The Apple Watch Series 12 may need a double take to spot the differences over last year’s flagship smartwatch, but looks can be deceiving. It may sport a familiar exterior design, but dive below that sleek surface and Apple’s made some substantial — and impressive — changes to its smartwatch.

The focus with Apple Watch is always health, but this year Apple’s dug deep into features that almost anyone — not just the ultra marathon runner in your life — will find useful. A fully re-imagined sensing system works with Apple’s new S11 chip to monitor your heart more frequently, while new Readiness and Vitals features make all that data considerably more useful to Joe Bloggs. Then there’s watchOS 27, which finally delivers a smarter Siri to your wrist, and a bevy of new fitness tools and ways to interact with your watch.

Starting at £369, the Series 12 isn’t the cheapest smartwatch around (or even the cheapest in Apple’s own line-up). But it’s arguably the best in terms of bang-for-buck. After spending time with the new model, here are 12 reasons it could be the right fit for your wrist.

Apple Watch Series 12: In Short…

• New health sensors track heart rate every five seconds
• Readiness score turns health data into actionable daily guidance
• S11 chip delivers faster performance and smoother everyday use
• Ceramic Shield 2 makes for a 60% tougher display
• New finishes include ceramic, titanium and dark bronze
• Up to 24 hours of battery, with significantly faster charging
• From £369, available now in 42mm and 46mm sizes

1. Heart-rate tracking to set your heart racing

The biggest upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 12 is one you can’t see, hidden away under the display. Apple has completely rethought its Health Sensing System, allowing the Series 12 to take background heart-rate readings every five seconds. That’s 60 times more frequent than the Series 11.

That obviously leads to more accurate readings and analysis of your long term heart health. But it’s actionable in the short term too — the extra data can help the watch better understand activity, improve calorie estimates and provide richer information about stress and recovery.

Apple’s own study compared the smartwatch with a Polar H10 chest strap and several leading wearables, involving more than 1,000 participants. Apple says the Series 12 demonstrated the highest accuracy in its testing. Of course it’s in its interest to say that, but tested against my local GP’s gear, Series 12 proved very accurate.

2. Readiness tells you when to chill out

For the fitness averse amongst us, Apple Watch Series 12 might be among the most friendly smartwatches out there. It doesn’t only tell you to get off the sofa, but also tells you when an actual rest in front of the telly might do you some good.

A newly-introduced Readiness feature analyses your recent activity, sleep, overnight vitals and Recovery HRV to give you a score from zero to 10. From that, the Watch will tell you how hard to push yourself in four levels: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It.

It also changes throughout the day as new information comes in, meaning a rough night's sleep or particularly punishing workout can affect the recommendation. I’d go as far as saying it’s the most meaningful feature add-on for the casual fitness fan since the introduction of the Activity Rings on Apple Watch — for a newbie getting used to the strains and aches of a workout on their body, it’ll help them find their feet gradually and safely.

Just note that your Readiness score takes time to build — you’ll need to wear your Apple Watch overnight and use it in workouts and throughout the day for about a week before it gets a good idea of what you’re capable of.

3. Vital improvements

The Series 12's new Vitals tool makes health information easier to digest, with daytime and overnight views covering things including heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate and wrist temperature.

The clever bit is that you don't necessarily have to wait until tomorrow morning to discover something is up. Daytime measurements can flag changes while you're getting on with your day, letting you adjust your plans accordingly. If you’ve got a long term condition you’re monitoring, these regular updates can help you keep on top of a flare up before it kicks in.

4. Same fit, same feel

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it — the Apple Watch Series 12 may be a dead-ringer for last year’s model, but who’s complaining when it’s this comfortable to wear?

The Series 12 is Apple's thinnest Watch yet, measuring 9.7mm for aluminium and titanium models, with ceramic models only fractionally thicker. The rounded design sits closer to the wrist and is intended to be comfortable enough to wear day and night (important for keeping those Readiness scores accurate). I’ve been wearing the chunkier Apple Watch Ultra 3 for most of this year, and it’s been a good reminder that this smaller watch style is definitely the more comfortable of Apple’s range.

The slight change in size has led to a slightly smaller screen size, but we’re talking a few pixels here, and nothing the naked eye is going to pick up on.

5. Good-looking wrist candy

The Series 12 might not have had a big design overhaul this year, but Apple has given you more ways to customise it and make it your own.

Aluminium models come in Light Gold, Black, Space Gray and Dark Bronze, while titanium arrives in Natural and Radiant Gold. And, making a comeback in suitably glamorous (and pricey!) fashion, there are polished ceramic versions in Pearl White and Night Blue.

Those different finishes are going to cost you a pretty penny though. Titanium ups the starting price to £649, while Ceramic is £849 — £100 more than even the new ‘Pro’ level Apple Watch Ultra 4. Those upgrades do also include the cellular connectivity option as part of Apple Watch though — an optional paid-for add-on for the Aluminium builds.

6. Ceramic Shield 2 stands against scratches

Still, the Aluminium models get some industrial design upgrades. For the aluminium models, Apple has replaced the display’s old Ion-X glass with Ceramic Shield 2.

Apple says it's 60 per cent tougher than the Ion-X glass used on the Series 11, while the titanium and ceramic versions get sapphire front crystal for even greater scratch resistance. It's not the kind of upgrade you'll appreciate while sitting on the sofa admiring your new Watch, admittedly, but you’ll be happy for it the next time you stumble out of the pub.

7. The S11 chip is doing a lot of heavy lifting

There’s a brand new chip powering the Apple Series 12 show — the S11. As well as keeping the smartwatch snappy and responsive to your prods and swipes, it’s the beating heart and whip-sharp brain behind all the new health sensing and AI features.

It has a faster CPU and GPU, an upgraded Neural Engine (that’s the AI bit) and a dedicated always-on processor capable of handling machine-learning workloads efficiently. More than any other Apple Watch before it, the Series 11 is keeping an eye on your important vitals at all times, and it’s the S11 that allows for that.

8. Power to the Pedometer

This might be cheating — it’s not like the Apple Watch hasn’t tracked your steps since, well, its conception. But the pedometer onboard a smartwatch is one of the most under-appreciated features that we take for granted. For many wearers, using it represents the first step, quite literally, in their fitness journey.

So it’s great to see the Series 12 getting a redesigned pedometer model powered by machine learning. With its AI smarts, it’s able to improve step-count accuracy, making it far more capable to interpret changes in your gait (such as when your arms aren't moving normally when you're pushing a buggy, holding a coffee or carrying a bag).

Paired with a new Steps complication, your more accurate step count can now live directly on your watch face. For someone starting out on their fitness journey, this frictionless entry into exercise tracking is excellent.

9. Siri finally feels like it belongs on your wrist

Of all the new software features that the underlying watchOS 27 operating system gives your Apple Watch, the overhaul of Siri, Apple’s increasingly AI-charged voice assistant, will be the most valuable.

With a wake word or a tap of a button, Siri’s new AI smarts allow it to answer using both broader online knowledge and personal context it’s picked up from interactions with your watch and wider pool of Apple gadgets. With it, you can ask Siri to perform actions using information from your personal data directly from your Apple Watch, such as sharing flight details or creating a Reminders list, with far less manual fumbling needed on your part.

There's a catch for UK users, though: Siri AI is rolling out as a beta, and availability varies, meaning it’s not yet certain when a UK-wide rollout of all the AI features will fully turn up. But what Apple is cooking up here will be a compelling addition when it does arrive.

10. Audio Intelligence could be incredibly useful

Here’s another AI feature set that’s rolling out as a beta in select territories — ‘Audio Intelligence’ — and this one’s as controversial as it is potentially game-changing.

Live Rewind will capture the previous 15 seconds of a conversation and show it on your watch display as a text snippet, letting you catch up if you've missed something (slash help you win a ‘No, you didn’t actually say that’ argument). A boosted Sound Recognition app will be great for the hearing impaired, offering wrist-based alerts when important sounds such as alarms, sirens and doorbells chime, even when your iPhone isn't nearby. And then there's also Siri Recap, which can create high-level summaries of conversations throughout your day.

The catch? You’re allowing Apple to listen to your life in minute detail. These features are opt-in, with Apple saying audio isn't stored and that processing is designed around privacy. But you wouldn’t be alone to feel it equates to something like surveillance, even if Apple promises that’s not the intent or result of the features. What happens, for instance, when those around you who haven’t personally opted-in to the features, question being passively recorded by them? Apple will need to be very clear about the nature of Audio Intelligence if it wants its millions of Apple Watch users to get on board.

11. Same battery, faster recharge

Battery life remains rated at up to 24 hours, just like the Series 11, with a Low Power Mode that can stretch that further to 38 hours.

Same old, sure. But getting power back is a far swifter process this time around. A mere five minutes plugged in can provide up to 10 hours of sleep tracking — perfect for topping up at bedtime after a hard day’s training. 15 minutes connected to power can add up to 12 hours of normal use, while an 80 per cent charge takes just around 30 minutes.

While it still means the Series 11 needs a top up roughly every day, at least this time you’ll be able to sneak in some extra juice in a hurry.

12. All the other good stuff Apple Watch has always had

All this is building on the already-top-tier base that Apple Watch has built over its decade on our wrists.

You've got sleep tracking, ECG, heart-rate notifications, respiratory-rate tracking, wrist temperature, cycle tracking, blood oxygen measurements, hypertension notifications, sleep-apnoea notifications and more. There are also safety features including Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS and Check In, letting loved ones and emergency services keep in touch if disaster strikes.

Then there's the rest of watchOS that you’re probably already aware of: notifications from messaging apps and services, Apple Pay contactless payments, music, maps, workouts tracking, Find My and an ever-growing collection of third-party apps. It’s a mature device with years of improvements and development behind it, all coalescing into this powerful iteration.

Apple Watch Series 12 verdict

The Series 12 is a classic Apple upgrade: even if the outside hasn't changed much, the stuff underneath has.

The new heart-rate sensing, Readiness and Vitals features are the real stars, while the S11 chip lays the groundwork for Apple's increasingly ambitious AI features — whether you’re fully onboard with those ambitions or not. The faster charging is another welcome quality-of-life improvement that will directly aid your all-day health tracking needs.

There are caveats. Battery life is still only around 24 hours, the design (though lovely) remains familiar and some of the flashiest Audio Intelligence features aren't available yet, and raise privacy concerns.

But at £369, the Series 12 is a remarkably comprehensive smartwatch for iPhone owners, with enough new here to make an upgrade from a more recent model justifiable. If you’re completely new to Apple Watch and are looking for a fully-fledged health tracker and life assistant, it’s a no-brainer.

• Casio's new G-Shock watches include a £67,000 beauty and a £200 rugged beast

Get a load of this. You may think of the humble Casio G-Shock as the respectable digital watch you can buy without spending a fortune, but the MRG-D5000 from the Blue Rose collection costs a whopping £67,000.

A high price doesn’t earn you a memorable name, apparently.

Only 20 of these watches are being made. And while it may look much like a G-Shock, just very very blue, it’s a bit special. A lot special.

The MRG-D5000’s bezel and upper casing is blue sapphire crystal, made of parts that lock into one another for peak structural rigidity and strength. It’s a chunky 16.45mm thick and only 20 of these blue wonders are being made.

It delivers unusually good 200m water resistance, as well as solar charging.

Around the back we get a Grade 5 Titanium plate, while the front lettering used 24-carat gold as part of the detailing process. It’s a mad watch that will surely go down in Casio history as a collector’s aspiration piece — each of the 20 watches is also hand-assembled in Casio’s Yamagata lab.

If, like us, you have no chance of ever affording such a dazzling watch, check out the new G-Shock Mudman GDG-B100 instead.

It costs £200 rather than £67k, and shares some of the same features (and more), if none of the same bragging rights.

We get a MIP LCD screen with red backlight, and a chunky built-up case for baked-in screen protection.

It’s also packed with far more fitness features than you might guess. The G-Shock Mudman GDG-B100 has Bluetooth, a lap timer with dedicated button and fitness watch-style motion sensors.

It can also hook up to your phone and use its GPS to check the distance estimates from the watch itself, for more accurate fitness watch-like stats.

These two are actually just a couple from a whole series of watches Casio has announced. But which would you rather wear?

• 5 iconic watches (and the affordable alternatives everyone can enjoy)

When most musicians branch out into other fields they set up their own clothing label or launch a new booze brand. But Tom Vek has much grander plans than having his own trainer range or a bottle of vodka with his name on it.

Vek is the man behind four studio albums and one digital audio player called Sleevenote – a pocket-sized attempt to bring some value back to music. He released his debut album We Have Sound in 2005, but it was during the recording of the follow-up, 2011’s Leisure Seizure, that the seed for Sleevenote was planted.

Apple’s iTunes Store had really blown up in the interim and all of a sudden album artwork had gone from being something fans would pore over on the bus home from HMV to a tiny bundle of pixels on a screen.

“I was very taken with the industrial design of the iPod,” says Vek over Zoom from his house in Margate.

“It was very unusual for things to be bright white and it had a sort of sci-fi friendliness, almost like NASA. But the cover art was tiny and the rest of the sleeve art was missing.”

As somebody who had grown up with physical media and studied graphic design at art school, the visual element of an album was almost as important to him as the music itself. As well as writing and recording everything you heard on his records, Vek also designed everything you saw, so to have it reduced to the size of a postage stamp frustrated him.

An alternative to streaming

Vek met his Sleevenote co-founder Chris Hipgrave in 2018 and the pair spent a couple of years working on app ideas that would bring that focus back to the artwork, but the rise of nasty freemium models and what he calls “App Store bureaucracy” pushed them towards exploring their dream product: a digital music player with a square screen for showing off album artwork properly.

After a failed crowdfunding campaign in 2020, and the news in 2021 that Spotify founder Daniel Ek had started funding military technology, Vek and Hipgrave decided to go all-in on a product that would give music fans an alternative to streaming.

“I know as an artist that it actually costs you to really be on Spotify, because they have all these extra features to push your music that mean you get paid even less,” says Vek.

“It's just insane that a music service can have such bad press and still have a monopoly.”

Sleevenote’s Day One Edition, which sold out all 100 of its available units earlier this summer, has a 4-inch touchscreen for displaying full artwork and liner notes, which can be uploaded by artists who, like Vek, want fans to experience the full package. For albums that don’t have it, Sleevenote can still pull in basic artwork from the internet.

The aluminium case also includes six physical buttons to control power, playback and volume, while both wired and wireless headphones are welcome thanks to Bluetooth 5.4 and a 3.5mm socket. It supports hi-res audio files and you get 256GB of storage to fill.

App-free listening

Just as important to Sleevenotes raison d’etre, though, is what the device doesn’t do. It runs on Android but there are no apps or phone calls; no Spotify or other streaming services; and while it does have Wi-Fi it’s only for transferring tunes and sending certain listening data directly to the Sleevenote Discord community.

Instead, there’s a real focus on using sites like Bandcamp in order to financially support the artists as fully as possible. According to Sleevenote’s website, if you spend $10 on a digital download, $8 goes to the artist – a much higher proportion than even buying a vinyl record or some merch (which when bought at live shows can often be subject to the venue taking a cut), and a whole world away from the miniscule payments they receive from streaming.

“It's good to buy music,” says Vek. “It's good for the artist but it's also good for people to actually own it.”

Anyone who’s a fan of a band who has pulled their music from Spotify, as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard did after news of Ek’s investments broke, will attest to that.

A Trojan horse

Vek is not the first musician to move into this kind of hardware either. Neil Young’s PonoPlayer aimed to improve on the sound quality offered by more mainstream devices but its existence was short-lived. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $6m, the PonoPlayer started shipping in late 2014, but by April 2017 it went the way of the dodo, with Young citing the higher cost of hi-res audio files as the main reason for its demise.

Sleevenote is a much smaller operation and doesn’t rely on its own music store, so pricing of downloads isn’t a concern, although Vek is keen to find a way to make the device itself more affordable (the Day One Edition was £249/$349). He also wants to improve the battery life, which currently stands at between six and eight hours.

For Vek, though, his main hope for Sleevenote is bigger than sales. He sees it as a “kind of Trojan Horse that encourages people to actually buy music.” That’s a pretty lofty ambition, with streaming too convenient to resist for most listeners, but there are signs of hope.

Gen Z is driving a resurgence in CDs and MP3 players, while a significant proportion of people who buy vinyl don’t even own a turntable to play their records on, so there’s clearly a desire among some music fans to support artists properly.

As both a recording artist and a tech fan, it feels like Vek couldn’t be better placed to create a product like Sleevenote.

“Tech that deals with culture needs to be built by people who really do passionately care about that culture,” he says.

“To see music battered around so much by it has been really frustrating.”

• Meta VR Glasses bring us a lighter, more comfortable take on virtual reality

Master of all things VR, Meta has come up with a new headset in what it calls a “new era for virtual reality.”

For a while it looked like Meta was bowing out of virtual reality altogether, but the Meta VR Glasses offer a rather different take on the category to what the Meta Quest 3 headset offers.

As you might guess from the name, the Meta VR Glasses look a lot more like a pair of normal glasses than the Meta Quest series ever has. They are “five times lighter than Meta Quest 3” according to the announcement blog, with one key design change.

The Meta VR Glasses use a wired housing that contains the battery and brains of the thing — like the Apple Vision Pro — with a belt clip on its back. Not quite everything is built into the glasses themselves, as we saw recently in the Snap Specs.

In the glasses part we get the displays and the motion sensors. And, no, you can’t put the processor puck part in your pocket as it uses cooling fans, which would be blocked by your jeans.

It’s not as if you’re going to wear the Meta VR Glasses and hope to pretend nobody notices you’re wearing something unusual, though. They block your vision like a VR headset, rather than letting you see your surroundings as the Ray Ban Meta smart glasses do.

You aren’t getting quite a Meta Quest 3 experience here either. The Meta VR Glasses use great micro OLED screens rather than LCD ones, for much better contrast. Image sharpness will be superior too, with 37 pixels per degree to the 25ppd of the Meta Quest 3.

That sharpness is here to let you use the Meta VR Glasses a bit like an Apple Vision Pro, opening up laptop/PC style windows for actual work rather than just messing about with gaming or video streaming.

You control the basics with your hands and eyes — no controller needed.

The snag is that the width, the size, of the VR image isn’t nearly as expansive as the Meta Quest series’s, or the Vision Pro’s. You get around 70 degrees vertical coverage, 67 degrees vertical.

A Quest 3 sits at around 110 degrees horizontal, 96 degrees vertical. This means the Meta VR Glasses display feels much more like a screen sitting in the air in front of you, rather than a vision-filling spectacle.

Meta has done its best to offset this in the marketing, though, snagging the VR Glasses the title of the “first IMAX enhanced certified VR device.” They also have Dolby Vision certification and support for Dolby Atmos using the baked-in audio. Not bad.

Other vital statistics include a new Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite processor, optional prescription inserts, 5K overall resolution, around 100g weight, three hours of battery life when playing media and 45-minute charging.

It sounds pretty great to us, leaving just one looming issue: the price. The Meta VR Glasses will cost $1299.99 when they arrive in “Spring 2027.” UK pricing is yet to be confirmed but it’s clear we’ll have to fork out a bunch more than the £549.99 of the Meta Quest 3.

• Space-themed VR experience opens in London

Beats has unveiled its new flagship over-ear headphones, and there’s a rather neat trick that sets them apart from the competition: you can swap out the ear cushions and headband to change their look and feel.

The new Beats 360 are the first Beats headphones to feature interchangeable cushion kits, allowing owners to customise their headphones according to their style, activity, or just moods and whims.

They launch in four core colours – Black, Cloud, Pink and Sky – with matching performance knit cushions included. Additional cushion kits are available in (deep breath) Performance Knit in Black, Cloud, Pink, Sky, Navy and Volt, while UltraPlush versions come in Black and Cloud.

The customisation is more than just cosmetic though. Performance Knit cushions use memory foam wrapped in breathable knit and are designed with exercise and stability in mind, while the UltraPlush versions use engineered leather for longer, more comfortable listening sessions.

Beats says the 360 deliver its best sound and comfort yet, with a new acoustic platform and custom drivers designed specifically for the headphones. Active Noise Cancellation is also claimed to deliver up to a very-specific '1.75 times' more total noise cancellation than the existing Beats Studio Pro, while Transparency mode lets outside sound back in when required.

There’s also Adaptive EQ, personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos support, making the 360 suitable for everything from listening to your playlists to settling in for a lengthy podcasts or film.

Gym ready

They’re built for life beyond the sofa, too. Beats 360 are the brand’s first over-ear headphones with an IPX4 sweat and water-resistance rating, while the fold-flat design and included ripstop fabric case make them easier to chuck into a bag.

Battery life is rated at up to 32 hours, with ANC and personalised Spatial Audio enabled, while a five-minute Fast Fuel charge provides up to an hour of playback.

Beats 360 are available to order now for £299.95, with in-store availability from 24th September. Cushion kits normally cost £49.95, although UK customers can currently pick them up for £9.95 as part of a limited introductory offer.

• New Snap Specs revealed: Are augmented reality glasses the next must-have accessory for Londoners?

For years we’ve been wondering: what is going to be the next big gadget to change the world, after the smartphone did just that years ago? And change in a positive sense — not just bring it to an end, as AI apparently is hell bent on doing.

Smart and AR glasses are this end-times era’s top candidate. Until recently all many of them did was play music and let you take photos and videos worse than your phone could manage, but the Snap Specs are here to change all that.

Snap has made legit sci-fi grade augmented reality glasses for five years and the Snap Specs take things mainstream. You may not be able to afford them, at a fiver under two grand, but you’ll soon be able to buy them. Pre-orders are open now.

I’ve had a play with a pair to see exactly how AR smart glasses may — or may not — help the average Londoner go about their day.

The most important bit to start with is in addressing how the Snap Specs are different to the smart glasses many of you may have clocked out on London streets already, the Meta Ray-Ban. That set looks like an ordinary pair of glasses but has a speaker, microphone and camera baked in. The Snap Specs takes the tech forward a few light years with an actual display in your field of vision.

Yep, even though they serve wannabe fashion specs vibes rather than VR headset stylings, the experience here can be like actual virtual reality when you want it to be.

The Snap Specs place what’s known as a waveguide display within each glasses lens. This involves basically projecting an image into your eyes. And that means while you see the equivalent of a screen hanging in your vision, other folks don’t see what you see. And the list of places in which you can realistically use a pair of Snap Specs isn’t limited in the way an Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3 is.

You can still see what’s around you, and it’s not the view of a tiny little camera projected onto a display as it is in sight-blocking AR gadgets either. Those lenses? They're clear (ish).

The Snap Specs weigh around 130g, which is a quarter the weight of a Meta Quest 3, around a sixth the heft of an Apple Vision Pro. Real talk: 130g is still several times the weight of the average pair of glasses, and to compensate the Snap Specs’ stems do have a fairly firm hold of your head, behind your ears.

And those stems are not skinny, what with each housing a mini computer — a design that handily keeps the weight balance just about perfect as far as I can tell.

You can choose for yourself whether you’d want to be seen out in public wearing them. But I’m honestly not sure I’d feel more self-conscious using the Snap Specs on a train journey versus pulling out my Steam Deck.

That such a comparison is in any way valid makes it clear: we’re not dealing with glasses in the lineage of the Ray-Ban Meta in the Snap Specs. They're as much a PC as they are glasses. And here are some of the ways we can picture using them around London, which I've test driven.

Checking emails

These smart glasses don’t just have a full VR-style interface, there’s an app store and a fully-fledged web browser.

And how do you control it? With your hands. Get your pointer finger out and it becomes a cursor in the display. Open up a palm and interface shortcuts light up on its surface — you prod them like buttons to move about the UI.

You can ask the Specs’s AI assistant to take you to specific sites, or can type away with your fingers mid-air on a virtual keyboard. Yes, you will look a bit odd doing this on the Tube.

Writing docs on the train

People often say it’s movies that show up a great screen versus a bad one. But you know what really shows a display at its most useful? A plain old document. Few things have the potential to look as scraggly as small fonts on a pixel-poor monitor.

But you know what? While the Snap Specs don’t have a gangbusters 4K screen — we may be a generation or two away from that tech getting small enough for glasses like these — writing up some notes on Google Docs felt totally at home.

No, you don’t have to “air type” on a virtual keyboard. The Snap Specs can hook up to an ordinary Bluetooth keyboard, becoming a portable PC rig even the most cramped of train seats can’t trip up.

Navigating to a pub or restaurant

The Snap Specs have an in-house mapping app that helps you navigate towards any place you like, Google Maps style. At first it’s much like doing so on a phone app, but with in-air hand gestures rather than a touchscreen. You can search for local points of interest in categories like restaurants and shops, and then are shown a turn-by-turn map route on a floating map screen.

When you start the actual navigation, though, the view takes a step back. A screen showing a video game-like arrow pointing you in the right direction is only visible when you look down. Makes sense: you don’t want your view blocked while walking around busy Soho or Chinatown streets.

The Snap Specs can do this because it has a full set of motion sensors and two cameras, allowing it to root elements to part of yoru vision and, in other use cases, part of the environment. We don’t yet have an app that maps your route onto the actual pavement like the racing line in Forza Horizon, but Snap has actually shown off that in concept already.

Watching a movie on the train home

Snap does not claim the Specs are like having a personal cinema but they are surprisingly good for that job and are way less obtrusive than a VR headset. I got to try watching a bit of The Pitt on HBO Max, which is one of the two streaming services confirmed for support so far, alongside YouTube.

Thanks to the waveguide display’s 51 degree field of view, you can arrange the image to appear larger than it would on a 50-inch TV in the average living room. And it’s sure going to beat staring into the back of a train seat on the way home from work.

I got to try the Specs’ video streaming in a car, where the seat in front was black, which actually did wonders for the image’s contrast and pop. But as the level of the environment-dimming sunglasses style effect of the lenses is actually adjustable here, you should be able to compensate for the average London train’s dull grey seating. Details, details.

The Snap Specs can connect to Wi-Fi, and there’s a charger case that acts as a mobile hotspot, as well as keeping the things safe when not in use. One of the key messages here is the Specs don’t need your phone in order to work. Snap has partnered with EE in the UK for data plans — cost and details TBC on that one.

Dating in a foreign language

Feeling bold? You could even use the Snap Specs to translate a date with someone who doesn't speak English.

Granted, for them to understand what you're saying we're also going to need a second pair of Snap Specs. And four grand is an expensive date, even factoring in London bar prices.

How it works is pretty neat, though. A set of six microphones live aboard the Snap Specs, which also lets them disambiguate between sound you make versus sound coming from elsewhere.

Fire up the translate app and the mics listen for conversations with another person. Shortly after they've spoken, written text appears below their head, video game style. A whopping 60 languages are supported. The only issue is in reminding yourself to look them in the eye every now and then.

The Snap Specs are due out before the end of the year, and are available to pre-order for £1995.

• iPhone Duo revealed: 8 things you need to know about Apple's foldable phone

Apple has finally done it. After years of rumours, speculation and increasingly elaborate leaks, the company has unveiled its first-ever foldable iPhone — and it’s called the iPhone Duo.

It’s a pretty major departure for Apple, combining the familiar iPhone experience with a folding design that turns the handset into something closer to a mini tablet when you need more screen. And, naturally, Apple has packed it with a new processor, redesigned iOS experience, upgraded cameras and a sizeable dose of AI.

Here’s everything you need to know.

1. It’s Apple’s first foldable iPhone

The iPhone Duo is the first foldable iPhone, opening up into what Apple describes as its largest-ever iPhone display.

Fold it shut and you get a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR outer display, designed to be used one-handed and comfortably slipped into a pocket. Open it up and there’s a 7.6-inch folding OLED display — giving you a much larger canvas for watching video, gaming, browsing and multitasking.

The inner screen has a nano-texture finish designed to reduce reflections and make the crease (where the phone folds in half) less noticeable, while both displays offer ProMotion, Always-On functionality and up to 3,000 nits of outdoor brightness. Apple also says the two screens share the same aspect ratio, meaning content can transition between them without everything suddenly looking weirdly stretched.

And! It’s the first iPhone to support Apple Pencil, although that feature is coming later after launch.

2. It’s seriously thin

One of the biggest surprises is just how thin Apple has managed to make the Duo.

When open, it measures just 5.2mm thick, making it the thinnest iPhone ever — as we guessed, it seems last year’s slimline iPhone Air was a test run for this new device. Folded, it measures 11.3mm. It weighs 254g, so you're certainly going to know it's in your pocket, but that's not outrageous given you're essentially carrying a phone and small tablet in one device.

The chassis is made from polished Grade 5 titanium, with a precision hinge designed to support the centre of the display and provide a smooth opening and closing action.

Apple has also gone to considerable lengths to make the folding screen tougher, using high-strength glass, custom adhesives and a titanium plate beneath the display. The Duo is also IP68 rated for water and dust resistance.

3. There are some clever camera tricks

The Duo is looking pretty capable in the photo and video capture department, too.

Its main camera is a 48MP Fusion sensor with optical-quality 2x telephoto functionality, alongside a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera. There's also a Center Stage front camera that can automatically frame photos and video in different orientations.

But the folding design introduces some useful new tricks.

Duo Preview lets people see the camera's live view on the outer display, making it easier for your subject to check their pose and framing. You can also use the higher-resolution rear cameras for selfies while previewing the shot on the external screen.

There's Smart Take, which uses on-device AI to automatically capture the right moment, while Kid Cue uses Peanuts animations on the external display to persuade children to actually look at the camera. We've all been there.

The Duo can also shoot 4K Dolby Vision video at 120fps and supports Cinematic effects after recording.

4. The A20 Pro is doing the heavy lifting

Powering everything is Apple's new A20 Pro chip, also used in the iPhone 18 Pro.

It features a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine, with Apple claiming up to 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. There's also a custom vapour chamber to help dissipate heat — particularly important when you're simultaneously running two displays, games and AI workloads.

In other words, this isn't a foldable that's making sacrifices on performance for the sake of the form factor.

5. iOS 27 has been redesigned for the folding screen

Apple has adapted iOS to make the most of the Duo's dual-screen approach.

Split View allows two apps to run side by side for the first time on an iPhone, while you can also run two windows of the same app — handy for something like Safari.

The Dynamic Island has been redesigned for the Duo, while content can automatically reorient itself as you fold, unfold or turn the phone.

StandBy also gets a significant upgrade, working on either display without needing the phone to be charging. Put the Duo down and it can become a clock, photo frame or widget hub.

Apps including Netflix, Zoom and Slack have already been optimised for the larger display.

6. Siri is getting smarter, too

The iPhone Duo launches with iOS 27.1 and Apple's latest Apple Intelligence features, including the all-new Siri AI.

The new Siri can understand personal context, use onscreen awareness and take action based on what's happening on your display. Apple says it can pull information from things such as messages, emails and photos to provide more useful answers.

It also gets a dedicated Siri app with conversational history synced through iCloud. Apple's foldable is very much designed as an AI phone as well as a big-screen one.

1 and Apple's latest Apple Intelligence features, including the all-new Siri AI.

The new Siri can understand personal context, use onscreen awareness and take action based on what's happening on your display. Apple says it can pull information from things such as messages, emails and photos to provide more useful answers.

It also gets a dedicated Siri app with conversational history synced through iCloud. Apple's foldable is very much designed as an AI phone as well as a big-screen one.

7. Battery life looks promising

Folding phones have historically had to make compromises with battery life, but Apple has taken an unusual approach here.

The Duo has a battery on each side of the device, with Apple's silicon and energy-management software treating them as a unified system.

Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display, rising to 44 hours when using the smaller outer screen. With both screens being used equally, it claims up to 24 hours of usage per charge.

Fast charging can take the phone to 50 percent in around 20 minutes, while MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging can reach 50 percent in around 30 minutes.

8. How much does the iPhone Duo cost?

Here's the slightly less exciting bit.

The iPhone Duo starts at £1,999 for 256GB of storage. It's also available with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, with the latter presumably aimed at people who have absolutely no intention of deleting a photo ever again.

There are two colours: Star White and Night Sky.

Pre-orders open on 16th October, with the iPhone Duo going on sale in the UK and more than 70 other countries on 23th October.

Apple is also launching a two-part iPhone Duo Case for £79 and an iPhone Duo Folio with an integrated kickstand for £129.

So there you have it: Apple's long-awaited answer to the foldable phone. With its enormous inner screen, genuinely useful multitasking, new camera tricks and hardware designed specifically around the folding form factor, Apple is betting that the future of the iPhone is a flexible one.

• Meet the 5 stars of Apple's class of 2026: From Apple iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro to AirPods 5

Apple’s class of 2026/2027 is here. We got to meet the iPhone 18 Pro family, the Apple Watch Series 12. And, the real jaw-dropper, Apple’s first ever foldable phone. It’s called the iPhone Duo.

Revel in the tech shininess while you can as there’s a good chance you can’t afford an iPhone Duo. Soz.

There’s no relatively affordable new iPhone this time either, as Apple skipped the iPhone 18 for now — it’s Pro or nowt. Tech glitterati only.

Other fresh announcements include the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and a new pair of earphones, the AirPods 5. Let’s take a quick closer look at each, with their prices and a run-down of exactly what’s new.

Let’s start with the biggie, the iPhone Duo.

iPhone Duo: The first Apple foldable

• Starting price: £1999
• When: Pre-order 16th October, release 23rd October

This is Apple’s first folable phone. And while plenty of Android bores won’t be able to stop themselves reminding you Samsung and co have been doing this since 2019, it’s still a big deal. We get an outer screen and a more tablet-like inner screen, revealed when you open up this book-like gadget. Some of the neatest parts include that both screens have the same aspect ratio, for that famous Apple consistency, and that there’s a hidden under-screen camera in the fold-open display.

It has a titanium casing structure, a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer one. A 48MP main camera similar to the iPhone 18 crew, but it lacks a zoom cam and variable aperture. We’re most intrigued to see how the iPhone Duo is to use: does it feel like having an iPhone and an iPad in your pocket, or it this going to be something else entirely?

iPhone 18 Pro and Max: Adjustable camera

• Starting price: £1199, £1299 (Pro Max)
• When: Pre-order from 12th September

It’s flagship iPhones only for Apple’s 2026 September launch. You can have the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro or the 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max. And aside from quite different battery life and levels of pocket-bothering, you get similar tech.

The big one on the camera side is variable aperture. This means the hole that lets light into the camera, to reach the sensor, can be made smaller. It’s entirely normal in dedicated cameras, but only a few phones — ever — have had this feature. And they’re from all over the place in time, like the Nokia N86 from 2009 and Samsung Galaxy S9 of 2018.

In theory they let you choose how blurry the background is in photos, but in practice this is only going to work well on an iPhone in bright conditions as you’re also lowering the amount of light that gets in. Phone cameras still have pretty small sensors and lens apertures compared with the “proper” cameras they’ve done their best to replace.

Never has variable aperture in a phone felt all that impactful to me. Colour us intrigued, mind: maybe Apple can pull this one off.

Other than that, we get an Apple A20 Pro processor that Apple says is way more powerful and efficient — which we don’t doubt. It says the iPhone 18 Pro will last 24 hours, the iPhone 18 Pro Max 30 hours. Charging speeds are way better too, reaching 50% in as little as 15 minutes.

Apple Watch Series 12: Healthy Upgrade

• Staring price: £369
• When: 18th September

Apple has made some pretty neat changes to the Apple Watch Series 12 that are less subtle than they may sound. The frequency of its heart rate readings is going up dramatically — you may have thought your older model was giving you all-day data but it was actually just many snapshots separated by minutes. That changes with Series 12.

It means the Apple Watch Series 12 will be able to much better judge things like fatigue and bodily stress, using a metric called HRV, heart rate variability. This is going to feed into a new stat called Readiness — which wearable bands like Whoop have turned into a whole mini industry.

The Apple Watch Series 12 also gets a new S11 processor with much better AI capabilities, letting it run some AI features right from your wrist, like transcription of meetings. Apple’s Ceramic finish option also returns after years out in the cold. Neat.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: More Battery

• Starting price: £749
• When: 18th September

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 gets all the health-sensing benefits of the Series 12, of course. Plus better battery life than the last generation. It’s rated for 50 hours of use, versus 42 hours in the third Watch Ultra.

Not masses to say about this one, then, but it is inching towards fixing the oldest Apple Watch issue — the constant charging.

Apple AirPods 5: Big on Peace

• Starting price: £119
• When: 18th September

OK, we’ll level with you. The AirPods Pro series is much better than the standard AirPods if you care about sound quality or have a social conscience, as they leak much less sound. But from a sheer engineering perspective, we’re giving Apple major props for the AIrPods 5.

They apparently provide 1.5x better active noise cancellation than the last generation, as well as better sound thanks to a redesigned architecture. Earphones like these are creatures of compromise when used out in the real world — but Apple’s engineers get maximum points for catering for all those who can’t stand the more invasive feel of the AirPods Pro. It’s the Lord’s work.

• One month with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 review: Eight things that make it the best foldable Android phone yet

There was a time when picking a new gaming monitor was relatively straightforward. You picked a size, chose between 1080p and 1440p (4K if you were feeling plush), and then spent the next three weeks convincing yourself that an extra 20Hz would somehow transform you into a professional Counter-Strike player.

Well, Samsung’s just made that choice a little more complicated… in the best ways possible. Its new Odyssey G8 G80HS is a 32-inch gaming monitor with a frankly ridiculous 6K resolution. That's 6144 x 3456 pixels, putting more pixels in front of your eyeballs than most gaming rigs have the juice to push.

It is also capable of running at 165Hz in its native 6K mode or switching into a 3K mode that pushes the refresh rate all the way up to 330Hz. In other words, Samsung has attempted to build one monitor capable of doing both spectacular cinematic gaming and ultra-fast competitive play.

It's expensive, of course. And you'll need a seriously powerful PC to make the most of it. But if you're looking for a proper end-game upgrade for your gaming setup, here are five reasons why the Samsung Odyssey G8 G80HS deserves your attention.

Samsung Odyssey G8 G80HS: In Short…

• 32-inch display with an incredibly detailed 6K resolution
• Dual Mode: 6K at 165Hz or 3K at 330Hz
• Fast IPS panel delivers crisp colours and wide viewing angles
• 1ms response time keeps fast-paced action sharp
• HDR10+ Gaming boosts detail in shadows and highlights

1. 6K gaming looks absolutely ridiculous

Let's start with that headline number. The Odyssey G8 G80HS is one of the first gaming monitors to bring a full 6K resolution to the party, squeezing 6144 x 3456 pixels into its 32-inch Fast IPS panel. It’s the star attraction here: this is a monitor built around sheer pixel density, rather than simply chasing ever-larger screen sizes.

Those pixels aren't just there for the sake of having an impressive number on the box. Outside of the still-rare 8K monitor market, this is the most detailed picture quality you’re likely to find on a gaming monitor — at least in terms of sheer pixel density. Yes, 8K resolutions can push that higher, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a GPU/CPU combo that can push those pixels at anything above slide-show framerates. To call 6K a compromise is a slightly bizarre choice of words, but against the excess of 8K, it’s a smart middle ground. Tiny environmental details that would normally disappear into the visual noise suddenly become clear — from autumnal leaf fall in Forza Horizon 4, to the war-worn weaponry of Cyberpunk 2077.

2. You don't have to choose between pretty games and fast games

Run the Odyssey G8 at its native 6K resolution and you get a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s an enormous amount of visual detail while still delivering the kind of smoothness that makes 60Hz displays feel increasingly like relics from a less enlightened age. However, 6K is a demanding resolution to run games at, and with the GPU pricing and RAMpocalypse showing no sign of slowing, there will be many rigs that’ll struggle to hit high frame rates at the G80HS’s top resolution.

But switch the monitor into its lower-resolution mode and it drops to 3072 x 1728 — essentially 3K — while boosting the refresh rate to a frankly ludicrous 330Hz. Both modes are paired with a quoted 1ms response time.

It’s the best of both worlds, then. Playing something cinematic like Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption 2? Go 6K and feast your eyes.

Playing Marvel Rivals, Valorant or anything else where seeing your opponent approximately three milliseconds before they see you is the difference between in-game life and death? Switch to 3K and let the refresh rate rip.

The particularly clever thing is that 3K on a 32-inch screen remains properly sharp. Unlike some 4K dual-mode monitors that drop down to 1080p in pursuit of extreme refresh rates, you're not suddenly playing competitive shooters through a screen door. It makes the lower-resolution mode considerably more practical than the compromises required by some existing dual-mode screens.

3. It doesn't look like a spaceship has landed on your desk

Samsung's Odyssey range has never been particularly shy about announcing itself as gaming hardware. The G80HS, however, appears to take a more restrained approach.

Its relatively minimalist design would work just as well in a home office as it does in a neon-lit gaming den. There's RGB lighting around the rear monitor mount, but it’s kept to a minimum, and Samsung's CoreSync system can synchronise those effects — just like a Philips Ambilight TV — with what's happening on screen if you want your desk to join in with the action.

The stand is also adjustable, allowing you to raise, lower, tilt and swivel the display, with the option to rotate it into portrait orientation. There's cable management built into the stand, too — an unglamorous feature, perhaps, but one that becomes more valuable once you've connected a gaming PC, console, speakers and more to it.

Connectivity includes DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1 and USB ports, while a matte finish is able to diffuse directly lighting and glare without washing out the richness of the image.

4. It's one of those upgrades that could make everything else look old

The danger with high-end display technology is that once your eyes adjust, going backwards becomes difficult. 6K detail and dual-mode performance makes it one of the most impressive non-OLED gaming displays currently available, with the difference in image sharpness immediately noticeable.

And that's really the pitch here. The G80HS isn't necessarily the sensible gaming monitor. With a £1,299 price tag, it’ll hardly qualify as a budget purchase — but if you’ve got a rig capable of making the most of it, we’re going to hazard a guess that it’s within reach of your finances.

This is the monitor for the PC gamer who wants one screen capable of making the latest blockbuster look super detailed while still being able to switch gears for competitive play.

If your GPU can handle it, the Odyssey G8 G80HS might be its perfect companion.

• The best Steam Deck games

It’s been a month since Samsung launched the game-changing Galaxy Z Fold8. It redefined the Galaxy Z series with a new form factor, improved display technology, better battery life, and even more Galaxy AI features, all to become the best Android foldable yet.

The Z Fold8 takes the potent processor of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and pairs it with the enhanced versatility that comes with the folding form factor.

It also sits in the middle of Samsung’s latest range of Galaxy Z devices. That includes the powerful Z Fold8 Ultra, which combines flagship specs with a 200MP main camera and larger battery, and the fun, social-ready Z Flip8 with its classic clamshell design.

Back to the Z Fold8, and it’s tempting many away from the “traditional” slab phone life, allowing them to embrace the flexible, foldable future; but what makes it so good?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8: In Short...

• Dual Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays offer crisp, vibrant visuals
• Galaxy AI features integrate seamlessly into daily phone tasks
• Powerful 4800mAh battery provides reliable all-day performance
• Fast 45W wired and 20W wireless charging speeds
• Versatile rear camera system captures high-quality selfies easily
• Snapdragon 8 Elite processor delivers excellent gaming performance
• Slim, portable design easily fits into pockets and bags
• Flex Titanium Technology improves durability and reduces screen crease
• Available now, starting at £1,699 for 256GB storage, £1,869 for 512GB, and £2,209 for 1TB

1. Superb screens

Yes, you read that right: screens with an extra “s”. For those unfamiliar with the Galaxy Z Fold series, you can expect two of Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X display technology, which provides deep blacks, rich colours and crisp details. Paired with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, both displays are a joy to interact with, and they have their own strengths for different use cases.

The first is a 5.5-inch cover screen with a 10:16 aspect ratio. This is shorter and wider than previous Galaxy Z Fold phones, and it comes with a boatload of usability upgrades. Scrolling through social media apps delivers an engaging full-screen experience, and quickly replying to a message on the cover screen offers quick, comfortable typing.

However, some tasks require a bigger screen for total immersion, and that’s where the 7.6-inch internal screen shines. Watching YouTube videos, TV shows, and movies is a particular highlight here, as the new 4:3 aspect ratio results in smaller black bars above and below the picture, meaning more of your screen is taken up by your content.

Reading online articles and e-books is also a pleasure on this screen, and it’s quickly become a travel essential for long flights and daily commutes alike.

2. Galaxy AI makes life easier

Galaxy AI is Samsung’s comprehensive AI feature suite, and it’s come a long way since it launched on the Galaxy S24 series. With Galaxy AI now woven into the One UI operating system, the features now feel like second nature.

Now Nudge can import contextual information from your calendar into text messages, and Now Brief is an all-in-one information hub for important notifications, events, weather, commute times and more.

Galaxy AI is also a crucial tool for photo editing; whether that’s removing unwanted photobombers in your photos with AI eraser, or totally changing the look of your picture into a pop art, anime or watercolour style.

And we couldn’t forget to mention Circle to Search with Google, as it provides a wealth of information by simply drawing a circle around something you want to find out more about on your screen.

With writing prompts, an automatic translation feature for calls and texts, and the Sound Eraser feature for cleaning up audio also on board, Galaxy AI is only getting better as time goes on.

3. Battery for days

Samsung has outfitted the Z Fold8 with some seriously impressive battery technology, and it’s cured us of battery anxiety. Filming videos, playing intensive games, and streaming content on the phone for hours at a time was no issue for the new 4800mAh dual silicon-carbon battery.

Interestingly, it’s split across the two halves of the phone, keeping energy density high while spreading out the physical presence of the cell. This keeps the device super thin (we’ll touch more on that later), while also providing all-day battery life without being tethered to a charger; which takes us nearly onto our next point...

4. It charges in a flash

You’d think that a battery that lasts well over a day will take forever to charge, but that isn’t the case. With up to 45W wired fast charging or 20W wireless fast charging (providing you have a supported fast-charging adapter), the Z Fold8 can be juiced up in a flash.

5. Convenient cameras

The Z Fold8 may have fewer cameras than the S26 Ultra, but the shooting experience is still very versatile. With a dual 50MP wide and ultra-wide camera system on the rear of the phone, the camera produces sharp, colourful photographs with ease, and there’s a secret weapon that makes selfies incredible too.

Flipping the phone around allows you to snap selfies with that rear camera combo, and you can use the cover display as a viewfinder too. This means that you can achieve full-quality selfies without having to guess if you’re getting a good shot.

6. Glorious gaming

That crisp, responsive and large interior screen is great for watching movies and TV shows, but gaming is even better. The powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, which is backed by either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, is plenty powerful for graphically intensive titles and casual games alike.

There's more room for your touch controls and HUD elements, and with more of the battlefield, race track, or arena visible compared to a traditional smartphone, you'll get a competitive edge for online gaming too.

7. Perfect for pockets

Given the size of the expansive, tablet-style main display, it’s mind-boggling that the Galaxy Z Fold8 can easily slip into pockets and small bags. At just 9.7mm folded, the Z Fold8 is only slightly thicker than the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and it measures just 4.7mm when unfolded – that’s barely thicker than the USB-C charging port on the bottom of the phone.

The combination of practicality and portability makes it a fantastic travel companion. You get a tablet-like experience without sacrificing space in your bag, and when you need to get back on the move, simply snapping the Z Fold8 shut and slipping it into your pocket never gets old.

8. Foldable, not fragile

The notion that foldable phones are fragile is long outdated. Samsung has been at this for eight years now, and it's learned how to make a sturdy foldable phone.

This year it's introduced Flex Titanium Technology, which combines an ultra-thin titanium mesh and flexible titanium plates below the display, and it comes with a few major advantages.

The foldable interior display is now more uniform, meaning the central crease has practically vanished, and it's more durable too.

Elsewhere you'll find the latest version of Samsung’s Advanced Armour Aluminium, which is both lightweight and drop resistant, while Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 on the exterior display keeps nicks and scratches at bay.

That durability doesn't come at the cost of style, as the clean lines and smooth frosted glass back panel looks stylish in the Lavender, Graphite, Cream and Samsung-exclusive Pistachio finishes.

How about the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Flip8?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 sits in the middle of Samsung’s new foldable family, offering a different proposition to the all-out Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the pocket-friendly Galaxy Z Flip8. Its key selling point is its unusual, wider form factor, but the Fold8 makes some compromises against the Ultra, most notably with its 50MP main camera rather than a 200MP sensor and its smaller 7.6-inch internal display.

The Fold8 Ultra is the choice for anyone who wants Samsung’s biggest and most capable foldable, pairing an 8-inch display with a 6.5-inch cover screen, a more versatile triple-camera system and a 5,000mAh battery built for serious multitasking.

The Galaxy Z Flip8, meanwhile, heads in the opposite direction, prioritising portability and style with its compact clamshell design, 6.9-inch main screen and 4.1-inch FlexWindow for handling quick tasks without opening the phone. All three pack flagship performance and Samsung’s latest AI features, but their personalities are distinct: choose the Fold8 for the best balance of size and versatility, the Ultra for maximum screen space and photography firepower, or the Flip8 if you want the foldable that disappears most easily into a pocket.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 marks the point where foldables stop being a clever alternative and become a genuine everyday choice. Its superb twin displays, powerful Snapdragon performance, excellent battery life and increasingly useful Galaxy AI features make it one of the most versatile Android phones you can buy. Better still, its unique slim design means you get a tablet-sized screen without carrying a tablet-sized device.

Is it Samsung's ultimate foldable? The Z Fold8 Ultra, with its bigger screens, better camera system and more battery might have words about that. But the Fold8 arguably hits the sweet spot. It is powerful, portable and practical, with enough durability to finally put old fears about fragile foldables to bed. If you've been waiting for an excuse to ditch the traditional smartphone, this might be it.

Sony has unveiled three enormous new light-equipped party speakers designed for ravers who think the bass at a house party should be felt in the next postcode.

The new ULT POWER SOUND range consists of the ULT TOWER 5, ULT TOWER 7 and frankly ridiculous-looking ULT TOWER MAX, with Sony promising deeper bass, higher sound pressure and enough power to turn your living room into something resembling a small festival stage.

The headline act is the £1,299 ULT TOWER MAX, which packs three huge woofers — two facing forwards and one facing backwards — alongside multiple tweeters and mid-range speakers. It’s about half the size of your tallest friend, too — it’s simply massive. And it’s as loud as that suggests: Sony says its high-powered amplifier can deliver up to 2,150 watts of output, making it the most powerful bass speaker in the ULT range yet. Probably best not to put it on the floor of your rented flat, then.

Smaller, still ludicrous, options

The smaller ULT TOWER 7 (£499) still offers a beefy 420 watts and up to 30 hours of battery life, while the £349 ULT TOWER 5 manages 300 watts and up to 20 hours away from the mains. Both are IPX4 water-resistant, too, should your garden party survive the inevitable British weather.

All three feature Sony's dedicated ULT button, which offers multiple sound modes, from bass-enhancing ULT1 and body-shaking ULT2 settings to a more faithful FLAT mode and LIVE, designed to recreate the spacious sound of a concert.

And these aren't just Bluetooth speakers for blasting your Spotify playlist. Sony has included XLR, RCA and USB-C connectivity for DJs, karaoke support, reactive lighting and Auracast-powered Party Chain technology for linking compatible speakers together.

The ULT TOWER range arrives in September. Your neighbours have been warned.

• Sonos brings big audio upgrades with Beam Ultra soundbar and Ace Ultra headphones

Always dreamed of an all-Sonos home sound system? There are now two pretty easy ways to get it, with the Sonos Beam Ultra and Sonos Ace Ultra.

And, thankfully, neither is quite as expensive as the top-end Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar.

The Sonos Beam Ultra sits under that top home theatre system at £699, while the Sonos Ace Ultra follow-up Sonos’s first pair of headphones and cost £399.

Sonos’s new Beam Ultra soundbar ups the number of drivers you get compared to a regular old Beam, with 7.1.2 channels. That means seven standard surround drivers, a subwoofer and two upwards-firing height channels.

The second Sonos Beam was “just” a 5.0 soundbar. But the Arc Ultra remains a few steps ahead with 9.1.4 channel output.

Still, this new model will save you up to £300. The most important part, of course, is it looks sleek and yet unobtrusive, and is available in black and white finishes.

The usual roster of features applies here. The Beam Ultra supports Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi, has a dialogue-booster mode and can pair up with a couple of rear speakers for a much more convincing surround sound image.

Virtual surround sound trickery is good, but you can't beat the real thing.

The Sonos Beam Ultra is up for pre-order now, with delivery from 29th September.

The big Ace upgrade

Fancy some headphones instead? The Sonos Ace Ultra look just like the standard Sonos Ace pair in most respects, but Sonos says they have a bunch of major improvements.

They offer “up to 2x more active noise cancellation” according to Sonos, and have a “next-generation” driver for improved sound.

Battery life is bumped up from 30 hours to 35 hours, and both the battery and pads are designed to be easily user replaceable. Big tech longevity points for Sonos, even if it’s in part thanks to pressure from EU legislation.

Intended to slot into a wider Sonos system if you have one, these Wi-Fi headphones can take over from Sonos speakers at a tap. And they use spatial audio and virtual surround sound tech to make it feel as though the audio is still rooted in the room, not the usual “floating around your head” experience of heapdhones.

Or if you want to just them as pure out-and-about headphones, no problem. They transmit over Bluetooth too — and if they're anything like the last generation (which they clearly are) comfort will be dreamy.

The Sonos Ace Ultra cost £399, and come in black, white, sand and a rich “agave” green colours. Just like the soundbar, they’re up for pre-order now and delivery is expected from 29th September.

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Dyson has made vacuum cleaners that tell you how much dust you've sucked up, hairdryers that don't fry your barnet and fans that can help you survive the heat death of the universe. Now it's coming for your teeth.

The Dyson CameraJet is the company's first electric toothbrush, and it isn't content with simply brushing your teeth. Equipped with a camera, AI smarts and a built-in mouthwash reservoir, it can spot the gaps between your teeth and blast them with cleaning fluid while you brush.

In other words: it flosses for you. That most laborious of dental hygiene jobs might just have got way easier.

We've been hands-on with the new gadget here to save your pearly whites. Here's 8 things about it you need to know.

1. Yes, there's actually a camera in the toothbrush

This is the bit that sounds like an April Fool's joke but is very much real. The CameraJet has a tiny 100,000-pixel macro camera built into the brush head, which captures 28 images every second as you brush. Dyson's machine-learning system then analyses those images to identify the gaps between your teeth — which will help with that auto-flossing feature we'll get to in a moment.

There's even a stroboscopic light and specially designed lens to help the camera see what's going on in the rather cramped environment inside your mouth.

And if you really want to inspect your dental handiwork, the MyDyson app can show you a live view of what the camera is seeing — who knew the missing ingredient in brushing your teeth was CCTV! All recordings stay local, so if you're worried about the cloud-based privacy of your molars, that's no concern here.

2. It flosses while you brush

This is the clever bit that makes those cameras useful. When the CameraJet spots an interdental gap, it fires a small, conical burst of mouthwash directly between your teeth.

Rather than using the kind of high-pressure jet associated with standalone water flossers, Dyson says its system is designed to be gentler on your gums and enamel. The conical spray is intended to sweep plaque away across a wider area, rather than simply punching a hole through it.

The jet can deliver up to 0.15ml of liquid in a burst, with the whole process happening quickly enough that you can simply carry on brushing.

So, theoretically, the CameraJet takes the bit of dental hygiene most of us are spectacularly bad at remembering – flossing – and makes it automatic. During our hands-on demo with a pre-production model the CameraJet didn't always accurately find the teeth gaps, so it'll be interesting to see if it's more reliable in its final form.

3. It took Dyson six years to make

This isn't a toothbrush Dyson knocked together over a long weekend. The company says it spent six years developing the CameraJet, including working out how to make a camera function reliably inside a moving mouth while simultaneously dealing with toothpaste, saliva and very low lighting conditions.

In a truly gross leap forward for dental hygiene innovation, Dyson even developed its own synthetic plaque in collaboration with researchers at the National University of Singapore so it could test how effectively the new conical jet removes it.

In classic Dyson fashion, there is an enormous amount of engineering hiding inside what's usually a plastic stick you wouldn't think twice about.

4. You'll probably need special toothpaste

There's a catch to putting a camera in your toothbrush: toothpaste foam isn't particularly helpful when you're trying to see through it.

The CameraJet is therefore designed to work with non-foaming toothpaste (which Dyson, naturally, will be selling an own-brand tube of alongside the CameraJet), which allows the camera to maintain a clear view of your teeth. Dyson also makes a low-foaming mouth rinse for the device.

You can use other toothpaste, but Dyson recommends an SLS-free, gel-style, non-foaming formula if you want the camera and automatic flossing system to work properly.

So yes, Dyson has entered the toothpaste business too. Your bathroom cabinet is about to become considerably more Dyson-branded.

5. The toothbrush is properly smart

The CameraJet isn't just using the camera as a glorified gimmick. The MyDyson app can provide guided brushing, coverage mapping and feedback on your technique, while keeping track of your brushing habits over time. Haptic feedback in the handle can also alert you if you're pressing too hard or using the wrong technique.

As mentioned, the camera images are processed on the device or in the MyDyson app and, according to Dyson, aren't stored or shared.

6. It still has to be a good toothbrush

Underneath all the cameras and mouthwash jets, the CameraJet is still an electric toothbrush. Its dual-bristle head is designed to clean along the gumline, while variable sonic oscillation is intended to keep the bristles moving rather than stalling against your teeth.

There are three cleaning modes – including brush-only and auto-jet-and-brush – plus different intensity settings. The brush head also contains RFID technology to monitor wear and tell you when it's time for a replacement.

A handy reminder — if your toothbrush can monitor your brushing technique, why shouldn't it also side-eye you that you've been using the same brush head since the day you bought it?

7. The charging dock is doing a lot of work

The CameraJet's dock isn't just somewhere to dump the toothbrush after you've finished. It charges the device and automatically refills its built-in mouthwash reservoir.

That reservoir holds 12.5ml – enough for a brushing session – and Dyson has designed it with an 'anti-gravity' system so the liquid can reach the jet regardless of how you're holding the brush. The dock can refill it at the touch of a button.

It's a very Dyson solution (one pioneered on a larger scale in the company's wet-clean floor care gadgets) to the problem of making a toothbrush that somehow contains a tiny plumbing system.

8. It costs £419.99 – and is available now

And here we arrive at the part that might make even your dentist wince.

The Dyson CameraJet costs £419.99 in the UK, putting it firmly into luxury toothbrush territory. It's available in Ceramic Ultra Blue and Ceramic Pink, with the package including the brush, charging/refill dock and other accessories.

That's a lot of money for something whose primary job remains cleaning your teeth. But the CameraJet isn't really competing with a £30 supermarket electric toothbrush. Dyson is positioning it as a complete oral-care system – part toothbrush, part flosser, part dental camera and part personal-health gadget.

It's also another sign of how oral care is becoming increasingly wrapped up in money-spinning the world of beauty and wellness. It's as much about the clout of having a device that looks cool and reassuringly-space age by your bathroom cabinet as it is about cavity prevention.

Do you need a £420 toothbrush? In this case, that's pretty much entirely down to your patience with flossing — if you have ever been told by your dentist that you really should floss more, Dyson has now built a machine that does it for you. No excuses then, provided you've got the cash to spare.

• Working in a spare-bedroom office? The space-saving gear you need to turn your London flat into a real workspace

There’s a particular kind of sporting weekend that presents a serious first-world problem: your footie team is playing, the Grand Prix is about to start and a golf Major is reaching those final few holes where it actually gets the heart pumping. Suddenly, one screen isn’t enough.

Sky thinks it has the answer. Launching on 21st August, just in time for the return of the Premier League, Your Multiview will let Sky customers watch up to four live Sky Sports events simultaneously on a single screen.

• Sky Glass gen 2 review: 7 reasons to buy this superior-sounding TV

Available on Sky Glass, Sky Stream and (refreshingly, given the device's age) Sky Q, the feature puts multiple events side-by-side, meaning you could have four football matches running at once, or keep an eye on the Premier League while simultaneously following F1, cricket, tennis, golf, NFL or rugby.

And it’s not simply a case of cramming four tiny screens onto your telly. Viewers can choose which event to spotlight, change the audio they’re focussed on and switch any individual event to full screen when something particularly important happens.

A suite of Sky Sports changes

Your Multiview is part of a wider overhaul of Sky’s sports experience for the 2026/27 season. Sports Hub will bring live scores, stats, tables, schedules, clips and highlights onto the side of the screen while you’re watching a match, while new Team Pages will gather games, news, highlights, replays and upcoming fixtures in one place.

There’s also Clips, a new autoplaying, scrollable feed of short-form sports videos, which sounds a bit like Sky's attempt to keep your eyes glued to its coverage rather than being distracted by similar content on your phone's TikTok app. There's also a refreshed Live Sports Rail to make it quicker to find what’s happening now and what’s coming next from the front page of the Sky TV operating system.

Sky is also bringing its Moments experience to the Sky Sports mobile app, offering a personalised vertical feed of highlights, analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Meanwhile, NOW Sports members will get Multiview and a new Key Plays feature for catching up on the biggest moments without leaving a live stream.

It's a comprehensive refresh of Sky's sports-juggling experience then, and at no additional cost to its existing plans. You can bag Sky Sports from £22 per month as an add-on to Sky's Essential TV or Ultimate TV plans on Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

• Sky Glass Air review: Is Sky’s slimmed-down streaming TV its smartest move yet?

A whole host of Mario-themed Lego sets are on the way, and the full details of the line-up have now leaked.

Eight Lego sets featuring characters from the Mario universe are coming in January 2027, headed up by a fairly large Fire Mario & Bowser’s Castle set.

That’s the most expensive of the upcoming kits, according to Unibricks, with the rest more on the cheaper end of the LEGO scale. Here’s the full list, along with the US prices we have so far:

• Mario's Pipe Jump — $9.99
• Mario Kart - Racing with Mario — $14.99, 84 pieces
• Mario's Beach Adventures — $19.99, 196 pieces
• Mario Kart - Luigi & Bowser Jr's Karts — $29.99, 104 pieces
• Yoshi at Mario's House — $39.99, 147 pieces
• Mario Kart - Bowser's Rumbling Kart — $59.99
• Fire Mario & Bowser's Castle — $99.99, 850 pieces
• Fire Luigi vs. Koopa Troopa Battle — $29.99, 241 pieces

LEGO teased these Mario sets earlier this year in an Instagram post. “New form unlocked! New sets coming in 2027,” it posted.

LEGO already has a whole host of Nintendo-themed sets, the first of which was released back in 2020. Among the biggest to date are the Mario and Luigi Mario Kart kits, at £149.99/£159.99 a pop and around 2000 pieces.

• The best LEGO Nintendo sets to unleash your inner child

There’s nothing quite at that scale in these upcoming drops, then, but a whole bunch of current Mario sets are listed as “retiring soon,” leaving room in the line-up for these new kits.

Sets leaving the catalogue include the “animated” Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi, a pixel art-style creation where Yoshi walks when a hand crank is turned, and the Piranha Plant set.

LEGO’s most recent Nintendo set isn’t a Mario one at all, but the brilliant Donkey Kong Arcade, a recreation of the 1981 arcade machine. A new wave of Pokemon 'Smart Play' sets with interactive electronic play features has recently launched, too.

No firm release date has been revealed for the new sets yet, but with January 2027 the expected window, these ones won’t classify for Christmas present buys — unless they’re willing to accept an IOU slip on Christmas Day, anyway.

• The 20 best LEGO sets of all time, ever!

Here’s a first — Grand Theft Auto 6, aka GTA 6, is getting an ‘Extended Look’ unveiling, and Netflix looks to be the platform of choice to view it on.

The streaming giant has partnered with GTA developers Rockstar to offer up the next big peek at the game, airing on August 27th, before anywhere else.

GTA 6 is already the most hotly anticipated…anything of all time, and it’s an unprecedented move to put preview-look access to the game behind Netflix’s subscriber wall — a press release accompanying the news explicitly says that it is ‘Netflix subscribers [getting] an extended look’, rather than free-tier members.

Not that you’ll have to wait too long if you’ve not signed up to Netflix, however. While Netflix gets first dibs at 3pm ET (8pm BST) on August 27th, the showcase will be available just a few hours later at 9pm (2am BST, August 28th) on the official Rockstar Games YouTube channel and the Grand Theft Auto VI website.

A Netflix first

Still, expect it to top the Netflix charts for some time to come following its release then, as GTA 6 isn’t scheduled to release until November 19th, and it’s a mighty sight more comfy watching something on your sofa than at a desk.

“Grand Theft Auto reveals have become cultural moments in their own right. The anticipation and fandom around Grand Theft Auto VI is unprecedented, and we’re honoured that Rockstar Games has partnered with us to debut the next part of the Grand Theft Auto story with Netflix members first,” says Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s VP of Nonfiction Series.

“It’s a reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience.”

This’ll be feverishly awaited too — it’s been almost 13 years since the release of the last Grand Theft Auto (itself the biggest entertainment product of all time, amassing some $10 billion in revenue), and Rockstar has only drip fed two short trailers for this new game in all that time. Fans will be hoping the Netflix reveal will be the first time we get to see the actual gameplay in action, as all clips so far have been solely cutscenes or artfully-edited tasters of the in-game action.

• The 9 games you can't afford to miss in 2026

We all know renting has always come with its fair share of setbacks. But I never expected a lack of TV to be one of them.

When I first moved into my current London flat five years ago, there wasn’t even a hint of a problem. We happily connected our aerial cable and had everything we could want right on the telly.

But, as the years went by, my precious channels started to disappear; at first gradually and then all of a sudden, leaving only the BBC HD ones guaranteed to be working without the picture going and turning into pixelated blocks.

It was every telly addict's nightmare. But a new streaming solution might just save the day (and your binge-watching evenings, of course).

The problem with apps

Of course, I’m perfectly happy with streaming TV, but it doesn’t always work the way you hope. Not everything streams live; certain apps (looking at you, ITVx) are a bit of a nightmare to navigate, and there’s a whole cohort of mid-range free channels (the likes of Really, Dave and Drama) that don’t even have a streaming home.

Beyond that, there’s nothing quite like channel hopping around for some light entertainment; there’s a comfort in having everything at your fingertips in an all-in-one guide to browse when you’re indecisive and have no idea what to put on.

"Watching telly is still a huge part of our culture," says Alex Arbab-Zadeh, COO of Manhattan TV.

"Watching live broadcasts gives people a shared experience – big news events, sports, or even just trending shows that everyone watches and then talks about. Some experiences are just more meaningful when you know you're watching along with everyone else."

As a gameshow fan, that always used to mean throwing on Challenge and watching some reruns of The Chase in the background. Sadly, that’s not an experience that’s easily available via streaming services, where you actively need to have something in mind that you want to watch. I didn’t just give up on terrestrial telly immediately (after all, I’m paying my TV license), but after months of chasing building management to get the aerial working led to nothing, we eventually just stuck to watching The Traitors over iPlayer.

I wondered why nobody else in our building had complained about this, but it seems they all mostly watch streaming TV too, so it’s never been a priority to fix. In fact, this is all a bit of a “grey area” for renters. Of course, a management company should mend a communal aerial, but if they don’t, it’s not like there’s a law requiring landlords or building companies to sort these things out. There are likely obligations in a lease agreement, sure, but management didn’t bother with repairs and, unsurprisingly, it’s not something any renter can tackle themselves.

Enter Freely

Thankfully, Freely is not only the answer to my specific issue, but also to a long list of TV woes — whether your aerial cable is dodgy, you don’t have an aerial connection in a particular room, you have poor weather, signal interference, or a lack of HD channels over the terrestrial signal.

What is Freely, then? Think of it as the long-overdue upgrade to Freeview. Created by the UK's core broadcasters, it streams live TV straight over your Wi-Fi into a unified programme guide, so you can watch things as they’re broadcast.

It also offers a great range of channels including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, and saves you from needing rooftop aerials, satellite dishes, or set-top box installations.

Small box, big upgrade

Given that most solutions with baked-in Freely are built into televisions themselves, and I was very much happy with the TV I already had, just a tiny box full of channels was what I needed.

And exactly what Manhattan has made with its Aero 4K. It costs £89, and affordably brings the Freely service to any TV, even my ageing Samsung.

I got the Manhattan Aero 4K up and running in about five minutes; you just plug it into the HDMI and power, and you’re sorted, with no subscription to worry about. And, yes, although it really shouldn’t need to be said: yes, of course you still need to pay for your TV license!

Using the Manhattan Aero 4K is as straightforward as it gets. It runs on TiVo OS rather than Android TV, and I find that a cleaner, simpler and more integrated experience that’s less about streaming-first. You have a “Guide” button on the remote that takes you straight to your old-school electronic programme guide (EPG) and I’ve found channels load fast, and it’s great that you also get access to TiVo+'s 400-plus free FAST channels (that means “free ad-supported TV”) including Sony Action Hits, the Pokemon channel, Bloomberg, CNN, plus movie and sports channels, too.

"People can buy a very affordable device like the Aero, then find that it has upgraded their viewing experience to such an extent that their old TV actually feels like a brand-new set," Arbab-Zadeh told Shortlist.

While Freely itself is in HD rather than 4K, this hardware supports 4K streaming and brings you all the services you expect too: all the UK catch-up platforms (integrated into the guide) and Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube are all present. The only major omission I noticed was Apple TV, which is a shame, and one that's hopefully rectified soon. Size-wise, it’s similar to a Sky Stream puck and a little smaller than an Apple TV box, so you won’t have trouble placing it anywhere.

There aren’t many downsides. I did notice it’s not as fast as the Apple TV device that I’m used to using for my streaming; the remote can be temperamental, and I do experience a little lag hopping between menus. It also doesn’t play along with my TV audio quite as well as I hoped, and it’s worth remembering you can't record telly from it. You'd need a different box that probably requires an aerial connection if you care about that. For Freely and getting proper TV over the Wi-Fi, though, this is perfect, and any drawbacks feel minor.

For me, it’s been the solution to my years-long struggle. In the past, I’d had to contend with unreliable live streaming and have missed certain events entirely (yes, not all live streams are available on iPlayer and ITV). This just feels easier than fussing with cables and aerials, and means you can put your TV anywhere in your home, not only where you’ve got a socket.

For renters, the Aero costs less than a couple of months' Sky subscription and requires no one's permission to install. And, much to my delight, it has an entire channel devoted to reruns of The Chase.

• Sky Glass gen 2 review: 7 reasons to buy this superior-sounding TV

Noticed the prices of everything techy are going up? Microsoft is the latest to announce some cost rises, this time for its Xbox game consoles.

And, brace yourselves, they are not small jumps.

The top-billing Xbox Series X with a disc drive and 1TB storage now costs £669.99, up from a launch price of £449.99 back in 2020, and £499.99 before this latest hike.

Remember when game consoles used to get cheaper as they aged? We’re in a different world now folks, and it’s not a friendly one.

Here’s the full list of reworked prices:

• Xbox Series S 512GB £429.99 (up from £299.99, £249.99 at launch in 2020)
• Xbox Series S 1TB £519.99 (up from £349.99, £299.99 at launch in 2023)
• Xbox Series X 1TB Digital £619.99 (up from £449.99, £429.99 at launch in 2024)
• Xbox Series X 1TB £669.99 (up from £499.99, £449.99 at launch in 2020)

We’re looking at price rises of up to 43 per cent here. And it is not at all surprising, because the US had already been subject to major price increases. This one was coming.

It means the Xbox Series X now costs more than the PlayStation 5, which will set you back £569.99 direct from Sony. The digital-only version costs £519.99, while the PlayStation 5 Pro costs £789.99.

There are signs this could also get even worse, too. According to Windows Central, Microsoft is losing money with each Xbox sold in the US, which has already had comparable price hikes. It's losing up to $150 a piece according to the report.

So what on Earth is going on?

You can blame what has been dubbed the RAM-Apocalypse. The cost of the memory chips that go into these consoles has been increasing quickly for some time now, thanks to giant tech companies gobbling up supply in order to produce server infrastructure for the (supposed) AI-powered future.

There is a point at which buyers are just priced out of participating, though. After Valve was forced to increase the price of its Steam Deck by hundreds of pounds, analysis of chart data suggests sales dropped by up to 80 per cent.

And we’re not at the end of this ride yet, either. Analysts predict we’ll see the cost of RAM increase throughout the remainder of 2026, and into 2027. That means giants like Sony and Microsoft will likely have to wring even more money out of us for a console in the future, too.

Casual gamers considering an upgrade ahead of GTA 6’s November release may be in for a shock.

• The 40 best Xbox Game Pass games: Essential games to download first

If this were a game of chess, the bosses at Samsung would be saying “your move, Apple”.

We won’t know if the South Korean giant has a checkmate over its Cupertino, California-based rival for a couple of months yet, but with the introduction of three new foldables the board is set and the game is very much on.

Samsung’s trio of foldables each have a unique hook, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sitting atop the pile when it comes to features, design and price, boasting powerful AI chops for ‘power-maxxing’ (Samsung’s phrase, not mine).

Then there’s the uniquely proportioned Galaxy Z Fold 8 (and there’s a very good reason for its new passport-like size and shape), while the compact Z Flip 8 gets even slimmer and lighter as it makes a play for the most portable foldable around.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: In short...

• The most capable AI productivity foldable
• Samsung’s slimmest and lightest fold ever
• Display has almost no visible crease
• Foldable screen equivalent to two 6.5-inch displays side-by-side
• Price starts at £1,899
• 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage, 12GB or 16GB of RAM

The ultimate foldable?

If you’re looking for the ultimate foldable phone, the Samsung Z Fold 8 Ultra could well be it. I’ve had hands-on time with it, and it’s impressively slender. Yet despite its wafer thin design, it still feels solid.

It’s the firm’s slimmest and lightest foldable to date. Compared to the phone it’s replacing - the Galaxy Z Fold 7 - it also boasts a brighter display, bigger battery, and upgraded camera system.

The upgraded hinge has a satisfying tactility to it, while the new Flex Titanium Technology display allows the phone to drop weight while remaining strong, while also offering up a smoother, flatter display.

The central visible crease on foldable displays has long been a bone of contention for some folk, but with the Z Fold 8 Ultra it’s impressively hard to see. Run your finger over the centre of the interior screen and you’ll feel a subtle undulation, but it’s less pronounced than on the firm’s previous foldable phones.

It’s not quite the smoothest or least visible crease I’ve seen in a foldable display - that honour remains with the Oppo Find N6 for now - but it’s pretty darn close.

A smart, yet subtle design tweak over the Z Fold 7 is the chamfered edge on the non-hinge vertical side of the phone, allowing you to guide the handset open a little more easily with your thumb - something the flat sides on the predecessor made trickier.

In terms of cameras, you’re looking at a 50MP ultra-wide (upgraded for higher resolution shooting up from its predecessor's 12MP) a stonking 200MP main camera, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. All can capture HDR detailing, and video recording maxes out at an impressive 8K.

Samsung claims the 5,000mAh battery is good for up to 27 hours of video playback, while charging has been improved with 45W wired support able to replenish 67% of charge in 30 minutes. There’s 20W wireless charging support too, if you have a pad at home, in the office, or in your car.

Is the Z Fold 8 a new iPhone in disguise?

If the Z Fold 8 Ultra is the King on our board - a towering symbol of strength - the Z Fold 8 is the Queen, with the ability to cause havoc in the foldable phone world.

Samsung has decided 2026 is the year to introduce a third form factor to its foldable line-up, citing what it claims to be “a responsibility to give people greater choice” with a “new form factor for immersive media, content and creativity.”

That’s fair enough, but could the timing possibly have anything to do with the raft of rumours suggesting Apple will launch the iPhone Fold with the same passport-esque aspect ratio as the Fold 8 in just a couple of months time? No, of course not. This is just a huge coincidence. Ahem…

The move isn’t a surprise, since Apple has reportedly approved Samsung Display to make the flexible OLED displays for its upcoming foldable, so it looks as if Samsung has got the jump here.

From my time with the Z Fold 8, I’m excited for both it and the iPhone Fold to arrive, because the size and shape of this foldable phone absolutely slaps.

I wasn’t sure how it would sit in the hand, and when folded, it is wider than most phones on the market. That might be an issue for those with smaller hands, but for anyone who remembers the BlackBerry days, the muscle memory this phone evokes is really quite beautiful.

Open it up, and the 4:3 display is great for video playback and gaming, but turn it 90 degrees and the 3:4 aspect ratio makes social scrolling, web browsing and reading documents a more comfortable experience. Shortlist looks great on this screen, and I feel bad for you reading this article not on the Z Fold 8.

You still get flagship performance under the hood, and a sizable 4,800mAh battery is good for 26 hours of video playback according to Samsung, and can recharge 63% in 30 minutes. In terms of cameras, you’re getting a 50MP wide and a 50MP ultra wide tucked into the new form factor.

If you’re not immediately sold on the size and shape of the Z Fold 8, I recommend you make your way to a store and get your hands on it. You might just love it.

Flipping the FlexWindow switch with Z Flip 8

Rounding out the trio is Samsung’s latest flip foldable, aimed at those looking to express their style in a sleek, portable form factor.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor - it’s the thinnest and lightest Z Flip ever - while boasting a stronger hinge and advanced armour aluminium frame for better durability, plus a sizable foldout screen when you need it.

I found the refined proportions allow the Z Flip 8 to sit more naturally in hand, and it slides seamlessly in pockets, but the upgrade I was most pleased to see was to the FlexWindow support.

Samsung’s Z Flip series to date have offered a slightly limited exterior screen experience when compared to Motorola’s flip foldables, which offer pretty much a full smartphone experience on the smaller outer display.

But now, with the Z Flip 8, the AI-powered automation is smarter, surfacing what you need, when you need it on the exterior display. Depending on the time of day, and the day of the week, this information could include your schedule, health stats, calendar appointments, commute details and more.

Samsung’s clever Now Brief AI assistant is also now more proactive, and you can use text prompts to easily build personalised cards to show exactly the information you want to see. If style is more important than raw performance, the Z Flip 8 is a phone you might want to experience.

Available to order now

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is available in four colours - Violet Shadow (that’s purple to you and me), Cream, Graphite, and Violet Green (online exclusive) - with the choice of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB of storage, either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and prices start at £1,899.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 also comes in four colors - Lavender, Cream, Graphite, Pistachio (online exclusive) - the same storage and RAM variants as the Ultra, and the price starts at £1,699 for the 256GB model.

Meanwhile the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is available in, yep you’ve guessed it, four colours - Pink, Cream, Graphite,Mint (online exclusive) - with 256GB and 512GB models both packing 12GB of RAM. The Z Flip 8 price starts at £1,149 for the 256GB variant.

All three phones are available for pre-order from July 22nd.

• Hands-On: Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 should come with a warning, as it demands you live extreme

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 isn’t your ordinary fitness tracker or stylish smartwatch. The Ultra 2 is ready to kick down your door, fix itself to your forearm, and drag you off the sofa.

Samsung says this is its strongest, toughest, fastest, brightest Galaxy Watch to date, and it’s tailored to extreme sports athletes. That’s a pretty niche market, but is there a wider appeal outside those whose idea of a quiet weekend is a mountainous trail run followed by deep sea diving? Well let’s take a look.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: In short…

• Built for those who "push limits"
• You can use it as a professional diving computer
• Pro-level sports tracking with real-time guidance and monitoring
• Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 price is £649
• Pre-order July 22nd, on sale August 8th

Cast an eye over the spec sheet and you’ll see the Galaxy Watch 2 is well equipped, with the biggest battery Samsung has ever put in a smartwatch, a 35% increase over the original Ultra.

The larger screen, with narrower bezels, means it’s really easy to read data on the screen, as I found when I went hands-on with the watch at a special Samsung preview event in London.

And that screen gets bright — really bright. It’s the world’s brightest smartwatch display, with the ability to hit a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. That means you should still be able to clearly see what’s being shown in direct sunlight (something which was a little tricky to test in the windowless basement of the briefing location).

There are a host of other upgrades too, including more power, improved GPS, faster loading and a thinner design. While this is still a large watch at 47mm, I didn’t find the shock resistant titanium case overbearing on the wrist. It was actually rather comfortable, which was nice.

So you get a big, bright display, slimmer design, huge battery, and more power. For anyone looking for a feature-packed Apple Watch Ultra 3 rival for Android phones, the Ultra 2 is an obvious contender.

But it’s the pro-level sports tracking where Samsung wants the Ultra 2 to really shine. The new Trail Run mode offers specialized tracking for detailed route and elevation guidance, estimated completion time, climbing progress and also terrain advice.

It even features a real-time nutrition alert, as the watch monitors your sweat and other vitals to calculate the amount of fluid you need to drink to recover safely and avoid dehydration.

Then there’s the diving mode, which is now so advanced you’ll be able to use it as a professional diving computer when an accompanying Mares app arrives on the watch later this year, offering up the ability to track descent speed, monitor your time left at depth, and a safe ascending guide.

It’s waterproof to a depth of 100m (as you’d hope, given the diving credentials), 100% dust proof, and provides real-time tracking of depth, time, and water temperature. And the clever part is, you don’t even need to enable it - the Ultra 2 will automatically detect when you enter the water and switch to diving mode for you.

Of course, if you’re not into your extreme sports - and to be honest, I’m not - Samsung does have another new Galaxy Watch that might be more your speed…

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: Health management for the masses

Say hello to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, your new everyday health companion. Samsung claims the Watch 9 is the “easiest way to manage your health”, and it’s focused this iteration on improving its health and wellness features.

That means if you already own the Galaxy Watch 8, or are familiar with this wearable, the Watch 9 will look particularly familiar. Samsung even admits it’s done very little in terms of mixing up the hardware design, as it has only just refreshed the look of its core smartwatch with the Watch 8 model last year.

At almost half the price of the Watch Ultra 2, the Galaxy Watch 9 will have a wider appeal, and both devices offer Samsung’s new suite of preventative health features, which combines a variety of sensors and metrics with the power of Galaxy AI.

Samsung says the new watches offer data in a more digestible format, providing hints and tips you can implement in your day-to-day life, helping to reduce illness, recover faster, and prevent injury.

The new Vitals feature kicks in after a week of continuous wearing, monitoring heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, respiratory rate, blood oxygen and heart rate. If any of these metrics fall outside their recommended baseline, you’ll be alerted and given tips on how to restore it.

The Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 might pick up on your skin temperature increasing, which could be a sign cold or flu is about to strike. The Samsung Health app will alert you to this, and provide advice such as eating more fruit and veg, and getting an early night, to help reduce the potential effect of the illness.

Another new feature is Heart Health Score, which gives you a simple daily metric and actionable tips to improve your heart health. The tips include advice to do more cardio and suggesting rest days if it detects you’re overtraining.

For runners, the new Daily Cardio Load feature will be of interest. Using your workout history, it creates training and recovery help based on workout intensity, maximum training load, and real-time heart rate. Samsung says it can help you recover faster and prevent injury from overtraining.

All of this is powered by AI, and Google’s Gemini assistant is literally available at the lift of a wrist. Move your wrist towards your mouth and the Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 will detect the movement and automatically wake Gemini. You can then start speaking immediately, without the need to say the wake word.

In the past I’ve found gesture controls like this to be hit and miss, but trying it out on both of the new watches I was impressed at just how accurate it was. Every time I attempted to trigger Gemini, it worked. Plus, a quick flick of the wrist to check the time will illuminate the screen, but the system is smart enough to know I’m not after Gemini.

Samsung’s gone big with health and wellness monitoring on both of its new watches, and while some might be tempted by the bells and whistles of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, I think for many the Watch 9 will be the better choice.

Pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 price is £649. It’s only available in the 47mm size, with two colour options of Titanium Gray Titanium Silver.

Meanwhile the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 price starts at £349 for the smaller, 40mm model, which is available in Graphite and Cream. For those after a bigger screen, the 44mm will cost you £379, with the choice of Graphite or Silver hues.

Pre-orders for both watches open on July 22nd, and they’ll hit stores and land on wrists from August 8th, 2026.

• Hands-On: Samsung lays down the foldable gauntlet to Apple with its new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and interestingly shaped Z Fold 8

The truth is out there... and it's made from 1,478 LEGO bricks.

LEGO has officially revealed the ‘LEGO Ideas The X-Files’ set, bringing one of television's greatest sci-fi series into brick form for the first time. Created in collaboration with Disney (the custodians of the X-Files franchise since its merger with Fox), the nostalgic set recreates some of the show's most memorable locations and is crammed with references that long-time fans will love spotting.

• The 20 all-time greatest The X-Files episodes

At the heart of the build is Fox Mulder's legendary basement office, complete with his iconic "I Want to Believe" poster, the "The Truth Is Out There" sign, X-Files case files, and even pencils stuck in the ceiling — a nod to the agent’s habit for firing them up into his grey office’s panelling. Above the office is a forest clearing featuring a hovering UFO mounted on a transparent display stand, allowing builders to recreate one of the show's classic alien encounters.

The set includes eight Minifigures: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter Skinner, Mr. X, Alex Krycek, Carl Busch, the gross Flukeman and a classic grey alien. You’ll have to build your own Mr Tooms though, as the stretchy and arguably-scariest X-Files monster villain didn’t make the cut for minifigure immortality.

Like every LEGO Ideas release, the set began life as a fan creation. Australian 3D artist Brent Waller originally designed Mulder's office as a personal project before LEGO Ideas voters helped turn it into an official product.

Scully's back on screen!

Debuting in 1993, The X-Files became one of television's defining sci-fi dramas, its blend of paranormal "monster of the week" investigations and an overarching aliens-on-Earth plot helping to shape modern prestige genre TV, as well as sparking the imaginations of conspiracy theorists across the globe. Across 11 seasons, two feature films and 218 episodes, FBI agents Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (portrayed by Gillian Anderson) became pop culture icons, with the series earning a devoted fanbase thanks to its mix of horror, science fiction and government paranoia. Its influence can still be seen in everything from Lost and Fringe to countless supernatural procedurals.

To mark the announcement, actress Anderson has stepped back into Dana Scully's shoes for a fun mini-film revealing the set:

“I didn’t expect to be stepping back into Scully’s heels to investigate a LEGO set,” said the star.

“It has been so much fun revisiting that world all these years later. This set is a wonderful celebration of the X-Files, and the fans who have kept its mystery alive. The level of detail is brilliant - there are so many little nods that fans will absolutely recognise - and as a LEGO fan myself, I love that people can now quite literally build their own X-Files moments at home.”

The LEGO Ideas The X-Files (21369) launches in LEGO Insiders early access on 1st August, before going on general sale from 4th August for £179.99. Early buyers between 1st and 10th August will also receive an exclusive Scully's Lab Gift with Purchase, letting them carry out mini extraterrestrial autopsies, while stocks last.

As for the future of The X-Files on TV? While early reports linked a revival to Jordan Peele, the new X-Files project is actually being spearheaded by Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Sinners. Hulu has ordered a pilot, with Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel starring as a new pair of FBI agents investigating unexplained phenomena. Gillian Anderson has said she's open to making an appearance, while Coogler has promised the reboot will balance standalone monster stories with a larger conspiracy arc in the spirit of the original series. With Coogler at the helm, sci-fi fans could be eating real good again soon.

You’ve walked over it, you’ve possibly floated under it, and watching its bridge lift is a rite of passage for anyone visiting London. And now? You can build it, too — LEGO has just revealed an all-new Tower Bridge model for brick-building landmark lovers.

The 3,745 piece set (number 21067) is about as faithful a recreation of the bridge as you can get at this scale, measuring over 13.5 in. (35 cm) high, 35 in. (89 cm) wide and 7 in. (19 cm) deep. Aimed at adults rather than younger builders, it includes a working draw bridge and a new shield with the City of London Coat of Arms printed on it across the upper walkway, which will make it a true collectors piece for those that have other fantasy-themed LEGO armies. There’s even a tiny red double decker bus to complete the illusion of a mini block London.

With its tan bricks and blue highlights, the set really captures the grandeur of Tower Bridge, a site only matched by Big Ben when it comes to recogniseable London locations.

The real Tower Bridge was completed in 1894, and is renowned for its twin Gothic towers and draw bridges. In the real world the bridge spans 800 feet and stands 213-foot tall, with the bridge still opening to passing waterway traffic as many as 900 times a year. Never seen it in action? You can check out the timetable for the next lift here.

A second attempt

It’s not the first time LEGO has brought out a Tower Bridge model in brick form. The landmark was also released in a larger ‘LEGO Creator Expert’ version in 2010, as model number 10214. It was retired in 2018, meaning only pricey second hand models are available now to collectors.

That model measured 102cm long and 45cm, making it more of a play, rather than display, piece. Though smaller, the new model’s detailing makes it a more accurate representation of the Thames-spanner.

This new build will is up for pre-order now, and goes on general sale on August 1st 2026, direct from LEGO.com and LEGO retail shops. It’ll cost £269.99.

• The 20 best LEGO sets of all time, ever!

I’ve been running up the hill from Greenwich Park’s St Mary’s Gate to the breathtaking peak at the Royal Observatory since probably the age of four. It was a local park for my family growing up, and I’d race my younger brother to the top before barrelling down after my favourite Action Man figure in his battle tank on the way back.

It was always great fun — even the time said tank flipped behind me causing me to roll and scrape most of the way back down — and always a healthy challenge, leaving you rewarded with a still-breathtaking view over the Queen’s House and National Maritime Museum, and into the financial heart of the Docklands beyond.

Closer now to age forty than four, that hill has a bit more bite to it, and years parked at my desk rather than in the park mean that I’d rather be listening to the Kate Bush song than actually running up that hill.

But a new gadget torn straight from the pages of a Marvel Comic has just made that hilltop challenge not only a breeze, but gives its users the confidence to take on even tougher outdoor goals.

The new Hypershell X Series is one of the first consumer-focused powered exoskeletons to hit the UK, and while it might look like something borrowed from a cyberpunk film, its ambitions are much more practical. It's designed to make walking, hiking and climbing hills less physically demanding, helping users go further while feeling less fatigued.

So I strapped in and set my sights on that good old hill to see what the fuss is about.

An electric boost for your legs

The Hypershell X Series straps around your waist and thighs, weighing around 1.7kg (which is distributed so evenly across your lower back and thighs that you hardly notice it), and uses a pair of electric motors to assist your hip movement as you walk. Rather than dragging you along, it works alongside your natural stride, giving you an extra robotic push with every step — think of it less like an electric bike and more like power steering for your legs.

The idea isn't that you stop putting in effort — the Hypershell X doesn’t do the walking for you. Instead, the exoskeleton reduces the amount of energy your muscles need to expend, particularly when you're climbing steep hills, carrying a heavy backpack or covering long distances.

According to Hypershell, independent testing found the gear can reduce oxygen consumption by up to 39% and lower heart rate by as much as 42%, potentially making demanding walks significantly less tiring, its motorised joints working with your legs’ own muscles to give an extra boost to your stride.

AI to help you do your job instead of stealing it

Almost every gadget launches with an AI story these days, but the Hypershell X literally couldn’t exist without some artificial intelligence help.

The company's new HyperIntuition system constantly monitors how you're moving using an array of sensors, analysing your speed, stride, the terrain you’re traversing and body position, thousands of times during your walk. Instead of waiting for you to struggle before reacting, it predicts your movement and adjusts the motor assistance almost instantly, using AI to anticipate when you’re going to need that extra bit of support most.

Hypershell says the system responds in just 0.31 seconds while synchronising with your gait 97.5% of the time, creating an experience that's designed to feel far more natural than previous generations of its exoskeletons.

It’s certainly a strange sensation initially. Your movements with the Hypershell X have to be intentional and controlled or the added oomph you’re given can come as a shock. But there’s no denying the extra support it offers, putting a spring into your step that makes more strenuous activity easier to manage. And that’s before you dial up into its super-powered mode...

App control — and a rocket boost mode

Yep, you read that right — the Hypershell X can be put into a ‘Rocket’ boost mode that sees its motors firing on all cylinders to give you a brief window of super-charged power. This is controlled from the Hypershell+ companion app, which acts as the control centre for the X Series, letting you fine-tune how much assistance the motors provide to match your walking style and the terrain ahead.

Though it can only be activated for a short period of time, the boost mode makes it feel as if a few litres of Red Bull have been injected straight into your legs. It’s got to be used cautiously as the jolt of power it gives every stride is substantial. But when the going gets particularly tough, it’s a welcome feature.

The app also offers workout tracking, performance insights and a quick-start guide to help you get everything fitted correctly before you head outdoors. During setup, the app recommends the correct fit adjustments based on your height and weight, while future firmware updates can add new features over time.

Hypershell is also introducing Shelly, an AI-powered assistant that can be controlled by voice or text, allowing users to ask questions about the exoskeleton, tweak settings and personalise the experience without diving through menus. It's still in beta, but you can imagine a future when you’re able to speak to the app conversationally about the effort you’re putting in, and see the Hypershell’s motor systems adapt accordingly.

More than just hiking

Mountain hikers are the obvious audience for the Hypershell X, but they're far from the only people who could benefit.

Anyone who regularly carries heavy camera gear, works outdoors or spends long days on foot could see the appeal. Search and rescue teams are already testing the technology through Hypershell's HyperLIFT programme to see whether it can reduce fatigue during demanding operations.

The company also believes active older adults will benefit from wearing the exoskeleton. A dedicated assistance mode is designed for slower walking speeds, aiming to reduce muscle fatigue while making longer walks feel more comfortable and confidence-inspiring.

It isn't intended as a medical device or rehabilitation aid, though. Instead, it's aimed squarely at healthy people who simply want a little extra endurance outdoors.

Urban adventures (or just an easier commute)

For Londoners, the appeal is perhaps less about conquering Everest and more about making everyday tasks and journeys feel easier. If your commute involves multiple Tube changes, endless station staircases or a brisk walk across the City, the Hypershell X Series could help take some of the strain out of the journey. It's also an intriguing option for anyone who spends all day on their feet – photographers covering events, delivery riders, tour guides or festival staff, for example, where shaving a little fatigue off every step could really add up by the end of the day.

It could also be a useful bit of kit for the capital's weekend adventurers. Whether you're tackling the steep climbs of Primrose Hill, spending hours wandering Richmond Park, or heading out of London for a hike in the Chilterns or South Downs, the exoskeleton is designed to make longer walks feel less physically demanding without doing the work for you. Rather than replacing the satisfaction of reaching the top of the hill, it's intended to help you arrive with a bit more energy left to enjoy the view (or make it back to the pub afterwards).

Would I want to wear it all day every day? Probably not — though it’s about as discreet as a set of robot leg aids can be, the Hypershell X definitely caught the attention of passers-by as I was wearing them. If you’ve got a load of hiking gear on nobody will bat an eyelid — but if you’ve got your pressed shirt and city slacks on, that might be another story.

Still, I managed to get served in the pub while wearing them without raising too many eyebrows. So if the next round is a twenty-pinter, popping on the Hypershell X might help you keep that much-needed balance without spilling a drop.

Harder, better, faster, stronger

Interestingly, the Hypershell X Series isn't just designed to make exercise easier – it can also make it harder. Alongside its various assistance modes, the exoskeleton includes a dedicated Fitness Mode that deliberately adds resistance to your movement, turning walks and runs into a wearable strength workout. Though it’s not the core offering of the product, I’d go as far as saying it was the area I thought it worked most effectively.

As you increase your pace, the motors apply greater resistance to challenge your leg muscles, while a separate Static Training Mode provides consistent resistance for lower-body exercises, offering a gym-like training experience without traditional weight machines. It's a clever twist on the concept: instead of simply helping you climb the next hill, the X Series can also help build the strength needed to tackle it under your own steam.

In the days and weeks following that initial Greenwich trek, it’s this way that I’ve used the Hypershell X most of all — around the house, almost passively working to help build my leg endurance and strength.

The price of robot legs

Note that the Hypershell X Series isn't a single product.

At the top sits the £1,699 X Ultra S, built for serious expeditions and the toughest terrain. It’s this model I’ve been testing, but the differences further down the pricing chain aren’t such that you’ll be massively missing out by saving some of that dough.

The £1,299 X Max S targets regular hikers who want strong assistance without paying flagship money — it’s essentially the same as the Ultra S, but has a smaller battery, reducing its walking range from 60km to 30km per charge, and slightly fewer tracked movement modes. The entry-level £899 X Pro S is aimed at lighter outdoor adventures and everyday walking, with a 17.5km range and a slightly weaker motor, meaning its assistance maxes out at 20km/h instead of 25km/h.

All three models feature multiple modes, including an Eco mode for longer battery life, a more powerful Hyper mode for steep climbs and even a downhill mode that cushions your knees when descending slopes.

The future of outdoor gear?

For years, outdoor technology has focused on lighter backpacks, better boots and smarter GPS watches. The Hypershell X Series takes a much bolder approach by enhancing the person wearing the equipment.

It's still undeniably an expensive gadget (we’re not quite at the Iron Man dream just yet), and plenty of hikers will argue that the challenge is the whole point of climbing a mountain in the first place. Others may see it as no different from using an e-bike instead of a traditional bicycle — technology making outdoor adventures accessible to more people rather than replacing them.

Either way, consumer exoskeletons are moving beyond lab demos and into real-world use. Hypershell is delivering on its promise of making long walks easier without making them feel artificial, making the X Series one of the most intriguing outdoor gadgets we've seen in years. Now excuse me while I go make mincemeat of my hill-climbing PB.

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It’s been called the guitar world’s worst-kept secret, and for good reason.

When Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong hit those first chords of Holiday at the 2026 Super Bowl pre-game show, eagle-eyed guitar fans spotted something unusual sitting behind him. Instead of the familiar black Marshall stack he usually tours with, there was a striking baby-blue amp head that sent gear heads into detective mode.

Now, the mystery has been solved.

Marshall has officially unveiled the Super Lead 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature, its first signature amplifier in 14 years, giving fans the chance to get closer than ever to the unmistakable guitar sound that powered Green Day's biggest hits. And we’ve had a chance to play on it.

Primed for power chords

Built in collaboration with Armstrong, the 100W valve head is based on Marshall's handwired 1959HW platform, but has been extensively reworked with a custom "Dookie Mod". Inspired by the tone developed alongside legendary producer Rob Cavallo during the recording of Green Day's breakthrough album Dookie, the amp offers higher gain, tighter low-end response and the saturated crunch that has become Armstrong's calling card across three decades of punk rock.

Handwired in the UK, the 1959BJA packs three ECC83 preamp valves, four EL34 power valves, a single-channel layout with master volume and three-band EQ, and dual speaker outputs with selectable impedance.

Firing it up at a Marshall showcase event in London yesterday, it doesn’t take much twiddling to get that signature Green Day sound. There’s more bite to the gain, and warmth and body to the tone, ready for some powerslamming power chords.

As something that rocked the Super Bowl however, it’s naturally not one best suited to a quick shred in a bedroom. That 100W output alongside the four EL34 tubes means this is a stadium-ready bit of kit. Whack out those opening chords to Welcome To Paradise in your flat and you might end up with the police knocking with an anti-social behaviour notice. Definitely one for the practice rooms, then.

The looks are every bit as distinctive as the sound. Wrapped in a baby-blue finish inspired by Armstrong's beloved first guitar, Blue, the amp features custom branding, brass and silver control panels, and the Green Day frontman's signature across both the front and rear. Marshall is selling it as a head-only unit, allowing players to pair it with the speaker cabinet of their choice.

‘Turn it the f*ck up!’

“I’m so overjoyed to have my own signature Marshall amp,” said Armstrong of his customised kit in a press release accompanying the reveal.

“These amps have been a part of my musical life, from my heroes down to little old me. Turn it the f**k up! …This amp is my ride or die. Play fast! Die trying.”

“Billie Joe’s guitar sound is instantly recognisable,” Steph Carter, culture marketing director at Marshall (and former Gallows guitarist) added.

“From the moment you hear those opening chords on Dookie, you know exactly who it is. Working with Billie to create an amp that captures that punch, aggression and clarity was an incredible project for our team.”

The Marshall 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature goes on sale from 21st July 2026 for £3,099.99, available through Marshall and authorised retailers.

Marshall also says purchases made through its Amplify loyalty programme will contribute 1% towards supporting grassroots music venues, adding a feel-good encore to one of the year's biggest gear launches.

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As T3 celebrates its 30th anniversary, the technology title has looked back at the products that genuinely changed our lives while also crowning the best-designed tech of 2026.

There are very few gadgets that can genuinely claim to have changed the way we live. Every year, brands promise the next AI-powered, titanium-coated rectangle will revolutionise our daily routine, only for it to quietly disappear into the same drawer as an old Kindle charger and a tangle of cables you'll definitely sort out one day.

As part of its special 30th anniversary awards, technology title T3 has named the iPod the Best Tech in T3's Lifetime, recognising the single biggest gadget to arrive since the magazine first launched back in 1996. For anyone who remembers painstakingly ripping CDs onto iTunes or carefully curating playlists for the bus journey to school, it's a choice that's difficult to argue with.

The iPod wasn't simply another MP3 player. It completely reshaped the music industry, changed how we bought albums and, ultimately, laid the foundations for the Apple ecosystem we know today.

T3 editor-in-chief Mat Gallagher said: "The iPod was more than just a product, it was a revolution of the whole music industry. What started with 1,000 songs in your pocket introduced the world to iTunes and paying for digital music. Though ultimately, the iPhone made the iPod redundant, without the iPod, the iPhone wouldn't have existed."

Thirty years of Tomorrow's Technology Today

The lifetime award forms part of an expanded T3 Awards celebrating three decades since the magazine first appeared on shelves. While the annual event still shines a spotlight on the very best products you can buy right now, this year's ceremony also takes a moment to recognise the people and innovations that have shaped modern technology.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was named the inaugural Person of the Year, while Sir Tim Berners-Lee received the British Icon award for inventing the World Wide Web. Considering most of us spend an alarming proportion of our waking hours online, that feels like a fairly safe pick.

The rest of the awards remained firmly focused on the latest and greatest gadgets. Across 84 categories, judges selected winners spanning everything from kitchen appliances and fitness gear to watches, TVs, speakers, cars and outdoor kit.

Garmin was crowned Brand of the Year, the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 claimed Product of the Year, and LEGO Smart Play took home Tech Innovation of the Year. It's a reminder that the most exciting technology isn't always the flashiest. Sometimes it's the brands that quietly keep making products you'll end up recommending to everyone you know.

The best-looking tech of the year

Performance is one thing, but the T3 Design Awards celebrate products that also happen to look fantastic. After all, if you're spending hundreds, or in some cases thousands, of pounds on a gadget, it may as well look good sitting on your shelf, kitchen counter or driveway.

The winners were selected by a judging panel made up of editors from some of the biggest names across technology, design and lifestyle media, including Shortlist, Wallpaper*, Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Creative Bloq, SheerLuxe and T3.

Nike claimed the Active Design Award with its ACG Air Milano Jacket, proving technical outerwear no longer has to make you look like you're halfway through climbing Ben Nevis when you're actually just heading to the office.

Dyson continued its mission to make household appliances look like props from a sci-fi blockbuster, with the PencilVac taking the Home Design award. Meanwhile, Nothing's transparent Headphone (1) picked up the Tech Design prize, continuing the company's knack for producing gadgets that manage to stand out in a market full of anonymous black plastic.

Rounding things off, Rolls-Royce's Project Nightingale won the Auto Design award. It isn't the sort of car you'll accidentally lose in a supermarket car park, but then subtlety has never really been part of Rolls-Royce's design philosophy.

If you'd like to see the complete list of winners across all 84 categories, you'll find every category and every winner over on T3.

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The video games industry has had a rough few years. Studio closures, mass layoffs, ballooning development costs and an increasing shift towards digital-only gaming have all become depressingly familiar headlines. This week, things took another significant turn.

Xbox has confirmed it's laying off more than 1,600 employees immediately, with parent company Microsoft planning to cut 4,800 jobs overall as part of a wider restructuring. Even more strikingly, Xbox says it expects to eliminate more than 3,200 roles during its current financial year, making this one of the biggest shake-ups in the brand's history.

The announcement follows reports from Bloomberg earlier this summer that several Xbox-owned studios were at risk, including Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs and Arkane.

Rather than outright closures across the board, the picture is more complicated. Compulsion Games and Double Fine will become independent studios, retaining ownership of their IP and enough funding to develop their next projects. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are set to continue under new ownership, with financial backing to finish Senua and State of Decay 3. Arkane, meanwhile, faces a far less certain future, with consultations now underway to determine what happens next.

The cuts also extend well beyond Xbox's development studios, affecting staff across Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, King, Mojang and Xbox Game Studios.

In a memo to employees, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said: "Our business today is not healthy." Despite the scale of the layoffs, Xbox says none of its previously announced first-party games has been cancelled.

The timing is particularly striking. Sharma only recently took over the role and initially won praise from fans by introducing new community initiatives, reaffirming console exclusives like the next Gears of War and Clockwork Revolution, and reshaping Xbox's broader strategy. That early goodwill has now been overshadowed by sweeping job cuts and yet another round of hardware price increases.

The layoffs also arrive during a period of wider uncertainty for the games industry. Just days earlier, PlayStation confirmed plans to stop releasing first-party games on physical discs from 2028, a move that has reignited speculation that the next generation of consoles could become entirely digital. Combined with rising game prices, subscription changes and increasing consolidation among major publishers, it's becoming clear that the traditional console market is changing rapidly.

Whether these changes ultimately strengthen the industry's future or simply accelerate its growing pains remains to be seen. For the thousands of developers, artists, writers and support staff now facing redundancy, though, that debate is likely to feel a long way off.

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The LEGO Group and Formula 1 have unveiled 22 fully drivable LEGO minicars that will take to the track ahead of the British Grand Prix, with every driver on the 2026 grid getting their own brick-built machine for the traditional pre-race parade.

That's a significant upgrade on last year's Miami Grand Prix, where drivers shared just 10 LEGO cars in a parade that quickly descended into the kind of light-hearted chaos fans couldn't get enough of. Instead of politely waving to the crowd, the drivers spent most of the lap laughing, overtaking each other and nudging rival teams, creating one of the most widely shared moments of the entire F1 season.

Fans wanted more, and it's been delivered.

Rather than sharing cars between teams, every one of the 22 current Formula 1 drivers will have their own personalised LEGO racer, each inspired by their team's 2026 livery and complete with official colours, sponsor detailing, team logos and driver numbers.

These aren't static display pieces either. Each minicar is made from more than 28,000 LEGO bricks, is fully drivable and can reach speeds of up to 25km/h, meaning they'll complete a full lap of Silverstone before the main event gets underway.

Building the fleet was no small task. A team of 20 LEGO designers, engineers and builders spent more than 6,400 hours bringing the cars to life at the LEGO Group's factory in Kladno, Czech Republic, balancing authentic Formula 1 styling with LEGO's unmistakably playful design.

The expanded parade is the latest step in the growing partnership between LEGO and Formula 1, which has become one of the sport's most successful collaborations since launching its full product range earlier this year.

With rivalries already bubbling away across the 2026 championship, don't expect the drivers to take it easy just because they're behind the wheel of something made from plastic bricks. If Miami proved anything, it's that once the helmets go on, every race becomes competitive, even when the top speed is closer to an e-bike than an F1 car.

The British Grand Prix gets underway this Sunday at Silverstone, but there's every chance the biggest smiles of the weekend will arrive long before the lights go out. If the sequel is anything like last year's viral hit, expect plenty of bumping, overtaking and the sort of racing that reminds everyone that, underneath it all, Formula 1 drivers are still just big kids when you hand them a LEGO car.

• Looking to buy some LEGO? Here's some more of our favourites on store shelves today

LG has officially unveiled the StanbyME 2 Max, a supersized version of its portable lifestyle screen that swaps the original's 27-inch display for a much larger 32-inch 4K panel. It sits somewhere between a TV and a giant tablet, whilst making you consider whether you need a television fixed to your wall.

The headline upgrade is the bigger screen. The StanbyME 2 Max now packs a 32-inch 4K UHD display, giving films, games and box sets a noticeable boost over the original model's QHD panel. LG has also added Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, so the picture should look sharper and the built-in speakers should sound considerably fuller, too.

Under the bonnet sits LG's latest Alpha 8 AI Processor Gen3, which handles everything from upscaling lower-resolution content to optimising sound on the fly. AI Picture Pro enhances contrast and detail, AI Super Upscaling sharpens older content to better suit the larger display, while AI Sound Pro creates a virtual 11.1.2 surround sound effect without needing an external speaker system.

Of course, the StanbyME has never really been about raw specs. The whole point is that it goes where a normal TV can't.

Like its predecessor, the screen clips onto a wheeled stand that can be rolled from room to room, but it can also be detached completely if you want to use it elsewhere. It's a very posh version of seeing a screen rolled into history to watch Downfall.

It'll also rotate between landscape and portrait mode, making it better suited to everything from TikTok and Instagram Reels to video calls and mobile apps. In many ways, it feels less like a traditional television, but it's easy to see how it can fit into modern life.

LG is also leaning into the "lifestyle" side of things. The StanbyME 2 Max comes with access to LG Gallery+, letting users display more than 5,000 artworks when the screen isn't busy streaming TV. So instead of staring at a blank black rectangle in your living room, you can pretend you're the sort of person who owns a digital art gallery.

Powering the whole thing is a built-in battery that promises up to four-and-a-half hours of video playback on a single charge, meaning you won't need to be tethered to a socket. When it does eventually run flat, you can recharge it either through the docking stand or directly via USB-C.

Entertainment options include LG Channels, the company's free ad-supported streaming service, alongside the usual selection of apps available through webOS.

The StanbyME 2 Max has already picked up a CES 2026 Innovation Award in the Content & Entertainment category, although LG has yet to confirm UK pricing or a release date. Given the original StanbyME wasn't exactly cheap, expect this bigger, smarter model to command a fairly premium price when it eventually lands.

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Olivia Rodrigo is heading to Fortnite – and she's swapping headshots for heartbreak, butterflies and karaoke.

The three-time Grammy winner officially joins Fortnite's coveted Icon Series today (25th June), becoming the latest music superstar to cross over into Epic Games' ever-expanding digital universe.

Launching at 8pm ET (1am BST), the collaboration arrives just as Rodrigo's third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, continues its chart-conquering run. The record delivered another milestone for the singer-songwriter, making her the first artist to debut her first three lead singles at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while all three of her studio albums have opened atop the Billboard 200.

Now Fortnite players can step directly into Rodrigo's world.

SOUR skins

The crossover includes two playable skins inspired by different eras of the singer's career. The SOUR Olivia Rodrigo Outfit channels the purple-hued aesthetic of her breakthrough debut, while the Lover Girl Olivia Rodrigo Outfit celebrates her latest album. Both come with reactive styles and LEGO Fortnite variants.

Fans can also pick up a collection of themed cosmetics, including Olivia's Butterfly Wings Back Bling, new emotes based on good 4 u and maggots for brains, plus three Jam Tracks featuring drop dead, maggots for brains and the Rodrigo classic deja vu. Someone really needs to show her where that SHIFT key on her keyboard is.

The timing isn't accidental. Epic is also launching Fortnite Festival Karaoke on mobile, allowing players on iOS and Android to sing along to six Olivia Rodrigo tracks with performances scored in real time.

"I've always loved how Fortnite brings people together in a really specific way," Rodrigo said. "It's exciting to have my music brought into this world and to have players embrace different looks from my albums."

There's even a freebie for dedicated fans. Rodrigo now appears as an NPC on the Battle Royale island, and players who track her down and jam nearby can unlock a Heart Locket Spray and exclusive Loading Screen at no extra cost.

The Olivia Rodrigo takeover runs until 25th July.

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If you've spent any time on the London Underground during the current heatwave, you have my sympathies — we know all too well the feeling.

The Central line is somehow hotter than the sun. The tube mice have little sombreros on. And the tiny handheld fan you panic-bought during last summer's heatwave is doing little more than sputtering warm air directly into your face.

Enter the Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus — a wearable cooling gadget that feels like it has been designed specifically for surviving a sweltering Tube commute. I've been using it for a few weeks now and, as the mercury rises, it's one of the only things keeping me sane.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus: In Short...

• Hands-free cooling throughout the day
• Sauna-like tube journeys become considerably more bearable
• More effective than a handheld fan
• Discreet enough for office wear
• Heating function useful in winter too
• Up to 10 hours battery life
• Priced at £199

There’s no denying though that the Reon Pocket Pro Plus is an odd looking thing. Like a backpack for a miniature astronaut, it has a vaguely medical look to it. Its angular white box, finished with a metal plate on one side and balancing on your back just below your neck with the help of two rubber-coated arms that reach over your shoulders, isn't immediately intuitive. Without a bit of explanation, a newbie wouldn't know what to do with it.

It won’t win any style awards, but that doesn’t matter — it's a surprisingly practical device that sits discreetly beneath your shirt and actively cools your body while you travel. Sony describes it as a wearable thermo device, but let's be honest: it's essentially a personal air conditioner for your back.

How it works

Rather than blasting air like a fan, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus uses a cooled stainless steel plate that sits against the upper spine, with an internal heat regulator working away to keep it fridge-like cool. The effect is immediate. Imagine pressing an ice cube against the back of your neck on a 30°C day, except it doesn’t melt, and continues working throughout your journey. Out and about in this oppressive heat, and even just sitting at my desk, I have found it noticeably more effective than conventional portable fans, particularly during commuting.

The latest Pro Plus model arrives at exactly the right moment, with London set to see a June record temperature of a 38°C high.

Sony claims it offers 20% greater cooling performance than its predecessor and can achieve an additional 2°C reduction in cooling plate temperature thanks to a redesigned thermal system and upgraded cooling algorithms. Measuring exactly how much it cooled me without thermal imaging gear wasn't really possible, but I can attest it's more than just a placebo — I felt calmer and more comfortable during the hottest moments of the day while wearing it.

More importantly for Londoners, Sony has also fixed one of the biggest complaints about previous versions. The new 'Adaptive Hold' neckband increases stability by as much as 40% they say, helping the device stay firmly in contact with your skin while walking through stations, climbing escalators or sprinting to catch a train. You'll need to maintain relatively good posture to get the greatest effect from the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, but that's no bad habit to get into.

It's also remarkably discreet. Despite being about the size of a Magnum ice cream (to keep the theme going), it's worn underneath a shirt with the top poking over your collar, so most people won't even realise you've got a cooling device attached to your back. Unlike a fan, it doesn't occupy a hand, is practically silent, and doesn't advertise your desperation to everybody in the carriage.

It takes some getting used to its sensation in use, but after a short while you forget its place against your skin, its little removable and adjustable exhaust fan (a larger one comes in the box for collared shirts) silently venting air away from you.

A companion app allows you to fine-tune cooling levels, while Smart Cool mode automatically adjusts performance depending on your surroundings. The Reon Pocket Pro Plus also comes with a small temperature sensor, the Reon Pocket Tag, on a carabiner that can be hooked onto a bag and paired with the app, giving detailed ambient heat and humidity readings and working in conjunction with the Smart Cool mode to balance cooling needs against unnecessary battery drain. Battery life is rated at up to 10 hours, which is enough to handle a full workday and commute.

It IS expensive though. £199 isn't cheap. But neither is arriving at the office looking like you've just completed ran a marathon ending in the fires of Mount Doom. We've also already seen retailers offering significant discounts on the device (though whether those cuts will survive the heatwave remains to be seen).

And unlike many seasonal gadgets, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus also includes a warming mode for winter use, potentially making it one of the few gadgets you'll appreciate in both July and January.

Verdict

As temperatures continue to climb and London's ageing transport network struggles to keep commuters comfortable, Sony's wearable cooler feels less like a novelty and more like a glimpse into how we'll all be surviving summer in the years ahead. It’s the end of the world as we know it, but this little gadget might just make you feel fine.

• Dreading the heatwave? This map shows you which places have air con near you

There's no shortage of LEGO sets aimed squarely at grown-ups these days. You can build a Formula 1 car, recreate a famous painting, assemble a working typewriter or spend an entire weekend constructing a botanical garden that never needs watering.

The company has unveiled the LEGO Icons Arcade Pinball Machine, its first-ever playable pinball machine, giving fans the chance to build their own miniature arcade cabinet complete with functioning gameplay mechanics.

Unlike some of LEGO's more display-focused adult sets, this one is designed to be used once you've finished building it.

Made up of 2,274 pieces, the set recreates the look and feel of a vintage arcade machine while packing in a surprising amount of functionality. There's a spring-powered launcher to fire the ball into play, dual flippers to keep it alive, spinning bumpers, targets to hit and even an elevated ramp bridge that sends the ball looping back onto the playfield.

In other words, this isn't just a decorative nod to pinball. It's an actual game.

The set uses entirely mechanical systems rather than electronics, making it feel much closer to a traditional pinball table than some might expect. Once assembled, players can launch the ball and work their way around the board aiming for various targets and scoring opportunities.

The machine is built around a playful space theme that feels like a love letter to some of the company's most beloved classic sets. Players take on a mission to reunite a stranded astronaut with a baby astronaut travelling through space. Hitting key targets advances progress through the adventure, while an integrated progress tracker can be reset so the game can be played over and over again.

The set includes two minifigures to bring that story to life: a classic LEGO space astronaut and the fan-favourite "space baby", which has become something of a cult character among LEGO fans in recent years.

While the playable mechanics are the obvious headline feature, the finished model has also been designed to work as a display piece. Inspired by retro arcade cabinets, it features colourful space-themed artwork and plenty of nostalgic detailing. At 24cm high, 38cm long and 28cm wide, it's substantial enough to stand out on a shelf without completely taking over a room.

The release also continues LEGO's recent fascination with nostalgia. Over the past few years the company has increasingly targeted adult builders with sets inspired by childhood hobbies, vintage technology and pop culture icons. We've had brick-built Nintendo consoles, retro radios, Polaroid cameras and record players. A fully functioning pinball machine feels like the natural next step.

And while genuine pinball tables can cost thousands of pounds and require a dedicated room to house them, this version is considerably easier on both your wallet and your floor space.

The build is aimed at adults aged 18 and over, meaning it's likely to appeal just as much to arcade enthusiasts as it will to long-time LEGO collectors. The addition of working gameplay mechanics also gives it a novelty factor that many display-only sets simply don't have.

Whether you're a lifelong pinball fanatic, a nostalgic arcade obsessive or just someone who enjoys a LEGO set with a bit more interactivity, this feels like one of the more inventive launches the company has produced in recent memory.

The LEGO Icons Arcade Pinball Machine costs £189.99 and contains 2,274 pieces. It will be available through LEGO Insiders early access from the 1st of July, before going on general sale from the 4th of July via LEGO stores and online.

• 5 things you need to know about the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses

The Meta Ray-Ban Scriber Optics Gen 2 might be the first smart glasses that you’ll want to wear all day, every day.

For a gadget category that’s knocked around for a few years now, that's an important distinction. Despite the sci-fi concept, connected eyewear has felt like technology on the fringes. Most looked awkward, did too little, or demanded too many compromises. Meta’s latest releases, the Scriber Optics Gen 2 and Blayzer Optics Gen 2, change that equation by starting with something many people already wear every day: prescription glasses.

Instead of pushing users towards a futuristic gadget, Meta has instead embedded cameras, speakers, microphones and AI features into a frame that wouldn't look out of place in an optician's showroom. The result is a product that feels less like wearable technology and more like, well, a standard pair of glasses.

Priced starting at £429 for the Scriber Optics prescription models (dependant on lens options and prescription requirements), they sit firmly in premium territory. But unlike many tech products, their value isn't measured solely by specifications. It's measured by how seamlessly those techy features sit inside an item you’d otherwise take for granted.

I’ve been living with the Scriber Optics Gen 2 for about a month now, and while there’s still a social hurdle Meta needs to clear for the spectacles to become truly mainstream, I think I’m finally ready to pop smart glasses onto my head 7 days a week.

Meta Ray-Ban Scriber Optics Gen 2: In short…

• Prescription glasses with useful AI features
• Excellent hands-free photo and video capture
• Open-ear audio works surprisingly well
• Stylish enough for everyday wear
• Solid battery life you don’t need to worry about

1. They're smart glasses that actually look like glasses

The biggest achievement of the Scriber Optics Gen 2 isn't technological. It's aesthetic.

Previous generations of smart eyewear often announced themselves from across the room (by being bulky and tech-forward) and on your noggin' (by being too heavy to wear comfortably all day long). The Scriber, with its rounded frame shape and prescription-first design, simply looks like a premium pair of spectacles. The technology is largely hidden away inside slightly thicker temples and discreet camera modules.

That matters because wearable technology only works when people are willing to wear it. Unlike a smartwatch, glasses sit directly on your face. If they're uncomfortable or attention-grabbing, they'll spend most of their life in a drawer.

Meta's partnership with Ray-Ban and EssilorLuxottica continues to pay dividends here. The frames feel like proper eyewear rather than miniature computers, while the prescription-focused Scriber design adds practical fit improvements including adjustable nose pads and enhanced flexibility at the temples with spring-loaded arms.

For anyone who already wears glasses daily, the Scriber feels less like adopting a new gadget and more like upgrading a trusty old one.

2. The camera captures moments your phone never will

The headline hardware feature remains the integrated 12MP camera.

On paper, that specification doesn't sound particularly exciting in a world where smartphones routinely boast 50MP sensors. In practice, however, the appeal isn't image quality. It's perspective.

Being able to capture photos and videos hands-free (there’s also a capture button on the right arm) fundamentally changes the type of content you record. Walking through a city, cycling, travelling, cooking or spending time with family is made effortless to document. There is no fumbling for a phone, no interrupting a moment and no need to decide whether something is worth recording. You can even set snaps and videos to auto-populate on your Instagram feeds, including live streams.

Video quality has improved significantly over earlier models, with support for up to 3K recording and stabilisation features helping footage remain usable even while moving. The upgrade is especially noticeable in daylight conditions, where footage feels immersive and natural.

The trade-off is predictably low-light performance. Tiny sensors remain tiny sensors. Your flagship smartphone will still outperform these glasses after dark.

But that's missing the point. The best camera remains the one that's already there when something happens, and these will do in a pinch if you've nothing else to capture with. In fact, when placed against shots from a mid-range smartphone, the Meta Ray-Ban snaps held their own respectably.

The elephant in the room remains privacy. With glasses that look like regular no-tech spectacles, there’s a genuine and reasonable fear of bad-faith wearers taking ‘creepy’, non-consensual photos.

It’s a tough call — Meta has done well to signpost any recording actions with LED lights that flash on the front exterior of the glasses when a photo or video is being captured, along with a 'shutter' sound. That’s actually more visible than a sly smartphone snap someone can take while pretending to read their social feeds. But the different form factor, linked to a lingering human stare, will still make some people uncomfortable. I think Meta has done enough to allay fears here — but it’s going to take time for the general public to catch up.

3. The open-ear audio is more useful than you'd expect

One of the most underrated features of the whole Meta Ray-Ban line, and the one I find myself missing the most when popping back on my dumb glasses, is the built-in speaker system.

Integrated into the arms of the glasses, the open-ear speakers allow you to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks and phone calls without blocking out the world around you. Tiny speakers sit just by your ears, loud enough for you to hear comfortably, but not so noticeable to annoy those sitting next to you at anything but the loudest of volume settings.

It's a surprisingly liberating experience. Unlike earbuds, there's no pressure inside your ears and no feeling of isolation from your surroundings. You remain aware of traffic, conversations and environmental sounds while still enjoying private audio. Audio quality can't compare, of course, to dedicated buds — it's tinny and lacking depth or bass. But the comfort of the form factor, and convenience, may still win out in many situations.

For commuters, walkers and anyone who spends long periods wearing glasses, this will quickly become one of the most-used features. Wearing the glasses on a hot Croatian beach holiday, after a few days I found myself leaving my regular earbuds back in the hotel room — having my ears open to the sound of waves and birds was not only more relaxing alongside my tunes, but felt physically, literally cooler as well. I can't say if it's anything more than a placebo effect, but when the summer sun ramps up, I'll be reaching for these rather than my regular buds.

Call quality is impressive, too, thanks to the six-microphone array — this new design places one closer to your nose, which helps isolate voices even in busy environments. Those on the other end of a call didn't realise I was speaking through glasses rather than headphones until I pointed it out to them.

4. Meta AI gets a practical home

AI features can feel bolted onto products because they're fashionable rather than useful.

There's still room for improvement with Meta's AI, but within the Scriber Optics Gen 2, it's one of the few use cases where conversational AI feels genuinely at home.

Using voice commands, wearers can ask questions about practically any topic or point of interest around them — landmarks, objects, signs and surroundings. Paired with the camera system, which effectively becomes a set of eyes for Meta AI, the glasses can provide contextual information about what you're looking at.

Need to identify a building while travelling? Translate a road sign? Remember where you've parked? Or simply can't remember who won the last World Cup? You can ask a quick question without reaching for your phone, and, between what the camera sees and Meta's AI knows, an answer can be read out over the built-in speakers. You can even ask follow up questions and carry on the conversation.

These are small conveniences rather than revolutionary breakthroughs, but they're precisely the kind of friction-free interactions that suit wearable technology.

These AI conversations are all stored in the Meta AI app, which also houses your camera captures, glasses pairing details and other useful settings. If you're AI-curious, you can also generate AI images and videos from prompts and your own imagery here (and browse a rather cringe 'Vibes' section where other people's AI creations live).

Importantly, the AI remains optional. The glasses continue functioning perfectly well as audio devices, cameras and prescription eyewear even if you never utter the trigger words "Hey Meta." That's a welcome contrast to many AI-first products that become considerably less useful once the novelty wears off.

But mileage will vary! Some specifics can be lost on the AI: I asked for 20 facts about a location to help me plan a day trip, but I only got five, and a reminder that 'you can now have a more natural conversation with [Meta's AI]', where it'll be 'more expressive, listen longer after you speak and won't play a chime after responding'. Show, don't tell, Meta, show, don't tell...

5. Battery life to see you through a day

Battery anxiety has haunted smart glasses for years — it's simply really difficult to put a battery of any great size into frames that you wan't to keep slim and lightweight.

But Meta appears to have made meaningful progress here.

The latest generation promises up to eight hours of use, while the included charging case extends that dramatically by providing multiple additional charges throughout the day. Meta claims up to 48 hours of total use with the case available.

Real-world performance naturally varies depending on how heavily you use the camera and AI functions. Record lots of video and you'll see endurance drop considerably.

But I found the glasses are now capable of lasting through most working days with mixed usage, representing a significant improvement over earlier generations. And a quick charge function will bring you back from 0% to 50% after just twenty minutes back in the USB-C charging case.

Crucially, the case (attractive in its own right with a faux-leather textured finish and charging LED where the lid magnetically snaps shut) is compact enough to throw into a bag and forget about. That removes much of the stress associated with managing another battery-powered device. Keep in mind though that, while a cleaning cloth is included in the case, a USB-C charging cable is not.

Verdict

The Scriber Optics Gen 2 succeeds because it solves a simple problem: if you're trying to coax the millions of people who wear prescription glasses every day to the smart headwear fold, they don't want to have to carry a second pair around to simply see clearly.

By combining eyewear, headphones, a camera and an AI assistant into a single product, Meta has created something that feels genuinely additive rather than experimental.

They're not perfect. The camera can't compete with a top-tier smartphone, privacy concerns will remain a discussion point, and the £429-plus price is a substantial investment. But for prescription-glasses wearers in particular, the Scriber Optics Gen 2 offers perhaps the clearest argument yet for why smart glasses deserve a place in everyday life. I won't be leaving home without them.

• 5 things you need to know about the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses

Marcel Wanders, the acclaimed Amsterdam-based product designer, doesn’t really get the enduring trend for modernism, in all its stripped back, plain functionality.

For him, it says nothing. It’s “outmoded”; even, like so much modern design, rather boring. Not so the London showroom of Moooi, the hugely influential design collective (of which Wanders is creative director) which marks its 25th anniversary this year.

But then what would anyone expect from the man who modelled a vessel on a spectacularly explosive nasal emittance, and then called it the Snotty Vase; or who worked out a way of effectively suspending rope in aspic, making it hard and forming it into his Knotty Chair; or a way of covering inflated party balloons with carbon fibre to produce, appropriately, the world’s lightest chair?

Here Wanders gives his off-the-top-of-his-head guide to appreciating design. Just not the boring stuff.

1. DESIGN IS NOT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO OWN

People go to the theatre and like to discuss it. They don’t feel the need to own the play. They can see a lot of beautiful architecture and yet live in none of these buildings. That doesn’t mean you can only appreciate the home you live in.

And yet there is this idea that design has to be affordable, that it has to be owned to be enjoyed. It doesn’t. A painter painted for someone to own the painting but that’s never been the role of art for most normal people. The great thing about culture - of which design is a part - that we can step into that realm and recognise others in it. Ownership is irrelevant.

I find it tends to be people who complain about the prices of design who tend to be least appreciative of it. You can even hate design for free too.

2. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO APPRECIATE A PIECE OF DESIGN

We all experience the world in different ways, some more visually, some through sound. And a piece of design can be liked for different reasons too. It might be how its made - the craft of it. Or on an intellectual level - what it might now about. Or It might be as simple as the fact that it makes a cool sound when you close it.

The task of the designer is to make sure that there’s something for everyone - and it makes me a better designer for trying. The task for you is to find what you do like in a piece of design - to make the same effort.

3. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN - GOOD DESGN IS EVERYWHERE

Not everything is well-designed Some things are just put together without care, maybe just to copy what others already make but do it cheaper. And people will buy it because it’s cheaper. Other people will only notice design when something doesn’t work.

Yet there is great design all around us even if most people just don’t see it. The railing in the Metro in Milan, for example is so beautiful but most people just see a railing. In short, pay attention.

4. A CHAIR IS NOT JUST A CHAIR

People think they understand chairs because they sit on them. But a chair is more than something to sit on. There’s a reason why designers love chairs. A chair is connected to the world of culture, to manufacturing and engineering. The more you understand the big picture behind what makes a chair, the more you’ll appreciate it, in the way that knowing the full complexity of the Milan Metro and so understanding what the railing does as part of that makes your sense of the entire design that much more amazing.

How to understand a chair better? Get active. Read about your subject. Talk to designers if you get the opportunity. I’m not going to argue with a dentist if he wants to put a hole in my tooth. I just trust him. But I can know more about dentistry with study. And I find it’s hard to get them to shut up about centrists if you ask them about it.

5. THE IDEA OF BAD DESIGN IS A BAD IDEA…

If I design chairs in Europe, or I teach design in San Francisco, the gods in each place are very different, because the cultures are different, and so ideas of what makes for ‘good’ or ‘bad’ are different. That’s why I think there are no set rules for design.

I’m not saying there aren’t stupid designs, because there are: they make no sense, or break easily. And yes designers are allowed to make stupid designs sometimes, maybe one every other year - though not if they design pacemakers.

But I think most of us know more than we think we know - and that means we can sometimes just know if a design piece works. And by work I don’t just mean function. You can buy a functional chair for €11 and if you pay more than that you’re not paying for function anymore. Obviously a €500 chair isn’t about function. For me the whole principle of design is that that it says new things. It has ideas, a sense of fantasy.

6. ...BUT KEEP HOLD OF THE GOOD STUFF

It’s fact that nobody finds a Marcel Breuer chair just sitting on a skip, unless maybe it’s a copy. People just know that it’s worth keeping. But that’s more than because it’s just useful. It speaks to them.

I’ve always liked the idea of making things that last forever, but not necessarily in the sense of being unbreakable — more psychologically. Most people throw stuff away not because it’s broken but because their relationship with that object is broken. I remember a fellow design student created this textile and as it wore away with use it revealed a pattern underneath. And I just loved that. It made me think about how poor we are at accepting things that get old, especially since design is fixated on the shiny, clean and new. Nothing has a patina, nothing can have a crack.

But nothing grows old faster than the new, so I like to make designs that are old to start with. They have the cracks already, so to speak. It makes for pieces that the people who like them are connected to for longer. That’s durability.

7. GIVE THE MODERNISM A REST

I think modernism is an outmoded way of thinking about design. It doesn't reflect the way we live now. It always puts forward this idea that the past is irrelevant to tomorrow - and tomorrow is all that matters. But the past is part of who we are. When I was young even to think about decoration was so not what designers did.

I went to Giulio Cappellini with this idea of 'new antiques', which is what I wanted to make, and the company was subsequently excluded from a design fair because it was no longer seen as being 'modern'. It was crazy. But why shouldn't we make connections with old or traditional products? They're beautiful and can be made relevant.

• The best exhibitions in London this summer: From Escher to Bowie to Marilyn Monroe

For more than a decade, reMarkable has been chasing a simple idea: recreate the feeling of writing on paper without sacrificing the modern conveniences of digital storage and sharing.

The new reMarkable Paper Pure is arguably the company’s, ahem, purest expression of that philosophy yet. Replacing the ageing reMarkable 2 as the brand’s entry-level black-and-white tablet, it strips away colour screens, app stores and endless notifications in favour of a singular focus: helping you think, write, sketch and read.

Starting at £359 with the standard Marker stylus, the Paper Pure arrives with a faster processor, improved display technology, three-week battery life and deeper integration with workplace tools such as Google Calendar, Outlook, Slack and Miro. It also introduces a more repairable, sustainable design, with 38% recycled materials and a carbon footprint reportedly 45% lower than its predecessor.

In a world where every device seems determined to grab your attention, the Paper Pure’s biggest strength may be its refusal to do so.

reMarkable Paper Pure: In Short…

• Outstanding paper-like writing feel
• Brilliantly distraction-free workspace
• Three-week battery life reduces charging anxiety
• Excellent note organisation and search tools
• Lightweight, repairable and sustainably designed

1. It delivers one of the best writing experiences in tech

The first thing that stands out is how convincing the writing experience feels.

reMarkable has borrowed the textured writing surface from its premium Paper Pro, pairing it with a third-generation monochrome Canvas display that feels remarkably close to pen and paper. Digital ink appears with just 21ms of latency, creating an experience that feels immediate and natural during note-taking, sketching and document annotation. How ever fast you scribble away at the screen, it’ll keep up, with no visible delay between stroke and resulting lines.

More importantly, the sensation has texture. Unlike writing on an iPad or conventional tablet, there’s resistance beneath the pen tip. It feels less like gliding across glass and more like working through a notebook page. The marker here is built with that added friction in mind — it’ll degrade over time, and you’ll need to replace the nib. And while that introduces a bit of long-term maintenance and investment, it’s well worth it given the feeling in the hand.

In my experience (and, notably, without trying this year’s rival Kindle Scribe Colorsoft for myself yet) it’s the most authentic digital writing device currently available. Opt for the premium Marker Plus add-on, which we tested here, and the stylus gets the added feature of an ‘eraser’ on its other end, like a traditional pencil. Neat.

Just note that there’s no colour screen here, and no backlight — if you like working on colour illustrations or colour-coded note-taking and… like doing so in the dark… you'll need to check out the pricier reMarkable devices and rivals. But if your primary goal is simply replacing thousands of notebook pages rather than owning another multipurpose tablet, the Paper Pure feels purpose-built for the task.

2. It helps you focus when every other device is competing for attention

The Paper Pure’s minimalist approach won’t appeal to everyone, but that’s exactly the point.

There are no social media feeds. No notification banners. No app marketplace tempting you away from the task at hand. Instead, you’re presented with a blank page and the freedom to fill it.

For journalists, students, writers and anyone who spends their days in meetings, that simplicity can be surprisingly liberating. The absence of distractions encourages deeper thinking and longer periods of concentration in a way that few modern devices manage.

This philosophy has always been reMarkable’s calling card, but it arguably makes more sense now than ever. The company isn’t trying to compete with the iPad or Galaxy Tab. It’s building a digital notebook for people who miss the focus that physical notebooks naturally provide.

3. Its software finally bridges the gap between paper and digital

Traditional notebooks are wonderful until you need to find something you wrote three months ago.

This is where the Paper Pure starts to justify its digital credentials.

Through reMarkable’s Connect service, handwritten notes become searchable, shareable and easier to integrate into everyday workflows. Meeting notes can be automatically generated from Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook events. Documents imported from Word, OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive can be converted into reMarkable-native notebooks for annotation and review.

The standout feature is arguably handwriting conversion. Notes can be transformed into editable text and easily shared to other services and devices, meaning your scribbled notes can easily be refined in word processors elsewhere. I was shocked at how well my messy scrawl was translated into typed text with rarely a readability hiccup. I was a bit disappointed though, that handwritten notes couldn’t be converted in batches onto a page — each scribbled note becomes its own separate typed page, so you’ll want to compile all your handwritten notes for a task in one go before exporting into a typed format.

The reMarkable platform also has a tonne of worksheet templates and notebooks to work from. If you’re a musician, there are stave sheets to work in and tablature pages. Architects get fixed-perspective sheets. There are lined pages of all major standards, and even templates for storyboarding and calendar tracking. Community-submitted ‘Methods’ let you grab community-approved templates from key reMarkable creators too, from journaling books to problem-solving flow sheets. And don't forget the man digital marker types you can use too, from calligraphy pens to technical pencils and ballpoints, each with an authentic grading to their strokes.

All your work can also be synced online with the Connect subscription and apps, priced at £3.99 a month. With apps for desktop, mobile and tablet, it lets you easily edit and share your work on over devices, get AI summaries and suggestions on what you’re working on, and even screen share from your Paper Pure during meetings.

None of these features feels revolutionary individually. Together, however, they solve one of paper’s biggest weaknesses: information becoming trapped on a page.

The result is a device that retains the freedom of handwriting while offering many of the benefits of digital productivity tools.

The only significant issue I had on the software side of things was how bare-bones the reMarkable is as an eReader. It’s fine that there’s no library store app — that’d be a distraction, and it’s easy enough to drag and drop your own eBooks onto the device over a cabled connection or through the Connect cloud platform. But beyond marker-powered annotations, there’s not much else here — no bookmarks, no key passage highlight collections, not even a dictionary tool. The dictionary especially feels like a simple addition that’d elevate a crucial secondary function most will expect of the device.

4. The battery life is refreshingly solid

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay the Paper Pure is that you’ll rarely think about charging it.

reMarkable claims up to three weeks of battery life from a single charge. That figure will vary depending on usage, of course, but even half that stated figure will be more than enough for the average student or office-bound scribbler.

Part of that comes from the monochrome E Ink display, which consumes far less power than traditional LCD or OLED panels. Part comes from the company’s efficient internal hardware. Regardless, the result feels reassuringly analogue. You throw it into a bag, take it to meetings, scribble notes throughout the week, and only occasionally remember it has a battery at all.

For commuters, travellers and anyone tired of carrying multiple chargers, that’s a genuinely useful advantage.

5. It feels thoughtfully designed, inside and out

The Paper Pure is so, so easy to live with. At 360g and just 6mm thick, it’s lighter than many tablets and slips easily into a backpack or tote bag. But it won’t slip when you’re writing on it, thanks to some subtly-raised rubber feet on the back. The stylus snaps satisfyingly to the edge of the device for storage and charging, and an attractive (sold-separately) slipcase, in a range of pastel colours, keeps everything safe when on the go, too.

More impressively, reMarkable has made sustainability and repairability central to the design. The device uses 38% recycled materials, including recycled lithium, cobalt, magnesium and plastics. It is also assembled using screws and clips rather than excessive adhesive, making repairs easier for professionals.

That’s a welcome contrast to much of the consumer electronics industry, where slimness often comes at the expense of longevity.

Verdict

The reMarkable Paper Pure succeeds because it knows exactly what it wants to be.

It isn’t a replacement for an iPad. It doesn’t offer colour, entertainment apps or endless customisation. In fact, some prospective buyers may be disappointed by the continued absence of a front light and the bare-bones eReader offering. On that last front, I’d count myself among them.

Yet judged on its own terms, the Paper Pure is one of the most compelling digital notebooks available today.

Its writing experience is exceptional, its software is increasingly useful, and its distraction-free approach feels more valuable with every passing year. For writers, students, journalists, creatives and anyone else who still does their best thinking with a pen in hand, the reMarkable Paper Pure offers a persuasive blend of analogue freedom and digital convenience.

Not everyone needs one. But if you’ve ever found yourself reaching for a notebook before opening a laptop, there’s a good chance you’ll understand exactly why this device exists.

• iPad Mini review: 5 things you need to know about the latest model

If you've spent the last year gripping your phone like it's the Crown Jewels every time a scooter whizzes past, there's finally some encouraging news.

Apple has struck a new agreement with the Metropolitan Police aimed at making stolen iPhones dramatically less valuable to criminals, in what could be a significant blow to London's booming phone-snatching trade.

The move comes as phone theft continues to plague the capital. Around 80,000 devices were stolen in London last year alone, prompting us to put together a guide on how to protect your data and what to do if your phone gets nicked. As that piece explains, the real prize for thieves often isn't the handset itself, but the access it gives them to your bank accounts, emails and digital life.

Now Apple and the Met are trying to make the phones themselves far less useful.

• Had your phone nicked in London? Here's how to protect your data — and what to do to stay safe from thieves next time

Under the new partnership, device identifiers such as IMEI numbers will be shared between Apple and police, helping track stolen handsets and monitor whether they're being reactivated, exported overseas or broken down for parts.

The ultimate goal is simple: if a stolen iPhone can't be reused, resold or reactivated, there's far less incentive to steal it in the first place.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has been pushing tech firms for months to do more to tackle phone theft, previously warning that if manufacturers didn't act voluntarily, he would push for legislation forcing them to.

The Met says improvements to phone security are already having an impact. Thefts and robberies involving stolen phones fell by 18 per cent across London in the year to May 2026, while Westminster, one of the capital's worst hotspots for phone crime, has seen a 45.8 per cent drop so far this year.

Apple recently switched on its Stolen Device Protection feature by default for users, adding extra barriers that prevent thieves from changing passwords or disabling security settings, even if they've seen your passcode.

It's the sort of feature cyber security experts have been urging people to activate for months. In our guide to surviving a phone theft, experts warned that criminals often move fast, attempting to access banking apps, email accounts and social media profiles within minutes of stealing a handset.

The new data-sharing arrangement is designed to tackle the problem further up the chain by targeting the criminal networks that profit from moving thousands of stolen devices around the world.

Recent Met investigations uncovered one operation that allegedly trafficked up to 40,000 stolen phones to China, accounting for around 40 per cent of all devices stolen in London during a two-year period.

For anyone who's ever watched their phone disappear into the distance on the back of an e-bike, this gives you peace of mind that the portal to your life is worthless.

• These are the loudest spots on London’s tube: Here's how to protect your ears, according to an expert

For most people, wandering through central London on a weekday involves headphones in, head down, and a fairly committed relationship with your phone screen.

Sam Thompson had other ideas. As part of the LEGO Group’s World Play Day celebrations, the Made in Chelsea TV star, I'm A Celebrity winner, and radio presenter took to the streets of the capital armed with LEGO bricks, inviting strangers to stop, talk and, crucially, play. The idea behind it is simple but increasingly urgent. New research from the LEGO Group suggests that half of UK parents say work or long hours are stopping them from playing with their families as much as they would like, despite evidence that just five hours of play a week can significantly boost wellbeing.

For Sam, though, the issue goes beyond schedules. It is about something more fundamental. Somewhere along the way, he thinks, adults stopped feeling allowed to play at all.

“I find it a real shame that adults almost feel embarrassed to play now,” he says. “As a child and a teenager, you are taught it is good for you, good for your mind, good for your development, and then suddenly we decide as adults that it is not the way to go anymore. I do not understand the science behind it at all.”

It is not just a campaign talking point for him, either. He circles back to it repeatedly, almost surprised at how normal it has become to lose that side of yourself, especially in the big city where life can become so serious.

“Play for me has been so important and has got me through loads of times in my life,” he says. “I think it is something that should stay with you forever.”

Why play never really leaves you

Spend any time with Sam, and it does not take long for the conversation to drift towards childhood energy, imagination and chaos. The man has more energy than you thought was possible without consuming your own body weight in sugar, and it's immediately endearing.

In his case, fun often involves his nephew, whom he credits with helping him reconnect with the kind of unfiltered creativity most adults quietly abandon.

“I’ve got a nephew and one of my favourite things is to play with him,” he says. “What I thought I would love about it and what I actually love are two very different things. I love seeing his reaction to things I used to do when I was a kid. You can see the wonder in his eyes, like his imagination is just going.”

That sense of wonder, he says, is infectious. It is not about the LEGO sets or the finished product, but what happens in the process. “You can see his brain thinking, like this is an actual castle I have made or this is a car zooming around. It is like he is in a sort of flow state. I just love that so much.”

He pauses on that idea, that adults are the ones who have forgotten something, rather than children being the ones who need to learn it.

“I really hope I do not lose that at any point,” he adds.

London, parks and never really growing up

For someone who has spent much of his life in London, Sam is clear about where his own sense of play still lives. Not in nightlife or big city landmarks, but in something far simpler.

“The parks”, he says without hesitation. “There is something magical about a city park. You have got all these buildings everywhere, and then suddenly greenery. I have spent so much of my childhood in parks, playing football with my mates, pretending I was a wizard, building things, doing all sorts.”

Even now, that feeling has not really left him. “That magic as an adult is still there,” he says. “I wonder if it would be the same for someone who did not grow up in a city. For me, a park is everything.”

It is also where his idea of “proper play” still exists in full force. Not curated experiences or structured activities, but the kind of messy, improvised afternoons that tend to run on far longer than anyone planned.

“I love sports days,” he says. “Getting a group of friends together, playing rounders in the park, doing sack races, egg and spoon races. In the summer, that is my idea of heaven.”

With his nephew, it is even simpler.

“Swings,” he says. “I know it sounds boring, but to him it is a rocket ship. He thinks he is flying. You push him, and he is on the moon. That is my play as well, not just his”.

Why adults should stop overthinking play

The point Sam keeps coming back to is not that adults need to behave like children, but that they need to stop putting so much distance between themselves and the idea of play. “You do not have to play like a young child,” he says. “But if you have a kid or a nephew, just join in their world. If he is going to space, I am the rocket fuel. I am in his world.”

That mindset, he believes, changes more than just the moment itself. “It genuinely makes you more peaceful,” he says. “It calms your mind. If you can release that barrier of ‘I am an adult, and I need to think about everything all the time’, you can have so much fun.”

He also points to the broader importance of play in development, something he has become more aware of through his work.

“I did not realise how important it was until I saw the science behind it,” he says. “We have a responsibility to play with our kids because it is incredibly good for their brain development. We should be doing it, not just for them but for us too.”

An ideal London would be built out of LEGO bricks

Away from the parks and football pitches, Sam’s imagination still drifts back into the city itself, especially after a recent visit to the LEGO store in Piccadilly Circus.

“I was in the LEGO store last week, and they’ve got this amazing city build,” he says. “It’d be a bit like that for me. I’d have water, rivers flowing through the city, clean, fresh rivers, loads of greenery everywhere, futuristic buildings.”

It is a very Sam Thompson version of London. Less grey commuter belt, more living, shifting playground.

“I’ve got a pretty decent idea of what I’d build with my LEGO bricks,” he adds. “It all comes from what you can see in your head. That’s the fun of it.”

Sam Thompson’s World Cup predictions

Before heading back out into the streets of London, off the back of a strong Soccer Aid and the spirit of fun, we asked Sam about the upcoming summer of football and who he thought would take home the trophy.

He didn’t hesitate for long before stating “England.” Sam went on to add, “I wouldn’t normally say it, but I think this could be the time.”

His reasoning is rooted in manager Thomas Tuchel’s approach and what he sees as a more structured, decisive England side.

“I think he has picked a team he believes can win the tournament. There is no space for egos. It is about structure, and I like that.”

• Winner: England (Thanks to Tuchel’s cup management experience)
• Runner-up: Portugal
• Dark horses: Norway
• Player of the tournament: "Hopefully some kind of unknown like a James Rodriguez from 2014"
• Top scorer: Harry Kane. "Maybe Kai Havertz as a rogue choice. Especially after that header against the USA"

• 10 places to watch the 2026 World Cup in London (even if you’re not an England fan...)

Marshall has unveiled the Stockwell III, the first major update to its portable Bluetooth speaker range since 2019 and a speaker that looks determined to become the soundtrack to summer.

The new model arrives as part of the brand's 40th anniversary celebrations and builds on everything that made the previous Stockwell a favourite among music fans. The headline upgrade is battery life, with Marshall claiming more than 40 hours of wireless playback from a single charge. That's double what the previous generation offered and puts it among the longest-lasting portable speakers in its class.

Despite the focus on portability, Marshall says sound quality remains the priority. Stockwell III uses the company's True Stereophonic technology, delivering 360-degree audio that fills a room from every angle rather than relying on a traditional sweet spot. Dynamic Loudness technology is also onboard, automatically adjusting bass, mids and treble depending on volume levels to ensure music retains its detail whether you're listening quietly at home or cranking things up at a barbecue.

Visually, it sticks closely to the formula Marshall fans know and love. There's the familiar amp-inspired design language, complete with a textured exterior, solid metal grilles, tactile brass controls and the iconic Marshall logo front and centre. A guitar-inspired carry strap reinforces its rock-and-roll credentials, while a redesigned control panel introduces quicker access to presets and easier track navigation.

Marshall has also improved the speaker's durability. Stockwell III now carries an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, making it better suited to life outdoors. Whether it's a festival, park gathering or a British summer garden party that unexpectedly turns wet, the speaker should be able to handle it.

One of the more interesting additions is a renewed focus on longevity. Rather than treating the speaker as a disposable piece of tech, Marshall has designed Stockwell III with modular and replaceable parts, including the battery, carry strap, silicone sleeve and front and rear grilles. It's a move that should help owners keep the speaker going for years rather than replacing it entirely when components wear out.

The speaker also doubles as a power bank thanks to its USB-C charging functionality, allowing users to top up a phone while listening on the move.

According to Marshall Product Manager Simona Berbec, advances in technology since the launch of Stockwell II have allowed the company to make significant improvements across the board, from battery life and acoustics to durability and usability.

Available in Black and Brass or Cream, the Marshall Stockwell III will be available to order online from the 18th of August, with retail availability following on the 25th of August. It is priced at £199.99, with sign-ups for updates opening on the 9th of June.

• Every Steven Spielberg movie ever… ranked!

As part of its 25th birthday celebrations, Xbox has unveiled a new limited-edition Series X console and controller inspired by the look and feel of the machine that launched the brand back in 2001.

Dubbed the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition, the console takes the modern Series X and wraps it in a translucent OG Green finish that immediately recalls the chunky black-and-green aesthetic of the original Xbox.

It's the first time Microsoft has brought a translucent design to the Series X, and the nostalgia doesn't stop there. The console features a glowing green Xbox logo, special 25th anniversary branding and a number of hidden details designed as nods to the platform's history and the players who helped build it over the last quarter of a century.

The matching Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition follows a similar approach. Finished in the same translucent green, it features the original Xbox ABXY button colours, transparent rear housing and references to the infamous Duke controller, including shoulder buttons inspired by the original controller's black and white face buttons.

The announcement came during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, where Microsoft used the occasion to celebrate both its future and its past. Alongside a slate of new game announcements, the company also confirmed that both Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will launch as Xbox console exclusives, underlining its renewed focus on the platform's hardware ecosystem.

For longtime fans, though, the anniversary collection will no doubt be the standout reveal. The original Xbox launched on the 15th of November 2001 and helped establish franchises including Halo, Fable and Forza, while laying the foundations for what would become one of gaming's biggest brands.

The Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition and Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition will launch in select markets this November. The controller will also be sold separately, with pricing and pre-order details expected to be announced closer to release.

• The 6 most exciting announcements from PlayStation's June State of Play

As streaming continues to dominate how most people listen to music, British audio brand Ruark is making a compelling argument for keeping your CDs and vinyl records close at hand.

Launching as part of the company's 40th anniversary celebrations, the new R710 is the most powerful addition yet to Ruark's acclaimed 100 Series range. Designed as an all-in-one music hub, it combines seemingly every modern listening option imaginable with a design language that feels lifted straight from the golden age of hi-fi.

At first glance, the R710 looks every bit the premium piece of furniture. Available in either Fused Walnut or Satin Charcoal finishes, it leans heavily into the seventies-inspired styling Ruark has become known for, pairing tactile physical controls with a large 6.8-inch colour display.

Underneath that retro-inspired exterior sits a very accomplished bit of kit. Streaming support includes Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and internet radio, while Bluetooth arrives courtesy of aptX HD. The system also supports high-resolution audio files and can access music stored on local network drives or USB devices.

Where the R710 really stands out, though, is its refusal to abandon physical media. At a time when many manufacturers have quietly ditched disc drives altogether, Ruark has doubled down with an integrated CD player and built-in phono stage for turntables. It's a move that feels increasingly sensible as both formats continue to enjoy a resurgence among younger listeners and collectors alike.

There's also a practical side to the R710's ambitions. HDMI eARC connectivity means it can double as a powerful TV sound system, while multiroom support through AirPlay 2 and Google Cast allows it to slot seamlessly into a wider home audio setup.

Power comes from a newly developed Class-D amplification system capable of delivering up to 200 watts per channel. That's a considerable amount of muscle for a product of this size and should provide enough headroom to make everything from delicate jazz recordings to blockbuster movie soundtracks sound suitably expansive.

The all-in-one audio market has become increasingly crowded in recent years, but Ruark has carved out a reputation for building products that strike a rare balance between lifestyle appeal and genuine hi-fi credentials. The R710 looks set to continue that tradition.

The Ruark R710 is available now in Fused Walnut and Satin Charcoal finishes, for £2,199.

• Paul McCartney is heading to an intimate London music venue for a special In Conversation Evening to celebrate his new album

Robotaxis have been one of those "coming soon" technologies for what feels like forever, but Londoners are now one step closer to actually hailing one.

Uber has opened an interest list for its upcoming partnership with autonomous driving company Wayve, giving users in the capital the chance to register ahead of the public launch of self-driving rides in London.

From the 8th of June (today), users can opt into Uber's autonomous vehicle preference through the app, increasing their chances of being matched with a Wayve-powered vehicle once the service launches. The rollout marks a major milestone not just for Uber, but for the UK tech sector too, with Wayve's self-driving technology having been developed and trained on British roads.

Unlike many autonomous vehicle companies that rely heavily on pre-mapped routes and tightly controlled operating areas, Wayve has taken a different approach. The "AV2.0" system uses AI that learns from real-world driving experience in a way that more closely resembles human drivers, allowing it to adapt to unfamiliar roads, changing weather conditions and new environments without relying on detailed HD maps.

That flexibility has already seen the technology tested across more than 500 cities worldwide, but London remains its spiritual home. The company has been navigating the capital's famously chaotic streets since 2018, arguably one of the toughest environments on the planet for autonomous driving technology. If a self-driving car can survive a busy afternoon around Soho or negotiate a delivery van parked across half a lane in Camden, it can probably handle most things.

At launch, riders will be transported in all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles fitted with an array of cameras and radar systems that provide full 360-degree awareness of the world around them. The experience inside the vehicle has been designed specifically for autonomous journeys, with interactive displays allowing passengers to view routes, manage their ride and access support if needed.

Importantly, despite the autonomous technology, the first phase of the rollout won't be fully driverless. A licensed operator will remain behind the wheel — even if they're not touching it — while the service is introduced, with totally driver-free operations expected further down the line as regulations and public confidence continue to develop.

The move is part of a much bigger plan. Uber first invested in Wayve back in 2024, with ambitions to deploy self-driving vehicles across multiple global markets. Since then, the partnership has expanded significantly, including a recent collaboration with Nissan and plans to launch autonomous services in more than ten cities worldwide.

For London, though, it feels like another sign that autonomous vehicles are edging out of the realm of tech demos and sci-fi clicks into everyday life. Whether you're excited about the future or simply curious to see what a driverless Uber feels like, the opportunity to find out may not be far away.

To join the interest list, users simply need to update the Uber app and head to Account > Settings > Ride Preferences > Autonomous Vehicles. Once live, autonomous rides will be offered at the same price as standard UberX, Uber Comfort and Uber Electric journeys, with passengers free to opt out if they'd prefer a human driver.

• LEGO's new Pokémon sets are exactly what SMART Play needs

Brand collaborations in tech often end with disappointing results. You might get an extra name plastered over a phone camera or a PC’s speakers, with little substance to show for it — and no doubt a good few quid added to the price.

The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is not one of these. It’s possibly the least half-assed laptop brand collab we’ve seen to date and is the fruit of a two-year project between PC masters HP and the Ferrari Design Studio.

Granted, most of us can’t afford one. At $5599, the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is one of the most exclusive, or at least most expensive, ultraportable laptops in the world.

But there is more going on here than in the average portable PC. We had a closer look at the Ferrari Flagship Store London the other week for a closer look. Here are the five bits the Ferrari obsessive should take note of.

That shiny-but-invisible touchpad

Your first reaction to the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC may well be: where’s the touchpad? There is one here, but it blends seamlessly with the shiny, reactive red glass that extends across the entire bottom of the laptop’s inner area.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a pad style like this, and it’s made possible thanks to haptic touchpad tech. A trad laptop pad has a mechanical clicker that actually moves under your finger as you press. This one emulates that kind of mechanism using haptic motors — as used in Apple MacBook pads.

Some folks don’t like the idea of a purely non-visible pad, but HP also guides you with a subtle LED strip, which shows where the pad ends.

A true limited run

Part of the Ferrari concept is in not making quite enough cars to satisfy demand. The cheeky devils. It’s trying to pull off the same trick with the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC, which is strictly limited to 4999 units worldwide.

You can see which number in the run yours sits at because it’s printed on the heat pipes visible on the underside of the thing. And that takes us to the most eye-catching part of the laptop of all...

Hole-y window inspired by an engine bay

The part of your laptop you see most is the inside. The lid is what passers-by see most. But it’s arguably the bottom of the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC that’s actually the most exotic area.

The lower half is a carbon fibre panel, used in cars like the Ferrari Le Mans 499P to keep weight low. Up top is a transparent section inspired by Ferrari engine bays, one that lets you get an eyeful of some of the key components, including the cooling system.

And because that cooling system needs fresh air, the Ferrari x HP team had to work out how to carefully drill 2000 holes into the panel, which is a piece of Corning Gorilla Glass. Not, as you might see in a cheaper laptop, plastic.

You can even see a little map of the Ferrari private test track printed on the inside. This laptop is absolutely packed with Ferrari touches.

Ferrari keyboard with a gamer twist

One of the worries with a laptop like this is it will be made all for style and impact, with not enough attention paid to what it’s like to actually use. That hasn’t happened here. Case in point: the keyboard.

The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC has keys with far more substance than expected. It’s not the wafer-thin, ultra-light style that for years has been fashionable in the style-driven end of the PC space.

The key font used here is Ferrari’s own, while the keyboard also has per-key lighting we usually only see in the higher-end tiers of gaming laptops. This is a true hybrid keyboard style, and we’re here for it.

Maxed-out specs

A big chunk of the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC’s cost comes from its lavish materials and, yes, the Ferrari brand involvement. But it is also a high-spec PC.

You get the latest third-generation Intel X7 Ultra chipset, with a 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM. To spec up a MacBook Pro to this level, you’re looking at spending £3000. Does that mean the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is good value? Absolutely not, but “value” isn’t the point here. And as that Intel chipset is brand new, you are getting about as future-proof a laptop as you could ask for at this point.

Worth it? We’ll leave that one to you. But if you’re already a Ferrari owner, perhaps $5599 for a limited-edition Ferrari laptop sounds like a steal — its new Ferrari Luce electric car costs more than a hundred times that at $640,000.

The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC will be available in a handful of countries, including the UK, from 12th June.

• Pac-Man, kart racing and alien battles are coming to London’s Southbank

Sony officially kicked off this year's summer gaming showcase season with a packed June State of Play that leaned heavily on big first-party projects, long-awaited updates and a handful of genuine surprises.

While there weren't quite as many announcements as some fans had hoped for, the show still delivered plenty to get excited about, including the reveal of an entirely new God of War game, a substantial gameplay showcase for Marvel's Wolverine and the unexpected return of Until Dawn.

Throw in some impressive-looking action RPGs, a cult classic revival and one of the most unsettling horror games we've seen in a while, and PlayStation has given players plenty to talk about ahead of what's shaping up to be a busy few years for PS5 owners.

1. God of War: Laufey

The biggest announcement of the night came right at the end, with Santa Monica Studio unveiling God of War: Laufey.

Rather than putting players back in control of Kratos or Atreus, the new game stars Faye, Kratos' late wife and Atreus' mother, who fans have only previously encountered through flashbacks and stories. The extended gameplay demo opens with Kratos seemingly cremating Faye's body, before she awakens in a strange afterlife populated by creatures, gods and mythological threats from multiple worlds.

Deborah Ann Woll reprises her role as Faye, and the footage showcases the same brutal, cinematic combat the series is known for, albeit with a much faster and more agile protagonist. There was also, somewhat unexpectedly, a talking gelatinous cube voiced by Jack Quaid.

No release date has been announced yet, but it's already shaping up to be PlayStation's next major blockbuster.

2. Marvel's Wolverine

After a period of relative silence, Insomniac finally gave fans a substantial new look at Marvel's Wolverine.

The gameplay reveal showed Logan tracking down a group of kidnapped mutants, carving through enemies in gloriously bloody fashion while proving this is very much not another Spider-Man game. The combat looks heavier, nastier and significantly more violent than anything Insomniac has tackled before.

There was also a surprise appearance from Jean Grey, hinting that Wolverine's adventure could have wider X-Men implications than previously expected.

Most importantly, the showcase confirmed a release date. Marvel's Wolverine launches on the 15th of September 2026.

3. Until Dawn 2

One of the night's biggest shocks came with the reveal of Until Dawn 2.

The sequel swaps snowy mountains for a seemingly idyllic tropical island, where a group of ghost hunters quickly discover they've made a terrible mistake. Judging by the trailer, players can expect masked killers, supernatural horrors and plenty of opportunities to accidentally get everyone killed.

The original Until Dawn became a cult hit thanks to its branching storylines and choice-driven gameplay, and it looks like the sequel will be doubling down on that formula.

Until Dawn 2 is currently scheduled for release in 2027.

4. Phantom Blade Zero

We've seen Phantom Blade Zero before, but every new trailer somehow manages to make it look even more impressive.

The latest footage showcased its lightning-fast sword combat, acrobatic martial arts and horrifying supernatural enemies, blending wuxia action cinema with dark fantasy horror. It remains one of the most visually striking games currently in development and could become a serious contender among action RPG fans.

Following the showcase, developer S-Game confirmed Phantom Blade Zero will launch on the 29th of October 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC.

5. Stuntman Hollywood

Perhaps the most surprising reveal of the entire showcase was the return of Stuntman.

The cult driving franchise, which first launched back in the PS2 era, is being revived with a new entry that appears to recreate iconic moments from famous films and television shows. Footage shown during the presentation included sequences clearly inspired by Back to the Future and Knight Rider.

It's a niche revival, but exactly the kind of unexpected announcement that State of Play showcases often do best.

6. ILL might be the most disturbing game Sony showed

If Resident Evil and body horror movies are your thing, ILL is worth keeping an eye on.

The trailer was packed with grotesque creatures, disturbing transformations and some genuinely stomach-turning imagery. Set in a world overrun by horrifying monsters, the game appears to lean heavily into realistic physics and graphic dismemberment, creating some of the most unsettling enemy encounters shown during the event.

There's still plenty we don't know, but based on this latest footage, ILL could end up being one of the most talked-about horror games of 2027 and makes the list because the trailer is absolutely minging.

State of Play didn't have quite the volume of announcements some fans were hoping for, but between God of War: Laufey, Marvel's Wolverine finally getting a release date, and the surprise reveal of Until Dawn 2, Sony certainly delivered a few major talking points. The biggest winner, though, was arguably God of War. We've been waiting for some time to find out where we will be going next after Ragnarok, and Laufey looks like a good evolution for the series. You can check out the full showcase below:

• Pac-Man, kart racing and alien battles are coming to London’s Southbank

The LEGO Group and The Pokémon Company International have unveiled 12 new LEGO Pokémon sets, and they feel like the clearest sign yet of where LEGO wants its SMART Play technology to go.

Launching later this year, the range introduces fan favourites including Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, Eevee, Gengar and Mewtwo into LEGO's growing SMART Play ecosystem. Using the new LEGO SMART Brick, the sets respond to movement, touch and play with lights, sounds and interactive reactions, allowing children to train, nurture and battle their Pokémon without needing a screen.

It's a particularly clean fit for the technology. Pokémon has always revolved around collecting creatures, caring for them, training them and sending them into battle, all concepts that translate naturally into LEGO's new interactive play system. Children can feed Pikachu a sandwich, tickle Charizard to hear it laugh and build up relationships with their Pokémon through repeated play sessions.

More importantly, this feels like the kind of licence that could put SMART Bricks into far more homes than before. While themes such as Star Wars remain hugely popular, much of their audience now skews towards older builders and collectors. Pokémon continues to dominate with younger audiences, making it arguably the perfect vehicle for introducing LEGO's latest technology to a new generation of fans.

It also marks a shift from LEGO Pokémon's earlier releases. The first wave largely consisted of display-focused builds aimed at collectors and older fans. These new releases feel much closer to what LEGO is supposed to be: toys designed to be played with, rebuilt, experimented with and enjoyed by kids.

The full LEGO Pokémon SMART Play line-up

All-in-One sets

• Training House with Pikachu
• Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle

Compatible expansion sets

• Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof
• Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle
• Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash
• Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Battle
• Jigglypuff Concert
• Drone Search for Mythical Mew
• Eevee and Lapras's Treasure Hunt
• Mewtwo's Lab Break
• Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle
• Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown

If you purchase selected sets, you'll also be able to get a special Ditto as Squirtle: Movie Night gift-with-purchase while stocks last. The sets are available to pre-order now ahead of an August release.

• Best Pixar Movies: Top titles from Wall-E to Toy Story

Televisions are becoming gloriously complicated again.

Just when you thought you’d nailed all the acronyms (OLED, HDR, QLED, etc), there’s a bunch of new jargon to master as a fresh wave of screen TV tech heads to the high street. But don’t fret if you don’t know your True RGB from your Freely - we’re here to help you through what’s hot to watch in 2026.

It’s actually a great time to buy a new telly. The latest display innovations mean better-than-ever picture quality, while screen sizes are getting bigger than ever.

And with a summer of sport on the way, led by the FIFA World Cup, who doesn’t want a shiny new screen to catch all the action on?

We’ve taken an early look at the latest models and the best of the rest, so you can upgrade your viewing with confidence. Whether you want a picture-perfect OLED, massive Micro RGB, or simply the best value gogglebox around, we’ve got you covered…

Best TV for Picture Quality

• Samsung R95H Micro RGB
• Price: £3,299 (65-inch)
• Screen sizes available: 65-, 75-, 85-inches
• Size: 1442.9 x 831.2 x 52 mm (wxhxd)
• Display Technology: Micro RGB
• HDMI: Yes, x 4
• HDR: YesOperating System: Tizen
• Price: £3,299
• Weight: 19.1kg

Samsung’s latest flagship TV, the R95H, uses ground-breaking Micro RGB display technology for a truly scintillating picture. Micro-sized red, green, and blue LED backlights offer breathtaking brightness and colour richness. Powered by Samsung’s Micro RGB AI Engine, the R95H delivers exceptional colour accuracy, along with deep blacks and pristine detail. Not only is the R95H exceptionally bright, it sports a Glare Free screen coating that keeps unwanted room reflections and lights at bay. All this makes it ideal for bright room viewing.

Sound isn’t too shabby either, thanks to an 8-channel Dolby Atmos audio system. And if you need more reasons to buy, there’s also Tizen, Samsung’s highly polished smart platform, which comes with all the key streaming services, alongside Samsung TV Plus, a collection of free-to-watch linear channels.

The price tag may be toppy, but if you want the next-gen image quality, it’s definitely worth paying.

Best TV for Sports

• Sony BRAVIA 7 II True RGB
• Price £1,999 (55-inch)
• Screen sizes available: 50-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 98-inches
• Size: 1228 x 784 x 80mm (wxhxd)
• Display Technology: True RGB
• HDMI: Yes, x 4
• HDR: YesOperating System: Google TV
• Price: £1,999
• Weight: 18.4kg

Sony has been turning heads with its own take on Micro RGB technology, dubbed True RGB. The BRAVIA 7 II is the more affordable of its two debut launches (positioned under the all-singing and dancing BRAVIA 9 II), and we reckon it's the sweeter buy. Prices range from £1,899 for the 50-inch, up to £6,999 for the 98-incher.

Image quality is exceptionally good, with superb colours, punchy HDR and pronounced contrast. It looks great when you want to hunker down in the dark and watch a movie (it boasts Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced certification), but what’ll win you over is its bright room performance, colour fidelity and motion handling.

Long a strong suit for BRAVIA screens, frame interpolation is top-notch, with minimal blur and exceptional clarity, perfect for watching fast-moving sports.

Best TV for games

• LG OLED Evo C6
• Price: £2,599 (65-inch)
• Screen sizes available: 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- 83-inches
• Size: 1441 x 826 x 45.1mm (wxhxd)
• Display Technology: OLED
• HDMI: Yes, x 4
• HDR: YesOperating System: web OS
• Price: £2,599
• Weight: 16.6kg

The C series from LG is one of the world’s best-selling OLED TVs for good reason. Combining superb 4K picture quality with a feature-rich webOS smart TV platform, it’s a premium all-rounder and an irresistible option for gamers - and this year’s C6 OLED Evo may be its best yet.

All four HDMI inputs offer 4K/120Hz support, and there’s a host of PC friendly features, including a 165Hz refresh rate for PC gamers, low input lag Game mode, and NVIDIA G-Sync / AMD FreeSync Premium support.

OLED picture performance, as you’d expect, is gorgeous. Powered by LG’s latest Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor, HDR highlights are the brightest we’ve seen on a C series model, while black levels remain deep and inky. Whether you’re playing Overwatch or binging The Boroughs, the C6 looks detailed, vibrant and highly cinematic.

Best TV for value

• Hisense E7Q
• Price: £319 (50-inch)
• Screen sizes available: 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 98-inches
• Size (Dimensions without stand): 1119 x 649 x 80 mm (wxhxd)
• Display Technology: QLED
• HDMI: Yes, x 4
• HDR: YesOperating System: VIDAA
• Price: £319
• Weight: 9.4kg

Flagship flatscreens are all well and good, but when your purse demands you rein in your expectations, there are still exceptional buys to be had. This 50-inch Hisense E7Q will set you back just £319, while the monster 98-inch Pro version is a mere £1,199 (from AO.com).

There’s no skimping on features either. The E7Q is built around the VIDAA smart TV, so it comes with all the usual streaming apps and offers bright, colour-rich pictures courtesy of its QLED panel. Home cinema niceties include Dolby Vision HDR support and Filmmaker Mode, but there are also dedicated Game and Sport Modes, making it ideal for the footie.

But what really sells this affordable Hisense to us is the provision of Freely, the Internet delivered stablemate of Freeview. With Freely, you don’t need a traditional TV aerial to watch all your mainstream TV channels (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and so on), just Wi-Fi and an internet connection. This means you can park your new screen in any room, anywhere you like, without having to run cables. Hurrah!

Best TV for Pay channels

• Sky Glass Air
• Price: From £17 monthly + channel package (65-inch)
• Screen sizes available: 43-, 55-, 65-inches
• Size (Dimensions without stand): 1446 x 829 x 34 mm (wxhxd)
• Display Technology: QLED
• HDMI: Yes, x 3
• HDR: YesOperating System: Sky Entertainment OS
• Price: £17 monthly + channel package
• Weight: 24.2kg

So what if you fancy a snazzy new 4K TV, but would rather pay for one on a contract, like a smartphone? Sky Glass Air is for you. This smart-looking LED model comes with Sky’s premium pay TV services baked in, with no external set-top box or dish required. The entire Sky channel enchilada is delivered over Wi-Fi.

Slimmer and some might say sexier, than the step-up Sky Glass Gen 2, Sky Glass Air is available in three screen sizes (43-, 55- and 65- inches) and comes in a choice of colours - Sea Green, Carbon Grey or Cotton White.

There’s HDMI with eARC, Wi-Fi 6 for ultra stable connectivity, and Dolby Vision HDR. Gamers might want to give the Air a swerve though, as it’s a 60Hz screen with noticeably high input lag.

Picture quality is bright and punchy. An Auto picture mode works in the background, optimising picture quality based on what you’re watching.

Obviously, the real attraction here is the broader Sky experience. The Sky OS neatly unifies live TV, streaming apps and cloud recording into one easy-to-use interface. Obviously what you can watch depends on your subscription package, but there’s no doubting the sheer variety on offer when it comes to entertainment, movies and sports. We’d suggest the best deal is the recently announced Sky Ultimate TV bundle (£24 a month), which includes Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu, along with all the Sky general entertainment channels.

Sky Glass Air prices start at £6 a month (for the 43-inch model ) for a 48 month contract, plus your chosen monthly channels bundle.

• London’s 10 best experience bars: From time-travelling cocktails to prison break games

Arcade Arena, a brand-new gaming attraction opening on the Southbank, London, this September, is promising real-world versions of iconic video game experiences complete with live-action gameplay, interactive environments and enough flashing lights to make you feel like you’ve accidentally wandered into the future.

Created by the team behind The Crystal Maze Experience, the new venue will combine multiple large-scale gaming experiences under one roof, with visitors able to bounce between life-sized Pac-Man, chaotic kart racing, and alien invasion battles.

The headline attraction is probably PAC-MAN LIVE, which turns the iconic arcade game into a fully immersive physical challenge. Players wear high-tech “PAC-Vests” before running through a full-scale interactive maze collecting pellets, dodging ghosts and trying not to embarrass themselves in front of their pals immediately. It’s the childhood fantasy of climbing inside an arcade machine finally becoming reality.

Alongside that will be Chaos Karts, a karting experience and Alien Invasion, a sci-fi combat experience involving themed missions and live-action gameplay.

The wider idea behind Arcade Arena seems to be turning gaming into a full social night out rather than something people do silently on Discord while eating crisps in the dark. There’ll be food, drinks and multi-game packages available, with tickets starting from £30 for a single experience and rising to £50 for access to all three.

While London is hardly short on immersive experiences these days, this one does feel slightly different. Most attractions still stop short of making you physically become the player character. Arcade Arena seems fully committed to the bit. This isn’t watching actors pretend you’re in a video game. This is you getting sweaty inside one.

It also makes complete sense that this is coming from Little Lion Entertainment, the people behind The Crystal Maze Experience, which has somehow spent the last decade convincing Londoners to willingly crawl through inflatable tunnels and scream at each other over oversized puzzle cubes.

Most importantly, though, it sounds fun. Not “networking event fun” or “team-building fun”. Genuine fun. The sort where your competitive instincts immediately take over and friendships are burdened with fragility.

Arcade Arena opens on London’s Southbank this September, with tickets on sale now.

• Two London hotels have been named among the best in the world in a new prestigious list

London doesn’t really do anything by halves: Arsenal celebrations, nights out, and, as shown by the upcoming weather forecast, summer. Or more specifically, heatwaves. After some disappointing weather in June so far, the UK is headed for a full on climate-change-special whopping heatwave. Cue Londoners sprawled like scattered shrimps across every conceivable inch of green space, and every single corner store completely stripped of Factor 50, aloe, and disposable barbecues.

With temperatures in London set to surge to north of 37 degrees people are already prepping. If you thought working from home was the solution to keeping cool (namely: able to work in trunks, on a balcony, with an ice cream, and have a cheeky lido swim at lunch) only to realise you have zero air conditioning, a broken fan, and three housemates who thought the same, then this new interactive map showing Londoners where they can best cool off might be your new wingman.

Catchily named Where’s Cool, the new app has created a map that shows which cafes, bars, and restaurants near you have air con. Consider your prayers literally answered. According to the team behind the app, when the UK gets caught in a heatwave, where do you go? Well, they couldn’t find a map of those places, so they built one.

As the map points out, there are over 280,000 pubs, cafes, restaurants and bars in England and Wales - only around 8,000 (3%) of them are confirmed to have air conditioning, so your odds of striking the frozen jackpot are rather slim if you roll the dice and just wander in somewhere.

Thanks to the sheer volume of pubs, cafes, restaurants and other public spots, a lot of the places on the map have ‘unconfirmed AC status’, where the map needs punters to help close the gaps and confirm if there’s AC or not. Luckily, though, there’s a useful toggle which you can set so you only see nearby locations with confirmed AC.

In terms of how they actually collected the data, it consisted of a fair bit of sleuthing from the self-confessed data nerds at Sabot, the engineers behind the app. Every food business in England and Wales is legally required to register with the FSA's Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, so to confirm the AC status, they cross-referenced this with the public MHCLG Energy Performance Certificate dataset. Where a venue's EPC said it had cooling, they marked it confirmed. For everything else, it’s the trusty - if slightly overheated - public who are helping to solve that riddle, inputting data to the app to let them know if a venue has AC or not. If a couple of people agree, the map is updated.

Thomas Chivers, Where's Cool creator said:

“As a ginger man, the heatwave this week has been the undoing of me. Unfortunately, working out of my sweatbox flat wasn't an option and finding a reliable cafe with AC wasn't as straightforward as I thought it was.

When doing the research, I managed to find a data source that shows confirmed venues that actually have air con. When I told this to some remote working friends they asked if I could create a map so they could benefit as well. It made too much sense not to share it around!”

You can find the app at wherescool.uk.

• Midnight Matinees at Shakespeare's Globe are officially back for summer – and there are still £5 tickets up for grabs

More than a decade after it was first released, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is officially getting brand new DLC.

Because apparently one of the greatest RPGs ever made still isn’t done with us yet.

Developer CD Projekt has announced a third expansion for The Witcher 3 called Songs of the Past, with the new DLC set to launch in 2027 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Which means Geralt of Rivia is somehow returning for another adventure 12 years after the original game launched back in 2015.

The expansion is being co-developed alongside Fool's Theory, a Polish studio made up of several former Witcher developers who previously worked on the original game. The team is also currently handling the remake of the very first Witcher game, so CD Projekt is clearly keeping things in the family here.

Details on Songs of the Past are still pretty thin for now, although CD Projekt confirmed players will once again step into the boots of Geralt for a completely new storyline. More information is expected later this summer.

The announcement doesn’t come entirely out of nowhere, either. Rumours about secret Witcher 3 DLC have been floating around online for months, with leaks suggesting a brand new region to explore and speculation that the expansion could help bridge the gap between The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4.

The Witcher 4 is expected to shift focus towards Ciri as the series’ new lead protagonist, so Songs of the Past could end up acting as one final swansong for Geralt before CD Projekt fully moves on to the next era of the franchise.

And considering how beloved expansions like Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine already are, expectations are understandably sky high.

Blood and Wine, in particular, is still regularly spoken about like it was basically an entire extra Witcher game disguised as DLC, so announcing another expansion this late into the game’s lifespan feels massive.

CD Projekt actually planned to reveal the expansion during an anniversary livestream celebrating Blood and Wine this week, but according to the studio, an accidental launcher leak forced them to announce it early instead.

Which feels very on-brand for the modern games industry at this point.

The studio also confirmed the new DLC will only launch on current-gen hardware, meaning PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch players are being left behind this time around. CD Projekt says upcoming updates will also overhaul the game’s technical requirements on PC, with SSDs becoming mandatory going forward as the studio continues modernising the game for newer hardware.

It’s a hugely busy period for CD Projekt overall, too. Alongside Songs of the Past, the studio is currently developing The Witcher 4, future Witcher sequels, a Witcher multiplayer project and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season two.

Still, despite everything else on the horizon, it’s pretty exciting seeing The Witcher 3 continue to grow this far after release.

Most games are lucky to survive a few months before disappearing into the backlog abyss forever. Meanwhile, Geralt is out here casually getting fresh expansions 12 years later like none of us ever emotionally left Novigrad in the first place.

• Nintendo Switch 2 review: Powered up in all the right places

Just a few weeks ago Ferrari opened a flagship store in Central London. But at first glance, the place may not have all that much for the petrolhead Ferrari fan.

It is predominantly a fashion store, Ferrari’s first in the UK. From it you can buy £6,000-plus women’s leather coats, or £750 sweatshirts.

The construction of this space, at 45 Old Bond Street, is absolutely mad — more on that later — but if the whole concept sounds like a turn off, you just need to head down to the lower ground floor.

Behind a massive leather curtain, made using the same leather seen in Ferrari cockpits, lives a mini Ferrari museum. But in this museum you can buy all the exhibits. We are in Old Bond Street, not South Kensington, after all.

The concept of this area of the Ferrari Store is it’s the brand’s Collectables Collection. But because this is Ferrari, most of these are actual fragments of automotive history.

You’ve have to be quick to see it before it’s shipped off to the buyer — we were told it was heading out within days — but one wall was taken up by the shoes and suit worn by Sebastian Vettel during his final season with Ferrari in 2020.

It’s not a replica. It’s the real thing.

We weren’t told quite how much the suit cost in the end, but we’re undoubtedly talking about some factor of fortune here. There are other pieces of automotive art you can pick up at slightly more palatable prices, though.

Along the rear wall of the Ferrari Store’s collectibles exhibit are pieces of actual historically important Ferrari cars. For example, you can pick up a conrod from a 2003 F1 series car for £1,850, or an engine valve from a 2000 season F1 car for £950.

These are all parts from real F1 cars, broken down into their constituent parts like pieces of the Holy Grail — except real.

They are arranged like beautiful museum pieces, which they could very well be. But the best bit is they haven’t been polished and ground down to look new. You can see the use they’ve had on their surface, like automotive laughter lines. And it’s kinda fascinating to see, even if you don’t have the knowledge to point out exactly where inside a car each of these bits would go.

Ferrari’s Colleactables collection goes far further too. When we visited, there were two F1 crankshafts on show, which when separated from their fellow components look like something that could actually be dropped right into the Tate Modern as a sculptural exhibit.

No price tags on these but, well, they’re not going to be cheap are they? For the richest and most obsessed of Ferrari fans, you can even pick up an entire motor, as a “collectable” the Ferrari rep told us would likely end up between some car collectors’ various actual, complete Ferrari cars.

And for the rest of us? Ferrari also offers some absolutely amazing scale model recreations of classic Ferrari cars. But before you get too excited, these are also not remotely cheap.

They start at £13,500, rising a good chunk higher for the limited run designs. During our visit cars on display included the Ferrari 499P and Ferrari 12Clinindri Spider, once again arranged like museum exhibits in acrylic cases.

These aren’t actually Ferrari models. They are 1:8 scale replicas made by Amalgam Collection, whose works we’ve written about before.

The aim is always for the greatest possible fidelity, the claim being they are “almost impossible to discern from a real car in photographs.”

You can browse through these cars online. Amalgam Collection has, somehow, made hundreds of them in 1:8 scale alone. However, actually getting to see these models in person is a rarity — Mr Porter also lists them, but is an online-only retailer, while Amalgam Collection is based in Bristol and does not have an actual showroom.

They are fantastically detailed not-that-little works of art in their own right.

Ferrari’s fashion store probably isn’t hoping to attract petrolhead model obsessives, but that crowd really should take note.

The Ferrari fashion store is also notable — some might even say deranged — in its commitment to bringing about that Ferrari sense of luxury and attention to detail. Across the three floors are giant curtains made using the same leather used to upholster Ferrari interiors. As are the leather-handrails that adorn the massive single-piece stair cases so large the front of the shop had to be removed to fit them in, closing off nearby Piccadilly in the process.

By the entrance, the shiny red mannequins have been sprayed using the same process used to paint Ferrari cars — which we are informed was a bit of a nightmare.

Even the metallic decoration of the Ferrari fashion store’s walls is designed to evoke that of Ferrari workshops. And no, not all of Ferrari’s clothing is the marque’s signature red. Just a lot of it.

Ferrari’s first UK fashion store is found at 45 Old Bond Street, a site formerly home to jeweller De Beers, and is open seven days a week.

• Cars, clobber and countryside: How to do the Cotswolds properly

Sony’s flagship noise-cancelling headphones have long been hard to beat, offering the ultimate over-ear noise cancelling performance against some incredibly stiff competition. And they’ve also occupied a rare position in the audio sphere — mainstream enough to dominate airport lounges and commuter trains, yet serious enough to tempt audiophiles who would normally avoid wireless cans altogether.

With the all-new, long-rumoured 1000X THE COLLEXION headphones, Sony wants to make sure those most discerning of listeners are fully catered for.

While it’d be easy to think of THE COLLEXION as a ‘WH-1000XM6 Pro’ upgrade to last year’s world beating over-ears, that’d be slightly missing the point. This is not simply another yearly upgrade focused on cancelling more engine rumble or squeezing in another AI feature (even if it’s also attempting to do both). Instead, THE COLLEXION feels like Sony asking what happens when its most-loved headphone line is given the spared-no-expense treatment — something designed to be worn and admired as much as getting down to the nitty-gritty of making your tunes sound great.

Want some luxury to accompany your playlists? Here’s five reasons why the Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION might be the headphones for you.

Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION: In short…

• Luxury stainless steel and matte faux leather design feels genuinely premium
• Comfort-focused fit reduces pressure during long listening sessions
• Refined audio tuning prioritises clarity and immersive sound quality
• AI upscaling and spatial modes personalise music, movies and gaming
• Advanced microphones improve calls, adaptive noise cancelling and daily usability
• Available from May 2026 in Platinum (white) and Black shades
• Priced at £550

1. The Design Feels As Premium As The Price Tag

Sony says the design philosophy behind its 1000X THE COLLEXION headphones (right, from here on in, to save our fingers, we’re just going to call ‘em the ‘COLLEXION’) is “Resonate” — the idea that you should hear, feel and experience premium sound and texture at the same time. Marketing language aside, there is a noticeable shift in approach here.

Every visible surface uses just two materials: hand-polished stainless steel and a newly developed faux leather finish. That faux leather alone reportedly took two years to develop, and it shows in the details. Rather than the glossy synthetic textures that can make premium headphones feel oddly plastic, Sony has opted for a matte finish that looks restrained and feels high-end to the touch — important, as you’ll be swiping and tapping the cups regularly to control playback.

The result is cleaner and more architectural than previous over-ear models. In black, the headphones look understated and expensive. In ‘Platinum’ white, they feel closer to luxury fashion tech than your usual over-ears. But they’re not flashy, either — these aren’t the diamond-encrusted nonsense that often tempts the higher-end of the tech market. It’s classic Sony minimalism.

That extends to the accompanying carry case too, which manages to do something even Apple’s equally-luxurious AirPods Pro Max couldn’t — being stylish and functional. Like the Apple competition, Sony’s case opts for a carry handle style. But, with the headphone cups rotating flat rather than folding inwards, the case wraps around the headband to create that carry handle. Fastening closed with a magnetic snap, the entirety of the headphone is enclosed and protected. Apple, take note.

Sony has also made the earcups slimmer than the WH-1000XM6, reducing the depth to 40.1mm from 45.4mm. That sounds minor on paper, but visually it creates a more refined silhouette on the head, giving the illusion of a softer, slightly curvier can.

2. Comfort Has Been Given Real Attention

Premium headphones live or die by comfort. Nobody cares how advanced the internals are if they’re clamping to your noggin’ like a vice.

The COLLEXION however is supremely comfortable. Designed with long listening sessions in mind, using a wider headband, and with softer earpads to reduce side pressure, you can wear them for hours without any fatigue. The internal earcup space is also notably generous, meaning the pads sit around the ear rather than pressing directly onto it. As a glasses wearer, that clamping force was just right in all the right places too — tight enough to keep them from slipping, but not so squeezed as to push my specs’ arms into my skull.

Even the internal battery layout has been reconsidered. Sony split the battery into two separate components to improve weight distribution and maximise acoustic space inside the cups. Again, it is the sort of engineering decision that users may never consciously notice, but they will feel the benefits over several hours of wear.

There is no official IP rating here, which may disappoint gym users or anyone regularly caught in the customary surprise UK downpour. But these are clearly intended as luxury listening headphones first, and all-day comfort seems to have been prioritised above ruggedness.

3. The Sound Is The Real Star

Sony’s flagship headphones have always balanced sound quality against noise cancelling. With COLLEXION, the balance appears to tilt slightly more toward the audio side. The aim here is to get closer to an artist’s intention in the studio, trimming back some of the bass-heavy moments of the WH-1000XM6, and promoting clarity over sheer noise-cancelling grunt.

The redeveloped driver unit uses a unidirectional carbon layered core composite material in the diaphragm dome section (intended to deliver natural tones from the most delicate high-frequency moments), alongside Sony’s HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 and an entirely new integrated V3 processor.

That V3 processor delivers some of the COLLEXION’s smartest audio tricks. Support for Hi-Res Wireless audio and LDAC is onboard, but the headline addition may actually be DSEE Ultimate. Available in Sony headphones for the first time in this form, the AI-powered upscaling system attempts to restore detail lost in compressed music files.

Sony claims it can effectively upscale 44kHz audio to 96kHz and increase 16-bit audio to 24-bit equivalents, very useful when using streaming services over a mobile connection. Whether listeners hear every technical improvement will vary, but the intention is clear: these are headphones built for people who genuinely care about music quality, not simply background listening.

Equally interesting is how much Sony has borrowed from its dedicated Walkman audio division. COLLEXION includes technologies such as a low-phase-noise crystal oscillator, advanced solder containing gold and optimised circuitry components — details normally associated with specialist hi-fi gear rather than wireless travel headphones.

The proof, as ever, is in the listening, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time with the COLLEXION headphones. Note: from our experience, you’re going to get the most from the headphones with a Hi-Res playback source, as you’d expect. But the COLLEXION is pretty agnostic when it comes to genre.

With the glacial ‘Computer Love’ of electro pioneers Kraftwerk, the COLLEXION shows off its precision and clarity — tight bass tones, snappy drum clicks and crystal clear high-end synths.

For something a little more earthy, Love’s ‘You Set The Scene’ from the masterful Forever Changes album is a great work out for the COLLEXION’s claimed wide soundstage and instrumental separation. The headphones do a great job, bringing a warmth and immediacy to the presentation, and ably pulling out the individual orchestral qualities of strings, horns and guitars as the three all battle in the song’s final third.

At the other end of the spectrum, Nine Inch Nail’s brutal ‘March Of The Pigs’ hits like a hammer blow. Guitars have bite and power, while the complex industrial underpinnings of the song feel thick and full, without Trent Reznor’s raspy vocal being lost.

There’s a feeling that the most demanding of audiophiles will be looking for a little more dynamism in the mid-range, but that’s nitpicking, and when paired with the rest of the feature set offered here, the COLLEXION is a great package.

4. The Features Feel More Personal And Flexible

Wireless headphones increasingly succeed or fail based on how adaptable they are to everyday life, but Sony’s had a handle on that right from the start with its 1000X series. Each successive model has brought new smarts to the table — and the COLLEXION might be the smartest of them all.

The V3 processor introduces several new upmix modes, including dedicated 360-degree settings for music, movies and gaming. These modes attempt to create a more immersive spatial presentation depending on what you are listening to.

I usually avoid additional processing modes on audio devices — they tend to move the music too far away from the original intention of a mix. But I had a lot of fun with Sony’s music upmix mode. It gives an almost ‘live’ quality to a recording, widening the soundstage and putting you closer to the centre of a performance. It’s lively and an interesting way to get a new perspective on tracks you’re well versed in, if not necessarily the most faithful reproduction. The gaming mode was enjoyable and explosive too, adding a level of immersive bombast to proceedings — but I was disappointed by relatively high latency when gaming over Bluetooth, meaning some audio cues felt just a beat behind the action.

There is also a surprisingly intriguing “background music” mode (returning from the WH-1000XM6) designed to make songs feel as though they are playing slightly away from you, like music drifting through a café rather than directly into your ears. It sounds gimmicky initially, but it could prove genuinely useful for people who dislike the intense isolation that noise-cancelling headphones can create.

A customisable physical button on the headset lets users quickly switch between modes without diving into menus or apps, which is exactly the kind of practical touch premium products should include.

Sony also includes a 10-band EQ for users who want more detailed control over tuning. Casual listeners can leave everything alone, while enthusiasts can fine-tune the presentation to suit different genres.

It all adds up to a product that feels less rigidly one-size-fits-all than many rivals, and makes the accompanying Sound Connect app less of an optional add-on and more an essential tweak station.

5. They Still Deliver Serious Everyday Practicality

Even with the more luxurious positioning, Sony has not abandoned the practical strengths that made its over-ear line successful in the first place.

COLLEXION uses 12 onboard microphones for adaptive noise-cancelling optimisation, allowing the headphones to constantly adjust to changing environments. Sony is not pushing noise cancelling as aggressively as before — the messaging here is more about sound refinement — but the capability is still substantial. Aggressive pre-release secrecy around the headphones mean I’ve not been able to test them against the rigours of public transport yet, but I was able to mimic the hum of a flight quite effectively, thanks to the whirring of my gaming PC’s fan in my hotbox of a flat. While not quite a match for the total isolation of the WH-1000XM6 cans, the noise cancelling here is still better than the majority of Sony’s competitors.

Sony also has the advantage of its smart adaptive noise cancelling features. Let the Sound Connect app access your location, and the headphones will adapt their noise-blocking features according to the situation. Walking down the road, you can set them to let in a little more exterior sound so as to better hear an oncoming Uber Eats bike, and then seamlessly switch to zen-like full noise cancellation once you reach the office.

Call quality has also received serious attention. Six beamforming microphones help isolate the speaker’s voice while reducing wind interference, and Bluetooth LE Audio support enables Super Wide Band speech transmission for clearer calls. The audio mode selecting button can also be configured to act as a physical mic mute switch, something that feels particularly relevant in the hybrid-working era where headphones double as office equipment as often as entertainment devices.

I’d say, however, that the decision to leave a USB-C cable out of the package feels a little bit stingy, though. Yes, e-waste needs to be taken into consideration. But grab these at an airport shop before boarding your flight, and you’re going to have a long, noisy journey ahead of you unless you come prepared with a charging cable. Battery life shouldn’t be much of a concern though — 24 hours with ANC switched on will see you around the world, even if it’s a few hours short of the battery life managed by the WH-1000XM6. And there is a 3.5mm jack cable in the box.

Final Verdict

Sony’s 1000X THE COLLEXION headphones admirably merge luxury looks, audiophile ambition and daily practicality into one sumptuous package. It’s a complex balancing act, but COLLEXION feels like Sony recognising that premium headphones are no longer just tech accessories, but fashion objects, productivity tools and personal audio systems all at once.

That versatility comes with a hefty price tag, but for listeners who want one pair of headphones capable of handling all three roles with a little more elegance than usual, they’ll be confidently covered.

The toss up between the older WH-1000XM6 and the COLLEXION model will be a difficult one to make — if cream-of-the-crop noise cancelling is your primary concern, the former will probably still win out. But for a taste of the high life, 1000X THE COLLEXION is among the best headphones Sony’s ever made.

• The BIG London gig list 2026: Your guide to this year's very best shows, festivals and concerts

Marshall has never struggled with aesthetic cool. Its iconic amplifiers have been stage staples for the biggest rock bands of all time, since the days when all Bluetooth meant was that someone had drunk one too many gnasher-dyeing Slush Puppies. Away from the mosh pit, its headphones have spent the last decade translating that rock-and-roll heritage into commuter-friendly tech. And with its latest release, the Marshall Milton A.N.C. headphones, it's ready to power your playlists for a non-stop weekend or longer.

Priced at £179.99, these new wireless on-ear headphones arrive with adaptive noise cancelling, spatial audio and a frankly outrageous battery life figure. More importantly, they appear designed for people who actually live in their headphones — commuters, travellers, office workers and anyone who can’t function without their own personal soundtrack on at all times.

For those about to rock, here’s five reasons the Marshall Milton A.N.C might be the headphones for you.

Marshall Milton A.N.C.: In short…

• Adaptive ANC reacts automatically to surroundings
• Up to 80 hours battery life, 50+ with noise cancelling
• Foldable design built for constant travel
• Spatial audio adds depth to everyday listening
• Repairable design with replaceable battery
• Available now, priced £179.99

1. Battery life that borders on barmy

Most wireless headphones promise enough battery to survive a few work sessions. Marshall laughs at that paltry goal. There’s battery life so good here you might forget you ever needed to charge them in the first place.

The Milton A.N.C. delivers up to 80 hours of wireless playtime without active noise cancelling switched on, or more than 50 hours with ANC enabled. That is several long-haul flights, countless Tube journeys and probably an entire festival weekend without desperately hunting for a USB-C cable.

For people tired of battery anxiety, this is arguably the headline feature. Marshall is essentially removing charging from the daily routine. Two hours gets the headphones fully recharged, and then you’re back into musical bliss for another solid couple of days.

2. Adaptive ANC that works with on-ear headphones

Over-ear headphones have dominated the premium ANC market for years largely because on-ear alternatives often leaked sound and struggled with isolation. And though the ANC of the Milton isn’t quite as all-encompassing as over-ear alternatives, those that prefer the on-ear form factor will thankfully still be able to block out the majority of surrounding annoyances with these new cans.

The Milton A.N.C. uses adaptive active noise cancelling that continuously analyses surroundings and adjusts in real time. Six microphones work together to reduce environmental noise while also improving call quality. Crucially, Marshall has enlarged the ear cushions and added softer memory foam to improve passive isolation before the electronics even get involved.

That ‘adaptive’ feature means that, instead of aggressively silencing the world, the headphones react to it. In a quiet library? It’ll dial back the intensity of noise-cancellation, but on a train, in an open-plan office or during a flight, they adapt automatically to the din and work harder to block out distractions. And when situational awareness matters, Transparency mode lets outside sound back in instantly with a single press of a button.

3. Portable — but still pretty

At just over 200 grams, the Milton A.N.C is light and portable, with a foldable design intended to survive constant packing, commuting and travel. But Marshall hasn’t stripped back any of those stage-ready good looks.

The textured leather finish, brass logo detailing and powder-coated metal arms all lean into the company’s vintage rock aesthetic. Importantly, they still feel grown-up. These are headphones designed to look as comfortable beside a MacBook in Soho as they would backstage at a venue.

The durability angle matters too. Marshall says the headphones are repairable and include a replaceable battery — you’ll have to get Marshall’s own engineers to do the job, though.

And they’re comfortable on your head, too. On-ear headphones can feel quite clampy, pushing on the squishy bits of your ears uncomfortably over longer stretches of time. But the Milton A.N.C is light and breezy, with well-padded cans and a forgiving clamping force that means they don’t cause fatigue over longer periods of time.

4. Sound improvements

Marshall headphones tend to lean warmer and more energetic rather than neutral in their tuning, and the Milton A.N.C follows suit.

A redesigned driver system promises improved bass and treble alongside Hi-Res audio support. Bluetooth 6.0 compatibility and support for SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC codecs show Marshall is taking wireless audio quality seriously, even at a mid-range price.

Though they’re not going to tempt audiophiles away from their studio-tuned favourites, the Marshall Milton A.N.C is an exciting listen. They’re bass and mid forward in a way that suits crunchier rock music and big beat pop best, and can go ear-splittingly loud when pushed to max volume.

An intriguing feature is Soundstage spatial audio, Marshall’s in-house spatialisation system that adds depth and width to stereo tracks. It’s not a true-to-source sound, but can be fun for giving a more live-performance-feel to your tracks.

There’s also Adaptive Loudness, which subtly adjusts tonal balance depending on listening volume and background noise. In practice, that means late-night listening should still sound rich rather than thin and anaemic — though it can flatten highs in some circumstances.

5. Convenient design

One of the smartest details is the customisable M-button. Instead of burying features inside endless app menus, Marshall lets users assign shortcuts for ANC, Transparency mode, EQ presets, Spotify access, spatial audio or voice assistant controls.

We’ll take a physical control over a touch-pad swipe any day.

It’s a winning combo of solid sound, smart features, convenience and style. If you like your headphones as rocking as your tunes, the Milton A.N.C are ready to hit the road with you.

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