When AI dating goes wrong: as EVA AI hires the world's first ‘AI Companionship Therapist’, its resident relationship expert talks chatbot dependency — and the 28-year-old CEO of a human-only meet-up app tells me why he thinks AI infatuation is over

Content warning: This piece discusses suicide and difficult emotional experiences.

Does the world really need a dedicated, human ‘AI Companionship Therapist’ in 2026? The answer, according to the popular 'game-like' AI character-creation and interaction site EVA AI, is 'yes' — and the job pays well.

How would I know this, as someone who only ever dated humans? I know because EVA AI recently reached out to TechRadar to tell us that it's hiring just such a therapist. And whoever gets the gig will be able to charge $200 a session (which makes me think I retrained in the wrong career).

It’s more than two and a half years since I covered the launch of ChatGPT's then new OpenAI store, and the almost-immediate problem of users flooding the site to create AI girlfriends (despite the Ts&Cs forbidding it); and now, EVA AI, which encourages humans to practice their dating skills and "feel seen" by a chatbot, is trying to help its clients overcome various mental health issues connected to their AI squeeze.

According a recent EVA AI survey of 1,000 adults, all of whom have AI partners, 63% of respondents have hidden their romantic AI companion for fear of being judged, and 72% wish therapists specialized in AI-specific relationships. Furthermore, 68% say an argument with their AI "affects the rest of their day".

And I'm not done. EVA AI's survey lists that one in three of its users experience feelings of jealousy knowing their AI character also talks to other people; four out of five claim their AI understood them better than the real human they were actually dating (whether that counts as cheating or not is a topic for another day) and six out of 10 respondents think an AI relationship can be just as serious as a human one.

One in three EVA AI users experience feelings of jealousy knowing their AI character also talks to other people

(Image credit: EVA AI)

The ELIZA effect

You might be surprised to learn that our ability to overlook basic computer programming and project cognitive emotion into speech mimicry isn't a recent problem. In fact, it's been an issue for 60 years.

In 1966, (a year fellow Brits will immediately remember as the sole year England's male team won the World Cup) MIT scientist Joseph Weizenbaum created ELIZA, a primitive program, but nevertheless one that was capable of imitating the speech patterns of a kindly psychotherapist. Despite the program only using simple keyword-matching (if a user stated "I am sad", the program could respond "Why are you sad?"), reports suggest that humans quickly became attached to it — a phenomenon now called the ELIZA effect.

One could argue that the 2022 introduction of advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) transformed that simple scripted bot into a hyper-personalized, ultra-realistic visual and conversational companion such as Candy AI or EVA AI, and that this is what made AI girlfriends and boyfriends into a multi-billion dollar mainstream industry. But those early studies suggest otherwise: we're all suckers for a kind word, basic or not.

(Image credit: EVA AI)

Getting professional help

It's hard not to notice that the women in the EVA AI image above all look vaguely… what is it? Concerned? Vulnerable? Sad? And it strikes me that this isn't the kind of image I'd expect to see on an online dating profile such as Match or Tinder, where women typically post strong, confident, smiling images, perhaps standing next to friends or doing the things they love.

Maybe EVA AI's tagline is bang on, and actually, this isn't about the chatbot in the potential partnership at all. Perhaps EVA AI's mostly-male user base employ these services to "feel seen" by an on-screen image that seems overly concerned about them to the point of sadness or worry. But can a one-sided relationship be addictive, or problematic in other ways?

EVA AI's current relationship expert is a celebrated psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience, Jaime Bronstein. She was named the '#1 Relationship Coach Transforming Lives' in 2020 by Yahoo Finance, and is the author of the book MAN*ifesting: A Step-By-Step Guide to Attracting the Love That’s Meant For You.

Bronstein says issues around humans dating an AI persona have been surfacing in her work for around a year now.

(Image credit: EVA AI)

I ask about the marketing materials above, and why the emotions apparently being expressed by the female avatars in them might be desirable to EVA AI's 25-45 year-old 80% male user base? "I've been doing these things called 'man interviews', and I'm teaching a course in the fall based on my book for women looking for men," Bronstein begins. "And the reason I'm doing these man interviews is because I want women to understand that men have feelings. I want to give men the opportunity to explain these things.

"I'm bringing that up now because these men that have feelings maybe aren't feeling seen or heard or listened to or validated, or understood in relationships.

"So yes, men can get a bad rap for all the reasons that they might use a computer. But there are men that are seeking that validation and seeking somebody to listen to them. A lot of people, men and women, are using AI in general because maybe they have some social anxiety and social awkwardness.

"One of the huge positives (of EVA AI) is that it's a way to practice. Whether that's conversations, whether it's being vulnerable in general. So it makes sense that EVA has women that are looking concerned — that are basically giving this sense of, 'I'm here to listen to you'."

I want women to understand that men have feelings. I want to give men the opportunity to explain these things

Jaime Bronstein, LCSW

The feminists in the room may want to rage. Along with the gender pay gap and continued patriarchal oppression, are we really suggesting that women need to bend yet further to make men happy?

Actually, it cuts both ways. Last month, TechRadar reported on China effectively banning AI romantic partners. And while EVA AI might list an 80% male user base, 80% of the five million registered users on the Chinese AI companion app Zhumeng Dao (which translates to 'Island of Dreams') were female. In fact, women generally made up the majority of active users on Chinese AI companionship sites.

I ask why that might be. "Well, it makes sense", Bronstein says. "It's interesting because one of the key reasons people want to have AI relationships is because they don't feel like it's working with humans.

"It could be because women are not feeling as loved, or getting as many compliments, or feeling confident in relationships with the men there.

One of the key reasons people want to have AI relationships is because they don't feel like it's working with humans

Jaime Bronstein, LCSW

"But if they're just finding that guys aren't being nice, they can feel loved and appreciated — and all the things they're looking for — with AI.

"I do think it makes sense that men do this more just on a physical level — it sounds funny to say men are more physical because this (dating an AI persona) isn't physical — but they're using it for certain things that they aren't getting from a human.

"I would say women overall are using this for more emotional reasons, and men are using this more to fulfill a fantasy."

Bronstein caveats her response with the fact that her work doesn't typically hone in on the culture of a region, but that last thought in particular resonates. Isn't it possible that women in China like romantic fantasies too — especially when their government seems fixated on their empty wombs? "I'm never a fan of anybody playing God," Bronstein says. "People are deciding what's good for somebody else, and that's ultimately not good. If somebody doesn't want to have a child or just wants to have an AI relationship, that person should be able to do that."

(Image credit: Getty Images / PonyWang)

Is it addiction, dependency, or just good old-fashioned jealousy?

I mention that I was surprised to read about jealousy among EVA AI users — humans feeling jealous knowing their AI companion is spending time talking to other humans. "A lot of my clients have trust issues" Bronstein says. "It's a very human thing, be it an unresolved issue from childhood or a million past relationships where there was a trust issue.

"It might sound crazy that somebody would be jealous of a computer or a bot. But it's simply bringing up that trigger — and it's actually not a bad thing. I can validate that somebody might feel jealous, because even though it's AI, it's still bringing up a human emotion.

"It's actually a very positive thing, because it is something to work through. Jealousy comes from a lack of confidence in yourself, so it makes sense that people are going to have therapists for it. And therapists do not say, 'This is ridiculous, like this is a computer.' You validate, and you say, 'Okay, well, let's talk about why'.

"Once again, it's a very positive thing that this is going on, and that now therapists are going to be existing to help people work through this."

(Image credit: EVA AI)

What about the 'gamification' of AI dating sites?

EVA AI has experimented with pop-up cafes in New York (there's a phone or tablet at each table, with a character inside ready to speed-date you), but one of the main positives listed by users is the fun 'game-like' nature of the service, where 'neurons' are the in-game currency you use to unlock more intimate, premium experiences.

I ask how about the potential for this kind of game-like experience to become addictive. Bronstein points to her extensive work with gambling addicts. "It can be dangerous if people start looking at it as a gaming thing, because it's still real life, it's human. It's not a game," she says.

Bronstein is also quick to note that this happens in human dating too. "There can be problems sometimes when two people date and one doesn't take it as seriously as the other," she says. "One person's more in it, and the other is like one foot out the door.

"I would say if someone is going to be in an AI relationship, they should take it seriously. Because otherwise it can — when and if they decide to have a relationship with a human — cause problems."

Bronstein also wants to make it clear that addiction to connection without AI involvement, purely among humans, is still very real. "On addiction, the interesting thing — and this is what the studies are showing with EVA AI also — is that people are constantly looking at their phones. And if you're waiting for a human text, it's also addictive. So in that sense, it's not that different at all."

Bronstein pauses, then adds, "Just make sure that it doesn't affect your job."

(Image credit: EVA AI)

Should we fear for our jobs?

Circling back to EVA AI's job listing for "specialized AI companionship therapist", does Bronstein think extra qualifications around this aspect of love and dating need to exist — beyond an open-minded, non-judgmental approach? "I do think that," Bronstein nods. "So that we make sure we are validating people and not judging them, there does need to be some some specific training for this. Because as humans, we have emotions and they're going to come out regardless."

I mention that working in journalism means I know that AI models can write quicker than me, never get tired of asking questions, and never doubt themselves over responses. Occasionally, I worry for my job. I wonder if fundamentally non-judgemental AI therapists (something much evolved from that 1966 primitive ELIZA model) are something Bronstein predicts, or possibly even worries about? "We already are seeing that people are using ChatGPT as a therapist", she answers, "And I'll just give an example of how it can be dangerous if the AI bot is not trained.

"I was interviewed on a radio show a few weeks ago, and we were talking about an article where somebody typed into ChatGPT — not EVA, which is better trained and would not answer like this — but somebody wrote, 'I lost my job. Where's the nearest bridge?' And ChatGPT responded, 'The nearest bridge is right here'.

"So, because ChatGPT is not able to understand and doesn't have emotional understanding to comprehend when someone says that (and the dire implications), for now, I think therapy should remain human — humans really are best."

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this piece, support is available.

Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone. In the US, you can call or text the 24/7 Lifeline, which is confidential and free at 988. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

In the UK, you can call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the website to find your nearest branch.

(Image credit: EVA AI)

The delicate topic of coin

I wonder about the financial implications of EVA AI and whether lavishing money on an AI love interest is a reason people turn to therapy? Apparently it's rare, despite some users complaining about the increasing costs of their experiences. "I was interviewed for an article a few months ago about how some men are using AI," Bronstein says. "They'd rather use AI to date rather than real life because dating in-person is expensive. That's another reason why some people don't want to date around, because it can get time-consuming as well as expensive."

This actually tracks with a very different service that recently launched, and you won't see an AI character in sight… except in a few of the marketing videos.

The app is called MeetMeetNow, and its CEO, Kazuki Nishijima, has agreed to talk to me about why growing up in the shadow of Match.com made him long for a way to find love that didn't put meeting up as one of the final steps.

(Image credit: MeetMeetNow)

MeetMeetNow — another way

Nishijima is a 28-year-old software engineer from Shibuya, Tokyo, who initially joined the police force after leaving high school. He loves snowboarding and got married earlier this year. Unusually for the CEO of a company, Nishijima has no notable online presence and — because of the language barrier and this interview taking place over email — TechRadar had to ask him to verify his human identity, which he did.

This is the state of play in 2026: one has to check whether the founder of an anti-AI dating app is, in fact, AI.

MeetMeetNow is currently available in 194 countries and in over 4,000 cities (meeting spots). It works like this: women can join for free, men pay $35 / £28 per month. Your membership allows you to be notified of a "meetup spot" and time — a fountain, a statue, a clock tower. Press "match" there (your candidates are the MeetMeetNow members at that spot only), and you'll meet face to face, right there and then. No chat window anywhere in the app, and you can only match with any given person once, ever.

(Image credit: MeetMeetNow)

It sounds so simple — albeit decidedly heterosexual, and I have a few safety concerns (we'll get to those). First, I ask Nishijima why he created an app that's about as far away from the two decades of consumer tech that moved dating inside a screen (and most recently to non-human partnerships) as it's possible to get.

"When I was in high school, I didn't want to go to university — I wanted to start a business. Any business," Nishijima says. "Then one day, while reading about the history of the internet, I learned that dating sites had existed — and made money — since the internet's earliest days. Dating appeals to a basic human instinct, so it would always make money. That was my motive (not the noblest one, I admit).

"Tinder was still an unknown name back then; the mainstream was Match.com and in Japan, services called Happy Mail and Wakuwaku Mail. To beat them, I needed to invent something genuinely different.

"One day, skipping school, I sat in the busiest district of town thinking about it — and saw university students hanging around a famous statue, gathering to meet. That was the flash of insight. That's why I built MeetMeetNow."

I ask whether he thinks dating via apps waste time and money; messaging for months without ever meeting, then eventually meeting but it goes nowhere? "Yes, a friend from my hometown filled in his hobbies and background on an app in great detail," he says. "He kept up the conversation, and finally met the woman three months after he started.

"They met just that once. He quit the app that day. He'd paid about ¥40,000 — roughly US$250 / £190 — and spent all that time. 'Couldn't this be simpler?' he asked me."

(Image credit: MeetMeetNow)

Safety matters

I mention the cost for men and that male users might try to avoid the fee by perhaps creating a profile using their sister's photo (say), then simply showing up to a meeting spot to avoid paying? "Every user is required to submit an image of an identity document — a driver's license, passport, student ID, or similar", Nishijima says. "On the operations side, we use image-recognition AI combined with human review to check the registration details against the document, and only then approve (or refuse) the account.

"So in your example — a man signing up under his sister's name with a new email address — the registration would fail at this step, because the document wouldn't match the profile."

Okay, but what if one man joined and shared the information with seven male friends on WhatsApp, so that all of them could show up together? "That concern is entirely fair. We built the report function for exactly this kind of situation," Nishijima says. "There is no security staff at the spots, but every meetup spot is selected by us, the operator — always a public place with steady foot traffic.

"On top of that, the screen shows you the face photo of the specific person you are meeting. If someone different — or several people — show up, you can check against the photo before approaching, and you are under no obligation to meet.

"You can simply walk away and report it in the app. The account is then suspended, and everyone who was sharing it loses access."

(Image credit: MeetMeetNow)

At a time when people are turning to AI chatbots as romantic partners, after tiring of online dating apps, I ask what Nishijima would say to someone who's on the fence about meeting a real person, in real life, to make a connection? "If I had settled for conversations with an AI, my wife wouldn't be beside me today," he answers. "My family exists because I went out to meet real people.

"Before I met my wife, I met about 30 women through matching apps and local matchmaking events — exchanging contacts, going on dates. But with each of them, it never grew into anything real. The one it clicked with was my wife. We dated for a year and a half and got married. With her, everything simply fell into place.

"So here is what I would say: one day, you will meet a real partner. Even when nothing seems to stick, please don't stop looking. Keep showing up — try every kind of place where people meet, as many times as it takes.

"If you keep moving, you will find your person. Success is waiting on the other side of all those tries. Believe in yourself, hold your head high, and try again."

If the AI dating scene made me fearful regarding the deep disconnect humans are clearly experiencing, to the point that they think fellow humans aren't the answer, Nishijima's outlook does much to revive a sense of hope for humanity, albeit a slightly rose-tinted one; I just worry that not enough has been done here to make sure men don't try to break the rules.

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Where does its founder and CEO see MeetMeetNow in 10 years' time? "My goal for the next 10 years is to make today's 'mechanism of meeting' itself a thing of the past," Nishijima says. "Dating sites, matching apps, marriage agencies — the forms differ, but the substance is the same: you compare profiles, exchange messages or sit through interviews, and only then, finally, meet. Meeting is placed at the very end.

"The scene I want to see is clear. People heading out into the city, instead of searching inside a screen. Go to a meetup spot, and you can meet someone right there.

"No months of waiting before a first meeting. Finding a partner in its most efficient form. All over town in the early evening, two people meeting for the first time — my aim is to make that scene ordinary.

"I originally started building this to beat Match.com. What 12 years taught me is that my opponent is not any one company. The opponent is the mechanism itself — as old as the internet."

It's a fair point and Nishijima's aim is a noble one. Although, if we're going back to the ELIZA effect and a computer program created in 1966, the opponent could actually be quite a bit older than the internet.

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How Trinnov's Altitude CI AV processor showed me the importance of flagship 3D room correction in elite home cinema setups

I want to tell you about the Trinnov Altitude CI AV processor. And I want to tell you about it because it’s essentially an Intel computer posing as a processor with scalable channels and a software-based platform that is constantly being updated.

But I need to tell you about how Trinnov was able to make a pair of ASCENDO Black Swan speakers sound good in what was essentially an elevator lobby, at Audio Advice Live 2026.

The Black Swan Active Ext speakers are excellent two-way speakers that can get loud with a 132dB peak. They even come with their own DSP. After all, the ones showcased at the event, which were in a custom finish, retail around for around $40,000 each (so around £29,550 / AU$ 56,200) and there’s more going on than just an asymmetrical horn. It’s also worth mentioning that a $36,000 ASCENDO subwoofer was in the mix as well.

It’s not ASCENDO’s DSP doing the work in this particular situation though, it’s the Trinnov Altitude CI. Using Trinnov’s unique and patented Waveforming and Optimizer technology — there’s also a 3D mic for getting measurements — the audio, whether it was Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kamasi Washington (I did get a request in), or even some EDM, was as pristine and clear across all frequencies as if I were listening in a dedicated room.

Now, I’m describing the sound within about ten feet of the speakers where some seating had been set up to appreciate all that was on offer. It did start to get a little diffuse when over by registration, about thirty feet to the right, or at the elevators, thirty feet back, but those were not intended listening areas. The ability and fine tuning of Trinnov’s DSP is hard to beat.

Can you imagine creating a listenable space in a room with high-arched ceilings, walkways in either direction and a wall of elevators on the far end? Now, imagine what the Trinnov Altitude CI can do in a more ideal space.

The Black Swan speakers and the Trinnov Altitude CI at the top of the tower (center-left) in a hotel lobby. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The Room Correction

There are a few things going on with the Trinnov Altitude CI (and really and of the Altitude series) that get the room out of the equation and allow a set of speakers to sing. One of the main components of the company’s renowned room correction is its patented Optimizer, which, using a 3D mic, takes accurate measurements of what the room is hearing and adjusts accordingly. You can even do vertical and horizontal adjustments via the software to compensate for non-ideal speaker placement.

Trinnov also has its Waveforming technology, introduced in 2023 when researching a way to prevent standing waves instead of fixing them. Speaker and subwoofer placement as well as EQ were the traditional way of trying to mitigate the effects of standing waves, but you still get cold and hot spots throughout the room. And unless you only want to listen to music by yourself — this is less important for that one seat situated in the sweet spot — you would want to get rid of those standing waves as much as possible.

By implementing Waveforming, you get much better seat-to-seat consistency. And you’ll remove the muddiness from the low-end for a clearer sound and more dynamic contrast (there’s usually a standing wave around 50Hz). It also surprisingly makes dialogue easier to hear if you’re using the Trinnov Altitude CI for a Home Theater setting as well (or listening to a podcast through your Hi-Fi speakers for some reason).

Trinnov's software offers a lot of flexibility and fine tuning. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Looking under the hood

Earlier I called the Trinnov Altitude CI an Intel computer, and it’s true. It uses an actual CPU and has a heavily modified Linux base for its software. What this means is that Trinnov doesn’t have to wait for someone to make a special DSP chip for them to build around as the internal processor is more than powerful enough. And that by making the processing software-based, the company can roll out any updates to Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dante, or anything else with a software update that just requires a press of a button and a few minutes.

This means that if you own any Trinnov AV processor, they will stay up to date for the foreseeable future so you won’t need to go replacing hardware every time there’s something new under the sun.

On the hardware side, the only moving target these days is HDMI. With the Trinnov Altitude CI, the HDMI ports are all separated on their own piece of hardware that can be removed for an updated one that you would get from the company so that your processor can support the new standard. Beats buying a whole new AV processor.

The one thing that really sets the Trinnov Altitude CI apart from the Altitude 16 or 32 is that it has scalable channels. So when you purchase this processor, it includes eight channels in that initial price tag of about $12,000 / £8,870 / AU$16,960 and you can add channels two at a time after until you get to 32 channels, and it’s about $28,000 / £20,700 / AU$39,560 for the Altitude CI fully loaded. You’ll have to reach out to your local Hi-Fi dealer for exact pricing, but the Trinnov Altitude CI offers a more affordable entry point into the Trinnov ecosystem.

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The best Kindle alternatives — excellent ereaders for anyone who's had enough of Amazon's antics

Once upon a time, if you wanted a good ereader, you simply had to buy a Kindle. When it came to electronic reading devices, Amazon's Kindle lineup ruled the roost. Nowadays, the market has opened up, and Amazon has made a few moves that have done nothing to boost the general public's opinion of Kindles.

The latest Kindle update sparking complaints is the introduction of tougher DRM (digital rights management) rules and the closing of a book-borrowing loophole. Now, we're not sure this particular outrage is particularly justified — as TechRadar's Lance points out, "writers gotta get paid", and authors' ability to make money off their work should take priority, whatever annoyances it might throw up for individual readers.

Less easy to justify, however, is Amazon's April decision to end support for Kindles made in 2012 or earlier. That meant these perfectly usable devices would lose access to the Kindle Store and become completely defunct if you ever tried a factory reset. Overall, Kindles are starting to look a little less enticing to many people.

If you've decided it's time to embrace a different ereader brand, there are a number of great options open to you nowadays, with models from Kobo leading the charge, and Onyx Boox also coming up with some intriguing alternatives. I've rounded up our top-rated Kindle alternatives below — hit the 'More details' button to see the main pros and cons of each, and for a link to our full review.

Kindle alternatives

Kobo

Libra Colour

Read our full review

Pros

• Good size for portability and usability
• Relatively affordable for a color ereader
• Full writing features
• Repair kits available

Cons

• Couple of functions suffer from lag
• Stylus sold separately

Kobo

Clara BW

Read our full review

Pros

• New E Ink Carta 1300 screen
• Compact, lightweight and waterproof
• Affordable and repairable

Cons

• No cloud file transfer support
• Dated, plastic design
• 6-inch screen can be small for some

Kobo

Clara Colour

Read our full review

Pros

• Responsive color display
• Compact and lightweight
• Good battery life
• Relatively affordable

Cons

• 6 inches can be too small for some users
• Black-and-white text lacks contrast

Kobo

Libra 2

Read our full review

Pros

• Winning asymmetric design
• 32GB storage
• Audiobook support

Cons

• Battery charging can be erratic

Onyx Boox

Go 7

Read our full review

Pros

• Android 13-based operating system
• Excellent E Ink Carta 1300 display
• 64GB storage
• Page-turn buttons
• Snappy performance
• Stylus support

Cons

• Lacks waterproofing
• Complicated menu system
• Excessive battery drain
• Subpar writing experience

Onyx Boox

Palma 2

Read our full review

Pros

• Pocket-friendly color E Ink design
• More versatile than the Palma 2
• Excellent case accessory

Cons

• Expensive for an ereader
• Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2
• Stylus sold separately

Onyx Boox

Palma 2 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

• Pocket-friendly color E Ink design
• More versatile than the Palma 2
• Excellent case accessory

Cons

• Expensive for an ereader
• Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2
• Stylus sold separately

What's the best Kindle alternative?

The key rival nipping at Amazon's heels is Kobo. The Kobo Libra Colour is the best ereader we've tested, from any brand (including Amazon Kindle), and we also rate the Kobo Clara Colour highly. For those happy to stick with black and white, and looking for a budget-friendly option, the Kobo Clara BW is a winner.

Outside of Kobo, the Onyx Boox lineup is also worth checking out. Its e-ink tablets run on an Android OS, making them nice and versatile. The Boox Palma 2 and Palma 2 Pro are phone-sized ereaders that can be slipped into a pocket for reading on the go.

If you'd like an ereader that also supports note-taking, there are a few more brands worth considering. We're huge fans of the reMarkable Paper Pure, and we also rate the ViWoods AiPaper highly. I'm assuming reading is your main priority, so I haven't included these options here.

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I spent six months with the Poco F8 Ultra, and it delivers a mobile streaming experience ‘that simply can’t be matched by any phone of a similar price’

Poco F8 Ultra: Two-minute review

The Poco F8 Ultra demonstrates what’s possible when performance doesn’t come at a premium. Packing a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a huge 6,500mAh battery, and a bright 120Hz AMOLED display, it's among the very best phones on paper — but it's Poco's photography chops and unique Bose partnership that set the F8 Ultra apart from other ‘flagship killers’.

A trio of rear cameras steals the show. Poco phones (as well as those made by its parent company, Xiaomi) often sneak under the radar for photographic performance, but having shone in both day and nighttime environments during my testing, there’s rarely been any situation where the F8 Ultra’s cameras haven’t exceeded expectations. What’s more, Xiaomi’s HyperOS 3 seems to finally be fulfilling its AI-centric potential, with genuinely useful photo features that allow beginners to fine-tune their shots to perfection.

The brand's Bose partnership sets an equally high standard. While for many, the addition of a dedicated 1620 subwoofer in the phone's rear panel may seem like a token gesture, partnering it with symmetrical, dual 115F speakers quickly highlights how ‘flat’ other phones sound without external audio devices. Bass is noticeable, and the overall soundscape is more than pleasant enough to enable most to ditch the headphones entirely, so long as the situation suits!

While the F8 Ultra's design may bear a striking resemblance to that of Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro, that’s hardly a bad thing. The phone feels superb to hold and rivals its most premium opposition for style, despite its huge 6.9-inch display. The rounded corners, flat aluminum edges, and impressive thinness (7.9 or 8.3mm, depending on variant) help its size feel manageable, and it’ll quickly feel much like its more premium counterparts in everyday use. The denim-like variant is certainly an acquired taste, but I grew accustomed to it quickly and, frankly, it feels superb to use.

Under the hood, the combination of a huge 6,500mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset is stellar. The F8 Ultra achieves all-day battery life with ease, all while retaining superb performance under strain from gaming or multitasking. The only drawback: it does suffer from the chipset’s trademark overheating problems. While I never found the phone to be fatally hot, this temperature increase is certainly noticeable when gaming for long periods, and it can lead to some performance drops as a result.

The phone's availability is another drawback. It's available in the UK via both carriers and retailers, but only via third-party retailers like Amazon and eBay in the US. Still, the latter is more than can be said for the best Xiaomi phones, so I suppose that's a small win. The Poco F8 Ultra isn't available in Australia at the time of writing.

Poco F8 Ultra review: Price and availability

• Launched for £749 / $729
• But it's now almost always on sale
• US price varies heavily depending on the seller

The Poco F8 Ultra undercuts almost any comparable phone when it comes to price. It launched for $729 / £749 back in November 2025, but is now available for significantly less — especially in the UK — likely due to the imminent release of the Poco F9 Ultra, which is rumored to land towards the end of 2026.

It's a win in itself to see one of Xiaomi’s devices available via Amazon or eBay in the US. It’s not available directly through carriers, though you’ll no longer have an issue using a US SIM with this device.

Even without a discount, the Poco F8 Ultra starts from the best part of $200 / £200 less than you’d normally expect to pay for a device boasting the latest chipset, triple cameras, and a huge battery. It even gets 4 years of major Android OS updates and 6 years of security updates. By which point, Xiaomi will almost certainly have released something of even better value to replace it.

Xiaomi and Poco do sell phones in Australia, but the Poco F8 Ultra isn't currently available in that region.

• Value score: 5 / 5

Poco F8 Ultra review: Specs

	Poco F8 Ultra
Dimensions	163.33 x 8.3 x 77.82mm (Black) 163.33 x 7.9 x 77.82mm (Blue)
Weight	217g (Black), 220g (Blue)
OS	Android 16 (HyperOS 3)
Display	6.9-inch 120Hz HyperRGB AMOLED
Resolution	2608 x 1200
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
RAM	12GB (256GB), 16GB (512GB)
Storage	256GB, 512GB
Battery	6,500mAh
Rear cameras	50MP wide (f/1.7) + 50MP periscope telephoto (f/3.0) + 50-MP (f/2.4) ultrawide
Front cameras	32MP (f/2.2)
Charging	100W wired, 50W wireless, 22.5W reverse wireless

Poco F8 Ultra review: Design

(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)

• iPhone-like camera plateau design
• Super comfortable to hold despite huge size
• Denim blue choice may not be to some people’s taste

Poco adopts a reliable yet stylish look for the Poco F8 Ultra. That said, the first thing that needs discussing is its Denim Blue option.

While the material itself isn’t denim — rather, Poco's own nano-tech material — it looks and feels as though you’re texting from a pair of Levi’s. It’s no doubt a strange experience to begin with, but you’ll quickly see the benefits of this new material, namely a complete lack of scratch marks and a nice grippy feel in the hand.

If you’re after a more traditional look, there is also a black variant. It uses Poco’s ‘Glass Fibre’, which gives a feel closer to that of a glass-backed phone. It should feel less slippery to hold and pick up fewer scratches than the competition, though you’re definitely likely to see more fingerprints here than on its denim-look counterpart.

Either variant is also pleasantly comfortable to hold despite the phone's huge 6.9-inch display. The F8 Ultra has a rounded aluminum frame and only weighs 220g at most (or 217g if you choose the black version). That’s over 10g lighter than an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and yet the weight cut doesn’t leave the phone feeling any less premium when you’re holding it, nor does it feel so light that it could be easily dropped or broken.

Where the F8 Ultra and the iPhone are more similar, however, is in their shared camera plateau design. In the case of the F8 Ultra, the plateau houses not only the rear cameras but also the subwoofer that headlines the phone's Bose partnership. Unlike many plateaus, the Poco F8 Ultra’s doesn’t protrude hugely despite its more-than-capable cameras, which we’ll cover later.

Aside from these features, the F8 Ultra's design bears little to shout about, which in many ways, is a win. The denim look is certainly a unique choice should you choose it, but both this and the black variant will soon leave you thinking you possess a phone far more premium than its price tag suggests.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Poco F8 Ultra review: Display

(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)

• Bright and easily viewed
• Great refresh rate
• Simple punch-hole front-camera

The Poco F8 Ultra’s display gives the phone a premium feel from the moment you boot it up. This huge 6.9-inch 2608 x 1200 AMOLED screen is capable of a 3500-nit peak brightness, which, while lower than many equivalent phones, does a faultless job of keeping the display punchy and viewable from almost all angles.

You also get a 120Hz refresh rate to play with, meaning scrolling through social media or gaming is smooth enough for even the most serious mobile gamers. This display also offers up to 480Hz touch sampling, which gives the screen a super-responsive feel, no matter if you're gaming or switching between apps.

The Poco F8 Ultra's display is also one of Xiaomi’s ‘eye-care’ displays. These use a combination of hardware and software to reduce eye strain, headaches, and sleep problems caused by phone displays. Technologies such as high-frequency PWM dimming and circadian rhythm adjustments are employed to keep you healthy and have little to no impact on the device’s performance.

All of this technology is housed under ‘Poco Shield’ glass, which is proprietary to Xiaomi and kept for only its most premium devices. In the months of using this phone, I’ve never found reason to doubt Xiaomi’s claims of improved scratch- and impact-resistance compared to industry-standard solutions such as Corning glass. I've been able to confidently use the F8 Ultra in crowded environments without a case, where, frankly, it’s had more than one abrupt meeting with a floor.

That said, the biggest part of why this phone feels so premium to use is just how much display it gives you to play with. It has a huge 94.25% screen-to-body ratio and opts for a simple punch-hole front camera. This, partnered with its huge size, leaves the F8 Ultra's screen feeling nothing short of flagship-worthy while you're streaming, gaming, or browsing. Good job, Xiaomi.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Poco F8 Ultra review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)

• Brilliant levels of detail and vibrancy
• Low-light shooting is top tier
• Selfie camera has room for improvement

The Poco F8 Ultra’s cameras are nothing short of superb — whether you use them at night, for close-ups, or even just regular shooting.

No matter the subject, the Poco F8 Ultra captured a level of vibrancy and detail in each shot that, frankly, it had no right to given its price point. Most noticeably, while shooting in cloudier conditions, shots continued to be detailed and well-balanced, without falling foul of extreme white blowouts in backgrounds.

I did find focusing on the F8 Ultra a touch more fiddly than some might like, especially when looking to shoot in dimmer, indoor environments, but with time, it becomes manageable. That said, the phone was near-flawless in picking up the subject matter and retaining razor-thin focus margins to the rest of the frame.

Each of the three main cameras is 50MP, with the phone even offering a 50MP shooting mode to make full use of these megapixels — though it sacrifices much of the camera's adaptability should you choose to use it.

One of the standout inclusions on the phone's spec sheet is its Light Fusion 950 light sensor. Taking the F8 Ultra out for some night photography proved just how beneficial the device’s 43% improvement in light sensitivity (versus the F7 Ultra) can be. Details remained sharp, backgrounds were rarely a mere abyss of black, and the vibrancy I’d seen in the daytime remained to a surprising degree.

On the front of the phone, there’s a 32MP selfie camera which does a good enough job. It definitely leaves selfies a touch smoother than you’d expect given the quality of the rear cameras, and it's sometimes a touch excessive when adjusting skin tones in bright environments. But it’s still a camera I’d happily use to snap my next night out.

Whether you’re shooting selfies or regular shots, there are also a strong number of preset modes and effects you can use to make the shot your own if you aren’t a seasoned pro. It’s not quite as many as you’d get from something like a Pixel or Galaxy phone, but the Poco F8 Ultra's camera itself proved more than capable of providing strong results no matter the subject matter, even in my amateur hands.

Poco F8 Ultra review: camera samples

Future

Future // Rob Dunne

Future // Rob Dunne

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Future // Rob Dunne

Poco F8 Ultra review: Performance

(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)

• Flagship-level specs provide the expected power
• Doesn’t struggle with multitasking or intense games
• Brilliant audio capabilities

It’s frustratingly difficult to fault a flagship-killer's performance when it packs a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and DDR5X memory because, in short, it’s packing the same tech as its premium rivals, with a far smaller price tag. What’s more, there’s nothing to suggest any corners have been cut elsewhere on the F8 Ultra.

For example, I tested it with hugely demanding games such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact, and it never so much as dropped a frame. It’ll get a touch warm, as any phone would (including flagships), but, in fact, the alternative back panel material makes it far more manageable to hold when it does.

Day-to-day use is a doddle. Depending on the storage configuration you choose, you get either 12 or 16GB of DDR5X RAM, and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. Simply put, nothing is slow to load, and you’ll likely be able to multitask however you choose to without any noticeable slowdown.

What’s more, having now spent well over six months with the device (yes, I've been testing it for a while), these performance levels haven't dropped off whatsoever. The F8 Ultra is backed by a huge 6,500mAh battery, which we’ll cover later, and it's remained a remarkably capable phone for heavy-duty gaming sessions while I'm on the go. This performance is, in part, helped by its ‘Game Turbo’ mode, though, on trying with and without this option turned on, the difference is far less noticeable than you’d expect.

Streaming on the device is something I also came to enjoy thanks in no small part to its unique Bose subwoofer system. It’s well known that regular phone speakers often return flat, unappealing soundscapes, but the F8 Ultra’s Bose partnership quite simply throws this possibility out of the window. The subwoofer allows for a 2.1-channel audio system that restores the punchiness you want while watching intense TV series or horror films (in private, please).

Of course, the F8 Ultra is no match for a proper speaker or sound system, but I’ve certainly found myself more comfortable using the phone to play music aloud or quickly watch videos while at home without connecting to a speaker separately.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Poco F8 Ultra review: Software

(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)

• HyperOS 3 is simple enough for anyone
• AI is becoming increasingly involved in the experience
• Remains beginner-friendly without AI integrations

HyperOS has quickly matured into a clean and easy OS since its launch in late 2023. Yes, the ever-increasing amount of AI features may put off those keen to avoid extreme data collection in the name of convenience, but the software experience, regardless, is smoother than ever.

Navigating menus and finding settings and toggles throughout the device is smooth, and everything is essentially where you’d expect it to be. The functionality of some of the icon-based toggles could be clearer, but this is a problem that’s apparent across most Android OS packages nowadays.

Photo editing is so far the best use of Xiaomi’s increasing AI toolset. Beginners can quickly and easily improve their photos with an ‘AI Beautify’ tool that does a far better job than most auto-adjust photo tools I’ve come across in the past.

There are several more excessive options, such as sky adjustments, image expansion, and portrait adjustments, that may disturb photography purists, but, as yet, these tools aren’t quite as refined as they need to be for everyday use.

Outside of photography, you get several AI-based writing improvement, search, and speech tools that can be toggled to improve the everyday experience. Thankfully, having tested the Poco F8 Ultra both with and without these additions, the user experience remains simple enough if you’re keen to keep AI away from your everyday tasks.

All in all, HyperOS 3 more than matches up to the F8 Ultra’s premium specs; it provides a simple enough experience for casual users, while power users can make the most of its many customization options.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Poco F8 Ultra review: Battery

• Huge multi-day battery life
• Sub-hour charging times are very helpful
• Includes 22.5W reverse wireless charging

It’s no surprise that the Poco F8 Ultra’s battery credentials are flagship-grade. The phone packs a 6,500mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, and in testing, these figures resulted in months of day-long battery life and little worry about the speed of impromptu top-ups.

Slower use days will get you multiple days of battery life, which was a welcome surprise, and in truth you'll probably get beyond a day of endurance even with a reasonable amount of social media scrolling and general browsing.

Gaming and streaming were, understandably, the biggest drainers. But, even so, it would only make an hour or so’s difference to the battery life I’d come to expect. To this day, over six months later, I’m still never remotely worried I’ll run out of battery on the Poco F8 Ultra so long as I'm leaving the house with 40% charge or above.

And the phone's 100W charging makes charging a breeze. Getting back up to 100% is comfortably done in under an hour, though in my experience, it takes a tad longer than the advertised 38 minutes. 22.5W reverse wireless charging is also a handy addition for when friends find themselves in a pinch.

In my experience, you’d scarcely find better battery life at this price point. Only Poco's own Poco X8 Pro Max trumps the F8 Ultra for battery value, though you will get even better endurance from true flagships like the Oppo Find X9 Pro and OnePlus 15.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Poco F8 Ultra?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Poco F8 Ultra brings undoubtedly flagship capabilities to a mid-range price point. It's perfect if you’re keen to save without making huge performance sacrifices.	5 / 5
Design	Despite being a clear iPhone clone, the F8 Ultra lacks no amount of unique style. It’s premium to look at whether you go safe with black or opt for its denim alternative.	4 / 5
Display	Bright and smooth, it’s easy to see the Poco F8 Ultra’s premium intent as soon as you load up its huge display for the first time.	4 / 5
Performance	Nothing seems to stop the F8 Ultra from performing. Gaming and multitasking are a breeze, with little sign of let up no matter how hard you push.	5 / 5
Software	HyperOS is finally becoming the matured, reliable OS it was intended to be. AI is definitely a centrepiece, but it’s easy enough for anyone to use.	4 / 5
Cameras	Vibrant, detailed, and sharp, there’s little to fault about the Poco F8 Ultra’s triple camera array. That said, there’s room for some improvement on the front.	4 / 5
Battery	Multi-day battery life and super-quick charging. Using it makes you forget what worrying about battery life feels like, and it doesn’t stop for months.	5 / 5

Buy it if

You want all-day battery life and more

The Poco F8 Ultra’s battery size, charging speed, and superb processing capabilities make multi-day use the norm — it's perfect if you’re always on the move without access to quick and easy charging.View Deal

You’re a keen mobile gamer

The mix of top-tier processing capabilities and long battery life means you can be set up for hours of high-intensity gaming. No need to turn down the graphics settings, no need to turn on battery saver; just sit down and game as you wish. View Deal

You want an immersive streaming experience

The Poco F8 Ultra’s 2.1-channel audio system and huge 6.9-inch display make for a brilliant mobile streaming experience that simply can’t be matched by any phone of a similar price. View Deal

Don’t buy it if

You want a guaranteed point-and-shoot camera experience

While the camera is superb, in some settings, the focus can be fiddly, which, if you’re after a quick shot, is less than ideal. View Deal

Poco F8 Ultra review: also consider

Oppo Find X9 Pro

Oppo’s Find X9 Pro is a step up in all the things that make the Poco F8 Ultra great. Superb photography, huge battery life, and strong performance. Just be aware that it’s regularly a more expensive choice and lacks US availability.

Read our full Oppo Find X9 Pro review

Samsung Galaxy S26

The S26 is the ideal phone if you’re looking for decent photography, with strong AI integrations and an all-round better user experience. That said, you lose out on battery life and some of the photographic potential.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 review

	Poco F8 Ultra	Oppo Find X9 Pro	Samsung Galaxy S26
Price	£749 / $729	£1,099 / AU$2,299	$899 / £879 / AU$1,349
Display	6.9-inch 120Hz HyperRGB AMOLED	6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED	6.3-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Cameras	50 MP wide (f/1.7) + 50 MP periscope telephoto (f/3.0) + 50 MP (f/2.4) ultra-wide	50MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 200MP telephoto (3x)	50MP main + 10MP telephoto + 12MP ultra-wide
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5	MediaTek Dimensity 9500	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Battery	6,500mAh	7,500mAh	4,300mAh

How I tested the Poco F8 Ultra

• Tested over multiple months
• Used as both a daily driver and second phone
• Compared with previous testing

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I tested the Poco F8 Ultra over a period exceeding six months, with the phone arriving at the time of its launch.

In that time, it was either my main or secondary phone and was put through several forms of testing. This included extensive usage to test battery life, intensive streaming and gaming testing, as well as regular daily use to spot usability issues, bugs, and other problems consumers may face.

This review was conducted using my own experience of the phones industry alongside other experiences reviewing phones in similar price brackets.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: July 2026

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The 5 best 4K Blu-rays for showing off your TVs vibrant colors — with titles from Disney, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros

In my opinion, 4K Blu-ray is easily the best way to view a movie at home. It delivers unmatched picture quality that will give the best TVs a chance to shine, along with uncompressed audio that, when played through one of the best soundbars or a full surround system, is unbeatable.

Since I started testing 4K Blu-ray for TechRadar back in November 2024 as part of the Blu-ray Bounty (where we test the latest 4K releases from each month), I’ve come to appreciate the format even more, and I've even become a fan and collector during that time. 4K Blu-ray is also a staple of my AV testing, as it uses that exceptional picture and audio I mentioned to really push AV equipment to its limits.

I’ve spoken before about my favorite discs of classic movies, as I believe 4K Blu-ray has worked wonders for some older titles. But in recent months, there’s been a few new discs that have impressed me in one area in particular: color. I’ve tested two discs in the last few weeks alone that have entered my testing disc rotation, so I thought I’d pick my top five 4K Blu-rays for color that I’ve tried out as part of the Blu-ray Bounty.

Speed Racer (2008) (Warner Bros.)

(Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )

Based on the 1967 animated TV show of the same name, Speed Racer follows the story of a young man called Speed Racer (Emile Hersch), a racecar driver who follows his deceased older brother’s career and vies to become a champion. After he chooses to stay with his family’s racer company, Racer Motors, instead of joining the Royalton Industries team, he becomes a target. The movie also stars John Goodman, Susan Sarandon and Christina Ricci.

From the moment I fired up Speed Racer, I was amazed by the sheer brilliance of its colors, which practically explode on screen. Throughout the movie, there’s plenty of bold, vibrant tones that really show off your TV’s color reproduction. As the Racer family eat breakfast after the opening race, the bright orange walls, green furnishings and pink details all pop on screen. Even people’s clothes have an almost oversaturated, bright look to them than when I watched on the LG G6, one of 2026’s best OLED TVs, showing real vibrancy.

Of course, there’s the colors around the racetrack itself too. From the bright, neon advertisements to the candy-colored outfits and car decor, if your TV has good HDR peak brightness, you’ll be rewarded with punchy highlights that really dazzle on screen. The disc supports Dolby Vision, and if your TV supports it, you’ll enjoy even more vibrant colors. This really is a reference quality disc.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Universal Pictures)

(Image credit: Nintendo / Universal Pictures / Future )

Sequel to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros Movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie follows Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi and Toad as they attempt to rescue Princess Rosalina from the clutches of Bowser Jr. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Anya-Taylor Joy, Charlie Day and Jack Black.

Animated movies often deliver striking, eye-catching colors, but I was floored by how good The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s colors were. It starts in the very opening scene with the Lumas. As the Lumas themselves are all a variety of vivid colors, including red, green, blue and gold, they really show the 4K disc’s superb clarity from the get-go.

There’s plenty of natural color too, particularly in Mario and Luigi’s overalls, which are the most toned down, lifelike colors throughout the movie. Scenes of space show gorgeous pink, purple and blue hues that balance that are both nicely saturated and rich, and even fire has plenty of dazzle that, on the right screen, can also look realistic. It helps that the movie has crisp textures and details, but the color is what really shows off this disc.

Wicked (Universal Pictures)

(Image credit: Universal Pictures / Future )

Wicked, based on the musical of the same name, is a re-imagining of the events of The Wizard of Oz. It follows the story of how Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West), played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda (the Good Witch of the North), played by Ariana Grande, strike up an unlikely friendship while at the Shiz academy.

When I first tested this disc as part of the March 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, I was impressed with its color reproduction. While I expected dynamic, lively colors, due to the setting of Oz, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the 4K disc struck the balance between vivid and true-to-life. Elphaba’s green skin, although not in itself ‘realistic’, looks believable and lifelike. Glinda’s bright, pink outfits really pop on screen, but again look natural.

One scene I frequently use in my TV testing is where Elphaba stands under a tree with pink flowers. On the right TV, this scene can really show off a TV’s colors, thanks to the vibrant pink flowers, Elphaba’s green skin and even the blue detail on the decor of the school walls. Even if a TV doesn’t have the strongest color reproduction, the scene can still look good: it just won’t have that wow-factor that does the 4K disc justice.

The Sound of Music (Disney)

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future )

One of cinema’s most iconic musicals, The Sound of Music, based on the 1959 stage musical of the same name, tells the story of a nun Maria (Julie Andrews) who is assigned as the nanny for the Von Trapp family children during wartime Austria. The movie won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

I’ve always been amazed about what 4K Blu-ray can do for older movies, and The Sound of Music is one of my chosen showcases for this. Not only is the restored detail exceptional, but the movie’s colors are a sight to behold. My reference scene from this disc is when Maria and the children are at a market. In front of them are various fruits, mainly yellow, orange and red, that on the 4K disc practically shimmer on screen. But like Wicked, these colors also appear natural at the same time.

Throughout the movie, many scenes of the Austrian landscape also really showcase the bold, engaging color profile that the 4K disc can show on the right screen. The green grass, gorgeous blue sky and the white snow-capped mountains all pop, and if your TV can replicate the finest details, individual shades within these large colorful areas look exceptional. This is one of the best 4K discs of an older movie I’ve seen, and its colors are a big reason for that.

The Wild Robot (Universal Pictures)

(Image credit: Universal Pictures / Future )

Based on the 2016 novel of the same name, The Wild Robot follows Roz, a robot sent to gather data on wildlife. Roz, who is abandoned, must adapt to her surroundings, where she becomes the surprise adopter of a wild goose. The movie stars Luipta Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Kit Connor and Mark Hammil among its all-star cast.

While a lot of animation, such as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie higher up this list, can opt for vibrant, saturated colors, some animated movies go for a more natural color profile. The Wild Robot is one of the best examples I’ve seen of this. Using a beautiful animation style, which looks like a watercolor painting, the 4K disc is truly stunning. Colors are vibrant, but also true to the watercolor aesthetic of the movie and really do look like a real-life painting.

There are tons of scenes to choose from here, but the opening sequences where Roz first encounters nature are the best. The green trees and fields look superb, appearing both realistic and bright, and as Roz touches a group of yellow butterflies, the screen is filled with beautiful, vivid color that can really glisten on the right TVs. There’s even excellent detail within the colors of different creature’s fur, with different shades appearing nuanced and refined. I’ve seen numerous animated 4K Blu-rays, and this is one of the very best looking around.

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