AMD is rumored to be working on its own version of DLSS 5
A leaker says that the neural rendering tech will be launched with next-gen RDNA 5 GPUs
That means we could be waiting until late 2027 or 2028 to see this debut, which might leave AMD lagging behind Nvidia considerably
AMD could be working on its own take on Nvidia's DLSS 5, and apparently this alternative attempt at neural rendering will be for its next-gen RDNA 5 graphics cards.
VideoCardz spotted that a known leaker in the GPU field, Kepler L2, posted on the Anandtech forum in a discussion around RDNA 5 speculation to say that: "AMD will have their own version of 'Neural Lighting' like DLSS5 next-gen."
Kepler then clarified that he didn't mean a version of Ray Reconstruction, but a take on DLSS 5 (neural rendering), and that next-gen RDNA 5 GPUs would be required because "this stuff is pretty heavy" (as in resource-intensive).
In a further post, Kepler elaborated: "There's a lot of issues with Nvidia's approach [with DLSS 5], but it's possible to have a version of this with minimal hallucinations and 'AI slop' look."
He then suggests a way that AMD could work its version to improve on DLSS 5, including giving the AI "direct access to 3D game data such as geometry, ray data, depth buffers, materials, etc so it doesn't have to guess and can accurately know how each object in a scene should interact with light."
Kepler's outline of a proposed alternative for AMD would have a separate model (AI) for lighting improvements, and another different model solely for the shading of complex surfaces. DLSS 5 bundles these together with its neural rendering system, and adds color-grading on top — to adopt what the AI judges as more natural colors — which Kepler advises that AMD should dispense with entirely.
Analysis: a race against time – or a chance to get it right?
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
I won't pretend to be able to critique what Kepler is suggesting as an alternative for AMD and the technical nuances therein, except to say that the idea is clearly to achieve a result that looks less like it's been 'messed' about with by AI and minimizes any 'slopification' therein — preserving more of the original artistic intent.
And that seems a laudable goal, of course, and it also brings up how AMD is in an interesting position here in lagging behind Nvidia with its graphics tech (which has, of course, been the case from the start, with FSR following DLSS — version 2.0 of Nvidia's upscaling tech was already in play, in fact, when FSR 1.0 arrived). Team Red can sit back for now and see how DLSS 5 plays out, as more games emerge that use it, and gauge the reaction of gamers, and forge its own neural rendering tech to tackle any perceived weaknesses.
The performance hit will be an obvious area to target, and if AMD can bring that down — it's substantial with DLSS 5 as it is now — that will obviously be a big win. That said, I'd expect Nvidia will be working with some haste to make DLSS 5 more performant, and as with DLSS 1, the tech will be improved considerably by the time Team Red has its own version out.
This is the other side of the equation here, where Nvidia could win out. With RDNA 5 GPUs not expected to arrive for at least a year, and quite possibly longer (the RAM crisis isn't helping), there's quite a lengthy timeframe on any AMD rival to DLSS 5. By the time it arrives, DLSS 5.5 may be in town with considerable improvements in tow. There's already been a notable turnaround in the perception of DLSS 5 with its official launch (compared to Nvidia's sneak preview earlier this year).
This is, of course, assuming AMD is indeed working on its own neural rendering technology, but I'd be surprised if this wasn't the case. For now, though, the word of a single leaker needs to be thoroughly seasoned, as ever, even though it's believable enough that Team Red would be aiming to use this on RDNA 5 graphics cards.
UK NCSC, FBI, and Dutch AIVD warn Iran is using Chosen Brick malware against dissidents and journalists
Malware steals files, captures audio, grabs WhatsApp/Telegram data, and can wipe systems entirely
Operatives rely on social engineering; agencies urge awareness, MFA, updates, and endpoint monitoring
Iranian hackers are targeting “enemies of the state”, both local and foreign, with advanced malware capable of spying on the victims and stealing their sensitive files, experts have warned.
This is according to a new security advisory, published jointly by the UK National Cyber Security Centre, the FBI, and the Netherlands’ General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), which noted how Iranian operatives would first do extensive research into their victims - dissidents, activists, and journalists - deemed a risk to the regime.
After learning as much about their targets as possible, they reach out via social media, either as someone the victims know, or as technical support for the platform they’re currently using, engaging in extended conversation until the victim lowers their guard. At one point, the attackers will try to share a piece of malware with the victims, tracked as Chosen Brick.
A thousand victims
This malware, designed primarily for the Windows platform, has a long list of capabilities, including enumerating running processes and system information, capturing screen content, enabling the microphone to capture audio content, capturing a copy of Telegram and WhatsApp data from web browsers, downloading additional files and malware, deleting files, stealing email content, and ultimately - wiping the entire computer system. The operatives communicate with the malware using Telegram, it was said.
“Iran almost certainly uses cyber activity to support the repression of individuals who are seen as a threat to the regime, such as dissidents, activists and journalists,” the three agencies said in the report. “In some cases, the Iranian intelligence services have plotted to kidnap or conduct lethal operations against individuals internationally, who they perceive as enemies of the regime.”
In the advisory, the three agencies said the best defense is to simply be more aware of social engineering. However, there are also a few technical mitigations that can help, including following NCSC advice on staying safe online, keeping all devices up-to-date (ideally through automatic updates), using antivirus software, and not disabling smart screen warnings on file downloads.
Finally, it would be wise to enable phishing-resistant MFA, make sure devices are managed with appropriate controls, turn on email scanning, deploy endpoint and network monitoring, and conduct a search for the IoCs.
Morefine MNAS-X1 stacks four hard drives directly above the processor to escape heat
The MNAS-X1 packs an 800W power supply into a 15.6L chassis
Four spring-latch drive bays let users swap storage without any tools
Morefine has released an AI workstation PC that stacks its storage drives on top of the chassis instead of beside the processor.
The MNAS-X1 arrives with a four-bay hard drive tray fixed directly above the motherboard rather than tucked beside it.
This unusual layout follows a fairly straightforward principle, since warm air naturally rises while cool air tends to settle lower, keeping the drives clear of the hottest components below them.
A candybar body built for drive swaps
The chassis measures 218mm by 193mm by 372mm, giving a 15.6L footprint wrapped in a white aluminum alloy shell over a steel frame.
A glossy purple panel breaks up the front, and vents line the left, right, rear, and top surfaces for airflow.
Each of the four 3.5-inch bays has a spring latch release, letting drives slide out without tools once the side button is pressed.
Connectivity runs to one USB4 port, several USB-A ports, dual 10G RJ45 network jacks, an SD card slot, and a single HDMI 2.0 output for 4K at 60Hz.
Inside sits an AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 8845HS chip, an 8-core, 16-thread Zen4 chip with a 3.8GHz base clock and a 5.1GHz boost, paired with a Radeon 780M graphics core rated at 2700MHz.
An onboard XDNA NPU adds 16 TOPS on its own and 38 TOPS when the CPU, GPU, and NPU work together.
Two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots hold up to 96GB, three M.2 2280 slots take PCIe 4.0 x4 SSDs at 4TB each, and the four SATA bays add up to 30TB apiece for a combined ceiling near 132TB.
Room for a full-size GPU and real benchmark numbers
The three-slot PCIe 4.0 x16 opening accepts cards up to 330mm long and 66mm thick, backed by an 800W CRPS power supply built to the 2.0 specification with an 80 PLUS Platinum rating.
Fitted with 64GB of RAM, a 500GB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 5070 with 12GB of VRAM running in x8 mode, a review unit posted a Cinebench R23 score of 16271 pts multi-core and 1794 pts single-core, plus a PCMark 10 total of 9966.
Local language model testing through ONNX Runtime returned scores of 3511, 3714, 3163, and 3408 across the Phi 3.5, Mistral, Llama 3.1, and Llama 2 benchmarks, respectively.
That Cinebench multi-core figure lands in roughly the same range as an eight-core desktop chip like the Ryzen 7 5800X, while the PCMark total edges past what most mid-range gaming laptops score.
During a 21-minute full-load stress run, CPU power held at 54W with an average die temperature of 86℃, while the GPU drew 250W and averaged 80℃.
Morefine has not confirmed pricing for the MNAS-X1, and the unit is currently listed for inquiry only through its regional distributor.
Stacking the storage above rather than beside the board is a small design choice, but it turns a routine barebones NAS build into something closer to a hybrid server.
Whether that trade-off proves practical will likely come down to how much heat a fully loaded GPU pushes upward once the drive bay sits directly in its path.
China’s state security minister Chen Yixin urged global AI guardrails, calling it a new arms race
He outlined five risks: ideological manipulation, infrastructure attacks, data leaks, development gaps, and espionage
US officials likewise warn against losing AI dominance to China, intensifying geopolitical rivalry
China’s Minister of State Security has called for global regulation and guardrails on Artificial Intelligence (AI), as the nascent technology turns into a “new arena for strategic rivalry among major powers”. In other words, the AI race is the new arms race and humanity needs rules before it spirals out of control.
Chen Yixin made the claims in a new article on China Cyberspace, a journal run by internet watchdog body the Cyberspace Administration of China.
In the article, Chen highlighted five key risks of AI development:
Ideological security risk
Critical information infrastructure risk
Data leaks risk
Development gap risk
Espionage risk
Ideological security risk
Artificial Intelligence could be “leveraged by hostile forces” to create fake news and other harmful information, systematically creating discontent and dividing the population, Chen said.
Discussing risks to critical information infrastructure, he said that as models advance, the barrier to entry lowers, making disruptive cyberattacks quicker and easier to pull off.
“Foreign intelligence agencies are heavily exploiting smart web crawlers, data mining and profiling technologies to harvest sensitive information, including critical state data, business secrets, and personal information,” he said.
He also warned that people are recklessly sharing sensitive data with foreign AI tools, which could result in catastrophic data leaks. Apparently, open source agents like OpenClaw often come with vulnerabilities that could result in remotely-triggered data spills.
When it comes to the development gap risk, Yixin warned that a handful of major players are severing the global AI supply chain and creating a monopoly of closed-source ecosystems. Finally, he urged for the creation of early-warning mechanisms and public advisories which should name and shame foreign nation-state actors using AI for espionage, data theft, and disinformation campaigns.
US vs China
Expectedly, Yixin did not name any specific countries, but it’s easy to read the United States’ name between the lines, the South China Morning Post hints in its report, adding that the US administration recently warned it could not allow China surpassing it on AI development.
Indeed, less than a week ago, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the country would face dire consequences should it lose the AI race against China. "There is no day after tomorrow if China wins at this," Bessent said at a Breitbart News event in Washington, Bloomberg reported. "If they were to pull away from us on AI, then nothing else would matter."
The US has been at a trade war with China (among other countries) for years now. During Donald Trump’s first term, he blacklisted numerous Chinese hardware manufacturers, warning that Chinese-built 5G infrastructure could be abused to install backdoors and allow the Chinese government to spy on US communications. Huawei, ZTE, and TikTok bore the brunt of these accusations, which the Chinese government vehemently denied.
In his second term, Trump also declared a national emergency and banned all foreign bulk-power systems from being imported, installed, or used in the country. In a signed executive order, Trump said that during his first term, he found “that the bulk-power system could be a target of those seeking to commit malicious acts against the United States, including malicious cyber activities, because of the significant risks that a successful attack would have on our economy, human health and safety, and national defense.”
President Trump also said there were “minimal restrictions” on both acquisition and operation of these foreign-produced systems. As a result, the situation “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat … to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
While the AI race is intensifying, developers are calling for a slowdown and better guardrails. Some developers estimated that AI could end humanity in a few decades, urging the industry to slow down and only develop systems they are confident they can control.
Gartner predicts that around 33% of people laid off due to AI could be rehired by 2029
Those rehired employees, presumably filling similar roles, will command higher salaries
Further predictions point to 75% of organizations making cost savings from AI productivity being overtaken by competing companies with a stronger modernizing philosophy
People laid off from their roles due to a corporate refocusing on AI could soon find themselves rehired – or at least, their former roles being advertised, new Gartner research has claimed.
It predicts that by 2027, 75% of organizations who expected to make cost savings by focusing on AI productivity over human endeavor will be overtaken by companies who reinvested those savings in modernization and training.
Organizations which have made large cuts to their workforce in order to take advantage of perceived productivity boosts from automation could be forced to change to a new human-centric philosophy, where skills and abilities can be amplified while AI does the grunt work.
AI vs. management
Choices made by companies across all industries could be cause for regret in future, as the truth about how AI is used comes to light. Rather than being a disruptor of employment, the notion of intelligent automation may be considered as a missed opportunity by some organizations.
"When business and IT executives look back on the early AI era, they will realize their greatest mistake was believing that work automation was the point, when workforce amplification was the opportunity," noted Tori Paulman, VP analyst at Gartner.
That mistake – which could not only have severe consequences for the business – could have had striking impacts on individuals, all due to a misunderstanding of what AI can deliver.
"The competitive advantage will go to the CIOs and business executives,” continues Paulman, “who build an AI-shaped organization where AI value compounds by reshaping roles and allowing workflows to cross traditional boundaries, increasing velocity and reducing friction."
AI productivity... gains?
Gartner’s prediction appears to paint a bleak picture for any organization that has failed to amplify the talents and abilities of its employees after going all-in on AI. But there is still time to fix the damage. Its prediction of 2027 might only be a year away, but 2029 – when just short of 33% of employees are expected to need rehiring – is far enough down the line that there is time to start reorganizing now.
"Business and IT executives [...] should develop a 'talent remix' strategy that uses AI to reshape roles and redirect workers from less productive work to new opportunities," said Paulman.
The conclusion is that AI is better used to strengthen decision making, creativity, and leadership, rather than replacing people for misjudged producivity boosts.
Socket found Twitch extension JeeBot harvesting OAuth tokens via proxy servers
Tokens excluded only for 10 Russian streamer channels, suggesting deliberate design
Developer issued fixes, but users should revoke exposed tokens for safety
A browser extension for Twitch was harvesting people’s OAuth tokens and sending them to a Russian-owned server. The move was deliberate, but whether or not it was malicious is not that easily determined.
Security researchers Socket recently found an extension for both Chrome and Firefox, called “Twitch Enhanced Viewer | JeeBot”. It has roughly 30,000 users on Chrome, and some 600 on Firefox.
On the Chrome Web Store, it is advertised as a “modern tool for streamers and viewers who value quality, convenience, and control.” Apparently, it makes streaming and viewing clearer, allows viewing content in 2K, hides banner ads and unwanted elements, and even offers an AI bot to make it easier to interact with the stream.
Hardcoded exemptions
According to the researchers, the extension is designed to retrieve Twitch’s video stream playlists through its own proxy servers. However, instead of simply forwarding the requests, the extension also attached users’ OAuth tokens, and since they were placed in the URL, the token also ended up in the proxy server’s request logs.
After being called out for it, the extension’s developer (HISHIMIRO/jeetbot.cc) released a new version 85.8.7 (for Firefox, the Chrome one is currently under review) which apparently fixes this flaw: when playlists are retrieved, the user’s OAuth token is no longer sent to the proxies. It would seem like this was an honest mistake that was remedied upon responsible disclosure. However, here is what Socket had to say about the way the tokens were being retrieved:
"Current builds (v85.x) forward the token inline as an &auth= query parameter on a network-layer redirect to the operator's proxy," Socket explained. "The token is forwarded for every channel the user watches, except a hardcoded allowlist of ten Russian streamer channels, whose sessions are exempted from forwarding."
If there was a list of 10 Russian streamer channels who were exempt from OAuth token retrieval, it’s safe to assume that the developer knew very well what they were doing.
It is good that the extensions were upgraded, but if you are using it, you should also revoke the exposed Twitch token, to be on the safe side.
The US Department of Justice has accused Huawei of conspiring to steal secrets from five US companies
Huawei is accused of a prolonged campaign of theft, covering a 20 year period
Admissions from Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, are set to be used as evidence in the trial
Court proceedings have begun against Huawei in the United States, with the US Department of Justice accusing the Chinese tech giant of stealing trade secrets from competing US companies.
Huawei – which unusually for Chinese companies operating abroad is owned entirely by its staff – has denied all accusations of industrial espionage, intellectual property, and any other wrongdoing.
While accused of stealing from companies that include Cisco and T-Mobile, Huawei’s defense is that it is simply innovating and doing business as a competitor.
Who has Huawei spied on?
Given the United States’ belligerent tone towards China under the current administration, that might seem a weak response. However, several concessions have been made to China in this case, not least the charges against Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. While charges against her were dropped, her evidence is set to be used in the case against Huawei.
The accusations against Huawei are numerous, but the most attention is on its alleged industrial espionage. It is accused of stealing trade secrets and misappropriating intellectual property from T-Mobile US, Cisco Systems, Motorola, CNEX Labs, and Akhan Semiconductor.
In the US government’s opening statement, Department of Justice trial attorney Taylor Stout stated: "For 20 years […] Huawei, a massive Chinese telecommunications company, victimized American companies and abused the American financial system, all in an effort to dominate the telecommunications industry around the world."
Inevitably, the defense claimed that everything was ordinary innovation, rather than criminal activity. “Huawei earned its success,” said Brian Heberling, defending. “It's about competition, not conspiracy. Innovation, not theft. Ordinary business dealings, not criminal conduct.”
State control?
The case also draws on a history of poor conduct from Huawei, which has been previously observed to have close ties with Skycom, a company that allegedly attempted to sell embargoed tech (specifically, Hewlett-Packard computer equipment) to an Iranian business.
Unlike other significant Chinese multinationals, Huawei is not state controlled. Rather, it is owned entirely by its staff, as opposed to an organization that might state-owned, have heavy state influence over them, or even “golden shares” that enable vetos or special board seats. Whether this was apparent to the US Department of Justice ahead of the initial investigation is not clear, but it does put a barrier against implications that the Chinese government were involved.
After taking eight years to come to trial, proceedings are expected to run for around three months.
AI memory demand is making even broken smartphones increasingly valuable to buyers
Old phones are gaining value as replacement components become harder to source
Grade D devices remain abundant despite stronger prices for salvageable hardware
A global shortage of memory chips driven by artificial intelligence demand is pushing millions of consumers toward the resale market.
Owners who once let broken or outdated smartphones sit in drawers are now finding that even damaged units carry unexpected monetary value.
Buyers across the refurbishment and repair industries are competing for parts that were previously considered worthless scrap.
Salvage values climb as parts become scarce
Marketplace figures from B-Stock, a large business-to-business platform for used smartphones, show pricing for both Apple and Samsung devices rose in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the prior two quarters.
Grade D handsets, the lowest condition tier, made up the bulk of units sold last year, with millions changing hands through the platform.
In the first half of 2026, mid-tier C-condition phones actually overtook the lowest tier by volume, accounting for 37.8% of sales versus 31.6% for the bottom grade.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max fetched the strongest average price among Apple models, reaching $940 across all condition levels during the quarter.
Samsung's top-selling models were the S23 Ultra, the S22 Ultra and the S24 Ultra, with the S22 Ultra pushing the older Z Fold5 out of second place.
After the Galaxy S26 launched, prices for previous-generation Samsung flagships climbed as well, with a well-kept S23 Ultra reaching $425 in June, its strongest month of the year.
Repair industry sees new value in broken parts
B-Stock has cautioned against assuming shoppers are simply rushing to dump unwanted hardware.
The company points out that people are keeping their phones for extended periods, a pattern that itself drives up the volume of low-grade listings as devices age.
Manufacturers are not yet routinely pulling memory chips from damaged phones to install in new products, since testing, compatibility and reliability checks complicate that approach.
According to the company, the economics of recovering usable components are shifting as memory prices climb, making it worthwhile to salvage parts that once were not worth the labor involved.
Displays, camera assemblies, batteries, charging ports, housings, speakers, cables and circuit boards can all retain value even when a phone itself is beyond repair.
A single low-grade device does not necessarily mean every part inside it shares that same poor rating.
A phone traded in after four or more years often fails battery health testing alone, which is enough to place it in the bottom tier under standard platform rules.
The current trend feels less like a sudden environmental awakening and more like a market correction.
Consumers are not necessarily recycling out of ecological conviction, and retailers are sweetening trade-in offers to keep the supply of parts flowing.
Whether the shift meaningfully reduces electronic waste, or simply redirects it toward a more profitable pipeline, remains an open question worth watching.
There's a version of this Soundpeats Pop Clip2 that you'll never read. After several weeks with the Soundpeats Clip1's cheaper successor, I was half-way through writing a five-star review which declared them the best open earbuds you could buy. That version is, as you can already tell, not this version of the review.
You see, the longer I used the Soundpeats Pop Clip2, the more I had to contend with some annoying issues; the kind of problem which often emerge after months or years of use, especially in cheaper tech, but shouldn't be affecting the buds after just a few weeks.
For example, I had an issue with the charging case, where it wouldn't reliably power up the buds. Sometimes I'd take them out, only to find them drained. My biggest problem, though, was with connectivity: they'd often fail to connect to my phone, or repeatedly drop out while I was running. A few times, when I needed some buds for a cycle or run, I'd just use the recently-reviewed Baseus Bowie MC2 rather than try and fight with the Pop Clip 2.
It's a shame, because aside from these common cheap-bud problems, the Soundpeats Pop Clip 2 are genuinely fantastic earbuds. Or is it the Soundpeats UU2? Depending on where you live, they're called one or the other, but in many countries the brand is using both names. Confusing. I’m going to be using the former name, because it simply makes more sense.
The Soundpeats Pop Clip2 have to be some of the best-sounding clip-style earbuds I’ve heard: they have a nice simple V-shaped sound, offering bass with ‘oomph’ but tone, and clear crisp treble. They don’t re-invent the wheel, but nimbly avoid all the issues that come with audio in buds of this form factor.
They tick loads of other boxes too: they last longer than most rivals, fit really well, and offer a solid list of features like spatial audio, sound leak prevention and water drainage.
Perhaps most importantly, Soundpeats has defied our price-hike current state of living by dropping the price of the Pop Clip2 (compared to the predecessor). And not by a few pennies either: $20 in the US, £15 in the UK, $9.99 in Australia (okay, that one’s not a dramatic drop). The brand already had some of the best value open-ears on the market, and it’s really pressing its advantage here.
But because of the connection problems, they're a write-off, right? Uh, I'm not so sure. These problems were persistent, but not consistent. I frequently went for hours without a connection drop or problem, and found ways to cater for some of the quirks. As I write this mini-review, I've been seated at my desk and listening for three hours straight, without any problem. But I know if I went outdoors, they'd be less reliable.
I wish I could recommend the Soundpeats whole-heartedly, and the issues make that impossible. But it's possible that your mileage will vary, or that the brand will fix some of the connection issues through software patches.
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Launched in August 2026
Sells for $49.99 / £59.99 / AU$70
Cheaper than predecessors and other rivals
The Soundpeats Pop Clip2 were unveiled on August 10, 2026, just nine months after the unveiling of their predecessors, the Soundpeats Clip1. That’s not a long time to wait for them to… pop out.
At launch, the buds were tapped for a $49.99 / £59.99 / AU$70 asking price, which is cheaper than the $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99 asking price of the last model. But just two weeks after release, I’m finding them available for £36 in the UK, so they may be even cheaper than reported. Let me be clear: this is rock-bottom prices territory from a trusted brand.
OK, they’re not technically the cheapest open earbuds around — there are options in the backrooms of Amazon and AliExpress that are much cheaper — but they’re the cheapest from a known, respected name in audio (notwithstanding sales on Soundcore, Baseus and Earfun products, which see them dip below Soundpeats’ cost).
The thing is, value only comes into effect if the performance is worth even the nominal outlay you'll have to part with to own them. So let's dig into that.
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Specs
Drivers
12mm
Active noise cancellation
No
Battery life
10 hours (buds), 42 hours (case)
Weight
5.1g (buds), 47.7g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 6.0
Frequency response
Not specified
Waterproofing
IPX5
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Solid 10h/42h battery life
App offers loads of features
Connectivity problems plague experience
The Soundpeats Pop Clip2 offer a 10-hour battery life per bud, and in testing they lasted that long regularly. According to the brand, the case offers a total of up to 42 hours. Both of those sums are a little above average, and I'd say they're enough for most uses.
There's no ANC here, but the Soundpeats app offers basically every other feature under the sun. There's spatial audio, find my earbuds, a low-latency gaming mode, a privacy mode to reduce sound leakage, a drainage function to shake water droplets out if the buds get wet, a dynamic EQ tool which adjusts your sound on the fly, and of course an equalizer.
This latter lets you choose between a range of presets based on genre, though it turns off dynamic EQ and spatial audio. There's an adaptive and custom mode too, but for some reason, you can only use these if you create a free Soundpeats account. Locking an essential tool unless someone hands you their email? Thumbs down from me.
In the Soundpeats app, you can also toggle LDAC and set up multi-point connection, as well as change what the gesture controls do.
(Image credit: Future)
Now, it's time to get to the elephant in the room, the one I mentioned in the review introduction. I had a bad time with the Soundpeats Pop Clip2's connectivity (or lack thereof).
Frequently, I'd remove the buds from the case, only for one to fail to connect. I never figured out a solution to this issue, though sometimes holding the 'on' button kicked it into gear, and it often prompted me to just pick up a rival pair of buds which actually connected.
Even when the Clip2 did connect, I'd sometimes have to contend with drop outs or a stuttery connection, particularly on whichever of the buds was furthest from the phone. And I wasn't using the buds at the extreme of their connection range; my phone could literally be in one hand, and the bud on the other side of my face would keep dropping out.
So, despite the use of Bluetooth 6.0 (and, of course, my attempts to fix the problem by changing phones and updating the firmware), connection is a real issue here. Depending on the root cause, it could be fixable with a software patch, but it might be an intrinsic problem with the buds.
Features score: 3.5/5
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Few differences from predecessor
Case is small, but with problems
Earbuds fit reliably and comfortably
The big Soundpeats Pop Clip2 difference from its predecessor is the case, which is smaller and more convenient to tote around. It's a small pebble, weighing 47.7g, which fits in a pocket with no problem.
There is a problem, but it's inside. Like in some other cheap earbuds I've tested, the charging pins in the Clip2 case can often get stuck down. These are those shiny needles which touch the connectors on an earbud, in order to power it up while it's in the case, depressing as they do. In some cases, they can fail to spring back up, sometimes stopping working entirely.
I often managed to free the charging pins by pressing them down and wiggling, but often I only knew to do this when a bud had failed to charge. That is to say, there's a manual solution, but I would've preferred earbuds that just worked.
(Image credit: Future)
Charging issues aside, the buds work great, which is no surprise given that they're almost identical from the wonderful previous-generation Clips. they're light, at roughly 5g per unit, and you can easily forget you're wearing them.
The fit is solid, and I never found any issues with them shaking or falling out of place while I was on a run. When it comes to the Pop Clip2's actual earpieces, I have no notes.
This extends to the on-bud controls. Instead of relying on a large and vague tap control, Soundpeats has placed a physical button on each bud, which is easiest to press by pinching the body of the device. This is easy to trigger, even when you're active, and a satisfying 'click' lets you know your gesture has been accepted.
A note to buyers: head to the app and customize what single, double-, triple-tap and long-held functions do. I didn't love the default options, but luckily it's easy to change.
Design score: 4/5
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
These are the best open earbuds I've heard
Lovely balanced sound with plenty of customization
12mm drivers, LDAC and Hi-Res Audio Wireless
Several open earbuds makers have experimented with different multi-driver set-ups in order to solve the core problem with the form factor – getting good sound is incredibly tricky when the bud is far from your ear – and yet somehow Soundpeats has made the biggest leaps with a single driver.
Put simply, the Pop Clip 2 are the best-sounding open earbuds I’ve used to date, a compliment that’s a little limited in its reach but no less earnest for it. Each bud has a 12mm dual-magnetic driver, which according to Soundpeats has been tuned for “deep bass”, and seems on paper at least to match the Clip1’s driver. In practice, though, it performs a lot better.
By default, the earbuds have a fairly neutral sound profile, not favoring bass, mids or treble too heavily, and that’s pretty rare for exercise buds. In Handle With Care by Traveling Wilburys, I was surprised to hear the various rhythmic and harmonic instruments alongside the vocals and bass, and in Cinnamon by The Long Winters, it was easy to pick out the various simultaneous guitar lines which, in worse earbuds, blur together.
(Image credit: Future)
Despite this neutral focus, treble and bass are both handled well: the latter is bright, clear and crisp, the latter well-defined and energetic. And, thankfully, my Clip1 gripe about the max volume being too low has been fixed.
The buds’ sound can be pulled six ways from Sunday if you’ll let them too. In the dynamic mode, the bass and treble were boosted for a lovely V-shaped audio which gave Two Door Cinema Club’s Sleep Alone a lovely, bouncing energy.
Contributing to the sound is the Bluetooth codec support which Soundpeats has added — at least the connection works in one way. The buds support LDAC, and are certified for Hi-Res Audio Wireless, which isn’t something you can say about every set of open earbuds.
Of course, much of your enjoyment will depend on how you listen. No matter how good open-ears sound in the comfort of your home, the sound quality will plummet when you step outdoors into the busy word. But that’s the nature of the beast with these buds, and the dynamic equalizer went further than most in balancing for these issues.
Sound quality: 5/5
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Should be top-value earbuds
Unfortunately, longevity isn't guaranteed
The Soundpeats Pop Clip2 sound fantastic and offer a solid range of features, despite being some of the cheapest open earbuds worth buying. They should be five-star buys.
Unfortunately, that appraisal would be forgetting the connection and case issues, two problems which sadly aren't uncommon in low-cost earbuds.
With that in mind, you're basically getting what you pay for, matching the promise of other same-price rivals: these are buds which work very well, but may stop working well before their time.
Value: 3.5/5
Should I buy the Soundpeats Pop Clip2?
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 score card
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
The feature set is impressive, but consistent connection problems make using the buds a drag.
3.5/5
Design
The buds are smartly-designed and fit reliably and comfortably. Unfortunately, the case has a flaw.
4/5
Sound quality
They're the best open-ear buds I've ever tested (admittedly, of a limited pool).
5/5
Value
It's a fantastic package, but the various problems suggest a short lifespan.
3.5/5
Buy them if…
You need good-sounding open-ears Most don't buy this form factor for the sound quality, but if you want something great-sounding, the Clip2 are second to none.
You want open-ears which fit reliably Not once during many weeks of testing did the Clip2 ever fall out of my ears or ache during a workout.
You're on a budget Don't buy super-cheap options for pennies. This is the cheapest option you should consider.View Deal
Don’t buy them if…
You need something reliable My Clip2 worked well when I found my way around their flaws. If you want something that works perfectly without having to put in the work, just skip these.
You want something that sounds good, full stop. Just because these are the best-sounding open earbuds, doesn't mean they're fantastic in the grand scheme of things. If you want workout headphones with fantastic sound, you need something with an in-ear seal, or over-ears.
Soundpeats Pop Clip2 review: Also consider
Looking for other affordable clip-style earbuds? Here are a few we've tested and would recommend.
Soundpeats Pop Clip2
Baseus Bowie MC2
Anker Soundcore AeroClip
Drivers
12mm
11mm
12mm
Active noise cancellation
No
No
No
Battery life (ANC on)
10 hours (buds), 42 hours (case)
11.5 hours (buds), 55 hours (case)
8 hours (buds), 24 hours (case)
Weight
5g (buds), 47.7g (case)
5.1g (buds), 51g (case)
6g (buds), 42g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 6.0
Bluetooth 6.0
Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing
IPX5
IP67
IPX4
Baseus Bowie MC2 The buds I tested before the Clip2, which I kept cheating on the Soundpeats with, don't sound as good or have the same feature set. But they're more reliable and last for longer between charges. Read our full Baseus Bowie MC2 review
Anker Soundcore AeroClip These earbuds have decreased in price since they were released, so they now rival the Soundpeats. They sound great and have an app that is chock-full of features, even if other specs aren't as impressive. Read our full Anker Soundcore AeroClip review
How I tested the Soundpeats Pop Clip2
Tested for roughly four weeks
Paired with two different Android phones for music, podcasts, movies and games
Used on runs, at gym, at desk and during travels
To write this full review, I used the Soundpeats Pop Clip2 for the best part of one month. In that time, I used it paired to two different Android smartphones: the Fairphone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold.
To test the earbuds, I used them for various fitness activities including walks, runs, cycles and trips to the gym. I also used them while working at my desk, on the train and on a flight. Mostly, my listening was done on Spotify, but I also used Tidal and several video streaming services, played games and conducted calls with them.
I've been reviewing for TechRadar since early 2019, and over the last few years, that's included plenty of open earbuds, including the stablemates of the product here, the Soundpeats Clip1. I've also used various other Soundpeats headphones and earbuds.
I’ve been a huge fan of Dell displays for a long time. So, when I first saw the UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED (U3226Q), I thought two things: What a long name, and Wow, that looks incredible.
I have got really used to my 52-inch beast from Dell, so I know they are capable of delivering spectacular quality and novel ideas. So, the idea of Dell jumping feet first into a creative monitor is really exciting… and they did it very, very well.
This monitor has DisplayHDR True Black; it’s a QD-OLED anti-glare coating; it's a 120Hz, 4K panel; and it’s built from the ground up for color-critical workflows that are vital to getting the colors just right. There’s a magnetic shade for use in areas with harsh or inconsistent lighting, a built-in colorimeter, and up to 1000 nits of peak brightness.
The specs are incredible, and rightfully so; this monitor is truly brilliant in all of the best ways. As long as you forget that unseemly price tag.
Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED: Price and availability
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
The Dell UltraSharp 32-inch 4K QD-OLED can be purchased for $2,440 at Dell in the US. And in the UK, it's got an equivalent cost of £2,405 at Dell UK. It's also available from a range of other retailers, but not reliably so.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED: Unboxing and First Impressions
I haven't really used it on a monitor or with shaders before; however, I've recently seen several. I didn't really understand why it would be used, but now, after seeing half a dozen monitor shaders in the last six months, I have a pretty good idea of why you would want them, why you would need them, and why you wouldn't need them.
Right away, I noticed just how sleek and polished this monitor looks. Granted, I have very good experience with Dell monitors at this point, but I still recognize the build quality on this thing, even from first on most
The packaging is pretty straightforward. After testing all some of the best business monitors over the last couple of years, I've learned to expect a certain level of standard in packaging. The monitor itself had front and back protection to ensure that it won't break during transport.
There is a reason why Dell monitors are insanely popular, especially in the business world. That's because, even though they don't have all the gimmicks that many other providers do, they have built their reputation on dependability.
This monitor, even though it is a high-end performance monitor, is built the very same way. It has the essentials covered, so the user can rely on it for any use case. It's able to fit in a really small project space all around.
The last thing I'll mention about design and build quality is the shader itself. It's made from a nice material. It doesn't look like it will sag at all, and it magnetically attaches, which is fantastic.
You may not always want to use this shader, but when you need it, you can easily slip it on to the display.
Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED: In use
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Using this monitor has been fantastic. It looks super sharp. It's clean. It's simple. It's not overstated. It mounts great on modern monitor arms. It has great ports. All these things result in very smooth, easy usability for me.
I was able to get this all set up very quickly, and once everything was set up, I was able to use it right away thanks to its single USB-C cable for connecting a laptop or desktop.
Now, if I want to add more to this monitor, such as a secondary machine or something, it does have great ports and several options, though. It doesn't have nearly as many options as some of the more advanced monitors I have seen.
My team and I have used this monitor for photo editing, for video editing, and for basic website design. So far, it's been spectacular to use. Its picture quality is spectacular, and the shader is super easy to disable when I don't need it.
One thing that I'm very thankful for is that this monitor is still bright. Most of the monitors and shaders I have seen have a really dim max brightness, but this one still looks great with max brightness.
Another thing worth touching on is the ports for the Dell Ultrasharp for the desktop setup in the photo. I use a single USB-C cable running directly from my laptop to the monitor.
If you've a more complicated setup where you're using one of the mini Thunderbolt docking stations or something similar, you can plug directly into it via USB-C or, of course, HDMI.
For the longest time, I would recommend Samsung or BenQ panels for creative work - in my experience, those companies produce some of the best monitors for photo editing and the like.
However, several more companies are stepping up when it comes to high-quality creative panels. Dell is clearly one of them, and honestly, I don't think its are too late to the game either. I think it's right on time, bringing its background of reliability and dependability to a growing demographic.
Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED: Final verdict
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
If you know that you are looking for a creative monitor with specific specs, the best panel possible, and you even know what a shader is and what it does, then this is the kind of 4K monitor you should be looking into.
If you have to wonder whether this is worth it, it probably isn’t. It's total overkill for running standard office software and streaming the occasional movie.
If you know you're looking for an absurdly nice monitor because you are a video editor, a photo editor, or a content creator in some way, and you need a high-quality one, then absolutely make sure you check this one out.
Meta’s Danish facility converts server heat into household heating for thousands
Odense uses existing infrastructure to transform wasted data center energy
Heat pumps help raise server warmth to temperatures suitable for homes
A data center operated by Meta in Odense, Denmark is channeling its cooling heat straight into nearby homes.
Server operations typically send almost all of their electricity out as warmth, with one industry estimate placing that figure near 90%.
Most facilities simply vent that energy skyward, but the Odense site routes it through the city's own heating infrastructure instead.
How the recovery system actually works
Roughly 40% of a data center's total energy consumption goes toward cooling servers, and nearly all of it is released as low-grade heat.
That heat arrives too cool for direct use, since server exhaust never reaches temperatures high enough to warm buildings on its own.
Water from the municipal district-heating network runs through the facility's cooling units, absorbing that low-level warmth from the servers, and then moves to a nearby plant packed with ammonia heat pumps that raise the temperature further before distribution.
Engineering firm Ramboll designed this recovery system for district-heating operator Fjernvarme Fyn, lifting water temperatures between 70 and 75°C.
That range makes the water hot enough for household radiators once it re-enters the wider distribution network.
"Our project is relatively unique because we have a very large distribution network," said Jan Strømvig, head of Fjernvarme Fyn, adding Meta placed its facility directly inside that network, allowing highly efficient energy transfer throughout the system.
On its part, Meta described the achievement as one of scale rather than any fundamentally new engineering breakthrough.
"Heat pumps are not a new invention, nor are coils for capturing heat. What is new and innovative is the pairing of these two in hyper scale," said Lauren Edelman, energy specialist at Meta
Numbers vary, but scale remains substantial
Ramboll's published figures describe roughly 45 megawatts flowing directly into Odense's heating network, making it Denmark's largest heat-pump installation.
Recovery figures cited by Ramboll point to about 215,000 megawatt-hours annually, warming more than 12,000 homes across the region.
Earlier project details from Meta cited smaller numbers, including around 6,900 homes and 100,000 megawatt-hours during initial operations.
Following expansion, Meta's own figures rose to roughly 165,000 megawatt-hours serving approximately 11,000 households within the system.
Fjernvarme Fyn confirmed in 2025 that Meta's surplus heat output was equivalent to warming about 11,000 households.
These fluctuating figures reflect different project phases, timeframes and counting methods rather than any inconsistency in performance.
Replicating this setup elsewhere depends heavily on one specific ingredient many cities simply lack entirely — a wide-reaching district-heating network.
Heat cannot travel far without significant loss, meaning facilities must sit close to an existing distribution network.
Odense already had that infrastructure in place before Meta's data center arrived on site, and this is part of the success of the system.
