The T3 Awards for 2026 have been announced, with Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra taking the coveted Best Phone title for the second consecutive year. The premium device outperformed Android rivals and Apple's iPhone 17 range to secure the award, according to T3's expert panel.
Galaxy S26 Ultra: Key Features and Competition
Launched earlier in 2026, the Galaxy S26 Ultra boasts enhanced power and a new privacy screen that prevents strangers from viewing texts and emails. This innovation helped it edge out competitors in a highly contested category. Samsung had previously won Best Phone in 2025 with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Other Major T3 Award Winners
Beyond the phone category, over 80 awards were presented. The Product of the Year went to Adidas' Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 trainers, described as the brand's lightest and fastest racing shoe ever. Apple CEO Tim Cook received Person of the Year, while the Dell XPS 14 was named Best Laptop. The BMW iX3 won Best Electric Car.
To mark its 30th anniversary, T3 introduced a special award for the Biggest Product in T3's Lifetime, which was awarded to the Apple iPod. The iPod revolutionized music consumption by storing millions of songs, paving the way for iTunes and digital music.
Quotes and Impact
T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher, said: “The iPod was more than just a product, it was a revolution of the whole music industry. What started with 1,000 songs in your pocket introduced the world to iTunes and paying for digital music. Though ultimately, the iPhone made the iPod redundant, without the iPod the iPhone wouldn’t have existed.”
Other notable winners include Garmin as Brand of the Year, LEGO Smart Play for Tech Innovation, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for Best Folding Phone. The full list of winners is available on T3's website.
Top 10 T3 Award Winners 2026
- Brand Of The Year: Garmin
- Product Of The Year: Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3
- Tech Innovation: LEGO Smart Play
- Person of the Year: Tim Cook
- Biggest Product in T3's Lifetime: iPod
- Best Phone: Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Best Headphones: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
- Best Smart Video Doorbell: Aqara Smart Doorbell
- Best Soundbar: Marshall Heston 120
- Best Travel Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6
Additional winners include Bose QuiteComfort Ultra Earbuds for Best Earbuds, Dell XPS 14 for Best Laptop, Nothing Phone (4a) Pro for Best Mid-range Phone, Galaxy Z Fold 7 for Best Folding Phone, Dream Matrix10 Ultra for Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for Best Smartwatch, Shozk OpenFit Pro for Best Fitness Headphones, Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer for Best Streaming Device, and Sonos Play for Best Wireless Speaker.
