GADGETS / GAMES / GEAR
30 GREAT GARDEN GADGETS Smart BBQs, portable speakers and robo mowers for making more of your summer
APPLE UPGRADES! Powerhouse processors for the iMac and iPad Pro Train your turf bot
PLUS!
Reign in the rain
Spot all the birds
Feel the thrill of the grill
Get the party started
Grow perkier plants
Top pet tech revealed Sonos Roam reviewed Do you need a dual-screen laptop? & a very small action camera KELSEYmedia
£4.99 June 2021 www.stuff.tv
Watch moonlit movies
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Welcome There are different types of gardener: those looking to recreate the Wembley pitch flanked by prize-winning marrows, those who prefer ‘party den’ decking and a massive BBQ, and those hoping to attract animals by making their backyard a haven for wildlife. The June issue of Stuff caters for all of you, and comes just in time for outdoor gatherings of up to 30 finally being allowed. Whether that’s people or squirrels rests partly on the company you keep, but also which of our garden gadgets and expert pointers resonate with you; and while those of you restricted to balconies, roof terraces or allotments might not want a robo mower, you’ll still find plenty to inspire – from pizza ovens to waterproof speakers. If you’ve acquired a pet during lockdown, firstly, how’s the whole picking-up-poo thing going for you? And secondly, you’ll be wanting some tech to help look after it, right? We’ve compiled our favourite picks for furry friends and frisky fishies over on p60. Elsewhere we’ve got verdicts on the Sonos Roam, a new type of OLED TV from LG, the world’s smallest hands-free action cam, a crazy-powerful gaming phone and DJI’s latest super soaraway FPV drone, plus the chance to win a wireless speaker from Audio Pro – and yes, it’ll work outside. Enjoy.
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Advertising Head of Commercial Neil Tillott (01959 543719, x7003) neil.tillott@kelsey.co.uk Account Manager Nick Davis (01959 543611, x7004) nick.davis@kelsey.co.uk Production Ad Operations Manager Martin Williams martin.williams@ kelsey.co.uk Ad Production Manager Andy Welch (01233 220245) stuff@ tandemmedia.co.uk Management Chief Executive Steve Wright Chief Operating Officer Phil Weeden Managing Director Kevin McCormick Publisher Liz Reid Head of Digital Steve Jones Retail Director Steve Brown Subscription Marketing Director Gill Lambert Subscription Marketing Manager Rochelle Gyer-Smith Print Production Manager Georgina Harris • Volume 25 issue 6 • ISSN: 1364-963 • On sale 13 May 2021
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Kelsey Media 2021 © All rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The Editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk
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HOT STUFF 06 The Hot Five Apple iMac (M1) Superpowered computer Apple iPad Pro (M1) Superpowered tablet Urbanista Los Angeles Sun-powered headphones Polaroid Go Shrink-powered instant camera Transformers Optimus Prime Auto-Converting Programmable Robot (Collector’s Edition) An Optimus Prime Transformer that converts automatically and is programmable and is a robot and is an edition for the collector
14 Vital stats Sony Xperia 1 III Best phone camera ever?
16 Stream Including No Dalmatians Yet
18 Icon Beosound Emerge An exceedingly bookish speaker
20 Games Village of the damned impressive
22 Wheels Extreme E Odyssey 21 ‘E’ is for eco, electric and “Eeeeh!” 24 Stuff meets Richard Browning The real-life Icarus (wax-free)
TESTS 29 First test Sonos Roam A classy wireless speaker, but no bigger than a space-Toblerone 46 Tested LG OLED65G1 An LG OLED TV, but even better 48 Tested Huawei Mate X2 A folding phone, but desirable 49 Tested Hydrow Like Peloton, but on your backside 52 Tested Asus ZenBook Duo 14 A screen, but also another one 53 3 of the best Micro guitar amps Rock’n’roll, but in virtual silence 56 Tested Bang & Olufsen H95 Nice cans, but how much!? 58 Tested Insta360 Go 2 An action cam, but how small!? 67 Tested Hisense A7200G Hisense, but low price 69 Versus Gaming headsets Immersive, but under £100 72 Tested Myzone MZ-Switch A tracker, but not chocolate chip 75 Tested Asus ROG Phone 5 A smartphone, but for gaming 76 Long-term test DJI FPV A drone, but you’re in the cockpit
78 Games Outriders, but It Takes Two
FEATURES 32 Upvoted Bluetooth keyboards Cut the cable to your screen (but not literally, please)
34 Cover feature Garden gadgets Tech can help you transform that bleak wasteland into a miniature BBQ-friendly Eden
44 Mini meme Nature discovery apps And if you look over the fence, there’s even more green stuff…
54 Beta yourself Game emulation Turn your life into a 24hr arcade, no 10p coins required
60 Pet tech Mostly frivolous purchases to make you forget that your house now smells of wee
70 Instant upgrades iPhone 12 Pro A deep dive into the secrets of Apple’s handsome handset
98 Random access memories Chromebook (2011) When the world first realised ‘the cloud’ wasn’t just bad weather
THE LEGENDARY STUFF TOP TENS P82 4
MAKING STUFF UP
Editor-in-Chief James Day Head of News Matt Tate Head of Stuff Digital Natalya Paul Contributors Craig Grannell, Tom Wiggins, Sam Kieldsen, Adam Hay-Nicholls, Alpay Dedezade, Simon Lucas, Basil Kronfli, Leon Poultney, Mike Jennings, Chris Barraclough, Alan Wen, Richard Purvis, Ross Presly Contact us stuff.ed@kelsey.co.uk UK subscription and back issue orderline: 01959 543747 Overseas subscription orderline: 0044 (0)1959 543747 Toll-free USA subscription orderline: 1-888-777-0275 UK customer service team: 01959 543747 Customer service email address: subs@kelsey.co.uk Customer service and subscription postal address: Stuff Customer Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL
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Charge your phone, RTQVGEV CICKPUV TCFKCVKQP Designed and Manufactured in the UK, SleepHalo™ allows users to wirelessly charge their mobile devices whilst enjoying protection from the associated radiation.
*QY KV YQTMU SleepHalo™ is an inductive loop wireless charger encased within a beautifully designed plastic enclosure that incorporates Electro Magnetic Field shielding. The genius of SleepHalo™ is that it allows the wireless device to continue to operate, whilst controlling the direction of radiation from the device.
SleepHalo™ £39.99
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Squad of thunder Two Thunderbolt ports enable superfast data transfer and allow you to connect to external devices like Apple’s 6K Pro Display XDR. Wi-Fi 6 is also supported.
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ALL THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH
Apped around your finger Thousands of programs, including Photoshop, Office, Twitter and Slack, are now ‘Universal apps’ that harness the increased power and efficiency of M1 and macOS Big Sur.
HOT FIVE #1 GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE RAD HUES Apple iMac (M1)
Pass the touchie Touch ID makes its iMac debut this year. Located on the wireless Magic Keyboard, it talks to the M1 chip via an encrypted channel to protect your fingerprint data.
Apple gave the computing world the shake it arguably needed last year when it said goodbye to Intel and introduced a couple of scarily accomplished MacBooks equipped with its very own M1 chipset. And to nobody’s surprise, the stationary Mac has now followed suit. Apple says its new M1 iMac will deliver up to 85% faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance, while allowing users to edit up to five streams of 4K footage simultaneously. And as well as switching to powerful Apple silicon, the completely redesigned iMac – just 11.5mm thin – sports a 24in 4.5K display with 500 nits of brightness, True Tone and over a billion colours. You also get what Apple calls the best ever speakers in a Mac and an improved 1080p webcam. Perhaps tastiest of all, though, are the colour options. No doubt inspired by the early iMacs of the ’90s, the 2021 iMac comes in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue or silver – with matching peripherals. Filling out spreadsheets and mass-deleting emails has never looked so hip. As hot as… a mouse the colour of fire from £1249 / apple.com 7
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Do they know its crispness? The 2021 iPad Pro gains Smart HDR 3 support for the first time, using a new processor to quickly focus images and videos and nab loads of detail even in low light.
HOT FIVE #2 GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE PAD VIEWS Apple iPad Pro (M1)
Still reckon an iPad Pro’s not for proper work? Apple begs to differ. Last year’s model was impressive, but the 2021 Pro packs an M1 chip that ups the flagship tab’s CPU clout by 50% and the GPU by up to 40%, rivalling the fastest Macs. And that’s not all. Fully embracing the ‘Pro’ part of the device’s name, Apple’s added Thunderbolt for external displays, optional 5G, up to 2TB of storage and – on the 12.9in model that starts at £999 – an XDR display. This uses over 10,000 Mini LEDs, versus the 72 LEDs in the previous model, to ramp up brightness (1600 nits at peak) and contrast when you’re doing creative things… or skiving off and watching telly. Well, you wouldn’t want to waste that four-speaker audio system on mere work now, would you? The TrueDepth camera has been revamped too, with a 12MP ultrawide lens that has a 122° field of view. With Apple’s machine-learning smarts, it can keep you in shot during video calls – even when you’re dancing about the place, giddy with glee about your shiny new pride and joy. As hot as... 10,000 miniature suns from £749 / apple.com
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Knockin’ on eleven’s door Some people still prefer the portability of the 11in iPad Pro, but bear in mind you don’t get the new Mini LED display on that slab. We’re still talking about one hell of a screen, though.
ALSO NEW FROM APPLE
Apple TV 4K Hoping for an Apple TV revolution? Too bad. The revamped Apple TV (from £169) looks identical to its predecessor. Fortunately, it has added grunt over the 2017 unit, using the A12 Bionic chip to beef up graphics, video, audio and gaming performance. The little black box now supports high-framerate HDR and Dolby Vision video; throw in a rethought Siri Remote and this looks a decent upgrade.
AirTag
Keys me please me The Magic Keyboard remains an arguably essential add-on for using an iPad Pro for work, its backlit keys and ace trackpad turning the tablet into a real laptop alternative.
Apple finally announced its long-rumoured AirTags, teeny trackers that make use of the vast ‘Find My’ network Apple has built up using its enormous iPhone user base. The stainless steel tags have IP67 water/dust-resistance and a built-in speaker, and can be attached to bags, keys and other non-phone stuff you definitely don’t want to lose. They’re £29 each, or £99 for four.
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Too little noise? As with most modern noise-cancellers, the ANC can be toggled on and off with a button. Press it once to kill all ambient sound, and again to let the important bits through.
HOT FIVE #3 WRING ME SUNSHINE
Urbanista Los Angeles When you think of LA, you probably think of gated mansions, hilariously expensive shops and a massive sign on a hillside. But also year-round sunshine. It’s fitting, then, that Urbanista has named what it dubs ‘the world’s first self-charging solar-powered headphones’ after the city. These wireless cans are powered by Powerfoyle solar cell material, which converts light into electricity to deliver, in theory, neverending battery life. An hour outside in the sun returns three hours of playtime… and if you’re worried about the UK not holding up its end of the bargain, you’ll be pleased to know that ambient light also does the job. As long as you’re in a well-lit room, the Los Angeles will keep charging away – and leaving them by a window for an hour when you’re not using them should add another hour of charge. It’s the plugless life we’ve been dreaming about for yonks, all thanks to that big ball of fire in the sky. Beyond that, they offer pretty much everything you’d expect from wireless headphones at this price, like Bluetooth 5, ANC, on-ear detection and voice support via Siri and Google Assistant. As hot as... a solar-powered barbecue £169 / urbanista.com
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Welcome to the bundle An analogue cam’s not much use without paper to print on… so the Go is available as part of a £129 starter set, which bundles in a double pack of the teeny colour film.
HOT FIVE #4 TINY HAPPY PEEP-PEARL Polaroid Go
Cell’s like teen spirit Not quite ready to embrace a totally solar-powered future? There’s a 50-hour battery that will quell any remaining juice-based fears. You can charge it via USB-C.
Commutes, credit card bills, jockeys: all things that are much better when they’re really small. And so are instant cameras, if you want Polaroid’s opinion on the matter. At just 10.5cm long, 8.4cm wide and 6.2cm tall, the Polaroid Go is a seriously tiny travel-friendly snapper. Yeah, you remember travel… The world’s smallest analogue instant camera features a newly developed selfie mirror, a self-timer, a flash, and easy-to-do double exposures. And while its diminutive form might spark fears of equally diddy battery life, Polaroid reckons it’s got better stamina than its larger predecessors. “How’s the film going to squash into that tiny box?” we hear you cry. Well, there’s also a new film and each photo is only 2in across, barely half the size of a regular instant snap. Polaroid is calling the Go a wearable camera, which presumably means you can attach it to some kind of lanyard around your neck for quick on-the-go access. Then again, in the promotional material we were sent, one person appeared to be balancing theirs on their head, so feel free to get creative. As hot as... a selfie inside Mount Vesuvius £110 / uk.polaroid.com
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Weapon of voice Optimus Prime features over 25 voice-activated commands, including “Roll out!”, “Convert!”, “Attack!” and presumably “Escape from that overly inquisitive dog!”
HOT FIVE #5 AMAZIN’ PRIME
Transformers Optimus Prime Auto-Converting Programmable Robot When Transformers toys first arrived, you could convert them from vehicle to robot by flipping them over and positioning their limbs. Today’s versions are a little trickier, quickly transforming owners from placid bot-lovers into frustrated rage monsters. But the new Transformers Optimus Prime Auto-Converting Programmable Robot (Collector’s Edition) gets around this in cunning fashion. Drawing on Robosen Robotics’ experience in crafting high-end transforming robots, this collaboration with Hasbro converts itself, making good use of 27 servo motors to rearrange its 50cm form. For 700 bucks, that would be a cool but expensive gimmick. Fortunately, this bot goes further, coming to life as you reel off voice commands and watch Optimus respond by shooting imaginary Decepticons with his signature blaster and uttering worthy phrases in Peter Cullen’s familiar tones. Naturally there’s an app as well, for programming and customising Optimus, controlling him via the on-screen joystick… or having him transform, roll out and check Megatron’s not lurking by your bins. As hot as… Megatron’s curry breath $700 / shop.hasbro.com 12
OKAY ZOOMER Sony Xperia 1 III £tba (due early summer) / sony.co.uk
When it comes to taking photos, the Xperia 1 III aims to be top dog thanks to a little help from Sony’s Alpha camera division O Now near, now far Sony supplies many of its rivals with camera sensors, but one thing it’s kept back for itself is the Xperia 1 III’s variable telephoto lens. It’s paired with a 12MP sensor and instantly switches between f/2.3 70mm and f/2.8 105mm focal lengths, so you can zoom in and out instantly and still get pictures packed with detail. There’s also AI super-resolution zoom, which claims to restore definition that’s lost when using digital zoom. O Relative waheys Sony’s penchant for tall and thin screens already makes its phones stand out, but the 1 III also comes with a world-first 4K HDR 120Hz display. That’ll make the 6.5in OLED a real treat for the peepers when watching video, especially when you throw in 240Hz motion-blur reduction. This will also help with gaming, although perhaps not as much as the 240Hz touch-scanning rate, which should mean your fingers aren’t behind the on-screen action. Throw in speakers that are 40% louder than its predecessor’s, plus support for Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, and it’s shaping up to be quite the entertainer. O Another Corning stoner With power provided by the mighty Snapdragon 888 5G processor, 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, Sony hasn’t scrimped on the vitals, plus there’s a 4500mAh battery in there that you can bypass when gaming while plugged in to prevent things from overheating. That might help to stop you from dropping it… but if you do, there’s Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, plus it’s rated IP65/68 for general toughness. Will all this be enough to make up some ground on Samsung, Apple and co? We’ll find out when it goes on sale in the summer.
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The rear camera can also shoot 4K HDR video at up to 60fps, or 120fps slow-mo.
XTRA XPERIAS O Xperia 5 III If you like the sound of the Xperia 1 III but could tolerate a slightly lower-res screen with slightly less sturdy glass, the 5 III is the one to go for. It’s about identical in every other way, with all the same fancy camera tech.
O Xperia 10 III
Put your mind at wrist
FITBIT LUXE Fitbit’s thinnest fitness tracker yet is inspired by jewellery design techniques… but forget blingy Swarovski crystals, because the Luxe is more ‘Indian yoga retreat’ than ‘Marbella beach club’. The emphasis is on a holistic approach to fitness, taking into account sleep, stress and nutrition, as well as all the regular stuff like calories and distance. The only in-yer-face feature is the vivid AMOLED display, suitable for smartphone notifications, but even that can easily be hushed. Subscribe to Fitbit Premium (£7.99/m) and you’ll unlock benefits such as guided meditation by none other than New Age champ Deepak Chopra. It’s fully waterproof, for dunking yourself in the River Ganges. £130 / fitbit.com
There was a time when you had to sacrifice things like 5G if you bought a mid-range phone, but then the Xperia 10 III arrived. It has a 6in 21:9 FHD+ OLED display that supports HDR, and a 4500mAh battery.
O Xperia Pro Now available in the UK for an eye-watering €2499, the top-spec Xperia Pro can use its 6.5in 4K screen as a monitor for a proper camera and livestream what it shows over 5G. But seriously, that price?
Slate bloomers
AMAZON FIRE HD 10
THE MAIN CAMERA SWITCHES BETWEEN 70MM AND 105MM
Amazon’s got new tablets. So. Many. New. Tablets. Kicking things off, the latest Fire HD 10 (pictured) is thinner, lighter and more powerful. You get an octa-core 2GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, uniform bezels, 12 hours of battery life and a brighter full HD display. Not enough clout? The Fire HD 10 Plus (£180) has 4GB of RAM and wireless charging. But won’t somebody think of the children? Oh, wait, Amazon has. The next-gen Fire HD 10 Kids (£200) ramps up battery life, adds USB-C and still comes in that near-indestructible case. Finally, for older sprogs there’s the Fire 10 Kids Pro (£200) with extra content, a filtered browser and voice calling to parent-approved contacts: “Hi Nan, we’ve just bought 15 new tablets!” £150 / amazon.co.uk
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Spring is here, and you are free to go outside for five minutes between bingewatches. Then straight back to the telly for some of this…
The Underground Railroad
The Woman in the Window
This 10-part series from Moonlight director Barry Jenkins follows the fraught journey of an escaped slave attempting to reach freedom via a network of abolitionists and safe havens running from the South to Canada. Nothing to do with the proposed extension of the Bakerloo Line, then. S1 / Amazon Prime Video, 14 May
Joe Wright’s psychological thriller was supposed to come out in 2019, and a delay is rarely a good sign; but with a cast this talented (including Amy Adams and Gary Oldman) we maintain high hopes. Adams plays a woman who thinks she witnesses a murder, but is she just imagining things? Let’s face it: probably not. Film / Netflix, 14 May
Offering an alternative perspective on the power struggles of ancient Rome, this Sky series dramatises the life and times of Livia Drusilla, wife of emperor Augustus and, in her day, the most powerful woman in the world. By means of intrigue, seduction, conspiracy and murder, Livia ruthlessly maintains her family’s status. Sounds delightful. S1 / Sky/Now, 14 May
Love, Death & Robots
The Nevers
Cruella
Do you like androids, ultra-violence and philosophising about free will, intelligence and the very meaning of life itself? A second batch of adult animated sci-fi tales arrives on Netflix and, if it’s anything like the first one, it’ll be heavy on all of the above. It should also display the same broad swathe of animation types as the original series. S2 / Netflix, 14 May
In Victorian London, a group of women find themselves given strange, apparently magical talents following a mysterious eclipse… Creator Joss Whedon may have departed under a murky cloud, and early reaction from both critics and viewers has been less than glowing, but The Nevers has far too much potential to dismiss just yet. S1 / Sky/Now, 17 May
The world may not have been crying out for a live-action Cruella de Vil origin story, but we’ve got one – and it actually looks great. In a lavishly recreated 1970s London, Emma Stone’s Estella is a streetwise grifter dying to make a splash in the fashion industry. So, how does she get from there to dalmatian-craving villainy? Film / Disney+ Premier Access, 28 May
Domina
DO M N TH ISS ’T IS
Army of the Dead Film / Netflix, 21 May
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Zack Snyder is a director who doesn’t always hit the mark: for every 300 or Dawn of the Dead, there’s a Sucker Punch or Dawn of Justice. But his flair for OTT action sequences looks to have found a suitable home in this, a blockbuster heist movie in which a Dirty Dozen-style mob of mercenaries venture into a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas to relieve a casino vault of a few million dollars. The major snag? Sin City is now swarming with zombies – and not the slow, shambling kind. Cue bullets, blood and undead tigers.
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THE IDEA IS THAT THE SPEAKER SITS ON A BOOKSHELF TO BLEND IN
BANG & OLUFSEN BEOSOUND EMERGE from £539 / bang-olufsen.com That’s a nice-looking… book? Nearly. B&O’s Beosound Emerge speaker has been designed to resemble a hardback: side panels wrap around it like a book cover, while the front wears its maker’s logo like a name on the spine. So is it like one of those novelty birthday cards where you open it and it starts playing Dua Lipa? Er, no. There are touch-sensitive buttons on the top, and you can
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choose between oak and black finishes. The general idea is that the speaker can sit on a bookshelf to blend in. I’m guessing it goes louder than a copy of Bleak House? Beyond its camouflaging skills, the Emerge promises sonic muscle that belies its slenderness The front-firing 37mm midrange driver is mounted at an angle, along with a 15mm soft-dome tweeter.
Room for a little bit of bass? Oh yes, those drivers are teamed with a 100mm side-firing woofer that’s guided towards the back of the speaker – with the result, B&O assures us, being a truly room-filling racket. The Emerge can be added to an existing multiroom setup that includes any Bang & Olufsen connected speakers, while there’s support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, plus Google Assistant for hands-free control.
Anything else I should know? Well, books don’t ever become outdated, and neither does the Emerge. Like the Beosound Level before it, it’s modular, and comes with a connectivity hub that will receive performance updates for years to come but is also replaceable should new tech render it obsolete. We look forward to the Emerge causing a stir at your local public library soon – just don’t accidentally return yours.
Don’t think 2S, it’s all right
DJI AIR 2S Aerial photographers and videographers have a new tool to stick in their bag – and it won’t have to be a very big bag. The DJI Air 2S is the smallest camera drone yet to come with a 1in sensor on board, and it’s able to capture 4K video at 60fps or 5.4K at 30fps as well as 20MP stills. A three-axis gimbal keeps things steady, while video shooters have the option to shoot in Hybrid Log Gamma or D-Log profiles for maximum colour-grading scope, as well as H265 to conserve storage capacity (there’s 8GB built in, plus a microSD slot). Battery life runs to 31 minutes of airtime per charge, while an updated version of DJI’s OcuSync transmission tech gives the Air 2S a range of up to 12km. £899 / dji.com
DROP EVERYTHING & DOWNLOAD
Clap Hanz Golf Apple Arcade (£5/m)
The Apple Arcade subscription service has slowly but surely built itself an impressively eclectic library of games… bolstered by a huge update that Apple recently dropped out of nowhere, which featured a number of games from some industry big-hitters. And the pick of the bunch, if you ask us, is Clap Hanz Golf. In all but name this is an Everybody’s Golf title for Apple Arcade, marking the end of developer Clap Hanz’s long exclusivity deal with PlayStation. But don’t expect an inferior knockoff. Like its predecessors, the infectiously cheerful Clap Hanz Golf hits that sweet spot between arcade and simulation golf, with this iteration letting you switch to a different character for each hole. The new touch controls, meanwhile, arguably make hitting a great shot even more satisfying.
In-ear (tales of swanky Bowers)
BOWERS & WILKINS PI7 B&W doesn’t mess about when it comes to sound. So while its audio adversaries have been churning out true wireless earbuds for a while, the British hi-fi bods have bided their time – but the PI7s look to have been very much worth the wait. The important stuff? Dual hybrid drive units that work just like B&W’s top-notch speakers, plus quad amps with advanced DSP that should ensure performance worth every penny of that not inconsiderable pricetag. A six-mic array – three in each bud – brings active noise-cancelling and calls, while the case they charge in can be connected to a wired music source and transmit wirelessly to the earphones – handy if you ever get on a plane again. £349 / bowerswilkins.com
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G A M E S
FIRST PLAY RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC
[ Words Alan Wen ]
Creepy mansions, claustrophobic corridors, a cramped train carriage – quite often it’s the oppressive setting that really gives Resident Evil its fear factor. But while the new instalment switches things up by giving you a village to explore in daylight, it still knows it’s at its best when you’re kept in the dark. Exploration in Resident Evil Village still requires finding the right keys or tools to access different areas. The returning first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7 (as well as its protagonist Ethan Winters,
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this time on the search for his newborn daughter) immerses you in fear, not knowing what’s around the corner as you’re lured into dark spaces while the eerie audio design has you nervously on guard. New threats include Lycans, a zombie/werewolf hybrid capable of clambering around environments at a dangerous pace. Fortunately, Ethan feels well equipped to fight – and if you defeat them they’ll even drop money, which can be spent in random pop-up shops set up by an oddball merchant calling
himself The Duke, one of many callbacks to Resident Evil 4. But the horror elements have not been diluted, especially as you find yourself pursued by some frighteningly invincible foes – including vampire giantess Lady Dimitrescu. Most terrifying are her three daughters, who can’t wait to feast on Ethan’s fresh man-blood. Oh, and they can transform into a swarm of insects, flitting in and out of form and making a mockery of your bullets. If that whets your appetite, look out for the full review next issue.
FIRST LOOK EMOTION-CAPTURE ANIMATION
LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1
Life is Strange is a series that’s married high concept with big issues and managed to hit fans right in the feels. So its apt that in its latest game your superpower is empathy. For Alex, the protagonist in True Colors, the power to
experience, absorb and manipulate the emotions of others – whether that’s anger, sadness or something from a whole unpredictable range, expressed as strange coloured auras – has been a curse she’s tried to suppress her whole life. But when her brother dies in a suspicious ‘accident’, she finally has to confront and use her powers
to uncover the secrets behind the life of a seemingly idyllic small town. While the series has plenty of heart, it’s also been held back by varying quality in writing, tone and animations. Fortunately, with Deck Nine (the studio behind the fine prequel Before the Storm) back on development duties, bringing improved visuals
and fully motion-captured performances, True Colors looks set to give the series the glow-up it needs. And the best part is that, instead of the long waits of an episodic release that risk losing momentum, the whole game will be out in September. So feel free to binge – but you might want to make sure you have a hankie nearby first.
BEST OF VR FOR ESCAPING REALITY
PAVLOV VR
PC, PSVR2 With a new and improved VR headset officially coming to PS5 (dubbed PSVR2 for now), one of the first confirmed titles is co-op shooter Pavlov VR. While it’s already available on other VR platforms, Sony’s headset promises the fidelity and controls to do it justice.
SONG IN THE SMOKE
PC, Oculus, PSVR Indie developer 17-Bit swaps classic 2D strategy and shooters for a bold new frontier in this atmospheric survival VR game. Battle the elements and the wild by crafting medicine, arrowheads and more, and see if you can survive this world’s mysteries.
RESIDENT EVIL 4 VR
Oculus Quest 2 For anyone who’s disappointed that Resident Evil Village won’t have a VR mode, here’s something even better: the all-time masterpiece RE4 is going VR exclusively for Oculus Quest 2! As the game’s iconic merchant would say, “Ahh, I’ll buy that at a high price!”
INCOMING JUNE O RATCHET & CLANK: RIFT APART O MARIO GOLF SUPER RUSH O FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE O SCARLET NEXUS JULY O MONSTER HUNTER STORIES 2: WINGS OF RUIN O THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD HD
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W H E E L S Built by Spark Racing Technology, the Odyssey 21 is powered by a 400kW (536bhp) electric motor from Williams Advanced Engineering.
This e-SUV can race up 52° gradients. Top speed is 124mph, 0-62mph takes 4.5s, and range? Well… in the first race it was just 12 miles.
Extreme E Odyssey 21
APOCALYPSE NEEEEOW £N/A / extreme-e.com This snarling beast is a particularly fearless electric SUV called the Odyssey 21 – and a bunch of them are competing across challenging terrains in the world’s most endangered places. Welcome to Extreme E, the latest venture from the people behind F1’s greener cousin, Formula E. But XE takes the whale-saving to another level. This is motorsport meets National Geographic. There’s no questioning the calibre of the racers: rally legends Carlos Sainz and Sebastien Loeb are going up against Jenson Button,
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while Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg own teams and, uniquely, the sport mandates an even gender split across its nine teams – so women compete alongside men, including Britain’s Jamie Chadwick and Catie Munnings. But the green part of this deal is every bit as serious. First of all, the championship pledges to leave each racing venue better than it was found by creating ‘legacy programmes’ tailored to help the natural world. To keep the carbon footprint to a minimum, there are no spectators
and teams are restricted to five on-site technicians. ‘X Prix’ are among the most remote sporting events ever to be broadcast live, but many of those involved are back in London or Amsterdam. There’s a medivac helicopter on site in case something awful happens, but overhead shots are recorded by drones. The cars are carried to the races aboard a ship that runs on low-sulphur diesel and provides scientific residencies for ecological research. Stuff attended the first race in the Saudi Arabian desert, which
proved to be a tough affair with the track flipping cars and tearing off tyres. The new tech took a beating, with suspension woes, overheating batteries, power-steering failures and one wrecked chassis. And the next race in Senegal (29-30 May) presents a completely different set of challenges. XE has set out to transcend sport. It’s easy to be cynical about EVs ripping through tortured landscapes, but so far it’s a thrilling spectacle – and actually has diehard motorsport fans talking about the climate crisis.
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Designed for impact, the tubular frame is steel alloy reinforced with niobium. The bodywork is made from plant-based flax, not carbon-fibre.
[ Words Adam Hay-Nicholls ]
RACING TO SAVE THE PLANET: THE CALENDAR
DESERT X PRIX ALULA, SAUDI ARABIA
OCEAN X PRIX LAC ROSE, SENEGAL
Stuff witnessed the first race, designed to heighten awareness of the effects of desertification (which could displace 700 million people). The series has also set up a conservation fund for the Red Sea’s endangered hawksbill turtles. 3-4 April
The next one takes place on Africa’s Atlantic coast near Dakar. Drivers will contend with sandbars, saltbeds, gravel and rocks, while drawing attention to fragile marine ecosystems. XE has committed funds to plant a million mangroves. 29-30 May
ARCTIC X PRIX KANGERLUSSUAQ, GREENLAND Round 3 focuses on the melting ice caps and rising sea levels: scientists predict there will be no summer sea ice in the Arctic inside a generation. XE’s cars will race across land that was until recently a glacier. 28-29 August
AMAZON X PRIX PARA, BRAZIL Round 4 races around the rainforest on the banks of the Amazon – ground zero for deforestation and wildfires. Rainforests are of course essential to life, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. 23-24 October
GLACIER X PRIX TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA The finale takes place near Ushuaia, the Patagonian town known as ‘the end of the world’ and the gateway to Antarctica. Some of the biggest consequences of climate change are being seen in the glaciers here. 11-12 December
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STUFF MEETS
Richard Browning
THE MAN BEHIND THE JET-PACK FLYING SUIT ON WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A REAL-LIFE TONY STARK Aviation is in my blood. One of my grandfathers was chief executive of Westland Helicopters, the other was a wartime and civil pilot, and my late father was an aeronautical engineer. I used to build model aircraft when I was a kid, and even when I spent 16 years working for BP I never lost the passion for taking on challenges.
[ Interview Tom Wiggins Image Wonderhatch_Quintessentially ]
It’s all down to human balance. There’s a TED talk on YouTube that shows all the ludicrous experimental phases, but we ended up with two engines on each arm and a slightly more powerful one on your back. The three ‘legs’ of that tripod give you stability but it’s also a very useful way of controlling flight: if you vector the engines down you go up; if you flare them you come down again.
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Flying is a bit like cycling. When you ride a bicycle you don’t consciously think about trying to balance it, you just think about where you want to cycle to – flying is as effortless as that. When you’re flying you’re not thinking about what you’re doing, you’re just going wherever your mind takes you. It’s a pretty euphoric, otherworldly experience. I’ve flown in 33 countries. We’ve flown in Dubai, South Africa, China several times, the Gold Coast of Australia, Rio, across Europe and all over America. Do I have a favourite? Flying around the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier when it was visiting the American coast outside Washington DC was pretty epic.
We’ve used head-up displays for fuel and engine data. It’s kind of cool but often quite flaky and complicated. The latest suit has got a little pendant system wired in, which is much more reliable and the crew can use it when you’re on the ground. AR tech still needs to mature, a bit like how smartphones did – early smartphones would crash a lot but they’re so robust and brilliantly usable now. I love how elegant modern tech looks. From the moment you open the box it’s a rewarding experience. Sam, who does all our CAD work, is a massive aesthetics enthusiast so everything tends to look cool and space-age. And why not? We’re building flying suits, right? We ride around in a Tesla X now as one of our deployment vehicles and
launch jetsuits out of the falcon-wing doors. We don’t have to do that, but it actually works very well!
one you have to start all over again to build the next one, so you can’t really replicate very efficiently. Now we have a little £2000 Ultimaker that 3D-prints smaller things, but we also use companies that have multi-million-pound machines. It’s been an enormous enabler to us. The engines aren’t printed but a lot of the housings and the backpack structure are.
We love our Insta360 One X2 360° action cam. It bamboozles people – even the BBC don’t seem to know they exist – and it’s made so many fixed-angle GoPros redundant. You just stick the thing on a stalk, then it edits out its own pole and films the world – it’s just brilliant.
Innovation is about risks. You might look like a fool, you might hurt yourself and you might run out of money – maybe even all three – but as an entrepreneur or inventor you’ve got to just swallow that. Stuff will go wrong more often than it goes right, but if you can keep making those failures recoverable you can keep progressing.
Nearly everything we make is 3D-printed now. In the early days I used to rivet and bolt aluminium extrusions together. Once you’ve done
Richard Browning’s book Taking on Gravity: A Guide to Inventing the Impossible from the Man Who Learned to Fly is out now.
“WE RIDE AROUND IN A TESLA X AND LAUNCH JETSUITS OUT OF THE FALCON-WING DOORS”
TOTAL PRIZE FUND £1080
WIN 1 OF 3 AUDIO PRO WIRELESS SPEAKERS WORTH £360 EACH! Gareth Southgate’s attacking options for the Euros, chopsticks or cutlery at Wagamama, and the Phil Collins back catalogue: all fine examples of being spoilt for choice… and when it comes to multiroom speakers, Audio Pro offers a similar selection dilemma. Its latest C10 MkII wireless speaker (£360) is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and its own app-based platform, leaving you to choose how to build your multiroom setup. You can even change the look of the speaker by removing the magnetic fabric grille. The successor to the award-winning C10 also includes Spotify Connect, along with support for every major streaming service. We’ve got Audio Pro C10 MkII speakers to give away to three lucky readers, ready to transform your home audio in one fell swoop… but before you start dreaming of blasting out Sussudio in the living room, visit audiopro.com for more info.
HOW TO ENTER
Want to fill the room with Phil? Course you do. For a chance to win this month’s competition, go to stuff.tv/win and answer this question:
WHICH BAND WAS PHIL COLLINS IN BEFORE GOING SOLO? A… Genesis B… Revelation C… BTS
HURRY!
COMPETITION CLOSES 17 JUNE 2021
Terms & conditions: 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over. 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 17 June 2021. 3 Prizes are as stated. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person. Full Ts & Cs: kelsey.co.uk/competition-terms-conditions/ Promoter: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL.
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FIRST TEST SONOS ROAM
Boom, shake the Roam Sonos has made a truly portable speaker fit for chucking just about anywhere – but can it make a full-size noise? £159 / stuff.tv/SonosRoam
he Sonos Roam is this esteemed audio company’s first proper portable speaker. Forget the Move, because while it would love to claim that title (and is a fantastic bit of kit in its own right), the truth is its sheer heft puts it pretty low down our list of boomers to sling in a satchel. The Move is an able beast but simply too unwieldy for weekends away and jaunts in the park… but the Roam is an altogether more sensible proposition for outdoor parties – and that’s not only due to its physical dimensions. Being clued up for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it’ll get on nicely with an existing Sonos setup but has the nifty addition of appealing to punters from outside of the Sonos sphere – those looking for a no-nonsense wireless speaker without the need to use a dedicated app. This, then, might just be the brand’s most accessible speaker yet – and it arrives just in time for the summer. But the sub-£200 porta-speaker market is awash with strong rivals from Marshall, JBL, Ultimate Ears and more, so Sonos needs to cut through the noise. Designed to stand either vertically or horizontally, the robust Roam isn’t exactly shouty in the design department, with a metal mesh and rubberised matt plastic finish; so it’s what’s inside that matters. Does it stick to the same sweet audio recipe as the rest of the Sonos range?
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Go hard or go Roam
The Roam has a refined aesthetic, in keeping with the rest of the Sonos family. It feels sturdy and the rubberised ends are there to absorb shock. The buttons are physical to avoid accidental prods, and there’s USB-C charging or you can fuel it wirelessly.
2 Roam computer
3 Make yourself at Roam
Above the Sonos logo is a tiny LED displaying connection status and muting; a second LED on the top indicates when microphones are active. The final LED is found at the bottom and shows power and charge status. If it glows orange, it’s thirsty.
Pairing is a doddle: control the Roam from a streaming platform, a podcast app or AirPlay 2. You’ve got Alexa or Google Assistant on voice duty, and automatic Trueplay means it’ll tune its sound to suit the environment, whether you’re inside or outside.
4 She’s leaving Roam
5 Roam on the range
Another choice feature is Sound Swap, which switches audio to the nearest Sonos speaker in the vicinity. Press play/pause and the Roam pings sound around accordingly – useful if you wish to express your right to Roam without taking it with you.
Connectivity remained rock solid throughout our testing, as did the seamless switch between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, although the claimed 10-hour battery life is a stretch and it takes around two hours to get it juiced up with a full charge.
Good Meh Evil
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24 hours with the Sonos Roam
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FIRST TEST SONOS ROAM
Tech specs Audio 1x tweeter, 1x mid-woofer, 2x Class H amps Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 Battery life Up to 10 hours Water-resistance IP67 Dimensions 168x62x60mm, 430g
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Green green grass of Roam
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In, out, take it all about. How did the Sonos Roam fare on our mini world tour to the park and back?
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Q Roam comforts
Q Roam front
For a Sonos, the sound quality is really just OK. But for a speaker of this size and form factor, it’s impressive. It might not quite outweigh some of the competition, but it certainly matches them.
One thing this little box doesn’t lack is bass: it has a surprising amount of low-end oomph for a speaker so small. In fact it’s a bit overzealous in certain cases, requiring some tweaks to the EQ.
Q Roam truths
Q Roam and dry
Things are well balanced in the mid-range, although it does suffer in the higher echelons, lacking a bit of clarity. That bass really is the boss here, especially when you take the Roam into the shower.
In reality, your mates in the park are not likely to hush the crowd to note that vocals sound ever so slightly dampened, and on that basis the Roam is a perfectly well-rounded portable speaker.
Sonos should have made the Roam years ago. Its portability alone should be enough to see it shift plenty of units, but it’s the bonus features like automatic Trueplay and Sound Swap that set it apart. Yes, there are better-sounding sub-£200 speakers, but none with the Roam’s skills – it’s up to you to decide whether you need them. @natalyapaul
STUFF SAYS +++++ An attractive portable speaker with solid sound that works well across Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 31
FOR THE PLAYERS
FOR KEY WORKERS
FOR HIPSTER TYPES
UPVOTED
The fashionable fingerer
The emoji enabler
The noisy nostalgist
Apple Magic Keyboard Like comfort food for Apple fans, the clean and minimalistic Magic Keyboard brings everything you’d expect to the table: a sleek design, a solid mechanism and hassle-free pairing with your Mac. It might lack bonus features like backlighting, but at least it’ll last a month or more between charges. £99 / apple.com
Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard Microsoft’s answer to Apple weighs in at just 288g and is small enough to slip into any bag. But who cares? The best part is that you can instantly summon any emoji you desire thanks to a dedicated key (yes, really). It also has the ability to easily snap between three different devices. £70 / microsoft.com
Azio Retro Classic Want to ignore the aesthetic advances of keyboards from the past several decades? Get the loud and proud Azio Retro Classic. Inspired by the typewriters of old, its round mechanical keys bring an unapologetic thwack to typing, while a durable aluminium frame makes it feel luxurious and sturdy. £161 / aziocorp.com
The snowy smoothie
BLUETOOTH KEYBOARDS WFH’s got us plugging laptops into TVs, but now we can’t reach the keys – so Alpay Dedezade picks out some nifty button-bashers
Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard Your achy wrists deserve a break, and Microsoft’s wavy board is the expert masseuse they’re looking for. Its split design lets your hands rest in a much more natural position, reducing strain. And despite its sensible purpose it’s a looker too, with a luxurious Alcantara palm-rest. £120 / microsoft.com
The kaleidoscopic clicker
The sofa surfer
The turbo tapper
Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro This Razer board has a super-speedy RF wireless mode in addition to Bluetooth, further proving that your losing streak is down to human error alone. Media controls are useful during de-frazzling breaks, while the colourful RGB backlit keys help offset the guilt of all those virtual murders. £200 / razer.com
Corsair K63 Gaming in the full glory of a living-room TV setup is becoming more popular, especially with the advent of low-refresh-rate tellies. The K63 is part keyboard, part lap-tray, with a built-in mousepad and soft-touch wrist-rest. Can it also be used as a handy snack tray? Sure. We won’t judge. £70 / corsair.com
Logitech G915 Logitech’s Lightspeed tech aims to boost you to the head of the esports pile thanks to a 1ms response time (faster than many wired keyboards). Aimed at gamers who accept no compromises, it’s slim and light too, with a set of programmable macro buttons for an even bigger edge. £210 / logitechg.com
HOW TO DECIDE 32
The angled appeaser
Razer Pro Type The Pro Type is a pure-white productivity powerhouse, with plenty of tricks crammed beneath its Daz-dipped backlit keys. Its mechanical switches promise a tactile experience without the ear-splitting clacks typically blasted out by mechanical rivals, and it’ll play nice with up to four devices. £140 / razer.com
1 Dump the digits You don’t necessarily need a desk-dominator. If you’re not a number-cruncher or gaming macro enthusiast, save yourself some cash and ditch the numberpad for a ‘tenkeyless’ model.
2 Love the lights Backlit keys are great for low-light work and play. Gaming keyboards tend to go overkill with full-on unicorn-vomit RGB lights, which will of course make you play at least 20% better.
UPVOTED
The crafty creator Logitech Craft The Craft is a festival of rounded edges, taking in the keys as well as the body, without a single corner in sight. This bold anti-pointiness look is complemented by a Creative Input Dial that can adapt to different functions depending on the app you’re using. From changing the volume of your music to altering brush sizes in Photoshop and much more, it makes this an ideal choice for fearlessly creative sorts. £179 / logitech.com
3 Deploy the dongle Bluetooth is convenient, but it’s nice to have other options. Some fancy boards also offer wired and RF wireless dongle options, which can be handy for gamers looking for lower latency.
4 Consider the colours Mechanical keyboards come with different kinds of key switch. Red switches are super-sensitive, blue ones have more resistance so are better for typing, while brown is a happy medium.
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GARDEN GADGETS
PATIO HANDS TOGETHER [ Words Tom Wiggins ]
Bare grills, lawn enforcers, al-fresco entertaining and ways to spot a hungry robin – let’s hear it for the tech that helps make your garden more than just somewhere to go for a sneaky fag
WEBER GENESIS II EX-315 ome people think a barbecue isn’t really a barbecue unless you forage for the charcoal at your nearest petrol station forecourt, hunt down the meat on the wild plains of your local high street, and get it going with nothing more than a box of Swan Vestas and enough firelighters to ignite a bathful of mayonnaise – but apparently using gas is cheating. To be honest, the LPG that powers the EX-315 Smart Barbecue’s three stainless steel burners is probably the least techy thing about it, which doesn’t bode well for the purists, but
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leaves the rest of us plenty of room to admire this absolute cathedral to outdoor cooking.
We’ll meat again
As well as gas, the EX-315 is cooking with Wi-Fi, which means you can keep an eye on whatever’s sizzling away without having to stand over its porcelain-enamelled, cast-iron cooking grates… or even open the lid. It comes with an integrated meat probe (plus the capacity to add a second one) and works with Weber’s Connect platform, which allows you to use an app on your phone to monitor
temperature and cooking progress. It’ll even send you notifications when it’s time to serve your steaks or pull your pork. For those who prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, there’s also a built-in temperature display on the front, plus an LED handle light and illuminated control knobs in case you get peckish after dark and decide to fire it up for a midnight burger. Sure, doing everything properly from scratch might be more authentic, but since when did stomachs care about authenticity? £1311 / weber.com
GARDEN GADGETS
Grease lightening
The EX-315 comes with stainless steel Flavorizer Bars, which are part of a grease-management system that channels the icky stuff away from the burners and into a special container.
Rest end grills
This barbie has stainless steel tables on each side of the grill, so you’ll always have somewhere to rest your tongs; but if you’d prefer some extra cooking power, the EX-335 (£1521) has a side burner too.
Dutch in the void
With a cooking area of 4254cm2 there should be enough space to feed the whole family, plus you can level-up your repertoire using bits and bobs like pizza stones, griddles and a Dutch oven. 35
GARDEN GADGETS
Go your bone way
Witness the thickness
The Dome’s dome is made of ceramic-coated steel, so it’s designed to live outside all year round. Unlike most barbecues, which tend to be black only, you can pick this olive or a ‘bone’ finish.
The Dome is densely insulated, with a 30mm floor that means the inside stays hotter for longer and radiates the heat nicely around the oven. There’s room in there to cook a 16in pizza.
Stand and do liver
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The oven itself weighs 58kg, so you probably won’t want to move it around too much. To make it easier to manoeuvre, there’s an optional stand (£289) with four wheels and some handy shelves.
GARDEN GADGETS
GRILL TALK Ever since humans discovered how to make fire they’ve cooked their dinner on it… but tech has moved on since then, so feast on these upgrades to your crusty setup
GOZNEY DOME hen you think ‘barbecue’ you probably picture piles of gently cremated bangers, dry beefy discs between cheap baps, and a sad-looking token veggie option. But outdoor eating has come a long way in recent years – and Gozney’s new Dome proves it. Following (very) hot on the heels of Gozney’s Roccbox, the Dome is the Bentley Continental of back-garden pizza ovens. In fact, to call it a pizza oven is to do the Dome a disservice. While it will reach temperatures of up to 500º – which is the kind of intense heat you need to get those crispy leopard-spotted crusts – it also means you can sear steaks and expertly char veg. It’s massively versatile: turn the heat down and you can slow-roast larger cuts of meat or fish; close the door and add smoking chips for some extra flavour; take your lockdown sourdough addiction to the next level with the integrated steam injector; or even attach the cold smoker attachment for salmon.
MORE KILLER GRILLERS BBQ wisdom from Dan Cooper, pro chef and Weber’s head grill master (@daniel cooperbbq)
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TRAEGER PRO 575
AQUAFORNO II
Toot toot! All aboard the chimney-packing, pellet-smoking Pro 575. This American-style job burns compressed chunks of wood that infuse your food with flavours such as hickory, apple and mesquite. Smoking and slow cooking are its greatest strengths, and it comes with WiFire tech that lets you keep on top of things with an app. £899 / traegergrills.com
If Vasily Zvyozdochkin, inventor of the iconic stacking Russian dolls, had designed a BBQ, it’d probably have looked just like the Aquaforno II. The telescopic design means it can be both collapsed for storage or separated out into its three parts, so you can do everything from grilling and roasting to smoking and boiling. £395 / aquaforno.com
TEPRO TORONTO STEAK GRILL
BODUM FYRKAT
BERGHOFF LEO TABLE BBQ
CHAR-BROIL GAS2COAL
Anyone who sees you cooking on the Leo may well worry they’re about to be served eye of newt and toe of frog; but with a cork lid that doubles as an adjustable base to control airflow, it’s suitable for grilling nicer scran too. All the bits are removable, which makes it easier to scrub off the traces of burnt snake. €199 / berghoffworldwide.com
Can’t choose between the convenience of gas and the tradition of charcoal? Try this hybrid: if you’re feeling ‘authentic’, just add the included tray, load it up with ex-wood and use the gas burners to ignite it. The airflow means it actually burns from the top, which offers more even heat distribution. from £370 / charbroil.co.uk
With a single ceramic infrared burner that’s capable of reaching 800º in just two minutes, this gas-powered grill can get you a perfectly cooked chunk of sirloin in less time than it takes to fry an egg. The high heat seals in the flavour and sears the outside, while a fat-collection system makes it easy to dispose of the yuck. £300 / iwoot.com
Carnival of fuels
The standard Dome is wood-fired, with a dial on the side to control the airflow and regulate the temperature inside, but if you’d rather not rely so entirely on thermodynamics there’s also a dual-fuel model (£1199) that adds a built-in gas burner; but both work on exactly the same principles. To take the guesswork out, there’s also a digital thermometer display and two meat probes included. Gozney also makes commercial ovens for restaurants, which means the Dome has been created using some serious know-how. Better make sure you’ve got the cooking skills to match. from £999 / gozney.com
PRO TIPS
If all you’re looking for is a metal bowl to make a fire in, you can’t go far wrong with a Fyrkat. Its modest 38cm diameter means it’ll take you a while to feed the five thousand, but the matt finish and stainless steel legs make it look the business, it comes with a lid to protect your flames from gusts of wind, and the silicone handle is heatproof. £120 / bodum.com
1 USE THE LID People leave it to collect rainwater and dead leaves, but restricting oxygen reduces the risk of flare-ups, stops all the flavour from blowing away and helps you to cook things evenly.
2 GO INDIRECT Indirect cooking means having an area with no heat source under it, so you can turn the middle burner off or bank up the coals and leave a ‘safe zone’ in the centre. If something takes more than 20 minutes to cook, go for indirect.
3 THERM UP So many people think thermometers belong in pro kitchens but that’s nonsense. They’re very cheap and it just means you’ve got complete confidence in your food being cooked through properly.
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GARDEN GADGETS
SOIREE STYLES PRO TIPS
Please don’t cram 30 friends into your tiny garden… but with outside the new inside, it pays to have your open-air hospitality options on point just in case M O R E PA R T Y S TA R T E R S
TRANSPARENT LIGHT SPEAKER
Backyard cinema hints from George Wood, founder of the Luna Cinema (lunadrivein cinema.com) 1 SET THE SCREEN If you haven’t got a white wall you can string a bedsheet between two fence-posts, pull it taut and project onto that. The picture won’t be brilliant but it’ll be decent enough.
2 DON’T START TOO SOON Even with the most powerful projector you’re still governed by sunset. At dusk you start to get a picture so you can set the scene a bit, but wait until it’s fully dark before the film starts.
3 FEED INTO THE FILM Food or drink can mirror the atmosphere of a film and it really enhances the experience. Everyone loves it when you screen The Big Lebowski and serve up White Russians.
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hile chin-stroking audiophiles wang on about the ‘warmth’ of vinyl, if you’re after a music source that actually looks like it gives off heat you need one of Transparent’s Light Speakers. Transparent’s designers started by studying the qualities of an actual candle: the light temperature, brightness and wax-drip velocity. OK, we made the last one up, but the movement of a real flame is one thing that sets it apart from artificial light and makes the Light Speaker look convincingly like an old lantern – it’ll even flicker in time with the music.
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ASUS ZENBEAM LATTE L1
PINTER
B&O BEOLIT 20
With another summer of football-related disappointment ahead of us, it’s a good idea to have something else you can rely on, so how about your own backyard cinema? Asus’s battery-powered projector has built-in 10W speakers and can beam a 120in, 720p picture onto any nearby flat surface. £399 / asus.com
It might look like some sort of NASA fuel tank, but the only thing the Pinter (as in ‘pint’, not Harold) is going to power is your next knees-up. Fill it with water, yeast and your choice of Fresh Press bev (anything from stout to cider) and it’ll make 10 pints in four days. Just make sure you get it started in time for your guests. £75 / thegreatergood.co.uk
With its built-in leather handle and flat top, the Beolit 20 looks a bit like a futuristic drinks cooler; but you’ll only get aural refreshment out of this Bluetooth box. Six drivers and two 35W amps give it plenty of oomph, plus it doubles as a wireless charging plinth so you won’t even need to go inside to save your spluttering phone. £450 / bang-olufsen.com
MARSHALL EMBERTON
PHILIPS HUE AMARANT
Like red Ferraris or white Apple earphones, Marshall kit should always be black… but we’ll make an exception for the brand’s smallest Bluetooth speaker. It won’t go loud enough to scare the neighbours but it sounds stonking and will play for up to 20 hours. It’s also available in green… and yes, black. £130 / marshall headphones.com
If you’re used to having smart bulbs throughout your gaff, you don’t want to downgrade when it comes to outdoor illumination. Philips has a range of garden-ready Hue lights, but this is its latest addition: a ground-based weatherproof lightsaber that paints any large flat surface with a wall of white or coloured light. £130 / philips-hue.com
BIG BERTHA MODULAR SOFA BEAN BAG Sure, you could plant your rear on some white plastic patio furniture like you’re getting lobstered in Benidorm… or you could recline in real comfort on one of BB’s water-resistant giganta-sacks. The sections zip together, so you can slip away if your co-occupant gets dull. from £279 / bigberthaoriginal.com
Knobs yer uncle
Of course, candles don’t make much noise, so Transparent combined its faux-flame in the base with a passive 3in woofer and put a 2.5in full-range driver in the dome-shaped top, which fires out 360° sound. That means the Light Speaker comes with two knobs (stop it): one to control the volume of your tunes and another for adjusting the brightness. With the latter at its lowest it’ll glow like fiery embers, while at max it’ll look more like a standard fluorescent bulb, so you’ll have lighting conditions to match everything from campfire strummers to high-energy bangers. The Light Speaker only has 5W of sound-pushing power to play with, so that will limit the amount of full-on outdoor raving it’s likely to inspire; but with Bluetooth 5 on board you can connect two of them to the same source and use each Light Speaker as a separate stereo channel. That should give your capacity for both audio and illumination a much-needed boost, especially if you’ve been joined by a chin-stroker whose pretentious ramblings you’re trying to drown out. £270 / transpa.rent
Slap and pickle
GARDEN GADGETS
The Light Speaker obviously won’t actually heat up, but it still comes with a detachable handle to make it easier to carry around. It weighs 600g – about the same as a jar of gherkins.
At my moist beautiful
Method of module love
While a real flame will wave a white flag at the first sign of water, the Light Speaker has an IPX2 rating so it can deal with a splash of rain or two, although a full-on soaking is still off the cards.
Transparent’s speakers are all designed to be modular, so any part can be removed and repaired or upgraded. It’s mainly an eco thing, but it’s also just as well considering the prices…
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GARDEN GADGETS Truth to shower
There’s a Bosch Smart Gardening app you can use to control your M+ 700, but it also works with IFTTT and Alexa. Whatever you get it to do, it’ll sack it off if it looks like rain.
Climb a believer
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The M+ 700 has a trio of 19cm blades that can be set at three different heights: 30, 40 or 50mm. It’ll cope with slopes of up to 27%, which shouldn’t be a problem unless you live in Teletubbyland.
Games with frontiers
Unless you want to come home to find your robot trying to mow the bottom of the pond or breaking for the front gate, you’ll need to stake out its territory using the included perimeter wire.
GARDEN GADGETS
SUPER GRASS Because even the most green-fingered gardener wants a helping hand – especially if it means robot minions doing the hard graft while you kick back with a beer
BOSCH INDEGO M+ 700 ot all robot lawnmowers are created equal. You might think that, as long as there’s something out there showing the blades of grass who’s boss, you can put your feet up; but there’s more to choosing an autonomous gardener than that. The number in this Bosch mower’s name means it’s capable of patrolling gardens up to 700 square metres in size. If you’ve got less lawn to cut there are other bots that are equally well equipped for the job, but this is the top dog in the Indego range. And you don’t need one unbroken expanse of green to get the best of it: its MultiArea capability means you can allocate up to three patches of grass to its territory and it’ll automatically take care of each one, as long as the total area doesn’t exceed 700m2.
MORE FOLIAGE FETTLERS Lawncare essentials with Chris Coote, robotics product manager at Bosch (bosch-diy.com)
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GARDENA AQUABLOOM If you’ve got a balcony or terrace full of plants that need watering, this system takes some of the terrifying responsibility off your hands. With 14 different programmes and a solar-powered pump, you just need to add a bucket of water and let the micro-drip irrigation do its thing. It can deal with up to 20 plants. £99 / gardena.com
HOZELOCK GREEN POWER EVOLUTION THERMAL WEEDER Unless you’re Kurt Russell in The Thing, flamethrowers are generally overkill for dealing with pests. But call your fiery wand a Thermal Weeder and use its 600°C tip to deliver a thermal shock to slay any straggly intruders on your patio, and that’s fine. £60 / hozelock.com
WORX LANDROID S300 It might feel a bit lazy to enlist a robot mower when you’ve only got 300m2 to keep in check, but we’re not ones to judge – especially if it means you get to buy more tech. The tank-like S300 is designed for smaller green spaces but still has all the extras of a wider-roamer, such as intelligent navigation and auto-scheduling. £500 / worx-uk.com
Routing for you
Rather than just bumbling about randomly looking for grass to attack, its LogiCut intelligent routing calculates the fastest, most efficient way around your garden and mows in neat lines, pumping out the mulched cuttings to help fertilise the soil. It can even start each cut by going around the edges and making sure they’re all neat and tidy. There are sensors on board to help it avoid obstacles, but that doesn’t mean you have to let things get out of hand underneath your garden furniture – SpotMow mode allows it to focus on smaller areas that don’t get the treatment as part of its normal routine, so it can easily take care of any newly exposed tufts when everything gets put away at the end of the summer. £1149 / bosch-diy.com
PRO TIPS
ORBIT B-HYVE CONTROLLER
NETRO WHISPERER
A bit like a smart thermostat for your garden, this is a Wi-Fi controller for sprinkler systems. Its app gives you control over the watering schedule, but it also gets local weather data and automatically adjusts so your plants don’t drown. You can use voice control via an Echo or other Alexa device. £149 / waterirrigation.co.uk
Soil isn’t known for its chattiness, so you might need help if you want to find out what things are like (just) below the surface. Stick a Netro Whisperer in the ground and its sensors will collect data on moisture, temperature and sunlight conditions, sending you notifications if any of your plants need special attention. £60 / netrogarden.com
KÄRCHER SENSOTIMER ST 6 ECOLOGIC Looking for something halfway between the AquaBloom and the B-Hyve? Fix this little computer to an outside tap, stick the radio sensor into the soil and it’ll ensure your garden’s moisture level never falls below the preset value. It checks every 30 minutes, so nothing will go thirsty for long. £100 / kaercher.com
1 CLEAR UP Whether you’re using a robot mower or a traditional one, remove any stones or other hard objects before you start. This reduces the chances of damaging yourself or the mower.
2 RISE UP When it’s dry, raise the height of the cut on your mower, as keeping the grass a bit longer avoids weakening it and encourages deeper rooting. Rule of thumb: aim to remove only a third of the grass blade at a time.
3 OPEN UP Avoid letting too many fallen leaves build up during the autumn months. Thick layers block out the sunlight and inhibit air circulation, which makes it difficult for the grass to breathe and grow.
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GARDEN GADGETS
BEASTIE TOYS PRO TIPS
Whether it’s furry, flying or far away, it doesn’t always have to go on the BBQ – here’s everything you need to be a techy twitcher without turning your visitors into lunch MORE WILD WONDERS
BIRD BUDDY
Animal-spying pointers from Billy Heaney, zoologist and nature presenter (billyheaney. co.uk)
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BLINK OUTDOOR 1 BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE Don’t focus on getting all of the garden in shot; experiment with different locations. Find out what’s sneaking in and out of that hole in your fence, or what’s using your pond.
2 BE THE BADGER
Blink’s nicely affordable Outdoor cameras are really designed to keep an eye out for human intruders, but their mix of AA battery power, HD video with night vision and handy boxy design means they’re ideal for snooping on wildlife. The app will ping you if one spots anything, and you can store videos in the cloud for £2.50 a month. from £100 / blinkforhome.com
WILDLIFE ACOUSTICS ECHO METER TOUCH 2 You already knew your phone was a camera, satnav and general procrastination station, but did you know it could be a bat detector too? This gadget plugs into your phone or tablet (Lightning or USB) and listens in on ultrasonic bat banter, while an app analyses and translates. £199 / wildlifeacoustics.com
EVE WEATHER The weather might not be as cute as the local fox family, but it’s not going to watch itself. Eve’s weather station keeps an eye on the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure in your garden, and records it over time in an app. So you get a more accurate picture of what the skies are likely to dump on you over the next 12 hours. £62 / evehome.com
Once you’ve got it set up, do a test to make sure you’ve got your angles right and the camera’s pointing exactly where you want. Walk (or crawl) past it.
3 BE A MASTER BAITER Springwatch often use snacks to attract animals… but don’t feed them crap. Use foods they would naturally come across, and be careful not to encourage unnatural behaviour.
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hile your video doorbell will tell you about every peasant who comes within 10 metres of your front doormat, there’s a whole procession of visitors in your back garden that have gone entirely unrecorded. Stick a Bird Buddy out there, though, and you’ll be able to put together an identity parade of all the flappers that drop by. Equipped with a motion-activated camera that captures 5MP stills and 720p video, it has a 120° lens pointing straight at the dining plinth, so unless you regularly get visits from an albatross it should be able to fit every feather in. As well as snapping awesome avian close-ups, it’ll ping your phone when a beak approaches and allow you to watch your guest chow down in real time – with a reservoir of food that’s easy to refill when the greedy tykes have finished stuffing themselves.
Titsville UK
BROWNING RECON FORCE ELITE HP4 While the name makes it sound like something out of Call of Duty, Browning’s wildlife cams have been used on BBC Springwatch – so the only thing it’ll shoot is 1080p footage at 60fps. With its camo finish it’s easy to squirrel away, and when triggered it’ll start to record in a fraction of a second. £165 / browning trailcameras.com
VAONIS VESPERA If you’d rather look at what’s above the birds, this motorised smart telescope will point you in the right direction. It uses your phone’s GPS to work out exactly where it is, while the app lets you choose what you want it to show you… before snapping celestial portraits using the highly sensitive 1/2.8in Sony sensor inside. €1499 / vaonis.com
CELESTRON SKYMASTER PRO 20x80 Interested in the stars but not quite €1499 interested? A pair of binoculars might be a better place to start. Celestron’s waterproof SkyMaster Pro 20x80s offer large lenses, 20x magnification and a built-in tripod adaptor for keeping things steady when you’re trying to inspect Uranus. £230 / celestron.com
What sets the Bird Buddy apart from just strapping a camera to a regular bird table is the extra twitching skills provided by the app. It includes AI-powered identification smarts that can recognise over 1000 species of common bird, whether the camera catches a proper glimpse or the mic just hears what it’s singing (apparently corvids are partial to belting out the hits of Sheryl Crow). Each new type that pays your Bird Buddy a visit will unlock a spotter’s badge to add to your virtual collection, a bit like a real-life game of Pokemon but without the battles; plus the app will give you tips on what to fill the feeder with to attract each one… and no, the end slices of bread will not do. Don’t believe us? Check out the RSPB guidelines, you cheapskate. £135 / mybirdbuddy.com
GARDEN GADGETS Here comes the wren again
The Bird Buddy is of course weather-resistant; and if anything goes wrong with the camera module or a new version comes along, that bit’s designed to be replaceable.
I’ve got you under my siskin
There are various optional mount options, including ones for fences and walls, plus you can even add a solar-panel roof or tempting suet-ball holder. Mmmm, suet-balls.…
Whole lotta dove
The 6040mAh battery should last about a month between charges, depending on how popular your garden is with the local birds. Try not to take it personally if yours lasts longer.
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APPS
Mini meme
O myGarden Assuming the British weather doesn’t troll us by snowing right through summer, and assuming you have a patch of land to plant stuff in, this app helps you get green-fingered. It provides inspiration and ways to plan: there’s a journal for noting successes plus a plant library to help you track what you shove into the soil, how often it should be watered, and whether you’ll die if you eat some for dinner. £free / iOS
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GOING APP THE COUNTRY Continuing our going-back-outside theme, here are the apps that can help you rediscover the great outdoors and its wonderful wildlife (plus pubs)
O BirdNET Birdsong is mostly territorial types yelling at each other. Still, it sounds nice. With BirdNET, you can record, select and analyse such sounds to discover which birds are nearby. It’s not quite Shazam for birds (ChirpOMatic is closer), but the slightly fiddly interface is compensated by the app’s impressive accuracy. (We checked – to the point where we can now identify a dozen British bird chirps.) £free / Android, iOS
O PlantNet
O Picture Insect
O iNaturalist
O Pub Walks
Shazam for plants? Well, they don’t make any noise, so no. What you do get here, though, is a plant-specific reverse image search. Shoot a few snaps, tell the app whether it’s looking at a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some bark, and it’ll rifle through its database to let you know what you’re gawping at, have just wrenched out of the ground or are keen to munch on because shiny berries are so pretty. £free / Android, iOS
Is that beetle going to go for your throat? Will that ant eat your brains? OK, so the UK’s mini-beasts aren’t that exciting nor terribly dangerous, but it can still be fun to figure out what you’ve found while digging through the dirt on a ramble. This app provides handy descriptions of what you snap and keeps your finds in a gallery collection. Just be mindful it’ll often ‘bug’ you to subscribe. £free (IAP) / Android, iOS
This app urges you to become a citizen scientist, scouring your local area to record organisms you find and share them with the world. Or you can just be lazy and take advantage of everyone else’s hard work. Either way, you can zoom into a map, tap a grid to see what plants and critters were once nearby, and then get all miffed when you rock up for a closer look and everything’s gone into hiding. £free / Android, iOS
If you think the outdoors can only really be called ‘great’ if it involves a beer garden, but are nonetheless keen to take in nature, this app gives you the best of both: it’ll advise about pubs that are close to idyllic locations. You can then start from a pub’s front door, head off for a stroll (GPS ensuring you won’t get horribly lost), and end up back at the same pub having worked up a nice thirst. £free / Android, iOS
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T E S T E D LG O L E D 6 5 G 1
Can’t stand me wow LG has overhauled its TV tech and even included the UK’s catch-up services this time, only now it’s forgotten something else: legs
[ Words Simon Lucas ]
£3000 / stuff.tv/65G1 Yes, there’s a lot about LG’s new G1 OLED range that’s new and exciting and intriguing. Yes, LG has made changes to the OLED panel itself, to the operating system you use to interact with it, to the processing protocols that govern picture quality, and even to the remote control. Yet one question still needs answering: Where does LG get the nerve to charge three grand for a television that doesn’t have any feet? As part of LG’s Gallery series, the OLED65G1 is designed to be hung on the wall. To make this enticing, there’s none of the bulk where the electronics normally go and a consistent depth of just 19.9mm. The wall-bracket doesn’t add any depth either, so it’s completely flush (which is, incidentally, what you’ll need to be to afford it). The only thing all that doesn’t explain is why LG charges £99 for feet should you want them. Anyway, let’s watch some telly…
My art will go on The OLED65G1 is minimal and discreetly decorative. The bezel is vanishingly thin (1), there’s no room even for LG branding, and to reinforce its ‘Gallery’ credentials it can display framed artwork while in standby. No arguing with the way it’s built – even the panels covering the cables feel robust.
GOOD MEH EVIL
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A slim and handsome telly
1
Hang on to your Evo LG’s new OLED Evo panel (2) promises brighter, sharper images, and greater power efficiency. It uses an additional green layer, a new ‘luminous’ element and narrower blue and red wavelengths. There’s a new processor too: the Alpha 9 Gen4.
Outstanding picture quality…
…but sound is less impressive
The day before you game The new chip includes a big AI element to upscale sub-4K content, and AI Picture Pro, which enhances specific areas of an image for greater impact. If you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X you can rest easy here with four HDMI 2.1 inputs and a lag time of, at worst, 12ms.
Picky about motion settings
Great OS with a stack of apps Expensive… even without any feet
Playing with the noise The LG can summon 60W of audio power, divided between a 20W subwoofer and four full-range 10W drivers.
T E S T E D LG O L E D 6 5 G 1
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Tech specs Screen 65in 3840x2160 OLED OS webOS 6.0 Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, 4x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB, optical HDR formats HDR10 Pro, HLG, Dolby Vision Dimensions 1446x830x19.9mm, 29kg
Catch up, look sharp LG embarrassed itself by omitting the UK’s catch-up TV services last year, but it’s made amends for 2021
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GOAT of many colours Evo makes good on its promises, making this LG’s best OLED TV yet, and watching Thunder Force with Dolby Vision on Netflix only strengthens that case. Every aspect of picture-making is impressive here – colours are vibrant, details sharp, contrasts wide but not unnatural (3).
Creep on movin’ The only area where it doesn’t prove masterful is motion control, where every kind of content requires a different ‘clarity’ setting. It’s an accomplished upscaler, although inevitably there are limits. If you’re watching On The Buses on this, you need to have a look at yourself instead.
Q Appy together
Q Tune enough
LG’s 2021 tellies pack webOS 6.0 and it’s a big change. The interface covers the entire screen, and as well as Freeview Play there’s a big selection of apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV.
Less headline-worthy are Now, Rakuten, Google Play Movies plus audio options from Spotify, Deezer, Tidal and so on. It manages a decent Dolby Atmos soundtrack where compatible, but it sounds fundamentally boring.
Q A find of magic
Q Scroll survivor
The OS puts the emphasis on recommendations, but you’ll need to put in the hours before it starts to understand your viewing habits. Navigation happens using the latest version of LG’s almost entirely admirable Magic Remote.
The point-and-click aspect remains, as does the up/down scroll-wheel. There’s a mic for voice control, plus some ‘direct access’ buttons, and it’s more palm-friendly than it used to be. There’s also an app should you lose it.
£3k is a lot of money to pay for a television, even one as slim and well-specified as this, especially when you take the humdrum audio quality into account. But the OLED specialists have made good on the ‘Evo’ promise by serving up pictures that exceed expectations… so maybe LG is entitled to charge what it thinks it can get away with. @OnlySimonLucas
STUFF SAYS +++++ Probably LG’s best ever OLED… which means it’s about as good an OLED as we can remember seeing 47
T E S T E D H U AW E I M AT E X 2
After the fold rush Huawei’s Mate X2 copies the flexible Samsung Z Fold2 but moves things on with a bigger screen, bolder cameras and a kickstand for watching telly £2095 (est) / stuff.tv/MateX2 Q This slender sliver is just 4.4mm thin in tablet state and feels lovingly made, with smooth glass curving into a polished metal frame that sits comfortably in the hand… and Huawei has even added a beautiful ‘Flipstander’ vegan leather case for easier perching, whether in phone or tablet mode. Q Unfold the Mate X2 and the 8in tablet’s 2480x2200 OLED screen shines. With its size and 413ppi resolution, it’s larger and sharper than the 7.6in screen of the Galaxy Z Fold2, although its 90Hz refresh rate isn’t quite as smooth. Q The same 50MP main camera from the Mate 40 Pro delivers fantastic detail, white balance and dynamic range, even when lighting isn’t ideal. For macro, the 16MP ultrawide lacks a little white balance but still grabs plenty of detail. Video is a steady 4K up to 60fps. Q Yes, Google Docs, Drive, Maps, Play Store and YouTube (to name just a few) still won’t work. The Huawei alternatives are slick, but not to everyone’s taste. Still, it does have handy multitasking options with split-screen support.
Gawk on Selfies are captured at 16MP using the phone’s outer display ‘front’ camera, or you can opt to use the main camera when it’s unfolded.
Q It benchmarks better than a Snapdragon 865 phone, but worse than the latest Snapdragon 888s. You get an ample 4500mAh battery and 55W fast charging, but no wireless option.
Tech specs Screen 8in 2480x2200 90Hz OLED (unfolded), 6.45in 2700x1160 90Hz OLED (folded) Processor Kirin 9000 RAM 8GB Storage Up to 512GB OS Android 10 Cameras 50+16+12+8MP rear, 16MP front Battery 4500mAh Dimensions 162x146x8.2mm (unfolded), 162x75x14.7mm (folded), 295g
Q Danger nerd
Q Zoomin’ highway
After a week of use, nothing about the Mate X2 left us too concerned about wear and tear. The flexible screen is plastic, but given it’s protected most of the time (when the phone’s shut), it seems pretty durable.
This phone puts other foldables to shame in zoom power. It has two telephotos, one with a 3x equivalent zoom and the other with a 10x equivalent. If you know camera-speak, that’s 17mm ultrawide to 240mm — mighty.
STUFF SAYS The familiar Huawei issues aside, this is a fantastic foldable phone ++++, Heart of fold: has this tech come of age at last? Basil Kronfli
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At the time of writing the Mate X2 is available in China only, but we expect that to change. It’s a seriously special phone proving foldables have what it takes to handle the real world while delivering a killer user experience – well, at least it would if there were no crippling Google limitations holding it back. There’s no doubting the Mate X2 is niche, but it’s still an important landmark step in folding screen tech.
TESTED HYDROW
What I go to scull for Blast away that beer belly in time for summer thanks to a full-body workout on this, the muscle-mashing machine that fancies itself as the Peloton of rowing £2295 + £38/m / stuff.tv/Hydrow
Every time you row away The power stats are calculated to give accurate effort output, seeing you climb up or fall down a league table.
Q Hydrow has bolted a 22in HD touchscreen display onto a sleek rowing machine and encouraged users to row alongside pro athletes on some of the world’s most stunning bodies of water. This lung-bursting low-impact activity uses 86% of your body’s muscles with every stroke. Q A patented system uses sensors and an electromagnetic mechanism to digitally adjust drag. The result is a massive reduction in noise – good thing too, because you’ll want to hear your instructors from the front-facing speakers. Q Everything revolves around a bespoke app from where you can explore training sessions and live classes. It’s very, very similar to Peloton in style. Pair Bluetooth headphones or speakers, sync heart-rate monitors, or even use the Hydrow app with other rowing machines at the gym. Q Classes are split into Drive, Sweat and Breathe. The first pushes you to the limit, the second builds endurance, the third relaxes mind and body. The instructors are pros, but it takes time to find one you get on with. Most are rife with waffle and motivational guff, and the music isn’t quite there either. Q If you don’t want the scintillating chat, Journeys mode lets you take a scenic and silent FPV row around somewhere picturesque. It all adds up to something far less drudgey than most rowing machines.
Q Oar than a feeling
Q Dancing in the seat
The Hydrow’s frame is cleverly conceived, with smooth lines and contrasting metal surfaces to ensure it looks and feels premium. More importantly, it looks like something you might actually want in your house.
Posteriors will also thank the comfort-orientated seat, while the webbing on foot-straps and rowing handles is top-quality. But it doesn’t fold away: you have to tip it on its end, fastening it to a wall via an optional kit.
Tech specs Display 22in 1920x1080 touchscreen Audio 2x 3W front-facing stereo speakers Connectivity Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, Ethernet Dimensions 2190x1200x640mm, 66kg
STUFF SAYS The best rowing machine we’ve used, just missing some pro polish ++++, A top all-round punisher… once you’ve found your sea legs Leon Poultney
The Hydrow is an excellent teacher, but technique is key to rowing success and could prove tricky compared to the ease of an exercise bike or treadmill. It’s also difficult to hydrate or adjust settings while rowing, as you generally need both hands on to get anywhere fast. But master your stroke and workouts can be fiendish, pushing more than just your lungs and legs. It’s a full-on session that tones as well as improving cardio.
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BETA YOURSELF
GAME EMULATION If you love retro gaming but lack the space to store 57 old consoles and home computers, Craig Grannell can help you enjoy classic titles and systems by emulating them instead THE BASICS
like a PSP. On PC, consider an adapter for plugging in classic joysticks and gamepads.
Q Learn the lingo Getting into emulation, it feels like you have to master an alien tongue before you can find what you need. Broadly, though, emulators are just apps that mimic old hardware. Some of them need BIOS files (firmware used for hardware initialisation) and you will also need ROMs – virtual copies of cartridges – although some systems use tape or disk images instead.
Q Focus on faves It’s fun to explore gaming’s rich history through emulation, but remember you want to play games rather than merely collect virtual copies. So start with a few favourite systems. And rather than grabbing complete ROM collections for each system,
Q Bake a Pi
focus on a handful of old favourites and new releases for cherished hardware.
Q Control yourself PC and Android are popular platforms for emulation, but neither a keyboard nor a slippy touchscreen is a good way to play old games – so use controllers. For Android, try a Razer Kishi (£80), which turns your phone into something
Want a dedicated retro gaming unit for your telly? Got time to tinker? A Raspberry Pi is your best bet. Operating systems like RetroPie and Batocera are designed for this stuff, and can be swapped out by switching the SD card. The Raspberry Pi 400 (£67) is the best way to emulate old keyboard-based computers like the C64.
Q Take a cab If you love arcade games, emulate them using cabinets. Quarter Arcade units (£130 each) are fixed to one title, but are authentic and look great; the AtGames Legends Ultimate (£799) is full-size and has 300 built-in games. Beware cheaper units that just play NES conversions.
PLAY ONLINE Q Visit the arcade
Drop a ROM ROMs are a bit of an ethical grey area. So whenever possible, buy legit copies of readily available classics or new games for old systems, like Hunter’s Moon.
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For a zero-effort intro to the classics, try Internet Arcade (archive.org/details/internet arcade), which runs old titles in a web browser. For MAME games, press 5 to add a coin and 1 to start. Use arrow keys for directions and Ctrl, Alt and Space for buttons.
Q Stream on Antstream Arcade (antstream. com) offers another online option, streaming retro games for free (with ads) or £10 a month. Its catalogue is packed full of classics and there are game challenges and worldwide leaderboards.
HANDHELD HEROES
EVERCADE The quirkiest handheld released in recent years, Evercade seeks to bring back the collectable element of retro gaming. Games are supplied on multi-title cartridges that slot into the console; there are ace collections from Atari, Namco, Mega Cat and Codemasters. £60 / evercade.co.uk
RG350M There are dozens of cheap retro-orientated handhelds, but the RG350M stands out with its mix of quality hardware, extensibility and usability. It doesn’t cope well with games beyond the 16-bit era but it’s a great portable unit for vintage console titles. £100 / anbernic.com
PLAY ON PC Q Remember the MAME
USE YOUR PHONE Q Install emulators Android’s open nature makes it great for emulation on the go. RetroArch (£free) is a neat app that supports a huge range of hardware, but Robert Broglia’s paid emulators are better if you’re interested in just one or two old systems.
Q Front up Regardless of the emulator(s) you decide to go for, consider investing in a front-end launcher to make it easier to rummage through your virtual collection and select something to play. RESET (£4.29) and DIG (from £free) are both worth a look.
MAME is a preservation project to ensure vintage arcade games aren’t lost forever. The side effect: you can play them. Just be mindful you’ll need the right ROM sets for the version of it you’re running.
Q Arch your browse As on Android, the PC version of RetroArch is recommended for playing games across a range of retro systems. But don’t be afraid to delve into standalone emulators like Stella (Atari 2600) and Kega Fusion (Mega Drive). Most PC retro emulators are free.
Q Prepare for launch LaunchBox (from £free) gives you a dazzling front-end that helps you organise your game collection and figure out what to play – assuming you can stop gawping at the artwork for long enough.
GRAPPLE WITH APPLE Q Moan at iPhone Apple’s restrictive App Store gatekeeping means emulators for iPhone are rare – iDOS 2 (£5) for PC games is the best of them – but developers are doing interesting things with web apps like Eclipse (eclipseemu.me).
Q Mac it up Macs have no such limitations; and while retro emulators are rarer than on Windows, that doesn’t matter when OpenEmu (£free) exists. This front-end/multi-platform emulator is a rare example of an emulator for Apple kit that’s best in class.
GPD WIN 2 This most audacious handheld is a Windows laptop with a Nintendo DS’s form factor. It’ll run AAA PC titles from a few years back and so has no issues with emulators. Add the built-in controls and you’ve a perfect (if pricey) all-in-one. from £400 / gpd.hk
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TESTED ASUS ZENBOOK DUO 14
Livin’ on a pair Are two laptop screens really better than one? Asus certainly thinks so, judging by its unique laptop that doubles up on the full-width displays…
[ Words Mike Jennings ]
£1599 / stuff.tv/Duo14 The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 (sexy codename UX482EG) is a groundbreaking machine cramming two high-resolution displays into its 14in frame. The dual-screen design takes aim at creatives who find one screen restrictive, and the ZenBook bolsters those displays with Intel 11th-gen internals and claims of brilliant battery life. In its dapper suit of dark blue magnesium alloy it looks really quite fantastic, and lifting the lid engages two clever mechanisms that kick it into life. The first is the ErgoLift hinge, which lifts the laptop’s rear upwards and angles the keyboard towards you for easier typing. The other tilts that secondary display forwards to improve viewing angles and let air in to cool the components below it. It’s a smooth operator and the build quality is excellent… but is that uniquely expansive second screen a genuine gamechanger or a gimmick?
3
2
4 1 Slick thick This Asus is slick, but adding a second screen does introduce compromises. It weighs 1.58kg and is 17mm thick (1). Neither figure is ruinous, but both compare badly to the most popular small creative notebook, the Apple MacBook Pro 13in (see panel), at 1.4kg and 15.6mm respectively.
GOOD MEH EVIL
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Quality dual-screen design
Mean screen That second display (2) is called the ScreenPad Plus; it offers great potential for creative applications. It’s a 12.6in IPS touchscreen that can hold timelines and controls in creative apps, media and chat tools, browser windows, or anything else you don’t want clogging up the main display.
Angle wrangle The main 14in screen (3) is a 1080p IPS touchscreen. Colour accuracy is excellent, but both panels are flawed. The ScreenPad’s low angle makes it ideal for secondary apps but it can be a bit washed out; the main display nails sRGB imagery but can’t handle Adobe RGB or HDR colour gamuts.
Decent features and connectivity
Some of its rivals are faster…
…and slimmer and lighter
Keyboard can feel cramped
Really impressive battery life
TESTED ASUS ZENBOOK DUO 14 Pen zen Apps can snap between the two panels, and this laptop also comes with a 4096-point stylus for digital scribbles.
Tech specs Screens 14in 1920x1080 touchscreen IPS, 12.6in 1920x515 touchscreen IPS Processor 11th-gen Core i7, GeForce MX450 GPU RAM 16GB OS Windows 10 Storage 512GB Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, 3.5mm headphone, 2x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x microSD Battery life Up to 17hrs Dimensions 324x222x17mm, 1.58kg
ZenBook vs MacBook With the ZenBook Duo in Apple MacBook Pro territory, the pair have some scores to settle
Q Tab thumping
Q Core slumping
The ZenBook will handle mainstream photo-editing and video work, other creative tasks, all of your Office apps and as many browser tabs as you throw at it – and the speedy SSD means it boots and loads apps quickly.
Overall, though, it isn’t a speed freak. Geekbench tests illustrate the gulf here: in single-core and multi-core tests it’s beaten by Apple’s M1 chip – and the 13in MacBook Pro is no more expensive unless you add extra memory.
Q Cell trumping
Q Port plumping
Asus fights back with solid battery life. Web browsing, Office applications and ScreenPad use gave us over 11hrs, and disabling the ScreenPad pushed that up to a monster 16hrs. So it’s got more juice than the MacBook.
It’s got two USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI, 3.5mm audio and a microSD card slot. The interior serves up Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 and a Windows Hello webcam. There’s no full-size SD card reader, but this still compares well to the Mac.
5
Dissed wrist Because of the ScreenPad, Asus has had to push the keyboard and trackpad forward (4). That means little room to rest your wrists, a single-height return key and tiny cursor buttons. The buttons are decent, with pleasing snap and speed, but the cramped keyboard takes some getting used to.
Mouse nous The trackpad is so narrow that one swipe over the pad doesn’t allow the cursor to travel across the whole display, and the two buttons (5) are a little soft. It’s another area where Apple wins… although you can always solve the ZenBook’s trackpad issues by using a USB mouse.
There’s a lot to like about this ZenBook: the second screen offers huge possibilities and both displays have quality. It serves up great battery life, solid internals and better connectivity than its Apple rival. Just be aware that the ScreenPad makes it heavier and thicker than the competition, and hinders the keyboard and trackpad. @mikejjennings
STUFF SAYS ++++, A useful and innovative addition for creative workers, marred by compromised ergonomics and dimensions 53
DIGITAL EDITION
Available from shop.kelsey.co.uk/stuff plus Readly and Pocketmags
BEST FOR RAW ROCK
BEST FOR LIFELIKE TONES
Fender Mustang Micro
Boss Pocket GT
Blackstar AmPlug2 Fly
What’s the story?
What’s the story?
What’s the story?
Rock and roll ain’t noise pollution? It is the way we play it. So Fender’s dinky dongle lets you cut out the whole loudness part and send the sound of your clumsy noodling straight to your ears. Loaded with 12 amps and 12 FX combinations, it also has Bluetooth for jamming along to your phone, while the USB-C charging port doubles as a direct recording output.
Looking like an extra-chunky smartphone, or the remote control for that nuclear missile silo you’ve been building in the loft, Boss’s silent amp doesn’t have a jack plug so you’ll need to use a guitar lead. But it does have a screen for scrolling through presets and playback buttons for following YouTube lessons on a paired device. Best of all, you can load up unlimited sounds from the Tone Studio app.
Everything about Blackstar’s dongle is basic… but at this price, frankly we’re happy it’s not made of cardboard. You’re getting three amp models (clean, crunch and lead) and three effects (chorus, delay and reverb), and somehow all of this is controlled via three knobs and two tiny buttons. It runs on a pair of AAA batteries, and there’s a mini-jack aux input for playing along to your… iPod?
Is it any good?
Is it any good?
Is it any good?
Considering it’s a sub-£100 practice tool, the audio quality coming out of this thing is really quite spectacular. Navigating via buttons and coloured LEDs is hardly ideal – and neither is 4hrs of battery life – but there’s a 3D realism to both clean and overdriven tones that’ll make you forget all that, especially with a dash of tasteful tape delay or harmonic tremolo.
First up, forget the YouTube controls – you might as well use the ones on your phone or tablet screen. But you can bank on Boss for solid tones, and this gadget gives you easy access to 99 factory presets that cover a huge amount of stylistic ground. Battery life is again just 4hrs, but there is a built-in tuner so even your duff notes should sound tolerable.
If rock music is supposed to be rough and ragged, the AmPlug2 Fly is true to the spirit of punk: it’s a noisy operator and the clean tones are nothing more than OK… but actually, you can get some pretty smooth overdrive on the two hotter channels. For no-nonsense strummers on the go, this is a simple utility device at a can’t-go-wrong price.
Price £90 / stuff.tv/MustangMicro
Price £219 / stuff.tv/PocketGT
Price £40 / stuff.tv/AmPlug2
Stuff says +++++
Stuff says ++++,
Stuff says ++++,
Proper amp tones and quality effects in a device the size of a biscuit – it’s a winner
YouTube gimmickry aside, this is a fine practice amp with loads of great effects
It’s the cheap option, but it might be the only headphone amp you really need
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TESTED BANG & OLUFSEN H95
Twilight of the Pods Remember being miffed at the price of a pair of AirPods Max? Well, the Danes just hit us with a ‘hold my beer’ moment… £700 / stuff.tv/H95 Q If Stuff were celebrating 95 years of heritage in sound, we’d just be glad we could still hear at all. Bang & Olufsen has marked the milestone with what looks on the surface like a vanity project: a crazy-expensive pair of folding ANC headphones made from aluminium with magnetic lambskin ear-cushions. Q When buying a B&O product you expect a certain level of quality, but even by the Danish company’s standards the H95s are exquisitely built, not to mention over 60g lighter than Apple’s over-ears and with almost double the battery life in ANC mode.
Fool if you pink it over No Apple-style gaudy colours here: your options are black, light grey or a slightly more blingy look called Gold Tone.
Q The headphones use a mix of touch controls, buttons, and a pair of glorious rotating dials on the inside edge of the aluminium housings – think of them like oversize Apple Digital Crowns extending all around the cans. They make functions like increasing the volume massively satisfying. Q Two 40mm titanium drivers with neodymium magnets are coupled with Bluetooth 5.1 aptX for hi-res audio and lagless synchronisation of video content. Spatially they sound quite exceptional, and a smidge of over-excitement in the high frequencies is easily rectified with the app’s EQ. Q Noise-cancelling is adaptive and can be adjusted with one of the dials or through the app. In terms of killing unwanted din they’re on a par with the best in the business… but then, at this price, anything less would be a disgrace.
Tech specs Connectivity Bluetooth 5 aptX, 3.5mm, USB-C Battery life Up to 38hrs Weight 323g (case 500g)
Q Stow me the way
Q Stay on these modes
While Apple has been derided for its cans’ bizarrely unprotective ‘bra’ case, the H95s fold neatly into a little aluminium suitcase with a separate compartment for the fabric charging cable, 3.5mm audio lead and flight adaptor.
Rather than being an additional pain of a platform, the Bang & Olufsen app is a pleasant place to be and a home for every B&O product you own. The EQ has a lovely interface and there’s a choice of preset listening modes.
STUFF SAYS Prepare to be bankrupted by the most luxurious ANC cans of all +++++ Sheer quality for people who aren’t worried about the maths James Day
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Apart from the dizzying price, which somehow makes Apple’s AirPods Max seem affordable, it’s impossible to fault the H95s. They use the best materials (unless you’re a vegan), the controls are carefully considered, the app is a joy to use, and their case actually protects them. Above all else, they sound immersive, dynamic and detailed… but are they worth two pairs of Sony’s WH-1000XM4s? Nah.
M
T E S T E D I N S TA 3 6 0 G O 2
Chest the 2 of us The world’s smallest hands-free action cam is kind of a big deal – because it can magnetically float on the front of your shirt while you get gnarly
[ Words Sam Kieldsen ]
£295 / stuff.tv/360Go2 One key to a killer action cam is portability. If you’re barrelling down the side of a mountain faster than you can think, you don’t want the camera recording your ‘extreme’ sporting exploits to be a distraction. Ideally, you don’t want to feel like you’re carrying one at all. You also want it to record sharp, detailed footage stable enough to watch back later without feeling like you’re going to lose your lunch. So Insta360 has created a teeny tiny cam that can cling to your chest, boosted by FlowState stabilisation. In fact, the Go 2 is so small you could probably swallow it. Obviously don’t do that, it’ll taste disgusting; but being puny in stature and with stacks of bundled accessories to exploit your adventures, this cute pod could be a perfect partner for capturing the events of summer 2021 without lumping a larger camera around – and by that we even mean a GoPro.
Indie pendant’s day The Go 2 is primarily designed to be attached to a magnetic pendant under your top, allowing you to walk, run, ride, surf or whatever while everything gets captured. No messing with harnesses or awkward body mounts; simply pluck it off and pop it back in its charging case when you’re done.
Pivot up or turn it loose The charging case is similarly clever. It protects the Go 2, allows you to tweak settings, and works as a mini tripod. Also bundled is a magnetic rotating clip-mount that we found great for bike rides, and a magnetic pivot stand that fixes it to flat surfaces and doubles as a handle for underwater shooting.
Pressed to kill With a front face that’s almost entirely a clickable button (1), the Go 2 is definitely pared back, but it’s far too easy to press this by mistake and halt recording when you don’t want to. Imagine if you’d just nailed a big windsurf jump only to discover a stray finger had banjaxed your recording. Lapse and legends With a 1/2.3in sensor (2) capable of 1440p resolution at 50fps and 120fps slo-mo at 1080p, the Go 2 can record in HDR and includes super-smooth timelapse options. It also offers the ability to adjust the field of view plus tweak the white balance, colour profile and other picture settings. All within my handset Options are accessible via the charging case, but its two-button controls make that a slow process. It’s easier to fire up the app, pair your phone and adjust everything that way… though an iPhone must have an A11 chip or later, while an Android needs at least a Kirin 980, Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810.
GOOD MEH EVIL
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Excellent image stabilisation
1
Tiny lightweight build
Loads of accessories included
Very low stills resolution
Easy to hit button by mistake
Bit too reliant on the app
T E S T E D I N S TA 3 6 0 G O 2
2
Tech specs Sensor 1/2.3in Video 1440p @ 50fps, 1080p @ 120fps HDR Stills 2560x1440 ISO range 100-3200 Connectivity Bluetooth 5, USB-C Storage 32GB Battery life Up to 30 mins video (150 mins with case) Dimensions 53x24x21mm, 26.5g (63.5g with case)
Stabilise on the prize The micro-sized Go 2 forfeits mindblowing 4K footage to concentrate on keeping things on an even keel
At the dive-in No worries with going underwater: the Go 2 is fully waterproof to a depth of 4m without the need for a sealed external housing.
Q Love resolution
Q People get steady
While some might feel disappointed at the lack of 4K video, the Go 2’s tiny sensor would doubtless struggle to produce truly detailed clips at such high resolution; 1440p is plenty with the superb FlowState stabilisation.
You’ll see instantly what a massive difference that stabilisation makes to your videos, especially with TimeShift Hyperlapse recordings. You can also capture HDR content without FlowState; that’s limited to 25fps.
Q Ticket to wide
Q Running to stand stills
The wide-angle lens captures a huge arc in front so it’s unlikely to miss anything important, while the exposure metering fares quite well even in tricky conditions. Insta360 has achieved a nice overall balance here.
While the footage certainly isn’t class-leading, and we spotted shimmering in the skies of some of our test clips, the results are pretty impressive for a camera of this size. It’s a shame the stills are limited to 2560x1440, though.
At under £300 for the standard package, the Go 2 is a good deal. You get a teeny waterproof action cam with some of the slickest image stabilisation around, a pocket-sized charging case and a mountain of mounts. That’s not to say it’s perfect, though: the low-res stills and too-sensitive button mean some might still find a GoPro a better bet. @samkieldsen
STUFF SAYS ++++, The Go 2 becomes our go-to micro action cam, but it’s not without its drawbacks – especially if 4K is important to you 59
PET TECH
CRITTER TREAT SYMPHONY Well, what’s the point in letting an animal (or animals) live in your house if you can’t use it as an excuse to buy some fancy tech? BiOrb Tube from £140 / biorb.com
There’s nothing like coming home to the unconditional love of an affectionate guppy. Fish are by far the least annoying domestic animals… and with over three million UK households reportedly taking in a new pet since the start of the pandemic, we just hope most of them were smart enough to choose companionship of the aquatic kind. But who’s got room for one of those old-school wall-filling aquariums? Well, we haven’t, so we’re quite enamoured with this
[ Words Richard Purvis ]
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much more modern take on fishkeeping from BiOrb: a classy tubular affair that holds 15, 30 or 35 litres of water but is no more than 41cm in diameter. Set on either a black or white base, it comes with all the usual bits including a patented filter system that should make it relatively easy to keep clean. In fact, the only hard part will be keeping all the fish’s attention long enough for a serious discussion about which plants, rocks and bits of old wood they’ll share it with.
TETRA FREAK ON Opt for the MCR version and you get a remote for its multicoloured lights. You can set it to a natural daily cycle… or go full disco and pretend your fish are larging it.
PET TECH
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PET TECH
KEYS TO THE KITTY You can buy the set outright for £170, but you’ll still need to pay £8/m to access the tracking map. Pay less up front and the cost of the subscription rises.
PetTracer from £40 (+ sub) / pettracer.co.uk
Cats just don’t like wearing stuff. You’ll know this already if you’ve ever tried to get yours to tolerate a harness, an anti-licking recovery cone or a full-body Christmas pirate costume. This is a challenge for the makers of feline GPS tracking collars… and the PetTracer might just be the answer. No chunky lumps of strapped-on gadgetry here: the tech is all hidden inside the collar itself, which weighs just 34g and is low-profile enough to avoid any danger of landing your
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image-conscious pet with self-esteem issues. What’s that thing on the left? Well, the tracker uses radio as well as GPS, allowing it to see through walls, and this is the receiver. It picks up your cat’s coordinates and uploads them via your home Wi-Fi so you can see them on an online map. The receiver also doubles as a charging base, but you shouldn’t need that too often: the PetTracer’s patented tech promises 30 days of battery life. Which is impressive, especially in cat years.
Wickedball Once your cat has tortured and killed every mouse within a five-mile radius, you might have to find something else to keep the adorable little mite entertained. This should do it: it’s a fully autonomous chasing toy with automatic obstacle detection and three interaction levels. £40 / wickedbone.co.uk
PET TECH UP WITH THE TURDS Yep, of course there’s an app. It lets you tweak settings, manually trigger sifting cycles, check the level of the waste drawer and monitor your cat’s toilet-visiting regularity.
Litter-Robot 3 Connect £545 / litter-robot.com/uk
There’s not enough poo in this magazine. Allow us to redress the balance with this intelligent self-cleaning litter tray: smell-free, hassle-free, and stylish enough to be the faecal point of any modern living room. You might be wondering how it works. Well, to start with, your cat trots up the little steps and does its unmentionable business in the usual way. Then, once the Litter-Robot detects that the coast is clear, it begins its sifting cycle: the whole central sphere rotates
slowly through 360°, allowing the clean litter to trickle through a grille while the clumps of soiled stuff remain and, a few seconds later, slide down into the waste drawer. Then, as the rotation continues, the clean litter falls back into the tray via another grille, nice and level for the next visit. Magic! For obvious reasons you’ll need to fill this with the kind of litter that forms good solid clumps… and you will have to empty the waste drawer every now and then, unless you can train the cat to do it.
PetKit Cosy Pet Bed It might look quite similar to the robot litter tray, but you will not be happy if your cat coils one off in here – it’s a temperature-controlled bed, to ensure your furry friend can always nod off somewhere warm without having to perch on a radiator. An app lets you adjust the temperature remotely. £135 / petkit.co.uk
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PET TECH HOUND AND VISION The embedded SIM covers both Europe and North America; Pawfit offers a choice of subscription plans, but they’re all less than £5 a month.
Pawfit 2 £55 (+ sub) / pawfit.com
The best part of dog life is when you let them off the leash. It’s so uplifting to see them charging off to play with other dogs, roll around in mud and eat vomit. But the worst part is when they’re having such a great time they forget to come back – and that’s where the Pawfit 2 comes in. Lightweight (30g) and waterproof, this collar-worn GPS device has a live tracking mode that sends a location update every five seconds. You can also set it to ping you a notification when your
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dog leaves its preset safety zone – and a built-in speaker means you can keep up your increasingly furious cries of “FENTON! FENTON!” even when the chase has moved well out of earshot. An in-built accelerometer means you can also use it to track activity – thus the ‘fit’ part of ‘Pawfit’ – with an app that lets you monitor steps, distance, calories burned and active hours. Battery life depends on GPS usage, but expect six days tops. At least you can rinse off all the mud and vomit while it’s charging.
Paw Buddy Speaking of filth… if you’ve got a dog that goes outside, you probably have a Mud Daddy already. But this is a much simpler and lighter way to stop your hall carpet being turned into a scene from 1917. Just fill it with water then squeeze while combing or brushing those puddle-dipped paws. £13 / bootbuddy.com
PET TECH
CHEW WIN AGAIN The rubber ‘tyres’ on the ends come in blue or white. Got a dog that chews everything to death? You can get a spare set in blue, pink or green for £29.
BOW-WOW ADD THIS…
Wickedbone £90 / wickedbone.co.uk
There’s something macabre about dogs’ obsession with bones, isn’t there? Still, this one looks more cheerful than anything they’ll find in the flowerbeds of that neighbour whose wife you never see any more. From the same people behind the cat-distracting Wickedball on p62, this humerus-shaped toy connects to your phone via Bluetooth and lets you steer it around the floor with an on-screen joystick. Even better, when you’re not there (or just have
something better to do), its interactive mode sees it whizzing around the floor autonomously like a sort of robotic Adama Traore. Battery life is rated at 40 minutes in drive mode (when you’re controlling it), and 4hrs when it’s doing its own thing. It has a repertoire of flips, spins and other moves, and reacts differently according to how it’s touched thanks to what the makers ambitiously call an ‘emotional system’. Heck, you might as well just get one of these and not bother having a dog.
Skymee Dog Camera Treat Dispenser If you’ve got a desperately empty life, you’re welcome to spend all day sitting in a corner watching your dog and occasionally throwing it a biscuit. If not, you can get this motion-detecting, treat-dispensing spycam to do it for you. £120 / smartpetdevices.co.uk
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REWILDING [RIƁŹ<ŀğLD] VERB
Reawakening the wild in you.
ADVENTURE REDEFINED EXPLORE OUR ADVENTURE-READY RANGE AT WIGGLE.CO.UK
TESTED HISENSE R50A7200GTUK
Tune raker The two down-firing drivers are powered by just 8W each. Well, at least your pictures aren’t in danger of being rattled off the walls.
Hisense to kill This entry-level TV is way cheaper than its big-name rivals, but does that make for a giant-slaying bargain or a false economy? £399 / stuff.tv/A7200G Q The A7200G hasn’t been so much ‘designed’ as ‘put together’… and it’s all the better for it, because it’s basically all screen with simple screw-on feet. It’s businesslike and built to last. Yes, it’s a bit of a bloater, but if that’s the biggest concession we can cope. Q A 4K LCD panel with full-array LED backlighting explains the depth of the chassis. It features HLG and HDR10 compatibility, but not HDR10+ or Dolby Vision. Connectivity extends to dual-band Wi-Fi and three HDMI 2.0 inputs, one of which is ARC-enabled and all of which can handle 4K at 60Hz. Q Having Roku running the show is a coup: the interface is clean and extensive without being exhausting. Freeview Play has your broadcasting back, and the likes of Disney+, Netflix and BT Sport are present. Both the remote and the Roku app work a treat for casting, searching and voice control. Q Cue up some 4K HDR content and the Hisense makes the most of it. Black tones are deep but detailed, and white tones are clean and equally information-rich. It’s far from the brightest TV around, but contrasts still pop. The overall palette is wide-ranging and lifelike.
Q From rougher with love
Q Die another play
Even when upscaling from HD, the Hisense keeps the good news coming. As for DVDs (ask your parents), The Wire looks soft and indistinct yet edgy and restless at the same time. Don’t expect miracles, in other words.
Next-gen gamers should look elsewhere given this set’s lack of HDMI 2.1 abilities. Owners of legacy consoles shouldn’t have any qualms, however, with good picture quality and a response time of less than 40ms.
Q We’ve heard tellies that sound worse… but not many. To its credit it never sounds coarse, even if you’re adventurous with the volume; but equally, it never sounds substantial or detailed. Consider an affordable soundbar.
Tech specs Screen 50in 3840x2160 LCD OS Roku TV Connectivity Wi-Fi, 3x HDMI, USB, optical, Ethernet HDR formats HDR10, HLG Dimensions 1127x656x86mm, 9.8kg
STUFF SAYS A perfectly good way to get a biggish screen at a little price +++++ No time to cry just because you can’t afford a fancy £1k telly Simon Lucas
It’s all about the price here, right? Because in absolute terms, the R50A7200GTUK is compromised and flawed: it doesn’t sound great and it can let on-screen motion get away from it. But in the context of cost, it’s very appealing indeed… and it has one of the best smart TV interfaces of any ‘entry-level’ set around, even at twice this price. Still wary? There’s a 43in version available for just £349.
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Everywhere you are Read it, like it, share it
Assassin’s feed A multipoint connection lets you connect to an Xbox and phone simultaneously, so you can listen to music or podcasts while still hearing in-game audio.
T TES ER NN I W
Doom external The inline remote can be used to adjust the volume, mute the mic and adjust the RGB lighting of the VU meters, while the electret condenser mic is detachable.
Grand heft audio Can you bag a decent gaming headset for under £100? Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset While we miss the rotating earcups you’ll find on some of its rival headsets, we have few complaints about Microsoft’s design. These black cans are unmistakably Xbox, and the twistable dials used for adjusting the audio are super-slick. The chunky earpads offer plenty of padding and there isn’t much weight on your head, but those fixed cups mean you’re always aware of the headset’s rigidity. We like that the arms offer a bit of resistance so they so don’t flap loose. For a £90 headset the sound is pretty impressive, with a low-end response so impactful we had to turn down the bass slightly in the Xbox’s EQ app. Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X are all supported.
[ Words Matt Tate and James Day ]
Connectivity USB-C Audio 40mm drivers, Spatial Sound support Battery life Up to 15hrs Weight 312g
VS
1. DESIGN
Packing those instantly recognisable glowing VU meters, the Level Ups feature an open-back design and come with carbon, silver or red accents. Build quality is sturdy, but the inline remote and need for a USB connection add a faff factor.
2. COMFORT
Fit is on the loose side, but that’s no bad thing if you need to accommodate glasses or don’t want to feel hemmed in during longer sessions. The foam cups offer a good balance of comfort and immersion.
3. SOUND
1 2 3
O Price £90 / stuff.tv/XboxHeadset
+++++
Meters Level Up
Compatible with Windows, PlayStation and Xbox, the secret Meters sauce is well suited to gaming. There’s no Dolby Atmos here but you get beefy bass, a decent bash at virtual 7.1 surround sound, and no noticeable lag.
Connectivity USB, 3.5mm Audio 50mm drivers, virtual 7.1 surround Battery life N/A Weight 320g
O Price £99 / stuff.tv/LevelUp
STUFF SAYS
++++,
Both provide an affordable power-up but Microsoft’s wireless audio edges it 69
FI R TH ST ES AD E… D
iPHONE 12 PRO
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ONE ANKER NANO
TWO DJI AIR 2S
THREE HONOR BAND 6
Yes, of course you’ll need a blinking charger – the 12 Pro doesn’t come with one in the box, and if you’ve got an old iPhone charger you’ll be looking at a snail-paced 5W power-up. Opt for an Anker Nano and you can get 20W charging speeds. That means racing to a full battery in around a third of the time compared to an iPhone 11 charger. £17 / uk.anker.com
The iPhone 12 Pro’s camera is fantastic, but one thing it can’t do is take to the heavens – until you hook it up to the controller of a DJI Air 2S. As the phone’s stunning display streams a view from the drone’s 1in sensor, splice and dice your aerial 4K footage with handheld clips from the phone itself for the ultimate production setup. £899 / dji.com
If you don’t want to spend a few hundred quid on an Apple Watch, but still want something that tracks your heart rate, measures blood oxygen levels and tells the time, the new Honor Band 6 could be it. Despite looking like a proper smartwatch it only costs about as much as a fitness band – and with 14 days’ battery, it puts pricier alternatives to shame. from £49 / hihonor.com
TH TH EN ES GE E… T
NO TH W T IS RY …
MEASURE
1 TURN ON THE TAPS
2 SAY ‘LATER’ TO DATA
3 SKIP THE PIP
If you miss buttons and want new ways to shortcut to your favourite features, this iPhone supports two actions triggered by tapping the back of it – with either a double or triple-tap. To set these, find Accessibility within the settings, select Touch and choose what action each sequence fires up. Our winning combo? Screenshots with a double tap, one-handed mode with a single.
While 5G has been around for a couple of years now, it’s new to iPhones. But 5G doesn’t just mean faster data speeds; it also means faster battery drain. If you’d prefer a phone that lasts versus a router in your pocket, you can turn 5G off. (This also stops you burning through your data allowance!) In the settings, tap Mobile Data, then select Mobile Data Options, followed by Voice & Data.
With a fancy new screen and crisp speakers, the 12 Pro is a mighty movie player. Jump out of whatever you’re watching to respond to a notification and your video will be squished into a tiny floating video player over the top. Handy, but nothing like a full-screen experience. If you don’t love dividing your attention, go into the settings, select General, then Picture in Picture – and toggle it off.
A new Lidar sensor means the iPhone 12 Pro reads space better than any Android. Try it out with the Measure app, pre-installed and available through the App Store. £free
IKEA PLACE
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]
Live your flat-pack AR fantasy with Ikea’s official Lidar app. Will it fit or won’t it? Put that tape measure away and drop a virtual sofa in your living room to find out. £free
4 VAMP UP YOUR VIDEO
5 HEAR ME RAW
6 STOP HEIF!
The iPhone 12 Pro’s camera is a gem, not least for its standout video capture. It can even film HDR video at up to 60fps, with support for Dolby Vision HDR. To enable it, go into the camera settings and select Record Video; here you can toggle HDR on or off. Just be aware that, if the main screen you use to watch videos doesn’t support the feature, it’s best to keep HDR video capture off.
The degree to which you can edit a standard ‘Shot on iPhone’ photo is limited – well, Apple’s own auto-wizardry means your shots probably look ace already. Still, if you’re a real photography nut, the 12 Pro can shoot RAW photos. Again in camera settings, select Formats and toggle on Apple ProRAW; an option to toggle RAW shooting will now appear on screen when you use the camera.
If you’ve never heard of HEIF photos, it’s a new format that’s much smarter than traditional JPG. Loaded up with support for over a billion colours (10-bit), photos captured in HEIF aren’t just richer, they’re also smaller in size. But the format doesn’t play nicely with all apps – so if you run into compatibility issues, go to that Formats menu again and switch from High Efficiency to Most Compatible.
POLYCAM Imagine you could grab a 3D photo of any given scene then navigate around it, peering under surfaces and stepping nearer to chosen objects. That’s what Polycam makes possible. £free
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T E S T E D M Y Z O N E M Z- S W I T C H
Total clips of the heart This modular heart-rate tracker can be attached to different parts of the body, while the app gamifies your activity – yay, exhaustion is fun
[ Words James Day ]
£140 / stuff.tv/MZSwitch It’s an argument that rages like ketchup or mayo, Sonic or Mario, and which Fun House twin you fancy more: is a chest strap or a wrist-worn heart-rate monitor better? Myzone always used to swear by the former, but its interchangeable MZ-Switch now embraces the latter too. The answer to the questions above is of course mayonnaise, Sega is cooler than Nintendo, and how could you pick between Martina and Melanie? But the tracker debate is harder to settle, and so the MZ-Switch is out to please everyone. Instead of choosing between an ECG chest strap and a PPG sensor shining a light into your arm to measure bloodflow, it does both. Myzone claims this is a world first. It admits that, while the ECG is accurate to 99.4%, the PPG sensor trails behind at 95%; but as you’re about to discover, it’s all about a balance between accuracy and convenience depending on the activity.
GOOD MEH EVIL
72
Design is a bit garish
Heart and sole The MZ-Switch connects via Bluetooth LE and ANT+ and will store 36hrs of exercise data if you leave your phone at home.
Heart-shaped blocks The MZ-Switch is made up of a clip-in main sensor module with adjustable chest, arm and wrist straps (1). The plastic module is the size of a two-pound coin and light compared to a smartwatch, while the straps are made from a mix of flexible and conductive soft-touch materials.
1
Glisten to your heart On the front you’ll find a bright colour-coded LED strip for quick notifications of your Myzone status (2) and a button for switching between ECG and PPG operation (3). On the back are those all-important optical sensors plus press-stud poppers for attaching to the chest strap.
Fit playing games (with my heart) Myzone’s app gamifies exercise: you score effort points depending on how hard your heart is working against WHO guidelines. Once your heart-rate capacity has been assessed, you’re given a golf-style handicap that means everyone is theoretically competing on a level playing field.
My heart will grow on With league tables, competitions and chat functionality the app can be bewildering, but it’s massively addictive – forget to strap up before a workout and it hardly feels worth carrying on. It’s a bit like forgetting to swap out your fantasy football captain when they’re injured.
Shaky breaky heart There are limitations. Go for a run and Myzone won’t map it, so no pace, distance or cadence – just points scored, calories burned and heart-rate data. Still, it plays nicely with big apps like Strava, MapMyRun and Apple Health, plus Garmin devices, watchOS, Tizen and Wear OS.
Versatile fitness tracking
Accurate heart-rate readings
It’s a massive motivator
Forearm strap is fiddly
Other apps needed for maps
T E S T E D M Y Z O N E M Z- S W I T C H
2
Tech specs Connectivity Bluetooth LE, ANT+ Sensors ECG, PPG Compatibility Android, iOS, Tizen, Wear OS, Garmin Water-resistance 10m Storage 36hrs of data Battery life Up to 6 months
Your fleeting heart The waterproof MZ-Switch is an awfully versatile activity tracker once you get to grips with it
3
Q Chest say no
Q I wrist again
If there’s one criticism labelled at chest straps, it’s that it feels like you’re being kitted out for Laser Quest every time you want to record the results of a lockdown walk. The MZ-Switch makes you feel like far less of a twonk.
That’s because the PPG wrist strap is for non-grip activities like running and swimming. For exercise involving heavy wrist movements, like racket sports, rowing or strength training, switch to the PPG forearm or ECG chest strap.
Q End of the mode
Q All dried out
If you’re mixing things up with a wrist-based PPG run to get the blood pumping before switching to the ECG chest strap for a nifty club pump, a quick press of the module’s button switches between modes.
In theory this means no downtime during the switch. In practice it can be a little fiddly, especially as the conductive patches on the chest strap sometimes need moistening before the connection will kick in.
If you’re a gym poser rather than a workout grafter, the MZ-Switch is not for you. It doesn’t look cool, it doesn’t have a fancy display to show off to the Johnny Bravos, and app integration doesn’t extend to TikTok. It’s simply a versatile activity tracker that pushes you to roll up your sleeves and go further without intimidation. @James_A_Day
STUFF SAYS +++++ An addictive, convenient and motivation-boosting route to fitness without a Peloton PT crowing in your ear 73
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TESTED ASUS ROG PHONE 5
I wanna be your ROG With superpower specs and smart gaming features, is this phone the antidote to the next-gen console shortage? £800 / stuff.tv/ROG5
Kunai kick it? A side-mounted USB port means cables won’t disturb you when playing. Or get the Kunai 3 Gamepad for a console-style experience.
Q It’s still seemingly impossible to bag yourself a PS5 without paying a scalper a kidney, so one solution is a gaming-dedicated smartphone for playing Fortnite on the khazi. The ROG Phone 5 might be the size of a tank and hardly any less showy, but it means business. Q Samsung has custom-designed a 6.78in AMOLED display that sits behind Gorilla Glass Victus with always-on HDR and impressive colour accuracy. There’s a zippy 144Hz refresh rate and 300Hz touch sampling too – every swipe or tap is instantly registered. Q A Snapdragon 888 and 16GB of RAM is beefier than a barrel of cows and ensures the smooth running of Android’s most demanding titles, but there’s also an X Mode to max out CPU and GPU performance. Vainglory managed a median 126fps through a full match, with pretty much zero fluctuation. Q Multiple cooling methods keep the air flowing, and Esports Mode blocks notifications and disables features forbidden in tournaments, such as the excellent Air Triggers. Q The 65W-charging 6000mAh battery might be a behemoth, but those power-sapping components mean you’ll only get a couple of hours of Genshin Impact action from a full charge. Ultra Durable Mode scales back features to extend battery life, but with a serious impact on performance.
Q Trigger it out
Q Respect your selfie
The Air Triggers are ‘ultrasonic’ shoulder buttons that can be mapped to perform any action when tapped or stroked. They’re a godsend for games like PUBG, which awkwardly cram a gajillion virtual buttons onto the screen.
If streaming on Twitch is your thing, this phone can capture your gurning mug with a 24MP selfie-cam. There’s a triple-lens rear setup: a bang-average 64MP primary sensor, a 13MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro.
Tech specs Screen 6.78in 2448x1080 144Hz AMOLED Processor Snapdragon 888 RAM 16GB Storage 256GB OS Android 11 Cameras 64+13+5MP rear, 24MP front Battery 6000mAh Dimensions 173x77x9.9mm, 239g
STUFF SAYS Top specs and clever tools make this our favourite gaming phone +++++ Like a pocket PlayStation that can also take pictures of cats Chris Barraclough
Serious about your mobile gaming? Want the best possible kit for blazing through the most demanding Android titles out there? Well, look no further. Asus has expertly blended premium hardware and cutting-edge gaming features to craft an obscenely powerful smartphone that can take on anything, and even give decrepit old gits the upper hand in bloodthirsty online battles. It ain’t cheap, but it’s worth every penny.
75
TWO WEEKS WITH THE DJI FPV
Fright of the navigator FPV drone flying is the quadcopter equivalent of piloting a stunt plane, so we handed DJI’s debut effort to geeky daredevil Sam Kieldsen and told him not to destroy it £1249 / stuff.tv/FPV
A rubber cover below the camera pulls up to reveal a microSD card slot and USB-C port.
DAY 01 Even within the drone nerddom, FPV racing sits apart, jealously protected by sniffy gatekeepers. Designed for competitive racing and aerobatics, these are fast and twitchy drones – paired with goggles for a pilot’s-eye view of where you’re flying – that you usually build yourself. And a lack of anti-collision tech can end in costly crashes. Enter the DJI FPV. Available fully built and big on safety features,
this seems to be the drone to bring first-person-view antics to the masses… but can it turn a noob into a seasoned racing pilot? I’m confronted with the copter, an FPV Goggles V2 headset, a twin-stick controller plus spare parts and charging kit. The drone is smaller than expected, but exudes a menacing air thanks to a forward-hunched poise and vaguely military finish. A camera sits beneath a plastic
This seems to be the drone to bring first-person-view antics to the masses, but can it turn a noob into a racing pilot?
76
gimbal guard, while the large battery slides into the back. The propeller arms are fixed rather than folding, and the props themselves attach via a twist of your hand. A lurid green body cover is supplied to make it easier to spot in the wild. Build quality is superbly solid, although scratches indicate a previous reviewer pitched it into the ground on at least one occasion – so it’s certainly crashable, but sturdy enough to survive some impacts with cosmetic damage only. The headset is lightweight and comfortable, while the soft strap
makes wearing it for extended periods a breeze. There’s a microSD slot, although recording footage to the drone itself offers higher quality, plus a few controls, including a ‘5D button’ offering one-finger navigation of the on-screen menus. The controller is lightweight and sturdy too, and removable thumbsticks make it easy to transport. There are buttons to start and stop video recording, adjust the camera pitch, return to home, toggle flight modes, and engage the emergency brake. Preflight assembly is a simple, painless process.
LO N G -T E R M T E S T
01
Donut of Truth™
06
05
02
03
04
01 Relatively safe to fly after some training 02 For an FPV drone it has terrific battery life 03 Everything an FPV pilot needs in one box
04 Image quality lags behind other DJI drones 05 Gimbal doesn’t tilt enough to level the horizon 06 You can definitely crash it if you’re not concentrating
Tech specs Camera 12MP 1/2.3in CMOS Video 4K @ 60fps, 1080 @ 120fps Max speed 140kph Range 10km Max flight time 20mins Dimensions 255x312x127 mm (with props), 178x232x127mm (without props), 795g
DAY 02 DJI recommends spending time with a simulator before flying for real, so I’ve fired up its Virtual Flight app for a bit of training. This Unreal Engine-powered game links your phone with the controller and headset to take you through the controls and modes, then you get to pilot a virtual drone around a few locations. I’ve been flying DJI drones for years, but this is different so the app is vital prep.
DAY 03 Maiden flight time. Flipping the controller to N (Normal) mode, speed is limited, it hovers in place when the controls are released, and obstacle sensors are engaged. I switch up to S (Sport) mode, which increases speed, turns off obstacle detection and makes things much livelier. The FPV feels responsive and easy to fly, even if I’m too chicken to take it through tight gaps. There’s a switch for cruise control and the emergency brake brings things to a very noisy but almost immediate stop.
DAY 08 Today I’ve finally summoned up the courage to test M (Manual) mode, opening up a world of loops and
flips, turning off speed limitations, and allowing the FPV to zip through the air at up to 140kph. DJI claims a maximum range of 10km, although taking it out of visual range is technically illegal. Here’s another law: you have to bring one other person with you when piloting the FPV, as you can’t see it while wearing the headset. Video transmission is rock solid, with an almost constant 1080p feed beamed near-instantly from the drone’s camera to the headset’s crisp display. The battery life of FPV drones has hovered around the five-minute mark, but DJI’s is good for around 20 minutes of flight time.
DAY 14 I’ve flown DJI’s new Air 2S and the FPV isn’t a patch on its cheaper cousin when it comes to dynamic range, detail and smooth footage. The FPV’s camera sensor is smaller and it lacks three-way stabilisation so major tilting results in off-balance footage. But this is a groundbreaking drone, bringing the notoriously difficult world of FPV flight to a wider audience. Buy the box and you’re basically good to go, but be warned you’ll need hours of practice before pulling off any spectacular stuff.
STUFF SAYS DJI has taken thrilling FPV drone flights to new, more accessible heights ++++,
77
TESTED GAMES
PS4, PS5, XBX, XSX, PC / stuff.tv/Outriders
Outriders Come for the superpowers, stay for the loot… but if you’re looking for a proper next-gen shooter, this one remains stubbornly old-school he sci-fi premise of Outriders is humanity looking for a fresh start as your character lands on a lush alien planet. Don’t get comfortable, though, because then you’re catapulted 30 years in the future to find your new home has gone to hell. Tsk, typical. With the feel of a last-last-gen cover shooter, it’s not the best first impression – and you won’t find an engrossing storyline – but really you’re playing Outriders to shoot things. The gunplay is Gears
T
of War solid, but it’s the added superpowers – you get to choose one – that make battles engaging. There’s the Technomancer, great for long-range support, the fiery Pyromancer, and for close-quarters havoc the Trickster and Devastator. Proactively aggressive play is encouraged as killing enemies is how you heal, and there’s a really exciting balance of risk and reward as you rush a mob while your health is low. But it can be clunky, with no jump button and a run that
doesn’t always register, while getting behind cover (or vaulting over it) can be just as sticky. Even though you’re locked into your class, there are plenty of skills and buffs to unlock as you level up, but you can only equip three skills at a time. And don’t expect to steamroll your way through, as waves of enemies – from soldier factions to the planet’s hostile fauna – respond in kind. Things continue to get more challenging, with the enemy levels rising as well as the regularity of
loot drops (see panel opposite). Fortunately, you’re also free to lower the tier if combat gets overwhelming; for hardcore players, striving to reach the highest tier for the toughest encounters and rarest loot will be its own challenge. Outriders isn’t going to win any awards for originality; but once the shooting starts and the mobs rush in, you’ll have a right old time fighting for your life with your chosen superpower. Alan Wen
STUFF SAYS Under the generic exterior is a deep, challenging and rewarding shooter ++++, 78
TESTED GAMES
Thoroughly moddin’ killy
“My chosen superpower is improvised poetry! Plus stopping bullets and stuff.”
Great shooting and all, but when was the last time that hood had a proper wash?
As in Destiny, killing enemies or opening chests brings the possibility of colourful loot popping up. At first you might just be mindlessly swapping out gear with whatever’s got a higher number, but the depth comes from modifying rare gear you’ve dismantled. For instance, you may be rocking a powerful shotgun or helmet, but its initial mods don’t play to your strengths. So you can swap these out with something that works to your playstyle. Conversely, if you have a mod you really liked in a weapon that’s now under-powered, you can take it apart and carry that mod over to a higher-level weapon. It’s that creativity that makes Outriders’ endgame especially rewarding, when you’re going to need all the gear and skills you can muster for tier-based Expeditions. These high-level missions have the toughest enemies but also the chance to score bundles of loot. While teaming up is going to be the best way to survive the overwhelming odds, it’s a shame those who do want to brave it all on their own will still have to be connected to the game’s servers – with all the issues that inevitably entails, especially when online games usually face network glitches at launch.
79
TESTED GAMES
PS4, PS5, XBX, XSX, PC / stuff.tv/ItTakesTwo
It Takes Two Quite possibly the most co-operative co-op game ever made, this is a relentlessly inventive multiplayer that everyone should try azelight Studios made a pretty big splash with its first game, the story-led co-op adventure A Way Out, but its follow-up takes two-player gaming to heights we’ve never seen before. You and your partner (both couch co-op and online split-screen are supported) play as May and Cody, a couple soon to be divorced – that is, until they’re transformed into their daughter’s dolls and forced to work together to return to human form. Honestly, we’re not hugely keen on the tonally inconsistent story, with its simplistic take on a very complex issue. May and Cody bicker and banter away at every opportunity but it feels a bit forced, and the supporting cast is a mixed bag. A talking military squirrel? Fine, but we wish it had more screen time than the almost impressively annoying Dr Hakim, a living book that awards you with new abilities as you progress. A playable Pixar film this is not, then. But everything else about It Takes Two is completely brilliant, from its endlessly varied gameplay
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and expert weaving of new mechanics into the platforming action, to the many ways it tests your individual gaming knowhow and teamwork skills. This quest takes in a host of different environments, from a predictably hazard-strewn workshop to a garden and then inside one of its trees. Each new chapter tends to introduce a gameplay twist or gadget to play with, and the experience often differs depending on who you’re playing as. One character might wield a flammable-honey-firing bazooka, for example (just go with it), while the other’s weapon holds the matches that make it go kaboom. In a particularly thrilling section, Cody pilots a plane while May is thrown into a Street Fighter-esque 2D game. There are competitive mini-games dotted around the levels too, so it’s not all about teamwork. It Takes Two never runs out of ideas, and if you can find a willing partner there’s no more enjoyable co-op game out there. Matt Tate
Dr Hakim, the most irritating piece of stationery since Office Assistant.
You get to do really stupid stuff, like wasting your time playing videogames.
STUFF SAYS A masterful co-op experience that will live long in the memory +++++ 80
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TOP TEN
This gadget has leapt straight outta testing and into our rankings.
NEW
OF EVERYTHING
HOT BUY
Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten entries.
BARGAIN BUY UPDATE Searing with techy genius, a product that’s set our hearts aflame.
A solid gold bargain. Worth owning, regardless of cashflow.
Smartphones Headphones Smartwatches, fitness tech Laptops Speakers TVs Soundbars, streamers
83 84 85 86 87 88 89
Tablets, consoles Games E-bikes etc, electric cars Smart home VR headsets & games Drones & action cams, tech toys Cameras Budget buys
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97
HOW TO USE THEM
83
SMARTPHONES TOP TENS
1
HOT BUY
Apple iPhone 12 The demise of Samsung’s glorious Galaxy S20 5G left a space on the Stuff smartphone throne (and its replacement didn’t even make the Top Ten)… but don’t go thinking the iPhone 12 is only our No1 phone by default. We loved the iPhone 11, and its successor carries a whole host of improvements. If you can live without the telephoto camera of the flagship 12 Pro (and most can), you should save yourself some cash and get the 12 instead. In many ways it’s the same phone.
TIPS & TRICKS Enable ‘Start PiP Automatically’ so you can keep watching videos while flipping between apps.
Stuff says +++++ A top display and all the power you’ll ever need in an iPhone
Under ‘Face ID & Passcode’, disable ‘Require Attention for Face ID’. Now you can keep your shades on.
O NOW ADD THIS Sandisk iXpand Flash Drive Go Bump your iPhone’s storage capacity by 64, 128 or 256GB with this tiny Lightning flash drive. from £36 / shop.westerndigital.com
Got AirPods Pro or Max? Under their Bluetooth settings, tap ‘Spatial Audio’ for fancy 3D immersion.
2
NEW
3
Oppo Find X3 Pro
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
In almost every respect, the X3 Pro is a killer flagship phone. Oppo’s software has taken a major leap forward and the hardware is easily on a par with Apple and Samsung. If you want the best you pay the premium… and the Find X3 Pro is very much one of the best.
The achievements of the iPhone 12 Pro are evident everywhere… but who actually needs them? For some, the camera setup is the selling point, but an extra £100 bags you an even better one on the 12 Pro Max; and for the rest of us, the iPhone 12 will do fine.
Stuff says +++++ It’s serious money, but it’s brilliantly capable in just about every way
Stuff says +++++ Advanced photo skills make this an iPhone for the few and not the many
£1100 / stuff.tv/X3Pro
4
OnePlus 9 Pro
5
Realme X50 Pro 5G
6
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
7
Apple iPhone 12 Mini
8
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
9
OnePlus 9
10
Xiaomi Mi 11
NEW
from £999 / stuff.tv/12Pro
NEW
+++++ from £829 / stuff.tv/OnePlus9Pro With OnePlus’s best camera yet and a top display, this is high-end hardware at a non-premium price.
+++++ £450 / stuff.tv/X50Pro Realme’s high-spec, mid-price marvel makes for a compelling alternative to a OnePlus.
+++++ from £1099 / stuff.tv/12ProMax The only choice if you want to fully Max your iPhone experience… but not a big upgrade over the 12 Pro.
+++++ from £699 / stuff.tv/12Mini A 5.4in-screened cutie packing Apple’s lauded A14 Bionic chip and the same cameras as the iPhone 12.
++++, from £1149 / stuff.tv/S21Ultra Earns its ‘Ultra’ name owing to an incredible camera array capturing moments other phones will miss.
++++, from £629 / stuff.tv/OnePlus9 A camera upgrade balances out a design downgrade to ensure OnePlus is still easy to recommend.
++++, from £749 / stuff.tv/Mi11 There are missteps, but with its cutting-edge performance the Mi 11 trades blows with the best.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES
O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated
from £799 / stuff.tv/iPhone12
TOP TENS IN-EARS
1
84 HOT BUY
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Sony WH-1000XM4
They’re bulkier than the average in-ears and come with a ridiculously large case, but otherwise the QC Earbuds are difficult to knock. The noise-cancelling doesn’t do a disservice to the esteemed QC name, it’s hugely customisable, and the buds themselves sound great: bassier than you might expect, but in a nicely rounded way that retains lots of detail. They’re at the upper end where price is concerned – but if silence is what you seek, you currently won’t find better.
With their balance of wearability, active noise-cancelling prowess and audio performance, there hasn’t been a better package than the Sony XM3s… until now. The XM4s look and sound almost identical, but a range of new features – including Speak-to-Chat, which stops the music when you start talking – aims to lure you away from your current ’phones. If those are the XM3s (still available at a super-low price, by the way), it’s tough to justify the upgrade; but who’s going to knock Sony off its perch now?
Stuff says +++++ A fun listen with excellent noise-cancelling skills, these are the best buds to stick in your ears
Stuff says +++++ Not surprisingly given their heritage, these are the best all-round noise-cancelling headphones you can buy
£250 / stuff.tv/QCE
£299 / stuff.tv/XM4
TO READ THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/IN-EAR-HEADPHONES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HEADPHONES
TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES
1
85
HOT BUY
Samsung Galaxy Watch3
Mi Smart Band 5
Sneaking into the top berth courtesy of a slightly underwhelming Apple Watch update, Samsung’s gorgeous Watch3 is an easy wearable to love. It’s superbly made and very attractive, and the spinning bezel makes it a joy to use. Samsung’s Tizen OS is slick too, with lots of customisation and shortcut options to keep things feeling fresh – made all the better by a class-leading screen. It also has all the fitness skills you’re ever likely to need, with handy auto-tracking features.
With no installable apps, Xiaomi’s dinky wearable can’t stack up to smartwatches or reply to notifications, but it can relay alerts and track everything from sleep to workouts. It’s better than the Mi Smart Band 4, thanks to a bigger and brighter screen, smarter software and a charger that’s much less annoying. The slightly reduced battery life really isn’t an issue – and with the addition of activity, stress and menstrual cycle tracking, this is a sub-£30 gift that keeps giving.
Stuff says +++++ A beautiful and powerful piece of kit that you’ll be proud to have on your wrist
Stuff says +++++ Fantastic value and decent features make this an easy fitness tracker to recommend
from £349 / stuff.tv/GW3
3 4 5
Apple Watch Series 6
from £358 / stuff.tv/WatchS6 The Series 6 is a superb smartwatch with ambitions to be a total wellness deity; but while the new sensors are useful, they’re not vital for most. This is a fine statement gadget, but there are better deals to be had. Stuff says ++++, A great all-rounder, especially for iPhone users
Apple Watch SE
++++, from £269 / stuff.tv/WatchSE The most obvious alternative to the Watch Series 6 – and it looks identical.
Oppo Watch
++++, from £230 / stuff.tv/OW This Apple Watch lookalike streamlines Wear OS to go ahead of many rivals.
£27 / stuff.tv/MiBand5
3
Peloton Bike+
4
Wattbike Atom (Next Generation)
5
Slinger
£2295 + £39/m / stuff.tv/PelPlus A fitness phenomenon based around a connected bike with a Full HD touchscreen that streams live and on-demand training sessions 24/7. The ‘+’ version brings some useful upgrades, including a bigger screen. Stuff says +++++ Peloton owners look smug for a reason
+++++ £1899 / stuff.tv/WBAtom With improved sensors, this is the benchmark for serious indoor cyclists.
+++++ £780 / stuff.tv/Slinger Finally, a tennis practice partner that genuinely wants you to get better.
FOR THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTWATCHES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/FITNESS-TRACKERS
TOP TENS LAPTOPS TIPS & TRICKS
The Sidecar feature on macOS Big Sur lets you use an iPad as a second display for your MacBook.
86
Apple charges a hefty premium for extra storage, so consider a cheaper external SSD.
1
HOT BUY
Apple MacBook Air (M1) from £999 / stuff.tv/AirM1
The early-2020 version was already the best MacBook Air ever – and this one brings a real step up in power. Apple’s amazing new M1 processor means that, for once, we aren’t hankering after a Pro for video editing and graphics-heavy gaming. It’s a pity about the rubbish camera, but this is a stunning laptop in every other respect.
Stuff says +++++ Our go-to MacBook just keeps getting even go-to-er O NOW ADD THIS Anker PowerExpand 7-in-2 Hub Turn the Air’s twin USB-C ports into a media hub with a mix of HDMI, USB, microSD and SD card connections. £40 / uk.anker.com
2
3
4 5 6 7
Apple MacBook Pro 13in (M1)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
The new M1 chip has given this business-class performer an injection of jet fuel. The 13in Pro remains a sturdy notebook, but its processing power is incredible. Our review unit, with just 8GB of RAM, left a higher-specced 2020 Intel MacBook Pro in the dust.
The Surface Laptop 3 seems plain on paper – no second screen, no graphics card, no hybrid hinge, no fingerprint scanner – but Microsoft has put supreme attention to detail into every bit that matters. The keyboard, the speakers and the overall build quality are all superb.
Stuff says +++++ Believe the hype: the Pro with an M1 chip inside kicks big, big bottom
Stuff says +++++ Forget frills and gimmicks: this is everything a laptop should be
from £1299 / stuff.tv/Pro13M1
from £795 / stuff.tv/SurfaceLap3
8 9 10
Apple MacBook Pro 16in
+++++ from £2399 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro16 Not just a bump up in screen size, but a serious upgrade to the already top-class 15in Pro.
LG Gram 16
+++++ from £1399 / stuff.tv/Gram16 LG’s latest lightweight machine is slick, light and well made – an impressive, versatile option.
Dell XPS 13
+++++ from £1599 / stuff.tv/XPS13 Style, portability, performance… there’s little else out there that’s quite so well rounded.
Razer Blade Pro 17
+++++ from £2200 / stuff.tv/BladePro17 Incredible power and quality make for a working and gaming beast.
Huawei MateBook X Pro
+++++ from £799 / stuff.tv/MateBookXPro Not massively better than the 2018 model, but this is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop.
Google Pixelbook Go
++++, from £629 / stuff.tv/PixelbookGo A light and stylish touchscreen laptop built for those who like to live and work in the cloud.
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425J
++++, from £900 / stuff.tv/ZenBook14 A laptop of evident quality in virtually every department at a surprisingly low price.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS
TIPS & TRICKS
You can control your Move with the touch controls on top, the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Alexa.
1
Auto Trueplay adapts the Move’s sound to different rooms, while the app offers additional EQ tweaks.
87
SPEAKERS TOP TENS HOT BUY
Sonos Move £399 / stuff.tv/SonosMove
The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been crying out for a battery-powered portable model for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand. This the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago – and for even better portability, watch out for the new Roam model reviewed on p29.
Stuff says +++++ Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style O NOW ADD THIS Primephonic Bringing sexy Bach, this is streaming for classical music. Niche, yes, but its not-on-Spotify film and game scores offer a great way into the genre. from £9.99/month / primephonic.com
2
3
NEW
4
5 6 7 Sonos One
Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation
The Sonos One is now a more well-rounded device than it was at launch, supporting Spotify with voice control as well as Amazon Music and TuneIn Radio, while the early Alexa hiccups seem to have been fixed. It’s a class apart from the competition.
The second Mu-so is a fuller, richer, more detailed and louder listen than the model it replaces, with lots of added functionality, and is every bit as handsome and decorative. It’s more than capable of maintaining Naim’s position at the front of the hi-fi pack.
Stuff says +++++ A great balance of sound and smarts for forward-thinking audio nerds
Stuff says +++++ Naim’s luxury wireless speaker sequel is an improvement all round
£179 / stuff.tv/SonosOne
£1290 / stuff.tv/Mu-so2
8 9 10
Devialet Phantom 1 108dB
+++++ £2790 each / stuff.tv/Phantom1 An insanely powerful lump of hi-fi magic, best enjoyed in a neighbour-terrifying stereo pair.
Audio Pro Drumfire
+++++ £606 / stuff.tv/Drumfire Large, loud and lots of fun, this is one of the most absurd and grin-inducing wireless speakers ever.
B&W Formation Wedge
+++++ £900 / stuff.tv/BWWedge Pricey, weird-looking… and a brilliant illustration of what a wireless speaker is capable of.
Marshall Emberton
+++++ £130 / stuff.tv/Emberton A tiny speaker that packs an unexpected punch without scrimping on refinement.
JBL Flip 5 Eco
+++++ £120 / stuff.tv/Flip5Eco A portable party speaker that does its bit for the green cause while sounding fantastic.
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
+++++ £1499 (pair) / stuff.tv/Q200 The Q Active 200s marry serious audiophile qualities with oodles of connectivity options.
Small Transparent Speaker
+++++ £375 / stuff.tv/Transparent Stylish, portable, loud enough for any bedside table… and also available in matt black.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING
TOP TENS TVs TIPS & TRICKS
You can configure this TV to work with the voice assistant of your choice, not just Samsung’s Bixby.
88
Samsung’s remote is solar-powered, so don’t lose it down the back of the sofa – it’s dark down there.
AirPlay 2 integration lets you stream or share content from Apple devices to the big screen.
1
HOT BUY
Samsung QE65QN95A £2999 / stuff.tv/QN95A
This is Samsung’s single most expensive 4K TV for 2021 (unless you buy a bigger version), but the pictures justify the outlay. The Korean giant’s implementation of the new Mini LED tech is, on this evidence, something to be reckoned with. It’s difficult to imagine how any of the other sets that are incoming this year could be better.
Stuff says +++++ This Mini LED television is a fearsomely accomplished set – and the one to beat O NOW ADD THIS Samsung Q-Series soundbars Pairing your QLED with one of these is a stress-free way to get 3D object-based sound. from £499 / samsung.com
2
3
Philips 48OLED+935
Philips 65OLED+984
A grand and a half for a 48in TV is no one’s idea of a bargain. But when you consider the level of audio-visual fidelity this money is buying, not to mention the convenience of the integrated soundbar, it’s hard to suggest the 48OLED+935 isn’t worth every penny. Next-gen gamers may lament the lack of HDMI 2.1, but for anyone other than the most ardent button-bashers the lovely picture (with Ambilight) is quite immersive enough.
Moving up a substantial notch in price as well as class, our second-favourite Philips TV offers outstanding picture performance with universal HDR support, and goes above and beyond what we expect from television sound thanks to a custom-made speaker system from British hi-fi brand Bowers & Wilkins. Plus it looks gorgeous in any living room, particularly with that four-sided Ambilight in full effect.
£1499 / stuff.tv/OLED935
£2447 / stuff.tv/OLED984
B
B
Stuff says +++++ Expensive for its size, but the picture and sound are wonderful
Stuff says +++++ A television that goes big on design, performance and sound
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs
STREAMERS TOP TENS
89
1
HOT BUY
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
Sky TV
Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of this device’s sound is remarkable, and it’s hard to think of any content that wouldn’t benefit from being Ambeo’d. That’s why, as well as being the biggest and the most expensive, it’s the best you can buy.
Already home to the biggest selection of 4K content, from blockbuster films and original dramas to top-flight sport, Sky has adopted a can’t-beat-’em-join-’em approach to streaming by incorporating the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and BT Sport in its user-friendly interface. It’s also restructured its packages to make them more affordable, while multiroom and mobile options round off the most comprehensive content system money can buy.
Stuff says +++++ The Ambeo Soundbar is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still
Stuff says +++++ Sky has come out fighting to move with the times and its selection of shows is unrivalled
£2199 / stuff.tv/AmbeoSoundbar
2 BARGAIN BUY
3 4
5
Sonos Arc
£799 / stuff.tv/SonosArc Don’t expect this soundbar to do everything a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers give a real sense of scale for an immersively cinematic TV-watching experience. Stuff says +++++ Big-screen sound for your big-screen binges
Roku Streambar
£130 / stuff.tv/Streambar It’s a compact soundbar and a versatile streaming stick in the same box – and both parts of the deal work brilliantly well. This is the simplest and cheapest way to upgrade your TV’s sound and smarts in one go. Stuff says +++++ A punchy little bar with built-in streaming skills
Sonos Beam
+++++ £399 / stuff.tv/SonosBeam Sonos’s great-value Alexa soundbar is affordable and packed with smarts.
Yamaha SR-C20A
+++++ £229 / stuff.tv/SRC20A At 60cm wide, this is a little bit of a soundbar that can do a little bit of everything.
from £25/month + setup / stuff.tv/SkyTV
2
Amazon Fire TV Cube
3
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
4
Chromecast with Google TV
5
Amazon Fire TV Stick
£110 / stuff.tv/FireTVCube The Fire TV interface is easy to use and all the big catch-up services are available via this tidy box – and best of all, Alexa voice control works brilliantly. You’ll never have to worry about losing the remote again! Stuff says +++++ A marvel of voice control for your telly
£50 / stuff.tv/FireStick4K This streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster processor than the original Fire TV Stick, and comes with an Alexa Voice Remote… but look out also for the cheaper non-4K version below, and the bargain Lite model. Stuff says +++++ Simply a great 4K streaming stick
+++++ £60 / stuff.tv/ChromecastTV A solid buy if you like Google’s casting tricks but also want all your TV apps in one place.
+++++ £40 / stuff.tv/FireStick A solid little HD streamer for all the best bits of Amazon and more.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS TABLETS
1
CONSOLES TOP TENS
90
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Apple iPad Air (2020)
Sony PlayStation 5
The 4th-generation iPad Air ushers in big changes. It looks the spit of an 11in iPad Pro (at least from the front), and supports Apple’s snazzy Magic Keyboard and second-gen Pencil… and the A14 chip makes it blazingly fast, leaving its predecessor in the dust. Sure, there are compromises, but none are critical. So if you were considering an iPad Pro but don’t care about audio apps in portrait, a 12.9in display or more advanced cameras, save yourself a couple of hundred quid and buy the new Air instead.
The PS5 is not a modest upgrade. Its hulking design means it’ll make a bad first impression on some, but spend time playing it and it’ll soon win you over – and then some. This is essentially a high-spec gaming PC for the living room: stupendously powerful, with greatly reduced loading times compared to the PS4. Most last-gen titles will run fine, many with a boost, and the line-up of new games is strong; we just hope developers make use of that fascinating DualSense pad and its haptic feedback trickery.
Stuff says +++++ Pointing to the iPad’s future rather than its past, this is a meaningful, impressive, powerful Air update
Stuff says +++++ Huge power, clever hardware and a guarantee of great games to come make the PS5 hard to resist
from £579 / stuff.tv/iPadAir
2
Apple iPad Pro
3
Microsoft Surface Go 2
4
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
5
Apple iPad (2020)
UPDATE
from £769 / stuff.tv/iPadPro With its huge and super-slick 120Hz Liquid Retina screen, ludicrously speedy internals and double-lens camera, this is one working device to rule them all – at least until we’ve tested the new M1 version on p8. Stuff says +++++ Apple’s mega-tablet is a performance beast
from £399 / stuff.tv/SurfaceGo2 The Surface Go 2 feels less user-friendly and slick than an iPad, but pair it with the optional Type Cover and it turns into a neat mini-laptop. It’s also a surprisingly good way to play games. Stuff says +++++ Just enough power to be a genuine iPad rival
++++, from £799 / stuff.tv/TabS7Plus A true iPad Pro alternative that brilliantly balances productivity and entertainment.
++++, from £329 / stuff.tv/iPad2020 The A12 Bionic chip turns Apple’s cheapest tab into an absolute powerhouse.
£450 / stuff.tv/PS5
2
Nintendo Switch
£279 / stuff.tv/NintendoSwitch Nintendo’s console earned a promotion in our list after it impressed us with a growing list of fantastic games. Plus, no other device here offers the joy of portable gaming. Train journeys will never be boring again. Stuff says +++++ This 2-in-1 console is the real deal
3
Microsoft Xbox Series X
4
Microsoft Xbox Series S
5
£450 / stuff.tv/XSX A fully future-proofed machine that doesn’t scrimp on specs or speed, the Series X just wants more exclusive titles to make it sing. Xbox Game Pass remains pretty much the best streamed offering in gaming. Stuff says ++++, A beast of a console that needs more games
++++, £250 / stuff.tv/XSS Delivers affordability without sacrificing key features, but still falls short on new titles.
Evercade
++++, £60 / stuff.tv/Evercade Scratches the retro itch in all sorts of ways, and for a price that won’t blast your budget.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HOME-CINEMA & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES
1
91
GAMES TOP TENS
HOT BUY
The Last of Us Part II £25 / PS4
Just as The Last of Us proved to be the perfect swansong for the PS3 era, The Last of Us Part II is a masterful triumph to see off the PS4 in style: a rare superior sequel that can be mentioned in the same breath as The Godfather Part II. An unparalleled masterclass in everything it does, with an extensive suite of accessibility options that every game should adopt as the standard, it’s a game with a story that challenges us – and one we’ll be discussing long into the new console generation.
TIPS & TRICKS Take your time exploring – you’ll find key resources, notes, even some fun Easter eggs.
Stuff says +++++ Naughty Dog has done it again with this brutal, bleak and beautiful game
Not keen on all the violence? A lot of confrontations can be avoided. Just look out for sniffer dogs!
O OR PLAY THIS Uncharted: The Lost Legacy A leaner and somewhat less grim action adventure from Naughty Dog, starring a pair of kick-ass women. £13 / PS4
3
2
4
Doom Eternal
5
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2
+++++ from £26 / PS4, XB1, PC A superb remake of two of the best sports games ever committed to disc.
7
Monster Hunter Rise
Demon’s Souls £69 / PS5
8
Just when you think you’ve seen all this hellish roguelite has to offer, a new tweak yanks you out of your comfort zone. It quickly becomes very addictive… and even if you’ll have to face numerous setbacks, few games make you feel so godly.
This is a lovingly attentive remake that transforms an old game into a next-gen must-play. It’s going to make you work for it, as beneath that shiny new coat it remains a uniquely foreboding challenge, but overcoming Demon’s Souls is its own reward.
9
Stuff says +++++ Great even if you don’t like roguelites …and if you do, it’s the best there is
Stuff says +++++ A gorgeous and faithful remake of a hugely influential cult classic
from £25 / PC, Switch
+++++ £45 / PS5, PS4 A visually stunning superhero romp, ideal for showing off the power of your new PS5.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Hades
NEW
+++++ from £12 / all platforms A ferocious shooter that marries incredible production values with cathartic ultraviolence.
10
+++++ £26 / PS4 The greatest remake of one of the all-time greatest video games.
+++++ £40 / Switch So many monsters and mechanics to feast on – this is unmissable.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
+++++ £40 / Switch A sleeper Mario classic + an experimental 3D offshoot = one hell of a package.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
++++, from £23 / Switch, XSX, XB1, PC A sequel to get well and truly lost in, plucking your heartstrings as it tests your gaming mettle.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES
1
HOT BUY
92
ELECTRIC CARS TOP TENS
1
HOT BUY
VanMoof S3
Porsche Taycan
VanMoof’s second-gen S3 (or X3 if you’re under 5ft 8in) looks like a normal bike, rides like a normal bike and, crucially, doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount of cash. The chunky 50mm tyres, slightly swooped bars and upright riding position all combine to make it super-comfy, and 30 miles with the power assistance set to level three (out of four) left us completely sweat-free with 20% still in the tank. Plus, for such a looker, the S3 has a lot of tech hidden away to make it a less than ideal target for thieves.
It was about time someone took the fight to Tesla, and boy has Porsche delivered with the Taycan. This electric four-door saloon is the EV that petrolheads have been waiting for. In full-fat Turbo S flavour, the Taycan hits 62mph in 2.8 seconds – and adding more drama to proceedings is how it shifts up through its two-speed gearbox. The Taycan has a dynamism that can’t be matched by other electric cars, with a surefootedness that encourages you to press on.
Stuff says +++++ This smart-looking e-bike offers a great ride, great features and some genuinely useful security smarts
Stuff says +++++ Big power, sports-car handling and lots of clever tech make the Taycan the most exciting EV yet
£1798 / stuff.tv/VanMoofS3
from £70,690 / stuff.tv/Taycan
FOR UP-TO-DATE LISTINGS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL KINDS OF GADGETS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
O Electric car prices include government plug-in car grant (PiCG)
TOP TENS E-BIKES ETC
93
1
SMART HOME TOP TENS HOT BUY
Amazon Echo (4th Gen) £80 / stuff.tv/Echo
Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One or Apple HomePod for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter than both and considerably cheaper too.
TIPS & TRICKS The Echo’s built-in Zigbee hub can hook up hundreds of smart home devices without a bridge.
Stuff says +++++ An all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever
Pair a compatible thermostat and the Echo’s temperature sensor can activate the heating.
O NOW ADD THIS Honeywell T6R This Zigbee-enabled thermostat is wireless so you can place it where it’s most convenient. £170 / amazon.co.uk
Alexa Flash Briefings deliver bursts of news or trivia; choose from 5000 sources in the app.
2
3
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)
Google Nest Mini
It can’t match a full-size smart speaker for audio, but as a radio and Alexa assistant for the bedside or kitchen, this cutey gets the job done. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds extra functionality beyond telling the time.
If you live in Google’s world (and let’s face it, most of us do) then the Nest Mini is the best, cheapest way to get into the smart home game. It’s a better bet than the Echo Dot with Clock if you want close integration with your Google calendar and apps.
Stuff says +++++ With the optional clock, this is our favourite bedside wondergadget
Stuff says +++++ Louder and cleverer than ever… and it’ll only improve with updates
from £50 / stuff.tv/Dot
£49 / stuff.tv/NestMini
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES
TOP TENS VR HEADSETS
1
VR GAMES TOP TENS
94
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Oculus Quest 2
Half-Life: Alyx
The original Quest felt almost too good to be true. Its successor lacks the same wow factor, but you can’t argue with a better display and processor – not to mention a lighter, more comfortable build – for less money. Are there more powerful headsets? Is motion sickness still an issue? Yes to both, but superb tracking and a total absence of wires make this the VR package to get… that is, unless you’re boycotting Facebook, because you have to be logged in to use it.
Announcing Alyx as not only a ‘midquel’ but a VR exclusive got some Half-Life diehards riled up… but in classic Valve fashion, the end result is utterly brilliant. Alyx succeeds because its universe just happens to be a perfect fit for the format. It’s also larger and much more robust than most VR games, at a meaty 12-15 hours. And though it unfolds at a different kind of cadence to past Half-Life games, it feels like a fully fledged solo campaign and a key part of the franchise narrative.
Stuff says +++++ Not a complete reinvention, but our favourite VR headset is now even better… and cheaper!
Stuff says +++++ Valve’s beloved series returns… and offers one of the strongest arguments to date for VR gaming
from £299 / stuff.tv/Quest2
2
Valve Index
3
HTC Vive Pro
4
HTC Vive Cosmos
5
PlayStation VR
£919 / stuff.tv/ValveIndex While not revolutionary, the Index carries enough subtle upgrades to put it atop the PC-based headset pack. Everything looks fabulous and the controllers deliver the most fluid-feeling VR interactions to date. Stuff says ++++, The best of the performance-PC VR options
£599 (headset only) / stuff.tv/HTCVivePro No longer the top dog for high-end VR using a PC, the Vive Pro remains a strong headset thanks to its crisp screens and comfy fit. But the Valve Index beats it for sheer immersiveness. Stuff says ++++, Impressive, but not the best around in 2021
+++,, £699 / stuff.tv/Cosmos A simple setup with potential for upgrades, but tough to recommend at this price.
+++,, from £260 / stuff.tv/PSVR Held back by niggling issues… let’s hope the upcoming second-gen PSVR will fix those.
from £41 / Oculus, Vive, Valve Index
2
Beat Saber
3
Star Wars: Squadrons
4
Pistol Whip
5
Population: One
from £23 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR Gleefully swing your twin lightsabers to chop blocks that are flung your way to the thumping beat of a song. This game has reinvented the rhythm genre for VR and it’s glorious, especially on the cable-free Quest. Stuff says +++++ A mesmerising musical melee
from £16 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR Suit up and enter the cockpit in this dazzling dogfighter, a robust Star Wars sim that you can play fully in VR across the entire experience – campaign missions and online shootouts alike. Stuff says ++++, Spacey fun… and even better with a joystick
++++, from £20 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR Like John Wick meets EDM, this rhythmic blaster makes you feel like a master assassin.
++++, from £23 / Oculus, Vive Not as polished as Fortnite, but still a ripping battle-royale shooter with chaotic action.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS DRONES & ACTION CAMS
1
95
HOT BUY
DJI Mini 2
Lego Mindstorms Robot Inventor
£419 / stuff.tv/DJIMini2
£330 / stuff.tv/Mindstorms Just light enough to avoid having to be registered with the CAA, DJI’s latest pocket drone is a little beast that grabs stellar aerial video. It’s also categorically the most intuitive drone Stuff has ever used, with a controller that’s a multi-function marvel: the basic stick controls are all you really need to get started, with everything the camera sees displayed in real time on your phone using the DJI Fly app. Best of all, unlike the old Mavic Mini, it’s capable of shooting in 4K.
It’s clear Lego has prioritised immediacy and fun with its latest build-your-own-bots kit, which lets you and/or your little ones create five different coding-controlled mecha-beings. Yes, the set lacks a proper screen and relies on a separate device for programming; but it offers great clarity and scope, plus an attitude that encourages tinkering… whatever your age.
Stuff says +++++ Fly, shoot, repeat: DJI’s latest dinky drone soars above the competition
Stuff says +++++ A fun, versatile set for Lego electronics newcomers and old hands alike
2
DJI Mavic Air 2
£769 / stuff.tv/MavicAir2 DJI has built on the platform of a simple entry-level drone and thrown in a heap of pro features, so those dipping a toe into aerial photography or videography no longer have to put up with mediocre content. Stuff says +++++ This is DJI’s finest sub-£1K flyer yet
3
GoPro Hero9 Black
4
GoPro Hero8 Black
5
Nextbase 622GW
2
Sphero RVR
£200 / stuff.tv/SpheroRVR The RVR pulls off the balance between serious coding and knockabout fun perfectly: it’s an all-terrain vehicle that you can throw around without worrying about it breaking, but also has serious programming chops. Stuff says +++++ Enough fun to convert any coding-phobe
NEW
£330 / stuff.tv/H9B It’s bulkier than the Hero8 Black and needs an add-on to match its ultra-wide video… but better image detail, battery life and features make this one of the most versatile bits of filming and photography kit we’ve used. Stuff says +++++ The pinnacle of action-cam excellence
+++++ £280 / stuff.tv/H8B Overtaken by the Hero9 Black… but this is still arguably a better option if you don’t need 5K.
+++++ £249 / stuff.tv/622GW Much more than just a dash cam – and bordering on a bargain.
4
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
5
Lego Adventures with Mario
++++, £100 / stuff.tv/MKLive AR software, real-life cars and course markers turn your living room into a Mario Kart track.
++++, from £50 / stuff.tv/LAMario Basically Mario Maker in brick form; begin with the essential Starter Course.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS CAMERAS
96
1
HOT BUY
Fujifilm X-T4 The Fuji X-T4 might be the high-end mirrorless camera of your dreams. Relatively affordable for a flagship, it excels at stills and video thanks to in-body image stabilisation, high-speed shooting and 4K recording at up to 60fps. Rapid shooting is backed up by fancy AF tricks that feel equally fast and reliable, and even the battery life goes above and beyond the usual standards. There’s no doubting this is a worthy successor to the already fabulous X-T3.
TIPS & TRICKS It’s easy to set up the X-T4’s customisable Q button: just hold it down for a couple of seconds for options.
Stuff says +++++ A superbly capable mirrorless camera for shooting pretty much anything in style
Avoid those wonky horizons by turning on the built-in on-screen level in screen settings.
O NOW ADD THIS Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 This versatile lens covers a bigger zoom range than most and adapts to pretty much any requirements. £699 / wexphotovideo.com
Fujifilm X Acquire is a clever bit of PC/Mac software that backs up all your X-T4’s custom settings.
2
3
Sony A7C
Sony A7 III
Putting full-frame sensors in small bodies is one of Sony’s greatest strengths, and the A7C minimises things even further – but this is a compact package with a lot of imaging power. For photographers and video makers who want to carry everything with them in a modest bag (or hanging around their neck), the A7C fits the bill better than any other interchangeable-lens camera.
The A7 III manages to pack in a lot of technology and desirability for less than £2000. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s well suited to a bunch of shooting scenarios, coping well with landscapes, portraits, and even a little bit of high-speed sport shooting. As a camera design it’s admittedly not the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen, but it handles well for its compact size.
Stuff says +++++ Superb quality and full-frame goodness from a half-pint camera
Stuff says +++++ An excellent all-rounder that thrives in low-light conditions
£1709 / stuff.tv/A7C
£1699 / stuff.tv/SonyA7iii
4
Nikon D780
5
Fujifilm X-T30
6
Canon EOS RP
7
Fujifilm GFX 50R
8
Nikon Z6
9
Sony ZV-1
10
Nikon Z50
+++++ £1990 / stuff.tv/D780 An all-round DSLR that’s built like a tank and borrows the best tricks of its mirrorless siblings.
+++++ £849 / stuff.tv/XT30 Does a brilliant job of distilling the X-T3’s appeal into a cheaper, more compact body.
+++++ £1149 / stuff.tv/EOSRP A full-frame mirrorless marvel that’s light enough to not be a burden and offers top picture quality.
+++++ £3199 / stuff.tv/GFX50R The ultimate image quality in a medium-format camera that’s not too ridiculously huge to carry.
+++++ £1549 / stuff.tv/Z6 A top-notch and reasonably sized mirrorless camera from the optical experts.
+++++ £699 / stuff.tv/ZV1 With ace video and a flippable screen, Sony’s clever compact is a vlogger’s dream.
+++++ £929 / stuff.tv/Z50 One of the best APS-C cameras out there, offering a multitude of pro-level features.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS
O System camera prices quoted are for body only unless otherwise stated
£1549 / stuff.tv/XT4
1 TIPS & TRICKS
This fabric-covered take on Marvin the paranoid android in disguise as a Magic 8-Ball feels playful yet classical. It can’t match a full-size smart speaker for audio, but as a little radio and an Alexa assistant for the bedside table or kitchen worktop, this cutey gets the job done. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds extra functionality beyond telling the time.
Alexa Voice Shopping lets you order from Amazon; add a ‘voice code’ to keep the kids off.
Stuff says +++++ With the optional clock, this is our favourite bedside wondergadget
Dot at your bedside? Saying “Alexa, turn on whisper mode” will stop it waking up sleepyheads.
O NOW ADD THIS Sportlink Wall Mount This minimalist acrylic mount for the Dot will keep it clear from wet surfaces in the bathroom or kitchen. £13 / amazon.co.uk
3
Sega Mega Drive Mini
Raspberry Pi 400
There’ll always be rows over whether Nintendo’s or Sega’s games are better, but the Mega Drive Mini wins in terms of the faithful recreation of both hardware and software. Low stock and rising prices mean it might not stay on this list much longer, though.
This DIY computer kit isn’t about the work (or homework) it can do, but what you can turn it into. It’s an affordable standalone programming rig, a hub for electronics and a stashable device that can become any classic home computer in seconds.
Stuff says +++++ Sega’s back – and this really is the ultimate mini gaming machine
Stuff says +++++ A superb gadget for hacking around and exploring computing’s past
£70 / stuff.tv/MegaDriveMini
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) from £50 / stuff.tv/Dot
Fed up of yelling? Alexa’s voice can work like an intercom with connected Echo devices.
2
HOT BUY
£94 / stuff.tv/Pi400
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
Get me to the search on time Chromebooks swap Caps Lock for a search key. In 2011, long-time computer users howled about this – but we kind of wish every laptop designer would pull the same trick.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 2011
hromebook? You’re not talking about a shiny premium version of Facebook, are you? We are not. At least, we hope not, because that would be deeply weird. Then again, Chromebooks were pretty strange when they first appeared. Google had imagined a universe in which everything you’d ever want to do on a computer would be squirted through a web browser – specifically, Google Chrome. They sold the concept by noting that people wouldn’t have to spend money on applications or think about safeguarding documents and data by backing everything up.
C
That’s good, because people don’t like spending money or thinking. Did it work? It depends who you ask. Pundits initially griped that Chromebooks weren’t identical to their existing laptops: they lacked ports, DVD drives and even certain keys on the keyboard; they only worked online and didn’t have the pro apps that PC users liked. But about a year later, these experts all changed their minds – in part because Chromebooks became ridiculously cheap, but mostly because by that point the things had been selling like hot tech-cakes (especially in education) and the pundits had all been proved decisively wrong.
So laptops that only run browsers were a big success! Why did no one see that coming? Given that by 2011 millions of normal people already lived online and only cared about Netflix, YouTube, Google Docs and arguing on social media, we really should have. Over the following decade, Chromebooks carved themselves out a sizeable niche; today they run Android apps, let you do more offline, and can even rival Apple in terms of premium bling. Mind you, cheaper models still chug along if you have the audacity to leave open loads of tabs, like normal people do. We probably should have seen that coming too.
DON’T MISS THE NEXT ISSUE! ON SALE 10 JUN
[ Words Craig Grannell ]
Chromebook