While it works well, the 4G backup is likely a superfluous extra for most folks. If your internet service is stable, as it should be if you have full fibre, you’ll never need the 4G service. Folks lucky enough to live in an area with 5G coverage can get much faster backup service or even consider 5G home internet instead of wired broadband.
The Vodafone app is pretty barebones, but it’s easy to use. You can review connected devices, set up a guest network, and easily share login details with a QR code. There’s also a built-in assistance option that attempts to automatically troubleshoot and fix network issues. Parental controls and security features would be a welcome addition.
Competition and Availability
Photograph: Simon Hill
You can pay for fast internet service, but a decent router is required to get the most from it. Sadly, most ISPs in the UK do not supply good equipment. The worst offender is BT (British Telecom), which sends most customers the aging Smart Hub 2, a dual-band Wi-Fi 5 router that’s woefully out-of-date.
Most providers at least offer Wi-Fi 6 routers nowadays. I like TalkTalk’s approach. Instead of rebadging a white-label router, it partnered with Amazon’s Eero. The slower and cheaper Full Fibre contracts come with an Eero 6, but the Full Fibre 900 includes a pair of Eero Pro 6 routers, which is an excellent system for most homes. Interestingly, Three has also partnered with Eero for its 4G and 5G home broadband service.
Pricing and availability of Vodafone Pro II service depends on your location and required speed, but it starts from £39 a month with a minimum two-year contract. That two-year commitment is a definite turn-off, and you can expect annual price hikes in April, but it is a sadly common catch with UK ISPs.
Ultimately, Vodafone has kicked things up a notch with its Pro II service, and the Ultra Hub is perhaps the best ISP-supplied router you can get in the UK today. Many folks will still do better by picking the best service in their area (depending on budget and speed requirements) and then buying from our best routers or best mesh guides, but you will have to spend a few hundred to get something comparable.
CPU: Intel i9-12900HK Graphics: Intel Iris XE RAM: 32 GB DDR4Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe4.0 1 TB SSD (Up to 2TB) Rear Ports: Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports, 2xHDMI ports and 2xUSB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (1 DP only), 2xUSB-A 3.2 Gen 2 Front Ports: 1xUSB-C, 2xUSB-A, 3.5mm audio Connectivity: Wi-Fi6, BT5.2 Audio: 3.5mmCamera: n/a Size: 180 mm x 208 mm x 67 mm. OS installed: Windows 11 Home Accessories: 120W GAD power Supply, SATA Expansion cable
Minisforum has designed the NAB9 targeting power users as its base, those who need the robust capabilities of a CPU to power through office and creative tasks but without the extensive GPU power that gaming requires, thereby keeping heat generation down.
Equipped with an Intel i9-12900HK and Intel Iris XE graphics, along with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, this mini PC handles most office tasks, Photoshop jobs, and general 4K video editing software with relative ease. It is also well-equipped when it comes to connectivity, offering plenty of USB Type-C and Type-A ports, facilitating a range of accessories, although it’s worth noting that one of the USB Type-C ports on the back is for display use only.
With two HDMI and two USB Type-C ports on the back, the machine allows for connecting up to four monitors without issue. The connectivity options are well catered for, with the M.2 2230 Wi-Fi support card ensuring a powerful wireless connection beyond most other mini PCs. For those needing the reliability of a wired connection, there are two RJ45 2.5G LAN ports.
Like many of the best mini PCs we’ve tested, this machine, while powerful, is all about balance. Handling image and video files is perfectly possible, though it’s more suited for entry to mid-level work rather than professional tasks. However, the USB Type-C ports allow for storage expansion through external hard drives, and the data transfer rate for Premiere Pro and Photoshop is sufficient to keep up with workflow demands. The introduction of USB 4 would enhance data transfer and enable the use of eGPUs, but this would add considerably to the cost of this compact machine. Additionally, while 32GB of RAM is the baseline for video editing and is adequate in this system, it uses older DDR4 rather than the latest DDR5, but it handles video and image content well as long as video productions are simple and short.
Switching to gaming, most games run fine, with Portal 2 running smoothly. However, more recent games like Cyberpunk and Red Dead Redemption II require lower graphics quality—this is where USB 4 and DDR5 would have boosted performance, especially with the addition of an eGPU.
Considering the price, this mini PC has plenty to offer, and the i9 CPU, along with the RAM, storage, and generous cooling, ensures that the Minisforum NAB9 runs fast for extended periods. While it may not be the best choice for the latest games, it is a superb machine for everything else.
Minisforum Venus NAB9: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Minisforum Venus NAB9 is widely available and can be purchased directly through the Minisforum website or Amazon.com. It is available in a variety of options; the 32GB, 1TB version reviewed here will set you back $509. Additionally, there is a barebones version available, allowing you to select your own SSD and RAM.
Minisforum Venus NAB9: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Minisforum Venus NAB9 sits in the mid-range when it comes to mini PC size, featuring a standard footprint and a slightly taller frame that accommodates the additional cooling required for the powerful Intel i9-12900HK CPU inside. The choice of case design helps keep the machine cool when working at full throttle, and the metal sides with vent slots and silver plastic top all contribute to giving this mini PC a slightly premium look and feel.
There are some nice touches to the design, such as the layout of the rear ports. The LAN ports take center stage, flanked by HDMI and USB ports on either side, USB Type-A on one side, and the power socket on the other. This arrangement makes it extremely easy to set up on a desk, with the ability to neatly arrange the cable layout into monitors, keyboards, mice, and accessories.
Likewise, the small selection of USB and audio ports on the front, along with the small power-on button, make plugging in headphones and other accessories convenient.
As the machine has a variety of configuration options, including barebones, it’s nice to see easy access to the inner workings. Accessing the SSD and RAM is simply a case of pushing down on the front of the top plate; it then clicks, releases, and can be removed. Inside, everything is clear and easy to access in case of a component swap-around or upgrade. One of the features that will appeal to anyone wanting to boost the standard 512GB or 1TB storage is that this machine can be upgraded to 2TB. If that’s still not enough, the lid of the machine is designed to hold a 2.5″ SSD with the screws and cables provided in the box, although the purchase of the SSD is separate. This means if you want to pop in an 8TB SSD, you can, and this connects through the SATA expansion cable. Likewise, the 32GB of RAM in the review machine can also be upgraded to a maximum of 64GB, which could be ideal if you are looking to use the machine for photo or video work.
As a compact business computer, the design is very neat and discreet, with the metal silver finish giving it an understated yet stylish look.
Minisforum Venus NAB9: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The MINISFORUM Venus Series NAB9 Mini PC is designed for business use, blending high performance with a sleek, compact form factor. If you wanted a portable business laptop alternative, this will adequately fulfil that role. At its core, the Intel Core i9-12900HK processor features a hybrid architecture with 14 cores and 20 threads, capable of speeds up to 5.0GHz. Combined with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, this setup provides ample processing power for office, multimedia, creative tasks, and moderate gaming needs.
Connectivity is a major feature of the NAB9, with dual 2.5G Ethernet ports enabling a variety of networking options such as ultra-secure firewalls and file storage servers. For convenience in wireless connectivity, the NAB9 includes dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 on a replaceable M.2 2230 card, which not only ensures a robust wireless connection but also future-proofs the unit to some extent for upgrades.
Monitor connection is another area where the NAB9 provides plenty of options. It supports up to four displays at 4K resolution and 60Hz, made possible by two HDMI and two USB-C ports.
Our review unit arrived pre-equipped with 32GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory (max 64GB) and a 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD (max 2TB), both of which can be upgraded easily thanks to a user-friendly pop-up design of the top. There’s also the option to secure a larger capacity 2.5″ SATA drive into the lid to expand storage.
Cooling is critical and can often be an issue with the mini PC format; the NAB9 addresses this with an innovative cooling system that includes dual heat pipes, dual air vents, and a new active solid-state heat sink complemented by side cooling openings. Unlike some other mini PCs, the NAB9 does not include boosted graphics, so while it is powerful and capable of moderate gaming performance, the focus here is on the processing power for other uses.
Minisforum Venus NAB9: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 4805.93MB/s Crystal Disk Write: 3900.54MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 10689 GeekBench CPU Multi: 2300 GeekBench Compute: 14636 PC Mark: 5872 CineBench CPU Multi: 12081 CineBench CPU Single: 1654 Fire Strike Overall: 5002 Fire Strike Graphics: 5350 Fire Strike Physics: 26384 Fire Strike Combined: 1851 Time Spy Overall: 1807 Time Spy Graphics: 1577 Time Spy CPU: 10625 Wild Life: 11983 Windows Experience: 8.3
The Minisforum Venus Series NAB9 Mini PC’s performance is impressive, especially considering its compact size. This is primarily due to the Intel Core i9-12900HK processor, which provides substantial processing power for a range of applications, from office productivity to creative media work. Minisforum has carefully considered the components used in this small machine, focusing on the essentials needed for a fast office machine rather than gaming. This does mean there is a compromise, with no DDR5 RAM, USB 4 ports, or higher-end graphics.
Starting with everyday tasks, the NAB9 handles Microsoft Office applications with ease, ensuring smooth operation across all Office apps without any noticeable slowdown. This performance is reflected in its PC Mark score of 5872, indicating strong general productivity capabilities with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
When it comes to creative software, the NAB9 manages processor-intensive tasks well, with Adobe Photoshop tasks like image manipulation and enhancement being handled efficiently. However, the absence of a dedicated GPU means it faces challenges with high-resolution graphic data in Adobe Bridge, a common compromise in mini PCs. Its performance in Adobe Premiere Pro is decent enough; editing 1080p footage is smooth, and even 4K footage remains manageable unless you push the machine to edit log3 quality footage, at which point it begins to falter.
This machine is ideal for businesses where some image and video enhancement is needed. Its power and cooling mean it can handle those demanding tasks with relative ease. It’s suited for footage captured on phones or using standard quality settings for images and stills before switching to RAW or Log formats.
For gaming, the NAB9’s limitations become apparent when dealing with graphically intensive titles like Red Dead Redemption II and Cyberpunk 2077 at native 4K resolution. While the device struggles at higher settings and resolutions, lowering the resolution to 1080p allows for a much better gaming experience, albeit at the cost of visual fidelity. This is corroborated by its 3D benchmark scores, with Fire Strike and Time Spy graphics scores of 5350 and 1577, respectively, indicating that while capable, it’s not intended for high-end gaming.
The device’s storage performance is fast, with Crystal Disk scores of 4805.93 MB/s read and 3900.54 MB/s write. This ensures that data transfer and loading times are exceptionally quick, which is beneficial for applications requiring frequent access to large files.
Benchmark scores in other areas further reflect the NAB9’s strengths and weaknesses. Its GeekBench scores show a strong single-core performance at 10689 but a lower multi-core score of 2300, suggesting it handles single-threaded tasks well but may lag in more intensive multi-threaded operations. Similarly, CineBench scores highlight good performance, especially in multi-core tests, which is crucial for tasks like video rendering and software compilation.
Overall, the Minisforum Venus Series NAB9 mini PC is a solid business-focused mini PC ideal for those whose work involves office applications, moderate use of the best video editing software and photo editors, and occasional gaming at adjusted settings. Its performance benchmarks in real-world applications highlight that the NAB9 balances compactness with capability, making it a great option for a variety of uses.
Should you buy the Minisforum Venus NAB9?
The MINISFORUM Venus Series NAB9 Mini PC excels as a business and creativity-focused system, powered by a robust Intel i9 processor and ample connectivity options. While it efficiently handles office tasks and moderates creative and video work, its gaming capabilities and the absence of the latest ports like USB 4.0 and DDR5 RAM might deter more tech-savvy users seeking cutting-edge specifications. Nevertheless, for professional environments and typical productivity tasks, it offers great value, ensuring high performance without the risk of overheating, thanks to its efficient design and cooling system.
The iFi GO Bar Kensei is another reminder that iFi knows precisely what’s what when it comes to headphone amps and DACs of all shapes, sizes and prices. More often than not, it’s among the leaders in any given market. And so it’s decided what the humble USB DAC/headphone amp needs is a bit of glamour to go along with performance. Hence, the GO Bar Kensei.
On paper and in the palm, it makes a lot of sense. The specification is extensive, the finish – all tactile Japanese stainless steel that catches the light – is unarguably upmarket. If you want to put an absolute rocket up the sound of your smartphone and enjoy ownership of a premium product as you do so, it would seem to be just the ticket.
And in practice, the GO Bar Kensei makes good on a lot of what it promises. It’s a deft, rhythmically adept and impressively spacious listen, able to retrieve a huge amount of detail and put it all into the proper context. It has plenty of dynamic headroom, and is able to apply its talents to any digital audio file no matter where you source it from.
It overplays its hand somewhat at the top of the frequency range, though – ‘brilliance’ is not always a positive when it comes to treble sounds, especially when there’s not the substance to balance it out. And there’s a periodic glitch in the way the GO Bar Kensei performs that sends an unpleasant burst of noise to your headphones at the start of a new file, too. Both of these things undermine the iFi somewhat when compared to the best portable DACs, and make it a fair bit less compelling than it otherwise would be.
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Released in March 2024
Priced at $499 / £449 / AU$769
The iFi GO Bar Kensei portable headphone amp/DAC is on sale now for $449 in the United States, £449 United Kingdom and in Australia, it will set you back AU$769 or thereabouts.
The world is not short of portable USB headphone amp/DACs, of course. What it is slightly shorter of is really quite expensive USB headphone amp/DACs, and shorter still of really quite expensive USB headphone amp/DACs that have gotten completely carried away with Japanese sword master analogies. So this iFi has quite a bit to prove…
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
32bit Cirrus Logic DAC
‘K2HD’ audio processing technology
Balanced and unbalanced outputs
The GO Bar Kensei is necessarily compact, but that hasn’t prevented iFi from cramming it with features.
On the inside, iFi has sourced components from companies as well-regarded as muRata, Panasonic, TDK and Tantalum. These all serve to facilitate a 32bit Cirrus Logic DAC chipset that supports digital audio files of up to 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 resolution, with full MQA decoding on board too. The DAC uses a 16-core XMOS microcontroller to process the audio data received at the USB-C input.
And iFi has deployed technology derived from JVCKenwood too – ‘K2’ was originally developed to try and bring an ‘organic quality’ and ‘sound quality correction’ (JVCKenwood’s words, not mine) to digital recordings. iFi has breathed on it to the point that JVCKenwood asserts that it’s ‘the original ideal K2 sound’. Which is why, presumably, iFi has decided to refer to it as ‘K2HD’.
Further finessing of the sound is available via four digital filters and a couple of analogue processing modes, all of which will be familiar to anyone who’s paid any attention to iFi products released over the last few years. ‘Bit-perfect’, ‘GTO’ (which stands for Gibbs Transient Optimised, of course), ‘minimum phase’ and ‘standard’ are all, supposedly, able to make particular genres of music sound, well, more genre-ish. ‘XBass+’ intends to accentuate the lower frequencies, and ‘XSpace’ wants to expand the sound field.
No doubt you’ll investigate all of these options at your leisure. But no matter what your eventual preference(s), getting sound out of the GO Bar Kensei happens using either the 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced output at the opposite end of the device to the USB-C slot.
Features score: 5 / 5
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
Rapid, detailed and spacious sound
Positive and dynamic attitude
Overplays its hand with treble sounds
The sound quality the GO Bar Kensei delivers is, I reckon, a game of two slightly lop-sided halves plus a bit of extra time. And everything I’m about to say applies no matter which of the many filter and/or processing options you deploy. It’s possible to fiddle around the edges of the iFi’s sound, but its fundamental character is always apparent.
The first of the halves centres on just how rapid, detailed, open and organised a performer the GO Bar Kensei is. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of David Bowie’s Low, a Dolby Atmos stream of De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising or a 24bit/192kHz copy of Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – every time, the iFi extracts and contextualises a huge amount of both broad and fine detail. No occurrence is too felting or too far back in a mix to escape its attention – and as a result, the sensation that you’re getting a complete picture is always present.
It digs reasonably deep at the bottom of the frequency range, and controls the low end to the point that rhythmic expression is good and momentum is undeniable. The big, open and well-defined nature of its soundstage allows every element of a recording the space it needs to properly express itself, and it allows vocalists in the midrange to communicate explicitly. There’s real eloquence and directness to the way the GO Bar Kensei delivers a singer, a sensation of positivity that feeds into the overall idea of ‘performance’ and ‘unity’.
Dynamic expression is good too, whether it’s the shifts in volume and intensity that many recordings indulge in or the more subtle (but no less significant) harmonic variations in a solo voice or instrument. The iFi can be muscular when needs be, but it’s just as capable of being tender and delicate.
The second half concerns the way the GO Bar Kensei deals with the top of the frequency range. To put it bluntly, it’s altogether too confident where treble sounds are concerned – they’re overstated in every circumstance, and tonally they lack substance and body. The top end here is crashy and splashy, hard-edged and thin – and these unhappy traits are only compounded by increases in volume. If you pair the iFi with similarly treble-centric headphones then your teeth will constantly be on edge.
And there’s extra time, which has nothing to do with the way the GO Bar Kensei sounds but everything to do with the way it performs. On occasion, when one file ends and the next begins, the iFi will let loose a very short burst of utterly startling electrical noise, a sort of exclamation of white noise that is, of course, entirely unwelcome and obviously unintentional. It doesn’t happen every time, but it happens often enough. And it’s not as if it’s provoked by switching from one streaming service to another or anything like that – simply hitting ‘play’ on a playlist can goad it. As I say, this is by no means a constant – but in some ways, it’s even more upsetting because it doesn’t happen every time. It seems to happen (to me, anyway) more often when using iFi’s USB-C/Lightning connector attached to an iPhone than when using the USB-C/USB-C cable with a Samsung smartphone… but either way, I’m not a fan.
Sound quality: 3.5 / 5
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
65 x 22 x 13mm (HxWxD)
Japanese stainless steel
Very, very small user interface
At 65 x 22 x 13mm (HxWxD) the GO Bar Kensei is certainly pocket-sized, but at almost 66g it feels quite dense. The fact that it’s built almost entirely from Japanese stainless steel is probably to blame – but while it puts a little more strain on your pocket that most USB DACs, there’s no denying the iFi feels (and looks) like a premium product.
At one end of the stick there’s a USB-C slot, and at the other you’ll find the 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs. Along one side there are a few controls – a multi-function button that allows you to check out the various digital filters and analogue processing modes, a button each for ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ and the ‘IEMatch’ switch. This last has three positions: ‘off’, ‘3.5’ and ‘4.4’.
On the rear of the stick, etched into the steel surface and consequently only visible when a) very close, and b) in favourable light, are a strip of miniscule LEDs that let you know what’s what (if your eyesight is up to it) in terms of mode, file type and file size. And on the top surface, there’s a company logo and some Japanese characters reading ‘Kensei’ – which apparently translates as ‘sword saint’.
Design score: 4 / 5
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Usability and setup
(Image credit: Future)
Plug your source into the USB-C input…
Plug your headphones into the 3.5mm or 4.4mm output…
…and select your ‘IEMatch’ position
‘Setup’ is to overstate what’s required here. The GO Bar Kensei attaches to your source player via its USB-C slot (iFi provides short, good-quality USB-C/USB-C and USB-C/Lightning cables for this purpose) and to your headphones using either its 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced output.
Then you simply need to decide if you need to deploy the ‘IEMatch’ switch, and whether or not you enjoy the effect of the ‘XBass+’ and/or ‘XSpace’ settings – and that’s about everything. Audio equipment doesn’t get any more straightforward.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Value
Priced in line with rivals
Comparative to the cost of a digital audio player
(Image credit: Future)
It depends which way you look at it, really. The iFi GO Bar Kensei is among the more capable USB-sized headphone amp/DACs around – although it’s far from perfect – and is able to turn your smartphone into a far better source of music than it’s capable of being by itself.
But it costs the sort of money that can get you close to buying a very decent dedicated portable music player… but if you decide to spend the money on one of the best MP3 players instead, you have to take two phone-sized devices out with you… decisions, decisions…
Should I buy iFi GO Bar Kensei?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Packed with top components and next-gen K2HD tech.
5/5
Design
Built with premium Japanese steel to embody a ‘sword saint’.
4/5
Sound quality
Detailed and controlled audio that breaks away at the top end of the frequency range.
3.5/5
Usability and setup
A straightforward, simple setup that takes an instant.
5/5
Value
While it’s priced in line with rivals, the GO Bar Kensei does the cost the same as a digital audio player.
3.5/5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Also consider
How I tested the iFi GO Bar Kensei
(Image credit: Future)
Tested for a week
Used with iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23
Listened with Grado SR325x headphones
On and off, I spent maybe a week listening to the GO Bar Kensei. I used it with Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones. I connected it to Sennheiser IE900 in-ear monitors via its 4.4mm balanced output and to a pair of Grado SR325x over-ears using its 3.5mm connection.
I used it while at home, on the street, and on the train. I mostly listened to music from TIDAL and Qobuz (because these streaming services are full of high-resolution content of MQA and 24bit/192kHz standard), and I checked out its various digital filters and analogue processing modes as I did so.
The Beats Solo 4 are long-awaited on-ear wireless headphones that aim to improve on the company’s 2016 Solo 3 with an increased battery life and additional features, including a USB-C port for simultaneous charging and lossless hi-res audio playback, and Spatial Audio – as well as some new color options.
When wearing the Beats Solo 4, I was pleasantly surprised at how well isolated I was from my immediate environment, despite the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC). The claimed 50-hour battery appeared to hold true during my tests too, which is great for such comparatively small and light headphones.
As with most of the best Beats headphones, style is at the forefront, and the Slate Blue variant I tested certainly makes a statement (they are also available in Matte Black and Cloud Pink). Some parts of the plastic build and headband padding feel cheap, though, and certain aspects of its engineering, such as the folding mechanism, don’t inspire much confidence.
They offer a secure fit that’s impressively solid for on-ear headphones, withstanding the rigors of physical activity without shifting, which is important considering that Beats is promoting these headphones for exercise. However, on-ear headphones don’t really work for my ear comfort, and these did nothing to change that – and long-term comfort is made worse by the lack of adequate padding on the headband; I couldn’t use them for more than an hour at a time.
The controls also provide issues: the main ‘b’ button is easy to accidentally press when hanging Solo 4 around the neck, and I found the volume buttons hard to locate while wearing. Pressing them also puts undue pressure onto the ears, which, as you can imagine, is an uncomfortable sensation.
The sound is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Solo 4. The bass response can be impactful at times but wooly at others, while the mids sound muddy and lack punch compared to more of the best wireless headphones at the same price. These problems aren’t solved if you listen via any of the higher-quality wired options. The upper mids are where the Solo 4 sound their best, but the highest frequencies don’t have enough sparkle and clarity in comparison to the competition.
The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N, for example, are the same price in the US (and cheaper in the UK), and beat the Solo 4 on pretty much all fronts: they have much better sound, comfort levels, and come with ANC. The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is another superb option for those who want something more audiophile-friendly, with impressive ANC and wireless hi-res support.
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Solo 4 review: Price & release date
Priced $199 / £199 / AU$329
Launched in May 2024
Available in Matte Black, Slate Blue and Cloud Pink
The Beats Solo 4 are priced at $199 / £199 / AU$329 officially, and were available to buy from May 2nd, 2024.
This is lower than today’s flagship headphones – the Beats Studio Pro are $349 / £349, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 officially cost $349 / £299. Both of these are larger, over-ear models with ANC.
For basically the same price as the Solo 4, you could also get the Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus. Both of these are over-ear rather than on-ear, which usually improves low-end frequency response, and feature ANC and some other features lacking here. The Sennheiser headphones also match the Solo 4’s 50-hour battery, even with ANC on.
Beats Solo 4 review: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Drivers
40mm
Active noise cancellation
None
Battery life
50hrs
Weight
217g / 0.48 lbs
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm analog input, USB-C audio input and charging
The feature set for the Beats Solo 4 is what you would expect from a modern pair of wireless headphones. One-touch Bluetooth connectivity made it easy for me to connect to Android, iPhone and Windows PCs, and lossless audio playback is supported via a wired USB-C connection. This means you can listen to sources that provide superior quality to MP3 or AAC file formats, imparting more detail across the entire frequency range, theoretically. Simultaneous charging is also possible when connected to devices that provide power.
However, there is no high-resolution audio support when connected via Bluetooth, as the Beats Solo 4 only support AAC and SBC wirelessly, which are both compressed formats; there’s no aptX or LDAC.
There is also a 3.5mm analog input and included cable so you can use them just like a traditional pair of wired headphones, meaning you can enjoy unlimited playback without using any battery power. Again, this can offer higher-quality audio than Bluetooth, and is useful on planes.
The Beats app is responsive, easy to use, and offers options to easily manage privacy controls, such as location permission, notifications and analytics, and battery optimization settings. It also provides the battery level as a percentage that actually updates for all 100 numbers, which is very useful (and not something all headphones provide – some just note when they’ve dropped by 20%, for example).
There’s fast pairing and auto-switching between compatible devices for both iOS and Android ecosystems – and the Find My system for both platforms in supported. However, Apple users get a few extra features, such as hands-free ‘Hey Siri’ access and Audio Sharing, which lets users share playback with multiple pairs of AirPods or Beats headphones at a time. Better than these, though, is that Apple users get Personalized Spatial Audio for movies or Dolby Atmos music. There’s no support for this on Android.
I mentioned auto-switching between devices above, but be warned that this only worth within the Apple or Android systems. So, it auto-switches between iPhone and Mac; or it switches between Android and Chromebook. There’s no standard multi-point pairing, so you can’t switch between, say, an Android phone and Windows laptop seamlessly.
True to their minimalist aesthetic, the Beat Solo 4 headphones only have four buttons, and all of them are pretty well hidden. The main ‘b’ button is on the left hand side and integrated with the company logo, and controls main functions, such as play/pause and skip track, depending on the number of times it is pressed. The button is tactile and operates smoothly, although I did find it easy to press accidentally, especially when they’re hung around the neck.
The volume controls are located on the ring around the ‘b’ button, with the top half increasing volume and the bottom decreasing. Again, these function well, but they require too much force to register, which meant I was pressing the entire left driver into the side of my head, which isn’t comfortable.
The power button is perhaps the most hidden of all, being a tiny little dot finished in the same color as the rest of the headphones. Locating this blindly when wearing the Solo 4 isn’t easy. It also has to be held down for a few seconds, but hold for too long, and you enter pairing mode. Getting the timing right is tricky, and the only audio prompt you get is when the Bluetooth connection is established. The only indication that the Solo 4 are turned on is a small LED on the outside. Basically, make sure you turn them on before they’re on your head.
The microphone is also high quality, although perhaps too eager to pick up extraneous noises. When making a test call with the Solo 4, my interlocutor commented that, although I was coming through clearly and loudly despite the considerable amount of wind outside, other background noises also came through prominently, such as people talking around me in the street.
Beats quotes the battery life as being a generous 50 hours of playback. And during my test, this figure seemed to live up to reality.
I tracked them as generally losing around 5% battery per 2.5 hours (without Spatial Audio turned on), which puts them right in line for the 50-hour claims from Beats. I also observed them drop around 10% after a 6.5 hours of playback too, so you may get a little over 50 hours – but as usual with headphones, it can depend on volume and other factors.
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Solo 4 review: Sound quality
Bass is hit-and-miss
Boxy lower mids, clear upper mids
Great passive noise isolation
Despite Beats having a reputation for bass-heavy headphones, the Solo 4 are pretty controlled on this front. The low frequencies are deep without being overbearing, although they don’t have the precision and control I would hope for. There are times when the bass is too boomy and wooly, especially noticeable in songs with sustained low notes.
The lower mids are also disappointingly muddy, but the upper mids are pleasantly crisp without being harsh. Songs with detailed percussive arrangements, for instance, come across well in the Solo 4. But the highest frequencies don’t sparkle as much as they could, lacking the finer details at the top end of the spectrum.
When connected via USB-C rather than Bluetooth, you get access to lossless audio, which, in theory at least, should provide a listening experience fit for audiophiles. During my audio test via USB-C with our special TechRadar playlist on Tidal – which provides lossless music streaming – the results weren’t radically different to Bluetooth. The bass was still amiss, and while the mids were more punchy, they still weren’t as clear as I would have liked. Using the 3.5mm analog input seemed to marginally improve the quality of these frequencies, but not by much.
In comparison to the Sony ULT Wear headphones and Sennheiser Accentum Wireless that I’ve already mentioned in this review, there’s no competition really – these both offer more detail, a better balance across the frequencies, and a clearly richer experience overall.
Where the Solo 4 shine, though, is the noise isolation. Despite not having any active noise cancellation profiles, external sounds are blocked out well. This helps songs with heavy reverb and a strong sense of space to be comprehensively conveyed. Spatial Audio experiences are also improved by the isolation, making the illusion of the surround sound theater experience more compelling. The dynamic head tracking meant that whichever way I turned my head, even slightly, the audio panned to always match the direction of the source.
At this price, it’s hard to get a better movie sound experience on headphones than Apple’s Spatial Audio tech provides. This is a nice bonus if you’ll watch a lot of movies, but really still has limited appeal for those who will only listen to music with them.
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Solo 4 review: Design
Snug and secure fit
Uncomfortable for sustained periods
Nice colors, but limited selection
The case that comes with the Beats Solo 4 is made from a soft fabric material, which makes for a lighter carrying weight. However, it does make me more concerned about their safety when buried at the bottom of a backpack or stuffed in a suitcase than if they had a hard case.
The opening for the case is also quite small, so using it isn’t exactly a seamless experience: it’s near-impossible to take them out without sliding the headband adjustments, and putting back the included 3.5mm analog and USB-C cables in their own pouches within the case is also quite the chore, since the openings for those are very small as well.
And despite being smaller than over-ear headphones, the depth of the case means that they aren’t that much smaller to carry around, if at all. The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N over-ear wireless headphones, for instance – which are bigger than the Solo 4 – have a case which is longer and wider, but thinner, which is something I personally prefer, as I find such cases easier to pack away.
The Solo 4 stay true to the Beats aesthetic, looking almost identical to the Solo 3. The look is minimal and the Beats logo is displayed prominently on the sides of each can, so everyone knows what you’re wearing. The Slate Blue finish I had is vibrant without being garish, although Matte Black and Cloud Pink are other color options you can choose from. It’s a little disappointing there are only three options, since the Solo 3 came in five colors, but I’m sure more will become available over time.
The adjustments on the headband are smooth and relatively easy to make – although this was trickier while wearing them, as they were fairly tight on me. The hinge mechanisms for folding the earcups feels quite loose, and so doesn’t hold them in folded position with much support. The plastic used for the overall construction doesn’t especially premium either when compared to the likes of Sony and Bose headphones.
The fit is very snug and secure, despite being an on-ear design, and so having less surface area on the pads to grip your head. Having used them for exercise, I can say that they stay on without the slightest deviation. Beats has mentioned exercise as a key use case for the Solo 4, and even in a world of fitness-focused earbuds, they do this job very well.
The price I paid for this secureness, however, was a lack of comfort overall. Despite the particularly plush ear pads, the Solo 4 felt the same as any other pair of on-ear headphones I have tried – which is to say, painful after long sessions. Not everyone feels the same but, if you’re someone with sensitive ears to pressure, like me, then these aren’t going to be the on-ear headphones that change your mind. Glasses wearers will also be in even more potential pain – but again, I will concede this is something I am personally quite sensitive to.
But with the Beats Solo 4, the more universal issue is the feeble headband padding, which meant that the top of my head felt the strain as well. The rubber coating also feels cheap and offers too much grip if anything, often sticking to my hair, causing issues when sliding them on and off.
The upshot is that I couldn’t wear the Solo 4 for more than an hour at a time before I had to give my cranium a break. But when you do take them off and hang them around your neck, I encountered another problem: since the earcups don’t swivel, the edges can rest uncomfortably between the chin and collarbone. It may seem like a small point, but other headphones at this price point do have rotating cups to rectify this problem and make life more comfortable.
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Solo 4 review: Value
Rivals offer better sound for the same price
No ANC is disappointing
Smart features for both Android and iOS is rare
The Beats Solo 4 are priced at $199 / £199 / AU$329, and the competition at this point is quite stiff. The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N, for instance, are currently available for the same price, if not cheaper, and best the Solo 4 in virtually every aspect. I tested them directly against the Solo 4, since we had both in for review at the same time.
The Sony headphones have superior sound and comfort levels, as well as having more features, including ANC. The Beats Solo 4 almost get away with this omission thanks to their frankly excellent natural noise isolating capabilities, but it’s still far perfect, and other headphones at this price point feature ANC too.
In no small part, you’ll be paying for the specific styling and the unique mix of Android- and iOS-friendly features. A lot of people will feel that’s worth it, but I’m not sure it’s quite enough. These features, plus Apple’s top-tier Spatial Audio, good battery life and USB-C audio mean they’re reasonable for the price overall – but you can spend your money better.
Should I buy the Beats Solo 4?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Section
Notes
Score
Features
Apple integrations and wired options are welcome, but no ANC or multi-point is a shame.
4/5
Sound quality
Bass sounds are mixed but the upper mids really do pop. The lower mids and highs are lackluster, though.
3/5
Design
The style is there, and buttons feel solid, but ergonomic issues made the Solo 4 uncomfortable for me.
3/5
Value
At this price, there are multiple candidates than offer better sound, comfort and design.
2.5/5
Buy them if…
Don’t buy them if…
Beats Solo 4 review: Also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Beats Solo 4
Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N
Edifier Stax Spirit S3
Price
$199 / £199 / AU$329
$199 / £179 / AU$348
$399 / £330 / approx. AU$640
Drivers
40mm
40mm
70mm Planar Magnetic
Active noise cancellation
No
Yes
No
Quoted battery life
50hrs
30hrs
80hrs
Weight
217g
255g
329g
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm analog input, USB-C audio input and charging
aptX and Snapdragon Sound support, replaceable earpads
How I tested the Beats Solo 4
Tested on Android, iPhone and PC
Streamed music from Tidal and used stored MP3 tracks
Tested over 10 days
I tested the Beats Solo 4 over the course of a week, in various scenarios. I tried them with an Android phone and an iPhone, as well as a laptop and a Fiio M11S high resolution music player. I made use of all their supported features, including wireless playback via Bluetooth, and wired via 3.5mm analog and USB-C.
I listened to music directly from lowly MP3 files in 320kbps quality, as well as via hi-res streaming service Tidal. I tested them with a variety of genres, including rock, pop, electronic, classical and jazz. I listened both in quiet indoor environments and noisy outdoor ones. I also tried exercising with them to test how secure the fit was.
I also made phone calls and recorded voice memos with the Solo 4 to test the microphone quality too.
I also tested the battery life by leaving the headphones connected to a mobile device via Bluetooth to play through a playlist at a typical listening volume.
The GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame is ready to display pictures sent from your whole extended family. It’s so easy to use it makes a great gift for the non-techie mom in your life.
The touchscreen looks great, whether it’s showing images or short videos sent in from a free app.
I put digital photo frame in my home office for hands-on testing. And I love it.
GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame review
My elderly mother-on-law missed the computer age completely. She’s never been on Facebook and doesn’t use email. She doesn’t even have a mobile phone.
But she has a digital photo frame that her family sends their pictures to. She gets up every morning looking forward to seeing what fresh images of her grandchildren and great grandchildren have been added.
With a GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame, that could be your mother, too.
Internet-connected digital photo frame looks great
Add a photo collection to your mantle with a digital photo frame. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A digital photo frame must include a beautiful display or it’s pointless. And the one GPX built into its product delivers. It’s bright enough that the colors aren’t muddy. And the screen offers wide viewing angles so you don’t need to be right in front of the frame for images to look good.
To be clear, the display isn’t spectacular. My iPad looks a bit better, for example. But it’s quite good enough for a screen your mom will look at occasionally, not stare at for hours.
Admittedly, 7 inches isn’t the largest display around. You can certainly find larger digital photo frames. This one is small enough to fit easily on a bedside table or a crowded desk, though.
It’s not battery powered. The device needs a connection to a power socket.
So easy to use
When testing the GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame, I was always considering whether I’d be willing to give it to my elderly mother who has minimal skills with computers. And I absolutely would … after I set it up.
If the device is going to someone like my mom, you should handle the setup. It’s not difficult, but it’s also not something you want to walk them through on the phone. But that’s also true for every digital photo frame I’ve ever used.
Once it’s set up, the device couldn’t be simpler. It automatically flips slowly through all the images and videos it has stored. And there’s a touchscreen so the user can move back and forth through the collection at their own pace.
Pictures will come in from the family with either a portrait or landscape orientation. You can switch the digital photo frame between these just by flipping it. And the image viewing software is smart enough to fill in around images in the different orientation.
Let’s get technical
Send images to the GPX digital photo frame is easy with the Frameo app. Screenshots: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The person using the GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame doesn’t need any technical skills but whoever is adding the images does. At least enough to use an app.
The best way to add these is with the free Frameo application, either on iPhone or Android.
The process is simple enough. Use the app to go through the collection of pictures on your device, picking out good ones and move them to the digital photo frame over the internet/Wi-Fi.
You can not easily dump your entire photo library onto the frame, which is a good thing. The device has about 10GB of free space so it will not hold the 20,000 images you carry everywhere on your iPhone. You’ll need to go through and pick out the best — think of it as part of the gift to your mother.
Besides, the real highlight of this product is sending your mom new pictures and videos when you take them. She can see the ones from today’s ballet recital or baseball game immediately.
Multiple people can share images with the frame. You and all your siblings can send your mother pictures of her grandchildren.
Alternatively, you can copy pictures from a microSD card to the GPX digital photo frame. This is more of a hassle but it might be the best option if there’s no Wi-Fi network available.
You can send images to the GPX digital photo frame via a microSD card, too. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame final thoughts
Seeing how much my mother-in-law loves her digital photo frame makes me a fan of this type of device. And the one made by GPX looks great and works well.
But it’s a bit small and not the lowest cost option on the market. That said, don’t cheap out on an item you’re giving as a gift. In my testing, GPX’s product has been 100% stable. That bargain basement one you find online might cause problems for your mother — problems you’ll have to deal with.
★★★★☆
Pricing
The list price for the GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame is $99.99. A quick search found it available from a variety of retailers for as low as $79.
The Xiaomi Watch S3 is an affordable smartwatch with a highly customizable look that includes swappable bezels. It can track your health, fitness, and sleep, bring phone notifications to your wrist, and last several days between charges. The downside? It runs Xiaomi’s software, which feels a bit basic, and you can forget about third-party apps.
Closing in on a month with the Xiaomi Watch S3, I’m impressed by its tracking capabilities, considering the relatively low price, and the changeable bezels are a neat idea. But I’m also fine with saying goodbye to it. The Watch S3 has too many limitations for me, but it’s important to remember that this device is less than half the price of the most affordable option in our best smartwatches guide.
Before we dig in, it’s worth noting that there is a global version of the Xiaomi Watch S3, but it’s not sold in the US, there’s no official US support, and certain features (like NFC for payments) vary by region.
Smartwatch Chameleon
Photograph: Simon Hill
For folks who like to match their watch with their outfit, the Xiaomi Watch S3 has a unique trick up its sleeve in the shape of interchangeable bezels. Changing the strap on a watch can be impactful, but being able to change both the strap and bezel almost makes it look like a completely different device.
The Watch S3 has quite a chunky 47-mm aluminum case with angled lugs and two buttons on the right. A stainless steel bezel sits on top of the screen, and you can rotate it to remove and replace it with a different bezel. It’s easy once you get the hang, and there’s a wee marker on the inside to help you align. The bezels slot into place securely, and I never worried about them coming loose.
Attach a new bezel and the Watch S3 suggests a matching watch face. It’s a neat trick. There are more than 100 watch faces in every conceivable style, and you can even create your own. Changing the strap is also straightforward, so you can quickly change your look. My favorite of the straps and bezels Xiaomi sent was the classy green and black combo. You get one black or silver bezel with a matching fluororubber strap with the Watch S3, and alternatives must be purchased separately.
The 1.43-inch AMOLED screen has a layer of protective Corning glass. The display is roomy and crisp, but the relatively low peak brightness of 600 nits (a luminance measurement) meant it was sometimes hard to read in direct sunlight. The Watch S3 is also 5ATM rated for water resistance, meaning you can swim with it.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Streamlined for Stamina
The Xiaomi Watch S3 focuses on the basics with call and notification alerts from your phone; health, fitness, and sleep tracking; and a handful of utilities like a voice recorder, camera shutter control, and compass. It runs HyperOS, so there are no third-party apps like you will find on a Google Wear OS smartwatch.
Navigating around the Watch S3 is slick and lag-free. HyperOS is not the most attractive software and lacks a cohesive design, with a mix of dull and garish icons. But it mostly worked well, aside from the odd missed notification from my phone. It connects via Bluetooth 5.2, and you can use it with any phone running Android 8 or iOS 12 or later. I tested with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
When Sony entered the over-the-counter hearing aid market two years ago, it did so with a pair of products: the CRE-C10 and the more expensive CRE-E10. I was dazzled by the minuscule C10—it’s still one of the hearing aid options I recommend the most—and assumed the E10 would be even more impressive. Now that I’ve finally landed a pair of E10 aids to test, I can assure you that the E10 isn’t so much an upgrade to the C10 as it is a wholly different class of product with its own pros and cons.
While both the C10 and E10 rely on an in-ear earbud-like design conceit, their general approach is considerably different. While the 1-gram C10 fits nearly entirely inside the ear, invisible enough to require a small retrieval wire to remove it, the 2.94-gram E10 is much more bulbous and visible. It looks more like a standard Bluetooth earbud than any other hearing aid I’ve tested, filling the concha with its rounded body. Since, as the old saying goes, all concha are not created equal, your comfort level while wearing these hearing aids may vary considerably. In my ears, the fit was snug but not tight—comfortable for wearing for a few hours but not all day. Sony provides just four pairs of eartips you can experiment with to help improve the fit.
Photograph: Sony
The other big difference between the C10 and E10 is that while the C10 uses replaceable hearing aid batteries, the E10 features a more common rechargeable battery. The extra size of the device lets the E10 work for up to 26 hours (without streaming). The USB-C connectible and Qi-compatible charger provides enough juice for an additional two to three recharges.
Despite their larger size, the CRE-E10 aids do not feature any external controls, which is understandable because controls would be hard to access based on the way the aids sit in the ear. Instead, all controls are situated in Sony’s Hearing Control app (Android, iOS). This is the same app used for the CRE-C10, so I already had it installed, but I ran into immediate problems because the old aids were still registered to the app.
Photograph: Sony
To set up new aids, you have to remove the old ones from the app. To do that, Hearing Control requires you to enter a code sent to your registered email address. Naturally, I never received the code, so I couldn’t install the new set of aids. Eventually, Sony tech support instructed me to delete the app altogether and set it up again with a different email address—perhaps not the most elegant solution, but it worked to get me up and running.
The Ody II is a budget wireless keyboard from Trust that promises a quiet typing experience. If, like us, you’re coming from the clacking and clattering of a cheap full-sized keyboard, the difference is immediately noticeable. Smooth, near-silent, spill-proof, this is an impressive unit for the price.
We’ve tested out plenty of office keyboards, keyboards for programmers, spent decades hammering on wired and wireless and cheap and expensive and full-sized and compact models. If you spend a lot of time writing reports, essays, code, your latest screenplay and you don’t want to disturb those around you, and you don’t want to break the bank, the trust Ody II is worth checking out.
That’s the TLDR. And it comes with some caveats. This isn’t ergonomically designed, it’s not low profile, and it’s not a mechanical keyboard – although it offers a closer typing experience compared to a lot of modern, flat keyboards, and even boasts a numpad. But is silence really golden? We put the Ody II to the test. And yes, in true review fashion, this one was written using the keyboard in question.
Trust Ody II Wireless Keyboard: Pricing & availability
(Image credit: Trust)
The Trust Ody II silent keyboard is available as a standalone unit or as part of a keyboard and mouse combo, like our review unit. This set comes in at £20 and is widely available in the UK, from the likes of Argos, and across the rest of Europe.
Despite being a budget model, we were impressed with the overall design and construction of the Ody II. With its professional heavy black and embossed pebbling along the upper strip, it’s as sharp as a tailored business suit. There’s a nice weight to it, bolstered by the required three AAA batteries, and unlike many cheap keyboards, the casing doesn’t feel too plasticky. The keys themselves have a smooth feel to them, which is good for longer typing sessions.
Along the top row of the keyboard, you’ll find the physical on-off switch, while Function keys can be switched to media playback and hotkeys by pressing Fn + Tab. This works well in practice, but we would’ve liked to see some visual cue to show which is active.
The mouse bundled alongside the keyboard is fine. This is a standard 800 dpi – 1.600 dpi pointer with a speed button beneath a scroll wheel that’s very satisfying to roll. Comfortable enough under-hand with its rubber coating making it feel slightly more premium than it is, and like the keyboard, clicks are relatively quiet. Also like the keyboard, it’s not an ergonomic design. It uses a single AA battery.
Tucked away beneath the keyboard, you’ll find the Bluetooth adapter which feels snug in slot, but comes out easily. This single adapter is used to connect your PC to both devices. So, if you’re limited on ports, this is a good space-saver. Our experience here was good. We removed our wired unit, plugged in the USB-A adapter, then the keyboard and mouse worked. It was all very simple, seamless instant, the way it should be. No-one wants to be diving into Bluetooth settings just to write an email.
Trust Ody II Wireless Keyboard: Performance
(Image credit: Trust)
Using the Ody II has been a joy. A softer, gentler, typing experience, that feels like it can still take a beating when you’re pounding out a report past the deadline. It’s not completely silent, but certainly whisper quiet and unlikely to disturb those around you even during a writing frenzy. We came from a similarly designed but very noisy keyboard, and the difference is remarkable. That overall pleasing experience is aided by its elevated or ‘floating’ keys. This further dampens sound, while allowing for greater depth and travel.
During our time with the Ody II, we experienced no issues whatsoever. No lag between key presses, or having to press buttons multiple times to get them to work. Any typos are purely the writer’s own. Under day-to-day office usage, it performed very well. As a wireless unit, it works up to 10m away from the Bluetooth adapter – you’ll know when you’ve strayed too far, as the board’s green light disappears, showing connection loss. This also happens when you don’t use the keyboard for some time, but we found ‘awakening’ it was instantaneous.
Using the bundled mouse, too, was a lag-free experience with none of the frustrations you sometimes get with cheap or budget brands. It’s not the best mouse we’ve ever used, lacking ergonomics for all-day use, but if you just need a classic office mouse for everyday use, it’s a welcome addition.
The real question for us is how long will the batteries last. Both devices had low-end batteries included, which are still holding up post-review. In an ideal world, we’d add a recharge option here – a cable for wired and wireless connections, making it useful for those who prefer the reliability of wired keyboards, and those who like the flexibility that comes from wireless models.
Trust Ody II Wireless Keyboard: Final verdict
(Image credit: Trust)
Really, we can only re-iterate what we said right at the start. If you do a lot of typing and want a silent experience on a budget, the Trust Ody II wireless keyboard is a fine bit of kit. While not totally silent, it’s as quiet as a whisper, the keys softly muted when pressed, and the overall experience of writing is incredibly comfortable, if not ergonomic.
For us, the mouse is very much a secondary character – a classic office mouse that’s comfortable enough if you don’t mind the lack of ergonomics. It’s nice to have, if you pick the combo set, but either way the keyboard is the real star of the show. Well-priced, well-designed, and mostly silent.
The Samsung HW-Q990D follows in the footsteps of one of the best soundbars in recent years, the Samsung HW-Q990C, but adds gaming features including 4K 120Hz and VRR pass-through, along with a more refined and controlled sound profile.
Filled to the brim with features, the Q990D offers plenty of settings for those who like to experiment. AI enhancements including Adaptive Sound and SpaceFit allow the Q990D to analyze sources and the viewing environment to create the best possible experience. Alongside these, the new gaming features enable users to get the most from their PS5 or Xbox Series X. And for those with a Samsung TV, there’s also Q-Symphony and a wireless Dolby Atmos option.
Carrying 22 speakers across four units, with an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D confirms Samsung’s continued domination of the soundbar market, especially when it comes to immersive Dolby Atmos sound. But, it’s not just immersive sound where it succeeds, as bass levels are punchy yet refined and trebles and mids can breathe easy over the bass. The Q990D also serves as an excellent music streaming option whether over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, with its wide soundstage giving every aspect of a song the space it needs.
Although on the bulkier side, the Q990D feels every bit its premium price thanks to its solid build quality, and it has a sleek, modern look. The main soundbar’s size may be an issue for some and its front LED display is not the most user-friendly, but for many, it will beat the mess of cables you get with a wired home theater setup.
With a variety of control options including a supplied remote and the Samsung SmartThings app, the Q990D is easy to use and tailor settings to how you like. Initial setup is a breeze, making it simple to get great sound.
The Q990D may be a premium soundbar, and there are cheaper options such as last year’s Samsung Q990C and this year’s Samsung HW-Q930D, but neither of those carries the full range of features or the performance found in the Q990D. Although pricey, it delivers the best Dolby Atmos soundbar experience you can get today.
The Samsung HW-Q990D comprises a soundbar, subwoofer and two surrounds, with 11.1.4 channels across 22 speakers. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Price & release date
Release date – March 2024
Price – $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995
The Samsung HW-Q990D is Samsung’s flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar for 2024. Released at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar package.
For context, that’s roughly $400 more than the JBL Bar 1300X, an older soundbar that includes wireless rear speakers and a powerful subwoofer, but is roughly $500 more than the most widely available Sonos home theater package, which features the Sonos Arc, Sonos Sub (Gen 3) and a pair of Sonos Era 100s as rears.
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dimensions (W x H x D)
Soundbar: 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm (51.3 x 23.4 x 10.9 in), Subwoofer: 220.0 x 413.0 x 410.0 mm (8.6 x 16.2 x 16.1 in), Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm (5 x 7.9 x 5.5 in)
Speaker channels
11.1.4
Connections:
1x HDMI out (with eARC), 2x HDMI 2.1 in, optical digital audio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Sub included
Yes
Rear speakers included
Yes
Features
Q Symphony, SpaceFit Sound Pro, Adaptive Sound, Game Mode Pro, Tap Sound, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, HDMI 2.1 120Hz pass-through, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision pass-through, wireless Dolby Atmos
The Samsung HW-Q990D (connected to the Samsung S95D TV) now has gaming features including 120Hz and VRR. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Features
11.1.4 speaker channels
HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz support
Wireless Dolby Atmos
The Samsung Q990D has many of the same features as its impressive predecessor, the Samsung HW-Q990C, including 11.1.4 speaker channels and 22 speakers spread across the four units (soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers).
One new feature is HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming, with both HDMI inputs supporting 4K120Hz and VRR. Both HDMI ports also pass through HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats.
Supported sound formats include Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Dolby 5.1, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.
The Q990D is stacked with sound-enhancing features including Adaptive Sound, which analyzes what you’re watching and intelligently adjusts audio levels; SpaceFit Sound Pro, which analyzes your environment and tunes the Q990D’s audio output for the space; and Game Mode Pro, which tailors directional sound to optimal levels when gaming.
Wi-Fi streaming on the Q990D supports hi-res audio formats including ALAC, FLAC and WAV and also Dolby Atmos music tracks found on streaming services such as Apple Music and Tidal. Speaking of streaming, there is also Spotify and Tidal Connect support.
There are some Samsung-exclusive enhancements alongside these features (meaning they only work with compatible Samsung TVs). The first is Q-Symphony, where the Q990D works with the speakers of a Samsung TV to boost sound even further. The next is wireless Dolby Atmos, where a Samsung TV can stream Dolby Atmos soundtracks – albeit a compressed version – to the Q990D.
Last is Tap Sound, where you tap your Samsung smartphone on the Q990D and it starts playing the music you’re streaming.
Control options include a hardware remote control and the Samsung SmartThings app. With the app, you can make EQ adjustments, activate voice and bass enhancement, and select Night Mode, which adjusts the sound to a suitable level for late-night viewing or listening. The app also isn’t just for the Q990D, but can control any compatible Samsung product.
The Samsung HW-Q990D main soundbar (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Performance
Exceptional immersive sound
Powerful, yet detailed audio
Impressive gaming performance
For years, Samsung’s flagship soundbars have continually impressed, serving as a pinnacle of what a soundbar-based home theater audio system is capable of, and the Q990D continues this trend.
With 22 speakers across the four units, including four height channels, in an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D creates an outstanding immersive experience, with expert reproduction of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks and real surround sound.
Watching Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus, the final attack and ensuing space battle involving the Death Star was every bit as cinematic as it should be. As X-Wings and Tie Fighters shot across the screen from every angle, the direction of the soaring engines glided across the speakers impeccably and John Williams’ iconic score in the rear speakers kept the tension high without drowning out other effects. Dialogue was crisp and clear, cutting through the densely packed mix of engines, lasers and music. Watching this, I truly felt like I was in the cockpit, as the iconic screech of the Tie Fighter passed over my head.
Although immersive sound is where the Q990D succeeded the most, bass levels from the weighty subwoofer also impressed. The rumble of the Batmobile’s engine in The Batman during the Penguin car chase sounded meaty with plenty of low-end punch. On previous Q990 generations, the bass could get carried away on occasion, but the Q990D’s bass feels more nuanced and controlled – dynamic but without overwhelming the rest of the mix.
Even when watching movies with a stereo soundtrack such as The Amazing Spider-Man on DVD, the Q990D boosted the sound through upmixing and gave more oomph to every fight sequence and web swing through NYC.
Other parts of the audio mix are well-balanced on the Q990D. High notes come across without being too shrill whilst mids sit comfortably where they should in the mix, with everything combining to create a full, detailed sound.
Although it’s not as impressive with music as with movies, the Q990D is still a triumph. When I streamed tracks from Tidal and Spotify in uncompressed hi-res and compressed formats respectively, the Q990D did a good job of balancing instruments and handled every genre well. Listening to Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World, the bass and drums sounded punchy, and the trebles of the synths and guitars sliced through evenly.
Listening to Dolby Atmos music tracks via Tidal, the Q990D again showed its prowess. Thelonius Monk’s Monk’s Dream (Take 8) spread out across the Q990D’s speakers, with every instrument given equal room to breathe – from the twinkling piano to the bright sax and the warm bass notes.
Sometimes the mix would sound forced on these Dolby Atmos tracks, with some instruments pushing a little too hard. But the Q990D generally continued to shine and even tracks streamed over lower quality Bluetooth sounded good.
The Q990D was connected to a Samsung S95D TV during my testing, with Samsung-centric features such as Q Symphony available. And while this did provide an extra layer to the sound, adding a greater sense of space and power, the Q990D gave a great cinematic experience without it.
As for gaming performance, when playing Battlefield V with an Xbox Series X, gaming was smooth, as switching between targets felt easy and the action suitably pacy.
The most surprising element of the Q990D’s gaming performance was the low 9.2ms input lag time, meaning its HDMI pass-through didn’t add any latency. For those needing 4K 120Hz, VRR and low input lag for their console, the Q990D can provide.
The Samsung HW-Q990D’s front display isn’t the easiest to read… (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Design
Solid, premium design
Front display isn’t easiest to read
Slightly wider than a 55-inch TV
The Q990D comprises four units: a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers. The subwoofer is sizable and hefty, but its wireless connection allows it to be placed anywhere in the room (as long as there’s a mains socket nearby to plug in for power). The rear speakers, meanwhile, have a compact yet sleek design.
The soundbar itself measures 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm, making it slightly longer than a 55-inch TV (which roughly measures 1200mm). At 595mm, it isn’t the tallest soundbar, but could still cut off the bottom of a lot of TVs. The soundbar is also weighty, although that demonstrates its premium quality.
The soundbar and rear speakers sport a gray/navy matte finish that gives them a minimalist, modern appearance. A mesh grille on the soundbar’s front makes it quite difficult to see what input you’re using and other information provided on the front panel LED display, however.
The Samsung HW-Q990D can be controlled with the above supplied remote, the Samsung SmartThings app or your TV remote via HDMI-CEC. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Setup & usability
HDMI eARC connection to TV
Wireless connection between units
Remote or SmartThings app for control
With four separate, wireless units, setting up the Q990D seems like it would be daunting, but the Q990D makes setup almost effortless. Once all units are plugged in and the soundbar is connected to the TV by HDMI eARC, the subwoofer and rear speakers connect by simply pressing a button on the back and you’re ready to go.
You can either use the supplied remote or the Samsung SmartThings app for control, with adjustments for boosting voice, bass and more. The Q990D can also be controlled via the TV remote using HDMI-CEC. Finally, there are control buttons and an LED display on top of the soundbar.
For those looking to optimize audio based on their room’s layout, there is also the SpaceFit Pro calibration system, which can be performed during initial setup or on the fly using the SmartThings app.
Setup & usability score: 4.5 / 5
The Samsung HW-Q990D is pricey, but you get an entire Atmos experience across four units. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Value
Premium price
Best home theater soundbar option
Samsung Q990C still available
Priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar. And although its features and excellent all-around performance justify the price, it is no doubt going to push some people’s budgets.
The Samsung HW-Q990C, the Q990D’s predecessor, is still available and sells at a reduced price that’s only going to fall further – I’ve seen it selling for roughly $400 / £600 cheaper than the Q990D. It does miss out on the Q990D’s gaming features, but if they’re not relevant to you, the Q990C is fine. Another option is the Samsung HW-Q930D, the step-down model from the Q990D which comes with fewer channels and features.
Still, in terms of features and performance, the Q990D offers a Dolby Atmos home theater experience no other soundbar can offer. To beat it, you’d need to look at full AV setups that don’t allow for the same tidy installation or ease of use.
Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q990D?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Section
Notes
Score
Features
Already stacked with features, the Q990D introduces gaming features to offer a completel experience
5 / 5
Performance
Immersive spatial audio, power and dynamism – the Q990D is top of the class
5 / 5
Design
A premium design, but the front display could be clearer
4 / 5
Setup & usability
Easy setup and plenty of control via remote or SmarThings
4.5 / 5
Value
Worth its price, but still undoubtedly expensive
4 / 5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Also consider
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Header Cell – Column 0
Samsung HW-Q990D
Samsung HW-Q990C
Sony HT-A7000
JBL Bar 1300X
Dimensions
Soundbar: 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm, Subwoofer: 220.0 x 413.0 x 410.0 mm , Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm
Main soundbar – 1309(w) x 595(h) x 277(d)mm; subwoofer – 220(w) x 413(h) x 277(d)mm; rears – 129.5(w) x 201.3(h) x 140.4(d)mm
Main soundbar – 1300(w) x 80(h) x 142(d)mm
39.4 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches (soundbar), 8 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches (surround speakers), 14.4 x 18.9 x 14.4 inches (subwoofer)
Speaker channels
11.1.4
11.1.4
7.1.2
16
Connections
Two HDMI 2.1 input, One HDMI output, optical output, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Two HDMI inputs, one HDMI output with eARC support, digital optical audio input, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Two HDMI inputs, one HDMI output with eARC support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
4 HDMI inputs (1 with eARC), optical digital audio, USB type-A
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
How I tested the Samsung HW-Q990D
(Image credit: Future)
Connected to the Samsung S95D
Tested with variety of sources
Both surround sound and stereo sound tested
To test the Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar, I connected it to the Samsung S95D – the flagship 2024 OLED TV from Samsung. The majority of testing was done with Q-Symphony and any other Samsung-centric features turned off to see how the Q990D would fare if connected to sets from other brands.
After some run-in time, I selected reference scenes from both streaming and 4K Blu-ray to test spatial sound, mainly Dolby Atmos. I then used lower-resolution sources such as DVD to test the Q990D on its handling of non-surround movie audio. I analyzed the Q990D’s spatial sound but also bass, trebles, mids, and dialogue clarity.
After this, I streamed music through both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to test the Q990D’s music playback quality. I played hi-res audio and Atmos music tracks from Tidal and lossy quality tracks via Bluetooth from Spotify.
Founded in 2018, Orka Labs feels like a bigger and more established hearing aid company than it is, with polished hardware that’s now on its second edition.
The Orka Two is something of a hybrid between prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids. The devices are registered as prescription-class aids but are sold online as OTC products. Professional medical consultations and adjustments are available (and included in the price) but are not required if you decide to go it alone.
The hardware is traditional in form, a behind-the-ear model with receivers that snake into the ear canal via flexible wires. But while they are a bit oversized in comparison to similar designs (and rather heavy at 3.8 grams each), they are distinguished by their glossy AirPod-white color and curvy, teardrop design. The units carry no physical controls, which further improves their sleekness. For behind-the-ear hearing aids, these look about as good as you could expect—and much better than the usual industrial-gray aids that are now so commonplace.
As with most over-ear aids, I found the units a little clumsy to fit and in need of significant fidgeting to situate them properly in my ears. The usual collection of open and closed tips is included in the box. While I normally find that medium-sized tips fit perfectly for me, I found all but the smallest uncomfortably large.
Photograph: Orka
In keeping with its hybrid design, Orka offers two ways to configure the units. There’s a capable hearing test built into the app, which can be used to quickly make the appropriate settings. Alternatively, if you have a professional audiogram, you can snap a photo and upload it through the app. Then Orka’s in-house audiologists will tune your aids accordingly (in one business day). Any adjustments can be made by emailing or calling Orka for tweaks, though the company notes its “remote consultation” feature, where you can schedule an appointment directly through the app, is currently being revamped and is offline.
Orka’s app is straightforward to the point of being idiot-proof, with two primary operating modes. “Normal” is the low-environmental-noise mode that relies on the settings made via your audiogram or in situ hearing test, while “In Noise” is, well, self-explanatory. Here, Orka gets more aggressive with settings, using an AI algorithm to adjust its settings dynamically in response to your environment. A beam-shaping option in the In Noise mode lets you target your hearing on a single person or on “everyone.” Volume can be adjusted universally or individually for each ear.
As noted earlier, there are no physical controls on the units. Unusually, hardware controls are found on the charging case (which is good for about three charges). Here you’ll find a program button that cycles through the two operational modes and another pair of buttons for adjusting volume. Pay close attention: Volume up is paradoxically the button on the left and volume down is on the right. Despite the reversal, I ultimately found the case-mounted buttons a lot more convenient than fumbling behind my ears to find the right buttons. For users with mobility impairments, this could be a game changer.
