April showers bring May flowers, but in the tech world, things are looking pretty dour. Trump tariffs have upset supply chains and left tech companies—both big and small—reeling. We’ve seen products like the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop disappear from the company’s website, only to reappear later this month. Companies are also taking this opportunity to push the extra costs of tariffs onto consumers. We rounded up a multitude of TVs, handhelds, wearables, portable chargers, and more products that have all experienced price increases. Still, we may have only scratched the surface of what the full impact of tariffs might be in the near future.
At least there’s one thing to look forward to: the Nintendo Switch 2. We had hands-on time with Nintendo’s highly anticipated handheld, and both the hardware and the initial games selection did not disappoint. While we wait to get our hands on it for an in-depth review at launch on June 5, we can bide our time looking at some excellent mobile devices, such as Google’s Pixel 9a mid-range phone and the latest rendition of the moddable, repairable Framework Laptop 13.
Nintendo’s $450 handheld console is the successor to the mega-hit Switch. Its biggest improvements can be considered quality-of-life upgrades found in typical tech iterations, such as the bright and colorful 8-inch 1080p display or the faster processor that claims to hit 4K resolution on some games when docked. But Nintendo still knows how to have fun with its hardware. The mouse-based controls were a surprising hit—they even work on most pants! The new Joy-Cons are intuitive enough that swapping between regular thumbsticks and mouse-based aiming is seamless for games like Civilization VII. We’ll still need more time with it to test out its Game Chat feature and access to webcams, but it’s enough to make us excited for the future of Nintendo’s consoles.
Google’s mid-range Pixel A-series have routinely been some of the best deals for phones, and that continues with the Pixel 9a. Even if you don’t enjoy the flat look of a phone without a camera bump or bar, the 9a still comes with the same Tensor chip as Google’s more expensive Pixels. That facilitates the majority of Google’s latest features—including Gemini AI—for $500 compared to the $800 Pixel 9. The phone’s camera system includes a 48-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultra-wide, which isn’t a huge step down from Google’s flagship devices, though you’ll miss out on zoom functions. It only lacks slightly in wireless charging speeds, but that’s not enough to detract from what’s still an excellent value for most Android fans.
Framework has been in the game of making moddable, repairable laptops for several years now, but the company has hit its stride this year with the latest Framework Laptop 13. It’s a laptop that’s fun to put together, and with a solid keyboard, trackpad, display, and battery life, it’s a computer that you can actually use for a full workday without feeling like you’re gimping yourself on features you get on less repairable machines. The Framework Laptop 13 may lack in some aspects, such as its speaker quality, and that could be a concern for the price of its DIY kits. But the benefit is that the Framework is a laptop you should be able to use for as long as you want, swapping out parts as necessary.
Dell’s Alienware gaming brand has shifted in recent years. It’s no longer focused on making the most out-of-this-world PCs and accessories. Instead, the brand spends its time thinking about the end-user experience. As for the Area-51 desktop, that resolves into a great case for a beginner PC builder thanks to easily accessible side panels and QR codes that offer tutorials for swapping out nearly every component. The desktop tower is also one of the first to feature a positive pressure-cooling system that moves hot air out of the PC without the need for exhaust fans. I would enjoy the PC much more if it had some of the flair of older Alienware PCs. Now all I can imagine is if Alienware took its lessons from this device, got some of its old mojo back, and crafted a case that’s a joy to both look at and use.
Those of us who never turned off the 3D effect on our Nintendo 3DS handhelds imagine a world where every monitor adds a subtle pop-out effect to our favorite games. Samsung’s Odyssey 3D monitor is one of the few offerings that’s trying to bring back lenticular lenses. The $2,000 monitor uses eye tracking to beam images to both eyes individually, meaning you’ll never be outside the “sweet spot” for that 3D image. The Reality Hub software allows you to change the 3D depth for each of the 12 supported games. The limited number of games and astronomical price will dampen its appeal, but the Odyssey 3D itself may entice more monitor makers to create cheaper versions in the future.
If the Pixel 9a is the king of budget phones, then the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is the court jester who knows a little too much of the court’s dealings. It carries over Nothing’s famed-and-fun glyph lighting and chirpy sound effects, though this device doesn’t skimp on battery life, screen brightness, or display refresh rate for $460. Compared to the Phone 2a, the 3a is good enough to offer solid depth of field for macro shots, though you’ll still miss out on high-quality zoom for capturing details from far away. Nothing’s devices are a fun way to ignore Samsung and Google’s latest offerings, but you don’t miss out on much with the 3a Pro’s lower price point.
Anker’s eufyMake E1 UV printer may be the average Etsy creator’s dream product. It’s small enough to fit on a desk or tabletop, but with UV-curable resin, it can print on practically any surface. The coolest aspect of the E1 is its ability to print in multiple layers to create a 3D effect on whatever material you choose. In person, these 3D prints have an almost painted quality. The eufyMake M1 UV printer started crowdfunding on Kickstarter at the end of this month at a full price of $1,900.
If all phone makers are obsessed with AI, then Motorola with its new lineup of Razr flip phones is absolutely consumed with the idea for on-device intelligence. The Motorola Razr, Razr+, and Razr Ultra all sport new titanium hinges that should make them more durable, but the name of the game is Moto AI. These include AI models from Perplexity, alongside Google Gemini, Meta Llama, and Microsoft Copilot. All the different models accomplish different tasks, and it may automate some of them for you, such as color and light correction before you take a photo. If you need an example to understand how much Moto is banking on AI, the Razr Ultra even includes a dedicated AI button.
