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Ready to go. Made for movement. A brand new 26.1 megapixel imaging sensor combines our existing back-side illuminated technology with a stacked, layered structure that quadruples readout speeds for faster image processing capabilities.
X-Trans CMOS 5 HS is capable of blackout-free bursts of up to 40 frames-per-second. In burst mode, the sensor’s phase-detection pixels are controlled independently from the image display.
X-H2S also supports 4K/120P high-speed video. Now, fast-moving subjects can be recorded in incredible detail for high-quality, slow-motion footage. Increased video recording time of up to 240 minutes of 4K/60P video.
F UJ I F I L M -X .CO M
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Welcome Hello and welcome to Stuff! This issue we’ve got reviews of all the latest from the autumn launches including all three Apple Watches, the iPhone 14 lineup, Google’s long-anticipated Pixel Watch and the Pixel 7 Pro. Then we’ve rounded up a bunch of new true wireless earphones including the innovative NuraTrue Pro, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 Pro and, of course, the revamped Apple AirPods Pro. Our lead feature this issue is a guide to the latest in home audio. As well as a review of the new Sonos Sub Mini, there are stacks of options from modern streamers to classic hi-fi speakers, plus the best amps and turntables. And we look at some excellent Bluetooth speakers in case your needs are a little more modest. If you’re looking to improve your home cinema setup, then check out our ace competition on p25 where you could bag yourself a pulse-raising Denon system. Looking ahead to next time out, our Christmas issue will be packed full of the latest tech and gadget gift ideas. We’ve been compiling the list over recent weeks and there’ll be some cracking festive buys for you to look over. And naturally, there’s no better present than a subscription to this very magazine – check out the great deal at shop.kelsey.co.uk/XMAS22STU. But first, enjoy this issue!
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CONTEntS 12.22 P29
P6
WIN! p25 P36
HOT STUFF
TESTS 29 First test
06 The Hot Five Amazon Kindle Scribe An e-reader that lets you swear at Jeffrey Archer Teenage Engineering PO-80 A vinyl-cutter that lets you make all your music sound, er, gritty Logitech G Cloud A handheld that lets you play Xbox games under the duvet iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ A robot vac that lets you keep the kitchen floor splodge-free Lego Star Wars The Razor Quest A spaceship that lets you be the emperor of all geeks
14 Vital stats Huawei Mate 50 Pro Its camera has a human-style iris
16 Stream
McNulty pretends to be Charles
18 Icon Google Nest Wifi Pro
A router… but wait, it says ‘Pro’!
20 Games
That’s not even a real hedgehog 22 Wheels Dacia Manifesto This car can go outdoors 24 Stuff meets George Fryer Putting the B&W into BMW
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Plus one that’s even more Pro, and one that isn’t Pro at all
54 Tested
Google Pixel Watch Google has forgotten to do a Pro version of its first smartwatch…
56 Tested
Google Pixel 7 Pro …but not of its latest phone
60 Versus
Action cams DJI takes on GoPro – having ‘Pro’ in your name is cheating, surely?
63 Tested
Samsung Odyssey Ark A huge bendy monitor… for pros
64 Group test
True wireless earphones Three with ‘Pro’ in the product name, three inexplicably without
72 Long-term test
Apple Watch Ultra When Pro just isn’t enough, you need to go Ultra
78 Games
FIFA 23 Pro, Return to Monkey Island Pro, Metal: Hellsinger Pro
FEATURES 34 Upvoted Eco watches It’s time to save the world
36 Cover feature
Home audio guide DISCLAIMER: Somewhere in this 16-page hi-fi special, there is a recommendation to listen to a Jonathan Richman album. Stuff accepts no responsibility for any distress, physical injury or property damage resulting from following this advice. Jonathan Richman albums should only be listened to under strict medical supervision, if at all. By anyone. Ever.
53 Mini meme
Music learning apps Shortcuts to pop hyperstardom
58 Beta yourself
Reading You probably know how already
70 Instant upgrades
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Make it even more flippin’ great
114Random access memories
Philips Hue (2012) 10 years? Hue’d better believe it…
MAKING STUFF UP
Editor-in-Chief Dan Grabham Deputy Editor Tom Morgan-Freelander Contributors Rob Clymo, Ian Evenden, Craig Grannell, Mike Jennings, Sam Kieldsen, Basil Kronfli, Simon Lucas, Ross Presly, Richard Purvis, Chris Rowlands, Alan Wen, Tom Wiggins, Andrew Williams Contact us stuff.ed@kelsey.co.uk UK subscription and back issue orderline: 01959 543747 Overseas subscription orderline: 0044 (0)1959 543747 Toll-free USA subscription orderline: 1-888-777-0275 UK customer service team: 01959 543747 Customer service email address: subs@kelsey.co.uk Customer service and subscription postal address: Stuff Customer Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL
THE LEGENDARY STUFF TOP TENS P83 4
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Here’s when the story ends Battery life will vary depending on use, but Amazon says you’ll get up to 3 weeks if you’re writing on it for half an hour a day, or 12 weeks of just reading.
You’re not the only one I show Everything you write on your Kindle Scribe is saved to the cloud, and from early next year you’ll also be able to access it all from the Kindle phone app.
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ALL THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH
Can’t be short When you’re not using the stylus it magnetically attaches to the Scribe’s 5.8mm-thin chassis… and the Basic Pen is so basic it doesn’t even need charging.
HOT FIVE #1 READING, WRITING AND A WRISTY TRICK Amazon Kindle Scribe First Amazon came for the regular books; now it wants to make jotters feel like something from the olden days too. The Kindle Scribe comes with a special stylus that allows you to draw on its 10.2in 300dpi E Ink screen, whether that’s annotating a book with digital sticky notes, marking up a PDF or Word doc you’ve imported via the Kindle app or a web browser, or using the built-in notebook to a create a list of every person who has ever wronged you and how you’re going to get revenge. Chuck Jeff Bezos an extra £30 (and boy does he need it) and you’ll get an upgraded Premium Pen, which has an eraser on the end and a shortcut button that can switch between writing and highlighting, or open up a new note. At more than 3in bigger than any other Kindle in terms of screen size, the Scribe will feel more like a tablet to hold than a normal e-reader, but it only weighs 433g (the same-sized iPad is just over 50g heavier), and of course you get access to the same vast library of books. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some vendettas to plan. As hot as… Lady Chatterley’s Lover annotated with drawings of willies from £330 / amazon.co.uk
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Greatest love of squall There’s a built-in speaker that allows you to listen to your tunes straight away, but you can also use the 3.5mm socket to plug in an external one for a bit more volume.
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How will I grow? The PO-80 comes with five blank records and you can order packs of 10 for £20 from Teenage Engineering’s website. A new cutting head will set you back just £15.
All the plan that I need The DIY approach doesn’t just apply to making the records: you have to assemble the PO-80 yourself, so set some time aside for scowling at the manual.
HOT FIVE #2 ENGRAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Teenage Engineering PO-80 Record Factory Kit In the neverending battle to be the alpha hipster in your local artisan vape cafe, it’s no longer enough to have the most painstakingly groomed ’tache, smoke the most unusual pipe or have the most esoteric collection of Laser Discs. No, the arrival of Teenage Engineering’s PO-80 means you’re going to have to start producing your own vinyl too. Despite its Fisher-Price vibes, this little USB-powered gadget allows you to cut 5in records with up to four minutes of music on each side – all you need to do is connect an audio source to the 3.5mm input, whether that’s an instrument like one of TE’s pocket synths, or an iPad or laptop containing a fully formed track. There’s even a web-based mastering machine that gets your tunes ready for their analogue debut. Obviously you won’t impress any audiophiles with the lo-fi sound quality of your monophonic cuts, but the kit also comes with an adaptor that allows you to play pre-recorded 7in vinyl on it, so you can stick on something obscure by Hairy Terror and pretend it’s one of your own. Planet of the Vapes won’t know what hit it. As hot as… your deconstructed chai latte £149 / teenage.engineering
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HOT FIVE #3 THE GYPSY IN MY CONSOLE Logitech G Cloud To our eternal dismay, Microsoft has never made a handheld Xbox. We’d pretty much given up hope of ever clasping one in our mitts until the Android-powered G Cloud came along, because this is likely to be the closest we’ll ever get. Built for streaming games over the internet and arriving with Xbox Cloud Gaming pre-installed, it means anyone with a Game Pass Ultimate sub (and Wi-Fi) will be able to jump into Halo Infinite and Flight Simulator, as well as multi-platform gems like Deathloop, on the go. The Xbox-style controls sit either side of a 7in 1080p LCD touchscreen with a 60Hz refresh rate – and while a Snapdragon 720G with 4GB of RAM means it’s no powerhouse, it’s more than enough for streaming. There’s 64GB of storage for apps and games from the Google Play Store (plus microSD) and a 6000mAh battery that should be good for 12hrs of non-stop gaming. And even with all that, plus haptic motors for force feedback and six-axis motion detection, at 463g it’s lighter than a Steam Deck and not much heavier than a Switch. As hot as… playing Forza in a tumble dryer $350 / logitechg.com 10
Sweet console music Audio is covered by stereo speakers, a built-in mic for voice chat and a 3.5mm headphone port. There’s also Bluetooth 5.1 and aptX Adaptive for wireless listening.
I know you got console Xbox remote play is supported for streaming non-Game Pass titles installed on your console. Nvidia GeForce Now is also on board for non-Xbox gamers.
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Tie your scrubber down
California console
The mop pad is attached to two metal arms, which lift it up and stow it inside the top part of the robot to make sure it doesn’t make a dribbly mess on your carpet.
The G Cloud is already available across the pond for $350. There’s currently no word on whether it’s coming to the UK any time soon but our fingers are very firmly crossed.
HOT FIVE #4 DON’T MOP ME NOW iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ When the robot uprising comes, the survival of the human race will depend on finding their one big weakness. If the ground assault is led by weaponised robot vacuum cleaners, we should be able to claim victory simply by going upstairs; but even in today’s battle between you and your dirty floors, bots that can both suck and mop usually have one big drawback: they require human intervention to switch between the two modes. iRobot’s Roomba Combo j7+ is different, with a mop pad that automatically retracts when it detects carpet – so you can just carry on playing FIFA 23 (reviewed on p76) and leave it to get on with the job. iRobot has taught the Combo j7+ to recognise 80 common household objects, from toilets and tables to towels and turds, so it can dodge obstacles – and you can use Alexa or Google Assistant to tell it to focus on a particular part of the house. It’ll also empty itself into the charging base’s built-in bin, meaning you don’t even have to stop what you’re doing when it’s full. So even if it does eventually turn on you, at least you’ll begin your new life of enslavement with nice clean floors. As hot as… a turd on your kitchen floor £999 / irobot.co.uk
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HOT FIVE #5 THE BEST A MANDALORIAN CAN GET Lego Star Wars The Razor Crest Dust off your best beskar armour, disable your helmet’s comlink and clear a space on your starship’s dining table, because you’re about to embark on a truly epic quest the likes of which the galaxy has rarely seen before. With a whopping 6187 pieces, this Ultimate Collector Series version of Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin’s ride is second only to the 7541-piece Millennium Falcon on the Lego Star Wars size chart. Measuring 72cm in length, it features retracting ramps and a removable cockpit and engines, which lift off to reveal the interior – where you’ll find an escape 12
pod, a blaster cabinet and a (non-working) carbon freezing chamber. You also get four minifigs from the series: Baby Yo… sorry, Grogu, Mando himself, the Mythrol, and Kuiil on a buildable blurrg. Honestly, those are their real names, we didn’t just fall asleep on the keyboard. The set also includes a stand on which to mount your plastic masterpiece, as well as an information plaque so you can point out its two repeating heavy laser cannons to any visiting Xbbxjhais. OK, that one was just a slip of the QWERTY. As hot as… blurrg wrestling on Ryloth £520 / lego.com
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Humax Aura Android Androi TV 4K Recorder Take performance to a new level - catch y 4K HDR1, binge on the most talked-about series, or download r watch on the go2, the Humax Aur Aura is easy to set up, built for the most demanding users and beautifully designed to live at the heart of your home enter
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The FREEVIEW words and logos are trademarks of DTV Services LTD. © DTV Services Ltd. Channel content, logos and application logos are trademarks and copyright of their respective owners. Google, Google Play, Android TV and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC. © 2022 Humax Electronics Co. Ltd.
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V I
T A L S T A T S
SAVE IT FOR DILATER
The Mate 50 Pro’s screen is covered with something called Kunlun Glass, which Huawei reckons is up to 10x more durable than regular glass.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro from €1299 / consumer.huawei.com
Looking for a phone with top-class camera skills? Don’t open your wallet until you’ve looked at this multi-aperture marvel… ● Let it wide There aren’t many phones out there these days that have truly unique features, but Huawei’s Mate 50 Pro is one of them. Its 50MP main camera sensor has a 10-stop physically adjustable aperture, going from f1.4 to f4, so you can switch from extreme bokeh to pin-sharp backgrounds. It’s paired with a 64MP periscope lens good for 3.5x optical zoom, a 13MP ultrawide that’ll double as a macro snapper, a proximity light sensor and laser autofocus. ● Love fuel Round the front there’s a 6.74in 2616x1212 OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, the power coming from a 4G variant of Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU. It’s teamed with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, plus a 4700mAh battery with 66W wired charging and 50W wireless for rapid top-ups. It’ll do reverse wireless charging to refuel other gadgets, while Huawei has also added a new low-battery emergency mode that kicks in at 1% and should deliver enough juice for 3hrs of standby or a 12-minute call. ● App the junction The Mate 50 Pro will be the first Huawei phone released in Europe with EMUI 13. This is based on the open-source version of Android, which means no official access to the Play Store – yes, sorry, still that – but you do get extensive theme customisations and a new notification centre layout. There’s also widget stacking and smart folders to make better use of home-screen space. For apps it has Huawei’s AppGallery, which means you’ll have to rely on some alternative versions for things like maps, but you’re sorted for the likes of TikTok, JustEat and, er, Lidl Plus. Phew.
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MORE NEW ANDROIDS Down the hi-fi way ● Google Pixel 7 It’s unusual for phone screens to get smaller, but the Pixel 7’s 6.3in OLED makes it more compact than its predecessor. The bigger, more capable Pro version is reviewed on p56. from £599 / store.google.com
● Infinix Zero Ultra More interested in how quickly your phone can charge than how its camera works? The Infinix Zero Ultra can refill its 4500mAh battery in a mere 12 minutes. £tba / infinixmobility.com
FOCAL BATHYS Focal normally makes the kind of headphones that are designed to be paired with your favourite designer armchair and an expensive single malt – but if you want to bring a bit of that vibe to your daily commute, these are the company’s first wireless noise-cancelling cans. Lighter and more compact than their plug-in brethren but no less luxurious, the have 40mm drivers enclosed in magnesium, aluminium and leather, with an equally plush carrying case for keeping them safe. They promise 30hrs of listening over Bluetooth 5.1, with SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive support, or you can plug them in over USB-C to unlock the hi-res DAC mode at 24-bit/192kHz quality. Just add whisky. £699 / focal.com
● Asus ROG Phone 6D Asus only launched the ROG Phone 6 earlier this year, but this version is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor rather than a Snapdragon chip. £799 / rog.asus.com
Little head booster
PICO 4
LOW-BATTERY MODE KICKS IN AT 1% SO YOU CAN MAKE A 12-MINUTE CALL
Wearing a VR headset can feel a bit like strapping a shoebox to your face. But with smaller, lighter pancake optics inside and its 5300mAh battery built into the strap, the all-in-one Pico 4 shouldn’t be so unwieldy. Despite its compact size you still get a better-than-4K display with 90Hz refresh rate, four motion-tracking cameras and up to 256GB of storage, all powered by a Snapdragon XR2 chipset and Adreno 650 graphics. The headset comes with a pair of controllers, but it also supports extra motion trackers that you can strap to your legs for use with VR-enhanced workout apps – because in this reality you still eat too many biscuits. from £379 / picoxr.com
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S T R E A M
As you may have heard, the Queen is no longer with us. But we’ve got some good news for any lonely corgis in need of a nostalgia fix…
All Quiet on the Western Front
Blockbuster
My Policeman
Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel detailing the horrors of life in the trenches has already been filmed twice (most notably in 1930). But this is the first version made by a German director, and is the country’s Oscar hope for Best International Film this year. Don’t expect song and dance numbers. Film / Netflix, 28 Oct
Readers of a certain age will surely remember the golden age of video rentals, where a Friday evening trip to Blockbuster to pick out a film could be the highlight of the week. This comedy series stars Randall Park as the manager of the world’s last outlet of that fabled store, determined to keep the analogue flame burning in a digital world. S1 / Netflix, 3 Nov
So, can Harry Styles act? Does it really matter? This ’50s-set drama sees the pop icon don the uniform of a Brighton copper sitting at the point of a love triangle: he’s married to a wonderful woman (Emma Corrin) but having an affair with a man (David Dawson) at the same time. Tears will be shed by millions of teenage stans. Film / Prime Video, 4 Nov
The English
Tulsa King
Emily Blunt plays a British aristocrat who arrives in the Wild West looking for revenge in this Amazon/BBC miniseries, which looks brutal and beautiful in equal measure. Blunt’s Lady Cornelia Locke teams up with a Native American scout, and the pair gradually uncover a shared past as they travel through the dusty, bloody frontier landscape. S1 / iPlayer, 11 Nov
Created by some of the minds behind Sicario, The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire, this drama sees Sly Stallone installed as a mob boss in the American backwater that is Tulsa – possibly as a convenient way for his superiors to be rid of him. Can this fresh-out-of-prison mafioso build a crew and establish a new empire in Oklahoma? S1 / Paramount+, 13 Nov
Welcome to Chippendales Did you know that the legendary Chippendales – a US troupe of dancing beefcakes responsible for sending millions of women gaga in their 1990s heyday – were the brainchild of an Indian immigrant born in Mumbai? This drama series charts Somen ‘Steve’ Banerjee’s life and career. S1 / Disney+, 22 Nov
Netflix’s excellent drama moves to the early 1990s and shakes things up by once more replacing its entire cast. In come British TV royalty: Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce as Liz’n’Phil, Dominic West as Chazza and – bit of a leftfield casting choice, this – Jonny Lee Miller as John Major. But much attention will fall on Elizabeth Debicki, who takes over the role of Diana… because she’s Australian. Outrageous! Write to your MP at once! S5 / Netflix, 9 Nov
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D M ON’ TH ISS T IS
The Crown
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I C O N
THIS DOESN’T DOUBLE AS A SMART SPEAKER: IT’S ABOUT PURE, UNADULTERATED INTERNET ACCESS
GOOGLE NEST WIFI PRO from £190 / store.google.com Nice diffuser. How does it smell? Absolutely divine. This one gives off the unique scent of mesh networks and WPA3 encryption, because despite the fact that it looks like it belongs in a wellness catalogue this is actually a Wi-Fi router. Routers work best when they’re out in the open, but many people squirrel them away because they look like, well, routers. That’s why Google has made the Nest Wifi Pro look a bit like a unicorn egg
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or a varnished melon, so people will be happier to have it out on display rather than hidden inside a dusty cupboard full of cables. It’s not unlike a giant AirPods case. Don’t let Siri hear you say that… although there’s no need to worry about Google Assistant listening, because unlike the standard Nest Wifi this one doesn’t double as a smart speaker. No, this thing’s all about pure, unadulterated internet
access, so you get Wi-Fi 6E that supports the new 6GHz channel. This isn’t just faster than 2.4GHz and 5GHz at short range but also offers way more bandwidth, so devices connected to it won’t be fighting for scraps. It’ll also work as a Thread border router – ideal for connecting smart home kit. So what’s the range like? Google says a single one can cover up to 120m², but the idea is that
you have as many as you need to make sure your whole abode is blanketed in a consistent carpet of connectivity. A set of three will set you back £380 and cover a space significantly larger than a tennis court. Setup is via Google’s Home app, so you shouldn’t need a degree in computer science to get up and running, and they come in four colours: snow, linen, fog and lemongrass. Disappointingly, they all smell the same.
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I’ve got the dots for you
WTF IS MYMANU TITAN?
XIAOMI 12T PRO If phone cameras were judged purely on pixel count, the Xiaomi 12T Pro would be buffing its crown silly right now. With a preposterous 200MP crammed into its main 1/1.22in sensor it has enough pixels to mimic 2x zoom, while its ProCut tech analyses your snaps and suggests five different aspect ratios to crop to without losing clarity. Power for the 6.67in 120Hz AMOLED display comes from a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and up to 12GB of RAM, with a 5000mAh battery that can go from empty to full in just under 20 minutes. Other niceties include Gorilla Glass 5 and an anti-glare glass back that should keep smears and smudges to a minimum – so it can stay as shiny as Xiaomi’s highly buffed crown. £699 / mi.com
Isn’t that a character from Star Trek? Mymanu’s Titan (£tba, mymanu.com) won’t be beaming anybody anywhere or propelling anything at warp speed, but it does have something in common with one famous gadget seen in the hands of Kirk, Spock and co: it doesn’t have a screen. That’s hardly unusual for a set of wireless earbuds, but it’s not all they share with Star Trek’s clamshell Communicator. The adjustable neckband also has a 4G eSIM on board, so you can use the buds to make calls without having to carry a phone around with you… although you might struggle for signal if you’re stranded on a strange planet.
They sound like a nightmare to use. We’re not totally convinced yet either, but presumably the man behind the Titan, a Ghanaian-Brit called Danny Manu, saw how successful voice-controlled smart speakers have been over the past few years and decided there was no reason it wouldn’t work if you shrunk those speakers and stuck them in your ears instead. They can access your contacts, so you can dictate texts as well as making hands-free calls, with text-to-speech converting received messages for you. But if somebody sends you a photo you’ll just have to use your imagination.
Can I still listen to my tunes?
Yawn this way
AMAZON HALO RISE How do you sleep at night? On your back? On your side? With years of embarrassing social gaffes replaying in your brain as you drift off into a restless slumber? The Halo Rise automatically detects when you climb into bed and tracks the duration, quality and stages of your journey through the land of nod, with no need to don any wrist-based kit along with your pyjamas. A built-in smart alarm clock and sunrise-mimicking light help you rise and shine rather than whine on those gloomy winter mornings, while light, humidity and temperature sensors help it to suggest things you can do to sleep better. The only thing it can’t do is help you forget that time you called your boss Mum. £tba / amazon.co.uk
Yep, Mymanu says you can use them to stream music and podcasts, although it’s not clear exactly how that’ll work if you don’t have a phone connected. Perhaps their most intriguing party piece, though, is another nod to the Star Trek universe: the built-in translator. You will need a connected phone for this as it’s powered by the MyJuno app, but when somebody speaks into that phone the app will translate and pipe it directly into your ears. It’s not quite universal like the gadget used by Hoshi Sato in Enterprise, but it does understand over 30 languages. Sadly, Klingon isn’t one of them.
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G A M E S
OUT 8 NOV
FIRST PLAY SONIC FRONTIERS PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, Switch
[ Words Alan Wen ]
Although Sonic first burst onto the scene more than 30 years ago as a fresh and fast counter to Mario, fans these days are often more content looking back at the hedgehog’s halcyon 2D days rather than the future. That’s forgivable when the Blue Blur’s 3D outings have been a bit of a mixed bag. But as we’ve had our nostalgia fix for this year with Sonic Origins, it’s time to look forward once more. In Sonic Frontiers, our heroic hog finds himself stranded on Starfall Islands, which form a new open-zone structure for 20
gameplay. While many are rushing to make Breath of the Wild comparisons, what this means in practice is the same high-speed Sonic action, but more truly three-dimensional than the linear rollercoasters of previous games. There are still lots of springs, boosters and grind rails to propel you along, but you’re basically free to speed around beautifully expansive environments taking on challenges as you see fit. Gather collectibles and you’ll find ways to unlock more of the map, or take on gargantuan
bosses – allowing you to make use of Sonic’s new combat abilities, including one where he can draw a loop trail on the ground to damage enemies. For those still resistant to this new setup, there are also Cyber Space stages that bring us back to the classic 2D and 3D linear gameplay in familiar-looking locations. So there’s a desire to push things forward while still keeping one foot in the past… in the same way that the game has been designed to perform just as well on ageing hardware like the Switch as on the latest consoles.
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FIRST LOOK OUR MINDS ARE BLOWN
WHERE WINDS MEET PC In recent years, studios from China have been flexing their capacity to hit the big leagues as trailers crop up showcasing breathtaking photorealistic graphics that also mine the country’s rich history and folklore. Where Winds Meet
is the latest example, and one that’s galvanised even more attention – not just as it’s backed by major Chinese publisher NetEase, but also because it had its stunning premiere at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Set in 10th-century China during the end of the Ten Kingdoms era and the start of the Northern Song dynasty,
this is an open-world action role-playing game where you play as a swordsman in a time of turbulence. With the epic beauty of Ghost of Tsushima and the historical sweep of Assassin’s Creed, it looks simply gorgeous. It also promises incredible gameplay depth, including sandbox exploration and interaction that makes us
think of Breath of the Wild. And besides demonstrating your acrobatic and combat prowess as a Wuxia warrior, you can use your experience to become a doctor to heal others (and yourself) or get rich as a merchant. We may not have to salivate about the possibilities for too long, as a PC beta is apparently planned for later this year.
BEST OF MORE PROMISES FROM THE EAST
LIKE A DRAGON: ISHIN!
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY
PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC Sega’s Yakuza series drops its Western name and returns to its roots as Like A Dragon – and the new era begins with this remake of a period drama spin-off originally made for PS3. Get immersed in making history in late 19th-century Japan when Ishin arrives in February.
PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC The bestselling manga and anime finally gets its own RPG on 13 January, as you journey with Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates (all playable as a party) who find themselves stranded on a mysterious island in a story written by franchise creator Eiichiro Oda.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TEARS OF THE KINGDOM Switch This year may be the first in close to a decade where Nintendo hasn’t released a Zelda game in some form, but we at least finally have an official title for the ambitious sequel to Breath of the Wild, as well as a release date of 13 May. Clear your calendar.
INCOMING NOVEMBER ● GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK ● POKEMON SCARLET & VIOLET ● HARVESTELLA ● PENTIMENT DECEMBER ● MARVEL’S MIDNIGHT SUNS ● THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL ● HIGH ON LIFE ● CRISIS CORE REUNION
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21
W H E E L S
Dacia Manifesto
MANI RIVERS TO CROSS The Manifesto can be cleaned inside and out using a jet-washer. You’ll want to remove the seat covers first, because they double as sleeping bags.
£N/A (concept) / dacia.co.uk Bit weird. Slightly, yes, but good too. The Manifesto is a concept vehicle that aims to showcase lots of Dacia’s most innovative ideas, some of which might make it to production vehicles. The somewhat spartan design has been developed with the great outdoors in mind, so that rugged exterior is matched by a hardy waterproof interior and supplemented by lots of go-anywhere accessories. What’s the point? Carmakers use concept vehicles like this to raise interest in their brand and try out new things, even if some of those things are a little bit ‘out there’. So this one has no doors, windscreen… or any other glass, for that matter. Meanwhile, the few body panels that are in evidence are made from a new material called Starkle. This funky-sounding
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NEWS DASHBOARD
product is a composite produced using lots of recycled plastic to give an unusual finish. What’s the tech like? This is a minimalist, utilitarian dream, but Dacia has covered all bases with the in-vehicle tech. There’s a chunky steering wheel with buttons to control core functions and a cool-looking digital dash. But the main thinking here is that drivers could hook up their phone in a pop-up integral compartment and tap into the computing power of that instead. How does that work? This being a concept, it doesn’t. However, Dacia suggests the Manifesto could be an EV and feature four-wheel drive, aided by airless tyres that look like something you’d get on a child’s toy. And you’ll certainly be able to see where you’re going thanks to the super-bright single headlamp.
GLAD ALL ROVER
YAY TRIPPER
MILD HORSES?
Range Rover’s Sport 3.0 Autobiography P510e blends premium looks and luxury with plug-in power. A six-cylinder petrol engine gets it from 0-62mph in 5.4secs and ultimately up to 150mph. It’ll go just about anywhere off-road thanks to a wealth of smart tech, but head into town and it switches automatically into EV mode.
Short-haul flights? Forget ’em. The Gen.Travel is how VW reckons we’ll take trips in a few decades’ time. This self-driving electric taxi concept has room for four (or two once the seats unfold into lay-flat beds) and could run multiple cars in convoy to manage 700 miles between charges. As long as the gullwing doors stay, we’re sold.
Ferrari’s new baby the Purosangue has four doors and four seats… but the Italian maker is keen to point out it’s not an SUV. It features a front/mid V12 with eight-speed transmission and has four-wheel drive to boot. An all-new active suspension system helps with handling, and we’re promised a 0-62mph figure of 3.3secs.
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Pad medicine
XBOX ELITE SERIES 2 CORE Not all of us can be pro gamers, but some like to at least pretend. Rather than making us all shell out the full £160 to cosplay with Xbox’s Elite Series 2 controller, Microsoft has launched a cheaper Core version that looks almost identical but leaves out a few of the more customisable features. You can still adjust the tension on the thumbsticks, change how much you have to pull the triggers before they engage, and swap between button layouts using the Xbox app, but you don’t get the rear paddles or additional stick and D-pad options. There’s also no charging dock or carry-case. Forgoing those will save you a full £45, though… which you can spend on some Fortnite lessons from your nephew. £115 / xbox.com
NEWS FEED B&W’S PX8 HEADPHONES ARE EAR AT LAST Hot on the heels of the five-star PX7 S2s come Bowers & Wilkins’ PX8 cans, promising “reference-quality audio” from their bespoke carbon cones. Available in black or tan leather, they feature cast aluminium arms and memory-foam cushions, with a no-not-a-typo asking price of £599.
LOGITECH IS LIVING LIFE TO THE MACS Logitech has come over all Mac-friendly, with new Apple-specific versions of its MX Mechanical Mini (£150) and K380 (£45) keyboards, along with the MX Master 3S (£120) and Lift (£70) mice. As well as easy switching between macOS, iPadOS and iOS, they promise Apple-specific layouts and colours.
REDMI’S BARGAIN SLATE IS ONE TO KEEP TABS ON The temptingly priced Redmi Pad, a 10.6in Android tablet with a 2000x1200 screen, is heading to the UK. Its 90Hz refresh rate should deliver slicker scrolling than most cut-price tabs, while the MediaTek Helio G99 CPU and 6GB of RAM should keep it running smoothly. It’s available for £269.
Livin’ on repair
FRAMEWORK LAPTOP CHROMEBOOK EDITION They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – but too often we don’t try to mend stuff even when it is. Framework’s modular laptops are designed to be easily reparable by their owners, with how-to guides on the website. This 13.5in Chromebook comes with a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-1240, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, but you also get a screwdriver in the box that’ll allow you to upgrade or replace any bits you want. Expansion cards even let you choose which ports it has, including USB-C, HDMI and Ethernet, or you can use the slots to add extra storage. Good news for clumsy people, the planet and your bank balance alike. £tba / frame.work
AND FINALLY… GOOGLE STADIA GETS FADIER Yes, Google is pulling the plug on its game-streaming service. Stadia, which allows users to play games from the cloud on almost any device with an internet connection, will shut on 18 January, with anyone who bought hardware or games from the Google Store eligible for a refund.
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STUFF MEETS
George Fryer
BOWERS & WILKINS’ IN-CAR GURU ON BRINGING THE NOISE TO THE BMW iX AND BEYOND With the speakers in the electric iX, one of the biggest changes from the BMWs of the past is how we’ve integrated subwoofers. Now we have batteries under the floor, so we have to look at more novel ways to find space for subwoofers to operate. This project began with a demo car to look into topics like ‘How do you get the best bass performance when you no longer have access to volumes beneath the floor?’ So there’s quite a different approach to bass in this one, and I think it’s pretty evident in the listening experience. We actually started out with a previous-generation BMW 7 Series to try things out, and used a number of different bass solutions: subwoofers beneath the seats as they are in the 7 Series, in the trunk, beneath the rear seats. It gave us a chance to play and see what works and what doesn’t.
for them to understand our requirements and also for us to be sympathetic to theirs.
We see some real benefits in the tech transfer from our speaker range to automotive. We’re targeting the same metrics, and the same performance benefits from those technologies. The tuning of the audio is bespoke to every car. There’ll be an early sort of ‘vehicle tuning’, which is more just a question of checking everything functions as it should and getting an initial understanding of how the bass performs in the car, trying to kind of get a feel for the system. And then further down the line as we get closer to production we’ll have a final tuning session, which is where we’ll really dial in the details. Obviously, dynamic tuning
is a big part of that as well: making sure the car sounds just as good statically as it does when it’s driving. There’s also a bit more of a focus on the different sound modes. Our first focus is ‘studio’, a stereo tuning if you like, and then we look to build on that to create a bit more immersion, a bit more of a sense of fun.
The fact that BMW and other manufacturers are so willing to celebrate Bowers & Wilkins’ inclusion in a car means that all those conversations we have about loudspeaker placement are much easier. With us there’s a desire for the grilles and the brand name to
be visible throughout the cabin. So we get tweeters nice and high in the doors or in the mirror, exactly where we want them. We can take this forward to the next car. I’d say our best system is always our latest one – it’s an incremental improvement process. We learn as we go and like to keep moving things forward.
First and foremost we start with, and tune with, lossless audio. That is our focal point. We do of course check all other formats as best we can and make sure things sound as reasonable as they can. But fundamentally, if it’s not good quality coming in then there’s very little we can do to make it better. I mean, there are algorithms out there that claim to improve the quality of compressed audio in the automotive space. But it’s not really something that we give a great deal of thought to. It’s about quality first.
“WE TUNE WITH LOSSLESS AUDIO – IF IT’S NOT GOOD QUALITY COMING IN, THERE’S LITTLE WE CAN DO WITH IT”
[ Interview Dan Grabham ]
Bass is the first thing that gets firmed up in the design. Then we start to talk with design teams about interior themes and how we can complement the work they’re doing. Clearly weight is always on car manufacturers’ minds, but with the iX it was more about the best-quality audio: a real focus on immersion.
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Speaker placement is a bit of an education for both BMW and B&W. We really take the time to educate the design teams on what we want. With the demo car we really try to demonstrate the very best positions that can be and then, working with the design team as it progresses, try to refine it. It’s important
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TOTAL PRIZE VALUE £1486
WIN A DENON HOME 5.1 LIVING-ROOM CINEMA SETUP! Our lead feature this issue shows you how to beef up your hi-fi – but what about your home cinema system? If movie explosions lack the immersive power you desire, then look no further than this awesome Denon 5.1 surround-sound setup, all controlled from the HEOS app. This superb bundle includes the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 (RRP £599), a pair of Denon Home 150 speakers (£219 each) and a Denon Home Subwoofer (£449). The Home Sound Bar 550 is built to deliver best-in-class audio quality with advanced acoustic hardware, expertly tuned digital signal processing and premium drivers. The additional Home 150s can be paired as dedicated rear speakers, creating a dynamic surround-sound experience. And for extra-deep bass impact, you’ve also got the dedicated Home Subwoofer. What a package! Find out more at denon.com – and see right for how to scoop the whole lot.
HOW TO ENTER Ready to supercharge your music and movies? For your chance to win this competition, go to stuff.tv/win and answer this question:
WHAT IS DENON’S MULTIROOM SHARING TECH CALLED? A… HEOS B… AMOS C… FAMOS
HURRY! COMPETITION CLOSES 1 DECEMBER 2022
Terms & conditions: 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over. 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 1 Dec 2022. 3 Prizes are as stated. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person. Full Ts & Cs: kelsey.co.uk/competition-terms-conditions/ Promoter: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL.
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FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 14 PRO
Pilly cam, it was really nothing The Dynamic Island housing the iPhone 14 Pro’s selfie-cam is a lot smarter than the old notch, but is it enough to satisfy progress-hungry Apple fans?
from £1099 / go.stuff.tv/14Pro
pple’s iPhone development cycle has a problem… and that problem is the cycle itself. The iPhone 11 offered a superb new night mode; the 12 brought a big design change; the 13 remixed the formula and added some decent enhancements, notably in battery life and screen
[ Words Dan Grabham ]
A
brightness. But it looked the same, aside from a downsizing of the notorious ‘notch’ housing the selfie-cam and the hardware for Face ID. And the iPhone 14 series? It’s a reworking of the same design again, and doesn’t really push things on. There is, though, a change to the notch. In fact, the iPhone 14 Pro does away with
it entirely, with the in-display camera cutouts forming a pill shape called the Dynamic Island. What’s more, there are various ways to interact with it in the iOS 16 software. As we’ll see over the page, it does bring a different dimension to this handset. As you’d expect from a new Pro, the cameras have been improved. It’s still the same fine
trio of wide, ultrawide and telephoto, but the front camera and rear flash are beefed up while the main cam is boosted from 12MP to 48MP. There are lots more camera tweaks, but this year’s iPhones do have a problem: pricing in the UK has risen by £150, with the 1TB model hitting £1649. That’s a hike by any standards.
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FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 14 PRO
1
3
1
Swell I wonder
Only Apple could turn a notch redesign into a standalone feature it can promote. And it has succeeded in making the expanding Dynamic Island into a nice interactive experience. But it is just a UI change – there’s no real new functionality.
2 I won’t glare you
3 Def at one’s elbow
The display is brighter – it can hit 2000 nits in sunlight – but it doesn’t feel much different. And you can set it to be always-on; this shows a dim version of your wallpaper, and so seems more thirsty than other makers’ more selective always-on displays.
4 Unhappy berth day In the US, all iPhone 14 models are eSIM only. But that’s not the case for the UK: over here we have the same global model as many other countries, so we think it might be a couple of years before we lose the SIM slot. (The Lightning port is likely to have gone before then.)
The rear triple-camera setup is predictably reliable, with an impressive level of detail from the 48MP main snapper. There’s also a slight improvement to the (already great) low-light mode, and macro gets a leg up with 3x optical zoom instead of 2x.
5 The green is dead This year’s colour of the moment is deep purple, according to Apple, and it replaces last year’s sierra blue and divisive alpine green. But the Pro series is also available in gold, silver and space black – ours is the latter and it has a handsome matt finish.
5
Good Meh Evil
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24 hours with the Apple iPhone 14 Pro
2mins 30
5mins
15mins 30mins
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FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 14 PRO
Tech specs Screen 6.1in 2556x1179 120Hz OLED Processor A16 Bionic RAM 6GB OS iOS 16 Storage 128/256/512GB/1TB Cameras 48+12+12MP rear, 12MP front Battery 3200mAh (Lightning, Qi, MagSafe) Dimensions 148x72x7.9mm, 206g
You just haven’t learned it yet, baby There are several software features new to the 14 Pro and the Pro Max over on p32 – here’s what we think
4
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2
10hrs
12hrs 14hrs
23hrs
n Still shrill
n Still pill
The always-on display is very… well, always-on. It dims your wallpaper and your iOS 16 widgets but it’s too bright. This really needs to be customisable: all we really want to see is the time and the widgets.
The Dynamic Island has a lot of integration with Apple software, but third-party apps are slow to take advantage of the concept. Often it’s still just a black blob – and no less intrusive than the notch.
n Still skill
n Spill drill
Action mode is actually pretty clever – if you’re following a moving object like a kid on a bike, it gives your video much more stability. It’s not a match for a decent gimbal, but fine for casual vids.
It’s not just the Watch that has crash detection – the iPhone 14 series has it as well. This uses numerous sensors, including the accelerometer, mics and GPS. We haven’t tested it on a rollercoaster yet…
The iPhone 14 Pro is a brilliant phone and the Dynamic Island is clever. But if we’re being critical – which is our job, after all – the always-on display isn’t the best implementation, while pricing is a problem – you need to really want that upgrade above an iPhone 12 or 13. It’s only truly worth it if you’ve been waiting to upgrade from an iPhone 11. @DanGrabham
STUFF SAYS HHHH✩ A brilliant phone with some noteworthy new features, but it’s got more expensive
24hrs
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FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 14 PRO
The alternatives: Two more new iPhones Not quite convinced by the 14 Pro? For a bit more or a bit less, Apple has a couple of other handsome devils to tempt you with…
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max from £1199 / go.stuff.tv/14ProMax
Apple iPhone 14 from £849 / go.stuff.tv/iPhone14
What’s the story? The Pro Max model is essentially just a bigger version of the 14 Pro (6.7in compared to 6.1in), but it also comes with a bigger battery. Aside from that, the processor, cameras and everything else is identical to the smaller Pro model. Except, of course, for the price.
What’s the story? The iPhone 14 looks identical to the 13 – but is that a bad thing? The main cosmetic difference between this and the two Pro models is the lack of a Dynamic Island – it sticks with the old-style notch design. Inside it has the same A15 Bionic chip as last year’s model.
Is it any good? On paper the iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple’s best phone, but it’s not for everyone. Big and heavy, it’s only for people who really need that extra screen space. Do you? Well, it does make photo, video and audio editing (and gaming) easier, and the A16 Bionic chip isn’t fazed by any of it. There’s no obvious improvement in battery life over last year’s Pro Max, but no major drop either – and that’s with the always-on display. Got big hands and an even bigger bank balance? This is the iPhone for you.
Is it any good? It’s difficult to think of another annual iPhone update that’s added less ‘new’ to the package, but the 14 is still a brilliant and highly capable phone that’s a formidable tool for anyone. The area that’s had the most notable boost is the camera. The main 12MP snapper now has the same f/1.5 sensor that was used in the 13 Pro and the pictures it takes are generally excellent. The new Action mode only works in good light but it does a good job of killing the shakes. Oh, and the selfie-cam has autofocus.
KEY SPECS Screen 6.7in 2796x1290 120Hz OLED Processor A16 Bionic Cameras 48+12+12MP rear, 12MP front Battery 4323mAh Dimensions 161x78x7.9mm, 240g
KEY SPECS Screen 6.1in 2532x1170 60Hz OLED Processor A15 Bionic Cameras 12+12MP rear, 12MP front Battery 3279mAh Dimensions 147x72x7.8mm, 172g
Stuff says HHHHH
Stuff says HHHHH Really moves the Pro Max on… but all this quality has a price
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A superb smartphone, even if the hardware upgrades are minimal
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Incredible wireless sound. In every room. HEOS® Built-in is the secret ingredient that makes Denon products compatible with all of your favorite smart devices. Not only does it provide a simple and intuitive way of wirelessly connecting HEOSenabled Denon speakers, AV receivers, sound bars and amplifiers, it allows you to effortlessly control them using the HEOS® app.
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HIGH-END HUGGERS
CLASSY CLOCKS
TIDAL TICKERS
UPVOTED
The sea sweeper
The eco educator
The solar saviour
Timex Waterbury Ocean Time might be money, but this Timex proves a decent watch doesn’t have to cost the earth. As well as saving you from penury, it’s also designed to save the seas from plastic pollution: its strap, dial and lightweight case all use recycled waste that would otherwise have ended up in the oceans. £90 / timex.co.uk
Sea2See Seal 06 With a recycled PET strap and marine plastic case, the Seal 06’s sustainable credentials are watertight. But Sea2See also pays it forward: every watch sale funds 10 days of schooling for a child rescued from fishing exploitation in Ghana. Which, like the vibrant dial, should make a lasting impact. €179 / sea2see.org
MVMT Minimal Sport Ocean Plastic Who needs vowels anyway? From its wavy second hand to dial accents inspired by bioluminescence, everything about this ticker is a tribute to the sea. That includes the use of reclaimed plastic pollution for the case, strap and buckle. It also has a solar panel beneath the dial for renewable fuelling. £169 / mvmt.com
ECO WATCHES The material mixer Mondaine Essence Mondaine makes a timely entry to the eco revolution with its Essence collection, employing a mix of recycled and renewable materials. Take this pared-back green piece: its case uses nylon derived from castor oil, while the recycled plastic strap sits comfy with a cork lining. £189 / uk.mondaine.com
The peaceful piece Triwa Humanium 39 This one goes beyond green righteousness: attached to a recycled PET strap, the 39’s metal jacket is made from melted-down illegal weapons. From each watch sale, 15% is used to help rehabilitate victims of armed violence and to fund the destruction of further weaponry. £229 / triwa.com
The low-carbon luxury
The distinctive dial
The circular sailor
ID Geneve Circular S Here’s some second-hand news: melted in a solar furnace, the recycled steel in this top-tier timer has a claimed carbon impact 165 times smaller than the conventional equivalent. And the rest of the story is similarly sustainable, including a strap made with green waste from London’s parks. CHF3940 / idwatch.ch
Oris Aquis Date Upcycle If the face is the mirror of the mind, then the patterned profile of this Swiss watch should give you a clue as to its eco ideas. Available in two sizes, it has a colourful dial whose design is determined by the process used to recycle its source plastic. So no two versions will look quite the same. £1800 / oris.ch
Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic Calanda Removing one ship from the sea won’t stop water levels rising, but re-using steel from retired vessels will at least keep carbon emissions down. The shell of this watch is crafted using steel that’s 100% recycled, sourced mainly from the maritime industry. £1595 / alpinawatches.com
HOW TO DECIDE 34
With the climate clock ticking ever more insistently, Chris Rowlands kits out his wrist with nine timepieces that count the seconds in sustainable style
1 Big time Size definitely matters when it comes to buckling up. Some models are large or small by design, but many are offered in two variants to suit different wrists.
2 Down time Most watches offer some water-resistance, but ATM ratings don’t correspond to real-world depths. 3ATM is splashproof, while 10ATM is fine for swimming; divers need 20ATM or more.
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UPVOTED
The clay clasper Swatch Big Bold Bioceramic While you waste time on TikTok, Swatch is trying to create less waste with its tick-tocks. By blending ceramic with a plant-based plastic alternative, it’s created Bioceramic: a material that feels similar to silicone but benefits from extra sturdiness. This watch uses the stuff for its oversized case. It comes in a wide range of colourways, all of them reassuringly Swatchy. from £108 / swatch.com
3 Out of time Few watches require winding nowadays, but battery-powered tickers will still need their cells changing periodically. Automatic models use the movement of your wrist to keep ticking.
4 Spare time Certain watches come with fitted straps that can’t be switched. Like to mix things up? Opt for one with swappable bands. Some feature fiddly pins, while others use a quick-release buckle.
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LISTEN TO THE POWER, PEOPLE [ Words Simon Lucas, Andrew Williams, Dan Grabham, Sam Kieldsen ]
Not everything has to be on the go. Listening to great music at home is what it’s all about here, with the best in hi-fi gear including speakers, amps and turntables, multiroom audio, hefty Bluetooth boomboxes and streamers too. So chill out in your favourite armchair and make time to listen.
S O N OS SU B M INI £429 / go.stuff.tv/SubMini onos has had a busy few months: it dropped the optical-only Sonos Ray soundbar in our laps, as well as some new colours for the Roam. And it introduced its own voice assistant. Now it’s back with this – a smaller wireless subwoofer to slot in the range beneath the £749 Sonos Sub. Sonos is quite explicit that the Sub Mini is designed for small-to-medium spaces and to work with lower-priced Sonos gear, particularly the Ray and Beam on the soundbar front, but also the One series of speakers and Ikea Symfonisk gear. Which is not to say it won’t work
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with other products like the Arc, but that’s not what it’s designed for. This is not really a subtle device but it won’t cause your in-laws to balk at its bulk either: the Sub Mini is 31cm tall and 23cm across. As with other Sonos products it’s available in black or white, and the setup procedure is just about seamless. The Beam has impressive sound on its own, including support for Dolby Atmos, but its bass capabilities were certainly shown up by the addition of the Sub Mini to our setup. It really pushes things to a new level in audio quality and low-end grunt, thanks to its pair of 6in
force-cancelling woofers working with dual Class-D amplifiers. It’s brilliant with some of our favourite testing music, from the Chemical Brothers to Dua Lipa. In terms of TV shows and movies – which is really where you’ll find the listening experience most enhanced by this speaker – the difference is remarkable for incidental music and effects in particular (hi, Jurassic Park!) – but crucially it isn’t ever to the detriment of dialogue. We didn’t have a single moment where we thought the sound needed to be more effective in any way. But what’s perhaps most impressive is the complete
lack of distortion as the bass ramps up – if you put your hand on top of the Sub Mini you can only feel a small amount of vibration even while some big beats are being dropped. The Sub Mini brings a huge amount to the party (especially if you are having a party). But the best thing about it is that it isn’t too in-your-face – it brings the bass alright, but it’s controlled and liveable-with bass. Key specs ● 2x 6in woofers, output power not stated ● Wi-Fi, Ethernet ● 305x230x230mm, 6.35kg
STUFF SAYS Give yourself the gift of powerful yet dynamic low-end frequencies ★★★★★ 36
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Hitch school Connect the Sub Mini to another Sonos product and it’ll take over the low frequencies, leaving the other gear to focus on the higher-up stuff.
Tonehenge If you’re using the Sub Mini with the iOS app you’ll be able to tune it to the room with Trueplay, to ensure the sound best fits your home.
Swell whole As you’d expect, the volume stays in sync with your paired soundbar or speaker, adjusted by your TV remote or the Sonos app.
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HI-FI AMPS Cans, you feel the love tonight Headphone outputs are often an afterthought in hi-fi amps. Not here. You get a Class AA circuit for high-quality output.
TECHN ICS SU-G700M2 £2199 / technics.com here’s a certain old-school charm to buying a classic stereo amplifier these days. So why not really lean into it? Technics certainly has with the design of the SU-G700M2. Those dual light-up VU meters… that elegant but reassuringly giant metal casing, cutting such a confidently severe figure in silver. Were it not for the little display on the front, you could probably convince someone this thing was made in the ’70s. Some of Technics’ usual approach to features bleeds into this style too. You won’t
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find Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or Spotify Connect in this beautiful lump of aluminium. Extras are purist picks like a Class AA headphone amplifier and a quality phono stage, to let you plug in a record player. Sure, you can connect a stack of analogue and digital sources, and hook up your PC using the USB port. But you may end up wondering why the SU-G700M2 belongs in 2022, let alone how Technics managed to come up with a new version of it in the last 12 months. Well, the insides of this amp are much less old-school than you’d probably guess. This is a
pure digital amplifier. In classic designs, digital signals would be converted to analogue before hitting the main circuit. But here anything not already digital is turned into tasty 1s and 0s using Burr-Brown PCM1804 converters. Yes, this amp only deals in digital. That means none of the warm colouration some hi-fi heads get so excited about, just a confident and transparent – and entirely epic – sound output. It shares significant chunks of its tech with the legendary Technics SU-R1000, which will set you back seven grand. And unlike so many areas of tech, this stuff won’t age
like this month’s Bluetooth standard or a streaming service app that will break once it stops being updated. We’re talking about the ‘silent hybrid’ power supply and LAPC, which improves the linearity of your speakers’ frequency response. Timeless tech? Perhaps, but we have to admit we’re 50% here for all that silver bodywork and those lovely VU meters. Key specs ● 70W+70W Class D ● USB, 2x optical, 2x coaxial, 2x analogue line in, phono ● 430x428x148mm, 12.6kg
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I just can’t wait to be bling The only giveaway this amp isn’t decades old, the screen shows the input currently selected and the source sample rate.
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CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AXA35
MCINTOSH MA8950
Cambridge Audio provided the first ever amplifier for countless CD fans back in the pre-streaming days. And guess what? It still plays that same role in 2022. The AXA35 is a sturdy, decent-looking amp with 35W per channel and a built-in phono stage for record players. There’s an even cheaper 25W model too, but we think the extra £20-50 is worth paying for the display, phono stage and bonus power. The main bad bit: we get zero digital inputs here, which you may want in order to upgrade the sound of your TV or PC. £299 / cambridgeaudio.com
You can recognise a McIntosh amplifier from 50 paces. They’re big units, with an aggressive look; the VU meters light up in blue, the McIntosh logo in green. At 34kg and almost 50cm deep, this isn’t an amp to be messed with. Unusually, it can provide 200W per channel regardless of the impedance of your speakers; and unlike the previous MA8900 model, it has an HDMI socket for direct connection to your TV over ARC. You might find those signature LEDs distracting in a movie room, but a bold look and a bold sound is the McIntosh way. £12,495 / mcintoshlabs.com
DENON PMA-900HNE Integrated amplifiers don’t have to be technologically regressive, you know? The Denon PMA-900HNE is an 85W-per-channel stereo amp with baked-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Denon HEOS support. Sure, this does also make it a networked streamer to an extent, but you also get a stack of digital and analogue inputs for all your other gear. There’s no HDMI – the TV input uses optical – but this thing is still flexible compared to most rivals. It has modern chops for a stereo amp, but the overall vibe is still pretty old-school here. £899 / denon.com
NOW SPIN THESE… AVANT-POP
NOW ADD THESE… HifiMan Edition XS For when everyone has gone to bed, or doesn’t want to listen to your nonsense, get a quality pair of headphones like the Edition XS. These are ultra-comfy planar magnetic cans. Their open-back design makes them useless for the outdoors but they are famous for their epic sound and separation. £479 / hifiman.com
LOUIS COLE IN TIME (2018) Louis Cole spits out whisper-sung lines with shades of Prince and Jackson as he sits at the drum stool weaving a tight underlay of pop-funk on kick, snare and hi-hat. Catchy, distinctive and a bit odd.
CAROLINE POLACHEK PANG (2019) This is Polachek’s first album released under her own name, following the split of her band Chairlift. Rock-solid songwriting is given extra layers of interest by quirky sonic textures.
SOPHIE OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES (2018) The lone full-length release from one of the brightest stars of electronic music, who tragically died in 2021, is a masterful combination of pop songwriting and wild sound design.
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HOLLY HERNDON PLATFORM (2015) Dense constructions of samples that cascade over each other, often in jagged staccato rhythms, don’t sound like the stuff of pop music. But Herndon’s voice makes it listenable.
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Poker bass It may be made for two-speaker setups but there’s also a socket for a sub on the back. You can even use two Edges for surround sound.
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NAD C 700 This NAD streamer is what we consider a classic design for this style of hi-fi separate. There’s a large 5in screen on the front to show off all that album art, taking us back to the day when a dream hi-fi was a box that would fit a whole music collection on a hard drive. You can do that here if you like, but the C 700’s real job is to be the one middle-man unit between the streaming world and your passive speakers. It has an 80W-per-channel amplifier inside, runs BluOS and supports Roon as well as AirPlay, with aptX HD for high-quality streaming over Bluetooth. £1299 / nadelectronics.com
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO CXN V2
IFI AUDIO ZEN AIR BLUE
The easy-to-recommend CXN streamer box has been around for a couple of years now but is still one of the best around, particularly now that it can often be picked up for £200 less than its original cost. It’s a DAC, it’s a preamp, it’s a way to get streamed content from (most likely) your smartphone to a set of speakers. But it’s not an amplifier – you’ll still need one of those. Even so, it’s renowned for its sound quality and, despite its age, has all the modern wireless tech you need, including Chromecast and AirPlay 2. £799 / cambridgeaudio.com
If you want to add streaming to an old hi-fi, the old gatekeepers of the volume knob might laugh at you for using a Bluetooth adapter. But iFi has some news for them. The Zen Air Blue is packed with just about every Bluetooth tech under the sun to basically eradicate the obvious quality compromise. We’re talking codecs, folks: aptX HD, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, LDAC and AAC to name just a few. It costs about a fifth of the price of a good Wi-Fi streaming base station, and includes a Sabre DAC to keep the whole chain’s quality level riding high. £99 / ifi-audio.com
NOW SPIN THESE… THRASH METAL
NOW ADD THIS… Roon
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SLAYER REIGN IN BLOOD (1986)
EXODUS BONDED BY BLOOD (1985)
Widely regarded as the best thrash metal album of them all, Reign in Blood still sounds vital and potent more than 35 years after its release. There isn’t an ounce of fat on it.
Once you’ve laid your thrash roots with Metallica and Slayer, try out Exodus’s debut: brimming with the fast riffs and air of violence that made thrash stand out from its inception.
MUNICIPAL WASTE THE ART OF PARTYING (2007) Not all thrash takes itself seriously. This fine record features superficially juvenile songs with a sound ripped straight from the ’80s, but with a heavy hardcore punk influence.
VEKTOR TERMINAL REDUX (2016) What happens when prog meets thrash? This is one answer. It’s a sci-fi-themed concept album that matches the speed and intensity of the genre with less rigid ideas of structure and harmony.
To get all the way down the streaming rabbit hole, you have to try Roon. This platform aggregates your locally stored music, iTunes libraries, Qobuz and Tidal. It costs as much as a full streaming service but doesn’t unlock access to music itself. However, it does get rid of those classic NAS drive jukebox streaming headaches, with a nice shiny interface. from $10/m / roonlabs.com
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STREAMERS Zapperazzi There is an IR receiver, but Bluesound doesn’t include the RC1 remote control. An extra £50 for one? We’ll manage without, thanks.
B LU E S OU ND P OWERN OW E RNODE ODE E DGE £599 / bluesound.com ome folks think of Bluesound as a Sonos equivalent for those obsessed with superior sound quality. And this, unsurprisingly, often comes with a slightly higher price attached. Well, the Powernode Edge’s job is to twiddle that pricing knob a bit and open up Bluesound’s legendary chops to a slightly wider audience. The premise is simple: you plug any passive speakers you like into the Powernode Edge and it turns them into smart streaming speakers. Yep, even those boxy old things from the ’80s in the loft. This means the Edge
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has a built-in amplifier, and it’s far more elegant and lounge-friendly than the average stereo hi-fi amp. It weighs just 1.37kg, is 219mm long, and has just about all the most important features of the long-standing, much-loved and higher-priced original Powernode. You can plug your TV into it, removing the need for more of those separates boxes that your other half hates. And it slots into the BluOS multiroom platform, for smooth access to loads of streaming services including Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. Unlike some older-style streaming units, there’s no
big colour screen here. But do you really need one with that phone in your pocket? Instead we get a row of capacitive touch-buttons for basic playback control. The techy stuff that really matters is on the inside, such as aptX HD Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and – for the real hardcore folks – Roon. There’s no Chromecast on offer here but you can hook up a pair of wireless headphones because, unusually, the Edge has two-way Bluetooth. So why on earth would you buy the older Bluesound Powernode when it costs
£250 more? Good question. The Edge’s amp has 40W per channel, to 80W each in its big brother. If you’re planning on hooking up a pair of giant, hard-to-drive behemoths, you might need that extra power. But for a set of bookshelf speakers playing at polite volumes much of the time? Bluesound knows what it’s doing – you’ll be fine with this more affordable option. Key specs ● 40W+40W Class D ● HDMI eARC, Ethernet, 3.5mm, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi ● 219x193x45mm, 1.37kg
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PASSIVE SPEAKERS Up slide down The original 700 introduced ‘Inverted Driver Geometry’, and Mission’s been putting tweeters below bigger drivers ever since.
M ISSION 7 00 £1299 (pair) / mission.co.uk t happened in the car industry a while back with the Mini, Beetle and Fiat 500 – and now it’s happening to the audio business. Especially where loudspeakers are concerned, companies are looking to their heritage when developing new products – and they seem to be going down a storm with customers. And of course, it doesn’t do any harm if you have a heritage as considerable as that of Mission. These 700 standmounters represent the second time Mission has delved into its own past to produce a new speaker – and, just as with the 770 from earlier this year, this is nostalgia brought right up to date. Everything everyone always loved about the way the original 700 speaker looked – the main driver sitting above the offset tweeter, the gaping bass reflex port, the bright white front baffle and the rotten company logo – is present and correct on the new version. But this is no sentimental journey: the soft-dome tweeter and mineral-loaded polypropylene mid/bass driver are state-of-the-art designs. The result is a loudspeaker that has all
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the merit of the 1980 original (which is down, in large part, to the hefty dimensions of the cabinet itself) but with the benefits of 21st-century engineering. So the sound of the Mission 700 is appropriately big, with real low-frequency authority and agility. There’s plenty of across-the-board detail retrieved, and that oversized tweeter combines refinement with genuine bite. Dynamic headroom is considerable – when the going gets rowdy you’ll know all about it. The open nature of the soundstage means you get real clarity, and while there’s plenty of aggression these units are capable of deft subtlety too. Ultimately you’re not short of choice when it comes to loudspeakers at this sort of money – and let’s face it, ‘retro’ may not be an entirely positive word if you’re a future-loving Stuff reader. But once you hear the Mission 700s in action, the fact that they’re designed to look like a throwback ceases to be their main selling point. Key specs ● 1in tweeter, 6.5in mid/bass driver, bass reflex port ● 510x270x260mm, 6.5kg each
NOW ADD THESE… Mission 700 Stands If you’re going to go the whole ‘modern retro’ hog, then you’re going to need the bespoke stands that Mission has developed for this speaker. It’s precision ironmongery (or high-carbon steelmongery, to be absolutely accurate), providing crucial isolation. £299 / mission.co.uk 42
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I’m still plating Design elements are as true to the original as possible, down to hand-applied wood veneers and a laminated white front baffle.
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Monitor Audio Bronze 200
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary
Somehow, Monitor Audio has managed to make its most affordable floorstanding speaker look like something far more expensive. As a rule, budget-orientated floorstanders will be overtly built down to a price, but the Bronze 200 is the exception to that rule. It looks quite sophisticated… and that impression gets stronger when you hear a pair. These are a spirited wide-screen listen, with plenty to say about the finer details of recordings. There must have been compromises made here, but in sound terms they’re mighty hard to spot. £649 / monitoraudio.com
Sure, £599 is not insignificant money to drop on a pair of standmounting speakers. But it’s possible to spend plenty more and end up with something much less rewarding than the B&W 606 S2 Anniversaries. The clarity and agility these speakers demonstrate is by no means a given, and neither is the dynamism and low-end punch they can muster. You can’t take this standard of build and finish for granted either… and when you consider just how long you’re likely to be enjoying them, the price starts to look like a bit of a steal. £599 / bowerswilkins.com
KEF LS50 Meta It doesn’t matter how demanding you are with speakers, and it doesn’t matter exactly what it is you’re demanding about; these KEFs meet all your requirements. If it’s sound quality you’re interested in, they’ll knock your socks off with their speed, presence, realism and musicality. If looks are what’s important, examine that gracefully curved front baffle and the Uni-Q driver arrangement that puts the tweeter in the throat of the main driver. And if you want innovation, check the Metamaterial Absorption Technology that gives this excellent speaker its name. £999 / uk.kef.com
NOW SPIN THESE… DISCO
DAFT PUNK RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES (2013) Mostly made with real instruments played by talented session musicians, this is an exquisite love letter to disco. Rarely has deep sub-bass sounded so gigantic.
CHIC C’EST CHIC (1978) There’s more to this than just Le Freak: it’s a watertight band at its best, with never a wasted moment. So much of the skill here is in the production, with superbly blended instrumentation and backing vocals.
VARIOUS SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977)
JESSIE WARE WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE? (2020)
From a massive movie, this is a killer soundtrack. The tale of the Bee Gees is inextricably linked with this record – the world hadn’t felt a cultural impact like it since Beatlemania.
Paying tribute to New York’s underground disco scene, this record can be filed alongside Future Nostalgia as one of the early 2020s’ finest disco-pop fusion moments.
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Adam A7V
KEF LSX II
Audio Pro A38
These are studio reference monitors, but are an excellent pick for a home office or smaller living-room setup, particularly if you’re going to be the only one listening most of the time. They’re near-field monitors, made for ears that will sit just a few feet away; but as you might imagine with studio boxes, their poise and fidelity is hard to beat. The series is famous for its ultra-detailed ribbon tweeters, and this model has easy and quick-to-use controls that let you tailor the sound to suit the room. Too close to the wall? Drop the bass a notch with a single button-press. £1189 / adam-audio.com
KEF has probably done more for the ‘cool factor’ of active speakers more than any other company in the last few years. Its products are frequently both class leaders and style icons. The LSX IIs come in red, blue, gold, black or white, laughing boring black boxes out of the listening room. They’re wireless too, although naturally one of the pair has inputs — including HDMI for direct connection to your TV. They sound awesome, scaling back what the much larger (and pricier) LS50 Wireless IIs do, making them a better fit for the average living room or home studio. £1199 / uk.kef.com
Audio Pro calls the A38s a ‘soundbar killer’, but from where you’re sitting they may just look like a pair of classic petite floorstanders. We get what Audio Pro is going for here, though. This style lets you get a wider, clearer stereo soundfield than a soundbar without using DSP. And because they have wireless, multiroom and HDMI built in, there’s no need for a separate amp and receiver. Each tower has a wide-firing BMR driver and two 4.5in bass units, for bass output down to a rumbly 32Hz. Film fans are welcome to add an extra sub, but that’s very much optional. £800 / audiopro.com
Matt people Black or white? Those are your two finish options for the Active 400s; unlike some other Q Acoustics models, they’re matt only.
NOW SPIN THESE… ELECTRONICA
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THE FIELD CUPID’S HEAD (2013)
JON HOPKINS SINGULARITY (2018)
This is music you sink into. It’s a bubblebath brain massage that adopts some of the best concepts of traditional minimalism to create evolving soundscapes. This album goes places.
Hopkins makes some of the most evocative electronic music out there. Singularity feels like an intense movie soundtrack, but one not constrained by the need to fit in with scenes or steamroll over any action.
ANNA MEREDITH VARMINTS (2016)
LUKE ABBOTT MODERN DRIVEWAY (2012)
At the very least check out the first track, Nautilus. It’s an intense rolling wave of synth brass that builds and builds. Meredith has already won an MBE for her music, and it’s obvious why.
The title track of this EP is a near-perfect slice of electronic immersion. Its metronomic pulse only gives way in brief moments to introduce new harmonic ideas. Ultra-memorable.
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ACTIVE SPEAKERS
Q AC ACOUST OUST IC ICS S AC T IVE 400 £2299 (pair) / qacoustics.co.uk he classic image of the active speaker is a petite and stylish bookshelf unit. It makes sense. With built-in amps, these speakers cut out cables to keep your home looking slick – but the Q Acoustics Active 400s are something else. These are 82.5cm-tall floorstanders, and look quite unlike any other hi-fi speakers. Space-age polished pods with only small visible drivers up front, they’re living-room statement pieces. There’s also a lot more going on here than you can see. Two long-excursion bass drivers live on the back of each enclosure, and the two front drivers are BMRs. That stands for ‘balanced mode radiator’ – a kind of speaker that spits out sound in a full 180°, meaning you can pretty much place these boxes wherever they’ll look good. Sweet spot begone. Q Acoustics uses a hub box to wring as much functionality out of these floorstanders as possible. Because while making a wireless speaker is easy, you want to be able to plug your TV in, right? The Active Hub takes the same HDMI ARC connection as a
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Sound division The front looks largely blank, but only because the two bass drivers face the rear, aided by side sound vents and a rear bass port.
soundbar, as well as optical and phono inputs. For wireless use you can connect using Chromecast or AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, UPnP, or Spotify Connect. This stack of options naturally invites Tidal and other services to the party too. The Hub converts any signal you throw its way to the 24-bit/96kHz feed that’s actually sent to the speakers. Expect a totally breezy experience, and room-filling sound that doesn’t beg for a subwoofer (though you can connect one to the Hub if you want to). The one part to mull over for a minute is the character of those BMR drivers. They’re perfect for situations when you don’t want to be rooted to one spot to get a top-tier experience… but classic cone designs can often get you better dynamics — you just have to be in the right spot to truly appreciate them. Key specs ● 140W each ● 2x 4.5in woofers, 2x 2.5in BMR drivers ● HDMI, optical, phono, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi ● 825x320x290mm, 17.5kg each
NOW ADD THIS… Google Nest Mini If your active speaker can connect to Google Home over Wi-Fi, you should be able to use the Nest Mini to send music to it, or adjust volume, with a voice command. It’s Google’s smallest smart speaker, and doesn’t sound too bad itself. £49 / store.google.com
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TURNTABLES
Whirled in motion The platter is turned by direct drive rather than belt drive. Cambridge says this is better for stability and speed consistency.
CAM BRID BRIDG G E AUDIO ALVA T T V2 £1699 / cambridgeaudio.com ome companies try to launch products no one even realised they wanted – but with the original Alva TT, Cambridge Audio served up a turntable lots of people wanted but didn’t think was achievable. And having given the world its first wireless record player capable of hi-res streaming (and taken all the plaudits that went with it), Cambridge is back with a updated and upgraded version. The Alva TT v2 looks a lot like the model it replaces, which is no bad thing; but if you look closely you’ll see some changes, and if you read
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the spec-sheet even more closely you’ll see more. Still, fundamentally, the TT v2 is an evolution of an already winning design. This v2 has a redesigned tonearm with counterweight and anti-skate adjustment, and it features a detachable headshell (which makes cartridge-changing an altogether less arduous experience). What’s more, the headshell now comes pre-fitted with a high-output Alva MC cartridge, attached to the tonearm using the long-established ‘bayonet’ connection type. The integrated phono stage (which makes the turntable
compatible with basically any audio system, not just those with phono stages of their own) can now be turned off if you so desire – the original model’s was always on. Inevitably, it’s a little more expensive too. But the build quality, seemingly specified to make sure this deck could withstand a medium-sized detonation, is just the same. The materials are just as tactile, and just as visually arresting as before. And the true party piece, the feature that made the original Alva TT one of a kind, is of course retained: the ability to stream wirelessly over Bluetooth at a truly high
24-bit/48kHz resolution. Most importantly, the v2 maintains the widescreen presentation, the midrange fidelity and the robust sonic character of the original. It’s not the only turntable that sounds this enjoyable, obviously – for this sort of money you’re quite spoiled for choice. But it’s still the only one that can do it without being plugged into anything but the mains. And that still counts for a lot. Key specs ● Direct drive ● 33/45rpm ● Bluetooth aptX HD, SBC ● 435x368x139mm, 10.9kg
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Stage of consent For hard-wiring into a system, the TT v2’s integrated phono stage can be turned on or off using a switch on the rear panel.
Pro-Ject Automat A1
Rega Planar 3 / Elys 2
As one of the heroes of the vinyl scene for at least three decades, Pro-Ject knows how to deliver fine-sounding decks at very competitive prices – and the Automat A1 is more of the same. But, as the name implies, there’s a degree of automation here: press ‘start’ and the platter begins to turn while the tonearm lowers itself onto the disc, and when it reaches the end of the side it returns to its rest. Which we can all agree is pretty handy, as is the integrated phono stage. But best of all is the sound it makes: poised, articulate, and full of those special strengths that make vinyl so compelling. £349 / project-audio.com
What Rega doesn’t know about high-performing record players isn’t worth knowing, and its Planar 3 with the pre-fitted Elys 2 cartridge might just be the sweet spot of the company’s entire range. Like most Rega decks, it’s not much to look at – but believe us, it’s got it where it counts. Everything that’s so prized about the vinyl format is given the complete treatment by this combination – so when it comes to focus, rhythmic expression, timing, low-end presence and momentum, and all the other good stuff besides, you’ll know exactly where your money’s gone. £799 / rega.co.uk
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB The world’s not short of turntables that would like to be mistaken for the iconic Technics SL-1210 from a distance, but this one is a very capable device in its own right – familiar look notwithstanding. As well as its DJ-tastic pitch control and direct drive motor, it has an integrated phono stage, a USB output for archiving vinyl to a PC, and aptX Bluetooth wireless streaming. It’s very nearly plug-and-play, and once it’s plugged and playing it sounds warm and detailed, with plenty of weight at the bottom end but not so much that it drags its feet. £329 / audio-technica.com
NOW SPIN THESE… ROCK
NOW ADD THESE… Sennheiser Momentum 4 You may not always want to stream your vinyl to a speaker-based system. As a combination, the Alva TT v2 streaming to a pair of Momentum 4 active noise-cancelling cans is a recipe for pure audio pleasure. Sennheiser has really upped its game where sound and comfort are concerned. £300 / sennheiser.com
MUSE ABSOLUTION (2003) The Devon band’s third album was their first to really have a theme – a feeling of these being the end times. Hysteria is the standout track, but Absolution is an absorbing listen that marked a step up in ambition for Muse.
AC/DC HIGHWAY TO HELL (1979)
GUNS N’ ROSES APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION (1987)
IRON MAIDEN THE BOOK OF SOULS (2015)
The band’s last album with original singer Bon Scott, this incredible collection of songs closed the Australian rock powerhouse’s ’70s era. There’s a lot more to it than the classic title track.
Initially ignored, this record’s tales of excess didn’t seem to hit home. But Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child o’ Mine got airplay, and the rest is hard rock history.
OK, there are better Maiden albums, but The Book of Souls marked a stunning return to form and was both a critical and commercial success. Mind you, it’s way overlong at over 92 minutes.
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A LT E R N A T I V E LY …
Audio Pro Drumfire II
Sonos Sub
JBL L75ms
If you took an old-school guitar amp stack, shrunk it down to a more polite size and gave it a style makeover, you might end up with something that looks like the Audio Pro Drumfire II. It’s a two-part multiroom speaker from one of the most revered brands in the game… but don’t worry, it isn’t too grown up. See that bottom part? It’s home to a huge 8in bass driver that digs down to 30Hz for real sub-bass fun. This second version of the Drumfire updates the original with AirPlay 2 and Chromecast for much-improved streaming flexibility. £649 / audiopro.com
While the Sub Mini on p36 is one of the most important additions to the Sonos family in ages, the full-size Sub remains a better bet if you have a larger room and a Sonos Arc, Five or Beam. It adds real room-wobbling bass to your Sonos wireless speakers and, unlike the Sub Mini, will probably get you evicted from the average UK flat – this one’s not for the faint-hearted or the communal dweller. You pair it with whatever other Sonos speaker you own in the app and it’s easy to set up. Lower that bass floor, without ruining that smooth Sonos tonal balance. £749 / sonos.com
This stylish wedge combines JBL’s retro style with modern tech, including the ability to work as a multiroom speaker using the Google Home platform. The look is no vague nod at years gone by either: its Quadrex foam grille and walnut veneer are inspired by JBL’s legendary L100 speakers of the 1970s, which made a comeback in 2019. Under the grille sit two woofers, two tweeters and a central mid-range driver, all angled for extra-wide dispersal – so it’s elegant and party-ready at the same time. There’s also an HDMI port on the back for use as a soundbar. £1499 / jbl.com
NOW SPIN THESE… JAZZ FUSION
KAMASI WASHINGTON THE EPIC (2015) The name is no joke: The Epic is a triple album, and saxophonist Washington’s first non-underground release. Start with volume one, and the bangers Askim and Change of the Guard.
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THUNDERCAT DRUNK (2017) The past, the future, half a dozen genres and a fat handful of humour get blended together to make Drunk. On one track you’ll hear sounds lifted right from 1974, only to be slapped with a totally fresh twist seconds later.
GOGO PENGUIN GOGO PENGUIN (2020) If a hotel lobby band were told they were being fired, their last ever gig might sound like this. Forget the jazz standards – this is a piano, drum kit and double bass at war with the world.
FLOATING POINTS & PHAROAH SANDERS PROMISES (2021) UK electro-nerd Floating Points teamed up with sax legend Pharoah Sanders – and an orchestra – to make this stunning album. RIP, Pharoah.
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Got legs You have five stand options: tripod (walnut or black), upright stand (black), wall-mount, ceiling-mount.… or just plonk it on a desk.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH DENON
MULTIROOM
E LIPSON W 35+ £799 / elipson.com ulti-room speakers don’t get more eye-catching than the Elipson W35+. This moody ball of sound gets you all the visual impact of an esoteric Bang & Olufsen without spending nearly as much cash. You can mount it on a tripod stand to give your home a touch of that alien Philippe Starck flair, or even hang it from the ceiling like a light fitting. Or, sure, just play it safe and plonk your 35cm, 7.6kg sphere down on a shelf. Whatever you do, this Elipson isn’t going to look remotely normal – and we mean that in a good way. Each half of the sphere is home to one set of drivers, roughly mirroring what you get in a pair of bookshelf speakers. There are two 6.5in high-excursion bass drivers, each paired with a 1in silk-dome tweeter to provide those sweet high notes. It’s out to fill rooms and look elegant while doing so. And if you want to fill a whole house you can pair two or more of them together using the Elipson app. The app is where the real multiroom controls live. While Elipson is not an all-house
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You pair it well The line of buttons across the metal core let you alter volume, mute, switch sources and enter pairing mode. A remote is also included.
icon like Sonos, it does make a simple connected amplifier to get your old speakers and this fancy sphere working as a party team. The Elipson app also offers direct access to streaming favourites like Tidal, Deezer and TuneIn, while Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 offer routes to avoid Elipson’s own software. Always nice to have. Even the Bluetooth standards are relatively high-end here: aptX HD is able to wring 24-bit streams out of the old dear. The Elipson W35+ is a follow-up to the original W35, announced in 2019. As well as tweaking the tweeter to make those high frequencies sweeter, Elipson has added an Ethernet socket, which could come in handy if your home Wi-Fi is not up to scratch. Is this the most sensible multiroom buy going? Of course not, but house guests will remember it a lot longer than a Sonos One SL. Key specs ● 350W ● 2x 6.5in woofers, 2x 1in tweeters ● Ethernet, optical, 3.5mm, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi ● 350x350mm, 7.6kg
NOW ADD THIS… Tidal Hifi Plus For unbeatable streaming audio quality you have to check out Tidal Hifi Plus. It costs twice as much as bog-standard Spotify, but offers access to a hi-res library of Tidal Masters at blistering bitrates using the MQA format. £19.99/m / tidal.com
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BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS Day dripper An IPX7 rating means the Emberton can be submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes, making this an ideal pool companion.
M ARSHALL E MBE RTON D I A M ON D JUBILE E E DIT ION £160 / marshallheadphones.com n music circles, 1962 isn’t just famous for being the year the Rolling Stones formed and Bob Dylan released his debut album. It’s also the year in which Jim Marshall began building guitar amps in a small drum shop in suburban London – amps that would go on to become genuine icons of the great rock’n’roll revolution. Six decades later the Marshall brand is still going strong, albeit with a much more diverse range of audio products. Released to celebrate this anniversary, the Emberton Diamond Jubilee Edition is a fresh
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take on the firm’s beloved compact Bluetooth speaker, swapping Marshall’s signature black-and-brass look for a striking all-black finish. That’s right: the buttons, badges and grilles have all been what those in the car modification business call ‘murdered out’, giving this mini speaker a delightfully mean and moody look. The only flash of colour comes from a couple of red indicator LEDs on the top. Aesthetic transformation aside, this limited-edition Emberton retains all the characteristics that have made the regular model so popular. The built-in battery
delivers over 20hrs of music playback on a full charge; and from empty, a swift 20-minute session at the plug socket will give it enough juice to serve up another 5hrs of tunes. While it might be a heck of a lot smaller and lighter than the ear-splitting amplifiers Jim Marshall and his team assembled in their London workshop, the Emberton packs a surprising punch when you fire it up. Powered by two 10W Class D amps, a pair of 2in full-range drivers and two passive radiators pump out room-filling sound in all directions, with Marshall’s True Stereophonic
technology eliminating sweet spots and ensuring everybody within earshot gets a great-sounding slice of the sonic pie. Whatever’s on your latest playlist, you can expect three things from the Emberton: the bass will be warm and rich, the mids will be captivatingly clear, and the trebles will be crystalline and crisp. Now, if you could only plug your guitar into it… Key specs ● 20W ● 2x 2in drivers ● 20hr battery ● Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C charging ● IPX7 ● 160x76x68mm, 700g
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH DENON
All you need is plug Alongside a Bluetooth indicator and control knob, the top panel includes a red battery indicator. So there’s no excuse if you run out of juice.
A LT E R N A T I V E LY …
UE Wonderboom 3
Sonos Roam
Yamaha WS-B1A
The latest update of this bulbous modern classic retains much of the charm of the old Wonderboom 2 – including the loveable ‘grapefruit in a corset’ design and IP67 build quality – while slightly improving Bluetooth range (from 30m to 40m) and battery life (from 13hrs to 14hrs). And at least 31% of the speaker is now made from recycled materials. In all other respects, this fist-sized floating Bluetooth bundle hasn’t changed much – audio performance is still excellent for such a small, lightweight device. One criticism: why is UE still going with a microUSB charging port in 2022? £90 / ultimateears.com
Sonos is known for being the pioneer of user-friendly high-quality multiroom audio, and the Roam is its first (and currently only) branch out into the world of Bluetooth speakers. Compact, lightweight, battery-powered (with 10hrs of playback on a charge) and waterproof to IP67, it’s built to compete directly with the other models here and can belt out a mean tune both in and outdoors, with its bass particularly impressive. The real bonus, however? With Wi-Fi on board, it can also be used to expand an existing Sonos system. £179 / sonos.com
Incredibly for a brand with so strong an audio heritage, the freshly launched WS-B1A is Yamaha’s first ever portable Bluetooth speaker. Like a lot of the company’s products, it favours mature, understated looks over exuberance and crazy colours, but its design is notable for one reason: it’s a dinky 10.5cm tall, making it suitable for placement almost anywhere in your home (it even comes with a wall-mount that requires only a single screw to fix). Its price is similarly small, but we can’t find any major corners cut: there’s a 12hr battery, IP67 toughness and a 2in driver plus two passive rads. £99 / uk.yamaha.com
NOW SPIN THESE… INDIE POP
NOW ADD THIS… Anker PowerCore 20100 Tuck this in your backpack if you’re heading for a day at the beach. Weighing about the same as a tin of beans, it’s bristling with enough power to top up the battery inside your Emberton several times over. It can also charge two devices at once – so it’ll bring your phone back from the dead too. £45 / uk.anker.com
JONATHAN RICHMAN I, JONATHAN (1992) With its catchy, scratchy ditties about everyday topics, this fourth solo LP from the punk pioneer turned lo-fi pop-rocker reveals surprising wisdom and insight upon further listens.
JENS LEKMAN NIGHT FALLS OVER KORTEDALA (2007) The sharp Swedish singer-songwriter serves up lush strings and samples on his second album. Lekman is proof positive that ‘indie’ can go far beyond strummy ballads.
WET LEG WET LEG (2022)
FLEET FOXES FLEET FOXES (2008)
With a strong line in infectious hooks and wry lyrics, this Isle of Wight duo were already indie darlings by the time their debut album arrived. Superstardom beckons, but seems unlikely to blunt their indie-rock edge.
A superb record sonically, and rated album of the year by Billboard, the Seattle band’s debut was recorded over the course of a year without the benefit of any funding as they hadn’t yet been signed.
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APPS
Mini meme
● Yousician There have long been rumours of a new Guitar Hero game, but rocking out with a plastic axe doesn’t cut it. Yousician lets you discover and unleash your inner Hendrix with a real guitar. Using its game-like interface, you play along to notes and chords that scroll across the screen, amassing a high score and worldwide superstardom when you perform well. OK, maybe only the first one of those. £free (IAP) / Android, iOS
PLAY THAT CLUNKY MUSIC Keen to kickstart your musical life but barely able to smack a biscuit tin with a stick? Learn to play and compose with this selection of helpful apps…
● MuseScore
● Chordbot
● Tonaly
More Mozart than Megadeth? MuseScore has loads of songs transcribed as sheet music by its community. Put your phone in landscape and you get a handy scrolling view, with optional slowdown for when your fingers can’t keep up. Pay and you unlock a live keyboard, PDF export, offline playback, and classes that range from drum programming to jazz saxophone. Nice. £free (IAP) / Android, iOS
Blindly smashing out chord progressions live is the way most musicians do it. The snag: it’s easy to hit upon a perfect sequence… and immediately forget it. Chordbot gives you a space for experimentation without risk. You select a key and insert chords, which can be dragged around as your ‘song’ loops. The free Chordbot Lite gives you a taste, but won’t let you save your compositions. £3.29 / Android ● £4.49 / iOS
This app is based around the circle of fifths, which outlines relationships between tones of the chromatic scale. In other words, it helps you understand which chords work great together. It’s a cinch to adjust the root, structure songs, loop compositions and export work to use elsewhere. And if you want to brush up further on music theory, there are built-in scales and chord libraries. £7.99 / iOS
● Capo Yousician will teach you to play and lead you through popular songs, but that’s no good if your favourites are unavailable. With Capo, you can feed in any DRM-free track and it’ll pull out the chords. Impressively, it mostly gets them right; and when it doesn’t, you can easily enough make edits, thereby mastering the most indie of indie hits before taking a crack at writing your own. £free (IAP) / iOS
● Functional Ear Trainer A better bet than Totally Broken Ear Trainer (which we might have just made up), this app plays notes and tasks you with recognising what each one is. It starts you off with just four notes in C major, and you can then move on at your own pace to more complex levels. With no price tag and no ads, this one’s a must to help with composing, songwriting and jamming. £free (IAP) / Android, iOS
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T E S T E D G O O G L E P I X E L WAT C H
Goo your own way Expectations are sky-high that Google’s first smartwatch effort will finally bring an end to Apple’s wearable monopoly. No pressure, then…
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[ Words Tom Morgan-Freelander ]
from £339 / go.stuff.tv/PixelWatch Android fans would love to tell you how long they’ve been waiting for an official Google smartwatch. The iPhone crowd are now on their eighth-gen Apple Watch, so the Pixel Watch is rather late to this party. It arrives in a single size (a petite 41mm) with no Pro, Ultra or SE variants to confuse matters. That’s the same size as the smallest Apple Watch, only with a circular screen instead of a rectangular one. Small and sophisticated is the aim here. The face is all screen, with domed glass perched neatly on top of a stainless-steel body. Throw in a streamlined version of the Wear OS software and some fitness-tracking help from the Google-owned Fitbit, and things are off to a great start. Undercutting Apple on price isn’t going to hurt either. But Google’s one-size-fits-all approach won’t necessarily, well, fit all. So is there enough here to satisfy the Pixel faithful?
GOOD MEH EVIL
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3D glass is a minimalist marvel
2 Don’t swap Google’s tool-free mechanism for changing straps is quick and easy. It’s just a shame replacements start from a hefty £50.
Big glove? It doesn’t look very rugged, but the Pixel Watch is water-resistant down to 50m. We’d still be wary about getting too active with it on, though: Gorilla Glass 5 will only shrug off light scrapes and scratches, and the domed shape (1) will make it a challenge to fit a screen protector. Black magic summin’ The bezel surrounding the 1.2in screen is disappointingly chunky, but the pin-sharp AMOLED panel delivers perfect blacks so the two blend together nicely (2). The curved glass also has a slimming effect, but tapping out message replies with the onscreen keyboard can be a faff.
UI make loving fun Wear OS is styled to match the current crop of Pixel phones. The UI is a breeze to get around, either with taps and swipes or twisting the digital crown (3). There’s a last-gen Exynos CPU running things behind the scenes, but the interface feels responsive and apps load quickly.
Every wear Naturally it’s stuffed with Google apps. There’s turn-by-turn navigation from Google Maps, contactless payments via Google Wallet and voice commands with Google Assistant. The Play Store is on hand for adding third-party favourites like Spotify, with 32GB of storage for your music.
Tsk… Battery life falls well short of Google’s 24hr estimate with its always-on screen enabled. Let the screen sleep and it’ll last all day, even with an exercise session, and make it through a night of sleep tracking – just about. The charging puck needs over an hour for a full refuel.
41mm looks pretty tiddly on my wrist
Wear OS is simple but slick
No shortage of apps to download
Battery life isn’t very impressive
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How much for a new strap?!
T E S T E D G O O G L E P I X E L WAT C H
MORE GOOGLE GEAR! PIXEL 7 PRO REVIEW
Tech specs Screen 1.2in 450x450 AMOLED Processor Exynos 9110 Storage 32GB OS Wear OS Battery 294mAh Water-resistance 50m Dimensions 41x41x12.3mm, 36g (body)
Oh wellbeing 3
The Pixel Watch’s health tracking, courtesy of Fitbit, is comprehensive without alienating the fitness-phobic
n Scan of the world
n Little thighs
The Pixel Watch doesn’t go mad on different disciplines, with tracking for 40 sports. It’ll detect walking, running, cycling, swimming and outdoor activity, but the only way to add GPS tracking is by manually recording routes.
This watch is more about general wellbeing, putting Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes alongside the basics like step count and calories burned. All your data gets synced to the Fitbit app, which is way better than Google Fit.
n Need your shove so bad
n The train
You get a six-month sub to Fitbit’s Premium tier, which unlocks more detailed sleep analysis, relaxation tips and guided video workouts. These are a great motivator for the exercise-averse.
With standout looks and slick software, the Pixel Watch is a pleasure to wear – but Google hasn’t entirely knocked it out of the park at the first attempt. Battery life is mediocre, the screen bezels are the wrong kind of thick and the lack of a larger model limits its appeal. Still, that design makes it all too easy to forgive its limitations. @TomMorgan3
Step, heart-rate and GPS tracking all perform on a par with pricier multisport watches, so amateur athletes won’t be missing out by not going for a Garmin. The main thing missing, until software arrives, is blood oxygen.
STUFF SAYS HHHH✩ A stylish wearable with solid fitness tracking, but Google’s first smartwatch falls short of its more established rivals
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TESTED GOOGLE PIXEL 7 PRO
Seven nation charmy Google’s new flagship phone is ready to fight ’em all with its cannily improved specs from £849 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel7Pro ■ Does the Pixel 7 Pro look familiar? It has the same glass and metal sandwich styling as its predecessor, but that distinctive camera shelf is now made from 100% recycled aluminium. The polished finish just loves fingerprints, though. ■ Those curved screen edges are less pronounced than last year, which keeps reflections in check. There’s still a high-resolution, HDR-friendly OLED panel underneath, with gloriously punchy colours and an adaptive refresh rate. Brightness has taken a big step up, to 1500 dazzling nits.
The smile twist It’s not as secure as the fingerprint sensor but face-unlocking is super-speedy, and handy if you’re wearing gloves.
■ Google’s Tensor G2 brings two upgraded CPU cores and a new GPU, plus added machine-learning smarts. There’s enough grunt to run anything from the Play Store smoothly and split-screen multitasking works like a charm, although it remains a step behind the Qualcomm competition. ■ The cameras deliver ace snaps in all lighting conditions, with wide dynamic range, vivid colours and accurate exposure. The 50MP main sensor offers algorithmic extras like Face Unblur, rescuing shots that would be a smeary mess on other phones. ■ The 5000mAh battery will last you from breakfast to bedtime but not much more, and charging is a pedestrian 30W. Reverse charging is handy for topping up smaller gadgets if you’ve got juice to spare.
Tech specs Screen 6.7in 3120x1440 120Hz OLED Processor Tensor G2 RAM 12GB OS Android 13 Storage 128/256/512GB Cameras 50+48+12MP rear, 10.8MP front Battery 5000mAh (USB-C, Qi) Dimensions 163x77x8.9mm, 212g
■ Slicky thump
■ Grew orchid
There’s no 3.5mm headphone port (Google would rather sell you some Pixel Buds) and only one of the grilles at the bottom has a speaker behind it, but audio is beefy enough thanks to some help from the earpiece speaker.
Super Res Zoom algorithms take the 48MP telephoto lens (normally good for 5x optical zoom) all the way up to 30x, with impressive results. Details are preserved and the preview thumbnail helps with framing.
STUFF SAYS Google plays it safe, but the Pixel 7 Pro improves in the right places HHHHH Just enough improvement to secure another Google conquest Tom Morgan-Freelander
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Streamlined styling, plentiful performance and dependable battery life make the Pixel 7 Pro another worthy Google flagship. It’s a minor upgrade over last year’s effort but does still impress on the photography front, with pin-sharp zoom and even snappier low-light shooting. The stock Android software is also sure to please purists, and Google gets a big thumbs-up from us for price-matching the old model.
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DIGITAL EDITION
Available from shop.kelsey.co.uk/stuff plus Readly, Pocketmags & Apple News+ 7efe8d4f-b5b1-4b57-a5c7-e05b9de1c5a6
BETA YOURSELF
READING Don’t let your devices distract you from the joys of books, mags, comics and other wordy wonders: Craig Grannell delves into apps and workflow ideas to help you read more THE BASICS
with Project Gutenberg and its 60,000-strong library of copyright-free classics.
■ Buy wisely
■ Use time well
Use personal preferences and storage space to drive your format choices: consider digital for read-once fare and paper for items you’re likely to re-read. Don’t default to Amazon for buying – other booksellers often offer better deals. And monitor Humble Bundle for digital geek fare and comics.
It’s easy to let reading slip. If you’ve a busy schedule, block out time to devote to that new novel. Align formats with how they work best for you: a big hardcover isn’t ideal on a train, and read-it-later apps are a waste when you’re curled up next to a shelf of real books.
■ Understand ownership
freely use on any device that’s capable of displaying it.
Before you start building up a digital collection, check if there’s vendor lock-in… and be clear on whether that matters to you. Most digital book ecosystems and many magazine subscriptions act in this manner, locking you to a single app. But some offer DRM-free content (such as PDF or CBR) that you can
Reading is hardly an expensive hobby. Even so, when times are tough you might not want to spend anything. To keep things above board, see if your local library has partnered up with a service that provides online book and magazine loans. Also, go old-school
■ Find freebies
■ Remove distractions Notifications can break your focus, so turn them off while you’re reading – except VIP contacts whose messages you don’t want to miss. This is even more important when using a connected device to read, otherwise you’ll end up in a social media rabbit-hole before you know it. Consider a dedicated device if that helps you concentrate.
NIBBLE SOME SERIAL ■ Add some books
Listers of mercy Bored of reading the same old stuff, or want to see if a book’s worth your time? Goodreads (£free) has handy genre-based recommendation lists and reviews.
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Lack time for the classics? Serial Reader on Android and iOS lets you pick from over 800 famous titles and serves them up in 10-minute chunks. Great for chipping away at Frankenstein over a month. (War and Peace requires a rather weightier 235 days.)
■ Go pro By default, Serial Reader delivers new issues at 9am, but you can change this to suit your schedule. Go premium (£2.59 on Android, £2.49 on iOS) to unlock read-ahead and subscription-pause options, along with cross-device sync.
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APPY ENDINGS
ALFREAD The obvious danger with read-later is that you lob articles into a bottomless pit and forget them. Alfread helps you dig into your queue, serving up single pieces of writing that you swipe left to skip or right to send back into the queue. £free / iOS
FULLREADER This one’s for anyone who doesn’t want to juggle a slew of apps. It deftly deals with text files, PDFs, comics and even audio. The file manager makes short work of large collections, and the adverts can be swiftly nuked with a one-off payment. £free or £5.99 / Android
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS ■ Sort your books
READ MAGAZINES ■ Filter your selection Readly (£9.99/m) provides access to over 2000 mags. But they’re not all as good as this one, so under magazines, filter by category/country, or sort by newly arrived titles. Mark those you enjoy as favourites, which you can later access from My Content.
■ Optimise by device Got a large tablet? Flip it into landscape, tap the screen and use the two-page button to view all those lovely spreads. On a phone, you can load mobile views by using the orange icons found at the bottom of each page.
Use Book Tracker (£4.99 on iOS) or Bookshelf – Your Virtual Library (from £free on Android and iOS) to keep tabs on a collection. In one place, you’ll have an overview of paper and digital books plus a list of titles you want a buy.
■ Don’t be an angry loaner It’s frustrating when you lend a prized tome, later decide you’d love to re-read it, find the book’s missing, and forget who you gave it to. Both the above apps let you record who’s got your book and how long they’ve had it.
■ Log progress If you can cope with the busywork, spend time adding data to your book-tracking app. You’ll be rewarded with stats on how your reading’s going, and can use tags and ratings to build smart lists.
TAME THE WEB ■ Enjoy the view Web pages are full of garbage and doorslams. Happy to read an article later? Send it to a service like Pocket (£free). On an Apple device and want to read something right now? Tap the ‘AA’ button and use Safari’s Reader View for a distraction-free experience.
■ Ditch Chrome Google doesn’t offer a reader view in its Chrome browser, because advertising. (Settings > Accessibility > ‘Simplified view’ is a poor substitute that rarely works.) Consider Edge, Firefox or Opera instead, since they all have such a mode.
CHUNKY If you set about creating the perfect reader for DRM-free comics (and mags), it’d look a lot like Chunky. The interface is flexible and neat, staying out of your way until you want to dig into its many options. On Android? Try CDisplayEx. £free or £3.49 / iPad
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VERSUS ACTION CAMS
De-shake some action The next gen of extreme cameras is here, complete with advanced stabilisation tech to tame the wildest wobbles – but will it be trusty GoPro or the upstart DJI?
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]
GoPro Hero11 Black
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DJI Osmo Action 3
What’s the story?
What’s the story?
The Hero11 Black introduces a sensor with an almost square 8:7 aspect ratio, capturing footage that can be losslessly cropped at high quality for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or whatever other format you want. Not that you’d know to look at it: the design is practically identical to its predecessor. But that just means it’s still compatible with almost all existing accessories. The flip-out feet make it seriously easy to mount and its lightweight build is just as durable as past GoPros; you can submerge it as deep as 10m without the need for any additional underwater housing.
DJI’s third Action model looks like the lovechild of the first two. It’s far chunkier than last year’s tiny Action 2 but for good reason: you no longer need to clip on a module to access a selfie screen, extra storage or a USB-C port. But it does come with an extra housing that offers an additional mounting port, letting you easily switch between horizontal and vertical capture – perfect for social media. The Action 3 is the deepest-diving mainstream action cam around, managing 16m on its lonesome or a whopping 60m in a waterproof case.
Is it any good?
Is it any good?
It’s not just the camera’s interface that’s been streamlined to make it easier to use. GoPro’s Quik software is simpler and more powerful than ever now, so chopping up videos into different sizes isn’t as daunting as before. With HyperSmooth stabilisation you can expect footage with best-in-class smoothness; but despite some very smart night-shooting features, low-light results still leave a lot to be desired. GoPro’s new batteries help the Hero11 Black last longer than before, but if you’re out for a day of shooting you’ll still want to pack spares or a powerbank.
With the same camera hardware as the Action 2, the new DJI captures nice-looking clips in well-lit environments, but it’s better suited to landscapes than vlogging. Its levelling skills are very good given the price, but shudder comes through when you tilt in low light. The sharp touchscreens are responsive and the UI is intuitive, but it heats up a lot quicker than the GoPro – after less than 17mins of shooting a 4K clip at 60fps ours needed a break to cool down. On the plus side, the battery should see you through a day of capturing occasional short clips and it’s quick to charge too.
Price £550 / go.stuff.tv/Hero11 Key specs 5.3K @ 60fps, 4K @ 120fps, 27MP ● HyperSmooth 5.0 ● Waterproof to 10m ● 1720mAh ● 72x51x34mm, 154g
Price £309 / go.stuff.tv/Action3 Key specs 4K @ 120fps, 12MP ● RockSteady 3.0 ● Waterproof to 16m ● 1770mAh ● 71x44x33mm, 145g
Stuff says ★★★★★
Stuff says ★★★★✩
An innovative and powerful camera that’s good for creators and adventurers alike
A great-value action cam that offers a tonic to the usual year-on-year price hikes
APP FROM THE SKIES: BONUS FEATURES ● GoPro has brought back live streaming and voice control, but you’ll need a subscription (£50/yr) if you want the camera to automatically ping files to your phone or straight to the cloud. Once clips are backed up, GoPro’s digital elves will make an Auto Highlight reel so you can enjoy a montage without any editing. ● The Action 3 can be controlled via the DJI Mimo app. You can set custom profiles to quickly toggle between settings and modes, just like a standard camera, plus it also shoots 4K hyperlapse and timelapse. The latter has dedicated cloud and sunset modes, which is great to see. Live streaming is supported at up to 1080p, plus it can double as a webcam.
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VERSUS ACTION CAMS
TES WIN T NER
1 One door time
2
The GoPro’s power button is on one side; the other houses a sliding door that protects a USB-C port, a microSD card slot and the battery.
2 Handle with square You’ll find a square full-colour screen on the front, alongside the lens, while the rear is of course home to the main 2.27in touchscreen.
1 3
4
3 Two touch to ask
4 My sweet record
The DJI’s front touchscreen helps you frame your shots and switch modes, while the large one around the back is for more in-depth interaction.
There’s a record button on the top and a power button on the side. Underneath the doors on either side are a battery and SD card slot, and a USB-C port.
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STUFF PROMOTION Speak up The WS-B1A’s Clear Voice feature enhances vocals and speech, so you can easily hear lyrics and podcast audio.
Sharpen up The TW-E7B buds support aptX Adaptive, a Bluetooth codec combining low latency with an adjustable bitrate.
RAD BUT TRUE Yamaha lets you listen to music as the artist intended, home or away obody knows sound better than Yamaha. The company is a world leader when it comes to musical instruments and audio gear – getting sound right is literally its business. That dedication to delivering True Sound spreads across the entire range, from headphones to turntables. Whether you’re in your living room, commuting to work or relaxing on the beach, opting for Yamaha means there’s no need to compromise.
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WS-B1A wireless speaker This portable speaker offers 12hrs of battery life and is water/dustproof to IP67 standards, making it ideal for barbecues and holidays. Just 10cm tall, it’s wall-mountable
with a single screw, so you can also find a space for it almost anywhere in your home. Team it up with the CC-T1A charging cradle to keep it topped up and ready to go. MusicCast Vinyl 500 turntable The first network turntable, Yamaha’s MusicCast Vinyl 500 supports fast Wi-Fi for fuss-free wireless connection – so there’s no chance of its minimalist lines being spoilt by a tangle of wires spilling out of the back. Equipped with a preamp, the Vinyl 500 can connect to your existing amp or integrate into a networked MusicCast setup. It spins vinyl like a dream, naturally, but its musical charms don’t end there: Spotify, Deezer, Tidal and
other popular streaming services are built in, as well as Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay 2. TW-E7B true wireless earbuds These buds go wherever you do. With up to 22hrs of battery life (6hrs + 16hrs from the charging case), water-resistance and Advanced ANC to kill external noise with incredible precision, you can always immerse yourself in your music. Listening Optimizer tech uses in-ear mics to dynamically correct audio, adjusting for tiny changes in the fit of the buds. It’s Yamaha’s way of ensuring True Sound stays true. For more info on Yamaha’s audio range, visit uk.yamaha.com
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TRUE SOUND EXPLAINED True Sound isn’t just a slogan – it’s the ethos that underpins Yamaha’s entire audio range. The goal with each product is to express sound as the artist intended, based on three core elements: tonal balance (helping you hear sounds you couldn’t before); dynamics (conveying the contrast between delicacy and power); and sound image (giving you a sense of space and positioning). That all adds up to True Sound.
TESTED SAMSUNG ODYSSEY ARK
Curl of duty With its rotating powers, Samsung’s massive gaming monitor is sure to turn heads. But can its performance justify the whopping price?
Shinecraft The big stand and bezels mean the Ark isn’t as nice to look at as some TVs. It does have RGB LEDs at the rear, but they’re not very bright.
£2599 / go.stuff.tv/Ark ■ Is this the most outrageous gaming monitor ever made? Sit too close and you’ll hurt your neck trying to see the corners, but when you’ve got the position right its 55in size, 4K resolution and 1000R curve (mimicking the shape of the human eye) provide an incredible, immersive experience. ■ Samsung’s Mini LEDs are great at creating top-notch colours, contrast and brightness, although proper OLED still does a better job. The 165Hz refresh rate is superb for single-player gaming, but it couldn’t quite hit the claimed 1ms response time during our tests. ■ When the Ark is horizontal, Multi View mode can divide the display into four 1080p tiles, while in the vertical Cockpit mode you can deploy three windows (though these only run at 1280x720). Not many apps are supported, and you can only use one HDMI input, so this is impressive but limited. ■ This monitor runs on Samsung’s Tizen OS and supports all the big apps – including game streaming from Xbox, Nvidia and, ahem, Google Stadia. There’s also wired and wireless internet on board, while built-in Bluetooth makes it easy to connect your controllers. ■ Games look fantastic and they sound great too: four speakers plus two woofers blast out 60W of power, with huge bass, crisp treble and detailed mids. And it excels at directional sound.
■ World of wire-craft
■ Grand heft auto
Samsung’s One Connect box makes its way over from the TV range, so you don’t have to mess around with too many wires. You can plug your devices into four HDMI 2.1 ports and use one cable to connect to the screen.
The Ark’s 41.5kg bulk makes installation a two-person job, but excellent adjustment options justify its sheer size. There’s a mighty 270mm of height adjustment alongside tilt movement and VESA support.
Tech specs Screen 55in 3840x2160 165Hz Mini LED, 1000R curve HDR HDR10+ OS Tizen Connectivity 4x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio, 2x USB2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Dimensions 1175x1102x379mm, 41.5kg
STUFF SAYS There’s nothing else quite like the Ark – just be aware of its flaws HHHH✩ Hello, infinite… this might be an option if you’re a serious gamer Mike Jennings
If you want a single screen for PC and console gaming plus watching media, the Ark does a tremendous job. Its huge size, curve and resolution combine for unparalleled levels of immersion… but Multi View mode doesn’t yet make the most of its form factor, which makes the premium price a little harder to justify. And if you’re really concerned with picture quality, you’ll get more from one of the best OLED TVs.
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GROUP TEST TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES
Lugs in need of love today? If you’re stressed because you can’t decide which noise-cancelling true wireless earphones to buy, don’t you worry ’bout a thing…
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) What’s the story? Although they’re named the same and look pretty much the same, that’s where the similarities between the first and second gen of the AirPods Pro end. Most significantly, Apple has worked to improve the audio, the active noise-cancellation and the battery life. The charging case now has a speaker, which seems a little odd but comes into its own when you need to find it via the Find My app: it can now emit a welcome shriek from the back of the sofa. Mind you, if you charge your buds by your bed you might want to disable that: we had ours topping up on a pad and they kept pinging at us when they were charged.
[ Words Dan Grabham ]
Are they any good?
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We were sceptical that these could be much better than the original AirPods Pro, but it’s immediately clear that they provide much beefier and punchier audio – and the ANC is also much improved. The upshot
is that you actually need to be careful walking down the street with full cancellation on: it’s too good and you end up blocking out sounds you should be hearing. So you’ll find yourself using the Transparency mode more than before. Spatial audio can now be personalised through analysis of your ears (you need to take photos of them!), but this is a software update so it’s also available on the older model, plus the third-gen AirPods, AirPods Max and Beats Fit Pro. One thing we’re not so impressed with is the touch controls for changing volume: it’s easy to make the wrong adjustment, especially on the move. But between these and the standard AirPods, there really is no contest – the new Pros are way better.
£249 / go.stuff.tv/Pro2 Key specs ● Driver size not specified ● Bluetooth 5.3 (Apple H1); AAC ● IPX4 ● 6hrs + 24hrs case ● 5.3g each, 51g case
STUFF SAYS Apple’s buds are now way better than they were already ★★★★★
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro What’s the story? Samsung doesn’t do things by halves, so you’d better believe the Buds2 Pro are bursting with features. ANC, spatial audio and wireless charging all go towards justifying the ‘Pro’ label, as do audiophile tricks like end-to-end 24-bit playback. The AKG-tuned dual drivers promise top sound to boot. These second-gen buds have shrunk considerably in bulk from the OG version for improved comfort, and continue to undercut the AirPods Pro on price.
Are they any good? Low-frequency background hums are no challenge for the ANC, but higher-pitched chatter and sudden loud sounds aren’t handled so well. It doesn’t discolour the audio at all, but keener ears might detect a slight hiss while it’s active. Dolby Atmos-compatible head-tracking still feels gimmicky, but on every other metric the Buds2 Pro put in a solid showing. Audio is detailed and dynamic,
with a slight boost at either end of the frequency range: these are energetic in-ears with a bass-driven mix that can slightly swamp vocals. They’ll still please most casual music fans, if not critical listeners. Samsung’s app lets you pick from a few EQ presets, but you can’t make your own, and none are a major improvement over the default setting. There’s no ANC customisation either: just on, off or ambient. The latter is handy for hearing PA announcements and kicks in automatically after a second or two when you’re chatting to someone. Non-Samsung gadget owners miss out on extras like Auto Switch, which lets you swap between devices with a tap. iPhone support is, not surprisingly, basic. £219 / go.stuff.tv/B2Pro
Key specs ● 10mm + 5.3mm dynamic drivers ● Bluetooth 5.3; AAC, SBC, SSC ● IPX7 ● 5hrs + 13hrs case ● 5.5g each, 43g case
STUFF SAYS Feature-stuffed, but best if you own other Samsung kit ★★★★✩
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GROUP TEST TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES
Living for the fitty A fourth eartip size (XS) is now included, so you should be able to get a good fit for your tiny pixie lugs. They’re very comfy.
Higher bound The new AirPods’ charging case comes with a small lanyard clip so you can attach it to a bag or coat. That’s a first for Apple.
BEST FOR APPLE FANS
BEST FOR SAMSUNG FANS
Too hi? You’ll need to have a Samsung source device to listen using the 24-bit-friendly SSC codec – and a recent one at that.
Holdin’ lady 5hrs of juice with ANC enabled isn’t top-tier, although the case supplies two full top-ups with a bit left in reserve.
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GROUP TEST TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES
Tap of the world Each bud has a big button for playback control. The way they sit means pressing them won’t shove the tips into your brain.
BEST FOR WORKOUT TUNES
For stall we know In-ear detection is nice, but it only pauses tracks when you pull out a bud; it won’t resume once you pop it back in.
Jabra Elite 5 What’s the story? When it comes to all-rounder in-ears, Jabra has long been a safe bet: the firm’s ANC range can mute your commute, survive a sweaty workout, and deliver clear voice calls. These Elites try to do all the above while also keeping the price in check – and bring higher-quality Bluetooth than you might expect for this kind of cash. Three microphones on each bud face in different directions for multiple lines of defence, along with a comfort-focused shape that provides a decent amount of passive isolation.
Are they any good? These buds have no trouble drowning out the low-frequency rumble of a train, and passing cars are reasonably muted while
out on the street, but they don’t cope so well with conversations and other more high-pitched noises. For more effective silence you’ll have to spend a bit more. Still, the Transparency mode is effective and call quality is brilliant, stripping out plenty of wind noise. Battery life is pretty good, managing 7hrs with ANC enabled and three extra charges in the case. Wireless top-ups are a thing here – something that can’t be said of the considerably more expensive Boses across the page. The 6mm dynamic drivers deliver the sort of fun, mids-scooped sound we’ve come to expect from Jabra. Bass has plenty of impact, and there’s decent clarity at the top, with neither end dominating. The mid-range is well defined too, although it takes a slight back seat in
the mix. These aren’t audiophile-grade in-ears. Jabra’s companion app lets you tune the EQ a little, but even then the mix is still quite bass-centric. The app is fully featured, though: you can pick between voice assistants (Google, Siri or Alexa), adjust the ANC strength, and use Spotify Tap for quickly resuming your last-listened playlist. AptX codec support is a step up from the standard AAC/SBC, and multipoint Bluetooth is a winner for anyone who regularly swaps between devices. £150 / go.stuff.tv/JE5 Key specs ● 6mm dynamic drivers ● Bluetooth 5.2; AAC, SBC, aptX ● IP55 ● 7hrs + 21hrs case ● 5g each, 40g case
STUFF SAYS Fitness-friendly true wireless in-ears with decent ANC and solid sound ★★★★✩ 66
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GROUP TEST TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES
Only wrest a day The case holds three full charges for an all-in total of 24hrs, which is on a par with rivals. There’s no wireless charging.
BEST FOR A QUIET LIFE
Close to true It’s tempting to twiddle, but you should leave the app’s EQ adjustment alone – these buds sound best when flat.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II What’s the story? Bose is the company that invented noise-cancelling headphones, and it consistently turns out headphones that cancel noise very effectively indeed… but their sound quality, aesthetics and comfort haven’t always enhanced its reputation. The Earbuds II are meant to change all that. Smaller and lighter than the model they replace, they also up the comfort quotient with a stack of options where fit is concerned and have more streamlined styling. Each bud has a big full-range driver for better sound, and naturally ANC has taken a step up too.
Are they any good? Pop ’em in your ears and these buds play a quick tone-burst. In well under half a
second, algorithms measure the response and tailor the audio profile and ANC to you. There’s no hint of in-ear pressure, just an almost total negation of any external sounds that aren’t awfully loud, extremely close or both. The Earbuds II have an easy-going sonic attitude, just a touch warmer than neutral, and a confident soundstage that makes them very easy to listen to. Bass is big and bold yet controlled, and there’s plenty of detail. High frequencies aren’t quite as crisp as they could be, but they never hint at hardness even when you crank the volume. There’s a hint of inhibition about the way they deal with big dynamic shifts, although they’re more than capable of differentiating ‘loud’ from ‘quiet’. Each bud has its own touch-sensitive panel for handling the usual playback
functions, and can be assigned shortcuts for accessing your phone’s voice assistant or cycling through ANC options. Codec compatibility only runs to SBC and AAC, though, which is disappointing. That you can’t do better than this where active noise-cancellation is concerned should be obvious. Yes, the Boses can be bettered (just slightly) when it comes to sound quality, and bettered (fairly comfortably) for battery life. But as a total package, these buds are seriously competitive. £280 / go.stuff.tv/QCBuds2 Key specs ● 9.3mm dynamic drivers ● Bluetooth 5.3; AAC, SBC ● IPX4 ● 6hrs + 18hrs case ● 6.2g each, 60g case
STUFF SAYS Bose is back, baby – and these buds are its best effort in quite a while ★★★★★
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On your tone again Sennheiser’s phone app lets you tweak the EQ, change the touch controls and set up presets based on your location.
BEST FOR REFINED TONES
It’s draining today Expect 7hrs of battery life, with three charges in the case. Wireless charging is handy; USB-C is good for quick top-ups.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 What’s the story? With everything from petrol to pet food getting more expensive, it’s refreshing to find anything that bucks the trend – and especially when that thing is top-tier tech. The third generation of Sennheiser’s true wireless in-ears arrives at a considerable discount compared to the first two, yet these buds somehow stick the landing on sound quality, ANC and styling. Build quality feels as bomb-proof as before, even if IPX4 splash-resistance isn’t the greatest protection going, while a 16% size reduction means these updated ’phones go easier on the ears.
Are they any good? They stick out more than some in-ears, but pretty much everyone should find a nice fit with these Momentums – there
are multiple sizes of silicone eartips in the box, plus a few pairs of stabiliser wings. Using the touch-sensitive controls won’t push the buds deeper into your ear either. Taps can be set to cycle through ANC settings or activate your phone’s voice assistant, and they aren’t prone to being triggered accidentally. Fire up the 7mm drivers and they treat your ears to a poised recital. Favouring balance and fidelity over pushing the bass, they demonstrate remarkable control with an expansive soundstage. Detail is engrossing across the range, and while there’s perhaps not the outright precision you get from more expensive alternatives, you’d need a back-to-back listen to notice the difference. Noise-cancelling is top-notch, especially the anti-wind setting – it’s still among the
best we’ve experienced at cutting back the blusteriness. Commuter trains and planes are hushed from loud rumbles to quiet hums; and while Bose is still the outright leader here, the Sennheisers aren’t very far behind. Crucially, the adaptive ANC doesn’t sacrifice that likeable audio balance, having the mildest of effects on your music. Both Android and iOS owners are well served with SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs, although there’s no LDAC on board for audiophiles. £220 / go.stuff.tv/MTW3 Key specs ● 7mm dynamic drivers ● Bluetooth 5.2; AAC, SBC, aptX Adaptive ● IPX4 ● 7hrs + 21hrs case ● 5.8g each, 66g case
STUFF SAYS Smaller, lighter and cuter, but with Sennheiser’s usual excellent sound ★★★★★ 68
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GROUP TEST TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES
If you go wahey The Nuras offer Dirac-powered spatial audio that can come from any source (unlike that of the AirPods Pro).
BEST FOR SONIC NERDS
Chimes of good buy These are some of the first earbuds with aptX Lossless inside, so they’re capable of 16-bit/44.1Hz over Bluetooth.
NuraTrue Pro What’s the story? Nura’s mission to provide personalised sound – through an app that uses whoop-whoop-crazy sounds to test out your hearing – has been the same since the release of the original over-ear Nuraphone in 2017. The test creates a personalised EQ profile so you can hear audio that’s tailored to your lugs. This means there aren’t any other EQ presets, but you shouldn’t need them. Last year Nura introduced the NuraTrue wireless in-ears; now the Pro version ups the ante with support for lossless audio… although this is only available via certain Snapdragon-powered phones for now.
Are they any good? The case is a little bulkier than most, which isn’t a big issue, but we’re more bothered
by the ample size of the buds themselves. Still, this does mean they’re very easy to get in and out. They could be a little more comfortable for us, though that’s often a matter of personal preference and there are different fit options in the box. Of course, their heftiness does mean you’re less likely to lose them. Wireless charging is now on board, as well as multipoint audio, meaning you can have more than one device paired. As with the standard NuraTrue, you can specify what shortcuts you want on each bud; and with the ability to assign multiple presses on both sides, there’s none of the uncertainty you get with some touch controls. The audio test has been sped up and is obviously worth doing despite its rather odd nature. If you get it right, the result is
well-balanced audio that seems more ‘alive’ than the default sound. Audio quality is wonderful, especially for calls, while the adaptive ANC is compelling and does what it’s supposed to do – although, as with many rivals, it struggles with louder, higher-frequency noises. Battery life is also really rather good, with up to 8hrs in the buds and a total of 32 with the case. The only really unfortunate thing is the price, which is the highest in this group test. £299 / go.stuff.tv/NTPro Key specs ● 10mm dynamic drivers ● Bluetooth 5.3; aptX Lossless/Adaptive/Classic, AAC, SBC ● IPX4 ● 8hrs + 24hrs case ● 8.6g each, 51g case
STUFF SAYS Superb audio smarts; it’s just a pity the price – and the buds – are so big ★★★★✩
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FI R TH ST ES AD E… D
SAMSUNG Z FLIP4
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ONE ANKER 737 If you think all chargers are created equal, maybe you haven’t about GaN tech yet. GaN (gallium nitride) chargers are more compact and efficient than their silicon counterparts, and can safeguard your Z Flip4’s battery health so it lasts longer. The Anker 737 is our GaN choice to fast-charge your tab, laptop and phone at the same time. £90 / anker.com
TWO SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH5
THREE GOPRO HERO11 BLACK
Thanks to its eSIM support, you can stay connected when your fancy phone can’t hack the action with Samsung’s smartwatch supreme. Like an Apple Watch, it can measure your heart rate and blood oxygen, and take an ECG on the fly… but unlike an Apple Watch, it also measures body composition. £289 / samsung.com
Folding phones aren’t that rugged, so when you need a camera that can handle some outdoorsy rough and tumble you’d best switch to the new GoPro. It has a 27MP sensor, 5.3K video and waterproofing down to 10m – and with GoPro’s Quik app, you can wirelessly import clips to your Flip. Read the review on p60. £550 / gopro.com
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NO TH W T IS RY …
TH TH EN ES GE E… T
INSTANT UPGRADES
COVER SCREEN OS
1 FLEX YOUR MUSCLES
2 SNUB THE SELFIE-CAM
3 GO HALVES
Launch the camera app and half-fold the Z Flip4 to try Flex mode. This sends the preview into the top half of the screen and your controls into the bottom half. Put the phone down for a steady shot, or hold it sideways for landscape video capture. Director’s View shows a preview of what both cameras will capture, while Pro mode displays all your manual controls.
Yes, the Z Flip4 has a selfie-cam, but why use it when you can use the superior main camera? To do this, and turn the cover display into a viewfinder, double-tap the power button with the phone closed then press the volume button to snap your shot. Swipe up and down on the cover screen to switch between the main and ultrawide cameras; swipe right for Portrait mode, left for video.
Flex mode isn’t just a camera feature. Some apps (such as YouTube) natively splice the UI in half; but for those that don’t, it’s time to flex. Open any app, fold the phone a bit then tap the icon that pops up in the bottom left corner. You can push specific apps into the top half of your screen, and use the bottom half for volume controls, a screenshot and notification shortcut or a trackpad.
Not content with Samsung’s cover screen widgets? Open any app on the Z Flip4’s tiny front display with CoverScreen OS. It’s great for eking out battery life. £free (IAP)
QUIK
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]
Even if you haven’t ever picked up a GoPro, the Quik app is a nifty tool for cropping video into a bunch of aspect ratios and turning your phone’s clips into musical montages. £free (IAP)
4 KEEP IT HANDY
5 BE UP FRONT
6 GO OFF ON ONE
The big appeal of the Z Flip4 is its compact form when closed, but what about when it’s open? Unfurled, its tall screen is a stretch to use with one hand, so turn on one-handed mode to prevent any thumb strain: go into the settings and select ‘Advanced features’, then ‘One-handed mode’. Once it’s active, swipe down in the bottom centre of the screen and the interface will shrink.
The front screen does more than tell the time and help you take selfies. Double-tap it and, once the time and date have lit up, swipe right for notifications and left for widgets. These include weather, calendar events, alarms and a timer, plus SmartThings scenes for smart home control. Long-press a widget to delete it; add a new widget by scrolling to the last one and tapping the ‘+’ icon.
If you’re scratching your head or taking screenshots every time you try to turn the phone off with a long press of the power button, it isn’t just you. Go into settings and select ‘Advanced features’, then ‘Side key’. Under the ‘Press and hold’ section, select ‘Power off menu’. As well as making the power-down process simpler, this can disable Bixby, Samsung’s unbearably perky voice assistant.
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ECHOES OF MANA Optimised for the Z Flip4’s wide screen and fizzing with rich detail, Square Enix’s latest freemium game combines a Streets of Rage battle system with big JRPG energy. £free (IAP)
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TWO WEEKS WITH THE APPLE WATCH ULTRA
Tougher than the wrist Apple’s given its Watch extra chunkiness and bonus smarts – Dan Grabham spends a gruelling fortnight finding out if the Ultra is worth the extra cash from £849 / go.stuff.tv/WatchUltra
Apple’s biggest always-on Retina display is twice as bright as that of the Series 8 over the page.
DAY 01 No longer a mere status symbol, the Apple Watch has become one of the essential (and even mainstream) tech purchases of recent years. The new Ultra model is the first real supercharging of the concept, if you ignore the crazy-expensive and now discontinued Apple Watch Editions, and represents something of a move forward in terms of design. So it’s with some excitement that I take delivery of a Watch Ultra complete with an orange
I use that all the time. Handily, this button and the digital crown have been designed for use with gloves. The 61g titanium case doesn’t feel heavy on the wrist, but it is bulkier than other Apple Watches and you’ll find it sticks out of your sleeve a lot. It’s worth noting that the core features of this watch are the same as you get from the much cheaper Apple Watch Series 8, so it’s only if you want the enhanced durability and battery life of the Ultra that you should even begin to consider it. It has the same dual-core processor, and the
The Ultra’s larger screen means you have enough room to display up to six customisable fitness stats per swipe Alpine Loop, plus a yellow Ocean Band that can be adjusted to fit over a wetsuit or similar. Note that you can use the Ultra with any Apple Watch band from the past, which is excellent news, and the charger is the same. So what’s different? The case is chunkier, the 49mm screen is bigger and flatter (and more protected at the sides), plus there’s enhanced GPS, better waterproofing and a new action button that you can configure to your needs. I’ve got it set to start a workout for now, but I’m tempted to set it for the torch as
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same sensors – including blood oxygen and ECG, an altimeter, a compass, a newly-enhanced accelerometer and a gyroscope. The speaker system has been upgraded (there’s a VERY LOUD 86dB emergency siren) and there are now three mics. It’s also worth noting that this thing is more expensive than the comparable Garmin Fenix 7 (from £600) as well as most other active watches. While we all know Apple likes to go premium, £849 is still an eye-watering price point considering the capabilities of the Series 8 and SE tested on p74.
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LO N G -T E R M T E S T
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Donut of Truth™ 05
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01 The display is superb 02 You’ll get at least two days’ battery life 03 100m water protection, compared to the 50m of the Series 8, makes it seaworthy
04 This watch lacks some navigation skills… 05 …and it carries a hefty old premium 06 It needs more stamina to take on the best
Tech specs Screen 1.9in 502x410 always-on Retina Processor Apple S8 Storage 32GB OS watchOS Battery 542mAh Water-resistance 100m Dimensions 49x44x14.4mm, 61g (body)
DAY 03 A new Wayfinder watch face is available and you can configure it however you like, with different modes for Ocean, Adventure, Endurance and so on. With a twist of the crown, you can also adopt a red-only night mode. But a lot of Watch apps don’t go supersized on the larger screen, and many have a lot of spare space around the edge. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but some screens do feel empty.
DAY 05 There are increased numbers of metrics on the display for Workouts – runners get running power, vertical oscillation, stride length and ground contact time. The Ultra’s larger screen means you have enough room to display up to six customisable stats per swipe. Triathletes also get the new Multisport workout that automatically switches between swim, bike and run.
DAY 10 Battery life is cited as 36hrs, but so far I’ve been getting a full couple of days out of it before needing to charge. That’s without LTE – with that on, I’d probably have been
charging it most nights. Although this battery life is way better than previous Apple Watches, there is a problem here because the cheaper Fenix 7 can go beyond 120hrs or five days. Another Garmin, the Enduro 2, dials this up to 150hrs – at least another day on top. So the Watch Ultra does move the dial a little, but not enough. A promised update should enable the Watch Ultra to get up to 60hrs, but it’s not here yet.
DAY 14 In total I’ve treated our Watch Ultra to a couple of runs, a cycle, a swim (I tried the new Depth app there) and a hike so far. It’s more than capable with all of them, and easily cleaned if it gets muddy. What I haven’t done is try to break it, though of course some idiot on YouTube has. But it took said idiot a LOT of effort to show any kind of mark on the case or display, and certainly I’ve not seen any signs of wear and tear. However, I have to report that our Alpine Loop is showing some damage towards the end of this two-week test, which is a shame. Battery life could be better, and it could cost less, but overall I’m looking forward to testing our Ultra’s capabilities further this winter – including taking it skiing.
STUFF SAYS A superb adventurous smartwatch, but its battery life pales next to rivals HHHH✩
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LO N G -T E R M T E S T
THE ALTERNATIVES Apple has two other wearables that have just been upgraded. Would one of these be a better fit for you?
Get the 45mm model if it won’t be too big on your wrist – the display is that bit larger and clearer. The SE’s digital crown (the dial on the side) seems slightly noisier to press than on the Series 8.
● Apple Watch SE (2022)
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● Apple Watch Series 8
from £259 / go.stuff.tv/WatchSE
from £419 / go.stuff.tv/WatchS8
What’s the story? The chip inside the cheaper SE might be the same as the one that powers the Series 8 and the Ultra, but there are some key differences that bring the price down: there’s no always-on display or temperature sensor, and it can’t measure your blood oxygen or take an ECG.
What’s the story? With the arrival of the Watch Ultra, the Series 8 is no longer the favourite child in Apple’s wearable brood – but it still commands a fair chunk more cash than the SE. The question is whether any of its extra features are useful enough to justify the extra outlay.
Is it any good? If you’re talking about value, the SE is the best Apple Watch hands-down. It tracks sleep and all the exercise you need, supports Apple Pay, works great with your iPhone and… what more do most people need? The user experience is broadly identical, and while the screen bezels are a bit larger than on the Series 8 it’s hard to tell them apart without getting right up close. If you want a stainless steel case or any colour other than midnight, starlight or silver, then you’ll have to splash out on a Series 8 – but you should ask yourself if it’s really worth the extra.
Is it any good? There’s no getting away from the fact that the Watch 8 doesn’t offer a huge amount over and above the SE. The always-on display is a handy extra rather than a must-have; and the same goes for fast charging, useful if you want to track sleep and recharge quickly during the day. The temperature sensor is a major addition, but again you’d be hard pushed to find anyone who’s been waiting for that before taking the plunge. This is still the best sub-£500 smartwatch out there, but there are fewer reasons than ever to take it over the SE.
KEY SPECS Screen 448x368 (44mm) / 394x324 (40mm) Retina Processor S8 Storage 32GB Battery life Up to 18hrs Water-resistance 50m Weight 33g (44mm), 28g (40mm)
KEY SPECS Screen 484x396 (45mm) / 430x352 (41mm) always-on Retina Processor S8 Storage 32GB Battery life Up to 18hrs Water-resistance 50m Weight 39-52g (45mm), 32-42g (41mm)
Stuff says HHHHH
Stuff says HHHH✩
Offers most of the same Apple Watch experience for a whole lot cash less
A great smartwatch, but it’s only worth upgrading if you have a Series 4 or older
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Glow up The FS1 speakers even come with their own LED lighting, which expands the reach of your Ambilight display.
Brighten up The 55OLED807’s OLED.EX panel is the new gold standard and emits a 30% brighter light than normal OLEDs.
STUFF PROMOTION
TOP-CLASS HOME SOUND MADE EASY Build the perfect home cinema with Philips, one step at a time very film fanatic and gaming addict shares the same dream: a home cinema system that provides the kind of audiovisual thrills and spills you’d experience at a multiplex. We’re talking multi-directional sound effects to suck you into the action while booming bass makes you feel every punch, explosion and roaring engine. That dream becomes a reality with Philips’ flexible Fidelio home cinema products – easy to set up with the Philips Sound app, and with no requirement to buy the whole kit and caboodle at once. Each element is designed to work brilliantly both alone and as part of a system, letting you build your perfect setup step by step…
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Step 1: Start with the screen Kick things off with an incredible telly in the shape of the Philips OLED807 (see sidebar). This 4K beauty forms the centrepiece around which to build your system. Step 2: Widen the soundfield to 3.1 Add a pair of Philips Fidelio FS1 wireless speakers, placing them either side of the screen. They will automatically detect the presence of other Fidelio kit within a system, allowing for seamless wireless connection. With the TV acting as the centre speaker and subwoofer, you now have a 3.1-channel soundstage. Step 3: Raise the bar Want to add surround effects to the mix? We suggest moving to
the Philips Fidelio FB1 soundbar, which sits beneath the TV to provide room-filling audio from one box. This 7.1.2-channel IMAX-certified array includes two up-firing drivers for full Dolby Atmos, with sound effects coming at you from above. Step 4: Complete the package Move your two FS1 speakers to left and right positions behind your sofa, and you now have a 7.1.4-channel system with Atmos and rear surround effects. This is a full-on surround-sound setup with an Ambilight TV – the sort of home cinema array that turns even the most normal weeknight TV session into something special. Visit philips.co.uk for more info.
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OLED807: SEE THE LIGHT The 55, 65 and 77in versions of this set use the latest OLED.EX panel to offer superb brightness and contrast, automatically adjusting performance to suit the lighting. And of course the OLED807 also has Philips’ Ambilight, a rear-mounted LED array that glows with the current on-screen colours, drawing you into the TV’s image.
TESTED GAMES
FIFA 23 The legendary virtual kickabout turns 30 next year… and while the name might be being retired thanks to the end of EA’s deal with FIFA, the game itself is still (mostly) beautiful ike Jose Mourinho parking the bus, Watford sacking another manager and Jurgen Klopp moaning about fixture congestion, no football season is complete without a new edition of FIFA. This year’s game, the last one to feature the moniker before it changes to EA Sports FC in 2023, gives you plenty of opportunity to live out your footballing fantasies, whether that involves trying to win the Champions League with Grimsby Town or putting together
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a world-beating squad filled only with players called Harry. There’s a real fluidity to the way FIFA 23 plays, with well-timed use of the sprint button affording you more time and space than in last year’s often slightly congested matches. Teammates are better at looking for space in order to give you passing options, which rewards patience, but you still need to play with a decent tempo to cut through a well-organised defence. It feels like players are more responsive to movements
of the left stick alone, which gives you more control both on and off the ball. There are also new Power Shots, which are exactly what they sound like. Of course, FIFA 23 still has the capacity to be absolutely infuriating. Goalkeepers will occasionally collapse in a heap rather than trying to make a save, while there are few things more tedious than being matched in online multiplayer with some dweeb who seems more interested in doing endless
complicated tricks and stepovers than actually playing football. Ultimate Team – FIFA’s playable fantasy football mode, and the virtual equivalent of the doomed European Super League – now makes it easier to build a team of superstars thanks to a more forgiving approach to the way its team chemistry system works, but it’s still largely a pay-to-win racket that reflects the worst of modern football. Perhaps that’s why so many people love it. Tom Wiggins
STUFF SAYS A fitting end of an era for the FIFA series – in ways both good and bad ★★★★✩ 76
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TESTED GAMES
PS5, XSX, PC / go.stuff.tv/FIFA23
Girls just wanna have (more) fun
Vinicius Jr, not to be confused with Fulham frontman Carlos Vinicius.
Sam Kerr, not to be confused with Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr.
FIFA has featured women’s teams since 2015; but with just a handful of national sides and limited modes in which you could use them, for years they felt like a token inclusion. Chelsea’s Sam Kerr made history when she was chosen to join Kylian Mbappe on the cover of FIFA 23 (even if, with physical disc sales declining, that feels like less of a big deal nowadays) – but the addition of the Women’s Super League and the French women’s first division this year suggests EA is finally taking the idea seriously. That takes the number of teams to 41; and while they’re still not available in all modes, the importance of their inclusion shouldn’t be underestimated. EA has motion-captured a full 90-minute women’s match to create the animations for the female players in this year’s game, rather than just adapting the men’s teams as before. That feels like another key step in increasing the realism of women’s football in FIFA. This edition of the game is more representative than ever, then. Even so, when you can play a career as AFC Richmond from Ted Lasso but not as Chelsea or Arsenal women, there’s obviously still room for improvement.
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TESTED GAMES
Switch, PC / go.stuff.tv/MonkeyIsland
Return to Monkey Island It’s a last hurrah for the golden age of pirate adventures… but does this nostalgic revival stand on its own puzzle-solving feet? reating Return to Monkey Island must have felt like a perilous undertaking. While it’s a welcome reunion between the point-and-click series’ iconic characters and the talents behind them (minus co-writer Tim Schafer), its new animated picturebook aesthetic is likely to be more divisive. But once you see it in motion, it really does work to capture Monkey Island’s charming and zany vibe, bringing the wacky humour and characters to life brilliantly. The playing experience has wisely been updated so you can control Guybrush directly with a gamepad, though it’s just as natural to play in handheld mode using the Switch’s touchscreen. Holding a finger over objects shows what can be interacted with and how, which streamlines the puzzles and prevents you from bashing your head against a wall as you try every possibility – but without reducing the opportunity for comedy. If you’re stuck on one puzzle you can just sail over to another
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Guybrush asking an old man for news of his long-lost brother Basilbrush.
Guybrush asking some pirates if they have any illegal VHS copies of Highlander II.
location and take a crack at something else, which means doing a fair bit of travelling back and forth. Well, some backtracking isn’t so bad when it leads to new puzzles; and considering how long it’s been since we’ve visited Monkey Island, it’s a delight to spend time losing your way until a eureka moment strikes. Both Casual and Hard modes also come with an in-game hint system that never reveals too much unless you ask for more. It’s a good balance, so you still have a chance to figure things out for yourself after a little prod. It’s debatable whether this long-overdue sequel will one day be as fondly remembered as the original games, but old fans will love returning to familiar locations, while there’s some poignancy in seeing an ageing Guybrush desperate to take care of unfinished business. At heart, though, this game cares most about making you laugh – and that’s something we could all use more of at the moment. Alan Wen
STUFF SAYS A delightful, laugh-out-loud return to a pirate adventure classic ★★★★★
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TESTED GAMES
PS5, XSX,PC / go.stuff.tv/Hellsinger
Metal: Hellsinger For those about to both rock and die, possibly at the same time, we salute you: Rock Band meets Doom in this hardcore rhythm shooter rom Guitar Hero: Metallica to Thumper, rhythm games and heavy metal music have had a surprisingly close relationship. And while the heyday of both is behind them, there’s more to the crossover genre now than pretending to play plastic instruments. Metal: Hellsinger is all about killing demons, but each weapon you use has its own rhythm when it comes to firing rate – and how well your shooting matches the beat is what determines your score. Timing your trigger finger correctly soon becomes second nature thanks to the game’s banging soundtrack, but those who worry they’re a little lacking in rhythm can also rely on the pulsing crosshair. Keeping your killing in time allows you to build your multiplier, while taking damage reduces it, but holding it at its 16x maximum is when each song’s vocals kick in. And with guest singers including Randy Blythe from Lamb of God and Serj Tankian from System of a Down, it’s exactly the kind
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“All this rock mayhem is fine, but I prefer to slay allcomers to the sound of Chris de Burgh.”
“All this killing mayhem is fine, but I prefer to listen to metal with a nice relaxing cuppa.”
of encouragement you need to keep doing well. More of a Conway Twitty fan? Don’t worry: even if you’re not a metalhead, the soundtrack perfectly matches the mayhem that ensues. Ammo is infinite, although the long reload animations can throw you off your slaying stride a bit. Hitting the button at exactly the right time speeds things up, but paying attention to how many rounds you have left in a clip when being chased by demons is harder than you might think, so it’s easy to miss the cue. With just eight levels to blast through, Metal: Hellsinger can be a fairly short-lived affair – certainly if you compare it to a typical FPS campaign – but there are additional challenges within each one that help to increase replay value. Sure, you might be able to breeze through it in one sitting, but can you do it while keeping those vocals running the entire time? Well, get to it. You know what they say about the devil finding work for idle hands. Alan Wen
STUFF SAYS A metal/shooting crossover with enough to keep fans of both happy ★★★★✩
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TOP TEN
Straight outta testing and into our rankings.
NEW
OF EVERYTHING Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten entries.
HOT BUY BARGAIN BUY UPDATE A product of techy genius that’s set our hearts aflame.
A proper steal. Worth owning regardless of cashflow.
Smartphones Headphones Smartwatches, fitness tech Laptops TVs Soundbars, streamers Tablets, consoles
84 85 86 87 88 89 90
Games Speakers E-bikes, electric cars Smart home VR headsets, drones & action cams Cameras Budget buys
91 92 93 94 95
HOW TO USE THEM
96 97
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TOP TENS SMARTPHONES
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HOT BUY
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra TIPS & TRICKS
If you’re a tech-loving Android fan and can justify the outlay, this is the most fully-featured phone of the 2022 crop. The first ‘S’ model to have a built-in S Pen, it also offers a wonderfully sharp 6.8in QHD+ screen with super-smooth 120Hz scrolling and a stellar zoom camera, aided by a new neural processing unit that creates Samsung’s best pictures yet.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen for the app tray, so you can browse all of your apps.
Stuff says ★★★★★ This is the most capable smartphone you can currently buy
Press volume and standby together to take a screenshot, or just swipe your hand across the screen.
● NOW ADD THIS Samsung Smart Clear View Cover This clever case reveals a small portion of your display so you can do basic stuff without opening it. £22 / samsung.com
Go to Settings > Battery to finely control your phone’s battery-saving efficiency.
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Google Pixel 6 Pro
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
from £849 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel6Pro
from £949 / go.stuff.tv/13Pro
With smart shooting modes and a trio of lenses delivering delightfully detailed images, this Pixel is trading blows with the best. It has one or two weak spots, but Android 12’s slick user experience mostly makes up for them. There’s a new Pixel 7 Pro tested on p56, though…
It’s the last time on this list for the iPhone 13 Pro, which is making way for the new 14 Pro reviewed on p29. This is Apple’s most accomplished handset of the 13 generation, with the A15 Bionic chip, 5G and an ace camera system. Grab one while you can, if you can.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Google’s finest phone by far – not counting the new ones, that is
Stuff says ★★★★★ Hits the spot for power, performance, camera, battery life and design
8 9 10
OnePlus 10 Pro ★★★★★ from £699 / go.stuff.tv/OnePlus10Pro OnePlus has done it again, with a powerful top-end phone that takes on the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
Oppo Find X5 Pro ★★★★★ £1049 / go.stuff.tv/X5Pro An absolute stunner of a smartphone, only let down by limited zooming specs.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra ★★★★★ £750 / go.stuff.tv/30ultra A rapid-charging powerhouse of a phone with a superb set of cameras… for a tantalising price.
Google Pixel 6a ★★★★★ £399 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel6a The latest cut-price Pixel has a few rough edges, but its cameras and slick software are second to none.
Sony Xperia 1 IV ★★★★★ £1299 / go.stuff.tv/Xperia1iv Doubles down on the good stuff – but this is a grown-up phone for skilled snappers only.
Moto G82 ★★★★★ £260 / go.stuff.tv/G82 A long-lasting all-rounder that offers excellent value for money.
Honor Magic4 Pro ★★★★★ £950 / go.stuff.tv/Magic4Pro A stunning flagship at a great price point, though there are better camera phones.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES
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● Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated
from £1149 / go.stuff.tv/s22ultra
TOP TENS IN-EARS
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ON/OVER-EARS TOP TENS
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Sony WF-1000XM4
Sony WH-1000XM5
A worthy successor to the XM3 buds that sat atop this list for what seemed like decades, Sony’s latest true wireless noise-cancelling in-ears are smaller, smarter and better. With the arguable exceptions of call quality and app slickness, the WF-1000XM4s aren’t quite the best at anything; but they’re so close to being the best at everything that their all-round game is untouchable. No other wireless earbuds are so consistently accomplished across the board.
Nobody was able to displace Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones from the top of this list for two years… yet the 2022 model manages to be even better. Key to the XM5s’ overall quality is the new carbon-fibre composite 30mm drivers: they bring even greater clarity than the previous generation, and the sound reproduction is beautifully precise. The simple fact is that these are the best noise-cancellers around by almost every measure. You really won’t regret buying them.
Stuff says ★★★★★ The finest true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds around – this is the complete package
Stuff says ★★★★★ Sony keeps its grip on the top spot with an unrivalled combo of great sound, ANC and comfort
£199 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM4
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Beats Fit Pro £220 / go.stuff.tv/FitPro These Beats are excellent on many levels. Unless you really love the earhook design of the Powerbeats Pro, they’re definitely the best workout ’phones in the Apple/Beats range and rival any others at the price. Stuff says ★★★★★ Good battery life, punchy sound, lock-tight fit
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX £349 / go.stuff.tv/EX Confidence and clarity are the name of the game here. The EXs have a keenness that makes everything you listen to as exciting as the first time you heard it. ANC adds some versatility, at the expense of sound quality. Stuff says ★★★★★ High-class wireless in-ears with Danish flair
Marshall Motif ANC ★★★★★ £169 / go.stuff.tv/Motif Seriously impressive buds with fine sound, a decent fit and sturdy build.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 ★★★★★ £220 / go.stuff.tv/TW3 Balanced and accurate – prepare to extend your shortlist of premium in-ear headphones.
£345 / go.stuff.tv/WHXM5
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Sennheiser Momentum 4 £300 / go.stuff.tv/SM4 These are headphones that sound naturalistic, engaged and entirely musical, making every recording sound like an event. And they’ll last a startling 60hrs – even with ANC switched on. Stuff says ★★★★★ Great audio, great battery life, great price
Bose NCH 700 £280 / go.stuff.tv/NCH700 There are superior-sounding headphones, but if call quality and noise-cancelling are just as important to you then Bose’s flagship cans are the gold standard. The voice-pickup system is the best out there. Stuff says ★★★★★ As all-rounders, these are hard to beat
Philips Fidelio L3 ★★★★★ £219 / go.stuff.tv/L3 Refined and detailed: go for these if you value balance and accuracy.
Technics EAH-A800 ★★★★★ £270 / go.stuff.tv/A800 These premium-priced ANC headphones get almost everything right.
TO READ THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/IN-EAR-HEADPHONES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HEADPHONES
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TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES
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HOT BUY
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HOT BUY
Apple Watch Series 7
Hammerhead Karoo 2
Like the iPhone 13 Pro, last year’s Apple Watch is coming to the end of its shelf life – find out why on p74. If you’ve got a Series 3 or earlier, upgrading to this one will be like walking into a lighting shop from a foggy winter evening: the display is bigger and clearer, and there are new input options too. As a wearable it can’t be beaten simply because it does so much; just bear in mind it’s probably not worth upgrading from a Series 5 or 6 – and of course, its usefulness remains totally dependent on you having an iPhone.
For ages cycling computers have been held back by outdated tech… but Hammerhead’s sharp screen really is a gamechanger, and effectively running a tiny Android phone inside a custom case feels like a no-brainer. The 3.2in display is a delight, helping you spot new trails branching off from routes, all with the nostalgic feel of an early smartphone. Navigating with swipes and taps is intuitive (and works with gloves), and the software is constantly updated with helpful nips and tucks.
Stuff says ★★★★★ The mighty Apple Watch cements its place at the top of the wearable tree – but ‘watch’ this space…
Stuff says ★★★★★ At last, a bike computer for the 21st century – Wahoo and Garmin appear to have missed a trick here
from £379 / go.stuff.tv/WatchS7
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FITNESS TECH TOP TENS
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Garmin Fenix 7 from £600 / go.stuff.tv/Fenix7 If your budget stretches, the impressive mix of rugged durability, serious battery endurance, excellent navigation skills and smartwatch features make this the best all-round sports watch you can buy. Stuff says ★★★★★ An ace tool for adventurous fitness-building
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro £479 / go.stuff.tv/Watch5Pro It carries a chunky price premium over the vanilla Galaxy Watch5, and doesn’t have much in the way of added features, but the Pro still makes a strong case for itself thanks to its more robust build and better battery. Stuff says ★★★★✩ The toughest, longest-lasting Galaxy Watch yet
Apple Watch SE (2021) ★★★★✩ £240 / go.stuff.tv/WatchSE21 The most obvious alternative to the Watch Series 7 – and it looks almost as good.
Huawei Watch GT 3 ★★★★✩ from £160 / go.stuff.tv/WatchGT3 A nippy interface with great health tracking and stellar battery life.
£359 / go.stuff.tv/Karoo2
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Wattbike Atom £1999 / go.stuff.tv/WBAtom This is no beginner bike, but if you’re looking to improve your cycling form at home you’re in for a treat. Pedalling feels eerily real, and the improvements over the first-gen Atom are significant. Stuff says ★★★★★ The benchmark for serious indoor cyclists
Fitbit Charge 5 £129 / go.stuff.tv/Charge5 The Charge 5 gets a colour touchscreen (something the Charge 4 lacked) and goes beyond basic tracking with clever features centred on health and stress. It’s just a pity many are locked behind the Premium service. Stuff says ★★★★✩ A solid tracker with smart optional extras
Huawei Watch GT Runner ★★★★✩ £180 / go.stuff.tv/GTRunner Has the looks and smarts to be a more than capable jogging buddy.
Philips Bone Conduction Headphones ★★★★✩ £112 / go.stuff.tv/PhilipsBone A satisfying way to fill your ears with sound, without actually filling your ears.
FOR THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTWATCHES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/FITNESS-TRACKERS
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LAPTOPS TOP TENS
HOT BUY
Apple MacBook Air (M2) from £1249 / go.stuff.tv/AirM2
With its super-powered new M2 processor, the latest version of Apple’s ‘basic’ laptop leaves the M1 model – an excellent machine in its own right – in the dust. This revamp redefines the Air in a meaningful way, instantly renders the 13in MacBook Pro obsolete, and sets a yardstick by which Apple’s entry-level devices will now be judged.
TIPS & TRICKS If you can afford it, the 512GB option brings faster flash storage (and more of it, of course).
Stuff says ★★★★★ Shame about the price hike, but this is still the Mac to buy for most users ● NOW ADD THIS Belkin 4-Port GaN Charger 108W This brick lets you charge your Mac laptop through its 96W USB-C output… and juice up three other devices at the same time. £80 / belkin.com
Naturally the M2 Air performs better than the M1 version, but that older model is the value buy.
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Apple MacBook Pro 14in from £1899 / go.stuff.tv/Pro14
Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED
7
from £2000 / go.stuff.tv/DuoOLED If you don’t need this MacBook’s power and ports, going Pro really is overkill. That’s especially true if your software isn’t yet optimised for Apple’s incredible M1 Pro chip: it’ll just mean you’re spending too much for what you’ll get out of it. For the vast majority of us, the MacBook Air above offers more than enough grunt and flexibility… if, however, you’re working in a field that can take advantage of its tech, this is the high-powered laptop you’ve been waiting for.
Clearly the Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is not for everyone – but it’s still an amazing piece of work with a full-width second screen that really does make a huge difference to productivity. If you spend all your time in Premiere Pro, or have worn down the alt-tab keys on your current laptop, that extra display will be a game-changer. Performance is also superb, even if it needs to crank the cooling fans to keep temperatures in check and battery life isn’t so stellar.
Stuff says ★★★★★ The Pro goes fully ‘Pro’ again – if you can afford it, you’ll love it
Stuff says ★★★★★ An innovative and powerful PC, despite some design compromises
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LG Gram 16 (2022) ★★★★★ from £1229 / go.stuff.tv/Gram16 An incredible ultraportable that’s among the best Windows has to offer, and with great battery life.
Dell XPS 13 ★★★★★ from £949 / go.stuff.tv/XPS13 There’s little else that’s quite so well rounded… but see also the beefier Plus model at No10.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro Gen 7 ★★★★★ from £850 / go.stuff.tv/7iPro A solid performer that hits a price-point and misses the usual snags.
Alienware x17 R2 ★★★★★ from £2149 / go.stuff.tv/x17 Aimed at serious players, this machine glides through games with all settings maxed.
Huawei MateBook X Pro ★★★★★ from £1800 / go.stuff.tv/XPro This is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop. See also the equally slick MateBook 14s.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 ★★★★✩ from £529 / go.stuff.tv/Go2 A fine ultraportable with more power than before, but avoid the base model for serious work.
Dell XPS 13 Plus ★★★★✩ from £1169 / go.stuff.tv/13Plus If you need big processing power, this Dell looks the part and has a choice of superb screens.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS
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TOP TENS TVs TIPS & TRICKS
Always Ready mode keeps your chosen voice assistant on constant alert, just like a smart speaker.
88
LG calls this a ‘Gallery Edition’ TV for good reason: it’s designed to be wall-mounted.
1
If you’re not a big fan of the Magic Remote, LG’s phone app is a more simple alternative.
HOT BUY
LG OLED77G2 £3699 / go.stuff.tv/G2
As the flagship offering in LG’s current line-up, the G2 delivers on its billing with an upgraded OLED Evo panel, a new Alpha 9 Gen5 processor and improved heat dissipation. Colour accuracy is second to none: every hue is as vivid as you’d want it to be but still looks completely true to life. And since this is an OLED, you’ll find perfect inky blacks with details preserved in the darker areas. There’s also clever AI processing that tackles upscaling to 4K incredibly well.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Just about the best OLED telly on the market, albeit for quite a pretty penny ● NOW ADD THIS LG S-series soundbars Pairing your OLED with one of these is a stress-free way to get Dolby Atmos spatial audio. from £599 / lg.com
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BARGAIN BUY
6
Philips 65OLED936
Sony XR-55A95K
£2399 / go.stuff.tv/OLED936
£2399 / go.stuff.tv/A95K
Great picture, great four-sided Ambilight… but what makes this Philips such a compelling option ahead of many of its rivals is the integrated 70W Bowers & Wilkins sound system sitting below the screen: its presentation is articulate and expressive, with plenty of low-end presence and an absolute stack of detail in the mids. Dolby Atmos performance is more convincing than you’ll get from the likes of the Sonos Beam too. It’s a worthy audio partner to a sizzlingly good television.
Samsung developed QD-OLED to address the one shortcoming of OLED– a relative lack of brightness – yet it’s Sony that leads the QD-OLED pack now. The XR-55A95K doesn’t come cheap, but its performance makes the asking price look fair enough. In every respect – colour balance, motion control, edge definition, detail – it performs impeccably. It’s a brilliantly naturalistic and lifelike watch, with the deep, varied black tones that are one of the real OLED trademarks.
Stuff says ★★★★★ A nice-looking and well-made TV with stunning audio included
Stuff says ★★★★★ QD-OLED tech is here, and on this evidence it’s the real deal
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Xiaomi TV F2 55in ★★★★★ £399 / go.stuff.tv/XiaomiF2 If you’re a fan of Amazon’s interface, you’ll be happy to Fire up this 4K HDR bargain.
Philips 55OLED807 ★★★★★ £1499 / go.stuff.tv/OLED807 That clanging noise you can hear is Philips throwing the mid-range OLED gauntlet down.
Samsung 50AU9000 ★★★★★ £429 / go.stuff.tv/AU9000 As much TV as most people will ever need, at a reasonable price.
Sony KE-48A9 ★★★★★ £999 / go.stuff.tv/KE48A9 Don’t be fooled by its relatively small size: the A9 is a real smasher of a 4K OLED.
Hisense A7200G ★★★★★ £299 / go.stuff.tv/A7200G This 50in budget buy is a perfectly good way to get a biggish screen at a little price.
Sony XR-55A80K ★★★★✩ £1495 / go.stuff.tv/A80K Endlessly watchable 4K HDR images, but this isn’t quite the perfect package.
Sky Glass ★★★★✩ from £37/m / go.stuff.tv/SkyGlass The future of Sky is here… but probably not if you have a decent 4K television already.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs
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TOP TENS SOUNDBARS
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STREAMERS TOP TENS
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
Sky TV
Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of this device’s sound is remarkable, and it’s hard to think of any content that wouldn’t benefit from being Ambeo’d. That’s why, as well as being the biggest and the most expensive, it’s the best you can buy.
Already home to the biggest selection of 4K content, from blockbuster films and original dramas to top-flight sport, Sky has adopted a can’t-beat-’em-join-’em approach to streaming by incorporating the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and BT Sport in its user-friendly interface. It’s also restructured its packages to make them more affordable, while multiroom and mobile options round off the most comprehensive content system money can buy.
Stuff says ★★★★★ The Ambeo Soundbar is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still
Stuff says ★★★★★ Sky has come out fighting to move with the times and its selection of shows is unrivalled
£2199 / go.stuff.tv/AmbeoSoundbar
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BARGAIN BUY
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Sonos Arc £899 / go.stuff.tv/SonosArc Don’t expect this soundbar to do everything a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers give a real sense of cinematic scale. See also the much more affordable Ray model. Stuff says ★★★★★ Big-screen sound for your big-screen binges
Roku Streambar £100 / go.stuff.tv/Streambar It’s a compact soundbar and a versatile streaming stick in the same box – and both parts of the deal work brilliantly well. This is the simplest and cheapest way to upgrade your TV’s sound and smarts in one go. Stuff says ★★★★★ A punchy little bar with built-in streaming skills
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ★★★★★ £449 / go.stuff.tv/SonosBeam The addition of Dolby Atmos has made an excellent compact soundbar even better.
Devialet Dione ★★★★★ £2000 / go.stuff.tv/Dione Striking looks, awesome power: it’s Devialet business as (un)usual.
from £26/m + setup / go.stuff.tv/SkyTV
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Amazon Fire TV Cube £110 / go.stuff.tv/FireTVCube The Fire TV interface is easy to use and all the big catch-up services are available via this tidy box – and best of all, Alexa voice control works brilliantly. You’ll never have to worry about losing the remote again! Stuff says ★★★★★ A marvel of voice control for your telly
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K £50 / go.stuff.tv/FireStick4K This streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster processor than the original Fire TV Stick, and comes with an Alexa remote… but see also the Max model below, and the cheaper non-4K version. Stuff says ★★★★★ Simply a great 4K streaming stick
Roku Express 4K ★★★★★ £35 / go.stuff.tv/Express4K Has the user-friendly Roku OS and offers all the streaming services you’d expect.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max ★★★★✩ £55 / go.stuff.tv/Fire4KMax The ‘Max’ part means faster insides, Wi-Fi 6 support and a remote with more buttons.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
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TOP TENS TABLETS
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CONSOLES TOP TENS
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Apple iPad Air
Sony PlayStation 5
This tablet has enough power to rival the flagship iPad Pro – and even quite a few current MacBooks. And though you might need to add a keyboard, a stylus and even a gamepad to make the most of it, the latest Air reinforces the growing sense that an iPad really can be a laptop replacement for doing proper work (or play). Slight storage dilemmas aside, this is a top-notch device, supported by an ecosystem that makes it highly versatile for an increasingly wide range of users.
The PS5 is not a modest upgrade. Its hulking design means it’ll make a bad first impression on some, but spend time playing it and it’ll soon win you over – and then some. This is essentially a high-spec gaming PC for the living room: stupendously powerful, with greatly reduced loading times compared to the PS4. Most last-gen titles will run fine, many with a boost, and the line-up of new games is strong; we just hope developers make use of that fascinating DualSense pad and its haptic feedback trickery.
Stuff says ★★★★★ It’s not perfect, but this latest iPad Air is a top-quality package – not least because of that M1 chip
Stuff says ★★★★★ Huge power, clever hardware and a guarantee of great games to come make the PS5 hard to resist
from £569 / go.stuff.tv/iPadAir
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Apple iPad Pro from £749 / go.stuff.tv/iPadPro The iPad Pro’s display is wonderful and the M1 chip super-powerful, with only Apple itself holding things back with the flawed iPadOS. Don’t rush to upgrade if you have the 2020 model… but this is the king of tablets. Stuff says ★★★★★ Absolutely the best tablet around… at a price
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra from £999 / go.stuff.tv/S8Ultra Its sheer size might make it a bit niche, but this Galaxy Tab is perfect for watching films, playing games, reading text and taking notes with the bundled S Pen. Add DeX, and this is the best Android tab money can buy. Stuff says ★★★★★ Samsung has made the ultimate Android tablet
Apple iPad ★★★★★ from £319 / go.stuff.tv/iPad The ninth generation of Apple’s entry-level tablet is a highly capable productivity tool.
Xiaomi Pad 5 ★★★★★ from £329 / go.stuff.tv/Pad5 Xiaomi’s do-it-all Android tab is a proper all-round bargain.
£540 / go.stuff.tv/PS5
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Nintendo Switch OLED £310 / go.stuff.tv/SwitchOLED While it’s identical to the standard Switch in terms of raw power, the OLED model does move things on with its bigger, better display. If you’re looking to buy a Switch for the first time, this one is well worth the extra cash. Stuff says ★★★★✩ A tempting upgrade from the trusty old Switch
Microsoft Xbox Series X £450 / go.stuff.tv/XSX A fully future-proofed machine that doesn’t scrimp on specs or speed, the Series X just wants more exclusive titles to make it sing. Xbox Game Pass remains pretty much the best streamed offering in gaming. Stuff says ★★★★✩ A beast of a console that needs more games
Valve Steam Deck ★★★★✩ from £349 / go.stuff.tv/SteamDeck Battery life is a worry, but this do-anything device could revolutionise PC gaming.
Microsoft Xbox Series S ★★★★✩ £250 / go.stuff.tv/XSS Delivers affordability without sacrificing key features, but still falls short on new titles.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TABLETS & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES
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GAMES TOP TENS
HOT BUY
Elden Ring
from £39 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC With FromSoftware’s trademark difficulty and a richly imaginative world that doesn’t hold your hand, this ambitious action RPG is a crowning achievement. There’s so much to lose yourself in here: lore hunters will have a field day combing through the world’s mythology; speedrunners and those who thrive on challenge will relish figuring out the best weapons to use and where to find them. Even for most of us mere mortals, Elden Ring is an event: an invitation to greatness.
TIPS & TRICKS Sprinting doesn’t consume stamina… until you get close to an enemy, when it suddenly does!
Stuff says ★★★★★ Majestic and daunting, this is like no other open-world action RPG
Weapons are key: you need to improve them whenever you can. A good melee weapon is a must.
● OR PLAY THIS The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild This adventure-filled open-world masterpiece might be five years old now, but it’s still brilliant. £45 / Switch
A hub called the Roundtable Hold enables you to visit characters who can offer gear upgrades.
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Deathloop
from £15 / all platforms
from £17 / PS5, PC
Just when you think you’ve seen all this hellish roguelite has to offer, a new tweak yanks you out of your comfort zone. It quickly becomes very addictive… and even if you’ll have to face numerous setbacks, few games make you feel so godly.
With meaty combat, organic exploration and lots of ingenious puzzles, this is a wondrously accessible adventure that’s easy to pick up but impossible to stop playing. It’s flawless in pretty much every way, from its design style to its soundtrack.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Great even if you don’t like roguelites …and if you do, it’s the best there is
Stuff says ★★★★★ Not just one of the best games of 2021, but one of the best games ever
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Halo Infinite ★★★★★ from £28 / XSX, XB1, PC The best Halo since the original trilogy – and it’s included with Game Pass.
The Last of Us Part I ★★★★★ £61 / PS5 Easily the best way to play – or replay – one of the greatest games ever made.
Forza Horizon 5 ★★★★★ from £40 / XSX, XB1, PC This stunning fifth venture into the Horizon is the pinnacle of open-world racing.
It Takes Two ★★★★★ from £18 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC A masterful co-op experience that will live long in the memory.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ★★★★★ £50 / PS5 Consistently fun and incredible to look at, this is a PS5 must-have.
Metroid Dread ★★★★★ £40 / Switch Samus Aran’s latest adventure is the perfect showpiece game for the Switch OLED.
Psychonauts 2 ★★★★★ from £45 / XSX, XB1, PS4, PC A story that brims with imagination while also addressing very real issues.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES
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TOP TENS SPEAKERS TIPS & TRICKS
You can control your Move with the touch controls on top, the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Alexa.
92
Auto Trueplay adapts the Move’s sound to different rooms, while the app offers additional EQ tweaks.
1
HOT BUY
Sonos Move £399 / go.stuff.tv/SonosMove
The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been crying out for a battery-powered portable model for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand. This is the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago – and for even better portability, see the Roam model at No4 on this list.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style ● NOW ADD THIS YouTube Music Premium If you’d like a side of optional visuals with your audio, look no further than the ad-free tier of YouTube Music. £9.99/month / music.youtube.com
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Sonos One
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin
£199 / go.stuff.tv/SonosOne
£549 / go.stuff.tv/Zeppelin
The Sonos One is now a more well-rounded device than it was at launch, supporting Spotify with Alexa or Google Assistant voice control as well as Amazon Music and TuneIn Radio, while the early Alexa hiccups seem to have been fixed. Sound quality is a cut above pretty much anything else at this price point with the exception of Amazon’s Echo Studio, but that speaker can’t beat this one’s lovely design and ease of setup. Plus it won’t force you to commit to one ecosystem ’til death do you part…
No, the latest Zeppelin doesn’t quite give the widely separated stereo sound it reckons it can. And no, that downward-facing ‘ambient’ light doesn’t serve much of a purpose, while the absence of an HDMI input is perplexing. But in every other respect this is a deeply impressive wireless speaker. There’s no clever DSP magic, just excellent sound with a stack of music-making talent and a control app that helps rather than hinders. It’s basically the complete package.
Stuff says ★★★★★ A great balance of sound and smarts for forward-thinking audio nerds
Stuff says ★★★★★ Supremely enjoyable hi-fi sound in a supremely large package
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Sonos Roam ★★★★★ £179 / go.stuff.tv/SonosRoam There are better-sounding sub-£200 speakers, but none with the Roam’s portable skills.
Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation ★★★★★ £1449 / go.stuff.tv/Mu-so2 More than capable of maintaining Naim’s position at the front of the luxury hi-fi pack.
Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII ★★★★★ £325 / go.stuff.tv/C10Mk2 Ideal for multiroom systems – there’s nothing else that sounds this good at this price.
Devialet Phantom 1 108dB ★★★★★ £2800 each / go.stuff.tv/Phantom1 An insanely powerful lump of hi-fi magic, best enjoyed in a neighbour-terrifying stereo pair.
JBL Charge 5 ★★★★★ £145 / go.stuff.tv/JBLCharge5 A no-nonsense portable speaker for audio fans who won’t settle for a sonic lightweight.
Q Acoustics M20 ★★★★★ £370 (pair) / go.stuff.tv/QM20 Hi-res sound from multiple sources, with none of the compromises the price suggests.
Bose SoundLink Revolve II ★★★★✩ £200 / go.stuff.tv/Revolve2 A stylish cylinder with a big, bold voice that can easily fill all corners of a room.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING
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TOP TENS E-BIKES
1
ELECTRIC CARS TOP TENS
93
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
VanMoof S3
Porsche Taycan
VanMoof’s second-gen S3 (or X3 if you’re under 5ft 8in) looks like a normal bike, rides like a normal bike and, crucially, doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount of cash. The chunky 50mm tyres, slightly swooped bars and upright riding position all combine to make it super-comfy, and 30 miles with the power assistance set to level three (out of four) left us completely sweat-free with 20% still in the tank. Plus, for such a looker, the S3 has a lot of discreet smarts to deter thieves. See also the ultra-techy S5 model.
It was about time someone took the fight to Tesla, and boy has Porsche delivered with the Taycan. This electric four-door saloon is the EV that petrolheads have been waiting for. In full-fat Turbo S flavour, the Taycan hits 62mph in 2.8 seconds – and adding more drama to proceedings is how it shifts up through its two-speed gearbox. The Taycan has a dynamism that can’t be matched by other electric cars, with a surefootedness that encourages you to press on.
Stuff says ★★★★★ This smart-looking e-bike offers a great ride, great features and some genuinely useful security smarts
Stuff says ★★★★★ Big power, sports-car handling and lots of clever tech make the Taycan the most exciting EV yet
£2248 / go.stuff.tv/VanMoofS3
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Cowboy 4 £2490 / go.stuff.tv/Cowboy4 The Belgian maker’s latest model has 50% more torque than its predecessor, but the slinky profile and simple interface with GPS remain… and there’s also an equally excellent step-through version, the 4 ST. Stuff says ★★★★★ Smoothly integrated e-power at a good price
LeMond Prolog £4350 / go.stuff.tv/Prolog From multiple Tour de France winner and world road race champion Greg LeMond, the Prolog is an all-carbon commute-crushing machine that doesn’t really look like it has a motor or a battery at all. Stuff says ★★★★★ If you want gears and lightness, it’s worth it
Ribble Endurance SL e Pro ★★★★★ from £5099 / go.stuff.tv/Endurance Super-light and a great bike on its own – the motor is just the icing on the hilly cake.
Gocycle G4i ★★★★★ £4999 / go.stuff.tv/G4i This folding e-bike is silky-smooth, super-fast and splendidly futuristic… for a price.
from £75,500 / go.stuff.tv/Taycan
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Audi Q4 E-tron from £43,975 / go.stuff.tv/Q4Etron Audi’s premium electric SUV has decent range and is surprisingly well priced. The smart tech works great, but this is also a highly practical car and will make sense for a lot of families and compulsive boot-fillers. Stuff says ★★★★★ The best all-round electric SUV we’ve driven
Polestar 2 from £43,150 / go.stuff.tv/Polestar2 From Volvo’s EV subsidiary, this five-door saloon is perky and fun to throw around corners. It also feels just that wee bit better put-together than the Tesla Model 3, plus the Scandi looks are nicer. Stuff says ★★★★★ This all-electric fastback is a joy to drive
Hyundai Ioniq 5 ★★★★✩ from £41,900 / go.stuff.tv/Ioniq5 A deceptively large electric saloon that’s bristling with slick tech.
Volkswagen ID.4 ★★★★✩ from £37,900 / go.stuff.tv/id4 A step up from the smaller ID.3, and a great crossover option for families.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
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TOP TENS SMART HOME
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1
HOT BUY
Amazon Echo (4th Gen) £90 / go.stuff.tv/Echo
Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter and considerably cheaper too.
TIPS & TRICKS The Echo’s built-in Zigbee hub can hook up hundreds of smart home devices without a bridge.
Stuff says ★★★★★ An all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever
Pair a compatible thermostat and the Echo’s temperature sensor can activate the heating.
● NOW ADD THIS Honeywell T6R This Zigbee-enabled thermostat is wireless so you can place it where it’s most convenient. £160 / screwfix.com
Alexa Flash Briefings deliver bursts of news or trivia; choose from 5000 sources in the app.
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Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)
Google Nest Mini
from £50 / go.stuff.tv/Dot
£49 / go.stuff.tv/NestMini
It can’t match its big brother above; but as a radio and Alexa assistant for the bedside or kitchen, this cutey gets the job done. It’s way better than its predecessor Dots, which always had fairly weak speakers – this model is capable of everything you can implore Alexa to throw at it. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds some basic visual cues beyond telling the time. Just note that the incoming fifth-generation Echo Dot promises much more beefy bass.
If you live in Google’s world (and let’s face it, most of us do) then the Nest Mini is the best, cheapest way to get into the smart home game. Just like the latest Echo Dot, this latest version features upgraded speakers and mics compared to older models. It’s a slightly better bet than the Echo Dot with Clock if you want close integration with your Google calendar and apps. The only reason not to buy is if you want more powerful audio – for that, get the Google Nest Audio instead.
Stuff says ★★★★★ With the optional clock, this is our favourite bedside wondergadget
Stuff says ★★★★★ Louder and cleverer than ever… and it’ll only improve with updates
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Ring Indoor Cam ★★★★★ £50 / go.stuff.tv/RingIndoor This cute little spy-cam is a bona fide bargain for anyone with security worries.
Nest Learning Thermostat ★★★★★ £219 / go.stuff.tv/NestTherm A simple and mess-free smart thermostat with Alexa compatibility.
Amazon Echo Show 15 ★★★★★ £240 / go.stuff.tv/EchoShow15 Amazon’s smart display has come of age – this is easily the best Show in town.
Philips Hue Starter Kit ★★★★★ from £70 / go.stuff.tv/Hue Become an indoor god with the smartest way of lighting up your home remotely.
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute ★★★★★ £530 / go.stuff.tv/V15Absolute Ludicrous but brilliant: a vacuum cleaner that illuminates your dust particles with a laser.
Facebook Portal+ ★★★★✩ £349 / go.stuff.tv/PortalPlus Not the smartest display around, but a brilliant choice if you’re after a screen for video calls.
Nest Doorbell (Battery) ★★★★✩ £180 / go.stuff.tv/NestDoorbell A simple gadget that makes it easy to answer the door when you can’t answer the door.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES
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TOP TENS VR HEADSETS
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DRONES & ACTION CAMS TOP TENS
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HOT BUY
Meta Quest 2
GoPro Hero10 Black
The original Quest felt almost too good to be true. Its successor lacks the same wow factor, but you can’t argue with a better display and processor – not to mention a lighter, more comfy build – and the fantastic Beat Saber now thrown in. Are there more powerful headsets? Is motion sickness still an issue? Yes to both, but superb tracking and a total absence of wires make this the VR package to get… and with Meta accounts now live, you no longer have to be logged in to Facebook to use it.
At a glance it’s almost impossible to tell the Hero10 Black apart from its predecessor. Each is a little box with screens front and rear, and a lens housing that juts out. Under the hood, however, GoPro has truly levelled up its latest action camera – and much of that is down to the new GP2 processor. It’s more responsive and captures better images in all lighting conditions, while ‘nice to have’ features (better livestreaming and webcam support, faster wireless and wired transfer of video) iron out some old issues.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Not a complete reinvention, but our favourite VR headset is now even better… and cheaper!
Stuff says ★★★★★ Beefed-up internals make the Hero10 Black a nippy, powerful, polished action cam
from £396 / go.stuff.tv/Quest2
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Valve Index £919 / go.stuff.tv/ValveIndex While not revolutionary, the Index carries enough subtle upgrades to put it atop the PC-based headset pack. Everything looks fabulous and the controllers deliver the most fluid-feeling VR interactions to date. Stuff says ★★★★✩ The best of the performance-PC VR options
HTC Vive Pro £599 (headset only) / go.stuff.tv/VivePro No longer the top dog for high-end VR using a PC, the Vive Pro – launched way back in 2018 – remains a strong headset thanks to its crisp screens and comfy fit. But see also the upgraded Pro 2 model. Stuff says ★★★★✩ Impressive, but not the best around any more
HTC Vive Flow ★★★✩✩ £499 / go.stuff.tv/ViveFlow The VR is decent, but the ‘travel-friendly’ part faces some obstacles.
PlayStation VR ★★★✩✩ from £170 / go.stuff.tv/PSVR Held back by niggling issues… let’s hope the upcoming PlayStation VR2 will fix those.
£350 / go.stuff.tv/Hero10
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DJI Air 2S £881 / go.stuff.tv/Air2S DJI’s laurels remain assuredly un-rested-upon, and this may be its best drone yet: an almost perfect balance of portability, performance and price, ideal for novices but still able to produce nigh-on pro-level results. Stuff says ★★★★★ The best all-round camera drone on the market
DJI Mini 3 Pro £709 / go.stuff.tv/Mini3Pro Like the old Mini 2, this little quadcopter is light enough to avoid having to be registered with the CAA yet still grabs stellar aerial video. It’s a user-friendly compact drone that doesn’t compromise on performance. Stuff says ★★★★★ DJI’s latest dinky drone produces great images
DJI Mavic 3 ★★★★★ £1729 / go.stuff.tv/Mavic3 It isn’t cheap, but DJI’s stunning flagship raises the bar for foldable flying cameras.
Insta360 One RS 1-Inch 360 Edition ★★★★✩ £810 / go.stuff.tv/360Edition Huge 1in sensors make this the best 360° cam you can get for image quality.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
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TOP TENS CAMERAS
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Fujifilm X-T4 The Fuji X-T4 might be the high-end mirrorless camera of your dreams. Relatively affordable for a flagship, it excels at stills and video thanks to in-body image stabilisation, high-speed shooting and 4K recording at up to 60fps. Rapid shooting is backed up by fancy AF tricks that feel equally fast and reliable, and even the battery life goes above and beyond the usual standards. There’s no doubting this is a worthy successor to the already fabulous X-T3.
TIPS & TRICKS It’s easy to set up the X-T4’s customisable Q button: just hold it down for a couple of seconds for options.
Stuff says ★★★★★ A superbly capable mirrorless camera for shooting pretty much anything in style
Avoid those wonky horizons by turning on the built-in on-screen level in screen settings.
● NOW ADD THIS Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 This versatile lens covers a bigger zoom range than most and adapts to pretty much any requirements. £699 / wexphotovideo.com
Fujifilm X Acquire is a clever bit of PC/Mac software that backs up all your X-T4’s custom settings.
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Sony A7C
Sony A7 III
£1699 / go.stuff.tv/A7C
£1699 / go.stuff.tv/A7iii
Putting full-frame sensors in small bodies is one of Sony’s greatest strengths, and the A7C minimises things even further. It stuffs a lot of imaging power into a compact package with plenty of battery life; for photo and video geeks in need of a body they can carry in a small bag, this fits the bill better than any other interchangeable-lens camera around. It isn’t a budget model by any means, but it isn’t a starter job either – it’s an enthusiast camera, capable of producing stunning photos and videos.
The A7 III manages to pack in a lot of tech and desirability for less than £2000. You get a full-frame 24.2MP sensor, a super-whizzy Bionz X processor, 10fps shooting, a hybrid AF system, a 2.3m-dot EVF and a 3in 922k-dot tilting LCD touchscreen. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s suited to a bunch of shooting scenarios, coping well with landscapes, portraits and even a little bit of high-speed sport work. It’s not the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen, but it handles well for its compact size.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Superb quality and full-frame goodness from a half-pint camera
Stuff says ★★★★★ An excellent all-round shooter that thrives in low-light conditions
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Nikon D780 ★★★★★ £2299 / go.stuff.tv/D780 An all-round DSLR that’s built like a tank and borrows the best tricks of its mirrorless siblings.
Canon EOS R6 ★★★★★ £2399 / go.stuff.tv/EOSR6 With its low-light-friendly specs, the R6 all but guarantees sharp shots in any conditions.
Fujifilm X-H2S ★★★★★ £2499 / go.stuff.tv/XH2S This ace all-rounder offers 40fps burst shooting, exceptional autofocus… and wonderful stills.
Canon EOS RP ★★★★★ £1050 / go.stuff.tv/EOSRP A full-frame mirrorless marvel that’s light enough to not be a burden and offers top picture quality.
Sony A1 ★★★★★ £6499 / go.stuff.tv/A1 There are better options for specialists, but this is the ultimate no-compromise all-round camera.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 ★★★★★ £1999 / go.stuff.tv/GH6 This superb Micro Four Thirds camera is easily Panasonic’s best mirrorless yet for video.
Fujifilm GFX100S ★★★★★ £5499 / go.stuff.tv/GFX100S Not cheap, but lightweight and compact: Fuji has made medium-format accessible.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS
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● System camera prices quoted are for body only unless otherwise stated
£1549 / go.stuff.tv/XT4
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BUDGET BUYS TOP TENS HOT BUY
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)
TIPS & TRICKS
from £50 / go.stuff.tv/Dot
Fed up of yelling? Alexa’s voice can work like an intercom with connected Echo devices.
As a radio and Alexa assistant for the bedside or kitchen, this cutey gets the job done. It’s way better than its predecessor Dots – this model is capable of everything you can implore Alexa to throw at it. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds some basic visual cues beyond telling the time. Just note that the incoming fifth-generation Echo Dot promises much more beefy bass.
Alexa Voice Shopping lets you order from Amazon; add a ‘voice code’ to keep the kids off.
Stuff says ★★★★★ With the optional clock, this is our favourite bedside wondergadget
Dot at your bedside? Saying “Alexa, turn on whisper mode” will stop it waking up sleepyheads.
● NOW ADD THIS Sportlink Wall Mount This minimalist acrylic mount for the Dot will keep it clear from wet surfaces in the bathroom or kitchen. £15 / amazon.co.uk
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Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
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£90 / go.stuff.tv/XboxHeadset With their chunky earpads, these black cans are unmistakably Xbox. And the sound is impressive for the price, with a low-end response so impactful we had to turn down the bass in the Xbox’s EQ app. You might find yourself wishing for some sort of multifunction button for non-gaming use (and there’s no case, suggesting Microsoft expects you to keep it in the house). But if you like the sound of keeping your Xbox headset outlay below three figures, look no further.
With this redesigned and markedly improved Paperwhite, Amazon’s e-reader dominance looks sure to continue. The bigger display is worth the added heft, while the warm light setting means the gap between this and the pricey Oasis has never been smaller. The new interface gets a thumbs-up too… that is, providing you’re happy to buy all your books from Amazon, because it doesn’t make it easy to read from other sources. More than ever, the Paperwhite is the Kindle to go for.
Stuff says ★★★★★ Yes, you really can bag a decent gaming headset for under £100
Stuff says ★★★★★ The evolved Paperwhite remains the best Kindle for almost everyone
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SanDisk Extreme 1TB ★★★★★ £119 / go.stuff.tv/Extreme1TB A rugged little SSD for those who don’t just need a drive to dump next to their desktop.
Raspberry Pi 400 Kit ★★★★★ £109 / go.stuff.tv/Pi400 This DIY PC kit is a superb gadget for hacking around and exploring computing’s past.
Orange Crest Edition ★★★★★ £95 / go.stuff.tv/OrangeCrest Comfortable cans with a sound that’s true to Orange’s hard-rocking heritage.
Razer Kishi V2 ★★★★★ £100 / go.stuff.tv/Kishi2 This compact device is a sleek (if pricey) way to turn your phone into a games console.
Poco M4 Pro ★★★★✩ £225 / go.stuff.tv/M4Pro Skips a few luxuries, but still a seriously good Android phone for the price.
Beurer TL50 ★★★★✩ £80 / go.stuff.tv/TL50 A beautifully designed anti-SAD lamp that doesn’t cost the earth.
UE Wonderboom 3 ★★★★✩ £90 / go.stuff.tv/WB3 Showing its age at version 3, but still one of the best compact Bluetooth speakers around.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
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Sunder the bridge Given the launch price of £179, users hoped the bulbs would last ‘up to 25 years’ as promised. Most are still going. Alas, the original wireless bridge was mothballed after eight.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 2012
s it already a decade since all humanity’s problems were solved via not having to flick light switches? That’s a reductive way to look at Hue and the market it set in motion. Sure, you can prod a phone or bark at a voice assistant to turn on smart bulbs when you’re too lazy to get up off the sofa. But from the start, this system was about helping you personalise lighting. Now you could set scenes to make lights context-sensitive, adjust the ambience, and trigger lights remotely to make potential burglars think you were home.
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And you could freak out the neighbours by flashing SOS from every window! You jest, but cheeky researchers did that in 2016. Taking advantage of a vulnerability in the system, they hacked into a room full of Hue bulbs by way of a drone hovering outside. ‘SOS’ in Morse code spread until all the lights were in a mode that might be called, in PR terms, ‘sub-optimal’. But Philips was told before the research went public and quickly issued a fix. It’s just a pity that fix didn’t turn all your lights red and have your phone blare out “RED ALERT! HACK ATTACK!” whenever someone was trying to infiltrate your system.
So with those pesky hackers defeated, why am I not seeing Hue in every home? The Hue range has grown substantially, as has the user base – but smart bulbs remain a long way from ubiquity. Much of that is down to cost. But there are also technological issues: getting and keeping the things online; hardware originally called ‘futureproof’ being abruptly consigned to history; Hue bulbs all turning on in the middle of the night after a power outage. After that kind of rude awakening, you might well take a dim view of smart lighting and decide to go old-school with physical switches again.
DON’T MISS THE NEXT ISSUE! ON SALE 24 NOV 7efe8d4f-b5b1-4b57-a5c7-e05b9de1c5a6
[ Words Craig Grannell ]
Philips Hue
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