Welcome to the latest installment of Staff Picks. Each week, we’ll tell you about the tech we’re currently testing — everything from cameras to hi-fi headphones, extremely large desktop monitors to smart home appliances — as well as the grail items we wish we could buy. For our last selections, visit here.
Anker SoundBuds Slim Wireless
The best wireless sport headphones cost between $120 and $200. At just $36, these are way more of a bargin. I’ve been running with them for the past week, and they sound on par with my usually Jabra’s (specifically, the $160 Jabra Sport Pulse SE.) For me, the fit wasn’t as good, but they do, like all in-ear headphones, come with several earbud and wing sizes. They aren’t most beautiful sports headphones, and there’s no companion app for coaching or adjusting EQ levels, but if you just want some sweatproof buds to blast tunes when you run, these are as affordable as it’s gonna get. – Tucker Bowe, Associate Staff Writer
Microsoft Surface Pro
If you were a fan of the Surface Pro 4 — or even if you weren’t — the Microsoft’s 2017 Surface Pro is big upgrade that’s worth your attention. Yes, the outside looks very familiar, but the internal upgrades are where it really matters. The new Surface Pro has a 50 percent better battery, better graphics, and one of Intel’s prem-o Kaby Lake processors. The stylus is way more sensitive, too. Plus, it’s compatible with the Surface Dial, assuming you have one with your Surface Studio. I’m been using this 2-in-1 for the last week — Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB ($2,199) — and it feels every bit as capable as my 2016 MacBook Pro. And just a little more versatile. – Tucker Bowe, Associate Staff Writer
