HWM+HardwareZone.com Tech Awards 2018: Editor's Choice - Part 1

Tech Awards 2018: 72 awards presented to celebrate the best in tech

The 9th annual HWM+HardwareZone.com Tech Awards was held on January 31, and it served to honor the best in tech products and services that were introduced between January and December 2017. A grand total of 29 Editor’s Choice and 43 Readers’ Choice awards were presented this year, in categories ranging from computers and consumer electronics to digital entertainment, communications and services. Included in the Editor's Choice segment are also 4 Innovation awards that aim to recognize innovative products and cutting-edge technologies that have emerged during the eligibility period.

A little while back, we posted the results of the Readers' Choice polls; so do check out the results if you've not already done so, and see if any of your favorite brands won and how well the winners fared ahead of the competition. Alternatively, you can go to our Tech Awards microsite for a condensed version of all the results.

A focus on Editor's Choice results

For the Editor's Choice awards, a total of 120 products introduced between January and December last year were shortlisted. After many months of evaluation by the HWM and HardwareZone.com editorial team, winners were chosen based on the performance, features, value, and quality of experience they brought to their users.

This is also the third year the Tech Awards have included video gaming merit categories, presented in collaboration with GameAxis.com. In the Readers’ Choice, we’ve the Best Gaming Console Brand, Best Gaming Publisher, and Best VR Gaming Gear Brand awards; and in the Editor’s Choice, we’ve the Best Game Console and Game of the Year awards.

Due to the sheer number of categories, we've split the Editor's Choice results article into two parts - consumer electronics (this article) and computing (Part 2, coming soon). In this article, we start off by taking a look at the best in consumers electronics. For individual scores and breakdown for each product category, just hit the appropriate jump in the drop list located at the top or bottom of the article.

*Note: Prices and ratings listed in this article are accurate at the time of individual product evaluation.

 

For a full list of content related to the HWM and HardwareZone.com Tech Awards 2018 event, you can refer to the following links:

• Tech Awards 2018: Readers' Choice Results
• Tech Awards 2018: Editor's Choice Results - Part 1 (this article)
• Tech Awards 2018: Editor's Choice Results - Part 2
• Full list of winners: HWM+HardwareZone Tech Awards 2018 microsite

Best High-end Interchangeable Lens Camera

2017 saw Nikon and Sony continue last year's approach of increasing overall usability instead of pushing resolution limits. Nikon released its first BSI (backside illumination sensor) in the D850, while Sony's A7R III added front-end processing technology and improved autofocusing. With more than 40MP of resolution, both cameras are certainly well equipped to take on even the most demanding commercial jobs. Now they have the speed to tackle swiftly moving subjects too, making them more versatile overall.

Nominees:

• Nikon D850
• Sony A7R III

And the winner is...

With their new sensors and improved autofocusing systems, both cameras turned in quality images no matter the situation. However, the Sony A7R III stands out as being the more well-rounded camera of the two.

When taking photographs of human subjects, the vastly improved Eye-detect AF locks on to the eyes of your subject quickly and accurately, so you won't have to worry about getting the focus spot on. Being a mirrorless camera, silent photography is also a given, and you can have the camera up to your eye for more stable shooting. In-body image stabilization also helps greatly for both stills and video, while the support for various log formats helps in post-production too. Finally, the improved battery means you don't need as many battery changes as before, thus answering one of the biggest issues of its predecessors.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best 4K TV

If you're buying a new TV today, chances are you'd be buying a 4K TV instead of a 1080p set. Compared to a couple of years back, buying a 4K UHD TV today makes much more sense. The recent ones all sport at least HDMI 2.0, which means they will support 4K up to 60/50 frames per second. And the even better ones have HDMI 2.0a to support HDR. A wider range of screen sizes is now available as well, and prices are still dropping. Of course, one of the reasons for the more wallet-friendly prices is because manufacturers are churning out models with smaller screen sizes, such as small as 40 inches. In our experience, buying a 4K TV below 65 inches to play 1080p content is a waste of money; you’re better off buying a 1080p set of the same size.

For this category, we've looked at various 65-inch 4K TVs from the likes of LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony. Since we're trying to determine the best of the best, both flatscreen and curved models, as well as LCD and OLED technologies were considered.

Nominees:

• LG Signature W7T OLED TV
• Panasonic EZ1000 OLED TV
• Samsung Q9F QLED TV
• Sony Bravia A1 OLED TV

And the winner is...

In summary, there are a lot of things going for the LG Signature W7T OLED TV: perfect black levels, accurate colors, wide viewing angles, great HDR support, and low input lag.

While all this may sound similar to LG's OLED TVs a year prior, know that the company has since made several strides in other areas. For one, the W7T is brighter than the best TV the company had a year ago, the Signature G6T. And in addition to HDR10 and Dolby Vision, it supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) and (after a firmware update) Advanced HDR by Technicolor. Better yet, the W7T supports Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound. So from a future-proofing standpoint, it’s hard to argue against the W7T.

And of course, the W7T is LG’s first 4K OLED TV to feature a “wallpaper” design. Really, all the effort to mount the TV and hide the cable that connects the TV to the bundled soundbar would pay off handsomely (imagine all the wows from your guests) at the end of the day.

If I had any complaint, it’d be that the 65-inch W7T’s S$12,888 price tag puts it out of reach of most consumers. However, the same can be said for the other two OLED TVs in this roundup, the S$12,999 Sony Bravia A1 and the S$10,999 Panasonic EZ1000. While the A1 offers great picture quality, good audio (directly through the screen via the Acoustic Surface sound technology), and nice design, we find the LG W7T to be slightly better for HDR and gaming purposes. While we also rate the Panasonic EZ1000's picture quality highly, its design and build quality trail the aforementioned LG and Sony models, and its UI is dated compared to LG’s WebOS and Sony’s Android TV system. If you watch a lot of HDR and is looking for a TV well suited for both daytime and night time viewing, Samsung’s S$8,999 quantum-dot-enhanced Q9F QLED TV is another great alternative.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Noise Canceling Headphones

Whether it’s to get some sleep or watch a movie in peace, good noise-canceling headphones are a god-send when you’re trying to drown out the drone of the plane on a flight.But they’re not just for travel, as good noise-canceling allows you to enjoy your music at lower volumes too, saving your ears in the process. This year's top contenders vary greatly in size and shape across the brands, with some using improved passive noise-canceling (i.e. better cushioning) in conjunction with the ANC systems for better effect.

Nominees:

• AKG 60NC Wireless
• Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H9
• Beats Studio 3 Wireless
• Bowers & Wilkins PX
• Meters OV-1
• Sennheiser PXC480
• Sony WH-1000XM2

And the winner is...

This year saw a mix of old and new, with a good number of the headphones adding wireless capabilities and improved battery lifespans. Sony keeps the title this year with the WH-1000XM2 building on the capabilities of last year's MDR-1000X. You now get app support which gives improved control over your noise-cancellation. The difference in noise canceling capabilities between this and the next-best QuietComfort 35 is slight, but it’s definitely there. In terms of audio quality though, the WH-1000XM2 was only seriously challenged by the Bowers & Wilkins PX, which wasn’t as strong on the noise-canceling front. 

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Micro Speaker

Most people turn to pocketable micro speakers when packing for a trip as these tiny speakers offer much-improved sound over what you'd get from just your laptops. In fact, today's speakers are Bluetooth friendly so you can even stream music over from your mobile phone, so you won't even need to bring the laptop to enjoy your favorite internet streaming music services. This year's contenders are definitely small and portable (as we selected only sub 400-gram models) while adding various degrees of water resistance so they can better weather the elements.

Nominees:

• Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay P2
• Creative Muvo 2C
• JBL Clip 2 
• Sony SRS-XB10
• X-mini Kai X2

And the winner is...

While being the most expensive, the BeoPlay P2 is also easily the most musical speaker of the bunch and the best performer overall. It brings good imaging and clarity, and truly delivers good performance throughout the audio spectrum, allowing it to excel in most genres of music. While it may not be as rugged as some of the others, these speakers are easily the classiest looking. And the tap and shake control options offered by the supporting app are well thought out so you don't find yourself struggling with tiny buttons that are too small to accurately touch. This is one time when performance actually lives up to the higher price tag associated.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Sound Bar System

Love the idea of cinema sound but simply don't have the room or budget for multiple speakers? Well, then your best bet is probably to get a good sound bar. Once merely a small step-up from what your television's speakers could provide, today’s sound bar systems come with angled drivers and support for the latest audio technologies from the cinema, giving you a much better viewing experience. For this year's comparison, we rounded up the best new models that are priced below S$2k.

Nominees:

• Klipsch RSB-14
• LG SJ9
• Onkyo LS7200
• Philips Fidelio SkyQuake
• Samsung HW-K950
• Sonos Playbase

And the winner is...

When we look at sound bars, the ability to perform well with movies and audio is a definite must, and the HW-K950 delivered on both fronts, producing good details in the highs and just enough weight in the lower ranges to add excitement to videos. Having two rear wireless speakers also helped greatly with imaging, as the entire system combines to truly surround you with sound. The fact that the speakers are essentially plug and play with wireless capabilities certainly helps too, as ease of setup is always a plus. You can try to use clever positioning of drivers and bouncing of sound to get good surround, but the fact remains that there is no replacement for a physical source. So for music, games and video, the HW-K950 is the sound bar we’d choose.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Smartphone

This year we're simplifying things for the smartphone category into one all-inclusive contest to judge which was the best smartphone of 2017. 

For this category we’re looking at benchmark performance, battery life, camera performance, display quality, audio quality, design and build, handling, as well as any other extra features like multiple forms of biometric security, and AI capabilities.

Nominees:

• Apple iPhone X
• Blackberry KeyOne Black Edition
• Google Pixel 2 XL
• HTC U11
• Huawei Mate 10 Pro
• LG V30+
• OnePlus 5
• Oppo R11s Plus
• Razer Phone
• Samsung Galaxy Note8
• Sony Xperia XZ Premium
• Xiaomi Mi MIX 2

And the winner is...

While Apple’s iPhone X had the best benchmark performance this year, we’re giving the overall best smartphone award to the Samsung Galaxy Note8 for its comprehensive feature set, gorgeous display, great battery life and stunning design.

While lots of phones now have bezel-less all screen displays, the Note8 goes the extra mile with its unique dual curved Infinity Display design that truly makes the phone look bezel-less and lets Samsung pack an even bigger display into a smaller form factor.

The Note8 also has the most complete feature set in any smartphone with an IP68 build, wireless fast charging, a dual rear camera setup with OIS on both lenses, always-on HDR display, headphone port, expandable storage, and of course, the Note8’s signature S Pen stylus. If you’re looking for a phone that does practically everything, this is it.

*Note: Prices and ratings listed are accurate at the time of individual product evaluation.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Smartphone Camera

The camera in your smartphone is likely the most important one in your life, so it’s vital to find a good one. Image and video quality in good and low light is paramount. So is the user interface; a well-designed one makes easier to get the shot, a badly designed one makes it harder. The autofocus system has to be both fast and accurate. Auxiliary features like HDR, panorama, and flash round off the tests. For this comparison, we only considered the top phones that pack advanced camera features.

Nominees:

• Apple iPhone X
• Google Pixel 2 XL
• HTC U11
• Huawei Mate Pro 10
• LG V30+
• Samsung Galaxy Note8
• Sony Xperia XZ Premium

And the winners are...

This year’s smartphone cameras have gotten so good that we’ve done something for the first time in Tech Awards history: two winners in one category.

That’s because each of the two winners is better at one thing that the other isn’t. The Samsung Note8’s camera is excellent in most things. But the Note8’s videos aren’t as good as the Apple iPhone X. The iPhone X provides the most balanced performance with excellent videos and an intuitive interface. But its still photos aren’t as detailed as the Note8’s.

*Note: Prices and ratings listed are accurate at the time of individual product evaluation.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Smartwatch

Comparing smartwatches is like comparing apples to oranges. While they’re in the same category, they can also be distinctly different. Each of our nominees, for example, runs its own OS. The Ionic and Vivoactive 3 are platform agnostic. But the Watch and Gear Sport are best paired with their manufacturers’ smartphones.

So smartwatches aren’t a spec to spec comparison. Instead, we focus on ease of use, style, and accuracy of activity tracking for this year’s nominees.

Nominees: 

• Apple Watch Series 3
• Fitbit Ionic
• Garmin Vivoactive 3
• Samsung Gear Sport

And the Winner Is...

The Apple Watch Series 3 provides a winning combination of smarts and fitness tracking. Notifications are clear and easy to navigate. You can send canned replies to messages, and take a call from the Watch. The Activity rings are an intuitive way to measure and gamify everyday movement. Heart-rate tracking is accurate, and the Watch will warn you if it detects abnormal heart rates. The Watch is well-made, and there is a wide selection of bands to adapt its looks.

*Note: Prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of product evaluation.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed at the References section at the end.

Best Hybrid Smartwatch

Hybrid smartwatches are a combination of traditional watch and modern smartwatch. They’re not as fully featured as a smartwatch, but they look more like a proper watch.

Nominees: 

• Fossil Q Nate
• Garmin Vivomove
• Misfit Phase
• Withings Steel HR

And the Winner Is...

The Fossil Q Nate is handsomely designed and provides notifications very well. You can only get notifications from up to six apps, but the Fossil Q Nate supports the largest number of apps among our nominees. It’s a basic activity tracker, and its large size may not be for everyone. But it’ll make sure you won’t miss a ping from your smartphone.

*Note: Prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of product evaluation.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Mobile Chip 

Your mobile chip is the brains of your smartphone. Each system on a chip contains the processing cores, graphics processing unit, cache memory and all the other electronics necessary to provide mobile computing functions within a single physical package. But which mobile chip is the best?

Nominees:

• Apple A11 Bionic (represented by Apple iPhone X)
• Huawei Hi-Silicon Kirin 970 (represented by Huawei Mate 10 Pro)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (represented by many phones)
• Samsung Exynos Octa 8895 (represented by Samsung Galaxy Note8)

And the winner is...

For the second year in a row, Apple has the best mobile chip, and the hexa-core A11 inside the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X was easily the most powerful processor of the year. The A11 is also power efficient due to its four low-power, high-efficiency cores, which gives the iPhones great battery life despite their relatively small battery capacities. 

The A11is also the first Apple chip to include a dedicated "Neural Engine", which is what enables Apple's FaceID and Animoji features on the iPhone X. According to Apple, this neural network hardware is capable of performing up to 600 billion operations per second.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Game of the Year

2017 was an amazing year for games. Matured platforms such as the PlayStation 4 saw a flood of noteworthy releases, many of them pointing to Japan’s renewed interest in home consoles. The ever-growing PC market has allowed niche genres to improve and flourish, while still being a haven for indie creativity and experimentation. We also saw the launch of the Nintendo Switch, a system that not only represents new opportunities for portable gaming, but also an exciting publishing strategy for Nintendo.

Nominees:

• Assassin’s Creed Origins (for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
• Horizon Zero Dawn (for PlayStation 4)
• Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
• Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (for PC, PlayStation 4 (+PSVR), Xbox One)
• Total War: Warhammer II (for PC)

And the winner is...

If there’s any game that could single-handedly display the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 Pro, it’s Guerilla Games’ Horizon Zero Dawn. While “post-apocalyptic earth” might drudge up images of urban decay, the game is set so far into the future that nature has reclaimed the surface. A vast, open world of streams, rocks, and greenery paint the landscape, inhabited by fauna large and small, organic and mechanical. The animators have absolutely knocked it out of the park.

In summary, this game exhibits stellar production values, from the technical to the artistic, possibly driving people to upgrade. It is an original single-player IP, something of a modern marvel given the AAA industry’s inclination towards sequels and live services. More importantly, playing it has been nothing but fun, be it chasing after campaign objectives or messing around with the systems on offer. Other games may (and do) surpass it in certain ways, but this was the whole package. If we had the time, we’d gladly play it again.

For more details on how we selected our winners, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section at the end.

Best Game Console

2017 was the year where Sony was contented to let its strong list of console-exclusive games do the talking. Last year's Best Console winner, the PlayStation 4 Pro, is still the console to beat for this generation but Microsoft and Nintendo weren't resting on their laurels. Microsoft introduced the Xbox One X console in the later part of 2017, a significant upgrade over the Xbox One S, while Nintendo decided to switch (pun intended) things up with the first portable console, the Nintendo Switch.

Both consoles are remarkable machines in their own unique ways.

The Nintendo Switch was a remarkable turnaround for a company that was reeling from the massive failure of its previous console, the Wii U, which was never even launched in this region. The Switch is capable of running games at 720p/1080p, a first for a Nintendo console, but its charm is truly felt when you get to play games like the launch title Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in portable mode. And in high-definition fidelity.

The Xbox One X was a great showcase of how far Microsoft's engineering capabilities have come since the first two Xbox consoles. The Xbox One X is a substantial upgrade to the original Xbox One and even the Xbox One S, which was released in 2013 and 2016 respectively, and comes almost exactly a year after Sony delivered a somewhat similar performance boost with its PlayStation 4 Pro. With 6 TFLOPS of power from an AMD Radeon GPU, 12GB of GDDR5 RAM and a 2.3GHz 8-core AMD Jaguar processor, the Xbox One X comfortably outperforms the PS4 Pro. On hardware alone, it’s smaller, more powerful, and even includes a 4K Blu-ray player over its PS4 Pro rival.

Nominees:

• Microsoft Xbox One X
• Nintendo Switch

And the winner is...

Microsoft set out to build the most powerful gaming console and they succeeded; the One X does offer the best graphics currently available on a console. At S$699, native 4K gaming is finally a reality for the common gamers, which used to be only possible with expensive high-end PC gaming hardware. Consider this, the bare minimum to play PC games at 3840 x 2160 (native 4K aka 4K Ultra HD) requires an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, which already cost more than the price of the One X. Factor in all other necessary components, and a good 4K-capable gaming PC will set you back by S$3,000 at least.

If you are looking for a living-room gaming console that can give you the best looking games in true 4K, the Xbox One X is your only option. For now.

References

For a full list of content related to the HWM and HardwareZone.com Tech Awards 2018 event, you can refer to the following links:

• Tech Awards 2018: Readers' Choice Results
• Tech Awards 2018: Editor's Choice Results - Part 1 (this article)
• Tech Awards 2018: Editor's Choice Results - Part 2
• Full list of winners: HWM+HardwareZone Tech Awards 2018 microsite

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