Best Gadgets of April 2026
Even with most people’s eyes firmly set on blockbuster developer conferences like google i/o in may and Apple’s WWDC In June, there are still plenty of notable gadgets available before the excitement of summer. Some of those gadgets are offbeat—like, rich.
Last month, we saw rare entries like space-age printers and even actual, tangible new Valve hardware, which certainly doesn’t happen every day. It just goes to show that you can never sleep on consumer technology, even if it’s sandwiched between a tech-packed show. ces And MWC iPhone season at the beginning of the year and in the fall.
If you’re a fan of gaming or audio, or you just love good old value, this is a list you’ll want to pay close attention to.
steam machine This may be the big thing everyone has been waiting for, but if you’re eager to get your hands on the next generation of Valve hardware, the Steam Controller isn’t a bad appetizer. The trackpad is the star of the show, but with a Hall effect joystick that resists dreaded and inevitable drift and a surprisingly ergonomic design, there’s more to like in this controller than the unremarkable touchpad. Valve has been on a roll with gaming hardware, and the Steam Controller continues that trend.
Printers don’t often appear on our best gadgets lists, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Any printer; this is a uv printerWhich means it uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure the ink on all types of surfaces. Because of that special UV method, you can Print on mugs, coasters and all kinds of fun things Which will turn a regular printer into a big pile of ink and plastic. Sure, there are some quirks – these prints take some time, and they don’t always turn out perfect – but the Eufymake E1 is easily one of the most interesting developments in a world of printing that isn’t exactly known for its frequent innovations.
Laptops are in a tough spot right now RAM and component prices Plaguing machines across the board. The Asus Zenbook A16 is no exception to that phenomenon. Just an hour after the launch of this laptop, its price increased from $1,600 to $1,700. The good news is that there’s still a lot to like for that price, including an ultra-light and thin chassis, plus its excellent CPU performance. Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme ChipAnd great battery life. If prices keep rising, you can at least ask for a laptop that actually delivers on its promise.
there are lots of different pairs wireless headphones At a lot of price points, but when you find a good value it’s hard to beat. The Soundcore Space 2 may not be the flashiest pair of wireless headphones in the world, but the ANC, sound, and battery life in them are far better than expected, and for those reasons alone, they feel like a steal at $130, even though they still look and feel like a budget pair of cans.
Party speakers aren’t for everyone, but if you’re someone who needs to belt out some tunes for a large audience, the Soundbox Mix is a solid way to do so. Although it’s quite heavy at 21 pounds, it’s still surprisingly portable and surprisingly louder—a hallmark of other Soundbox speakers, which can be cranked (literally) to 11. Sure, it’s a lot to spend $800 on a Bluetooth speaker, but no one ever said partying had to be a cheap hobby.
On the surface, the HP EliteBoard G1a may be one of the more boring gadgets on this list, but that’s only until you realize that there’s an entire computer packed inside this keyboard. Why the hell would you want something like that? Well, most won’t, but as Gizmodo staff reporter Kyle Barr says, the Eliteboard G1a is for “working stiffs” who might use such a device in a call center or other such enterprise setting. All you need is a monitor, and you have hours of mind-numbing productivity at your fingertips.
Even though this gadget is designed for work, the EliteBoard G1a gets points for a great typing experience and solid performance for a device that packs an entire computer inside a keyboard.
DJI’s new vlogging camera has a lot going for it: the Osmo Pocket 4 records in 4K at 240 fps, it has an optional lighting accessory for recording in dark interiors, and it also has better image stabilization and subject tracking features than the previous generation. If there’s one thing that sucks, it’s the fact that you won’t be able to buy it in the US right now, as DJI products are actually banned by the FCC. That being said, other DJI products have arrived via Amazon, so keep your eyes peeled and your fingers crossed.
If modularity is your thing, Framework’s PCs are the number one name to know, and the company’s recently announced Laptop 13 Pro furthers that reputation. This time, the framework’s customizable laptops feature touchscreens as well as better battery life and more performant chip options, including Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors and older AMD Ryzen 300 series processors. You can skip Windows 11 and go with the Linux option, which may appeal to more people than usual. Microsoft is struggling to bring its Windows together.
GoPro may be lagging behind in the action camera department, but it hasn’t given up the race yet. The Mission 1 Pro (duh) is for professionals, with the ability to capture 8K footage at 60 fps and record in 4K at 240 fps. An Ultimate version of the Mission 1 will also let you change lenses with your professional setup, with a mount that’s compatible with third-party Micro Four-Thirds lenses. The Mission 1 Pro is expensive at $700, but it’s a DSLR competitor, so a higher price is to be expected.
Samsung started the art TV craze and its frame is still leading the category. Both the Frame and Frame Pro 2026 come with a wireless One Connect box that streams content to the TV from up to 30 feet away and a new flush mount that reduces the gap between the wall and the TV even further. That new mount also lets you access the back panel without pulling the whole thing off the wall. Probably the most interesting upgrade is a new glare-free technology that makes the TV look even less TV-like. Kyle Barr got a chance to see it in person, and the results are promising – which is why Samsung is still arguably the biggest name in the art TV field.
The PC-ification of gaming consoles is upon us, and Valve’s Steam Machine isn’t the only game in town. The Planix console houses a full PC build inside a 3D-printed chassis and comes with a base AMD Ryzen 5 5500 CPU, a Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. As we noted, this is one of the few self-contained, console-sized PCs capable of running AMD’s FSR Redstone upscaler, so you can play cyberpunk 2077 At 4K and 60 fps.
Open-ear audio is all the rage these days, and the trend is finding its way into gaming as well. In this iteration of inzone gaming headsetSony turns to an open-back format that allows air to pass through the ear cups so you can hear the sounds around you. While the open-back design is great for those who don’t care about noise cancellation and is good for saving weight, it’s the incredible sound and mic quality that really cements this headset as something it should be on gamers’ radar.
