According to a report coming out of Korea, Samsung is preparing to bring its Privacy Display feature to a new device. Previously, Privacy Display was limited to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the phone on which it made its debut.

The model in question is thought to be the Galaxy S27 Pro, which will benefit from the tech that dims the display for those looking at it from an angle. The idea is to increase privacy by making sensitive information on the screen mode difficult to see unless you're the phone's user.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 Pro is thought to be a new flagship tier device that will have the same cameras as the Galaxy S27 Ultra, but in a slightly more compact model that doesn't support the S Pen.

Rumours about the new line-up of phone have been circulating for some time, but the details from The Korea Herald tells us that Samsung is starting production of the new displays, saying that it plans to manufacture 700,000 of the new display units in November.

Samsung's aim seems to be to encourage buyers to choose a slightly more premium device, without the size and price of choosing the Ultra. According to leaked prices from @phonefuturist on X, there could be a $100 price difference between the Pro and the Ultra, with the Pro said to start at $1,399.

What is Privacy Display?

Privacy Display has the ability to switch off wide-angle display pixels, restricting the content to narrow pixels only visible by someone right in front of the screen. Samsung allows versatile deployment of the tech, letting you choose whether it's used across the whole device, or just for particular apps.

The downside of Privacy Display is that it downgrades the quality of the display when in use and if someone is standing right behind you looking over your shoulder, they'll still have a quite a good view of what's on the screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 family is expected to be announced in February 2027 and be comprised of four models – the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27 Plus, Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra.

I've seen plenty of clever electric screwdrivers over the years, but I don't think I've ever come across one that can look at a screw and tell you exactly which bit to use.

That's what the new Arrowmax Arrowspace S1 promises, thanks to an integrated HD camera and a little machine-learning help.

It's an interesting example of AI entering everyday tools, though the technology here serves a much more specific purpose than the AI features we're used to seeing in smartphones and laptops.

A screwdriver with eyes

The Arrowspace S1 is designed for precision repairs, especially when working with the small screws found in electronics, cameras, and other gadgets.

Not unlike Dyson’s CameraJet, it includes a miniature camera built into the screwdriver tip, plus an LED light and a retractable contact probe.

The latter rests against the screw head to keep the camera at the right distance to capture a clear image.

Arrowmax's AI system then analyses the image to determine the screw type and size and displays the results in a companion smartphone app.

According to the company, the model was trained using tens of thousands of real-world screw images, helping it distinguish between different fastener designs.

Once the screw has been identified, the Arrowspace S1 automatically selects an appropriate torque setting, which could help prevent overtightening or damaging delicate components.

The AI processing happens on the connected phone, so the system doesn't need an internet connection to identify screws.

Even the storage case is smart

The optional S1 Smart Case holds 52 steel bits and uses individual LED indicators to highlight the AI-recommended bit.

The screwdriver itself has a compact aluminium body with an OLED display showing the battery level, torque setting and rotation direction.

Its rechargeable 600mAh battery is claimed to provide up to 90 minutes of operation or enough power to tighten and loosen approximately 900 screws, depending on the torque used.

Of course, automatic identification sounds brilliant on paper, but it'll need to prove itself on actual repair jobs before it can replace the experienced eye of someone who knows their way around a toolkit.

Even so, I find this a genuinely exciting development for compact electric tools. Many products incorporate AI simply because it's fashionable, but the Arrowspace S1 seems to use the technology to solve a specific, everyday problem.

The Arrowmax Arrowspace S1 is currently available to back on Kickstarter, with early pricing starting at approximately $79 (around £60) for the standalone screwdriver or $129 (around £100) with the 52-bit Smart Case.

These are crowdfunding prices, not confirmed retail prices, and the first deliveries are expected in April 2027.

Arrowmax already sells several non-AI tools on its Amazon page in the UK.

[via New Atlas]

There's a massive Nintendo launch this week in the shape of the Switch 2 remake of the N64 classic, Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

It's largely noted as one of the best games in the series, arguably one of the best adventure-RPGs ever made, so it's a big deal for players new and old.

Reflecting on the nostalgia, Nintendo has a special midnight launch event, where you can buy the game complete with an N64 box replica, which houses the Switch 2 game.

There's a bit of a catch, though, as you'll need to be able to get to central London and, inevitably, not care much for sleep – as the Argos Tottenham Court Road special event will run from midnight.

The temperature is predicted to be around 8C in the capital, so unlike Link in his time-travelling adventure, you might want to don more than a green tunic to combat the falling temperatures.

There's another bonus with this purchase, too: a cute ocarina keyring, finished in the same fetching blue as the actual instrument in the game.

When various special-edition additions went on sale on 29 October, as part of the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition range, they sold out quickly.

That comprised a Switch 2 console, a Switch 2 Pro Controller, and Switch 2 carry case. Don't anticipate that such items will be available at the Argos store's opening special.

If you do intend to try your luck in getting the N64 special edition box and ocarina keyring, however, then you'll want to head to Argos (216–217 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7PT) as the clock strikes from Wednesday 4 into Thursday 5 November.

The game will retail for £54.99 in the UK, as a premier launch for Nintendo this November. It's a complete rebuild of the original N64 game, brought fresh and up to date with new graphics – and quite the spectacle it is.

Quite hard to believe that the original launched 28 years ago, yet has stood the test of time so well. From Epona the horse, to the dreaded Water Temple, it holds many memories for many players – and will unlock new ones for new players this year, too.

November is here and it's well-known for being the month when seasonal deals kick off – not only is there Black Friday towards the end of the month, there are lots of promotions trying to take your attention away from that very specific date.

One such offer I've just spotted is Argos and Currys marketing this LG OLED C6 TV as a 'deal'. However, it's pricier to buy on those two sites, and Amazon, compared to going direct and getting a discount deal with LG from the source.

Check out the 55-inch LG OLED C6 TV deal at LG

While the list price may appear to be 98 pence higher than its competition, LG has a couple of price reduction specials: create an account and you'll get a 'member price' for starters, then ensure it's a new account to get a further 5% reduction on the list price.

If you've created a new account and verified everything, then you'll save a further £81.82 going direct with LG compared to Amazon, Argos or Currys. So the best deal is the one that's not even marked as being such!

That's in addition to recent reductions, of course, as the OLED C6 in 55-inch size is listed at £1699.99, but has recently dropped to around £1200. That is a recent development, which I've verified by using Amazon's price tracker and CamelCamelCamel separately.

Better still this tactic in netting the best LG OLED C6 for you works across the rull range of TV sizes. So if you want the smaller 48-inch version, or the larger 65-inch model, the same rings true – LG's own site has the best member prices for those signed up.

No doubt that there'll be other TV deals as part of the Black Friday sales, but most of those are likely to be Amazon's own sets – which aren't a match for LG's higher-grade offerings. That's what makes this OLED C6 an unmissable offer.

Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but Amazon has already knocked a sizeable chunk off one of Samsung's most capable smartwatches. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) is currently £349, down from its £599 RRP, a saving of £250 (or 42%).

View all Samsung deals on Amazon

Better still, price-tracking data shows the watch has spent much of the past year selling for considerably more. It briefly reached a similar price earlier in May 2026, but this is still one of the lowest prices we've seen for Samsung's rugged flagship.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's answer to the Apple Watch Ultra. It combines a titanium case with a distinctive cushion-shaped design that certainly stands out from the company's more conventional smartwatches.

Its 47mm case houses a bright 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display, while the 10 ATM water resistance rating makes it suitable for swimming and other water-based activities.

It's also a serious fitness watch, with dual-frequency GPS for more accurate outdoor tracking, advanced health monitoring and Samsung's Galaxy AI-powered Energy Score.

Samsung claims up to 80 hours of battery life with regular use (the always-on display disabled), which is considerably longer than most mainstream Wear OS watches can manage.

It also has built-in LTE connectivity, letting you make calls and receive messages without keeping your phone nearby, provided you have a compatible mobile plan.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra isn't a small smartwatch, and you'll need a compatible Android phone to make the most of it. However, at £349, it's a much more tempting proposition than it was at launch.

Grand Theft Auto VI will finally be available this month – in just over two weeks. But you might have to wait a little longer than others to play it, depending on where you live.

That's because, while it launches globally on 19 November 2026, the world's timezones mean some countries will be able to access the game earlier than others. Up to 21 hours earlier, in fact.

Players in Aukland, New Zealand will be able to play it at midnight on launch day, but that's still just 11am 18 November in the UK, 3am on the West Coast of America. It could result in a flood of spoilers hitting social channels many hours before you even get a chance to boot it up.

However, there is a workaround – if you own a PS5 or PS5 Pro and haven't pre-ordered the game already. You can buy it using a New Zealand PSN account and play it when it first becomes available there.

Renowned content creator SynthPotato has suggested a neat workaround for those who simply cannot wait. He's posted steps on his X feed, which involves creating a New Zealand PSN account, buying the game there, but also being able to play it using your own regional account afterwards.

To summarise:

• Make a New Zealand PSN account.
• Enable Console sharing and Offline Play in Other in the Users and Accounts settings.
• Buy a New Zealand PSN gift card online.
• Buy GTA 6 using the gift card on your NZ account.
• Download the game the moment it comes out (or pre-download if possible).
• Sign back into your usual profile.
• Play the game when it's released in NZ hours before your own region. Hurrah!

Of course, this is only helpful if you haven't pre-ordered the game already or are willing to cancel your pre-order and start afresh. And it might affect how GTA Online works when that eventually arrives as part of the game, so you need to be aware of that.

Like we say though, if you really can't wait to play it on PS5, there's at least the option.

As for the Xbox Series X/S version, NotebookCheck reports that it's actually a little easier – just change your location to New Zealand in the console's location settings.

Personally, I'll be waiting until the game is unlocked in the UK, but can understand others' eagerness.

Japanese outdoor specialist Montbell has unveiled its Winter 2026 campaign, and while the message is all about slowing down and enjoying the journey, there's one piece of technical clothing that deserves a closer look.

The new CLIMAAIR Light Long Sleeve T is an ultralight fleece that weighs just 110g, making it an intriguing option for hikers who want to stay warm without adding unnecessary weight to their packs.

Anyone familiar with Montbell knows the brand has an obsession with keeping things lightweight, but its latest fleece takes that philosophy to an interesting extreme.

Despite its featherweight construction, the CLIMAAIR Light delivers impressive thermal performance, thanks to a clever fabric design that traps warm air while letting excess heat and moisture escape.

Less material, more warmth

The fleece's unusual construction uses long polyester fibres to create pockets of warm air, combined with a relatively open knit structure that lets air circulate.

As a result, the CLIMAAIR Light is a thin, highly breathable layer that provides warmth in colder conditions without feeling like a conventional winter fleece jacket.

It's also quick-drying, and thanks to Montbell's Spiral Slant-Tec cuffs that are said to stretch naturally with your movements, the tee is well suited to hiking and other outdoor activities.

Of course, such an airy construction means it's unlikely to offer much protection against strong winds on its own, which is why Montbell positions the CLIMAAIR Light as a midlayer.

Pair it with a lightweight wind- and waterproof shell, and you have a versatile layering system that should be easy to adjust as conditions change.

The journey is the destination

The new fleece forms part of Montbell's wider Winter 2026 campaign, appropriately titled The Journey, which follows three hikers exploring the Italian Alps without the usual emphasis on reaching summits or setting Fastest Known Times.

The campaign encourages people to appreciate their surroundings and enjoy the experience of being outdoors, a message that feels particularly relevant in an era when practically every adventure can be measured, recorded and uploaded to Strava.

It also reflects Montbell's longstanding Japanese design philosophy of Kinobi, or "Function is Beauty", which prioritises practical performance and simplicity over unnecessary embellishment.

The men's and women's CLIMAAIR Light Long Sleeve T are available now at Montbell UK for £45.

Other pieces featured in the campaign, including the Superior Down Parka and Rain Trekker, can also be bought from Montbell for £250 and £300, respectively.

The first issue of T3 went on the stands in September 1996, making this year T3’s 30th birthday! Overlooking the fact that the publication I work for is the same age as me, there have been some serious advancements over the past three decades, from technology and gaming to the kitchen and garden.

Looking back at the past 30 years, the home has changed significantly. From small, speedy appliances to smart technology, it’s wild to see how much has evolved, and what we could potentially see happen in the future.

As part of our T3 at 30 celebrations, I’ve taken a look back at the last 30 years and highlighted the biggest appliances, technology and trends that have made the home what it is today.

The birth of the air fryer

Arguably the most popular appliance to come out of the past 30 years is the air fryer. Having completely taken over the kitchen, the air fryer has become the go-to way for people to cook, well, just about anything!

The air fryer was first invented by Netherlands inventor, Fred van der Weij who started developing it back in 2005. After years of developing a prototype, his air fryer was finally produced by Philips who launched the first-ever commercial air fryer at IFA in 2010.

Since the first air fryer launched, the small but mighty ‘mini oven’ has continued to grow in popularity, and had a real boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the air fryer started small with single-sized baskets, they have since grown – quite literally – and now, dual basket air fryers are most popular – and there are even triple drawer models now, if you can believe it.

The hot air circulation technology within the air fryer is what makes them stand out, as they produce quick and tasty food, using little to no oil. They’re also more energy efficient than your standard oven, and as they’ve continued to grow in size, they can cook for the entire family – and then some.

Goodbye takeaway coffee, hello barista-style home coffee machines

For many people, coffee is the reason they get out of bed in the morning, and it’s been that way over the past 30 years. Coffee, and most importantly, coffee machines, have seen a big change, shifting from the quick instant coffee to complex, bean-to-cup giants, strange flavours, and iced versions – and you can do it all from home.

A ‘global café boom’ took place in the 1990s to 2000s, and it’s still prevalent today. International coffee chains and small independent cafes are absolutely everywhere, and for a time, the over-the-top coffee machines with grinders, hoppers and portafilters were reserved for these places.

But that has seen a big change over the years, with almost every home around the world having some type of coffee machine, whether its drip, pod or French Press. For the UK especially, the cost of living crisis that started in 2021 made a lot of people cut down on takeaway coffees to save money, which resulted in more at-home coffee machines – and baristas – becoming the new normal.

Ninja took over the kitchen – and made appliances fun again!

One of the biggest brands to emerge over the last few years is Ninja. Ninja first started selling appliances back in 2009 with the launch of its first blender. But now, Ninja has become the king of air fryers, and expanded into every kitchen category you could possibly think of.

Over the years, Ninja has not only become well known for its extensive portfolio, but its weird and whacky designs. At the start, many thought Ninja appliances looked strange – and they still do – but they’ve quickly become the inspiration for other brands. Simply put, Ninja has made appliances fun again with its collection of bright, colourful and odd-shaped cooking gadgets.

Want to speak to your fridge? LG made it so…

Who doesn’t want to speak to their fridge?! I’d bet if you’d told someone 30 years ago that fridges with touchscreens and cameras inside would become popular, they would have thought you were crazy – and it still is crazy when you think about it.

LG was the first brand to come out with a smart fridge, and as early as 2000. Its first-ever model had an internet-connected display which tracked ingredients and suggested recipes – not too different from what we have today. However, this tech took a while to catch on back then, but it definitely has during the 2020s.

Now, LG continues to make smart fridges and has become one of the go-to brands for this type of appliance. Alongside its screen fridges which play music, make your grocery list and generate recipes, LG’s InstaView fridges include a glass panel that lights up to show the inside of your fridge when you tap on it – that’s right, you don’t even need to open the door.

Forget frozen pizza, Ooni introduced pro-level pizza at home

Outdoor cooking has come on leaps and bounds over the past 30 years. While barbecues have always reigned supreme, a strong contender emerged in 2012 focused on knocking them off their pedestal – the outdoor pizza oven.

Granted, pizza ovens have been around for centuries, but most were huge open, domed brick ovens that were mainly reserved for restaurants. But in 2012, Ooni came out with the first portable, outdoor pizza oven. It introduced a traditional and authentic way to make pizza from the comfort of your home, using gas, charcoal or electricity.

Dyson transformed the vacuum cleaner game…

Like Ninja, Dyson is one of the biggest appliance brands to come out of the past 30 years. Founded in 1991, Dyson’s first product was actually a washing machine, but the brand found its fame in the world of vacuum cleaners – and changed the game forever.

Launched in 1993, Dyson’s first-ever vacuum was the DC01, an upright model that used Dyson’s Dual Cyclone technology to prevent it from losing suction power – a common problem with vacuums back then. It added transparent bins that showed the dirt it was cleaning up, and introduced Dyson’s first signature design – a ball near the brush head that kept the wheels stabilised while letting the vacuum move around corners.

Since then, Dyson has become an industry leader in vacuums, expanding into cordless, corded, upright, handheld and now robot models. Dyson has also become a big name brand for other household appliances, including air purifiers, fans, hair styling tools, and most recently, electric toothbrushes.

… and then robots took over

While Dyson was overtaking the vacuum cleaner world, another type of vacuum was slowly emerging – although it would take several years before this style would catch on. The very first robot vacuum cleaner came out in 1996, but the brand to make a huge mark with robot vacuums was iRobot.

The iRobot Roomba was launched in 2002. Available in three colours, the original iRobot Roomba had manual buttons, three-stage cleaning and navigated in a random zigzag pattern. It took a while for others to catch on, but during the 2010s, they began to introduce self-navigating robot vacuums and mops with camera and map navigation.

Today, robot vacuums have gotten almost too out of control! While they’ve gotten more compact and come with self-cleaning stations, the addition of AI has added extra technology to these cleaning robots, including strange features like robotic arms for picking up socks and extendable legs for climbing stairs.

Amazon’s Echo smart speaker revolution

Nowadays, smart speakers are in almost every room in the house, and they were the first gadgets to introduce voice assistants and smart technology to the home. The very first commercial smart speaker that made this type of technology the norm in so many households was the Amazon Echo.

First launched in 2014, the Amazon Echo introduced Alexa, a virtual assistant that listened to spoken commands and either responded with robotic voice answers, or did the task for you. Apple and Google responded a few years later with their own models, but Amazon Echo has remained a firm favourite, and now includes Dot and Show devices.

They’ve also become more than speakers over the years, and are now commonly used as hubs to help manage and connect other smart devices.

Ring’s first-ever doorbell

One of the most popular pieces of smart security to come out in the last 30 years is the video doorbell. Security cameras had been around for decades before the first video doorbell came along, but they were originally large, clunky devices that were mainly used in offices, shopping centres and large corporate buildings.

But the emergence of the video doorbell offered a clever, easy way to keep an eye on your home while you weren’t there – and meant you wouldn’t miss your packages, either. The first smart video doorbell ever made was the DoorBot which was released in 2013. It was invented by Jamie Siminoff who later rebranded it as the Ring Video Doorbell.

Back then, the first Ring doorbell had an eye-like camera, and connected to an accompanying smartphone app via Wi-Fi – not dissimilar to what we have today. Since then – you guessed it – more brands have made their own video doorbells, the designs have become slimmer, and have added extra security features to keep your home – and parcels – safe.

Philips Hue lit the way for smart bulbs

Being able to turn your lights on using your phone or voice might have sounded wild 30 years ago, but it’s now the most common way to control your lighting – and it’s all thanks to Philips Hue.

Philips Hue was the first to launch LED smart bulbs in 2012, and this style of smart lighting has since expanded to strips, panels, skylights, and even Christmas lights. Colours and scenes have also emerged so if you want bright pink in your bedroom and dark blue in the kitchen, the world’s your oyster.

So…. What's next?

The home has seen some huge changes – both good and bad – over the past three decades, so what could be next? According to research, smart homes are on track to become the new standard, so we can expect much more smart devices to pop up over the next few years.

Smart tech has also been finding its way into appliances, and not just fridges. Ovens, washing machines and even air fryers have been given the smart treatment, so I’d imagine this type of technology will be added to even smaller cooking gadgets, like kettles and toasters – although there are some smart versions of these already.

AI is also becoming more prevalent in the home, but due to its controversial reputation, it’s hard to predict whether it’ll be the next big thing in the home or rejected completely. We’ll just have to wait another 30 years – when myself and T3 will be 60! – to find out.

I love this idea. Spine is a wall-mounted digital music display that brings back something we've lost in the move to streaming, that pleasure of browsing a physical music collection.

Instead of scrolling through endless playlists on your phone, you get a wall of album covers that you can browse, swipe through and tap to play.

Designed in London, Spine connects to your existing Apple Music, Tidal or Spotify library, displaying your saved albums as a row of miniature CD spines. It's housed in a brushed aluminium body with matte etched glass designed to reduce reflections, giving it more of a piece of furniture feel than a conventional screen.

At 76cm wide and 19cm tall, it's designed to sit neatly on a wall, with a hidden mounting bracket and a single power cable. There's no built-in speaker, either. Instead, Spine hands playback over to your phone and whatever audio equipment you already use, whether that's a pair of headphones, a HomePod or a Sonos setup.

The experience varies slightly depending on your streaming service. Apple Music and Tidal connect directly, while Spotify requires you to import your library using TuneMyMusic. Once connected, you can curate your collection through the companion app, choosing which albums appear and arranging them by artist, decade or your own preferred order.

How does Spine work and what does it cost?

Tap an album on the display and it starts playing through Apple Music automatically. With Spotify and Tidal, you'll need to confirm playback on your phone first. It's a small extra step, but the idea is to make choosing music feel more like browsing a record collection than navigating a streaming app.

Spine is currently available through Kickstarter, with early-bird pricing starting at £849. That rises to £949 once the campaign closes on 24 November. The first UK deliveries are planned ahead of wider availability in Europe and the US during 2027.

I really like the thinking behind this. Streaming is brilliant for convenience, but there's something missing when your entire music collection lives behind an app icon. Having your favourite albums displayed on the wall, ready to browse and share with friends, feels like a worthwhile crossover between physical and digital music. At £849, it's certainly a luxury, but it's one I'd be very tempted by.

The dashboard of a new Mercedes-Benz is a big jump from older designs, thanks to an array of screens that would give NASA’s mission control a run for its money. The MBUX multimedia system has had various guises over the years, culminating in the latest Superscreen and Hyperscreen models.

The new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake features the Superscreen display. This isn’t one giant screen as featured in the Hyperscreen on models like the new electric GLC, but it’s certainly evolved from the Superscreen we first saw on the E-Class, which had a separate driver display.

All three screens on the CLA sit behind a single piece of glass, including a 10.25-inch driver's display, a 14-inch central touchscreen display and a 14-inch passenger touchscreen display. Unlike the Hyperscreen, there are distinct areas where each screen finishes, but the overall effect is still very slick.

The Hyperscreen display is only available on the AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus versions of the CLA Shooting Brake. The other models still have the driver's display and central display, just not the passenger display, replacing it with a panel covered in small three-pointed stars.

Fourth generation MBUX

The CLA was the first model to run the fourth generation of the MBUX entertainment system and use the MBOS architecture, which includes a Unity gaming engine to run the graphics. This is a highly advanced system that uses both Microsoft and Google large language models with its virtual assistant and uses Google Maps as the basis of its mapping.

The result is a system that at times feels better than Apple’s CarPlay integration, at least in look and feel. The mapping looks great and also offers a live camera feed when stopped at traffic lights to see the lights more easily and when making a turn – though I found having to look down at this a little off-putting, so I turned it off.

My model also featured a head-up display, which meant that I rarely had to look down at the screens at all while driving, which is a big plus for me. The driver display can be swapped between different views by swiping the thumb dial horizontally or vertically to change the info between the dials.

The apps

The MBOS runs individual apps, which you can add via the App Manager. These include music and video streaming apps such as Spotify, Apple Music, Disney Plus, and YouTube. The Video & TV app is powered by TiVo and lets you access all the TV and movie content in one place. This all streams via the car’s own 5G connection, so you don’t really need to connect your phone for anything apart from making and receiving calls.

The gaming offerings are a family-friendly mix, including Angry Birds and some simple arcade-style games such as City Dash, Candy Blast, Bird Dump, 9 Ball Pool, Fruit Slice Frenzy, Rally Champion and Beach Buggy. The system is capable of running much more intensive games, so it’s a shame there’s nothing approaching PlayStation level here. There is also TikTok for your dose of social media, though.

All of this is great for those times you’re parked up or charging, but it's even better if you’re sat in the passenger seat, as you can access them all while the car is moving, on your own personal 14-inch screen. Face detection is used to stop the driver from watching the screen too, and it will shut off the content after a couple of seconds if they do so.

As much as I enjoy driving the CLA, all of this makes me want to sit in the passenger seat. You can choose to connect headphones via Bluetooth or use the car’s speakers, which, as they are the Burmester 3D surround sound system with 16 speakers and 850W, sound amazing. As a driver, these speakers are probably my favourite part of the system, as they make all music sound great, whether it’s Apple Music streaming or just the radio.

Digital Extras

The display also gives you access to what Mercedes calls Digital Extras. These include everything from the MBUX Navigation and Entertainment to the massage function seats and MB.Drive Assist that provides steering and lane change assistance. Some come as standard with the car for a period of time, while others are on a subscription basis or a one-off fee. The massage function, for example, is £1.60 per month, £16 for 12 months, or £49 for permanent access.

There are free trial months available on many of the features, allowing you to try out the functions at no cost, and you can cancel all other options on a monthly basis, so you’re never tied into a long subscription.

The difficulty is that so many new electric cars, particularly Chinese brands, are offering many of these features as standard, so having to pay for these on top of the vehicle price can seem a bit much.

Can you have too much screen?

If you don’t need to use the navigation, the main display can switch to more of a screen saver background. This extends across both the central screen and the passenger screen, and although there’s a clear division between the two screens, it looks pretty slick. If you want to remove distractions completely, you can turn off the central and passenger displays completely, which can be handy when driving at night.

Though as the mapping switches to a dark mode at night, I didn’t find the screens distracting at all. Plus, the whole set-up feels a bit like a spaceship when you first start it up, which feels very futuristic and fun.

Though the Hyperscreen remains the slicker display, the Superscreen in the CLA Shooting Brake is still really impressive and offers the same MBUX features. As a complete system, with the head-up display and the Burmester speakers, it’s easily one of the best infotainment systems on the market, and to have this in what is a relatively entry-level model makes it all the more impressive.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake starts from £39,715 on the road. Model tested is the CLA 350 4MATIC priced at £57,350.

The iPhone Duo is finally out, but is it any good? Jason Bradbury and Ortis Deley give their first impressions in this week's podcast.

They discuss the best apps to try for the Duo, the lack of a telephoto camera, the "crackgate" and how it compares with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8.

T3's own Mat Gallagher joins Jason and Ortis to talk about Apple's latest announcements, including the touchscreen MacBook and the iPad mini with OLED display. Plus, there's more on Sony's high-end Walkman and Nvidia's tiny Microduck robot.

Watch the full episode of The Gadget Show Podcast below or watch on YouTube.

• Check out The Gadget Show's YouTube channel for more

Your favourite lifestyle tech publication, T3, has partnered with the legendary TV and YouTube sensation that is The Gadget Show.

T3 has celebrated its print magazine's 30th birthday this year, while T3.com continues to grow and reach wider audiences year on year.

Over the coming weeks, we'll be bringing you all the latest news on tech and gaming from Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry and members of the T3 team.

What is The Gadget Show?

The Gadget Show launched in 2004 on Channel 5 in the UK and has delivered previews and reviews of the latest gadgets since.

With a range of presenters and formats over the years, the new podcast sees the return of the original duo Jason Bradbury and Suzi Perry in a weekly episode, hosted on its YouTube channel.

It's worth subscribing and liking their weekly videos – and, of course, returning to T3.com to see other members of the team talk over the latest tech with The Gadget Show team.

I want one. The Voxel Series-1 from Tuesday Labs looks like something straight out of an anime vision of the future, with its boxy body, colourful plastic panels, little pixelated eyes and backward-bending legs.

But this isn't just a cute robot designed to look good in a futuristic living room. It's intended to become a useful household assistant, taking care of some of the everyday jobs we'd rather avoid.

The New York-based robotics company calls it a "droid butler". Voxel has been designed to have its own character, drawing inspiration from everything from household furniture to Pixar animation.

Meet your new household helper

Voxel is built around a pair of articulated arms, each with seven degrees of freedom, ending in simple grippers for picking up and moving objects. Its unusual Z-shaped legs allow it to bend and adjust its height when reaching towards cupboards, tables and shelves, while cameras help it recognise and navigate its surroundings.

The idea is that it can take care of four main jobs: tidying rooms, finding misplaced belongings, fetching objects and tending to plants. That could mean putting things back where they belong, bringing you a book or watering the houseplants. Tuesday Labs also hopes to eventually expand its capabilities to include things like laundry and washing dishes, although these aren't launch features.

I like the attention given to its personality. The company has worked with former Pixar animators and character designers to develop the way Voxel moves, rather than simply making it walk as efficiently as possible. It has a slightly awkward, animated gait, complete with little movements intended to make it feel more like a character than a piece of machinery.

How much does the Voxel robot cost?

Here's the less appealing bit. Tuesday Labs estimates the Voxel Series-1 will cost around $20,000, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028. You can currently reserve one for $200, although reservations are limited to US delivery addresses and the payment is fully refundable.

It's also worth remembering that what we're seeing today is still a development prototype. The company expects to substantially redesign the hardware before production, and the final appearance, specifications and capabilities could change. Some of its current demonstrations also use teleoperation, meaning a human operator is involved in controlling the robot rather than it completing everything autonomously.

There's no confirmed UK launch date yet, although the company has expressed an interest in bringing Voxel to Britain and Europe.

I love the idea of having a little droid wandering around the house, putting things away and fetching stuff when needed. At $20,000, though, I'd expect it to do considerably more than water my plants. Still, if Tuesday Labs can deliver on the vision, this could be a fascinating glimpse of what domestic robots might look like in a few years.

I love a clever bit of design, and the Beauer X4 is a great example of exactly that, making a space efficient camper by using transforming tech. This tiny-looking camper trailer has an impressive trick up its sleeve: press a button at the campsite and it expands to almost three times its travelling width, creating a complete little home.

The X4 is the latest version of the Beauer 3X, a transforming caravan concept that dates back to 2012. Now updated for the 2027 model year, it retains the same clever mechanism while gaining improved cabinetry, more customisation options and a choice of two floorplans.

A tiny trailer that grows into a proper living space

On the road, the X4 measures 3.5 metres long and just 1.95 metres wide, making it relatively compact to tow and store. Once parked, three stacked sections slide outwards using motors powered by a 100Ah leisure battery. In around a minute, the trailer reaches 4.6 metres wide, creating 12 square metres of living space.

Inside, there's a separate bedroom with a double bed, a kitchen with a two-burner gas hob, sink and under-counter fridge, plus a compact bathroom with a cassette toilet and small sink. A shower can be added as an option.

At the back, a U-shaped sofa converts into another double bed, while a folding dining table provides somewhere to eat. That makes the X4 suitable for up to four people, although storage is inevitably limited by the need for the furniture to fold away as the trailer contracts.

The new Layout 2 offers a more compact kitchen, a larger bathroom and more room to move around the bedroom. Other options include an induction hob, a larger fridge, microwave, air conditioning, solar panels and an electric kitchen.

How much does the Beauer X4 cost?

The Beauer X4 is available in the UK through River Motorhomes, with prices starting at £39,990. The final cost depends on the chosen layout and optional equipment, so it's worth checking the specification carefully before ordering.

The trailer has a maximum permitted weight of 1,350kg, with around 150kg of payload available for occupants' kit and optional extras. That makes payload planning important, particularly if you're tempted by the extensive list of upgrades.

It's not a cheap alternative to a conventional caravan, and the limited storage won't suit everyone. But the idea of towing something so compact and unfolding it into a proper little living space is exciting. I'd certainly love to give this mechanism a try in person.

Philips is slightly out of sync with the rest of the TV industry: while its TVs are launched and showcased early in the year, they don't actually go on sale until autumn – and only in the UK and Europe.

That sees the Philips OLED 811 only just coming onto the market towards the end of 2026, while the best TVs that launched earlier in the year are already attracting discounts.

For the OLED 811, which is Philips' mainstream affordable OLED from its 2026 selection (below the OLED 911), it arrives rivalling the LG OLED C6 and the Samsung S90H – with all three models sitting around the same price, for now.

A distinction is that Philips offers Ambilight, here boosted with new AmbiScape technology, to spread its light show across the room. While third-party lights are available, this is the origin of Ambilight – and one feature that makes Philips TVs great.

Price & Availability

The Philips OLED 811 comes in a full range of sizes, including 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inches, but only the 55-inch is available in the UK.

This is still the sweet spot for TVs, where the £1,399 asking price puts it in direct contention with rivals from LG and Samsung. Expect to pay the same €1,399 on the continent – but you won't find it in the US or Australia at all.

Official retailers include AO, Currys and Richer Sounds, where it is already listed on pre-order with free Philips headphones. Delivery is promised in November, by which point rivals could be attracting Black Friday discounts.

Philips OLED 811: What's new?

The Philips OLED replaces the OLED 810 from 2025, ushering in a full range of changes, with an updated P5 picture processing engine, a brighter OLED EX panel capable of 2500 nits peak and a shift to 165Hz over the 144Hz offered previously.

That's joined by a move to four HDMI 2.1 ports, where previously the 810 only had two full-bandwidth HDMI, so it's a TV better positioned for gaming and connectivity.

Titan OS is the smart TV platform for the OLED 811, moving away from Google TV, while it integrates Freely (for UK viewers). That also means that Google Assistant (as it was) is no longer available for voice control.

Finally, this TV is slimmer than previous OLED models, while the three-sided Ambilight also supports AmbiScape tech, newly introduced in 2026.

Design & Setup

The 811 is the Philips' thinnest OLED TV yet, claiming to be some 20% more trim than the OLED 810.

That's impressive as an abstract claim, but this isn't slim like the LG OLED G6 or Samsung S99H, because there's still a hefty lump of the TV's brains on the back.

This is ringed by the LEDs for Philips' most unique feature, Ambilight. It uses these LEDs to illuminate behind the television, perfectly matched to what's on the screen.

For purists, this can be used for bias lighting to help reduce eye strain, while many will just use it to make the TV more immersive, matching colours across the wall.

During setup you'll be invited to select the colour of the wall behind the TV to make sure that Ambilight looks its best and there are plenty of options to control how it works.

The downside is that this model only has three-sided Ambilight, dropping down from four-sided back in 2023 with the OLED 808.

Expanding the feature set is AmbiScape, which will connect to Matter lights, with Nanoleaf, WiZ, Philips Hue, Osram and Ikea all supported. Up to four can be connected.

It's not entirely new though. Previously Philips TVs offered Ambilight+Hue, but the new system offers greater versatility.

Back to the design, though, and there's a metal swivel pedestal stand that'll be most welcome for those placing it on a surface – as being able to shift the angle of the screen is an underrated feature, even if it's just when connecting a new device.

The remote for the Philips OLED 811 is plastic, runs on two AA and offers direct access to voice searching, Ambilight controls, settings and sources, as well as shortcuts to major streaming services.

Control is centred around a four-way navigator, with a central "ok" button, with each corner offering a different function. It's a little woolly in control and I found navigating around the menus that mis-presses were common.

This entire section of the controller sits under one rubberised layer – and I can't help feeling that individual buttons would offer more distinct control. To make things worse, this doubles as the number pad for channel selection after pressing another button, so it's not the best remote I've seen for a modern TV.

Picture Quality

Sitting at the heart of the Philips OLED 811 is a new OLED EX-type panel, as made by LG Display and featured in the LG OLED C6. In the OLED 811, however, Philips is promising that it's brighter – up to 2500 nits – offering a wider range of colours, while also boosting its refresh rate to 165Hz to better position it for gamers.

Elsewhere, there's the 10th generation P5 AI processor, while support for Dolby Vision 2 tells us that there's a MediaTek Pentonic 800 chipset, too. I didn't find any evidence of Dolby Vision 2 Max controls in the TV when watching Dolby Vision content – that's expected as a software update.

The 811 features a glossy display that, while it will combat reflections, is not as effective as the matte display that you'll find on the Samsung S90H.

Glossy displays in controlled lighting conditions potentially offer more immersive images. It's a case of personal preference, but I think that blacks look blacker on a glossy display – such as this one.

Philips has shuffled some of its format support on the OLED 811, with Filmmaker Mode (FMM) nowhere to be seen. Instead, there's now a "Reference Mode".

Reference Mode will allow you to adjust the settings to your preference, while Filmmaker Mode typically wouldn't let you do that (I say typically, because some brands do let you make picture-processing changes to FMM settings).

There's wide HDR support, with Dolby Vision IQ offering three modes: Dark, Bright and Crystal Clear (which is Philips' own interpretation), while HLG and HDR10+ Adaptive are also supported.

On top of that, Netflix and Prime Video have their own customised viewing modes, while other streaming services just seem to have a generic "streaming app" mode outside of the HDR format offered (if any).

Crystal Clear mode is the twinkle in Philips' eye, designed to get show off the brightness of its TVs, while aiming to get more out of the picture. It increases saturation and brightness, particularly with blues, although I found a subtle sandstone wall colouring in Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom looked more neon.

Specular highlights – like a reflection on a glossy surface, or star in the night sky – also get boosted, sometimes to extreme levels, so it doesn't look realistic. Ultimately, I'd avoid Crystal Clear because it skews the picture too much in bright colourful scenes.

Reference Mode uses "Movie" motion control, which is my preference – I found that Pure Cinema was a little too flickery for my liking. Philips offers a range of options for every mode, as well as a customisable personal mode, so it doesn't take much tweaking to get it to your preference, but you will have to change it for every mode.

At its core, the Philips OLED 811 is an excellent OLED TV. The switch in mode names doesn't amount to much, as Reference looks like Filmmaker Mode. Handling of HDR content is excellent, with plenty of options to tweak the picture settings to your preference.

The handling of dark scenes is excellent, too, and I found The Batman, which is notoriously dark, perfectly watchable in daylight conditions – only spoilt by a slight window reflection off the screen.

Sound Quality

The Philips OLED 811 is no shrinking violet when it comes to the sound either. There's a 70W speaker system packed into this TV, supporting DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. It uses 5.1.4 processing to create a rich and immersive soundscape – and great performance out of the box.

Within the menus there are additional sound settings, governed by an AI mode, but also offering manual selection from original, dialogue, music and entertainment. I found entertainment to be the default and the richest and most enveloping.

It's a virtualised surround sound rather than a complex collection of speakers, but there's enough gusto to keep many happy – but it's not a patch on the performance you'd get from a more comprehensive soundbar or surround sound system.

For those looking to connect, there's eARC on the HDMI selection, all of which move up to HDMI 2.1, so this is a great TV for those looking to connect a games console – or two. For those connecting external devices, passthrough of Dolby Atmos and DTS codecs gives more freedom for your sound management.

A note on Titan OS

Philips has swapped its TVs to Titan OS, moving on from Google TV that it previously used. That also means the loss of Google's voice searching and controls, as well as things like the smart home panel.

While Philips' TVs can be controlled by Alexa or Google Home, there's now a generic voice search instead of Google Assistant. This doesn't search within apps, it exits the app to give search results, and results are delivered across streaming services, including those you don't have access to. It also isn't a smart search, returning many "related" results away from what you actually asked for.

Titan OS supports Freely for those in the UK, the service that streams terrestrial channels so you don't need an aerial. I find it a really convenient service and it's implementation is fast on this Philips TV – faster than some of the earlier iterations.

The overall user interface is fine, with 'continue watching' rows for services that you use, while otherwise pushing recommendations. But like many TVs these days, the top third is given over to advertising – and the TV will auto-play these with audio, annoyingly. On Fire TV you can turn this off, but I couldn't find that option in Titan OS.

Another oddity is that if you leave the TV in the settings menu for too long, the screensaver opens over the top, including when there's something playing. That leaves you with a soundtrack in the background and a random screensaver.

While many will just connect a Sky box and never really deal with this interface or remote, it's clear that Titan OS could do with some work to make it nicer for daily use. That is happening in the background, though, so onwards and upwards.

Philips OLED 811 review: Verdict

The Philips OLED 811 does exactly what it sets out to do: delivering a mid-range OLED option for those who don't want to spend big bucks on the step-up OLED 911.

The 55-inch-only size in the UK hits the sweet spot for the majority of buyers, although it's disappointing to not have the fuller range of sizes.

The move to Titan OS and the slightly fiddly remote also drag the experience down a peg, but updates could easily be achieved through future updates.

Ultimately, however, this is a TV that's about its performance – and it's a lovely watch, strong across all sources, making it easy enough to make tweaks and get the experience you want.

But really it's a vessel for Ambilight – and this proprietary Philips technology is hugely popular, adding that additional rear illumination that takes movie nights from great to spectacular. Which sums up the quality of the Philips OLED 811: it's a spectacular TV.

Also consider

The Philips OLED 811 faces its strongest competition from the LG OLED C6, which offers similar performance for around the same price, without the benefit of Ambilight. Philips' TV is a little more substantial, but benefits from Freely and that swivel stand, while the audio is a little better too. Philips also offers wider HDR format support.

Samsung's S90H beats the OLED 811 with a matte finish that kills reflections, so it's better suited to watching in rooms where there are big windows. But there's a preference consideration here: glossy displays look darker with more inky blacks, while also being a little more immersive. Samsung's interface is better than Philips', too, but without support for Dolby Vision, Philips has an advantage.

The latest small appliance to land in the middle aisle at Lidl is a smart toaster – and it could give the likes of Cuisinart and Sage a run for their money. The new Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster has an LED touchscreen which has four functions and six browning levels to choose from – but my favourite feature is its warming rack.

One appliance I never thought would get the smart treatment is the toaster, but having tested one myself, I’ve actually come around to the idea. While I still don’t think a toaster needs a Wi-Fi connection, touchscreen toasters look the part, are easy to use and let you customise your toast in a simpler, more seamless way.

The latest smart or digital toaster to hit the market is the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster which you can now buy at Lidl. Made from stainless steel, the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster has an LED touchscreen on the longer side of the toaster, which includes an on/off button, and helpful pre-sets to get the perfect toastiness for your bread.

The Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster has six browning levels to choose from, which you can toggle by pressing the + or - buttons. It also comes with reheat, keep warm, defrost and bagel settings, the latter of which will only toast your bagel on one side. Users can also pause or stop the toasting process via the screen.

My favourite feature of the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster is its removable, folding warming rack. It slots on the top of the toaster, so while it’s toasting your bread or bagel, you can position rolls, baguettes or other bread on the rack to warm them up. A warming rack isn’t something you get with every toaster, so I like that the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster has one – I wish my toaster did.

To avoid burns, the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster has an automatic lifting and lowering mechanism so you can easily fish out your toast. There’s also a removable crumb tray. It’s not the prettiest looking toaster on the market, but for its price, the Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster is definitely something to head to Lidl for.

The Silvercrest Digital 2-Slice Toaster is available to buy today in Lidl stores. It’s priced at £24.99 but if you’re a Lidl Plus member, you can get 10% off, taking it down to £22.49.

Finding the perfect Christmas gift for a bearded man might seem straightforward, but there’s actually so much more to male grooming than keeping facial hair in check.

From all-in-one body care kits that make everyday routines easier to premium manicure sets and travel-friendly shavers, there are plenty of thoughtful gifts that he might not think to buy for himself.

Whether you’re shopping for a partner who takes his grooming seriously or someone who could do with a few new essentials, these five gift ideas are a great place to start. You might even find something worth adding to your own Christmas list...

1. Electric shaver

Whether your loved one has been using the same electric shaver for five years or just five months, an upgrade is rarely a bad idea, especially if one of their favourite brands has released a newer model.

If you know they have a go-to brand, whether that’s Philips, Braun or Gillette, it’s a good idea to see what’s new. For example, Braun has launched its latest shaver this year, and despite its high price tag, it’s already proving popular.

If they usually use a traditional razor, you could also consider an electric shaver kit for more flexibility with cutting lengths and styles.

2. Body care kit

Body care kits are becoming increasingly popular, bringing together everything needed for a simple yet effective grooming routine.

Solum is one brand I’ve recently come across, offering a structured approach to body care that separates daily maintenance from a weekly reset. It’s a refreshing alternative to more traditional grooming ranges, with a focus on looking after the body as a whole.

Harry’s is another brand worth exploring, with a range of gift sets covering everything from body wash and shaving gel to razors and skincare. Its Christmas collection is also worth considering, with some lovely seasonal fragrances in the mix.

3. Premium manicure set

A manicure set is an often-overlooked grooming essential that makes a practical yet luxurious gift. Premium tools tend to resist rust, stay sharp for longer and offer a more precise cut than cheaper alternatives.

Aspinal of London and Taylor of Old Bond Street both offer some lovely options that combine quality craftsmanship with timeless design.

4. Toiletry bag

A premium toiletry bag is a practical gift that will last for years. Look for quality materials such as full-grain leather, durable nylon or water-resistant canvas, plus a protective lining to guard against spills.

My personal picks would be Carl Friedrik’s latest range, or Harber London's. It’s also the sort of gift that will be useful long after Christmas, especially if your loved one travels often.

5. Portable shaver

Finally, a compact shaver is ideal for keeping facial hair in check on the go, whether travelling with a suitcase or hand luggage. The Laifen P3 Pro and Manscaped's The Handyman are both great options that are highly commended for their portable designs.

This is actually the gift I’ll be buying my partner this Christmas, so let’s hope he doesn’t stumble across this guide!

My pursuit of another EDC torch with a killer feature stops right here with the Fenix TK15R, a small-form 3,200-Lumen flashlight with a built-in adaptive distance sensor that automatically dims or brightens the beam depending on the torch's proximity to a subject.

I've been putting this spiffing pocket rocket through its paces and honestly can't find anything unsavoury to say about it. It just works. Here we go.

Fenix TK15R review

Price and availability

The Fenix TK15R costs around £129.95 in the UK and is available direct from Fenixlight or Amazon (£116), Flashaholics (£129.95) and Knives and Tools, where it retails for a knockdown £102.

In the USA, the TK15R retails for approximately $119.95 and is available through Fenix Lighting or Amazon.

Fenix TK15R at a glance

• Dimensions: L 14.9cm; W (lens) 3.4cm; W (barrel) 2.5cm
• Weight: 205.5g
• LED Type: Luminus SFT70
• Luminosity: Max 3,200 lumens; Min 30 lumens
• Low mode: 30 lumens (68 hrs)
• Med mode: 350 lumens (8hrs 20mins)
• High mode: 1,000 lumens (3hrs 30mins)
• Turbo mode: 3,200 lumens (2hrs 30mins)
• Iris-X mode: Auto 30-2,000 lumens
• Special modes: Alternating strobe
• Lighting Range: Max 490m
• Construction: Aircraft-grade aluminium
• Waterproofing: IP68, 2m depth
• Rechargeable battery: 5,000mAh

Design and features

When it comes to choosing an EDC (Everyday Carry) torch, I personally look for two specific features: the highest luminosity possible for the price and size of the unit; and a lens barrel adjuster to easily switch from a wide, diffuse floodlight to a sharp, narrowly focused beam.

At 3,200 lumens on full blast, the Fenix TK15R I'm reviewing here provides more than enough midnight clout, though its lens sadly doesn't come with an adjustable focal length. However, what it has instead is one of the most innovative and useful features I've ever come across in a torch – Adaptive Light Control.

Take the common scenario where you switch on a torch to look at a map or inside a car's engine bay and both the subject matter and your eyes are completely dazzled by over 1,000 lumens of bright white light because the last time you used the torch it was on full beam. The opposite is true when you urgently need to illuminate something further afield but your torch is on its very lowest 30-lumen setting.

Fenix has solved this conundrum by equipping the TK15R with a sensor that adjusts the strength of the beam depending on the proximity of the subject you're looking at. Fenix calls it IRIS X and I think it's the best thing in torches since the barrel focus adjuster.

Instead of repeatedly cycling through loads of brightness settings – sometimes in a hurry – IRIS X adjusts the torch's output automatically, providing useful close-up illumination without dazzling the user with excessive reflected light. And when you need to quickly illuminate a wider area, it automatically switches to a near full-power beam.

While this innovation is particularly relevant to police, security personnel and anyone who needs to move quickly between searching and close-up tasks, it's also a godsend for the rest of us. Even the act of just walking around in the dead of night is vastly improved because the torch throws a gentle beam just ahead of your footfall and when you need to have a quick glance further ahead, it immediately illuminates the whole area. A game changer, in my opinion.

Cast out of reassuringly robust aircraft-grade A6061 T6 aluminium and coated in a hardy anodised midnight black finish, the TK15R weighs in at 205.5 grams and measures a pocket-friendly 14.9cm in length, 3.4cm in width at the head and 2.5cm at the barrel. A titanium body clip, robust nylon belt pouch and thick wrist lanyard round off an impressive package.

Let's check out the specs. Starting in the engine room, you get a Luminus SFT70 LED, delivering up to 3,200 lumens and a maximum beam distance of around 490 metres. In the pantheon of torch light, that's a very impressive throw indeed.

There's no mention of this model's beam angle but, despite illuminating a huge area when used in an open space like a field, it behaves much more like a spot than a floodlight when used indoors or when shone at a wall. Its power, meanwhile, comes from Fenix’s own chunky ARB-L21-5000 V2 rechargeable battery which offers a substantial 5,000mAh capacity.

The Fenix TK15R comes with four conventional brightness settings: 30 lumens on Low, 350L on Medium, 1,000L on High and a substantial 3,200L on Turbo. Fenix's claimed runtimes range from 68 hours on Low to eight hours and 20 minutes on Medium, three hours and 30 minutes on High and two hours and 30 minutes on Turbo.

The all-important IRIS-X adaptive lighting system, meanwhile, automatically adjusts the output between 30 and 2,000 lumens, depending on the brightness scale selected (there are two).

For example, the default full-brightness scale is roughly 100 lumens to 2,000 lumens but when switched to the lower scale by tapping the barrel button, it drops to around 50 to 800 lumens. I'm guessing here because I can't find any concrete figures, but the two scales are dramatically different. In fact I find the lower scale more practical for most scenarios, including walking and map reading, when the lowest illumination figure drops to around 30 lumens.

You can turn this torch on in two ways and both methods are refreshingly practical. On the rear there's a rubberised tail switch and on the lens barrel, a three-way toggle that switches between the adaptive IRIS X setting on the left, off in the middle and manual 'Duty' mode on the right.

If you engage the rear button while the front toggle is in the off position, the torch won't turn on. Instead, a battery level indicator on the toggle LED will stay constantly lit to serve as a locator light so you can find the torch in total darkness. In this configuration, you turn the torch on by flicking the front toggle switch to either IRIS X or Duty (manual) mode. The other 'on' method is to leave the torch's front toggle switch in either IRIS X or Duty mode and use the rear button to turn the torch on.

I agree that this system is a little confusing at first but I can see a valid reason here because it allows for two types of user: security guards and police who tend to hold their torches at shoulder height in a fist grip and therefore prefer a rear thumb switch; and the rest of us who grip the torch with our arm hanging down.

I should add that, if you have the rear switch turned 'on' but use the barrel-mounted toggle switch to put it into 'off' mode, the battery level indicator-cum-locator LED will remain constantly lit and this will eventually flatten the battery over an admittedly long period time. Hence, it's good practice to always turn off the rear switch when the torch is in storage.

Let's check out the various beam settings. When in Duty mode the TK15R's barrel-mounted push button cycles through the four brightness settings – Low, Medium, High and Turbo – with each tap of the centre button. And when in IRIS X mode, you get two brightness range options as mentioned above.

Also, if you hold the button in – in either IRIS X or manual mode – the torch instantly emits a strobe that alternates between two speeds of pulsating full-beam light for maximum disorientation when engaging with an unwelcome intruder. Aside from strobe, the torch will always default to the last brightness setting you had it in. The TK15R charges via USB-C and has a claimed 90-minute charging time using an optional USB power adaptor.

Performance

I normally flit from one beam strength to the next when using a torch outdoors but this model changes all that. I've been using the TK15R to get around our very dark village and the Adaptive Light Control system is simply matchless because it dims the light at my feet but increases the luminosity the moment I lift the torch up to see further ahead. I can also see it being a perfect EDC torch for camping and car use, mostly because the IRIS X technology keeps dazzle to a bare minimum as long as you turn it on in close proximity to a subject.

For my tests, I took the TK15R up to a local church and field and flicked through the various settings. While I dearly love torches that have the ability to change the beam from a wide floodlight to a tight, long-range spotlight by pushing and pulling on the barrel, I think the TK15R's beam slots nicely in the middle, with amazing peripheral illumination and the ability to really highlight a subject from afar when it's in its highest 3,200-lumen setting. In fact, for its size, I think this is possibly the brightest torch I've ever used.

Granted, the on/off process takes a while to get the hang of, but in the main, I've found this torch intuitive to use – I especially rate the toggle system on the barrel, which makes it super easy to switch from the 'off' position to the IRIS X and Duty modes, and select one's preferred brightness with a single tap of a button. It's also great to see a torch that makes it easy to access the strobe feature in a thrice by simply holding the brightness button, no matter whether it's in IRIS X or Duty mode.

Verdict

The Fenix TK15R is an extremely capable torch that’s just as useful around the house as it is in the great outdoors. Its ultra-bright 3,200-lumen output and 490-metre beam offer impressive reach, while the exceedingly clever IRIS X system automatically adjusts brightness to suit the situation.

Whether you’re checking the car after dark, camping in the wilderness or searching for something in the shed, this is a powerful and very versatile companion that’s built like a mini tank. And it's much cheaper than you might expect, too.

Prime Video is locked in an existential battle with Netflix, with both seeking to claim the crown as the world's biggest and most popular streaming service. After a few years of price hikes and restrictions, the way to people's hearts is via actual, high-quality shows and movies, though.

So, each and every month Amazon knows that it needs to keep a steady stream of new material for its subscribers to watch, to avoid them cancelling their memberships over time. If you're wondering what that means for November, rest easy – I've taken the time to comb through every single addition coming to Prime Video. Below, you'll find the top five that you should know about, replete with their trailers and release dates for more context.

The Rings of Power (Season 3)

• Streaming from: 11 November

It's the show that Amazon wants to succeed more than any other in its lineup – not least because it costs genuinely staggering amounts of money to make. The Rings of Power has so far failed to launch to the degree that Amazon clearly expected, and its somewhat trepidatious storytelling is probably the biggest explanation, given how impressive it's always looked.

This third season might be a sort of soft reset point, though, with the show seemingly moving away from some of the slower, more plodding stories that it's been telling, to focus on the more impactful and conflict-filled main threads. That means we're going to get a whole heap of battles, from the looks of things, which should be great for those who've been patiently waiting.

Blade Runner 2099

• Streaming from: 25 November

This is one of the most highly-anticipated shows on the way from any streaming service, not just Prime Video – a revival of the storied Blade Runner universe starring all-new characters and telling another story of replicants just trying to get by in a brutal world of humans.

The big question for 2099 is whether it can bring the sort of visual flair and panache that Denis Villeneuve established with his phenomenal 2049, a movie so good that I'd argue it transcends the original in a few ways. Can Prime Video's visual effects team manage such a feat? How will that extra 50 years in the timeline make things look? I can't wait to find out.

The Assassin (Season 2)

• Streaming from: 6 November

For a less highfalutin bit of content, the second season of this fun Keeley Hawes show should be a super reliable option right at the start of the month. She returns as the seemingly mild-mannered assassin who gives the show its title, once again being forced into action in a way that will complicate her home life.

This time her son, who's not remotely thrilled about her line of work, has to ask for help when his fiance is kidnapped. That'll set Hawes off on the trail of some properly dastardly criminals. Thankfully, though, and unlike so many crime shows of the sort, it's not super grim, and instead has quite a fun tone that keeps things a little lighter.

Madden

• Streaming from: 18 November

I'll be fascinated to see how much of a ripple this one makes here in the UK, where American Football remains a pretty niche interest. John Madden is one of the great names in the history of the sport, though, and the fact that this biopic is from David O. Russell means it promises quite a lot.

Nic Cage stars as the main man, complete with quite the physical transformation, while Christian Bale takes the stage too, as his right-hand man Al Davis. They're looking like quite the double act in the trailers released so far, and the story of how a tactical genius became a pop-culture icon should be a really entertaining watch.

Perfect Liars

• Streaming from: 20 November

Love triangles are basically the main driver of the streaming economy at this point, and if you're on the lookout for some steamy action this month on Prime Video, I think this is your best bet. A Spanish-language thriller with clear throughlines of romance and ill-fated love, it looks like a pretty fun choice for a silly evening.

It tells the story of the Cash brothers, rich and powerful young men who think they're untouchable. That is, they think so until the arrival of Jude Derry, a young woman with a singular focus on infiltrating their lives, driving them apart and teaching them a lesson they've long deserved.

I love the idea of a digital camera that deliberately makes life a little less convenient. The new Flashback One75 is designed to recreate the experience of shooting on film, complete with a mechanical wind-on lever, traditional viewfinder and the anticipation of waiting to see your pictures. The twist? It's actually a digital camera, so there's no film to buy or expensive developing fees to worry about.

Inspired by half-frame cameras from the 1970s, the One75 has a rather handsome retro design, with aluminium top and bottom plates, brass controls and a faux leather front panel. There's even a built-in Xenon flash, while the portrait-oriented viewfinder encourages you to shoot vertically rather than in the usual landscape format.

A digital camera with an analogue attitude

The One75 uses a 13MP sensor to capture digital images, but rather than offering unlimited shots and instant previews, it works with rolls of 27 photos. You have to advance the mechanical winder between shots, just as you would with a traditional film camera, while a small OLED display on top keeps track of how many exposures you have left.

There are eight built-in film-inspired looks to choose from, controlled using the camera's brass dial, alongside a double exposure mode that combines two photographs into one. There's also a 25mm threaded mount for compatible filters and additional lenses, plus a tripod socket and self-timer.

Once you've finished a roll, you can transfer your images to the Flashback app using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or connect the camera to a computer via USB-C. That's where the 24-hour twist comes in. Choose Film Camera Mode and you'll have to wait a full day before your photos become available, recreating the anticipation of getting a roll of film developed. If you're less patient, Digicam Mode lets you access your pictures immediately.

You can also export DNG RAW files directly to a computer, giving you more flexibility to edit your shots. Flashback claims the rechargeable battery will last for around 15 rolls on a single charge.

How much does the Flashback One75 cost?

The Flashback One75 is available to preorder now, priced at £139.95 in the UK and $179 in the US. Deliveries are expected before Christmas 2026, with a complimentary camera case included while stocks last.

There are two finishes to choose from: Anodized Noir and Brushed Aluminum, both featuring a distinctive orange accent across the front.

I love the idea of having a screen built into my clothing rather than having to strap another device to my wrist. Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new type of electronic fibre that can turn an ordinary sleeve into a touchscreen display. This brings us a step closer to wearable technology that actually looks and feels like clothing.

Unlike existing smartwatches and wearable displays, this isn't a rigid screen attached to fabric. The technology is built directly into the fibres, allowing the material itself to display images and video, respond to finger presses and connect wirelessly to other devices.

The team, led by Assistant Professor Tural Khudiyev, has demonstrated the technology using 54 electronic fibres woven into the forearm of a sleeve. Each fibre contains 96 LEDs, combining to create a 96 x 54-pixel display measuring 168 x 105mm.

The resolution isn't going to compete with your smartphone just yet, but the prototype can already do some interesting things. It can display photographs, play video at 30 frames per second, run a calculator and work as a compass. It can also receive images over Bluetooth and respond to voice commands.

There's more going on beneath the surface, too. Additional electronic fibres provide a microphone, speaker and sensors that can detect movement, temperature, magnetic direction and ambient light. That means the sleeve can even measure body temperature and display the reading directly on the fabric.

How does the touchscreen sleeve work?

Each fibre measures just 1mm across and contains thousands of interconnected microelectronic components, with separate layers responsible for displaying images and detecting touch.

When you press the fabric, a touch-sensitive layer completes an electrical circuit, identifying where your finger landed and illuminating the nearest pixel. It's a sophisticated arrangement which allows the sleeve to register multiple touches at once.

Importantly, it doesn't mean sacrificing the practical benefits of ordinary clothing. The researchers tested the prototype through 50 machine-washing cycles using detergent and 1,000 bends around a 5mm radius, with almost no change in display brightness or touch response. The material is also reported to be as breathable as cotton, polyester and denim.

There's still plenty of development work to do. The team wants to improve display resolution, integrate more sensors and eventually introduce on-device AI. Healthcare is one potential application, with future garments able to monitor physiological information and display it directly to the wearer.

I can see this being interesting as an alternative to smartwatches, especially if the technology can eventually be incorporated into everyday jackets, shirts and sportswear. We're not quite at the point where I can check my messages on my sleeve, but I'd happily swap a wrist-mounted screen for something like this.

In the past couple of years, the headphones market has gone stratospheric – there are loads more over-ear entries from top brands, particularly those trying to persuade you of their high-end kudos and, therefore, give greater reason for you to part with ever more significant sums of cash.

As the top-end of the market is now so saturated, however, it seems there's an almost anti-movement in contraflow. Case in point: Philips Fidelio's all-new L5 over-ear headphones, on review here, which fully depart from the previous model – but, crucially, also sink the price down far lower.

The timing is canny, as the Fidelio isn't the sole player in this price bracket. Other brands have spotted this circa-£/$200 sweet spot, with the Bose QuietComfort SC and even Sony's WH-1000XM4C vying for their place. So can the L5 hold its own? The price is a major factor – and a big part of the reason why the answer is a confident 'yes'.

Price & Availability

The Philips Fidelio L5 can be purchased right now, priced at £179 in the UK and €199.99 in much of Europe.

The headphones ought to be sold Stateside, too, but there's no current pricing or availability as yet – but assume in the $200-250 range if competitiveness is to remain.

That's a really strong price for this product's feature set – which I'll get to in a moment – especially in context of the older Fidelio L4, which was priced at £/$349!

Features & What's New?

I shan't mention the previous Fidelio L4 from here on out, though, as it's not intended to be comparable to the newer Fidelio L5. Design, positioning and price tell you that.

Straight out of the box and the L5 cuts a distinctive visual. There's a flourish of amber-bronze colour on the arms, for example, which also fold the earcups down – although not for storage in the included case, where the headphones tuck in at full size.

Headline features here include active noise-cancelling (ANC), which even when switched on can see the headphones last for up to 50 hours thanks to a large battery. That doesn't affect the weight too much, as the 239g mass is fairly typical.

The latest Bluetooth 6.0 allows multi-connection, but there's also Auracast should relevant sources be transmitting – that'll allow for, say, easy connection to a TV in your local gym.

Predominantly designed for wireless transmission, therefore, the Fidelio L5 will receive your favourite streaming service no troubles, but is also compatible with AAC, SBC and even LDAC – the last of which is Hi-Res Audio capable.

Continuing with Hi-Res Audio support, the USB-C port is also available for wired listening, at up to 24-bit/96kHz, should you have the file types to feed these over-ears. There's a cable in the case, too.

Sound & ANC

A key reason for buying a pair of headphones, of course, comes down to the sound quality. And the Philips Fidelio L5 are largely impressive over-ears – especially so in their price bracket.

The frequency range is wide, with 20Hz at the low end and 40kHz at the upper end of the spectrum. With ANC activated that's tangible, too, from my various listening sessions over a number of days.

That said, I will caveat that by saying it's not always the most coherent compared to some pricier headphones that I own. They're also not quite as loud – not that I've been maxing out, just needing an extra touch of volume.

There's no doubt the L5's soundstage is wide and well-spaced; just sometimes the highs can sound a little detached from the bassier rhythms – and the low-mid can lack cleanliness in some sections of music.

That's only as I've been A-B testing them with the far pricier Sonos Ace Ultra, mind, as is isolation you'd never think these are headphones at almost half the price. And that's precisely what the L5's mass appeal is going to be.

The active noise-cancellation (ANC) is also adept, offering On/Off/Aware settings in the Philips Headphones app, plus an 'Adaptive' toggle to further finesse the results based on fit.

With that toggled on, I didn't hear my Ring doorbell go (oops), then when out for a windy lunchtime walk the passing cars' engines were suitably diminished. Even the on-board mics did a good job of avoiding wind 'tear' from rushing air – impressively so.

Design & Battery

I've found wearing the Fidelio L5 to be comfortable, as the earcups and headband are soft, the weight is well-judged, and there's no bothersome clamping force at all – without the fit ever feeling loose.

However, the coating of those earcups and headband can get warm, as I noticed even when wearing them while sitting at my desk. The English summer is well and truly over, so to get a little surface sweat doesn't bode well for hotter months.

I did also find that the headband could slowly move position forwards on the head, changing the sound profile slightly. And you'll want to seat these cans as best as possible for the most direct listen.

Much as I've gone on about the sensible price tag, it's worth reiterating again. Last year's Bose QC Ultra Headphones 2, for example, I received in white – and they looked like budget, plasticky headphones. The Philips look far better.

The look is also a notable departure from brand's earlier round earcups, with the L5 sporting nicely curved vessels that, I must say, echo Sony's design to a degree. In a good way, though. The look and feel here is just far beyond what you'll be paying.

Around the right earcup you'll find a line of embossed dots, guiding you to the touch-control zone where a swipe can adjust the volume both up and down. Cycling through ANC is handled by a neighbouring button, though, while play/pause uses another separate button too.

Battery life, meanwhile, is certainly knocking on the door of what's claimed. Noted, I was listening at higher volumes, but the app's percentage overview will keep you abreast of how much power is left in the tank – not that you'll need to look often, as 50 hours might get you through a week or more.

The app design is generally clean and clear, should you not want to use the on-body controls, with a Sound Effect section even offering a nine-band EQ, separate four-axis Neural EQ option, plus some presets.

When not playing back using LDAC, there's a Spatial Audio setting, but its Lounge and Cafe options just sound like a guitar pedal has been applied – a mistake in my view that, funnily enough, Sony's latest headphones also offer.

Verdict

The Philips Fidelio L5 over-ear headphones act as a big reset for the brand – and a bold move into pricing territory that will bring huge appeal. On that basis alone, frugal buyers will bypass Sony's latest XM4C over-ears – and won't regret doing so, either.

The feature set at this price is solid to say the least, with active noise-cancelling (ANC) that does a good job, plus a wide-ranging sound profile that can hit the highs and lows – just not with quite as much coherence nor cleanliness as some pricier rivals.

However, with a sophisticated-looking design, included carry case, option for USB-C wired listening in addition to LDAC Hi-Res over Bluetooth 6.0, the Fidelio L5 has a bustling feature set that's impossible to deny – and a battery life that can last an age too.

Also Consider

Most new headphones cost a pretty penny these days, so the core competition for Philips' latest is really going to be Bose's "Soft Case" (SC) version of its QuietComfort headphones, or Sony's "relaunch" of its WH-1000XM4 classic, hence 'XM4C' name. The latter are objectively better, but the price jump isn't immediate justification.

Push the price envelope a little further, for the sake of far superior materials in the build, however, and you'll arrive at Bowers & Wilkins' PX7 S3, which are on offer at the time of writing – and therefore not outlandishly out of reach. The ANC is fairly mild, but the finish and sheer sound quality are unquestionable.

Casio has a knack for producing watches that become cultural phenomena, with the CasiOak probably being the best recent example of how the Japanese watchmaker can turn a relatively affordable timepiece into something that appeals to people who might never have considered wearing a G-SHOCK before.

The new G-SHOCK 2500 Series looks destined for a similar reception, but its arrival has certainly stirred the community, with plenty of people questioning its design and functionality, and some even asking whether it deserves to be called a proper G-SHOCK.

I've been wearing the all-metal GMC-2500D-1A for over a week now, and judging by the reactions to T3’s social media posts, people have some pretty strong opinions about it.

Some have called it the ShockTilus, while others prefer Casionaut, a nickname that seems more likely to stick given the watch's resemblance to certain luxury sports watches and the enormous success of the CasiOak before it.

Beyond the comparisons and creative nicknames, though, I was curious whether Casio's fully analogue experiment could live up to the hype, especially given how different it is from the digital G-SHOCKs most people know and love.

Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A at a glance

The GMC-2500D-1A is part of Casio's new fully analogue 2500 Series, which reinterprets the design of the original DW-5000C with a more traditional watch face and a distinctive rotating disc that doubles as a seconds indicator.

The stainless steel model feels substantial without being excessively bulky, measuring 46.7 x 43.8 x 12.9mm and weighing 138 grams. Being a G-SHOCK, it’s shock-resistant and also offers 200 metres of water resistance.

You also get an automatic calendar, an LED light, and a 30-minute stopwatch, though the latter works quite differently from the straightforward digital chronographs Casio fans might be used to.

One particularly interesting feature is the Shock Release Hand, which uses a magnetic holding mechanism to protect the minute hand from impacts.

It lets the watch retain its legendary toughness despite its more traditional, mechanical-looking arrangement.

Battery life is rated at approx. two years, but Casio says you can extend it to around five years by disabling the constantly moving seconds indicator, an interesting compromise I'll come back to later.

What is the Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A like on the wrist?

I'll start with something that might upset a few traditional G-SHOCK fans: I really like this watch, especially how Casio has created something that feels completely different from its existing digital models without losing the brand's unmistakable character.

The GMC-2500D-1A feels excellent on the wrist, with a reassuring solidity that feels substantial without becoming uncomfortable, while the stainless steel construction gives it a more sophisticated appearance than its resin-clad siblings.

What I appreciate most is that Casio has committed to a fully analogue interpretation of the G-SHOCK concept, a design that feels more like a conventional sports watch than a typical multifunctional digital timepiece.

It looks so good that you almost forget you could probably throw it out of a window without much damage, though I should point out I haven't actually tested that theory.

That doesn't mean the construction is perfect, and I'd change a few things if I had the opportunity.

For starters, the bracelet links feel slightly loose compared to the tighter, more refined construction of the Q Timex 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue, and I'd much prefer a tool-free system that would make removing or adding links easier when adjusting the fit.

The buttons are also surprisingly hard to press, especially when using the stopwatch, though I suspect most people buying this watch won't spend much time using that function.

The prominent "G-SHOCK PROTECTION" lettering embossed around the bezel is another pain point for some. I don't mind it, but I can see why some people find it distracting, especially compared with the more understated branding common on conventional analogue watches.

I wouldn't be surprised if Casio eventually introduced a version with a cleaner bezel and more discreet branding.

Is the Casio G-SHOCK 2500 Series missing the point?

One of the most common criticisms I've encountered is the lack of familiar G-SHOCK features, with people pointing out that the GMC-2500D-1A doesn't offer a countdown timer, world time or an alarm, and that even setting the time isn't especially intuitive.

I find the stopwatch function a bit more involved than necessary, requiring several button presses and a wait while the rotating disc moves into position. It feels unnecessarily complicated for something you can do almost instantly on a smartphone.

I can't really imagine using it regularly, but I also wonder whether people are comparing the 2500 Series to the wrong watches, since this is clearly intended to offer a different experience from Casio's feature-packed digital models.

Yes, digital G-SHOCKs offer considerably more functionality, often for significantly less money, but I'm not entirely sure how Casio squeezed in all those extra features without compromising the simplicity of the analogue design.

The criticism of battery life is perhaps more understandable, especially since two years isn't especially impressive for a watch without fitness tracking, notifications, or other power-hungry features commonly associated with smartwatches.

Casio's own G-SHOCK GBD models can offer similar battery longevity while providing considerably more functionality, so I can see why some people might feel the GMC-2500D-1A should last longer between battery replacements.

You can extend battery life by disabling the seconds indicator, but it feels like sacrificing one of the watch's most charming design features. I’m not saying it defeats the purpose of buying the G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A, but it does take away one of its main attractions.

A solar-powered version would make sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if Casio introduced one eventually, though there's no guarantee such a model is currently in development.

Personally, the limited functions bother me far less than they seem to bother others, because I see the GMC-2500D-1A primarily as an attractive, incredibly tough analogue watch rather than a replacement for the multifunctional G-SHOCKs we've worn for decades.

Is the Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A worth the money?

At £300, the GMC-2500D-1A is the most expensive model in the new 2500 Series, though the collection starts at a much more accessible £110 for the resin models, making the design available to people who don't want to pay extra for stainless steel.

As much as I've enjoyed wearing the metal version, I suspect I'd actually prefer the lighter, all-resin option, partly because the material feels more intrinsically G-SHOCK to me and partly because I think the design would work brilliantly as a more affordable everyday watch.

That's not to suggest metal watches don't belong in the G-SHOCK family, of course. The MR-G and GMW-B5000 collections are excellent examples of how well Casio can work with premium materials, and even its cheaper metal watches have a charm that's hard to replicate elsewhere.

That said, the combination of a fully analogue dial and traditional G-SHOCK resin construction feels just right, and I'm keen to see how the two versions compare (when I eventually get my hands on the cheaper model).

I can see why the 2500 Series has divided opinion, especially among long-time Casio enthusiasts who have grown accustomed to getting enormous functionality for relatively little money, but that's precisely why I find the new collection so interesting.

The Japanese watchmaker has created something that feels genuinely fresh while remaining unmistakably G-SHOCK, and I suspect the CasioNaut will eventually become as recognisable as the CasiOak, particularly given its affordable entry point and the attention it's already generating.

I certainly wouldn't bet against Casio introducing new colours, materials and variations in the coming years, either, as watches that generate this much discussion rarely disappear without leaving some kind of mark.

After spending over a week with the GMC-2500D-1A, I can confirm that its greatest strength is just how well it combines traditional watch aesthetics with G-SHOCK toughness. It offers something different compared to its feature-rich siblings. And it looks nice, too.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely, provided you're buying it for what it is rather than what you wish it could do, because if you need alarms, timers and world time, Casio already makes plenty of watches that offer all those functions, often for considerably less money.

The G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A will be available to buy from XXX at Casio. The recommended retail price in the UK is £300.

It's been a good few years since the Stanley tumbler craze first took off, but they're still as popular as ever. Whether it's their insulated walls or handy handles, people clearly haven't fallen out of love with them. So, when this latest lookalike landed in my inbox, I knew I had to take a closer look.

At first glance, the Fridja F600 looks like another Stanley-inspired tumbler, but it actually does quite a bit more. It's a portable smoothie maker with a double-walled, stainless steel insulated cup, allowing you to blend fresh smoothies, protein shakes and other drinks in seconds, then keep them cold for up to six hours.

It's also reasonably priced, with an RRP of £79.99. You can find it through Fridja's online store (currently reduced to £69.99) and Amazon if you fancy taking a closer look.

The F600 has a 500ml capacity and features six stainless steel blades spinning at 18,000 RPM. Once you've finished blending, the motorised blender head detaches and can be swapped for a leakproof travel lid, so you can drink straight from the cup.

It's powered by two 1,500mAh batteries, which provide roughly 10 blends per charge via USB-C. Weighing just 792g, it also has a full-size moulded carry handle, making it easy to take with you when you leave the house.

If you're someone who regularly makes smoothies or protein shakes on the go, this could be one of the smartest purchases you make all year.

I've used a fair few high-end laptops in the last few months – it's been a busy time in the PC laptop market, and now Apple has added to things by launching its most significant MacBook Pro revision in a while.

The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display and Touch is quite the name, but in fairness to Apple, it does describe exactly what's new about the laptop. It's the MacBook Pro, but with some telling upgrades, in the form of a gorgeous new OLED display, Dynamic Island and a touch screen for the first time on any Mac.

Crucially, it also starts from £2,899 or $2,899, making it the sort of laptop that most people probably can't really countenance picking up. That pricing isn't really a surprise, given the weeks of leaks and rumours, but it makes for an interesting comparison to the PC market right now.

Apple has always had the advantage of clarity compared to Windows laptops, where there are dozens of big brands making laptops, all of them with one of dozens of different chips from Intel, AMD, Qualcomm and now Nvidia. The RTX Spark just launched, bringing a new wave of expensive laptops that run Nvidia's first laptop chip, muddying the waters even further.

I spent a week using the gorgeous Asus ProArt P14 with the RTX Spark powering it, and while I came away with the impression that Nvidia's new hardware is a serious factor for the laptop market moving forward, its pricing still didn't really wash out for me.

That laptop starts at £2,699.99 or $2,599.99, actually making it a little cheaper than Apple's new machine, which is quite a surprise in isolation. It really calls into question, for me, who these machines are for.

I say "calls into question", but I actually think most tech enthusiasts will know the answer. These laptops are for developers and those with creative processes that really need the best and most powerful processors, along with the most accurate screens and controls.

The simple fact is that easily 95% of people looking for a new laptop would be better off plumping for the latest MacBook Air, saving more than £1,000 or $1,000 compared to these high-end options. The Air will do everything you want from it, unless what you want is non-stop 4K video processing and deeply complex AI pipeline work.

Perhaps you had already intuited that answer just from watching the way Apple launched its new MacBook Pro – with an in-person event and some teasers on social media, but nothing globally live to rival the way it debuted the iPhone Duo. That's because the Duo, despite its own chunky price, will actually be a mainstream product.

The new MacBook Pro will not, in my view; it'll be for those who need the latest and greatest, but its innovations will now trickle down to more reasonably-priced Apple laptops over the next couple of years. A great example is that Dynamic Island – there's no way it remains exclusive to this machine for long.

Still, I can't help but feel that we're in a period where tech launches can involve a little bit of misdirection. Apple knows full well that this laptop isn't for the masses, but the price hikes that have hit across the board mean that it's increasingly hard to work out what laptop is for normal people.

It's easy to make marketing spiels about touch screens and OLED panels, but as long as they're this expensive, they're likely to continue being side notes for normal customers. It turns out that goes for Apple just as much as it does for Nvidia.

I don’t know about you, but October has felt like it’s flown by! Despite being a quick month, October has also been extremely busy, especially in the world of men’s fragrances and colognes.

With the autumn season upon us, the latest October fragrance launches have been full of darker notes, like leather, oud and musk. Some of the scents on this list add some brightness to these deeper, more dramatic layers with things like citrus and lavender, while others really lean into the darkness with bold spices, tobacco and alcohol.

If you’re on the lookout for a new favourite bottle, here are the nine best fragrance launches from October 2026, featuring the likes of Tom Ford, Dior, Montblanc, Armani, Loewe and more.

Men’s fragrances from October 2026

In case you somehow missed the memo, it's very much spooky season – in fact, there's a good chance you're reading this either on Halloween itself, or on the weekend during which it falls this year.

That also means that you might well, like many of us, be casting about to try to work out what scary movie you should watch this weekend, in honour of the time of year. I'm not the biggest horror movie fan in the world, but I love to be frightened every so often, and I've been making an effort to watch some creepy stuff this month.

I started out the month with Don't Look Now, a classic I'd never seen (one that's stayed with me impressively in the weeks since), but my top pick is actually going to go to a far more modern picture – one with a fairly stunning 4K release that you should try to watch it on.

Sinners was a sensation when it came out in 2025, and it feels like an established part of the canon even though it's only been out for around 18 months. That's quite impressive, and it also gave me one of my best cinematic memories of recent years. I saw it on IMAX 70mm film in New York, at the AMC Lincoln Square 13, when it was reissued in the run-up to the Oscars.

It was a gorgeous viewing experience, and it ensured that I wanted to pick the film up on 4K disc when I got the chance. This past weekend I watched it on that disc, and while I can't pretend it quite matched the IMAX, it was still an example of how good modern releases can look.

Sinners is a seriously gorgeous movie to look at and listen to, after all, from its very opening moments in the harsh sun of a plantation to its long night full of terrors and violence. It's sumptuously lit and colour-graded, and whether it's in the sequences filmed on IMAX (which fill your whole TV's screen) or the widescreen sections, it's the sort of 4K release that'll have you pausing or rewinding to really take certain moments in fully.

That goes doubly for its sound, which is absolutely top-grade. The 4K release has a Dolby Atmos mix, a perfect pairing with the Sonos Beam Ultra I've been using since its release, and it really is as full and detailed as you could possibly want. There are two absolutely bravura musical sequences in the film, one indoors and one out, that I won't spoil for those who haven't seen it – but they're pretty life-changing when experienced on a good surround sound system.

A crucial detail that I think could sway some folks, too: Sinners isn't actually all that scary. It has explosions of violence and some gory effects, sure, but it's really quite an upbeat film for much of its length, and other horror hits like Obsession or The Backrooms are far more overtly terrifying.

So, if you're in the mood for an epic Halloween viewing session, this is my top pick for the weekend. I actively challenge you not to enjoy it.

No month goes by now in a way that you could honestly call "quiet", for either Netflix or its biggest rival, Amazon Prime Video. When you want to be the apex predator in the world of streaming, you have to keep a steady stream of new shows and movies coming to keep people feeling like their subscription is worthwhile.

Some people might find that deluge of stuff to watch a little overwhelming, which is where I come in. If you're eyeing up the next month of your life, with a Netflix subscription in hand, and wondering what new shows or movies might be arriving, I've narrowed things down. Below, you'll find the five highlights that I think will be worth watching during November on Netflix, all of them being added during the month.

Black Doves (Season 2)

• Streaming from: 5 November

I don't think anyone really saw Black Doves coming last year. Keira Knightley stepping into the frame as a leading woman in a mature spy drama? Sign us up – and millions of people agreed, with the British series doing huge numbers for Netflix and promptly getting renewed. Like The Diplomat, this one seems to be set up for annual seasons, which is refreshing.

This time around, Knightley's character is even more exposed than before. She's gone from being a politician's wife to that of the actual Prime Minister, which comes with a huge amount more scrutiny. When her actual spywork starts to spill out into the public, her cover story will be stretched to the limits, and we'll clearly get to see some brilliant action once again.

The Altruists

• Streaming from: 19 November

Hollywood and the streaming platforms are fairly obsessed with the stories of the various giants of Big Tech that seem to decide all of our fates at the moment, and that includes those of them who've been proven as charlatans. They don't come much bigger than Sam Bankman-Fried, whose platform, FTX, exploded so publicly some years ago.

This limited series explores the story of how Bankman-Fried and his business partner Caroline Ellison got started, and tries to delve into the motivations that led them to some disastrous and criminal decisions. Starring Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle, it looks like a pretty well-timed show about the perils of trusting snake oil salesmen.

Heartland

• Streaming from: 13 November

If you're in the mood for a gritty thriller with a twist, then I suspect Heartland could be a real hit when it arrives early in the month. Starring the excellent Jessica Chastain as a country megastar who comes back home to Nashville to find her missing niece, it promises an amazing soundtrack despite what is actually quite a serious and depressing tone.

Chastain will encounter an underbelly in this Mecca for music, and discover that people she thought she could trust might not be so reliable. In fact, the trailer makes it look like she'll basically become a vigilante at a certain point, and I expect the movie to have a super stressful denouement.

Gentle Monster

• Streaming from: 18 November

If you're on the lookout for a drama that takes itself significantly more seriously, then you should keep an eye on Gentle Monster, which will hit Netflix midway through the month after some time in cinemas. It looks absolutely devastating, taking a sophisticated look at the emotional fallout and complications that arise when someone is accused of a terrible crime.

Probably the most interesting facet of the film, not having seen it, is that it doesn't just examine the family life of the accused – it also takes a look at the struggles faced by one of those investigating him. This hints at a level of empathy and sympathy that could make for a really heart-wrenching watch.

Possible Love

• Streaming from: 6 November

I remember absolutely loving Lee Chang-dong's film Burning when I saw it in the cinema a few years ago – but I would have told you it was way more recent than 2018. That's a sign that it's long overdue for him to make another movie, and Possible Love looks like it could be another emotional epic from this brilliant Korean filmmaker.

It's a little hard to work out what its plot will be, but it seems to revolve around a couple that meets another couple, and the strange intersections of their desires and habits. As one couple begins to make a movie about the other, questions of authenticity, performance, and more, will all bubble to the fore, but it's the emotional realism that looks likely to make the most lasting impact.

When I want to feel healthy, the first thing I get is a nutrient-rich juice. But the prices of cold pressed juices and – my personal favourite – ginger shots are absolutely extortionate, so I’ve been in the market for a juicer for quite some time.

Enter the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer. Launched in May 2026, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer joined the brand’s growing collection of juicers with its extra-large capacity, compact design and affordability.

I’ve been using the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer for a while now, and have juiced almost every fruit and vegetable in sight. It’s quickly become one of my favourite kitchen appliances despite a few quirks – here’s why.

Price and availability

The Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer is available to buy for £59.99 at Russell Hobbs and select retailers, like Argos. At time of writing, it’s discounted to £34.99. It comes in stone or raspberry colours.

Unboxing and set up

Putting the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer wasn’t as simple as I expected. It arrived in a large cardboard box with the main juicer base and motor, pulp collector, chute pusher, cleaning brush, and an instruction manual. It came already assembled, but once I’d given it a wipe down and prepared my ingredients, I realised that its interlocking system would take some time for me to get used to.

The Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer has an in-built interlock system that’s secure, prevents leaks and spills, and ensures there’s no bare blades flying around. This system is designed to make product assembly quick and easy, and while I found it simple to take apart, putting it together was a different story.

To put the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer together, I placed the main base on my countertop which immediately stuck in place due to its sticky feet which were very handy and surprisingly strong. Next, I attached the part of the juicer with the spout and inserted the blade on the top.

These parts slotted together easily, but the pulp collector and top cover was what fooled me. The pulp collector needs to slip on the back of the base and lock together, but that takes quite a bit of practice. Once it was in place, I added the main cover and chute on the top, and to lock it all in place, I moved the silver locking ‘handle’ over the top.

I’ve tested many appliances for T3, and found the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer to be one of the fiddliest gadgets to put together. However, once it was assembled, it remained locked, was easy to use, and nice and quick to disassemble for cleaning.

Design and features

Despite being one of Russell Hobbs’ largest juicers, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer is surprisingly compact. It measures 31.2cm in height, 26cm in width and 18.8cm in diameter, and an overall weight of 3.1kg. It can easily fit on your countertop, and it also packs away nicely.

The base of the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer has a 400W motor which reaches 850W of peak power. It has an on/off button on the side which are the only controls you get with the juicer, as it has a single-speed operation. Once you turn it on, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer immediately starts spinning the blades for juicing.

The Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer can tackle any fruit or vegetable you throw at it and produces juice and pulp extremely quickly. The pulp collector has a large 1.6-litre capacity which catches pulp, skin and seeds, and to ensure the blade comes in contact with your ingredients, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer comes with a chute pusher which slots into the 62mm feeding tube.

Performance

After I got through the fiddly assembly process, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer was incredibly simple to use – as you’d expect with a single-speed juicer. I liked that there was only one control, although some people might want more speed options – but then you’ll be inevitably paying a lot more.

I have made litres upon litres of juice with the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer, including homemade orange juice, ginger shots, and my favourite juice of apple, carrot, ginger and lemon. The Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer has never failed me, and despite being very loud – which I’d argue is to be expected with this type of appliance – it tears through fruit and vegetables quickly, even harder ingredients like carrots.

When using the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer, I’d recommend adding your ingredients to the slot with the power off, then turning it on when you have the chute pusher in place. If you don’t, fruit and veg will fly out of the chute as the blade spins around insanely fast.

The biggest thing I noticed when using the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer was its powerful extraction and separation. It produces juices very quickly, and I never noticed any pulp or seeds finding their way into my juice. When decanting into bottles, I double strained but again, I found no pulp and minimal foam.

As is the case with juicers, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer produced a lot of pulp. Luckily, this is easily disposed of in food waste. Clean-up is extensive, as you’re cleaning the chute, blade, spout, pulp collector, and the machine itself can get a little dirty. But, all parts are dishwasher safe so it was a simple process.

Verdict

When looking for a juicer, I didn’t expect to find one that was inexpensive and actually performed excellently, but that’s what I found with the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer. It’s not the most high-tech or feature-packed option, but it makes delicious juice quickly, powerfully and with no pulp or foam issues – what more could you want, really?

The assembly will definitely test you – it tests me every time I use it! But aside from its fiddliness and loud noise, the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer can’t be beaten in terms of cost, power and speed.

Alternatives to consider

If you’re working on a low budget, the Nutribullet Juicer is a good alternative to the Russell Hobbs JuiceLuxe Juicer. It looks more like a food processor, but it’s simple, quick and has a good capacity – although it produces quite foamy juices.

For those who want to spend a bit more money, the Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer is expensive and heavy, but can be used to make juice, smoothies and even baby food. It’s powerful, high quality and is great for those who are serious about healthy eating.

My Arcade has been making retro gaming devices for many a year, with classic games appearing on mini arcade machines and all manner of form factors. However, it really struck gold with its Atari Gamestation Go handheld released a year ago.

Now it's back with a follow-up, and this edition is arguably even better. The Gamestation Retro Go has a similar form factor, with an 8-inch 4:3 high-resolution display, additional buttons, and more than 200 officially licensed games.

This latter aspect is important. Most retro gaming handhelds – Evercade aside – come packed with emulators and if games are included, they are generally sourced in a highly dubious manner. Yeah, you often get a microSD card packed with thousands of roms, but the chances of any of them being legitimate is close to zero.

Not so the Gamestation Retro Go. Thanks to deals with Bandai Namco, Capcom, Jaleco and Piko Interactive, every game available on this particular handheld is fully authorised.

That includes Street Fighter II, Final Fight, 1942, Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug. We're still awaiting a full list, but considering the licensees are among the biggest arcade game manufacturers of all time, you can bet it'll include many favourites.

The console is set for release on 18 December 2026, with a US price of $199.99. We're still awaiting UK pricing and release details, but it's now on pre-order at GameStop in the States.

Canadian gamers can also pre-order one from EB Games in your homeland, for CA$279.99.

Hopefully, a UK retailer will emerge soon, too. Amazon and Argos currently list the Atari Gamestation Go for £149.99, so that could be an indication on how much and where we could see the new handheld over here.

And who knows what price that might end up at around Black Friday time?

If there's one sale worth keeping an eye on this Black Friday, it's Argos. The retailer is calling this its biggest Black Friday sale ever, with a full month of deals running both in-store and online.

After a quick look, it's safe to say there are plenty of products to browse, ranging from the best power bank to the best dehumidifiers. Argos is also bringing back its Price Guarantee, giving shoppers peace of mind that prices on their wishlist won't drop any further before Christmas.

As someone who loves a good bargain, I've been browsing the offers to pick out the gadgets I think are worth buying before they sell out, and you'll find each one below.

How much is too much for a Kindle? It's a question that feels more relevant than ever now that Amazon has launched its 2026 lineup – which are more expensive than ever.

With the Kindle Paperwhite (typically our top choice) and Colorsoft due out in November, the first to actually go on sale is the standard Kindle.

It's been given its most substantial makeover in years, too, with an all-new aluminium option (32GB only, as reviewed) that really does make this ereader feel more premium.

However, with a price hike on not just this new model but also older ones, the question of whether it's worth it has become more complicated than ever. Here's my take:

Price and Availability

The new Kindle is available now, and comes in a few flavours, complicatedly.

Its standard, plastic-backed version (not on review here) comes with a new flush screen, bringing it in line with its fancier siblings, but you can also upgrade to the Aluminium model (on review) that's significantly fancier-feeling in the hand.

For the standard version with ads, you'll be looking at £134.99 here in the UK, or $149.99 in the US, with 16GB of memory. If you want it without ads, that'll be £149.99 or $169.99 in the US.

For the Kindle Aluminium, which comes with 32GB of memory as standard, you'll instead need to pay £169.99 or $189.99 – and there's no version of this one that comes with ads, so it's just a single upgrade option.

Navigating these different versions on Amazon's storefront is honestly pretty confusing, and I suspect the giant retailer is going to have a hard time directing people to the right option when they search for "Kindles".

What's most surprising about this roll-out, though, is that it's brought price hikes to older Kindles, too. For example, the last-gen Kindle is now also £134.99 – up from £84.99 just a few weeks ago. That's almost 60% more.

Finally, this all means that the gap between the Kindle Aluminium and the cheapest new Paperwhite is now really quite slim, at just £25 here in the UK, and that's again a really troublesome purchasing dilemma.

Design and Features

Amazon sent the metal version of the new Kindle for this review, meaning I can't provide hands-on comments about how the non-metal version holds up. Therefore, treat this as the 'Kindle Aluminium' review – that's what Argos is calling this model.

As the entry-level option, the Kindle has spent a long time feeling plastic and cheap in the hand, all about function over form, but that's banished by this new design.

Aluminium now means it's hard to argue with the impression that this is the best-feeling base Kindle ever. It's weightier and feels far sturdier than the last-generation Kindle I tested in 2024, but is also sleeker and easier to fit into pockets and sleeves.

It comes in two finishes: Seagrass Green Aluminium or Alpine Sky Aluminium (the Graphite and Ube options aren't aluminium, so disregard those). The green model I've been using is really quite lovely, and catches the light gorgeously.

It features just a single button, to the upper-right edge of the screen, which wakes and sleeps the device. The bottom edge of the reader houses the USB-C port for charging and connecting it, along with two screws that gesture at its replaceable battery (per EU rules) – a welcome change that means one of these Kindles could last far longer.

On the front, meanwhile, things are now very flat. There's a tiny raised edge right around the perimeter of the device, to help it lie flat without scratching its screen on surfaces, but otherwise it's one big pane.

The display is a 6-inch one, just like before, and it retains many of the same features as the last-generation Kindle, for better or worse.

This means it's almost identical in terms of clarity and sharpness, and packs the same sort of backlight, which can be dimmed but not changed in terms of warmth.

There's also still no weatherproofing in the design, despite the big revamp, so you won't want to drop this in the bath or anything like that. Fancier Kindles do cater to this side of things better.

It is, however, faster, thanks to new internals. Amazon reckons books open around 30% quicker, but I still found it a little slow in general use compared to my Paperwhite. That said, you get used to its cadence very quickly, so it's hardly an issue at all.

Battery life still stands at up to six weeks of regular reading between charges, so there's no real change there, and the software hasn't changed significantly, either. This means that the experience of using this new Kindle is familiar and fairly intuitive.

There are some new accessories, though. A remote clicker is useful for those who want to prop their Kindle up and turn pages with a little pointer – but at £31.99 or $34.99 it feels pretty steep.

The same goes for Amazon's (admittedly lovely) fabric or leatherette cases. The latter attaches magnetically to the Kindle Aluminium really brilliantly, but is another steep ask from the outset.

Performance

I used the Kindle as my daily reading device for a week to see how it held up under normal conditions, and the short version is that it was a bit of a star.

I switch between paper books and e-books depending on the circumstances (with travel in particular making the latter useful), and have always defaulted to the Paperwhite since it marries some extra durability and speed to its reading features.

This is the first standard Kindle to threaten that supremacy in ages – I think its new design makes it drastically more satisfying to use, hold and read from, and banishes the spectre of cheap construction that's haunted it for a while.

Crucially, the Kindle's screen remains really impressive, regardless of what's going on around it. It's sharp and crisp, and very readable in all lighting conditions.

The built-in backlight is even and reliable, but that does bring us to the biggest outstanding absence – warm light.

This really makes reading in low light drastically more comfortable on your eyes, and I think it's the main reason why the Paperwhite will still wins out in my personal ranking.

I understand that putting it in the basic Kindle would reduce the Paperwhite's advantage to just waterproofing and little else, but when the base Kindle's price pushes up as it has, it feels a little cheeky to have no big new features to go with it.

Not having weatherproofing is less of a concern for me, although I'd still love to see it added to bring parity across the Kindle range. However, I simply don't read in the rain, and it's not like 'pool life' is a thing in the UK, so it's not a feature limitation for me.

The magnetic case that Amazon sent with my loan unit is also a bit of a delight, but it raises another small eyebrow: from my searching on Amazon, I can't find a version of the new Page Turn case that will fit the base Kindle – it only exists for the Paperwhite and Colorsoft.

That's a huge shame, as this case featuring buttons for page-turning is likely to be the single best addition to the Kindle lineup this year, for my money (even though it, too, is pricey). Again, though, with pricing closer than ever, it's another string to the Paperwhite's bow.

Verdict

The 2026 Kindle lineup is poised to be the most conflicting and confusing in years, thanks to a blend of price rises and design changes that make its e-readers more difficult to assess than in previous generations.

In the same breath the Kindle Aluminium is the best model to release in ages. This upgraded, more expensive version is quite delightful when examined in a vacuum. It's more robust-feeling, sophisticated-looking and slick in every meaningful way. I love it.

However, beyond the fancier metal finish, there's basically nothing to justify the huge price rise, other than the memory crisis in the background. So it's demonstrably nicer to use, but also demonstrably worse value than previous models at launch.

Also Consider

The price hikes that Amazon has retroactively applied to 2024's Kindle models is a tough one to take, and it means that reverting a couple of years no longer guarantees you a better deal.

The used market is where I'd probably go first for another option, though, and picking up the 2024 Paperwhite in good condition might be a big money-saver compared to this new Kindle. Or await the best Black Friday deals.

Alternatively, the 2026 Kindle Paperwhite – which also has an aluminium version – is a lovely bit of kit. The fact that you could add the page-turning case is a winner, too, while its waterproofing and warm light options further widen the appeal.

DJI has introduced a new Local Data Mode setting designed to give its robot vacuum users greater privacy. It disconnects the DJI Home app from the internet, ensuring user data is stored and processed locally on the device rather than in the cloud.

The feature was first introduced on DJI's best drones in 2017 and is now being brought to the brand's other product category. For now, it's exclusive to the new Romo 2, although DJI says it'll also feature on future Romo models as well.

To enable Local Data Mode, users simply need to update their Romo 2 to the latest firmware and switch on the setting under Security Settings in the Device Settings menu of the DJI Home app.

When first switched on, the Romo connects to the internet to map its surroundings. However, once Local Data Mode is activated, mapping data, images and other information used for navigation and obstacle avoidance are stored and processed directly on the robot. This gives users greater control over their data whilst reducing the risk of external exposure or unauthorised third-party access.

Importantly, the Romo's core functions, including navigation and obstacle avoidance, continue to work without an internet connection, even during network outages. Users can still start and customise cleaning cycles or send the robot back to its dock to recharge, all whilst remaining offline.

Following September’s heavy month of smart home launches, I didn’t expect October to be able to keep up. But if anything, October might have beaten the previous month – here’s what you might have missed.

The biggest thing to come from October was the Apple ‘Welcome Home’ event which finally announced new smart products from the brand, including a new version of its HomePod mini, Apple 4K TV and the long-awaited HomeView.

Not one to be outdone, Amazon also announced a new Echo smart speaker line-up, and its Ring and Blink companies also debuted new security camera collections. It’s been a whirlwind of a month, so here are 10 of the best smart home launches from October 2026.

Apple HomeView

As mentioned, Apple announced a fleet of new smart devices, including the Apple HomeView, its new smart home hub with a 7-inch touchscreen, built-in speaker and Siri AI. It comes in two versions – a tabletop with a speaker base, and a wall-mounted option.

The Apple HomeView is powered by the Apple A18 chip, and can be paired with compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled devices. It can recognise up to six people, and has access to lots of smart home controls and apps, including Apple Music, FaceTime, Podcast and more. It’s available to pre-order at £299 / $299 with shipping expected in November.

Amazon’s new Echo speaker line-up

Towards the end of October, Amazon announced a new Echo speaker line-up, featuring a new version of the Echo Dot, as well as a Kids edition. The newer products include the Echo Time and the Echo Studio with Home Camera.

The Echo Studio with Home Camera is an upgraded version of the Echo Studio, and features a 13-megapixel camera. It has Alexa+ and Live View so you can check in on your home while you’re away, and it has powerful 3D sound. The Echo Time is a camera-free Echo – similar to the Echo Spot – that acts as a smart alarm clock.

Ring 4K & 2K cameras

As an Amazon-owned company, Ring has also had a big product launch in October by introducing five new security cameras. The models include indoor and outdoor models, and use 4K or 2K video resolution to clearly capture images around your home.

Installation is the biggest upgrade with the new Ring cameras. Its Ring Outdoor Camera 4K Plus has been described as its most flexible option yet, as it can be set-up via battery, wired, solar, plug-in or Power-over-Ethernet. The cameras are available to pre-order with shipping expected in November.

Blink 4K & 2K cameras

Yet another Amazon company with new product launches, Blink also dropped five new security cameras to the UK and US. The UK launches include Blink’s first 4K wired security camera and a pan-tilt zoom camera, while the US launches include spotlight, outdoor and frontier models.

The standout for the UK launches is the Blink Mini 4K+ which has Blink’s highest resolution yet. It can be used both indoors and outdoors – although it is a plug-in model – and has 115-degree horizontal views and 10x enhanced zoom. For the US, the Blink Frontier XR+ is the brand’s farthest-reaching camera to date and is designed for use as a trail camera for remote locations.

Arlo Essential Solar Security Camera

It’s all about security cameras this month – as you’ll see with the rest of this list! – and Arlo dropped its new Essential Solar Security Camera in early October – but only in the US. With an ultra-slim design, the camera takes up minimal space and blends seamlessly into the background.

The main standout of the Arlo Essential Solar Security Camera is its integrated 1.2W solar panel and high-powered battery that can keep the camera charged for up to six months without any sun. At $99.99, it’s not too expensive, either.

EZVIZ CB30 Dual Kit

EZVIZ’s new CB30 Dual Kit is a solar-powered outdoor security camera with a strange, robot-like design. It looks like E.T. and connects to an oversized solar panel to ensure constant charging via solar energy.

The EZVIZ CB30 Dual Kit features dual lenses for enhanced coverage, and 3K 5MP resolution for crystal clear images. It also has three built-in spotlights to illuminate your home, and to scare off potential intruders. Similar to Arlo, it’s only £99.99, and at launch, it was discounted so it’s a great budget-friendly option.

Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra

The Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra was announced at IFA 2026, and finally became available to buy this month. Another solar-powered camera, the Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra is wire-free and has two camera lenses to cover your entire home, without missing any action or blind spots.

The Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra combines an 8MP wide-angle camera with a 5MP pan-and-tilt camera, and uses Reolink's SyncTrack technology to lower camera to continue following a detected person or object after they move out of the wide-angle camera's view.

Tapo C550WS

The last security camera launch worth knowing about from October, the Tapo C550WS is the brand’s latest outdoor security camera with 4K resolution. Alongside 4K recording, the camera has 360° coverage, colour night vision and AI detection to keep your home safe, and you in the know.

The most impressive part of the Tapo C550WS is its red-blue light and sound alarm. It’s equipped with a 110dB siren that, when triggered, sounds off loudly and flashes with red and blue lights to scare off unwanted visitors.

Govee Outdoor Deck Lights 2

Moving into smart lighting, Govee announced the second generation of its Outdoor Deck Lights. Currently available in the US for $119.99, the Govee Outdoor Deck Lights 2 are brighter than before, and more water-resistant with an IP67 rating.

The Govee Outdoor Deck Lights 2 include individual smart lights designed to be mounted on walls or fences. Alongside practical lighting, you can change the brightness, and choose from 16 million colours, music-sync effects and over 100 lighting scenes.

SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights

Another outdoor lighting set, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights are designed for year round use, and offer native Matter over Wi-Fi support. Measuring 30 metres, the light strip features 72 evenly-spaced LEDs, and can be installed in your home’s eaves, balconies, garages, patios and walkways.

Like Govee, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights come with 16 million colour options, and use an RGBIC+WW design which combines RGB colours, warm-white and cool-white lights.

Even though last week I said we’re in proper pre-winter territory now, this week’s been a mixed bag both in terms of weather and releases.

Today’s fashion edit reflects that. We have a delightfully playful high-end timepiece with smartly attired ursine figures, alongside surprisingly lightweight Japanese denim that's far more comfortable to wear.

I also included some stranger pieces, such as New Era’s New York Yankees 39THIRTY Downflap Stretch Fit Cap, as well as Represent 247’s Avenged Sevenfold City of Evil Tank. After all, we all need a bit of whimsy in our lives, right?

An odd one out is the upcoming Adidas Originals x Wales Bonner Leather Jacket, currently on pre-sale and available on 20 November. For nearly two grand. It looks great, though.

The WHOOP x SR_A 02 Nomad Technical Puffer is another interesting piece, not because it’s strange but because it isn’t. I’m not used to seeing anything but branded brick-a-brack from WHOOP, but this piece proves that anyone can put out exciting apparel options if they try hard enough.

It's been a pretty clear fact for quite some time now that the best time to buy a gaming laptop was "a couple of years ago". As memory prices have skyrocketed in recent times, the price of gaming laptops has started to creep into unreasonable territory, and anyone who bought before that spike will be feeling smug about it.

What were once budget machines now cost mid-range prices, and don't even ask about high-end laptops. Still, the good news is that sales events have so far proven great times to reverse those trends, and get prices that won't have you losing sleep over your decision.

Black Friday is still a month away right now, but retailers have started to drop early deals ahead of the biggest shopping day of the year, and Argos is one of them. In fact, it has a deal right now on an Asus gaming laptop that I think merits your attention if you want an entry-level gaming laptop.

I review a lot of gaming laptops, and don't really make a secret of my tastes when it comes to their designs – I like them stealthy. The more they shout about being a gaming laptop (which generally means external RGB lights on the back of the screen), the more I'm unimpressed.

So, this laptop from Asus ticks a lot of my boxes. It's got a design that could honestly blend in with the productivity crowd, other than its slightly jazzier keyboard backlighting. It also has an expansive 16-inch display, which is key if you don't have an external monitor and don't want to be squinting as you game.

Its Intel Core 5 Intel Core 5 Processor 210H processor is very capable, and that GeForce RTX 5050 from Nvidia will ensure that you can play all the latest and greatest gaming releases, with a good amount of future-proofing. You won't be maxing out the settings on those games, of course, but you'll still be able to have them looking really shiny.

This deal is really early for Black Friday, obviously – but it's still a great one. If you don't fancy the mayhem that is the end of November, it could be a really solid way to cut some stress out of your life and just get the gaming laptop you want a little earlier than expect.

It's been a busy week for Amazon, with a whole new range of Echo speakers launching alongside devices such as the Alexa Photo Frame and the Echo Show 16. Whilst some launches are limited to certain markets, there's one upcoming feature that smart home fans everywhere will want to know about, particularly if you've already built your setup around Alexa.

Alexa Home Map is a new way to visualise and manage your entire smart home in one place. It creates an interactive 3D map of your property, showing exactly where your connected devices are located. Rather than jumping between menus or apps, you can simply tap a device on the map to access its main controls.

Alexa Home Map is expected to begin rolling out in preview later this year through the Alexa Home Map app on iOS, the Alexa and Ring apps, larger Echo Show devices, the Amazon Ember Artline with Fire TV and the new Alexa Tablets. Amazon hasn't confirmed that Alexa Home Map will be limited to a single market, so we're hopeful that users in both the US and UK will get access.

I think this could be particularly useful if, like me, you've accumulated smart home devices from different brands and are tired of switching between apps to control them. It's also ideal if you don't like using voice commands, as you won't need to remember device names or worry about Alexa misinterpreting what you're asking for.

To get started, you add your home address, which automatically brings up the exterior of your property, before walking around and scanning each room using a compatible iPhone. You can then place your connected devices in their corresponding locations on the map.

Once set up, you'll be able to explore your home virtually, zoom into individual rooms, switch between floors and filter devices by category.

Another particularly interesting feature is its integration with Ring cameras. The map can display live animations of people and vehicles moving around your property, so you'll be able to see when a delivery driver approaches your front door or a car pulls into the driveway. It also works with Ring's Familiar Faces feature, helping you recognise who's arriving home.

'Tis the spooky season and to celebrate, Xbox is giving you one of the most successful multiplayer horror games of the last decade to play for free.

Dead by Daylight is completely free to download and play this weekend, allowing you to spend Hallows' Eve running away from slasher killers – or even stalking a bunch of frightened survivors yourself.

As the game celebrates its 10th anniversary, Xbox has included it as part of its FreePlayDays promotion this week. That means you have until the end of play this Sunday, 1 November, to play it as much as you like on Xbox One, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S at no cost whatsoever. You don't even need Xbox Game Pass – just download and enjoy.

And, if you fancy continuing after the weekend is done, you can either subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Premium or Ultimate, or purchase the full game with a very decent discount. It's just £10.31 / $11.99 (down from £25.79 / $29.99).

There are also big discounts on DLC packs, with up to 60% off right now.

FreePlayDays games for Xbox Game Pass members

If you are a member of Xbox Game Pass – Essential, Premium or Ultra – you also get the chance to play an additional four games for free this weekend.

Another chills-filled game is up for grabs in Darkwood. It's a top-down survival horror with a suitably spooky art style. The developer promises that it's jump scare-free, but don't think that means it won't unnerve you.

Also available is the Soulslike action-adventure Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Released this past summer, it too throws supernatural horrors at you, but at least you have a sword to dispatch them with.

Spirittea is a bit calmer. Featuring stunning pixel art, it's more in the vein of Stardew Valley – albeit with a touch of spookiness for good measure.

And finally, space shooter Everspace 2 is included because, well, why not?

All of the games are available to download and play now, with the free period lasting until the end of Sunday 1 November 2026.

Autumn is well and truly upon us, and daylight hours are only going to keep shrinking until Christmas rolls around. There are obvious downsides to shorter days and inevitably moodier weather, but the big plus is that you’ll never have a better excuse to lose yourself in a monumental time sink of a video game.

There are countless games out there that offer total escapism when it’s dark and wet outside, but here are three open-world epics to get cosy with.

Go on, you’ve earned it.

No Man’s Sky

When it launched back in 2016, space exploration and survival game No Man’s Sky quickly became infamous for what it failed to deliver, with developer Hello Games accused of over-promising.

However, rather than Homer Simpson bush meme-ing it straight out of there, the studio vowed to improve the experience, and over a decade later it’s still adding new, free features to what is now a seriously compelling package.

Over the years, Hello Games has introduced base-building, vehicles, a more in-depth story, more variation in planets and eventually full multiplayer. And following the game’s big 10th anniversary update earlier this year, you can now own your own space station, join galactic alliances and mine hulking space wrecks for resources.

All of this is to say that there has never been a better time to get lost in No Man’s Sky’s vast universe on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or PC, and it helps that the game is frequently on sale for a hefty discount.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered

We likely still have a lengthy wait to endure before the The Witcher 4 arrives, but in the meantime, the ever-generous CD Projekt Red has given its more than 10-year-old predecessor the remaster treatment, ahead of the game’s third expansion arriving next year.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered includes both of the original game’s previous expansions and features upgraded visuals, a redesigned skill tree and some quality of life tweaks. And it’s completely free if you own the original.

In truth, none of the new additions will kid you into thinking you aren’t playing an RPG that originally came out in 2015, but when that game remains one of the best ever made, any excuse to go back is one you should take.

Geralt of Rivia’s search for his adopted daughter takes place in one of the richest and most stunningly realised open worlds ever committed to code, and even now very few RPGs can hold a candle to its quests and writing. Even a seemingly minor side story can have you gripped for hours in this game, and there’s barely a character you’ll meet who isn’t worth talking to.

Despite countless imitators, The Witcher 3 set such a high bar for fantasy RPGs that even its sequel has its work cut out to top it.

Forza Horizon 6

After taking its open-world racing series to Mexico, Australia and even good old Blighty in previous entries, Forza Horizon 6 finally addresses years of fan clamour by heading to Japan. And it was worth the wait.

While many games have set themselves in feudal Japan in recent years, Playground Games’ recreation of some of the modern-day Land of the Rising Sun’s most famous locations is on another level.

Whether you’re whipping a 1986 Honda Civic Si around the neon-lit streets of downtown Tokyo City, taking endless near identical landscape shots of Mount Fuji in photo mode, or battling the elements in the snowy alps situated at the top of the map, the sixth Forza Horizon is virtual tourism at its most thrilling.

If you’ve played previous Horizon entries you’ll be very familiar with Playground’s formula by now. Very quickly your map will be overwhelmingly covered in event markers, from standard races to stunt opportunities and narrative-driven side quests that actually teach you something about Japan and its storied car culture.

The game is always showering you with something, whether that’s general praise, achievements, or new icons of interest. Sometimes it would be nice if it just left you to the driving for a bit, but there’s simply no other racing game that is so abundant with content and incredible attention to detail.

There's something incredibly satisfying about a well-designed multitool (looking at you, Leatherman), especially when it packs several genuinely useful functions into something small enough to carry every day.

But even the best multitools have limits, especially when it comes to screwdrivers.

A Phillips or flathead bit tucked into your pocket knife is convenient, but it's far less useful when you hit a screw that needs something more… specialised.

Ant Design thinks it has the answer with the Apex V2, a modular titanium screwdriver that combines a folding driver with an interchangeable storage system that can hold up to 14 bits.

It's a clever alternative to traditional multitools, prioritising doing a single job exceptionally well instead of doing just fine at many.

All the bits, none of the bulk

The Apex V2 features a CNC-machined Grade 5 titanium chassis that measures a pocketable 98mm long when folded.

Its most interesting feature is the interchangeable bit magazine, which slots into the body to save space and keep bits organised.

It comes in three options: a five-bit magazine for everyday tasks, an eight-bit version for general household repairs, and a 14-bit precision set for smaller screws found in electronics and eyewear.

The first two sets accommodate standard quarter-inch bits, while the precision version uses smaller 4mm bits.

Strong N52 magnets keep each magazine securely in place, and a dedicated release mechanism lets users swap configurations without carrying an entirely different tool.

A screwdriver with a few more tricks

The folding driver can lock into either 180 degrees like a conventional screwdriver, or 90 degrees for extra leverage on stubborn screws.

It also includes a removable extension bar for reaching awkward fasteners, with an optional titanium version adding a bubble level to check alignment.

Ant Design has even added ruler markings along the body and compatibility with a metal pencil bit, letting users mark drilling positions without reaching for another tool.

Perhaps the most unusual feature is the pair of slots for optional tritium vials, which glow without requiring batteries or charging (purchased separately).

Of course, none of these features makes the Apex V2 a replacement for a full-sized screwdriver set, especially for more demanding DIY jobs.

But for quick adjustments and those annoying moments when you need a specific screwdriver bit, the Apex V2 looks just the thing.

The Ant Design Apex V2 is currently available to back on Kickstarter, with early pledges starting at $79 (approximately £60) for a configuration with a one-bit magazine.

The planned retail price is $129 (approximately £100), although UK pricing hasn't been confirmed.

As with any crowdfunded product, delivery and final specifications remain subject to change.

Timex makes some of the best affordable watches, especially if you're into vintage-inspired designs, and its latest sale makes one of its more distinctive chronographs even more tempting.

Shop Timex’s 31% off Flash Sale (use the code Flash31)

The Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph, a £200 timepiece inspired by the bold watch designs of the 1970s, is currently £138 with code Flash31 at checkout, saving you £62.

One verified buyer says the chronograph "looks and feels a lot more expensive", describing it as stylish, comfortable and good value for money, while another simply says, "I feel special whenever I wear this watch".

The Legacy Tonneau Chronograph’s most distinctive feature is its chunky, barrel-shaped stainless-steel case, which delivers an unmistakable 1970s aesthetic without looking like a museum piece.

Measuring 42mm across and 11mm thick, the case combines brushed and polished finishes, while the black multi-layered dial features three contrasting silver subdials and bright red hands.

A tachymeter scale around the dial adds to the vintage motorsport aesthetic. It has a battery-powered quartz chronograph movement with stopwatch functionality without the maintenance of a mechanical movement.

The watch also features a date window at 3 o'clock, a mineral crystal, and 50 metres of water resistance, making it suitable for everyday wear and occasional light swimming.

The Legacy Tonneau has earned some enthusiastic customer feedback, with buyers particularly praising its appearance.

One reviewer calls it a "Great looking watch", while another says they love its old-school aesthetic. Several also highlight its comfort, although the strap length appears to be the main recurring criticism.

At its regular £200 price, the Legacy Tonneau is already an interesting alternative to the usual retro digital watches and traditional dress watches that dominate this end of the market.

With 31% off, however, it's an even more compelling proposition, particularly for anyone who appreciates the oversized, unconventional chronographs of the 1970s.

You can buy the Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph directly from Timex for £138, down from £200, using the discount code Flash31 at checkout. The offer is part of the brand's flash sale, so availability and the promotion may change.

Eight Sleep has introduced Menopause Mode to its Pod sleep system, designed for women experiencing peri, post and current menopause symptoms. The new setting, which can be used via the app or by pressing a button on the side of the Pod, cools or heats your side of the bed, helping you manage hot flashes and overheating.

Eight Sleep has previously added a Hot Flash mode to its Pods, but this new setting is more focused on menopause, and women’s health in general. Available via the Eight Sleep app, Menopause Mode helps prevent hot flashes before they even begin.

Instead of waiting for hot flashes to start, Menopause Mode lowers the temperature of your Eight Sleep Pod on your side of the bed. It does this before the hours when hot flashes are most common, and as a smart sleep system, it learns your sleep patterns and habits to make this more accurate going forward.

Menopause Mode also learns your personal preferences, room conditions and any seasonal changes to ensure you’re at the perfect temperature all night, and without hot flashes or fluctuations to disrupt your sleep.

If a hot flash starts unexpectedly, you can press a button on the side of the bed to start cooling immediately without using the app, and you can pick how long the cooling lasts for.

One of the best parts of the Eight Sleep system – of which it’s currently in its sixth generation following the launch of the Eight Sleep Pod 6 this summer – is its sleep insights. With Menopause Mode, you can see the changes in your sleep caused by peri and post menopause symptoms, and how this compares to other women at the same stage as you.

Menopause Mode by Eight Sleep has been studied thoroughly and tested on women experiencing menopause. The study found that participants using the new Menopause Mode reported 56% less nighttime hot flashes on average, and a total reduction of 85%.

Menopause Mode is available through the Eight Sleep app on iOS and Android devices. It can be used on any Pod, and it requires an active Autopilot membership.

In today’s climate it’s rare to see a car manufacturer lower its prices – and it’s practically unheard of for an exotic Italian car to get a £50,000 price cut, while also getting better.

But that’s exactly what has happened at Maserati, where the electric GranTurismo Folgore has had its price slashed and its range increased.

Granted, this isn’t exactly a best-seller. Electric supercars are a tough business for everyone, and especially for a company that sells relatively few cars to start with. But we’re still big fans of the GranTurismo Folgore – and even gave it the full five stars when we drove one back in 2024.

Now, for the 2027 facelift, Maserati has given the GranTurismo Folgore more range – up from an estimated 280 miles to 330 miles – and lowered the price from about £180,000 to £129,605. The car still packs an 800-volt system producing 761 horsepower and 1,350 Nm of torque, and delivering a 0-62 mph time of 2.7 seconds, making it the quickest road-going Maserati of all time.

The battery capacity remains the same too, despite the extra range, at 92 kWh and the maximum charge rate is 270 kW. Maserati says it has found those extra 50 miles of range by making changes to the powertrain, including adding the ability to decouple the front motor when on a motorway cruise.

Interestingly, the chunky price cut means the electric GranTurismo is now only £1,685 more than the petrol V6-powered version. It’s also now £20,000 cheaper than the range-topping V6 Trofeo version, while the convertible GranCabrio Folgore has had the same £50,000 discount, and now starts just under £140,000.

Netflix sure knows how to make a great war movie – and it seems like the recipe it has bubbling away right now is actually pretty simple. It reads: give it to a proven filmmaker. That's got to be part of the motivation behind The Mosquito Bowl, its new film from veteran director Peter Berg.

Berg has some great flicks in his back catalogue, including the cult classic Deepwater Horizon. He's a pretty darn safe pair of hands, and from the looks of the brutal red-band trailer that just came out for Netflix's new film, it seems he's done exactly what he was asked.

The Mosquito Bowl tells the almost unbelievable true story of a group of young American Football players who put their lives and careers on hold to go fight in the Second World War, and how their camaraderie helped some of them to make it through what was almost hell on earth. It's broadly true that almost any soldier in that conflict had an affecting personal story to explain their presence, but these guys might trump a lot of those.

Their journeys took them to the Pacific theatre, where the fighting was some of the most horrific and bloody in the entire war, and it looks like this film is committed to portraying things accurately. To that end, it's chock-full of gory moments, which is sort of the point of this unrated trailer, which showcases how mature the movie aims to be.

Whether that commitment to an accurate battlefield is matched by the sort of verve and style that will see the film actually win over critics is basically impossible to judge from this trailer, though. Still, you don't have long to wait if you want to find out for yourself – it'll be in cinemas from 30 October.

That's a sign that Netflix thinks it's got a good one on its hands, since it really only puts movies in cinemas to make them eligible for awards (and some bonus box office cash). We'll see if The Mosquito Bowl can generate some hype, then.

Klipsch has applied its long-established expertise to a thoroughly modern streaming system concept – and while The Sevens II might be a dog’s dinner of a model name, it’s attached to a product that’s very serious indeed.

Price & Availability

The Sevens II is on sale now. In the United Kingdom a pair is priced at £1799. The going rate in the United States is $1999. Australian customers, meanwhile, will have to part with something like AU$3999.

Features & What's New?

Take the magnetically attached grille off one of the Klipsch and you’re confronted by a quite assertive driver array.

At the top, recessed into Tractrix horn geometry that’s an integral part of the baffle, there’s a 25mm titanium tweeter of the company’s proprietary ‘linear travel suspension’ vented design.

Beneath this is a 165mm mid/bass driver – it’s one of Klipsch’s ‘Jet cerametallic’ designs, which means it’s made of aluminium that’s been anodised and electrochemically treated in order for a layer of ceramic to form on its outer surfaces.

This line-up is augmented by an unsurprisingly large bass reflex port that vents at the rear of the cabinet through a rather more strongly defined horn than the tweeter uses.

Between this port and the two-driver array, Klipsch is claiming a frequency response of 39Hz - 25kHz, which comes about thanks to a total of 200 watts of Class D power. Each mid/bass driver receives 80 watts of amplification, each tweeter gets 20 watts to drive it.

Naturally, there’s a primary speaker and a secondary speaker here. The secondary speaker features a connection for mains power, that bass reflex port, and an RJ45 socket for connection to the primary on its rear panel – the primary has a fair bit more going on back there.

Physical sockets consist of line-level and moving magnet phono inputs on stereo RCA sockets, digital coaxial and digital optical inputs, USB-A and USB-C slots, and two HDMI sockets.

Both the HDMI input and the eARC output are a 2.1 standard, and this means that not only are gaming features like ALLM and VRR catered for, but The Sevens II can also deal with Dolby Atmos audio and pass through HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR content too. The system offers virtualised height channels when spatial audio content is detected.

There’s a pre-out for a subwoofer, a 3.5mm input for use with the supplied calibration mic, an RJ45 for connection to the secondary speaker, and an Ethernet socket.

Those who prefer as much wirelessness as possible will be pleased to hear that dual-band Wi-Fi is on board, giving access to Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and the ‘Connect’ versions of Qobuz, Spotify and Tidal.

The speakers can be also connected wirelessly, although this cuts the resolution from the system’s native 24bit/96kHz to 24bit/48kHz. There’s also Bluetooth 5.4 available, with SBC and AAC codec compatibility.

The streaming platform, incidentally, is supplied by Onkyo. Which goes quite a long way towards explaining the Klipsch’s facility with the more cutting-edge HDMI technologies and specifications.

Performance

Whether or not you’re intrigued by what I’m about to say about the way the Klipsch The Sevens II performance depends a fair bit on the sort of attitude you like in the way your music is delivered.

If you enjoy a vibrant, upfront, spirited account of music, The Sevens II have plenty that will appeal to you. That they sound big and bold and punchy is only to be expected – these are Klipsch speakers, after all, and not especially small ones.

The Sevens II summon considerable low-frequency presence and hit with the sort of merciless intent of a heavyweight boxer – but they have plenty of detail to go along with it, so there is appreciable variation in the way bass sounds are presented.

They are controlled with a fair amount of care too, so the presentation is confident and naturalistic where rhythms are concerned. It’s a similar story through the rest of the frequency range, despite the fact that the frequency response is tilted more than a little towards the bottom end.

The midrange is communicative and direct, and there’s a fair amount of attack at the top end too – and throughout, the same attention to detail and the same facility with tonal variation is apparent. The fundamental tonality is on the mildly toasty side, mind you.

The soundstage on offer here is broad and well-defined, the layout allowing even those recordings with numerous participants the sort of space required for each element to fully express itself.

There’s a fair amount of dynamic headroom available – the Klipsch system is capable of switching between ‘quite quiet’ and ‘absolutely thunderous’ without any appreciable stress or even effort.

Between this facility and the system’s ability to put transient detail into proper context, it’s almost possible to overlook the fact that the Klipsch is wont to gloss over the finest, most subtle details in a recording in favour of emphasising drive and attack.

In fact, this is basically The Sevens II attitude in its entirety. Its front-foot, energetic attitude and character is very welcome indeed when playing music that benefits from it – but switch to something quiet and/or understated and the system’s impatience is almost audible.

If it’s nuance and delicacy you’re after, if your favourite music can be described this way, then this Klipsch system is probably not the most sympathetic way to hear it.

Neither is its phono stage the most enjoyable of its inputs. Everything I’ve written up to this point can be applied to the sound through each of the other inputs, both wired and wireless – but the moving magnet phono input lacks some of the positivity of the other methods of playback, and sounds rather two-dimensional by comparison.

The HDMI loop proves very useful indeed for those who want to put a rocket up the sound of their TV but don’t have the inclination to use a dedicated soundbar (though the physical size of The Sevens II make it slightly tricky to accommodate as part of a home theatre set-up).

It’s true to say the ‘virtualised’ height channels served up when the system is in receipt of Dolby Atmos content are mild in their effect, but the overall attitude of the Klipsch suits a lot of movie soundtracks, and its ability to project the midrange with some force helps with dialogue intelligibility no end.

Design & Usability

Control of the system is available via some physical controls on the top of the primary speaker – or, at least, volume control is. There’s also a ‘multifunction’ button here, the purpose of which can be defined in the ‘Klipsch Connect’ app.

The app is a very thorough interface. In addition to volume and playback control, it features five EQ presets plus the ability to define a custom preset using a five-band equaliser, ‘movie’, ‘music’ and ‘direct’ audio adjustment settings, the chance to define the primary speaker as the left or the right channel, adjust latency for lip-sync and plenty more besides.

There’s also a small remote control handset that takes care of some of the headline functions. It has a touch of backlighting, which is a rarity and for which Klipsch is to be commended.

As far as design is concerned, it’s fundamentally Klipsch business as usual here – whether or not that’s a good thing is entirely a matter of taste.

The Sevens II are fairly big (381 x 206 x 318mm, HxWxD), fairly boxy speakers that, with the exception of the front baffle, consist of straight lines and pointy corners.

The main body of the cabinet is made of real wood veneer over MDF – the speakers in the pictures are in the most recent, ‘red oak’, finish – but if you prefer, there’s ‘ebony’ or ‘walnut’. No matter the colour you select, it arrives as part of a very high standard of construction and finish.

The rather more curvaceous front baffle is made of bulk moulding compound – Klipsch has specified this material because of its density and rigidity, and for the strong resonance rejection characteristics it offers.

Its curved radius helps extend the width of the soundstage and also improves the off-axis performance. Of course, if you don’t fancy the sight of the drivers and their surround, Klipsch supplies magnetically attached grilles that cover the entirety of the baffle.

Verdict

There’s a lot to be said for the excitement and energy the Klipsch The Sevens II bring to bear when reproducing music.

When you factor in the system’s facility with scale, dynamism and broad-strokes insight, it follows that, given the right stuff to work with, this can be a thrillingly involving listening experience.

But its relative lack of subtlety – or, more accurately, its relative lack of interest in the notion of subtlety – means these Klipsch speakers won't be the complete article for all musical tastes.

Also Consider

It’s rather longer in the tooth than The Sevens II, but nevertheless the KEF LS50 Wireless II system remains the product to beat – and thanks to its longevity it’s now down to more or less the same money as the Klipsch. Visually distinct, sonically exceptional and extremely easy to live with, it’s been the market leader for this long for good reason – but it doesn’t have the breadth of connectivity the Klipsch offers.

I've always loved the Steam Machine concept, but like many have been disappointed by the sacrifices Valve had to make to get the thing out of the door. It looks great, runs on SteamOS – which is a big plus for me – but the hardware just isn't powerful enough, especially for the price.

At £1,149 / $1,349 for the 2TB model with no controller, I couldn't shake the feeling that saving up just a bit more cash would get me a far better compact gaming PC. And I was right.

Having spent some time with the GMKtec NEO-X1, there's no comparison. Yep, it's a fair bit larger – although only as tall and deep as a PS5 – and yes, I've mainly tested the Pro model so far. But considering the standard version starts at £1,629.99 with the company's current on-site discount (and is down to $2.199.99 on Amazon in the US) it's definitely worth considering upping your budget.

The NEO-X1 Pro I've been testing is considerably more than that – at £2,489.99 on GMKtec's own UK website, and currently $3,199.99 on the official GMKtec site in the US – but it's a veritable powerhouse in a reasonably-sized case. Made from aluminium, it measures 350 x 165 x 310mm with the top and bottom handles attached. Remove them and it's 55mm shorter.

The case is 14.6L – a far cry from the Steam Machine's 3.8L – but that's because it houses a full desktop graphics card and a monster of a liquid cooling system. And it remains considerably smaller than a regular desktop gaming PC.

You get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti in the NEO-X1, while the one I've been testing runs the RTX 5070 with 12GB of VRAM. The Pro version also ups the memory to 64GB of DDR5 5600MHz from 32GB.

There's 1TB or 2TB of storage depending on the model.

Another difference between the two is the processor – the standard version is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, while the Pro sports the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. Both feature 16-cores, 32-threads, but the latter chip also has 128MB of 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache, which is particularly noticeable when gaming. Both are going to knock the Steam Machine for six.

It's also worth noting that you can expand both PCs, up to 96GB in RAM terms and up to 16TB for storage. There are two M.2 NVMe slots inside.

GMKtec NEO-X1 Pro: design and connectivity

I've always found GMKtec to be one of the best mini PC manufacturers for design. Its products look great, with a proprietary aesthetic running through its higher-end models.

I particularly like the trademark green flourishes, which make the NEO-X1 Pro really stand out. The whole cabinet is constructed from aluminium and looks classy, while the top matches the power button with a bright green finish.

There are carry handles installed from the off, although you can remove them, and they double as feet on the bottom too.

You need to keep the PC in a vertical position for airflow, but it looks good enough to be sat next to a TV as well as a gaming monitor.

The left-hand side is removable to expose the mammoth liquid cooling unit and RTX 5070 (in the Pro). unscrewing and moving them out of the way allows for access to the memory and two SSD slots.

There's an abundance of connectivity options This includes two USB-A 2.0 and a USB-C port next to the power button on the front, plus a 3.5mm audio jack. Around the back you get another two USB-A 2.0 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, a USB-C, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, three 3.5mm audio jacks, a DisplayPort 4 (8K@60Hz) from the main board, as well as a HDMI 2.1.

The graphics card also supplies its own video ports – HDMI 2.1b (8K@60Hz) and three DisplayPort 2.1b. In total, you can run four displays at 8K simultaneously.

Wireless connection options include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. There are two removable antennas packaged for stronger reception.

The whole shebang comes with Windows 11 Pro preinstalled.

GMKtec NEO-X1 Pro: power where you need it

Both NEO-X1 variants are capable of up to 160W TDP, which is when running in performance mode (they can actually reach 170W at peak, but I've not seen it).

There are silent (54W) and balanced (85W) modes too, but I immediately switched it over to performance in the bios when I first started up the Pro.

Admittedly, in performance mode you can get a fair bit of noise generated by the fans and cooling in certain circumstances, but it really depends on where and how you plan to use the PC. I personally didn't mind it when attached to a TV in my office, the game audio running through a Dolby amp and Atmos sound system easily drowned it out. However, if you do plan to use it in a living room environment, you might need to tone down settings a notch.

It also depends on the demands of each game, of course. Many ran at their highest settings in up to 4K without ever hearing a peep from the fans. Some though, such as Grand Theft Auto V: Enhanced Edition running at 2160p in Ultra RT, made it whir like a Dyson during a heatwave. For me, the performance and frame rates were worth it, but it's easy to adjust to something a little less aggressive.

Certainly, there is enough grunt on board to play games at their best, especially if you run them with some form of image scaling – such as Nvidia DLSS. I found that most of the games ran at over 100 frames-per-second at 1440p and high or ultra settings. Some achieved that at 4K.

Many of them were equally capable with ray-tracing features activated. One or two with path tracing (at 1440p).

Cyberpunk 2077, for example, ran at just over 60fps in 1440p with High settings and path tracing switched on, and between 90-104fps at Ultra RT settings. I ran both tests with DLSS set to auto, but no frame generation. Both setups are very playable.

As for CD Projekt Red's other masterpiece – the recently updated The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered edition – I had to be a bit more realistic with my expectations. It ran at over 70fps at 1440p in High settings with ray-tracing switched on, but required DLSS to be set at Balanced. To achieve path tracing at anything like a decent frame rate, the other option was to add x2 frame gen as well.

Even though it's now eight years-old, Red Dead Redemption 2 still gives PCs a decent workout, so I was pleased to see it running at approximately 140fps at 1440p in the maxed out Ultra settings (with DLSS on and set to auto). Switching up to 2160p (4K) achieved an average of 111fps with the same settings – still very impressive.

And finally, another new game I tested was the new Gears of War: E-Day, which gave me just shy of 100fps at 1440p in High settings, with DLSS set to Quality and with no additional frame generation. It also ran at 60fps in 4K on the exact same settings.

In all occasions I played on a 65-inch Philips OLED+950 TV which supports refresh rates up to 144Hz and, more importantly, variable refresh rate (VRR) tech. This kept the action silky smooth even when jumping around the frame rates.

Of course, the NEO-X1 non-pro edition wouldn't achieve quite those results, but from my experience with the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti it wouldn't be too far off.

As it stands, the Pro model is an absolutely beast of a machine. It even aced the Cinebench test, with its 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU achieving a score of 8,474 for multiple threads, putting it a fair distance above an Apple Mac powered by M4 Max silicon.

This means the NEO-X1 Pro isn't just a gaming beast, it's more than capable for everyday work tasks too, plus video rendering and even running on-board AI models. You're probably better looking elsewhere if the latter is all you want to do, but I'm basically saying this is a superb all-rounder.

Oh, and its 3DMark Time Spy score of 20,100 (21,803 graphics, 13,934 CPU) is particularly impressive in the grand scheme of things. I suspect there's even wriggle room to get that higher.

GMKtec NEO-X1 Pro : experience and upgradability

All of my testing was done through the preinstalled Windows 11 Pro, although I would have also liked to have tested the PC with Steam OS. However, Valve is yet to add its promised Nvidia GPU support and I didn't want to go down the Bazzite route in this case.

I'll come back to it once Steam OS officially works with Nvidia drivers.

Windows is fine if you're using the NEO-X1 Pro as a desktop machine, less so when attached to a TV as a Steam Machine alternative. I still had to keep my keyboard and mouse nearby.

If you do want to use it as a living room console, you can have it boot straight into Xbox mode or Steam Big Picture, and even turn off the PIN screen Windows forces upon you on boot. But it never quite feels as smooth an experience as a dedicated OS for gaming.

Most won't worry about that, though. Connect it to a gaming monitor and you're flying. It's small enough to sit on the desk without looming over you, yet also packed with power.

Remove the side and you can even upgrade the SSD and memory, although doing so can be a bit of a pain to the uninitiated. To get to the dual M.2 NVMe slots you have to remove the liquid cooler and GPU. The two DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM memory slots are a bit more simple, they are just under the cooler, but the RTX 5070 hides the second M.2 slot so that has to be taken out first too.

That being said, considering it comes with a 2TB SSD and 64GB of DDR5 RAM anyway, with costs of additional storage and memory continuing to be ludicrous, it's only power users that will likely want to expand.

Certainly, GMKtec keeps everything super tidy inside to give you the option and leeway.

GMKtec NEO-X1 Pro: conclusion

The NEO-X1 Pro is a great example of a "mini PC" without compromises. It is a fraction of the size of a full tower, yet performs like one.

I admittedly have spent my time with the Pro rather than the lesser spec'ed model, but considering much of the DNA is the same, aside from a few of the components, I am nigh-on certain that it continues to be much better value than a Steam Machine. Especially if you take your gaming seriously.

As for the Pro itself, it's a beautifully built bit of kit. Yeah, it's double the price of the Steam Machine, even with a discount, but it offers quadruple the performance. And when Steam OS finally enables full Nvidia GPU support, it might even become the PC games console Valve had originally set its own heart on.

As it stands, I don't see the need for full, chonky gaming rigs today when this kind of thing is available. It's a more home-friendly way to get into high-end PC gaming, and I'm happy to say that this, and its RTX 5060 Ti sibling, are well worth saving up that bit more for.

The UK has just experienced one of its hottest summers on record, meaning many of us have spent more time outdoors hosting friends and family in the garden. However, if your lawn is still looking a little worse for wear, compacted soil could be to blame. The good news is that it's usually easy to spot and fix before it causes lasting damage.

Soil becomes compacted when pressure from foot traffic or garden furniture squeezes the air pockets between soil particles. This makes it harder for water, air and nutrients to reach the grass roots, leaving your lawn struggling to thrive.

3 signs your lawn is compacted

1. Water pools on the surface

If rainwater sits on your lawn instead of soaking into the ground, compacted soil could be preventing proper drainage. Whilst heavy clay soil can also contribute to the problem, persistent puddles are a good reason to investigate further.

2. Your grass looks patchy or yellow

Grass needs oxygen, water and nutrients to grow healthily. When compacted soil restricts access to these essentials, you may notice yellowing, thinning or bare patches, even when you're keeping up with watering and feeding.

3. The ground feels unusually hard

Try pushing a screwdriver a few inches into the soil when it's slightly moist. If it’s difficult to penetrate, the ground may be compacted. Avoid testing when the soil is completely dry, as this can make even healthy ground feel hard.

How to fix a compacted lawn

Whilst using the best lawn mower can help keep your grass looking neat, mowing alone won't fix compacted soil. Instead, the best solution is usually aeration, which creates small holes in the ground to improve drainage and encourage healthier root growth.

For lightly compacted lawns, a garden fork should do the trick. If the compaction is more severe, hollow-tine aeration is most likely the answer. This removes small plugs of soil, creating space for the surrounding ground to loosen. You can then brush a suitable topdressing into the holes to help improve the soil structure over time.

Black Friday isn’t for another month, but many retailers and websites drop their sales early to give you more time to shop at low prices across all product categories.

Case in point, Currys has launched its Black Friday sale an entire month early, giving you up to 40% off appliances, TVs, smart tech, phones, and much more, across its site and in stores.

Shop the full Currys Black Friday sale

I’ve covered Black Friday on T3 for years now, and have always found Currys to have some of the biggest discounts around this time of year. Its sale often drops early, and most of the time, the cheapest prices it offers is in the lead-up to Black Friday and not on the actual event.

What does this mean, exactly? Well, it means that now is the best time to shop the Currys Black Friday sale as you can get huge price drops on must-have tech and home products. Currys is well known for its range of appliances – both large and small – which is what I’d recommend buying from Currys this Black Friday.

From coffee machines and air fryers to fridges and vacuums, I’ve rounded up the best early appliances deals you should buy now in the Currys Black Friday sale.

Early Currys Black Friday appliance deals

ASICS has unveiled the GEL-Nimbus 29, the latest generation of its hugely popular cushioned running shoe, with a new midsole foam and updated sole geometry designed to make the run feel softer than ever.

The GEL-Nimbus has long been a go-to option for runners who value comfort over outright speed.

With the 29th generation, ASICS doubles down on that reputation, though the changes go beyond simply adding more cushioning underfoot.

A new kind of softness

The biggest update is FF LUXE PLUS, an entirely new cushioning compound designed to deliver a plush feel while keeping the shoe relatively lightweight.

ASICS has also redesigned the sole with a distinctive wave pattern that allows the foam to compress more easily under pressure.

Combined with the brand's existing PureGEL technology beneath the heel, the new construction aims to make landings feel noticeably softer.

Of course, softer cushioning doesn't automatically mean a better experience, especially for runners who prefer a little more responsiveness from their daily trainers.

Yet more upgrades

ASICS also gave the upper a makeover, introducing an engineered mesh construction that promises improved breathability without sacrificing the comfortable fit the Nimbus series is known for.

The knitted tongue should feel softer against the top of your foot, and the ribbed collar is designed to fit more securely around the ankle.

The HYBRID ASICSGRIP outsole now offers more rubber coverage than the previous generation, potentially reducing wear and tear for runners who regularly log substantial mileage.

Despite the updates, the GEL-Nimbus 29 weighs approx. 279g for men and 238g for women, suggesting ASICS has kept the overall weight in check.

Visually, the new shoe follows what ASICS calls its "Soaring Cloud" design philosophy, inspired by the sensation of floating on an updraft.

The sculpted midsole takes cues from traditional Japanese painting, giving the shoe a flowing appearance that complements its comfort-focused positioning.

The GEL-Nimbus 29 looks like a promising evolution of an already well-established franchise, particularly for anyone who enjoys highly cushioned footwear for everyday training.

Will we see an even bigger overhaul for next year’s 30th anniversary? We’ll have to wait and see.

The ASICS GEL-Nimbus 29 will be available globally from 1 December for €190. UK, US and AU pricing has yet to be confirmed.

For more information, head over to ASICS.

It is officially freezing, so if you’re looking for a quick and affordable way to warm up, an electric blanket is your best bet. In fact, Google searches for electric blankets have gone up by 149% in the past month, so many people are indulging in a cosy, heated cover for the autumn-winter months.

It’s not actually recommended to sleep with an electric blanket but not everyone listens to this advice. However, if you’re using an electric blanket with a specific type of mattress, you could risk permanent damage to your bed, and even cause a house fire – yes, really.

To find out more, I spoke to Martin Seeley, CEO at MattressNextDay, who explained the risks of using electric blankets on your bed.

Which mattress type should you avoid using with an electric blanket?

According to Seeley, using an electric blanket with a memory foam mattress could end up being an expensive – and dangerous – mistake.

“Memory foam works by reacting to your body heat,” states Seeley. “When you lie down, the warmth from your body makes the foam soften slightly so it moulds around you and supports you while you sleep.” While this action is what makes a memory foam mattress so comfortable, it can have a different effect if you use it alongside an electric blanket.

Seeley explains that “The problem is that adding extra heat from an electric blanket can cause certain types of foam to soften more than they're supposed to. Over time, this can affect how well your mattress supports you, and in some cases, the damage could be permanent.”

Aside from damaging your mattress and shortening its lifespan for more details – an electric blanket can pose a serious fire risk, especially if it’s faulty. If you’ve had your electric blanket for a long time, it’s important to give it a thorough check before plugging it in.

Seeley suggests looking for “frayed fabric, scorch marks or exposed wires, as these can all be signs that your blanket is no longer safe. And if yours is more than ten years old, it's time to replace it, even if it still seems to work.”

Another thing to consider is how you’ve stored your electric blanket. If it’s folded or creased “this can cause the wiring inside to overheat. While it might be tempting to leave it running all night when it's freezing outside, only do so if the manufacturer specifically says it's safe.”

See the 5 things you need to check before using an electric blanket for more details.