Here’s the cool thing about the annual IFA show in Berlin: It’s the only one that’s open to the regular public. Hundreds of thousands of consumers from all over Europe and beyond descend upon Berlin to see the latest and greatest in tech, Unlike the other big two shows — CES and MWC — which are for industry professionals only, you can buy a ticket to IFA for under €20.
You can also buy or pre-order products right at the show. Seeing people running around with bags full of freebies and the latest tech they’ve bought is a staple of the whole experience.
Samsung used to launch its Note lineup at the show but even without Samsung, there’s a lot of key product announcements made each year. This year’s show was no different, with everything from phones, tablets and gorgeous wearables, to appliances, chipsets, and home entertainment. Here’s our absolute favorite products, the ones worthy of our coveted Best of IFA 2019 awards.
TechnoBuffalo’s Best of IFA 2019
Back with a bang
Samsung Galaxy Fold
With a few key changes, the Galaxy Fold is back!
Following its first failed launch six months ago, the Galaxy Fold is back! Samsung has made some key improvements — including reducing the hinge, adding caps, and putting the protective layer beneath the screen — and it’s back on shelves this month. This is what the Galaxy Fold should have been, and we love it.
Game like never before
LG G8X ThinQ with Dual Screen
Forget the foldables, the LG G8X has two screens
Remember the Xperia Play? You probably don’t but it was one of the most unique phones ever, with an Xbox-style controller hidden under a slide. The LG G8X brings the concept back in a truly 2019 way. The Game Pad mode comes with four presets, but you can make your own with a range of buttons that replicate a touch anywhere on the screen. Those games you always wanted to play with a physical controller? You now can.
Swoosh, swoosh
Roborock S5 Max
Another smash hit from a company that delivers
Our friends at Android Central highly recommend Roborock’s excellent line of smart vacuums and mops, with the Roborock S5 and S6 particular favorites. The Roborock S5 Max makes mopping easy, with a super-sized water tank, precision water control and virtual no-mop zones amongst the key features.
Portable and Durable
Sonos Move
Everything you love about Sonos, on the go
Sonos makes some of the best home audio products on the market, and continuously improves older products through software updates, but there were a few things it didn’t offer until now: portability, durability, and Bluetooth. The Sonos Move offers all of these. It’s built to withstand most things you can throw at it, and can connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It’s everything you love about Sonos, on the go.
MrMobile’s Best of IFA 2019
MrMobile was also at IFA 2019, and like the other two major shows, he picks just one announcement as his favorite. It’s not just phones either: this year’s Best of CES was the Impossible Burger! With that out of the way, here’s what stood out to him!
The future of mobile
Samsung Galaxy Fold
It excites me most about the future of mobile
Is it weird that I gave my lone IFA award to a product with a history as spotty as the Galaxy Fold? Absolutely. But despite its rocky launch — and all the impressive releases from the competition at this show — the Galaxy Fold is the product that most excites me about the future of mobile, the product I couldn’t wait to get back in my hands after I had to return it. And that’s why it earns MrMobile’s “Best of IFA 2019” award.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.