Top tech of the month: the best new gadgets we've tested for September 2026

TechRadar's reviewers don't take the summer off. Oh no, they've been as busy as ever, testing gadgets of all shapes and sizes to bring you our top recommendations for the products worth buying... and the ones to avoid. In this month's Reviews Recap, I've rounded up our top-rated tech of the past four weeks. These are the products that made it through our tough tests and earned a score of 4.5 or above.

In the five-star camp, we have two standout pieces of content creator kit. The Insta360 X6 won us over with its rugged build, lengthy battery life, and ability to capture pin-sharp images in any lighting conditions. Our tester called it "the most capable small 360 camera [he's] tested to date" and "the finest all-round performer in its class".

DJI also continues on its winning streak with the Mic Mini 2S. This compact wireless mic offers many of the flagship Mic 3's most appealing features — from internal recording to AI noise cancellation — but comes in at around half the price. It makes no sense, but we'll take it.

Elsewhere, we were impressed by Samsung's new foldable phones, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra both earning a near-perfect 4.5 stars. We declared the former "a shot in the arm for the foldables market" and our roaming editor argued the latter was "virtually unbeatable" when compared to other flagships.

Scroll down to check out all of our top-rated gadgets from the past four weeks, across all of our physical product categories. Click the 'View details' button for a summary of our main takeaways for each product, plus a link to read the full review. Note: only the products that are available in your region will display as cards.

5-star products

DJI

Mic Mini 2S wireless mic

Read our full review

Pros

• Audio quality that rivals the pricier DJI Mic 3
• Internal recording and 32-bit float included
• AI noise-cancelling is a step up from the Mic Mini 2

Cons

• Considerably pricier than the standard Mic Mini 2
• Still lacks the Mic 3's timecode, dual-file recording and touchscreen receiver

Sony

Inzone M10S II gaming monitor

Read our full review

Pros

• Upgraded 540Hz refresh rate (or 720Hz in HD)
• Significantly brighter than its predecessor
• Beautifully designed stand
• Wealth of useful esports features
• Capable software

Cons

• Still expensively positioned in the market
• New anti-glare coating is effective, but hard to clean

Insta360

X6 action camera

Read our full review

Pros

• Excellent image quality in bright daylight and low light alike
• 10-bit color across all shooting modes
• Strong battery life with no overheating issues
• Class-leading case-free waterproofing to 20m depth

Cons

• The priciest small 360 camera on the market by some distance
• Mobile app was unstable and crash-prone throughout testing

4.5-star products

Xiaomi

Poco F8 Pro phone

Read our full review

Pros

• Outstanding value for money
• Vibrant, bright, and colorful display
• Flagship-grade performance
• Excellent battery and blistering 100W charging
• Bose-tuned speakers are loud and crisp

Cons

• HyperOS is still bogged down by ads and bloatware
• No wireless charging or USB 3.0 fast speeds
• Selfie camera maxes out at 1080p video
• Telephoto camera lacks OIS

KEF

LS Luxe speakers

Read our full review

Pros

• Articulate, balanced and authoritative sound
• Ample power is one of several specification highlights
• Impressive standard of build and finish

Cons

• Fussy where positioning is concerned
• Finish makes quite a big difference to the aesthetic
• Stands are almost ‘must-have’ (and very expensive)

Ninja

CrushBOSS 3-in-1 food processor

Read our full review

Pros

• Blends and processes a huge variety of foods and beverages
• Powerful blades easily blend ice and much more
• Comes with lots of different blades for dicing, slicing, shredding, and more
• Smaller blending tumbler is perfect for smoothies on the go
• SmoothSense and PrepIQ eliminate guesswork

Cons

• Sometimes you have to run a second cycle to full blend or process foods
• Quite a learning curve to figure out all of the features
• Has lot of parts to clean
• Needs a significant amount of storage/counter space

Noble Audio

Vanguard in-ear monitors

Read our full review

Pros

• Natural and textured sound across the frequency range
• Incredibly insightful treble response
• Striking aesthetic and great build quality

Cons

• Broad build isn’t my favorite
• No 3.5mm connectivity option

Terra Kaffe

Demi espresso machine

Read our full review

Pros

• Quick and easy to set up and use
• Great taste
• Very compact
• Fully automatic from beans to brew
• Can adjust brew strength, temperature, and size, but only if you want to
• Gorgeous minimalist aesthetic
• Easy maintenance and cleaning
• Machine can be opened and brew unit fully cleaned

Cons

• Drip coffee isn't very strong
• No pre-ground coffee option or milk frother
• Pricey

Xiaomi

Poco F8 Ultra phone

Read our full review

Pros

• Stellar battery life
• Immense performance
• Great rear cameras

Cons

• Denim Blue is an acquired taste
• The front camera is not the best

JBL

Live Beam 4 wireless headphones

Read our full review

Pros

• Excellent audio quality with impactful bass
• Comfortable, secure fit
• Smart case is well-built and fun, even if it’s a bit gimmicky

Cons

• Disappointing call quality
• ANC isn’t quite top-tier
• Poor spatial audio setting

Marshall

Stockwell III speaker

Read our full review

Pros

• Mighty yet controlled and rich sound
• Stunning looks
• Excellent value for money
• Plenty of improvements over its predecessor

Cons

• No LDAC despite it featuring in recent Marshall releases
• Mids could sound a bit more textured
• Using older Marshall Bluetooth app at launch

TP-Link

BE10000 Wi-Fi 7 range extender

Read our full review

Pros

• Tri-band Wi-Fi 7
• 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
• Easy-to-use app

Cons

• Expensive
• Few homes need 10Gbps performance
• Many computers and mobile devices still lack Wi-Fi 7

Terra Kaffe

Aero milk frother

Read our full review

Pros

• Easy to use and clean up
• Four settings: Hot Froth, Hot Milk, Cold Foam, and Matcha
• Elegant style
• Effective

Cons

• Pricey
• Takes up more space than a handheld frother

Eureka

Ergonomic Aero Pro standing desk

Read our full review

Pros

• Spacious
• Reasonably priced
• Quiet motor

Cons

• Lackluster lighting
• Demands space

KitchenAid

KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Read our full review

Pros

• Well-extracted espresso
• Compact size will suit most kitchens
• Steam wand is great for foaming milk
• Simple controls
• Easy to maintain

Cons

• No user profiles
• Limited drinks menu
• Iced coffee not as cold as some might like

Garmin

Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED adventure watch

Read our full review

Pros

• Brightest screen ever made
• Extensive features and accurate sensors
• Extremely rugged

Cons

• Only available in 51mm size
• Significant price hike over AMOLED version
• Shorter battery life than AMOLED version

Turtle Beach

PlayTrek 2-in-1 Case Officially Licensed for Nintendo Switch 2

Read our full review

Pros

• Smart design
• Pleasingly light and lean
• Detachable travel case

Cons

• Zips a little awkward to use
• Some quality issues with the inner mold
• Detachable travel case a little too flimsy

Glorious

GHS Wireless InfinitePlay headset

Read our full review

Pros

• Smart, swappable battery
• Low footprint base station
• Flat, tuneable sound
• Lightweight and adjustable design

Cons

• Some headband pressure
• Unintuitive physical controls
• Questionable marketing

Turtle Beach

Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller

Read our full review

Pros

• Beautiful, unique appearance
• Tasteful RGB lighting
• Smooth thumbsticks and triggers
• No-nonsense feature set

Cons

• Materials don’t feel as good as first-party options
• I wish the dongle was also pink

Garmin

Cirqa activity tracker

Read our full review

Pros

• Tactile button for certainty in recording
• Comfortable design
• Screenless form factor is a winner
• Garmin Connect is a solid app

Cons

• Limitations in metrics compared to a full Garmin watch
• Relatively high price for the puck
• Bicep band sold separately

SteelSeries

Arctis Nova Pro Omni gaming headset

Read our full review

Pros

• Fabulous SteelSeries gaming audio
• Hi-Res certification
• All the connectivity options you could want
• A host of gaming-focused features and options
• Enhancements over the Nova Pro Wireless are numerous and tangible
• Great design and build quality

Cons

• Slightly awkward position in the line as a halfway house between Nova Pro and Elite
• Value is questionable while its predecessor still exists

Samsung

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra phone

Read our full review

Pros

• It's flat!
• The crease is almost invisible
• Fantastic Snapdragon power
• Better cameras and image processing than ever
• New tech enables a bigger battery
• Lots of useful AI

Cons

• Camera bump means the tablet can't lie flat
• Expensive
• No digitizing layer for an S Pen

Lavazza

A Modo Mio Jolie Evo coffee machine

Read our full review

Pros

• Ideally sized for small kitchens
• Simple, ergonomic controls
• Superb espresso for a pod machine
• Capsules are reasonably priced

Cons

• Pods not widely recycled
• No timer to stop flow automatically

Dreo

TurboCool Misting Fan 765S

Read our full review

Pros

• Can actually cool your room
• Intuitive controls and app
• Misting can run for 24 hours+
• Super quiet operation

Cons

• Heavy to move about
• Remote is on the cheap side
• Rivals offer superior oscillation

Samsung

Galaxy Z Fold 8 phone

Read our full review

Pros

• Easily pocketable design that can still open into a tablet-sized device
• Attractive displays
• Fun and useful software/AI tools

Cons

• Expensive
• No telephoto camera

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RAMageddon could send TV prices soaring — get LG’s best-rated C6 OLED TV at its lowest price yet

RAMageddon is real, as we've seen tech prices rise because of the global RAM and component crises. While it hasn't hit TV prices yet, Samsung has warned that price hikes can't be ruled out because of the ongoing memory chip shortage.

• Shop Best Buy's full Labor Day sale

Now, enough bad news; the good news is that TV costs haven't been affected yet, and thanks to Best Buy's Labor Day sale, you can get our best-rated TV at its lowest price yet. The retailer has LG's 65-inch C6 OLED TV on sale for an incredible price of $1,499.99 (originally $2,699.99), thanks to a whopping $1,200 discount.

The LG C6 was released in March of this year and has already been crowned TechRadar's best TV of 2026. The LG C6 is the successor to the popular LG C5, and in our review it earned five out of five stars, and we said it was 'a notable upgrade over its predecessor.' The LG C6 includes a speedy Alpha 11 AI processor and delivers brighter, more accurate colors and powerful contrast. You also get impressive gaming features and sound, and LG's webOS 26 smart platform, which includes new AI features.

Save $1,200 on LG's C6 OLED TV

65-inch C6 OLED TV: was $2699.99 now $1499.99
The LG C6 is our best-rated TV, and the 65-inch model has received a whopping $1,200 discount at Best Buy's Labor Day sale. The 2026 OLED TV delivers more accurate, brighter colors than the C5, with powerful contrast thanks to its new Alpha 11 AI processor. The C6 also includes impressive gaming features and LG's intuitive smart TV platform.

Read our full LG C6 reviewView Deal

I've listed more of Best Buy's top Labor Day TV deals below, including record-low prices on a range of 4K, QLED, and OLED TVs.

Keep in mind that today's discount on LG's C6 OLED TV is a limited-time offer, and it's the lowest price we've ever seen for the 65-inch model. If you want to grab a premium display at an excellent price before potential RAM price hikes hit, then you should take advantage of this incredible deal at Best Buy.

Shop more of the top TV deals at Best Buy

55-inch F70 Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Fire TV: was $699.99 now $299.99
Insignia's F70 Series QLED TV boasts Mini-LED and Quantum Dot technology, delivering bold, vibrant colors and lifelike images. You also get Dolby Atmos Audio, smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa, so you can use your voice to control your TV.View Deal

QD50 58-inch Hi-QLED 4K TV: was $399.99 now $209.99
I can't speak too much about the overall quality of this TV given we haven't had extensive testing time, but I can't deny that it's a super low price for a TV of this size. It also sports the budget version of Hisense's QLED tech, which offers superior brightness and more vivid colors, although it's not as powerful as the premium displays. Still, this is a big and cheap TV that will be ideal for general everyday viewing and streaming for someone who isn't too bothered about getting the very best picture possible.View Deal

65-inch Bravia XR8B Smart Google TV: was $3299.99 now $2499.99
If you're looking for a big-screen premium display, Sony's 65-inch Bravia XR8B OLED TV is now at a record-low price of $2,499.99. Sony's Bravia 8 features a sleek, slim design, a wide viewing angle, brilliant images with deep contrast, and cinematic sound across the entire screen.View Deal

75-inch C350 4K Fire TV: was $729.99 now $369.99
If you're looking for a cheap big-screen TV, Best Buy has the popular 75-inch Toshiba C350 4K Fire TV for an incredible $369.99. Toshiba's C350 is a 4K TV with HDR support, delivering solid picture quality for everyday viewing. Access streaming apps easily with the Fire TV OS, which puts Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and more at your fingertips. It's not as powerful as many premium options, but if you're on a tight budget and want a big display, this is an excellent option.View Deal

75-inch S5 4K LED Fire TV: was $649.99 now $419.99
The TCL 75-inch S5 4K LED TV supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, HDR10, and HLG, while there’s Dolby Atmos sound and a built-in subwoofer. It also has a dedicated Game Mode for lower input lag and latency, and Motion Rate 240 technology for smoother motion. It’s all wrapped up in a highly attractive price tag for a screen of this size.View Deal

77-inch G6 OLED 4K TV: was $4499.99 now $3799.99
The LG G6 is a pricey TV, but this flagship OLED delivers superb picture quality and unbeatable gaming performance. It uses a new-gen Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED panel and a new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor to deliver a better bright-room viewing experience than the previous model. With four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting a full suite of features, the G6 is also a fantastic gaming display.

Read our full LG G6 reviewView Deal

77-inch B5 OLED 4K Smart TV: was $2999.99 now $1499.99
The LG B5 is this year's best budget OLED TV, and Best Buy has a massive 50% discount on the 77-inch model. Released last year, the LG B5 is TechRadar's best budget OLED TV and was awarded four and a half stars in our review. The LG display delivers an exceptional picture with brilliant colors and sharp contrast. You also get excellent gaming features, thanks to the four HDMI 2.1 ports and new AI tools, including AI Search, AI Concierge, and an improved AI Chatbot.

Read our full LG B5 reviewView Deal

See more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

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I switched from Goodreads to Fable for tracking all of my favorite books, and it’s one of the best digital migrations I’ve made yet

Homescreen Heroes

This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here.

For someone who has a degree in journalism and a master's in English, I should read more than I actually do.

But movies are my thing, and apps like Letterboxd encourage me to broaden my cinematic horizons. That said, there’s one app that’s lifted me out of my years-long reading slump — and no, it’s not Goodreads.

Fable is a reading and book club platform on iOS and Android that launched in 2021, but it’s only been an integral part of my homescreen for the past year or two. When I saw that most of my friends were migrating to Fable from Goodreads, I joined the club — and I don’t regret it.

Now, Fable hasn’t completely seized the throne from Goodreads; the latter is still widely used and takes the number four spot in the iOS App Store’s ‘Books’ category (Fable is number nine). But popularity doesn’t always equate to the best, and I’ve found Fable to be a true all-rounder.

A real page-turner

(Image credit: Future)

Compared to Goodreads, which I found slow, janky, and unresponsive at times, navigating Fable is much smoother and there’s more of an emphasis on the graphic design side. While Goodreads adopts a predominantly beige interface, Fable’s is brighter, more vibrant, almost like a psychological magnet that once you look at it, you can’t help but want to engage with the app on a more personal level.

Even its book reviewing process is colorful and engaging. Once you’ve finished a title and you decide to log it into Fable, you don’t just review the overall book with a small entry and call it a day. The app lets you give star reviews for individual elements including writing style, characters, plot, setting, and it even asks you questions like ‘how did this book make you feel?’ or ‘how spicy was this romance book?’, giving you a carousel of emoji reactions to choose from.

Graphics aside, Fable’s layout is divided into distinct tabs (Home page, Clubs, Search, Library, and Profile) like most social media platforms — and this is where its main focus lies.

With any social media app, you can follow friends and popular accounts, whose posts and reading updates all appear in the ‘Following’ section of the Fable Home page. Alternatively, you can switch to the ‘For You’ page, which displays posts and updates from other accounts it thinks you’d like to see. These are all based on the books you add to your ‘Want To Read’ list, books you’ve reviewed that you have in common with others, and more.

This means suggested posts and profiles are all based solely on your activity and interests, which Goodreads doesn’t have. But that’s not the only stand-out feature with Fable.

Across both platforms, book reviewing and reading tracking is a given, but Fable actually allows you to share written posts up to 750 characters, to which you can also attach images and tag titles and specific book clubs — like a combination between a Facebook post and a Tweet. Posting is also another useful way to find other bookworms with similar tastes and interests, thanks to how Fable’s algorithmic recommendations work.

Find your tribe

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of which, book clubs have become integral to how bookworms socialize with each other in modern times, and tech has really helped readers optimize this — and Fable taps into that sense of community.

Unlike Goodreads, where you have to manually search for groups, Fable has an entire hub dedicated to themed book clubs. Fancy yourself a book club dedicated entirely to Shakespeare? Fable has them. Or perhaps you want a club that’s all about reading banned books? That’s right, Fable has them too.

Fable’s community focus is one of the shining stars of the app, as is its book logging tool, but it isn’t just a place for this or to see what your friends have been reading. It gives you a full rundown of your most-read authors and favorite genres — kind of like Spotify Wrapped, but these stats are always present on your Profile.

If you’ve ever fallen in and out of reading ruts like myself, Fable has a roster of tools to give you the push you need to pick up the book that’s been sitting on your shelf for a while — starting with reading goals.

(Image credit: Future)

Though Goodreads offers a similar function, the layout is all over the place, and you have to set goals in a separate section of the app. With Fable, you can set reading goals and display them right in your profile, so they’re all in one place.

Secondly, Fable’s Search page makes the job of finding your next literary obsession a lot easier. In addition to a carousel of recommendations based on the books in your list, the Search page is packed with mini genre hubs filled with Fable’s most popular titles.

This way you can browse your favorite categories in-depth, or explore one you’ve been meaning to try — there’s even a fun Mood Quiz feature that does the searching for you based on the answers you select. Even though you have to subscribe to Fable Plus to set monthly and weekly goals, you can set yearly reading goals for free, which is enough for casual users like myself.

Everyone goes through the odd reading slump now and then, but believe me when I say that having an app on your homescreen that allows you to log everything you’re reading really helps — I found the same helped with movies when I first downloaded Letterboxd.

That said, I’m still a novice when it comes to using Fable to its full potential; I haven’t quite found the courage to share posts, but I have no doubt that day will come as I continue to fill up my lists and find my book tribes — then I’ll become a full-bodied power-user.

In addition to weekly and monthly goals, Fable Plus offers a multitude of other tools, including visual progress tracking, Smart Coaching, and deeper insights into your reading performance. You can also customize your Fable experience with exclusive art and custom app icons, all with the absence of ads.

Fable is available in the App Store and on Google Play.

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'Unarguably one of the very best wireless stereo speaker systems you can currently buy': KEF's LS Luxe is the real deal, if you can accept the placement fussiness and 'visual drama'

KEF LS Luxe: Two-minute review

The LS Luxe is the new high-point — by which I mean ‘most expensive’ — of KEF’s fêted range of wireless stereo speaker systems. Having precisely nothing left to prove where products of this type are concerned in the lower $1,000 / £750 - $3,400 / £2,500 arena, the company has made a decisive move upmarket — and the LS Luxe seems to leave very little to chance where engineering, specification and aesthetic shock and awe are concerned.

You will make your own mind up about the looks, of course; for my money, the ‘eclipse black’ of my review sample is the least successful of the three available finishes, but there’s no denying the LS Luxe is an individual looker in a market where design flourishes are always at a premium. But when talk turns to engineering and specification, subjectivity ceases to be all that much of an issue.

Numerous input options (both wired and wireless), genuinely high-resolution playback (24bit/192kHz is yours if you connect the speakers together, while 24bit/96kHz is available from a wireless connection), and some proven technologies exclusive to KEF serve to make the LS Luxe look like a very serious proposition on the page.It’s only fractionally less serious when it comes to performance, too.

Make sure you’ve positioned the speakers carefully, get beyond the slightly restricted dimensions of the soundstage it conjures… and then there’s a huge amount to enjoy here. Some of the best stereo speakers on the market? Yes.

The LS Luxe is a deftly accomplished listen, able to combine forensic attention to detail with an energetic, almost forceful attitude that brings recordings of all types bounding to life. It manages to combine analysis with entertainment in a way that’s rare at any price.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

KEF LS Luxe review: Price & release date

• Launched on July 30, 2026
• Priced $3,999 / £3,499 / AU$6,399

The KEF LS Luxe wireless stereo speaker system is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it costs £3,499. In the United States it sells for $3,999, while in Australia the going rate is AU$6,399.

If you don’t want this to be the end of your spending, KEF will happily sell you a pair of its bespoke ‘S-Luxe’ speaker stands for £799 / $799 / AU$1199…

What of note at the level? The Sonus faber Duetto are the same price and also present a fantastic listen, albeit with a very different aesthetic.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

KEF LS Luxe review: Features

• 12th-gen Uni-Q driver array
• Wired and wireless connectivity options
• 560 watts of Class D power plus 200 watts of Class A/B

It’s not the only thing that’s attention-grabbing about the look of the LS Luxe, of course, but there’s no denying that the 12th generation Uni-Q driver array is just as visually impactful as it was when the first generation was revealed back in 1988.

Here, it features a 25mm aluminium tweeter behind a complex waveguide, in the throat of a 165mm aluminum mid/bass cone — as always, the arrangement is designed for optimum time-alignment and superior driver integration.

A more recent KEF innovation, ‘metamaterial absorption technology’, sits behind the tweeter where it’s designed to mop up energy travelling from the back of the tweeter dome and allow for sweeter, cleaner treble response as a result.

The driver arrangement is mechanically decoupled from the cabinet, and a decoupling chassis within the assembly damps any vibrations from the motor system — in both cases, the idea is to reduce the vibration affecting the cabinet structure to an absolute minimum. Low distortion and sky-high clarity are the results KEF is aiming for.

Unusually, KEF has deployed two distinct methods of amplifying the Uni-Q array. Each mid/bass driver feels the benefit of 280 watts of Class D power, while each tweeter is driven by 100 watts of Class A/B amplification — an all-in total of 760 watts of power really ought to prove adequate. KEF reckons a frequency response of 42Hz - 28kHz results from all this very thorough engineering.

Naturally, that’s not the end of it where clever technologies are concerned. KEF’s ‘Velocity Control Technology’, first seen in the XIO soundbar, measures the speed of movement of the cone and compensates for discrepancies between actual and expected values in real time. The ‘Music Integrity Engine’, meanwhile, maintains tonal consistency at all volume levels.

In terms of getting audio information into the system where it can be had at by these various highlights of specification, your options are fairly extensive. Dual-band wi-fi is on board, naturally — there’s also an Ethernet socket on the rear of the ‘primary’ speaker for absolute network stability — and this allows the system to be compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, the ‘Connect’ versions of Qobuz, Spotify and TIDAL, and UPnP. Internet radio is available too, and Roon Ready status is due to be confirmed much sooner rather than later.

A USB-C slot looks promising, but it’s ‘only’ a 5V output for charging. Bluetooth 5.3 is also on board as an additional wireless option - all the wireless stuff is handled by KEF’s proven ‘W2 Wireless Platform’.

The primary speaker is also home to the system’s physical connectivity. Here that means an HDMI eARC socket, optical and coaxial digital inputs, and a 3.5mm analogue input, as well as a kettle-lead socket for connection to mains power, a pre-out for a subwoofer and an RJ45 socket for connection to the secondary speaker. That secondary speaker makes do with a mains power socket, a corresponding RJ45 and a subwoofer pre-out.

The LS Luxe will support resolutions of up to 24bit/384kHz and DSD128 via its network inputs, 24bit/192kHz via coaxial and HDMI, and 24bit/96kHz via its optical input. If the speakers are connected using the supplied cable, everything is up- or down-sampled to 24bit/192kHz - if you decide the cleaner look of a wireless connection between the two is your preference, then the system tops out at 24bit/96kHz.

• Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas )

KEF LS Luxe review: Sound quality

• Detailed, organised and robust sound
• Eloquent midrange fidelity
• Could conceivably have greater out-and-out scale

First things first: the LEF LS Luxe is not remotely forgiving where the positioning of the speakers is concerned.

The overwhelming majority of stereo speakers I’ve tested, both active and passive, have given their best when toed in towards the listening position — in fact, off the top of my head I can only think of Dali that recommends its speakers should be pointing dead ahead to perform to their full potential. The KEF, though, like only the tiniest amount of toe-in. Too little or, especially, too much and they lose some of the width of their soundstage and a more noticeable amount of sonic height.

Even when ideally positioned, the soundstage they generate is not the biggest you’ve ever heard. It escapes the confines of cabinets quite comfortably, in both horizontal and vertical directions, but is still relatively limited.

Mind you, it’s fair to say a) the soundstage is extremely well laid-out and controlled, and b) that’s just about where my complaints end regarding the way the LS Luxe performs. In every other respect it’s a remarkably accomplished listen, and is undoubtedly one of the most effective pound-for-pound wireless stereo speaker systems around.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

No matter if you listen to the avant-electronica of Arca’s eponymous debut album via a CD player connected to the KEFs digital optical input, a 24bit/192kHz FLAC file of David Bowie’s Stationtostation wirelessly streamed from Qobuz Connect or a heavyweight vinyl reissue of Takk… by Sigur Rós from a pre-amplified turntable, the LS Luxe is a remarkably articulate, utterly revealing and deftly punchy system that is likely to steal your time away.

The tonal balance is exquisitely neutral. The KEF is more than happy to get out of the way of a recording and let it dictate terms in this respect. It’s similarly balanced and egoless where frequency response is concerned, too — it digs deep into the low frequencies and hits with real authority and control, while the opposite end has the substance to counteract the brilliance of the treble response, but at no point does the system over- or understate any part of the range.

The balanced and even-handed nature of its presentation goes a long way towards creating a strong impression of fidelity. So does the amount of detail it’s able to retrieve, reveal and contextualise. At every stage it is alert to the finest, most minor occurrences in a recording, in a voice or an individual instrument — and it’s able to give these details the appropriate amount of weighting no matter how fleeting they might be.

Its transient response is thrillingly positive, and the overall sound is eloquently alive and communicative as a result.

And when it comes to communication, the way the LS Luxe resolves the midrange means it’s brilliantly informative where voices are concerned. The minutiae of timbre, texture and technique are all made available, and the KEF can describe the attitude and character of a vocalist just as directly.

Rhythmic expression is confident, thanks to the careful control the system pays to the attack of low-frequency information. It’s a deftly fluent listen at the bottom end, and marries outright punch to a huge amount of tonal and textural variation. And when it comes to the dynamic of a recording, whether that’s the big shifts in intensity and volume or the more nuanced dynamics of harmonic changes, the KEF is an assured and convincing performer.

• Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

KEF LS Luxe review: Design

• Bulk moulding compound allows for organic shape with no seams
• Another Ross Lovegrove design
• Color makes a disproportionate difference to appearance

Q: When did you last see a pair of speakers that look like this? A: Never, that’s when.

The LS Luxe is the latest results of KEF’s ongoing collaboration with designer Ross Lovegrove and, just as with previous KEF/Lovegrove designs, there’s something almost organic about the shape of these loudspeakers.

The use of BMC (‘bulk moulding compound’) as the material for the cabinets means this smoothly curvaceous shape has no edges or visible seams, and is less prone to the build-up of internal standing waves than a more conventional box. It also means the requirement for internal bracing is minimised, so there’s greater internal volume than would otherwise be the case as a result. And there’s further visual drama at the rear of the cabinet: an elaborately shaped and channelled heatsink, fashioned from aluminium, has sufficient surface area to allow the heat from the internal electronics to be efficiently dispersed.

There’s also a fairly large bass reflex port nearby — it features KEF’s ‘Flexible Port Technology’. This means the walls of the port are not completely rigid, which should in theory help keep internal resonance to a minimum.

The LS Luxe is available in three finishes. My review sample is in ‘eclipse black’, which is my least favourite of the three. To my eyes it makes the cabinets look bulkier and heavier than they actually are. Check out the alternative ‘mineral white’ or ‘dusk titanium’ and see if you know what I mean. Regardless of the finish you choose, though, you’ll be the owner of a pair of speakers that are beautifully constructed, flawlessly finished, and both look and feel like the money’s-worth.

KEF didn’t supply me with the cost-option ‘S-Luxe’ stands developed specifically for use with this system, but unless you intend to position your speakers on a shelf or desktop (in which case I will judge you quite strongly) it’s worth factoring this extra cost in.

Other speaker stands work perfectly well, of course — I position the KEF on a pair of Soundstyle Z2, and they perform admirably. But the way the cabinet swoops and tapers towards the base means that a lot of the (regulation size) top plate of my stands is visible when the speaker is in place, and the look is not especially harmonious.

• Design score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

KEF LS Luxe review: Usability & setup

• ‘Wireless’ means either two or three wires
• Remote control handset and app
• A little patience sometimes required when using the app

There’s really not that much to setting up the KEF LS Luxe, and once it’s set up it’s pretty straightforward to operate — but that’s not the same as saying it doesn’t require a little attention.

As already discussed, this is a wireless system that requires at least two wires; both speakers must be plugged into the mains. After that, you can choose to connect the speakers together using a supplied cable, or you can take the hit in terms of resolution and establish a wireless connection between them.

There are a couple of control methods available. KEF supplies quite a nice, metal-fronted remote control that covers off the fundamentals like playback, power, volume and input selection — and there’s also the ‘KEF Connect’ control app that’s free for iOS and Android.

Naturally it duplicates all the remote control functions, and adds in the ability to integrate music streaming services, search for and save internet radio stations, trim the system’s response to suit your specific environment, check for firmware updates and so on. It can be a little lethargic at times, but on the whole it’s a stable and useful user interface.

• Usability & setup score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

KEF LS Luxe review: Value

If you want your fancy new wireless stereo system to turn heads on the basis of its looks as well as its sound, you can’t really argue with the value the KEF LS Luxe represents.

If you’re after great build quality and nicely realised control options to go along with the sonic performance and the visual drama, the case for this system gets stronger still. The bespoke stands are no one’s idea of a bargain, admittedly, but in every other respect there’s undeniable value for money on offer here.

• Value score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Should I buy the KEF LS Luxe?

KEF LS Luxe scorecard

Attribute	Notes	Score
Features	As fully featured as you could ever hope in such a design	5 / 5
Sound quality	Very fussy with placement, but get it right and they'll reward you	4.5 / 5
Design	Ross Lovegrove's stylings won't be for everyone, but they're refreshingly unusual	4 / 5
Setup & usability	'Wireless' means either two or three wires, but a little patience gets things all set	4.5 / 5
Value	Excellent in the sound-per-pound stakes, but those stands are nobody's idea of a bargain	4 / 5

Buy them if…

You like a strong design statement
They’re hard to come buy in the loudspeaker world, but there’s certainly one being made here

You like to be kept in the picture
The KEF’s facility with detail retrieval and midrange fidelity is straightforwardly impressive

You have a few different sources of music
Wired and wireless, analogue and digital - the LS Luxe has plenty of input options

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Don’t buy them if…

You don’t intend to buy the bespoke stands
Third-party stands do a good job, of course, but will have no harmony at all where aesthetic is concerned

The looks have led you to expect big sonic scale
The KEF’s soundstage is properly laid out and controlled, but it’s not as sizable as you might hope

You’re not inclined to finesse the position of the speakers
It’s well worth putting the effort in, but there’s no denying the LS Luxe are fussier about positioning than most pairs of speakers

KEF LS Luxe review: Also consider

The Sonus faber Duetto is, in its own way, just as visually arresting as the LS Luxe — it’s more identifiably a pair of speakers, but the established Sonus faber virtue of outstanding cabinet-making means this system looks and even feels the part.

It’s no slouch sonically, either — it’s a composed, informative and periodically thrilling listen.

At the other end of the spectrum (at least where aesthetic considerations are concerned) you’ll find the sonically impeccable, visually challenging JBL 4329P. JBL speakers have looked like this since the middle of the last century, and there’s no denying that in terms of performance they’re a roaring success. Their appearance in your home may cause a row based on their divisive looks, though…

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

How I tested the KEF LS Luxe

I position the KEF LS Luxe on a pair of Soundstyle Z2 speaker stands, and plug each one into the mains.

I listen with the speakers connected wirelessly, and I also listen when they’re physically joined together.

I stream music using TIDAL Connect and also access a lot of hi-res content from a Synology BeeStation Plus NAS device.

I connect a preamplified turntable to the analog input, a CD player to the coaxial input, and an OLED TV to the HDMI eARC socket. This means I’m able to access lots of different styles of content, in lots of different digital file types, and in a variety of resolutions.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

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• First reviewed: August 2026

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