We were at MWC 2025, the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona this week, where manufacturers were showing off their newest gadgets for mobile connectivity. Here are our favorites from what was announced.
Best Concept: Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept
Lenovo showed off a bunch of concept products at MWC 2025, including the first solar-powered ultraslim laptop—the Yoga Solar PC. Measuring just 15mm thin, the laptop is equipped with a Back Contact Cell solar panel that boasts an impressive 24% solar energy conversion rate. Lenovo claims that 20 minutes in direct sunlight will give the Yoga Solar PC enough juice to play an hour of 1080p video. And in low-light environments, the laptop can bring in enough solar power to maintain its charge while idling.
Of course, solar charging works best when you’re outdoors, and laptop screens are notoriously difficult to read in direct sunlight. If Lenovo ever brings this concept to the market, it’ll need to use a very bright or transflective LCD display. A dim screen would discourage users from working outdoors and undermine the purpose of the integrated solar panel. An advanced cooling system, which this ultra-thin concept PC clearly lacks, could also be necessary for long days outdoors.
The Yoga Solar PC is currently a concept product with no plans for full-scale production. That said, Lenovo is known for turning insane concepts into real products, so nothing’s off the table.
Best Networking: TCL LINKPORT IK511
The TCL LINKPORT IK511 is a 5G modem in a USB dongle, part of TCL’s 5G RedCap series of mobile connectivity devices. It’s called RedCap because it has “reduced capabilities” as a modem, meaning it’s designed to just do one job for one device and do it well. In this case, that’s making sure you have secure internet while traveling. Running OpenWrt V22.03, it uses a USB-C connection to plug into your device and gives you access to whichever mobile internet service provider you have.
Unlike mobile hotspots and gadgets that connect you to the nearest cell tower, the LINKPORT IK5211 doesn’t have a battery or need a wall adapter. It draws power from your device to do what it needs to do, so you don’t have to pack extra cables.
One other nice thing is that it’s cross-platform, including Linux, so if you use a lot of different devices you don’t have to worry about whether it’ll work with your laptop or phone. That said, the connection is a USB-C, so if you have an iPhone older than the 15, you’ll need an adapter (and confirm it works before taking it on a trip with you).
The LINKPORT IK511 is available now from T-Mobile.
If there is any big disadvantage to using laptops, it’s that you’re stuck to one screen. When you’re used to a multi-display or widescreen setup, you notice how difficult it can be to manage windows, chat apps, and so on. External monitors can help, but that’s another thing to pack, and generally they’ll drain your battery life.
Lenovo its looking to elevate a lot of these issues with its Magic Bay Dual Display concept. Developed for the ThinkBook 16p Gen 6 laptop, the concept allows for a variety of modular screens and functions that make using a laptop for productivity even easier than before. You can choose between 13.3-inch screens (which are close in size to the ThinkBook 16p Gen 6’s main screen), or a smaller, 8-inch screen. The 8-inch screen in particular is interesting because you can turn it into a dashboard of shorts, providing easy access to programs and apps, without needing to return to your desktop.
There’s even a cute little Tiko concept that gives you real-time emoji reactions and notifications—though that may not exactly be productivity focused.
As far as availability goes, this is just a concept Lenovo wanted to show off. So we don’t know if or when this dual display will be something you can actually buy.
Best Laptop: Thinkpad X13 Gen 6
When you’re looking for a reliable, workhorse laptop, Thinkpads always make the shortlist, and the Thinkpad X13 Gen 6 is no exception.
Like most ThinkPads, the design is simple and unassuming—a device designed to be functional and reliable. The X13 sports a 13.3-inch screen with a resolution of 1920×1200 and can be customized to include up to 2TB of PCIe SSD storage and 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM, though lower-spec models will be available. You have your choice of AMD’s PRO AI 300 series or Intel’s 200-Series Core Ultra 7 (H and U) for the processor, all of which have integrated NPUs, enabling you to make use of the latest AI features integrated into Windows.
The X13 Gen 6 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a single HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ45 jack, and a standard audio jack. If you’re still using a lot of USB-A peripherals, you’ll definitely want a USB dock of some kind.
It also boasts all the wireless connectivity you could possibly need in 2025, including Wi-Fi 7, 5G Sub6, Bluetooth, and NFC.
Remarkably, the entire package (for the base model) weighs in at 2.02lbs, or just shy of 1KG. That is extremely light, something that you’re likely to appreciate most if you’re using it on the go a lot.
Best Accessory: HMD Amped Buds
HMD’s Amped Buds have all of the features you’d expect from earbuds in 2025: active noise cancellation (ANC), environment noise cancellation (ENC) for clearer calls, and IP54, which ensures they can tolerate a bit of rain or a workout. However, the real standout feature is the case, which flips the script and lets you use it to charge your phone.
Most earbud cases have a capacity in the 600 mAh range, but the HMD Amped Buds’ case has a whopping capacity of 1,600 mAh. That nets you an unbelievable 95 hours of playback time. The extra capacity also enables the case to act as a tiny portable charger for your phone via Qi2 wireless charging or USB-C. As you might expect, you get slightly more mileage if you opt for the wired charging option.
It comes in pink, cyan, and black, and will go on sale in April for $200 dollars.
Best Wearable: TCL RayNeo Air 3s XR Glasses
Maybe the most on-the-nose way to look at the future is with XR and AR glasses, and TCL’s RayNeo brand is making that future look bright with its dark-tinted Air 3s extended display smart glasses. These are glasses you can connect to your phone or laptop via USB and use as a private display instead of your traditional screen.
We reviewed RayNeo Air 2s glasses last year, and while they were impressive, they still felt a bit bulky. The RayNeo team seems have made the 3s a little sleeker in response, so we look forward to trying them on. They’ve bumped the contrast from 100,000:1 to 200,000:1, so we expect much better visuals. They’ve added TÜV Rheinland-certified eye comfort features too, meaning the fatigue you feel in your eyes when you’re using smart glasses and other face wearables should be less. We didn’t have any complaints about the sound system on the Air 2s, but TCL says they have replaced it with what they call “the first dual opposing acoustic chamber design” in AR glasses.
We don’t know how much the Air 3s glasses will cost, but looking back, the 2s edition ran for $399 at debut. That means the price for 3s glasses will probably around there or a little higher, but you can keep checking the RayNeo shop for updates.
Best Smartphone: Nothing Phone 3a Series
After the usual teasers, Nothing finally made the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro official, and they’re aiming for the heart of the mid-range market. This go-around, there’s upgraded cameras, a sleeker design, and a noticeable performance boost over the Phone (2a).
Design-wise, you’ll see refined glass backs, a slightly taller, less rounded shape, and a dust/water-resistant IP64 rating. The camera bumps are the most noticeable change, with the (3a) sporting the usual horizontal pill-shape and the (3a) Pro going for a trendy circular design. Nothing’s signature transparent look and Glyph interface are still present as well.
Both phones boast a triple-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, but the Pro model steps it up with a 3X periscope zoom and a 50MP front camera. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor promises significant CPU, GPU, and AI performance improvements. The display should be brighter and more responsive. There’s a hefty 5000mAh battery with fast 50W charging, and Nothing OS 3.1 based on Android 15, with six years of software support. All around, it’s a super solid upgrade.
The Phone (3a) starts at $379, and the (3a) Pro at $459, available for pre-order starting March 4th and 11th, respectively, through Nothing’s US Beta Program.
Best Tablet: TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus
The TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus is a capable Android tablet looking to take on the Kindle thanks to its unique ePaper-like mode for eye comfort and reading. While we enjoyed the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER in our review last year, this latest model hopes to be even easier on your eyes.
The latest NXTPAPER 11 Plus, which debuted at CES earlier this year and is finally getting fully revealed, packs a vibrant 11.5-inch 2.2K resolution display. It uses the NXTPAPER 4.0 screen technology with a 120Hz refresh rate. Other specs include the MediaTek Helio G100 processor, 256GB of RAM, and 8/12GB storage options. Everything is powered by its 8,000 mAh battery in a package that measures only 6.5mm thin. As for weight, it comes in under 500 grams, making it one slim, light, yet capable tablet. A tablet that double as an e-reader.
TCL’s latest tablet and display promises more accurate colors, better sharpness, reduced blue light output, and a bunch of new AI-powered screen adjustment tools to ensure the best experience regardless of content.
Perhaps even more exciting is that TCL confirmed it’ll get a global launch, meaning it’ll be available across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and more. Pricing will start at €249, meaning it should hit the U.S. for under $300.
