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In 2023, we saw many inspiring tech advancements and new products being launched, but there have also been many disappointing tech products that have failed to live up to expectations. Whether it was mediocre performance, a delayed launch, an inflated price at launch, or glaring design flaws, many of products have failed to impress.
As a result, most of these products received bad press, with their performance issues creating an unfavorable impression among consumers. Let us now take a look at all of the disappointing tech products of 2023 so that you can avoid inadvertently buying them in the future.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the views of the writer.
7 most disappointing tech products of 2023
1) PlayStation 5 Slim
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The PlayStation 5 was first launched in Holiday 2020 and promised gaming at up to 8K resolution with fast loading times and bigger heatsink support. It had only 627GB internal storage space and was not compact like earlier Sony consoles, but gamers put up with it since they were expecting a performance upgrade in the next version of the PlayStation 5.
Three years later, we now have the PlayStation 5 Slim, which comes with a bigger 825GB internal storage space and a more compact design. However, the newer PS5 Slim comes with no hardware upgrades, costs more than the earlier 2020 model, and doesn't come with a vertical stand in the box.
Hence, this device finds a spot on the list of disappointing tech as those looking for more performance upgrades will likely have to wait for the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro.
2) Lenovo Legion Go
Lenovo’s first step into the handheld console market to compete against the Steam Deck or the Asus ROG Ally promises a lot with its on-paper specifications, but that does not make for a fully cohesive device. Its two-sided controllers can detach from the main body, just like the Nintendo Switch, which is great when you want to enjoy multiplayer gaming.
The screen is also larger than its competitors, but it’s also heavier than those devices. The battery life is also much lower than the newer Steam Deck OLED. Apart from this, the console is bundled with buggy Legion Space software, which sometimes crashes or fails to detect installed games. It also falls short of its promised 144Hz refresh rate, and hence is one of the most disappointing tech products in 2023.
3) Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google introduced a dedicated temperature sensor with their flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel 8 Pro in 2023. Unfortunately, the execution has also shown to be less than helpful and more of a gimmick. When tested against a dedicated infrared thermometer, most Pixel 8 Pro temperature sensor tests revealed that it was giving incorrect readings.
The smartphone also came with no major upgrades to the camera, battery, or performance over the Google Pixel 7 Pro and thus had to be included in our list of the most disappointing tech products of 2023.
4) Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is another disappointing tech product of 2023. This is the third iteration of Microsoft's budget Surface notebook, and although it only saw a negligible boost in specifications, the price went up by $300.
The screen size is still small, and the 12.4-inch IPS display is not too great for watching movies. The battery life is also quite low, with the laptop not making it through a full day of medium use. Moreover, its plastic shell makes it hard to justify its price tag since it is prone to accidental damage.
5) Apple HomePod (2nd generation)
Apple released some great gadgets in 2023, but one of their major disappointing tech products was the Apple HomePod 2nd generation. Although Apple has now ensured great sound quality, just like the earlier HomePod, its $300 asking price and low bass output leave a lot to be desired.vThe battery life of the device is equally disappointing.
The HomePod 2 is also not compatible with smart devices from brands other than Apple. It is also annoying that you are unable to modify the sound signature or turn spatial audio on or off using voice commands.
6) Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (8GB)
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti was a massively popular GPU, and people expected the same with its successor, the RTX 4060 Ti. However, at the $400 asking price, it offers the same 8GB VRAM and similar CUDA cores, providing no major upgrades over its predecessor.
There is also a 16GB VRAM variant of the same GPU, but it costs $100 more and performs significantly poorer than the competing RTX 4070 or the RX 7800XT. Hence, it's one of the most disappointing tech products of 2023.
7) Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses allow you to converse on the phone, listen to music, and take social media-ready pictures and videos. It has a 12MP camera and a water-resistant build as well. But inferior low-light image and video quality, paired with subpar battery life, are its biggest negatives.
Many users have also complained about audio leakage issues, which isn't great if you listen to music in public spaces. Apart from this, its $329 asking price and lack of support for horizontal photo or video capture are other major drawbacks.
