Liquid cooling is one of the best ways to add some extra performance to your system, and with RGB becoming more popular as of late, the
best liquid coolers
are also a great way to add some personality to your build. Announced today ahead of CES 2021, Thermaltake’s ToughLiquid ARGB makes this even easier with a built-in controller for its LED cooling. The new Toughliquid Ultra takes this a step further by equipping its cooling cap with a full
LCD
screen.
Both The Toughliquid ARGB and Toughliquid Ultra have identical copper waterblocks, aluminum radiators and 15.7-inch rubber pumps. The Ultra’s pumps operate at 3,200 RPM on 4.6W of power, while the ARGB’s pumps hit 3,300 RPM speed and take 4.56W of power.
The Ultra and ARGB also have the same hydraulic fan bearing and LCP blades, which emphasize quiet sound profiles that sit between an advertised 22.3dB-A and 33.2 dB-A, depending on your specific model.
Each cooler has a waterblock display that draws power, with the Ultra’s taking 10W and the ARGB’s taking 1.25W. That difference in power also points to a chief difference between the Ultra and ARGB. While the ARGB’s customization stops at RGB, the Ultra features its own display.
The ARGB’s six addressable LEDs are compatible with Asus, MSI, Gigabyte and ASRock motherboard RGB ecosystems, and the cooler also has an integrated RGB controller to manipulate them directly.
The Ultra kicks things up a notch. The cooler comes with special software that allows it to display system stats, like CPU temperature and clock speed in real time, plus lighting effects and even custom GIFs.
The Ultra currently has two models — one with two 120mm fans and one with three 120mm fans — respectively named the ToughLiquid Ultra 240 and Toughliquid Ultra 360. Meanwhile, the ARGB has three models. The ToughLiquid 240 ARGB Sync and Toughliquid 280 ARGB Sync have two fans, and the ToughLiquid 260 ARGB sync has three 120mm fans.
ToughLiiquid Ultra models start at $210, while ToughLiquid ARGB options start at $120. Thermaltake has yet to provide release dates.
This is looking like a big year for Samsung TVs. Having somewhat trodden water in 2020, the company appears to be striding forward in 2021, with highlights that include consumer MicroLED models, ‘Neo QLEDs’ with astonishingly small Mini LEDs, and a new version of the One Connect box that can be attached to the TV’s pedestal stand.
Samsung has so far delivered the information on its 2021 TVs in the form of hours of video presentations, rather than a complete and concise list of models and the features of each. That means there are still gaps in what we currently know but, by piecing together the various snippets of information, we think we’ve got a fairly good handle on what’s coming from Samsung TVs in the next few months.
Samsung announces 2021 ‘Neo QLED’ TVs with Mini LED backlight tech
Certainly, the new technologies and features have been fairly well outlined, and you’ll find info on those if you scroll down just a smidge. Below that, we’ve attempted to divine the model lineup. There’s a lot of info there, but there’s more that needs adding and clarifying, which we will do over time as Samsung releases the details.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, a quick overview of 2021 model designations: 2021 appears to be year ‘A’ for Samsung, whereas 2020 was year ‘T’ (as in ‘Q70T’) and 2019 was ‘R’ (as in Q70R). You can therefore expect QLED model numbers to end in an ‘A’ (Q70A, for example), and LCD models to have one before their series designation (e.g. ‘AU8000’).
Finally, you’ll also see an ‘N’ in some QLED model numbers – ‘QN85A’, for example. We believe this denotes the Neo QLED (i.e. Mini LED) models from those that utilise standard LED backlights.
Samsung MicroLED TV
(Image credit: Samsung)
While Samsung has been talking about MicroLED for quite some time now, 2021 will finally see the launch of consumer models.
For the unfamiliar, MicroLED is a next-gen TV technology that essentially takes the best qualities of OLED and removes more or less all of its shortcomings. Like OLED, each pixel is self-emissive, so one can be completely black while those next to it can be bright white or a vibrant colour, creating incredible contrast.
MicroLEDs can actually go much brighter than OLEDs, though, theoretically resulting in even more spectacular contrast. Samsung is quoting a peak brightness rating of 2000 nits in regard to this new MicroLED TV, which makes it around twice as bright as even the best OLEDs. What’s more, unlike OLED TVs, which use organic materials (‘OLED’ stands for ‘Organic Light Emitting Diode’), MicroLEDs are inorganic, so don’t degrade and can’t suffer from image retention or burn-in.
The new consumer MicroLED TV, for which we don’t yet have an official model number, measures an absolutely huge 110 inches on the diagonal and comes pre-assembled as a complete flatscreen TV; unlike the commercial MicroLEDs, which come as smaller modules that can be assembled in various configurations.
Interestingly, given its huge size and next-gen credentials, this new consumer MicroLED TV boasts ‘only’ a 4K resolution. That’s because the size of the individual MicroLEDs (each of which represents a single pixel, remember) means there are physical limitations to pixel density (how many pixels can be crammed into each inch of screen). In other words, MicroLEDs will have to get even smaller before MicroLED TVs become available at smaller sizes with higher resolutions.
Of course, what you really want to know is how much Samsung’s new consumer MicroLED costs. Unfortunately, there’s no official word on that yet (we have asked), but Business Korea claims that it’s expected to be priced over 100-million won, which translates to roughly £70,000 ($90,000, AU$125,000).
Neo QLEDs with Mini LED backlighting
(Image credit: Samsung)
While MicroLED remains the preserve of the super-rich for now, Samsung is bringing Mini LED tech to its premium QLEDs, which it refers to as ‘Neo QLEDs’.
Samsung explains that the majority of a typical LED’s size is made up of its protective packaging and light-guiding lens, both of which it’s done away with for its so-called ‘New LEDs’. Not only that, it’s also miniaturised the LEDs themselves, to quite astonishing effect.
As part of a video presentation, Samsung demonstrated to us the degree of difference by putting a petri dish containing 100 traditional backlight LEDs next to another containing its New LEDs. The traditional LEDs are big and clear, filling their dish, while the New LEDs genuinely look like nothing more than sparkly grains of sand. Samsung says the New LEDs are a fortieth the size of traditional LEDs, but even that doesn’t convey how incredibly tiny they appear.
Instead of a lens, Samsung’s New LED backlights use a new ‘micro layer’ that guides the light through the quantum dots (which provide the set’s colours). The result is apparently no light leakage or blooming, and because the New LEDs are so much smaller, significantly more of them can be packed in – one slide we saw referred to “ten-times greater density”. Given that Samsung’s top 2020 model, the Q950TS, is said to have around 500 dimming zones (Samsung doesn’t publish specific numbers), we’re potentially talking about around 5000 zones for these Neo QLEDs.
Of course, Samsung isn’t the first TV brand to utilise Mini LEDs, but the company claims that its are the smallest and most precise out there – mind you, that was before LG announced its own Mini LED TVs.
New Quantum Processor
Of no surprise at all is that Samsung is introducing a new processor for its 2021 TVs. This new quantum processor brings with it, among other things, more precise dimming and a local power distribution feature that sends power to the brightest areas of the picture and away from the darker parts. It also works in conjunction with a sensor integrated into the TV’s frame to adjust brightness and contrast in response to ambient lighting conditions.
In Samsung’s 2021 8K TVs (we’re not yet sure if this also applies to the 4K models), the quantum processor also utilises something that Samsung calls ‘Multi-Intelligence Deep Learning’ to improve upscaling. The company explains that in 2020 its deep learning produced a single neural network, but in 2021 the system can produce up to 16 neural networks that enhance resolution and overall video quality. Essentially, it seems that each of the neural networks specialises in a different area of picture quality, then a Neural Analyser selects the most appropriate for the specific content being played.
Extension of Object-Tracking Sound (OTS)
(Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung introduced Object-Tracking Sound with last year’s QLEDs, but this year it’s being expanded, both in terms of the models it covers and the number of speakers involved.
There are now four versions of OTS, with the new OTS Lite at the bottom and OTS Pro at the top. Each version differs in terms of the number of speakers involved.
OTS Lite consists of two physical speakers at the bottom and two ‘virtual speakers’ that provide height. It’s available on the most premium LCD models. The standard version of OTS adds physical speakers to the top of the set, OTS+ adds side-firing speakers, and OTS Pro adds extra tweeters, taking the complete speaker array up to a total of 6.2.2 channels.
Every version of OTS is designed to fill a room as much as possible and provide three-dimensional tracking of effects, very much along the lines of virtualised Dolby Atmos. Some models (we’re not yet sure which) also feature something called ‘SpaceFit’, which appears to be an enhanced version of the company’s existing Adaptive Sound tech that adapts audio performance to the TV’s surroundings.
All models also appear to feature Active Voice Amplifier, which is designed to actively detect external noise and boost the volume of the voice track so that dialogue is more audible, and Q Symphony, which allows the TV’s speakers to work in conjunction with a connected Samsung soundbar – and there’ll be a whole new range of those in 2021, too.
Design and One Connect
This image shows the new One Connect attached to the rear of the pedestal stand (Image credit: Samsung)
Like many of us humans, Samsung’s TVs appear to be on a slimness drive in 2021. The top 8K models were already just 15mm thick, so it’s little surprise that they’re not getting any slimmer, but all of the 4K models mentioned have a thickness of 2.5cm. That represents a 1cm reduction in thickness for the top QN90A (compared with the Q90T), and a slimming-down of over 3cm for lower models such as the Q70A and Q60A QLEDs and the AU9000 LCD.
If your pockets are deep enough for the flagship QN900A 8K model, you’ll also get Samsung’s Infinity Screen, which is an essentially bezel-less, edge-to-edge display, as seen with 2020’s Q950TS.
We were worried about the future of Samsung’s One Connect system, which sees all connections (and even power) routed through an external processing box that can be placed out of sight, but Samsung is in fact launching a new version of One Connect for 2021. The big news is that the new One Connect box is significantly smaller and slimmer than the one it replaces, to the extent that it can be attached to the rear of the stand if required.
Those who are wall-mounting (or who simply want to move cable-clutter as far away from the display as possible) can still place the new unit on a separate shelf or in a cupboard, and its new shape and size should make it far easier to find a home for.
The 2021 One Connect will be available on the QN95A 4K set and, we believe, all 8K models.
Gaming features
(Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung’s long been at the forefront of gaming TV tech, and that looks set to continue in 2021. 4K@120Hz is supported on all models from the Q70A and up, VRR support includes Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM and HGiG are both supported, and input lag is said to be down to just 9.8ms.
Interestingly, Samsung is also promising support for 4K@120Hz on its AU8000 and AU9000 LCD models, even though they feature 60Hz panels. The company’s calling this technology ‘Motion Xcelerator Turbo’, but it’s not yet clear how it works beyond Samsung saying that it allows the models to refresh twice as fast. These models are getting AMD FreeSync certification, though – that’s apparently a first for a 60Hz TV.
What also isn’t clear is how many Ultra High Speed HDMI (aka HDMI 2.1) sockets the 2021 models have. Samsung’s 2020 sets had just one, whereas LG’s OLEDs boast four. It only currently makes a difference for 4K@120Hz signals but we’d like to see Samsung close the gap here so that those lucky enough to have both the PS5 and Xbox Series X (and/or a high-end gaming PC) can take full advantage.
On top of all of that, Samsung is introducing something it’s calling ‘Super Ultrawide Gameview’, which allows you to force the TV into ultra-wide aspect ratios, essentially simulating the experience of using an ultra-wide gaming monitor. This obviously involves big black bars filling in the screen’s unused display area, so we’re not sure how appealing it will really be, but time will tell.
Smart features
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Tizen smart platform itself seems to have changed very little, but that’s no bad thing – it was already the best in the business in terms of its app offering and usability.
That said, Samsung has seen its way to offer some pandemic-friendly features such as Google Duo for video calls and a Smart Trainer app, which appears to be an extension of the existing Samsung Health platform. Taking full advantage of either involves buying an optional video camera, which can track you around the room in the vein of Facebook Portal.
Samsung is also extending its Multi-View feature, which allows you to display multiple sources at once in a split-screen format. It’s going to be available on all models from AU9000 upwards, with 4K models supporting two windows and 8K models support four.
Best smart TVs
Samsung 2021 TV range breakdown
So that’s the overview of the technology behind Samsung’s 2021 TV range, but what about specific models? The company hasn’t supplied a full breakdown, but we’ve listed every model specifically mentioned in the video briefings we’ve had and attempted to establish which features each one gets.
On top of that, the Czech Samsung website briefly leaked a number of product details (thanks, FlatpanelsHD).
In short, while there are still some gaps in what we know, and some details should be taken with a pinch of salt at this stage, we’ve got a good idea of the range breakdown. You’ll find all the information we have below, and we’ll update this section with more details (including pricing and availability) as they become available.
Samsung QN900A 8K Neo QLED TV
Samsung’s very top QLED model for 2021 (at least as far as we know) is the QN900A (though according to leaks, it could yet be the QNA900). This is, of course, an 8K model, and it features the new LED backlight.
Design-wise, it boasts the edge-to-edge Infinity Screen and a super-low profile 4mm pedestal stand, to which the new One Connect box can be attached. It’s just 15mm thick, and the three-degree lean of the outgoing Q950TS has gone – this model stands straight up.
Samsung QN900A specs:
Display type: Neo QLED
Resolution: 8K
Sizes: 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
One Connect: Yes
Sound: OTS Pro
4K@120Hz: Yes
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: Yes
Anti-Reflective Panel: Yes
Samsung QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV
This step-down 8K model, the QN800A (or perhaps QNA800), appears to be the same as the QN900A above but without the Infinity Screen and with a sonic downgrade from OTS Pro to OTS+. It’s still just 15mm thick.
Display type: Neo QLED
Resolution: 8K
Sizes: 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
One Connect: Yes
Sound: OTS+
4K@120Hz: Yes
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: Yes
Anti-Reflective Panel: Yes
Samsung QN700A 8K Neo QLED TV
The QN700A (or QNA700) appears to be Samsung’s entry-level 8K model for 2021. We don’t know much about this one, but it seems it might be missing the Ultra Viewing Angle tech of the models above and isn’t as slim.
Display type: Neo QLED
Resolution: 8K
Sizes: TBC
One Connect: Yes
Sound: TBC
4K@120Hz: Yes
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: TBC
Anti-Reflective Panel: Yes
Samsung QN95A 4K Neo QLED TV
Samsung’s top 4K model wasn’t included in any of the video briefings but was mentioned in correspondence with Samsung when discussing One Connect. It’s also included in the Czech Samsung leak, where the model number appears as QNA95. While we can’t say for sure, our assumption is that this will be identical to the QN90A below, but with the addition of One Connect.
One interesting point to note is that the Czech Samsung leak suggests both this and the QN90A will be available in a 50-inch size. No previous version of the Q90/Q95 has been available below 55 inches. Perhaps this is an effort by Samsung to offer a rival to the new 48-inch OLEDs.
The replacement for the Q90T, the QN90A (or QNA90) boasts Samsung’s new mini LED-based backlight, a depth measurement of just 25mm (that makes it 10mm thinner than its predecessor), and a 4mm thick metal pedestal stand with integrated cable management. We believe it will be identical to the QN95A, only without the One Connect box.
The step-down 4K model, the QN85A (or QNA85) for 2021 does without the Ultra Viewing Angle tech of the models above, but it does retain the Anti-Reflective Panel. It’s also just 25mm thick and has a stand with a 4mm bottom plate, although here it connects to the main chassis via a stalk or neck.
If previous models are anything to go by, the QN85A will probably have fewer dimming zones and lower peak brightness than the QN90A, but Samsung is yet to confirm this.
This Q80A model has only been mentioned in passing (and was included in the Czech Samsung leak, as QA80) so we don’t know a huge amount about it, but what you will notice is that it doesn’t have an ‘N’ in its model number. This is because it’s likely not a ‘Neo’ model – i.e. it will use the same type of LEDs in its backlight as last year’s models, rather than the new Mini LEDs.
The Q70A (or QA70) appears towards the bottom of Samsung’s 2021 QLED range, but it still boasts a 25mm-thick design and native support for 4K@120Hz. Samsung’s video presentation included images of it and the Q60A mounted on a variety of different stands, including a central pedestal/neck, a plate with two legs, and feet that can be placed at different widths and even raised to accommodate a soundbar, but it’s not clear which stand comes in the box with which model.
Display type: QLED
Resolution: 4K
Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
One Connect: No
Sound: TBC
4K@120Hz: Yes
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: No
Anti-Reflective Panel: No
Samsung Q60A 4K QLED TV
Samsung’s entry-level QLED model, the Q60A or QA60, will, according to the Czech leak, be available in more sizes than any other, and is the only one that comes in a 43-inch version. We don’t know a huge amount else about it, other than it’s also just 25mm thick and that it lacks native 4K@120Hz support (although it may still support such signals using the company’s new Motion Xcelerator Turbo tech).
4K@120Hz: No (Motion Xcelerator Turbo support TBC)
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: No
Anti-Reflective Panel: No
Samsung AU9000 4K LCD TV
Samsung’s top LCD model, the AU9000 (or perhaps UA9000) obviously lacks the quantum dots of its QLED siblings, but it seems to be pretty well-specced otherwise.
For starters, it boasts what Samsung is calling an ‘AirSlim’ design, which results in a depth measurement if just 25mm. The company’s achieved this by developing a new backlight structure with almost no gap between the LEDs and LCDs, and by utilising physically smaller video and power components.
As mentioned above, the new Motion Xcelerator Turbo tech adds support for 4K@120Hz despite the set’s native refresh rate being 60Hz. It also gets OTS Lite, which apparently adds two virtual speakers that add height to the sound produced by the two physical speakers along the bottom.
4K@120Hz: Native 60Hz with Motion Xcelerator Turbo support
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: No
Anti-Reflective Panel: No
Samsung AU8000 4K LCD TV
It’s not at all clear at this stage how the AU8000 (or UA8000) differs from the AU9000 above. We know that it features the same AirSlim design, and it appears to feature Motion Xcelerator Turbo and OTS Lite. It may come down to the processor, number of dimming zones or even just the finish. We’ll update when we get more information from Samsung.
Display type: LCD
Resolution: 4K
Sizes: TBC
One Connect: No
Sound: OTS Lite
4K@120Hz: Native 60Hz with Motion Xcelerator Turbo support
Ultra-Wide Viewing Angle: No
Anti-Reflective Panel: No
Samsung AU7000 4K LCD TV
This model number appeared fleetingly in one of Samsung’s video presentations, but we know nothing about it other than it exists (and could yet be the UA7000!). Again, we’ll update when we have more.
Samsung has just taken the covers off its 2021 TV range, and there’s some extremely impressive-seeming technology right at the heart of it. While the company is pushing MicroLED as the TV tech of the future (potentially followed by self-emissive quantum dots), it’s utilising miniaturised LEDs in the backlights of this year’s QLEDs.
Samsung explains that the majority of a typical LED’s size is made up of its protective packaging and light-guiding lens, both of which it’s done away with for its so-called ‘New LEDs’. Not only that, it’s also miniaturised the LEDs themselves, to quite astonishing effect.
As part of a video presentation (the coronavirus pandemic has prevented us visiting Samsung’s HQ in person), Samsung demonstrated the degree of difference by putting a petri dish containing 100 traditional backlight LEDs next to another containing its New LEDs. The traditional LEDs are big and clear, filling their dish, while the New LEDs genuinely look like nothing more than sparkly grains of sand. Samsung says the New LEDs are a fortieth the size of traditional LEDs, but even that doesn’t convey how incredibly tiny they appear.
Instead of a lens, Samsung’s New LED backlights use a new ‘micro layer’ that guides the light through the quantum dots (which provide the set’s colours). The result is apparently no light leakage or blooming, and because the New LEDs are so much smaller, significantly more of them can be packed in. One slide we saw referred to “ten-times greater density”: given that Samsung’s top 2020 model, the Q950TS, is said to have around 500 dimming zones (Samsung generally doesn’t offer specific numbers), we’re potentially talking about around 5000 zones for these Neo QLEDs.
Of course, Samsung isn’t the first TV brand to utilise Mini LEDs, but the company claims that its are the smallest and most precise out there – mind you, that was before LG announced its own Mini LED TVs.
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung Neo QLED TVs are powered by a new ‘Quantum Processor’ that apparently brings with it, among other things, more precise dimming and a local power distribution feature that sends power to the brightest areas of the picture and away from the darker parts. It also works in conjunction with a sensor integrated into the TV’s frame to adjust brightness and contrast in response to ambient lighting conditions.
The most premium models (QN90A and above) feature Samsung’s Ultra Viewing Angle tech, which has impressed us in the past, and models QN85A and above also boast Anti-Reflective panels.
Every model specifically referenced so far is also impressively thin: the 8K QN900A and QN800A models retain the 15mm depth measurement of the outgoing Q950TS/Q900TS, while every 4K model appears to be 25mm deep – even the Q70 and Q60, the outgoing versions of which are 57mm thick.
There’s a new version of the One Connect system, too, which sees all of the TV’s connections (and even power) routed through a discrete processing box. For 2021, that box has been massively slimmed down to the extent that it can even be attached to the rear of the pedestal stand. All models QN95A and above get One Connect.
(Image credit: Samsung)
In terms of sound, Samsung is continuing with its OTS (Object-Tracking Sound) technology. For 2021, there will be four versions of OTS, ranging from OTS Lite, which has just two physical speakers at the bottom and two ‘virtual speakers’ for height, to OTS Pro, which boasts speakers along the top, bottom and both sides. All 2021 QLEDs (and even a couple of LCD models) get some form of OTS.
On the gaming front, meanwhile, Samsung is quoting an input lag of just 9.8ms, plus ongoing support for 4K@120Hz (on Q70 and above), ALLM, VRR (G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro) and HGiG. Interestingly, you’ll also be able to switch the screen into ultra-wide screen ratios such as 21:9 or 32:9, simulating the experience of using a gaming monitor, although the heavy black bars top and bottom seem rather off-putting.
While that’s already rather a lot of info to digest, there’s actually still a lot we don’t know about Samsung’s 2021 TV range.
It’s little surprise that pricing and availability are being kept under wraps for now, but Samsung has also resisted supplying a complete range breakdown at this stage, leaving us to piece together snippets from the hours of video presentations and attempt to figure out the various model numbers and which features apply to each. You’ll find the fruits of those labours in our work-in-progress Samsung 2021 TV line-up feature.
MORE:
Samsung 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
LG announces QNED TVs with Mini LED technology
CES 2021: all the news from the first all-digital CES
The Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 are exceptional speakers that set the standards at this price
For
Exceptional detail resolution
Impressive engineering
Excellent build
Against
Need a larger room to shine
Wilson Benesch has never followed the herd. Its first products – a turntable and tonearm – were made using carbon fibre, something considered exceptionally high-tech back then in 1989.
In the UK, only three other companies could produce the material at that time – Lotus Racing and two manufacturers working for the Ministry of Defence. That’s quite some company for a small fledgling hi-fi brand to keep, and it’s that forward-thinking approach to materials technology that has shone through ever since.
The Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 we have on test here can trace their lineage right back to the company’s first speakers, the A.C.T. One. Launched in 1994, the One used carbon fibre as the side panels for their innovative curved cabinets but also mixed wood and aluminium into the enclosure to create a quiet and well-damped yet immensely rigid structure.
Build
(Image credit: Wilson Benesch)
Currently Wilson Benesch’s most affordable floorstanders, the Precision P2.0 use the same hybrid construction principles as the A.C.T. One, though there’s not a patch of carbon to be seen.
The speaker’s build quality is excellent, just as the price point demands. The P2.0’s enclosure feels reassuringly solid and is finished to a suitably high standard. Our only complaint is a minor one – we wish the exposed edges of the tweeter faceplate looked slicker.
Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 tech specs
(Image credit: Wilson Benesch)
Type 2.5-way, floorstanders
Drivers 1x 25mm Tweeter, 2x 17cm Mid/Bass Unit
Nominal impedance 6ohms
Sensitivity 89dB
Frequency response 34Hz – 24kHz
Dimensions (hwd) 110.5 x 27 x 47cm
Weight 50kg (each)
The Precision P2.0 are available in a wide range of finish options for the side panels, varying from real wood veneers to painted (including a rather fetching green), so there’s likely to be something that suits most living environments.
Inside, you’ll find a mix of aluminium and birch plywood panels that are strategically braced, carefully damped and held together by high-tensile steel tensioning rods. The result is an impressively rigid and quiet box that supports the drive units brilliantly.
You also get the same Tactic 2.0 mid/bass and bass drivers as used in Wilson Benesch’s more upmarket products. Unusually for such a small company, these units are designed, engineered and built in-house rather than bought in from a larger OEM supplier. They are sophisticated designs featuring a die-cast chassis, a powerful neodymium magnet, and a 17cm cone made of Isotactic Polypropylene – a material claimed to give a good balance between rigidity, low weight and damping.
The Precision 2.0’s Leonardo tweeter is a 25mm silk dome, as opposed to the silk/carbon dome used on the firm’s more premium offerings. It’s a development of the Semisphere high-frequency unit used in Wilson Benesch’s well-established (and much pricier) Geometry series and uses the same neodymium motor system.
The clever bit here is the tweeter faceplate, which is elaborately shaped to minimise any distortion caused by reflections of the dome’s sound output. The claimed result: a flatter frequency response.
This faceplate pattern is so complex that it can only be manufactured by 3D printing. The part is made of a carbon-reinforced polymer and decoupled from the main baffle to reduce distortions caused by the vibrations generated by the larger units.
Compatibility
(Image credit: Wilson Benesch)
Wilson Benesch has long promoted simple crossover networks on the grounds of signal integrity and that remains the case here. The tweeter uses a gentle second order filter, while the bass driver takes the simplicity even further by going first order. Interestingly, the mid/bass unit – the upper large driver – doesn’t have a crossover at all, being directly connected to the single-wire speaker terminals. It takes considerable engineering skill to make such a combination work seamlessly.
Electrically, the Precision P2.0 prove a fairly conventional load with a sensitivity of 89dB/W/m and nominal 6ohm impedance, with a minimum value that stays above 4ohms. Any well-designed amplifier should be able to drive these, though if you listen at high volume levels or have a particularly large room, it won’t hurt to have something with a bit of grunt. Around 100W per channel is a decent starting point.
These towers prove pretty easy to position in our listening room. They’re fairly substantial at 111cm high, so you’ll need a decently large space, particularly as they sound best well away from the rear and side walls. A small degree of angling towards the listening position helps to solidify the stereo image, too.
There’s no point in buying at this level if the source or amplification is compromised. We use our usual reference set-up of a Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and Technics SL-1000R record player along with Burmester’s 088/911 Mk3 amplifier. We use the similarly priced ATC SCM50 speakers for comparison purposes.
Sound
(Image credit: Wilson Benesch)
It doesn’t take us long to realise that these Wilson Benesch floorstanders are exceptional performers. Rarely do we hear speakers that sound so clear and transparent. We listen to Mahler’s Symphony No.2 (one of our favourite classical music tracks to test with) and are transported to the concert hall, the speakers’ excellent resolution providing all the acoustic clues necessary to take us there.
That same ability to dig up low-level details gives us convincing instrumental textures and a degree of finesse in tracking subtle dynamic shifts that we haven’t heard bettered at this price. Of course, there’s muscle here too, with crescendos rendered with conviction and no shortage of brute force. We’ve heard rivals with more in the way of punch, but nothing that combines that with the degree of control and delicacy these towers have.
Stereo imaging is well planted, with precisely located instruments and a wonderfully stable presentation. Things stay layered and focused even when the music becomes demanding or volume levels rise. We find the Precision P2.0 have a fairly narrow sweet spot, though, so you need to be careful about where you sit relative to them.
Wilson Benesch has done a fine job with the tonality of these speakers, too. They sound a touch lean but remain nicely balanced, and have enough in the way of top-end refinement so that less-than-perfect recordings are still enjoyable. Even so, they won’t hide any shortcomings in the recording or the rest of the system.
We switch to Time Machine by Alicia Keys and the P2.0 shift gear effortlessly. They prove musically cohesive and deliver the song’s pulsating rhythm with ease. This is an entertaining and energetic presentation that’s huge fun to listen to. We love the speakers’ articulate and agile nature, the way they communicate the passion in Keys’ voice and their surefooted sense of drive. If you want to analyse the recording, these Wilson Benesch speakers are happy to do that, but they make it so easy for you to simply sit back and enjoy the music that it would be rude not to.
Verdict
Both of the speakers we’ve reviewed from Wilson Benesch’s Precision range have turned out to be superb performers. The £5995 ($8800, AU$11,990)P1.0 are excellent standmounters and terrific for smaller spaces, but if you can stretch to these floorstanders you won’t be disappointed.
They have all the good points of their smaller siblings but add a degree of authority and dynamic punch the smaller speakers simply can’t match. For us, the Precision P2.0 set the standard for floorstanders at this price.
Bose is kicking off 2021 by launching something rather unusual. The new Bose Sport Open Earbuds, which have been anticipated since they were spotted in a FCC filing in December, are truly wireless buds that don’t go in your ears or even cover them – but instead gently grip the ear’s outer ridge to lock in place. There are no ear tips, “virtually no skin contact”, and no vibrations that you’d get from an outer-ear model using bone conduction technology.
As anyone who’s familiar with the fit and purpose of bone conduction headphones might have guessed, the Sport Open Earbuds have been designed to entertain while also keeping the wearer aware of their surroundings.
“Runners and cyclists have been asking us for headphones that let them stay focused on their performance without wires, neckbands, or having to pop out a bud to hear traffic, a training partner, nature, or anything else they don’t want to miss,” said Mehul Trivedi, category director of Bose wearable audio.
(Image credit: Bose)
To facilitate this best-of-both-worlds’ approach, the earbuds (which weigh only 14g each) feature a contoured earhook attached to an entirely new kind of enclosure that sits above the ear canal. Each enclosure uses a tiny dipole transducer placed for “loud-and-clear” audio that stays at the ear, and there’s a microphone system built in that works to not only isolate your voice by reducing interfering wind and noise, but also isolate their voice from being heard by others near you.
In fact, while ‘open’ headphones are inherently associated with sound leakage, Bose says that even at high volumes only you will hear your music and conversations – not passers by.
Bose has patented this ‘Bose OpenAudio’ technology, so we imagine it’ll appear in future earbuds too.
(Image credit: Bose)
As more conventional earbuds specs go, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds use the latest Bluetooth 5.1 protocol, provide eight hours of battery life from a single charge, and are IPX4-rated (i.e resistant to water splashes from any direction). On-bud control is via a button on each bud – the one on the left lets the user launch their phone’s voice assistant, while the one on the right is for power, play/pause, song skips and call functionality.
As it is with the company’s more typical Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and Bose Sport Earbuds, the Bose Music app for iOS and Android is a gateway to other features, too.
Available in Triple Black only and supplied with a protective carrying case and charging base, they can be pre-ordered in the US now for $199.95, with shipping beginning mid-January. UK and Europe availability is yet to be confirmed.
MORE:
Best sports headphones 2020: keep active with these earbuds
The official default ringtone for the Samsung Galaxy S21 series can now be heard. For “Over The Horizon 2021” Samsung has chosen a piano melody.
With the introduction of a new S-series smartphones, Samsung also introduces a series of new wallpapers and ringtones, to give the new line-up its own character. Some time ago, the official Galaxy S21 wallpapers already appeared online. Now the default ringtone is also available. No doubt Samsung-users will know the “Over the Horizon” ringtone. The melody is adjusted every year, the same counts for the S21 line-up.
The calming tune, which will appear as the default ringtone on all three Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones, can now be heard on YouTube. After it appeared on a Korean forum and was picked up by the Korean Twitterer Tron.
Samsung Over the Horizon 2021
Every smartphone manufacturer makes its own ringtone. Since the Galaxy S2, Samsung has been using the “Over The Horizon” ringtone. While the song title has remained the same every year, the beat has changed every time – with pretty big differences over the years.
From rock to new age to fusion jazz, every year Samsung keeps up with the trend of the moment. This year the company chose a quiet piano melody, which increases in tempo as the song continues. During the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S series, Samsung made a great overview of all the Over The Horizon ringtones – here you can listen to all the old variants.
The jingle can be used as a ringtone, but also as a sound to turn the device on and off or as a notification signal for incoming messages. When you turn on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone for the first time, “Over The Horizon” will be listed in your music library by default.
On January 14, 2021, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S21, the S21 Plus and the S21 Ultra during the virtual Samsung Unpacked 2021 event. The high-end smartphone models go into presale the day after. It is expected that Samsung will also put together several interesting bundles – such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with a choice of a free S Pen and case or the new Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds.
The pre-order period lasts two weeks, on Friday January 29 the three new models will most likely be officially released. At that time, the preorder orders will also be delivered.
Ilse is a Dutch journalist and joined LetsGoDigital more than 15 years ago. She is highly educated and speaks four languages. Ilse is a true tech-girl and loves to write about the future of consumer electronics. She has a special interest for smartphones, digital cameras, gaming and VR.
Now that everything is known about the Galaxy S21 line-up, we are looking ahead to the Samsung Note 21 Ultra – expected in the second half of 2021.
Samsung introduces a high-end smartphone series twice a year. The Galaxy S21 series will be officially unveiled on January 14, 2021, and the new Note models are expected in the second half of the year. This time, however, Samsung opts for a number of remarkable changes when it comes to the S series. The new smartphones will not only be introduced a month earlier than usual, the new top model – the Galaxy S21 Ultra – will also be made compatible with the S Pen for the first time.
This iconic stylus pen has been the main feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note series for many years, but will also be found in other Galaxy products from 2021. Such as the S21 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 foldable smartphone expected later this year. These new developments naturally raise the necessary questions regarding the Note line-up; will the Galaxy Note 20 still be followed up?
There have been rumors for some time that Samsung wants to drop its Galaxy Note series. Last month, however, LetsGoDigital already mentioned that a Note 21 will appear in 2021. We received this information from a reliable source in Korea, who is closely involved with Samsung Electronics. Whether it will be one or two models, our source does not yet know for certain.
A few days later, the Korean News Agency Yonhap reported that an anonymous Samsung official has stated: “We are preparing for a Galaxy Note series release for next year.” From this statement it can be concluded that it will most likely again concern two models, in the form of a Samsung Galaxy Note 21 and a Note 21 Ultra.
Now that it is clear that a new Note smartphone will arrive this year, the question remains; What can we expect from this device? Based on what is already known about the Galaxy S21 line-up and our expectations for the Note 21 line-up, LetsGoDigital has made a series of renders of the expected top model; the Samsung Note 21 Ultra.
The 3D renders are digitally designed by in-house designer Giuseppe Spinelli, aka Snoreyn. The model is drawn from sketch, after which the images are transformed into beautiful lifestyle images, creating the illusion that the pre-production device is actually laying on the table in front of you. The video animation below was also made by the Italian designer.
Samsung Galaxy Note 21 Ultra
The Note 21 Ultra will undoubtedly be provided with several new functions, which can also be found in the S21 Ultra. The devices in the Note line-up have a somewhat more rectangular design with a business appearance, compared to the round S-series models.
Although the Galaxy S20 Ultra was equipped with a 6.9” display, the S21 Ultra will have a slightly smaller 6.8″ screen. For the Note 20 Ultra, a 6.9″ screen has been chosen, presumably the display of the Note 21 Ultra will remain the same size as its predecessor.
Naturally, Samsung will opt for an AMOLED display. In addition, you may assume that the QHD+ resolution will be maintained. The device will also be equipped with an adaptive 120 Hertz refresh rate, which will remain usable in maximum screen resolution. The S20 / Note 20 only supports this high refresh rate in Full HD resolution, but this will change in 2021.
Samsung will probably further increase the maximum brightness. The soon-expected S21 Ultra will have a peak brightness of 1600 nits – a significant upgrade over the 1400 nits display of the S20 Ultra. The Note 20 falls exactly in between with 1500 nits. It is therefore in line with expectations that the Note 21 Ultra will support at least 1600 nits.
In all likelihood, Samsung will again choose to implement a curved display in the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra. In addition, premium materials will be used for the frame and rear panel. A metal frame with a glass back is the most obvious option. As long as it doesn’t become a plastic back – as is the case with the base models of the Note and S series, including the Galaxy Note 20 and the S21.
Compatible with Samsung S Pen
Of course the new Samsung Note can also be used with the S Pen. This stylus pen has been included as standard from the very first Note. Thanks to a dedicated stylus compartment you can easily store the pen in the phone, after which the S Pen is automatically being charged.
By putting the pen in the compartment for just 40 seconds, it’s ready to be used for approx. half an hour. If you are about to forget or loose the stylus, the device will automatically warn the user that the S Pen is no longer connected.
Over the years, Samsung has continuously refined and improved the S Pen, making the pen much more than a handy tool for creating sketches and drawings. As the display of smartphones have also become increasingly larger, the stylus has become a useful means to increase productivity. Select and translate text, convert handwritten text into typed text, annotate web pages, photos and even PDFs – it’s all possible with the Samsung stylus.
Samsung may see another chance to further improve the S Pen. For example, the latency of the Note 20 Ultra was reduced to 9 milliseconds. As a result, there is in fact no more input delay, so that writing with the stylus feels as if you are holding a regular pen.
There are also many writing aids available – including a ballpoint pen, a fountain pen or a highlighter – everything is available in different thicknesses and colors. Even the sound of the S Pen makes you believe you’re using a real pen on paper. Thanks to the many Air Actions that Samsung has linked to its stylus, it has become a very versatile tool.
Now that the S21 Ultra will also be compatible with the S Pen, it is all the more likely that Samsung will provide the Note 21 with new and improved S Pen functionalities. After all, this remains the most distinctive feature of this high-end smartphone series.
Renewed selfie camera and new quad camera
Although it is generally known that Samsung – like other smartphone manufacturers – is developing an in-display selfie camera, it is still unclear whether it will be used in the Note 21 Ultra. It would of course be a great innovation, especially since the Note model series will exist exactly 10 years in 2021.
Still, the question remains how far the developments of under-screen camera technology have progressed. Although the ZTE Axon 20 5G has now been officially released, there is still something to be said about the quality of this under-screen camera. Samsung will probably only build this tech into a high-end device if the company is also sure that good image quality is maintained.
It is certainly not inconceivable that Samsung will again opt for a centrally placed punch-hole camera for the Galaxy Note 21. With the Note20 Ultra, a 10 megapixel selfie camera (f / 2.2) was chosen. We assume that this front camera will at least get an update.
For example, the S20 Ultra / S21 Ultra has a 40 megapixel selfie camera (f / 2.2) with “pro-grade technology”. In poor light conditions, the camera automatically switches to 10 megapixels with larger pixels – in order to capture more details. It is possible that Samsung will also use this high-resolution selfie camera for the Note 21 Ultra. Video calls can most likely be conducted in the same resolution; 4K @ 60fps.
With regard to the camera system at the rear, the same design trend is probably followed here as with the S21 series. The latter models will have a significantly larger camera, which extends to the edges of the device. The Ultra model also gets a new camera configuration. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to feature a 108 megapixel main camera (2nd generation) with an f/1.8 lens, a 12 megapixel ultra-wide angle camera (120˚) and two 10 megapixel telephoto cameras. One supports 10x Hybrid zoom, the other 3x Hybrid zoom.
It is still unknown why Samsung chooses to build in two telephoto lenses. It is quite possible that this will lead to more photography options. However, exact details are not yet known. A teaser, spread by Samsung India while sending the press invitations for the Galaxy S21 Unpacked launch event, shows that this will be an important feature to be discussed during the product presentation and probably also during the marketing campaign of the S21 Ultra.
It is not inconceivable that a comparable camera will also be used with the Note 21. For the time being, however, no information is available about the camera system of this model. The 8K video resolution will undoubtedly be maintained, it is in line with expectations that the image quality will be further improved. Think of a higher frame rate of 30fps or even 60fps. Currently 8K is only applicable at 24fps. Furthermore, there will undoubtedly be a Pro mode and a Night mode available.
As for the autofocus system, the S21 Ultra will take over the Note 20’s laser autofocus system. It may also be found in the Note 21. This works significantly faster and more accurately than the 3D DepthVision camera, which was used in previous top models from Samsung.
Hardware & Software
As every year, Samsung will install a new processor that is even faster and more powerful than its predecessor. In 2021 it will be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, although the Exynos 2100 variant from Samsung itself will be used in Europe. In previous years, the Samsung Exynos chip was less in terms of performance and energy consumption compared to Qualcomm. This year, however, Samsung seems to have made huge performance improvements, the first benchmark tests showed.
The Samsung Exynos 2100 will be officially announced on January 12, 2021 during an online event. Two days later, the Galaxy S21 series will be announced, becoming the first Samsung smartphones to be powered by this new and extremely powerful 5nm chipset.
The Samsung Note 21 series will also be powered by this processor. Naturally, this chip has an integrated 5G modem, so you can also make use of the super-fast 5G mobile internet network – provided you also have a 5G subscription, of course.
Last year Samsung offered a choice of 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB memory. It is still unclear whether the Note 21 will also have 12GB of RAM, but this is certainly not inconceivable. Although the S20 Ultra was equipped with 16GB RAM, it is expected that the S21 Ultra comes with 12GB RAM. 16GB of RAM is a lot and actually simply not necessary. We also do not expect to see any changes in terms of storage capacity.
Introduction Samsung Note 21 series
Normally, Samsung organizes a Galaxy Unpacked event around August to officially announce the new Note models. However, the introduction of the S-series smartphones will take place a month earlier this year. It is still unclear what this will mean for the introduction of the Note 21.
Last year, Samsung chose to simultaneously announce the S20 series and the Z Flip. This time, the S21 series will be announced earlier and the Galaxy Z Flip 2 will arrive just a little later – it is expected in the spring of 2021.
It is quite possible that Samsung also opts for a separate release of the Note 21 (Ultra) and the Z Fold 3. In that case, it is likely that the Note 21 will be announced first, for example in early August. Followed by the Z Fold 3 around October.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G carried a suggested retail price of € 1,300 (256GB). If Samsung does indeed implement the innovations and improvements as described in this publication, then it is obvious that the price will not get cheaper. The S21 Ultra will probably be € 50 more expensive on the market than the year before. It is very well possible that Samsung chooses for a similar price increase with the Note 21 Ultra.
No information is yet known about the colors. The release takes place in the fall, Samsung often opts for colors that perfectly match the season – think of the beautiful Mystic Bronze and Mystic Green color variants for the Note 20 Ultra.
For the product images we have created, we used a mix of the S21 Ultra and its Phantom Black and Phantom SIlver colors and the Mystic Bronze and Mystic Green colors of the Note 20. As the release date approaches, more details about this new flagship device will undoubtedly come to surface.
Note to editors :The product images shown in this publication are created by in-house designer Giuseppe Spinelli (aka Snoreyn). The presented 3D renders are for illustrative purposes only. The images are copyright protected. Feel free to use these renders on your own website, please be so respectful to include a source link into your publication. This product is not yet for sale, Samsung is expected to launch their 2021 Note-series devices halfway through 2021.
The investment company Third Point would like to encourage Intel to sound out alternative strategies in the future in order to remain an established, relevant and financially successful chip manufacturer. Third Point is Intel’s largest shareholder and accordingly has a lot of influence, which is now used to put pressure on CEO Omar Ishrak.
In the letter to Intel, Daniel S. Loeb chalked up, Third Point CEO, said the company has lagged significantly behind expectations in recent years. So let alone 2020 the market capitalization at 60 Billion US Dollars Declined. In addition, Intel has long since given up its former leadership role in the industry to the Asian manufacturers TSMC and Samsung. These are already producing in the 5 nm process and more advanced manufacturing methods are already in the works.
In a further section Loeb then goes into Intel’s misconduct. So it is not acceptable that Intel will end its 7 nm production planned for the middle 2022 only last year 2022, rather beginning 2023 had moved. In addition, the group is still not able to 01 -nm chips on a large scale, which is why even the next generation of desktop processors named Rocket Lake-S will continue to use 14 – nm chips must be used.
In many ways, Loeb appears in In his letter he also called for production to be outsourced, but at the same time he admits that this would also raise questions of national security. Since Intel also manufactures for the US Department of Defense, the US government is unlikely to approve any production in Asia. In addition, Intel seems to have a special production process tailored to its own chips, which could not easily be adopted by external production facilities. Unlike Samsung and TSMC, for example, who manufacture chips for a large number of customers and areas of application, Intel seems to be quite inflexible on this point.
Furthermore Loeb demands in his letter that the group should hire an experienced investment banker and use him to develop solutions for the current problems. At the same time, he threatens to use his own board candidates at the next annual meeting of investors if the previous staff under Omar Ishrak does not react to his demands. Ultimately, however, it is not entirely clear from the letter what exactly Loeb expects beyond the appointment of an investment banker. Following the release of the paper, Intel’s share price rose 6.1%.
LG continues to show some details of the new OLED panels that they will bring to CES 2021. If the other day we knew your OLED screens of 55 “transparent, today it is the turn of a curious OLED display of 48 “, the LG Bendable CSO, which the user can fold to curvature.
Curved screens are not new and have been on the market for a long time, however, what makes this panel special is that it works as a flat screen and, when the user desires, he can bend it to achieve a bend radius of up to 1000 R.
Folding the panel up to this limit, according to LG, does not affect the image quality or the operation of the screen. The company provides an example of use where the flat screen is used to view television, in such a way that several people can see it without problems from different angles, and it is curved to use as a gaming panel for a single user.
LG’s “curvable” panel has adaptive sync and clarifies the 120 Hz
Another curious detail is that no It has speakers due to its thickness of only 9mm in its thickest part and 0.6mm in its thinnest part, but it uses a vibration system of the panel itself that makes it generate sound by itself.
Regarding other specifications, LG has revealed that it offers a very low response time of 0.1 ms and that it has adaptive sync to sync your refresh rate from 40 Hz minimum to 120 Maximum Hz.
The display, which can be seen at CES 2021, has made a small appearance in the teaser that LG has published on YouTube to open his mouth for the electronics fair (which this year will be held online due to the global coronavirus pandemic)
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CES 2021 will be the first all-digital affair in the exhibition’s history, but it will still be packed full of cutting-edge tech. Like this LG gaming TV that can bend at the touch of a button.
Called the LG Bendable CSO (Cinematic Sound OLED) display, it can switch from a flat screen to curved at your command. That means you can watch videos on the flat screen, then bend it to make gaming more immersive.
As its name suggests, it also has some pretty serious audio chops. The entire 48in OLED panel functions as a speaker thanks to the 0.6mm-thick film exciter beneath. Because this negates the need for separate speakers, this means the screen can be thinner than otherwise. Plus, with the audio coming directly from the screen itself, films and games should be more immersive.
The set boasts 4K resolution and supports variable refresh rates from 40 to 120Hz. It’s just a concept for now, so there’s no word on price or release date. Expect to see plenty more crazy concept TVs once CES 2021 fully opens its doors a week today.
MORE:
Check out the best TVs money can buy
Here’s what we saw last year: CES 2020: all the highlights from LG, Samsung, Sony and more
And what to expect this year: 16 hi-fi and home cinema products we want to see in 2021
Best wireless speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best wireless speakers you can buy in 2021.
The category of wireless speakers evolves and multiplies at a rate similar to new titles on Netflix. When it comes to driver-housing sonic boxes (cylinders, oblongs, spheres, wedges, jewels and teardrops) if you just want something for blasting out tunes in the kitchen, there are now some splendid options out there for little money. If you’re after something with a bit more versatility and have a slightly more malleable budget, however, you can get a whole host of features plus better sound and multi-room capabilities for marginally (or substantially) more outlay.
Increasingly, wireless speakers also boast smart skills if you want them, with voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant baked in for good measure. That means they’ll be at your beck and call when it comes to shopping, weather forecasts or taking charge of smart home appliances like your lights and thermostat.
Whatever your needs, we have a great recommendation for you. And with several What Hi-Fi? Award winners in this list, it’s an excellent opportunity to check for bargains. Want to read more about your favourite in this list? There’s a full What Hi-Fi? review attached to each product.
Want a smaller, cheaper wireless speaker you can sling in a bag and take to the park? Check out our best Bluetooth speakers recommendations.
(Image credit: Naim)
1. Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
Just a few tweaks make for a superb second version
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 21 x 22 x 21 | Power: : 300W | Features: Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Roon Ready, Hi-res up to 24-bit/384kHz, remote control | Connections: 3.5mm aux, USB, optical S/PDIF, Ethernet
Reasons to Buy
Open, detailed and expressive
Loads of streaming options
Multi-room ready
At What Hi-Fi?, we know full well the value of revisions. Yet still, it was quite the surprise when first we heard about one made by Naim, with its second generation of the Mu-so Qb wireless speaker. The previous iteration was great, earning five stars when it was first reviewed. This version, however, is is truly phenomenal.
You can now choose between an Olive, Terracotta or Peacock grille alongside the standard black, but the best tweaks Naim has made go far deeper. Remove whatever colour grille you’ve gone for and you’ll be rewarded with upgraded and optimised midrange and bass drive units, all powered by a total of 300W of amplification.
Belying its box-like dimensions with a punchy bass alongside sparkling and rich tones across frequencies, the Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation scooped up our most recent 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award for the best home wireless speaker over £500 ($500) – for the second year running.
Read the full review: Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
(Image credit: Linn)
2. Linn Series 3
The best-sounding wireless speaker we’ve heard
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm):25 x 29.6 x 20.6 | Power: : 2x100W | Features: Wireless integrated Linn DSM player, Exakt digital crossover | Connections: Ethernet, USB, HDMI ARC
Reasons to Buy
Wonderfully articulate
Luxury design
HDMI ARC for TV connection
Reasons to Avoid
No analogue inputs
No Tidal Masters support
Let’s address the elephant in the room: the Series 3 is the most expensive wireless speaker we have tested. It’s over three times the price of the B&W Formation Wedge (listed below) and its looks are just as divisive. Can such an outlay be justified? Well, yes. And Linn’s proprietary Exakt technology helps. Linn Exakt aims to reduce phase errors by intentionally delaying higher frequencies so they arrive at your ear at the same time as lower frequencies. It also keeps the music signal’s data in the digital domain for as long as possible to avoid any degradation caused by signal processing.
We’ve heard Exakt do its thing in many a Linn product before, and here again it contributes to an absorbing performance. What’s immediately striking is the stunning midrange clarity. The Series 3 is a sharp performer, and we don’t just mean tonally.
The Linn’s low-end agility ensures the accompanying bassline bobs along with bounce and interest. Where there’s quality there’s quantity, too. Whatever we throw at it, the Series 3 appears at ease – partly down to its balance and clarity but also the seamless integration of its drivers. Its insight sets it apart from its more affordable competitors, too.
Read the full review: Linn Series 3
(Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins)
3. Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge
This wireless speaker beats the competition by some distance
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm):25.4 x 28 x 26 | Power: : 4x40W + 80W | Features: proprietary mesh-system wi-fi, multi-room, Bluetooth v4.1 aptX HD, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay2, Roon ready | Connections: Ethernet, USB
Reasons to Buy
Detailed, balanced sound
Multi-room integration
Quality build
Yes, it’s pretty expensive for a one-box proposition, but the B&W Formation Wedge offers the kind of detailed, balanced, cohesive sound that cannot be ignored – making it a class-leader in its category. Offering 24-bit/96 kHz hi-res audio playback and B&W’s proprietary mesh system for a basically-imperceptible microsecond between speakers when used with other Formation products (like the Formation Duo, below) the Wedge leaves the competition for dust.
Its looks can be divisive and you’ll need to consider investing in a Roon subscription to get it at its glorious best, but even if you forgo Roon entirely, it’s an excellent standalone performer.
Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge
(Image credit: JBL)
4. JBL Link Portable
For a great, affordable, durable home smart speaker, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a product that can match JBL’s Link Portable
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 17 x 8.8 x 8.8 | Power: 20W | Features: waterproof, Bluetooth v4.2, Google Assistant built-in, Chromecast, AirPlay 2, music over wi-fi | Connections: 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Expansive sound
Packed with features
Premium design
Reasons to Avoid
No JBL Connect support
Fussy over placement
The JBL Link Portable’s neat connectivity features bring a plethora of streaming options to the table – features rarely seen at this end of the market, including AirPlay 2, Chromecast and hi-res support. You also get hands-free voice assistance, a charger cradle and wireless streaming via wi-fi or Bluetooth.
The Link Portable looks and feels like a premium product. For a speaker of this size, it has oodles of detail and an expansive mix with everything present, including bass. While there’s no PartyBoost or Connect+ support for daisy-chaining other JBL speakers, the Link Portable makes JBL a serious contender in the category of affordable wireless speakers.
Read the full review: JBL Link Portable.
(Image credit: Apple)
5. Apple HomePod Mini
For a great, affordable, durable home smart speaker, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a product that can match JBL’s Link Portable
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 8.4 x 9.8 x 9.8 | Power: 20W | Features: Bluetooth 5.0, Siri, Apple Music, AirPlay 2, music over wi-fi | Connections: None
Reasons to Buy
Sophisticated, engaging sound
Substantial smart skills
Impressive music discovery
Reasons to Avoid
Limited third-party service support
Lacks a full control app
The HomePod Mini really is bijou. At just 8.4cm tall and 9.8cm wide, it’s quite a bit smaller than the similarly spherical new Amazon Echo. In fact, it’s even dwarfed by the new Echo Dot. Get its swirling orb of coloured light up and running (when Siri is listening or processing) though, and you realise you’ve got a classy performer on your hands.
It goes loud, too. From the moment we start playing music, it’s clear that the HomePod Mini comfortably outperforms its size and price, quite frankly embarrassing its direct competition with the sophistication and maturity of its sound.
Siri is your voice assistant, and after a short period of learning it’ll respond to the phrase “Hey Siri, play something I’ll like” not by streaming your most played track of the last few weeks, but by playing something that you may have never listened to before but is a good fit for what you often do listen to. It’s a really powerful way to discover new music, and Alexa is nowhere near as good at it.
Read the full review: Apple HomePod Mini
(Image credit: Dynaudio)
6. Dynaudio Music 5
A superb sonic performance from a distinctive speaker
The Dynaudio Music 5 is the second-largest one-box speaker in the company’s inaugural, four-strong Music series. Love or loathe the way it looks, (think huge, Indiana Jones-style ruby or the objects in the abstract chamber in Pixar’s Inside Out) we can’t help but be won over by how the Dynaudio Music 5 sounds.
The Dynaudio Music 5 is a powerful proposition, but one that still displays the sonic nous to keeps things refined. While the Award-winning Naim (above) just edges it for both subtlety and a slightly livelier sound, there isn’t much in it – and the Dynaudio Music 5 boasts superiority in other ways. In a larger room, it boasts better weight, scale and authority. It also offers something smooth, detail-rich, refined and resoundingly listenable – a sonic performance that will suit many tastes.
Depending on your room size and requirements, the Dynaudio Music 5 brings a meatier – and more easily adaptable – performance to the table.
Read the full review: Dynaudio Music 5
7. Audio Pro Addon C10
Another class-leader from a company on a roll
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 11.5 x 21.5 x 13.5 | Power: 2x5W + 15W Digital class D | Features: wi-fi, multi-room, Bluetooth V4.0, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay | Connections: 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Rich, powerful performance
Expert sense of timing
Multi-room functionality
Audio Pro currently makes some of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market and the Addon C10 is another impressive Award-winning model. Connectivity is among the most thorough you can expect at the money, with wi-fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay, plus aux and RCA inputs. It has all the major music streaming services, including Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz. The Addon C10 sounds big and bold, but is equally able to capture the subtler, more nuanced tracks as it is firing out big bassy numbers. Every inch a 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award winner, a title it also stormed away with in 2019.
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 39.5 x 19.7 x 30.5 | Power: 2x 125W per unit | Features: Bluetooth aptX HD, wi-fi, multi-room, Spotify Connect, Apple Airplay 2 | Connections: USB, Ethernet
Reasons to Buy
Excellent multi-room features
Snappy timing
Tight, authoritative bass
Transparent performance
They’re not cheap and the aesthetic won’t appeal to everyone, but if you want a wireless pair of standmounts that nothing comes close to right now in terms of sound, you’ve just found them. The Duos are deadly precise speakers with excellent clarity and a performance that makes you want to dig out tune after tune just to hear what they can do.
The multi-room feature set, while not perfect (we’d prefer a single app to handle every function), is more than made up for by the superb audio performance.
Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo
9. Naim Mu-so 2
A super-sounding and feature-packed premium wireless speaker.
The Naim Mu-so-2’s extensive feature set includes all manner of wireless streaming technologies such as AirPlay 2 and Chromecast. Tidal and Spotify are also supported, as is high-res audio to the tune of 24-bit/88kHz. It’s not just about streaming, though, with a HDMI ARC input allowing you to hook up a TV and boost its sound at the same time.
The Naim looks like a premium wireless speaker and it sounds like one too, with a rich, confident sound, packed full of detail and delivered with immense rhythmic drive. Bass is plentiful and of a high quality.
If your budget allows, you’ll be suitably impressed.
Read the full review: Naim Mu-so 2
10. Sonos One
Sonos sound quality meets Alexa voice control smarts
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 16.1 x 12 x 12 | Power: 2x Digital class D | Features: wi-fi, Alexa voice assistant, AirPlay 2, multi-room, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, Deezer, Tidal | Connections: Ethernet
Reasons to Buy
Stylish and unobtrusive
Solid, sophisticated sound
Alexa well integrated
The second-generation Sonos One is really a Sonos Play:1 in new clothing, but that’s no bad thing. It now boasts Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant for voice controls, and it’s all the better for it. In fact, with its room-filling sound, it stands apart from the glut of smart speakers that are smart first and speakers second. Throw in Apple’s AirPlay 2 tech and the fact that the One fits seamlessly into a multi-room set-up, and you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Read the full review: Sonos One
(Image credit: KEF)
11. KEF LSX
This system might be small, but it has a big sound and lots of features…
SPECIFICATIONS
Hi-res support: 24-bit/192kHz | Streaming services: Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal | Bluetooth: 4.2 with aptX | Inputs: Optical, 3.5mm, ethernet | Finishes: 5 | Dimensions: 24 x 15 x 18cm (each) | Weight: 3.5kg (each)
Reasons to Buy
Brilliant insight
Lots of connections
Colourful
This is actually an all-in-one system, comprising a network streamer, Bluetooth receiver and amplifier, all built into a pair of stereo speakers. The speakers talk to each other wirelessly, so there’s no need for a joining ethernet cable, and they come in a range of bright but stylish colours. But you will need to plug them into the mains.
You have plenty of choices when it comes to sources: streaming comes either over DLNA or from Tidal (both from within the KEF Stream app), while Spotify Connect, Roon compatibility and Apple AirPlay 2 are also part of the package. And the sound? As beautifully expressive, tonally even and rhythmically astute as you would expect given their lineage.
Read the full review: KEFLSX
(Image credit: Sonos)
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 16.1 x 12 x 12 | Power: 2x Digital class D | Features: wi-fi, AirPlay 2, multi-room, stereo pairs with Sonos One, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal | Connections: Ethernet
Reasons to Buy
Works in stereo with Sonos One
Open, clean sound
Solid and agile bass
A Sonos One without voice control is still a great wireless speaker, whether stereo paired, added to a home theatre set-up or used solo. For the uninitiated, this is a product that looks identical to Sonos’ latest five-star smart speaker, the Sonos One (above), but without the smart aspects – ie. those little microphone dots around the top and the built-in voice assistant.
How is it better than its older brother, the wireless-but-not-voice-activated Sonos Play:1? You’ve guessed it: you can now pair a One and One SL in stereo, a set-up that looks and sounds good for the money. For those who either already own a Sonos One or want to buy into Sonos but don’t care about speaking to their speakers, this should be on your radar.
Read the full review: Sonos One SL
13. Audio Pro Addon C3
A talented multi-room speaker with excellent sound quality
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 11.5 x 21.5 x 13.5 | Power: 2x5W + 15W Digital class D | Features: wi-fi, multi-room, Bluetooth V4.0, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay | Connections: Ethernet, 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Impressive timing
Solid build
Tight, textured bass
This is basically the wi-fi-enabled, multi-room version of Audio Pro’s Addon T3. It has the same minimalist looks that the Scandinavian company is known for, complete with textured surfaces and embossed leather carry handle, but the wireless tech adds a whole new dimension to your listening. It’s just a shame that controlling it using the smartphone app isn’t a bit better thought through. Still, this is a belter of a speaker, make no mistake, and a fine addition to any home set-up. A What Hi-Fi? 2019 Awards winner.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon C3
14. Apple HomePod
Apple’s smart speaker sounds better than most
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 17.2 x 14.2 x 14.2 | Features: wi-fi, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth V5.0 multi-room, Siri voice assistant, Apple Music
Reasons to Buy
Compact, solid, stylish
Great positional set-up
Weighty, authoritative sound
Reasons to Avoid
Relies heavily on voice control
Muddled mid-range
Too Apple-centric
Apple may have taken its time launching its own entrant into the crowded smart speaker market, but boy was it worth it. Rivals might tout their smart credentials first, with the speaker part a bit of an afterthought, but not the HomePod: it delivers a weighty, authoritative sound worthy of a bona fide speaker maker. That it has wireless skills and the Siri voice assistant onboard are the icing on the audio cake. Downsides? You’ll have to buy into the Apple ecosystem to get the full benefit, and in typical “brave” Apple fashion, it relies heavily on voice commands. But for dedicated Apple users, this smart speaker should be top of the shopping list.
Read the full review: Apple HomePod
15. Audio Pro Addon T3
Another compelling wireless speaker from Audio Pro
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 11.5 x 21.5 x 13.5 | Power: 2x 5W + 15W Digital class D | Features: Bluetooth V4.0 | Connections: 3.5mm stereo, USB
Reasons to Buy
Good balance
Expressive and dynamic
Faultless build
This is one of the less portable speakers in this list, but it can still be carted around thanks to the carry handle. It’s robust rather than heavy, and boasts a battery life of up to 30 hours at half volume or 12 at full blast. The bass, made feasible by that larger chassis, doesn’t ruin the balance, instead it does just what it should, offering extra stability. And that is where the upgrade on something such as the Roll 2 is justified – the noticeable leap in audio quality will have you enjoying music much more readily than on a smaller speaker.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon T3
16. Audio Pro A10
It’s a new design for Audio Pro, but the same winning performance
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 19.3 x 14 x 14 | Power: 52W Digital class D | Features: Bluetooth V4.0, multi-room, wi-fi, Spotify, AirPlay 2 | Connections: 3.5mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Wide dispersion of sound
Excellent timing and dynamics
Versatile positioning
Audio Pro has switched up the design for the A10, stepping away from the more industrial-looking Addon range. But you’ll be pleased to hear it has the same winning sound quality – it’s versatile, dynamic and has an impeccable sense of timing.
The cylindrical design disperses sound throughout the room, too. It might not be quite up there with the very best Audio Pro has produced, but the A10 is still a viable option, especially considering its nominal price.
Read the full review: Audio Pro A10
(Image credit: Ruark)
17. Ruark MR1 Mk2
A very appealing set of desktop speakers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Hi-res support: 24-bit/192kHz | Streaming services: N/A | Bluetooth: 4.2 with aptX | Inputs: Digital optical TOSLINK, line-in | Finishes: 2 | Dimensions: 17 x 13 x 13cm (each) | Weight: 1.7kg (each)
Reasons to Buy
Musical sound
Compact design
Lean skillset
With their retro wood-and-grey styling, these speakers will look at home on almost any surface, be it an office desk or a kitchen work surface. But they’re not just lookers – for our money they’re the desktop speakers that come closest to sounding like a proper hi-fi set-up.
The soundstage is gloriously spacious, giving each instrument enough room to breathe, and the sound is bathed in rich detail and fluid dynamics. Their timing is also a highlight. Put them in any room, and they’ll immediately add character along with some brilliant sonics.
Read the full review: Ruark MR1Mk2
18. Audio Pro Drumfire
Audio Pro’s flagship multi-room speaker is an absolute delight
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 15.5 x 36.5 x 19 | Power: 300W Digital class D | Features: Bluetooth V4.0, multi-room, wi-fi, Spotify, AirPlay 2 | Connections: 3.5mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Nice and loud
Good impression of space
Great build quality
Although we’re prepared to give it some good-natured ribbing for an aesthetic that abandons the dashing handsomeness of other Audio Pro speakers, the Drumfire is put together very well. The big bottom portion of the Drumfire houses a 20cm subwoofer powered by a 200W Class D amplifier to pump bass into the room. And you can hear it.
If you want a seriously powerful, seriously impressive sound – look no further. You get plenty of volume and weight but don’t be thinking this speaker can’t also do subtle; it’s a highly-accomplished wireless speaker, whatever you throw at it. Add in multi-room connectivity and the option to extend the Audio Pro family and you have an enticing, excellent high-end speaker.
The LS50 Wireless speakers aren’t completely wireless – both master and slave speaker need to be plugged into the mains, and there’s a cable connecting them. But still, it’s a lot neater than a full hi-fi set-up with lots of separate boxes.
And the sound is very impressive indeed – there’s a ton of detail to get your teeth into, and it’s all delivered in an organised and stable manner. It’s a refined listen, too, able to handle dynamic shifts without breaking a sweat, with a soundstage that opens up like a vista in front of you. A brilliant buy.
Read the full review: KEFLS50 Wireless
(Image credit: Dynaudio)
20. Dynaudio XEO 10
They’re certainly pricey, but they’re versatile and sound fantastic.
SPECIFICATIONS
Hi-res support: 24-bit/96kHz | Streaming services: N/A | Bluetooth: 4.0 with aptX | Inputs: RCA, 3.5mm, optical digital | Finishes: 2 | Dimensions: 26 x 17 x 15cm (each) | Weight: 4kg (each)
Reasons to Buy
Detailed, agile sonics
Spacious soundstage
Plenty of features
Reasons to Avoid
Don’t feel premium
Bluetooth issues
Pricey
With Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headphone jack, compatibility with TVs, and an optical input that supports 24-bit/96kHZ files, you’re not short of choice when it comes to sources you can add. You’re also spoiled when it comes to placement – the Xeo 10s have a switch that optimises their performance depending on where you put them, be it close to a wall, in a corner or out in open space.
For speakers so small, they have an impressively panoramic soundstage, and they stay sounding clean even at high volumes. The low-end also packs plenty of weight, while the timing remains spot-on whatever you throw at them. Compact, versatile, great sounding… these speakers have it all.
DSP and analogue combine to great effect in these wireless wonders, and there are some nice design flourishes to show off (such as the ability to change volume by running your finger along the front edge of the top panel). To get the most from them, you’ll need Dali’s Sound Hub, which is basically a wireless preamp that adds Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer music streaming, plus Bluetooth.
It won’t leave you disappointed – the sound is dripping with drive and energy, while the bass has plenty of precision, agility and texture. The imaging is also handled with aplomb, making for an expansive soundstage. Worth every penny.
SOC are supposed to protect IT infrastructure from attacks and monitor the security situation. AI products make it easier to sort and filter information.
Enterprise security: AI tools for security operations centers Where and how AI can relieve Automate workflows and monitor networks First steps towards an AI certification Conclusion Table: Market overview of the providers Article in iX 1 / 2021 read Many organizations put IT professionals in Security Operations Center (SOC) together who continuously monitor and analyze the IT security situation. Their job is to identify, investigate and respond to incidents using a combination of tools and processes. Among other things, they monitor networks, servers, end devices and databases for activities that could indicate compromised security.
SOCs are therefore considered to be the epitome of intelligent, orchestrated and effective cybersecurity. Without further automation, however, their use remains limited, because the flood of incoming messages about deviations from the norm can hardly be managed manually. Especially since here, as in many other areas, there is a lack of skilled workers, the existing ones are overloaded and not everything is running smoothly. For example, in a research by the Ponemon Institute (PDF), more than half of the respondents rated their SOC’s ability to gather clues, investigate, and locate the source of threats as inefficient.
In addition, the SOC teams have difficulty identifying threats because they have to follow too many indications of a compromise of the network and to compare too much internal traffic with indications of an attack. In addition, there is a lack of internal resources and know-how as well as too many false positives.
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LG Display’s latest prototype is a 48-inch flexible OLED panel that can be bent for gaming or flattened for watching TV. The company has shown off similar bendable TV prototypes before, like when it demonstrated a 65-inch TV meant for use inside planes that could bend into a curve for passengers to watch movies. This model, which is being shown off at this year’s virtual CES, features LG Display’s Cinematic Sound OLED (CSO) technology, which vibrates the screen to produce audio.
The 48-inch TV could potentially offer the immersive benefits of a curved screen while gaming without forcing you to live with a curved screen’s many downsides when you just want to watch TV. You can briefly see the panel in action at the 19 second mark in LG Display’s video below.
In terms of specs, LG Display is emphasizing the gaming capabilities of its prototype, which can bend with a radius of up to 1,000mm. It’s got a high refresh rate of 120Hz, a variable refresh rate range that goes from 40Hz to 120Hz, and a response time of 0.1 milliseconds. It’s also able to vibrate its screen to produce sound — a technique that LG Display has previously shown off for its flat panels — though we imagine most gamers would probably prefer to use headphones or separate speakers.
This new prototype is LG Display’s latest experiment with flexible OLEDs, which have previously included a rollable TV that packs up into a compact box when not in use.
LG Display is also showing off transparent OLED panels, which it thinks could be used in restaurants.Image: LG Display
LG Display is also showing off a range of use cases for its transparent OLED displays at this year’s virtual CES show. These include a “Smart Bed” with a transparent OLED TV that rises out of its frame, a transparent restaurant display that allows diners to see chefs at work behind it, and train carriage windows that can also display customer information. On the consumer side, LG has also debuted a range of TVs featuring Mini LED display technology.
nubia’s gaming-inclined Red Magic line recently welcomed its first TWS earphones dubbed Cyberpods and they will now star in this review that will follow.
Already selling in over 40 markets across 3 continents for $50/€50/£40, the buds come with a unique aesthetics, featuring prominent LED lights, and 39ms low latency mode that should appeal to all gamers out there.
The Cyberpods and their case weigh only 58 grams, which is extremely light. And they really do feel light but not in a cheap way – Red Magic made them extremely comfortable and light. However, the bulky design of the case makes the whole package a bit uncomfortable to wear in jeans pockets.
Each bud has 60 mAh battery capacity, and the case adds 500 mAh for a total of 20-hour battery life. The case has a USB-C port so it’s directly compatible with most modern chargers.
Red Magic Cyberpods case
Arguably the key feature about the Red Magic Cyberpods is their Game mode, which lowers the latency to 39ms. That’s a huge difference in some games, but unfortunately it’s only available on Red Magic devices. We also found it to be a massive juice drainer and along with the LED lights you can’t switch off takes a considerable toll on battery life. The Cyberpods are even missing a dedicated app, so you can’t push updates or adjust settings on phones of other makers.
Speaking about LED lighting, the Red and Black aesthetic are really nice, and gamers who are into these looks would definitely appreciate it. The case has three lines on the outside that show the remaining battery life while lifting the lid reveals some more red lights; these are just for looks.
A key component in multiplayer gaming is communication with teammates (and sometimes enemies). The Cyberpods worked smoothly when talking in a closed space. We couldn’t test how well they pick up the correct voice in a crowd with the current health situation, but the in-call quality is nicely high.
Pairing is impressively fast with the Pixart Bluetooth 5.0 connected to your phone the moment you remove each bud from the case – even before they go into the ear, a female voice saying “Connected” can be heard.
The earbuds feature 8mm “gaming-grade” dynamic driver so even on paper we knew not to expect miracles in terms of audio quality. Still the Cyberpods delivered okay bass and well defined vocals, so they weren’t bad by any means.
The buds themselves are operated with touch gestures on the spear-shaped stem. Due to the design featuring sharper lines getting the actual touches to register takes some practice, but once you are used to them you will have no issues.
Overall the Red Magic Cyberpods are the easiest of recommendations to those that already own a Red Magic phone – the unique aesthetics and amazing Game mode alone are worth the asking price and as we established these TWS earphones have more going for them.
If you use a smartphone of a different brand things a less clear cut. The gaming design may still draw you in, while the nice fit in the ear and adequate sound won’t leave you disappointed. However there’s plenty of competition in this segment, so if you aren’t into this particular style you can probably find slightly better audio quality elsewhere.
The latest leaks that have been happening regarding the Samsung Galaxy S 21 made it clear that the terminal is practically ready for launch, something that is finally confirmed with the appearance of the launch date of these terminals, which will be presented in a live broadcast that will take place on 14 from January.
This is information that we can find in WCCFTech , where they explain that for now they are not too sure if this event will be called Galaxy Unpacked or will be called something else , in addition to having a GIF in the neither Not even we are able to get much information from this post, although the right hand side could point to some feature related to the sound of the terminal.
It should be noted that, although we know on which day the terminals will be presented, as well as we know that will take place at 15: 00 GMT, the 16: 00 in Spain , we do not completely know when these will be available for reservation or purchase, information that we will probably find the same day of presentation, as always happens.
Anyway, at this point, we can only wait for the presentation to take place, as we already mentioned, the large number of leaks that has let us see so much specifications such as terminal design, as well as knowledge of the presentation date, does not leave many secrets to discover.
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Jordi Bercial
Avid technology and electronics enthusiast . I messed around with computer components almost since I learned to ride. I started working at Geeknetic after winning a contest on their forum for writing hardware articles. Drift, mechanics and photography lover. Don’t be shy and leave a comment on my articles if you have any questions.
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