While 2023 was a big year in consumer tech and had some clever innovations to show off, not everything was a smash hit, to say the least. Whether it was subpar performance, a troubled launch, or a glaring design flaw, these products disappointed us the most.
This year’s picks, like the Apple iMac or the GoPro Hero 12, aren’t categorically terrible products, but they left us completely underwhelmed and wanting more. As you’ll see, failing to live up to the hype could be just as much a letdown as poor performance.
HP Spectre Fold
I expected HP’s $US5,000 Spectre Fold would be the most premium of premium devices. With that price tag and few companies genuinely trying to make the fabled “3-in-1” laptop, tablet, and PC, I hoped the Spectre would come out on top. Instead, the device is an ultra-expensive prototype with a relatively low-power PC and an overly sizeable 17-inch tablet that nobody in their right mind will try to hold. Thanks to the magnetically attached keyboard, it works best as a relatively small laptop with a functional half-screen add-on. A lot of smart engineering went into the Spectre Fold, and maybe one day, we’ll see a much better product for a much more reasonable price tag. — Kyle Barr
GoPro Hero 12
There’s nothing explicitly wrong with GoPro’s latest action cam, but that’s just the point. There’s nothing new with it, either. The camera now shoots vertical footage much easier, but you get essentially the same image quality as last year or the previous year. It still doesn’t like low-light conditions, and its oh-so-necessary image stabilization isn’t fully up there with modern smartphones. My favorite thing about the Hero12 over the past years was the mounting threads that make it compatible with regular tripods, something that should have been there years ago. Meanwhile, GoPro’s main competitor, Insta360, has tried some refreshing modifications to the action cam formula with the Go 3 and the more recent Ace with its flip-up rear display. We hope GoPro tries something interesting with next year’s Hero 13. — Kyle Barr
Lenovo Legion Go
There’s so much going on with Lenovo’s first step into the handheld console market, so many extra parts and features that sound fun on paper, but they do not make a fully cohesive device. The two controllers can detach from the main body, which is a fun yet wieldy idea. The screen is larger than its peers, like the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally, but it’s also heavier than any of those devices. The mouse-like FPS stick is a good idea, but it’s not easy to use with the thumbstick jutting into your palm. I would love to see a refined Legion Go 2, but this current iteration is too unfocused to be much more than a novelty. — Kyle Barr
Logitech G Cloud
Android-based gaming handhelds don’t make nearly as big of an impact as they should compared to today’s Windows and SteamOS devices, but even then, the Logitech G Cloud failed to capture the best of what’s been going on in the space over the past year or so. It’s a cloud-focused device meant to stream from major services like Nvidia GeForce Now or Xbox Game Pass. It can stream from a nearby console, but it’s a low-powered device that can’t match even a low-priced non-OLED Steam Deck. Even with a solid feel and battery life, it doesn’t have the power to match the other major handhelds from this year. — Kyle Barr
Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
I wanted to like the second-generation Apple HomePod. This year’s HomePod remains one of the boomiest I’ve tested, but all the bass drowns out the mid-tones. I can’t recommend Apple’s first-party AirPlay-compatible speaker over the third-party Sonos Era lineup, which is in a similar price range. And that’s what makes the second-gen HomePod so disappointing. — Florence Ion
Pixel 8 Pro’s temperature sensor
After stumbling across the LA Times’ respective worst tech of the year story, I remembered this one thing I had already forgotten about that made me scratch my head at the Pixel 8 Pro. It’s been two months, and I’m enjoying my time with the Pixel 8 Pro—I often prefer it over my daily driver, the Pixel 8, for snapping photos. But the temperature sensor is unnecessary. I don’t deny that having something like this on a smartphone in case of a disaster is handy. Or, as Google said, the baby’s bottle seems like it’s too hot to grab without a glove. But I forgot this feature even existed until someone else reminded me about it—that’s everything you need to know about the actual usefulness of this feature. I will be surprised if we see it back in the Pixel 9 Pro. — Florence Ion
Google Pixel Fold
I’ve used a fair few foldables in 2023, and none were more awkwardly placed in the growing squashable market than the Pixel Fold. Simply put, Google’s first attempt at a foldable did not match what Samsung has been iterating on for years. It had surprisingly large bezels and an unfolding action that was unsatisfying to use. Its software was also far behind that of other devices in its class. While other Android-based foldables could simultaneously open up three, four, or more apps, Google restricts you to two. I took it on a two-week sojourn in Japan for the sake of using its touted Live Translate feature, and it proved so unwieldy that the kindly older woman who ran my hostel could use her old iPhone’s translate feature far faster than the Pixel would translate back and forth. Hopefully, Google will learn from its mistakes in the next foldable iteration. — Kyle Barr
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S Pen Case
I will soon be swapping out the Slim S Pen case for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 for something I found on AliExpress. It’s the case that Samsung sent over to protect the foldable from the elements, but I’m disappointed at how poorly it’s worn mere months into using it. The S Pen stylus is already loose in its holster, and there have been a few instances where it’s fallen out of the slot and into the depths of my bag. I can’t recommend this $US100 case after all. — Florence Ion
Apple iMac
The return of Apple’s iconic all-in-one after nearly a two-year hiatus should have been a bigger deal. However, after spending some time with the new iMac, I can see why it wasn’t. The M3-powered iMac only comes with a 24-inch display and no SKUs supporting the more powerful M3 Pro or M3 Max chips. So, if you use an iMac as a workstation, the 2023 iMac doesn’t have the horsepower you need to handle serious workloads. The worst part? You may have to wait a while for the iMac you really want. But, hey, at least the purple is lovely. — Jorge Jimenez
