CES 2025 is over – and the world’s biggest tech show has once again proven to be an eye-opening (and sometimes unsettling) look at the tech trends that will shape our near future. But it’s also a place where truly affordable gadgets have been launched – and we’ve rounded up the best you can buy today here.
Yes, not every launch at CES was for a $175,000 humanoid robot or a flagship OLED TV from Panasonic. We’ve also seen a surge in phone accessories, from power banks to SSDs, as well as some promising new contenders for our guides to the best budget wireless earbuds and best cheap smartwatches.
So if you’re all caught up on our CES recap podcast and want a palate cleanser on all the best tech announced at the show (and it’s not too hard on your wallet), read on to discover our best picks.
1. Anker 25K Power Bank
- Price: $90 / £72 (around AU$145)
One of the more curious trends we noticed at CES 2025 is power banks with retractable USB-C cables. It’s not a hugely futuristic advancement, but if you’re tired of wrapping cables around your power banks when you travel, then the new Anker Power Bank 25K might be for you.
Announced at CES 2025 and already available at a 10% discount (20% in the UK) in the Anker store, this high-capacity bank for laptops, phones and tablets has a capacity of 25,000 mAh and three USB ports – C (including two with retractable cables).
With a bonus USB-A port and a screen to tell you about the remaining charge, battery status and more, it certainly looks like a strong contender for your next international trip.
2. Shokz OpenFit 2
- Price: $179 (UK and Australian prices TBC)
TechRadar audio editor Becky Scarrott called the Shokz OpenFit Airs “my favorite open-back headphones for sports” last year, which bodes well for the announced OpenFit 2 at CES 2025.
Rather than using bone conduction technology, the OpenFit range uses DirectPitch technology (this time version 2.0) to send sound to your ears, while leaving your ear canals open to the sounds of cars or cyclists.
We haven’t tested them yet, but we’re fans of the series (including its waterproof OpenSwim models for swimmers) – and these new models also claim a decent 11 hours of battery life.
3. Amazfit Active 2
- Standard version: $99 (around £80 / AU$160)
- Premium version: $129.99 (around £105 / AU$208)
If you’re looking for a cheap smartwatch with heart rate tracking and voice controls, the Amazfit Active 2 should be on your shortlist.
The original version impressed last year with its variety of useful health tracking features (for everything from strength training to chess), and this new model adds a redesigned heart rate sensor as well as (inevitably) some AI-based tricks.
Whether or not you use Zepp Flow AI voice control software to add events to your calendar or change watch settings, its attractive design again makes it excellent value for money. It’s available now in the US, but will also be available worldwide starting in February.
4. SanDisk Creator Phone SSD
- 1TB model: $109.99 / £92 (around AU$180)
- 2TB model: $169.99 / £136 (around AU$275)
Another mini subtheme at CES 2025 was tiny SSDs meant to increase your iPhone’s storage – and SanDisk’s idea got extra marks for the inclusion of MagSafe to help it magnetically attach to the device. back of your phone.
The main purpose of the awkwardly named Creator Phone SSD is to support video creators, as you can record Apple ProRes 4K footage at 60fps directly to the drive from your compatible iPhone. But the fast read and write speeds (1000MB/s and 950MB/s respectively) make it a handy travel companion in general.
It also has three-meter drop protection as well as IP65 water and dust resistance, and is available to buy now.
5. Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi
- Price: $129.99 / £109.99 / around AU$218
Our review of the AirPods 4 says that “they’re good, but you can do better for the price” – and that was before the launch of these promising new earbuds from Creative (and sound customization experts Mimi) at CES 2025.
On paper, the Aurvana Ace Mimi have some major advantages over Apple’s headphones. First, they have an ANC (active noise cancellation) mode, although they cost the same as the ANC-free version of the AirPods 4.
They also use solid-state drivers, which can produce excellent sound quality (see our Creative Aurvana Ace 2 review). Finally, by customizing and adjusting the audio to your needs, Creative believes they will also protect your ears by removing the temptation to turn up the volume.
6. Off-grid HMD
- Initial price: $199 / £169 (AU$330)
- Subscription: $14.99 / £14.99 (around AU$30) per month
You’re planning a big travel adventure in 2025 but don’t want it to turn into a Touch the voidsurvival documentary style? It might be worth investing in HMD’s satellite-powered location sharing device.
The OffGrid is a pocket-sized gadget that essentially brings satellite communication to any phone, regardless of what operating system it uses. You can send and receive messages via space or send an SOS distress signal using the HMD OffGrid app.
It’s a bit like a Garmin InReach, but cheaper: you can buy an OffGrid now for $199 / £169 upfront, plus an additional $14.99 / £14.99 per month for messages, recordings and unlimited SOS alerts.
7. Soundbeats PearlClip Pro
- Price: $29.99 (around £23.99 or AU$48) for early birds, or $59.99 (around £50 / AU$97) thereafter
We’ve saved perhaps the biggest deal of CES 2025 for last here – if you sign up on the Soundpeats website before January 19, you can get the new PearlClip Pro open-back headphones for half their usual price of $59.99.
We haven’t tested these ridiculously cheap headphones yet, but we looked at its previous offerings – like the Soundpeats Air 4 Pro – and found that they offer good value for money.
The PearClip Pros adopt the popular cuff-like design of other open-back earbuds and promise six hours of battery life (with an additional 18 hours from the charging case). If you need some very affordable headphones (or a backup pair), then this early bird deal could be your CES 2025 highlight.
