Best tech of 2023

With so many pieces of new and innovative tech to release in 2023, the Dexerto team has racked their brains to bring you the most impressive and noteworthy products to release this year.

We’ve looked at heaps of tech in 2023, from new graphics cards to smartphones and much more. The Dexerto team is always testing something new and interesting that companies want you to spend your hard-earned cash on.

Dozens of companies release new, innovative products every year. With CES 2024 just around the corner, we’re about to see heaps of new announcements across several different hardware segments. But, before that happens, it’s wise to take stock of what we’ve reviewed this year. It can be tough to keep up with exactly which products to pay attention to, and which products missed the mark.

Our international team of writers has racked their brains to shortlist our favorite picks and voted on the top ten products that we think you should be paying attention to below.

10. HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless

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Over the last few years, HyperX has been reinventing itself as one of the most popular budget-friendly peripheral makers in the industry. The original Pulsefire Haste took over as a great option for those looking for a great lightweight mouse without spending hundreds, and the Haste 2 elevated it even more. 

Although they changed to a solid-body construction from the ever-so-popular honeycomb, they were able to keep the weight about the same as the original – 60g for the wireless and 53g for the wired version. It’s a great mouse for every kind of gamer, including esports and general FPS fans, with amazing tracking and high-quality switches that blew me away during testing. 

The addition of Bluetooth in the Haste 2 Wireless is one of my favorite aspects of the mouse, as it allows me to quickly swap from my gaming PC to my Macbook Air during work hours. At just $70, it’s one of the best lightweight gaming mice to release in 2023.

Author: Dylan Horetski

9. Rokid Max AR Glasses

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Augmented reality, or AR glasses, got considerable traction in 2023. We came across a wide range of products, each with its highlights and limitations. However, Rokid’s Max AR glasses were not only a brave attempt by the company to throw their hat in the ring within a budding hardware segment but were also one of the best AR glasses we tested this year.

While it did have its quirks, like its compatibility with a limited smartphone or lack of 6DoF tracking, when paired with Google’s Android TV-powered Rokid Station, these glasses can quickly transform into a personal home theater that you can take virtually anywhere. Another USP of these glasses is the built-in adjustable diopters, which we feel should be a basic feature on all upcoming similar products.

Maybe next year, we will see a lot more competition in this segment. But, for now, the Rokid AR Max remains king.

Author: Jitendra Soni

8. CRKD Nitro Deck

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Coming out of seemingly nowhere, CRKD launched the Nitro Deck in September of this year, and quickly took over as one of the most popular Nintendo Switch controllers.

By using hall effect sensors in the joysticks and triggers, the Nitro Deck effectively eliminates any chance of struggling with the joystick drift that regular Switch Joycons are plagued with. Add in the extra back buttons and the overall comfort of the controller, and they’ve created a masterpiece. The recent update also added adjustable trigger actuation and rumble adjustments, which makes me love the controller even more than I did before.

Personally, the Nitro Deck has completely reinvigorated my love for the Nintendo Switch, pulling me back into games like Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Tears of the Kingdom, and even Super Mario Odyssey. It’s so much nicer than any other dock or grip I’ve used since the console’s launch, essentially turning it into a brand-new handheld.

Author: Dylan Horetski

7. ASUS ROG Phone 7

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Asus has outdone itself with the ROG Phone 7. With robust cooling, gamer-centric software, and new bleeding-edge features like AI-assistance X Sense, ROG Phone 7 is the best gaming phone we used in 2023.

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 lasts hours and hours of gaming, thanks to its 6,000mAh battery. Plus, charging is a breeze with its super-fast 65W support. 

The display on the ROG Phone 7 is top-notch, refreshing at an impressive 165Hz. Although there aren’t many games or apps that can keep up with that speed, it’s a killer feature for those who crave the ultimate gaming experience.

No doubt, this smartphone comes with a hefty price tag, but it lives up to its promises. Sure, there are plenty of other gaming phones floating around, but hardly any of them can compete with the ROG Phone 7.

Author: Anurag Singh

6. Ayn Odin 2

The Ayn Odin 2 brings out the big guns in terms of hardware, to create the ultimate Android handheld. This quickly made it one of the best portable handhelds for emulation and retro gaming that we’ve ever used.

While it does sport a relatively high price, it makes up for it in terms of raw power. There are no cut corners or compromises here.

Nearly everything is playable, and upscaling to 1080p or beyond on some systems is a massive boon. It helps that it’s incredibly comfortable to hold, looks great, and is robust enough to tackle almost any emulation scenario you can tackle on Android.

Things are super easy to set up and quickly became our go-to for a few games of Mr. Do! and the bevy of classic obscure games just waiting to be played.

There are a lot of handhelds using Android and Linux at under $300, but right now, no one is doing it better than Ayn with the Odin 2.

Author: Joel Loynds

5. Audeze Maxwell

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I’ve tested dozens of gaming headsets from the likes of high-end brands such as SteelSeries and Razer, but the one that I’ve found sitting on my desk was the Audeze Maxwell. The planar magnetic drivers housed within them make experiencing all kinds of audio through them an absolute dream. Games, music, and more just sound so much better having used the Audeze Maxwell headset that it’s just become an indispensable part of my gaming setup.

The best part about this is that you can connect them wirelessly, too. So, there’s no need for audiophile-grade equipment to get great, audiophile-grade audio. It’s just the cherry on top of an already fantastic gaming headset. However, for more value-conscious readers, we also thought the Razer Blackshark V2 Hyperspeed offers heaps of value for the price.

Author: Sayem Ahmed

4. Ayaneo AM01 Mini PC

The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 is one of the cutest PCs I’ve ever seen. It’s a miniature homage to the Mac Classic, but with modern components stuffed inside its tiny case. I expected it to be great at emulation, and a good candidate for a media server, but it surpassed my expectations in pretty much every way.

It is a superb emulation machine, but it’s also so much more. A machine half the size of a GameCube that doesn’t even have a dedicated GPU can play Cyberpunk 2077. On minimum settings, but the fact that it can do it at all is astonishing. I maintain that it was built by wizards.

Author: Rebecca Hills-Duty

3. Razer BlackWidow V4 75%

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Throughout 2023, quite a few big names began tinkering with one of my favorite trends of the year – gaming keyboards with enthusiast-quality mods and features for a next-level experience. 

Asus was technically first with the Azoth, revealed during CES 2023, with Razer releasing the Blackwidow V4 75% in August of this year. They took a tried and tested product line, introduced a new compact size, and added features like hot-swappable switches, tape, foam mods, poron gaskets, and lubed replaceable stabilizers for buttery smooth typing.

It also launched alongside their new Gen 3 switches alongside the board, and they’re some of the best that I’ve had my hands on in recent years. They made a major impact on the gaming peripheral market with the BlackWidow V4 75%, and I can’t wait to see how they continue to improve throughout 2024.

Author: Dylan Horetski

2. Meta Quest 3

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VR technology has come a long way since the launch of the original Oculus Rift, and the Meta Quest 3 is proof of that. It’s sleeker and more comfortable than its predecessors, and sports some greatly improved features. One of the main ones is the high-quality pass-through that makes it possible and even practical to do chores like laundry whilst watching a movie.

Due to its affordability and practicality, with no wires to tether users to a PC, the Quest 3 is a truly accessible form of VR that has opened up new worlds and adventures like Asgard’s Wrath 2 to players who have never seen anything like it before. VR is not just for VR nerds anymore.

Author: Rebecca Hills-Duty

1. Steam Deck OLED

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Gaming handhelds are the new hotness, from devices at under $100, to behemoths like the Ayaneo Kun that cost over $1000. We’ve tested everything from the ROG Ally, to the Lenovo Legion Go, as well as a swathe of Ayaneo handhelds. But, Valve spoiled everyone’s lunch in November by releasing an improvement to the already accomplished Steam Deck, named the Steam Deck OLED.

As the name might suggest, the Steam Deck OLED adds a brand-new screen to Valve’s now iconic handheld. But, that’s not all, there are further improvements in battery, weight, and antennas to improve quality of life. While the Steam Deck OLED isn’t the most powerful handheld out there, it can run almost anything, and the user experience is leagues above any Windows-based competitor, too.

Battery life is simply astonishing. When using the original Steam Deck, or any other handhelds, you’re usually riddled with battery anxiety. But, that just zaps out of existence when using the Deck OLED. I regularly get over four hours of gameplay out of each charge, which is ample time for a good session in almost any title, thanks to Proton’s ongoing improvements.

The market for gaming handhelds is getting ever-fiercer, but Valve’s Steam Deck OLED not only offers the best experience, but the best value for your money, too. It’s difficult to recommend pretty much anything else. While a new, fully upgraded Steam Deck might be a few years off, this is the big handheld to beat. But, can anyone really best Valve’s dominance in the segment? Only time will tell.

Author: Sayem Ahmed

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