Nintendo’s official Pro Controller for the Switch is generally a pretty useful accessory, but it has its problems: the D-pad is unreliable, and it doesn’t really offer any “pro-level” functionality. 8BitDo’s latest controller improves on both of those issues while coming in at a lower price.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is an upgraded version of the SN30Pro Plus, already a well-regarded Switch controller. It uses Bluetooth and also works with PCs and mobile devices; there’s a physical control for flipping between Switch, X-input, D-input, and Mac. You can use it as a wired controller with a USB-C cable, too. I did try using it with my PC, but I feel like it makes more sense on the Switch due to the Japanese-style button layout with B on the bottom and A on the right. Or maybe I’m just too used to using Xbox controllers on the PC.
Aesthetically, it looks kind of like a cross between a SNES pad and a PlayStation controller, with a lozenge-shaped body, two handles, and symmetrically aligned analog sticks. The unit I have is decked out in a PlayStation-inspired gray colorway, though there’s also an all-black option and a beige model that evokes the original Game Boy.
It’s not a huge controller, but it feels comfortable in my large hands, with easy access to all of the buttons and triggers. Just as importantly for me, the D-pad is good. It feels more or less like a SNES pad, and its placement above the left analog stick makes it more appropriate for games where it’s a primary input option. I’d much rather use the Pro 2 than Nintendo’s Pro Controller for just about any 2D game on the Switch.
The Pro 2’s key feature over its predecessor is the customizable back buttons that you can press with your middle finger. These are a common element of enthusiast-focused controllers today, from Microsoft’s Elite controllers to third-party offerings like the Astro C40 for the PS4. Sony also released an attachment that brings similar functionality to the DualShock 4.
These buttons are useful because they allow you to enter commands without taking your thumbs off the sticks. Most first-person shooters, for example, assign jumping to a face button, which means it can be awkward to activate while aiming at the same time. With controllers like the Pro 2, you can set a back button to work the same way as a given face button, freeing you up to design more flexible control schemes. The Pro 2 makes it much easier to manipulate the camera in the middle of a Monster Hunter Rise battle, which might be worth the asking price alone.
The back buttons on the Pro 2 are responsive and clicky, activating with a slight squeeze. You can assign them through 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software app, which is now available for the Pro 2 on iOS and Android as well as PCs. It’s not quite as simple as some pro controller setups that let you remap the buttons directly on the controller itself, but it does support multiple profiles and works well enough. Beside button assignments, the app can also be used to modify the controller’s vibration strength and stick sensitivity.
You do miss out on some of the Switch Pro Controller’s features with the 8BitDo Pro 2. While the rumble is solid, it doesn’t feel as precise as Nintendo’s HD Rumble in supported games. The Pro 2 also lacks an NFC reader, so it won’t work with Amiibo figurines. And it can’t be used to power the Switch on, which is common to most third-party controllers across various platforms.
For $49.99, though, those omissions are understandable. That’s $20 less than Nintendo’s equivalent option, let alone the pro controllers you’d find for the Xbox or PlayStation in the $180–$200 range. And all things considered, I’d take the 8BitDo Pro 2 over the official Nintendo controller most days of the week.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 will start shipping on April 12th.
No matter how many keys your keyboard has, you can always use a dedicated keypad with buttons for executing macros, launching your favorite apps or, if you’re a streamer, initiating functions in OBS. Many users swear by the Elgato Stream Deck lineup of macro keypads, but these devices are expensive.
With Raspberry Pi Pico, some inexpensive hardware and the right script, you can create your own Stream Deck-like macro keypad, plug it in via USB and use it to make your life easier in OBS or for any tasks. Once completed, the macro keypad will be seen as a USB keyboard by your operating system, allowing it to work with any computer, no drivers or special software required.
What you need to build a Raspberry Pi Pico-Powered Stream Deck
Raspberry Pi Pico
Mechanical Key switches (i.e. Cherry MX brown)
Key Caps (Compatible for Cherry MX)
30 Gauge Wires
3D printed Case (using this design)
Setting Up Raspberry Pi Pico’s Firmware
To get our Raspberry Pi Pico-powered stream deck working, we will be using Circuit Python as the programming language, because it has a built-in USB HID library. To use Circuit Python on a Pico, you must first flash the appropriate firmware.
1. Download the Circuit Python UF2 file.
2. Push and hold the BOOTSEL button and plug your Pico into the USB port of your Raspberry Pi or other computer. Release the BOOTSEL button after your Pico is connected.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
This will mount the Pico as a Mass Storage Device called “RPI-RP2”.
3. Copy the UF2 file to the RPI-RP2 volume.
Your Pico should automatically reboot and will be running Circuit Python.
Adding Code for Pico-Powered Stream Deck
I have written custom code to make the Pico act as a stream deck / macro keypad. Here’s how to install it.
1. Download the project zip file from Novaspirit Github.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Transfer the contents of the zip file to “CIRCUITPY” volume and overwrite the existing files.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Reboot the Pico and it should load the macro keys code.
3D Printing Pico-Powered Stream Deck Case
If you want to use our case, you need to 3D print it or have it printed by a service such as All3DP. Download our design files and use these CURA settings.
PLA
15% infill
3 line wall thickness
No Support needed
0.2 Layer height (use 0.1 layer height for higher quality)
Print separately with two different colors
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Assembling Your Pico-Powered Stream Deck
Now it’s time to assemble the stream deck / maco keypad and solder everything into place.
1. Start by placing the Cherry MX-compatible key switches on the top plate of the 3D-printed case.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. You will connect wires as follows. More details below.
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3. Connect all the top left pins on the switches together with a single wire and connecting it to Pin 36, the 3V3 pin on the Pico.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Solder a short wire to each one of the right pins to prep the connections we are going to make to individual GPIO pins.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Solder the required wires to the appropriate pins on the raspberry pi pico
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Snap the case together.
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Setting up the macro keys
The keys are set up in a way to utilize Ctrl+function keys starting from Button 1 (Top left) Control + F7 to Button 6 ( bottom right) Control + F12. These keys can be altered from the code.py as needed. But i’m going to show you a few ways to utilize the default mapping with the examples below for both program shortcuts and OBS.
Setting Up Macro for Program Shortcuts
If you want to use a key on Raspberry Pi Pico-powered stream deck to launch an app in Windows , here’s how.
1. Right click a shortcut and select “properties.”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Select the “Shortcut key” field in the Shortcut tab.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Press any of the macro keys and you’ll see its keyboard combo (ex: CTRL + F7 for key 1) appear in the box.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Press “OK” and your new macro has been assigned to the key pressed.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Setting Up Macros for OBS
1. Open OBS and navigate to “Settings.”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Select the “Hotkeys” setting and scroll down to the scene you want to assign a macro for.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Select “Switch to scene” on the scene you want to macro and press the appropriate key on your stream deck to assign it.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Press “OK” and the macro keys will be assigned to those scenes.
Working from home gives you more opportunities to spend time with your family – pets included. My office is upstairs and occasionally my dog wants to go outside. I could put a bell on the door that she could ring, but why waste the opportunity to build an over-engineered solution.
This project uses a field of machine learning known as object detection. Fortunately if you’re not familiar with machine learning, it’s a relatively easy project to get started with. We’ll be using a pre-trained model, meaning we won’t need a graphics card, sample data, or hours of time to train a model – just the things listed below.
What You’ll Need For This Project
RaspberryPi 4 or Raspberry Pi 3 with power adapter
8 GB (or larger) microSD card with Raspberry Pi OS. See our list of best microSD cards for Raspberry Pi.
Raspberry Pi Camera and cable for doing the object detection
Raspberry Pi Wide Angle Camera Lens, or a zoom lens depending on how far away your camera will be placed.
Desktop Speakers or megaphone with 3.5mm input jack
Monitor & Keyboard (optional) with HDMI and power cables
How to detect when your pet wants to go outside with a Raspberry Pi
1. Set up your Raspberry Pi. If you don’t know how to do this, check out our story on how to set up your Raspberry Pi for the first time or how to set up a headless Raspberry Pi (without monitor or keyboard).
2. Connect your raspberry pi camera to your pi.
3. Enable your camera with raspi-config. You do this by entering sudo raspi-config from the command line and then navigating to Interface Options > P1 Camera.
4. Reboot.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Test your camera’s focus using the following command. The image can be viewed if you have a monitor connected to your desktop. If you’re using a headless version of raspbian, you’ll need to use scp to move the image to a computer where you can view it.
raspistill -o /home/pi/focus.jpg
6. Install git. We need git to download code and scripts from a remote repository. Run the following command to install it:
7. Clone the pet detector repository to your home directory. This contains custom code that will take care of the detection for us.
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/rydercalmdown/pet_detector
8. Install the requirements for the repository. The install script will install low-level dependencies, set up a virtual environment, and install python dependencies within it.
cd ~/pet_detector
make install
9. Download the pre-trained machine learning models. We’re using the YOLOv3 model trained on the COCO dataset. This model is able to recognize a variety of household objects – dogs and cats included.
cd ~/pet_detector
make download-model
10. Connect speakers to your raspberry pi. We’ll use the speakers to play a sound effect you can hear whenever your pet steps into the frame. I’m using a megaphone but desktop speakers should work just fine. Test your speakers with the following command:
say “this is a test”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
11. Edit your /etc/rc.local file so this script runs on boot. Open /etc/rc.local by entering the sudo nano /etc/rc.local command and then adding the following line to the bottom of the file:
source /home/pi/pet_detector/env/bin/activate && cd /home/pi/pet_detector/src && python app.py &
12. Set up your camera so it faces the door. My pets wait by the door when they want to be let outside – so we work on the assumption that if they step into frame, they want to go outside.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
13. Let your pets go outside. When your cat or dog steps into the frame, the model will detect it, and play a text to speech message letting you know they want to go outside.
Google will soon be more selective about which apps on the Play Store can see all of the other apps you have installed (via XDA-Developers). As Ars Technicapoints out, your list of installed apps, innocent as it seems, can communicate to developers personal traits like dating preferences and political affiliations. So starting on May 5th, 2021, developers will have to provide a very good reason for why Google should let you access info like that.
Android 11 apps that currently request the “QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES” permission can see the full list of apps you have stored on your device. But Google recently updated its Developer Program Policy and now considers that info to be “personal and sensitive user data,” restricting which apps are allowed to use it.
Once the change goes into effect in May, apps can only use the permission if their “core user facing functionality or purpose, requires broad visibility into installed apps on the user’s device.” Examples of apps that will be permitted to continue using this permission include file managers, browsers, and antivirus apps that need the data “for awareness or interoperability purposes.” Banking apps, digital wallet apps, and any other app that involves “financial transaction functionality” will get a pass “for security based purposes.”
Apps that don’t have a justifiable use case for the permission risk being removed from the Google Play Store. All developers who want to keep the permission in their apps need to complete a declaration form justifying their use of it.
In case you’re worried that developers could still misuse the permission, Google’s documentation clearly states it will come down hard on offending apps, whether they’re new to the Play Store or just updates to existing apps. Google could suspend apps and possibly terminate developer accounts.
Google is killing off its dedicated Google Wifi app for managing its routers, rolling that functionality over to the Google Home app as the company continues to “help our customers control and manage all their connected products in one place and enable routines across them.”
The switchover to the Google Home app will come in two phases: first, Google will disable most of the functionality of the Google Wifi app on May 25th. Starting then, users will only be able to view the current status of their networks — but any changes, including adding new routers or access points — will have to be done in the Google Home app.
Then, sometime in June, Google will remove the Wifi app from the Play Store and iOS App Store, funneling all users to exclusively use the Google Home app. (It’ll also stop supporting the old app at that time for existing users, too.)
Google points out that migrating existing Wifi setups to the Google Home app will offer some new benefits, including the ability to use Google Assistant for things like pausing the Wi-Fi connection, testing your current internet speed, and (in a neat bit of product synergy) showing a guest Wi-Fi password on a Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max display.
Migrating a network setup seems to be a relatively simple process, although Google’s how-to warns it’s a one-way street: once you switch over to the Google Home app, you can’t go back.
Until recently, the default voice for Apple’s Siri assistant has been stereotypically female-sounding. However, studies have found that having AI assistants default to female-sounding voices can reinforce harmful stereotypes, so Apple has tried to fix that in its upcoming iOS 14.5, which is now in beta.
When you update your phone to iOS 14.5, you’ll be prompted to pick a default voice for Siri — and Apple is including two new voice options. However, if you’ve changed your mind and want to use a different voice (or are using the 14.5 beta and weren’t prompted), this guide will show you how to change the voice after setup.
It’s a reasonably simple process. First, go to the Settings app, then to Siri & Search, and tap Siri Voice. There, you’ll be presented with the list of options.
Tap Siri Voice to be taken to the list of options.
At the moment, the American variety is the only one with four voice choices; Australian, British, Indian, Irish, and South African versions only have two. The four US voice choices are:
Voice 1, which is a soft-spoken male-sounding voice
Voice 2, an energetic, confident female-sounding voice
Voice 3 is similar to Voice 2 but male-sounding
And finally, Voice 4, which is similar to the default Siri voice that’s been around all these years
If you want to hear what the voices sound like for yourself, they’re in the embedded tweet below.
Tapping on a voice will play a snippet of it saying “Hi, I’m Siri. Choose the voice you’d like me to use.” If you choose voices 1–3, it will have to download them before you can use them, but you don’t have to stay in the Settings app while it does so. Once it’s finished downloading, Siri will respond with your chosen voice.
This process is unlikely to change in the final version, but if it does, we’ll be sure to update this how-to.
Customizing a matrix with a Raspberry Pi can be tricky, but Neythen Treloar’s project changes that by making it possible to paint an image onto a matrix in real-time from any browser. This isn’t the first time we’ve shared Neythen’s work, we previously showcased his matrix-based video game project.
The new project is dubbed Pixel Paint and it’s completely open-source for the community to use—the best Raspberry Pi projects usually are.
The code for this application was written using three languages: Javascript, C++ and Python. A Django backend server is used to operate the web app and bridge the communication between the matrix LEDs and browser input.
According to Neythen, the project was tested and proved to work with a Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry 3 A and even a Pi Zero (albeit with some latency). There are plans in the works to upgrade the project with text input support.
In the meantime, you can check out the source code on GitHub and read more about this project in detail on the original thread from Reddit.
After almost a decade of total market dominance, Intel has spent the past few years on the defensive. AMD’s Ryzen processors continue to show improvement year over year, with the most recent Ryzen 5000 series taking the crown of best gaming processor: Intel’s last bastion of superiority.
Now, with a booming hardware market, Intel is preparing to make up some of that lost ground with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors. Intel is claiming these new 11th Gen CPUs offer double-digit IPC improvements despite remaining on a 14 nm process. The top-end 8-core Intel Core i9-11900K may not be able to compete against its Ryzen 9 5900X AMD rival in heavily multi-threaded scenarios, but the higher clock speeds and alleged IPC improvements could be enough to take back the gaming crown. Along with the new CPUs, there is a new chipset to match, the Intel Z590. Last year’s Z490 chipset motherboards are also compatible with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors, but Z590 introduces some key advantages.
First, Z590 offers native PCIe 4.0 support from the CPU, which means the PCIe and M.2 slots powered off the CPU will offer PCIe 4.0 connectivity when an 11th Gen CPU is installed. The PCIe and M.2 slots controlled by the Z590 chipset are still PCI 3.0. While many high-end Z490 motherboards advertised this capability, it was not a standard feature for the platform. In addition to PCIe 4.0 support, Z590 offers USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 from the chipset. The USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 standard offers speeds of up to 20 Gb/s. Finally, Z590 boasts native support for 3200 MHz DDR4 memory. With these upgrades, Intel’s Z series platform has feature parity with AMD’s B550. On paper, Intel is catching up to AMD, but only testing will tell if these new Z590 motherboards are up to the challenge.
The ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming Velocita is a recent addition to ASRock’s arsenal. The Phantom Gaming Velocita targets the gamer market with Killer Networking for both wired and wireless connectivity and even an option to route the network traffic straight from the Killer LAN controller to the CPU. The ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming Velocita features a dependable 14-phase VRM that takes advantage of 50 A power stages from Vishay. The ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming Velocita has all the core features for a great gaming motherboard. All that is left is to see how the ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming Velocita stacks up against the competition!
1x Killer E3100G 2.5 Gb/s LAN 1x Intel I219V Gigabit LAN 1x Killer AX1675x WiFi 6E
Rear Ports:
2x Antenna Ports 1x HDMI Port 1x DisplayPort 1.4 1x Optical SPDIF Out Port 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port 6x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports 2x USB 2.0 Ports 2x RJ-45 LAN Ports 5x 3.5 mm HD Audio Jacks
Clubhouse had an incredible year in one most of us would rather forget. The live audio app launched during a pandemic; gained more than 10 million downloads for an invite-only, iOS-only app; and succeeded to the point that most every social platform wants to copy it. Congrats to Clubhouse.
The company now faces its biggest challenges yet, however. For one, the pandemic is waning, and people might be more interested in real-life socializing instead of conversations facilitated through their phone. Anyone advertising their backyard as the next great Clubhouse competitor has a point. But for the people who do end up wanting to talk to each other online, they’ll soon have a lot more places to do so. In case you haven’t kept up: Twitter, Facebook (reportedly), LinkedIn, Discord, Spotify, Mark Cuban, and Slack have all launched or are working on their own attempts at social audio — the space is about to get busy.
The great concern for Clubhouse is that, as I postulated in February, social audio could follow the same trajectory as Snapchat’s Stories function: a brilliant social media-altering idea that goes on to live in every app to the detriment of the upstart that pioneered the format. And social audio is shaping up to go that way. With the threat growing, it’s worth looking at where Clubhouse is most likely to run into problems.
But first: what does Clubhouse have going for it? It was the first to social audio, and that’s something. Already, it counts millions of users who come to Clubhouse solely for social audio content, and that includes headline-grabbing names like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and other celebrities. Tech CEOs are even making announcements in Clubhouse, including Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield, who announced his company’s own copycat product in the app. The app generates news and discussions — that’s something much trickier for other companies to clone.
People have also built habits around Clubhouse, which is a positive sign for user retention. The team also plans to launch a creators program in the near future that’ll reward its most dedicated users with revenue and resources to beef up their shows.
And critically, the app has staffed up in just the past month. The company recently poached Fadia Kader from Instagram to lead its media partnerships and creators. At Instagram, she worked with musicians to help them optimize their work on the platform. Presumably, she’ll be doing something similar at Clubhouse. Already, I’ve seen her in a room with Justin Bieber talking about his most recent album. Clubhouse also hired Maya Watson from Netflix to become its head of global marketing, meaning it’ll soon dedicate resources to promoting Clubhouse rather than relying primarily on word of mouth. These are all important steps to keeping Clubhouse interesting and thriving.
But the app now faces competition from some of the world’s biggest platforms, which already have years of moderation experience, are available on iOS and Android, and have massive, loyal user bases to whom they can push social audio. Some companies, like Twitter and Discord, already pushed social audio features live to their millions of users with effectively the same interface as Clubhouse. Anyone who didn’t have an invite to Clubhouse, or an iPhone, now can access the magic of social audio with no association to Clubhouse whatsoever.
Maybe the most dangerous possibility for Clubhouse, however, is how easily it could lose the big names on its platform to challengers. Spotify, which announced this week that it acquired Betty Labs, the maker of the sports-centric social audio app Locker Room, plans to bring the app to Android, change its name, and broaden its coverage to music, culture, and sports. It could directly compete with Clubhouse for talent. Joe Rogan, for example, recently joined a Clubhouse chat, and although Spotify’s head of R&D tells me the company won’t restrict its podcasters from using other social audio apps, it’s easy to imagine the company encouraging the use of its own. Musicians, like Bieber, who maybe came to Clubhouse to debut music, might turn to Spotify’s app instead to maintain relationships with the streaming giant. As a point of reference, when Kylie Jenner tweeted that she barely opened Snapchat anymore, the company’s stock lost $1.3 billion. If stars like Tiffany Haddish decide to spend their time elsewhere, Clubhouse will falter, too.
At the same time, a few of these competitors are specifically interested in building native recording into their app, possibly to fuel the podcasting ecosystem and on-demand listening. Clubhouse has yet to do this. Fireside, which was co-founded by Mark Cuban, allows people to input sound effects, like music, and record their shows for distribution across podcasting platforms, as well as later playback on the app itself. Spotify will likely do the same with its app and rely on its Anchor software to handle hosting and distribution. Twitter’s head of consumer product told The Verge that it, too, would let people natively record their Spaces. Clubhouse hasn’t built that functionality, limiting its users to only live conversations, which can be hard to follow if they join them midway through. Context collapse will challenge every platform that focuses on live, but some of Clubhouse’s competitors are already working to solve that.
Stories made Snapchat a success. It pioneered the idea of ephemeral content and brought some semblance of authenticity back to social media. But it didn’t take long for the functionality to come to the same competitors Clubhouse now faces. To make its business work, Snapchat doubled down on its Android app, made the app more approachable to new users through a redesign, and aggressively pursued content partnerships with media and entertainment companies. It now pays users to make content for its TikTok competitor Spotlight and supports a growing ad business, but Instagram ultimately came away with the crown for Stories. Clubhouse hasn’t yet pursued ads or subscriptions, but that’ll be the next step to make it a self-supported platform. (Notably, though, its competitors, like Facebook, already rule ad targeting, possibly making Clubhouse’s job of selling ads or access to the platform itself tougher.)
None of this is to say Clubhouse won’t survive or build a strong business in the coming months and years. It just needs to stay in the conversation.
Nintendo’s official Pro Controller for the Switch is generally a pretty useful accessory, but it has its problems: the D-pad is unreliable, and it doesn’t really offer any “pro-level” functionality. 8BitDo’s latest controller improves on both of those issues while coming in at a lower price.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is an upgraded version of the SN30Pro Plus, already a well-regarded Switch controller. It uses Bluetooth and also works with PCs and mobile devices; there’s a physical control for flipping between Switch, X-input, D-input, and Mac. You can use it as a wired controller with a USB-C cable, too. I did try using it with my PC, but I feel like it makes more sense on the Switch due to the Japanese-style button layout with B on the bottom and A on the right. Or maybe I’m just too used to using Xbox controllers on the PC.
Aesthetically, it looks kind of like a cross between a SNES pad and a PlayStation controller, with a lozenge-shaped body, two handles, and symmetrically aligned analog sticks. The unit I have is decked out in a PlayStation-inspired gray colorway, though there’s also an all-black option and a beige model that evokes the original Game Boy.
It’s not a huge controller, but it feels comfortable in my large hands, with easy access to all of the buttons and triggers. Just as importantly for me, the D-pad is good. It feels more or less like a SNES pad, and its placement above the left analog stick makes it more appropriate for games where it’s a primary input option. I’d much rather use the Pro 2 than Nintendo’s Pro Controller for just about any 2D game on the Switch.
The Pro 2’s key feature over its predecessor is the customizable back buttons that you can press with your middle finger. These are a common element of enthusiast-focused controllers today, from Microsoft’s Elite controllers to third-party offerings like the Astro C40 for the PS4. Sony also released an attachment that brings similar functionality to the DualShock 4.
These buttons are useful because they allow you to enter commands without taking your thumbs off the sticks. Most first-person shooters, for example, assign jumping to a face button, which means it can be awkward to activate while aiming at the same time. With controllers like the Pro 2, you can set a back button to work the same way as a given face button, freeing you up to design more flexible control schemes. The Pro 2 makes it much easier to manipulate the camera in the middle of a Monster Hunter Rise battle, which might be worth the asking price alone.
The back buttons on the Pro 2 are responsive and clicky, activating with a slight squeeze. You can assign them through 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software app, which is now available for the Pro 2 on iOS and Android as well as PCs. It’s not quite as simple as some pro controller setups that let you remap the buttons directly on the controller itself, but it does support multiple profiles and works well enough. Beside button assignments, the app can also be used to modify the controller’s vibration strength and stick sensitivity.
You do miss out on some of the Switch Pro Controller’s features with the 8BitDo Pro 2. While the rumble is solid, it doesn’t feel as precise as Nintendo’s HD Rumble in supported games. The Pro 2 also lacks an NFC reader, so it won’t work with Amiibo figurines. And it can’t be used to power the Switch on, which is common to most third-party controllers across various platforms.
For $49.99, though, those omissions are understandable. That’s $20 less than Nintendo’s equivalent option, let alone the pro controllers you’d find for the Xbox or PlayStation in the $180–$200 range. And all things considered, I’d take the 8BitDo Pro 2 over the official Nintendo controller most days of the week.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 will start shipping on April 12th.
Apple’s gaming subscription service just got a massive influx of new titles. The headliner is Fantasian — the latest release from the creator of Final Fantasy — which is joined by other titles like new versions of NBA 2K and The Oregon Trail, and World of Demons from PlatinumGames. As part of the update, the service is getting two new categories of games: Apple calls them “Timeless Classics” and “App Store Greats.”
For the greats, Apple is adding a number of high-profile mobile hits to the service, including Threes, Monument Valley, Mini Metro, and a remaster of Cut the Rope. Timeless classics, meanwhile, refers to iconic games like backgammon, solitaire, and Zach Gage’s recent takes on chess and sudoku. While most Arcade games are playable across Apple TV, Mac, and iOS, these new categories will only work on iPhone and iPad. The update adds more than 30 titles to the service, bringing the entire library to more than 180.
Apple Arcade first launched in 2019 as a new option for premium games on a platform that had become dominated by free-to-play experiences. The original pitch was a service full of new, largely exclusive games from developers like Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and a number of indie stalwarts.
However, despite the quality games and relative low price (an Arcade subscription is $4.99 per month), Apple is reportedly not happy with the amount of engagement games are getting, which may be a reason behind this most recent shift in direction.
Over the past several months, Twitter has been working hard to bring its Clubhouse-like audio chat rooms feature, Spaces, to users on iOS and, as of last month, Android. A logical next place for Spaces to show up would be on the web, and unsurprisingly, Twitter is working on the feature for browsers, the company confirmed to The Verge.
We decided to ask Twitter about Spaces on desktop after seeing this tweet from app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, which shows what Spaces preview cards could look like when viewed on the web.
And Twitter itself hasn’t been entirely secret about developing the feature, either. A Twitter Spaces developer posted some designs of how a Space’s intro screen might look on the web last Friday.
Given that Spaces is only available on mobile right now, bringing it to the web would be a significant expansion. And that broader reach could help Twitter in its race to compete with Clubhouse, which is still only on iOS (though an Android version is on the way). It would also bring Twitter in closer parity to Discord, which just yesterday launched its social audio rooms feature, Stage Channels, on all platforms where Discord is available.
LinkedIn, Mark Cuban, Slack, and Spotify are also working on Clubhouse-like live audio features, while Facebook reportedly has one in development.
Duolingo, the popular language learning app, offers a wide variety of languages in its list of courses. While it’s known for teaching well-known tongues such as French, Spanish, and Chinese, it has also added courses in languages that are less widely used, such as Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Hawaiian — and now, as of April 6th, its 40th language: Yiddish.
While Yiddish in the US is known more for some of the words that have entered the popular lexicon (“He’s such a schmuck!”), it is actually a full-scale language. An amalgamation of High German, Hebrew, and Aramaic, with a smattering of Slavic languages (and more recently, English), before World War II, it was widely spoken by Jewish communities living throughout Central and Eastern Europe.
These days, Yiddish as a day-to-day language tends to be spoken mainly in Chassidic and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jewish communities, although there has been a strong interest in Yiddish among many of the descendants of European Yiddish speakers.
For example, while my family no longer speaks Yiddish on a daily basis, my parents grew up speaking the language and sent me to an after-school program for several years so I could learn it as well. While I am no longer anywhere near as fluent as I once was, I can still manage “a bisl Yiddish” (a little Yiddish), so I asked Duolingo if I could try out its Yiddish course ahead of time to see how it worked.
I’m not unfamiliar with Duolingo — I’ve been using the app to try to relearn my high school Spanish — and I found that the Yiddish course follows the app’s familiar methodology. It starts by testing you on your existing knowledge of a language, assuming you’re not starting from scratch. (Mine turned out to be fair but not great.) It then starts, through repetition and examples, taking you through the basics and then into conversation, using different subjects (such as going to a restaurant).
The version of the app I was working with still had some beta glitches. For example, each time you click on a word, a voice is supposed to repeat it out loud, and a few of the words were missing. I was also interested to find that a couple of the words were pronounced quite differently than I was used to, but I wasn’t sure whether that was another beta glitch or an indication of the dialect being used.
And that’s one of the catches in teaching any language. Because Yiddish was once spread out among a wide range of countries, there was also a wide range of dialects spoken. I remember my grandparents being very amused because the dialect I was learning in school was so different from the one they’d grown up with. According to Duolingo, its Yiddish course uses the Chassidic Hungarian pronunciations because that is currently the most widely used, while the grammar is based on the version standardized by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (which is the grammar that I was taught).
I’ll be curious to discover where these differences show themselves as I proceed to the more advanced levels. In the meantime, to promote its new Yiddish course, Duolingo has arranged with several delis around the US — Katz’s Deli in NYC, Manny’s Deli in Chicago, Factor’s Famous Deli in Los Angeles, Zak the Baker in Miami, and Pigeon Bagels in Pittsburgh — to give away free bagels with a schmear (cream cheese) on April 6th to customers who try to order (with the help of some onsite signs) in Yiddish.
Those of us who don’t live close to one of those venues, or who are still avoiding onsite shopping, will have to make do with noshing food from our own fridges while we learn a bisl Yiddish. Duolingo is available on iOS, Android, and the web; the basic app is free, or you can get rid of ads and track your process for $7 per month.
(Pocket-lint) – Setting out on a mission to find the very best gaming headsets was a daunting task. There are a multitude of options out there – wired, wireless, closed and open cup designs, stereo and surround sound headsets, oval and round earcups, leather and material finishes, the list goes on and on.
A lot of what makes a great gaming headset will be down to personal preference, but what we were looking for was a product that struck a perfect balance between quality of design, value for money and features that gamers would love. To create this shortlist, we worked through a mass of PC gaming headsets (many of which are also compatible with consoles) to whittle down to a list of finalists that we’re sure you’ll love.
If you’re looking for the best gaming headset for your money, then keep with us as we break down the very best we’ve seen and the reasons why you should consider adding them to your shortlist.
Overall best surround sound gaming headset
Audeze Mobius
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100 mm Audeze planar magnetic drivers
Waves Nx fully immersive 3D audio
Closed-back earcup design
10Hz–50,000Hz frequency response
24 bit, 96KHz sample rate and bit depth
USB-C, 3.5mm and Bluetooth connection options
Uni-directional Electret condenser microphone
This is one of the most interesting gaming headsets on our list thanks to Waves Nx head tracking technology that delivers “immersive 3D audio” by changing the sound to account for the tilt or turn of your head as you play. Combine this with 7.1 virtual surround sound and hi-res audio options and you have some seriously impressive positional audio.
The Mobius boasts awesome 100mm planar magnetic drivers which are capable of delivering a max of 50,000Hz frequency response, with 96Khz sample rate and 24-bit depth resulting in a rich, impressive and convincing sound.
Deep earcups, comfortable padding and a solid build quality round off a superb package.
Verdict
The Audeze Mobius is an incredibly interesting (and incredibly expensive) gaming headset that seemingly offers it all. A premium high-quality design, fantastic audio, brilliant comfort and more. All in one package.
Most versatile wireless gaming headset
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless
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10–40,000 Hz frequency response via 40mm Neodymium drivers
102 dB SPL sensitivity/32Ohm impedance
Ski Goggle headband and AirWeave material earcups
20-hour battery life via swappable batteries
2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth 4.1 support
DTS Headphone: X v2.0 surround sound/Dolby audio via optical input
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless continues to be one of the very best gaming headsets available, thanks to great sound and incredible versatility.
It has a variety of inputs including optical and USB for PC that allow you to take advantage of the Dolby audio and DTS virtual surround sound processing power inside the transmitter box. Built-in Bluetooth and an understated design mean it can also be taken with you out of the house in place of standard headphones.
Two batteries are included, one in the headset and one in the base station which means one is always on charge so you never need to plug the headset in. The result of all this is a marvellously comfortable wireless headset with a variety of inputs, features and functionality that deliver a superb sound quality whatever you’re doing and whatever gaming system you’re playing on.
Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is an expensive option but you get what you pay for, with great sound and convenience.
The most comfortable wireless gaming headset
Astro A50 wireless gen 4
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Open Air Over-Ear design
Cloth ear cushions upgradable to leather
40mm Neodymium Magnet drivers with 20Hz – 20,000Hz Frequency Response
Tuned Astro Audio V2 and two years free access to Dolby Atmos
Game/voice balance button
Optical Pass-through, USB Power & Soundcard, USB Charging Port, AUX In / Mic out (TRRS 3.5mm) inputs via basestation
Compatible with Astro Gaming Command Center
Up to 15-hours battery life and up to 30ft wireless range
The Astro A50 wireless is an uber-comfortable gaming headset. Sporting velour style cloth ear cushions, we feel like we’re wearing small puffs of heavenly goodness resting on our ears. It’s also lightweight and easy to wear for hours and hours.
Astro A50 is also able to deliver fantastic sound quality with deep bass notes and impressively convincing surround sound. A number of equaliser settings tuned Astro Audio V2 and Dolby options give you plenty to choose from sound-wise.
When not in use, this headset is simply docked into the charging base which connects to your computer via MicroUSB for power and audio. Thanks to 15-hour battery life and convenient charging we found we were able to get a full day’s use out of this headset on a regular basis without any need for extra juice.
The microphone on the Astro A50 is a pleasure to use too. It has deep and warm tones and manages to cancel out a fair amount of the surrounding environmental noise during use. It can be tweaked and customised in the software and adjusted to your personal preference.
We liked the sidetone capabilities here that allow you to hear your own voice and gauge volume with ease.
Verdict
The Astro A50 is in our mind, one of the best PC gaming headsets available. It’s convenient, capable and brilliantly designed. It’s easy to pick up and use and equally easy to drop in the charging dock when you need to.
We’re rarely left wanting when using this headset and would happily recommend it to anyone who is looking for a gaming headset that delivers constant comfort throughout the day.
Best closed cup wireless gaming headset
EPOS GSP 670
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10–23,000 Hz frequency response
112 dB sound pressure level
Dynamic, closed transducer
Bi-directional mic with 10–7,300 Hz frequency response
If you prefer a tight-fitting, all-encompassing, passive noise-cancelling headset then look no further than the EPOS GSP 670. This is a gaming headset, that not only offers some serious style, but also great sound as well.
It’s tighter than other headsets, but that’s no bad thing as it won’t fly off your head if you turn too quickly. This, along with the closed-back design means it blocks out a lot of background noise and keeps you immersed in your games.
The GSP 670 also shines thanks to a dual-connectivity option where you can connect via both a low-latency dongle and Bluetooth at the same time.
20-hour battery, fantastic sound, convenient controls and more round off an awesome headset.
Verdict
This is certainly one of the best wireless gaming headsets available. If you want great sound, a good looking headset and something that’s as durable as it is feature-rich then the GSP 670 is it.
Best headset for pro gamers
Astro A40 TR with MixAmp Pro TR
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Dynamic, Open 40mm drivers with 20 – 20,000 Hz frequency response
48 kHz @ 16-bit game audio/16 kHz @ 16-Bit
Cloth ear cushions upgradable to leather
Tuned Astro Audio V2 with two years free access to Dolby Atmos
Optical Pass-through, USB 2.0 Full Speed and USB Audio 1.0, Aux port line in/out
3-metre Micro-USB and Optical cables, detachable 3.5mm audio cable
6.0mm Uni-directional boom microphone
Optional voice isolating upgrade, sidetone and noise gate settings in software
If you’re serious about sound and your gaming, then the Astro A40 Tournament Ready edition might well be for you. Another comfortable headset from Astro, but a wired one that includes the option to daisy chain multiple headsets together for LANs or eSports events.
The Astro A40 TR is an undeniably brilliant gaming headset. It’s snazzy, comfortable and packed full of great sound possibilities. Positional audio is great in-game and you can hear footsteps of your enemies or the rumble of a car in the distance with ease.
Other highlights include long connection cables, easy controls on the MixAmp and a decent noise-isolating microphone too.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a serious headset that’s as useful in an eSports arena as it is at home, then the Astro A40 TR might well be it. It’s comfortable to wear, fantastic to hear and easy on the eye too.
Best affordable wireless surround sound headset
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
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40mm drivers
20-20,000 Hz frequency response
32 Ohms impedance
SteelSeries classic cushion design
Wireless and wired options via MicroUSB and USB-C dongle
MicroUSB charging cable
3.5mm jack
Equaliser pre-sets, mic volume/sidetone settings
9-metre/30-foot wireless range
2.4GHz wireless
Approximately 20 hours battery life
Bidirectional Noise-Cancelling
100-6,500Hz frequency response
Detachable design
Mic mute button on the rear
If you’re the sort of gamer that likes to play on a multitude of different devices, then you might find the Arctis 1 wireless highly appealing.
This is a wireless gaming headset that not only works on PC, but is also compatible with PS4, Nintendo Switch and even your phone. You get all those connectivity options, plus the great sound of the Arctis range at a pretty incredible price.
The build quality isn’t quite as good as others we’ve seen but for the price this headset has surprisingly good and sound and plenty more to offer. That includes 2.4GHz wireless audio transmitted over a 30-foot range for up to 20 hours. Up to 20,000Hz frequency response also results in clear and rich audio thanks to the high-quality drivers.
Despite the lack of Dolby or DTS surround sound options, this headset sounds great in-game. If you want a headset that can connect to multiple devices, has a decent battery life and still has good audio too then this is it.
Verdict
We’re thoroughly impressed with the Arctis 1. It’s an affordable, comfortable and feature-packed headset that’s well worth considering. If you want a headset that can connect to multiple devices, has a decent battery life and still has good audio too then this is it.
There’s no Bluetooth, but the USB-C wireless dongle is multi-capable and a great alternative. If you’ve been eyeing the likes of the Arctis Pro Wireless but were put off by the price, then this headset is the one for you.
Most stylish gaming headset
Logitech G Pro X wireless gaming headset
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50mm Neodymium drivers with 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response
32 Ohm impedance and 91.7 dB sensitivity
Faux leather or cloth ear cushion options
1.8m USB-C charging cable
Virtual DTS Headphone:X 2.0 surround sound on PC
Noise-cancelling microphone with Blue Voice technology
20 hours battery life
If style and looks matter to you and you’re bored of the same old boring headsets, then this Logitech headset might be an option. Styled more like traditional headphones, the Logitech G Pro X wireless is far more understated, doesn’t have any RGB and as is pleasing to the eyes as it is to the ears.
It’s comfortable, thanks to a choice of faux leather and cloth styled ear cups. It also has large drivers that offer a good range of sound with deep bass levels and a brilliantly immersive sound quality that gamers will love.
One of the main selling points of this headset is the microphone. This headset makes use of the Blue Voice technology (within Logitech G Hub) that allows you to customise the live sound captured from the microphone and adjust it on the fly.
Verdict
All-in-all, the Logitech G Pro X wireless is an impressive headset for the money. It’s comfortable and delivers great sound, but most importantly it does so with style. Unfortunately, there’s no Bluetooth, 3.5mm connection and you can’t connect to your phone using USB-C either. But if you’re gaming on PC and that’s all you need it for then you won’t be disappointed.
We found this headset was capable of delivering rich sound, despite not having as high a frequency response as other headsets on this list. It’s also incredibly comfortable and the choice of (included) ear cup options makes it thoroughly appealing too. The added bonus of Blue Voice tech might be a bit of a gimmick for some, but is a nice touch.
Best high-fidelity gaming headset
Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless
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High-fidelity 96kHZ/24-bit audio
Hi-Res Certified
32 Ohms @ 2.5kHz impedance
109db sensitivity
20-40,000Hz audio response over wireless
RGB lighting on earcups
Equaliser pre-sets, surround sound, RGB illumination controls and mic controls in software
Corsair iCue compatible
Virtual surround sound
RGB lighting on both earcups and mic
Omni-directional microphone with 2.0k Ohms and 100Hz – 10,000Hz frequency response
If you think of yourself as a bit of an audiophile and only the very best audio is enough whatever you’re doing then the Corsair Virtuoso RGB wireless may be for you. The Virtuoso has a few different strings to its bow that make it highly interesting. Multiple connection options, high-fidelity audio, a premium design and hours of battery life are just some of the highlights.
It’s well designed and comes with a high-quality finish that includes faux leather ear cups, a padded headband and an adjustable size that can be easily tweaked to fit your head.
The Virtuoso sports 50mm custom drivers that are capable of delivering hi-res, high-fidelity (96Khz) audio when you plug into a PC. Alternatively, you can use it wirelessly with 40,000Hz audio for as long as 20 hours.
A high-quality, broadcast-quality microphone rounds off a superb package.
Verdict
The Corsair Virtuoso is our favourite high-res, high-fidelity gaming headset with audio that really floats our boat.
Best affordable 3.5mm headset
Fnatic React
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53mm stereo drivers
1.2m and 2.0m extension 3.5mm connection cables
20Hz-40kHz frequency response
Detachable distortion-free boom mic
Large protein leather ear cups with memory foam padding
Also compatible with Xbox One, Mobile, Nintendo Switch, Mac and more
Fnatic’s React headset is interesting proof that a good gaming headset doesn’t have to cost the earth. It also shows that you can have a good set of gaming cans without all the extra bling, RGB or over-the-top features.
Highlights to this headset are the large, all-encompassing earcups that cover the entire ear and boast a premium protein leather design with memory foam cushioning. This design is not only comfortable, but blocks out a lot of external noise and prevents sound bleed too.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that, despite its price, the Fnatic React is capable of delivering a pretty impressive soundscape with a rich sound experience for the money.
The detachable microphone is also superb too. Clear, capable and convenient.
Verdict
All told, the Fnatic React is the underdog but almost certainly one of the best value for money headsets money can buy. If you’re looking for a headset that sports large, capable cans without all the extra fluff and a 3.5mm connection, then look no further. However, we will say that if you want perfect positional audio then you might like to look at others on this list. However, even the React can be improved with the addition of Dolby Atmos.
Most personalisable
Pocket-lint
nuraphone + nuraphone gaming microphone
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Bluetooth aptX H3671301D and 3.5 mm connection options
Up to 20hrs battery life, recharged in 3 hours
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) + Dual passive isolation
Soft-Touch silicone material with over-ear and in-ear design
Unique hearing profile
This is a fairly interesting bundle that takes the unique Nuraphone headphones and transforms them into a gaming headset. We enjoyed the Nuraphone design and sound when we originally reviewed them as earphones, so we were intrigued to see what this setup could bring to gaming.
If you don’t know already, Nuraphones selling points are sound and design. These are unusual headphones which use both in-ear and over-ear designs to immerse you in the sound. The technology contained within these headphones also allows them to be personalised to your specific hearing. On initial setup, the app measures the way your eardrum responds to sound and adjusts audio accordingly. The result is incredibly personalised audio that you really need to witness to appreciate.
The in-ear and over-ear design is then backed up by active noise cancellation to really immerse you into what you’re listening too. Plug into the nura gaming microphone and you can then take this personalised sound into the gaming world as well.
This connection uses a single 3.5mm jack, meaning you need a mixed mic/headphone jack on your PC, but the result is some really interesting gaming sounds and a decent microphone to match.
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The design takes some getting used to, as you have silicone tips in your ears the whole time, but the way the audio surrounds you is undeniably excellent. You can also crank the immersion up within the app and get a much more bassy experience with a warble that’s close to sticking your head near a subwoofer or next to a trundling tank (perfect for first person shooters).
Verdict
This set up certainly won’t be for everyone. The fit of these headphones is undoubtedly unique and we aren’t entirely sold on comfort, but the sound of Nuraphone is certainly something special. If you’re already a fan, then adding a mic and plugging in is an awesome way to bring that rich, personalised sound to your gaming fun as well.
Others to consider
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HP Omen Blast
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53mm drivers, 24-bit USB DAC
Retractable microphone
3.5mm connection options
Adjustable headband
The HP Omen Blast is a headset that’s perfect for those with larger heads. It’s got a large flexible headband and earcups to match. It also has a 24-bit USB DAC, 7.1 surround sound and drivers capable of delivering good quality audio too.
EQ settings in the software mean you can adjust sound to focus on footsteps and get the edge on the competition in FPS and Battle Royale games.
It’s not the best looking or sounding headset on this list, but it’s still worth considering if you’re looking for something that’s solidly built and easy to wear.
If you’re looking for a large flexible wired headset that doesn’t break the bank, this might be it.
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HyperX Cloud II wireless
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Dynamic, 53mm with neodymium-magnet drivers
15Hz–20kHz frequency response
Closed-back design with memory foam cushioning and faux leather earcups
30 hours battery life with 2.4 Ghz wireless (20-meter range)
Detachable mic
The HyperX Cloud II is a bold looking headset with a comfortable fit and a great overall aesthetic. It’s solidly built with an aluminium frame, memory foam cushioning and nice large earcups.
This headset sports large 53mm drivers making it loud enough for a great gaming session and it also makes use of HyperX’s own virtual 7.1 surround sound.
We found this headset not only had a great battery life but sounded fantastic while listening to music, watching movies and more. The positional audio is great and it has a fairly decent microphone too. A great all-rounder but it lacks the audio richness and bass of other headsets on this list and the mic is a bit compressed.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
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12 Hz – 28 kHz frequency response
50 mm Razer TriForce Titanium drivers
THX Audio
Breathable memory foam cushion ear cups
Razer HyperClear Supercardioid Mic
This is a wireless version of Razer’s BlackShark headset that Razer pitches as an “eSports Wireless Gaming headset”. It offers an interesting design, comfortable fit and great sound thanks to large drivers and THX audio. The mic isn’t as good as we’d like, but if you’re a Razer fan and want a wireless headset, this is well worth considering.
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Logitech G733 Lightspeed
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PRO-G 40 mm drivers, 20 Hz-20 KHz frequency response,
29 hours battery life
Lightweight design
Blue Voice tech
DTS Headphone X 2.0 surround sound
The Logitech G733 Lightspeed is a lightweight gaming headset which comes in various different colourways but also sports some other interesting highlights that make it stand out from the crowd. It has RGB lighting that you can show off on camera if you’re a streamer, a lightweight design that makes it comfortable to wear all day long and more besides. DTS headphone X 2.0 gives this headset great surround sound and it can also manage as much as 29 hours use before it needs recharging too. If you want something snazzy, give this one a look.
SteelSeries Arctis 9
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Neodymium Drivers 40 mm with 20–20000 Hz frequency response
20 hours of battery life
Dual connectivity with Bluetooth
DTS Headphone X V2
40-foot range
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 is essentially a more affordable version of the Arctis Pro wireless but with fewer features. Nonetheless, it’s a fantastic headset with great sound, a decent microphone, good looks and more besides. The highlight of the Arctis 9 is the connection options. It’ll work with PC, PS4 and PlayStation 5 as well as a multitude of other things thanks to Bluetooth connectivity. You can also use Bluetooth and wireless at the same time, playing audio from two different places. That alone is fantastic.
EPOS GSP 601
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10–30,000 Hz frequency response
112dB sound pressure
Dynamic closed back transducer
2.5 m PC cable / 1.5 m Console cable
The EPOS GSP 601 and GSP 602 are new models in the EPOS range, with a snazzy finish and a large, wired headset design. They’re closed-back, with ergonomic leatherette earpads that block out loads of surrounding noise and let you focus on the game at hand. We prefer the GSP 670, but if you want something with stylish looks and a wired setup, then this might be the one to turn to.
Sound BlasterX G6
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Dynamic Range: 130dB
Sampling rate: up to 32bit 384kHz
Dolby audio, SoundBlasterX sound, Scout Mode, various equaliser modes
Also works with Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PS4
Although not technically a gaming headset, the Sound BlasterX G6 can be considered as an alternative to buying a gaming headset if you already own a good pair of 3.5mm headphones. This snazzy looking thing is an external DAC that works not only as a USB soundcard but also as an amplifier too.
Plug it into your PC using a USB cable and you get a boosted sound for your headphones, Dolby audio and tuned Sound Blaster sound. The G6, therefore, adds virtual surround sound to any stereo headphones plugged into it, it also ups the levels too. Not only is this Digital-to-Analog converter able to produce a sampling rate of up to 32bit 384kHz it can also deliver 130dB.
We combined it with the Logitech G Pro X, which is already on this list, to see the difference it made. The volume difference alone was staggering. Then with the accompanying software (and easy access buttons) also gave us access to more sound customisation and tweaks that weren’t present on the headset alone. Everything from equaliser changes to voice-altering settings for mic capture. The Sound BlasterX G6 is a great upgrade to your gear as an alternative to a purchase of a new gaming headset.
Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero
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50mm Nanoclear drivers with Waves NX 3D audio technology
Superhuman Hearing Optimized For PC
On-the-fly sidetone adjustment
Pro Specs Glasses Relief system
Up to 30 hours of battery life
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero is, in our mind, one of the very best gaming headsets we’ve seen from the company. It has a number of features that make it fairly outstanding, not least of which is a rechargeable battery system that lasts for up to 30 hours.
Other highlights include ultra-deep, uber comfortable gel-infused memory foam cushioned ear cups that do a fantastic job of blocking out external noise without making your ears unnecessarily hot. Large drivers with Waves Nx and Maxx technologies offer an impressive 3D audio experience. While the software gives you access to a wealth of customisation options that include masses of EQ presets and custom options.
The Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero, unfortunately, doesn’t have the same wireless range of other headsets, but it has plenty of awesome features that we love. The glasses relief system allows you to tighten up the ear cups and create a channel for your glasses so you don’t get any unnecessary pressure on your face while you game.
A detachable microphone and the ability to use this headset with other devices via a 3.5mm cable make this a capable and delightful device to own.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S
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100 mm Audeze planar magnetic drivers
Waves Nx fully immersive 3D audio
Closed-back earcup design
10Hz–50,000Hz frequency response
USB-C and 3.5mm connection options
Uni-directional Electret condenser microphone
The Cloud Orbit S is essentially a more affordable version of the Audeze Mobius, that comes with most of the same features but no Bluetooth.
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is undeniably an expensive bit of kit, but with large capable drivers, interesting 3D audio technology and a versatile design it’s also highly appealing.
This is a comfortable, great looking headset that delivers really rich convincing audio whatever you’re doing. It’s smashing for gaming and much more besides.
(Pocket-lint) – The Garmin Vivosport is in no ways new – it launched back in 2018 – but it landed in our lap as we wanted an affordable way to track heart-rate from the wrist without the fuss of wearing a chest strap device during exercise.
Since buying the Vivosport on a tame budget, it’s grown to become part of our daily life, an always-on tracker that helps with move motivation, step- and sleep-tracking, among other measures, all while being small and unobtrusive to wear.
If you’re looking for a relatively budget fitness band and aren’t tempted by now-Google-owned Fitbit, does the Garmin Vivosport fit all your needs?
Display size: 9.7 x 19.3mm / 72 x 144 pixels resolution
Weight: 27g (large) / 24.1g (small)
5ATM water resistance (to 50m)
The Vivosport is in no way watch-like – which, as non-wearers of such a device in the past – is a massive positive for us, because once the band is on you’ll more or less forget it’s there.
Sure, it needs to be reasonably tight in order to get an accurate heart-rate reading, but with multiple openings in the non-removable band – that’s why there are small and large sizes (it’s the large pictured) – you can easily find one that’s most comfortable.
Best fitness trackers: The top activity bands to buy today
We’ve even found the Vivosport fine to wear during the night, for sleep tracking, should you so wish. The automated backlight doesn’t constantly come on too easily – as we’ve suffered with some other smartwatches over the years – so there’s not unwarranted extra light during night-time.
Even when the backlight does kick in – giving a sort-of blueish hue to the colour screen – the display is rather small anyway, so not a major distraction. You’ll likely only look at the Vivosport when it vibrates alerting you to something – which can be customised or switched off – or actively want to engage with some data on the panel itself.
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We like that it’s not a distraction: wear the device, forget about it, let it track at all times. In the same breath, however, the display is small to the point that it can be fiddly, while data doesn’t exactly have a lot of room to play with – so you’re best to view the output through Garmin Connect instead.
For a small band, the Vivosport comes with a fair chunk of features. There’s the daily stuff – step tracking, sleep tracking, stairs climbed, calories burned, stress level – and the active stuff that you’ll need to actively engage with when commencing exercise (an auto mode is available, but it’s hit an miss in our experience).
Pressing-and-holding a finger on the screen will open the swipeable menu, the first graphic being for exercise. Tap this to open the various options, including walking, running, cycling, and more. Some of these will offer outside/inside options for GPS tracking, as relevant, which can sometimes take a little while to grab ahold of a signal – and until it does you can’t commence that exercise.
The Vivosport commences with a default set of goals that auto-adjusts based on your lifestyle. If you walk miles everyday then the 5,000 step goal will automatically increase without you needing to do anything. Or you can set a personal one – whether realistically achievable everyday or not – to give you some added drive.
For us, however, it’s the wider detail of what the Vivosport can do that’s most appealing. We’ve integrated it as part of a Garmin Edge 1030 Plus cycling computer setup – also with Vector 3 power pedals to measure cadence and power – to act as our heart-rate monitor. You’ll need to open a different menu to transmit such live data, but once synched you can let the band do the reading – which will display on the Edge’s screen should you want it to.
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Sure, wrist-based tracking is never going to be as accurate as a chest-based tracking product. But the fact the Vivosport can communicate with a high-end Garmin setup is good enough for us to get reasonably accurate comprehension of our heart-rate zones during cycling sessions. Sometimes it’ll drift off the mark and get stuck at 148bpm whilst we’re going flat out up a hill – knowing it’ll be over 170bpm in reality – but it soon catches back up.
Not only does it perform this real-time tracking, however, but the Vivosport also houses a blood oxygen monitor (VO2) which, in this context, has genuine use: because the Edge 1030 Plus will take a read at the beginning and end of a workout automatically it can assess how well you’re progressing based on previous sessions and advise on recovery time.
Outside of our cycling sessions we’ve been using the Vivosport to track weekend 5-mile walks, with the dedicated GPS tracking proving to be better than our phone-based Strava alternative (which, on some handsets, can time-out mid session). It paints an accurate picture of route, along with base/max/average heart-rate to give a real understanding of low intensity workouts.
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The heart-rate accuracy seems to be on point too – based on our count-it-out fingers-to-neck comparison – and it’s only really sleep tracking that’s a bit over-optimistic, as it’ll base sleep patterns on what you tell the watch and often it’ll think you’re asleep when you’re just being lazy in bed one morning. Still, seeing light/deep/REM sleep is kind of fascinating, whether or not it’s data that you’ll really need.
Oh, lastly, it’s worth pointing out the lack of swim tracking. Which seems like an oddity for a waterproof device that features an accelerometer. If you’re looking for a band to assist with triathlon training then you’ll need to look further afield to a more advanced (and pricier) watch product.
Performance
Up to 8 hours non-stop GPS tracking for exercise
Smart notifications (iOS & Android app)
For an always-on fitness tracker the Vivosport lasts for a pretty decent length of time too. Garmin quotes up to eight hours of use with GPS tracking, i.e. when engaged in exercise activity. But it’s much longer if you’re not tracking specific exercises.
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In our use that’s equated to charging the Vivosport every three days. In the meantime that provides daily tracking, including an hour of heart-rate data transmission via Bluetooth, an hour of GPS-tracking while walking in the evening, and overnight sleep tracking.
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It does lead to the oddity of knowing when to charge, though, as we’ve ended up with it conking out at 5pm on a Wednesday, or warning of 10 per cent remaining at lunchtime. For us, really, it’s best plugged in overnight, abandoning the sleep tracking, to provide day in day out data without the sleep information.
Plugging it in, however, is based on a proprietary cable and fitting. Lose that cable and you’re stuffed as it’s like nothing else you’ll possess. The cable is also really short, which seems to be an oddity. We’d much rather have a charging cradle or mat instead to work with, which could always be plugged in bedside, with a backup direct charging port on the device itself.
Part of the longevity is down to the screen being dimmed the majority of the time. There’s little need to engage with the panel really, as the captured data is best presented through Garmin Connect – available for Apple iOS and Google Android, or via a web browser – in an easy-to-understand format.
You can engage with a calendar view, select specific exercise activities to gain greater understanding of your efforts, view bigger picture month-long summaries, or a comprehensive breakdown in My Day – which, as you probably guessed, collates all the data throughout a given day (from the Vivosport and other connected Garmin devices, as applicable).
Garmin Connect is best in app form, but can be accessed via a browser if you wish, and can also be setup to automatically push exercise data to third-party solutions, such as Strava. It’s a robust platform with enough flexibility to allow you to go light or dig deeper.
Verdict
The Garmin Vivosport is a small, comfortable-to-wear and capable fitness tracker that lasts a long time and avoids the over-complexity of a watch-like product.
We’d rather it had a non-proprietary cable for charging, the lack of swim tracking might seem odd for a waterproof device, while the small screen can be a little fiddly.
But the fact the Vivosport can communicate with our Gamin Edge cycling computer for comprehensive sessions and is always tracking our daily output in the interim has made it a daily driver with much wider appeal.
Sure, it might not be brand new – indeed it’s a couple of years old at the time of writing – but that’s an extra bonus in its appeal: as it’s available at some great price points right now (we found ours new for £69/$89).
Also consider
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Fitbit Charge 4
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Perhaps the most obvious comparison, the lifestyle nature of its tracking features makes it an attractive wrist-wearable proposition for anyone looking to increase their activity and monitor their progress, with the new Active Zone Minutes being a lot more useful than step counting.
Read our review
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Garmin Forerunner 45
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Looking for something with a larger screen that’s a little more comprehensive as a result? Garmin’s affordable watch ought to be a good shout.
Read our review
Writing by Mike Lowe.
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