2018 has been a very busy year for the GadgetMatch team. We’ve been to Asia, Europe, and America to deliver fresh news and quality content to everyone.

With all the places we’ve been to this year, listing them down would make a really long list. So, here are our top picks for this year:

CES 2018

As always, we kicked off the year by flying to Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, one of the biggest trade shows of consumer-oriented devices in the world.

This year, we saw Dell’s 2018 variant for its well-received XPS 13 notebook, Samsung’s modular 146-inch TV, the thinnest laptop from Acer, Lenovo’s sleek line of ThinkPads, and Sony’s midrange smartphone offerings.

MWC 2018

Just a month after CES, we flew to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress. MWC was primarily focused on mobile, so most of the announcements were for phones and other related devices.

This year’s MWC was pretty jampacked. Big names took advantage of the conference including Samsung with the Galaxy S9 series, Nokia with a plethora of Android One devices and retro-inspired phones, Sony with their latest Xperia flagship, and ASUS with the ZenFone 5 series.

Apart from phones, new laptops from Huawei and Lenovo, plus tablets from TCL were on the showroom floor as well.

It was also during MWC when Vivo first showcased the APEX concept phone with its pop-up camera, which eventually became the Vivo NEX.

LG InnoFest 2018

We didn’t miss LG’s annual showcase on their home turf. With the growing popularity of AI, LG made sure that they were ready for it. We’re not just talking about phones here; the company’s wide range of home appliances were also part of the picture.

Everything LG showed us in Korea were connected devices. From TVs to refrigerators and washing machines to vacuum cleaners, they had it all.

Google I/O

Google I/O is another yearly event we always go to because this is where Google announces their latest software innovations. Undeniably, the most important announcement this year was the official introduction of Android P Beta. Google Assistant also got six new voices and a questionable new skill.

A lot happened at Google I/O, as always, so we have a recap of the significant announcements here.

Computex 2018

Like CES and MWC, Computex is also a grand convention of big tech brands, primarily those based in Asia. Taipei is one of our favorite cities to visit, and we sure had fun while roaming around scouting for the best devices.

During this year’s Computex, we witnessed the birth of the ROG Phone. ASUS didn’t stop there, as they also unveiled their latest gaming and multimedia laptops. After that, we saw Qualcomm’s chipset for PCs, Intel’s limited edition Core i7 processor, and AMD’s powerful 32-core Threadripper 2.

There were a lot of amazing gizmos during Computex 2018 and we awarded the best of them.

WWDC 2018

While Computex was happening in Taiwan, Apple was keeping us busy in the USA. WWDC 2018, Apple’s major developer show, impressed us with the developments the company was working on. Our favorite was the new set of Animoji and the introduction of Memoji to iOS 12.

If you enjoy Apple’s ecosystem, you should read our WWDC 2018 list to know more about what’s new in the Apple-verse.

Vivo x FIFA World Cup 2018

It was during 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia when Vivo unveiled the first NEX phone. Vivo’s first ultra-borderless phone is one of the most unique devices to come out this year.

Apart from the NEX, Vivo’s participation during the World Cup was highlighted by the release of the X21 World Cup Edition. Like most limited edition phones, this X21 variant came with all the special customizations and exclusive themes.

OPPO Find X Launch

Shortly after the NEX’s entry into the market, OPPO held a grand event in Paris to unveil the Find X. Not only that, but they also announced their partnership with Lamborghini for a special edition Find X that has crazy fast charging speeds.

OPPO’s take on the borderless phone design was sexier and sleeker than Vivo’s, but it was met with durability criticisms. Still, the Find X is one of the best-looking phones of the year.

Since Vivo and OPPO have been battling neck-and-neck, we took both of their best smartphones for a comparison.

Samsung Unpacked 2018

Every year, Samsung announces a new Galaxy Note. Also every year, GadgetMatch flies to the global announcement. The Galaxy Note 9 is the latest, and is still a big smartphone made for productivity.

Aside from our own insights about the new Note, you can also consider other YouTubers’ opinions. Our full hands-on with the Note 9 is available for your pleasure, as well.

IFA 2018

Yet another annual grand convention took place, this time in Berlin. Like with CES, MWC, and Computex, IFA was a hotbed of innovation.

Here’s what went down at IFA 2018: ASUS announced their new ZenBooks, LG revealed the world’s first 8K OLED TV, Lenovo introduced the thinnest and lightest dual-display laptop, Huawei unveiled the world’s first commercial 7nm chipset, and Sony announced the Xperia XZ3.

Again, we honored the best devices on display. GadgetMatch’s Best of IFA 2018 awards are listed here.

Made by Google 2018

While Google I/O is for software, Made by Google is for hardware. This year’s Google hardware event focused on new Pixel phones and Home speakers with gigantic displays.

The new Pixel 3 phones were leaked a lot before the official announcement, but Google still managed to keep the excitement thanks to the devices’ amazing cameras. Check out our unboxing video above and gander at the Not Pink variant here.

Huawei Mate 20 Series Launch

Huawei usually announces its new Mate series during IFA, but this year, the company decided to hold a separate event. They sure went all out by announcing four phones: Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, Porsche Design Huawei Mate 20 RS, and Mate 20 X.

Among all the new Huawei phones, it was the Mate 20 X that piqued our interest. Gaming smartphones have been very popular, and the Mate 20 X made sure Huawei is on the gaming smartphone list.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Launch

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix line of phones has always been known to have the best design available. They stayed away from the infamous notch as much as possible (thankfully), and now we have the Mi Mix 3.

The Mi Mix 3 was launched in Beijing and it’s an impressive piece of hardware. Using magnetic sliders, Xiaomi is able to hide the front cameras behind the display. Check out our video above to see the Mi Mix 3 in action.

Apple iPad Pro 2018 Launch

2018 might not be an exciting time for the iPhone, but it sure was for the iPad. Apple finally unveiled the new iPad Pro and it was the tablet we’ve been waiting to own.

With its slim bezels and Face ID security feature, the iPad Pro finally has the modern redesign it deserves. Along with the new iPad Pro was the second-generation Apple Pencil; they are made for each other.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit

Before ending the year, we flew to Hawaii for Qualcomm’s annual summit where they announced their latest processors. As expected, the company unveiled the next-generation chipset that’ll power next year’s flagship phones: the Snapdragon 855.

Aside from powerful computation, the Snapdragon 855 also promises 5G connectivity. In addition, they revealed the new Snapdragon 8cx chipset which is the first 7nm chip for PCs. This is essentially the most extreme Snapdragon processor available.

That’s a wrap for this year’s travel list. 2019 will surely be more adventurous. Where do you want us to go next?

SEE ALSO: GadgetMatch Awards: Best Products of 2018