149 GADGET REVIEWS

NETFLIX MEET YOUR

MASTERS
TRICKS LEGO & LGS
Binge like a pro ROBOT ARMY

9 ESSENTIAL TV
POWER-U S
POWER-UPS

P P L E V S
A T T LE. SE T T L E D.

E
T B A

L
G G E S

G
B I
TECHS

FINALLY!
GO O TESTED
ESTED
Googles
genius
Echo rival
The Canon
youve been
waiting for
www.stuff.tv March 2017 4.99
 Connect your home to a
deeper music experience
Channelling forty years of audio engineering and design excellence, we present
Mu-so a range of compact, yet commanding wireless music systems. Simple to connect,
Mu-so offers total control via the Naim App, so you can unleash your music wherever its stored,
in breathtaking quality. With a host of versatile features, you can sync up to five systems
to play the same song beat-for-beat in any room of your home.

AirPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Experience at John Lewis, selected Apple stores and our network of specialist audio retailers
naimaudio.com
 CONS
ON THE
COVER P59

p32
Alexa
lives!

P10

p40
Phoney

HOT STUFF TESTS

war

10 The Hot Four 59 First test Canon EOS M5

Razer Project Valerie
Sony Bravia A1
HTC U Ultra
Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20
16 Vital stats Dell XPS 13
Our favourite Windows laptop gets flippy
18 Gigapixel Navdy head-up display
I must dash, so get off my dash
20 Apps
New downloads and a virtual Touch Bar
22 Start menu
Brew the perfect cup of tea from your sofa
24 Icon Nvidia Shield
The TV streamer/console that listens
26 Games
Its time to practise settling on another planet
28 Choice Geek T-shirts
Wear your nerdy heart on your (short) sleeve
30 Vital stats Panasonic DMC-GH5
Not-very-compact system camera with 4K
32 Best of Alexas new friends
Is there an Echo in here? Not necessarily
36 Your month
Explore Scarborough in Minecraft
Honey, I shrunk the EOS 80D
64 Group test Soundbars
These sound-emitters set the bar high
74 Tested Garmin Vivosmart HR+
Get to the heart of your fitness troubles
75 Tested HTC 10 Evo
If you cant beat them, undercut them
84 Versus Smart speakers
Google Home squabbles with Amazon Echo
p84
Ideal 86 Group test Sports headphones
Home? A sporting selection of run-ready buds
96 First test Apple AirPods
The funny white sticks that killed your jack
98 Group test Smart TV boxes
Reach for the Sky or maybe the Fire?
100 Tested Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9
A serious phone with a comedy price
101 Test BeoSound 1
Not just a pretty wireless speaker?
102 Long-term test Asus Zenbook UX31OUA
Your new MacBook Air isnt even an Apple
p88
Tricks
for flix

4
03.17
WIN!
p37

P38

P115

FEATURES TOP TENS FREE!

38 The crown duels
Google vs Apple, Mac vs PC, PlayStation vs
Xbox its survival of the techiest
62 Upvoted Board games
Put down the controller, pick up the dice
72 Instant upgrades PlayStation VR
Immerse yourself deeper in Sonys world
77 The 25 best indie games
Its the golden age for bedroom-born video
games, but which titles are the greatest?
82 Gadget Doctor
Help, my data keeps running away!
88 Beta yourself Netflix
Flick through these TV streaming tips
91 Stuff picks Smart home
Turn your house into a little gadgetopia
104 Media hoard
Not Snakes on a Plane, but zombies on a train
109 The Stuff Top Ten of everything
Your essential gadget-buying guide:
Smartphones, tablets, headphones, TVs,
smartwatches, fitness trackers, laptops,
hi-fi, consoles, games, home cinema,
smart home, system cameras
111 The big question
How do I become invisible online?
115 How to buy... a TV CASE LOGIC
A television guide worth reading LARIMER
117 Should I upgrade? Chromecast Ultra BACKPACK
Should you dongle up for the 4K revolution? When you
119 Playlist Work music subscribe
Find your sonic motivators for the office to Stuff
121 Streaming essentials
Top treats on Netflix, Amazon and Now TV
127 5-minute hacks
Make a Microsoft HoloLens for 25
Save up to 53%
on the cover price

p106

5
 Welcome
Subscriptions Hotline
0344 848 8806
World: +44 (0)1604 251 460
Email
help@stuff.
themagazineshop.com
Web
www.themagazineshop.com

Advertising
020 8267 5493
Group Head
A wise sod once said, The destiny of man is to unite, not
Stephen Windegaard
Sales Managers
to divide. Unfortunately, that choice phrase was uttered
Robert Nevill,
Ben Hardy before the internet existed and people felt the need to
argue over which smartphone OS is best.
Retail Manager Rob Kerr
Display Sales Executive
Amy Turner
Classified Sales Executive
Joshua McGonigle
Rather than tackle such eternal conflicts in a YouTube comments
Creative Solutions
Project Managers section, weve done the job in 18 pages. So from Nikon vs Canon
to PlayStation vs Xbox and Apple vs Google, this magazine is
Liam Maguire,
Hannah Pettifor
Creative Solutions
Editor-in-Chief
Will Findlater
dedicated to the techy conflicts that define the gadgets we buy
International Advertising
Director Chris Marriott and what Stuff squabbles about on its lunch breaks. Mercifully, we
didnt have room for a full-blown FIFA vs Pro Evo face-off or wed
Business Development
Director Mike Walsh

Production
020 8267 5414 have got no work done this month.
Production Manager
Anthony Davis As it is, we spent the best part of a week at the CES show in Las
Senior Production Controller
Paul Skinner
Newstrade Marketing
Vegas in search of the new tech well be talking about for the rest
Manager Nick Lyon
of 2017. That meant a lot of 4K TVs with awesome OLED screen
Management
Brand Director wizardry, robots that are so smart they can control your entire home
Alastair Lewis
Editorial Director
Mark Payton
and, erm, a Bluetooth hairbrush. Just turn to p10 to gawp at our top
Strategy & Planning Director
Bob McDowell picks from the show and start fostering an unhealthy resentment
Managing Director
David Prasher
Chief Executive
to all the old gadgetry you own from last year.
Kevin Costello Just as you cant blame technology for its never-ending march
Volume 21 issue 3 towards the future, you cant blame me for thinking the latest
ISSN: 1364-963
On sale 2 February2017
Audit Bureau of
Pro Evo is nothing less than total guff. Sorry guys, but Im having
Circulations: 62,624
(Jan-Dec 2015) the last word on this one.
Rob Leedham, Editor / @robleedham
PEFC Certified

WAIT,
HOW DO
This product is
from sustainably
managed forests and
controlled sources

PEFC/16-33-197 www.pefc.org
I GET THAT
COVER?!?
SEE P106
2017, Haymarket Media Group Ltd.
Printed by William Gibbons, Wolverhampton.

GET THIS WANT TO

Distributed by Frontline Ltd, Midgate House,
Midgate, Peterborough, PE1 1TN.
Stuff, ISSN 1364-963, is published monthly

MONTHS REVIEW
by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House,
69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, UK. The
US annual subscription price is $75.50. Airfreight

DIGITAL EDITION STUFF?

and mailing in the USA by agent named Worldnet
Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor,
Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid
at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send
address changes to Stuff, Worldnet Shipping Inc.,
156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY Stuff is also available for If you know your
11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained
at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, iPad or iPhone download gadgets, you could
69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, UK.
Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. it from the App Store, or be on our panel
All rights reserved. This publication may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or turn to p106 for this months of tech experts:
in part without the written permission of the
publishers. Liability: while every care has been subscription offer. find out more at
taken in the preparation of this magazine, the
publishers cant be held responsible for the Android fan? Stuff is also techpanel.co.uk
accuracy of the information herein, or any
consequence arising from it. In the case of all available on Google Play, Zinio
product reviews, judgements have been made in
the context of ware based on UK prices at the and Exact Editions.
time of review, which are subject to fluctuation
and only applicable to the UK market.

www.stuff.tv facebook.com/joinstuff twitter.com/stufftv google.com/+stufftv

7
 Making Stuff up
Editor
Rob Leedham I PLAYED WITH MY FITNESS
Deputy Editor VIVES TRACKER BAND FORCED
Tom Wiggins On the bus ride into Las ME INTO THE GYM
Production Editor Vegas, home of the annual Whenever I get a new
Richard Purvis Consumer Electronics Show, gadget, Ill spend hours
Consulting Editor my driver proudly noted the citys hotspots. on the sofa playing around with it. But when
Fraser Macdonald From beating slot machines to getting hold I got my hands on Samsungs Gear Fit2 this
Reviews Editor of medical marijuana, this woman always had month, I was forced into the gym for the first
Tom Morgan a tip up her sleeve. The one thing she didnt time in two years. Barbaric, isnt it? I initially
Features Editor know about? HTCs new Vive Tracker, which felt better for treating my body to some
Mark Wilson can turn anything into a VR peripheral. For physical therapy, but in the following days
Deputy one glorious hour I was a crack sniper, alien I had to suffer the pain of climbing flights of
Features Editor photographer and all-round badass. Its the stairs with aching limbs. But worst of all? My
Esat Dedezade most fun you can have in Vegas without new fitness tracker still had the cheek to call
Editor, Stuff.tv going broke or faking a doctors certificate. me out for sitting in my chair for an hour.
Marc McLaren Rob Leedham, Editor Ryan Jones, Staff Writer
Deputy Editor, Stuff.tv
Tom Parsons
Staff Writers
Ryan Jones,
Chris Rowlands
Social Editor
Natalya Paul
Colouring Stuff in
Brand Art Editor
Chee-Chiu Lee
Deputy Art Editor
Ross Presly
Senior Designer
Will Clarke
Senior Video Editor

OUR MONTH
Peter Brown
Keeping Stuff in order
Global Editor-In-Chief
Guy Cocker
International Director Trips to Vegas, the Design Museum and the gym
Alastair Lewis
Syndication Enquiries
Isla Friend
020 8267 5058
Brand Manager I GOT A ROBOT I VISITED
Claire Griffiths FOLLOWER THE PINBALL
Office Manager There I was at the Design HALL OF FAME
Sarah Weetch Museum to see the Forget TVs, drones and
Contributors exhibition Fear and Love: smart home tech the
Mitch Payne, Andrew Reactions to a Complex World. And there best thing I saw in Las Vegas was the Pinball
Williams, Craig Grannell, Mimus was: a curious robot, sizing up and Hall of Fame. If youre a fan of flipper-based
Andrew Hayward, Matt
Beedle, Pete Gardner, Alex zooming towards the visitors. Hold on fun, its an oasis in the desert, housing over
Fanning, Daniel James, Matt arent the visitors meant to ogle the objects 150 machines renovated to their original
Thrower, Andy Madden, behind the glass, not the other way round? condition. Highlights included seeing the
Amy Davies
Cover photography Designer Madeline Gannon wants to original 1940s Bally machines for the first
Matt Beedle explore how we can build a companionship time (pictured), rediscovering the Bride of
with robots. But as Mimus weigs 1200kg, if Pin-Bot, and realising that they still actually
Email us
stuff@haymarket.com I did bring her along to a social gathering my make pinball tables including Game of
Call us 020 8267 5036 friends might find her a little intimidating. Thrones and The Simpsons editions.
Natalya Paul, Social Editor Guy Cocker, Global Editor-In-Chief
Haymarket
Media Group,
Bridge House,
69 London Road,
Twickenham
TW1 3SP
Stuff is a member of the
Independent Press Standards
Organisation. We abide by the
Editors Code of Practice and are
committed to upholding the highest
standards of journalism. If you think
we havent met those standards and
want to make a complaint, contact
stuff@haymarket.com. For more
information, contact IPSO on 0300
123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

Haymarket is certified by BSI to environmental

standard ISO14001 and energy management
standard ISO50001.

9
 H O T S T

HOT
FOUR
#1
THREE IS THE
MAGIC NUMBER
RAZER PROJECT
VALERIE
Before pulling out this sucker in a coffee
shop, youre going to want some suitable
entry music. The Ride of the Valkyries,
say. Get that playing, roll back the cuffs on
your leather trenchcoat and then break
out the Razer. Try to maintain eye contact
with someone as you unfold each of its
three 17.3in 4K screens. Make sure the
keyboard is cycling through its full LED Oi, mate, want
rainbow before completing the third act one of these?
of your CostBucks performance: plug in Some things are too
and don a VR headset. (It can be Oculus or awesome to go back in the
Vive while not revealing specs, Razer cupboard after a show. This
say its three-screened monster will was perhaps the thinking of
run either.) Youre not even using the the thief who stole both
screens, some babyccino-sipping urchin Valerie prototypes
will breathe. And your day is done. from CES.
As hot as 4K x3
tba (prototype) / stuff.tv/ProjectValerie

10
U F F
23 PAGES
OF THE BIGGEST
STORIES FROM
PLANET TECH

Gee, how do
they sync?
By using Nvidias G-Sync
tech. Theres one GeForce
GTX 1080 graphics board in
the laptop running all three
displays with, says Razer,
the very minimum
of lag.

TALKING ABOUT THE PRETTY LIGHTS

Theres more to those backlit keys than
you might be aware. Razers Chroma
system allows game developers to
set colour profiles for particular games,
highlighting useful keys as the fragging
happens and adding ambience.
And other hardware manufacturers
can get in on the act too, incorporating
Chroma tech into their smart home
products. Imagine your Philips Hue bulbs
pulsing when you get hit.
Razer has some hardware of its own:
a projector system with the prototype
name of Project Ariana. At the very least
itll project screen-matching ambient
colours, but it might also show peripheral
action, or display your games map up on
the wall next to your screen.

11
 H O T S T U F F

HOT
FOUR
#2
FINALLY! AN
OLED RETORT
TO LG BORES
SONY BRAVIA A1
When the A1 TV arrives on British shop
shelves, neighbourhood grownups are
going to grab one. Why? Because that
smuggins at no.42 wont stop sniping on
about his LG OLED TV and now that
Sony is doing an OLED, they can finally
return fire. As delayed ripostes go, the A1
is a doozy. Wafer-thin but with a groovy
tabletop stand, its 55in, 65in and 77in sizes
will all be made perceptively bigger by the
lack of bezel. The coup de grace will be the
sound system: Sony has turned the whole
screen into a driver, vibrated by actuators
behind the glass. No way no.42 can parry
that blow unless hes bought LGs
ultra-thin W7 TV (see below). The rat!
As hot as a screen thats a speaker
thats also a screen
tba (due spring) / stuff.tv/BraviaA1

MEANWHILE AT NO.42
Our evil neighbour has indeed ordered
LGs new Signature W7, and we cant
blame him. Despite having all the 4K
and HDR badges for its 65in and 77in
sizes, its just 2.57mm thick, with an
indiscernible magnetic wall mount.
Cost aside, the only thought is where
to put the Dolby Atmos soundbar, as
it has all the gubbins and connections.

12
 H O T S T U F F

Spec savour
Nearly all your
acronyms and buzzwords
are here: 4K, HDR10, Dolby
Vision, Android TV. Nearly?
Theres no HLG, the specific
HDR format recently
trialled by the BBC.

HOT
FOUR
#3

RATED U FOR
UNMETAL
HTC U ULTRA
If this were a film, someone would have
just said Yeah, the Vive and Google Pixel
have been solid outings for HTC, but what
it really needs is wait, do you hear that?
Cut to a glass of water, vibrating, then
WALLOP. A huge truck emblazoned with
the words HTCs flagship smartphone
resurgence comes crashing through the
wall. Mouths gape; dust settles. A tiny
door in the side opens (FX: dry ice) and
out slides the HTC U Ultra. The drama is
justified, as this is a radical phone. Curved
glass body, 5.7in QHD screen and, above it,
a smaller 160x1040-pixel screen showing
icons of wisdom from the Sense
Companion assistant software.
Cut to: Stuff getting one for review
As hot as melted glass
$749 (tba) / stuff.tv/HTCUUltra

13
 H O T S T U F F

Hey, thats
a big watch
Many people will say this
to you as an F20 owner. And
theyre right: 62mm across.
But then, you can add: as its
Wear 2.0, it has the entire
Google Play Store
in there.

HOT
FOUR
#4
WATCH YOU TAKING WITH YOU?
CASIO PRO TREK SMART WSD-F20
If youll forgive our saying so, you look like
someone whos first. First up to check the
surf, first onto the lake on your paddleboard,
first to the summit, first back to the ski lift,
first of your group to require reconstructive
knee surgery. Early adopter, or just a FOMO
go-getter, you might be interested in Casios
new outdoorsy smartwatch. As we write
this, its set to be the first to get the 2.0
version of Androids Wear OS. That means
more apps that work without a smartphone;
and, helpfully, the F20 also has a low-power
GPS chip built in. Except that youll have to
take your phone with you anyway no point
being first at stuff if youre not also first to
Instagram it.
As hot as burnt orange
tba (due April) / stuff.tv/ProTrekSmart

14
The best
wireless headphones
in the world
are now ofcially
the best
wireless headphones
in the world.

P5 Wireless 229.99
Buy from bowers-wilkins.co.uk/P5Wireless

Also available from John Lewis, Amazon

and independent specialist retailers
V I T A L S T A T S
DELLS XPS IS NOW FLIPPIN HANDY
Dell XPS 13
from 1349 / dell.com
How do you make the Dell
XPS 13 better? You give it
tablet morphing powers...
Same name, new game
Eagle-eyed Ultrabook fans will
recognise the XPS 13 name, but
Dells taken its powerful, portable
and popular laptop and cracked
it. Well, sort of: its scooped up the
best bits of the existing XPS 13
winner of the laptops supertest in
our February issue given them
a boost and stuck them into a
hybrid shell that will rotate right
round on itself.
16
Small talk
The complicated hinge might have
added heft, but the carbon fibre
and aluminium body works hard:
turning the scales to 1.2kg, its not
tablet-light but its hardly a rock.
Its slimmer than a Surface Book,
so it ought to slip nicely into your
satchel. Dell says its the smallest
2-in-1 laptop in the world.
Every tricks in the book
But theres more. Its also had
a host of hardware upgrades,
including the option of a nifty
fingerprint scanner for use
with Windows Hello. The lineup
includes Kaby Lake i5 and i7
chips, SSD storage up to 512GB,
and 4GB or 8GB of RAM.
Back to basics
Sadly, theres no 4K option for the
13.3in display, with the convertible THINNER THAN A
XPS 13 retaining the Full HD and
Quad HD+ resolution versions of
S
SURFACEC BOOK,
OO ,
the previous model albeit now ITS CLAIMED TO
touch-enabled. Dell reckons itll
do 15 hours on a single charge, BE THE WORLDS
though, which should be enough
to get you through a fair few
SMALLEST
episodes of Rick and Morty. 2-IN-1 LAPTOP
 H O T S T U F F

Despite going
all Autobot with its
power to transform into
a tablet, the convertible
XPS is still a power-
jockey that can
compete with any
laptop.

Its Mindstorms for the under-10s (and us)

LEGO BOOST
For all the startups making coding toys for kids, the giant mule that is
Lego just Buckarood their efforts into dust. Shame. But Boost does
look great: a whole system of programmable pieces and a block-coding
app, aimed at a lower age point than its existing Mindstorms codables.
Instructions for five starter models come with Boost, including a
playable guitar, a robot called Vernie and an AutoBuilder a mini-
production line for making Lego models. But its the custom projects
well be excited about come August. Uh, excited for our kids, we mean.
tba (due August) / lego.com

A LITTLE LESS
PORTABLE, A
LOT LOUDER

DELL XPS 27
Should the lack of a 4K display
on the XPS 13 be a deal-killer,
this new all-in-one desktop
might be the pixel-munching
solution. While the 3840x2160 An unobtrusive observer of over-indulgence
screen is impressive, its your
ears thatll be overjoyed.
FUJIFILM FINEPIX XP120
Unlike most all-in-ones Being dropped from a height of 1.75m, then dunked to 20m, then
that have a couple of speakers frozen to -10C, and then rolling in some dust well, thats just
bodged in somewhere, the XPS a standard night out for us. But we dont normally take a proper
27 has ten. Lets count em: four camera with us, because of the bulk. The XP120, despite its
front-facing mid-range drivers, toughness, only weighs 203g. And it also has some clever remote
surrounded by two tweeters, shooting smarts, through a smartphone app, so we can even put
plus two downward-firing it down somewhere during the really exciting moments. Now
full-range boosters and then, has anyone got any antiseptic spare?
two passive bass radiators. US$229 (tba) / fujifilm.com
In a word, whoomp!
from $1500 / dell.com

17
 The bigger picture in tech

YOU SAY HELLO, I SAY

Its all the fault of your parents,
encouraging you to be popular.
Get a decent tribe of family and
friends, they said youll never
want for anything. Except for
some bloody peace! The constant
calls about trivialities like coming
home or when youre coming
to pick us up from school because
its cold. Sheesh. Youve had
to get yourself this $799 Navdy
head-up display, which connects
to your phone via Bluetooth and
shows calls, texts, notifications,
navigation and trip data. Gesture
control lets you dismiss it all while
barely diverting your eyes from
whats important in life: the road.
Shut up, Casey F.

18
 H O T S T U F F

NEWS FEED

VR NOT ALONE
Having dunked our minds
into VR gamescapes and
been tickled by the notion,
we now want to take things
in there with us which
means attaching one of
Vives new Trackers to
them. Gloves, guitars,
guns expect to see these
prongy wonders all over
the VR universe this year.

WHATS ON, TV?

Amazons Alexa earnt her
money at this years CES
show, popping up on all
sorts of gadgets (see p32).
Googles Assistant, only
so far found on the Allo app,
Home speaker and Pixel
phones, has noticed: it has
a new OK, Google home
in Android TVs and Nvidias
Shield box (see p24).

CAMPER-WHEN?
Volkswagen, you cant
keep doing this. It hurts
when you promise us a
new bus but then dont
deliver. And yes, the
twin-motor 4WD system
sounds clever and useful,
but it also sounds like a
good reason why we wont
see it in real life any time
soon. Stop this, VW.

19
 A P P S
This months mobile must-downloads
1 2 3
IN THE
SPOTLIGHT

DUET
DISPLAY
7.99 / iOS,
macOS

4 5 6

Perhaps you
watched Apples
MacBook Pro
reveal and had
a little cry. That
Touch Bar looks
pretty swish,
but short of
mortgaging your
parents youre
never going to
afford one.
But if youve an
existing Mac and
7 8 9 an iPad knocking
around, you can
at least sample
the delights of
Apples latest
innovation.
Install Duet
Display on the
Mac and connect
the iPad using a
Lightning cable.
The tablet then
runs as a second
display and
1 Brian Eno: Reflection 2 Pigment 3 The Happiness you can weld a
30 / iOS, tvOS free (IAPs) / iOS, Android Planner virtual Touch Bar
Its quite spendy, but this latest Colouring-in is good for stress 2.29/month / iOS to the bottom of
collaboration between Eno and but bad for grinding paint into the Can you really plan for happiness? the screen to
Peter Chilvers is like having brainy carpet. Pigment is the best digital Probably not, but this minimal find out what all
Brian live-remixing his latest album take around unlike rubbish tap- freebie to-do manager wants to the fuss is about.
from inside your device. And he to-fill pretenders, this one feels like help you try, through reflection If youre on
doesnt even need feeding. the real thing, just without mess. and focusing on what matters. Windows youre
out of luck
regarding the
4 Sensual Sax 5 Galaxy on Fire 3 6 Atomic Pinball Touch Bar trick,
3.99 / iOS free (IAPs) / iOS 2 per table / iOS, Android but Duet Display
There cant be many apps with a Although not actually on fire, the This gorgeous ball-spanger finally works with
massive sex wheel at least not galaxys again being heated up by arrives on Android. You can choose Microsofts
that Apple would approve. But this everyone shooting at each other. between crazed Mexican wrestling finest when it
virtual instrument is all about the More linear and less Elite-style and huge stompy robot themes, comes to basic
sax: spin the wheel to make it look bigness of space, this third entry both tables offering plenty of dual-display
and sound smokier and sexier. is ideal for budding Han Solos. noisy, high-octane action. functionality.

7 Hitman GO 8 Oceanhorn 9 Pokmon GO

1.49 / tvOS
With its weirdly adorable take on
assassination, turn-based stealth
puzzler Hitman GO was perfect
on mobile. Turns out its a hit (oho!)
on Apple TV too. The superb Lara
Croft GO has also been ported.
4.49 / iOS 4.99 / Android
The islands of the Uncharted Seas
whiff of Zelda, but its great to
see this adventure finally show
up on Android. You have hours here
of duffing up aggressive wildlife,
pilfering bling and getting questy.
free (IAPs) / watchOS
Apple made a big deal last year
about Pokmon GO coming to
Apple Watch, and its now here
sort of. The wrist-based bit is just
alerts and monitoring sadly, you
cant flick your arm to hurl balls.

20
 H O T S T U F F

DECIPHER
ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN

#19 QLED
Think you can just Swann in here? Rob Leedham

SWANN SMART SECURITY CAMERA OK. Heres how TVs were

in 2016: LGs OLEDs were
A truly industrious burglar will, before turning over your abode, map the best you could buy
your cameras and cut your cables then cancel the milk and send off at any price; Samsungs
for a load of cruise holiday catalogues to be delivered to your house Quantum Dot sets
for ever more. The fiend. But he didnt figure on you having bought a were the best you could buy without
squadron of Swann wireless cameras theyre battery-powered so remortgaging your house.
you can put them wherever. Infrared movement detection will trigger For 2017, its all changed. Panasonic
a video clip, night or day, with room for 3000 such clips in its 8GB and Sony have joined LG on the OLED
memory. Battery life is three months, before microUSB recharging bandwagon, leaving Samsung as the
is required. Should Wi-Fi still be up, you can get notifications from the only one of the big four TV companies
camera and check the footage. Even if youre away on a cruise. still using just LED. Its bigging up its
tba / swann.com own tech, though, by coming up with
the cheeky QLED name.
A QLED television is an LED-backlit
LCD TV with special colour-enhancing
particles. These particles are tiny,
WTF? Use the wheels to steer the hi-fi between 2 and 10 nanometres in
diameter, and are ridiculously efficient
at producing saturated blues and reds.
Samsung says QLED can produce
brighter sets with greater colour
accuracy and thats becoming
a really important factor in TV land
thanks to the rise of HDR (High Dynamic

SAMSUNG RECKONS IT
CAN GET OLED-RIVALLING
PERFORMANCE AT A
LOWER PRICE WITH QLED
Range), which relies heavily on increased
A bit of a leap contrast, brightness and vibrancy to
deliver its eye-popping pictures.
SAMSUNG H7 The core difference is that, while QLED
TVs require a backlight, OLED TVs dont
Once youve bought one of these grand, shiny boomboxes and given
because each OLED pixel emits its own
it pride of place in your home, youre going to have to sit down and
light. Thats good for contrast one pixel
make a list. Stick some music on while you do it. At the top of your bit
can be pure black, while the one next to
of paper write My new speaker can upscale 8-, 16- or 24-bit music
it can be spanky-bright.
to 32-bit. Then underneath, in two columns, list those of your
But another key difference will be
friends who will say Wow, yeah, it sounds great and those who will
price: OLED panels are still expensive,
go And you believe that, do you? Ha. Stick the list in your pocket,
and Samsung reckons it can squeeze
and adjust your introductions to suit. Or, just dont let the second
OLED-rivalling performance out of its
lot in. Who wants a load of audiophile snobs in their home
QLED sets at a lower price point. We
anyway? Let them stew in their own pessimism.
hope its right, and well be finding out
tba (due summer) / samsung.com
as soon as March.

21
 S T A R T M E N U
The latest startups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

TE -
R
AR K
ST KIC

The temperatures risin

and its rather surprisin
STAGG EKG
Some acquisitions are made
after careful quantification.
You establish that the item in
question will have a positive
effect on your life in this case,
a kettle that can be set to any
temperature you choose, and
will keep it there for up to 30
minutes. For a few dollars more,
you can have the EKG+ version
with Bluetooth, and fiddle with
your temperatures from afar.
See? All this is justifiable. But
sometimes higher cogitation is
bypassed we really want one
of these because we think the
way it pours from that long,
narrow spout will be gorgeous.
from US$109 /
fellowproducts.com

BACK IT

STACK IT

BAG IT
GO E-

TE -

TE -

TE -
R

R
AR K

AR K

AR K
GONDI

ST KIC

ST KIC

ST KIC
I

Core skills Bark psychoanalysis Hole lot of options Youre so vein

STEALTH
Some part of you already
knows that, after two tries
of this human joystick core
trainers gyroscopic games,
youre just going to download
episodes of Let The X-Voice
Shine and sit captivated not
realising that youre smashing
world records for length of time
in the plank position.
US$179 /
facebook.com/gameyourcore
JAGGER & LEWIS
SMART COLLAR
A considerable amount of
work has gone into establishing
gradations of dog behaviour.
After many years of top
boffinry, we can now add
Unhappy Dog to Good Dog at the minimalism, and wait
and Bad Dog. Scientists
want to further their research
using your pet and this
behaviour-recording collar.
tba / jagger-lewis.com
HYPERDRIVE SHAPEHEART
When Apple began taking Some of us have recently been
ports off its computers, we re-watching the early works of
couldnt help but snort a Arnold Schwarzenegger. We
product aimed at multimedia noticed, while watching 1977s
pros with nowhere to plug in Pumping Iron, what a lot of
cameras? Yet now we marvel veins some people have on
their biceps. Which is good,
for products like HyperDrive because thats where this
a USB-C adaptor for HDMI, cunning mash-up of phone
DisplayPort, etc to come holder and optical HRM will be
along so we can deminimalise. looking to pick up the beat.
US$99 / hypershop.com 99 / shapeheart.com

22
 I C O N
NVIDIA SHIELD
190 / nvidia.co.uk
Thats an odd-looking Apple TV.
Quite largely because it isnt one.
Rather, its Nvidias sequel to the
original Shield box, a TV streamer-
meets-games-console and
it also happens to be an Android
powerhouse of big-screen thrills.
Ive already got a powerhouse.
Well, were pleased for you. But
this is a little bit different: powered
by a Tegra X1 chip, its a seriously
capable bit of kit in fact, its at
24
least three times faster than the
Roku Ultra, Amazon Fire TV and
Apple TV. Which is pretty nippy.
What, so itll play my old DVDs?
Actually, no but itll do much
better. Think 4K HDR content,
straight to your telly. It plays nice
with Amazon Instant Video, as
well as handling 4K content from
Netflix, YouTube and more. And
games, naturally, are now gathered
into a single menu, regardless of
whether theyre Android titles or
streamed either from your PC or
from Nvidias online game system,
GeForce Now.
Game on. But can I talk to it?
The Shield will listen, courtesy
of Google Voice support. When
Google Assistant arrives (shortly)
the Shield will support that too,
for a proper home hub experience.
Telling your TV box to turn up the
house heaters. Whatever next, eh?
E
THL S
A ND IL NK
L K LD WTHA E
TA HIE EN, OGL T
S IST O AN
L O G IST
T SS
A
But what if I want even more?
What, more than 4K pictures,
hundreds of games and smart
voice control in a sub-200 box?
That seems rather greedy. Still,
Nvidia seems to have anticipated
this, because its also releasing a
280 Pro model of the new Shield.
That one packs 500GB of storage
making it an ideal home for the
Plex media server, which is built in.
If you want even more than that,
youre just being silly.
 H O T S T U F F

Its looking at you too
ACER PREDATOR Z301CT
During a gaming session, your wiggly fingers and burning-hot brain
play very active roles. Your eyes, though, not so much. Just wobbling
about in a stream of photons. Its time for that to change. Tobii
eye-tracking tech in this gaming monitor will with compatible games
such as Deus Ex enable in-game actions or camera moves based
on where youre looking. Of course, you might flummox it by simply
looking at your lovely new monitor. Its a 2560x1080 30-incher,
with 200Hz refresh and, ooh, look at the curved edges
No, concentrate! No more lazy-eyed gaming.
899 / acer.com
DROP
EVERYTHING
& DOWNLOAD
TomTom Sports
free / iOS, Android
We like TomToms wearable sports
trackers, but its fair to say weve never
been bowled over by their corresponding
MySports app. This is a company that
made its name through intuitive and
minimalist sat-nav user interfaces, and
yet its fitness app was both higgledy and,
frankly, piggledy. Well, finally TomTom has
given it a major scrub-down and dress-up.
Its now just called Sports, and promises
to be a much more ordered hub for all your
activity tracking. Its got more powerful
data analysis for serious sportsters,
but also exercise reminders and social
challenges for fitness funsters. You will
need a TomTom watch: Touch, Runner,
Spark and Adventurer are all supported.

Bargain among flagships

HONOR 6X
Time was, spending less than 300 on a smartphone meant risking a
rough ride through shoddy components and sub-par performance. No
more: the Honor 6X is the latest in a line of pound-friendly phones and
it brings some serious specs to the table. Sure, its design is hardly
revolutionary, but theres no arguing with an octa-core chip, two-day
battery life and a dual-lens camera setup that should deliver stellar
snaps whatever the weather. Itll be a boon for the impatient too,
unlocking in just 0.3 seconds via the fingerprint reader.
224 / hihonor.com

25
G A M E S
FIRST PLAY NIER: AUTOMATA PC, PS4
Chances are you didnt play the
original Nier game back in 2010.
Its a cult classic, which is what
people call games that werent
quite good enough to sell by
the truckload.
Quietly causing some
excitement seven years later,
though, is its sequel, which you
dont need to have played the
original to understand.
You play as 2B, who, as it turns
out, isnt a giant pencil but a
sword-twirling humanoid robot.
This being a Japanese game, 2B
takes the form of an impossibly
stretched femme fatale in
26
stockings, heels and a blindfold.
Because thats what wed all put
on for a day doing battle against
an army of machines bent on our
destruction, right?
The most common machine
youll come across looks a lot
like the little green man from
the Android logo, albeit made
of concrete. But dont be fooled
by their chummy appearance.
Youll need to fight off their
attacks using a combo of the
giant swords on 2Bs back and
a sentry gun that hovers over
her shoulder, which can be
fired independently of the
DUE
10 MAR
way shes facing. That comes
in handy when the game
shifts perspective, becoming
a top-down, twin-stick shooter
reminiscent of the likes of
Geometry Wars. At other times
it flattens side-on to become a
2D scrolling platformer.
Most of the time, though, this
is a fairly familiar hacknslash
thats not entirely dissimilar to
Bayonetta probably because
some of the same developers
were involved in making both.
Some dodgy voice acting aside,
Nier: Automata is looming large
on our gaming horizon.

FIRST LOOK BUILD A HOME AMONG THE STARS
OSIRIS: NEW DAWN PC
Steams Early Access area might require
an industrial-sized threshing machine to
find your way through the chaff, but said
contraption occasionally throws out one
to watch. With its latest Dawn of Aziel
update, survival-based space-em-up
Osiris: New Dawn is probably going
to fall squarely into the one to take a
punt on crate.
Like a cross between The Martian
and Starship Troopers, it finds you
crash-landed on an alien planet. Tsk,
ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION EARLY ACCESS GAMES
EVERSPACE PC, Xbox One
If youd prefer to explore the outer reaches
of the galaxy from within the safe confines
of a cockpit, Everspace lets you do so. But
dont get too comfortable gazing out of the
window at that lovely scenery, because
it wont be long before a gang of space
baddies turn up and try to put an end to
your nice little sightseeing tour.
typical. Fortunately, unlike The Martians
lonely protagonist Mark Watney, you
have friends to help you survive. At least,
you can do. While No Mans Sky made a
point of your isolation, this planet can be
explored and colonised with other human
players by your side. And judging by the
giant insect-like aliens that inhabit it,
youd probably be wise not to venture
too far on your own.
Whether youre gathering minerals,
cultivating resources on your rapidly
DAY OF INFAMY PC
Battlefield might have finally returned
to its retro roots, but with Call of Duty
heading into space theres a big crater in
the market for a good old WW2 shooter.
Day of Infamys online-only 32-player
skirmishes strip things back to basics, so
its all about good old-fashioned reactions
and effective teamwork.
H O T S T U F F
expanding base, braving the ever-
changing weather in the hope of taming
an exotic alien species, or jumping in your
spacecraft to explore the new ice world
of Aziel, could this be the game you had
in your head before playing NMS?
Early Access means its not bug-free
(Sometimes when Im in a cave I can still
see the sun through the floor, reads one
psychedelic user comment), but even
as a work in progress, theres a lot to be
excited about in the Gliese 581 system.
THE ART OF FIGHT PC
The first-person multiplayer shooter is
VRs holy grail, but fast-paced movement
is difficult to translate. Whether The Art of
Fights push/pull system has solved the
problem is up for debate, but using motion
controllers to get around is better than
bumping into a wall as you chase down
a n00b with an assault rifle.
INCOMING
MARCH
HORIZON: ZERO DAWN
GHOST RECON: WILDLANDS
MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA
SEA OF THIEVES
APRIL
SNIPER: GHOST WARRIOR 3
YOOKA-LAYLEE
MAY
RIME
27
C H O I C E

GEEK
T-SHIRTS
Because that Camden
market Pokmon tee
has seen better days

1 KITT Dashboard 1 2
Not sure about you, but we can
easily divide our lives into three
states of being: Auto Cruise,
Normal Cruise and Pursuit.
Occasionally, were just Parked.
11.99 / properganda.co.uk

2 Rabbit Hand
Shadows
The longer you look, the more you
start to question which side of
the looking glass youre even on.
Is the dog actually wagging you?
17.37 / spreadshirt.co.uk

3 Origami Unicorn
Its terrifically uncool to show any
interest in the new Blade Runner
remake. But this is subtle, right?
You might just be a unicorn fan, 3 4
something thats never not cool.
20 / lastexittonowhere.com

4 Fin Tee
Some folk will think youre a fan of
French cinema, others that youre
a supporter of the British surfing
scene. Just ignore that one guy
going on about shark fin soup.
30 / finisterre.com

5 Ghetto Blaster
Oh, cool. Is that one of those
wearable tech T-shirts with the
sewn-in speaker? So I just press
here and wow, OK. Its not. Now
I wish I had a rewind button.
16 / homeofretro.com
5 6
6 I Want My MP3
Wonderfully, sublimely retro.
The song is old, the format is
antiquated and the very concept
of a cringy text pun on a tee is
deliciously 1990s. We love it.
8.99 / etsy.com

28
 Over 170 brands booked
with more to come!
th

ANNIVERSARY

24th 26th February 2017. 10 a.m. 5 p.m. every day at the Bristol Marriott City Centre Hotel

HI-FI, STREAMING, HOME CINEMA,

PROJECTORS, VINYL, HEADPHONES
- THEY ARE ALL AT BRISTOL!

Witness the launch of dozens of new products,

with many brought directly from the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas
NAIM AUDIO Discover Uniti by Naim, the

revolutionary new streaming platform
REGA launch a new version of their best
SAVE TIME selling entry level integrated 50wpc stereo

& MONEY
amplier - the Brio
ADMISSION
Buy Your Adults
12.50 on the door 10,000 OF HI-FI
Tickets 11 online* TO BE WON IN THE WHAT HI-FI?
SHOW COMPETITION
Online
* Students & Seniors (over 65)
11 on the door
.uk 9.50 online*
www.bristolshow.co
Multiple day tickets BOWERS & WILKINS demonstrate the 800 Series

available online only Diamond in a variety of congurations for the

Accompanied Children rst time in the UK
Under 16 FREE
Q ACOUSTICS The worlds rst public

*online booking fee applies

demonstration of the Concept 500
loudspeakers
BRANDS INCLUDE: Acoustic Energy, Air Audio, Albedo, Alpha Design Labs (ADL),
Amphion, Anatech Distribution, Apollo Hi-Fi, Arcam, Armour Home Electronics,
NOVAFIDELITY The NEW X50 Music Server with

Art Vinyl, art:one, Astell & Kern, Astin Trew, Atacama Audio, Atlas Cables, Auden
Distribution, Audeze, Audio Analogue, Audio Detail, Audio Note, Audio Technica,
Audioengine, Audiolab, AudioQuest, Auralic, AV Tech Solutions, Avantgarde
database plus much more
Acoustics, Bedini, Blue Horizon, Bluesound, Bowers & Wilkins, Brodmann Acoustics,
Bryston, Buffalo Technology, Canton, CH Precision, Chord Company, Chord OPHIDIAN The Prophet P1 and P2 high

Electronics, Chord Mojo, Class, Clearaudio, Clearer Audio, Computers Unlimited,

Convert Technologies, Creaktiv, Creek Audio, Custom Design, Cyrus, Dali, Decent performance loudspeakers will make their
Audio, Devialet, Diverse Vinyl, DS Audio, Dynaudio, ELAC, Elipson, Epos, Esoteric,
Exposure, Focal, Fostex, Furutech, GamuT, Goldring, Grado, Graham Audio, Harbeth debut alongside the award winning M-series
Audio, Hegel, Henley Designs, Hi-Fi Racks, Hi-Fi+, HiFi Critic, hORNS, IAG, Icon Audio, iFi
Audio, Innuos, IsoAcoustics, IsoTek, JL Audio, Karma AV, Kate Koeppel, KEF, Keith Monks,
Kennerton, Knosti, Kog Audio, Kudos Audio, Larsen, Leema Acoustics, Lehmann,
Markaudio-Sota, Mass Fidelity, MCRU, Melco Audio, Meze, Michell Engineering, Ming
Da, Mission, Miyajima, Monitor Audio, MSHD Power, Music First Audio, Musical Fidelity, GETTING TO THE SHOW
Musical Surroundings, Nagaoka, Naim Audio, Neat Acoustics, Nordost, Novadelity, BY TRAIN: Temple Meads Station is a short
NuForce, NuNu Distribution, Onkyo, Opera Loudspeakers, Ophidian Audio, Oracle distance from the Marriott.
Audio, Orbitsound, Ortofon, Pioneer, Plato, PMC, Power Wrap, Pre Audio, Pristine BY CAR: From the M4 take J19 (M32
Vinyl, Pro-Ject, ProAc, PSB, Puritan Audio Laboratories, Q Acoustics, Q-Up, QED,
Quad, quadral, Quadraspire, Questyle, Rega, REL Acoustics, Roksan, Rotel, Ruark - Bristol). Follow signs for City Centre and
Audio, Russell K, Scansonic, SCV Distribution, Select Audio, Sennheiser, Silent Mounts, RAC signs to the Show. For those using
Sonic Design, Sony, Sota Acoustics, Sound Fowndations, Spendor, SSC, Supra Cables, satellite navigation systems the hotel post
T+A, TAD, Tangent, Teac, Technics, Tellurium Q, The Vinyl Adventure, Timestep, Tonar code is BS1 3AD. Easy local parking in
International, Townshend Audio, Unison Research, van den Hul, Vinyls Best, Vivac, Cabot Circus car park and Broadmead
Wavelength Distribution, Wharfedale, What Hi-Fi?, Wilson Benesch and many more...
and Bond Street NCPs.

www.bristolshow.co.uk
For the latest news and a
full list of brands exhibiting Organised by In association with
please visit our website
V I T A L S T A T S
THE MOST POWERFUL
4K CAMERA EVER
Panasonic DMC-GH5
from 1699 (body only) / panasonic.co.uk
There are 4K cameras and
there are 4K cameras. And
Panasonics new Lumix
GH5 is the most 4K camera
weve seen yet.
This is why you should
be interested
When youre chatting about
4K video nowadays there are
a whole load of other buzzwords
to contend with. The Panasonic
Lumix GH4s stellar successor,
the GH5, packs the whole lot
of them into a compact system
camera thats actually the size of
your average DSLR. That means
60fps and 10-bit recording, as
well as HDR.
30
And this is that bit, but in
plainer language
If you invested in an Ultra HD
Premium-certified TV last year,
such as LGs OLED55C6V or the
Samsung UE55KS7000, then
the GH5 is a camera that can
film footage worthy of your lovely
new screen. Its basically the most
advanced 4K camera you can buy.
And, accordingly, its expensive.
The Lumix GH5 will cost 1699
(without a lens) when it launches
in March.
Plain language abandoned:
more techy jargon here
As youd expect for that kind of
money, the GH5 is handy at still
The GH5 has a
lovely deep grip,
five customisable
buttons and an
OLED display.
images too. This Micro Four Thirds
camera has a megapixel count
of 20.3 thats up from 16.05MP
in its predecessor while its
THE GH5 CAN
new Digital Live MOS sensor FILM FOOTAGE
has ditched the low-pass filter
for sharper images and finer WORTHY OF
details. Plus, with a hand from
Panasonics latest Venus Engine
YOUR ULTRA HD
image processor, this thing PREMIUM TV
is capable of lightning-quick
autofocusing speeds despite
having no less than 225 AF points,
where the GH4 only had 49. And
we havent even got round to
mentioning the upgraded 5-axis
Dual Image Stabiliser, which
lessens blurring in your photos
and video.

Hair today, trolled tomorrow
KERASTASE HAIR COACH BY WITHINGS
Have a little look around. Do you see anything youre sure isnt smart?
There! Didnt that coffee pot just wink at you? Thats because it just
read on the internet all about your hair. Your smart brush has been
telling tales on you, and not just to the app. It has a festoonage of
sensors, including accelerometers for measuring how you brush, force
sensors for how hard you brush and remarkably a microphone for
deducing your hair quality from the noise of the brushing.
200 / withings.com
Wandering ears
DENON AH-D7200
Were love-rats, us. One minute were proclaiming ourselves totally
committed to one pair of headphones and then, with a flash of
walnut, were heading for the door. But can you blame us? You can,
and you should. Deplorable. But theres no denying that the D7200s
are an alluring prospect. Try to resist those resonance-damping
walnut housings and the sheepskin leather earpads. Plus, Denon
has thrown all its audio know-how into the 50mm nano-fibre
drivers. The best part? Theyre available now.
699 / denon.co.uk
H O T S T U F F
WTF IS
QUADROFOIL?
That looks like a devilish dodgem car.
It basically is. If you swap the wheels for
foils and the electro-stick for an electro-
outboard. And put it on water. Anyway, the
Q2S Limited Edition is a seriously cool bit of
kit. Sibling of the standard Q2S, this floater
was designed by Slovenian firm Quadrofoil
as a fast future for aqua transport.
Faster than my paddleboard?
Itll top 40km/h, courtesy of a 5.5kW
electric motor. Securely buoyant at rest,
it rises up onto its foils at 12km/h, reducing
drag and cutting through the chop like
Sweeney Todd. Theres seating for two,
so youll be able to show off your skills to
your henchman/hostage/evil love interest.
Its got holes in the side. Wont I get my
Sean Connery suit soaking wet?
There might be a bit of spray, yes but
its all in the name of weight reduction.
Composite materials mean the modular
hull is seriously lightweight, with the whole
craft hitting the scales at just 335kg.
I like my water crossings like my cookies:
big. How far can this thing go?
Well, it runs on two lithium-ion batteries
which, in optimum conditions, will see you
buzzing about for two hours or around
80km. Thats more than enough time for
a good Monaco harbour chase montage.
Plus, no petrol means no direct emissions,
and an operating cost of just 1 per hour.
So I can take it out to sea?
If youre feeling dangerous, yes, though a
decent swell might soon see you covered
in salty spray. Wed be up for trying to get it
across the Channel, if only Quadrofoil would
lend us one to try.
Alright, sign me up.
Ah, sorry. True villains have beaten you to
it. Only 100 units of the Q2S Limited Edition
were made available for purchase and
theyve all sold, even before theyve been
built. You can order a standard Q2S Electric,
though, and itll be yours in summer for the
sum of 30,000.
31
 B E S T O F
ALEXAS NEW FRIENDS
The sweet-voiced
virtual assistant is
talking her way into
lots of manufacturers
R&D departments
PIXAR PAL
LG Hub Robot
We like our Amazon Echo but, lets
be honest, its lacking in the face
department. Thats not the case
with the LG Hub, which likes going to
fancy dress parties as Eve from Wall-E.
Thanks to Alexa integration, it can do the
usual voice-controlled tasks like finding
out the weather or streaming your
music. And if you happen to have
a house full of LG appliances, itll
control them too.
tba / lg.com
32
CLEVER COMMUTER
Ford Sync 3
Uh-oh, Alexas learned how to leave the
house. Fords tie-in will roll out in two
stages. First, round about now, owners
of the Ford Focus Electric, Fusion Energi
and C-Max Energi get home to car
functionality thatll let them use an
Echo to lock and unlock doors and
check its charge, all while sipping a brew
in the kitchen. More excitingly, in the
summer any Ford owners with Sync 3
will get in-car Alexa access.
ford.co.uk
BRIGHT BOT
Lenovo Smart Assistant
Alexa has made the leap into a more
colourful cylinder known as the Lenovo
Smart Assistant. With the same voice-
controlled abilities as the Echo, the main
difference comes with the design and,
thanks to a Harman Kardon edition, the
promise of better sound quality. Sadly,
Brits will have to carry on pretending to
talk to their Pringles, as Lenovo says it
has no plans for a UK release. But it will
be heading to US stores in the spring.
from $130 / lenovo.com

Control freak
SEVENHUGS SMART REMOTE
If youve never pointed a normal remote at a universal remote and
taught it IR codes button by button, then youve got no right showing
your face round here. Those of you still reading, good news: this smart
remote needs a LOT of setting up. It uses wall-mounted spatial sensors
to identify where youre pointing and changes its touchscreen display
to suit. Once its set up Sonos speakers, Hue lightbulbs, Apple TV,
PlayStation 4 etc youll feel like a master of the dark arts,
waving your wand and making change happen. But really its
the programming part were looking forward to.
from US$229 / remote.sevenhugs.com
Three into 4 does not go
GARMIN FENIX 5, 5S, 5X
Rather than go from the Fenix 3, of which there is one, to three models
called Fenix 4, which would be weird, Garmin has missed out 4 and
gone straight to Fenix 5 of which there are, as aforesuggested, three
models. All clear? Theyre all jammed with the same comprehensive
array of Garmins finest sensory whatnots the exception being
the Fenix 5X, which is the biggest, and therefore able to display
Garmin Topo mapping. The smallest of the trio, the 42mm 5S,
is carefully pitching itself at female fitness fans, with the only
casualty of its size being some stamina.
from 500 / garmin.com
H O T S T U F F
DROP
EVERYTHING
& DOWNLOAD
The Battle
of Polytopia
free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
As is becoming increasingly apparent, any
old muggins can rule the world. And heres
how were going to do it better: were
going to practise first. But only a little.
Rather than investing weeks and months
in a full sim-world game like Civilization,
The Battle of Polytopia is a mobile-based
explore, expand and exterminate game,
which has auto-generated maps to
prevent your world-conquering skills
from getting complacent. It has various
modes concentrating on your favourite
of those three desires, but none of them
should take you much longer than it takes
to, say, get a stone tablet made depicting
your party manifesto.
33
H O T S T U F F

Karma chameleon
THE HOUSE OF MARLEY
GET TOGETHER MINI
Should you be the kind of person who thinks all
modern music is recycled, it might amuse you that
a large proportion of this Bluetooth speaker is also
sustainably sourced. The Get Together Mini is made
from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton and recycled
plastic. Inside is a 10hr battery, charged via
microUSB, that powers two 1in tweeters, two
2.5in woofers and a passive bass radiator. Double
duty as a Bluetooth handsfree comes courtesy
of the built-in microphone; and if the leafy skin
isnt to your taste you can get it, karma and all, in
either black or denim blue. But who wants to be
black or blue when you have a speaker capable
of jungle camouflage?
130 / thehouseofmarley.co.uk

A for affordable, but A for adorable too

SAMSUNG GALAXY A SERIES
So youre paying, what, 50 or 60 a month for that
flashy phone there? These new Samsungs represent
another path: one where you buy the phone outright,
bag yourself a competitive SIM deal and save USE IT WITH
yourself maybe 30 a month. Thats a PS4 game, or
subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon and Now TV. Or a Giffgaff Goodybag
monthly debit for a couple of charities, so you can walk Rejoice! Youre no
proudly past those clipboard chuggers. This concept longer tethered to a
isnt new, but the Galaxy A3 and A5 make it worth contract. But now you
revisiting these 4.7in and 5.2in Androids are cant call your friends.
waterproof, with more RAM, more storage and bigger Try Giffgaffs bargain
batteries than previous Samsung models in this price SIM-only deals.
bracket. Just think about it, is all were saying. from 5/month
from 299 / samsung.com / giffgaff.com

FUTURE STUFF
BALANCING BIKES
Fraser Macdonald leathers up in anticipation of an undroppable moto
Honda appears to have an R&D budget to
rival that of Wayne Enterprises. The latest
madcap mash-up to come out of its
mucking-about barn is this motorcycle
with self-balancing tech.
At speeds below 3mph when a rider
would normally be instinctively taking a foot
off the pegs the system electro-twerks
the fork angle and rake to keep the bike
upright. The tech comes from Hondas work
developing the Uni-Cub, a one-wheel vehicle
for people with mobility issues think sit-on
Segway. Its engineers have basically bolted
one of these to the front of a Honda NC750
street bike.
At this point youre thinking, So what?
Im pretty sure Im capable of riding a normal
motorcycle, but I dont because I have a car.
Which has a heater. Fair enough. But, youll
have noticed, car ownership on our crowded
streets is becoming progressively less viable
and/or enjoyable. Coupled with the ongoing
catastrophe of Britains expensive and
shambolic public transport system, an
Asia-aping move towards mass transit on
two-wheelers makes a lot of sense and
so any new tech that could make riding in
traffic easier and safer is sure to raise our
eager eyebrows.
But forget all that socio-economic stuff,
because were missing out on the real reason
this is cool. A bike that balances itself doesnt
even need a rider! Which means it can be
summoned from its parking space possibly
by shouting To me, BatBike! But thats at
your discretion.

34
 I want to be
unhackable.
Thatss why I want a solution that
protects
ects me from online threats and
keepss me worry-free.

Get protected now at Kaspersky.co.uk

N hi g guarantees
Nothing g n complete
l protection,
ci so please
l exercise
i caution
ion online.
2017 Kaspersky Lab. All rights reserved. Registered trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
H O T S T U F F

24th
Watch

Moon(2009)
For no reason
at all
LEGO
WORLDS NOW
PS4, XBOX
ONE, PC
Dolly
the cloned sheep
Perhaps excited by having
unveiled
seen Scarborough built in
Minecraft you do take 20
YEARS
on all our suggestions, AGO
we hope the arrival
NEXT of Lego Worlds might
ISSUE be of interest too. Legos
April world-building, quest-
The Nintendo completing game is going
Switch takes for full release on both PC

FEB
the stage and consoles.
On sale
02/03/17
YOUR MONTH

18th
COASTIVAL 2017
SCARBOROUGH
Febs upside your head
This years seaside arts
and music festival has an
Unexpected theme, but
heres one thing you can
count on: Krash Labs and
local children have created
a virtual version of the
town in Minecraft, which
youll be able to explore.
Handy if its raining in real
Scarborough.

4th 17th
HAMLET
ALMEIDA, LONDON
You (sotto voce): Ere, its

1
that Andrew Scott off
the telly. He plays creepy
YEAR Moriarty alongside
AGO OR, STAY IN Benedict Cumberface
BBC AND PLAY
Ryan Norths
in the BBCs Sherlock.
Which is interesting,
Three To Be Or Not because the Cumberman
8th goes digital To Be
iOS, Android
also played Hamlet
a couple of years ago,
/ 3.99 at the Barbican!
EDINBURGH
MOUNTAIN
THRILL-POWER
OVERLOAD REDUX
14th
FILM FESTIVAL FORTY YEARS
Your average film festival OF 2000AD
[ Picture Spraoi/Tony Bartholomew ]

is full of foreign-language SUMMIT TO Britains world-famous

weirdness. A mountain TALK ABOUT sci-fi comic had its 30th
film festival, though, has Steph Davis birthday in 2007. We
snappy, action-packed BASE jumper missed it. You missed Watch Luisa
flicks bookended with Greg Boswell it. We were all busy. But, Omielans
talks by inspirational Climber ker-zap!, its updated its What Would
people such as cancer- Jamie Andrew 400-page retrospective Beyonc Do?
surviving polar explorer Amputee hardback with the extra
Luke Robertson. adventurer ten years, for us lateniks.

36
 W I N

Includes:
UNCHARTED 4
THE LAST GUARDIAN
RATCHET & CLANK
NO MANS SKY

WIN A PS4 SLIM GAMING

BUNDLE WORTH 440
There are some fun things you can do in life that
dont require a PlayStation snowboarding, eating HOW TO ENTER
chips, watching two greyhounds argue over a For the chance to really up your game,
tennis ball but wed trade most of them for an simply go to stuff.tv/win and answer
evening of Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End, the top title this challenging question:
in Stuffs console games Top Ten. And if you threw
in the console for free, plus a gaming headset and WHATS THE NAME OF THE
three more cracking games The Last Guardian,
Ratchet & Clank and No Mans Sky we might
CENTRAL CHARACTER
just have a bit of a swoon. IN UNCHARTED 4: HURRY!
Well, as youve probably worked out by now, A THIEFS END? COMPETITION
thats the prize in this months competition: one A Nathan Drake CLOSES
winner gets a PS4 Slim (worth 204), the slinkier B Nathan Woodpecker 9 MARCH
C Terence Trent-DArby
2017
new version of our favourite games machine, plus
a PS4 Platinum Wireless Headset (129), with 7.1 the Merciless
virtual surround sound for total sonic immersion
Terms & conditions 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.
in your gaming worlds, and those four highly rated 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 9 March 2017. 3 Prizes are as stated.
titles with a combined value of 107. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person.
For full Haymarket terms and conditions see stuff.tv/win
Sounds like a whole lot of fun to us and you can Promoter: Haymarket, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP
always go back to the greyhounds afterwards.

37
 GADGET WARS

p48 NIKON
VS CANON

p44 MAC
VS PC

p52 PLAYSTATION
VS XBOX

T H E CR OW N D U E LS
38
 GADGET WARS

SAMSUNG p46
VS LG

PSVR VS p50
VIVE

p40 GOOGLE
VS APPLE

[ Words Tom Wiggins Photography Matthew Beedle ]

We lco me t o t h e grea t S t u f f fa n b oy fa c e -o f f,
wh ere we pu t t ech s bi g r i v a l r i e s t o t h e t e s t
an d d eci d e wh at s rea l ly wo r t hy o f yo u r l oy a l t y

39
 GADGET WARS

GOOGLE
VS APPLE
G O OG LE P IXE L XL VS
A P PLE i PHON E 7 P LU S

Sega vs Nintendo, ketchup vs brown

sauce, Apple vs Google all great
rivalries of our times. But while one
war is over and one depends entirely
on what youre eating, Apple and
Google continue to fight it out for
smartphone supremacy.

DE SIGN
Google usually lets someone
else design its phones,
but the Pixel is all its own work.
Saying that, there are some pretty
obvious, er, inspirations. Those rounded
corners and antenna stripes sure look
familiar. The two-tone metal/glass
wont be to all tastes and the placement
of the fingerprint scanner on the back
divides opinion, but theres no arguing
about the big bezels on the front.
Whats the point when Android uses
on-screen buttons? Headphone socket
removal aside, Apple might not have
drastically changed the iPhones
design since 2014, but well take subtle
refinements over a flawed tribute.
D I S P LAY
Both phones arrive at this
fight with 5.5in displays
but as any insecure man will tell you,
its not the size that matters, its what
you do with it that counts. The Pixels
2560x1440 AMOLED panel does make
the iPhones look a little lacking in dots,
even if Apple has made the iPhone 25%
brighter than before, with more colours
squashed in too. But it cant quite
compete with the Pixels pitch-dark
blacks and rich contrast, which put it
up there with this generations very
best. In the real world the difference
might not be that noticeable, but youll
know on the inside. And thats what
really matters, right?

WINNER iPHONE 7 PLUS WINNER PIXEL XL

40
 GADGET WARS
719 /
from om
.c
g o o g le

719 /
fr o m .u k
o
th re e .c

W H AT A I D
YO U S
need
Will youxt
n e
your to have
phone phone
a head
socket?

27%
29%
44%
, wires
Nope015
are s o 2
Ill
Meh, manage
probably
love
Yep, I phones
my head

41
 CA ME RA
B E ST O F The 7 Plus is the only iPhone
T HE R E ST to get Apples nifty dual-lens
setup: one wide-angle, one telephoto.
You might be able It means the cameras more versatile,
to shun Apple with optical image stabilisation, 2x
optical zoom and a neat Portrait mode,
easily, but with which combines the two cameras to
Android, Googles throw the background out of focus
influence is never to simulate bokeh the holy grail for
too far away proper photographers. On the Pixel XL,
a 12.3MP sensor and powerful HDR+
mode combine for some impressively
detailed snaps, with consistently
excellent colours and exposure. Theres
no optical stabilisation but the autofocus
is speedy and shutter lag is non-existent.
The unlimited storage on Google Photos
is also a nice touch. Its a close call, but

WINNER iPHONE 7 PLUS

SAMSUNG
GALAXY S7
E DGE
Proof that Google
doesnt necessarily
make the best
Android phones,
Samsungs S7 Edge
might be expensive
but still leads the
way in design.

O NEPLUS 3T
Barely half the
price of the Pixel
XL, the OnePlus
3T is still the best
value Android
phone, even if the
upgrade from 3 to
3T did make it more
expensive.

HTC 1 0
Its been a quiet
time for HTC; and
while the 10 cant
quite match its
rivals, it does the
fundamentals
brilliantly, with a
two-day battery
life, pristine screen
and sleek design.

42
 GADGET WARS

OS BAT T E RY
Some people swear by the No matter how many cool
rigid familiarity of iOS, while features your smartphone
others are certain its stuck in the past. has, its of no use if it runs out of juice
The truth is theres no right or wrong quicker than a marathon runners fridge.
here, but the more we use it the more iPhones are notoriously lacking in
convinced weve become by 3D Touch, stamina but the 7 Pluss bigger battery WHY IM
with most major apps now supporting keeps it trucking for longer than ever. TEAM iOS
its pressure-sensing tricks. The Pixel, on Even if you barely put it down itll get Android is
the other hand, is the first phone to get you through a whole day, with Low customisable,
Android Nougat updates and patches. Power mode on hand to help you eke but I dont
Its also the purest form of the OS you out those extra few minutes when need all that
can get, untouched by manufacturers or things do get critical. The Pixel XL, on stuff to post
networks adding their own helpful apps the other hand, deals well with normal pictures of
and skins. In all honesty, the differences day-to-day stuff but struggles to cope funny-shaped
between the two systems are probably with more intensive work, like streaming veg. As far as
smaller now than ever but if youre video. Good job it comes with a fast Im concerned
aligned with one, that wont stop you charger, then, which can suck in seven it might as
slagging off the other, will it? hours of juice in just 15 minutes. well not be
there at all.
DRAW WINNER iPHONE 7 PLUS Tom Wiggins,
Deputy Editor

P OWE R & SPECIAL SKILLS WHY IM TEAM

STORAGE So what makes these ANDROID
Neither of these phones glowing rectangles stand Who cares
has expandable storage, so youre stuck out from each other? Of course, each about the OS?
with whatever capacity you plump for has its own AI assistant, but neither Android and
from the beginning thats what cloud yet feels like an indispensable feature iOS are near
storage is for, right? but Apple trumps for a phone (the Amazon Echo is better enough the
the Pixel with its 256GB option, which is because it just needs to be able to hear, same, except
most likely more than youll need. As for rather than having to be fished out of you can get
sheer grunt, the iPhone comes out on your pocket first.) While the iPhone is a decent
top in benchmark tests thanks to its now certifiably waterproof, the Pixel is Android phone
bespoke A10 chip, whereas the Google still scared of the wet stuff, although we for 200.
phone is using the same off-the-shelf are quite taken by its Live Cases, which Debate over.
Snapdragon silicon that all its rivals have let you print your own photograph onto Richard Purvis,
to choose from. That doesnt make it a slimline protective jacket. These also Production Ed
a weakling, though it chomps through come with an NFC-enabled button on
anything you throw at it with ease but the back that you can program to open
its the iPhones custom-made muscle the camera, turn off your Wi-Fi or launch
that comes out on top here. a particular app.

WINNER iPHONE 7 PLUS WINNER PIXEL XL

OVERALL WINNER iPHONE 7 PLUS

As good as its camera is, the Pixel XL is proof that
Google needs help from its hardware mates if it
wants to beat Apple at the smartphone game

43
 M AC V S P C
TOUCH
WHAT AND GO
YOU SAID If the Touch Bar
is going to take
The Touch Bar off, Apple needs
on Apples new to get third-
MacBook Pro is... party devs
on board. In
the end, its
the muscle
memory of
shortcut-happy
12% Photoshoppers
36% that will dictate
52% whether the
Undoubted Touch Bar ever
genius gets any love.
Gimmicky Ross Presly,
genius Deputy Art Editor
Just a
gimmick

from 1299
/ dell.com

from 2349
/ apple.com

44
 GADGET WARS

M i t che l l and We bb might not be on the ads any more but

M ac v s PC i s s t i l l a tech tu s s l e for ou r times. Are Mac s
s t i l l j u s t fo r p ro de s igners and tache-tw iddl ing hip s ters ?

PRO LAPTOPS CONVERTIBLES DESKTOPS

MICROSOFT MICROSOFT
SURFACE BOOK SURFACE
VS APPLE STUDIO VS
iPAD PRO APPLE iMAC

fro
from from
12
1299 $2999

from from
DELL XPS 15 VS 54
549 1049

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 15IN

Whod have predicted 12 months ago
that the humble QWERTY keyboard
would see the most controversial
change in laptop design since Apple
whipped the optical drive off the
MacBook Air? And its Apple thats
at it again, ditching the top line of keys
and replacing them with a multi-touch
strip that can display emojis and tools,
changing depending on what program
youre using at the time.
BUTTON UP
Dells XPS 15 is more traditional,
sticking to those tried and tested
buttons for its keyboard. It comes
in at over a 1000 cheaper than the
entry-level MacBook Pro, and under
the hood youll find a quad-core Intel i7
processor, 8GB RAM, a 256GB hard
drive teamed with a 32GB SSD, and
an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M video
card. Only the top-spec model
gets a 4K display. Even boosting
the memory, supercharging the
processor and going fully solid state
still wont raise the asking price as
high as the cheapest MacBook Pro
(and we use cheapest in the loosest
possible sense).
THE POWERS THAT BE
Lets not pretend the MacBook isnt
a rip-snorting powerhouse, though.
The Touch Bar might add too much to
the price considering how useful it is
(that is, not useful enough), but even
its most basic model goes toe to toe
with Dells most expensive one in
almost every area. The Pros screen
is an absolute doozy, and have you
seen the size of its touchpad? Its
a whopper. In truth, neither of these
laptops offers great battery life but
if youre opting for the larger screen
size, chances are portability isnt your
number one concern .
ANY PORT IN A STORM
If youre a fan of ports the MacBooks
four USB-Cs and a headphone socket
probably wont satisfy your appetite
for holes; but the Dells list is hardly
exhaustive either: two USB 3.0 ports,
one USB-C/Thunderbolt, one HDMI
and a headphone socket. Still, at least
you get an SD card reader and you
can still charge your iPhone on it.
WINNER XPS 15
It might look like a regular
laptop but the 13.5in
touchscreen on
Microsofts Surface Book
comes away from that
fancy hinge, turning it into
a Windows 10 tablet.
Microsoft recently
powered it up with an i7
processor, which means
better graphics and 30%
more battery life, but were
yet to be convinced by
Windows 10 as a tablet OS.
Apples 9.7in Pro, however,
combines the portability
of an iPad Air with the
power and versatility of its
larger sibling. Chuck in the
Pencil (99) and you have
one of the best graphics
tools available today. The
Surface Book might look
and behave like a proper
laptop but Apples iPad Pro
better suits how we use
computers these days.
WINNER iPAD PRO
All-in-one desktops arent
the obvious place to look
for exciting new tech, but
Microsofts Surface Studio
has turned more heads
than Go To Work Naked
Day. With its Core i5 or
i7 processor, Nvidia GTX
980M graphics, 32GB
RAM, 28in touchscreen
that can be folded pretty
much flat, and the nifty
Surface Dial which
attaches to the screen
and allows you to scroll
through tools and select
different colours its an
arty types dream
desktop. Aside from
making its next iMacs
thinner and squeezing in
more pixels, Apples going
to have to do something
far more interesting
to distract us from the
genius of Microsofts
Surface Studio.
WINNER STUDIO

OVERALL WINNER PC
A closely fought battle sees the PC emerge victorious but theres no
ignoring Apples attempts to innovate, even if they dont always work

45
 GADGET WARS
SAMSUNG VS LG
SAMSUNG UE55KS9000
VS LG OLED55C6V
Samsung favours LCD over OLED, so
while its blacks perhaps arent quite as
all-consuming as the LGs, its picture
quality is stunning, with bounteous
detail, buttery-smooth movement
and impressive HDR performance.
A telly this thin really has no right to
sound any good at all but while wed
never say a soundbar is unnecessary, a
60W 4.1 setup means this Samsung is
more than capable for everyday stuff
like University Challenge or Westworld.
WINNER UE55KS9000
Despite its 55in screen theres hardly
anything to the KS9000. Theres
practically no bezel around the display
and all the connections go through a
separate box that plugs into the back,
so trailing wires are kept to a minimum.
The Samsungs neatest trick is the
ability to connect a PS4 controller to
play games. Dont expect anything to
rival Titanfall 2 or Battlefield 1 mobile
games are the order of the day but at
least you get to use a proper controller.
OVERALL WINNER LG OLED55C6V
Samsung offers a good deal but if its the best of the
best youre after, the LG OLED offers a good deal more
46
Black pixels on an OLED panel really are
black, as theres no backlight when
the whole pictures dark youll think
PICTURE youve sat on the power button. But
its when its in full bloom that the LG
dazzles, stuffed with colour and detail.
WINNER OLED55C6V
When it came to making the speakers,
LG got on the blower to Harman Kardon
for some help. The result is a sound
SOUND thats far better than the TVs slimline
appearance would suggest though it
could still do with a decent soundbar.
For many people the jurys still out on
curved tellies, but theres a good chance
youll be too busy admiring how thin the
DESIGN LG is to even notice the bend. Seriously,
weve seen fatter phones than this
television in recent months.
WINNER OLED55C6V
LGs WebOS 3.0 has some neat tricks.
Split-screen mode lets you watch two
SPECIAL channels at once, while Magic Zoom
FEATURES is like having goal-line tech on your TV,
letting you pause the action, magnify
any detail and screenshot it.
WINNER OLED55C6V
 These two titans of telly frequently trade places at
the top but in a world of 4K and HDR, who deser ves
to be the centrepiece of your living room right now?

1499 /
johnlewis.co.uk

from 1799 /
currys.co.uk

ALTERNATIVELY...

S AMS UNG LG S ON Y
UE5 5 K S 7000 O L ED65 E6V 5 5X D9305
Half the price of If you thought the This super-svelte
the KS9000 but C6V was pricey, Sony is superb,
still a real stonker start saving for but its its ability
of a telly. Theres the 3699 E6V. to play PS3 games
a chance this is the It has a built-in without a console
best value TV that soundbar that in sight that we
can show you a auto-calibrates for like. Just connect
4K picture. your living room. a controller.

47
 N I KO N V S C A N O N
WHY I
WHAT WONT DITCH
YOU SAID MY DSLR
Sure, it weighs
Its time to buy more than a
a new camera. CSC and I cant
Are you...? fit it in my
pocket, but
I can bang my
DSLR off a rock
and not worry
about breaking
6% it. Most
33% crucially,
61%
theres no
Clearly a substitute for
compact fan having a proper
Definitely viewfinder if
a DSLR user you ask me.
Fine with Rob Leedham,
your phone Editor

870 (body only) / 1049 (body only) /

store.nikon.co.uk store.canon.co.uk

48

Fanboy s dont get mu ch more l oyal than thos e
w ho al i g n t he ms el ves w ith either Canon or Nik on.
Bu t w hi ch s ide w il l you c ome dow n on?
MID-RANGE
NIKON D7200 VS CANON EOS 80D
They might be under attack from
compact system cameras by the
likes of Fuji, Sony and Olympus, but
if its a proper DSLR you want, nobody
knows how to make one better than
Canon and Nikon. Similarly priced and
specced, the 80D and D7200 arent
cameras built for beginners but if
youre looking to make the step up
from your first DSLR, these two very
capable snappers will be vying for
your attention.
WIRELESS WONDERS
The Nikon is hardly revolutionary. Its
24.2MP APS-C sensor and 51-point
autofocus system are practically the
same as its predecessors and it looks
pretty much identical, but Nikon has
boosted the max ISO to 25,600 and
added Wi-Fi and NFC. Theyre hardly
vital features but will make things feel
a bit more friendly. The Canon also
comes with a 24.2MP sensor and
the same wireless skills (although
thankfully with a better companion
app), but it adds a big, responsive
touchscreen that can be used to
compose and even shoot your
pictures. The only negative? Its
a bit on the hefty side.
GOING DARK
When it comes to the actual photos,
the D7200s are sharp and rich with
accurate colours, but its after dark
that this Nikon probably does its
finest work. Even with a bog standard
lens stuck to the front, its low-light
shots are far from the blurry, noisy
mess you might expect.
STAYING SHARP
Speaking of sharpness, the 80Ds
AF system is incredibly sophisticated,
with 45 focus points that will lock on
in a snap even when things start to
get a little gloomy. In fact, youd have
to try pretty hard to shoot something
blurry with the Canon, even if your
subject is running about like a toddler
after ten cans of Red Bull. At 7fps,
it fires off frames rapidly enough,
and the Live View mode on its 3in
articulating screen is phenomenal
too, locking on almost immediately.
Neither of these cameras can manage
4K video, but if you want to take the
hard work out of getting great pictures
then the Canon is a clear winner.
WINNER EOS 80D
OVERALL WINNER CANON
Look away now, Nikon fans: when it comes to the two
big dogs of photography, Canon currently just edges it
PRO
NIKON D5
VS
CANON 1DX MK2
5099
[body]
4799
[body]
When it comes to top-end
full-frame snappers, there
are only two brands youll
see hanging around the acronyms and lens options
necks of pros: Canon and
Nikon. Which one they
choose is often dictated by
experience, but put all that
aside and youve got a
head-to-head. In terms of
megapixels theres little to
split them, but in an ISO
fight the D5 wins at a
canter. In practice, both
take great shots in low
light but the Nikon has
the potential to go darker.
Judged on rapid-fire
papping, the Canon can
shoot off a couple more
frames than the Nikon,
although that does mean
the D5 can keep going for
longer on a single battery.
If shooting in 4K is your
priority, the Nikons 3min
limit makes the Canon
a better option.
WINNER D5
GADGET WARS
ENTRY-LEVEL
NIKON D3400
VS
CANON 750D
359
[body]
449
[body]
If youre just dipping your
toe into the chilly waters of
DSLR ownership all those
can be pretty scary. But
Canon and Nikon both
have very affordable
cameras that ease you
in gently, so youll be
frolicking in the warm
fountains of photography
before you know it.
Canons 750D is ideal for
a beginner, with a 24MP
sensor thats capable
of taking lovely pictures
plus all-manner of
user-friendly features
such as a twisty-turny
touchscreen and built-in
Wi-Fi. Nikons rival D3400
is smaller and lighter, and
will also take lovely snaps,
but it lacks some of the
750Ds modern smarts.
So, close though it is
between them, wed go
for the Canon.
WINNER 750D
49
 GADGET WARS

PLAYSTATION VS HTC
BUT WHAT
ABOUT?
OCULUS RIFT

The arrival
of its Touch
controllers
couldve put it
on a par with
the Vive but,
despite the
innovative
design of the
Touch, the Rift
still feels one
step behind.
PSVR VS HTC VIVE 549 /
oculus.com

PlayStation VR definitely wins the A VR headsets looks matter little when

virtual reality beauty pageant. Its far your heads inside, but the Vive wont be
more comfortable to wear than the Vive DESIGN & asked on any dates with that face. Its a
too, with the position-tracking lights COMFORT little unwieldy to wear too, with a cable
making it look a bit like a prop from Tron. thats almost as thick as a garden hose.

WINNER PSVR

You can play PSVR games with a
DualShock 4 but most work best with
the Move controllers. Theyre accurate
enough to track your hands, but not as
CONTROLS
immersive as the Vives.
HTCs Vive controllers allow you to
interact with the virtual world as if
you were actually standing within
it. They need two sensors set up on
either side of the room, though.

WINNER VIVE

The PS4s comparative lack of power
means the visuals will never match up to
a high-end PC, but apart from the odd
jagged edge youre usually too carried
away by the mechanics to notice.
Technically both headsets have identical
displays but the Vives field of view is
SOUND more natural. Colours are bright and
& VISION blacks are deep but the bundled buds
will probably want replacing.

WINNER VIVE

The majority of VR games are all too
brief, but Sony has some big names
to help you forget that. Driveclub is
disappointing but Arkham VR is almost
GAMES
worth the price alone.
HTC has Valve on its side so while we
might not have Half-Life VR yet, The
Lab is a fantastic, if rather short-lived,
introduction to virtual reality. And the
Vive will now play all Rift games.

WINNER VIVE

OVERALL WINNER HTC VIVE

Expensive? Yes. Impractical? For most people. But Vive
is so good its worth moving (or selling the furniture) for

50
 NOW PLAY
20 1 6 p rov e d t hat thi s re al ity is k nack ered, s o its THESE
ti m e to fi nd a ne w one. B ut w hich heads et l ets you
e sca p e mos t c ompl et ely? Strap in and find ou t Hardware is only
as good as the
software allows
it to be, so heres
some stuff to get
immersed in

FANTASTIC
CONTRAPTION
A bit like Scrapheap
Challenge crossed
with Super Mario
World, Fantastic
Contraption is
a hugely tactile
puzzle game that
requires you to
build madcap
vehicles.

TH E L AB
759 / From the creators
vive.com of Half-Life and
Portal comes a
collection of mini
games that show
how good VR
games can be if
you know what
youre doing.

349 /
playstation.com

TILT BR US H
Like climbing inside
Microsoft Paint,
Tilt Brush is the
perfect first
step into a VR
environment,
where everything
you do appears in
front of your eyes.

51
 GADGET WARS

DITCH THE
DISCS
Everyone
moaned about
the PS4 Pros
lack of an Ultra
HD drive but
I reckon this is
the MacBook
Air all over
again nobody
will notice in a
few months.
Tom Parsons,
Deputy Editor,
Stuff.tv

from 349 /
amazon.co.uk

from 249 /
microsoftstore.com

52

P L AY STAT I O N
VS XBOX
PLAYSTATION 4 PRO
VS XBOX ONE S
Gone are the days when Sega vs
Nintendo was the biggest battle in
gaming. For the past 15 years its been
Sony vs Microsoft and while there
might not be a Mario or Sonic leading
the fight, 2017 sees these consoles go
head to head for supremacy
D E S I GN
When youre sticking it under
your telly it doesnt matter
too much what a console looks like, but
these two take different routes towards
lounge acceptance. Microsoft has taken
the opportunity to slim down the Xbox
One, cutting off a load of extra bulk and
ditching the Kinect. The white paintjob
is unlikely to match many tellies but the
extra space its slimmer profile offers
is most welcome. Sony started with a
much more compact console, so while
the difference in size is barely noticeable,
the Pro is actually a bit bigger. Thats
surely worth it for the extra grunt that
comes with it, but the Xbox is the more
handsome offering here.
WINNER XBOX ONE S
GADGET WARS
P E RFO RMA NCE
Neither console does proper
4K gaming but the PS4 Pro
is the one that comes closest. While the
Xbox One S is just upscaling 1080p (and
only has games optimised for HDR), the
Pro has more power, so it can up the
resolution to 1800p, add in more detailed
textures and increase the frame rate.
Thats as long as the game youre
playing has been designed to be
compatible with it. That number is
growing all the time but right now its
only about 30 and some real modern
classics are missing, GTA V and Destiny
to name just two. The bottom line is,
both will look better than the previous
models, but the Pro will look best.
WINNER PS4 PRO
53
 GADGET WARS

PLAYSTATION
VS XBOX
UPCOMING
EXCLUSIVES

P LAYSTAT IO N
With The Last Of Us Part II on
the way theres barely any point
in mentioning other games here...
but we will anyway. Aside from
Joel and Ellies return (which
probably isnt due until 2018)
therell be Horizon Zero Dawn,
God of War and the Uncharted
spin-off The Lost Legacy, not
forgetting current exclusives
such as The Last Guardian and
Bloodborne, plus more games
for PlayStation VR. The Xbox
doesnt even have its own virtual
reality headset. Pah!

CO NT RO LLE R STO RAGE

Sony has done wonders with Both consoles come with
the PS4s controller, turning expanded hard drives, up
the scrawny old DualShock from the to 1TB from 500GB. Thats a welcome
PS3 days into a genuine rival to the expansion to anyone with more than
Xboxs gamepad. Both have had slight about a dozen games who doesnt
tweaks for their latest incarnations, with want to spend all their time deleting
the PS4s purely cosmetic: the light on and reinstalling stuff, especially if you
top is now visible through the touchpad buy digitally rather than on disc. You
and the buttons are now grey. The can upgrade the drive yourself on both
Xbox One S pad hasnt exactly had consoles but its easier to do on the PS4
a makeover either but the sticks are than on the Xbox. In fact, its even easier
X B OX now more hard-wearing and the rear on the Pro than on the original console,
Aside from Sea of Thieves, is textured to stop you dropping it during with nothing to hide where the drive is.
upcoming exclusives are pretty frantic Rocket League matches. For added zip, use an SSD drive.
thin on the ground for Microsoft;
but when youve already got WINNER PS4 PRO WINNER PS4 PRO
Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of
War 4 under your belt it must be
easy to get complacent. With an
ever-growing list of 360 games
that are backwards-compatible
(including Red Dead Redemption,
Alan Wake and all three Bioshock
games), plus exclusive indies
such as Superhot, its not as if
theres a shortage of titles.

WINNER PS4 PRO

54
 GADGET WARS

WHAT
YOU SAID
Does it matter
that theres no
4K Blu-ray drive
on the PS4 Pro?

19%
31%
50%
Ive got an Xbox
One S for that
Nope, Im
happy to stream
Yep, discs are
way better

4K V IDE O
When Sony announced that
the PS4 Pro wouldnt have an
Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, half the internet
wrote it off as a failure there and then.
In reality, its probably only a small
number of people who wouldve used
one. But it does mean youre restricted
to streaming your 4K from Netflix and
Amazon, whereas the Xbox One S lets
you choose between physical or digital.
Youll need decent internet speeds for
the latter, and the drive isnt as capable
as a standalone player from the likes of
Samsung or Panasonic, but it is cheaper.
WINNER XBOX ONE S
AP P S, O S
& ONLINE
Xbox Live used to be the
undisputed king of the online platforms,
but since Sony started charging for
PS Plus things are much more equal.
Microsofts insistence on making the
Xbox OS as much like Windows 10 as
possible is offputting, with PlayStations
navigation bar a far simpler approach.
When it comes to extracurricular apps,
both platforms have their own video
stores but with Netflix and Amazon
available you can easily get by without
ever using them.
WINNER PS4 PRO
OVERALL WINNER PS4 PRO
It might only hold the throne until Project Scorpio
arrives, but right now the PS4 Pro is the superior
console in almost every single category

55
 TEST APPS
App:roved
FOR
NEWSY
NERDS
Hyper News
Do you spend commutes playing
sardines in a train-shaped tin,
cursing your mobile provider for
peppering your route with dead
zones? If so, Hyper News might
be just the ticket (not literally
you still have to buy one of those).
This app downloads news videos
when on Wi-Fi for offline perusal
later. The snag: the content is a
bit US-biased. But the videos are
smartly designed for phone use:
short, sharp, and well captioned
so you dont even need blaring
audio to enjoy them.
Stuff says
free / iOS
56
FOR
WARPY
WARRIORS
Time Locker
So you thought vertical shooters
would be a mite easier if you
could freeze the action? Time
Locker suggests otherwise. In
this dazzling low-poly world of
heavily armed critters, everything
moves only when you do except
for a relentlessly encroaching
darkness. Initially disorientating,
the action nonetheless feels
fresh. And it grabs hold as you
learn to play with time, slowing
to weave through enemies,
and risking blazing ahead when
bosses are in hot pursuit.
Stuff says
free / Android, iOS
FOR
AMBIENT
AUTEURS
Korg iWavestation
Continuing Korgs apparent desire
to get every one of its classic
synths on to iOS, heres a slice
of 1990s weirdness. The original
Wavestation was lauded by
everyone from Depeche Mode
to X-Files theme composer Mark
Snow. This was down to the lush,
evolving, soundscapes you could
trigger by prodding a single key,
before morphing sounds by
twiddling a joystick. The iOS
take is authentic, nailing that
distinctive sound but its a bit
brain-smashy to fully master.
Stuff says
14.99 / iOS
FOR
STYLISH
SNAPPERS
Filmborn
This latest stab at bringing
analogue photographys charms
to digital is full of great ideas. The
icon-heavy interface flows nicely,
and each of the digital film types
is distinct, providing potential for
unique results. Neatly, the app
offers tips for best use and handy
tools to improve digital snaps,
such as clipping warnings, a
rangefinder and editing of curves.
Some of these require IAPs,
but even in its free incarnation,
Filmborns a must-download
for iPhone photographers.
Stuff says
free (IAPs) / iOS
 TEST APPS

Mini meme

ALT
Zombies, Run!
One for Walking Dead fans and
EXERCISE Run an Empire
It feels a bit beta, but we like

anyone else terrified of being
torn limb from limb by zombies,
this app peppers your runs with
missions and chase scenes. Hear
RRRARRGGHH! close behind
and youd best run a bit faster or
youll be eaten alive quite the
motivator. Need more structure?
Check out the same developers
5K Training app.
Stuff says
free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
APPS
how Run An Empire breaks free
from boring league tables of
calories burned and identical
daily routes. Instead, you battle
locals using the app by claiming
territory while walking or
Christmas is gone time to shift the extra running (loops being particularly
blubber you amassed for hibernation. efficient). Shields and a cool-
down timer add a further layer
These unconventional apps can make of strategy.
all that effort fun. Well, relatively
Stuff says
free / iOS

Pokmon GO Carrot Fit Runtastic Staywalk

No, were not losing our minds,
were well aware Pokmon GO
is mostly about ambling along,
locating tiny creatures, hurling
your virtual balls at them and
then ambling some more to
make eggs hatch. But this
involves a lot of walking, and
surprise! thats exercise.
If only Super Mario Run had
involved actual running
Stuff says
free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
A seven-minute workout app
helmed by a malevolent AI intent
on transforming your lazy
carcass into something more
consistent with what celebrity
magazines say you should look
like Carrot motivates through
threats, and workout regimes
based on sets of dragon mating
dances, territory markers and
celebrity face punches.
Stuff says
2.99 / iOS
Hang on, you might be saying,
whats so alt about Runtastic? to your steps, but Staywalk
Its just a conventional running
app. Yep, but the audiobookish
Story Running feature can
transform runs into terrifying
sci-fi nightmares as you flee
from all manner of horrors
at least if youre armed with
trainers and an imagination.
Stuff says
free (IAPs) /
Android, iOS, Windows
Several apps beat-match music
responds adaptively. Dawdle
and you get an intense solo;
up the pace and the music goes
all dramatic, like someones
composing a movie score for
your very own chase sequence.
Its a touch demo-ish but hugely
amusing even if it very much
encourages staccato runs.
Stuff says
free / iOS

57
 FIRST TEST CANON EOS M5

The power of
positive shrinking
It looks like one of Canons ace DSLRs, only seen from slightly further
away so how does the M5 compact system camera measure up?

1000 (body only) / stuff.tv/CanonM5

C
ompact system
cameras are
the future of
photography.
Theyre fast and lightweight,
and look amazing when sat next
to a chunky old DSLR. Until now,
though, Canons CSCs have all
been a bit rubbish. Not so the
new EOS M5.
Canons first properly serious
[ Words Amy Davies ]
that its got the same sensor
and image processor that made
the 80D such a hit with semi-pro
snappers. Well, thats not a bad
place to start.
Its fair to say that those
with a fondness for Fuji and
Olympuss retro stylings wont
be immediately smitten with the
M5, but its got enough curves
to give it a likeable look.
isnt a CSC aimed at beginners
(as if the price hadnt told you
that already). All the buttons
youre likely to use regularly are
grouped together on the right,
in easy reach. DSLR owners will
feel right at home here.
Youll find automatic and fully
manual modes, plus everything
in between. And one of the
great things about this cameras
settings youre likely to want
to change with any regularity.
Altogether it makes for a very
fluid way of working, and you
can switch settings quickly
and easily.
And for the first time in an
M-series camera, the EOS M5
gets a viewfinder. This is great
news for anyone who hasnt
grown up using a phone screen

foray into CSCs is essentially Theres a selection box of dials design is that you can customise to compose snaps. So is this the
a baby EOS 80D. That doesnt and buttons dotted around the pretty much all of the buttons mirrorless camera that Canon
mean its a DSLR in nappies, just body, giving you a clue that this and dials to suit whatever fans have been praying for?

59
 FIRST TEST CANON EOS M5

1 Mount rush less 2

Just because the EOS M5s got
detachable lenses and the word
Canon on it, dont be fooled into
thinking you can attach any of
your DSLR lenses. The EOS M
mount is smaller but an adaptor
is available. Avoid using really
large lenses, as they make the
camera feel very unbalanced.

2 OK with no 4K?
One area where the EOS M5
loses ground on its rivals is
video. Full HD recording at 60fps
is nice and all, but Panasonics
Micro Four Thirds cameras have
been shooting in 4K for a while
now. If movie-making is key,
the Lumix DMC-GH5 could be
a better bet.

24 hours with the

ts

e
ny
le e

gl

s
lo

Canon EOS M5
ht

ab sid

rt
ip ug
y. e a

tra ith
ith

po
ive
rig

nt
?
a t he

gr str
ex w
ad us
w

ou

rs
sb

sit

.
on to t

0 5

.
ls. n,

lre u

nt ht
-m

fo
en

11 M
ri

n a yo
tro sig

fro ig
de

hy ra
as t

r he

Good
-s

eM
er no

ed s m
w let
on de

ap e
fin

ch

fo y t

gr am
m n,

bl

u o ill
s c ike

ris itt

Meh
w

y. ou

ns u
yo r w
ca ow

d ila

to t c
e

le n b

be m
es -l

nd g t
vi

ite a

ho rea
he d

es to
cc LR

Evil
ub big
m ca
nic

ha in

lim f a
f t ips

ns ap
-a DS

np ag
is tilt

m u
is e o

er h
ar o

t i fl

le ad

45 yo

t
le ctr
ick ce

th i
en he

ha it

tio t
w
es g

LR an

5- nd

ac isn
w e

n
d c ele
qu ni

re t

ith e
am

ns ra
sc nd

w os
a1 ,a
DS ut
of s a

or his
an e

le he

Oh
Sh

b
a

Th
Th
It

T
T

1min 2mins 10mins 20mins 30mins 2hr 2.5hrs 4hrs 7hrs

60
 FIRST TEST CANON EOS M5

3 Zoom with a view 4 Rigorous screening Tech specs

The viewfinder may not be the
biggest around, but it does have
an impressively high resolution
and provides a good view of your
scene. One small issue: colours in
it look more saturated than they
do on the rear touchscreen, or
when you check the actual shots
on a computer screen.
That rear screen switches off
when you bring your eye up to
the viewfinder, but has a clever
system whereby you can still use
it to set the autofocus point. In
itself nothing new, but the ability
to assign just part of the screen
to this task? Brilliant. No more
nose-based AF accidents.
Sensor 24.2MP APS-C AF points 49
ISO range 100-25,600 Built-in flash Yes
Connectivity Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth
Display 3.2in 1.6m-dot touchscreen,
OLED 2360k-dot electronic viewfinder
Video 1920x1080 @ 60fps
Dimensions 116x89x61mm, 427g

The whole shooting match

With the same sensor and brain as the much-loved
EOS 80D, were expecting some very nice images
3

Succour punch Fine and dandy

No big surprises here: the
M5 is capable of producing
some excellent pictures.
Directly from the camera,
images have that
satisfying punch and
vibrancy that Canon
has become known for.
Detail is well resolved, but
you can push the camera
further by using the
Fine Detail picture style
setting something you
can choose from either
the quick menu or the
main list.

Decent exposure ISO tonic

5 Snap shot
Canon has done a great job
of improving focusing speeds,
something its previous CSCs
really struggled with. Its much
faster but still not as quick
as other system cameras. For
fast-moving subjects, youd
be better off with the Fuji X-T2
or Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII.
6 Still got it
The 49-point autofocus system
works well enough when youre
photographing things that dont
move. Determined to track
moving subjects? Switching
to Servo mode will yield decent
results with anything moving in
a reasonably predictable and not
too rapid way.
ny
gh
Automatic white balance Noise only starts to be
gets it right most of the noticeable at ISO 3200,
time, with just a tendency but you can still use these
to be a little cool under shots at smaller printing
artificial light. All-purpose and web sizes. Only use
metering performs well, the very highest ISO
with balanced exposures settings when you
in most conditions. absolutely have to.
Its great to see Canon finally taking
CSCs seriously, and coming up with
something that competes with big
rivals from Olympus, Panasonic and
Fuji. The M5 is more than capable
of taking some very nice images but at

th me

this price, unless youre already invested in

t

. ra
y. bu
hi

on o
ith

s.

an fo
m ill c
at

nl 0,
w

Canon, its hard to recommend it over more

n f ing
pt

so 0

ing e w
lts

ie 5,6
ce

no pt
s. su

om pric
ex

Ca tem
nc 2

established rivals. @AmyDavies

ct re

ge to
low

he the
bje at

er ay

dy e
ea b
su gre

s. re

m w

c
nt e

-r s to
ti p
a

r e he
ry s

bi ho
ing s
na ive

ize ha
tt el

fo ll t

na e

STUFF SAYS
se lev

s a
io g

ns is
w ,w
at es

w th
at it

O e

do m
st but

IS is

th go

do till,
Hm

A lovely little CSC from the

No

S
It

camera giant, thats slightly

overpriced for what it offers
15hrs 16hrs 18hrs 20hrs 24hrs

61
 UPVOTED
SIMPLE
The God
d sim
Quadropolis
Q dropolis
This bright, family-friendly title sees
players jostling to make the best city
blocks from a random grid. Your selection
is limited by the architects at your disposal,
making forward planning crucial. And after
the kids are in bed, grownups can turn to
th
the ddeeper expert
t version.
i .
65 / amazon.co.uk k 12.99 / gameslore.co.uk
CHALLENGING
The next-gen Jenga
Junk Art
Stacking games are nothing new, but Junk
Art brings a fresh coat of strategy. Players
tour three cities, each with its own rules as
to what constitutes art. Sometimes its a
simple race to balance everything, but the
best bit is playing card-based mini-games
to make life awkward for your fellow artists.
65 / rulesofplay.co.uk
y k
HARDCORE
The steampunk storyteller
Scythe
This game of combat and exploration packs
in trading, economics and a deep reservoir
of strategy. Despite the heavy subject
matter, its also fun and tells an amazing
story about giant mechs in an alternative
1920s through beautiful pieces and
artwork. Bit of a step up from Boggle, then.
59 / stonemaiergames.com
HOW TO
DECIDE?
62
The family foxer
Codenames: Pictures
This more-ish word game sees one player
give single-word clues for a grid of picture
cards. The other players then try to guess
which pictures that word relates to. What
sounds easy in theory proves addictively
hard in practice, especially with the added
tension of possible instant defeat.
This is the golden age of board
games Matt Thrower helps
you pick from the new
kings of table play
The retro RPG
Last Friday
Hidden movement games, where no-one
else is ever quite sure where some of the
players are on the board, are a hoot. This
80s-themed number plays like a slasher
movie through four acts. At the start, the
maniac stalks the campers. Then he
becomes the hunted as daybreak nears
39 / pendragongamestudio.com
1 CHECK YOUR WATCH
Board games can take from minutes to days to
play. Most have an estimate on the box add
another 25% for a realistic figure. You can use
age estimates as a rough guide to complexity.
The power
p struggle
ggle
Secret Hitler
On a budget? You can make this superb
social deduction game at home for free.
Players take turns nominating a
government and choosing policies. Most
players are liberals, but some are secret
fascists. Its fun, but its also a real learning
exercise on the allure of power.
free (PDF version) / secrethitler.com
The phone frightener
Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
This Lovecraftian horror game uses a
smartphone app that acts as a kind of
gamesmaster. No game is ever the same
twice, even with the same scenario, and
the app provides astonishing narrative
detail. It even manages to be scary, with
creepy music and sound effects.
75 / gameslore.co.uk
The spacey strategist
Terraforming Mars
[ Photography Pete Gardner ]
Though its inspired by The Martian, this
game fortunately doesnt involve planting
potatoes in your own faeces. Instead, it
leaps into a future where technology exists
to make Mars habitable and youre in a race
to make it happen. The original run sold out,
so youll need to snap up a reprint.
53 / meeplescorner.co.uk
2 CHOOSE YOUR THEME
You can get games about anything, but many are
quite abstract in practice. Those with traditional
themes like combat, exploration and economics
tend to stick closest to the subject.
 UPVOTED

The time destroyer

Star Wars: Rebellion
One Death Star not enough for you? There
are three in this, plus another 150 miniatures
depicting all kinds of Star Wars nerdery.
It takes as long to play as the whole trilogy
does to watch, but its every bit as gripping.
Youll push starships across the board, fight
epic battles and complete missions.
78 / amazon.co.uk

3 PICK A PUBLISHER 4 KEEP THE PEACE

Publishers like to plough a particular groove. Think about the type of people youre going to
Fantasy Flight, for example, specialises in play with. Competitive games are often the most
dramatic, thematic geeky games, while Mayfair fun, but for playing with your short-tempered
tends toward drier, heavyweight strategy titles. in-laws a co-operative game might be more wise.

63

GROUP TEST
BEST ON A BUDGET
Q ACOUSTICS
M3
289 / stuff.tv/QAcousticsM3
How do you make a good thing
even better? If youre Q Acoustics,
and that good thing is the superb
Media 4 soundbar, you stick an
HDMI port on the back and give
it a new name. The M3 is the
new entry-level model from
a company used to pumping out
much more expensive speaker
systems and that means you
can expect a sleek design and
great sound quality for your cash.
Whats the story?
With a streamlined, modern look,
the M3 wont look out of place
under any TV, be it a supermarket
special or an OLED stunner. Its
slim enough to sit beneath your
telly and not block your remote
control, but you can also bolt it to
a wall if you fancy.
Theres still room inside for
a dedicated subwoofer and
STUFF SAYS The emphasis is very much on bass, but this is an ultra-affordable option
that gives your TV a sonic leg-up and doesnt look half bad doing it
64
Head for
the bar You dont need a truck-load of
speakers and cables to get your
home cinema into shape
separate stereo speakers, even
if theyve shrunk a bit since they
first showed up in the Media 4. At
least you wont need an external
subwoofer, which helps to keeps
things tidy.
Is it any good?
The addition of an HDMI port
really keeps setup simple, and
lets you piggyback a set-top box
or games console to the soundbar
if your TV is running low on free
sockets. And it supports Audio
Return Channel, meaning itll sync
up to let you control everything
with one remote.
Just keep in mind you dont get
4K support at this price. If youve
got a UHD TV and want to hook
up a 4K Blu-ray player or console,
youll need to skip the soundbar
and plug straight into the telly.
Otherwise, you get digital optical,
a pair of analogue inputs and a
3.5mm socket for plugging in your
portables. Dont like cables? Good
job theres aptX Bluetooth too.
Audio quality will make or break
a soundbar, and here its definitely
more make than break if you
like a serious bit of bass, that is.
Speech is clear enough, and a
real step up from your tinny TV
speakers, but there is a boomy
nature to the sound. BUTTERY BASS
This muddies high-end effects New for the M3 is a
like squealing tyres, bouncing bass-boosting MoviEQ
bullet casings and shattering glass mode, which ramps up the
(if youre not testing soundbars rumble. Pity this is the one
with the Fast & Furious films, thing the M3 doesnt need
youre doing it wrong). Still, it fills more of best stick to
the room with sound and has standard stereo mode.
plenty of presence.
The M3 has a lot going for it:
it looks great for the cash, has
a handy HDMI socket, and pumps
out some impressively powerful
sound. There may be a few
shortcomings, but nothing to
complain about for the price.
Tech Total power output 80W
HDMI Yes Bluetooth Yes Wireless
subwoofer No Dimensions
1000x90x125mm Weight 4kg
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS

Bosch PAIR IT
WITH
Violent yet beautiful,
menacing and stunning in
equal measure. No, not
Titus Wellivers moody
detective, but the city of LA
as portrayed by Boschs
fantastic cinematography.
Season 3 will be arriving
in the spring.

NOW
WATCH
THIS

OOH, YOURE A CARD

The credit-card-sized
remote you get with the
M3 is all too easy to lose
down the back of the sofa.
Its basic, but the soundbar
isnt exactly overflowing
PANASONIC
with functions anyway. 4 A BIT MORE TX-50DX750
The M3 is a tweaked, 779 / johnlewis.com
updated version of Q
Whod have thought you could NOW
Acoustics Media 4, which
is only 30 more and has snap up a 50in 4K telly thatll do ADD
a more rounded sound. HDR video for under a grand? A THIS
The M3 is still a great year ago, that was pretty much
budget buy, though. unthinkable, but now you can
waltz in off the high street and
snag one of these beauties.

LCD systems sound

The DX750 might not have all the
fancy flourishes of pricier TVs,
and it doesnt have that one-time GOOGLE
holy grail of Panasonic telly tech, CHROME-
a plasma panel (it makes do with CAST ULTRA
energy-friendly LCD instead). But 69 / currys.co.uk
in pretty much every other way,
this is a bit of a bargain.
OK, so you still arent getting This tiny puck
ultra-deep blacks here, but the streams 4K
DX750 isnt far off. Pop on The and HDR
Dark Knight and Batman doesnt content straight
look as grey as a pavement for from your
once a real problem on some phone to the
NOW LCD TVs. HDR also works a treat. big screen with
HEAR Its not the night/day difference just a few taps.
THIS you get with UHD Premium Chromecast
TVs, but the key here is subtlety: was simple
you wont get blinding lights and before, and its
psychedelic contrast, but you will even better in
get really nice shading. Ultra form. Sure,
Its a hard-hitter that ultimately your TV will
comes up short against the best, probably have
but the DX750 is an impressive Netflix built in
effort when you get a healthy already, but can
chunk of change from 1000. it also play Clash
The Nice Guys of Clans?
This brilliantly dark 70s throwback has a suitably
retro soundtrack to go with it, full of classics from STUFF SAYS
Kool & The Gang and Al Green. Youll be bopping This is a not-far-off-the-top-tier TV STUFF SAYS
along in no time, until Ryan Goslings girly screams that wont make your wallet weep
make you pay attention to the bizarre plot.

[ 65 ]
[[2C]]
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS
BEST FOR UNDER 750
SONOS
PLAYBAR
569 / stuff.tv/Playbar
Think multiroom audio, think
Sonos its been the go-to
speaker specialist for kitting
out our homes for years. And
that includes giving the TV
a much-needed audio boost,
thanks to the Playbar. This isnt
just a simple soundbar: being
a Sonos, it does a heck of a lot
more besides that
Whats the story?
With minimalist styling and a
fantastic build, the Playbar really
does look fantastic, either sitting
on a TV stand or wall-mounted
underneath it. Its chock-full
of neat touches, such as the
accelerometers that can tell
whether the Playbar is laid down
or on an edge and adjust the
sound accordingly.
Theres also an IR repeater
built in, so that signals from your
STUFF SAYS An excellent performer on its own and if you can afford it, Sonoss multiroom
magic will even turn this soundbar into the basis of a full surround sound system
66
remote still get to the TV even if
the Playbar is blocking the tellys
sensor, and a pair of Ethernet
sockets on the back mean your
other components (such as your
smart TV) can piggy-back the
Sonos network to get to the
internet. Just remember that
if you cant hardwire the Playbar
to your router, youll need to get
some powerline adapters.
Is it any good?
Its a shame the only one way
to hook up the Playbar to your
TV is with an optical cable. Its
simple, yes, but its not as neat
as systems with multiple HDMI
inputs and a single HDMI output
for video. Optical outputs on
TVs arent as common as they
used to be, now that HDMI 2.0
has taken over, but as long as
your telly has one you wont have
to worry about your soundbar
not supporting 4K video.
Anyway, once you are plugged
in, the Playbar brings a massive
WHERES THE REMOTE?
Just like any other Sonos
speaker, theres no
dedicated remote control.
The iOS or Android app
handles everything in
a brilliantly simple,
hassle-free way.
improvement over even the most
powerful-sounding TV speakers.
The width of the soundstage it
YOURE SURROUNDED
creates is mighty impressive, and
Slap down another 600
theres detail, weight and tonal
on the Sonos Sub and the
balance that a TV on its own
Playbar becomes a 3.1
simply cant deliver. The drivers
system. Then add a couple
behind the grille are angled
of Play:3s and youve got a
upwards and while that means
full wireless 5.1 surround
you get a big, atmospheric sound,
sound setup.
it does sacrifice just a little bit
of impact and directness. But
thats a minor flaw in what is an
otherwise excellent delivery for
both music and films.
If you want a simple, elegant
soundbar that will hugely improve
your televisions sound and then
ply you with all-you-can-stream
music until your ears burst the
Sonos Playbar really is the only
logical choice.
Tech Total power output Not
stated HDMI No Bluetooth No
Wireless subwoofer Optional
Dimensions 85x900x140mm
Weight 5.4kg

STREAM BROTHER
Essentially this is a full
Sonos player in a wider
chassis. Itll stream all the
music on your computer,
iPhone or iPad, and
connect to internet radio
and streaming services.
How do you make a dark and brooding modern
western, where horses and pistols at dawn have
been replaced with car chases and assault rifles,
even more dark and brooding? Get Nick Cave to
DEEPWATER HORIZON
Mark Wahlberg takes
the main role in what is
basically The Towering
Inferno, only on an oil rig
(and based on something
that actually happened).
Those explosions are
going to look amazing
on 4K Blu-ray.
NOW
WATCH
THIS
NOW
HEAR
THIS
HELL OR HIGH WATER
do the soundtrack, naturally.
GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS
PAIR IT
WITH
PANASONIC
TX-58DX802
1239 / johnlewis.com
NOW
A great TV doesnt just have to ADD
have a fantastic picture it has THIS
to look damned good when its
switched off too. Panasonics
58in work of art does just
that, sitting proudly on a stand
resembling either an artists easel
or the frame from a childs swing.
It helps that its packing all the
must-have tech, including a 4K PANASONIC
screen and HDR support. DMP-UB900
ULTRA HD
Pan for gold BLU-RAY
It might sit one level down from PLAYER
Panasonics top-end 902, so 449 /
doesnt have the UHD Premium richersounds.com
certification, but when a picture
is this effective were really not
bothered about that. Streaming
This TV can still pump up the services make
brightness, even if it doesnt hit getting new
that magical 1000-nit figure, so films and TV
youll be able to watch at midday, super-easy,
at the height of summer, with the but not all 4K
curtains open. Colours are punchy is created equal.
and 4K images from Amazon This Blu-ray
Video and Netflix look stunning, player takes
with potent blacks to go with the a running leap
stunning bright whites. over anything
Its not the last word in 4K HDR coming down
picture quality but not far off it. over the net
If youre looking for a signature so if you really
piece for your living room, this is care about
one you should consider. picture quality,
get one.
STUFF SAYS
If you have space for the stand and STUFF SAYS
like its looks, this is the TV for you
[ 67 ]
[[2C]]
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS

PAIR IT
WITH
TAKE CONTROL
The Kubik One launched a
few years back with a truly
dreadful remote not
A SERIES OF
good when theres no app
UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
to take its place but this
The upcoming Netflix
updated version has a
reimagining of Lemony
much slicker zapper.
Snickets childrens novel
series is guaranteed to
erase the Jim Carrey film
version from your brain.
Why? Because Neil Patrick
Harris, fake nose and all.

NOW
WATCH
THIS
SAMSUNG
UE49KS7000
799 / johnlewis.com
NOW
ADD The KS7000 might be Robin to
THIS the more expensive KS9500s
Batman, but that still means it
gets to hang out in the Bat Cave.
This junior member of Samsungs
elite SUHD squad is still a potent
TV contender, and might actually
be the sweet spot in the range.
4K? Check. HDR? Check. One of
MICROSOFT the best smart TV systems out
XBOX ONE S there? Yep, its got that too.
220 / tesco.com
Better than being there
It looks impressive before you
If the One S is even switch it on, thanks to a
meant to atone boundless frame (Samsung
for the original speak for a very thin bezel),
Xbox Ones but the picture really is punching
botched launch, above its weight. Everything
its job done. looks pin-sharp, sure, but its
This is a great the subtlety that really drops
4K Blu-ray jaws. Theres enough definition
player, and it to count the individual raindrops
does a fab job on a windscreen, plus the clarity
of upscaling to make out the accompanying
your favourite condensation. HDR video goes
games to 4K. even further. Instead of simple
And with Sony solar brightness and abyssal
deciding to ditch blacks, you get fine increments
4K Blu-ray for of shade.
the PS4 Pro, this Youll have to spend a lot more
is your best bet to get a better TV than this what
for an all-round Samsung has pulled off here is
entertainment nothing short of spectacular.
machine.

STUFF SAYS
STUFF SAYS Remarkable picture quality and
TV smarts for your cash

68
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS
HIGHER CALLING
The microUSB port comes
in handy for hooking up to
a PC or Mac to play high-
resolution, 24-bit/96kHz
music. Theres also aptX
Bluetooth for higher-
quality streaming.

BEST FOR UNDER 1000

DALI
PICK YOUR POSITION
Neutral mode gives the
KUBIK ONE
799 / stuff.tv/KubikOne
least bass, and is best for
wall-mounting. Bass
Boost is the other extreme,
while Bass Enhance is our
top pick for when its sitting
under your telly.

NOW
HEAR
THIS
BATTLEFIELD 1
World War 1 has never
sounded so epic. Rain
hammering down on the
trenches of the Somme,
anti-aircraft batteries
shooting biplanes out
of the sky Battlefield 1
will give your soundbar
a real workout.
Its normally the TV that takes
centre stage in any home cinema
setup, but with one of these
underneath, it might be tough
to pick a winner. The Kubik One
is probably the best-looking
soundbar around, with an
eye-catching red grille you can
swap out for other-coloured
alternatives whenever you fancy.
Because a lime green or petrol
blue soundbar goes with every
room, right?
Whats the story?
It looks like a high-end lifestyle
product, and to be fair, if youre
going to charge 800 for a
soundbar, it had better look
the part. Theres more to the
Kubik One than a pretty exterior,
though. The chassis is a single
aluminium piece that staves off
unwanted resonances. Oh, and
itll play nicely with an optional
wireless subwoofer if you fancy
kicking things up a notch. Not that
you really need to
Dali knows a thing or two about
making great-looking, great-
sounding loudspeakers, and that
Danish heritage comes through in
the Kubik One. Its a riveting listen.
The scale of sound is immense,
effects pinging around with
punch and precision. Theres
ample low-end heft, and plenty
of nuance and texture to every
ounce of detail.
The sound is impressively clear
and controlled amidst the bold
dynamics, and we couldnt tear
ourselves away from listening to
it. This is not the kind of discreet
performance we expect from a
soundbar its wholly captivating.
Theres no virtual surround sound
either, just a beautifully direct
stereo presentation.
Is it any good?
As long as you make sure your TV
is tall enough not to get cut off by
this soundbars tall form (the Dali
stands 16cm high), its a dream
to use. Thats partly down to the
simple setup: you get two optical
inputs and one analogue input,
and thats it. That means no
HDMI, so more cables to add
to your home cinema setup,
but it also means no worries
about 4K compatibility.
Theres no distracting LCD
screen, and no great array of
buttons, settings and dials to
fiddle with just a single blinking
LED to let you know its picked
up your remote control presses,
and a few basic controls on the
soundbar itself.
Its delightfully simple, so if
youve got the cash to splash,
this is one talented system worth
investing in.
Tech Total power output 100W
HDMI No Bluetooth Yes Wireless
subwoofer No Dimensions
160x980x100mm Weight 9.6kg

STUFF SAYS Gorgeous looks and fantastic all-round performance, all from a single box
that can be tonally tweaked and colour-matched to suit your home perfectly

[ 69 ]
[[2C]]
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS

PAIR IT
WITH
DOUBLING APP
Youll have to load two
apps: MusicCast streams
audio and helps you set up
THE MAN IN THE
the YSP-5600 on your
HIGH CASTLE
home network, while
What if the Allies had lost
Home Theater Controller
WW2, leaving half of the
switches sound modes.
USA ruled by the Nazis and
the other half by Imperial
Japan? Youd have a great
plot for a novel, said Philip
K Dick. And, said Amazon
much later, a daring basis
for one of its original series.

NOW
WATCH
THIS
LG OLED65G6V
4499 / superfi.co.uk

NOW This is everything that absolutely

ADD blew us away in the fantastic
THIS E6V OLED TV, turned up another
notch and given an even slicker
design. The OLED panel delivers
perfect blacks, and can even
handle HDR content at a
whopping 800 nits thats
almost bright enough to require
sunglasses. And in case your
new Yamaha YSP-5600 fancies
SKY Q 2TB a night off, it has a soundbar built
199 + 47/ into the stand.
month / sky.com
Pic of the bunch
Good? Oh, its a little more than
With 4K good. It has easily the best picture
channels now quality from any TV weve seen
a part of the in the past year. That OLED panel
package, Sky Q can go blacker than King Joffreys
offers more telly heart, and plays nicely with both
for your money HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Its
than anything virtually futureproof, but can
else. It makes handle old-school features like
Virgins old TiVo 3D too. Remember 3D?
look prehistoric, Feed it an Ultra HD Blu-ray and
with a slick theres a chance youll never want
interface and to set foot inside a cinema ever
SPOTI-HI-FI
lightning-fast again. LGs WebOS is still the
You also get Bluetooth and
set-top box. best smart TV system out there,
AirPlay streaming, Spotify
Add multiroom and its overflowing with inputs,
Connect and internet radio,
and second- streaming services and apps. And
plus you can turn it into a
screen viewing, all from something thinner than a
multiroom system if youve
and you have pencil this is the television your
got any MusicCast-
every telly overdraft was made for.
supported speakers.
addicts dream.

STUFF SAYS
STUFF SAYS A superb specimen with one of
the best pictures weve ever seen

70
 GROUP TEST SOUNDBARS

MONEY NO OBJECT

YAMAHA
HOOK ME UP
Ultra HD Blu-ray players
YSP-5600
1599 / stuff.tv/YSP5600
and 4K games consoles
can all pass through the
YSP-5600s four HDMI
inputs, unlike a lot of lesser
soundbars. Theyre tucked
away at the back.

Dolby Atmos is like being wrapped above. This is basically a 7.1.2

NOW
HEAR
THIS
SICARIO
Taut, tense and deeply
compelling, this brutal look
at Americas war on drugs
and its effects on Mexican
border cities has a suitably
atmospheric Atmos
soundtrack to keep your
heart pounding right to
the end.
in a super-snug duvet if that
duvet was made from sound
instead of feathers. It completely
surrounds you, even throwing
height channels into the mix for
an even more immersive and
cinema-like experience.
Whats the story?
The fact that Yamaha has done
all that from a single box, without
also having to stick speakers into
your ceiling, it nothing short of
brilliance. The YSP-5600 has
multiple speakers that bounce
soundwaves around your room,
with some upward-firing drivers
that add in support for Dolby
Atmos soundtracks.
How many speakers, exactly?
A ridiculous 46. Thats including
two woofers for some low-end
grunt, and 12 height channels
from six upward-firing drivers on
each side. They bounce sound off
the ceiling at just the right angle to
make it seem like its coming from
surround sound system, in a
single bar that sits under your
telly. Wow.
Is it any good?
Setup is a little more complicated
than a regular soundbar, because
youve got to calibrate this one so
it knows exactly where to angle
all its speakers for the bouncing.
That means plugging in the
dreaded setup mic but dont
panic. It takes about a minute,
and is as easy as tapping a few
buttons on the remote.
Youll also have to find some
room for this thing its chuffing
massive. Its so big, in fact, that it
will almost definitely block out the
bottom of your screen, unless you
sit it on stilts. No problem if youve
already wall-mounted your telly,
but not ideal for anyone with an
AV cabinet as shelves will block
the upward-firing speakers.
Still, once youve got over any
placement woes and stuck on an
Atmos-enabled film, youll be
amazed at just how well the
YSP-5600 spreads sound around
your room. It really does feel as
if its coming from beside, behind
and above you. Raindrops in
particular really do seem to fall
from the sky, which is impressive
when youre on the sofa beneath
a nice white ceiling.
A little more subtlety in the
dynamics wouldve been nice, but
otherwise its difficult to fault the
Yamahas sonics; you really wont
need the optional subwoofer. So
if authentic surround sound is a
must, and multiple speakers are
an absolute no-go, this is the
ultimate one-box alternative.
Tech Total power output 128W
HDMI Yes Bluetooth Yes Wireless
subwoofer Optional Dimensions
213x1100x92mm Weight 11.7kg

STUFF SAYS Stunning multi-dimensional surround sound from a single soundbar this
wondrous device proves Yamaha and Dolby Atmos is a potent combination

[ 71 ]
[[2C]]
 ONE
TURTLE BEACH
K Y
STEALTH 350VR
EC IT
CH EAL
R
Turtle Beachs all-black
headset was made
specifically for use with
VR, with a design that allows
clearance for various cables
without being too bulky and
heavy. Itll last 30 hours on
a single charge, with various
EQ adjustments and in-built
audio monitoring to let you
hear your own voice.
60 / amazon.co.uk
72
TWO
PRIF DYNAMO
CHARGING STATION
Sure, technically this is
nothing more than an
elaborately shaped lump
of plastic with charging
ports built in, but itll let you
store the PSVR headset as
well as charging and storing
two Move Controllers and
a standard PS4 controller.
Neat, functional your
mother will be pleased.
30 / smythstoys.com
THREE
POWERA PREMIUM
PROTECTION CASE
Theres not much we can
say about this. Its black.
Its officially licensed.
Its basically a case thats
made to perfectly hold and
protect the PSVR headset.
Exciting? Maybe not, but
its handy for transporting
your expensive bit of kit
and protecting it from the
sun (see no.6 opposite).
30 / amazon.co.uk

1 SEE IN THE DARK
First things first the PSVR
does not like light. The darker
your room the better, so turn
off the lights (obviously), draw
the curtains, and try to make
sure there arent any reflective
surfaces between you and the
PlayStation Camera. Speaking
of which, youre going to want
to be sitting or standing around
two metres from the camera
to ensure the optimal playing
experience.
4 PLAY PEEKABOO
Every now and then youre
going to have to go back to
the real world to sip a drink or
reach for the remote. Instead
of taking off the headset every
time reality calls, you can peek
through the PlayStation Camera
by holding the PS button and
selecting Adjust PlayStation
VR from the menu. Select
Confirm Your Position from
[ Words Esat Dedezade ]
the sub-menu, and boom:
youve got real-life-vision.
INSTANT UPGRADES
E Y
IS DO
ES TR
TH W
TH OW
NO
N
PLAYSTATION
VR DEMO DISC
This download
from the
PlayStation
store is packed
2 SAY NO TO GLOW 3 SEE EYE TO EYE with eight game
demos, including
If you find youre having niggling While youre asked to go Battlezone,
problems with tracking, then through some basic headset Eve: Valkyrie
you can usually pinpoint the adjustments when you first and DriveClub.
culprits by going to Settings > fire up the PSVR, there are more free
Devices > PlayStation Camera detailed calibration settings
and Adjust PlayStation Camera. in the VR options of the PS4s
From here, youll be able to see settings toolbox. These include
if your PSVR headset and Move holding the headset and
Controllers are being picked up controllers close to the camera
properly. This makes it easier to calibrate their light. Itll also
to see any pesky reflective check the distance between
surfaces that could be confusing your eyes by asking you to
the camera. position crosshairs. HEADMASTER
Practise your
Olivier Giroud skills
by heading the ball
into the back of
the net. It might
sound simple,
but this is a great
introduction to
the capabilities
of virtual reality.
15.99
5 STAY IN CONTROL 6 SHUN THE SUN
BATMAN:
Even if youre using the Never expose your headsets ARKHAM VR
PlayStation Move Controllers, lenses to strong sunlight. Doing One of the most
youre still going to want your so causes them to focus the impressive VR
DualShock 4 controller for suns beams like a magnifying experiences
easier, more comfortable glass, burning the in-built weve tried yet,
navigation. Annoyingly, the screens beyond repair, resulting Batman: Arkham
PS4 controller turns itself off in black spots in your VR vision. VR places you
after 10 minutes of inactivity. Youll also want to avoid alcohol- into the clunky
Thankfully, theres a simple fix. based lens wipes. They damage black boots
Hit up Settings, select Power the special film Sony has of the dark
Saving Settings, and make placed over the PSVRs lenses, knight himself.
sure Turn Off DualShock 4 resulting in discolouration and 15.99
Automatically is set to off. annoying marks.
73
 TEST GARMIN VIVOSMART HR+

Incremental pains
Garmin has added GPS to the popular
Vivosmart HR fitness tracker, so you can
add precision to your self-inflicted agony
200 / stuff.tv/VivosmartHRPlus

The original Vivosmart HR went

down a treat, but for this upgraded
version Garmin has thrown in GPS
to make it even more tempting.
Its also had a play around with
the looks, but other than that this
is pretty much the same band.

The HR+ is on the bulky side for a

fitness tracker, possibly on account
of the added GPS smarts. The
strap which youll have to wear
pretty tight for a proper heart-rate
reading isnt all that comfy either.
Its monochrome display is alright,
though, with enough detail to give
you a clear readout of your stats.

The HR+ does everything a

fitness tracker should do time,
steps, calories, distance and a
whole bunch more. Once youre
hooked up to your phone via
Bluetooth, you can receive
notifications, control your music
and even check the weather to
make sure you dont get caught
with your shorts on in a storm.

The main attraction, as with

the Apple Watch Series 2, is GPS.
This gives a much more accurate
measure of speed and distance
than a simple accelerometer, and
can map out routes as you run.

Unless youre running daily

marathons, you should easily get
between three and four days on
the average charge. Thats if youre
not using GPS, though. Fire that
up and battery life will tank down
to about eight hours.

Tech specs
Fit and appy Go, compare
Display 1in 160x68 Garmin Connect is a slick app, As is becoming standard for
Sensors Accelerometer, altimeter, with a clear homescreen giving fitness apps, theres a fair bit
GPS, heart-rate monitor a rundown of all your stats. Steps of community going on here.
Connectivity Bluetooth, ANT+ walked, time slept, calories burnt You can compare your progress
Battery life Up to 5 days its all there, and theres a with friends with the same app,
Weight 31g (regular), 33g (X-large) detailed page for each statistic. and the daily challenges are fun.

STUFF SAYS A feature-packed tracker thats a bit obtrusive for wearing 24/7

Itll get you in For getting fit without going for the whole sports watch thing, the Vivosmart HR+
shape but could is an impressive box-ticker. Its packed with all the features youd expect, including
lose a bit of GPS. The only issue we have is with the design. Its bulky and uncomfortable, making
weight itself wearing it all day a pain. If youre keeping it casual on the fitness front and need
Daniel James something unobtrusive, this ones probably going to get on your nerves.

74
 TEST HTC 10 EVO

A little Evo boost This is the smartphone the HTC 10

should have been at a much
more affordable price
420 / stuff.tv/HTC10Evo

As much as we liked it, the HTC

10 didnt really have any stand-out
features. And in 2017 we demand
more: youve got to be waterproof,
with a storming display, and a great
camera to boot. Is the HTC 10 Evo
that phone? Its a second try, if
you like, but built to compete at
the midrange rather than going up
against the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7.

Rocking an all-metal body and

5.5in screen wrapped in Gorilla
Glass 5, it feels very much a
premium phone. This sturdy body
is also equipped to survive watery
accidents to a depth of 1 metre.

The screen has grown from

5.2 to 5.5in while retaining its crisp
2560x1440 resolution. The slightly
lower pixel density may detract
from the experience if youre using
a magnifying glass to read cat
comments on YouTube.

The Evo has followed Apples

most controversial recent move
and dumped the headphone port.
Youre stuck with HTCs own noise-
cancelling USB-C buds, which are
OK but nothing to squeal about.
And no, there isnt an adaptor in
the box for using your own cans.

With 16MP on the rear and 8MP

on the front, the Evos cameras are
impressive. Clarity vanishes quickly
when its dark or you zoom in, but
there are a lot of handy pro features
hidden in the menus.

Sticky Nougat
The Evo runs on Android Nougat
out the box, but with HTCs own
Sense UI layered on top. This
feels a bit less of an upgrade
and more of a hindrance, but
you can switch most of it off
in the menus.
Tech specs
Screen 5.5in 2560x1440 LCD
Draggin dragon Processor Octa-core Snapdragon
Powered by the Snapdragon 810, 810 @ 2GHz OS Android 7.0
this phone can pump out fairly with HTC Sense Cameras 16MP
quick loading times and smooth rear, 8MP front RAM 3GB
general performance. Its a pity Storage 32GB, expandable
HTC didnt fit the newer 821, as up to 2TB Battery 3200mAh
non-stop gaming and video will Dimensions 154x77x8.1mm, 174g
quickly get the phone hot.

STUFF SAYS A solid mid-market entry but its no match for the OnePlus 3T

HTC gives up on Unless youre particularly irked about the missing headphone jack, the HTC 10 Evo
the flagships doesnt get very much wrong at all. Its got a high-quality display, decent enough
and aims for performance, the latest version of Android and a minimal custom skin on top. Sure,
OnePlus instead its not as fast as a current flagship; but as with the OnePlus 3T, you just wont notice
Tom Morgan if you spend half your day staring at Instagram feeds or Twitter.

75
 HEARING IS
BELIEVING

The M3 Soundbar.
We know hearing is believing when it comes to sound quality. We can tell you it will fill your living room with
superbly detailed and dynamic sound from both music and movies, but youd be taking our word for it.
To hear for yourself how the M3 brings life to sound, visit one of the approved Q Acoustics retailers below.
Bringing Life to Sound.

Built-In aptX Ultra Wide MoviEQ

Subwoofer Bluetooth Sound Dispersion Enhanced Listening

Search Q Acoustics M3 #hearingisbelieving

Visit qacoustics.co.uk/hear to find out more.

 BEST INDIE GAMES

25 THE

BEST INDIE GAMES

Whoever said bigger is better obviously
hasnt tried these shed-built classics.
But which small-time hero tops our list?

Super Limbo
Meat Boy
Limbo is a side-
Games used to be scrolling 2D platform
really, really hard game packed with
and Super Meat Boy puzzles but its
certainly shares this that mood that
philosophy, being lingers long in the
PLATFORM a 300-level 2D memory, rather than
GAMES platformer that the gameplay itself.
requires split-second The black and white
timing. The titular presentation sets
Meat Boy is well, a sombre tone;
Shovel Knight a boy made of meat, the mechanics are
and hes attempting simple and the story
Most knights prefer swords and the stick them to rescue a damsel minimal, but the
with the pointy end technique, but the hero in in distress who grainy monochrome
this 2D platformer prefers a shovel. Looking at happens to be visuals and frequent
Shovel Knights style and pixel art, youd think located on the other gruesome deaths
it was a NES classic rather than a game born side of many screens make playing Limbo
from Kickstarter. Inspired by titles such as of blades, needles, a gloriously gloomy
Super Mario Bros and DuckTales, itll wallop enemies and bosses. experience.
you with platforming nostalgia.
[ Words Ryan Jones ]
PS4, PC, PS4, Xbox One,
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Wii U, 3DS mobile, Wii U PC, mobile, Wii U

77
 BEST INDIE GAMES

S t a r d e w Va l l e y
Video games are full of blazing guns
and bloodied swords, but sometimes
were in the mood for a more relaxing
experience. Stardew Valley is the
perfect tonic to soothe your stress,
as you take ownership of a small farm.
Growing crops and raising chickens
might sound like a dull affair, but its
surprisingly joyous to watch your
farm expand. And youre not restricted
to farming either: whether you see
yourself as a fisherman, an explorer
or a social butterfly, you can lead
whatever life you want as long as
it doesnt involve sitting in an office.
FEZ
PUZZLE Fez is a perspective-based
GAMES puzzle game set in a world
that looks two-dimensional
but is actually a cube that
rotates 90 with the press
of a button. Each rotation
rearranges the platforms,
and figuring out how to use
that to navigate around each
level offers a brain-aching
challenge that is both
ingenious and delightful.
Its a fabulous mix: bouncy
platforming, head-bending
puzzles and an expertly
executed difficulty curve all
wrapped up in a retro world.

PS4, Xbox One, PC PS4, PC

RPGs

Braid Superhot Papers, The

Please Witness
Among the first crop People have called
of new wave indie this a first-person Casting you as a Another Jonathan
titles, Braid is a shooter, but we think lowly border control Blow puzzler, but this
platformer created of it more as a puzzle agent in a fictional time it takes place
by the mercurial game. The twist is dystopian state, this on a beautiful yet
Jonathan Blow. The simple: time doesnt surprise hit weaves mysterious island.
protagonist has to move unless you an enthralling story Most of the puzzles
Undertale rescue a princess do. Enemies remain through its portrayal are displayed on
from a monster and frozen in mid-action, of day-to-day electronic boards,
This is an RPG, but its self-aware, jump on Goomba- allowing you to drudgery against usually requiring
becoming almost a satire of the genre. esque enemies. So sidestep gunfire a backdrop of social you to draw a line
Yet this harrowing tale never loses its far, it sounds like and plan your attack. unrest, mass poverty between dots of
identity, being able to make you laugh Super Mario Bros Whether youre and 1984-style different colours.
one second and fill you with dread but Braids killer USP, throwing glass surveillance. Do you Sounds simple
moments later. There are multiple the ability to reverse bottles to disarm take bribes in order and boring, right?
options available for tackling your time, results in a enemies, stealing to feed your family, Yet each puzzle
opponents, whether you want to collection of mind- their weapons or or perform your job is enthralling and
leave a trail of destruction or resolve stretching puzzles. enacting Matrix-like to the letter and solving them
matters with a non-lethal approach. Add in the storybook dodge manoeuvres hope the regime brings you closer
As much as there is to say about artwork and its hard to stay alive, this rewards your loyalty? to debunking the
Undertale, its best left under a shroud to deny this indie is one of the most Stamping passports islands mysteries.
of at least some secrecy but we can games status as innovative takes on has never been Youll feel like a genius
say that creator Toby Fox clearly put a a piece of art. the genre in years. so gripping. by the end.
lot of heart into this masterpiece.
PC Xbox One, PC PC, mobile PS4, Xbox One, PC
PC

78
 BEST INDIE GAMES
Staff picks

RESOGUN

Ryan Jones,
Staff Writer

I dont always
want convoluted
plots when
I sit down to
play a game; Dont Starve The To w e r F a l l
sometimes I just Binding Ascension
want explosions. This is a survival of Isaac
This pimped up simulator in which Sadly, the days of
Space Invaders food, shelter and Take one look at The couch multiplayer
satisfies my sanity are vital, and Binding of Isaac and are dying out in favour
shoot-em-up youre as likely to die youll feel slightly of online skirmishes
thirst. And while from lack of one of disturbed. Nintendo if you dont own
Im supposed those as you are initially pulled the plug a Nintendo system
to be rescuing from getting eaten on a port due to its and a copy of Smash
stranded by the wildlife. religious themes. Bros, what on earth
humans from You must scour Thankfully, they do you do when
an alien invasion, the procedurally eventually saw friends come round?
I prefer to fling generated world Bastion sense, as this TowerFall Ascension
them into deadly scavenging food dungeon crawler is a great alternative,
tractor beams. to eat and materials We challenge you to play Bastion and not fall in takes inspiration as up to four players
to craft with, while love with it. You play as The Kid, who wakes up from The Legend can battle it out with
growing your tech after the Calamity, a literally earth-shattering of Zelda but is even a quiver of arrows
tree until you reach event thats left the world in tiny floating bits. tougher. Randomly to zing across the
a Crusoe-esque As you walk, the environment rebuilds under generated dungeons screen. Just dont
zen moment where your feet, but brings with it a host of enemies also mean you can be surprised if
youve built yourself and obstacles that youll have to defeat in order never familiarise friendships end once
a self-sustaining to progress. With gorgeous animation, clever yourself with the youve pinned your
utopia. level design and a touch of humour to boot, this maps layout. bestie to the wall one
is an outstanding fully featured adventure. too many times.
PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS4, Xbox One,
mobile, Wii U PS4, Xbox One, PC, mobile PC, mobile, Wii U PS4, PC

SPELUNKY
While it might look at first
like another old-school
dungeon-crawling platformer,
Spelunky is transformed
Im rubbish at into something truly special
first-person by its rogue-like elements.
shooters. I dont Each level is procedurally
have hours to generated, so in effect youll
spare getting never play the same one
insulted by twice. Enemies, ladders,
teenage bigots traps and treasure will all
online. But let be placed differently, and
me float over an the very layout of the
80s apartment platforms will rarely, if ever,
block, put me be the same making it that
in control of a little bit harder to stuff your
mask-wearing, pockets full of loot.
gun-toting
psychopath, and PS4, PC
Im deadlier than
a hungry fox in
a home for blind
chickens.

Tom Wiggins,
Deputy Editor

HOTLINE ACTION
MIAMI GAMES
Staff picks

79
 BEST INDIE GAMES
Staff picks

OLLIOLLI 2:
WELCOME TO
OLLIWOOD
Firewatch HORROR Ross Presly,
GAMES Deputy Art Editor
This is a beautiful, meditative game
about isolation in the American The joy and
wilderness. With lustrous, tangerine- adrenaline you
soaked wilderness to explore, youre feel when 5 Inside
going to want to get lost in the forests chaining an
of Wyoming, however foreboding that entire level After impressing
idea may seem. One of the first things together into us with Limbo,
youll pick up on, when youre not one uber-combo developers Playdead
melting into the glorious sunset, is exhilarating have proved their
is that Firewatch is almost entirely and the rage and talent for creating
devoid of anything resembling frustration you dark and creepy
traditional video-game mechanics. feel when you puzzle-platformers
So the gameplay doesnt quite match stack it on the once again with
its storyline and visuals, but itll hit last manual is Inside. You take
you right in the feels. short-lived, due control of a young,
to the instant nameless boy who
PS4, Xbox One, PC F i v e N i g h t s a t F r e d d y s restart. Learn can die in many
the level, beat horrifically graphic
Animatronics are creepy enough already, but the high score ways, giving you a
theyre taken to a new level when they start and skate your realistic view of this
coming to life at night with a killer instinct that way to victory. depressing world.
would put Jason Voorhees to shame. And It may be a short
unluckily for you, your role is that of a security venture, lasting
guard whos been lumbered with the night roughly four hours,
shift. Keep checking those security cameras but every frame is
and keep the door shut, otherwise youre going worth hanging up in
to be jumped by a psychopathic teddy bear. your memorys hall
Toy Story will never be the same. of fame.

PC, mobile PS4, Xbox One, PC

WALKING
SIMS

SOMA Outlast
When I retired
In the run for your Horror games, you my plastic Guitar
life mould of other may have noticed, Hero controller,
recent horror games, are back in vogue. I thought my
SOMA sees you Instead of gore- rhythmic game
trapped in an soaked shooting obsession was
underwater scientific galleries like Resident over. Whod
installation. Frictional Evil 5, were now have thought
Gone Home Games isnt content getting a wave of that a beetle
with providing the games that want to sliding through
A first-person narrative exploration odd jump scare give you nightmares. psychedelic
game that casts you as a girl returning they want to give Outlast is one of worlds would
from a year of travelling to find her you a psychological the best of these get my fingers
family arent home. What sets Gone horror experience. new-breed chillers. tapping to a beat
Home apart from the growing number Each monster that Theres no weaponry, again? Thumper
of walking simulators is its immersive you encounter just a camcorder is surprisingly
atmosphere. Even the bravest will embodies one of the with night vision to fun and
hold their breath with apprehension games dark themes. help you see in a dark disturbingly
as they venture into the basement. To survive you must asylum filled with chilling.
The story of what happened to understand how terrifying hulks and
the girls family will unfold through they tick, but what mutilated patients. Rob Leedham,
audio narration and visual clues. you discover will This is the scariest Editor
This is an incredibly engrossing and plunge you deeper game of hide and
emotionally charged way to spend into the void. seek weve played.
a couple of hours. THUMPER
PS4, PC PS4, Xbox One, PC
PS4, Xbox One, PC Staff picks

80
 BEST INDIE GAMES

THE NEXT BIG

INDIE GAMES

3 Rocket 2 The 1 Minecraft CUPHEAD

League Walking What do you get
Dead Well, whod have if you cross a
The idea of thought that Disney cartoon
combining monster Few could have the on-screen with Dark
trucks and football predicted a equivalent of Lego Souls? Cuphead
would have sounded resurgence of the would become the is the answer,
like a car crash point-and-click second-highest- with its brutal
of a game prior adventure genre, selling game of all boss battles
to Rocket League, but Telltale Games time? Minecrafts and colourful
yet it succeeds with multi-episode game emergence started animations.
rocket-powered set in the world of an earthquake that
style. Theres a lot the hit TV series proved indie games
4 Journey of customisation showed that people really can make
and unlockable will always flock it big. Its blocky
Journey is a minimalist sound-and-vision content available, to great interactive appearance might
experience where you guide a pin-legged from the Batmobile storytelling. Not only look outdated and
pilgrim through beautiful, desolate landscapes to Back to the does The Walking childish, but youd YOOKA-
towards a distant mountaintop. Theres little in Futures DeLorean. Dead have superb be naive to dismiss LAYLEE
the way of challenge and its short, but while it Its perhaps the best writing and relatable the potential of the Weve been
should be dull, Journeys mellow adventure is multiplayer game characters; it offers creative sandbox, begging for a
captivating. This isnt a game that demands of this generation, the player choices which has led to Banjo-Kazooie
multiple replays. Instead you get a wonderful, beating even the that are genuinely some mesmerising successor for
meditative experience that will lodge itself in most heavyweight heart-wrenching. creations. almost two
your mind forever. of AAA titles. decades and
PS4, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox One, well finally get
PS4 PS4, Xbox One, PC PC, mobile PC, mobile, Wii U one this year.

WE HAPPY
FEW
In this dystopian
horror, everyone
is forced to take
a drug that
makes them
happy but
suppresses
their morality.

ALLISON
ROAD
Touted as

THE
the spiritual
successor
to P.T., this

TOP
psychological
horror wants
to make you

FIVE
squirm.

81
 GADGET DOCTOR
Help! Im
out of
data
again
READER IN NEED Steph Legg
Keeps springing data leaks
Stuff! I would have Snapchatted
this SOS, but Im worried my network
will charge me 10 for the privilege.
How do I stop hitting my data cap
every month? And dont just tell
me to cut down on my Instagram,
Spotify and Netflix fixations. This is
the 21st century and I refuse to live
like a philistine.
THE EXPERT Rob Leedham Editor
82
1
Find the
data hogs
Scour your iPhones settings
If youre running out of data on the regular, youre probably
overdoing it on a couple of apps. To uncover the main
offenders on iPhone, head to Settings > Mobile Data.
Youll see a list of all your apps and how much internet
theyve used. Plus, you can toggle off their data usage
so they only work over Wi-Fi.
Delve into Androids app info
And on Android? Its a little trickier. Youll have to select
Settings > Apps, and then select individual downloads to
see what theyve been up to recently. If that sounds like
a right faff, then be sure to start with any apps that play
a lot of video, such as Twitter and YouTube. Youll also
want to take a look at any games that require a constant
internet connection. Pokmon GO, were looking at you.
Check with your network
Sick of that monthly text? You know, the one that says
youve only got 250MB of data left. Download your
networks official app for a regularly updated feed of
the minutes, texts and data you have left. By keeping
an eye on this you wont have to resort to rationing your
remaining data like the dregs of a Nutella jar.
 GADGET DOCTOR

WERE
ALWAYS
ON CALL

@stuffTV

2 3 facebook.com/
joinstuff

Hack your Up your

apps data limit
google com/
+stufftv

stuff@
haymarket.com

OR
TRY
THIS

Negotiate
with your
provider
Before you
go through
the hassle
of switching
providers, its
always worth
trying to
squeeze
more out of
your existing
one. Its
surprisingly
Turn off Facebooks auto-play Go SIM-only for less easy if you
Facebooks app is a huge data hog but lets be realistic, So youve tried all our tips and still need more data? Its try: call them
youre not going to delete it. What you should do, though, time to stump up for a new phone contract. As ever, youre up and
is alter your video auto-play settings so you only watch best off shopping around before paying out, but the good threaten to
the clips you want to with your data and play the rest over news is that there are plenty of bumper deals around quit. Then,
Wi-Fi. Head to the Facebook app, tap Settings > Videos right now. At the time of writing EE is selling 12GB data once youve
and Photos > Auto-Play, and select Wi-Fi only. for 19.99/month as part of a SIM-only offer. been passed
on to the
cancellations
Dont stream in Extreme Sign up for Sky Mobile team who
Signed up to Spotify, Apple Music or another music Perhaps you dont run short on data every month, just can offer the
streaming service? Then youll probably know their the ones where youve been out of the office a lot or got best deals
apps give you several settings for both streaming and debilitatingly addicted to Clash Royale. Then Skys Mobile be specific
downloading quality. For example, Spotify has Normal, service is well worth a look. Launching this year, the new about why
High and Extreme. If you dont have much data to spare 4G SIM-only service will allow you to roll unused data over youre
then stream your flights of fancy in Normal and download to the next month and keep it for up to three years. As long leaving them
your faves in Extreme over Wi-Fi. as you have some restraint, its a great solution. and name
any better
offers that
Download your TV Try unlimited with Three youve seen
Its the same deal if youre watching Stranger Things on If youre a bigger is best kind of person, theres one final elsewhere.
the train. Now Netflix has joined Amazon Instant Video resort here: Threes all-you-can-eat SIM-only contract,
and BBC iPlayer in offering downloads of select shows, which gives you unlimited data for 35/month. In an age
theres no excuse for using your data to find out what where Wi-Fi hotspots are abundant, youve no real need
perilous fate befalls Barb especially since watching one to pay so much, but its a taste of the future when even
show could easily shove your monthly spend into the red. faster 5G speeds roll out to the UK.

83
 VERSUS SMART SPEAKERS

Battling
butlers
With their virtual personal assistants, these
speakers both promise to make our lives easier
and less, yknow, fiddly. But which is best?

Google Home Amazon Echo EVERYONES

GOT A
Whats the story? Whats the story? HIDDEN
The Google Home looks a lot like one of Back in the December issue, we were TALENT
those automated air fresheners that puff dazzled by the Amazon Echos ability
out a whiff of lavender whenever you walk to do everything from playing music and
by. Thats no bad thing, mind. Its angled top setting timers to searching Wikipedia and Dans lair ce soir
and rounded base (available in a range of telling jokes all by listening to your voice. One of the Homes
colours) give it a modern and unobtrusive Now that Alexa isnt the only virtual butler smartest skills is
look. AI butlers should be heard and not in town, were keen to see how this futuristic Google Translate.
seen, after all. black tube matches up to Googles shorter, We asked it to
The controls are touch-sensitive a more homely-looking rival. translate random
quick circular swipe around the top panel Alexas English accent is certainly more sentences to
raises or lowers the volume, and you can comforting and less jarring than Google various languages,
long-press it to wake up Google Assistant Assistants slightly robotic American and it provided
but wheres the fun in that when you can voice but were looking for cleverness, us with verbal
summon her from across the room? not just reassurance. translations
instantly. The Echo,
Is it any good? Is it any good? on the other hand,
The Home is a much smarter searcher than Alexa is totally stumped by questions that had no idea what
the Echo. Ask Google Assistant if snakes you might expect her to handle with ease, we were on about.
can climb up walls, for example, and youll and fails miserably compared to Google Its not a deal-
get a full and satisfactory answer (yes, Assistant in almost every round of our trivia breaking feature
some can, if theres enough grip). Its clear test including the vital query Do insects for most people, but
that Googles background gives it the edge have brains? (They do, by the way.) could be truly useful
as a hands-free search engine. The two are more evenly matched when to some. Going on
But smart home functionality is limited, it comes to home automation, but the Echo holiday this year?
for the moment, to Nest, SmartThings and wins because its compatible with so many
Philips Hue. And what the Home sorely more devices and services including Hive, Happy shopper
lacks at time of writing is a good selection LIFX lights and Belkin WeMo switches. The The Echo is the only
of apps and services. You cant even use it Echo is also easier to use as a music player, speaker that lets
to create appointments or send messages allowing you to verbally save songs to your you order things
using Googles own services. Were hoping Spotify library or specific playlists, although online (from
for big improvements here in the wake of it isnt as good as the Home at helping you Amazon, of course)
the any-minute-now UK launch. out with vague requests youll need the using nothing but
As a music device it works well enough, full title of that Cliff Richard B-side. your voice. Alexa
especially if your chosen streaming service Most importantly, at the time of writing will give you a list
is Spotify, but the killer feature here is the the Echo has way more connected apps of the sites top
Homes ability to send media to your TV via than the Home. Alexa lets you browse, search results,
a Google Chromecast. And its usually clever search and enable a plethora of UK-specific asking you if you
enough to understand what you want to services, from National Rail train times want to buy any
watch even if you dont know the full name. to The Guardian. of them. And you
can set a verbal
[ Words Tom Morgan ]

Price US$129 / stuff.tv/GoogleHome Price 149 / stuff.tv/AmazonEcho PIN to prevent

your pranky mates
Stuff says Stuff says from ordering you a
It has huge potential, but for now Googles The Home has a better search brain, but the MacBook Pro every
speaker just isnt as useful as the Echo Echo works much better as a home hub few seconds.

84
 VERSUS SMART SPEAKERS

TEST 1 Take note, Google

WINNER Unlike its rival, the Echo
can be used to create
shopping lists, reminders
and calendar entries
using Google Calendar.

2 Tube screamer
As a speaker, the Echo
edges ahead in terms of
both power and clarity.
Pity you cant plug it into
your hi-fi like the Echo Dot.

2 4

3 Easy listening
Googles device can send
music to your hi-fi via a
Chromecast Audio, or you
can use several Homes for
multiroom sound.

4 Taxi for Google!

The Home isnt much use
for driving directions or
public transport info, but
at least you can use it to
order an Uber.

85
 GROUP TEST
Sports headphones
Because you dont want to sweat into
a big pair of padded on-ears, do you?
BEST
FOR
VALUE
Soul Electronics Flex
Born to run?
Our favourite sports headphones for yonks
are now cheaper than ever and just as
good. They might look rather simple, but
we cant fault them for build and sound
quality, both of which are top-notch. Plus,
theyre water-resistant so you can take
them out in a downpour knowing your
Drake megamix isnt going to cut out.
Fit but you know it?
The ear-hooks are both comfortable and
unobtrusive and, crucially, the buds stay in
place as you run for the best possible sound.
The absence of Bluetooth isnt any real loss
either, as the 1.2m cable (with inline remote)
doesnt bounce around too much. As for
sound quality, its excellent, with crisp treble
notes, clean and clear vocals and a decent
amount of bass for the money.
Price 40 / stuff.tv/SoulFlex
Stuff says
A comfortable design coupled with a solid,
balanced sound at a great price
86
3 OF THE BEST
BEST
FOR
STYLE
Jaybird Freedom Wireless
Born to run?
Jaybirds latest cord-cutting in-ears promise
to help you ditch the wires in style with a
premium build, eight-hour battery life and
a tonne of different earbud sizes and curved
attachments to make sure they stay in your
lugholes. So while your running style might
not be flash, at least these things are.
Fit but you know it?
These in-ears arent cheap, and they
certainly dont feel it thanks to their metal
construction. Theyre a little tinny out of
the box, but the apps powerful EQ settings
make a world of difference suddenly
Skrillex doesnt sound like hes stuck in
an empty can. Battery life is disappointing,
though while the charging dock boosts it
to eight hours, its clunky and you definitely
wouldnt want to run with it.
Price 170 / stuff.tv/FreedomWireless
Stuff says
A premium build and flexible fit, but wed
want better battery life at this price
BEST
FOR
iPHONE 7
Beats Powerbeats3
Wireless
Born to run?
Beats has had a rough history with wireless:
its Powerbeats2 tended to leap out of your
ears like a puppy whos just heard the
postman. Thankfully, these successors
stayed put through hour-long runs without
any trouble, while water-resistance means
theyre impervious to both an unexpected
downpour and your sweat.
Fit but you know it?
Thanks to Apples W1 chip, the Powerbeats3
are automatically picked up by an iPhone 7
with no need to dig around in Settings. Its
ace as is battery life, which has doubled
from six hours to 12. And while you can get
better-sounding earphones for the money,
these Beats can go really loud without
distorting and offer plenty of fine detail.
Price 170 / stuff.tv/Powerbeats3Wireless
Stuff says
A fine pair of sports buds that are ideal
for iPhone 7 owners
Can you
stop
the next
hack?

SCJobs
THE CYBER-SECURITY SOURCE FOR JOBS & CAREERS

www.scmagazineuk.com/jobs/cybersecurity
 BETA YOURSELF
You may be only skimming over the surface of Netflixs
televisual talents Mark Wilson reveals the tactics and
hidden treats that will help turn you into a stream machine
THE BASICS
Rate everything.
Netflixs algorithms use
both your viewing history
and your star ratings to serve
up suitable suggestions,
so remember to hand out
verdicts when the end credits
roll. Or do it later in one go by
going to your profiles viewing
history in a web browser.
Play with profiles. Your
kids might love Peppa Pigs
intriguing plots, but you dont
want that skewing your own
recommendations away from
Spike Jonze and John Woo
films. Its easy to set profiles
for everyone in your family,
or make separate ones for
movies and TV shows.
Go manual. Think you
know better than Netflixs
algorithms? To gain control
88
of the My List section and
start editing its running order,
go to netflix.com/mylistorder
and click manual ordering. You
can now drag and drop titles
and make your own schedule.
Mix and match. Wouldnt
it be great to have one big
watchlist that combines your
favourite Netflix shows with
the best of Amazon, iPlayer
and Now TV? JustWatch
(free, iOS and Android)
comes closest to this
organisational dream, and
alerts you when new Netflix
shows have been added.
Dont miss out. Though
you can see expiry dates in
a show or films details page,
its still easy to get caught out
when titles are deleted. Follow
@NewOnNetflixUK on Twitter
for #lastchance alerts on
things that are about to
get the axe.
Down it in one. Netflixs
downloading feature for
iOS and Android devices
is a godsend for flights and
long commutes. Press the
down-facing arrow next
to shows you want and
youll find them in the my
downloads section.
FIND YOUR MATCH
Extend yourself. Build
your Netflix watchlist in
Chrome, where you can use
browser extensions to pull in
extra info. FindFlix and Flix Plus
(both free, chrome.google.
com) will give you access to
Netflixs hidden sub-genres
and Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Ask a bot. The Facebook
Messenger bot AndChill
(andchill.io) gives surprisingly
good recommendations.
Have a shuffle. Feeling
daring? Netflix Roulette
(netflixroulette.com) will
randomly pick your evening
watch for you.

GO OFFLINE
Size it up. Go to app
settings in Netflixs main
menu to see a graph of how
much storage your downloads
are eating up. Download
quality can be set to higher
(HD), but SD quality is good
enough for most tablet or
smartphone screens.
Move to SD. Netflix only
lets you download shows
to your phones internal
storage. But if youre rocking
an Android phone with a
microSD slot, there are some
workarounds to let you get
them onto a big SD card.
To find out how, head to
bit.ly/netflixsdcard
WATCH AND
LEARN
Beat the buffer. If a flaky
connection is giving you the
buffer wheel of death, you
can tweak your streaming
quality. In Chrome, press
Control-Shift-Option-S
and choose a lower bit-rate.
On a console, pressing up, up,
down, down, left, right, left,
right, up, up, up, up will let you
check connection speeds.
Party on. The Chrome
extension Netflix Party
(free, netflixparty.com)
syncs playback to let people
in different locations follow
the action together, while a
side-screen chat box lets you
gossip about the actors hair.
Stop squinting. Want to go
all Euro arthouse but struggling
to read the subtitles? Change
their size, style and colour in
Netflixs browser interface by
going to your account then
subtitle appearance.
NEXT LEVEL
Make a Netflix button.
If youre a soldering wizard
and know your way around
a circuit board, you can build
a one-touch button to fire
up your fave show, order
a takeaway and dim the lights.
Youll find instructions here:
makeit.netflix.com/projects/
the-switch
Mix it up. Helping your
parents to get started on
Netflix, or just want to share
your immaculate televisual
taste? Log into Flixtape
(flixtape.netflix.com) with
your account and make a
themed playlist of shows
to email your lucky recipient.
LEVEL UP
WITH...
NETFLIX VR
Put on your VR headset
of choice (Gear VR or
Daydream), fire up this
app and sit back in your
cosy log cabin, complete
with a snowy view,
comfy sofa and massive
TV. It wont be as sharp
as your real 4K telly, but
its handy for avoiding
scheduling arguments.
free / Gear VR, Daydream
YAMAHA
YSP-2700
If your planning
application for a full
surround sound system
has been rejected by
your other halfs interior
design committee, this
soundbar with wireless
sub is a fine way to keep
your immersive Netflix
dreams alive.
649 / richersounds.com
ROKU 3
Worried about disturbing
your family and/or
goldfish with late-night
Michael Bay explosion
fests? This streamers
remote has a headphone
jack, so you can plug
in your cans and keep
watching without getting
glares at breakfast.
69 / amazon.co.uk
89
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP RUSSIA QUALIFIER

ENGLAND V LITHUANIA
SUNDAY 26 MARCH 2017
WEMBLEY STADIUM CONNECTED BY EE

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

THEFA.COM/TICKETS
See theFA.com/tickets for all available pricing details.
amplifi hd Stuff Picks

smart
Guy Cocker, Global Editor-In-Chief

Unlike my colleagues choices

on the following pages, which
are all pointless luxuries,
the Amplifi HD is an absolute

home
necessity for anyone who
really cares about the Wi-Fi in their home.
Its a mesh-based system, which means it
uses multiple routers to blanket the house
with fast, stable wireless signals. Its not
cheap, but Amplifis solution is slick and
compact, and if youre rich enough to own
a mansion you can just keep adding routers
as you go. The rest of us will just be happy
to know that the system is easy to set up
and manage thanks to the iOS/Android
app. And the range includes two cheaper
versions (from $199) that should suffice
Just what is it that makes todays homes so
for smaller, less geek-heavy homes. different, so appealing? Well, theres this
US$349 (UK price tbc) / store.amplifi.com
[ Photography Mitch Payne ]

BASE DESIRES
The starter kit includes a
base station and two access
points, which is enough to
cover most homes. The base
station is way more sexy than
a traditional router, and
ALTERNATIVELY even has a built-in
LCD screen.
NETGEAR
ORBI
If you want the
ultimate home
Wi-Fi and dont
mind paying for
it, then go for
the Netgear
Orbi. The starter
pack contains
two routers,
which look
great and, more
importantly,
supercharge
your home
with fantastic
wireless speeds
and range.
399 /
amazon.co.uk

91
 STUFF PICKS

Withings
Aura Smart
Sleep System
Tom Parsons, Deputy Web Editor

Im the sort of person who

thinks the final hours of any
day are for gaming, which
means I go to bed wired and
struggle to sleep. I could just
stop playing games, but that sounds no
fun at all, does it? Instead Ive invested in
ALTERNATIVELY a Withings Aura, which uses warm light
and soothing sound to beckon the Sandman.
SLEEP CYCLE It also wakes you gently with a simulated
ALARM sunrise and audio when youre sleeping
CLOCK the lightest, and gives you a very thorough
If its just the breakdown of your nights sleep. (You
sleep monitoring can get the clock/light without the sleep
and gentle sensor for 100 less.) Its definitely helped
waking that me and is only let down by an absolutely
youre after, dreadful built-in speaker that makes lapping
this app does waves sound like traffic noise.
the job admirably, 250 / withings.com
cleverly using
your phones
mic and/or
accelerometer
to monitor the
quality of your
sleep. No, Im
not sure how
it works either,
but it does.
free / iOS
99p / Android

WAKE UP,
TURN DOWN
The Aura supports internet
radio and Spotify Connect
for alarms and general
music listening, which would
be brilliant were it not
for that rubbish
sound quality.

92
 STUFF PICKS

LIGHT TILES
Well obviously theyre light
tiles thats the whole
concept. But theyre also light
in weight, so you wont need
to drill holes to mount them.
They weigh so little they
can be mounted with
stickers.

ALTERNATIVELY
PHILIPS HUE
COLOUR
STARTER KIT
Nanoleaf If youre not
really into
aurora devoting an
entire wall to
Ross Presly, Deputy Art Editor a light, these
slot into your
existing sockets,
Im pretty picky I know what and can change
I like and those things are very colour and be
specific: skulls, black, bicycles, controlled by
tropical plants. As you can Alexa et al.
imagine, this makes buying Theyll also work
things for the home quite difficult there with your Philips
is the distinct risk that my flat will end AmbiLux TV to
up as gothic jungle chic. Thats a thing, enhance the
right? But this light will save me from the moods of those
darkness, being reconfigurable into any Muppet films.
shape you can imagine and any colour from 60 /
you fancy. Tropical jungle sunrise? Gothic meethue.com
thunderstorm? No trouble. Colour themes
can be saved to the free Nanoleaf Smarter
Series app, and you can add animations
too. Its controllable by Siri and Alexa, and
you can add extra tiles with expansion
packs (three tiles for 55).
180 / nanoleaf.me

93
 STUFF PICKS

Ring Video
Doorbell NIGHT SPOT
Mark Wilson, Features Editor The Rings wide-angle
lens captures doorstep
drama in 720p and has
My Amazon Prime addiction night vision too, just in case
means I get deliveries galore, Feathers McGraw tries
most of which seem to to sneak in while youre
instinctively know when stocking up at the all-
Im going to be out. This video night cheese shop.
doorbell lets me see and chat to delivery
folk from the Stuff office on the other side
of London, making sure boxes are left in my
safe place rather than whisked back to the
depot. It promises to run for months on
its rechargeable battery (it also hooks up
to a doorbell transformer, if you have one),
while the motion-sensitivity smarts let me
keep a beady eye on who or what is lurking
around the doorstep.
159 / ring.com

ALTERNATIVELY
NETATMO
PRESENCE
This security
cam goes a
step further
than the Ring
by automatically
distinguishing
between people,
animals and cars,
theoretically
leading to fewer
false alarms.
Unlike the Ring,
it also doesnt
demand any
subscriptions
for saving data,
although setup
is more of a faff.
250 /
netatmo.com

94
 STUFF PICKS

SELF-RAISING
FLOWER
The Pots companion app,
Parrot Flower Power, has a
database of over 8000 plants
with care instructions for each
one. So youve no excuses
for an ex-orchid or
flaccid fern.

Parrot Pot
Esat Dedezade, Deputy Features Editor

Having recently moved into a

new house, Ive found myself
buying boringly sensible things
like toilet paper, tiny bathroom
pedal bins and towel hooks.
On a less mind-numbing note, Ive also
decided to invest in a nice house plant
for emergency feng-shui purposes. My
memory is notoriously lax, so rather than
running the risk of starving the poor thing
of life-giving fluids, Ive left Parrots little
wonder-Pot to automatically monitor
soil moisture and fertiliser levels before ALTERNATIVELY
kindly watering it for me, from its internal
battery-powered reservoir handy for FLOATING TERRA
when Im away on a city break or Destiny While the Floating Terra wont water anything automatically or monitor
LARPing weekend. water levels, it makes up for that with its levitation powers, thanks to the
130 / parrot.com/uk anti-gravity wonder of magnets. One best suited for cat-free homes.
150 / floating-terra.com

95
 FIRST TEST APPLE AIRPODS

The escape Pods

Apple is keen to free us from the tyranny of cables
since killing off the iPhones jack socket, but are its
AirPods capable of leading a wireless revolution?

159 / stuff.tv/AirPods
The AirPods are the most Apple
product in absolutely ages, for
better and for worse.
Yes, the AirPods look like a pair
of Apple EarPods with the cable
snipped off and yes, that looks
a bit daft. But they deliberately
hark back to the earbuds of the
original iPod which, its fair to
say, changed the direction of
consumer electronics and the
fortunes of what had been until
then a computer company.
But while they nod to the past, 1
the AirPods are also stunningly
futuristic. Apples constantly 5
claiming its reinvented stuff,
but for once its not arrogance
or hyperbole. The AirPods are
an undeniably huge step forward
for headphones. The W1 chip
is ushering in a new dawn for
wireless cans, and the AirPods
could go a long way to soothing
the pain left by the cull of the
headphone jack.
But thats not to say theyre
perfect. A divisive design and a
reliance on Siri could leave many
of us resisting hard as Apple tries
to drag us into a wireless future. 3

1 The ugly stick? 2 Snug as a bud in a lug 3 Post-tooth

That Apple has managed to cram
some truly astonishing wireless
tech into such a small device
is little short of mindblowing,
but the way the inch-long arm
extends from the bud gives
the whole design a distinctly
pendant earrings appearance.
The fit is pretty amazing at
least, it is for me. Theyre actually
slightly bigger and more rounded
than the wired EarPods, and they
sit perfectly and comfortably
in the ears. Theyre surprisingly
secure in there, even when
running or cycling.
Thanks to the revolutionary W1
chip, wireless setup is so quick
and intuitive that it makes
standard Bluetooth look archaic.
You can still use the AirPods as
standard Bluetooth headphones,
should you want to connect them
to a non-Apple device.

16 hours with the

ri. t
Si ou
on y
as y
ut d

ph m
e.

Apple AirPods
ec m

go r

w ut I
.

g ith
e.
ib Po

ly fea
ne

s.
ar se

ou ly
e

th ith
w y

ire
t.

ith , b
sin w
tr l i

p
ab sing
do ill

n e au

ti
ick ny
n.
g ina

en ir w

. ki
g ts

w K
e u od

ng s
ta op

m O
qu A
lin bi
tin ig

ain ri

lik go

lo to
op pa

le e is
pl rp
as ar
fit or

ou t
ng s a

Good
o ds
e

lly k
to o

m su
th ye

ob lif
t a the

ea loo
ti

ng b

to an
ed le

ki a

pr y
co is
e d ec

ou m

Meh
is er
ne mp

ta ing

ar m
tr s
ha e

o y
f

g in
W lik

n od
a
w ef

th att
d t lit

sf m
st e
st si

Evil
llin ly

ar ua

do P

ke co
s. st

ju b
he he

ve r b
fa g
ju d

, I Air
r

y dy
ne ju

.H cq
i

u
. I ea
tt ht

ta e

ha u
n

c
ho ok

s b an

ns he

t ho
ne e d

em t s

nt si

i
ou ug

ck o
ce u

ra g v
rp lo

ne o h

tto t
[ Words Tom Parsons ]

dn e-
th fi
ho r

m
ith o

e
ea hey

iP ey

of ey
w lth

di fiv
bu hil

a t in
tu s s

de e

Us
Th

Th

Th
a

A
It
T

1min 2mins 10mins 17mins 30mins 1hr 2hrs 3hrs 4hrs

96
 FIRST TEST APPLE AIRPODS

4
Tech specs
2 Sensors Dual beam-forming microphones, dual
optical sensors, accelerometers for motion and
speech Connectivity AirPods: Bluetooth; charging
case: Lightning connector Compatibility iOS 10 or
later Dimensions AirPods (each) 117x41x18mm, 4g;
charging case 54x44x21mm, 38g

Gift from the Pods

Apple arent content with creating normal wireless
buds, so theyve given the AirPods some nifty tricks

Just in case Ask a Siri question

The carry case can keep To activate Siri you just
your AirPods juiced up double-tap either of the
while youre not using AirPods. This is simple
them. The AirPods will enough, but then you
handle five hours of have to wait a second
constant music, but the or two for the Siri sound
carry case holds another effect before you can
19 hours of charge. issue your instruction.

Open for business Play it by ear

4 Music to our ears
Apples own earphones arent
exactly renowned for amazing
sound, so we were pleasantly
surprised with what the AirPods
have to offer. No, theyre not
incredibly detailed or subtle, but
for most music most of the time,
theyre really very listenable.
s. oth
5 Keep talking
There are no buttons on the
AirPods, and thats both a
blessing and a curse. On one
hand it contributes to the tiny
size of the buds, but on the other
it means youre heavily reliant
on Siri if you dont want to keep
digging out your phone.
r
n. fo
io t
!
Bluetooth headphones To pause your music, you
can be a faff, but with simply have to take one of
the AirPods all you need the buds out of your ear.
to do is open the carry Pop it back in and your
case. Then an AirPods music resumes. Holding
window appears on your a bud in your hand can fool
iPhone; press a button the sensors and restart
and youre connected. the tunes, though.
Engineering-wise the AirPods are
stunning, fitting the most advanced
and user-friendly wireless tech into
a compact design. But their looks
are going to put a lot of people off,
and the heavy reliance on Siri can be a real

irritation. All of which needs to be carefully

at en
ul
us s

on se
o d

.
ef

es
9

er m
. S y bu

ice to

ph he
r re

en cite
ev ue

15

considered before you drop 159 on a pair

fo e a

ad s t
em m

Bl

he ak

d g ex
ns er
th s

pl ard

tio th

ct we
g rge

of earphones. @TomParsons
on th
d

op ink
Ap nd

ec wi
rfe l t
sin ha

pe ima
n- ta

es y
ty th
tu c

bl dd
no s s
no ase

ali ut

he in

ta gi
ith a

qu b

et m
m c

vi y
w ork

r- elp

h
n I rry

ne ad

STUFF SAYS
d b it
tte t h
ds w

ul w

e i lre
he ca

bu ey

co ut

th m a
be an
w he

They make you look daft, but tech-

b
Th

Ic
T

wise the AirPods are ushering in a

new dawn for wireless headphones
7hrs 8hrs 10hrs 14hrs 16hrs

97
 GROUP TEST SMART TV BOXES

One-box wonders
Forgotten where that Westworld episode is saved, or which
streamer has All 4 on catch-up? These boxes bring your
favourite shows together with a minimum of fuss

T
WIN EST
NER

Sky Q
from 15 + 22/month / stuff.tv/SkyQ

Essential for hardcore TV fired off in their direction.

fans, Sky Q is the best way
to watch both live and
recorded shows. Plus, its
multiroom skills are a joy
to behold. With up to 2TB
storage for recordings and
downloads, the silver box
can stockpile 350 hours
of HD programming and
acts as a mothership to
any Mini boxes you have
dotted around your home,
with catch-up stuff being
The process is slick, and
even runs on its own
Wi-Fi mesh network so
it wont slow down anyone
in the house whos not
into Mr Robot. Plus, only
the Q box can handle 4K
football and movies at
the moment.
STUFF SAYS
The best TV experience
currently available
BINGE BONANZA MORE 4K TO COME APP TO THE JOB
It may not support Although Sky probably The Sky Q app is a
Netflix, but Sky Qs has the best selection must-download for
own Box Sets service of 4K content out subscribers. It almost
is pretty handy, there, its still a little on exactly mimics the TV
whether youve still the slim side. Formula 1 interface, enabling you
not watched The Wire coverage will help with to set recordings and
or want to wrap your that once the new download shows to
brain around Lost again. season starts. watch on the go.

98
 GROUP TEST SMART TV BOXES

AND NOW
VIRGIN
TV V6
HANDS-ON
REVIEW

Sky NowTV Smart Box BT YouView+

40 / stuff.tv/NowTV 160 / stuff.tv/BTYouViewPlus

from 15 Never heard of NowTV? at 720p, so not even Full Thinking of signing up to away from your usual
+ 45/month / Its Skys contract-free HD, and youll really notice BT? This is the box youll channel-hopping
virginmedia.com offering for people who this shortcoming on a most likely be getting. A fare, which is mighty
cant afford Q Silver fancy set. But who cares Humax DTR-T2000 with convenient. And you can
Having been or install a satellite on when you have access to some added BT apps, it use the BT Sport app to
invited to get their home. Stump Game of Thrones? Apps does HD viewing as well catch up on Champions
up close with up the funds for a for iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 as you could hope for. League and Europa League
Virgins new Sky Entertainment, and Demand 5 are all If youve not encountered highlights. If you want
box ahead of Cinema, Sports or Kids available, so theres plenty YouView before, it basically the footie in 4K, go for
our review in pass and youll be able of telly to be digging into. combines Freeview and the YouView+ Ultra HD.
the next issue, to watch the shows you catch-up services into
were quite want for a set period STUFF SAYS the same package. That STUFF SAYS
impressed with of time. The catch? NowTV is a flexible way to means Netflix and NowTV A fab HD box for (nearly)
what weve Streaming only works watch some top stuff are just a couple of taps all your TV in one place
seen so far. In
truth, the V6
offers viewers
more of the
same, only
faster. Much BE
S
VA T
faster. Virgin
says its latest
LU
creation is ten
times more
E
speedy than
the outgoing
TiVo box.
Elsewhere, the
familiar purple
UI remains
unchanged,
but the only
4K content
available to

Amazon Fire TV Apple TV

80 / stuff.tv/FireTV from 139 / stuff.tv/AppleTV

viewers so far While Amazons 4K the Fire TV has enough Remember when Apple beyond a handful of apps
is from Netflix streamer is less of an power to play games, was going to make a TV? such as Kitchen Stories
and YouTube. essential than it was last such as Shovel Knight, Well what we actually and Carrot Weather, and
So its not all year the majority of Minecraft and GTA Vice got was this box, and the ability to AirPlay your
good news for UHD TVs now come with City. Sound good? Youll in hindsight that seems iPhone or iPads screen to
this upgrade. its apps installed theres need to cough up an extra like quite the trade-down. a TV, theres little this box
Can it rival Sky still plenty to like about 40 for an official Game Since iTunes doesnt sell does thats unique. Well
Q for televisual this box. Full HD picture Controller. Considering 4K movies, this thing be shocked if it doesnt
brilliance? quality isnt far off what this things bargain price, wont play Ultra HD get an overhaul at some
We reckon you get from a Blu-ray, its hard to complain. content and, despite point in 2017.
multiroom while 4K content is a huge a reasonable push,
will be key for leap up, lathering your STUFF SAYS gaming hasnt taken STUFF SAYS
this particular screen in a stunning Slightly outdated, but still off on the tvOS platform With no 4K streaming, this
face-off. amount of detail. Plus, a bargain 4K streamer either. This all means that, box needs an update

99
 T E S T P O R S C H E D E S I G N H U AW E I M AT E 9

Quick, call 911

Porsche Design screeches into the high-end
smartphone race with a luxury version of the
Huawei Mate 9 and its not just a pretty logo
1395 / stuff.tv/Mate9

The regular Huawei Mate 9 is a

great phone with a massive 5.9in
screen and a 600-ish price tag.
This is not a regular Huawei Mate 9.
You might think youre paying your
life savings for the name across the
top, but youd be wrong its a very
different handset.

The skinny 7.5mm body wears a

stylish near-black hue and is carved
from a single sheet of brushed
aluminium. Gorilla Glass 4 with a
factory-applied screen protector
covers the more compact 5.5in
screen, which has curved edges.
Theres no water-resistance, mind.

The fingerprint scanner sits on

the front of the phone, sneaking
round from its usual place on the
rear of other Huaweis. Theres no
button, just a recessed pad that
offers lightning-fast responses.

Despite having a smaller screen

than the original Mate 9, this model
packs in more pixels 2560x1440.
Its an impressive display to rival
any other high-end phone. The
display barely bends at the edges
at all, which youll like if you find
Samsungs Edge curves distracting.

Like the HTC 10 Evo on p75, this is

an Android phone with the makers
own software layered over the top.
Critics have long griped that Huawei
tarts up the OS too much, but now
theres an option to make EmotionUI
feel more like normal Android.

High horsepower
Powered by a Kirin 960 processor
with four super-fast Cortex-A73
cores and four A53s, the Porsche
Mate 9 is a beast when it comes
to performance. Gaming is pretty
great with the Mali-G71 GPU.
Speed camera
The Porsche phone retains the
standard Mate 9s 12MP colour
sensor paired with a 20MP B&W
one, but Huawei has improved
the processing of images to keep
down visual noise levels.
Tech specs
Screen 5.5in 2560x1440 OLED
Processor Octa-core Kirin 960
@ 2.4GHz OS Android 7.0 with
EmotionUI Cameras 12MP colour
& 20MP B&W rear, 8MP front
RAM 6GB Storage 256GB,
non-expandable Battery 4000mAh
Dimensions 152x75x7.5mm, 169g

STUFF SAYS One of the best phones ever made at a completely insane price

The best phone Youd have to be a bit mad to buy this phone ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
you almost In fact, you can get it without the Porsche name for less than half the price in the
certainly shape of the Huawei Mate 9 Pro. Sure, youd have to go all the way to China to
shouldnt buy buy one, as its not on sale in the UK, but you could actually afford the air fare
Andrew Williams with the difference.

100
 TEST BEOSOUND 1

Shiny dancer
This might be the best-looking
wireless speaker ever but does
it sound as precious as it looks?
1295 / stuff.tv/BeoSound1

We wouldnt expect anything

less than gorgeously chic styling
from a B&O speaker, and the
BeoSound 1 delivers. That conical
shape is carved out of a single
block of aluminium, to make sure
there arent any unsightly seams
or joins. From certain angles it
even appears to be floating.

That shapes not just for show.

The down-firing woofer and
up-firing midrange driver pump
sound out in all directions, so it
doesnt matter where you plonk
it down your music will always
fill the room. Itll handle all the main
streaming formats, and works
within B&Os multiroom system.

Sensors let you tap the top of

the speaker to play and pause
songs, or swipe left and right to
change tracks. Or you can queue
up tracks through the BeoSound
app, in case you just cant be
bothered to get up off the sofa.

A built-in battery lets you lug

it around the house or bring the
party outside. Itll last 16 hours
on a charge if youre not actively
trying to enrage the neighbours;
at full whack youll be out of juice
in about four.

If you do crank up the volume, it

might not only be the neighbours
who arent happy. The sound is
nuanced and detailed at low levels,
with decent bass and clean treble,
but at maximum output distortion
becomes a problem. A shame,
especially as its so easy to knock
the volume dial by mistake.
App to speed Brass for class
Tech specs Right now, this speaker only Too chic for stainless steel and
works with the iOS version of brushed aluminium? Go for the
Connectivity Apple AirPlay, Google the BeoSound app irritating for limited-edition, Art Deco-inspired
Cast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect Android users. You can still beam brass version. Its because B&O
Battery life 16 hours tracks directly over Bluetooth, was founded in the 1920s. So yes,
Dimensions 162x162x327mm, 3.5kg until app support arrives later. Miss Marple probably had one.

STUFF SAYS Killer looks, with a killer price but killer sound might be pushing it

Superb styling, Is ultra-modern, ultra-minimal design your idea of domestic heaven? Then the
but the sound BeoSound 1 is probably the ideal wireless speaker for your designer apartment.
doesnt quite It might not have perfect pitch if you like your music loud, but for more relaxed
match it listening, perhaps over a discussion of fiscal stimuli with a glass of Kir Royale in
Tom Morgan hand, itll fit right in.

101
 3 WEEKS WITH THE ASUS ZENBOOK UX310UA

The MacBook heir?

Tom Morgan spends 21 long, geeky days finding out if Asuss latest lightweight
stunner is ready to be crowned the new king of sub-1000 Ultrabooks
800 as reviewed / stuff.tv/UX310UA

Opt for an
HD screen, an i3
processor and less
memory to slash
the asking price.

DAY 01
Picking a lightweight laptop used ultraportable to take its place in the light it instantly looks like of spongy but you still get
to be easy. Short on cash? Grab and Asus is hoping that will be a more expensive machine. enough travel in each key to type
a Chromebook. Got a bit more the ZenBook UX310UA. The all-aluminium shell weighs comfortably without filling your
spending money? Tough to get Taking it out of the box, its in at 1.45kg and is 19mm thick files with typos. Theres also a full
better than a MacBook Air. But clear that this little Asus is a not quite as skinny as a MacBook keyboard backlight, so I can still
thats not true any more. Apple stunner. And while the one Im Air, and 100kg heavier. Thats not see which keys Im hitting once
seems to have abandoned the testing looks fantastic in silver, much, but every gramme counts the suns gone down.
Air to starve in the cupboard theres also a fetching bronze when youre trying to shed as The touchpad has two built-in
under the stairs, lavishing all alternative. Some distinctive much weight as possible for buttons and a huge glass surface
its love on the ultra-thin (and design choices set it apart from on-the-go working. that lets your fingers glide across
ultra-expensive) MacBook and the likes of the MacBook, with a with the smallest hint of friction.
MacBook Pro. It opens the door brushed concentric circle design Ive had to up the sensitivity to
for another brilliant sub-1000 on the lid. It looks ace and glints DAY 05 make it feel properly responsive,
After a whole day of typing, Im but with a bit of tweaking its
Distinctive design choices set this Asus relieved to say that the keyboard perfectly usable even the
hasnt given me any finger multi-touch gestures work after
apart the concentric circle design on cramps. Thats not to say its some practice, with no anguished
the lid makes it look instantly expensive perfect its on the wrong side hair-tearing required.

102

01 05
04
02
03
Tech specs
Display 13.3in
3200x1800 QHD+
OS Windows 10
Processor Intel
Core i7 RAM 8GB
Storage 500GB
plus 128GB SSD
Connectivity
USB 3.1 type-C x1,
USB 3.0 x1,
USB 2.0 x2,
headphone jack,
HDMI, Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth
Battery life 6hrs
Dimensions
323x223x19mm,
1.45kg
DAY 09
I like to listen to music as I work
(mostly Abba), so its good to
discover that this Asus has a
decent pair of speakers. Crank
the volume and youll expose the
lack of bass, but cmon anything
more would be breaking the laws
of physics: this is a slim laptop,
not a hi-fi. And the UX310UA
has a headphone jack which
is becoming a rare treat now
meaning I can rock out to Waterloo
without needing wireless buds.
DAY 14
While there is a Full HD version,
its difficult to resist the QHD+,
3200x1800 screen. Its a world
ahead of the MacBook Airs,
making pictures and text look
absolutely pin-sharp. Dark
images dont get quite as inky
and lighter photos look a little
on the dull side, but its hard to
complain for the price.
Frustratingly, the battery
struggles to reach four hours
while streaming Full HD Netflix.
Stick to more basic tasks, such as
web browsing, and youll squeeze
out an extra two hours, but its still
poor compared to its competitors.
Youll want to keep the mains
adaptor handy if youre planning
a full day away from your desk.
LO N G -T E R M T E S T
Donut of Truth
01 Looks slick, and available 04 Not quite as thin and
in two great colours light as the more expensive
02 Super-detailed QHD+ competition
screen looks fantastic 05 Poor battery life means
03 Great performance for youll spend most of your
your cash time by a mains socket
DAY 17
With a dual-core Intel i7 CPU
and 8GB of RAM on board, the
UX310UA handles just about
every basic job I can lob at it. The
i7-6500U is an energy-efficient
chip, though, so dont expect
masses of power. Youd need
a crazy number of browser tabs
open to slow it down, but do
anything fancy with 4K video
and itll feel the heat.
If youre looking for a gaming
machine, this laptop isnt for you.
Theres no fancy Intel Iris graphics
card here just an HD 520 built
into the CPU. Its enough for older,
less demanding games, but only
if you drop the resolution down to
720p. That high-res panel would
be hard work for a top-end laptop
GPU, but here it makes new games
unplayable. No trouble if you just
want a Minecraft fix, though.
STUFF SAYS
DAY 21
OK, it might be a basic clamshell Apple style, but
laptop a decidedly retro concept not for Apple
in 2017 but Asus has added
enough tricks and talents to help
money: Asus
the UX310UA stand out. Plus, offers a sleek
its hit that sweet spot of pricing,
undercutting the competition and
ultraportable
making potential MacBook Air at a good price
buyers think twice before hitching
themselves to Apple and macOS.
103
 REVIEWS
Media hoard
Since the events that defined
2016, putting politics and
horror next to each other
suddenly seems quite natural
Miss Sloane_cinema
ollywood has developed
H a habit of taking subjects
as dry as a bowl of muesli
in a drought and turning them into
gripping films think journalism
in Spotlight or the financial crash
in The Big Short.
Its latest is lobbying: the dark
art of attempting to influence
the decisions of people in power.
Elizabeth Sloane (an intense
Jessica Chastain) is the pill-
popping, no-nonsense superstar
of this murky world, who puts
up so many emotional walls shell
probably have Donald Trumps
architects on the phone.
After being approached by
the NRA to help them block a
tightening of American gun laws,
Sloane jumps ship to the company
trying to see through the bills safe
104
WATCH
passage, taking half of her team
with her. You can probably guess
the rest.
Like Keyser Sze in The Usual
Suspects, only Sloane knows the
secret of how this will all unfold
and just as the film starts to lag
a little, it ramps up the jeopardy
and espionage. In fact, on a couple
of occasions it stretches things a
little too far.
Miss Sloane reaches for a few
dramatic zingers but at times
the script is so clunky it takes
everything the actors have not
to lose their footing. Even in
Sloanes heels Chastain has
the chops to handle this; the
supporting cast arent so lucky.
Tom Wiggins
STUFF SAYS
Prevenge Train to Busan
_cinema _Blu-ray, DVD, VOD
The excellent Alice Lowe Travelling on Southern
wrote, stars in and directs trains might be a
this gruesome, laugh-out- nightmare right now,
loud tale of an expectant but at least they arent
mother who hears the full of zombies. Divorcee
murderous voice of Seok Woo and his daughter
her unborn child. The Soo-an arent so lucky
bloodthirsty baby sends when they catch a train
her on a deadly rampage, and find it overrun by the
although not without undead. Theres plenty of
continuing to attend her social commentary here,
regular antenatal check- but its just as easy to sit
ups. Shes not totally mad. back and enjoy the ride.
Tom Wiggins Tom Wiggins
STUFF SAYS STUFF SAYS
WANT
MORE LIKE
THIS?
 REVIEWS

STREAM LISTEN

The Lives of Others_Netflix Little Fictions_Elbow

When Stasi officer Gerd
Wiesler starts listening
in on the day-to-day
business of an East
German playwright, he
hears more than what
his subject is planning to
have for tea. But instead
of discovering a plot
to overthrow the
government, the state
snooper soon realises
hes merely being used
as a puppet in a personal
grudge held by one of
his superiors. Wieslers
influence on the lives of
the writer and his girlfriend
starts to shift. The Lives of
Others weaves a gripping
story, but it wouldnt be
half as good without the
brilliant performances of
its central characters.
Elbow are often maligned
for the overplaying of One
Day Like This, but beyond
that slice of montage-
friendly schmaltz theyre
a band with an uncanny
knack of tapping into a
British way of thinking
theres even a track here
called K2 thats far better
than a song that could be
called a Brexit anthem has
any right to be.
Little Fictions is a record
of subtle melodies and
multi-layered percussion,
and the low-key
instrumentation on songs
like Head for Supplies and
Montparnasse puts Guy
Garveys incredible voice
front and centre the latter
track filled with the kind
of knock-you-sideways
lines that the frontman
has made his trademark.
But its the title track
that will live longest in
Elbows setlists.
Tom Wiggins
STUFF SAYS

Bridge of Spies_Now TV
POLITICAL
MUSIC The dream team of Hanks and Spielberg is reunited, with
THRILLERS
MOVIES Hanks playing the conduit in a spy-swapping deal between
the US and the Russians in the late 50s.

The Conversation_NowTV
Sandwiched between the first two Godfather films on
Francis Ford Coppolas rather impressive CV, surveillance
Impressions Sick Scenes
thriller The Conversation is riddled with paranoia. _Tall Ships _Los Campesinos!

Coming more than four Theres an art to matching

Argo_Amazon Prime years after Tall Ships
last album, Impressions
The true story of a hostage rescue disguised as a sci-fi film is their most energetic
shoot takes a few liberties with the facts, but its almost and mainstream record
worth watching for Batflecks luxurious beard alone. to date. This writer misses
some of the weirdness
of old, but the charming
combination of the earthy,
spiritual and cosmic
remains in the lyrics and
raises Tall Ships above
the Britrock pack.
Tom Parsons
an upbeat sound with
downbeat lyrics, and
on their sixth album Los
Campesinos! come close
to nailing it. Singer Gareth
Paisey is still fighting his
demons in I Broke Up in
Amarante, while A Slow,
Slow Death finds him
face-down in a puddle
yet musically theyre
more dynamic than ever.
Marc McLaren

STUFF SAYS STUFF SAYS

105
FREE CASE LOGIC
LARIMER BACKPACK
WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO STUFF MAGAZINE
PLUS SAVE UP TO 53% ON THE COVER PRICE

HUDSON PETROL
BLUE GREEN

FREE Case Logic Larimer Rolltop Daypack

EXCLUSIVE subscriber edition
SUBSCRIBER EDITION

OPTION 1
19.99 SAVE 33% on the cover price
Just 19.99 every 6 issues by Direct Debit
FREE delivery direct to your door
All the above plus the iPad/iPhone edition
OPTION 2 Just 2.50 extra to include digital access
THE CROWN
OW DUELS
OWN
22.49 SAVE 53% on the cover price
APPLE VS
S GOOGLE
GOOG E

ACCESS anywhere, everywhere

BIGGEST
S
#216 MARCH 2017 TECHS BIGG ST BATTLES
BATTL
TT S
TTLES
 SUBSCRIPTION
ORDER FORM
Yes! Please start my print subscription to Stuff for
only 19.99 every 6 issues, PLUS send me my free
Case Logic Larimer backpack (PRINT ONLY)
Yes! Please start my all-access subscription to Stuff
for only 22.49 every 6 issues, PLUS send me my free
Case Logic Larimer backpack (ALL ACCESS)

RRP
Please tick your choice of backpack colour:
Hudson blue Petrol green

39.99
Please tick here if this is a new subscription
Or here if it is a renewal

Your details
BLOCK CAPITALS PLEASE (MUST BE COMPLETED)
TITLE.......... NAME...........................................................................................
SURNAME..........................................................................................................
ADDRESS...........................................................................................................
POSTCODE........................................................................................................
TELEPHONE.....................................................................................................
EMAIL...................................................................................................................
MOBILE................................................................................................................

Instructions to your bank or building

The Larimer 14in
Rolltop Daypack is a
utilitarian backpack with
padded laptop compartment
and dedicated tablet pocket,
made of durable polyester
with a water-repellent
coating. Find out more:
caselogic.com
society to pay by Direct Debit Originators ID
No. 850699
TO: THE MANAGER
BANK/BUILDING SOCIETY ....................................................................
ADDRESS ..........................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
POSTCODE .......................................................................................................
NAME(S) OF ACCOUNT HOLDER(S)
BRANCH SORT CODE

BANK/BUILDING SOCIETY ACCOUNT NUMBER

Reference number (for office use only)

Instructions to your bank or building society

Please pay Haymarket Media Group Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject
to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit guarantee. I understand that this instruction may stay
with Haymarket Media Group and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.

SIGNATURE DATE

Subscribe online at: Terms and conditions: This offer is open to UK residents only. Overseas rates are
available on +44 (0)1604 251 460. Please allow 35 days to receive your first issue.
The gift will be sent under separate cover from the magazine. Should we run out

www.themagazineshop.com/stu/mar17
of gifts, you may be offered an alternative gift there is no cash alternative. Savings
are based on the standard UK print cover price of 4.99 and digital cover price of
2.99. Should you wish to cancel your subscription it will be cancelled on expiry of

or call: 0344 848 8806

Please have your bank details ready and quote the promotional code
ST317MP for print only or ST317MB for an all-access subscription.
Offer ends 2 March 2017.
the current term, which will not be refundable other than in exceptional circumstances.
Direct Debit rates are fixed for 12 months, after which they may be subject to change;
should prices change you will be informed in writing. Details of the Direct Debit
Guarantee are available on request. Offer ends 2 March 2017.
Haymarket Media Group will only use your personal information as set out in
our privacy policy, which you can read by visiting www.haymarket.com/privacy.
Submitting your details indicates your consent, for the time being, that we and
our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of interest
to you via post, phone, email and SMS. Its your choice, you can opt out at ANY
time just click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of our emails, email
the datacontroller@haymarket.com, call us on 0344 543 8035 or use our opt-out
form, which you can read by visiting pages.haymarket.com/optout to tell us your
preferences. We will then NOT contact you again until you ask us to do so.

UK readers please send this form (photocopies acceptable) to:

HAYMARKET CONSUMER,
Calling from abroad? FREEPOST RTUC-XCCH-THJS,
Save money on international subscriptions. For information on rates, 3 QUEENSBRIDGE, NORTHAMPTON NN4 7BF
call +44 (0)1604 251 460 or visit www.themagazineshop.com
OR CALL THE HOTLINE ON 01604 251 460
Quote ref ST317MP (print) or ST317MB (all access)
Everywhere you are
Read it, like it, share it

facebook.com/joinstuff
youtube.com/stuffmagazine
twitter.com/stuffTV
Apple News
plus.google.com/+StuffTV
instagram.com/stuffmag
 TOP
NEW

HOT
BUY
TEN
This gadget has
leapt straight
outta testing
and into our
rankings.

BARGAIN
OF EVERYTHING
Time changes
everything,
including Stuff
Top Ten placings.

BUY
UPDATE
Searing with
techy genius,
a product thats A solid gold
set our hearts bargain.
aflame. Worth owning,
regardless of
cashflow.

HOW
TO USE
Smartphones 110 Playlist: Work music 119
The big question: 111 Hi-fi 120
How can I be invisible? Streaming guide 121
Tablets & headphones 112 Consoles 122
TVs
How to buy a TV
Smartwatches
& fitness trackers
114
115
116
Games
Home cinema
& smart home
Cameras
123
124

125
THEM
Should I upgrade? 117 Budget buys 126
Laptops 118 5-minute hacks 127
TOP TENS SMARTPHONES 110

TIPS &
TRICKS
1 HOT
OT
BUY
UY
BARGAIN
BUY

Thanks to the
AMOLED display,
OnePlus 3T
399 / oneplus.net
any black pixels are
turned off to reduce
battery drain. This phone is just like the OnePlus 3, aside from
its higher price and a few little extras that dont
The 3Ts Night Mode really change how it is to use or, crucially,
will gradually crank where it sits relative to its pricier rivals. In other
up the displays words, it remains a bargain. If you could still
orange warmth as get the original OnePlus 3, wed advise you
the evening goes on. to save your 70 but when the only genuine

Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

alternatives to the 3T cost over 500, this
If youre not a fan continues to be the best smartphone choice
of the 3Ts simple for shrewd buyers.
Android interface,
we recommend Stuff says
Nova Launcher. Its not quite as bargain-tastic any more,
but the 3T still packs great performance

NOW ADD THIS Anker PowerCore+

The massive 20,100mAh capacity
gives you enough juice to charge
the OnePlus 3T more than five
times over while youre on the go.
28 / anker.com

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

2 3 4 599 / samsung.com
Basically the same phone as the standard S7, but
with a nifty curved screen and superior battery life.

HTC 10
5 from 570 / htc.com
This handset barely puts a foot wrong and has the
battery life to survive the most impromptu pub trips.

Apple iPhone 7
6 from 599 / apple.com
Forget the headphone furore; the iPhone 7 is a slick
update packed with worthwhile new features.

LG G5
7 530 / lg.com
The first smartphone to do modular design in a big
way the scale of the G5s ambition is breathtaking.

Lenovo Moto G4
8
BARGAIN

Samsung Galaxy S7 Apple iPhone 7 Plus

BUY

from 159 / motorola.co.uk

519 / samsung.com
The Galaxy S7 looks a lot like
the old S6 but has been improved
all round, not least with an excellent
camera. The Edge edition offers
enhanced battery life, but pound
for pound this model is actually
the better buy. It sets a high bar
for Samsungs competitors.
Stuff says
An imperious update of our
favouritephone from 2015
from 719 / apple.com
The 7 and 7 Plus look almost
identical to last years models,
BARGAIN
except for the glossy jet black
option and Lightning headphone
output. But theyre waterproof,
processing power and battery life
have been improved, and the Plus
gets a tasty dual-lens camera.
Stuff says
The best iPhone camera, screen and
battery: theres no better iOS choice
Showing every other big phone maker what can be
done for less than 200. The No1 budget phone.
Vodafone Smart Prime 7
9
BUY
70 / vodafone.co.uk
On specs alone, the Smart Prime 7 easily holds
its own against rivals that cost twice the price.
Apple iPhone SE
10 from 359 / apple.com
The cheapest iPhone packs all the power of the
iPhone 6s into the 4in shell of the iPhone 5s.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES

THE BIG HOW DO I BECOME
QUESTION INVISIBLE ONLINE?
THE
PRIVATE
EYE
NORDVPN
from $11.99/month / Android, iOS
Ready to use a virtual private
network to guard yourself from
identity thieves and sinister
surveillance? This one works
across your laptop, phone and
even games consoles. Theres
a monthly fee, but itll keep your
data totally private and protect
you from dodgy public Wi-Fi. After
all, do you want your personal
information being auctioned off
like stolen goods on eBay?
Once youve downloaded it,
NordVPN will route your traffic
through more than 50 countries
to shake off the spies. Hows that
for a world tour? Its also far less
limited than the freebie options
out there. You can pipe unlimited
data through it, and connect six
different devices simultaneously
to the same account. And if you
SPECIAL SKILL
GIF BROWSER
Signal may sound a bit po-faced,
but its got a fun side as well.
Theres a gif browser that lets
you send animations of dogs
giving high fives and cats falling
over to inject some colour into
your top-secret discussions.
SAVE UP TO 53% BY SUBSCRIBING AND GET STUFF DELIVERED FOR FREE: THEMAGAZINESHOP.COM/STUFF
111
have a fancy router, you can
VPN-up your whole home.
If youre really worried about
your internet provider spying
on you, NordVPN even has a
killswitch that cuts off your
access if the service goes down,
so theres no danger of getting
caught with your pants around
your ankles. Virtually speaking,
of course.
THE
TRUSTY
TEXTER
SIGNAL
free / Android, iOS
Like WhatsApp, Signal uses
end-to-end encryption, but it
takes privacy and security to MI6
levels by not logging any of your
messages metadata.
Signal can also act as your
default SMS messages hub (if
youre still sending those) and,
as a crafty bonus, routes calls
and texts through your data
connection, so you wont have
to use up any of your allowance.
It might be tricky to convince your
WhatsApp contacts to migrate,
but the Android apps ability to
handle unencrypted SMSs means
you wont be completely cut off
from non-Signallers.
THE BIG QUESTION TOP TENS
CODE
BREAKER
What is
1
a VPN?
A virtual private
network connects
you to a server
and encrypts the
connection so your
activity cant be
monitored. This
isnt just useful for
trying to hide your
location it also
stops you from
being hijacked by
rogue Wi-Fi.
THE FREE
ALTERNATIVE
Travelling abroad and only need
a temporary VPN? TunnelBears
free option (tunnelbear.com) 2 How do
gives you a taste of the full-fat I choose?
experience, routing traffic from The security of a
your phone or laptop through VPN depends on
a different countrys server to the strength of its
keep all prying eyes away. encryption and
its business model.
The best ones
use 256-bit
encryption, and
we suggest signing
up to a paid service
rather than a free
one that might
be looking to sell
your data.
THE
FULL
MONTY
TAILS
free / Windows, Mac, Linux 3 Are there
Forget internet security apps; how downsides?
about a whole secure operating Not many, but
system? This Linux package using a secure
(tails.boum.org) routes all your VPN will affect
activity through anonymous your internet
browser Tor and is so effective speed. With great
that Edward Snowden used it to power comes a
dodge the NSA. Its not exactly little inconvenience
everyday software, but is a great and extra faff. The
way to shop for presents without most important
later being bombarded with ads thing, though, is to
for the same products. make sure the VPN
provider you use
is trustworthy.
TOP TENS TABLETS, HEADPHONES
1 HOT
BUY
UY
Apple iPad Pro 9.7
from 549 / apple.com
The iPad Pro 9.7 takes everything we loved about Apples
original 12.9in Pro tablet, makes it a lot more portable, and
then even adds in a few cool extras of its own. The True Tone
display, for example which changes intensity and colour
balance automatically based on ambient conditions is an
absolute marvel, while the 12MP shooter is frankly overkill
for those brave enough to use it out and about. Its expensive,
yes, but quality comes at a price.
Stuff says
Incredible power, superb features and flawless
design: the iPad Pro 9.7 is pure tablet perfection
Apple iPad Mini 4
BARGAIN
2 2
BUY
from 379 / apple.com
Just the right size for a great portable
entertainment hub, while subtle display
tweaks do great justice to games and
graphic novels alike. Plus it will easily last
three days on a charge.
Stuff says
The best small tablet you can buy right now
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
3 from 300 / samsung.com
A top 8in Android tablet that packs loads of
fab features into a small, lightweight design.
3 120 / uk.akg.com
Its ace for reading magazines, playing games
and watching films, while still being easy to
hold in one hand.
Stuff says
Small but mighty, this is a seriously good tab
Google Pixel C
4 from 380 / store.google.com
Turns out the future of laptops looks a lot
like Googles Android hybrid tablet.
4 229 / bowers-wilkins.co.uk
HOT
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7
5 5
BUY
350 / samsung.com
With a brilliant screen and serious stamina,
this is our favourite full-size Android tablet.
FOR THE FULL TOP TENS AND REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TABLETS & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HEADPHONES
112
1 HOT
BUY
BARGAIN
BUY
SoundMagic E10C
39 / soundmagicheadphones.com
With the SoundMagic E10Cs you get fantastic sound for
the money, a quality cable and plenty of ear tips and unlike
the E10Ss, you dont need to tell these buds whether youre
plugging into an (old) iPhone or an Android phone. In truth,
theres still nothing out there that can topple SoundMagic as
the king of cheap headphones, but the E10Cs prove that it is
still possible to improve on something good without hammering
up the price at the same time.
Stuff says
A phenomenally good pair of headphones for the price,
plus the remote now works with every phone
AKG K451
40 / uk.akg.com
These on-ears offer agile and punchy sound
in a stylish foldable design. Add standard and
three-button control cables for maximising
compatibility, and theres no excuse for not
getting brilliant sound from your phone.
Stuff says
Fantastic sound for minimal cash
AKG Y50BT
Proof that good wireless sound doesnt have
to cost the Earth, these serve up truckloads
of detail, with a full charge promising 20
hours and with none of the hiss or popping
thats often a glitch of Bluetooth headphones.
Stuff says
Just the ticket for your iPhone 7
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless
The brands first foray into wireless brings
luxury for your ears inside and out.
Bose QuietComfort 35
290 / bose.co.uk
These wireless QCs are high on clarity and
spaciousness: perfect for a long-haul journey.
INTRODUCING
NADs New
Classic
Amplifiers
NEW
5 YEAR
WARRANTY

BLUETOOTH C 368 & C 388

OUTPUT requires optional MDC module

C 368 799 C 338 599 C 388 1499

This advanced amplifier includes many cutting-edge technological The C 338 includes Wi-Fi and Network Streaming Every detail of the powerful C388 has been
breakthroughs developed by NAD over decades of creating affordable and supports both Google Cast and Spotify carefully planned and perfectly executed to wring
ultra-high performance audio components. Connect. It also provides access to internet radio out every last drop of performance. Featuring
stations and can serve as an UPnP Client for NADs exclusive modular design, adding the
FUTURE-PROOF MODULAR DESIGN. network streaming from a local NAS library. optional BluOS Module provides access to your
You can connect instantly to the C 338 with local area network via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet
This NAD exclusive feature allows you to customise your C 368 amplifier
Bluetooth allowing you to stream music wirelessly connection and adds Hi-Res Audio streaming.
with additional capabilities and features, now or in the future. The two
available MDC slots can accommodate a variety of upgrade modules from any Bluetooth-enabled device. The high
including 4K video capable HDMI switching, additional Digital Inputs, performance aptX codec is fully supported for true
additional Analogue and Phono Inputs, and one of the most advanced CD-quality sound.
Hi-Res Audio multi-room wireless systems available, the BluOS music
management system developed by Bluesound. BluOS connects to your
network and is controlled via smartphone, tablet or desktop to manage
your music collection and connect to a growing list of high-quality
streaming music services.

5 YEAR
HiFi for a wireless generation WARRANTY

NEW PULSE SOUNDBAR 999 NEW

The PULSE SOUNDBAR is the worlds first Hi-Res Audio soundbar, supporting audio resolutions
of 24 bits and up to 192kHz sampling rate. Furthermore, it supports Mater Quality Authenticated
P7 WIRELESS (MQA) high-resolution audio streams, another first in the soundbar category. But it is not just the

319 ability to handle hi-res audio streams that make the PULSE SOUNDBAR so unique, it is how it
brings music and movies to life with its natural and dynamic sound quality.
Wireless headphones with
Bluetooth apX.

NAIM UNITI ATOM NEW

ALL-IN-ONE STREAMING SYSTEM
1750
P5 WIRELESS A beautiful, compact multi-source music player that
will seduce you with its amazing sound quality and
229 outstanding feature-set. Its 40-watt integrated amplifier
On-ear wireless headphones and high-resolution music streaming capabilities will
which offer an enticing blend fill your home with stunning high-fidelity sound. Atom is
of great sound and stunning perfect as a high-end main system or even for use in the
design. kitchen or study, where space is at a premium.

SOME BRANDS/PRODUCTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL STORES. SPECIAL OFFERS ARE NOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER OFFER (NICWAOO). ADVERT VALID UNTIL 08/04/2017. E&OE

click & collect available 24 STORES NATIONWIDE WWW.SSAV.COM

TOP TENS TVs
TIPS &
TRICKS
Magic Zoom lets you
magnify anything
on the screen, and
pause to screenshot
if you see fit.
2 BARGAIN
BUY
Samsung UE55KS7000
899 / samsung.com
This set sprinkles extra stardust
on top of its 4K and HDR brilliance
in the form of Quantum Dot tech,
which claims to offer over a billion
colours. The result? An impressively
refined performance, and most of
the benefits of a top-of-the-range
TV at a fraction of the price.
Stuff says
A real winner, and significantly
cheaper than some of its rivals
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs
114
You can connect
your phone to the
telly via LGs TV
1 HOT
BUY
Plus app with Magic
Mobile Connection. LG OLED55C6V
1799 / lg.com
A truly stunning television. LGs OLED panel
can go blacker than most TVs and will dazzle
your senses with its brightness; it offers sharply
etched detail, excellent viewing angles and solid
HD upscaling. It also boasts support for both
HDR standards HDR10 and Dolby Vision so
youll be able to watch compatible content from
Amazon, Netflix and UHD Blu-rays regardless
of which format wins out in the future. If youve
got the money, this is the 4K TV to own.
Stuff says
Packed full of tech, with jaw-dropping
performance to send you into TV reverie
NOW ADD THIS Sky Q
Once youve got a 4K TV, youll want
access to the best 4K content. Sky Q
is a good bet for watching and recording
all your favourite shows and films.
from 15 + 22/month / sky.com
LG OLED65E6V
3 4 3699 / lg.com
A regal TV that excels across the board. There
are few better you can buy at any price.
Samsung UE55KS9000
5 1549 / samsung.com
Stunning performance for the money,
proving theres plenty of life in LCD yet.
HOT
LG OLED65G6V
6
BUY
4599 / lg.com
A superb specimen of technology and design,
with one of the best pictures weve ever seen.
Panasonic TX-58DX802
7 1289 / panasonic.com
One of most stylish tellies weve seen in ages,
with a great 4K HDR picture and punchy sound.
Panasonic TX-65DX750
8
Sony 55XD9305 1599 / panasonic.com
1299 / sony.co.uk This 65in Panasonic is tempting, but falls slightly
short on brightness and colour bit depth.
This Sony ticks every box for a
thoroughly modern TV. You get
Sony KD-65ZD9
9
the full 4K and HDR package in a
set thats large but not ridiculous 3999 / sony.co.uk
for the average living room. Indeed, Stylish and slick with a stunning picture, but
for a 55in TV, its as svelte as we there are rivals that perform even better.
can imagine. It looks great and
performs, if anything, even better.
Philips 65PUS8901
Stuff says
A whole lot of superbly performing
4K HDR TV for your money
10 3999 / philips.co.uk (Harrods exclusive)
Expensive 4K TV with an AmbiLux twist: nine
projectors extend the screen onto the wall.
 115 HOW TO BUY TOP TENS

HOW Youre ready to invest in the

greatest glowing rectangle
TO BUY of them all: a new telly. Heres

A TV
how to navigate the minefield OLED
These screens
JARGON
BUSTER of acronyms and jargon have self-
illuminating pixels,
creating stunning
contrast at
a price.
HDR
Stands for High
Dynamic Range.
Compatible tellies
will deliver great
subtlety and
detail.

Input
lag
This measures (in
milliseconds) how
long the TV takes
to respond to
signals.

TV GUIDE EXTRA FEATURES

1 Size it up 2 Judging 3 Time to 4 Curved 5 Be smart

Big can look panel 4K out? or flat? As with
brilliant, but you will Now plasma has Theres still life in Full If you need to smartphones and
need to put some been consigned to HD tellies theyre a squeeze your set tablets, different TV
distance between that big recycling good shout if youre into the corner of a manufacturers use
yourself and your bin in the sky, there after an affordable room, the curve can different operating
new TV, otherwise are only two TV second screen for a help slot it into place. systems for their
youll start to pick technologies battling bedroom or kitchen. Picture quality is sets. The Firefox
apart the picture. for supremacy: LCD But if your budget is affected by seating OS system used
With 4K TVs you and OLED. The latter north of 1000 and position, though. If by the majority of
can sit a little closer. is limited to 55in or your sights are firmly youre going to be Panasonics 4K TVs
Get this: 65in sizes, and you set on 4K services, sat straight in front, is clear and concise,
Sony KD-65ZD9 can expect to pay a its a no-brainer. right in the curves not to mention quick
3999 / sony.co.uk premium compared Although the leap sweetspot, video and responsive.
to the LCD equivalent. in quality from HD can look amazing. Youll also need to
However, OLEDs to Ultra HD isnt as But if your seats are check the basics,
wafer-thin designs, huge as the jump flung out to the four such as which
deep blacks and wide from SD to HD was, corners of your living on-demand and
viewing angles could you can still see a room, images can catch-up services
swing your decision. real difference. appear distorted. are supported.
Optimum viewing Get this: Get this: Samsung Get this: Samsung Get this: Panasonic
distance is 1.6x your
screen size (HDTV) LG OLED55C6V UE49KS8000 UE55KS9000 TX-65DX750
1799 / lg.com 1199 / samsung.com 1549 / samsung.com 1599 / panasonic.com

NOW A SOUNDBAR A 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER

ADD
A full surround system isnt always
viable, but a good soundbar like
THESE the Yamaha YSP-2700 (649,
richersounds.com) can get close.
It has all the 4K-compatible HDMI
inputs you could ever need.
If you want the ultimate picture,
you should consider investing in
an Ultra HD Blu-ray player. The
Panasonic DMP-UB900 (449,
richersounds.com) serves up a
brilliant display.

SAVE UP TO 53% BY SUBSCRIBING AND GET STUFF DELIVERED FOR FREE: THEMAGAZINESHOP.COM/STUFF
TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES, FITNESS TRACKERS
1 HOT
BUY
UY
Apple Watch Series 2
from 369 / apple.com
Last years Apple Watch was already the best smartwatch
to date; now its found its focus. The Series 2 devices come
with an array of upgrades more power, a brighter screen
along with a greater emphasis on fitness functions without
a phone in tow. Both GPS and waterproofing make this a far
more compelling gadget for exercise obsessives. No alternative
is as fast or as well made, or has the same quality and quantity
of bespoke apps.
Stuff says
Apples small tweaks and renewed sports focus add up
to make the Series 2 a watershed wearable
Pebble 2
2 100 / pebble.com
Buy the Pebble 2 for the effortless way it
handles notifications, the geeky app and
the watchface selection rather than the
rudimentary fitness tracking and youll
be very happy indeed.
Stuff says
Slick smartwatch skills for a bargain price
HOT
H
Fitbit Blaze
3 3
BUY
UY
140 / fitbit.com
Almost as much a fitness tracker as it is
a smartwatch, the Blaze delivers accurate
heart-rate tracking, multi-sport modes
and a lovely interface even if its design
wont appeal to everyone.
Stuff says
The Blaze is built to be an ace workout buddy
Garmin Vivomove
4 140 / garmin.com
Free up a space on your wrist this is
everything you need from a fitness watch.
Samsung Gear S2
5 229 / samsung.com
The rotating bezel is a genius bit of design.
Needs more apps, though.
FOR THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTWATCHES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/FITNESS-TRACKERS
116
1 HOT
BUY
Garmin Vivoactive HR
180 / garmin.com
Garmin has a frankly bewildering array of fitness trackers and
outdoorsy GPS watches, but the Vivoactive HR is the one you
really want. Its packed to the gills with long-lasting, easy-to-use
and rewarding fitness cleverness. That means it contains the
daily step and sleep tracking that you can get in other bands
costing under a ton, but also the optical heart-rate monitor,
touchscreen display and smartphone notifications that youd
normally pay more for.
Stuff says
Not super-stylish, perhaps, but crammed with sensors,
sports and stamina: a fab all-round fitness tracker
Moov Now
2 49 / moov.cc
Since its cheaper than the Fitbit Flex 2 and
basically does the same stuff, the Moov Now
has been elevated up this list. Thanks to its
guided workouts with voice coaching, it also
does a better job of getting you in shape.
Stuff says
Our favourite bargain fitness tracker
Apple Watch Nike+
369 / apple.com
In terms of specification this is identical to the
standard Apple Watch Series 2, but it does
get a couple of Nike-flavoured exclusive
faces. The sporty strap alone makes this
Watch the one to buy for the energetic type.
Stuff says
Small tweaks make the Series 2 even sportier
Fitbit Flex 2
4 70 / fitbit.com
The cheapest Fitbit you can buy is also
its only water-resistant tracker.
Misfit Shine
5 50 / misfit.com
The Shine is a 60 tracker that feels anything
but cheap. Its app isnt great, however.
 117 SHOULD I UPGRADE? TOP TENS

Picked up cheap
DENON D-M40DAB
Will Clarke Special
Senior Designer
source
Cant afford to go to a gig every weekend? You also get a
Plug your iPod or TV into this old-school built-in DAB radio
Should I upgrade? micro hi-fi for lifelike sound instead wired and, yes, a CD

CHROMECAST ULTRA hardware like this is going cheap these player.

days. Youll struggle to fling your undies
at AC/DC from your living room, mind.
179 / superfi.co.uk

Ryan Jones DO IT!

Staff Writer

Your television needs a brain

if its to be considered smart.
Fortunately, brain surgery for our tech is
nowhere near as complex as it is for us 4K
humans. In fact, with a Chromecast you streaming
simply have to plug it into the HDMI port

Everywhere
of your TV and itll start speaking the
language of your favourite apps.
You dont need to look under the sofa

you are
cushions for the remote either, as you can Ethernet
use your smartphone instead. Plus, the port
Chromecast lets you cast whatevers on
your Android device or Chrome browser
right to your television screen and its
available for a bargain price of 39. What
more could it possibly offer? HOLD
Cast away
OFF! Read it, like it, share it
Well, it could offer 4K. For 69, the
Chromecast Ultra allows you to stream
from 4K-enabled apps such as Netflix
and YouTube, so you can see it all in Most TVs
stunning detail. already
The only snag: its 2017, and smart stream
TVs are now the norm, especially for sets
that can do Ultra HD. And while casting
your Android device onto the television
screen is surprisingly useful, the regular Limited
Chromecast does that anyway. So if your 4K apps
TV already has a brain, theres not much
point in buying it another.

PLUG YOURSELF INTO STUFFS SOCIAL NETWORK AT FACEBOOK.COM/JOINSTUFF & TWITTER.COM/STUFFTV

TOP TENS LAPTOPS
TIPS &
TRICKS
Who needs the
Touch Bar when you
can log into your Mac
with the Touch ID on
your iPhone?
2 HOT
BUY
Dell XPS 13
from 999 / dell.co.uk
The original XPS 13 was already
a great lightweight laptop, but
now Dell has given it a Windows
10 refresh. If the last one was
the thinking persons Ultrabook,
this is that and a whole lot more.
With improved battery life and
performance, its hard to beat.
Stuff says
An excellent Windows 10 Ultrabook,
small in size and great in stature
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS
118
The universal
clipboard lets you
copy text on your
1 HOT
BUY
iPhone and paste it
directly to your Mac. Apple MacBook Pro
from 1449 / apple.com
It can be easy to focus on what this entry-level
version of the MacBook Pro doesnt have: its
missing the new Touch Bar for a start, and is
down on ports and power compared to the next
model up. But its also 300 cheaper, and has
the same diminutive form and truly gorgeous
screen. It also has the brilliant second-gen
butterfly keyboard. In fact, youre better off
sparing your wallet and forgetting about the
Touch Bar. Its just not worth the extra cash.
Stuff says
The standard Pro is beautiful, compact
and a pleasure to work on
NOW ADD THIS
Satechi Type-C USB 3 Hub
Two ports not enough? This hub adds
loads more and sits snugly against the
new MacBook Pro.
31 / satechi.net
Apple MacBook
3 4 from 1249 / apple.com
Aside from an extra hours battery life, the 2016
MacBook isnt that different to the previous one.
HP Spectre 13
5 from 1149 / hp.com
Until recently the worlds thinnest laptop but
this machine still has serious power to spare.
Razer Blade Stealth
6 from 1000 / razerzone.com
This jet black slab of laptop loveliness is
purpose-built for on-the-go gamers.
BARGAIN
Asus X555LA
7
BUY
from 330 / asus.com
This bargain crams in a Core i5 processor, 8GB
of RAM and a responsive trackpad. Impressive.
Apple MacBook Air 13in
8
Dell Chromebook 13 from 949 / apple.com
from 513 / dell.co.uk If a portable road warrior is what youre after,
this slinky MacBook remains a great choice.
This Dell brings quality
construction together with
Microsoft Surface Book
9
horsepower that outclasses
almost every other Chromebook from 1299 / microsoftstore.com
on the market. The price is roughly Shorn of its initial bugs, the Surface Book is
double that of similar devices, but a lustrous Windows hybrid with luxe appeal.
the Dell 13 offers a true laptop
experience for the extra cash.
BARGAIN
Acer Chromebook R 11
10
BUY
Stuff says 200 / acer.com
Not the flashiest laptop, but the This Chrome-tab hybrid is tiny enough
top-notch screen is a stunner to carry everywhere, and super-flexible.
 119 PLAYLIST TOP TENS

PLAYLIST From thunderstorms to Brian

Eno, these sounds will help
WORK you rediscover focus in an

MUSIC
office full of coughing fits
and tedious chatter

BEST
BUY
FOR PEACE-
KEEPERS

Noisli
Neighbours got the
strimmer out again?
This white noise
creator will get you
back in the zone. As
you mix top-quality
loops including
weather, trains and
fans, its background
cycles through
some lovely relaxing
colours. You can also
set timers and use its
text editor for writing
seamless prose.
1.49 / Android, iOS

Zenmix.io Tabletop Audio myNoise Coffitivity Spotify

This free site Though its designed This selection of Like the sound of Sometimes, only
immerses your for role-playing streams, loops, beats cafe hubbub but cant music can keep you
ears in the sounds board games, this and synthetic noises be bothered to leave focused. But where
of nature or at site has plenty of doesnt have the your flat? This site to find that mix of
least soundscapes atmospheric fare for prettiest of designs, will bring the coffee instrumentals and
inspired by nature. general work focus. but you get a huge house to you. Well, electronica thats
You get six in total, These can be added variety of sounds. not the coffee just subtly propulsive
the first of which is to a playlist Any clicked link takes the sounds, from without being
all bells and ambient although wed avoid you to a page with Morning Murmurs distracting? Why,
tones, like a track Disembodied Spirits a graphic equaliser, gentle hum to Paris at Stuff s specially
from a meditation unless you want a making it useful Paradise, ensuring made work music
CD escaped to major case of the for screening out you feel refreshed for Spotify playlist:
the internet. heebie-jeebies. jarring frequencies. a working morning. bit.ly/
zenmix.io tabletopaudio.com mynoise.net coffitivity.com stuffworkmusic

OR MAKE NODEBEAT SCAPE MELODIST

YOUR OWN
This app sees you create The latest app from If you fancy some
a kind of mesh from Brian Eno and Peter background melodies,
GENERATIVE nodes and attached Chilvers gives you an this app will interpret

MUSIC
notes that leads to entire ambient album your photos as a
evolving music. to play with. looping soundtrack.
1.18 / iOS, Android 8.99 / iOS free (IAPs) / iOS

SAVE UP TO 53% BY SUBSCRIBING AND GET STUFF DELIVERED FOR FREE: THEMAGAZINESHOP.COM/STUFF
TOP TENS HIFI
TIPS &
TRICKS
With iPhones and
Android devices,
you can control your
Sonos speakers from
your lock screen.
2 3
Naim Mu-so
895 / naimaudio.com
How much for a wireless speaker?!
Well, yes, but what a wireless
speaker it is. Naim has ploughed
all of its high-end hi-fi experience
into delivering a beautifully made,
great-sounding device with
AirPlay, Spotify Connect and
aptX Bluetooth all on board.
Stuff says
A wireless speaker that can make
a valid claim to be genuine hi-fi
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING
120
The Sonos Play:5
uses a feature called
Trueplay that tunes
1 HOT
BUY
the sound to your
rooms acoustics. Sonos multiroom
system
from 147 / sonos.com
If you want to pretend your favourite band are
playing in your living room, theres no better
option than a Sonos wireless speaker. They
look great, work with your smartphone and,
most importantly, boom out your tunes with
dazzling finesse from the compact Play:1
(147) to the flagship Play:5 (389), a speaker
redesigned from the ground up in 2016.
Stuff says
Infinite music in every room without the
need for custom installers? Sign us up!
NOW ADD THIS Spotify Premium
Sick of playing your iTunes library
on repeat? Sign up to Spotify for
more new music than you could
ever possibly listen to.
9.99/month / spotify.com
Naim Mu-so Qb
4 595 / naimaudio.com
Complements its big brothers more refined
character with a confident presentation.
Google Chromecast Audio
BARGAIN
5
BUY
30 / google.com/chromecast
Stream Spotify to your old hi-fi with this smart
and highly affordable dongle.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless
6 499 / bowers-wilkins.co.uk
This is the ultimate wireless speaker for the
streaming-savvy audiophile.
Bowers & Wilkins T7
7 300 / bowers-wilkins.co.uk
There are a million portable Bluetooth speakers
in the world, but few better than the B&W T7.
Cambridge Audio Go
8
KEF Muo 99 / cambridgeaudio.com
250 / uk.kef.com It sounds awesome, its really well built and
its battery lasts a massive 18 hours.
The KEF Muo sounds as good as
it looks, which is very nice indeed.
Bluesound multiroom system
9
It may be the size of a beer can
but it creates a room-filling sound, from 299 / bluesound.com
brilliantly balanced and packed A Sonos-style multiroom system but with
with vim and vigour. The Muo has better-than-CD-quality hi-res audio.
the audio solidity of the B&W T7,
but with even greater detail.
BARGAIN
UE Boom 2
10
BUY
Stuff says 85 / ultimateears.com
Portable Bluetooth at its best, It may look like a sporty water bottle but this
with premium sound and design speaker sounds great and is mighty tough.
 121 NEW TO STREAMING TOP TENS

YOUR Certain TV shows will kill your

braincells quicker than a barrel
STREAMING of gin so get a healthy dose

ESSENTIALS
of quality entertainment with
these binge-worthy picks

NETFLIX AMAZON NOW TV

VIDEO

Guardians of the Galaxy Annabelle Legion

Imagine a talking tree and raccoon
in space, went the pitch at Marvel
Comics back in 2008. Yet despite the
lunacy of such a concept, its led to
a fun sci-fi flick that rivals any of
Marvels superhero films to date.
We can deal with a load of monsters.
Zombies? Sure. Creepy ghosts? Bring
em on. But a possessed, child-like
doll? Hell no. Serving as a spin-off to
The Conjuring, this horror film will not
rest until youve soiled something.
Having a mutation in reality could
simply mean a change in eye colour,
but in the X-Men universe it can result
in superpowers. Legion focuses on
Charles Xaviers son, who has been
diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Sense8 Room 24: Legacy

Imagine having to share your inner
thoughts with eight strangers. This is
what the leading characters in Sense8
have to put up with. And you thought
admitting you dont mind Jeremy
Clarkson was the end of the world.
Being locked inside a room for your
whole life might be a dream for some
introverts (as long as theres decent
Wi-Fi). But Joy and her five-year-old
son dont have such pleasures in this
dark indie drama.
In a typical day, most of us will spend
more time drinking coffee and sending
emails than anything else. Compare
this to the actions of the characters
in this real-time thriller, a 24 spin-off,
and you might feel just a bit lazy.

V for Vendetta Goliath The Walking Dead

While we drink pumpkin lattes and
twirl sparklers on Bonfire Night, we
dont think how messed up it is that
were basking in the heat of a burning
Guy Fawkes. V for Vendetta reminds
us in this dystopian political thriller.
Lawyers have to be one of the most
despised professions, yet we cant
stop watching them on TV. After one
episode of Goliath, starring Billy Bob
Thornton and William Hurt, youll be
guilty of a new addiction.
What moves sluggishly with a constant
moaning sound? Yes, its you with a
hangover but also the walking dead,
and theyre returning for the second
half of season 7 although Rick should
be more afraid of Negans baseball bat.

SAVE UP TO 53% BY SUBSCRIBING AND GET STUFF DELIVERED FOR FREE: THEMAGAZINESHOP.COM/STUFF
TOP TENS CONSOLES 122

1 HOT
BUY
GOT EARS?
THEN CHECK OUT THE

PlayStation 4 Pro
350 / playstation.com

As a gaming platform, PlayStation 4 is the best around which

makes the PS4 Pro the best of the best. Games optimised
for the new console look stunning on a 4K HDR TV, and are
substantially improved by the extra grunt inside this slightly

YOUR ESSENTIAL
bigger machine. If youve already splashed out for a 4K HDR
screen and you enjoy video games at all, its well worth the
upgrade. The missing 4K Blu-ray drive means it isnt a perfect

AUDIO GUIDE TO
entertainment system, but streaming converts wont care.
Stuff says
The system for console gamers who have a 4K TV
and want the best gaming experience possible
WHATS HOT IN
Xbox One S GADGETS
2 from 219 / xbox.com
Microsoft dumps Kinect, the 400+ asking
price and the fugly power brick to create a
supremely enticing console that also has
a 4K Blu-ray player. It remains a serious
alternative to the PS4 Pro.
Stuff says ONE-MINUTE REVIEWS!
A fine console with some big exclusive titles GIANT CLAMS! (BAD) JOKES!
ARGUMENTS!
PlayStation 4 Slim
3 204 / playstation.com

NEW EPISODE
This is the old PS4 squeezed into a 20%
smaller package, and it still delivers an
awesome console gaming experience.

EVERY FRIDAY
But if you see a 4K TV in your future, youre
better off saving for the PS4 Pro.
Stuff says
Better than the old PS4 in almost every way

HOT
HTC Vive
4
BUY
759 / vive.com
Our VR headset of choice offers a completely
new way to experience gaming.
FIND IT ON iTUNES, SOUNDCLOUD OR
Oculus Rift
YOUR PODCAST PLAYER OF CHOICE
5 549 / oculus.com
Even with the Touch controllers, the Rift cant
beat the Vive for losing yourself in a game.
SIMPLY SEARCH FOR STUFF GADGET

www.stuff.tv/news/stuff-gadget-podcast
FULL REVIEWS: STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES

TIPS &
TRICKS
The new open-level
design means you
can outflank your
enemies rather than
going bullet-crazy.
Areas of long grass
can be used to hide
yourself before
pouncing on an
unsuspecting enemy.
Use the grappling
hook to swing in
on your enemies
and take them down
in style.
2 3
Overwatch
41 / playoverwatch.com
Forget Call of Duty and Battlefield
this is the best multiplayer
shooter. Full of crazy characters
with a range of powers, Overwatch
is one long party that youd
be mad to miss so grab your
controller, pick up a hero and
dive in you wont regret it.
Stuff says
Blizzards chaotic shooter is as good
as multiplayer mayhem gets
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES
123 GAMES TOP TENS
1 HOT
BUY
Uncharted 4:
A Thiefs End
from 31 / unchartedthegame.com
The flagship series of the PlayStation 3 swings
its way onto the PS4, and boy was it a successful
landing. Full of adrenaline-fuelled action
sequences and funny one-liners, Uncharted 4
keeps you hooked all the way. As Nathan Drakes
story finally comes to a close youll be sad to say
goodbye to this seminal gaming series, but also
satisfied with its conclusion.
Stuff says
A fittingly epic send-off for one of
gamings most thrilling series
NOW PLAY THIS Spelunky
Cant satisfy that treasure-hunting
itch? Not to worry, as Spelunky
has an endless number of randomly
generated caves to explore.
11.99 / spelunkyworld.com
BARGAIN
XCOM 2
4
BUY
HOT 15 / xcom.com
BUY Its your job to save humanity from aliens
in this thrilling turn-based strategy game.
Battlefield 1
5 39 / battlefield.com
A bombastic shooter that really makes the
most of its bloody World War I setting.
The Division
6
BARGAIN
BUY
16 / ubi.com
The Division wraps up the best bits of multiple
genres into one action-heavy package.
Titanfall 2
7 29 / titanfall.com
Loads of giant mech carnage and a gripping,
planet-hopping campaign to boot.
The Last Guardian
8
Forza Horizon 3 25 / playstation.com
30 / xbox.com Seriously flawed in some ways, but The Last
Guardian is a feathery masterpiece.
Forza Horizon 3 accelerates to the
top of our list of open-world racers,
9
providing thrilling fun in incredible
BARGAIN
BUY Ratchet & Clank
amounts and looking absolutely 23 / insomniacgames.com
gorgeous in HDR. It nails that More revolution than remake, this updated
sweet spot of being fun but not classic is one of the best reasons to own a PS4.
silly or obnoxious, and serious but
crucially not too serious.
BARGAIN
Doom
10
BUY
Stuff says 14 / doom.com
Nothing but blue skies this is the Its bloody. Its brutal. Its brilliant. Doom is back,
best open-world racer around and its packing a super shotgun.
TOP TENS HOME CINEMA, SMART HOME
1 HOT
OT
BUY
UY
BARGAIN
BUY
Amazon Fire TV 4K
80 / amazon.co.uk
Amazons latest Fire TV is faster and more powerful than the
old model, but more importantly, it supports ultra-detailed
4K video: TV and movies in four times the resolution of Full HD.
Of course, youll need a 4K set to enjoy all those extra pixels,
but if youre thinking of making the upgrade soon, this streamer
is a tele-futurists delight. With the added attractions of neat
voice controls and great gaming functionality, its the most
complete streaming box available.
Stuff says
Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Video and Android games
in one 4K-capable streaming box
HOT
Sky Q
2 2
BUY
from 15 + 22/month / sky.com
A Sky subscription is already an expensive
option, but Sky Q works flawlessly and
could change the way you watch TV
especially now 4Ks arrived. Undoubtedly
the best TV experience you can get.
Stuff says
The slickest TV box you can currently buy
HOT
Q Acoustics Media 4
3 3
BUY
309 / qacoustics.co.uk
This soundbar has won awards two years in
a row from our friends at What Hi-Fi? The
Media 4 combines subtle detail with precise
surround effects to be the best-sounding
and best-value soundbar you can buy.
Stuff says
A whole lot of under-telly hi-fi for the money
Canton DM55
4 4
BARGAIN
299 / weybridge-audio.co.uk
This soundbase is as practical as they come
for those with modest-sized living rooms.
Google Chromecast
5 5
BARGAIN
BUY
30 / google.com
Chromecast lets you search multiple
streaming services from one app.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HOME-CINEMA & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES
124
1 HOT
BUY
Nest 3.0
249 with installation / nest.com
The Nest 3.0 is not a dramatic reinvention, but it didnt need
to be: this is still the best-looking and most rewarding smart
thermostat on the market. Impressively, and slightly scarily,
Nest learns your habits when youre in the house, when
youre likely to need a lot of hot water and so on so it can
control the boiler to save energy and keep that shower nice
and toasty. That, paired with a nicely designed app, is enough
to put the third-gen Nest ahead of its competition.
Stuff says
Our favourite thermostat cranks up the heat up on its
smart home rivals with a solid upgrade
Netatmo Welcome
158 / neatmo.com
Netatmos smartcam has face recognition
capability, which works well once its got to
know you, and the usual motion and noise
detection is easy to control. We like the way
individual profiles can be adjusted.
Stuff says
Slick and hugely informative
Hive Active Heating 2
199 with installation / hivehome.com
Hive is simple enough for anyone to use and
powerful enough to be truly useful, with
features such as geolocation and holiday
mode. For a family-friendly introduction
to the smart home, its a solid choice.
Stuff says
This smart thermostat is hot, hot, hot
Philips Hue Starter Kit
BUY
from 60 / meethue.com
Become an indoor god with the smartest
way of lighting up your home remotely.
HOT
Amazon Echo
BUY
150 / amazon.co.uk
The AI revolution starts here Alexa can
control your house, and makes a great DJ.
 125 SYSTEM CAMERAS TOP TENS

1 HOT
BUY

Fuji Film X-T2

1360 / fujifilm.eu

The X-T2 is an excellent lesson in how to

upgrade an already great gadget. The X-T1
was itself a brilliant camera, so Fuji gave it superb
TIPS & video and autofocus skills to go with the already
TRICKS top weatherproof build. Sure, its pricey, but its
also worth every penny. What youre getting
For aperture-priority here is a camera that approaches the most
shots, set shutter desirable DSLRs for speed, and rivals pretty
speed to auto and much any camera for image quality so its
turn that lens ring to a truly superb all-rounder.
the desired f-number.
Stuff says
The ISO and shutter A dream of a camera that barely strays
dials can now be from perfection from start to finish
locked with a
simple press of
the middle button. NOW ADD THIS
Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre Tripod
The X-T2s film You no longer have an excuse for
simulation modes wobbly photos with this carbon-fibre
give your shots tripod. It weighs just 1.65kg.
massive amounts 235 / manfrotto.co.uk
of character.

Fujifilm X-T10
2 3 4
BARGAIN
BUY
HOT 449 / fujifilm.eu
BUY The Fujifilm X-T10 would be a great camera at
any price, but at this one its unbeatable.

Canon EOS 5DS

5 2799 / canon.co.uk
A fantastic piece of kit that any pixel-peeping
SLR fan will get heaps of enjoyment out of.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

6 743 / olympus.co.uk
The second coming of the E-M5 smashes
it on both design and performance fronts.

Nikon D5
7 5099 / europe-nikon.com
The pro-level camera to go for if you spend
a lot of time on the sports field.

Sony A7R II
2499 / sony.co.uk
Sony has made a no-compromise
camera that combines impeccable
build quality with a class-leading
full-frame sensor, 5-axis image
stabilisation, huge ISO range, fast
autofocus, an excellent viewfinder
and 4K video recording. And its far
more compact than a DSLR.
Stuff says
A no-compromise compact system
camera for well-heeled enthusiasts
HOT
Olympus PEN-F
8
Canon EOS 80D BUY
949 / olympus.co.uk
1049 / canon.co.uk An immensely desirable piece of design and
an immensely capable all-round camera.
Its the photographic equivalent
of playing FIFA 17 as Barcelona, on
Sony A6300
9
full auto mode, against Burnley:
youll be convinced that youre a 799 / sony.co.uk
genius, but really youve not got A camera that delivers on all fronts: compact
much to do with the results. Put size, great photos and excellent video.
the 80D in the hands of a child and
theyd get some great shots.
Nikon D750
Stuff says
The step-up DSLR for anyone
looking to learn manual shooting
10 1599 / europe-nikon.com
Its big and bulky, but this is one of the most
comfortable, intuitive SLRs money can buy.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS
TOP TENS BUDGET BUYS
TIPS &
TRICKS
Plonk that Pi camera
you bought on a
birdfeeder and youll
be able edit your
own Springwatch.
The free, open-source
Kodi will turn a Pi into
amedia centre for
watching your locally
stored films and telly.
Planning on turning
your Pi into a SNES
emulator? Legally,
you must own the
games to play them.
2 BARGAIN
BUY
Google Chromecast Audio
30 / madeby.google.com
This disc doesnt just transform
the streaming capabilities of your
speakers its lossless hi-res
audio option can also boost their
sound quality. This is an infinitely
superior alternative to streaming
via Bluetooth, with less battery
drain and no interruption from calls.
Stuff says
If youve not got a Sonos setup,
thisll do roughly the same job
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
126
1 HOT
BUY
BARGAIN
BUY
Raspberry Pi 3
33 / raspberrypi.org
You dont have to be big on coding to enjoy
the Raspberry Pi. With some basic tweaking,
you can turn this 33 tiny-puter into a
very respectable desktop PC, retro gaming
machine or media centre and thats just
the start. The Pi 3 is also the perfect update
to its predecessor: you get loads more power
(about the same as a mid-range smartphone),
integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it still costs
less than a PS4 game.
Stuff says
Opens up a world of tech possibilities for
what is a positively diddy asking price
NOW ADD THIS
Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2
Not every Pi 3 project has to be a
homage to your childhood console.
This adds smartphone photo-pizazz.
18 / raspberrypi.org
Amazon Echo Dot
3 HOT
BUY 4 50 / amazon.co.uk
This smart home assistant is a lot smaller than
the full-size Echo, but its a much bigger bargain.
HOT
OT
SoundMagic E10C
5
BUY
UY
39 / soundmagicheadphones.com
SoundMagic is royalty when it comes to budget
buds. For the cash, these are stupendous.
Amazon Fire TV 4K
6 80 / amazon.co.uk
If youve bought a 4K TV, fill it with lovely content
from Amazons Ultra HD media streamer.
Philips Hue Starter Kit
7 from 60 / meethue.com
Start your smart home with two bulbs and a
bridge before turning it into a palace with more.
Amazon Kindle
8
Moov Now 57 / amazon.co.uk
49 / moov.cc Top of our holiday packing list, the basic Kindle
is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
You know youre onto a winner
when your fitness gadget isnt
Google Daydream View
9
just a tracker but a personal trainer.
The Moov is a honeycomb-covered 69 / madeby.google.com
workout guide with voice coaching An inexpensive headset that works with your
and rep-counting. And yes, it Google phone to deliver VR experiences.
still tracks your daily steps and
auto-detects your sleep.
Xiaomi Yeelight
Stuff says
The best budget tracker gives
most Fitbits a run for their money
10 48 / xiaomi-mi.com
If you like being woken up gently, get this
smart Bluetooth bedside lamp.
 127 5-MINUTE HACKS TOP TENS
IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF
MAKE A MICROSOFT
HOLOLENS FOR 25
Microsofts mixed reality Place your point codes.
headset is a bit spendy These are the markers
at 2719, but you can get that the ZapBox app will
a flavour of its power for use to map your room
a pittance with this Google and place objects. Once
Cardboard-like tribute: these are in position, your
similarly coded handheld
Get a ZapBox. First, you controllers will be ready
need a cardboard headset to interact with them.
for your phone that lets
you play virtual mini golf Move the sofa. All done?
on your lounge floor. Put your smartphone in
Thats the ZapBox ($30, the ZapBox headset and
kickstarter.com), which youll be ready to play
is due to ship in April and its free games, including
includes everything you ZapBrush and mini-golf.
need for stripped-down Congrats, youve made
AR, including cardboard the first step towards
controllers. building a holodeck.

NINTENDO: FROM
NES TO SWITCH

XIAOMI MI MIX MIRRORLESS CAM

CUSTOMISE
RATED SUPERTEST YOUR AIRPODS
Apples white AirPods
arent to everyones tastes
(as youll know if you read

ON SALE our review on p96). Heres

how to tweak their colour

2 MARCH
and theft-proofing:

Give them a paintjob.

Whether you fancy
giving your AirPods a
matt black look or a full
turquoise makeover, the
Grafixpressions store
has a generous range
of skin overlays. Each
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE NOW pack comes with two
GET IT DELIVERED FOR FREE AND spare stickers plus a
matching one for your
case look like a pack
of dental floss, so all
SAVE UP TO 53% ON THE COVER PRICE! charging case (from $6,
bit.ly/airpodoverlays).
you need to add to
throw thieves off the
scent is one sticker
www.themagazineshop.com/stu/mar17 Make a cunning disguise.
Apple has kindly made
($4, bit.ly/airpodisguise).
Your dentist will be
Subscribe now and get a free Case Logic Larimer backpack! the AirPods charging impressed too.
Full details on p106.
FIND MORE HANDY 5-MINUTE HACKS AT STUFF.TV
Highly Classified To advertise call Jessica Sarfas 0208 267 5521

www.myshreddies.com 01509 610610

 NEXT BIG THING?
Emotion Ging
h no. Are you going to bring up the
O time I cried when my Companion
Cube died in Portal?
Er, no. Wait, you cried? Thats so
pathe actually, we did too. But we digress.
The emotional thing isnt about games that
cause you to laugh or cry. Instead, the idea
behind it is to create games that adapt and react
to your emotions. Imagine a dialogue-driven
game like Mass Effect, but instead of picking
from preset on-screen responses, the game
could select the narrative based on your
emotional reaction to the action.
DONT MISS THE NEXT ISSUE! ON SALE 2 MAR
That sounds creepy. Im not one for probing.
Thankfully theres no need for any Matrix-style
needles prodding your grey matter. All you need
is a wrist-worn wearable designed to measure
your emotions, which are then fed back to
compatible games. The Ankkoro is one such
device. Its got a built-in heart-rate sensor and
a galvanic skin sensor that detects your sweat
levels based on the conductivity of your skin.
Of course, sweating buckets and an increased
heart rate are symptoms of both love and terror,
so theres a clever algorithm involved to detect
which emotional state a player is in.
Clever, yes. But real? I doubt it.
The Ankkoro isnt ready for mainstream release,
so we understand your caution. But the sensors
are all there, and were told that several years of
research with a cognitive neuroscience lab took
place to help develop it. Obviously, clever tech
is nothing without the software to support it,
[ Words Esat Dedezade ]
so well have to wait and see if game developers
jump on board too. As for us? Were keeping
our fingers crossed for a survival horror game
in which the monsters can hear the sound of
your frantic heart beating away, and then slowly
crawl towards you
Developing the
next generation of
Sport Scientists
and Coaches.

Sam Lawson, UCS Sport Science Graduate.

Now Director of Performance Analysis in the US.
Be bold. Be brave. Go far.
www.ucs.ac.uk/football #UCSgofar
 FO C A L I LI S TE N
Comfort, freedom and design, all combined in a pair of headphones. Listen is the realisation of mobile
high-end audio. These headphones offer excellent insulation, optimal comfort and beautiful acoustic
performance, for hours of intense music listening. Focal opens up a new world of emotion and feeling.

Experience at your local Focal retailer: www.focal.com