Gadgets of the Year 2025, 
Part 2: Fun gadgets

Technology carries many responsibilities these days. It tracks our health, organises our work, reminds us when to stand up, drink water, or step away from the screen. But sometimes a gadget earns its place simply because it adds delight. The most memorable fun gadgets of 2025 made life a little louder, a little lighter, or a little more playful. They reminded us that enjoyment is a legitimate design goal.

This year’s winners revealed several distinct strands of what “fun” means in 2025. Some devices revived old pleasures that had slipped through the digital cracks. Some brought cinematic sound or console-class gaming into smaller, more spontaneous spaces. And others focused on the physical experience of using tech rather than the spec sheet beneath it. In each case, the common thread was simple: these gadgets made people smile, and they kept doing it long after the unboxing.

Best personal audio device

Winner: Mighty 3

The Mighty 3 is the kind of gadget that would never survive a corporate brainstorming session. It is a tiny, screenless music player that clips to clothing and syncs playlists from streaming platforms. On paper, it borders on absurd: why carry one more device when your phone already does everything? But that question evaporates the moment you use it. The Mighty 3 liberates listening from multitasking. It strips audio back to its natural role, as a soundtrack rather than another feature.

During testing, it became clear why runners, commuters and gym-goers still crave this kind of simplicity. A phone, no matter how slim, remains a slab with agendas. It wants to be checked and it weighs pockets down. The Mighty 3 will have none of that. Press play and go. With its rugged build and clip-on design, it feels like a companion rather than an appendage. And because it syncs playlists for offline use, it retains all the convenience of the streaming age without dragging the digital world along for the ride.

The result may seem like nostalgia, but it also has a clarity of purpose that most modern gadgets have forgotten how to express. The Mighty 3 wins this category because it reintroduces joy by removing everything that gets in its way.

Best audio headset

Winner: Beyerdynamic Aventho 100

While the Mighty 3 celebrates minimalism, the Aventho 100 is all about richness. It is an on-ear headphone that favours balance over bombast, clarity over spectacle, and comfort over marketing theatrics. Its design echoes the heritage of a manufacturer that has spent decades tuning headphones for engineers, studios and musicians. Yet the Aventho 100 never feels clinical. It is built for pleasure as much as precision.

Its strengths represent an audio showcase: natural mids, controlled bass, airiness at the top end and a fit that sits lightly without compromising stability. These qualities make it a headphone that disappears in the best way: it stays comfortable long enough for a playlist to become an afternoon. The folding frame and long battery life reinforce its portability, while its Bluetooth profile reassures users who care about fidelity even when listening wirelessly.

The Aventho 100 turns everyday commutes and coffee-shop sessions into high-quality personal soundscapes without demanding audiophile devotion.

Best party audio

Winner: Sony ULT Field 3

Every year brings new portable speakers claiming to be “party-ready”, but few survive real-world expectations: sand, grass, spilled drinks, spontaneous dancing and unpredictable playlists. Sony’s ULT Field 3 does, and does so without losing its composure. It is designed for backyards, beaches, campsites and even flats that occasionally transform into temporary nightclubs.

Its big selling point is impressive bass that energises outdoor spaces without distorting or drowning the mids. The ULT Field 3 is unapologetically bold, but also controlled. Its dust- and splash-resistant build encourages reckless friendliness: toss it into a bag, carry it to the braai, hand it to a friend; it thrives in motion. Yet it also works indoors, where it fills rooms without overwhelming them.

This category demanded a “fun-first” product with real stamina, and the ULT Field 3 delivered it. It is the speaker people will remember because it soundtracked their best weekends.

Best gaming device

Winner: ROG Xbox Ally X

Handheld gaming devices have made a dramatic comeback in recent years, but few strike the balance between portability and power quite like the ROG Xbox Ally X. It avoids the trap of turning Windows into a handheld experience and instead feels purpose-built: strong ergonomics, a responsive display, and a control layout that suits long sessions.

We praised its ability to run modern, graphics-heavy titles without reducing them to ghostly approximations of their console versions. It is comfortable enough for multi-hour games, yet small enough for a backpack pocket. Dock it at home and it behaves like a compact console; take it on a flight and it becomes a self-contained entertainment system. This duality is what makes it fun: it fits itself around one’s life rather than requiring the opposite.

The Ally X wins this category because it answers a simple desire: to play anything, anywhere, without compromise. It is pure recreational power in a handheld frame.

 * Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za, and author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge.