We’re nearly six months into the life of the current generation of game consoles, but there are still vanishingly few high-profile exclusives that show off what the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X can do. After getting through the initial wave of launch titles, I’ve spent most of 2021 using my PS5 to play Fortnite. But this week sees the launch of Returnal, a PS5 exclusive that comes with some caveats. It’s challenging and complex, making it the kind of game you’ll die in repeatedly. But it also might be the best showcase for Sony’s new console yet
Returnal puts you in the spaceboots of an astronaut experiencing the worst case of deja vu imaginable. After crash landing on a mysterious alien planet, she soon realizes she’s stuck in a loop; every time she dies, she heads back to the crash site to start all over again. Each time you explore, you learn just a little bit more about the planet and the astronaut, as well as the rules of the game. With more information and practice, you’ll (hopefully) be able to progress slightly farther each loop.
The game plays out as a third person shooter, but it’s also a mish-mash of many different inspirations and genres. Despite the perspective, Returnal often feels like a bullet hell shooter, with alien creatures spitting countless energy orbs for you to avoid. You even get bonuses for avoiding getting hit. (This aspect of the game shouldn’t be too surprising, as Returnal was developed by Housemarque, a studio best-known for games like Super Stardust and Resogun.)
The loop structure also means that the game plays out like a roguelike (think games like Hades). Each “run” is different; the planet remixes itself each time you play, and you’ll pick up different weapons and fight different enemies along the way. There are also elements of Metroid, where you’ll come across roadblocks that you can’t get around until you unlock the right item or ability. Early on, for instance, there are electrified webs that block your way, and you can’t cut them down until you get a massive laser sword.
It should also be noted that Returnal is extremely hard, combining two notoriously challenging genres — roguelikes and bullet hell shooters — into a game that does little to make itself accessible. In fact, there aren’t even any difficulty options, aside from the ability to turn up the aim assist. The result is an experience where you’ll have to get used to death and failure, and learn from your mistakes.
It can be frustrating, but it’s worth pushing through for a few reasons. For one, the action feels incredible; zipping around while shooting octopus birds and slicing at evil tree-creatures with a huge sword is a blast. But Returnal is also a game that’s just dripping with atmosphere — and it’s only enhanced by some of the PS5’s unique features.
The dark world you’ll explore feels ripped out of an Alien movie, complete with towering, crumbling ancient ruins, and lots of disturbing bio-engineered technology. This is all rendered in incredible detail, and Returnal particularly shines when it comes to special effects; there are all kinds of hypnotically beautiful explosions of light and color, and I especially love the fast travel effect, which sees your character melt away into nothingness.
But there are lots of great-looking PS5 games already. Even last-gen titles look good on the new hardware. What makes Returnal stand out in particular is its use of sound and the DualSense controller. I’ve spent most of my time with the game so far wearing Sony’s Pulse 3D headphones, and it’s the first game where I’ve really noticed the 3D audio that the company has touted so much. I could pinpoint monsters by the sounds of their screams and growls, which was extremely helpful, as there’s often so much happening on screen that it can be hard to follow. The sound design also makes the game that much creepier; the alien monsters make unsettling noises as they approach, and it always made me wary when stepping into a new, unknown space.
Meanwhile, I’d go so far as to say it’s the best DualSense game since Astro’s Playroom, which comes bundled with the console in order to show off the gamepad’s unique capabilities. The subtle vibrations mean you can feel the patter of raindrops in your palms, and the burst of each weapon has its own distinct sensation. There are also some really creepy noises that come out of the speaker (though you may miss them with headphones on). My favorite feature, though, is the way Returnal utilizes the controller’s adaptive triggers. The left trigger has two phases: push halfway and you can zoom in to aim your main weapon, but click it all the way down and you’ll unleash a special attack. It basically gives the controller an extra button in a way that feels very natural.
Returnal is definitely an acquired taste. Its looping structure and unforgiving nature means many players will end up frustrated as they struggle through nearly identical scenarios repeatedly. Death isn’t always fun. But it also blends together so many cool things, from the vibe of Alien to the thrill of a great arcade shooter, in a way that’s seamless and deliberate. And if you’re someone who actually managed to pick up a PS5, it’s the kind of game you’ll want to take out to show off what the console can do.
Apple is now rolling out iOS 14.5 to the iPhone alongside iPadOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4. This is a pretty sizable update that brings a lot of new features but here’s a quick rundown of some of them.
The main new feature is that you can now unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch if you are wearing a mask. A new ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ option has been added in phone’s settings, which should cause your iPhone to unlock automatically if you are wearing a mask and also your Apple Watch. This feature requires you to have also updated to watchOS 7.4.
Another major new feature is App Tracking Transparency, which lets you control which apps are allowed to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites for ads or sharing with data brokers. Once this update is installed, apps that have to track you now need to ask for your explicit permission before they can do so and with one click you can allow or deny them.
iOS 14.5 also adds support for AirTag. This includes activating the hardware features that let you track your AirTag device and also an updated Find My app that will help you locate it.
Siri has also received an update with more voice option. There are now 14 different voices from different regions and genders. Siri can now also announce incoming calls and caller name and if you’re wearing AirPods or compatible Beats headphones you can also answer hands-free. You can now also call your emergency contact using Siri.
iOS 14.5 will also perform a recalibration of your phone’s battery. This will show the battery’s health more accurately and can take a few weeks to complete. This feature is only available on the 11-series iPhones.
iOS 14.5 features
Other improvements in this update include new emoji, sharing lyrics through Apple Music, new Podcasts app, redesigned News app, improvements to 5G connectivity, support for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 controllers, and more.
Recent Bose headphones and earbuds have come with a somewhat frustrating requirement: to use the accompanying Bose Music app, you needed to create an account. So if you wanted to, say, customize the noise cancellation of the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 or QuietComfort Earbuds, you’d have to make a Bose account just to access those important controls.
Now Bose is doing away with the needlessly annoying mandatory account. The update notes for the latest version of Bose Music on iOS say “when you set up your Bose headphones and earbuds, you can skip creating an account and get right to enjoying your product.” That’s the way it ought to be. (Bose previously had this help article up for customers with “privacy concerns regarding data collection and account information” — but acknowledged that headphone functionality would be “limited” for people who didn’t give in and use the app.)
Most headphone makers weren’t being nearly as pushy as Bose about making an account; you don’t have to create one to use apps from Sony, Sennheiser, Jabra, and so on. So I’m glad to see this change. Bose says customers can still create an account later from the settings menu if they wish.
The latest Bose Music also improves the experience for owners of the company’s speakers and soundbars “with faster and easier access to your product controls, favorites, and music services.” There’s also now a graphical EQ interface for the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
HTC has partnered with iFixit to make its Vive virtual reality systems more repairable, selling a list of screws, cables, adapters, and other standalone components directly to consumers. In a blog post, HTC says the move is aimed at helping people whose headsets are out of warranty or potentially no longer being sold. iFixit also offers repair guides for the original Vive, the Vive Pro, the original Vive controller, and the Vive Pro Eye.
HTC confirmed to The Verge that this is the first time consumers have been able to order many of these replacement parts directly. A few listings, like a $3.99 controller lanyard, wouldn’t be hard to find through other sellers. But VR headsets are specialized and niche devices, so if you want a replacement foam pad ($19.99) and set of headphones ($59.99) for your Vive audio strap, or you’ve lost the power adapter for your link box ($19.99), this is a lot more reliable than hunting for an unofficial replacement.
The Vive, first released in 2016, has always been a relatively modular headset compared to the Sony PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift and Quest lineup. HTC has released several upgrade kits with features like wireless streaming and eye tracking, some of which have been later integrated into standalone headset packages. (Its latest module is a lip tracker.) The consumer-focused Vive Cosmos — which iFixit doesn’t list an official guide for — comes in multiple variants with different swappable faceplates. The entire Vive ecosystem is built on top of Valve’s SteamVR, and some pieces are cross-compatible with the Valve Index. As HTC keeps building out its ecosystem, a home repair option seems like a natural fit for the brand.
For years, it’s been customary for video streaming services to come built into TVs, but this is the first time we’ve seen a music streaming service built into a pair of headphones.
The Mobee-K Smart Earphones side load Deezer onto compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones like the S21, Note 20 Ultra or Z Flip when connected via USB-C. They also grant the listener three months of free Deezer HiFi or Deezer Premium.
Plug them in, and the headphones unlock a customised Deezer theme with exclusive content, including wallpapers, exclusive playlists, and shortcuts to Deezer, which can be accessed via the phone’s lock screen and home screen menus.
You can still use the headphones with other USB-C devices, but you won’t get the extras without a Samsung Galaxy device. You’ll also have to download Deezer the normal way, via the Google Play Store.
The Mobee-K Smart Earphones only cost $22 and are available exclusively on Amazon. Not convinced by this budget offering? Perhaps consider a pair from our list of the best earbuds you can buy.
MORE:
Cut the cord with the best wireless earbuds around
Apple fan? Check out the best iPhone headphones
And these are the best headphones of all types, for all budgets
The vocal: often the official moment that gets a gig under way, the determiner of the direction your eyebrows go when first listening to a new artist. The vocal has enabled ‘one-man bands’ to play to rooms of thousands of people with only a guitar in their hand or a piano at their fingertips. The vocal is what has given Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury and Aretha Franklin their status as some of the greatest musical communicators in history.
It’s probably the reason you realised, at an early age, you might not be that guy in a band, but more importantly it’s also why these tracks and artists feature below.
We’ve chosen 23 songs with exquisite vocals by exquisite vocalists (so no Beethoven here, I’m afraid), from Frank Sinatra to The Streets, Clannad to DAVE that are perfect to test your system – whether it’s for their brooding baritone or their dynamic pyrotechnics.
Listen to the What Hi-Fi? playlist 2021
Adrianne Lenker – zombie girl
Any solo work from Big Thief‘s Lenker, particularly those from her latest album songs, could make this list for her ravishingly evocative vocals. One of today’s most important and naturally gifted songwriters, reminiscent of Dylan, she carries a delicate yet resolute delivery that demands a system able to capture, and sweep you away with, every waver in it.
Like this? Try The Weather Station Atlantic
View Adrianne Lenker songs and instrumentals on Amazon
Dry the River – Weights & Measures
Thanks to the quivering falsetto of frontman Peter Liddle, we could have picked almost any number from the now-disbanded London folk-rock outfit Dry The River. The former choirboy reaches remarkably lofty heights, and here his signature undulating delivery moves from calculated tenderness to passionate outcries beteen his bandmates’ rip-roaring electrics. You should be able to hear his every tremor between your stereo speakers.
Like this? Try Antony and the Johnsons For Today I am a Boy
View Dry the River Shallow Bed on Amazon
PJ Harvey – On Battleship Hill
You could fit more than a handful of artists’ vocal ranges between PJ Harvey’s. At one end of her repertoire is the angsty alto growl that steers the organ on Down by the Water, and at the other the angelic high-pitched wailings here during On Battleship Hill where, while speaking of the casualites of war, she exercises her best impression of a soprano choirboy. The juxtaposition of the deep baritone running beneath it makes for a great A/B comparison, too.
Like this? Try Lucinda Williams Come On
View PJ Harvey Let England Shake on Amazon
Big Brother & The Holding Company – Summertime
With a raspy coarseness that’ll have you tenderly stroking your vocal chords and reaching for the nearest glass of water, plus a vibrato that could have you checking for wobble on a vinyl pressing, Janis Joplin’s frontwoman performance here steals the show even amongst the gilded psychedelic ‘60s-defining electric guitar jams – which really is saying something.
Like this? Try The Tallest Man On Earth The Dreamer
View Big Brother & The Holding Company Cheap Thrills on Amazon
Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance in New York is a go-to album in our test room for more reasons than one. Aside from showcasing the diverse range of Kurt Cobain’s vocal, and its unerring faithfulness live, the slow-burn build from muttered country drawl to anguished shriek is a great examination of the dynamic subtlety of your system.
Like this? Try Pearl Jam Black
View Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York on Amazon
DAVE – Streatham
One of the most salient voices on the British music scene, the South London rapper comments candidly and with brutal sincerity on the country’s societal issues, and his own personal, painful experiences within it, with a rawness and vulnerability to his delivery that’s utterly compelling. His reflection on Streatham, where he grew up,is representative of the way his clever wordplay naturally ebbs and flows with a tempo.
Like this? Try AJ Tracey Anxious
View DAVE Psychodrama on Amazon
Kate Bush – Top of the City
One of Kate’s best vocal performances at her 2014 Before the Dawn London shows is also, not that surprisingly, one of the most accomplished executions she’s ever committed to tape. Her other-wordly ability to near-whisper one line into the mic and belt down the next in true rock-queen guise is fully to the fore.
(Go for the original The Red Shoes album version rather than 2011’s Director’s Cut, as the latter features a tragically restrained vocal delivery in favour of more instrumental chutzpah.)
Like this? Try This Mortal Coil Song to the Siren
View Kate Bush The Red Shoes on Amazon
Nina Simone – Strange Fruit
While Simone’s dramatic cover of Abel Meeropol’s sobering protest poem (most famously performed by Billie Holiday) doesn’t perhaps show off her vocal dexterity as well as many of her numerous hits, it’s a triumph of low-level dynamic craft. The most insightful kit should reveal very few static moments in both her execution and the piano accompaniment.
Like this? Try Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace
View Nina Simone Pastel Blues on Amazon
Clannad – Caislean Óir
What better than a lush production of enchanting Irish-tongued balladry to test the sheer scale and openness of your system (and, perhaps even more so, your headphones)? The echoic, ethereal choir of Celtic band Clannad (from which spawned Enya) should fill your soundstage without dominating the daintier soprano that it frames.
Like this? Try Grouper Headache
View Clannad Macalla on Amazon
Frank Sinatra – It Was a Very Good Year
It just wouldn’t seem right for a celebratory list of vocalists to ignore Sinatra’s distinct baritone. Here in 1965 (before taking on the deeper, smokier quality that defined his later-years delivery) it’s light, free-flowing and pliable, often moving along with rubato, and demonstrating the dynamic gusto and rhythmic diction the crooner was well known for.
Like this? Try Tom Waits Martha
View Frank Sinatra September Of My Years on Amazon
Joni Mitchell – Carey
At the other end of the of the frequency scale is Joni Mitchell’s high-pitched, featherlight vocal, here depicting her anecdotal appreciation of a hippy cave-dwelling commune she once visited. A decent system will capture her vocal acrobatics across several octaves, her impeccable self-harmonising and the subtle timing discrepancies within the breezy, buoyant tempo. You’ll know how unerring your system is when it’s playing Joni Mitchell. You’ll just know.
Like this? Try Laura Nyro Beads of Sweat
View Joni Mitchell Blue on Amazon
The National – Demons
Thick, cavernous and resonant (albeit with the range of a teaspoon), Matt Berninger’s baritone has become one of the most recognisable in popular music – thanks in great part to its soothing depths and rare ability to be so mellifluous within melodies at the same time. Demons exposes one of his most sure-footed, more-monotonous-than-most delivery, which is sure to give your mid/bass driver or woofer a good run for its money.
Like this? Try Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds We No Who U R
View The National Trouble Will Find Me on Amazon
Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby
The possessor of another classic (albeit considerably less accomplished) low range, Lou Reed has a penchant for straight-laced, seemingly aloof storytelling. But where he’s often easy-going, his vocal can also morph into impassionated outbursts – and with Coney Island Baby there is, at times, dynamic attack sufficient to have you straightening in your chair. With a largely undemonstrative acoustic and drum mix faintly colouring the canvas around it, Reed’s vocal really (and rightfully) is centre stage.
Like this? Try Serge Gainsbourg La Saison des Pluies
View The National Trouble Will Find Me on Amazon
The Unthanks – Here’s the Tender Coming
As rooted to folk tradition as Morris dancers of old, the virtuosic vocals of these two Geordie sisters, with their matching dialect but disparate timbre, make their duetting parts some of the most interesting on the music scene. Clean, unspoiled and, for the most part, largely unaccompanied, they offer a thorough mid/upper midrange workout.
Like this? Try Fairport Convention Matty Groves
View The Unthanks Here’s the Tender Coming on Amazon
The Streets – Blinded by the Lights
The vocal equivalent of walking with your head down and hand in your pockets, Mike Skinner’s deadpan rambling raps are not only witty and slick here, their poetic step makes them solid a test of timing against the backdrop’s jagged beat.
Like this? Try Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Starting Over (ft Ben Bridwell)
View The Streets A Grand Don’t Come for Free on Amazon
Laura Marling – What He Wrote
One of the greatest singers of this generation, Laura Marling is (like Eva Cassidy or Norah Jones), a perfect soundtracker of a breezy summer’s day. Your system owes it to her (and you) to be transparent enough to lay her vulnerability bare, to pick out the subtle lifts and lilts of the silky, sun-bathed delivery that often curl into the softest of whispers.
Like this? Try Lorde Liability
View Laura Marling I Speak Because I Can on Amazon
Jack White – Hypocritical Kiss
It may be his virtuosic guitar-playing that Jack White is most notable for, but his nasally, overwrought-sounding vocal is just as distinctive – and here it’s as impressive for the elasticity of his upper midrange display as for the immediacy of it.
Like this? Try Aerosmith Crazy
View Jack White Blunderbuss on Amazon
Bon Iver – 715 – CR∑∑KS
Unless you have your system connected to your TV, there’s a very good chance you won’t have heard Darth Vader through it. If you’re now sitting there thinking what a pity that is, the next best thing is listening to this Bon Iver track. A radical departure from his trademark falsetto, Justin Vernon’s completely unaccompanied vocal seeps from a thick vocoder cloud, with all the digital depth of a modern-day electronic record that a mid/bass driver should lap up.
Like this? Try Squarepusher Plug Me In
View Bon Iver 22, A Million on Amazon
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Bats in the Attic
A wonderfully direct midrange performance from Fife singer-songwriter Kenny Anderson, his jaded, rustic timbre is complemented by the sweet backing vocals of Lisa Elle. Hopkins, fresh from his collaborative Small Craft on a Milk Sea album with Leo Abrahams and Brian Eno, lays down a fluid piano accompaniment too. It’s all about space and textures within that midrange here.
Like this? Try Sufjan Stevens John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
View King Creosote & Jon Hopkins Diamond Mine on Amazon
Sam Cooke – A Change is Gonna Come
The King of Soul lays down a career-defining vocal illustrating his optimism for future African-American equality – his heartfelt crooning is awash with the energetic passion and mighty vibrato that defines the traditional bluesy vocal. Warmth and richness should cling to his booming presentation without neglecting his pained expression and effortless melisma.
Like this? Try Eric Bibb & Needed Time Where the Green Grass Grows
View Sam Cooke Ain’t That Good News on Amazon
Jefferson Airplane – We Can Be Together
You may have to endure (read ‘air-guitar along with’) almost a minute of Kaukonen’s jamming before any vocal kicks in, but it’s worth the wait when you’re eventually handed the pitch-perfect matrinomy of Kantner, Balin and Slick’s harmonies. Your system should easily discern the three vocal tiers, and provide space around Balin’s high tone and reach.
Like this? Try The White Stripes It’s True That We Love One Another
View Jefferson Airplane Volunteers on Amazon
Solange – Cranes in the Sky
Like her A-list sister (to whom we’ve given an honourary inclusion below), Solange has flexed her soprano style in pop music, here within a sweet, clear and polished production that lies at the foreground of a bare instrumental arrangement. If your system’s upper midrange is its highlight, this should be a great advert for it.
Like this? Try Beyoncé Sandcastles
View Solange A Seat at the Table on Amazon
Randy Newman – It’s a Jungle Out There
A wonderful songwriter, a wonderful singer – and a bona fide elder in America’s singer-songwriter/composer hall of fame. Randy Newman may not have much in the way of vocal range, but the musical inflections in his distinctive voice can guide melodies through jazzy terrains with seemingly effortless ease.
Like this? Try Lyle Lovett She’s No Lady (She’s My Wife)
View Monk: original television soundtrack on Amazon
MORE:
Our pick of the best songs to test your speakers and headphones
And 50 of the best hi-fi albums for audiophiles
Check out the Listen to the What Hi-Fi? playlist too!
As part of a new partnership, Deezer will be available “pre-installed” on a new pair of USB-C earbuds from Mobee-K when they’re used with select Samsung Galaxy devices. Plugging the headphones into phones like the Galaxy S21, Note 20, or Z Flip effectively side-loads the music streaming service, without you having to visit the Google Play Store. It’s an interesting marketing tactic that could encourage listeners to give Deezer a try over bigger competitors like Spotify and Apple Music.
As well as offering access to the streaming service itself, Deezer advertises that syncing the earbuds with Samsung’s devices gives access to a “customized Deezer theme” which includes “wallpapers, exclusive playlists, and shortcuts to Deezer” via the phone’s lock and home screens. Galaxy devices going back to 2019’s S10 and Note 10 are supported.
If you’re not interested in giving a new streaming service a try, then the $22.70 headphones should still work with all of your other music sources. Mobee-K’s product listing advertises that they’re compatible with “most” USB-C devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
(Pocket-lint) – Audiophile brand Bowers & Wilkins has always taken its sweet time in adopting new technologies. It told Pocket-lint in the past that this is intentional – it likes to wait until the market matures and its own high audio quality standards can be met.
It was relatively late to market with a Bluetooth speaker and wireless heaphones. And, it only adopted active or adaptive noise-cancellation when it was sure its tech wouldn’t hamper audio performance.
That’s why it is also late to the party with true wireles in-ears. And, do you know what, we don’t mind. The flagship Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ear true wireless headphones are proof positive that a softly softly approach can reap dividends.
In many ways, these ‘buds remind us of the excellent Sony WF-1000XM3 earphones. Except smaller, more confortable, and with even more musicality. That’s the benefit of hindsight in effect right there.
The best Lightning headphones 2021 for your iPhone or iPad
By Dan Grabham
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Top headphones capable of handling lossless 48kHz digital audio from Apple devices.
What you get in the box
When you open the box, you see a tasty-looking, small-scale case. It’s a bit larger than an Apple AirPods equivalent but a lot smaller than many we’ve also had through the Pocket-lint testing bed.
Pocket-lint
The case comes with a USB-C port and a couple of buttons, including a Bluetooth pairing button that allows you to connect it to your device without needing to take out the ‘buds.
A USB-C to USB-C cable is included, but you’ll have to provide your own charging plug. That does mean it is capable of being fast charged, though. It can also be charged wirelessly, if you have a Qi mat handy.
The case has a further neat trick up its sleeve too: it can also act as a Bluetooth transmitter. Using an additional included USB-C to 3.5mm mini jack cable, you can plug the case into any source and transmit audio to your PI7s wirelessly.
This feature could be great for listening to in-flight entertainment – rather than buying something such as the RHA Wireless Flight Adapter – for example, or for using with a Nintendo Switch, which doesn’t currently support Bluetooth headphones. The case will also pair with other Bowers & Wilkins wireless headphones – such as the B&W PX7 released in 2020 – so can simultaneously transmit audio to those too.
Design and fit
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears are beautifully designed. We are testing the white version – they are also available in charcoal.
They are extremely comfortable and light, with a matte finish to the plastic and neat metallic element on the outer tips. It’s meant to be a gold finish but, depending on the light, can look gunmetal grey at times.
The eartips are silicone, with the medium sized tips on the earbuds as default. You get a couple of extra silicone tips in the box, in small and large.
Pocket-lint
In our ears, they fit very well indeed and are extremely comfortable. We wouldn’t imagine getting earache from these over long periods, unlike some competitors (although these first impressions are based on having the PI7s for a few days, so a full, in-depth test is yet to follow).
What we will say though, is that as the larger plastic section needs to fit inside the bowl of your ear, some with smaller ears may struggle to place it successfully.
The ‘buds are water- and dust-proof, which is great for indoor workouts. But, we’re not sure they’re secure enough for running outdoors. Very few non-sport TWS in-ears are, to be honest.
There are touch controls on each of the earphones. You can tap to take a call, pause, play and rewind music, and adjust noise-cancelling and activate your chosen voice assistant. There are also wear sensors on each, so when you remove either, the music stops. It plays automatically when you put them back in.
Set-up and battery life
Setting up the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears is a doddle. For iPhone users, you just need to head to your Bluetooth settings screen and press the button inside the case for a couple of seconds. The headphones should appear in your list for connection.
Pocket-lint
It’s even easier on Android devices with Google Fast Pair enabled. Just place the case nearby and open the case lid. Then follow the instructions on your phone.
You also need to download the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones app to control a couple of the features and/or update the PI7s or their case. Once paired via Bluetooth, you can search for your in-ears through the app – this will bring up a dedicated settings section.
The app will also show you the battery status of each earbud and the case. It gives you control over the adaptive noise-cancellation tech (switching it on or off, or choosing whether to have it automatically adjust depending on your surroundings). You can also change the strength of the noise-cancelling effect via a transparency slider.
Battery life is claimed to be up to 4 hours of playback for each ‘bud, with a further 16 hours from the case. We are yet to test that fully.
Audio performance
We’ve been hugely impressed by the audio performance and signature in our listening tests so far.
The B&W PI7 headphones support Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive lossless wireless tech, although we’re yet to give that a thorough workout. We have, though, streamed plenty of Tidal Masters tracks via an iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Naturally, this isn’t the best we could get but it’s close to what we expect most users will acheive.
Pocket-lint
Led Zeppelin’s Bring it on Home (remastered) sounded deep, involving, and with excellent separation. As too did The Kink’s Shangri-La (the stereo mix). While it is weird writing about the imperfections in a recording, they are often what makes a certain version so good, and every squeaky guitar slide is picked out by these headphones.
Bass is impressive too. Each earbud has its own amplifier, supporting a custom 9.2mm drive unit. This works greatly across all fequencies, but bass certainly benefits.
Aside from obvious hip-hop examples, the opening bars of the 2019 remix of Come Together by The Beatles are throaty and tangible. All from tiny in-ears with no cable attached. Amazing.
First Impressions
We want to investigate further before we give our full opinion, but so far, it seems like Bowers & Wilkins is onto a winner with the PI7 wireless in-ears.
These earbuds are extremely high quality and look tasty to match. Their musicality is right up there, but then so is the price, so you would expect as much.
That’s probably our only quibble for now – the B&Ws are almost twice the price of Apple’s AirPods Pro equivalents. Indeed, there are few high-end alternatives priced quite so highly.
Bowers & Wilkins does counter that with the less expensive PI5 – released at the same time – but we haven’t heard those yet to give you a decent comparison, and they don’t come with the Hi-Res Audio specifications.
Still, we’d imagine there are plenty willing to pay a premium price for premium performance. We’ll soon follow up with a full review to let you know if it’s justified. So far, so good, however.
The Xbox Series S isn’t perfect and won’t be for everyone, but it delivers a near next-gen gaming experience for a reasonable price
For
Attractively priced
Solid AV and gaming performance
Responsive controls
Against
Over-complicated AV set-up
Doesn’t support native 4K gaming
Small hard drive
The Xbox Series S is a tough console to nail down. It’s next-gen, but with one rather large drawback; it isn’t a 4K games console, which will undoubtedly rule out some potential buyers from the off.
But it is about more than just resolution. The Xbox Series S brings features and performance benefits to a price point we’ve never seen a high-tech console hit at launch before. And, after resolution, the price of the Series S is arguably the big talking point.
Price
The Xbox Series S is a remarkably cheap console, costing just £250 ($300, AU$500) – no wonder there was a collective gasp from members of the media when pricing was finally revealed. This compares to £450 ($500, AU$749) for the Xbox Series X.
Using Xbox All Access, where you can pay for the console in instalments, you can get a new Series S on a 12-month contract for £21 ($25, AU$33) per month, compared with £29 ($34, AU$46) per month for the Series X.
Its main rival, the PS5 Digital Edition, comes in at £359 ($399, AU$599). It is also missing a disc drive, but the difference is that it gets all the same 4K gaming performance and specs of the standard PS5 console, whereas the Series S has various performance downgrades on the Series X.
Build
(Image credit: Future)
It’s not just the price tag of the Xbox Series S that catches your attention. Open up the box and you’ll be taken aback by the size of the console. It’s tiny compared with its big brother, the Xbox Series X, but also the PS5 and PS5 Digital Editions too.
Positioned horizontally, the Series S measures 28cm wide and 15cm deep. This is in stark contrast to Sony’s disc-less rival, the PS5 Digital Edition, which is 39cm wide and 26cm deep. This makes the Series S ultra-portable, and you’ll be more than happy to sling it into a rucksack and take it to a friend’s house. The ‘S’ and its relatively small frame will also take up less space on your AV rack.
Xbox Series S tech specs
(Image credit: Future)
Resolution 1440p at 60Hz, 120Hz
Storage 512GB
Outputs HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB (Type-A) x3
The chassis is essentially an off-white plastic. It doesn’t feel particularly expensive, but that’s hardly a surprise, given the bulk of Xbox’s budget has been spent on what’s inside.
Compared with the striking PS5, the Xbox Series S looks anything but flamboyant. Its only distinctive feature is a circular black grill for the fan, which makes it look more like a wireless speaker than a cutting-edge games console.
In terms of connections, the Xbox Series S doesn’t throw up any real surprises. On the front, there’s a USB (Type-A) socket, a 3.5mm headphone jack and the power button. On the rear, there are power, ethernet, HDMI and a pair of USB (Type-A) inputs.
The only socket we haven’t really encountered before is a slot for expanding the amount of storage on the Xbox Series S. And, depending on the number of enhanced games you intend to buy, there’s a chance you might have to use it sooner than expected.
In fact, storage is one of the biggest drawbacks for the Xbox Series S. On the box, it says it has 512GB of storage, but when you boot up the console and go into the system’s menu, that figure is nowhere to be seen. Before installing a single game, we are down to 364GB. Download a few enhanced games at 60GB+ and you’ll soon be reaching for an expansion card.
Be warned – the official Seagate Storage Expansion Card costs a whopping £220 ($220, AU$359). The good news is that if you already own an external hard drive with backwards compatible games on it for an Xbox One S, you should be able to plug it into the Xbox Series S and use it straight away.
Home screen
(Image credit: Future)
Power up the console and you’re greeted with the traditional Xbox GUI. On the one hand, it’s nice and familiar but we can’t help but think it’s a missed opportunity. Couldn’t Xbox have created a more exciting and inviting interface to wow its customers and usher in its next-gen consoles?
The tile system is still in play and so is the horizontal navigation. You can reach all the relevant areas, such as games and system settings, with minimal button presses. It’s quick to respond to your commands too. This could be down to a combination of more powerful CPU processing, the super-fast solid-state hard drive and even the new low-latency controller.
What’s even more noticeable is the speed at which games load. Compared with the previous generation of Xbox consoles, the Series S is much quicker. Not only does it get you through loading screens with a greater sense of urgency, with Quick Resume, you can now pick up games from where you left off in a matter of seconds. Xbox claims you can have three or four games on the go at any one time.
Controller
(Image credit: Future)
Like the X, the new Xbox Series S gets a new control pad. It’s supposed to be slightly smaller, although the difference is hard to spot. Irrespective of whether it’s shrunk, the controller still feels good in hand. The bumpers are more rounded, while the triggers have been given more sculpted grips and a new texture that also spreads to the rear of the controller.
Your hands and fingertips get better purchase when pressing down hard, and it feels like the texture pattern from the back of an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller (Series 2) has been placed onto the Xbox Series S controller. Which is no bad thing.
The controller also features what Xbox calls Dynamic Latency Input (DLI), which immediately synchronises each controller input with what you see on screen. Of course, your TV’s own lag is also part of the equation here, but at least the console is doing its bit to reduce lag. It feels as though the console is quick to respond to commands, whether navigating the console’s home screen and in-game too.
Another addition to the controller comes in the shape of a new dedicated ‘Share’ button, which means you can capture screenshots and clips and share your gameplay on social media. Those with older legacy controllers from an Xbox One S (or One X) will be pleased to know you can pair them with the Series S.
Features
(Image credit: Future)
According to Liz Hamren, Head of Platform Engineering and Hardware for Xbox, the Series S delivers “four times the processing power of an Xbox One console”. On paper, the figures are 4 TFLOPS of power for the Xbox Series S, compared with 12.15 TFLOPS for the Series X.
The Series S is “similar in CPU” to the Series X, but not identical. The Xbox Series X uses an 8-Core AMD Zen 2 CPU running at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT enabled) while the Series S uses the same CPU working at 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT enabled).
The ‘X’ is powered by a 52CU (compute unit) RDNA GPU running at 1.825GHz, while its cheaper sibling has a 20CU, 1.565GHz GPU.
The Series S doesn’t have the graphics grunt of its sibling, meaning that resolution is a big difference between the consoles. The Xbox Series S has been geared towards outputting 1440p at 60Hz, up to a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. It can upscale the picture to 4K to match your 4K TV, but you won’t be able to see next-gen games in native 4K. You can only play games in native 4K resolution (at up to 120Hz) on the Xbox Series X.
But we wouldn’t write off the Xbox Series S just yet. While it does lose out on graphical power and resolution, it still has a range of features that will appeal to anyone looking to make the jump from, say, an Xbox One S.
You can still enjoy refresh rates to up to 120Hz. The console also supports VRR, variable rate shading and ray-tracing just like the Series X. You get the same Quick Resume feature, so you can pick up where you left off at the touch of a button, a faster SSD hard drive and a speedier user experience. All of these mean the Series S is a big step up from the previous generation Xbox One S.
All the streaming apps you need are there too, including Netflix, Spotify, Sky Go, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Disney+.
Picture
(Image credit: Future)
When it comes to playing games on the Xbox Series S, it’s difficult to find a lot to grumble about for the money. While it’s not native 4K, what it does dish out is easy on the eye. Play Madden 21 and the intro video bursts into life with a colourful and vibrant display of NFL uniforms and impressive-looking stadia shots.
Detail on jerseys and boots is good. The reflections on player helmets are glossy and add polish to the presentation. The motion of the players, whether they’re walking slowly into formation or blitzing the opposing team, is stable and we don’t notice anything in the way of tearing, judder or artefacts.
Gears 5 looks good too, even though it isn’t being rendered in true 4K. Compared with the Xbox Series X, the more powerful console delivers a picture with more ‘wow’ factor, but the Series S is by no means embarrassed. The on-screen detail is good enough, with decent texture on chiselled faces and war-torn body armour. Motion is stable, and there’s good insight in the shadows.
As a streaming device, the Xbox Series S presents a solid case too. Playing Altered Carbon via Netflix, the Series S produces a watchable picture, with none of the artificial appearance that can sometimes be served up by poorer streaming devices.
There’s a good sense of clarity and motion, with detail and definition both excellent too. As Quellcrist Falconer makes Angelfire rain down on her pursuers, the screen lights up with bolts of blue neon. As each soldier is struck down, the flames turn to embers, small pin pricks burning briefly, but ever so brightly, in Dolby Vision HDR. The detail in the shadows as she hides behind a fallen tree is nicely judged and not overly dark.
We’d say the Xbox Series S is comparable to an Apple TV 4K for picture quality, which is a great video streamer in its own right. That’s quite impressive for a games console.
Sound
(Image credit: Future)
Despite being a next-gen console, we’re still left scratching our heads at the way some audio settings have been implemented.
Instead of being able to pass unadulterated audio from your streaming service of choice through to your AV amp, the Xbox needs to decode and re-encode it. You need to navigate the console’s audio settings and pick one format which the console will then apply to everything. You can select from DTS Digital Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos for Home Theatre or DTS:X for home theatre. It’s not a particularly next-gen way of going about things.
Click on DTS:X and you’re told you need to download the DTS Sound Unbound app. This unlocks DTS:X for home theatre, but you still need to pay a further £17 to unlock DTS Headphones:X. Similarly, you need the Dolby Access app to get free Atmos support for your home theatre, but if you want Dolby Atmos for Headphones, that will cost you extra too. Seriously?
However, the Dolby Access app is handy for setting up a Dolby Atmos soundbar, AV receiver or TV. You can customise your audio settings and even switch on a built-in audio upmixer if you want some of the Atmos experience, but don’t happen to own a Dolby Atmos speaker package.
Oddly, during set-up we are greeted by a pop-up from the console asking if we want to pass Blu-ray audio directly to our AV receiver – someone clearly forgot that the Xbox Series S is a disc-less console.
Once set up, you get is a perfectly acceptable sonic performance. The console sounds punchy and lively with a decent sense of clarity, and an even tonal balance. It’s not as subtle or refined as a dedicated budget 4K Blu-ray player, such as the Sony UBP-X700, nor does it have the same sense of timing and natural flair with music. But it sounds lively enough when firing out the 80s soundtrack to Cobra Kai and the dialogue sounds clear and relatively weighty.
Switch to the opening chapter of Gears 5, and as Kait, Marcus et al arrive at the opening to the cave, the detail and definition in the whirring rotor blades is impressive. Combine this with the strings of the soundtrack, and the sound of the birds circling around the huge opening and the console creates a fine sense of immersion and atmosphere as you head underground.
Verdict
Xbox has been pretty smart with the Xbox Series S – the price tag alone will be enough for some to give it serious consideration. However, if true 4K resolution gaming or playing 4K Blu-rays matters to you, it won’t even be on your radar.
If you aren’t fussed about those and just want to play Xbox exclusives with some of the other game enhancements, such as VRR and the high frame rates, then the Series S isn’t a bad shout.
It could also be an affordable console for a second room or to keep the kids happy. After all, you still get a huge chunk of future-proofing and day-to-day performance upgrades that make it a decent jump up from the Xbox One S.
The Xbox Series S isn’t perfect. The user interface feels a little dated for a next-gen console and there are still too many quirks when you want to use it as part of a proper home theatre system. While it won’t necessarily appeal to everyone, if you’re happy with what the Series S can offer, you won’t be disappointed.
Astell & Kern, highly decorated maker of premium portable high-resolution audio devices, has just introduced the SE180 portable music player. It is the third model in the company’s A&futura series following the inaugural A&futura SE100 and SE200, both of which gained What Hi-Fi? Awards in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
For 2021 however, Astell & Kern is trying something new: the SE180 is its first player to feature interchangeable DAC modules.
Expanding on the multi-DAC innovation first introduced with the SE200, music fans can now customise the sound with different audio-flavoured DACs to find the sonics that best suit their ears.
Furthermore, A&K says the A&futura SE180 is the company’s most advanced player yet. It is the first model to boast the firm’s new Teraton Alpha Sound Solution technology, promising improved audio, an enhanced user interface and advanced connectivity.
(Image credit: Astell & Kern)
The South Korean digital audio specialist says the new user interface is “more consistent with an Android smartphone experience”. There’s also AK File Drop for easier wireless file transfers, BT Sink function for simpler connection of the SE180 to an external Bluetooth device, and, of course, that innovative interchangeable DAC design to boast a new level of audio flexibility for the user.
By physically separating the main body from the all-in-one module, A&K claims that any power and radio frequency noise generated by the main unit is completely blocked. The DAC module should slot easily into place from the top of the player and features a pioneering double-locking mechanism that promises to securely connect each component.
But you don’t have to buy a separate digital-to-analogue converter to get the new SE180 up and running. The A&futura SE180 arrives with a default 8-channel module, the SEM1 ESS ES9038PRO. And it’s no slouch – audio file support is comprehensive, with the SEM1 DAC capable of playing up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256 files.
Want to start customising and upgrading though? The SEM2 Asahi Kasei AK4497EQ Dual DAC will be the first optional module available at launch, with the ability to play files up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and native DSD512.
(Image credit: Astell & Kern)
Both modules support 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphones connections for accommodating a greater variety of headphones and in-ears, while there is support for MQA playback via downloaded MQA audio files and Tidal.
A&K says the next DAC module will be released later in the year, with another model following in the first half of 2022.
Otherwise, the The A&futura SE180 features a Full HD 5-inch screen, the smooth, aluminium casework and rotary volume dial we’ve come to expect from Astell & Kern devices, plus a 256GB on-board memory that can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card slot.
The Astell & Kern A&futura SE180 with the SEM1 ESS ES9038PRO DAC module is priced £1399 ($1499, €1599) and will be available from May. The optional Astell&Kern SEM2 DAC (Asahi Kasei AK4497EQ Dual DAC Module) is priced £319 ($349, €379) and will also be available from May.
MORE:
Read all our Astell & Kern reviews
See our pick of the best portable MP3 players 2021: from budget to hi-res music players
Check out the best DACs 2021: USB, portable and desktop DACs
Update April 22nd, 1:12PM ET: Updated the first paragraph to reflect that Garmin wouldn’t disclose how long its introductory price of $319.99 will last.
Garmin has upgraded its premium Venu smartwatch for 2021 (via DC Rainmakerand Ars Technica). It now comes in two sizes instead of a single 43mm-sized model. The 45mm Venu 2 houses a 1.3-inch 416 x 416 OLED screen. For smaller wrists (or those who just prefer a less wrist-dominating device), the 40mm Venu 2S has a 1.1-inch 360 x 360 OLED screen. Both watches have an optional always-on mode, and they are available now for an introductory cost of $319.99, which is $80 cheaper than the original Venu when it launched in late 2019. Garmin hasn’t shared how long this price will be in effect (the product pages mention a $399.99 asking price), and the company declined to disclose how long this lower price will last.
Other than the differences in case sizes, there isn’t much else distinguishing the Venu 2 lineup visually from the predecessor. They’re slick-looking touchscreen wearables with Gorilla Glass 3-covered touchscreens that feature two buttons. One of the biggest gen-to-gen improvements is its battery performance. The original Venu could last five days in smartwatch mode, but Garmin’s bigger 45mm Venu 2 watch doubles it (and then some) to a claim of 11 days of operation if you’re just using it for getting phone notifications with light usage otherwise. If you’re using its built-in GPS and streaming music from the watch to your headphones via Bluetooth, Garmin predicts up to eight hours of battery life, up from six in the previous model.
A close-up of the larger Venu 2.Garmin
Surprisingly, the smaller 40mm Venu 2S also has better battery life than the original, with 10 days of use expected in smartwatch mode or up to seven hours in GPS mode with music. Garmin has a whole page that backs up how it makes predictions on battery life, telling you what to expect depending on the kind of activities you’re doing. Garmin is also touting faster recharging for both models, with 10 minutes of charging giving you up to one day of use in smartwatch mode or an hour of GPS usage with music. Both models can store up to 650 songs from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer, up from 500 in the Venu and the 2020 Venu Sq.
The Venu 2 watches are packed with sensors, featuring a heart rate sensor, GPS (GLONASS and Galileo), a wrist-based pulse ox sensor to measure blood oxygen, a barometric altimeter for altitude, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, and an ambient light sensor. Each watch also features NFC for the Garmin Pay contactless payment feature. These watches work with iOS and Android, but only on Android can you respond to text messages.
In terms of new software features coming to the watches, Garmin’s Sleep Score will give you an aggregate score based on tracking your sleep stages, heart rate, stress, respiration, and your blood oxygen levels. The Venu 2 series can estimate your “Fitness Age” based on your level of activity and can guide you through high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and advanced strength training.
Flagship features and a big, clear screen make this mid-priced mobile a good option for your pocket
For
Good for gaming
Detailed picture performance
Decent built-in speakers
Against
Screen could be subtler
Flat audio performance
Alec Baldwin may be the best known, and arguably most talented, of his siblings but as Trey Parker and Matt Stone once wrote: you know what sucks about being a Baldwin? Nothing! Thankfully for Billy, Daniel, Stephen and the OnePlus 9 smartphone, life always has room for a little brother.
With only two members of the OnePlus 9 family, finding a niche as the more affordable smaller sibling should be no problem at all. The OnePlus 9 is still a big phone and its 6.55-inch display means it can bring some serious scale to your portable viewing.
Not only does the OnePlus 9 have an HDR10+-supporting, 120Hz AMOLED screen, it also has a Hasselblad camera set-up on board too. And it charges so quickly that by the time you remember that you plugged it in, it’s probably full and ready to go.
Granted, there are a few nips and tucks to the specs compared with the OnePlus 9 Pro but, with around a quarter off the Pro’s price tag, this Android handset has the tempting promise of a flagship phone at a mid-range price.
Pricing
The OnePlus 9 is priced at £629 for the Astral Black and Arctic Sky versions, which come with 128GB of storage space and 8GB of RAM in the UK and Europe. The Winter Mist OnePlus 9 is £729 and comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.
In the US, only the Astral Black and Winter Mist finishes are available, but both come with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The US OnePlus 9 is priced at $729.
Features
(Image credit: OnePlus)
A phone with a 6.55-inch screen is just about small enough to carry out most of your operations one-handed without fear of dropping it, although swiping from the top and bottom without adjusting your grip makes for some pretty intensive thumb yoga. Laid next to the OnePlus 9 Pro, the standard OnePlus 9 is just 4mm shorter at 160mm long and a little thinner at 8.7mm rather than 9mm, but has the same 74mm width.
Despite its fibreglass polymer frame, the finish still feels premium for a non-metal phone. The three-way sliding switch for the silent, vibrate and ring profiles is a particularly nice touch. Underneath that, there is the power button, on the opposite side is the volume rocker with the USB-C port and SIM tray on the bottom edge. Sadly, there’s no 3.5mm headphone socket.
OnePlus 9 tech specs
(Image credit: OnePlus)
Screen 6.55in AMOLED
Resolution 2400 x 1080 (402ppi)
Rear camera 48MP, 50MP, 2MP
Front camera 16MP
Dolby Atmos Yes
Finishes x3
Dimensions (hwd) 16 x 7.4 x 0.9cm
Weight 192g
For wireless audio, there’s Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX and aptX HD included as well as LDAC technology, which allows hi-res audio streaming over Bluetooth at up to 24-bit/96 kHz.
As for that screen, it’s a 2400 x 1080 AMOLED panel with a fixed 120Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of 402ppi. Compared with the 9 Pro (525ppi), it’s a little less sharp and slightly dimmer too, with a peak brightness of 1100nits rather than the 1300nit display on the Pro. On top is a flat piece of Gorilla Glass, under which is a hidden fingerprint reader, though you can also unlock the phone using face recognition.
Those looking to dive into some on-the-go TV and film watching will appreciate the HDR10+ and HDR10 support with plenty of HDR compatibility to be found on Netflix and others. You can play locally stored MKV, MOV, MP4, H.265 (HEVC), AVI and other video file formats. The display proportions offer a maximum possible 20:9 aspect ratio, but while most content is edged by a pair of black bars, premium gaming titles use the whole screen width.
Game Mode Pro is a handy feature of Oxygen OS – an otherwise light skin on top of Android 11. It shuts off notifications from popping up on your screen, restricts background app use to divert as much processing power to your gaming as possible and prioritises your network use for game data. We also like the way it brings quick access to options such as WhatsApp messaging, Instagram and screen recording with a small, pull-down menu at your thumb.
(Image credit: OnePlus)
The gameplay itself is well handled. The fast refresh rate of the display helps your gaming feel lag-free, both on and off-line. OnePlus has installed its Cool Play vapour cooling system, but even after one round of PUBG Mobile, the handset still feels pretty warm.
Despite that, and the fixed 120Hz rate, the 4500mAh battery takes us well beyond a day of heavy use. Should you need to recharge more regularly, you’ll be pleased to note that the Warp 65T charger included in the box takes just under 30 minutes to fill your phone.
As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, owners of this handset benefit from a Hasselblad-calibrated camera array. Here, it is a three-lens set-up, with a main 48MP camera, a 50MP ultrawide and a monochrome shooter, but no telephoto. There is 12-bit colour depth stills imaging available in Pro Mode for RAW files and you can capture 8K video at 30fps and 4K video at 60fps.
Telephoto aside, the performance of the camera is right up there with that of the 9 Pro’s. The optical image stabilisation works a treat for the handheld tracking shots around our test facilities. The results look almost as if they were shot using a camera dolly and there’s the odd jump only with fast pans. The colours are bright and rich, if not quite as real-world accurate as the best smartphones.
As with its bigger brother, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip orchestrates the action with great aplomb. There’s barely a glitch or stutter in our time with the phone and we’d expect it to stay that way with regular updates and fixes to the OS, the UI and third-party apps.
Screen
(Image credit: OnePlus)
If you’re expecting the performance of the OnePlus 9 to match that of the OnePlus 9 Pro, think again – that extra spend goes on more than just an aluminium frame and some curved glass. But there is a lot to like about the OnePlus 9’s picture performance.
It’s easy to lose ourselves in the story of The Witcher in HDR on Netflix. It’s a bright and engaging image with a decent degree of punch and no wanting for detail in light and dark areas of the screen. The opening shots across the shaded interior of a barn reveal lots of detail in the shadows without doing much damage to the black depth. Even when the frame becomes split between that darkness and the bright daylight on the faces of the young lovers outside the barn, the overall exposure levels remain well pitched.
We’re just as pleased with how the OnePlus 9 handles SDR. The Display P3 mode brings a good blend between the natural look of the Missouri countryside and the exciting colours of sci-fi space as we watch Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 in Full HD. If you’d rather not get your hands dirty in the settings, pull the colour temperature towards ‘cold’ or use the Natural preset.
As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, though, there’s room for improvement. The very best handsets maintain a slightly inkier black depth and add a bit more of a dynamic HDR feel, while some displays are a touch more careful with shading. It’s most apparent when looking at faces – the skin complexion of the lovers in The Witcher episode, for example, are fairly uniform in their production, when colour and lighting could be handled a little better.
But these performance compromises are in line with the 9 Pro, which also favours dark detail over black depth. The 9 Pro is sharper, a little brighter and the colours go a touch further before starting to look artificial but, given the difference in price, this is to be expected. The OnePlus 9 still makes for some worthy big-screen viewing at this point in the market.
Sound
(Image credit: OnePlus)
But while the screen can be classed as ‘good’, the audio performance of the OnePlus 9 is firmly in the average category. It plays your favourite tracks faithfully enough but is never going to thrill you. That doesn’t mean that it’s not without its charms, though.
OnePlus’s ‘Dual stereo speaker’ set-up is fine for listening to music or watching a film without headphones. Dialogue is clear and sound effects are identifiable, while music is balanced and not without a sense of presence. We’d recommend listening without the Dolby Atmos music processing, but both ‘Film’ and ‘Music’ modes come across well.
Listening to Biffy Clyro’s Many Of Horror, the OnePlus 9 conveys that powerful sense of emotion. There’s definition and clarity to the vocals and the squeaky slides up the guitar strings of the intro, even if it’s not the most detailed delivery we’ve heard. The volume on the device doesn’t go particularly high but reaches the top with hardly any distortion.
For headphones listening, it’s best to axe the processing and set the OnePlus 9 to ‘None’ under ‘Style Preference’ in the sound settings. It doesn’t do much to make up for this phone’s underwhelming dynamics but keeps music as rhythmic as possible. We play Blue Monday by New Order and the impact of the electro beats and synth sounds is in line with the OnePlus 9 Pro’s performance. The more expensive model has a better stab at organising the sounds but, paired with a decent set of headphones, there’s still plenty to enjoy here.
But with busier tracks, there’s more of a sense of what could have been, sonically. We hit play on Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, hoping for a taste of moody grunge. But while all the instruments are there and tonally in balance, Chris Cornell’s voice comes across flat and expressionless. Nor is there a change of gear when the drum fills announce the chorus. Ultimately, this phone plugs the music gap while we’re out and about, but not an awful lot more.
Verdict
There aren’t many smartphones that offer so much screen real estate at this price. The fact that it’s such an involving picture performance is a compelling reason to buy the OnePlus 9.
Our doubts are mostly on the audio side, as some rival phones make music on the go a more exciting affair. If you use a dedicated music player or are looking for a mobile phone primarily for its video performance, then don’t let its sonic drawbacks put you off. Between the high-performing chipset, the lag-free gaming, the Hasselblad camera and the scale and quality of the screen, there are plenty of reasons why the OnePlus 9 is a good idea.
(Pocket-lint) – The original Garmin Venu was Garmin’s stab at something more like a smartwatch. It was designed to address the display above all things, sporting an AMOLED screen – and looking better than all the other devices in Garmin’s range.
That’s true of the Venu 2 too and we’ve had one on the wrist for a couple of days to bring you some first impressions.
Design and build
40 and 45mm sizes
45.4 x 45.4 x 12.2mm, 49g
Changeable straps
Stainless steel bezel
Glance at the Venu 2 and you might not know if you’re looking at a new watch or the old model. The overall design is pretty much that same – and it’s a safe design.
Pocket-lint
The watch case sticks to polymer, topped with a stainless steel bezel to give a premium look around the display. The big change is that there’s now two sizes – 40 or 45mm – so there’s a Venu 2 for every wrist.
That also sees a change in the straps you can attach to it, with 18mm and 22mm supported respectively, allowing you to chop and change to get the look you want.
As we said of the original Venu, the design is rather safe. It doesn’t quite reach to the premium looks that you get from the Apple Watch, but it’s conventional enough. We suspect much comes from the close relationship to the Vivoactive – with the Vivoactive 4 also coming in the same sizes.
There’s a difference, however. The case of the Venu 2 now appears to be one piece, whereas previous models had a separate backplate and body, not that that makes a huge difference. For those who like to examine sensors, there’s also a new arrangement to the Elevate heart rate sensor on the back, which we’ve not seen in other Garmin devices.
Pocket-lint
There are two buttons on the right-hand side of the body and these are oblong rather than the round buttons usually found on the Forerunner models.
Display
AMOLED, 33mm
416 x 416 pixels
Touchscreen
Always-on option
We don’t have the exact figures on for the display at the time of writing, but on the 45mm model, it’s about 33mm in diameter for the visible area (the same as the Vivoactive 4).
There’s some bezel area under the glass that’s not active display, but Garmin has now added some markers on this area which help to disguise the fact that not the entire area is display. Fortunately, because this is AMOLED, the deep black of the display and that surrounding area merge together so you really don’t notice it – or we haven’t so far.
Pocket-lint
There are plenty of watch faces on the device and many more available through Connect IQ, but we were quickly taken by the Matrix-style face.
There are three brightness levels and it doesn’t appear that there’s any sort of ambient light sensor to adjust the levels automatically. If you choose the top brightness you’ll get a warning that this will drain the battery faster – and it’s the display that’s likely to eat most of the battery life on your Garmin.
It’s a touchscreen display, allowing some interaction, while other functions will need the press of one of the two body buttons.
There’s a battery saving mode that will take you to a simple watch face to save power and also drop the brightness – again underlining the point that this display does have a hit on this watch’s endurance.
Pocket-lint
Of course, that’s something we really need to examine in more depth over the coming weeks. Garmin says you’ll get 11 days in battery saver mode, while 10 minutes charging will give 1 day of life – but we’ll be fully testing the realistic battery life. So far it looks like it will be good for 5 days based on wearing it so far.
There is the option for the screen to be always-on, but you’d have to select that. The default is to have the display fade to black fairly quickly, but to waken when you twist it to look at it.
Sensors and hardware
HR, GPS, ABC
Pulse Ox
Despite pitching this watch as a smartwatch, the Venu 2 is loaded with all the sensors to feed Garmin’s data machine. That will keep track of your activities from your steps to your HIIT workouts, and give you loads of information about what happened.
The mainstay is the heart rate sensor, which can keep track of your heart rate through the day and night to give you a complete picture of what’s happening within your body. It will help you get in the zone when you’re working out, it will help spot when you’re stressed and it will also measure blood oxygen levels – although be warned that this demands a lot of battery life, so probably isn’t worth the sacrifice.
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GPS provides your location for accurate route tracing, so you know how far and how fast you went, for tracking all your outdoor activities. The accelerometer will detect motion, like steps or sleep movements, the barometer can detect altitude change while the compass can sense which direction you’re moving in.
All the data collected feeds a number of systems, like Body Battery which pitches your sleep against your daily activity to advise you about how well rested you are, while also giving you full breakdowns of your activity in the Garmin Connect smartphone app, so you know what you did and what benefit that will have.
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New in this device are sleep scores and insights from Firstbeat Analytics as well as fitness age, which draws in a lot of information to estimate your age – or the impact that your lifestyle might have had on your body and make suggestions so you can do something about it.
They support a full selection of sports, but we’ve not had the chance to test them yet as we’ve only just strapped this watch on. There’s wider support for HIIT workouts and strength training – two areas that Garmin hasn’t been so great on in the past.
We’ll be testing all the functions in the coming weeks.
Smartwatch features
Custom graphics
Garmin Pay
Music support
Smartphone notifications
Garmin offers a range of features are less sporty and more smartwatchy. These aren’t new or unique to the Venu 2, indeed most have been refined across top Forerunner and Fenix models over the years.
But these do complete the picture and ensure that you’re not missing out on essentials. There’s support for downloaded music from Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music, letting you sync up to 650 tracks, an increase over the previous Venu model.
That means you can arrange playlists and have them sync to your watch, so you can listen to music phone-free via Bluetooth headphones. You can also control music you might have on your phone.
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Garmin Pay allows for mobile payments, so you can pay for that coffee on your way home from a long run – although there’s not a wide range of support for banks outside the US – so it’s worth checking to see if you’ll be able to use your card.
We’ve mentioned Garmin Connect a couple of times already and once setup on your phone, you’ll be able to control notifications on your watch so you can stay informed – and those using an Android phone will be able to use Quick Replies to reply to messages too.
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Much of this will be familiar to Garmin users, but the Venu 2 does use some custom graphics and animations that are a little more exciting that you’ll find elsewhere. That makes better use of the display and while we’ve not had a chance to fully explore everything, we’ve already spotted some areas where the Venu 2 looks better than some other Garmin devices.
First Impressions
The Garmin Venu 2 is all about that display. For those who are turned off by the slightly muted displays you might find on the Vivoactive or Forerunner devices, the Venu is designed to deliver.
First impressions are great, with vibrancy and plenty of colour, giving the custom visuals a lift. That was true of the previous device too, so we’ll be looking at how this performs as a fitness device and a lifestyle device over the coming weeks.
Bowers and Wilkins’ debut pair of noise cancelling true wireless earbuds, the PI7, fix one of the key annoyances with the form-factor — it’s usable with in-flight entertainment systems because the case doubles as an audio transmitter. Plug the case into an audio source using an included 3.5mm to USB-C cable and it will retransmit the audio wirelessly to the earbuds. Alongside it, Bowers and Wilkins has also announced the cheaper PI5 true wireless headphones, which also offer noise-cancellation.
Bowers and Wilkins claims the PI7’s transmitting case is an industry first, and it’s certainly the first time we’ve heard of such a feature. In contrast, trying to use other popular true wireless earbuds like the AirPods Pro with a plane’s built-in entertainment system requires a third-party dongle. Of course, the PI7’s transmitting case should also work with any other non-Bluetooth devices you own, like an old iPod.
Beyond the PI7’s fancy case, it offers a fairly standard set of features for a pair of true wireless headphones. The earbuds are noise cancelling, and are equipped with six microphones in total for calls or using voice assistants. It uses the AptX Adaptive standard, which should allow it to dynamically compress audio to maintain a stable connection, and its case can be charged wirelessly. The earbuds themselves have a modest battery life of 4 hours (compared to 4.5 for the AirPods Pro), while the case offers 16 hours more. The buds have an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, so they should survive light splashes and limited amounts of dust.
The cheaper PI5 earbuds also offer noise cancellation and come with a case that can be charged wirelessly, but they only have four microphones total. There’s also no mention of AptX Adaptive — just regular AptX — and there’s no sign of the PI7’s audio retransmission case. Battery life for the PI5 appears to be slightly better than the more expensive PI7 however, with the earbuds offering 4.5 hours of playback on a single charge. The case offers 20 hours more. The PI5 also have a dust and water resistance rating of IP54.
Both earbuds are available starting today. The PI7 cost $399 / £349 / €399, while the PI5 cost $249 / £199 / €249.
Bowers & Wilkins isn’t always first to the party but, when it does arrive, it certainly likes to make an entrance. Today, the company launches not one but two debut sets of true wireless headphones, the PI5 and PI7.
The latter are the more premium of the pair, with a six-microphone active noise-cancelling system. The built-in mics will work for voice calls, as well as smart functionality (Siri and Google Assistant are both supported).
Each earbud features a two-driver arrangement to offer what Bowers refers to as sound “comparable to loudspeakers”. The two sides have a balanced armature tweeter for the top notes and a set of 9.2mm drive units for the mid/bass, all with their own dedicated amplifier.
The true wireless stereo transmission comes in through Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, allowing for 24-bit hi-res audio streams (when connected to a compatible source). Bowers has worked to provide a reliable and tightly synced connection between the left and right earbuds.
There’s more to the PI7’s charging case than just storage and battery life, too. Uniquely, it has USB and 3.5mm ports, allowing you to connect it direct to an audio source. The case sends that music to your ears wirelessly using AptX Low Latency. The idea behind it, according to Bowers, is to allow users to hook up to an inflight entertainment system without the need of trailing cables to their ears.
The B&W PI5 true wireless headphones, meanwhile, are a slight step down but still very much from the same stables. They’re missing the dual-driver arrangement and instead come with a single 9.2mm Bowers-developed unit. TWS+ technology is used instead for the transmission of the audio from source to both buds simultaneously. There are also just the two microphones on each side for noise-cancelling and no inputs on the case.
(Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins PI5)
The PI5 and PI7 have an earbuds battery life of 4.5 hours and 4 hours respectively, but the charging case stores four more full cycles, offering a reasonable (but not class-leasing) total of 22.5 hours or 20 hours from a single charge.
Bowers says it has championed driver technology and wireless transmission over battery life for a better audio experience. Explaining the company’s late entry into true wireless, Bowers & Wilkins Director of Product Marketing, Andy Kerr, said: “We don’t pride ourself on being first but being the best. In each case we waited and watched the market. We chose to stay out of the market until we felt we could make a difference.”
Both sets of Bowers & Wilkins true wireless headphones are available from today in a choice of white or charcoal. The B&W PI7 cost £349 (AU$699, €399, $399) – one of the most premium price tags we’ve seen attached to a pair of true wireless earbuds – while the PI5 are priced at a more democratic £199 (AU$369, €249, $249).
MORE:
Our pick of the best true wireless earbuds on the market
Take a look at our choice of the very best noise-cancelling earbuds
These are the best B&Ws products of all time
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