Stuff Gadget Awards: The Best Tech of 2017

Stuff Gadget Awards: The Best Tech of 2017

Welcome, one and all, to the Stuff Gadget Awards 2017. We’ve tested well over 400 gadgets, games and apps in the past 12 months as part of our constant quest to help you spend your money wisely. So we should know what we’re talking about.

Time to put your tux on, as we reveal this year’s winners…

Smartphone of the Year 2017: Samsung Galaxy S8

Let’s hear it for the champ. What makes the brilliant Galaxy S8 such a stunner? It’s staring you right in the face. That 5.8in Infinity Display is just gorgeous and has been known to tempt even the most hardcore iPhone owner over to the Android side. Add an awesome point-and-shoot camera and all the speed you’ll ever need and you’ve got the undisputed phone of the year.

The runners up: HTC U11, Apple iPhone 8 Plus, LG V30, OnePlus 5.

Budget Smartphone of the Year 2017: Honor 9

Personality used to come at a price, but Honor’s all-glass, sub-£400 wonder ranks alongside Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X as one of the most striking phones to be released this year. Its curved, laser-cut back really is an awesome thing to behold. Add to this a fab dual-lens camera, a super-powerful processor and a slick take on Android, and you’ve got yourself a bargain that’s well worth flaunting.

The runners up: Lenovo P2, Motorola Moto G5, Motorola Z2 Play, Vodafone Smart N8.

App of the Year 2017: Affinity Photo

Photoshop on your iPad (albeit not literally) – that’s all you need to know about the audacious Affinity Photo. Although the screen’s dotted with icons and toolbars this is an approachable, transformative app, with dials to be twiddled and live effects fired from your fingertips. Anyone wedded to one-tap filters might be flummoxed, but for anyone who’s done with being chained to a Mac or PC to improve their pics, it’s just about perfect.

The runners up: Procreate, Brian Eno: Reflection, Plotagraph+, Tinycards.

Mobile Game of the Year 2017: Euclidean Lands

This beautiful puzzler wears its influences on its twisted sleeve. The minimal aesthetic evokes Monument Valley, and the turn-based mechanics are reminiscent of Hitman GO‘s challenges. But in combining the two, wrapping everything around a constantly evolving landscape of floating Rubik’s Cubes, and adding plenty of stabby violence, Euclidean Lands becomes a modern mobile classic.

The runners up: Data Wing, Freeways, Pigeon Wings, Super Mario Run.

Readers’ Smartphone of the Year 2017: Samsung Galaxy S8

What else could it be? It was never even a close-run thing, with nearly 45% of voters naming Samsung’s stonking Galaxy S8 their phone of the year, way way way ahead of the iPhone 8 Plus in second. With the iPhone X about to hit shops and Google’s Pixel line now looking like proper contenders, next year might be harder to call. But right now, the S8 reigns supreme.

The runners up: HTC U11, Apple iPhone 8 Plus, LG V30, OnePlus 5.

Games Console of the Year 2017: Nintendo Switch

In hindsight, it’s easy to see how the Switch was going to be an all-conquering success, but we’re not about to claim we saw this one coming. It’s almost as if Nintendo knew what it was doing all along. But with Super Mario Odyssey joining Zelda and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, plus more must-haves set to appear in the near future, who cares whether this console became a smash hit by design, accident or a little bit of both?

The runners up: Sony PlayStation 4 Pro, Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES, Smartboy, Microsoft Xbox One X.

Game of the Year 2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Scrapping the traditional linear adventure of Zelda games gone by, in BotW Nintendo created a massive open-world Hyrule with majestic sights to see, piggish grunts to slay and an incredible quest that would raise goosebumps under our armour. But it’s the subtle things that have made this game such a success, including the transcendent soundtrack and Link’s amusing humming as he cooks up a tasty treat. Simply wonderful.

The runners up: Horizon: Zero Dawn, Destiny 2, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Resident Evil 7.

TV Gadget of the Year 2017: Sky Q

Both Virgin and BT launched new boxes this year, but just in case anyone thought this was a close-run contest, Sky Q decided to further cement its top-dog status by adding voice search and support for Dolby Atmos sound systems. So whether you’re watching Game of Thrones, one of the many blockbusters on Sky Cinema or Liverpool’s defence embarrassing itself yet again, Sky Q is the telly gadget for the job.

The runners up: Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV 4K, BT YouView+ Ultra HD, Sony UBP-X800.

TV of the Year 2017: Sony KD-55A1 OLED

When we heard Sony’s first ever OLED would have no in-built speakers, and saw its stunning picture-frame design, we weren’t holding out a lot of hope for its picture quality. But not only is this the finest 4K HDR TV you can get your hands on, it also has a load of awesome tricks up its sleeve to boot. Basically it’s a gadget wizard, and in a world of boring black rectangles, that’s more than alright by us.

The runners up: LG Signature W7 Wallpaper, LG OLED 55C7V, Samsung QE49Q7F, Samsung UE55MU8000.

Streaming Service of the Year 2017: Netflix

If you’re wondering which subscription gives the most entertainment per pound, the answer is unquestionably Netflix. Spotify arguably does a smarter job with recommendations, but it’s Netflix’s roster of exclusive shows and movies such as Okja, Stranger Things and Ozark that makes it essential. Plus, the way that almost every TV, phone and console supports its app means you have absolutely no excuse for missing any of them.

The runners up: Apple Music, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Spotify.

Computer of the Year 2017: Microsoft Surface Studio

You’ve never seen a PC quite like the Surface Studio – an all-in-one that’s been purpose-built for creative so-and-sos. That astounding zero-gravity hinge and Surface Dial combo implore you to reach out and get arty with its glorious 4K display. It dares to be different in an era where the new MacBook Pro is essentially the old one with a better screen and a Technicolor strip. And that kind of awe-inspiring gumption gets our vote every time.

The runners up: Apple iPad Pro 10.5, Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, Microsoft Surface Laptop, Samsung Galaxy Tab S3.

Fitness Tracker of the Year 2017: Fitbit Alta HR

Let’s face it, most people who buy a fitness band do so with the intention of taking it off as soon as humanly possible. But with heart-rate tracking alongside week-long battery life and the ability to discern what kind of exercise you’re doing, Fitbit’s Alta HR is designed to make you feel good about being healthy, with easy-to-grasp achievements making it the perfect motivator for layabouts with an inferiority complex.

The runners up: Misfit Shine 2, Garmin Vivosmart 3, Timex IQ+, Samsung Gear Fit2.

Smartwatch of the Year 2017: Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS)

With Apple’s new S3 chip powering it, plus the GPS and waterproofing skills of its predecessor, the latest Apple Watch does pretty much everything you’d want it to without asking you to sign up to a brand new ‘phone’ contract. It’s also a great fitness buddy, providing accurate workout stats however you like to exercise. Throw in near-seamless iPhone integration and you’re wearing the best smartwatch going by far.

The runners up: Garmin Fenix 5, Huawei Watch 2, Samsung Gear S3 Classic, Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45.

Smart Home Gadget of the Year: Ikea Tradfri

Let’s face it, it’s hard to get particularly excited about a lightbulb. But when Ikea’s Tradfri smart bulbs do basically the same colour-changing, auto-scheduling, voice-commanding job as Philips’ more expensive Hue bulbs, you might find it within yourself to share our excitement. If you’re not living in a home that allows you to orchestrate your lighting to automated flights of fancy, Ikea’s Tradfri allows you to do so without crippling your personal finances. Huzzah!

The runners up: Flic, Google Home, Netgear Arlo Pro, Tado Smart Thermostat.

Car of the Year 2017: Tesla Model X

There was a time when 4x4s used to be cool. But then they were co-opted for the middle-class school run, their planet-bothering emissions became troublesome, Janet and Gothrey from next door got one, and just like that, their mystique was eradicated. With its gorgeous glassy build, gurn-inducing gullwing doors and assorted autopilot skills, Tesla’s all-electric Model X restores the 4×4’s je ne sais quoi, whether it’s in the Outer Hebrides or honking at Gothrey for parking across your drive. Again.

The runners up: Volkswagen Golf GTE, Citroen C3, Audi A8, Peugeot 3008.

Tech Toy of the Year 2017: Lego Boost Creative Toolbox

Usually, presenting your sprog with an educational toy at Christmas is a sure-fire way to let them know Santa isn’t real. And yet the Lego Boost Creative Toolbox stands as an example that miracles do happen. Anything that can transform into a robot, a car, a guitar, a cat and a robot-maker is fine by us, particularly when it can teach kids how to code in the process.

The runners up: Anki Cozmo, Propel Star Wars Battling Drone, RazorX Electric Skateboard, Sphero R2-D2.

Headphones of the Year 2017: Sony WF-1000X

The AirPods advert might be slick enough to make you forget how ridiculous they look but Sony’s WF-1000X earphones are a huge step up from Apple’s wireless buds, largely thanks to their slick noise-cancelling tech. The WF-1000Xs plug straight into your lugs, don’t have any weird dangly bits and actually sound the business, making them the first such pair to deliver on their wireless promise without any obvious compromises. Neat.

The runners up: Beyerdynamic Byron, Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Wireless, Sony WH-1000XM2, Urbanista Seattle Wireless.

Hi-Fi Gadget of the Year 2017: UE Wonderboom

Some snobs will disagree, but ‘Hi-Fi’ in our books can be summarised as stuff that sounds good, which is exactly what Ultimate Ears’ grenade-shaped Wonderboom does. Offering plenty of power to the pound while retaining clarity and detail for when you’re not in an ’80s rock anthems kind of mood, it’s also waterproof, so you can even take Whitesnake in the bath with you.

The runners up: Naim Uniti Atom, Jam Heavy Metal, Pro-Ject Essential III, Ruark Audio MR1.

System Camera of the Year 2017: Fujifilm X-T20

Pound for pound you can’t get a better system camera right now than Fuji’s X-T20. With the same 24.3MP APS-C sensor and processor as the much pricier X-T2, plus a touchscreen, you just feel Fuji has gone all out here to make a great camera. Throw in the well laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent autofocus, a top-class sensor and access to some superb lenses, and the X-T20’s many, many charms just cannot be denied.

The runners up: Fujifilm GFX 50S, Sony A6500, Panasonic GH5, Leica TL2.

Compact Camera of the Year 2017: Sony CyberShot DSC-RX100 V

Now with Fast Hybrid tech for improved autofocus, plus 960fps Full HD video recording at high frame-rates to go with its Zeiss lens, wide aperture and 1in sensor, this consummate all-rounder is still streets ahead of the competition, bundling in a whole lot of tech to justify its £1000 price tag. Whoever said the best came cheap?

The runners up: Fujifilm X100F, Lomo’Instant Automat, Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II, Olympus TG-5.

Action Cam or Drone of the Year 2017: DJI Spark

DJI’s Spark might masquerade as an affordable auteur’s delight, with Full HD recording and top speed of 50km/h, but it can also snap an aerial selfie by spotting your hand gesture. Try doing that and not cracking a Cheshire cat grin afterwards. Drones might not be toys but the Spark is so fun to fly even the Tracy Island playset has got nothing on this bad boy.

The runners up: DJI Mavic Pro, GoPro Karma, Insta360 One, Propel Star Wars X-Wing Battling Drone.

Readers’ Gadget of the Year 2017: Nintendo Switch

This time last year nobody was even sure whether the Switch would succeed. But here we are 12 months later and Stuff readers have voted it their Gadget of the Year. Whether it was the growing excitement over the arrival of Super Mario Odyssey, or the fact that you can actually buy the thing now, the Switch ultimately won out with 27% of the vote. And nobody saw that coming this time last year…

The runners up: Apple Watch Series 3, DJI Spark, Lego Boost Creative Toolbox, Microsoft, Surface Studio, Samsung Galaxy S8, Sony OLED A1, Tesla Model X.

Gadget of the Year 2017: Nintendo Switch

From impromptu Mario Kart tournaments to exploring Hyrule while stuck in a metal tube high in the sky, the Switch is all about one thing: fun. This hybrid console is a proper gadget, one you really have to pick up and play with to see what all the fuss is about – and there are many more exciting games in the pipeline. So, for daring to do something different and getting it so joyously right, Nintendo’s Switch is our Gadget of the Year.

The runners up: Apple Watch Series 3, DJI Spark, Lego Boost Creative Toolbox, Microsoft, Surface Studio, Samsung Galaxy S8, Sony OLED A1, Tesla Model X.