Techtober is a busy time for our reviews team as a deluge of new devices arrive before the holiday season. We’ve been hard at work conducting our in-depth testing, but it’s understandable if you missed a review or two over the last few weeks. Read on to catch up all the reviews you might’ve missed, including the latest trio of Google Pixel devices.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a
It might not be super thin, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold still has the best cameras of any flexible phone, slick software and now added durability thanks to the first IP68 rating on any foldable.
- Great cameras
- IP68 rating
- Improved software and multitasking
- Pixelsnap charging
- Big and heavy
- Expensive
- Lackluster high-end performance
- No Pro Res Zoom
Earlier this month, a trio of new Pixel devices arrived for us to put through their paces. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold headlines the group, but the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a are also highly capable devices in their own categories. Senior reviews writer Sam Rutherford wrote that Google has removed one of the last remaining issues with foldable phones: durability. “The addition of proper dust and water resistance on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has removed one of the last two shortcomings of modern foldables, which is no mean feat,” he said. However, at $1,799, the price barrier is still hard to overcome for most folks.”
Meta Ray-Ban Display
Meta
An exciting first-gen product, if you can get past the thick frames.
- Display is bright, clear and doesn’t feel overwhelming
- Ability to preview and zoom in with the camera makes it way easier to frame shots
- Visual feedback for Meta AI prompts is surprisingly helpful
- Neural band is very accurate and reduces reliance on voice commands
- Frames are way too thick for most people’s comfort
- Display is only compatible with a handful of apps
- Text messages can be wonky
The second-gen Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses may be the best option for most people right now, but the Meta Ray-Ban Display is the more exciting product for many. If you can get past the chunky look and in-progress features, you still have to contend with limited availability and a $800 price tag. “The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, on the other hand, still look very much like a first-gen product,” senior reporter Karissa Bell wrote. “There are some really compelling use cases for the display, but its functionality is limited.”
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X
ASUS/Engadget
While its $1,000 price may be an obstacle, ASUS and Microsoft’s collaboration on the ROG Xbox Ally X has created a top-tier handheld with strong performance and better software than all of its Windows-based rivals.
- New full-screen Xbox experience
- Strong performance
- Bright screen
- Solid battery life
- Expensive
- Larger grips make it a bit bulky
- Mediocre haptics
Microsoft’s collaboration with ASUS has produced a compelling gaming handheld that’s decidedly Xbox. The combination of familiar controls and a full-screen Xbox experience give this device an advantage over its Windows-based competition. “While Microsoft’s first real foray into PC gaming handhelds isn’t upending the status quo and it’s way too early to say if this gadget will save Xbox as a whole, it is bringing some notable advancements,” Sam said. “The new full-screen experience makes launching and playing games on Windows-based devices so much more seamless that it’s kind of wild it took so long to get here.”
Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd gen)
Bose/Engadget
The best noise-canceling headphones are even better with improved ANC, enhanced sound and more efficient power usage.
- Industry-leading ANC got even better
- Sound and power upgrades are substantial
- Still expensive
- Glossy finish isn’t for everyone
Bose never leave the top few spots on our best noise canceling headphones list, but its refresh of the QC Ultra Headphones put the company firmly back in first place. Updates to active noise cancellation, sound performance, battery life and power management are enough to recommend this model over the previous version and the Sony WH-1000XM6. “Similar to the second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds over the summer, Bose didn’t make huge upgrades for the updated version of the QC Ultra Headphones,” I explained. “But what you do get here is a decent improvement over its predecessor.”
Razer Blade 18 (2025)
Razer/Engadget
The Blade 18 is a massive 18-inch gaming laptop with all of the power you’d want, alongside Razer’s excellent build quality. Just be prepared to pay a ton for it.
- Excellent performance
- Effective cooling
- Lovely 18-inch screen
- Tons of ports
- Great keyboard
- Ridiculously expensive
- Much heavier than 16-inch laptops
- No OLED or MiniLED
Razer’s massive 18-inch gaming laptop has impressive performance, but it’s size and limited battery life don’t offer a lot of convenience. “Personally, if I had to choose between Razer’s current lineup, I’d go with the Blade 16 so that I could actually carry it around and occasionally use it as a productivity machine,” senior reviews editor Devindra Hardawar wrote. “Not so with the Blade 18 — its short two hour and 17 minute battery life (in PCMark 10’s battery benchmark) means you’ll always need to lug around its beefy power adapter.”
