It’s Batman Day and as both a Batman and 4K Blu-ray fan, I had to celebrate the occasion. The caped crusader first debuted in May 1939 (a whopping 87 years ago!) and, ever since, has become one of the most iconic figures of page and screen.

While many remember the classic 1966 Batman series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, the character’s first appearance on-screen was in 1943, in a 15-part serial also titled Batman. Since then, we’ve seen numerous animated shows and big-budget movies starring DC’s comic book hero.

I thought I’d pick out some of my favorite 4K Blu-rays (and even some standard Blu-rays) of the caped crusader to help you celebrate the day, including one disc I regularly use as a benchmark for testing the best TVs and best soundbars.

The Batman (2022)

One of the latest big-screen adaptations, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, follows Bruce Wayne’s early years as the Dark Knight, as he deals with a serial killer named The Riddler (Paul Dano), while also navigating corruption in Gotham and a deepening mystery involving Bruce’s own family.

Anyone who reads my work on TechRadar will know that this is one of my go-to discs for AV testing. Its low brightness and numerous high-contrast scenes make it an excellent test for any display, while the superb shadow detail and crisp textures provide plenty to scrutinise. The interesting camera work also gives the film a murky, gloomy look that perfectly captures the seedy underbelly of Gotham.

If you have a Dolby Vision-capable TV, you’ll be rewarded with some truly breathtaking images that really show off what your screen can do. The best OLED TVs are particularly impressive with this disc, making it a no-brainer for my TV testing.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is immersive and packed with detail. My reference scene is the Batmobile/Penguin chase sequence, which shows off just about every element of a home theater surround sound system or soundbar. From the roaring bass of the Batmobile’s engine to the precisely mapped sound of swerving traffic and hail of bullets, The Batman is essential for anyone looking to hear their sound system shine.

Batman Forever (1995)

Directed by Joel Schumacher, Batman Forever took a more colorful approach than Tim Burton’s previous movies, Batman (1989) and Batman Returns. Starring Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he must deal with the joint threat of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey).

This is the first Batman movie I remember watching growing up. While the film itself remains divisive among Batman fans, that shouldn’t detract from what is a fantastic 4K Blu-ray release. Its bold, neon colors really pop on-screen, especially in Dolby Vision, with the Riddler's vibrant greens, the neon light tubes used throughout Gotham and the movie's vivid reds all bursting with colour.

There’s excellent use of shadow here, too, with the often melodramatic shots of characters standing forlornly over lamps creating a dynamic image. On an OLED, such as the LG G6 I used for testing, blacks are rich and inky throughout, while the 4K upscale delivers crisp textures, particularly with skin tones.

Batman Forever's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is just as impressive. The sound of the batarang cutting through the air is precisely mapped to rear channels, creating a wonderfully immersive effect on a surround-sound system. Explosions have plenty of heft, bullets pack a satisfying punch, and Two-Face’s helicopter at the start of the movie is a great showcase for Atmos.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The second entry in Christoper Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight, sees Batman (Christian Bale) go head-to-head with the Joker (played brilliantly by the late Heath Ledger), a criminal mastermind who seeks to plunge Gothan into chaos and push Batman to his very limits.

The 4K Blu-ray of The Dark Knight looks fantastic throughout, but it’s the IMAX scenes where it shines. The opening bank robbery is packed with intricate detail, from the Joker’s creased suit, the robbers' mask, to the densely packed streets of Gotham city. Later, as Batman stands amid smouldering wreckage in another IMAX-shot sequence, the rich black levels and superb shadow detail look sublime on OLED.

There are some seriously impressive high-contrast scenes, too. During the prison escort, as cars move into the tunnels, the contrast between the dark surroundings and the trucks and overhead lights create a fantastic picture.

The DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack is phenomenal. In the opening scene, the score is perfectly balanced, with the scratching strings mapped to the left rear and the ticking clock mapped to the right, all while the front channels handle the main action. Subwoofers will get a nice workout, thanks to the monstrous explosions, thumping bullets, and punchy Tumbler engine. There’s some excellent detail, too, when Batman rides his bike for instance. As the camera’s perspective changes, the trajectory of the sound is mapped to the correct channel with real precision.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

The Lego Batman Movie follows Batman (Will Arnett), Robin (Michael Cera) and Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) as they try to foil the Joker’s (Zach Galifianakis) plans to take over Gotham city. This was a spin-off of the highly successful The Lego Movie, where Arnett’s Batman was first introduced.

Again, this movie looks superb in 4K. Color reproduction is fantastic, with bright, bold and lively colors throughout. The greens of the Joker’s hair and Riddler’s costume really pop, as do all the other colors, too. On the LG G6, reds were rich and deep, bringing excellent texture to images. Speaking of textures, the crisp animation looks slick, with the 4K detail really capturing the Lego look.

There are plenty of high-contrast scenes here, too, with bold HDR highlights standing out against deep shadows — such as the contrast between Batman’s eyes and his cowl. Shadow detail is excellent, retaining plenty of texture and defintion in even the darkest areas.

The disc includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks. Atmos delivers weighty but controlled bass, with the Batwing’s engines and the impact of explosions providing plenty of low-end punch. Directionality is excellent, too, especially during scenes with a lot of movement. The sound follows movement precisely, and it’s all mapped around the surround sound. The DTS-HD 5.1 track isn’t quite as powerful, but it has a pleasing warmth and plenty of detail.

Bonus: Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

Debuting in 1992, Batman: The Animated Series is arguably one of the most famous adaptations of Batman’s adventures on-screen, with an all-star cast including Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker.

This is a rare Blu-ray recommendation from me, but for Batman Day, it would be impossible to leave the series out. Textures have been upscaled nicely and the beautiful animation and art style really benefits from the HD makeover. Colors are bright, vibrant and accurate across every episode, while the lack of HDR is hardly a drawback given how good the series looks.

Audio comes courtesy of a DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix, so while it won't put your surround-sound system through its paces, it's crips and clear, with clean dialogue, punchy effects and surprisingly good directionality. The iconic score is beautifully rendered — which, if you’re like me, will scratch that nostalgia itch nicely.

• Wharfedale launches four new subwoofers: 8, 10, 12 and 15 inches
• New long-throw drivers and up to 360W output
• From £799 (about $1,068 / AU$1,499)

Legendary speaker maker Wharfedale has created four new boom boxes in the form of the new Nova subwoofers. Ranging in size from an apartment-friendly 8-inches to an enormous 15 inches, all four models feature newly developed drivers, passive radiators and refined cabinet architecture.

These aren't thuggish bass monsters; they're designed for the more discerning listener who wants to hear as well as feel the low end. Wharfedale says that "rather than chasing chest-thumping, window-rattling exaggeration, the Nova Series is built around balance, texture and precision."

There are four subwoofers in the range: the Nova 8, the Nova 10, the Nova 12 and the Nova 15. The Nova 8 is designed for smaller setups and stereo installations, with the Nova 10 upping the power for medium-sized rooms. The Nova 12 is for more immersive home theater setups, and the flagship Nova 15 is made for larger spaces and the most demanding setups.

Wharfedale Nova 8, 10, 12 and 15: key features and pricing

All four models feature Wharfedale's newly engineered long-throw driver, which is made from rigid but lightweight speaker cones that have been treated with a proprietary coating to make them stiffer and better at self-damping without also increasing their mass.

Those cones are teamed with a heavy duty die-cast chassis, an oversized high-roll surround, and a high-excursion motor system to deliver high output while maintaining stability. A large diameter voice coil and aluminum shorting ring minimize distortion and improve transient response, according to Wharfedale.

The second key feature here is the Auxiliary Bass Radiator, which is downward firing with a dual suspension design. It's made to work alongside the new driver by extending low-frequency output without the need for a conventional reflex port.

Wharfedale says that enables it to avoid issues such as unwanted resonance, turbulence, chuffing and compression, and each Nova is optimized according to its cabinet volume, driver size, amplifier configuration and intended operating range. The goal, Wharfedale says, is the speed of a sealed enclosure with the scale of a larger reflex design.

Depending on which model you choose, you get between 200W and 360W of built-in Class D amplification with up to 80V peak output and "substantial" dynamic headroom.

The amplifier, driver, cabinet loading and DSP have been designed as an integrated system rather than separately in order to maximize power and precision. And there is an adjustable crossover, phase alignment and level calibration to fine-tune the sound to suit your space.

One of the interesting features here is the way the DSP adjusts the dynamic EQ. When you're listening at lower volumes it focuses on perceived weight and range, but at higher levels it manages the driver's excursion to keep the audio clean without overdriving, enabling the Nova to punch above its size.

All four models will be available in late September 2026 and the prices are:

• Nova 8: £799 (about $1,068 / AU$1,499)
• Nova 10: £899 (about $1,202 / AU$1,686)
• Nova 12: £1,099 (about $1,469 / AU$2,061)
• Nova 15: £1,299 (about $1,737 / AU$2,437)

• Samsung Display unveils new 'M16' OLED phone screen tech that can hit 10,000 nits of brightness in small areas
• The more useful news is that it can be 30% more efficient than its previous-gen M14 OLED tech
• It's appearing first in the Vivo iQOO 16 phone, in China

Samsung Display has unveiled the first OLED panel to deliver 10,000 nits of peak brightness, and it's already coming in a phone.

The new 'M16' OLED display is capable of 10,000 nits in 1% of the window, although in full screen it puts out a less searingly bright (but massively impressive) 2,800 nits. These numbers put it in the region of micro-LED tech, and way beyond anything we've seen for OLED so far.

Of course, brightness is all well and good, though few people are probably begging for their phone to be as bright as a full sunny day. What's arguably more exciting is that the panel is Samsung's second-generation polarizer-free OLED, which enables it to deliver significantly improved energy efficiency and brightness — the claim is a 30% improvement in efficiency.

This means that even if you view it more like the 1,000 nits of most elite phones, you're saving way more battery — and since the display is one of the biggest battery hogs in phones (or the best smartwatches, where the tech would also be really useful), that could make a real difference to phone longevity.

The M-series panels are made for smartphones and other mobile devices, but the advances in OLED material here may make their way into the best OLED TVs too, at least partly.

Where to see Samsung Display's new ultra-bright OLED

According to industry site FlatpanelsHD, Samsung Display will be providing the M16 OLEDs to Vivo for its iQOO 16 gaming phone.

Previous reports also suggest that Apple is using the M16 in its iPhone 18 Pro, as Apple has previously used even-numbered M-series OLEDs in its iPhones. My colleague Matt Bolton highlighted the longer battery life in the iPhone 8 Pro as one of its, uh, highlights — noting that battery improvements usually come from multiple elements combining, so it would makes sense if this new display is one of those elements.

For TV buyers, the most significant thing here is how fast OLED tech is evolving. Samsung announced its first 5,000 nit OLED in March 2025, and it's doubled the brightness and massively increased the energy efficiency in just over a year.

It'll be some time before these more efficient displays make their way to monitors and TVs (monitors might come sooner), and there are currently trade-offs involved — the lack of a polarizer can mean less defined contrast and black levels, which may be Apple is adding other anti-reflective tech to its displays — but clearly, any so-called OLED killers can't be complacent when OLED is evolving at such a speed.

• The Nyrius Phoenix Home is a new wireless HDMI adapter with 500ft line-of-sight range, 75ft through walls or floors
• Delivers 4K resolution with Dolby Atmos, DTS and 7.1-channel surround support
• Launches for $199.99 for the basic transmitter and receiver

The Nyrius Phoenix Home is a true 4K wireless streamer that takes an HDMI source such as your games console, Apple TV 4K or Blu-ray player (or any combination through an AV receiver) and sends it to your TV, projector or desktop monitor.

It's designed to be simple, so there's one HDMI input on the transmitter and one HDMI output on the receiver — and it promises a 500-foot range in plain air, or 75 feet through walls and floors.

This means it could be used as part of a home theater setup, beaming video from your source to your projector or TV across the room without cables, or it could be used as an alternative to running and HDMI cable through your walls so you can send video to other parts of the house.

This isn't the first such streamer by any means, but it's very aggressively priced for a 4K wireless HDMI adapter and delivers an impressive specification for its relatively low price.

Nyrius Phoenix Home: key features and specifications

With the Phoenix Home's 500-foot line-of-sight range, I'm thinking it could be good for movies or sporting events with friends outdoors with a projector or outdoor TV.

Transmitting up to 75 feet through walls and floors means you can use it to stream from a computer in one room to a TV in another, provided the computer has an HDMI output or an HDMI adapter: the Phoenix Home only supports HDMI input.

The Phoenix Home also features USB-C that you can use to remotely control a computer by connecting it to the transmitter and using a keyboard and mouse with the receiver. There's also an IR extender for remote controllers.

The Phoenix Home transmits up to 4K resolution at up to 60fps, and it supports DTS, Dolby Atmos and 7.1-channel surround.

I think there are multiple applications for this kind of device at home as well as in business or educational spaces: it's a good solution for renters who can't start drilling cable runs everywhere, and for rooms that weren't made with AV systems in mind.

A few TV companies have been thinking about rooms where you want to mount the TV above the fireplace or another feature and have your AV receiver, consoles or other home theater gear somewhere else. If you saw Samsung's Wireless One Connect Box or LG's Zero Connect and wished you too could have a wire-free TV, you don't need to splash your cash on one of this year's best TVs to cut the cables: this will provide a similar option for $199.

Our one worry would be what the latency is like for gaming, which we'd have to test to be sure about. But if you're looking to cut the cables for making it easy to move movies around the home, this looks like a very affordable and effective way to do it, and is available now.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Panasonic launches new DMR-4X1010 4K Blu-ray player in Japan
• Also includes 4K tuners, 10TB of local storage for recordings, Blu-ray recording, and support for cloud storage
• About $2,800 / £2,080 / AU$3,930

Blu-ray fans should be feeling blessed this month: with new players decidedly thin on the ground, September has brought us news of not one but two 4K Blu-ray players — though neither is really aimed at the average movie enthusiast.

The new Panasonic DMR-4X1010 is a flagship 4K player with a bunch of other neat tricks up its sleeve, and while it's likely to stay as a Japan-only release, we're still happy to see new players being made.

A 434,500 yen, which works out at about $2,800 / £2,080 / AU$3,930, it's a fair bit cheaper than this month's other new Blu-ray player, the Magnetar Ultima: that costs a cool $12,000 (about £8,895 / AU$16,687).

Panasonic DMR-4X1010: key features

The Panasonic DMR-4X1010 not plays 4K Blu-rays, regular Blu-rays and DVDs, it also features 4K broadcast tuners and includes a giant 10TB hard drive for recording shows and movies. There's also the option of cloud recording of up to 10TB via Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, so you can access recordings on your phone or store Blu-ray disc images in the cloud.

It even records to BD-R/RE discs of up to 100GB, if you prefer. Recording from live broadcast isn't that popular worldwide, but evidently it's popular enough in Japan to make this the ultimate 'own your copies' machine.

The player uses an AVC encoder for high-definition recording, and Panasonic says the encoder can compress 24Mbps signals to around 1.6Mbps to maximize recording space… though, again, it does come with 10 terabytes.

The DMR-4X1010 also works with Panasonic's AI Viera system, which can automatically adjust the picture quality to fit the scene — so bright and vivid if you're watching sports, and richer contrast if you're watching a noir movie. AI can also adjust the audio to make it more immersive.

The new player launches through authorized dealers on October 22, 2026, and exclusively to the Japanese market.

There have been worries about the future of 4K Blu-ray, and whether the companies are still interested in producing them — the current models have been around for a long time, and Panasonic just increased the price of its options.

But the release of this model and the Magnetar show that companies aren't blind to the desire for new options — I just hope we might get something more affordable and mainstream than these at some point.

Amazon has announced the dates for its second Prime Day sale, taking place on October 6 and 7 this year, and the retailer has also released early deals, including some of our top-rated models.

• Shop more early Prime Day deals

While tech prices have risen this past year because of the global RAM and component crises, TVs haven't been affected yet. That means you can find record-low prices on a range of best-selling models from brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense.

Amazon's early Prime Day deals include impressive discounts on TechRadar's own best-rated TVs, like LG's 65-inch C5 OLED TV for $1,599.99 (was $2,699.99) and Samsung's 55-inch S90H OLED TV for $1,497.99 (was $1,997.99).

You can also find incredible prices on budget TVs, like Insignia's popular 50-inch 4K Fire TV for $179.99 and TCL's 65-inch QM6K Mini LED QLED TV for $664.79.

Shop more of Amazon's early Prime Day TV deals below and keep in mind that unlike Prime Day, today's discounts are for everyone - no Prime membership required.

Amazon's 9 best early Prime Day TV deals

• Yamaha unveils a new compact budget soundbar: the B200A
• It's a 2.1-channel soundbar, but with virtualized Dolby Atmos support
• Available for just $250 in the US in November 2026, with international availability looking likely to follow

Yamaha is on a tech announcement roll (which would be a great pun if we were talking about its motorbikes, but alas). Just two weeks after unveiling new compact streamers for the home, and a few months after its cool new active speakers, it has another audio release: a new Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar that's relatively affordable.

This is the Yahama B200A, which gives you a much more affordable alternative to the likes of the Yamaha True X Surround 90A it released earlier this year.

The soundbar is set to go on sale for $249.99 in November (that's about £200, AU$400, but we're waiting for international availability. Yamaha's international sites have landing pages for the soundbar, so global releases seem likely, but we don't know when).

Most of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars sell for a lot more than that. In fact our favorite 'cheap' pick, the Sony HT-S2000, is about twice the price in the US (though is cheaper internationally, and is discounted regularly in the US).

What do you want from the 'bar?

Yamaha is positioning the B200A as a compact soundbar — in fact, it's the only product labelled as such on the brand's website. It weighs 1.8kg and measures 23-5/8 x 2-1/2 x 3-3/4 inches (60 x 10.2 x 6.4cm), and promo images show people using it connected to computers as well as TVs.

Specs-wise, you're looking at dual 1.8-inch 20W cones for left and right sound, and a built-in three-inch 30W subwoofer, making it a clean 2.1-channel system.

What draws me to the soundbar is its connection options. You've got eARC, of course, and also optical and 3.5mm ports, plus Bluetooth 5.3. Yamaha's Sound Bar Remote app is used for wireless control.

But it's not just about specs and ports; Yahama wants you to know about its features (and not just Dolby Atmos). The soundbar has a Clear Voice feature which makes voices easier to hear, and a Game Sound Mode which emphasizes often-quiet audio cues like footsteps, incoming attacks or power-up sounds. There are also four EQ modes: Standard, Movie, Stereo and Game.

It's a fun range of features for a soundbar which won't cost that much; I see this thing doing gangbusters for people who want great specs without a high price, especially during sales seasons, given Yamaha's usual audio quality.

It's time for TechRadar's annual tech awards, and this year we're doing it differently. For the first time, we have a complete set of categories where the winners are chosen 100% by you, the TechRadar readers.

The TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 comprises nearly 100 categories, but we know that not everyone is interested in voting in every one, so on this page you can vote in just our TV, Streaming and Audio categories.

These include soundbars, projectors, Bluetooth speakers, headphones and earbuds, as well as televisions and streaming services. You can vote in the survey just below — or follow the links to see other specific categories, or to vote on the full list instead.

The shortlists were chosen by TechRadar's editors based on the best products we've tested or the most popular products of the year. You'll need to vote before 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026 for it to be counted.

• All categories
• Phones & Cameras
• Computing & Gaming
• Fitness & Home Tech

Once the deadline has passed at 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026, we'll tally your votes to find the winners in each category.

We'll announce the winners in our big TechRadar Awards 2026 Week, starting Monday October 19th. We'll reveal the winners of the Reader's Choice Awards, as well as the winners of our TechRadar Product of the Year Awards, which are chosen solely by our expert judges.

How many products will do the double? We'll be curious to see — but right now, all you can do is vote for what you think should win, so vote away!

• Fire TV owners spotted an issue that prevented sideloading on compatible Fire TV models
• This convinced users to believe that Amazon was clamping down on sideloading on older devices
• Turns out it was just a bug, and Amazon is rolling out a fix soon

There's a dedicated community of Amazon Fire TV Stick owners who like to sideload apps on their devices. However, a recent issue seemed to block the feature, leading to users worry that the tech giant was removing sideloading for older devices to match the lack of sideloading capability on the latest Fire TV Stick HD.

Turns out, it was just a bug. It's been plaguing Fire TV owners for the past month, and was first spotted by users when Amazon rolled out an update that effectively stopped Downloader, a popular sideloading service developed by AFTV News, from working.

Soon after, similar services started vanishing from the ‘Install unknown apps’ list in Fire TV settings, mainly ones that can install apps from sources that aren’t the official Fire TV app store.

While the bug didn’t invade every Fire TV device, it was enough to make users suspicious that Amazon was cracking down on the feature. Without Downloader and similar apps, you can’t grant permission for them to install other apps.

Thankfully, Amazon has confirmed that a fix is on the way, sharing the following with AFTV News:

"There was a bug in a recent Fire TV Settings update that caused the 'Install unknown apps' list to appear incomplete or empty on some Fire TV devices. We have identified the cause and a fix will roll out in an upcoming Fire TV Settings update, installed automatically on affected devices over the coming week."

According to AFTV News, the update will be installed to your Fire TV device automatically and will likely arrive as a component update. You can also check for it by going to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for updates.

Of course, this all still only applies to the older devices — anything powered by Amazon’s own Vega OS, which is taking over from the Android-based Fire TV OS in newer models, will likely never have sideloading abilities.

Watching the NFL just got cheaper thanks to Best Buy. The retailer is offering a massive 51% discount on NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube or YouTube TV for Best Buy Plus and Total members.

• Shop more NFL deals at Best Buy

NFL Sunday Ticket gives fans a premium viewing experience, letting you watch every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game. You can also watch four games live at once with Multiview, use the Key Plays view to see what you missed, and track player stats while watching the game.

Keep in mind, you must be a Best Buy Plus or Total member. If you aren't already a member, you can sign up for a membership starting at $29.99 and enjoy perks like free two-day shipping, 24/7 tech support, and AppleCare Plus protection plans with the purchase of an Apple device.

If you also need to upgrade your TV for the 2026 season, Best Buy members can get NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube or YouTube TV for $234 or NFL RedZone for $276 with the purchase of select TVs. Becoming a Best Buy member is free; just sign up with your email, and you can score free shipping on future purchases.

You'll find Best Buy's NFL Sunday Ticket offer below, which includes up to $246 in savings for Best Buy Plus and Total Members. I've also listed today's top TV deals, which include record-low prices on top-rated big-screen TVs - perfect for watching your favorite NFL team.

Save up to $246 on NFL Sunday Ticket

The best TV deals for watching the NFL

September 2026 is set to be another big month for 4K Blu-ray, and I’ve already picked out my most anticipated discs which I hope to test as part of Blu-ray Bounty, our monthly column where we test out the latest 4K Blu-ray releases to assess their picture and audio quality.

4K Blu-ray is a big part of what I do at TechRadar, not only because I test the latest releases each month, but because it’s my staple source for testing the best TVs and best soundbars, thanks to its superior picture and audio quality to 4K streaming.

In last month’s August 2026 most anticipated 4K list, I picked Project Hail Mary, Troy, West Side Story (1961) and Mars Attacks! as the discs I was most looking forward to trying out. Check out the August 2026 Blu-ray Bounty for my full thoughts!

This month, I’ve picked four more discs that I hope could be a great fit for your 4K Blu-ray collection, and I hope to test as part of Blu-ray Bounty — plus a fifth disc that’s one of the most curious 4K releases in recent months. As I’m based in the UK, the following discs are set for release in September in the UK.

Supergirl (Warner Bros)

Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock as the titular hero, tells the story of Kara Zor-El (Superman’s cousin) who finds herself teaming up with an unlikely ally to take revenge against an alien evil, while trying to save her dog Krypto. The movie also stars Jason Momoa.

Visually, Supergirl has a lot of potential on 4K Blu-ray. There are plenty of vast environments throughout space that could look excellent on the right screen. There are bold colors throughout (not just the blue and red of Supergirl’s outfit) and a number of scenes in space, which could show off a TV’s contrast. Superman (2025) was a visual feast on 4K, so let's see if Supergirl can follow suit.

With Dolby Atmos supported, there’s plenty of opportunity for this disc to be another immersive showcase for your surround sound system. There’s more than a few crunching fight sequences and big set pieces to produce some room-rattling bass, and the Dolby Atmos soundtrack should make excellent use of height channels as Supergirl whips around in the air.

Release dates

• US — September 8
• UK — 7th September

Hamilton (Disney)

One of the biggest stage musical shows in recent years, Hamilton tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, with songs throughout drawing from a variety of genres, but most notably hip-hop. This filmed version of the stage play features the Broadway principal cast, including Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hamilton.

The 4K disc supports a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that is sure to do justice to the grandiose production and scale of Hamilton. Atmos mixes of music can be divisive among audio purists, but this is one area where I think it could really shine. The play’s hip-hop stylings are sure to generate some punchy bass, and the array of voices will be a nice test for a home theater’s center speaker.

Visually, there is support for Dolby Vision, so when paired with a supported display, the details and textures of the characters' period costumes should really wow on screen. As this is a stage play, there’s going to be some play with lighting and shadows that should provide some contrast-y scenes that will look great on screen, something I’d found when watching the movie version of West Side Story (1961) last month.

Release date

• US — June 26, 2026
• UK — 21st September, 2026

12 Angry Men (1957) (The Criterion Collection)

One of Hollywood’s most iconic dramas, 12 Angry Men follows the story of a 12-man jury who must deliberate on a case where an 18 year-old-boy is accused of stabbing his father. While 11 of the men agree, one man holds out, forcing the other jurors to take a wider look at the case and evidence.

I’m a sucker for Criterion’s 4K releases, especially when it comes to older titles. I’ve seen the magic that a good 4K restoration has done for movies like Double Indemnity and 3:10 To Yuma, and this is yet another iconic movie that I have high hopes for. Dolby Vision is supported here, meaning the black and white pictures should benefit from strong contrast, and a good 4K restoration should give textures a refreshed and refined look.

The 4K disc only supports a monaural soundtrack so I’m not expecting anything to show off a home theater system here. Still, Criterion has a knack for producing 4K Blu-rays with impressively detailed mono soundtracks that sound a lot more detailed than you’d expect.

Release date

• US — September 8
• UK — 14th September

Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu (Disney)

A continuation of The Mandalorian TV series, Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu follows Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (voiced by Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, who are tasked with saving Rotta The Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), in exchange for some much-needed information.

The Mandalorian is an excellent-looking TV show with plenty of detail and brilliant cinematography, so I’m expecting much of the same when this movie hits 4K. With the colorful universe of Star Wars and the often moody, contrast-y scenes in The Mandalorian, all presented in Dolby Vision, I’m expecting a real visual feast here that will really shine on the right screens, such as those found on the best OLED TVs.

Star Wars movies are often superb for sound, with plenty of action-packed, detailed scenes to really test every aspect of a home theater. The Mandalorian & Grogu will utilize Atmos through spaceflight sequences, as well as showcasing surround effects with the bustling environments that crop up throughout the movie. More action-oriented scenes will test the subwoofer, too.

Release date

• US — August 25, 2026
• UK — September 28, 2026

28 Days Later (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Hailed as a revitalization of the 'zombie' genre, 28 Days Later follows Jim (Cillian Murphy), a bike courier who awakes from a coma to find that a contagious virus that causes hyper-aggression has been released, reducing the world and society to a post-apocalyptic state. The film also stars Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston and Brendan Gleeson.

Now, what makes 28 Days Later such a fascinating release is the fact that a large majority of the movie was shot on 480p digital cameras, meaning the original source isn’t the best for a 4K restoration. Only one major scene was shot on 35mm film (an ideal source for 4K restoration), so I’m very curious to see how this movie looks in 4K.

While I doubt it will feature in the Blu-ray Bounty, I’m still keen to get testing this 4K release. Even more fascinating is that Dolby Vision HDR is supported, which will do wonders for the movie's dark, contrast-heavy look... if the restoration is any good, that is.

Audio-wise, there is a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Given how frantic and chaotic the movie is, there should be a few pulse-pounding scenes that will add to the immersive atmosphere of the movie. The object-based sound from Atmos will be the key for delivering the right detail here and again, while I’m not expecting miracles, this is one area where the 4K Blu-ray could excel.

Release date

• US — September 1, 2026
• UK — 31st August, 2026

4K release highlights: September 2026

Below is a list of highlight 4K releases coming in September 2026. Both US and UK releases are featured, alongside their release dates. Release dates vary by region, with some titles either coming out earlier in the year or yet to be announced. 4K Blu-ray is region-free, however, so you should be safe to order from anywhere.

September 1

• 28 Days Later (US)

September 7 / 8

• Supergirl
• 12 Angry Men (US - UK: September 14)
• Batman: Knightfall Part 1
• Barbarian (UK)
• Obsession (UK)
• Little Odessa (UK)

September 14/15

• Masters of the Universe (1987) (US)
• Tequila Sunrise
• Charlie Wilson’s War (US)

September 21/22

• Toy Story 5 (US)
• Interview With A Vampire (US)
• Hamilton (UK)
• The Long Kiss Goodnight (UK)
• Misery (UK)
• Tremors 2 (UK)

September 28/29

• Mrs. Doubtfire
• Dead Poet’s Society (US)
• Go (1999) (US)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) (US)
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu (UK)
• The Killing Fields (UK)
• Disclosure Day (UK)
• Better Tomorrow Trilogy

Earlier this week LG found itself at the center of a privacy storm over how much tracking and data collection its TVs were involved in. An investigation by Gamers Nexus found that as well as analyzing viewing habits, LG sets were also collecting voice recordings, details of networked devices, location data, and wireless network information.

That's all useful data that advertisers love of course, and that seems to be the primary reason that LG has this tracking tech built into its TVs. The reaction online was predictably one of outrage, with Redditors describing it as "extremely creepy" and vowing never to buy LG products again in the future.

LG itself has categorically said that the claims made by Gamers Nexus are "not true". LG says voice recordings are also used to process voice commands, for example, and get instantly deleted. LG goes on to state that the network scans are to provide "smart TV functionalities" — and that it's something TVs from every manufacturer do.

As for the Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature that tracks what you watch and serves up personalized recommendations (and ads) for you, LG emphasizes that this is opt-in, and that users can choose not to have ACR data used for advertising purposes.

So is the technology LG has implemented here standard practice for the industry and nothing you need to worry about? Or do you need to start disconnecting your TV from the internet? We spoke to four privacy experts to get their opinions.

What did LG say?

If you missed the news earlier this week, here's the full statement LG gave us in response to the Gamer Nexus accusations.

"This is to provide LG's position regarding the claims recently raised by the Gamers Nexus YouTube channel.

The claims made in the recently published video are not true. LG TVs process voice data only when the voice button on the remote control is pressed and held, or when a wake word such as "Hi LG" is recognised after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature. Other than these instances, the TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations. If the wake word is not recognised, no voice data is transmitted to the server; wake word detection is processed locally on the device and immediately deleted.

Additionally, to provide smart TV functionalities, LG TVs feature the ability to scan for and connect to nearby devices on the same network. This is a standard function commonly available on smart TVs and smart home devices.

The ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) feature is provided on an opt-in basis to deliver personalised content recommendations, services, and advertisements. If a user does not consent to the applicable optional agreement, ACR data is not used for advertising purposes."

What do privacy experts say about LG's statement?

Anna Maria Mandalari is an Associate Professor at University College London, and co-authored a 2024 study on ACR on Samsung and LG TVs. On the ACR aspect specifically, she says "LG’s statement does not address the full privacy picture" and that the technology may go beyond what users expect.

"Our research demonstrated that ACR-related communication occurred when an opted-in LG television displayed linear television and content from HDMI-connected devices," says Mandalari. "This means ACR is not confined to the television’s own applications: it can operate when the TV is effectively being used as an external display for another device, such as a laptop or gaming console."

Based on Mandalari's testing, ACR reporting to advertisers does stop when users opt out. However, she says questions need to be asked about whether LG TV owners understand what their choices are, and about how ACR data might be used beyond advertising.

"I would also draw attention to the precise wording of LG’s statement: it says that, without consent, ACR data is not “used for advertising purposes.” That is not necessarily the same as saying that no ACR data is collected or processed for any purpose," she added. "LG would need to clarify the complete data lifecycle, including what is collected, whether anything is retained, where it is transmitted and all the purposes for which it may be processed," she concluded.

That was a theme continued by Lillian Edwards, a Professor of Law, Innovation, and Society at Newcastle University, and a leading academic in the field of internet law. "People often consent to things they don't fully understand during a speedy setup — they just want to get the thing done and up and working," says Edwards.

"In principle this might not match the very high GDPR standard of consent which is that consent should be 'freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous'. It also has to be a positive indication of consent — i.e. opt-in not opt-out — though LG claims that's what it does."

Edwards adds that consent should be asked for "in a manner which is clearly distinguishable from other matters, in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language" as per EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) rules. In Edwards' opinion, "bad PR" would be more likely to get LG to change its ways than any regulator intervention.

Is it fair to single out LG?

We also spoke to Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, a Managing Director at the IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals), a global privacy not-for-profit. "LG's response is consistent with industry practices," says Zweifel-Keegan. "However, the response focuses on its sensors and data collection practices, without addressing the advertising practices and user profiling allegations that make up a big portion of the Gamers Nexus report."

According to Zweifel-Keegan, the kind of data collection that LG TVs do is fairly standard across the industry as a whole, and has been for years, though there are "big differences" in how companies handle the personal data that's scooped up. This sort of data collection extends to streaming devices as well as TVs, Zweifel-Keegan adds.

For Zweifel-Keegan, the most important issues are around user awareness and consent. "The fact that sophisticated users are still startled to learn that their living room hardware maps their local network and fingerprints their media intake shows that there is still work to do," he says. "A gap between consumer expectations and reality is exactly where consumer protection laws step in to hold companies accountable. As it happens, LG recently settled with the Texas Attorney General and agreed to strengthen its opt-in flows."

"The question is, what is the policy solution? Should we mandate more pop-ups with clearer disclosures, more opportunities to opt out, or different things to opt out from? Should we ban certain data collection or profiling practices? These are the questions privacy regulators wrestle with."

What do regulators say?

As for those privacy regulators, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK was unable to comment on LG's specific case without further investigation. But it did tell us that manufacturers "should only collect personal information that is necessary for their products and services" and be transparent about what's being collected.

"Connected TV manufacturers should build data protection into their products and offer privacy-protective settings by default," says the ICO. "Where consent is required for personal information to be used, it must be freely given, specific and informed, and people should be able to withdraw that consent as easily as they gave it, including through accessible privacy controls."

For now, it doesn't look as though LG will be changing its practices — whatever the truth is about those practices. As a consumer, your best option is to make yourself fully aware of the privacy settings on your TV and what you're opted into, and to take a close look at manufacturer privacy policies the next time you decide to upgrade your set.

Valerion VisionMaster Max: One-minute review

The Valerion VisionMaster Max is an interesting amalgamation. While it sits in the footprint that has become popular with many home theater projectors aimed at the masses, it brings high-end capabilities found in far fewer models. This makes it a powerhouse in the space with flexible optics, making it easy to get a pristine 4K picture in the position and at the size you want.

With its RGB laser light source, the VisionMaster Max offers bright and stunningly colorful visuals. But more impressive than that is its ability to deliver them alongside a deep black floor — something a lot of projectors struggle with. Of the compact projectors I’ve tested, the VisionMaster has come closer than any to rivaling the Sony Bravia Projector 7’s black levels, which were virtually perfect in a dark home theater.

This sets the VisionMaster Max up nicely for success. Combining its display prowess with a solid streaming platform in Google TV and plenty of connections for additional home theater gear make it all that much stronger, helping it stand alongside many of the best projectors.

What holds it back is the same thing that hinders many high-end theater devices: its price. At $4,999 / £4,349 / AU$5,999, it’s a lofty option next to rivals like the Hisense C2 Ultra and Xgimi Horizon 20 Max, both of which undercut it by thousands. Its black level may be hard to touch, but these other models are otherwise very competitive.

With the VisionMaster Max at full price, I’d direct most people to Xgimi. But if there’s ever a sizable discount on it and some bonus bundled items (like the Thunderbeat 4.1.2 wireless sound system), it could be worth your while, especially if you like a deep, dark cinema environment.

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Price and release date

• Release date: October 2025
• Price: $4,999 / £4,349 / AU$5,999 

The Valerion VisionMaster Max first got teased well before its arrival at IFA 2024 and became part of a crowdfunding campaign shortly after. It was over a year after the announcement before it actually landed.

Now that it’s here, it comes with a $4,999 / £4,349 / AU$5,999 price tag. That puts it into competition with basically every projector we’ve tested. In the time between announcement and launch, the projector space has heated up considerably, and there are some new models on the horizon that could also make its high-end specs look a little more commonplace.

Though the price is on the high side, at the time of writing, Valerion is offering the VisionMaster Max with some extra accessories included that add considerably to the value. These include projector screens, a Thunderbeat 4.1.2 wireless sound system, and an external lens that can increase the projector’s throw distance. We’ve also spotted a slightly discounted price from some third-party retailers.

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Specs

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Design & features

• Wide range of optical adjustments alongside effective automatic adjustments
• Full-featured system with broad support for different formats
• Stylish design

All of Valerion’s projectors share a near identical DNA, so it’s unsurprising to see that the VisionMaster Max has only subtle differences compared to the VisionMaster Pro 2 I tested earlier this year.

The VisionMaster Max is a compact projector measuring only a little over 10 inches in its biggest dimension. It packs all of its hardware into an elegant box with a glossy front and metallic ribs that wrap around the top and sides of the projector. It even has a cover to hide all the ports in the back when not in use for that extra touch of elegance.

The rear includes a good selection of ports with two high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port that can handle eARC audio transmission. A 3.5mm jack and S/PDIF port can also handle audio output, giving you plenty of options. There are also two USB-A ports (one with USB 3.0 speeds) for powering accessories or connecting local media. A Gigabit ethernet port rounds out the selection here, offering fast networking speeds, though the Wi-Fi 6E can also provide plenty of bandwidth for streaming wirelessly.

The front of the VisionMaster Max is where we see the most difference. It has a large, unobstructed glass cover for its projection lenses. This ties into the extra optical adjustments it allows. The lens supports both motorized zoom, letting it shift from a 0.9:1 to a 1.5:1 throw ratio, and offers a +/- 105% vertical lens shift, helping ensure a perfectly fitted image from more location. The projector even has a system for attaching an external lens that lets it shift out as far as a 2.0:1 throw ratio.

The base of the projector includes three legs for adjusting its angle and tilt, though it also has mounting screw points to let you set it up with ceiling mounts or tripods. Valerion has a metal gimbal stand that works as well, giving it similar flexibility to projectors like the Hisense C2 Ultra or JMGO N1S Ultimate.

You get a fully integrated system with the VisionMaster Max. It includes Google TV and a 24W stereo sound system. The Google TV platform is also run on a quicker processor than most projectors offer, making it far more responsive to use.

Beyond the basics, the VisionMaster Max proves fairly feature-rich. It supports automatic image adjustments to make setup quick. The automatic adjustments can handle optical zoom, keystone, focus, and screen fit, and it proved quite adept in my testing, even when the original projection was all over the place (though manual, optical adjustments can still help ensure you're getting the best picture quality by avoiding digital cropping).

The projector supports high-quality formats and can display HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content, and it can pass through DTS:X and Dolby Atmos audio. It supports 24 and 48 fps content as well as a variety of 3D formats. It also is geared up for gaming with low-latency 4K/60Hz support as well as 1080p/120Hz and 1080p/240Hz modes for even faster response.

One downside of Valerion’s design for the VisionMaster Max is that it packs far brighter projection into the same footprint as its dimmer siblings. That means it has to work harder at cooling. At full brightness, its fans are constantly running. While they’re not obnoxiously loud or shrill, especially in a large room, they’re still adding a bit of noise.

The VisionMaster Max’s remote is a good one, but could have done more to make more of its features quickly accessible. It provides basic Google TV navigation as well as a quick toggle for autofocus and input selection. At the bottom of the remote, it has four pairs of buttons that include four streaming app shortcuts, volume controls, a mute button, and a menu button.

Unfortunately, these aren’t arranged in a way where you can simply feel out the button you want to press in the dark. Though the remote does light up some of its controls for visibility in the dark, it only illuminates a few of the basic navigation ones, not the full legend.

• Design & features score: 4.5/5

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Picture quality & performance

• Stunning color alongside serious brightness and impressive black levels
• Sharp 4K picture and faster 1080p option

With a $4,999 / £4,349 / AU$5,999 price tag and plenty of new projectors hitting the market with brightness to rival it, the VisionMaster Max had a high bar to clear. Fortunately, it is absolutely brilliant. It provides its 4K projection with solid edge-to-edge clarity.

I’ve seen RGB-laser projection systems one after another, and they always impress with their extremely wide color gamut. The VisionMaster Max brings that capability alongside high enough brightness levels to use in all sorts of settings.

For casual viewing, I often found the VisionMaster Max’s 3,500 ISO Lumens (a specification which bore out in testing) plenty for all sorts of content without needing to close the blinds or even turn off my living room lights. More often, I found I would dim the projector or adjust its iris to lower the brightness when viewing in a dark room.

The VisionMaster Max pairs those high highs with low lows. A lot of projectors struggle to keep their black levels deep, but this one excels. Its black levels are among the deepest I’ve seen, with only Sony’s $9,999 / £6,999 / AU$13,999 Bravia Projector 7 having been deeper in my recent testing.

While faint light is visible during very dark scenes, brighter scenes see the black pixels of letter boxes fade away entirely. Like the Bravia Projector 7, the black levels are deep enough that you’ll want to consider light absorbing materials elsewhere in your viewing space to avoid light reflecting back onto the projected image and sullying the darkness.

All this combines to make for a wonderful picture. The bright sands of Arrakis dazzle in Dune while all of the detail in the shadows remains. And the colorful world of Pandora in Avatar never looks more splendid than when it’s beaming out of a RGB laser projection system.

Admittedly, the VisionMaster Max can produce over-saturated images in some of its color profiles, and it will suffer from the soap opera effect on occasion. But both of these issues are easily tamped down with Filmmaker Mode or custom picture settings.

The DLP rainbow effect is present on the VisionMaster Max, but about as subtle as I’ve seen from any DLP projector. And that’s before enabling the projector’s special anti-rainbow effect setting, which helps at the cost of a little extra whining noise from the projector.

Going beyond cinema, the VisionMaster Max also happily knocks it out of the park for gaming. Its gaming profile is responsive at 4K/60, but the projector can also swap over to 1080p/240Hz, where it proves stunningly responsive. I blasted my way around levels in Hollow Knight with excellent fluidity that helped me keep pace with the combat.

Naturally, the speakers aren’t quite a match for the projection. But in a small room, they offer punchy audio that’s plenty loud enough to drown out the fan noise. They don’t sound too boxed in, and when it’s called for, they can really boom. Still, they’re better paired with an external audio system, and if you happen to pair it with a Hisense audio system like the HT-Saturn, it can support additional features as if it were a Hisense projector itself.

• Picture quality & performance score: 4.5/5

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Value

When it was first announced, the VisionMaster Max had seemed like it would be an unmatched entrant into the market with only extremely high-end projectors ready to rival it on image quality without managing to offer the more friendly and compact design it offered. Models like the Hisense C2 Ultra and JMGO N1S Ultimate could compete somewhat on features, but don’t quite keep up with the VisionMaster Max’s image quality and more flexible optics.

But the market has just shifted with the introduction of the Xgimi Horizon 20 lineup — a far more formidable alternative that’s way cheaper, competitively bright, and featuring a newer DLP chip that can offer VRR for gaming. It also offers advanced optics offering flexible projection.

Still, the fact that Valerion’s projector is arriving so late to the party without some of the new features hurts its value a bit next to the new models landing now at much lower prices.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Valerion VisionMaster Max?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Valerion VisionMaster Max review: Also consider

How I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Max

• Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
• Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
• I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Max at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

I've just spotted a stunning discount on the best budget OLED TV of 2026 - the LG B6. Amazon has LG's 65-inch B6 OLED TV on sale for $1,119.99 (was $1,999.99), which is a whopping $800 discount and a new record-low price.

It's not only an incredible deal for a premium TV, but it's also the lowest price you can find for an OLED display of that size. Our TV experts say the LG B6 is the best budget OLED TV of 2026, thanks to its superb overall picture quality, plus fantastic gaming performance and features.

The LG B6 OLED is the successor to last year's best budget OLED TV, the LG B5, and packs premium features despite its price. The LG B5 delivers a brighter, bolder picture and includes LG's speedy Alpha 8 Gen 3 AI processor, Dolby Vision support, and webOS 26. The B6 is also one of the best TVs for gaming, packing NVIDIA G-SYNC, Dolby Vision Gaming, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and a 120Hz refresh rate.

If you want to upgrade to an OLED display, this is the cheapest way to do it if you're looking for a 65-inch model. Today's discount on the LG B6 from Amazon is a limited-time offer, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

Save 40% on LG's 65-inch B6 OLED TV

Shop more of today's best TV deals

• Docked VRR finally arrives more than a year after Nintendo announced and then unannounced it
• Requires a system update to both console and Dock
• It seems to work on a title-by-title basis and will require games to update to use it

Nintendo's latest system update for the Switch 2 is here and delivers a much-wanted new feature: VRR support in Docked mode. But there's a catch: a the moment, it only works on one game, and we're not sure how many more will follow, because it's reported to work on a "whitelist" system.

When the Switch 2 launched, VRR (variable refresh rate) was only supported when using the console in handheld mode. Having the same feature available in Docked mode means your display's refresh rate and the game's frame rate can be synchronized to get rid of any screen tearing or judder when you're playing on one of the best gaming TVs or the best gaming monitors that supports VRR.

Unfortunately, the new VRR support in System Update 23.0.0 only appears to be available on a title-by-title basis, unlike the way that the PS5 can force VRR support at the system level on games that don't natively have it.

The big concern here is that Digital Foundry reports that "the feature appears to operate on a whitelist, so only games that developers have flagged as supporting docked VRR will activate it" — and what's unclear is whether the whitelist will require a slow certification process by Nintendo, or whether developers can just quickly roll out an update with support.

It means that, at the time of writing, the list of titles with docked VRR support only includes Nintendo's Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which has just been updated to add the feature. That's it. We at least assumed Nintendo would be ready with updates for all its own games.

What's new in the Switch 2 update

In the release notes Nintendo says: "VRR output is now supported in TV mode. When both the software and the TV support it, the video will be output at a refresh rate that matches the game's processing speed."

We've known for a while that the Switch 2 Dock supports docked VRR, because Nintendo told us on its US website before removing the text last year. So it's nice to see the feature finally being implemented, even if it'll take a while for the appropriate game patches to arrive.

In addition to VRR the Switch 2 software update gives you the ability to make a complete data transfer from one Switch 2 to another. There's a new toggle for Switch 2 Boost saving you a trip into System Settings, improved accessibility support, background music in the Mii editor (which you can turn off if you don't want it) and the usual interface tweaks, unspecified bug fixes and optimizations.

Nintendo's support page for the new system update is here.

We’re firmly at the peak of the sporting season in Australia. The AFL Grand Final is just around the corner, the NRL Grand Final is just under a month away, the NBL is about to tip off and the Formula One season is into its second half.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

If you’re a sports fanatic, you’ll understand the importance of having a great TV to enjoy all the action in crystal-clear quality — think bold colours, fast-motion handling and high brightness to combat daytime viewing conditions.

JB Hi-Fi seemingly understands this and is offering AU$500 off any TV when you spend AU$2,000 or more and use the code TV500, until Sunday, September 13.

As someone who’s reviewed some of the best TVs in Australia, I’ve had a look through the available models to size up which ones are really worth checking out. Some initial highlights include a 65-inch LG B6 OLED for AU$1,995 after discount, a 75-inch TCL C8L for AU$2,195 and a 55-inch Sony Bravia 7 II True RGB TV for AU$1,995 with the code applied at checkout.

I’ve listed my top picks below, including models that have performed well under review with the TechRadar team of TV experts, and will be screens you’ll want to gather around with family and friends to get stuck into the summer sports season.

There are plenty more screens to choose from that are eligible for the AU$500 discount — just remember that it needs to be at least AU$2,000 before the saving to be eligible. And hurry, you have until Sunday, September 13 to take advantage of this tantalising offer.

• Panasonic 4K Blu-ray players are now more expensive in the US
• Some retailers have stock at the previous price
• Tariffs and the ongoing component crisis strike again

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you've been putting off buying the Panasonic DP-UB820 Blu-ray player — our pick of the best 4K Blu-ray players on the market — its price, along with other Panasonic players, has rocketed.

The eagle-eyed Harrybalzac71 on the r/4kbluray subreddit spotted the new prices in Panasonic's updated US shop listings. And in those listings, our favorite Blu-Ray player has gone up by $100, reaching a new list price of $649.

The player has also had an increase in recent months in the UK to £429, having been listed at £349 for some time, so while the price isn't as high as the US still, it's still notably higher.

When the DP-UB820 launched, it was priced at $499 / £349 / AU$769, though the price people have expected to mainly find it at has fluctuated over time, and it's had price rises before — it was $549 most recently.

Panasonic: new prices for US Blu-ray players

The new prices have caused bafflement on the subreddit: as WorryTurbulent3924 recalls, "I price matched my 820 for $349 at best buy slightly over a year ago. Wtf happened?" Other redditors shared similar stories.

There are six US models, and their new prices are:

• DP-UB450: $299.99
• DP-UB420: $369.99
• DP-UB820: $649.99
• DP-UB9000: $1,299.99
• DP-UB154: $299.99
• DP-UB150: $209.99

There is some good news: some Panasonic players are still in retail at the older price, so at the time of writing a third-party seller has the DP-UB820 is on Amazon for $539.99 and it's on Best Buy for $549.99. Both are showing as stock available, but when that stock runs out you're likely to see higher prices afterwards — the main official Amazon sales page is already showing $649.

It's a shame, but unfortunately it's something we've gotten used to – not just in Blu-ray players but in PCs, PlayStations, Steam Machines and other electronics too. The triple whammy of AI-related shortages, inflation and (in the US) tariffs is sending prices into orbit.

From now, it looks like buyers will have to hope we get deals that take it back to the previous price of $549.

The Panasonic UB820 has been the sweet spot of 4K Blu-ray players available today, which is why this one is such a focus for us and the 4K Blu-ray community. It's the only player available today that has total format support and isn't priced like a high-end reference machine.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Apple code reveals four-speaker home theater setup using HomePod 2
• Could be a serious rival to Sony's Bravia Theater Quad or similar rival setups
• Perhaps we'll hear more at the September Apple Event

If you've gone all-in on Apple for your home theater setup you'll know the joys of using HomePods as speakers — and the frustration that you can't add a second pair into the mix to add rear surround channels. It looks like that's about to change.

MacRumors reports that code in the latest beta of Apple's audioOS 27 refers to four-speaker surround sound, with front-left, front-right, rear-left and rear-right speakers.

The code makes references to automatic room calibration, speaker position mapping, timing adjustments, bass management, EQ, dialog enhancement and separate processing modes for movies and music.

Apple could do incredible things with four speakers: my iPad Pro's four-speaker setup regularly astounds me with its ability to make sound come from nowhere, and when we tested HomePod 2 as TV speakers, we were seriously impressed with their scale and spatial positioning.

I'm excited by the possibilities here, not least because cabling up a wired surround system for my TV setup was an enormous pain in the backside.

Could Apple's surround be superior to Sony?

The most obvious rival to a four-speaker HomePod setup is the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, which is also a quad-speaker setup. We've heard that in action and it's really impressive, but it's also really expensive with a launch price of $2,499 / £2,499 (roughly AU$3,883), and a street price that's still around $2,000 / £2,000.

By comparison, four second-generation HomePods will set you back $1,396 / £1,396 / AU$2,196) — though you'll also need the $199 / £199 / AU$299 Apple TV 4K (2022) of course.

In addition to the new four-speaker setup, the code also reveals that you'll be able to spatialize stereo content if you wish, and that there's an unspecified piece of hardware that can be used in the new "forklift" tuning system. That's likely to be a rumored next-gen HomePod, though this may not be close to launch.

What we don't know yet is when this new software will become available: it's still in beta, and may not arrive until Apple unveils the next generation of the Apple TV 4K and possibly new HomePods or the long-rumored Home Hub too. We'll be watching the slides during this week's Apple iPhone event to see if Apple drop any hints about future audio and home entertainment hardware.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

We've recently seen prices for tech products like Apple devices, laptops, and smart home gadgets soar because of the global RAM and component crisis. While it hasn't impacted TVs yet, manufacturers like Samsung have warned that price hikes can't be ruled out because of the ongoing memory chip shortage.

• Shop more TV deals at Best Buy

All of this is to say, if you're in the market for a new TV, now is the time to buy because not only have base line prices not been effected, but there are some excellent discounts right now on top-rated TVs.

You can find record-low prices on a range of 4K, Mini-LED, and OLED displays from brands like LG, Samsung, TCL, and Insignia. I've rounded up 9 TVs that offer excellent value at Best Buy below, including everything from LG's budget 77-inch B5 OLED TV for $1,499.99 (was $2,999.99) to Insignia's best-selling 55-inch 4K Fire TV for only $199.99 (was $349.99).

Shop more of the top picks for today's best-value TV deals below, and keep in mind these are limited-time offers. We don't know if and when TVs prices will rise, but my advice is to take advantage sooner rather than later.

The top TV deals at Best Buy

If you've been thinking about picking up one of Samsung's recent TVs, then you could be in serious luck this week thanks to the official Samsung Store's Labor Day sale. The retailer is currently hosting a number of record-low prices on Samsung's latest 2026 lineup.

As with most brands, Samsung releases its annual crop of TVs earlier in the year, and you usually have to wait a while for serious price cuts to appear. We've had minor discounts up until now, but these are arguably the first real deals on these premium displays. You can currently get up to $1,100 off premium models like the S90H, S95H, and R85H — some of the best TVs you can buy right now.

One example is this deal on the stunning 75-inch R85H for $1,999 (was $2,799) at Samsung today. This is the brand's latest Micro RGB flagship, and it combines microscopic red, green, and blue LEDs to generate incredibly lifelike and vivid images. We've recommended this particular display for sports and gaming before, but anyone will appreciate its superb image quality.

Another great choice is the 65-inch Samsung S95H OLED for $2,799 (was $3,399). This one is the successor to one of our favorite TVs of 2025, and the new QD-OLED panel, updated AI processing, and picture-frame design look like particularly compelling upgrades for 2026. Read more about this TV and others just below.

Today's best TV deals at Samsung

See more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

• LG TVs reportedly monitor your entire home, not just your viewing
• The report says TVs can capture audio when the screen's off
• Invasive monitoring may be widespread across manufacturers

Update: LG has provided a statement about the reports below, which we've provided in full here:

"This is to provide LG's position regarding the claims recently raised by the Gamers Nexus YouTube channel.

The claims made in the recently published video are not true. LG TVs process voice data only when the voice button on the remote control is pressed and held, or when a wake word such as "Hi LG" is recognised after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature. Other than these instances, the TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations. If the wake word is not recognised, no voice data is transmitted to the server; wake word detection is processed locally on the device and immediately deleted.

Additionally, to provide smart TV functionalities, LG TVs feature the ability to scan for and connect to nearby devices on the same network. This is a standard function commonly available on smart TVs and smart home devices.

The ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) feature is provided on an opt-in basis to deliver personalised content recommendations, services, and advertisements. If a user does not consent to the applicable optional agreement, ACR data is not used for advertising purposes."

The original story continues below:

LG is at the center of another online privacy storm focusing on its smart TVs. A new investigation by Gamers Nexus and independent security researchers, detailed in full in 135-minute YouTube embedded below, says that LG TVs are tracking "everybody in the household" — even when the TVs appear to be off, or unplugged from your local network. And they're looking at your other devices too.

The result, Gamers Nexus says, is "216,000,000 Spy TVs" reporting on millions of other devices in the US alone.

The report comes just over a month after LG was accused of installing adware on PCs and recording guests in your home, claims that LG refuted in a statement. However, this new report could be even more damaging because LG's own marketing pitch to businesses says that "we know who's in the LG household. We know which devices are there. We know what you're exposed to on TV and we know how to extend that reach into mobile."

The Gamers Nexus video features clips of three separate LG executives saying either "We own the glass", "we own the TV", or both.

What does "we own the glass" mean?

The "we own the glass" is a pitch to advertising buyers, and it's based on ACR, aka Automatic Content Recognition. That's the controversial system that analyzes what you watch on TV irrespective of what app or service you use, collating that data to be used for personalized marketing.

Gamers Nexus says that LG TVs gather much more than viewing data, including voice recordings, details of other local devices, geographical location and details of nearby wireless networks.

LG's sales pitch is that LG advertising can give marketers the big picture of everything you and I do on our TVs — and extend advertising from the LG TV to other devices, such as our phones: "within an LG household, we can help extend [an advertising] campaign footprint to the other devices in the household."

It's a very long and detailed video, but the key claims here are that LG TVs' advertising functionality goes much further than you might know or expect, and that it goes so far and gathers so much data that it becomes "intrusive and grotesque".

And as Gamers Nexus note at the end of the video, they're certain that other manufacturers are doing much the same. "If you want Flock cameras on your living room wall, this is how you get Flock cameras on your living room wall," they say.

The online reaction so far is primarily outrage: writing on r/gadgets, grahag says: "Every appliance in my house is an LG... I will never buy an LG product again" while BirnirG says "I hope nobody will buy their products after this... if I buy your product I own it, they don't 'own the glass' or anything any more." Another Redditor summed it up as simply as "It's extremely creepy."

As we've noted before, TV margins are very tight and manufacturers are increasingly turning to advertising in order to bring in more money. But there are growing concerns that firms are not doing this with customers' consent, and that changes to data use are buried in new versions of the T&Cs or privacy policies that nobody ever reads.

We have, of course, approached LG for comment and we'll keep you updated.

Sony Bravia 5: Two-minute review

The Sony Bravia 5 is a mini-LED TV with crisp images, strong contrast and great gaming features. It occupies that level in Sony’s TV range where the brand has historically struggled to maintain its high standards. The Bravia 5, though, bucks this trend in pretty spectacular fashion.

The Sony Bravia 5 retains both mini-LED lighting and local dimming, for starters, as well as an 120Hz panel to keep gamers happy. Sony says the Bravia 5 LCD panels are still made to the brand’s Master Backlight Drive standard too, and they’re equipped with a full up-to-date version of the Google TV smart system.

There are ‘catches’ to this promising specification, of course, which mean it falls just short of the standard set by some of the best TVs. In particular, the Bravia 5 won’t benefit from as many dimming zones as the step up Bravia 7, or achieve so much brightness. In reality, though, the 65-inch Bravia 5 (AKA the K65XR55) delivers much less of a step down from Sony’s mid-range models than expected based on past Sony lines. Pictures are vibrant, crisp, full of contrast and just way less compromised than previous generations of the same level of Sony TV would have been.

Add punchy, clean and detailed audio to its surprising picture talents, and the Bravia 5 is the Sony value TV we’ve always wanted.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Price and release date

• Release Date: July 2025
• 55-inch: $1,399.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,999
• 65-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299
• 75-inch: $1,999.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,899
• 85-inch: $2,399.99 / £2,299 / AU$3,899
• 98-inch: $4,999.99 / £4,499 (around AU$8,570)

While the Bravia 5 is affordable by Sony TV standards, $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 is no longer cheap for a 65-inch TV.

The Bravia 5 retains much more of Sony’s mid-range — and even premium — TV DNA than expected based on similarly positioned models in previous Sony ranges, though. As a result, it has at least the potential to take a clear performance edge over more affordable rivals.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Specs

Sony Bravia 5 review: Benchmark results

Sony Bravia 5 review: Features

• Mini-LED lighting
• Direct lighting with local dimming
• Bravia XR processor

As I’ve hinted more than once already, the Sony Bravia 5 is packing much more feature heat than I would have expected it to, based on Sony TV ranges of the past.

This is particularly true of the screen hardware at the Bravia 5’s heart. Designated one of Sony’s Master Backlight Drive panels, it is illuminated by mini-LEDs driven by a local dimming system that, according to my own counting efforts, operates across an impressive 240 zones. That’s 240 areas of the image that are capable of receiving their own light level, independent of their neighbors, according to the needs of the image.

The Bravia 5’s panel is a VA type, too, which should further enhance contrast (though maybe not viewing angles). Meanwhile, even this far down Sony’s range, the brand's consistently impressive XR processor is still on hand to power all the constituent parts of the TV’s pictures. On top of this, rather than dropping down to 50/60Hz, the panel also maintains a native 120Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, its support for high dynamic range images extends to Dolby Vision, as well as the more basic HDR10 and HLG formats. Sony is also unusual in the TV world for automatically applying an HDR upgrade to SDR sources on some of its picture presets. There’s no interest from Sony, though, in the HDR10+ format designed as an open-source alternative to Dolby Vision.

The Bravia 5’s connections keep up with its step-up siblings. So you get four HDMIs (though only two support the TV’s full range of gaming features like VRR and ALLM), USB media playback support, and wireless support that includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, built-in Chromecast, Apple Airplay, and Apple HomeKit.

Sony’s TV business has long traded on its ‘from camera to TV’ product chain, and the potential for accuracy that this can bring. So as usual the Bravia 5’s Professional Mode setting, at least, will have been tuned alongside one of Sony’s professional mastering monitors, and the set is equipped with a bunch of so-called Calibrated modes designed to replicate as closely as possible the mastering standards of the Prime Video, Netflix and Sony Pictures Core video streaming services.

Buying a Bravia 5 entitles you to 10 free films and 24 months of access to Sony Pictures Core too, by the way, complete with its unique high-bandwidth streaming speeds for enhanced picture quality.

Further ‘third party’ endorsement finds the Bravia 5 earning an IMAX Enhanced badge, indicating that it has been deemed capable of doing justice to the special noise-limiting mastering processes and potential shifting aspect ratios associated with the IMAX Enhanced system. IMAX Enhanced titles are available on Sony Pictures Core and Disney+.

The Bravia 5’s audio setup is pretty potent by mid-range TV standards. It offers two full range Bass Reflex-design drivers and two separated tweeters getting 10W a piece to deliver both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks — the latter even includes the special tweaked version of DTS:X associated with IMAX Enhanced content.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Picture quality

• Impressive brightness and light control
• Bold but also natural colour
• Genuine 4K sharpness and excellent 4K upscaling

The Sony Bravia 5’s image quality instantly changes the fortunes of this level of Sony’s TV range, leaning much more towards the Sony TVs above it than those below.

Particularly great to see is how much contrast the Bravia 5 retains for this level of Sony’s range. Black colors look deep and strikingly consistent, exhibiting minimal issues with backlight blooming around bright objects or general areas of clouding. That's despite the fact the screen is capable of hitting nearly 900 nit brightness peaks on a 10% HDR window and sustaining an OLED-beating 595 nits with a full 100% HDR window.

Combining Sony’s backlight structure and XR Processor, the Bravia 5 can maintain more intensely bright highlights against dark backdrops than you’d expect for its price tag, despite how limited the clouding around such highlights is. This combination of bright stand-out objects and limited clouding is very difficult to achieve with locally dimmed TVs, yet the Bravia 5 makes it look easy.

Dark scenes look stable, too, in the sense that you never feel aware of the sudden brightness jumps or obvious ‘handovers’ between different dimming zones as bright objects move around a dark backdrop.

Many screens with strong contrast performances are often capable of good color reproduction too — and this trend continues with the Bravia 5. In its Standard preset, it produces strikingly vibrant, rich and bold tones (actually upgraded to HDR if you’re watching an SDR source) that still feel balanced, full of subtlety and nuance, and connected to source tones for the most part. They feel more like amplifications of source content colors rather than aggressive departures from them.

Unfortunately, the Bravia 5 pushes this amplification effect way too far in the Vivid preset, which is best avoided. But the Standard setting is an excellent bright room option, as well as actually being delicate and balanced enough to hold up as a dark room movie night option if your image tastes tend towards the bright and vibrant.

Unlike most other TV brands, Sony doesn't offer a Filmmaker Mode preset for AV fans who favor ‘as the director intended’ viewing. Its Professional Mode, though, does pretty much the same thing, with an emphasis on trying to match the image as closely as possible to Sony’s professional video mastering monitor.

Using Portrait Display’s Calman Ultimate software, G1 signal generator and C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, the accuracy of the Bravia 5 Professional mode was easy enough to demonstate. Errors recorded in both SDR and HDR across the board came in at well under the 3.0 DeltaE 2000 average beyond which errors might become visible to the human eye.

The Bravia 5’s Professional mode doesn’t just measure well. It also looks subjectively lovely, packed with the subtle texturing, immaculate color balance, and remarkable light control for a lower mid-range LCD TV. The benefits of Sony finally being able to introduce a superior core panel in a TV at the Bravia 5’s level are arguably at their most obvious in the Professional preset, in fact, given that this mode uses relatively few processing tools to help ‘boost’ its appearance.

Inevitably, given it’s far from the most premium TV in Sony’s range, there are a few limitations to the Bravia 5’s picture performance. Dark scenes in the Professional mode look a little grayer than they do in Standard mode, and backlight blooming around bright objects can become more noticeable if you view the TV from an angle. Strangely, certain shades of red can look a bit over-ripe during dark scenes, and some dark shots also take on a slightly green undertone.

Finally, some of Sony’s preset choices don’t actually help the Bravia 5’s pictures at all. Motion processing only really helps 24p movie sources if it’s switched to its True Cinema mode, for instance, with other settings tending to generate unwanted digital side effects or leave the image looking unnaturally smooth. I’d also recommend turning off the noise reduction features, especially with native 4K sources, to ensure the screen’s impressive native sharpness isn’t unnecessarily softened away.

The Bravia 5’s issues are mild enough or easy enough to fix, though, that they don’t stop it from being an all-round excellent picture performer for its money.

• Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Sound quality

• Impressive clarity and detailing
• Sound doesn’t suffer with distortions
• Bass is a bit lightweight

The Bravia 5’s sound joins its pictures in being impressively expressive and clean, working within the speaker’s limitations rather than pushing things beyond their breaking point as so many integrated TV sound systems are wont to do.

Even the brightest, shrillest treble sounds are produced without sounding thin or brittle, while the mid-range is clean and pretty expansive, able to cope with the ebbs and flows of even quite dense action scenes without sounding forced, muddy or compressed.

It uses its four-speaker system well to create a fairly large soundstage, too — one that’s well populated with accurately placed, crisp but never overstated details.

My only complaint is that the Bravia 5 feels a bit light in the bass department. Dinosaur footprints, rumbling space ships, meaty explosions and the like don’t hit with quite as much heft as I’d like. At the same time, though, not even Hollywood’s most extreme bass moments cause the Bravia 5’s speakers to succumb to distracting crackles or distortions.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Design

• Multi-point foot attachment
• Recycled plastic remote control
• Minimal frame

The Bravia 5’s design doesn’t feel like much of a step-down at all from Sony’s Bravia 7 series. Its screen frame is extremely narrow, distracting scarcely at all from the pictures within, and it also stays fairly trim around the back for a lower mid-range LCD TV.

Its feet look a little basic when attached to such an elegantly minimalistic screen, perhaps. But Sony has thoughtfully provided the option to attach them either quite close together or out towards the TV’s bottom corners, depending on the width of the furniture you want to stand the TV on.

Build quality is good, too, and despite its relatively affordable position in Sony’s current TV range, it ships with two remote controls. The sleeker, more modern and more feature-rich handset is made largely made from recycled plastic, as part of Sony’s wide-ranging attempts to make the TV production process greener.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Smart TV & menus

• Google TV smart system
• YouView for full UK app coverage
• Optional Bravia Cam

The Sony Bravia 5 runs the latest Google TV system very well, avoiding the sluggishness the system sometimes causes on less powerful TVs. Google TV carries pretty much all of the most popular and important video streaming services, and Sony has helpfully worked round Google TV’s blind spot when it comes to some of the UK’s most popular terrestrial broadcaster catch up services by adding the YouView app.

Google TV can still feel a little overwhelming in its presentation and doesn’t feel as intelligent as some rival smart systems when it comes to recommending content based on your viewing habits. The smarter of the two remote controls Sony provides, though, makes navigation of the menus feel straightforward. On top of this, you can access a good range of features and issue quite complex search instructions just by talking to the Bravia 5 via the Google Assistant voice recognition system.

You can even add basic gesture control features to the Bravia 5 if you cough up £200 for one of Sony’s Bravia Cam accessories. This add-on camera can also detect your location in the room and adjust the TV’s picture and sound settings accordingly, as well as issuing audio warnings if it detects anyone getting too close to the screen. I’m not personally convinced Bravia CAM does enough to justify its price, but if the features I’ve just described sound good to you, then fill your boots!

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Gaming

• 4K/120Hz support
• VRR support
• Perfect For PlayStation 5 support

The Sony Bravia 5 is fairly, rather than brilliantly, well specified as a gaming display. For instance, while it does support 4K game feeds at 120Hz refresh rates, it only does so over two of its HDMIs, rather than all four. It also doesn’t stretch the refresh rate support to 144Hz or even 165Hz, like some rival TVs currently do.

Similarly, while the Bravia 5 supports variable refresh rates, that support doesn’t extend to the AMD Freesync or Nvidia G-Sync systems. There is support for auto low latency mode switching, though, so the TV can automatically switch into its fastest responding picture mode when a game source is detected. While in this mode, the Bravia 5 takes just 13.3ms to render 60Hz gaming feeds.

There’s support, too, for Sony’s unique Perfect For PlayStation 5 features, comprising a PS5-specific version of automatic game mode switching, and an excellent system where a connected PS5 is able to tell which Sony TV model it’s attached to, and automatically optimize its HDR output accordingly.

You can also call up a dedicated gaming menu when the Bravia 5 is in Game mode, containing information on the game feed and a few helpful gaming assistants. Finally, the actual gaming experience when using one of the two wide-bandwidth HDMIs is very enjoyable. The TV’s vibrant, exceptionally sharp and contrast-rich pictures provide a perfect fit for today’s usually HDR and 4K graphics, while the rapid response time and VRR support means gaming never feels sluggish or laggy.

• Gaming score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Value

Not so long ago, spending $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 to get a 65-inch TV as good and feature rich as the Sony Bravia 5 would have felt like a great deal. Recently, though, TCL in particular has drastically shifted the TV value ‘window’, with its bright, vibrant and gaming-friendly 65-inch C7K currently going for just £779.

The Bravia 5 does offer more precision and balance in its pictures than the TCL C7K, but the price gap is big enough to mean you may feel like holding out for a special offer on Sony’s model, or searching beyond the most popular electronics retailers for a better deal.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia 5?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sony Bravia 5 review: also consider

How I tested the Sony Bravia 5

• Tested over three weeks
• Tested with 4K Blu-rays, multiple streaming platforms and resolutions, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
• Reviewed in both dark and light dedicated test room conditions, on its feet in both corner and mid wall positions

I tested the Sony Bravia 5 over a three-week period in a variety of room conditions — including using it as a regular living room TV for more than a week.

I checked out streamed content at a variety of resolutions from all of the main video streaming platforms, including Sony’s exclusive Sony Pictures Core high-bandwidth services. I also watched tuner channels and fed it a selection of our regularly used test Blu-rays and 4K Blu-ray discs. Gaming was explored using a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series X and a gaming PC.

Objective testing was performed using Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate analysis software, G1 signal generator, and C6 HDR5000 light meter.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Welcome to my August 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, where I’ll be testing some of the latest 4K releases of the month. If you’re new to the Blu-ray Bounty, you can check out previous editions of these roundups by clicking the link above.

This series is where I test the picture and audio quality of select new 4K discs from each month. I personally use 4K Blu-ray all the time when I’m testing the best TVs and best soundbars, and have become somewhat of a collector myself.

In last month’s July 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, I looked at four discs: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (which has now entered my testing rotation), To Live and Die in L.A., Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Hairspray (1988).

I’ll be using our usual setup to test this month’s seven discs, which includes one of 2026’s best OLED TVs the LG G6, the Panasonic DP-UB820, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market and the Samsung HW-Q990C, an older-but-excellent 11.1.4 soundbar system. As always, I won’t be reviewing any of the movies here: just the picture and audio.

Project Hail Mary (Amazon MGM)

Based on the Andy Weir (author of The Martian) novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary follows schoolteacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who awakens on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. He soon discovers he must stop a substance from killing the Earth’s Sun.

From the offset, this is a breathtaking disc. As grace awakens and explores the ship, black tones are rich and deep, and there’s plenty of strong contrast between the dark recesses of the various hallways and the lights around the ship. It’s the same with scenes of space, as the disc renders the blackness of space with real accuracy, while still showing every individual star. There are scenes with plenty of strong shadows as well, and within these scenes there is excellent shadow detail, with details maintained in the dark areas on screen.

With Dolby Vision supported, colors are both punchy and accurate. Grace’s yellow coat is vibrant and true-to-life. There are even more spectacular colors later on in the film, such as ‘Adrian’ (a planet Grace studies), which really pops on screen but keeps that nice, realistic look that is present with colors throughout the movie. Any brighter colors really dazzle on screen, aided by Dolby Vision.

This disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack is fantastic. The sound is accurate with a fantastic balance, demonstrated in scenes where Grace frantically explores the ship. As he grips onto surfaces and moves through space, the sound of his rubber suit is clear and detailed, mapped to the rear speakers. This balances nicely with the ethereal score during the movie’s more curious moments, such as the first meeting with Rocky. There’s plenty of thumping bass too, with any impacts during the movie’s tense moments generating some solid punch from the subwoofer.

Michael (Universal Pictures)

A biopic of the legendary ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, Michael covers the singer’s life from his early days in the Jackson 5, culminating in the late 1980s during the Bad World Tour. Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson takes the role of his uncle.

Obviously, we’ll start with audio. The disc has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and the most impressive sequences are the live concerts and recording sessions. There’s a terrific balance between instruments and the crowd, which utilizes all the space within a surround system, such as the Samsung soundbar I used. When Jackson first records 'Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough' , the Atmox mix is superb, with Jackson’s vocals crystal clear at the front, a tightly controlled drum and bass line, as well as detailed strings and guitars, all given room to breathe.

Picture-wise, this is a crisp, polished presentation as you’d expect from a modern, high-budget movie. Colors have plenty of punch and vibrancy, but also look true-to-life, and the clothing looks accurate and detailed for the time. The peacocks on the lawn of the Encino mansion in particular show what Dolby Vision's color reproduction is capable of. There’s also good contrast throughout during night time sequences and when Jackson is on stage, particularly during his live performance of Billie Jean.

Troy (Arrow Video)

Troy follows the story of Paris, Prince of Troy (Orlando Bloom), who falls in love with Helen (Diane Kruger) and convinces her to leave her husband King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson). Menelaus declares war on Troy and sends an army led by Achilles (Brad Pitt) to take the city. The movie is loosely based on Homer’s Iliad, focusing on the Trojan War.

This 4K restoration presented by Arrow Video is brilliant. Textures such as skin look lifelike with a 3D-level of detail, and the detail within objects such as armor and weapons is intricate and clean. Colors are bold and vibrant, such as the lush greens of the trees in the opening fight scene, as well as the blues of the sky above. Landscapes look superb thanks to fantastic cinematography, and again really demonstrate the excellent quality of this restoration.

Gold detail within the armor shines and is a showcase for TVs with good HDR highlights, like the G6 I used. There’s also plenty of strong contrast, with dark tones balancing the light, such as the dark walls of the palaces balancing with the fire torches on the walls. There’s some good film grain still present too, despite how clean textures look now.

There’s no Dolby Atmos soundtrack supported here, but there is a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack that more than lives up to the task. During battle scenes, the sounds of arrows and spears whipping through the air is clear through the rear channels, creating a sense of height despite the lack of channels, while the front channels handle the clanging swords and more visceral sounds as people are slain. There’s plenty of strong bass too, as horses and chariots take part in battle.

West Side Story (1961) (Capelight Pictures)

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story follows Tony, a former member of the Jets gang, who falls for Maria, a girl whose brother is a lead figure in the rival Sharks’ gang. Set in 1950s Manhattan, New York, it is one of the most well-known musicals in cinematic history.

Starting with audio, the 4K disc has a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack, restored from 70mm 6-channel master, and its quality shows. There’s a lovely balance between the backing score and vocals, all of which have been made into a natural-sounding, clean surround mix that makes use of all the space it's granted.

Vocals are consistently clear and instruments sound detailed throughout. Even more subtle effects, such as the shuffling of feet during dances, sound refined and well-defined within the mix.

Visually, this is an impressive restoration. The colorful clothes and locales around the New York neighbourhoods really pop on screen. During the opening sequences, the reds of the walls and various gang member’s clothing are both vivid and true-to-life, and this carries on throughout the movie, with the vibrant 1950s clothing looking bright and vivid.

Textures have been given a nice uplift, with skin in particular benefitting from the 4K restoration, giving people a 3D-like appearance that makes the movie feel much more contemporary than its 1961 release date. There’s also some demonstrations of strong contrast during the movie’s night sequences, with stage spotlights overhead creating strong shadows, while still maintaining rich black tones.

Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (Arrow Video)

A sequel to the beloved Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey sees the duo Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) end up in the afterlife, after a pair of evil doppelganger robots is sent back in time to stop them from ever becoming famous musicians and creating a utopia.

This is another excellent (pun intended) 4K restoration from Arrow. From the get-go, colors are bold, vibrant and engaging. The neon clothing of the people in the future explodes on screen, but in the 1980s, people’s clothes really shine too, particularly Ted’s red jacket. Colors still look true-to-life at the same time.

Black tones are rich and deep as well, including the deep black during the tunnels in hell and of Death’s cloak. Textures have been upscaled nicely too, cleaning up skin and objects throughout the movie, while maintaining a good amount of grain.

The disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack that delivers a surprising amount of detail. Various effects throughout really use every channel, such as the crackle of the time-travelling phone booth coming through clear in the rear channels, while speech is clear in the front channels. More subtle effects are also clear, such as the creaking of the Colonel's leather boots as he tells Bill and Ted to do infinity pushups. Musical scenes also sound great as well, with punchy drums and bass and detailed guitars.

Hunt For The Wilderpeople (Visions Home Video)

Hunt For The Wilderpeople tells the story of Ricky (Julain Dennison), a young orphan who ends up running from his foster home with his foster uncle Hector (Sam Neill) into the New Zealand wilderness. As a manhunt ensues, the two must work together to avoid the law. This was one of Taika Waititi's first movies.

The showcase visual aspect of this disc is of course the gorgeous New Zealand wilderness. The greens of the fields and trees are beautiful, looking both vibrant and accurate in equal measure. Any bolder colors, such as Ricky’s bright red jacket and yellow hoodie, also pop on screen whilst also looking true-to-life. Textures are crisp and realistic, with the detail in nature, such as leaves and roots, adding some nice depth to the image.

The DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack sounds great here. As Hector and Ricky move through the wilderness, the sound of birds tweeting and the crackle of twigs and leaves underfoot is nicely detailed, with the birdsong demonstrating some accurate mapping as it quietly comes through the rear channels. Speech is clear throughout the movie, balancing well with the other aspects of the soundtrack. There’s even some nice directionality as well, with the sound of a travelling bullet moving around the rear channels behind me.

Mars Attacks! (Warner Bros.)

From Tim Burton, Mars Attacks! follows a group of aliens who land on Earth, and after meeting with US President Dale (Jack Nicholson) under peaceful circumstances, begin to attack cities across the globe. The movie has an ensemble cast including Annette Benning, Glenn Close, Jack Black and Michael J Fox.

Colors are the 4K disc’s real highlight here, with the gaudy aesthetic of Las Vegas, both the casinos and the people’s outfits, really popping on screen. The silk shirts a lot of the characters wear are extremely vivid, but never look oversaturated. Textures have been cleaned up well, giving the overall picture a refresh, particularly in people’s skin. During darker scenes, black tones are deep and there’s strong contrast on show, particularly during any night scenes on the Vegas strip.

The 4K disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack is engaging and detailed throughout. Explosions deliver plenty of meaty bass that's also well controlled through the right subwoofer. The sound of the alien’s ray guns is accurately mapped to the action on screen, demonstrating some brilliant, refined detail. As spacecraft fly overhead, Atmos is in full effect, demonstrating an effective use of height channels.

Sonos recently announced that it's launching a new soundbar to fill the gap between the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the Sonos Arc Ultra — it's called (perhaps predictably) the Sonos Beam Ultra. It's launching on September 29th 2026, and it costs $699 / £699 / AU$1,099.

It's small, like the regular Beam, but it features nine drivers to deliver 7.1.2 channels of Dolby Atmos, including upfiring drivers (which the Beam doesn't have).

Sonos' promise is that it's a bigger, more expansive, and meatier home theater experience than the regular Beam, and I got a chance to listen to a demo — though we'll have a full and in-depth review later when we can test more thoroughly.

But my time with the Beam Ultra was enough to really impress me. We started by listening to some music in Dolby Atmos, and the soundbar was extremely good at separating the sound from the hardware — the audio felt spaced across the whole room in front of me, rather than feeling like it was emitting from a compact soundbar.

Bass dispersion was really impressive, as was a feeling of 'airiness', in a good way, to vocals and positional instrument effects. Every element felt like it was able to float in the room very naturally and individually.

Switching to something bass-heavy, which is an area Sonos says it specifically wanted to improve, what stood out to me was the weight of the mid-bass. Often, in smaller speakers, this is where things fall off — they might be tuned to give good punch at their lowest point, but can't always maintain good strength as they move towards the mid-range.

There was no problem with that here: bass felt really solid throughout the range. Being a small soundbar, it's not like it can hit hard on really low-end frequencies, but there's loads of presence across the bass, so it feels satisfying.

Switching to movies and TV, we watched a clip from the Apple TV+ show Widow's Bay, emphasizing the improvement to the clarity of the center channel — dialogue came through clear over background noise.

But the real test was watching Sinners, in the big music scene of I Lied to You, which has become a common demo scene for companies to use. I was so impressed by the positional Dolby Atmos effects of elements that were way off to the side — the width was far better than other small soundbars, and was better than most big soundbars I've tested.

There's a real sense of instruments being positioned right in the far forward corners of the room, a good six feet beyond the edges of the TV we were watching, let alone beyond the edges of the small soundbar.

However, when we get it in to review, I want to test the height channels more deliberately. I wasn't feeling a lot of height effect from the demo — which might have been for a few reasons, so I can't cast judgment against the Beam Ultra for it yet. We'll be keeping an ear out for it, though.

I also got to try the same scene using the Sonos system's new ability to add some portable speakers as rear satellite speakers for surround sound. Two Sonos Play speakers were brought in and placed just behind me, and they instantly connected to the soundbar without needing the app at all.

A little tone emitted from the Beam Ultra to indicate that the Plays had connected themselves, but all the detection and connection is done invisibly by the system, and it seemed really slick.

The Plays made for a really good set of rear speakers in the demo, too — I got really clear positional effects from them, and they have a great dynamic range for movies.

Sonos confirmed that with the Plays (or a pair of Sonos Move 2 speakers, or static rear options such as the Sonos Era 100) connected, it can describe the system as a 7.1.4-channel setup, though the extra two height channels will be virtualized.

I was surprised that Sonos went with the small size of the Beam for a soundbar to sit below the Arc Ultra in its range, because I assumed that would mean a compromise on how expansive it would be — that's definitely not a concern for me anymore, and I'm really looking forward to hearing how it handles our movie library in our test rooms.

If you're looking for a new TV in the Labor Day sales, then my top recommendation is the LG C6. You can get the 65-inch model for $1,499.99 (was $2,699.99) at Amazon: a huge 44% off.

Easily one of the best TVs I've tested in 2026, the LG C6 ticks all the boxes, delivering the picture quality for movies, the performance for gaming and sports, and the versatility for any other areas you might need.

While we'd usually recommend last year's models in sales, as they're generally available cheaper, not only is the C6 a worthy upgrade over its predecessor, the LG C5, but both models are at the same price of $1,499.99 for a 65-inch. So, the C6 is a no-brainer.

Today's best LG C6 deal

An undeniable upgrade

After the success of the LG C5 last year, the LG C6 had some big shoes to fill. The LG C-series has been a long-running successful lineup of TVs for years, but on occasion, they don't innovate that much from year to year. In truth, the C5 wasn't a huge step-up over its predecessor, the LG C4. So naturally, I was hoping for a big upgrade this year in the C6: and boy did I get it.

When I compared the LG C6 and LG C5 side-by-side, I saw a noticeable upgrade in picture quality. The C6 was brighter (over 250 nits higher in peak HDR brightness) than the C5, which meant that bright scenes — such as those with a lot of snow — had a lot more punch on the C6.

Where I was really impressed was the colors. Not only did they look more vibrant and natural on the C6, demonstrated by some pink flowers in Wicked, but the C6 got rid of the 'green tint' that has been known to plague some LG OLED panels in recent years. This meant pictures looked more accurate overall, resulting in a better viewing experience.

Outside of picture, the C6 comes fitted with the flagship Alpha a11 Gen 3 AI processor, the same used in the flagship LG G6 and a first for the LG C-series. This means performance feels smoother and more responsive, and it benefits from more picture upgrades.

Finally, LG's C-series are among the best gaming TVs and the C6 is no different. It supports 4K 165Hz, full VRR including G-sync and FreeSync, plus Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM across four HDMI 2.1 ports, it's fully kitted out for gaming. Throw in an ultra-low 9.2ms input lag time and you have a superb gaming TV that was a blast to use for gaming during my testing.

Other fantastic Labor Day TV deals

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

IFA, Berlin's huge annual tech expo, is where some of the biggest tech firms unveil their latest innovations — and this year is one of the strongest we've seen in a long time for interesting new releases.

IFA is a great place to find fascinating new gadgets and devices, ranging from next-gen AR glasses to self-driving personal mobility vehicles, and from weird new kitchen appliances to armies of humanoid robots.

We've chosen the top products from those that were nominated for our IFA 2026 'Best in Show' awards to produce this list of our 25 winners, based on how innovative they are, how well they serve their intended use, and the degree to which we think they'll influence their area of the tech market.

There were many more products that we really liked, of course, but we had to be ruthless — here are our top picks from IFA 2026.

Anker Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 Pro

The best technology delivers real-world benefits, and what could be more beneficial than a good night's sleep? The Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 Pro use in-ear PPG optical sensors to monitor your heartrate, which is more accurate than other optical tracking methods thanks to the rich capillaries and stable position of your ear canal. That monitoring delivers data to the smart-screen, phone-free SleepHub charging case.

The Sleep Earbuds Pro feature passive isolation as well as 30dB active noise cancelling, and the case-based snore monitoring system detects and masks the sound of your partner snoring using its built-in sounds. Despite the addition of multiple new components the housing is thinner than previous generations, and even more comfortable for side sleepers.

Anker's BioSync dynamic audio system monitors relaxation in real time, dynamically adjusting the audio content and structure to help you find the most effective sleep sounds. Sleep earbuds are something that can truly improve your health and happiness by improving your sleep, and these look like a really smart upgrade.

Agibot A3

Agibot is doing some amazing things with humanoid robots, and the full-sized Agibot A3 combines multiple capabilities in a lightweight, extremely dynamic model: if you're assembling a robot dance troupe or planning a big exhibition, the A3's the bot to buy.

The A3 weighs just 55kg, has a power-to-weight ratio of 0.218kW/kg, and delivers up to 12kW of instant peak power, enabling it to somersault. Its battery runs for up to 10 hours and is hot-swappable in seconds, so it's great for applications where it needs to last all day. It'll happily fit in an SUV for travel, too.

In addition to voice and app control, the A3 delivers industry-first touch sensing that adds physical interaction to its controls. It also has a 360-degree multi-array mic system for accurate voice recognition, even in noisy environments.

One of the most exciting features of the A3 is its large-scale swarm co-ordination, which uses precise UWB positioning to enable performances by up to 100 individual robots. That makes it possible to create very complex, high-impact performances for big events, as well as enabling multiple units to work smartly in environments such as factories or warehouses. The awareness and the uptime make this a great new approach to robotics.

Hypershell X Ultra S

The Hypershell X Ultra S exoskeleton helped mountaineer Adriana Brownlee in -30C temperatures on Mount Everest, supported athlete Aurélien Fontenoy's 4,037km Route 66 journey while recovering from injury, and is currently being trialed by search and rescue organizations worldwide.

Before Hypershell, exoskeletons cost $100,000 and above; the same capabilities are now available to consumers for less than $2,000, in a device weighing under 2kg.

The X Ultra S is an end-to-end AI motion-control system that uses an AI model to transform raw sensor data directly into motor torque, enabling faster response, smoother adaptation, and more natural human-machine synchronization.

There are 12 active modes, including walking, cycling and running, and a new Gentle Assist mode for older adults and users with short or shuffling strides. Fitness Mode adds resistance, turning a walk into a workout.

But it's the price that won us over here — this could be a game changer for getting people with limited mobility out and doing more things that they love, from hiking to just visiting the local stores.

JMGO IRIS Ultra Max

The IRIS Ultra Max is one of the world’s first true 4K 120Hz flagship smart projectors, delivering native 4K (rather than pixel-shifted) at 120Hz from input to output, all from its very compact case.

The Ultra Max's dual iris system has 6+9 blades, the highest count in its class, which promises to improve stray light suppression by 11.34% for a more accurate picture, while delivering class-leading contrast, with a quoted ration of 10,000:1. The MALC 6.0 Triple-Laser Engine delivers an impressive 6,500 ISO lumens of brightness, making it more visible in more lighting conditions, and with a promised ability to recreate 110% of the BT.2020 color space, with an astounding color accuracy of delta-E of 0.7, meaning it's truly capable of pro-level color range and accuracy.

The IRIS Ultra Max also introduces an industry-first 3-in-1 Optical System that integrates 0.88–1.7:1 Optical Zoom, Four-Way Lens Shift (V ±130%, H ±53%), and an AI-Powered Gimbal (360° H, 150° V) into a unified projection architecture. This makes it more more flexible than traditional projectors to positioning, because it has so many different options for correcting its picture. It gives small home theater setups top-tier performance without compromise.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

Designed for vloggers and movie-makers alike, the Osmo Pocket 4P is the world’s first dual-lens pocket gimbal camera. It delivers cinema-grade imaging in a pocket-friendly form, and features DJI's Academy Award-winning Ronin stabilization.

The main lens is a wide-angle 20mm equivalent with an f/2.0 aperture, and a new 1-inch CMOS sensor that offers 17 stops of dynamic range and over one billion colors via DJI's new 10-bit D-Log 2 color profile.

That's supplemented with a 60mm medium-tele portrait lens, which gives you 3x optical zoom and up to 12x digital zoom. Its f/1.8 aperture is particularly good for creating bokeh effects by compressing the background and pulling it closer to the subject.

The Osmo Pocket 4P also features the latest version of DJI's ActiveTrack, which uses AI algorithms to maintain tracking lock at up to 12x zoom. It can actively track up to eight people, framing groups and centering anyone new who steps into the field of view.

RayNeo GT Max AR Glasses

The RayNeo GT Max AR Glasses are the world's first AR glasses to support Dolby Vision playback as part of creating a virtual cinema experience. They deliver up to 1,200 nits of perceived brightness, a 120Hz refresh rate, and real-time SDR to HDR conversion for super-clear images, too. Their optical system is 29% thinner and lighter than traditional designs, and delivers an industry-leading 59-degree field of view.

One of our favorite features is the adjustable virtual screen sizes, with a choice of 227 inches, 267 inches or 307 inches. That's clever: the tighter size is ideal for spreadsheets and productivity apps if you're using them as a display for a phone or laptop, while the larger sizes deliver immersive gaming and video.

Steady, Pinned and Follow modes enable you to anchor the screen or have it move with you, and 3DoF spatial tracking maintains the screen position without straining your eyes, and keeps subtitles, taskbars and image edges within the viewing area as you move. These look like the most advanced way to take a screen with you everywhere, and they could be indispensable for long flights.

TCL P80 Ultra

If you spend as much time on your phone as we do, you'll be blown away by the screen of the TCL P80 Ultra. It's the first phone to integrate NXTPAPER eye-comfort technology, with a 1.5K sharp AMOLED display for reflection-free reading even in bright sunlight, and a button that instantly turns your P80 Ultra into an e-reader with paper-like viewing.

The P80 Ultra has nano-etched anti-glare glass, eliminating surface reflections without reducing brightness. It also features circular polarized light technology, which changes the light output to more closely replicate the characteristics of natural light, and flicker-free dimming.

The camera's pretty special too. It's a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens with a 50MP 1/1.56-inch large-format sensor, capturing more light per pixel than smaller sensors and enabling 6x lossless zoom. Image stabilization eliminates motion blur in photos and video, and TCL's MuseFilm filters promise cinematic-quality images. But it's the groundbreaking display that really won us over — a lot of people will find it much kinder on the eyes.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14x Gen 2

Lenovo's ultra-light laptop makes even ultraportables look positively porky: at just 2.18lbs / 990g and just 12.9mm thick it's one of the lightest and thinnest laptops around, making it ideal for business travelers and students alike — especially if you opt for the backlit keyboard, which is really helpful in dimly lit rooms and airplanes.

Lenovo has somehow managed to give the ThinkBook 14x the super-thin treatment without sacrificing connectivity, so in addition to its Wi-Fi 7 it features two 10Gbps USB-C ports, two 5Gbps USB-A ports and an HDMI 2.1 port, so there's no need to haul a hub around with you. It also has a spare M.2 slot that enables you to expand its storage, which makes this a solid long-term investment.

The ThinkBook 14x Gen 2 is also one of the most customizable ultraportables, powered by Intel Core 7 (Series 3) processors and with display options including vivid OLED and touchscreen LCD. It's good-looking too, with a choice of metallic finishes including Luna Gray, Celestial White, Mystic Violet and Veil Blue.

EarFun Wave Pro X

EarFun's headphones consistently deliver premium performance without the premium price tag, and the Wave Pro X are the brand's best yet. They feature a patented dual-driver system that places a 40mm diamond-like carbon driver and a 10mm liquid crystal polymer driver on a precisely aligned axis, creating a more natural and detailed sound than you typically get from multi-driver designs.

The Wave Pro X feature an 8-mic AI system that continuously optimizes the hybrid ANC system, even in wired AUX mode, and the Qualcomm QCC3095 chipset delivers Bluetooth 6.0, aptX Lossless, LDAC, USB Audio and Auracast. Add AI translation and up to 90 hours of battery life to the mix and you've got a truly excellent pair of headphones — EarFun has been working on these for a long time, and even delayed them in order to get the tuning just right.

Urevo CyberPad 3

The CyberPad 3 is a home/office treadmill that's designed differently to traditional models. Its WalkFree Adaptive Speed Control uses pressure sensors built into the running board, which detect your stepping motion to automatically start and stop operation; when you're walking or running it takes data from the motor to calculate speed adjustments in real time.

Its multi-user support is smart too, capturing raw weight and stride-rate data to generate a structured user profile that's directly linked to the speed-control algorithm.

The support structure is made from Q235 steel with a side frame of die-cast aluminum, and it utilizes a redesigned transmission path to deliver an exceptionally compact construction: the ultra-slim body is under 11cm thick. Despite its small size it features a 15% incline-lift mechanism and a 42cm running belt, with its size based on analysis of human shoulder widths.

Plaud One

Plaud One is a wearable AI companion that combines three key features that are usually separate: wearable conversation capture, context that builds across day-to-day conversations, and AI that can analyze data and take appropriate action. It can capture online meetings, and face-to-face discussions and phone calls, and it has built-in eSIM and 4G LTE for phone-free operation.

What makes Plaud One different is that it understands context. Instead of treating each recording as a standalone transcript, it can retain context across multiple discussions — so a conversation from one meeting can be connected to a later conversation or call.

That understanding enables the Plaud Agent to help you take action, identifying next steps and completing tasks across tools such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, and Slack.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max-P495

The MS-S1 Max-P495 delivers large-model AI computing from an exceptionally small footprint with a very high specification. It combines AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 with up to 192GB of unified memory to run 128B+ LLMs locally, delivering up to 126 TOPS, and its unified memory architecture eliminates VRAM bottlenecks while also reducing latency.

That power is cooled by a high-performance thermal solution featuring a copper base, six heat pipes, dual fans and phase-change cooling, and it's encased in a fully scalable design, with a slide-out chassis for easy upgrading and a rack-ready form factor.

With 4x PCIe expansion, dual 10Gb Ethernet, dual 40Gbps USB4 v2, Wi-Fi 7, and a built-in 320W PSU, the MS-S1 Max-P495 delivers future-proof power for desktop systems and scalable AI clusters alike — it's a mind-blowing beast made to meet a new kind of research and development need.

XPPen Magic Pro 13

XPPen's Magic Pro 13 is a mobile drawing pad designed for creative pros, featuring an industry-first hardware-level drawing display mode that delivers low latency, native color output and higher bandwidth video transmission over a simple one-cable connection, giving you a paper-like experience with 16K pressure sensitivity and cursor hover support.

It's the first drawing pad in its category to come with dual-USB support, enabling you to benefit from a high-speed data connection while charging your Magic Pro 13.

The Magic Pro 13 features the new Shelf digital asset management system and XPPen's Canvas software, designed to deliver a simple and intuitive sketching experience for capturing ideas when inspiration strikes. And for creatives on the move it offers two thermal management modes, balancing performance and energy efficiency based on different creative scenarios.

Strutt ev1c

Strutt's ev1c reimagines the power chair with three major advancements: Strutt's evSense sensing array, a quad-drive drivetrain, and a modular, connected design.

eVSense uses two LiDARs, 10 time-of-flight sensors, six ultrasonics and two cameras to create 3D maps in real time, powering the Co-Pilot collision avoidance for people, pets, and edges, and the Auto-Pilot, which enables you to select on-screen destinations, or use LLM-powered voice commands such as "Take me to the kitchen" — basically it's a self-driving personal mobility vehicle.

The drivetrain features four-wheel independent suspension, ABS, active steering, and an integrated electronic stability program (ESP), safely managing 13-degree slopes, cobblestones and rough terrain without slippage or tipping. And when it's time to travel, it breaks down into five modules for easy trunk storage. It looks like a genuine move forward for this kind of mobility device.

xTool M2 Color Craft Laser

The xTool M2 is the first desktop machine to combine full-color CMYK printing, laser engraving and laser cutting into one enclosed Class 1 system, delivering a full print-then-cut workflow. Simply print your full-color design onto a piece of wood, leather or acrylic, and the xTool M2 Color Craft Laser cuts or engraves the exact contour with camera-guided precision. And there's a built-in air-assist pump, an industry first for a semiconductor laser, that keeps cut edges clean by reducing carbonization and yellowing.

Having these three capabilities in a single device is a huge power-up: instead of having to print on one machine and engrave or cut on another, you can turn your raw idea into a finished, professional-looking product in a single operation. It's ideal for stickers, labels, signage, personalized gifts, and small-batch products — you could start a whole business with this one device. And because it's an enclosed system, it's also very safe.

Perlegear AX1 Smart Adaptive Mount

The Perlegear AX1 Smart Adaptive Mount answers an interesting question: what if your TV mount was as smart as your TV? The AX1 is an AI-powered, motorized TV mount that can automatically adjust the height of your TV to different viewing positions, so for example you might have it low for solo TV watching, but raised for watching sports with friends, or for following an on-screen fitness app or motion-based game.

The AX1 is controllable via gesture commands, its mobile app, via remote control, or via Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. It can distinguish between single- and multi-person viewing, with the latter calculating the best screen height for the group, and it's capable of moving a 200-pound / 90kg TV up to 15.7 inches / 400mm vertically, with real-time obstacle detection that stops and reverses the move if the path is blocked.

Speediance Gym Monster 3

The brilliantly named Gym Monster 3 delivers serious strength training for home workouts, combining the experience of a Smith machine, barbell, dumbbells, cable machine, rowing machine, pulley system, and squat rack into one streamlined setup with up to 200lbs / 90kg of intelligent digital resistance.

Twin 800W direct-drive motors deliver smooth, consistent resistance through every rep, and it's adjustable in one-pound / 0.45kg increments, so you can progress at your own pace, rather than make big jumps you might not be ready for.

The Gym Monster 3 is controlled via a clever Bluetooth Ring Control that enables you to make adjustments without stepping away or breaking your flow, and it features four dedicated training modes: Standard, Chain, Eccentric, and Fixed Speed. It also features a built-in AI coach that can guide you from your first session onwards.

Midea GreenApex Dishwasher

The humble dishwasher hasn't changed much since Josephine Cochrane's 1886 invention went electric in the late 1920s and gained spray arms in the 1950s. But the Midea GreenApex is very different from traditional grease-busters. It's a dual heat-pump system that uses a single coordinated heat pump platform to deliver washing, rapid drying, and dry storage in a single appliance.

The GreenApex is 50% more energy efficient than conventional dishwashers, delivers 30-minute rapid drying and 168 hours of dry storage without continued system operation, and offers gentle heat-pump drying at around 45°C, so you don't need to worry about high temperatures damaging more delicate items. It feels like a major leap forward for an appliance type that doesn't often have the phrase 'cutting-edge' associated with it.

Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra

The Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra Security Camera features an innovative, decoupled dual-lens tracking system in which the individual lenses operate fully independently of one another. Unlike in other dual-lens or hybrid zoom security cameras, the two lenses here are not mechanically linked, so the fixed 130-degree 4K wide-angle lens never moves, while the telephoto camera is free to rotate anywhere, including to cover areas outside the field of view of the main lens.

This means that when the 4K camera's on-device AI spots a person, vehicle or animal, it triggers the pan-tilt camera to lock onto and follow that subject even after they exit the wide camera's field of view — but you don't lose any recording from the wide camera's view during that time.

You can also use the wide-angle view to redirect the pan-tilt camera to a particular location by simply tapping that point in the live camera view, or have the wide camera and the pan-tilt camera monitoring two distinct locations, such as your driveway and a side gate.

Navimow H510 Pro

The Navimow H510 Pro features four key innovations: precise edge finishing, zero-turn steering, adaptive mowing intelligence, and 3D modelling.

Rather than edging with a trimmer line, which can be noisy and cause minor damage, the H510 Pro has an extendable robot arm that performs zero-gap edging quietly and safely — it's the most interesting and smart version of this technology that we've seen.

The all-wheel-drive system protects your turf too, with a zero-steering system that avoids dragging the wheels across the grass during lateral turns. And the Adaptive Mowing Intelligence feature analyzes grass growth patterns to determine the optimal mowing frequency, using the 1/3 cutting rule to preserve lawn health.

With 3D terrain modeling rather than the industry-standard 2D, and a sensor array including infrared as well as LiDAR and vision for low-light reliability, and triple-sensor avoidance to protect wildlife, the H510 is a smart solution for even the most challenging lawns.

DJI Romo 2 Series

The Romo 2 Series is a robot vacuum that won't be defeated by obstacles such as deep rugs, sliding door tracks and other barriers. That's because it has robotic legs that can step over obstacles as high as 4cm, and double-step thresholds up to an impressive 8.5cm.

It also features a built-in LiDAR-guided ultra-wide-swing robotic arm to extend the mop's reach, and its powerful suction system features an automatically lowering plate that forms a semi-seal on carpet for better extraction of dust and allergens.

The Romo 2 Series also benefits from the tech of DJI's flagship drones, with a Structured Light-Speckle projector and dual fish-eye vision sensors for full 3D depth perception. It can detect items such as cables and training pads as thin as 2mm, and its AI can distinguish between debris and liquid, as well as deal with transparent obstacles such as glass doors and mirrors.

Acer Vero 16

With so many laptops sacrificing easy maintenance and repairability for super-skinny styling, the Acer Vero 16 is a breath of fresh air. While it doesn't skimp on style or power — it's highly portable, delivers up to 180 platform TOPS with an Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H, and can be configured with a stunning 16-inch 3K OLED display — it's made with longevity in mind.

A tool-free latch provides easy access to the Vero's innards, and the battery and SSD are replaceable, while the system is designed to support the next two generations of processors if you want to upgrade. Fully 70% of the chassis consists of a blend of PCR (post-consumer recycled) and bio-based oyster shell material, and it meets US military standards for toughness. This is a laptop that's built to last, in a way that's rare to see — and very welcome.

Asus ProArt GR1X

The Asus ProArt GR1X is tiny, measuring just 150 x 150 x 51mm. But there's nothing small about its specification. Designed for advanced content creation and local AI workflows, it delivers data center-class compute inside a mini PC, removing the need to run LLMs remotely while eliminating cloud latency, cost, and IP protection concerns for pro creators.

The ProArt GR1X features the groundbreaking Nvidia RTX Spark 'superchip', which means you get a 20-core Grace CPU and a 6,144-core Blackwell GPU, delivering up to one petaflop of FP4 AI inference performance. With up to 128GB of LPDDR5X unified memory at 9,400MHz, it enables you to run up to 120B-parameter LLMs locally, and render entire 3D scenes on-device in Windows 11.

That kind of power demands highly efficient cooling, and Asus has developed an advanced precision-cooling system that delivers 1.6x more efficient thermal coverage than standard compact systems. Asus also solved the challenge of metal-enclosure signal attenuation by embedding the Wi-Fi 7 antennas behind a glass-like signal-transparent material. It's quite the design coup, and an impressive showcase for Nvidia's new elite chip.

EcoFlow STREAM 5000 / STREAM AC 5000

The EcoFlow Stream series is a plug-and-play modular system for residential solar energy generation and storage that's designed to be renter- and apartment-friendly. It can add battery storage and smart power-management to existing solar PV installations, as well as being employed to create a new home system from scratch.

The Stream Series features EcoFlow's Oasis 3.0 home energy management system, which understands dynamic energy tariffs, keeps an eye on the weather forecast, and continuously analyzes your home energy needs to optimize generation, storage and consumption.

That means you can give the EcoBot AI agent instructions such as "I need my car charged by 7am tomorrow at the lowest possible cost" and it will implement the necessary steps, or have your energy schedules reconfigured automatically when you have visitors or other instances of increased demand.

From October the EcoFlow Stream series will also get a new feature: Local Mode, which gives you uninterrupted operation and local app control even if there are cloud or connectivity outages. It's a very powerful (no pun intended) system that's been designed with the real world in mind.

Tapo D260

The Tapo D260 wired/wireless security camera is a video doorbell that delivers all the benefits of high-spec security without the potential downsides: it stores facial recognition data locally to protect privacy, and no features are locked behind a subscription. It's advanced, yet totally cost-free once you buy it.

It has 4K resolution, a wide 180-degree field of view to cover the entire doorway, and delivers sharp detail in subjects up to 30 feet away.

The D260 features multiple intelligent detection and recognition features, including radar as well as the obligatory infrared motion sensor. These enable it to discount false alerts from things such as moving branches or passing headlights, while on-device AI can recognize people, packages, vehicles, and animals.

If you wish, you can opt in to build a library of family and friends using facial recognition, and there's even a voice changer to disguise your voice when speaking to unfamiliar callers. In a world where people are sick of subscriptions, this offers a great security upgrade without the monthly fee.

• The Magnetar Ultima is a new 4K Blu-ray player for reference-quality playback
• Blu-Ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-A, CD and digital support — but no DAC: all-digital output to your system
• Costs a cool $12,000 (about £8,895 / AU$16,687)

We've written many times about the benefits of Blu-ray over streaming, but many hardware firms have stopped making players as the format's popularity has declined. So it's nice to see the announcement of a new player for those who are still invested in the future of 4K Blu-ray… and it's one that's also an impressive audiophile music player.

The new player comes from Magnetar, and it's called the Ultima. And because it's being unveiled in the US at CEDIA 2026, the show where sound systems with supercar price tags are exhibited, it's clear that this reference system is aimed at the more affluent end of the market. (You might also get a hint from its price tag of $12,000.)

Magnetar Ultima: key features and pricing

The Ultima is built on Magnetar's MKII player platform, supporting 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, SACD, DVD, CD, DVD-A (remember that?), DSD/DoP, USB and network playback. That means a huge range of premium formats are covered, including external digital files, in a single system.

The Ultima adapts the existing MKII platform by moving to an external DC power supply instead of a more traditional internal AC setup, which why it has two distinct units. It features dedicated lithium-based power stages designed to isolate the transport, clock and signal paths from any noise, fluctuating voltage and other potential issues that might interfere with pristine digital data transmission.

Interestingly, the power stages are made by Chinese firm BYD, whose electric cars are currently selling like hot cakes in Europe. BYD is at the forefront of battery, charging and electrical tech so seeing a car firm here is less surprising than it might appear at first glance.

The Ultima runs a synchronized master clock system based around a unified 10MHz reference clock for precise timing across the device, but there's no audio DAC: this is a reference device whose job is to deliver the most precise audio data to the rest of your system, so it's expected that you'll connect it to a setup that can handle its audio.

As you'd expect, there are extensive connectivity options including two HDMIs, one of which is audio-only, and there's also gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, AES/EBU and coax S/PDIF connections too.

It's a hugely impressive specification, which is why it comes with that impressive price tag. It's available now through Magnetar's dealer network, but if that price is a bit steep you might want to check out our guide to the best Blu-ray players for something slightly cheaper.

Still, we're just happy to see something new arrive onto the market — Blu-ray might be growing in popularity again, but the hardware hasn't had all that much love.

• Google has fixed a setup issue with the first-gen Chromecast device
• Owners have been complaining for months about their devices going missing from the Google Home app
• The update also fixes functionality issues

Have you been running into setup issues with your older Chromecast and Google Home devices? You’ll be happy to hear you’re not alone on this one — and even happier to know that Google has finally rolled out a fix.

These issues first arose when Google announced it would be ending support for its oldest Chromecast dongles back in May. From there, owners started reporting problems with setting up their devices after they started disappearing from the Google Home app on Android.

A Google Home app update made setting up Chromecast even more difficult which, understandably, sparked a lot of worry for those who are still using the first-gen Chromecast from over 10 years ago, convincing them that Google was officially pulling the plug on its OG streaming device. Similar issues then started cropping up for owners of the 2015 Chromecast model and Google Home Mini speaker, affecting functionality as well as the setup process.

At first, users were left to find their own workarounds and solutions, with many having to factory reset their devices, revert to older versions of the Google Home app, or even wipe their entire Home ecosystem to start afresh. Thankfully, Google has solved this, implying that these setup and functionality crashes were part of a software glitch.

The Google Nest Community account on Reddit replied to a series of frustrated posts with the following statement: ‘We've resolved an issue that was impacting the ability to set up some older Chromecast and Google Home devices. If you haven't already, factory reset your speaker or update your Google Home app to version 4.26 and try again’.

It hasn’t been the best time to be a first-gen Chromecast owner to say the least, but at least Google’s latest fix offers some reassurance that the company isn’t writing off its oldest streaming device yet — despite pulling the first Chromecast from shelves in early 2025. That said, Google isn’t the first tech giant to be accused of intentionally bricking older streaming devices to get users to upgrade.

Amazon received similar backlash when a user filed a lawsuit against the company, after reporting that two Fire TV sticks ran into severe performance issues just a few years after purchasing them. The user claimed that Amazon had been software tethering, while not disclosing the truth about the lifespan of its Fire TV stick streamers.

Now that Google has found a solution, hopefully it does the job at reviving your older Chromecast model. If the issues still persist, Google recommends reaching back out to the Nest community to let them know.

Visiting Hisense's booth at IFA is always good for some future-gazing technology — the company often shows off product concepts that it's aiming to actually launch, but often only in China. So obviously, I like to go, find the best ones, and then write articles like this to persuade the company to release them more widely.

And here we are, in one of these articles, because I just saw the world's first micro-LED 3D TV (according to Hisense), and I thought it looked incredible.

The reason why is super-simple: micro-LED's giant brightness levels. Hisense's system uses active-shutter glasses, meaning that the TV shows alternating frames that should be seen by your left and right eyes, and you wear glasses that literally close off the vision of each eye, so that only the correct eye sees the correct frame on the TV.

But these lenses reduce the brightness even when the lens is 'open', and having only half the time to see each frame per eye also reduces perceived brightness, since less light reaches you.

This is the same technique used in the better examples of the old 3D TVs, but it meant that 3D always looked a bit dull.

But that doesn't matter if the TV is ridiculously bright to start with. Hisense's micro-LED model is capable of 10,000 nits of peak brightness, which means that when you're watching through the glasses, the 'dimmed' version of the video still looks like just a normal TV among the best TVs available today.

Colors look super-rich in 3D, and the 3D is super-sharp and detailed because you're getting native 4K resolution because of the active-shutter tech, and the crispness of the 3D effect is super-impressive. In the video I watched, there was no ghosting or stuttering of the image.

The motion looked really smooth and true to what you want from a TV, especially when combined with colors that actually feel rich and like you're getting HDR.

The amount of depth was really impressive, as well — the foreground truly looked like it was jutting out of the screen towards me, and the background felt like there was some real distance to it.

Hisense says that the TV will be able to convert from 2D to 3D in real-time with anything you watch, using a powerful AI-based system, with all the processing handled on the TV itself.

Of course, I'm more interested in breaking out my still-saved 3D Blu-rays of the movies I genuinely loved watching in the format, which were truly filmed with it in mind: Hugo, Pacific Rim, Gravity. I have never watched Avatar at home, because I know it would be a way weaker experience — but I'd watch it on this TV.

And while the dimming problem is the main issue with 3D glasses, I know that for many people the glasses themselves are the problem, and this TV won't solve that.

But man, if I were speccing out a high-end home theater setup (Hisense said the TV would cost over $200,00), I'd absolutely want this in it.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Sonos just announced two new big pieces of hardware to its lineup: a Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar and some Sonos Ace Ultra headphones. And while they both sound like solid upgrades to the manufacturer's top-tier audio tech, you'll have to pay a premium for both products.

Luckily, though, as part of this year's Labor Day sales, several pieces of existing Sonos audio equipment are on offer at Best Buy — including the current Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar and the original Sonos Ace headphones.

• Shop all Sonos deals at Best Buy

Firstly, let's start with the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at Best Buy for $369 (was $499). We still rate the four-star soundbar as an excellent compact choice that's a smart buy if you need a simple upgrade to underwhelming built-in TV speakers. It offers an impressively wide soundstage in such a small package and requires minimal fuss to get it all hooked up.

Meanwhile, the Sonos Ace at Best Buy for $299 are a much more tempting buy following this $100 discount. We still liked them enough to award them four stars in our review, but only as a top choice if you're exclusively using them to watch movies.

One thing of note: the new model will have better integration with the wider Sonos ecosystem, so if that's important to you, it may be worth waiting for the new model. Just be aware, though, that they will cost up to $449 at launch, so considerably more expensive than this original version.

There are a couple of other Sonos speakers and soundbars on sale for Labor Day, so do check out all of the deals below.

4 best Sonos deals at Best Buy

• TCL announces two new soundbars with AI room calibration, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
• The TCL S-Class S60K is a 3.1 soundbar and sub combo; the TCL S-Class S65K is a 5.1 system with rear surrounds
• They launch with discounts, so the S60K is $179, the S65K is $249

TCL has launched two new Dolby Atmos soundbars that share some key features with TCL's premium Q-Class soundbars, but they cost considerably less.

The new S-Class soundbars come in two models: the TCL S-Class S60K, which is a 3.1-channel soundbar-and-sub system designed for smaller spaces and suitable for TVs of 43 inches up; and the TCL S-Class S65K, which is a 5.1 system with soundbar, subwoofer, and wireless rear satellite speakers, and is recommended for TVs of 50 inches or more.

The S60K is currently available with a launch discount that takes the price from an MSRP of $299.99 to just $179.99. That could make it among the best Dolby Atmos soundbars for price-conscious customers. The S65K launches at $249.99 instead of the $399.99 MSRP.

Save on TCL's all-new soundbars

TCL S-65K and S60K soundbars: key features

These soundbars aren't basic: they feature tech previously only available in TCL's high-end models, and have a very impressive specification for the price.

Both S-Class soundbars feature Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, TCL's 'Ray Danz III' sound widening processing, AI-powered room calibration, dedicated dual-driver center channels, and dialog enhancement options. The wireless subwoofers feature Bass Wave Guide technology for clear but deep bass.

The two soundbars connect via HDMI eARC, and they have Bluetooth 5.3, app control, and promise over-the-air software updates.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Best Buy has officially launched its Labor Day sale, and it's filled with impressive TV deals, including a stunning discount on LG's budget B6E OLED TV. The retailer has the 55-inch model on sale for a jaw-dropping $799.99 (originally $1,299.99).

• Shop Best Buy's full Labor Day sale

Not only is that a record-low price, but it's also an incredible deal for a 2026 OLED display from a reputable brand like LG.

The LG B6E is a budget version of the already affordable and very popular LG B6. Our TV experts compared the OLED TVs and determined they were nearly identical, except, of course, for the price. Best Buy has LG's 48-inch B6 OLED TV on sale for $799.99, which is only $100 more than the 55-inch B6E model.

Despite its cheap price, the B6E is packed with premium features: LG's speedy Alpha 8 Gen 3 AI processor, Dolby Vision support, extensive gaming features, and webOS 26. When TechRadar asked LG what differed between the two TVs, they said the B6 has two features the B6E doesn’t: Precision HDR Master Pro and Precision Sound Master Pro.

So if you're in the market for a budget OLED TV, our advise is to buy LG's 55-inch B6E instead of the B6, because it's a better buy at just $799.99.

Get LG's 55-inch B6E OLED TV for just $799.99

I've listed more of today's best Labor Day TV deals at Best Buy below, and keep in mind, these are limited-time offers that end at Midnight on Labor Day proper (September, 7).

Shop more Labor Day TV deals at Best Buy

See more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

Sonos has just made three new announcements: it's launching a new pair of headphones called the Sonos Ace Ultra; it's launching a new soundbar called the Sonos Beam Ultra; and it's rebranding its software side as an "operating system" that it's calling Sonos 27 — and is adding a new AI-enabled voice assistant, new AI agent integration, and smarter ways for its speakers to work together.

I spoke to Sonos' CEO Tom Conrad about the new launches — especially the new software, since any new software changes that Sonos makes will be met with caution from the community, as Conrad and I discussed last time we spoke.

First, here's a rundown of the details of what Sonos is launching, starting with the Ace Ultra. These new headphones will launch at $449 / £399 / AU$699, and bring a new 40mm driver promising improved sound — but more interestingly they're powered by a new chip called the Headphone Engine 2 that means they'll be able to do what people expected the original Sonos Ace to do: they'll be able to work as a standard part of the Sonos ecosystem.

The Beam Ultra, meanwhile, sits between the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the Sonos Arc Ultra — it's a compact soundbar, but it delivers 7.1.2 channels of Dolby Atmos sound, using nine drivers (including two upfiring drivers, which is a first for the Beam range). It launches at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099.

Both of the new products are available to pre-order on September 1, 2026, and will launch on September 29, 2026.

When it comes to software, Sonos has given its platform a name for the first time: Sonos 27. Part of the launch of Sonos 27 is the reveal of Sonos Fabric, which is the name Sonos has given to "the system capability that enables Sonos products to sense each other and adapt to the moment" — and immediately, Fabric is being used to enable smart music switching on the Ace Ultra, and the ability to have portable surround speakers in Sonos home theater setups. Conrad will explain both of those in our interview.

There are two other new elements to Sonos 27, though. Sonos 27voice is a new voice assistant that's based on AI tech, and Sonos 27mcp is a new way for AI agents to connect to Sonos systems and control them.

In our conversation, Conrad dug into why the company is doing all of this and what the company is offering for AI skeptics — so let's get into it, starting with Conrad's explanation of why they wanted to give the software a name at last.

Tom Conrad: When I got the nod to become permanent CEO about a year ago, one of my observations about the company's recent history was that while we had started as a system company, we had spent the last almost decade being really focused on getting great at shipping individual products, filling out the product line with every shape and form that our customers were interested in. Small, medium, and large soundbars; a couple sizes of subwoofer; big amplifiers, small amplifiers; portables… you get the point. And Patrick [Spence, former Sonos CEO] and the team became a really well-oiled machine with respect to hardware execution.

But in doing that, I think the unintended consequence was that at times we took our eye off the ball [regarding] what it meant to bring those products together into a cohesive whole. And someone shortly after I arrived said that the thing about Sonos is it's really 100% hardware and 100% software. And I love that framing, because it's so right. We have these two really hard problems to solve, and if either one of them doesn't get complete dedicated focus from exactly the right people, we don't deliver what our customers expect.

And so, we've done all kinds of things to elevate the software expertise in the company over the course of the last year. And at the same time, we've really invested in the idea that the software is what makes the system. And as you look at how we've taken our products to market through the years, we've always given the hardware a name — Arc and Ace and Beam and Move — but the software has never had a name.

So one of the big announcements this week is that we're giving the software a name. And what we make is really an operating system for audio experiences in the home — and ‘OS’ has always been there in our name! And so we're simply calling the software Sonos 27 because, really, it is that ‘systemness’ that the software provides that makes Sonos. And we're attaching the year moniker to it, because Sonos does get better year after year. There'll be a Sonos28 and a Sonos29 and so on.

Matt Bolton: As soon as I saw the name, my first thought was whether this means we're talking about a planned update cadence, and that feels like it would probably be a different approach than Sonos would have necessarily taken in the past?

Tom Conrad: Yeah, I think one of the things about the company for the last many years is that because we only talked about the hardware, anything we wanted to do in software had to kind of ‘ride along’ on the hardware itself. And so we'd add Atmos, or we'd add voice assistants, or we'd add new surround experiences, but they would always be tied to the fact that we're making a new soundbar, so we can work on home theater experiences. We're making a product with a microphone so we can work on voice products. By separating out the idea of the operating system, we're giving it its own identity, its own road map, its own cadence of release, which we think is a really exciting change for the company.

And our customers can expect that the software doesn't get better only when we release new hardware. And it doesn't even get better just once a year. It gets better all the time through the year, which I think fits a new, modern way that people talk about their software platforms.

Matt Bolton: What we've been seeing more recently is you guys rolling out improvements and features on a pretty regular basis. The question I have as a user is: does this mean that I'm going to be waiting for a once-a-year Sonos 27 update to get new features?

Tom Conrad: I understand that feeling. But I think if you look at even what Apple does now, they once a year talk about their new operating system, and then the features roll out through the year, some of which they've sort of talked about in their big moments and some of which are a surprise and delight along the way, and our model will be exactly the same.

Matt Bolton: I assume this means that you've got a road map already in mind that covers Sonos 28 and Sonos 29. How far in advance are you thinking?

Tom Conrad: We do, for sure. Certainly, the list of things that I want to accomplish in software runs to many years. But one of the unique opportunities in software — unlike hardware, where you have to make these bets that go out, two or three years after you start programs — is that in software, even a big program might be six months of effort.

And so, while I like to have a two- or three-year road map for software, I like to be constantly replanning so that we can react to what's happening in our customers' lives. If you think back three years ago, for example, we hadn’t even had the ChatGPT moment yet. And so, to have a locked three-year roadmap and be resolutely dedicated to that path, not understanding how the world has changed in the last three years, would be foolish. And so we have a plan, but also the wisdom to be constantly reevaluating and reprioritizing as our customers' needs evolve.

Matt Bolton: How far ahead do you plan to communicate to customers what is coming? Like you say, Apple will announce at WWDC things it doesn't expect to necessarily launch until quite a bit later in the year.

Tom Conrad: I think it's likely that we'll do a couple of events or moments a year where we talk about what's coming and what's newly available. And so I think you can expect, in many years, there'll be kind of a fall event, like this one, where we talk about our big plans for the year, and then there'll be kind of a midyear check-in where we'll add to the story.

Matt Bolton: So let’s talk about AI integration. Generally, people have gotten to the point where they're now pretty skeptical of AI features being added to everything, but it sounds like you're taking a practical approach. So how do you assess what you should build and integrate — what you can do with, as you say, the three years of the ChatGPT ‘moment’?

Tom Conrad: I guess we'll start with what we do for skeptics. The things that we do with conversational AI are completely opt-in experiences, to the point that our speakers all have a hard microphone button on them, so you press it, and it literally breaks the electrical connection between the microphone and the rest of the device. So for those who are uninterested in this moment, we provide a platform that I think has incredible utility, even absent modern AI-powered capabilities.

But I think in some ways, the more exciting dimension of what we're doing is that we're really not starting from, ‘Oh, there is this incredible new technology in large language model, generative conversational AI infrastructure, what can we build with that?’ Instead, we're starting from really spending time with our customers and understanding what they might want to do with voice in the context of Sonos in their home. And we have the room to do that because we've been shipping voice assistants on Sonos for nearly a decade, including our own.

And when I talk to customers, they say, ‘I love the idea that I can engage with the Sonos system in my home without taking my phone out of my pocket. It takes a long time for me to get to the app, my partner looks at me sideways. Like, why are you on your phone when we're having a conversation?’ I mean, I think broadly you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody who's like, ‘I wish that the people I share my home with were on their phone more.’ Instead, they're looking for ways to put the phones in a drawer and enjoy being together.

I think voice is intuitively a great way to solve that, and that's why Sonos One, our first product that had a voice assistant, was such a smash hit 10 years ago. I think people understood that this is a great way to engage. But, unfortunately, the [voice] agents themselves really didn't meet the expectations of the customer.

When I go out and talk to people, the first thing they say is not crazily complex scenarios about how to control my smart home in nine different ways — all this stuff that you hear about from other players in the industry. They say, ‘I just want to be able to talk to the assistant about what I want the same way I would talk to a human being.’ I wanna be able to say, ‘Play that album that I loved in college, with the one with the singer from the Cocteau Twins. I think the band did the theme song to that Fox show. What's it called? It's about a doctor who's really grumpy all the time. Oh, yeah. It's called House.’

And, certainly, with first-generation voice assistants, even if they knew the name of the song, they would have to remember that you have to say ‘Play this song by this artist’ and not say the album and not say the artist first — and [we had to] guess what the agent is thinking. So job one, two, three, four, five, and six is: speak to this thing naturally.

The second thing that they say is they don't really care about all of these seemingly made-up examples of things that tech companies seem to think that we want to do. ‘I looked at your calendar and noticed that you have people coming for brunch tomorrow, and the refrigerator says you're out of eggs. So I'm gonna text your wife to tell her that you've gone to the store to get-’… I mean, no one wants the system in your walls to do that stuff in the real world, I don't think.

But they do want to be able to quickly control ‘atmosphere’, I would call it — which means music, means a soundtrack, and often means lighting. And yeah, they wanna be able to set timers. They wanna be able to ask about the weather. Everything else is really far down the list from there.

So we built [Sonos 27voice] to do exactly those things. It's really fast. It's really reliable. It's really resilient to anything you throw at it linguistically. And I think people are gonna be really delighted with just the fact that it just works. One benefit to narrowing the problem domain to exactly what customers are asking for is that we're also able to deliver this with modern infrastructure that is affordable to run, which means that we can make it a standard part of the Sonos system without having a secondary subscription on top — which is another dimension that people, I think, really want. They don't want another line item on their credit card just to be able to control the ambiance in their home.

Matt Bolton: What is the technology in the background? Are you using a particular language model? Are you running on your own servers or tying into someone else's systems?

Tom Conrad: Let me give you the one last piece of the puzzle that we hear from customers, because it will help me explain the architecture. They do also say that they want access to comprehensive world knowledge. I'm in the kitchen. I'm cooking a pork tenderloin. I wanna know what the temperature should be for it to be safe to eat. My wife and I are having a debate about the name of the actor from Ted Lasso. And people want the voice assistants to be able to talk to them about the world.

So you need something that is everything that I described, but also has the wisdom to reach out to a more sophisticated general-purpose model when the query is outside of the domain of ambiance and timers and weather and the stuff that makes up 95% of what people ask. So we've built our own core model that is a purpose-built, fine-tuned, kind of mid-scale large language model, if you like, that we run on our own infrastructure and answers that 95%, and then reliably routes to an external frontier model for the general knowledge or complex questions.

And we'll even do fun things, like if the frontier model can help in the task of figuring out the music, it will do that too. So you can say things like, ‘Find some music that's breaking through on TikTok and filter it through that shoegaze music that I liked when I was in college in the nineties and make a playlist for me.’ And it will use the frontier model to understand what's being talked about on TikTok. It'll use our infrastructure to understand my musical taste, and then it'll build a playlist and go. So that's what we're doing with Sonos 27voice.

Matt Bolton: I assume the frontier model will change over time, but which one are you using for launch?

Tom Conrad: We're not talking about the infrastructure at launch, but you're right to assume that part of the flexibility here is to be able to trade in and out frontier models to optimize costs, et cetera.

Matt Bolton: The other side of the AI features you announced that I'm really interested in is the MCP integration. Sonos has this long history of being relatively developer-friendly and open, which you guys emphasized a lot in the announcement of this OS. So the MCP integration feels like you’re re-embracing the element of wanting people to be making stuff that works with your system.

Tom Conrad: I think one of the exciting things that's happened in the last, not even two years, but in the last six months, is that suddenly we see ordinary people are able to make software, right? And I know we see it all over the company, and we see it all around the world with our customers. Already, unofficial hacked API access to Sonos is a very common, vibe-coded use case, and you hear people, lots of very high-profile people, talking about controlling their system. And then I meet customers all the time who are experimenting with these things.

And so, we're launching Sonos 27mcp, which makes a supported, full surface-area set of actions in the Sonos system available to our customers, to interact with music through any agent that they choose. Sonos will show up in the Claude connector directory — and the ChatGPT connector directory, and the Grok connector directory, and the Gemini connector directory — alongside Slack and Calendar and Figma, all the other things that you might interact with in Claude on any given day.

And you can do pedestrian things like turn the music down in Claude or whatever you’re using on your phone, in their app, in their desktop app, in a web browser. It will have enough context to understand that the music is on your Sonos system, and it will find the music that's playing and turn it down.

And it will also chain tools together, so you could say things like, ‘Look at my calendar and see the party that's coming up, look at who's coming, help me figure out what would be a great set of music to play based on what we know about these people from my email history with them.’ It's a terrible made-up example. But it's really good at chaining together a bunch of tools and its own native inference and doing these things.

And then as you point out, in the sort of hobbyist community, there's this tremendous opportunity to make bespoke control experiences, both software and hardware, using this infrastructure to integrate Sonos into the emerging agentic frameworks like OpenClaw and Hermes. There's going to be dozens of these things that take over, over the course of the next year, and we'll be able to participate in that.

I think it's just gonna be really fun to see what our customers do with this. And I think it's a really unique capability, because to do it well, you have to have both the technical infrastructure — which is to say access to the nouns and verbs of your system through the internet — which very few people have.

And then you also have to have the, like, philosophical perspective that says openness is good, and allowing integration and access from these third-party systems doesn't disintermediate us. It elevates us, and not every company — maybe no other company — has that perspective.

Matt Bolton: It feels like it must be part of building a future-proof system as well, because MCP seems like quite an agnostic approach, and it means that if, say, Apple adds good MCP support to Siri, you don't have to do anything to support it. But at the same time, does it make it any harder for you to develop on your end knowing that you're going to have this really open-ended way for agents to come in and interact with the system? Does that complicate building and planning features in any way?

Tom Conrad: First, just as a footnote, I should say that it may turn out that Apple's answer to all of this integration is not MCP, but what they call App Intents. And we're also, in this moment, shipping App Intent support on Apple's platform, so we have that piece as well. It's kind of a semantically one-to-one mapping — where the connector lives is different, but what you can do with it is very similar.

How do I say this… Maybe the worst of all worlds is to have all of the third-party engagement with your product be done through hacks and unsupported APIs… I have a friend who has a newborn, and he gets up early to work. He wants to be notified when his wife wakes up, so that he could put the coffee on. And so he basically just set [Claude] Fable about the task of, like, ‘Figure out when my wife wakes up’. And so the agent hacked his smart bed. And then he's like, ‘And start the coffee maker [at that point]’. And it hacked the API for his coffee maker.

I don't know that I wanna be on the receiving end of that universe, because now when I change an implementation detail, it breaks these experiences. And I think the customer blames the coffee maker company and the smart bed brand. They don't blame the fact that they essentially had hacked themselves on top of some infrastructure that was never meant to be built upon.

And so I think the new world sort of demands a certain amount of willingness to participate in this, and I'm really excited at the idea that the MCP infrastructure gives us a really nice structured way to not just do it once and have it applied to multiple platforms, but to do it in a way that allows for a layer of compatibility as we evolve the back-end services.

Matt Bolton: The other thing I wanted to ask regarding so much talk of this being an open platform is just how open are we talking? Would we see Sonos 27 on other devices, on non-Sonos hardware?

Tom Conrad: I think, for now, the magic of Sonos really is the marrying up of what we do in hardware and then what we do with software. And so you'd never say never, but at least as it relates to the core audio business that we're in, I think we're focused on making our own exceptional experiences for the home.

I will put a tiny asterisk on that. We have a great partnership with Peloton that started with us tuning the audio experience in their newest equipment, but is extending over time to allow the Sonos system in their customers' homes to become the audio destination for [their products’ audio output]. It's not quite us bringing the operating system into other people's audio hardware, but it’s a good example of continuing the work that we've all already done to integrate everywhere where our customers wanna be.

Matt Bolton: In the Sonos Ace Ultra, obviously the big headline hook for the hardcore Sonos fans is going to be the Sonos system connectivity that people had hoped the first Ace would have. Why is the new Headphone Engine 2 hardware necessary to make that happen?

Tom Conrad: There were two pieces to unlocking the headphone connectivity for the system. The first is that we needed Wi-Fi performance and secure storage transport of [security] credentials, which is deeply embedded into the actual silicon that goes into the headphone. Unfortunately, Ace doesn't have that platform, so we couldn't responsibly bring the feature to Ace without putting your Wi-Fi password, for example, at risk on an open network during configuration. And without the improved Wi-Fi capability of the headset itself, we couldn't get the kind of ‘walk around your home’ networking performance that we wanted for the product.

But to your point, I'm really proud of the original Ace. They're super comfortable. They've got great battery life. They've got best-in-class noise cancellation performance. They're great headphones.

But it is the best example of how, in that chapter, the company had forgotten how important it is to make sure that the products we make are really part of the system, and not just an exceptional pair of headphones. Because let's be honest, there are lots of exceptional headphones in the world.

And so from the jump on Ace Ultra, we knew that we had to do the thing that our customers most wanted, which was to make the headphones an intuitive part of the [Sonos] system.

There are two mechanisms for engaging with this feature. The first is really kind of magical: you can walk up to any speaker that's playing in your home, press a button on the headset, and the music just jumps from the speaker into the headphone. You can then walk to some other part of your house, press the button again as you stand in front of [another speaker], and the music or content jumps from the headphone to the speaker. No app, no delay, no Bluetooth; it's really just the Sonos ‘Fabric’ tech facilitating this effortless, seamless experience around the home.

I said there were two things that unlock this capability. The first is the hardware that lives in the new headphones. The second is something that happens in the operating system itself, which is that — with the launch of Amp Multi — we built a virtualization technology that allows a single instance of the Sonos OS to host multiple instances of the runtime. And what that's for in Amp Multi is that you’ve got one box running four rooms.

We've taken that capability and extended it to the whole modern speaker family, so that this Sonos Play that's sitting on my desk with me can run more than one instance of the runtime. And so the headphones, which don’t have the CPU horsepower to run the full Sonos stack, doesn't have to — because it can nominate a speaker on your network to be its proxy.

And so when you when the music jumps from the speaker [to the headphones], we spin up a virtual instance of Sonos [software] in one of the speakers — it might be the one you're standing in front of, it might be another one that's less utilized — and send audio over the network as a stream to the headphones, rather than running the full stack in the headset.

And what's cool about this is whatever speaker is doing that work still has the performance overhead to run as a speaker to play music for someone else in the home. So it's a deceptively simple feature that has a lot...underneath it.

Sonos Fabric is the moniker that we've given to the fundamental technology of Sonos that bonds, and groups, and links headphones. And the other exciting thing that we're doing with Fabric in this release is that we're enabling what we call portable surrounds, which is the ability to take a Sonos Play or a Move and to use them as surrounds in a home theater setup.

So the idea is you've got Sonos Play or a couple of Moves in the kitchen, the backyard, whatever — for movie night, you can bring them in, set them down [behind you], and use them for the surround Atmos experience in your family room. And then when you're done, put them back to work in other places in your house.

What's so cool about this technologically is that the way a speaker becomes part of your home theater is fundamentally technically different than the way that a speaker joins the grouping architecture of Sonos [for multi-room], because the latency requirements between the soundbar and the surround speakers are much higher.

So when a speaker joins a home theater configuration, it actually, from a networking standpoint, connects directly to the soundbar. It doesn't go through your home network. And so when you take a speaker that was in the kitchen as part of the grouping architecture, and move it into a [home theater] satellite position, a whole bunch of magic stuff has to happen.

First of all, the soundbar and the speaker have to recognize one another. And so we use the accelerometer in the portable speaker to understand that it's been picked up and set down. And when it's set down, we send an ultrasonic signal. If there's a soundbar in the room that can hear it, it sends a signal back, and they do a handshake to figure out left-to-right distance, to automatically tune, and spin up to the home theater networking connection — all without you doing anything. No app involved at all.

It’s another one you kinda have to experience to really appreciate, but I’m super excited to begin to ship these much more flexible home theater configurations. It's unlike anything that the rest of the industry is delivering today.

Matt Bolton: Can you tell me about the new driver design in the Ace Ultra? What did you want to change compared to the previous one?

Tom Conrad: We have just some of the most sophisticated audio engineers in the world working on these products, and they wanted to deliver deeper bass, clearer details, and a clearer soundstage with less distortion. We had the opportunity to go in and build a custom driver for Ace Ultra to tune it in the studio with some of the best, and award-winning audio engineers in the world.

You have to hear it and compare it side by side with Ace, but I think you'll find that it has a deeper bass response, clearer detail, [better] balance across the audio spectrum.

Matt Bolton: I thought it was really interesting that the Beam Ultra comes in kind of as a replacement for where the original Arc ended up in the product range following the launch of the Amp Ultra. Why did you go down the route of squeezing more channels into the smaller Beam body, instead of sticking with the bigger and more flexible Arc shape to fill that role?

Tom Conrad: Our goal was to deliver truly the best midsize soundbar in the world. There are still plenty of people around the world that want a smaller form factor. They want something that can tuck underneath the television when it's sitting on a credenza, or for a smaller television. Or, frankly, they just want an object that doesn't call as much attention to itself as a larger soundbar.

And yet they want full true 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos. They want a height experience that puts them really inside the action. And so with Beam Ultra, we built a system that has nine drivers, including two upfiring drivers, that bounce audio off the ceiling and the walls to create that immersion.

If you spend time with any home theater customer, you understand that they really want a pristine dialogue experience where the dialogue always cuts through the busy scenes. And so the center soundstage of Beam Ultra is dramatically improved.

They also want bass that lands with a tremendous weight without having to put a subwoofer into the room. They want music that's expansive and has a clear soundstage. And the creators want products that recreate their intention in the family room with great accuracy.

It's so hard to talk about these products that deliver these sound experiences before people have the chance to experience them in person. But everyone we're sharing Beam Ultra with just can't believe the amount of sound experience and presence you get out of such a small soundbar.

Matt Bolton: So was it the case that when you were speaking to customers, you figured out that if people are buying at this kind of midrange price, they more often want the smaller size rather than the bigger size — even if that adds complication on your end?

Tom Conrad: That's right. I mean, we already have the best-in-the-world large soundbar in Arc Ultra. And so the question really was for the rest of the market: what can we do to make a huge generational leap in capability here? And that's the place that Beam Ultra comes from.

Matt Bolton: It feels like you could have gone with 5.1.2 channels on the Beam Ultra, and that probably would have made people happy if delivered with higher quality. What was there in the development that meant that you settled on 7.1.2 as necessary, or the right option?

Tom Conrad: Well, I think part of it is that we deliver in Beam itself such an exceptional experience around the 5.1.2 experience. We really wanted to find a way to expand the product portfolio rather than just refreshing Beam. And so, in this moment, Beam will stay in the market as our solution for the customer that is more price-conscious and who wants that 5.1.2 experience, and Beam Ultra sits above it to deliver a more immersive Atmos surround experience.

• The 50% price rise is effective immediately
• It's US-only so far, but expect rises elsewhere too
• Price hike makes the streamer much less competitive

The Google TV Streamer just got an enormous price hike, so if you've been thinking of buying one you'd better move quickly before retailers put the price up by a whopping 50%.

The price hike only affects US customers so far, but we'd expect a similar rise in other countries very soon because the reasons for the increase apply globally: Google says that it's "due to rising component costs" and will also affect some Google Nest cameras and doorbells.

Google isn't the first brand to increase its streamer pricing as the price of memory has skyrocketed: Apple, Roku, Fire TV and Onn have all gone up too, in some cases by even more than Google's 50%. But the increased cost of the Google TV Streamer makes it a harder sell when you compare it to the competition.

Is the Google TV Streamer still worth the money?

There's a big difference between a $99 streamer and a $149 one, and unless you really need Cast support it might be wise to consider one of the rival devices or delay your decision until Apple unveils the long-awaited successor to the Apple TV 4K, which is expected imminently.

The Google TV Streamer is a great device, but I think it came with an implicit trade-off: it was much cheaper than, say, an Apple TV 4K, but Google's platform offers less privacy and of course, ads. With a 50% price hike the Google streamer looks like much less of a bargain, especially compared to Amazon's Fire TV Stick models.

If you want a cheap ad-supported device, Amazon's ones are way cheaper; if you care about ad-free browsing and privacy, an Apple TV no longer costs much more than the Google option — and when the new Apple TV launches, the current device will likely get some decent discounting.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Roku announces two affordable OLED TVs: the Roku Pro Series OLED TV and the Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV
• The Pro OLED starts from $999, and has 4K 120Hz and VRR support
• The LX starts from $1,299 and has 4K 144Hz VRR support
• Only 55-inch and 65-inch sizes are mentioned, though

Roku has launched its first ever OLED TV, the Roku Pro Series, with a second, more premium model coming in October 2026.

As we've come to expect from Roku, the TVs offer a good specification with a very competitive price tag: the cheapest model is $999 for the 55-inch size. That could make them among the best OLED TVs for buyers who don't want to spend too much: the LG B6, for example, is listed at $1,299 for the 55-inch model officially (though we've seen it fall below that already).

The Roku Pro Series OLED TV will be available in two sizes initially, 55 and 65 inches, and it is extremely thin. The display sits on an adjustable, tool-free stand designed to fit soundbars and set-top boxes, and the stand has built-in cable straps to keep everything nice and neat.

Both models come with an enhanced voice remote, push-to-talk control and a handy remote control finder that's operated by a button built into the TV.

Roku Pro Series / Pro Series LX OLED TVs: key features

The standard Roku Pro Series OLED TV has a 120Hz panel with wide viewing angles, and Dolby Vision support.

There are four HDMI 2.1 ports, and an automatic Game Mode; the TVs support FreeSync Premium and HDMI-spec variable refresh rates.

The second model, the Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV, delivers up to 144Hz VRR, has higher brightness and has an advanced polarizer to reduce room reflections. It has a more fancy version of the voice remote featuring backlit buttons and customizable shortcuts, and the remote charges via USB-C.

The Roku Pro Series OLED TV is available now on Amazon US in a choice of 55 or 65 inches, with prices starting at $999. That'll make it a hot competitor against the aforementioned LG B6, or the Samsung S85H, which is Samsung's budget model, and is officially priced around $1,199.

The Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV will launch in October with a starting price of $1,299 — that's very close to the current sale price of the LG C6, and we can't wait to see if it performs in the same ballpark too.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Dali launches budget-friendly subwoofer in colorful colors, to match its Rubik and Sonik 1 speakers
• 8-inch downwards firing subwoofer with adjustable gain and phase, 170W RMS / 220W peak Class D amplification
• Launching in October 2026 for $800 / £429 (about AU$815)

Dali has a habit of making five-star speakers, including the Dali Kupid and Dali Sonik 1, both of which got full marks from us. And now there's a colorful compact subwoofer to give these two speakers even more oomph, if you find bookshelves to be light on low-end.

The new Basik Sub turns your stereo setup into a 2.1 system and solves a problem that applies to any compact bookshelf speakers: there's a limit to how low you can go without putting in bigger drivers. By adding an eight-inch downfiring subwoofer to your setup, the Basik Sub is designed to add the low-end punch that makes music and movies even more entertaining.

Dali Basik Sub: key features and pricing

The Basik Sub features Dali's own 8-inch long throw woofer, which is teamed with an oversized ferrite magnet and a high-flux motor system that Dali says delivers precise control. It also features a long, vented voice coil designed to maintain cooling and minimize compression as you turn the levels up.

Dali went with a down-firing rather than front-firing subwoofer for two key reasons: to deliver more even bass distribution, and to give you more options when it comes to positioning your subwoofer in your room.

Power comes from a 170W RMS / 220W peak Class D amplifier, and there's a built-in dual-stage limiter. Gain, crossover and phase controls are adjustable to make the Basik compatible with a wide range of speaker setups.

Of course, it's not just limited to being used in a 2.1 system — the Dali Sonik range is also designed to be used as surround sounds as well as for stereo setups, so the Basik is a good fit for a budget home theater system too.

The enclosure is made of MDF, features four decoupled feet to reduce vibration and comes in a choice of Solid Black, Solid White, Caramel White, Golden Yellow and Chilly Blue.

The Dali Basik Sub will go on sale in October 2026 with a recommended price of $800 / £429 / €500 (about AU$815).

RAMageddon is real, as we've seen tech prices rise because of the global RAM and component crises. While it hasn't hit TV prices yet, Samsung has warned that price hikes can't be ruled out because of the ongoing memory chip shortage.

• Shop Best Buy's full Labor Day sale

Now, enough bad news; the good news is that TV costs haven't been affected yet, and thanks to Best Buy's Labor Day sale, you can get our best-rated TV at its lowest price yet. The retailer has LG's 65-inch C6 OLED TV on sale for an incredible price of $1,499.99 (originally $2,699.99), thanks to a whopping $1,200 discount.

The LG C6 was released in March of this year and has already been crowned TechRadar's best TV of 2026. The LG C6 is the successor to the popular LG C5, and in our review it earned five out of five stars, and we said it was 'a notable upgrade over its predecessor.' The LG C6 includes a speedy Alpha 11 AI processor and delivers brighter, more accurate colors and powerful contrast. You also get impressive gaming features and sound, and LG's webOS 26 smart platform, which includes new AI features.

Save $1,200 on LG's C6 OLED TV

I've listed more of Best Buy's top Labor Day TV deals below, including record-low prices on a range of 4K, QLED, and OLED TVs.

Keep in mind that today's discount on LG's C6 OLED TV is a limited-time offer, and it's the lowest price we've ever seen for the 65-inch model. If you want to grab a premium display at an excellent price before potential RAM price hikes hit, then you should take advantage of this incredible deal at Best Buy.

Shop more of the top TV deals at Best Buy

See more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing