Jon Lamont’s Top Tech from 2025

At the end of every year we are here at MobileSyrup I would like to collect retrospectives of the year in the field of technology. From lists of the best phones and games to individual authors' favorite technologies, we spend a lot of time looking back and celebrating.

This is an important exercise, especially in a year like this. To be honest, 2025 was not the easiest year for me or for MobileSyrup the team as a whole. We had a lot of problems, we lost a key member of our teambut we've also done a fantastic job of telling some important stories this year.

With all of this in mind, I want to share some of the things that have brought me joy this year. Who knows, maybe some of this will bring joy to you too.

Path of Exile 2

First of all I have to scream Path of Exile 2 (PoE2). This game was my favorite game all year and I was absolutely delighted with it. Developer Grinding Gear Games should be commended for their impressive work. PoE2 is a great ARPG with an amazing variety of classes, skills, abilities, gear, and more, allowing players to create some truly insane builds. I'm very casual PoE2 enjoy it, but I've seen some people pull off some crazy combos with the right gear and setup. Sure, the game has some rough edges—it's in Early Access, after all—but it's so good that I'm willing to look past those issues.

I highly recommend PoE2 for anyone who loves ARPGs, or for those who love deep and complex games that have a lot of room for development and improvement. It's really something you can sink your teeth into over time. Currently, PoE2 the early access price is around $42.although the game is planned to be free at launch. The game also featured free weekends from time to time this year, giving people the opportunity to try before they buy. (It's understandable if you want to wait to try it out before buying, but I'd also say that I got a lot more content from Early Access for $42 than I got from most $90+ AAA games in recent years, so I think the price is more than fair.)

You can also give it to the predecessor, Path of Exile, attempt. It's free to play and still receives regular content updates, although I think it can be a bit overwhelming for new players considering there's over a decade of content in the game.

Surface Pro 12″ (2025)

While I unfortunately haven't gotten around to reviewing it yet, I'd like to give some praise to the 2025 Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch Laptop. I've had mixed feelings about the 2-in-1 category in the past and have never had a problem with the Surface Pro line, but this year's model has completely turned me around. Honestly, it has become one of my favorite laptops overall. But to fully explain why, I need to share some context.

I have always enjoyed writing and have had a hobby of creative writing for a long time. However, I find it increasingly difficult to sit down and write creatively, even though I also write a lot from 9 to 5. Honestly, it feels too much like work, which is killing my creative flow. So this year I've been experimenting with ways to spice up creative writing so it feels less like work. One of the ways I tried to do this was by experimenting with different writing devices. I was hoping that creating a different environment for creative projects would help get those creative juices flowing, and to some extent it did. I tried a bunch of different options before ultimately deciding on the Surface Pro.

The main pros for me are the small size making it portable, the versatility of the 2-in-1 form factor, and the overall pleasant typing experience. It's a little expensive from $1199.99 (though it currently sells for $999), not including the keyboard. That makes it difficult to recommend, but if you have money to spend and want a smaller, tablet-like device that's also a full-featured Windows laptop, the Surface Pro (2025) is a good choice.

Warframe 🍁

For me, exit number three was Warframe. This Canadian-made game had been on my radar, but other than a very short stint almost ten years ago, I hadn't played it at all. After reading wide coverage Warframe this year MobileSyrup's Great game editor Brad Shankar, I decided to take the plunge and dive into the game. This is now one of my best games of the year.

Honestly, I've barely scratched the surface Warframe. Over the past few months, I've been gradually whittling down the story content and completing the star map, a navigational map of the various planets in the solar system, each containing a ton of missions to complete. There are so many things to do, it's honestly quite tedious, but the second-by-second gameplay is extremely satisfying and keeps me coming back for more.

I was big Destiny 2 fan for many years, so in many ways Warframe scratches a similar itch (although the games are also very, very different). And between this and PoEYou may have noticed a trend: I'm increasingly drawn to long-running free-to-play games.

What really fascinates me is the business model where these companies offer fantastic, deep and complex games with hours of free content and make money from various microtransaction purchases, the vast majority of which are cosmetic and not needed to play at all. Of course, there are also some convenience items available for purchase, such as expanded inventory slots, but there are also ways to earn these things in the game, so you don't have to buy anything unless you really want to. I could write a lot more about this, but I'll stop here to save time. The thing is, go try it Warframe is a free, Canadian game and a really cool game.

Keychron Q16 HE 8K Magnetic Switch Ceramic Keyboard

Okay, it's time for my ultra nerd. Yes, I include the keyboard in my top 5 technologies. Yes, it's that good.

I wanted to write about this keyboard before (and I still plan to write a full story about it), but it came out just before the Black Friday rush started and I've been too busy to work on it since then. But from the moment I first saw the words “ceramic keyboard” in my inbox, I knew I had to try it.

The Q16 HE 8K from Keychron is a fantastic little keyboard. For someone who spends most of their day typing, having a good keyboard can make a huge difference: typing on this board makes me smile every day.

It's completely unique. The ceramic keycaps (as opposed to plastic on most keyboards) feel very high quality. The compact size is nice. The magnetic switches are super smooth and great for both typing and gaming (plus they open up a ton of customization options if you really want to fine-tune your keyboard). Oh, and the keyboard produces the most amazing things.knock' sound when typing.

IN $229.99It's expensive, but not crazy for a high-end mechanical keyboard. But if you want a similar experience, you can purchase other Keychron boards with magnetic switches for as little as $100. As nice as ceramics are, I don't think they are necessary.

library card

I can already hear people angrily writing that a library card doesn't count as technology – stop it, you're wrong. There is actually a technical aspect – several in fact – so please sit tight and read on.

A library card is probably the best thing you can get, and if you don't already have one, you should go get one and start using it. Over the past year, I have significantly increased the number of times I visit the library, to the point where going to the library has become a weekly family ritual. It's a great way to get a ton of books—my wife and I are big readers, and reading is something my daughter and I prioritize as well—but it's also more than that.

Our library has plenty of movies, TV shows, and even games to rent—with streaming prices rising every year and games becoming more expensive, this is a great way to save some money. Many libraries now also offer e-readers, allowing people to borrow books directly from their e-reader without going inside the building. Our library also has access to many technologies, including computers, 3D printers and more. For parenting parents, libraries have a ton of things for kids, including books, old-school educational computer games, and even toys and puzzles. Lots of weekly events and activities – we recently took our daughter to one that had kits for making simple patterns.

Of course, not every library has all of the above, but still, the value you can get from a library card is crazy. Do yourself a favor and buy it, and then maybe switch off for a while and read a book. It's nice to not have to use the screen for something from time to time.