Stuff UKの August 2023 の目次

Electric scooters might be the chosen mode of transport among the vaping youths who terrorise the streets of Britain; but with icecaps melting and sea levels rising, it won’t be long before we’re all cast adrift on Waterworld-style floating homes – and wheels won’t be much use to you then. If you want to make like Kevin Costner and thrive away from land, this special-edition electric underwater scooter will turn you into a human/fish hybrid without the need for gills or webbed feet. The turtle design is provided by luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin, and might help you blend in with any marine life you encounter, but underneath it’s a standard Sublue Whiteshark Mix. That means its two propellers can pull you through the water at up to 5.4kmh, down to…

from £2500 / razer.com Razer’s latest 14in gaming laptop is stripped off and ready to do battle for the ultraportable crown ● Bring on the fight Razer doesn’t mess about when it comes to filling its laptops with beefy components – but the new 14in Blade has the dimensions of something far more modest. To look at its 1.84kg chassis you probably wouldn’t guess what this thing is capable of, but inside there’s an eight-core, 16-thread AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, which has enough power to have Intel’s Core i9 13900H and Apple’s M2 Pro processors sweating. That’s paired with either 16GB or 32GB of DDR5 RAM, plus 1TB of built-in SSD storage. ● All the fight moves Of course, if you want to play games on a laptop you…

Voicemail? Is it 2008? Look, we know everybody hates voicemails, but that’s why Apple’s new iOS feature is so important. When you get a call from an unknown number it’s often easier to ignore it than risk answering the phone to a robot that’s trying to scam you, but Live Voicemail gives you a third option. As a caller starts leaving their message, the Neural Engine inside your iPhone will transcribe it on the screen for you in real time – like very mundane karaoke – so if you like what you read, you can choose to pick up and talk to them instead. Doesn’t Android already do this? Kind of. Google introduced Call Screen as a feature on its Pixel 3 way back in 2018, and later expanded it…

Big-name looter shooters such as Destiny and Borderlands might have co-opted the ‘turn small numbers into bigger numbers’ formula, but they wouldn’t exist without Diablo’s influence. And now things have gone full circle, with developer Blizzard borrowing some ideas from those imitators. That’s right: Diablo IV has gone live service. There’s a world map now, filled with other players as well as unending hordes of demonic enemies; skills and abilities are far more customisable; and the story is partly non-linear. It’s a big shakeup for the series… one sorely needed after mobile entry Diablo Immortal went down like a fart at a funeral among the diehard fans. Those who thought the last game’s tone wasn’t gothic or graphic enough have nothing to complain about with this one. Its oppressively grim…

1 Sony WF-1000XM4 £199 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM4 A worthy successor to the XM3 buds that sat atop this list for what seemed like decades, Sony’s latest true wireless noise-cancelling in-ears are smaller, smarter and better. With the arguable exceptions of call quality and app slickness, the WF-1000XM4s aren’t quite the best at anything; but they’re so close to being the best at everything that their all-round game is untouchable. No other wireless earbuds are so consistently accomplished across the board. Stuff says The finest true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds around – this is the complete package 2 Beats Fit Pro £169/go.stuff.tv/FitPro These Beats are excellent on many levels. Unless you really love the earhook design of the Powerbeats Pro, they’re definitely the best workout ’phones in the Apple/Beats range and rival any others at…

1 Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max £2199 / go.stuff.tv/AmbeoMax Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform sonic feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of its sound is remarkable – and see also the more affordable (but still hugely powerful) Plus model. Stuff says The Ambeo Soundbar Max is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still 2 Sonos Arc £899 / go.stuff.tv/SonosArc Don’t expect this soundbar to do everything a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers give a real sense of cinematic scale. See also the much more affordable Ray model. Stuff says Big-screen sound for your big-screen binges 3 Roku Streambar £60…

1 Sony PlayStation 5 £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, but spend time playing it and it’ll soon win you over – and then some. 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 developers have found increasingly clever ways to use that DualSense pad and its haptic feedback trickery. Stuff says Huge power, clever hardware and a guarantee of great games to come make the PS5 hard to resist 2 Nintendo Switch OLED £310 / go.stuff.tv/SwitchOLED While it’s identical to the standard Switch in terms of…

1 Honbike Uni4 £1799 / 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 4 £2690 / go.stuff.tv/Cowboy4 The Belgian maker’s latest model has 50% more torque than its predecessor, but the slinky profile and simple interface with GPS remain… and there’s…

1 Meta Quest 2 £399 / 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… and you no longer have to be logged in to Facebook to use it. See also the work-orientated Pro model. Stuff says Not a complete reinvention, but our favourite VR headset is now even better in all sorts of ways 2 PlayStation VR 2 £530 / go.stuff.tv/PSVR2 This…

Oh good. An otter pace of tech hat wasn’t ready for prime tomato. Tsk, what have we told you about using your MessagePad for writing messages? But, yes, it was unfortunate that the debut Newton’s much-touted handwriting recognition feature turned out to be terrible, given that the original project started out as a way to read people’s writing. And this flaw – quite a big one – stuck. The Newton, despite being in many ways a groundbreaking piece of tech, ended up as a subject of ridicule, in everything from newspaper cartoons to The Simpsons. But was Newton rally a bread of the game? Wasn’t it juice a brother PDA? It was John Sculley, Apple’s CEO at the time, who coined the term ‘personal digital assistant’ – PDA. He insisted…

HOT FIVE #1 A FACE IN THE CLOUD Apple Vision Pro Apple loves coming up with new names for stuff that already exists. Video calls? No, those are FaceTime. A hi-res screen? That’s a Retina display. And its new Vision Pro isn’t a mixed reality headset, it’s a spatial computer. Powered by both an M2 and a new R1 chip, it takes everything coming from the 12 cameras, six mics and five other onboard sensors and processes it eight times faster than the blink of an eye. That means you can move around the visionOS menus, app screens, movies and panorama photos that float in the room in front of you without any lag; make selections using your eyes; and scroll through websites using hand gestures. You can even pair…

The Out-Laws Buttoned-up bank manager Owen Browning (Adam DeVine) meets his fiancee’s parents (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin) and immediately pegs them as notorious robbers the Ghost Bandits. Ooh, bit awks… but when an even worse gang of thieves arrives in town, he gets an extraordinary opportunity to bond with his prospective in-laws. Film / Netflix, 7 July Good Omens It’s been four years since the first season, but this enjoyably blasphemous adaptation of the Pratchett/Gaiman fantasy novel is back to reward the patient angels (and demons) who adored that initial run. It’s reportedly based on a sketched-out sequel that Gaiman and the late Pratchett never got around to writing. S2 / Prime Video, 28 July Dune A spicy treat for Prime subscribers, Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 adaptation of the beloved…

FIRST PLAY SYNAPSE PSVR2 A game about infiltrating a mad colonel’s mind, Inception-style, to retrieve a piece of important intel and stop Armageddon? Sounds exactly the kind of premise that would make an intriguing VR game… but what really seals the deal in Synapse is that you’re also armed with telekinetic powers. To be more precise, this is a dual-wielding action game. So your dominant hand will still be holding a gun – starting with a pistol, though you can replace it with something more powerful. But while it feels great to reload by hitting the magazine against your other hand, a wall or even an enemy’s head, picking up remote objects to fling at the colonel’s soldiers feels more Jedi-like than anything in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. That telekinetic…

Google’s first new slate in half a decade isn’t only out to prove that Android can cut it on gadgets other than smartphones. It also comes bundled with a power-providing speaker dock, enabling it to double up as a smart screen. So while the Pixel Tablet is priced to compete with Apple’s entry-level iPad, this 2-in-1 approach means it sits in its own little niche. The Tablet itself plays it safe on styling, with moderately chunky screen bezels and a rear made from polycarbonate. The porcelain-like texture is smooth to the touch. It’s just a little heavier than a 10th-gen iPad and is meant to be held in landscape rather than portrait (the webcam built into the centre of the top bezel is a giveaway). There’s no family resemblance to…

£1050 / go.stuff.tv/40ultra Motorola’s famous Razr line is back with the thinnest flip phone around, the 40 Ultra – and if you pick it up with the vegan leather back rather than glass, it’s also the lightest. It’s pricier than the competition from Samsung and Oppo, but for your money you get a bigger front screen that’s more usable than the ones found on other clamshells. Launching in a choice of three colours – Glacier Blue, Infinite Black and Viva Magenta – the 40 Ultra is an attention-grabbing phone, especially in its zingiest, pinkest guise; but it’s also tougher than most foldables, with an IP52 rating that means it’ll repel splashes and dust. Fully submerging it underwater is out of the question, mind. It also has wireless charging, which is…

from £1399 / go.stuff.tv/Air15 A 15in version of the MacBook Air should be a no-brainer. After all, we’re huge fans of the 13in Air (which, ironically, has no fans – at least of the cooling variety). But for those who want something a little bigger, there are plenty of rivals lined up already. As well as Apple’s own 14in and 16in MacBook Pros, this Air has to compete on the ‘thin and light’ stakes with fine machines from LG, Asus, HP and Dell. So it comes packing Apple’s M2 chip, with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB or 512GB SSD. You can upgrade to 1TB or 2TB of storage and up to 24GB of memory when ordering. But this is already an expensive computer for UK buyers – and as…

£330 / go.stuff.tv/TP5 DAY 01 Mobvoi’s smartwatches have been doubling up on screens for a while now, layering a low-power LCD over a bold and bright OLED for a stamina boost. That trend continues with the TicWatch Pro 5, which was also front of the queue for a speedy yet efficient Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor. I’m hoping that combo means it can last multiple days away from the mains – something Wear OS watches can struggle with. It’s as up to date as Android wearables get right now, with a very similar setup to Google’s Pixel Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch5. The only omission is Google Assistant, which may or may not arrive in a later update. New for this generation is the digital crown… and I’m already…

It’s not that there haven’t been some excellent Final Fantasy games in recent years, but a proper sequel? That’s been a long time coming. Final Fantasy XVI isn’t the first in the series to subvert the classic turn-based battle system, but it’s nonetheless radical for fully committing to real-time action. This brings plenty of opportunity for aerial juggling, dodges and counters, as well as the ability to stagger opponents to deal more damage. RPGs get a bad rap for grind, but the combat here is such a highlight that you’ll often find yourself looking for a fight. The gameplay is largely split between linear action stages (taking on enemies and culminating in a boss fight) and much larger open-field areas where you can roam seamlessly between expansive environments and smaller…

1 Sony WH-1000XM5 £330 / 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 £310 / 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 startling 60hrs…

1 Apple MacBook Air (M2) 13in 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… and there’s now a 15in version (tested on p66) for even more Maccy magic. 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 2 Apple MacBook Pro 16in from £2699 / go.stuff.tv/Pro16 Powered by…

1 Sky Stream from £26/m + setup / go.stuff.tv/SkyStream Functionality-wise, it’s hard to find fault with this little puck. The basic package seems a little pricey compared to a subscription to Sky’s £10/m Now Entertainment deal, which gets you access to most of the same channels via an app that’s available on all sorts of smart TVs and streaming devices. But if you want to watch movies too, and especially if you’re willing to pay to watch Premier League football and can’t have (or don’t want) a satellite dish, this is the ideal solution. Stuff says Making it more affordable and accessible than ever, this is the best way to watch Sky TV 2 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K £60 / go.stuff.tv/FireStick4K This streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster processor…

1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom £47 / 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. £48 /…

1 Kia EV6 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 makes…

It’s not really possible to put a price on keeping the kids quiet, but how does £100 sound? That’s how much the third-gen Yoto Player will set you back, but the first time it sends your sprog off to sleep it’ll feel like the bargain of the century. Designed to stream stories and songs triggered by kid-friendly cards that slot into the top, this version has a built-in thermometer, so you’ll be able to keep tabs on whether it’s too hot or too cold in the bedroom after the Yoto Player has lulled them to sleep. The seven-colour nightlight changes hue in the morning to let them know when it’s late enough to wake you up (good luck with that one), while the battery lasts up to 24hrs – that’s…

Wait, MG is making actual sports cars again? The Cyberster is indeed the first MG roadster since the TF bowed out in 2005. This sharp-looking two-seater re-ignites the sporty ethos of the old Brit brand, which is now Chinese-owned, and it’s set to be the first ‘affordable’ all-electric sports car when it goes on sale next year. It doesn’t look like any MG I’ve ever seen… Dramatic, isn’t it? The long bonnet, sculpted body and squared-off rear end make for a head-turner, whether the folding fabric roof is up or down. The giant MG badge on the nose will only light up in certain countries, though. There can’t be much room for batteries under there? You’re not going to be crossing continents between top-ups, but MG is aiming for 270…

COMPACT COOKERS The plug-in pizzeria Cozze Pizza Oven Electric 13in Electricity isn’t only good for microwaving last night’s leftover slices – this is a proper pizza oven that’s mains-powered. Styled like a Stormtrooper’s stove, it has a solid stone that can take up 13in discs. And because there’s no open flame, it’s good for balcony barbies with the battalion. €329 / cozze-pizza.com The takeaway toaster Gozney Roccbox You don’t need delivery when you can take the oven with you, and this dinky dome will cook wherever there’s fuel. Work with gas or swap in the optional wood burner; the built-in thermometer tells you when it’s hit 500°C, while a silicone jacket prevents burnt fingertips – at least until you grab a slice. £399 / gozney.com The steely scorcher Solo Stove…

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

If something ain’t broke, there’s no need to kick it in the face. So Street Fighter 6 doesn’t rewrite the rules of beat-’em-ups… but it does rejuvenate the genre for newbies and purists alike. This game is properly packed across three modes. Fighting Ground has online matchmaking, private lobbies, training and the traditional arcade fights; Battle Hub is a social space, complete with an expressive character creator and old-fashioned arcade cabinets used to challenge human opponents; and World Tour mode is basically Street Fighter as a 3D action RPG, where you get to use your avatar to embark on your own journey from rookie to all-conquering warrior. The highlight of World Tour comes from rubbing shoulders with SF6’s roster – and while it does succumb to RPG pitfalls such as…

1 Philips 55OLED907 £1999 / 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 / apple.com…

1 Apple iPad Air 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 can…

1 Sonos Move £399 / go.stuff.tv/SonosMove The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been crying out for a battery-powered portable model for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand. This is the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago – and for even better portability, see the Roam model at No4 on this list. Stuff says Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style • 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…

1 GoPro Hero11 Black £400 / go.stuff.tv/Hero11 The Hero11 Black introduces a sensor with an almost square 8:7 aspect ratio, capturing footage that can be losslessly cropped at high quality for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or whatever other format you want. That aside, the design is practically identical to its predecessor – so it’s still compatible with almost all existing accessories. Most importantly, its lightweight build is just as durable as past GoPros, and with HyperSmooth stabilisation you can expect footage with best-in-class smoothness. Stuff says An innovative and powerful camera that’s good for creators and adventurers alike 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: an almost perfect balance of portability, performance and price, ideal for novices but…

1 Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) from £55 / go.stuff.tv/Dot5 The latest Dot offers improved sound quality over the 4th Gen model. Not surprisingly given its size, it still doesn’t have the heft of a full-scale Echo, but this Dot is more than good enough for bedside table or kitchen listening – and light years away from the lame sound of the early models. Be sure to consider the £65 ‘with Clock’ version, which offers a better and much more useful LED display than the previous model. Stuff says The 5th Gen brings a nice upgrade to an already excellent little gadget • NOW ADD THIS Sportlink Wall Mount This mount for the Dot (and other small speakers) will keep it clear from wet kitchen surfaces. £19 / amazon.co.uk 2…