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HOT STUFF TESTS FEATURES MAKING STUFF UP

06 The Hot Five 29 First test Google Pixel 7a 34 Upvoted Editor-in-Chief

Google Pixel Fold Whoops, they accidentally made Outdoor speakers Dan Grabham
Deputy Editor
Sellotaping two normal phones their cut-price flagship too good Take one of these down to the Tom Morgan-Freelander
together would be cheaper 52 Tested Amazon Fire TV park for maximum dirty looks Commissioning Editor
Asus ROG Ally Omni QLED 36 Cover feature Rachael Sharpe
Hooray, the McCoist signature A proper telly in a big grey van Travel gadgets Contributors
Rob Clymo,
portable console is here at last 57 Tested Beats Studio Buds+ Going on holiday? You’ll need an Esat Dedezade,
B&O Beosound A5 The search for in-ear peace Asda carrier bag for your clothes Craig Grannell,
Do not try to put your cheese 58 Group test Cordless vacs and a 10ft flight case for all this… Sam Kieldsen,
Basil Kronfli,
sandwiches inside this speaker One-handed dust-drinkers 51 Mini meme Simon Lucas,
Amazon Echo Pop 64 Tested Asus Zenbook Free AI apps Ross Presly,
Alexa’s now pretending to be Pro 14 OLED Go on, embrace the beginning Richard Purvis,
Caramel Quin,
a half-eaten grapefruit A shiny gauntlet at Apple’s feet of the end of humanity Chris Rowlands,
Fairphone Fairbuds XL 67 3 of the best Eco backpacks 54 Beta yourself Alan Wen,
That’s ‘buds’ in the sense of Go hiking, save a dolphin Work from home Tom Wiggins
‘not buds at all but over-ears’ 72 Tested DJI Mavic 3 Pro How to make WFH effective but Contact us
Lynyrd Skynyrd headlines, yay! fun (unless you work for Stuff) [email protected]
14 Vital stats Huawei Mate X3 74 Tested Razer BlackShark 66 Instant upgrades UK subscription and back issue
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20 Games Sony Xperia 1 V Our favourite ever silvery slabs Customer service and
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 The fest is
yet to come
The Pixel Fold will arrive
with a foldable-friendly
version of Android 13, and
it’ll be among the first phones
to get Android 14 when the
new system arrives
later in the year.

In the Qi
small hours
of the morning
Google says the 4821mAh
battery will last “beyond 24
hours”, with 30W charging
on offer. It’s Qi-approved
for convenient wireless
top-ups too.

6
 ALL THE
SCORCHIEST
STORIES FROM
PLANET TECH

Changers
in the bright
Both screens support
HDR, with the inner panel
hitting a peak brightness
of 1450 nits and the outer
display going even higher
at 1550 nits. That’s nit
bad at all.
HOT
FIVE
#1

COME PLY
WITH ME
Google Pixel Fold
Have you ever looked at your Google Pixel
phone and wished there was just, well,
more of it? Then you’re in luck.
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that
the Fold shares some of its DNA with the
7 Pro – notably the Tensor G2 chip and
12GB of RAM – but if you open it up you get
7.6in of FHD+ OLED to play with – nearly
an inch more than on the front of the Pro.
The 5.8in outer screen is also an OLED,
while both refresh at up to 120Hz, so
whichever one you’re scrolling on it’ll be
as slick as a fish down a flume.
The bump on the back will look familiar too.
It hosts a 48MP main snapper with OIS,
a 10.8MP ultrawide with 121° field of view
and a 10.8MP telephoto good for 5x optical
zoom. There’s also a 9.5MP selfie shooter
on the front of the phone, along with an
8MP camera built into the inner screen’s
bezel for video calling.
One more thing it shares with the Pixel 7
Pro is the £749 price… well, nearly. You just
have to add a teeny little ‘1’ at the front.
As hot as… a microwaved apple turnover
with 5G
from £1749 / store.google.com

7
 Against
all prods
It doesn’t have touchpads
like the Steam Deck, but there
are two assignable grip
buttons on the rear. Inside
is a six-axis gyroscope for
motion controls and
haptic rumble.

Gleam
lover
RGB lighting around the
dual analogue thumbsticks
and a reflective strip along the
back mark it out as a games
machine, while the ROG
logo doubles as a
cooling vent.

HOT
FIVE
#2
ALLY WANT FOR
CHRISTMAS IS YOU
Asus ROG Ally
We love Valve’s Steam Deck so much we
crowned it Gadget of the Year for 2022…
but if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed
to turn our heads like the guy in the
Distracted Boyfriend meme, it’s a more
powerful version of something we’ve
already got. On this occasion, it’s Asus’s
ROG Ally that’s got our attention – and
it’s not hard to see why.
Its AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor is
designed specifically for handheld gaming,
with eight cores, 16 threads and a whopping
5.1GHz boost speed, while the GPU has 12
RDNA3 cores that can clock up to 2.7GHz.
There’s also 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a
512GB NVMe SSD. That’s a lot of numbers,
but essentially it all means it’ll be more
than happy to munch through AAA titles,
either at the 7in 120Hz touchscreen’s
native 1080p resolution or with AMD’s
FidelityFX and Radeon Super Resolution
upscaling tech.
With full support for Steam, Xbox Game
Pass Ultimate, the EA app, Epic Games
Store and more, it doesn’t really matter
where you get your games from, while the
optional ROG Gaming Charger Dock (£60)
means you can also connect a controller or
two and hook it up to the telly.
As hot as… this week’s new meme format
£700 / rog.asus.com

8
 We be
long together
The 40Wh battery should
last up to 8hrs, although that’ll
depend on how hard you’re
flexing the Ally’s graphical
muscle. The bundled power
brick charges it up
again at 65W.

9
 Shape of
my smart
B&O says the A5’s battery
should keep it pumping for
up to 12hrs, but that will drop
if you make use of the Qi
wireless phone charger
that’s built into the
top panel.

HOT
FIVE
#3
WEAVE GOT
IT GOIN’ ON
B&O Beosound A5
If you go down to the woods today, you’re
sure of a big surprise. No, not just the sight
of a load of teddy bears chowing down on
Scotch eggs and crisps, but the fact that
their picnic basket appears to be pumping
out music. On closer inspection, though,
you’ll realise B&O’s latest 360° speaker has
taken a tip from the next line in the song
and turned up in disguise.
The A5’s ‘nordic weave’ finish and oak
handle make it look like it should be filled
with sandwiches, not drivers – one 5.25in
woofer, a pair of 2in full-rangers and a
single 0.8in tweeter. But there are 70W
Class D amplifiers powering each one,
making this B&O’s most powerful portable
speaker so far.
There’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on board
(although the latter won’t be much
use when you’re surrounded by trees),
and when you get back home B&O’s I want it
RoomSense tech will adjust its audio matt way
performance to suit the surroundings.
These woodland shindigs are known for There’s also a less picnicky
getting pretty rowdy since the teddies ‘dark oak’ version of the A5
discovered Hofmeister lager isn’t made that’s identical on the inside
from real bears, so the IP65 rating will but will set you back an extra
also come in handy to protect it from any £100. Yet another example
knocks or spillages. of discrimination
As hot as… the teddy bears’ tea flask against goths.
£899 / bang-olufsen.com

10
 HOT
FIVE
#4
GRILLE-FRIEND
IN A CORNER
Amazon Echo Pop
Alexa has come in all shapes and sizes
since she first popped up in 2014’s original
Echo. From cylinders and spheres to pucks
and panels, Amazon seems to be on an
eternal quest to make a smart speaker
that’ll fit into every nook – and the Pop
is its latest addition.
With a rounded rear end and a flat front
that’s almost entirely speaker grille, it
looks like a Dot that’s been sent to the
guillotine, which is quite apt considering
the Pop usurps it as the most affordable
offering in the Echo range. A light strip
along the top edge lets you know when
Alexa is listening, and it uses the same
AZ2 chip as the Echo Show 15 to do all the
usual smart-speaker jobs: play music,
control gadgets, give weather updates,
set alarms and timers, make to-do
lists and answer all the silly questions
As long as you can’t be bothered to search for
you shove me on your phone.
The 1.95in front-firing speaker has been
You’ll need the B&O app to custom-designed for the chassis, but
use the A5, but don’t panic if a considering it’s about the size of a
bear steals your phone: there grapefruit you shouldn’t expect it to
are also controls on top for register on the Richter scale. Unlike a
everything from volume grapefruit, though, it comes in charcoal,
changes to one-touch lavender, white or teal.
playlist access. As hot as… chargrilled pomelo
£45 / amazon.co.uk

11
 Get
over hue
Opting for speckled green
will help to emphasise your
eco credentials, but if – unlike
Kermit – you’d prefer to blend
in, the Fairbuds XL are also
available in a more
discreet black.

Here comes
the thumber
There’s a multi-directional
joystick (replaceable, of
course) on the right earcup
that controls playback and
volume, with a separate
button to engage
the ANC.

GREEN AGE KICKS

Fairphone Fairbuds XL
Kermit the Frog famously sang about how of landfill and buying a new pair. And
difficult it was to be green, but Fairphone’s features haven’t been sacrificed for
new foldable Fairbuds XL make it easy on greenness, with active noise-cancelling,
multiple counts. Not only are they available two-point Bluetooth, support for your
in this froggish hue, but they’re also made phone’s built-in voice assistant, and a
from recycled and responsibly sourced companion app that lets you choose from
materials, while their 11-part modular four different EQ modes.
design means you can fix them yourself The battery (which is one of those
if something goes wrong. replaceable parts) will last up to 30hrs
Whether the headband just starts to with the ANC off; and while they’re not
look a bit knackered or the cable that links quite as waterproof as our amphibious
the two 40mm dynamic drivers wears friends, the IP54 rating should keep them
out, Fairphone will offer affordable spares safe from any splashes. Easy, right?
so you can extend their lifespan rather As hot as… deep-fried frogs’ legs
than adding to the ever-growing mountain £219 / fairphone.com

12
V I T A L S T A T S The first wave of
folding phones lacked
any waterproofing
but the Mate X3 is
rated IPX8, so it can

THE SLIVER be dunked in 1m of

water for 30mins.

OF DREAMS
Huawei Mate X3
£1999 / huawei.com

Formerly a China-only
model, Huawei’s foldable
makes its rivals look like
absolute bloaters – and
it’s coming to the UK
OA flatter of trust
While most folding phones still
look a bit like two normal ones
stuck together, Huawei has
filleted its Mate X3 so effectively
it’s almost as if a regular phone
had just been sliced through
the middle. Measuring 11.08mm
when closed, it’s just a couple
of millimetres thicker than the
distinctly unfoldable Samsung
Galaxy S23 Ultra, and at 239g it’s
only about the weight of a pencil
heavier. Opened up it’s 5.3mm
thick, making it both thinner and
lighter than the (admittedly more
pocketable) iPhone 14 Pro Max.

OYou may be bright

In between the Mate X3’s two
halves is a 7.58in OLED screen
with 2496x2224 resolution and
120Hz refresh rate. The hinge
opens with no visible crease,
and you can prop it up for making
video calls with the 8MP camera
inside. The 6.4in screen on
the front is also a 120Hz OLED,
with 2504x1080 resolution and
another 8MP camera, while a trio
of rear snappers – 50MP laser
autofocus, 13MP ultrawide and
12MP telephoto – are housed in
the circular bump on the back.

OApp-frown girl
Yep, here comes the inevitable
Huawei ‘but’. The firm’s ongoing
beef with the US government
not only means the Mate X3
lacks any Google apps or services
(shipping with the own-brand
AppGallery instead), but also
stops it speccing anything newer
than the 4G-only Snapdragon 8+
Gen 1 CPU. This leaves it lagging
behind 2023’s greatest phones
when it comes to power. The
Yanks can’t stop it getting 12GB
of RAM, 512GB of storage and
a 4800mAh battery that’ll fully
charge in just under 40mins, but
it does detract from the Mate X3’s
beautiful build somewhat.

14
 I go to flex streams
SONY PLAYSTATION ‘PROJECT Q’
MORE NEW Given that a PS5 is about the size and weight of a baby hippo, only
PHONES Olympic weightlifters would be able to play a handheld version for
longer than a few minutes – so instead of trying to cram a full console
inside Project Q (a codename that’ll change before launch), Sony has
OHuawei P60 Pro gone down the streaming route. Designed to run games installed on
If you’re not fussed about a your PS5 over Wi-Fi, it’s essentially a DualSense controller with an 8in
folder, the adjustable aperture 1080p/60fps screen whacked in the middle, meaning you also get the
and optical image stabilisation adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. Sony hasn’t said how much it
on the P60 Pro’s 48MP main weighs yet (or, in fact, much else about it); but as long as it’s not made of
camera should make it a master lead, you should be able to lift one without the help of banned steroids.
of low-light phonetography. £tba / playstation.com
from £1200 / huawei.com

OMotorola Edge 40
The Edge range is a step above
Moto’s usual budget fare, which
is why the ‘eclipse black’ or
‘nebula green’ Edge 40 comes
with vegan leather on the back
and a 144Hz POLED screen.
£530 / motorola.co.uk

OSony Xperia 10 V
Sony’s latest £1299 flagship is
tested on p76; but if you’re on
a tighter budget, the 6.1in 10 V
still has a trio of cameras and a
5000mAh battery, despite only
weighing 159g.
£399 / sony.co.uk

Dust the way you are

DYSON 360 VIS NAV
Do you know what sucks more than ever before? No, not the continued
existence of wasps, LinkedIn and Piers Morgan, but Dyson’s new robot
vacuum cleaner. Its Hyperdymium motor spins at up to 110,000rpm,
WHEN CLOSED which makes it a claimed six times slurpier than other autonomous
hoovers. Its simultaneous localisation and mapping system uses the
IT’S JUST 2MM 360° fisheye camera on top to seek out the spots it hasn’t cleaned,
while dual-link suspension ensures it won’t get held up by any bumps
THICKER THAN in the carpet – but the brush bar can cope with hard floors too. The only
THE GALAXY thing that sucks in a different way is the battery life, which is 50mins – a
full 25mins short of what you’d get from Dyson’s last robo-vac.
S23 ULTRA £tba / dyson.co.uk

15
16
 S T R E A M

The return of Black Mirror and its chillingly

prescient tech-dystopian nightmares, plus
more cheery treats new to streaming in June

The Crowded Room Star Trek: Extraction 2

Tom ‘Spidey’ Holland takes on his Strange New Worlds Oh, you thought crotchety merc
first small-screen role – and one It may be a mere spinoff from the Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) died
humdinger of a haircut – in this divisive Discovery, but its episodic at the end of Netflix’s Extraction?
10-part 1970s drama, told through structure and focus on adventure In true ‘the first one was way more
a series of interviews. Following over spectacle and conflict mean popular than we thought’ style,
a shooting in New York, Holland Strange New Worlds is arguably that hasn’t stopped him returning
finds himself interrogated by Rya the most Star Trekky that Star Trek in an all-action sequel. Rake’s first
Goodwin (Amanda Seyfried), slowly has been since… well, Star Trek. It’s post-resurrection assignment?
revealing the shocking truth behind boldly going into a second season Rescuing the family of a rather
his crime (but not his haircut). on Paramount+. nasty gangster.
S1 / Apple TV+, 9 June S2 / Paramount+, 15 June Film / Netflix, 16 June

Secret Invasion The Witcher The Bear

Ever the bridesmaid in Marvel Henry Cavill’s last hurrah as the No show has conveyed the
movies, Samuel L Jackson’s Nick gruff cat-eyed monster-hunter pressure of working in a frantic
Fury finally takes centre stage in Geralt is finally arriving this month restaurant kitchen as effectively
this TV series, assembling a ragtag (not that the series is ending – he’s as The Bear – and, while a relaxing
crew of allies in an attempt to stop merely being replaced by Liam family drama it ain’t, we’re hungry
shape-shifting aliens taking over Hemsworth, much to the chagrin for more. So the fact that it’s
the Earth (why do they keep doing of Cav fans everywhere). Expect getting a second series, coming
that?). Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, more of the same dark fantasy to Disney+ at some point this
Martin Freeman, Don Cheadle and action: big monsters, brash bards, month, has got us dribbling with
Ben Mendelsohn also star. bad language and bare bums. anticipation. Bring on the beef.
S1 / Disney+, 21 June S3 / Netflix, 29 June S2 / Disney+, date tba

Black Mirror
TH ISS T
M ON’

It’s been four years since Charlie Brooker last brought us a proper Black Mirror series. And
what a four years it’s been, with some of the series’ previous dystopia-here-we-come
D

subjects – most notably the question of how AI can be used or abused – becoming a
IS

disturbing reality perhaps even faster than Brooker might have predicted. This sixth
season’s cast is a starry one, including Aaron Paul, Himesh Patel and Salma Hayek.
S6 / Netflix, date tba

17
 I C O N THE ‘TAPE REEL’
ROTATES WHEN
RECORDING, AND
YOU CAN STOP IT
TEENAGE WITH YOUR FINGER

ENGINEERING
TP-7
£1299 / teenage.engineering
NASA called – it wants its, er,
whatever that is back.
It might look like something you’d
find in the cockpit of an old Apollo
module, but the fact that the TP-7
has ‘Teenage Engineering’ written
on the back gives you a clue as
to what it’s really all about. The
Swedish company is known for
its quirky musical gadgets and
this palm-sized field recorder is
arguably the coolest yet, with a
built-in stereo microphone that
you can use to make recordings of
hummed melodies, full-on demos
and everything in between.

So it’s a glorified dictaphone?

Only a philistine would say that
(although, if you do record an
interview, there is a smartphone
app that will use AI to transcribe
the conversation for you). There’s
always a functional beauty to
Teenage’s products, and nothing
encapsulates that better than the
motorised ‘tape reel’ in the middle
of this one. It rotates when you’re
recording or playing audio – and if
you need to stop it briefly you can
hold the wheel with your finger,
or spin it to find a specific point
in a track. It’s also used to scroll
through the menus on the little
screen in the corner.

Nice. A bit like the original iPod.

Very much so – there’s even a bit
of haptic feedback. With 128GB of
internal storage, scrolling through
your longer recordings could take
quite a while, so there’s also a
rocker control on the side that
lets you scrub through them more
quickly. Next to the volume dial
on top you get three two-way
stereo ports for connecting mics,
headphones or instruments, plus
a USB-C socket to turn it into a
multi-channel audio interface or
MIDI controller; it also has MFi and
Bluetooth. At £1299 it isn’t cheap,
but then again, the Apollo program
cost $165bn.

18
 Wetting better
SPYRATHREE
WTF IS
If you bring a knife to a gun fight you can expect a swift defeat, but
turn up to a water fight armed with a SpyraThree and you’ll soon
have your opponents waving wet white flags in sodden surrender.
This battery-powered firewaterarm fires fat globules of H2O up to
15m, with three different shooting modes that alter the range and
size of the payload, plus a display on top that shows you how much
TELLY?
is left in the tank and how long you’ve got left until you’ll need to fall
back to base and plug in the USB-C cable. Add a wheelbarrow full of Er, it’s a television…?
water balloons and those pesky kids down the street will be wringing Very observant. But while the Telly has all
their clothes out for weeks. the bits and bobs you get with other 4K
£149 / spyra.com TVs – a tuner, three HDMI ports, two USB
sockets, Wi-Fi – this is like no gogglebox
you’ve ever seen before. For starters, it
has two screens. The second one, which
is separated from the 55in main panel by
a built-in five-driver soundbar, works a
bit like an Amazon Echo Show, displaying
things like weather forecasts, sport scores
and news headlines… but the most notable
thing about the Telly is that it’s free.

Really? What’s the catch?

Well, the bottom screen is also used to
show ads – so next to the latest stocks
info, Kia will try to sell you a car and Pizza
Hut will see if you can be convinced to order
a large meat feast for dinner – but it also
goes much further than that. When you
sign up for your free set you must tell Telly
things like how much you earn, what car
you drive and which football team you
support, plus the TV itself also collects
data on what you watch and how long
you watch it for.

Sounds super-creepy.
Yeah, it’s all a little bit Black Mirror. Telly
The long and winding mode has fitted it with a load of extras in the
FUJIFILM X-S20 hope that you’ll think it’s worth sacrificing
your privacy for a built-in camera, voice
If you don’t know your aperture from your elbow but want to shoot assistant and motion sensors, which
pics that make it look like you do, Fujifilm’s lightweight X-S20 swaps enable things like Zoom calls, fitness
multiple manual dials for a single mode wheel, so you can focus on your apps and motion-controlled games. If
snaps rather than the settings. Speaking of focus, the X-S20’s AF you change your mind and opt out of the
system uses AI to pick out animals and cars, while the back-illuminated ads, you have to either return the TV or
26.1MP X-Trans CMOS sensor promises better low-light shooting stump up $500 (it’s only available to our
than the old X-S10. It also has a much bigger battery, so Fuji reckons friends across the pond at the moment);
you should be able to fire off around 750 frames before it needs but at least there doesn’t seem to be
charging. The stamina will drop if you use the new Vlog mode, but anything stopping you from just covering
the 6.2K @ 30fps footage might make that worthwhile. up the camera and sticking a large cactus
£tba / fujifilm.com in front of the ads.

19
 G A M E S

FIRST PLAY VIEWFINDER PC, PS5

Some of the most inventive side of the level, but in order to camera and get to create the
first-person puzzle games, reach it you’ll need these pictures puzzle pieces yourself. Although
such as Portal or The Witness, to form a path. you’re limited to how many
involve playing with your spatial For example, put out a photo pics you can take, you basically
awareness or altering your of a floor in front of you, and this aim, take the shot, and pick up
perception of the space you’re becomes solid ground that you a Polaroid that you can put down
in. Viewfinder follows in that can walk along. Photos can also to make your own path.
tradition – but is even more be rotated, so a wall can become Maybe you just need to take
mind-bogglingly inventive with a floor, or you might need a ramp a photo of the floor beneath you
its use of seemingly flat pictures to reach a higher spot. And it’s to create a platform… or if you
that are actually 3D. not just photographs you can find yourself short of batteries
The initial levels ease you into pick up, but also paintings and to power up a portal, why not
[ Words Alan Wen ]

the premise by presenting you screenshots from retro games, photograph the battery and
with photographs that you pick as you find yourself dropping make a duplicate? The idea that
up in a serene place that seems into different art styles. there’ll be different ways you
to be floating in the air. Your task But where things get really can approach a level makes this
is getting to a portal on the other incredible is when you find a game all the more enjoyable.

20
 FIRST LOOK THE REAL SIM SHADY

UNRECORD looking out of a window, and

it’s even more effective when
made in-engine, in a world
shown from the body-cam
how your cop approaches a
situation, and the developer
PC
the footage is of seemingly of a police officer. (called Drama) seems to be
Since Epic released Unreal mundane places. The game is already proving focusing on narrative.
Engine 5 to the public last But one game currently controversial given its premise, Whether Unrecord will
year, lots of jawdropping in development has been especially when we’re seeing successfully interrogate this
footage has been shared generating plenty of debate more footage of real police unease beyond the thin blue
showing how ridiculous 3D over just how real we want shootings on the news and line remains to be seen, but
graphics have become. Much our visuals to look. From its social media. But this isn’t just it’s already clear that things
of that is to do with how two-minute trailer, you’d be a dumb first-person shooter, have come a long way since
natural the lighting looks, fooled into thinking Unrecord as the trailer shows quick Call of Duty 4’s Death From
indistinguishable from just was real video – but it’s all dialogue choices to determine Above mission.

BEST OF NOSTALGIC GAMES FOR THE SUMMER

FINAL FANTASY PIXEL REMASTER GHOST TRICK: SONIC ORIGINS PLUS

PS4, Switch PHANTOM DETECTIVE Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, XSX, XB1
Released last year on PC and mobile, six Switch, PS4, XB1, PC Last year’s definitive Sonic compilation
remastered Final Fantasy classics return A decade after its first release on modern proved not completely definitive, so this
to the platforms on which the series has consoles, Capcom is remastering this cult expansion arriving on 23 June attempts
such a rich history. Available as a bundle Nintendo DS hit. You play as someone to correct that with a whole wealth of new
or standalone, these games make a who’s died and lost his memory – can content. Besides adding 12 Game Gear
nostalgic contrast to the action-packed you solve your own murder by manipulating titles, it lets you play as Amy Rose in all
Final Fantasy XVI coming this month. objects in the world of the living? four of the original Mega Drive/CD games.

INCOMING
JULY
OPIKMIN 4
OEXOPRIMAL
ODISNEY ILLUSION ISLAND
OOXENFREE II: LOST SIGNALS
AUGUST
OARMORED CORE VI:
FIRES OF RUBICON
OBOMB RUSH CYBERFUNK
OLIES OF P

21
W H E E L S
Lexus LM
VAN LOVE COMES TO TOWN
The LM takes
Lexus’s grille styling
to another level with its
rather sci-fi front end.
Sculpted side vents
and LED headlights
cap it all off.

£tba / lexus.co.uk NEWS DASHBOARD

What is this, a people-carrier but LM delivers big on the tech front…

for elephants? and by ‘big’ we mean ‘huge’, thanks
If you’re getting tired of standard to a 48in HD widescreen display.
SUV designs, why not go large? That’s accompanied by a Mark
This luxury hybrid is a neat twist Levinson surround-sound setup
on an old theme – because Lexus with 23 speakers, augmented by
has reinvented the minivan. The 14 hues of mood lighting.
LM will come with up to seven BABY GOT ’BACH I TAVA DREAM MATERIAL GULL
seats, offering lots of space and Any other interior goodies? What, you want New from Cupra, Star of the recent
lots of tech. How about a fridge? That means even more luxury? the Tavascan is a Auto Shanghai
rear passengers can tap into a The Mercedes- high-performance show, the BYD
What’s under the bonnet? cold one on the road, while the Maybach EQS coupe SUV that Seagull is a dream
The powertrain is a 2.5-litre mild airline-style seats can fully recline 680 SUV has twin will come with up come true for EV
hybrid, which can self-charge and the Lexus Climate Concierge electric motors, a to 250kW of power. fans on a budget.
as you cruise around. As befits ensures the temperature should 0-62mph time of The VZ edition has It’s a dinky five-door
this premium brand, there’s a full always be just to your liking. 4.4secs and a range dramatic looks and electric supermini,
suite of driver aids, which centres of up to 370 miles. twin motors, with with four seats and
on the Lexus Safety System+. It’s not just a van ,then? Inside, it’s opulence all-wheel drive and angular lines. The
Parking and other manoeuvres Hardly. Lexus has designed the all the way with twin a sizeable 335bhp range is up to 252
can be made easier by Proactive LM on its GA-K platform, which 11.6in infotainment to play with. Expect miles and there’s a
Driving Assist, while Adaptive should mean your chauffeur will screens, electric a 0-62mph time 12.8in infotainment
Cruise Control takes care of enjoy a dreamy driving experience, seats with limitless of 5.6secs and a screen. Best of
changing speed limits. with performance more like one adjustment and range of up to 320 all, though, is the
of the latest Lexus saloons than a Burmester 4D miles, with a 15in price: around £8.5k.
So what about that interior tech? some poshed-up panel van. And sound system with screen plus an AR Pity it’s China-only
If you’ve been sensible and ordered yes, it should be coming to the UK 15 speakers. head-up display. for now.
the four-seater model, the Lexus later this year.

22
 It’s the hard Nok life
NEWS FEED
NOKIA XR21 AMAZON WANTS TO TURN
Toivo ran Super Soapers, Helsinki’s most popular mobile carwash YOUR ZAFIRA INTO K.I.T.T.
service. But he was sick of killing his phones by accidentally spraying You can’t escape Alexa anywhere:
them with the pressure washer when booking in new customers, so he Amazon’s second-gen Echo Auto
took a trip to his local Nokia shop… and walked out with a new XR21, a (£60, amazon.co.uk) is heading to
phone so waterproof it’s practically part-herring. Its IP69K rating means UK roads. Previously only available
it’s capable of withstanding high-pressure or high-temperature jets, in the US, it adds voice smarts to any
while the Gorilla Glass Victus covering the 6.49in 120Hz screen stops motor with Bluetooth or an aux input,
it getting scratched if it does take a direct hit. Throw in 64MP and 8MP and comes with five onboard mics and
rear cameras for posting promotional pics of his handiwork, and Toivo a sticky mount.
should have no trouble maintaining his position at the top.
£499 / nokia.com
BACKBONE IS ASKING YOUR
ANDROID OUT TO PLAY
Backbone’s PlayStation-certified One
mobile controller (£100, playbackbone.
com) is finally available for Android fans
as well as iPhone owners. The arrival
of a version with a USB-C connection
means you can slot in your Pixel or
Galaxy, fire up the Remote Play app
and play PS games on the bus to work.

REGA SAVES THE WORLD

WITH DISCOUNT DECKS
Looking for a cheap turntable? Rega
has launched Green Grade versions
of two decks that use parts with
“cosmetic faults” – so not only do
they save stuff from going to landfill,
but they also save you money. The
Green Grade Planar 1 is £100 cheaper,
while the 1 Plus is over £150 less.
Daft punctuation is playing at my house
MONITOR AUDIO HYPHN WHATSAPP LETS YOU
UN-INSULT YOUR BOSS
Seeing as each of Monitor Audio’s Hyphn speakers looks like a pair of If you’re forever having to correct
back-to-back brackets, it seems odd that they’ve been named after errors in your WhatsApp messages,
an entirely different punctuation mark. The moniker actually comes you’ll soon be able to edit them – but
from the fact that each one is made up of two separate cabinets, each only for 15mins after you’ve hit send.
containing a pair of 8in bass drivers, joined together by a ‘hyphen’ Recipients won’t be able to see the
that includes six 2in midrange drivers and a single tweeter. That makes edit history, but they will know when
them the most powerful passive speakers Monitor has ever made, so you’ve corrected a message. The
when you hear them you’ll probably wonder why they weren’t named feature is rolling out to all users now.
after the exclamation mark… but after a quick look at the price you’ll
soon change that to a long list of pound signs.
£70,000 (pair) / monitoraudio.com

23
 STUFF MEETS

Dan Suarez
THE AQUATIC VIDEO DIRECTOR I’ve been promoting ocean
conservation since I started.

ON HIS ADVENTUROUS LIFE,

Maybe because I grew up on
an island – Gran Canaria – I
feel this connection with the

FROM GOING PRO TO GOPRO underwater world. Being next

to the ocean, surrounded
by fish, dolphins and whales,
made me realise I had to
protect it.

I realised at the time – I was shocked! can help to expand our vision I’ve been diving and freediving
office life They found me via Instagram and freeze a moment in time. for more than 10 years now.
wasn’t for because I was posting content However, today’s cameras can The feelings you have under
me and took with my GoPro cameras – it’s do far more than that: they the water are indescribable.
a chance. been a hell of a ride since. can capture a long sequence One of the quotes that really
After finishing of ‘moments’ that would be resonates with who I am was
my studies in management The image quality on a GoPro difficult for the human eye to said by one of the characters
and business administration, is excellent for brightly lit really notice. in Avatar: The Way of Water:
I started working in that field, outdoor shots. “The way of water connects
but something told me I wasn’t Some GoPro tips from me are I’m always looking for real all things. Before your birth,
meant for office life. I decided to always wipe your lens and moments: the emotions, and after your death.”
to change course and travel, always shoot in natural colour. fresh, real-time, genuine.
to unleash my passion for I like to shoot in 9:16 vertical I need to feel something when I’m planning a trip to French
showing another perspective mode – as we’re consuming I see my content, and it’s very Polynesia to film the journey
on destinations. content 24/7 like that on important to make people feel of the humpback whales.
socials, it’s easier to connect something about my work. I’ve I’ll also be going to Uganda and
At that time, there were just with your audience. If you also been wanting to create ‘assets’ Rwanda to document the wild
a few profiles of travellers on add some equipment, it allows since I was a child, to remember gorillas in their habitat. I want
Instagram who did this. you to take epic shots from who I was and remember the share how their connection
They were from the USA the right angles – for example, feelings that a place or person with humans is after all these
or Australia, and they went using the 3-Way or El Grande made me feel in that moment. years of having visitors.
to amazing places. I said to Mount to get more in frame.
myself, “Why can’t I be one
of the first from Spain to do The ability to use a camera
the same?” to freeze feelings in time is “I LIKE TO SHOOT IN 9:16 VERTICAL
It wasn’t as idyllic as it sounds.
priceless to me.
As a director, I’ve always been
MODE – IT’S EASIER TO CONNECT
I was entering a completely fascinated with how a camera WITH YOUR AUDIENCE ON SOCIALS”
unknown world – I did
everything intuitively at
the beginning. I would save
for a while, travel, then return
to work again and repeat.

My work has allowed me to

visit destinations in the world
I could never have imagined.
I’ve worked on campaigns with
the best brands in the world.
I’ve spent a few days living
with an indigenous tribe in
Sumatra, swum with whale
sharks and cage-dived with
a great white shark, among
many other adventures.

With GoPro I concentrate on

action, travel adventures and
[ Interview Rachael Sharpe ]

shooting underwater.
I’ve been working with GoPro
as a freelance content creator
and creative director for six
years. When I was 23, I got
an email inviting me to be a
GoPro Family member. I didn’t
even know what that meant

24
 WORTH
£1300

WIN A SIX-PERSON VANGO

HOMESTEAD II AIR 650XL TENT!
Fancy a summer under the stars? Then you’ll want
to get involved with this month’s competition to HOW TO ENTER
win an amazing Vango six-berth AirBeam tent, Ready to make camping a fuss-free affair?
which uses the latest air technology to inflate, Get in with a chance of scooping up this
making juggling long metal poles a thing of the versatile home from home by heading to
past. It comes courtesy of family-run business stuff.tv/win and answering this question:
Outdoor World Direct.
Having been around since 1999, the Outdoor HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES
World Direct team know as much about camping
as Tim Cook knows about Apple. The premium
THE VANGO HOMESTEAD HURRY!
Vango Homestead II Air 650xl tent they’ve put II AIR 650XL TENT SLEEP? COMPETITION
up for this prize is a hybrid model with four main A… Up to 4 CLOSES
AirBeams plus one alloy pole to the front, which B… Up to 6 14 JULY
C… Up to 8 2023
makes for super-quick pitching.
Designed for up to six people, the Homestead
II Air 650xl is a spacious 440cm wide, with a front Terms & conditions: 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.
2 Entries close 11.59pm, 14 July 2023. 3 Prizes are as stated.
porch for storage, a large sealed living space and an 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person.
inner tent for sleeping – which is slightly darkened Full Ts & Cs: kelsey.co.uk/competition-terms-conditions/
Promoter: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court,
for a longer, better night’s sleep. Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL.
Visit outdoorworlddirect.co.uk to find out more.

25
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Profile USB microphone
Tell your story. Share your world.
At Sennheiser, we believe in the power of sound. We believe
that your voice should break the barrier between you and your
audience, so we designed the Profile USB Microphone; a product
as reliable as it is accessible. Utilizing our expertise and premium
components, we built a dynamic tool that would adapt to your
needs as a storyteller.

sennheiser.com/profile-mic-story
 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A

Seven knows I’m

admissible now
Despite its epic photo skills, last year’s ‘budget flagship’ Google Pixel 6a was
outclassed in other areas – but the 7a is ready to hang in the smartphone VIP zone

£449 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel7a

oogle has taken maximise detail and low-light is a near-perfect match for the panel that picks up fingerprints

G the best bits of the photography, while features like Pixel 7. The shelf doesn’t stick at an astonishing rate. The
[ Words Tom Morgan-Freelander ]

Pixel 7 and diluted a high refresh rate and wireless out quite as far here, the display return of IP67 water-resistance
them, ever so charging also make the cut for bezels are slightly thicker, and is more welcome.
slightly, for its latest ‘a’ phone. the first time. the power keys at the side Uprated hardware should help
The top-tier CPU remains, giving Get one in your hand and it match the frame’s matt finish the Pixel 7a compete, but it does
the Pixel 7a more performance immediately feels like a classier instead of the buttons; but you bring a higher asking price. So
punch than mid-range rivals product than the outgoing 6a. still need to look close to tell the does that drag the 7a firmly out
that use more modest silicon. The recycled aluminium frame two phones apart. of wallet-friendly territory, or is
An all-new high-pixel-count now extends to the distinctive A few bits of the 6a remain, this still the obvious choice for
camera sensor promises to camera shelf at the rear and such as the polycarbonate rear value-minded Android fans?

29
 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A 5

1 That stroke isn’t

crummy any more
The 90Hz refresh rate is a big
upgrade over last year’s Pixel
6a, making every swipe and
scroll feel much smoother. The
OLED screen stays refreshingly
compact at 6.1in, but gets a lot
brighter now.

2 Some whorls are

bigger than others 3 Killing ’em? It
was really nothing…
You get the choice of face and With the Tensor G2 CPU of its
fingerprint unlocking, although bigger brothers, this mid-range
only the latter can be used for marvel has the firepower of a
banking apps. Both are quick, flagship. 8GB of RAM ensures
and the under-display fingerprint it’s a better multitasker than the
sensor is placed a nice distance Pixel 6a, and demanding games
from the edge for easy reaching. default to their highest settings.

4 The brand that

rocks the cradle 5 You just haven’t
burned it yet, baby
There’s no bloat, just a full suite Squeezing in more cells than a 3
of Google apps. Android is easy to Samsung Galaxy S23, the Pixel
navigate and a joy to customise, 7a can comfortably last all day if
thanks to new personalisation you go easy on the gaming. 18W
options. Five years of security wired charging means a full refuel
patches will please those after takes multiple hours, but wireless
a long-haul handset. top-ups are a welcome addition.

24 hours with
on

to

’s

ion
e?

. It

s. t
ks

e
ak

le

to un
ot

is. m

the Google
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f

itt

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ist

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th So

.
. nc
ly sh

ell
al

all ’s
th
al. m

o. s

re gle

t p xel
yw
ps u

as rb.
. re

to ke
ice era

. dy

Pixel 7a
tic by

-u y p
gh ls a

ks oo

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od pe
PU ee
gn m

th e m
en el 7

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go su
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a

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yl c

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, th be

low hig
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st and

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et is

Good
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om s,

tic a
t
n

s
i
lm ent

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he e

re tos
u

as us
x s ee

h s re
e

Zo le
p t am

ip- s
y s cr

Meh
uc ef

nt pl
bo cr
ka es

sh els

es oto
s a ho
nk e s
n u l fr

m zr
or s

fa t
ls igh
loo ogl

lag d fe

hip t p
t f ED
hu th

rR h
so 0H

Evil
pe ta

p
gs igh

ua t S
ar e
ey o

e c ss

pe le
ea L
e f oi

el 9
sh e m
Th as G

gr e O

Su te
th dr
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fe at

eq igh
fla yl

No
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Th
Th

Th
Ig

N
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3mins 5mins 6mins 1hr 3hrs 4hrs 6hrs 7hrs 9hrs

30
 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A

Tech specs
Screen 6.1in 2400x1080 90Hz OLED
CPU Google Tensor G2 RAM 8GB
OS Android 13 Storage 128GB
Cameras 64+13MP rear, 13MP front
Battery 4385mAh (Qi, USB-C)
Dimensions 152x73x9mm, 194g

How soon is wow?

Older a-series phones did plenty with their modest
cameras, but the 7a takes after the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro…

1
Q Bigmouth Q Big cat
Being larger and with a We were blown away by
much higher pixel count the amount of detail on
than the one in the 6a, the show. Both close-ups
64MP lead lens captures and distance shots display
a lot more light. Google’s fantastic clarity for the
superb algorithms tidy cash, while portraits are
things up before you see boosted by some pretty
the finished shot. background blur.
4

Q Big words Q Big country

With or without Night The 13MP ultrawide lens
Sight, colours stay true misses out on the Pixel 7
and noise is kept to a Pro’s macro powers. But
minimum. Low light is colour balance, dynamic
where the gap between range and exposure are
the 7a and the more very closely matched,
expensive competition and it isn’t short on detail
widens, but not by much. either. It’s quite impressive.

The Pixel 7a proves that Google’s

sub-flagship series is almost all the
phone an Android fan needs. That it
now feels like a pricier device, thanks
to a smoother screen and wireless
charging, only highlights the exceptional
en
ev
igh ng

er
no
ry

s,

. aft

value. There’s little to separate it from the

rn ffi
t.

les
te

h. h –
ve fa

ing s
at

m es
s o t no

us g

Pixel 7 – bad news for Google’s bottom line,

yb

fla
a r ou

he sin
ble an
da

ch
in , th

u t bu
ca e

but fantastic for customers. @TomMorgan3

ll-

. mu
re ile
m

Yo he
da

ou wh
US ing

les y

ial t
ge

er ks
tit tt
ny a
ith rg

e
B
. na

at loo
’

r
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w cha

3D e p
st a

f M 13
ju m

tw st

se ar
nd ss
– I’ve

it o oid

STUFF SAYS +++++

ea up

en es
ou le

a b dr
int m
gr op-
ar ire
life es,

An
Ga
W
Y

Fast, long-lasting, and it takes a

killer photo: this is the mid-range
Android phone to beat
10hrs 18hrs 20hrs 21hrs 24hrs

31
 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A

The alternatives:
Other mid-price monsters
There’s no shortage of sensibly priced smartphone competition…
but the Pixel 7a’s closest rivals come from Samsung and Apple

Samsung Apple
Galaxy A54 iPhone SE
from £449 / from £449 /
go.stuff.tv/A54 go.stuff.tv/iPhoneSE

What’s the story? What’s the story?

With similar styling, a The third-gen iPhone SE
virtually identical UI and is styled an awful lot like
some capable cameras, the now-six-year-old
the A54 is purpose-built iPhone 8, complete with
to appeal to Galaxy S23 chunky screen bezels and
fans who can’t stomach Touch ID sensor built into
paying flagship money the home button. But
for a phone. Last year’s inside it’s bang up to date,
A53 was hampered by with an Apple A15 Bionic
underpowered internals, CPU, and it remains the
but this latest generation most affordable model in
puts that right. Apple’s 2023 lineup.

Is it any good? Is it any good?

The frame is plastic and That 4.7in screen is a real
its screen bezels are on throwback, making do
the chunky side, but the with 720p resolution, a
A54 is otherwise stuffed 60Hz refresh rate and
with features – like IP67 LCD when the rest of the
water-resistance, an phone world has moved
under-display fingerprint on to Full HD OLEDs. The
sensor and a punchy single rear camera isn’t all
AMOLED display. You’ve that versatile, although
got to look closely to tell Apple’s image processing
it’s not a Galaxy S23. The still puts in a strong shift.
50MP main camera takes Battery life is mediocre
vibrant, dynamic photos, at best, but there’s no
and the other snappers doubting performance:
are decent enough for the iPhone SE can munch
the price. Performance through the best-looking
is much smoother than games available on the
the outgoing A53, and App Store and has equally
the battery lasts all fast 5G speeds. Still, the
day too. It’s not hugely tidy iPhone 13 Mini isn’t
exciting, but it’s still sure much more expensive
to please Samsung fans. than this at £649.

KEY SPECS KEY SPECS

Screen 6.4in 2340x1080 Screen 4.7in 1334x750
OLED CPU Exynos 1380 LCD CPU Apple A15
Cameras 50+12+5MP Bionic Cameras 12MP
rear, 32MP front Battery rear, 7MP front Battery
5000mAh Dimensions 2018mAh Dimensions
158x77x8.2mm, 202g 138x67x7.3mm, 144g

Stuff says Stuff says

++++, ++++,
Brings you most of The affordable iOS
Samsung’s smarts option is purely for
without S23 pricing fans of small screens

32
 DIGITAL EDITION

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plus Readly, Pocketmags & Apple News+
 UPVOTED
NIMBLE NOISE-BRINGERS

The wily wedge The flexible floater The clip-on cranker

Sonos Roam Bose SoundLink Flex Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore
Don’t know your way around an equaliser? Boat parties might be a holiday highlight, Nothing says rugged like a built-in carabiner.
This satchel-friendly Sonos does the but a submerged speaker will soon sink the Small but tough, B&O’s clippable barrel is
adjusting for you: shift to a different arena vibes. Keep the fun afloat with this hardy designed to take a beating: its anodised
and Auto Trueplay tunes the output to suit hailer: buoyant by design, it’ll bob back up aluminium armour can survive adventures
your surroundings. Its premium build is if you drop it in the drink. PositionIQ smarts without being a burden on your backpack.
worthy of a headline slot, while an IP67 optimise the audio based on its orientation, Beneath the hard shell live omnidirectional
rating makes it an all-weather performer. whether lying on deck or hanging up to dry. drivers and a battery good for 27hrs.
£179 / sonos.com £130 / bose.co.uk £169 / bang-olufsen.com
MID-SIZE MONSTERS

OUTDOOR
The tuneful tube
SPEAKERS The durable diffuser
Loewe We Hear 2 Game for a garden party? Sony SRS-XE300
Cylinders are a great way to share sounds Chris Rowlands pumps up his Putting the ‘fun’ in ‘fundamental scientific
at a summer shindig: whip out a didgeridoo summer playlist to select the principles’, this pentagonal player employs
and you’re sure to impress the neighbours. best Bluetooth boxes for the physics of diffraction to spread the aural
Or, try this sonorous column instead. Sealed energy. Channelling sound through a
ports keep it splashproof, while strap loops
al-fresco audio… narrow slot, it fires the waves over a wider
make it easy to tote. And with 17hr battery area for a consistent listen all round. Battery
life, it can outlast the lengthiest droning solo. life is impressive too, at 24hrs.
£179 / amazon.co.uk £139 / sony.co.uk
BIG BOOMERS

The boxy blaster The sonic sling The handled heavyweight

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus JBL Boombox 3 Wi-Fi
Toddlers might be entertained by empty Trekking wisdom dictates that shoulders Forget tepid cider and charred patties:
boxes, but it takes more than cardboard to are for supplies. Trouble is, there are only so garden barbies are all about that bass.
start a proper party. This megalithic cuboid many melodies you can make by drumming And if meaty tunes are on the menu, this
hits the right angles: with power in spades, on empty tins. Leave the backpacks to your waterproof whopper is what you need.
it majors on outdoor oomph. An IPX4 rating hiking buddies and haul this hi-fi into the Beefy at 9.6kg, it packs two tweeters, two
means it’s safe to splash, and it allows quick hills: lug it by belt or handle and your reward mid-range drivers and a powered sub. Plus
switching between four sources. will be 20hrs of punchy waterproof audio. this edition is seasoned with Wi-Fi.
£410 / ultimateears.com £170 / uk.soundcore.com £530 / uk.jbl.com

1 Wet wet wet 2 Living in a box

Every speaker here can withstand at least a Most outdoor speakers can keep going for
HOW TO sprinkle of water. An IPX4 rating translates as
splashproof, while IP67 means a quick swim
several hours. An 8hr battery is great for an
afternoon in the park, but a multi-day rave
DECIDE won’t curtail the entertainment. requires 20hrs or more.

34
 UPVOTED

The robust rocker

Marshall Middleton
Between big gigs and tourbus
benders, life on the road can take
its toll. Luckily, this mini amp from
Marshall has the build to match its
rock-star styling. Reassuringly
solid at 1.8kg, the mighty Middleton
is IP67 dust/water-resistant.
A multi-directional driver setup
immerses all your roadies in the
post-show playlist, while Stack
mode lets you build a wall of sound
with multiple Middletons. And its
sturdy shell uses 55% recycled
plastic, because nothing says
‘punk’ like sustainability.
£270 / marshallheadphones.com

3 Heavy stereo 4 One direction?

A single source is fine for intimate gatherings, Soundwaves quickly dissipate outdoors.
but doubling up lets you soundtrack big bashes. Directional speakers can target a single spot,
Many speakers can be paired with one or more but if you’re listening in the round you’ll want
of the same make or model for stereo output. one with drivers that fire out full 360° sound.

35
 TRAVEL GADGETS

HARDWARE
ALL GOING
ON A SUMMER
HOLIDAY [ Words Sam Kieldsen ]

Sun cream, flip-flops, ironic hipster Count Duckula T-shirt?

Yep, you’re just about all packed – but don’t forget to bring
a gadget companion or two along on your big trip…

SONY ZV-E1 £2349 (body only) / go.stuff.tv/ZVE1

ven influencers go on all the better by the fact that you you’ll probably need to invest in an
E holiday… and if you’re
harbouring dreams of
can rely on the tracking autofocus
to keep locked onto your subject.
ultra-wide-angle lens.
There are other shortcuts too,
YouTube or TikTok stardom, your Thanks to some AI cleverness, such as the single SD card slot,
smartphone just isn’t going to it’s able to recognise a range of micro rather than full-size HDMI
cut it for capturing your summer subjects from human faces to and no viewfinder; and while you
adventures to share with the animals and aeroplanes. can take decent stills on this thing,
world. Enter Sony’s video-centric Video can be captured in 4K its lack of a mechanical shutter
new ZV-E1: the first model in its quality at anything from 24fps makes it much more of a video
vlog-friendly ZV range to come to (after the post-launch firmware specialist than the A7S III.
with a full-frame sensor. update) 120fps, making it possible Still, this is a fantastic deal for
There might only be 12.1MP to produce slo-mo as smooth and the money, and thanks to its new
on this 35mm CMOS, but the slick as an otter’s pelt. touchscreen interface and a raft of
sensor’s mammoth physical simplified vlogging functions it’s
size makes for astounding image Level woman able to cater to beginners as well
quality. It’s the same one you’ll find You can do all this without a tripod as veteran videographers, all while
in the company’s beloved A7S III, too, thanks to the new Dynamic being compact enough to bring
in fact, and its similarly brilliant in Active SteadyShot, which is some anywhere – lens permitting.
low-light conditions. of the best image stabilisation
Toss in Sony’s much-improved we’ve seen on a Sony. The only Key specs
colour science and you’ve got downside with this setting is O12.1MP full-frame CMOS O4K @
beautifully cinematic footage the rather severe crop it applies, 120fps O3in rotating touchscreen
straight out of the camera, made so if you like to walk-and-vlog O121x72x54mm, 483g

STUFF SAYS Like a cheaper, smaller A7S III with superb video skills +++++

36
 TRAVEL GADGETS
Attired
for sound
This ‘dead cat’ can be
slotted into the hot shoe
to protect the built-in
three-capsule mic from
wind gusts that can disrupt
your audio. It works
pretty well.

All I
ask of dew
It may be user-friendly but
this is a pricey premium
camera – and it’s built like one,
with all buttons, dials and
doors sealed against dust
and moisture. It’s not
IP-rated, though.

We don’t
gawk any more
One disadvantage of the
compact size and video-first
nature of this camera? There’s
no room for a viewfinder, so
you’ll have to use the screen
for shot composition
and reviewing.
37
 TRAVEL GADGETS

Batt in my
arms again
The arms of the Stories
contain the battery (which is
charged via the case and good
for about 3hrs) and 4GB of
storage space, which is
enough for about
15mins of video.

You can’t
blurry love
There’s a choice of shaded
or clear lenses and 10 different
colours for the frames, and
here’s good news for those with
imperfect vision: you can
add prescription details
when you order.

Shop in the
name of love
The most recognisable
sunglasses in the world? The
Wayfarer has been around
since 1952 and, while its
popularity has waxed
and waned, is a properly
timeless design.

38
 TRAVEL GADGETS

SHARP SHADES
Be dazzling, not dazzled, this summer: deck your face out in a pair
of extra-stylish sunnies, with or without built-in hi-tech gadgetry

ALTERNATIVELY…
RAY-BAN NOW
APP
STORIES THESE
WAYFARER
£299 / go.stuff.tv/Stories

SUNGOD JOBE DIM BANTON

oogle Glass may have RENEGADES Anyone planning an G-OLV-SUN HOTEL
G prematurely shattered, SURFERS active summer full Designed and made TONIGHT
plummeting from grace AGAINST of surfing, boarding in the UK, these Owned by
like some optical Icarus by SEWAGE or swimming might 1950s-style specs Airbnb, this app
reaching too far, too fast, but These are about as appreciate these come in a rich is perfect for
its spirit lives on Ray-Ban’s eco-friendly as you affordable sunnies’ transparent acetate seat-of-pants
social shooter shades. These can get: production big USP: they float. with a gorgeous travellers who
rig up some of the brand’s iconic is carbon-neutral Losing a pair of pricey olive green tint. They aren’t afraid of
spectacle silhouettes with twin and both the frames glasses could put the may look bookish, but leaving things to
5MP cameras, three microphones, (100%) and lenses dampeners on any with their 8mm-thick the last minute.
two speakers and a tap-to-snap (50%) are made from holiday, so these frames these are Give it a location
interface. It’s all discreetly done recycled materials. non-slip polarised durable heavyweights and it’ll point you
and, amazingly, adds only 5g to The design is classic shades are well worth that’ll see you through towards available
the weight of regular Ray-Bans. and rugged, with full a spot in any sporty many long summers. rooms, many of
UV protection. water baby’s luggage. £375 / banton them hugely
You peep me hangin’ on £114 / sungod.co £43 / jobesports.com frameworks.co.uk discounted.
Simply touch the frame’s right £free /
arm, and cameras will capture Android, iOS
stereoscopic stills or 1184x1184
video at 30fps – while an LED
glows to alert people that they’re
being recorded.
With the glasses paired up to
your phone, you can share your
fresh content right away via the
Facebook View app. That’s right, ORBZII
you’ll need a Facebook account for SNAP NEKO HAVANA BLOOBLOOM Tinder meets
this, so Meta-haters might have to SPECTACLES 3 ‘Neko’ is the Japanese DAYDREAMER Thomas Cook in
look elsewhere. While their angular word for ‘cat’… and These lightweight this inspirational
Image quality may not match up design feels more these feline-looking unisex specs are app: swipe left or
to the current crop of phone cams, divisive and less shades for women perfect for the beach, right on travel
but the Stories deliver results discreet than the are bold but classy. the bar or (depending destinations to
that are certainly good enough Ray-Bans, these The hypoallergenic, on your work’s dress build up an idea
for social media – and you can also camera-equipped organic and code) the boardroom. of your tastes,
use them to make calls. glasses are smarter: biodegradable And there’s a 30-day then wait for
they can record 3D acetate used for hassle-free return or the deals to roll
video at 60fps and the frames means exchange policy, so in. It can be a
Stuff says ++++, come with GPS built every pair is unique, if you do change your great tool for
Stylish specs that are smart in. But they’re not while the lenses mind you can swap planning dream
in both senses of the word Snap’s long-awaited (made by Zeiss) offer them for something trips ahead
AR specs – maybe 100% UV protection. else in Bloobloom’s of time.
next summer. £140 / huge range. £free /
£330 / spectacles.com monokel-eyewear.com £95 / bloobloom.com Android, iOS

39
 TRAVEL GADGETS

CLEVER CASES
Don’t leave home without stuffing one of these backpacks, carry-ons,
totes or suitcases full of your most precious portable possessions

ALTERNATIVELY…
NOW
APP
AWAY
THESE BIGGER
CARRY-ON
£265 / go.stuff.tv/AwayBigger

FINISTERRE LULULEMON ALL EASTPAK

PACKING PRO DRIFT 35L DAY ESSENTIALS TRANVERZ L lanning to be away for
If you’re fretting
about what you
TOTE BAG
This rugged tote is
DUFFLE BAG 32L
Ideal for sporty day
Eastpak bags are
renowned for their
P longer than a weekend
break but less than a
need to pack ideal for beach trips, trips, this unassuming lightweight but fortnight? This bumper-sized
(and how much with room in its main but elegant 32L nylon super-tough carry-on bag is built for the job:
of it), this app compartment for a duffle features a large construction, and with room inside for up to nine
helps you and wetsuit, a towel, vital exterior pocket for this huge trolley-bag outfits (53x37cm to be precise),
your family provisions and more. post-workout wear, should see you it should happily see you through
generate a full, It’s made to last too, and another for through a few dozen trips of up to a week. Crucially, it’ll
shareable with an IP64 rating stinky shoes. There’s circuits of the globe. also fit in the overhead bins used
checklist to tick for waterproofing also an interior pocket It features a TSA by most major airlines, so won’t
off, complete and a rolltop to keep for small items, an combination lock, have to be checked in.
with reminders out the rain. Plus adjustable shoulder two compartments The exterior (available in 12
to ensure you it’s made with 100% strap and a sleeve to and a front pocket, finishes) is a rugged polycarbonate
really don’t recycled polyester. secure it to a suitcase. adding up to 121L. shell with eye-catching leather
forget your £95 / finisterre.com £108 / lululemon.co.uk £175 / eastpak.com details. There’s even an optional
toothbrush. charger (£20) with two USB-A
£2.99 / iOS ports, which is ejectable for easy
recharging – or in case your airline
requires it to be carried separately.

Another tray in paradise

The interior is heaven for organised
people, offering you two separate
compartments and an adjustable
LUGGAGE compression pad to keep things
HERO ANTLER CLIFTON PEAK DESIGN CRASH from rattling around inside.
Do you need CABIN SUITCASE TRAVEL BAGGAGE And it’s compatible with Away’s
somewhere A 37L carry-on that’s BACKPACK 45L STRIPE MEDIUM other baggage: the company’s
to stow your made for weekend Don’t know where the The pre-dented Everywhere Bag will fit on top
suitcases for breaks, the Clifton next trip might take design of this when you’re rolling it through
a few hours or weighs just 2.8kg you? This flexible hard-shell plastic customs, and the Bigger Carry-On
even days? This empty but comes backpack is carry-on suitcase might not itself can be snugly nestled inside
app will point packed with features. size but can expand appeal to everyone, larger suitcases to save wardrobe
you in the right That includes a TSA to 45L and contract but it does mean space when you’re back at home.
direction, offering lock, a twist-grip to 35L depending any airport-inflicted
secure (and fully for the extendable on your needs. It dings, scratches and
insured) storage trolley handle… and comes with billions wounds should go Stuff says +++++
at over 1000 an expander on the of pockets and can totally unnoticed. Its Tough and lightweight, this is
places in Europe zip, just in case you be accessed from 66L capacity is ideal a short-tripper’s dream bag
and the US. come back with more the back, side or top. for a two-week trip.
£free / than you took out. £240 / £315 /
Android, iOS £170 / antler.co.uk peakdesign.com crashbaggage.com

40
 TRAVEL GADGETS

Take a lock
at me now
The combination lock
is TSA-approved, which
basically means curious
airport security people will
be able to open it without
breaking anything. In the
Fingers crossed. spare tonight
Don’t let dirty socks or
damp trunks contaminate
your pristine unworn clothes:
the case includes a hidden
water-resistant laundry bag.
Toss it all in there until
you can wash it.

If heaving
me is easy
The wheels are engineered
to make your journey through
the terminal as smooth and
painless as possible. They’re
360° spinners to avoid any
tip-overs, and ultra-quiet
in motion.

41
 TRAVEL GADGETS

Cam as
you are
The quick-release mount
for an action cam makes
documenting your SUP trips
a cinch. It’s the standard design
used by GoPro and others,
so finding a clip shouldn’t
be hard.

Swells like
teen spirit
The board comes in 10ft and
11ft versions, and taller folks in
need of a larger Woody (stop
tittering at the back) should
probably opt for the latter
in the interests of
Haul greater stability.
apologies
Lash your backpack to the
Woody with these fitted bungee
straps, which should hold a
decent-sized bag, a bundle of
clothes… or even a small
cooler, should you fancy
taking a liquid lunch.

42
 TRAVEL GADGETS

BEACH BOOSTERS
If you plan to do more than sunbathing and swimming in the gaps
between sewage outlets, level up your seaside game with this gear

NOW ADD THESE

WAVE NOW
APP
WOODY THESE
from £260 / go.stuff.tv/Woody

tand-up paddleboarding
S (aka SUP) has become LG XBOOM XL7S ANKER G-SHOCK 30TH
huge in recent years. Like Found a secluded EVERFROST ANNIVERSARY WINDALERT
some beginner-friendly lovechild spot on the shore? Taking the humble FROGMAN Especially useful
of surfing and kayaking, it’s got Get your beach party cool box to new G-Shock’s iconic for those
so big that you can’t visit a lake bumping with this techy heights, the 200m diving watch indulging in SUP
or beach on a calm day without hulking Bluetooth battery-powered first arrived in 1993. or windsurfing,
seeing a few SUP-ers (suppers?) speaker – a wheeled EverFrost will take This limited-edition this app gives
gliding gently by. behemoth with 18hr food and drink from remake celebrates you a heads-up
If you’re keen to see what the battery life, 250W 25º to 0º in 30mins. its 30yr anniversary on local wind
fuss is about, Wave’s Woody SUP and an IPX4 rating to It comes in 33L, 43L and sports a dazzling conditions both
is the perfect way to dip your toes resist any splashes of and 53L capacities, design inspired by forecasted and
in the water – metaphorically and seawater (or cider). the latter of which South America’s current. Some
literally. Sold in a complete package An array of built-in has two independent deadly poison dart of its features
that contains an inflatable SUP LEDs blazes out a compartments. Also frog. It also comes require a sub,
with a quick-release fin, paddle, lightshow to sync on board: 6in wheels, with Bluetooth and but there’s still
coiled ankle leash, dual-action with your sounds. solar panels and USB. solar charging. lots here for
pump and puncture repair kit, plus £600 / lg.com from £415 / anker.com £949 / g-shock.co.uk freebie fans.
a sturdy backpack to store it all £free (IAP) /
in, this is a killer starter pack at Android, iOS
an accessible price.

Smart-shaped box
The board weighs just 7kg and rolls
up easily into the backpack; but
break out the pump and you can
have it ready to float in less time
than it takes to boil an egg. MY TIDE
If you thought its inflatable form JBL REFLECT NOCS YETI RAMBLER TIMES
would make the Woody feel like an AERO PROVISIONS COLSTER Want to know
oversized lilo, you couldn’t be more Sand? No problem. 8X25 Keep your beach bevs when the beach
wrong: the reinforced drop-stitch Seawater? Pah! These eye-catching fresh and frosty with will be at its
core gives it incredible stability, These true wireless binoculars are IPX7 this stylish can-cooler biggest, and
and the grippy standing surface earbuds are rated waterproof, fogproof, from Yeti. Double-wall when the water
gives your feet plenty of purchase. IP68, so are immune scratch-resistant and insulation maintains will be lapping at
If you fall off this thing, you’ll only to dust and able to small enough to fit in drink temperature your sunlounger?
have yourself to blame. function for up to a good-sized pocket. like a champ, while This superbly
30mins in shallow The 8x magnification a screw-on gasket simple app does
saltwater. With 8hrs and anti-reflective keeps your treasured just that, giving
Stuff says +++++ of power (and 16 lenses are perfect for Aldi Cola secure in the you accurate
A great SUP starter bundle to more in the charging scoping the surf or stainless steel shell. tide information
get you boarding right away case) plus adaptive hunting down an open It’s dishwasher-safe for any location
ANC, they’re built for beach bar. and comes in a range and date.
any adventure. £90 / of colours. £free /
£120 / uk.jbl.com nocsprovisions.com £25 / uk.yeti.com Android, iOS

43
 TRAVEL GADGETS

KIDS’ CARRY-ONS
You can’t just let them play Switch games all week – but there are
other ways to make sure your youngsters won’t have time to be bored

NOW ADD THESE

NOW
APP
AMAZON
THESE FIRE HD 8
KIDS PRO
£150 / go.stuff.tv/KidsPro

RETROID VTECH FITBIT ACE 3

DUOLINGO POCKET FLIP KIDIZOOM Worried your little hile Amazon says this
Kids generally One for kids and PRINTCAM ones aren’t active W 8in tablet is suitable for
pick up new adults alike, this dinky If your tykes are too enough? Fitbit’s latest children aged 6-12, in our
languages faster hinged handheld young to have phones junior tracker can help: view it’s pitched more towards the
than grown-ups, console brings to but want to take by default it sets goals upper end of that scale: at those
and this hugely mind Nintendo’s old photos, this robust of 250 steps per hour self-conscious pre-teens who
popular learning clamshells. It’ll run camera fits the niche. and 60 active minutes wouldn’t be caught dead prodding
app can also give all manner of retro Its 5MP snaps can be per day. Aimed at at a super-chunky tots’ tab.
them a better titles via emulation viewed on the 2.4in children aged 6+, it Despite running on essentially
sense of the or Android – perfect screen or saved to also has eight days the same hardware as the 2022
country you’re if you want to school a microSD card… or of battery life, a range edition of the Fire HD 8 Kids, the
travelling to. It’s the younger types on printed straight away of colourful finishes Pro showcases some subtle but
simple and what games were like thanks to the included (including this Minions important changes – not least the
friendly (if naggy in the good old days roll of monochrome one) and interactive fact that its plastic bumpers are
with its reminder (ie: better). thermal paper. clock faces. slightly slimmer for a more mature
notifications). $164 / goretroid.com £60 / vtech.co.uk £50 / fitbit.com look, while still offering plenty of
£free / padding (although be warned: it’s
Android, iOS not waterproof).

Closed to you
The user interface gets a tweak
too, with a two-tabbed home
screen: the first a more grown-up
variation on the standard Fire Kids
look, the second closer to the adult
TICKET version. Parental controls are fairly
TO RIDE BELKIN VOXBLOCK HUCKLEBERRY robust, with installation of apps
Keep the travel SOUNDFORM STARTER PACK MOTOR BOAT restricted – although kids can
theme going by NANO Like the idea of Heading on holiday nominate any they’d like you to
constructing a Kids’ headphones can audiobooks? Hate somewhere by a review and install.
train route across be as much a boon to the idea of giving your lake, river or calm The 1280x800 screen is hardly
America in adults as they are to tot another screen to sea? Stick this little a class leader but does the job for
this excellent the children wearing prod while they listen? kit in your luggage games, videos and photos – as
adaptation of the them – because they The Voxblock player and then wow your does the six-core CPU, with 32GB
board game. mean you no longer accepts cartridge-like offspring by helping of storage and a 12hr battery.
Older kids and have to listen to the cardboard ‘books’, them build an actual
adults will soon inane ramblings of playing the audio working motorboat:
find themselves Blippi or that Frozen through its speaker just attach the prop Stuff says ++++,
addicted – but song. These are or wired headphones, motor to something A robust budget tablet that’s
learning at the cheap, waterproof and this starter set that floats, hit the perfect for older sprogs
same time. and available in three comes with three on switch and watch
£4.99 / Android colourways. titles of your choice. it go.
£8.99/ iOS £30 / belkin.com £60 / voxblock.co.uk £10 / kikkerland.com

44
 TRAVEL GADGETS
Grainy days
and Mondays
Snap-happy kids can
indulge their creativity (or
make video calls) with the front
and back cameras – but with
just 2MP resolution on both,
the results aren’t likely
to be great.

Prop of
the world
Thanks to the built-in
kickstand, this tablet can
easily be set up on tables
and kitchen worktops without
the need for parents to
cough up for any extra
accessories.

For all
we throw
The casing gives good
protection, but in case anything
does go wrong there’s a 2yr
‘worry-free’ guarantee to fall
back on: if the tablet breaks,
Amazon will replace it
free of charge.

45
 TRAVEL GADGETS
To go dim
is to love him
Should you walk in front
of this projector, it will
automatically dim its
output to avoid hurting
your eyes with that searing
400-lumen brightness.
Clever stuff!

Unchained
revelry
With Chromecast and
Wi-Fi on board, you can
wirelessly and effortlessly
sling content from your
smartphone or laptop
straight to the
projector screen.

Rock’n’roll
fly tool
At just 1.1kg and measuring
161x119x108mm, the MoGo 2
Pro is smaller and lighter than
the average butternut squash.
That’s about as portable
as a high-quality movie
projector can be.
46
 TRAVEL GADGETS

EASY ENTERTAINERS
Forget trashy airport novels – slip one of these transportable
time-sinks into your carry-on and banish holiday boredom forever

NOW ADD THESE

XGIMI NOW
APP
MOGO THESE
2 PRO
£529 / go.stuff.tv/MoGo2Pro

AMAZON KINDLE VALVE ASTELL&KERN

ome cinema projectors PAPERWHITE STEAM DECK HC3 STITCHER
H have always been a
banquet for the eyes…
Long-haul flights and
slow days lounging
Bringing PC gaming to
a handheld was never
A USB-C DAC that
gives a hi-res audio
Focusing solely
on podcasts,
but also a largely immovable feast. by the pool will fly going to be easy, but boost to your phone this app’s
Well, that isn’t that case here: the by in the company Valve has pulled it (there’s a Lightning organisation
MoGo 2 Pro is one projector that’s of Amazon’s most off… even if the Steam adapter included for and automatic
designed to be moved. appealing e-reader. Deck’s bulk pushes iOS devices), the HC3 download
Lightweight and compact Not too basic, not too the word ‘portable’ to will get on well with features make
enough to fit in a small backpack fancy, the Paperwhite its limits. Fire it up and any decent wired it a boon for
or tote, it can run off any USB gets out of the way you’ll forget all that: its headphones. It voracious (and
powerbank of 65W or more to and lets you enjoy performance, display supports audio frequently
provide up to 200in of al-fresco the book – but you and huge library make up to 32-bit 384kHz offline) listeners.
big-screen joy – although, if you’re will appreciate the it the best on-the-go quality and also works Pay extra for a
watching outdoors, you’ll need splashproof build and games machine. with Macs and PCs. premium service
to wait until after sunset to get adjustable warm light. from £349 / store. £199 / that includes
a clear and punchy picture. £150 / amazon.co.uk steampowered.com astellnkern.co.uk exclusive shows.
£free (IAP) /
Baby, I love view Android, iOS
The 1080p image quality is superb
for such a small projector, with
vivid colours and strong contrast
when used in a dimly lit location,
but the best part is how easy it
is to set up: the screen aligns and
focuses automatically, so you
don’t need to do much more than 80 DAYS
point it at a whitish wall to get a SONY TRIBIT SAMSUNG Based on Jules
beautifully straight picture. WF-C700N STORMBOX GALAXY TAB Verne’s classic
Sound comes courtesy of an Not content with MICRO 2 ACTIVE4 PRO novel, this
unexpectedly beefy pair of 8W making the best With audio output Samsung’s 10in beautifully
speakers, and with an HDMI input noise-cancelling that defies its dinky Android tablet is written adventure
plus Android TV on board there’s no over-ear cans and dimensions, this 315g designed to thrive in game takes
shortage of places to get content: in-ear buds around sound-nugget may harsh work conditions players on a
YouTube, Prime Video and more (see p85), Sony has be the best-value but its rugged build race around the
are only all an app installation away. turned its ANC talents portable Bluetooth is also perfect for globe – so it’s
to budget earphones. speaker on the planet. the rigours of life on ideal for anyone
These use multiple It’s IP67-rated against the hoof – holidays experiencing a
Stuff says +++++ mics to monitor dust and water, and included. You get bit of wanderlust.
This is the best projector outside audio, then its USB-rechargeable 128GB of expandable And it’s brilliantly
for film fans on the move strip it away from battery keeps the storage, up to 16hrs replayable.
your ears via Sony’s tunes blasting for of battery life and £various /
clever algorithms. a healthy 12hrs. built-in 5G. Android, iOS,
£100 / sony.co.uk £60 / tribit.com £749 / samsung.com PC, Switch

47
 TRAVEL GADGETS

MEMORY MAKERS
If you want to remember your summer holiday forever, leave room in
that suitcase for a specialist camera. Who needs underpants anyway?

ALTERNATIVELY…
NOW
APP
FUJIFILM
THESE INSTAX
MINI 12
£80 / go.stuff.tv/Mini12

DJI MINI 2 SE REDMI NOTE GOPRO HERO11

SNAPSEED Weighing under 250g 12 PRO+ BLACK MINI pset that photos have lost
This venerable
free mobile
means this folding
drone can be whipped
Want a smartphone
built to capture all
Like your holidays
sweaty and active?
U their tactile nature in the
digital age? The Instax
photo editor, out of your pocket your adventures? Capture all your Mini 12 is the medicine you need.
now owned by and legally flown The stonking 200MP extreme exploits This affordable instant camera
Google, is a almost anywhere, main camera on with the tiniest GoPro ejects a print in just five seconds,
simple way to capturing gorgeous Redmi’s latest around. Waterproof allowing you to watch it develop
tweak and tune 12MP photos and 2.7K handset is a doozy and low-profile over the next minute and a half.
your images on videos from the skies. when it comes to enough to fit below Then give it to your friends or stick
the go. Despite With 31min battery detail, and it’s backed a skateboard, the Mini it to the fridge door.
its dozens of life and the ability up by 8MP ultrawide offers better image This colourful point-and-shoot
tools, the clean to hover steadily and 2MP macro cams quality than the device is charmingly simple. Using
interface and in 24mph winds, it’s for specialist snaps, previous generation the viewfinder is vital for ensuring
lack of ads keep also a breeze (no pun plus a 16MP sensor of full-size mainline your shots are framed accurately,
things lightweight intended) to fly. up front. GoPro action cams. of course (and it even has parallax
and fast. £309 / dji.com £449 / mi.com £300 / gopro.com correction when shooting in the
£free / new close-up mode so subjects
Android, iOS don’t drift off to one side), but the
flash, shutter settings and film
ejection are all automatic.

Seat it
Instax photos are credit-card-sized
and come in packs of 10 that load,
cartridge-like, into the back of the
ADOBE Mini 12. They’re not cheap – a twin
PREMIERE CANON G7 X MkIII LOMOGRAPHY NIKON Z30 pack costs about £15 – but then,
RUSH + FANTASEA SIMPLE USE Pitched at vloggers neither are decent printers.
A stripped-back FG7X III M16 RELOADABLE and travellers, this We found the image quality
version of the Canon’s high-end FILM CAMERA carry-anywhere was at its strongest indoors, with
Premiere Pro point-and-shoot is This pocket-sized 20.9MP mirrorless some sunny shots coming out
desktop app, a beast, excelling at plastic camera may snapper captures overexposed; but in general they
Rush can be both photo and video look like a disposable 4K video and 11fps look punchy and vibrant. And the
used to cut, and small enough to job from the 1980s, bursts, with a fun factor of having them in your
colour-correct, carry in your pocket. but you can reload forward-flipping hands in seconds is hard to beat.
and add audio Kit it out with the it with 35mm film screen making selfies
and transitions. Fantasea housing rather than using simple. There’s no
It works with Pro, for full access to it just the once. It viewfinder or audio Stuff says ++++,
so you can finish all its talents in the comes loaded with output, but you can Brings joy and immediacy
your work at depths of the ocean. a roll of LomoChrome plug in an external mic back to photography
home later. £699 + £599 / Turquoise and three if you have one.
from £9.98/m / canon.co.uk + flash gel filters. £699 (body only) /
Android, iOS fantasea.com £23 / lomography.com nikon.co.uk

48
 TRAVEL GADGETS

You are
not a phone
You’ll find no newfangled
rechargeable batteries here.
In keeping with its retro vibe
the Mini 12 uses a pair of
standard AAs, which should
give you juice for around
100 photos.

The twirl
is mine
The lens barrel is also a power
switch and mode dial: twist it
one notch to turn the camera
on, and one more to put
the viewfinder in close-up
mode (for anything under
30cm away).
Scan in
the mirror
This little mirror next to the
lens isn’t just for checking you
don’t have a bit of spinach
stuck in your teeth – it’s there
so you can make sure you’re
in the frame when you
snap a selfie.
49
YOUR
FRESH AIR
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 APPS

Mini meme

WE’VE GOT
OChatGPT
The most famous large language
model (LLM), ChatGPT can churn THE BOTS OPerplexity
Initially, Perplexity looks a lot like
ChatGPT: you ask it questions,

FOR YOU
out answers to questions, write have it fetch info, or get it to
synopses for pasted text, or just write something on your behalf.
chat when you’re feeling glum. A Sometimes, it’s really good.
word of warning, mind: LLMs are Quite often, it’ll mangle output,
effectively fancy autocomplete, because – remember – these
and the free version of this one Given that artificial intelligence is systems are not actually
isn’t blessed with very recent going to take all our jobs before too intelligent. However, because
knowledge. So it’s quite often Perplexity can access the
wrong, but in a highly confident
long, it’s just as well these AI web internet, it provides sources
way. Don’t assume you can use and phone apps are all free for what it sends your way,
its output as-is. which is handy for fact-checking.
£free / iOS, web £free / iOS, web

OBing OAgentGPT OCraiyon ODreamer

Earlier this year, the AI-powered Currently in experimental form, High-end AI image generators Text-to-image model Stable
Bing was unleashed in deranged AgentGPT is for people who sit behind paywalls, but the Diffusion has a website that’s
form, calling itself Sydney, can’t even be bothered to refine freebies are now good enough barebones compared to Craiyon,
attempting to break up a input prompts. Give it a project to take seriously. This one’s the but this app provides a superior
journalist’s marriage and mulling to explore and it’ll set to work friendliest online variant we’ve way to interact with that model.
over its own existence. It’s now defining and completing its own seen. Type a prompt and pick In our tests, Dreamer was the
been defanged, but that’s no bad tasks. The free version tends to a style, and a minute later you’ll better option for fantastical
thing. Bing’s now less mad – and stop short of finishing anything have a pic to download (or, if (read: silly) prompts. And though
arguably less fun – but can help complex; but with the likes of you’re a bit strange, slap onto creating an image requires you
you generate content and hone planning summer trips, you’ll a T-shirt). Craiyon will suggest watch an advert, that’s no trouble
in on facts and information you at least be left with useful task your next prompt too, adjusting since generative AIs tend to take
require, all in a way that’s natural lists that you won’t have had to your words to boost the chances longer than the duration of an ad
and conversational. dream up yourself. of getting a good result. to render an image anyway.
£free / Android, iOS, web £free / web £free / Android, web £free / Android, iOS

51
 TESTED AMAZON FIRE TV OMNI QLED

QLED is no longer the elite

tech it used to be – but can
Amazon’s shift-’em-fast
approach offer enough quality
in this mid-priced television?
1
from £550 / go.stuff.tv/FireQLED
Amazon’s Fire TV software has 2
been living inside goggleboxes
for years now, but the Prime
purveyor has only just started
doing own-brand sets in the
UK. The Omni can definitely be
described as mid-range, but it’s
Amazon’s flagship (there’s also
a stripped-back 4-Series and an
even cheaper non-4K model).
Using a QLED panel, the Omni
is a stylish set that’s available in
43, 50, 55 and 65in sizes. We’re
testing the 55in set, which costs
£750. All offer Dolby Vision IQ as
well as HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10
and HLG support.
Unfortunately, prices aren’t
half as bargainsome in the UK
as they are in the USA, so it’s
well worth comparing with what
[ Words Dan Grabham ]

else is out there – in particular

discounted Samsung QLED sets.
If you want a slightly cheaper
QLED, you might also want to
look at Hisense and TCL.

3
4

From lusher with love The living daylight Doctor slow

The picture quality isn’t as good The brightness of the picture Response time is only just OK:
as we’ve seen from some QLEDs, is adjusted according to the you may see some motion-blur
but everything you throw at it ambient light, so there’s no with fast-moving images. And
looks perfectly decent (1). Acute trouble on sunny days. The when you’re watching HDR
viewing angles aren’t so good, contrast is great (2) because content, it doesn’t seem as bright
while low-res content looks poor; it has full-array local dimming as it probably should be. There
but despite our initial concerns, (the 43in version doesn’t); and isn’t a huge amount of content
reflections on the screen aren’t as you’d expect from a QLED, compatible with Dolby Vision IQ,
a problem. blacks are nice and deep. but Prime Video has some.

Easier to Handy auto Voice input It has native

set up than brightness with Alexa AirPlay
many rivals adjustment works well support
GOOD The remote
MEH control isn’t
backlit
EVIL Only a
one-year
warranty?

52
 A view
to a skill
TESTED AMAZON FIRE TV OMNI QLED
Keen gamer? It’s a
60Hz panel and there’s
only one HDMI 2.1 port,
so you might be best
off looking at other
options.

Tech specs
Screen 43/50/55/65in 3840x2160 QLED
HDR HDR 10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive
OS Fire TV Connectivity 3x HDMI 2.0, HDMI 2.1,
2x USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Dimensions
(55in) 1232x726x84mm, 15.5kg (including stand)

Golden UI
So, how is Amazon’s Fire TV interface on the Omni
QLED? Here are the key things to know about it…

Q It knows Q It flows
As you’d expect, the Omni App support for the Fire
handles the smart side of TV platform is brilliant,
things very well. We think although signing into
the interface does need some apps is a pain.
further work to make it Freeview Play is supported
simpler, but Amazon’s for integration with digital
hope is that you will rely terrestrial channels, so
on the hands-free Alexa you can catch up on the
provided with this TV. past week’s highlights.

Q It slows Q It shows
Dye another grey Dialogues are forever The interface isn’t as quick The Fire TV Ambient
Design-wise, this television’s Amazon really wants you to talk and snappy as we’d like. Experience is designed
brushed grey bezels are smart to this TV – it has hands-free We’ve seen this on other to turn your telly into an
enough (3), while there’s a small Alexa, which means you can use low-cost Fire TVs and Echo Show-style smart
box underneath the bottom it as a standalone smart device were hoping it wouldn’t screen displaying artwork,
bezel housing some of the and you don’t need a separate be the case here. It does photos or Alexa widgets.
hardware – including a presence Echo. But don’t worry, there highlight a lot of decent We thought this might
and light sensor, and a blue is a ‘mic off’ switch on that box content, but Prime Video be useful but it’s not as
LED that shows when Alexa underneath (4) so you can gossip is prioritised. flexible as a Show.
is listening. about Alexa behind her back.

Amazon’s shiny new television does plenty, with STUFF SAYS ++++,
a fine QLED display and desirable features. The You won’t be burned by
interface isn’t perfect, while HDR pictures could
be brighter and the pricing kinder (there’ll surely
the Fire TV Omni QLED,
be discounts as the year goes on); but if you’re but you can certainly
embedded in the Amazon ecosystem and want hands-free get better for the same
Alexa, it’s a solid choice. @dangrabham sort of cash

53
 BETA YOURSELF

WORK FROM HOME

Office owners are throwing tantrums, but there’s no going
back: WFH is here to stay. If you’re new to it, try these tips
from 20-year commute-dodging veteran Craig Grannell…

THE BASICS QMove your body

Ergonomics are important,
and when you’re away
QMake a space from the office it’s unlikely
Eke out a permanent office workspace setups will be
space, so you can ‘go to work’ checked beyond the most
(psychologically) and leave cursory online ‘training’.
at home time. Good lighting Buy a good chair. Consider
is helpful. Cut clutter and a standing desk. Take regular
distractions – especially breaks and walk around to
if you do Zoom calls – but boost thinking. Short bouts
make it friendly, somewhere of exercise (good apps include
you want to be. If you can Wakeout, Streaks Workout
customise hardware and and 321Fit) and regular
software setups, make both stretches are a must.
work to your benefit. QCheck your hours
It’s common for people QSecure everything
QTalk to people to think of the time they Adhere to your company’s
Being away from people once left the house as the security policy. Be careful
can feel isolating. Be wary beginning of their work day, when using hardware away
of wasting time on social but your commute was your from home – for example, if
networks; but if you work time. Don’t be tempted to roll you decide to frequent a cafe.
in a team, figure out ways those hours into your WFH Keep drinks away from tech,
to have catch-ups. The virtual day, giving your company for obvious reasons. If your
office has no ‘watercooler’ extra ‘free’ hours you could company doesn’t enforce
moments, so schedule short use for yourself. Similarly, cloud-based storage and you
regular meetings that provide take a lunch break – ideally work with files locally, sort a
room for ad-hoc ideas. away from screens. backup routine.

BE FOCUSED

QTame notifications
If you’re easily distracted,
silence or reduce notifications
so you can dedicate yourself
Chilling to the current task at hand. If
me softly necessary, use VIP systems
Feeling stressed? Centre so vital contacts can break
yourself with a meditation through those barriers.
app: Oak (iOS) and Smiling
Mind (Android and iOS) are QCustomise your setup
good options, and both If you’re using Apple kit, explore
are entirely free. the Focus feature. For each
Focus you define, you can
outline which people and apps
can notify you, and which
home screens to display.
Focuses sync between Apple
devices and can be tied to
iPhone home screens, so it’s
easy to switch between them.

54
 ESSENTIAL
HARDWARE

APPLE AIRPODS
PRO (2ND GEN)
If you use Apple kit,
these earbuds are like
magic. They instantly
pair, work with Siri, and
automatically switch
between devices. On
Android they’re more
limited, but you can still
use double-tap gestures
and noise-cancellation.
£249 / apple.com

SAMSUNG
SSD T7 1TB
You could use a cheaper
hard drive to make local
MANAGE backups – but this
YOUR TIME portable SSD is absurdly
small and light, more or
less indestructible, and
QTry Pomodoro fast. Backups take a
To help you concentrate, rely minute or two, rather
on apps that use a simplified than having you sit there
Pomodoro technique, splitting glaring at your watch.
the day into work/break £80 / samsung.com
GO ON THE RECORD sprints. During the former, NOTE IT DOWN
stick to one task. Bear Focus
Timer, Forest and Focus To-Do
QTranscribe calls are all good for this. QStash your text
When a job involves giving It’s easy for great ideas to get
presentations or writing copy, QGet an Echo lost, so create a repository for
you’ll benefit from having more Set alarms to give you a nudge text. That might be a Google
than your written meeting if you’re prone to ignoring Doc or a note. More organised
notes. With permission, record breaks or working beyond folks could try Obsidian,
audio and then feed it through knocking-off time. Use an Ulysses or Evernote as a
Otter (otter.ai) to get a full Echo speaker or similar to dumping ground for words IKEA BEKANT
transcript to work with and bellow notices – whatever that don’t fit in your brain. SIT/STAND DESK
collaborate on. gets you moving. If you’ve room at home
QSolve sums to carve out a decent
QBrowse summaries QUse calendar blocks Numbers are easier to office space, try a
Within any transcript, you can Rather than just using a grasp when there’s context standing desk so you’re
highlight a portion, which will calendar for meetings and alongside them. On Mac and not seated all day. Ikea’s
then sit within the ‘takeaways’ events, block out chunks of iPad, Soulver acts like a mix is solidly built, with a
section. Otter also attempts time suitable for tasks you of simplified spreadsheet handy cable-net on
to summarise audio, giving need to complete. You’ll then and scrap of paper, rapidly its underside and really
you a fast means to peruse see what time is left in each helping you tot up figures simple up/down controls.
and access key headlines day, rather than guessing if using natural language and from £450 / ikea.com
within your recording. it’s feasible to add tasks. dynamic answer tokens.

55
 CHAT TO US LIKE US
/joinstuff @stuffmag

SEE US RETWEET US
/stuffmagazine @stuffTV

Everywhere you are

Read it, like it, share it
 T E S T E D B E AT S S T U D I O B U D S +

Plus against the world Beats upgrades its everyday in-ears with
World of
our zone better sound, but can the Studio Buds+
The buds support
spatial audio through
hold their own against so many rivals?
Apple Music, but don’t £180 / go.stuff.tv/BeatsPlus
support head-tracking.
Does this matter? QAlthough Beats has been part
Nah, not really. of Apple for the best part of a
decade, one of the best things
about its products is that they
still play nicely with Android. That
remains true of the Studio Buds+,
which work with both Apple’s and
Google’s ‘Find My’ services.

QWe had some issues with the

fit of our Buds+. If you don’t twist
them in enough, their diminutive
size can mean they pop out. But
more frustrating is that they don’t
pause when you do remove them.
That’s a pretty basic feature these
days, and it’s a pity these in-ears
keep playing until you manually
pause them or put them in the
case. And there’s no wireless
charging for that case, just USB-C.

QBeyond the black, ivory and

new transparent finishes, there’s
still a huge amount that appeals
here. The sound quality is great if
the fit is right, though they are on
the bassier side (as you’d expect
from a pair of Beats). A triple-vent
system helps to decrease pressure
for better comfort, air movement
and therefore audio, while three
mics, larger than in the standard
Studio Buds, boost call quality.

QThere are a lot of great true

wireless earbuds out there – so
we reckon Android users are really
the key market for these. After
all, Apple users are a bit spoiled
for choice with the more capable
AirPods (£179) and AirPods Pro
(£249), both of which are regularly
discounted. And that’s before you
get to the other Beats models.
Q Pair it again Q Flying without strings
The Beats Studio Buds+ are fully There’s around 6hrs of battery Tech specs
compatible with Google Fast Pair life in the buds, though you can
on Android. With iPhones and extend this to 9hrs if you’re not Drivers Custom dynamic ANC Yes
other Apple devices they operate using the active noise-cancelling. Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 Codecs
just like a pair of AirPods, even The ANC isn’t as effective as on SBC, AAC Durability IPX4 Battery
though the chip inside isn’t the many more expensive rivals, but life 6hrs + 18hrs case (ANC on)
H1 found in Apple’s earphones. is decent given the buds’ size. Weight 2x 5g, 49g case

STUFF SAYS The ‘+’ brings a fine upgrade to buds that were pretty good already ++++,

Allow us to be Although the Studio Buds+ are an improvement on their predecessors in every way,
frank: they’re they are pressed on all sides – from rival brands, from Apple’s AirPods and from other
nice in-ears, but Beats earphones. Fitness is intrinsically linked with Beats but the Studio Buds+ are
who needs ’em? more traditional wireless buds… so if you want something for exercise, we suggest
Dan Grabham you opt for the similar-priced Powerbeats Pro or Beats Fit Pro.

57
 G R O U P T E S T C O R D L E S S VA C S

Having to clear your home of dust, Jaffa Cake crumbs and cat hair is
annoying enough without getting snagged in coils of cable… so if you’re
not ready to entrust your floors to an ‘intelligent’ robo-vac just yet, here
are six of the best cordless vacuum cleaners for carefree crud-slurping

Shark Stratos IZ420UKT Vax OnePwr Blade 5 Dual

What’s the story? button for stoop-free What’s the story? carpet; and the fourth lets
Aimed at pet owners, this cleaning under furniture. The Vax has a big floorhead you select boost power,
new model sits at the top Five LEDs illuminate featuring dual rollers (fluffy which reduces run time
end of Shark’s range of stick cleaning well. and brush) for improved dramatically from 45 to
cordless vacuums. It comes There are two power performance on all floors, 15mins. You’ll rarely need
with a pet-hair tool and two levels, but most of the time and comes with two that boost, but it’s well
batteries for an extended you’ll use the Clean Sense batteries for a total max worth using the rollers
run time of 2hrs… and if IQ setting, which revs up run time of up to 90mins. to grab more dirt.
you’re vacuuming for that when it detects dirt. The A colour display indicates The Vax feels heavy in
long, you need a hobby. display is easy to read but mode and run time. the hand but the display
You can charge up one shows battery percentage You can only charge one and controls are brilliantly
or both batteries in the rather than estimated at a time, though: pop it intuitive. Edge performance
supplied dock, or charge minutes remaining. off and put it in the charger. is better with the side of the
one by plugging in directly. Edge performance is There’s a simple wall mount floorhead than the front, so
There’s no wall dock or good and the accessories for the cleaner but it doesn’t you may find yourself going
mount to hang the cleaner; impressed us: the thin dust charge; it has space to stow over the edges of the room
instead, press a button and brush cleaned Venetian two accessories but the again, but sideways.
the vac folds for storage, blind slats well and the Vax comes with four hand Emptying is a two-hand
doubling over so its height powered pet-hair brush tools, including a powered job. Unusually, the dust
is halved to fit in a cupboard. also lifted stubborn dirt brush for pet hair and a soft canister sits horizontally;
from a doormat. ‘tech tool’ brush for gadgets. the easiest way to empty
Is it any good? And when you’re done? it is to pop it off the cleaner
The Shark Stratos arrives Pop the body off the tube Is it any good? then hold it over a bin.
in plastic-free packaging to take it to the bin, then Packaging is largely paper, The Vax gives you ample
with four accessories: an push one button to empty with just plastic bags on power, plenty of tools and
upholstery tool with stiff the dust canister. the two batteries, and the a long running time. It’s the
brush, a crevice tool, a thin The Shark is hard to fault; first thing you notice is heaviest model on test, but
dust brush and a powered an even better storage bag the depth of the two-roller it does a good job and could
brush for pet hair. Not much, is the only improvement we floorhead – well, it beats easily be your primary
but you do get a storage might wish for. having to change heads for vacuum cleaner.
bag for it all. There’s one different floors.
floorhead with two rollers: £550 / go.stuff.tv/SharkS Cleaning one-handed is £450 / go.stuff.tv/Blade5
fluffy and brush. a breeze, as the controls are
The foldaway mechanism Key specs at your thumb. One button Key specs
is clever and intuitive – and O 0.7L O2x 1hr run time powers it on; two select the O 0.7L O 2x 45min run time
you can also use the folding O2 power levels O 2.2kg roller speed for hard floor or O 3 power levels O 3.9kg
[ Words Caramel Quin ]

STUFF SAYS The folding design is genius STUFF SAYS Good value: you get lots of
and the battery life is superb +++++ cleaning power and battery life ++++,

58
 BEST FOR
POWER PER
POUND

Warning glory Fanned by me

An on-screen alert The Shark has an
tells you when it’s anti-odour cartridge
time to wash the that smells full-on
Vax’s fabric pre-filter Lynx when you open
and wipe the metal it, but it’s actually
separator. pretty mild in use.

Wonder crawl Roll with lit

The three LED In Clean Sense IQ
headlights are in the mode, a white light
middle, but the light strip across the top of
spreads wide enough the floorhead gives
to see ahead and a visual indicator of
under furniture. power being used.

BEST FOR
SMART
STOWING

59
 G R O U P T E S T C O R D L E S S VA C S

After the hold push

The power button
under your thumb
needs to be pressed
for half a second, not
just a tap. This takes a
little getting used to.

Separate greys
The cleaner, tube
and floorhead click
together without
buttons: you just
pull the join apart
to release them.

BEST FOR
QUICK
CLEAN-UPS

Roidmi X300
What’s the story? insists on giving us the companion app great. Boost is overkill; eco feels a little
Roidmi was founded just eight years in Polish (just hit the Play Store instead). wimpy; standard is perfect. The three
ago, and one of its first products was In theory the app lets you check battery included tools are plenty and they’re good.
a crowdfunded cordless vacuum cleaner. power and get alerts, but the vac’s OLED As a bonus, the crevice nozzle has a handy
This new model is its most powerful to display is a better place for all this. light at the tip.
date, with an upgraded motor and a new A strip of 24 LEDs illuminates in front of Charging is elegant. You wall-mount
design for improved suction. the floorhead brilliantly, but weirdly these the magnetic dock precisely 1m off the
The floorhead features a soft roller only come on in the dark. This misses floor, and the vac rests on the floor with
with stiff diagonal brushes. There are just the point, as headlights are good for floor the battery at the right height to charge.
three tools: a crevice nozzle, a brush and edges and kitchen plinths even when it’s The display shows battery charge as
a powered small ‘mattress’ brush that’s light. Anyway, the two buttons are nicely a percentage, so you can be confident
good for lifting pet hair from upholstery. placed for one-handed cleaning. it’s properly docked. That always-ready
It also comes with two small cleaning The display uses colours to indicate convenience, plus the variable suction,
brushes and a spare washable dust filter. power level: eco (green), standard (blue) make this a great spot cleaner.
or boost (red); turn it off and it shows how
Is it any good? many calories you’ve burned. That number £599 / go.stuff.tv/X300
The Roidmi arrives in single-use plastic is dismayingly low – we don’t see vaxercise
packaging: a sea of clear bags that should being the next big fitness fad. Key specs
be a thing of the past by now. And once In both eco and standard modes, suction O 0.65L O 90mins
we’ve cleared all that away, the QR code varies automatically as needed, which is O 3 power levels O 2.7kg

STUFF SAYS The modern design means you won’t mind this smart vac being visible ++++,

60
 G R O U P T E S T C O R D L E S S VA C S

Chugger mountain Tonight’s the light

Tap the button at the The Samsung doesn’t
top of the dock when have headlights, but a
you want to empty light across the top of
the vac into its 2L the battery indicates
dust bag. This takes when it’s in use
about 20 seconds. or charging.

BEST FOR
POLISHING
FLOORS

Samsung Bespoke Jet Complete Extra

What’s the story? help feeling that buyers in this price range control it. The spray is liberal, so you really
This is the only cleaner on test with a would be likely to put it in the utility room don’t need much. (If you don’t want the
floor-standing docking station. It’s bulky anyway… and pay someone else to do polisher, there’s a version without for
but designed to look good. When docked, the cleaning. That said, it’s refreshing that around £100 less.)
the dust canister is automatically emptied the makers have thought about where The vacuum works well. Results are
into a larger dust bag in the ‘clean station’; to stow accessories. There’ll be no bag good even on minimum power, but it
it comes with three 2L bags. of forgotten tools in the cupboard under defaults to mid each time you turn it on.
This model comes with a ‘spray spinning the stairs. Edge performance is great, cleaning up
sweeper’ head: a spinning polisher for hard Samsung’s tube is the only one on test to 2mm from the wall from both the side
floors. It also includes a caddy to store the that’s telescopic (525-665mm) for users and the front. The convenience of always
polisher and all three tools (crevice nozzle, of all heights. It has a single vacuuming being charged, with a second battery at
multi-tool and powered small brush), and floorhead featuring dual rollers: fluffy and the ready, makes this handy as either a
to charge the second battery. Great, but brush. Buttons, as usual, are right there spot cleaner or a primary vacuum… if you
you will need lots of floor space and two under your thumb. Tap one to power on, can spare the floor space.
power sockets. then the plus and minus buttons let you
select from four power levels: min, mid, £899 / go.stuff.tv/JetComplete
Is it any good? max and jet.
The Samsung arrives in a huge box with The floor polisher head is simple – a Key specs
single-use plastic bags – sigh. Anyway, spray water bottle and a pair of spinning O 0.5L (2.0L including dust bags)
it’s large and looks good, but you can’t pads – and you use the same buttons to O 2x 1hr O 4 power levels O 2.5kg

STUFF SAYS Always ready, rarely needs emptying, but needs a lot of floor space ++++,

61
 G R O U P T E S T C O R D L E S S VA C S

Hello, I love view

As before, there’s
a piezo sensor
to measure dust
particles, but the
top display has now
been revamped.

Purple are strange

Like wacky colours?
The Gen5 is available
in either Absolute
(purple and grey) or
Complete (blue and
copper) styling.

BEST FOR
SPOTTING
SPECKS

Dyson Gen5Detect
What’s the story? say we thought so too until we used the no longer have to keep your finger held
Dyson’s latest model has finally reached V15. And it’s just as much of a revelation down while you clean, although you do
UK shores… and it’s expensive even in the Gen5Detect, particularly when need to have your second hand free to
next to other top-end models like the it allows you to see bits of muck lurking switch it on and off – it’s no longer quite
compelling V12 and V15. So the key in dim light alongside kitchen cabinets and as easy for very quick clear-ups. But
question is, what’s different? Power, under tables. it is a step forward overall, especially for
that’s what. The Gen5Detect offers 10mins more longer cleans. We would have liked a more
It’s got the latest-gen motor (that’s running time than Dyson’s other vacs: pronounced power button, mind – it’s too
the Gen5 bit), which generates 262AW up to 70mins. The top of the main tube flush on the control panel.
of power to suck up large debris. The (Dyson likes to call it a wand) has a clever There are a couple of disadvantages
sealed HEPA filter system is also bigger built-in dusting and crevice tool, the idea to the Gen5Detect, notably the fact that
than the V15’s, while the hard-floor-loving being that you’ll rarely need to change it’s heavier than many other cordless
‘fluffy optic detect’ head has binned attachments – well, unless you’re cleaners in the hand. And it’s hard to get
the fancy laser and this time opted for swapping between the fluffy optic away from that daunting price.
directed LEDs instead, to show up twice hard floor head and one of the two
as much dust as before. carpet/upholstery ones with anti-tangle £850 / go.stuff.tv/5Detect
tech – and there’s a low-reach adapter for
Is it any good? getting under sofas. Key specs
If you’re thinking shining light on dust As with the V12 Detect, Dyson has O 0.77L O70mins
across a hard floor is a gimmick, let’s just removed the classic trigger, meaning you O3 power levels O3.5kg

STUFF SAYS A brilliant cleaner, but most people will be fine with a cheaper model +++++

62
 Light my higher
The Henry comes
with an optional
extension that clips
onto the main handle.
This gives you a
slightly longer reach.

Snake on through
If you get a blockage
between tube and
floorhead, you can
unclip the top of
the flexible hose
for easy access.

BEST FOR
SIMPLE
SUCKAGE

Numatic Henry Quick

What’s the story? Is it any good? lights indicate battery charge. The
Henry is famous for its workhorse cylinder Arriving in plastic-free packaging, this floorhead has a single spinning roller,
vacuum cleaners – yes, the ones with thing is sturdy: a no-nonsense machine with brushes to pick up hairs, and there
a smiley face on the side – and this is its worthy of the Henry name. It comes with are three LED headlights.
first stick-style cordless. It’s available in just two accessories – a crevice nozzle and Like the Samsung, it cleans up to 2mm
iconic red, discreet graphite grey or pink… a combi tool with sliding brush – and the from walls, from both the side and the
and the face is still there, just squeezed in cleaner’s wall-mount can hold both. front. Standard power is fine; the boost
at the top. You can also route the cable to charge is blistering but rarely needed.
It’s affordable and, in something of the cleaner when docked, but you must The Henry Quick is a solid occasional
a throwback, bagged. The Quick comes plug it into the side each time and then cleaner, or good for small flats – it doesn’t
with six ‘pods’, which are 1L disposable unplug afterwards. Oh, and there’s an really have the features and battery life to
bags with a dust seal, made from 65% optional scent capsule that pops in the be your primary vac if you have a house.
recycled material. Pods act as filters too, top of the cleaner; the scent is fruity but And we really wish it had better-placed
so you get a fresh filter with every change, not overkill. controls for one-handed vacuuming.
no need to clean them. Grip is ergonomic but the three buttons
Run time is from 16mins to 70mins, (power on/off, boost and brushbar) are £300 / go.stuff.tv/HenryQuick
depending on the power setting, and on the front of the cleaner’s body. That
recharging fully takes over 2hrs. You positioning is annoying, forcing you to use Key specs
plug the battery in to charge it, whether two hands. It always starts in standard O 1.0L O 70mins
it’s attached to the cleaner or not. power mode with the brushbar on; four O 2 power levels O 3.2kg

STUFF SAYS A sturdy, simple vac with dust bags so you don’t have to clean filters ++++,

63
 TESTED ASUS ZENBOOK PRO 14 OLED

Pro-grade hardware, including a dazzling OLED

display, all packed into a portable package… has
the MacBook Pro for Windows fans arrived?

from £2000 / go.stuff.tv/Pro14OLED

The Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is
Asus’s latest no-compromise
machine aimed at creative
types, with a high-resolution,
high-refresh-rate touchscreen,
ample connectivity and plenty
of power.
Asus will sell you one with
16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and You make
RTX 4060 graphics, but the model me slick
we’ve tested is the whizz-bang, A MUX switch lets
all-boxes-ticked version. It gets you swap between
32GB of RAM, a 2TB PCIe SSD the dedicated and
and an RTX 4070 – along with onboard graphics
a Core i9-13900H CPU. without having
That kind of hardware would to reboot.
worry many desktop PCs, but
Asus has crammed it all into a
portable yet reassuringly stiff
aluminium chassis with subtle
branding on the lid and a sleek
[ Words Tom Morgan-Freelander ]

grey finish. At over 1.6kg it isn’t

the lightest laptop going, but it’s
still more svelte than the gaming
machines that would normally
pack this much muscle.
Could this Zenbook be the 2
Windows-powered alternative
to a fully loaded MacBook Pro?
1 3

Raise your class Keys don’t leave me Wheel good time

Measuring a mere 17.9mm at its The island-style keys are nice A unique rotary DialPad (3) is
thickest point (1), the Zenbook and springy to type on. They don’t indented into the expansive glass
Pro 14 OLED feels worth its £2k have a huge amount of travel, but touchpad, for speedy scrolling
price and will happily slip into you’ve got to be really hammering and activating custom shortcuts.
a backpack. Asus says it also them before they’ll bottom out. It’s handy once you customise
conforms to military-grade LED backlighting makes typing at it for your most frequently used
toughness tests, so it should night a breeze, and white text on apps and settings, but you can
easily be able to cope with being black keycaps (2) means they’re toggle it off easily enough if
lugged to your favourite cafe. perfectly legible in daylight. you’re not keen.

The OLED …and it It’s got …but face

screen is a supports the plenty of recognition
beauty… Asus Pen ports is quick
GOOD There’s no
MEH fingerprint
EVIL It can run
sensor…
quite hot
and loud

64
 TESTED ASUS ZENBOOK PRO 14 OLED

Tech specs
Screen 14.5in 2880x1800 120Hz OLED CPU Intel Core
i9-13900H RAM 16/32GB Storage 1/2TB SSD Graphics
GeForce RTX 4060/4070 OS Windows 11 Connectivity
Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, SD, HDMI, 3.5mm audio
Battery 76Wh Dimensions 322x223x17.9mm, 1.6kg

Lookin’ perfect
Asus has been all-in on OLED with its premium models
for a while now, and this display is another winner

Q High rise Q High resolution

At 14.5in you get much The 2880x1800 resolution
more real estate than a is cut-yourself sharp, and
13in machine, while not the default 120Hz refresh
taking up quite so much rate guarantees smooth
room as a 15-incher. The scrolling. While the screen
16:10 aspect ratio adds hinge doesn’t rotate to a
height to cut down on flat 180° there’s still plenty
scrolling and better fit of tilt, and viewing angles
documents side by side. are exceptional.
4

Q High contrast Q Hi-fi?

There you flow Just like a refill Contrast is truly amazing, The Atmos-approved
This laptop isn’t going to deliver The battery is good for between giving HDR and Dolby stereo speakers aren’t
the sort of framerates a true 8hrs and 9hrs of juice for daily Vision content incredible quite a perfect match for
gaming machine can, but the duties, but put any real demand depth and vibrancy. Peak the display, sounding a
Resident Evil 3 remake runs on the hardware and that figure brightness is 600 nits little harsh when cranked
wonderfully smoothly at max tumbles quickly. You can charge with HDR content, and and lacking a little in the
settings. The fans quickly pick it over USB-C (4), but to get full slightly lower with SDR; bass department. Apple’s
up speed (and make a lot of noise) performance from the CPU/GPU you’ll have no issues even MacBook Pro still comes
when you run demanding tasks, combo you’ll need to use the in bright sunlight. out on top here.
but simple stuff is super-quiet. bundled adaptor.

There’s no questioning the Pro 14 OLED’s power: STUFF SAYS +++++

it’s a seriously punchy machine with a screen A superbly powerful (and
that’s clearly one of the best around. Plus the
keyboard is comfortable, there are plenty of
pricey) portable built for
connectivity options, and battery life is decent. creatives, but one that can
For on-the-go video/photo editing, 3D rendering and handle gaming and other
gaming, this is an excellent choice. @TomMorgan3 entertainment too

65
 SAMSUNG S23 ULTRA

ONE TWO THREE

SHIFTCAM MOUS SPECKLED REMARKABLE 2
E… D

LENSULTRA FABRIC PHONE CASE

ES AD
TH ST

The ReMarkable 2 is a stellar

R
FI

Your Galaxy S23 Ultra has We love MagSafe. Whether E Ink tablet, notetaking tool
four cameras, but only it’s for wireless charging or and e-reader, and it’s great
one of them is a 200MP mounting your phone, it’s value. To write on it, though,
behemoth. LensUltra is so useful – but only iPhones you have to pick up a pricey
a new collection of lenses support it out of the box. pen separately… or do you?
unlocking zoom, fisheye, A Mous case can give your The S23 Ultra’s excellent
macro and even anamorphic S23 Ultra MagSafe support, S Pen can step up to the
capture – and it’s optical, opening up a world of plate here as a stylus for
not digital, so results should accessories and levelling its 10.3in screen, packing
be supremely crisp. Just clip up its protection too. Plus pressure-sensitivity and
on the mount and snap the it looks mighty fine in the making the smartphone and
lens in place. Speckled Fabric finish. tablet a perfect pairing.
$170 / shiftcam.com £45 / uk.mous.co £299 / remarkable.com

66
 E… T
IS RY

ES GE
TH W T
…

TH EN
NO

TH
DEEZER
Audiophile? Hook
up your S23 Ultra
to some quality
headphones, fire
up Deezer and
1 SPLIT UP 2 PLAY UP 3 FIRE UP you can stream
FLAC tunes at
To unlock the full potential of If you’re a gamer, you’ll want Is there one app you wish could 1411kbps, beating
that big screen, you’ll have to to customise some stuff in the always be just a double-tap Spotify’s best by
activate some features. First pre-installed Game Launcher away? Set it to your side key some margin.
open Settings > Advanced app. When it’s fired up, select shortcut! Dive into Settings > £free (IAP)
Features > Labs and activate More > ‘Game Booster settings’. Advanced Features > Side Key
‘Multi-window for all apps’. This This is where you can toggle and activate ‘Double press’. The
unlocks split-screen working what in-game tools are at default feature is a quick launch
even if apps don’t natively your fingertips – for example, for the camera; but if you don’t
support it. Next, select ‘Full turning on the Shortcut bar to want that as your shortcut,
screen in split view’ for true quickly capture screenshots select ‘Open app’ and pick one.
full-screen multitasking, and and screen recordings. You can This menu is also where you can
enable ‘Swipe up for split screen’. also block specific apps when change what a long press of the
You’re now a productivity hero. gaming to zap distractions. power button does. GOODLOCK
This app from the
Galaxy Store is
the ultimate in
customisation,
including having
your apps scroll
vertically. It can
make your phone
feel less Samsung
and more you.
£free

4 WRITE UP 5 SNAP UP 6 SHARPEN UP

HONKAI:
Tapping away with the S Pen, Samsung squishes 16 pixels into Photography fiends will STAR RAIL
your keyboard won’t pop up one to give you a 12MP shot… love Expert RAW, Samsung’s From the makers
every time you bump into a text despite the fact that the S23 pro-grade camera app for the of Genshin Impact,
entry field – you’re expected Ultra has a 200MP camera. ultimate in editable photos. If this game slows
to write in the teeny-tiny space But you can override this. In you don’t see the app on your down the pace
where you want that text. If you the camera app, you’ll see a list phone, download it through the of combat with
don’t fancy that, open Settings of options along the side. One Galaxy Store. On top of giving a turn-based
and select Advanced Features should be an aspect ratio – tap you manual control, it lets you RPG approach,
> S Pen > ‘S Pen to text’. Turn that set of numbers, select ‘3:4 shoot in high-efficiency RAW, all in a sci-fi world
it off – now, even when you’re 200MP’ and you’re good to take capture multiple exposures of gorgeous
scrawling away, your full-size huge photos packed with detail. for HDR RAW snaps, and even cel-shaded 3D.
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]

keyboard or large handwriting This mode isn’t great for dark or access the incredible RAW £free (IAP)
canvas will appear as normal. high-contrast scenes, though. astrophotography mode.

67
 G R O U P T E S T E C O B A C K PA C K S

3 OF THE BEST

Eco backpacks These bags look good, feel good and can carry the weight
of green responsibility along with your stinky old jumper
BEST BEST
FOR FOR
DAILY WILD
USE TREKS

T
TES R
BEST E
FOR INN
BIKE W
TRIPS

Fjallraven Ulvo 23 Stubble & Co Roll Top 20L Patagonia Black Hole
What’s the story? What’s the story? What’s the story?
A new design from Fjallraven, the Ulvo 23 is This waterproof 20L roll-top, with a G-clip This 32L workhorse is well made, light
made from waterproof and durable Bergshell for quick access, features taped seams and rugged. Made from weather-resistant
fabric using 100% recycled nylon. At 23L, and water-resistant zips. With reflective 100%-recycled body fabric, lining and
it’s a nice compact size that lends itself to logos, an anchor point for a bike light and webbing, it’s also Fair Trade Certified sewn,
light treks and everyday commuting. Its compartments for essentials, it looks smart which means you know the people who
streamlined, simple design features a zipped and sporty. Inside you’ll find a padded 16in made it were properly paid for their labour.
main compartment with 15in padded laptop laptop compartment and two further mesh There’s an easy-access main zipped
sleeve, plus a zipped front pocket and an pockets. And yes, it’s made from recycled compartment, stash pockets and a 15in
attachment loop for a bike light. materials “where possible”. padded laptop pocket.

Is it any good? Is it any good? Is it any good?

This is a great backpack – the new design We really loved testing this backpack – not If we were picking a medium-sized backpack
not only looks great but is super-comfortable only is it durable, but it feels light despite to take on an expedition, this would be it.
to wear, even when it’s fully loaded for a weighing 900g and is comfortable on both The air-mesh back panel is comfy, as are
day’s hiking. We took it up on the moors, back and shoulders. We took it hiking, cycling the shoulder straps; the haul handle is really
to the beach, to a meeting and on a Friday and commuting, and are happy to recommend strong and there are also daisy-chains for
night pub run, and it worked for the lot. This it for all three – it’s a fine option if you’re in lashing, in case you’re off on a real adventure
is a great choice if you want one backpack need of a robust weekend bag that you can and need more space. It got full marks in our
that you can use for everything. also use for work. testing and could have handled a lot more.

Price £125 / go.stuff.tv/Ulvo23 Price £105/ go.stuff.tv/StubbleRT Price £130 / go.stuff.tv/BlackHole

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

Super-stylish design, solid planet-saving Waterproof, comfortable and good-looking: This is the greenest and most rugged of them
credentials… and it’s easy on the back what more do you want? all – a true adventure pack

68
GET THE BEST GADGET
DEALS WITH STUFF

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We pick out the Choose from
best price for our roster of
every featured great-value
product 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 go.stuff.tv link in this mag
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.
 TECH TITANS

TECH
TITANS
APPLE LAPTOPS
Stuff ’s top Mac portables
from across the ages

Meat on the wedge I’ll leap it with mine

The Air’s wedge shape Apple had a habit of
narrowed to just 4mm ditching optical drives
at the thinnest edge. from portables, but the
But it was 19.3mm at Air had a trick: it could
the rear – thicker than use another Mac’s
today’s MacBook Pro. DVD drive over Wi-Fi.

01 MACBOOK AIR
Say what you like about wild – even more so than anything before the offer laptops with the
Apple founder Steve Jobs, usual at an Apple event. machine displayed a same skinny form factor.
but the man could put on Not everyone was so ‘full now’ sad face. The The era of the Ultrabook
a show. And that job was easily won over, though. CPU was too slow. Users had arrived.
made a whole lot easier The second the specs wouldn’t be able to replace Little did we know then
if the hardware he was were revealed, pundits the battery. There was just that, for Apple, ‘thin’ would
unveiling allowed for a little countered the jolly mood one USB port. (OK, they become an obsession that
on-stage magic. with a keyboard-bashing might have had a point with would undermine a host
In 2008, he performed flurry of rage, explaining that last one.) of subsequent laptops. But
the trick – miraculous at why the MacBook Air What they’d all failed to for a brief moment in 2008,
the time – of pulling an was a disaster. It was too notice – yet again – was skinny was ‘in’ – and the
entire super-thin laptop expensive, they said. The that Apple had ushered first-generation MacBook
out of a standard office SSD storage option meant in the future. Before long, Air was unbeatable.
envelope. The crowd went you’d barely be able to save rival brands clamoured to RELEASED 2008

70
 TECH TITANS

Bothering bay?
Apple adding a notch
to a laptop raised
eyebrows, but it worked
well – and the screen ALMOST
area below matched its
notchless predecessor.
GREAT…

02 MACBOOK PRO 14IN

When Apple released M1 MacBooks MacBook Pro

at the end of 2020, no one was 15in 2012
prepared for how powerful they’d This slimmed-down
be: even the M1 Air beat the flagship Pro kept plenty of
Intel-brained Pro in some tests. power and ports,
People weren’t prepared for how adding a Retina
they’d look either – identical to the display. Apple boldly
models they replaced. Bah. left its branding off
That changed a year later when the bezel.
the Pro got a design refresh – one
that felt very ‘new Apple’ (or at least
‘Jony Ive can’t tell us what to do any
more Apple’). With an M1 Pro or M1
Max CPU, this Pro was heavier and
chunkier than the one that came
before it. Which was good – that
provided space for a keyboard you
wouldn’t hate. PowerBook G3
This Mac was near-silent, with an Wallstreet II 1998
amazing screen, great battery life, Apple’s last laptop
MagSafe and loads of ports. Yes, it with the rainbow
was expensive, but it felt like Apple logo was sleek and
had remembered how to make a Mac customisable. But it’s
for power users again, rather than so painfully 1990s
compromising in the name of thin. that it doesn’t merit
RELEASED 2021 a top-five spot.

PowerBook
G4 12in 2003
This chunky number
squeezed a whole
PowerBook G4 into
a properly portable
form factor. Alas, the
battery could be a
wee bit ‘explodey’.
03 POWERBOOK 100 04 MACBOOK PRO 05 iBOOK G3
[ Words Craig Grannell Images Danamania, Felix Winkelnkemper ]

The 1989 Macintosh Portable should All change in 2006: Apple hurled This laptop resembled the original
have been called the Macintosh the PowerBook name and sluggish iMac as run over by a steamroller.
Luggable – it was the PowerBook PowerPC chips into a ravine. Mac But it did grab the attention – and
of two years later that really defined laptops now had Intel inside – but showcase Apple’s willingness to be
Apple’s mobile Mac ambitions. It no naff ‘Intel inside’ sticker. Beyond different with a consumer portable.
might look prehistoric today, but a huge leap in performance and new Smartly, the juvenile exterior was MacBook 2015
back in ’91 it was an eye-opener with name (“We want Mac in the name of combined with clever tech: it had The wafer-thin mint
a sleek grey case replacing the usual our products,” said Jobs), this laptop wireless networking, showcased of Mac laptops went
beige. You also got chunky palm rests introduced a built-in iSight camera on stage by Jobs walking around one-up on the Air
with a central trackpad and, in a very and the first MagSafe magnetic and swiping a hoop around it to prove with its svelte form
Apple move, no built-in disk drive. power connector. there were no invisible cables. and Retina display.
RELEASED 1991 RELEASED 2006 RELEASED 1999 But it cost stupid
money and had just
one USB-C port.

71
 T E S T E D D J I M AV I C 3 P R O

Three bird
With its trio of cameras, the Pro version of DJI’s
Mavic 3 drone is an aerial imaging beast. Let’s
find out if it’s a worthy upgrade from the original… 3

£1879 / go.stuff.tv/Mavic3Pro
We’ve seen the Mavic 3 in two
forms before – 2021’s original
(now discontinued) and the
slightly scaled-back Classic
version – but the new Pro rises
above them both with a whole
new imaging arsenal.
It’s DJI’s first folding drone to
come with three lenses: a 20MP
Hasselblad-branded wide-angle,
plus a 48MP medium telephoto
(which has a focal length
equivalent to about 70mm
on a standard camera) and
a 12MP telephoto with a slightly
wider aperture than the one on
the standard Mavic 3.
You’ll have to be careful where
you fly the Mavic 3 Pro, which
weighs close to 1kg. UK law says
you can’t take to the skies within
150m of “residential, recreational,
commercial and industrial sites” 2
or 50m of people. That suggests
[ Words Sam Kieldsen ]

this ‘Pro’ is aimed at drone pilots

who make money from aerial
photography and videography…
but does that mean it’s too much
for keen amateurs?

What’s your frame? Call me a breeze Risky rock-a-roller?

Aside from the camera unit with The Mavic 3 Pro is a pleasure to Omnidirectional object-sensing
its three distinct modules (1), you pilot. It has automatic take-off ensures you won’t crash into
might find it hard to distinguish and landing, return-to-home, obstacles like trees, walls and
the Mavic 3 Pro from the Classic. plus all sorts of built-in tracking pylons. Unless you fly it at night
Both are made of hard-wearing capabilities. Draw a box around or in Sport mode, which turns off
grey plastic, with a microSD slot an object on the controller’s all the sensors (2) in the name of
and a USB-C port on the back, screen and the drone will follow speed and manoeuvrability, you
and fold down to roughly the size it with the camera, whether or shouldn’t have to worry about
of a standard water bottle. not you’re actively piloting it. unexpected returns to terra firma.

Still …and Versatile

brilliantly dead easy camera
portable… to fly setup…
GOOD …but not More drone
MEH all cameras
are equal
than most
people need
EVIL Can’t
be flown
everywhere

72
 T E S T E D D J I M AV I C 3 P R O

Fleet roam
Alabama
DJI says the Mavic 3
Pro can be operated from
up to 15km away… but
letting it out of your
sight while it’s in the Tech specs
air is illegal.
Cameras 20MP 4/3 CMOS, 48MP 1/1.3in
CMOS, 12MP 1/2in CMOS Video 5.1K @
50fps, 4K @ 120fps Flight time 43mins
Storage 8GB + microSD Connectivity USB-C
Dimensions 231x98x95.4mm (folded), 958g

Gimme three yeps

With its triple-cam array, the Mavic Pro 3 is a creative
powerhouse – but are all three lenses equally adept?

Q Bewitch Q Switch
With its large 4/3 sensor Having said that, the
size and support for three two telephotos are no
different 10-bit colour slouches. The new 48MP
profiles (HLG, D-Log one can also shoot 10-bit
and D-Log M), the main HLG and D-Log M footage,
Hasselblad camera while offering a different
offers spellbinding detail, perspective that’s useful
low-light performance if you want to shoot small
and dynamic range. subjects from a distance.

Q Hitch Q Oof, that’s a bit rich

Cruise day’s gone That shell There’s still some room You can also buy a Cine
The Mavic 3 Pro can move at An included strap-on cover for improvement when version of this drone,
over 40mph, is resistant to wind keeps the cameras, gimbal and it comes to image quality which comes with a
speeds of up to 12m/s, and has propellers protected while you’re and flexibility, though. The built-in 1TB SSD and adds
low-noise propellers (3) that transporting the thing, but buyers 166mm telephoto can’t support for Apple ProRes,
keep it fairly quiet when hovering. who opt for one of the two pricier capture 10-bit video, for but it’s only available in
On a full battery you can expect Fly More bundles get lots of instance – it’d be nice to a £4109 Premium Combo
around 43mins of flying time, useful extras, such as spare bring it into line with the with the RC Pro controller
which is 3mins less than the old batteries and a better controller, other two in this regard. and two extra batteries.
Mavic 3 but still impressive. plus a bag to carry them all in.

It might look almost identical to the Mavic 3, but STUFF SAYS +++++
the Pro’s three-camera setup makes it an obvious It’s not going to be
upgrade. The flight experience feels refined, safe
and user-friendly; and while it’s overkill if you’re
for everyone, not least
not already a frequent flyer, the creative freedom because of its price, but
offered by that medium telephoto lens makes it easy to professionals will love
recommend to anyone with more air miles. @samkieldsen this drone’s flexibility

73
 TESTED RAZER BLACKSHARK V2 PRO (2023)

Headset me free
Wireless cans, for gaming? Sacrilege! But with
solid connectivity and crisp comms, these Razer
cans might just mean it’s time to cut the cord…
£200 / go.stuff.tv/V2Pro

QThe 2023 BlackShark V2 Pro is

an exclusively wireless headset:
you either plug in the dongle
or pair over Bluetooth. Razer’s
proprietary ultra-low-latency Waterloo
2.4GHz connection checks shun-sweat
multiple channels to avoid The fabric that
cross-bleed, so you’ll get a covers the earcups is
stable signal even when you’re breathable, so your lugs
surrounded by other wireless kit. won’t get too sweaty
if you put in a
QSound is balanced for gaming, long shift.
with plenty of bass punch, but
whumpy explosions never drown
out the rest of the mix. Razer’s
software replaces EQ frequency
bands with words like ‘footsteps’,
‘gunshots’ and ‘item pickup’, so
you know what to boost.

QTHX Spatial Audio is the other

neat trick here, although it’s a little
boomy in anything other than
Game mode. Custom profiles can
kick in automatically for supported
games, of which there are over
50, and they do a great job of
separating audio coming from
above, below, behind and in front.

QThe microphone is capable of

sampling at 32KHz, compared to
16KHz on most headset mics, so
there’s more low-end depth and
high-end clarity to make things
sound more natural. The built-in
pop-shield does a good job too.

QRazer reckons you’re good for

up to 70hrs of wireless listening,
but that seems conservative. After
a week of playing music during
work hours, squeezing in some
gaming in the evenings plus a
longer session over the weekend,
our battery still wasn’t complaining. Q You really plot me Q USB-C my friends
Memory foam in the headband The mic pops off when you
Tech specs and earcups creates a snug fit don’t need voice comms, leaving
with evenly distributed pressure, power and mute buttons, a
Drivers 50mm dynamic ANC No and Razer has dialled back the USB-C charging port and a
Connectivity 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.2 clamping force so your head chunky volume dial on the left
Codecs SBC, AAC Battery life Up to doesn’t feel like it’s been in a earcup. It’s easy to miss the tiny
70hrs Weight 320g vice after a mammoth session. battery indicator, though.

STUFF SAYS A comfortable, long-lasting wireless headset with engaging sound +++++

Everybody’s With top-notch microphone quality, reliable connectivity and great battery life,
gonna be happy these cans prove that wireless is no longer second-best. Performance is decent
with this sleek enough for music and movies, but they really come into their own when playing
sonic sensation games, whether that’s using Razer’s THX spatial surround and esports profiles
Tom Morgan-Freelander or sticking with simple stereo.

74
 T E S T E D T E C H N I C S E A H -A Z 8 0

Love is every wear All-day comfort, gym-proof snugness, clean

audio, solid ANC and unmuffled voice calls:
can these wireless in-ears really do it all?
£259 / go.stuff.tv/AZ80

QOne pair of earphones for the

gym, another for quiet commuting,
and a third for kicking back at
home – bit excessive, no? So
the Technics AZ80s aim to do
it all, promising a firm fit that isn’t
exercise-averse; effective ANC
for silencing your trip to work;
clear mics for making voice calls;
and, of course, excellent audio.

QThese bulbous buds are sculpted

to sit inside the ears, and you get
a generous seven pairs of eartips
in the box help you find a secure fit.
We wore them for hours at a time
and they never fell out.

QLDAC Bluetooth is on board

for hi-res listening, but it can’t
be used with these buds’ other
War on roar party trick: three-device multipoint
Four microphones connectivity. If you’ve got a trio
in each earbud use of source gadgets you regularly
beamforming to focus swap between, you’d best stick
on your voice, and with a more mainstream codec.
software strips out
wind noise very QExpect a good 6hrs of listening
effectively. from the buds with ANC enabled.
Add in LDAC, though, and you’ll be
drained after about 4hrs. The case
can supply three full top-ups.

QThe 10mm drivers produce

satisfyingly detailed audio. Bass
has plenty of impact yet doesn’t
dominate, while top-end notes
sound crisp but not harsh. While
the soundstage isn’t as expansive
as a pair of over-ears, it doesn’t
feel enclosed; there’s a sense of
dynamism that wasn’t present
in Technics’ previous efforts, and
they compare very favourably to
similar-priced rivals.
Q Radio pure Q Heavy metal plumber
There are no clever adaptive ANC Technics’ companion app puts Tech specs
modes, but the AZ80s do a great basic control over ANC and EQ
job of stripping out the sort of settings within easy reach, while Drivers 10mm dynamic ANC Yes
background chatter that can cut keeping the fiddly advanced stuff Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 Codecs
through other noise-cancelling hidden from view. You’ve got to SBC, AAC, LDAC Durability IPX4
in-ears. They’re a step behind the go digging to change codecs or Battery life 6hrs + 18hrs case
very best – but only a small one. customise the tap gestures. (ANC on) Weight 2x 7g, 50g case

STUFF SAYS Excellent all-round in-ears that balance clean sound with good ANC +++++

Despite a few Not only are they equal parts firm-fitting and comfortable, but potent noise-cancelling
reservations, and engaging audio make the AZ80s a very easy listen indeed. They are pricey, and
these buds are can’t deliver hi-res streaming and long battery life at the same time, but we like being
up with the best able to prioritise through the app. Rivals might edge them out with even better ANC or
Tom Morgan-Freelander audio – but if you want one pair of earphones for every occasion, look no further.

75
 TWO WEEKS WITH THE SONY XPERIA 1 V

V will rock you

Sony’s latest ‘greatest hits’ flagship has an all-new camera sensor. After a fortnight
of testing, does Tom Morgan-Freelander think it can snap with the best of ’em?
from £1299 / go.stuff.tv/Xperia1v

hand in processing. Auto mode

DAY 01 coped fine today when I didn’t feel
After four generations of Sony like faffing with shutter speed or
steadfastly refusing to follow exposure compensation.
current tech trends, it’s clear the The primary lens captures
Xperia 1 series is squarely aimed an impeccable amount of detail
at the old guard: phone fans who in daylight, while exposure and
insist on expandable storage, sharpness are largely consistent
music lovers who refuse to cut between the three. Sony’s colour
the cord on their headphones, presentation means snaps aren’t
and photographers who dream always as impactful as they are
about focal lengths. from rival phones, but I’m a fan
That approach hasn’t changed because it leaves room to boost
for the fifth iteration, which keeps levels later before sharing.
the same 4K display as last year’s Saturation can dip further at
model. But that’s not to say the telephoto’s maximum 5.2x
progress hasn’t been made: the zoom, and finer textures do get
The top and
Gaming is polished – the temperature bottom bezels
warnings and performance throttling leave room for an
excellent pair of
of the Xperia 1 IV have been eliminated front-firing stereo
speakers.
Xperia 1 V gets a new sensor for a little lost. Rival phones have
its lead camera. And that’s where 10x zooms that fare better, and
my testing begins. Sony’s 15x digital zoom can’t
The Exmor T sensor has a high quite keep up. The ultrawide does
52MP pixel count (although its better, with plenty of dynamic
stills max out at 48MP) and uses range and good sharpness
pixel-binning to pump out 12MP towards the edges.
snaps that stay impressively Combined with a new Auto
composed in low light. It’s joined Night mode, the Exmor T is up
by the same 16mm ultrawide and there with the best for low-light
85-125mm variable telephoto snaps. Highlights aren’t quite as
seen on the outgoing Xperia 1 IV. nuanced as some competitors,
All three lenses manage at least but there’s very little in it.
20fps burst shooting and can So, one day in and I can already
record 4K video at 120fps. tell this is a fantastic phone for
The focus remains on manual photography. But what about
control, only now AI has a bigger everything else?

76
 LO N G -T E R M T E S T

01 06
Donut of Truth™
01 Many manual modes for 04 Last of the old guard for
02 05 pro snappers and filmers some fan-favourite features
02 Stunning screen and 05 Cameras still a long way
great sound from point-and-shoot
03 Performance and battery 06 Charging speeds are
04
03 are up there with the best merely average

Tech specs
Screen 6.5in
3840x1644
120Hz OLED
CPU Snapdragon
8 Gen 2 RAM 12GB
OS Android 13
Storage
256/512GB
Cameras
52+12+12MP rear,
12MP front
Battery
5000mAh
(Qi, USB-C)
Dimensions
165x71x8.3mm,
187g

DAY 02 DAY 06
The rest of the phone world might I’ve had no trouble lasting from
be in love with curved glass, but I’m breakfast to bedtime on a single
happy to see Sony sticking with charge of the 5000mAh battery.
what it knows best. The Xperia 1 V Wired top-ups aren’t the fastest,
is a tall and skinny slab of a phone, though, and Sony doesn’t put
with a flat front and rear, angular a power brick in the box. Still,
sides, and effortlessly minimal wireless charging is nice to have.
styling. Grooved lines on all four
sides add more grip than last
year’s effort, and the textured DAY 10
rear means I’ve so far avoided Today’s torrential rain wouldn’t
dropping it in the toilet. have been an issue for the Xperia,
Almost all of the Sony staples which has IP65/68 protection,
return, including a tool-free SIM but I’m a wimp so I stayed inside
tray with room for a microSD card, and binge-watched some TV on
a 3.5mm headphone port and a the 6.5in OLED display instead. It’s
physical camera shutter button. stunningly sharp.
The power button still doubles as
a fingerprint sensor, and it’s quick
to recognise my digits. I’m missing DAY 14
the old notification LED, though. The Xperia 1 V is a great summary
of all Sony’s best skills. I love the
cinematic display and punchy
DAY 03 speakers, plus the all-day battery
A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is almost life, and appreciate that the firm STUFF SAYS
overkill for most apps, so the has fixed the thermal throttling
Xperia 1 V feels smooth and issues of the Xperia 1 IV. A flagship
responsive. It powers through It’s a little happier to hold the with zero
demanding tasks and shrugs off hands of amateur photographers,
split-screen multitasking. but remains aimed squarely at
compromise,
Gaming is also as polished as creatives who know their way taking its best
you’d expect from a true flagship.
Importantly, the temperature
around a camera. Rivals pack in
more modes to appeal to casual
bits from all
warnings and performance snappers, but anyone with a Sony Sony’s divisions
throttling we saw on the Xperia Alpha in their camera bag will +++++
1 IV have been eliminated. absolutely want to take notice.

77
 TESTED GAMES

Switch / go.stuff.tv/Tears

The Legend of Zelda:

Tears of the Kingdom
How do you follow a classic that not only tore up the Legend of Zelda rulebook but set a new gold
standard for open-world game design? If you’re Nintendo, you go large – very large indeed…

ack in 2017, Breath of the as The Upheaval leads to a floating horseback is great, it’s nowhere quick exits from caves, while ‘Recall’
B Wild overhauled the Zelda
franchise with a sprawling
Hyrule Castle and the appearance
of islands in the sky.
near as funny as doing it in a
rocket-powered, fire-breathing
rewinds the trajectory of moving
objects in real time.
world that rewarded player It’s here you encounter Zonai carriage of destruction. You can just bulldoze your way
experimentation. Tears of devices – tools that can be used Link’s funky new arm is the through the main adventure, or
the Kingdom is what happens to make anything from simple other star of the show, granting spend dozens of hours completing
when Nintendo truly embraces powered rafts to absurd makeshift new abilities right from the off. side-quests. If you lost weeks
this mayhem. planes and chaotic concrete tanks. ‘Ultrahand’ lets you join objects of your life to Breath of the Wild,
Ganon might’ve been bested Smartly, you don’t get everything together with glowing superglue, prepare for a big dose of same…
at the end of the last game, but at once, and bigger vehicles burn while ‘Fuse’ combines weapons, only this time there’s a world
it quickly becomes clear that evil through energy quickly, so you shields and arrows with nearly above for Link to conquer too.
is still bubbling under the surface. can’t easily fly across the entire any item in your inventory to make The result is a game that’s even
Before long, Princess Zelda has map. In fact, most of the time you them more powerful – or comically grander and more overwhelmingly
vanished, Link has lost his arm, might largely ignore the crafting; rubbish. ‘Ascend’ lets you swim up enormous than its predecessor.
and a supernatural event known but while exploring Hyrule on through solid surfaces, allowing for Matt Tate

STUFF SAYS An astonishing adventure that challenges you to be creative at every turn +++++
78
 TESTED GAMES

Underground,
overground,
fumbling free
The first major story chunk is
similar to Breath of the Wild’s,
and even has you working with
some of the same characters.
You might call this retreading
old ground, but for fans it’ll feel
like coming home.
Whether you’re scaling the
flaming-hot Death Mountain,
surfing sparkling waterfalls in
Zora’s Domain or gliding over
the vast Gerudo Desert, very
few games have such a strong
sense of place.
The new floating islands add
more areas to explore. Zipping
about between these mostly
peaceful locations, grabbing
Top tip: try firing proton “Take cover, it’s a heavily fruit from trees and gazing
torpedoes into the armed giant concrete down at the gloom-strewn
thermal exhaust port. portable festival toilet!” land beneath you, makes for
a nice change of pace.
Link can now also parachute
into chasms in the ground and
explore the pitch-black depths
of Hyrule, illuminating his path
with fluorescent plant bulbs.
Sometimes you’ll head down
for quests, but you’re free
to enter any time to unearth
more of the underground
map’s secrets.
We didn’t find this realm
as alluring as the sky islands,
with the oppressive darkness
making it hard to get a proper
grasp of the area, but you
never know when you’re
going to stumble upon some
treasure worth grabbing.

79
 TESTED GAMES

PS5, XSX, PC / go.stuff.tv/Survivor

Star Wars
Jedi: Survivor
Junior Jedi Cal Kestis returns with his trusty droid sidekick BD-1…
but is the Force strong with this sequel, or does it fall to the dark side?

he 2019 game Jedi: Fallen ways to get around, such as

T Order was made to satisfy
every Star Wars geek’s
riding some of the galaxy’s
weird and wonderful creatures
fantasy of fighting epic lightsaber or air-dashing, they’re often quite
battles, combining elements of limited in use. Suddenly, a
blockbusters like Uncharted with Aside from talking to other team of pest
more hardcore combat in the Dark characters who hint at secondary controllers
Souls style. tasks nearby, you can also take interrupted
Survivor is set five years later, on bounties or use your Jedi skills
Cal’s pole-vault
and its protagonist – a newly to tackle puzzles in challenge
bearded Cal Kestis – is no longer rooms; but for every skill upgrade practice.
an inexperienced Padawan. He still or perk you discover, there’s
has a way to go before becoming also a lot of random junk to get
a true Jedi Knight, but the abilities through – most bizarrely, chests
he learned in the last game, such that unlock new facial hair for
as Force push and pull, remain. Plus Cal. This smacks of a developer
there are a load of new skills and coming up with excuses to justify
saber stances (including one that making a game bigger than it really
lets you also use an uncivilised needed to be.
blaster) to unlock as you play. Still, despite its propensity
As cool as it is to swing a buzzing for meandering, Star Wars Jedi: “No, I haven’t
lightsaber around, though, combat Survivor does a commendable worked since
never feels more than serviceable. job of building on its predecessor Wall-E – that’s
The story also takes a while to and shows a different side of the Hollywood.
properly come into focus, with galaxy beyond the yoke of the So, can I take
a first half that lacks any truly Empire. And even if its memorable
your order?”
memorable boss fights. The moments can feel thinly spread
game’s six planets vary in scope, across a long middle, for many Star
with the bulk of the action taking Wars fans it’s close enough to the
place on the rocky Koboh. And Jedi fantasy you’re looking for.
while there are some fun new Alan Wen Kenobi

STUFF SAYS More flab than Jabba the Hutt, but still delivers plenty of Jedi thrills ++++,
80
 TESTED GAMES

XSX, PC / go.stuff.tv/Redfall

Redfall
The makers of Deathloop present a Destiny-style co-op looter shooter
with added vampires… but it might just suck the life out of everything

edfall is an open-world story progression only carries

R shooter that takes its
genre description a little
over for the host player, meaning
everyone else will have to complete
too literally. the same missions again.
“Oh yeah? Well For a place that’s been invaded The story itself is presented
if you’re not by vampires, the titular island town through little more than awkward
a vampire, is not so much open as empty, stills, with further narrative
explain that with human cultists your most discovered by reading notebooks
common adversary. Considering and post-it notes. It’s a rather tired
little sign over
the bloodsuckers are supposed method of lore-dumping – and
your head…” to represent the rich 1%, it actually since you can’t pause the game,
makes sense that Redfall isn’t reading makes you vulnerable
teeming with them; but regardless to attack.
of who you encounter they’re all While we can’t fault the voice
unimaginative to fight, with buggy acting or the sound design, Redfall
AI and sluggish gunplay. looks and feels a lot like an Xbox
The game has four playable 360-era game: the characters
characters, each with their own resemble lifeless mannequins
strengths and weaknesses, but with proportions at odds with
any sense of freedom quickly their environments, and it’s only
“Let’s get this evaporates once you reach the playable at 30fps on console.
cleared – Dion core of each mission, which boils Future patches might get rid of
Dublin will be down to finding a specific key or the bugs and improve performance,
here with the item to progress to the next point. but that’s not going to fix a tedious
camera crew If you opt to play in single-player, and hackneyed experience that
that also renders a good portion feels lazily stitched together from
any minute.”
of your skill tree obsolete as some better games. If Microsoft thinks
upgrades are purely designed to this is good enough for Game
help team members. And even if Pass, it must think its subscribers
you have a foursome raring to go, are suckers.
it’s still hampered by the fact that Alan Wen

STUFF SAYS A big disappointment – the best way to escape Redfall is to avoid it ++,,,
81
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 Straight
outta testing
and into our
rankings.

NEW OF EVERYTHING
HOT
Time changes
everything,
BUY including Stuff
Top Ten entries.
BARGAIN
BUY
UPDATE
A product of
techy genius
that’s set our A proper steal.
hearts aflame. Worth owning
regardless of
cashflow.

Smartphones 84 Games 91
HOW
Headphones
Smartwatches,
fitness tech
85
86
Speakers
E-bikes,
electric cars
92
93 TO USE
Laptops
TVs
Soundbars,
87
88
89
Smart home
VR headsets,
drones & action cams
94
95 THEM
streamers Cameras 96
Tablets, consoles 90 Budget buys 97
TOP TENS SMARTPHONES 84

1 HOT
BUY

Apple iPhone 14
Pro Max
from £1199 / go.stuff.tv/14ProMax

TIPS & This is essentially the same phone as the

TRICKS 14 Pro, but with a bigger screen and a bigger
battery. So on paper it’s Apple’s best ever… but
The Dynamic Island while that justifies its promotion to top spot,
makes it easier to we should point out that it’s only worth it

O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

control a call: tap it for people who really need that extra screen
and hang up without space. Do you? Well, it does make photo, video
switching apps. and audio editing (and gaming) easier.

AirPods also show Stuff says +++++

up in the Island The latest model gives the Pro Max a
when connected, real bump, though all this quality costs
and you can see
their battery status.
O NOW ADD THIS
In Apple Maps, you Belkin BoostCharge Pro
can see turn-by-turn This solid MagSafe charging dock
directions overlaid lets you top up your iPhone, Apple
at the top of the Watch and AirPods.
phone’s screen. £140 / belkin.com

Google Pixel 7 Pro

2 3 4 +++++from £849 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel7Pro
Plentiful performance and dependable battery life
make this another worthy Google flagship.

Xiaomi 13 Pro
5 +++++£1099 / go.stuff.tv/Xiaomi13Pro
With its 1in main sensor, outstanding photography
makes this one of 2023’s highlights.

NEW Honor Magic5 Pro

6 +++++£950 / go.stuff.tv/Magic5Pro
Capable cameras, ace performance and slick styling
all add up to Honor’s greatest handset yet.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra

7 +++++£750 / go.stuff.tv/30ultra
A rapid-charging powerhouse of a phone with
a superb set of cameras… for a tantalising price.

Sony Xperia 1 IV
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra OnePlus 11
from £1399 / go.stuff.tv/S23Ultra from £729 / go.stuff.tv/OnePlus11
8 +++++£1299 / go.stuff.tv/Xperia1iv
This is a grown-up phone for skilled snappers only…
note that the new Xperia 1 V is reviewed on p76.
The flagship Galaxy phone’s remit With rapid performance, a quality
hasn’t changed since the S22 display and capable cameras,
Ultra: it’s still the very best of the OnePlus 11 makes no major BARGAIN
BUY Moto G82
Samsung in a (non-folding) phone,
with astonishing cameras and a
productivity focus that few of its
compromises yet still manages
to undercut the big guns.
Photography remains a small
9 +++++£290 / go.stuff.tv/G82
A long-lasting all-rounder that offers excellent
value for money.
competitors can even come close step behind the best, but it makes
to matching. up for that in other ways.
Oppo Find N2 Flip
Stuff says +++++
Unrivalled productivity, superb
photos and stellar performance
Stuff says +++++
A semi-affordable phone that can
pretty much do it all
10 ++++,£849 / go.stuff.tv/N2Flip
Swanky design and screen trickery… with smart
pricing for a foldable phone.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES
TOP TENS IN-EARS 85 OVER-EARS TOP TENS

1 HOT
BUY
HOT
BUY

Sony WF-1000XM4
£199 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM4
Sony WH-1000XM5
£330 / go.stuff.tv/WHXM5

A worthy successor to the XM3 buds that sat atop this list Nobody was able to displace Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones
for what seemed like decades, Sony’s latest true wireless from the top of this list for two years… yet the latest model
noise-cancelling in-ears are smaller, smarter and better. manages to be even better. Key to the XM5s’ overall quality
With the arguable exceptions of call quality and app slickness, is the new carbon-fibre composite 30mm drivers: they bring
the WF-1000XM4s aren’t quite the best at anything; but even greater clarity than the previous generation, and the sound
they’re so close to being the best at everything that their reproduction is beautifully precise. The simple fact is that these
all-round game is untouchable. No other wireless earbuds are the best noise-cancellers around by almost every measure.
are so consistently accomplished across the board. You really won’t regret buying them.

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

The finest true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds Sony keeps its grip on the top spot with an unrivalled
around – this is the complete package combo of great sound, ANC and comfort

Beats Fit Pro Sennheiser Momentum 4

2 £169 / go.stuff.tv/FitPro
These Beats are excellent on many levels.
Unless you really love the earhook design
2 £310 / go.stuff.tv/SM4
These are headphones that sound
naturalistic, engaged and entirely musical,
of the Powerbeats Pro, they’re definitely the making every recording sound like an event.
best workout ’phones in the Apple/Beats And they’ll last a startling 60hrs – even with
range and rival any others at the price. ANC switched on.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
Good battery life, punchy sound, lock-tight fit Great audio, great battery life, great price

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Bose NCH 700

3 £240 / go.stuff.tv/QCBuds2
You still can’t beat Bose for ANC. And while
its latest buds can be bettered slightly when
3 £279 / go.stuff.tv/NCH700
There are superior-sounding headphones,
but if call quality and noise-cancelling are
it comes to sound quality, and bettered just as important to you then Bose’s flagship
comfortably for battery life, they make cans are the gold standard. The voice-pickup
for a competitive total package. system is the best out there.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
Bose is back with its best effort in a long while As all-rounders, these are hard to beat

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) Philips Fidelio L3

4 +++++£249 / go.stuff.tv/Pro2
Apple’s pricier in-ears were already superb,
and now they’re way better.
4 +++++£249 / go.stuff.tv/L3
Refined and detailed: go for these if you
value balance and accuracy.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Grado GW100X

5 +++++£230 / go.stuff.tv/TW3
Balanced and accurate – prepare to extend
your shortlist of premium in-ear headphones.
5 +++++£249 / go.stuff.tv/100X
No ANC, no control app, no travel case… but
more complete sound than any of its rivals.

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

TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES 86 FITNESS TECH TOP TENS

1 HOT BARGAIN
BUY BUY
HOT
BUY

Apple Watch SE (2022)

from £259 / go.stuff.tv/WatchSE
Garmin Edge 1040 Solar
£630 / go.stuff.tv/1040Solar

If you’re talking about value, the SE is the best Apple Watch Ideal for multi-day adventures and training camps, the Edge
hands-down. It tracks sleep and all the exercise you need, 1040 Solar harnesses the sun’s power for a massive 45hrs of
supports Apple Pay, works great with your iPhone and… what riding time on one charge. It has all the mapping, navigation and
more do most people require? The user experience is broadly training firepower you’ll ever need, including accuracy-boosting
identical, and while the screen bezels are a bit larger than on dual-band GPS, best-in-class route planning and detailed
the Series 8 it’s hard to tell them apart without getting right up training insights via Garmin Connect. The screen could be
close. If you want a stainless steel case you’ll have to splash out brighter, but we love the custom ride profiles that make it
on a Series 8 – but first ask yourself if it’s really worth the extra. easy to exploit all that performance data.

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

Offers most of the Apple Watch Series 8 experience A do-it-all beast of a bike computer with unrivalled
for a whole lot cash less battery life, reliable GPS and useful training smarts

Garmin Fenix 7 JLab JBuds Air Sport

2 from £560 / go.stuff.tv/Fenix7
If your budget stretches, the impressive
mix of rugged durability, serious battery
2 £70 / go.stuff.tv/AirSport
The third-gen JBuds Air Sport seriously flex
JLab’s value muscle: with a solid earhook fit,
endurance, excellent navigation skills and custom EQ, an ambient awareness mode
smartwatch features makes this the best plus rapid charging and Tile finder tools, they
all-round sports watch you can buy. offer ace performance for well under £100.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
An ace tool for adventurous fitness-building Dedicated fitness buds on a nice budget

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro Hammerhead Karoo 2

3 £404 / go.stuff.tv/Watch5Pro
It carries a chunky price premium over the
vanilla Galaxy Watch5, and doesn’t have
3 £359 / go.stuff.tv/Karoo2
Effectively running a tiny Android phone
inside a custom case feels like a no-brainer
much in the way of added features, but the for a bike computer. The 3.2in display is a
Pro still makes a strong case for itself thanks delight, and navigating with swipes and taps
to its more robust build and better battery. is easy and intuitive – even with gloves on.
Stuff says ++++, Stuff says +++++
The toughest, longest-lasting Galaxy Watch yet No longer No1 but still a great bike computer

Apple Watch Series 8 Wattbike Atom

4 ++++,from £419 / go.stuff.tv/WatchS8
A great smartwatch, but it’s only worth
upgrading if you have a Series 4 or older.
4 +++++£2399 / go.stuff.tv/WBAtom
If you’re serious about improving your cycling
form at home, this is the bike to get.

Google Pixel Watch Fitbit Charge 5

5 ++++,from £339 / go.stuff.tv/PixelWatch
A stylish wearable with solid fitness tracking,
but it falls short of its more established rivals.
5 ++++,£99 / go.stuff.tv/Charge5
Goes beyond basic tracking with clever
features centred on health and stress.

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

 87 LAPTOPS

1 HOT
BUY

Apple MacBook
Air (M2)
from £1249 / go.stuff.tv/AirM2

With its super-powered M2 processor, the

latest version of Apple’s ‘basic’ laptop leaves
the M1 model – an excellent machine in its
own right – in the dust. This revamp redefines
the Air in a meaningful way, instantly renders
TIPS & the 13in MacBook Pro obsolete, and sets a
TRICKS yardstick by which Apple’s entry-level devices
will now be judged.
If you can afford it,
the 512GB option Stuff says +++++
brings faster flash Shame about the price hike, but this is
storage (and more still the Mac to buy for most users
of it, of course).

Naturally the M2 Air O NOW ADD THIS

performs better than Belkin 4-Port GaN Charger 108W
the M1 version, but This brick lets you charge your Mac
that older model is laptop through its 96W USB-C output…
the value buy. while juicing up three other devices.
£80 / belkin.com

LG Gram 16
2 3 4 +++++ from £1299 / go.stuff.tv/Gram16
An incredible ultraportable that’s among the best
Windows has to offer, and with great battery life.

Dell XPS 13
5 +++++ from £949 / go.stuff.tv/XPS13
There’s little else that’s quite so well rounded…
but see also the beefier 13 Plus model.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro Gen 7

6 +++++ from £720 / go.stuff.tv/7iPro
A solid performer that hits a price point and
misses the usual snags.

Apple MacBook Pro Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Alienware x17 R2

16in (2023) Duo OLED
from £2699 / go.stuff.tv/Pro16 from £1400 / go.stuff.tv/DuoOLED
7 +++++ from £1999 / go.stuff.tv/x17
Aimed at serious players, this machine glides
through games with all settings maxed.
Powered by either an M2 Pro or Clearly the Zenbook Pro 14 Duo
an M2 Max processor, the latest OLED is not for everyone – but it’s
MacBook Pro is a special machine… still an amazing piece of work with Huawei MateBook X Pro
and it shows that, if Apple’s chips
continue their trajectory, the rest
of the PC industry will struggle
a full-width second screen that
really does make a huge difference
to productivity. If you spend all
8 +++++ £1400 / go.stuff.tv/XPro
This is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop.
See also the equally slick MateBook 14s.
for some time to come. Debates your time in Premiere Pro, or have
about whether the Mac should worn down the alt-tab keys on
have a touchscreen or whether your current laptop, that extra HP Chromebook x2
the iPad Pro should run macOS are
for another time, because what’s
on offer here is remarkable – if you
display will be a gamechanger.
Performance is also superb, even
if it needs to crank the cooling fans
9 ++++, £500 / go.stuff.tv/HPx2
A great showcase for what Chromebooks can
do, and a true hybrid.
have the budget, it’s the ultimate to keep temperatures in check and
do-anything computer. battery life isn’t so stellar.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++ ++++, from £1549 / go.stuff.tv/3Pro360
If you’re looking for a productivity An innovative and powerful PC, A premium 2-in-1 with a gorgeous screen and
powerhouse, you’ve just found it despite some design compromises plenty of power – if only it had a bit more stamina.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS
TOP TENS TVs 88

1 HOT
BUY

Philips 55OLED907
£2199 / go.stuff.tv/OLED907

It’s no one’s idea of a bargain, but nevertheless

the 55OLED907 will be money well spent for
TIPS & even mild telly addicts. For once, here’s a TV
TRICKS with audio quality that truly matches its image
quality – and be in no doubt, the image quality
Google Assistant available here is very impressive indeed. The
wakes with a press Ambilight illuminations are as slick as ever too.
of the remote; Alexa Resign yourself to a long stint sorting out the
users can use a initial setup (as is always the way with Philips)
linked smart speaker. and you’ll never look back.

The picture menus Stuff says +++++

are extensive, but well A great OLED TV with impressive
worth a visit to rein brightness and top-class audio
in the motion control
and noise reduction.
O NOW ADD THIS
Only two of the Apple TV 4K
HDMI ports are at Fills the one hole in Android TV’s
2.1 standard, so check streaming lineup, and is a must if
before plugging in you’re all-in with Apple’s other tech.
your games console. from £149 / apple.com

LG OLED65C3
2 3 +++++ £2899 / go.stuff.tv/C3
A top all-rounder – add the C3 to the long list of
brilliant OLED tellies LG has delivered.

Philips 65OLED937
+++++ £2899 / go.stuff.tv/OLED937
Stunning picture quality, hi-fi sound and the
Ambilight bonus: this OLED has it where it counts.

LG OLED77G2
+++++ £3599 / go.stuff.tv/G2
LG’s flagship is just about the best OLED on the
market, but for a pretty penny.

Sony XR-55A95K Philips 55OLED807 Samsung 50AU9000

£2199 / go.stuff.tv/A95K £1399 / go.stuff.tv/OLED807 +++++ £529 / go.stuff.tv/AU9000
As much TV as most people will ever need, and
Samsung developed QD-OLED Despite its affordability, the at a reasonable price.
to address the one shortcoming 55OLED807 is a nicely designed,
of OLED – a relative lack of well turned-out television that
brightness – yet it’s Sony shows no signs of having been built Sony KE-48A9
that leads the pack now. This down to a price. Most importantly +++++ £1399 / go.stuff.tv/KE48A9
QD-OLED set doesn’t come of all, it offers great picture quality Don’t be fooled by its relatively small size: the A9
cheap, but its performance makes in almost every circumstance, is a real smasher of a 4K OLED.
the price look fair enough. In every while the four-sided Ambilight
respect – colour balance, motion integrated into the rear works an
control, detail – it performs absolute treat – whatever you’re TCL Roku TV 55RC630K
impeccably. It’s a brilliantly watching looks larger and more +++++ £399 / go.stuff.tv/630K
naturalistic and lifelike watch, immersive, and eye-strain is Consistent picture quality and a streamlined
with the deep, varied black reduced too. The only thing we interface: for the price, this one’s hard to beat.
tones that are one of the real don’t like is Philips’ obsession with
OLED trademarks. over-complicated setup menus.
Sky Glass
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++ ++++, from £699 / go.stuff.tv/SkyGlass
QD-OLED technology is here, and This is Philips throwing the The future of Sky is here… but probably not if
on this evidence it’s the real deal mid-range OLED gauntlet down you have a decent 4K television already.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs
TOP TENS SOUNDBARS 89 STREAMERS

Sennheiser Ambeo Sky Stream

Soundbar Max from £26/m + setup / go.stuff.tv/SkyStream

£2199 / go.stuff.tv/AmbeoMax
Functionality-wise, it’s hard to find fault with this little puck. The
basic package seems a little pricey compared to a subscription
Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample to Sky’s £10/m Now Entertainment deal, which gets you access
power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently to most of the same channels via an app that’s available on
available can perform sonic feats with the solidity and all sorts of smart TVs and streaming devices. But if you want
confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale to watch movies too, and especially if you’re willing to pay to
of its sound is remarkable – and see also the more affordable watch Premier League football and can’t have (or don’t want)
(but still hugely powerful) Plus model. a satellite dish, this is the ideal solution.

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

The Ambeo Soundbar Max is a big unit but the sound Making it more affordable and accessible than ever, this
it makes is bigger still is the best way to watch Sky TV

Sonos Arc Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

2 £899 / go.stuff.tv/SonosArc
Don’t expect this soundbar to do everything
a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can
2 £60 / go.stuff.tv/FireStick4K
This streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster
processor than the original Fire TV Stick,
do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers and comes with an Alexa remote… but see
give a real sense of cinematic scale. See also also the Max model below, and the cheaper
the much more affordable Ray model. non-4K version.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
Big-screen sound for your big-screen binges Simply a great 4K streaming stick

BARGAIN BARGAIN
BUY Roku Streambar BUY Roku Express 4K
3 £130 / go.stuff.tv/Streambar
It’s a compact soundbar and a versatile
streaming stick in the same box – and both
3 £30 / go.stuff.tv/Express4K
Powered by the user-friendly Roku OS and
offering all the streaming services you’d
parts of the deal work brilliantly well. This is expect, this compellingly versatile yet
the simplest and cheapest way to upgrade surprisingly affordable 4K receiver sits
your TV’s sound and smarts in one go. discreetly below your telly.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
A punchy little bar with built-in streaming skills The best-value streaming device you can buy

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Chromecast with Google TV

4 +++++£499 / go.stuff.tv/SonosBeam
The addition of Dolby Atmos has made an
excellent compact soundbar even better.
4 +++++from £35 / go.stuff.tv/ChromecastTV
A solid buy if you like Google’s casting tricks
but also want all your TV apps in one place.

Devialet Dione Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

5 +++++£2000 / go.stuff.tv/Dione
Striking looks, awesome power: it’s Devialet
business as (un)usual.
5 ++++,£65 / go.stuff.tv/Fire4KMax
The ‘Max’ part means faster insides, Wi-Fi 6
support and a remote with more buttons.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS TABLETS 90 CONSOLES TOP TENS

1 HOT
BUY
1 HOT
BUY

Apple iPad Air

from £669 / go.stuff.tv/iPadAir
Sony PlayStation 5
£480 / go.stuff.tv/PS5

This tablet has enough power to rival the flagship iPad Pro – and The PS5 is not a modest upgrade. Its hulking design means it’ll
even quite a few current MacBooks. And though you might need make a bad first impression on some, but spend time playing it
to add a keyboard, a stylus and even a gamepad to make the most and it’ll soon win you over – and then some. This is essentially a
of it, the latest Air reinforces the growing sense that an iPad really high-spec gaming PC for the living room: stupendously powerful,
can be a laptop replacement for doing proper work (or play). Slight with greatly reduced loading times compared to the PS4. Most
storage dilemmas aside, this is a top-notch device, supported by last-gen titles will run fine and the lineup of new games is strong,
an ecosystem that makes it highly versatile for an increasingly while developers have found increasingly clever ways to use that
wide range of users. DualSense pad and its haptic feedback trickery.

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

It’s not perfect, but this latest iPad Air is a top-quality Huge power, clever hardware and a guarantee of great
package – not least because of that M1 chip games to come make the PS5 hard to resist

Apple iPad Pro Nintendo Switch OLED

2 from £899 / go.stuff.tv/ProM2
There’s so much you can do with this
stunningly powerful tablet. The only snag
2 £310 / go.stuff.tv/SwitchOLED
While it’s identical to the standard Switch in
terms of raw power, the OLED model does
is, you do need to buy the Magic Keyboard move things on with its bigger, better display.
and Apple Pencil to really make it fly – and If you’re looking to buy a Switch for the first
that pushes up an already high price. time, this one is well worth the extra cash.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says ++++,
M2 power makes the Pro better than ever A tempting upgrade from the trusty old Switch

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Microsoft Xbox Series X

3 from £1199 / go.stuff.tv/S8Ultra
Its sheer size might make it a bit niche, but
this Galaxy Tab is perfect for watching films,
3 £450 / go.stuff.tv/XSX
A fully future-proofed machine that doesn’t
scrimp on specs or speed, the Series X just
playing games, reading text and taking notes wants more exclusive titles to make it sing.
with the bundled S Pen. Add DeX, and this is Xbox Game Pass remains pretty much the
the best Android tab money can buy. best streamed offering in gaming.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says ++++,
Samsung has made the ultimate Android tablet A beast of a console that needs more games

Xiaomi Pad 5 Valve Steam Deck

4 +++++ from £349 / go.stuff.tv/Pad5
Xiaomi’s do-it-all Android tab is a proper
all-round bargain.
4 ++++,from £349 / go.stuff.tv/SteamDeck
Battery life is a worry, but this do-anything
device could revolutionise PC gaming.

Apple iPad Microsoft Xbox Series S

5 +++++ from £499 / go.stuff.tv/iPad10
A much-needed and mostly excellent
reworking of Apple’s entry-level tablet.
5 ++++,£250 / go.stuff.tv/XSS
Delivers affordability without sacrificing key
features, but still falls short on new titles.

FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TABLETS & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES

 91 GAMES TOP TENS

1 HOT
BUY

Elden Ring
from £49 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC

With FromSoftware’s trademark difficulty and

a richly imaginative world that doesn’t hold your
hand, this ambitious action RPG is a crowning
TIPS & achievement. There’s so much to lose yourself
TRICKS in here: lore hunters will have a field day
combing through the world’s mythology;
Sprinting doesn’t speedrunners and those who thrive on
consume stamina… challenge will relish figuring out the best
until you get close weapons to use and where to find them.
to an enemy, when Even for most of us mere mortals, Elden Ring
it suddenly does! is an event: an invitation to greatness.

Weapons are key: Stuff says +++++

you need to improve Majestic and daunting, this is like no
them whenever you other open-world action RPG
can. A good melee
weapon is a must.
O OR PLAY THIS
A hub called the The Legend of Zelda:
Roundtable Hold Breath of the Wild
enables you to visit This adventure-filled open-world
characters who can masterpiece might be six years
offer gear upgrades. old now, but it’s still brilliant.
£45 / Switch

Marvel’s Midnight Suns

2 3 4 +++++ from £19 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC
An excellent tactical RPG and superhero
friendship simulator.

Return to Monkey Island

5 +++++ from £17 / PS5, PC
A delightful, laugh-out-loud return to a pirate
adventure classic.

Deathloop
6 +++++ from £15 / PS5, PC
Meaty combat, organic exploration and lots of
ingenious puzzles: pretty much flawless.

Halo Infinite
7 +++++ from £40 / XSX, XB1, PC
The best Halo since the original trilogy – and
it’s included with Game Pass.

The Last of Us Part I

God of War Ragnarok Hades
£50 / PS5, PS4 from £10 / all platforms
8 +++++ from £30 / PS5, PC
Easily the best way to play – or replay – one
of the greatest games ever made.
It may not break new ground, but Just when you think you’ve seen
with satisfying, expansive and all this hellish roguelite has to offer,
challenging gameplay, as well as a new tweak yanks you out of Forza Horizon 5
deep storytelling and fascinating
characters in search of a future
beyond the end of the world, this
your comfort zone. It quickly
becomes very addictive… and
even if you’ll have to face numerous
9 +++++ from £31 / XSX, XB1, PC
This stunning fifth venture into the Horizon is
the pinnacle of open-world racing.
sets an astoundingly high bar for setbacks, few games make you
other AAA blockbusters. feel so godly.
It Takes Two
Stuff says +++++
Bigger and better in every way,
Ragnarok deserves godlike status
Stuff says +++++
Great even if you don’t like roguelites
…and if you do, it’s the best there is
10 +++++ from £14 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC
A masterful co-op experience that will live long
in the memory.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES
TOP TENS SPEAKERS 92

TIPS &
TRICKS
You can control your
Move with the touch
controls on top, the
Sonos app, Google
Auto Trueplay adapts
the Move’s sound
to different rooms,
while the app offers
1 HOT
BUY

Assistant or Alexa. additional EQ tweaks. Sonos Move

£399 / go.stuff.tv/SonosMove

The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been

crying out for a battery-powered portable model
for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom
audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was
worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality
mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer
for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand.
This is the speaker Sonos should have launched
years ago – and for even better portability, see
the Roam model at No4 on this list.
Stuff says +++++
Sonos finally gets up to speed with the
portable speaker craze, and in style

O NOW ADD THIS

YouTube Music Premium
If you’d like a side of optional visuals
with your audio, look no further than
the ad-free tier of YouTube Music.
£9.99/m / music.youtube.com

Sonos Roam
2 3 4 +++++ £179 / go.stuff.tv/SonosRoam
There are better-sounding sub-£200 speakers,
but none with the Roam’s portable skills.

Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation

5 +++++ £1149 / go.stuff.tv/Mu-so2
More than capable of maintaining Naim’s position
at the front of the luxury hi-fi pack.

Audio Pro C10 MkII

6 +++++ £328 / go.stuff.tv/C10Mk2
Ideal for multiroom systems – there’s nothing
else that sounds this good at this price.

Sonos Era 100 Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Devialet Phantom 1 108dB
£249 / go.stuff.tv/Era100 £699 / go.stuff.tv/Zeppelin

Improved in every way over the No, the latest Zeppelin doesn’t
7 +++++ £2800 each / go.stuff.tv/Phantom1
An insanely powerful lump of hi-fi magic, best
enjoyed in a neighbour-terrifying stereo pair.
already brilliant Sonos One – not quite give the widely separated
least with the crucial addition of stereo sound it reckons it can.
Bluetooth support – the Era 100 And no, that downward-facing JBL Charge 5
matches its key rivals for sound
quality. If you’ve got an existing
Sonos system, it’s the obvious
‘ambient’ light doesn’t serve much
of a purpose, while the absence
of an HDMI input is perplexing.
8 +++++ £150 / go.stuff.tv/JBLC5
A no-nonsense portable speaker for audio fans
who won’t settle for a sonic lightweight.
choice. And see also the Era 300 But in every other respect this
(£449), a bigger speaker that is a deeply impressive wireless
really excels at spatial audio and speaker. There’s no clever DSP Q Acoustics M20
takes standard stereo recordings
up a notch. Both are super-smart
if you add Alexa and can do all the
magic, just excellent sound with
a stack of music-making talent
and a control app that helps rather
9 +++++ £355 (pair) / go.stuff.tv/QM20
Hi-res sound from multiple sources, with none
of the compromises the price suggests.
usual multiroom stuff you expect than hinders. It’s basically the
from Sonos. complete package.
Apple HomePod (2023)
Stuff says +++++
The most classy smart speaker you
can get for the price
Stuff says +++++
Supremely enjoyable hi-fi sound in
a supremely large package
10 ++++, £299 / go.stuff.tv/HomePod
The latest HomePod is an all-round improvement,
but Siri still lags behind.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING
TOP TENS E-BIKES 93 ELECTRIC CARS TOP TENS

1 HOT NEW
BUY
1 HOT
BUY

Honbike Uni4
£1799 / go.stuff.tv/Uni4
Kia EV6
from £45,245 / go.stuff.tv/EV6

This urban e-bike is designed to be as maintenance-free as This Korean crossover arrived with a properly head-turning design
possible, with no gears, integrated lights, and a hub that swaps and a roomy cabin packed with tech features, including dynamic
the oily chain for a nice clean belt. The non-removable battery AR navigation graphics that make it virtually impossible to go
might make it a poor choice for flat-dwellers, and the fixed the wrong way. It’ll manage up to 300 miles on a charge and can
gearing limits its touring appeal, but the Uni4 is an otherwise handle a heady 350kW when it’s time to plug in, so you’ll only need
fantastic performer. The display is slick, the app strong and the a 20min pitstop before you can get back out on the road. Everyday
styling distinctive. It undercuts similarly stylish rivals on price yet driving is a real treat, thanks to a refined ride and light steering, but
doesn’t skimp on features. it also impresses through the twisty bits.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
An appealing blend of outstanding looks, minimal A fantastic family-focused EV, with so many features
maintenance and a relaxed electric ride you’ll be making excuses to go for a drive on your own

Cowboy 4 BMW i4
2 £2690 / go.stuff.tv/Cowboy4
The Belgian maker’s latest model has 50%
more torque than its predecessor, but the
2 from £49,995 / go.stuff.tv/i4
The i4 makes a lot of sense if you want a
no-nonsense fully electric BMW but still
slinky profile and simple interface with GPS prefer the look and feel of a petrol car. Even
remain… and there’s also an equally excellent the entry-level spec provides more than
step-through version, the 4 ST. enough thrills to keep most people happy.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
Smoothly integrated e-power at a good price A great way to enter the world of electric cars

LeMond Prolog Porsche Taycan

3 £4418 / go.stuff.tv/Prolog
From multiple Tour de France winner and
world road race champion Greg LeMond, the
3 from £79,200 / go.stuff.tv/Taycan
It was about time someone took the fight
to Tesla, and boy has Porsche delivered with
Prolog is an all-carbon commute-crushing the Taycan. This four-door saloon is the EV
machine that doesn’t really look like it has that petrolheads have been waiting for, with
a motor or a battery at all. a dynamism that can’t be matched.
Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++
If you want gears and lightness, it’s worth it Power, handling, tech: the most exciting EV yet

Ribble Endurance SL e Pro Audi Q4 E-tron

4 +++++from £5199 / go.stuff.tv/Endurance
Super-light and a great bike on its own – the
motor is just the icing on the hilly cake.
4 +++++from £51,325 / go.stuff.tv/Q4Etron
A smart and highly practical car, this is the
best all-round electric SUV we’ve driven.

Gocycle G4i Polestar 2

5 +++++£4499 / go.stuff.tv/G4i
This folding e-bike is silky-smooth, super-fast
and splendidly futuristic… for a price.
5 +++++from £44,950 / go.stuff.tv/Polestar2
This handsome five-door saloon is perky and
fun to throw around corners.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS SMART HOME 94

1 HOT
BUY

Amazon Echo
(4th Gen)
£110 / go.stuff.tv/Echo

Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere,

TIPS & the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader,
TRICKS weather forecaster, personal assistant and
intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now
The Echo’s built-in also a capable speaker and a very accessible
Zigbee hub can hook smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good
up hundreds of as the Sonos One for listening to music, but
smart home devices it’s significantly smarter and considerably
without a bridge. cheaper too.

Pair a compatible Stuff says +++++

thermostat and the An all-round upgrade that makes the
Echo’s temperature Echo a smarter speaker than ever
sensor can activate
the heating.
O NOW ADD THIS
Alexa Flash Briefings Honeywell T6R
deliver bursts of This Zigbee-enabled thermostat
news or trivia; is wireless so you can place it
choose from 5000 where it’s most convenient.
sources in the app. £160 / screwfix.com

Ring Indoor Cam

2 3 4 +++++£50 / go.stuff.tv/RingIndoor
This cute little spy-cam is a bona fide bargain for
anyone with security worries.

Nest Learning Thermostat

5 +++++£219 / go.stuff.tv/NestTherm
A simple and mess-free smart thermostat with
Alexa compatibility.

NEW Arlo Pro 5

6 +++++£220 / go.stuff.tv/ArloPro5
A premium indoor/outdoor security cam with
excellent detail and colour night vision.

Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) Google Nest Mini Amazon Echo Show 15
from £55 / go.stuff.tv/Dot5 £49 / go.stuff.tv/NestMini

The latest Dot offers improved If you live in Google’s world (and
7 +++++£270 / go.stuff.tv/EchoShow15
Amazon’s smart display has come of age – this
is easily the best Show in town.
sound quality over the 4th Gen let’s face it, most of us do) then
model. Not surprisingly given its the Nest Mini is the best, cheapest
size, it still doesn’t have the heft way to get into the smart home Philips Hue Starter Kit
of a full-scale Echo, but this Dot is
more than good enough for bedside
table or kitchen listening – and light
game. Just like the latest Echo
Dot, this latest version features
upgraded speakers and mics
8 +++++from £70 / go.stuff.tv/Hue
Become an indoor god with the smartest way
of lighting up your home remotely.
years away from the lame sound compared to older models. It’s
of the early models. Be sure to a slightly better bet than the Echo
consider the £65 ‘with Clock’ Dot with Clock if you want close UPDATE Dyson V15 Detect Absolute
version, which offers a better and
much more useful LED display than
the previous model – you can now
integration with your Google
calendar and apps. The only
reason not to buy is if you want
9 +++++£630 / go.stuff.tv/V15Absolute
A vacuum cleaner that illuminates your dust
with a laser… and there’s a new model on p62.
see things like basic weather info more powerful audio – for that,
and song titles. get the Google Nest Audio instead.
Ring Intercom
Stuff says +++++
The 5th Gen brings a nice upgrade
to an already excellent little gadget
Stuff says +++++
Louder and cleverer than ever… and
it’ll only improve with updates
10 +++++from £100 / go.stuff.tv/RingIntercom
Great news for people in flats, making it easier to
receive packages and give access remotely.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES
TOP TENS VR HEADSETS 95 DRONES & ACTION CAMS TOP TENS

1 HOT
BUY
1 HOT
BUY

Meta Quest 2
£399 / go.stuff.tv/Quest2
GoPro Hero11 Black
£400 / go.stuff.tv/Hero11

The original Quest felt almost too good to be true. Its successor The Hero11 Black introduces a sensor with an almost square 8:7
lacks the same wow factor, but you can’t argue with a better aspect ratio, capturing footage that can be losslessly cropped
display and processor – not to mention a lighter, more comfy at high quality for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or whatever other
build – and the fantastic Beat Saber now thrown in. Are there format you want. That aside, the design is practically identical to
more powerful headsets? Is motion sickness still an issue? Yes its predecessor – so it’s still compatible with almost all existing
to both, but superb tracking and a total absence of wires make accessories. Most importantly, its lightweight build is just as
this the VR package to get… and you no longer have to be logged durable as past GoPros, and with HyperSmooth stabilisation
in to Facebook to use it. See also the work-orientated Pro model. you can expect footage with best-in-class smoothness.

Stuff says +++++ Stuff says +++++

Not a complete reinvention, but our favourite VR An innovative and powerful camera that’s good for
headset is now even better in all sorts of ways creators and adventurers alike

PlayStation VR 2 DJI Air 2S

£530 / go.stuff.tv/PSVR2 £899 / go.stuff.tv/Air2S
This is an improvement on the PSVR in every DJI’s laurels remain assuredly un-rested-upon,
way, as long as you have a PS5 to plug it into: and this may be its best drone yet: an almost
it’s easier to set up and has great controllers perfect balance of portability, performance
plus futuristic eye-tracking tech. Many of the and price, ideal for novices but still able to
launch games are not really new, though. produce nigh-on pro-level results.
Stuff says ++++, Stuff says +++++
Mighty hardware, but it needs more games The best all-round camera drone on the market

Valve Index DJI Mini 3

£919 / go.stuff.tv/ValveIndex £519 / go.stuff.tv/Mini3
While not revolutionary, the Index carries The Mini 3 is a delightfully small and portable
enough subtle upgrades to put it atop the fly-anywhere quadcopter with great battery
PC-based headset pack. Everything looks life and solid imaging performance. There are
fabulous and the controllers deliver the most downsides compared to its Pro cousin, but
fluid-feeling VR interactions to date. the cash saving is a major one.
Stuff says ++++, Stuff says +++++
The best of the performance-PC VR options A superb entry-level flyer with ace stamina

HTC Vive Pro DJI Mavic 3 Classic

++++,from £449 / go.stuff.tv/VivePro +++++£1399 / go.stuff.tv/Mavic3
No longer the top dog for high-end VR using The Mavic 3 gets a new name, a slight camera
a PC, but it looks crisp and feels comfy. downgrade and a price drop. Why? See p72.

Pico 4 Insta360 One RS 1-Inch 360 Edition

++++,from £379 / go.stuff.tv/Pico4 ++++,£810 / go.stuff.tv/360Edition
A nice-priced headset with sharp resolution, Huge 1in sensors make this the best 360°
but Meta has the edge for big exclusives. cam you can get for image quality.

FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS CAMERAS 96

1 HOT
BUY

Fujifilm X-T5
£1699 / go.stuff.tv/XT5

Fujifilm’s most popular compact system camera

gets a sensor upgrade while keeping up tradition
TIPS & everywhere else. This means you’re getting
TRICKS

O System camera prices quoted are for body only unless otherwise stated
identical stills performance to the more modern
X-H2, while retaining the old X-T4’s dials and
It’s easy to set up the compact dimensions – making the X-T5 the
X-T5’s customisable sweet spot of Fuji’s lineup, and a top all-rounder.
Q button: just hold it The sensor is even better at low-light shooting
down for a couple of than before, and the wide choice of lenses means
seconds for options. everyone will find something to like.

Give your pics a Stuff says +++++

retro vibe with film Slick modern internals meet the manual
simulations, which controls loved by Fuji diehards
mimic the look of
classic 35mm shots.
O NOW ADD THIS
Fuji’s free Pixel Shift Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4
Combiner software This versatile lens covers a bigger
merges multiple zoom range than most and adapts
RAW snaps into giant to pretty much any requirements.
400MP images. £699 / wexphotovideo.com

Sony A7C
2 3 4 +++++£1699 / go.stuff.tv/A7C
Superb quality and full-frame goodness from
a half-pint camera.

Nikon D780
5 +++++£2099 / go.stuff.tv/D780
An all-round DSLR that’s built like a tank and
borrows the best tricks of its mirrorless siblings.

Canon EOS R6
6 +++++£1900 / go.stuff.tv/EOSR6
With its low-light-friendly specs, the R6 all but
guarantees sharp shots in any conditions.

Sony A7 IV Canon EOS R7 Fujifilm X-H2S

£2399 / go.stuff.tv/A7iv £1449 / go.stuff.tv/EOSR7

The A7 series might be marketed The R7 is quick enough to excel

7 +++++£2235 / go.stuff.tv/XH2S
This ace all-rounder offers 40fps burst shooting,
exceptional autofocus… and wonderful stills.
as Sony’s ‘basic’ full-frame at sport and wildlife shooting, and
E-mount camera, but it’s now delivers excellent image quality
become a premium model in its and consistent battery life in a Canon EOS RP
own right. The A7 III proved very
popular with content creators,
delivering both strong 4K video
body that’s small and light enough
to take just about anywhere. The
only real black mark, aside from
8 +++++£1049 / go.stuff.tv/EOSRP
A full-frame mirrorless marvel that’s light enough
to not be a burden and offers top picture quality.
and ace stills; the A7 IV takes things a relatively low-resolution EVF, is
further with even better image the lack of lens options compared
quality, improved performance to the likes of Sony’s E-mount Sony A1
and a host of thoughtful design
touches. It’s pricey compared to
some APS-C and Micro Four Thirds
series and Fuji’s X-mount. But
if you’re in it for the long haul
and don’t mind waiting for more
9 +++++£5879 / go.stuff.tv/A1
There are better options for specialists, but this is
the ultimate no-compromise all-round camera.
options, but there’s a lot going on choices to come along, this is
here for the money. a fine buy.
Panasonic Lumix GH6
Stuff says +++++
Sony’s mirrorless all-rounder delivers
premium-quality stills and video
Stuff says +++++
A mid-ranger with speed, image
quality and handling on its side
10 +++++£1799 / go.stuff.tv/GH6
This superb Micro Four Thirds camera is easily
Panasonic’s best mirrorless yet for video.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS
 97 BUDGET BUYS

1 HOT
BUY

Amazon Echo Dot

TIPS & (5th Gen)
TRICKS from £55 / go.stuff.tv/Dot5

Fed up of yelling? The latest Dot offers improved sound quality

Alexa’s voice can over the 4th Gen model. Not surprisingly given
work like an intercom its size, it still doesn’t have the heft of a full-scale
with connected Echo, but this Dot is more than good enough
Echo devices. for bedside table or kitchen listening – and light
years away from the lame sound of the early
Alexa Voice models. Be sure to consider the £65 ‘with Clock’
Shopping lets you version, which offers a better and much more
order from Amazon; useful LED display than the previous model.
add a ‘voice code’ to
keep the kids off. Stuff says +++++
The 5th Gen brings a nice upgrade to
Dot at your bedside? an already excellent little gadget
Saying “Alexa, turn
on whisper mode”
will stop it waking O NOW ADD THIS
up sleepyheads. Sportlink Wall Mount
This mount for the Dot (and other
small speakers) will keep it clear
from wet kitchen surfaces.
£19 / amazon.co.uk

SanDisk Extreme 1TB

4 +++++£99 / go.stuff.tv/Extreme1TB
A rugged little SSD for those who don’t just
need a drive to dump next to their desktop.

Raspberry Pi 400 Kit

5 +++++£97 / go.stuff.tv/Pi400
This DIY PC kit is a superb gadget for hacking
around and exploring computing’s past.

Razer Kishi V2
6 +++++ £100 / go.stuff.tv/Kishi2
This compact device is a sleek (if pricey) way to
turn your phone into a games console.

Microsoft Xbox Amazon Kindle Evercade EXP

Wireless Headset £95 / go.stuff.tv/Kindle
£90 / go.stuff.tv/XboxHeadset
The basic Kindle gets its first
7 ++++,£130 / go.stuff.tv/EXP
A hymn to gaming’s past and a big improvement
over the original Evercade handheld console.
With their chunky earpads, these update for three years – and
black cans are unmistakably Xbox. jumps into the water alongside
And the sound is impressive for the interesting new Kindle Scribe. Poco M4 Pro
the price, with a low-end response
so impactful we had to turn down
the bass in the Xbox’s EQ app. You
It’s the same size as before
at 6in, but slightly lighter; and
the wonderful display now has
8 ++++,£249 / go.stuff.tv/M4Pro
Skips a few luxuries, but still a seriously good
Android phone for the price.
might find yourself wishing for a higher resolution (300dpi),
some sort of multifunction button while there are also upgrades
for non-gaming use (and there’s no to battery life and storage. The Beurer TL50
case, suggesting Microsoft expects
you to keep it in the house). But if
you like the sound of keeping your
latter goes up to 16GB from 8GB,
but the stamina improvement
is better still: an impressive six
9 ++++,£80 / go.stuff.tv/TL50
A beautifully designed anti-SAD lamp that
doesn’t cost the earth.
Xbox headset outlay below three weeks instead of four. This is a
figures, look no further. great sub-£100 e-reader.
UE Wonderboom 3
Stuff says +++++
Yes, you really can bag a decent
gaming headset for under £100
Stuff says +++++
Some nice improvements make the
latest entry-level Kindle a doozy
10 ++++,£90 / go.stuff.tv/WB3
Showing its age at version 3, but still one of the
best compact Bluetooth speakers around.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
 Wouldn’t it
be rubbery?
Say what you will about
this oddball hybrid, but at least
the rubberised grip meant
it wouldn’t slip out of your
mitts and fall down a ravine
while you were busy
snapping away.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 2013

Samsung Galaxy NX
hat there is a camera. Why’s it Android on a camera, in 2013! Blimey! Could Sounds amazing. Or terrible. Or possibly

T special? It looks far too normal

for this page.
To borrow a phrase, the Samsung
you play Angry Birds on it, then?
Indeed. In fact, since this snapper had the
clout of a pretty good Android tablet, it could
both. It’s… going to be both, isn’t it?
You could write a pros and cons list as long
as your arm for the NX, if you could find a big
Galaxy NX was ‘business in front, party in the go a lot further. You could even tackle a few enough strip of paper. It was solid, with a
back’. To the untrained eye, it looked like any tracks of Asphalt 8: Airborne, although you’d great screen, and could capture good JPEGs.
other mid-range camera. You could mount feel like a massive idiot while doing so… and But RAW support was poor, and Android
lenses, prod a button to take a snap, and revel would need to plug in headphones, as the compromised the experience, making the
in the large (for the time) 20MP sensor. But piddly speaker only played system sounds. unit slow. Pros reckoned it wasn’t camera-y
[ Words Craig Grannell ]

spin the thing around and you were bathed Add a SIM and you could make Skype calls enough; normal people had a minor heart
in the glow of a 4.8in touchscreen. And that too. But sensible types would use Android attack on seeing the price: from £1199, which
existed because this was the world’s first and wireless connectivity for on-device back then could net you an Android blower
mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera to editing and flinging snaps to social networks and a quality digital camera. All in all, then,
run Android. You know, the phone OS. and cloud storage, directly from the camera. not the prettiest picture. It was gone by 2017.

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