Suzanne Kantra, Josh Kirschner, and Andrea Smith contributed to this story.
We saw hundreds of brands and thousands of products this week in Berlin at IFA 2024. And befitting IFA's 100th anniversary, we found plenty to celebrate in the cavernous halls of the Messe Berlin convention center.
In the end, our editors came together and identified a select group of products that we felt deserved our Techlicious Top Pick IFA 2024 Award. While we could only pick twelve products for our top spots, we felt that many others deserved kudos for the exceptional innovation, practicality, or just plain fun they delivered. Each of those sixteen additional products is receiving our Editor's Choice Award.
We sincerely hope you enjoy reading about our picks as much as we enjoyed seeing them in Berlin.
Top Pick Award Winners
Acer Nitro Blaze 7
As Acer’s first entry in the handheld gaming space, the Nitro Blaze 7 launches as the most powerful handheld gaming PC. Not only does it outperform the competition with its laptop-class AMD Ryzen 8040 Series processor and AMD Radeon 780M graphics, but the 7-inch Nitro Blaze 7 stays true to the handheld form with a sleek design and low weight of 23.6 ounces. Pricing and availability are yet to be announced.
Read more: Acer Launches Nitro Blaze 7: The Most Powerful Handheld Gaming PC
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro
When we saw a demo of the Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro’s True Color Night Vision, we were blown away by its performance. It delivers detailed color video in near-total darkness. The 4MP Camera Hub G5 Pro on-device AI leverages this superior night vision to recognize faces and vehicles in real time. The video can be stored locally or in the cloud. The camera works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. Pricing and availability have not been announced.
DJI Neo
The palm-size, 5-ounce DJI Neo transforms the selfie drone from a niche product for the few to an accessible camera for everyone. It is simple to use, with AI subject tracking to automatically keep you in the frame, and has auto takeoff and landing. It delivers high-quality 4K videos at 30fps with image stabilization capable of handling winds up to 18mph and takes 12MP stills – all for an affordable price of just $199. The Neo is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
Read more: DJI's Pocket-Size Neo Is an Affordable Starter Camera Drone
Honor Magic V3
With the Honor Magic V3, you finally get a folding phone that is about the same size and weight as a regular Android smartphone. At just 9.2mm thick, it feels like a regular phone when you hold it in your hand, and when you open it up, you see a gorgeous 7.92-inch display that’s a svelte 4.35mm. What may be even more impressive is that Honor didn’t cut corners to reach this skinny form factor. You still have a triple rear camera – 40MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 50MP wide f/1.6 with OIS, and 50PM telephoto f/3.0 with OIS – and a 5050mAh battery for all-day use. The Honor will be available across Asia and Europe (but, sadly, they don’t have current plans to bring it to the U.S.).
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition
Lenovo has taken our favorite ultra-light business laptop and made it more powerful, lighter, and smarter with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition. It’s powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) processor with 45+ TOPS and Intel’s Arc Xe2 GPU with 60+ TOPS, and comes with 32GB of memory, making it an AI powerhouse. But what we couldn’t get over was how light it is – just 2.16 pounds (down from the Gen 12’s 2.42 pounds). As an Aura Edition laptop, the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon features smart modes to promote wellness by encouraging you to take breaks, security by guarding your screen from prying eyes, and efficiency by minimizing distractions so you can get work done. The 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition will be available this fall for $1,999.
Morphy Richards Ductless Portable Air Conditioner
If you need to keep cool but don't have the venting options for a traditional AC unit, the Morphy Richard Ductless Portable Air Condition provides the perfect cooling solution. The Ductless Portable Air Conditioner uses a compressor and refrigerant like a traditional AC unit, but instead of venting hot air, the air is cooled internally through water-cooled components. Meant for individual or small group cooling, we found that it delivered a strong stream of refreshingly cold air during a demo in IFA's overly-warm convention hall. The Ductless Portable Air Conditioner is available for $379 plus shipping on Kickstarter, with a ship date of December 2024. Units are already in production.
Roborock Qrevo Curv
The Roborock Qrevo Curv is simply the best combination of features we’ve seen in a mop vac, with a dock that is stylish and functional. The Qrevo Curv’s AdaptiLift Chassis has three wheels so it can adjust its height up to 10mm to accommodate higher pile carpets and navigate higher thresholds (up to 4cm). The mop vac also has a new anti-tangle system that guides hair toward the dustbin. SGS has certified Roborock’s claims of a 0% tangling rate and 100% removal rate for hair. And, the Qrevo Curv checks all the other boxes, with 18,500Pa suction power, 3D navigation, and a hot mop washing in the dock between uses to remove bacteria. Price and availability have not been set for the U.S. market. It will be available in Europe this month for €1499.99.
Switchbot K10+ Pro Combo
The Switchbot K10+ Pro Combo is the combo we’ve been waiting for. The Switchbot K10+ Pro is the world’s smallest robot vacuum, and it now comes paired with a stick vac in one streamlined, space-saving dock to handle all your vacuuming needs. The base automatically empties both the robot and stick vac when docked, and Switchbot estimates you’ll typically only need to empty the dirt receptacle every 70 days. The stick vac comes with four attachments for dusting and cleaning floors, upholstery, and blinds. The Switchbot K10+ Pro Combo is available now for $799.99 on Switch-Bot.com.
TCL 50 Pro NXTPaper 5G with Max Ink Mode
TCL’s Max Ink Mode for its 50 Pro NXTPaper 5G phone lets you focus you on what you need to get done while saving your battery and eyes. Once activated, Max Ink Mode adjusts the screen to be more like an eye-friendly e-reader. This lower-power mode provides an incredible seven days of battery life while running up to four applications of your choice, and it provides 26 days of standby time. The mode turns off notifications for apps, but that may be a good thing if you want a more Zen existence with your device. Pricing and availability have not been set.
TCL NXTFRAME TVs
TCL’s NXTFRAME TVs are literally a work of art. The series, which comes in 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches, has a beautiful wood-colored frame and measures just 1.1 inches deep, making it the world’s thinnest all-in-one TV. The all-in-one refers to the fact that all of the electronics are built in, without the clutter of an external box. The TCL NXTFrame is available now starting at $1,499.
Twelve South PlugBug
Raise your hand if you (or a family member) have ever left your phone charger behind in a hotel of coffee shop. Everyone? We thought so. That’s why Twelve South’s PlugBug is a brilliant idea. It’s a charger that is also a Find My device, so it will show up on your iPhone’s Find My app. You will get an alert if you walk out the door without your charger before it’s too late to go back – or if someone else walks away with it. It comes in 2-port 50W ($69.99) and 4-port 120W ($119.99) versions. The Twelve South PlugBug is available for pre-order on TwelveSouth.com, with delivery the week of September 16.
Zepp Amazfit T-Rex 3
The Amazfit T-Rex 3 ($279) rugged smartwatch redefines value for outdoor enthusiasts and athletes, making premium features more affordable. We're loving the offline topographical maps for untethered navigation in remote areas, the ultra-bright 2,000-nit display that laughs at direct sunlight, and an expanded 1.5-inch watch face for enhanced visibility. In addition, you can use natural language for voice commands thanks to Zepp Flow, its ChatGPT-based voice assistant. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 is available on Amazfit and Amazon.
Read more: Amazfit T-Rex 3: A High-End Rugged Smart Watch at a Mid-Range Price
Editor's Choice Awards
Acer Nitro GS272U M smart monitor
If you want a computer monitor that doubles as a smart TV, there are plenty of options to choose from. However, the Acer Nitro GS272U M smart monitor is also killer for gaming. Instead of the 60Hz refresh rate of most other smart monitors, the Nitro GS272U M’s WQHD (2560x1440) has a much faster refresh rate of 180Hz, which will make higher frame-rate games far smoother. Available for $349.99 starting in Q1 2025.
Aiper Scuba X1 Pro
Most pools aren’t just rectangular boxes; they have sunbathing ledges, slopes, ladders, and curved walls. These obstacles are challenging for most robotic pool cleaners, leaving spots uncleaned. The Scuba X1 Pro is the first robotic pool cleaner to handle even the most complex pool layouts easily, thanks to new sensors and more advanced cleaning algorithms. You don’t have to guess whether the robot has completed the job; the app reports on its work, including a map of where it cleaned and any obstacles it encountered. The Aiper Scuba X1 Pro will be available in Q1 2025 for $1,399.
AUKEY MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro
Simply put, the AUKEY MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro wireless charger is a work of art for your desk or night table. Its minimalist styling is sophisticated and will easily blend in with your décor. But it’s not just a pretty face. It uses a thermoelectric cooling chip to keep your phone safer while fast charging at 15W. The MagFusion 3-in-1 Pro will be available in Q4 this year for $129.99.
Beatbot iSkim Ultra
The Beatbot iSkim Ultra is the world’s first smart solar-powered pool skimmer. It uses ultrasonic sensors to scan your pool and then plots an efficient S-shaped cleaning path. While dual side brushes sweep debris into the path of the robot, so it doesn’t miss a leaf. And since it's solar, it can run continuously in sunlight or up to 24 hours on its battery. Even cooler, the iSkim Ultra automatically dispenses an eco-friendly clarifier from recycled crab shells to keep pool water crystal-clear. The Beatbot iSkim Ultra is available now for $1,499 on Beatbot.com and Amazon.
DJI Avinox Drive System
DJI is leveraging the deep expertise in motors and batteries it accumulated in its drone business to launch the new Avinox Drive System for e-bikes. The Avinox Drive System comes in at a lightweight 5.56 pounds, yet delivers a whopping 105Nm of torque with 800 watts of peak power. With a higher power to weight ratio than systems from Bosch (the leader in high-end bike drives), the Avinox should help improve competition in the industry, lowering prices (while improving performance) for cyclists everywhere. DJI expects to make the Avinox Drive System available in Q4 of this year.
EcoFlow River 3 Max
EcoFlow's River 3 Max makes it easy to bring the right amount of power with you on your next outdoor adventure. The base holds 572Wh and can output 600W continuously, which means you can run a coffee maker, a space heater, or a toaster. It comes with an extra 282Wh battery that attaches to the bottom whenever you need more juice. This type of battery stacking is something that’s usually reserved for home backup systems, but we think it also makes a lot of sense for camping and tailgating. The River 3 Max price and availability are not yet set.
Govee Strip Light 2 Pro
If you can imagine it, you can create the color with Govee’s Strip Light 2 Pro. Using its new LuminBlend Color Control System and RGBWW LEDs, you can create brighter custom lighting designs with improved color depth and accuracy. When creating your designs, you can segment the strip into ten sections per meter – each with a different color. And like other Govee light strips, you can cut them to fit your space. The Strip Light 2 Pro will come in two-meter ($59.99), five-meter ($99.99), and 10-meter ($149.99) lengths and will be available starting September 10 on Govee.com and Amazon.
IMAX Enhanced sound by DTS on Disney+
When you’re watching a movie, half of the experience is the soundtrack. Ideally, you’d hear sound as the director intended – uncompressed with the full range of frequencies. The closest you’ll come is with DTS:X from Xperi, which is part of the IMAX Enhanced standard. We hear more frequency separation in our listening and the sound is more natural. You can experience it yourself if your TV and sound system support DTS:X and you subscribe to Disney+.
Laifen Wave Titanium
The Laifen Wave has been one of our favorite toothbrushes since we reviewed it last spring, offering exceptional cleaning and battery life. The new Titanium model takes it even more upscale, with a beautiful, yet rugged Titanium body. But Laifen didn't stop there. Battery life has been improved from 30 to a whopping 45 days. And, new brush heads have a softer TPU material on the back that provide a far more comfortable brushing experience on our testing at the show. The Laifen Wave Titanium is currently available for pre-order for €159.99 in Europe.
LG PuriCare
Okay cat lovers, LG’s new PuriCare (model AS207CHZ0) is the air purifier made for you. It includes all of the air filtration you’d expect from a high-end air purifier, with a heated perch for your cat. While lounging, the built-in scale checks and logs your cat’s weight to alert you if there’s a potential health problem. And there is a step-stool accessory you can attach if your cat needs help reaching the top. Pricing and availability for the PuriCare model AS207CHZ0 have not been set.
Narwal Freo Z Ultra
Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra mop vac has a neat new trick: cleaning your baseboards like never before. Triangular-shaped mop pads get the bottoms of the baseboards, while attachable dusters on the side of the Freo Z Ultra get the rest. The mop vac now also comes equipped with two color cameras with wide 136-degree viewing angles to spot people and pets (and pet waste) and navigate around them easily – no more dodging out of the way. The new Freo Z Ultra also checks other boxes we want to see in a mop vac: powerful 12,000Pa suction power and a self-cleaning function to empty dust and clean the mop heads with 167-degree water to kill bacteria. The Freo Z will cost $1,499 when it goes on sale on September 14.
Reolink Altas PT Ultra
The Reolink Altas PT Ultra security camera literally has you covered. Its pan-and-tilt camera provides 360-degree coverage, so nothing is out of the frame, and 12 hours of continuous 4K recording per day for up to eight days before needing a recharge. (With the optional 6W solar panel, you won’t have to worry about charging.) We’ve seen the camera’s night vision technology and it provides excellent-quality nighttime video in color, something that’s a rarity in security cameras. The Altas PT Ultra is available now for $219.99 on Reolink.com.
Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop
If you have deep-pile carpets or high thresholds, you’ve been out of luck when it comes to robotic floor cleaners because they get stuck on those big transitions and drag dirty mop pads across your carpet (yuck). The Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop tilts to easily navigate and can stay tilted to keep the mop pads from dragging. The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is available for pre-order for $999.99 on SharkClean.com.
Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone
As content creators, we can attest that sound recording is an art. Shure’s MV6 USB Gaming Microphone takes on the role of sound engineer with a DPS that automatically levels your sound, stops pops, and removes extraneous noise. Combined with its Voice Isolation Technology, the MV6 delivers studio-quality sound. It is also certified by Open Broadcast Software (OBS), so you can be confident that it will work with your software. And all of this is offered at a relatively budget price for mics of this caliber. The MV6 USB Gaming Microphone is available for $149.00 on Shure.com.
Wireless Power Consortium Ki Standard
You may have used a wireless charger for your phone, but what if you could wirelessly power your blender or your toaster oven? That’s the promise of the Wireless Power Consortium’s Ki Standard. Ki is installed into countertops and cooktops, using magnetic induction to deliver up to 2.2kW of power wirelessly. While this has been shown as a "concept" for years, appliance manufacturer Midea has just announced its Celestial Flex line of small appliances that will draw power from the Ki induction cooktops. So, this is finally a real thing. Pricing and availability of the first Ki products have not been announced.
Yarbo
The Yarbo is the first modular outdoor robot versatile enough to autonomously manage multiple yard care needs, whether it’s mowing the lawn, clearing leaves, or removing snow from your driveway. The beast of a base unit takes care of navigating, and you attach different modules depending on the task. The Yarbo now takes advantage of HaLow WiFi technology, which provides more range and better transmission through walls while using less power. The Yarbo Core Robot costs $4,999, with attachments ranging from $199 for a Plow Blade to $1,999 for the Snow Blower Module (shown above).
[Image credit: Techlicious, Wireless Power Consortium, screenshot via Techlicious]
