New Gadgets Worth Buying and Who Should Skip Each One

Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K is the cheapest worthwhile upgrade among the recent launches. The AirPods 5 are the pick for iPhone owners, and for Android it is the Pixel Watch 5.

Here are eight, cheapest first, all on sale and none on pre-order. Prices are the makers’ US list prices for the cheapest version, rounded, and they differ abroad. New is not a reason on its own. Each of these replaces something, and if the thing you own still does its job, keep it.

Some links on this page go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon’s new middle stick, about $60, plays 4K at up to 60 frames a second with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, and has Wi-Fi 6 and 8GB of storage. It can take its power from a USB port on the TV, so there may be no plug to find behind the set. Amazon says it is shipping in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico and Australia.

Amazon also says it opens apps over 35% faster than a rival stick at a similar price. That comes from Amazon’s own tests, so read it as a claim. Buy it for a TV whose built-in apps have slowed down or become a chore. Skip it if your TV has Dolby Vision and you want to use it. Amazon’s format list for this stick does not include Dolby Vision, and it names Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos as features of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the model above. Fire TV Stick 4K on Amazon

Belkin’s semi-solid-state power bank

The UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K, about $90, holds 10,000mAh and has two USB-C ports and one USB-A, giving up to 60W from a single USB-C port. The new part is the battery inside. Belkin calls it BoostSolid Cell, a semi-solid-state design, and says it keeps up to 80% of its capacity after 1,000 charge cycles. A small display shows charge level, output and temperature.

Sixty watts is enough to feed a thin laptop as well as a phone, though 10,000mAh will not keep a laptop going for long. The reason to pay $90 is the cycle life, which matters if a power bank is in your bag every day. If yours only comes out on holiday, an ordinary one will do. Belkin sells a slimmer magnetic 5,000mAh version with Qi2 wireless charging for about $70. Belkin UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K on Amazon

AirPods 5 with noise cancellation

The cheapest AirPods, about $130, now have active noise cancellation in the open-ear shape, the kind with no rubber tips. Apple says they remove up to 50% more noise than the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation did. They are rated IP57 for dust, sweat and water, and Apple says they are sold in the US and more than 65 other countries and regions.

Battery life is the figure to check. Apple gives up to four hours with noise cancellation on, or up to five for the $149 version, which also adds a wireless charging case and volume control on the stem. We would pay for that extra hour, since a long flight will mean a spell back in the case. Apple ties the translation and assistant features to an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, so these make less sense with an Android phone. Apple AirPods 5 on Amazon

The redesigned 6-inch Kindle

The basic Kindle, about $150, now has a screen that sits flush with the front. Amazon says it has 16GB of storage, up to six weeks of battery life and opens books 30% faster than the last one. A version with an aluminium back and 32GB costs about $190. Amazon lists the UK, Canada, Australia and several European countries for it. Where it does not ship, Chinese e-reader brands that sell abroad are the alternative.

Amazon’s phrase “edge-to-edge color” describes the casing, whose colour now wraps round to the front. For colour pages Amazon sells the Kindle Colorsoft, from about $290. Amazon describes the new Paperwhite, at about $200, as waterproof with an adjustable warm light and up to 12 weeks of battery life. Its announcement claims neither waterproofing nor a warm light for the basic model. So the basic Kindle suits the pocket, and bath and pool readers should pay the extra $50. The Paperwhite opened for pre-order when the basic model went on sale, so check that it is shipping where you live. Kindle on Amazon

Pixel Watch 5 in two sizes

It comes as 41mm at $399 and 45mm at $429. Google gives up to 30 hours of battery for the small one and up to 40 for the large one, and ten more hours for $30 is a fair trade, so we would take the 45mm. It needs a phone running Android 12 or newer and does not pair with an iPhone.

The headline feature is what Google calls breathing emergency detection, which can call emergency services if the wearer is unresponsive. Google says that feature launches first in Europe and that its health features vary by country. If that is why you want the watch, check Google’s list for your country before paying. Google Pixel Watch 5 on Amazon

Sonos Ace Ultra headphones

Over-ear headphones, about $450, with noise cancellation that uses ten microphones and up to 35 hours of battery with it switched on. They connect by Bluetooth, USB-C or a 3.5mm cable.

The selling point is the link to other Sonos equipment. One button moves the sound from a compatible Sonos soundbar to the headphones. A second feature, which passes music between Sonos speakers and the headphones, is in what Sonos calls Early Access and describes as subject to change. So these are for people who already own a Sonos soundbar or speakers. Without them, you are paying for features you cannot use. Sonos Ace Ultra on Amazon

Pixel 11 and its seven years of updates

The standard Pixel 11 starts at $899 with 256GB of storage and Google’s new Tensor G6 chip. Google promises seven years of operating system and security updates. Spread over those seven years, the price works out at about $128 a year, which is the argument for it.

The argument against is on the same store. Google still sells the Pixel 10a from about $600, which is $300 less. You can compare both with other phones with in-display fingerprint readers, by price. Google Pixel 11 on Amazon

Mac mini with the M6 chip

Apple’s small desktop now starts at $899 with the M6 chip, 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. It has Wi-Fi 7 and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port, and Apple’s spec page lists support for up to three external displays. That last point is why it is also among the gadgets for traders.

The box holds the computer and a power cord. It suits someone who already owns a screen, keyboard and mouse. Add those and the bill climbs. The 256GB of storage is small for a desktop, so plan on an external drive or a dearer version. Apple Mac mini M6 on Amazon