We may bit a post-CES news lull some days, but the reviews are coming in hot and heavy as February begins. Samsung has already debuted its latest premium phones and we’ve published a few long-term reviews of devices we’ve been testing for months. In this installment of the reviews roundup, we’ve got phones, a wearable, a robot vacuum and a smart grill. There’s something for everyone this week.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Engadget
For 2025, Samsung’s AI features are a bit more powerful and easier to use. However, aside from a faster chip, a new ultra-wide sensor and a few cosmetic tweaks, it looks and feels very similar to last year’s model, which makes the S25 Ultra a less impressive update than it should be considering it starts at $1,300.
- Excellent screen
- Great performance and battery life
- Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 panels
- Slimmer bezels
- New 50MP ultra-wide sensor
- S Pen no longer supports Air actions
- Same main and telephoto cameras as last year
- Not fully compatible with magnetic Qi2 accessories
- Expensive
$1,300 at Samsung
Samsung has given us the first flagship phones of 2025 and they rely heavily on AI features to lure users. Sam notes that the company has improved those tools, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra feels like an iterative update due to the limited hardware upgrades. “This means a lot of what Samsung focused on in this generation feels more like a bonus rather than a must-have feature,” he writes. “And when you can get around 90 percent of the phone’s capabilities from previous models, the most dangerous thing Samsung is asking buyers to consider is why they need to upgrade at all.”
Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung/Engadget
The Samsung Galaxy S25 has useful AI features and impressive battery life, but the familiar hardware and unchanged price tag make for an unconvincing upgrade.
- Solid build quality
- Incredible battery life
- Smoother Gemini AI experience
- Powerful new processor
- Same display as the S24
- Same camera sensors as the S24
- Same price as the S24
$800 at Samsung
Like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung leaned heavily into the AI features on the regular S25. However, the company didn’t spend a lot of time updating the design and major components of this model either. As Mat explains, this makes for a boring release for the long-running flagship line. “Unless you’re desperate for a bump in processing power and battery life, it would be wise to see how heavily last year’s models get discounted in the coming months,” he says.
Anker Eufy E20
Anker Eufy
The Eufy E20 is the first robot vacuum to turn into a cordless stick vac and a hand vacuum thanks to included accessories. It works best as a robot, but the convenience it provides with its transformers-style design will make this a tempting buy for those who don’t want to rely solely on a robovac to clean their house.
- Quickly turns into a cordless stick vacuum and a handheld vacuum
- Strong performance as a robot vacuum
- Self-emptying base holds a lot for its compact size
- Improved Eufy Clean app
- Decent price for a 3-in-1 machine
- Most stick vac cleaning modes have weak suction
- Stick vac build quality is lackluster
- Wall mount costs extra
$550 at Eufy
The Eufy E20 is a first-of-its-kind transforming robot vacuum. While it works best in its core function as a robo vac, you do have the option of cordless stick and handheld vac configurations in the same device. “While Eufy isn’t a stranger to making solid robot vacuums, this device is still a first-gen product in my mind — and a solid one at that,” Valentina notes. “But you have to know what you’re buying upfront: an above-average robot vacuum that can turn into a just-average stick and hand vacuum.”
Oura Ring 4
Daniel Cooper for Engadget
Oura’s latest Ring is the best smart ring on the market. But its range of functions remains limited by its size and the fact that it’s a ring.
- More comfortable
- Better data collection
- Gorgeous, clean app
- Requires paid subscription to use basic hardware features
- I’m not sure why the paint jobs cost extra
$349 at Oura
Smart rings may still be niche, but there’s one company that stands above the rest. With the Ring 4, Oura fixed flaws of the previous model to ensure its crown is safe for the time being. “If there’s a downside, it’s that Oura remains forever constrained by the limitations a smart ring imposes,” Dan explains. “If you want something more comprehensive, then it’s likely a smartwatch is a better option, but for everything else, there’s this.”
OnePlus 13
Engadget
Instead of focusing on AI, the OnePlus 13 packs a bunch of top-of-the-line components into an attractive chassis for a very reasonable starting price of $900.
- Class-leading battery life
- Super-bright display
- Great performance
- Attractive design
- Photo quality could be a touch better
- Only six years of software support instead of seven
- Needs a case to fully support magnetic Qi2 accessories
$900 at OnePlus
While most phone companies are focused on AI features, OnePlus decided to build a compelling, flagship-level handset that isn’t overloaded with bloat. “Throughout the years, OnePlus has used taglines like ‘flagship killer’ and ‘ultra in every way’ as a means of taking shots at its biggest rivals from Samsung, Google and more,” Sam writes. “But for the OnePlus 13, it feels like the company just went and made a really solid premium handset without a bunch of AI fluff.”
Weber Searwood
Weber/Engadget
Weber learned from its mistakes with its first smart grill to make the Searwood a complete package.
- Reliable cooking performance
- Open-lid manual mode works great
- Display is visible from a distance
- SmokeBoost only works at 180 degrees
- Wheels and legs could be sturdier
- No wireless probe option
$899 at Wayfair
Weber’s first pellet grill, the SmokeFire, was a learning experience for the company. Thankfully, the longstanding brand learned from those missteps when it built the Searwood. The company’s second smart pellet grill offers more reliable performance, excelling at low-and-slow smoking. Weber opted for an all-new design for this model, from the cooking area to the new display. There’s also a manual mode that allows for open-lid griddling and searing. And while there are some caveats, the Searwood is a much-improved grill compared to its predecessor.
Upcoming reviews: Apple, Beats, Technics and more
According to Bloomberg, Apple will debut a new iPhone SE next week. This will be the first update to that model since 2022, and will reportedly nix the home button. The report also details specifics like a camera notch, USB-C and the use of Apple’s first in-house cellular modem. If the timing holds true, we’ll expect to begin our testing shortly after the news drops.
In that same report, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman explains that Beats’ PowerBeats Pro 2 earbuds are expected to debut next week as well. The Apple-owned brand first teased an update to its fitness-focused model with a over-the-ear hook design last September. Gurman reports that the new model will have heart rate monitoring, which will be a first for a set of Apple earbuds. If the PowerBeats Pro 2 are indeed announced soon, we’ll expect to have a review ready shortly after.
I’ve got the Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds in for testing too. These buds won one of Engadget’s Best of CES awards last month and I’ve been eager to get my hands… er, ears… on them ever since. During a brief hands-on in Las Vegas, the company’s newly designed Magnetic Fluid drivers offered impressive sound, but I’m looking forward to seeing how this set holds up during a full gamut of tests.
