Best of Mobile Gadgets: Tech Awards 2022 Editor's Choice Results (Part 1)

Note: This article was first published on 7 April 2022.

Recognising the best in consumer technology

We are back with the 13th edition of our annual HardwareZone+HWM Tech Awards. As usual, we are kicking off our Tech Awards reporting with our Editor’s Choice segments. For this year’s Tech Awards, we tested a whopping 69 products that were released last year and leading up to February 2022. Because of the ongoing pandemic, which has led to parts shortages and shipping delays, product release/refresh lifecycles have been thoroughly disrupted. To accommodate for these, we have lengthened our qualification period to ensure every tested product category is accurately presented and evaluated.

Similar to previous editions, because of the sheer number of categories and products, we have split our reporting into four Editor’s Choice articles, beginning with Best Mobile Gadgets.

Best mobile gadgets (Tech Awards 2022)

We are returning to our schools and offices, and travel is slowly but steadily resuming. Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in the best tools to accompany you on your daily commutes and overseas trips. Notebooks are not only getting more powerful and lighter, but they are also running longer on battery power. As for phones, they are only getting more capable, with better performance and more capable camera systems. It’s not uncommon now to see some people rely exclusively on their phones to get work done when they are away from their desks. Smartwatches are also becoming more competent companions and are getting better at tracking our activities and health. 

For Tech Awards 2022, we have gathered and tested all the major devices that you need to get the most out of your time on the road. These are the award categories that the editors have assessed for this segment:-

• Best Premium Smartphone
• Best High-end Smartphone
• Best Portable Projector
• Best Smartwatch
• Best Noise Cancelling Headphones
• Best True Wireless Earbuds
• Best Ultraportable Notebook
• Best Gaming Notebook
• Innovation Awards

Other segments to be published later include Best devices for the Home, Office and Work, and Gaming. Not to forget, our Readers' Choice results for the Best Tech Brands. Watch out for our further coverage over the coming weeks.

Read on and find out what they are. For this segment, we begin with the most indispensable tool in our daily lives – the smartphone. It's so important that we've carved out two award categories just for phones.

Best Premium Smartphone

To say that the smartphone industry faces immense challenges is an understatement. With our new ways of life coming to a head, phone makers now have to contend with chip shortages, shipping and launch delays, and even more discerning consumers with evolved requirements at work, play, and everything else in between.

To make the cut, the phone has to be announced and/or released between March 2021 (after our previous Awards assessment) to January 2022 and has to be the brand's flagship offering that best embodies everything it has to offer - beyond just top phone specs and yet appeal to a majority of consumers. It can also include foldable-screen phones that are essentially a bar form-factor when fully open to competing with non-foldable counterparts.

Nominees:

• Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
• Oppo Find X3 Pro
• Huawei P50 Pro

Before we talk about the comparison victor, we would like to clarify why some notable phones weren't part of the nomination list. While Huawei's P50 Pocket is also up for consideration given our new qualifying criteria, it's nearly $1k more expensive than the P50 Pro and doesn't offer much else other than scoring design points. As such, Huawei has chosen to compete in this comparison with their P50 Pro model. Elsewhere, Sony's Xperia Pro-I and Samsung's Z Fold 3 are both specialist devices that appeal to photography enthusiasts and tablet-like form factors respectively, and as such, not part of our main list of nominations.

And the winner is...

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 revived genuine interest in the future of smartphones by delivering on a combination of its palatable price tag, leading processor choices (for Singapore), its unique-yet-practical folding form factor, and undeniably, a premium experience one expects from paying top dollar for a phone.

Heck, the Galaxy Z Flip3 was able to single-handedly account for the massive foldable smartphone market we have at the end of 2021.

The foldable display form factor for phones is hardly new at this point (even Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip saw several iterations before it got awarded by us). So what did they do to win?

The Galaxy Z Flip3, despite its unique foldable display form factor, did not skimp out on must-haves for premium phones. If anything, Samsung took extra care to make sure its CAM mechanism is more robust than before, and still managed to include all the basics like NFC, IP-rated water resistance, and an eye-pleasing AMOLED display. It's also 5G-compatible too.

Surely, the massive improvements to One UI also create a high-quality user experience, but Samsung took extra UI care with additional special touches to make good use of its bigger 1.9-inch Cover Screen (even though we did wish it was even more useful at its launch).  It's a useful viewfinder for its rear cameras, it lets users add a personal touch to their devices, and offers basic yet crucial functionality like message previews and music control without needing to squint. 

The phone also performs respectably where it counts. Daily usage is smooth, performance is almost top-notch, and it has a reasonably long battery life for its form factor. Smart pricing strategies helped immensely too since it offered a complete premium package that's a good S$300 to S$800 lower than other premium alternatives that aren't as exciting to own.

It may not be the best shooter out of Samsung's stable, but a winner for our Best Premium Smartphone category doesn't go to a handset that earns top marks in only one arena; it needs to deliver across the board, and the Galaxy Flip3 does exactly that with the added pizazz in a folding display that feels less of a gimmick and more of a lifestyle choice. A high-quality, flagship-performing lifestyle choice no less.

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max deserves a special mention given the tough fight it put up. It took barely three months for the Apple contender to sit among the top 10 in phone sales for 2021, and that's considering how its rivals had much more time to clinch the other nine spots. But, Apple playing it safe meant that the accolade went to a rival that not only did better by its consumers, but also gave them a visible reason to appreciate the upgrade.

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

For more information on how the nominees fared in detail and thus helping us pick our winner, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References below.

References

• Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 review
• Oppo Find X3 Pro review
• Huawei P50 Pro review

Best High-end Smartphone

Discerning phone users sometimes just want a phone that packs hardware equal to flagship components, but also want none of the fluff that pushes its sticker price past a certain point. Or, they don't see a reason for overpowered components, favouring instead a balanced, yet high-quality handset.

For these folks, we have this High-end phone category that satisfies the best of both worlds: a more palatable price for the parts and features that matter. So, you're probably not getting over-the-top imaging prowess or all-metal construction, but you're still getting the best hardware, tangible features, and other perks that constitute a high-quality experience without paying out of your nose.

To make the cut, the phone has to be announced and/or released in the last 12 months and has to offer true flagship-level performance and features around the S$1,000 mark or less.

Nominees:

• Xiaomi 11T Pro
• ASUS ZenFone 8
• Vivo X70 Pro
• Oppo Reno7 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Note: The Xiaomi Mi 11 and Vivo X60 Pro are 2021 handsets that would've also qualified for nomination in this category, but the fluidity and frequency of phone launches have rendered these alternatives obsolete for awards comparison. 

And the winner is...

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE may have been late to the 2021 party, but it still holds up well enough to be a winning budget flagship device that packs high-quality necessities in one.

Other brands should take note: the Galaxy S21 FE offers a 2021 top-end processor, a beautiful AMOLED display with high refresh and touch sampling rates, a decent set of all-purpose rear cameras, 5G support, NFC, IP68 water resistance, fairly-fast charging at 25W -- all for just under S$1,000 at launch (and is in fact under S$900 since the Galaxy S22 was released).

It may not sound mind-blowing until you realise how other phones of this level don't actually offer all of these features in one device. Either the processor isn't a flagship one, or its water resistance rating is lower, or it's just too compact to offer a fuller viewing experience.

Frankly speaking, the Xiaomi 11T Pro would've won with its adherence to the basics of high-quality experiences (display, processor, big battery) topped off with 120W fast-charging and an amazing sticker price. But the Galaxy S21 FE took the lead, thanks to its better UI and UX and Samsung Knox, while doing everything else the 11T Pro can to a more reasonable extent (120W charging is nuts, really). It's important to note that a phone goes beyond its device, seeing how Samsung confers its premium flagship software advancements to the FE versions, albeit a little slower than its more expensive counterparts.

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

For more information on how the nominees fared in detail and thus helping us pick our winner, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References below.

References

• Xiaomi 11T Pro review
• ASUS ZenFone 8 review
• Vivo X70 Pro review
• Oppo Reno7 Pro review coming soon
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review

Best Portable Projector

Smaller portable projectors have become all the rage lately, probably exacerbated by the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic where people needed more screen options without spending on a physical display. Additionally, now that Singapore is opening up its borders and easing up both travel in and out of the country, it's a great time to consider a projector for group experiences. These battery-powered, go-anywhere devices come ready with everything needed to keep a family entertained.

While mini projectors have been garnering steady growth and interest for some time, for this year, we focused our sights on truly portable projectors that aren't too heavy on the wallet, and thus feature at least 720P native resolution. They should also come with short-throw capability (not the same as ultra-short-throw), incorporate an internal battery for untethered usage, built-in speakers to enjoy the media played back, have access to online streaming services, ports to hook up further media options and be somewhat rugged to weather internal and outdoor use.

Of course, the underlying criteria is for products to be released within the last year to make the cut. After sifting out several models, these are the qualifying nominees.

Nominees:

• ASUS ZenBeam Latte L1
• BenQ GV30

And the winner is...

While its rounded design is unique and eye-catching, it allows the BenQ GV30 to tilt in its magnetic cradle to an appropriate angle for viewing. You could even point it up to the ceiling if you wish, as it has 135-degree freedom of projection angle. The BenQ GV30 feels sturdy and well-made, and the attached strap makes it easy to carry around. The ASUS Zenbeam Latte no doubt has the cutest form factor, but as you'll soon find out, the BenQ GV30 tops ASUS in almost every other aspect.

With connectivity options like HDMI, DisplayPort, Wi-Fi, USB-C, and Bluetooth, setting it up was very simple, and all you had to do was follow the onscreen instructions when powering it on the first time. Speaking of setup and usage, its autofocus and auto keystone correction takes any guesswork out of nailing a perfect image, and it adapts to where you're pointing really fast.

It also comes with Android TV to stream Netflix, Disney+, and Viu, so content is never an issue, nor needing to cast your phone's screen for media streaming. For such ad-hoc use, Apple Airplay and built-in Chromecast lends it well for smartphone mirroring needs. The projector's accompanying remote is also a delight to use, and the projector responds quickly, be it for adjustment controls, UI navigation and more.

The GV30’s picture modes allow the user to adjust for brightness, contrast, colour saturation, and sharpness. Depending on where you intend to playback, these easy controls allow you to get more out of your projection in a jiffy to your desired preference.

To complement your visual experience, the BenQ GV30 packs a 2.1-channel speaker system featuring dual 4W speakers, an 8W subwoofer, a 3.5mm audio out jack, and can even work as a standalone Bluetooth speaker. The raw audio power wattage might sound unassuming, but we easily found that the built-in audio easily delivers enough volume and quality for most viewing needs. Furthermore, the clever 270-degree audio output design within its housing allowed the projector to envelop you in sound easily, no matter where you're seated. For example, you could be seated anywhere behind the projector, and you would have no issue enjoying the media played back.

Our test findings

It was a mixed bag of results during our testing for the BenQ GV30, but that's mostly because we often test high-end equipment that far exceeds this portable projector class of devices.

We liked the connectivity options, easy setup, and multitude of streaming options that further augment the casual gaming options thanks to the Android TV operating system. The network setup was also straightforward. From there on, we were able to easily stream content via our test PC and streaming services like YouTube, Disney+ and more.

For our video tests, we watch a series of videos in 4K resolution to test out the projector's processing chops to rescale it to its native 720p output resolution. Some test scenes include a drone flying into and over a beach, underwater reef footage, and scenes from movies and TV series like Top Gun, Frozen 2, and Locke and Key. 

At just 300 ANSI lumens output, the GV30's LED-powered light source DLP projection is largely unusable in bright environments. While the Daytime preset adds some artificial brightness to the image, for a brighter result, you will certainly want to use this projector in a darkened room for best results or during the night when the environment is darker in general.

For a portable projector, in the right lighting, it delivers a watchable image. Our underwater scene was clear to watch with no washed out or overly saturated colours. While our drone beach scene was clear, I felt the colours were slightly washed out compared to the source. To be fair, BenQ did say it was designed to take in 1080p video signals and output them at 720p. As such, our 4K videos could be pushing what it was designed to tackle.

It was during our Top Gun test that the GV30 excelled. The playback was sharp with no pixelation or tearing despite the fast action onscreen. The sound, though… was perfect. The speakers on the BenQ GV30 delivered an immersive sound experience that I’ve rarely enjoyed from mere portable projector speakers. I wasn’t even tempted to try to attach it to external speakers. A testament to BenQ's Trevolo audio department and engineering.

We further tested the BenQ GV30 in a darkened room and played shows like The Mandalorian off Disney+. The projector definitely has the ability to output a bright enough image up in the 60 to 80-inch range, though the 720p native resolution limit is what's most likely going to grab your attention - at least until you start streaming your show, and that's when the GV30's captivating audio will keep your focus on the plot line rather than having you thinking about the screen resolution. Overall, run time on battery lives up to its official 2.5 hours of untethered use, enough to last most movie runs or watch a few episodes from an engaging show.

Overall, the BenQ GV30 is the best portable projector due to its connectivity options, features, official Android TV ecosystem, playback, and excellent sound.

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

References

• ASUS ZenBeam Latte L1 review coming soon
• BenQ GV30 review coming soon

Best Smartwatch

Last year, we predicted this would become a more expensive and interesting category, and we're partially right. It is definitely an interesting one to 'watch' every award cycle. While we see many new releases throughout the year, very few actually qualified as a proper smartwatch for us in 2021. In a sense, we're actually seeing a segregation of this category again back into activity trackers and smartwatches. Brands are increasingly launching new activity trackers into the market, presumably because they have more mass appeal and are cheaper to produce.

For instance, Fitbit hasn't launched an updated flagship smartwatch since the Sense, but multiple trackers from the Luxe to the Charge 5 were launched. And as such, Fitbit isn't nominated for this year's award. This is identical to Garmin's situation last year, as they were left out for not having a major update to the Venu. But we have the Venu 2 this year, so Garmin's back in the game. Huawei made a big push into their own ecosystem with multiple HarmonyOS devices released, including their first full-fledged smartwatch in the Huawei Watch 3 series, further increasing the distinction between premium and mainstream wearables for the brand.

Lastly, the two main stalwarts in this category, Apple and Samsung, predictably had new updates with the Series 7 Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch4 Series. They are the only ones who seem to fully embrace the "one watch to rule them all" approach.

Nominees:

• Apple Watch Series 7
• Garmin Venu 2
• Huawei Watch 3 Series
• Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series

And the winner is...

Last year, we had trouble deciding a tie-breaker between Apple and Samsung, so for the first time in the history of Tech Awards, we had two winners.

This year's choice was much simpler. The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series is hands down the best smartwatch of 2021. This isn't to say Apple dropped the ball with the Watch Series 7; it continues to be a highly refined and polished product, and if Samsung didn't make as many strides as it did, it probably could have won. Huawei is to be commended for its first true smartwatch, but with many features still unrefined and unavailable outside of China, it will probably take them a few generations to achieve the level of polish required for a win. The Garmin Venu 2 is an amazing fitness device, but like Huawei, their smartwatch experience still needs polishing.

The Galaxy Watch4 came out with all guns blazing. Samsung streamlined both Watch Classic and Watch Active lines into the same Series, thus giving fans an option for both at launch. We prefer the Classic look with a physical bezel, but you can't go wrong with either. Inside, the Watch4 Series is a complete overhaul, with new hardware, new sensors, new software, and new gimmicks.

The Watch4 Series now runs Wear OS instead of Tizen, and with Samsung's backing, finally gives it the polish it deserves. This means the Watch4 now has so much more mainstream support and usability. From the Play Store to Mapping, Google Assistant, and the ability to use both Samsung and Google Pay, The Watch4 is no longer just a Samsung-centric smartwatch, but is available for all Android devices at the same usability level.

Health functions on Samsung devices have also finally been approved for use in Singapore, which means ECG and Blood Pressure monitoring sensors are now fully available. That also means it is no longer a handicap against the Apple Watch. Not only that, the Watch4 has a new body composition scanner, full-featured health app, and time of writing, still free access to all of its advanced app tracking and workout programs, making the Watch4 the most widely usable smartwatch on the market. And, it's now cheaper too. You can see why we can't stop gushing about it.

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

You can check out the following links to the full individual review articles and videos of these products.

References

• Apple Watch Series 7 review
• Garmin Venu 2 video review
• Huawei Watch 3 Pro video review
• Samsung Galaxy Watch4 video review

Best Noise Cancelling Headphones

The past two years have shown just how invaluable noise-cancelling headphones are. What used to be an indispensable tool in the skies has proven to be an extremely helpful companion for working at home. At home, these headphones are excellent at nullifying unwanted noises and creating a cocoon of silence in which to concentrate and work. And now that we are slowly and gradually returning to normalcy, these headphones are once again proving their worth during our daily commutes, cancelling out unwanted noise so that we can better enjoy our music.

To make the cut for this year’s award, the headphone must be the flagship of the brand, have an over-ear design, wireless, equipped with active noise-cancellation technology, and released in the past year. Like many other categories, the uneven product release cycles mean not every brand gets to participate every year. That said, here are our contenders:-

Nominees:

• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX
• Bose QuietComfort 45
• JBL Club One
• Technics EAH-A800

Yamaha had the YH-L700A that could have made the comparison list, but it had to sit out as we couldn't obtain a test set.

And the winner is...

At first glance, it’s hard to tell that the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones are even new. It looks pretty much identical to its predecessor. And while that may be, Bose has completely re-engineered its active noise cancellation technology. The end result is arguably the best active noise cancellation that I’ve heard in any headphone. I think it’s slightly better than even Sony (who was last year's winner). It sounds pretty nice too. I don’t think it’s the best-sounding headphone you can buy, but it’s smooth, just about punchy enough, and pleasant to listen to for extended periods. Speaking of long periods, thanks to its plush earpads and lightweight construction, it’s comfortable and never feels fatiguing to wear. Battery life isn’t bad either. In my tests, a single charge easily lasted over 20 hours with on and off listening. Ultimately, there are headphones that perhaps do other things better. But as an all-around package and as a headphone that I could use every day no matter what, I can’t think of a better one than the Bose QuietComfort 45. 

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

References

• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX review coming soon
• Bose QuietComfort 45 review coming soon
• JBL Club One review coming soon
• Technics EAH-A800 review

Best True Wireless Earbuds

One of the biggest audio trends in recent years is true wireless earbuds. These are headphones that, as their name suggests, are unencumbered by wires and sit within your ears. Their owners love them for their convenience, freedom, and flexibility. And right now, there’s no shortage of true wireless earbuds to choose from. Nearly every mobile and audio brand have a couple of earbuds in their lineup. Crucially, true wireless earbuds have gotten better over the years. They now come with features like customisable EQ and active noise-cancellation at much lower price points. Battery life has also improved significantly for most models and so has basics like enhanced resistance to water and dust.

To make the cut for this year’s award, the true wireless earbuds must be the best the brand has to offer, was released in the last 12 months, must have a closed-back truly wireless design with active noise-cancellation capability.

Nominees:

• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ
• Bowers & Wilkins PI7
• Jabra Elite 7 Pro
• JBL Club Pro+
• Klipsch T5 II ANC
• LG Tone Free FP9
• Master & Dynamic MW08
• Nothing Ear (1)
• Oppo Enco X
• Samsung Galaxy Buds2
• Sony WF-1000XM4
• Technics EAH-AZ60
• Xiaomi Redmi Buds 3 Pro

And the winner is...

Sony's long-awaited successor to the WF-1000XM3 did not disappoint. The WF-1000XM4 arrived in the middle of last year to much fanfare and it was a thorough redesign and rethink of Sony’s flagship earbuds.

To start, it’s more compact, which makes it more comfortable to wear for extended periods. It also has a new Integrated Processor V1 chip that delivers class-leading active noise cancellation. If silence and serenity is what you seek, no earbuds do a better job than the WF-1000XM4. It sounds fantastic too. Tonality and timbre is excellent, and if you don’t like what you hear, you can tweak its sound signature using the accompanying Headphones Connect app. The WF-1000XM4 is also one of the few earbuds to support the higher bit-rate LDAC codec, which I’m sure more discerning listeners will appreciate. Overall, Sony really hit it out of the park with the WF-1000XM4. It’s very easily the best true wireless earbuds for most people.

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

References

• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ review coming soon
• Bower & Wilkins PI7 review coming soon
• Jabra Elite 7 Pro review coming soon
• JBL Club Pro+ review coming soon
• Klipsch T5 II ANC review coming soon
• LG Tone Free FP9 review coming soon
• Master & Dynamic MW08 review coming soon
• Nothing Ear (1) review
• Oppo Enco X review coming soon
• Samsung Galaxy Buds2 review
• Sony WF-1000XM4 review
• Technics EAH-AZ60 review coming soon
• Xiaomi Redmi Bud 3 Pro review coming soon

Best Ultraportable Notebook

Advances in processor technologies and materials have made ultraportable notebooks incredibly thin, light, and powerful. Many ultraportable notebooks today only weigh a kilogram or less and can easily run for hours. Support for new technologies like Thunderbolt 4 also means these notebooks can be docked when users get home, which improves performance and functionality. Notebook manufacturers across the board have also made significant improvements in design and features, offering larger trackpads, higher quality displays, and improved connectivity options. Overall, these attributes make ultraportable notebooks the weapon of choice for many users.

To make the cut for this year’s awards, the notebook must be among the slimmest and lightest in the brand's lineup, and it must have been announced in the last 12 months. It can be a traditional notebook or a convertible or detachable. It can have discrete or integrated graphics and it must run Windows OS. After all, anyone who needs an Apple (or Mac) machine won't be needing comparisons like this. Finally, it must be powered by a full Intel Core processor (no ultra-low-voltage variants) or an AMD equivalent.

Nominees:

• ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED
• HP Spectre x360 14
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Carbon
• Microsoft Surface Pro 8
• Vaio SX14

You'll note that there aren't some of the usual brands you would expect like Acer, Dell, LG and Huawei, but that's because they've not had a suitable new model since our last Tech Awards assessment for this sector or that a review unit isn't yet available. Blame the great worldwide parts shortage, but our show must go on.

And the winner is...

Lenovo is on a roll. After winning this category last year, they have gone ahead and won it again with the new Yoga Slim 7 Carbon. What makes this notebook so awesome? Let’s begin with its gorgeous 14-inch OLED display which is sharp, crisp, and has vibrant colours. It’s also very light. Thanks to a body made from a blend of aerospace-grade magnesium alloy and carbon fibre, the Slim 7 Carbon is just 1.077kg. It’s thin too – just 14.9mm thick. Inside, Lenovo has decided to go with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors which offer class-leading multi-core performance that far exceeds what Intel’s Core processors are capable of and yet maintains high efficiency. Even with the display set to maximum brightness, this notebook lasted well over 8.5 hours on our rather intensive battery test. But the cherry on the cake has got to be its price.

Despite the premium construction and OLED display, the Slim 7 Carbon was, by some margin, the most affordable notebook we tested. With this combination of performance, features, and price, it’s no wonder then that the Slim 7 Carbon is the best ultraportable notebook we tested to-date.

Here's a small snapshot of results from our full shootout article:-

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

References

• ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED
• HP Spectre x360 14 review
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Carbon
• Microsoft Surface Pro 8 review
• Vaio SX14 review

Best Gaming Notebook

If you have been following our gaming notebook reviews, you will notice there’s one commonality – they have all become slimmer over the years and yet no less powerful. This is thanks to advancements in both CPU and GPU technologies, which allow gaming-class notebooks to come in form factors that will rival even today’s ultraportable built-for-productivity notebooks. Have you seen the ROG Flow Z13 or the Razer Blade 14 yet? It's a golden age for gaming notebooks.

Apart from the two models mentioned above, modern gaming notebooks come in a plethora of designs, sizes, and specifications. So, for this category, we are looking at the best 15-inch class of gaming notebooks that dropped into our lab in the last 12 months. Why 15-inch? Because to qualify for this category, the notebooks must come with the powerful GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop processor alongside a top-end Intel or AMD CPU. And a 15-inch chassis can accommodate a larger, and thus, more efficient thermal cooling system (and less power throttling) than a smaller-sized notebook. It's all about physics. It’s also the most popular size for those seeking a pure gaming notebook.

And here are the notebooks that made the cut:

Nominees:

• ROG Strix Scar 15 (2021)
• Lenovo Legion 7 (2021)

We have not received many gaming notebooks that come with a GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, much less 15-inch ones. In 2021, what we noticed is that gaming notebook manufacturers are still sticking to 1080p displays due to consumer preference and demand. At this resolution, a GeForce RTX 3070 or even an RTX 3060 GPU will suffice.

But that said, the ROG Strix Scar 15 and Lenovo Legion 7 were arguably two of the most powerful gaming notebooks that landed in our lab. Both 15-inch notebooks are fitted with GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPUs and and also powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processors.

And the winner is...

The Lenovo Legion 7!

In terms of performance, both notebooks are pretty much even-stevens – even if the Legion 7 is a wee bit faster in our benchmarks. But what caught our eyes most was its QHD (1440p) display which also produced crisp and lively colours. In contrast (pun intended), the ROG Strix Scar 15 came with a 1080p display that didn't take full advantage of its GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. That's an awful waste of power, to be honest.

In terms of looks, well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder but we prefer the Legion 7's more subdued aesthetics and magnesium-alloy body. That's not to say the ROG Strix Scar 15 is not a looker – it is – but the Legion 7 simply looks more versatile and at home in more environments. Perhaps the Legion 7's only Achilles' heel is its poor battery performance. But taking into account that performance is our priority – not portability – we are willing to overlook this shortcoming.

Here are our benchmark comparisons of both notebooks' performances:

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

References

• ROG Strix Scar 15 (2021)
• Lenovo Legion 7 review coming soon

Innovation Awards

Three Innovation awards were also given out in this year's Editor's Choice segment to recognise innovative products and cutting-edge technologies that have emerged during the eligibility period. Unlike previous Tech Awards, this year, we've also accepted featuring and recognising up-and-coming technologies and products worthy for consumers and enthusiasts to take note of. Here then are our Innovation Award winners for Tech Awards 2022 in no particular order of merit.

Apple M1 Max

Apple’s transition to its custom silicon for Macs has been nothing but a resounding success. And the most important chip in the line-up is arguably the new M1 Max. Now that Apple has followed up with the M1 Ultra, we now know that the M1 Max is the building block of Apple’s custom Mac chips. And that the original M1 is better thought of as a scaled-down version of the M1 Max, as opposed to the M1 Max being a souped-up M1. Sure, M1 Max is very powerful. Its 10 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores deliver performance rivalling very high-end desktop workstations. But what is more impressive is that we now know that it has a very high-speed interconnect called UltraFusion that enables Apple to combine two M1 Max to create a single ultra-high-performance chip called the M1 Ultra, which is used in Apple’s new Mac Studio that’s designed for very compute and graphics-intensive professional work. And if that’s not all, Apple has announced that it’s working on an even more powerful Mac called the Mac Pro. It will be very interesting to see where the ceiling is with the M1 Max.

Reference: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro review, Apple Mac Studio and M1 Ultra announcement

Intel's 12th Gen Core (Alder Lake architecture)

The last few years have been tough for the big blue to maintain its status quo as the processor of choice for enthusiasts. Sure, it's still the most sought after option in the mobile and server space, but enthusiasts have had renewed interest in AMD's Ryzen series as viable and strong alternatives for their next work and/or gaming platform.

Finally, in late 2021, Intel unleashed a brand new processor architecture that's totally reworked from the ground up and has moved on from the DNA laid out in the Skylake architecture since 2015. Codenamed Alder Lake, it is the basis of Intel's 12th Gen Core processor family. Intel also wasted no time populating the desktop and mobile segments with a vast array of new processors that are now featured in various desktops and laptops. Alder Lake is a massive shift of architecting a family of processors where two different core types - Performance and Efficient - exist to address various workload types based on the intended market segment it is addressing. Using Intel's new 7 process technology, the Alder Lake has processor models to fit the ultra-mobile segment with 9W TDP chips, all the way to their leading desktop juggernaut at 125W TDP.

This is the first time that a performance-oriented x86 processor has been designed with two distinct core types, just like many Arm processors. To make this a reality, the Intel Thread Director intelligence layered was designed to work with Windows 11 and schedule jobs to the most appropriate processing cores available at any instant, including weighing telemetric data to consider the load, temperature and other parameters. To round up the new processor's capabilities, new smart power management and an AI acceleration engine called Intel AMX were added to better manage the processor and tackle new-age applications that frequently employ AI-enhanced tasks.

Last but not least, the Alder Lake architecture via the Intel 12th Gen Core is designed to take advantage of cutting-edge platform technologies such as DDR5, PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4 as standard fare. It was a long time coming, but the 12th Gen Core wasn't just a marketing spiel as their Core i9-12900K showed us its mantle, thus clinching our best gaming CPU recommendation or even the best CPU outright for any work. Even on the mobile front, their top-end Core i9-12900HK had an impressive showing.

With so much engineering at various levels to make the Alder Lake architecture a reality, we're gladly awarding the 12th Gen Core our Innovation Award to recognise the immense steps that Intel has taken, and we look forward to more systems championing the new processor series this year.

References: Alder Lake hybrid scalable architecture, 12th Gen Core i9-12900K, the new best gaming CPU, Test driving the mobile Core i9-12900HK

ROG Flow Z13 gaming notebook (GZ301)

The ROG Flow Z13 is not quite like your ordinary gaming notebook. For one, it’s more a tablet than a notebook – albeit one that’s designed from the ground up for gamers. Then, there are the specifications. The 13.4-inch model sold in Singapore is powered by an Intel 12th Core i7-12700H processor and paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU. Mixing the lowest-tier discrete graphics processor from NVIDIA with the powerful Intel CPU seems like an odd decision, since the RTX 3050 may not offer a lot of gaming prowess. But it does allow for the Flow Z13 to retain its slim and mobile design since it does not require a large cooling system. It also meant that the notebook offers a lot more in terms of battery life than notebooks with more powerful GPUs.

We think it’s a great foresight by ROG from a design perspective.

Think about it: “Gamers” these days do not just play games on their devices. They want more possibilities, and the Flow Z13 offers that by virtue of its ‘tablet’ form-factor. 

Want to catch your favourite Netflix show on the couch? Fold the detachable keyboard to the back or remove it completely and place it on your lap. Do you love mixing EDM tracks? Connect a DJ controller to it and the Flow Z13’s touchscreen and kickstand allow you to turn it into a mixer. Oh, you really want to play high-end games too? Guess what, you can connect an ROG XG Mobile eGPU that’s powered by a GeForce RTX 3080 (the eGPU is sold separately) and turn it into a gaming powerhouse.

We truly consider the ROG Flow Z13 one of the gaming company’s best innovations yet. Granted, the ROG Flow Z13 is also arguably ahead of its time. But if anything, it offers a wondrous peek at what the future of “mobile” gaming could possibly look like. And we got to say we like what we are seeing.

Reference: ROG Flow Z13 Impressions

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