The Best Gadgets of December 2024

It’s been a December to remember. This month, we got a beefy gaming tower from Origin PC and a reprise of the handheld MSI Claw that redeems much of what we didn’t like about the last generation. We also finished our long-term review of Google’s Pixel Watch 3, which was such a hit that I bought the 45mm version outright. We also checked out a watch that can help with rolling dice.

There were some bummers, too. They didn’t make this roundup, but they still got a shout-out. Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus is light as a feather, but its gorgeous AMOLED display falters when it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate—and on a laptop that suggests you stream games with it. Acer also showed that it could make some lovely OLED displays for its laptops, though the Swift 16 AI as an entire package is a major no-no. Plus, a PSA for smart ring wearers, especially those who may have received a Samsung Galaxy Ring for Christmas and are wondering about its durability.

Next month is CES 2025. We’re already fielding stories about what the industry hopes to position as next and new. Since artificial intelligence permeates everything, it will involve much of that as the selling point. It will also be a great time to tune in if you’re trying to upgrade your home entertainment setup, as all the new TVs and smart home technologies are trotted out. And don’t forget the weird stuff, like laptops that roll up and out to give you more screen space. Expect next month’s roundup to be chockful of things as we head for the winter thaw.

In our long-term review update, I finally gave the Pixel Watch 3 the full score it deserves. This is worth a trade-in if you’re still waffling on whether or not to get a Pixel Watch. It comes in two screen sizes, big (41mm) and bigger (45mm), and offers better battery life and health tracking than the first two generations. It’s still not a perfect watch. For instance, unlike the Apple Watch ecosystem, Google’s proprietary watchband connection makes it hard to find neat knockoffs to swap in and out. But this is the best smartwatch in the Android ecosystem, even if you don’t use Fitbit.

This wasn’t a full review but a big hit among this month’s Gizmodo recommendations. Kyle took the Timestop D-20 to PAX Unplugged, quickly becoming his “gaming gadget of 2024.” The watch tells time and pretends to roll the dice. It looks cool, wears comfortably, and was designed with RPG and board gamers in mind. The watch likely won’t be accepted as dice in any modern RPG, but you don’t have to charge it every night like a smartwatch.

The Origin PC Neuron 3500X is a solid gaming machine with top-end specifications. Its quiet fans facilitate excellent airflow, and the RGB lighting makes the case look like a fish tank from the ’90s. But even with its discounted high cost, it could be more sturdy. The case is prone to bending, and the panels fly off like pieces of uninspected Boeing fuselage. Everything else about this PC is solid.

AI is everywhere, even in the name of a second-gen portable gaming console. MSI’s Claw 8 AI+ is a revamped version of the last Claw, which was fine, though it could have been so much better. This new handheld promises better performance for demanding and casual games on a gorgeous bigger screen than its competitors, the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. While its battery life is good, the software could use some polishing. Overall, the direction that MSI is heading in with its gaming handhelds is more promising than where it was last time.

We weren’t expecting Bowers & Wilkins to make the list of worthy gadgets this month, but the Pi8 wireless earbuds we reviewed are the best Sherri has heard all year. They’re small, easy to stow, and offer superb audio quality for music and podcasts. They’re also easier to use than most third-party buds on the market and fit a surprising variety of ear canals.