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From ÂŁ229 www.ultion-smart.co.uk

ULTION SMART Alexa, lock the door

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250 SPECIAL EDITION TH

GADGETS / GAMES / GEAR

Capture the night

195 +++++

LIFESAVING WEARABLES

Why it’s watches to the rescue

GADGETS RATED INSIDE Shoot the stars

E N O H P R E P SU T S E T R E P U S E R O M , R E W O P E L E I R B O O M M , S R A U R O E Y M E A D C A E R MOR NS TO UPG Go REASO extra

PLUS! FIFA vs PES played Noise-cancellers clash Mega Drive Mini mashed & ‘the future’?

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£4.99 Dec 2019 www.stuff.tv

SONOS MOVES OUTSIDE

Excellence Remastered Introducing the Mu-so 2nd Generation family from Naim.

The premium wireless speakers your music deserves.

Welcome

This is a very special edition of Stuff. Probably not for you personally, unless you’ve got some sort of weird psychokinetic connection with the editorial team, but because the world’s best-selling gadget magazine (yes, us) has reached the milestone of its 250th issue.

What does that mean? Well, we’re still here. We’re older, but not necessarily wiser. Stuff actually launched back in 1996, when the Notorious B.I.G. was still alive and Spurs ended the season trophyless.

Our Hot Stuff editor Matt Tate follows the Lilywhites, and now knows full well that some things never change. The world of tech, however, has moved on exponentially (textbook segue).

Netflix was launched around the same time, offering DVD rentals.

I wonder if anyone predicted it would be making its own movies by now? We suspect even the celebrated futurist Matthew Griffin didn’t prophesise that, and yet we’ve still given him the gig to talk about what’s next for gadgets – see page 68.

This issue’s 16-page smartphone supertest proves that, for now, mobiles remain the most important devices in our lives. We rate everything from the latest iPhones to Google’s new Pixels.

Here’s to another 250 issues, by which time we may be reviewing the iPhone 34. Presumably still with a Lightning connection.

Advertising: Tandem Media 01233 228757 Richard Rowe (richard.rowe@ tandemmedia.co.uk) Ad Operations Manager Martin Williams Ad Production Manager Andy Welch (01233 220245, stuff@ tandemmedia.co.uk) Management Managing Director Phil Weeden Chief Executive Steve Wright Chairman Steve Annetts Finance Director Joyce Parker-Sarioglu Publishing Director Kevin McCormick Publishing Operations Manager Charlotte Whittaker Retail Distribution Managers Eleanor Brown, Steve Brown Audience Development Manager Andy Cotton Head of Events Kat Chappell Senior Print Production Manager Nicola Pollard Print Production Manager Georgina Harris Print Production Controller Alicia Stewart Subscription Marketing Manager Nick McIntosh • Volume 23 issue 12 • ISSN: 1364-963 • On sale 31 Oct 2019 • Audit Bureau of Circulations: 39,953 (Jan-Dec 2018)

James Day, Editor-in-Chief / @James_A_Day DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT www.seymour.co.uk Tel: 020 7429 4000 PRINTING William Gibbons & Sons Ltd

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Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The Editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

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Go Beyond

DALI’s IO6 wireless, noise cancelling headphones enable you to fully immerse yourself in music. Designed in Denmark, these stunning headphones allow you to hear your music exactly as the artist intended. With 30hours battery life, these durable, comfortable headphones are built for extended listening, with a natural transparent sound that never tires.

DALI iO | Go with Music www.dali-speakers.com

Making Stuff up Editor-in-Chief James Day Hot Stuff Editor Matt Tate Online Editor Natalya Paul Contributors Andrew Williams, Craig Grannell, Andrew Hayward, Sam Kieldsen, Tom Wiggins, Tom Morgan, Verity Burns, Chris Rowlands, Simon Lucas, Basil Kronfli, Leon Poultney, Vikki Blake, Alan Wen, Jon Denton, Barry Lineker, Richard Purvis, Ross Presly

I HAD LUNCH WITH FUJI’S NEW RETRO CAM Fujifilm’s X-Pro3 is a bit special – aimed at those who have retro sensibilities, probably still love film cameras, and quite possibly own a selection of berets. I spent the afternoon in London’s Borough Market to test it out… but having skipped lunch, my acute desire to go head-first into a massive paella meant that none of the photos I took inside the food market were in focus. So I dashed back and asked this willing staff member to strike a quick natural pose.

Natalya Paul, Online Editor

I DEFILED THE MONACO ELITE There’s no way of writing this without sounding awful, but enjoying collection by chauffeur from Nice Airport in a new Bentley is about as lovely as life gets. No, I hadn’t become an overnight pop sensation – I was among the world’s billionaires to test the new Flying Spur. With supercar performance and an interior more opulent than a sultan’s smoking room, it might just be one of the greatest material possessions in the world. Unlike my shirt, which might just be one of the worst.

Leon Poultney, contributor Review p63

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OUR MONTH

Snapping, swerving, silencing and schooling I BELIEVED I COULD FLY It might look like a bold take on Microsoft Flight Simulator, but this was Beats’ novel way of testing the transparency settings on its new Solo Pro on-ear noise-cancellers from the comfort of a swanky hotel suite (and out of reach from Extinction Rebellion). The cans feature plenty of proprietary ANC tech to block out this godforsaken miserable world, but should you need to listen in to vital airline announcements regarding the lack of cheese and ham toasties, one button press lets just enough noise in.

James Day, Editor-in-Chief

SPHERO MADE ME ENVIOUS OF TODAY’S YOUTH I’m pretty sure we did get to play with a robot when I was at school, but the sole objective of the hour-long class was to get the temperamental blob to move forward.

It definitely didn’t have an customisable expansion plate to which you could attach a Raspberry Pi, nor a sensor that would launch a ping-pong ball at my face. But that’s all in a day’s work for Sphero’s modular RVR robot, which the company plans to roll out in classrooms across the UK. And suddenly I want to be nine again.

Matt Tate, Hot Stuff Editor

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CON S ON THE COVER P58 P12

p46 The Goog place

HOT STUFF 8

16 18 20 22 24 26 27

The Hot Five O Microsoft Surface Neo O Google Pixel 4XL O Bowers & Wilkins PX7 O Nikon Z50 O Amazon Echo Buds Vital stats Amazon Echo Studio Smart speaker with a permanent grimace Icon Transparent Speaker We can see through the hype Apps Including an app for making apps Games What’s going to keep us indoors this winter?

Stream How to watch Godfatherfellas Start menu Invest in ear-trumpets for hamsters Wheels Tech-first car news, featuring an exciting Volvo. No, really.

TESTS p40 Queer iPhone

p42 That 7T’s show

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31 First test Apple Watch Series 5 Simply the best, better than all the wrist?

58 Tested Nintendo Switch Lite The portable console just got portabler 60 Versus Noise-cancelling headphones Sennheiser Momentum Wireless vs Dali IO-6 63 Tested Bentley Flying Spur Built like Gary Mabbutt, moves like Gareth Bale 67 3 of the best Tablets A spate of great slates debated and rated 72 Tested Google Nest Hub Max Good listener, even better speaker 73 Tested Sega Mega Drive Mini Never mind the tech, feel the Chris Rea puns 77 Tested Huawei Watch GT 2 A sexy tracker to raise your heart-rate 78 Long-term test Sonos Move I like to move it, move it (into the spare room) 80 Tested Games FIFA 20 vs eFootball PES 2020, Link’s Awakening, Borderlands 3, Ghost Recon

12.19

WIN! p29

P104

P68

FEATURES 38 Cover feature Smartphone supertest All the big makers have wheeled out their latest flagships, so… wait, you don’t wheel out a ship, do you? Anyway, we tested them…

55 Mini meme Mobile football managers Just go out there and enjoy yourself 56 Upvoted Mice The best digital rodents for every purpose 64 Instant upgrades DJI Osmo Action Do this before you do gnarly stuff 68 Future gadgets A tech soothsayer tells us what’s coming… and it’s going to pop our trembling minds 74 Beta yourself macOS Catalina Come and get your luvverly fresh Apple 106 Random access memories Commodore 64 ZX Spectrum fans, prepare to be indignant

TOP TENS 88 Smartphones, tablets, mobile games What’s the handiest, handsomest handset?

90 Headphones, wearables In-ears, on-ears, smartwatches, trackers 92 Laptops, wireless speakers Porta-powerhouses and music movers 94 TVs, soundbars, smart speakers All you need for a lazy night/day/year in 96 Home cinema, consoles, games Streaming gadgets and gaming goodies 98 Tech toys, electric cars, VR Playing, driving, escaping from reality 100 Smart home, drones, action cams, compacts Comfort when you’re in, fun when you’re out 102 System cameras, budget buys ‘Proper’ cameras and the best tech bargains 104 How to buy… a TV soundbar

SAVE!

Subscribe to Stuff and get 58% off!

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Chip to be square Microsoft’s reveal video for the Neo showed an Intel logo on the processor. Exactly which kind isn’t known, but it’s expected to come from the Lakefield hybrid range.

HOT FIVE #1 THE ANSWER IS OUT THERE, NEO Microsoft Surface Neo

‘Neo’ is an anagram of ‘one’, which is weird considering Microsoft’s newest Surface tablet has got two screens. Shouldn’t it be called the Wot instead? Someone in Microsoft’s marketing department isn’t trying hard enough.

Maybe it’s missing a letter and should be called the None, because apart from the size of the displays there aren’t any confirmed specs available yet. That doesn’t mean we don’t know what it’ll do, though.

The 360° hinge between the two 9in screens means they can be folded back to create a tab with displays on both sides, opened out flat as a single 13in slate, or somewhere in between to be used like a regular laptop with a fold-out keyboard. It runs Windows 10X, which allows for proper split-screen multitasking, and comes with a Surface Pen stylus that attaches to the back when not in service.

Fortunately, Microsoft has plenty of time to work the other details out, because the Neo isn’t due to be released until the end of next year – along with the Surface Duo, a smaller dual-screened device that runs Android. Yep, it’s the return of the Windows Phone! Sort of.

As hot as… a double-shot magmaccino £tba / microsoft.com 8

Stuck with you Prop the Neo up in an ‘A’ shape and one person could watch a movie while someone facing them carries on working on the other screen. Could get annoying, mind.

20 PAGES OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH

The power of shove In laptop mode the keyboard can be placed on top of the lower screen, which then becomes a massive trackpad or secondary display.

MORE ’SOFTIES

SURFACE PRO X With a custom-built CPU, the keyboard cover included and somewhere to store and charge the stylus, the Surface Pro X could just be the ultimate Windows tablet. from £999

SURFACE LAPTOP 3 Available in a new 15in version with a bigger trackpad and USB-C ports, the updated Surface Laptop should give the MacBook Pro a real kick up the rear. from £999

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Better when I’m glancin’ Google has doubled the camera count on the back, so you now get a 12.2MP dual-pixel main camera and a 16MP telephoto.

Max video quality is 4K at 30fps.

MORE GOOGLIES

NEST MINI You might struggle to tell the difference between this new Nest Mini and the original Home Mini smart speaker; the easiest way to tell them apart is that this one sticks to the wall. £50

PIXELBOOK GO A griddle-inspired Chromebook with a 13.3in touchscreen and a battery that lasts up to 12 hours, the top-end Pixelbook Go comes with a 4K screen. from £629

NEST WIFI Google’s mesh Wi-Fi system now comes with a speaker on board, so you can ask Google Assistant stuff while it pours hot internet into every nook and cranny of your gaff. from £149

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SMARTPHONE SUPERTEST p38

Like I’m gonna confuse you This year the standard 5.7in Pixel and 6.2in Pixel XL look identical. The only difference, aside from screen size, is the battery: 2800mAh compared to the XL’s 3700mAh.

HOT FIVE #2 NOTCH ON THE ROCKS

Google Pixel 4XL Almost as suddenly as it arrived, the Age of the Notch seems to be on the way out.

Apple aside, Samsung and Huawei have managed to shrink theirs down to pinholes, while OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi have ditched them completely and opted for natty pop-up selfie-cameras to make space for more screen.

That makes the full ‘forehead’ at the top of Google’s new Pixels something of a throwback, but it’s worth it when you find out what they’ve crammed in up there above the smooth-scrolling 90Hz OLED display. The Pixel’s radar-based Motion Sense tech knows when you’re around, so it’ll turn the display off when you’re not within reach and fire up the face-unlock sensors when you go to pick it up; plus it’ll enable more responsive gesture controls for snoozing alarms, silencing calls and skipping songs sans hands.

Google has also multiplied the cameras on the back for the first time, promising better background blurring on your portraits and a low-light mode that’s so good it’ll allow you to take photos of outer space. Perhaps the Age of the Bezel wasn’t so bad after all.

As hot as… running the Venus marathon in under two hours £829 / store.google.com 11

Dear future headband The arms are made with a lightweight carbon-fibre composite, so the PX7s will stand up to whatever rough and tumble your daily commute can throw at them .

Just got pad The PX7s are over-ear headphones, but if you’d prefer more discreet on-ears there’s also the PX5 model (£270), with smaller 35mm drivers and 25-hour battery life.

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All about that space Nikon has also added two new lenses to its Z-mount arsenal: a 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 zoom and a 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 pancake. Mmm, pancakes…

HOT FIVE #3

HOT FIVE #4 CODEC THE HALLS WITH BOWERS JOLLY

BUILDING A BRIDGE CAMERA TO YOUR HEART

Codecs are a bit like vitamins – they’re essential for things to work properly but only professionals really need to know much about them. That said, it’s worth noting that B&W’s PX7 wireless headphones are the first to use Qualcomm’s new aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec, which promises 24-bit/48kHz quality and low latency. To normal people that means they sound better, especially with their 43mm drivers – the largest in any of B&W’s cans.

Lifting an earcup automatically pauses your music, plus you get three levels of active noise-cancelling to choose from.

So whether you’re trying to block out your fellow commuters’ stomach-churning sniffling or the sound of next door’s new conservatory being built, there should be a setting to send you off into your own little world. Battery life extends to 30 hours, with five hours available off a 15-minute quick charge via USB-C – so you can stay in that world for well over a day, although you might need to emerge every now and then to eat. After all, everyone needs their vitamins.

As hot as… a napalm smoothie £350 / bowerswilkins.com

Indecisive snappers who can’t choose between a full-frame DSLR and a regular CSC have just had their choice made even tougher with the arrival of Nikon’s Z50, its first DX-format mirrorless model. That’s Nikon’s name for an APS-C sensor, which is smaller than a full-frame one so it can fit in the Z50’s little 395g chassis.

You get 20.9MP to play with here, with an Expeed 6 processor doing the heavy lifting each time you press the shutter button, plus a nice chunky grip to wrap your paws around to make up for the lack of built-in image stabilisation. Round the back is a 3.2in flippable touchscreen and a 2360k-dot electronic viewfinder, but it’s also covered with buttons and dials, so those who prefer to keep their eyes on the prize and adjust using physical controls will feel right at home.

The Z50’s phase-detection autofocus, auto exposure and 11fps burst mode should help you keep up with all but the most Bolt-like subjects, while 30fps 4K video and a microphone input should put it on the radar of any wannabe YouTube sensations.

As hot as… steamed sunspots £849 (body only) / nikon.co.uk

Bowers & Wilkins PX7

Nikon Z50

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Flow excuses The drivers are inspired by in-ear monitors used by professional musicians, but a quick double tap allows the noise in when someone has to interrupt your groove.

Tips are movin’ The Echo Buds come with six different tips in three different sizes – so unlike AirPods, you don’t need to have Apple-approved earholes to wear them comfortably.

HOT FIVE #5 IS THERE AN ECHO IN-EAR? Amazon Echo Buds

One new Amazon Echo gadget not enough for you?

Turn the page…

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The best thing about Apple’s wonderfully slick AirPods? They’re so conspicuous that nobody can ever think you’re nattering away to yourself when you’re just trying to get Siri to add an aubergine to your shopping list. The worst thing? They still look ludicrous. If you can cope with the former but not the latter, Amazon’s Alexa-housing Echo Buds could pose serious competition to Apple’s inexplicably popular in-ears.

With a snug fit, three microphones on each bud and Bose’s active noise-reduction tech on board, everything is designed to make sure you can hear them and Alexa can always hear you. Your phone’s built-in voice assistant can also be summoned with a long press on one of the buds, so you can have more than one imaginary friend, but they still support all the Alexa skills you use on your Echo at home, making Siri look like a bit of a dunce in comparison.

Each charge should last five hours, with an extra 15 on offer from the charging case, and the IPX4 rating means they’re just as happy in the gym as they are in an unexpected downpour. Alexa, why are AirPods so popular again?

As hot as… desert yoga £120 / amazon.co.uk

MASTERS OF

COLOUR Over 80 years of experience in photography goes into every camera we make. It’s part of what makes the FUJIFILM X Series special

FUJIFILM-X.COM IMAGE TAKEN BY UK X-PHOTOGRAPHER MARIANNE CHUA

AMAZON TURNS IT UP(WARDS) Amazon Echo Studio £190 / amazon.co.uk

When it comes to weather forecasts, pointless pub trivia and conducting the smart home, Amazon’s Echo speakers are peerless. But with the possible exception of the Echo Plus, they don’t have the sonic muscle to do your Rick Astley back catalogue justice.

That changes with the Echo Studio – the most powerful Echo to date.

O Studio apartment This is the first smart speaker capable of delivering 3D audio, with Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio bringing added depth and height to your tunes.

There aren’t many songs that support the format yet, and you’ll need to subscribe to the new Amazon Music HD service, but even on its own the Studio is a room-filling monster capable of giving Sonos a scare.

O Another fine mesh Under its grey mesh hood, the Echo Studio has five directional speakers – one of which fires upwards – while a 5.25in woofer and 330 Watts of peak power produce big bass. That’s complemented by a 1in tweeter and three 2in midrange drivers.

There’s a 24-bit DAC and the power amp has 100kHz of bandwidth for hi-res music playback. Echo Studios can be stereo-paired or connected to some Fire TV devices for 5.1 surround sound.

O Going commando This is also a proper smart home hub with voice commands. It has an Alexa wake-up button, volume controls and a mic disabler on the top, and – like the Apple HomePod and Sonos Move – is capable of calibrating its output based on the acoustics of where you position it. Pre-order now for its release on 7 November.

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The Studio can use Alexa to control Zigbeecompatible smart home devices.

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ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS O Sonos Move The first truly portable speaker from Sonos is a fairly hefty 3kg and twice the price of the Echo Studio – but hold off on your judgement until reading our full review on p78. £399 / sonos.com

O Apple HomePod It has its Siri flaws, but one thing that can’t be disputed is just how good Apple’s smart speaker sounds. It’s also had a fair old price drop and an AirPlay 2 upgrade. £279 / apple.com

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The arm-buyer strikes back

GARMIN LEGACY SAGA With its droids, hyperdrives and holographic chess sets, the Star Wars universe has its fair share of enviable tech – but one thing you won’t see on Tatooine or Bespin is one of Garmin’s Legacy Saga Series smartwatches. With their SW-inspired designs – one based on Darth Vader and the other on Daisy Ridley’s Rey – they’d fit right in, offering 24/7 health monitoring, on-screen workouts, smart notifications and Garmin Pay to anybody who wears one, no matter how many midi-chlorians they have inside them. With its larger 45mm case, the Vader edition lasts a day longer than Rey’s seven, but both include GPS and a heart-rate sensor, and work with iOS and Android. £350 / garmin.com

O Bose Portable Home Speaker Promising 360° sound and deeper bass than any rival speaker of the same size, Bose’s effort will work with Alexa or Google Assistant. £329 / bose.co.uk

Puck up your troubles

TILE STICKER

THE 5.25in WOOFER AND 330W AMP PRODUCE BIG BASS

Tile has been on a mission to stop us being massive losers. Specifically, losers of bags, keys and wallets, thanks to its smart trackers and app-based network of like-minded users. It’s now refreshed its established Pro and Mate products by boosting their range and added a credit-card sized Slim model, but it’s the new Sticker that’s piqued our interest. The tiny puck with a 150ft range has an adhesive back that, Tile says, will attach itself to just about anything. That could mean slapping it on a laptop, a bike saddle, a tortoise or your partner before they go out for the night – although if you take that idea seriously you’ve got some serious trust issues to resolve. from £35 (twin pack) / thetileapp.com

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PARTS CAN BE SWAPPED OUT AS NEW WIRELESS AND AUDIO TECH IS LAUNCHED

TRANSPARENT SPEAKER from £450 / transparentspeaker.com Is that really a transparent speaker called Transparent Speaker?

Perhaps the Swedish makers were worried things would get lost in translation, but at least the name ensures you won’t confuse it with any opaque devices on your discoverable Bluetooth list. It also means we can concentrate on the more important things at play with this gorgeous creation, like the aluminium uniframe combined with tempered glass panels

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I mean, it’s pretty clear what they’ve done here…

Yes, very good. But before you go thinking you can see through what looks like a pretty standard wireless speaker, there’s more to it than that. You see, the folks at Transparent Sound claim this device has been designed to become better over time, thanks to a modular system whereby components can be swapped out as new wireless and audio

technologies become available.

There’s also the ability to add plug-in upgrades like an Amazon Echo or a Sonos Connect.

Perhaps things aren’t quite so transparent after all.

Just stop. If this is right up your minimalist Scandi street, the 30W Small Transparent Speaker (with white cones and controls) is yours for £450 and the 100W Transparent Speaker twice its size

(with black cones and controls) is £900. And if you don’t like the see-through aesthetic… well, firstly we appreciate you sticking with us this far down the article, and secondly your patience has been rewarded because the brand’s Uncrafted range swaps glass panels for wood, steel and stoneware editions from £1350.

Lastly, we also like that every Transparent Sound speaker can be wall-mounted.

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WTF ARE ECHO FRAMES? Hope I die before they get old

MARSHALL MAJOR III VOICE How many Marshall amps do you think Pete Townshend smashed up in his rebellious prime? Sixty might be pushing it, but that’s how many hours of battery life the legendary brand is promising you’ll get from its new Major III Voice headphones. For context, that’s double what you’ll get from Sony’s class-leading WH-1000XM3s – if the claims hold up, that is. You get the same 40mm dynamic drivers as the standard Major IIIs, but the new cans – if you hadn’t already guessed – add voice control via Google Assistant. With a press and hold of the voice button you can tell it to play your favourite playlist, read your text messages or give you directions to the nearest amp repair shop. £150 / marshall.com

They look like… normal glasses?

They certainly do, but in a feat comparable to the genie’s miraculous occupation of a lamp, Alexa has managed to squeeze herself into these unassuming spectacles.

They’re part of Amazon’s ongoing mission to put its voice assistant into every existing physical object – and when you think about it, it’s a bit of a surprise that the Frames were actually beaten to it by the Alexa toilet.

You’re worryingly infatuated with the Alexa toilet. So what do these things do, then?

Put simply, the Echo Frames are prescription-ready glasses that offer hands-free access to Alexa. There’s no camera or AR features – both of which tend to make wearables look like Star Trek props – to speak of here. Using them is much like using any Echo device you might have in your house: you can use voice commands to check your calendar, make phone calls and control compatible smart home devices, with the Frames wirelessly funnelling your requests through the Alexa app on your phone (Android-only at launch). If you get a notification or alert, you swipe the panel on the right temple to play the message.

But won’t everyone be able to hear my wife giving me a bollocking for forgetting to pick up milk?

Papaya and higher

ONEPLUS 7T PRO McLAREN EDITION Good God, Formula 1 is boring, isn’t it? Still, we’ll tell you what isn’t boring: the latest McLaren Edition from OnePlus. We loved the 6T tie-in with the F1 team because, as well as some awesome styling, it debuted Warp Charge 30 tech offering a day’s power in 20 minutes. The new 7T Pro McLaren Edition doesn’t get first dibs this time – it shares Warp Charge 30T with the standard 7T Pro and to all intents and purposes it’s the same phone. But wait, there’s a chunky 12GB of RAM here for extra speed. Then there’s the car-seat Alcantara case, some customised McLaren software, plus the subtle papaya orange glow that illuminates the curved edges when you get a notification. Brrrm-brrrm indeed. £799 / oneplus.com

Apparently not. Amazon says the Frames’ open-ear audio tech make use of four micro speakers that direct sound straight into your ears, rather than those of nosy passers-by. There are volume controls on board for when you’re in a noisy place.

Meanwhile, a pair of beam-forming mics are designed to pick up your voice without requiring you to raise it. They can be turned off with the double tap of a button.

When can I get them?

The Echo Frames are currently US-only, but we’ll be surprised if it stays that way for long.

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A P P S This month’s mobile must-downloads 1

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1 A Park and Pigeons

2 Mario Kart Tour

3 Dear Esther

£1.99 / Android, iOS In this score-chaser, you too can be a pigeon, desperate for whatever scraps the humans have dropped… including, for some reason, entire bagels. Get munching, chase your foes away and watch feathers fly.

£free (IAPs) / Android, iOS Remember all your fun times with Mario Kart? Well, forget them here, because this stripped-down slice of loot boxes and IAP even has a subscription that costs as much as Apple Arcade.

£4.99 / iOS Florence created a market for narrative sort-of-games, and this one sees you explore a gloomy island, piecing together a story from letter fragments read by an anonymous man.

4 Mindkeeper: The Lurking Fear

5 Apollo: Immersive Illumination

6 Pixelmator Photo

£1.99 / watchOS Doom on Apple Watch? Not quite, but you do get tidy 3D visuals on your wrist in this auto-runner where you stomp along, turning whenever you twiddle the crown.

£2.99 / iOS Apple gives you all kinds of new portrait photo trickery in iOS 13.

But Apollo lets you map on lighting effects that weren’t originally there – you massive cheat, you.

£4.99 / iPad Most famous for letting you enhance any snap with a single tap (powered by machine learning), Pixelmator Photo now ramps up productivity with batch edits and full Files/Photos integration.

7 Flick Launcher

8 Pocket Casts

9 Codea

£free or £3.29 / Android Another launcher! This one has a dock search bar, custom gestures, and the means to get at Google Now with a swipe. But also, its AI wants to give you the app you want before you realised you wanted it.

£free / Android, iOS This one’s not new, but it has a new business model: Pocket Casts is now free, which is a big deal for such a well-regarded podcast player.

Check it out with some of our faves – you’ll find them on Stuff.tv.

£14.99 / iOS Want to get own work in the App Store? Codea is a sharp way to craft apps and games that utilise your device’s abilities. And yes, people have released apps made in this app. It’s like appception.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SNEAKY SASQUATCH Apple Arcade People were never against mobile games, just exploitative freemium awfulness. So while Nintendo blazes the latter trail, the new Apple Arcade subscription service goes fully premium, meaning things like Sneaky Sasquatch can exist. Like Yogi Bear meets Metal Gear, it has you play as the titular hairy chap, who steals grub, hides from rangers and acquires kit from a kleptomaniac raccoon. You might narrow your eyes at ‘Apple does games’, but you have to love a title where a cartoon beast steals a golf cart, drives into a tree and is the next day chastised by the raccoon, who had to hire a wheelbarrow to get him home safely.

NEWS FEED Eggstravagance

LINN SERIES 3 Ever been told your taste in music stinks? Maybe you should invest in a Linn Series 3 speaker – which looks as if it could double as an air-freshener. Unfortunately, especially considering the astronomical price, it doesn’t do that at all (and if it did, it’d surely smell of hard-boiled eggs); but it does stream from all your usual services, including Spotify and Tidal, plus there’s Bluetooth and AirPlay if you want to connect your phone. Control is via the Linn app, a connected Alexa device or the touch-sensitive buttons on the cut-glass top, and there’s even an HDMI ARC socket for hooking it up to your TV. Just remember you’re shelling out nearly three grand. No wonder it’s only available in Harrods. £2950 / harrods.com

THE PLAYSTATION 5 IS OFFICIALLY INBOUND Sony has finally confirmed the PS5 will launch in 2020. The next-gen console will support ray-tracing for lighting effects, and swaps the hard drive for an SSD. A new controller replaces rumble with more realistic haptic feedback, while adaptive L2/R2 triggers allow for customised resistance.

OCULUS QUEST BECOMES THE HANDIEST HEADSET The rather brilliant Oculus Quest has already freed us from wires and external sensors, and soon you’ll be able to use it without controllers. From early 2020, the Quest will support hand-tracking, using a new method of deep learning that can understand the positions of your fingers.

REALME STAKES CLAIM AS CHEAP PHONE CHAMPION China’s Realme has launched the X2 Pro, a flagship impersonator at a fraction of the cost. On the spec sheet is a top-end Snapdragon 855+, a 64MP quad-camera, a 6.5in Super AMOLED screen and a 4000mAh fast-charging battery. Enough to leave the iPhone 11 a bit embarrassed?

Quite the chimer

ARLO VIDEO DOORBELL Arlo says its first video doorbell allows users to get a bigger, more precise picture of their front porch. Fairly useless in itself, unless you’ve been at the pub too long and can’t remember what the hell your house looks like, but excellent if there’s someone dodgy standing on it and you want to catch them in the act of looking shifty. With high-resolution live video, two-way audio (including direct-to-mobile video calls) and what Arlo claims is an industry-leading vertical field of view with an optimised 1:1 aspect ratio, you can capture people from head to toe – even if your would-be burglar is a basketball player in 6in heels.

Out now in the US priced $149, it arrives in Europe early next year. £tbc / arlo.com

STAR WARS SEASON STARTS IN THE KITCHEN Star Wars is full of cinematic icons, from brave heroes like Han Solo to timeless villains like Darth Vader Round Dutch Oven. Nope, we’re not making that one up: thanks to a collaboration between Star Wars and pot dealer Le Creuset, a bunch of classic characters have been turned into kitchenware.

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OUT 19 NOV

FIRST PLAY SHENMUE III PC, PS4

[ Words Alan Wen ]

Pioneering the open-world concept, Shenmue was at its time the most expensive game ever made. It not only had cutting-edge graphics featuring a detailed location with dynamic weather cycles and hundreds of characters with their own schedules, but it was the start of a cinematic epic as student Ryo Hazuki embarked on a quest to avenge his father.

The saga was, however, cut short by the untimely demise of its host platform, the Sega Dreamcast – which just recently celebrated its 20th anniversary

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in the UK. But after years of false starts, campaigning from fans and a record-breaking Kickstarter, the story finally continues with the series’ legendary creator Yu Suzuki back at the helm.

While Shenmue III picks up right where its predecessor left off in rural China, it also feels like stepping into a time capsule – as if all the advancements of Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption never happened.

There’s an attempt to move towards a typical RPG system, as a task to find a man with a scar

on his face requires training and levelling-up before you can beat him in a fight. Yet it’s the other things you get to do that stay true to the original Dreamcast experience: poking your head in cupboards for no reason, doing money-making jobs disguised as mini-games, wasting your dosh on toy capsules, asking the locals the same question for the umpteenth time.

And of course it’s Ryo, who’s still as oblivious and robotic as ever. Yep, this is Shenmue alright, and it’s exactly what the fans have been waiting for.

FIRST LOOK WATTAM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?

WATTAM PS4 When Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi was asked in a recent blog post how you’re supposed to play his latest oddball creation, he replied: “Turn on the PS4 or PS4 Pro, grab the controller, buy/download Wattam

(thanks) and hit the button to start the game.”

While this answer is in no way helpful, it does accurately describe exactly what we want to do every time we see this game’s action. First announced way back in 2015 and finally coming to PS4 on 4 December, Wattam sees you play as a bowler-hatted

green cube thing who happens to be the mayor.

By the looks of it you’ll also assume control of anthropomorphic acorns, ice-cream cones and toilets as you strive to ‘reconnect the people’.

Playing solo or in co-op, you can dance with your miscellaneous pals or blow

them into the air with a confetti bomb hidden under your hat.

We can’t make any sense of it whatsoever right now, but if you’ve had your fill of moody violence this year and want something a bit more cheerfully absurd to kick off the festive season, Wattam looks like just the thing.

BEST OF GAMES COMING TO GOOGLE STADIA

CYBERPUNK 2077

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

DESTINY 2: THE COLLECTION

Stadia When CD Projekt Red’s follow-up to The Witcher 3 arrives next year, Stadia users will be among those able to play it. The developer was satisfied that Google’s processing could do its new game justice, so you’ll be able to play as an immaculately rendered Keanu wherever you are.

Stadia You probably don’t need an excuse to sink another 100 hours into the genre-defining cowboy epic, but Stadia makes it possible (internet permitting) to play the entire thing on a compatible tablet or phone.

If this works as advertised, Stadia is going to be pretty difficult to ignore.

Stadia Sign up to the monthly Google Stadia Pro subscription service and you’ll get a free game each month, the first of which is Destiny 2: The Collection. All of the game’s available expansions will be playable in up to 4K @ 60fps, with a Chromecast Ultra included in the Founder’s Edition.

INCOMING DECEMBER O TERMINATOR: RESISTANCE O BRAIN AGE: NINTENDO SWITCH TRAINING 2020 O ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS O GODS & MONSTERS O THE LAST OF US PART II O IRON MAN VR O FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

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H

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T

S

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U

F

F

Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino and Pesci are coming to Netflix to make you an offer you can refuse but almost certainly shouldn’t

Servant

Marriage Story

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Let’s twist again! M Night Shyamalan picks up the ‘executive producer’ reins on this series produced exclusively to stream via Apple TV+. Details are scant, but if the creepily lifelike doll used in the promos is any indication, we’re in for a rollercoaster ride of psychological horror and things that go goo-goo-ga-ga in the night.

S1 / Apple TV+

From The Squid and the Whale to The Meyerowitz Stories, Noah Baumbach’s movies have a knack for laying bare the tragi-comic complexities of modern human relationships – and this Netflix original with Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson promises more of the same by digging into the breakdown of a marriage.

Film / Netflix

The first two seasons of Amazon’s fast-paced period comedy drama scooped up armfuls of awards, and we’ve been relishing the return of trailblazing stand-up comic Midge Maisel and the show’s spot-on depiction of mid-century Manhattan – the best since Mad Men. Proof that Amazon can match Netflix for original content.

S3 / Amazon Prime Video

The Expanse

The Witcher

The Grand Tour

Having saved this fine space opera series from cancellation, Amazon appears to have inundated its showrunners with enough cash to up its production values as it ‘expands’ into uncharted parts of the cosmos. Its sobering vision of a near-future solar system colonised by rival factions is mercilessly rooted in real science.

S4 / Amazon Prime Video

Henry Cavill ditches Superman’s cape for Geralt’s white ponytail in this adaptation of the Polish fantasy novel series. If you’ve played the games, you’ll know what to expect: a hearty mix of monster-slaying, potion-quaffing, grim warfare and nudity. It could either be the next Game of Thrones or the next Xena: Warrior Princess.

S1 / Netflix

The world’s best-known trio of stonewashed manbabies returns for another series of hi-octane stunts and backslapping banter.

It’s unlikely to win over new fans, but will surely drag your dad back to the telly to see what japes will ensue as the three sniggering berks continue their non-carbon-neutral trot around the globe.

S4 / Amazon Prime Video

DO M N’ TH ISS T IS

The Irishman Film / Netflix

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The streaming event of the year, if not the decade? Fuggetabout it! The Irishman is not only Scorsese’s long-awaited return to the world of organised crime; it also brings together the holy trinity of gangster movie stars: De Niro, Pacino and Pesci. It’s kind of like The Expendables but with people who can act. Set over several decades (this is a great advert for CG de-ageing tech), the film delves into one of 20th-century America’s biggest mysteries: the disappearance of mob-connected union boss Jimmy Hoffa.

S T R E A M

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S T A R T M E N U

ST KIC AR K TE R

The latest startups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

Listen up

EARHD Sorry to break it to you, but the design of your ears is flawed.

Sound reflects off of your pinna, which acts like a funnel. This helps you determine where sound’s coming from, but causes distortion. Like tiny ear-trumpets from the future, earHD is like a lughole upgrade. These wearables focus sound to a central location.

This isn’t about amplification – it’s more like ‘cleaning’, removing clutter and heightening the detail for anything from lectures to hi-res audio. That might sound like rot, but boffins at the University of Southampton have verified the claims, which – if you were already excited by the concept – will be music to your ears. from £199 / flareaudio.com BACK IT STACK IT

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ST KIC AR K TE R

ST KIC AR K TE R

ST KIC AR K TE R

I GONDI GOE-

SACK IT

Clear up

Beat up

Cut up

Light up

MUDITA PURE

POCKETDRUM

CHOPBOX

ARCADE CODER

Like a sci-fi take on an old blower, the Mudita Pure mixes sleek modern design with a distraction-free ethos.

Everything’s stripped back and offline, and it’s all about mindful tech use – so no internet or email, but there is a music player and meditation timer. Oh, and a headphone port. Take that, Apple! $258 / mudita.com

Air-drumming’s fine, but it’s basically flailing arms and spitty drum noises. This is better: Bluetooth-enabled drumsticks that use spatial awareness and haptics to make it feel like you’re playing the real thing. You can even strap a PocketGuitar (which is a sort of air-guitar plectrum) to your foot for the kick drum. from £56 / aeroband.net

Yep, even chopping boards are now ‘smart’, although this one avoids gimmicks and Alexa.

Instead you get a scale and timer, with a digital readout that’ll last 30 days before you have to recharge your board.

There’s an integrated second board, but sadly no automated chef to make your dinner.

Perhaps in ChopBox 2.0. $99 / theyescom.com

This tactile board mostly comprises 144 chunky LEDs, and is designed for up to four players to do battle on classics like Whack-a-Mole and Snake. But delve into iOS app Game Studio and your kid can create new games or try Painter Mode, for fashioning dazzling multi-coloured light shows and more. £80 / techwillsaveus.com

Kindle surprise

AMAZON KINDLE KIDS EDITION When their alternatives are playing FIFA, learning a new dance from Fortnite or riding an e-scooter while vaping, it can be difficult to convince kids to read a book. But show them something that looks like technology and they’ll be 300 pages into Anna Karenina before you know it. That’s why Amazon has made the Kindle Kids Edition: a 6in e-reader with an adjustable front light and loads of sprog-friendly features, such as achievement badges and definitions shown over difficult words. Like its kids’ tablets, Amazon will replace it if anything happens in the first two years, so no worries if it’s run over by a two-wheeled vape addict. £100 / amazon.co.uk

DROP EVERYTHING & DOWNLOAD Astro Golf £1.89 / Android £1.99 / iOS O

When you think of someone playing ‘sport’ with planets, it’s usually a colossal alien potting them into black holes, like Ronnie O’Sullivan crossed with Galactus. But Astro Golf is far more sedate, as you smack a ball between planets in a single-screen solar system that whirls off to somewhere new when you complete a hole.

With its minimalist vibe, drag-based controls and endless nature, there’s more than a hint of mobile classic Desert Golfing about this title. But it differentiates itself through endearingly bonkers gravity-aided ball-smackage (slingshots aplenty!) and an entertainingly tricky ‘hard’ mode that forces you to get a hole in one in order to progress – every single time.

A cartridge among the pigeons

ANALOGUE POCKET It’s 30 years since the Nintendo Game Boy arrived, but if you still love the authentic experience of original cartridges, Analogue Pocket gives you a better way to play. This handheld handles the entire Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance back catalogue on its 3.5in 1600x1440 615ppi display. The buttons are mappable, there are stereo speakers, and it charges via USB-C. Want to head beyond Nintendo?

There’s a built-in synth/sequencer and adapters are planned for a range of other systems’ cartridges, including Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx. And when you want some big-screen action, you’ll be able to drop it into a dock (sold separately), grab a Bluetooth controller and go crazy. $199 / analogue.co

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W H E E L S

Volvo XC40 Recharge

SWEDE’S ELECTRIC No engine? No air intake required… and a filled-in front grille makes for better aerodynamics, which improves range.

NEWS DASHBOARD

£53,000 (est) / volvo.com Where have you been hiding? The XC40 has been around for years!

Sure, the planet-destroying petrol and diesel versions have. But this cutest of crossovers has swapped an engine for electric motors.

Two of ’em, actually – it’s an SUV, and so the motoring powers that be have decided it must have four-wheel drive.

Well, it looks just like the old one to me…

Seeing how the original was a tasty piece of four-wheeled Scandi sculpture from the country that brought us flat-pack furniture merged with meatballs, that’s no bad thing. Volvo’s design team have used the lightest of light touches, but look closely and you’ll spot a charging port instead of a fuel filler cap. Mind you, with 250 miles of range between top-ups and fast-charging hitting 80% in 40 minutes, you won’t be using it very much.

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Batteries mean bulk, don’t they?

Is it nippy?

It does tip the scales at over two tonnes, but this XC40 doesn’t hang about when you give it the beans. Instant torque and a very healthy 402bhp mean it’ll crack 60mph in 4.7 seconds.

Any tech treats inside the cabin?

Lots if you’re an Android fan: this is the first production car to swap in-house infotainment for Android Automotive. Google Maps comes baked in, the Play Store is a tap away and you can go hands-free with Google voice commands.

How long until it hits the road?

Volvo is aiming for the middle of 2020 –with plans to launch an EV a year through to 2025. They’ll be proper range-toppers packed with kit, and with high prices. Even with the plug-in car grant, XC40 Recharge customers are unlikely to see any change from £50,000.

BUY ONE ASTON, GET ONE FREE!

SUPER ’VETTE GOES TOPLESS

NOT TAYCAN THE MICKEY

Oh, the £250,000 DBS Superleggera isn’t exclusive enough for you?

Aston Martin has something special tucked away… but you’ll need to be jackpot-rich to afford it. Just 19 of the DBS GT Zagato will be built, and one will set you back £6m… but you do get a retro DB4 GT Zagato thrown in.

One year ago, a Corvette without a V8 engine in front of the driver was unthinkable. It’s un-American, dammit! But the mid-engined C8 changed all that, and now you can get one as a full-blown convertible… and it only takes a button-press to take the top down.

Porsche’s first electric car made its debut in Turbo S colours, but you had to be a Bond supervillain to afford one. At £80k, the Taycan 4S is less likely to upset your bank manager, but it’ll still zip silently to 60mph in 4.0 seconds. The 79kW battery is good for 250 miles between charges.

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wex.co.uk 01603 208303 8 stores nationwide

GoPro’s new dynamic duo Just launched HERO8 and MAX

GoPro MAX

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Order your GoPro HERO8 or MAX today online, by phone or in store T&Cs: All prices incl. VAT at 20%. Prices correct at the time of going to press. E. & O.E. Prices subject to change. Goods subject to availability. Wex Limited (Company Registration no. 00425579) and Warehouse Express Limited (Company Registration no. 03366976). ©Warehouse Express Limited 2019.

Wex Photo Video is a Which? Recommended Provider Source: Which? members’ annual survey June-July 2018.

F I R S T T E S T A P P L E WAT C H S E R I E S 5

Always-on my mind With a display that no longer needs waking up with a violent gesture, Apple’s latest Watch is turning the screw on its rivals. But is it worth upgrading from Series 4? from £399 / stuff.tv/WatchS5

pple’s domination of the smartwatch market is so easy it’s boring, like watching a cat play with a couple of mice that are already half-dead.

There’s no great secret to this continuing success: it’s all down to a seamless relationship between hardware and software, and a bunch of really impressive

[ Words Matt Tate ]

A

health features that the other wearable makers still haven’t been able to match.

You’d be forgiven, then, for fearing that Tim Cook and pals would be planning a nice long snooze on their laurels after the excellent Apple Watch Series 4.

But while the Series 5 isn’t as significant an upgrade as last year’s model (after all, that was

arguably the first smartwatch that could save your life), it does have one key addition: an always-on display.

By no longer requiring you to flick your wrist to see the time and any notifications that may have popped up, the Watch S5 becomes a lot more like, well, an actual watch. And because of the clever tech powering it, the

new screen doesn’t annihilate your battery either.

Also new to the feature set is a built-in compass, while the watchOS 6 update adds a host of new tricks that make the Watch even smarter than it was already. This is still a great wearable, then – but has its maker done enough to entice you to dump last year’s model?

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F I R S T T E S T A P P L E WAT C H S E R I E S 5

2 1

Gimme five

Out of the box the Watch S5 is near-indistinguishable from its predecessor. The dimensions are the same, there’s a button for quick app-switching and fast access to Apple Pay, and you still get satisfying haptic feedback from the digital crown.

2 Five o’clock shadow Until the battery conks, this thing stays on. An ultra-low-power LTPO display allows the refresh rate to adjust from as high as 60Hz to as low as 1Hz; combined with an ambient light sensor, this ensures it isn’t gulping juice like your five-year-old nephew.

3 Five towns As well as the familiar built-in GPS, the new Watch has a proper compass. Open its app and you’re shown which way you’re facing, your incline, plus latitude and longitude. It works well and doesn’t require a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

4 Five alive Cellular S5 watches are now able to make international emergency calls from nearly anywhere in the world (Apple’s official line is 150 countries), regardless of where they were bought. And you don’t even need to have activated the cellular plan for it to work.

5 Nine to five Battery life will vary day by day, but as long as you remember to charge it every night the Watch S5 isn’t going to conk out on you.

Just know that it’s a step down from the S4… and of course, there are other smartwatches that can go for days between charges.

5

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24 hours with the Apple Watch Series 5

1min 32

3mins

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F I R S T T E S T A P P L E WAT C H S E R I E S 5

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Tech specs Screen 1.78in 448x268 (44mm) / 1.57in 394x324 (40mm) OLED with 3D Touch Processor Apple S5 Storage 32GB OS watchOS 6 Battery life Up to 18hrs Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, HRM, barometer, compass Dimensions 44x38x10.7mm, 47.8g (44mm); 40x34x10.7mm, 39.8g (40mm)

The pretty that never sleeps So, how does the Apple Watch Series 5’s always-on display work in the real world?

T ap he p i ne sl w oo de kin cib g a elfte m Si r m oni ide ri h y e tori nt as ific m ar ng at erg s n No io e ice is no d w ly e f s it .

Th on h S fa er gs ha ce e’ se za … ss em m an til ds ln s r , an o eli d i till p ab ts no erf le.

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4

17hrs

18hrs 20hrs

23hrs

Q Time’s up

Q Time out

The appeal of a display that doesn’t need waking up is obvious. You can now easily check how much longer you have to endure a meeting at work without making your boredom obvious to everyone.

When your wrist is lowered, the screen dims just enough to keep the time and whatever complications you have viewable at a glance. Raise or tap it and the Watch switches to full brightness.

Q Quiet time

Q Face time

Cinema mode still makes the Watch go completely black unless you tap it – a feature you may also find yourself using in dimly lit restaurants, or any other situation where you don’t want to annoy people.

Apple has re-designed most of the watch faces for the always-on display.

Choose the new Numerals Duo face, for example, and the colours will drain from the numbers when the screen dims.

If you use an iPhone, this is the best smartwatch for you. It’s not cheap, but it works beautifully within Apple’s ecosystem. But does it do enough to justify an upgrade? If you own an S4 and have no major issues with wrist-flicking, then probably not. Most of the best new features come from watchOS 6, and they work on the old model too. @MattWTate

STUFF SAYS +++++ This is a minor upgrade, but an always-on display makes the best smartwatch even better

24hrs 33

F I R S T T E S T A P P L E WAT C H S E R I E S 5

The alternatives: Two subtle smartwatches Do the latest offerings from Withings and Fitbit stand up to the Watch S5?

Withings Move ECG £130 / withings.com What’s the story?

This neat hybrid smartwatch will do basic exercise and sleep tracking, but what makes it a worthy Apple Watch rival is its ability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) and alert the user to an irregular heartbeat.

Withings had some business dalliances with Nokia Health, but is independent once again and continues to offer solid wearable tech with a focus on affordability and style.

Is it any good?

There’s no denying the absence of a heart-rate monitor lets this one down in the exercise department. But for those looking for simple health tracking it’s a no-brainer, and the accompanying Health Mate App is an insightful addition.

Withings has done a fine job of making a comfortable, subtle wearable that doesn’t need charging because the battery lasts an entire year.

KEY SPECS Screen 1.4in analogue Storage Free online Battery life 12 months Sensors ECG, altimeter, accelerometer Dimensions 38x38x12.5mm, 31g

Stuff says ++++, A top watch for heart health if Apple’s is out of budget

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Fitbit Versa 2 from £200 / fitbit.com What’s the story?

Not too big, not too small, not too clever and not too dumb, the first Versa offered a sprinkling of smartwatch tricks and fitness functionality while keeping things simple. Its successor looks similar, with the same pebble-like face that blends pleasingly into the background.

Is it any good?

The Versa 2 has a single physical button for waking it up, summoning Alexa or making payments. So comfy you’ll forget you’re wearing it, it’s worth keeping on at night to track your sleep. The 1.4in OLED display betters the previous model’s LCD and includes an always-on option, although this reduces the six-day battery life down to five.

The lack of GPS will be a deal-breaker for some; but if you don’t mind taking your phone out for a run, the Versa 2 provides enough smartwatch and exercise modes to keep most people happy.

KEY SPECS Screen 1.4in 300x300 AMOLED touchscreen Storage 5GB Battery life Up to 6 days Sensors Accelerometer, HRM, altimeter, ambient light, relative SpO2 Dimensions (40mm face) 40x39.8x12mm, 40g

Stuff says ++++, A solid all-rounder with handy smarts and an epic battery

C AT C H T H E W I N T E R L I G H T W I T H N I KO N

Photographer: ©Alex Stead

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SUPERTEST SMARTPHONES

Call on me

5

Selecting the best phone to buy has suddenly got extra-tough, so we’ve weighed up the latest contenders and picked out the cream of the crop

4 3 2

1

here’s something strange going on with the 250th-issue Stuff smartphone supertest.

Rather than being filled with flagship phones released throughout the year, most of the mobiles paraded here have landed in the last few weeks. Whether it’s a desperate bid to beat Brexit stealing all the column inches or the insatiable pursuit of your Christmas cash, tech companies have gone a little bit launch-crazy.

So an apology: Nokia, LG, Samsung and others don’t feature because we only have so much paper. All make wonderfully unique phones – and if you don’t believe us, head over to Stuff.tv and trawl through our encyclopaedia of reviews to find your perfect match. We’ve also largely ignored 5G due to its current niche status.

No prizes for guessing that most of the phones featured get five stars; but before moaning that we’re going soft in our old age, a reminder that the first iPhone arrived in 2007, and after 12 years and countless billions in R&D it’s little wonder makers have started to get the hang of this.

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1 Oppo Reno2

2 Huawei Mate 30 Pro

3 Motorola One Zoom

It’s been a big year for the Chinese upstart and the Reno 2 joins a burgeoning line-up of bold phones with pop-up selfie-cams.

No Google Play, no party? Perhaps, but Huawei hasn’t stopped making bad phones and we certainly rate this Mate.

The wild-card bargain of the bunch wants to bedazzle you with an OLED display and not one but four rear cameras.

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8 7 6

4 Apple iPhone 11

5 Asus ROG Phone II

6 OnePlus 7T

7 Google Pixel 4 XL

8 Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Apple in ‘affordable smartphone’ shocker.

The standard iPhone 11 might just have enough about it to tempt you away from pricier rivals.

Gamers, we haven’t forgotten about you, and the ROG Phone II represents the best of a top-benchmarking bunch.

The cult brand is back with extra-fast Warp charging, an equally rapid processor and a super-smooth 90Hz screen.

Dual cameras with astrophotography smarts mean the new Pixels are seeing stars, but how many have we given them?

The first iPhone to be tagged ‘Pro’ has something of the night about it, and we’re not just talking about the ‘midnight green’ finish.

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In tests, our USB-C fast-charger took us from 2% battery life to 50% in just 30 minutes.

Shame it’s still a Lightning connection on the other end *sigh*.

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SUPERTEST SMARTPHONES

Sweet camera skills make this an extra-tasty Apple So the iPhone has followed almost every other area of Apple’s device empire and gone ‘Pro’, but what does that actually mean? Well, this is Cupertino’s elite handset, its gladiator, a knight in recycled aluminium charging into battle against the Android enemies vying for the smartphone throne.

OK, we may have re-watched a Marvel movie or two recently, and

on the surface this thing does look a lot like last year’s iPhone XS, but flip it over and you’ll see a triple-camera array that’s up there with the best we’ve tested this year. And with Apple finally catching up on the competition and developing some sharp Night Mode photography tech, it’s the best all-round smartphone camera, full stop.

The A13 Bionic chip comes out on top in benchmark testing too, bringing about untouchable speeds. The fact there’s no 5G option doesn’t bother us for now (but ask us again in 12 months), while its fast-charging capabilities are a godsend that iPhone fans have been waiting for.

Anyway, #slofies aside (that’s slow-mo selfies shot with the

front camera, for the benefit of those living life at a similar pace), this is a serious and solid phone in every meaning of the word – and one most definitely worthy of wearing the ‘Pro’ moniker.

In short, it’s a smartphone that’s going to take wicked photos in any scenario and carry out all your daily tasks with finesse.

O APPLE iPHONE 11 PRO FROM £1049 +++++

DISPLAY

Nits outbreak

Night Mode is automatically enabled when the 11 Pro detects it’s dark. Depending on the available light, it then takes several seconds to render an image.

The 5.8in ‘Super Retina XDR’ display sees marginal gains from the iPhone XS but contrast is excellent, with the darkest blacks and brilliant levels of detail. Maximum brightness goes to 800 nits, or a staggering 1200 nits for HDR content.

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Night fever

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max from £1149 / apple.com The 11 Pro Max is the 11 Pro with a bigger 6.5in display and battery. Delve a tad deeper and you’ll discover that display matches the 11 Pro’s 458ppi resolution and you’re getting around five hours more usage than the old XS Max. So this is the best iPhone you can buy if you have the metaphorical and physical deep pockets required.

Stuff says +++++

The Pro sees the birth of an extra 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide lens, joining the primary 12MP f/1.8 cameras with OIS and the 2x 12MP telephoto. There’s a noticeable improvement to image quality, but the most notable development is Night Mode which, believe us when we say it, beats Google at its own game. The front camera gets a 12MP slofie upgrade, while video quality overall is undeniably epic – it’s capable of recording 4K video at 60fps with astounding stabilisation.

After floundering in space, Apple is now top of the shots.

PERFORMANCE

The dark side

More screen and less notch would’ve been nice, but a matt back with a stainless steel edge contrasts well. The rear lenses, also encircled in stainless steel, lie flat when the Pro wears a case. It has an IP68 rating for waterproofing.

Apple’s A13 Bionic chip is a notable step up: video is easy to export and edit, apps feel faster and FaceID is supposedly quicker (though in reality it’s hard to tell the difference). New to iOS 13 is Dark Mode, with system-wide support for all apps to reduce eye strain and stretch out battery life, which stands at four more hours than the XS and gets speedy charging from an 18W mains plug. We kiss goodbye to 3D Touch, replaced

by Haptic Touch, and welcome a swipe keyboard for very jazzy brush typing.

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DESIGN

Matt impulsion

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OnePlus lives up to its slogan with a phone that’s T-riffic It’s no secret that the OnePlus 7 was a bit, well, meh. Sure, it was powerful and good-looking, but just too similar to the 6T before it.

Honor and Xiaomi then launched low-cost flagship-specced phones in the 20 Pro and Mi 9 with more cameras, lower prices and similar innards.

Enter the OnePlus 7T, offering an array of enhancements over

the only months-old 7 model.

Most significantly, it adds the same super-smooth 90Hz refresh rate as the 7 Pro, although this 6.55in panel is still at only 1080p resolution.

The rear camera setup gains a third sensor and a redesign, the processor has been upgraded to the newer Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, and the

latest Warp Charge 30T is even faster than on the 7 Pro. Significant upgrades mean a slight price hike over the 7, but for your dosh you’re getting better-than-flagship features for a lower-than-flagship price. The camera isn’t the best around, but it’s competitive and outguns its predecessor in every way. The phone also has stacks of power,

O ONEPLUS 7T £549 +++++

PERFORMANCE

Imagine Snapdragons With a Snapdragon 855+ chip, this phone flies. The 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will keep all but the most demanding users happy, although there’s no microSD slot. A speedy underscreen fingerprint scanner and face unlock are on board too.

The ace super-macro feature gets you as near as 2.5cm to a subject for snapping with pin-sharp precision. Video clocks in at 4K @ 60fps.

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The thin blue line The new 7T is longer, thinner and better-looking than its predecessor, without sacrificing the va-va-voom of stereo speakers and a fancy in-hand feel. The front has more screen and less bezel with a dinky droplet notch and elongated 20:9 aspect ratio, but the magic starts when you flip it around and gaze upon the dreamy ‘glacier blue’ finish of ethereal frostiness. It does grubby up, so whack it in a case, but there’s one in the box with a pre-fitted screen protector. The circular camera surround is also an excellent statement piece.

Love hertz

A 48MP sensor with f/1.6 lens will grab great pictures, and image stabilisation holds things steady in Nightscape mode.

A 2x zoom 12MP camera with f/2.2 lens gets you closer to the action, while the 16MP cam offers a wide-angle option.

Its screen is a beauty, lifting the Fluid AMOLED tech from the 7 Pro. It has a 90Hz refresh rate, and trust us, you’ll notice the difference, gliding through menus, sites and news feeds with punch and pizazz. Even switching back to the 60Hz screen of the knockout Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus feels slower. At 6.55in it’s not a dainty display and its extra height might require a bit more stretch than you’re used to.

That said, it’s sharp enough at over 400ppi, gets incredibly bright and is protected by Gorilla Glass.

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CAMERA

The hold steady

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OnePlus 7T Pro DISPLAY

£699 / oneplus.com Despite a different design the 7T Pro shares some key specifications with the 7T, including the 90Hz display. But here you’re treated to 6.67in of it, and a pop-up selfie-cam, along with the vertical rear lens formation of its Pro predecessor. Other major differences include double the storage at 256GB and a bigger battery at 4085mAh. Stuff says +++++

great battery life and a dreamy new design.

While the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is still likely to offer better value for money, the OnePlus 7T – thanks to that 90Hz screen and Oxygen OS being so darned gorgeous – won’t disappoint if you can stump up the extra. It lays down a real marker to the established order including Samsung, LG and Sony.

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A beefy 3800mAh battery makes this a morning-to-night phone, with Warp Charge 30T filling it to around 70% in 30 minutes – but there’s no wireless charging.

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Why go Pro when the basic iPhone is as brilliant as this?

Say hello to the new everyman iPhone. Available in a fruity array of colours, with a seemingly modest dual-lens camera and powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, this is the most affordable handset in the new class of 2019.

While a dual-lens cam sounds meagre by today’s standards, clever software known as Deep Fusion takes multiple photos at

one time to ascertain the most optimal versions, then mashes them together for the best possible results. Plus, low-light performance sees huge improvements and portrait mode isn’t only reserved for humans now. Strike a pose, cat.

We’re impressed… but let’s get real. All of the above doesn’t really matter if you run out of power,

and that’s one department where the iPhone 11 trumps the 11 Pro. It’ll last a full day with heavy use, and well over a day if you’re not a working, gaming, photo-taking freak like us. There’s no fast 18W charger in the box like there is with the Pro, but we suggest you buy one for £29.

You’re getting a neat package with the iPhone 11 – and it’s not

silly expensive. The new Bionic A13 chip packs serious power, the cameras are near-faultless for a smartphone and, just to reiterate, it’ll last all day. The lack of an OLED display is more of an issue than the absence of a telephoto lens – so if you can bring yourself to get over that, then start thinking about what colour you might opt for.

O APPLE iPHONE 11 FROM £729 +++++

FOR A BIT LESS

Sony Xperia 5 £699 / sonymobile.com The Xperia 5 has a lot of competition from the iPhone 11 and others, but Sony does premium very well. With an epic HDR OLED display in an elongated 21:9 aspect ratio, ample gaming power and a fine versatile camera, there’s lots to love here.

Stuff says +++++

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CAMERA

DESIGN

DISPLAY

PERFORMANCE

Twice as nice

Toy soldier

OLED astray

Chips and dips

You might think you’re being short-changed not getting a third telephoto like the iPhone 11 Pro, but it’s not a big deal. You get the same wide-angle 12MP main sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide.You just have to move forward a bit.

Square camera module aside, it looks like an XR but with extra colours.

It feels robust enough to take a few drops, while the notch remains. This phone is a little thicker than the Pro, but still manageable in the hand.

The iPhone 11 totes an LCD panel, not OLED, but it’s far brighter than the XR’s.

For big media consumers, no OLED is a big deal; for those taking a few pics at the weekends, emailing and WhatsApping, it shouldn’t matter.

What we really care about it that A13 Bionic chip. It beats its flagship rivals in Geekbench tests and is incredibly quick and responsive. The new U1 chip makes AirDrop much speedier too, even for sizeable file transfers.

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Moto rules the mid-range with a high-stamina bargain Someone at Motorola clearly doesn’t know when to say ‘when’ – at least when it comes to camera lenses. The One Zoom, the latest in a steady stream of outstanding mid-rangers from the Moto production line, has four of the things. It’s a veritable camera-bag of kit squeezed into something that fits in your pocket, along with a whole load of

2019’s must-have extras, like a notched OLED screen and in-display fingerprint scanner.

It’s the wild-card bargain in the Stuff supertest, but with the minerals to mix it with the best… and that’s before you realise it manages to stick the landing with a sub-£400 asking price. This is an attractive proposition for bargain hunters, complete with

a modern design, stellar battery life and a feature list that borrows heavily from the flagships.

The only problem is, we know ‘number of camera lenses’ isn’t a true measure of greatness.

Performance on the One Zoom is merely OK, screen quality is a step below rival handsets, and at this money Google’s Pixel 3a is arguably still the cameraphone

of choice – even if that does limit you to a single lens.

Then again, the bezel-toting Pixel 3a is a little behind the times.

If you want something fresher but insist on stock Android, Moto’s latest all-rounder – muscling in on the mid-range with multipurpose quad cams, a great battery and a laundry list of top features – might be the One to go for.

O MOTOROLA ONE ZOOM £380 ++++,

FOR A BIT MORE

Google Pixel 3a £399 / store. google.com While the new Pixels take the limelight, the 3a’s simplicity is refreshing in a world of gimmickry. The design is a tad dated, but Android in its purest form and an outstanding single-lens cam mean you’d be mad not to consider it.

Stuff says ++++,

CAMERA

DESIGN

DISPLAY

PERFORMANCE

Four to the floor

Go your own way

OLED Zeppelin

Faux par

The main 48MP sensor is joined by a 16MP ultrawide and 8MP telephoto, while lens number four is for depth-sensing, so this is really a triple-lens setup that’s good for blurry bokeh. Up front, there’s 25MP selfie-cam.

A mid-ranger that hasn’t ripped off Apple? Moto has done its own thing and it works nicely. You get a huge screen with minimal bezels and a small notch; the back is glass, but with a matt finish hiding fingerprints.

By switching from LCD to AMOLED, the Zoom elevates itself above the other One models. It’s sizeable at 6.4in with Full HD+ resolution offering enough detail in text and images. Viewing angles are excellent, colours less so.

Look past the feature list and the One Zoom is a faux flagship: the Snapdragon 675 is an eight-core chip but it won’t match the heavy hitters. You won’t notice the difference while web-browsing, though.

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A stargazer is born, but does Google care about phones?

Google’s own phones to take us crash-landing into a new decade are here. The Pixel 4 and 4 XL give Android 10 its debut, and show us what Google really cares about these days – other than everyone’s data. Focusing on the bigger brother of the two, the 4 XL, not a great deal has changed.

Cameras and Android are still the Pixel fixations, while Google

leaves stuff like design dynamism and ultra-long battery life for others to fight over.

With the Pixel 4 XL, the tech giant has taken aim at those preferred areas and hammered them like a Japanese swordsmith.

The camera is the main one: Astrophotography mode is a delight, and all the progress here is entirely in line with the brilliant

work put into the Pixel 3. You also get to experience Android’s latest developments before anyone else, and in its purest form.

The rest? This phone’s design takes the iconic simplicity of the older Pixels and simplifies it until it seems generic. And it’s hard to ignore that other phones offer more for less, or at least for the same money. We’re left

O GOOGLE PIXEL 4 XL FROM £829 ++++,

DESIGN

This means bore If there were to be a ‘boringcore’ phone, the equivalent of some sort of indie film sub-genre where they’re all set in a PTA meeting, this is it. It looks like the very essence of a modern smartphone, but absolutely nothing more.

New gesture controls do everything from skipping tracks and controlling alarms to initiating multitasking screens and more, so take the time to familiarise yourself.

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Looking at the stars There are two rear cameras: a primary 12MP joined by a new 2x lens. It’s the first time Google has included ‘real’ zoom using a tiny motor, and with a bit of machine learning you end up with far better photos than expected. Night Sight has had a bump and takes low-light snaps nobody thought possible two years ago, while the new Astrophotography is a bold gesture of intent from Google: it’s Night Sight taken to the extreme. The phone must be held completely still, but the results are ridiculous and offer a legit reason to buy a tripod.

Mind the store

Feast upon on a 6.3in 90Hz OLED with super-conservative style: no curved edges, a fat lip above the display, and borders on the other sides. Kudos to Google, though, for this screen’s tasteful approach to colour reproduction.

A Snapdragon 855 runs the show – and no shocks that it glides through Android and runs top-end games perfectly.

PUBG, Ark: Survival Evolved and Asphalt 9 were essentially made for this hardware after all. There is a lingering sense that Google has been stingy elsewhere, though. Your £829 ‘entry-level’ model has 6GB RAM and 64GB storage, where the £450 Oppo Reno2 has 8GB and 256GB respectively.

Apple gets away with it, but too many Androids offer more for less and it didn’t take us long to find our 4 XL was 50% full.

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DISPLAY

OLED it be

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Google Pixel 4 PERFORMANCE

from £669 / store. google.com Aside from a smaller display than the XL version (5.7in) with an inferior 444ppi and a wee 2800mAh battery, the Pixel 4 shares virtually all the same specs… meaning you get a processor and camera fit for giants in a much more affordably priced package. Just don’t expect it to last all day every day if you tend to hammer your phone.

Stuff says ++++,

wishing it had more storage and more stamina.

Still, if you’re in the market for a stripped-back, tasteful Android with a forgiving camera and a fancy feature for shooting the night sky, go ahead, it’s a great phone… but Google has proved once again that it’s more of a software company than a hardware one.

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The 3700mAh battery is about the smallest you’ll find on a plus-size top-end Android. It’s passable for a day or so, but serious phone freaks will need a power pack.

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Oppo serves up premium specs at a non-flagship price According to the Internet, ‘Reno is a city in the northwest section of the US state of Nevada, approximately 22 miles (35 km) from Lake Tahoe, known as the Biggest Little City in the World’.

From what we can gather, it has nothing to do with the naming of Oppo’s Reno smartphone series, but there’s a metaphor in there somewhere for arguably the

biggest little smartphone brand of 2019.

Tenuous links aside, it’s a warm Mojave Desert welcome to the Oppo Reno2. Falling between the original Reno and Reno 10x Zoom, it joins its siblings crammed with multiple lenses and camera smarts, coupled with a big bold screen, fast-charging and a swanky pop-out selfie-camera

that’ll steal the spotlight in any gadget gathering.

This is a truly eye-catching, luxurious-feeling handset that meets all the requirements you’re likely to have for a smartphone.

It packs camera capabilities for almost any situation and it doesn’t compromise on power and performance either. With more than enough stamina to

last at least an entire day, there’s little here not to like, especially given its sub-£500 price.

If you’re after a rock-solid performer with quirky features separating it from the plethora of other options available, this could very well be the phone for you – stylish, innovative and full of stamina, the Reno2 delivers in spades.

O OPPO RENO2 £450 ++++,

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Samsung Galaxy S10e £670 / samsung.com A simplified star in the Galaxy series, the S10e surfs under the radar. Sporting the same-size battery and screen as an iPhone 11 Pro, there’s 6GB RAM and 128GB storage plus a microSD slot.

This is a sensible Samsung at a sensible price.

Stuff says ++++,

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CAMERA

DESIGN

DISPLAY

PERFORMANCE

Speccy four eyes

Setting the tone

Notch on your nelly

Reno speedwagon

Four rear cams are driven by 48MP, 8MP, 13MP and 2MP sensors serving all purposes, from 20x digital zoom to wide-angle. In daylight at least, it takes fine point-and-shoot shots bolstered by scene-detecting AI.

The two-tone Oppo looks vaguely hypnotic. A lack of camera bumps means all lenses sit flush, save for a ceramic bump to stop scratches. The pop-up cam rears its head when summoned – and that means a clear screen.

Dominating the front is a notchless and edgeless 6.5in AMOLED display with 401ppi. It’s good for gaming, reading, movies and everything else.

We’ve seen brighter, but it’s perfectly useable in full daylight.

A Snapdragon 730G is technically mid-range, but coupled with 8GB of RAM it handles games on their highest settings with ease, even with other apps open. The in-display fingerprint scanner is also insanely fast and reliable.

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A red-hot gaming phone for those who like to play it cool If you’re serious about mobile gaming and want a leg up over your online opponents, the ROG Phone II is the ultimate gamers’ handset of 2019. We just thought we’d put that one to bed early, because in case you were wondering how a laptop manufacturer had somehow snuck a smartphone into the Stuff supertest, it’s here on merit. Plus,

even people who take mobile antisocial-ness to entirely new levels are humans.

Officially the first phone to come packing Qualcomm’s jacked-up Snapdragon 855+ chipset, giving it more grunt than a Bavarian pig farm, it houses a whopping 6000mAh battery for entirely possible all-day gaming, while the 120Hz display (yes,

really) spurts crisp, silky-smooth visuals at your peepers. Rivals like the Black Shark 2 can’t touch it for specs, performance and dedicated features.

And that’s only the tip of a very dense gaming iceberg.

We’ve blasted our way through countless Android titles, all in the name of quality tech journalism, to conclude that the ROG Phone II is

undeniably the greatest gaming mobile of all time.

Of course, all that tech doesn’t come cheap. But if you can find the green queens and you’re a mobile gamer, this is simply the best piece of kit for you right now: a super-premium device in every regard that others can’t match for performance, battery life or accessory support.

O ASUS ROG PHONE II £830 +++++

FOR A BIT LESS

Nubia Red Magic 3 from £419 / redmagic.gg The first ever smartphone with a fan can power anything in the Play Store. A 90Hz AMOLED, built-in shoulder buttons and official accessories mean not many handsets can beat this at playtime. It’s OK as a ‘phone’ too.

Stuff says ++++,

CAMERA

DESIGN

DISPLAY

PERFORMANCE

It takes two

Millennial falcon

Mega hertz

Game gear

Asus has reused the Zenfone 6’s combo of 48MP primary lens and wide-angle secondary snapper. It works a treat and photos pack detail even in tricky lighting, while HDR+ mode combats harsh contrast.

The ROG is more alien vessel than phone thanks to the asymmetrical glass rear, angular camera grille and microchip-style pattern, and that’s before discussing the big LED logo. It’s weighty but comfortable to clutch.

A perfectly flat display is better for gaming as edge-hugging controls remain responsive and easy to poke. The 120Hz refresh rate brings ultra-smooth visuals, with a zippy 240Hz touch response rate.

The graphical clout of that Snapdragon 855+ ensures games like PUBG Mobile play with top detail levels and a super-stable frame rate. Software is geared towards gamers, including Game Genie for blocking calls and notifications.

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The 4500mAh battery is big and clever, stretching across two days and going from 0 to 100% in under 75 minutes with 27W wireless charging.

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Huawei go again… but could you buy a G-free Android?

When it comes to writing the 2019 chapter in the history books, there’ll be plenty of bonkers stuff to include. There was Nigelfest, the theft of a gold toilet from Blenheim Palace, and the ‘Wagatha Christie’ saga involving Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy… but one of tech’s weirdest tales is probably Donald Trump’s ongoing beef with

Huawei. In case you aren’t in the loop, at the time of writing the US government has still blocked Huawei from having access to the Google Play Store and other Google apps.

Its latest flagship, the stunning Mate 30 Pro, is the first casualty of this war – and we’re warning you, despite its sensational design, innovative camera system

and ample power and battery, this is going to be one bittersweet write-up… not least because our review handset was a Chinese import, so regional device functionality and performance may vary.

All things said and done, the Mate 30 Pro looks and feels like a slice of the future. It’s bold, is arguably the best-looking phone

of its generation, has a champion of a camera, and comes with stacks of power.

Getting it with no Play Store is an expensive gamble, though, which makes it impossible to recommend to almost anyone in the west. Until then, admire from afar that two-star app support and (almost) five-star everything else.

O HUAWEI MATE 30 PRO €1099 ++++,

PERFORMANCE

Kirin in the name of

Huawei’s new UI gives you in-game options to eke the most out of the experience and turn the display’s corners into L and R buttons – which work like a charm.

Performing sensationally with everything thrown at it, this phone benchmarks like the best with its Kirin 990 and 8GB of RAM. Its biometrics work to perfection too, with an underdisplay fingerprint scanner and secure face-unlocking.

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Shots fired

Huawei P30 Pro from £750 / huawei.com It’s been out since April, but given you can now get a P30 Pro with £150 knocked off, it’s worth considering for the camera alone.

It set a stratospheric benchmark of zooming capabilities on smartphones at no compromise to battery life or performance.

Partnering with Leica really has been Huawei’s smartest move yet.

Stuff says +++++

The camera excels across the board, but comes alive at night.

A 40MP main sensor encores after debuting on the P30 Pro, but now there’s an ultra-wide ‘cinema’ camera with a 40MP sensor and an f/1.6 lens. The telephoto camera features 8MP resolution with an f/2.4 3x zoom lens, and a depth sensor joins the party.

Meanwhile, the front camera has a terrifyingly sharp 32MP sensor. Macro shots are solid, standard shots top-quality and dynamic range only bettered by the iPhone 11 Pro Max, while it makes light work of 4K at 60fps.

DESIGN

Hear the sirens coming

The almost-wraparound 6.53in OLED display is glorious, with a 94.1% screen-to-body ratio and 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Resolution isn’t quite as sharp as the OnePlus 7 Pro but remains crisp if you don’t have microscopes for eyes.

Put the Mate 30 Pro in your hand and it sucks you in like a siren’s song. The sliver of metal along the sides, the polished top and tail and the curved glass either side all make it feel as good as it looks.

You’ll find a power button but no volume rocker – swapped for some side-tapping slidey nonsense. There’s a lone USB-C port, a dual-SIM slot and that bold round camera surround. Available in three eye-catching colours plus some vegan leather editions, it’s IP68-rated with Gorilla Glass 6.

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It’s a wrap

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The winner is…

Apple iPhone 11 No, we haven’t accidentally left off the ‘Pro’ part. Apple has risen back to the top on the strength of its wondrous cameras and extraordinary A13 Bionic chip, but not with the handset you may have been expecting.

The 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max make us very happy indeed, but we can’t shake off the nervous twitch that comes with spending more than a grand on a mobile. And so the standard 11 – with its still-excellent cameras, equally adept processing power and cool shades of pastel – comes first.

In the words of every career politician, let’s be clear, all the phones here are incredible… and Android fans, you’re spoilt for choice from OnePlus to Huawei with every Samsung and Sony in between. The Empire simply struck back.

+ Now add these Greenwich Humber If you’ve got Qi wireless charging, the Humber is crafted from bull-hide and brushed aluminium, and uses the latest USB-C connection – and it works with Greenwich’s lush phone cases. £60 / greenwich.design

Mous Clarity Phones are so pretty now, it seems a shame not to show them off. So the Clarity case is transparent, but has the sort of impact absorption that sees Mous show off by chucking iPhones around Apple Stores. from £40 / uk.mous.co

Ted Baker Power Bank Crafted from luxury Italian leather, this portable 5000mAh power bank is Qi-enabled for wireless charging in addition to a cable connection so you can boost two devices simultaneously. £80 / proporta.co.uk

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ST E T ER NN I W

SUPERTEST SMARTPHONES

THE SUMMARY

O iPhone 11 Pro O OnePlus 7T O iPhone 11 O Moto One Zoom O Pixel 4 XL O Oppo Reno2 O ROG Phone II O Mate 30 Pro

WHAT’S NEXT? CAMERA

We all know 5G and folding phones are a thing and will continue to be a thing in 2020. Mass adoption of 5G depends on dropping prices, better coverage and greater availability… so watch this space to see if mobile makers and networks actually make it happen.

If you’re looking further afield, firstly get you… and secondly head to p68 and read our exclusive interview with futurist Matthew Griffin, where he discusses everything from graphene batteries charging in seconds to 11k screens with natural 3D. Otherwise, sticking our neck out and putting our considerable reputation on the line, we reckon this time next year you’ll be seeing an iPhone 12 and maybe some Google Pixels.

PERFORMANCE

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TECH RATER

DESIGN

DISPLAY

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Display

CPU

Memory

Battery

Cameras

Dimensions

6.1in 1792x828 LCD

A13 Bionic

4GB RAM, 64/128/ 256GB storage

3110mAh

12MP + 12MP rear, 12MP front

151x76x 8.3mm, 194g

2nd

OnePlus 7T A smooth display, a rapid processor, super-fast charging and a capable display make this the latest Android to beat. £549 / stuff.tv/OnePlus7T

6.55in 2400x1080 AMOLED

Snapdragon 855+

8GB RAM, 128GB storage

3800mAh

48MP + 12MP + 16MP rear, 16MP front

161x74x 8.1mm, 190g

3rd

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Is the Pro the best phone Apple has ever made? Yes. It’s just too super-expensive to top our test. from £1049 / stuff.tv/iPhone11Pro

5.8in 2436x1125 OLED

A13 Bionic

4GB RAM, 64/256/ 512GB storage

3046mAh

12MP + 12MP + 12MP rear, 12MP front

144x71x 8.1mm, 188g

4th

Asus ROG Phone II It’s a gaming-centric phone… but the ROG Phone II delivers in so many areas, how could we ignore it? £830 / stuff.tv/RogPhone2

6.59in 2340x1080 AMOLED

Snapdragon 855+

12GB RAM, 512GB storage

6000mAh

48MP + 13MP rear, 24MP front

171x78x 9.5mm, 240g

5th

Google Pixel 4 XL The purist’s Android choice, with clean software and a terrific camera, but not the most dynamic smartphone around. from £829 / stuff.tv/Pixel4XL

6.3in 3040x1440 OLED

Snapdragon 855

6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage

3700mAh

12MP + 16MP rear, 8MP front

160x75x 8.2mm, 193g

6th

Huawei Mate 30 Pro It’s got all the spec credentials to be a top-three phone, but losing Google Play grinds our gears just too much. €1099 / stuff.tv/Mate30Pro

6.53in 2400x1176 OLED

Kirin 990

8GB RAM, 256GB storage

4500mAh

40MP + 8MP + 40MP + ToF rear, 32MP front

158x73x 8.8mm, 198g

7th

Oppo Reno2 This Oppo offers the brand’s best bang for your buck, but falls agonisingly short in key areas. £450 / stuff.tv/Reno2

6.5in 2400x1080 AMOLED

Snapdragon 730G

8GB RAM, 256GB storage

4000mAh

48MP + 13MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front

160x74x 9.5mm, 189g

8th

Motorola One Zoom With features to pique your interest at an excellent price, Motorola are the mid-range kings for a reason. £380 / stuff.tv/OneZoom

6.4in 2340x1080 AMOLED

Snapdragon 675

4GB RAM, 128GB storage

4000mAh

48MP + 8MP + 16MP + 5MP rear, 25MP front

158x75x 8.8m, 190g

1st

Apple iPhone 11 Apple has done the unexpected and produced an affordable handset that doesn’t really scrimp on specs. from £729 / stuff.tv/iPhone11

53

America’s No.1 Soundbar brand* The best sound in cinema now in your home

36” 5.1.2 Soundbar System with Dolby Atmos® £599 Available online at: Richersounds.com | Costco.co.uk | Amazon.co.uk *Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, Sound Bars, Based on Units, Feb. 4, 2018 – Apr. 6, 2019

TESTED APPS

Mini meme

O Football Drama This one isn’t just concerned with what happens on the pitch.

You spend time in CYOA-style sections working on your relationship with the club owner (and, er, his wife), winning tactical cards to use during matches. Sharp humour presents a cynical take on the game, although matches drag a bit – you’ll wish there was more drama and less football. Still, worth a shot. £4.99 / Android, iOS

MOBILE FOOTBALL MANAGERS Not even Christmas and your real-life team is already flirting with relegation?

Think you could do better? Prove it with these tactical games…

O Kevin Toms

Football * Manager

Should you fancy something really retro, this one takes you back to the source. Kevin Toms was responsible for the original Football Manager, released in 1982 on the Tandy TRS–80.

This isn’t a pure port, but it echoes the original’s simplicity and idiosyncrasies (such as the way player skill levels vary season by season), and even includes crude highlights. £3.29 / Android O £2.99 / iOS

O New Star Manager

O SSC 2019

O Rumble Stars

O Football Manager

This follow-up to the acclaimed New Star Soccer is potential bliss for any armchair manager who gets frustrated whenever some idiot fluffs a shot. Here, not only do you get control over a beleaguered team, but you’re also hands-on during key on-pitch moments, guiding players into position and tapping the ball in precisely the right place to ensure it ends up in the net. No pressure, then. £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS

Harking back to the 16-bit era, this one recalls Player Manager and Sensible Soccer. You manage a team but also play entire games, hoofing the ball between dinky teammates.

Gameplay’s not as fast as in those old classics, giving you a fighting chance; and your phone’s pocketability is an obvious plus over hauling about an old Amiga and CRT telly. £2.99 / Android £free or £3.99 / iOS

The notion of unruly footballers being akin to animals might belong to another era, but the players here are literally lions, pandas and the like (along with the odd explosive device). Your task is to fire them into play at the optimum moment, to thwart your online opposition’s plans. It’s Clash Royale meets Subbuteo meets The Jungle Book. This really is a funny old game. £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS

If you’ve played Football Manager on PC you’ll know what you’re in for here, since this is effectively the same title.

It can be a bit spreadsheet-tastic but there’s no denying the sheer depth of this sim, as you dig into everything from tactics to transfers. You’ll need a powerful tablet… or try the stripped-back Football Manager 2019 Mobile for half the price. £19.99 / Android, iPad

Football

2019 Touch

55

CREATIVE CONTROLLERS

GRABBABLE GAMERS

PERFECT POINTERS

UPVOTED

The princely puck

The Cupertino clicker

The streamlined sidekick

Azio Retro Classic Mouse This classy clicker might channel vintage vibes, but it’s no old-school scroller. Crafted from leather and aluminium, the refined RCM packs a battery good for months and a sensor that works on even the glossiest of retro desks. You can even switch the top cover to match your antique mousepad. £97 / aziocorp.com

Apple Magic Mouse 2 Longing to boost your iPad’s touchscreen with the tactile certainty of a solid click?

Good news: iPadOS brings mouse support to your tablet. And what better peripheral to add than Apple’s own, with its slender shell, rechargeable cell and multi-touch surface that works like, y’know, a touchscreen. £79 / apple.com

Microsoft Surface Mobile Mouse A mouse might be nothing without a surface, but you don’t need a Surface to enjoy the charms of Microsoft’s Mobile Mouse. Pocket-friendly and powered by a trio of AAAs, this Bluetooth buddy gets the basics just right: compact, attractive and way more reliable than Windows 8. £30 / microsoft.com

MICE The whopping whizzer Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless Not some prototype pet from Stark Industries, this is a sculpted weapon for the large of hand. Littered with RGB lights and custom buttons, it harbours an arsenal of gaming essentials, from Omron switches to surface calibration, while speedy Slipstream wireless means it’s no lumbering giant. £70 / corsair.com

The slinky snake Razer Viper Want the edge in your next quick-draw click-off? Quit those one-finger pull-ups and wrap your palm around Razer’s latest wired warrior. Its optical switches use infrared for lightning-fast clicks, while a svelte 69g shell and Speedflex cable should help to cut your trigger time. £80 / razer.com

The sculpted scroller

The swanky sphere

The reborn roller

Logitech MX Master 3 Mastering a skill is said to take 10,000 hours.

On a tight deadline? Spin up the machined steel wheel on the moulded MX Master 3 and it’ll scroll through 1000 lines in a single second. Much too fast to digest any information, sure, but at least you’ll know the scale of your ignorance. £100 / logitech.com

Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball Keen to confound your colleagues? Besides its trackball accuracy and a static setup that’s kinder to your wrist, the red orb on this ergonomic number offers guaranteed office amusement. How you’ll laugh as Ian from IT wrestles with its unfamiliar form.

How you’ll cry when he lobs it at a wall. £80 / kensington.com

Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse As familiar as a floppy disk, Microsoft’s trusty clicker is back (again) and better than ever. Don’t let the understated packaging fool you: a braided cable, remappable buttons and seriously precise sensor make this throwback device a boon for gamers and graphic designers alike. £60 / microsoft.com

HOW TO DECIDE 56

Sick of cursing his cursor, Chris Rowlands picks the best desktop rodents to rekindle his love for the ol’ click and scroll (and no, nobody calls them ‘mouses’)

1 Cut the cable Tangle-phobic? Far from their haywire origins, today’s wireless mice are faster and more reliable than ever – and a good Bluetooth gaming mouse won’t give you any issues with lag.

2 Button up Remappable buttons aren’t just good for gamers. From page navigation to advanced editing tools, most can also be customised with software-specific shortcuts.

UPVOTED

The cordless comeback Logitech G502 Lightspeed Imagine a gaming mouse. Now imagine a TIE fighter. Now imagine the two, melded together in an angular package that’s wire-free and fast as you like. What have you got? The Lightspeed sequel to Logitech’s legendary G502. An endoskeleton design inherited from the G Pro shaves 7g off the weight, while on-the-fly wireless charging means battle need never cease. Pew-pew. £130 / logitechg.com

3 Take it in hand Mice are meant for your paw, so pick one that fits. Compact, ambidextrous examples might slip more easily into your satchel, but ergonomic is the way to go for all-day comfort.

4 Play the numbers game DPI is the unit of measure for mouse sensitivity and it’s a race to the top for the quickest clickers (think 16,000 and more). If you’re more about Powerpoint than PUBG, you needn’t aim so high.

57

TESTED NINTENDO SWITCH LITE

The legend of svelter Nintendo’s slimmed-down Switch Lite promises all the fun of the full-size console – well, nearly all – in a miraculously pocketable package

1

[ Words Matthew Potato ]

£199 / stuff.tv/SwitchLite Many people wrote off the Switch before it had even appeared on shelves… but to say Nintendo has proved the naysayers wrong would be understating it. With a steady supply of excellent games that are equally playable on the TV, the train and the toilet, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Ninty’s comeback console has already earned its place in the company’s hall of fame.

Which brings us to the Switch Lite. While still sharing its bigger, comparably heftier brother’s name, the Switch Lite can’t actually switch. There are no detachable Joy-Con controllers here, and no TV dock.

You can play nearly all of the same games on the Lite, and many of them are arguably better suited to it – like virtually any old-school platformer that requires a D-pad.

But by sacrificing versatility for portability, does the Lite lose any of the original console’s charm?

3

2

Every Switch way but loose We love the Switch’s Joy-Cons, but moving parts do make the original console feel unnervingly breakable at times. No such worries with the Lite. Wrapped in a single piece of grippy matt plastic (1), it feels sturdier and has a much cleaner, if slightly less premium, overall look.

GOOD MEH EVIL

58

Even more portable than the original

The rare Switch project It comes in grey, turquoise or yellow (2). The latter two are just plain fun to look at, but it’s good that Nintendo has included a more muted option for those who’d rather not attract attention on the bus. And there are bound to be new colours and special editions down the line.

Shame you can’t connect it to the TV

The seven-year Switch At 275g, the difference in weight from the full-size Switch is quite something. You can easily hold it right up to your face for long sessions without feeling the strain on your wrists, and it’s noticeably less of a presence in a backpack.

It could prove too small for those with bigger hands, mind.

Most Switch titles play just as well…

D-pad brings new precision to Celeste …but a handful need the Joy-Cons

Fiddly to set up as a second console

TESTED NINTENDO SWITCH LITE

Tech specs Screen 5.5in 1280x720 LCD touchscreen Processor Nvidia Tegra Storage 32GB Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, microSD, USB-C charging Battery 3570mAh Dimensions 208x91x13.9mm, 275g

Lite entertainment Now let’s concentrate on what the Switch Lite really excels at: games. Here are four of the best…

Razor Lite The display has the same 720p resolution as the original’s but is smaller at 5.5in, so it’s actually a bit sharper – and you can tell.

Crazy Switch assuagings Because the left-hand part of the console no longer has to double up as a detachable controller, Nintendo was able to introduce a proper D-pad (3), which makes all the difference in side-scrolling platformers. It’s not the best D-pad, but it’s much better than four face buttons.

The Switch-hiker’s guide On the bottom you’ll find the USB-C charging port and a microSD card slot that you’re definitely going to need if you plan on downloading more than a handful of full-fat games. The lack of support for Bluetooth headphones remains annoying, and there’s no HD Rumble feature.

Q Breath of the Wild

Q Three Houses

Switch launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been bothering the ‘greatest games of all time’ lists ever since its release, and since then Nintendo has maintained a steady flow of other great games.

Standouts this year include the hugely addictive tactical RPG Fire Emblem: Three Houses plus Super Mario Maker 2, Astral Chain… and the Link’s Awakening remake reviewed on p82 of this issue.

Q The Witcher 3

Q Katana Zero

The Switch has succeeded where the Wii U failed by getting more third-party support, be that new titles like Wolfenstein: Youngblood or ports of classics like The Witcher 3, which is somehow playable in its entirety on the Lite.

And that’s without mentioning the countless indie games that have found their natural home on Nintendo’s console.

The time-bending, samurai-themed sidescroller Katana Zero is one of 2019’s best.

The Switch Lite is a joy to play games on; and while it’s a totally unnecessary luxury for owners of the original console, it is a more desirable piece of kit to have in your hands. Whether or not it’s a superior handheld to the old PlayStation Vita, it trounces Sony’s long-retired portable in the games department – and that’s what matters. @MattWTate

STUFF SAYS ++++, Not as clever as its bigger brother, but the Switch Lite is probably the best truly handheld console Nintendo has ever made 59

Hush cuppies Still not succumbed to the luxurious quietude of premium wireless over-ear headphones with active noise-cancellation? Here are two new options…

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)

[ Words Simon Lucas ]

What’s the story?

60

Dali IO-6 What’s the story?

These days if you’ve got £300 or so spend on some wireless over-ear headphones with noise-cancelling skills, it’s hard to go wrong. Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Sony each have a great pair to sell you; even Microsoft has a decent option. The Momentum Wireless have always been in the mix too… but they’ll have to be really good to take on the class of late 2019.

Unlike Sennheiser and all the other brands mentioned on the left, Dali has no pedigree in headphones and is writing its own history as it goes along. The Danish company’s been a leading light of passive loudspeaker design for over 35 years, so it must have thought the time was finally right to get a piece of the noise-cancelling wireless headphone action. That’s if there’s any left to grab…

Are they any good?

Are they any good?

This is a truly over-ear design, and those generous earcups will overwhelm anyone whose lugs are on the smaller side. They’re distinctive without being show-offy, with a smart combo of exposed steel and soft, tactile sheepskin. Everything looks and feels made to last.

The 17-hour battery will be exhausted long before Bose or Sony rivals start to flag, but at least charging (via USB-C) is rapid – and there’s a jack socket for wired listening when the juice runs out.

Sound-wise, they’re brilliantly capable.

It doesn’t matter what sort of music you like to listen to, where you listen to it or at what volume levels – these cans are always an enjoyable listen. Presentation is open and wide, with great attention to the details and texture. Bass hits hard but the overall tonality is brilliantly judged.

Who wants to tear up the rulebook? The IO-6s look exactly as you’d expect a pair of expensive headphones to look, and feel how you’d expect them to feel. The earcups swivel through 180°, which makes them easy to sling around your neck or pack into their case, and build quality seems up to prevailing standards.

There’s a selection of controls and inputs on the right earcup, with a 3.5mm input on the left in case the battery dies… but that really shouldn’t happen when you’re getting 30 hours of playback time even with ANC engaged.

Right from the off these over-ears give a detailed, three-dimensional and tonally impeccable listen. It’s not always possible to describe the sound of a pair of headphones as ‘fun’, but in this case it’s pretty easy.

Price £349 / stuff.tv/MomentumWireless Tech Bluetooth, 3.5mm, USB-C charging, voice control O 17hr battery O 304g

Price £349 / stuff.tv/Dali6 Tech Bluetooth, 3.5mm, USB-C charging + audio, voice control O 30hr battery O 325g

Stuff says +++++

Stuff says ++++,

Big headphones, big price, big sound: these are the best Momentums yet

For sound, the Dalis are easy to recommend; for features, not so much

ENJOY THE SILENCE… OR DON’T, WHATEVER O The Sennheisers offer three ANC modes, plus a ‘transparent hearing’ feature that actively amplifies external sounds to keep you in touch with the outside world when you need to be. All this can be controlled via a suite of physical buttons on the right earcup, or using the neat and reliable Smart Control app.

O There’s no Dali app, and the IO-6s don’t have degrees of ANC – it’s either on or off. But there is a ‘transparency’ setting, as on the Sennheisers. The noise-cancellation is pretty gentle, which means you don’t get that feeling of inner-ear pressure that some rivals inflict – but background noise is never completely eradicated.

3

1 Untitled juice game The Dalis can go from flat to fully charged in just 2hrs, and the USB-C port can be used as a PC/Mac audio connection as well as for charging.

TE WI ST NN ER

2 Last cans standing Dali’s 30hr stamina estimate, which with some headphones is revealed to be about as accurate as pub gossip, proves quite correct.

3 Tile be home for Christmas You can tweak the EQ with Sennheiser’s app, and these cans are compatible with Tile tracking – good news for serial headphone-losers.

4 I’ll standby you Accelerometers pause the music if you take them off your head, and they go to standby if you hang them around your neck.

4

1

4

2

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T E S T E D B E N T L E Y F LY I N G S P U R

Come on you Spur Revised tech, stunning performance and new levels of interior luxury ensure this super-sedan is in a league of its own Flying B This is the first ever Bentley with a retractable Flying B mascot on the bonnet.

You can even get a version with wings that light up.

from £168,300 / stuff.tv/BFSpur Q As Stuff celebrates its 250th issue, Bentley is busy cracking open the champagne for its big centenary. Its birthday present to itself? A spanking new Flying Spur, revised from the ground up to offer not just one of the most relaxing rides ever on two wheels, but one that also packs a serious punch.

Q The ride in the rear leather seats is akin to flying first class – and it’s made even better by a new 5in colour touchscreen remote control.

Hit eject and it rises out of its holder, allowing the occupants to turn on the massaging seats, adjust the ambient lighting and control the entertainment on the seat-back screens.

Q Tech treats are extended to the front half of the cabin too, with a new 12.3in digital touchscreen taking care of entertainment and car functionality. You can option the beautiful Bentley Rotating Display, which flips around to reveal analogue dials, a ‘digital detox’ wood veneer finish or the infotainment screen.

Q Short corner

Q Late winner

All-wheel-drive doesn’t mean you can drive your Flying Spur up a cliff, but it does equate to better grip in poor weather conditions.

It also has all-wheel steering, and tackles corners like a car half its size.

Bonus tech features include Wi-Fi for up to eight devices, a phone app for controlling many features remotely, a head-up display for the driver and even night vision that monitors the road up to 300 metres ahead.

Q Power is provided by a 626bhp 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine that effortlessly propels this three-tonne barge to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds. But more importantly, clever 48V electronic actuators on the rollbar of each axle can adjust stiffness in milliseconds. This means the ride is pillowy-soft when it needs to be, or firm for the rare occasions when you fancy challenging a Lamborghini to a race up the side of a mountain.

Tech specs Engine 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 0-60mph 3.7s Top speed 207mph Displays 12.3in touchscreen, 5in touchscreen remote control

STUFF SAYS Punchy styling and interior luxury… plus Herculean performance +++++ A car that feels this good just to sit in shouldn’t be this good to drive Leon Poultney

Limousines are traditionally opulent, comfortable and cosseting places that only the super-rich can afford to spend time in. Very little has changed here, but the fact that the new Flying Spur can drive the way it does and offer such a breadth of interior technology is quite remarkable. It’s the luxury limo that thinks it’s a supercar, and it should be on any lottery winner’s shortlist.

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FI R TH ST ES AD E… D

DJI OSMO ACTION

64

ONE CYNOVA DUAL 3.5mm/ USB-C ADAPTER

TWO BLAVOR SOLAR POWER BANK

THREE GOPRO 3-WAY GRIP/ARM/TRIPOD

Ultra-wide action cameras capture stunning footage and make adventures look larger than life, especially when laid against an upbeat backing track. But if you plan on vlogging, the Osmo Action’s microphones are pretty weak. No sweat: you can get great audio with an external mic of your choice and this USB-C adapter. £39 / dronesdirect.co.uk

This camera charges up via a USB-C port, so it gets on perfectly with battery packs. Why would you get just any old battery pack for your all-action adventures, though? Blavor makes a splashproof, dustproof and shockproof 10,000mAh solar power bank complete with torch, compass and wireless charging pad. £26 / amazon.co.uk

The Osmo Action won’t work with every GoPro accessory out there, but it will work with this one: a selfie stick, tripod and camera grip in one. Its smart folding design makes it perfect for grab-and-go sightseeing, while its bendy design means it won’t get in your shot like a traditional selfie stick. £60 / gopro.com

DO A TH WN ND ES LO E… AD

NO TH W IS DO …

DJI MIMO

1 BE QUICK

2 GO STEADY

3 FRONT UP

Above the USB-C flap you’ll find the most powerful button on the Osmo Action: Quick Switch (QS). Press it to cycle through a bunch of predefined shooting modes… or customise it to suit your needs. To do this, fire up the Quick Switch menu, tap the three dots on the right and look through the list of modes.

Simply check and uncheck to suit your needs, and you’ll have a bespoke list at your fingertips.

RockSteady, DJI’s clever image stabilisation tech, is what makes this such a great action cam.

When you fire it up, life through the lens looks like a steadied still-life snapshot – completely mindblowing. To check that this feature is active, swipe up on the viewfinder and ensure the RockSteady box at top right is blue. This works at up to 4K (16:9) resolution, but won’t work at 4:3 or with HDR activated.

DJI has given the Osmo Action a front display so you can frame your vlogs perfectly. If you can’t figure out how to make the switch, we’ve got three solutions for you. Option one is to double-tap the screen on the back with two fingers – but that won’t work mid-recording.

To switch any time you want, you’ll need to go for option two: long-press the QS button. As for the third option…

This app works as a remote viewfinder, also giving control over shooting modes plus photo and video capture.

It even gives you the option to wirelessly transfer files to your phone. £free / Android, iOS

PREMIERE PRO

[ Words Basil Kronfli ]

You can sign up for a 30-day free trial of this top-class video editing suite when you create a new account… and your brilliant new camera probably deserves it. £30/m / adobe.com

4 SPEAK OUT

5 TUNE UP

6 DON’T VLOG UNTIL…

Just like GoPro’s Hero7 Black flagship, this cam can take voice commands, and they’re a piece of cake to master. You can tell it to start or stop recording, take a photo, shut down or, yes, switch screens. With no wake-up word required, it feels really natural to bark orders hands-free. Fire up this feature by swiping down from the top of the viewfinder and tapping the image of the person speaking.

If you want complete control over your content, swipe in from the right of the viewfinder and you can fine-tune photo and video capture. With photos, DJI gives you full manual control over everything other than the fixed aperture. You can also set a custom white balance for videos, make footage look flatter and more cinematic, or change the video recording format from mov to mp4.

As hard as it might be to believe, action cameras weren’t created for vlogging. The clue’s in the name: these gadgets were made to be whacked onto bike helmets and gliders. By default, therefore, they’re set to expose for scenery, not faces. So if you plan on vlogging, go to settings and select Face-Oriented Exposure. The camera will now make sure your mug is always exposed beautifully.

LYNDA If you’re a fan of video tutorials and YouTube just isn’t cutting it any more, Lynda is the next step. It has hundreds of courses on video editing, and seven are specifically about action cams. £15/m / lynda.com

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THE ULTIMATE SPORTS GPS Touchscreen Outstanding GPS performance Large 3.5" Hi-Res screen Very long battery life (16 hours) Bluetooth Smart Waterproof (IP68)

Buttons GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO Hi-Res OS Mapping Barometric altimeter Wi-Fi Shockproof (IK7)

Satmap.com | sales@satmap.com | 01372 869 070

G R O U P T E S T TA B L E T S

It’s bezels at dawn as Apple’s latest iPad duels with Samsung and Amazon slates built for different purposes and purses

BEST FOR BARGAIN LOVERS

BEST FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS

BEST FOR MULTITASKERS

Amazon Fire HD 10

Apple iPad (2019)

Samsung Tab S6

What’s the story?

What’s the story?

What’s the story?

Amazon’s Fire HD tablets never change all that much on the outside, but the latest 10.1in version has had some significant upgrades on the inside that make its £150 asking price seem like a bit of a steal… that is, if you can learn to live with a bit of a chubby bezel and a matt plastic casing.

Apple’s 2019 entry-level iPad is hard to get excited about it, but it’s not like there’s nothing to talk about. The 10.2in Retina display is larger, there’s support for the full-size Smart Keyboard and it runs iPadOS, Apple’s tablet-specific software designed to make the slab a credible laptop alternative.

The iPad Pro is Stuff’s No1 tablet, but it’s oh-so-easy to spec up and spend a fortune on. If you want an alternative, Samsung is arguably the only name competing in that genuinely premium arena. The Galaxy Tab S6 is its latest offering… and it might well be the best Android tablet money can buy.

Is it any good?

It it any good?

Is it any good?

Amazon frankly obliterates the competition at the lower end of the tab market. Headline features here include Alexa hands-free functionality and a new picture-in-picture mode for streaming video from Prime or other services while you check your email or browse the web. A faster processor, 12hr battery life with USB-C charging and 32GB of expandable storage all make this an incredibly tempting proposition.

It’s inferior to the iPad Air and Pro, but if all you want it for is media consumption and typing docs, Apple’s cheapest slate is hard to beat. The £130 extra for an Air buys you a faster processor than the A10 Fusion and a better screen, but they’re not must-haves, especially as this iPad remains an attractive and strong-performing tablet. And the new OS’s arrival makes this an ideal time to invest in an iPad if you haven’t done so for a while.

After a fling with glass rears, Samsung has reverted to aluminium on the Tab S6 and it feels glorious to grab. The 10.5in display offers sharp images, rich colours and great contrast, but it’s with artwork that things get interesting thanks to the S-Pen – a serious piece of tech for sketching and other creative pursuits. Elsewhere, the Snapdragon 855 chip holds plenty of power for gamers, making this the best premium tab for Apple-phobes.

Price from £150 / amazon.co.uk

Price from £349 / apple.com

Price from £619 / samsung.com

Stuff says +++++

Stuff says ++++,

Stuff says ++++,

An absolute bargain if you’re OK forfeiting premium build quality

A minor update, but this is still the best entry-level tablet

Speedy and packing the ace S-Pen, this is the top Android tablet for sketchers and gamers

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FUTURE GADGETS

NEXT BIG THINGS The future of gadgets is always a tough one to predict, so we asked someone else to do the hard work for us himp chauffeurs, roads replaced by tubes and rocket mail are just some of the forecasts for 2020 that look set to miss the mark. No mention of Spurs winning silverware… but it just goes to show, making predictions is risky. So to mark our 250th issue with some future-gazing, we decided to largely wash our hands of it.

Instead meet Matthew Griffin, an award-winning futurist dubbed ‘the adviser behind the advisers’, whose clients include leading tech firms and governments. “I look at two types of future: 0-20 years, where most companies sit, and 20-50 years, where most governments try to sit,” Griffin tells Stuff. “Take Samsung and Huawei.

The world’s two largest phone

C

makers are pretty much the only companies I’ve come across that by their own definition live in a permanent state of crisis, fearing they’ll be disrupted, so they’re fixated with continually inventing ‘the next thing’.”

Griffin claims Huawei has a ‘2012 Division’, named after the disaster movie, where a team of over 200 people look at every weird piece of new tech and “have a faff about” to figure out how best to use it – not unlike the Stuff office. Samsung has a team up to 3000 building all manner of prototypes.

“Culture, regulation and liabilities, insurance, geopolitics, accessibility and affordability typically control whether something will emerge and be widely adopted,” says Griffin.

So a lot of it might not… but we made him spill the beans anyway.

FUTURE SMARTPHONES

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Griffin believes the only way we’ll move away from smartphones is if makers can figure out something new to do with the screen that the mass market will accept.

So expect to see ever more flexible displays, but with some incredibly cool things crammed inside… or in the case of batteries, removed altogether.

“Samsung is readying graphene-based lithium-ion batteries that will charge in seconds,” he says.

“They’re about 400% faster and give you three times the energy density.

But phones won’t always have batteries.”

In the air tonight Griffin explains: “There is a type of energy tech called ‘backscatter’. We all know there’s energy in the air around us – radio waves, radiation, sound – so about two years ago the world’s first smartphone without a battery was created, that harvested radio frequency energy from the air.

“We’ve got companies in the UK using materials with nano-sized hairs, so whenever you talk or there’s a sound, the hairs

vibrate and generate energy.”

The tech still has a while to go, he admits, but battery-free phones have already been successfully tested for basic functions like calls and texts.

You can’t hurry, love “We’re looking at 2040 to 2050 before ditching batteries altogether because phones are so energy-hungry; but as materials get lighter, more flexible and more energy-efficient we can do all sorts of things,” adds Griffin. “For now, phones are likely to use ever more advanced AI processors, feature 11k screens with a natural 3D effect that’s already being tested, and offer greater VR integration.

“This is where the ecosystem of gadgets becomes more than the sum of its parts. So for example you have your phone, but you buy a packet of plasters that are effectively electronic tattoos for monitoring your vitals,” says Griffin.

“Before long your phone becomes a fully blown tricorder monitoring every area of your health.”

FUTURE GADGETS

A bug’s life

Watt next?

Backscatter is an accidental reinvention of Soviet spy technology where bugs were activated and powered by radio waves.

At present a few microwatts can be harvested from the air, but it takes tens of thousands just to make a call.

Prodigal sun Ambient light can also be turned into a trickle of electricity using solar panels‌ but those panels are currently only 17% efficient.

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FUTURE GADGETS

Chatter bots Amazon has already introduced Alexa Conversations, where skills are coded to support natural and multi-topic chats.

Cheating heart Google AI can reportedly predict whether a patient will experience a heart attack or other major cardiovascular event within five years.

Twitch doctor The AI system that can tell if you’re lying is called Avatar. It looks out for changes in eyes, voice and posture to give away a fibber.

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FUTURE GADGETS

FUTURE ASSISTANTS

A full social life with Alexa awaits – but your AI butler could one day turn super-sleuth in a criminal investigation too. “By giving AI a long-term memory and improving its contextual analysis and reasoning, you get to the point fairly quickly where you can have a conversation,” Griffin tells Stuff.

“There are lots of people doing it – Google, Microsoft, IBM, the usual suspects – but realistically, this time next year you will see Amazon saying you can have a chat with Alexa: asking it follow-up questions like why something is the way it is, or how to make something.”

Take a look at me now Talk is only half the story, because Griffin claims the biggest impact we’ll see is AI plus machine vision. “Those two technologies combined change everything, because it means you’re giving smart devices better than human sight,” he says.

“Then the camera on your laptop, tablet, phone or TV can monitor your behaviour, health and mood, to tell you if you’re

FUTURE MOVIES

FUTURE SPORT

Griffin’s been working with one of the world’s biggest film companies on the future of movie-making (tough gig). It’s set to heavily involve VR and AI, and it’s giving the Oscars people a headache.

“The Lion King was made entirely in VR and the Oscars have no idea how to classify it, because it’s not real and it’s not animation,” he says. “All they really used was a 20x20m studio. The team went to Africa, figured out what they needed and created the entire savannah in VR back home.”

How do you fancy being placed in the centre of a football match while it’s being broadcast on TV, or taking on the world’s best athletes from your sofa? If that sounds a bit Ready Player One, that’s because it kind of is – thanks to VR, haptics and 5G. “Let’s start with footballers,” says Griffin, “I could take the video of a Premier League game, convert it using Samsung or Nvidia tech into a 3D VR simulation on an HTC Vive and put a player straight back into the game to analyse where he went wrong. I could then combine that with AI rendering and a haptic Teslasuit, so if he did something different the AI could compensate and we’d see the results.

“Using the same VR tech running over 5G I could ‘sub’ you in: put you in a Teslasuit and VR headset, pitch you against top-class footballers and see how you do – in a game that’s actually playing on TV.”

about to have a heart attack, or if you’re enjoying the movie you’re watching.”

Turn it on again “It can assess your personality, character and intent for criminality and figure out whether you’re lying with greater accuracy than a polygraph. Effectively that’s Alexa giving you a medical or a psychiatric assessment at home, or even questioning you as a suspect – and it can do this now. The only thing holding it back is the issue of privacy: who wants Alexa always watching?”

All this stuff means adoption is likely to be gradual if at all, so you may notice your AI butler staging interventions first to gain your trust.

“Let’s say you ask Alexa to play you a song.

If Amazon wanted, it could say: ‘I’ve noticed your voice is a little deeper than usual, I think you’re getting the flu, would you like me to video-call the doctor?’

You then sit in front of a screen, get assessed and are issued with a prescription – and this is two weeks before you actually get properly ill.”

Land of confusion But AI film-making is where it gets really interesting. “We’re increasingly using AI to create synthetic content.

Think text generators like OpenAI that can write the news, synthetic audio like Google Duplex, and AI musicians being signed by Sony.

“Then there’s AI creating video.

We will get to the point where you press a big button, go ‘Make me a blockbuster Marvel movie’ and off it goes… but first about 70 different AI disciplines have to mature.”

That means machines grasping what a story is – plus emotions, the laws of nature and more.

“To give you an idea, three years ago decent ‘deep fake’ tech was at the back of a lab and you needed a bunch of experts to do anything with it. Now you can get it free in an app. And all these fields are accelerating at a similar pace.”

Follow you follow me And if you actually want to work up a sweat – just without leaving the house because, you know, light drizzle and all that? Griffin says electromagnetic floors are on the way, allowing you to run in every direction while using VR, without the need for a treadmill. That means running a marathon but always staying in one room, perhaps pausing every so often for a Pot Noodle. Sounds alright to us.

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TESTED GOOGLE NEST HUB MAX

Lovin’ this Hub Google’s latest home assistant has a 10in screen, security-cam smarts and enough audio power to usher in a new era of singing digital butlers

I don’t mind The Nest Hub Max is available in either chalk or charcoal finishes, meaning it can’t possibly clash with anything.

£219 / stuff.tv/NestHubMax Q The future never did bring us a teleportation pad in every living room… but you can have a disembodied voice reminding you to buy toilet paper. This, and turning off your bedroom light while you’re under the covers, is a big part of the reality of digital assistants – but the Google Nest Hub Max does more than that.

Q As well as being a great host for Google Assistant, this gadget jacks up the ‘virtual butler’ experience with sound good enough to make it the only speaker you need 95% of the time, and a big screen that’ll make waiting for pasta to cook a lot more enjoyable.

Q The Nest Hub Max only has two mics, not seven like the Apple HomePod or Amazon Echo Dot, but it seems to hear just as well.

It’ll understand commands over music and background noise, and Google Assistant is still ahead of Siri and Alexa in terms of how natural interactions feel.

Q Audio isn’t just an afterthought here: the Hub Max sounds great for a smart display. It has a 75mm bass woofer and two tweeters, all adding up to a beefy-sounding speaker that gives real punch to your tunes.

Q The inclusion of a Nest camera means you can use it like a video intercom, or (with a Nest Aware subscription) as a home security cam. Sadly our review unit proves unreliable in this role, and there’s no night-vision mode.

Tech specs Display 10in 1280x800 touchscreen Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Google Assistant, Chromecast Dimensions 250x183x101mm, 1.3kg

Q Cue remind me

Q Good misser

This thing has a touchscreen but it responds better to voice commands, and the screen wouldn’t impress anyone if this were a standard tablet either: 1280x800 pixels over 10 inches doesn’t look sharp up close.

The Hub Max is a pro at being an ‘ambient’ display. It can match a room’s lighting so it doesn’t stick out too much, while keeping what’s on the screen clear. It’s much better at this than the Amazon Echo Show 5.

STUFF SAYS A model smart display, even if a few aspects still need tweaking ++++, Nice gadget… and it’ll be even better when it’s finished Andrew Williams

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Smart displays are going through a bit of an awkward stage as Google and Amazon wrestle for power over your living room. In this case that means you can’t play Prime Video or Netflix on the Google Nest Hub Max. The security cam feature is a bit wobbly too, but buy this product knowing it’s a bit of a work in progress and you’ll be happy. After all, it does plenty to keep you entertained already.

TESTED SEGA MEGA DRIVE MINI

Drive is home for Xmas Sega’s long-awaited entry into the miniaturised retro console market has arrived in time to squeeze onto Santa’s sled £70 / stuff.tv/MegaDriveMini

Let’s dance From the moment you turn it on, the Mega Drive Mini charms with its catchy menu music by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro.

Q Nearly two decades after Sega officially left the console-making business, it’s a delight to see the Japanese company revive its most beloved 16-bit machine – and this is the real thing, not some branded knock-off using dodgy emulation.

Q It’s too late for the Mega Drive’s 30th anniversary, which was last year, but the wait has been worth it: this lovingly dinky and accurate replica includes a whopping 42 games, more than the SNES Mini and PlayStation Classic combined.

Q Sega has done an excellent job of faithfully reproducing the console based on its iconic Model 1 design, except at a hand-friendly 55% of the original size. It’s even got flaps for the dummy cartridge slot. Bundled in are two control pads, and the six-foot cables are a vast improvement over the ones you get with some mini consoles.

Q The emulation work has been handled by retro masters M2, also behind the Sega Ages ports for the Switch, so you can expect these 40 classic games to run every bit as well as you remember them. As a bonus, they’ve even ported a pair of old arcade gems, classic puzzler Tetris and hardcore shoot-’em-up Darius.

Q The code to hell

Q Cool if you think it’s over

While Sega has re-released its 16-bit back catalogue on other platforms before, this collection offers a fine summary of the console’s history – including third-party titles such as Street Fighter II and Castle of Illusion.

A lot of the games are perfect for pick-up-and-play sessions, and over a third support two-player.

Those who want to invest in their nostalgia for longer can also enjoy RPGs like Shining Force and Phantasy Star IV.

Q For modern audiences who might have a problem with the old-school difficulty levels of these games, you’re able to create up to four save states… though there’s no rewind function. Handily, you can access the save menu just by holding down the start button on your controller.

Tech specs Games included 42 Connectivity HDMI, USB Dimensions 270x176x73mm, 998g

STUFF SAYS Sega’s back – and this really is the ultimate mini gaming machine +++++ Sega’s console comeback is a perfect little box of arcade fun Alan Wen

There’ll be playground rows and online feuds over whether Nintendo’s or Sega’s games are better, but the Mega Drive Mini wins the mini retro console war in terms of the faithful recreation of both hardware and software. It’s taken a long time to get here, but as the saying goes, to be this good takes ages – and the Sega is going to be the must-buy console this Christmas.

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BETA YOURSELF

macOS CATALINA It may be named after an island, but the new Apple OS makes the Mac less isolated than ever, linking up apps, services and devices – Craig Grannell delves into its best bits THE BASICS

approval, and warning you when your passwords are rubbish. It’ll nuke your old extensions, mind.

Q Prepare yourself Before updating, choose ‘About This Mac’ from the Apple menu, then System Report. Under Software, click Applications. Anything listed as ‘No’ in the ‘64-Bit’ column is not compatible with Catalina.

Check for updates, and hold off on installing the new OS if none are available and you consider those apps vital.

Before you do update, make a full bootable backup using SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner – just in case.

are available on Mac, and on-boarding can be clunky, leaving you to figure out the controls.

Q Get your game face on

Q Go on Safari

The Mac App Store now has an Arcade tab. If you’re already signed up to Apple Arcade, progress will sync from wherever you left a game on your other Apple devices.

But note that not all titles

Check out the useful new features of Apple’s browser: open tab recommendations in the address bar, improved media controls when right-clicking a tab’s speaker icon, per-site download

Q Make yourself appy As with iOS, Catalina brings some welcome updates to Reminders. Elsewhere, Notes has a gallery view, and Photos brings out best moments.

Also check the Mac App Store for iPad ports such as the new Mac Twitter app, Carrot Weather and GoodNotes.

Q Zoom it better The green zoom button still switches a window between full-screen and windowed mode (or maximises displayed content if you alt-click), but you can now hover over it for more options.

These include snapping the current window to half of the screen, or sending it to an iPad if you’re using Sidecar.

SCREEN TIME Q Monitor usage

Nighty night Dark Mode isn’t new to Mac, but automating it is.

In System Preferences > General, click Auto to have your Mac switch to Dark Mode during evenings.

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In System Preferences, select Screen Time. Here, you can peruse app usage by individual app or category, unearthing your unhealthy Twitter addiction. Websites are listed too, as are notifications.

Q Know your limits Under App Limits, click ‘+’ to set a daily limit for app groups (or a single app found via search). Limits can be set per day by clicking Custom, allowing you to differentiate weekend usage. Use Downtime and Always Allowed to severely limit access during certain hours.

DAY-ONE INSTALLS

MOOM Catalina enhances the zoom button, but it’s a far cry from Moom. With this app you can create custom shortcuts for tweaking windows, snap windows when they’re dragged to a screen edge, or replace Apple’s zoom smarts with a clever canvas. $10 / manytricks.com

BETTERTOUCHTOOL If you’re usually wedded to your keyboard, BetterTouchTool will be bliss. Use it to create and trigger system-wide shortcuts for everything from app launches to firing system commands or scripts. Also use it to power up your trackpad and Siri remote. $21 / folivora.ai

DO THE SPLITS Q Add some Music

MEET THE FAMILY Q Sketch with iPhone It was already possible to use your iPhone as a handheld scanner; now you can import sketches too. In a context menu, select Import from iPhone or iPad > Add Sketch.

Doodle away on your iPhone, and tap Done to import.

Q Ride the Sidecar If you have supported kit, connect to your iPad from the AirPlay icon in the menu bar (activated in Display under System Preferences). You can now send Mac windows to your iPad display, use Apple Pencil, and interact with a virtual Touch Bar.

Sorry, iTunes fans (both of you), but that app’s now dead on Mac. For audio delights, you now use the Music app.

It’s basically iTunes Lite, but heavily emphasises Apple Music; the iTunes Store clings on in the sidebar.

Q Sync in Finder To sync a device with a Mac, or back it up, connect it to your Mac and select it from the Locations section of Finder’s sidebar. You’ll get the same options that used to exist within iTunes.

Q Find other media TV and podcasts have been relocated to standalone TV and Podcasts apps. Purchases go along for the ride, but be mindful that Up Next in the Mac TV app directs you to Apple’s store rather than third-party telly apps.

LOCK IT DOWN Q Find your stuff Find My provides a central location to track kit… and anyone who’s okayed your digital voyeurism. With a device, click info for options, such as having your iPhone play an ear-splitting noise when it’s lost in your flat.

Q Watch your apps Ensure your Apple Watch is running watchOS 6 and is signed in to the right Apple ID. Then, in System Preferences > Security & Privacy, you can allow it to unlock apps.

Double-click the watch’s side button when prompted to access locked content.

BACKBLAZE Time Machine is now baked into macOS, so you can back up files just by plugging in an external drive. That’s great until something goes wrong with that backup, or you get robbed – so cloud backup is a must. This is a reliable choice. $6/m / backblaze.com

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GET THE BEST GADGET DEALS WITH STUFF

In the mag We pick out the best price for every featured product

Online Choose from our roster of great-value retailers

Ever wondered what’s up with the links in Stuff? We’ve got a team of retail pros who scour the web to find you the best gadget deals – visit any stuff.tv link in this issue and you’ll be taken to the best deal for that product. If you make a purchase, we may get a small commission. It’s that simple, and has no impact on how much you pay.

T E S T E D H U AW E I WAT C H G T 2

Pretty in sync Don’t let the ‘Watch’ part fool you: while the GT 2 is a handsome wearable for fitness tracking, it’s not all that smart from £179 / stuff.tv/WatchGT2 Q The Watch GT 2 is a beauty: round and sleek with a giant, bright screen. It’s a smartwatch we’ve loved having on our wrist… except it isn’t really a smartwatch at all, just a very fancy fitness tracker.

Running Huawei’s Lite OS, there’s no app ecosystem, but it does offer up to two weeks’ battery life.

Metal ticky As well as two standard shades of stainless steel, you get a titanium option for the 46mm version or rose gold for the 42mm.

Q Choose between a suave but sizeable 46mm with a speaker and call functionality or a 42mm version minus those features. Both have zingy AMOLED screens, but the 46mm has higher resolution plus double the stamina and RAM. Q Lite OS is easy to navigate, but limited compared to Wear OS. It’s lacking a voice assistant, while message notifications give you truncated snippet previews. You get staples like a timer, alarm and stopwatch, but performance lags behind Apple and Samsung. Still, it’s perfectly usable, and a drop in smoothness for better battery life will suit many people.

Q Huawei has upped its tracking game, adding stress monitoring to the mix as well as a barometer.

There’s detailed sleep tracking too, although it couldn’t tell when we woke up in the night unless we got out of bed. Heart monitoring is accurate and there are 16 workout modes to select from, plus links to Apple Health, Google Fit and My Fitness Pal – but not Strava.

Tech specs Q Slim tickings

Q Alive and ticking

Our GT 2 was the 46mm Sport Edition and it looked glorious.

The watch has a dial etched into the frame and two crown-like buttons on the right, and it isn’t obnoxiously chunky. And the rubber strap feels comfortable.

If you have automated heart and stress tracking turned off and don’t fire up a lot of workouts, you may be able to hit Huawei’s claimed two-week battery life.

If you actually plan on using your wearable, it’s more like one week.

Screen 1.4in 454x454 (46mm) or 1.2in 390x390 (42mm) AMOLED Processor Kirin A1 Storage 4GB Battery life Up to 2 weeks Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic, HRM, ambient light, barometer Water-resistance 5ATM Dimensions 46x46x10.7mm, 41g; 42x42x9.4mm, 29g

STUFF SAYS The best-looking tracker money can buy – but it’s not a smartwatch ++++, Sexy on the outside, not so sophisticated on the inside Basil Kronfli

The Watch GT 2 is having an identity crisis. We’re impressed with the design, the tracking skills and the battery life… but it’s undeniably less functional than an Apple Watch or a Galaxy Watch, and it doesn’t play nicely with third-party apps so won’t be one for serious fitness fiends. If you’re OK with those compromises, it’s cheaper and probably better-looking than most, if not all, its competition.

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TWO WEEKS WITH THE SONOS MOVE

Carry on amping Sonos’s first portable speaker promises all of the brand’s signature audio quality on the go – so Simon Lucas keeps on moving for a fortnight of hobo-friendly hi-fi £399 / stuff.tv/SonosMove

DAY 01 The Sonos range of wireless speakers has been crying out for a battery-powered portable offering for ages – and finally, our favourite multiroom audio specialist has caved in.

Could it be, though, that Sonos has left it too late? After all, every other brand with half a reputation for wireless speakers has had a portable Bluetooth (and sometimes waterproof) version in its range since the days when Boris Johnson was just the harmless old Mayor of

Sonos One on steroids. The bottom of the cabinet is heftily rubberised for durability – the Sonos website shows a Move being heedlessly dropped from a height with no ill effects, though we’re not about to test that theory. Not on the first day of testing anyway.

The top of the Move has basic touch-controls and mics, and from there down to the apparently bomb-proof base it’s pretty much all sturdy acoustic grille. Oh, except at the back of the speaker – there you’ll find a sculpted handle, plus

This thing is certainly loud and punchy enough to make itself heard outdoors, and there’s real authority to the bass London. Are there any customers left to woo in 2019?

Fingers crossed that there are.

Because not only is the Move the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago, but it’s one of the best products of its type and price that we’ve heard.

There have been concessions made to the Move’s outdoorsy potential where design and build are concerned, but not so many that you wouldn’t pick this out as a Sonos product.

At 24cm it’s on the tall side, but its gentle cylindrical shape serves to make it look like a

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USB-C for charging, a power on/off control and a switch to toggle between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi inputs. There’s also a setup/reset control.

The Move feels hard-wearing and built to last – the ‘shadow’ black finish (which is currently your only option) is supposedly able to withstand all sorts of outdoor unpleasantness like heat, cold, sunscreen and (obviously) mustard. Its IP56 rating means humidity, rain, salt-spray, dust and all the rest shouldn’t put a crimp in its performance either.

LO N G -T E R M T E S T

01

Donut of Truth™

05

04

02 03

01 Hi-fi sound with plenty of power for outdoor listening 02 The best Wi-Fi range of any Sonos speaker 03 Easy to make part of a multiroom setup

Tech specs

OR TRY...

Drivers 1x tweeter, 1x mid-woofer, 2x Class D amps Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, voice control, USB-C charging Battery life 10hrs Water/dustproofing IP56 Dimensions 240x 160x126mm, 3kg

IKEA SYMFONISK

DAY 02 Wireless range is good – I’ve just popped out into the garden to entertain the birds and it’s held the Wi-Fi connection without resorting to Bluetooth.

Audio is delivered by a mid/bass driver and a downward-facing tweeter, fuelled by two Class D amplifiers. Sonos is saying nothing about the composition of the drivers or the output power, but this thing is certainly loud and punchy enough to make itself heard outdoors.

DAY 04

As well as a USB-C socket, the Move has a mains-powered ring in which it sits to charge.

04 A slight lack of substance to the top end, especially at higher volumes 05 Sound quality isn’t quite as good over Bluetooth as it is with Wi-Fi

Staying in the house today, there’s real control and authority to the bass, despite how deep the Move extends and how hard it hits. Low notes start and stop on time, never merging into a vague drone.

And there’s plenty of texture and detail revealed in vocals: it exposes so much detail in Tom Waits’ infamously croaky grumble that I’m getting a sore throat just from listening.

Up at the top end, though, things can lack a little body.

There’s no shortage of attack, but treble sounds can get slightly splashy – a trait that becomes more apparent the more you up the volume.

DAY 07 Time to introduce the Move to the rest of my Sonos multiroom system. It’s child’s play – thanks in part to the simple excellence of Sonos’s control app. The physical controls are minimal but effective, and the mics for voice control prove bat-like. Or is it hawk-like?

Whatever, it’s got really good ears.

DAY 11 You know Sonos’s Trueplay tech, for tuning the sound to the room?

The Move has Auto Trueplay, which recalibrates the speaker whenever it’s moved.

Of course, moving the Move means you might need to switch from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth reception, which is simply a case of pressing the switch on the back. This does have an impact on sound quality: the presentation loses just a bit of positivity and expansiveness.

DAY 14 Even though it’s taken an eternity to get here, Sonos’s first portable speaker is entirely worth the wait. Its adaptability and, most importantly, its sound mean it’s fine value for money and a bit of a no-brainer for anyone who’s already Sonos-inclined.

from £99 / ikea.com The Move isn’t the only new Sonos kit to consider – thanks to a collaboration with Swedish meatball enthusiasts Ikea.

Its Symfonisk range comprises a wireless speaker (£99) and a table lamp with one built in (£150).

Solidly built, smart and premium to the touch, these dualbranded devices can be integrated into an existing Sonos network, but a slight dip in sound quality compared to a Sonos One means they won’t be a genuine threat to the established order.

Stuff says ++++,

STUFF SAYS Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style +++++

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VERSUS GAMES

The scoring twenties

Both sides have given it 110 per cent but at the end of the day there can only be one winner and luckily it’s gone in the back of the net and you have to say it’s no more than they deserve, Gary

T TES ER NN I W

FIFA 20

[ Words Tom Wiggins ]

It’s hard to feel sorry for PSG, but Neymar and his ultra-rich mates do find some hilarious ways of getting dumped out of the Champions League every season. There’s a theory that they’re so used to swatting aside every other French team that they’ve forgotten how to defend against good sides… and in recent years, FIFA has had a similar issue.

It’s become so obsessed with high-tempo, high-scoring football that it’s neglected the other side of the game: defence.

And so, particularly in FIFA 19, it’s lacked nuance and subtlety.

There are some real-life teams that play kamikaze football – but it shouldn’t be easy, and there should be ways to stop them.

Has FIFA 20 managed to strike a better balance?

Pundits’ analysis First impressions are good. You do seem to get a bit more time on the ball now, and possession feels a touch looser. Long passes are slightly more effective, and

eFootball PES 2020 one really nice addition is the confusingly named ‘lofted ground pass’, letting you lift the ball slightly off the turf to get it over an outstretched leg.

For those who don’t have time to master skill moves, EA has added ‘strafe dribbling’, which makes lateral movements while in possession easier. It’s best deployed in short bursts and will make lumbering centre-halves look like Bambi on ice… but you also have a new weapon to defend against it: an ‘agile jockey’ move that allows defenders to move more nimbly.

The Journey mode is gone and in its place is Volta, which is almost identical to the old FIFA Street but with added narrative.

These matches are fast-paced affairs, full of the kind of tricks that’d land you in A&E if you ever tried them at five-a-side, and the skills required to be good at Volta are almost entirely different to those in the main game. It’s not for everyone, but you are essentially getting two games for the price of one.

STUFF SAYS ++++, FIFA 20 succeeds in giving you more control, but it still loves goals more than anything else 80

Some people say we shouldn’t compare Messi and Ronaldo.

Rather, we should just sit back and enjoy a time when two of football’s GOATiest GOATs can spur each other on to even greater heights.

It feels like we’re in a golden age for football games right now too. While FIFA’s resources mean it’ll surely keep winning the battle off the field, the past few versions of Konami’s PES series have represented a genuine alternative. With less frenetic gameplay and equal focus on defence and attack, PES has built a reputation for being a more considered game.

But can Konami iron out the niggles, or is it just too annoying to play as a team called FV Green Black in a kit that looks like it was designed by George at Asda?

Pundits’ analysis Fire up eFootball PES 2020 and you’ll be greeted by one of four faces: Lionel Messi, Miralem Pjanic, Serge Gnabry or, er, Scott McTominay. Well, this

is a reflection of the ‘we’ll take what we can get’ approach to licensing that underdog Konami is still forced to take.

Still, with Barca and Bayern already on board, the addition of Juventus means this game has three of the biggest clubs in Europe covered. Their arenas are meticulously recreated and the TV-style camera angle is a triumph of authenticity.

And the football itself? This is a more patient approach than you get from FIFA, with defences tougher to break down. Konami has added a new finesse dribbling option and there are new first-touch techniques, making for a brilliant range of ways to move the ball and open up space. But it’s easy for passes to go astray, and tackling is still a bit of a lottery.

PES 2020 remains the gaming equivalent of Tottenham under Pochettino: hugely impressive despite operating on a tighter budget than its rivals, but just not quite good enough to take the next step.

STUFF SAYS ++++, An engrossing and rewarding football game that still can’t quite do it at the highest level

VERSUS GAMES

PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC / stuff.tv/FIFA20

PS4, Xbox One, PC / stuff.tv/PES2020

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TESTED GAMES

Switch / stuff.tv/LinksAwakening

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Re-awakened for the Switch generation, one of our favourite Zelda titles plays it safe with a pretty straight remake of the Game Boy original – and that’s absolutely fine with us he last Legend of Zelda wound up shaking up the whole series – and all open-world games, in fact. You could call it a hard act to follow.

But with a Breath of the Wild sequel on the way, Nintendo has decided for now to return to a more traditional top-down Zelda, with all the dungeons and items we’ve known and loved in the series’ three decades.

Well, we say ‘traditional’, but the Game Boy classic Link’s Awakening is still one of the

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weirdest entries. This version comes a long way from the 8-bit original, but reimagines it with an art style that’s adorable. Essentially, Koholint Island resembles a huge toy playset.

The plasticky feel makes total sense here – and it also sounds incredible, from the familiar music brought to life with a new orchestral arrangement to the pitter-patter of Link’s footsteps.

But even with new visuals and audio, the important thing is that the island’s layout and story beats

remain faithfully intact. It’s what you might call a frame-by-frame remake, even though the outdoors is now a seamless open world.

That means all the narrative elements and puzzles play out just as you remember.

Apart from adding more heart pieces and seashells, this remake attempts to increase its longevity by letting you assemble your own dungeons… but this is more ‘remixing’, using tiles from existing dungeons, than actually creating, and it feels restrictive. There are

also a couple of niggles, including a chugging framerate every time the open-world island has to load up on leaving an interior.

Compared to the endless hours of exploration in Breath of the Wild, this game is relatively short. But it scratches the itch for Zelda fans who’ve missed old-fashioned dungeons… and if you’ve never played Link’s Awakening, then you owe it to yourself to experience one of the finest of the 2D entries at its most weird and wonderful.

Alan Wen

STUFF SAYS A magical if familiar return for the handheld Zelda classic ++++, 82

TESTED GAMES

Nintendo Switches things up a bit

Well, you’d want awakening too if you dreamed about a graveyard full of eyeballs.

Phew, that’s better. Next in the series: Link’s Morning Bowel Movement.

Perhaps the best part of being able to play Link’s Awakening on Switch is that there are immediately more buttons to take advantage of than just the A and B options on the Game Boy. That means organising your equipment is much more convenient than before, so you can spend less time in the menu screen.

While you still only get to freely map two items to X and Y, a lot of your key equipment is actually mapped to specific buttons once you’ve acquired them. You’ll always slash your sword with B, the right shoulder buttons put your shield up, and holding the left shoulder buttons charges up your Pegasus Boots dash. And you don’t need to manually equip the power bracelet to pick up objects.

Just as convenient are some very modern features such as auto-saving, as well as an improvement to the fast travel system, including a few extra warp points. Taking a leaf from Breath of the Wild, you can even add pins to the map, including in dungeons – so you can keep track of clues if you’ll need to come back later with the right gear.

And of course, if all those conveniences sound too easy, you can always play on Hero mode for a proper challenge.

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TESTED GAMES

PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia / stuff.tv/Borderlands3

Borderlands 3 As long as you have a high cringe threshold, the latest in the ever-tasteless open-world FPS series will keep you blasting away long into the night orderlands 3 is a bit like that bloke in your office who “tells it like it is”.

You’re not friends exactly, but you’d sit in the kitchen eating a warm sandwich with him if you had to.

This is the Borderlands brand.

It’s unapologetic and in-your-face and puerile, and we love that. But while Handsome Jack was the villain to rule all villains, your new antagonists – Calypso Twins Troy and Tyreen – are animated meatbags of every millennial trope you can think of.

This latest instalment tries so hard to be young and hip and meta, it sometimes ends up the very opposite: ageing, old-fashioned and not remotely cool.

That doesn’t make it a bad game, though. If you’re able to set aside the groan-worthy patter and numerous bad-taste jokes, sitting at the core is a satisfying shooter-looter stuffed with engaging firefights, a memorable cast and many, many guns.

You set off as one of four Vault Hunters, each offering a slightly

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different play style: Amara the Siren, FL4K the Beastmaster, Moze the Gunner, and Zane the Operative. With the main events happening to the people around you, all you really do is bounce from mission to mission, collecting stuff or clearing the bad guys. It’s a shame your character is so bland and irrelevant… especially with so many colourful folks occupying the NPC ranks.

But the key to Borderlands 3’s appeal is a delightful gameplay loop that will keep you pressing onwards way after you promised yourself you’d go to bed. Thanks to expansive skill-trees and literally thousands of weapons, you’ll never want to stop experimenting.

Despite all its flaws, this title should be exactly what faithful Borderlands fans have been waiting for. Just be warned that, if you don’t like poop jokes or suspect you’d find it hard to overlook its less-than-sensitive approach to diversity and difference, it’s unlikely you’ll find life comfortable on Pandora.

Vikki Blake

“Oh no, someone’s taken all my Pom-Bears and just left a load of old guns.”

“Those Pom-Bears were clearly marked with my name, you monster!”

STUFF SAYS Lame jokes aside, the biggest and boldest Borderlands game yet ++++, 84

TESTED GAMES

PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia / stuff.tv/GRBreakpoint

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Here at Stuff, we love getting all excited about new videogames that are imaginatively conceived and thrillingly executed. This is not one of them… n Ghost Recon Breakpoint we see the final form of what Ubisoft has been leaning towards for years: a game structurally driven by an endless, purposeless grind, and one that can be expedited by forking out cash for microtransactions.

Yes, this is still another giant open world, another tactical military shooter, and another multi-million-dollar production… but every element of its design feels tainted by greed.

The game’s story is built around discovery and clues. People you meet on the mysterious island of Auroa – a kind of tech utopia that’s been seized by a mercenary – fill you in on the whereabouts of key characters and plot points. But while on the one hand you have the island’s backstory to explore, you then meet a local resistance force and are shoved into a Destiny-style social space filled with other players dancing about and spinning in circles.

And while the game purports to be a survival sim, you can’t go two seconds without being directed

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“I’d just like to make it clear that absolutely nothing about this game was my idea.”

“Apart from possibly this exploding shed.

You can never have too many of those.”

towards the next bit of loot, all in an effort to increase a Gear Score that will allow you to take on increasingly difficult areas.

Now, there’s nothing essentially wrong with restructuring Ghost Recon with some loot – it can be intoxicating when done well – but it’s hard not to feel a little cynical about why this game has had such a major design overhaul.

And while it may be entirely possible to finish its enormous campaign and side missions without spending an extra penny, microtransactions are so clearly baked into the design – offering game-changing gear, not just cosmetics – that it doesn’t speak highly for the game’s true intentions.

What’s more, it feels hopelessly unfinished. Enemy AI is awful – like, GoldenEye on the N64 awful – and the game is riddled with typos.

Really, it’s a title stuck between two camps: never offering the compelling loot churn of The Division, and never allowed to thrive as a military survival game.

Jon Denton

STUFF SAYS Cynical and unfinished, with ugly monetisation and broken AI ++,,, 85

DIGITAL EDITION

Available online from Readly or Pocketmags

TOP TEN

This gadget has leapt straight outta testing and into our rankings.

NEW

OF EVERYTHING

HOT BUY

Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten entries.

BARGAIN BUY UPDATE Searing with techy genius, a product that’s set our hearts aflame.

A solid gold bargain.

Worth owning, regardless of cashflow.

Smartphones Tablets, mobile games Headphones Wearables Laptops Wireless speakers TVs Soundbars, smart speakers Home cinema, consoles

88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96

Games Tech toys, electric cars VR headsets & games Smart home Drones & action cams, compact cameras System cameras Budget buys How to buy… a soundbar

97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104

HOW TO USE THEM

TOP TENS SMARTPHONES

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HOT BUY

Huawei P30 Pro Huawei’s superphone sets a stratospheric benchmark for camera power, with no cost to overall performance. Everything about the design is top-notch, with only screen sharpness failing to hit the very highest marks – at least

by Huawei’s own giddy standards. But it’s those oh-so-clever rear camera lenses that really set the P30 Pro apart. Just be aware that ongoing political problems for the brand make this a risky purchase at present.

TIPS & TRICKS Use Huawei’s OneHop tech for quick wireless file transfers from the phone to your laptop.

Stuff says +++++ Heaps of power – and the best smartphone camera you can buy

The P30 Pro works as a wireless charger, so you can share its juice with any other Qi-enabled device.

O NOW ADD THIS Huawei Smart View Flip Cover This case has a transparent window that will display your P30 Pro’s notifications, time and weather. £15 / amazon.co.uk

Drive an Audi? You can use this phone as a digital car key, to unlock it and even start the engine.

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Samsung Galaxy S10

OnePlus 7 Pro

from £799 / stuff.tv/S10

from £649 / stuff.tv/OnePlus7Pro

Some phones have more power, some have better cameras, some last longer between charges… but the S10 isn’t far behind in any area, and has just about every feature you could want: a versatile camera, a gorgeous display and truly ace performance.

The 7 Pro is not an affordable ‘phone of the people’ but it is just the sort of expensive handset OnePlus should make – with the features people actually want.

If you want the meaty bits of a premium phone for less cash, buy this one.

Stuff says +++++ Nothing else running Android is quite so well rounded

Stuff says +++++ An ultra-high-end phone that focuses on the important stuff

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Samsung Galaxy S10 5G +++++ £1099 / stuff.tv/S105G This 5G hardware will have you future-proofed with sensational snaps and a stunning screen

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom +++++ £700 / stuff.tv/Reno10x A wondrous camera phone that gets a lot right despite its overbearing software.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro +++++ £500 / stuff.tv/Mate20Pro The last-gen Huawei flagship is still a stunning phone that makes most look lazy in comparison.

Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro +++++ £399 / stuff.tv/Mi9TPro Makes all the right sacrifices to become the most desirable phone you can get for under £400.

Sony Xperia 5 +++++ £700 / stuff.tv/Xperia5 Sony’s best compact phone yet: a pocketable flagship with a sensational screen and a great camera.

Honor View 20 +++++ £350 / stuff.tv/View20 Honor enters the big leagues with one of the best phones in its class… and it’s got a punch-hole.

Moto G7 +++++ £220 / stuff.tv/MotoG7 The G7 may be more of the same from Motorola, but that’s exactly what we wanted. A budget no-brainer.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES

O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

from £799 / stuff.tv/P30Pro

TOP TENS TABLETS

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MOBILE GAMES TOP TENS

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HOT BUY

Apple iPad Pro

Data Wing

The iPad Pro isn’t cheap, but it’s a mobile powerhouse like no other, with a diverse and rich app ecosystem, tons of power, a gorgeous screen, and the kind of focus on creativity and productivity that just doesn’t exist on other tablets. If you just want to faff on Facebook or Netflix it’s massive overkill, so we’d recommend going for the iPad Air (from £479) instead; but even if you don’t actually need the new iPad Pro, you’re going to want one if you have it in your mitts for five minutes.

This game starts off as if Asteroids had a baby with a top-down racer: your triangular craft blasts around circuits, gaining speed when its bum scrapes neon track edges. Soon you discover you’re part of an OS ruled by a deranged AI. Story and game quickly expand, as you glimpse the world beyond the screen and battle gravity in cavern-based sections that recall 8-bit classic Thrust. Rarely do mobile titles pack in so many hours of clever, thoughtful narrative. Pretty much never are such games free.

Stuff says +++++ Once again Apple blasts ahead of the pack, with a stylish, powerful tablet full of creative potential

Stuff says +++++ A mobile game we’d happily recommend if it cost a fiver – for nowt, it’s an absurdly generous bargain

from £769 / stuff.tv/iPadPro

£free Android, iOS

Microsoft Surface Go

Jumpgrid

from £379 / stuff.tv/SurfaceGo Having this slinky Windows tab up your sleeve (not quite literally) is like carrying a mini PC on you at all times. The processor is adequate for everyday tasks and the 10in screen is lovely.

Stuff says +++++ An affordable, ultra-portable workmate

£2.99 / iOS Pac-Man and Frogger meet Super Hexagon and buckets of adrenaline in this superb game, a twitch/arcade/punishment crossover masterpiece. It’s a stunning ride that will leave you a quivering wreck.

Stuff says +++++ The best twitch arcade game on mobile

Apple iPad (2018)

Oddmar

from £319 / stuff.tv/iPad2018 Last year’s basic iPad is about to be bumped off by the 2019 model (reviewed on p67); but while it’s still here, this tablet’s low price and subtle improvements over the previous version make it a fine workaday tablet.

Stuff says +++++ A versatile tablet for both work and play

£free (IAPs) / Android O £4.99 / iOS Oddmar looks like it could have breezed in from a PS4. Now available on Android as well as iOS, it’s packed full of superb level design and lush animated visuals, as a beardy Viking oaf sets out to save his tribe.

Stuff says +++++ Touchscreen platformers can be great after all

Amazon Fire HD 8

Bring You Home

+++++ from £80 / stuff.tv/FireHD8 For the price, you get a stonkingly capable tablet that doubles as an Echo Show.

+++++ £3.19 / Android O £2.99 / iOS Make your own future with this imaginative, brilliantly designed and devious puzzler.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

Knight Brawl

++++, from £619 / stuff.tv/TabS6 This is the Android tablet to get if you like doodling or gaming.

+++++ £free / Android, iOS If Monty Python made a sword-fighting game for mobile… it still wouldn’t be this silly.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

Sony WF-1000XM3

Sony WH-1000XM3

The original WF-1000XMs had an easy job in the early days of noise-cancelling in-ears, because there simply wasn’t much in the way of competition. That’s all changed now – yet the way the XM3s serve up sound quality as spectacular as this while being truly wireless, while effectively cancelling background noise and while remaining comfortable in the ears, is quite something. So, just as it was with the original XMs, it’s job done for Sony.

Sony’s WH-1000 series was already a top performer, and the WH-1000XM3s make for an even more compelling package.

With Bluetooth wireless and great noise-cancellation, they’re the ultimate public transport stress killer… well, aside from a chauffeur or a lottery win that lets you retire. The leather pads make them incredibly easy to wear, not unlike sitting in one of those ultra-comfy leather chairs, and most importantly of all the sound quality is fantastic.

Stuff says +++++ Outright winners on design, build, specifications and, most importantly of all, performance

Stuff says +++++ Great wireless headphones with effective ANC and a sound that nails just about everything

£219 / stuff.tv/SonyWFXM3

£249 / stuff.tv/SonyWHXM3

Libratone Track Air+

Bose NCH 700

£171 / stuff.tv/TrackAirPlus These distinctive wireless buds are excellently designed and sweatproof, provide up to 24 hours of battery life, offer active noise-cancelling, and are neat in all senses of the word.

Stuff says +++++ Ace design, sound and versatility

£350 / stuff.tv/BoseNCH700 You won’t find a better voice pickup system than Bose’s, while the company’s already exceptional noise-cancelling tech is now even better. Other features, such as the slick touch controls, are also winners.

Stuff says +++++ As all-rounders these are hard to beat

RHA TrueConnect

B&O H9i

£149 / stuff.tv/TrueConnect The RHA TrueConnects seem to nail all the important stuff. They sound fantastic, the design is lovely, plus there’s waterproofing to IPX5 and the Bluetooth 5.0 connection is rock-solid.

Stuff says +++++ Superb all-rounders with great tone

£329 / stuff.tv/H9i Like all B&O products, these noise-cancelling cans scream luxury… but they’re not just a pretty face. There’s measured punch in the low end and timing is spot-on, with a crisp and expressive midrange.

Stuff says +++++ Some of the best noise-cancellers you can buy

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1

Urbanista Seattle Wireless

+++++ £120 / stuff.tv/Melomania1 These engaging buds are light yet robust, affordable yet great-sounding.

+++++ from £59 / stuff.tv/SeattleWireless Bags of style and fantastic sound quality at a throwaway price.

Beats Powerbeats Pro

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0

+++++ £220 / stuff.tv/PowerbeatsPro It’s no longer all about the bass: these are the best true wireless buds for iOS users.

+++++ from £219 / stuff.tv/Momentum2 Pricey but just about worth the outlay, the Momentum 2.0s will have you smitten.

TO READ THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/IN-EAR-HEADPHONES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HEADPHONES

TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES

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HOT BUY

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FITNESS TRACKERS TOP TENS

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UPDATE

Apple Watch Series 4

HOT BUY

Moov Now

from £349 / stuff.tv/WatchS4

£49 / stuff.tv/MoovNow

Series 5 is here, and almost certain to take top spot next month, but while the old model is still available from some stockists it remains a great option. The larger screen, improved processor and louder speaker mean it’s easier to actually do stuff on it than any previous Watch, and it has superb health features.

Whether you’re navigating using Maps, going for a run without your phone or just wanting to keep track of your activity, it does a great job of handling all these things and more.

Slow and steady wins the race, and the Now has gone on to prove that with a marathon-like pace helping it finally make it to the top of this list. We’ve long considered this tracker a bargain, but further reductions have helped it enter the realm of ‘downright steal’. OK, so it doesn’t have a screen or smartphone skills, but with guided voice coaching, a six-month battery and solid waterproofing, it has everything you’d ever want in your perfect fitness tracker.

Stuff says +++++ A sleek and sophisticated redesign of the previous Watch makes this the best wearable ever… for now

Stuff says +++++ A bargain-tastic fitness band that does more than just track your steps

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Samsung Galaxy Watch from £279 / stuff.tv/GalaxyWatch A sturdy and stylish smartwatch with plenty of power and a truly lovely user interface.

Those with an iPhone are still likely to get a better experience and more functionality from an Apple Watch, though.

Stuff says +++++ The best smartwatch for Android users

Garmin Vivoactive 3 from £200 / stuff.tv/Vivoactive3 It looks good, isn’t a wrist-dominator, outlasts just about all normal smartwatches and gets you the same kind of tracking as the Fenix 5 at half the price. We just wish it had more smart features up its sleeve.

Stuff says +++++ A fine smartwatch for sporty types

Garmin Fenix 5 +++++ £450 / stuff.tv/Fenix5 Like the annoying kid in school who’s both super-smart and great at every sport.

Garmin Forerunner 945 +++++ £520 / stuff.tv/Forerunner945 A well-built, comfortable and feature-rich smartwatch, perfect for fitness freaks.

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Fitbit Inspire HR £90 / stuff.tv/InspireHR Fitbit’s latest is a great little tracker. As well as step-counting, it’s surprisingly capable for proper run-tracking if you go out with a phone. Add notifications and that’s just about everything we want in a low-key band.

Stuff says ++++, All the tracking skills that most people need

Withings Steel HR Sport £190 / stuff.tv/SteelHRSport Like Paul McCartney’s career, the Steel HR Sport can keep on going and going… and going.

With a subtle, stylish design, it promises to last for 25 days on a single charge. This is one hybrid that won’t burn out even when you do.

Stuff says ++++, One of the most well-rounded, stylish hybrids

Fitbit Charge 3 ++++, £130 / stuff.tv/Charge3 A capable tracker with an easy-to-wear design and long battery life.

Suunto 9 ++++, £349 / stuff.tv/Suunto9 Epic battery life and accurate tracking make this a great – if pricey – option.

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTWATCHES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/FITNESS-TRACKERS

TOP TENS LAPTOPS TIPS & TRICKS

A Touch ID button at the top right of the keyboard saves the agony of forgetting your password.

Apple charges a hefty premium for extra storage, so consider a cheaper external SSD.

Apple MacBook Air from £1099 / stuff.tv/MacBookAir13

With the ‘basic’ version of the MacBook Pro no longer in Apple’s line-up, a July update to the Air model – including a £100 price drop – sees it power to the top of this list. And justifiably so, because in 2019 this is absolutely the go-to MacBook for most people. It looks every bit as premium as the Pro, and the fantastic screen represents a substantial leap from the old generation’s basic panel. That keyboard is a treat for your fingers too.

Stuff says +++++ Its stunning design, screen and features make this the perfect MacBook O NOW ADD THIS Satechi Type-C USB 3 Combo Hub Two ports not enough? This hub adds loads more and sits snugly against the MacBook Air’s side. £35 / amazon.co.uk

Huawei MateBook X Pro +++++ from £1300 / stuff.tv/MateBookXPro Not massively better than the 2018 model, but this is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop.

Apple MacBook Pro (2019) +++++ from £1299 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro13 The entry-level Pro grows up with a revamped screen, a Touch Bar and more powerful innards.

Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 +++++ from £1599 / stuff.tv/XPS2in1 A powerful, portable and versatile hybrid, but with a hefty price tag to match.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced ++++, from £2130 / stuff.tv/BladeAdvanced Razer’s Blade models are our favourite gaming laptops, and this is a worthy flagship.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2

Dell XPS 13

from £832 / stuff.tv/SurfaceLaptop2

from £1349 / stuff.tv/XPS13

While there’s little that’s truly new about the Surface Laptop 2, that also means this computer has kept everything that made it such a phenomenal device in the first place. The additions of Intel’s latest processors and the full version of Windows 10 ensure it’s even better.

Last year’s Dell XPS 13 was one of the best Windows laptops in the world, and the new model is even better. Every element is top-quality.

As before, you get style, portability, performance and great battery life… and as before, every part of it just feels good.

Stuff says +++++ An even stronger all-round workhorse than its predecessor

Stuff says +++++ There’s nothing else out there that’s quite so well rounded

Asus ZenBook Pro 14 ++++, from £1099 / stuff.tv/ZenBookPro14 A capable multimedia laptop with a clever gimmick: a second screen instead of a trackpad.

BARGAIN BUY

Acer Swift 5 ++++, from £699 / stuff.tv/Swift5 A capable and extremely portable laptop at a tempting price that’s just dropped by £200.

Asus Chromebook Flip C434 ++++, £549 / stuff.tv/FlipC434 One of the best high-quality Chromebooks, with a great screen and strong battery life.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS

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TIPS & TRICKS

With iPhones and Android devices, you can control your Sonos speakers from your lock screen.

WIRELESS SPEAKERS TOP TENS

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Sonos speakers use a feature called Trueplay that tunes the sound to your room’s acoustics.

HOT BUY

Sonos multiroom system from £199 / stuff.tv/SonosOne If you want to pretend your favourite band is playing in your living room, there’s no better option than a Sonos wireless speaker. They look great, work with your smartphone and boom out your tunes with dazzling finesse – from the compact and Alexa-compatible One (£199) to the flagship Play:5 (£499) and the TV-friendly Beam (£399).

Stuff says +++++ Infinite music in every room without the need for custom installers? Sign us up!

O NOW ADD THIS Spotify Premium Sick of playing your iTunes library on repeat? Sign up to Spotify for more new music than you could ever possibly listen to. £9.99/month / spotify.com

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Naim Mu-so 2

B&W Formation Wedge

£1299 / stuff.tv/Mu-so2

£900 / stuff.tv/BWWedge

The Mu-so 2 is a fuller, richer, more detailed and louder listen than the model it replaces, with lots of added functionality, and it’s every bit as handsome and decorative. Too expensive? You can still get the original Mu-so for several hundred pounds less.

The Formation Wedge does look a bit weird, and it might seem unduly expensive at first acquaintance.

But make up your own mind about the looks, think long and hard about the price, then hear the Wedge in action – and the pros will far outweigh the cons.

Stuff says +++++ Naim’s luxury wireless speaker sequel is an improvement all round

Stuff says +++++ A brilliant illustration of what a wireless speaker is capable of

BARGAIN BUY

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10

JBL Xtreme 2 +++++ £279 / stuff.tv/Xtreme2 A hefty portable speaker that growls with confidence whatever you play through it.

KEF LSX +++++ £999 (pair) / stuff.tv/KEFLSX Convenience and fine sound at a real-world price, and in some vivid colours.

Marshall Tufton +++++ £350 / stuff.tv/Tufton Huge power, 360° clarity and long battery life make this the perfect portable party speaker.

Loewe Klang M1 +++++ £104 / stuff.tv/KlangM1 Exceptional build quality and sound in a comprehensive compact speaker.

Jam Heavy Metal +++++ £96 / stuff.tv/JamHM Classy sound and design at a bargain price: this is still the best affordable Bluetooth speaker.

UE Ralis +++++ £170 / stuff.tv/Ralis A pretty speaker with great battery life, and it sounds superb when cranked up.

UE Megaboom 3 +++++ £170 / stuff.tv/Megaboom3 You’ll struggle to find a better, or more fun, portable Bluetooth speaker.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING

TOP TENS TIPS & TRICKS

Pick one of the expert preset modes and you won’t have to do too much tweaking to get a fantastic picture.

First turn off any extra processing, then bring it back bit by bit to see if you like the changes.

Looking for some HDR10+ content?

Warner Bros, Fox and Amazon are on board with the format.

Panasonic FZ802B from £1500 (55in) / stuff.tv/FZ802B

As 4K TV prices continue to tumble, there’s been a mad dash from manufacturers to convince the world their OLED panel looks better than everyone else’s. So which one really does? This Panasonic, showcasing one of the best 4K HDR displays on the market for a pretty affordable price. OK, so the design looks plain and the lack of Dolby Vision might surprise a few, but when the picture looks so detailed and natural, who really gives a damn?

Stuff says +++++ You won’t find a better OLED for the money than this talented Panasonic O NOW ADD THIS Sky Q Once you’ve got a 4K TV, you’ll want access to the best 4K content. Sky Q is a good bet for watching and recording all your favourite shows and films. from £20 + £22/month / sky.com

Philips 55OLED+903 +++++ £1500 / stuff.tv/55OLED903 Philips enlists hi-fi specialist Bowers & Wilkins to deliver a stylish TV with great sound.

Samsung QE65Q90R +++++ £2499 / stuff.tv/QE65Q90R Samsung has stuck to QLED… and upped its game to rival OLED in virtually every way.

Samsung QE55Q8DN +++++ £1149 / stuff.tv/SamsungQ8D This affordable QLED option is a brilliantly accomplished TV and worth every penny.

Panasonic TX-55GZ1500

LG 55 C8

£2000 / stuff.tv/GZ1500

£1349 / stuff.tv/LGC8

This isn’t the biggest or most expensive OLED in the Panasonic range, but on a ‘quality versus price’ basis it might be the single best OLED you can buy right now.

It’s a 4K screen equipped to deal with any HDR standard you care to mention, and its handling of contrast has to be seen to be believed. Colour and dynamism are as good as you can get, and even the little integrated soundbar does admirable work. The GZ1500 is the complete package.

The current LG flagship television doesn’t appear to be a huge upgrade on 2017’s model, but some clever tweaks to the processor have turned this into one of the finest OLED screens you can get. Sure, the E8 has a more jaw-dropping design and more immersive audio, but the C8 offers the exact same picture quality at a less premium price. For this reason, it’s our top pick from LG’s impressive range.

Stuff says +++++ An excellent TV with superb HDR picture quality – worth every penny

Stuff says +++++ Small improvements make this LG’s best OLED television yet

Philips 55POS9002 +++++ £999 / stuff.tv/55POS9002 Available at a relatively affordable price for an OLED 4K HDR set, this Philips is an ace bargain.

Sony KD-65XF9005 +++++ £1499 / stuff.tv/KD65XF9005 It may have a mid-range price, but this Sony’s 4K LCD panel is still a proper belter.

Panasonic TX-58GX800 +++++ £799 / stuff.tv/58GX800 Not the last word in picture excellence, but this is a lot of TV for the money.

LG 65SM9800 ++++, £1999 / stuff.tv/65SM9800 Among the best backlit TVs around and a fine OLED-dodging compromise.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs

TOP TENS

TOP TENS

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar

Sonos One

£2199 / stuff.tv/AmbeoSoundbar

£199 / stuff.tv/SonosOne

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.

Making an amazing speaker was an easy job for the multiroom champs, but getting Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant to dance along in time with it… well, that wasn’t such a simple task. But the One is now an altogether more well-rounded device than it was at launch, supporting Spotify with voice control as well as Amazon Music and TuneIn Radio, while the early Alexa hiccups seem to have been fixed by a series of software updates. It also has an improved processor in its current ‘Gen 2’ form.

Stuff says +++++ The Ambeo Soundbar is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still

Stuff says +++++ Sonos’s Alexa-powered speaker remains a class apart from the competition

Sonos Beam

Amazon Echo Dot

£399 / stuff.tv/SonosBeam Sonos’s great-value Alexa-equipped soundbar offers fine audio quality, comes with loads of features and is compact enough to fit into the average living-room AV setup without taking over.

Stuff says +++++ Compact, affordable and packed with smarts

£50 / stuff.tv/EchoDot If you don’t want to make room for a full-size Echo in your tat-cave, the 3rd-gen Dot is a good bet. The only downside is its lo-fi speaker, but the 3.5mm audio output will solve that problem for most.

Stuff says +++++ One of the best bargains in tech right now

Vizio SB36512-F6

Google Home Max

£599 / stuff.tv/Vizio36512 An intriguing 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup with a wireless sub and rear satellite speakers, all for under 600 nicker. Not bad… and the quality of its delivery, from film dialogue to thrumming helicopters, is deeply impressive.

Stuff says +++++ A bargain Dolby Atmos upgrade

£299 / stuff.tv/HomeMax If you want a smart speaker that can blow the doors off a party, this is the best you can get right now. All the smarts of the basic Home speaker are here, naturally, and the larger drivers offer much more powerful bass.

Stuff says ++++, A smart speaker that’s ready to party

Q Acoustics Media 4

Apple HomePod

+++++ £179 / stuff.tv/Media4 This is a whole lot of under-telly hi-fi for the money.

++++, £279 / stuff.tv/HomePod For Apple Music users who want a high-end smart speaker, this is a cracking choice.

Sky Soundbox

Amazon Echo (2nd gen)

+++++ from £249 / stuff.tv/SkySoundbox The best-value upgrade ever… as long as you’ve already got Sky.

++++, £90 / stuff.tv/AmazonEcho Nothing else does the job this well – at least until we’ve tested the new 3rd-gen Echo…

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TOP TENS HOME CINEMA

1

CONSOLES TOP TENS

96

1

HOT BUY

HOT BUY

Sky Q

Sony PlayStation 4 Pro

Sky Q works flawlessly and could change the way you watch TV – especially now 4K’s arrived. With Sky Movies’ huge range of films and Sky Sports in stunning Ultra HD, along with the new addition of Netflix, there’s something for everyone to treat their eyes with. And 2TB of storage means you can record 350 hours’ worth of entertainment, so you’re unlikely to be sweating over which show needs deleting. Factor in its multiroom skills, and Sky Q is undoubtedly the best TV experience you can get.

As a gaming platform, PlayStation 4 is the best around – which makes the PS4 Pro the best of the best. Games optimised for the new console look stunning on a 4K HDR TV, and are substantially improved by the extra grunt inside this slightly bigger machine. Sure, it can’t match the Xbox One X for sheer power or resolution, but it makes up for that with an impressive line-up of games – including Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn and Bloodborne – and virtual reality support.

Stuff says +++++ You’ll have to cough up for a subscription, but this is the best box for watching both live and recorded shows

Stuff says +++++ The system for console gamers who have a 4K TV and want the best catalogue of games on offer

from £20 + £22/month / stuff.tv/SkyQ

2

BARGAIN BUY

3

4 5

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K £50 / stuff.tv/FireStick4K Amazon’s latest streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster processor than its predecessor, and comes with the new Alexa Voice Remote. It is very Prime-centric, but the selection of third-party apps is excellent.

Stuff says +++++ The best 4K streaming stick you can buy

Google Chromecast £30 / stuff.tv/Chromecast The latest Chromecast is an incredibly neat little gadget that will let you watch almost all of your favourite streaming and catch-up services on a television that doesn’t have the apps built in.

Stuff says +++++ The cheapest way to smarten up your TV

Roku Streaming Stick+ ++++, £50 / stuff.tv/RokuPlus This simple all-rounder is a great choice for the open-minded telly watcher.

Apple TV 4K ++++, from £179 / stuff.tv/AppleTV4K Streaming boxes might be on the way out, but Apple’s 4K version still has its uses.

£319 / stuff.tv/PS4Pro

2

3

4 5

Nintendo Switch £279 / stuff.tv/NintendoSwitch Nintendo’s console earned a promotion in our list after it impressed us with a growing list of fantastic games. Plus, no other device here offers the joy of portable gaming. Train journeys will never be boring again.

Stuff says +++++ This 2-in-1 console is the real deal

Microsoft Xbox One X £399 / stuff.tv/XboxOneX There’s no doubt the Xbox One X is the most powerful console here, capable of producing stunning 4K visuals… but it simply doesn’t have the line-up of games to usurp the PS4 Pro from top spot.

Stuff says +++++ A 4K monster held back by its game catalogue

Sony PlayStation 4 +++++ £250 / stuff.tv/PS4 Haven’t got a 4K TV? This is the best way to enjoy PlayStation’s brilliant exclusives.

Microsoft Xbox One S +++++ £199 / stuff.tv/XboxOneS No longer our Xbox of choice, but the One S remains a serious affordable option.

FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HOME-CINEMA & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES

TOP TENS

2

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

3

+++++ from £38 / PS4, Xbox One, PC A brutally punishing action adventure that will get your heart a-pumping.

Forza Horizon 4 +++++ from £25 / Xbox One, PC This is a bar-raising sandbox-racing game experience that’s worth buckling up for.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses +++++ £43 / Switch Crammed with tactical and social depth, this is the best Fire Emblem game so far.

Resident Evil 2 +++++ from £20 / PS4, Xbox One, PC Highly polished and much more than just a remake, this is the series’ best entry yet.

God of War

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

£25 / PS4

£45 / Switch

A lot has changed for PlayStation’s god-slaying champion, Kratos.

He’s acquired a beard and a new magic axe… but while the action is as breathtaking as ever, it’s the surprisingly mature storyline that’s the draw here, with Kratos learning the ropes of parenting.

It’s no exaggeration to say this is hands-down the best Smash game yet. There’s just so much going on, with a huge array of fighters – it’s a fantastic way to enter into the world of Smash, and long-time fans of the series will not be disappointed.

Stuff says +++++ The epic return of Kratos is yet another phenomenal PS4 offering

Stuff says +++++ Smash is well and truly back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before

Super Mario Maker 2 +++++ £40 / Switch One of Nintendo’s smartest ideas in years feels perfect for the Switch.

NEW

Gears 5 +++++ £44 / Xbox One, PC Huge, thrilling and luxurious at every turn – this is absolutely essential.

NEW

Astral Chain +++++ £40 / Switch The most stylish and innovative action game you’ll play this year.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES

TOP TENS

TOP TENS

1

Lego Boost Creative Toolbox

Jaguar I-Pace

Building Lego models is already ridiculously good fun, so think what great a time you’ll have when the completed model turns into a functioning robot. With the accompanying tablet app, you can use simple coding to make the robot move, fire projectiles and play various games. And rather than retiring it to the dusty shelf once you’re bored, you can rebuild him into four other programmable models: a harmonica-playing cat, a driveable rover, a working robot-builder and a playable guitar.

Not content with simply making an electric vehicle that can get you from A to B with minimal fuss (and fuel bills), Jaguar has created something desirable, fun to drive and impressively capable when the going gets tough. This car offers Amazon Alexa integration, smartphone connectivity and a 10in touchscreen on the upper deck. With the I-Pace, Jaguar can happily claim to be the first mainstream brand to really give Tesla something to worry about.

Stuff says +++++ All hail Vernie and friends – for value and sheer fun, it’s hard to beat this programmable Lego kit

Stuff says +++++ Fun, fast and practical, the I-Pace is the greatest thing to happen to electric cars in a long time

£150 / stuff.tv/LegoCreativeToolbox

Propel Star Wars X-Wing Battling Drone

from £60,995 (with PiCG) / stuff.tv/ipace

Nissan Leaf

£65 / stuff.tv/SWDrone The Star Wars Battling Drone works indoors and outdoors, and doesn’t require a licence or CAA permit to fly. It’s a total blast… just a shame there’s no camera or app.

Stuff says +++++ Is the Force strong with this one? You betcha!

from £27,995 / stuff.tv/NissanLeaf Nissan has really got it right with the latest Leaf – an accomplished family car that packs some serious range and performance, and acts as a flagship for the company’s most advanced driver assistance gizmos.

Stuff says +++++ A strong candidate for your eco-conscious cash

Sphero Bolt

Tesla Model S

£150 / stuff.tv/SpheroBolt This little rolling ball of tech is great fun, and educational to boot. We hope your skirting boards are up to taking a few knocks, but if your kids have any curiosity about coding it’ll keep them entertained for months to come.

Stuff says +++++ Proves that learning really can be fun

from £77,200 / stuff.tv/TeslaS This sleek saloon re-writes the rules for all-electric performance and offers advanced autonomous driving tech that most of the other makers are only just beginning to explore.

Stuff says +++++ A true groundbreaker among high-class EVs

Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit

Volvo XC90 T8

+++++ £100 / stuff.tv/KanoHarryPotter A magical way to make coding accessible and fun to learn.

+++++ from £66,645 / stuff.tv/XC90T8 This plug-in hybrid 4x4 looks great and can tackle the twistiest routes.

Nintendo Labo VR Kit

BMW i8 Roadster

++++, from £35 (+ Switch) / stuff.tv/LaboVR An irresistible mash-up of cardboard-folding adventures and lo-fi VR entertainment.

+++++ from £127,105 / stuff.tv/i8Roadster The electric motor turns this stunningly futuristic convertible into a genuine supercar.

FOR UP-TO-DATE LISTINGS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL KINDS OF GADGETS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TOP TENS VR HEADSETS

1

VR GAMES TOP TENS

99

1

HOT BUY

HOT BUY

Oculus Quest

Blood & Truth

The Quest offers all manner of fully interactive, roamable virtual worlds that you can throw in your backpack without a single wire. That’s a mindblowing technical feat. Yes, the battery life is average, but the inside-out tracking and total absence of any cables make this the best all-round VR headset to date. It also ships with the Oculus Touch motion controllers included, which means you can play fully fledged Oculus Rift titles without being anywhere near a PC.

Blood & Truth uses every trick available to deliver an absolutely rollicking action thriller – sweaty palms are guaranteed. Covering a huge breadth of environments and sequences that will make you forget its relatively short runtime, it turns London into a playground packed with dazzling action set-pieces, while the story keeps you grounded with a likeable and compelling cast.

Anyone with a PSVR needs to play this; and for those who don’t already own one, the time is now.

Stuff says +++++ If you’ve been waiting to board the VR bandwagon, the Quest might be the best reason yet to go for it

Stuff says +++++ A stunning full-length VR action blockbuster with a great story

from £399 / stuff.tv/OculusQuest

2

3

4 5

HTC Vive £499 / stuff.tv/HTCVive There isn’t much difference between this and the much cheaper Oculus Rift, in all honesty. But if you’re thinking of upgrading to the Vive Pro in the future, this is a great gateway headset.

Stuff says ++++, A solid choice for immersive virtual reality

HTC Vive Pro £799 (headset only) / stuff.tv/HTCVivePro This high-end headset offers the best virtual reality experience by a long way, but its sky-high price means you should only really buy it if you’re a VR obsessive with a super-powerful gaming PC. Stuff says ++++, This hardcore headset is overkill for most

Google Daydream View ++++, £99 / stuff.tv/DaydreamView This budget-friendly option is the best way of bringing VR to the masses.

PlayStation VR +++,, from £260 / stuff.tv/PSVR It can deliver incredible experiences, but the PSVR is held back by niggling issues.

£28 / PSVR

2

3

4 5

Superhot VR from £16 / Oculus Rift, Vive, PSVR There’s something really cool about hiding behind a desk before blitzing your opponents with streams of bullets as if you were starring in your very own Matrix movie. A wonderfully action-packed title.

Stuff says +++++ A superb 2-in-1 VR puzzler and shooter

Farpoint £16 / PSVR If it weren’t in VR, Farpoint would be a distinctly average space-based FPS. But the PSVR headset and Aim Controller lift it above the pack and make it a must-play, not just for VR fans but also for FPS addicts.

Stuff says +++++ Simply a thrilling VR experience

Moss ++++, £18 / PSVR This platform puzzler offers a one-of-a-kind fable that’s perfect for VR.

Thumper ++++, £15 / Oculus Rift This mesmerising rhythm game is best played in VR, despite the lack of tracking.

FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TOP TENS SMART HOME

100

1

HOT BUY

Tado Smart Thermostat V3+

from £200 + installation / stuff.tv/TadoV3Plus It might not be as pretty as the Nest 3.0, but Tado has quietly evolved into the best all-round smart heating system around. Like autopilot for your boiler, it senses when you’re leaving home or coming back thanks to the app’s geolocation. And Tado’s gadgety goodness is second to none, with the option of zonal control for individual rooms and voice smarts from the likes Alexa and Google Assistant.

TIPS & TRICKS Check out the app’s Energy Savings Report to see how well you’re doing each month.

Stuff says +++++ Tado roasts the competition with its combination of simplicity and smarts

Crank up the nerdery by tinkering with Tado’s IFTTT channel or adding it to your HomeKit setup.

O NOW ADD THIS Tado Smart Radiator Thermostats Once you’ve tasted the joys of zonal smart heating, you and your wallet will never go back. £70 each / tado.com

Hook up an Amazon Echo or Google Home to change the temperature with your voice.

2

3

4 5 6 7

Netatmo Welcome

Nest 3.0

£157 / stuff.tv/NetatmoWelcome

£180 / stuff.tv/Nest3

Netatmo’s smart cam has face recognition capability, which works well once it’s got to know you, and the usual motion and noise detection is easy to control.

You can also remotely monitor your house to keep the paranoia at bay while on holiday.

This is one of the cleverest (and best-looking) smart thermostats on the market. Nest learns your habits – when you’re in, when you’re likely to need a lot of hot water and so on – so it can control the boiler to save energy and keep that shower nice and toasty.

Stuff says +++++ A neat security cam with loads of features and storage options

Stuff says +++++ A simple and mess-free smart thermostat with Alexa compatibility

8 9 10

Philips Hue Starter Kit +++++ from £60 (white) / stuff.tv/PhilipsHue Become an indoor god with the smartest way of lighting up your home remotely.

Brisant-Secure Ultion Smart +++++ from £229 / stuff.tv/UltionSmart Tradition and tech partner up in a smart lock to please everyone.

Arlo Pro +++++ £200 / stuff.tv/ArloPro A good home cam that becomes a great one outdoors. Your shed has never been so secure.

Google Wifi +++++ £129 / stuff.tv/GoogleWifi A signal-spreading wonder that’ll make your old router look like a tech dinosaur.

Google Nest Hub ++++, £119 / stuff.tv/NestHub Google’s rebranded smart helper, formerly the Home Hub, offers real value for money.

Amazon Echo Show 5 ++++, £80 / stuff.tv/EchoShow5 A great alarm clock and a feature-packed smart display: this is a sub-£100 bargain.

Nest Hello ++++, £229 / stuff.tv/NestHello Not only is this a nifty smart doorbell, but it also doubles as a useful security camera.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES

TOP TENS DRONES & ACTION CAMS

1

COMPACTS TOP TENS

1

HOT BUY

HOT BUY

GoPro Hero7 Black

Sony DSC-RX100 V

This is basically the excellent Hero6 Black (a five-star action cam that cost £500 at launch) with a bunch of improvements added – the most useful of which being the incredibly effective HyperSmooth image stabilisation, which has a huge impact on video quality. It’s great to see a company like GoPro continue to innovate in ways that are genuinely valuable to its main customer base, and the Hero7 Black is the best camera it’s made in years.

We wouldn’t recommend buying this camera if you already own the old IV model, but a few improvements have ensured Sony remains the top dog in our compacts list – and we’re keeping this model above the newer RX100 VI simply because of the huge price difference. It remains one of the finest point-and-shoots we’ve ever seen, with a flexibility that few pocket cameras can muster.

While it’s still not exactly cheap, we reckon this is the cam to buy if you want fantastic-looking snaps from your holidays.

Stuff says +++++ GoPro’s smoothest operator ever, and a brilliant flagship action cam

Stuff says +++++ Only a small improvement over the RX100 IV, but this Sony is close to premium point-and-shoot perfection

£319 / stuff.tv/Hero7Black

2

3

4 NEW

101

5

DJI Osmo Action £329 / stuff.tv/OsmoAction The image stabilisation is sensational and the face-optimised metering makes DJI’s action cam an ideal choice for vloggers. It has some idiosyncrasies, but this is a smart shooter that captures great footage without faff.

Stuff says +++++ Despite a few quirks, this is a stellar cam

DJI Mavic 2 Pro £1349 / stuff.tv/Mavic2Pro Aimed at the enthusiast willing to spend a little more to fly and film a little further, this is an undeniably pricey drone – but we think it’s worth every penny. It’s a fantastic flyer that feels superbly responsive in the air.

Stuff says +++++ The gold standard in portable flyers

DJI Mavic Air +++++ £769 / stuff.tv/MavicAir A cracking gadget that combines the best bits from the Spark and the Mavic Pro.

DJI Osmo Pocket ++++, £329 / stuff.tv/OsmoPocket Silky shooting in a pint-sized package: this gimbal/cam takes a novel niche and fills it well.

£799 / stuff.tv/RX100V

2

3

4 5

Panasonic Lumix TZ200 £599 / stuff.tv/TZ200 This Panasonic compact is a significant upgrade from the TZ100, offering extra reach with the zoom lens, better colour reproduction, and an improved experience when using the electronic viewfinder.

Stuff says +++++ Small, neat and not dramatically overpriced

Sony DSC-RX100 VI £979 / stuff.tv/RX100VI A true all-rounder that shoots 24fps at full resolution and has stunningly fast autofocus, topped off with a whopping 8x zoom lens that’s quite spectacular for such a tiny camera.

Stuff says +++++ A dinky yet luxurious point-and-shoot

Panasonic Lumix LX100 +++++ £449 / stuff.tv/LX100 One of the most capable compacts on the market, with superb stills and HD video.

Fujifilm X100F +++++ £1169 / stuff.tv/X100F The best street shooter around if you don’t need the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.

FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TOP TENS SYSTEM CAMERAS

102

1

HOT BUY

Fujifilm X-T3 It’s really hard to find anything bad to say about the X-T3 – it’s just consistently great in so many ways. Fuji has looked at virtually every feature on the X-T2 and upgraded it. With substantial tweaks made to the pro-level video options, the high-res EVF, the super-fast autofocus and the burst shooting, what you’re left with is an all-round beast of a camera in a small, beautiful form. As APS-C shooters go, it’s the best there is.

TIPS & TRICKS Pre-shot ES mode starts taking photos and adding them to the buffer as soon as you half-press.

Stuff says +++++ An incredible stills shooter with video smarts to match

Sports Finder mode’s display enables you to see what’s about to come into frame for moving shots.

O NOW ADD THIS Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre Tripod You no longer have an excuse for wobbly photos with this carbon-fibre tripod. It weighs just 1.65kg. £249 / manfrotto.co.uk

Tapping an area on the 3in touchscreen will let you set the focus point or take an instant shot.

2

3

BARGAIN BUY

4 5 6

Sony A7 III

Fujifilm X-T20

£1755 / stuff.tv/SonyA7iii

£599 / stuff.tv/XT20

The A7 III manages to pack in a lot of technology and desirability for less than £2000. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s well suited to a bunch of shooting scenarios, coping well with landscapes, portraits, and even a little bit of high-speed sport shooting.

As a camera design it’s admittedly not the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen, but it handles well for its compact size.

With its 24.3MP APS-C sensor, plus a touchscreen, the X-T20 will deliver results that are in some cases just as good as you’ll get from Fuji’s pricier models – and will leave you with a lot more spare cash in your account. With well-laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent AF and access to superb lenses, the X-T20 is just one more fantastic mirrorless camera from Fuji.

Stuff says +++++ A fantastic all-rounder that excels in low-light conditions

Stuff says +++++ The X-T20 nails the sweet spot between price and performance

7 8 9 10

Panasonic Lumix G9 +++++ £999 / stuff.tv/LumixG9 The G9 is the best Lumix camera to date and a fine choice for wildlife or action photography.

Sony A6500 +++++ £969 / stuff.tv/A6500 A cracking system cam for action photography, but stick with the A6300 if your budget is tight.

Fujifilm X-H1 +++++ £899 / stuff.tv/XH1 By adding in-body image stabilisation, Fuji has created a wonderful all-rounder.

Canon EOS 80D +++++ £980 / stuff.tv/80D The 80D is so easy to use that even a toddler would get some great shots with it.

Nikon Z6 +++++ £1699 / stuff.tv/Z6 A top-notch and reasonably sized mirrorless camera from the optical experts.

Nikon D850 +++++ £2699 / stuff.tv/D850 This super-cam has enough fantastic features to excel in pretty much any situation.

Canon EOS RP +++++ £1399 / stuff.tv/EOSRP A full-frame mirrorless snapper that’s light enough not to be a burden.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS

O Prices quoted are for body only unless otherwise stated

£1349 / stuff.tv/FujifilmXT3

103

1

BUDGET BUYS TOP TENS HOT BUY

SNES Classic Mini £70 / stuff.tv/ClassicMini

TIPS & TRICKS

Why bother splashing out over £200 on a games console when you can get the SNES Classic Mini for a fraction of that? Especially when you get 21 classic titles pre-installed on this nostalgia-inducing machine, including the likes of Super Metroid, A Link to the Past, Super Mario World and the never-before-released Star Fox 2. And with two controllers bundled in the box, you’ll be able to start the Super Mario Kart action right away.

Chickens killed you in Zelda again? You can rewind up to five minutes and pretend it never happened.

For full-fat nostalgia you can read the instruction manual for each of the SNES games online.

Stuff says +++++ With 21 classic games installed, gamers won’t find better value anywhere

Stop trying to raid Bowser’s castle in one sitting, and use one of the four save slots to take a break.

2

O NOW ADD THIS 8Bitdo Bluetooth Retro Receiver Fed up of those short cables? Use this clever device to connect most modern controllers wirelessly. £15 / 8bitdo.com

3

4 5 6 7

Raspberry Pi Zero W

UE Wonderboom 2

from £9.30 / stuff.tv/PiZeroW

£90 / stuff.tv/Wonderboom2

It might be nearly twice the price of the original Pi Zero, but when you’re still getting change from a tenner the wireless Pi is fantastic value.

Simplicity is key, with no need to mess about with dongles or hubs.

This also means your Pi projects can be squeezed into smaller places.

This tiny speaker is a mighty delight.

It’s ideal for the park, or even if you’re looking to use one (or two) to supercharge your bedroom setup. Audio quality is ramped up from its predecessor, giving you better bass and more detail, but not at the expense of dinky portability.

Stuff says +++++ The Pi Zero was already brilliant; wireless add-ons make it better

Stuff says +++++ A rugged little wonder that’ll bring a sonic boost to any occasion

8 9 10

Moov Now +++++ £49 / stuff.tv/MoovNow The best budget tracker you can buy – gives most Fitbits a run for their money.

SoundMagic E10 +++++ £30 / stuff.tv/E10 We love the E11s, but the previous model is still available for real bargain-sniffers.

Moto G7 Play +++++ £124 / stuff.tv/G7Play Motorola’s still got it – here’s another cracker we’d happily pay twice as much for.

Vodafone Smart X9 ++++, £99 / stuff.tv/SmartX9 Network-branded phones may not be cool, but this one’s a legit bargain.

Google Home Mini ++++, £49 / stuff.tv/HomeMini The friendliest and most knowledgeable miniature smart speaker around.

Ryze Tello ++++, £89 / stuff.tv/Tello Rule the skies without breaking the bank with this affordable toy drone.

Ikea Tradfri Dimming Kit ++++, from £25 / stuff.tv/IkeaSmartLights Philips Hue might have colour-changing bulbs, but Ikea’s Tradfri smart lights are crazy cheap.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TOP TENS HOW TO BUY

104

HOW TO BUY A TV SOUNDBAR JARGON BUSTER

Make movies sound absolutely monster… and bag yourself an extra multiroom speaker to boot

DOLBY ATMOS Surround-sound tech using up-firing speakers for 360° audio with height virtualisation.

DTS:X An Atmos rival that uses your existing surround-sound kit: no upwards-pointing drivers required.

MPEG-H Set to revolutionise car audio and VR headsets, this audio codec simulates vast 3D spaces.

HEAD FOR THE BAR 1

What an Atmos-phere

Soundbars are a hot ticket thanks to an influx of competing technologies claiming to be good enough to do away with AV amps, separate surround-sound speakers and, in some cases, subwoofers. The triple threat of Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and MPEG-H has made virtual 3D audio a reality without the need to fill your living room with wires.

O Get this: Sennheiser Ambeo £2199 / sennheiser.com

OR TRY ONE OF THESE…

2 Wall of sound The obvious first consideration is finding a bar that fits into your setup, or can at least be accommodated with some furniture jiggery-pokery. The bigger the soundbar, the more drivers it’s likely to house, and that should mean bigger and better sound. No cabinet space? It can be wall-mounted with your TV. O Get this: B&W Formation Soundbar £999 / bowerswilkins.com

RAISE THE BAR 3 Cabinet reshuffle At the risk of your eyes glazing over, let’s talk speaker configurations.

Traditionally, true surround-sound has required five or seven speakers plus a subwoofer; but makers have found ways to squeeze more channels into one box, aided by the likes of Dolby Atmos.

B&O’s Beosound Stage has four main drivers, four subs and three tweeters.

O Get this: Beosound Stage £1250 / bang-olufsen.com

4 Satellites of love That’s not to say separates are dead.

The likes of Denon, Marantz and Yamaha are still pushing out great Atmos AV amps for those with the space and budget required. Or, as a compromise, check out soundbars with wireless satellite speakers. We like Vizio’s Atmos offering because the woofer sits at the back of the room for cool sofa wobbles.

O Get this: Vizio SB36512-F6 £599 / vizio.com

5 Follow through If you’ve got a 4K TV, look for a bar with 4K pass-through for the best audio quality from games consoles.

And remember most soundbars now double as wireless multiroom speakers.

O Get this: Sonos Beam £399 / sonos.com

Q ACOUSTICS M2

SKY SOUNDBOX

£169 / qacoustics.co.uk Short on space? A soundbase sits underneath your TV and can offer impressive bassy rumbles. The M2 is a fine and affordable example.

from £249 / sky.com This high-end unit is optimised to produce the best sound for shows broadcast on Sky Q channels. It’s twice the price if you’re not a Sky subscriber.

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Electric fright orchestra Tunes from the C64 have formed the heart of a decades-long retro remix scene, which recently surpassed itself with a full orchestral concert courtesy of 8-Bit Symphony.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 1982

h look, you’ve dredged up the brownest computer ever.

Sure, the C64 wasn’t pretty. It had chunky brown keys that you had to smash as if your fingers were tiny hammers.

These were baked into a beige case, because by law every computer from the USA had to be that colour in the 1980s. And then there were the graphics, which were often various shades of murk. But let’s not get bogged down in the negatives, because this computer didn’t become the biggest-selling micro of its era by accident – there are loads of ways in which it was amazing.

O

Sorry, wasn’t listening, I was reading about the ZX Spectrum – a proper micro.

Ah, it’s like all the ’80s playground arguments never went away and they’ve now found a new home here on the last page of Stuff. Yes, the ZX Spectrum was a decent piece of kit, with some superb games. But every Speccy owner would go wide-eyed on hearing tunes pumped out of the C64’s SID chip, felt pangs of jealousy at the use of joysticks rather than rubber keys, and could only dream of their system running arcade classics like Turrican II, Mayhem in Monsterland and Paradroid even half as ably as the C64 could.

We’d console ourselves with non-brown vector games that played at more than 1fps…

Don’t even trying throwing Elite at us. No-one in their right mind plays that on a Spectrum these days. But some C64 classics still pack a punch, as evidenced by the C64DTV and the recent C64 Mini. And a full-size take on the latter is due in December, with switchable modes, HDMI out, a revamped joystick and that very brown keyboard. Maybe that last part’s not the smartest move, but we can’t wait to have another crack at Gridrunner while fending off angry Spectrum owners with a rolled-up copy of Zzap!64 magazine.

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[ Words Craig Grannell ]

Commodore 64

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