CR’s experts explain when to splurge and when to spend less on everything from computers to phones to audio equipment
Apple’s MacBook Pro, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, Grado’s RS2x headphones, and Apple’s iPad Pro all deliver high-quality performance in our labs.
By Consumer Reports
When you look at our product reviews, you may wonder: Do I have to pay top dollar to get a TV with great picture quality? Or a phone that takes nice photos? Often, the answer is no. Still, there are times when pricier products may offer more features, or do one thing especially well. So when is it worthwhile to make that extra investment? Here, CR’s experts weigh in on what’s good to pay more for—and what’s not. Plus: Our picks for tech gear you’ll love, at higher and lower prices.
Televisions
Price Range: $150 to $4,000
Why are some models so pricey?
The most expensive TVs have all the latest features, plus cutting-edge screens that reach very high brightness levels and provide excellent contrast. This helps them earn top scores not just for picture quality but also for high dynamic range (HDR) performance. TVs with great HDR can produce more vivid images, exposing rich details in the darkest and brightest areas of a scene.
Is it worth paying more?
For those who want the most lifelike, vibrant picture a TV can deliver—think cinephiles and sports fans—the answer is yes. Top models can also offer sound quality that lets you hear every bit of dialogue and wide viewing angles to ensure a clear picture for those seated on the fringes of family movie night. But the high-performing 65-inch sets below provide all these features at a range of prices.
Top Performer
LG OLED65G4SUB
Good HDR at a Nice Price
Roku 65R8B5
Midpriced Excellence
Samsung QN65S90D
Smartphones
Price Range: $120 to $1,800
Why are some models so pricey?
Top-shelf phones tend to go big—literally. That means high-quality screens that reach 6.7 inches or more (measured diagonally) and batteries that deliver close to 50 hours of power per charge. They also have highly sophisticated camera systems, featuring an assortment of lenses designed to capture zoom, long-range, and close-up shots; optical image stabilization to reduce blurriness caused by an unsteady hand; and the very latest AI editing tools, for removing unwanted objects from your snapshots.
Is it worth paying more?
A large display is a big attraction for many people. It helps your photos look their best, makes the touchscreen easier to navigate, and brings everything into better focus, especially if you nudge up the type size on those emails just a bit. Shutterbugs who choose these phones get the added advantage of the very best photography and editing tools a phone can offer. But even the base models from Apple, Google, and Samsung take great photos and offer easy-to-use editing features for retouching and cropping your work. And when it comes to making calls, using Google Maps, getting Yelp reviews, and most other things you do on a phone, there are $300 options that perform just as well as the top dogs. So if that’s all you need, go ahead and save yourself a few hundred bucks.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (256GB)
Great Midsized Phone
Apple iPhone 15
Good All-Around Value
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE (128GB)
Smartwatches
Price Range: $30 to $1,150
Why are some models so pricey?
High-end smartwatches are flush with features and designed to withstand heavy wear and tear. Outfitted with durable titanium cases and advanced crystal watch faces, they’re built to scale mountain peaks and withstand the pressure 100 meters below the surface of the sea. They offer advanced health tracking capabilities, with sensors that monitor your body for everything from signs of stress to irregular heartbeat or breathing patterns, and more.
Is it worth paying more?
You don’t need to actually climb mountains to appreciate a top-tier watch. If you have a very active lifestyle, want advanced health tracking functionality, or simply love the more rugged look, you might be happy spending more. Just know that even the most basic models from Apple, Samsung, and other brands offer health tracking features, easy-to-navigate software, and enough water resistance to survive a leap off the diving board. You probably won’t get insight into your stress levels and breathing patterns, but almost all models can be counted on to perform the basics: counting steps, tracking heart rate, analyzing sleep quality, logging a workout, and alerting you to calls and messages on your phone.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (47mm) LTE
Excellent With a Slim Profile
Samsung Galaxy Watch7 (40mm)
A Mighty Fine Fitbit
Fitbit Versa 4
Tablets
Price Range: $65 to $1,500
Why are some models so pricey?
Top-of-the-line tablets have beautiful, high-resolution displays with silky smooth scrolling—for reading e-books, playing games, and viewing movies and video clips. They feature higher-quality cameras, lots of horsepower for tasks such as photo editing, and extra storage space (128 to 256 gigabytes) for music, games, and movies. Many have batteries designed to give you many hours per charge (sometimes more than 20 hours of video playback).
Is it worth paying more?
People who want a handheld screen with the power of a laptop—as in frequent travelers, serious gamers, and pop culture fans with extensive media collections—may enjoy the benefits of a premium model. If you just want a tablet for reading books, watching YouTube clips, and staying on top of the news, you don’t need all that extra performance, but you should still look for one with a large, high-quality screen (a resolution of 2360×1640 pixels or higher) if you love to watch movies or TV on your tablet. If you mostly read emails, the news, and e-books, or you prefer to start your day with a game of Wordle, there’s no need to spend a lot. A $95 Amazon Fire tablet can serve you just as well as Apple’s high-end iPad Pro. In other words, there’s a good choice for you at every price level.
Apple iPad Pro 13″ (256GB) Wifi + Cellular
High-Resolution Screen
Apple iPad (64GB)-2022
Simple and Budget-Friendly
Amazon Fire HD 10 32 GB (2021)
Desktops
Price Range: $500 to $2,000
Why are some models so pricey?
As with laptops, high-end desktops come packed with power. They have advanced processors, top-shelf graphics cards, and sometimes well over 256 gigabytes of storage—all designed to provide the speedy performance required for complex tasks, like photo and video editing. They frequently offer more ports for connecting printers, speakers, and webcams. An all-in-one model may feature a high-quality display, too, to better showcase graphics and photos.
Is it worth paying more?
For people who create and edit their own videos and those who work with big databases, it makes a lot of sense to invest in pro-grade tech. For someone who enjoys Zoom chats, web browsing, and streaming movies? Not so much. You can always pay a little extra for added storage space (512GB or 1 terabyte) if you have a voluminous music, photo, or video collection or perhaps spring for an OLED display to better enjoy your favorite Netflix show. The computer’s footprint may be a consideration, too. If you’re short on desk space, you can save precious real estate (and get more value) by going with a tower or a model such as the Asus NUC or Mac Mini.
HP Envy TE01-5364
Impressive All-in-One
Apple 24-inch iMac (M3 Chip, 10 Core GPU)
Space Saver
Apple Mac Studio – 2025
Routers
Price Range: $55 to $1,100
Why are some models so pricey?
The most expensive routers are typically equipped with the latest technology. For instance, they may support the new WiFi 7 standard, which is helpful if you own dozens of devices vying for signals—phones, tablets, TVs, laptops, smart devices, and more. And many provide multiple Ethernet ports for wired connections to a desktop, printer, smart TV, or gaming console. Mesh routers can be expensive because they feature a hub and one or more satellite units that work together to spread WiFi throughout a large residence.
Is it worth paying more?
If you rely on rapid, reliable WiFi signals for work and play, and own many connected devices, a state-of-the-art router could eliminate a lot of frustration. A model like that can handle heavy traffic and provide a stable connection for demanding activities such as 4K video streaming or videoconferencing. But it’s okay to opt for a less expensive WiFi 6 model if you bought most of your connected tech before 2024, when WiFi 7 was introduced—those gadgets are not designed to take advantage of the new standard anyway. Even a mesh router system doesn’t need to be expensive: There are good models for $100 to $230. Almost all offer useful features like easy setup through an app, and guest networks that let visitors use WiFi without accessing your network and devices.
Asus TUF Gaming (TUF-AX4200)
Good for Large Homes
Netgear Orbi 750 Series AX5200 (3-pack)
WiFi 7 Pick
TP-Link Deco BE11000 WiFi 7 (3-pack)
Laptops
Price Range: $200 to $3,500
Why are some models so pricey?
The priciest laptops have high-powered technology that lets you zip through tasks and enjoy a fast, hiccup-free experience whether you’re browsing the web, playing action-packed video games, or creating 3D models of your next home. Much of this dexterity can be credited to advanced computer chips designed to handle complex jobs in a highly efficient way, shaving precious time from every task without sacrificing battery life.
Is it worth paying more?
Folks who love to use photo- and video-editing software will appreciate the rapid response times in a high-end laptop. Gamers will, too. But if you’re just scrolling through Facebook, streaming movies, and making video calls, a midrange processor, 8 gigabytes of memory (RAM), and a 256GB solid state drive can do the job. A high-quality screen—like the OLED displays on TVs and phones—lets you see images and graphics in vivid detail. And a lightweight design (our pick is a 15-inch LG laptop that weighs just 2.2 pounds) can make toting your laptop around more comfortable.
Apple MacBook Pro (MX2X3LL/A)
Fast and Lightweight
LG Gram SuperSlim 15
High-Contrast OLED Screen
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360
Headphones
Price Range: $20 to $600
Why are some models so pricey?
Brand name often plays a role. Top-tier models tend to offer noise-canceling tech, too. And then there’s the precision engineering required for high-quality sound. The best headphones in our ratings are so good, they let you judge the timbre of instruments, noting the difference between an upright bass and an electric Fender P-Bass. Better yet, they transport you to the room where the track was recorded, making music sound as if it’s being played in the expanse of Carnegie Hall or the coziness of a small jazz club.
Is it worth paying more?
Music lovers who listen for the lush layers beneath the catchy beat sure think so. Put on a pair of great headphones, and whether it’s Bach or the Beatles, you’ll hear things you’ve never noticed before. But other people may care more about convenience—and that’s why Bluetooth earbuds are so popular. The best of them slip snugly into your pocket, pair easily with your phone, and free you from those knotty wires. In our ratings, you’ll find headphones with admirable sound quality priced as low as $58. Want great-sounding wireless buds? You’re looking at just over $200. But here’s one more way to justify that $550 Grado RS2x pair. Headphones—especially wired models that don’t need batteries—last almost forever. Audio buffs still adore cans they bought 30 years ago.
Grado RS2x
Best-Sounding Buds
Sony WF-1000XM5
High Score, Low Price
1MORE E1001 Triple Driver
Speakers
Price Range: $100 to $1,100
Why are some models so pricey?
As with headphones, brand name can factor into what you’ll pay. High-end speakers may also allow you to easily assemble a multiroom sound system using WiFi. And the most expensive models are often precision-engineered to deliver awesome sound—audio so clear you can detect each individual instrument, identifying not just note after glorious note but also the ambience and contours of the recording space.
Is it worth paying more?
Audiophiles relish top-quality sound, but not everyone wants to listen to “Bohemian Rhapsody” in a studio-style setup at home. And so you may prefer a portable speaker, the kind you can take out to the patio without fear of damaging it or throw in a beach bag. You might value built-in support for Alexa. You don’t get that with the Edifiers (below), the best speakers in our ratings. Note that certain speakers cost hundreds more and sound worse, proving that price and quality don’t always go together. And while they don’t match the Edifiers in sound quality, models such as the Soundcore Boom 2 and Ikea Symfonisk Bookshelf speaker deliver great audio for significantly less, between $100 and $120 each.
Edifier S1000W
Stellar Multiroom Sound
Sonos Five
Best Portable Pick
Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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