We've had some great experiences testing out Creality's range of 3D printers - from beginner-friendly units to machines for large-scale printing projects. So, I was excited to see that plenty of them have been discounted over at Amazon right now. Based on our workshop testing, I've selected the four that are absolutely worth checking out.
✅ Choose the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE if... You want a beginner-friendly 3D printer under $200. This is one of the most affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use machines that's ever undergone our workshop tests.
✅ Choose the Creality K1C if... You're looking to upgrade from a basic 3D printer without spending more than $400. It's our 3D printing expert's favorite 3D printer, and can handle more materials.
✅ Choose the Creality K2 Pro if... You're a hobbyist looking for a mid-range all-rounder that hits the sweet spot in terms of speed and accuracy for serious everyday projects.
✅ Choose the Creality K2 Plus if... You need a large build area for ambitious printing projects like crafting and cosplay accessories.
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
Still one of the best 3D printers for beginners - especially at this price. We awarded the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE an impressive 4.5 stars after tests, and it stands out to many cheaper units due to the high print quality.View Deal
Why we recommend it
We scored the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE 4.5 stars in our review, with a Highly Recommended award - it's a great 3D printer for beginners at a price that's very accessible. It's almost as cheap as it was over Black Friday, where it sold for $174.
The catch? With its open-frame design, it's not as fast as others and it lacks features like a built-in camera and touchscreen.
Creality K1C
In our tests, we praised the Creality K1C's "all-star specification that will appeal to all levels of users, from education to business to dedicated 3D printing enthusiasts." Amazing budget all-rounder here. View Deal
Why we recommend it
The Creality K1C is our 3D printing expert's favorite machine - it's not an ultra high-end unit, but during our tests it performed brilliantly for a relatively budget machine, suitable for just about everyone. The cheapest I've seen this on Amazon is $369, so while not the lowest ever price, it's still a good deal for what you get here.
The catch? It's not the most accurate 3D printer in this price bracket, but it still beats most rivals if you want the complete package.
Creality K2 Pro
We called Creality's K2 Pro "an exceptional machine capable of producing some of the best 3D prints of any machine in this price bracket." A solid mid-range pick for a range of printing projects. View Deal
Why we recommend it
An unofficial upgrade on the K1C, we called the Creality K2 Pro "an exceptionally good 3D printer" capable of producing some of the best prints in its price bracket in our review, where it scored 4.5 stars and a Highly Recommended award. This is an all-time low price on Amazon, making it unmissable.
The catch? While it supports multi-color 3D printing, it was slow during our workshop testing.
Creality K2 Plus
We called the K2 Plus "an outstanding machine" in our review. It features a large 350mm build volume, 16-color support, dual AI cameras, and an actively heated chamber. The rigid die-cast frame make it ideal for ambitious printing projects.View Deal
Why we recommend it
With a build volume of 350 x 350 x 350mm, the Creality K2 Plus is the one to go for if you want to print larger pieces - in our 4.5-star review, we praised the build quality, features, versatile material support that "ultimately produces outstanding prints." This isn't the cheapest I've seen it on sale, as back in June it hit $1099 - so you might want to wait to save a little more.
The catch? Due to the build volume, this 3D printer has a large footprint that won't be suitable for a lot of spaces.
For more top-performing machines, see our guide to the best 3D printers we've tested.
Best Creality deals in your region
Not in the US? These are the best prices where you are.
Pentagon eyes swarms of cheap drones over a handful of expensive fighter jets
Carrier decks may soon be crowded with robots doing eight different combat jobs
US Navy next fighter wing could fly itself from takeoff to target and back
The US Navy has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking a new family of carrier-based drones which would operate alongside manned aircraft while supporting missions across the full range of naval combat operations.
The service wants these systems to fly from Ford-class and Nimitz-class nuclear carriers, while some designs could operate from smaller vessels.
Its requirements seeking industry proposals for platforms capable of eight missions, including attacks against ships and land targets, anti-submarine warfare, air combat, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Navy seeks autonomous aircraft for eight missions
The aircraft would also support aerial refuelling and resupply missions for naval task forces, creating a broad set of requirements for a single aircraft or connected family of systems.
Strike variants must have a minimum range of 1,000 nautical miles, equivalent to roughly 1,150 miles.
The service also wants advanced autonomy for carrier operations, mission changes and threat avoidance during flight.
Proposed systems must support automated aerial refuelling and remain compatible with existing unmanned aircraft control systems.
The Navy is seeking “affordable mass, risk-tolerant platforms” capable of addressing current and emerging threats, which points toward affordable aircraft designed to be produced in larger numbers than traditional high-cost combat jets.
Future carrier wings could rely on scalable drone fleets
The RFI asks companies to explain how their production methods could expand rapidly during a surge while keeping recurring flight and sustainment costs within sustainable limits.
Manufacturers must also describe ways to reduce maintenance demands and use existing naval supply networks.
The Navy is also open to aircraft that can operate from platforms beyond its largest carriers - vertical-takeoff and landing UAVs could fly from destroyers, expeditionary sea bases and other vessels with suitable aviation facilities.
“The Navy is interested in novel concepts that can operate from any air-capable platform,” the RFI states, including destroyers and mobile sea bases.
This could give naval commanders more options for deploying autonomous aircraft across different maritime environments.
The Air Wing of the Future Family of Systems forms part of the Trump administration’s Golden Fleet expansion plan.
Existing related programmes include the MQ-25A Stingray tanker and Collaborative Combat Aircraft initiative.
The RFI also asks companies to explain planned capital investments and internal research commitments needed to mature their designs.
The Navy’s requirements suggest that future carrier aviation could combine advanced manned aircraft with larger fleets of autonomous systems designed for scale and operational risk tolerance.
Saronic's Port Alpha facility could expand from 835 acres to nearly 4,400 acres
The shipyard could eventually build vessels exceeding 1,200 feet long
Saronic expects Port Alpha to create up to 10,000 direct jobs
Saronic has selected Brownsville, Texas, for 'Port Alpha', a planned shipyard designed to produce autonomous vessels at unprecedented industrial scale.
The project is expected to attract more than $3 billion in private investment and begin construction during 2026.
When operational in 2028, the facility will combine shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing, robotics and software development across an 835-acre site.
Port Alpha aims to rebuild American shipbuilding capacity
The site could eventually expand to nearly 4,400 acres, giving Saronic space to develop one of the largest shipbuilding facilities in the United States.
Its initial production facilities will support vessels up to 850 feet long, while later expansion could accommodate ships exceeding 1,200 feet.
The Brownsville location includes waterfront access, a deep-water channel and multimodal transport links needed for large-scale maritime manufacturing.
Saronic selected the site after a year-long search that assessed workforce availability, infrastructure, logistics and future expansion opportunities.
The company expects Port Alpha to create up to 10,000 direct jobs over the next decade, covering welding, machining, robotics, software engineering and naval architecture.
Governor Greg Abbott said the project could generate approximately $750 million in annual wages once the workforce reaches its projected scale.
“America’s maritime future depends on our ability to build again,” said Saronic co-founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas. “Port Alpha is our commitment to that mission.”
Saronic plans to work with technical colleges, universities and local institutions to develop apprenticeships and training programmes supporting the facility’s workforce.
The company says the project could generate more than $160 billion in regional economic impact for Cameron County and $264.5 billion across Texas.
Autonomous vessels will drive the shipyard’s production model
Port Alpha will not operate as a conventional shipyard focused solely on constructing traditional crewed vessels for established naval fleets.
Saronic intends to combine software-defined manufacturing with autonomous maritime systems and large-scale production methods.
The company already operates a growing shipbuilding network, including a Franklin, Louisiana, facility acquired in early 2025.
Saronic is investing $300 million there to add 300,000 square feet of production capacity for its 180-foot Marauder autonomous vessel.
The company is known for autonomous vessels including Corsair and Mirage, while Marauder is competing in the medium unmanned surface vessel programme.
These systems form part of a broader effort to expand autonomous maritime operations across different mission types.
Saronic says Port Alpha will support production at a scale and speed not seen in American shipbuilding since World War II.
The company has not yet disclosed detailed production numbers, vessel schedules, or the exact mix of autonomous platforms planned for the facility.
SK On says solid-state cells can give industrial robots the 8+ hour runtime of a human shift, but adoption might be another story
While upcoming solid-state batteries boost productivity through longer operating times and lower overall operating costs, they are prohibitively more expensive than some of their lithium-ion peers
Modern Li-on-based batteries are under 2% of a robot's manufacturing cost today, and solid-state would push that share to around 8%, a premium that could come with serious tradeoffs for manufacturers
Modern robotics is a field that continues to grow over time, fueled by a mix of smarter AI, manufacturing efficiencies and at times, better materials that change what is possible on the ground.
The robots currently in use in factories and warehouses however have a key limitation that has yet to be addressed properly: Lithium-ion batteries often can not keep up with the power demand that modern robots have.
This is particularly reflected in how often they require a battery swap or a recharge: most lithium-ion-powered robots typically operate for one to two hours on a charge, a far cry from the industry's ambitions of machines that can work a full eight-hour shift.
A costly solution to a robot's current battery limits
Speaking at the 2nd Battery Foundry Forum in Seoul on July 15 2026, Ko Young-seok, the executive vice president and head of product planning at the Korean battery maker SK On, argued that solid-state cells can deliver meaningful value for industrial robots that need extended runtime.
He also explained that whether manufacturers actually adopt them will come down to total cost of ownership (TCO), weighed against two cheaper rival approaches: battery swapping and ultra-fast charging.
The TCO framing implies that solid-state batteries, the battery industry's most hyped next-generation technology and inherently expensive to boot, might attract industrial buyers simply because the math works in their favor relative to conventional Li-ion setups.
This is because one must factor in the cost of keeping spare battery packs, charging and/or swap times, and potentially additional robots to cover the resulting downtime, which could leave solid-state with a lower TCO than the competition despite the higher sticker price.
The framing may also be unavoidable given how batteries sit in a robot's bill of materials today. A Li-ion battery accounts for under 2% of the total cost of an industrial robot, according to SK On, essentially a rounding error in the grand scheme of things, but switching to a solid-state battery could push that share to around 8%, a significant jump in overall costs.
For context, a widely circulated teardown of Tesla's Optimus Gen 2 puts the battery pack at about $300 in a roughly $55,000 hardware cost structure, around 0.5% of the bill of materials, comfortably under 2%, though units with larger packs or lower overall costs would land higher, and some independent estimates, including McKinsey's, put battery modules at 5–10% of a humanoid's bill of materials.
Solid-state cells, with their higher energy density, are one of the most promising routes to a robot that works a human shift without stopping, but given their comparatively steep cost versus the competition, one can understand why SK On is aiming this pitch at the robotics and industrial players that need the technology and can afford to pay for it.
For applications with short duty cycles, swapping a cheap lithium-ion pack or fast-charging between tasks may simply remain the better economic answer, but for customers willing and able to pay for more sustained power, solid-state seems to be the new play, even as it remains elusive for commercial EVs given its cost.
SK On has skin in this game on a specific timeline. The company completed its all-solid-state pilot plant at its Future Technology Institute in Daejeon last September, built in partnership with US solid-electrolyte firm Solid Power.
It is developing two chemistries: a polymer-oxide composite cell targeted for commercialization in 2028 and a sulfide-based cell in 2029, a timeline it has already accelerated by a year. But it has competition waiting in the wings: rival Samsung SDI, working with the same American partner, is aiming for 2027.
Whether this leads to widespread adoption of tech expected to appear only in the most expensive EVs on the market this decade remains to be seen, but the TCO argument Ko makes might stick more easily with industrial customers than with consumer EV buyers, for whom pricing and budgets are key factors.
Fall only took up the job three months ago in April 2026
The departure is likely to once again shake up the administration's AI strategy
The head of the Trump administration’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) has resigned from his role, Axios has reported.
Chris Fall served in the role for just three months following his appointment in April 2026, and no reason has so far been given for his departure from the agency.
Arvind Raman, the current head of the Commerce Department office that oversees the AI testing institute is set to temporarily take up the mantle as head of CAISI until a permanent alternative is found.
Another Trump admin departure
Fall’s departure is just one in a string of Trump administration departures so far in 2026. Before resigning, Fall was responsible for working closely with leading US AI labs such as Anthropic, Google's DeepMind, OpenAI, Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI to test their frontier and unreleased models for vulnerabilities to prevent them from being maliciously abused.
Trump has placed a big focus on developing AI, with the technology now a key part of both the US economy and its security, with AI models being deployed across federal agencies, police, and the armed forces.
Despite interventions by the US, China has been rapidly closing the gap between its own models and those of US companies. Many Chinese models are cheaper than their US alternatives, making them attractive to US companies feeling the token-cost of US models.
The resignation will likely once again shake up the Trump administration’s AI strategy. The administration has taken a very hands on approach to AI technologies, requiring contractors to provide unrestricted access to their systems and allow the use of their technologies for any lawful purpose. When Anthropic rejected these demands, the company was designated a supply chain risk.
Trump has also called on AI companies to provide stakes in their companies in what Trump has said will “create almost a partnership with the American public”. Trump hasn’t revealed exactly how this partnership would benefit the American public.
Prototype drone spins its entire body up to 25 times per second to blur itself into near-invisibility
Phantom Twist's single motor spins the whole airframe in one direction and its propeller in the other
AI design pipeline tested 20,000 possible layouts to find the optimal configuration
Drones have a visibility problem. Whether they're filming guests at a wedding or hunting for candid shots of nesting birds, the moment a drone is noticed, it can change the behavior of whatever it's observing — wildlife scatters, people act differently, and you end up with iffy results.
A team of engineers at Illinois' Northwestern University may have found a way around that, and it has nothing to do with camouflage. Their prototype drone, dubbed "Phantom Twist," doesn't try to look like its surroundings. Instead, it spins itself into a blur so fast that the human eye simply can't keep up.
The drone rotates up to 25 times per second — well beyond what the eye can resolve into a distinct shape. The drone doesn't disappear outright, but becomes what the researchers describe as a faint, semi-transparent smudge that blends into the sky or landscape behind it. It's not invisibility in the sci-fi sense, but according to the team it's about ten times harder to spot than a conventional quadcopter.
You spin me right round
The trick lies in the design itself. A typical quadcopter has four rotors spinning while its main body stays completely still, which is exactly why you can still pick it out against the sky — the frame doesn't move, so your eye locks onto it. Phantom Twist ditches that setup entirely. It runs on a single motor and single propeller, with the propeller spinning one way and the rest of the drone's body spinning the opposite way. There's no stationary part left for your eye to latch onto.
Building something that flies stably while spinning that fast isn't a simple engineering job, though, so the team leaned on AI to do the heavy lifting. The process started with around 20,000 computer-generated drone layouts, each one checked for steady flight. From there, optimization algorithms repeatedly shuffled the position of the drone's key components — motor, propeller, circuit board, battery and counterweights — so they'd never overlap visually as the whole thing spun.
Every candidate design was then simulated spinning against 100 real-world photo backgrounds and scored using a model built to approximate human vision, with the 500 lowest-scoring designs pushed through further rounds of optimization before the final version was built.
The result spreads its components out at different heights and angles, so when it's in motion, everything blurs into a soft haze. It's clever stuff, and a reminder of how much of what we "see" comes down to how our eyes process motion over time rather than snapping a perfect still image.
Now you see me: the Phantom Twist in all its ghostly glory (Image credit: Michael Rubenstein/Northwestern University)
It's worth being clear about what Phantom Twist is and isn't, though. This is a university research prototype, not a product with a release date or price tag, and it's still some way from ready for real-world deployment.
The propeller is audible even if the body isn't very visible. There's also no camera or imaging payload on the current build, which raises an obvious question for its stated wildlife-monitoring and infrastructure-inspection ambitions. It feels like a drone spinning 25 times a second would need some serious image stabilization or de-rotation trickery before it could shoot anything usable. The team hasn't detailed how (or whether) they plan to solve that yet.
There's an inevitable privacy angle to any drone that's harder to see, too, and it's not hard to imagine less charitable uses for the same principle down the line. For now, though, this remains a lab experiment funded by the National Science Foundation, aimed squarely at reducing wildlife disturbance rather than sneaking up on anyone — and there's no indication the spinning-body approach is heading toward consumer hardware anytime soon.
Netflix announced it bought AI firm InterPositive for $587 million
It acquired the company back in March
Though the partnership claims to support human creativity, it's still ringing alarm bells for subscribers
Netflix is taking another huge step into its investment in AI — now the streaming platform has completed its $587 million acquisition of startup company InterPositive, the Ben Affleck-owned enterprise that offers AI-powered filmmaking services.
The streaming giant first announced its acquisition of InterPositive back in March, when Bloomberg predicted that Netflix could pay up to $600 million. The company’s recent Form 10-Q report confirms this, and it also reveals that Netflix paid the sum in cash.
Affleck launched InterPositive back in 2022, providing filmmakers with tools to create their own AI model using production dailies to fine-tune post-production work including visual effects, mixing, and relighting shots.
Despite its AI-focus, Affleck has been vocal about his aims to protect human artistry, saying he wanted to “preserve what makes human storytelling human, which is judgement” and to “protect the power of human creativity” at the time of the company’s inception. That said, the acquisition is certainly a bold move from Netflix given how much criticism its investments in AI has garnered.
Prior to its 10-Q report, Netflix released a shareholder newsletter which admitted to using AI ‘on '300 movies and shows' in 2026, such as the docuseries The American Experiment. Co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, went into further detail on this, stating that these AI tools helped produce accompanying visual elements “twice as fast and at half the cost of previous options,” according to Variety.
As you can imagine, this hasn’t settled well with loyal Netflix subscribers who are tired of the platform canceling shows and instead prioritizing AI tools. Since the acquisition sum was revealed, Reddit has been flooded with concerns over what this could mean for future Netflix productions and the creative teams behind them.
One user on Reddit noted that despite the rapid improvements of AI tools, post-production and visual effects departments remain major employers in the entertainment industry. The same user states that business transactions like this are “literally just a mass layoff”, adding, “We do not want this. Humans are artists”.
Netflix’s half-a-billion-dollar acquisition of InterPositive is the icing on the cake of what could spell a decaying trust from its subscribers, and it makes me even more concerned about the artistic value and production ethics of the company’s future movies and shows.
Right now, Netflix is not in my good books, and I’ve been quite vocal about its rash decisions to chase AI and social media-like content. The company recently announced plans to expand its range of content, bringing videos from popular online outlets to the platform — when we already have YouTube for that.
Additionally, Netflix’s prioritization of tacky reality shows over quality drama titles is another topic that’s being discussed, mainly surrounding its upcoming Wonka-themed show. This project also has a huge AI element, as the company has used technology to recreate the voice of Gene Wilder from the original 1971 movie, another distasteful move in my eyes.
It appears that Netflix isn’t doing a good job of keeping subscribers hooked with its growing involvement in AI and ignorance of the survival of its original titles. Is the best streaming service digging its own grave?
Are you a Google Chrome or an Apple Safari user? These two web browsers are the default options for Android and Apple phones, respectively, and over the years they have utterly dominated the market. In fact, according to Yaguara, over 85% of people are now using one of those two browsers.
Or maybe, like me, you’re one of those rare few people who use Ecosia, or something similar, because you’re keen to do a little bit of good every time you search. Whatever you use, the reality is that AI is taking a stranglehold of all our search experiences.
Homescreen heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here.
Search engines are top-loading results with AI summaries, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find real websites in the sea of AI and paid-for positions that clutter results. Whether you’re a fan of it or not, one brand that is harnessing AI to deliver a more streamlined search experience is Arc Search.
AI takes center stage
Arc Search boasts three innovative AI features that help users get the information they want quickly. My favorite, mainly because of the way it's implemented, is the ability to get a bullet-point summary of the web page you’re currently visiting.
To access the summary, you perform a pinch gesture on the screen. Arc Search takes just a few seconds to work its AI magic, and while you wait, it keeps your attention by giving you a dancing thumbnail of the webpage. Cute.
When it’s finished thinking, it presents a simple and easy-to-follow breakdown of the key information. The feature is accurate and responsive, but I’d like to see it presented closer to the web page itself rather than taking you out into a separate window.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
If you’d like to use Arc Search AI to browse the web for you, then ‘Browse for me’ is worth a look. Simply type your search text, select ‘Browse for me ’, and wait for the AI response to be generated. It’s simple to use, and I was glad to see that sources and web links were clearly provided and linked to the relevant AI-generated text.
Beyond these features, you can use Arc Search like any AI engine and ask it specific questions. An extension to this is the ability to lift your phone to your ear and have a conversation with the AI.
A lighter browsing experience
Along with offering a new, AI-centric way to interact with the web, Arc Search takes a drastic approach to de-cluttering the browsing experience. The primary way it does this is with a built-in ad blocker that blocks ads, trackers, pop-ups, and cookie banners. It’s an effective way to limit the often bombarding nature of online ads.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
To complement the ad block, Arc Search also features a reader mode that strips away any unnecessary page information, converts all text to white, and places it on a black background. It’s a nice way to engage with web pages and a potential solution for anyone with sensory challenges.
Another feature I tried was the translate feature, although it’s not a native Arc Search feature. In fact, it uses Google Translate to power the translation. This didn’t seem to matter, though, as the implementation made it feel like a native part of the app experience.
Other features include auto-archiving old tabs, the syncing of passwords across iCloud Keychain, and an incognito mode. It’s also possible to use Arc Search as a traditional web browser, although Arc Search then simply becomes a container for a third-party browser such as Chrome, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
As you’d expect with most modern tools, Arc Search syncs tabs across all different platforms, including Mac, Windows, and iOS. This means you can start a search journey on your phone before work and pick it up again on your laptop once you arrive in the office. All you have to do is create an Arc account and make sure you’re signed in on all accounts.
AI search, but at what cost?
Arc Search is a solid app that I'm sure will only rise in popularity as more people hear about it. It appeals to our need for speed and convenience, but we should always ask at what cost. For now, I'll continue using Ecosia and prioritizing 'real' results while keeping an eye on whether Arc Search and others can create a more hybrid experience that offers the best of both worlds.
Nothing highlights the highs and lows of vinyl like a proper turn table such as the Fluance RT87. Maybe you’ve been using the same Audio Technica LP-60 or even Crossley or Victrola that proliferates the storefront of every record store you’ve ever been to. No shame, I’ve had each at some point.
But there’s something about a fully manual turntable from assembling and calibrating (and testing one’s patience) to cleaning a record every time you put a new one on. Convenient is not necessarily a word that I would use for this process. But it is a bit meditative. More importantly, the audio quality you get a step above with that analog warmth that the best turntables are known for, while not adding unnecessary distortion that may make your vinyl also sound a bit unintentionally lo-fi.
Of course, spending the $799.99 / £666.33 / AU$1,231.70 is not enough for that immersive listening experience. You should probably get a pair of the best stereo speakers you can afford. And if those speakers don’t have a built-in phono preamp, you’ll have to get one of those too. This turntable does not come with one.
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: price and release date
The Fluance RT87 is playing Kacey Musgraves. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? $799.99 (around £666 / AU$1,230)
When is it available? Available now (launched in June 2026)
Where can you get it? Available now in the US; UK and Australia coming soon
Newest among Fluance’s offerings with a mid-June 2026 release, the Fluance RT87 is available in the US and will (at the time of writing) be available in the UK,and Australia very soon. And whether you get it in Natural Walnut, Piano Black, or Piano White, the price goes for an only-cheap-to-audiophile price of $799.99 (around £666 / AU$1,230). And that price stays the same regardless of cartridge, of which you can choose from the Ortofon 2M Blue or Audio Technica AT-VM95ML.
Just be aware that the Fluance RT87 does not have a built-in phono preamp, so you’ll need to invest in one. Fluance does sell the PA10 Phono Preamp for $99.99 / £82.99 / AU$154 and can be bundled (though without a discount) on its site.
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: features
The Fluance RT87 has a speed selector, so no need to change the belt. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Very light on features and extra perks — the connoisseurs' choice
No phono preamp or 45 RPM adapter
Does come with a bubble level
If the Fluance RT87 is more for the audio purist and I think that’s who the brand is targeting, then it makes sense that this turntable is pretty light on convenience-focused features. There is no built-in phono preamp — something you can find on much cheaper decks like the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT. And, of course, you won’t find Bluetooth connectivity or any other unique types of connectivity.
I don’t say this as a bad thing, either. After all, the Fluance RT87 is meant for someone ready to enter more serious vinyl listening and all those extra accoutrements take away from what’s important and that’s its performance and everything involved in making sure that it performs properly.
While I’ll cover most of those choices for performance in the next couple sections, it’s worth noting that the Fluance RT87 comes with the option of either the Ortofon 2M Blue or Audio Technica AT-VM95ML cartridge, either of which cost over $150 as just as part ($166.99 and $179.00, respectively). The configuration reviewed here is the Ortofon 2M Blue.
While there are plenty of opinions out there on both cartridges and how they affect the sound and I won’t parse out that whole conversation — people’s opinions of cartridges are as varied as they are on any other piece of audio equipment — other than to say that either cartridge marks an entry point into serious audio quality from more budget cartridges… just like the Fluance RT87 itself.
It’s also worth mentioning that this turntable can play 78, 45, and 33 RPM, via a selector on the lower left corner of the turntable so no need to adjust the belt like some turntables. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a 45 RPM adapter. Additionally, it has an Auto-Stop toggle on the back.
Features score: 3 / 5
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: sound quality
The Fluance RT87 being used in a somewhat treated room. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Has a sweet, slightly warm sound
Soundstage is immersive
No discernable inner groove distortion
I learned a lot about my records using the Fluance RT87 as my conduit. I learned that I didn’t like the way Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is mixed. I learned that there’s way too much happening in Kamasi Washington’s Truth. Just to name a few.
You hear something that was there this whole time, but you noticed it on this last listen. And that’s not something that typically happens with entry-level gear. In short, I really enjoyed listening to the Fluance RT87. And while the turn table is a step or two up from entry-level gear (maybe beginner audiophile gear or first serious turntable level), the rest of the chain was more on the budget side — Fluance’s affordable PA10 phono amp and the company’s Ai41 speakers. Solid gear, but not transcendent.
One of the good things about using the Ai41 speakers is its Bluetooth connectivity. I could compare a record to a digital stream of the same music via HiFi through Deezer, which I did in a few cases. Rumours, for instance, got a play through vinyl as well as Kacey Musgrave’s Golden Hour. And the vinyl sounded just a little bit better. Maybe it’s the even-order harmonics. Maybe it’s using physical media over digital zeros and ones. To me, everything through the Fluance RT87 had this little bit of bloom to it. It just sounded a little bit sweeter.
Since I had done my best to properly set up my bookshelf speakers when I did my serious listening, I found the soundstage to be expansive and enveloping during listening sessions. I mentioned Kamasi Washington’s Truth, from his album Harmony of Difference before. When playing that song (really the whole record), not only could I hear his band to the outer reaches of where the speakers were projecting, but I could hear precise placement of various horn parts placed across the sound stage. In the same vein, Radiohead’s Pyramid Song sounded phenomenal on this setup.
As far as frequency response goes, I was pretty pleased. With the obvious caveat that the speakers are going to be the biggest bottleneck in a sound system (a bit of an oversimplification), I found the mid-range to be rich and full. Kacey Musgrave’s voice and guitar on Slow Burn, the opening track from Golden Hour, has weight to it. And the high-end has plenty of detail, while retaining some of the warmth of analog as it’s a tiny bit rolled off in a pleasing kind of way.
Now, the bass response is a bit tighter as opposed to big or woolly. It was still very present. Sure, it has a defined space on an older record like Rumours or Talking Heads’ Remain In The Light, but it’s easily placeable and doesn’t overpower the mix in something like FKA Twigs’ EP1.
Lastly, every record I played had a good amount of headroom so that the music came through clearly and without any real distortion (outside of those even order harmonics). And there wasn’t any discernable inner groove distortion either as the stylus would wind its way to the end of each side.
Sound quality: 5 / 5
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: design
Fluance RT87's acrylic platter is hefty, weighing about four pounds. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Heavy-duty plinth and platter
Belt-driven
Removable cartridge
If you’re just getting into turntables, you might be wondering what puts the Fluance RT87 in a more expensive price bracket compared to a lot of the popular, feature-filled turntables out there, one of which you might be upgrading from.
Obviously the sound quality is a huge part of that, which we’ve already covered, but that sound quality is affected by the build of the Fluance RT87. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that it’s a classy-looking deck with a high-gloss finish, available in Natural Walnut (reviewed here), Piano White, and Piano Black. It is made from MDF, but that’s actually a positive, as it doesn’t create any resonance.
Getting back to that build, the plinth, aka the body or chassis of the turntable, is heavy — the whole thing weighs 21 lb (9.5 kg) — giving the turntable a durable feel. Also, the acrylic platter is hefty in and of itself at 4.1 lb (1.85 kg). Incidental bumping or closing of the dust cover, which is surprisingly easy to scratch, doesn’t skip or affect the sound. And unless your record is warped, it will rotate without any up or down motion.
This is a belt-driven turntable with an adjustable and rigid carbon fiber tonearm (you even get a little hex wrench to adjust it), complete with removable counterweight and tiny anti-skate weight, and replaceable cartridge. I’ve mentioned earlier the two types of cartridges to select from and the fact that the reviewed model here came with the Ortofon 2M Blue. It’s worth noting that this is a moving magnet cartridge with a nude elliptical stylus.
The feet, of which there are three, are adjustable to help level the Fluance RT87. They are basically large, mostly silicon silicon screws.
Control-wise, there’s just the speed selector on the front, left corner of the plinth and the auto-stop toggle on the back. The ports are about as Spartan — just stereo RCA inputs and a ground outlet.
As far as extras go, the turntable comes with a RCA cable, ground cable, hex wrench for adjusting the tone arm, and bubble level, so you can adjust the turntable’s angle accordingly before you end up butchering any records. Brushes and any extras will require an individual purchase.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: ease of use and setup
Putting it together takes ten minutes
Not plug-and-play
Fine tuning takes even longer
There's a bit of assembly required with the Fluance RT87. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
This should not be your first turntable. There’s ritual to setting up the Fluance RT87, as there is for a lot of turntables once you graduate beyond the three-to-four hundred dollar range. Because of that, it was equal parts frustrating and engaging. So, yes, there is some assembly required.
When first unboxing, I had to remove everything from its plastic wrapping and then spend probably five minutes just getting everything all together. I had to put the platter on the plinth, put the belt around the platter and then on the motor, put the Ortofon cartridge on one end of the tonearm followed by the counterweight on the other end, then on goes the anti-skate weight, and, lastly, I had to add the hinges to the dust cover and then attach it to the plinth.
But wait, we’re not ready to start playing any records. I had to turn the platter a few times with the belt on so that it’s evenly distributed. Since the platter doesn’t have a ridge or indentation for the belt, it has a habit of slipping off (and still does if I’m a bit clumsy removing a record after play) — something you don’t have to deal with on cheaper decks.
I also had to adjust the feet so that the turntable is completely level, making sure records lie flat during play. This takes a bit of time because you have to reach under and turn each foot clockwise to extend (counter-clockwise to shorten) until the bubble level shows its bubble directly in the center. This took me about ten minutes of adjusting initially, though to be fair, I was using a table that wasn’t very level. After moving the Fluance RT87 from the table I first had it set up on to a different, somewhat treated room where I had to put it on the floor, it required much less adjusting.
Adjusting the tonearm’s counterweight took quite a while as I had to be precise in getting it to balance flat instead of flying up and away from the turntable or digging into my records. While it’s par for the course, this probably also took me about ten minutes of adjusting, though that’s partially because I set it up according to the manual and found the tonearm to still not have enough weight from the counterweight.
Similarly, the anti-skate weight here is a bit finicky as well. It’s just a tiny ball on a thread thin enough to thread a needle with a loop on the other end to attach to the tonearm. The tonearm attachment is basically a lever with four notches on it to account for different anti-skate weight needs (for instance, the anti-skate should loop over a different rung when using the Ortofon cartridge versus the Audio-Technica one). Not only did it take some experimentation to find the right setting, but the loop kept slipping off its rung.
If you’re upgrading to your first big-boy or big-girl turntable and considering this one, just be ready to put in some time getting it right before actually using it. Also be aware that some of the required attention to detail during setup is not unique to this turntable, though anti-skate weights aren’t always a tiny ball on a tiny string.
Usability and setup score: 3.5 / 5
Fluance RT87 Turntable review: value
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Less features and automation than cheaper turntables
Better sound quality than those cheaper turntables
Some entry-to-premium decks may sound as good, but aren’t as sturdy
It’s interesting that the cheaper decks are the more convenient. It’s almost as if the more money you spend, the less features. Exhibit A, for instance, might be the FiiO TT13. This turntable costs a little over a quarter of the price of the Fluance RT87 ($249 / £239 / AU$249 if you need specifics), while adding in Bluetooth connectivity, a built-in phono amp, a fully automatic tonearm, and, frankly, due to its plug-n-play design requires none of the setup or fine tuning of the record player reviewed here. But I would hazard that the Fluance RT87 sounds quite a bit better since it has a bit more heft to its sound.
If you’ve been looking at upping your vinyl game, you might have already looked at the popular Rega Planar PL1, which at $595 / £299 / AU$645, is probably a more direct comparison. But, while the Rega also has a pretty spacious sound, it’s a bit more workmanlike in construction. It’s more utilitarian in looks and is much more light weight in construction. The Fluance RT87’s acrylic platter alone weighs about half of the Rega Planar PL1, making the Fluance more likely to absorb shocks and bumps without fuss.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Fluance RT87 Turntable?
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
While it’s to be expected on more serious turntables, this one is very light on features, though at least one can change from 33 to 45 rpm without having to adjust the belt.
3/5
Sound quality
The Fluance RT87 sounds really good, able to reproduce that analog warmth with body and spaciousness.
5/5
Design
From the removable but capable Ortofon Blue 2M (or AT-VM95ML) cartridge to the heavy acrylic platter and more, this turn table was built for durability and for quality.
4.5/5
ease of use and setup
There’s a lot of fine tuning required to set the RT87 up properly. And it’s probably going to take a little while. This part may exercise your patience.
3.5/5
Value
The Fluance RT87 is not a cheap turntable, but as a turntable for those ready to get serious about their listening experience, it’s appropriately priced.
4/5
Average Rating
Excellent sound, heavy duty build — there’s a lot to love. Too bad it doesn’t have a built-in phono preamp.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You want immersive, impressive audio With a good pair of speakers in tow, the Fluance RT87 will make your record collection come alive with audio that has heft as well as breadth. It just sounds good.
You’re ready for a serious turntable Yeah, you have to do a bunch of set up and it doesn’t have Bluetooth, but if you want a solid turntable for serious listening, the Fluance RT87 should be in consideration.
You’re worried about vibrations There’s the rubberized, adjustable feet, a substantial plinth, and a hefty platter. This turntable won’t skip or scratch from a bump (if you have it set up correctly).
Don't buy it if...
You prioritize value While I think the Fluance RT87 is worth its price tag, I’ll also admit that it’s pretty high. Most people wanting to get into vinyl or step up from their very first record player will probably not want to spend $800 on one.
You need a phono preamp The Fluance RT87 does not have a phono preamp. If you’re not prepared to pay for this additional piece, then you might want to look elsewhere.View Deal
Fluance RT87 Turntable review:: Also consider
Fluance RT81 If you’re reading this review and liking what you see except for the price tag, Fluance does have the RT81, which costs less than half the price. It still sounds good, though not as good (less detail, inconsistent speed), and is much more convenient to use. Read our full Fluance RT81 reviewView Deal
Rega Planar PL1 The Rega Planar PL1 is not nearly as heavy duty as the Fluance RT87. And it’s a bit more utilitarian looking. But it also sounds very good and is a couple hundred bucks cheaper. Read our full Rega Planar PL1 reviewView Deal
How I tested the Fluance RT87 Turntable
Used regularly for a few weeks
Played through Fluance P10 Phono Preamp and Fluance Ai41
Played at various speeds and different size records
I used the Fluance RT87 for a few weeks, listening to as wide a variety of music from Rock to Jazz to Americana that I could. In so doing, I used the different speeds as well as seeing how it did with different size records. I also used the record player in a couple different rooms and with a couple different speakers, the Fluance Ai41 mentioned above and the Klipsch The Nines II.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
Kylian Mbappe is set to face Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham as France take on England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third place play-off in Miami — and you can live stream the game around the world for free.
Les Bleus were many people's favourites to win the tournament, but a deeply disappointing 2-0 defeat by Spain in the semi-finals ended their hopes of lifting the World Cup for a third time. While a bronze medal would feel like scant consolation, France will nonetheless be motivated to triumph. Manager Didier Deschamps ends a hugely successful 14-year spell in charge of Les Bleus after this game and he will be keen to finish on a high, while captain Mbappe heads into the last weekend of the tournament level on eight goals with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
England's semi-final defeat was even more crushing than their opponents', as they conceded twice late on to lose 2-1 to bitter rivals Argentina. It means the Three Lions' years of hurt will stretch beyond 60 after they fell short yet again, having reached at least the semi-finals in four of the past five major tournaments. England beat Norway in Miami in the quarter-finals seven days ago, and if they triumph here again it would represent their best showing at a World Cup other than when they lifted the trophy in 1966, having lost their previous two third-place games in 1990 and 2018.
So, read on as we show you exactly how to watch France vs England for free from anywhere in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
How to watch France vs England for free
France vs England is available to watch for free in multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.
Abroad? Can't access your free stream? Unblock your free World Cup stream with Norton VPN — more on that below.
Use a VPN to watch France vs England live streams
It’s the World Cup, and if you’re traveling, you might discover your usual France vs England stream is suddenly unavailable due to geo-restrictions.
Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world so you can securely access your usual World Cup coverage as if you were back home.
Watch your free World Cup stream without limits. Norton VPN delivers fast, secure connections with global servers, so you can stream from anywhere with ease.
💰 60-day money-back guarantee 🔓 Unlocks World Cup streams
Don’t miss a second. Stream the World Cup from anywhere with total confidence.View Deal
How to watch France vs England in the US
US viewers can watch France vs England on Fox (English commentary) or Telemundo (Spanish commentary).
Those looking for a streaming service instead can watch France vs England on Fox One (3-day free trial). Telemundo is also available via Peacock ($10.99/month).
Visiting the US from the UK? You can still watch your World Cup stream for free thanks to Norton VPN (try for 60 days).
How to watch France vs England in the UK
UK customers are in luck as they can stream France vs England for free on BBC One. Live coverage is also available via BBC iPlayer.
You require a TV license and a valid UK postcode for an account (e.g. SE1 7PB).
Norton VPN can unlock your stream if you're abroad today.
How to watch France vs England in Australia
(Image credit: free)
France vs England will be shown for free in Australia on SBS On Demand.
The streaming platform has every game of the tournament for free, making it the perfect place for your World Cup viewing.
Traveling for work or on holiday? A VPN like Norton VPN can help unlock your free stream.
How to watch France vs England in Canada
(Image credit: Other)
In Canada, TSN will be broadcasting France vs England.
You can live stream via the TSN+ streaming platform, which costs CA$8 per month or CA$80 per year.
Outside of Canada? Use Norton VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.
How to watch France vs England in New Zealand
(Image credit: Other)
In New Zealand, France vs England will be broadcast on TVNZ+.
While some World Cup games are free on TVNZ+, this match requires the tournament pass (NZ$44.95).
France vs England: Match Information
What time does France vs England start?
France vs England kicks off at 10pm BST / 5pm ET on Saturday, July 18. That's 7am AEST on Sunday, July 19 in Australia.
What are the squads for France vs England?
France
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes).
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamenaco (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Fenerbache), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris St-Germain).
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City).
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
France vs England: Road to the third place play-off
Stage
France
England
Group stage
Group I: 1st, 9 points
Group L: 1st, 7 points
Last 32
Beat Sweden (3-0)
Beat DR Congo (2-1)
Last 16
Beat Paraguay (1-0)
Beat Mexico (3-2)
Quarter-finals
Beat Morocco (2-0)
Beat Norway (2-1 AET)
Semi-finals
Lost to Spain (2-0)
Lost to Argentina (2-1)
What is the weather for France vs England?
The temperature in Miami on Saturday is forecast to be around 86F (30C) at kick-off, although it is expected to feel like 88F (31C).
The humidity level is expected to range from 66-69 per cent during the game, which is considered high.
Can I watch France vs England on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser.
You can also stay up-to-date with all of the key World Cup moments on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@FIFAWorldCup), Instagram (@FIFAWorldCup), TikTok (@FIFAWorldCup) and YouTube (@FIFA).
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
