need.

Read our Vitamix A3500 review

Dyson Supersonic

The Dyson Supersonic is undoubtedly the biggest star in the world of haircare appliances. It might be the most expensive hair dryer you can buy, but in this case you get what you pay for. It’s compact, lightweight, and it’ll dry your hair in record time, while the excellent attention to detail in the design makes it something of an iconic appliance.

Read our Dyson Supersonic review

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

You can get better-sounding speakers, but not with such a great range of smart features. Aside from having Alexa on-board (with an improved processor to speed up common commands), it also acts a hub for various smart home products, and can even act as part of a mesh Wi-Fi network. Having one of these around unlocks all kinds of new possibilities – and of course you can still just listen to your music.

Read our Amazon Echo (4th Gen) review

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 features colorized night vision, which makes night-time footage much easier to view, giving you a clearer view of anyone who comes to your door in the dark. You’ll need to pay for an ongoing Ring Protect subscription to get the most from it, but with impressive 1536p quality video and a host of features including 3D motion detection, we think it’s worthy of the top spot.  

Read our Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 review

Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro

There was hot competition in this category, but the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro rose to the top thanks to a range of excellent smart features. In addition to recording clear video day and night, two bright spotlights flood your property with light when motion is detected, a sure-fire way to deter intruders. You will need to pay for a Ring Protect subscription though.

Read our Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro review

Yale Conexis L1

Upgrading to a smart lock has a number of benefits for home security, and the Yale Conexis L1 allows you to control your door lock from your smart phone, without your keys. No matter where you are in the world, you can check to see if you left the door unlocked, and allow access if you need to. It uses an encrypted Bluetooth connection, and also works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. We love that it's easy to install – although you can buy the Conexis L1 with installation included – and that it's available in five rather lovely finishes.

Elden Ring

Expectations were high for Elden Ring, and not without good reason – a fantasy world created by FromSoftware and Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin promised to be truly epic fantasy. And what the developer delivered, was so much more: a step into the open world that reinvented the play established in Dark Souls and Bloodborne. It’s the standout game of 2022.

Read our Elden Ring review

Xbox Game Pass

Particularly now, as we enter a cost-of-living crisis, it’s hard to knock the value of the Xbox Game Pass catalog. However, Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, making the subscription accessible across multiple devices thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming. This year we saw Xbox Game Pass appear on Samsung TVs, and learned it would be released for VR headsets, too.

Read our Xbox Game Pass review

Resident Evil 4 VR

More than a great port of a great horror game, with Resident Evil VR, Capcom advanced the standard for virtual reality games. Not only does it bring a suite of comfort features that make it possible to play the game for hours at a time without experiencing motion sickness, but it deftly handles transitions from first to third-person that other VR games have really struggled with.

Read our Resident Evil VR review

RIG 800 Pro

Nacon’s exceedingly comfortable RIG 800 Pro headsets are easy to recommend. Offering brilliant sound and mic quality to match their comfort, you can wear the RIG 800 for hours at a time without breaking the immersion of the games you’re playing.

Read out RIG 800 Pro HX review

Apex Legends Mobile

Porting the complexity of a fast-paced shooter like Apex Legends to mobile will always present a challenge, but EA has done a fantastic job with this mobile battle royale. As well as capturing the frenetic action of the large-scale shooter, the developer has simplified the controls, meaning you thumbs are never too far from the trigger, making for a smoother experience than many other shooters.