9 Cool New Gadgets to Keep on Your Radar

For more of the latest and greatest product releases, check out our full collection of the best new gear.

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This week was dominated by Apple’s big event where it announced new iPhones, new Apple Watches and second-generation AirPods Pro. But there were a lot of big announcements, too. Bose introduced its new flagship noise-canceling wireless earbuds, the QuietComfort Earbuds II. Polk Audio gave us a new Dolby Atmos soundbar. And Hasselblad announced the X2D 100C, its new flagship medium-format mirrorless camera.

We’ve rounded up all the big gadget announcements of the week, below.

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iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

Apple

The iPhone 14 is very similar to last year’s iPhone 13. It’s the same size and has a nearly identical 6.1-inch display. It also has the same A15 Bionic chipset. However, Apple did give it a few notable upgrades under the hood. It has improved rear and selfie camera systems for better low-light photography; there’s a new Action Mode for improved image stabilization when shooting video. It has satellite connectivity — which is a first for any iPhone. And maybe most notably, Apple has done away with the “mini” version and instead replaced it with a “plus” version, which has a 6.7-inch display similar to the Pro Max.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus start at $799 and $899 respectively, and are available for preorder on September 9th. The iPhone 14 will ship in September, but the iPhone 14 Plus will ship a little later, in October.

Price: $799+

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple

The new iPhone 14 Pros were probably the biggest standouts from this week’s Apple’s event. They have an all-new floating pill-shaped notch, called the Dynamic Island, that’s interactive and designed to more-easily control apps (like Music, Timer or Maps) when they are running in the background. They have a vastly improved rear triple-camera system, including a 48-megapixel main camera with the largest sensor ever put in an iPhone. And they are powered by Apple’s super new powerful chipset, the A16 Bionic.

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be available for preorder on September 9. Both will go on sale on September 16.

Price: $999+ (Pro); $1,099+ (Pro Max)

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose

Bose announced the second-generation models of its noise-canceling wireless earbuds and compared to the 2020-released QuietComfort Earbuds, the new models are vastly different. They have a completely new design that’s noticeably smaller, plus Bose has drastically improved the noise-cancellation and transparency modes; in fact, Bose claims that these have the “world’s best noise cancellation” of any true wireless earbuds.

Available for preorder now. Shipping starts September 15.

Price: $300

AirPods Pro (Gen 2)

Apple announced the second-generation models of its AirPods Pro. The new wireless earbuds look pretty similar to their predecessors and cost exactly the same — $249 — but Apple has given them a more advanced H2 chipset, superior audio and twice as powerful active-noise cancellation. There are new capacitive touch controls on each earbud that allows you to adjust volume (a first for an AirPod). They have a more durable case that can wirelessly charge on a Qi charger, MagSafe charger or (most excitingly) an Apple Watch puck. They will ship with an additional size eartip that’s “extra small.” And the case has a built-in loop that you can attach a small lanyard that Apple will sell separately.

Preorders start September 9. They’ll be available for purchase on September 23.

Price: $249

Apple Watch Ultra

Apple

The Apple Watch “Ultra” was another big standout from Apple’s big event. It’s a completely new line of Apple Watch that’s larger, more rugged, more sophisticated and more expensive than any other Apple Watch. It has a bigger and redesigned digital crown and an all-new “Action” button that can be customized to do things like quickly start specific workouts. It has a bigger battery that lasts 36 hours (or up to 60 hours when in low-power mode). And it has a new Compass app and an app specifically designed for recreational scuba divers called Oceanic Plus.

The Apple Watch Ultra will be available starting September 23. It only comes in a cellular model.

Price: $799

Apple Watch Series 8 and SE (Gen 2)

Apple

While the Ultra stole the show, Apple also announced new flagship and budget-friendly Apple Watches in the Series 8 and SE (Gen 2), respectively. Both look nearly identical to their predecessors, admittedly, but Apple gave both a few notable improvements. The new SE has a faster processor, comes in new colors and has a new $249 starting price (which is $30 cheaper than before). The Series 8 has new sensors for body temperature monitoring (which is mostly aimed at women’s reproductive health). Both new Apple Watches also can detect if you’re in a serious car crash and call for help.

The new SE and Series 8 will are available for preorder right now and go on sale everywhere on September 16.

Price: $249+ (SE); $399+ (Series 8)

Insta360 X3

Courtesy

The Insta360 X3 is the company’s new handheld 360-degree camera and the direct successor of the 2020-released One X2. The biggest improvement with X3 is probably its new touchscreen display; it’s significantly bigger and more useful (as it’s way easier to preview and review footage). The lens and sensor got a big bump on the X3, too, as it’s now capable of capturing 5.7K 360-degree videos and super-detailed 72-megapixel stills.

Price: $450+

Polk Audio MagniFi Max AX

Courtesy

This is Polk Audio’s newest flagship soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The MagniFi Max AX is a 5.1.2-channel package that includes a soundbar and wireless subwoofer (but for an extra $100 you can also purchase a package with wireless rear-channel speakers). It supports Chromecast and AirPlay 2 for easy streaming and integrating into your home’s existing multi-room audio system. It also has built-in Bluetooth.

Price: $799

Hasselblad X2D 100C

Hasselblad

The Hasselblad X2D 100C is the company’s new flagship medium-format mirrorless camera. It has a ginormous 100-megapixel backside illuminated sensor, but packs it into a body that’s similarly sized to the company’s X1D 50C and X1D II 50C (both of which have 50-megapixel sensors). It has an advanced hybrid phase and contrast-based autofocus system and in-body image stabilization. It’s a beast of a handheld camera. Hasselblad also announced three new lenses to go with it (and other X System cameras): XCD 38mm f/2.5 ($3,700), 55mm f/2.5 ($3,700) and 90mm f/2.5 ($4,300).

For more information about the Hasselblad X2D 100C, check out PetaPixel‘s Jaron Schneider ‘s early review.

Price: $8,200 (body only)

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