Table of contents for Christmas 2023 in Stuff UK

When it’s easy to find pictures online of the Pope in a puffer jacket or Banjo the Belfast riot elephant, it’s hard to tell exactly what’s real or fake these days – but Leica’s new camera will at least help you to identify genuine snaps. This 60MP full-frame rangefinder, which comes in either matt black or silver, includes a chip that stamps the images it takes with the photographer’s name and camera details, so if you run it through the Content Credentials website or Leica’s own Fotos app you can easily verify that it’s kosher and not just some virtual vandal mucking about with AI. There’s nothing to stop people tinkering with images after they’ve been taken, but those edits will be added to the photo’s permanent record so you’ll…

£3000 / ruarkaudio.com Move over, Ikea: Ruark’s furniture plays your tunes and you don’t even need to build it yourself ● Walk on the wild sideboard You’ve heard of musical chairs, right? Ruark wants to play a new game called musical desks. Well, we say ‘new’, but this isn’t the first time the British hi-fi bods have created a piece of furniture you can listen to. The R810 is an “evolution” of its R7, which was first released a decade ago; but apart from the fact that both are modern takes on the old Cholmondley-Warner-style radiogram (minus the record player), there’s loads about this new version that sets it apart from its predecessor. ● My favourite dresser Where the R7 was all fabric-clad speakers and spindly wooden legs, the R810…

PHONE OF THE YEAR APPLE iPHONE 15 PRO MAX Future nerd historians may remember this as the first premium iPhone to ditch the Lightning port for USB-C (a change that brings a chunk of benefits like quicker transfer speeds and easier SSD hook-up), but we found so much more than that to adore about the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Its titanium body is a little lighter and feels a lot nicer in the hand than the previous Pro Max, and Apple’s improvements to the camera – such as a new 5x telephoto zoom replacing the 3x zoom – are wonderful, particularly if you like to sneak up on badgers and take pictures of them when they’re minding their own business. The upgrade from the 14 Pro Max feels evolutionary rather…

Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer What’s the story? Ninja’s newest is large and flexible. Its 10.4L drawer works as one ‘megazone’ – or slide in a divider to split into two independent 5L zones. That’s the highest capacity on test, big enough for a 2kg leg of lamb surrounded by veggies, or a cake. There are seven functions to choose from, and the innards are all dishwasher-safe. Is it any good? It’s big… and it’s also easy to use. Tap the touch controls to select a zone (or both); then turn the dial to pick from seven intuitive functions; finally, tap the controls to adjust time and temperature. Our results were delicious and fast – and while this is the widest fryer on test, it’s shallower than the others thanks to the…

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is everything you want from a superhero sequel: bigger, bolder, and building on what made its predecessor great. In a story set 10 months after the events of Miles Morales, you also get to play as Peter Parker, freely switching between the two as you explore Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The bigger map isn’t clogged with icons and activities, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a wealth of things to do and collectibles to find: the extra real estate just gives you more room to enjoy the best-feeling traversal in any game. Why would you want to use the new seamless fast travel system when swinging from A to B or gliding with your web wings is this much fun? The city is a joy to behold,…

1 Sony WH-1000XM5 HOT BUY £315 / go.stuff.tv/WHXM5 Nobody was able to displace Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones from the top of this list for two years… yet the latest model manages to be even better. Key to the XM5s’ overall quality is the new carbon-fibre composite 30mm drivers: they bring even greater clarity than the previous generation, and the sound reproduction is beautifully precise. The simple fact is that these are the best noise-cancellers around by almost every measure. You really won’t regret buying them. Stuff says Sony keeps its grip on the top spot with an unrivalled combo of great sound, ANC and comfort 2 Sennheiser Momentum 4 £279 / go.stuff.tv/SM4 These are headphones that sound naturalistic, engaged and entirely musical, making every recording sound like an event. And they’ll last a…

1 Apple MacBook Air (M2) 13in HOT BUY from £1149 / go.stuff.tv/AirM2 With its super-powered M2 processor, the latest version of Apple’s ‘basic’ laptop leaves the M1 model – an excellent machine in its own right – in the dust. This revamp redefines the Air in a meaningful way, setting a yardstick by which Apple’s entry-level devices will be judged… including the newer 15in version, which is superb but not quite such a good deal. Stuff says Shame about the price hike, but this is still the Mac to buy for most users ● NOW ADD THIS Belkin 4-Port GaN Charger 108W This brick lets you charge your Mac laptop through its 96W USB-C output… while juicing up three other devices. £80 / belkin.com ● TIPS & TRICKS ● If you can…

1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom HOT BUY £45 / Switch How do you follow a classic that not only tore up the Zelda rulebook but set a new gold standard for open-world game design? You go large – very large indeed. If you lost weeks of your life to Breath of the Wild, prepare for a big dose of the same… only this time there’s a world above for Link to conquer too. The result is a game that’s even more enormous and engrossing than its predecessor. Stuff says An astonishing open-world adventure that challenges you at every turn ● OR PLAY THIS The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The original open-world Zelda masterpiece is still a brilliant option for newcomers to the series. £45…

1 Kia EV6 HOT BUY from £45,245 / go.stuff.tv/EV6 This Korean crossover arrived with a properly head-turning design and a roomy cabin packed with tech features, including dynamic AR navigation graphics that make it virtually impossible to go the wrong way. It’ll manage up to 300 miles on a charge and can handle a heady 350kW when it’s time to plug in, so you’ll only need a 20min pitstop before you can get back out on the road. Everyday driving is a real treat, thanks to a refined ride and light steering, but it also impresses through the twisty bits. Stuff says A fantastic family-focused EV, with so many features you’ll be making excuses to go for a drive on your own 2 BMW i4 from £49,995 / go.stuff.tv/i4 The i4…

1 GoPro Hero12 Black HOT BUY £400 / go.stuff.tv/Hero12 The Hero12 Black is a fantastic first action camera and a solid upgrade for anyone with a Hero9 or earlier. GoPro has brought back the same sensor first introduced on the Hero11 Black but made it even easier to use, adding HDR video, a 1/4in tripod thread and Bluetooth mic recording to the mix. That’s refined a solid system – and while this isn’t a low-light champ like DJI’s Action 4, its class-leading stabilisation, upgraded audio and pro features make this the most accessible action cam around. Stuff says An iteration rather than a revolution, this is a seriously powerful and intuitive camera 2 DJI Air 2S £899 / go.stuff.tv/Air2S DJI’s laurels remain assuredly un-rested-upon, and this may be its best drone yet:…

The only people who usually get excited about the M3 are fans of Fleet Services. And who can blame them? How many motorway rest stops do you know with a Pizza Express that’s been described as “romantic”? (Not our words, the words of Bart K on Trip Advisor.) For everybody else, though, the most exciting M3 is the rip-snorting new processor generation you’ll find inside Apple’s latest 14in and 16in MacBook Pros. Both laptops are faster and more efficient than before, but how much depends on which chip you choose. The most powerful of all is the M3 Max, which can be paired with up to 128GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. But that spec would set you back £7299, so you might be more tempted by the M3…

The Artful Dodger More, boy?! The Dickens sequel nobody expected (or possibly asked for), this series sees Thomas Brodie-Sangster taking on the role of Oliver Twist’s pickpocket. Having suffered the ghastly fate of being in Australia, he’s now attempting to leave his criminal past behind. But that past – specifically David Thewlis as Fagin – has other ideas. S1 / Disney+, 29 Nov Maestro This biopic of Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia, starring Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, was originally set to be directed by Martin Scorsese. Cooper replaced him, presumably because Marty was too busy doing TikToks with his daughter, making this his first directorial outing since the excellent A Star is Born.  Film / Netflix, 20 Dec Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget A sequel 23 years…

A series that was once only popular in Japan, and known for its depiction of the seedy side of modern Japanese culture, Like A Dragon (aka Yakuza) is now ready to conquer the world. And its first stop is Hawaii. You’re here because your protagonist, the relentlessly charismatic and upbeat Ichiban Kasuga, is searching for his birth mother. But why so serious? You and your pals are in an area modelled after Waikiki Beach, so it’s a great time to hop on a Segway and make a holiday of it. You can go for a swim, hit the karaoke bar, take up a delivery job, or say hi to the locals who all want to be your friend. Well, almost all of them. You’ll also run into not-so-friendly folks looking…

Foldable phones feel like they’re coming of age: more robust, cheaper and without compromises on performance. OnePlus has entered the market with the Open… but it already feels familiar. That’s because we went hands-on a year ago with the Oppo Find N2, a China-only foldable from OnePlus’s parent company. And while the Open is closer to the newly announced Find N3, there is a lot that carries over from the N2. This phone’s key rivals are, predictably, Google’s Pixel Fold and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold5… both of which it undercuts on price at £1599. The OnePlus Open is available in an emerald green finish in the UK and EU, while the US gets a smart matt black option too. The two halves clasp together nicely and sit flush with one…

● Hurry Planning means making sure you don’t miss the big days. This usable app (which is listed as Hurry Day Countdown & Reminder but just installs as Hurry) lets you create one-off or repeating reminders. Each one can have an animated background, and a widget for tapping between events makes sure key dates always remain in sight. On an iPhone? Try Countdowns by Shayes Apps. £free / Android ● Pinterest If you’re one of those people who like going ‘off list’, Pinterest is an excellent place to get inspiration for gifts. Its various feeds cover almost any topic; and, for once, embedded sales ads are useful. Pinboards you make can be set to private, so the recipient can’t see them, but you can share boards with co-conspirators – assuming…

Discounting the DIY-tastic Super Mario Maker and the mobile-only Super Mario Run, it’s been 11 years since the world’s most beloved plumber has returned to his side-scrolling roots for an all-new 2D adventure. So Super Mario Bros Wonder is a bit of a big deal. It starts as most good Mario games do, with Bowser spoiling a perfectly pleasant day by stealing a magical Wonder Flower… and, as usual, it falls to the mustachioed handyman to stop his nemesis from doing evil business with it. Wonder is completely crammed with weird and wonderful ideas, not least a load of new power-ups, including one that transforms your character into a trunk-flipping, butt-stomping elephant. In any other game Elephant Mario would be the main attraction, but here it’s just the starter. Every…

1 Philips 55OLED907 HOT BUY £1699 / go.stuff.tv/OLED907 It’s no one’s idea of a bargain, but nevertheless the 55OLED907 will be money well spent for even mild telly addicts. For once, here’s a TV with audio quality that truly matches its image quality – and be in no doubt, the image quality available here is very impressive indeed. The Ambilight illuminations are as slick as ever too. Resign yourself to a long stint sorting out the initial setup (as is always the way with Philips) and you’ll never look back. Stuff says A great OLED television with impressive brightness and top-class audio ● NOW ADD THIS Apple TV 4K Fills the one hole in Android TV’s streaming lineup, and is a must if you’re all-in with Apple’s other tech. from £149…

1 Apple iPad Air HOT BUY from £669 / go.stuff.tv/iPadAir This tablet has enough power to rival the flagship iPad Pro – and even quite a few current MacBooks. And though you might need to add a keyboard, a stylus and even a gamepad to make the most of it, the latest Air reinforces the growing sense that an iPad really can be a laptop replacement for doing proper work (or play). Slight storage dilemmas aside, this is a top-notch device, supported by an ecosystem that makes it highly versatile for an increasingly wide range of users. Stuff says It’s not perfect, but this latest iPad Air is a top-quality package – not least because of that M1 chip 2 Apple iPad Pro from £899 / go.stuff.tv/ProM2 There’s so much you…

1 Sonos Move 2 HOT BUY £449 / go.stuff.tv/Move2 The ‘2’ means our favourite speaker is now even better. Sonos has upgraded the Move in the areas that matter most – sound quality and battery life, the latter of which has more than doubled. Our only criticisms are about the high price and the weight, which is an inevitable trade-off for the muscular sound. Line-in is also a little bit of a faff with the extra adapter… but if you’re in the market for this excellent box, you’re probably beyond cables. Stuff says Beefed-up audio and a longer-lasting battery – a winning combo ● NOW ADD THIS YouTube Music Premium If you’d like a side of optional visuals with your audio, look no further than the ad-free tier of YouTube Music.…

Close your eyes and imagine a vinyl record. You’re probably seeing a big black circle with a hole in the middle, right? In actual fact, the stuff that records are made of is naturally colourless – they only turn black when carbon is added to reduce static. So that should make your collection feel right at home when you spin it on this see-through turntable. Some parts of it are coloured too – you can choose between black and white – but the base is totally transparent, so it’ll match the Swedish firm’s other kit. You can hook it up to pretty much any active speaker thanks to a Bluetooth 5.0 module, but you can also turn off the built-in phono stage if you’d prefer to connect it to a…

Unless the Deliveroo decathlon (polishing off ten different takeaways in two days) is added to the list of events for Paris 2024, it’s probably time to give up on your dream of ever winning an Olympic gold medal… but at least Lotus will still sell you a bike that’s based on those that have won loads. Not that you’d be allowed to race on the Type 136, because Lotus has fitted it with an electric motor. Of course, a bike designed to go fast needs to be lightweight, so its HPS Watt Assist Pro motor weighs just 300g and is paired with a battery that’s disguised as a water bottle. Combined with the carbon fibre frame, the whole thing comes in at just 9.8kg – that’s nearly 8kg less than…

THE BUILT-IN PREAMP MEANS YOU CAN HOOK UP A TURNTABLE OR A GUITAR Is that some sort of prop from Saving Private Ryan? Bluetooth was still over 50 years away during World War 2, so this wireless speaker would’ve stuck out like Tom Hanks toking on a Prime-flavour vape if he’d been filmed using one on a Normandy beach. But there’s no denying the handle, knobs, dials and switches give it a retro ‘field radio’ vibe – and the camo green colour helps too. Still, it’s also available in a cream and brown finish if you’re more of a Lawrence of Arabia fan… although it’d be even more anachronistic hanging off Peter O’Toole’s camel. So what do all those buttons do? The three sliders at the bottom allow you to…

Looks, er, interesting? Mansory isn’t an outfit known for its restraint. This is the latest offering from the Bavaria-based extreme modders, and it’s a bit of a head-turner. Underneath all the extra clobber it’s a Land Rover Defender V8, but there’s nothing else quite like it on the road. Bit showy, innit? That’s the whole point… and they’ve done a similarly OTT execution of the interior too. Forget the spartan cockpit of a draughty old Landy: in here there’s leather, Alcantara and lashings of carbon to create a brooding ambience. All show, no go? Hardly! The Mansory Defender has a supercharged 5L V8 that’s also been modded, upping the power to 650hp. You get no less than 870Nm of tyre-shredding torque on tap – and people will be sure to…

Part of Q Acoustics’ new 5000 stereo and home cinema series, the 5040 floorstanding speakers (RRP £999 a pair) redefine how hi-fi can look and sound. The C3 Continuous Curved Cone profile in the mid/bass driver elevates the 5000 series beyond its class with smoother high-frequency sounds and superior bass dynamics. You can also be assured these speakers will bring sophistication to any listening room thanks to their contemporary design lines. They come in a choice of Satin Black, Satin White, Santos Rosewood and Holme Oak finishes – and the winner of this month’s competition will be given the option to pick whichever they prefer. The QED Reference XT40i speaker cable, worth £130 (for 2x 2m), is the perfect partner for the Q Acoustics 5040 speakers, rounding off this prize…

£450 / go.stuff.tv/QCUltraCans If the name ‘Bose’ doesn’t come up when you’re researching new wireless noise-cancelling headphones, you need to change your search terms. But with its latest QuietComfort over-ears, the firm has added a new string to its sonic bow. The QC Ultras have a feature called Immersive Audio, which is Bose’s attempt to emulate the spatial audio concept popularised by Dolby Atmos. The idea is to consistently put you in the acoustic sweet spot of a spatial presentation rather than the tedious old left and right of stereo, and there are two distinct executions available: confusingly, the ‘Still’ option adjusts the sound in response to your head movements, while ‘Motion’ fixes the effect in position. You can change this in the Bose Music app, which also lets you…

from £3299 / go.stuff.tv/ProM3Max Apple unveiled its new MacBook Pros and M3 chips at an event it called Scary Fast. Well, that must make the model it sent us for this review the scary fastest: an M3 Max specced to the point that would send the average bank account flying into the red at astonishing speed. It slots in at the top of a range that includes the M3-powered MacBook Pro (ideal for students and people who’d mostly be fine with a MacBook Air but need a cooling system that allows for sustained power); and the one with the M3 Pro (for creatives craving extra clout). That leaves the M3 Max catering for the most extreme workflows, in a largely familiar form factor – one you can set to work…

Back in the early 1990s, Sega’s tagline was ‘To be this good takes ages’ (‘ages’ being Sega backwards, geddit?). Today, it could easily apply to how long it’s been since there was a fully new Sonic game worth playing. Superstars takes side-scrolling platforming as its foundation and instantly transports you back to the familiar feel of the Mega Drive era. Diehard fans may miss the original pixel art but its 3D visuals do a great job of emulating the classic animations, including the way your character will start wobbling when standing on the edge of a platform. Its setting of Northstar Islands is split into zones that recall elements of past adventures – green hills, underwater sections, floating sky fortresses – and many have interesting gimmicks, whether it’s riding vines…

1 Sony WF-1000XM5 HOT BUY £259 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM5 The WF-1000XM5 in-ears are significantly smaller than the XM4s, which were themselves a whole lot more compact than their predecessors. And yet Sony has still squeezed even larger drivers inside each earbud, along with the firm’s best active noise-cancelling yet. The feature list is as extensive as ever, and they’re priced to compete with Bose’s best. Add in decent battery life and a strong app, and you won’t find anything more well-rounded for less. Stuff says Sony’s already fantastic flagship in-ears get even better ANC, a more comfy fit and simply stellar audio 2 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds NEW £300 go.stuff.tv/QCUltraBuds These buds don’t offer much of a design upgrade over their predecessors, but they deliver a fresh listening experience courtesy of Immersive Audio…

1 Sony PlayStation 5 HOT BUY £480 / go.stuff.tv/PS5 The PS5 is not a modest upgrade. Its hulking design means it’ll make a bad first impression on some (although the incoming slimmed-down design will help), but spend time playing it and it’ll soon win you over. This is essentially a high-spec gaming PC for the living room: stupendously powerful, with greatly reduced loading times compared to the PS4. Most last-gen titles will run fine and the lineup of new games is strong, while devs have found increasingly clever ways to use that haptic DualSense pad. Stuff says Huge power, clever hardware and a guarantee of more great games to come make the PS5 hard to resist 2 Nintendo Switch OLED £300 / go.stuff.tv/SwitchOLED While it’s identical to the standard Switch in terms…

1 Honbike Uni4 HOT BUY £1599 / go.stuff.tv/Uni4 This urban e-bike is designed to be as maintenance-free as possible, with no gears, integrated lights, and a hub that swaps the oily chain for a nice clean belt. The non-removable battery might make it a poor choice for flat-dwellers, and the fixed gearing limits its touring appeal, but the Uni4 is an otherwise fantastic performer. The display is slick, the app strong and the styling distinctive. It undercuts similarly stylish rivals on price yet doesn’t skimp on features. Stuff says An appealing blend of outstanding looks, minimal maintenance and a relaxed electric ride 2 Cowboy Classic from £2190 / go.stuff.tv/CowboyClassic The Belgian maker’s flagship steed has 50% more torque than its predecessor, but the slinky profile and simple interface with GPS remain……

1 Meta Quest 2 HOT BUY £299 / go.stuff.tv/Quest2 The original Quest felt almost too good to be true. Its successor lacks the same wow factor, but you can’t argue with a better display and processor – not to mention a lighter, more comfy build – and the fantastic Beat Saber now thrown in. Are there more powerful headsets? Is motion sickness still an issue? Yes to both, but superb tracking and a total absence of wires make this the VR package to get. The Quest 3 is better, naturally, but it’s also way more expensive. Stuff says The second version of our favourite headset is better in all sorts of ways, and a lot cheaper than the third 2 Sony PlayStation VR 2 £530 / go.stuff.tv/PSVR2 This is an improvement…