4 of the most detailed and sonically stellar elite hi-fi speakers I heard Audio at Audio Advice Live

Have you ever had four religious experiences in a weekend? OK, that might be hyperbole, but if you had the weekend I just had at Audio Advice Live in Raleigh, then you can relate. Disregarding audiophiles’ apparent love of Steely Dan, I was enthralled and impressed time after time at what I was hearing.

Just about every audiophile adjacent brand (and some more budget friendly enthusiast ones) was there showing off its best stereo speakers. Bowers & Wilkins showcased its flagship 801 D5 , Focal had its all-in-one active Diva Alta Utopia, Klipsch went back to one of its original speaker designs with the Klipschorn, and JBL had its new Summit Series on display including the almost flagship K-2 (the flagship Everest model didn’t make it to the show).

All in all, it was an exciting time to get acquainted with these speakers. Of course, some of them cost the equivalent of a small house in the Midwest, but that’s the deal when a team of audio engineers put their best ear forward.

The Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 was demoed using a Marantz streamer and amps. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

1. Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5

Though the company’s original version of the Diamond Series (what the D stands for) came out in 1979, a lot has changed since then. Specifically, 2026 brings with it the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5, an update that doesn’t look much different to the D4 but sure sounds it.

The model keeps the same design principles in that every driver has its own casing, but comes with a number of improvements. Externally, there are three noticeable changes from the 801 D4: the more open tweeter grille design introduced on the 801 D4 Signature, the stronger and stiffer aluminum spine that’s fully incorporated into the cabinet, and an upgraded plinth that reduces vibrations via tuned mass and constrained layer damping.

More importantly, the internal matrix bracing has been completely redesigned so that the 801 D5’s cabinet is as stiff as can be. This means that the signal is less affected by internal vibrations and reflections.

All of these changes result in a speaker that sounds incredibly detailed yet warm, with a resolution worthy of a studio. They basically disappear so that you’re just focused on the music and reveal things you’ve never heard in your favorite tracks. The Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 might possibly be the best pair of speakers I’ve heard. Just be ready to drop $65,000 (£43,000, or around AU$81,900) on a pair…

The Focal Alta Diva Utopia, being active speakers, only need an outlet to use. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

2. Focal Diva Alta Utopia

Going into this event, I was excited to hear the Focal Diva Alta Utopia, the newest iteration in Focal’s first active speaker series. I almost didn’t get to hear them. Held hostage in customs during the first half of Audio Advice Live, their fashionably late entrance only made me want to hear them more. And oh, were they worth the wait.

There’s a lot going on here. The Focal Diva Alta Utopia speakers use Adapt, a DSP technology that can adjust listening position for imperfect rooms or placement. It also adds an additional driver per cabinet over the Focal Diva Mezza Utopia (the previous generation of this speaker line), making it a four-way speaker. And Focal added an additional Class A/B amp per cabinet for a total five per 600 watts per cabinet or 1200 watts total.

The Focal Diva Alta Utopia also features the company's new PRISM tweeter that’s only available on this model and the company’s Scala Utopia Evo M. This tweeter is essentially a carbon-coated composite material that offers more detail and more aural flexibility over the beryllium drivers that the company has leaned on previously.

Looks are important too, so Focal has made the accessory panels removable, so you can change out the color of the speakers if you get tired of a colorway by ordering additional ones in a different finish.

When I got to listen to these, the first thing I wrote down was “energetic.” These speakers, which retail for a cool $210,000 (£165,000, or around AU$296,800 and FYI, I don’t think you can take a mortgage out to finance these) are in your face in the best way. Room-filling with plenty of mid-bass, they offer that flagship audiophile experience without needing any additional amps or streamers. This is as good as it gets when it comes to active speakers.

The Klipsch Klipschorn looks as good as it sounds. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

3. Klipsch Klipschorn 80th Anniversary Limited Edition

People love vinyl for that analog sound. And if there’s anything that most resembles the feel of vinyl in speaker form, it’s the Klipsch Klipschorn, specifically the 80th Anniversary Limited Edition. Based on Paul Wilbur Klipsch’s original design from 1946, it comes with a few updates to bring it into the modern era.

Since only 280 of the 80th Anniversary Limited Editions will be built, Klipsch has pulled out all the stops visually. From its tigerwood veneer to the brass inlay adorning the front of the cabinet meant to emulate the folding that’s happening inside the cabinet, it’s stunning in a very mid-century modern kind-of way.

As far as its actual design, it has an active crossover and a two-way speaker design, composed of the K-5-K high-frequency horn with a 2-inch throat and four-way compression driver that takes care of everything above 350Hz and a 15-inch woofer hidden behind those brass inlays responsible everything under.

The resulting sound is one that’s a little softer around the edges than the other speakers I’ve mentioned here (hence the vinyl comparison). This makes them less ideal for reference-level use, yet they still work wonderfully with all sorts of music.

In terms of flagship speakers, the Klipsch Klipschorn 80th Anniversary Limited Edition are downright reasonable, a word I never would have expected to use for a pair of speakers costing $24,998 (so around £18,485 or AU$35,329).

The JBL Summit Series K-2 stands beside the other speakers in the Summit Series (excluding the Everest). (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

4. JBL Summit Series K-2

If you’re not familiar with JBL’s project series, let me give you a brief definition. A project series for JBL is one in which the lead engineers have been given a no-expense-spared, carte-blanche approach to making the best speaker they possibly can.

There have been five of these series since the company’s inception, and the Summit Series is the newest. Not only are they named after a series of mountains that have struck fear in many an expeditioner’s heart, but they have 12 US patents that have come about just from the creation of this series.

The penultimate of this series is the JBL Summit Series K-2 ($99,990 per pair, or £71,998, which is roughly AU$141,300), featuring a single 15-inch woofer, a 10-inch woofer, and three 1-½-inch dual-diaphragm, dual-motor compression drivers going into a 3-into-1 expansion manifold. That manifold has been designed in a way that requires it to be 3D printed instead of a more traditional construction method. The woofers themselves also use a rigid carbon fiber (HC4) material.

Also worthy of mention is the fact that they have decoupled isoacoustic isolation feet and come with the ability to tri-wire /tri-amp – a feature that only the more expensive Everest can do. The rest of the line can bi-amp.

When I had the opportunity to listen to the K-2s, it was in a large hall, bigger than any of the other spaces, yet these speakers filled out the space with seemingly plenty of headroom to spare. Despite the large room, these speakers had one of the cleanest sounds I heard over the weekend. And that 15-inch woofer kicked like a mule.

The Sonus Faber Olympica V were demoed using an all McIntosh signal chain. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Did you know TechRadar now has membership?

(Image credit: Future)

Become a TechRadar Insider by simply clicking 'Join Now' at the top of this page. Have a question? Please email membership@techradar.com

Honorable Mentions

While I was most impressed with this set of speakers, there were quite a few other towers of power that impressed me more than enough to be worth a quick mention. The three-way ported Sonus Faber Olympica V, powered by McIntosh amps, sounded almost as good as the speakers listed above, as they should since they’re about $30k a pair.

Wharfedale impressed with its Elysian R and is probably one of the best representations of a speaker using an AMT speaker. And the new old kid on the block, French brand Cabasse (the company is actually 77 years old), just starting to make inroads into the US is one to watch out for. Cabasse makes some really unique looking and functioning active speakers, but also some great-sounding floorstanders. This time next year, you might be looking at a set of Cabasse speakers with the same amount of interest and deliberation as any of the other brands mentioned here.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/mQAfM8Y

Sony Bravia 7 II vs Samsung R95H: which RGB TV wins, and does either model topple OLED? I tested them side-by-side to find out

RGB TVs have become the talk of the TV world this year, with just about every brand releasing their own RGB model. While the tech is still in its infancy, having been introduced by Hisense in 2025, the tech is being touted as an OLED-killer, delivering much higher brightness and bolder colors akin to a mini-LED, while also delivering the contrast and black tones of an OLED.

So far, I’ve tested the Hisense UR8 RGB mini-LED side-by-side with the Samsung QN80H (a traditional mini-LED), where the UR8’s color didn’t wow me, but its contrast and backlight control did. I’ve also tested the Sony Bravia 7 II RGB mini-LED side-by-side with one of 2026’s best TVs, the LG C6 OLED, and while the C6 came out on top, the Bravia 7 II showed real potential for RGB tech.

But, how do two RGB TVs compare? I’ve swapped out the 55-inch Bravia 7 II for a 65-inch Bravia 7 II and, thanks to some fortunate timing, the flagship Samsung R95H Micro RGB TV has landed in our testing lab at the same time. For context, a 65-inch Bravia 7 II costs roughly $2,599 / £1,999 / AU$3,995, while a 65-inch R95H costs $2,999 / £3,099 / AU$5,295. So, while prices are relatively close in the US (when you’re spending this much money), they are in different price brackets in the UK and Australia.

One note here: as the Samsung R95H has a matte screen, this can cause a red tint in photos that's not visible in-person.

Colors

While the R95H's (right) colors are brighter, the Bravia 7 II's (left) are much bolder and punchier, shown with the Lumas from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Image credit: Nintendo / Universal Pictures / Future)

Watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with both TVs in their Movie modes (Movie for the R95H, Cinema for the Bravia 7 II), I noticed that in their default settings, the R95H appeared to be overblowing its brightness, resulting in some clipping of bright objects. I found that dropping the R95H’s brightness from its default 50 (max) down to 45 or 40 was better for the picture. The color luminance was certainly impressive on the R95H though, with the Lumas’ colors looking extremely bright and vibrant on screen. The Bravia 7 II’s colors had more depth and richness to them, having a lot more boldness that reminded me of an OLED.

Both TVs' color accuracy for the red and green of Mario and Luigi’s overalls respectively, and the vivid pink of Peach’s dress, were very good, but there’s no denying the R95H has much more pop on screen. The R95H’s colors can look a little washed out next to the Bravia 7 II at times, as the latter has such richness in its color profile. While the R95H delivered the brightness of the animation, it was hard to ignore how rich and deep the Bravia 7 II’s colors were.

It's a similar story with real-world content, as Speed Racer's vivid colors have more depth on the Bravia 7 II (left) (A quick note that the R95H did not look this washed out in person) (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future)

Moving to Speed Racer, a real-world movie with equally cartoon-ish vibrant colors, the Bravia 7 II once again showcased richer, deeper colors, giving more detail to the gaudy outfits and decor of the 1960s-inspired aesthetic. The R95H once again delivered on the brightness, which really did make colors explode on screen.

On the surface, the R95H seemed to sacrifice some color accuracy in favor of the pop on screen and in some cases this worked. The orange walls and floors of the Racer home and Pops Racer’s shirt were much more vivid on the R95H, but had that nice clarity on the Bravia 7 II. Yellow however, such as Mom Racer’s apron, was much bolder on the Bravia 7 II.

Switching between picture modes, the Bravia 7 II’s Cinema and Professional (its equivalent Filmmaker Mode) were consistent in their color depth and volume, but Cinema mode suited the more colorful movies. On the R95H, while Filmmaker Mode had a nice accuracy to it, the colors were a bit lifeless in comparison to Movie mode. While the R95H’s Movie mode did sometimes sacrifice accuracy, its sheer brightness was better for Speed Racer.

Contrast and backlight

Both TVs show great contrast with The Batman, but the R95H (right) has a more dynamic look thanks to its higher brightness (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future)

Firing up the opening scenes of The Batman, an often challenging disc for backlit TVs, with both models set to their more accurate Filmmaker modes (Professional for the Bravia 7 II), they do an excellent job. Contrast was strong on both TVs, with a great balance between light and dark tones, such as wall lamps and dark wood walls in Mayor Mitchell’s house, or the overhead lights with the black walls of the Batcave. In the default settings, the R95H again demonstrates its higher brightness, which results in stronger perceived contrast compared to the Bravia 7 II.

Dark tones were pleasingly rich on both TVs as well, and there was very little sign of blooming when viewed head-on. From an angle however, both TVs did show some signs of blooming during dark scenes, with the R95H’s more obvious than the Bravia 7 II’s. The Bravia 7 II did sometimes show some black crush, resulting in detail loss in objects, while the R95H did a better job maintaining these details, such as the texture in Batman’s armor and the lapel of Gordon’s coat.

Both TVs do a great job with high contrast shots and shadows, seen here in Dark City, but the R95H (right) can show some more blooming at times (Image credit: Arrow Video / Future)

Both TVs did a great job with shadows, but during The Batman, the Bravia 7 II cast deeper, inkier shadows across people’s faces. Switching to Dark City, which features plenty of these high contrast shadow shots, this was actually reversed. The R95H cast darker shadows that delivered a higher perceived contrast compared to the Bravia 7 II.

Black levels looked great in Dark City on both sets, although interestingly, in a shot where Murdoch talks to the hotel clerk, I noticed the R95H was subject to black crush this time and the Bravia 7 II actually had better shadow detail. Some dark scenes in the movie did reveal some more blooming, moreso on the R95H when viewed from an angle.

Trying out some black and white content, the R95H’s higher brightness creates a greater dynamic range and higher contrast in black and white movies. Watching Dead Man, any scene during the day has much more punch on the R95H, thanks to the aforementioned brighter whites. Both TVs do demonstrate deep dark tones though, with a good range of grays in between. The 4K disc is in SDR and when switching from Filmmaker to Movie, the Bravia 7 II has a significant brightness upgrade over the R95H, though the R95H’s brightness is much lower by default in this mode.

Brightness

The R95H's (right) higher peak brightness gives bright scenes, like this one from Lawrence of Arabia, much more impact. (Image credit: Sony Pictures / Future)

Starting off with measurements, the R95H is significantly brighter with both TVs set to HDR Movie mode. The R95H clocked in at 1,960 nits HDR peak brightness, while the Bravia 7 II hit 1,163 nits. It’s a similar story in Filmmaker/Professional mode, as the R95H hits 1,977 peak HDR brightness and the Bravia 7 II hits 1,114 nits.

Fullscreen HDR brightness, however, is where things get interesting. In Movie/Cinema mode, the R95H clocks in at 607 nits, while the Bravia 7 II measures 830 nits. This means the Sony should display larger bright areas on screen with more punch and vibrancy.

Watching real-world content, the R95H demonstrates much higher brightness than the Bravia 7 II, especially in Movie mode and with HDR content on screen. Watching Lawrence of Arabia, specifically the desert scene where Lawrence and his guide fetch water from a well, the R95H demonstrates significantly higher perceived brightness, with the white sands and blue sky looking much more vibrant on the R95H. While the Bravia 7 II shows more detail in brighter areas, such as the patterns in the ground, the R95H clearly wins in the brightness battle here. This is interesting given that the Bravia 7 II had the higher HDR fullscreen brightness.

For out-and-out reflection handling, Samsung's glare-free screen (right) is still one of the best. (Image credit: Future)

The same is true with more colorful movies. Going back to Speed Racer, the R95H shows much punchier highlights, such as the lights of the Mach 5, as well as glossier whites of the Mach 5 and Speed’s helmet. I did find that switching to each TV’s respective Filmmaker Mode resulted in much closer brightness, though the R95H’s peak areas were still a little brighter.

As for bright room viewing, the R95H shows how effective its anti-glare, matte screen is. Even with darker movies such as The Batman, there’s no sign of mirror-like reflections at any point. For the Bravia 7 II, bright room viewing is more of a challenge. With a brighter scene, such as the desert one from Lawrence of Arabia, the Bravia 7 II does a good job in a bright room. Any darker or high-contrast scenes, and mirror-like reflections are clearer.

The best buy

(Image credit: Future)

Which TV you should buy from these two really comes down to what region you’re in and your budget. In the US, it’s a close contest, whereas in the UK and Australia, the Bravia 7 II is much cheaper. In terms of actual performance, both TVs did well. Both TVs rendered challenging dark scenes accurately, with hints of blooming on both (though they were sometimes more obvious on the R95H). Both TVs showed excellent color reproduction, with the R95H showing higher color luminance, where the Bravia 7 II showed more color volume.

It’s difficult to choose between these two TVs, and while I preferred the Bravia 7 II in some reference scenes, especially with color, the R95H performed better in darker, more contrast-y scenes. While this is a battle of a mid-range RGB (Bravia 7 II) vs a flagship RGB (R95H), the Bravia 7 II puts up a heck of a fight and is the better value option for the budget conscious. If however money isn’t an issue, the R95H is the TV to pick.

Do either of these TVs topple OLED? For my money, not quite yet, but the Bravia 7 II delivers some seriously impressive colors and the R95H shows again what RGB tech can do for backlight control. OLED, it's definitely time for it to start taking note.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/gLTmntw

Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has signed up with a mysterious company claiming it provides 'rocket fuel for AI' — but why?

In today's social media age, celebrity brand ambassadors are a common sight, helping endorse or promote a brand's products or tools, giving that extra bit of sparkle or star power.

This is especially true in the consumer market, but we're now increasingly seeing it in the B2B tech world, where what 10 years ago would have been niche businesses now have the power to hire top talent to promote their brand - I'm talking Idris Elba promoting ServiceNow, Keanu Reeves bigging up Palo Alto Networks, and Matthew McConaghey being the voice of Salesforce.

But as a massive Formula 1 fan, I was intrigued to read a press release announcing reigning world champion Lando Norris as a "brand ambassador" for a data company I'd never heard of - so who (or what) exactly are Starburst?

All about Starburst

Founded in 2017, and boasting that organizations in more than 60 countries rely on it to unify their data, "from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises" - Starburst's initial pitch is strong.

In its press release, Starburst describes itself as, "the enterprise intelligence platform for governed data and AI" - a pretty big claim, and one that the likes of Salesforce and Oracle might raise eyebrows at.

Continuing, Starburst says its platform will allow customers to, "run AI directly on distributed data in place, without moving or replatforming it, across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments while providing consistent business context to queries, models, or agents regardless of where it is stored or processed."

Overall, this should help companies develop and run faster analytics, "trusted" AI, and "better decisions at enterprise scale."

(Image credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

So what does this have to do with Formula 1? Over to Lando to explain.

“People often see motor racing at the highest level as being about reactions, but most of the performance comes from preparation and understanding the details," he says (in the same press release).

"I’m constantly asking questions, looking for information, and trying to build the clearest possible picture before making decisions. Whether that’s racing, running a business, or working with a team, having access to the right information at the right time gives you confidence to act. That’s what stood out to me about Starburst and why I’m excited to partner with them."

Not much clearer then - but it seems the two-year partnership will launch Starburst’s “Ask. Know. Go.” campaign, which the company says will be "connecting the speed, precision, and data-driven decision-making of Formula 1 racing with the enterprise challenge of turning distributed data into trusted action."

The three parts of this, unsurprisingly, are around getting access to data via AI agents, making sure this data is accurate and trusted, and supporting it with fast and powerful systems.

“Lando represents what happens when preparation, data, and split-second decision-making come together,” said Justin Borgman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Starburst.

“That's the challenge enterprises face with AI: ask the right questions, access the complete context behind the answer, and act before the opportunity passes. Starburst makes that possible by giving teams and AI agents governed access to data wherever it lives.”

So there you have it - another stitch in the fabric joining enterprises and Formula 1 - and one that will hopefully lead to a more successful second half of the 2026 season and beyond for Lando.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/haV1l6p

OVH Cloud tells users to expect 87% price rise — with gaming servers hit particularly hard

• OVHcloud will raise dedicated server prices from September 2026, with latest-generation Game range going up by as much as 87%
• Current-generation hardware will see increases of 51%, while older, 2024-gen hardware will see prices go up by 28% on average
• Move is linked to AI-related surge in memory and storage prices, with OVHcloud CEO stating the former has increased sixfold and could potentially double again by early 2027

French cloud platform OVHcloud is sounding the alarm for customers who use its dedicated gaming servers about a price increase that kicks in starting in September 2026 for server configurations, including its 'Game' offerings, that currently start at $357 on the US storefront.

In a post on X, CEO Octave Klaba highlighted the projected price increases as a percentage over prior commitments, stating that while 2024-built machines would not see a price increase, Gen 2026 would see a mammoth 87% increase in cost for consumers.

This marks the steepest increase across the board; otherwise, Gen 2026 servers saw a +51% increase in cost, even as OVHCloud states that existing options would see a lower overall increase in cost and that existing commitments would see "nothing change".

A sign of troubling times for private gaming servers?

Many gamers host private servers for their gaming needs, ranging from a small group of friends and family running a persistent Minecraft instance to servers that cater to hundreds, if not thousands, of players simultaneously, often with commercial caveats.

An increase in price affects both, though possibly the latter disproportionately, as monetization or donations generally sustain them, and they can already run into hundreds of dollars a month in upkeep.

OVHcloud's CEO has highlighted why the move, which seems to be focused on newer gaming servers, which saw the largest increase across the board, is necessary: its memory costs have increased sixfold and could rise to as much as twelvefold by early 2027.

The underlying reason is one that is easy to point at: AI server demand is not only dictating storage and memory market prices, but it could also be weighing purchase decisions at cloud providers, many who can envisage growing and consistent demand for such server instances, therefore raising the opportunity cost of other deployments; OVHcloud's 2026 'Game' servers for example, come with AMD's Ryzen X3D CPUs in two trims currently.

While these CPUs are great for games, they might not be cost-effective for datacenter needs due to higher per-core costs and lower clock speeds than comparable mainstream options, placing them a distant third in a list that has core-heavy server-grade CPUs at the top.

The writing hasn't been on the wall exactly, and it makes for an interesting comparison of how far numbers have traveled in less than a year: in November 2025, Klaba anticipated cloud product prices rising 5 to 10% between April and September 2026. In February 2026, announcing the year's first increase, he described an impact on cloud deployments between 2021 and 2025 of 2 to 6%, depending on hardware age.

He conceded at the time that asking existing customers to subsidize new ones was a little unfair, and argued it was the only way to keep cloud accessible over the following two years.

OVHcloud is an unusual case here: it builds its own servers, which is rare in an industry that often offloads that end to a third-party provider, and while that vertical integration has historically been the source of its price advantage, it has not protected the company here because OVHcloud still buys the same DIMMs and NVMe drives as everyone else.

The Register spoke to the founder of a mid-sized managed service provider who was entirely unsurprised by OVHcloud's announcement and expects AWS and Azure to follow.

The hyperscalers have deeper balance sheets, longer supply agreements, and more room to absorb component costs quietly, so any move from them will likely be slower and less legible than a founder posting percentages on X. It will, however, arguably not be smaller and will be considerably more far-reaching thanks to how deeply integrated some of their products are across the world.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/7w3ZKNn

Exclusive: 'If we're going to do it half-assed, let's not do it at all' — Co-founder reveals how a Batman chair changed Secretlab forever

Founded in 2014 by competitive Starcraft 2 players Ian Ang and Alaric Choo, Secretlab has steadily grown from one of Singapore’s countless plucky start-ups to one of the most recognizable gaming chair brands in the world.

The award-winning Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is its flagship product (named one of the best gaming chairs on the market in our review). The brand also manufactures a successful line of desks and this year branched into the productivity-focused task chair market with its new Atlas model.

Special edition gear has steadily become a key part of the offering as well. Shoppers can scoop up officially licensed products tied to some of the biggest games like Overwatch and Cyberpunk 2077, massive multimedia franchises including Pokémon and Warhammer, popular esports teams, or even luxury car brands McLaren and Lamborghini.

But it all began with a certain caped crusader.

The Batman blueprint

Future

Future

Future

“I chose Batman at the start,” Choo, who also heads the company’s partnerships, explains as I relax on a sofa in his corner office at the brand’s HQ. A pile of material samples amassed over years of research and development sits on the glass coffee table in front of me: strips of bright orange fabric designed to look like Dragon Ball hero Goku’s iconic robes, a moulded plate inspired by the front of a supercar, a detailed print of the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter, and countless other items.

“We were much smaller back then, so we didn't have many options, but Batman was such a huge IP, and I just felt like it made sense for us,” he continues. This was nine years ago and, although other gaming furniture brands have embraced similar collaborations in the years since, Choo says a crossover gaming chair was a novel idea at the time.

“DC was kind of like, 'we have a lot of license categories. We have everything. We have figures, we have statues, we have cups, we have shirts and bags, but we've never done a chair.’"

In such uncharted territory, Choo reckons that it took a whole year to work out how to approach the product’s design. “It sounds obvious now: a Batman chair is black, right? But do you go with the iconic Batman, where it's a yellow logo and retro? We were coming off the armor and whatnot — the [Dark Knight] movie was out at the time, so we went that direction.”

(Image credit: Future)

“We were thinking about what Batman would sit in; what chair would he have in his bat cave?” reveals Choo. The final design is sleek and understated, adorned with a subtle bat emblem and a carbon-fiber-like pattern. It looks like something that could exist in the world of comics, and this approach immediately resonated not just with franchise owner Warner Bros. but also with consumers.

Warner Bros. entered Secretlab in the 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards, where it won ‘Best Licensed Product’ in the home décor category, and the chair remains one of the company’s most popular designs. It even caught the attention of Batman artist Jim Lee, who snuck the Secretlab logo onto the hero’s personal seat in Batman comic book issue #159.

“It was crazy. [A picture of the panel] was just sent to us randomly,” laughs Choo. “I bought three copies: I kept one for myself. I sent one to the guy that's in charge of Warner Bros. in Singapore, and then the third one I showed my mom.”

Becoming the experts

(Image credit: Future)

The success of the Batman chair gave Secretlab plenty of reason to pursue future collaborations, and informed how it approaches each one to this day. “We don't want to just put logos on things and call it a day. We want to go in depth. We want to know the lore,” begins Choo.

Whether it's poring over comic book panels, diving into video games, or watching all the movies or cartoons in a particular series, the team isn’t afraid to go deep into the source material of any intellectual property they are working with. “If we weren't originally fans of the IP before, we become experts,” he adds.

Choo does admit there are occasions when this isn’t possible though, like the build-up to a new release where details are kept under wraps: “Sometimes we're designing stuff with very little information. We don't like to do that, but sometimes we have to do it.”

Walking around the company’s global headquarters, it’s easy to see that employees are encouraged not to shy away from the properties they love. Desks are covered in figurines and other collectibles based on a wide range of games, comic books, manga, movies, and more. Even Choo’s own space is adorned with nerdy memorabilia.

Future

Future

Future

Future

Future

“All the IP that we work with, even currently, a lot of it is stuff that we are very, very passionate about. “I'm a Pokémon fan, so I don't just want to put whatever on a chair. I want to go deep into it with them; I want to collaborate at a high level. I want to come up with, like, assembly manuals that have custom art and that kind of thing,” he continues, gesturing to a colorful Genshin Impact print.

Secretlab currently has three separate Pokémon chair designs inspired by Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee. You might assume that choosing which characters to base designs on is a simple popularity contest. Still, Choo argues that the team is actually more concerned with coming up with ideas that are unique and fit Secretlab’s premium brand image.

“Sometimes a popular Pokémon doesn't have a good color scheme, for example, and it would be off brand for us. We also need to think about Pokémon's guidelines as well; it's one of those things where there are so many rules,” he explains. “If it's all color, then it's too loud as well. Only a kid would want it. How do I make it tasteful in a way where an older fan can have it in their house, and it will be a good fit?

Consistent quality

(Image credit: Future)

Secretlab collaborations are characterized by a careful attention to detail, with intricate design elements that often incorporate new materials and manufacturing techniques.

“I think we've always gone all out on all of our collabs,” says Choo. “We have certain manufacturing methods that have become more viable to use. One of the things that we talk about a lot is the embroidery. It's something that I think companies don't like to use because it's very expensive. It's very time-consuming. We have certain panels that can take seven, eight hours to do.”

We've always gone all out on all of our collabs

Alaric Choo, co-founder and technical & partnerships director at Secretlab

Secretlab’s crossovers with luxury car brands stand out as perhaps the most materially complex in its portfolio. The most premium Automobili Lamborghini editions, for example, are decked out in the same Dinamica microsuede material found on high-end car dashboards and lightweight carbon fiber plating.

“Lamborghini is one of the greatest luxury names, so we were thinking about how we can elevate the partnership,” Choo explains as I examine a sturdy black panel from the table. “When we look at Lamborghinis, there is a lot of carbon fiber usage. The weave that they use and how they put it together — carbon fiber is a pain in the ass to work with. It's like you're layering different sheets, and it bubbles very easily.

(Image credit: Future)

“When we did it, we looked at the shape of the carbon fiber on Lamborghini cars, and we were like, ‘We think that this is it.’ We had to come up with a mounting method and learn to use carbon fiber. Obviously, we used it sometimes in certain prototypes, but we hadn’t actually mass-produced it, so it was a first for us.”

Creating new manufacturing processes and tools can be expensive, but Choo isn’t worried that the added cost could hurt profits. “It may not always directly translate financially, but we don't think about things in so much of the short term,” he says. “In the overall term, it pays off that when we do something, we do it properly. I think that's the main point for us: if we're going to do it half-assed, let's not do it at all.”

He thinks that consumers appreciate the overall “consistency” and have come to expect a lot of effort from the brand: “Holding yourself to a very high standard pays off over time.”

A privately held company, Secretlab can afford to invest in developing this kind of relationship with consumers in a way that some of its biggest competitors perhaps can’t. With the company’s value estimated to be nearing the billion-dollar mark back in 2021, Choo’s long-term thinking is obviously paying off.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/W32acyl

Bluetti's Elite 30 V2 power station is our top budget pick by a country mile — we used it through storms, camping trips, and on the job and it's just dropped in price at Amazon

Bluetti's power stations show up often in our outdoor gear coverage, and we put the Elite 30 V2 through real-world testing during storm outages, inflating mattresses, and topping off tool batteries on a job site. And right now, the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is down to $219 (was $299) at Amazon.

It's a compact 288Wh station built around a LiFePO4 battery, with a 600W inverter that can briefly lift to 1500W in Power Lift mode, plus a 140W USB-C port and dual AC outlets for topping off laptops, phones, and small appliances. In the UK, the Elite 30 V2 is now £200 (was £239) at Amazon.

Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station: was $299 now $218.98
288Wh LiFePO4 battery rated for 3,000+ charge cycles, 600W continuous output with a 1500W Power Lift mode for brief high-demand loads, two AC outlets, a 140W and a 100W USB-C port, two USB-A ports, and both car-socket and solar charging inputs.

In the UK: now £200 (was £239)View Deal

Why we recommend it

We've used the Elite 30 V2 in several real scenarios: recharging phones and tools during storm outages, powering an air mattress pump while camping, and running small job-site gear.

In our 4.5-star review, we found it held up consistently across all of them, and the 1500W Power Lift mode gave it enough headroom for occasional higher-draw devices that would stall a lower-wattage station.

The form factor is a genuine strength here. At around 9.5 lbs with an integrated handle, it's light enough to carry one-handed, and the front-facing port layout makes it easy to plug in multiple devices without fumbling around the back of the unit.

You can check out the full round-up, including the Elite 30 V2 in our guide to the best portable power stations.

Price Context & Historical Value

An $80.02 discount off $299 works out to roughly 27 percent, one of the larger price cuts we've tracked on this model. Compared to similarly sized LiFePO4 power stations from other brands, this price puts the Elite 30 V2 solidly in budget-that-doesn't-feel-budget territory.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 if...

You want backup power for short outages or outdoor trips, need to recharge devices and small appliances without lugging a heavier station, or want UPS-style backup for sensitive electronics with fast switching.

❌ Skip the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 if...

You need to run a full-size fridge or power tools for extended hours, you want the largest possible capacity in this size class, or you're looking for the fastest AC recharge speed available.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

At 288Wh, this isn't a station built for extended off-grid use or running larger appliances for hours at a time; it's built for short bursts and topping devices off. AC recharge time is also more moderate than some competitors, so if you need to refill quickly between uses, factor that into your decision.

• See more power station deals at Amazon.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/I6YGvpq

Marvel's Wolverine confirmed to have New Game Plus at launch and features a side activity called Nightmare Doors where players 'confront Logan's nightmares to uncover his past'

• Marvel's Wolverine will feature New Game Plus at launch
• The game will also offer extra features like Mission Replay and a Nightmare Doors side activity
• Nightmare Doors contains trials where players "confront Logan's nightmares to uncover his past"

Marvel's Wolverine is shaping up to be a big hit for 2026, and now Insomniac Games has revealed even more features that players can expect when the game launches next month.

Insomniac has confirmed that, unlike Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, Marvel's Wolverine will launch with New Game Plus, allowing players to replay the game with all their upgrades, unlocked suits, and more.

"In a New Game Plus, you can use all of your loadout and progression that you already unlocked," senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed told IGN. "You can choose whatever suit you want. So there's some fun things that happen there. And also there's some adaptations that are only available in New Game Plus. So there's some fresh gameplay for folks."

Insomniac head of technology Mike Fitzgerald added that these adaptations, which are unlockable buffs, let players "amp up the difficulty" or make Wolverine "much more powerful and aggressive character."

Confront Logan's nightmares to uncover his past. 🚪Get to know the man behind the claws when Marvel's #WolverinePS5 releases on September 15th on PlayStation 5! pic.twitter.com/Zy5rz6ZWjsAugust 11, 2026

Alongside New Game Plus, the game will also offer Mission Replay, a feature that lets players rerun any mission for fun or to find collectibles, whiskey bottles that act as power-ups for Wolverine’s progression, and material crates holding raw materials that can be used to unlock new suits.

Another major feature is Nightmare Doors, a side activity containing trials where players "confront Logan's nightmares to uncover his past." According to Reiner-Reed, Nightmare Doors is "a story-driven adventure" where "Logan is pulled through uncovering these mysteries of his past. But you can go off the beaten path."

In these trials, Reiner-Reed added, players will encounter "manifestations of the horrible things happening in Logan's mind."

"There's many of those throughout the game with different types of trials," the developer said.

Marvel's Wolverine launches exclusively on PlayStation 5 on September 16 and will be "fully playable" on disc. The game's Performance Mode will also run at 60fps with ray tracing enabled on the base PS5, which Insomniac says is the default mode.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/QzWfDTB

Linus Torvalds says 'huge' Linux kernel updates are now the status quo — and it's all thanks to AI

• Linus Torvalds called Linux 7.2-rc7 part of a "new normal" of oversized release candidates
• Torvalds attributes the volume of fixes to reviews by various AI tools, a week after calling rc6 the biggest in years by commit count
• The growth is in late-cycle bug fixes rather than features, and Torvalds credits AI review rather than AI authorship, with humans still writing and submitting the patches

Modern coding approaches dictate that Release Candidates should be expected to shrink as patches and code fixes get increasingly smaller as the software enters what many call a "stabilization phase".

Linux 7.2-rc7 did not do that, and neither did rc6 before it - and announcing the seventh candidate on August 9, 2026 Linus Torvalds wrote he could not say he was thrilled about the size of it, but that it is what it is: the new normal, with a lot of fixes, many of them the result of review by various AI tools.

A week earlier, opening the rc6 message, Torvalds had been blunter still, calling that release candidate huge and reckoning it the biggest rc6 in years by commit count.

An easier, detailed AI-enabled review process?

Torvalds is not describing AI writing for the Linux kernel; that still requires human intervention. The tools being used are review and analysis agents pointed at existing code, and they produce actionable bug reports. Humans then write the fixes, submit them through the normal subsystem maintainer process, and the creator of Linux, as the maintainer, pulls the code.

Phoronix, which closely tracks the cycle, describes the current environment as one in which AI and LLM coding and review agents keep kernel activity at an all-time high. It has resulted in a much larger-than-normal Release Candidate this late in the cycle; RC7 comes packed with a plethora of bug fixes that would otherwise have been in play much earlier in past cycles.

By one count of the RC7 pull, more than 400 fixes came in from upwards of 230 contributors, a volume more typical of an early merge window than a closing candidate.

Torvalds noted in the accompanying message that nothing looked particularly scary, and that the majority of the fixes were spread across drivers, filesystems, core networking, and architecture code, which was relatively small, making a potential release by the following weekend possible.

The AI approach doesn't have Mr. Torvalds particularly keen, but he has subtly acknowledged its advantages when it comes to code review, and it could bring a different issue into play: the maintainer model, which involves a few trusted individuals to read and test code before it is eventually released to the masses may not be too keen to have the equivalent of an AI-powered firehose of fixes and new information to deal with indefinitely.

For now, it seems larger updates are the new norm, for better or worse, and AI will be powering an increasingly large share of code review in an ecosystem that drives most of the world's servers, smartphones and tablets, as well as a sizeable portion of its personal computers.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/c1l5wFt

The RAMpocalypse is suffocating Apple's MacBook Air supply, with delivery delays up to a month — here's what to buy instead

• Apple's MacBook Air is facing supply constraints, as delivery estimates last up to a month
• The delivery delays are a direct result of the ongoing RAM crisis
• Consumers may have to look at Windows alternatives, as the RAM crisis gets worse

PC hardware manufacturers can't catch a break from the ongoing RAM crisis, and unfortunately, Apple arguably knows that more than anyone.

As reported by 9to5Mac, MacBook Air shortages are worsening, as delivery estimates for configurations on Apple's online store are longer than usual. Nearly all configurations have a 2-3 week shipment estimate, while those with 32GB of RAM have up to 4-5 weeks.

It's increasingly clear that RAM shortages are causing supply issues for Apple, and the extended delivery estimates come shortly after Apple's recent slate of price hikes on Macs and iPads. Notably, the MacBook Air M5 saw a $200 price increase earlier in June, and despite that, shortages remain.

Supply is so bad that 9to5Mac notes that Apple retail employees state that the MacBook Air shipments are "more constrained than they can ever recall", and that's a fitting statement since the PC hardware market is possibly at its worst state ever.

Fresh rumors also point to Apple being set on a price increase for its iPhone 17 — so without a doubt, proceedings aren't looking great for the tech giant (and several other hardware companies) in terms of supply stability.

Apple also has a history of rarely dropping prices for its devices, so the only other options consumers have are to buy MacBooks from other retailers or consider Windows alternatives.

What now?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / D.L.Sakharova)

Outside of Apple's online store, Amazon currently has the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air available at a lower price ($1,256) and a shorter delivery window using Prime. The same applies to several other configurations, including the 15-inch model.

Apple's RAM and supply constraints won't end anytime soon, so Windows alternatives are also sensible for consumers to aim for. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, Yoga Slim 7i Aura, and even Dell's XPS 13 are solid laptop options. They may not all match the MacBook Air in performance, but they are enough to get the job done.

There's no better time than now for consumers to act on purchasing a new laptop, as insiders like Mark Gurman and even Apple chief financial officer Kevan Parekh indicate that Apple's supply constraints aren't set to improve, but only worsen — and that likely extends to 2027 and beyond.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/wEjSUpQ

FlexiSpot’s EN1 standing desk with a single-piece desktop gets a $60 price drop at Amazon

The FlexiSpot EN1 has long been the budget standing desk we recommend for those who wants a more secure wobble-free setup. Currently, the EN1 is $110 (was $170) at Amazon. Both the black desk and a model with a white frame and wooden top are discounted right now, to suit a variety of workspaces.

And what seals the deal based on our testing of standing desks is the inclusion of a single-piece desktop. Most cheap electric desks of this price have the less stable splice-board, with the desk using two pieces of wood instead of one.

An electric height-adjustable desk with a seamless, single-piece 48"x24" desktop. Height range runs 28.9in to 46.5in, with 4 memory presets for quick sit-stand switching and a 176lb weight capacity. Assembly is simplified compared to older FlexiSpot models, with fewer steps and less lifting required.View Deal

Why we recommend it

We've tested many FlexiSpot standing desks, and each one has impressed us with their build quality and price. So, while we haven't tried the EN1, expect the same quality here that we've experienced across the company's range.

Beyond our excellent experience with FlexiSpot in general, the main reason we recommend the EN1 is because of its single-piece desktop design.

Most standing desks under $150 use a splice-board top, essentially two pieces of wood joined at a seam, which keeps costs down but sacrifices rigidity. The EN1 uses a whole-piece desktop instead.

That makes it more stable when loaded with your laptop, monitor, and accessories, holding up better over time than cheaper alternatives in the same price bracket. The reasoning is simple: a one-piece top flexes less under load and doesn't develop the seam gap that splice-board desktops can show after a year or two of use.

It's also a genuinely simple desk to assemble and operate, with a four-button memory panel that handles the sit-stand switching without any fuss.

You can find cheaper standing desks (the Fezibo model seen in our guide to the best standing desks is the cheapest). But if you're prepared to spend a few dollars more, we absolutely recommend opting for the EN1.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the FlexiSpot EN1 if...

You want the sturdiness of a single-piece desktop without paying premium prices, you're working with a couple of monitors and the usual desk clutter within a 176lb limit, or you want a simple four-preset control panel without extra frills.

❌ Skip the FlexiSpot EN1 if...

You need storage and built-in cable management, a higher weight limit, or more premium materials, like those found on FlexiSpot's E7 Pro or a Herman Miller.

Price Context & Historical Value

This is the usual deal price we see on the EN1 - although it briefly dipped to $100 back in January, which is relatively rare. We wouldn't recommend paying full price for this, as it's often on sale for $110.

The discount brings the EN1 close to what budget splice-board desks typically cost, which is why this deal is worth flagging. You're not paying a premium for the single-piece top, and you get all the core features we expect to see in a standing desk.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

This is a two-leg desk, so if you're loading it up with heavy monitor arms or a lot of desktop hardware, you may notice more flex at full height than you would on a four-legged design. There's also no built-in cable management, so budget for a separate tray or sleeve if a tidy setup matters to you.

For anyone who wants a stable, no-frills standing desk without paying for features they won't use, the FlexiSpot EN1 at $109.99 is worth a look.

• See other standing desk deals at Amazon.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/713Dvp8

Apple and the curse of the mythical next thing

Apple may or may not be working on a mostly-glass 20th anniversary iPhone. This long-rumored passion project would not necessarily transform the iPhone into a fully translucent device, but would extend the front and back glass panels so that they almost meet around a far thinner metal border.

But like a rabbit hiding inside the secret compartment of a magician's hat, the device, depending on your perspective, might not exist and may only appear through the force of sheer will or alchemy.

What's not in question is that the iPhone will celebrate 20 years of existence that started on January 9, 2007, the day Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs held it aloft at Macworld in San Francisco. That it didn't ship for another six months is unlikely to dissuade Apple from engaging in some introspection and external celebration.

That might include a glassy iPhone.

On one side, we have an analyst stating that, owing to poor manufacturing yields, Apple scrapped plans for the 20th anniversary device. On the other side, we have Apple soothsayer Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claiming the glass iPhone is on track. In the middle, though, is the reality of a device that challenges the limits of physics and promises more glass than metal.

I think it's safe to say that Apple will ultimately produce an exciting, albeit practical, 20th anniversary device that we may get off-schedule in mid-2027. If the design is particularly challenging, then it may be a limited run, priced like a museum piece, and mostly never used by the relative handful or so Apple enthusiasts who manage to score one.

Buried under the [rumor] mill

The entire saga, though, led me to a different realization. I mean, what are we even talking about here? This conversation about a 20th anniversary iPhone is raging (and has been for years) just weeks before Apple unveils not just its iPhone 18 line, but the highly anticipated folding iPhone or iPhone Ultra.

That's a big deal, even more so because the flexible device will be held up not by long-time CEO Tim Cook, but by John Ternus, who will have officially taken over the reins just days before (September 1). It's a huge moment for the company and the tech industry.

And yet we're still obsessed with "what's next?"

No doubt, most tech companies suffer from this a little bit, but nothing like the insatiable curiosity that's dogged Apple since the launch of the first iPhone. The tech rumor mill was, in some ways, developed simply to support all the leaks and guesswork surrounding much of what Apple does, especially as it pertains to the iPhone.

We're still obsessed with "what's next?"

This impulse didn't take years to develop. It was on full display in 2007. This October 9, 2007, story mused about whether or not the next iPhone would feature an Intel chip. This CNet feature obsessed somewhat presciently over a potential name change ("the 2G iPhone"). And the 2009 YouTube video went on an iPhone design deep dive, even touching on the never-delivered "iPhone Nano".

Apple, I'm certain, doesn't mind the attention, and as long as the leaks are not breaking the law or revealing clearly stolen information, they're happy to let the rumors percolate. For those working on these new devices, however, there must also be some level of frustration.

Just imagine if you're working on a big project and your customers say, "Yeah, great, but what about the next one?" Or every time you serve dinner, your family asks what you're making for tomorrow or begins speculating on what you might make and how it'll obviously be better than what you just served.

Apple can never get away from attention, turning our distractible heads toward the future.

When I attend an Apple iPhone launch event, I always laugh at how stories about the next iteration appear right after the launch of the still new iPhone — one I haven't even reviewed yet.

None of this serves consumers, who are usually still struggling to understand their current devices and maybe some of the new hardware currently on offer. Talking about a distant and sometimes improbable future only confuses and probably frustrates them.

Who is this serving?

Lately, the impulse to look past the present is creating this sonic dissonance wherein the pundits cannot even agree on the fundamentals of an uncertain future. They're free to make proclamations, even wildly different ones, because Apple will naturally never tell them (or us) otherwise. The information is so contrasting that it becomes useless (even if markets sometimes move on these rumors).

It's gotten so out of hand that we're already discussing the iPhone Ultra 2 and the Ultra 3. That's right, the unreleased folding phone has, according to rumor, been greenlit for second and third iterations. This is the only scientific proof we have that vacuums have weight and, in fact, get heavier over time. (Narrator: Pure vacuums have zero mass and weight.)

What if we stopped trying to fill these information vacuums with pure speculation and unfounded guesswork? What if we stopped fixating on the "what's next" and stuck with the "what's new," especially at least until we understand the impact of the new thing?

How, for example, will the folding iPhone, which may or may not be called Ultra, fare? It too is entering an uncertain future where it will compete with the well-established Samsung Galaxy Z8 line, especially that oddball Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

As you may have noticed, for as popular as Samsung is, it doesn't really suffer or enjoy a rumor mill in quite the same way. Yes, there are always rumors about the next Galaxy line, but they're usually confined to the upcoming model release and not two or more years down the line.

I'm excited about Apple's next iPhone and am honestly over speculating about anything beyond that. Perhaps you and Apple are too.

from Latest from TechRadar https://ift.tt/FX7jcIQ