BEST OF THE BEST
If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you’ve definitely come to the right place.
Best of the Best is the most useful gadget-buying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring you rock-solid recommendations for your home life, daily commute and the tech you use all the time.
In 54 different categories, we’ve chosen the top four products, so you can choose one that’s just the right mix of features and budget for what you need. These rankings come from real testing by our team of experts – they’re the products we’d choose for ourselves, and we can’t recommend any higher than that.
Look for the links above each category that take you to the same list (plus more beyond the top four, and many more categories) at T3.com, where our price comparison system shows you the current best deals for every product.
SMARTPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestphone
APPLE iPHONE 12
From £799, apple.com
Apple has outdone itself. 5G has been added, the CPU has more power than you’re ever going to need, and the dual-lens rear camera system can take spectacular photos in any kind of light.
ONEPLUS 9 PRO
From £829, oneplus.com
Very much an evolution of the OnePlus 8 Pro, with a similar design and iterative specs bump for this year, the OnePlus 9 Pro has doubled down on the camera. And the results are excellent.
iPHONE SE (2020)
From £420, apple.com
Apple’s iPhone SE (2020) handset has taken this year by storm, the hot new handset winning acclaim worldwide with its balance of features, quality and performance for a very attractive price.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 ULTRA
From £1,149, samsung.com
Not only the best phone Samsung has ever made, but the first S-series handset that comes with digital stylus support. From its massive screen to the quad camera, this is a 5-star beast in every way.
CHEAP SMARTPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcheapphone
iPHONE SE (2020)
From £420, apple.com
A near-flagship iPhone experience for a fraction of the cost. The SE is under half the cost of the iPhone 12, and for that reason it demands attention from any prospective phone upgrader.
ONEPLUS NORD 2
From £399, oneplus.com
This follows on from the immensely popular first-generation Nord with even faster speeds, an even bigger battery and even more features. Performance-wise, it’s a marvel.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 FE
From £699, samsung.com
The best core S20 functionality, along with 5G, but at a more affordable price point, this is actually nothing like a budget handset, as it is still loaded with premium hardware and features.
XIAOMI MI 10T LITE
From £249, xiaomi.com
There’s a lot of handset for your money here. Decent battery life, respectable specs (including 6GB of RAM) and a quad-lens rear camera are standard, plus 5G connectivity.
SMARTWATCHES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsmartwatch
APPLE WATCH SERIES 6
From £379, apple.com
Series 6 adds a pulse oxygen sensor to its health systems, makes its always-on display 2.5 times brighter, steps up to the new S6 CPU, and throws in all the new features of watchOS 7.
SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH ACTIVE2
From £269, samsung.com
Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it a modern edge.
SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH 3
From £399, samsung.com
The Galaxy Watch 3 comes in two sizes, and with a very good battery life. It’s the innovative rotating bezel that is the star here, though, as it is, without doubt, the best way to control a smartwatch.
APPLE WATCH SE
From £269, apple.com
Despite being the ‘affordable’ smartwatch from Apple, the SE is fast and comfortable with a clear screen (no always-on display though) and excellent health and fitness features.
HYBRID SMARTWATCHES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besthybrid
WITHINGS STEEL HR SPORT
£190, withings.com
Featuring a heartrate monitor and the ability to track 30 different exercises, this is ideal for fitness fanatics. It’s water resistant to 50 metres, and the battery lasts around 25 days.
FOSSIL HYBRID SMARTWATCH HR
£129, fossil.com
This timepiece features activity and sleep tracking, plus app and call alerts, time zones, and buttons to control smartphone music. Yet it mostly looks like a regular watch, aside from the e-ink display.
WITHINGS MOVE ECG
£129, withings.com
Think a pricey Apple Watch is needed to take an ECG reading of your heart? This can do that, plus activity tracking and sleep monitoring, with a 12-month battery life, for a really low price.
WITHINGS SCANWATCH
£269, withings.com
Withings’ latest hybrid is also its smartest, packing a huge amount of health and fitness
