Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2025 i Stuff UK

Hello and welcome to the issue! This one has plenty of audiovisual delights in the form of three mega-tests. Firstly we’ve looked at a whole array of soundbars, from cheap one-boxers right up to those with surround-sound Dolby Atmos brilliance. Then we have a roundup of sub-£500 4K TVs for you to peruse – because no longer does a budget price point mean poor specs. But in case you want something capable of going even bigger, we’ve also looked at a bunch of excellent projectors so you can stream your movies directly onto a wall. Some are even battery-powered and have automatic keystone correction, so you can project anywhere – as long as you choose a surface that’s flat and not wibbly-wobbly. Elsewhere we’ve reviewed two of the latest foldable…

To some kids the idea of reading a book is about as appealing as a visit to a backstreet dentist – but is it any wonder when they’ve grown up playing Call of Fortnite, trading NFTs on their iPads, and watching Harry Potter and the Haunted Vape in 4K? However, there are ways to make reading more attractive. This sprog-friendly version of the Kindle Colorsoft has a 7in screen with a special filter layer that adds a splash of colour to make graphic novels and comics pop. It also comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, which offers over a thousand books that would barely touch the sides of the 16GB storage even if your young ’un downloaded every single one. You get tools including Vocabulary Builder and Word…

from £349 / go.stuff.tv/PW4 It might look practically identical to the old one, but Google’s newest smartwatch has some crucial upgrades that make it sorely tempting ● Fool four a pretty face If you were to line up all four generations of Google’s Pixel Watch in an identity parade, it would probably take most people a while to pick out the differences. Well, why change a tasty recipe? But there are key upgrades: available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, the Pixel 4’s always-on AMOLED display curves over at the edges for bezels that are 15% smaller than before, so you get more screen to play with. With peak brightness of 3000 nits, it’s also 50% more luminous than the Pixel Watch 3. ● Holding out four a hero Despite having…

from £319 / go.stuff.tv/Watch8 ■ This year’s more mainstream Galaxy Watch keeps the design simple. The strap seems to melt into the watch body, and the circular screen protrudes up from it. I think it looks great, especially when paired with a minimalist watch face. ■ There are just two buttons at the side, sitting almost flush to the case. Regular gym goers can reassign a double-press of the top button so it jumps to the exercise screen instead of returning to the last-used app. ■ Unlike the Classic, this watch gives you two options: 40mm and 44mm, each in Wi-Fi-only or LTE flavours. You might only be getting an extra 0.2in of screen, but the 44mm model also comes with a much bigger battery. If it doesn’t look too…

The Bose Smart Soundbar has a party trick: it sounds way larger than it looks, making it ideal for those who don’t have a massive telly or loads of free space. At less than 70cm, this bar is around the width of a 40in TV, not today’s 55in norm. Despite that, its soundstage is significantly wider and taller than most in this test. Getting expansive and dynamic sound out of a relatively small box is this thing’s calling card. And while Bose’s decades-long experience in psychoacoustics no doubt has a part to play, a lot of it is down to good old speakers. The side grinder leaps tonight This bar’s drivers pump out sound from the sides and upwards from the top, as well as from the front. It even does…

The best own-brand Amazon gear is near-absurd value for money. The worst is trash. This soundbar is part of the first group. Phew. For starters, just look at how big this thing is. At almost a metre long it’s one of the larger soundbars on test. And while size isn’t everything, the physics of sound matter a lot when you don’t want to spend a billion dollars on R&D. The Soundbar Plus has three classic pairs of speakers on the front: three full-range drivers, each paired with a tweeter. And there are two pure bass speakers hidden around the back. Mellow submarine Amazon gives your ears a lot to appreciate here. Bass depth is better than the much pricier Bose on p42, even delving into the proper rumbly sub-bass region. The…

NEBULA X1 This bright and breezy do-it-all projector is happy both indoors and outdoors Anker may be known for its phone chargers and A power banks, but the company also does a solid line in home cinema projectors. The triple-laser X1 is the top-spec model it currently offers under its Nebula sub-brand – and it’s a hugely impressive unit. I could comfortably chew through my entire wordcount yapping about the optical arrangement and how it’s reflected in picture performance, but I’ll skip to the key info: it’s very, very bright and very, very contrast-rich, with vivid colours, crisp detail and well-implemented HDR. In a darkened room, playing The Last of Us Part 1 on PS5, I found the low evening sun in the Boston scenes searingly bright, while the gloom…

1 Apple iPhone 16 from £699 / go.stuff.tv/iPhone16 This year’s iPhone Pro lineup is a mighty fine selection to choose from (see the 16 Pro at No6 on this list), but it’s the standard model that does more to impress. The camera control button and the 2x telephoto zoom are great to have in particular, while the battery life is excellent. The 6.1in screen’s refresh rate is fixed at 60Hz, which is a bit disappointing, but Apple clearly believes most people don’t care about that. Stuff says A pleasing update that’s much more appealing than spending more to go Pro NOW ADD THIS Apple MagSafe Charger The latest version of Apple’s wireless charger lets you fuel up your iPhone at up to 25W. from £39 / apple.com ● Prices quoted…

1 Sony WH-1000XM6 £399 / go.stuff.tv/XM6 Sony’s noise-cancellers only needed subtle upgrades to stay ahead of the pack for this generation – these are the most complete headphones the company has ever delivered. The combination of exceptional comfort, class-leading ANC and versatile sound profiles results in a pair of cans that will adapt to anything you care to throw at them. For those who spend hours each day immersed in music or media, they’re worth every penny. Stuff says Superb sound, jaw-dropping ANC and the return of foldability keep Sony out in front NOW ADD THIS  TwelveSouth AirFly SE This adapter lets you use your XM6s wirelessly with the headphone port on a plane, with 20hrs of battery life. £40 / twelvesouth.com TIPS & TRICKS • Enable spatial audio and…

1 Amazon Echo Spot (2nd Gen) £80 / go.stuff.tv/EchoSpot The Spot can do everything Alexa normally can, making it much more than just an alarm clock. Play podcasts, audiobooks and music from various providers, as well as controlling smart home devices from the comfort of your bed. Different animations appear on the display for things like the weather and song titles or calendar events. Stuff says A fully capable Alexa device that also happens to be a pretty good alarm clock NOW ADD THIS Honeywell T6R This Zigbee-enabled thermostat is wireless so you can place it anywhere. £160 / screwfix.com TIPS & TRICKS • You can tap the front to skip songs or snooze an alarm. Handy when you’re still half asleep. • Use the Alexa app to customise the display…

1 Fujifilm X-T50 £1149 / go.stuff.tv/XT50 This is a wonderfully compact mirrorless camera with a distinctive top plate covered in control dials – including one dedicated to Fuji’s excellent film simulations. On paper it should deliver identical image quality to the flagship X-T5 (both have the same sensor and image processor), and that is absolutely the case: the 40MP sensor captures amazing detail, noise is well maintained at all ISO levels, and sharpness is on point across the frame. Stuff says A brilliant camera that puts Fuji’s fine film simulations front and centre NOW ADD THIS Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f2.8-4.8 An essential first lens for any Fuji newcomer, the 16-50mm is well suited to most scenarios. £599 / parkcameras.com TIPS & TRICKS • With film simulations on a dedicated dial now,…

The app that invented workplace misery? I thought this page was supposed to be fun? We’re pretty sure workplace misery predates digital spreadsheets, and Microsoft didn’t invent those anyway. That dubious honour goes to the creators of VisiCalc, which debuted on the Apple II six years before Excel; it was the first app to automate complex spreadsheet calculations via a magical grid of cells packed with data. Excel only became a glimmer in Microsoft’s eye after its own Multiplan failed and Lotus 1-2-3 had risen to dominate the PC market. OK, fine. The app that amplified workplace misery on the PC, then. Still not fun! And still not accurate. Excel was first released on Mac, after a handbrake turn initiated by Bill Gates during development. Not a bad shout, because…

Cool Can came from my frustration with drinks going warm. My background is in drinks, and one of the issues I had was that I didn’t like the way canned drinks go warm when you’re on the go. I thought, surely someone’s addressed this, but I found nothing. There were some attempts at self-cooling cans by the big boys – Coca-Cola, Carlsberg and Heineken – but they never cracked it… Naively, I thought I could do this easily, so I looked into the science of it – and over time I got to a position where the Cool Can was starting to work. Perseverance has been key for me. Like James Dyson with how many vacs he tried, I made thousands of variations of self-cooling cans, and there were 50…

DAINTY DISCS The iPhone indicator Apple AirTag Still haven’t found what you’re looking for? Don’t be like Bono: with Apple’s slick circle you can locate anything. Paired and shared with a tap, it bounces a secure Bluetooth signal off nearby iPhones, iPads and Macs. And when you’re close, Precision Finding takes over. £35 / go.stuff.tv/AirTag The loud locator Chipolo Pop Subtlety’s not what you need when your possessions are playing hide and seek, so this bold button is anything but shy. Available in a rainbow of vibrant shades, it works with both Apple and Android networks – and its 120dB ringer is one of the loudest around. £30 / go.stuff.tv/ChipoloPop The bargain beacon Spigen TagMe Want Apple tracking at a discount? This sculpted puck lets you tap into the Find…

£410 / go.stuff.tv/Osmo360 ■ With a matt grey shell and two convex lenses staring out from opposite sides, the Osmo 360 feels premium without being flashy. It’s IP68-rated, which means it’ll happily shoot in the snow or a rainstorm and can even survive a dip in the sea. ■ From the moment you power it on, the Osmo 360 feels snappy and solid. Boot times are nigh-on instantaneous, touchscreen menu navigation is smooth and connecting to the companion app is rapid. ■ The 8K video is sharp, detailed and vibrant, although colours sometimes get over-saturated. It stitches the two cams’ videos together with hardly a seam showing and ruthlessly removes selfie-sticks from the footage. Stabilisation is also excellent. ■ Whether you’re using the mobile app to throw together a quick…

1 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 from £1799 / go.stuff.tv/ZFold7 Cutting a few features has turned the Z Fold7 into the best of the current foldable breed. The lack of stylus support might sting a little for the small minority who used an S Pen on older Folds, and battery life is becoming a bit of a lead weight for Samsung phones in general. But the Z Fold7’s svelte form, expansive screens and capable rear cameras otherwise bring it up to par. Feature-packed software and swift performance then make it very easy to live with indeed. Stuff says  Slim, speedy, and with superior snappers: Samsung has finally got a foldable right 2 Honor Magic V3 £1300 / go.stuff.tv/MagicV3 The Magic V3 is the first foldable we’ve used that’s like having a…

1 OnePlus Watch 3  £319 / go.stuff.tv/OPWatch3 This is a simply superb wearable, with the best battery life of any Wear OS watch – thanks to silicon-carbon cell technology borrowed from OnePlus’s smartphones – and subtle yet meaningfully improved styling. Health tracking has taken a big step forward, even if we’d still give the edge to a top-tier Garmin for more serious stattery; but with pricing on its side, the OnePlus Watch 3 should be right at the top of any Android smartwatch shopper’s list. Stuff says  A more refined take on an already fantastic watch that lasts longer and is even more fitness-friendly 2 Apple Watch SE from £219 / go.stuff.tv/AppleWatchSE The SE is easily the best-value Apple Watch. It tracks sleep and all the exercise metrics you need,…

1 Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max £1999 / go.stuff.tv/AmbeoMax Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform sonic feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of its sound is remarkable – and the more affordable (but still hugely powerful) Plus version is also worth a look. Stuff says The Ambeo Soundbar Max is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still 2 Sonos Arc Ultra £999 / go.stuff.tv/ArcUltra It’s scarcely believable that such high-quality sound can come from such a diminutive form. The Ultra is about as big as upgrades get, with much more quality on offer than you get from the standard Arc. Stuff says Incredible for movies,…

1 Sonos Move 2 £449 / go.stuff.tv/SonosMove2 The ‘2’ means our favourite speaker is now even better. Sonos has upgraded the Move in the areas that matter most: sound quality and battery life, the latter of which has more than doubled. Our only criticisms are about the high price and the weight – and the Sonos app, which has been a pain for years now. Line-in is also a little bit of a faff with the extra adapter… but if you’re in the market for this box, you’re probably beyond cables. Stuff says Beefed-up audio and a longer-lasting battery – a winning combo NOW ADD THIS YouTube Music Premium If you’d like a side of optional visuals with your audio, try the ad-free tier of YouTube Music. £10.99/m / music.youtube.com TIPS…

If you’re looking for just one good reason to get a new soundbar this year, Yamaha has gone all out and given you 12. Most Dolby Atmos soundbars only have a couple of upward-firing speakers (if any), but Yamaha has gone way further with its latest effort. At each end of the 90A bar are six 28mm drivers that point at your ceiling to bounce the sound off it and give the impression that there are noises coming from above – and for once they won’t just be the people upstairs who seem to have a pet elephant. Behind the front grille you’ll find four oval-shaped midrange speakers and three tweeters, while the wireless subwoofer should give Nellie a taste of her own medicine. Then there’s the pair of battery-powered…

IT’LL TAKE OLD CARTRIDGES, AND THERE’S A RANGE OF NEW-BUT-OLD CLASSICS TO BUY Blimey, could that thing be any more yellow? You could probably cover it in banana custard while singing Coldplay’s sickliest hit and the needle on the yellow-o-meter would start to shift a little, but there’s no doubt you’d struggle to spot this retro console in a field full of daffodils. The eye-catching paint job is in honour of Pac-Man first appearing in arcades 45 years ago, so the woodgrain panel on the front of the original Atari 2600 (and the 2023 reissue) has been switched for one showing the famous dot-muncher being chased by the ghosts from the game. But wasn’t the Atari version of Pac-Man absolute guff? Good knowledge. In actual fact, 1982’s Atari 2600 port…

It’s not quite as intimidating as the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but the new Watch8 Classic is a sizeable bit of wristwear. It reimagines the bigger brother’s styling, again setting a circular screen inside a square-ish case, but slimming things down at the sides. A coin-edge bezel then sits on top, rotating with a nice click as you bi-directionally scroll through onscreen menus. Being able to tap and swipe the screen while stationary, but not having to hit tiny touch targets while exercising, makes this the best wearable input style in my book. I’m a fan of the squircle shape because I like my watches to make a statement, and it means there’s more case between the screen and anything you might accidentally bash it against. Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass helps…

SAMSUNG Q990F Has the top Atmos soundbar just got even better? Back in 2020 Samsung brought out the best mainstream Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Q900. Now, five years and several generations of tweaks on, we get the Q990F. It’s similar, yep, and it’s also still one of the best soundbars in the known universe. But it’s much more than that too. The Samsung Q990F is ideal for the person whose inner interior designer (or outer one, perhaps their partner) won’t let them go all out on a separates surround system. Its main bar is paired with a wireless subwoofer and a pair of compact rear surrounds. This is the full package; power cables are the only connectors required. It comprises a quite ridiculous 23 drivers, including upwards-pointing ones for Dolby Atmos…

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£249 / go.stuff.tv/P100SE ■ Just as cars often get a facelift for the new model year with different-shaped bumpers and headlights, so mid-life tech is increasingly getting a spruce-up to boost sales. Cambridge Audio is the latest to add a lick of paint to its fine P100 headphones, now presented in a Special Edition (SE) version that’ll be taking over from the original model. ■ Aesthetically they’re the same as the year-old P100s, although they are available in this smart royal blue hue as well as black and off-white, and they do up the price from £199 to £249. But there are tweaks – for a start, comfort has been improved thanks to a softer headband, not that I ever had a problem with the old one. ■ The audio…

THE BASICS ■ Tame the glass Apple’s new Liquid Glass is part Windows Vista, part tech demo, with a see-through UI and refracting light. It can make stuff hard to read. To reduce the effect (and turn it into Liquid Glass That Someone Painted Grey), go to Settings and turn on Accessibility > ‘Display & Text Size’ > ‘Reduce Transparency’. ■ Block nuisance calls Tired of unknown callers? In Settings > Apps > Phone, turn on ‘Ask Reason for Calling’. That’ll get you a transcription of why they’re calling, whereupon you can pick up or ignore. Enable ‘Move to Unknown Callers’ to funnel all missed randos to a holding pen. ■ Power up chats Irritate friends in Messages by tapping the avatar atop a thread, then Backgrounds, then the animated…

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1 Sony WF-1000XM5 £219 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM5 The WF-1000XM5 in-ears are significantly smaller than the XM4s, which were already a lot more compact than their predecessors. And yet Sony has still squeezed even larger drivers inside each earbud, along with the firm’s best noise-cancelling yet. The feature list is as extensive as ever, and they’re priced to compete with Bose’s best. Add in decent battery life and a strong app, and you won’t find anything more well-rounded for less. Stuff says Excellent noise-cancellation, a comfy fit and simply stellar audio NOW ADD THIS Spigen Rugged Armor Case This drop-resistant outer shield comes with a carabiner clip for keeping your buds within reach. £20 / amazon.co.uk TIPS & TRICKS • Sony’s eartips are great, as long as you use the right size.…

1 Apple iPad Pro (M4) from £999 / go.stuff.tv/iPadProM4 The latest iPad Pro gets incredible processing power, while being slimmer than before. The performance gains are quite staggering… and the only question is, why has Apple bothered to upgrade this tablet quite so much? It offers a level of capability that most people won’t ever need – so this is really a powerhouse for the 1% who edit or design with the stylus. And for them, the talented Pencil Pro is also a serious upgrade on the standard Pencil. Stuff says This really takes iPad power to the next level, even if iPadOS still needs more multitasking clout 2 OnePlus Pad 3 from £529 / go.stuff.tv/Pad3 It’s hard to think of anything more you could want from an Android tablet – regardless…

1 Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) £55 / go.stuff.tv/EchoDot5 The latest Dot offers improved sound quality over the 4th Gen model. Not surprisingly given its size, it still doesn’t have the heft of a full-scale Echo, but this Dot is more than good enough for bedside table or kitchen listening. The only pity is that Amazon has discontinued the better ‘with Clock’ variant in favour of the Echo Spot. Stuff says The 5th Gen brings a nice upgrade to an already excellent little gadget NOW ADD THIS Wall Mount for Echo Dot This mount for the Dot (and other small speakers) will keep it clear from wet kitchen surfaces. £14 / amazon.co.uk 2 Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset £90 / go.stuff.tv/XboxWireless Now with the added bonus of Dolby Atmos, the sound of these…