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Boost your workouts and stay healthy Get the best gear for your home office Keep the whole family entertained

TESTED

RATED!

NEXT-GEN

Samsung S20: top-end specs, low price

8K TV Samsung’s Q950TS shows 8K is ready for prime time

FITNESS WATCHES FACE OFF Apple vs Fitbit vs Garmin

MUSTHAVE GADGETS

CAMP IN COMFORT

Luxury gear for when you’re ready to escape it all

RATED HP Elite Dragonfly: the ultimate Windows laptop?

Horizon

The best new tech heading your way Edited by Josh Russell

HUAWEI P40 £699, huawei.com Some have questioned Huawei’s logic in launching a bunch of new flagship handsets slap-bang in the middle of a global pandemic. The flip side of this argument, of course, is that during a lockdown, people are going to want something that can ably cater for their moviewatching, game-playing and home-working needs. The P40 – the standard model in a range of three devices – is undoubtedly an able phone. The aforementioned movies and games will dazzle on its 6.1-inch, 2340 x 1080 display. And though the 90Hz refresh rate isn’t quite up there with the best handsets in this class, it’s more than decent (and also a step up from the phone’s predecessor, the P30). The P40 features a sophisticated four-camera set-up: round the back you’ll find a 50MP RYYB f/1.9, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle f/2.2, and an 8MP telephoto lens, while the front-facing camera shoots at a generous 32MP. We were pleased to hear that Huawei has used the same Kirin 990 5G chipset that impressed in its Mate 30 handsets at the end of last year – though, it must be said, news of the P40’s 3,800mAh battery left us feeling slightly underwhelmed. The P40 Pro and P40 Pro Plus offer a noticeably better spec, of course, but the P40 will do most things you want it to – and that includes getting you through the worst days of a nationwide lockdown.

TECH-O-METER

SUPER STORAGE All three of the P40 phones come with 8GB of RAM. However, while the standard handset offers 128GB of storage, the P40 Pro packs double that at 256GB, and the P40 Pro Plus serves up a whopping 512GB

“If you can cope without the extra smarts that its bigger brothers offer, then this handset is well worth your consideration” Josh Russell, Editor

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Horizon

T3’s tech titan hits Control P and delivers yet more wise words

FRANK NORTH, HUMBERSIDE

Why doesn’t my printer work? Little known fact: GaGu spent two miserable years doling out user-level technical support on behalf of a company that made labels for pre-packed sandwiches. Obviously his life has spiralled wildly downhill since then, but it has left him with just the teensiest bit of knowledge of printer maladies. Let’s run through what he learned on the job. Is it plugged in? Yes, it needs to be plugged in. And switched on. At the wall, yes. Is it connected to your computer? The computer. Not the screen, the box bit underneath it. Look, we’ll send an engineer; this is beyond Guru’s upsetting pay grade.

ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY

Got an inkjet? When was the last time you used it? Whether by nature or (cynically) by design, the ink nozzles can get gummed up or dry out – particularly if you’re using third-party replacement cartridges, which are unquestionably a great thing given the horrendous price of ink but which can also circumvent low ink

ABOVE Hammering it, or plugging it in? It’s a tech-support choose-yourown-adventure!

There’s so much that could be the cause, but check to see if you have a waste toner bin that might need replacing

warnings and print themselves dry. Give them a replace, and run whatever head cleaning routines your printer offers. Laser printer? There’s so much in that complex path that could be the cause, but check to see if you have a waste toner bin that might need replacing (not emptying – again, you’ll need to buy something) or a sheet of A4 jammed in the guttyworks somewhere. If it’s not that, let’s remember a fundamental truth: printers are the worst. Sometimes they just don’t work. GaGu would love that not to be true, but here we are. Consider percussive maintenance sanctioned.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: INBOX@T3.COM OR FACEBOOK.COM/T3MAG 24 T3 M AY 2 0 2 0

Best tech for everything

CREATING

Cracking gadgets for crafting beautiful things 1 1

MAC PRO

Okay, it’s prohibitively priced (and looks like a cheese grater), but that’s not the point: if you want a creative workstation with the muscle to do anything and everything without missing a beat, Apple’s exquisitely designed and supremely capable powerhouse is it. It’s upgradeable, too, which is a big bonus. From £5,499, apple.com/uk

CANON EOS 90D

Making a highly compelling argument for the continued existence of DSLRs in an increasingly mirrorless world, this is a weighty and highly capable camera with a whole lot of exciting functionality inside – not least of which is its full-frame 4K shooting, which helps make the most of your lenses. £1,149, canon.co.uk

GOPRO MAX

Taking compactness to the extreme, the Max is GoPro without the compromise. While the Hero 8 Black is a marginally better choice if you’re looking for resolution, this does 360 shooting, has a rear screen, stabilises incredibly, ingeniously levels horizons, and doesn’t skimp on the shooting modes. £480, gopro.com

KORG WAVESTATE

Resurrecting the classic Wavestation synth of old with a fresh 21st-century twist, this compact 37-key keyboard, which runs four sequenced sound layers at once along with a host of filters and effects, is all about offering up new options for sound exploration. £699, korg.com

NETGEAR MEURAL CANVAS II

Though Netgear very much pushes the Meural Canvas II’s ability to pull from a 30,000 strong collection of artworks (with a subscription), we’d say the gorgeous digital frame is the perfect showcase for your own creations, whether they be family photographs or personal masterpieces. From £834, netgear.co.uk

ORBA

What is a musical instrument? Artiphon’s Orba, just out of its Kickstarter phase, redefines the rules. Tap it, tilt it, move it around, and your hand motions are translated into sound through its integrated synth. It’s just as capable as a MIDI controller, too. £TBC, artiphon.com 3 0 T3 M AY 2 0 2 0

Creating

7 WACOM ONE CREATIVE PEN DISPLAY Bringing pen-on-screen art down to the hobbyist price point, Wacom’s 13.3” One tablet can detect 4,096 levels of sensitivity, 60 degrees of pen tilt, and even connects to some Android phones. However you want to express your creativity, it’s a perfect choice. £360, wacom.com

LEICA SL2

Taking the foundation of the Panasonic Lumix S1R and coating it in a thick, delicious layer of Leica finery and precision, the SL2 is a truly incredible mirrorless snapper. Super fast, great at keeping out stray light, and perfect for video – although you’ll need a fat wallet. £5,300, leica-camera.com

BOOX NOTE 2

Powerful, extendable, and packed to the rafters with battery life, the Android 9.0-toting Note 2 is a solid 10.3” e-ink alternative to pen and paper. Great for sketching, PDF wrangling, reading, or even (in a pinch) using as a second monitor via its USB 3 connection. £500, boox.com

10 SONY RX100 VII For pro-level photography in a pocket package, look no further than Sony’s sleeper, which can autofocus in just 0.02 seconds and track the eyes not just of humans but of animals too. A properly smart camera, with a fast sensor and a remarkably flexible 24200mm Zeiss zoom lens. £1,200, sony.co.uk M AY 2 0 2 0 T3 31

Best tech for everything

LISTENING

Amp up your audio and let your music carry you away 1 CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA 1

Cambridge Audio’s true wireless bullet buds do exactly what they need to: offer spellbinding sound and comfortable styling in an ultracompact package, for a price that, at least next to strong competition from bigger names like Apple and Sony, seems very attractive indeed. A winner. £129, cambridgeaudio.com

RUARK MR1 MK2

What Ruark does with speakers is nothing short of witchcraft. This is a compact set, perfect for a bookshelf or a desk, but piping music through the MR1 Mk2 reveals it’s so much more: you get loud, rich, clear audio with real depth. Honestly, why go any bigger? £330, ruarkaudio.com

AIRPODS PRO

Apple’s best AirPods yet by a long chalk, and (thanks to their pressure equalisation, IPX4 rating and transparency-equipped ANC) the perfect partner for when you need either to block the world out completely or go for a big sweaty run and let a little sound in. £250, apple.com

AUDIO-TECHNICA AT-LP5X

We’re well aware of the temptation to spend through the nose for a high-quality turntable, but there’s absolutely no need: the unassuming style (and price) of the Audio-Technica AT-LP5x does nothing to mask its wide, exciting sound. There’s USB output too, which is always helpful. £349, audio-technica.com

5 NAIM MU-SO 2ND GENERATION One listen to Naim’s refined all-in-one audio solution and wireless speaker (developed in collaboration with the French sound scientists at Focal) is all it takes. This is an utterly spectacular creation, one that brings new life to sound and does an incredible amount in a compact shell. £1,299, naimaudio.com

LINN SERIES 3

As its price suggests, this is something very special. The Series 3 combines wide-ranging hi-res and streaming support, Linn’s design expertise and the company’s frequencydelaying Exakt audio tech to create the finest wireless speaker you’re ever likely to hear. £2,950, linn.co.uk 3 2 T3 M AY 2 0 2 0

Listen 6 7

7 SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 3 WIRELESS The ANC headphone market is a war zone right now, and every weapon Sony, Bose, B&W et al put out is better than the last. Winning the arms race right now? Sennheiser. These pack clarity and rhythm into a comfortable collapsible package that belongs on your ears. £350, sennheiser.com

ECHO STUDIO

Amazon’s highest-end Echo packs five speakers into its shell, with 3D audio and Atmos support along with the smart home and voice control features you’d expect from such a device. Good enough to best the ace Homepod? We’d say so. £190, amazon.co.uk

TECHNICS SL-G700

Realistically there are few clamouring to add SACD playback facilities to their hi-fi, but as an added extra to just about the best audio streamer you can buy, we’d argue it’s not such a bad thing. Technics’ SL-G700 is as precise and powerful as it is visually understated. £2,350, technics.com

10 WHARFEDALE LINTON HERITAGE If you want a massive, open-ended sound from your stereo, Wharfedale’s modern-engineered but classically-styled speakers are the way to go. They’re big (but not too big), with a huge amount of detail and real room-filling scale. £1,000, wharfedale.co.uk M AY 2 0 2 0 T3 3 3

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Patented contour ear tips Full bass, dynamic driver Premium in-ear headphone with moving coil micro speaker Patented contour ear tips and IPX4 water/sweat resistant Wired in-ear headphone with detailed, impactful sound

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Camp in comfort

Active days Good gear that not only keeps you feeling good, but looking good

1 MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR GHOST SHADOW HOODY

2 ADIDAS TERREX FREE HIKER PARLEY

3 FIVE TEN TENNIE APPROACH SHOES

A hoody with a difference, the Ghost Shadow is not only ultralight, but made mainly from recycled plastic. The insulation, face fabric and liner as well as the snaps, zipper, cord and toggle are all pre-loved plastic, adding a sense of inner smugness to the warmth from the jacket.

When you need some extra bounce in your step, try the Free Hikers. A Boost sole provides massive energy return, while a snug, sock like fit wraps around your foot, and prevents blisters into the bargain. The latest version, the Parley, is fabricated from ocean-waste plastic for extra eco-awareness points.

The famous Five Ten Tennie shoes ride once more, back with their best street-meets-approach shoe vibe. A choice between retro 1980s or ultra-modern monochrome means there’s styling here for everyone, and the climbing-shoe ‘Stealth’ rubber soles have proven they will stick to absolutely anything.

Outdoor-proof trousers that just do the job are rare beasts, but this legwear from Páramo hits the mark. Waterproof yet breathable, warm but not too hot, these are also pretty much indestructible – or in other words, the ultimate outdoor trousers.

£200, mountainhardwear.com

£169.99, adidas.co.uk

£99.95, adidasoutdoor.com

£155, paramo-clothing.com

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4 PÁRAMO CASCADA II TROUSERS

Cosy nights

Cosy nights Ensure your dreams are sweet after a day in the fresh air 1 RAB MYTHIC ULTRA 180

There are lots of superlatives you could throw at the Rab Mythic Ultra sleeping bag, but in short it is very light (400g) and still three-season warm, a barnstorming combination. That warmth comes from fine goose down, as well as a layer of titanium embedded into the liner to reflect heat.

£549, rab.equipment

3 OUTWELL WONDERLAND DOUBLE AIR MATTRESS At the other end of the packability scale, the wonderland mattress is an epic, homefrom-home sleeping experience for two. A memory-foam topper, inflatable core and 12cm depth provide a snoozing platform so nice you won’t want to get up again.

£199.99, outwell.com

2 THERM-A-REST COMPRESSIBLE PILLOW Nothing says luxury camping like a proper pillow, but for times when space (or weight) are at a premium there’s this compressible, comfortable pillow. Plumped up with upcycled foam and sporting many colour combinations in ultra-soft polyester (also mainly recycled), this is consciencesoothing as well as snooze-inducing.

£25.95, thermarest.com

4 PENDLETON TWIN WOOL CAMP BLANKET WITH LEATHER CARRIER Whether sleeping under the stars or picnicking in the fields, a beautiful double wool blanket is an essential item, and this classic stripe design will stand the test of time. Echoing the cowboy blanket of yore, a leather carry strap makes this camp blanket picnic portable.

£200, amara.com

IMAGE SOURCE: RAB, THERM-A-REST, OUTWELL, PENDLETON WOOLEN MILLS

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Fitness watches

Fitness watches can give you an enormous amount of insight into your track and workout performance. But which ones go that extra mile for active people? Photography: Neil Godwin

top-quality running watch will be a real step up if you have only used fitness trackers before. Unlike fitness trackers, running watches have a range of advanced features such as built-in GPS, more accurate wristbased optical heart rate sensors and plenty of available sport modes. They also provide detailed running metrics in real time, like pace and cadence, that can help you better your running technique on the fly. Running watches have long been suitable, to varying degrees, for tracking

your prowess in the gym; the reason they’re now often known as fitness watches is that brands explicitly design them for multiple sports and activities – not just gym but hiking, cycling, paddle boarding and a host of other fitness-friendly activities. As well as all this, high-end models can often be used for navigation, thanks to their offline map function. However, you don’t necessarily need to opt for a pure sports watch. For more casual users, a decent smartwatch will provide all the fitness features they need, and also do a

whole range of other things that ‘proper’ running watches cannot do. And if affordability is more your concern than umpteen different activity modes or tweeting out mid-workout humblebrags, there are plenty more wallet-friendly watches that will enable you to track your runs, monitor your vitals and more besides. Clearly there’s a lot of choice on offer. To make it easier to decide which is the best option for you, we’re taking a look at the best in each of these three categories and seeing how they compare head-to-head.

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Fitness watches PRODUCT 01:

FITBIT VERSA 2

FITBIT VERSA 2 Fitbit has made strides in the running watch market – but has it been enough? he new Fitbit Versa 2 looks to be the most stylish and versatile Fitbit to date. It adds Alexa, a brighter screen, a better battery and a more refined look to the Versa version 1. Its AMOLED screen looks great – really bright and attractive – and it can be set to ‘always on mode’. You’re finally able to just see your heart rate while working out, without having to flick your wrist to turn on the screen. Amazon Alexa offers the usual news, music, weather, smart home controls and Fitbit control via an Alexa ‘Skill’ – you can, ‘Tell Fitbit to start a run’ for instance. Interestingly, Alexa is activated with a button-push rather than a wake word, and its responses appear on screen in text form rather than being spoken. When it comes to the new and improved battery, the Versa 2 boasts what Fitbit calls 5+ day battery life; you could consider that a 25% improvement over its predecessor’s 4+ day battery life. While we’re predominantly focusing on fitness features, the Versa 2 has decent sleep tracking. Not only does it rate the quality of your sleep out of 100 but, as of February 2020, Fitbit rolled out its ‘Estimated Oxygen Variation Graph’ feature. Generated from data sourced from the red and infrared sensors on the Versa 2, it alerts you to ‘short-term variations in the oxygen levels in your

Runs, hikes and rides have to be tracked via your phone’s GPS

As with the original Versa, it’s swim-proof and water resistant to 50m, despite the addition of a mic for Alexa activation

bloodstream’ which ‘may indicate variations in your breathing during sleep’. However, those who are more into fitness than wellness or sleepiness are serviced by Fitbit’s usual mix of automatic activity tracking, all-day and exercise heart rate tracking and ‘15+ goal-based exercise modes’. Runs, hikes and rides have to be tracked via your phone’s GPS – there’s no GPS built in to the watch itself. Alas, just like the original Versa and Versa Lite, Versa 2 is not one for the more large-wristed gent. You don’t have to be Popeye for it to look quite comically small on your arm. But for most women, smaller men and those who like small watches for whatever reason, it’s great. Everything has been refined to look sharper and sexier, with a pleasingly buffed, anodised aluminium finish. In terms of fit and finish, as long as you are not large of wrist this is easily the most stylish Fitbit to date, and that AMOLED screen really pops. The usual Fitbit suite of features is fine as far as it goes but to unlock its real value, you’ll need a subscription to Fitbit’s premium service. M A Y 2 0 2 0 T3 5 3

Tested

Display sizes 65, 75, 85 inches Panel 7680 x 4320 QLED Operating system Samsung / Tizen HDR HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ Inputs 4x HDMI (inc 1 x HDMI 2.1), 3 x USB, ethernet Dimensions 940x1650x15mm Weight 36kg

GR8 K

Samsung Q950TS An utterly astounding TV – the best we’ve ever tried, in fact. But it’ll cost ya…

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From £1,199 samsung.com he Q950TS is Samsung’s latest attempt to sell you something you didn’t know you wanted. 8K is still struggling to find its place in the world – the idea of 33 million pixels of detail (compared to the suddenly minuscule 8 million pixels of 4K) certainly sounds tempting, but there isn’t a stack of 8K content available to watch, and it won’t suddenly appear. But Samsung sees a world that isn’t so reliant on content being the exact

right format for your screen – it’s aiming to make its 8K TVs the best 4K TVs you can buy. AI upscaling technology is intended to make Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and anything else you watch look appreciably better – more detailed, and more lifelike – than even the best 4K TVs can manage. Can it be true? The Q950TS is Samsung’s flagship 8K QLED range for 2020. It’s available in 65-inch and 85-inch screen sizes as well as the £7,999 75-inch variant we’re testing here. The 65-inch costs a mere £5,999, while the whopping 85-inch screen is yours for a cool £11,999.

Samsung Q950TS

CUTTING EDGE Samsung has long been trimming bezels in its flagships but the Q950TS’s are just 2mm wide, making them effectively invisible at the normal viewing distance

As far as features go, the 75Q950TS is as fully loaded as you’d expect a flagship TV from a global brand to be. The Samsung has dual-band Wi-Fi on board, of course, and as far as physical connections go you’re looking at four HDMI inputs (one of which is HDMI 2.1-compliant), three USB sockets, RF and satellite TV aerial posts, an ethernet input and a digital optical output. What’s especially pleasing and convenient about them, though, is the fact that Samsung has taken them off the TV. All connectivity and related hardware, including power, is housed in a fairly big box called One Connect, which joins to the screen itself using a single, slim umbilical cable. So the Q950TS is less problematic to wall-mount, and looks less cluttered once it’s up there, than any other massive TV you care to mention. There is actually a variant of the Samsung Q950TS series called the Q900TS, which will be available in the UK. It’s exactly the same for image quality and technology, but doesn’t include the external One

Connect box – instead, all the ports are on the TV, like with most sets. This makes the TV a bit thicker, but it will also be cheaper – that set isn’t out yet, but we’ve seen retailers list it for £6,999 for the 75-inch version and £4,999 for the 65-inch version. Every HDR standard bar Dolby Vision is catered for here, and the Samsung’s ability to control each of its 480 zones of backlighting down to an individual level means the Q950TS has the best chance of delivering deep, lustrous black tones and bright, clean whites even if they’re sharing the same scene. As far as sound goes, Samsung has taken steps to address criticism of the audio quality of its 2019 8K TVs. Here it’s deployed something called ‘Object Motion Tracking +’ – it’s basically an array of eight speaker drivers arranged around the screen. The idea is to offer a bigger sonic presentation than is usually associated with flatscreen TVs, and offer a degree of audio tracking of on-screen motion at the same time. Of course, anyone with £8K for a TV burning a hole in

While 8K material is rare, the Q950TS upscales 4K footage superbly

their pocket really ought to be budgeting for a sound system, especially since these speakers prove to be the TV’s only misstep – they’re hard, flat and bright to the point of discomfort. This uncompromising sonic signature is about as inappropriate for the luxuriousness of the images it accompanies as it’s possible to imagine.

Picture performance As already mentioned, native 8K content is conspicuous only by its absence. So the fact that the few minutes of USB-mounted 8K stuff this review TV came with looks stunning in its detail levels, strength of contrasts and effortlessly controlled motion is, frankly, neither here nor there. What this needs to do is upscale 4K and Full HD content to the sort of standard that’s going to make a £7,999 price tag seem reasonable. And it does. No matter if you feed in 4K stuff from Netflix, from Amazon Prime Video or via an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, it absolutely maximises the M AY 2 0 2 0 T3 61

Tested

CPU Exynos 990 / Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 GPU Adreno 650 Screen 6.2-inch, HDR10+, 120Hz,1440 x 3200 AMOLED 120Hz Memory 8GB/12GB Storage 128GB Battery 4,000mAh Cameras 64MP, 12MP, 12MP rear; 10MP front OS Android 10.0, One UI 2.0 Dimensions 151x69.1x7.9mm Weight 163g

20/20 VISION

Samsung Galaxy S20 With a slick 120Hz AMOLED screen and an impressive range of cameras, the S20 is a true Android powerhouse From £899 samsung.com t 6.2 inches the Samsung Galaxy S20 is hardly the biggest phone in Samsung’s lineup. With the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra looming over it, it’s not even the biggest in its own range. Nevertheless, the practically bezelless screen, interrupted only by a tiny punch-hole, is more than enough for everyday tasks and looks great, even if it’s not the sumptuous widescreen movie and gaming experience you could find on the S20 Ultra. However, at 6.2” it’s almost unfair to compare it to the massive Ultra. The S20’s AMOLED screen is crisp and clear, displaying HQ YouTube videos, movies and games alike with no softness. Likewise, the speaker offers great power with very little of that “tinny” nature smartphone speakers can so often have. Although it’s not as expansive as the rest of the range, the screen more than holds its own. The 120Hz refresh rate provides clean, silky-smooth

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Samsung Galaxy S20

movement as we swipe through the phone’s home screen options. It’s hard to describe just how good this is: the slick motion almost feels tactile as you slide through screens and scroll through apps.

The big picture Samsung has placed great stock in the camera equipment of all three devices, and they don’t disappoint. The 12MP ultra-wide and wideangle lenses and the 64MP main camera present a combination that’s clear and responsive with excellent colour balance. The wide angles proved great when capturing group shots and scenery snaps. Even without the S20 Ultra’s massive 108MP, exceptionally fine points can be captured in mid-range shots, with the time-of-flight sensor conveying depth as well as detail. While its 8K video functionality is a technical marvel, most people (those without an 8K TV) won’t get to enjoy it to its fullest extent. The punch-hole selfie camera’s 10MP sensor is a far cry from the Ultra’s massive 40MP front-facing camera. Consequently, you’ll find it

difficult to pick out background details. However, we’re nitpicking: the excellence of the rear-facing camera module more than offsets these slight discrepancies. Now comes the guts. The three models in the Samsung Galaxy S20 range are all equipped with the same processor, the Exynos 990 CPU (a Snapdragon 865 in the US), and an Adreno 650 GPU. It’s a powerful pocket rocket, able to process complex files without breaking a sweat. With less work to do in the S20 than the S20 Ultra, the phone whistles along at lightning speeds. The phone packs a 4,000mAh battery, which will do at the very least a full day of moderate use, but it’s not quite the 5,000mAh workhorse of the S20 Ultra. Given that the S20 has a lot of the S20 Ultra’s most premium features, battery life does suffer as a result of this. The phone also includes the now-familiar underscreen fingerprint sensor and facial recognition of its predecessors. However, the fingerprint sensor is quite sluggish, sometimes even taking three or four tries before unlocking effectively.

THE ALTERNATIVES APPLE iPHONE 11

ONEPLUS 7T PRO

Getting a premium feeling iPhone doesn’t mean paying flagship prices: the iPhone 11 offers a 1792x828 6.1” screen, dual 12MP wide and ultra wide cameras for a walletfriendly price. From £729, apple.com

Offering a 6.67” 90Hz screen, 256GB storage and a 48 MP main, a 16 MP ultra-wide, and an 8 MP telephoto camera, the 7T Pro gives a whole lotta bang for very little buck. £699, oneplus.com

The Galaxy S20 has powerful insides and a really great camera system

Audio on calls usually came out crystal clear on both ends, but we did have issues with the speaker phone functionality, as the mic struggled to pick up our voices clearly from more than a metre away, while indoors. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is, without a shadow of a doubt, an excellent flagship smartphone. Is it perfect? No. Is it too much phone for some? Yes. Is it awesome, packed full of great features, with a really enjoyable design and UI? Yes. For users that want an awesome 5G Android flagship and either don’t care about 100x zoom cameras or don’t want to shell out over £1,299 for a phone, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is among the best phones on the market.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Incredible AMOLED screen; supports all 5G standards; ultra-premium chipset; camera bursting with features. WE’D IMPROVE Niggles with speaker phone and under-screen fingerprint unlock; battery life suffers with its high performance. THE LAST WORD Arguably better value than the S20 Ultra, with a gorgeous premium display, intuitive UI and impressive photographic capabilities.

Find the best deals for the Galaxy S20 at: bit.ly/T3GlxS20

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BEST OF THE BEST The world’s best tech, all in one place Edited by Matt Bolton

If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Best of the Best is the most useful gadgetbuying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring you rock-solid recommendations for your home life, daily commute and the tech you use all the time. In 54 different categories, we’ve chosen the top four products, so you can choose one that’s

just the right mix of features and budget for what you need. These rankings come from real testing by our team of experts – they’re the products we’d choose for ourselves, and we can’t recommend any higher than that. Look for the links above each category that take you to the same list (plus more beyond the top four, and many more categories) at T3.com, where our price comparison system shows you the current best deals for every product.

INSIDE Smartphones

Cheap smartphones

Smartwatches

Hybrid smartwatches

Watches

Watches under £500

TVs

TVs under £1,000

Projectors

Soundbars

Streamers

Games consoles

Turntables

Streaming DACs

Multi-room speakers

Bluetooth speakers

Bluetooth headphones

True wireless headphones

Noise-cancelling headphones

Wired in-ear headphones

Wired over-ear headphones

Laptops

2-in-1 laptops

Tablets

Gaming laptops

Gaming headsets

4K monitors

Drones

Action cameras

Cheap action cameras

DSLR cameras

Mirrorless cameras

Compact cameras

Sat-navs

Dash cams

Electric bikes

Smart speakers

Smart bulbs

Smart thermostats

Smart plugs

Security cameras

Robot vacuums

Cordless vacuums

Washing machines

Dishwashers

Coffee machines

Fridges

Ovens

Electric shavers

Electric toothbrushes

Beard trimmers

Fitness trackers

Running watches

Running headphones

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Best of the best

SMARTPHONES

Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestphone APPLE iPHONE 11

CHEAP SMARTPHONES

Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcheapphone XIAOMI MI 9T PRO

From £729, apple.com/uk A 6.1-inch HDR Liquid Retina display, Apple’s A13 Bionic chipset, 3GB of RAM, a 3,110 mAh battery, and upwards of 64GB. Apple has really surpassed its rivals with the iPhone 11.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 ULTRA

From £399, mi.com A phone that marries flagship-level specs with a design that’s guaranteed to turn heads. Combine that with a very appealing price and this quickly becomes a fantastic all-round package from Xiaomi.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S10E

SMARTWATCHES

Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsmartwatch

APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 From £399, apple.com/uk This truly straddles the line between tech and fashion; it’s not just the bestlooking smartwatch, but its health and fitness features, always-on screen and good apps make it essential.

SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH ACTIVE2

From £1,199, samsung.com/uk Samsung has really gone to town here, from the 100x digital zoom on the rear camera to the huge 6.9-inch AMOLED display around the front. It’s the priciest of the S20 models, and it shows.

From £669, samsung.com/uk The modestly sized and pocket-friendly 5.8-inch screen on the S10e is a breath of fresh air. With Samsung’s impeccable levels of fit and finish, great software and top specs, it’s a deal.

From £269, samsung.com Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it a modern edge.

XIAOMI MI 9T PRO

GOOGLE PIXEL 3A

SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH

ONEPLUS 7T PRO From £699, oneplus.com/uk This is one of the best-looking, highest-specced phones we’ve seen this year – from the pop-up selfie camera to the fantastic 6.67-inch screen, the OnePlus 7T Pro exudes quality.

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From £399, store.google.com 64GB of storage, always up-to-date Android with no extra cruft, snappy performance and a truly brilliant camera, all in a package that defines ‘cheap and cheerful’ – it’s great value.

HONOR PLAY From £279, hihonor.com Pitched as a gaming phone, but it’s just an all-round brilliant Android phone that’s a stone-cold bargain. It has a high-end processor, 6.3-inch screen, good rear cameras and a fantastic design.

From £239, samsung.com/uk The circular screen with innovative rotating bezel is the best way to control a smartwatch, and the slick Tizen software is easy to use. It looks good too, and a battery life of up to six days is ace.

FOSSIL SPORT From £186, fossil.com/uk Fossil’s fourth generation of smartwatches serves up what’s probably the best Wear OS smartwatch available to buy today. Capable and wearable, with good app support.