March 30 is World Backup Day. No, you don’t get the day off. It’s an initiative backed by some of the providers we recommend in our cloud backup guide like Mega and Backblaze, and even Amazon, asking everyone – individuals? Organizations? – to make at least one backup of their precious data.
At TechRadar Pro, we, and maybe you too, reader, believe that any person or business refusing to admit the mortality of their external hard drives and SSDs is possibly (definitely) from another planet. Backblaze data from 2021 suggests that 21% of people have never made a backup.
This makes me weep, and so it falls to me to attempt to turn the tide. You can be the most careful person in the world, but your storage will still fail, eventually. The mechanical platters of a hard drive are more prone to failure to that of a solid state drive, because, as the name implies, the latter has no moving parts.
So, you can buy any combination of these until the end of time itself for an on-premise backup solution, but this poses four problems: 1) the expense, 2) the sheer amount of space this’ll take up if you start putting those drives in servers and 3) the relative lack of security of a purely on-premise storage configuration.
The 3-2-1 backup principle
Yes, for truly secure, preserved data, it’s not enough to keep all of your storage devices on one site. The 3-2-1 backup principle, revered by such big names as IONOS and Seagate, suggests that, at all times, you should have three copies of all your data at any one time, across two different types of media, and one of these backups should be held off-site.
And, because data is truly mortal, you’ll be replacing these backups and the kinds of media and devices that you keep them on forever, and you’ll love it, because you value your data, right? This maintenance is one of the draining things about on-prem backups.
The principle is decades-old, well-worn to the point that even we have published contributors claiming that 3-2-1 backups are out of date because of the existence of the cloud driving the obsolescence of ye olde tape media and compact discs – the things that immediately come to mind when thinking about different storage types.
Well, sure. But that brings us to another of the big disadvantages of on-premise backups, which is that: if your business has the luxury of a second site to split backups between, that’s fine, but if you’re committed to 3-2-1, responsible data preservation, and circumstances mean that you don’t have that luxury, how exactly do you make an off-site backup?
In primordial times, this was some conundrum, but in the twenty-first century, I’d say that cloud backups can accommodate 3-2-1, no matter what the naysayers think.
Cloud backup and security
Cloud backup entails trusting your data to another company’s servers, usually in some data center somewhere, and paying a monthly or annual fee for the privilege. In the short to medium term, this can make financial sense, or even beyond that with lifetime cloud storage plans, offering much the same, but for a hefty one-off fee.
The other big advantage of cloud backups is that they solve the problem of where you keep your off-site backup, because you’ve ceded control over that to another faceless company, which will have its own data loss prevention strategies, and backups of your backup.
Getting another company involved can be a blessing and a curse, though: we recognise that handing off your data, which may mean sensitive client data, to another company’s servers may sound like, well, like a bad idea.
Well, to head that off, a number of our recommended providers, like pCloud, MEGA, and Icedrive, offer end-to-end encryption, sometimes referred to as zero-knowledge or client-side encryption, meaning that the company handling your storage have no access to your files or ability to view their metadata.
It’s a nice assurance to have in an age of well-justified fears of just how humanity can abuse the internet, and also a very recent phenomenon that many household names have only just started to take note of. Google Drive, for example, only permits end-to-end encryption for Google Workspace accounts belonging to organizations whose administrators have enabled it.
Solo professionals looking to use Google Drive will have to rely on server-side encryption – which might protect your files from ne’er-do-wells hacking into Google Towers, but not from Google itself, or anyone with unauthorized access to your account.
Google Drive also happens to be, for our and indeed your money, one of the cheapest cloud backup providers going, so that may be something to keep in mind.
Cloud storage vs backup
Another thing to think about is that Google’s offering, for instance, is also known to many as a cloud storage provider, but that’s not quite the same thing as a cloud backup provider.
If a service lets you backup ideally an entire drive but at the absolute bare minimum a single folder on a device to the cloud, that’s what you want in this context. Cloud storage, meanwhile, is focused on keeping copies of specific files, not whole drives, and not all cloud storage services offer cloud backups.
Back it up, wrap it up
I wish I had a more in-depth, less snippy argument to present for backing up your data at all – I don’t. Do you like having your stuff? Well then. But I do think that the argument for making cloud backups, not just during this momentous March but in general, is strong and clear.
Cloud backups alleviate, if not remove completely, a whole lot of the obstacles that the 3-2-1 strategy presents, and the industry is far along enough that providers which aren’t Google, Amazon or Microsoft are popping up left-right and center, if that’s a consideration.
We can offer recommendations for cloud backup providers, but the choice, ultimately, is yours. Read provider websites to understand the features offered, and whether any one service is even fit for purpose before you buy in because, as with any business decision, it’s important to do your research.
While I know first-hand how awesome the digital world of technology is – if I didn’t love it then I’d be in the wrong profession – I’m also the first to admit it can all get a little overwhelming.
Back in January, I offered my personal board game recommendations to help you fend off the New Year blues without turning on a screen, and this month I want to do the same for three trading card games (TCGs) that I love – and that don’t require any tech for you to enjoy them.
More importantly, they’ve all just had new releases on March 8. So if you’re reading this when it gets published, your friendly local game store might be running events where you can check these games out in a beginner-friendly environment.
Card games are my go-to way to get away from tech, and I’ve found that they’ve been a really useful tool for meeting new people so I can combat the rise in loneliness brought about in the post-pandemic era we find ourselves in. I hope they can help you too.
So, with that all in mind, here are my low-fi, low-tech recommendations for March 2023.
Magic The Gathering x Fallout
Rather than gaming on a PS5 or one of the best gaming laptops, why not bring the game to the kitchen table with one of the new Fallout Commander Decks for Magic The Gathering. Of the three TCGs on this list, Magic is by far my favorite, and Commander is one of the best ways to play the game.
Ideally played with four players (though games with more or fewer players are allowed), each person has a 100-card deck – one stack of 99 and a 100th ‘Commander’ that sits separately from the rest and can be cast at any time during your turn. By playing a mixture of lands and spells, your goal is to bring your opponent’s life totals from 40 to zero (you can also win if their deck runs out of cards or you achieve a special win condition based on the cards you play) before you’re eliminated.
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Ivan Krivenko)
Because of its multiplayer format, I find Commander is more casual and a lot more social than other card games. It’s easier to chat during matches, and sometimes you’ll need to work together with other players rather than against them to stop whoever is ahead from stomping you both.
What makes these Fallout decks special is that they feature exclusive new game pieces and reprints of iconic cards from the game’s 30-year-long history that show characters, themes, and items from the Fallout video game series – which is soon to be a TV show on Prime Video.
There are four to choose from: ‘Scrappy Survivors’ headed up by Fallout 4’s loyal canine companion Dogmeat, ‘Hail Caeser’ for all of you who love to play the villain, ‘Science!’ if you’re fascinated by Fallout’s Nuclear science, or ‘Mutant Menace’ if you’re interested in irradiated monsters and hazards that have been left in wake of the ‘Great War.’
(Image credit: Bethesda)
If you’ve never played Magic before, picking up one of these decks is an excellent place to start. Not only does it take all the hassle out of designing your deck – a challenge for newer players – but while I’ve yet to use one of these specific decks myself, I’ve seen plenty of preconstructed Commander decks like these win games straight out of the box.
You can also bling out your new deck with exclusive-Fallout Collector Boosters which offer exclusive reprints and artwork not found in the decks. Though the disadvantage is you don’t know what you’re getting, and one pack can be pricey – so you might be better off buying the exact card you want from your local game store or online (I use eBay and Cardmarket).
Lorcana: Into the Inklands
If you prefer Disney to Fallout or are a little newer to TCGs and frightened by the complexity of the game, then you might want to try Lorcana instead – a game that brings the best Disney films to life in cardboard form.
The game shares a lot of similarities with Magic, chiefly that you have a resource – Ink in your Inkwell – that you use to summon iconic Disney characters, play items, and use special powers. But it has several advantages that I think make it way more approachable for people who aren’t super familiar with card games – while still being a blast for veterans like myself.
The first is that the new Into the Inklands set is only the game’s third expansion. While it does add an exciting new card type – Locations that your characters can visit, and that offer benefits for as long as you have them in play – the card pool is still very easy to wrap your head around.
(Image credit: Future)
Also, the recognizability of the Disney characters puts their abilities into context.
The Titans in Hercules are all about destroying Greece and Olympus, so it makes sense that they like to mess with Locations in Lorcana; there are famously 99 Dalmatian puppies (with mum and dad Perdita and Pongo making 101) so it makes sense that you can have 99 of them in your deck instead of the usual limit of four; and the Mousketeers are all about protecting Princess Minnie in the film, so, of course, they’d be Bodyguards who protect your other characters.
Lastly, Lorcana has simplified a few rules you might know from Magic. Rather than special cards you use for Ink, you can play most cards face down in your Inkwell to build up your resources – making deckbuilding way simpler. Plus, opponents can’t play cards on your turn, so you generally only have to worry about what’s on the table in front of you, especially hidden info that can disrupt your strategy for each turn.
(Image credit: Ravensburger / Disney)
If you’re looking to try the game out, a draft or sealed event at your local game store is an excellent way to start. Everyone only plays with the cards they open at the event so you don’t have to fret about someone stomping you with a deck they’ve dropped hundreds on.
Alternatively, a couple of starter decks can be a fun way to learn with a friend. They aren’t the most competitive, but they are well-balanced against each other and show off most of the core mechanics.
Star Wars: Unlimited
Lastly, if you feel three set releases are still too many then why not try Star Wars Unlimited? It has just launched its first-ever set. So if you go and play you’ll be just as much of a noob as anyone else there.
This also means this is the game I’m least familiar with – I’ve only played it once or twice – but so far it seems to be a blast.
It combines a few ideas already seen in this list – the familiarity of characters and locations, cards as your resource (here called Resources), and the Commander (here called a Leader, who’s paired with a Base of your choice) from Magic The Gathering. But there’s also a lot of freedom that satisfies the Unlimited name.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
If Luke Skywalker is your Leader, you’re incentivized to play Heroism and Vigilance cards – aspects that fit his on-screen personality. But if you want to throw the odd Villainy or Aggression card in, you can embrace the Dark Side – albeit at a cost of more resources.
Because it’s so new, your local store will likely be running lots of beginner-friendly events. I’ve found store staff are generally very happy to help TCG newcomers get to grips with any of the options on this list (as well as others like Pokemon, Flesh and Blood, and One Piece), and they should be especially ready to aid you and others with this completely new release.
There’s also a Starter Kit on sale that comes with two decks and a bunch of handy cardboard and paper accessories so you and a friend can get up to speed on the new Star Wars Unlimited experience in your own time.
The next phone we’re expecting from Google is the Google Pixel 8a, and while there’s been no official word in regards to the upcoming mid-ranger, we may have the next best thing, from the Android bug tracker that’s publicly available online.
On a thread referring to battery stats (via 9to5Google), a Google software engineer says the feature will return for the Pixel 8a phone. It’s not the grandest phone launch we’ve ever seen, but we’ll take it as a sure sign that the successor to the Google Pixel 7a is on the way.
The thread on the Android bug tracker was started because a particular screen – showing additional information about battery health – was added in the software and then removed. As per the thread, it’s going to make a comeback with the Google Pixel 8a.
Presumably that also means we’re going to get these stats, including charging cycle counts and the battery’s date of manufacture, on other Pixel phones too. It may then roll out to all Android devices with the introduction of Android 15 later this year.
Prices and packaging
Mid-range Pixels usually appear at Google IO (Image credit: Google)
Our Google Pixel 7a review will refresh your memory as to the mid-range handset that Google put out last year. It was announced at Google IO 2023 in May (as was the Pixel 6a the year before), and the Pixel 8a should follow the same launch schedule.
As far as pricing goes, the Pixel 7a was originally priced at $499 / £449 / AU$749. Expect something similar with this year’s model, though there have been whispers that the cost might go up again (the Pixel 7a also cost more than the Pixel 6a).
We’ve seen a handful of Pixel 8a leaks and rumors so far: a benchmark spotted in August was rather underwhelming in terms of processor performance, though we’re hoping the phone might have been significantly optimized since then.
The handset will apparently come with a 6.1-inch screen, matching the Pixel 7a, and we’ve also had a sneak peek at the Pixel 8a packaging. The date for Google IO 2024 hasn’t been set yet, but this phone may well get its unveiling there.
It’s been almost 120 years since the first cartoon animation, Émile Cohl’s Fantasmagorie, was made, and the contemporary art form has come a long way since then.
That’s especially true for the last 50 years of animation, which has seen illustrators and animators alike embrace a plethora of new hardware and software tools, including some of the best drawing tablets.
One such artist who witnessed this season of change is Aaron Blaise, former Disney animator whose résumé includes classics from Disney’s “Renaissance” era, such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan and Aladdin – he even directed Brother Bear. In a TechRadar interview, Blaise shared his experience and his views of what’s next in the industry now that tools like Procreate Dreams are making animation much more accessible.
Every corner we turn only leads to another
While Blaise is best known for his over 35-year career as an animator, writer and director, he started out wanting to be an illustrator: “I wanted to work for National Geographic [but] when I found out that they freelanced all their work I thought, ‘Okay, I gotta find another path’.”
Luckily for Blaise (and the many fans of his work), Disney was looking for artists and illustrators who they could teach to animate rather than experienced animators.
He says: “Around 1988, I got an internship, became an animator and just fell in love with the whole art form. Lucky for me, I came into the industry at a very good time when we had this new renaissance of content being produced by Disney, and I was on the ground floor for that.”
Blaise witnessed much of the transition from pen-and-paper animation to digital during his time at Disney: “Throughout the 90s, I was able to work on films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas and Mulan, and I directed Brother Bear. What was cool about that time is that we were still doing things the old way – animating on paper and shooting everything on camera.”
This period, referred to as the Disney Renaissance era, followed the success of 1989’s The Little Mermaid, (which so happens to be my all-time favorite movie) – but Blaise says that not a lot changed in terms of animation following the movie’s success. “The only thing that really changed after The Little Mermaid was that we started to digitally color everything, but basically everything else was the same.”
A whole new perspective on things
Instead, what Blaise saw over the 20-or-so years that followed was a progressive digital transition that’s now culminating in a much more accessible and intuitive animation landscape.
At first, Blaise wasn’t exactly on board with transitioning from physical media to digital. “I was really scared of it, and I resisted it for as long as possible.”
“I had a boss named Max Howard who ran our studio in Florida. We were working on Beauty and the Beast and he goes, ’you know, Aaron, in about 10 years, you’re going to be doing all these drawings on a computer screen,’ and I was thinking of big fat TVs. I just couldn’t picture it.”
It was only when Blaise was directing and writing a computer generated (CG) film that he realized it was time to move across to digital, he explains. So, he asked Disney for “the biggest Wacom Cintiq available and Photoshop”, which arrived in his office by the next morning, and so it was.
“That was the beginning of my journey. I started learning Photoshop, and then over the years as new software has come out, I’ve kind of jumped on them. Once the ice was broken, it was a lot easier for me.”
New friends and new places to see
Since moving on from Disney in 2007, Blaise has launched his own educational business, CreatureArtTeacher, where he offers lessons and tutorials to a new generation of animators, including using more accessible software such as Procreate Dreams. He also runs a YouTube channel called The Art of Aaron Blaise where he shares tips and new projects.
“Procreate Dreams could not have come out at a better time. I think the use of CG animation is wonderful; it’s a great tool that allowed a lot of animated filmmakers who didn’t draw to get into the field and create their visions. But I think that the industry has steered away from hand-drawn animation long enough; there’s a big hunger for it now.”
The fact that the app is so financially accessible is key to the future of hand-drawn animation, he says: “We’re gonna see a surge – and I’m already seeing it across YouTube and Tiktok – this wave of new pieces of animation being done in Dreams.”
To keep the tradition of hand-drawn animation alive, Blaise will also often live stream his work process, and to his surprise will frequently see questions from his viewers about even the most basic animation practices like flipping through the pages to see the movement of his work. “Back in the 90s, everybody kind of knew how animation was done, even if you weren’t an animator, but that’s kind of lost now and it surprises me.”
However, Blaise is excited by how software like Procreate Dreams mimics some of the original animation process – enough so that he can animate digitally just like he used to with pen and paper.
Certainly, that’s the hope. The scope of artistic expression possible in hand-drawn animation is vast, vaster even than it was 30 years ago, and I for one can’t wait to see what the next generation of animators and illustrators come out with.
Last year we called the HP Pavilion Aero 13 “probably the best value-for-money light laptop on the market right now” and it’s about to get an upgrade that will make it ever better.
The Pavilion Aero 13 2024 model, which could potentially be the most powerful sub-1Kg notebook on the market, packs a punch with its AMD Hawk Point Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. Other processor options include the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U and Ryzen 7 8840U.
The 13.3-inch display options haven’t changed with the new model – buyers can choose between 1920 x 1200 or 2560 x 1600 IPS panels, but both options offer 100% sRGB color gamut and up to 400 nits brightness. The laptop now comes with 16GB of LPDDR5x-6400 dual-channel RAM (soldered in to help with the thinness), and either a 512GB or 1TB SSD.
Improved webcam
The latest Aero 13, slightly larger than its 2023 predecessor, measures 11.7″ x 8.3″ x 0.7″ and weighs in at a feather-light 2.2 pounds, thanks in part to its magnesium alloy body. The laptop’s portability is slightly undermined by its 43 Wh battery, which helps with the weight but means you’ll only get around 8 hours of use between charges.
The Aero 13 offers a variety of ports including 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 2.1, and 1 x 3.5mm audio. No USB4 ports, sadly. Wireless connectivity is provided via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
The ultrabook also features stereo speakers with DTS:X audio, dual microphones, and a 5 MP webcam, upgraded from the previous 720p model. The webcam includes an IR sensor for enhanced security and a privacy shutter. The new backlit keyboard comes with a dedicated Windows Copilot key.
The HP Pavilion Aero 13 2024 will be available for purchase from HP’s online store and Amazon starting in May 2024, with prices from $649.99 (although you’ll pay more for the Ryzen 7 8840HS model). It will be available in Natural Silver and Sky Blue.
The Reference Series Hemp headphones started out as a limited edition – but thanks to popular opinion, Grado has decided to make them a permanent part of its catalog. How likely are the Grado Hemp to feature in our best wired headphones buying guide? Very, with just a few caveats.
In many ways – certainly aesthetic – it’s Grado business as usual. Which isn’t all good news, exactly, because it means these headphones are nothing special where perceived value is concerned, are far from luxurious as objects, and become less than comfortable more quickly than, say, the Sennheiser HD 660S2 they’re likely to face off against on most people’s shortlists.
Happily, it’s also business as usual where sound quality is concerned. The combination of the open-backed configuration, along with the acoustic talents of the maple-and-hemp construction of the driver housing, means these headphones sound spacious, detailed and thoroughly engaging. So much so, in fact, that you’ll almost certainly find they’re becoming just slightly uncomfortable before you’re really ready to stop listening to them.
Striking wooden ear cups in an otherwise so-very-Grado build (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Price & release date
Release date: February 1, 2024
Price: $479 / £479 / AU$799
The Grado Reference Series Hemp wired open-backed over-ear headphones are available now – originally this model saw the light of day back in 2020, but then it was a limited edition and now it isn’t. In America, the price is a pun-tastic $420, while in the UK the headphones cost £479 and in Australia they’re AU$799.
There isn’t really space here to list all the very many pairs of alternative over-ear headphones this sort of money will buy. But direct, hard-wired open-backed rivals are thin on the ground (although the FiiO FT3 is one option), and those partially constructed from a semi-illegal botanical species are thinner still…
Grado Hemp review: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Drivers
44mm Dynamic (open-back)
Active noise cancellation
No
Impedance
38 Ohms nominal
Weight
218g
Connectivity
3.5mm, 6.3mm
Frequency response
13Hz – 28kHz
Cable length
177cm
Grado has now fitted a 3.5mm termination with a 6.33mm adapter supplied – good to see (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Features
44mm dynamic drivers
13Hz – 28kHz frequency response
Chunky 177cm cable
There’s not much you need from a pair of passive headphones when it comes to ‘features’, is there? The Grado have the essentials: properly suspended, nicely isolated 44mm dynamic drivers delivering a claimed frequency response of 13Hz – 28kHz, and that just about covers it.
Each earcup is wired using the familiar eight-conductor cable Grado has favored for a while now – and here, just as in every other application, it’s almost wilfully eager to twist in on itself and heroically resistant to straightening. At least Grado has seen sense and fitted a 3.5mm termination with a 6.33mm adapter supplied – back in the day, the company would terminate with a 6.3mm jack and then provide a huge, unwieldy 6.3mm/3.5mm adapter. So progress has definitely been made where that particular feature is concerned…
Grado is sticking with its ‘friction pole’ design principle, but it means you may experience wearer fatigue after a while (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Sound quality
Open, organised and expansive presentation
Nicely balanced and detailed sound
Straightforwardly enjoyable to listen to
Buying open-backed, hard-wired headphones strongly suggests you take your listening pretty seriously – after all, you haven’t hit on a pair of Grado Reference Series Hemp headphones for their convenience. So it seems reasonable to assume you’ll plug them into a worthwhile source of music, rather than straight into the headphone socket of a laptop or smartphone.
And sure enough, attach the Hemp to a half-decent headphone amplifier, feed in some digital audio content of reasonable resolution (a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of Nick Drake’s Which Will, for instance, a 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC copy of Petra Haden’s version of I Can See For Miles or a 24bit/192kHz FLAC file of Astrud Gilberto’s Chup Chup I Got Away) and the fact they neither look nor feel like $480-worth of headphones becomes a moot point. Because they sound like it, and then some.
The soundstage they’re capable of creating, for example, is spacious, well-organised and, most of all, big. So big, in fact, that even if you choose to listen to a full symphony orchestra gearing up for a full assault, there’s more than enough room available for each individual instrument to enjoy a little space in which to do its thing without fear of being trampled over by any other. The layout is explicit, and the distance in the front/back and left/right planes is significant. Switch to a small-scale, guitar-and-voice recording, though, and the Hemp makes it sound unified, intimate and direct. As far as creating a big picture goes, these Grado are vivid and confident.
The cable is chunky and 1.7mm long, but it’s prone to tangles… (Image credit: Future)
Detail levels are high, across the board – the bottom of the frequency range is just as information-rich, varied and articulate as the midrange and the top end. At every stage, the Grado are able to identify and contextualise even the most minor events in a recording, as well as keeping a close eye on the bigger picture. It’s able to amalgamate every strand into a singular event with a strong sense of ‘performance’, and the integration of the entire frequency range is smooth (although just fractionally midrange-forward in the established Grado manner). This might seem to be a given, on the basis that the Hemp are producing the whole frequency from a single driver per earcup, but I’ve heard enough similarly specified headphones that simply can’t manage it to know it’s not good to make assumptions.
Control of the bottom end is good, which means rhythms are handled with assurance – the Grado’s overall sonic signature is one of momentum and engagement, rather than dry analysis. Oh, they can peer deep into a recording and bring back all the minutiae – but that’s not where they’re at their most effective. It’s their sense of energy and drive, well-supervised attack and simple musicality – that’s where their fundamental talents lie.
Big dynamic shafts are handled without alarms, and with just as much positivity as the low-level dynamic variations that are apparent in a solo instrument or unaccompanied voice(s) as in the Petra Haden recording. There’s plenty of punch and attack when it’s called for, but the Hemp are just as capable of soothing as they are invigorating.
These drivers are incredibly talented, but the open-air (read: open-back) design means sound leakage… (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Design
Hemp/maple driver housing
Leather headband
Foam ear pads
Despite the fact that every pair of on-ear headphones is fundamentally the same when it comes to ‘design’, the Reference Series Hemp could only be a Grado product. The established design cues are all here.
Thin metal headband, modestly padded and covered with stretched leather? Check. Prosaic ‘friction pole’ headband adjustment mechanism? Check. Metal mesh covering the rear of the driver enclosure, ordinary-feeling foam forming the ear pads, a rudimentary yoke allowing just a degree of ear cup movement? Check, check and check again. Grado hit upon these design features a while back, and quite obviously sees no reason to mess with them.
No pair of headphones stays comfortable indefinitely. At some point during a listening session you’ll become aware of heat, or fatigue, or both, somewhere or other – but the design and execution of the Reference Series Hemp means that time will come a little sooner than with some alternative designs.
Grado’s rudimentary yoke doesn’t allow for much cup adjustment (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Value
Unremarkable in look and feel
Perceived value is not all that high
Excellent sound quality at the money
You can look at this one of two ways. The first way says that the Reference Series Hemp are fundamentally unglamorous, and in no way look or feel like they cost as much money as they cost. The second way says that a combination of sonic talents such as those exhibited by these headphones justifies the asking price all day long. You will very much make your own mind up…
Should I buy the Grado Hemp?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Section
Notes
Score
Features
The category of open-backed headphones isn’t particularly feature-rich, but there’s everything you need
5/5
Sound quality
Spacious, well-organised and most of all big sound – and it is beautiful
5/5
Design
Typically Grado, which means great sound, but you’ll notice a bit of discomfort over time
4/5
Value
Unglamorous, yes, but in the sound-per-pound stakes they’re worth every penny
4/5
Buy them if…
Don’t buy them if…
Striking, but the metal mesh won’t keep your tunes private (Image credit: Future)
Grado Hemp review: Also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0
Grado Hemp
Sennheiser HD-660S2
FiiO FT3
Price
$479 / £479 / AU$799
$599 / £499 / AU$949
$299 / £289 / AU$449
Drivers
44mm Dynamic (open-back)
38mm
60mm dynamic (open-back)
Weight
218g
260g
391g (without cable)
Connectivity.
3.5mm; 6.3mm
6.3mm, 4.4mm, 3.5mm
3.5mm, 4.4mm, 6.3mm, XLR-4
Frequency response
13Hz – 28kHz
8Hz – 41.5kHz
7Hz – 40kHz
Cable length
1.77m
1.8m
3m
How I tested the Grado Hemp
Used with various sources
Tested for over a week
Many different types of music played
Headphone amps of various types, music from vinyl records and hi-res digital audio files (and plenty of them) plus a long, hard listen is basically how I tested the Grado Reference Series Hemp.
This is how I was able to establish they like good sources of music better than average ones (no surprise there), they couldn’t care less about the sort of music you like to listen to (which is good news), and they get a little uncomfortable once you’re hours deep into a listening session (which is slightly less good news).
It also didn’t take me long to establish that the noise they leak is an irritation to anyone who might be in the vicinity…
Brane Audio’s Brane X has managed to achieve the unthinkable in the mostly mundane realm of the best wireless speakers, which – to be clear – is full of models that don’t leave much of an impression. Some are good, some are okay, and many are bad. But the Brane X makes an impression.
The main way the Brane X impresses is by delivering bass output extending into the sub-bass range. That’s unheard of for a portable speaker. Still, the Brane X isn’t an ordinary portable speaker, but one with proprietary Repel-Attract-Driver (R.A.D.) technology that uses a magnet array to cancel out air pressure within the speaker’s enclosure. This allows big bass to be generated from a small woofer in a highly compact box, and it needs to be heard to be believed.
Aside from its sub-bass output capability, the Brane X comes off as a normal-looking portable wireless speaker. It has a lunchbox-like form, complete with a carrying handle, and an unassuming design. Its built-in battery carries a charge for up to 12 hours of playback time and requires three hours to fully recharge. The IP57-rated speaker is dust and waterproof, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
Wireless streaming support includes Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth 5.1. An app lets you configure bass and custom EQ settings, and it can also be used to group multiple Brane X speakers for multi-room playback. Controls to adjust volume and bass level are located on the speaker’s top surface, and there are built-in mics for Alexa voice control.
Sound quality is where the Brane X makes its mark by delivering a notably dynamic and detailed sound for a portable speaker. Hip-hop, techno, rock, and even classical music are equally well served, with the speaker’s deep bass providing a strong foundation for other layers in music mixes. Voices, in particular, sound natural – something that benefits both music and podcasts – and the Brane X also manages to convey a sense of stereo separation and depth.
The catch with the Brane X, and you probably saw this coming, is that its performance comes at a price. At $599 (around £475 / AU$915), it’s more expensive than other premium portable speakers such as the Sonos Move 2 ($449 / £449 / AU$799). That factor makes the Brane X a tough sell if you simply want a portable speaker for casual outdoor and indoor listening, but if you’re looking for one with best-in-class sound quality, the Brane X is it.
Brane X review: Price and release date
The Brane X has a lunchbox-like design with a carrying strap for toting it around (Image credit: Future)
Released December 2023
Currently available only in US
Priced at $599 (around £475 / AU$915)
The Brane X is currently sold exclusively through Brane Audio and is only available for shipment in the US. International shipments will start in late 2024 according to the company’s website.
At $599 (around £475 / AU$915) the Brane X is very much on the pricey side for a portable wireless speaker, though it has sonic tricks up its sleeve that the competition lacks. To put it in context, you can buy a Sonos Move 2 for $449 / £449 / AU$799, which gets you a portable wireless speaker with a similar feature set plus twice the battery life. You can also spend quite a bit more on the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 ($1,099 / £899 / AU$1,950), a portable wireless speaker that generally looks similar to the Brane X, but has a more attractive design that’s typical for that brand.
Brane X review: Specs
Capacitive touch controls are located on the speaker’s top surface (Image credit: Future)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0
Row 0 – Cell 1
Weight
7.7 lb. (3.5 kg)
Dimensions
6.1 x 9.3 x 7 inches (155 x 237 x 177 mm)
Battery life (quoted)
12 hours
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1
Speaker drivers
2 x 0.75-inch tweeters, 2 x 2-inch midrange drivers, 6.5 x 9-inch woofer
Streaming support
AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Aux-in
Yes, 3.5mm
Charger port
Power in
Microphone
Yes
Waterproof rating
IP67
Brane X review: Features
The Sonos Move 2 (at left) was used for a comparison in our Brane X (at right) listening tests (Image credit: Future)
Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth support
Voice control using Amazon Alexa
Built-in battery provides 12 hours playback time
Brane Audio’s Brane X streams music wirelessly via Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and also supports Bluetooth 5.1. A Brane app is available and can be used to select low, medium, and high Bass presets for best sound (most likely dependent on where the speaker is located), create a custom 5-band EQ setting, and store speaker groups for multi-room playback on multiple Brane X speakers. There are four built-in microphones for voice control, which is carried out using the Alexa voice assistant.
The driver array of the Brane X consists of two 0.75-inch tweeters, two 2-inch mid-range drivers, and a 6.5 by 9-inch (165 x 229mm) woofer. Four class-D amplifiers are packed into the compact speaker, for a total of 200 watts of power. A built-in battery allows 12 hours of playback at a reasonable volume level, and it can be fully recharged in 3 hours.
I would be amiss to describe the bass driver in the Brane X simply as a “woofer,” since the company applies unique technology to it to achieve extended bass. Woofers in conventional speakers generate bass by moving forward and back in an enclosure. That movement is driven by the passage of magnets on the woofer’s voice coil through a magnetic field, and it affects the air pressure within the speaker.
Brane Audio’s Repel-Attract-Driver operates similarly to a regular woofer, but in this instance, additional magnets are used to cancel out air pressure within the speaker. The cancellation effect allows for the use of a smaller woofer, along with a smaller enclosure, enabling Brane Audio to generate powerful sub-bass from a lunchbox-size speaker.
Brane X review: Sound quality
The speaker’s rear panel features a power on/off button and 3.5mm audio input (Image credit: Future)
Excellent bass extension and substantial output
Well-balanced sound with natural voice reproduction
Can play cleanly at party-like volume levels
The Brane X may be compact, but there’s nothing small about its sound. After reading about this portable speaker that’s capable of not just substantial bass extension, but also substantial sub-bass output, I was ready for something different and upon first listen I got that.
Getting straight down to business, I streamed Boom by Tiësto, Sevenn, and Gucci Mane to the speaker from Tidal HiFi via AirPlay. This is a track with bass to spare, and if the Brane X could handle that, it would pass the test. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my mouth flapped open when I heard the deep, pounding bass put out by the Brane X, which wasn’t far off from what I expect to hear from a hi-fi system with a capable subwoofer. The speaker’s extended dynamic range also allowed other elements in the mix to come through clearly, especially vocals, which had a natural, unstrained quality. Pushing up the volume to, naturally, satisfy my curiosity about how loud the Brane X could play, it went up to party-like levels without distorting or sounding congested.
Radiohead’s Desert Island Disks features a spare acoustic guitar that’s played over a low, pulsing beat. On my regular portable speaker, the Sonos Move 2, that beat comes across as more of a tap. When I played the song on the Brane X, however, it had a surprising low and full quality that dynamically anchored the sound and allowed for details in vocals along with the song’s more subtle ambient elements to come across clearly.
Even classical symphonic music fared well on the Brane X. When I streamed Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition – The Great Gate of Kiev, as played by the Cleveland Orchestra, on Tidal HiFi, the tympani rolls were conveyed in an appropriately thunderous manner and the volume sweeps of strings sounded smooth and convincing. Comparing the Brane X’s performance here again to my reference Sonos speaker, the Sonos came across as comparatively flat-sounding, with no sense of low-end muscle in the percussion and double basses.
Given the Brane X’s hi-fi prowess, it seemed almost weird to set it up in my kitchen in the spot normally occupied by my Sonos Move, where it is used mainly for listening to news and podcasts. When I did, I found I needed to dial down the bass in the app for best sound in the new spot. That done, the Brane X made voices sound completely natural, with none of the strained quality that can typically be heard when listening with low-cost Bluetooth speakers. Brane Audio’s portable may have been overkill in this setting, but I certainly wasn’t eager to swap it out.
The only sonic quirk I encountered when using the Brane X was a faint level of noise when the speaker was turned on but not being used for playback. This didn’t exactly bother me, and in most cases when I had the speaker turned on it was streaming audio, which fully masked the noise, but it was there nonetheless.
Brane X review: Design
The Brane X’s bottom-mounted woofer (Image credit: Future)
Basic, unassuming design
Carrying strap for portable use
1P57-rated dust and waterproof
There’s nothing particularly fancy about the Brane X’s design. As noted in the Features section of this review, it’s about the size and shape of a lunchbox. A rubber carrying strap is attached for toting the speaker around, and the black plastic top surface contains capacitive touch controls to adjust volume and bass level, as well as toggle the microphones on and off and set up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi pairing mode. A black mesh grille covers the speaker’s full front surface and sturdy rubber feet are provided to secure the speaker and allow clearance for the bottom-mounted Repel-Attract-Driver.
The Brane X’s back panel features a power on/off button and a 3.5mm aux input for connecting sources like a disc player or turntable. You’ll also find an input here for the speaker’s large, bulky external power supply and a QR code to access the Brane Audio website. With an IP57 rating, the Brane X is both dust and waterproof, making it a solid option for a workshop and a pool party.
Brane X review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Expensive compared to the competition
Unique among portable wireless speakers
Has sound quality to back up the high price
With a $599 (around £475 / AU$915) price tag, the Brane X is undoubtedly expensive, making other premium portable wireless speakers such as the Sonos Move 2 look like a bargain in comparison. But the Brane X sounds better and certainly delivers better bass than the Sonos Move 2, which is its top competition. There is nothing quite like it on the market, a factor that enhances its value.
Suppose you’re looking for a compact portable wireless speaker that doesn’t sound like a compact portable wireless speaker, but a regular stereo system with a subwoofer instead. In that case, the Brane X is your only option. Yes, it’s expensive, but it has the sound quality to back up the high price.
Should you buy the Brane X?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Features
Wi-Fi, Airplay 2, and Bluetooth streaming plus built-in battery and Alexa voice control
4.5/5
Sound quality
Exceptional sound quality and strikingly deep bass for a portable speaker
5/5
Design
Basic, unassuming design, but with carrying strap for portablility
4/5
Value
Pricey for a portable speaker, but it’s no ordinary portable
3.5/5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Brane X review: Also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Brane X smart speaker competitors
Brane X
Sonos Move 2
Sonos Roam
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5
Price
$599 (around £475 / AU$915)
$449 / £449 / AU$799
$179 / £179 / AU$299
$1,099 / £899 / AU$1,950
Weight
7.7lbs. / 3.5kg
6.6 lbs / 3kg
0.95lbs / 0.43kg
8.4lbs / 3.8kg
Dimensions
6.1 x 9.3 x 7 inches (155 x 237 x
160 x 241 x 127mm / 6.3 x 9.5 x 5 inches
2.5 x 6.5 x 2.5 inches
187 x 285 x 130 mm (h,w,d)
Battery life (quoted):
12 hours
24 hours
10 hours
12 hours
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth 5.1, Spotify Connect
Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, USB-C
Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Chromecast
Speaker drivers
2 x 0.75-inch tweeters, 2 x 2-inch midrange drivers, 6.5 x 9-inch woofer
2x angled tweeters, 1x midwoofer
N/A
1 x woofer; 2 x midrange ; 1 x tweeter
Aux-in
Yes, 3.5mm line-in
Yes (via USB-C adapter)
No
No
Charger port
Power in
Sonos charging base or USB-C
USB-C or optional Sonos Charger
USB-C, Qi wireless
Microphone
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Waterproof rating
IP57
IP56
IP67
IP65
Brane X smart speaker review: How I tested
(Image credit: Future)
Tested with music streamed from Tidal HiFi and Apple Music via AirPlay
Used Sonos Move 2 for comparison during listening tests
Tested over several weeks of both casual and critical listening
I tested the Brane X using a range of different music genres from hip-hop to classical and also used it for everyday listening to news internet radio stations and podcasts. During my testing, which lasted for several weeks, I moved it around to different rooms in my home and also gave it a listen outdoors.
I used a Bluetooth wireless connection from my iPhone for casual listening but switched to AirPlay 2 for critical listening during my review. Most music tracks played during my test were sourced from Tidal HiFi, with some played from Apple Music. For a direct comparison with a competitive speaker, I used a Sonos Move 2, switching between both speakers using the same music tracks to make a subjective listening comparison.
My audio reviewing experience extends back over two decades, and during that time I have tested everything from full surround sound speaker systems to subwoofers and soundbars.
Lights, camera, confusion? A change to the 2024 Oscars start time has threatened to upstage the stars themselves at the 96th Academy Awards this weekend. In a move intended to boost viewing figures, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has broken with tradition and shifted the ceremony to 7pm ET, though Sunday also happens to be the day the clocks change in the US.
It’s good news for most viewers, especially those based east of the west coast, because it means the jewel in the crown, the best picture award, will be presented significantly earlier than usual. Read on so you don’t miss the battle between Oppenheimer, American Fiction, The Holdovers and The Zone of Interest.
When are the Oscars?
The 2024 Oscars are on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
What time does the Oscars start?
The 2024 Oscars ceremony starts one hour earlier than usual, at 7pm ET / 4pm PT / 11pm GMT – 10am AEDT on Monday morning for Australians film fans.
Why is the Oscars time earlier this year?
The Oscars organisers haven’t done the best job of putting word of the early start out there, especially as Sunday, March 10 also happens to be the first day of daylight saving time in the US, but they’re hoping for it to boost viewing figures.
Past ceremonies have regularly topped 3 hours, so in its previous slot the biggest award of the night – Best Picture, which is always saved for last – has tended to be announced well after most viewers had gone to bed.
When does the Oscars start where I live?
Watching worldwide? Here are the Oscars start times around the world:
4pm PDT – Pacific Standard Time
5pm MDT – Mountain Standard Time
6pm CST – Mexico City, Mexico
6pm CDT – Central Standard Time
7pm EDT – Eastern Standard Time
7pm BRT – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
11pm GMT – United Kingdom
12am CET – Central Europe (Mon, Mar 11)
1am SAST – South Africa (Mon, Mar 11)
3am GST – Dubai, UAE (Mon, Mar 11)
4.30am IST – New Delhi, India (Mon, Mar 11)
6am WIB – Jakarta, Indonesia (Mon, Mar 11)
7am CST – Beijing, China (Mon, Mar 11)
10am AEDT – Australia (Mon, Mar 11)
12pm NZDT – New Zealand (Mon, Mar 11)
When are the Oscars nominations announced?
The 2024 Oscars nominations were announced on Tuesday, January 23. Oppenheimer led the field with 13 nominations including Best Picture.
When is the Oscars pre-show?
The 2024 Oscars pre-show will begin half-an-hour ahead of the ceremony, at 6.30pm ET / 3.30pm PT / 10.30pm GMT, which is 9.30am AEDT on Monday.
When is the Oscars Red Carpet?
The Oscars Red Carpet is the same as the pre-show. Vanessa Hudgens and Julianne Hough will hosts the 30-minute segment from 6.30pm ET / 3.30pm PT / 10.30pm GMT, which for viewers in Australia is 9.30am AEDT on Monday morning.
What time does the Oscars finish?
The Oscars are scheduled to finish at 10.30pm ET / 7.30pm PT on Sunday night, which is 2.30am GMT in the early hours of Monday morning for viewers in the UK, and 1.30pm AEDT on Monday afternoon in Australia.
When are the Oscars winners announced?
The 2024 Oscars running order of awards hasn’t been revealed at the time of writing, but if it follows the same pattern as last year’s ceremony, we’d expect it to go as follows:
The Zoma Hybrid mattress is a 12-inch (30cm) tall hybrid mattress with memory foam and pocket springs, and is available in both the US and the UK. The brand is geared specifically towards using sleep for recovery, and promises ‘cutting-edge sleep technology’. For this review, I slept on a UK king-size for four weeks, alongside my husband. I also ran several objective tests for performance aspects like pressure relief and edge support. The aim was to cut through the tech-talk and see how this model really matches up against the rest of today’s best mattresses.
The overall feel is firmly springy. There is memory foam here, but it’s paired with a bouncier foam layer and the overall feel is responsive, with minimal contouring. There’s no indication of firmness on the Zoma website but I’d say it’s around an 8.5 out of 10 (with 10 being the firmest). Myself and my husband (5ft 8 and 6ft 4 respectively, with a combined weight of 190kg) both found it far too firm for side sleeping, and it caused pressure to build up uncomfortably in our shoulders. It’s far more comfortable for back sleeping, where the foams and coils help distribute weight evenly and keep the spine aligned.
(Image credit: Zoma)
Elsewhere, the mattress performed well. The edges are nice and sturdy, so if you, like me, end up pushed to the side of the bed by a toddler in the middle of the night, you shouldn’t have to worry about rolling off. I was also impressed by the temperature regulation; I had no issues with overheating during my review period.
In terms of price, this mattress is almost always discounted (in the UK and the US) and generally sits in the mid-range price bracket. That’s a good price for a hybrid model, but if it’s a competitive bracket and there are cheaper models in our best hybrid mattressguide that offer similar quality.
At time of writing, Zoma isn’t a particularly well-known brand in the UK, but it has a following in the States with some high praises from athletes. I was impressed by some of the brand’s sustainability practices in the UK – it offers free old mattress recycling and it has a ‘zero waste to landfill’ policy in its factories. For more details on these points, read on for my full Zoma Hybrid mattress review.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Section
Notes
Score
Comfort
Bouncy, responsive foam and a firm feel that’s best for back sleeping. Too solid for side sleepers.
N/A
Value
Mid range and fairly priced for a hybrid, but there are good-quality, cheaper options.
3.5/5
Design
12in/30cm tall hybrid with memory foam, other foam and coils. No handles, cover not removable.
4/5
Temperature
No issues with overheating; slept comfortably cool.
4.5/5
Motion isolation
Some slight motion transfer, but fine for most people.
3/5
Edge support
Great. Comfortable to sit or lie near the edge of the bed.
4.5/5
Customer service
Free two-person delivery to door, but no option to include setup. Standard 100-day trial, 10-year warranty.
4/5
Zoma Hybrid mattress review: price & value for money
Never sold at full price; consistent discounts in both US and UK
Sits in the mid range, and well priced for a hybrid
… although there is strong competition in this bracket
At ticket price, the Zoma Hybrid is getting into the premium mattress space. It is, however, very rarely sold at full price. In the US, expect $150 off all sizes, and in the UK there’s usually £250 off. Based on the typical prices you’ll actually pay, it sits in the mid-range price bracket in both the US and the UK.
Here’s the pricing for the Zoma, alongside the discounted price you can expect to actually pay.
In the US:
Twin: MSRP $749 (usually sold at $599)
Full: MSRP $949 (usually sold at $799)
Queen: MSRP $1,149 (usually sold at $999)
King: MSRP $1,349 (usually sold at $1,199)
California King: MSRP $1,349 (usually sold at $1,199)
In the UK:
Single: £749 (usually sold at £499)
Double: £849 (usually sold at £599)
King: £949 (usually sold at £699)
Super king: £1,149 (usually sold at £899)
Overall, the mattress feels well made, and that’s a decent price for a hybrid (most of today’s best cheap mattresses tend to be all-foam models.). I have tested mattresses that suit my sleep style better and that I think are better value for money (read more in the alternatives section) but it’s competitively priced in the wider market.
Hybrid mattress with several types of foam and pocket coils
Breathable mesh fabric cover, not removable and no handles
12″ (30cm) tall, on all sizes, although review model was a bit shorter
The Zoma Hybrid is a hybrid of different foams and pocketed springs, and it’s made in the US or UK (depending where you reside). The top layer is a memory foam that has been designed to provide targeted support and relieve pressure on joints. It’s infused with gel to promote cooling. A layer down is something Zoma calls ‘Reactiv’. It’s designed to be responsive and bounce back quickly.
(Image credit: Zoma)
Underneath these two types of foam is where you’ll find the hundreds (no specifics given) of 19cm pocketed coils. These are there to add stability and support, and will also allow air to move through the mattress, aiding with breathability. It looks like there may be a layer of base foam beneath the coils (there’s reference to a ‘high-density base layer’ but again, no specifics are given). If you’re not bothered by having coils, there’s an all-foam version of this mattress available too.
There’s a zip, but Zoma says the cover shouldn’t be removed (Image credit: Future)
The Zoma Hybrid is wrapped in a soft, breathable cover that it calls ‘AirCloth’. This knitted material is designed to wick away heat and moisture. It’s not removable or washable – there is a zip, but that’s for manufacturing purposes only – and there’s no non-slip gripping anywhere that I can see to help keep the mattress firmly on the bed base. It also doesn’t have handles, which could be a problem if you need to move it at any time because it’s pretty heavy.
(Image credit: Future)
Officially it’s 12 inches (30cm) tall, but I measured by review model in a few spots and it was only 11.2 inches (28.5cm). Regardless, it’s still on the thicker side, so you’ll probably need some deep-fitted sheets.
Zoma Hybrid mattress review: comfort & support
No firmness indicated on Zoma website, but I rate it 8.5 out of 10 (firm)
Most comfortable in a back sleeper position
Springy, responsive feel, with minimal contouring
I’d describe the Zoma Hybrid as having a ‘firm bounce’. There is memory foam here, but it’s paired with a bouncier foam layer and the overall feel is responsive. The foams contour slightly around the sleeper, but don’t expect a body-hugging feel. The upper foam layers are thick, so you can’t feel the coils through them. When the pressure is removed from the surface of the mattress, it returns to shape almost immediately.
To test the firmness I placed my 10kg weight in the middle of the mattress; it sunk by 1.5 inches. Unusually, there’s no indication on the Zoma website of how firm this mattress is. I emailed a rep and the rating they gave me was in our ‘soft’ bracket, but I’d completely disagree with that. Although it did soften up a bit over the course of our testing period, it’s definitely a firm mattress – I’d rate it around an 8.5 out of 10 on firmness (with 10 being rock-hard). It’s a contender for TechRadar’s best firm mattressguide.
(Image credit: Future)
Throughout the testing I found that I was most comfortable laying on my back, even though I am naturally a side sleeper and it took me a while to adapt to this new position. This was the same for my husband. When laying on my back it felt like my weight was more evenly distributed, and helped to realign my spine after hunching over a computer all day.
However, laying on my side quickly became uncomfortable – I woke a couple of times in the night during testing with pins-and-needles on the side I was lying on. My husband experienced a similar thing. For reference, we have a combined weight of 198kg, and are taller than average; I’m 5ft 8 and my husband is 6ft 4.
That’s not really a surprise – the best mattresses for side sleeperstend to be a bit softer (between 5 and 7.5 out of 10 on firmness), to allow the shoulder to sink in a bit, and prevent pressure from building up in this area. Even though we typically like quite a solid mattress, my husband and I found it was far too firm for us.
Zoma says there’s no real weight limit on the mattress, but the general industry recommendation is 115kg per sleeper. However, I found myself rolling inwards towards my partner, who’s the heavier of the two of us, in the night.
Zoma Hybrid mattress review: performance
Great temperature regulation – no issues with overheating
Some motion transfer but only an issue for light sleepers
Excellent edge support
As well as taking into account the comfort and pressure relief of the Zoma Hybrid, for this review I have also focused on: temperature regulation (how hot or cool one feels on the mattress), motion isolation (how well it absorbs movements on the surface) and edge support (how sturdy the edge of the mattress is). Read on for my findings…
Temperature regulation
Memory foam can have a habit of clinging on to body heat, and many brands use fancy terminology to make it sound like you’re getting a cooler option. The only way you’ll know if it actually works or not is to either try it out, or read a review.
The memory foam in the Zoma Hybrid mattress is infused with gel, with the aim of aiding temperature regulation. Whether it’s down to the gel or not, I found the Zoma did a great job of keeping me at a comfortable temperature.
(Image credit: Future)
I was in the middle of a new home renovation during my testing period, so I slept on the Zoma in cold UK winter temperatures either with no heating or with raging heating while waiting for a thermostat. I didn’t wake once feeling hot during the night, which is a sign that this aspect of the mattress spec was performing as it should.
Temperature regulation score: 4.5 out of 5
Motion isolation
This is about how movement transfers across the mattress. If a mattress has poor motion isolation, you’ll feel it when your bed-sharer turns over or gets into or out of bed. If you’re a restless sleeper and/or share a bed, it’s worth paying attention to this aspect of performance.
To try out the Zoma Hybrid for motion isolation I bravely put my 10kg weight next to a pint-sized glass with some water in it. The glass (almost) fell over at 3.5-inches, wobbled at 8-inches but was safe at 12-inches away from the weight.
(Image credit: Future)
I also tested out the motion isolation in the real world, by moving around in bed, and asking my husband to move around too. The bouncy feel means there is a bit of motion transfer. I could feel my partner changing position and getting in and out of bed, and vice versa, although there wasn’t enough movement for it to bother either of us. If you’re a particularly light sleeper, you might want to look for something with more complete motion isolation, however. It’s also worth noting that the mattress tended to cause me to roll inwards towards my partner (who is heavier than I am).
Motion isolation score: 3 out of 5
Edge support
Edge support is an important factor to look out for because a sturdy edge means that you’ll be able to comfortably sit on / push up off a mattress when getting up, as well as being able to sleep right up to the edge. To test the Zoma Hybrid for edge support I placed my 10kg as close to the edge as possible – it sank 2 inches, which is slightly less than the centre. That’s a good result.
(Image credit: Future)
I also tested out the edge support in a real-world scenario. I felt well supported when sitting on the edge of the bed, and also when lying right near the edge of the mattress when our toddler decided to squeeze into bed with us. Overall, I was impressed with the edge support here.
Edge support score: 4.5 out of 5
Zoma Hybrid mattress review: customer experience
Mattress delivered vacuum-packed and boxed; free delivery to door
Standard 10 year warranty and 100 night trial
Free old mattress removal in the UK
As a bed in a box mattress, the Zoma Hybrid is delivered vacuum-packed and rolled (if you’re new to this kind of bed, read about the difference in our mattress in a box vs traditional mattress explainer). Zoma offers free delivery, but only to your front door. I can only speak for the UK delivery setup, but I was impressed with the company’s communication – I received text messages a week prior to delivery (confirming delivery date) and then the day before delivery (with a more specific time slot).
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
It’s a shame there’s no option to upgrade to a delivery that includes setup – some bed brands offer this as a paid-for extra, and a handful even include it for free. Although the box was much more compact than a non-vacuum-packed mattress would be, it was still mega heavy and definitely needed two people to lift it.
There were no instructions or little pamphlets or even a little cutting tool to break the mattress free from the plastic wrapping. I found some scissors, and scored down the side of the plastic. The pressure of the vacuum-sealed mattress helped to force it out. Within a few minutes, the Zoma Hybrid was unwrapped and on the Livingstone Bed Base (also on review). It was pretty much ready to use straight out of the box, although the official advice from Zoma is to wait 4-6 hours before sleeping on it. There was no off-gassing.
If you’re not entirely satisfied with your new Zoma Hybrid then you can return it, for free, after a 30-day period until the 100-night sleep trial ends. This 30-night mark stands because Zoma wants you to try it out for a minimum of a month to allow your body enough time to get used to it. Should you wish to return it within a month, you’ll be charged $99/£79 shipping fee.
(Image credit: Future)
The 100-night trial is about the minimum offered by any of the big bed brands, although still long enough to try your mattress out thoroughly. Trials of 200 nights are fairly common now, and a few brands like Nectar give you a full year.
All Zoma mattresses also carry a 10-year warranty, which again is acceptable but not especially generous. During this time you’re covered for a full repair or replacement, but the warranty only covers workmanship and structural defects – so no accidents.
An unusual perk is that Zoma offers free old mattress recycling. Old mattress removal is generally a paid-for extra, if it’s offered at all, so this is good to see. In the UK, it’s part of Zoma’s commitment to sustainability – there, it repurposes all excess foam so there’s zero waste to landfill. Any returned mattresses are recycled or refurbished. (This does not appear to be the case in the US.)
Customer experience score: 4 out of 5
Zoma Hybrid mattress specs
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Materials
Memory foam, other foam, pocket coils
Cover
97% polyester, 3% spandex. Technically removable but not encouraged.
Handles
No
Firmness (1-10)
8.5 (my rating)
Height
12 inches / 30cm (NB: I measured under this)
Trial period
100 nights
Warranty
10 years
Price bracket
Mid range
Price (US)
US queen: MSRP $1,349 (usually sold at $1,199)
Price (UK)
UK double: RRP £949 (usually sold at £649)
Sizes (US)
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
Sizes (UK)
Single, double, king, super king
Delivery
Free to porch or hallway, no option to upgrade. Free old mattress recycling if required.
Returns
Free
Zoma Hybrid mattress review: other reviews
4.8* average over 1,217 reviews (Mar 2024), US / UK reviews combined
High praise for comfort, breathability and motion isolation
Some complaints of it being too firm
At the time of writing, Zoma mattresses hadn’t been available to UK customers for very long, so all the reviews that we’re available to sift through are from the US. As of March 2024 there were a total of just over 1,200 reviews, the majority of which were 5 stars, and all sang the same tune about comfort and coolness. It’s ordered highest scores to lowest, so you’ll need to head to the latter pages for any complaints.
Here, I found a few reviews echo what I found. There are a few reviewers who found it too firm and uncomfortable for side sleeping, and found in led to aches and pains. One likened it to sleeping on a too-full air mattress.
Should you buy the Zoma Hybrid mattress?
Buy it if…
✅ You’re a back sleeper: The Zoma Hybrid relieved pressure on achy muscles and joints when laying on our backs, with no sinking.
✅ You like a super-firm mattress: This is one of the firmest mattresses I’ve tested, rating 8.5 out of 10 on firmness. If you want a super-sturdy bed, this is it.
✅ Environmental impact is important to you: All Zoma mattresses are either made in the US or UK, depending on where you reside, and (in the UK at least) the brand has some admirable sustainability practices.
Alternatives to consider
❌ You’re a side sleeper: The firm feel means most side sleepers will end up with pressure building up in their shoulder. I found it uncomfortable for side sleeping, and ended up having to shift onto my back. Other reviews reflect a similar experience.
❌ You weigh more than average: I found myself rolling towards the (heavier) weight of my husband in the night. If you share a bed and one or more of you is heavier in body weight then this isn’t a great choice – our guide to the best mattresses for bigger bodies has some great specialist models.
❌ You want a joint-hugging feel: There’s not much contouring here. If you want that body-hugging sensation, our guide to the best memory foam mattresses has plenty of recommendations.
Alternatives to consider
How I tested the Zoma Hybrid mattress
Myself and my husband slept exclusively on the UK king size Zoma Hybrid for four weeks. The review period coincided with a new house renovation, and the testing process was during February when there were some cold nights in the UK (when we had no heating) and warm nights (when the heating needed some fine-tuning). I also ran a series of tests to measure the edge-to-edge support and motion transfer.
Tenstorrent, the firm led by legendary chip architect Jim Keller, the mastermind behind AMD‘s Zen architecture and Tesla’s original self-driving chip, has launched its first hardware. Grayskull is a RISC-V alternative to GPUs that is designed to be easier to program and scale, and reportedly excels at handling run-time sparsity and conditional computation.
Off the back of this, Tenstorrent has also unveiled its Grayskull-powered DevKits – the standard Grayskull e75 and the more powerful Grayskull e150. Both are inference-only hardware designed for AI development, and come with TT-Buda and TT-Metalium software. The former is for running models right away, while the latter is for users who want to customize their models or write new ones.
The Santa Clara-based tech firm’s milestone launch comes hot on the heels of a partnership with Japan’s Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC). Tenstorrent’s RISC-V and Chiplet IP will be used to build a state-of-the-art 2nm AI Accelerator, with the ultimate goal of revolutionizing AI performance in Japan.
By the power of Grayskull!
The Grayskull e75 model is a low-profile, half-length PCIe Gen 4 board with a single Grayskull processor, operating at 75W. The more advanced e150 model is a standard height, 3/4 length PCIe Gen 4 board containing one Grayskull processor operating at up to 200W, and balancing power and throughput.
Tenstorrent processors comprise a grid of cores known as Tensix Cores and come with network communication hardware so they can talk with one another directly over networks, instead of through DRAM.
The Grayskull DevKits support a wide range of models, including BERT for natural language processing tasks, ResNet for image recognition, Whisper for speech recognition and translation, YOLOv5 for real-time object detection, and U-Net for image segmentation.
The Grayskull e75 and e150 DevKits are available for purchase now at $599 and $799, respectively.
