When shopping for new tech, the beaten path warmly beckons. Brand trust is important; it means trust that user data is being handled properly (most of the time), that warranties will be honored (most of the time), and that these expensive devices are quality made (most of theā¦ well, you know).
But there are benefits to expanded horizons ā money saved, new gadgets discovered, and a penny less in the coffers of tech monopolies. Thereās risk in buying from unheard-of brands, but whether youāre in the market for home security, wearables, or smart home gadgets, Iāve built this shortlist of the best tech from brands youāve (probably) never heard of. These products are tested and vouched for, and they are competitive alternatives to the bigger brands we canāt seem to escape.
Premium fitness trackers canāt outpace this runnerās watch
However, you canāt download Spotify or your fave running app
Coros Pace 3
- Case size
- 42mm
We get it. When your average everyday smartwatch already offers a handful of fitness-related features, whatās the point in shelling out cash for a designated fitness wearable? If you find the extent of your athletic endeavors to be remembering that your Planet Fitness membership exists a couple of times a year (no judgment from us, weāve all been there), Iād tend to agree with you.
But dedicated runners ā the sets-an-alarm-on-vacation-to-hit-the-hotel-gym types ā will see tons of curb appeal in the Coros Pace 3, a running-specialized fitness tracker from a still largely unheard of Chinese manufacturer. Running on a wooded trail? Keep yourself oriented with the Pace 3ās accurate location services, made possible with dual-band GPS support. Need to lighten the load? Leave the phone at home and stream music with this watchās 2GB of onboard MP3 storage (provided youāre comfortable without your comms device, that is). Quick lunchtime jog at high noon? No sweat; the Pace 3 display is perfectly readable in direct light.
We wish the Pace 3 used a ubiquitous USB-C charger and allowed third-party app loading, but regardless, this is a cheap alternative to premium watch brands that shines within its price range and usability.
Cheap handheld gaming with little compromise
A few hiccups in its infancy, but stellar performance keeps us hopeful
Abyxlute
- Screen
- 1080p,16:9, 7-inch
Handheld gaming is having its moment right now. Everyone is abuzz with rumors of the Nintendo Switch 2, the Steam Deck is thriving, and the Asus ROG Ally is finding its footing. But these mainstream handheld consoles come with big brand pricing, and players are understandably hesitant to explore lesser-known options.
After some firsthand testing, we can vouch for the Abyxlute (thatās absolute, but, you know, edgy) handheld cloud console. With a 7-inch 1080p screen, a max refresh of 60 fps, and a very appealing 8-hour battery life, the Abyxlute transforms casual on-the-go gaming. As a streaming console, youāre at the mercy of your internet quality and server connection, but contingent on strong connectivity, expect most streamed games to run without a hitch since the console itself isnāt doing the heavy lifting.
Native gaming was a bit of a mess at the time of our testing, but for cloud-based gaming services from the likes of Nvidia, Steam, and Xbox, you really canāt go wrong with this $240 handheld, especially if you can catch a sale, which are often.
Abxylute handheld review: Absolutely the best budget streaming console you can buy
A portable and budget-friendly Android gaming console good as Logitechās G Cloud
A competitive home security cam, minus the budget-busting
No need to sell limbs to arm your home
TP-Link Tapo C100
- Resolution
- 1920Ć1080
Home security beginners often fall into the trap that you need to have a top-shelf camera like Nest or Ring watching every corner of your domicile. But that is as unnecessary as it would be expensive. We tried the TP-Link Tapo C100 indoor cam, an insanely affordable option from a company largely known forā¦ internet routers.
Sure, this isnāt a high-powered 2K workhorse, and you canāt use it outside. But if all you need is to check on your home while away for the weekend or make sure that Fluffy hasnāt lovingly removed the stuffing from your cushions, the Tapo C100 gets the job done.
The night vision, while black and white, is impressive for this price window, and you can make the most of the support app without having to pay a monthly fee, unlike many premium brands. Thatās a win in our book (and a loss in Fluffyās).
Roomba who? A robo-vac alternative with power AND features
We arenāt falling for premium vacuum prices anymore
Ultenic T10
- Dimensions
- 13.78 x 13.78 x 3.86 inches
Weāve put our fair share of expensive robotic vacuums through the wringer, but a favorite choice remains the Ultenic T10. This vacuum costs half (or less) of what its competitors do while offering smart home integration and quality vacuuming skills. Through our testing, we found that the mopping function isnāt exactly a powerhouse, but it still gets the job done for hardwood floors with average dirt levels.
These are some of the best earbuds you can get for under $100
Leave the budget-busting beats behind
SoundPeats Capsule3 Pro
- Battery Life
- 5 hours (ANC on); 52 with case
Itās not often you stumble across a powerful pair of earbuds with rich sound for under $100, but the SoundPeats Capsule3 Proās solid noise cancelation and impressive audio output are difficult to contend with. You wonāt find the highly-refined mobile app with these buds that more mainstream brands offer, but overlooking that, the SoundPeats are a great pick for all-purpose earbuds that preserve sound quality even at a value price.
SoundPeats Capsule3 Pro earbuds review: Premium sound, not-so-premium price
Hard plastic and a mediocre app are the only things holding these earbuds back
