iMore Readers’ Choice Awards 2023: Your top picks for the best Apple devices, apps and accessories of the year

You voted, we listened: Welcome to the iMore Readers’ Choice Awards 2023, where you, our amazing readership, have picked the Apple devices, apps, and accessories you want to see crowned as this year's best.

Over 1,000 iMore readers took part in this year’s voting process, ranking products, brands, software, and services across 16 categories, covering everything from smart home gear to unreleased ‘Most Wanted’ devices from Apple’s upcoming and rumored slate of launches.

We’ve now collected all the data and have our winners. If you’re looking for the best of the best Apple gear, apps, software, and third-party accessories for 2023, you’ve found it, as selected by your fellow Apple fans.

So, without further ado, here are the iMore Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 winners!

Best iPhone accessory: Anker 3-in-1 Cube

If Pinhead’s Hellraiser puzzle box was an iPhone charger, it’d probably look something like Anker’s wonderful 3-in-1 Cube. As compact as a Rubix Cube but with space to charge an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, its secret slide-out charging compartments and magnetic stand functionality make it an easy winner for this category.

Honorable Mentions:
Anker 737 MagGo Charger | Journey Rapid Trio 3-in-1

Nominees:
Anker 3-in-1 Cube | Anker 737 MagGo Charger | Journey Rapid Trio 3-in-1 | Belkin Boost Charge Pro wireless car charger | Ampere Jetpack | Gamevice Flex | Shargeek Retro 67 GaN charger

Best iPad accessory: Apple Magic Keyboard Folio (10th gen)

The Magic Keyboard elevates the iPad from a simple tablet to a powerful laptop alternative. It’s been a stalwart iPad Pro accessory for years, so we were overjoyed when Apple unveiled the new Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad 10. Apple’s entry-level iPad deserves a great Magic Keyboard and got one in October. With its full-size keys and epic trackpad, this is the ultimate iPad companion. 

Honorable Mention:
Logitech Crayon (2023) 

Nominees:
Apple Magic Keyboard Folio (10th gen) | Logitech Crayon (2023)  | Satechi Aluminum Stand and Hub for iPad Pro | Benks Infinity Pro Magnetic iPad stand | CharJenPro MAGFLÖTT for iPad Pro  | NovaPlus Pencil A8 Duo

Best new iPhone game: Diablo Immortal

Set between the events of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction and Diablo III, this epic iPhone RPG has netted a well-deserved 4.6 App Store rating from an eye-watering 211.6k reviews. With flexibility and character customization, great combat, and an immersive world to explore, Diablo Immortal is the only iPhone game MMORPG fans should be considering.

Honorable Mentions:
Shredders Revenge | Marvel Snap

Nominees:
Diablo Immortal | TMNT Shredders Revenge | Marvel Snap | Ultimate Sackboy | Vampire Survivors | Ten Dates 

Best app for Apple devices: Things 3

It was a very close run thing between Things 3 and Parallels Desktop 18, but the do-it-all management app just stole it. Things 3 lets you organize your entire life across multiple Apple devices, helping you to keep track of everything you’re doing, you’ve done, and all you wish to do. There’s a reason Things 3 won an Apple Design Award, and our own plaudits: “The developers of Things have finally found the perfect balance of easy use and robust features.”

Honorable Mentions:
Parallels Desktop 18 | Apollo

Nominees:
Things 3 | Parallels Desktop 18 | Apollo | CrossOver 22 | MacWhisper | Petey

Best Mac accessory: CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt dock

In the age of connectivity, the dock is king. Building a workstation requires the ultimate in power and precision, and none delivers more than the CalDigit TS4. With 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3 USB-C ports, 5 USB-A ports, audio, power, ethernet, card readers, and more, there is no better desktop companion. 

Honorable Mentions:
Twelve South Curve Flex

Nominees:
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt dock | Twelve South Curve Flex | Lululook 360 Rotating Folding laptop stand | HyperX DuoCast microphone 

Best keyboard for Mac: Logitech MX Keys Mini

Logitech (or Logi) is a household name in peripherals, so it’s no surprise that the company scooped first place and an honorable mention among our keyboard winners. The MX Keys mini is small but mighty, boasting very cool features such as keys for dictation, emojis, and mic control. Not to mention it offers 5 months of use on a full charge without backlighting, or 10 days with the glow switched on. Our honorable mention is its mechanical cousin for those who love tactile keyboards. 

Honorable Mentions:
Logitech Mx Mechanical Mini | Keychron Q1 V2

Nominees:
Logitech MX Keys Mini | Logitech Mx Mechanical Mini | Keychron Q1 V2 | Keychron Q1 Pro | NuPhy Halo 75 | Wombat Pine Professional | NuPhy Field 75 

Best new Mac game: No Man's Sky

No Man’s Sky was once the laughing stock of the gaming industry, the butt of every joke, and a title that became synonymous with launching an unfinished game that overpromised and underdelivered. Now, the game is complete, established, and even better, available on Mac. It includes the entire seven-year catalog of content and has been built from the ground up to utilize Metal and Apple silicon. Warning, playing this game could consume years of your life.

Honorable Mentions:
Resident Evil Village

Nominees:
No Man's Sky | Resident Evil Village | Return to Monkey Island | Football Manager 2023 | Tunic | Psychonauts 2 | Vampire Survivors | Cult of the Lamb |

Best monitor for Mac: Apple Studio Display

All of the entries on this list were valiant, but there was only going to be one winner when it came to the best monitor for Mac — the Apple Studio Display. Despite a bumpy launch and some webcam hiccups, the 5K beast from the West Coast is the ultimate macOS viewing experience (except for maybe the looming Vision headset). It has a price tag to match, but if you’re really serious about pixels, there’s only one winner here. Our honorable mention is the Philips 27B, for when 4K is pixels a-plenty. 

Honorable Mentions:
Philips 27B1U7903 4K

Nominees:
Apple Studio Display | Philips 27B1U7903 4K | Benq PD3220U | Porsche Agon PD32M | Dough Spectrum 4K Glossy 

Case manufacturer of the year: Otterbox

Despite a myriad of popular household names, Otterbox was a runaway winner for our case manufacturer of the year awards. When you’re spending a pretty penny on your iPhone, you want the best protection possible. Otterbox cases come in all shapes and sizes, but are defined by their rugged, chunky aesthetic and protection to the Max. Otterbox will no doubt have cases for the iPhone 15, and is the name to look out for in September. 

Honorable Mentions:
Spigen | Speck

Nominees:
Otterbox | Spigen | Speck | CASETiFY | InCase | Nomad | Mous | Moshi | Caudabe | Pitaka | Waterfield Design 

Best smart home device: HomePod 2

When you think of smart home devices, you often think of smart locks, lights, and cameras. But the action all starts with a good base, and there’s none better than the HomePod 2, Apple’s stunning smart speaker for 2023. It’s even better than the original HomePod, which is by far and away the best voice-controlled smart speaker in its price range. With exciting new smart home features, the HomePod 2 is a must-have for any serious Apple-powered smart home, as is its younger sibling the HomePod mini.

Honorable Mentions:
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

Nominees:
HomePod 2 | August Wi-Fi Smart Lock | Ecobee SmartThermostat | Philips Hue Iris | Aqara Smart Doorbell G4 | Nanoleaf 4D | Ultion Nuki Plus | Wiz Luminaire Portable lamp

Best audio device: AirPods Pro 2

The HomePod 2 came in with a shout of winning another award here, but the AirPods Pro 2 prevailed. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 boast amazing sound quality and awesome noise cancellation. But where they really excel is in their synchronicity with all your Apple devices. Get seamless pairing, fast device switching, Find My, and more all built into your existing Apple ecosystem. 

Honorable Mentions:
HomePod 2 | Sonos Era 300

Nominees:
AirPods Pro 2 | HomePod 2 | Sonos Era 300 | Beats Studio Buds Plus | 1More Sonoflow | Nothing Ear 2 | Wiim Pro

Best home office accessory: Herman Miller x Logitech Vantum Chair

The Herman Miller and Logitech collab has delivered an understated gaming chair that will look at home in any office, unless of course, you go for the red option, which is definitely not understated. The Vantum excels whether you want to get up close to the action, or you’re relaxing to enjoy a movie. It’s adjustable in nearly every conceivable manner, and breathable too. 

Honorable Mentions:
Anker 737

Nominees:
Herman Miller x Logitech Vantum Chair | Anker 737 MagGo Charger | Journey Rapid Trio 3-in-1 Wireless charging station | Alti Wireless Charging Desk Mat | Ugreen DigiNest Pro Charging Station 

Best entertainment service: Apple TV Plus

A surprise winner here (perhaps?), Apple TV+ pipped Netflix to be voted the best entertainment and streaming service among iMore readers. That might well be thanks to its excellent integration across all of Apple’s devices, or the fact that it comes free with a lot of different Apple purchases. However, consistent high-quality releases of shows like Severance, Ted Lasso, Hijack, and more have seen the show take off. There’s a lot of high-quality content, but it remains one of the very best-value services on the market.

Honorable Mentions:
Netflix | Disney Plus

Nominees:
Apple TV+ | Netflix | Disney Plus | Max (formerly HBO Max) | Apple Arcade | Xbox Game Pass | Nvidia GeForce Now

Best Apple device of the year: 15-inch MacBook Air

It’s the MacBook that no one knew they wanted, with its slim frame and large display. We gave the MacBook Air with 15-inch screen five stars in our review, and if you ever get to use one, you’ll soon see why. It’s a lovely machine that balances size and portability, giving you a bit of extra space for your work while still being super easy to slip into a bag. It’s not too much more expensive than the normal, 13-inch version either, so it’s no great surprise that it netted the best Apple device of the year with our audience.

Honorable Mentions:
iPhone 14 Pro | 16-inch MacBook Pro

Nominees:
15-inch MacBook Air | iPhone 14 Pro | 16-inch MacBook Pro | AirPods Pro 2 | Mac Mini M2 | HomePod 2 

Best Apple software launch of the year: Continuity Camera

Being able to use your iPhone as a kind of extremely high-quality webcam was always going to go down well, and Continuity Camera does just that. It not only improves image quality for your video calls and recordings on Mac, but also unlocks some great new features, like Center Stage, Portrait Mode, and Desk View for multi-cam setups. Given that most webcams on Mac hardware tend to be a little bit low res and rubbish, this made sure that everyone with an iPhone had the means to make their camera look, and function, much better.

Honorable Mentions:
Final Cut for iPad

Nominees:
Continuity Camera | Final Cut Pro for iPad | Freeform | Apple Music Classical | Logic for iPad

Most Wanted: Apple Vision Pro

What else was it going to be? Rest assured, we’re just as excited as you for the massive release of Apple’s latest new product, and we can’t wait to get a Vision Pro headset wrapped around our noggins. It looks like it's going to be more of a productivity machine, with lots of attention paid to the way that the headset is going to work in a workspace setting. That’s not going to stop us from spending hours and hours with it watching everything on Apple TV+ that we can lay our greedy little digital hands on. Or is that eyes? It does, after all, use your eyes to select options.

Honorable Mentions:
iMac Pro | Apple Car

Nominees:
Apple Vision Pro | iMac Pro | Apple Car | Apple Home Hub | AirPods Max 2 | Apple AR glasses

Congratulations to all our winners

So there you have it, congratulations to all of the winners in the iMore Readers' Choice Awards for 2023, and congratulations to the winner of our $500 gift card, awarded to a random participant in the survey. Don't fret though, we'll be back next year with more great products and another exciting prize.