Gadget AWARD'S

Life's good, but having the right tools can make it a hell of a lot better. The tech on the following pages can make knocking out work, gaming with friends, and controlling your home easier. Our editors spent the past year testing dozens of electronics ranging from smartphones to televisions. They used a mix of software benchmarks (where applicable), measurements, and extensive hands-on evaluation to find the devices that offer the most value and best performance-all to identify quality products best poised to serve you for years to come.

VIDEO

BEST STREAMING MEDIA PLAYER

Apple TV 4K 64GB (3rd Generation) $145

This tiny streaming box is an entertainment powerhouse for movies, music, and video games. It runs Apple's snappy and easy-to navigate tvOS platform. Each click instantly loads streaming apps and plays video at 4K quality with support for Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos surround sound. And, with a powerful A15 Bionic processor and WiFi 6 wireless connectivity, there's virtually no buffering. If you own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can also wirelessly cast content from their screens to your TV using the built-in AirPlay feature. But keep in mind that Android-based systems like the excellent Chromecast and Fire TV Stick cost about a third of the price and aren't as restrictive. This means they have access to a much wider range of apps. However, their interfaces are filled with distracting ads, and their software isn't as optimized to the hardware, which results in slower overall speeds and occasional glitches.

BEST COMPUTER MONITOR

Dell Alienware AW3423DW $1,199