The Best Gadgets of September 2026

We’re exhausted, folks. September, sometimes called “Techtember” by people in the know, is usually a busy time for gadgets. And still, September, 2026, proved to be the most packed time for tech since the lot of us started reporting. Judging by the crescendoing sound of the rumor mill, the parade of new gear isn’t over yet. Let’s take a breath and look back at what’s come since Sept. 1. First, Gizmodo trekked to Berlin so we could shake the trees at IFA 2026 to see what kinds of PCs, robovacs, and smart lights would fall out. You should check out our best of IFA list for our picks from that conference. Then, Apple decided it was time for all new Mac minis, iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. And in between all that, we were shoving our faces into Valve’s first VR headset in years and Snap’s $2,195 pair of AR glasses. Feeling a little left out, Google showed up and finally gave us the full details of its new Googlebook platform and the five upcoming laptops set to launch next month. After that, the Jetsetting Gizmodo consumer tech crew was out again for Meta Connect and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit, where we were checking out the latest in Android chips, PCs, smart glasses, and VR devices. Let’s call September less of a whirlwind and more of a hurricane. Techtember will soon slide into “Techtober,” where we will hope to see more of Apple’s first real move into smart home and that supposed “HomePad.” Let’s not forget other rumored gadgets, like that supposed OLED MacBook and the upcoming launch of Nvidia’s RTX Spark PC lineup. When does it end? We don’t know, but at some point we have to get off this crazy ride. iPhone 18 Pro © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo The new “Pro” iPhone isn’t all that different from the iPhone 17 Pro from 2025. And still, a new, more efficient chip and small improvements to the vapor chamber and screen make the iPhone 18 Pro an easy win for Apple fans. Some naysayers claim the new burgundy color is boring, especially compared to the last gen’s Cosmic Orange colorway. For those of us who love a wine-colored phone, we just appreciate the chance for our devices to match our mood. M6 Mac mini © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo Apple’s revised Mac mini costs $300 more than the M4 version from 2024 did at launch. So does it make up for that cost with any extra ports or a power button you can easily press? No. Instead, it’s all about performance, and that’s where the M6 Mac mini shines. The M6 chip is excellent in both CPU and GPU capabilities, enough for all your daily tasks and—sigh—AI. Sonos Beam Ultra © James Pero / Gizmodo Sure, everybody’s talking about the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, but what if we told you the company’s more exciting sound product may be a soundbar? The Sonos Beam Ultra manages 7.1.2 room-filling sound that feels all the more impressive considering the squat size of the soundbar. The Beam Ultra also works with Sonos’ other speakers if you want to add rear speakers to your TV room. Sony WH-1000XM4C © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo If there’s any pair of headphones that could be called an “oldie but goodie,” it’s the Sony WH-1000XM4. The XM4C doesn’t change much, but the new and improved sound quality and calming colors make this $300 pair of headphones even better. Considering the cost of the $450 Sony WH-1000XM6, the XM4C seems like a much better bargain for most people looking for great ANC and sound quality. Steam Frame © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo Valve’s first VR headset since the Index from 2019 costs an unfortunate amount of money: $1,060. Sure, we wish it were cheaper, and we hoped it would have had a better battery life, but—at the same time—the Steam Frame makes VR gaming feel fresh again. It’s a headset that works even better for streaming from a PC thanks to its innovative dongle and use of “foveated streaming” to reduce latency. If you wanted to play Half-Life: Alyx and deny giving any more money to Meta, the Steam Frame is currently your best bet. Meta VR Glasses © James Pero / Gizmodo Speaking of VR headsets, Meta is out here trying to prove that glasses are the real future of VR. We were skeptical at first, but these glasses have practically all the capabilities of a Meta Quest 3 while adding in eye tracking that can match the Apple Vision Pro in accuracy. They may have a smaller FOV (field of view) than a Quest 3 or Vision Pro, but the beautiful 5K micro-OLED lenses put these glasses over the top. Even with other examples of AR tech, like Snap Specs and Xreal’s Aura glasses, the Meta VR glasses may be tough to beat. Polaroid Mod © Polaroid The Polaroid Mod instant camera has us honestly considering buying multiple expensive packs of instant film for the sake of this messing around with physical photos again. The camera includes several modes that will let you play with exposure timing. You can overlay two images on top of each other or create a kind of motion blur with your subject, punctuated by a flash image. Apple Watch Ultra 4 © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo The largest wearable in Apple’s repertoire just keeps getting better. The new version may look similar to previous versions, but it sports a better battery life that can get close to 50 hours of regular use. What’s even better is how the watch features more accurate health tracking capabilities thanks to its redesigned sensors. Until Apple designs a Whoop clone, the Apple Watch Ultra remains one of the best fitness watches for iPhone users. Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds © Bose The resurgence in popularity for wired earbuds has apparently peaked with the sound lords at Bose deigning to make their own USB-C-powered buds with ANC built in. The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are literally everything they say on the tin, but the design itself is noteworthy with silicon ear stabilizers that will help those of us with funky ear shapes. If you were looking for something that could finally replace your Apple EarPods, this may be your best bet. Beats 360 © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo The Apple-owned Beats brand has been relegated to secondary status in recent years, especially compared to the AirPods Max 2. The Beats 360, on the other hand, are a genuinely solid pair of headphones built for the sweaty situations where the AirPods don’t fit. The swappable earcups and solid ANC make these some of the best pairs of headphones for gym rats. Retroid Pocket Duo © Retroid The Nintendo DS design will never truly die, not as long as the third-party retro emulation scene keeps on trucking. The Retroid Pocket Duo is one of the most attractive DS-like designs we’ve seen yet, with two OLED touch displays that max out at 120Hz. Retroid has a solid reputation for its other hinge-based handhelds; however, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the right one. Retroid is also selling a Duo Lite with lower-end specs and LCD screens, which may not have the power necessary for playing 3DS games. iPhone Duo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo Samsung led the way for book-style foldables, but let’s be honest, Apple may be the company to make devices with folding screens actually popular in the West. The $2,000 iPhone Duo sports a squat, passport-shaped exterior screen that opens up into a 7.6-inch extended display—nearly the same size as an iPad mini. While Apple’s promising all the typical multitasking capabilities foldables provide, the company’s interior screen is extra interesting with its matte finish that may help hide the ugly crease better than its contemporaries. Nintendo Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda – 40th Anniversary Edition © Nintendo; screenshot by Gizmodo Nintendo’s Switch 2 handheld is supposed to be the “fun” console, so it’s been an agonizing wait for Nintendo to finally showcase its hardware in fun colors. The Legend of Zelda – 40th Anniversary Edition handheld seems extra cool with its green finish and Triforce motif plastered on everything, including the Joy-Cons 2 and the Switch 2 dock. Hopefully, Nintendo can make enough of this limited edition Switch 2 for all the Zelda fans who want one.