9000
9001
DELL XPS 15: A MACBOOK PRO BEATER
ECHO SHOW 10: SMART HOME REVOLUTION
We review the smart screen that follows you around the room NEXT-GEN TVs
DRONES
3D AUDIO
ULTRABOOKS EBIKES
2021’S BEST TECH
THE GADGETS AND TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS YEAR, FROM MINI-LED SCREENS TO OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS
SHOWSTOPPER Gadgets that showcase the very best that design and technology have to offer GREEN PIECES Concerned plastic plants are inherently environmentally unfriendly? Think again: many bricks in the Botanical Collection are made from plant-based plastic, created from sustainably sourced sugarcane.
L E G O B OTA N IC A L C OL L E C TION Introducing more greenery into your environment can be an incredible way to help you de-stress, EULJKWHQ XS GXOO VXUURXQGLQJV DQG ERRVW \RXU PRRG %XW ZKDW LI \RXèUH DERXW DV JUHHQ ĆQJHUHG DV Dutch elm disease? Well Lego has an unorthodox solution for you: why not build your own plant OLIH" 1R WKH\èUH QRW H[SHFWLQJ \RX WR EH D GDE KDQG DW JHQHWLF PRGLĆFDWLRQ å LQVWHDG WKH FRPSDQ\ has released two new sets aimed at helping adults to practice mindfulness and create their dream greenery. The 756-piece Flower Bouquet allows grown-ups to channel their inner Monty Don and artfully arrange vibrant plastic petals to decorate their homes. Meanwhile, the 878-piece Bonsai Tree lets them shape their own pint-sized sapling, even coming with pink blossoms and green leaves to mark the changing seasons. Each £44.99, lego.com
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 3
Meet the team
Meet the team
MEET OUR ADVERTISING TEAM Get in touch to see what T3 can do for your brand! UK COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR CLARE DOVE clare.dove@futurenet.com +44 (0)7432 442244
JOSH RUSSELL Editor
MICHELLE McLAREN Art Editor
RUSSELL LEWIN Production Editor
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR ANDREW TILBURY andrew.tilbury@futurenet.com, +44 (0)1225 687144 ACCOUNT MANAGER ISABEL LINCOLN-MOORE isabel.lincoln-moore@futurenet.com, +44 (0)1225 442244 SENIOR AD MANAGER SASHA McGREGOR sasha.mcgregor@futurenet.com, +44 (0)1225 442244
JO GULLIVER Group Art Director
PAUL DOUGLAS Content Director
MATT BOLTON Home Tech Editor
THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE T3 is currently licensed worldwide, from Australia to Mexico
ROBERT JONES Ecommerce Editor
DUNCAN BELL Lifestyle Editor
SPENCER HART Product & Style Editor
POLAND
MATT KOLLAT Staff Writer
MATT EVANS Staff Writer
RUTH HAMILTON Outdoor & Wellness Editor
FRANCE
HOW TO LICENSE T3 Interested in publishing a licensed version of T3 in your territory? Please direct enquiries to T3’s Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager, Matt Ellis (matt.ellis@futurenet.com; +44 (0)1225 442244)
SUBSCRIBE for just £42 and get these great EarFun Air Wireless Earbuds! Our new subscription offer gets you T3 from just £3.20 an issue and EarFun Air Wireless Earbuds, absolutely free!
Gift worth
SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND SAVE! magazinesdirect.com/ttt/96AW
4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
£55
VISIT T3.COM We’ve overhauled T3.com – the best site for gadget news and reviews now has a great new look and is fully responsive, enabling you to enjoy it on any device.
Welcome
Editor’s letter &DOO PH D F\QLF EXW , IHHO WKH ODVW ĆYH \HDUV KDYH OHIW XV SRRUO\ KDELWXDWHG WR JRRG QHZV ,I SRVLWLYH KHDGOLQHV ZHUH SDWKRJHQV ULJKW QRZ ZHèG KDYH DOO WKH QDWXUDO defences of a tribe of uncontacted peoples. Maybe, deep down, our immunological memory can recall a distant HQFRXQWHU ZLWK WKH RSWLPLVP YLUXV EXW ZHèYH ORQJ forgotten how to process it when we encounter it. That’s why it’s been a bit of a shock to the system lately to not only discover that our vaccination efforts are going well but that the government has – on its third attempt – put together a sensible timetable for easing our way out of lockdown. This double dose of good news may be just what we need to inoculate us against the blues as we begin our slow climb back to the new normal. And we’ve got a lot more reasons to be cheerful crammed into the latest issue of T3. We’ve trained our metaphorical WHFK WUXIćH KRJV WR VQLII RXW WKH PRVW GHOHFWDEOH WHFK WUHQGV and gadgets coming your way over the next year. Whether LWèV IROGLQJ 0LFUR/(' VFUHHQV DPD]LQJ ' DXGLR RU ćH[LEOH ĆWQHVV FODVVHV WKHUH LV DQ DZIXO ORW WR ORRN IRUZDUG WR Not only that but we’re showing you how to brighten up \RXU OLIH ZLWK VPDUWHU OLJKWLQJ DQG FURZQ \RXU KRPH RIĆFH setup with vibrant, ergonomic monitors. Enjoy the issue!
Josh Russell, Editor josh.russell@futurenet.com Tweet me @joshlrussell
T3’S MISSION Our mission is to bring you the clearest recommendations ZHbFDQ å DQG WKDW PHDQV D JUHDW GHDO RI KDUG ZRUN KDSSHQV before a product even reaches our pages! Because we only feature products the T3 team would KDSSLO\ XVH RXUVHOYHV ZH HQG XS GLVFDUGLQJ D VLJQLĆFDQW QXPEHU RI RSWLRQV LQ HDFK FDWHJRU\ EHIRUH VHWWOLQJ RQ D ĆQDO shortlist to review. We select only the best of the best for RXUb7HVWHG VHFWLRQ WKHbJHDU ZH NQRZ \RXèOO ZDQW WR VHULRXVO\ consider purchasing. And that should mean an end to you
having to undertake hours of painstaking research and product comparisons. You won’t see any duff products, but you will come away with clarity on which one is the best in its category or for DbVSHFLĆF WDVN RXU DZDUGV EDGJHV VHH EHORZ HQVXUH WKDW everything T3 recommends is clearly highlighted on the page. It goes without saying that every product in our review VHFWLRQ KDVbEHHQ WKRURXJKO\ WHVWHG E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV HQDEOLQJ \RXbWR EX\ ZLWK WRWDO FRQĆGHQFH
OUR AWARDS Only the best products – WKRVH WKDW VFRUH ĆYH VWDUV å receive our Platinum Award
This is given to winners of our group tests, so you can see which is the best at a glance
For tech we very much recommend but that’s equalled by other strong products
T3, ISSN 1364-2642, is published 13 times a year (twice in September) by Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. UK The US annual subscription price is $168.87. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named World Container Inc, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Brooklyn NY 11256. 86 32670$67(5 6HQG DGGUHVV FKDQJHV WR 7 :RUOG &RQWDLQHU ,QF WK $YHQXH QG )ORRU -DPDLFD 1< 86$ Subscription records are maintained at Future Publishing, c/o Air Business Subscriptions, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3DH. UK
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 5
Contents
Contents 031
HOT 100
From super-fast laptops to gaming soundbars, get the skinny on 2021’s scorching gadgets and trends
058 6 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO… 8SJUDGH \RXU KRPH RIĆFH ZLWK DPD]LQJ PRQLWRUV offering superior HDR, refresh rates and colour
063
SPECTACULAR SMART LIGHTS /HYHO XS \RXU LOOXPLQDWLRQ ZLWK D ZKROH QHZ generation of smart lights
Contents BEST OF THE BEST
HORIZON 010
HORIZON TOP 10
C Seed unveils its massive folding MicroLED TV and Devialet cranks up WKH GHFLEHOV ZLWK LWV SUHPLXP VSHDNHUV
018
STYLE *HW \RXUVHOI VKLSVKDSH ZLWK WKHVH nautical threads
TESTED 068
AMAZON ECHO SHOW 10
With superior sound and a spinning VFUHHQ $PD]RQ LV RQWR D ZLQQHU ZLWK its latest smart speaker
072
SMACKDOWN :H FRPSDUH WZR WRS RI WKH UDQJH ,3/ KDLU UHPRYHUV DQG VHH ZKLFK LV EHVW IRU ZHHGLQJ RXW WKDW XQZDQWHG IX]]
073
020
TRAVEL
Get your holiday plans back on the rails ZLWK WKHVH WUDLQ EDVHG WULSV
022
FITNESS & OUTDOORS
Mirror mirror, smart home kit, teach us ZRUNRXWV WR JHW XV ĆW
024
LIVING
Vacuum and mop your laminate ćRRULQJ VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ ZLWK WKLV FOHYHU combi cleaner
YAMAHA SR-B20A *RW D PLG VL]H VFUHHQ DQG QRW PXFK cash? This may be the soundbar for you
074
PANASONIC SOUNDSLAYER
076
DELL XPS 15 9500
With a premium build and ace screen, WKLV ODSWRS VKRXOG KDYH $SSOH VZHDWLQJ
Oversee your oxygen levels, improve your privy and obtain your favourite arcade games
Duncan Bell checks out the companies tackling tech’s excesses by sending their plastic packaging packing
8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
2XU JLDQW EX\HUèV JXLGH KHOSV \RX ĆQG WKH ZRUOGèV EHVW JDGJHWV LQ RYHU categories, from top tellies to DSLRs to car tech to shavers – all tested by T3’s team of tech experts!
SUBSCRIBE
AND SAVE BIG MONEY Get the latest offers
056
GADGET GURU
029
YOUR IN-DEPTH BUYER’S GUIDE
&RPSDFW VL]H DQG H[FHOOHQW JDPLQJ focused sound make this perfect for audio-obsessed gamers
026
TALKING TECH
079
078
AMAZFIT GTS 2E 'HVSLWH LWV IDPLOLDU ORRNV WKLV ZDWFKèV HSLF EDWWHU\ DQG ORZ SULFH VHW LW DSDUW
Horizon
The best new tech heading your way
C SEED M1 Around £290,000, cseed.tv MicroLED is here, and it’s completely out-ofits-gourd crazy. The C Seed M1 takes advantage of every one of the new screen tech’s core features to create a TV the likes of which we’ve never seen before and will (unless something very strange happens) never see in our own homes: this folding, expanding hideaway TV is a feat of engineering as much as it is a leap in innovation. It’s the sort of TV you build a room around – quite literally, given that it’s supposed to emerge from a mechanised hole in your floor and unfurl its 165-inch panel automatically, then tuck itself back into the floor when it’s done. The M1 pulls off that feat by using MicroLED’s unique ability to form completely edge-to-edge screens, aligning them by way of a machined metal structural frame and ensuring the joins aren’t visible using what C Seed calls Adaptive Gap Calibration, essentially detecting any offsets and brightening the pixels on either side to compensate. Very clever. MicroLED’s big issue is pixel density. It uses discrete LEDs to make up each pixel rather than OLED substrates or LCD panels, and while they’re pretty small, they’re not quite as micro as they could be: the resolution of the M1 tops out at 4K. That said, the huge advantages of MicroLED are all there. The blacks are fully black, there’s some serious 16 bit HDR on offer, and a claimed 1,920Hz refresh rate.
TECH-O-METER
MicroLED wins in so many spaces. This offers a 160-degree sideto-side viewing angle, which is going to be pretty hard to fall foul of, as well as 30,000:1 contrast ratio. Brightness is decent at 1,000 nits, so C Seed isn’t overdriving it.
“Technology trickles downhill: this won’t look as crazy one day” Josh Russell, Editor
10 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Top 10
MAYBE YOU’D PREFER... C Seed’s M1 isn’t its first foldable TV offering. In fact, the M1 looks like a veritable bargain compared to the 301 from which it inherits its tech, a carbon fiber and titanium folding screen which is 25 feet corner-to-corner. A TV so large C Seed had to picture it with a giraffe in order to emphasise its sheer extravagance. At $1.5 million, it’s safe to say it’s not for everyone.
IMAGE SOURCE: C SEED
SOUND GOOD? The M1 integrates its soundbar into the folding mechanism of the screen, but it’s a rather disappointing 2.1 speaker system. Thankfully you’ll be able to boost its audio capabilities because it supports up to 11.2 audio natively. But presumably you’ll need to plug your audio in manually once it’s emerged from the floor – ditto the single HDMI input – which does defeat the object somewhat.
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 11
Horizon Top 10
DEVIALET PHANTOM I From £1,890, devialet.com
IMAGE SOURCE: DEVIALET
Devialet’s Phantom speakers make a real impact on anyone who hears them. The company’s latest, the Phantom I, can hit between 103dB and 108dB depending on how much you spend. Both models make the most of Devialet’s fondness for acronym-based technology: they carry the company’s patented ADH (Analog/Digital Hybrid) amplification; SAM (Speaker Active Matching) tech accurately balances the amplifier to the output of the drivers; ACE (Active Cospherical Engine) doctors sound output to emit it evenly in all directions; and HBI, which stands for Heart Bass Implosion, aptly smashes you around with sound. There’s better connectivity, too, with the ability to now plug in analogue sources – but the price puts this north of most budgets. T3 SAYS: An unforgettable audio experience at (probably) an unattainable price.
TECH-O-METER
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 Around £250, nvidia.com
T3 SAYS: Maybe soon we’ll have cards we can actually get our hands on. Maybe.
TECH-O-METER
1 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
IMAGE SOURCE: NVIDIA
The RTX 3080 may be the big-ticket graphics card of the day – it’s the entry from Nvidia’s new line that made our Hot 100, after all – but the 3060 might even top it in terms of importance. It’s both cheap enough to be a reasonable upgrade and powerful enough to throw around 1080p graphics without breaking a sweat. Nvidia even tried to make sure gamers could actually get their hands on one by building in anti-cryptomining tech into the card’s DNA, a feature that, while a noble effort, appears to have been thwarted with predictable efficiency. It’s rare, then. Unlike other entries in the 30-series line there’s no Founder’s Edition of the 3060, so you’ll need to look to third-party manufacturers if you want one. Make sure you make one heck of a wish.
Horizon Top 10
RAZER KIYO PRO £199, razer.com
IMAGE SOURCE: RAZER
Laptop manufacturers treat webcams with such disgust. How many top-of-the-line machines drop today with 720p sensors which would have been embarrassing ten years ago, let alone when you’re trying to look professional in a meeting? No more. Razer’s chunky Kiyo Pro, its circular lens redolent of DSLR styling, might not be able to go beyond 1080p, but it doesn’t necessarily need to. It can manage 1080p at a full 60fps (30fps if you switch on HDR) through a sensor which employs STARVIS tech, a pixel-backlighting method used in professional CCTV to pull a clear image out of low-light areas. With a selectable field of view between 103, 90, or 80 degrees, it’s suitable for framing your face or your family depending on the call. Basically, it’s an upgrade on most other webcams. T3 SAYS: Be seen in the best possible light.
TECH-O-METER
MICHELIN PILOT SPORT EV £TBC, michelin.com
T3 SAYS: Drive safe and drive for longer – with the max amount of rubber meeting the road.
TECH-O-METER
14 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
IMAGE SOURCE: MICHELIN
Electric vehicles are unique beasts, particularly at the sportier end. They can cook up so much torque and acceleration that actually putting power down on the road becomes tricky, and their batteries spread the weight out in ways that combustion engines don’t. Petrol tyres just aren’t going to cut it any more. Drawing from its work on Formula E racing, Michelin is now ready to release its first custom-designed EV road tyre – one with a hard compound in the centre strip to provide high-torque grip without excessive wear, a low rolling resistance that might bag you an extra 37 miles travel on a charge, heavily reduced cabin noise, and an all-weather pattern that Michelin says will hold its grip irrespective of wear. Expect to see plenty of these towards the end of the year.
ON SALE NOW!
T N I R P E N I L N O DIGITAL SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND SAVE!
www.magazinesdirect.com/whi
Horizon Top 10
MAD CATZ B.A.T. 6+ £TBC, madcatz.com
IMAGE SOURCE: MAD CATZ
You’ll need to be a serious mouse slinger to make the most of the hypercar-inspired side vents of the ambidextrous B.A.T. 6+, or to need to frequently take advantage of its quickchange grip-switching side plates and Batmobile-themed palm rest. And we don’t really buy into Mad Catz’s claims that the 16,000 DPI sensor underneath can ‘sense all of your enemies in every step that they take’, because that is ludicrous, and would absolutely be cheating if it were true. But we do see that the B.A.T.’s design notes – nay, extended jazz chords – are all there to make it as versatile and comfortable as possible. The insides are just as overcooked, with that ultra-sharp sensor joined by Mad Catz’s own DAKOTA mechanical microswitches, which cut debounce delay to actuate up to 60% faster than others. T3 SAYS: An excessive mouse, but a cool one.
TECH-O-METER
PHILIPS A6606 £TBC, philips.co.uk
T3 SAYS: Be safe, but don’t miss that podcast.
TECH-O-METER
16 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
IMAGE SOURCE: PHILIPS
Deadening the sound of the outside world is the reason some people wear ear buds in the first place, but in-ear audio is not suitable for every situation. Bone conduction may be the answer: it sends your music, podcasts or calls into your ears by vibrating your cheekbones, leaving your ear canals open to the elements. We’ve seen several bone conduction options over the years, but none seems more destined for success than Philips’ A6606; the neckband earphones are built like an absolute tank, with a reinforced titanium structure formed in just the right shape to skirt neatly under a cycling helmet, and they’re fully waterproof and dustproof too. Philips has even been clever enough to spin the A6606’s super-bright LED as a safety feature on the road, which is neat, if (let’s be honest) a bit of a push.
Horizon Top 10
NOMADPLUG Around £55, nomadplug.com creating a huge tripping hazard if it’s plugged into the wall. It also includes a matching 18W USB-C charger, itself adaptable to fit international plugs, so you can (at least in theory) cut down on the number of devices you pack in your hand luggage. IMAGE SOURCE: NOMADPLUG
The Nomadplug has been on our gadget radar since it was first Kickstarted in 2018, but it’s only now coming to the market – brilliantly, just in time for us to potentially be able to go somewhere it might be useful. A travel adapter that (at last) doesn’t look like it was designed and manufactured in the 1970s, the Nomadplug is modular, colourful and clever, suitable to just toss in your bag wherever you might be heading in the world. You can chop and change to convert any kind of plug into any other, and the socket section cleverly folds down so you won’t be
T3 SAYS: Travel power made simple and (whisper it) cool.
TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES
URBANISTA MIAMI We’re not about to claim that Urbanista’s headphones redraw the ANC map, because they clearly don’t: they’re Bluetooth 5.0 on-ears which do exactly what you’d expect. They include active noise cancelling with an ambient mode, a decent 50-hour battery, charging via USB Type-C, and wear detection, which pauses your tunes should you take them off. That’s normal. But just look at them. These are style incarnate, in white, black, red or a very natty teal, with massive amounts of padding on the adjustable head band and ear cups to make wearing them for long
periods a breeze. The moving coil loudspeakers lean a little towards the low end – and the price goes the same way. Apple and Sony might be keeping the upper reaches of the ANC market warm, but there’s a space in the mid-range that Urbanista is more than willing to fill. T3 SAYS: Affordable ANC with style.
TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES
IMAGE SOURCE: URBANISTA
£129, urbanista.com
KASA SMART VIDEO DOORBELL £TBC, kasasmart.com TP-Link has so far said little. We’re not even sure when the Smart Video Doorbell will be with us, but if previous trends hold true it’s worth watching for an even cheaper specced-down version potentially landing under the TP-Link brand. T3 SAYS: Smart security is becoming the norm, but needn’t be unaffordable.
IMAGE SOURCE: KASA
Kasa’s home security products all have one thing in common: they’re cheap, and they work well. The Smart Video Doorbell, then, has the chance to be really disruptive in the market. It stores locally on a microSD card or can send footage to the cloud, sports a full 2K sensor capturing footage in 1080p, has built-in face recognition, two-way audio, a plug-in chime released alongside it, and everything else you’d expect from a smart doorbell – all at what will almost certainly be a lower price than its competitors. We say ‘almost certainly’ because parent company
TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 17
Horizon
SEAWORTHY
When Gucci dropped anchor with its SS20 menswear collection, there were nautical notes galore. If you want to wear this micro-trend yourself, try these on for size…
IMAGE SOURCE: OFFICINE GÉNÉRALE, RALPH LAUREN, MR PORTER, NN07, VEJA
OFFICINE GÉNÉRALE MARCO STRIPED VIRGIN WOOL-BLEND SWEATER Earn your nautical stripes while staying toasty warm in this virgin-wool blend sweater that’s made for wearing with lighter shade trousers. £280, modesens.com
POLO RALPH LAUREN SLIM-FIT COTTON-SEERSUCKER BLAZER Lightweight, comfy and on the relaxed side of sharp, we’d wear this slightly crinkled blazer with crisp white or beige trousers, tailored shorts and jeans. £408, mrporter.com
MR P TAPERED GARMENTDYED PLEATED COTTON TROUSERS Described as having the ‘wearability of jeans with the more refined appearance of tailoring’, there’s isn’t much these cotton pleated trousers can’t handle. £165, mrporter.com
NN07 KURT STRIPED COTTON-JERSEY T-SHIRT Revel in the feel of super-soft cotton jersey and the laid-back comfort of a crew neck. If you buy just one nautical-style piece for spring/summer, make it this versatile tee. £60, nn07.com
18 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
VEJA ESPLAR SUEDE-TRIMMED LEATHER SNEAKERS When it comes to modern nautical, it’s out with the boat shoes and in with the sneakers. Veja’s are made with sustainably sourced materials, including Amazonian wild rubber. £90, net-a-porter.com
Style
WHICH WATCH
MONEY NO OBJECT
THE HOTTEST TIMEPIECES RIGHT NOW
Mr Leight Marmont S Round-Frame Acetate and Silver-Tone Sunglasses
HUBLOT, BIG BANG TOURBILLON AUTOMATIC ORANGE SAPPHIRE
Reissuing a design from the late 1970s, with an integrated case and bracelet, the PRX is distinctive and timeless. It will initially feature a quartz movement, with an automatic to be introduced later. £295, tissotwatches.com
With this, the brand has achieved a world ĆUVW E\ DGGLQJ D FRPSOHWHO\ QHZ FRORXU WR LWV SDOHWWH RI WKURXJK WLQWHG VDSSKLUHV £140,000, hublot.com
BVLGARI, OCTO ROMA CARILLON TOURBILLON
H MOSER & CIE, SWISS ALP WATCH FINAL UPGRADE
Designed to ‘raise the level of sensorial H[SUHVVLRQ WKURXJK VRXQGè WKH WLPHSLHFH IHDWXUHV D WKUHH KDPPHU FKLPH FRPELQHG ZLWK D WRXUELOORQ UHJXODWRU ,WèV D SHUIHFW fusion of artistry and technique. £POA, bulgari.com
7KH )LQDO 8SJUDGH SD\V WULEXWH WR smartwatches with its familiar design and integrates Vantablack technology, all while FHOHEUDWLQJ LWV ZDWFKPDNLQJ H[SHUWLVH ZLWK WKH LQ KRXVH +0& PRYHPHQW £25,000, h-moser.com
Larry Leight was the founder and creative director of coveted eyewear brand Oliver Peoples, so when he jumped ship to launch his own brand of eyeglasses and sunglasses with his son Garrett, the fashion world took notice. Mr Leight is the fruit of that labour, and is home to the handsome Marmont S. The sunglasses come in seven different colours, with each evoking a different mood to take you from day to night. If you’re more classic than metallic, choose the Matte Driftwood or Havana finish. As for us, we love the Acetate and Silver-Tone shades, designed with titanium bridge, eye wire and coil temple. CR-39 layered lenses offer UV protection, with an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare. Wondering where the name comes from? The frame design was inspired by the classic silhouette of the Chateau Marmont, and pays homage to the Hollywood landmark’s legendary style. If you want to borrow some of that timeless style, these are the shades to do it with. £475, endclothing.com
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 19
IMAGE SOURCE: TISSOT, HUBLOT, BVLGARI, H MOSER & CIE, MR LEIGHT
TISSOT, PRX
Horizon Travel
FLIGHT 001 5 IN 1 UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER If you’re signing up for a longdistance train journey, there’s a chance you’ll be crossing a couple of borders, so add a flash of colour to your cabin with this stylish adapter. £29, conranshop.co.uk
RAILBLAZING
ALL ABOARD
IMAGE SOURCE: NET-A-PORTER
IMAGE SOURCE: SKULLCANDY
SKULLCANDY HESH ANC Rumbling trains are no match for Skullcandy’s newest headphones, which have active noise cancellation and a cabin-friendly collapsible design. They’re also super quick to charge – you’ll get three hours of sound with just a 10-minute charge. £119.99, skullcandy.co.uk
PARAVEL PACKING CUBES When you’re confined to a cabin, overstuffed bags can be a recipe for disaster, so minimise the risk of an exploding suitcase by using Paravel’s brilliant Packing Cube set. £65, net-a-porter.com 2 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
It’s not just the destination, but the journey itself. That’s why Tamara Hinson is tracking down the world’s most amazing train journeys Not so long ago, travel was all about getting from A to B in the fastest time possible, whether this meant flying from London to Sydney without a stopover, bragging about being a passenger on a plane that piggy-backed jet streams for a lightning-fast transatlantic crossing, or whizzing from one Japanese city to the next on a sculpture-like bullet train. But it’s hardly surprising that many are predicting a post-pandemic passion for slow travel, and trains are at the forefront of this movement. A classic example has been the growing popularity of Amtrak’s sleeper services, which have chugged their way across America with a no-frills determination for decades. 2021 marks Amtrak’s fiftieth birthday, which means it’s the ideal time to sign up for – or at least book – an adventure on one of its most popular trains, the California Zephyr, which rumbles from Chicago to San Francisco three times a week (amtrak.com). The 51-hour journey takes in the Rockies, the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas and Nebraska’s golden plains, and there’s accommodation for every budget, ranging from reclining seats to bedrooms with private showers.
For a breathtaking railway journey, it’s hard to beat Australia. A 4,352km journey on the Indian Pacific, streaking from Perth to Sydney over four days, is the railway adventure that tops most rail-spotters’ bucket lists (journeybeyondrail.com.au). Highlights include a stop-off in Kalgoorlie, home to the world’s third-largest manmade hole (otherwise known as the Super Pit gold mine) and the eucalyptus-scented Blue Mountains. Over in Japan, a ride on Japan Railways’ 36+3, which took to the rails in late 2020, is a fantastic way to explore Kyushu (visit-kyushu.com/en/). There are five different routes to choose from, all of which can be done in a single day. For many, the highlight will be the food – onboard delicacies include seafood, sake and wagyu beef. Prone to travel sickness? Kruger Shalati, which opened in late 2020, might be the solution (krugershalati.com). You’ll find this modern take on a safari lodge on a bridge in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, where a steam engine has been transformed into a 31-bedroom hotel. Our favourite bit? The overhanging pool, if only for the views of the crocodileinfested river below.
IMAGE SOURCE: KRUGER SHALATI
IMAGE SOURCE: THE CONRAN SHOP
TRAIN TECH FOR A SMOOTH TRIP
Horizon Fitness
IMAGE SOURCE: NORDICTRACK
IMAGE SOURCE: UNDER ARMOUR
HIGH TECH RUNNING GEAR
UNDER ARMOUR UA HOVR MACHINA 2 RUNNING SHOES A Bluetooth-enabled long distance running shoe that directly connects to the UA MapMyRun app. It features a high-ventilation mesh fabric for improved breathability and reduced weight. £140, underarmour.co.uk
LOOKING GOOD
MAGIC MIRROR Nordictrack Vault’s smart mirror takes home workouts to a new level
IMAGE SOURCE: ATTIS
ATTIS STRIDESENSE RUNNING LEGGINGS Five motion tracking sensors on your legs and waist connect via Bluetooth to an app. The sensors measure 10 specialised running metrics including bounce, pelvic rotation and symmetry. £299, attisfitness.co.uk
In 2021, home workouts are the norm and even when gyms reopen, it’s doubtful there will be as many people working out in them as before. For those individuals who prefer exercising in their living rooms, have some dosh to spend and like to look at themselves as they workout, NordicTrack has the perfect product. The carbon steel-framed NordicTrack Vault (from $1,999, nordictrack.com) is an all-in-one ‘smart fitness studio’ and features a sizeable 32-inch HD touchscreen (to stream iFit workouts on) covered by a 60 x 22-inch mirror that’s able to rotate in 360 degrees, meaning that although the
unit will most likely be by a wall – where else would you place a huge cabinet? – you can workout anywhere else in the room where the Vault is placed. Behind the mirrored door hides a storage cabinet which, depending on the version of the NordicTrack Vault you end up buying, can contain a range of workout equipment, including dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and yoga blocks. This compact home gym will come at price: even the cheaper ‘Standalone’ Vault, without any gear included, will set you back $1,999, while the ‘Complete’ Vault will cost you just shy of three grand.
SUMMIT UP
ENERGY BURST
IMAGE SOURCE: PERCKO
PERCKO LYNE FIT POSTURE CORRECTING T-SHIRT Percko’s t-shirt can help reduce back pain and realign the spine thanks to its patented tensor system that pulls the shoulders back to better posture. It can enhance breathing and reduce fatigue too. £109, percko.com 2 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Luxury-brand Montblanc doesn’t want to feel left out of the ever-expanding fitness smartwatch market. Keeping up with the times, it recently announced the Montblanc Summit Lite (£700, montblanc.com), a premium smartwatch brimming with fitness features. The Summit Lite features a 1.19-inch AMOLED display with
Gorilla Cover Glass and offers a heart rate monitor, integrated GPS and water-resistance to 5 ATM. Like other Summit watches, the tech is powered with Wear OS by Google. In addition to having all the standard Wear OS features on board, the Summit Lite also has some apps developed by Montblanc specifically for the watch.
IMAGE SOURCE: MONTBLANC
Wear OS-powered Montblanc Summit Lite brings fitness joy
Horizon
MORE CLEANING ESSENTIALS
As the name suggests, this is the Dyson V11 cordless vac, but bigger. The excellent suction head is 25% bigger than on the standard V11, while the dustbin is more than twice as big. The result: you can clean more quickly and empty the bin less frequently. That’s progress. £649, dyson.co.uk
IMAGE SOURCE: ROBOROCK
ROBOROCK S7 The latest robot slave cleaner from Roborock boasts improved cleaning over the excellent S6 and a mop attachment that raises and lowers as required. Extremely smart navigation means you can send it to mop your bathroom or vacuum your spare bedroom with just a few prods of the Roborock app. £649, us.roborock.com
IMAGE SOURCE: CAPSULE
HALO CAPSULE A great British success story, this Dyson rival offers Dyson-like performance without a Dyson-esque price. Yes, it looks a little odd, and it uses old-timey bags rather than thrusting, modernday bagless suction. But with a carbon fibre body and excellent cleaning performance, the Capsule is an absolute steal. £249, capsuleclean.com 24 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
THE MUCK STOPS HERE
SPRING CLEAN IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT Have you any idea how much filth lurks on your hard floors? It’s time to really wash the scum off your parquet flooring with the Bissell Crosswave Cordless Max. And it does rugs too! Spring is here, and spring has been officially designated as both the time of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the time to clean. Hence ‘spring cleaning’. Although, if you really only clean your home once per year in spring, just before it gets hotter and dustier, you are probably not someone whose home we want to visit, outside of spring. If you have hard floors and are interested in cleaning them, you may be aware that there is a growing range of machines for doing just that. Kärcher, Vax and more make vacuum cleaner/mop-type devices replete with whirling rollers that buff your parquet, lino and laminate to a fine sheen, while sucking the filth from their surfaces. Now, however, Bissell has come up with a hard floor cleaning machine so advanced, it lays waste not only to floor-borne foulness but can also clean ‘area rugs’. We think this is an American term for ‘rugs’. Here’s how Bissell’s Crosswave Cordless Max works (£430, bisselldirect.co.uk). You place water and detergent in the upper
water tank. This is then pumped into the main roller, which cleans your hard floor. Simultaneously, the powerful vacuuming action sucks the now dirty water, plus whatever debris there may be in its path, into the waste tank. The result: you have immaculate floors, and the waste tank is full of disconcertingly grey water with lots of hair and bits and whatnot in. This tank features a removable divider that niftily separates pet hair and debris from dirty water to make it a lot easier to dispose of its contents. Even more brilliantly, the Crosswave Cordless Max can also turn its hand to a light refresh of your ‘area rugs’. It’s not a full-spectrum carpet cleaner, but it’s good for general maintenance and removal of stains below red-wine grade. This floor frotting monster is fully cordless, with battery life of around 30 minutes per charge. Its water tanks slot firmly in and out with very satisfying clacking sounds and, after use, it’s selfcleaning – which is more than can be said for your floors.
IMAGE SOURCE: BISSELL
IMAGE SOURCE: DYSON
DYSON V11 OUTSIZE
Living
ESCAPE TO THE CHATEAU Snuggle up to cottagecore this spring. The key is to keep it bright yet cosy, with eye-catching prints playing off against classic materials MIND THE GAP KAFTAN WALLPAPER The Kaftan marries deep blues with mustards and glimpses of ochre, creating an instantly rich, warm and soothing vibe. Mind The Gap is known for its pitch-perfect retellings of exquisite prints, and this one is no exception. For the price you get three rolls of premium quality wallpaper (covers 4.65 square metres), printed using eco-friendly ink on a non-woven, toxin-free base. £175, ionianinteriors.com
MOUNTAIN & MOLEHILL LAMPSHADE Create the perfect cosy cottage ambience while striking a stylish note with Mountain & Molehill’s playful collection of lampshades. Eye-catching prints include bears and owls, but we have a soft spot for the dodos. Using collaged Victorian illustrations, these quirky shades are made to order on fine art paper and finished off with hand-applied gold detail. £65, mountainandmolehill.com CHICAGO COFFEE TABLE NATURAL No cottage would ever be complete without a central coffee table, but that doesn’t mean it has to dominate the space. The solid mango wood Chicago table is perfect, offering enough space for you and your family to gather around for board games and snacks, or you could artfully dress it with your best natureinspired coffee table books. £199.99, homescapesonline.com
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 2 5
IMAGE SOURCE: MIND THE GAP, KNOW & LOVE, MOUNTAIN & MOLEHILL, HOMESCAPES
CLASSIC BROWN TEAPOT A remake of a vintage design, Know & Love’s stubby spout, dimpled teapot is endlessly charming and perfect for a retro cottage feel. At 14cm diameter (and 15.5cm tall), it’ll hold a nice drop of brew, and is safe to pop in the dishwasher too. £50, knowandlove.co.uk
Horizon
T3’s tech titan gets hearts beating faster with more exciting advice
CHERRY, VIA EMAIL
Do I need a pulse oximeter? What’s the right thing to get? Everyone is talking about pulse oximeters right now. Mama Guru gets on the phone nightly, tediously listing her O2 stats in order that Guru can enter them into a spreadsheet. GaGu’s postman, wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of winter, knocks on the door and it’s all “oxygen saturation” this and “please unclamp your dog’s jaws from my shin” that. Frankly, reader, Guru is sick to the point of breathlessness from being asked about them. Conversely, Doctor Guru loves you and wants you to be well. Pulse Oximeters are the in thing, both
ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY
A
because they can (used correctly) suggest to you the early signs of breathing difficulties, and because they are very cheap and readily available. Even if you don’t want to buy something new, it’s entirely feasible to rely on the built-in oxygen-monitoring functions of something like an Apple Watch. If you do, bear in mind that you’ll not
ABOVE Who knew plugging the holes in the ozone layer was that easy?
Doctors’ opinions are torn. Some say keeping an eye on your blood oxygen is fine, others can smell hypochondria
be getting medical-grade monitoring, but comparing new readings to a baseline should offer up at least a vague indication of any new lung-based malfeasance. As for standalone on-the-finger devices, doctors’ opinions are torn. Some say keeping an eye on your blood oxygen is fine for everyone, others can smell hypochondria a mile off and peer at such devices with a healthy dollop of scepticism. Let’s just say this: it’s like a visit to a fortune teller. You’ll need to extend your fingers, you should expect to pay about £30, and you absolutely should not rush to make assumptions about any readings.
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: INBOX@T3.COM OR FACEBOOK.COM/T3MAG 26 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Gadget guru
NATHAN BARNETT, GRAVESEND
Can you upgrade my toilet, Guru? I’m kind of desperate! Eww, no, Guru is going nowhere near your toilet. But if you can convince someone else to do it – and this might mean roping in the services of both a plumber and an electrician – they can absolutely work some magic on your porcelain throne. A few months ago Guru’s pages alerted you to the existence of the Toilight (£11.99), a DIY device that effectively illuminates your nocturnal business, but that’s probably the least you can do to pretty up your privy. If you want to go the whole hog, a smart toilet is the answer. The idea of a smart toilet originated, as you may know or have cleverly surmised, from the pampered and sparkling bottoms of the Japanese, and it’s slowly creeping over to western shores. A smart toilet generally incorporates some kind of integrated bidet, with warming functionality for both the seat and the water that squirts you
A
clean, a light, and even a little blow dryer to blast away any drips. Those who’ve installed them offer such brilliant plaudits as “finally, hands free toileting has been achieved” and “genius toilets”, which should probably offer some level of convincing. You can go in many directions: Amazon will sell you a functional but very ugly smart bidet attachment from a generic manufacturer for around £30, though Guru would be wary at risking his nethers to that kind of option. You can move up to a full-on smart seat (perhaps with a wireless remote control, which Guru would like to suggest you clean regularly) for in the region of £370, or you can opt to rip out your existing convenience and install a full smart toilet system for anything from £500 for Victoria Plum’s Metro to a price-of-anentire-bathroom-set £4,672 for Kohler’s artistic Veil.
ABOVE That seems like a nice place to keep Nemo and Dory happy for a while
GADGET GURU’S MAGIC BOX Guru is befuddled. The palatial kitchen of Guru Towers has been transformed into a land of dust and tears, the master bathroom into a chaotic hellhole, and GaGu’s poor bank account into a mix of both. Renovation chaos is not fun. It did give GaGu the opportunity to convince Mrs Guru that the current living room TV better belonged in the new kitchen, and release some precious funds for a fancy new lounge screen. In the end he opted for the 2020 Sony Bravia XH9055 (around £900), which has proven a glorious upgrade. It’s vivid, quick, and quite delightful, with its Android TV OS almost convincing Guru that built-in smart TV functionality is now good enough to sack off external smart sticks. Almost. Mrs Guru’s insistence on watching obscure Eurovision song selection programming from countries like Lithuania and Norway necessitated firing up a web browser, and everything available
natively on the TV was frankly abysmal. The Silk browser on Guru’s Fire TV Stick 4K (£50), on the other hand? Er, silky. The work around the house has seen Guru locked in his office as much as possible, mainly so as to not affect his accidental talking-to-the-builders accent (where every tiny characteristic of one’s local drawl becomes as thick as custard), but this has had him thinking about other screens. Most notably, the mismatched pair of monitors he’s had for the past five years. Were budget not something he had to fight tooth and nail for, the super ultrawide Samsung Odyssey G9 (£1,099) would be top of the list. Maybe a pair of side-by-side 4K panels would work, but GaGu will forever be pining for what might have been.
JAN PERSSON, MANCHESTER
What’s the best colour for cycling glasses? There’s a world of choice out there, each of which is designed to augment your eyes’ usual ability to process light. Your first choice will probably be to ape pro cyclists, who often opt for yellow-tinged lenses that naturally chop out blue wavelengths of light and help to improve road contrast without cutting too much else – that makes them perfect for seeing bumps when low-light riding. Blue attenuator lenses have a similar effect but cut out even more blue, meaning they’re probably a little better for bright conditions. The ultimate, though, is probably rose- or amber-tinted lenses, with a moderate tint, which handle contrast well in most lighting conditions and help you pick out the tiniest details. Guru would recommend avoiding photochromic lenses because they generally don’t switch up fast enough to actively adapt to changing light conditions, meaning you may careen into an unseen pothole should shadows suddenly make an appearance.
A
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 27
Horizon
NEW MEDIA
NOW PLAYING Guru finds the finest media you need on your various devices
CLAIRE THOMAS, GLENSHEE
I can’t get wired broadband at home. Help! Beyond GaGu suggesting you immediately move house, you’ll likely need to opt for satellite broadband if you want to get the job done. There are a number of providers out there like OneWeb that will connect you to a high-orbit satellite for a fee, though you shouldn’t expect blazing speeds or amazing ping. Keep an eye on Elon Musk’s low-orbit Starlink system, though, as it’s recently received approval in the UK. The only problem: it’ll mean a £439 investment for the fancy robotic dish and £84 monthly for connectivity, the vast majority of which will go towards funding future exploding rockets.
IMAGE SOURCE: NBC
A
PARKS AND RECREATION Swallow up all six seasons on Netflix. Ignore the fact that there are technically seven seasons, because Guru says the show actually starts on season two and that’s final.
QUINTIN LEES, BRIGHTON
ABOVE Pac-Man legs it after Ms PacMan realises he still hasn’t done the dishes…
IMAGE SOURCE: BBC
IMAGE SOURCE: HULU
Recommend me a multitool, GaGu SOLAR OPPOSITES An animated series from Rick and Morty’s Justin Roiland, new to Disney+. Violent, stupid and hilarious, it shares a little of its forebear’s DNA, but it’s still very much its own thing.
GROUNDED What does a shut-in Louis Theroux do? He creates a Radio 4 podcast where he applies his unique interviewing style to chatting to celebs like Rylan Clark-Neal and FKA twigs.
2 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Victorinox and Gerber offer some fantastic tools, but Guru would say that Leatherman’s reputation is the most well earned. The company has spawned its fair share of imitators, and you can pick up Leathermanlike tools basically for pennies, but don’t do that because they’re usually pretty awful. Go for the real thing: the Leatherman Wave Plus (£135) has enough pull-out tools to suit most, but if you’re really feeling fancy the Charge Plus TTi (£225) ups the materials budget, comes with a bunch more accessories, and will make you smile every time you reach into your pocket.
A
A Raspberry Pi 4 – or even a dirt-cheap ex-office PC from eBay – can burn through just about every classic arcade game
SHANE, VIA EMAIL
What’s the best way to play old arcade games? Shh: it’s emulation. A Raspberry Pi 4 – or even a dirt-cheap ex-office PC from eBay – can burn through just about every classic arcade game without breaking a sweat, and you can pick up a Mayflash arcade stick (also compatible with many older consoles) for about £75. There are also more legitimate routes. Most of Arcade 1up’s kid-sized cabinets feel pretty good, though they could be a bit small if you’re as gangly as Guru; alternatively Numskull’s Quarter Arcades collection, which replicates the look of real cabinets, goes down the miniaturisation road further.
A
Don’t miss another instalment of the legendary Gadget Guru!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! See p56
Opinion
Duncan Bell is sparking joy You can have too much of a good thing – especially when it comes to its packaging o you remember Marie Kondo? She was huge a few years ago, thanks to her winning philosophy of decluttering your life. ‘Look at all your possessions,’ she said, in Japanese, ‘and decide if they spark joy.’ Although interestingly the expression she used actually translates more accurately as ‘decide if they spark fluttering, throbbing or palpitations’. At least according to Wikipedia. Those of your possessions that did not make you throb and flutter should be discarded at once, Marie advised sternly yet adorably. I always thought this was sage advice in theory but remarkably hard to adhere to in practice. After a year or more of lockdown, it’s become all but impossible to follow. Brands have continued to send me mountains of stuff, and with the office shut it’s had nowhere to go but my spare room, which now looks like the back room of an upscale charity shop. This was brought home to me especially hard this month when the bin men stopped picking up the recycling from my block of flats. Like everyone else in London I’ve been chucking out a HUGE quantity of cardboard and plastic packaging each week, and so when the bins stopped being emptied, my flat began to fill up with packaging materials awaiting the return of bin collections, because I am socially responsible. Meanwhile, the communal bin room downstairs started to fill up with packaging materials, because my neighbours are anti-social, selfish bastards, who won’t even hold the lift door open for you when they can clearly see you are carrying a heavy package.
D
There was practically no let up in the daily deliveries of products to review. So stuff continued to arrive, while no waste could leave at the other end. In a sense, the ecosystem of my block had become chronically constipated. Soon, I began to seriously fear that all of the available space in the entire building would be filled with card, cellophane, polystyrene, bubble wrap and those Amazon boxes that are always 15 times the size of whatever is inside. My lifeless body would eventually be found crushed and emaciated beneath a mountain of bubble wrap, Rioja bottles and today’s delivery of 15 over-packaged Apple AirPods rivals.
“The producer of THE most hated packaging ever has finally moved over to cardboard” Thankfully, in a perhaps slightly anti-climactic conclusion to this epic tale, the council resumed collecting the recycling just in time and everything was fine. I often think future generations will look back on us and think, ‘What the hell were these people thinking of?’ And a lot of their bemusement will be based on our frenzied accumulation of stuff. They’ll look at everything from the amount of plastic we’ve expelled
into the seas to our hunger for fine meats and boozes in the same way that we regard sending small children up chimneys to clean them, or slavery, or Dave Lee Travis. But maybe now is where the fightback starts. Apple and Dyson made quite a big stir a few years ago when they moved over to all-paper/card packaging. So while the amount of material required admittedly did not go down at all, at least it was now material that could be recycled. Those kinds of brands have always at least paid lip service to trying to be a little bit more eco-friendly than the norm, but now even Gillette has changed over to paper packaging, which does feel significant. Yes, the producer of perhaps THE most hated packaging of all time has finally repented and moved over to cardboard. This means that millions of tonnes per year of plastic waste will now not be created by people wanting to rid themselves of hair. As a side benefit, it is now also possible to open Gillette packaging without recourse to a chainsaw. Perhaps those disapproving future generations will look upon this as the dawning of the age of Aquarius. A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 2 9
DON’T MISS TOTAL FILM’S WEEKLY FREE PODCAST
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS AND SECRETS OF MAKING A MAGAZINE
Hot 100
HOT 100 Get a glimpse into the future, as we count down all the most thrilling pieces of tech and new trends coming your way in 2021 Words: Alex Cox Photography: Neil Godwin
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 31
Hot 100
Given we spend a third of our lives in bed, sleeptech is a huge deal. We’ve got eyes on Kikoo, which promises to employ superoriented graphite in the foam core of its (as yet unshown) mattress to wick heat away from the body. And if Eight 6OHHSèV DFWLYHO\bFOLPDWH controlled Pod mattress – which splits its temperature tech into two halves for each sleeper – makes it DFURVV WKHbSRQG ZHèOO VOHHS very easy indeed.
#98 GOSUN FLOW #99 WOWCUBE
An intriguing thing which, while it may not change the very future of mobile devices, certainly offers something new – it’s basically a twistable 2x2 Rubik’s Cube with a tiny screen on each of its faces. When you’re not playing games you can use its individual panels to monitor different aspects of your smart home or just use it as an art piece. $249 (around £180), wowcube.com
#95 RESPIRA #96 HYUNDAI TIGER
‘Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot’ is the backronym here, and Hyundai’s concept vehicle could provide a glimpse into WKHbDXWRPRWLYH SODWIRUPV RI WKH IXWXUH 7KLV is an unmanned drive train, which can be built upon for a huge number of purposes, transporting goods across rough terrain or even extra-terrestrially – and it can be GURSSHGbLQWR DFWLRQ IURP D 8$9 hyundai.news 3 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
As a fuss-free automated indoor garden, this is pretty lovely, cramming plenty of plants into a useful vertical space, but the Respira is about more than the zen personal enrichment of being surrounded by greenery; it’s soil-free, and aims to remove VOCs from the air by leaving roots exposed and letting their microbial bacteria DQGbELRĆOP GR D ELW RI QDWXUDO SXULĆFDWLRQ Around £450, respira.ca
This USB-powered water purifier fits into a rucksack, using solar energy to recharge itself when you’re deep in whatever wilds you’re in, and is capable of killing off 99.99% of all waterborne pathogens into the bargain. The pump is good for 100 gallons on a full battery, but even if it’s all out of juice you can pull out the filter and suck up fresh water like a straw. £145, gosun.co
#94 STARLINK
Satellite internet has long been niche, but Starlink might change that: there are over 1,000 low-earth orbit satellites currently circling the Earth, offering low-latency high-speed internet wherever – and the Starlink hardware can move itself to automatically lock on for the best signal. Super-cool, and if SpaceX manages to launch its planned 42,000 satellites, potentially game-changing. £439 plus subscription, starlink.com
#97 THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
Yes, it’s still early days for this tech, but all that body heat you’re wastefully radiating could soon be used to generate power for your ZDWFK RU ĆWQHVV WUDFNHU University of Colorado Boulder researchers have developed a teeny ZULVW RU ĆQJHU ZHDUDEOH generator that could even do away with batteries for wearables entirely.
#93 AI ART
AI knows nothing of art. It doesn’t know much at all. But generously fed a database of realworld work, given a few choice parameters and VHW RII RQbLWV RZQ LWèV able to create credible and absolutely unique art that can move you just as much as the old masters. Check out sites like artaigallery.com and aiarthouse.com if you IDQF\bD RQH RII GURLG devised artwork for your own home.
IMAGE SOURCE: AI ART HOUSE
#100 SMART BEDS
Hot 100
#92 KLIPSCH T5 II
Klipsch’s revisited T5s are true wireless buds that excel in their unique looks, WKHLUbJRUJHRXV =LSSR OLNH FDVH DQG WKH range and reliability boost offered to them by Bluetooth 5 – not to mention 24-bit/96kHz hi-res audio support. The booming bass of the T5 II’s new drivers is also a plus if you like it loud, though they can get subtle when they need to. £209, klipsch.com
#91 MOONBIKE
Though we can see no reason a MoonBike wouldn’t work on the Moon, you’ll probably have more fun chucking one around the slopes; they’re three times lighter than a snowmobile, offer 170NM of immediate torque, can ćLQJ \RX XS D GHJUHH incline at up to 26mph – and are entirely electric. With three hours’ life if you opt for the dual battery, that’s quite a slope session. £TBC, moonbikesmotors.com A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 3 3
Hot 100
#90 POC OMNE ETERNAL
POC’s self-powered helmet never needs charging, thanks to its use of Exeger Powerfoyle, a QHZ NLQG RI ćH[LEOH VRODU cell that can harvest light from any source. You just need to put it on your head for its built-in light to power up automatically – and Powerfoyle’s ability to be totally discreet means there’s no massive solar panel cramping your style. £TBC, pocsports.com
#89 IMMERSIVE REALITY CONCERTS Could the future of live performance be virtual? Live experiences in games like Fortnite have been growing with a certain audience for a while, but recent efforts – like MelodyVR’s 3D footage VR concerts, or Madison Beer’s Unreal-Enginepowered mixed reality gig – hint that many more artists might make a world tour stop in your living room in the future.
#88 HPS DOMESTIQUE 1-21
Fine-tuned in collaboration with F1 engineers and weighing in at just 8.5kg all-in, this could be the lightest ebike ever built. All of its electronics are integrated, the battery is cunningly disguised as a water bottle, and the whole power package is designed to feel invisible under the feet – the perfect stealth wheels for keeping up with fast friends or hitting extreme hills. From €12,000 (around £10,385), hps-bike.com
IMAGE SOURCE: SONY MUSIC
#85 XENOMA E-SKIN EMSTYLE #86 BODYFRIEND QUANTUM
Looking almost like a Transformer poorly attempting to go incognito, Bodyfriend’s new take on its full-on luxury massage chair packs in a voice AI so you can specify which bits of you it should pummel, a B&O sound system (which we have to presume is going to be involved in the tinnitus massage it offers) and even a builtin UPS so you can lean back even in a blackout. $6,000 (around £4,320), bodyfriend.com 3 4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Does your workout routine need a little extra pep? Xenoma claims its electrostimulating suit can cut exercise time drastically by stimulating your muscles with its internal grid of EMS nodes. It’s like a slightly crazy full-body ab belt, yet Xenoma says it’ll happily take 100 washes – smart clothing is here, and it’s only just begun. ¥99,000 (around £685), xenoma.com
#84 COLOUR E-INK
E-ink’s inexorable transition from monochrome to full colour is progressing fast; Swiss company PocketBook is pushing the tech hardest with its InkPad Color, which can currently replicate 4,000 shades and looks great for kicking back and indulging in a little comic reading. There’s a way to go, but the tech LV GHĆQLWHO\ RQ WKH ZD\ up – could full-colour, lowpower laptop and phone screens be next?
#87 AMPERE SHOWER POWER
Shower speakers are progressively more popular – and more specialised devices like Kohler’s Moxie let you put a speaker right inside the shower head. Ampere’s 360-degree solution, though, never needs to leave your EDWKURRP LW ĆWV RQWR DQ\ shower, and powers itself entirely from the pressure of your water. From $79 (around £58), ampere.shop
#83 VANDERHALL NAVARRO
Due in 2022 and, let’s face it, totally badass, Vanderhall’s all-electric ATV will provide some serious thrills on the hills and dunes. It powers and steers each wheel individually, packing in more than 300 horsepower and over 677.9Nm of torque, so you’ll be able to escape any scrape – and that suspension looks like serious stuff. £TBC, vanderhallusa.com
Hot 100
#82 PETPULS SMART COLLAR
Ever wondered how your dog is feeling? We’ll admit to EHLQJ VFHSWLFDO RI 3HWSXOVè FODLPV WR EH DEOH WR VHQVH ĆYH emotional states in your pup – happy, anxious, angry, sad and relaxed – but if it can pull it off it’ll be a revolution in petcare. Even if that’s just a gimmick, this 25g collar is a neat canine activity and sleep tracker. $150 (around £110), petpuls.net
#81 NAVER CLOVA LAMP
An interesting item from South Korea here, one with serious potential if it were to arrive here: the CLOVA Lamp aims to replace smartphones and tablets as kids’ independent entertainment activity of choice. Not so much by being a lamp, but by reading aloud the books placed beneath it. Clever. £TBC, clova.ai A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 3 5
Hot 100
#80 SAMSUNG BOT HANDY
6DPVXQJèV URERWLFV GHSDUWPHQW LV QRWKLQJ LI QRW DPELWLRXV WKH %RW +DQG\ WKH ODWHVW LQ LWV VHULHV RI KRPH KHOSHU ERWV FDQ XVH LWV DUP WR SRXU \RX D JODVV RI ZLQH LW FDQ SXW \RXU GLUW\ GLVKHV LQ WKH GLVKZDVKHU DQG SUHVXPDEO\ LW FDQ JLYH \RXU FDW D QLFH SDW RQ WKH KHDG å QRW WKDW ZHèG LPDJLQH any animals wanting to go DQ\ZKHUH QHDU LW £TBC, samsung.com
#79 MOOREBOT SCOUT
The Scout is a highly versatile thing: it’s a weather-resistant autonomous camera vehicle, XVLQJ LWV 7HQVRUćRZ EDVHG $, URRP PDSSLQJ DQG RPQL GLUHFWLRQDO ZKHHOV WR VFRRW DURXQG LQVLGH DQG RXWVLGH RI \RXU KRPH WR NHHS DQ H\H RQ \RXU SHWV DQG EHORQJLQJV E\ GD\ E\ QLJKW LWèV D SURJUDPPDEOH KDFNDEOH SODWIRUP IRU 67(0 H[SHULPHQWDWLRQ £TBC, moorebot.com
#75 CUZEN MATCHA MAKER #76 VAONIS VESPERA
:KDW LI å KHDU XV RXW KHUH å Portal’s sentry turrets chose to show you the universe LQVWHDG RI EODVWLQJ \RX WR ELWV" 7KLV ZRXOG VHHP WR EH WKH DQVZHU 9DRQLVè JRUJHRXV FRPSDFW DQG EDFNSDFN UHDG\ QHZ VWDUJD]HU LV SDUW WHOHVFRSHbDQG SDUW FDPHUD ZLWK D VHOI FDOLEUDWLQJ DXWR SRLQWLQJ V\VWHP WKDW FDQ ĆQG WKH VWHOODU REMHFWV \RX ZDQW WR VHH DQG WUDFN WKHP WKURXJK WKH VN\ €1,499 (around £1,314), vaonis.com 3 6 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
<RX FRXOG PL[ XS D PDWFKD ZLWK D SUH JURXQG SRZGHU EXW WKH &X]HQ 0DWFKDèV OHDI WR SRZGHU PHFKDQLVP ZLWK LWV FXS OHDI FKDPEHU SUHFLVLRQ FHUDPLF PLOO DQG DXWRPDWLF PDJQHWLF ZKLVN GRHV LW IDU IUHVKHU +HOO ZHèG SXW RQH RI WKHVH RQ GLVSOD\ HYHQ LI ZH ZHUHQèW IDQV RI -DSDQHVH OHDI WHD WKLV LV D IXWXUH GHVLJQ LFRQ $369 (around £266), cuzenmatcha.com
#78 COLDSNAP ICE CREAM DISPENSER
#77 RANE ONE
#74 NEXT-GEN SMARTGLASSES
#73 LUMINI PM
'HOLFLRXV IUR]HQ JRRGLHV DUH QHYHU D EDG WKLQJ DQG ZKLOH WKH &ROG6QDSèV SRG to-treat chilling mechanism PLJKW VHHP ZDVWHIXO DW ĆUVW JODQFH LWèV DFWXDOO\ DQ HQYLURQPHQWDO ERRQ your ice cream, yoghurt, smoothies or what have you VDYH HQHUJ\ E\ VLWWLQJ DW DPELHQW WHPSHUDWXUH XQWLO \RX ZDQW WKHP FROG DQG LWV DOXPLQLXP LQJUHGLHQW SRGV DUH FRPSOHWHO\ UHF\FODEOH £TBC, coldsnap.com
:H PD\ VRRQ EH QHDULQJ WKH SRLQW ZKHUH VPDUWJODVVHV DUH HIIHFWLYH enough, small enough DQG \HV VPDUW HQRXJK WR EH D WKLQJ SHRSOH DFWXDOO\ ZDQW WR ZHDU %RVFKèV VXSHU FRPSDFW Smartglasses Light Drive, XVLQJ D PLFURVFRSLF 0(06 SURMHFWRU ORRNV VHW WR EULQJbD SHUVRQDO +8' to virtually any glasses, SUHVFULSWLRQ RU QRW %HWWHU VPDUWJODVVHV DUH LQ VLJKW
'- FRQWUROOHUV FDQ ODFN WKH WDFWLOLW\ WKDW SXWWLQJ \RXU ĆQJHUV RQ ZD[ SURYLGHV EXW WKDW LVQèW WKH FDVH ZLWK the Rane One controller IRU 6HUDWR '- ZKLFK LV RI FUDFNLQJ TXDOLW\ ,WV LQFK PRWRULVHG SODWWHUV RIIHU LPPHGLDWH YLVXDO DQG SK\VLFDO IHHGEDFN DQG LW SXOOV DOO RI WKH NH\ IHDWXUHVbIURP 5DQHèV KLJKHU HQG SUR FRQWUROOHUV GRZQ WR D SULFH ORZ HQRXJK WR MXVWLI\ SXWWLQJ RQH LQ \RXU EHGURRP £1,299, rane.com
,I \RXèUH SODJXHG E\ VNLQ LVVXHV WKH /XPLQL 30 PLJKW MXVW EH DEOH WR OHQG D KHOSLQJ KDQG LWèOO DQDO\VH \RXU FRPSOH[LRQ LQ VL[ GLIIHUHQW FDWHJRULHV DQG XVLQJ D PL[ RI $, DQG H[SHUWLVH IHG WR LW E\ WKH VNLQFDUH LQGXVWU\ VXJJHVW SURGXFWV DQG WLQFWXUHV WKDW PLJKW KHOS 0DNHU /XOXODE DOVR VXJJHVWV D FRPPXQLW\bDVSHFW LV coming that will connect you with the similarVNLQQHG ZKLFK LV QHDW £TBC, lulu-lab.com/en/
Hot 100
#72 WISA SOUNDSEND
0DNLQJ KRPH FLQHPD DXGLR HDVLHU WR VHW XS DQG OHVV FRQVWUDLQHG E\ ZLUHV LV D VROLG JRDO DQG WKH :L6$ DVVRFLDWLRQèV ZLUHOHVV WHFK VHHPV WR KDYH NLFNHG LW LQWR WKH EDFN RI WKH QHW 3OXJ D :L6$ PRGXOH LQWR \RXU 79èV H$5& SRUW DQG LWèOO WKURZ ELW N+] DXGLR DW D ORQJ OLVW RI FRPSDWLEOH VRXQG V\VWHPV ZLWK D WHQWK WKH ODWHQF\ RI %OXHWRRWK 7KLV ZLOO EH ELJ QHZV wisaassociation.org
#71 #70 AUTONOMOUS SHIPS SMART CRIBS ,%0èV $, &DSWDLQ DQG WKH 0D\IORZHU $XWRQRPRXV 6KLS LWèV VHW WR SLORW PLJKW EH RQ PRUH RI DQ H[SORUDWLRQ DQG environmental research PLVVLRQ WR EHJLQ ZLWK EXW RQFH LWèV WDNHQ DQ $, GULYHQ WULS DFURVV WKH Atlantic this year, there’s HQRUPRXV SRWHQWLDO IRU FUHZOHVV YHVVHOV WR LQQRYDWH LQ WKH VXSSO\ FKDLQ DQG SHUVRQDO WUDQVSRUW VHFWRUV
7KH 6QRR 6PDUW 6OHHSHU WKH &UDGOHZLVH 6PDUW &ULE WKH 0RPV PDPD5RR 6OHHS %DVVLQHW å WKHUH DUH QRZ QXPHURXV H[DPSOHV RI VPDUW WHFK PDNLQJ LWV ZD\ LQWR \RXU EDE\èV FRW 7KLV LV LQWHQGHG ERWK WR KHOS VRRWKH WKHP RII WR D SHDFHIXO VOHHS DQG WUDFN WKHLU VOXPEHU LQ LQWULFDWH GHWDLO OHDYLQJ \RXbZLWK D SUHFLRXV H[WUD IHZ PLQXWHV WR VLW VWLOO DQG WDNH D PXFK HDUQHG EUHDWKHU
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 37
Hot 100
#69 KOHLER STILLNESS SPA BATH
.RKOHUèV KLJK HQG VSD EDWK LQVSLUHG E\ -DSDQHVH IRUHVW EDWKLQJ LV GHVLJQHG DV DQ H[SHULHQFH ĆUVW DQG IRUHPRVW *R IRU WKH WRS RI WKH OLQH YHUVLRQ DQG \RX JHW D ERWWRP ĆOOLQJ LQĆQLW\ EDWK VXUURXQGHG E\ D +LQRNL ZRRG EDVH ZLWK DQ DURPDWKHUDS\ çH[SHULHQFH WRZHUè IXOO VSHFWUXP OLJKWLQJ DQG HYHQ IRJ rolling over the water’s VXUIDFH *ORULRXV £TBC, kohler.co.uk
#68 IN-CAR HUDS
.HHS \RXU H\HV RQ WKH URDG ZLWKRXW PLVVLQJ WKH WXUQ 7KDWèV WKH LGHD EHKLQG WKH QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ RI LQ FDU KHDGV XS GLVSOD\V 7DLZDQèV ),& KDV D GD\OLJKW YLVLEOH ODVHU SRZHUHG QXPEHU RQ WKH ZD\ EXW LWèV 3DQDVRQLFèV QH[W JHQ DXJPHQWHG UHDOLW\ +8' WKDW UHDOO\ VKLQHV ,WèV D . SURMHFWLRQ overlaying your route RQ WKH URDG DKHDG DQG EULQJLQJ KD]DUGV LQWR IRFXV 6WD\ VDIHU ZKLOH QRW PLVVLQJ WKH VLJKWV
#67 APOGEE AUDIO SYMPHONY DESKTOP
*RRG IRU HYHU\WKLQJ IURP SXWWLQJ PLF FRQWURO DW \RXU ĆQJHUWLSV WR SXPSLQJ LQVWUXPHQWV LQWR \RXU IDYRXULWH '$: WKH 6\PSKRQ\ 'HVNWRS LV D GHFHSWLYHO\ SRZHUIXO GHYLFH ,W HVVHQWLDOO\ SDFNV WKH DGYDQFHG DXGLR JXWV RI $SRJHHèV UDFN PRXQW KDUGZDUH KLJK HQG $'& '$&V DQG DOO LQWR D WLQ\ WDFWLOH GHYLFH ZKLFK FDQ SOXJ LQWR HYHU\WKLQJ IURP D 3& WR DQ L3DG 3UR £1,299, apogeedigital.com
#64 SMARTER HOME BREWING #65 SQUARE OFF NEO
&KHVV LV EDFN LQ D ELJ ZD\ :KLOH WKH ELJJHVW JUDQGPDVWHUV DUH WXUQLQJ WKH RQOLQH JDPH LQWR D ZRUOGZLGH VHQVDWLRQ WKHUHèV VWLOO WLPH IRU RYHU WKH ERDUG SOD\ VHHLQJ DV \RX FDQèW H[DFWO\bVLW DQG EUHDWKH RQ \RXU IULHQGV DW WKH PRPHQW 6TXDUH 2IIèV QHZO\ FKHDSHQHG YHUVLRQ RI LWV ZHE FRQQHFWHG DXWRPDWHG ERDUGbWHFK FRXOG EH H[DFWO\ WKH WKLQJ LI \RXèUH FU\LQJ RXW WR WRXFK WKH SLHFHV $199 (around £145), squareoffnow.com 3 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
7KH GD\V RI EUHZLQJ XS DFFLGHQWDO SDLQW VWULSSHU DUH RYHU ZLWK VPDUW EUHZLQJ V\VWHPV PDNLQJ WKH SURFHVV HDV\ IRROSURRI DQG WDVWLHU WKDQ HYHU ,17+(.(* KDV MXVW UHOHDVHG D PRUH FRPSDFW WKRXJK QR GRXEW VWLOO SULFH\ +RPH YHUVLRQ RI LWV DOO LQ RQH EUHZHU NHJ WDS DQG LI WKH /* +RPH%UHZ HYHU JRHV IURP FRQFHSW WR SURGXFW ZHèOO EH FKXIIHG inthekeg.com
#66 YSL ROUGE SUR MESURE
/è2UHDOèV 3HUVR ORRNV OLNH LWèV QRZ UHDG\ IRU LWV FORVHXS ZLWK WKH <6/ 5RXJH 6XU 0HVXUH <RX FDQ SLFN IURP IRXU FRORXU SDFNV WKHQ GHVLJQ \RXU RZQ FXVWRP OLSVWLFN VKDGHV XVLQJ <6/èV QLIW\ DSS :KHQ \RXèUH KDSS\ WKH GHYLFH SUHFLVHO\ GLVSHQVHV WKH UHOHYDQW FRORXU FRPELQDWLRQ LQWR LWV UHPRYDEOH FRPSDFW $299 (around £217), yslbeauty.com
#63 #62 IBM INTEGRATED MILO +HDGLQJ RXWGRRUV IRU SPATIAL ASSISTANT VRPH DFWLRQ GRHV QRW always guarantee you a PRELOH VLJQDO å EXW WKH CONSOLE ,%0èV PHHWLQJ DVVLVWDQW PD\ KDYH EHHQ DQQRXQFHG D IHZ PRQWKV EHIRUH LWèV JRLQJ WR EH WUXO\ XVHIXO EXW WKHUHèV QR GRXEW LW KDV VRPH FRRO IXQFWLRQDOLW\ 3OXQN LW LQ WKH PLGGOH RI D FRQIHUHQFH WDEOH DQG LWèV VPDUW HQRXJK WR NQRZ ZKRèV VSHDNLQJ ZKDW WKH\èUH VD\LQJ DQG VSLW RXW DQ LWHPLVHG WUDQVFULSW £TBC, ibm.com
ZDWHUSURRI GXVWSURRI DQG LPSDFW UHVLVWDQW 0LOR FRPPXQLFDWRU GRHVQèW QHHG LW ,W FUHDWHV LWV RZQ PHVK QHWZRUN ERXQFLQJ EHWZHHQ GLIIHUHQW 0LOR XQLWV VR \RXèOO EH DEOH WR NHHS LQ WRXFK RYHU ORQJ GLVWDQFHV å DQG LW FRPHV ZLWK RSWLRQV WR FOLS RQ WR MXVW DERXW HYHU\ SLHFH RI H[WUHPH JHDU £TBC, okmilo.com
Hot 100
#61 ZOBI HEDGEHOG
<RX PLJKW EH JRRG DW NHHSLQJ WDEV RQ \RXU KRPH QHWZRUN EXW GR \RX UHDOO\ NQRZ ZKDW WKDW HYHU JURZLQJ QHWZRUN RI VPDUW GHYLFHV LV GRLQJ" 1R <RX GRQèW :KLFK LV ZKHUH WKH +HGJHKRJ FRPHV LQ LWèV D VPDUW ĆUHZDOO WKDW VSHFLDOLVHV LQ ,R7 WHFK VR LI \RXU VPDUW IULGJH VXGGHQO\ JHWV FRPSURPLVHG \RXèOO NQRZ DERXW LW DQG EH DEOH WR WDPH WKDW WUDIĆF LQ D ćDVK £99, hedgehog.ai
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3
Hot 100
#60 SMARTER HOME SENSORS
Why fill your home with sensors when one unit would do? There are stacks of companies entering the field, from the exhaustive smoke, carbon monoxide, motion, noise, temperature and humidity sensing of the Owl Home to the slightly more water-conscious Oval Smart Sensor, which can pick up everything from water leaks to (presumably soggy) intruders.
#59 SONO MOTORS SION
It’ll take some miraculous science for solar to be the primary power provider of an electric car, but Sono’s compact EV covers its roof, bonnet and sides with enough cells that it can pull off short-distance hops entirely via sunlight – and its bidirectional power plant can juice you up while camping, or even share a battery top up with other EVs. €25,500 (around £22,339), sonomotors.com
#55 SMART HEARING GADGETS #56 LENOVO THINKBOOK PLUS 2
Though Lenovo has trialled its e-ink top cover tech before, with the second generation of the Thinkbook Plus we’d say it’s really got it spot on. The monochrome screen has grown to 12 inches and matches the main panel’s 2560x1600 resolution, the machine itself trims down to 1.3kg, and if you’re using the e-ink screen only it can offer a full 24 hours of battery – a whole day of inky fun. £TBC, lenovo.com 4 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Flipping the script on noise cancelling is the order of the day: Helm Audio’s SensusHD ear buds can DQDO\VH \RXU KHDULQJ SURĆOH and use beamforming mics to help you focus on speech in noisy environments, while the iPhone-attached Noopl sits on a table, sensing where you’re looking to feed you directional backgroundcancelled sound via your AirPods Pro.
#58 VOY TUNABLE GLASSES
#57 NINEBOT GOKART PRO
#54 LG AIR SOUS VIDE
#53 BHAPTICS TACTSUIT X40
Just a very clever idea, although we suspect it’ll have optometrists wincing: the power of the shapechanging lenses in Voy’s sunspecs can be tweaked per-eye with the turn of a dial to precisely suit whatever activity you’re doing, meaning you won’t need to switch to a new pair when you’re driving or looking at your phone. $79 (around £58), voyglasses.com
Sous vide cooking uses bags, sealing all the flavour inside as your food slowly cooks. It usually demands a precisely temperaturecontrolled water bath, but LG’s new range of InstaView ovens can get delicate enough with their heating elements that you can simply fling those EDJVbLQ WKH RYHQ DQG OHW LW do its thing for up for 48 hours – no water in sight. So what’s your next stop? Masterchef beckons. lg.com
Electric vehicles don’t tend to skimp on the torque, so Ninebot’s second-gen Gokart is bound to be an insane ride – it tops out at 23mph, and the company reckons it can easily out accelerate a 150hp petrol kart on the track. It’ll also drift like a beast if you want it to – you can customise just how much powered oversteer you want via the Ninebot app. £TBC, segway-uk.net
Haptic feedback takes gaming – particularly in the VR realm – to the next level. The TactSuit X40 is a wire-free, Bluetooth connected, 18-hour life chestpiece that contains 40 individual haptic points. This allows compatible games to give you a physical pounding, and there’s also an audio-tohaptics mode. $499 (around £360), bhaptics.com
Hot 100
#52 DYSON V11 OUTSIZE
How do you improve on the best cordless vacuum cleaner around? You make it bigger. You give it a vast dustbin upgrade, 150% bigger than its predecessor, and a 25% wider cleaning head, capable of covering PRUH ćRRU VSDFH LQ OHVV WLPH $OO ZKLOH keeping the same battery smarts, cleaning modes and intelligent reporting as the V11 we know and love. £649, dyson.com
#51 BOSCH EBIKE SYSTEMS NYON
Bosch’s ebike computer – compatible with any Bosch-platformed ebike from 2014 on – is a step forward. It tracks your rides and directs you where to go; removing it can lock your bike entirely; and it can offer pinpoint motor and gear control, enabling you to set up your own custom ride modes. £264, bosch-ebike.com
#50 360-DEGREE MUSIC
The quadraphonic music revolution of the 1970s is back, only this time it might actually stick. Sony has its format, 360 Reality Audio, based on the MPEG-H 3D Audio standard, which is starting to pop up on Amazon’s Music HD service. Perhaps predictably, the Atmosenabled Amazon Echo Studio can play it back, along with tracks mastered in Dolby Atmos. A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 41
Hot 100
#49 TOUCHLESS TAPS
The hygiene advantages of touchless taps mean they’re fast becoming a home essential. Basic infra-red taps are making bathrooms safer, but smart kitchen taps – like Moen’s U and Kohler’s newly smartassistant-upgraded Sensate line – offer more than just touchless control. They can dispense a precise amount of water – a cupful, a sinkful, whatever – without you even being near. They should blow analogue taps out of the water.
#48 ROG STRIX SCAR 15 G533
No company throws quite as much tech at the laptop as Asus, and the Scar 15 LV ĆWWLQJO\ D EUXWH RI D machine. Top-line Ryzen 9 processor, RTX 3080 GPU, your choice of super-fast WQHD or screaming-fast FHD panel, 32GB RAM and some amazing lighting options make this a true premium performer – and one that will keep kicking for a long time. From £1,900, asus.com
#46 MUDRA BAND #47 HISENSE 2021 TRICHROMA LASER TV
OLED and LED may have some serious competition in the form of Hisense’s highconcept laser TV. Essentially it’s a combination RI D VXSHU UHćHFWLYH GHOLJKWIXOO\ GHVLJQHG screen and super-short-throw DLP projector LQbD VLQJOH XQLW RQH +LVHQVH UHFNRQV ZLOO EH both bright and exceed every colour gamut going. Expect a raft more laser TVs later in WKHb\HDU WRR £TBC, hisense.co.uk
#44 ACTUALLY GOOD PRINTERS #45 ROLAND VERSELAB MV-1
Roland’s do-it-all music maker is a full home studio in a compact box, packing all the tools you need to quickly slap together a track, YRFDOVbDQG DOO LQ WHQ PLQXWHV å DQG HQRXJK precise controls to make something more accomplished if you have a little more time. It’ll be equally valuable for live performance (remember that?) thanks to its 16-pad performance grid. £499, roland.com 42 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
All it took for people to ĆQDOO\ JLYH KRPH SULQWHUV another chance was a global pandemic stopping them cheekily accessing RIĆFH RQHV QRW WKDW DQ\RQH at T3 would do that, of course). And they’ve been pleasantly surprised: colour laser printers from Brother, HP and Canon are bringing vastly improved, affordable printing home, and cheaper, faster colour LED printing is catching up fast.
#43 AUTOBUFF
This wire-free car buffer has only just left the Kickstarter process, so it might be a while until we see it, if we see it at all. Here’s what we do know, though: it promises a showroom shine, and has the dual-action orbital movement, 3,800 oscillations per minute speed and 45 minute battery life to make it happen. And, at only just over a kilogram, it won’t kill your wrist either. Around £100
Watch bands as upgrades usually mean sneaking in a little bit of extra battery, but the Mudra Band extends the functionality RIbWKH $SSOH :DWFK by – get this – using AI to interpret the neural VLJQDOVbVHQW WKURXJK \RXU wrist in order to add gesture control. Waggling GLIIHUHQW ĆQJHUV RQ \RXU watch hand does different things; you may never answer a call with your nose again. £129, mudra-band.com
#42 ROBOROCK S7
A super-powered robot vacuum is one thing, but massive suction mixed ZLWKbD KLJK IUHTXHQF\ VRQLFbPRS" 7KDWèV D combination that really makes sense, particularly as the mop section can lift on its own when it detects carpet. Roborock’s S7 can also empty itself automatically; the FRPSDQ\bLV SURSHUO\ WDNLQJ WKH ĆJKW WR L5RERW LQ WKH ćRRU VSDFH $649 (around £565), roborock.com
Hot 100
#41 NIKE GO FLYEASE
It’s not often you see true innovation in the shoe market. Nike’s easy-on, easy-off split-backed FlyEase Go represent just that: they’re completely hands-free laceless trainers, made to be kicked off and on in seconds. A superb evolution of Nike’s FlyEase design principles, and one which will also help the less able to still ensure WKHLU IHHW ORRN ć\ £TBC, nike.com
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 4 3
Hot 100
#40 AMAZON SMART CUCKOO CLOCK
Amazon has a fair chunk RI PDQXIDFWXULQJ SRZHU EXW LW GRHVQèW DOZD\V NQRZ ZKDW WR EXLOG QH[W +HQFH LWV QHZ %XLOG ,W SURJUDP which takes preorders for SURGXFWV WKDW ZLOO EH PDGH if there’s enough interest: it’s kicked it off with the super-cute and pretty GDUQHG GHVLUDEOH $OH[D toting Smart Cuckoo Clock å ZLWK /('V DQG DQ actual mechanical cuckoo. £60, amazon.co.uk
#36 SONY AIRPEAK
#38 #37 TEENAGE SMART TREADMILLS The importance of the ENGINEERING OB-4 KRPH J\P KDV QHYHU EHHQ #39 MESH 2.0
Mesh networking is quickly turning into more than just wider-reaching Wi-Fi. TP-Link’s Deco Voice X20 drops Alexa modules into HDFK RI LWVbQRGHV ZKLFK LV D QHDW ZD\ WR DYRLG WRR PDQ\ (FKR 'RW SXUFKDVHV EXW HYHQ PRUH LPSUHVVLYH LV WKH /LQNV\V $;( ZKLFK VSRUWV WKH FRPSDQ\èV /LQNV\V $ZDUHbWHFK WKDW FDQ SLFN XS PRWLRQ LQ \RXU KRPH E\ DQDO\VLQJ :L )L VLJQDO DQRPDOLHV <RXèYH JRW WR DGPLW WKDW that’s just plain cool.
/LIWLQJ LV QR SUREOHP IRU WKH $, HQDEOHG $LUSHDN DQG ZKLOH LWèV PRUH PHDQW IRU ĆOPLQJ SURIHVVLRQDOV ZHèG DEVROXWHO\ IRUJLYH \RX IRU ZDQWLQJ RQH MXVW WR SOD\ ZLWK ,WèV EXUO\ HQRXJK to carry a full mirrorless camera rig (Sony QDWXUDOO\ UHFRPPHQGV WKH $OSKD 6 ,,, EXW LWèV DOVR UHPDUNDEO\ FRPSDFW D PDVVLYH XSJUDGH that marks a milestone for future drones. £TBC, sony.net 4 4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
7KLV FKDUPLQJ SRUWDEOH VSHDNHU KDV EHHQ GXEEHG the ‘magic radio’ with good UHDVRQ <RX FDQ FRQQHFW YLD D OLQH LQSXW %OXHWRRWK RU WXQH LQWR )0 UDGLR ZLWK WKH DELOLW\ WR WLPH EHQG ORRS RU ZLQG EDFN WR DQ\WKLQJ RQ LWV two-hour rolling recording. There’s also a ‘disk’ mode featuring experimental VRXQGV OLNH DQ DPELHQW drone and yoga mantra. From £599, teenage. engineering
KLJKHU DQG WKH LQIOXHQFH RI ELJ QDPHV LQ SHUVRQDO fitness has made the unique workout of a smart WUHDGPLOO DQ DEVROXWH essential. Whether it’s Peloton’s Tread or 7UHDG WKH QHZ 3URIRUP 3UR RU %RZIOH[èV FUHGLWDEOH 7UHDGPLOO there are now plenty of ways to walk or run ZLWK WKH PRWLYDWLRQ RI LQWHUDFWLYH FODVVHV DQG real-world competition.
#35 #34 #33 MAONOCASTER WI-CHARGE CUISINART PORTABLE PODCAST INFINICON COMPLETE CHEF 7KH ĆUVW WUXO\ SUDFWLFDO 3DUW IRRG SURFHVVRU SDUW application of Wi-Charge’s FRRNHU WKH &RPSOHWH &KHI STUDIO (YHU\RQH DQG WKHLU GRJ has a podcast these GD\V EXW QRW HYHU\RQH is doing it right. If you’re putting together a weekly KRXU 0DRQRFDVWHUèV VXSHU LQWXLWLYH FRQVROH SXWV HYHU\WKLQJ DW \RXU ĆQJHUWLSV LWèV DOVR D JUHDW interface for tightening up Twitch streams. $199 (around £144), maono.com
ORQJ LQ GHYHORSPHQW infra-red wireless power GHOLYHU\ V\VWHP WKH ,QĆQL&RQ HVVHQWLDOO\ GRHV DZD\ ZLWK ZLUHV SXOOLQJ D WULFNOH RI FKDUJH RYHU WKH air as you play. No more mid-match walk of shame WR WKH EDWWHU\ GUDZHU then; let’s hope that Wi&KDUJH ĆQGV D ZD\ WR MXLFH XS D 36 FRQWUROOHU WRR £TBC, wi-charge.com
includes a whole heap RI UHFLSHV EXLOW LQ WR LWV WRXFK VFUHHQ LQFOXGLQJ guidance on ingredients and which attachments will VPDVK WKHP XS EHVW å SOXV it’s a real performer as a PXOWLFRRNHU IRU HYHU\WKLQJ IURP SURYLQJ GRXJK WKURXJK VWHDPLQJ YHJ WR PL[LQJ XS DbZDUP VDXFH $700 (around £505), cuisinart.com
Hot 100
#32 B&O BEOSOUND LEVEL
% 2 KDV WDNHQ WKH VPDUW VSHDNHU EDFN WR WKH GUDZLQJ ERDUG DQG FRPH XS ZLWK VRPHWKLQJ ćH[LEOH DQG SRZHUIXO LQ WKH SURFHVV 7KH /HYHO FDQ OD\ ćDW IRU GHJUHH VRXQG VWDQG RQ LWV VLGH WR ĆUH LWV ĆYH GULYHUV LQWR WKH URRP ZLWK D ZLGH VRXQGVWDJH DQG WKHUHèV HYHQ DQ RSWLRQDO FKDUJLQJ ZDOO PRXQW å DQG LW KDV WKH NLQG RI looks you’ll want to hang on display. From £1,099, bang-olufsen.com
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 45
Hot 100
#31 OUTDOOR TVS & PROJECTORS
+RPH LPSURYHPHQW LV ELJ VXUH EXW JDUGHQ LPSURYHPHQW LV WKH real order of the day. 7KHUHèV EHHQ D KXJH leap in entertainment hardware: specialist kit like Samsung’s wall-mount 7KH 7HUUDFH 79 /*èV &LQH%HDPbSURMHFWRUV DQG stacks of outdoor speaker systems can transform that dreary patio into an al fresco space to take in DbPRYLH RU D JDPH
#30 LG QP5 ECLAIR
6L]H LVQèW HYHU\WKLQJ ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR VRXQG DQG /*èV WHHQV\ QHZ WUHDW RI D VRXQGEDU SURYHV WKDW you don’t need to find ORDGV RI URRP IRU PDVVLYH imposing hardware to up your TV’s audio game. And it’s not just the size that hits hard: it’s that VRIW HGJHG OLJKW FRORXUHG GHVLJQ ZLWK D GLQN\ ZLUHOHVV VXEZRRIHU WR match: this is a seriously FODVV\ DQG FDOP OLYLQJ room addition. £TBC, lg.com
#28 AIR WEARABLES #29 MARK LEVINSON N° 5105
There are statement pieces and then there are VWDWHPHQW SLHFHV 0DUN /HYLQVRQèV KHDY\ZHLJKW VODE RI D WXUQWDEOH GHĆQLWHO\ IDOOV RQ WKH PRUH VHULRXV VLGH RI WKH IHQFH (YHQ EHIRUH LWèV SOD\LQJ LW ORRNV H[FHSWLRQDO ZLWK D PDFKLQHG DOXPLQLXP SODWWHU D FDUERQ ĆEUH WRQHDUP DQG D FXVWRP ZHLJKWHG JLPEDO WKDW SURPLVHV superior sound reproduction and ultra-precise WUDFNLQJ FDSDELOLWLHV £5,799, marklevinson.com
#26 ROLLABLE PHONES #27 iPAD PRO 2021
/DXQFKHG MXVW DIWHU ZH ZHQWbWR SUHVV VDGO\ Apple’s latest iPad will likely look the same as EHIRUH EXW VKDNH XS WKH IRUPXOD ZLWK D YDVWO\ UHYLVHG LQWHUQDO SDFNDJH WKDW RIIHUV IDU PRUH SURFHVVLQJ SRZHU å H[SHFW * FRQQHFWLYLW\ DQG DQ $SSOH 6LOLFRQ SURFHVVRU VLPLODU WR RU SHUKDSV HYHQ WKH VDPH DV WKH 0 WKDWèV EHHQ JLYLQJ $SSOHèV FRPSXWLQJ OLQH VXFK DbKHDUW\ ERRVW RI ODWH £TBC, apple.com T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
)UDQNO\ IROGDEOHV DUH \HVWHUGD\èV QHZV EHFDXVH QRZ LWèV DOO DERXW UROODEOHV Admittedly we’re a little short of anything PDVVLYHO\bFRQFUHWH DV \HW %XW 2SSR KDV UHYHDOHG WKH 2SSR ; /* GURSSHG D EULHI WHDVHU LQ LWV &(6 SUHVHQWDWLRQ DQG 6DPVXQJèV *DOD[\ 6FUROO LV WKH VXEMHFW RI PXFK rumour and innuendo. $QG NQRZ WKLV UROODEOHV DUH FRPLQJ \RXU ZD\ DQG IDVW <RX PLJKW MXVW KDYH to roll with it…
#25 BLOOD OXYGEN METERS
(YHU\RQHèV NHHSLQJ DQ H\H RQ WKHLU R[\JHQ OHYHOV å SDUWLFXODUO\ LQ OLJKW RI &RYLG å DQG WKHUH DUH so many ways to take a personal health check that you’re spoiled for choice. The newly equipped $SSOH :DWFK 6HULHV LV DQ REYLRXV H[DPSOH DV DUH WKH *DUPLQ )RUHUXQQHU WKH )LWELW 9HUVD å EXW RQ WKH ĆQJHU PRQLWRUV DUH SRVVLEO\ PRUH DFFXUDWH and selling like hot cakes.
)DFH PDVNV DUH OLNHO\ WR EH around for some time to FRPH VR LWèV QR VXUSULVH that they’re getting major WHFK XSJUDGHV /* ZDV ILUVW RXW RI WKH EORFNV when it announced the 3XUL&DUH :HDUDEOH $LU 3XULILHU DGDSWLQJ WKH + +(3$ ILOWHULQJ IURP LWV KRPH DLU SXULILHUV DQG Razer followed up with WKH FOHDU IURQWHG 5*% HTXLSSHG 3URMHFW +D]HO å WKRXJK ZKHQ HLWKHU ZLOO EH ZLWK XV LV VRPHZKDW XS in the air.
#24 XIAOMI MI AIR CHARGE
Power-through-the-air is already happening with WHFK OLNH :L&KDUJH EXW Xiaomi’s Air Charge looks OLNH LWèOO EH WKH QH[W ELJ LQQRYDWLRQ ,W FDQ SUHFLVHO\ pinpoint the position of a phone then aim its 144 antennas in just the right GLUHFWLRQ WR VHQG ĆYH ZDWWV RI EHDPIRUPHG SRZHU RYHU çVHYHUDOè PHWUHV QR FDEOHV or charging pads in sight. Super cool. £TBC, mi.com
Hot 100
#23 ARLO PRO 4
,W PLJKW EH D FOLFKH WR VD\ çWKH EHVW KRPH VHFXULW\ MXVW JRW EHWWHUè EXW WKDWèV H[DFWO\ ZKDWèV KDSSHQHG $UOR KDV XQYHLOHG LWV IROORZ XS WR WKH H[HPSODU\ 3UR XSJUDGLQJ WKLV PRGHO WR FRQQHFW GLUHFWO\ WR :L )L which will make setting up a single-camera V\VWHP ERWK SODXVLEOH DQG H[WUHPHO\ HDV\ :DWFK WKH $UOR 8OWUD WRR LW EXPSV WKH Pro 4’s 2K sensor up to 4K. arlo.com
#22 #21 WI-FI 6E ROUTERS AKG LYRA :L )L ( EXPSV XS WKH UDZ VSHHG RI :L )L through the introduction RI DQ DGGLWLRQDO ZDYHEDQG 6XSSRUW IRU WKH QHZ *+] VSDFH PHDQV FRPSDWLEOH DQG FORVH HQRXJK GHYLFHV FRXOG GUDJ RYHU *ESV RXW RI WKH DLU VR IDU ZHèYH VHHQ GHYLFHV OLNH 1HWJHDUèV Nighthawk RAXE500 AXE11000 router DQQRXQFHG WR VXSSRUW LW though expect routers to FRVW RYHU e ZKHQ LWèV released rolled out later this year.
Spending most of the GD\bZLWK \RXU IDFH EXULHG LQ D PLFURSKRQH is somehow now pretty QRUPDO å ZKHWKHU \RXèUH recording your third podcast of the week or just stuck in a series of HQGOHVV PHHWLQJV $.*èV retro-styled desktop mic XVHV D IRXU FDSVXOH DUUD\ JLYLQJ LW D ODUJH DPRXQW RI YHUVDWLOLW\ DQG LWèV D plug-and-play affair that requires no additional hardware to get going. £140, akg.com A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 47
Hot 100
#20 ONEPLUS 9
OnePlus’ Nord series QRZ ĆOOV WKH PLG UDQJH niche, which gives the company full licence to go hard on the high end. At time of going to press we’re still waiting for the launch of the OnePlus 9, but all signs point to a 6.5-inch 120Hz display, Db P$K EDWWHU\ DQG a quad-camera setup that will rival anything on the market. And keep an eye out for a Pro version with Db+DVVHOEODG VQDSSHU £TBC, oneplus.com
#19 AUDI RS E-TRON GT
Audi is speeding off the line with its new electric coupe range, with the RS version in particular offering some serious torque: Audi reckons it’ll hit 62mph in 3.3 seconds, with each axle individually powered to ensure that muscle is evenly delivered to the road. It’s still distinctly Audi on the outside, with enough battery inside for 283 miles and an 80% recharge in 22.5 minutes. From £111,900, audi.co.uk
#15 EXERCISE SUBSCRIPTIONS #16 APPLE HOMEPOD MINI
Apple normally marches to the beat of its RZQbGUXP EXW ZHèUH SUHWW\ VXUH LW WRRN criticism of the original HomePod on board when cooking up the mini: this is far cheaper, just as capable, and its integrated Thread hub opens up far more smart home potential. And don’t think its size means it droops in the DXGLRbGHSDUWPHQW WKH +RPH3RG PLQL LV RQH loud, rich smart speaker. £99, apple.com 4 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
+DV &RYLG ĆQLVKHG RII gyms for good? Probably not, but there’s never been a better time to get D IXOO RQ ĆWQHVV UHJLPH running in your own home. Peloton’s extended off-bike routines, Apple Fitness+, even promising-looking upstarts like Ultrahuman mean you’ll be able to ĆQG D ZRUNRXW å DQG importantly, an upsettingly ripped instructor – to suit the way you like to move.
#18 SONY VAIO Z
#17 HUAWEI MATE X2
#14 NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080
#13 PHILIPS HUE PLAY GRADIENT LIGHTSTRIP
Starting at just over a kilogram yet wielding the power of up to a Core i7-11357H processor, Sony’s newest Vaio does not go against type: it’s a specced-up treat of a laptop. It is not in any way cheap, but we’d imagine LWV FRQWRXUHG FDUERQ ĆEUH clamshell, which is strong enough that the Vaio Z ćHZ WKURXJK D EDWWHU\ RI drop tests, isn’t exactly an off-the-shelf component. Pure luxury. From £2,538, vaio.com
There’s no denying how hot Nvidia’s game-changing RTX 3080 is, and if you’ve tried (and, likely, failed) to get hold of one you’ll know what we mean. A massive leap in performance, incredible raytracing capabilities, great design and a massive shortage of actual product combine to make this the card to own today – unless you’re rich enough for a 3090, that is. From £699, nvidia.com
Wedge shaped and wonderful, the Mate X2 sees Huawei doing everything it can to make foldables into viables. It’s outwardly similar to the Galaxy Fold family, but Huawei has offered the Mate X2 a brand new hinge design, a Kirin 9000 5G SOC in the power plant, and its outer and inner screens can both run at 90Hz. Fingers crossed it leaves China. £TBC, huawei.com
Philips’ TVs may be the only way you can get Ambilight built in, but the company has now decided to wrap up the entire market for off-screen lighting with the Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip. Designed to stick to the back of any 55- to 60-inch TV, it throws out contentreactive colour. £160, philips-hue.com
Hot 100
#12 GAMING SOUNDBARS
Headphones be damned. If you’re building the ultimate gaming setup, or just want to fill a bedroom with sound, gaming soundbars have really come into their own recently. Panasonic’s Soundslayer is as awesome as its hardcore name suggests, and Cleer Audio has just announced the Midnight, an eight-driver bar with built-in chat mics and (of course) gamer-friendly RGB backlighting.
#11 ARLO TOUCHLESS VIDEO DOORBELL
We’re all more aware of what we’re doing with our hands these days, but it’s pretty tough to activate a doorbell with one’s elbow. Arlo’s Touchless Video Doorbell does the deed automatically using proximity detection, helpfully alerting visitors that the bell’s been rung – and it’ll pack in Arlo’s advanced video smarts, too. £TBC, arlo.com A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 49
Hot 100
#09 120HZ SCREENS
Do not buy a new TV that does not support 120Hz, variable refresh rate, and auto low latency. Seriously. You might be watching movies in 24fps, but the PS5 and Xbox Series X demand fast panels to get the most out of their abilities, and built-in picture processors can do so much more with advanced screens. Simply put: 120Hz is the new standard, no ifs, ands or buts about it.
#10 SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 SERIES
Samsung is so hot right now. The S21 series launched at the beginning of the year and, let’s face it, it’s likely to stay at the top of the Android tree for a while: great cameras (particularly in the 108MP sensor of the S21 Ultra), strong processors, incredible battery life and a slick design mean Samsung now has a target on its back. But can anyone realistically top it? From £769, samsung.com
#08 AMAZON ECHO SHOW 10
The rotational aspect of Amazon’s latest smart screen is its absolute killer feature. It’ll automatically frame you as you move around the room on a video call or converse with Alexa, and it can help you scan the room if you’re using the Show 10 as a security camera. And that’s not to mention the audio, the lightspeed processing, or the rest of what is a highly accomplished smart speaker. £240, amazon.co.uk
5 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Hot 100
#07 NEW-GEN CONSOLES
The PS5 and Xbox Series X have broken new ground all around them, pushing tech forward for PCs and particularly TVs, and demand for next-gen hardware is still as high now as it has ever been. And it’s only going to get hotter: huge first-party releases like Sony’s God of War 2: Ragnarok and Microsoft’s Halo Infinite mean that we still have a big year ahead of us for consoles.
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 51
Hot 100
#06 AIRPODS MAX
Apple can be disruptive when it wants to be, and the AirPods Max have careered into the noise cancellation space and done just that. They are so good sonically, they’re built so well, and their anti-noise tech is so strong that their high price EDUHO\ IHHOV OLNH D IDFWRU $SSOHèV ĆUVW RYHU HDUV are already the best in a crowded market. £549, apple.com
#05 WORKING FROM HOME
Home working might currently be the in thing only because it is enforced, but our eyes have been opened: doing so by choice is going to be tomorrow’s way of life. That means there’s a huge market opening up for VWDQGLQJ GHVNV OLNH 9DULGHVNèV TXDOLW\ RIĆFH FKDLUV KL UHV monitors and much more; you owe it to yourself to build a EHWWHU WKDQ WKH RIĆFH VHWXS
#04 LG OLED EVO PANEL
LG’s second-gen OLED evo panel will be with us this year, tweaking the balance of OLED by jiggling around the colour-generating layers. This means more vibrancy and greater brightness on the company’s top-end Gallery G1 screens, though we’d put money on this new panel tech trickling down to other LG screens – and the rest of the OLED TV world – sooner rather than later. lg.com 52 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Hot 100
#03 HARMAN KARDON RADIANCE 2400
If you’re opting for a minimalist vibe in your listening room Harman Kardon’s ultraVOLP ćRRUVWDQGHUV ZLOO SURYLGH LW ZLWKRXW compromising on quality. They’re absolutely remarkable to look at, clearly, but it’s the tech that matters: Harman’s Constant Beamwidth 7HFKQRORJ\ HQVXUHV WKH\ EURDGFDVW URRP ĆOOLQJ sound by calling on 24 calibrated transducers to generate the widest sweet spot possible. £TBC, harman.com
#02 M1 MACS
Apple’s big switch to using its own M1 silicon in the Mac line has been a massive win for computing. The M1 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac PLQLbSRVLWLYHO\ EOD]H through productivity tasks, confer stronger security, manage remarkable graphics performance, and the portable options are very generous on the battery life, too. apple.com
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 5 3
Hot 100
#01 MINI-LED TVS
MicroLED is on the way, but mini LEDs are the tech of 2021. A new backlight is all it’ll take to keep LCD alive and kicking for years to come. The simple act of shrinking down dimming zones and giving the TV far more micro-managing control over its brightness pulls LCD much closer to OLED, without the longevity worries of its organic rival. And every big name is getting on board: already the so-called New LEDs of Samsung’s Neo QLED range drop the traditional casing and lens, making them small enough to potentially offer ten times more dimming zones than this year’s top models; LG is doing similar things with its NanoCell QNED screens. 2021 will be a ELJb\HDU IRU 79V DQG PLQL /(' LV VHW WR drive them forward.
5 4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Hot 100
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 55
Subscribe
SUBSCRIBE to T3 and get your EarFun Air Wireless Earbuds*
If it’s inexpensive, good-sounding waterproof buds you seek, the EarFun Air are tough to beat
RRP
£55
Punchy, expansive sound • Great feature set • Classsy build and finish TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO: magazinesdirect.com/96AW
OR CALL: 0330 333 1113. Quote code: 96AW 5 6 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Subscribe
2WKHU EHQHĆWV RI subscribing to the ZRUOGèV JUHDWHVW technology and gadget PDJD]LQH LQFOXGHð Every issue of T3 delivered direct to your door Save up to 60% with each monthly issue T3 is packed with the latest gadgets, from TVs to drones, smart home tech to phones
Choose your package! PRINT EDITION
£42 a year 13 issues of T3 in print over 12 months, saving you 35%
PRINT & DIGITAL EDITION
£46 a year 13 issues of T3 over 12 months in print and digital, saving you 60%
DIGITAL EDITION
£28.50 a year
13 issues of T3 in digital, saving you 45% (Gift not included)
Terms and conditions: Offer closes 30 April 2021. Offer open to new subscribers only. Advertised Direct Debit offers are available to UK subscribers only. Advertised offers are payable by annual Direct Debit. 7KH SULFH LV JXDUDQWHHG IRU WKH ĆUVW PRQWKV DQG ZH ZLOO QRWLI\ \RX LQ DGYDQFH RI DQ\ SULFH FKDQJHV 3OHDVH DOORZ XS WR VL[ ZHHNV IRU GHOLYHU\ RI \RXU ĆUVW VXEVFULSWLRQ LVVXH XS WR HLJKW ZHHNV RYHUVHDV 7KH IXOO VXEVFULSWLRQ UDWH LV IRU PRQWKV LVVXHV DQG LQFOXGHV SRVWDJH DQG SDFNDJLQJ ,I WKH PDJD]LQH RUGHU FKDQJHV IUHTXHQF\ SHU DQQXP ZH ZLOO KRQRXU WKH QXPEHU RI LVVXHV SDLG IRU QRW WKH WHUP RI WKH VXEVFULSWLRQ 3D\PHQW LV QRQ UHIXQGDEOH DIWHU WKH GD\ FDQFHOODWLRQ SHULRG XQOHVV H[FHSWLRQDO FLUFXPVWDQFHV DSSO\ <RXU JLIW ZLOO EH GHOLYHUHG VHSDUDWHO\ ZLWKLQ GD\V DIWHU \RXU Ć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èV FDOO EXQGOH
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 5 7
The complete guide to…
5 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
The complete guide to…
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO…
Home office monitors 7KLV ZRUN IURP KRPH UHYROXWLRQ KDV PDGH KRPH RIĆFH PRQLWRUV YLWDO DFFHVVRULHV IRU SURIHVVLRQDOV /DUJH VFUHHQ UHDO HVWDWH DQG XOWLPDWH SURGXFWLYLW\ DIWHU DOO JR KDQG LQ KDQG Words: Michelle Rae Uy Photography: Neil Godwin
t wasn’t just nomadic digital workers who found themselves grounded when Covid-19 swept the world. The pandemic’s resulting lockdowns also forced a lot of us to temporarily turn a corner of our homes into workspaces. Luckily, the transition wasn’t as arduous as it could have been. Most of us already owned our own personal devices anyway, and even our tablets were good enough to get some remote work done. Many people found they enjoyed not working in an office. And on a larger scale, this work-from-home culture has also helped reduce company spending and minimise traffic and air pollution, prompting more and more businesses to not only offer it as an option to their employees but actually encourage it. With this being the new work normal, a temporary setup, therefore, is no longer viable for many. Investing in a home office setup that serves us better in the long-term has become vital. To a good few, that mostly entails getting
I
a better desk and an ergonomic chair; to others, it means shelling out for the whole kit and caboodle. One peripheral, in particular, that has become an indispensable tool is the home office monitor. There’s almost no computer accessory we spend as much time interacting with as our computer’s display, and getting a quality one for our newly christened home office setup is crucial. Just like the wrong chair can lead to back and shoulder pain, the wrong screen can lead to eye strain and throbbing headaches. Besides helping ensure our wellbeing, having a great quality home office monitor also brings practically endless benefits to our professional lives, streamlining intricate tasks, complex workflows and multitasking, as well as enhancing how we experience our more creative undertakings.
DISPLAYING AROUND Simply, home office monitors – or rather the best of them – are designed to elevate our digital
interactions. While that cheap display that came bundled with our computer or the tiny screen affixed to our laptop is just fine at best, it won’t give us that optimal viewing experience necessary for work. You’ll find most cheap displays lacking in responsiveness, brightness, accurate colour reproductions and port selection, to name a few. Some budget monitors are okay, but we’re often better off spending a little more. On the other hand, while many laptops out there come with brilliant displays that deliver an incredible experience, working on a small screen especially when multitasking or doing creative workflows just isn’t ideal or sustainable for very long. We wouldn’t bother hooking up your computer to your television either: this makeshift monitor route could lead to a whole new set of problems like input lag, compatibility issues due to absent DisplayPort and USB ports, and a size that isn’t best for up-close use. There’s a reason why professionals spend good money on office
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 59
The complete guide to… The top three…
ACE YET AFFORDABLE ADD-ONS Seriously useful accessories for whether you’re creating a new setup or giving your existing one a refresh 01
LOGITECH Z407 BLUETOOTH COMPUTER SPEAKERS :K\ QRW VZLWFK WR WUDGLWLRQDO FRPSXWHU VSHDNHUV" 7KHVH RQHV IURP /RJLWHFK DUHQèW MXVW YHUVDWLOH WRXWLQJ DQ DGDSWDEOH GHVLJQ DQG WZR FRQQHFWLYLW\ RSWLRQV WKH\ DOVR GHOLYHU D ORW RI YROXPH DQG ERRPLQJ EDVV £80, logitech.com
02
KINIVO 350BN 4K HDMI SWITCH ,I \RXU KRPH RIĆFH KDV D PXOWLSOH GHYLFH VHWXS FRQVLGHU DQ +'0, VZLWFK WR PD[LPLVH \RXU PRQLWRU 7KLV WKUHH SRUW VZLWFK IURP .LQLYR VXSSRUWV . DW ISV DQG FRPHV ZLWK D UHPRWH FRQWURO 6ZLWFKLQJ IURP RQH GHYLFH WR DQRWKHU KDV QHYHU EHHQ WKLV VHDPOHVV £49, amazon.co.uk
03
ERGOTRON LX DUAL STACKING ARM (UJRWURQèV JL]PR OHWV \RX VHW XS WZR PRQLWRUV ZLWKRXW IRUFLQJ \RX WR FRPPLW WR D Ć[HG OD\RXW ,W WLOWV H[WHQGV VZLQJV URWDWHV DQG VWDFNV DOPRVW KRZHYHU \RX ZDQW VR \RX FDQ JHW FUHDWLYH ZLWK \RXU PRQLWRUV £262, ergotron.com 6 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
monitors, even if all they do is write proposals or balance spreadsheets. Benefits include improved ergonomics, better viewing angles, crisp and vibrant picture quality, a plethora of ports to choose from, and more screen real estate. A few even come with their own USB-C hub, speakers, and a rotating function for those after a more versatile yet minimalist setup. Not all monitors are built the same. They not only come in three types of panels, but also different image resolutions, sizes, shapes and feature sets. So, although office computer setups generally aren’t as particular as gaming ones, it’s just as important to tick a few vital things off the list when buying a home office monitor.
TAILORED VIEWING That list depends on your daily tasks and work demands. A coder’s computing needs are never going to be the same as those of an administrative assistant, and what a content creator requires from a monitor is going to be vastly different from what an entrepreneur with an e-commerce business finds essential. Photographers, video editors and designers, particularly, have a specific set of features they’ll require that typical office workers need not bother with. Monitors with wide colour space (preferably 100% of sRGB or better), very accurate colour reproduction, high brightness level and excellent black levels aren’t only preferred; they’re essential. Meanwhile, the bar is lower for those mostly doing productivity tasks. After all, they won’t need to be discerning about things like refresh rate, colour gamut and contrast ratios to see through their daily workload. Still, things like brightness levels, viewing angles, ergonomics, vibrance and blue light filters are just as important.
Before you get into all that though, you must first pick the right panel. These days, LCD monitors come in three types of panels: TN, the oldest; IPS, the best-looking; and VA, the middle-ground. Do your own research, but the abridged version is this: budget-friendly TN panels typically offer lower latency and higher refresh rate without burning a credit-cardshaped hole in your pocket, while pricier IPS panels deliver better colour reproduction and higher contrast ratios, giving users more vibrant images with superior black levels. On the other hand, VA panels, the Goldilocks of monitors, usually have the best contrast ratios, as well as better viewing angles and higher maximum brightness than the previous two. Those aren’t hard and fast rules. There are IPS panels with fast refresh rates, albeit at a much higher price range, and there are VA panels that can hit IPS-level colour space. However, creatives and digital artists generally prefer IPS panels due to their colour and contrast coverage, and professionals with more general office needs tend to be satisfied with either the classic TN or the all-rounder VA panels. Of course, the type of panel isn’t the only metric. One thing that most people really care about is screen resolution, and by extension, whether or not to go ultrawide.
Monitors come in different image resolutions, shapes and feature sets
The complete guide to… T3 recommends...
THE BEST HOME OFFICE MONITORS Elevate your viewing. Just because it’s work, it doesn’t mean you can’t also enjoy it
GO ULTRAWIDE
SAMSUNG CHG90 $ LQFK PRQLWRU PD\ QRW EH IRU HYHU\RQH EXW LW DOVR LVQèW MXVW IRU JDPHUV *UDSKLF GHVLJQHUV VSUHDGVKHHW PDVWHUV DQG PRUH WKDQ DYHUDJH PXOWLWDVNHUV ZLOO FHUWDLQO\ JHW D ORW GRQH WKDQNV WR WKH YHUVDWLOLW\ LWV ZKRSSLQJ
DVSHFW UDWLR DQG E\ UHVROXWLRQ RIIHU 7KHUHèV DOVR D +] UHIUHVK UDWH DXGLR DOLJQHG $UHQD /LJKWLQJ DQG D 5 FXUYDWXUH WKDW PDNHV HYHU\WKLQJ OLWHUDOO\ HDV\ RQ WKH H\HV
£829, samsung.com
Decent displays can get you by, but only the best ones will immerse you in your work without making it feel like a burden. The best home office monitors do more than just show you what’s on your PC. They deliver a computing experience like no other, turning everything up by 110%, starting with picture quality. They are not bad on the price front either. Although some might cost a pretty penny, many stay relatively accessible to most consumers. That’s important, especially since there are other costs involved when setting up your new home office. These four home office monitors come with our seal of approval.
4K GOODNESS
BENQ EW3280U 0XOWLWDVNLQJ WDVNPDVWHUV ZLOO DGRUH WKLV LQFKHU IURP %HQ4 whose feature set is just as EDQNDEOH DV LWV . ,36 JRRGQHVV $PRQJ LWV WULXPSKV DUH LWV 9HVD&HUWLĆHG 'LVSOD\+'5 IRU D WUXH +'5 H[SHULHQFH ZLGH
'&, 3 FRORXU VSDFH DQG FKDQQHO VSHDNHUV %HQ4 DOVR WKURZV LQ D 86% & SRUW ZLWK :bSRZHU GHOLYHU\ D UHPRWH FRQWURO DQG VLPXODWHG H3DSHU PRGH IRU JRRG PHDVXUH
£579, benq.eu/en-uk
CURVY IS BEAUTIFUL
ALL WORK AND PLAY
ASUS DESIGNO CURVE MX38VC
PORSCHE DESIGN AOC AGON PD27
2QH GRHVQèW KDYH WR EH D JDPHU to need (or want) an ultrawide PRQLWRU 7KRVH LQYROYHG LQ YLVXDO DQG GHVLJQ ZRUN ZLOO DSSUHFLDWH WKH H[WUD UHDO HVWDWH DQG LPPHUVLYH JRRGQHVV WKDW WKLV [ FXUYHG PRQLWRU IURP
$VXV RIIHUV ,W NHHSV H\H VWUDLQ HIIHFWLYHO\ DW ED\ MXVW DV LW GRHV GLVWUDFWLRQV ,WV 86% & SRUW ZLWK SRZHU GHOLYHU\ DQG EDVH ZLWK IDVW 4L ZLUHOHVV FKDUJLQJ DOVR KHOS WR NHHS \RX LQ \RXU FUHDWLYH ćRZ
£1,150, asus.com
+RPH RIĆFH GRHVQèW DOZD\V HTXDWH WR DOO EXVLQHVV 6TXHH]H LQ VRPH VHULRXV JDPLQJ ZLWK WKLV 3RUVFKH LQVSLUHG S PRQLWRU IURP $2& ,WèV EXLOW IRU JDPLQJ VSHHG HVSHFLDOO\ ZLWK WKDW +] UHIUHVK UDWH EXW LW DOVR KDV D SODFH
LQ HYHU\ RIĆFH 1RW RQO\ GRHV LWV GLVSOD\ ORRN GHOLFLRXVO\ JRRG EXW LWV GHVLJQ DOVR ORRNV OLNH LW EHORQJV RQ HYHU\ GLVFHUQLQJ SURIHVVLRQDOèV GHVN (YHQ LWV 5*% OLJKWLQJ FRPHV ZLWK D WRXFK RI VRSKLVWLFDWLRQ
£720, aoc.com
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 61
The complete guide to…
0.5ms, but for most office setups, a 60Hz monitor with a 5ms response time should more than suffice. As for colour space, there are several standardised colour gamuts out there, but a 96% sRGB rating is plenty sufficient. Meanwhile, find something with 300-nits of brightness or more lest you risk eye fatigue. You’ll also want to take a look at the available ports. Not all monitors come with a selection of ports that proves favourable for an extensive setup with two or more monitors or computers and several peripherals. This isn’t going to be an issue if all you want is a simple, minimalist setup. But, if you plan on having a multi-PC or
These days, we’re in the 1080p, 1440p and 4K game, with 1080p monitors starting to slowly get phased out. There are 8K monitors out there as well, but that resolution is a long way from becoming mainstream. For future-proofing a rig, 4K might be the best. However, since many 4K monitors are still a bit on the pricey side, 1440p monitors are the perfect compromise. There are still some 720p monitors out there, but because most of the content being rolled out is at these higher resolutions, getting a 720p monitor now isn’t the wisest decision. As far as going ultrawide, a 21:9 resolution monitor is certainly going to be too wide for
most folks. Unless you plan on handling extensive spreadsheets, tackling some serious multitasking work, or doing your share of competitive gaming on the side, a 16:9 option is the most ideal. Also pay close attention to specifications like refresh rates, response times, colour space, brightness and port selection when choosing your monitor. Again, while every panel type has its own specifications that come as standard, it also isn’t unusual for each to offer more. So it’s best to consider every specification as a separate metric. Refresh rates range from 60Hz to 360Hz while response times range from 10ms to
A 21:9 resolution monitor is certainly going to be too wide for most folks multi-device home office, you’ll want a monitor with several input options, KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) support, and perhaps even a USB-C hub. All that sounds like a lot. The great news is, it isn’t as complicated as it sounds once you get into research mode. Besides, if you’re investing in a new home office where you may now be spending most of your work life in, won’t you only want the best?
CURVY IS THE NEW FLAT Curved monitors have been taking over the display market. Are they worth it for productivity? &XUYHG GLVSOD\V FRPH ZLWK D ZHDOWK RI EHQHĆWV QRW WKH OHDVW RI ZKLFK LV IXOO LPPHUVLRQ %\ EULQJLQJ WKRVH HGJHV FORVH WRbYLHZHUV FDSLWDOLVLQJ RQ RXU XQGHU XWLOLVHG SHULSKHUDO YLVLRQ WKH\ ZLGHQ RXU ĆHOG RI YLHZbDQG LPSURYH WKH ZD\ ZH FRQVXPH FRQWHQW 7KH\ DOVR UHGXFH GLVWRUWLRQ DW WKH HGJHV LPSURYLQJ SLFWXUH TXDOLW\ DV ZHOO DV PDNLQJ WKH ZKROH H[SHULHQFH IHHO ODUJHU WKDQbOLIH 7KDWèV ZLWKRXW PHQWLRQLQJ MXVW KRZbFRRO DQG IXWXULVWLF WKH\èOO ORRN SHUFKHGbRQ RXU GHVNV 0RVW LPSRUWDQWO\ IRU WKRVH RI XV WKDW FORFN LQ HLJKW WR KRXUV RI FRPSXWHU XVDJH RQ DbGDLO\ EDVLV WKLV QHZ EUHHG RI GLVSOD\V GUDVWLFDOO\ PLQLPLVHV H\H VWUDLQ ZKLFK PDNHV D IXOO GD\èV ZRUN D ORW PRUH EHDUDEOH $QG WKH\èUH RQO\ JHWWLQJ EHWWHU WKDQ EHIRUH :KLOH ROGHU PRGHOV KDYH EHWZHHQ 62 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
5 WR 5 FXUYH UDGLXV WKH QH[W JHQHUDWLRQ RI FXUYHG PRQLWRUV WKDW KLW WKH VKHOYHV LQ WKH ODVW \HDU RU VR ERDVW DQ HYHQ PRUH SURQRXQFHG 5 WR 5 FXUYDWXUH 7KH UHVXOW" 0RUH LPPHUVLRQ PRUH GUDPDWLF JODUH DQG GLVWRUWLRQ UHGXFWLRQ DV ZHOO DV FRQVLGHUDEO\ OHVV H\H VWUDLQ 7KHVH FXUYHG PRQLWRUV DUH FHUWDLQO\ VXSHULRU WR WKHLU ćDW FRXQWHUSDUWV LQ D ORW RI ZD\V DQG PRVW JDPHUV KDYH EHHQ XVLQJ WKHP ORQJ EHIRUH WKH\ KLW WKH SURVXPHU PDUNHW 7KH TXHVWLRQ LV LV LW ULJKW IRU WKRVH RI XV ORRNLQJ IRU D ZRUN PRQLWRU" <RX PLJKW EH VXUSULVHG EXW DEVROXWHO\ 3URIHVVLRQDOV ZLOO EHQHĆW MXVW DV PXFK IURP WKHP DV WKRVH SOD\LQJ YLGHR JDPHV LI QRW PRUH <RX ZRQèW KDYH WR JR XOWUDZLGH HLWKHU HVSHFLDOO\ LI \RX GRQèW KDYH WKH GHVN VSDFH IRU LW :KLOH VRPH EXVLQHVVHV PD\ ĆQG WKDW
XOWUDZLGH IRUPDW XVHIXO ZKHQ GHDOLQJ ZLWK PDVVLYH VSUHDGVKHHWV PRVW RI XV GRQèW QHHG D ZKRSSLQJ GLVSOD\ WR VHQG HPDLOV SUHSDUH ZRUN GRFXPHQWV DQG YLGHR FRQIHUHQFH WKH WHDP 6DYH WKDW IRU WKH KDUGFRUH JDPHUV DQG VWLFN WR RQH WKDWèV PRUH SDODWDEOH DQG PDQDJHDEOH IRU ZRUN å WKHUH DUH PDQ\ LQFK DQG LQFK FXUYHG monitors out there that deliver that same OHYHO RI LPPHUVLRQ ,I \RXèUH FRQFHUQHG DERXW WKH SULFH GRQèW IUHW &RPSDUDWLYHO\ WKH\ PLJKW FRVW VOLJKWO\ PRUH WKDQ D ćDW VFUHHQ EXW QRW E\ PXFK 7KH\èUH DOVR JHWWLQJ FKHDSHU HYHU\ \HDU ,I \RX FDQ DIIRUG LW WKRXJK \RXèOO VWLOO JHW D EHWWHU YDOXH E\ SD\LQJ D OLWWOH PRUH +RZHYHU WKH PRUH EXGJHW FRQVFLRXV FDQ HDVLO\ ĆQG D FXUYHG PRQLWRU DW OHVV WKDQ e HYHQ IURP ELJ QDPHV OLNH 6DPVXQJ DQG 'HOO
Spectacular smart lights
SPECTACULAR SMART LIGHTS
The latest smart lights for your home are things of beauty that do much more than helping you not walk into the wall Words: David Nield
A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 6 3
Spectacular smart lights
1 IKEA FLOALT Sometimes you don’t want a bulb, you want a whole panel of light to control from your phone or through your smart speaker – and that’s exactly what you get with the Floalt, part of Ikea’s growing range of intelligent illumination products. Available in a variety of sizes, these panels really enable you to get creative with your lighting setup. From £65, ikea.com
2
2 PHILIPS HUE AMARANT One of the latest products from the smart lightning veterans at Philips Hue is the Amarant, an outdoor light bar that can blanket a wall or a particular part of your property with a white or coloured light. You can even connect several of them together, and they’re perfect for hedges, fences, and any other bit of outdoor furniture that you want to illuminate. £129.99, philips-hue.com
3 LIFX CANDLE WHITE TO WARM The White to Warm candle light from Lifx brings with it all the usual Lifx functionality – remote phone control without the need of a hub, millions of colours, automatic scheduling – while also offering a touch of style and charm. It’s the perfect option for some lazy evening (or lazy morning) chilling out with your everimproving smart home setup.
3
4
£29.99, lifx.com
4 PHILIPS HUE APPEAR Add a touch of subtle class to any outdoor space with the help of the Philips Hue Appear, a lamp that can direct light precisely upwards or downwards, and which gives you millions of colours to pick from. As with any product in the Philips Hue range, the app gives you access to a host of settings and features, including options for timers and scheduling. £129.99, philips-hue.com 6 4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Spectacular smart lights
5 NANOLEAF ESSENTIALS The new Nanoleaf Essentials range includes both bulbs and a light strip, and, besides giving you all the usual smart lighting goodies, also works with the latest Thread protocol – that means these lights work like a charm with Apple HomeKit. With a huge choice of colours, FXVWRPLVDEOH WLPLQJV DQG PRUH WKHVH OLJKWV FDQ ĆW LQWRbDQ\ KRPH VHWXS From £17.99, nanoleaf.me
5
6
6 NANOLEAF SHAPES Combine hexagons and triangles into a truly unique smart lighting setup with the Nanoleaf Shapes range: the shapes and sizes of these panel layouts are completely up to you, and the lights can be controlled via physical touch as well as from your phone. You can even get them dancing to music – a truly eye-catching smart lighting product. From £89.99, nanoleaf.me
7
8
8 INNR SMART FILAMENT
VINTAGE GLOBE
7 INNR WI-FI BULBS Innr has new white and RGB Wi-Fi bulbs to show off, as well as a redesigned app that makes managing them much easier. You can choose from 16 million different colours, set automated timings, and even use your lights to help you wake up (or fall asleep) more naturally. Both E27 and B22 bulb connections are available in the new range.
When modern-day smart lights combine with ROG IDVKLRQHG ĆODPHQW EXOEV \RX HQG XS ZLWK these stylish Innr Vintage Globes: you still get that classic look while also controlling the lighting from your phone. As with the other products in the Innr smart light range, the E27 bulbs can integrate with your existing Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant setup too.
From €24.99 (about £22), innr.com
€47.99 (about £42), innr.com A P R I L 2 0 2 1 T3 65
Spectacular smart lights
9 TWINKLY SQUARES Part of a new smart LED lighting range from Twinkly coming later this year, Squares is a customisable panel of lights that you can use to illuminate a room, display a message, and generally have a lot of fun with. There are 64-pixel blocks in each square, with the panels made up of 9 or 15 VTXDUHVbLQ WRWDO £TBC, twinkly.com
10 10 SENGLED SMARTSENSE Smart lighting and smart homes are all about convenience, which is why a product like the Sengled SmartSense has so much appeal: it comes with a built-in motion detector, which means you don’t even need to tap on your phone to get it to illuminate (very handy for those late-night wanderings around the house). It’s ridiculously affordable as well. £11.99, sengled.com
11 YEELIGHT SMART LED BULB M2 The special party trick offered by the latest bulb from the Xiaomi-backed Yeelight is compatibility with the new Seamless Setup feature from Google Home – essentially, getting this smart bulb working with Google Assistant is a breeze, as there’s no hub required. The bulb LV FRPLQJ VRRQ ZLWK SULFLQJ \HW WR EH FRQĆUPHG but expect it to be inexpensive.
12
£TBC, yeelight.com
12 LIFX CLEAN What if your smart lights could clean surfaces and objects with specialised High Energy Visible (HEV) light, as well as giving you all the standard features? The Lifx Clean range, coming ODWHU WKLV \HDU FDQ ćLS LQWR D GLVLQIHFWDQW PRGH when you’re not around and wipe a substantial number of bacteria and microbes away from whatever the light touches. £TBC, lifx.com 6 6 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
11
TESTED Expert reviews and recommendations WR KHOS \RX EX\ ZLWK FRQĆGHQFH Edited by Josh Russell
68
72
73
74
76
78
ECHO SHOW 10
IPL HAIR REMOVERS
YAMAHA SR-B20A
PANASONIC SOUNDSLAYER
DELL XPS 15 9500
AMAZFIT GTS 2E
HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.
We only choose people with specialist knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.
THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product
OUR AWARDS Only the best products – those WKDW VFRUH ĆYH VWDUV å UHFHLYH our Platinum Award
This is given to winners of our group tests, so you can see which is the best at a glance
For tech we very much recommend but that’s equalled by other strong products
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 67
Tested
Screen LQFK WRXFK VHQVLWLYH Front camera 13MP Screen rotation 175 degrees Audio LQFK VWHUHR WZHHWHUV SOXV LQFK ZRRIHU Connectivity :L )L %OXHWRRWK =LJEHH Processor 0HGLD7HN SOXV $PD]RQ $= 1HXUDO (GJH Dimensions 251x230x172mm Weight NJ
he Echo as a concept has only been with us for six years, but it’s been gathering hardware updates the whole time. Its latest is a 10.1-inch screen that – no joke – follows you around the room. The idea is that you can always see it clearly, and the new third generation Echo Show 10 joins the Echo Show 5 and 8, which remain on sale. This is the one to go for, however, if you’re keen to get the full-fat, fully featured, full-on Amazon Echo experience for your home. You get the biggest screen in the Echo range, the best audio (the Echo Studio apart), and that motion capability that actually turns out to be less gimmicky than you might think. It all means that the Echo Show 10 is the best Alexa speaker out there when it comes to features, so let’s dig into everything you need to know about the device. The new Echo Show 10 can be yours in either black or white – or, as Amazon has it, charcoal or glacier white. Both look suitably smart and
T
From £239 DPD]RQ FR XN
BIGGER BROTHER
Amazon Echo Show 10
An already impressive smart display gets some QHZbWULFNV EXW VWLOO ODFNV VRIWZDUH VXSSRUW
6 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Echo Show 10
SPIN MACHINE The Show’s most headlinegrabbing feature is it turns to face you during calls, streaming sessions or when you fire off voice commands. And thanks to its brushless motor, it does so silently.
FACE THE MUSIC Not only does its two stereo tweeters and three-inch woofer mean it offers the best sound in the series after the Studio, it will always turn to play in your direction.
classy, and you can pick whichever fits your home decor best. The colouring extends all around the device in this case, from the fabric that covers the main speaker unit to the bezels that surround the screen.
Screenadelica This is a piece of hardware that looks very much like what it is: a screen stuck on the side of a speaker. The device feels solid, and well built, and is obviously constructed from some premium materials, but we can’t help feeling the design is a little ungainly and awkward. Exactly how we’d improve it we’re not quite sure, but we suspect that if there’s a fourth generation of the Echo Show 10, it’ll be a bit more aesthetically appealing. The screen itself is bright, clear and sharp, and can be tilted up and down as well as being able to swivel (speaker and all) on its base. The power port is around the back of the speaker unit, while on the top of the display you’ve got two volume control buttons and a button for muting the microphone so you know Alexa is no
longer listening. There’s also a physical shutter for the forwardfacing camera used for video calls. Setup is as easy as you would expect: you can log in right on the device itself, thanks to the touchscreen, and other options can be configured through the Alexa app for Android or iOS. Once you’re signed in and Amazon knows who you are, the Echo Show 10 will start showing content related to your interests (calendars, recent playlists and so on). As on previous models, you’ve got a choice of screensavers to pick from that show when you’re not actively using the device. You can put your own photos up on the screen or have Amazon throw up a curated selection for you, and as well as having the display brightness automatically adjust to match the ambient lighting levels, you can have the colour temperature automatically change too – so you’re not dazzled late at night. The headline feature on the Echo Show 10 is that rotation, which syncs the movement of screen and speaker together: it can follow you around
7KH ZLOO GLUHFW PXVLF VWUDLJKW LQ \RXU GLUHFWLRQ LI \RXèUH PRYLQJ
during video calls or while you’re watching videos. It’ll turn to face you when you start saying a voice command, and it’ll direct music straight in your direction if it senses you moving around. The device is fitted with a brushless motor, so all that movement is perfectly silent. Some people might find this feature creepy, but we really appreciated it – having the screen turn towards you when you’re speaking to it is better than having to crane your neck or shift position. Amazon has put some rather smart algorithms into the new Echo Show 10 software to make sure it moves when you need it to, and if you don’t like the feature, you can turn it off. You can also set it to only move for a selected number of activities, such as video calling and movie watching. Through that software, you’re able to configure how wide the range of motion can be, and which way the display should point when it’s not doing anything. It feels like the new feature has been well thought through, and it comes across as very A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 69
Tested
SCREEN OF THE CROP The Show 10’s display is bright, clear and sharp and is by far the largest on an Echo so far. It also doesn’t just turn: you can tilt it up and down as well.
well implemented – we’d even say it’s a good enough reason on its own to upgrade from the previous Echo Show 10 model. Alexa, Amazon’s smart digital assistant, can now answer just about any question you can think of, from weather reports to sports scores to reminders about your daily to-do list. The display makes this a substantial upgrade over the audio-only Echo speakers, not just for video apps but for getting information such as recipes and schedules on screen, and for giving visual feedback to your questions and commands.
7KH VFUHHQ ZLOO WXUQbWRZDUGV \RX ZKHQ \RXèUH VSHDNLQJ å QHDW
Don’t forget the host of smart home devices that work with Alexa these days either, which means you can control your connected gadgets with voice commands or taps on the screen of the Echo Show 10. The smart display includes an integrated Zigbee hub, so you may not need a separate hub for Zigbee-compatible gear (such as Philips Hue bulbs or Samsung SmartThings devices), and it can also double up as a security camera – letting you view what’s happening through the 13-megapixel forwardfacing camera via the Alexa app when you’re away from home.
That Alexa app used to be something of a weak link for Echo speakers, but not any more: it’s now slick, intuitive and packed with features. You can get all your smart home devices connected, link all your music and video services, connect up calendars and contacts, and more.
Appy family Having a screen on the Echo Show 10 reduces its reliance on the Echo app on your phone, because you can access a lot of the device’s settings right on the smart display itself. However, the app still comes in
THE ALTERNATIVES
Google Nest Hub Max ,I \RX GRQèW ZDQW WR WDNH WKH (FKR 6KRZ IRU D VSLQ WKH 1HVW +XE 0D[ LV D QLFH VWDWLF DOWHUQDWLYH ,W KDV D ELJ EULJKW VFUHHQ IDFLDO UHFRJQLWLRQ DQG H[FHOOHQW DXGLR DQG YLGHR TXDOLW\ 9LGHR DSSV DUH D ELW OLPLWHG WKRXJK £199, store.google.com 7 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
AMAZON ECHO SHOW 5 +DYH OLPLWHG VSDFH RU D OLPLWHG EXGJHW" 7KHQ WKH (FKR 6KRZ PLJKW EH D EHWWHU ĆW 7KLV OLWWOH FKDS LV JUHDW IRU YLGHR FDOOV YLVXDO $OH[D VNLOOV DQG PDQDJLQJ VPDUW KRPH GHYLFHV DOWKRXJK LWV GLQN\ LQFK VFUHHQ LVQèW H[DFWO\ D YLGHR ZL] £39.99, amazon.co.uk
LENOVO SMART CLOCK 1RZ DV LWV QDPH VXJJHVWV WKLV PD\ EH EHWWHU YLHZHG DV D YHU\ VPDUW DODUP FORFN UDWKHU WKDQ D WLQ\ LQFK VPDUW GLVSOD\ %XW LW VWLOO RIIHUV JUHDW YLVXDO *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW VXSSRUW DQG DQ DELOLW\ WR EH ZRNHQ XS E\ \RXU IDYRXULWH WXQHV £79.99, lenovo.com
Echo Show 10
PRIVATE EYE Don’t want your device snooping on you? The Echo Show 10 not only allows you to mute the mic but it has a physical shutter you can slide across the camera.
KEEPING WATCH The 13MP forward-facing camera isn’t just handy for Zooming with the in-laws. You can also use it as a security cam to scan your home while you’re away.
handy for changing certain settings (including the motion features), as well as accessing reminders, lists and notes you’ve created. A lot of us still use our smart speakers and displays for basic alarms and timers, and these can be managed through the Alexa app as well as from the Echo Show 10 itself. We should also mention the Routines that Alexa now supports, groups of actions (such as turning on the lights and the heating together) that can be launched with a single Alexa command. The app and Alexa aren’t exclusive to the Echo Show 10 of course, but if you’re thinking about dipping your toes into the Echo ecosystem for the first time then you’ll want to know what to expect. The app also gives you access to thousands of third-party skills for Alexa too, from games to white noise apps. If you already have one or more Echos set up at home then the app does a decent job of letting you manage them – grouping them together in specific rooms, and so on. As a hub for everything Alexa and everything Amazon Echo in your smart home, the app has you covered, and you can run Alexa voice commands through it as well.
We feel that the high price of this smart screen is well worth it – it enables you to make video calls, it lets you play content from Netflix and Prime Video, and it’s handy for some Alexa responses such as weather reports and calendar schedules. It also gives you touchscreen control for your connected smart home devices as well. The new Echo Show 10 offers substantially more than most Echo devices do.
‘Alexa, you’re improving’ We’re not completely sold on the design, but we can live with it – and we are hugely impressed by everything the Echo Show 10 can do. Alexa is getting better all the time, and the new intelligent motion capabilities that Amazon has added to this model improve the experience more than you might think, particularly if you’re trying to use the device hands-free or from a distance. Of course you’re giving even more data up to Amazon. The company promises to protect your privacy (as do Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and all the others), and there are some welcome privacy controls here – but each new Amazon device you add inevitably digs you
0DNH YLGHR FDOOV SOD\ 1HWćL[ DQG 3ULPH 9LGHR JHW WKH ZHDWKHUð
deeper into Amazon’s apps, services, and overall ecosystem. That’s a trade-off you’re going to have to be willing to make. You do have other smart speaker options, but the Echo Show 10 stands alone at the moment in terms of the size of its screen and the way it can move around. It’s undoubtedly the best Echo yet, the peak of Echo evolution since 2014 – and if your budget can stretch to it, and you’re happy in Amazon’s world, then we can fully recommend it.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED )ROORZV \RX DURXQG WKH URRP $OH[D NHHSV LPSURYLQJ bH[FHOOHQW VRXQG WE’D IMPROVE 9HU\ $PD]RQ FHQWULF GHVLJQ LV D OLWWOH DZNZDUG QHHGV YLGHR DSSV THE LAST WORD $ QHZ KLJK EDU ZLWK DQ DFH VFUHHQ PRWLRQ FRQWUROV DQG YRLFH DVVLVWDQW
Find the best deals on the Amazon Echo Show 10 at bit.ly/t3echsh10
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 71
Tested
IPL HAIR REMOVERS
Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 £325, braun.com
£350, philips.co.uk
DESIGN Extremely well built and easy to handle. Colourwise, it comes in a more grown-up gold and looks super chic and sleek. Admittedly it has to be plugged in, which makes you can’t stray far from a socket, but you don’t have to recharge it either.
DESIGN Also pleasingly ergonomic with expensive-looking buttons. It has a nice pearlized lilac finish, making it super feminine as well as non-intimidating. Also it can be used with a cord or cordless, making it easier to wield in the bathroom and beyond.
ATTACHMENTS Only has one: a precision head for targeting smaller areas such as the face and bikini line. The gliding mode triggers more flashes for faster treatment of large body parts, while stamp mode provides a more precise treatment for sensitive areas.
ATTACHMENTS The Lumea Prestige wins on quantity here. It comes with three heads: a flat face attachment for precise use, a curved attachment for bikini and underarm areas, and a body attachment with a contourfollowing design for more expansive areas.
POWER SETTINGS With 10 intensity levels and three comfort modes, it just has the edge. It also has tech to read your skin tone, continuously adapting the flash intensity accordingly, for what Braun says is the safest and most effective permanent hair removal.
POWER SETTINGS It has five energy settings, but the device is also able to detect your skin tone and select the most comfortable light setting for it. Also bear in mind that the three attachments further adapt programs tailored for each body area.
SPEED If speed matters most, the Braun wins the race: Braun says you can treat both your lower legs in less than five minutes. This means it’s nearly twice as fast as its predecessor, the Pro 3, which is a pretty healthy speed boost.
SPEED In comparison, the Philips Lumea takes 8.5 minutes to tackle your lower leg hair. However, it’s still far from slow: you can blitz your facial areas in just one-and-a-half minutes or your underarms in three.
VERDICT
2nd
Philips Lumea Prestige
WE’RE IMPRESSED Effective and easy to use; SensoAdapt sensors match intensity to skin tone; stamp or glide options; fast and long-lasting. WE’D IMPROVE Not cordless; ill-suited for dark skin.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Cordless option; SmartSkin Sensor automatically adjusts settings; three attachments; ergonomic and easy to use. WE’D IMPROVE Useless for some skin tones; heavy.
Discover the best IPL machines on the market at bit.ly/t3iplmchn
7 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
1st
Tested Yamaha SR-B20A
From £249 uk.yamaha.com
BARGAIN BASS
Yamaha SR-B20A
A compact yet punchy, budget yet bold soundbar with big ambitions. This is a great addition to a mid-size TV he Yamaha SR-B20A intends to offer a compact, high-achieving upgrade to your TV’s sound without hitting the wallet too hard. And it delivers. It packs 120 watts of power, half of which is given over to the 75mm subwoofers. The remaining 60 watts is split between two 55mm mid-range drivers and two 25mm tweeters. When connected to a mid-range TV over HDMI, the Yamaha wastes little time in establishing just how much more full-bodied, expansive and detailed a listen it is compared to the average TV’s integrated sound system. Put on a movie and your sonic experience goes up a notch. At the ‘standard’ EQ preset, there’s greater low-frequency presence, more detail through the midrange and a more substantial top end. Switch to the ‘movie’ preset and the sound gains greater width, although a little of its focus falls away at the same time. But that focus snaps back into place when using the ‘game’ setting. It’s a good match for the best gaming TVs, and makes a good alternative to the Panasonic Soundslayer. Tonally, the Yamaha’s something of a mixed bag. Treble sounds have just enough bite to go along with their substance, while the midrange is naturalistic. At the bottom end, though, the SR-B20A is rather monotonic – punch and presence to spare, but not a great deal of differentiation on bass sounds. And make sure you avoid the ‘bass ext’ button, unless you want your TV sound to be swamped by bass.
T
In the design stakes, ‘compact’ is the word we’d go with. It measures a tidy 35.9x5.1x2.1 inches, about the same width as a 43-inch TV, so you can use it happily from that size up to 55 inches. And the build quality and finish is every bit as good as you’d expect from Yamaha. The SR-B20A can be used in two different orientations thanks to its driver layout. On its feet the subwoofers face upwards; on a wall they face forward. It’s most impressive with its ‘3D Surround’, serving up a sound that’s wider and taller than you’re expecting. Physical connectivity runs to a single HDMI ARC output, a couple of digital optical sockets and a pre-out for an off-board subwoofer. There’s also Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Control of the soundbar is via the small, slippy and pretty cheap-feeling remote control handset, or the well-realised Sound Bar Remote app. It’s here where input selection, volume control, subwoofer level and EQ presets can be dealt with. Also, on the handset is a big button marked ‘3D Surround’ (the soundbar features DTS Virtual:X, Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround, but no Dolby Atmos). Alternatively, there’s also a very brief display on the surface of the soundbar itself, which is functional rather than sensational. Ultimately, the Yamaha SR-B20A offers a good deal of bang for not much buck. There’s a lot of competition for fine soundbars in this price range, but if budget price is what you’re looking for, put the SR-B20A on your shortlist.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Capable of expansive, dynamic sound; wellEXLOW DQG ĆQLVKHG FRPSDFW and unobtrusive. WE’D IMPROVE Lacks lowfrequency expression; touchcontrols are inexact; bass is generally ‘too much’ or ‘too little’. THE LAST WORD Brings a serious audio upgrade to TVs, adding detail, depth and impressive 3D effects.
Discover more great soundbars at: bit.ly/T3soundbars
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 73
Tested
£249 panasonic.com
Drivers 5 (full-range x2, tweeter x2, woofer) Connectivity HDMI x2 (HDMI in, ARC out), optical audio input, Bluetooth 2.1 Dimensions 431x52x132mm Weight 1.8kg
SONIC BOOM
Panasonic Soundslayer The Panasonic Soundslayer puts way more sound technology into its small box than you’d expect 74 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
aming tends to be an afterthought with most soundbars. For some reason, the consumer electronics industry has been much slower to offer gamers an upgrade to their sonic experience than it has movie enthusiasts. But Panasonic has stepped in to put this right, and it’s done a good job. At £249/$299, the SC-HTB01 Soundslayer – to give it its full moniker – is not quite the entry-level bargain its extremely compact dimensions might suggest, but comes in nicely at the affordable end, still. Having said that, though, it’s not specified like an entry-level soundbar either.
G
On the inside, the Panasonic features a pair of forward-firing 4cm full-range drivers and a couple of 14mm tweeters, while there is an upward-facing 8cm subwoofer augmented by a 8cm passive radiator facing in the same direction. So don’t position your Soundslayer anywhere with a surface directly above it. Although it’s capable of dealing with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based movie soundtracks, the Panasonic has gamers and gaming uppermost in its mind. So while the small, slippy and entirely nastyfeeling remote control handset gives access to various sound modes including ‘standard’, ‘music’ and
Panasonic Soundslayer
‘cinema’, the ‘game’ mode has sub-modes for ‘enhanced voices’, ‘RPG’ and ‘FPS’. It’s a pity though that, having decided to furnish the SC-HTB01 with a full-function handset, Panasonic decided to make it absolutely the most inexpensive unit it could.
The big noise Despite being small enough to sit comfortably below even modestly sized monitors, let alone TVs, the Soundslayer fairly pelts the action out. It’s capable of prodigious low-frequency presence, and is capable of making every explosion, every tread of an enormous mechanised foot, every flying scissors-kick punch far, far harder than the speakers in a monitor have any hope of doing. The Panasonic’s not the last word in controlling the decay of the biggest low-end hits, admittedly, and they can impact on the midrange a little. This is a shame because the SC-HTB01 is capable of extracting quite a lot of detail and nuance from the middle of the frequency range.
At the top of the frequency range the Panasonic is just as fulsome and just as assertive. That’s all to the good unless you’re really giving it the beans in terms of volume – the higher you crank it, the more the SC-HTB01 starts to sound slightly coarse and blunt in the treble. And there’s worthwhile width and height to the sound the Panasonic generates, too. Its presentation has no problems escaping the confines of the little cabinet, and while there’s no real impression of overhead sound, the SC-HTB01 nevertheless serves up a soundstage way wider than you’re used to from your monitor or TV. At a dinky 431x132x52mm, the Panasonic is perfectly proportioned to sit comfortably beneath a gaming monitor or smaller TV. There isn’t a home-cinema-orientated soundbar anything like as compact and unobtrusive as this available anywhere, and as such it could be a great pairing with a sub-50-inch TVs just as much as a gaming monitor. The overall design is discreet to the point of anonymity. The front of the SC-HTB01 is pretty much all acoustic
Get a big boost to your audio without having to rearrange your setup
THE ALTERNATIVES SONY HT-G700
SONOS BEAM
If you’re willing to invest a little more moolah on truly expansive sound, this is the best budget Dolby Atmos bar out there, offering great height and sound quality. £399, sony.co.uk
As the Soundslayer is to gaming and the HT-G700 to cinematic sound, the Beam is to sheer musicality. The ability to hook it up to other Sonos VSHDNHUVbPDNH LW D VODPGXQN £399, sonos.com
cloth, with a small cutaway for some tell-tale LEDs giving indication of input and so on. These sit in a slight recess, along with a reflex space to give its subwoofer and passive radiator some breathing room. The magic trick of the Panasonic SC-HTB01 Soundslayer is that it can give you a huge instant boost to your audio without having to rearrange your setup. That’s always been the aim of soundbars, but for smaller TVs, it just hasn’t often been the case. But the Soundslayer puts a rocket up your gaming sound, and though it may not be the most refined for movies, there’s no doubt that it adds depth and excitement there too.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Capable of assertive, chunky sound; XVHIXOO\ FRPSDFW VSHFLĆF gaming modes. WE’D IMPROVE Can sound a little blunt; unpleasant remote control; bigger alternatives deliver bigger sound. THE LAST WORD The Panasonic 6& +7% 6RXQGVOD\HU ĆOOV D gap in the gaming accessories market that’s a lot bigger than this soundbar.
Discover more great soundbars at bit.ly/T3soundbars
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 75
Tested
CPU 10th Generation Intel Core i510300H / i7-10750H / i9-10885H GPU Intel UHD Graphics / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6 RAM 8GB / 16GB / 32GB / 64GB Screen 15.6-inch 1920x1200 FHD+ / 3840x2400 Touch UHD+ Storage 512GB / 1TB / 2TB SSD Connectivity 2x Thunderbolt 3, USB-C 3.1, SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone / microphone combo jack, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 Dimensions 344.72x230.14x18mm Weight 1.83kg / 2.05kg
From £1,599 dell.com
DELLS & WHISTLES
Dell XPS 15 9500
The Dell XPS 15 9500 is a serious Windows 10 competitor to the MacBook Pro ecause of its heritage and its predecessors, the Dell XPS 15 9500 (2020) is immediately a best laptop contender: the XPS series has been a huge success for Dell, and the laptops from this sleek line are constantly impressing us. The Dell XPS 15 9500 really is a gorgeous-looking laptop from every angle – the XPS line has been wowing users and winning awards for years now, and Dell very much knows what it’s doing with the look and finish. This is a premium-level laptop in
B
76 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
every area, from the soft and tactile typing experience to the carbon fibre finish around the nicely backlit keyboard. It’s a computer that’s stylish but subtle, professional and polished, and it feels really solid in use too. The screen is another standout feature of the Dell XPS 15 9500. With super-thin bezels all the way around (the top one hiding a titchy webcam), a resolution of 1920 x 1200 or 3840 x 2400 pixels, and 132% of the sRGB colour gamut covered, it shines: it’s crisp, it’s bright, and it makes use of
the 16:10 aspect ratio that we much prefer for getting work done (it also looks fantastic when watching videos, after the working day is done). You can buy this laptop with or without a touchscreen, depending on what you need and how much money you want to spend.
The insides story Obviously with a 15.6-inch display this isn’t going to be the most portable laptop in the world, and it’s not the thinnest nor the lightest model at this size – but it’s hard to
Dell XPS 15 9500
quibble considering the craftsmanship on offer and the quality of the components packed inside. You can kit out the Dell XPS 15 9500 with a variety of internal specs, all the way up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9-10885H processor, 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD drive at the time of writing. But whichever model you pick, this is a laptop that’s able to get through some serious workloads. There are very few compromises in terms of power. GPU grunt is provided by an optional Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti with 4GB of VRAM that you can have fitted: now that’s not going to run the best games at the best settings – especially not at 4K – but it does mean that the best games are playable while you’re on the go. There’s always a balance to be struck between performance and portability, and Dell has done well to get the components it has into a laptop that’s so thin, light and quiet. From working on images to sitting back and watching a selection of YouTube videos, we found the Dell XPS 15 9500 a delight to use with barely a hint of lag.
In terms of battery life, it will last you a day away from the office and then some, provided you’re quite careful with settings like display brightness. Our two-hour video streaming test – during which we put the screen on maximum brightness, by the way – saw the battery dip from 100% to 71%, suggesting around 6-7 hours of constant playback time. If battery life is important to you, consider downgrading from the 4K display option (the screen that our review model came with), as a lower resolution screen won’t suck up quite so much battery power quite so fast. The Dell XPS 15 9500 is competitively priced for what it is: a premium-level Windows 10 laptop with top-tier specs. If you really max out the configuration you can pay close to £3,000/$2,500 for it but if you don’t need all of the high-end specs and the 4K screen then you can knock that down by as much as a half. We were really impressed with the XPS 15 during our time with it, but then we expected to be considering the previous models in the range. The display is a stunner, the laptop is really well built and a pleasure to use,
The display is a stunner, and the laptop well built and nice to use
THE ALTERNATIVES MACBOOK PRO
LG GRAM 17
With its M1 chip, the most recent MacBook Pro has unleashed speeds and battery life that would make even much pricier laptops’ heads spin. £1,192, apple.com
Despite packing a 17-inch screen, Intel’s 11th-Gen Core processors and a nine-hour battery life, the yet-to-be-released Gram 17 only weighs an absurd 1.35kg. £TBC, lg.com
and it coped with everything that we threw at it without breaking sweat. Of course no laptop can be the best for everyone, because we’re all doing different tasks with our computers. But for a lot of users, the Dell XPS 15 9500 really does hit a sweet spot. Look and feel might not seem like big priorities when it comes to laptop buying – do you really need your laptop to look pretty? – but it really is the experience of using this latest XPS 15 that sets it apart from the rest. Whether you’re watching movies, editing video, or dabbling in a bit of gaming, it really is a joy to open up and interact with, and we’re happy to recommend it. It even reaches, dare we say it, MacBook levels of polish.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Stunning screen; premium build quality; plenty of power. WE’D IMPROVE Low-res webcam; can get pretty pricey; average GPU. THE LAST WORD If you want a Windows 10 laptop at this size that can do a bit of everything and do it well, then this is a laptop that you can’t help but put somewhere near the top of your shortlist.
Find great deals on the Dell XPS 15 at: bit.ly/t3dlxps15
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 7 7
Tested Amazfit GTS 2e
From £119 amazfit.com
AMAZ-ING GRACE
$PD]ĆW GTS 2e
An Apple Watch lookalike that lacks innovation but RIIHUV ORDGV RI ĆWQHVV features and great battery life for very little money
mazfit has been busy establishing itself as not just another no-name Chinese smartwatch manufacturer in the last few years and with the GTS 2e, it’s really hit the nail on the head. The smaller sibling to the Amazfit GTS 2, the GTS 2e has an Apple Watch-like body and sports Fitbit-like features for a budget-friendly price. It boasts a 1.65-inch ‘HD’ AMOLED display with a resolution of 348 x 442 pixels hidden under a ‘2.5D’ curved tempered glass lens. The glass blends nicely with the bezel, making it look bigger than it actually is. The accompanying strap is smooth silicon and is pretty decent for a low-priced watch. The display and the switching between the different widget views are both sharp and fast, on a par with more expensive touchscreen smartwatches such as the Fitbit Versa 3. There is one physical button on the edge of the case that is basically ‘just’ a push button. You can call this into action should you ever get lost in the intuitive menu system and want to get back to the home screen. The Amazfit GTS 2e has 90 sport modes and a bunch of fitness and health features that make it ideal for tracking both indoor and outdoor fitness activities. There is a built-in GPS, which isn’t hyper accurate but does track distance relatively precisely. It can also monitor your heart rate 24/7, not just during physical activities. The optical heart rate sensor isn’t as accurate as more expensive
A
7 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
options, but for everyday activities, the sensor accuracy of the GTS 2e is good enough. Other sensors include a pulse ox (bloodoxygen saturation) sensor, which is something you will find on more expensive watches by Fitbit, Apple and Garmin. You can also monitor your sleep quality, a feature that works well. All data from the sensors are fed into the decent companion Zepp app. The dashboard has all the main stats clearly displayed such as steps, heart rate, stress, sleep and PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score. You can also click into each section and see everything in more detail too, as well as changing the watch and widget settings. There are a few Chinese-toEnglish translation errors in the app, but nothing to spoil your day. Battery life on any smartwatch is important and the Amazfit really shines here. Officially, the 246mAh battery found in the watch can last up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 24 days in watch mode. Even with heavy use it can last up to a week. But what we really like is that the watch charges from 0-100% in about two hours. We were impressed that a light smartwatch with an AMOLED screen and built-in GPS can last so long between two charges. Others could learn a lesson from it. Yes, we are looking at you Apple. All things considered, the Amazfit GTS 2e is an excellent value for money health-cumfitness smartwatch. It has its shortcomings but those are few and far between.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Featherlight; long battery life; built-in GPS; loads of premium health features and sensors. WE’D IMPROVE Lacks innovation; no Wi-Fi. THE LAST WORD Looks like an Apple Watch and offers a load of features for a budget-friendly price. It might not be the most precise running watch but it’s more than adequate for tracking HYHU\GD\ ĆWQHVV DFWLYLWLHV
Find more great smartwatches at: bit.ly/t3smrtwtch
Best of the best INSIDE
BEST OF THE BEST The world’s best tech, all in one place
If you’re looking for the very best tech available WRGD\ \RXèYH GHĆQLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH ULJKW SODFH %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW XVHIXO JDGJHW EX\LQJ JXLGH \RX ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU 7R FUHDWH LW we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world KDV WR RIIHU WR EULQJ \RX URFN VROLG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH ,Q GLIIHUHQW FDWHJRULHV ZHèYH FKRVHQ WKH WRS IRXU SURGXFWV VR \RX FDQ FKRRVH RQH WKDWèV MXVW WKH
ULJKW PL[ RI IHDWXUHV DQG EXGJHW IRU ZKDW \RX QHHG 7KHVH UDQNLQJV FRPH IURP UHDO WHVWLQJ E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV å WKH\èUH WKH SURGXFWV ZHèG FKRRVH IRU RXUVHOYHV DQG ZH FDQèW UHFRPPHQG DQ\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKDW Look for the links above each category WKDW WDNH \RX WR WKH VDPH OLVW SOXV PRUH EH\RQG WKH WRS IRXU DQG PDQ\ PRUH FDWHJRULHV DW T3.com, ZKHUH RXU SULFH FRPSDULVRQ V\VWHP VKRZV \RX WKH FXUUHQW EHVW GHDOV IRU HYHU\ SURGXFW
Smartphones
80
Cheap smartphones
80
Smartwatches
80
Hybrid smartwatches
81
Watches
81
Watches under £500
81
TVs
82
TVs under £1,000
82
Projectors
82
Soundbars
83
Streamers
83
Games consoles
83
Turntables
84
Streaming DACs
84
Multi-room speakers
84
Bluetooth speakers
85
Bluetooth headphones
85
True wireless headphones
85
Noise-cancelling headphones
86
Wired in-ear headphones
86
Wired over-ear headphones
86
Laptops
87
2-in-1 laptops
87
Tablets
87
Gaming laptops
88
Gaming headsets
88
4K monitors
88
Drones
89
Action cameras
89
Cheap action cameras
89
DSLR cameras
90
Mirrorless cameras
90
Compact cameras
90
Sat-navs
91
Dash cams
91
Electric bikes
91
Smart speakers
92
Smart bulbs
92
Smart thermostats
92
Smart plugs
93
Security cameras
93
Robot vacuums
93
Cordless vacuums
94
Washing machines
94
Dishwashers
94
Coffee machines
95
Fridges
95
Ovens
95
Electric shavers
96
Electric toothbrushes
96
Beard trimmers
96
Fitness trackers
97
Running watches
97
Running headphones
97
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 79
Best of the best
SMARTPHONES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestphone APPLE iPHONE 12 From £799, apple.com Apple has outdone itself. 5G has been added, the CPU has more power than you’re ever going to need, and the dual-lens rear camera system can take spectacular photos in any kind of light.
CHEAP SMARTPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcheapphone iPHONE SE (2020)
From £420, apple.com $ QHDU ćDJVKLS iPhone experience for a fraction of the cost. The SE is under half the cost of the iPhone 12, and for that reason it demands attention IURP DQ\bSURVSHFWLYH phone upgrader.
ONEPLUS 8 PRO
ONEPLUS NORD
From £800, oneplus.com A simply jawdropping handset WKDW GHOLYHUVbDFURVV the board. It LV VLPSO\bSXW WKHbEHVWbSKRQH on the market for those shopping IRUbDbSUHPLXP Android handset.
From £379, oneplus.com A fantastic midranger, with a Snapdragon 765G processor, at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and 5G. That’s not to mention the sharp, bright 6.44-inch AMOLED display.
iPHONE SE (2020)
SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 FE
From £420, apple.com Apple’s iPhone SE (2020) handset has taken this year by storm, the hot new handset winning acclaim worldwide with its balance of features, quality and performance for a very attractive price.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 ULTRA From £1,149, samsung.com Not only the best phone Samsung has ever made, but the ĆUVW 6 VHULHV KDQGVHW that comes with digital stylus support. From its massive screen to the quad camera, this is a 5-star beast in every way.
8 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
From £699, samsung.com The best core S20 functionality, along with 5G, but at a more affordable price point, this is actually nothing like a budget handset, as it is still loaded with premium hardware and features.
XIAOMI MI 10T LITE From £249, xiaomi.com There’s a lot of handset for your money here. Decent battery life, respectable specs (including 6GB of RAM) and a quadlens rear camera DUHbVWDQGDUG SOXV *bFRQQHFWLYLW\
SMARTWATCHES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsmartwatch APPLE WATCH SERIES 6 From £379, apple.com Series 6 adds a SXOVHbR[\JHQ VHQVRU to its health systems, makes its always-on display 2.5 times brighter, steps up to WKH QHZ 6 &38 bDQG throws in all the QHZbIHDWXUHV RI watchOS 7.
SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH ACTIVE2 From £269, samsung.com Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it DbPRGHUQ HGJH SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH 3 From £399, samsung.com The Galaxy Watch 3 comes in two sizes, and with a very good battery life. It’s the innovative rotating bezel that is the star here, though, as it is, without doubt, the best way to control DbVPDUWZDWFK APPLE WATCH SE From £269, apple.com Despite being the ‘affordable’ smartwatch from Apple, the SE is fast and comfortable with a clear screen (no always-on display though) and excellent KHDOWK DQG ĆWQHVV features.
Best of the best
HYBRID SMARTWATCHES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besthybrid
WITHINGS STEEL HR SPORT £190, withings.com
WATCHES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestwatch HUBLOT BIG BANG INTEGRAL £17,300, hublot.com
Featuring a heartrate monitor and the ability to track 30 different exercises, this is ideal for ĆWQHVV IDQDWLFV ,WèV water resistant to 50 metres, and the battery lasts around GD\V
7KH ĆUVW %LJ %DQJ WRbIHDWXUH DQ integrated bracelet åbWKLV ZDWFK KDV EHHQ GHVLJQHG WR ćRZ seamlessly from the FDVH WR WKH FODVS Available in black ceramic, King Gold RUbWLWDQLXP
FOSSIL HYBRID SMARTWATCH HR
TUDOR BLACK BAY FIFTY-EIGHT
£129, fossil.com
£2,760, tudorwatch.com Named after the year in which Tudor UHOHDVHG LWV ĆUVW GLYHUèV ZDWFK WKLV comes in a new vintage colour combination and smaller 39mm sized FDVH ,WèV SRZHUHG E\ WKH &DOLEUH 07
This timepiece features activity and sleep tracking, plus app and call alerts, time zones, and buttons to control VPDUWSKRQH PXVLF Yet it mostly looks like a regular watch, aside IURP WKH H LQN GLVSOD\ WITHINGS MOVE ECG £129, withings.com Think a pricey Apple Watch is needed to take an ECG reading of your heart? This can do that, plus activity tracking and sleep monitoring, ZLWKbD PRQWK battery life, for a UHDOO\ ORZ SULFH WITHINGS SCANWATCH £269, withings.com :LWKLQJVè ODWHVW hybrid is also its smartest, packing a huge amount of KHDOWKbDQG ĆWQHVV tracking tech into a VOHQGHU ERG\ $QG ĆIWHHQ GLIIHUHQW VWUDS RSWLRQVbHQVXUH LWèOO VXLW DQ\ RXWĆW
OMEGA SEAMASTER DIVER 300M 007 EDITION £7,390, omegawatches.com This stylish 6HDPDVWHUbPDGH from Grade 2 Titanium will be strapped to the wrist of 007 in 1Rb7LPH WR 'LH ,WèVbVWURQJ lightweight, and perfect for an XQGHUFRYHU DJHQW JAEGER-LECOULTRE MASTER CONTROL DATE £6,000, jaeger-lecoultre.com Featuring a calibre with a 70-hour SRZHUbUHVHUYH D new 40mm doublepolished stainless steel case, and a FOHDU bHOLJLEOH GLDO WKLVbLV SXUH DQG VLPSOHbZDWFKPDNLQJ DW LWV ĆQHVW
WATCHES UNDER £500
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestwatch500 VICTORINOX I.N.O.X V
£459, victorinox.com Having undergone 130 durability WHVWV bWKLV ZDWFK ZLOObVWDQG XS WR anything you throw DW LW 7KH SDUDFRUG strap hints at its adventurous heritage, DQG LWèV JUHDWbIRU DOO ZULVW VL]HV HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD £375, hamiltonwatch.com This is a faithful recreation of its original 1960s forebear and is WUXHbWR +DPLOWRQèV PLOLWDU\ KHULWDJH 7KHb PP VWDLQOHVV steel case is paired with a durable 1$72bVWUDS TISSOT QUICKSTER CHRONOGRAPH £295, tissotwatches.com This packs a Swiss quartz movement with 1/10 of a second counters, central 60-seconds chronograph hand, and add/split IXQFWLRQDOLW\ 7KH FDVH LVbĆQLVKHG ZLWK D VOHHN 39' FRDWLQJ CHRISTOPHER WARD C5 MALVERN MK III £495, christopherward.co.uk This sleek dress watch retains its FODVVLF %ULWLVK design cues from older models, but features a new 39mm VWDLQOHVVbVWHHO FDVH with Fluid ‘lightFDWFKHUè OLQHV DQG KRXUVè SRZHU UHVHUYH
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 81
Best of the best
TVs Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttv SAMSUNG 75Q950TS £7,999, samsung.com Samsung’s 2020 ćDJVKLS 79 LV RXU QHZ SLFN IRU WKH EHVW 79 \RX FDQ EX\ HYHQ WKRXJK . FRQWHQW LV UDUH WKDQNV WR WKH ZD\ LW WDNHV . YLGHR DQG ERRVWV LW WR PDNH XVH RI LWV .bUHVROXWLRQ
TVs UNDER £1,000
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttv1000 SONY KD-55XH9005 £899, sony.com
£2,999, panasonic.com 3DQDVRQLF KDV PDGH WKLV 79 VOLJKWO\ WKLFNHUbIRU ORWV RI H[WUD KHDW GLVSHUVLRQ VR LW FDQ RYHUGULYH WKHbSDQHO WR EH EULJKWHU WKDQ RWKHU 2/(' 79V ZKLOH VWLOObKDYLQJ DOO WKH GHHS EODFNV
£999, sony.com
LG OLED65CX
SAMSUNG QE55Q70T
8 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
$FHU UHDOO\ KLW WKH VZHHW VSRW KHUH VPDOObHQRXJK WR ĆW RQ D FRIIHH WDEOH ZKLVSHU TXLHW LQ RSHUDWLRQ DQG \HW VWLOO SURGXFHV D EULJKW bFULVS +'5 . SLFWXUH RI WR LQFKHV DW P OPTOMA UHD40 £999, optoma.co.uk
6RQ\èV ćDJVKLS /(' . 79 IRU SDFNV LQ DOO NLQGV RI DGYDQFHG WHFKQRORJ\ DQG SURFHVVLQJ IRU VXSUHPH SLFWXUH TXDOLW\ 6RPHKRZ WKH LQFK PRGHO LVbDYDLODEOH IRU OHVV WKDQ D JUDQG
£999, samsung.com 7KH EORFNEXVWHU RI /*èV UDQJH LWèV JRW WKH VDPH LPDJH TXDOLW\ DV 79V GRXEOH LWV SULFH EXW GHOLYHUV WKHP DW D SULFH PRUH SHRSOH FDQ DIIRUG HVSHFLDOO\ QRZ WKDW WKHUHèV D QHZ LQFK WKDW FRVWV HYHQ OHVV
From £1,799, philips.com ,I \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU D WRWDO KRPH FLQHPD XSJUDGH å YLVXDOV DQG DXGLR å WKLV LV XQEHDWDEOH ,WèV QRW RQO\ D IDQWDVWLF LQFK 2/(' 79 EXW WKH VSHDNHU EDU LQ WKH VWDQG LV D 'ROE\ $WPRV V\VWHP
ACER V7850
6RPH RI WKH 79V EHORZ PD\ EHDW LW IRU LPDJH TXDOLW\ LQ FHUWDLQ DUHDV EXW QRWKLQJ JLYHV \RX WKLV TXDOLW\ RI SLFWXUH DW WKLV VL]H ZLWK VXFK JUHDW WHFKQLFDO IHDWXUHV WR PDNH VXUH LWèV IXWXUH SURRI SONY KD-49XH9505
PHILIPS 48OLED935
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestprojector
£1,699, acer.com
PANASONIC TX-55HZ2000
£2,799, lg.com
PROJECTORS
7KH 4 7 VLWV LQ D UHDO VZHHW VSRW LQ 6DPVXQJèV 79 UDQJH 3LFWXUHV IURP . VRXUFHV DUH RXWVWDQGLQJ YLYLG \HW QDWXUDO FRORXUV VWURQJ FRQWUDVWV ODYLVK GHWDLO OHYHOV DQGbVPRRWK PRWLRQ PANASONIC TX-58HX800 £999, panasonic.com
. UHVROXWLRQ DQG +'5 LQ D SURMHFWRU IRU WKLV SULFH LV KDUG WR EHDW ,W GRHVQèW TXLWH KDYH WKH SRS DQG +'5 ULFKQHVV RI PRUH H[SHQVLYH VHWV EXW LWèV ZD\ EH\RQG +' SURMHFWRUV DW WKH VDPH SULFH OPTOMA UH Z65 £3,499, optoma.co.uk 7KLV LV DLPHG ULJKW DW WKH SURSHU $9 HQWKXVLDVW EXW ODVHU SURMHFWLRQ DW WKLV SULFH PDNHV LW ZRUWK LW IRU DQ\RQH . +'5bYLGHR LV VXSUHPHO\ ULFK DQG LW FDQ KLW LQFKHV IURP MXVW P EPSON EH-TW6700W £999, epson.co.uk
7KLV PD\ RQO\ EH DQbHGJH OLW GHVLJQ UDWKHU WKDQ IHDWXUH WKH ORFDO GLPPLQJ RI LWV SULFLHU VWDEOH PDWHV EXW LW KROGV D IXOO KDQG RI +'5 FRPSDWLELOLW\ LQFOXGLQJ +'5 DQG 'ROE\ 9LVLRQ
,I \RXèUH KDSS\ ZLWK )XOO +' UHVROXWLRQ WKLV LV WKH EHVW RSWLRQ SDUWO\ WKDQNV WR D VXSHU HDV\ VHWXS SURFHVV 7KH LPDJH TXDOLW\ LV JRRG \RX MXVW GRQèW JHW WKH IXWXUH SURRĆQJ RI +'5 DQG .
Best of the best
SOUNDBARS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsoundbar B&O BEOSOUND STAGE £1,250, bang-olufsen.com % 2èV ĆUVW VRXQGEDU DQG LWèV EHHQ ZRUWK WKH ZDLW 7KHUH DUH bGULYHUV KLGGHQ EHKLQG LWV VW\OLVK FORWKbĆQLVK SURGXFLQJ D ZDOO RI VRXQG ,W FDQbJHW LQFUHGLEO\ ERRP\ ZLWKRXW D VXEZRRIHU WRR
STREAMERS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/beststreamer ROKU STREAMING STICK+ £59, roku.com 7KH 6ZLVV $UP\ .QLIHbRI VWUHDPLQJ GHOLYHUV . +'5 LVQèWbORFNHG WR D SDUWLFXODU HFRV\VWHP KDV WRQV RI DYDLODEOH DSSV DQG LV D MR\ WR XVH ,WèV WKH EHVW VWUHDPHU IRU PDQ\bSHRSOH
SONY HT-G700
AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K
£450, sony.com
£49, amazon.co.uk 7KLV VRXQGEDU DQG ZLUHOHVV VXEZRRIHU LQFOXGH 6RQ\èV IDQFLHVW SURFHVVLQJ WR PDNH WKH WKUHH GULYHUV VHHP OLNH WKH\èUH JLYLQJ \RX VRXQG FRPLQJ IURPbWKH VLGHV DQGbDERYH
SONOS BEAM
,I LW ZHUH MXVW D VRXQGEDU WKH %HDPèVbJUHDW DXGLR ZRXOG VWLOO PDNH LW WRSbå EXW ZLWK $PD]RQ $OH[D $SSOH $LU3OD\ DQG VXSSRUW IRU D ELOOLRQ VWUHDPLQJ VHUYLFHV LWèV IDQWDVWLFDOO\ ćH[LEOH SONOS ARC
£69, store.google.com 7KH &KURPHFDVW 8OWUD LV D UHFHLYHU IRU SKRQHV DQG ODSWRSV DQG GHSHQGV RQ WKHP IRU FRQWURO DQG FRQWHQW å EXW LWèV VLPSOH YHUVDWLOH DQG FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK L26 $QGURLG :LQGRZV DQG 0DF
£6,000, nvidia.com $ 'ROE\ $WPRV VRXQGEDU ZLWK GULYHUV DW YDULRXV DQJOHV LWèV QRW DEOH WR IDNH VRXQG FRPLQJ IURP DOO DURXQG \RX EXW LQVWHDG FUHDWHV D FOHDU VHQVH RI VRXQG ĆOOLQJ WKH VSDFH LQ IURQW RI \RX
PLAYSTATION 5 £449, playstation.com /RRN EH\RQG WKH ELJ EROG GHVLJQ 7KLV FRQVROH RIIHUV SRZHUIXO QH[W JHQ KDUGZDUH EDFNZDUGV FRPSDWLELOLW\ DQ H[FHOOHQW 'XDO6HQVH FRQWUROOHU ZLWK KDSWLF IHHGEDFN DQG WUXO\ VWXQQLQJ JUDSKLFV MICROSOFT XBOX SERIES X
. +'5 IRU XQGHU e LVQèW WR EH VQLIIHGbDW ,WèV EHVW VXLWHG WR 3ULPH VXEVFULEHUV DQG *RRJOH DSSV DUH DEVHQW EXW LWèV D YHU\ FDSDEOH DQG DIIRUGDEOH VWUHDPHU IRUb79 DQG PRYLHV
NVIDIA SHIELD TV
£445, samsung.com
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestconsole
£449.99, xbox.com
CHROMECAST ULTRA
£349, sonos.com
GAMES CONSOLES
0LFURVRIW KDV QDLOHG LW 7KLV LV D FRQVROH WKDW GHOLYHUV PDVVLYH DPRXQWV RI SRZHU DQG SHUIRUPDQFH %HFDXVH RI LWV UDZ SL[HO SXVKLQJ SURZHVV LWèV D VXSHUE EDVH IRU D QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ RI MDZ GURSSLQJ H[SHULHQFHV NINTENDO SWITCH £279, nintendo.com :H ORYH WKH 6ZLWFK ZKLFK EULQJV 1LQWHQGRèV JUHDW JDPLQJ SHGLJUHH WR JHQXLQHO\ VW\OLVK SUHPLXP JUDGH KDUGZDUH )RUJHW WKHbVSHFV LWèV DOO DERXW WKH VKHHU MR\bRIbJDPLQJ MICROSOFT XBOX SERIES S £249.99, xbox.com
2IIHUV DQ $, SRZHUHG XSVFDOHU ZKLFK FRQYHUWV +' IRRWDJH WR VKDUS . LQFUHGLEO\ ZHOO DQG VXSSRUW IRUb'ROE\ 9LVLRQ 'ROE\ $WPRV DQG *H)RUFH 1RZ 1YLGLDèV FORXG JDPLQJbV\VWHP
6W\OLVK DIIRUGDEOH HDV\ WR VHW XS DQG WDSV LQWR WKH YHU\ VOLFN ;ER[ HFRV\VWHP VHDPOHVVO\ ,W GRHV KDYH OLPLWHG VWRUDJH VSDFH RXW RI WKH ER[ WKRXJK DQG FDQèW SOD\ FXUUHQW RU SUHYLRXV JHQ JDPHV RQ GLVF
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 8 3
Best of the best
TURNTABLES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestturntable PRO-JECT ESSENTIAL III £250, project-audio.com Really sounds great for the money, with an expansive and enjoyable sound across a range of genres and volume levels. It also looks very pleasing, in a variety of high JORVVbĆQLVKHV
STREAMING DACs Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestdac SONOS PORT £399, sonos.com A great streamer, especially if you already own a Sonos speaker. It has an analogue input and output, as well as streaming to any Sonos speaker, so you can plug in \RXUbWXUQWDEOH YAMAHA WXAD-10
£330, audio-technica.com This direct-drive turntable comes with the AT-VM95E FDUWULGJH ĆWWHG WR D J-shaped tonearm that sounds great. Build is very solid, there are phono and USB outputs, and it can play 78s too.
£120, yamaha.co.uk
ELIPSON CHROMA CARBON RIAA BT
IFI XDSD
Elipson’s top-line turntable pulls GRZQbDbORW RI IHDWXUHV from the truly high end. You get a super-stiff carbon ĆEUH WRQHbDUP DQG new digital belt drive motor, plus AptX Bluetooth and USB.
TECHNICS SL-1210GR £1,000, technics.com The iconic DJ turntable reimagined as a lustworthy slab RI KRPH KL Ć :KLOH we wouldn’t take this out clubbing, it’s the ultimate deck for gently maturing ravers, and sounds excellent too.
8 4 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestmultiroom NAIM MU-SO 2ND GENERATION
AUDIO-TECHNICA AT-LP5X
£699, elipson.com
MULTI-ROOM SPEAKERS
£1,300, naimaudio.com Mu-So 2 crushes its competition. An awesome, thumping wall of sound and reliable, versatile software platform DQGbVWUHDPLQJ support make for the perfect 21st-century music experience.
SONOS ONE £199, sonos.co.uk
This Yamaha lets you stream everything from Bluetooth to hi-res audio, with support for AirPlay, most of your favourite streaming services and, of course Yamaha’s RZQb0XVLF&DVW
e LĆ DXGLR FRP
Sonos One is compatible with every music service ever, multi-room connectivity is fab, and Alexa comes EXLOWbLQ DV DQ DGGHG bonus. Many pricier Sonos speakers then await you…
RUARK R5
This dinky little combined Bluetooth receiver, DAC and headphone amp supports AAC and aptX and sounds really superb. It has a battery, and can be used with earphones as well as speakers.
AUDIOLAB 6000N £449, audiolab.co.uk Probably impractical if you don’t have a KL Ć VWDFN EXW ZLWK support for audio up to 192Khz/24-bit, its sound quality is noticeably better than the Sonos and Yamaha streamers further up the list.
£1,000, ruarkaudio.com Like a mini system for the 21st century, Ruark’s R5 chucks in a CD player, DAB and FM radios and two extra inputs, including one pre-amped for use with a turntable. There’s even Bluetooth too.
BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION DUO £3,500, bowerswilkins.com These may look like Bender from Futurama but sound like God yodelling in your ear. The only wireless choice for any real audiophiles out there: highly specced, but not exactly affordable.
Best of the best
BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestbluetooth
BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestwireless AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M50XBT
KANTO TUK £749, kantoaudio.com A stereo pair of attractive, compact bookshelf speakers. The left-hand one contains the connections and DACs and Class 'bDPSOLĆHUV DQG WKHbULJKW RQH LV D wired slave.
£179, audio-technica.com /RQJ EDWWHU\ OLIH DQG sound that’s closer to the more neutral WRQHV RI KL Ć FDQV WKRXJK VWLOO ZLWK D VOLJKW H[WUD NLFN RI EDVV SOXV JUHDW comfort levels, make WKHVH LGHDO IRU ORVLQJ yourself in music.
SONOS MOVE
AKG Y50BT
£399, sonos.com
£120, uk.akg.com A Sonos speaker that’s been UXJJHGLVHG DQG KDG D battery and Bluetooth added, so you can use it anywhere. Clever software automatically optimises the sound to its location.
ULTIMATE EARS MEGABOOM 3 £169, ultimateears.com The best waterproof speaker – it even ćRDWV å RIIHUV hours of battery life and a hefty sound that’s perfect for outdoor parties. ,W ZRUNV JUHDWbIRU kitchen audio GXWLHV bWRR BLUESOUND PULSE FLEX 2I £299, bluesound.com More than a Bluetooth speaker, with Wi-Fi and Ethernet included WKLVbLV PRUH OLNH D portable Sonos. It’s AirPlay 2 compatible, and works with VWUHDPLQJ VHUYLFHV and internet radio.
TRUE WIRELESS HEADPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttruewireless BEATS BY DR. DRE POWERBEATS PRO
£220, beatsbydre.com Marketed as workout buds, their audio quality is on par with any other true wireless headphones out there, with WKH H[FHSWLRQ RI WKH PXFKbOHVV comfortable Sony WF-1000XM3s.
JABRA ELITE 75T £169, jabra.co.uk If you want an on-ear alternative to the Marshalls, these ’phones from AKG remain D JUHDW RSWLRQ b7KH sound is punchy DQG WKH VW\OLQJ LV SUHWW\ FRRObZLWKRXW WU\LQJbWRR KDUG
OPTOMA NUFORCE BE SPORT 4 £100, optoma.co.uk 'HVLJQHG IRU WKH J\P b\RX PLJKW think these wouldn’t VRXQGbYHU\ JRRG But you would be incorrect. They’re very musical with ZHOO ZHLJKWHG EDVV DQG H[FHOOHQW QRLVHbLVRODWLRQ SOUNDMAGIC E11BT £69, soundmagicheadphones.com 7KHVH DUH DV JRRG DV buds that cost twice as much. Audio is brilliant, connectivity is rock solid, the necklace-style band stays stable, and the ĆW LV FRPIRUWDEOH DQGbVHFXUH HQRXJK IRU H[HUFLVH
If the Beats are MXVWbWRR EXOERXV IRUb\RXU WDVWHV \RXbFDQèW ĆQG ĆQHU than these Jabra buds. Sound quality could be described DVbD OLWWOH DUWLĆFLDO maybe, but it’s also SOHDVLQJO\ SXPSLQJ CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA 1 £100, cambridgeaudio.com Less comfortable DQGbPRUH SURQH WR IDOOLQJ RXW WKDQ their pricier rivals, these combine the sound quality of the Beats buds with the portability of the -DEUDV ZKLOH FRVWLQJ less than either.
GOOGLE PIXEL BUDS £199, store.google.com Finally available in the UK, these have ERRP\ EXW JRRG sound quality and a very nice secure ĆW 3DLU ZLWK D 3L[HO phone for the best H[SHULHQFH EXW WKH\èOO work with iPhones and others too.
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 8 5
Best of the best
NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestnoisecancelling SONY WH-1000XM4 £349, sony.co.uk
Nailed it. Light, with broad, soft ear cups and a remarkably comfortable headband, these offer best-in-class noise cancellation with great sound, rich bass and a lively approach to music.
WIRED IN-EAR HEADPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestinear FLARE AUDIO FLARE PRO 2HD
e ćDUHDXGLR FRP These are both wired and wireless – the in-ear bit has a cable to a DAC box, which you can then play music through over Bluetooth or by plugging in. The sound is fantastic – huge and nuanced.
BOWERS & WILKINS PX7
KLIPSCH T5M WIRED
£275, bowers-wilkins.co.uk A bit dull-looking, EXWbWKH DXGLR TXDOLW\ and noise cancelling are extremely FORVHbWRbWKDW RI WKH Sonys. B&W’s usual exciting, but well balanced, sound meets excellent QRLVHbFDQFHOOLQJ
e NOLSVFK FRP
SHURE AONIC 50
FLARE AUDIO FLARES JET 3
£359, shure.co.uk The sound quality RIbWKH $RQLF should have purists purring. There isn’t an excess of bass and it delivers all WKHbVSDUNOLQJ GHWDLO and painstaking accuracy you FRXOGbZDQW BOSE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES 700 £299, bose.com Close rivals to the Sony and B&W options above, they’re less exciting, but also very easy to listen to for hours on end. If you are easy like Sunday morning, maybe these are \RXUbEDELHV
8 6 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
7KH ĆWWLQJ LV XQXVXDO but nonetheless immediately felt comfortable and VROLG b7KH DXGLR LV boosted, primped and pop-friendly, with plenty of bass and a very lively and engaging sound.
e ćDUHDXGLR FRP
WIRED OVER-EAR HEADPHONES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestoverear GRADO SR325E e JUDGRODEV FRP
When you factor just how good these sound, they’re a bargain. In a quiet room, they sound as good as headphones WKDW FRVW ĆYH WLPHV more. They’re among the leakiest we’ve tried, however.
AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-A1000Z e DXGLRWHFKQLFD FRP Forget about MP3s or EDM: these headphones don’t ćDWWHU RU VDFULĆFH sound quality for bass. But if you give them a good amp DQGbD JRRG VRXQG source they do incredible things.
AKG K52
Maintaining the quality of the Flares Pro (see Bluetooth headphones), removing the DAC element and thereby slashing the price, these audiophile inear headphones are a tremendous option.
SOUNDMAGIC E11C e VRXQGPDJLFKHDGSKRQHV FRP Can we really be recommending a pair of headphones for XQGHU e " <HV ZH can! The grown-up sound quality and exemplary comfort RIbWKH F PDNH WKHPbWKH VRQLF bargain of the year.
e DNJ FRP
These have absolutely no right to sound half as good as they do. For at-home listening they offer a massive soundstage, impressive balance and a frankly ludicrous amount of detail for the dosh.
FOCAL STELLIA e IRFDO FRP
Carefully engineered to give you the kind of big soundscape expected of highend headphones, the audio quality is stunning. Detail and expansiveness at the high end is really impressive too.
Best of the best
LAPTOPS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestlaptop APPLE MACBOOK AIR (M1, 2020) £999, apple.com
2-IN-1 LAPTOPS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/best2in1
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttablet
ASUS ZENBOOK FLIP 13
APPLE iPAD AIR (2020)
£800, asus.com Apple’s cheapest laptop is a revolution. Think thin and light laptops have to VDFULĆFH SRZHU" 1RW any more. This is the EHVW RI DOO ZRUOGV ZLWK DQ HLJKW FRUH 0 &38 DV SRZHUIXO DV those in gaming PCs.
The Zenbook Flip 13 might be the best laptop Asus has ever released. Tooled up ZLWK DQ HLJKWK JHQ ,QWHO &RUH SURFHVVRU the tablet mode feels JUHDW WR XVH WKDQNV to a responsive touchscreen.
ASUS VIVOBOOK S15
MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 3
£899, asus.com
£1,439, microsoft.com 3XOO WKH VFUHHQ DZD\ from the keyboard and it’s a tablet. Connect them for more graphics SRZHUbDQG EDWWHU\ OLIH $ SUHPLXP IDQWDVWLFDOO\ SRUWDEOH and supremely versatile system.
This slim and super light laptop hits a ZRQGHUIXO VZHHW spot. With an Intel &RUH L *% RI 5$0 D *% 66' and a touchscreen 6FUHHQ3DG LW UHSUHVHQWV ZRQGHUIXO PLG UDQJH YDOXH DELL XPS 13 (2019) £1,194, dell.com
MICROSOFT SURFACE GO 2 £519, microsoft.com
The Dell XPS 13 LVbWKLQQHU DQG PRUH SRZHUIXO WKDQ HYHU 8S WR 7% RI 66' VWRUDJH *% RI 5$0 D . VFUHHQ DQGbIDVW WK generation Intel chips KHOS PDNH LW D WRS TXDOLW\ DOO URXQGHU APPLE MACBOOK PRO (M1, 2020) £1,299, apple.com 7KH 0 0DF%RRN 3UR LV D PRUH SRZHUIXO PDFKLQH WKDQ WKH $LU and it has a fan – so ZKHUH WKH 0DF%RRN Air has to throttle performance to stay cool under sustained ORDG WKH 0DF%RRN Pro doesn’t.
TABLETS
%XLOGV RQ ZKDW PDGH the original Surface *R VR JRRG DGGLQJ D PRUH SUHPLXP feeling design and a small specs bump to make sure you can SRZHU WKURXJK DOO your computing tasks ZLWK QR GLIĆFXOW\ SAMSUNG GALAXY BOOK FLEX £1,349, samsung.com ([SHQVLYH EXW \RX get a lot for your money – it ticks just about every box in WHUPV RI EDWWHU\ OLIH SHUIRUPDQFH VFUHHQ quality and design. 3OXV \RX JHW DQ 6 3HQ stylus that slots right into the casing.
From £479, apple.com Technically the iPad $LU EXW PRUH like the latest iPad 3UR ZLWK VRPH RI the ‘pro’ features removed. Apple Pencil VXSSRUW LV KHUH WKRXJK DQG WKHUHèV D smart connector for DbNH\ERDUG WRR APPLE iPAD PRO 12.9 From £969, apple.com The biggest iPad Pro is unbelievably SRZHUIXO DQG VOLFN ZLWK DQ H[FHOOHQW VFUHHQ WKLQ DQG FRPSDFW GHVLJQ great battery life DQGbVXSSRUW IRU WKH $SSOH 3HQFLO 3ULFH\ EXW ZRUWK LW APPLE iPAD 10.2 (2020) From £349, apple.com $ ZKROH ORW RI $SSOH tablet for not much PRQH\ LW RIIHUV $SSOH Pencil support and the latest iPadOS VRIWZDUH 3HUIHFW LI \RX ZDQW WRS WDEOHW performance and you don’t have lots to spend on it.
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S7 PLUS £699, samsung.com An Android SRZHUKRXVH WKDW QRW RQO\ JRHV WRH WR WRH ZLWK WKH L3DG Pro in terms of SHUIRUPDQFH EXW does so in terms of VW\OH DQG EXLOG TXDOLW\ too – this thing is only 5.7mm thick!
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 87
Best of the best
GAMING LAPTOPS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestgaming ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS G14 £1,099, asus.com A game-changer that delivers buckets of performance despite being compact and light. It does this thanks to its use of AMD’s hot QHZ 5\]HQb&38V and Nvidia’s RTX b*38 ASUS ZEPHYRUS S GX701 £2,500, asus.com &UDPPHG ZLWK powerful components, this really looks the part, and will play any game out there without breaking a sweat. You’ll pay a ORW bEXW LI \RXèYH JRW the cash, then it’s worth it.
ACER NITRO 5
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestheadset STEELSERIES ARCTIS PRO WIRELESS £299, steelseries.com The SteelSeries $UFWLVb3UR :LUHOHVV LVbVLPSO\ DZHVRPH The dual-wireless audio system that allows for ERWK *+] DQG %OXHWRRWK simultaneously is especially fantastic.
LUCIDSOUND LS50X £249, lucidsound.com A hugely impressive new entry as we enter the era of the QH[W JHQ FRQVROHV with an all-round package – style, setup, audio – that’s YHU\ GLIĆFXOW WR EHDW %XLOG TXDOLW\ LV ĆUVW rate too.
TURTLE BEACH ELITE ATLAS AERO
£750, acer.com A lower spec is UHćHFWHG LQ WKH ORZHUbSULFH :LWK D &RUH *% RI 5$0 *% 190( 66' SOXV D 7% KDUG drive and a Nvidia *H)RUFH *7; 7L *% LWèV VWLOO D SRWHQWbSHUIRUPHU ALIENWARE AREA-51M R2 £2,900, alienware.com This Alienware laptop delivers serious gaming power. We clicked all the upgrade options and had to have a lie down when we saw the price tag, but even in base spec this offers blistering performance.
8 8 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
GAMING HEADSETS
£129, turtlebeach.com Partners an understated and mature aesthetic with high-end build quality and top-rate audio reproduction. Allows audiophilelevel customisation WKURXJK WKH &RQWURO Studio app.
LOGITECH G635 7.1 LIGHTSYNC £90, logitech.com
4K MONITORS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/best4kmonitor
PHILIPS BRILLIANCE 328P £420, philips.co.uk A plucky display sporting an LPSUHVVLYH +'5 rating and a 3,840 [ UHVROXWLRQ It’s also shockingly affordable, when you FRQVLGHU LWèV D inch display with 4K DQG +'5 VXSSRUW EIZO COLOREDGE CG319X £3,989, ezioglobal.com (TXLSSHG ZLWK D UDIW of high-end features, this screen is ideal for high-end photo and video work, as well as general usage and gaming. Serious hardware commands a serious premium price, however.
SAMSUNG U28E590D £279, samsung.com Delivers a super-fast 1ms response time, 170-degree viewing angles and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. You don’t get quite as much size as other models, but it cuts very few corners hitting its low price.
BENQ EW3280U £699, benq.com
Surround sound audio, Lightsync for illuminating your play space, plenty of features and buttons and compatibility ZLWK 3& 36 ;ER[ One, and Nintendo Switch… what more could you want?
Offering something for creatives, gamers, casual users and professionals for a very reasonable price, this is perfect if you want your 4K display to wear a lot of different hats through the week.
Best of the best
DRONES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestdrone
ACTION CAMERAS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestactioncam GOPRO HERO9 BLACK
DJI MINI 2 £419, dji.com
£429, gopro.com The perfect quality camera-carrying drone for the masses, this titchy bird is so small when folded you can hide it behind an iPhone. The camera is 4K spec, and video transmission distance jumps to 10km.
£769, dji.com
£279, gopro.com Everything about this drone shouts BUY ME. The camera is a cracker capable of shooting 4K footage at 60fps, while a completely redesigned controller is another major improvement.
AKASKO BRAVE 7 LE
The Brave 7 LE ĆWVbQLFHO\bLQ WKH SDOPbRI \RXUbKDQG While its headline feature is a frontfacing screen, it DOVRbVSRUWV D QXPEHU of features only usually found on fancier models.
This recent GoPro has goodies everywhere. Four virtual lenses get \RX WKH LGHDO ĆHOG of view for what you’re shooting, and next-gen video VWDELOLVDWLRQ NHHSVbLW stable and crisp.
CROSSTOUR CT9900 £99, crosstour.co
£250, gopro.com This pro-spec drone is almost impossible to crash, and has a stunning three-axis gimbal-mounted Hasselblad camera. As rock solid and FRQĆGHQFH LQVSLULQJ as we’ve come to expect.
£1,099, poweregg.me A do-it-all drone WKDW FDQ ć\ VDIHO\ LQ inclement weather and over water. With a feature-set way beyond any other model, the PowerEgg ; LVQèW MXVWbVPDUW looking, it’s really clever too.
The wallet-friendly Hero7 White ERUURZVbSUHPLXP features from the Hero7 Black. Ideal for part-time adrenaline junkies needing a simple HD camera that shoots YouTubeready footage.
£140, akasotech.com
GOPRO HERO7 BLACK
POWERVISION POWEREGG X WIZARD VERSION
GOPRO HERO7 WHITE
A bigger sensor (23.6MP), means WKLVbFDP FDQ VKRRW 5K/30 video and 20MP stills, and youget a welcome 30% battery boost over the Hero8. There’s a front VFUHHQbWRR GOPRO HERO8 BLACK
£1,120, dji.com
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcheapaction
£179, gopro.com
DJI MAVIC AIR 2
DJI MAVIC 2 PRO
CHEAP ACTION CAMERAS
There’s not many cameras costing less than £100 that can boast 4K video at 60fps. This also has image stabilisation, a rear touchscreen, is waterproof to 40 metres and can take 20MP stills.
The waterproof Hero7 Black makes capturing pro-looking shots easier, thanks to HyperSmooth electronic stabilisation. 4K image quality is excellent, and there’s slick 60fps recording.
DJI OSMO ACTION
AKASO V50 X £99, akasotech.com
£329, dji.com With a cool front display but missing SuperView mode and live streaming, DJI’s cam is ideal for extreme sports types and vloggers. Image stabilisation is excellent, and it’s easy to use.
Along with its 60fps 4K footage, the V50 X can take 12MP stills, has in-built image stabilisation software and comes with an adjustable wideangle lens that has a PD[LPXP ĆHOG RI YLHZ of 170 degrees.
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 8 9
Best of the best
DSLR CAMERAS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestdslr
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestmirrorless NIKON Z50
NIKON D850 £3,299, nikon.co.uk
FUJIFILM X-T3
£2,199, nikon.com
e IXMLĆOP FR XN 7KH ' LV LQ PDQ\ ZD\V D 1LNRQ = (mirrorless) camera LQVLGH D ODUJHU '6/5 body. Thanks to this, ZHèYH JRW URRP IRU dual memory card slots and a lot more direct control dials and buttons.
e IXMLĆOP FR XN $Q $36 & VHQVRU means you don’t have to lug around heavy lenses and accessories but VWLOO OHDYHV \RX ZLWK cracking image quality. The X-T3 has impressive 4K video capabilities too.
£629, panasonic.com If you’re looking for \RXU ĆUVW IXOO IUDPH FDPHUD WKH = PDNHVbD ORW RI VHQVH You get a 24MP full-frame sensor, D QLFHO\bHUJRQRPLF body design and excellent electronic YLHZĆQGHU WRR
NIKON D7500
CANON EOS RP
£799, nikon.co.uk
£1,299, canon.co.uk
A beautifully retro GHVLJQ PL[HG ZLWK a host of advanced features, this, like LWVbSUHGHFHVVRUV VSRUWV D '6/5 VL]HG $36 & VHQVRU ZKLFKbLV SDLUHG ZLWK Db PP I Ć[HG length lens.
PANASONIC TZ200
£1,719, nikon.co.uk This solidly built camera is the SHUIHFWbFKRLFH IRU WKRVH ZKR OLNH WR shoot a little bit of everything, thanks to a brilliant autofocus system and glorious image quality from its 20MP sensor.
A chunky and nicely textured body makes WKH ' D JRRG camera to hold DQG XVH ZLWK VRPH modern touches like a fully articulating touchscreen to satisfy those used WRbVPDUWSKRQHV
For the best image quality in a pocketfriendly body, look here. The RX100 VII continues t o build on 6RQ\èV UHSXWDWLRQ IRU high-quality premium compacts, and does VR ZLWKRXW EUHDNLQJ the bank.
FUJIFILM X100V
NIKON Z5
£1,699, nikon.co.uk
9 0 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
£1,099, sony.co.uk All the best bits IURPbWKH = UDQJH shrunk into a more affordable package. $ VPDOOHU $36 & 20.9MP sensor means a smaller overall body, ideal IRUbWUDYHO DQG everyday shots.
NIKON D780
NIKON D500
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcompact SONY RX100 VII
£849, nikon.co.uk With a highresolution 45.4 megapixel sensor, 4K video capture, a 153-point AF system, and a sturdy body, you’ll never be GLVDSSRLQWHGbZLWK ZKDW WKH ' FDQ create for you.
COMPACT CAMERAS
This might be the ideal travel FRPSDQLRQ ZLWK D versatile zoom lens XSbWR [ DQG D fantastic one-inch sensor that captures bright, sharp images. It’s also stylish and pocket-friendly.
CANON G5X MARK II £849, canon.co.uk Excellent full-frame image quality, EXW ZLWK D IHZ GUDZEDFNV bVXFK DV D ORZ IUDPH UDWH (5fps). There’s also the annoying problem of there still being scant native RF OHQVHVbDYDLODEOH
7KLV IXOO EORZQ overhaul of the G5 line brings a oneLQFKb 03 VHQVRU and a 5x optical zoom, plus 4K video UHFRUGLQJ 86% & battery charging and burst shooting up to 30fps. Versatile.
Best of the best
SAT-NAVS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsatnav TOMTOM GO PREMIUM £290, tomtom.com
DASH CAMS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestdashcam NEXTBASE 622GW £250, nextbase.com
This state-of-the-art sat nav links with IFTTT, so you can connect to home devices, interact with personal digital assistants, get QRWLĆFDWLRQV DQG share location and arrival data.
The latest dash FDPbIURP 1H[WEDVH boasts muchimproved video quality, improved stabilisation and the inclusion of some rather clever What3Words geolocation services.
GARMIN DRIVESMART 61 LMT-S
GARMIN DASH CAM 66W
£209, garmin.com
£169, garmin.com This sleek sat-nav KDVbVXEVWDQFH WR match its style, ZLWKbDbELJ GLVSOD\ OLIHWLPH WUDIĆF and maps (for Europe) and useful points of interest information courtesy RIb7ULS$GYLVRU
TOMTOM GO 6200 £299, tomtom.com
THINKWARE F800 PRO
With an almost invisible design, time-lapse recording and a great night mode, this is a good stealthy option if you’re worried PRUHbDERXW YDQGDOLVP or theft than your fellow drivers.
NEXTBASE 522GW £149, nextbase.com
A petite 12.9cm screen is good for smaller cars, EXW WKLVbQDY LV still packed with features, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, VSHHG DOHUWV WUDIĆF EDWWHU\ EDFNXSbDQG (XURSHDQbPDSV
VANMOOF S3 £1,789, vanmoof.com This Dutch hipster brand has taken the S2, which was H[FHOOHQW DQG PDGHbLWbEHWWHU 2K and it’s knocked RYHU e RIIbLWV price. How could we not make it our best electric bike?
GTECH EBIKE CITY £995, gtech.co.uk
£249, thinkware.com
£329, garmin.com
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestebike
This fantastic little cam earns its place on this list with good LPDJH TXDOLW\ H[WUD features including GPS and speed camera warnings, and an attractive design. Video is 1440p, in a 180° angle.
Packed with good IHDWXUHVbEXW QHYHU ĆGGO\ DQG ZLWK Google and Siri support, this is a really good mobile companion too. The price includes lifetime updates via Wi-Fi for most features.
GARMIN DRIVELUXE 51 LMT-D
ELECTRIC BIKES
Way cheaper and simpler than most RIbWKH ELNHV KHUH DQGbGHVSLWH EHLQJ years old now, it’s VWLOObWKH EHVW FKHDS HELNH \RXbFDQ buy, and ideal for beginners or those RQbD EXGJHW BROMPTON ELECTRIC £2,595, brompton.com Ebikes aren’t just about tech. They should be fun too. The Brompton is a hoot, and if \RXèUH DbFRPPXWHU there’s no better: LW PXQFKHVbPLOHV and then folds to an incredibly tiny size.
ORBEA GAIN F40 £1,799, orbea.com
With a cool front display but missing SuperView mode and live streaming, DJI’s cam is ideal IRU H[WUHPH VSRUWV types and vloggers. Image stabilisation LVbH[FHOOHQW DQG LWèV easy to use.
A handsome ebike with a racy DOXPLQLXPbIUDPH carbon forks and powerful disc brakes. There’s no chunky digital display, but an integrated systems interface that’s HDV\bWR XVH
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 91
Best of the best
SMART SPEAKERS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsmart GOOGLE NEST HUB MAX £219, store.google.com Wins our 2020 T3 award as the best smart speaker for doing absolutely everything. You get a crisp 10in screen, a VSHDNHU WKDW FDQ ĆOO a room, a front camera and of course *RRJOHb$VVLVWDQW
SMART BULBS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestbulb PHILIPS HUE
LIFX
£139, amazon.co.uk
From £19, lifx.com Bigger than the previous model, it has beefed up speakers and features, while the Zigbee smart home functionality that used to be part of the Echo Plus only has been moved into the standard Echo.
APPLE HOMEPOD MINI £99, apple.com A quality little speaker with the ability to act as a HomeKit hub to control smart home devices – and even support for QHZ VPDUWbSURWRFRO Thread. The slickest phone-to-speaker experience there is.
This cheaper 1HVWbPRGHO GRHVQèW ĆWbDV PXFK information on its VFUHHQ DQG GRHVQèW feel as premium, EXW WKDWèV LW 6DPH algorithm, same Alexa and Google Home compatibility.
TADO SMART THERMOSTAT £99, tado.com
NANOLEAF ESSENTIALS From £18, nanoleaf.me A line of bargainpriced bulbs and OLJKWbVWULSV WKDW support Thread, DQbXSFRPLQJ SURWRFRO a bit like Zigbee. We love the faceted ORRN EXW WKH\èUH RQO\ available in E27 or % ĆWWLQJV IKEA TRÅDFRI
£199, sonos.com
From £13, ikea.com
9 2 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
£180, nest.com/uk
If you fancy a Hue V\VWHP EXW GRQèW ZDQW to spend so much, LIFX has a strong product range and integrates with your favourite personal digital assistant. Philips still wins, EXWbRQO\ MXVW
SONOS ONE
The Sonos One is a superb standalone speaker with integrated Alexa, EXWbWKH UHDO VHOOLQJ SRLQW LV LWV ćH[LELOLW\ use it as part of a stereo pair or in a multi-room Sonos audio system.
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestthermostat NEST THERMOSTAT E
From £59, philips-hue.com Hue dominates the smart lighting sector IRU JRRG UHDVRQ LWèV a superb system with the widest range of bulbs and a simple, useful app. Rivals may be cheaper but they FDQèW FRPSHWH ZLWK +XHèV YDULHW\
AMAZON ECHO 4TH GEN
SMART THERMOSTATS
7DGR LV YHU\ VRFLDEOH it works with 95% RIbWKH V\VWHPV RXW WKHUH ,WèV ćH[LEOH clever and supports a wide range of accessories too. 3ULFHbFXWV KDYH PDGHbLW HYHQ PRUHbHQWLFLQJ NEST LEARNING THERMOSTAT £220, nest.com/uk Nest made smart thermostats sexy and this third-gen model looks great. ,WèV VLPSOH WR XVH ZLWK good Google Home and Amazon Echo integration, but a tad pricey, especially ZLWKbLQVWDOODWLRQ HIVE HEATING CONTROL £179, hivehome.com
,NHDèV =LJEHH compatible system GRHVQèW KDYH WKH range of Hue, but if you prize control over colour options LWèV VWHOODU YDOXH IRU money and has some great controllers DQGbGLPPHUV
,PDJLQH %ULWLVK *DV LQ çH[FLWLQJè VKRFNHU +LYH LV JUHDW LWèV affordable, works well, and is part of a larger smart home system that includes bulbs and security options. This is an LGHDO ZD\ WR MXPS LQ
Best of the best
SMART PLUGS Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestplug TP-LINK KASA MINI KP105 £19, kasasmart.com A reliable smart SOXJbWKDW GRHVQèW LQFOXGH HQHUJ\ PRQLWRULQJ EXW LWèV KDSS\ WR ZRUN ZLWK $OH[D *RRJOH +RPH DQG %L[E\ 7KH 73 /LQN .DVD DSS LV DOVR PXFK LPSURYHG RQ UHFHQW JHQHUDWLRQV
HIVE ACTIVE PLUG £39, hivehome.com
SECURITY CAMERAS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestsecurity ARLO PRO 3 £550 (two cameras), arlo.com ,I \RX FDQ OLYH ZLWKRXWbWKH . UHVROXWLRQ RI WKH $UOR 8OWUD WKHQ WKH $UOR 3UR LV MXVW DERXW WKH EHVW KRPH VHFXULW\ FDPHUD \RX FDQ EX\ ULJKW QRZ DQG LWèV DYDLODEOH DW D YHU\ UHDVRQDEOH SULFH RING STICK UP CAM
ROBOT VACUUMS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestrobotvac ROBOROCK S6 MAXV £599, roborock.com 7KLV URERW YDF KDV VXSHUE QDYLJDWLRQ VNLOOV DQG PDSV D URRP LQ D YHU\ ORJLFDO IDVKLRQ VWDUWLQJ DW WKH HGJHV ĆUVW EHIRUH ĆOOLQJ LQ WKH JDSV ,W ZLOO DOVR PRS \RXU KDUG ćRRUV XVLQJ LWV PO ZDWHU WDQN EUFY BOOSTIQ ROBOVAC 30C
£180, en-uk.ring.com 3UHWW\ PXFK DQ\ IHDWXUH \RX FRXOG DVNbIRU LV LQFOXGHG VXFK DV QLJKW YLVLRQ PRWLRQ GHWHFWLRQ DOHUWV WZR ZD\ DXGLR bDQG S YLGHR \RX FDQ YLHZ RQ $OH[D GHYLFHV ZLWKbVFUHHQV
£270, eufylife.com
TP-LINK KASA SMART WI-FI POWER STRIP KP303
EUFYCAM 2C PRO
iROBOT ROOMBA I7+
£30, kasasmart.com
£299 (two cameras), eufylife.com 7KLV LV D ZLUHOHVV VHFXULW\ FDPHUD V\VWHP ZLWK D VKDUS . VHQVRU D 135 GHJUHH GLDJRQDO YLHZ VROLG ,5 QLJKW YLVLRQ ZLWK D VSRWOLJKW LI \RX QHHG D EULJKWHU YLHZ DQG D FODLPHG VL[ PRQWK EDWWHU\ OLIH
£1,199, irobot.co.uk
PHILIPS HUE SMART PLUG
ALL-NEW BLINK OUTDOOR
IROBOT ROOMBA S9+
£30, philips-hue.com
£180 (two cameras), blinkforhome.co.uk 2QO\ S EXW YHU\bVLPSOH WR VHW XS bDQG HDV\ WR DGG RQ WR :LWK D VLQJOH FDPHUD V\VWHP VWDUWLQJ DW DURXQG e \RX FDQ DGG DQ H[WUD OD\HU RI KRPH VHFXULW\ ZLWKRXW SD\LQJ WRR PXFK
£1,499, irobot.co.uk
6LPLODU WR %HONLQ +LYHèV SOXJbFDQ WXUQbVRFNHWV RQ RII YLD \RXU SKRQH DQG FUHDWH VFKHGXOHV ,W DOVR ZRUNV ZLWK $OH[Db<RX QHHG D +LYHb+XE e WR XVH WKH $FWLYH 3OXJ bWKRXJK
:LWK WKUHH VPDUW RXWOHWV HDFK ZLWK LQGHSHQGHQW FRQWURO DV ZHOO DV D SDLU RI 86% SRUWV IRU FKDUJLQJ DQG SRZHU WKH .DVD 6PDUW :L )Lb3RZHU 6WULS .3 bGHOLYHUV SOHQW\ RI ćH[LELOLW\
,I \RXèUH DOUHDG\ DOO LQbRQ +XH KRRNLQJ RQH RI WKHVH XS WR D +XH %ULGJH JHWV \RX $OH[D *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW DQG +RPH.LW VXSSRUW PDNLQJ LW MXVW DERXW WKH PRVW FRPSDWLEOH SOXJ JRLQJ
<RXèOO QHHG WR IHQFH RII REVWDFOHV IURP WKHb & DV LW GRHVQèWbXVH DQ LQWHUQDO PDS EXW IRU WKH SULFH WKLV LV D VROLG LI VOLJKWO\ LQHOHJDQW FOHDQLQJ ERW å HVSHFLDOO\ RQ KDUG ćRRUV
7KH L LV WKH L ZLWK DQ DGGLWLRQDO GLUW ELQ LQ WKH EDVH DQG DQ H[WUD e RQ WKH SULFH ,WèV ZRUWK LW LI \RX KDWH HPSW\LQJ WKH ELQ EXW DQ\ L LV DbJUHDW FOHDQLQJ URERWbWKDW OHDUQV LWV ZD\ DURXQG
7KH PRVW DGYDQFHG å DQG H[SHQVLYH å URERW YDF DURXQG DW WKH PRPHQW ,W H[FHOV RQ FDUSHWV DQGbDXWRPDWLFDOO\ GHWHFWV WKH ćRRU VXUIDFH DQG UDPSV XSbRU ORZHUV WKH VXFWLRQ DFFRUGLQJO\
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 9 3
Best of the best
CORDLESS VACUUMS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcordlessvac DYSON V11 ABSOLUTE £599, dyson.co.uk
WASHING MACHINES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestwashing AEG 9000 SERIES L9FEC966R £899, aeg.co.uk
The high-torque head, well-sized bin and powerful suction make this the top sucker to get, and worth the ‘Dyson WD[è b7KH $XWR SRZHU mode works well, balancing battery and suction nicely.
SAMSUNG JET 90 PRO £600, samsung.com Matches the Dyson in practically every way, and will almost certainly end up EHLQJbFKHDSHU ,W comes with a proper stand to hold and recharge it, and has attachments for IRXUbWRROV VAX ONEPWR BLADE 4 £220, vax.co.uk
AEG delivers superb ćH[LEOH FOHDQLQJ effective water softening and a steam-cleaning feature to reduce your ironing pile. ,WèV TXLHW HIĆFLHQW and environmentally friendly, too.
BOSCH SERIE 6 i-DOS WAT286H0GB £599, bosch-home.co.uk Smooth, near-silent when running, and designed with appconnected features to make laundry easy. The i-Dos function holds detergent and softener for up to 20 washes – one less thing to worry about!
BEKO WTK104121W £279, beko.co.uk
This new cordless Blade from Vax is a lot cheaper than the Dyson V11, but there’s remarkably little to tell between them in terms of cleaning power. The Vax makes a bigger noise though.
SHARK ANTI HAIR WRAP IZ251UKT £449, sharkvacuum.co.uk Comes with tech that prevents long hair and threads wrapping around the cleaning roller. It has excellent suction and folds in half for easy storage. Make a beeline IRU WKLV SURĆFLHQW contender.
94 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
A safe bet for a tight budget, this boasts a huge 10kg drum capacity replete with large 34cm portal, 1,400rpm spin, an HQHUJ\ HIĆFLHQW motor, quick wash programs and an A+++ energy rating.
LG F4V910WTS
DISHWASHERS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestdishwasher BOSCH SMS67MW00G PERFECTDRY
£629, bosch-home.co.uk A top-notch dishwasher that XVHVb]HROLWH D PDJLFDO mineral that turns moisture into heat, LQbWKLV FDVH WR GU\ dishes without using extra electricity. And by dry we mean ERQHbGU\ BEKO DEN59420DX £400, beko.com There have been ‘smart’ dishwashers before, but Beko KDVbQRZ DGGHG Wi-Fi to the DEN59420DX freestanding dishwasher without charging a big premium for WKHbSULYLOHJH BOSCH SERIE 4 SKS62E22EU £549, bosch-home.co.uk A table-top model for those who don’t have much room. It can accommodate six average-sized dinner plates, a few side plates, a quartet of mugs, a carving knife or two and a clutch RIbFXWOHU\ MIELE G7150 SCVI
£750, lg.com
£1,249, miele.co.uk This 10kg drum runs like a dream thanks to the direct drive motor, which means it’s quiet too. There’s an app, Alexa and Google Assistant connectivity, and TurboWash tech that cuts water usage.
If you manage to accumulate dirty dishes at an alarming rate then this speedy GLVKZDVKHU ĆWV WKH bill. The design is also perfect if you want a machine that’ll keep D ORZ SURĆOH DQG MXVW get on with it.
Best of the best
COFFEE MACHINES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestcoffee SAGE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL THE ORACLE TOUCH £1,999, sageappliances.com The Oracle Touch looks like a baristaoperated machine, it produces coffee like one, yet all the clever stuff – dosing, tamping, extraction, milk texturing, is done for you. Not cheap – but amazing.
FRIDGES Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestfridge MIELE K 28202 D WS £875, miele.co.uk
£720, delonghi.com
£489, home.leibherr.com Arguably the only A+++ rated undercounter model on the UK market. Despite its diminutive exterior, inside it’s like the Albert Hall, D FKLOOHG 7DUGLV ZLWK WZR VHSDUDWH VDODG YHJ GUDZHUV
£999, sageappliances.com Cheaper, faster DQG ZLWK EHWWHU frothed milk than WKHb2UDFOH bWKLV PD\ be the better buy for most unless being unable to make FRIIHH bDQG VWHDP PLONbDW WKH VDPH WLPH is a deal breaker.
GAGGIA VELASCA £479.00, gaggiadirect.com The espresso and lungo that the 9HODVFDbPDNHV DUH DVbJRRG DV anything you can buy in most coffee shops. It produces a reassuringly oldfashioned, intense ćDYRXU IRU \RXU EUHZ
NEFF N 70 B57CR22N0B
If you have the spondoolicks and FP RI VSDFH ZLWK no cupboards above, this cooler should be top of your list. Its clever cooling keeps foodstuffs fresh ZLWKRXW KXPLGLW\ DQG it’s cavernous.
LIEBHERR TP 1760 PREMIUM
SAGE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL BARISTA TOUCH
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestoven
£789, neff.co.uk
DELONGHI LA SPECIALISTA EC9335.M Solidly built using VZDWKHV RI EUXVKHG stainless steel and good quality SODVWLFV bWKLV ORRNV MXVWbOLNH D small version of a professional café espresso machine. Dynamite coffee too.
OVENS
BOSCH SERIE 2 CLASSIXX KSV29NW3PG £643, bosch-home.co.uk Looking for a midsized larder fridge that doesn’t cost the Earth, provides SOHQW\bRI IRRG VWRUDJHbVSDFH FRROV quickly and is cheap to run? Consider this HIĆFLHQW DQG ZHOO made Bosch.
SIEMENS IQ500 KU15RAFF0G
The unique Slide and Hide door is brilliant, the touchscreen is handy and the oven’s no slouch: it enables you to cook multiple GLVKHV ZLWKRXW WKDW unfortunate crosscontamination from VWURQJ ćDYRXUV AEG STEAMBAKE BPS355020M £450, aeg.com Not just for baking, this is a JUHDW RYHQ IRUbMXVW about everything. It has a massive temperature range RI |& WR |& ZLWK WKH RSWLRQ RI using grill and oven simultaneously.
ZANUSSI ZOB31471XK £260, zanussi.com If you’re after an oven that’s easy to use, then this one is a doozy. The oven heats up rapidly (about nine minutes to reach 180ºC, topping out DWb |& DQG LWV JULOO is one of the very best RXWbWKHUH AEG DCE731110M
£499, siemens.com
£800, aeg.com The hugely impressive Siemens iQ500, ZLWKb / RI VWRUDJH is a great option if you’re looking to KDYHbD EXLOW LQ IULGJH WKDW FDQ ĆW HLWKHU XQGHU D ZRUNWRS or in an eye-level compartment.
The bottom oven KDVb OLWUHV RI URRP for large stuff like turkeys and anything HOVH \RX ZDQW ZKLOH WKH WRS OLWUH RYHQ also doubles as a grill big enough to EURZQ VL[ VOLFHV RI Warburtons.
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 9 5
Best of the best
ELECTRIC SHAVERS
ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestshaver
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttoothbrush
BRAUN SERIES 9 9390CC
PHILIPS SONICARE DIAMONDCLEAN SONIC
£250, braun.com
£145, philips.co.uk Given that the trend is to shave less nowadays, we recommend the %UDXQb6HULHV IRLO shaver over Philips’ almost equally LPSUHVVLYH HIIRUWV ,W is slightly better on ORQJHU VWXEEOH
£300, philips.co.uk
£35, oralb.co.uk The second best shaver has a silly RRP (£430!) but is DYDLODEOH IRU DURXQG e ,WèV JRRG IRU sensitive skin, mows long stubble and is really close to the VKDYH \RX JHW IURP WUDGLWLRQDO UD]RUV
This only has two cleaning modes and no ‘smart’ IXQFWLRQDOLW\ WR VSHDNbRI EXW DVN \RXUVHOIð GR \RX really care? It has a timer, pressure sensor, and excellent URWDU\ FOHDQLQJ PHILIPS SONICARE DIAMONDCLEAN 9000 £170, philips.co.uk
7KLV QHZ RIIHULQJ IURP %UDXQ ZLWK WKUHH IRLO KHDGV LVbDQbDEVROXWH FUDFNHUbLQ HYHU\ UHVSHFW ,W VKDYHV as close as a wet UD]RU RQO\ LQ KDOI WKH WLPH $QG WKDWèV QRbH[DJJHUDWLRQ PHILIPS SERIES 9000 S9211/31
96 T3 A P R I L 2 0 21
PANASONIC ER-GD60 e bSDQDVRQLF FR XN
For slightly longer beards, this is the RQH WR JR IRU ,WV unusual, ‘side-on’ cutting action, where you pull the shaver through your hirsute tresses more like a comb, soon becomes VHFRQGbQDWXUH
PHILIPS ONEBLADE PRO £50, philips.co.uk
£120, oralb.co.uk A rotary shaver that requires a circular PRWLRQ RQ WKH IDFH 6WXEEOH GLVDSSHDUV like magic, and the whole experience is YHU\ ORZ LUULWDWLRQ You get a clipRQ WULPPHU IRU VLGHEXUQVbWRR
The best trimmer IRU JHQHUDO EHDUG maintenance, WKLV KDVbD ODUJHO\ VXSHUćXRXV ODVHU IRUbXOWUD VWUDLJKW edging, supposedly) but also boasts WKHbYHU\ EHVW EODGHV LQ WKH EXVLQHVV b
$ UHĆQHPHQW even over the DiamondClean 6RQLF bWKH adds an app that ZLOO OHW \RX NQRZ LI \RXèUH QRWbEUXVKLQJ IUHTXHQWO\ HQRXJK and when the head QHHGV FKDQJLQJ ORAL-B GENIUS 9000
£199, philips.co.uk
PHILIPS SERIES 9000 BT9297/13
This is a great toothbrush with excellent cleaning power, and an attractive but HDVLO\bVPDVKHG JODVVbFKDUJHU ,W DOVR comes with a handy travel case with 86%bSRZHU ORAL-B PRO 2 2500
£165, braun.com
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/besttrimmer
£80, philips.co.uk
PHILIPS SERIES 9000 PRESTIGE
BRAUN SERIES 7 70-N7200CC
BEARD TRIMMERS
7KH EHVW WULPPHU IRU those with sensitive skin, this uses innovative OneBlade WHFKQRORJ\ ,WèV JRRG IRU ERWK \RXU IDFH and your downstairs, although you may wish to change heads LQ EHWZHHQ BRAUN BT3040 £26, braun.com
This is an extremely good electric toothbrush with a rather pointless smartphone app, but LW GRHV D JUHDW MRE RI cleaning and comes ZLWK IRXU åbIRXU åbEUXVK KHDGV VR LWèV D ELW RI D EDUJDLQ
This is a bargain DOO URXQGHU RIIHULQJ 39 precision length options with its combs, plus you get a Gillette razor LQFOXGHG IRU HGJLQJ 7KH EDWWHU\ OLIH LVQèW great, but otherwise WKLV LV D WRS GHDO
Best of the best
FITNESS TRACKERS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestfitness
RUNNING WATCHES
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestrunningwatch GARMIN FORERUNNER 245 MUSIC
FITBIT CHARGE 4 e ĆWELW FRP
e JDUPLQ FRP 7KH EHVW ĆWQHVV WUDFNHU \RX FDQ EX\ DQG D ELJ VWHS IRUZDUG IRU )LWELW DGGLQJ IHDWXUHV VXFK DV *36 DQG D QHZ H[HUFLVH WUDFNHU DORQJVLGH WKH VWHS FRXQWLQJ 7KHUH DUH SOHQWLIXO VOHHS WUDFNLQJ IHDWXUHV WRR
7KH XOWLPDWH SKRQH IUHH *36 UXQQLQJ ZDWFK IRU WKH SULFH FRQVFLRXV UXQQHU 7KH EDWWHU\ FDQ ODVW XS WR VHYHQ GD\V LQ VPDUWZDWFK PRGH DQG VL[bKRXUV LQb*36 PRGH ZLWK PXVLF SOD\LQJ
FITBIT VERSA 3
GARMIN FORERUNNER 945
e ĆWELW FRP
e JDUPLQ FRP 7KH 9HUVD RIIHUV PRUH IXQFWLRQDOLW\ DQG EHWWHU ORRNV WKDQ PRVW ĆWQHVV WUDFNHUV EXW LWèV PD\EH QRW TXLWH DV VPDUW DQG SUHFLVH DV DQ $SSOH :DWFK )RU WKH SULFH WKRXJK WKH )LWELW 9HUVD LV DbJUHDW EX\
GARMIN VENU SQ e JDUPLQ FRP
7KH )RUHUXQQHU bKDV UHWDLQHG WKHbORRN DQG IHHO RI WKH EXW LQVLGH LWbKDV EHHQ FRPSOHWHO\ UHYDPSHG 7KHUH DUH QHZ *36 FKLSV DQG KHDUW UDWH VHQVRUV SOXV RQ ERDUG PDSV POLAR VANTAGE V e SRODU FRP
$ ZDWFK WKDW WUDFNV D YDULHW\ RI KHDOWK PHWULFV LQ DQ $SSOH :DWFK OLNH ERG\ )RU DFWLYH SHRSOH ZKR GRQèW UHTXLUH WKH RYHUVLPSOLĆHG JDPLĆHG KHDOWK V\VWHP RI )LWELW WKLV LV KLJKO\ UHFRPPHQGHG POLAR IGNITE
BEATS BY DRE POWERBEATS e EHDWVE\GUH FRP XN 3RZHUEHDWV ZLWKRXW WKH ç3URè ELW DUH DOPRVW e FKHDSHU DQG WKH\ VRXQG LGHQWLFDO å ZKLFK LV WR VD\ VXSHUE IRU ZRUNRXW PXVLF $QG FRPH WR WKDW VXSHUE IRU QRQ ZRUNRXW PXVLF BEATS POWERBEATS PRO e EHDWVE\GUH FRP XN 7KHVH WUXH ZLUHOHVV SRZHUKRXVHV absolutely crush WKHLUbSUHGHFHVVRUV ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR TXDOLW\ RI VRXQG DQG VHFXULW\ RI ĆW $OO EXW LPSRVVLEOH WR DFFLGHQWDOO\ GLVORGJH IURP \RXU HDUV SOUNDCORE SPIRIT SPORTS BY ANKER e DQNHU FRP 2XU IDYRXULWH EXGJHWbUXQQLQJ KHDGSKRQHV ĆW EULOOLDQWO\ DQG DUH YHU\ ZDWHUSURRI DQG VZHDW SURRI 6RXQG TXDOLW\ LV DFFHSWDEOH UDWKHU WKDQ DVWRQLVKLQJ EXW ZHèOO IRUJLYH WKDW JABRA ELITE ACTIVE 75T
e FRURV FRP 7KRXJK PDLQO\ DLPHGbDW UXQQHUV WKHb,JQLWH FDQ WUDFN RWKHU DFWLYLWLHV DQG PRQLWRU \RXU VOHHS DQG KHDUW UDWH WRR <RX JHW LQVWDQW VWDWV DIWHU H[HUFLVH ZLWK GHHSHU DQDO\VLV LQ WKHbDSS
Find the lowest prices at: t3.com/bestrunningphones
$ SHFXOLDU ćDJVKLS VPDUWZDWFK WKLV KDVbVRPH XQLTXH IHDWXUHV WKDW PLJKWbDURXVH WKH UXQQHUV RXW WKHUH HVSHFLDOO\ WKH UXQQLQJ SRZHU PHWULF PHDVXUHG RQbWKHbZULVW COROS PACE 2
e SRODU FRP
RUNNING HEADPHONES
e MDEUD FR XN 7KH 3DFH JHWV WKH EDVLFV ULJKW EXW DOVR KDV D FRXSOH RI WULFNV XS LWV VOHHYH ,W PLJKW SURYLGH IHZHU FDVXDO IHDWXUHV WKDQ VRPH *DUPLQV EXW WKH UXQQLQJ IHDWXUHV RQ RIIHU KHUH DUH SUHWW\ PXFK VSRW RQ
)RU ZRUNRXW SXUSRVHVbWKH WV VRXQG JUHDW 7KH\èUHbVXIĆFLHQWO\ EDVV\ JUHDW ZLWK SRXQGLQJ ZRUNRXW IULHQGO\ PXVLF DQG KDYH D UHDVRQDEOH DPRXQW RIbPXVLFDOLW\bWRR
A P R I L 2 0 21 T3 9 7
ISSUE )XWXUH 3XEOLVKLQJ 4XD\ +RXVH 7KH $PEXU\ %DWK %$ 8$ EDITORIAL SUBSCRIPTIONS & CUSTOMER SERVICES
34,477
PRINT 15,013 DIGITAL 19,464
Jan–Dec 2019 A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations
T3 IS… EDITOR JOSH RUSSELL josh.russell@futurenet.com ART EDITOR MICHELLE McLAREN michelle.mclaren@futurenet.com GROUP PRODUCTION EDITOR RUSSELL LEWIN russell.lewin@futurenet.com CONTENT DIRECTOR PAUL DOUGLAS paul.douglas@futurenet.com BRAND DIRECTOR PAUL NEWMAN paul.newman@futurenet.com GROUP ART DIRECTOR JO GULLIVER jo.gulliver@futurenet.com EDITORIAL & ART CONTRIBUTORS Duncan Bell, Alex Cox, Claire Davies, Ian Evenden, Ruth Hamilton, Spencer Hart, Abbie Hart, Tamara Hinson, Steven Jenkins, Stephen Kelly, Matt Kollat, Simon Lucas, David Nield, Michelle Rae Uy ADVERTISING Media packs are available on request UK COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR CLARE DOVE clare.dove@futurenet.com ACCOUNT DIRECTOR ANDREW TILBURY andrew.tilbury@futurenet.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY RICHARD HEMMINGS richard.hemmings@futurenet.com HEAD OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS CLARE JONIK clare.jonik@futurenet.com MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVE CONOR LOCKLEY conor.lockley@futurenet.com SENIOR AD MANAGER KATE COLGAN kate.colgan@futurenet.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MARK FERMOR mark.fermor@futurenet.com INTERNATIONAL T3 is available for licensing and syndication. Contact the International GHSDUWPHQW WRbGLVFXVV SDUWQHUVKLS RSSRUWXQLWLHV HEAD OF PRINT LICENSING RACHEL SHAW licensing@futurenet.com PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES Online orders & enquiries PDJD]LQHVGLUHFW FRP Orderline & enquiries +44(0)330 333 1113 CIRCULATION HEAD OF NEWSTRADE TIM MATHERS PRODUCTION HEAD OF PRODUCTION UK & US MARK CONSTANCE HEAD OF PRODUCTION TOM REYNOLDS SENIOR AD PRODUCTION MANAGER JO CROSBY DIGITAL EDITIONS CONTROLLER JASON HUDSON PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR NOLA COKELY
ISSUE 320 ON SALE WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL
BEST TECH FOR EVERYTHING
Upgrade your home entertainment, LPSURYHb\RXU KRPH RIĆFH ERRVW \RXU ZRUNRXWV DQG WXUQ \RXU JDUGHQ LQWR WKHbSHUIHFW VSDFH WR XQZLQG
MANAGEMENT CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER AARON ASADI CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER RACHEL ADDISON HEAD OF ART & DESIGN RODNEY DIVE PRINTED IN THE UK BY William Gibbons on behalf of Future. DISTRIBUTED IN THE UK BY Marketforce (UK), 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 020 3787 9060 ,661 :H DUH FRPPLWWHG WR RQO\ XVLQJ PDJD]LQH SDSHU ZKLFK LV GHULYHG IURP UHVSRQVLEO\ PDQDJHG FHUWLĆHG IRUHVWU\ and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full )6& )RUHVW 6WHZDUGVKLS &RXQFLO FHUWLĆFDWLRQ DQG DFFUHGLWDWLRQ All contents © 2021 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered RIĆFH 4XD\ +RXVH 7KH $PEXU\ %DWK %$ 8$ $OO LQIRUPDWLRQ FRQWDLQHG LQ WKLV SXEOLFDWLRQ LV IRU LQIRUPDWLRQ only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to WKHP 7KLV PDJD]LQH LV IXOO\ LQGHSHQGHQW DQG QRW DIĆOLDWHG LQ DQ\ ZD\ ZLWK WKH FRPSDQLHV PHQWLRQHG KHUHLQ If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.
Adventure gear *HW NLWWHG RXW IRU H[FLWLQJ KREELHV Samsung QN95A :H SXW WKH 1HR 4/(' 79 WKURXJK LWV SDFHV Xiaomi Mi 11 5DWHG D WUXH ćDJVKLS FRQWHQGHU UDWHG LG Gram 17 7KH LPSRVVLEO\ OLJKW ODSWRS UHYLHZHG
)XWXUH SOF LV D SXEOLF FRPSDQ\ TXRWHG RQ WKH /RQGRQ 6WRFN ([FKDQJH V\PERO )875
ZZZ IXWXUHSOF FRP
&KLHI H[HFXWLYH =LOODK %\QJ 7KRUQH 1RQ H[HFXWLYH FKDLUPDQ 5LFKDUG +XQWLQJIRUG &KLHI ĆQDQFLDO RIĆFHU 3HQQ\ /DGNLQ %UDQG Tel
* ALL CONTENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE