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Key Takeaways
- Apple’s FineWoven case is my least favorite purchase of 2023. It feels cheap and doesn’t age well.
- The Apple Watch Series 9 is just another iterative upgrade with no noticeable improvements, so it’s my second-least favorite device purchase of the year.
- The Apple TV 4K 3 is my best purchase of 2023, serving multiple functions and seamlessly integrating with my other Apple devices.
2023 is almost over, and now’s the time to look back at the new products that shaped my year. Considering my occupation, I like to upgrade my devices frequently, even if my existing ones are still functional and supported. This helps me stay up to date with the latest changes and boosts introduced across the board. In 2023, I bought seven devices and accessories, and I will be listing them based on their significance to me.
7 Apple FineWoven case
My least favorite purchase this year
Apple’s FineWoven case is hands-down my least favorite purchase of the year. For those unfamiliar, the Cupertino firm discontinued its leather products in favor of the more eco-friendly material earlier this year. Well, except that the FineWoven case has nothing in common with the leather one apart from the premium price tag. It neither feels good nor does it age well, and it certainly looks like a cheap rag that has been stitched onto a flagship phone. Frankly, it’s not a good product.
6 Apple Watch Series 9
You can’t even tell the difference
The Apple Watch Series 9 claims this rather low spot on my list for being yet another iterative upgrade. While the S9 chip packs in the first notable processor boost in three years or so, its power is currently useless. Some of this smartwatch’s exclusive features include offline Siri, a (supposedly) more precise double-tap gesture, and double the storage.
Siri rarely gets what I’m saying; when it does, it usually directs me to check web results on my iPhone. Meanwhile, the double-tap gesture triggers accidentally, and sometimes, it doesn’t respond when I want to use it. Lastly, having 64GB of SSD instead of 32GB doesn’t currently benefit me, as the offline music I store consumes way less. That’s not to mention that watchOS 10 already runs flawlessly on the older watches. Thus, the faster performance isn’t noticeable. So, coming from an Apple Watch Series 7, this year’s Apple Watch felt exactly the same to me, and, in reality, they almost are.
5 Sony DualSense controller
Reliable in every way
Since Apple devices natively support the Sony DualSense controller, I decided to buy one. I have to say, coming from a Nintendo Switch, Sony’s controller feels much more solid when compared to the Joy-Cons. The haptics are superior, the build quality has a premium touch to it, and it generally feels more durable. I found myself enjoying holding it more during my casual gaming sessions when compared to Nintendo’s counterpart. It’s also more reliable; Joy-Cons infamously started misbehaving relatively quickly thanks to “drift,†and I haven’t had that problem with the DualSense yet.
4 Apple HomePod Mini
The second unit has enabled stereo playback
Last year, I bought my first HomePod Mini, and I’ve been in love ever since. This year, I decided to take my HomePod experience to the next level by buying a second unit. For those unfamiliar, when you have two identical HomePod models, you can set them up as a stereo pair. This makes the listening experience much more immersive when compared to a single HomePod. As a result, my music-listening and TV-watching sessions have become significantly more enjoyable. The output simply sounds more realistic, thanks to the dedicated left/right audio channels.
3 Nanoleaf Essentials A19 | E26 Smart Bulb
The HomeKit bulb I had been seeking
In 2022, I bought a Yeelight smart bulb that supports Apple’s HomeKit. And while it worked fine for the most part, its companion app was a UI/UX nightmare that requires you to create an account, and the bulb would sometimes glitch. I then moved between different countries twice, and the bulb was left behind at some point, somewhere. However, soon after I settled down again, I started missing the convenience of smart bulbs. Not only can I control them using my iPhone or HomePods, but they also support multiple colors, different brightness levels, and conditional automations.
So, as someone who prefers to spend time in dimly lit spaces, regular, bright white bulbs became an active annoyance. I decided to buy the Nanoleaf Essentials A19 | E26 Smart Bulb. It’s very similar to my previous Yeelight one, but its companion app is much more polished and doesn’t require you to create an account to use it. So far, the experience with it has been smooth, and I appreciate how refined it is.
2 Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
A further polished flagship
Moving on to my second favorite 2023 purchase: the iPhone 15 Pro Max. While I upgraded from last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, the differences between the two have certainly impacted my life. I appreciate the larger 6.7-inch display, as a 6.1-inch panel had been the largest I’ve actively used. I had thought the Max variant would be too big for my liking, but I quickly adapted to the change.
More importantly, the new build makes all the difference. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is heavier than the 14 Pro, its curved edges and redistributed internal weight quite literally make it feel lighter. The iPhone 14 Pro’s sharp edges used to dig into my fingers, and using it for long sessions was painful. 2023’s flagship addresses this. That’s not to mention the customizable Action button that replaces the mute switch, improved camera zoom, and USB-C port. It truly is the most polished iPhone to date.
1 Apple TV 4K 3
2023’s highlight
Last but not least, I crown the Apple TV 4K 3 as my best 2023 purchase. Ironically, I use this multifunctional device for everything but watching movies. The Apple TV isn’t just a streaming service hub. It’s my Mac’s second screen, casual gaming platform (paired with the DualSense), fitness instructor, karaoke machine, FaceTime device, and, well, occasionally a TV. As a result, I use it all day, every day, for work, play, exercise, and more. Despite its tiny size, the tight integration of tvOS 17 with the rest of my Apple devices makes it such a powerful addition to my suite.
Apple dominates the list for a reason
As you may have noticed, most of the devices I bought in 2023 were manufactured by Apple. That’s because, again, I appreciate how the company’s ecosystem makes the experience so seamless. All my devices act as a single unit; I can usually control one using the other. I acknowledge that being mostly limited to a single tech brand has many downsides, and I’m not saying the experience is all glitter and sunshine. However, having tried different hardware and operating systems from other brands, I found the Apple route superior, which will likely remain the case for me indefinitely.
** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
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