Rob Enderle’s 2025 Tech Product of the Year

January 18, 2026

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.

Geekom A9 Max Mini PC

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.