There are a lot of great accessories and some incredible headphones released this year. Personally, I finally tried the Sonos Ace headphones and they are great! I love Sonos because they are constantly innovating and creating new things.
A few years ago, I got a Google Nest thermostat, and it now sits comfortably in my living room. I absolutely love it and I love that I can control it from my phone. I really feel like I need to upgrade to the latest one because it looks absolutely gorgeous, like a piece of art.
But in addition to these two winners, we have many others, notably the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, Thinborne, and Google TV Streamer.
Here’s what Namerah Saud-Fatmi, Harish Jonnalagadda, Tshaka Armstrong and Andrew Myrick said about the winners.
Best phone case brand: Thinborne
Namara Saud Fatemi: Believe it or not, the phone case market is pretty cutthroat. There are thousands of brands on the market, so it can be difficult to pick out a diamond in the rough. Thinborne has earned the title of the best phone case brand of 2024 by consistently delivering ultra-thin cases made of strong aramid.
This American brand was “born” in Texas, and each accessory is carefully crafted by a small team dedicated to creating the world’s thinnest phone cases. Most slim cases sacrifice durability, but not Thinborne’s. What’s even more impressive is that the brand’s latest creations come with MagSafe built-in!
Best Wireless Headphones: Sonos Ace
Chaka Armstrong: 2024 has seen some notable firsts for wireless headphones. Picture this: headphones integrated into one of the best home theater ecosystems out there, they actually sound more personal and immersive than your home theater setup.
This is just the beginning. With built-in WiFi, the Ace can receive audio from a Sonos soundbar and support Dolby Atmos, and they’re also a powerful pair of Bluetooth headphones that support high-resolution wireless audio codecs device. You also get impressive active noise cancellation that rivals industry leaders Sony and Bose. If you choose, you can also listen to lossless audio files over a wired connection.
As a first-generation product, though, they weren’t without growing pains. For example, the headphones don’t connect to all speakers in the Sonos range, and they only connect one way, so there’s no way to stream music from your phone/headphones to the Sonos speakers.
Despite the first-generation shortcomings, the team at Android Central thinks the Sonos Ace are the best wireless headphones of 2024. Maybe that will change in 2025
Best Wireless Headphones: Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Chaka Armstrong: It’s been a great year for Bluetooth headphones! Whether it’s artificial intelligence taking center stage, high-resolution wireless audio support, or the pounding bass of an open-back design, there’s something for everyone.
When it comes to wireless headphones, “something for everyone” is best exemplified by Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2. This is huge. What’s not big is their size. With its own Tensor A1 chip, Google managed to make the headphones more comfortable, suitable for more technologies, have longer battery life, and acoustically redesigned in a smaller package, which is why they were voted the best by Android Central Part of the reason for wireless headphones.
A big factor in earning this title is that the only major feature you lose without connecting the Pixel Buds Pro 2 to a Pixel phone is spatial audio with head tracking. This ensures these headphones are suitable for everyone, no matter who makes your favorite phone.
My three favorite things about the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are:
- Impressive spatial audio quality since I listened to Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix which supports cinematic spatial audio.
- From sound quality customization through EQ to real-time hearing health monitoring, the Pixel Buds app enhances the Pixel Buds Pro 2 experience.
- Native Google Gemini support. It’s still in its infancy, so there are bound to be some growing pains, but Gemini Live’s integration with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is attractive, if a little rough around the edges.
Best Streaming Device: Google TV Streamer
Harish Jonaragada: Most TV streaming boxes aren’t worth the trouble, but thankfully the Google TV Streamer is a worthy successor to the mighty Chromecast. The streaming box has an interesting design, plenty of features, and all the codecs you need – it plays HDR videos on YouTube without any problems. There’s no jitter when operating the interface; it runs Google TV, lets you install all streaming services via the Play Store, and streams high-bitrate content with ease.
In short, it’s a great streaming solution and as these things go, you’re getting great value.
runner up: NVIDIA Shield TV Pro
I still prefer the second place, NVIDIA’s Shield TV Pro. It’s been around for over five years, but it still has the best overall hardware and continues to be updated regularly. If you need extra features, like connecting an external drive or streaming games through services like Moonlight, the Shield TV Pro is still my choice. But if you just need a reliable media streaming solution, Google TV Streamer is now the best option.
Best Smart Home Device: Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Generation)
Andrew Myrick: As 2024 comes to an end, there is still a sense that smart home devices are about to usher in greater development. That being said, it was a long time ago that Google released the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th generation). The last version was released in 2018, and while the third generation is still a great option, it’s definitely time to upgrade.
Google has managed to do this with the fourth generation, essentially controlling the comfort of your home through an amplified Pixel Watch. In addition to a larger display and thinner bezels, the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) brings Matter support to the desktop, which is becoming increasingly important.
runner up: Tapo 2K indoor surveillance camera
Speaking of Matter, Tapo is a brand that has been making waves, and its series of smart security cameras also made our list. Do you need an inexpensive camera to keep an eye on your pup while you’re out and about? The Tapo 2K indoor security camera is only $30. Are you tired of having to figure out how to open the door for someone while doing housework? You can buy the Tapo Smart Battery Video Doorbell for just $80.
Tapo is owned by TP-Link but is growing in popularity for a number of reasons. There are currently 17 different items on the Tapo store, which is already impressive, and Tapo offers a great smart home security ecosystem on a budget, including this great security camera.
