Someway, we’re already nearing the top of the 2025 calendar 12 months — and what a 12 months it has been. From new gizmos and devices, to main software program updates, the tech business has been teeming with pleasure from January during December.
Right here at Pocket-lint, we’re carrying ahead the custom of highlighting our private favourite issues of the 12 months, tech and in any other case. I’ve performed round with various distinctive units all through the previous a number of months, and I am grateful to have additionally had the prospect to expertise various new issues in each my private {and professional} life, too.
And, so, with none hesitation, listed here are my 5 absolute favourite issues of 2025.
Floor Professional 12-inch
Home windows 11-based computing at its best
For anybody who has been following my work, it’s going to come as no shock to listen to that I am an enormous fan of compact pill PCs. I am a agency believer within the pill type issue’s benefit, discovering it to be superior to conventional clamshell laptops within the overwhelming majority of situations.
The Floor Professional has been considered one of my private favourite pill traces for a while now, although, admittedly, I’ve at all times most well-liked the smaller chassis dimension of Microsoft’s extra inexpensive Floor Go sequence. Fortunately, my needs got here true in 2025 with the discharge of the Floor Professional 12-inch.
…I anticipate the present mannequin to stay my go-to Home windows 11 PC properly into 2026.
The Floor Professional 12-inch is exactly the hybrid pill PC I have been ready for, with a small footprint that does not sacrifice on pro-level options. The pc is lightning quick with its ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chipset, and it is prepared for tomorrow’s world of AI with its Copilot+ certification.
After all, there’s nonetheless room for enchancment: I would like to see the next-generation 12-inch Floor Professional undertake an OLED show, a 120Hz refresh price, an anti-reflective panel coating, human presence detection, a detachable SSD, and a full-blow Flex Keyboard accent to name its personal. Nonetheless, I anticipate the present mannequin to stay my go-to Home windows 11 PC properly into 2026.
Portal
A tranquil app that helps preserve my thoughts at bay
As a Options Author right here at Pocket-lint, I spend a great deal of time perusing by the most well liked new purposes to hit the Android, Home windows, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS computing platforms. Over time, I’ve come throughout an awesome many high-quality apps from third-party builders — each indie and larger-scale — however the one which continues to face out to me essentially the most is an app known as Portal.
In my eyes, Portal is a downright good piece of software program. Designed to help in focus, sleep, and escapism, the app hosts a catalog of scenic nature backdrop ‘portals,’ full with ambient sounds, together with all the things from the snowy highlands of Scotland to the scorching scorching lava rivers of Iceland. There is a sleep timer on deck, in addition to synced LED good lighting controls, 3D dynamic spatial audio on supported units, and far more.
In my eyes, Portal is a downright good piece of software program.
I exploit Portal every day as a white noise and screensaver answer whereas typing away on my keyboard for work, and I additionally make good use of the Swiss hearth log portal within the evenings as a part of my wind down routine earlier than mattress. I am a fan of the included capacity to combine the app’s audio with different apps on my cellphone, and I really like the app’s general UI polish.
The one catch with Portal is that it is an Apple unique software, which means that there is no Android or Home windows help on the time of writing. As somebody who switches between ecosystems and platforms frequently as a part of my job, I find yourself lacking Portal each time I am reminded that it is nowhere to be discovered on, say, my Microsoft Floor Professional 12 or my Google Pixel 9 Professional.
ROG Xbox Ally Collection
A step in the proper course for handheld PC gaming
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- Dimensions
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11.45 x 4.78 x 1.99-inches (290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm)
- Model
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Asus
- Weight
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23oz (670g)
- Chipset
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AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor
- RAM
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16GB LPDDR5X-6400
- Storage
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512GB M.2 2280 SSD
The ROG Xbox Ally is a handheld gaming PC from Asus that runs the Home windows 11 working system, designed in collaboration with Microsoft and Xbox.
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- Dimensions
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11.45 x 4.78 x 1.99-inches (290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm)
- Model
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Asus
- Weight
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25oz (715g)
- Chipset
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AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Excessive Processor
- RAM
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24GB LPDDR5X-8000
- Storage
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1TB M.2 2280 SSD for simpler improve
The ROG Xbox Ally X is Asus’ newest premium handheld online game console, working Home windows 11 and being designed carefully with Microsoft and its Xbox division.
In some ways, 2025 has been the 12 months of the hand held gaming PC. Spurred on by the success of the hybrid Nintendo Swap console and its recently-released successor, in addition to by the favored Steam Deck transportable, we have seen new {hardware} from the Lenovo Legion sequence, the MSI Claw sequence, and some different marquee opponents.
For my cash, essentially the most attention-grabbing PC handheld of the 12 months is none aside from the ROG Xbox Ally (in addition to its higher-end ROG Xbox Ally X sister product). Made in collaboration between Asus and Microsoft’s Xbox division, the Xbox Ally sequence marks Microsoft’s first pseudo-foray into the world of transportable gaming.
What makes the Xbox Ally so attention-grabbing is that it serves as a halo product for Microsoft’s all-new Xbox Full Display Expertise (FSE), which is a brand new optimized recreation mode that runs atop of Home windows 11. The FSE goals to scale back computational and reminiscence overheads by slashing away startup apps and background providers, whereas enhancing Home windows’ recreation controller enter expertise by working the Xbox app in full display and disabling elements of the OS Shell.
…the Xbox Ally sequence marks Microsoft’s first pseudo-foray into the world of transportable gaming.
Previous to its launch, I bought to expertise the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X first-hand at Gamescom 2025 this 12 months in Cologne, Germany, and I got here away moderately enthusiastic about the way forward for Home windows-based PC gaming as an entire. Whereas it is true that different PCs are set to obtain the FSE within the coming months, the Xbox Ally sequence nonetheless maintains its standing as a premier showpiece machine.
With the rival Linux-based SteamOS platform persevering with to increase in scope, Microsoft actually has its work lower out for it. Home windows remains to be its personal worst enemy in terms of offering a console-like expertise for on-the-go avid gamers, and so I am unable to wait to see additional working system optimizations make their approach onto the Xbox Ally and different handhelds someday within the new 12 months.
Dell UltraSharp U2725QE
My first foray into the world of twin monitor desk setups
For so long as I can bear in mind, I’ve at all times relied on a single monitor setup for all my desktop computing wants. From the times of huge, cumbersome, and beige CRT tube shows, to the svelteness of my Apple M1 iMac, I’ve at all times been restricted by the confines of 4 distinct display corners.
Earlier this 12 months, I lastly determined to make the leap and improve my dwelling workplace. As somebody who works from dwelling full-time, it is essential that I optimize my setting to maximise each productiveness and comfortability, and so I did my analysis and in the end settled on the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor – U2725QE (now that is a mouth full).
…the monitor’s IPS LCD does have a 3000:1 distinction ratio, which is moderately spectacular.
In my case, I sprang for the 27-inch U2725QE variant of the product, which provides a 3840 x 2160 4K UHD decision, a 120Hz refresh price, a height-adjustable stand, and a full array of I/O ports. Whereas not OLED, and thus not fairly as vivid in terms of black ranges, the monitor’s IPS LCD does have a 3000:1 distinction ratio, which is moderately spectacular all issues thought-about.
After all, the U2725QE is not solely a slam dunk — its plastic outer shell is creaky and wobbly, which is truthfully a bit jarring when located proper subsequent to my sturdy aluminum iMac. That being stated, now that I have been residing the dual-screen life, there’s really no going again: I really like having Canva, Google Hold, and Finder open on one show, which leaves me loads of room to sprawl my CMS, Slack, and Asana home windows out throughout my main panel.
Cell World Congress 2025
My first expertise at a tech commerce present was a memorable one
Again in March of this 12 months, I had the privilege of attending my very first shopper tech business commerce present: Cell World Congress (MWC). As in earlier years, MWC25 passed off in Barcelona, Spain, and particularly on the Fira Gran By way of conference heart close to the guts of town heart.
Over the course of MWC25, I bought to mess around with some unimaginable and moderately funky tech merchandise, I networked and made a number of new business connections, I bought to satisfy YouTubers that I would been watching on-line for years, and I discovered some new tips of the commerce that I merely wasn’t aware about beforehand.
Attending MWC25 was a serious milestone for me in each my private {and professional} life. I got here out of my shell and interacted with many individuals alongside the best way, regardless of traditionally not being the largest fan of crowded, confined areas. I additionally managed to beat my poor sense of course, discovering myself shocked at my capacity to zip across the Labyrinthian convention heart and all its numerous zones and briefing areas.
Attending MWC25 was a serious milestone for me in each my private {and professional} life.
By visiting Barcelona, I additionally scratched my journey and architecture-loving itch, and I even managed to briefly sneak over to the completely phenomenal BasÃlica de la Sagrada FamÃlia positioned within the downtown space. As the one largest unfinished Roman Catholic cathedral on the earth — one which’s been beneath building for the reason that Eighties — I discovered the construction itself to be equal elements visually hanging and imposing.
Going into 2026, I hope to take all I’ve discovered and skilled at MWC25 ahead with me, and I am unable to wait to hopefully expertise further commerce exhibits sooner or later. In case you had informed me a 12 months in the past that I would be strolling throughout the halls and straight into Honor, Lenovo, and Samsung cubicles alongside different journalists and media professionals, I would not have believed you. It simply goes to point out that it is at all times finest to anticipate the surprising.
