One of the more impressive aspects of Grand Theft Auto V is how closely the game’s San Andreas approximates real-life Los Angeles and Southern California, but a new machine learning project from Intel Labs called “Enhancing Photorealism Enhancement” might take that realism in a unsettlingly photorealistic direction (via Gizmodo).
Putting the game through the processes researchers Stephan R. Richter, Hassan Abu Alhaija, and Vladlen Kolten created produces a surprising result: a visual look that has unmistakable similarities to the kinds of photos you might casually take through the smudged front window of your car. You have to see it in motion to really appreciate it, but the combination of slightly washed-out lighting, smoother pavement, and believably reflective cars just sells the fact you’re looking out at the real street from a real dashboard, even if it’s all virtual.
The Intel researchers suggest some of that photorealism comes from the datasets they fed their neural network. The group offers a more in-depth and thorough explanation for how image enhancement actually works in their paper (PDF), but as I understand it, the Cityscapes Dataset that was used — built largely from photographs of German streets — filled in a lot of the detail. It’s dimmer and from a different angle, but it almost captures what I imagine a smoother, more interactive version of scrolling through Google Maps’ Street View could be like. It doesn’t entirely behave like it’s real, but it looks very much like it’s built from real things.
The researchers say their enhancements go beyond what other photorealistic conversion processes are capable of by also integrating geometric information from GTA V itself. Those “G-buffers,” as the researchers call them, can include data like the distance between objects in the game and the camera, and the quality of textures, like the glossiness of cars.
While you might not see an official “photorealism update” roll out to GTA V tomorrow, you may have already played a game or watched a video that’s benefited from another kind of machine learning — AI upscaling. The process of using machine learning smarts to blow up graphics to higher resolutions doesn’t show up everywhere, but has been featured in Nvidia’s Shield TV and in several different mod projects focused on upgrading the graphics of older games. In those cases a neural network is making predictions to fill in missing pixels of detail from a lower resolution game, movie, or TV show to reach those higher resolutions.
Photorealism probably shouldn’t be the only graphical goal for video games to have (artistry aside, it looks kind of creepy), but this Intel Labs project does show there’s probably as much room to grow on the software side of things as there is in the raw GPU power of new consoles and gaming PCs.
Gabe Newell, the head of Valve Software, hinted to students in New Zealand that the company might expand its Steam platform, or at least some games, to the console space later this year. The comment is vague at best, but at least it shows that the owner of one of the largest game distribution platforms has not given up its living room gaming plans.
Earlier this week, Gabe Newell spoke to students at Sancta Maria College in Auckland, New Zealand, and was asked whether Steam would be “porting any games on consoles, or [would] it just stay on PC?” The response was imprecise, but we cannot really expect anyone to disclose business plans at an event like this.
“You will get a better idea of that by the end of this year… and it won’t be the answer you expect,” Newell said. “You’ll say, ‘Ah-ha! Now I get what he was talking about.'”
The whole conversation had been recorded by a student who later uploaded it to Reddit, Ars Technica first reported.
Valve’s track record with game consoles in particular and living room gaming in general has been bumpy at best. On the one hand, the company successfully ported its games to consoles from Microsoft and Sony in the past, including the very successful The Orange Box on Xbox 360 and PS3. On the other hand, Valve’s Steam Machines initiatives has failed, just like its console oriented SteamOS. Valve’s Steam Link, which allowed to stream games from a local PC to a TV, has also failed to get popular enough for the company to keep selling the product.
For gamers, getting their Steam libraries on consoles would be a thing of dreams. It’s unclear how Steam would work on those systems, though, as Nintendo, Xbox and Sony all run their own exclusive stores on their platforms. Furthermore, far from all Steam games have versions for consoles, and developing a Windows or Linux emulator for Xbox or PlayStation is one heck of a task. Streaming games to consoles might be a way into the living room for Valve, but controller options may be an obstacle there.
Newell has been living in New Zealand since March 2020, when he was stuck as the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Since he doesn’t often do big appearances in the games industry, it makes some sense that a bunch of New Zealand students were the first to hear his thoughts on upcoming announcements.
The Aorus FV43U misses a couple of things as a TV replacement, but for gaming, it has few equals. A huge and accurate color gamut coupled with high contrast, 4K resolution and 144 Hz makes it a great choice for both PC and console gamers.
For
+ Class-leading contrast
+ Huge color gamut
+ Accurate out of the box
+ Excellent HDR
+ Solid gaming performance
Against
– No 24p support
– No Dolby Vision
Features and Specifications
If you’re looking for a jumbo-sized gaming monitor, there are plenty of routes you can take. There are multiple sizes of ultrawide 21:9 screens ranging from 34 to 38 inches diagonal. Then there’s the mega-wide 32:9, 49-inch genre. Or you can stick with flat panels in the 16:9 aspect ratio and go 32 inches or larger. Many simply opt for a TV, opening up the field to extra large displays that can top 80 inches.
If you want to stick with a desktop configuration though, the 43-inch category is a good choice. It’s large but not so big that you can’t sit close. It’s possible to play from 3 or 4 feet away, see the entire screen, and fill your peripheral vision with the image. And the 16:9 aspect ratio that 43-inch monitors come in means plenty of height, something that ultrawide and mega-wide monitors don’t have.
You can typically put a 43-inch gaming monitor on your desktop for around $1,500. That’s more than many 55-inch TVs but a computer monitor delivers a few things, like DisplayPort and high refresh rates, that consumer TVs do not. The Gigabyte Aorus FV43U makes the comparison a little easier, however, as it’s going for $1,000 as of writing.
The FV43U is a 16:9 VA panel competing with the best 4K gaming monitors with a 144 Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync, HDR and a quantum dot backlight that’s specced to reach 1,000 nits brightness. It also delivers decent sound from its built-in speakers, thanks to multiple sound modes. Let’s take a look.
Gigabyte Aorus FV43U Specs
Panel Type / Backlight
VA / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
43 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate
3840×2160 @ 144 Hz
FreeSync: 48-144 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
10-bit (8-bits+FRC) / DCI-P3
DisplayHDR 1000, HDR10
Response Time (GTG)
1ms
Brightness
1,000 nits
Contrast
4,000:1
Speakers
2x 12w
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.4 w/DSC
2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C
Audio
2x 3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
1x up, 2x down
Power Consumption
54.3w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions
38.1 x 25.1 x 9.9 inches
WxHxD w/base
(967 x 638 x 251mm)
Panel Thickness
3.5 inches (88mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.4 inch (10mm)
Bottom: 1 inch (25mm)
Weight
33.8 pounds (15.4kg)
Warranty
3 years
By starting with a VA panel, the FV43U is already ahead of many premium gaming monitors that rely on lower contrast IPS technology. Most IPS monitors are specced for around 1,000:1 contrast, while the FV43U boasts 4,000:1 on its sheet and topped that dramatically in our testing with SDR and extremely when it came to HDR. HDR is aided by the monitor’s 1,000-nit backlight enhanced by a quantum dot filter for greater color volume, which our testing will also confirm.
Video processing leaves nothing under the table. The FV43U is one of the few 4K displays that can run at 144 Hz. It manages this over a single DisplayPort cable using Display Stream Compression (DSC). That means it can process 10-bit color, though it uses Frame Rate Control (FRC) to achieve this. FreeSync operates from 48-144 Hz in SDR and HDR modes. G-Sync also works with the same signals as verified by our tests, even though it’s not Nvidia-certified. (You can see how by checking out our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor tutorial).
Peripheral features include two HDMI 2.1 ports, which support console operation, namely the PS5 and Xbox Series X, with variable refresh rates up to 120 Hz. The monitor’s USB-C port accepts Ultra HD signals up to 144 Hz. This is common among USB-C monitors as USB-C can replicate DisplayPort functions, but you’ll need a graphics card with USB-C, of course. The monitor’s USB-C port also allows for KVM switching (allowing you to control multiple PCs with a single keyboard, monitor and mouse) through additional USB 3.0 ports.
Assembly and Accessories
Two solid metal stand pieces bolt in place on the bottom if you set up on a desktop or entertainment center. Wall mounting is supported by a 200mm lug pattern in back. You’ll have to source your own bolts which should be part of any bracket kit.
Gigabyte Aorus FV43U Side (Image credit: Gigabyte)
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Gigabyte Aorus FV43U Back (Image credit: Gigabyte)
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Gigabyte Aorus FV43U Top (Image credit: Gigabyte)
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
From the front, the FV43U looks like any modern television with a narrow bezel around the top and sides and larger bit of molded trim across the bottom. The Aorus logo and a power LED are visible in the center. The stand puts the panel a bit less than 3 inches from the table, so it’s a good height for a desktop if you plan to sit around 4 feet back. The anti-glare layer is more reflective than most smaller screens, so plan placement accordingly if you have windows in your room.
A joystick for controlling the on-screen display (OSD) menu joystick is prominently situated on the panel’s bottom center but the easiest way to control the FV43U is with its tiny remote. It only has a few keys but they’re enough to zip through the OSD, change inputs and control the gaming features.
The back is where you’ll find most of the styling elements. Two slanted shapes are rendered in shiny plastic, along with an Aorus logo in the center. The rest of the finish is matte and features some brushed textures. Angles and straight lines are the order of the day with a generous grill at the top for heat dissipation. Speakers fire from the bottom vents and deliver 12W apiece (more on that in the Hands-on section).
The input panel is on the right side which makes it easily accessible. You get two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4 and a USB-C, which also supports 144 Hz and Adaptive-Sync. The HDMIs are limited to 120 Hz but support Adaptive-Sync and 4K resolution, making it fit for console gaming.
OSD Features
The OSD looks just like the menu found in all Aorus monitors but you can make it larger so it can be more legible from across the room.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Gaming sub-menu has everything needed for competitive gameplay. At the top is Aim Stabilizer Sync, which is a backlight strobe for blur reduction. It’s one of the rare implementations that can work in concert with Adaptive-Sync, and it manages to do this without reducing brightness too much out of the box (of course, you can always turn the brightness up).
Black Equalizer makes shadow detail more visible; Super Resolution adds edge enhancement (not in a good way), Display Mode changes the aspect ratio and Overdrive offers four options. Balance is the best one, as it has good blur reduction, no visible ghosting and allows you to toggle Adaptive-Sync on or off.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Picture menu offers an extensive array of image modes (eight, plus three custom memories), along with color temp and gamma presets and something we normally see only on professional screens: selectable color gamuts. You can choose between Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, sRGB or Auto, but in our tests, Auto did not automatically switch the color gamut for different signal types. That means that if we wanted to watch SDR content in the sRGB it’s made in, we had to select the gamut manually.
You also get Local Dimming, which increases contrast significantly. It makes the picture very bright as well, but highlight and shadow detail remain solid, so it is perfectly usable. However, we recommend leaving it off unless your room has a lot of ambient light because you can’t reduce brightness when it’s on. If you prefer a Low Blue Light mode for reading, that feature is in the OSD too.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
A single press of the large button in the center of the remote’s nav pad brings up a quick menu. Pressing left opens the Aorus dashboard, which can display your PC component’s internal temperatures and fan speeds. You’ll need a USB connection for this, but most motherboards will transmit the information to the FV43U.
A right press brings up Game Assist, which offers timers, counters, refresh rate info and aiming points. You also get a single cross in the OSD and can create additional reticles if you download the Aorus desktop app. Additionally, the OSD offers alignment marks in case you plan to set up additional FV43Us in a multi-screen configuration. Now that would be super cool! We’re thinking ultimate desktop flight simulator.
Gigabyte Aorus FV43U Calibration Settings
The FV43U comes set to its Green (yes, that’s the term used in the OSD) picture mode. It has nothing to do with the color green but is fairly accurate out of the box – enough to make our Calibration Not Required list. But if you’re a perfectionist and want to tweak the image, choose the User Define color temp and adjust the RGB sliders. Gamma presets and color gamut options are also available. For the full native gamut, choose Auto or Adobe RGB. Either will deliver just over 100% of DCI-P3 coverage. sRGB is also very accurate, but we found it better to choose the sRGB picture mode rather than the sRGB gamut mode. Below are our recommended calibration settings for SDR on the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U.
Picture Mode
Green
Brightness 200 nits
13
Brightness 120 nits
4
Brightness 100 nits
2 (min. 89 nits)
Contrast
50
Gamma
2.2
Color Space
Auto or Adobe
Color Temp User
Red 100, Green 97, Blue 99
When HDR content is present, there are four additional picture modes available: HDR1000, HLG, Game and Movie. HDR1000 is the most accurate, but locks out all image controls. Game and Movie allow for brightness and contrast adjustments and toggling and local dimming. We’ll explain that in more detail in the HDR tests.
Gaming and Hands-on
A question that should be answered when one considers buying a 43-inch gaming monitor is, will it function as a TV? Since some FV43Us will wind up in living rooms or entertainment centers, it’s important to know whether it can play well with things like disc players or streaming boxes.
There is no internal tuner so technically, the FV43U is not a TV. But its HDMI 2.1 inputs can accept input from any cable or satellite receiver, as well as a 4K disc player or streaming box like Apple TV. We tried a Philips BDP-7501 player and an Apple TV source. SDR and HDR10 signals were supported fine with one omission, 24p. Film cadences are present on any Blu-ray and in many streamed shows and movies from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime (in addition to 50 and 60 Hz). The FV43U converted these streams to 60 Hz, which caused a bit of stuttering here and there. It wasn’t pervasive, but we occasionally saw artifacts. Note that the FV43U, like most computer monitors, doesn’t support Dolby Vision. We’ve only seen a few pro screens that includeDolby Vision.
As a monitor for controlling Windows, the FV43U was a joy to use. With its vast area, we could clearly view four or five documents simultaneously. Sitting about 4 feet back, the pixel structure was invisible, but if we sat closer we were just able to see the dots. Color, meanwhile, was beautifully saturated, great for watching YouTube and browsing the web. If you want perfect accuracy for web browsing, the sRGB mode is available with a few clicks of the remote.
Gaming is also a blast with a screen this big. SDR games like Tomb Raider rendered in vivid hues with deep blacks, bright whites and superb contrast. The large dynamic range and accurate gamma mean that you’ll see all the detail present in the original content. That lends a realism seen on only the very best computer monitors.
HDR games, like Call of Duty: WWII, also showed tremendous depth on the FV43U. We played exclusively in the HDR1000 picture mode because of its very accurate luminance and grayscale tracking. The FV43Us large color gamut was put to good use here. It was readily apparent in skin tones and natural earth shades, like brown and green. That, coupled with nearly 39,000:1 contrast, made surfaces and textures pop with a tactility that we’ve only seen from premium screens like the Acer Predator CG437K or the Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ (both go for $1,500 as of writing). Without a full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight like that Acer Predator X27 and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ have, the FV43U doesn’t quite make the very top tier of the best HDR monitors. But it comes awfully close to their image quality while delivering a lot more screen area.
The monitor’s two 12W speakers deliver sound that’s better than what you’ll hear from smaller monitors with much more bass and overall presence. Five audio modes help you tailor sound to your preference. If you’d rather use your best gaming headset, there’s a 3.5mm jack and an additional analog output for external systems.
(Pocket-lint) – Sonos added a new soundbar to its range in 2020 – the Sonos Arc – succeeding the then seven year-old Playbar. You can read how the two compare in our separate feature.
Arc is a full-fledged, Dolby Atmos sound system, with HDMI eARC, Alexa and Google Assistant support, plus several other bells and whistles. The Sonos Beam meanwhile, is a smaller, more compact and cheaper soundbar.
So which is the better Sonos soundbar for your setup? We compare the Arc and the Beam to help you decide.
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Design and connections
Sonos Arc: 1141.7 x 87 x 115.7mm, 6.25kg, HDMI eARC (optical adapter included)
Sonos Beam: 651 x 68.5 x 100mm, 2.8kg, HDMI ARC (optical adapter included)
Both require broadband and power supply
You only need look at the two soundbars to see that there’s an obvious difference in design aesthetic. Both can be wall-mounted or set on a TV stand, but the Beam is more likely to be found on the latter. It is small enough to be fairly anonymous when sat in front of a television.
The Arc is much longer and more soundbar in shape.
The Beam is very much designed for use with a smaller television – 32 to 50-inches, for example. It greatly enhances the sound experience when compared to a smaller set’s built-in speakers, and happily sits out of the way when placed in front.
The Arc, on the other hand, looks more like a traditional soundbar and is likely to be matched with much larger TVs.
In terms of connectivity, both devices have 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Ethernet ports to hook up to your home network and the internet, but the Arc ups the ante when it comes to connection to a TV.
That’s because it comes with a HDMI port supporting HDMI eARC, with the Beam’s port supporting the older HDMI ARC standard instead.
This is mainly because the Sonos Arc requires more bandwidth to receive Dolby Atmos and higher resolution audio streams. A HDMI ARC connection can do, but the TV must support Dolby Atmos itself.
Sound
Sonos Arc: 8 woofers, 3 tweeters – with Dolby Atmos
Sonos Beam: 4 woofers, 1 tweeter
Both have Class-D digital amplifiers to match speaker drivers
Naturally, the Beam is not as capable when it comes to audio presentation as its newer, larger sibling.
It sports four mid-range drivers and one tweeter for a clean, clear front-facing audio experience. That provides a better soundscape than most TVs are capable.
In comparison, the Sonos Arc has eight drivers and three tweeters, with angled speaker units left and right, plus two angled upwards specifically for use with Dolby Atmos soundtracks.
This effectively means that the Arc provides a wider, taller soundscape that is clearly going to be more immersive.
Both speakers though can be added to, with the Sonos Sub a great option for extra bass and a couple of Sonos One or Sonos One SL speakers good options to provide rear channels to a home cinema setup.
Features
Sonos Arc: HDMI CEC and auto sync, Alexa and Google Assistant on-board, Apple AirPlay 2
Sonos Beam: HDMI CEC with optional sync, Alexa and Google Assistant on-board, Apple AirPlay 2
Both the Arc and Beam are Sonos speakers first and foremost, so while they are great at expanding and enhancing TV viewing, they also work well to play music through, either standalone or as part of a Sonos multiroom system.
Both have Alexa and Google Assistant support, so can be voice controlled and work as voice assistants for search and even controlling the rest of your smart home devices.
Both also have HDMI CEC capabilities, allowing you to control your TV, soundbar and any other connected devices with just one remote (you can also opt for IR control, if you so desire).
Basically, the only main difference in features (apart from eARC support and Dolby Atmos) is that the Sonos Arc has audio sync an automatic option, while you have to enable it on the Beam.
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Price
Naturally, considering the Arc has more speaker units inside, is larger and has more audio functionality, it is more expensive. And that might be a major factor in your purchasing decision.
The Sonos Beam is usually £399 / $399, for example, in comparison to £799 / $799 for the Sonos Arc. That’s half the price. If you have a smaller TV/living room, you might never need the extra oomph of the Arc and therefore can save yourself a packet.
However, for a smart Dolby Atmos-capable soundbar, with Alexa and Google Assistant on board, and the enter suite of Sonos streaming abilities, the Arc is actually very reasonable if you do fancy splashing out more on your home entertainment.
Conclusion
The biggest decision to make is what you actually want your soundbar to do. If you simply need something to improve the audio performance of your TV viewing, while also presenting all the cool music streaming features of a Sonos system, the Beam could be more than ample for you.
But, if you are looking for a neat home cinema system that has plenty of room for new features in future, the Arc is a very compelling offering – one without compromises. Albeit at a heftier price point.
Writing by Rik Henderson. Editing by Britta O’Boyle.
We’re in a relatively quiet period for Switch releases while we wait for Skyward Sword’s remaster to release in July. Thankfully, today marks the arrival of a new $10 calculator app on Nintendo’s console, which should stop your machine from gathering too much dust over the coming months. Hell yeah. Math.
The app, which was spotted by Eurogamer, is literally just called “Calculator” and is being published by Sabec. It’s single-player, which unfortunately rules out any team-based calculating, and it works in TV and handheld modes, according to its product page. We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that the app bears a striking resemblance to the iPhone’s old calculator app, but being charitable, it’s possible that the app is only guilty of drawing inspiration from Dieter Rams’ classic design.
Math.Image: Sabec / Nintendo
Unlike Sony’s and Microsoft’s consoles, and even Nintendo’s previous machines, the Switch doesn’t have much in the way of non-gaming apps. It doesn’t have Netflix, Spotify, or those other pieces of software that we’ve come to expect will appear on basically any piece of electronics with a screen. But now, finally, it has a calculator app. Thank god.
The new Atom’s headline ability is headphone playback, but don’t underestimate its value as a preamplifier. It’s a classy and versatile addition to Naim’s Uniti range.
For
Top-notch streaming
Great headphone stage
Also a great smart preamp
Against
No HDMI ARC input
Sound+Image mag review
(Image credit: Future)
This review originally appeared in Sound+Image magazine, one of What Hi-Fi?’s Australian sister publications. Click here for more information on Sound+Image, including digital editions and details on how you can subscribe.
UK-based Naim Audio became first renowned for its amplification, proving the importance of power quality from the early 1970s. Three decades later Naim was also quick to recognise the future of file-based and streaming music, and today enjoys great success with its Mu-so wireless speakers, while the Uniti range of all-in-one streaming systems deliver simple but definitely hi-fi ‘just-add-speakers’ solutions.
In a way the Uniti players brought together everything Naim has learned – the wireless, multiroom and control elements of the Mu-sos, with the solid hi-fi amplification developed over decades, including more recent trickle-down tech from the developmental fillip of investment made in the company’s no-holds-barred Statement amplifier project.
Now here comes the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition (£2399/$3290/AU$4299), which takes the smallest of the existing Uniti all-in-ones and does something rather unexpected for Naim – it throws out the part on which the company built its reputation, the amplification.
10 of the best British amplifiers of all time
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
Features
Well, that’s not entirely true. There are no amplifiers for loudspeakers, as provided on the other Uniti units (excepting only the Uniti Core, which adds networked hard-drive storage to the range).
But as the ‘HE’ of the new name suggests, it caters instead to headphones. On the front there are headphone outputs for jacks of full-size quarter-inch (6.5mm in new money) and 4.4mm Penteconn balanced connections, while round the back there’s a second balanced connection on 4-pin XLR.
We’re told that for this product Naim has used an all-new amp implementation designed especially so it delivers the best headphone amplifier experience, including a new transformer design to provide power tailored to the needs of the headphone amplification.
But this is not only a headphone amp. It’s also a preamplifier, and Naim has optimised its preamplifier performance also, “including elements originally used in our flagship Statement Amplifier” it says.
As a preamplifier it offers one analogue input pair on RCA sockets, and then digital inputs: two optical and one coaxial, plus USB-A slots both front and rear. There’s also Bluetooth available, which includes the aptX codec.
What doesn’t it have? It loses from the original Atom the HDMI ARC connection which was handy to play audio from your TV, and there’s still no USB-B connection to play direct from computer.
But its outputs are expanded, its variable preamplifier output available on both unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR outputs to feed your downstream amplification. This could play straight to power amps, since there is full volume control in the Atom HE – either from the remote, from its app, or from the heavenly Naim knob which sits on top, the only disadvantage of this positioning being that it is hidden when the unit goes on a good rack shelf, though its minimal height of 9cm means you should still be able to squeeze your hand in there for a knob spin when the urge presents itself.
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
Streaming
And in addition to physical inputs, this Naim has all the streaming prowess of other Uniti members, and that’s to say as complete a set of protocols as you’ll find anywhere – so many, indeed, that when the range originally launched, it was significantly delayed by the paper trail for all the licensing involved.
So this includes being easily addressed from any Spotify app, free or paid, or using Apple’s AirPlay 2 to stream the output of a Mac or any app on an iOS app, and Chromecast too, for point-to-point streaming from Android devices. Those with music libraries on a PC can use its UPnP ‘server’ function. It’s also Roon Ready, and although the Roon-direct licensing was still going through when it arrived for review, it was nevertheless available in Roon via its Chromecast and AirPlay abilities.
Then there are the services available within the Naim app itself. These include internet radio and podcasts, Tidal, and Qobuz (the latter newly available to Australia). You may note these are services which offer higher-quality subscriptions; Naim emphasises this quality also in its internet radio app, with a section devoted to higher-rate streams than the often grungy desk-compressed pop stations.
And one last batch of capabilities – the Atom HE is multiroom-capable with other Naim equipment including the Mu-so wireless speakers, so you can have music playing in unison (and Uniti) throughout your home. Chromecast and AirPlay 2 offer other paths to multiroom and multi-device playback.
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Setting up
Having previously reviewed the standard Uniti Atom, we found set-up here to be a breeze. You have to pair the remote control by holding it to the full-colour five-inch front-panel panel display while you push ‘Home’ for three seconds. Our Naim app, already installed on an iPad Pro, needed a reinstall before it saw the Atom HE on the network and delivered it a firmware update, losing contact until the update was complete.
Beyond that, we had absolutely zero operational issues, and indeed throughout our testing we were able to generate no criticisms at all – not one – because Naim has honed its highly versatile and potentially complex operation to something near perfection.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
The Naim app presents all its streaming services on one screen, the inputs on a scrolling second screen; if that doesn’t appeal you can use the settings to reorder the inputs to your preference, banishing unused ones to the second screen.
We had connected a Thorens turntable via a phono stage into the analogue input. We connected our computer to an optical input, using a DAC between them as a USB-to-SPDIF converter.
To kick off, we ran the Atom HE’s unbalanced pre-outputs to our resident power amps, always a slightly nervous connection to make when the preamp is digitally controlled and might flick the output to max accidentally. (Once we had Roon connected, we specified a safety level beyond which the volume slider then can’t go.)
We addressed it first from Tidal on the Naim app, then from the Tidal app itself, then from Roon.
Indeed during the Atom’s visit it may have be physically located in one room, but it seemed omnipresent. Wherever we accessed music – on the music room computer, on our Chromebook, the iPhone, a tablet – there was the Naim Atom as a playback device waving at us as if saying ‘Play to me! Play to me!’ There are so many ways to play that surely any current preferred path to playback will fit right in.
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
Listening
We can fully believe Naim’s claim that the preamp of the Atom HE is actually superior to those of the current Uniti range. Even in our initial set-up without the benefit of the balanced connections, all the cues from our favourite tunes poured from power amp and speaker references, dynamically delivered, cleanly resolving the good and the bad.
The effect on Alex the Astronaut’s main vocal for Split the Sky can sound curiously excessive on systems lacking resolution, degenerating into a mush. Here it could be discerned separately, part delay, part reverb. More to the point, the music and the emotion were entirely unchecked. The quite awful subject matter of her remarkable I Like To Dance is chilling; her Triple J cover of Mr Blue Sky – The Go-Betweens’ Lindy Morrison on drums – is sheer joy.
The Tidal stream through the Atom HE easily outperformed Spotify’s relatively softened sound. Naim’s Uniti platform does not support the MQA encoding which Tidal uses to ‘unfold’ its high-res Masters to their high definition – Naim could change this by firmware update, it has said, but is being led by demand.
Whatever you might think of MQA, it may be that uncompressed FLAC high-res streaming as offered by Qobuz and Deezer represents a purer future – after all, with today’s bandwidths defined by streaming 4K video, what need for data compression of high-res music any more?
So with Qobuz newly launched in Australia, we took the opportunity to connect our Roon to Qobuz, and our Roon to the Uniti. Roon’s excellent quality check pop-up box reminded us that Roon via Chromecast dropping the high-res to 48kHz, so we switched to Qobuz direct inside the Naim app. And what a joy that was. Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way was almost alarmingly crisp; details on Toto’s Africa (the left-channel chuckle on the intro) astoundingly apparent, especially as our usual playback preference for this slice of soft rock is the vinyl 45.
Best music streaming services
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
On Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill, the continuous rolling drums’n’bass were entirely segregated from the other parts, and the emotional lift of multitracked Kates as we reached the first ‘Come on baby, come on darlin’ was thrilling at an almost tactile level. We began regretting our agreement to return the Atom HE to distributor BusiSoft AV within an unusually brief two weeks; we were barely getting started and we were missing it already.
Headphone playback
Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition specs
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
Inputs: 1 x analogue RCA, 2 x optical digital, 1 x coaxial digital, 2x USB-A
Streaming: Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnPT, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, Roon Ready, Bluetooth, Internet radio
Also visiting from Naim’s Australian distributor were the Final Audio D8000 Pro headphones, themselves a mere AU$4999 (£3995, US$4299) with their silver-coated cables trailing away to the Atom HE’s full-size headphone jack like weighty twisted tinsel.
The Naim had not the slightest trouble driving these esoteric 60-ohm planar magnetic headphones to their maximum ability, whether delivering a tight and punchy kick drum under the guitar and synthscape of The Triffids’ Wide Open Road, or highlighting the curiously lo-fi elements opening Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know.
The Naim and Finals delivered a mind-meltingly zingy portrayal of The Go-Betweens’ Streets of your Town, currently resurrected for advertising purposes by Ampol but here crisply separated to the point where our attention was constantly darting around the soundstage to small sonic elements like the cunning combination of panned rhythm guitars, the tight block hits in the left, each element easily individually selectable by the mind’s ear, yet held together in a finely musical whole.
We also ran more affordable headphone references – open AKGs, closed Sennheisers – and there wasn’t a pair which didn’t display their full abilities or receive more than enough power on tap from the Atom HE – enough, indeed, to achieve quite worrying levels without any hint of congestion or distortion.
The relevant figures are 1.5 watt-per-channel output into 16 ohms (from all headphone outputs), and output impedance of 4.7 ohms. The headphone amp remains in pure Class-A except for lower impedance headphones pushed to the extremes of volume, when a Class-AB circuit is “seamlessly” invoked.
If you like it loud (bearing in mind the dangers of so listening), the Atom HE will at least ensure you get your music with a minimum of damaging distortion.
After a head-pumping serve of Wolfmother’s The Joker and the Thief we wondered if we should take a rest, but Qobuz continued serving such delights that we didn’t, instead diverting to some high-res classical. This confirmed the dynamic reserve of the headphone output and a remarkable ability to stay tonally accurate across different impedance headphones. All this was from the standard unbalanced quarter-inch headphone socket; the balanced outputs could potentially lift the Atom HE’s game still higher.
Best headphones 2021
(Image credit: Naim Audio)
Having an assortment of active stereo speakers in residence for our group test this issue, it occurred to us that the Atom HE’s abilities as a preamp perfectly complemented just such devices. The ELAC Navis, for example, has balanced XLR inputs, to which we connected the Atom HE’s balanced outputs.
The result was wildly successful – a brilliant pair of speakers provided with a perfectly-pitched preamp output backed by physical inputs, streams galore, an app, a physical remote control and Naim’s big knob. Adding good active speakers to the Atom HE makes for a wonderfully compact yet versatile system, boosted by its particular powers to make your headphones sing when privacy is required.
Verdict
The Atom HE is an excellent addition to the Naim Uniti range – something genuinely different in offering a streaming preamplifier with a top-quality headphone amplifier. Use it alone with headphones, with power amps, or with active speakers, and you have a system just as versatile in its streaming abilities as the Mu-so, more versatile in its connections, and far higher in its hi-fi quality. And it comes with the best knob in hi-fi. It’s a big thumbs up from us.
Earlier this year we reported that Walmart was prepping a new streaming stick under its affordable ‘Onn’ brand. The big-box retailer is yet to release details of that product, but now another Onn media streamer has shown up on Walmart’s website.
First reported by 9to5Google, the official listing for the ‘onn. Android TV UHD Streaming Device’ promises 4K and Dolby Audio support, as well as Chromecast built-in and Google voice controls for the princely sum of $29.88.
As you can see, this version is a streaming ‘box’ rather than a ‘stick’ and has a slightly different remote with dedicated buttons for YouTube Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max. (The leaked photo of the streaming ‘stick’ showed it with an Amazon Prime Video shortcut.)
Spec-wise, the new box is just what you’d expect from a budget-friendly streamer that runs Google’s Android TV. There’s support for WiFi 5, an HDMI port (for video output) and a micro USB connection (for charging).
There are plenty of 4K streaming sticks already on sale around the $50 mark, with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Roku Streaming + both proving popular choices at the moment. But at less than $30, Walmart’s onn. Android TV UHD Streaming Device could give consumers another tempting proposition (and rival brands a sleepless night or two).
The device isn’t available to purchase yet – Walmart shows it as “Out of stock” – but the fact that the listing is public points to a launch in the near future. Perhaps we’ll see this model joined by the rumoured Onn streaming stick? Over to you, Walmart.
The Xbox Series X / S’s handy Quick Resume feature, which suspends supported games so that they boot up more quickly when you come back to them later, is getting some nice improvements in the May Xbox update.
Once the update is installed on your console, you’ll be able to see which games are kept in Quick Resume with a new tag, and you’ll also be able to make a group of games in Quick Resume so you have access to all of them in a single spot. Microsoft is also promising that Quick Resume will have “improved reliability and faster load times,” Microsoft’s Jonathan Hildebrandt said in a blog post.
A Quick Resume group.Image: Microsoft
The new update also adds passthrough audio for media apps like Disney Plus and Apple TV, meaning that audio from those apps can be sent directly to a compatible HDMI device. There are also new parental settings that let parents unblock multiplayer mode for individual games and a new dynamic background.
The May update should be rolling out now, and it might already be available for you. While writing this story, I booted up my Series X and it installed.
Microsoft also announced that it will be sunsetting the Xbox One SmartGlass app for PC starting in June. “This means the SmartGlass app will be removed from the Windows Store and there will be no further updates for those who have the app already downloaded to their devices,” Microsoft said.
Walmart appears to be getting into the streaming devices with the Onn Android TV UHD Streaming Device, according to a new listing on its website (spotted by 9to5Google). The company’s new streaming box (in this case, really more of a flattened cube) is currently listed for $29.88 but is also “out of stock” — which could be due to the fact it hasn’t been officially announced yet.
According to Walmart’s page, the Onn Android TV UHD Streaming Device can, unsurprisingly, stream in 4K and play “Dolby audio” — although there are no other specifics shared. The small device runs Android TV, connects to a TV over HDMI, and comes with what looks like a Google Assistant-enabled remote with dedicated buttons for YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus, and HBO Max.
Walmart’s streaming device is a fairly unassuming black square.Image: Walmart
Design-wise, as 9to5Google notes, Walmart’s streaming device shares a lot of similarities with Google’s developer device, the ADT-3, albeit with Walmart’s electronics brand, “onn,” slapped on top. The remote that accompanies the Onn also seems to be using a new Google design that’s been rumored to come with a host of new Google TV products in 2021.
The Onn Android TV UHD Streaming Device has more dedicated streaming service buttons.Image: Walmart
Walmart has been in a multiyear competition with Amazon over basically all forms of shopping online and off, so muscling into the streaming device market with what’s essentially a Fire Stick competitor shouldn’t be surprising. For Walmart, the streaming space has standardized and streamlined enough that it’s probably comparatively easy to come out with a cheap streaming cube, stock it in thousands of stores, and let customers do the rest.
It’s hard to not put Walmart’s device in the context of TiVo’s apparent exit from the streaming device space. Streaming sticks and boxes are increasingly becoming a game for big companies who can reach the scale and low costs that smaller companies can’t keep up with. They also tend to have a better handle on software — for Xperi, the TiVo brand’s current owner, Google integrating universal search aped the big feature that differentiated it from the competition.
The TiVo Stream 4K launched for $70, only to later drop to $39 in what seems like a bid to compete with the likes of the $50 Chromecast with Google TV, the $40 Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and Amazon’s $50 Fire Stick 4K. Assuming $30 is the Onn Android TV UHD Streaming Device’s actual price and it’s actually worth using, Walmart may be poised to start yet another race to the bottom.
Bluesound has refreshed its excellent Node 2i music streamer and Powernode 2i streaming amplifier. The next generation of the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning devices or now boast new DAC designs, more powerful processors, and touch panel controls with presets. They simply carry the original Node and Powernode monikers.
For the uninitiated, the Node is a music streamer that works either as a source in a hi-fi system or with active (or powered) speakers, like the Award-winning Audiolab 6000N Play. The Powernode, meanwhile, has amplification built in and just requires a pair of speakers, like the Award-winning Marantz PM7000N.
The former has a new DAC that can decode both hi-res 24-bit/192kHz and MQA files and feeds coaxial, optical, USB Type-A and, giving it TV system appeal, HDMI eARC inputs. There’s also RCA inputs and a 3.5mm headphone jack, plenty of music streaming service support courtesy of wi-fi and Apple AirPlay 2, internet radio and aptx HD Bluetooth (which is two-way, meaning it can wirelessly receive Bluetooth files for playback and send whatever it is playing to Bluetooth headphones or speakers). Naturally, the Node can also work in a multi-room environment with other BluOS kit.
As well as having a touch control panel with presets providing shortcuts to your favourite music, the Node can be voice controlled using voice assistants like Apple Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The Powernode has a very similar skillset to the Node – all the BluOS streaming features, digital connectivity including HDMI eARC, and MQA support, for example – but with the addition of a built-in amplifier. The amp delivers 80 watts per channel, up from 60 watts on the previous model.
The Bluesound Node costs £549 ($549) and the Powernode £849 ($899) – slightly up from the launch prices of the previous-gen models. Both are available to pre-order now for shipping in June.
MORE:
Check out the best multi-room systems
Read our full Bluesound Node 2i and Powernode 2i reviews
Full explainer: Multi-room audio: everything you need to know
(Pocket-lint) – We might live in the age of streaming media, but there are still countless reasons to find value in a good DVD player. Many of us have massive collections of TV and movies on that format, after all.
Best Blu-ray players: Feel the power of your Full HD or 4K discs with a BD player
Moreover, you can never be sure when a movie might disappear from a streaming service, and many more obscure titles are only available on physical formats. So, whether you need to replace an old workhorse or you’re just starting a new DVD collection, here are some of the best DVD players on the market.
Our guide to the best DVD players to buy today
Sony
Sony DVPSR210P
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This sleek DVD player from Sony looks really nice and classy, with a glossy front and super compact design. It’ll work with both DVDs and CDs, too, so if you hook up a sound system you could have a multi-use box.
There’s an included remote for easy controls, and it’s simple to get it controlling your TV as well, making for an impressive package.
Jinhoo
Jinhoo DVD Player
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It might be a less recognisable name, but this is also a really impressive device, and it’s barely bigger than the size of a DVD itself.
There’s a great blue light that’s nice and futuristic to indicate its status, and the included leads and remote will make setting it all up a total doddle.
ELECTCOM
ELECTOM DVD Player
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Electom enters the fray with a super solid DVD player of its own, one that gives great picture quality and can work with HDMI or older cables.
There’s also USB input if you need it, rounding out an impressive package that has really decent build quality.
Majority
Majority Scholars Compact
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With an interesting design that splashes its maker’s logo across the top of the box, this is a DVD player that ticks every box you’re likely to need.
It’s compact and small, easy to fit into a cabinet or TV stand, and has the outputs you’d want, including HDMI. Picture quality should be really good, and the price is right, too.
Tojock
Tojock DVD Player
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Another player with an interesting lightbar that will let you know when a disc is spinning up or the box is powered on, this is a great little box from Tojock.
It’s really well priced and comes with cables for an easy start-up process, and works exactly as it says on the tin.
Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Dan Grabham.
Matthew Wilson 3 days ago Console, Featured Tech News
The new generation of gaming consoles has only just begun but as always, both console makers are already preparing for the future. This week, supply chain sources claim that Sony is already planning its PS5 refresh, which will move to a 6nm APU.
Citing supply chain sources, DigiTimes reports that Sony is already preparing a redesigned PS5, likely to be a ‘PS5 Slim’, with better power efficiency and hopefully lower hardware costs too. Currently, the PS5 uses an AMD 7nm APU produced by TSMC, but the PS5 Slim would use an updated chip based on the 6nm process, which in turn will bring power efficiency gains.
These efficiency gains enable console makers to slim down their designs, as we saw with the PS4 to the PS4 Slim, or even the Xbox One to the much smaller Xbox One S. These mid-gen slim consoles often also lower the price barrier for new customers by anywhere from $50 to $100 USD.
Don’t expect Sony to announce a PS5 Slim anytime soon though, apparently the company is targeting late 2022, so exactly two years after the initial launch of the PS5.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: What we’re talking about here is a slim model of the current PS5, not a beefed up console like the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X from last generation. Still, if it lowers prices and takes up less TV stand space, then that’s good news all around.
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I’m sticking with The Handmaid’s Tale for now; in the latest episode we see a lot of very improbable situations that need to happen in order to move the plot along but at last, finally, the main story moves away from Gilead. Does that mean things are going well for June? I don’t think it’s a major spoiler to say “nope, not really.” But we get to see some backstory for Janine, who asks June some uncomfortable questions in the present. More of that, please. The back half of the season looks promising.
Our trailers this week have a theme of sorts: Sequels. Trailers for the sequels to A Quiet Place and Stranger Things, and third trailers for Loki and In the Heights.
A Quiet Place Part 2
As my colleague Alex Cranz noted, this movie had its theatrical premiere last March but was abruptly pulled from wide release shortly after because of the pandemic. So Paramount is going to try again, because they really want to give it a run in theaters, apparently. The latest trailer shows some flashbacks (hi John Krasinski!) to the attack by the sound-sensitive aliens that wiped out most of civilization, but most of what we see is the time period immediately after the first movie’s ending. Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds reprise their roles from the first movie, trying to be quiet and connect with other human survivors. A Quiet Place Part 2 also stars Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe, and Djimon Hounsou, and was directed by Krasinski. It hits theaters March 28th, and will be on the Paramount Plus streaming channel 45 days later.
Stranger Things 4
This is an unsettling preview of what Eleven’s life was like before she escaped from the facility where she had experiments performed on her— OK look. I liked the first season of this show because I am a child of the 1980s and a fan of Winona forever, and, because Millie Bobby Brown gave a spectacular performance as the abused Eleven. But I don’t know if I can sit through another season where she endures misery after misery (although, I am currently midway through the latest season of The Handmaid’s Tale so…). Please bring back Hopper for reals, show? No release date yet for Season 4, but as my colleague Andrew Webster pointed out the other day, if they don’t get on with it, the lovable kids from Hawkins, Indiana are going to be in their mid-20s before this drops. Let’s go, Netflix!
Loki Trailer 3: “Doing Great”
The god of mischief (played by Tom Hiddleston) jumps out of a plane in this latest trailer for Loki. We don’t get a whole lot of new details about what’s coming from Marvel’s latest TV series in trailer No. 3 but can this show hurry up and drop already please? Loki premieres on Disney Plus June 9th.
Halston
Ewan McGregor stars as larger-than-life fashion designer Halston who built a fashion empire amid all the excesses of the 1970s and 1980s. The miniseries also stars Bill Pullman, Vera Farmiga, Rory Culkin, and Krysta Rodriguez (as Liza Minnelli!). Halston debuts on Netflix Mary 14th.
In the Heights: 96,000
The latest trailer for the movie version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway play In the Heights focuses on a major plot point: Someone bought a lottery ticket worth $96,000 from the bodega where main character Usnavi (played by Anthony Ramos) works. In the Heights comes to theaters and HBO Max on June 11th.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is hosting Saturday Night Live this week. He’s coming in fresh from Wednesday’s successful Starship prototype landing but also on the heels of recent customer complaints about Tesla’s Solar Roof costs and last month’s deadly Tesla crash. If you have the desire to spend part of your Saturday finding out if the self-proclaimed Technoking makes a good comedy show host, here are the details.
How do I watch?
SNL airs on NBC, and it’s available to watch on the NBC website if you have a cable login. It will also be available on other live TV streaming services like Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and Fubo TV.
If you don’t catch it live, SNL episodes are available on Hulu and Peacock the next day.
When does it start?
It starts at 11:30PM ET on May 8th, which is — you guessed it — Saturday night.
What will happen?
Miley Cyrus will be performing. Beyond that, who knows! Perhaps Musk will make a bunch of references to Dogecoin, do a skit where he re-creates the faces he pulled while smoking weed, or joke about rockets catching fire. Maybe his Twitter charisma won’t quite carry over, or maybe he’ll shock us with a surprisingly good delivery of a witty monologue. It remains to be seen, but either way, I’m sure we’ll hear all about it on Twitter.
Comics have never been bigger: with Marvel TV shows, DC movies, and indie adaptations growing by the day, comic books have never been more prominent in pop culture. This biweekly Verge column recommends comic series new and old, whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer.
With most mainstream comics today tending to skew more toward sci-fi superheroes, Boom Studio’s Coda is a perfect gateway for those who prefer swords and sorcery — set in a magical post-apocalypse with some of the best comic art around.
What is it? Coda is a 12-issue fantasy comic set in a desolate apocalypse after a gigantic, magical war between the forces of good and evil that cost the world most of its magic. Think Mad Max: Fury Road if it happened after the final battle in Lord of the Rings, with magical power instead of water as the scarce resource that everyone is fighting for.
Coda is as much a story about a husband and wife figuring out their complicated marriage as it is a soaring fantasy epic. The story focuses on a bard, Hum, who’s traveling with his mutant pentacorn (a unicorn with five horns), the Nag, as he tries to save his wife from the threat of the remaining Urken (Coda’s version of orcs).
Image: Boom Comics / Matias Bergara
Despite the initial premise, as in real life, things aren’t as clear-cut as Hum would like them to be: his wife, Serka, is no damsel in distress, and Hum’s perspective on their relationship doesn’t tell close to the whole story. Hum’s journey quickly spirals out of control. Despite his reluctance to get involved in anything (he frequently reminds others that he’s retired), his quest gets interlinked with the fate of whatever’s left of the world.
Adding to everything is the absolutely gorgeous artwork. Coda is fond of gigantic, jam-packed spreads crammed full of detail, rendering Hum and Serka’s world with soft colors, harsh lines, and neon-soaked highlights. Story aside, it’s worth a look just for the art alone.
Who is it by? Coda is written by Simon Spurrier, who’s also worked on Star Wars: Doctor Aphra and a variety of Marvel comics (most recently Way of X, a fantastic look at the Krakoan X-Men’s age of immortality that just came out). Artwork is by Matias Bergara, a frequent Spurrier collaborator, with colors by Michael Doig.
Where can I read it? All 12 issues of Coda are available on digital comics platform Comixology. The series has also been collected into three paperback volumes for those who prefer their comics in physical form.
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