Image — Remote-controlled robots by Unitree Robotics fight each other at the World AI Conference in Shanghai in 2025. The most basic model costs a fraction of what competitors sell for in the US.

Editor’s note: 2025 is in the books. Check out the 2026 Edition of the “Best Tech and Hi-Fi Releases,” here. We’re nearing Christmas, and the year is winding to a close … and a lot of new tech and ...