This has been a year of massive disruption, incredible innovation, and more than a few headaches.
As we look back on 2025, it is clear that the tech industry has finally moved beyond the initial “AI hype” cycle and has begun delivering hardware that actually changes how we live and work.
We saw the rise of personal supercomputers, robots that finally feel like companions rather than appliances, and form factors that break the stagnant rectangular molds we’ve been stuck with for decades.
Every week, I select a Product of the Week to highlight the technology that stands out from the noise. Choosing a single Product of the Year from that list is always a challenge, especially in a year like this, when the lines between categories — PC, robot, appliance — have blurred significantly. However, one product captured my imagination and addressed a genuine productivity pain point more than any other.
Before we get to that, here is my look back at the standout technology of 2025.
Year of the Compact Powerhouse
For years, I have argued that we don’t need enormous towers to get massive work done. 2025 proved this point decisively. We saw a shift toward “microcomputing” that didn’t sacrifice performance, driven mainly by advances from AMD and Nvidia.
One of the standout devices in this category was the Geekom A9 Max Mini PC. As I noted in my Nov. 17 column, this unit effectively claimed the title of the best-performing micro-PC on the market. In a footprint barely larger than a stack of coasters, it delivered the kind of horsepower we used to expect from a mid-sized tower.
For the tech-savvy student or the professional with limited desk real estate, the A9 Max was a revelation. It wasn’t just about being small; it was about being smart with space. It featured a robust I/O lineup — including USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 — that made it future-proof in a way most gadgets aren’t. It is the perfect example of how desktop computing is evolving: invisible, powerful, and efficient.
However, if we are talking about raw, unadulterated power in a small package, I have to give a nod to the Nvidia DGX Spark (formerly Project Digits), or as I like to call it, the Grace Blackwell Personal AI Supercomputer. When I saw this at CES, it knocked my socks off.
This isn’t a consumer toy. It’s a petaflop of performance on your desk. Nvidia created a machine for the people building the future — the AI researchers and developers who need server-grade power without the server room. It runs Nvidia’s own DBX OS (a move that suggests Microsoft might have missed a critical meeting) and represents a democratization of supercomputing power.
While it didn’t win a weekly award due to the sheer volume of competition at CES, it remains one of the year’s most significant hardware releases.
Robotics and the Human Connection
2025 was also the year robotics and AI moved from “industrial tools” to “emotional companions.” As our population ages, the need for technology that addresses loneliness and mobility is becoming a crisis-level priority.
On the other end of the spectrum from industrial robots was the Euvola AI Companion, which I selected as Product of the Week in early November. Unlike smart speakers that just set timers or play music, Euvola was designed for emotional presence.
We live in a time when people are increasingly isolated. Euvola utilizes a sophisticated memory system to remember your stories and gauge your mood, fostering a sense of trust and connection that feels surprisingly organic.
It is a privacy-first device that processes conversations locally, a critical feature in an era when trust in big tech is at an all-time low. It represents a pivot in AI development away from pure productivity and toward intimacy.
Health Tech Worth the Price Tag
I’ve made no secret of the fact that as I get older, keeping my body moving is a top priority. 2025 saw the introduction of some health technologies that are expensive but arguably worth every penny if you have the budget.
The Bodyfriend 733 Massage Chair was a standout from January. I described it at the time as looking like the offspring of a Transformer and a yellow recliner. At $20,000, it is an investment, but it goes beyond a simple massage into the realm of automated physical therapy.
It uses AI to customize programs that promote stretching and mobility — both vital for aging in place. It is the kind of product that illustrates where home health is going: proactive, automated, and deeply integrated into our daily comfort.
While all the products above were impressive, my criteria for Product of the Year are strict. The winner must not only be innovative; it must solve a real problem, create a “wow” moment, and be something I would personally use every single day.
The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is that product.
I selected this as my Product of the Week on Nov. 24, calling it hands-down my favorite notebook of the year. In a market saturated with iterative updates and safe, boring designs, Lenovo took a massive risk that paid off beautifully.
It Solves the “Travel vs. Productivity” Conflict
I use a 49-inch monitor at my home office. When I hit the road, shrinking down to a 13- or 14-inch laptop screen feels like trying to work through a keyhole. It kills my productivity. Foldable screens were supposed to fix this, but they often come with creases, bulk, or weird aspect ratios.
The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 uses a rollable display. It starts as a standard 14-inch laptop, but with the push of a button, the screen motors up, expanding to a massive 16.7 inches.
The ‘Wow’ Factor Is Back
Personal computing has lost its sense of wonder. We used to open a new laptop and marvel at it; lately, we just check the specs. This device brings the magic back. Watching the screen physically grow is not just a party trick; it is a functional deployment of flexible OLED technology that feels futuristic. It makes you excited to open your computer bag.
No Compromises
Usually, experimental form factors come with terrible performance or battery life. However, Lenovo packed this with the Intel Core Ultra (Lunar Lake) architecture. It is fast, efficient, and runs cool. It has the ports you need and the build quality Lenovo is known for.
It is a daring, beautiful, and highly functional piece of future-tech. For bringing excitement back to the PC market and solving the mobile screen real estate problem more elegantly than any foldable before it, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is my Product of the Year for 2025.
Wrapping Up
2025 has been a transitional year. We are seeing the physical manifestation of the AI models we spent 2023 and 2024 talking about. We are seeing robots enter the home not as novelties, but as caregivers — and we are seeing PCs finally mutate into new forms that make them more adaptable to our hybrid lives.
If there is a theme to this year’s winners, it is adaptability. The Euvola adapts to your mood; the Geekom adapts to your limited desk space; the Bodyfriend adapts to your aching back; and the Lenovo ThinkBook adapts to your need for a bigger canvas.
As we head into 2026, I expect this trend to accelerate. I anticipate we will see even more aggressive moves in the autonomous vehicle space and perhaps the first true consumer-ready humanoid robots that don’t cost as much as a house. But for now, I am going to enjoy expanding the screen on my new Lenovo and getting some work done.
