I’ve spent the past couple of weeks putting Sony’s new Bravia 7 II True RGB TV through its paces (with a deeper dive coming next week), and so far I've been seriously impressed by its contrast, colour accuracy and brightness.

Despite being one step below Sony's flagship Bravia 9 II, the Bravia 7 II holds its own with the best of them. I went in expecting exceptionally vivid colours due to its use of individually controlled red, green and blue backlights, but what really blew me away was how it was able to achieve OLED-like black levels without any noticeable light bleed — all while keeping the kind of brightness you’d normally only see from the best Mini LED TVs.

As pointed out in our Bravia 7 II review, the TV is a beast when it comes to HDR performance, and my favourite thing about it has to be that it comes factory-calibrated to industry-standard levels, meaning it provides a look based on Sony's own master monitors (used by Hollywood colourists) right out of the box.

Best of all? The brand-new Bravia 7 II has already been discounted by upwards of AU$1,500 (depending on the retailer) as part of this year's EOFY sales. The biggest discount can be found on 85-inch model, which will usually set you back AU$7,499 but is currently down to AU$5,999 on Sony's online store with free shipping included. Alternatively, you could pick it up from The Good Guys for just AU$5,985, though that doesn't include shipping costs.

While the best deal can be had on the 85-incher, the next biggest discount can be found on the 75-inch model, which has dropped by AU$1,000 to just AU$5,499 AU$4,499.

Meanwhile, the 65‑inch model is now AU$700 off, dropping from AU$3,999 to AU$3,299, while the 55‑inch falls from AU$2,999 to AU$2,499, and the 50‑inch from AU$2,699 to AU$2,299.

Regardless of your preferred size option, those are are excellent deals. That said, you'd better hurry if you want to take advantage of this EOFY offer, as it'll expire after 11:59pm AEST on June 30, 2026.

After six months of lab testing the year's newest TVs, it has become clear that the best TVs of 2026 are pushing brightness and color accuracy to new heights. Today’s flagship TVs from Hisense and TCL deliver good performance, thanks in large part to a backlight technology called Mini-RGB that’s changing the game for picture quality.

Yet Sony isn't sitting on the sidelines. Its new "True RGB" technology also promises independently controlled red, green, and blue LEDs under the display panel but, according to Sony, offers “purer color expression, improved light steering, and ultra-wide viewing angles.” The best part? You don’t need to empty your pockets to get a taste. Despite it being used in the flagship Bravia 9 II sibling, you can get it on the Bravia 7 II at a lower price.

But does Sony’s new tech actually live up to the hype? After putting the Sony Bravia 7 II through our rigorous lab testing workflow and spending two days watching real-world content, the results didn’t blow my expectations out of the water, but I’m still very impressed.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Pricing and availability

The Bravia 7 II is $300 more than the starting price of the 65-inch Sony Bravia 7 we reviewed in 2025. Pricing for the Sony Bravia 7 II starts at $1,600 / AU$2,699 for the 50-inch variant, and goes as high as $9,000 / AU$12,999 for the 98-inch model.

MSRPs / RRPs for the whole range are listed below:

• 50-inch: $1,599 / AU$2,699
• 55-inch: $2,099 / N/A
• 65-inch: $2,599 / AU$3,999
• 75-inch: $3,099 / AU$5,499
• 85-inch: $3,999 / AU$7,499
• 98-inch: $8,999 / AU$12,999

The 65-inch review unit we have comes in at $2,600 / AU$3,999. Sony’s flagship Bravia 9 II costs $3,600 / AU$5,999, so if you buy the Bravia 7 II, you can save an extra $1,000 / AU$2,000. Stepping down means sacrificing a handful of dimming zones, the anti-glare features, and slightly more premium audio features — but these compromises aren’t so bad given the price difference.

That said, the 7 II is venturing close to OLED pricing territory. The LG C6 OLED currently sits at $2,700, while the LG B6 costs roughly $2,000. TCL’s RGB offering, the QM8L, has a price tag of $3,000 for the 75-inch model while the Hisense UR9 costs $2,000 for a 65-inch screen after the nearly unheard of $1,500 discount it received immediately after launch.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Design and ports

The Sony Bravia 7 II immediately felt different to me the moment I took it out of the box, largely due to its redesigned center-facing stand. As part of the setup, you slot a clear glass-like sheet into the front of the stand. Sony calls this the “Mirage Stand.” This helps hide the cables that might be behind the TV. It also helps light and color pass through.

The assembly was easy, involving building out both sides of the base, and then simply sliding the entire TV into place and fastening it with screws. Compared to my experience with setting up other TVs, the setup feels remarkably seamless. I wish other manufacturers would embrace this approach. The trade-off is that, on the sides, the Bravia 7 II is still slightly thick, similar to other RGB TVs in this class.

The other issue besides its thickness is that Sony skimped out on ports: On the left side of the TV, there are four HDMI ports, just like last year’s model, but two of them are the older HDMI 2.0b standard. (HDMI 1 and 2 are HDMI 2.0b, while HDMI 3 and 4 are HDMI 2.1.)

Those HDMI ports are all in addition to the two USB ports, optical audio out, S-Center speaker in, Ethernet, RS-232C remote, IR in, and a spot for a coaxial cable.

Finally, around the back, the non-detachable power cable is on the right rear. In that same area, Sony also gives you a spot to clip that cable to better help manage wires. The TV can be wall-mounted using the VESA holes on the back panel, should you prefer that.

My biggest gripe with the 7 II’s design is that, for this price, it should have HDMI 2.1 ports standard. If you own multiple game consoles like I do, you’ll only be able to fully enjoy them at 120Hz on two of this TV's four ports. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is a small disappointment.

How we test

Our TV review process at Tom's Guide for TVs is rigorous, but standardized. In our New York City test lab, my lab assistant and I test every TV across SDR and HDR benchmarks using the industry standard 10% window.

To ensure we are seeing the director's true vision, we switch the TV over to Filmmaker Mode which is typically the most color-accurate setting available. We also disable any AI features, Eco Mode, and any intrusive ambient light sensors that could impact readings.

We use the Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer to profile our Klein K10-A colorimeter. Once profiled, this high-end hardware works in tandem with a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator and a custom workflow in Portrait Displays Calman Ultimate software to map out the TV’s performance.

For gaming performance, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester to measure exactly how responsive the TV really is. Once technical lab testing is done, we put the TV through subjective testing using a curated selection of films and shows. For more on this process, read our “How we test TVs” guide.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Performance and test results

HDR performance is where the Bravia 7 II comes into its own league, with the peak brightness reaching 2,077 nits with our 10% test window. This is far ahead of what we've seen on OLED TVs like LG C6 and nearly double that of the original Bravia 7 model. However, it’s overshadowed by the Hisense UR9 and TCL QM8L.

When watching scenes in HDR from “The Batman” on our lab’s Blu-ray player, I immediately noticed the highlights from headlights and explosions against the shadows of the night. Yet despite all of this, the black in Batman’s suit and the Batmobile remained true.

Streaming “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Ghost War” on Amazon Prime, my initial impressions were corroborated: The TV rendered some really deep blacks and precisely managed highlights, ensuring that the riverside lamps in the introductory sequence showed absolutely no blooming against a black dark sky. This carried over into the film's climactic final battle, where even in dark night scenes, I could not spot any light bleed around the vibrant orange muzzle flashes or the crisp white LED signs on a building set against the dark night.

For SDR performance, Bravia TVs come with conservative brightness settings out of the box. As a result, SDR brightness measured just 100 nits in our lab testing for the TV’s best picture mode. This is significantly lower than competitors like the Hisense UR9, TCL QM8L, LG C6, and Samsung QN90. However, I do want to be clear this is no fault of the TV — Sony has a long standard of prioritizing accuracy and a true-to-Hollywood look over pure brightness in its Professional mode. Targeting 100 nits of brightness isn’t a bug to Sony. It’s a feature.

That said, your mileage will vary on how much you enjoy Professional mode. I watched a nature video of Norway on YouTube and the whites in the water lacked intensity and weren’t as bright as I hoped. Playing around with the various options in Sony’s new My Cinema presets in the settings menu optimized the SDR brightness to better suit my eyes.

Additional presets can optimize content from Netflix or Amazon Prime, but I found that switching to the standard Cinema Mode improved brightness better, pushing peaks closer to 750 nits. To be fair, Sony gives you full control and explains the various picture modes out of the box during setup, so it’s easy to change things around if you aren’t happy with the out-of-the-box settings.

So where does it falter? We measured a Delta-E of 4.79, which suggests the Bravia 7 II isn’t the strongest performer in color accuracy compared to the LG C6 or Samsung QN90F. (We reached out to Sony for clarification on why it’s higher than average and are still awaiting a response.)

Lab numbers don't always account for what the human eye can perceive through Sony's image processing. This means that sometimes a TV can still look good; personally, I felt that the TV delivered natural, balanced tones that you actually look for in real world-viewing. In SDR content like a NYC subway walkthrough on YouTube, faces still appeared lifelike.

The Bravia 7 II did not give the faces a cooler, washed-out look many other TVs in its class might produce. Similarly, in “Blade Runner 2049” on Blu-ray, the Las Vegas sequence kept true to the film’s orange hue without oversaturating natural skin tones.

Side viewing angles on this TV were impressive across all the content I watched, thanks to Sony’s X-wide Angle Pro technology. After moving my seat to both sides of the TV and rewatching the same scenes I mentioned earlier from “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Batman,” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Ghost War,” picture quality remained consistently strong. I didn’t notice any bleed or loss in color or brightness. This is an area where many non-OLED displays typically struggle, but the Bravia 7 II held up well.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Gaming

Gaming performance on the Bravia 7 II is a big jump from the Bravia 7: We measured input lag at 10.4ms, a huge step up from the 17.1ms from the Bravia 7 — and more in line with what we’ve seen with other 2026 TVs.

I played Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight on the PlayStation 5 and had no issues. Controls felt tight and responsive during fast-paced fights where Batman and Robin took on street-level crime. There was almost no noticeable delay between my inputs and what I saw on the screen.

Since this is a Sony TV, there are added benefits when you pair it with a PS5: Auto HDR Tone Mapping lets you skip the HDR optimization you usually have to go through in most games.

But just be careful about which port you choose. If you connect to either HDMI 2.1 port on the TV, the Bravia 7 II will give you that sweet and smooth 120Hz refresh rate, support for variable refresh rate (VRR), and auto low-latency mode (ALLM). Pairing it with one of the two aforementioned HDMI 2.0 ports could result in the loss of some of this functionality.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Sound

The built-in speakers on the Bravia 7 II are surprisingly pleasing. With a side-firing design, all the speakers are at ear level across the screen. This means dialogue and effects project clearly into the room rather than feeling trapped on the TV’s stand.

In action content like “The Batman” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Ghost War,” voices in films and shows were easy to follow even during more chaotic scenes. Rain, gunfire, and the orchestral score never broke the immersion that I experienced.

Interestingly, a step during the TVs setup process allows you to optimize the acoustics for viewing. Sit in front of the TV with the remote, and the TV will measure the sound levels in the room. This feature is great if you want to get the most out of the TV’s sound.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Smart TV and remote

The remote isn’t the only part of the TV with a built-in microphone — there’s one built right into the TV. I’ve always found voice remotes awkward, having to hold the whole remote to my face just to speak to the TV, so this always-ready mic made searching and getting recommendations feel more natural and hands-free. And don’t worry, it can be quickly muted using a physical slider on the bottom left of the TV for added privacy.

Tying the whole system together is the Google TV smart platform whose interface remains clean and easy to navigate. No matter what I asked it, Google’s Gemini integration helped surface content across all my streaming apps in the more conversational, “ask a friend” style that I wish Siri on my Apple TV at home could do a better job with. It’s one of the best streaming TV platforms for a reason.

The remote design is largely unchanged from last year, still with its familiar plastic finish and blue-speckled detailing. Aside from swapping the arrangement of a few buttons, Sony has added a new favorites button that lets you quickly jump to a preferred streaming app and there’s also a handy remote-finder feature should you lose it. (Pressing the power button on the TV can trigger a buzzer on the remote if it gets lost.) This is a small — but genuinely useful — touch for those moments where your remote might get lost in the sofa.

Sony Bravia 7 II review: Verdict

Though it sits below the Bravia 9 II, the Sony Bravia 7 II still has solid HDR performance. It brings bright highlights, deep shadows, and impressively clean blacks with virtually no blooming thanks to its standout “True RGB” backlight. It also has a few upgrades from its predecessor — like the stand — that make it worth upgrading to if you own the original Bravia 7.

Its conservative SDR brightness can look dim in everyday viewing, however, and its higher-than-average pricing also pushes it close to more color-accurate OLED territory. Unless it’s Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you shouldn’t expect to see major discounts on it, either.

If the so-called “Sony Tax” is too steep for you, you might want to consider the often-on-sale LG C6 OLED or even last year’s C5 OLED, Tom’s Guide’s TV of the Year.

If you’re unfazed by the sticker price, the Bravia 7 II is a stand-out TV that I would recommend to folks who want an early look at an RGB TV’s benefits without shelling out for the Bravia 9 II.

Across the web, rumors are swirling about a brand-new Sony OLED TV dubbed the Bravia 6. It shouldn't come as a shock, considering the lack of an entry-level OLED in Sony's current Bravia lineup, and the Bravia 6 could very well be the LG C6 rival we've been waiting for.

Sony makes some of the best TVs on the market — and this could be its most exciting model yet. Here's what we know about it so far.

Sony Bravia 6: everything we know so far

I first came across Bravia 6 speculation via a report at FlatpanelsHD, who in turn cited High Def News on X (formerly Twitter). That post came as a result of a post on the AVS Forum message board.

Despite this game of telephone, the facts on the ground remain rather simple: Sony has registered the Bravia 6 namesake across several online databases.

On Sony's own website, Bravia 6 model numbers (seen below) are listed as being compatible with select wall-mounting brackets.

Interestingly, the Bravia 6 appears as though it'll be available in a similar size range as two of its rivals' most popular OLED TVs (the LG C6 and the Samsung S90H). This particular range of sizes would also indicate that the Bravia 6 will, at the very least, feature some WOLED-based panels, since we've yet to QD-OLED panels (manufactured by Samsung Display) in 48- and 83-inch sizes.

However, it's unclear whether all of the sizes in the Bravia 6 series would feature LG Display's standard WOLED panels, or just some of them.

Bear in mind that LG Display manufacturers different subtypes of WOLED panels, too. RGB Tandem WOLED panels are engineered for better brightness and color, and therefore tend to be attached to higher-end OLED TVs.

And then there's OLED SE, a new type of WOLED panel from LG Display that has already made its way into a more-affordable class of OLED TVs in 2027. The Bravia 6 could conceivably tap this OLED type, too.

Knowing what type of OLED panel the Bravia 6 uses could tell us more about its possible price range. Alternatively, knowing the Bravia 6's price range could reveal more about its panel tech. With neither piece in place, this is all very much up in the air.

Will the Bravia 6 go head to head with the LG C6?

This is the million-dollar question.

While LG and Samsung have offered annual, similarly structured OLED lineups with entry-level, mid-range and high-end options, Sony's Bravia OLED series have only a limited number of options.

For example, the Bravia 8 OLED that launched in 2024, spent much of its life living alongside the higher-end, quantum dot-equipped Sony A95L OLED.

In 2025, the Bravia 8's successor — the Bravia 8 II — incorporated quantum dots, elevating it closer to the A95L's higher-end stratum.

But, so far in 2026, Sony has yet to confirm the existence of a new OLED TV, and currently, all three of these higher-end Sony-branded OLEDs are sitting on shelves simultaneously.

For the Bravia 6 to compete with mid-range OLEDs like the LG C6 and the Samsung S90H, it wouldn't necessarily need to be Sony's mid-range model per se; it would only need to hover around the same price point as its rivals.

Hopefully Sony isn't backing away from OLED anytime soon. It was worrying that the brand was content to leave its current OLED lineup on shelves for another calendar year — but, if real, the Bravia 6 would prove that Sony still sees a place for OLED alongside its True RGB TVs like the Bravia 7 II and 9 II.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's True RGB up close — and the downfall of OLED TVs might come sooner than expected
• TCL and Sony are joining forces to sell more TVs — but is that bad news for shoppers?
• We just tested the Bravia 7 II — here’s why I think it could be the Sony TV to buy in 2026

The world of soundbars has gotten a whole lot better over the past few years. The likes of the Sonos Beam Gen 2 have made it easier to get Dolby Atmos and a reasonably vibrant sound without having to spend thousands of dollars. Sony's take on this is the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6.

The Theatre Bar 6 is designed for those who want to cut out the fuss of improving their living room audio. Sure, it doesn't have fancy features like rear speakers, but it still comes with a wireless subwoofer for improved bass, and you can often find it for less than $600. That said, it's lacking some features that some of the best soundbars offer.

Is the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 worth buying, or should you look elsewhere for Atmos? I tested the Bravia Theater 6 Bar to find out.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A compact Dolby Atmos soundbar that comes with a wireless subwoofer
• Who is it for? Folks who want to cut out the fuss of improving their living room audio.
• What does it cost? $699 / £449
• What do we like? Its sleek design and inclusion of a wireless subwoofer
• What don’t we like? The Bar 6 leaves a lot to be desired in the low end and it’s missing wireless features like AirPlay 2.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Price and availability

Sony offers the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 at $699 or £449, which puts it squarely in mid-range territory — comfortably above the budget options, but also far below the high-end alternatives, including some of the options in Sony's lineup.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Design

As a mid-range soundbar, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is pretty no-fuss in terms of design and setup. It’s a sleek black bar that measures 37.5 inches wide, 2.6 inches high, and 4.4 inches deep. That's bigger than some of the ultra-compact soundbar models out there, but also more compact than larger models like the Sonos Arc Ultra. It was able to fit between the legs of a 65-inch TV that I tested it with, but only just, and if your TV is smaller, or even if you have a model with narrower leg placement, you might need to move the soundbar in front of those legs instead of between them.

Sony actually includes a set of detachable feet that are designed to sit on the legs of some of its Bravia TVs, which is a nice touch for those in Sony's ecosystem.

On the top of the soundbar are small windows for the up-firing speakers, while the rest of the speakers' drivers fire out towards the front and sides. The front corners are rounded while the back corners are sharper, which is a nice design touch. On the back you'll find HDMI and optical ports, but that's it, apart from a power input. There’s only one HDMI port — so no HDMI passthrough.

The subwoofer offers a similar build quality and overall look to the soundbar, made from the same materials and in the same color. It is a little larger than the subwoofer that comes with some soundbars, but not overly so, measuring 8.31inches wide, 15.31 inches high, and 16.94 inches deep. You'll want to think about where you want to place it in your living room, though.

Last but not least is the remote, which is very simple. It's small and offers controls for power, input, volume, bass volume, night mode, and mute. If you connect your soundbar through HDMI eARC, you probably won't need to use the included remote all that much, as you'll be able to change volume using your TV's remote. But if you do prefer a separate remote for the soundbar, you'll get one, which is nice.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Setup

Setting everything up is incredibly easy. All you do is plug the power in and connect the HDMI port to your TV's HDMI eARC port. If you're using a compatible Sony Bravia TV, it'll detect and connect to it right away, but even if not, when connected through HDMI eARC, your TV should know to output audio to the soundbar.

Setting up the subwoofer is very easy too. All you have to do is plug it in and the soundbar should automatically connect to it without you actually having to do anything.

Once you've connected the soundbar to your TV, you'll want to connect it to the app, and this is very easy as well. You don't even actually have to create an account if you don't want to, though doing so will give you additional controls and features. After you download the Sony Bravia Connect app, you'll be walked through connecting the soundbar to the app through Bluetooth, which took me under one minute, as the app can automatically detect the soundbar and initiate a connection.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Connectivity and controls

One area where the Theatre Bar 6 doesn't quite match up to the competition is in connectivity. Of course, the main way to connect the soundbar is through HDMI eARC — which is how most soundbars connect to TVs these days.

Where it's lacking is in additional connectivity. There's no 3.5mm port for connecting something like a phone through a wired connection. Plus, if you want to connect your phone wirelessly, you're stuck with Bluetooth 5.3 and not a Wi-Fi-based standard like Apple's AirPlay 2 or Google Cast.

Wi-Fi-based connectivity is an area where budget soundbars often compromise, but there are plenty of options in this price range like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, which does have more advanced wireless connectivity for those who want to integrate their soundbar with a multi-room setup. In other words, if you're looking for a soundbar that will work with other speakers for whole-home audio, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 probably isn't the soundbar for you.

The app in general is pretty bare bones, and that means that you won't get a ton of customization options. You will get controls for things like standby modes and DSEE, but you won't get an EQ that you can use to more finely tune the audio. That's a little disappointing.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Performance

The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 offers a 3.1.2 channel configuration, which includes three front-firing drivers coupled with two up-firing drivers and a wireless subwoofer for the low end. Those up-firing drivers allow it to support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which isn't necessarily a given in this price range, but also not uncommon.

I found the overall audio response to be quite good. The drivers and their placement made for an immersive sound overall, including for both music and movies. The soundstage was decently wide when listening to music, and while you can certainly get more immersion from systems with rear speakers, I found the height effect on offer by the Theatre Bar 6 to be better than expected for a mid-range soundbar. It helped make the sound effects in Avengers: Endgame more immersive than they otherwise would be, especially when it came to some of the higher-frequency effects during the final fight scene.

Now, to be clear, the height effect that you'll get on the Theatre Bar 6 isn't perfect — and it's not necessarily ultra-convincing when it comes to hearing specific elements in the mix, but you do at least get some immersion from the soundbar when watching movies in Dolby Atmos. In other words, while it definitely adds a sense of height to the mix, it doesn’t quite separate out those elements in a way that might allow you to pinpoint exactly what you’re hearing in those height channels – especially in dense mixes, like the aforementioned final scene in Avengers: Endgame.

The subwoofer definitely helps allow the system to produce deep frequencies compared to systems that don't come with a subwoofer, but I wouldn't say it's the most powerful subwoofer out there, despite its somewhat large size. It can get reasonably loud, but its frequency range is a little limited, meaning that it can sound a little muddy and overly boosted in the low mids and upper bass rather than extending deep into the bass spectrum. That’s especially true in already bass-heavy tracks, like Kendrick Lamar’s Loyalty, in which the bass somewhat overpowered other elements in the track.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Verdict

The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is a well-built, decently compact soundbar with a solid audio response overall. It offers good spatial audio for the price, and it's nice that it comes with a subwoofer at all, when plenty of others at this price point don't. That said, the subwoofer leaves a lot to be desired in the low end, and the high frequencies aren't as crisp as I would have liked. On top of that, the soundbar is missing wireless features like AirPlay 2, limiting how much it can integrate with the rest of your speaker ecosystem.

Those things don't mean it's not worth consideration — it just depends what your priorities are. If you want a no-fuss soundbar and don't care much about getting something with Wi-Fi connectivity that can support, then the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is actually a pretty compelling option. But, if you want more in the way of features, and a slightly better-rounded audio response, then something like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is worth going for instead — especially as it allows you to add a subwoofer down the line anyway.

PlayStation State of Play for June 2025 is now over, and it was certainly a packed showcase with loads of new games announced, a bunch of release dates for highly anticipated titles, and plenty of exciting trailers to watch.

The biggest news was the confirmation of the new God of War: Laufey, a new title in the popular series that swaps Kratos for his wife Faye, as she battles through the afterlife of the gods. Other big reveals included Until Dawn 2, The Lost Wild, Stuntman: Hollywood and plenty more new titles.

Below you can find every single announcement from State of Play June 2026, along with all the trailers. So if you missed the showcase, our live coverage will guide you through all the biggest news and announcements.

How to (re)watch State of Play for June 2026

Missed State of Play June 2026? Don't worry, you can use the VOD link above to catch up with the whole showcase available to rewatch. Or you can read on for our live coverage to pick out the trailers you want to watch.

LIVE UPDATES

Welcome!

Good morning! Welcome to Tom's Guide's live coverage of the PS5 State of Play for June 2026. I'm Rory, a senior entertainment editor, and one of biggest gamers on staff. I'll be bring you all the last-minute rumors, and also guiding you through the State of Play itself when it begins later today. So, let's get into the good stuff...

The one game we can bank on being at State of Play

There's a lot we don't know about today's State of Play, but Sony has confirmed one game that will present: Marvel's Wolverine. Set to release on September 15, this superhero action game comes from Insomniac Games, the developer of the PS5 Marvel's Spider-Man games, and it looks brutal in the best way possible.

We've been waiting a long time to get our hands (claws?) on Wolverine. It was announced during the PlayStation Showcase in September 2021, and almost five years later, we're finally entering the home straight with launch just a few months away. I'm expecting to see more gameplay today, and maybe new story details.

My other prediction when it comes to Marvel's Wolverine is that PlayStation might confirm a limited-edition Wolverine-themed DualSense and maybe even console.

PS5 State of Play June 2026: Everything you need to know

So, the key details for State of Play are as follows. The live-streamed presentation takes place today (Tuesday, June 2), and it will run for "more than 60 minutes." Sony is promising "updates, announcements, and gameplay reveals from top studios around the world" with at least some presence from its own PlayStation Studios.

The timings for State of Play June 2026 are as follows:

• 2 p.m. PT
• 5 p.m. ET
• 10 p.m. BST
• 11 p.m. CEST
• 6 a.m. JST (June 3)
• 7 a.m. AEDT (June 3)

You'll be able to watch along live via PlayStation's channels on YouTube and Twitch, but fear not if you can't get to a stream, that's what I'm here for. In this live blog, I'll bring you all the pre-show build-up, and full live coverage of every announcement.

You can watch State of Play on the big screen!

How about this for the ultimate way to enjoy the State of Play? Sony has partnered with Alamo Drafthouse (a cinema chain the Japanese tech giant recently bought) to host State of Play fan events, showing the event on the big screen!

Tickets are free, and the State of Play will be shown in Drafthouse's across the U.S., including in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Boston and Chicago. I can't think of a better way to enjoy the occasion than watching all the announcements in a movie theater with an audience that will no doubt only add to the atmosphere.

I'll be watching at my desk (after all, I need to bring TG readers the latest updates!), but if you're fortunate enough to live near one of the locations hosting the event, check out the link above. Just be aware that tickets might have sold out.

Would you like fries with that?

Alongside screening the State of Play at select Alamo Drafthouse locations, it looks like there will be Wolverine themed-food on offer as well (source @ZhugeEX). This includes "Savage Sticks," "Rage Pizza" and a "Mutant Instinct" cocktail. Just looking at the menu is making me hungry. I wonder if you can order these themed items on DoorDash?

Here's when I think we'll see Wolverine during State of Play

We'll be diving into the world of rumors, leaks and speculation soon enough, but for now, let's keep the focus on what we do know. So, it's been confirmed that Marvel's Wolverine will feature, but the big question, is when will it be showcased?

My prediction is that Wolverine will open the show. For starters, PlayStation will want to lead off with a big game, which Wolverine most certainly is. Secondly, because Logan's involvement has been pre-confirmed, it makes sense to open the show, leaving the final reveal to be something unexpectedly and hype generating.

Furthermore, the opening slot is definitely a prime position, and it would make sense for PlayStation to reverse it for one of its own titles rather than a third-party.

The next God of War could be revealed today

There's one rumor that just won't go away ahead of the State of Play. Various sources, including Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson, have claimed the next game in the God of War series will be announced during State of Play June 2026.

It's already been a big year for the GoW series. In the February State of Play, a remake of the original trilogy was revealed, and the side-scrolling spin-off title God of War: Sons of Sparta was announced and released the same day. But if the rumors are correct, PlayStation is already ready to show what's next for the series.

The unconfirmed suggestion is that the next God of War will be a prequel game focused on Faye, Kratos' second wife, whose death kicked off the events of God of War (2018). It's also rumored this title will be directed by Cory Barlog, who was the sole director on the reboot and a co-director on sequel God of War Ragnarök.

As with all rumors, I advise taking this one with a grain of salt, but there's certainly a lot of online noise about this. We'll find out if it's true in just a matter of hours.

Fairgames could be re-revealed as Break In

The upcoming live-service shooter Fairgames from new team Haven Studios was announced back in 2023, but we've not seen it since. Therefore, it stands to reason that it could resurface at today's State of Play, but perhaps with a new name.

Last month, it was reported that Sony had filed a trademark for a new game called "Break In," but the internet rumor mill, tipped off by a not-so-subtle clue from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier (per IGN), suggests this might not be a new game at all, but rather a rebranding of Fairgames.

Rightly or wrongly, the online reception to Fairgames was pretty mixed, with many fans suggesting it'll be the next Concord (a PlayStation live service game that was shut down within just a few weeks). So, giving it a new title and a fresh slate, and hoping to make a better impression this time around, could be a smart play.

I need to see more from Intergalactic!

If there's one already-announced game I'm desperate to see at the State of Play, it's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Naughty Dog are a top 3 developer in my book, so anything with the ND logo has my instant attention, and Intergalactic looks epic.

We've not seen this one since it was revealed at The Game Awards in December 2024, and while a 2026 release date seems very unlikely, a fresh look during today's State of Play isn't out of the question. The game is a sci-fi title that stars a futuristic bounty hunter who becomes stuck on a planet cut off from contact for 600 years.

If I were a betting man, I think a second trailer at this year's Game Awards might be a more likely slot for Intergalactic to resurface but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The State of Play hype is building already

There's no doubt that there's a lot of excitement in the air about today's State of Play. In fact, some 5,000 fans are already in the waiting room as we speak. The showcase might not go live for around seven hours, but that isn't stopping some viewers from booting up the stream and essentially staring at an empty screen!

Could Rayman return at State of Play?

Well, looks like the cat is out of the bag when it comes to Rayman. Unless somebody is playing a very cruel joke, it appears that Rayman Legends is getting a remake in the form of Rayman Legends: Retold. Could this be one of the State of Play announcements that has leaked a little early? It certainly seems possible.

Per Insider Gaming, Rayman Legends: Retold is a re-release of the original game launched in 2013. It reportedly swaps the original's 2D art style for a 2D.5 approach, and even better, it might come bundled with a copy of its predecessor, Rayman Origins (hot takes: Legends is very good, but I actually preferred Origins overall).

Rayman Legends has such a timeless look that I'm not convinced we need a remake, and thanks to a PS4 port, the game is already playable on PS5, but still, Rayman fans likely won't be complaining about the often-neglect heroes return.

I got hands-on with two upcoming PS5 accessories

If you're looking to fill some of the time until State of Play, read my hands-on report with the upcoming FlexStrike fight stick and the Pulse Elevate desktop speakers.

I recently took a trip to the PlayStation U.K. office to check out these new PS5 accessories, due for launch in 2026, and I came away seriously impressed with both. The FlexStrike in particular has become an accessory I'm eager to add to my gaming setup, especially as it launches on August 8 alongside Marvel Tokon.

We might even see more of these new products in today's State of Play!

I'm taking a big huff of hopium, let's talk Bloodborne

If you'll let me indulge in a little wishing here, like many PlayStation fans, my dream announcement today would be something Bloodborne-related. Sequel, remaster, remake, just a 60 fps patch for the game on PS4, I'd take just about anything.

The 2015 action-RPG from developer From Software is quite simply a masterpiece, and much as I've loved replaying it on PS4 regularly over the years, I'd love either a proper follow-up or a remastered version that bumps the framerate and makes its haunting world look even prettier.

I certainly wouldn't bank on Bloodborne being present at today's State of Play, but if the name did pop up in pretty much any form, I'd be squealing with delight.

Don't forget about the Future Games Show this week!

It's set to be a huge week for gaming news. There's today's PS5 State of Play, Friday brings Summer Game Fest 2026, and Sunday sees Microsoft take the stage with the Xbox Showcase. But don't forget about the Future Games Show on Saturday.

Hosted by Troy Baker and Alex Wilton, it takes place on Saturday, June 6 at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST and will feature trailers and reveals for more than 50 games, from AAA to indie, including Halloween: The Game, WARDOGS and more.

It's going to be a great showcase, and all that wasn't enough, it'll be followed by FGS Live from Los Angeles, with more trailers, premieres and developer interviews.

A spooky prediction I'm feeling confident about

I'm fairly confident we'll be seeing more from Silent Hill: Townfall in today's State of Play. We might even get a release date considering it's been slated for 2026.

My reasoning is twofold. Firstly, earlier today, an ESRB rating for the game was discovered via MP1st (no surprises here, it's rated M). This would suggest it's gearing up for launch if the game's already been submitted for an age rating.

Secondly, the last State of Play offered a first: PlayStation gave the stage to Konami to host its own mini-showcase within a SOP. A portion of the event was dedicated to new reveals from the publisher, including a first trailer for Silent Hill: Townfall.

If Townfall is going to hit its confirmed 2026 window, then it stands to reason we'll see more from it soon, and with PlayStation already showing its strong partnership with Konami, I reckon we'll see more from Silent Hill: Townfall later today.

Just 5 hours to go!

It's not quite time to get seated and gets your snacks to hand, but we're only five hours away from the State of Play for June 2026 kicking off. Don't worry, we're not going anywhere, I'll be stepping back for a quick break before the show, but I'm tagging in some colleagues to keep you entertained as we get closer to the State of Play going live. For those curious how the waiting room is looking, it's dropped down to 2,300 viewers, but those numbers will explode as go-time approaches.

A little football

EA Sports just revealed the cover images for the third iteration of its revived College Football series.

CFB 27 will launch later this summer, so I wouldn't be surprised if we get a glimpse of the new game during State of Play. Chat will be chuffed I'm sure.

Team Asobi teases Sly Cooper

Team Asobi, the developers behind the excellent AstroBot, teased Sly Cooper in a little video earlier today.

It's no real guarantee but it is an interesting video to post on the day of a State of Play. Comments under the GIF are cautiously excited about a potential Sly 5.

What do you think, will we see the return of the raccoon thief today?

What are you excited to maybe see?

I have my own predictions but what do you think Sony will show off today? Or what do you want to see?

Let us know in the comments or shoot me an email at scott.younker@futurenet.com

A fresh look at Horizon Hunters Gathering

Sony announced Horizon Hunters Gathering back in February as a cooperative team game that sees players taking on different robo-dinos.

It seems cartoon-y, which isn't bad but maybe not what I personally want from the Horizon series. That said, if we're leaning into the silliness, I would love a sequel Lego Horizon game.

Anyway, it's very likely we'll get a fresh look at Hunters Gathering.

Lara Croft pops up

Hmm, Gematsu noticed that new Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis screenshots just popped up on the PlayStation Store.

This could mean that Lara Croft gets some shine today.

We don't have a release date for the next Tomb Raider game, so this could be a good opportunity for Sony to reveal one.

Some commenters pointed out that Summer Games Fest kicks off on June 5 this Friday. It's possible that we won't hear anything until then.

A wishlist of sequels

I've been looking around Reddit, X and some forums and I keep seeing a wishlist of sequels.

Here are the most common ones:

• Bloodborne 2
• Devil May Cry 6
• Final Fantasy 7 number 3
• God of War: Faye
• Infamous 4
• Kingdom Hearts 4
• Nier 2
• Uncharted 5
• Twisted Metal something
• Spider-Man 3

Some are more realistic than others. Spider-Man 3 and Infamous for example are probably not showing up as Sucker Punch shows off Wolverine.

We have heard some inklings of a new Uncharted, but Naughty Dog has seemingly been a single game at a time studio for a couple decades now.

And Bloodborne 2 is just a dream to upset Bloodborne fans.

90 minutes to showtime

As a reminder the show kicks off at at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET / 10 p.m. BST.

That's 90 minutes from now.

Mario Kart is about to have some (extra) competition

Hey all! It's Rory here, back from break to guide you through the final hour of build-up and, of course, give you all the live updates from the State of Play June 2026.

It looks like another soon-to-be-announced game has leaked, and this time, thanks to SteamDB. The game in question is Super Yooka-Laylee Kart, presumably a kart racing spin-off from the 3D platforming series Yooka-Laylee. I guess the lizard-bat combo has already taken on Mario in the 3D collectathon arena, and now they're ready to take on Nintendo's mascot in the kart racing genre.

A kart racer seems a pretty natural next step for Yooka-Laylee, especially after the duo stepped into the 2D side-scrolling world for 2019's Impossible Lair. They've done platforming in 3D and 2D, so what's left to take to the race track?

However, there is some online speculation rumbling that this game might be announced at Friday's Summer Game Fest event rather than at the State of Play. We'll find out in just over an hour, but Yooka-Laylee fans, how are you feeling?

What PS5 game are you hoping to see at State of Play?

I've given you a few of my wishes, and some heavily rumored games, but I want to hear from you. Vote in the poll above, and let me know what PS5 game you want to see at State of Play. And if you top pick isn't in the poll, let me in the comments!

Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis may have been delayed

Earlier today new screenshots for the upcoming Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (a remake of the first Tomb Raider game released in 1996) surfaced on the PlayStation Store, hinting we might get a new trailer at the State of Play. But Amazon just went a step further and appears to have leaked the release date and pre-order details (via @RaiderSociety)

The bad news is, if this listing is accurate (Amazon has since removed it), the game has been delayed out of its previously 2026 window until February 10, 2027. But the listing appears to have confirmed a Deluxe Edition which includes a "post-launch DLC story pack" and a 48-hour early access period for players who pre-order. There's also a bonus outfit based on Lara's gear from the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot.

We'll find out soon if this listing was legit, but considering Amazon Game Studios is the publisher of both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and the upcoming Tomb Raider: Catalyst (the next mainline entry in the series), the smart money says it is.

Will we see any Xbox logos during today's State of Play?

One of the stranger topics of conversation this week has been the intense debate on comments from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma regarding previous Xbox Showcases opting to include the PS5 logo in trailers for games releasing on PS5.

Some Xbox fans believe this was a mistake, and Sharma appears to agree, posting on social media that she was "Seeing the feedback on logos. It was a miss, and I own it." (as reported by VGC). Personally, I think more transparency is a good thing. If a game is releasing on multiple platforms, why try to hide that fact?

That leads to today, and some humorous speculation on whether PlayStation will include the Xbox logo in its own State of Play. The history books suggest that's unlikely; PlayStation has historically excluded the Xbox logo when spotlighting multi-platform games. But for me, I'd rather all companies were just upfront.

If a game is landing on Xbox and PlayStation, let gamers know, don't hide it!

The countdown has started, the stream is LIVE

This is when you know we're almost there! The PlayStation State of Play livestream has gone LIVE. Okay, so it's just a 30-minute countdown clock, but it at least gives us all some nice ambient music, and it means we're in the final home straight!

State of Play is already attracting plenty of attention

We're just under 20 minutes from the State of Play June 2026 beginning and already thousands of gamers are flooding to watch the countdown. Even in the time it took me to take the above screenshot and write this post, the viewing figures have jumped up to more than 82,000. Hopefully PlayStation has a suitably big show planned for all the thousands of people watching around the world.

10 minute warning, now is the time to get ready!

There's just 10 minutes until PS5 State of Play for June 2026 begins. If you haven't already now is the time to get ready. Boot up a live stream (there's one embedded above), get your snacks/drinks prepared, and maybe take a quick bathroom break!

Time for one final prediction!

With just five minutes to go, I've got time for a final prediction. I think we might finally see what's next from British developer Media Molecule. The Guildford-based studio behind the popular LittleBigPlanet series hasn't released a game since 2020's Dreams, and this creation tool experience was dropped back in 2023. It's been long enough now that I have a inkling we might see what's next from MM.

The waiting is over! State of Play June 2025 begins now!

After all the build-up, predictions, leaks and rumors, now is the time for PlayStation to do the talking as State of Play 2026 begins right now...

Wolverine opens the State of Play!

I predicted this one, and it's Marvel's Wolverine that kicks off the State of Play, with new gameplay, and some fresh details about this upcoming superhero title!

Wolverine will include other mutants

The first look at proper gameplay from Wolverine confirms that Logan won't be alone with other mutants to encounter during the campaign, it looks like Jean Grey will be one of them. It's also as violent and bloody as any Wolverine fan could want!

Wolverine gets State of Play off to a strong start!

That's a pretty action-packed way to kick off a State of Play. Wolverine looks great, but I do have some worries that most of what we saw was cutscenes, I'm hoping that actually playing this new Marvel game will be as fun as watching footage.

Marvel Tokon is the next game showcased

We're in for a Marvel section, as after Wolverine, we move on to Marvel Tokon: Fight Souls, the new fighting game from Arc System Works. I recently got to play a few rounds of this superhero brawler during a trip to PlayStation's U.K. office, and it was very good fun. It's rocketed up my must-play list. It's launching on August 6, 2026.

Marvel time is over, time for Rayman!

Whelp, the leaks were spot on, next up is the reveal of Rayman Legends Retold. A remake of the excellent Rayman Legends title, this reworked spin on the platforming classic sports a 2.5D look and some new 3D sections.

It's dropping on October 1 on PS5.

Bancho the Chef is the next game revealed

I'm not really sure what to make of this one, but it's a new game called Bancho the Chef, and it looks like it mixes cartoonish graphics with a narrative driven approach.

Next up, a new trailer for Kemuri

This game looks wild; it's called Kemuri: Hunt the Unseen, and it's dropping in 2027. You play a hunter in a city trying to track down paranormal forces. Naturally, combat is a big focus of the title, and the art style has definitely caught my eye.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis gets the spotlight

Next up, it's a new trailer for the Tomb Raider remake, subtitled Legacy of Atlantis. It looks cinematic, as any good Tomb Raider game should, but sadly, unless the Amazon listing page leak was incorrect, we know a delay into 2027 is coming.

There is, the game releases on February 12, 2027!

Trailer for The Lost World (No, it's not Jurassic Park)

I thought this was our latest look at the previously announced Jurassic Park: Survival, but I was wrong. It's actually another dino-themed game called The Lost World. No prizes for guessing what movie franchise inspired this title.

Some quick fire trailers now!

We're getting a quick fire dose of trailers now, first up is another quick glimpse at Phantom Blade 0 (which launches in September), and in just a few seconds, we're heading over to check out Dune: Awakening.

Dune Awakening comes to PS5 on September 22

Dune Awakening is console-bound and coming on September 22. New for the console edition is a single-player option, letting you explore the spice-rich deserts solo, if you'd rather not be pestered by online players doing silly emotes.

Trailers for Dynasty Warriors 3 Remastered and No Rest for the Wicked

I told you the trailers were coming fast now. We got a look at Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition, followed by the news that No Rest For the Wicked is coming to PS5 with a major 1.0 update in October 2026.

Can Onimusha: Way of the Sword keep up Capcom's hot streak?

Capcom is on an insane run right now, and I'm hoping that Onimusha: Way of the Sword will keep that hot streak going. It certainly looks promising and is due to land on PS5 on September 25, 2026. Even better, a demo for the game is dropping on PS5 today. That's my post State of Play plans sorted, I guess!

I'd know that music anywhere!

Silent Hill: Townfall up next, I could tell just from the eerie musical chimes alone! This new entry in the survival-horror series takes the franchise to Scotland, and is played in first-person. I wasn't a huge fan of Silent Hill f (hot take, I know), but I'm hoping that Townfall will hook me in the way that Silent Hill 2 remake managed.

Silent Hill: Townfall is releasing on September 24, 2025 (just 1 day before Onimusha, September is going to be so packed with new games)

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve lands in October

It feels like every game is dropping in September/October, no doubt they're all trying to get out of the way of GTA 6. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the latest title to confirm it's releasing into what is looking like a crowed couple of months.

It's a Knight Rider game? Or is it Back to the Future?

What sort of mashup is this! Saber just announced a new title called Hollywood Stuntman, where, as the game suggests, you play as a stunt driver on movie sets. There appear to be licensed flicks involved with Knight Rider and Back to the Future teased in the trailer. I'm kind of completely sold on this concept!

This horror game makes Wolverine look PG

Ill gets a new trailer, and it's bloody and violent, it makes the Wolverine gameplay from earlier look tame. Don't watch the above trailer if you can't stomach lots of guts and intestines.

Control: Resonant gets a story trailer (and release date)

One of my most anticipated games of 2026, Control Resonant is out September 24, 2026. And I can't wait. I didn't even want to watch the trailer as I'm sold already!

Marathon Season 2 takes the spotlight

Well, if you need a quick bathroom break, I guess this Marathon Season 2 trailer isn't a bad time for one. Seeing as the chat has been spamming "We Want Destiny 3" all day long, there are quite a few unhappy comments about it. Marathon Season 2 launches today with a free trial weekend, and the base game gets a discount.

Runescape is arriving on PS5

My nostalgia levels are rising as for the first time a Runescape game is coming to PS5. Okay, it's not the base game but a spin-off, but still, Runescape on PS5! It's also be added to the PlayStation+ catalog on day one.

Sony's also confirming a new PlayStation Classics being added to PS+ including PSI-Ops, which has hit with another dose of childhood memories.

Could this be the Until Dawn Sequel?

Rumors of an Until Dawn sequel have been ever-present for years, and this trailer that shows young adults having fun in paradise over sinister music is screaming Until Dawn to me!

Yup, Until Dawn 2 is confirmed

And there you have it, in 2027 we are getting a follow-up to fan-favorite PS4 game Until Dawn 2. It's about a group of "fake" ghost hunters, who travel to a tropical island and find themselves trapped in a real nightmare.

The final reveal will be 20 minutes long!

Wow, our last reveal of the night will be a "big" one, and it'll be 20 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay rather than merely a quick trailer or logo. Could it be the rumored God of War prequel starring Faye?

The Santa Monica Studio logo has appeared, I think it just might be...

That's God of War alright!

Yup, it looks like all the rumors were correct, our last reveal is a new God of War game, and it will be starring Faye. Who awakes somewhere after her death!

Our first look at Faye in action!

Whelp, she might not be Kratos, but Faye can certainly kick some butt. Our first look at this new God of War title (assuming it'll adopt the GoW name) sees Faye attacked by planet creatures and easily dispatch them with aggressive move set of her own

Move over Kratos, I'm Team Faye now

I wasn't totally sold on a God of War prequel/spin-off without Kratos, but this gameplay is convincing me quickly. I'm wondering if PlayStation is showing us 20 minutes of gameplay out of the gate, could this game be closer to release?

And it's called God of War: Laufey

And there you have it, God of War: Laufey is coming to PS5. Not even a release year, so I guess my prediction that showing us so much of it today was a sign we might be close(ish) to release was wrong. I expect this is probably a late 2027 game at least.

And that's the State of Play June 2026 wrapped up!

God of War: Laufey concludes today's State of Play. It was a suitably epic ending!

Give me your rating for today's State of Play!

Now that State of Play is over, I want to know what you make of the showcase from PlayStation. I'm going with a solid B+. It was a good showing, but lacked major surprises, and I'm quite disappointed we didn't see Intergalactic whatsoever.

What was missing?

We put up a poll earlier asking what games you were excited to see.

Unfortunately, every game on the list (except Wolverine) didn't make an appearance.

That includes Bloodborne (anything), FF7, RE9 DLC, Intergalactic, Horizon, Ken or Fairgames. It's actually surprising how many games were missing.

I did mention earlier that Summer Games Fest is on Friday. So, perhaps we'll see some of these games at that show, especially since they'll likely be multiplatform compared to some of the games shown today.

Most exciting announcement

Yes, God of War and Wolverine took up most of the but I think there were a couple of trailers that looked interesting.

For me, the Jurassic Park-esque "The Lost Wild" has my interest. I'm not sure where it's going, but I am curious.

Additionally, there was the trailer for Kemori. Look, I'm a surprisingly simple man, it turns out, and any game where you can grind wires like a skater will pique my interest.

There were more but I wanted to call those two out. Anything catch your eye?

We've all been there. You're on a bus, train or other mode of public transportation, and you're consistently being disturbed by someone watching things on their phone — out loud, without using headphones or earbuds. When the 2026 FIFA World Cup starts in a couple of weeks, you'll see — hear, rather — people watching games out loud on their phones. Don't be that guy. No one likes that guy.

I, for one, know that I'll be using my phone to either catch up on games or watch them live, and there's an easy way to ensure you aren't disturbing anyone's peace, and that's by using a pair of the best headphones. I test headphones day in and day out, so for your convenience, I've shortlisted my favorite cans — all of which will arrive well in time for the first kick-off.

Whether you've got a budget of $100 or you're willing to spend nearly $500, there's a pair of headphones for everyone. The ones I've picked all feature highly effective ANC to make you feel immersed; clear vocals so that you can hear the commentary properly, and powerful bass so that you can feel the crowd rumbling and chanting in your chest.

Under $100

Under $200

Under $300

Under $400

Under $500

Under $600

More from Tom's Guide

• I thought the Apple AirPods Max 2 were way overhyped — but I finally tried them and they're some of the best headphones I've ever used
• I've been testing the new Marshall Milton ANC for 3 weeks — they fix my biggest gripe with on-ear headphones, and are the new gold standard
• My doctor banned me from earbuds so I got these Marshall headphones instead — and I’m surprised I didn’t do it sooner

Sony — maker of some of the best TVs in the world — just now unveiled its 2026 TV lineup, and while it’s later to the party than LG, Samsung, Hisense and TCL, it’s nevertheless making a grand entrance.

This week, the brand officially announced the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II, a pair of follow-ups to the Bravia 9 and Bravia 7 Mini-LED TVs. The originals were among the best-performing Mini-LED TVs in their class, but their successors — which carry the mark two designation — come with Sony’s all-new, True RGB display technology.

Needless to say, the competitive stakes are high. Sony’s rivals have showcased their own spin on RGB LED TVs, too, and pricing on these models have been relatively high. But we were lucky enough to get our hands on the Bravia 7 II for testing, and after poring over the results, it could be my dark horse candidate for the best RGB LED TV for most people in 2026.

Sony Bravia 7 II test results

While we’re still cracking away at our full review, here’s a sneak-peek at how the Bravia 7 II managed in our test lab. For context, I’ve included the test results of both the Bravia 9 II (Sony’s latest flagship True RGB TV) as well as the Sony Bravia 9 (the brand’s previous Mini-LED flagship).

As far as HDR highlight brightness goes, the Bravia 7 II is just under what we measured on the Bravia 9 a few years ago. This is plenty bright for most viewing environments, and if Sony’s picture processing delivers a similar HDR presentation as the flagship Bravia 9, I’ll be thrilled.

HDR brightness is shaping up to be one of the primary distinctions between the Bravia 7 II and the all-new Bravia 9 II. If you’re in the market for a Sony-engineered set and you’re chasing the brightest possible picture, you’ll have to splash out on the Bravia 9 II.

However, when it comes to overall color volume, the Bravia 7 II is right in line with its souped-up, RGB LED-powered sibling. Given that color is the bread and butter of RGB LED technology, it’s heartening to learn that Sony’s entry-level RGB LED TV is cooking with a similar set of ingredients as the brand’s top-shelf model.

And, while I’ll reserve my full judgment for after I’ve had a chance to spend some time with these new TVs, when I look at these test results, I can’t help but see the Bravia 7 II as a slightly stripped-down version of the original Bravia 9. This set was (and still is) one of my favorite Mini-LED TVs ever made, and while the Bravia 7 II isn’t quite as bright, it gets pretty close — all while delivering punchier-looking color.

Sony Bravia 7 II vs Bravia 9 II: pricing and availability

So, let’s say that you decide to go with the Bravia 7 II rather than springing for the flagship-level Bravia 9 II. How much money, exactly, are you saving?

Of the two, the Bravia 7 II is the only one available in sizes below 65 inches. If you’re looking for a 50- or 55-inch TV, the Bravia 7 II is your sole option.

But if you’re choosing between the two at the 65-, 75- or 85-inch level, you stand to save between $1,000 and $2,500 by going with the Bravia 7 II. Make no mistake: The Bravia 7 II’s pricing is on par with the MSRP of mid-range OLED TVs (like the LG C6), but you’re saving a significant amount of cash by choosing the Bravia 7 II over the Bravia 9 II.

Compared to the original Bravia 9 (now a few years old), the Bravia 7 II is a bit pricier at launch. Right now, you can get the 65-inch Sony Bravia 9 for $2,099 at Best Buy. This is much more affordable than it was when it made its debut in 2024, but it’s $500 more than the Bravia 7 II, and the same price as the 55-inch Bravia 7 II.

Sony Bravia 7 II: outlook

As mentioned, we’re still hard at work on our full reviews of both the Bravia 7 II and the Bravia 9 II, so we’re still evaluating other aspects of these TVs’ performance. Until the dust settles, I’m hesitant to make any formal declarations about which TV is a better fit for various viewers.

That said, while the Bravia 9 II is shaping up to be the crown jewel of Sony’s 2026 TV lineup, I must admit that I am mighty excited to spend some quality time with the Bravia 7 II, too. Given Sony’s track record for delivering finely tuned, detail-oriented TVs with top-notch picture processing, the Bravia 7 II might prove to be the all-around best option for people who are curious about RGB LED technology, but who’d rather not shell out for a first-generation flagship.

Of course, Sony will be up against a number of entry-level RGB LED TVs that offer a similar compromise, including the Samsung R85H and the Hisense UR8. How it fares against those sets remains to be seen.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead
• 3 reasons why you shouldn't buy an RGB LED TV in 2026

In case you missed it, the other week Sony dropped its $649 1000X THE COLLEXION headphones. But don’t worry, I’ll spare you the shouty caps and just refer to them as “1000X The Collexion” or simply “1000X” from now on.

An upgrade to the still fairly recent Sony WH1000-XM6, the 1000X have stolen the XM6’s accolade of being Sony’s flagship over-ears. And naturally, that demands a premium in price. The 1000X will set you back $649. So, some dollars indeed.

Sony sent us a few pairs to try out, and I’ve gotta say, they’re fairly impressive. As it happens, though, when the 1000X landed on my desk, I had at hand my daily drivers — which I think are the Sony headphones’ closest competitors: the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2.

Naturally, then, I did a little back-to-back test to see which came out on top. Here’s what happened.

But first, a note on price

Now, some important context before we start: there’s a $150 delta between these two sets of cans, with the Px8 S2 costing $799 at Amazon. The Px8 S2 don’t drop by much in sales events either, although you can grab a set used (Like New) from Amazon for $686. The Sony 1000X The Collexion come in $150 cheaper at $649.

My point here is to see whether — if you can afford to drop big bucks into headphones to begin with — it’s worth stretching that extra bit further to the pricier cans (spoiler alert… I think it is). For the target demographic, I'd say it's reasonable to assume an extra $150 shouldn't be a huge issue.

Sound quality: a close-run thing

Admittedly, both of these headphones sound fantastic. I went into my back-to-back sound tests thinking the Px8 S2 would wipe the floor with the Sonys, but it wasn’t a total wash out. The 1000X are marketed by Sony as offering a much more refined and spacious sound than the WH1000-XM6 — which are tuned more in line with what the mass market wants: bass.

That said, I still find the 1000X a little too warm in their tuning — for my tastes anyway. Now, I actually enjoyed this in songs where bass isn’t the overriding element to begin with — Metallica’s Seek & Destroy, for example, where the added power on Lars’ kick drum complements the drive and energy of the song.

Listen along to my testing playlist on Qobuz using the widget below.

Elsewhere, I still found softer percussion, shimmering effects and vocals often felt a little buried by the 1000X bass, especially in low-heavy electronica like Burn Water’s super-subby, atmospheric Ikigai. At least via the Standard EQ preset. This wasn’t a huge problem — Sony’s app has a wide range of preset EQs and a custom EQ. I really liked the Clear EQ setting, which controlled the bass a little better, for my tastes at least. But I had to play around a fair bit with EQ on a regular basis (a lot of people like doing this, but I find it distracting).

By contrast, I haven’t really ever needed to play around with the Bowers & Wilkins EQ. These cans just sound so clean and neutral out of the box, with so much fidelity everywhere you listen. Bass is better controlled, with plenty of detail in the treble, giving really bassy songs like Ikigai much more clarity by allowing the soft, ethereal backing vocals and effects the space they need. There’s bags of mid-range definition, too, which added so much crunch to the distorted riffs on Seek & Destroy.

Of note is that the 1000X use 30mm dynamic drivers. Size isn’t everything, of course, but I noticed perceptible distortion on some of the louder sub booms in Ikigai. The Px8 S2 suffered no distortion in the same areas, likely thanks to the larger 40mm drivers.

Both headphones are rather spacious for closed backs, but the Px8 S2 definitely have the edge, sounding noticeably cleaner, brighter and more open than the more intimate-feeling 1000X. Chris Stapleton’s Death Row was pleasingly dynamic on the Bowers & Wilkins, the bluesy guitar licks and Chris’ reverby vocals getting a little closer to the acoustic-esque experience of listening to the track through my Audeze LCD5-S open backs (although, obviously, the LCD5-S are in a different league, space-wise).

To supposedly help with that, the 1000X have a 360 upmix mode. I was excited to try this out, but unfortunately found it borderline unlistenable. I mean, it sorta works: Mk.Gee’s über spatial Dream Police was a perfect candidate, and the extra reverb and echoing made for a live-recording-esque kinda effect. But the sound was incredibly compressed, with a bucket load of audible noise.

An especially noticeable difference between the two is the Px8 S2’s greater detail at low volumes. We discussed this in our Px8 S2 review, so it was on my radar, but I hadn’t grasped the full extent until listening to them in earnest. Even at around 30% volume, the B&Ws retain an incredibly impressive amount of low-end texture and high/mid clarity. By contrast, I had to keep the 1000X at around 70% for a similar sound. Better for your ears, better for battery life, and better for the long term health of the drivers I guess.

Flawless ANC on both

Both the 1000X and Px8 S2 have fantastic ANC. In fact, it’s very hard to draw a verdict here. They both do a better job than my $1,200 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95. Using the 1000X in the office, they cut virtually everything, including road noise from the open window next to my desk.

All I can say is that the Px8 S2 ANC is probably the best I’ve tested. Perhaps the strongest test was on the flight home from my honeymoon a couple of weeks ago. The seat in front hosted a screaming toddler, flanked by two dismayed parents, open-mouthed between kicks to the face. On the opposing aisle sat the similarly-unparented and only-slightly-older brother, listening to some mindlessly cheerful kids TV at full blast through his iPad speakers. In the midst of the chaos, a flight attendant fought desperately through the ruckus to ensure seatbelts were on — somehow, if the parents’ entitled faces were anything to go by, this was all her fault.

Tiny arms flailed. Dried fruit snacks flew. Someone probably lost an incisor. A flight attendant questioned her life choices by flying Ryanair. Many passengers did the same. Nightmare fuel, usually. But not with the Px8 S2.

Back in the sixth circle of hell — or the row behind the chaos — my wife looked aghast at me laughing maniacally. ‘How can you laugh through this?’ was the subtext. It was the poetry of watching all that happen in mime only, soundtracked instead by the screaming cacophony of Songs For The Deaf’s opener. “You can’t even hear it!”

No matter how loud the hellspawn in front decided to be, nor how long through the flight it decided to be so, I was alright. The Px8 S2’s ANC would drown out everything. And it did.

Everyday comforts

A lot has been said online about the supreme comfort of the 1000X, and I agree… for the most part. They feel like a premium set of cans, and if I’d bought them, I wouldn’t feel shortchanged in the build quality department.

Again, though, the Bowers & Wilkins have the edge. They go beyond premium to feel luxurious. After around an hour of wearing the Sonys, my ears started to feel a little toasty. The Px8 S2 use a more breathable material, as I wore them for most of a seven-hour train journey through Norway with no issues whatsoever.

Both sets of cans are a pain in the butt to carry around, though, as they don’t fold and use bulky carry cases instead. The Sony’s case is markedly thinner at least, so that’s the set I’d pick if portability were my biggest concern. Which it isn’t.

Battery life is another win for the Px8 S2, which offer up to 30 hours. After my seven-hour Norwegian train journey, they’d dropped to 83%, which tallies to our full battery test when we reviewed them. Battery life on the 1000X is just 24 hours. Admittedly, this is only an issue if you’re travelling away from power for any elongated period of time — not really a thing nowadays with the ubiquity of portable power banks.

Frustrating connectivity

I touched on apps a little earlier when talking about EQ, but there’s more to be said on this. Sony’s app is great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s fundamental to the operation of the headphones, and that really grates on me. You seemingly can’t even connect to the 1000X without the companion app, which feels extremely restrictive — especially for a product you’ve paid $649 for.

When you do try to connect, the Sony companion app acts like a typical Sony companion app: janky as all hell. It took me 16 minutes to get the headphones to connect. 16 minutes. To hook up over Bluetooth.

I love that with the Px8 S2, the app is essentially optional. You don’t need to download it in order to get the headphones working, and the driver tuning and default EQ are so good out the box that I rarely, if ever, need to open the app for tweaks.

The Px8 S2 also have USB-C and 3.5mm connectivity, as opposed to only 3.5mm on the Sonys. That means, if you want to play wired from your phone with the 1000X, you’re stuck using the technically subpar phone DAC. Will it make a noticeable difference? Probably not. But I like knowing that I’m bypassing my smartphone DAC altogether and using the Px8 S2’s internal conversion over USB-C, getting the best I can out of the cans when using my phone.

Still, if you’re concerned, you could always invest in a portable DAC/amp, like the FiiO KA13 ($65). Or my go-to portable DAC, the iFi hipdac 3 ($199).

The final word

So which would I buy out of the two? If you hadn’t already guessed, it’s the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. Look, the Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION are decent headphones. But when you start pricing cans in the ultra-premium range, you’re gonna have to start mixing it with the big boys. And the 1000X can’t quite mix it with the chief.

If you don’t have the extra $150, I doubt you’ll be disappointed by the 1000X. They look great, sound great, and feel great on your head. It’s just that the Px8 S2 do, well, just about everything better.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple AirPods Max 2 vs Sony 1000X The Collexion
• I tested Soundcore’s newest premium flagship earbuds — and they’re coming for the AirPods Pro 3’s crown
• I’m ditching my over-ear headphones for these Sony earbuds to beat the heat this summer — and they offer Bose-like sound for a lot less

This is the secret gadget that nobody knows you're wearing, but keeps you cool or warm based on your environment. The Reon Pocket Pro Plus has seriously changed the way I've been regulating my body temperature while at home, out and about, or at the office.

It offers cooling and warming settings, meaning that I've always been able to have my perfect temperature no matter the weather. I've always used handheld fans, but this year I'm going to rely on the Reon.

At the time of writing, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus isn't available in the U.S. market. That release is planned for Summer 2026, so it's not too long to wait, and you can sign up for launch news on Sony's website. It's currently available to purchase in the U.K. for £199 on Amazon.

How the Reon works

It's not a fan, and it's not a heater. So what is it?

Well, the Reon is unlike any thermo device I've used before. It is worn on your back under your clothes and works by using a stainless steel plate that sits at the top of your back to heat and cool the skin.

When the blood vessels under the skin detect this temperature change, it tricks your internal thermostat into thinking you're cooler or warmer than you are. And I was surprised at how quickly this works.

There's a tiny fan at the top of the device that pulls air through; this is connected to a vent that sticks out of the top of your shirt, but it's hardly noticeable. And if you have long hair like me, you can't see it at all. It's also completely silent.

Surprisingly comfortable

When I first checked out the design of the Reon, I had to admit, I was a little skeptical. I mean, this thing has arms that wrap around my neck to keep it in place, and I wasn't sure if that was going to be entirely comfortable for the day. But oh, how wrong I was.

Once I found the correct positioning for the arms, I felt totally secure. But that said, this isn't something you'd be able to wear while working out; it's just ideal for temperature control while walking or lounging around.

How it compares for the summer

So, as we head into the summer, how does the Reon hold up when compared to other cooling devices?

First of all, the Reon is discreet. It's not like a handheld fan where you need to be wafting it around your face to feel the effects. It's going to take on the heat like a silent assassin.

You also have a lot more control than when you use a handheld fan. Take the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool, for example. It's the hottest — or should I say coolest — fan on the market right now, but you can't make actual temperature adjustments. It just blows air at you for sweat to evaporate from your skin quicker. You can actually select the temperature you want with the Reon Pocket Pro Plus.

I'm excited to get using the Reon through the summer months and to find out more about the thermo device, including more information on the U.S. launch, you can read my full Reon Pocket Pro Plus review.

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Over a year ago, I ditched in-ear buds for over-ear headphones and didn't look back. You'll usually find me with my trusty Marshall Monitor III headphones around my neck, or sitting atop my head while I jam to my favorite tunes. While I love my headphones, I'm no stranger to itchy ears from sweating, and due to the very nature of over-ear cans, they can be tricky to wear for long periods of time during the summer.

The solution is a simple one, of course: get a pair of in-ear buds. In-ear buds don't sit around your ears, like over-ear headphones do, so they don't feel suffocating during the year's hottest months. And you don't need to spend big bucks to get a decent pair — which is why I'm opting for the Sony WF-C710N.

I tested the WF-C710N back in April 2025, and to date, they remain some of the best wireless earbuds I've ever tested. They're lightweight and ridiculously comfortable, and their see-through Glass Blue design is nothing short of delicious. Meaty bass, crisp treble, refined mids, and with highly effective ANC — these earbuds have got it all. And the best part? They're $170 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. It's time to upgrade your life for less with the WF-C710N.

Like you aren't even wearing them

Having tested and used many earbuds in my time, I believe that the true hallmark of a good pair is when you don't even realize they're in your ears. I should be able to go about my day without feeling earbuds digging into my ear canal. By that standard, then, the Sony WF-C710N are simply excellent.

Each earbud weighs just 0.18oz which is practically nothing. In my ears, they fit snugly and never once have they fallen out, even when I've been walking briskly or headbanging. There have been times where I've forgotten that the WF-C710N are in my ears, and that says everything you need to know about their comfort level.

In addition to that, the WF-C710N are sure to turn heads because they look stunning. Available in white, black and blue, I'd personally recommend the third option. You can see the wires and hardware on the see-through Glass Blue model, and this sets the earbuds apart from any others on the market right now.

They sound amazing

I would never recommend a pair of earbuds unless they sounded downright fantastic — yes, even if it's very comfortable and good-looking. The Sony WF-C710N have that covered, with their 5mm drivers delivering powerful bass and vibrant treble. Thanks to Sony's trademarked Digital Sound Enhancement Engine technology, sound is reproduced as close to the original recording as possible.

Through the WF-C710N, the distorted bass in 070 Shake's 'Elephant' and the reverberating bassline in Twenty One Pilots' 'No Chances' sound fantastic. It's powerful enough that you can you feel the music in your skull but not so booming that it overpowers the rest of the soundstage.

Treble is crisp but not overzealous, so you can clearly hear the high-pitched coins in Pink Floyd's 'Money' but that sound doesn't pierce through the soundscape or undermines the other instruments.

For a pair of in-ear buds, the WF-C710N provide an excellent, immersive listening experience. Combine that with the highly effective ANC that goes toe-to-toe with Bose, and you've got a winning formula. The ANC is so good that you can't hear the kettle boiling or the TV indoors, and the noise of a bus rattling while you're traveling is also muted. You're getting bang for your buck here.

In the summer, you need a pair of earbuds that enable your ears to breathe — and while headphones are great, they clamp down on your earlobes, leading to some discomfort, especially during heatwaves. Conversely, when it gets colder, over-ear cans are a great choice, because they can double as earmuffs and provide some warmth to your ears when temperatures drop.

What do you think? Do you swap between over-ear headphones (or on-ears) and in-ear buds depending on the weather? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• Sony WF-C710N review
• Do you need to spend $449 on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen when you can get the new Marshall Milton ANC for $229? I tested both and I’m very surprised
• Not all on-ear headphones are uncomfortable: I’ve been using the new Marshall Milton ANC for 3 weeks and they’re ridiculously comfortable and offer outstanding sound too

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is the most futuristic product I’ve tested yet (still waiting for that flying car). It’s essentially a personal air conditioning system that uses sensors, or your manual inputs, to regulate your body temperature. When worn, it sits at the top of your back and uses a stainless steel plate that warms and cools.

It has effective heating and cooling capabilities that are personally adjustable to you via an easy-to-use smartphone app, or with the on-board buttons — but these are a little hard to reach if you’re wearing the device on your back.

The decent battery life also means that it’s good for a full working day. So, to find out more about the device and see if it’s something you want to implement in your daily routine, keep reading my full Reon Pocket Pro Plus review.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Specs

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Price & availability

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is available to purchase in the U.K. for £199 from Amazon or directly from Sony’s online store. Unfortunately, it’s not available for purchase in the U.S. at the time of writing, but it is expected to become available in summer 2026 and will only be available for purchase directly from the Sony store. You can sign up for the mailing list to be notified of availability. And summer can’t come quickly enough, because this is an ideal cooling solution that can carry you right through and keep you warm in the winter.

Previous models of the Reon include the Reon Pocket 5, which is available for £149, and the Reon Pocket Pro for £199, but the Pocket Pro Plus comes with performance and comfort upgrades.

If you’re looking for something that’s going to keep you cool in the summer, you could also consider the Shark ChillPill for $149, which is a 3-in-1 cooling system that fits in your bag to go with you everywhere. Or alternatively, the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool ($99) is cute to hold with focused airflow and is actually pretty quiet.

And if you need to keep warm in the winter months, you’d need to look towards something like a space heater, or rechargeable hand warmers, like the Ocoopa UT4s ($26). But ultimately, there isn’t anything like the Reon Pocket Pro Plus on the market. It’s in a league of its own when it comes to personal temperature regulation, providing both heating and cooling in a single package.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Design & comfort

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus looks a little like a Chinchou Pokémon. It has two antenna-like arms that come out of a long body and wrap around your neck, so the device sits securely on your back, running down your spine.

It measures 6.9 x 4.9 x 2.4 inches, so it doesn’t come too far down my back (I’m 5’4” for reference), and it’s slightly curved, so it follows the curvature from my neck to my back perfectly. After a while, I hardly noticed I was wearing it since it’s so lightweight at just 9.1 ounces. I was conscious about the arms that wrap around your neck at first, but much like the weight on my back, I got used to them quickly. It’s also worth noting that since the Reon sits on your back, you can’t wear it at night if you sleep on your back.

The back of the device, where it touches your skin, is made of stainless steel. I’d recommend letting it heat up for a second before using, as this can be freezing cold given the material, and a bit of a shock to the system.

This device is worn under your clothes, so inevitably, it gives a slight hump under whatever top you’re wearing. But honestly, it’s not that noticeable. There is an air vent that comes out of the top of your shirt slightly so the device has airflow, and if you’re wearing a tee with a higher collar, you can swap it out for a longer one, thanks to the included interchangeable vents.

The Reon also comes with a tag to sense the surrounding environment for Smart Mode. This tag has an included carabiner so you can attach it to your belt or bag. I kept mine attached to my bag. It wirelessly connects to the device and helps it regulate the temperature based on the environment, so you don’t need to change the settings manually.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Controls & app

The controls on the body of the Reon Pocket Pro Plus are easy to use. On the left side, there’s a stop/start button, and the mode button sits just below it to switch between cooling and heating. On the right-hand side is a plus/minus button for increasing and decreasing temperature, and a button for activating Smart Mode. I found these controls very responsive during use, but a little tricky to reach when the device was on my neck.

So, if you want to make changes when you’re already wearing the device, rather than taking it off your neck to make adjustments, you simply use the mobile app to turn your phone into a remote control. I downloaded the Reon Pocket app from the iOS App Store, and it automatically connected to the device when I opened it.

Here, you can select warm or cool functions and then make adjustments to this temperature. I find this super useful as someone who works in an office with air conditioning that is always being adjusted by whoever walks past (I see you making those sneaky adjustments to the air). It means that I’ve been able to regulate my personal temperature easily.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Performance

I’ve never used anything like the Reon Pocket Pro Plus before, but now, I’m not sure if I can use a regular handheld fan ever again. Most cooling fans make noise, although there are some silent ones on the market. And, as “handheld” suggests, need to be held in your hands, but the Reon ensures your hands are free at all times. The device operates between 41ºF and 104ºF (5ºC and 40ºC).

Cool

When using the Cool setting on the Reon manually, you can choose from five temperatures. This gave me a lot of control and I could make adjustments from the app, so if it got too cold, I could turn the temperature up accordingly.

In the Cool section of the app, you can also use Smart Cool. This gives a target temperature based on the selected mode. The modes include Low Cool, Slightly Low Cool, Medium (which is the recommended mode), Slightly High Cool, and High Cool. The app notes that the battery life lasts the longest in Low Cool mode and delivers the quickest in High Cool.

The response to changes in the settings was immediate, and there was no sound from the vent of the device. It kept me cool even when the heating was on in my house, and helped to regulate my entire body temperature despite just being at the top of my back. Obviously, everyone’s body is different when regulating temperature, but I could feel the temperature adjustments I was making instantly. This was a lot faster than using a handheld portable fan.

Warm

I was skeptical about the Warm mode but it worked perfectly. As someone who generally runs cold, I’m always eager for the heat to be turned up. But I can appreciate that not everybody has my nervous system’s affinity for the heat, so by using the Reon, I had my own personal central heating system.

Just like the Cool settings, you can use Smart Warm for heat. The smart mode setting works pretty much like a thermostat. You tell it the setting you want, and it works using the sensing tag that I talked about earlier to keep the temperature within range. This worked well, and I didn’t find myself reaching for my phone to change the heat or cooling settings in the app.

Again, like the cool system, the heat was instant. I was impressed by how quickly I felt the warmth throughout my body — it literally took a matter of seconds.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Battery life

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus’ battery life depends heavily on the settings being used. The device is rated for 10 hours, but I found that the battery drained more quickly if I was using the heat settings compared to the cooling mode. And if you’re using either mode’s highest settings, it will drain faster.

10 hours of battery life should last you for the majority of your day. The average working day with the commute included is about 10.5 hours, so this amount of battery is enough to carry you through the hot subway and the chilly office air conditioning.

This is a decent amount of battery life for a personal cooling device, as the Shark ChillPill has nine and a half hours of battery at its highest setting, and the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool delivers up to six hours on the lowest setting.

Charging of the Reon takes 130 minutes to reach 90%, and getting to 100% takes a further 70 minutes — so just over three hours in total.

Reon Pocket Pro Plus review: Verdict

There’s nothing quite like the Reon Pocket Pro Plus on the market at the time of writing. It’s not a fan, and it’s not a heater. It’s more like a personalizable temperature regulatory device, and it’s given me effective heating and cooling results depending on my environment at the click of a button.

I like how fast the device responds to any changes I make within the user-friendly smartphone app. The Smart Cool and Smart Warm modes also make the device easy to use, as I didn’t need to go back and forth to constantly adjust the temperature while wearing it. The battery life is enough to get you through a full working day too, which I appreciate.

My only complaint would be that the buttons on the device itself are hard to use when you’re wearing it on your back. But since your phone can double as a remote, this is pretty much a non-issue.

I’m pretty sure we’re going to see everyone in big cities wearing these nifty devices before long — it’s way cooler than a flying car.

Sony's had something up its sleeve for weeks, and that something is finally here. Ever since paparazzi photos of an actor donning suspicious new headphones leaked, the audio world's been holding its breath — but hold your breath no more. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the XM line, the Japanese everything-brand is releasing its first uber-premium over-ear headphone: 1000X The ColleXion.

1000X The ColleXion is less aimed at the Bose QuietComfort (not Ultra) crowd and the JBL Tour One M3 Pro crowd, and more at the AirPods Max 2, Bowers and Wilkins Px8 S2 crowd. But how do these "premium" headphones actually compare to said competition?

To find out how 1000X The ColleXion really fares against the AirPods Max 2, I put the two flagship cans through a series of tests. Lock in, because it's about to move up a gear. Will the Sony 1000X The ColleXion or the AirPods Max 2 win?

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Specs compared

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Price

The Sony 1000X The ColleXion are an eye-watering $659 at their May 2026 launch, while the AirPods Max 2 launched in April 2026 for $549.

You're paying $110 extra for The ColleXion — and the AirPods Max 2 were already outrageously expensive. I'm not too sure what this extra $100 is getting you — sure, The ColleXion look nice and are much more premium than the WH-1000XM6, but still, $650 is a bit of a stretch.

Winner: AirPods Max 2

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Design

Right, so the AirPods Max 2 and the 1000X The ColleXion both serve a similar (unfortunate) purpose: being a fashion statement. Headphones should have one job — playing music — but Apple and Sony seem to be trying to make over-ears something you wear for the sole purpose of wearing them.

They have both kind of... succeeded, though? The AirPods Max 2 and ColleXion both look gorgeous, with aluminum and stainless steel finishes that scream premium. I suppose, if you're paying $550-$650 for headphones, you'd expect them to look good. Personally, I still think the AirPods Max 2 look better, but I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it's fine if you disagree there.

The AirPods Max 2 have much more intuitive controls — no tapping randomly on the ear cups — but The ColleXion now have a Spatial Upmixer button, so you can cycle through music upmix and cinema upmix without the Sony Headphones app. I personally did not enjoy how the Spatial Upmixer made my music super tinny, so I never used this.

However, while the AirPods Max 2 win in terms of design and controls, The ColleXion win in terms of carry case. The AirPods Max 2 have no case worth talking about, but The ColleXion have a pretty awesome hard shell mini handbag case. Not only does this protect the headphones, it also looks pretty stylish. As a result, I'd say this round is a draw.

Winner: Draw.

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Sound quality

Both the 1000XX The ColleXion and the AirPods Max 2 sound divine. If you like expansive, melodic headphones capable of delicately balancing rich bass and subtle detail, you'll like both the Sony and Apple offerings.

To accurately compare the sound, I listened to both The ColleXion and the AirPods Max 2 as my daily drivers, playing every genre under the sun (including podcasts and YouTube videos). I listened to everything on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles.

'Neverender' by Justice & Tame Impala is an electronic track with an intense synth-heavy instrumental and infectious metallic percussion. Neither the ColleXion nor the AirPods Max 2 lost any detail, and the vocals had unbeatable clarity, even during heavier sections.

When I played a heavier rock track, 'RIDING WITH MY GIRLS' by Die Spitz, the ColleXion handled the crunchy bass and metal-tinged guitars well. I wanted a touch more depth to the percussion — the cymbals kind of faded into the background — but in general, the ColleXion performed well.

When I listened with the AirPods Max 2, the details were louder and pulled forward, including the cymbals and crunchy guitar effects. Neither headphones managed to make the bass sound particularly excellent, but the AirPods Max 2 created a livelier soundscape.

Of course, I also had to test with LDAC, Sony's proprietary hi-res Bluetooth codec. 'Parachute' by Hayley Williams is a voice-led guitar track with heavy, almost over-processed bass and emotive vocals. Williams' voice sounded particularly incredible with LDAC enabled.

With the AirPods Max 2, 'Parachute' sounded clear, detailed, and had vibrant bass. Williams' voice was, again, front and center, weaving confidently between the over-processed bass and percussion.

The AirPods Max 2 just beat The ColleXion here — the ColleXion handle higher frequencies really well, but the bass was a bit too unrefined.

Both the AirPods Max 2 and the Sony 1000X The ColleXion have wired playback — USB-C and 3.5mm aux, respectively — which provides similarly lossless performances. Naturally, the AirPods Max 2 sound best via Apple Music and USB-C, and the Sonys sound best via Qobuz and 3.5mm wired.

Overall, both headphones sound great, and I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed with either. The AirPods just take this round due to the more balanced bass response, though, as The ColleXion's bass can verge on unrefined in heavier genres.

Winner: Apple AirPods Max 2

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: ANC

Both the AirPods Max 2 and The ColleXion have fantastic ANC, but the Sonys are the better performers here. During tests, I couldn't hear anything through the The ColleXion, not even high-frequency noises that often leak through even the strongest ANC, but I could hear things like clacking keyboards and chest-vibrating construction noises when listening to the AirPods Max 2.

For everyday use, though, you would get on just fine with either. I predominantly use my AirPods Max 2 and the ANC is everything I could need.

Winner: Sony 1000X The ColleXion

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Call quality

I've said it before (and I'm sure I'll say it again), but we've reached a point in the Bluetooth headphone life cycle where pretty much every single flagship over-ears will provide you crystal-clear sound.

I have only good things to say about the AirPods Max 2 and Sony 1000X The ColleXion's call quality. Both headphones have crystal-clear audio, no fuzziness or hissing in sibilant words. Both headphones reduce ambient noise wonderfully, so I have no reservations about recommending either headphones for calls in loud or quiet environments.

Winner: Draw.

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Battery

The battery life is my biggest qualm with the AirPods Max 2. I can't quite believe Apple released headphones with a 20-hour battery life in 2026, but here we are. While The ColleXion have a 24-hour battery, this still isn't particularly impressive, either.

It's better, don't get me wrong — I'll take everything I can get as long as it's better than the AirPods Max 2 — but when the Sony WH-1000XM6 have a 30-hour battery life for $200 cheaper, this is a huge miss from Sony.

Of course, the Sonys win by default, but really, there are no winners here.

Winner: Sony 1000X The ColleXion

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Verdict

Both the AirPods Max 2 and the Sony 1000X The ColleXion received 85 points, making this versus a draw. You won't be disappointed by either the AirPods Max 2 or The ColleXion.

It's near impossible to choose between these two headphones. Both ooze style, have premium sound quality, and an array of impressive features (although I disliked Sony's Spatial Upmixer, you might love it). Both earn their place as some of the most premium, best wireless headphones money can buy.

I would personally choose the Apple AirPods Max 2, but The ColleXion still have a lot going for them: Want lighter cans, don't mind a more unrefined bass, and love Sony's impeccable ANC? Go for the 1000X The ColleXion. If you value metal construction, vivacious sound, and don't mind a poorer battery life, the AirPods will treat you right.

Sony 1000X The ColleXion vs Apple AirPods Max 2: Ratings scorecard

Premium isn't new territory for Sony. The impressive build quality has made the 1000X series stand out from the crowd, becoming a top choice for listeners in the audio world. Today, the company announced a jump into the world of luxury audio with The 1000X ColleXion headphones.

The new headphones are Sony's take on refined luxury, with an uber sleek look that's totally eye-catching. The headphones were first leaked when Damson Idris, star of "F1: The Movie" was spotted wearing them out in public, and speculations have been swirling about the headphones' capabilities ever since.

They still have the distinct Sony headphone look and take inspiration from the WH-1000XM6 headphones, but it's clear that the quality has been upped here. But at what cost? Well, it's a big one, so hold onto your hats as we get into everything you need to know about the 1000X The ColleXion headphones launch.

How much do they cost?

As you can imagine, since these are luxury headphones, they come with a luxury price point. The new 1000X The Collection headphones are available to purchase for $649 /£550 / AU$999 from the Sony Online store.

In the U.S. and U.K., they're even pricier than the Apple AirPods Max 2, which cost $549 / £499, though in Australia, they're priced identically at AU$999.

Since Sony is a premium audio brand, their regular gear isn't exactly budget; its previous release, the WH-1000XM6 headphones, cost $399 / £379 / AU$649.

What do they look like?

The design of the new 1000X The ColleXion headphones clearly takes heavy inspiration from the WH-1000XM6 headphones, which were released last year. But there are some minor changes, which primarily include the materials used.

First, the headphones are available in Platinum or Black. This is a very basic color range, but we have previously seen Sony release more colors of headphones at a later date, so could it be something we see here? For example, the company is also launching a new Sandstone colorway for the WH-1000XM6 headphones today.

The headband of the new ColleXion headphones is metal with padding underneath. The earcups have also had a design change and are now covered in faux leather, but keep the same distinctive Sony shape. However, the earcup of the new headphones is a slimmer 40.1mm, compared to the XM6 earcups, which are 45.4mm.

Audio upgrades

The 1000X The ColleXion headphones see the introduction of DSEE Ultimate. Previously, only standard DSEE has been available in Sony's audio gear, and this technology rebuilds compressed music files. The Ultimate version uses AI technology to upscale the sampling rate (resolution) and bit depth (dynamic range), restoring any lost detail.

The ColleXion headphones also have Hi-Res wireless and LDAC audio codecs. The sound has also been optimized with Walkman technology, using more advanced internal components.

ColleXion has three modes of 360 Upmix for stereo music, cinema and gaming. This aims to give a more immersive experience across the listening modes.

General performance

1000X The ColleXion features 12 microphones (six on each earcup) and an Adaptive NC Optimizer seen in the WH-1000XM6 for noise cancelling that adapts to the environment around you. They also allow background music options with the Sound Connect app, which is one of my favorite features to use on the WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

With 24 hours of battery life with noise cancelling turned on and 32 hours with it turned off, the ColleXion headphones can support all-day listening. This is a significant reduction from what we see in the XM6 headphones, which support 30 hours with ANC and 40 hours with ANC turned off. But with that said, it's still more than enough to get you through the longest flights.

What do you think? Is it worth the upgrade to the premium model, or will you be sticking with the 1000X release from last year? Let us know in the comments.

Don't forget to check out our full Sony 1000X ColleXion review.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the highly anticipated Sony WF-1000XM6 — and they're 'everything I could possibly need'
• Apple AirPods Max 2 review: ‘Everything from its predecessor dialed up to 11’
• I tested the Sony WH-1000XM6 for three weeks — here’s my verdict

It's been quite an eventful few week for cameras. Insta360 launched a Go 3S Retro Bundle, we saw the GoPro Mission 1 lineup, and on Wednesday May 13th, Sony and Canon dropped a camera each — what a time to be alive! Sony and Canon's announcements came out of the blue, with teasers posted on their respective social channels either a week or just a few days prior to the launches.

Canon has expanded its V-series lineup of video-first cameras with the new EOS R6 V, while the Sony A7R VI succeeds the four-years-old A7R V. Sony's offering sounds like the ultimate hybrid that builds on its predecessor's success, while Canon's latest camera looks like it could be the best mirrorless camera for video.

Needless to say, I'm excited and thrilled. As someone who reviews cameras for a living and loves photographing her surroundings, I'm intrigued by both cameras. But is there one I'm excited about more than the other? Well, that's what we're here to find out.

A quick rundown of specs

Who are the Canon EOS R6 V and Sony A7R VI for?

Both the Canon EOS R6 V and the Sony A7R VI have different target audiences — but with some overlap. The A7R VI sets a new gold standard for high-resolution full frame cameras with its 66.8MP sensor and 30fps RAW burst capabilities, which make it great for all genres of photography, including wildlife, sports, and portrait. It also features 8K/30fps video so it sounds like a fantastic all-rounder.

Bolstering the A7R VI's position as a powerful hybrid camera is its OLED viewfinder with a 120fps refresh rate and 9.44M-dot resolution. You also get a 3.2-inch 4-axis LCD monitor with a 2.1M-dot resolution. Oh, and 8.5-stops of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) which means you can shoot at very slow shutter speeds and still walk away with a usable photo.

And what about the EOS R6 V? It's the second R-V body Canon has introduced, and it joins the excellent Canon EOS R50 V. The 'V' version of the EOS R6 is also the fourth EOS R6 body in existence — and as the 'V' suggests, it's a video-first take on Canon's hybrid camera. There's no viewfinder so you must rely on the camera's 3-inch vari-angle screen and its 1.62M-dot resolution. The EOS R6 V offers 7K/60fps RAW and 7K/30fps Open Gate video capabilities, both of which make it ideal for content creation.

In addition to that, you get 40fps continuous shooting which is... surprising, and something I wasn't really expecting in a video-first camera. While this camera sounds like it would be peerless for video, I'm sure it will be ideal for capturing photos of birds in flight too with its 32.5MP CMOS sensor and best-in-class Dual Pixel CMOS II autofocus system. And did I mention it packs up to 8.5-stops of IBIS, just like the A7R VI? Yep, it's almost got it all.

The one I'm most excited for (and why)

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by the Canon EOS R6 V. It features the same 32.5MP sensor as the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. As a video-first iteration of the series, it packs an active cooling fan — which you'll most certainly need if you're shooting 7K/30fps Open Gate... or even 4K/60fps, really, especially outdoors.

With the EOS R6 Mark III and its predecessors, battery life while recording video was always a sticking point, but this time around, Canon's going for the "best battery life" crown. The company claims the EOS R6 V can record for two hours or more as long as the built-in fan is toggled on, the overheat limit is set to high, and the camera's on a tripod.

While all of this sounds great (and I'm looking forward to test the camera for my full review), the EOS R6 V isn't the one I'm most excited about — it's the Sony A7R VI. The A7R VI packs a newly developed 66.8MP sensor and enables you to shoot RAW photos at 30fps. This will certainly be a boon for wildlife photographers such as myself.

I loved the Sony A1 II when I tested it and it's the one camera I've thought about buying myself time and again. I captured some of my best photos on it, and being able to make extreme crops was a walk in the park thanks to the 50MP resolution. But 66.8MP sounds even better, and the sensor's stacked nature delivers faster readout speeds and minimizes rolling shutter distortion. Then you've got the new BIONZ XR2 processor for 30fps blackout-free bursts, so you don't lose track of your subject because of, well, black screens between shots.

The A7R VI also borrows Auto subject detection mode from the A1 II, so you don't need to manually change the subject you're photographing — handy for anyone who captures a variety of subject. I loved this on the A1 II as I photograph birds, animals and (occasionally) humans and I can't wait to see how it holds up on the A7R VI.

A new trick up its sleeve

In addition to all the goodies the Sony A7R VI offers, it also features a new battery pack: the 2,670mAh NP-SA100. Sony says that with this battery pack, the A7R VI is CIPA-rated for 600 shots with the viewfinder or 710 shots with the monitor. Its predecessor, the A7R V, is CIPA-rated for 440 shots, so Sony's made some strides.

CIPA testing is done under strict conditions and the number is often conservative, so it'll be interesting to see how the battery holds up in real-world use.

I think it's going to be interesting to see how both the A7R VI and the Canon EOS R6 V perform in practice as, in theory, they both sound great in their own right. I'm obviously not pitting both cameras against one another. That would be unfair as they have different target audiences (and there's quite a bit of a price difference). Needless to say, though, it's an exciting time for photographers and camera enthusiasts. I can't wait to get my hands on both cameras and put them through their paces!

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Sony A1 II for 2 weeks — and its autofocus results blew my mind
• I just tested the Canon EOS R5 Mark II to photograph wildlife — and this one feature has changed how I take photos forever
• ‘Few wildlife cameras come close to this’: why the OM System OM-1 Mark II is perfect for photographing birds in flight and other animals

Have you heard of "deinfluencing"? It's a popular social media trend where content creators advise their followers against buying overhyped or unnecessary products in a bid to combat excessive consumerism. My job, as a reviews writer, oftentimes feels like that.

I don't believe overconsumption is a good thing for us or the planet, and it's okay to not want the latest tech that everyone keeps talking about. See? Deinfluencing.

Today, I'm here to deinfluence you and tell you that you don't need two separate pairs of headphones for music and gaming. Historically, gaming headsets haven't been particularly great for audiophile listening because of how they're tuned, but I feel like that's changing — and leading the charge is the Sony Inzone H6 Air. It's one of the best gaming headsets as well as one of the best audiophile headphones I've ever tested, period.

I could go on all day about why the H6 Airs are wonderful gaming cans, but I want to talk about the audio quality instead, and tell you that this is the only set of cans you need. That's because the H6 Airs, unlike many other gaming-first headsets, have an ace up their sleeves: they use studio-grade drivers.

If you're an audiophile and a gamer, there is no better headset.

Open-backs > Everything else

The term "open-backs" is generally associated with regular, music-first headphones. Though Sony has a few open-back headphones under its belt, the Inzone H6 Air is the giant's first-ever open-back gaming headset (and it's nothing short of a triumph). Open-backs are usually more comfortable than closed-back headphones, such as the Fractal Design Scape gaming headset, or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cans.

It's not that closed-back headphones are uncomfortable per se, all I'm saying is that open-backs are much airier and lighter than closed-backs. If you want a listening experience that's free of fatigue, open-backs are the way to go.

Rear air pressure buildup is extremely common on sealed cans because there's nowhere for the air to go (hence, the holes). The H6 Airs, like many open-backs, allow air to pass through the earcups (the holes, remember?), which reduces fatigue and eliminates sweat buildup, enabling you to wear the headphones for hours on end.

Also adding to their wearability is the fact that they weigh just 7.01oz — they're ridiculously lightweight. The suspended headband helps reduce pressure you’d otherwise feel on the top of their head. Finally, the H6 Air use light nylon ear cushions that nestle your ears like two clouds loosely hugging them.

I've tested the, extensively — for gaming and listening to music — and the longest I've gone wearing them has been nine hours straight. Whether you plan on gaming with them or listening to several albums back-to-back, the H6 Air has you covered.

Studio-grade drivers for audiophile sound

It's a good thing that Sony went wired with the H6 Air: Wired headphones are generally better than their wireless counterparts because there's no loss of information and compression occurring over Bluetooth. They transmit uncompressed audio data, leading to high-fidelity sound. Combine that with studio-grade drivers and you've got a winning formula — Sony does, at least.

The H6 Airs are fitted with 40mm Open-Back Dynamic which you'll also find in the Sony MDR-MV1 studio monitoring headphones. Naturally, as they're gaming cans, these drivers in the H6 Air have been re-tuned for gaming with enhanced bass. But they're still phenomenal for music.

You can read all about the gaming performance in the full review, so I'll discuss music quality instead. Hit play on the playlist below to listening along to my testing songs while you read my analysis.

The first thing I noticed while listening to ‘First Light’ by Lana Del Rey was the expansiveness of the H6 Air. It felt like I was standing in the middle of a crowded room at a gig, and my body was engulfed in the orchestral production.

The H6 Air feature spatial audio, and the headphones created a fantastic 3D effect in the 007 theme. Lana's "Will you? Will you?" whispers felt like they were positioned at different depths, and like they were swirling around my head instead of through detached left and right channels.

At the time of writing the review, I was obsessed with ‘Black Water’ by Poets of the Fall, and the song sounded the most beautiful it ever has through these headphones. The opening acoustic guitar carried startling clarity, with the zip of fingers sliding from note to note without sounding too harsh or distorted. The headphones never once got overwhelmed — whether that was when all the other instruments kicked in, or Marko Saaresto hit the highest note.

Despite being open-back, tight basslines are the H6 Air's specialty too. Airy high frequencies and accurate bass in 'No Chances' by Twenty One Pilots made me love the track even more. The bassline through the H6 Air reverberates in a way that you can feel it in your chest, and the subtle drop in notes felt apparent.

Lastly, 'Money' by Pink Floyd was another great testing track for the H6 Air, with the clinks of coins balancing well against the blues-based, driving riff played in an unusual 7/4 time signature.

One headset for two purposes

The Sony Inzone H6 Air have quickly become some of my favorite headphones, for gaming and listening to music. They're spacious and expansive, and they're extremely comfortable — perhaps the most comfortable over-ears I've tested so far. Being able to plug them into any device and console you own is a massive advantage, and the wired design means you're getting high-fidelity audio at all times.

You may still want a pair of wireless headphones for when you're traveling, and of course, open-backs doesn't boast the best active noise cancellation due to the limitations posed by their design. But if you want one pair of wired headphones for both gaming and careful listening, I can't think of a better option.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Sony Inzone H6 Air is a compelling case to ditch wireless cans and use open-backs for gaming — here’s my honest verdict
• I tested the JBL Go 5 vs JBL Go 4 budget Bluetooth speakers — and there’s a clear winner under $60
• Move over, Sonos — this Marshall soundbar is now my favorite for small spaces

At the time of writing, open-back headphones designed specifically for gaming haven’t been around for that long, and Sony has just dipped its toe into these waters. The Sony Inzone H6 Air is nothing short of a triumph, and the brand’s first-ever gaming open-backs offer studio-grade sound quality in both gaming and for listening to music.

Sporting a lightweight build that’s ridiculously comfortable for long gaming sessions, the H6 Air is a 10/10 in the design department. It’s compatible with an array of consoles and devices, making it the only headset you’ll ever need. The 40mm drivers are from Sony’s studio monitoring headphones, tuned here for gaming rather than production, so you know you’re getting best-in-class sound quality — regardless of what you’re playing or listening to. With a decent mic to boot, the H6 Air has quickly become one of my favorite sets of cans.

Is this the best gaming headset for you? Read my full Sony Inzone H6 Air review to find out.

Sony Inzone H6 Air review: Specs

Sony Inzone H6 Air review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Sony’s first-ever open-back gaming headphones for all-day play
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a comfortable headset with studio-grade sound quality
• How much does it cost? The Sony Inzone H6 Air retails for $199 / £179
• What do we like? The comfortable design, multi-platform compatibility, studio-grade sound, and great mic performance
• What don’t we like? The underwhelming software

Sony Inzone H6 Air review: The ups

There’s so much to love about the Sony Inzone H6 Air, from its comfortable open-back design and multi-platform compatibility, to the studio-grade sound quality in video games and music.

Ridiculously comfortable for all-day play

Not only have I reviewed my fair share of gaming headsets, but I’ve extensively used them outside of a work capacity. Comfort level is the first thing I consider before buying (or while testing) a gaming headset, because there’s no point spending any amount of money on an uncomfortable set of cans. The Sony Inzone H6 Air is the most ridiculously comfortable gaming headset I’ve used so far.

The H6 Air bears striking resemblance to the Sony Inzone H9 II ($349) but the biggest difference is that the H6 Air is an open-back headset. As is the nature of open-back headphones, the H6 Air offers superior comfort by allowing air to pass through the earcups. On sealed headphones, like the Fractal Design Scape ($199) and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199), rear air pressure buildup is common as there’s nowhere for the air to go. By opting for an open-back design, the H6 Air reduces fatigue and eliminates sweat buildup — and I can confirm that.

I’ve used the H6 Air extensively, and the longest I’ve worn it for has been a nine-hour gaming session. Not once did I feel like my ears were too hot or uncomfortable. Also aiding the H6 Air’s comfortable fit is its lightweight build. The headset weighs just 7.01oz (without cable and mic), making it much lighter than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 (11oz) and the Fractal Design Scape (12oz). The suspended headband helps reduce pressure you’d otherwise feel on the top of their head, while the light nylon ear cushions nestle your ears like two clouds loosely hugging them. No complaints from me in the design and comfort department.

One headset to rule them all

A big advantage of using a wired headset is that, more often than not, it’s compatible with more consoles and systems than a wireless headset is. The Sony Inzone H6 Air, like all Inzone gear these days, is theoretically PC-gaming-first. However, it comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as a USB-C Audio Box, so it’s compatible with essentially every console you own.

This includes PC, macOS, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android smartphones. You’ll be able to use it with your Steam Deck and other handheld consoles too. I tested the headset with my PS5 Slim by plugging the 3.5mm jack into the DualSense controller, and it worked like a charm.

Exceptional studio-grade in-game sound

The Sony Inzone H6 Air is an exceptional headset offering detailed, crystal clear sound quality, regardless of the video game genre you’re playing. The headset utilizes 40mm Open-Back Dynamic drivers. You’ll also find these drivers in the Sony MDR-MV1 studio monitoring headphones, but for the H6 Air Sony has re-tuned them for gaming with enhanced bass, and they’ve given me nothing to complain about.

The H6 Air covers a frequency response range of 10Hz-20,000Hz, which is standard for the best gaming headsets, covering from the highest frequencies down to deep bass tones. I was able to hear every soft footstep and every loud explosion with the utmost clarity, and it made for an immersive gaming experience. To test the headset, I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cyberpunk 2077, and Control.

Cyberpunk 2077

In Cyberpunk 2077, I found infiltrating enemy bases stealthily a walk in the park as I could hear NPCs clearly behind closed doors. I could pinpoint their movements exactly, and I made a mental note of their patterns so that I could quietly open the door, take them out, and continue my approach.

This doesn’t mean the bass takes a backseat. Cyberpunk 2077 features a busy, techno soundtrack that often kicks in when you’re fighting an enemy or executing a stealthy takedown. I found the tonal separation to be fantastic, and the soundtrack never once sounded muddy. Even with the soundtrack at its peak, I could still hear enemies flanking me in close quarters combat, which helped me determine the direction of my attack.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

I also loved the emphasis on sharp audio cues in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which helped me time my parries perfectly in battles. The treble never sounded overzealous or like it cut through the rest of the soundscape. On the contrary, every aspect of the soundstage was perfectly balanced. I could still appreciate the bass-heavy orchestra soundtracking my battles, while appreciating the sound of my magical and physical attacks landing.

Roaming the vast open world in Expedition 33 was thoroughly enjoyable too. The gloomy yet vibrant atmosphere of the game was conveyed well through the H6 Air. The transition between my character walking on concrete and then scattered petals was loud and clear as I could hear the soft crunch of the petals.

Control

In a similar vein, the spooky atmosphere in Control was exaggerated by the H6 Air, and it truly felt like I was walking through a derelict, haunted building. Hissing noises in the hallways, droplets trickling down walls, alien-like NPCs croaking, and the protagonist Jesse Faden’s shallow breathing after she’d just sprinted down the hall, all added to my immersion.

There are plenty of dialogue-heavy cutscenes in Control, and I was able to hear every word spoken with clarity. Words never bled into one another, and I love that the headset made it feel like I was there, with the characters. For instance, in a cavern, the characters’ voices echoed well, but not too much so that it felt unpleasant or like I couldn’t understand what they were saying. If it’s lifelike audio you’re after, the H6 Air should be your port of call.

Superb for music listening, too

Because the Sony Inzone H6 Air utilizes studio-grade drivers found in monitoring headphones, I had to listen to music to test the headset’s caliber — and I was not disappointed. The opening acoustic guitar in ‘Black Water’ by Poets of the Fall had startling clarity, and I could hear the zip of fingers sliding from note to note. When the other instruments kicked in, the headset never got overwhelmed. Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound made the vocals feel like they were swirling around my head rather than playing left or right.

The H6 Air’s drivers produce tight, accurate bass and clear, airy high frequencies, and this was apparent when listening to ‘First Light’ by Lana Del Rey. Although the track doesn’t have a pounding bassline, it provides a subtle backbone to the song, and the bass through the H6 Air sounded nice and airy. This, in turn, made the orchestral crescendo feel grand rather than simply loud.

The headset creates a great 3D effect with the secondary vocals in ‘First Light’ too. The "Will you? Will you?" whispers felt like they were positioned at different depths, and Lana’s primary vocals had the centerstage here. This made the Bond theme feel more immersive and cinematic.

Great mic quality

The Sony Inzone H6 Air utilizes a detachable cardioid boom mic. A cardioid mic is like a unidirectional one, with a heart-shaped polar pattern that is most sensitive to sound at the front, and least sensitive at the back. This type of mic is great for gaming headsets, as it ensures that the words coming out of your mouth are the only ones that are heard. While it won’t replace the best microphones for streamers, it’s still decent for a headset.

To test the H6 Air’s mic, I first recorded myself with nothing else playing in the background. As you can hear in the clip above, my voice sounds loud and clear. It also sounds textured and true to what I sound like without a microphone. Unlike the similarly priced SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 and the Fractal Design Scape, my voice doesn’t sound tinny or unpleasant, and there’s no clipping either.

I then played an episode of Veep in the background, at approximately 50% volume on my phone, to see if the H6 Air isolated my voice. In the clip above, you can hear some background noise (i.e. characters’ voices) but it doesn’t particularly overpower my voice. The plosives are still clear and my words aren’t bleeding into one another. Again, better performance than the other two headsets previously mentioned.

Sony Inzone H6 Air review: The downs

The only real issue with the Sony Inzone H6 Air is that the companion software is a little underwhelming.

Underwhelming companion software

To customize the Sony Inzone H6 Air, you’ll need to download Inzone Hub on your Windows laptop. There’s no software available on macOS, Android or iOS, so you’ll be left feeling shortchanged if you don’t have a Windows laptop to hand. While Inzone Hub is easy to use, there isn’t much you can do in terms of customization on the H6 Air.

You’ll need to plug in the H6 Air using the included USB-C Audio Box to customize the headset, and once you’ve adjusted the settings, they’ll be saved to the Audio Box so that you can use them across consoles. Within Inzone Hub, you can customize the 10-band equalizer, adjust the sidetone, and enable spatial sound. There’s also the option to boost the bass or toggle an FPS profile, but I found the former to be overpowering and the latter didn’t really make much difference, as the H6 Air’s already tuned to give you an advantage in competitive gaming.

Wired cans in general don’t usually have companion apps, or when they do, there isn’t much there in terms of personalization. If you want extensive customization, you might want to consider a wireless headset, like the Fractal Design Scape or the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2.

A little on the pricey side

The Sony Inzone H6 Air is a capable and competent gaming headset, and one of the finest I’ve ever tested. It’s a little on the pricey side but before you start panicking, trust me, this headset is worth the premium. The H6 Air retails for $199 / £179 at Amazon and, at the time of writing, hasn’t received any major discounts yet (as it just came out in April 2026).

But a great thing about the H6 Air is that it doesn’t feel like an overpriced headset. A ridiculously comfortable and lightweight design, studio-grade sound quality and multi-platform compatibility make it worth paying full price for — unlike the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 which we thought was $25-$50 overpriced. And hey, the H6 Air is cheaper than the Asus ROG Kithara open-backs, which costs a whopping $299.

Sony Inzone H6 Air review: Verdict

“Are open-back headphones good for gaming?” The Sony Inzone H6 Air certainly proves they are. Sony’s first open-back gaming headset is simply outstanding. Packing 40mm studio-grade drivers, the headset delivers well-rounded, fine-tuned sound in video games and music. You feel like you’re the main character. If, like me, you love spending your weekend gaming away, you’ll be pleased to know that the H6 Air is extremely comfortable and fit for the job.

Would I change anything about the H6 Air? The software could certainly use a bit more oomph, but as I mentioned earlier, that isn’t a dealbreaker. If you want powerful sound quality with exceptional bass, treble and mids, there’s no reason to not get the H6 Air. This headset has quickly become one of the best products I’ve tested so far, and I’m now hesitant to go back to wireless cans.

Update (04/30): Sony has officially denied claims that it is implementing a 30-day timer for newly purchased digital games. It was previously claimed that keeping your console offline for more than 30 days would lock digital titles, preventing them from being played until you logged back into the PlayStation Network.

However, a Sony representative told Game File that this is not the case. Stating that, "a one-time online check is required after purchase to confirm the game’s license, after which no further check-ins are needed.”

So you don't need to worry that Sony is pulling an Xbox One-type verification system on gamers. Your digital games will remain playable regardless of how long your console goes without an internet connection.

Original story follows:

Remember back in 2013, when Microsoft announced that the Xbox One would need to connect to the internet every 24 hours, otherwise it would completely shut down? I sure as heck remember the outrage at the time, especially the controversial comments from then-Xbox CEO Don Mattrick that gamers who want an offline experience should just play the Xbox 360 — an already eight-year-old console at the time.

I bring this up because almost 13 years after Microsoft backtracked on those policies, furor has erupted online over the possibility that Sony may do something similar with the PS5 and PS4.

As reported by YouTube Channel Modded Warfare, the version 13:20 firmware update for the PS5 may have added some form of DRM to the console. While we haven't been able to verify this for ourselves, the video shows recent digital purchases with a 30-day timer attached — listed as a "Valid Period" in its information page.

This timer is likened to PS Plus games or rentals that were only intended to be playable for a set amount of time. It's been reported that if this timer expires, games will no longer be accessible offline until you reconnect to the PlayStation Network for validation. Apparently, it also doesn't matter if you have set a particular system as your primary console; the timer remains.

Wait, is this actually happening?

YouTuber Spawn Wave tested the DRM claims on their console and resorted to removing the console's CMOS battery to pull all power to the internal clock. Since the PS5 couldn't verify the time, it wasn't able to verify whether licenses for two newly-purchased digital games (Vampire Crawlers and Saint Slayer) were valid — locking the YouTuber out of both games.

Sony hasn't made any official announcement about this yet, which is only adding to the confusion. Various messages that are allegedly from PlayStation Support have shown up on social media, seemingly confirming that the new 30-day check is a new policy.

However, we have no way to verify these messages, and various online users seem to be getting conflicting information from the PlayStation Online Assistant — which is an AI chatbot. When I asked about this new license policy, it claimed that "digital games on PlayStation do not require a connection to PSN every 30 days to play."

So I'm still none the wiser about what's actually going on, and it further confirms my suspicion that AI chatbots are not the best source of information.

This is a horrible idea, but totally unsurprising

I will say this: It's ironic that Sony would introduce a policy like this, considering how much it mocked Microsoft for attempting something similar back in 2013. A 30-day timer, which operates on a game-by-game basis, isn't quite as extreme as what Microsoft proposed, but it's still a ridiculous thing to try and implement.

While we don't have any official explanation as to why, Modded Warfare thinks it's a way to clamp down on jailbroken consoles since they're usually kept offline to avoid bans. However, there's also the possibility that this is a bug, and only Sony will be able to clarify what's actually going on.

We've reached out to Sony and PlayStation for clarity and will update when we hear back.

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• Saros is everything I wanted from a Returnal sequel — and it fixes its predecessor's biggest problems

Five years ago, I labeled Returnal “the best reason to own a PS5 right now.” While subsequent console exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Astro Bot have bolstered the PS5 library further, Housemarque's heart-pounding rogue-lite remains one of the console’s finest games. If it’s spiritual sequel, Saros, had merely offered more of the same, it would have been an instant recommendation, but this follow-up goes further.

It retains all of Returnal’s best bits — the frenetic bullet-hell shooter gameplay, mysterious sci-fi world, intriguing, but cryptic, story and intimidating boss battles — but also makes a real effort to sand down rough edges. It’s not that Saros is any less demanding than Returnal, but this time, Housemarque wants to empower players to overcome its biggest challenges.

Saros offers a permanent upgrade system so even when you fall, you come back stronger. No obstacle feels insurmountable. Plus, it adds a more cinematic quality to its core narrative, while still giving lore-fantatics plenty of morsels to chew on. Oh, and it’s also a stunning PS5 Pro showcase, with the best use of the DualSense controller since… well, since Returnal.

Here’s why Saros is a PS5 exclusive that every console owner needs to play.

Saros: The Basics

• What is it? Saros is a third-person action rogue-lite, where you play a company soldier exploring a constantly-shifting alien world. Each run is different, with remixed levels and randomized weapons, upgrades and collectible items.
• Who is it for? Rogue-lite fans will definitely enjoy Saros, but it’s a must-play for anybody who loves fast-paced, demanding combat or has a passion for dark science fiction settings.
• What's the price? Saros costs $69 at Amazon. There’s also a Deluxe Edition for $79 on the PS Store with extra cosmetics.
• What other games has the developer made? Saros comes from developer Housemarque, who made its spiritual predecessor Returnal. The Finnish team also created numerous arcade-style twin-stick shooters like Dead Nation, Resogun and Nex Machina.
• What games is this similar to? Naturally, Saros most closely resembles Returnal. But it also takes several elements from popular action rogue-lite games such as Hades 2 and Dead Cells.

Carcosa calling

I definitely got a strong sense of déjà vu in my first few minutes playing Saros. Like Returnal, you’re thrown straight into the action with little context. Within moments, you’re staring down a boss who turns you to dust in a matter of seconds. Don’t worry, you’re supposed to lose.

After a quick revive, the stakes are set. You play as Arjun Devraj (voiced/modeled by “The Haunting of Hill House’s” Rahul Kohli), an enforcer for the Solatri corporation, dispatched to the mysterious planet of Carcosa to discover what happened to a group of colonists sent to the alien world, who disappeared shortly after landing and haven’t been heard from since.

The narrative unfolds primarily through ominous audio logs and text files, but you’re not alone in your quest this time. In between runs, you can catch up with your crew, which fleshes out Saros’ world and gives you insight into the psychological effects of the planet. It’s a smart way of dishing out story beats without taking the focus off Saro’s fast-paced combat.

I wish Saros’ audio logs weren’t randomized across its procedurally generated levels. After “beating” one biome in two runs, I found myself having to continually revisit it in the hopes of finding the remaining logs just so that I didn’t miss a scrap of story, which was unsatisfying.

Fighting for your life

Saros plays like a classic bullet-hell shooter, but with the production values cranked up several notches. To survive against its legions of multi-colored-projectile-spewing enemies, you’ll need to sprint, jump and dash constantly. Stay stationary for long, and you’re toast.

Added to the mix is a new bubble shield ability, which is an extremely powerful addition to your arsenal. It not only blocks incoming attacks, but can absorb projectiles, converting them into fuel for your formidable Power Weapon. Deciding the best time to pop your shield and when to use your dash to phase through projectiles is all part of Saros’ epic combat rhythm.

Rhythm is an apt word, as success in Saros often comes down to achieving a flow state. When you lock in, you’ll start anticipating enemy attacks before they land, and gracefully maneuver around the battlefield. One frustration is that the shield is tied to the same button as your melee attack. This results in a split-second delay when deploying it, which can lead to taking cheap, unavoidable hits as Arjun first throws a punch before activating his shield.

Like its predecessor, Saros is a rogue-lite. You set off from your home base into a series of randomised levels that mix-and-match static combat arenas and platforming sections. You might start to recognise certain sections after a run or two, but even a room you’ve visited numerous times can become a new challenge with the addition of fresh traps or enemies.

On each run, you’ll find different weapons, upgrade items and collectables. Ensuring that each trip into the depths of Carcosa feels unique. You can’t rely on a favorite weapon or an overpowered ability. Instead, you’ll need to make do with the hand you’re dealt. This necessitates strategizing on the fly. In one run, I had to face a tough boss with a shotgun. I was forced to get in my foe's face, rather than hang back, taking pot shots from the shadows, which is my default method.

Come back stronger

Where Saros differs most from Returnal is that death isn’t failure; it’s an opportunity to get stronger. Heck, death doesn’t even necessarily mean death. Early on, you can unlock an upgrade that gives you one instant revive per run, offering a second chance every time.

But if you do succumb to Carcosa’s many hostile threats, all hope isn’t lost. Back at your Passage base, you can spend currency collected on your last run to unlock permanent upgrades that range from basics like improving your armor to starting runs with key items.

Returnal’s comparative stinginess — players were stripped of basically all items/upgrades upon death, and forced to start a fresh run from near scratch — was a major pain point for some players. So, I suspect Saros taking cues from more accessible rogue-lites like Hades and Dead Cells will be some comfort. In Saros, even in defeat, there’s an element of victory, as the next time you head out in Carcosa, the odds are tipped a little more in your favor.

This isn’t to say Saros is an easy game, quite the opposite. If anything, Housemarque has ramped up the early game difficulty. The developers expect players to die frequently and be given plenty of opportunities to invest in upgrades to augment Arjun.

However, players craving Returnal’s more punishing nature aren’t neglected either. At the midpoint, you unlock the ability to make runs even harder by enabling a series of quite brutal modifiers (decreased damage, disabling your one-time revive, etc.). Or you can go the other way and switch on modifiers that make things easier, letting you customize your difficulty.

Another smart tweak is that the average run completion time has been dramatically reduced. In Returnal, a deep run could take north of 90 minutes. In Saros, runs will naturally conclude in around 20-30 minutes (Either through death or teleporting back to your base). This allows Saros to be enjoyed in more bite-sized chunks, and convinced me to keep playing just a little longer for “one more run” several times. Which would then quickly turn into three or four…

Pushing the PS5 Pro

Saros is one gorgeous-looking game. Of course, you don’t often get the chance to stop and drink in the impressive visuals, as there’s so much happening around you, but the mixture of neon projectiles, imposing enemy designs, and dark sci-fi locales is immediately striking.

More impressively, even when the screen explodes into a shower of sparks, multi-colored bullets and luminescent orbs, the 60 fps never drops. Even in the most intense battles, found in optional challenge areas crammed with a silly amount of enemies, I never noticed a hiccup. It’s a good thing, too. Saros is a game where a stable framerate is vital

Aside from just looking phenomenal, Saros also feels fantastic thanks to its novel use of the PS5 DualSense controller. The pad’s haptic feedback is used to great effect, but it’s the remarkably clever implementation of the adaptive triggers that once again steals the show.

Every weapon, from pistols to assault rifles, offers an alternative fire mode, and rather than being activated with a button press, you switch fire modes by pressing the left trigger down halfway. Press it down fully, and you’ll activate your Power Weapon. It was a great system in Returnal, and it’s no less exceptional here. You always feel in complete control of your weapons, without even needing to lift your finger off the trigger. I wish more games used it.

Saros review: Verdict

Saros is everything I wanted out of a follow-up to Returnal. It strikes the perfect balance between offering veteran players more of the frenetic bullet-hell gameplay that has become Housemarque’s signature style, while also being more approachable for new players.

The game is at its very best when you’re dashing across an enemy-filled arena, popping your shield at the perfect moment so you can power up your ultimate weapon and fire back an explosive rocket. And even in the (many) times I wasn’t quite quick enough to outrun the hellstorm of projectiles launched in my direction, my first instinct was always to dive back into the fray as quickly as possible, with a few new upgrades unlocked, to turn the tables.

Last night, April 16th, Sony announced the winners and shortlist of its 2026 World Photography Awards. Now into their 19th year, Sony’s World Photography Awards (WPA) celebrate and award existing and new photographic talent, giving its winners an international platform to showcase their work (not to mention cash prizes and a sack of Sony imaging gear).

This year, the WPAs received over 430,000 entrants from 200 countries across the world, making this one of (if not the) largest photography competition around.

The flagship award — the equivalent of ‘Best Actor / Actress’ at the Oscars, if you like — is Photographer of the Year. This year is has been scooped up by Citlali Fabián, a London-based visual artist originally from the Yalalteca Indigenous community, Mexico, whose work explores the intersections of identity with territory, migration and community.

The 2026 ‘Outstanding Contribution to Photography’ award — a lifetime achievement kinda deal — goes to legendary American street/documentary photographer Joel Meyerowitz. A pioneer of color photography, Joel was at Ground Zero to document the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 — a visceral and haunting collection that simultaneously highlights the heroism and humanistic elements of the tragedy and cleanup.

The WPAs award a further 10 professional categories, though, each with a winner and two runners up. Not only that, but Sony and the WPA also foster the next generation of photographic talent through student and youth categories, plus an open category for anyone to enter.

I've included some of my favorite shots from this year's finalists and winners, but a full gallery of all the competition images are all visible on the World Photography Awards website.

London exhibition

If, like me, you’re lucky enough to be in London in mid-April, you can also check out the World Photography Awards exhibition, which runs from April 17 to May 4 2026 at Somerset House, London (tickets available via the link).

The exhibition will showcase over 300 entries from this year’s awards. I was given early access to the exhibition to see the entries, and it’s a fantastic showcase. The talent on display is phenomenal. My favorite series is by Seungho Kim, winner of the Perspectives category. His work documents his and his wife's lives after having an unexpected child, with a particular focus on how the family dog adjusted, and finally made friends with the baby.

I’ve interviewed many photographers in my time as a journalist, seen many exhibitions, and obviously gazed intently at many photos. I know full well that many photographers shoot deliberately with a final printed product in mind. There’s nothing like looking at an image in large printed format, in precisely the way the artist wanted it to be seen. It always beats digital in my book.

No Sony? No problem

If you’re inspired by this year’s awards — either the online gallery or physical exhibition — you can get involved in 2027’s competition, which will open on June 1 2026.

Importantly, while Sony hosts the WPA, there’s absolutely no stipulation for entries to be shot on a Sony camera. You don’t need to be rocking the latest, greatest Sony A7V to enter next year’s competition — maybe you’re rocking a humble Canon EOS R100 or, like me, a several-year-old Fujifilm X-E4. In fact, I talked to lots of the entrants in this year's awards, and even many of the pros shoot with other brands. Will Burrard-Lucas, winner of the Wildlife & Nature category, shoots on whatever old DSLRs he can find to jerry rig into traps or mobile recording devices (he literally straps cameras to RC cars to get close up wide-angle photos of hyenas!)

And that’s cool: it means you don’t need expensive gear to take part in the event. Remember, great imagery has more to do with the photographer than the camera.

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Sony's next-generation PlayStation consoles could come in a unique lineup featuring three models: a PS6 S (or Lite), a PS6 handheld, and a full PlayStation 6. The S and handheld models would feature the AMD-built Canis chipset, while the full model would have the more powerful Orion CPU.

The latest leak comes from the YouTube channel Moore's Law is Dead in a video where the host attempted to lay out pricing for Sony's future consoles.

The relevant portion starts about 15 minutes in, but here's the cogent bit for our purposes.

The price range for Sony's new lineup is $350 to $1,000. Again, this is an estimation on MLID's part based on component costs and potential tariffs. The price ranges below are based on estimates that factor in a 30% tariff protection and those that do not. MLID also notes that it's based on current RAM prices, which could change by the time Sony actually starts purchasing RAM.

• 'PS6 S' - $349 - $549
• PS6 handheld - $499 - $699
• PS6 full console - $699 - $999

He goes on to say that the Orion-based console could have two versions, similar to the PS5 at launch, with a disc-based variant and a digital-only one. Though I lean toward Sony finally ditching the discs in favor of a disc-drive add-on similar to what it offers now.

It'll be interesting to see how Sony prices the next generation since the current global situation has forced companies to raise prices. The base PS5 starts at $599 for the digital edition, while the Pro model is $899. Every single PS5 now costs hundreds more than it did at launch, something that rarely happens as a console ages.

What's coming?

Based on previous leaks regarding the Canis and Orion chips, the Canis chip should be more powerful than the Xbox Series S and the Nintendo Switch 2 but slightly less capable than the base PS5.

To date, Sony has been pretty mum on its plans for the next generation. Last fall, Sony's Mark Cerny confirmed that the PS6 was a few years away in a discussion with AMD's Jack Huynh.

They did say that the two companies are refining ray and path tracing to reduce the stress on the GPU. It could also have lower power consumption. The PS5 is a behemoth, and it would be nice if the next-gen could shrink back down a bit.

Cerny did seem to indicate that the PS6 chips could open things up for a handheld.

"There's a multitude of benefits for this, including lower power consumption, higher fidelity assets, and perhaps most importantly, the synergies that Universal Compression has with Neural Arrays and Radiance Cores as we work together to deliver the best possible experiences to gamers."

Current rumors suggest that the PlayStation 6 will debut in 2027, possibly 2028. Some of this may depend on RAMageddon, but 2027 has been the most consistent release window that we've seen.

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The AirPods Max 2 may look identical to the previous model, but it's what inside that counts. I gave them a fantastic 4.5-star rating in my review, and I love the improved sound, ANC and upgraded features like Live Translation. In my opinion, the AirPods Max 2 are some of the best headphones you can buy.

But that got me thinking... so are the Sony WH-1000XM6, which came out last year and received a solid 4-star rating from us. So how do the AirPods Max 2 and the WH-1000XM6 compare? How do both these flagship models sound? How do they feel? How's the ANC? I tested the Apple AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6 side by side to declare a winner.

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Specs

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Price

The AirPods Max 2 are the same price as their predecessor: $549/£499. This makes them more expensive than most other flagship over-ears.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 were $459/£399 at launch, and you can get them from around $449 (Sony) to $458 (Amazon) now. Overall, you're saving $90/£100, which is a considerable amount of money.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Design

I'm not sure there are any tech brands that can beat Apple on the design front. Sony gear looks and feels good, don't get me wrong, but Apple always blows the competition out of the water.

The AirPods Max 2 are heavy, yes, which is my biggest complaint about the new cans. At a hefty 13.6 ounces, the Max 2 aren't about to let you forget you're wearing them. The mesh headband alleviates as much of the pressure as physically possible, but you cannot work out wearing these cans. They're for running errands rather than 5Ks.

However, the Max 2 look utterly divine. The metal ear cups are premium in every way, and the fabric cushions are super soft on my skin. I also have to hand it to Apple for mastering easy, intuitive controls — the 'Digital Crown' and ANC button on the right ear cup are both super easy to use.

Comparatively, the XM6 look a little lackluster. I tested the white/beige colorway, which is nice and unobtrusive, but isn't exactly winning any design awards. The ear cups are plasticky, which, of course, is how Sony managed to keep the weight down to a frankly delicate 8.8. ounces, but risks the headphones looking cheap.

The headband is padded, but still presses down on my head after a few hours of listening. So, while the XM6 are half the weight of the AirPods Max 2, you only really notice this when working out or while walking. If you're sitting at your desk or just relaxing at home, the weight difference is mostly unnoticeable.

The touch controls on the WH-1000XM6 are good. Even so, I wouldn't say Sony's controls are Apple-beating — in the search for a discreet, smooth design, one has to memorize complex hand magic to skip songs or pause.

Bring back the buttons! I promise, we won't get mad. So, while I've taken points away from Apple due to the Max 2's heft, the overall appearance and easy touch controls mean that Apple wins this round.

Winner: AirPods Max 2

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Features and connectivity

For your $549, Apple has stuffed the AirPods Max 2 full of AirPods-Pro-esque smart tech features, such as Live Translation and more Siri integration. Whether or not you use these is up to you — I personally don't have need for AI in my headphones, but if you gravitate towards these features, great!

The XM6 have tons of useful features, too. You can activate adaptive sound control, which uses your location to switch between ANC modes — so you can turn on ANC when you reach the train station for your commute, or turn off when you arrive home. This is pretty cool.

You can also cycle through listening modes: standard, background music (mimics background music in a cafe, for example), and cinema, which upscales content to mimic Dolby Atmos.

Apple offers this with Personalized Spatial Audio, but you need to be watching a Dolby Atmos-encoded video to take advantage of it.

Of course, if you're an Apple user, you benefit from seamless integration with your AirPods Max 2. Once the headphones are linked to your Apple ID, they switch seamlessly between all your devices.

On the other hand, the Sonys require you to download the Sony Connect app to manually control dual pairing — and even then, you can only connect up to two devices simultaneously. You can, of course, add more devices in the app, but you can't connect to more than two at once.

If you've got more than two Apple products — an iPhone, MacBook, and iPad, for example — it makes more sense to get the AirPods Max 2. However, Android and Apple owners would probably get more seamless connectivity out of the Sony.

The AirPods Max 2 and WH-1000XM6 both run on Bluetooth 5.3, which is disappointing to see on brand-new/relatively new flagship headphones. Samsung launched its Galaxy Buds 4 series in February 2026 with Bluetooth 6.1, which both future-proofs and improves reliability and range.

Both the XM6 and Max 2 have great features, but I'm giving this win to the Apple as its features are more versatile.

Winner: AirPods Max 2

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Sound quality

The AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 are tuned similarly: both have a wide, expansive, detailed soundscape, with gentle-yet-confident bass, and a faithful balance across the entire frequency range. If you're used to a bass-heavy signature, for example Bose headphones, you may be put off by these.

However, I love this sound signature. I really appreciate being able to hear nuance and delicate tightrope-walking across the frequency range.

I listened to 'True Believer' by Hayley Williams, which is a piano-led track with layers of discordant keyboard riffs, choir background vocals, and powerful bass drum. The song sounded utterly divine through the XM6s, complete clarity in every frequency. I could hear all of the choral sections and delicate bass notes.

In the AirPods Max 2, the choir was handled just as delicately, with the strings driving the back-end of the soundstage being just as insistent.

I found the Sonys to be a touch narrower, with a louder bass section, but this will depend on your preference. Do you want the most expansive soundscape, or do you want a heavier bass response?

Next, I tested out both cans with an electronic track, 'If U Want my Heart' by Kettama. This song has a modulated vocal section with effusive synths and siren-synth sound effects. The XM6s handled this rich soundscape well, with depth in the vocals and instrumental.

However, the AirPods Max 2 were much more expansive, and the bass was even a little more pronounced. The vocals felt as if they were swarming around my head rather than playing into my ears.

Finally, I went for a softer, hazier track: 'Better Distractions' by Faye Webster. This bluegrass-meets-alt song is built from a lazy percussion section and wobbly slide guitar, with pianos twinkling in the right ear. This sound was immersive and wide through the AirPods Max 2, and I felt like I was in a sunsoaked bar in the Deep South.

Comparatively, the XM6 sounded much narrower again — I was longing for the same amount of width and immersion. This isn't to say the XM6 sounded bad, but different. I much prefer an expansive soundscape, so the AirPods Max 2 win this round for me.

Winner: AirPods Max 2.

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: ANC

Both the AirPods Max 2 and the Sony WH-1000XM6 have excellent ANC. They offer the following modes: ANC on, transparency/ambient, off.

However, Bose is still the undefeated champion of ANC. The QuietComfort Ultra boast the best ANC I've ever experienced. When I was walking around the city with the Bose cans, I was effectively in my own universe. Traffic? Nothing. Sirens? No. Passers-by? Silent.

No, Apple and Sony haven't quite reached Bose's level, but that's not to say the ANC on these models is anything to sneer at.

When I was wearing the XM6 around the city, I was in near-silent conditions the entire time. The XM6 can definitely hold their own.

While the ANC on the AirPods Max 2 is considerably better than the originals, the XM6 still win here. I couldn't hear low-frequency sounds like motorbikes or buses, but some high-frequency tones still leaked through.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Call quality

We've reached a point in flagship headphones where nearly all have guaranteed great call quality. You won't be disappointed by either the AirPods Max 2 or the WH-1000XM6.

I really like how the XM6 make your voice audible during calls, so you can monitor your speaking volume. I wish more headphones would do this! To test the call quality, I called my boyfriend, who reported that my voice was perfectly clear.

Again, the AirPods Max 2 are better than the Max 1 — the new over-ears sound like AirPods Pro 2/3 on calls — but the XM6 still takes this crown in this round.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Battery life

The XM6 go for 40 hours on a single charge, 30 hours with ANC enabled. Comparatively, AirPods Max 2 will tap out at 20 hours with ANC. A 20-hour battery life is simply not good enough from a company with so many resources at its disposal.

At this point, I genuinely think 20 hours is the lowest battery life I've seen on lifestyle headphones, Apple or not. I'm giving the win to the Sonys.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Verdict

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Ratings scorecard

This was almost too close to call. Sony finished with an admirable score of 83, and Apple just eeked out the win with 84.

I think most people would be happy with either the XM6 or the AirPods Max 2. While I personally prefer the AirPods' expansive, immersive, and rich soundscape, the XM6 sound great, too. It just depends on what you want: do you place immersion or detail higher on your must-haves list?

I'll be the first person to admit that the AirPods Max 2 have ho-hum battery life and are still heavy, but the sound quality makes up for it (for me). Similarly, the XM6s don't have that same expansive, energetic soundscape, and the design falls flat. I think I would buy the AirPods Max 2. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Your PlayStation 5 could be getting a new home menu layout according to a beta tester. Being honest, it looks pretty good with the system apps and icons shifting from the bottom of the screen to the top in a move that is more reminiscent of the PS4 and PS3 menus.

An image of the new UI was shared on Reddit (spotted by Ben VideoTech on X) where the poster, who said they're enrolled in the PlayStation 5 beta program, discovered a new dashboard. The updated dashboard appears to move the Media, Games, PS Plus, and PSN Store icons to the top of the screen with the submenus

Nicely, it appears you can swap through the menus by pressing the L1 and R1 buttons on your DualSense.

New Playstation Home Screen UI from r/playstation

Under Ben VideoTech's post an X user accused them of faking the image. However, another person shared a different photo of the new UI that looks much like the Reddit post. So, it appears this a real test.

Sony hasn't confrimed that this new home layout is in the works. However, based on these images the test looks fairly finished and I'm knocking on wood that it actually releases to the public soon.

Tom's Guide reached out to PlayStation for comment and will update if the company responds.

At this point in the PS5's lifecycle I've gotten used to the PS5 menu but if I had my druthers, I would prefer something similar to the PS4 dashboard. I loved the custom themes and wallpapers that you could install to personalize your console.

The PS5 has some themes like the 30th anniversary boot screen and the seasonal PlayStation shapes logos theme. Unfortunately, both of those get covered up by the splash screens for games and other menus and as such, the only way to really see them is in the the Welcome submenu.

If this update comes to fruition it will quickly become one that we'll all wonder why Sony didn't implement years earlier.

If you're a PS5 Beta member and you've got the new UI let us know and tell us what you think!

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This year's crop might be some of the best OLED TVs yet, but I’ve seen something from Sony that makes me think the days of OLED’s reign as the best TV technology could be truly numbered.

True RGB is the previously-rumored and now-confirmed name for Sony’s RGB Mini-LED backlight. It started back in early 2024 with Sony’s very first 22-bit Mini LED prototype that eventually made its way to the Bravia 9. Then in 2025, we saw a proof-of-concept RGB Mini-LED backlight. It was promising, even then, but it wasn't ready for mainstream TV buyers yet.

That changed last month when I finally got a proper, up-close look at Sony's imminent True RGB tech that I can not only talk about, but finally show you.

What is True RGB?

At a basic level, True RGB is Sony’s version of RGB Mini-LED. Each LED isn’t just one light source. It’s three separate red, green, and blue diodes that are individually controlled.

The result is simple in concept but hard to pull off. To execute more accurate colors at higher brightness level and better off-angle viewing, the backlight needs a brain that actually understands the complexity of the image it’s supporting and resources at its disposal.

Controlling three diodes per pixel is no joke. Most TVs are designed to handle one or two per pixel, maybe three with compromises. If your processing can’t keep up with a complicated scene, the TV may opt to play it safe and default back to traditional white color output (thus, rely wholly on color filters the way a traditional, less-expensive Mini-LED TV does.)

In fact, I’ve seen demos of several competitor RGB backlights that do exactly that. Sony says this is due to shortcomings in processing, especially when it comes to effectively managing “cross-talk” also known as color blooming.

The benefits of True RGB

Sony’s RGB demo felt different than any other one I’ve seen. The True RGB system essentially maps each diode to the content in real time. Strip away the LCD layer, and I could still make out the shapes and base colors of the scene. In an actual TV, this translated to accurate color reproduction, vibrant-but-realistic highlights and very minimal blooming.

It’s the kind of control that, until now, only OLED has been known for.

Although it's better at color reproduction than its predecessors, True RGB retains every bit of brightness. The system constantly adjusts each diode for efficiency, using heat mapping and advanced control algorithms to manage strain on the backlight.

In the spot tests I saw, the display hit higher peak brightness levels (approaching 4,000 nits) than competitor RGB Mini-LEDs, and it did so while using less energy.

Then there’s the fantastic off-angle viewing. True RGB retains color volume better than traditional LED when viewing a picture off-center. Again, it looked very OLED-rivaling to me.

What True RGB means for OLED

Although it matches some of OLED’s best qualities, True RGB isn’t about killing OLED, according to Sony. The company claims its true purpose is to address areas where OLED struggles, such as brightness and size scalability. We'd all love 97-inch or larger OLED TVs in our homes, but few of us can afford the luxury — and that's where True RGB could really shine.

The technology isn't quite at production level yet, but True RGB is headed to a consumer TV, and when it does, it won’t just be another incremental update that we've seen in years past.

I’ve been following this tech since it was just a promising prototype. Now that it has a name, and I’ve seen it in action, it’s clear that Sony wants True RGB to offer a compelling solution for folks who want top-tier brightness, immaculate color reproduction and larger screen sizes.

OLED will still be the best panel type on 2026 TVs, but come 2027 and beyond, it's very possible that Sony's new technology is the one that holds the crown.

More from Tom's Guide

• We just tested the LG C6 OLED — here's the good (and bad) news
• Samsung’s 115‑inch Micro RGB TV colors look incredible
• Micro RGB vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference?

On Apple’s 50th anniversary, I can’t help but ponder the paths not taken. In recent years, the company almost brought a large, wireless charging mat to market called AirPower. At one point in time, Apple was reportedly developing an electric vehicle.

But of all the Apple products that never were, none have piqued my interest as much as the oft-rumored, Apple-branded smart TV. There have been Apple smart TV rumors as recently as late 2024, and while the company doesn’t seem to be focused on developing its own TV at the moment, I’d wager that we haven’t heard the last of these rumors.

Look, I’m not an Apple aficionado. I use an iPhone and AirPods, sure, but I’m nothing close to an Apple acolyte. That said, the thought of Apple going toe-to-toe with Samsung, LG and Sony — makers of some of the best TVs on the market — excites me. The company’s way into the market could be by way of the industry’s best display technology: OLED.

OLEDs blend excellent performance with elegant design — just like most Apple products

LG, Samsung and Sony, three of the biggest OLED TV-makers in the game, have mastered the art of building high-performance OLED TVs whose designs look as premium as the picture.

The best OLED TVs deliver excellent picture quality and eye-catching design elements, in large part because the technology allows for it. Because OLED TVs don't rely on a backlight, they offer benefits you won't find on even the best LED TVs, like perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming and ultra-wide viewing angles.

And, because there's no backlight packed into the panel, plenty of OLED TVs are mind-bogglingly thin. Some even offer a uniform profile so that they can be wall-mounted without a gap between the panel and the wall.

It's not hard to imagine Apple — a brand known for its sleek, minimalistic design approach — tapping OLED technology for its first foray into the TV market. Apple already leverages OLED displays for many of its products (including select iPhones and iPads), and the design flexibility associated with the display technology is seemingly aligned with Apple's philosophy of engineering thin, modern-looking products.

The relative ease with which OLED displays can be polished down into thin forms with clean lines also lends itself well to Apple's penchant for eliminating every-day, design-related pain points. If anyone can build a TV with a built-in, cable-management system that I'll consider using, it's probably Apple.

Perhaps there would, in fact, be an option for it to hang on the wall with a gap-free wall-mount, just as there is for LG's G Series OLED. A rechargeable, click wheel-equipped remote control with backlit buttons certainly seems like something Apple would pair with a smart TV of its own making.

But perhaps the biggest benefit of blending Apple design philosophy with a high-end smart TV has nothing to do with hardware at all — it's all about the software potential.

A TV that harmonizes with your iPhone, iPad and AirPods

Apple isn't unimpeachable when it comes to how it designs its software (Liquid Glass, anyone?). But for the most part, people have come to appreciate the brand's design language and how easy it is to navigate the software.

For instance, I appreciate how quickly my AirPods connect to my iPhone. I love how few hoops I have to jump through to securely rent or buy something from Apple TV+.

An Apple-made TV would likely be built around the brand’s tvOS software, which is what powers the Apple TV streaming box. I find the tvOS user interface to be just as snappy and easy to navigate as iOS, and a TV with the software suite built right in would likely eliminate my desire for a dedicated streaming device.

Apple wouldn't be the first brand to let people to control their smart TV with a smartphone, but it could be the best to do it.

There could be iOS app integration, for instance. Pulling up an iMessage group chat on my TV screen while my friends and I watch a new episode of "Severance" wouldn't exactly be my cup of tea, but I could imagine others getting a kick out of it. Accepting a FaceTime call on your TV? Sure, why not?

Bluetooth-enabled TVs are nothing new, but what if you could instantly swap from your Apple TV's on-board speakers to your AirPods? I mean, this already exists on Apple TV streaming devices.

The Apple ecosystem is more streamlined than Samsung's or Google's. Yes, this has plenty to do with its walled-off nature, but in a world of bloated operating systems stuffed with half-baked AI features, Apple is better poised to cultivate a useful smart TV experience that integrates an entire household of gadgets.

How much would an Apple OLED TV cost?

Let's not kid ourselves: An Apple OLED TV wouldn't come cheap. For one thing, the brand isn't exactly known for budget-friendly, first-generation products. Then you've got to factor in the going rate for a high-end OLED TV.

Upon release, flagships OLEDs from Samsung, LG and Sony cost multiple thousands of dollars in sizes 65 inches and above. These prices steadily drop throughout the year, but they never fall far enough that one can truly call them "cheap."

That's just the reality of buying a high-end OLED TV in 2026. And, while there are a handful of entry-level and mid-range options that offer the OLED experience at lower costs, I can't imagine Apple finally throwing its hat into this ring for anything less than a high-end TV to compete with flagships from Samsung and LG.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been anything in the rumor mill of late to suggest that Apple is actually considering entering the TV market, nor do I have any insider information on the matter. An Apple-branded OLED TV remains a dream — a highly realistic, downright-tangible dream.

But what about you? Would you spend what it would likely take to get your hands on an Apple OLED TV?

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 vs LG C5: Is the newest OLED TV worth it in 2026?
• Which Samsung TV should you buy in 2026? Here’s my expert guide to Samsung’s newest OLEDs, Micro RGB TVs and more
• For OLED TVs, burn-in fears are overblown — here's what you need to know

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the most daring earbuds Samsung has made thus far. Thanks to the bassy sound signature and a slew of AI features — whether you gravitate to said AI features or not — these are some serious contenders for the best earbuds title.

But every time there's a new contender on the scene, you can't forget the old faithfuls that came before. AirPods Pro 3, Sony WF-1000XM6, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 are all main players, so it's only right that we pit these flagship buds against one another. Right? It's all about the competition.

So I thought I'd throw the Bose and Samsung offerings into the ring and see which ones come out on top. Will it be the Bose QuietComfort Ultrs Earbuds Gen 2 or the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro?

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen are $299 from Amazon U.S. and £299 from Amazon U.K.. Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K..

The writing's on the wall here: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $50 cheaper, therefore Samsung takes this round.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

Just as with the Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, your opinion here might not match mine. Whether you prefer the Bose or Samsung buds will depend on how you like your buds: pebble or stem?

The Bose buds are closer to your "pebble" style, with a short stem and a mostly inside-ear design, whereas Samsung elected for an Apple-adjacent "stem" style that comes out of your concha. Don't get me wrong, the QC Ultra 2nd Gen aren't entirely pebble, but they're shorter than the Galaxy 4 Pro.

Personally, I'm a fan of stem style buds. Pebble styles tend to hurt my ears after a long time. If you have weirdly small ears (join the club!) then you might want to go for the Samsung option due to the smaller overall design.

Even so, if you have medium-to-large ears, the Bose option is more viable. These buds are larger in the nozzle, with a stout stem used for touch controls.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a stem for touch controls, too. Both the Bose and Samsung options are easy to control, with customizable options in the relevant apps (Samsung's app isn't available on iOS).

Even though AirPods Pro 3 come with five silicone ear tips, the Bose and Samsung buds only come with three. Both Bose and Samsung's ear tips are easy to remove and apply, so fear not.

This is a really hard battle to judge, because I think the QC Ultra 2nd Gen look more striking, but hurt my ears after a while. On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a little plainer, a little less likely to attract attention, but they're more versatile for large and small ears.

I'm going to give this round to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro as they're a comfortable option for more people.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features & connectivity

If I discuss every single feature present in the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, we'll both be here all day. You'll fall asleep at your phone. Let's just say that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro can do basically everything you'd ever want from earbuds, except measure your heart rate.

If you use your phone's AI assistants, you'll be able to chat to these agents directly through the earbuds. There's also a live translation (Interpreter) feature, siren aware ANC, and Bluetooth 6.0

However, as expected, most of these features are locked behind Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem. Only AI-enabled Galaxy phones can take advantage of these. I tested out the buds with a Samsung Galaxy S25+ and all these features worked seamlessly — but they're also nonexistent on non-Galaxy Androids and iPhones.

Comparatively, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have fewer "impressive" features, but said features are more widely available. You can use Bose's Immersive Audio, multipoint (even from Android phones to MacBooks), and EQ presets for watching movies or listening to music.

See, it's a draw right now. I don't really gravitate towards any AI or health features anyway, so I'm not going to hold the lack of these against the Bose buds. However, I am going to hold the next feature against Bose.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have an IP57 rating... and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have an IPX4 rating. This means the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro can withstand (brief) immersion and are a little dustproof. However, the QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen can only survive being splashed.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are only IPX4, too, so it's not unheard of at this price point, but I wish the Bose buds were a little more durable.

However, most of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro's features aren't available on iOS — whereas Bose is usable with both iOS and Android.

It's tricky, but this round is a tie.

Winner: Draw

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

I'm going to start by saying the Bose and Samsung buds are both tuned in a way I can only describe as wall-wobbling, floor-thumping, eardrum-rattling bass. This isn't inherently positive or negative — it just is. Some earbuds are bassy, some are more detail-focused.

AirPods Pro 3 and WF-1000XM6 are both detail-heavy, so if you find the sound on those earbuds lackluster, you might be a secret basshead. Come to the dark side. Muahaha.

Although I listened to a lot more music than I have space to discuss here, I'll analyze three specific tracks: 'Crystalline Green' by Goldfrapp, 'Going Under' by Evanescence, and 'BLUE' by Billie Eilish. All three of these tracks have complex soundscapes, whether that's glitchy electro, crunchy nu-metal, or wispy harmonies.

As both the earbuds are bass-heavy, they have a similar signature sound. When listening with the Bose buds, the synth pulses on 'Crystalline Green' were prominent throughout the song, and the shifty bass effect trembled in the background of the track. The vocals were presented in the middle of the track, not overpowered by the laser sound effects or the glitchy bass.

Similarly, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro balanced the heavy bass with the distorted vocals well, and the tremulous bass wobbled in my ears delightfully. Both earbuds handle electronic exceptionally well.

When I played 'Going Under', the Samsung buds handled the volume of the crunchy guitars and glitchy percussion well. The piano riffs were a touch pushed back, as was the subtle electronic bassline. This was a similar issue on the Bose buds; the crunchy guitar pummeled the rest of the track, almost overpowering the subtle electronic bass. Even so, Amy Lee's fearless vocals led the song without shying away from the challenge.

Last, there's 'BLUE' by Billie Eilish. The Bose earbuds layered every instrument delicately: the floaty instrumental gave way to a guitar-driven verse, and Eilish's layered vocals danced across the soundscape like butterflies. The bass was a touch too loud, but this is adjustable with EQ customization in the Bose app. The electronic breakdown at the end of the track was excellent, with expansive sound and supreme instrument separation.

When listening with the Samsung buds, I noticed the same overzealous bass, but it was loud enough to overpower Eilish's soft vocals a little. This still isn't a major con, though, as the rest of the song sounded excellent; the guitar licks were audible in the right earbud, and the harmonies in the verses.

This is a close round, but it's going to be the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. If you have an iPhone or a non-Samsung-Galaxy Android, you won't get access to Samsung's 'UHQ' listening mode. As the Bose buds sound better on a wider range of devices, it's got to go to Bose.

Winner: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

For a long time, Bose has been the undisputed champion of ANC. Bose's premium line is literally called Quiet Comfort. Wait — Bose literally invented ANC. Yeah, it's serious stuff. For years, Bose has made the "best" ANC gear.

But other brands are catching up. Samsung's Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are utterly excellent. The ANC performance is divine: when I was testing these buds, I couldn't hear any office noise, nor traffic outside, nor any of my colleagues trying to get my attention. I recently tested them on a train, and it was so silent that I could've been in a private booth.

Even so, the ANC on the Bose QC Ultra 2nd Gen is still world-leading. As soon as I put in the Bose buds, I was in my own world. Usually, high-frequency sounds like clacking keyboards can leak through even powerful ANC.

Not with the QC Ultra 2nd Gen. I couldn't hear myself typing, couldn't hear any traffic noise. It was me and my music against the world. As much as Samsung and Apple are edging closer to Bose-level ANC, Bose are still unbeatable.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

If you've got a Samsung S23 or newer, with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro you get access to improved call quality. Even on my iPhone, though, these earbuds had near-perfect call quality. My voice was clear and audible, even when I was playing a traffic noise track at max volume. The person on the other end of the call couldn't hear any of this track, but did admit that my voice sounded a little muffled.

Even so, if you often find yourself in loud environments, you'll be able to trust that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will be able to isolate your voice.

Equally, the Bose QuietComfort perform exceptionally well. In our review, we wrote, "Despite the noise of the road I was walking beside. The AI noise isolation is top of the tree, and made chatting over the buds a joy."

Both Bose and Samsung have made some excellent-sounding buds with excellent call quality to boot, therefore this round is a toss-up.

Winner: Draw

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery life

Samsung Galaxy 4 Pro have a rated battery of 7 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case. Conversely, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have a rated battery life of 6 hours in the buds and 24 in the case — the same as 2023's AirPods Pro 2. You'd think that Bose could do better than that, wouldn't you?

Still, neither buds are as impressive as the Sony WF-1000XM6 — 12 hours in the buds and 24 hours in the case. You'd be able to listen from dawn to dusk (and then from dusk back to dawn).

It's a no brainer, really — I'm giving the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro this round.

Winner: Galaxy Buds Pro 4

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

This is a tricky decision, because it's so close. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are truly excellent and have put Samsung on the audio map. However, Bose won the more "important" rounds — ANC and sound quality.

It depends on what you look for in earbuds: do you want the best sound and ANC? Go for the Bose earbuds. Or do you want more impressive "flagship" features? Or do you want better battery life? Then you might want to go for the Samsung buds.

Or, if you have an iPhone, it's a no-brainer: choose Bose. The Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are more versatile and work seamlessly across more ecosystems.

Ratings scorecard

Google TV is one of the most popular smart platforms. These days, TVs made by Hisense, Sony and TCL all arrive with Google’s streaming software built right into the experience right out of the box.

If you don’t want to sign up for a Google Account or you’d rather not connect your TV to the internet at all, Google TV offers a way for you to bypass the experience altogether, leaving your TV free to pipe in pictures the old-fashioned way: from a cable box, satellite, indoor antenna, or physical media player.

To enable Basic Mode, you need to do so during the TV's initial setup. This means that if you've previously set up Google TV, you'll need to perform a factory reset on your TV. If you're setting up Google TV for the first time, skip to step #2.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 TV settings you should change now to lower your electricity bill
• 5 TCL TV settings to change for the best possible picture
• I’ve set up hundreds of TVs in my career — here are 6 mistakes people make when setting up a new TV

Yes, it’s official: Samsung has a new flagship earbud ready to beat out the big-name competition. For a while, the commercial earbud game has been all about Apple, Sony, and Bose, but I think Samsung has really made something special with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Are these new earbuds enough to be some of the best earbuds around, though? If you value bassy sound, then yeah, definitely. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are chock-full of meaty bass and appealing features… but most of these are locked behind the Galaxy ecosystem.

I decided to compare Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to the iconic Sony WF-1000XM6 to see which earbuds come out on top. Bring it!

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are pretty pricey these days: $329 from Amazon U.S. and £249 from Amazon U.K..

Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K..

Obviously, this means the Samsung option is considerably cheaper, saving you $70 and £30 respectively. If you’re not fully sold on either the Samsung or Sony buds, though, you might want to check out the AirPods Pro 3 ($249/£219), the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 ($299/£299), or my favorite underrated earbuds, the Status Pro X ($299/£225).

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

If you prefer a stem design, then the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will suit you better — conversely, if you prefer a pebble design, then I’d recommend the WF-1000XM6.

This is a personal preference, but I would struggle to use pebble-style earbuds as my primary earbuds. I have weirdly small ears, and the bulbous design of the 1000XM6 proved a little painful during my testing. Even with the smallest tip size, I was only able to wear the buds for about an hour before my ears started aching. This is a play-it-by-ear situation, though, so don’t take my word as gospel if you’ve had luck with pebble earbuds in the past.

None of my colleagues seem to have this issue (darn, their normal-sized earholes!), but it’s worth noting that if you have weirdly small ears, I’d recommend stem-style earbuds. For example, I’d recommend the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or AirPods Pro 3 — as they are a little more comfortable.

Both the WF-1000XM6 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro look fantastic, though, and have straightforward controls. You can easily adjust the controls via Samsung’s Android-only Wearables app or the built-in bud settings on Galaxy Phones. On iPhone, you can’t adjust anything.

Regardless of use with an iPhone or Android, you can customize all settings with Sony’s Sound Connect app.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features & connectivity

I tested both sets of earbuds with three phones: my personal iPhone 16 Pro, my testing Samsung S25+, and our office testing Asus Zenfone.

Connecting both the 1000XM6 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to all these phones is super easy. Simply hold down the pairing button and the earbuds know what to do. However, obviously the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are designed to sync seamlessly to Galaxy phones, just as AirPods are designed to work seamlessly with iPhones.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro only have multipoint if you’re using Galaxy devices — for example, an S25 phone and a Galaxy tablet — whereas the WF-1000XM6 have multipoint built in as standard.

Even so, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have super-new-and-stylish Bluetooth 6.1 — which boasts a range of 984 feet — whereas the 1000XM6 are trailing behind with Bluetooth 5.3 I’m a little disappointed that Sony didn’t use a newer version of Bluetooth — 6.0 and 6.1 came out last year — but AirPods Pro 3 use Bluetooth 5.3, as well, and the differences aren’t hugely tangible.

Although the WF-1000XM6 win for connectivity types, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro boast a slew of fancy-schmancy features. You get everything from seamless AI integration — think Bixby and Gemini, depending on your phone — to Interpreter (live translation), and increased call quality.

If you’re an iPhone user, you get many more features with the WF-1000XM6 than the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. However, if you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, you get loads more AI features with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro than the WF-1000XM6.

Frustratingly, a lot of benefit comes down to which ecosystem you want to sink $$$ into: already got an iPhone? Then get the WF-1000XM6 or AirPods. Got a Samsung Galaxy, or want one? Then go for the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Features that everyone can benefit from, regardless of ecosystem, are also present. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are IP57-rated, whereas the Sony WF-1000XM6 are just IPX4. AirPods Pro 3 are also IP57, and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Gen 2 are IP55-rated.

While IPX4 sounds pretty mid, the WF-1000XM6 are still splashproof, so would survive bouts of rain.

Winner: WF-1000XM6, because said features are available on more devices.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

Now onto arguably the most important thing: sound quality. To test sound, I listened to music on both my iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25+ on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles.

I listened to genres from grunge to pop to electronic to glam rock to acoustic, and both the WF-1000XM6 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro performed extremely well. I really don’t think there’s much in it — both models are flagship earbuds, and boy oh boy, you can tell.

In general, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are better at handling bass, although sacrificing detail in heavy genres like metal. The WF-1000XM6 sound closer to the AirPods Pro 3 — treble and upper mids brought forward, bass pushed back a touch, but with a more expansive soundscape.

Personally, I actually prefer the sound of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro ove the WF-1000XM6. The AirPods Pro 3 are able to strike the balance between expansive soundscapes, detail, and bass, but for me, the WF-1000XM6 are a little too light on the bass. Conversely, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the opposite — a little too bassy, which sacrifices detail.

Again, this one depends on your personal preference. I think I would actually go for the Buds 4 Pro, though.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

The ANC on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is practically flawless. When I was testing these earbuds, I was completely in my own world. Colleagues couldn’t get my attention, no matter how hard they tried. Traffic noise outside my apartment was obliterated.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are seriously some of the best ANC earbuds I’ve ever tested, and I’ve tested a lot.

Conversely, I wasn’t overly enamored with the ANC on the WF-1000XM6. The earbuds cut out most environmental noise, but they weren’t as good as blocking high-frequency sounds like keyboard clacking.

I’d give this round to the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

If you’re using the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro with a Samsung S24 and newer, you get up to 16kHz of call quality. However, even when you use these earbuds on an iPhone, you get excellent call quality.

I tested these earbuds by calling my boyfriend, who said I sounded perfectly clear and audible. There was no metallic weirdness happening to my voice. The Buds 4 Pro are also excellent at minimizing ambient noise — I played a traffic noise track at 75dB and my boyfriend said he couldn’t hear a thing. He reported that my voice sounded a little muffled, but the environmental noise was completely silent.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 also have excellent call quality. Our reviewer Ashley said the mics isolated her voice even over the top of construction noise, and her voice was clear and audible throughout her testing call.

We’ll say this round is a draw.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery

This one’s a pretty easy decision: the Sony WF-1000XM6 last for a whopping 12 hours (without ANC) between charges, and the charging case holds 24 hours of battery life.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have just 7 hours (without ANC) in the buds themselves. Even though the Samsung charging case offers 30 hours of battery life, having 12 hours in the buds alone is a major competition killer.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6, as they’d be able to keep you locked and loaded for an entire 12-hour shift — although you’d be charging the case more often.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

Personally, I would go for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro based on comfort and sound quality alone. However, if you want more bang for your buck and you have a non-Samsung Galaxy phone, you might be better off with the Sony WF-1000XM6.

So if you’re of the non-Samsung-Android or iPhone persuasion and you want all those nice, meaty features hidden away in companion apps, I’d say you should go for the Sonys. This is really annoying, as I genuinely prefer the sound quality on the Samsungs, but, unfortunately, many of the flagship Samsung features are locked behind S24-and-newer phones.

Even so, I think the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are much better value, so I know which ones I’d personally buy — although the Sony WF-1000XM6 are markedly more versatile.

Ratings scorecard

There's part of me that feels like I'm repeating myself. A new pair of wired headphones lands on my desk from a name you've never heard of, and they sonically eviscerate all the wireless options you can buy for a similar price. Cue me acting "surprised," penning my "surprise," and then everyone continuing to buy the same ANC cans they always have.

But seriously, you have to give some of these wired options a chance. Sure, you won't be wearing them on a train to block out the sounds of angry sports fans, but you will appreciate everything your music has to offer when you sit at your work desk, or at home after a long day at work. Or something.

The Sivga Peng are just that. They're not outdoor headphones, although their leather carrying case will do a great job at keeping them safe from harm. No, they're sitting in front of the fire with a glass of something delicious and a spare hour to listen to your favorite albums. And my goodness, I'd take these any day of the week over the similarly priced wireless options from Sony or Bose.

Connect to disconnect

The modern world is too filled with "beeps" and "boops." My car bings at me when I go slightly over the speed limit to overtake your Mom in her station wagon, my nightstand light squawks at me when it's disconnected from the Wi-Fi, and trash cans say "thanks!" when I throw away my empty Monster can.

I hate beeps and boops. They're annoying. The fact that wireless headphones beep and boop more than just about anything else I own is the icing on top of a disgusting cake. "Oh, I've disconnected," say my headphones. "BEEP, I've got some battery left." "BEEP, I've got even less battery left." Please. Stop.

You know what doesn't beep at me? The Sivga Peng, and just about any other wired headphones you might have. Plug them into a device that doesn't see the outside world for anything other than music streaming, and you'll find a peaceful world where nothing wants for your attention with a piezo buzzer or a synthetic beep. Or boop.

Battery life? Never heard of her

"My headphones last for 30 hours!"
"Oh yeah? Well, mine last for 50!"
"I've got you both trumped — mine go on for 100 hours!"

How about all of the hours? The only thing you have to worry about is how long the connected device will last. The Sivga Peng? No charging needed. Pub friends bragging rights won, perpetual music gained.

Seriously impressive sound

Bluetooth has improved in leaps and bounds. You can listen to far higher-quality audio than the first pairs of wireless headphones could ever have hoped of reproducing. But it's still limited, either by the device you're listening to, the codecs your headphones support, or both. Wireless is an imperfect listening solution, a compromise of convenience over just about everything else.

My Sivga Peng and their wonderful, braided cable, however, are different. They take wonderful hi-res tracks from my digital audio player (or my laptop, or even my phone), and then feed them directly into my earholes as if they were love letters delivered on the backs of cherubim.

There's detail for days, mids that give you a warm, welcoming hug, and their closed-back design keeps the bass in for weighty, thick sound. The soundstage is slightly more intimate as a result, but you won't mind as you're surrounded by your favorite tunes.

You might miss some amenities

Wireless headphones do, of course, have some pros. ANC that keeps the noise of irritating people at bay, and no cable to get all tangled. But if you want something that sounds incredible, and don't want to start looking at headphones that cost over $599, then wired headphones are the only way to go.

The Sivga Peng are just one pair of wireless headphones — but they are a spectacular option if you've got $449 spare and you were thinking of picking up something with a Sony or a Bose logo. Don't. Buy these. They sound so much better. And you'll never have to worry about the battery running out.

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Travelling can be stressful. Bustling airports, packed trains, babies crying on buses — there’s a lot to take in. I have a love-hate relationship with commuting. While I love watching the world go by and hearing the chatter of people walking past me, if I’m stressed or miss a connection, I need complete silence until I can figure out my next move. Because while I’m a pretty calm person, there’s something about an airport that brings out a different side of me.

Luckily, as part of my job, I’m tasked with trying out some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds, meaning I always have a pair on hand to block out noise around me. Since I travel a lot, they have become somewhat of a saving grace for me. A couple of weeks ago, I did a lot of travelling, and I got to put two of the best flagship earbuds to the test to find out which are best for commuting. And there can only be one winner.

Sony WF-1000XM6

The WF-1000XM6 are Sony's new flagship earbuds released this year, and they come with some super cool upgrades. But beyond the impeccable sound quality, the outstanding ANC performance is what stands out the most.

I’ve used these earbuds on trains, busses and even planes, and all of the ambient sound around me was blocked out. Some of my colleagues who also tested these earbuds noted that they could hear faint talking around them, but my experience was one of complete silence.

I also love that I’m able to adjust ambient awareness levels in the app, so if I do need to be aware of what’s going on around me, I can choose to let in the sound of traffic or voices separately.

Apple AirPods Pro 3

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds have great active noise-cancellation. From the previous aversion of the buds, they have worked on blocking out sounds across the frequency spectrum, which means more sounds are blocked out.

With that said, I’ve noticed that sounds closer to me, such as someone speaking next to me, creep through a little more. This is great if someone needs to get my attention, but not so much if I want to be in my own bubble when travelling.

One thing I’m not such a big fan of with these earbuds is the humming sound they make when ANC is turned on. This sometimes ruins my listening experience, depending on how loud my music is.

Which one comes out on top?

After using all of these earbuds in different scenarios and evaluating them when using them on my commute, I can safely say that the Sony WF-1000XM6 comes out on top for me. But not everyone has this same experience. My preference here is totally subjective; I love the Sonys, but my colleague Erin is an AirPods girl and swears by the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

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If you don't want something else to worry about in today's world, perhaps stop reading. Otherwise, a new study finds that most headphones contain toxic chemicals that may be "migrating" into our bodies.

Reported by the Guardian, the study comes from the activist group ToxFree LIFE for All, a Hungarian research and campaigning group. If it helps, they're like the Eastern European version of Consumer Reports.

ToxFree found that a multitude of headphones contain chemicals that can "cause cancer, neuro-development problems and the feminisation of males." That includes ones from major brands like Apple, Bose, Panasonic and Sony, makers of some of the best headphones.

According to their website, ToxFree has tested over 81 headphones, from earbuds to over-the-ear cans. Apparently, the primary source of chemicals in the headphones comes from the "formulation of the plastics from which they are made."

These dangerous chemicals include bisphenols, phthalates and poly- and perfluoroalkyl (Pfas). PFAs are known as forever chemicals, which other studies have found to have terrible biological effects.

ToxFree apparently started testing for the chemicals because headphones have "transitioned from occasional accessories to essential tools." They purchased readily available headphones that can be found in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and online marketplaces like Shein and Temu.

“Hazardous substances were detected in every product tested,” they said.

Reportedly, synthetic chemicals used to stiffen plastic can migrate into sweat that can then be absorbed through your skin.

From what we can tell, the study only tested for the presence of the chemicals, but it doesn't reveal how much exposure is required for chemicals to reach toxic levels. It also emphasizes that the chemicals were found in "trace" quantities.

How to avoid the chemicals

ToxFree notes that "highest concentrations of harmful substances were found in the hard plastic parts of the headphones. These chemicals can be released into the environment through heat, mechanical stress or sweating and then absorbed through the skin."

Which means you'll want to avoid wearing headphones while sleeping, and unfortunately, when doing strenuous activity that causes you to sweat.

“Daily use – especially during exercise when heat and sweat are present – accelerates this migration directly to the skin," ToxFree said.

This makes sense for earbuds where the plastic is more likely to come into contact with your skin on a more consistent basis. What we can't tell is what the study found regarding over-the-ear and on-ear cans.

In general, those headphones feature softer materials, including cloth, pseudo or real leather in the cups and the headbands. Higher-end models might be made out of metal.

ToxFree has released previous studies that found Pfas in baby pacifiers and women's underwear, two products that have even more contact with skin and orifices.

Mayhap this isn't as dire an issue as Toxfree asserts. However, it may be a good time to consider how much time you spend wearing headphones and finding ways to mitigate it for your general health.

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I’m always looking for the best new audio gear, and after a three-year wait, Sony has finally announced the successor to the WF-1000XM5: The Sony WF-1000XM6.

I’ve been using both models of the earbuds and putting them up against each other through rigorous testing to find out if newer is better. And, quick spoiler — in this case, it does.

The new model announced by Sony features upgrades to design, active noise cancellation, and sound. In three years, we have a lot of audio advancements that Sony can make the most of, but is it worth splashing your cash on the new model? I put the XM5 and XM6 head-to-head so you know which model is going to get you your money’s worth.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Specs

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Price & availability

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available for $329/£250 from Sony’s online website. The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are available for $329/£219 at Amazon. Both sets of buds see a price hike in the U.S. thanks to imposed tariffs, but the XM5s are on sale at Amazon U.S. for $248, given the release of the new model.

With all the upgrades, you certainly get more for your money with the WF-1000XM6 buds, but the XM5s are worth considering when they’re on sale.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Design

I'm used to earbud upgrades looking like identical twins, but the XM5 and XM6 look more like distant cousins than siblings. For me, though, this is a good thing.

I struggled a little with the design of the XM5 earbuds. I found them on the heavier side, and they’re quite large and protrude out of the ear. The XM6 completely resolves that issue with a 11% width reduction and a lighter design despite the extra microphones.

The XM6 earbuds are far more comfortable, and I was able to wear them all day long. Despite being very slightly heavier than the XM5 buds, I found them to be more secure and less noticeable.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Controls

Both sets of earbuds use touch-sensitive controls that can be customized in the Sony Connect app up to four taps. Both earbuds are easy to use and very responsive, and there’s not much difference in how they behave.

There is refined accuracy on the controls, but the XM5s were pretty good to begin with.

Winner: Tie

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Sound quality

Sound quality is vastly improved with the XM6 earbuds. From the second I first tried them, it was clear that this is where the majority of the work has been done on the buds from the previous model. The sound profile on the new buds is a lot more neutral to make way for their higher-resolution capabilities.

The XM6 buds can support 32-bit processing, whereas the XM5s support 24-bit only. But both sets of buds offer the same streaming codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3.

There’s also more room for customization to get your perfect sound with the XM6s, as they have 10 bands of EQ customization with the Sony Connect app, whereas the XM5s only offered five bands. This makes the personalized EQ test on the XM6 buds even more accurate, and delivers me the best sound that complements the genres of music I listen to the most.

Casual listeners may not notice much of a difference between the two sets of earbuds, but music nerds like myself will appreciate the enhanced detail and vocal clarity.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Active noise cancelation

I spend a lot of my time commuting. This is sometimes on the train, bus, or even on a plane if I have to go on a trip. Thanks to my traveling, I am uniquely qualified to speak on ANC — because I rely on it so heavily. The train specifically can be a noisy experience, between the whirring of the train and the screams of nearby children. But with the WF-1000XM6 earbuds, I couldn’t hear a thing.

The new buds have two extra microphones and a new QN3e chip for processing the sound, creating a virtually silent listening experience. You can also check the fit of the earbuds in the Sony Connect app. Here, you can also adjust the levels of ambient sound let in around you, so you can be aware of your surroundings if needed.

This option is also available on the XM5 buds, but it’s far more effective on the XM6s. I tested both sets of buds out on a flight, and the difference was seriously night and day. The WF-1000XM6 earbuds totally blocked out the sound of the engines and everyone around me. If complete silence isn’t as important to you, you can make do with the XM5s, but the XM6s are far superior in my opinion.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Battery life

Both sets of earbuds offer the same amount of battery life. Eight hours with ANC, which extends to 24 hours with the charging case. So it may seem like there haven’t been any upgrades made, but with all the extra power needed for the upgraded ANC processing, it’s pretty impressive that the battery life has stayed the same.

But the XM5 earbuds get points for the charging case design. The case is much easier to move around and fits into the pockets of my jeans much more easily, thanks to the curved shape. The case of the XM6 earbuds, on the other hand, is a little boxy, with a straight edge that makes it a little trickier to just put in your pocket.

Winner: Tie

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Which should you buy?

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are the clear winner here. From vastly improved sound quality to killer ANC, there’s no denying that the upgrades are totally worth it. For audiophiles in particular, the upgrade is a no-brainer.

But, if you’re not someone who needs the latest gadgets and you’re not too fussed on hearing every detail in your music, then the WF-1000XM5s are still an excellent option, as their price will drop in sales since there’s a new model available.

When it comes to video games, I'm quite picky. I love story-driven RPGs and that's the genre I'm most attracted to. But sometimes, these RPGs with their 100+ hour playtime can feel like a lot, and I need a break from them. Recently, when I completed my ninth playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3 and was on the character creation screen once again to start another one, I stopped myself. It was time for a change.

So I did what most of us do when we don't know what to play next: I browsed the deals section of the PlayStation Store on my PS5 Slim. That's when I came across a 2D side-scrolling game called Neva, which is currently down to just $9 / £7 from $19 / £16 on the PS Store, and I pulled the trigger and bought it. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. And at this week's State of Play, its prequel was announced (dropping on February 19), so now is the perfect time to play it!

Neva is a puzzle-platformer with barely any dialog, where the beautiful art design and stunning music do the talking for the game. It conveys a lovely story which you only understand when you reach the end, and it may drive you to tears — I sobbed like a baby. Should you play Neva? Yes, and then play it again, and again. Let me tell you why (minor spoilers alert!).

An existential game that keeps you guessing

Neva is a beautiful story told through no words. The only time your character, called Alba, speaks is when she's calling out for her wolf, Neva, and even then, all she says is the wolf's name. Alba and Neva venture through perspective-shifting and occasionally trippy landscapes that are nothing short of stunning. The music is just as gorgeous, ramping up into semi-rock ballads when enemies are upon you.

The world is plagued by darkness and formless masked creatures but you never find out how or why they came about to be — but your goal is to rid the world of them with your sword and your wolf by your side. You watch the world succumb to the darkness as you go through the four seasons, with each "act" named Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. Birds fall from the sky, flowers bloom black, animals die and their bodies are taken over by the masked demons.

Neva revolves around parenthood and the emotional bond you can develop with animals. It's similar to existential games like Endling, another fantastic, soul-crushing game where the world has been destroyed by humankind's greed and capitalism. Through no words, Neva conveys a heart-wrenching story of loss, as the opening sequence features a very sad scene (that I won't disclose lest I spoil it for you) — and yes, I was crying within the first 10 minutes of playing the game.

All about looking after one another

Alongside being about parenthood, Neva is all about looking after one another. Your wolf, Neva, starts out as a cub, and is clumsy and easily distracted, like a little puppy. She'll grab on to leaves and follow butterflies, and you must take her to feeding spots to ensure she's getting sufficient nourishment.

When you jump a big gap and she follows you, she nearly falls off the ledge so you must grab her and soothe her. Yes, you can pet Neva — you can even have a little cuddle with her once you've progressed through the first level! While the first few levels revolve around you looking after Neva, she eventually grows up and gets attacks of her own, and she starts having your back. She can tackle enemies and objects by teleporting (she's magical), and aid you in battle by sneaking up on the demons.

Utilizing Neva and spending time with her contributes towards earning trophies on the PS5. For instance, one of them requires you to soothe her in a certain level, and another sees you calling out her name a few times. You're dependant on Neva and her survival is semi-dependant on you. I grew quite attached to Neva and I wanted to pet her as much as I could — the game does an excellent job of giving you a sense of responsibility.

Buttery smooth platforming

To traverse the ever-changing landscape where trees become blackened and break off, you must jump, double jump and dash over obstacles and to ensure you don't fall to your death. Alongside platforming, there are plenty of puzzles you must solve, and these are all well-thought out and designed. They never feel repetitive — and they can't, really, given that Neva has a completion time of just over three hours.

If you're squeamish about blood or gore, you don't have to worry about that with this game. Death scenes in Neva aren't like those in most other games. There's no blood when your character dies. Instead, you and any other creature who falls gets covered in black flowers. I also like that you can choose the Story Mode difficulty which makes it impossible for Alba to die, resulting in a more relaxed experience focussing on the narrative.

The storytelling, combined with the music, artsy graphics, and the narrative revolving around parenthood, may have you guessing the ending. I did too, and I thought I had it figured out, but as the last cutscene played, nothing could have prepared me for it. All I could do was sob into my hands.... and then revisit the chapters to Platinum it (and Platinum it, I did).

Neva: The Prologue drops on February 19, and you'd best believe that I will be getting it day one. If you want to play Neva now, and I highly recommend that you do, you can grab it for just $9 / £7 at the PlayStation Store. Neva is also available on PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox Series X|S.

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It’s only normal to be trapped in the Apple ecosystem. I’m an iPhone, MacBook and iPad user, but as a byproduct, I’m also an AirPods user. But when it comes to finding the best wireless earbuds out there, it’s a big, wide ocean filled with more than just AirPods.

With the launch of the Sony WF-1000XM6, the wide array of options just got wider, but it might just be for the better. Are these the buds that finally make me turn my back on Apple for audio once and for all?

Let’s put the new flagship earbuds from Sony up against the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and find out which ones you should really be spending your money on.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Specs

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Price & availability

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available from Sony’s online store for $329/£250. That’s a pretty big difference in price between the U.S. and the U.K., but it’s a direct result of the imposed tariffs, which we have seen affecting a lot of audio brands in the last year.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are available for purchase at Amazon for $249/£219. So the AirPods are $80 cheaper in the U.S., but does that reflect their performance? In a word, absolutely.

The Sonys are way ahead of the game in terms of sound quality and noise cancellation, so let’s dive into some more detail.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Design

Your preference for the design of the two buds is going to be totally personal. Some people love the Apple stem while others hate it. The Sony WF-1000XM6 are more oblong and designed to just sit within the ear, but some may find the lack of opportunity for adjustment without removing the buds annoying.

I find the Sony eartips, which are more foam-like, far more comfortable. While the Apple AirPods Pro 3 do incorporate some foam for shaping, the primary material is silicone. The silicone doesn’t fit as securely in the ears and the Sony foam tips expand to give the perfect seal for noise cancellation.

When it comes to the charging case, the AirPods case is a lot easier to manage. The case for the WF-1000XM6 is a little angular and hard to manage if you’re just putting it in your pocket.

In terms of durability, the AirPods Pro 3 boast an IP57 rating, giving them protection against water as well as dust, making them better suited for activities like outdoor running. The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds have a rating of IPX4, which only protects them against a quick splash of water.

Winner: Tie

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Controls

Both sets of earbuds use touch-sensitive controls, and both have customizable controls. The Sony controls are managed through the Sony Connect app, whereas the AirPods are managed in system settings on Apple devices.

These are easy to use, but if you want more control over ambient sound, go for the WF-1000XM6, as you get to visualize how much sound you’re getting with the app.

Winner: Tie

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Sound quality

The sound quality on the two buds is seriously night and day. After using the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 sounded completely flat and lifeless. Forget about the flashy heart rate monitor of the AirPods for a second, because when I’m buying earbuds, I want the best sound quality possible. And that consideration will point you in the direction of the Sony buds.

Bass is more prominent in the WF-1000XM6, making the sound more full-bodied and enjoyable. EQ customization also gives them instant points as you can personalize the sound for your favorite genres. You can also take a test to find the best sound profile for you in the Sony Connect App.

Codecs from Apple are seriously lacking, with only AAC available for most users, but Sony offers LDAC, AAC/SBC with DSEE Extreme and LC3.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Active noise cancellation

Both buds are noise-cancelling, but the WF-1000XM6 take the crown. When using ANC with the Apple AirPods Pro 3, I can hear a low hum of the frequency being used to cancel out the ambient sound around me. But with the WF-1000XM6, I’m in complete silence.

The noise cancellation settings are also far easier to control in the Sony Connect app. And the eartip fit test from Sony also ensures the seal for noise cancellation is perfect. This is easier to achieve with the foam eartips, as I mentioned in comparison to the Apple AirPods, which are mostly silicone.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Battery life

Both sets of earbuds feature a battery life of eight hours with ANC turned on, which is extended to 24 hours with the charging case. Both also feature wireless charging, so this section truly is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods 3 Pro: Which should you buy?

It’s a close call, especially if your world revolves around that Apple ecosystem, but for me, the Sony WF-1000XM6 are a no-brainer. They excel in the most important areas: Sound quality and active noise cancellation.

I love hearing a lot of detail in my music, and the sound profile of the Sony buds is far more dynamic, whereas the Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds tend to fall flat more often than not.

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I’ve been lucky enough to spend the last two weeks testing the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds — the brand’s flagship earbuds — and they’ve earned a coveted spot in my earbuds rotation. They do everything I could possibly need. As an advocate for over-ear earphones, it takes a lot for a pair of earbuds to win me over, but the XM6s have done it with ease.

They have an improved design with 11% width reduction from the previous model for ultimate comfort (although the case design feels a little odd). The 8-hour battery life with ANC turned on also means I can use them all day long without worrying about running out of juice.

The ANC on these buds is also great, but the sound quality is what blew me away. They can accurately support any genre I listen to with effective codec support. But are they one of the best wireless earbuds releases of 2026? To find out more, keep reading this full Sony WF-1000XM6 review.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Sony’s flagship noise-canceling earbuds and successor to the WF-1000XM5s
• Who is it for? Any audiophiles who want great sound and effective noise cancellation all in one
• How much does it cost? The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available for $329 in the U.S., £250 in the U.K. and AU$499 in Australia.
• What do we like? Strong ANC; well-balanced, crisp sound; great battery life; wide codec support; comfortable earbud design
• What don’t we like? Odd charging case design

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Specs

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Price & availability

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available to purchase from Sony for £250 in the U.K. Shipping in the U.S. is estimated to start between the 13th to the 16th of February, where the buds will cost you $329 from Sony U.S.. This is a pretty big price hike in the U.S., but we've seen many audio brands increase their pricing as a direct result of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. As for Australia, the XM6 buds are priced at AU$499. The buds are available in Black or Platinum Silver.

The price tag is on par with the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, which are priced at $299 / £259, but the new model offers sound and design upgrades that will make any lovers of the previous model upgrade.

The features on the new WF-1000XM6 earbuds put them in direct competition with premium rivals like the Apple AirPods Pro 3 ($249), but in my opinion, the Sony earbuds offer far more user customization and far superior sound quality. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 ($299) have what our audio editor Tammy considers to be the best ANC ever, but the Sony WF-1000XM6 have come to give them a run for their money.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Design & comfort

• Lightweight earbuds
• Comfortable ear tip fit
• Odd-shaped charging case

After using the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, I was hoping for just one thing from the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds: a scaled-down design. I literally walked up to the counter to collect them while repeating “please be smaller, please be smaller” over and over in my head. And with an 11% reduction in earbud width, the Sony fairy has granted my wishes.

Each earbud weighs just 0.23 ounces (6.4 grams) and feels super lightweight, making them comfortable to wear for long periods. This is slightly heavier than the previous model, which weighs 0.21 ounces (5.9 grams) per bud, but the difference is hardly noticeable, and with all the extra gear under the hood, I’m impressed they kept the weight and size so small.

Thanks to the width reduction, I find them more comfortable to wear. We’ve moved away from the same shape design as the Sony WF-C710N ($119) earbuds, as the XM6 buds become more oblong. They still poke out a little from my ears, but no more so than the AirPods Pro 3. As someone who wears open-earbuds like the Soundcore Aeroclip ($129) that clip around the outside of my ear, I don’t mind my earbuds poking out a little.

The charging case measures 2.4 x 1.6 x 1 inches (61 x 41 x 26 mm), and I can slip it in the pocket of my jeans with ease. However, with the flat edges, the shape of the case is a little odd. It’s a bit tall, and the oblong shape makes it uncomfortable to hold, especially considering the ergonomic shape of the case of the XM5 earbuds. Crisp edges aside, the case is actually very lightweight, at just 1.66 ounces, so it didn’t feel heavy in my pocket.

I tested the Platinum Silver model, and although the name would have you believe they’re super shiny, they appear matte when in natural lighting. It’s only when put under bright light, such as the torch from my phone, that flecks of glitter appear. I like this effect, as the buds remain pretty understated, but I know there is an element of glitz when I use them. The Black version of the buds offers an even more subtle look, but I personally prefer the Silver color.

The earbuds have a durability rating of IPX4, meaning they are protected against water splashes from any direction, making them safe for getting caught out in the rain or dealing with sweat after a gym session. But if the buds do get a little wet, be sure to give them a wipe down before putting them back in the case, as the charging case isn’t water resistant.

This means that if you want to go on a run with the earbuds and the weather looks a little uncertain, you’ll need to leave the case at home. Thankfully, you can turn the buds off via the app when they’re not in the case, so the battery won’t drain.

Earbud fit

As I write this review, I have both the WF-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM6 earbuds in front of me, and one thing I’m glad stayed the same is the eartips. They’re unlike any eartips I’ve seen from the likes of Apple or Bose, as rather than being silicone, they’re actually spongey. This means they expand in the ear to create the perfect seal and the best noise-cancellation experience.

The earbuds come with four different ear tip sizes to get the best fit, and I ensured I had the right size by using the fit checker function in the Sound Connect app. The medium size was the best for my right ear, but was a little snug in my left. However, I solved this by simply molding the spongy material with my fingers.

There’s also a new ventilation structure for the XM6, which helps to minimize the effects of occlusion. This is essentially when you’re wearing earbuds or headphones, and you can hear the steps you take or your mouth moving, almost like an echo. I noticed that when running with the XM5s, I could hear my feet hit the ground, but this isn’t as bad while wearing the XM6s.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Connectivity

• Multipoint connectivity
• DSEE Extreme
• Prioritize quality of connection

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds connect to your device via Bluetooth 5.3 and have hi-res audio compatibility. The earbuds can support 32-bit processing for a richer sound with compatible devices and streaming services. They support streaming with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 audio codecs.

Much like the XM4 and the XM5 earbuds, the WF-1000XM6s have DSEE Extreme streaming. This is an AI-driven technology that essentially rebuilds the compressed AAC and SBC audio files to give them a hi-res streaming-like effect. This won’t give the same effect as streaming in LDAC, but it’s a great compromise for those with iPhones.

The XM6s also feature multipoint connectivity for pairing with two devices at once, which is one of my favorite features. The earbuds will intuitively switch between the devices I’m using, depending on which is active. I can also manage these in the Sound Connect app.

In the app, you have the option to Prioritize Sound Quality or Prioritize Stable Connection. These functions do what they say on the tin and will determine the streaming quality. I used the stable connection function when setting up the earbuds in the app, and then switched to sound quality for intent listening.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Controls & app

• Sound Connect app
• Customizable touch controls
• Personalized EQ test

Changes to the touch controls on the Sony WF-1000XM6 can be made in the Sound Connect app. You can set commands for the number of taps on both the left and right earbuds. The single tap on the left earbud is automatically set to toggle between Active Noise Cancelation and Ambient Sound. I chose to leave these as the settings on the left ear and use the right ear for pausing and skipping songs. These controls were simple to use and responsive.

The app also offers an opportunity for customization with EQ presets and custom EQ. There is an option to Find Your Equalizer too, which gave me the EQ best suited to my listening. To do this, I played my music, and the app gave me five different sound settings to choose from. From there, my choice expanded into five more similar settings, and from my choices, it created a personalized EQ for me. This is a great option as it meant I was getting the perfect sound for the type of music I listen to every time.

As someone who listens to music all day long when completing other tasks, a feature I appreciated in the app was the background music listening mode. With this, you can achieve the same effect as those YouTube videos from years ago that would play you music that sounded like you were in the next room at a party. You can choose from Cafe, Living room or My room, each getting increasingly louder — or less ambient, I suppose. This is perfect for having the passive, background effect that helps me work much better.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Sound quality

• Incredibly well balanced
• Complete clarity on all instruments
• Excellent bass performance

I crave perfect sound, and the audio profile of the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds is pretty much everything I look for. It’s incredibly balanced and separates individual instruments with complete ease.

Before testing out the XM6s, I had been using the XM5s for a couple of weeks, so I was immediately struck by how much more detail the XM6 earbuds supported. This was also the consensus when my colleagues listened. It was noted that even in bass-heavy tracks, the buds still put on an excellent show.

Firstly, I listened to Man I Need by Olivia Dean using the Find Your Equaliser EQ that the Sound Connect app created for me. This song has a funky, soulful drive, and the most prominent feature on this track for me is the drums. On the XM6s, these remained powerful without taking away from any other element of the song. The singer’s melodic vocals were also captured well, and her tone filled the space of the earbuds. The synth piano remained strong, and despite being a similar tone to the vocals, nothing was lost or disguised. I could hear every note of the song, and this really showcased the perfected mastering of the buds by the engineers.

I then moved on to BIRDS by Turnstile. I used the Hard EQ preset for this song, which enhances the bass and treble. The song begins with a synthwave and some percussion, which sounds totally cinematic and reminds me of Blade Runner with complete clarity. The drums were bright throughout the song, and the raspy vocals were well-balanced to complement the rest of the song. Again, this song was incredibly balanced.

I finally listened to Chains of Love by Charli XCX using the Heavy EQ preset to enhance the bass. Much like the rest of Charli XCX’s discography, it has the signature bass, but is mostly cinematic and orchestral. There wasn’t any distortion, which I experience when I listen to this song with my Beats Studio3 ($349) headphones. The vocals were incredibly clear, and I could hear every enunciation point with complete clarity.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: ANC

• Strong ANC
• Personalized ambient sound
• 8 ANC microphones

When I attended the keynote event for the Sony WF-1000XM6, Mike Sommerset, the Product Marketing Manager for Sony Europe, said that these are the “best noise-canceling earbuds available.” And while I always take these statements with a grain of salt, I can’t help but find some truth in the statement.

I’ve used both the XM5 and XM6 earbuds on flights and was impressed by both, but the XM6 takes the cake. When using the XM5s, I could still hear a slight whirring from the jet engines, but with the XM6s, I was in total silence. From take-off to landing, I was in my own little bubble, and didn’t realize I was back in London until the wheels hit the tarmac. They also kept me in silence when making my way through London Paddington train station, which is notoriously busy.

The new model of the earbuds has a total of eight microphones, two more than the previous model. They feed into the new QN3e processor, which is approximately three times faster than the QN2e chip in the XM5s, according to Sony.

You’re able to adjust the volume of the ambient sound being filtered into the earbuds on a scale from zero to 20, where 20 lets in all of the ambient sound around you, and zero is complete noise cancellation. I’ve found this feature especially useful when working out when I want to let in the ambient sound around me to remain aware of my surroundings. This gives me a safety boost and makes me feel more comfortable when out running.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds also provide great noise cancellation. But when I have ANC switched on with the AirPods, I notice the faint hum of the frequency that is canceling out the ambient sound. For me, this ruins the experience a little. But this isn’t an issue with the XM6s, where I can simply enjoy the quiet.

However, it seems like the performance of the ANC is a personal experience that may have a lot to do with the fit of the earbuds. When the entire reviews team got our hands on the buds, Nikita and I were impressed by the ANC and couldn’t even hear ourselves typing on our keyboards. But Pete and Erin could still hear some talking and traffic on the street. Perhaps they simply have better hearing than we do, but it’s worth noting that it could differ from user to user.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Battery life

• 8 hours with ANC
• 24 hours with the charging case
• Wireless and fast charging

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds have fast charging, meaning in just five minutes you can get one hour of listening time.

The XM6 buds give eight hours of playtime with ANC on, and this extends to 24 hours with the charging case. This is the same as the XM5 buds, which may seem like a letdown, but I’m here to tell you it’s not. Because with the addition of two noise cancellation processing microphones and the QN3e chip that requires a ton more power to create the perfect noise-canceling experience, it’s a total win that we managed to keep those 8 hours. With ANC off, the battery life increases to 12 hours.

It took me a week of using the buds before they ran out of juice, and this included a day with nine hours of travelling and then workouts lasting one to two hours each day. When they did eventually run out of juice, I popped them on charge for five minutes and had enough battery life for my hour-long walk.

Other earbuds with a similar battery life include the Apple AirPods Pro 3, which also have eight hours, and the original Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds ($179), which have nine hours.

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Verdict

For the WF-1000XM6s earbuds, Sony has taken on board all of the criticism of the XM5s and made significant improvements, especially in design and noise cancellation. Despite my not loving the new, slightly chunkier charging case design, there’s not much else to fault these earbuds on.

They have great battery life that’s on par with other big names in the ANC earbud game, good codec support, and a comfortable earbud design. The sound quality is what wins me over. The well-balanced sound profile offers complete clarity and an excellent bass performance, which can be refined with the personalized EQ settings in the Sound Connect app.

The ANC has also been a pleasure to use on these buds. I can’t believe I was on a flight, train and bus and didn’t hear anything. They are the perfect solution for anyone who craves complete silence or more customization with ambient sound settings. It’s definitely worth upgrading to these new buds.

Sony has announced the newest addition to the 1000X series: the WF-1000XM6. It’s the much-anticipated upgrade to the Sony WF-1000XM5 — themselves some of the best wireless earbuds around — and Sony has seemingly fixed all of the issues I had with the 2023 model.

While a couple of the features have stayed the same, such as the IPX4 durability rating and the 24-hour total battery life (more on that later), major upgrades make these new earbuds an ideal option for commuters, office workers, fitness fanatics, and audiophiles. Yeah, that’s right — these earbuds are for everyone.

During his keynote speech at Daft Studios in Belgium, Product Marketing Manager of Sony Europe, Mike Somerset, confidently described the earbuds as “the best noise-cancelling earbuds available” — and in my opinion, he’s not wrong.

I've spent the last couple of weeks testing the earbuds for my Sony WF-1000XM6 review, so here's everything you need to know.

Price & availability

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available to purchase directly from the Sony website for £250 in the U.K, The same price as the previous WF-1000XM5 model of the buds.

Shipping in the U.S. is estimated to start between the 13th to the 16th of February, where the buds will cost you $329 from Sony U.S.. As you'll notice, this is a pretty hefty price hike in the U.S.. But it doesn't come as much of a shock since we've seen many audio brands increase their pricing as a direct result of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

As for Australia, the XM6 buds are priced at AU$499. The buds are available in Black or Platinum Silver in all territories.

Active noise cancelation upgrades

The new earbuds have a total of eight microphones — four on each bud — for noise cancellation processing. That’s two more than the previous model.

These mics feed into the HD noise-canceling QN3e processor, which is approximately three times faster than the QN2e processor from the previous model. There is also an adaptive noise cancelation optimizer, which will adapt to your wearing conditions and give you the best ANC response.

Ambient sound options have also been improved, so staying aware of your surroundings has never been easier. This can also be toggled in the Sony Connect app from total noise cancelation to ambient aware mode with a slider to get the perfect adjustment for the user. As someone who uses open-earbuds regularly for working out but also appreciates the focus bubble ANC can bring, this is a super exciting advancement.

Improved ergonomic design

An issue I had with the WF-1000XM5 earbuds was that they were too big and heavy for my ears. And while I still loved wearing them, they became uncomfortable after around an hour. But my prayers have been answered with the WF-1000XM6, which are much smaller. In fact, there has been a 11% reduction in width from the previous model.

They are also a lot more comfortable, which I can attest to after testing them out on the 7-hour journey back from Belgium. The app helped me perform wearing checks to make sure I had the correct ear tip size for the buds, giving the most comfortable fit possible.

There’s a new ventilation structure to reduce occlusion, which is the sound you hear in your earbuds when chewing food or taking footsteps, making for a more comfortable wearing experience.

Strong battery life

The new earbuds come with a fast charge that gives a whole hour of battery life from just five minutes of charging.

As I mentioned earlier, the battery life of the buds is eight hours and 24 hours with the charging case, which is the same as the previous model. It may seem like there’s been no improvement here, but with all the extra battery needed to power the QN3e chip to process the eight noise cancellation microphones, having the same battery life rating is pretty cool.

The art of mastering

Sony worked with award-winning mastering engineers, including five time grammy award winner Michael Romanowski. This process is what gives the earbuds the sound stage to make the artists you listen to sound the most like themselves.

But the sound quality upgrades don’t stop there, because there are also streaming enhancements. The earbuds support Hi-Res streaming, but if you’re an iPhone user, you can’t reap these benefits when streaming over Bluetooth, as the highest codec Apple devices stream in is AAC (unless you’re using ALAC, which is Apple’s own lossless streaming codec).

However, Sony has introduced DSEE to enhance compressed AAC and SBC files to sound closer to Hi-Res. This essentially rebuilds the compressed file, which is another pretty cool addition from Sony, and something I appreciate as an iPhone user.

Don't forget to check out my full Sony WF-1000XM6 review.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the newest earbuds from an ‘underdog’ audio brand — and they’re ‘coming for Bose’s crown’
• Nothing is going "All in on headphones," and this new Headphone (a) leak has me excited
• 3 hidden AirPods features that instantly boost sound and comfort

State of Play February 2026 is over, and after a packed 85 minutes of gaming goodness, there's so much to talk about. From the reveal of the God of War Trilogy Remake to the MGS Master Collection Vol. 2 and more.

Sony promised it would deliver a lengthy showcase of PS5 games arriving on the console in 2026, and beyond, and it certainly delivered. There was at least one announcement for every type of player. And I'm pretty sure the "Chicken Man" from Project Windless is about to take over the internet.

Don't worry if you missed Today's State of Play, you can watch it back below, and we've got a full roundup of all the PS5 announcements in this live blog.

How to (re)watch State of Play for February 2026

If you missed State of Play February 2026, or just want to rewatch the showcase, you can watch it back via the VOD link above. Of course, if you don't have a spare 85 minutes, you can read on to see all the new trailers.

Welcome!

Hello, welcome to Tom's Guide's live coverage of the PS5 State of Play for February 2026. I'm Rory, a Senior Entertainment Editor, and I'll be guiding you through today's PlayStation showcase (with some help from a few colleagues). The event doesn't start for a few hours, but there's still plenty to cover, so let's get talking PlayStation...

Today's State of Play is going to be a BIG one

One of the key details about today's State of Play is that it will run for "60+ minutes" per the PlayStation Blog. That would be welcome news in any context, but it's even more of a big deal here because that will make it the longest State of Play broadcast to date. It's clear that Sony has a lot it wants to share with players!

There's one huge reason I'm feeling the HYPE!

I'm always excited for any State of Play, but there's a particular reason that today's broadcast has got me really hyped: PlayStation Studios will have a presence.

If you're out of the loop, PlayStation Studios is the umbrella group used to mark Sony-owned developers like Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, Insomniac, Housemarque and more. Often PlayStation Studios teams don't feature during State of Play, but this time, at least some of the developers will be showcased.

To set expectations, Sony isn't promising every PlayStation Studios team will be present, but hopefully we hear more from the likes of Naughty Dog and Bluepoint Games who have been quiet on their current projects for quite a while now.

Marathon is the first game confirmed for State of Play

It's by no means a surprise, but Marathon is one game we know we be featured during State of Play.

Sony-owned developer Bungie confirmed the sci-fi shooter would be included in the broadcast via a post on the game's official discord server, noting that "we're excited to share we'll be part of the PlayStation State of Play."

Marathon is a big bet for developer Bungie, who need a win after the most recent Destiny 2 expansions haven't quite met player demand. The game is set to launch on March 5, so it always seems likely that Sony would use this State of Play to give it another big push ahead of the release date in just a few weeks.

This first-person extraction shooter looks like it might be landing at just the right time following the uber-success of ARC Raiders, there's plenty of demand for more games in the genre, and Marathon looks different enough to carve out its own spot.

Here's another PS5 game we can confidently predict will feature

There were always two PlayStation Studios games that I felt highly confident would appear at State of Play. One was Marathon, which is now confirmed, the other is Saros from developer Housemarque.

Saros was announced at last year's February showcase, and is currently slated for release on April 30. It's a spiritual successor to 2021's GOTY-worthy Returnal. Based on the brief gameplay snippets we've seen, it's going to offer the same blockbuster bullet-hell gameplay in an intriguing, and sinister, sci-fi world. It also appears that the story might be a little less mysterious this time, which some players will prefer.

As noted, it's due to launch in the spring, so it seems very likely Saros will get a new trailer in this State of Play as Sony looks to ramp up the marketing ahead of April.

Insomniac's Wolverine might not show it's claws today

With Marathon, Saros and Marvel's Wolverine making up the tentpole trio of PlayStation Studios games confirmed for 2026 (as of writing, at least), it stands to reason that all three will feature in today's State of Play. But there's reason to think that Logan might give this showcase a miss and keep his claws hidden away.

In response to a question on X, asking when gamers would get to learn more about Wolverine, Insomniac Games' official account offered up the vague, "Spring 2026" in reply. At least in my calendar, February isn't quite spring, so don't bet on Wolverine being included in this PlayStation event.

Of course, this could be intentional misdirection from the folks at Insomniac, but we'll just have to wait until the State of Play February later today to find out.

Just joining us? Here's the key State of Play details

It's the start of the working day in the U.S. (on the east coast, at least), so if you're just joining me, the key details you need to know are that today (Feb. 12) will see the first PS5 State of Play in 2026, it'll begin at 12 pm PT / 5 pm ET / 10 pm GMT.

The live broadcast is set to last for at last an hour (Sony is saying "60+ minutes"), and will include games from PlayStation Studios. Today could be a very big day in the world of PlayStation, and I'm bringing you all the details in this live blog!

Gimme more from Marvel Tokon!

I'm not typically a fighting game player (that's in part because I usually suck at them), but one fighter I'm keeping an eye on is Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.

This fighter from acclaimed developer Arc System Works combines Marvel's stable of superheroes with an anime-style art style, which is immediately striking. It also features my boy, Spider-Man, in the playable roster, which always gets my attention.

It set to launch sometime in 2026, and so seems a good candidate to feature at State of Play. Maybe we'll get a firm release date in just a matter of hours.

Is it finally time to see more of Intergalactic?

For the last 12 months, during every PlayStation State of Play, and events like Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards, I've been keeping my fingers crossed that we get a new trailer for Nuaghty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

So far, I've been let down every time, but there's no question about, I'm ready to get hurt again. Intergalactic represents Naughty Dog's first new IP since The Last of Us way back in 2013, and I just cannot wait to learn more about this sci-fi experience.

The first trailer we got back in December 2024 instantly grabbed me, and Naughty Dog are a developer that has yet to disappoint me (yes, I even rank The Last of Us Part 2 as a masterpiece). I'm not totally convinced we will see Intergalactic today in the State of Play, as it's rumored for a 2027 release, but I'm keep hoping until then.

Is Kratos about to go 2D?

One of the big rumors circulating in the gaming world right now is that PlayStation is quietly working on a God of War spin-off title. That seems a pretty boilerplate rumor on the surface (a popular franchise gets a spin-off title, which is hardly unexpected), but more surprisingly, it's claimed this game will be a 2D side-scroller.

Remember, this is a rumor, but over on the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, a new post linking back to NateTheHate (a well-known leaker) claims that God of War 2D is in development, and that Sony is considering a multi-platform launch.

Perhaps today's State of Play 2026 will see God of War 2D revealed to the world, or maybe all the online rumors are false and Kratos is sticking to three dimensions.

Will AC: Black Flag Remake set sail at State of Play?

Another long-standing internet rumor is that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Friday is getting a shiny new remake, bringing back the pirate-themed adventure for a new generation of consoles. Heck, this one might even be more than a rumor, as an Ubisoft social media account made a cheeky reference to its existence in January.

Further adding to the fire, Amazon UK added a listing for an "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remastered Art Book" this week with a scheduled release date of March 24. This could be a listing error, and/or a placeholder release date. But if Black Flag is coming back in just a matter of weeks, you'd expect it to be showcased soon.

This State of Play could be the ideal place for Ubisoft to announce that one of the most beloved Assassin's Creed games in the franchise's history is returning.

Time for one last look at Resident Evil Requiem?

Resident Evil Requiem is entering the final stages of it's marketing push, with the survival horror game set to launch on February 27. Soon it'll be in our hands, and I can't wait to see the twisted horrors the team over at Capcom have created for us.

It seems likely that Resident Evil Requiem might feature in one final gaming showcase before release, and that would be State of Play. Personally, I was sold on this game from its first trailer, and I actually don't want to see anymore for fear of having a surprise moment spoiled. So if Resi 9 does pop up, I might look away!

More than 6 hours to go until State of Play!

You know, in my head, it felt like we were a little closer, but we've still got more than six hours until State of Play February 2026 goes live. As noted, I'm usually one to advice keeping expectations in check, but I'm really feeling the hype for this one. Here's hoping that PlayStation can deliver a showcase packed with great reveals.

Spidey might be swinging onto PS+ this month

Earlier this month, Deadlabs, a site with a strong record of leaking PlayStation Plus games, reported that February's headline for Extra/Premium members would be Marvel's Spider-Man 2. It'll be added to the PS+ Game Collection alongside Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown and Neva.

This would be a big deal, Spider-Man 2 is one of the PS5's most high-profile console exclusives, and I'm sure any PS+ subscriber who hasn't played it yet would be delighted. Assuming this report from Deadlabs is accurate (and as noted, the track record is strong), I expect the Spidey sequel heading to PS+ will be confirmed during the State of Play event.

ICYMI: Horizon Hunters Gathering was just announced

Last week, Guerrilla Games confirmed the next game set in the world of Horizon, it's not the full Horizon 3 many fans wanted, instead it's called Horizon Hunters Gathering and it's a three-player co-op experience with a more cartoony art style.

The reception online has been a little mixed, but I'm interested to see more, and don't mean the switch in overall aesthetic and tone. Horizon's post-apocalyptic future full of metallic creatures to hunt seems like a great candidate for a co-op game, and the roster of "hero" characters each offers their own set of unique skills.

While I'm not fully sold on Horizon Hunters Gathering just yet, as we've seen so little of the game so far, but the announcement PlayStation Blog post promised more details to come in the months ahead, and maybe that'll mean at State of Play.

The Witcher 3 is getting DLC in 2026? Really?

One of the strangest rumors that just refuses to die, is that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a new DLC expansion in 2026. Yes, The Witcher 3, the GOTY-winning RPG released in 2015. I'm certainly not mad if this rumor proves to be accurate, but I would be very surprised. Single-player games don't usually get DLC a decade later.

The reports suggest the DLC will lead into The Witcher 4, which is currently in development over at Polish studio CD Projekt Red. The game's last major update came in 2022, when it was ported over to PS5/Xbox Series X, and got a small selection of new content that tied into Netflix's "The Witcher" TV show.

However, that was a single quest, and some new armor options, the rumors here claim this will be a more meaty expansion, in line with it's previous, 2015's Hearts of Stone and 2016's Blood and Wine. Consider me skeptical of this rumor being accurate, but if I'm incorrect, and it's at State of Play, I'd very happy to be wrong.

007: First Light might break cover (again) at State of Play!

Last September, PlayStation held an entire State of Play dedicated to 007: First Light. Single-game State of Play's aren't super uncommon, but they're typically reserved for PlayStation Studio titles. The fact that this new 007 adventure from IO Interactive got one all to itself was certainly a great boon for Bond fanatics.

A few performance hiccups in the gameplay footage aside, I was very impressed with the 30-minute presentation, and I'm eagerly anticipating the game's launch in May 2026. So, all of this is to say, don't be surprised if 007: First Light appears today.

Will Starfield's long rumored PS5 port ever actually happen?

We live in strange times. Xbox games now release on PS5, but one title that remains Xbox console exclusive is Starfield. This sci-fi RPG from Skyrim maker Bethesda launched on Xbox (and PC) in 2023, and more than two years later, PS5 players still haven't been able to explore its intergalactic world for themselves.

Look, I know Starfield didn't enjoy the best reception from some RPG players, but personally, I mostly enjoyed my time with this one, and if it ever does come to PS5, I would happily give it a second play-through. There have been rumors of a PS5 port circulating pretty much since 2023, but they've heated up further in early 2026.

Perhaps, today's State of Play is when Bethesda will reveal that Starfield is the latest Xbox title to play nice with PlayStation. However, don't bet on it, leaker Shinobi62 claims (via Reddit) that news on Starfield's PS5 version won't come till March.

PS Portal could get a BIG upgrade

Moving away from PlayStation games, let's talk accessories, specifically the PlayStation Portal remote player. Per Zuby Tech, this nifty PS5 handheld could get a major upgrade in the form of a new OLED model. The current PS Portal uses an LCD screen, but fans have wanted one with an OLED display since launch. For now, this is just a rumor, so take it with a large grain of salt, but maybe this State of Play won't just include new game reveals, but also a look at some PS5 accessories!

Let's talk Grand Theft Auto VI

I've been scrolling social media to see what other gamers want to see at State of Play February 2026, and a recurring title is, unsurprisingly, Grand Theft Auto VI.

Never say never, but I would be stunned if GTA 6 had any sort of presence. For starters, Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick (CEO of Rockstar Games' parent company) recently said in an earnings call that GTA 6 marketing would begin in the summer, and secondly, GTA 6 is such a big deal that it would overshadow everything else.

So, while I can't 100% rule it out, I would suggest not getting your hopes up that today will be the day that we get to see a little more of GTA 6.

Only 4 hours left until State of Play February 2026!

We're getting there, slowly we're getting there. State of Play 2026 is just four hours away now. Won't be too much longer before we can see exactly what PlayStation Studios, and some of Sony's third-party partners, have in store for us. Remember, even if you can't watch along live, we'll have all the updates for you in this live blog!

PSSR update coming?

Hey, all! Tony Polanco here, and I'm taking over this blog for the next few hours. Like many of you, I'm excited to see what Sony is cooking for this 60-minute-long State of Play!

The main thing I'm looking forward to is anything regarding PSSR updates. According to Japanese insider Gust_FAN (via DL Compare), PSSR will receive a major update soon that will incorporate similar features to FSR 4 on the PS5 Pro. This should improve image quality and overall performance.

One of the more intriguing aspects of this rumor is that older, lower-resolution games from PlayStation's back catalog will be playable at higher resolutions. We've heard discussions about this in the past, but it might actually happen now.

"PSSR 2" is very much in the rumor territory right now, but given how this State of Play is an hour long, perhaps Sony will unveil this update and detail what to expect.

Wolverine might be a no-show

Insomniac's Wolverine is one of the most anticipated PS5 games. While this State of Play seems like a natural place to show more gameplay, it seems it might be a no-show.

As IGN reports, Insomniac Games went on social media and said we'd get more Wolverine info in "spring 2026." Given how it's currently February, that seems to rule out seeing the game during State of Play.

While this will surely disappoint many, I agree with IGN in that Sony is likely planning a dedicated PlayStation Showcase for Wolverine. Instead of cramming in some footage during today's State of Play, we could instead get a whole show that goes into more detail. If that's the case, I'm willing to wait longer!

Rumored PS Portal OLED could surface

One of the other major rumors floating around is that we'll see an updated PlayStation Portal with an OLED display (according to Zuby Tech). Considering how successful the current model has been, I can see Sony releasing a follow-up device to keep the momentum going.

I have mixed feelings on this. While the PS Portal is much better now than it was at launch, I personally don't travel enough to really need an on-the-go PS5. That said, if the OLED panel is nice enough, it could change my mind.

As with PSSR 2, this is a rumor, so take it with an appropriate level of skepticism. That said, I won't blame you if you decide to hold out hope for an official announcement. Given how I cover gaming hardware news, you can bet on me covering this story if it happens.

A Ghost of Sparta sequel???

Speaking of rumors, one of the wildest I've heard is that we could get a 2D Metroidvania-like God of War game starring Kratos' brother, Deimos. That's already bonkers enough, but rumors also suggest that this title might be multi-platform... as in it might also arrive on rival systems like Switch 2 and Xbox Series X.

While this rumor seems extremely far-fetched, it comes to us via NateTheHate, who has a pretty good track record when it comes to PlayStation leaks. Because of that, we can't completely discount it, even though it is very much a rumor.

I love the God of War series, and especially love Ghost of Sparta on PSP. If this 2D game serves as a semi-sequel or spin-off where we get to play as Deimos, I'm all for it. Let's see how this rumor pans out.

Marvel Tokon's roster reveal could happen

Unlike my colleague Rory Mellon, I absolutely love fighting games, and Marvel Tokon is one of the titles I'm anticipating most. We haven't gotten much info on this game (check out my Marvel Tokon preview for my thoughts), but signs point to some news happening at State of Play.

Earlier this week, the game's Steam page received an unexpected update to its listing. The most significant morsel is that it will launch with 20 playable characters. While this has caused some ire in the FGC (fighting game community), I think that's a nice-sized roster to start with, as this game will get more characters via season passes, just like all modern fighting games do.

I won't speculate on which characters will be in the roster, but I will say I hope we finally get the Fantastic Four in a Marvel fighting game, as Marvel's First Family has never appeared in any of the Capcom Marvel games (at least not as fully playable characters). And if you'll allow me to nerd out, I'd love for Hulk and Wolverine to be in the game so I can form a team with them, Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider, who were the "new" Fantastic Four in the early '90s.

Nerding out aside, I expect a big showing for Marvel Tokon today.

Resident Evil Requiem update?

While this is a PlayStation show, we're sure to see some third-party games tossed into the mix. To that end, one game I'm sure will pop up is Resident Evil Requiem, as it's slated to drop on February 27.

I've played two demos of Resident Evil Requiem: one focusing on Grace Ashcroft and another featuring both her and Leon. I'm a huge fan of the franchise, so it shouldn't surprise you that even after playing those demos, I still want more. I'm curious to see what we could see today, but I can't wait regardless!

Potential Xbox announcements

With Xbox games now arriving on PS5, it's not unreasonable to wonder which Microsoft-developed games might have a showing during State of Play.

As we posted before, rumors are circulating that Starfield might finally get a PS5 release date. That could happen, but I think it's a safe bet that we might get something (even if it's in a sizzle reel) for Halo: Campaign Evolved, as that has been confirmed for PS5. Gears of War: E-Day or even Forza Horizon 6 could also get a showing.

With the console war effectively over, it would be smart for Xbox to fully embrace advertising its games on rival showcases like State of Play. We'll see if the company decides to show anything today.

A Heretical appearance?

I just looked it up, and I can't believe it's been over a year since we saw our first glimpse of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophecy. While some say the game will release at the end of 2026, I'm with Jason Schreier, who says Naughty Dog's upcoming space-based title is actually coming out in 2027.

Given that, it's unclear if the game will show up during State of Play. If it does, I'm sure it'll break the internet... in both good and bad ways. I wasn't exactly enamored with The Last of Us Part II, so I can't say I'm hyped for Intergalactic, as the trailer left me feeling ambivalent. But I haven't completely discounted it, so hopefully I'll see something to spark my interest.

Are you excited for Marathon?

Scott, stepping in for Tony.

I'm curious, I am a Destiny apologist, even the current messy model that is Destiny 2. It's one of the best feeling shooters available even if the surrounding story has gotten insane. Though perhaps we've just gotten back to the "that wizard came from the moon" era.

Anyway, I am willing to give Bungie a try despite the mess. And I am excited for Marathon.

What about you?

40 minute countdown

Hey, hey, look at that. We're 30 minutes away from the State of Play starting.

As a reminder, it starts at 2 pm PT, 5 pm ET, and 11 pm CET.

You can watch on Twitch and YouTube.

Miracles can happen (but probably not)

There's a running joke that Sony will continually disappoint fans by not announcing Bloodborne 2.

With that in mind, here are some other sequel games that won't get announced that I'm actually interested in potentially seeing:

• The Order sequel
• Resist4nce
• Sly Cooper 5
• J4k & D4xter
• Kingdom Hearts 4
• Killzone 4
• A true Final Fantasy Tactics 2

It's a surprising number of fourquels, but that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Just 15 minutes until State of Play is live!

Hey, it's Rory here. I'm back from break and ready to guide you through the State of Play February 2026 from start to finish. The official countdown has begun, and the YouTube chat is already moving faster than I can read it. There's only 15 minutes until the biggest State of Play broadcast ever is live, so get ready, it's almost time!

One final wish from me before the show begins!

State of Play is just 10 minutes away, so I'm making my final prediction, or maybe my final wish, I'd love to see more from Control: Resonant. This first control was one of my favorite games of 2019, and rare title I've earned the Platinum trophy in twice (on both PS4 and PS5). So here's hoping that Remedy have our next look at the game primed for today, and if we're super lucky we could even get a release date!

This is your 5 minute warning!

If you're not already sitting comfortable, with your stream (or this live blog) ready, now is the time to get in position. State of Play February 206 begins in less than five minutes. And I'm predicting that Saros or Marathon will kick off the showcase!

State of Play Feb. 2026 is LIVE!

The waiting is over, and the speculating is done. State of Play February 2026 starts now. Stand by for live updates, even if you can't watch along at home (or at work!), I'll have all the announcements for you in this live blog...

Kena: Bridge of Spirits sequel opens the show!

Here's an opener I didn't have on my bingo card, a sequel to 2021's charming action-platform, Kena: Bridge of Spirits!

Kena: Scars of Kosmora is coming 2026

The sequel is called Kena: Scars of Kosmora, and it'll be launching on PS5 and PC in 2026. It stars an older, more experienced, Kena and is set in a new land, the titular Kosmora. It looks once again to combine a charming art style with surprisingly demanding combat. Consider me sold!

Ghost of Yotei Legends?

Next up, it's an announcement from Sucker Punch. Will this be the Ghost of Yotei Legends multiplayer mode?

Yup, Ghost of Yotei Legends launches on March 10!

Fans of co-op samurai action rejoice, Ghost of Yotei is getting a Legends mode update next month.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach comes to PC on March 19

Fantastic sequel Death Stranding 2: On the Beach won't be PS5-locked for much longer as it's making it's way over to PC on March 19. This was a contender for GOTY at The Game Awards, and will no doubt look truly incredible on a beefy gaming PC.

4:Loop gameplay is up next!

Next, it's time for an update on sci-fi co-op game 4:Loop. I'm still not totally sure what the hook of this title is, but it appears to have a bit of ARC Raiders about it, so maybe it'll also suck up a whole bunch of my free time when it launches on PS5.

4:Loop wants your help!

4:Loop will have upcoming play tests as the developers "want your help" to craft the game, but no details have been given yet about when these will be. Without even a vague release date, I think we can assume 4:Loop still has a way to go until launch.

Pragmata looks better ever time I see it (and get's a demo)!

A quick trailer for Capcom's Pragmata next. Every time I see this game, my interest levels increase. It's out on April 24, but even better, there's a playable demo which is available to download from the PlayStation Store right now!

Resident Evil time!

Well, I called this one earlier, but it's Capcom's turn in the spotlight as Resident Evil Requiem takes the State of Play (virtual) stage. It's out February 27, and I really don't need to see more of this game. I'm completely sold, so I'm looking away till it's over!

Legacy of Kain Defiance Remastered and Brigandine Abyss!

Legacy of Kain: Defiance launched in 2003, and the final game in the series is getting a remastered edition. It'll be out next month, and includes a bunch of upgrades. And we also got a look at strategy game Brigandine Abyss, out in 2026.

Dead or Alive 6: Last Round and a NEW installment in the series!

Dead or Alive 6 is getting brought to PS5 in a Last Round package, and we also got confirmation that Dead or Alive 30th Anniversary is in development as well. Lots for fans of the fighting game franchise to look for to!

Control Resonant gameplay premieres at State of Play!

One of my wishes came true, next it's uncut gameplay of Control: Resonant, and it looks pretty darn impressive. There's a lot to take in, including a new Manhattan-set level, new powers and new enemies. It looks a lot more open than the first Control.

Crimson Moon announced!

Well, it's always nice to see something new at these events, Crimson Moon appears to be a fantasy action game. Looks a little Soulslike, but I got HUGE Darksiders vibes from it, I was thinking it was a new Darksiders game for most of the trailer!

Beast of Reincarnation gets a new trailer and release date!

Did you think Game Freak could only make Pokemon games? Well take a look at Beast of Reincarnation, which is heading to PS5 on August 4. I've scanned the trailer but I cannot see a Charizard anywhere!

Mina The Hollower gets a new look!

Shovel Knight fans, you'll want to check out this new look at Mina The Hollower, the next game from Yacht Club Games. It's out later this year and an exclsuive demo drops on PS5 tomorrow (Feb. 13)

Charming indie Neva is getting a prequel!

I know one colleague who is very happy because charming indie Neva is getting a prequel called... Neva: Prologue. It's out February 19.

Yakoh Shinobi Ops is next up!

The next announcement is Yakoh Shinobi Ops, which is an isometric stealth-action game based on the gameplay footage. It also includes a very vicious monkey!

Project Windless casts you as a... chicken?

Are you playing as an oversized chicken with a huge sword?! One of the more original games we've seen today, this cinematic action game has you playing as a humanoid chicken in a bloody fantasy world. It's called Project Windless!

Star Wars alert!

We've flown over to a galaxy far, far away for Star Wars: Galactic Racer, a new racing game (duh!) set in the beloved sci-fi universe. It's out in 2026, and looks ridiculously cinematic!

New trailer for 007: First Light!

Another correct prediction for me (Though this was a bit of a freebie), 007: First Light gets a new trailer. It looks great, and probably the closest to a new Uncharted game we'll be seeing for a while. It's out on May 27, and if you pre-order now you get the Deluxe Edition at no extra cost, which is a new perk for early adopters.

Konami is taking over the State of Play!

Sony's trying something new here, by giving the stage over to Konami, it's like a second showcase within a showcase!

MGS Master Collection Vol. 2 is real!

Good news for MGS fans (I can hear TG's Tony Polanco screaming from here), Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 is here, and will include MGS 4 and MGS Peace Walker. It's out on August 27. This is great news in general, as MGS 4 was previously locked to the PS3, but from the summer, it'll be playable on modern hardware.

The MGS Master Collection Vol. 1 is also getting a free update with a new sharper resolution setting. It's rolling out today, and MGS 3 Delta: Snake Eater is on sale!

MGS x Darwin's Paradox!

The upcoming octopus game, Darwin's Paradox, is getting a crossover with Metal Gear Solid. That's not something I ever expected to type, but I'm here for it, and the comical-looking game is getting a demo that's out before its full launch on April 2.

Castlevania lives!

It's a good day for Castlevania fans, as the series is back after 15 years in the shadows. It's a new side-scrolling adventure, called Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. It's out in 2026. You play Trevor Belmont, and it looks like a modern spin on the series.

I think I hear Silent Hill music!

Silent Hill is enjoying a franchise revival after the fantastic Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill f, and I'm pretty sure this our first look at what's next for the horror series...

Silent Hill Townfall is coming 2026

The previously announced Silent Hill Townfall gets a new look with some quick shots of gameplay. There's a fullSilent Hill Transmission following this State of Play where we're going to hear more about the game, so be sure to stick around for that!

Konami's next (and final) game is Rev.Noir!

One for the anime as we get a trailer for Rev.Noir, which is in development for PS5, and is described as a new JRPG title. It looks a bit generic for my tastes, but I'm sure genre fans are going to be very intrigued about this one.

John Wick: The Video Game, right?

I'm pretty sure this next trailer is for a John Wick game....

Yup, John Wick from Saber is confirmed!

Guess we'll soon be living out our John Wick fantasies as the Baba Yaga himself, as Saber is making a John Wick game. The trailer was very slick, but we only got a very brief look at what appears to be gameplay, and no date, so don't expect to be playing anytime soon!

Finally Marathon time!

This one was confirmed prior to the show, so it's no sunrise to see a new trailer for Bungie's Marathon. It's out on March 5, and there will be a preview weekend Feb. 26 to March 2, so you can give the sci-fi extraction shooter a shot before launch. Bungie are calling it the "Server Slam," which is a fantastic name for a beta!

The leaks were true, Spider-Man 2 comes to PS+

If you somehow haven't played Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PS5 yet, soon you'll have no excuse as the game is heading over to PS+ (at the Extra/Premium tier) later this month. New games are being added to the Classic Library as well, Time Crisis and Tekken Dark Resurrection.

Saros gets the spotlight

Saros, the spiritual follow-up to Returnal, is up next. This is another game I was extremely confident would feature at State of Play, the only surprise is that it's taken this long to appear.

The show's not over yet...

Saros' gameplay presentation is over, and we've ticked over the hour mark, but we're not done yet, the next trailer is for Marvel Tokon!

Marvel Tokon looks excellent (again), and is out August 6!

We got a release date for Marvel Tokon at the end of that very polished trailer; it's out on August 6. I'm already going to be a Spider-Man main, but we've also got confirmation that X-Men will be included. The game revolves around building a four-character team, so there will be a spot for Wolverine in my roster!

I think this is the last reveal!

Santa Monica Studios logo pops up, and God of War music starts playing, this is probably the big closing game!

God of War Trilogy Remake is confirmed!

It looks like the requests for the original God of War games to return have been heard. God of War Trilogy Remake has just been announced at State of Play!

It's still "in the early stages," so don't expect any further updates on this project for a while, but still, it's sure to have PlayStation fans very hyped in months to come!

But there's more... God of War 2D revealed!

The rumors about a 2D God of War game were accurate; you play Kratos before he was a God, when he was a Spartan warrior. It's a very different spin on the franchise!

It's called God of War: Sons of Sparta, and it's out TODAY!

And that's a wrap on State of Play February 2026

After a jam packed 85 minutes of game reveals and new trailers, State of Play February 2026 draws to a close. The one-two punch of a God of War Trilogy Remake and a new 2D game (Sons of Sparta) that you can play today capped the showcase.

That was a very solid (but not spectacular) State of Play!

Whelp, the first State of Play for 2026 is in the can, and I was pretty pleased overall. While it lacked major surprises, we got updates on games I'm super excited to play (Saros, Control Resonant and more), and a few new reveals caught my eye, too. It wasn't quite the State of Play of dreams some predicted but it was a solid event.

So, what games intrigued you?

That was supersized State of Play with a surprising number of games.

So, what games caught your eye.

Me? The Chicken man of Project Windless looked interesting and I'm a sucker for God of War.

I'm also curious about Yakoh and if it will scratch the Tenchu itch, but the isometric view isn't quite what Tenchu was, still.

Read a book?

Project Windless is one of the games that I'm most intrigued by. As the trailer notes it's based on a Korean fantasy series called The Bird That Drinks Tears.

From what I can tell the book is finally being translated into English and will come out this June.

I plan on checking out the book when it finally releases.

What about you? Did you find this interesting?

That's a wrap

As these games finally come out, Tom's Guide will have reviews and hands-ons on a good chunk of these titles as we can.

What's next, we're hoping for more hardware announcements from PlayStation including the rumored OLED Portal and news about PSSR advancements.

Since the release of the Sony WH-1000XM6 in 2025, the previous model of the beloved headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, have moved into that price sweet-spot, offering great audio quality and noise cancelation at a reduced price.

But when there’s a new version available, why would you buy the old model? I hear ya — but there’s actually a whole bunch of similarities between the two sets of cans. I mean, they’re both some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can be. One's just a little bit newer.

If you want the comfort and stunning sound profile that comes with owning a pair of Sony’s flagship headphones — but are also conscious about your budget — then picking up the previous model is the best option.

The key differences

Upon first glance, the headphones look pretty much identical. It’s when you start looking a little closer that you see all of the details Sony changed to make the WH-1000XM6 a better fit. The most notable difference is that while the XM5 earcups rotate for storage, the XM6s are actually foldable, making them an easier and more compact option to throw in your bag.

The XM6s also benefit from the addition of Bluetooth LE and Auracast, and have heaps more room for EQ adjustment. While both headphones are supported by the Sony Connect app, you can certainly do more with the XM6s.

Active noise cancelation is also improved in the XM6 headphones, thanks to three additional mics. As a bonus, these also improve call quality.

Level playing field

But that’s pretty much where the differences stop. So now we've covered that, what are the similarities? Well, with ANC turned on, both models give 30 hours of battery life. I use the WH-1000XM5 headphones every day when I’m working, and I can go weeks between charges. This obviously depends on how loud I listen to the music, but it’s great to say that even with "older" headphones, I have no concerns about them dying on me.

When I’m looking for new headphones, battery life is one of the main things I take into consideration. I’m generally super forgetful, so I've found myself on more than one occasion ready to head out the door before realising my headphones are totally out of juice. But the 30 hours of battery life mean that this happens way less often, and I can rely on the headphones to power me through my whole day.

Good to be frugal

In this instance, I would advise being frugal. While the sound profile of the WH-1000XM6 headphones pips the XM5s to the post for more detailed listening, there’s not a great deal in it. In fact, when listening to more electronic music, I much prefer the sound profile of the XM5 headphones.

Of course, this is personal preference, but I'd argue $150 is more than just pocket change. It's a sizeable difference in outlay and when both headphones are at full price, it’s a no-brainer to go with the previous generation.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Sony WH-1000XM6 for three weeks — here’s my verdict
• YouTube Music is locking this key feature behind a paywall — because apparently Google has no shame
• HBO Max finally confirms U.K. launch date and pricing — and it'll be home to an exclusive Emmy award-winning drama

We are still a couple of years away from the next-generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, but the rumors are starting to pile up. This week, some new leaks surfaced regarding the PlayStation 6 and its rumored companion handheld, as well as Microsoft's potential plans for the next Xbox.

Starting with Sony, regular leaker KeplerL2 posted (via Videocardz) in the NEoGAF forums that the PS6 could feature 32GB of DDR7 memory, double that of the 16GB of GDDR6. Meanwhile, the rumored handheld could feature 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, which would match Windows handheld configurations for a higher-end mobile console.

Both leaks imply that Sony's next console and handheld will be able to run heavy games with no memory constraints.

It's no real surprise that the next PlayStation will be more powerful than its predecessor. The worry is that so much memory will make the PS6 extremely expensive, with the ongoing RAM crisis not expected to abate until 2028 at the earliest.

However, Sony isn't expected to launch the PS6 until 2028, maybe late 2027. Perhaps that delay will give the company time to reduce costs or for memory manufacturers to catch up to AI demand.

The nexBox

At the start of February, AMD's CEO Lisa Su surprisingly revealed that the next Xbox featuring an AMD SoC could launch in 2027. Allegedly, that was a surprise to even Microsoft, per our friends at Windows Central. It contradicted previous Microsoft comments and documents that revealed that the next Xbox was slated for 2028.

"I'm told Microsoft insiders were a little taken off-guard by Lisa Su's comments on Xbox's Gen-10 timeline," Jez Corden reported.

From our own rumor reporting and other sources, the big change between the Series X and the next generation is a focus on a hybrid console/PC. Xbox president Sarah Bond previously hinted that the new console would be "a very premium, very high-end curated experience."

The big rumor from Windows Central is that Microsoft is working with OEMs, like Asus, to build a "variety of options" that would span a wide range of price points. This hints at a gaming laptop-esque future where you could have a high-end, say Razer-built Xbox, but also a lower-end model.

The difference here is that Xbox would become more of a branding exercise and a launcher rather than hardware. Corden is reporting that Microsoft wants to make an "Xbox interface" on top of Windows, similar to how it works on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X handheld PC console, which launched this past October.

While the PS6 might be a more traditional power-step forward, the Xbox could be, as the ads say, "anything."

We'll likely find out more about both next-gen consoles soon enough, so stay tuned to Tom's Guide for the latest news, leaks and rumors.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Sony PlayStation Portal could get a Pro edition with a major display upgrade
• AMD just hinted the next-gen Xbox could ‘launch in 2027’ — here’s why I’m not convinced
• Xbox could launch an ad-free cloud gaming tier soon — here’s what we’ve heard

So you're going to take the plunge and join those who like listening to our favorite tunes on spinning plastic discs — and I don't mean CDs. I'm talking about records, which are a wonderful, tactile way of feeling more involved in your listening.

But where do you start? There are so many things to think about when it comes to buying one of the best turntables. What extra devices do I need? What's a cartridge, what's a needle, what's all this about speeds? The questions are endless, the answers sometimes complicated.

Thankfully, I've been using and testing turntables for years, so I've put my knowledge to good use to make sure you're well-equipped before you take your vinyl journey.

How does a turntable work?

We all know that vinyl discs are covered with microscopic grooves (and if you didn't, now you do!). Those grooves are the physical representation of your music. The turntable's needle (or stylus) drags itself through those grooves, then converts them into listenable sounds inside the cartridge at the end of the tonearm.

Unfortunately, those sounds are completely un-amplified, so we need a device that can make them loud enough for even a larger amplifier to pick up. That's where a phono pre-amp steps in. It takes that sound and makes it loud enough to send through a cable to your amp. Beginners should look for a turntable with a built-in pre-amp, so you don't have to buy a separate one.

So where do I start?

First of all, work out how often you're going to be using your player. Once in a while, or all the time? What do you want out of the player — ease of use or excellent sound? From there, work out how much you're going to spend on your turntable, remembering you're likely going to need to pick up some speakers.

It's very possible to get something that sounds excellent for not very many dollars, but it might not be the most user-friendly. Similarly, something simpler to use might not sound quite as good. Or, you might get something easy to use that sounds good but isn't built as well to keep the price down.

Below are three options for turntables under $500. If you’re just starting out, I don’t recommend anything more expensive; if you really get into it, you can always upgrade in the future.

What you get for under $200

There are plenty of budget options available if you’re looking for your first turntable, and you’d be surprised how fully featured they are. Interestingly, you’ll often find automatic models for this price (that means you press a button and the tonearm moves itself), with replaceable needles and some very funky-looking designs.

You will, however, lose some adjustability. You won’t find any replaceable cartridges, so you can’t fit a new model for a quick upgrade. Tonearms are generally pre-set from factory, and rather than using counter weights, they use springs to exert the necessary pressure on the record.

This isn’t going to damage your discs, but it does mean that you can’t change the counterweight for different styluses. Some people think that a nonadjustable tone arm wears out vinyl quicker as well, although evidence is tricky to come by.

Here’s a great option under $200:

What you get for $300

If you spend a little more money, you can get a very good beginner turntable, although you should expect it to be manual. That means you have to do everything yourself, from moving the tonearm over the record and lowering it, to changing the speed with the belt drive mechanism.

Now, to (weirdos) people like me, that just adds to the immersion of the process, enhancing the vinyl experience. To less pretentious people, it means there’s more manual labor to listen to your music. Your mileage may vary.

What you get in exchange is more adjustment — that means you can change out the cartridge so that you can use a more premium stylus. The counterweight on the back of the tonearm can be manipulated so that you can change the tracking force for your new stylus.

Thanks to these differences, a $300 turntable can be upgraded, making sure that it lasts for longer. Here’s a great option for around $300:

What you get for under $500

So take all the features of the $300 turntable — the adjustment, the more manual experience — and then replace all the bits with nicer, more premium parts. Spend the extra up front and you’ll be in for better sound quality and even some mod-cons like electronic speed control.

Here is a great turntable for less than $500:

What do I plug it into?

A turntable without some kind of music maker isn't going to make much noise, so you’re going to need a decent pair of speakers. They're easy enough to find, and you needn't spend loads. Here are a couple of different options at different budgets:

Two things to look for and three things to avoid

You want to make sure that your new beginner turntable has two things. The first is a replaceable cartridge (the bit that actually touches the record), and the second is a built-in phono pre-amp. The first means your turntable will last for a long time, and the second means you don't need to buy as many extra devices.

When shopping for a turntable, there are some other pitfalls to avoid. The first? Steer clear of models that have the same plastic tonearm and platter design that you'll generally find in JCPenney and Urban Outfitters. I'm not going to say they'll damage your records, but they're not going to sound good.

I'd also avoid models with built-in speakers. To keep the disc free from extra vibrations and other potentially sound-ruining issues, these built-in speakers generally keep the bass low. They end up sounding cheap and tinny as a result.

Lastly, avoid turntables that don’t feature any kind of vibration-dampening. Ideally, you want separate rubber feet on the bottom as a minimum, but isolated plinths and other vibration-reducing techniques are always good. Essentially, any vibrations around the deck can cause your sound issues. For example, accidentally bumping the table that an undamped player sits on could make your sound skip.

You’re good to go

So now you know what you should be looking out for when it comes to a vinyl player, and you can join the many who have already started their groove-powered journey. Remember, as much as there are some important (boring) bits to making sure that you’re happy with your first player, the most important thing is that you have fun.

The other great part about owning a turntable is that it now gives you an excuse to spend hours browsing through albums at your local record store. Three albums I recommend you listen to first are Led Zeppelin's "Led Zeppelin IV" (because you need to listen to stairway first), Miles Davis' Kind of Blue for the quintessential hit of jazz, and Black Sabbath's Paranoid because, you know. War Pigs.

That’s what vinyl in 2026 is all about. There are more convenient ways to listen to your music, some with even better sound quality. But none deliver the same hands-on involvement or deliberate listening experience that you get out of a shiny LP. And nothing looks cooler on your shelf.

More from Tom's Guide

• It’s the beginning of the end of 8K TVs, but that’s OK — these will be the 4K TVs to shop in 2026
• Apple AirTag 2 review: perfect except for one thing
• How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics online for FREE: live streams, Milano Cortina schedule & Thursday preview

Crunchyroll is the most popular streaming platform for watching anime, but that doesn't mean it's immune to streamflation. For the second time in as many years, the streamer is raising prices.

This week, Crunchyroll announced that it's raising prices by as much as 25%. This comes less than two months after the Sony-owned company killed off its free tier.

Here are the new prices:

• Fan tier: $9.99 a month (up from $7.99)
• Mega Fan tier: $13.99 a month (up from $11.99)
• Ultimate Fan tier: $17.99 a month (up from $15.99)

Crunchyroll is offering a limited Fan Annual Plan for $66.99, but that only lasts for one year. The announcement claims this will "give fans more of what they love." It also pointed out new and upcoming features like teen profiles, PIN protection, multiple profiles and the ability to skip theme songs and end credits.

When Sony bought Crunchyroll in 2020, the service had a free tier and monthly subscriptions of $8, 10, or $15. The first price hike hit in May 2024, when the mega tier bumped to $12 and the Ultimate level to $16.

Sony has consolidated much of the anime industry in recent years by rolling the former Funimation distributor into Crunchyroll and purchasing large anime production studios like Aniplex and Egg firm.

Unfortunately, Crunchyroll joins a chorus line of streaming platforms that have all raised prices in the last two years, some multiple times (looking at you, Spotify).

Crunchyroll alternatives

When it comes to Japanese animation, Crunchyroll is the elephant in the room. Most of the hyped and popular titles appear on the service before going anywhere else.

Fortunately, there are alternatives, even if they aren't all anime-focused like Crunchyroll:

Netflix: Netflix has a surprisingly robust collection of anime movies and shows. Some of which the company has financed itself, like the excellent "Beastars" and the acid-trip that is "Dorohedoro." Plus, the service does get popular series like "Frieren" and "Jujutsu Kaisen," and they seem to stick around longer on Netflix than other genres. I highly recommend "Delicious in Dungeon," which only has one season currently.

Amazon Prime Video: Amazon, like Netflix, has a wealth of anime, though browsing its offerings can get confusing. Like other shows on Amazon, some are free with ads, others are free with a Prime subscription, while some can only be rented or purchased. However, Amazon appears to have many popular titles like "One Punch Man," "One Piece" and "Attack on Titan" if you enjoy those titles.

Disney+/Hulu: Hulu has had anime for a while, but Disney has also picked up a few, including the excellent semi-in-house "Star Wars: Visions." Combined, you have a lot of options. Plus, the service has some older titles like "Hunter x Hunter" and "Bleach" that are fairly popular. I have seen newer popular shows like "Demon Slayer" and "Solo Leveling" pop up as well.

HiDive: HiDive is one of the few Crunchyroll alternatives that is solely focused on anime. The service has a much smaller library and is cheaper than CR, with a monthly $6.99 tier and an annual $69.99 annual subscription. You won't get the hottest titles, but there are some shows like "Parasyte," "Golden Time" and "Reincarnated as a Sword" that might be worth a watch.

Pluto/Retrocrush/Tubi: If you're looking for older titles and don't mind ads, don't be afraid to check out Pluto, Tubi or Retrocrush anime. All three services have older titles like "Paprika," the original "Pokémon" and "Ranma 1/2." Tubi and Pluto do offer some more recent titles, but both services have more of a focus on older shows and movies.

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OLEDs are some of the best TVs you can buy, but they come at a steep cost — especially when you compare their price to most LCD/LED sets. For shoppers looking to save some money on this enticing display technology this year, there might be good news coming down the pike.

As first reported by FlatpanelsHD, LG Display — maker of select OLED panels for LG, Samsung and Sony — is rolling out a new, more-affordable OLED panel in 2026. As a result, select OLED TVs that use this type of display this year might be more competitively priced than their predecessors were upon their debut. They’re also reportedly brighter than previously used panels.

Dubbed OLED SE, the new panel is not without some intriguing tradeoffs. Let’s review what we know so far.

Better brightness at the expense of anti-reflectivity — but that’s OK

Within LG Display’s OLED hierarchy, OLED SE sits below the OLED EX panels used by the LG C5 and the soon-to-be-released LG C6. In turn, OLED EX sits below OLED META, the panel associated with the LG G5 and the upcoming LG G6.

These panels are the end result of a cost-reduction plan that aims to make OLED TVs cheaper to produce, perhaps a response to the advent of RGB LED technology and the expansion of affordable Mini-LED TVs in recent years.

The “SE” in OLED SE reportedly stands for “Special Edition.” As it happens, there are some special qualities attached to these panels, too.

OLED SE displays are reported to reach 1,000 nits of brightness — quite the feat for the entry-level models that are likely to leverage OLED SE panels. Last year, we clocked LG’s entry-level B5 OLED at around 600 to 650 nits in Filmmaker mode, so it’s quite possible that some (or all) versions of the incoming LG B6 series will see a bit of a brightness boost.

However, it’s also reported that the reason for the brightness boost — namely, the strategic removal of the display’s polarizer — is also the reason why OLED SE panels are more reflective. There’s a new reflective film in place of the polarizer which introduces a level of reflectivity akin to a typical Mini-LED panel.

As an OLED TV-owner who’s tested many of the best OLED TVs over the last decade, I think this tradeoff is fine. With specular highlights at (or near) 1,000 nits, the higher reflectivity shouldn’t be much of a concern, provided the room isn’t flush with light.

As mentioned, not all OLED TVs will feature OLED SE panels in 2026. That said, we can do some back-of-the-napkin work to figure out which incoming models are the most likely candidates.

Which TVs will feature OLED SE panels in 2026?

As the most affordable OLED configuration in LG Display’s repertoire, one can assume that this panel will find its way to the newest version of LG’s entry-level B Series, the B6. What I wouldn’t guarantee, though, is the panel being used by all of the sizes in the series.

Samsung Display manufactures quantum dot-enhanced OLED displays for Samsung’s QD-OLED TVs (like the Samsung S90F and the Samsung S95F), and the brand will continue sourcing those panels for its 2026 QD-OLED TVs. This includes the Samsung S95H and the S90H, so we can rule those models out.

However, some of the brand’s entry-level OLED models may come with OLED SE panels, including the Samsung S85H. Last year, the 77- and 83-inch versions of the Samsung S85F arrived with standard WOLED panels, so there’s reason to believe that 77- and 83-inch versions of the S85H will make use of OLED SE panels.

Sony and Panasonic — two brands who have also sourced OLED panels from LG Display in recent years — have yet to divulge much about their 2026 TVs.

OLED SE: outlook

We’ve reached out to LG for more information about its upcoming B Series and will update this space when we’ve learned more. In the meantime, you can color me excited.

Long-term OLED TV ownership has had its ups and downs, but I do often find myself wishing that my five-year-old OLED TV was capable of getting brighter. I’d gladly take that deal today.

I’ve also long since celebrated the slow-but-steady drop in OLED pricing throughout my time covering TVs. I love OLED technology, but there’s no denying that the cost of an OLED TV relative to a similarly sized LCD/LED set is prohibitively expensive for a large swath of shoppers.

There’s certainly no guarantee that LG, Samsung or any other brand that sells OLED TVs will offer OLED SE-equipped sets for less. However, I’m of the mind that, if this is in fact a cost-reduction effort to compete with new Mini-LED and RGB LED TVs, it only follows that OLED SE-equipped TVs will go on sale for less than what we’ve come to expect.

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At the moment, I'm working on an article that shows you how to get better sound for the same price as a Sonos soundbar setup. I've had just one problem in my sonic journey — the price of audio things is feeling pretty dire in the U.S. at the moment.

The speakers I want for the system are $2,800 Stateside, and the amp is $200 more than it would be where I live. Audio gear has never been more expensive, I've realised, and it's even true of the headphones and earbuds that everyone needs for day-to-day listening.

Sony's latest headphones, the WH-1000XM6, cost $50 more than the previous model. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 came with a price hike. The Nothing Headphone 1 are more expensive in the U.S. than just about anywhere else. So how do you solve it? Here are my 5 tips for saving money when buying new audio stuff.

1. Buy the older model

Look, I know how nice it is to get the newest thing from the biggest brands. It comes with an irresistible luster that's almost impossible to ignore, with all those fancy new features and clever design changes. But it's not a good way of saving money, especially with the price hikes that have made themselves known in the most recent flagships.

If you go with the previous model, you'll save buckets while getting flagship features. The WH-1000XM5 might not have the same folding design or fancy magnetic case, but they're about $120 cheaper (on average) than the newer model. That's a massive saving.

Bose is the same. The older first-generation QuietComfort Ultra Headphones can still be found for around $200 less than the second-generation version. That's another massive saving.

Still want flagship cans, but you're reluctant to pay for the XM5? Go and grab some of the even older (and still just as excellent) WH-1000XM4. Those come in upwards of $150 cheaper than the current flagships.

Yes, the XM6 and the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 are some of the best headphones you can buy today — but so are their predecessors, and those savings should be impossible to resist.

2. Go off the beaten track

Having a pair of AirPods hanging out of your ears has become in recent years something of a status symbol — although it's one you don't have to make if you want to save money. Sure, the AirPods Pro 3 and even the AirPods Pro 2 are excellent earbuds, but you can get similar performance if you're willing to go for brands that you might not have heard of before.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 are some of our favorite earbuds, offering spectacular battery life, stellar sound and a standout colorful design. We've stacked them up against the AirPods models, and they come out on top when it comes to staying power; 11 hours to the AirPods Pro 3's 8.

The best bit? They cost $70. $70. You could get three pairs of the CMF Buds Pro 2 and have some change left over for a very nice meal out before you've spent the same as Apple's buds.

3. Wait for deals events

It is said that you're never more than a few feet away from a spider, no matter where you are. The same can be said of deals events. No matter where in the year you find yourself, you're almost certainly only a couple of months away from Black Friday or one of the many (many) Prime Day events.

That's good for you — they're the perfect time to get a new pair of headphones, some earbuds, or a new Bluetooth speaker. I've seen prices on even the newest products dip to hitherto unseen depths, making them more affordable than ever.

Apply the two tips above to the deals event and you'll save even more money. Watch out for these events throughout the year to save as much as possible. Or, just keep coming back to Tom's Guide because we'll regularly point out the deals worth your time — and the ones to avoid.

4. Buy second hand

First things first — I wouldn't recommend buying earbuds or headphones second-hand. You'll likely find plenty of unwanted grease and goo all over them, and cleaning them out is a fool's errand. And gross. They might be cheaper, but I'd wager it's not worth it.

Instead, go second-hand for the best Bluetooth speakers and HiFi components. I built an entire HiFi rack during college for the price of a few large pizzas from Domino's, thanks to second-hand stores (and eBay), and I had very few issues over the course of my ownership. I still use the speakers, in fact.

You do have to be careful, however. Only buy from highly rated sellers, or go to your local second-hand store so that you can return it if it's not working (depending on whether the store offers such a service). I'd avoid Craigslist like the plague, for example.

5. Make your old pair last longer

I know that getting something new feels great. Opening the box, the "new thing smell" — it's all wonderful. But if you're trying to save money, you're better off looking after what you've got or troubleshooting issues so that you don't have to spend money on something new.

If your earpads are starting to wear out, don't put the whole headset in the garbage. Go and find some replacements instead, and get another few years on the clock. If your earbuds sound muffled, give them a clean with some cotton buds or a cleaning kit.

And if they still work and you just fancy a change, see if you can find the settings menu in case there's something you're missing. You don't need to have the latest thing, especially if you're looking to spend less.

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Lens manufacturer Viltrox has a new lens adapter for Sony E-mount, which hopes to bring AF to your vintage manual focus PL-E Cine lenses.

The NexusFocus F1 will give content creators using Sony mirrorless cameras the ability to use older, vintage Cine lenses in their work. This will give creators much more creative freedom with the look and feel of their video without sacrificing the mod-con of autofocus. In short, using vintage cine lenses no longer needs to be confined to the pros.

According to Viltrox, "The NexusFocus F1 is a compact, lightweight adapter that fits unobtrusively in between the lens and the camera body."

The new adapter utilizes Sony’s powerful phase-detection system and AI subject recognition, according to Viltrox. It leverages the power and processing speed of the camera's advanced AF and processor to work the lens motors for aperture, focus, and zoom, "thus revitalizing manual lenses with powerful autofocus capabilities."

Sure, MF is fun and highly accurate in the hands of a skilled camera operator. But by using the camera's AF, this adapter will deliver "precise, repeatable focus performance." Essentially, it's easier to hit focus and repeatedly do so across takes.

The NexusFocus F1 won't use LiDAR-based distance estimation to determine focus, either, which is common with other adapters, and which Viltrox says can cause parallax-related focusing inaccuracies.

Viltrox's intention with this adapter is to give specific owners of vintage Cine lenses more creative freedom. These lenses are often employed by larger productions, but may be a little too complex and slow for smaller-time projects: solo shooters, small crews and even enthusiasts. "Freed from the constraints of manual focusing... creators can enjoy cinematic-level imaging, with effortless control and precision," says Viltrox.

App-based lens calibration

AF obviously needs to be calibrated based on lenses — a difficult job with old vintage lenses. Theoretically, that shouldn't be an issue with the NexusFocus F1.

"The Viltrox NexusFocus mobile app allows for effortless setup, with a wide range of lens calibration profiles ready-to-go," says Viltrox. "The system automatically detects calibration status on startup."

Again, this should make it much easier for owners of PL-E Cine lenses to simply pick up a lens, strap it to their Sony camera with the adapter and get shooting.

Availability and outlook

Currently, the NexusFocus F1 is in Kickstarter, with lens kits starting at $699 for the earliest pledgers, rising to $1,099 for the last early adopter kit. So we can reasonably expect the adapter to cost in the $1,000 region once it drops fully.

Obviously, it's important to be wary of Kickstarter products, but with Viltrox, you're in pretty safe hands. This is a major lens manufacturer that releases lenses constantly (which begs the question: why does it need to use Kickstarter?)

Currently, this adapter is only for Sony E-mount, which makes sense. Sony's AF is regarded by many as the best in the business, and given this adapter leverages the camera's AF so heavily, that's kinda what it needs.

The E-mount is also heavily used by content creators, especially amateurs, semi-pros and enthusiasts, making this the widest market.

Still, it'd be lovely to see this adapter coming to other mounts, like the L mount for Lumix full frame shooters. I'd also personally love to see something similar for other APS-C mounts, too. I love the look of vintage cine lenses, so it'd be cool to maybe one day strap a vintage Super 35 lens to my Fuji and see what the results look like!

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So I've had the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 and the Sony WH-1000XM6 for about half a year. I've thoroughly put both through their paces, and they've each taken a turn as my primary pair of headphones.

I started off preferring the noise canceling of the Bose headphones — it really does block everything. But time makes fools of us all (or so I'm told), and the 1000XM6 have slowly crept their way into my heart. So much so that I'd say they're my pick of the two — if you're looking for buying advice, that's about as good as you're going to get.

But what's my journey been like, and why has it taken this long to make a final decision? Let me tell you all about it.

A matter of style

You're going to be wearing your headphones a whole lot, so I still think that the way that they look is very important. Both the Sony and the Bose headphones look pretty good from any distance — but I've managed to come to a conclusion on which I prefer.

First and foremost, if you're going to buy some QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, make sure you go for one of the colors without shiny armatures: The chrome covered metal ones are nice to look at for all of three seconds before you accidentally cover them in greasy fingerprints. Your hair (if you've got enough, or any for that matter) will add some extra grease too. They quickly look gross.

The Sony headphones, in my eyes at least, look better. They're a simpler affair, with a more pleasingly minimal design. Build is similar between both, with lightweight construction that can make them feel cheap.

They've held up well with months of wear and tear, and the more I use them, the less I'm concerned about the glaring weak point of the WH-1000XM6's folding hinge. The XM5 felt a whole lot more flimsy, so I'm glad these are more confidence-inspiring.

Both are about as comfortable as the other, although Sony's headband starts to dig in a little after many hours of listening. It does take many hours, though — like, tens. I felt it after wearing them nonstop during a particularly long work day.

For a pair of headphones that people are going to see me wearing, the XM6 have my vote.

A matter of noise canceling

Sony's noise canceling is very good, make no doubt about it. The firm popularized the idea with the X mark series, and the XM6 follow a very solid legacy indeed. They do a great job at blocking just about anything you could hope for, with little sound getting through.

The transparency mode is great for hearing what's going on around you, making it easier to chat to shop clerks and bus drivers without them sounding like a robot. It's good — but it's still not the best.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones gen 2 are the best. They block out everything, bar none. Play some music, and you're in a world of your own making, filled with your favorite tunes and just about nothing else. If you want the best noise canceling? Buy these, no question. Nothing comes close. Apart from the WH-1000XM6. Which don't come close enough.

If it were just down to their ability to cancel noise, I'd be using the Bose. But it's not.

Sound quality, battery life and features

There's only so much that noise canceling and build can make turn you towards a pair of headphones — you've also got to actually live with them. And the Sony headphones are just nicer to live with. There's more sound customization with a superior 10-band EQ to Bose's measly 3 bands.

There are more noise-canceling modes, and the spatial audio, while slightly more restricted, sounds better. There's more battery life, so you don't have to charge them as much. The case and its magnetic flap are a genuine game-changer for daily usability.

In our review, Tom's Guide's Managing Editor of TVs and AV said the XM6 trades a wide soundstage for better clarity. They may not have the fullest sound, but they are exceptionally clear, especially in the mid-range.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones gen 2 are good, but not great in terms of sound quality. In my review, I said they're "perfect for some background listening, but not quite as good if you want to sit down and get involved with your music," and I stand by that sentiment. They're fine. Mostly. But, when it comes down to the meat and potatoes of things, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the better pair of headphones.

In short, buy the XM6 — if you can afford their hiked prices.

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Earlier this week, news broke that rocked the TV industry. Sony is spinning out its TV business and TCL — once a major competitor — will take on a 51% interest in the new company. The details of the deal are still being worked out, with the company eyeing April 2027 as its target operational date.

The Sony and TCL news comes at a time when competition in the TV industry is heating up. Both brands (as well as Hisense, LG and Samsung) are on the cusp of launching RGB LED TVs that are among the first of their kind. Separately, they’re the makers of some of the best TVs you can buy — but for mostly different reasons.

While all TV-makers share the goal of selling TVs, they operate with different philosophies. These differences between Sony and TCL are apparent in their hardware, software, pricing — the sum of their strengths and weaknesses. The question now is this: With a majority of the stake, will TCL squeeze the “Sony” out of Sony TVs?

A tale of two TV-makers

Sony’s primary Bravia TV lineup is typically composed of an array of finely designed, thoughtfully engineered TVs. Even lower-end Sony TVs that make use of simplistic display hardware often make up for their expected, performance-related shortcomings with excellent picture processing.

The brand’s higher-end TVs — like the incredible Sony Bravia 9 — blend this savvy attention to detail with premium hardware, like Mini-LEDs and OLED displays. Mid-range offerings split the difference in performance, but like the company’s entry-level and flagship models, mid-range Sony TVs also deliver superb picture processing and a ton of software-based features.

But an excellent attention to detail, a long list of enhancements and thoughtful engineering isn’t the only constant across Sony’s main TV lineup. These TVs are priced higher than just about everything else in their respective class, something that has historically saddled Sony with a pricey reputation.

How will TCL affect the 'Sony tax'?

TCL is the maker of some of the most value-forward Mini-LED TVs on the market. From a performance and price standpoint, its mid-range Mini-LED TVs in particular are fiercely competitive — they frequently deliver a terrific performance-to-cost ratio.

The brand’s top-shelf TVs are nothing to sneeze at, either. The recently released TCL QM8K is one of the brightest Mini-LED TVs we’ve ever tested, and in 2026, the company is launching the X11L SQD Mini-LED TV, the only TV to leverage something TCL is calling Super Quantum Dot technology.

Crucially, TCL’s main TV lineup is chock full of sets that are cheaper than their Sony-branded counterparts. The 65-inch version of the QM8K — which is, for all intents and purposes, a direct competitor of the Sony Bravia 9 — is currently about $1,000 less than its rival.

In this TV expert’s opinion, however, the Bravia 9 offers better picture processing (and overall performance) than TCL’s most recent flagship. The QM8K doesn’t come with as many customizable settings, nor do I find its overall design as pleasing as the Bravia 9’s, either.

I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. When the time comes — likely in 2027 — for the first batch of Sony and TCL TVs to hit shelves, will there be room for both Sony's attention to detail and TCL's competitive pricing?

There are only so many ways this can go

One way this could play out is that Sony’s Bravia branding is eventually tied to this joint company’s top-of-the-line models. TCL-branded models, meanwhile, could continue to compete with the more budget-friendly TVs from Hisense, Roku and Amazon.

In this scenario, I imagine that everything a Sony Bravia TV has come to represent — the exacting processing, the premium hardware and the professional-grade calibration — would be reserved for high-end sets.

That said, it would be massively disappointing (and ultimately bad for shoppers) if TCL’s 51% interest in this joint company eventually results in the flattening-out of Sony’s identity.

Sony TVs may be pricier than their competitors, but they’re also my go-to recommendation for A/V enthusiasts and folks building dedicated home theaters. They’re the brand that prioritizes reference accuracy above all else, and the TV-maker that shoves the most amount of picture- and audio-related settings into their TVs. (Seriously, though — have you seen the amount of options in a Sony TV?)

We've a long way to go before we have a clearer understanding of the joint company's business strategy in the coming years. My hope is that there's room for both of these brand identities to exist alongside one another, with TCL's panel-manufacturing capabilities ultimately leading to more affordable TVs across the board.

One thing is certain: New TVs from both of these brands are on their way in 2026, and it's likely the last time they'll compete with one another.

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Open earbuds are growing in popularity by the day — the only thing trendier right now is clip-on earbuds. Companies like Anker, Bose, and Shokz have all gotten in on the action. Now, it is Sony’s turn with the all-new LinkBuds Clip.

They build on Sony’s previous open earbuds releases — the LinkBuds WF-L900, LinkBuds Fit, and LinkBuds Open — blending proprietary technologies into an ultramodern true wireless (TWS) design that has become the industry standard.

The bad news? Not only do the LinkBuds Clip lack the execution and novelty of their competitors, pricing is moderately high for what’s provided.

Sony LinkBuds Clip: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Sony’s introductory clip-on open buds
• Who is it for? Brand enthusiasts that want Sony wireless earbuds in a non-traditional design
• What does it cost? $229/£258
• What do we like? The impressive call quality, long battery life, and sufficient sound (when listening in quiet environments)
• What don’t we like? Their buggy performance, discomfort, MSRP, and short feature set

Sony LinkBuds Clip: Specs

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Price & availability

At $229/£258, the LinkBuds Clip fall within the mid-range to premium tier. They’re more expensive than the $169 Anker AeroClip and $199 Shokz OpenDots One, but cheaper than the $299 Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (currently $229 on Amazon). Available colors include black, greige, green, and lavender.

Consumers can purchase the buds at popular online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Sony also sells case covers in various colorways for $25 each.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Design

• A sturdy and sporty aesthetic
• Sharp-looking charging case
• Tight clamp force greatly affects wearability

The LinkBuds Clip are well-built and can be used for exercise and leisure thanks to some interesting design decisions made by Sony. Both the battery barrel and sound port are covered in hard plastic, and connecting the two components is a soft silicone band, which acts as a control surface (more on that later). IPX4 certification protects the buds from excessive moisture and heavy water splashing.

Color options for the buds aren’t that enticing. However, you can mix and match case covers and cushions to give them a modish appearance.

Sony employs the same compact charging case as the LinkBuds Fit. It is the most attractive TWS accessory out there, though it is slightly bulky. You won’t feel weighed down carrying it in a backpack or denim pockets, it's extremely lightweight, and the all-plastic exterior isn’t going to crack when dropped on hard surfaces. Strong magnets keep the buds docked and the lid shut tightly.

These are the most securely-fitting LinkBuds I’ve tested thus far... but they’re also the most uncomfortable. I could only wear these buds for an hour because the clip-on design pinched my ears so hard. My wife shared the same grievance. There are tiny cushions that you can place on the bands to form a tighter fit for smaller ears, which are great for working out, however they don't offer extra comfort.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Controls and app

• Excellent touch accuracy
• Restrictive control scheme
• Downgraded app experience

Sony took a page out of Shokz’s playbook and created its own touch capacitive band that registers multi-tap inputs. While it takes a minute to dial in the right amount of pressure needed to activate, the touch accuracy is surprisingly good: Functions assigned to the double-, triple-, and quadruple-tap gestures execute flawlessly.

Compared to earbuds with physical buttons, the Clip's control scheme is impractical. You can assign each bud only to a series of functions — not individual inputs.

For instance, setting the left bud to Playback Control automatically assigns double tap (play/pause) and triple tap (next song). There’s no way to separately assign triple tap to another function. As if that wasn’t restrictive enough, certain features can’t be set to both buds at the same time.

Digital assistance is fine for hands-free Google Assistant and Siri voice commands, but I wish I could assign voice assistance to multiple control inputs instead of just one.

Something is off about the Sound Connect app this time around. The limited number of features makes it feel stripped down. There’s no reason why staples like 360 Reality Audio should be missing from the LinkBuds Clip’s spec sheet when all other Sony open earbuds support it. The absence of Sony’s smart controls (e.g., head gestures, Quick Attention) diminishes functionality as well.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Sound quality

• Neutral soundstage with customizable EQ
• Listening modes serve their purposes
• Not loud enough
• Zero noise isolation

The LinkBuds Clip have a flat sound profile that produces pleasant mixes. The lows are impactful on contemporary tracks with groovy basslines (see: Anything from Sabrina Carpenter) and mids are lively and transparent. There’s enough high end to perceive the sibilant "s" sounds in vocals, which might not help with the ear fatigue.

Sony’s custom Equalizer and preprogrammed presets are essential for raising treble. The Clear preset elevates low-mids, and the Hard preset increases both frequencies, individually. Your best bet for optimal sound is the Find My Equalizer feature that creates an EQ tailored to your hearing preferences; my sound profile delivered more mids and highs.

Another vital sound feature is DSEE. It upscales fidelity on compressed files to achieve near-hi-res results. The uptick in depth and spaciousness was evident on poorly engineered recordings.

Scene-based listening is available if you want the buds to automatically play music based on your activities or location. They can be programmed to initiate playback on select streaming platforms (Amazon Music, Endel, Spotify or YouTube Music) during certain scenarios, like entering a gym or walking outside. The feature is unique and well calibrated (mapping out locations is cool). I just don’t see many people using it.

Sony developed three listening modes for the LinkBuds Clip: Standard, Sound Leakage Reduction, and Voice Boost. All three have their benefits. Standard provides ambient awareness and works with DSEE and EQ. Voice Boost emphasizes vocal capture to hear conversations clearer. Sound Leakage Reduction suppresses high-pitched sounds on the EQ, which does decrease sound quality, but minimizes audio bleed.

While their open nature makes them great for a run, they're not the best for traveling on public transportation. These buds don’t passively block out noise, so every peep made in your vicinity will be heard.

That’s not entirely a bad thing since the product’s main objective is to keep users connected to their surroundings, however, I don’t recall hearing as much background noise on the OpenDots One or Ultra Open Earbuds as I have with these buds.

Furthermore, those two models pump out audio at louder volumes — the LinkBuds Clip sound low at max volume and are barely audible in rowdy areas. Audio sounded clearer when using the buds indoors, though distractions were unavoidable; household appliances and a crying toddler always broke my attention.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Call quality and connectivity

• Shockingly good voice calling
• Finicky connectivity
• Weak wireless range

While sound quality is hit or miss, call quality is wonderful. I was shocked by how loud and clear voices sounded. Sony’s AI noise reduction technology eliminated a lot of ambient sound. Very few people heard background noise during conversations, and that was mostly when answering calls outside in high-traffic areas.

Still, I encountered a handful of connectivity issues on my review sample: The button on the back of the charging case wouldn’t enable pair mode. On top of that, the case’s LED would not stop blinking orange (this went on for over 48 hours).

Enabling multipoint was just as frustrating. One workaround to pair two devices simultaneously is through the app. Enter Device Settings > Connection > Connect to New Device and you should be all set. Once paired, connections never scrambled when switching from my MacBook Pro to OnePlus 12.

Also problematic, Bluetooth range was low and audio often stuttered when walking into different rooms. This mostly happened in multipoint mode, though turning it off only extended range to 30 feet before dropout occurred again.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Battery life

• Lengthy playtime
• Powerful quick charging
• No wireless charging

A full charge gets you 9 hours of use. That’s more than some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds and open earbuds, including the Ultra Open Earbuds (8.5 hours). The OpenDots One grant 1 hour more playtime. (Note, however, that power-draining features like DSEE decrease battery life to 6 hours or less.)

The charging case holds up to 37 hours and doesn’t support wireless charging, which is disappointing since the more affordable OpenDots One do. In my opinion, any pair of sub-$200 buds should have this feature. Sony makes up for the omission with super-fast quick charging: a 3-minute charge equals 1 hour of listening time.

Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Verdict

It only made sense for Sony to use the LinkBuds series as a segue into the clip-on earbuds market. Unfortunately, the LinkBuds Clip won't shake things up much — there’s nothing new or revolutionary about them that can’t already be experienced on rival models. Sony believes its software suite can differentiate the LinkBuds Clip from the pack, but outside of DSEE, there aren’t any gamechangers.

Not everything is a bust. As much as there is to complain about with the unclear audio output, you can get reasonable sound quality…you just need to be in a completely quiet area to get the most out of it. On the brighter side, call quality is arguably the best in this sub-category and both battery life and build quality stand out as well.

Ultimately, it comes down to ingenuity and value, and after my testing, I don't think the LinkBuds Clip offer enough of either to justify their cost.

Sony is spinning out its TV and home audio business and has announced that Chinese company TCL will take a 51% controlling interest.

Sony will retain a 49% stake, and TCL will continue to use the "Sony" and "Bravia" branding as part of the deal.

"The joint venture will operate globally, handling the full process from product development and design to manufacturing, sales, logistics, and customer service for products including televisions and home audio equipment," Sony said in a statement

"The new company plans to advance its business by leveraging Sony's high-quality picture and audio technology cultivated over the years, brand value and operational expertise including supply chain management, while utilizing TCL's advanced display technology, global scale advantages, industrial footprint, end-to-end cost efficiency, and vertical supply chain strength.

"The new company's products are expected to carry the globally recognized "Sony" name and "BRAVIA™" name, aiming to create new customer value through these branded products such as TVs and home audio equipment."

What does it mean for you?

Right now, nothing will immediately change in either camp. The two companies are finalizing the agreements by the end of March and, subject to approval, their new joint company won't even be operational until April 2027.

But it could mean that Bravia sets — some of the best TVs you can buy — come down in price in the long run due to streamlining the production. The TVs may be built by TCL at a cheaper cost, but could still come packed with Sony's image-processing tech. That's a win if you're planning to upgrade your TV in the next few years.

Meanwhile, TCL itself — which has been producing better and better products — will be able to leverage many of the features that make Sony's TVs so good. Hopefully, that means we also get improved quality on TCL's own sets as well. We'll be keeping a close eye on the releases from both companies over time to determine what, if any, changes have been made as a result.

More from Tom's Guide

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The Sony WH-1000XM6 are some top-quality headphones, featuring excellent ANC and good sound quality. But did you know that all of the best headphones can benefit from some settings tweaks in their applications?

All it takes is some time and some helpful tips, and you can push your great headphones up to barnstorming headphones. I've managed to dial my WH-1000XM6 in exactly as I like them, to the point that they replaced my Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones gen 2 as my ANC cans of choice. Here's how I did it.

1. Activate DSEE

DSEE is very cool indeed, especially if you use an iPhone. It's a clever AI upscaler, like those that take DVD quality movies and brings them up to modern standards in your fancy TV, only it works for music.

It takes previously lower-quality MP3s from sources like Spotify and then enhances their sound quality. For iPhone users who don't have access to higher-quality codecs like LDAC and AptX, this is an audio game-changer.

To activate the setting, open the Sony Sound Connect app and navigate to the Headphone settings menu. From there, find the Sound Quality/Volume menu, and select DSEE Extreme. Set it to Auto, and you're away!

Bare in mind that it uses more battery, so be prepared to offer up the staying power of your headphones on the alter of sound quality. It's a sacrifice worth making.

2. Change the EQ

Out of the box, the WH-1000XM6 sound very good. They're very focussed on the vocals, and still suffer from "flagship headphone-itis" — they're obsessed with low-end to an almost pathalogical degree. It's no great problem, but I find that dialling things in to compensate can make a really big difference to their sound.

You'll want to find the EQ menu first. It's located on the Homepage of the Sony Sound Connect app. Hit the big button, and now you've got a couple of options. There's a good few EQ presets you can use to dial the sound, so that you don't have to get your hands dirty. I like Clear as a good baseline — it raises the highs for a more up top. Cymbals, etc.

For those who want even more granular control, hit the edit button. This will give you a full 10 levels of adjustment. I like to bring the sub and mid-bass down a little to take out some of the rumble.

3. Setup spatial audio

If you're going to be sampling the spatial audio talents of Amazon Music Unlimited, then you're going to need to dial in the 360 reality audio and spatial audio settings of the WH-1000XM6. It's super simple to do, thankfully, and makes your Dolby Atmos experience a whole lot more engaging.

Head to the Settings menu in the Sound Connect app, and look for the Sound Quality/Volume tab. From here, you'll need to initialize the Spatial Sound Optimization. Follow the on-screen instructions, and you're away!

Then there's the 360 Reality Audio Setup. This only works with a few different Sony applications, but it's worth doing to make sure you're all squared away for spatial audio systems.

4. Make sure you're using LDAC

Sad news for iPhone folks — this one is only going to work for Android users. LDAC is a higher quality codec, pumping much higher-findelity music over Bluetooth directly to your earholes. So that you can hear them.

Much like DSEE above, this also dents the battery life of your headphones and can make the Bluetooth connection spottier, but it's well worth it.

Find the setting in the Sound Connect app. It's hidden away in the Settings menu, and then the Sound Quality/Volume section. Find the LDAC setting, and toggle it to Auto. Some Android phones don't support the higher quality audio standard, so make sure your device does by checking its specs.

5. Turn off ANC

OK, so this one is going to take some explaining. Part of ANC uses the frequencies of the music that you're listening to to counteract the noise of the outside world. It's designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, but the algorithm is so strong to make the ANC better that some sonic differences are noticeable.

I've found that it makes your music slightly bassier to compensate for sounds outside. In order to make sure that the audio has as much of a chance of sounding great as possible, I turn the ANC off when I don't need it. Now the sound has more of a chance to breathe.

It's super simple and makes a surprising difference. Bonus — extra battery life! You can turn the ANC off by heading to the Sound Connect app, selecting the Ambient Sound Control tab, and picking the Off setting.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 Bose headphone and earbuds settings you need to change right now for better sound and more features
• 'Punch way above their weight' — my new speakers are a masterclass in how to shuck off a 'budget' stereotype
• Don't buy those AirPods Pro 3 just yet — Sony is unveiling 'a new form of listening' next week

Since launching in 2023, the PlayStation Portal has slowly been becoming more of a handheld console and not just a remote streaming device. Now, a new rumor indicates Sony is working on an upgraded version that would make it even better.

In a post on X, leaker Zuby_Tech (spotted by Notebook Check) claimed that Sony will release a new version that could feature an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. They also said it could potentially be dubbed the PlayStation Portal Pro.

Sony has not announced any refreshes for the Portal.

The current Portal features a 1080p LCD screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. An OLED display would be a major upgrade that delivers deeper blacks, better contrast, and colors. Honestly, that alone might make the PS Portal an attractive option.

Zuby_Tech did not provide a timeline or potential price for the Portal Pro.

PlayStation 6 and the next PlayStation handheld

Presumably, the updated PlayStation Portal would need to launch in the next year. We are taking this with a grain of salt because the next generation of Sony consoles isn't far off.

Sony has already confirmed that it's partnering with AMD on the PS6, which should come out in "a few years." And last year, a slew of rumors suggested that Sony would release some kind of PlayStation 6 handheld alongside the PS6.

The PS6 handheld is supposed to be capable of playing PS5 games natively, based on a Bloomberg report from November last year.

At the earliest, it's expected that we'll see Sony announce the next generation in the fall of 2027, possibly 2028, which would mark the traditional seven-year cycle Sony has followed with previous console generations.

Nintendo too?

Speaking of OLED displays, Nintendo fans may have been disappointed that the Nintendo Switch 2 launched with an LCD display rather than an OLED one, despite the OLED Switch existing.

However, an OLED version may be coming. A separate report from Notebook Check reveals that a mysterious code appeared on the Nintendo Account portal site, hinting at future versions of the Switch 2.

The strange "OSM" code attached to an image of the Switch 2 hints that Nintendo could ship an OLED model. Other speculation includes the release of a Pro model with higher memory, though with the current RAM crisis that seems less likely.

Instead, it's posited that Nintendo could launch a Lite model similar to the original Nintendo Switch Lite version that ditched the dock and kept the controllers locked to the body.

Or it could be nothing. We'll just have to wait and see!

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve used the PS5 Pro every day for a year — here’s what I like (and don't) after 1,000+ hours of play
• I’ve been playing my 16-year-old PSP Go for a month, and now I can’t wait for PS6’s rumored next-gen handheld
• Leaker compares Intel's Panther Lake with rumored AMD 'Canis' chips that could power the PS6 Handheld

If 2026 is the year you upgrade to a pair of the best wireless earbuds, I'd suggest holding fire for a few days before investing in a set of AirPods Pro 3 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2.

Sony is primed to unveil a new pair of wireless earbuds in the coming days. The company shared a cryptic teaser video this week claiming a new audio product is set to be unveiled on January 21 at 11am ET / 8am PT.

The six-second video doesn't give much away. We just get a blurry image of the side of someone's head and the tagline, "Discover a new form of listening."