Netflix and Amazon Prime Video want to strengthen their non-fictional offer in Germany. “There is definitely a need for non-fictional programming. In this respect, we will continue to expand our offering,” said Netflix’s Director of Content Acquisitions & Co-Productions for German-speaking countries, Kai Finke, in a panel discussion on Tuesday 34. Munich Media Days.
Strong demand The managing director of Amazon Prime Video Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Christoph Schneider, said at the industry meeting: Tests and results showed “that this content is in high demand”. He emphasized: “We will produce more there. That does not mean at the expense, but in addition to the fictional content.”
are classic streaming services Series and films. In recent years, they have also expanded other offers such as documentaries or shows.
Netflix leader Dem According to the latest digitization report from the media companies, Netflix tops the list for the use of streaming services in Germany. About a third (32 percent) of the population aged 14 in Germany and over watches Netflix-In at least once a month
According to a study, the television set has become somewhat more important again in German households during the Corona times. “58 Percentage of people from 14 years in Germany name the TV screen as the most important device for video use. This corresponds to over one percentage point more than in the previous year, which has stopped the downward trend of recent years, “said the media authorities’ new video digitization report published on Monday. 2016 the value was still good 66 percent, 2018 at 63 percent, 2019 at almost 57 percent. The authors emphasize, however, that the return to the big screen must be viewed against the background of the special situation this year. “It remains to be seen whether the trend back to television sets will continue in the future.”
Classic TV is on the rise again In Corona -Times, the daily use of classic TV programs – this means the broadcasters’ ongoing programming – has increased again after years, as the representative survey further shows. 69 percent watched linear television every day. 2019 it was still 64 percent and in the year before 66 Percentage.
The increase in video usage on the Internet is significantly greater: almost 42 percent now view moving images on the internet every day. 2019 it was 14 percent and 2016 still 8 percent, as the study lists.
Netflix leads when streaming When using Streaming services led Netflix in the surveys. About one third (32 percent) of the population from 14 years in Germany watches Netflix content at least once a month. Behind are the platforms Amazon Prime Video with a good 22 percent and Disney + with more than 11 Percent.
One of the best video streamers available, thanks in no small part to the Google TV platform and excellent voice remote
For
Lots of apps
Excellent HDR picture
Dolby Vision and Atmos
Against
No Apple content available
Rivals sound more dynamic
The world of dongle video streamers is fiercely competitive. Prices are low and app offerings high, but there’s more than just money and streaming services to separate them.
The new Chromecast with Google TV doesn’t add any major services that its predecessors didn’t already have. It isn’t any cheaper either, but for this latest version, Google has prioritised usability and performance instead.
A remote control was the most requested addition to the previous incarnation, so Google has introduced a voice-enabled one for those who would also like to search for content with the help of Google Assistant.
And when you do, you’ll find that the Chromecast now comes with a UI of its own called Google TV – a more recommendation-centric face for the Android TV experience, and set to come to all Android TV devices by 2022.
Features
(Image credit: Google)
The Chromecast with Google TV is an evolution of the Chromecast Ultra that it replaces. The disc-shaped casework has been flattened out into a more oval shape, and is now available in a choice of Snow (white), Sunrise (pink) or Sky (blue) with matching coloured remote. You are likely to use this more than the device itself, which will probably be hanging from an HDMI port on the back of your TV.
There is a USB 2.0 on the end of its power lead, but you will still need to plug it into the wall with the provided adaptor, even if you have a powered USB socket on your telly.
The all-new voice remote is not much bigger than your palm and sits beautifully in the hand. There are shortcut buttons for Netflix and YouTube and to activate the Google Assistant voice search too. Tasteful, discreet and nicely tactile must have been the design notes on this one.
Google Chromecast with Google TV tech specs
(Image credit: Google)
Finishes x3
Resolution Up to 4K HDR, 60fps
Bluetooth Yes
HDR formats Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+
Remote control Yes
Dimensions (hwd) 12.5 x 6 x 16cm
Weight 55g
Google TV makes its debut on Chromecast here, and despite that resulting in a mouthful of a name for its latest device, we understand why Google wishes to shout about its new interface. It’s compatible with over 6500 of the apps built for Android TV and, at launch, will recommend content on the home page from over 30 streaming services. These depend on your location and subscriptions, but include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, iPlayer, YouTube and more. As a user, it’s a refreshing change to see a genuinely useful content discovery tool, rather than a shop front to sell you content.
When you track down a film or TV show that you have rights to watch on multiple services, Google TV gives you the choice of service and will even default to the cheapest or free option where possible, rather than trying to sell you the version from Google’s own catalogue.
Available films and TV programmes are organised into helpful rows of suggestions, including quite a few categories we’ve never seen on other services, such as Neo-noir, Futuristic Shows, Films about Robots and Space exploration movies. You can refine the AI by telling it what you’ve already seen but, even from the off, it has a pretty decent handle on our tastes.
The new remote control is tactile and well thought out. You can teach it to control the power and volume on your TV and use it as the microphone for the Google Assistant voice searches on Google TV. As expected, the voice recognition is near flawless and a decent way of getting to what you want and quickly. As well as requesting specific TV shows, music and movies, you can make more general requests such as ‘Show me films about time travel’ or similar.
In fact, for usability and recommendations, Chromecast with Google TV is the best media streamer on the market. There are two caveats, though – the platform is a bit buggy and there are times during testing when Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos content doesn’t seem to be available on apps such as Netflix and Prime Video when it should be. We find closing the app and rebooting it up usually does the trick but that shouldn’t be necessary and, hopefully, this will be solved by any future firmware updates.
The second consideration is that, like most media streamers, it doesn’t quite cover all the best video services. Generally, that’s not too much of a problem because Google’s casting function means you can stream by using the relevant app on your phone, tablet or laptop browser. So, for example, although there is no All 4 app on the Chromecast with Google TV stick, you can use the All 4 app on your mobile and cast it from there instead.
The only significant place that this falls down is with Apple’s services. The Apple Music and Apple TV apps are both missing from the Chromecast and you can’t cast them from other devices. That’s a loss considering the huge amount of 4K HDR material on Apple TV and there’s no way around it, unless your TV already has an Apple TV app built into its smart platform.
Picture
(Image credit: Google)
For picture quality, the Chromecast with Google TV is right up there with the best video streamers at its price, including its nearest rival, the five-star Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. There’s almost nothing to separate the two as we watch Lost In Space in Dolby Vision. It’s a sharp, textured and well exposed picture that’s a credit to the HDR source material.
The opening sequences of the series show great lustre in the set and costume design. The metal seatbelts holding the Robinson family to their chairs look chunky, strong and solid, and their fishbowl space helmets reflect the scene light as clearly as optical lenses.
There’s nothing lost to the shadows in the darker corners of the image and the patches of bright light are so distinct and clear that it gives everything a wonderfully clinical feel. Colours are deep and natural as we see the orange shoulders of the space suits, and there’s no lack of detail or subtlety to the waffled blue material of their hoods.
Stepping down to 1080p material, the visual experience is obviously less stellar. Star Trek Next Generation is understandably on the noisy side but it’s still colour-accurate from the muted beige tones of the Enterprise decor to the bright blues of Dr Crusher’s uniform.
Light levels are, of course, not quite as expertly handled as when there is HDR to help. There’s a cave scene where the background is not easy to make out compared to the actors in the foreground but, again, this feels very much a fault of the source material rather than one of the playback device. Full marks here.
Sound
(Image credit: Google)
Dolby Atmos is the big performance addition for this Chromecast and there’s plenty of it available throughout the apps and services on the platform. Listening to In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins on Tidal, we’re impressed by the Chromecast’s sense of rhythm. It’s precise, and that lends an excellent sense of drive to the sound and allows us to pick up some beautifully clear moments of detail too. The electronic samples are clean and succinct and there’s a satisfying crispness to the sound when the drums finally kick in.
But there’s a slight lack of fullness to the sound that robs the beats of their full texture and solidity, and Collins’ voice is missing that last bit of aching anguish. In fact, it doesn’t quite feel like this is a moment he’s been waiting for all his life.
It’s a quite different approach to the sound of the Fire TV Stick, which is weaker on timing but stronger on dynamics. Despite their distinct sonic characters, the two devices are more or less equally good in terms of audio.
The upshot for films and TV is that Amazon’s streamer delivers bigger, more spacious sound but with a slight imprecision that means some effects can get lost in the overall soundscape. The Chromecast, meanwhile, picks out everything much more clearly but doesn’t quite deliver the same level of atmosphere.
Verdict
Google has smashed it out of the park with its latest 4K Chromecast. It’s every bit as good as the excellent Amazon TV Fire Stick 4K for picture and sound performance and even better when it comes to the fabulous Google TV UI and recommendations engine.
Casting from your mobile or tablet takes care of almost every gap in the app offering – such as All 4, Britbox and Now TV – and the only real reason to think twice would be if accessing Apple’s TV, film and music content is what you really need.
Otherwise, it’s a bit of a toss-up between the marginally cheaper Fire TV Stick or the slightly more usable Chromecast with Google TV. Is the extra spend worth it? For some, we’ve no doubt that it will be.
Mustafa Mahmoud 4 hours ago Apple, Apps, Console, Featured Tech News, Online, Software & Gaming, Tech News
In the leadup to the launch of the PlayStation 5 next month, Sony has slowly been drip feeding fans new information on its much anticipated next gen console. Though the console exists primarily to facilitate the playing of games, modern consoles can also play content from a number of services such as Spotify, and YouTube, among others. Sony has now announced which streaming services will be coming to the PS5 at launch, and it includes one major curious omission.
On its blog, PlayStation has provided details on the “New media experience and top entertainment streaming apps coming to PS5”. When the console launches on the 12th of November (19th in the UK), owners of the brand new console will benefit from being able to stream content from:
Apple TV
Disney+
Netflix
Spotify
Twitch
YouTube
While many of these streaming services were already available on PS4, and so the fact that they will be coming to PS5 is no surprise, Apple TV is a new addition to the list. Apple’s TV+ video streaming service only launched late last year, and so while it is still very much in its infancy, many of the original shows available have been received well.
One glaring omission from this list is Amazon’s Prime Video. This is especially notable when considering the fact that Prime Video is currently available on the PS4. That being said, Sony has confirmed that Prime Video will be coming to PS5, though at a later date. Other services set to join later include “MyCanal, Hulu, Peacock, and more.”
Though a console’s primary function should be to play games, the addition of services such as YouTube and Spotify do provide an extra level of convenience (this is especially true with the latter, which allows you to stream music while playing games). Hopefully other services such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub will make their way onto the PS5 eventually.
KitGuru says: What do you think the role of a console should be? Are these media apps necessary? Which streaming service do you use the most? Let us know down below.
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Sony announced that six popular apps streams – Apple TV +, Disney +, Netflix, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube – will be available at launch. The separately purchased remote control will have dedicated buttons for Disney +, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube.
by Manolo De Agostini published 22 October 2020 , at 17: 29 in the Videogames channel Sony Playstation
For some time the consoles are no longer a mere tool game, but they are also a central element of the living room to enjoy streaming services and surf online . The new solutions from Sony and Microsoft coming in the coming weeks will be no exception and Sony has remembered it with a blog post: the new Playstation 5 will support, from launch, several of the most popular entertainment apps.
Specifically there are six apps that will be available on PS5 from 12 November (in Italy the console will be available from 19 November): Apple TV +, Disney +, Netflix, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube . More streaming apps like Amazon Prime Video will arrive in the future, but a more specific indication has not been given.
You can then listen to your favorite songs from Spotify as background music during game sessions, or watch broadcasts and interact with chat on Twitch, as well as stream matches of course. Even in the case of YouTube you can broadcast the gameplay or enjoy your favorite videos comfortably seated in the living room.
Sony also confirmed the presence of keys dedicated to Disney +, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube on the remote control (to be purchased separately) of PS5 . The indiscretion had already leaked, but now we also have an unequivocal image. In recent weeks, the Japanese company has shown the PS5 user interface, with a dedicated space – to the right of the Game screen – to the world of entertainment and new commands for a better experience.
If you are planning to use your PlayStation 5 for more than just gaming — whether that’s to stream movies and TV shows on Netflix or play music on Spotify — you’ll be happy to know that Sony’s next-gen console will support some of the more popular entertainment apps at launch.
Sony confirmed in a blog post on Thursday that following entertainment apps will be available on the PS5 on November 12th: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Netflix, Spotify, Twitch, and YouTube. The company also said more streaming apps, such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Peacock, were coming to PS5.
Notably absent from the list is HBO Max, which is currently in contract disputes with Amazon and Roku over the inclusion of the new streaming app on their platforms, and pay-TV options like Sling. (Sony shut down its own pay-TV Sling competitor, PlayStation Vue, last year.) Interestingly, the anime streaming service Crunchyroll, owned by the same parent company as HBO, will be available at launch, a spokesperson confirmed to The Verge today.
The PS5 media remote will include dedicated launch buttons for Disney Plus, Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify.Image: Sony
Additionally, Sony confirmed that the four previously unmarked buttons located on the dedicated PS5 Media Remote would serve as dedicated launch buttons for Disney Plus, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, as you can see pictured above. The remote will launch alongside the PS5 on November 12th, but it is not included with the console. It’s currently available as a separate $30 purchase at Target. Other retailers — including Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop — are also selling it, but they’re currently out of stock.
With next-gen consoles set to arrive in just a few weeks, Sony is showing that its upcoming console is much more than just a system to play video games. The inclusion of four dedicated launch buttons to some of the more popular streaming apps — and the recently unveiled system interface, including a separate home screen for entertainment apps — gives us a better glimpse of how PS5 owners will be able to use the hardware come launch day.
Update October 22nd 1:14PM ET: Updated to include that the Crunchyroll app would be available on PS5 at launch.
Sony’s Playstation 5 will support the most important video streaming services: Netflix, Disney + and Apple TV, among others, run on the PS5, Sony announced. Youtube and Twitch.tv are also offered as apps on the game console. Spotify is available for music playback.
Sony plans to add more streaming apps after the release. The company explicitly names Amazon’s Prime Video service, which is still prominently missing from the list of media apps available at launch. Other services such as DAZN or Sky Ticket, which are available for the Playstation 4, are not mentioned in the Sony blog entry.
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At the start of the PS5, a remote control is also offered, with which you can control the media on the game console. This remote control has four quick access buttons for Disney +, Netflix, Youtube and Spotify. It also has buttons for playback control and volume control. This remote control is sold separately for 35 Euro. Basically, the playback can also be controlled with the gamepad, which is supplied as usual.
PS5 from 12. November The Playstation 5 will be available in Germany from 12. November will be available. It is available in two versions: The version with a UHD Blu-ray drive costs 500 euros. A version without a drive is available for 400 euros. Both versions have been sold out since pre-orders began. It is unclear when new copies can be ordered.
The Xbox Series X will go on sale before the Playstation 5. The Microsoft console has similar hardware as the Playstation 5
The world may still be facing social gathering restrictions, but a new Disney Plus feature will at least let us watch together virtually instead.
Disney Plus GroupWatch lets up to seven subscribers watch the streaming service together over the internet in their respective homes. A GroupWatch icon appears on the show or film’s title page, letting you start you own mini viewing party. Synchronised playback means that each subscriber can pause, play, rewind or pause for the whole group, and emoji reactions can be shared in the mobile app.
GroupWatch was first tested in Canada in September, according to The Verge, but it’s now rolling out to other regions – including the UK.
Amazon Prime Video already allows up to 100 subscribers to watch the same content together, while the Netflix Party add-on gives Netflix a similar feature. This kind of feature has enormous potential, especially given the current pandemic is making it difficult, impossible or undesirable to meet up in person. You’ll just have to provide your own popcorn.
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The new generation of Google Chromecast which, however, sees a fundamental change: the introduction of Google TV. We will therefore have a renewed interface, a remote control and an assistant that will allow us to help us search for content. Let’s see how it works.
by Bruno Mucciarelli published 20 October 2020 , at 11: 01 in the Audio Video channel Google
Arrives on the market and displaces a bit? all for how it has changed and above all for how fast it is. Let’s talk about the new Google Chromecast with Google TV which already from the name actually makes us understand the main change in this new generation: the accessory becomes a real alternative to Amazon’s Fire TV Stick also seen the more or less similar price. In this case, therefore, it is no longer a simple and “ poor ” dongle from which to transmit all the images or videos from the smartphone or tablet to the TV.
Here we have a remote control , we always have a small device ready to be joined to the TV via HDMI and we also have the Google Assistant which will help us, as we will see, in the search for content among the various streaming services and beyond. Yes, because the new generation Chromecast allows the installation of Android apps just like with the Google TVs on the market.
Basically we are faced with a real set top box with Google TV in great shape since the interface changes and characterizes that which will be the fulcrum of this device. In this case we have a complete system that we did not have before and which above all allows a more complete interaction with the user. As mentioned there is a new design (even if he will hide behind the TV), three new colors and above all the possibility of reproducing the contents in 4K HDR but also with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos . Potential that for a simple dongle from 21 ?? they are not just and that will allow you to transform a simple TV maybe 4K but from a few years ago into an efficient complete smart TV.
UNBOXING and OFFER
Chromecast with Google TV is offered to the public at a price of 69. 99 ?? and arrives in Italy in three different colors: Ice White, Peach and Sky Blue. E ?? this is the first real difference with the past generation which instead had been made in black without any design prerogative. Here Google has decided to customize it, making it more aesthetically acceptable even if then the dongle in most cases will almost always be placed on the back of the TV.
In the sales box we find everything. We clearly find the Chromecast dongle and we also find the remote control that we will see is very well done especially in size and buttons. They are both placed a small canvas bag which is actually the first time we see for a Google product and beyond. In addition to this we find a fairly long cable with double USB-C output and the classic small wall power supply.
DESIGN: the remote control is super convenient
The aesthetic change of the new Chromecast with Google TV is even if it is not exaggerated. The device flattens even more but above all it finds in the curves a sense of a design that is certainly more graceful than the first generation created by Google. The dimensions in particular are minimum with a slightly circular form factor with a small flattened cable joined directly to the central body. Below the cable has an HDMI port for direct connection with the TV while in the opposite lower part there is a USC-B port for power supply. Flat side and with very minimal thickness where a status LED is present and a reset button in case of problems.
Another novelty of the new Chromecast with Google TV concerns the presence of the remote control which makes the dongle a real TV box. Small and completely in matching polycarbonate with the actual Chromecast. IS?? really well done with a large ring very slippery for the finger and with a central button that allows interactions with the TV. There are also big buttons below the bezel. The one to go back, the one to activate Google Assistant, the one to immediately return to the Home and the one to mute the ??audio. Finally there are other two buttons concerning YouTube and Netflix and which therefore allow you to immediately enter the application of the two streaming services. Finally, at the bottom, smaller, the button for turning the Chromecast on and off and the button for the output ports. There is also a volume rocker on the side of the remote control that allows you to raise or lower the volume during playback.
On a technical level Chromecast with Google TV has a AMLogic S processor 905 X3 which is nothing but a Quad-Core processor that is assisted by 2GB of RAM and with one 8GB internal storage that from the settings we see that we do not have completely available indeed actually without installing non-default apps we are faced with 2.4GB of space remaining. Not much if we are going to install Android apps. The RAM is absolutely sufficient for run the interface quickly and therefore everything that entails without lag, delays or other anomalous situations. Everything moves smoothly and quickly as well as the start of the streaming contents which are replicated as soon as you start.
CONFIGURATION and USE: fast with Google Home
Let’s start first from the configuration of the Chromecast with Google TV which changes compared to the first and past generation. Here Google has concentrated in the last period to direct, rightly, all its devices in the Google Home hub. And here is that once the dongle is powered, it all mentions the need, to activate Chromecast, to go to the Google Home application on the smartphone.
L The installation wizard interface is immediate, simple and intuitive. Once you have opened the application on your smartphone, you will have to scan the QR Code with the relevant verification code, then answer some questions such as scanning the Wi-Fi network, activating the remote control, the volume and the power button. At this point the Chromecast will install the default applications and will turn on once everything is completely done.
You will then find a new graphic interface which somehow resembles that of Amazon’s Fire TV. A panel that sorts all the contents of the various streaming applications and more, because it distinguishes the sections based on movies, TV series or other. At the top we find the bar with the various sections: Search, Home, App and Collection.
Search for: allows users to search all types of multimedia content in the Chromecast with Google TV. Here are suggestions for activating voice search using ad hoc phrases. But there are also some banners that allow you to identify themed films such as romantics, thrillers or documentaries and more.
Home: is the real home of the Chromecast. Here we find everything, from the applications we have decided to install, to the suggestions that Google machine learning will offer us for multimedia content between the various applications. Not only because we will also find more themed suggestions. Here the first sore point because just on the suggestions we find only movies and TV series concerning Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime and Disney +. No other service is offered in the suggestions and therefore we will not find Rai Play or even Infinity content. A shame because it is clear that such a comfortable incomplete function does not allow you to get the most from the Chromecast. It may take some time for Google to implement the other applications as well.
App: is the section that allows you to group all the applications that are available to be installed or that are have already been installed. A kind of Android app drawer which also sees suggestions by type of app or other. Here we really find everything and the assortment is really complete with gaming apps that can be installed (if there is storage space left) and played without problems thanks to the connection via Bluetooth with any controller.
Collection: is the last section of the Chromecast where all the content that has been purchased by the user. They can be easily selected and therefore also easily viewed.
In the Home therefore it is possible to find any type of multimedia content. In this case, among those suggested it is possible to easily see from the preview the streaming service in which the content is present (so if Netflix or other), the percentage of reliability with your tastes and above all whether the content is free or paid. In the event that the content is paid and therefore to be rented or purchased for viewing, a padlock will appear next to the streaming service and by entering the card the cost will be displayed and you can still proceed with the purchase.
Settings are well divided into sections and also very full of options. In this case the user can find:
Network and Internet: where it will have all the information regarding the network and internet connection.
Account and access: will contain all the data regarding the account with which the access was made and here it is also possible to add an additional account.
Privacy: section dedicated to user privacy. There are here the various sections of the geolocation but also the use and diagnostics then the ads and the privacy regarding the Google assistant.
Display and audio: is perhaps the most important section because it allows you to discover that the Chromecast allows advanced display settings with the ability to allow game mode and push content up to 4K in HDR with 60 Hz . Too bad the absence of Google Stadia which could somehow be a very winning weapon. At the audio level it is possible to manually choose the formats with Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus, AAC and also Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital Plus.
App: complete view of all applications installed with their weight and their permissions.
System: all the information on the Chromecast system with accessibility, Date and Time but also the language, keyboard and memory. Here you can also choose what to replicate during the so-called Ambient Mode, that is, if during standby the Chromecast starts Google Photos with the playback of the uploaded photos, Art Gallery with images of works of art selected by Google or even Experimental with new ones contents.
Remote controls and accessories: And here who knows that Google will not add access to Google Stadia in the future.
The operation of the Chromecast with Google TV is always very fluid in the steps between an application and the Home. We have never had a problem opening applications but we have not had problems with sudden delays or crashes of services either. The processor used obviously allows you to play 4K and HDR without problems, where for HDR it clearly means Dolby Vision and HDR 10. Streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are replicated in 4K Dolby Vision as well as Youtube which comes out in 4K HDR.
You can also use Google As sistant with voice control even if this, at least in this first phase, fails to understand us at 100% always and above all not manages to completely cover the results on all applications present. Normal given that such a machine learning job still requires an important programmatic effort. In fact it is possible to ask Google for everything , from time information to more with a response from the TV. Clearly the most interesting part concerns the requests for films or TV series. You can ask for the title of a movie, the reproduction of a TV series or even by genre such as an action movie or even be suggested by artificial intelligence.
It is also possible to download music applications and therefore with the voice it is also possible to ask to play music of all kinds. And then there is the Google Assistant ecosystem: the Chromecast allows you to set the temperature of a heating or cooling system with this type of support, or turn down or raise the lights of a room or create reminders. Google Assistant will respond to everything as the other devices of the Google Home ecosystem do.
CONCLUSIONS
The Chromecast with Google TV is all of this. It changes considerably from what we have seen up to now. It changes because there is now a remote control and because above all there is Google TV with its own precise graphic interface, in step with the times and capable of making itself useful and comfortable especially as an aggregator of apps and services. There is then the Google Assistant that allows you to have voice control of the commands and that
As Humax picks up the What Hi-Fi? Award for the best non-subscription set-top box for four years, we were beginning to wonder if the company was just kicking back and resting on its laurels. But it appears not – the company has just launched the first-ever Android TV-powered 4K recorder with Freeview Play.
The Humax Aura can be seen as a PVR or a Chromecast with benefits. Its Android TV system means it comes chocked with all Google has to offer on the media streaming front, i.e. Google Assistant voice control, plus access to more than 20,000 apps from the Google Play store and the ability to easily cast Chromecast-supported apps from your phone, tablet or laptop to your TV screen.
On the set-top box side of things are 70+ channels available courtesy of Freeview Play, space for up to 1000 hours of storage, and enough digital tuners that you can record up to four programmes at once while watching a fifth.
(Image credit: Humax)
It will play hi-res audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D audio formats, through its HDMI port.
But the big jump for the Humax Aura, compared to the multi-Award-winning Humax FVP-5000T PVR, is its ability to record 4K HDR content. The pairing of Freeview Play and Android TV also means that there should be fewer app gaps with the likes of All 4 and, hopefully, Britbox all present and correct alongside big hitters such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and BT Sport.
Another handy addition is the Kids’ Zone, an area with children-safe material – including timed content.
The Humax Aura is available from November and comes in two sizes – 1TB (£249) and 2TB (£279).
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Take a look at our best set-top boxes Award-winners.
And glance through the best TVs on Amazon right now.
Best Samsung TVs Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s guide to the best Samsung TVs you can buy in 2020.
Obviously it makes sense to shop around when buying a new TV. But if you’ve previously owned a Samsung and want to stick with what you know, there are some impressive screens out there.
From monster sets to more moderately-sized models, from very affordable to very expensive, Samsung has TVs to suit all tastes, spaces and budgets.
Before you lay down your cash, there are a few things to consider. 4K and HDR will improve the picture quality drastically, but only when fed compatible content, so check your source. And do remember that no Samsung sets support Dolby Vision – instead they feature Samsung’s own rival format, HDR10+.
Samsung was also the first to sell 8K sets in the UK. While there’s still no 8K content currently available, they do upscale 4K content using Samsung’s processing tech, and generally do it very well.
Then there’s which size to go for. Measure where you’ll put it and see which size set will suit you best. Bigger isn’t always better – if it towers over your sofa, you might need to reconsider.
You should also check the small print for things such as the number of HDMI and USB sockets. While these details might seem relatively minor, they make all the difference when it comes to getting set up.
Finally, consider whether you want a brand new 2020 set or an outgoing 2019 model. It might be obvious that you’d want a new model, but you’ll likely make a big saving if you go for a discounted 2019 TV. Here’s how you distinguish one from the other: Samsung’s 2019 models are from the ‘R’ range, so look for an ‘R’ at the end of the model number if it’s a QLED or an ‘RU’ in the middle if it’s an LCD. 2020 TVs have a ‘T’ instead.
QLED TV: Samsung’s next-gen TV tech explained
Which 2020 Samsung QLED TV should you buy?
(Image credit: Samsung / Truth Seekers, Amazon Prime)
1. Samsung QE55Q90T
Samsung’s top 4K model for 2020 is punchy, feature-packed and good value.
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 55in (also available in 65in, 75in) | Type: QLED | Backlight: direct LED | Resolution: 4K | HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ | Operating system: Tizen | HDMI inputs: 4 | ARC/eARC: eARC | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 71 x 123 x 3.5cm
Reasons to Buy
Brilliantly bright and punchy
Superb operating system
Improved motion and sound
Reasons to Avoid
Slightly exaggerated colours
OLEDs offer better blacks
The Samsung Q90T is a slightly tricky proposition. It’s the top 4K TV in Samsung’s 2020 TV range, but as a result of the company’s increased focus on 8K models, it’s also less of a flagship model than last year’s Q90R.
Whether you consider the Q90T to be the true successor to the Q90R or not, it is a better TV overall. It has a more natural balance, significantly better motion and a much-improved sound system. It’s true that it doesn’t go quite as bright or quite as black but, in fairness to Samsung, the Q90T is also more aggressively priced.
More important than how it fares against its discontinued sibling, though, is how it fares against similarly priced 2020 TVs such as the LG OLED55CX and Philips 55OLED805. These sets go blacker and, in the case of the LG, produce brighter highlights in otherwise dark images, but the Samsung is vastly punchier with almost everything you watch and images pop from the screen in a way that OLEDs still can’t match. It also has the best, most app-packed operating system by quite a margin, and a feature set that will keep it relevant for years to come.
There’s no doubt that the Samsung Q90T is an excellent TV, and you certainly shouldn’t discount it for not being an OLED or not having as many dimming zones as its ‘predecessor’.
Read the full Samsung QE55Q90T review
(Image credit: Samsung / Fear The Walking Dead, Amazon Prime )
2. Samsung UE43TU7100
A strikingly good performance-per-pound proposition.
This is one of the cheapest 4K TVs that Samsung currently offers. But fear not, it still boasts Samsung’s core performance and feature set, at a smaller size and a lower price. In short, it’s pretty much the best cheap TV you can buy.
Most 43in TVs offer about a tenth of the features of a bigger set, but not this one. The Tizen operating system is identical to that found on pricier sets, with the same winning UI and stacked app selection. It’s 4K, naturally, HDR formats are well catered for (with the exception of Dolby Vision, which no Samsung sets support), and it supports Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches the TV to game mode when it detects a gaming signal. That’s a feature missing from many much pricier sets, such as the 48in Sony in the top spot on this list.
The contrast ratio isn’t as impressive as an OLED or QLED TV, of course, but that’s to be expected. The blacks are actually surprisingly deep for a TV this affordable, and there’s a hefty amount of punch. The TU7100 is a sharp and detailed performer, too, and it handles motion with a good balance of smoothing and authenticity. It’s an excellent picture performance for a TV of this size, and you’d have to spend a fair bit more to get a significant improvement.
Read the full Samsung UE43TU7100 review
(Image credit: Future / How to build a girl, Amazon Prime)
3. Samsung UE55TU8000
The new TU8000 represents exceptional value for money.
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 55in (also available in 43in, 50in, 65in, 75in and 82in) | Type: LCD | Backlight: edge LED | Resolution: 4K | HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ | Operating system: Tizen | HDMI inputs: 4 | ARC/eARC: eARC | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 71 x 123 x 6cm
Reasons to Buy
Brilliant HDR picture
Bags of tonal detail
Punchy colours
Reasons to Avoid
Not particularly bright
Uninspiring sound
Samsung’s 8-series has traditionally been positioned just below the company’s glamorous range-topping QLEDs. In the past, it has proven to be the sweet spot where picture quality and price intersect to maximum effect. And so it proves once more.
The TU8000 is astonishingly good value. For comparatively very little money you’re getting a 55-inch TV that performs brilliantly, particularly with HDR content, and boasts the best, most app-laden operating system available at any price.
It’s sound is only so-so and it’s lacking the outright brightness and next-gen HDMI features of its premium siblings, but it’s still undeniably brilliant for the money.
Read the full Samsung UE55TU8000 review
(Image credit: Samsung / Truth Seekers, Amazon Prime)
4. Samsung UE50TU8500
A great 4K TV for those on a tight budget.
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 50in (also available in 43in, 55in and 65in) | Type: LCD | Backlight: edge LED | Resolution: 4K | HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ | Operating system: Tizen | HDMI inputs: 3 | ARC/eARC: eARC | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 64 x 112 x 5.7cm
Reasons to Buy
Deep, detailed blacks
Solid 4K
Exhaustive app selection
Reasons to Avoid
Slightly red colour balance
This is the price where TVs tip over from budget to mid range. And this set is the new best in class.
The feature set is very impressive, with ALLM, eARC, 4K and three formats of HDR supported. There’s no VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), but at this price, that’s hardly surprising. The Tizen OS is the same as seen on Samsung’s flagship TVs, which means a slick user interface and apps galore.
It comes with Samsung’s standard remote, plus its One Remote, which is more ergonomic and has a stripped-back selection of buttons that cover all of the bases. Voice controls are handled by Amazon’s Alexa or Samsung’s Bixby personal assistants, with Google Assistant due to land soon via a firmware update.
Picture-wise, it blows most of the similarly priced competition out of the water, with deeper blacks and bright white highlights. On the motion side of things, it displays a satisfyingly natural degree of smoothing, and manages to dig up plenty of detail. At this price, there really is no competition.
Read the full Samsung UE50TU8500 review
(Image credit: Samsung)
5. Samsung QE75Q950TS
Makes the most compelling case for 8K TV yet.
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 75in (also available in 65in and 85in) | Type: QLED | Backlight: not applicable | Resolution: 8K | HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ | Operating system: Tizen | HDMI inputs: 4 | ARC/eARC: eARC | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 81 x 143 x 1.5cm
Reasons to Buy
Brilliantly sharp, detailed 4K
Bright, punchy and vibrant
Near-flawless feature set
Reasons to Avoid
No Dolby Vision
Local dimming peculiarities
Only one HDMI 2.1 socket
We’ll just come out and say it: you don’t need an 8K TV. 8K content is thin on the ground, so for the most part, you’ll be paying for something you don’t use. On the other hand, if you’re happy to spend the money, an 8K set could be a sound investment – it’ll also play 4K content, after all, and if you don’t want to buy another TV when 8K takes off, paying once could be the smart option.
The Samsung QE75Q950TS is not only a wise investment for 8K, it also manages to improve on 4K content.
That’s thanks to Samsung’s Quantum Processor 8K and its 8K AI Upscaling feature, which succeed in making non-8K content look better than ever: watching a 4K Blu-ray, we can’t recall a sharper 4K picture, with nothing looking artificially enhanced or exaggerated – it simply pops from the screen more than we’ve previously seen.
Blacks are deep and insightful, while motion is handled with aplomb. Away from the picture, the TV itself is stylish, super slim, and the bezels are amazingly thin. It sounds pretty great, too. Ticks all the boxes, then.
Read the full Samsung QE75Q950TS review
(Image credit: Samsung / The Last Narc, Amazon Prime)
6. Samsung QE55Q80T
This 2020 TV is an excellent performance-per-pound proposition
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 55in (also available in 49in, 65in, 75in, 85in) | Type: QLED | Backlight: direct LED | Resolution: 4K | HDR formats supported: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ | Operating system: Tizen | HDMI inputs: 4 | ARC/eARC: eARC | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 71 x 123 x 5.4cm
Reasons to Buy
Excellent contrast and colours
Three-dimensional and detailed
Solid, spacious sound
Reasons to Avoid
Occasionally overcooks colours
Slightly exaggerates film grain
This new Samsung QLED sets a formidable benchmark for mid-range TVs in 2020, offering a high-end performance at a fairly mid-range price.
The Q80T looks much like any other Samsung QLED, although it is a little bit chunkier than the Q90T. There’s nothing wrong with the specs of the connections, either: the four HDMI inputs support the key features of HDMI 2.1, such as eARC, VRR and HFR.
4K HDR streaming is available via the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV+. In fact, the app support is superb, with pretty much every video and music streaming site you can think of on offer here.
A simple TV to set-up when it comes to getting the best possible picture, the Q80T ultimately delivers a brilliantly dynamic image with deep black levels, excellent contrast and neutral but vibrant colours. While there are rare occasions when watching HDR that a skin tone seems slightly overcooked, the colour balance is a great strength overall, while motion is handled confidently and smoothly throughout our testing. And while we’d recommend a soundbar or some speakers, Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound technology provides open, engaging audio.
This is the first mid-range 55-inch TV we’ve seen in 2020, but the Samsung QE55Q80T sets a formidable benchmark thanks to its dynamic and solid picture, substantial sound and thorough feature set.
Read the full Samsung QE55Q80T review
(Image credit: Future / El Corazón de Sergio Ramos, Amazon Prime )
7. Samsung QE65Q95T
It’s perhaps not the flagship TV we were expecting, but the Q95T is still a cracking set
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: QLED | Backlight: Direct LED | Resolution: 4K | Operating system: Tizen | HDR support: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDMI inputs: 4 | USBs: 3 | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 83 x 145 x 3.5cm
Reasons to Buy
Rich, solid, natural picture
Very good motion
Improved sound
Reasons to Avoid
‘Predecessor’ was punchier
Brand new for 2020, the Q95T shares the top spot in Samsung’s 2020 4K TV range with the Q90T. The only differences between the two are that the Q95T gets a more stylish, metal remote and the One Connect system, which sees all connections (including power) routed through a separate box that can be easily hidden away.
Somewhat disappointingly, the Q95T and Q90T have fewer dimming zones and go less bright than the Q90R, but they’re otherwise better in every meaningful way. They deliver a richer, more solid and more natural picture, as well as better sound.
The Tizen operating system is largely unchanged, and that’s no bad thing. No other operating system has as much content or more quickly gets you to what you want to watch.
If you’re after Samsung’s top 4K model, the sensible money would be spend on the Q90T, but if you like the idea of extremely clever and neat One Connect solution, there’s nothing wrong with spending the extra money on the Q95T.
Read the full Samsung QE65Q95T review
(Image credit: Future / Expanse, Amazon Prime )
8. Samsung UE43RU7020
If the price is right, then this strong budget TV has to be considered.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: LCD with edge LED backlight | Resolution: 4K | Operating system: Tizen | HDR support: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDMI inputs: 3 | USB inputs: 2 | Optical output: Yes | Dimensions (hwd, without stand): 56 x 97 x 5.8cm
Reasons to Buy
Good HDR handling
Excellent smart platform
Strong detail and scaling
Reasons to Avoid
Unimpressive audio
Slight colour inconsistency
The Samsung UE43RU7020 is the smallest size of the cheapest range of Samsung’s 2019 current TVs. If you are strapped for cash but still want to buy an excellent, small(ish) screen, this is the one.
Black levels and detail are very good for a TV at this price – we’re not talking OLED standards, but this is no hazy production – and there’s good control of lighting. The 4K detail is good, too, and colours are natural if not quite of the richness Samsung is capable further up the food chain.
As a small, budget TV, the UE43RU7020 deserves to be taken seriously.
Read the full Samsung UE43RU7020 review
MORE:
Samsung 2020 TV line-up: everything you need to know
(Pocket-lint) – Amazon has updated and redesigned its 10-inch Echo Show. Called the Echo Show 10, the third-generation device replaces the bulkier two-year-old predecessor with a new model that has a fresh look and even rotates to follow your around the room if you’re on a video call.
But how does it compare to the other Echo Show devices? Here we’re comparing the established Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 with the latest version – the Echo Show 10 released in late 2020, spec by spec and feature by feature.
There are a range a deals available on some Echo Show models for Prime Day:
Get the Echo Show 5 for $44.99 | Get the Echo Show 5 for £39.99
Get the Echo Show 8 for $64.99 | Get the Echo Show 8 for £59.99
What’s the same?
The Echo Show range is pretty similar in software capability, but it’s in terms of design that the devices have changed over the last year or so.
The Echo Show 5 and 8 are very similar in terms of design and capabilities – although there are some differences in terms of audio prowess as you’ll hear. The Echo Show 10 is now quite a different device and is ideal as a main Echo device in a family room or kitchen.
Of course, at the heart of each Echo device is Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant that can help you with all the basics as well as more complicated stuff via the addition of Alexa Skills and automation via routines.
On-screen, Alexa has been a mixed bag so far, simply because she is voice-first. The interface that works alongside the touchscreen display has needed work and Amazon knows this – an improved interface is coming to Echo Show with the Echo Show 10. Since we haven’t been hands-on with it as yet, we’ll have to reserve judgment, but it seems improvements are on the way to all Echo Show devices.
Amazon is also powering up the Show, too, with support for Netflix in addition to the existing Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. In terms of video calling, you’ll also now get Zoom support (plus Amazon’s own Chime communication service for calling other Show devices) as well as the existing Skype. Group calling is also on the way. Of course, Alexa already supports numerous music services including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer.
Recipe support comes courtesy of Food Network Kitchen in the US and BBC Good Food in the UK.
In terms of design, all three devices now have a physical privacy shutter (with mic/camera off) and physical volume controls, while all are available in white (glacier) and dark grey (charcoal). The main body of each device is covered in fabric.
None of the devices support Wi-Fi 6, although they support 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) and A2DP support for streaming audio via Bluetooth.
What’s different?
Design
Echo Show 10: 251 x 230 x 172 mm. 2.6kg
Echo Show 8: 200 x 136 x 99 mm, 1.04kg
Echo Show 5: 148 x 86 x 73 mm, 410g
The Echo Show 10 has always been seen as a more of a room-filling entertainment device, while Show 5 and 8 are more bedside or desk devices. Indeed, Show 5 is more of a Echo Spot or alarm clock radio-esque device.
The Echo Show 5 and 8 are a trapezoid shape on the rear, whereas the new Show 10 looks more like an old iMac, with a ‘bulb’ or flattened sphere shape holding the screen. There’s a reason for that because the screen can rotate up to 175 degrees. If you’re on a video call, it’ll move as you do in order to keep you in the frame. However, the ’tilt’ of the screen is manually operated.
The main disappointment in terms of the design of the Echo Show 10 is that the display itself has relatively large bezels, but it has clearly been designed to hit a price point. That’s no different to any other Echo device.
Display
Echo Show 10: 10.1-inch HD touchscreen (1,280 x 800 resolution)
Echo Show 8: 8-inch HD touchscreen (1,280 x 800 resolution)
Echo Show 5: 5.5-inch touchscreen (960 x 480 resolution)
The Echo Show 10 has a 10.1-inch HD (not full HD) touchscreen display which appears to have the same 1,280 x 800 as the old 10-inch Echo Show. The lack of high resolution is a bit disappointing, but Amazon clearly hasn’t wanted to make its new Echo line up any more expensive than the predecessor device.
However, the resolution seems a lot more acceptable on the Echo Show 8 (compared to the same resolution screen as in last year’s Echo Show 10, that is). The Echo Show 5 understandable lags behind a little, but because of its diminutive size, the lower resolution doesn’t grate.
Hardware
Echo Show 10: MediaTek 8183 processor, Zigbee smart hub
Echo Show 8: MediaTek MT 8163 processor
Echo Show 5: MediaTek MT 8163 processor
This year, Show 10 makes the move to a MediaTek 8183 chip. The old device was Intel Atom-based. There’s also a second neural network processor as well as an ambient light sensor.
Show 10 has a built-in Zigbee smart hub like the new Echo, so you can now ask Alexa to discover new smart home devices providing they’re Zigbee compliant. The Echo 5 and 8 don’t have this.
The Echo Show 10 has a 13-megapixel front-facing camera which is a significant upgrade on the cameras used on the other devices – they’re a meagre single megapixel which is pretty poor.
Amazon Alexa calling and messaging: What is it, how does it work, and where can you use it?
Sound and speakers
Echo Show 10: two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer
Echo Show 8: dual two-inch drivers (10W)
Echo Show 5: one 1.7-inch (4W)
Echo Show 10 clearly has better audio than the other two devices – it boasts a 2.1 system: two
(Pocket-lint) – Google Pixel devices have changed direction in 2020. The Pixel 4a was expected, but then delayed, launching pretty close to the announcement of the devices that followed – the Pixel 4a 5G and this phone, the Pixel 5.
Of these, the Pixel 5 carries a new name; it’s a solo device, without an XL model to appeal to those wanting a bigger phone. And with pretty much the same hardware as the Pixel 4a 5G, the Pixel 5 is a slightly confusing device – smaller, yet more expensive, with just a few unique features attempting to justify the higher price.
Can the Google Pixel 5 really justify its worth?
Design
Dimensions: 144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm / Weight: 151g
Aluminium body, IP68 dust- & weather-sealed
Hidden ear speaker
The Pixel 5 looks pretty much the same as the Pixel 4a and 4a 5G. There’s no avoiding the fact that they look like a family of phones. In fact, one might ask why the Pixel 5 is called the Pixel 5, when it’s pretty much identical to the Pixel 4a 5G, except smaller.
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That’s a strange position for a smaller phone. But the Pixel 5 pushes a couple of features to try and justify its higher pricing, namely an aluminium body – although it’s coated and textured, so it doesn’t feel like a metal phone like the HTC One M8 did.
Instead that coating is matte, so stays free from smears and is nice and grippy, but doesn’t feel too different to coated plastic. In fact, it’s not hugely different to the plastic finish of the Pixel 4a 5G in terms of feel. There’s a textural difference, sure, but it’s not like the difference between, say, bare metal and plastic. However, it might have better longevity.
The layout, ports and buttons on the Pixel 5 match the Pixel 4a 5G too, with the only obvious external difference really being the ear speaker and the lack of 3.5mm headphone socket. On the Pixel 4a models there’s an obvious grille at the top of the display, while on the Pixel 5 there isn’t – it’s embedded, hidden from sight.
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It’s also not very good. Hiding that ear speaker has two major effects: firstly it reduces the quality of incoming calls. Talk to someone with a deep voice, or turn the volume up on a call, and you’ll feel that reverberate through the body of the phone, which isn’t nice, while sounding rather muffled. Yes, you can hear what they are saying, but it lacks quality.
Secondly, while boasting “stereo speakers” on the spec sheet, it lacks the clarity and punch that you’d expect. With the top speaker being muffled and rather weak, the base speaker is left carrying the can. Side-by-side against the Pixel 4a 5G, the Pixel 5 sounds rubbish – and that means that music, videos or games you play, just don’t sound like they are coming from a phone with stereo speakers.
What we do like, however, is the return of the fingerprint scanner on the rear of the phone. Having used phones dominated by the under-display fingerprint scanner for a number of years, the return of this simple technology is welcomed – it’s fast, it’s easy to unlock and really reliable. Others might say it’s a step backwards, though.
Display
6.0-inch OLED, 2340 x 1080 resolution (432ppi)
90Hz refresh rate, HDR support
The display on the Pixel 5 is pretty compact; the 6-inch size in nice and easy to manage, resulting in a frame that’s not too large. It’s flanked by the Pixel 4a at 5.81-inches and the 4a 5G at 6.2-inches, the latter obviously having greater appeal thanks to being larger and cheaper.
To give the sense that the Pixel 5 is offering something more premium it has a 90Hz refresh rate, while the other devices are 60Hz. This can mean that some of the visuals are smoother, for example scrolling through lists and with wider adoption for games, faster refresh rates are delivering clearer visuals for some gamers too.
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But it’s one of those things that you barely notice unless you have the devices side-by-side – and in many applications, a faster refresh rate makes little or no difference. When it comes to managing your messages, the camera or watching movies, it’s an irrelevance. It’s a case of being nice to have, but not a deal breaker.
Google sticks to a Full HD+ resolution which is perfectly fitting for this phone, while high dynamic range (HDR) support can boost the visuals within supported streaming services. We can’t complain about the colour, vibrancy or detail, because this OLED display looks good, indoors and out.
One thing we did notice is that while streaming content on Prime Video, it never moved from HD to 1080p resolutions, where most phones of this ilk will make that transition pretty soon after you start watching. Netflix, however, offered HDR titles – we suspect the Prime Video resolution issue is a temporary problem.
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There’s a neat punch hole for the front camera in the top corner, and while it’s not the smallest opening ever, it’s not too intrusive either.
Hardware and performance
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, 8GB RAM
4,080mAh battery capacity
5G connectivity
128GB storage
One of the major shifts in Google’s phone strategy in 2020 has been moving the Pixel 5 from the true flagship space into the sub-flagship space. Equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765, this is a 5G phone and, like many others on this hardware in 2020, it offers great performance.
What’s most remarkable is how Qualcomm has closed the gap between the mid-range and the flagship in terms of performance. This is a slick and fast phone, it doesn’t stutter or struggle like mid-range devices used to, but importantly the Snapdragon 765 has enabled cheaper devices. In essence you don’t need a Snapdragon 865.
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There’s some very capable competition in this segment, like the OnePlus Nord for example, but it’s a repeat performance in terms of the power on offer from the Pixel 5.
We have noticed that the fancy aluminium body is more prone to becoming warm under load: spend an hour playing Call of Duty Mobile and the Pixel 5 will definitely be warmer than the Pixel 4a 5G – which is also a Snapdragon 765 device) – although not uncomfortably so. It’s hard to see the Pixel 5 as a gamers’ phone anyway because of the smaller screen size, but the point is that it’s still able to run the top games without a problem.
The battery life is also good. Lots of things run in the right direction here: a reasonable 4080mAh capacity and a display that’s not too large, results in a phone that has the endurance to get through the day.
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One of the benefits that it brings is wireless charging, which is something that both the Pixel 4a models miss out on. It also offers reverse wireless charging, meaning you can, for example, charge your Pixel Buds by placing them on the back of the phone. It’s a luxury, but it’s pretty clever too – and something we’ve seen from the likes of Samsung in the past.
The Pixel 5 supports 18W charging which is pretty fast, but not the fastest out there. Although it does at least come with an 18W charger in the box.
Ultra-wide: 16MP, 1.0µm, f/2.2, 107 degrees field of view
Front: 8MP, 1.12µm, f/2.0
The camera story for the Pixel should be pretty familiar by now, with the main camera here being the same core hardware as we’ve seen the previous few generations of Pixel phones. Don’t let that put you off, however, because the race to more megapixels doesn’t really pay dividends in the age of computational photography, which is where Google very much rules the roost.
At its heart, this is a good sensor, but the results speak for themselves, as this phone will give you a usable shot in pretty much any situation – bright sunshine, overcast days, HDR scenarios or in darkness. That’s the Pixel’s strength – point, shoot, share – and enjoy the fact that you don’t have to mess around in the process.
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The same is applicable to the front camera, which gives great selfies in pretty much all conditions. They can be a little more contrasty than some rivals, but generally the quality is good in all conditions. The only downside is that it’s fixed focus, so perhaps less flexible than some. There’s two options for the front camera, a 1x view or 1.4x view which crops in a little closer. It’s perhaps a strange addition, but means you can choose if the photo is about your face, or about where you’re standing.
Google does a great job with edge detection to create portrait images, preserving the ability to edit the level of blur, but now with much more editing control through the Photos app. This takes a leaf out of Snapseed – allowing easy adjustments of lots of different aspects of you image, with a lot more guidance than previously too. In fact if you have Snapseed installed, you can head into the “more” section of the editor to open the image up directly in Snapseed itself or other photo editing apps on your phone.
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Because this is Google and it’s using computational photography, you can apply edits to images that were taken without the specific hardware on this phone. For example, you can edit images to add portrait functions, like the new portrait lighting or background blur, no matter what camera they were taken on.
Night sight continues to offer stellar performance, but now acts automatically – so you don’t have select it to use it (although you can turn off the automatic Night Sight if you wish). That will take a longer exposure and process away image noise and discolouration to get a better final result – and we still think that Night Sight is among the best performers for low-light imagery you’ll find on a phone, especially in these mid-range prices.
There’s more smarts in the new camera app too, with things like a level that will not only reveal your roll (horizontal tilt) but also the pitch (vertical tilt) so you can line up better photos and avoid the distortion that comes from not having the lens square-on to the subject.
Best smartphones 2020: The top mobile phones available to buy today
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However, there’s no zoom lens on the Pixel 5. Google flirted with that on the Pixel 4 and has now moved over to ultra-wide instead. It’s a lower quality lens, with smaller pixels and a narrower aperture, so it’s less capable than the main camera in challenging situations. Yes, it will take an ultra-wide photo in low light, but it will be a lot more grainy than those from the main camera, with not even Google’s computational magic able to clean it up. But it does manage to escape the worst of the blurring towards the edges, so it’s a better ultra-wide than some cheaper rivals – but also note that it’s only 107 degrees, so there are wider lenses out there, which might explain the better relative performance.
Moving to zoom and it’s all digital. The app offers a tap to 2x zoom and that’s perfectly usable. There’s digital zoom out to 7x, but at that point it’s pretty mushy and not great. There’s also a bug in camera, where often you can take a 2x zoom picture and it saves as 1x instead. This is common when you take a 1x photo, then a 2x photo and hit the preview icon to take a look. You’ll see the 2x image processing, and then it jumps back to the 1x view. You can avoid it, but just check to make sure you’re getting the image you think you are – but in the screen recording below you can see what happens.
Having mentioned processing, it’s worth saying that processing is part of living with a Pixel camera. As we found with the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 5 will spend some time processing images you’ve just taken before you arrive at the best version of that photo. It’s not a critical problem, but if you take a photo and then view it right away, be prepared to look at some processing.
There are video enhancements on the Pixel 5 and they can be a lot of fun. You can capture in 4K and apply a range of different stabilisation types. There’s normal everyday stabilisation that will remove handshake, for example, but then there’s lock, active and cinematic pan, the last of which gives you a slow motion pan that’s nice and steady. They are great fun and easy to use, ideal to get creative with video.
While it doesn’t have all the lenses that you’d get on a flagship model, the overall performance from this camera is great. One of the downsides, of course, is that the Pixel 4a 5G camera is exactly the same – and in a cheaper model.
Pure software charms
Android 11
Some Pixel extras
The major advantage in owning a Pixel device is that you get the best of Google first. You’ll be at the front of the queue when it comes to software updates, while also getting some of the software features that make Pixels special.
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But for anyone coming from another manufacturer, the Pixel’s approach – free from bloat, with nothing preinstalled or tinkered with – makes for a great experience. There’s enough thrown in, like the live wallpapers and the Now Playing feature that will tell you what songs are on in the background, to make the Pixel feel a little bit special in the Android world.
Then there added features in Android 11, such as native screen recording, that adds skills to what you’ll get from Android without the need to use additional apps.
Verdict
The Pixel 5 is something of an oddball. On one level, this is a very competent phone. It has the power, camera, performance and the build quality to offer a great experience. It’s close to a flagship experience and for those wanting a compact device, it’s a great choice.
But there are downsides, such as the poor ear speaker which detracts from the package, and there’s also the issue of the cheaper Pixel 4a 5G. The cheaper phone lacks the waterproofing, the wireless charging and the 90Hz display, but it otherwise has a larger display for less money with much the same performance – including the same camera – while also having better speakers and a 3.5mm headphone socket. So why pay more for less?
For some people, the lure of the solid camera experience, the pure Google software – while remaining at the front of the update queue – all wrapped in a premium package, makes the Pixel 5 a tempting handset.
Alternatives to consider
Pocket-lint
OnePlus Nord
The OnePlus Nord is bigger, but cheaper, while being just as powerful. It doesn’t have the camera skills of the Pixel, however.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (5G), is a bona fide flagship device. It is larger, more powerful, with the option for expanded storage, while also offering a 120Hz display. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it’s still cheaper than most flagships – and you’re getting a lot more phone.
Dirt 5 on next-gen, Nest Audio review and more – Pocket-lint Podcast 74
(Pocket-lint) – Boasting a next-generation P5 image processor with AI enhancement, changes to Ambilight – the LED lights on the back of the TV which help expand the image beyond the frame – and the adoption of DTS Play-Fi multiroom audio, there’s more to Philips 805 OLED TV than a mere numerical increment over its predecessor.
We hauled the 55-inch version on the test bench to take a closer look. For those hankering for a few more inches, there’s also a 65-inch model available – and whichever of the two sizes you choose, both make everything look good, but there is a catch…
Design
4x HDMI, 2x USB
Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Philips has really got its design game on point. A minimalist frame and dark chrome feet make the 805 a designer statement.
Philips
It’s beautifully finished, with a gun metal grey bezel and a pair of matching edge-placed feet. The screen sits virtually flush with these boots, but you can use a riser if you want to park a soundbar beneath.
Around the back you’ll find four HDMI sockets, all of which support 4K up to 60fps, as well as two USB ports, an AV minijack for legacy hardware, digital optical audio output, and Ethernet.
It’s worth noting that none of the HDMI ports here support 4K120p, which will be one of the output options on the PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X games consoles – although it’s not clear yet just how significant this shortfall will be. This is that ‘catch’ we alluded to up top, if it affects you.
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For that high-end finishing touch, the 805 ships with a new backlit remote control, wrapped in muirhead leather.
Smart OS
Android 9.0 smart platform
Google Assistant
Freeview Play
DTS Play-Fi
Google’s Android operating system comes with Freeview Play as a smart double act, plus there’s DTS Play-Fi too.
Philips
Philips’ smart portal of choice, for its higher-end OLED sets at least, remains Android (here at version 9.0), with tuner support from Freeview Play.
It’s a strong combo – and far better than earlier versions of Android. The latest iteration for Freeview ensures all the main catch-up TV services – namely BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, My5, All 4 – are on hand, while the Android OS offers a plethora of streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube.
Additional smart niceties include Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, plus Chromecast streaming.
As you’d expect from Philips, the 805 features a three-sided implementation of the Ambilight mood lighting system – but there are some changes in its implementation. An Ambisleep mode, designed to send you off with a warm glow, has joined the options, while the Ambilight Follow Colour mode, which throws a solid hue up against any surrounding wall, has been renamed the rather more evocative Lounge Light.
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The 805 is also compatible with DTS Play-Fi, a high-res streaming alternative to Denon Heos, Sonos and similar. This means the 805 can work with other Play-Fi components in a multi-room ecosystem. DTS Play-Fi is slowly being adopted by a variety of Hi-Fi and AV brands, including Arcam, Acer, Klipsch, Pioneer and Onkyo.
Picture performance
AI enhanced P5 picture processor
HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG HDR
Pure Cinema mode
The feature-rich AI powered image processing engine here finds detail in the shadows that makes for superb picture performance.
Philips
Cards on the table: we’re fans of Philips’ approach to image processing. It’s never been afraid to push panel technology, celebrating colour and contrast in ways few brands can pull off.
And its predilection for crowd-pleasing vibrancy gets a boost here, in the shape of a fourth-generation P5 picture engine – which now employs AI processing. Artificial intelligence adds extra edge to HD standard dynaming range upscaling, and manages to extract even more detail from native 4K content.
AI is managed in the Picture Styles menu, adjustable from within the set’s Advanced AI settings. For best results, we preferred Colour and Sharpness set to Medium. Ingeniously, you can see the set’s AI image processor working in real time, courtesy of an onscreen demo screen.
Pocket-lint
Peak brightness was measured at 900 nits when using the Vivid preset. Measured in Standard mode, HDR peaks drop to a still impressive 850 nits – which is decent for an OLED panel. In addition to bright specular highlights, near black detail is outstanding too. It’s like 3D without the specs.
Helpfully, the 805 offers universal high dynamic range support, with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ featured, alongside standard HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma).
The all-new Filmmaker Mode standard, from the UHD Alliance, is also included… after a fashion. There’s no dedicated FMM button on the remote control – instead, it can be triggered by an FMM metadata flag in content. That’s not actually been implemented as yet, so Philips points users to the Movie mode instead.
Animation, blockbusters and TV studio fare all look superb. The slightly over-wrought colour spotted on the earlier 804 has been reined in. But there’s no shortage of colour pop.
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In addition to AI image handling, Philips has made some welcome tweaks to its motion processing. There’s a great new Pure Cinema mode, while Sport has been absorbed within a reworked Movie setting.
Where the OLED805 stumbles is gaming performance. We measured input lag at 33.2ms (1080/60p) using the dedicated Game mode, which puts it near the back of the OLED pack when it comes to fragging.
Sound performance
Dolby Atmos support
50W power output
Upgraded drivers
When it comes to sonic performance, the 805 offers a modest step up from last year’s 804, courtesy of a revamped speaker design to take better advantage of its 50W power plant.
Philips
Both the mid-range woofers and tweeters have been enlarged, and there’s some additional passive radiators, resulting in greater clarity and more pronounced bass. These modified speakers deliver plenty of welly.
While Dolby Atmos support is supported, you’ll want to bitstream it out over HDMI ARC to a compatible soundbar or home cinema system to make the most of the immersive sound format.
Verdict
The Philips OLED 805 is a superb 4K screen that combines an ambitious specification with room-filling Ambilight and spectacular image quality. Philips has even managed to make motion interpolation look good, which is quite the feat.
But there are caveats. The lack of high frame-rate 4K support for next-gen game consoles could be a reason to hold fire, and we would have liked to have seen Dolby Vision IQ on board too, for more accommodating high dynamic range viewing.
But in terms of design, performance and value, this Philips should be conidered a brilliant buy.
Also consider
Samsung
Samsung Q80T
A strong alternative which has the edge if next-gen gaming is high on your wish list – as it offers 4K 120fps support. It’s capable of a similarly bright peak HDR, but lacks Dolby Vision. Compensation comes via an inventive OTS sound system.
Read our review
Panasonic
Panasonic HZ1500
If you want to stick with OLED, but favour a more authentic cinematic presentation, Panasonic is the brand to consider. Tuned from the ground up for home cinema fans, the HZ1500 offers universal HDR support, including Dolby Vision IQ, along with the brand’s excellent HCX image processor. It doesn’t use AI, but it does benefit from genuine Hollywood colour tuning and superior built-in speakers.
Read our review
Writing by Steve May. Editing by Mike Lowe.
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