• Multiple Sony devices will lose access to streaming services and Google Cast
• AV receivers, Blu-ray players, soundbars, wireless speakers and more
• Effective November 17, 2026

Something we've learnt the hard way over the years is that pretty much any product with an online component will lose it eventually. Server shutdowns have affected everything from multiplayer games to the ill-fated PlaysForSure music platform, and now it's coming to Sony products.

Like Bose earlier this year, Sony is shutting down servers for some of its audiovisual products. But unlike Bose, which went to great pains to enable people to maintain as much functionality as possible, Sony's devices will lose many core features as a result.

The changes aren't immediate — they won't come into place until November 7th, 2026 — but they apply to a lot of models including AV receivers, Blu-ray disc players, speakers and soundbars. The full list of affected devices is available on Sony's website, but we've included it at the end of this article too.

What Bose did, and what Sony isn't doing

Earlier this year Bose discontinued online support for its SoundTouch speakers first introduced in 2013. However, the speakers themselves remained fully functional and while Bose's own SoundTouch streaming was switched off, AirPlay and Spotify Connect would continue to work.

Sony's changes are more severe. From November, the following services will be unavailable on affected devices:

• Amazon Prime Video
• Google Cast
• Netflix
• Pandora
• Slacker Radio
• Spotify
• Vudu

As Sony explains, from November "access to supported network services will no longer be available on affected models [and] any downloaded network services may no longer be accessible on affected models… we apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding."

While most of the affected models are elderly, there's a lot of them: nine soundbars, 16 AVRs, 17 Blu-Ray players, multiple Blu-Ray home theater systems and five sets of wireless speakers. That means the service shutdown is likely to affect quite a lot of people.

Which Sony products are affected by the 2026 shutdown?

Audio and Micro Component Systems

• CMT-MX700NI
• HAP-S1
• HAP-Z1ES
• MAP-S1
• NAC-SV10

AV Receivers

• STR-DA1800
• STR-DA2800ES
• STR-DA3700ES
• STR-DA5700ES
• STR-DA5800ES
• STR-DN1020
• STR-DN1030
• STR-DN1040
• STR-DN1050
• STR-DN1060
• STR-DN1070
• STR-DN1080
• STR-DN840
• STR-DN850
• STR-DN860
• STR-ZA810ES

Blu-ray Disc Players

• BDP-BX18
• BDP-BX37
• BDP-BX38
• BDP-BX57
• BDP-N460
• BDP-S185
• BDP-S270
• BDP-S280
• BDP-S370
• BDP-S380
• BDP-S390
• BDP-S470
• BDP-S480
• BDP-S570
• BDP-S580
• BDP-S770
• BDP-S780

Blu-ray Disc Home Theater Systems

• BDV-E280
• BDV-E370
• BDV-E470
• BDV-E570
• BDV-E580
• BDV-E770W
• BDV-E780W
• BDV-E870
• BDV-E880
• BDV-F7
• BDV-HZ970
• BDV-IZ1000W
• BDV-L600
• BDV-T28
• BDV-T57
• BDV-T58

Media Players

• FMP-X10
• SMP-N100
• SMP-N200

Soundbars

• HT-CT790
• HT-CT800
• HT-NT3
• HT-NT5
• HT-RT5
• HT-ST5000
• HT-ST9
• HT-XT2
• HT-XT3

Wireless speakers

• SA-NS310
• SA-NS410
• SA-NS500
• SA-NS510
• SRS-X7

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Sony Bravia 6 OLED TV appears online, sitting between the Bravia 7 II RGB TV and Bravia 5 LED TV
• Looks like it will come in sizes from 48 to 83 inches
• No official confirmation but it's leaked on Sony's own sites

Sony appears to have leaked a new budget Bravia OLED TV, the Bravia 6 (with a model name A60), in sizes from 48 to 83 inches. Initially spotted by an AVS Forum user (via FlatpanelsHD), the model appeared in Sony databases across multiple countries, although most of the listings have since been removed.

The original AVS Forum post includes screenshots showing the Bravia 6 (A60) as a compatible model for Sony's wall-mount brackets, and details the model numbers and sizes: 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches.

With Sony having launched its 'True RGB' Bravia 9 II flagship TV, there was some speculation that Sony might be moving away from OLED, but the apparent existence of the Bravia 6 suggests otherwise.

While the Bravia 6 is expected to be a budget model, it could be very tempting both to to gamers and home theater fans. It comes in both larger and smaller sizes than the more expensive Sony Bravia 8 or Sony Bravia 8 II OLED — the former comes in 55-77-inch sizes, and the latter is only in 55-65-inch sizes.

It also has four HDMI 2.1-compatible ports, rather than the two you get on Sony's pricier TVs (due to processor limitations).

Sony Bravia 6 A60: what we know so far

The Bravia 6 would be the most affordable OLED TV in the current Sony line-up, slotting in just below the Bravia 8.

According to the listings, the Bravia 6 uses the same MediaTek Pentonic P800 chipset as the Sony Bravia 3 II, which makes sense: it too has four HDMI 2.1 ports. The focus is on "affordability and features comparable to the LG OLED C6", the leaker says.

We don't have pricing or availability, or even confirmation that Sony plans to launch a new OLED TV. However, the fact that it was listed on Sony's own websites rather than on third party sites indicates that it does exist, and is probably coming soon.

If the Bravia 6 launches in 2026, it will be the third OLED Bravia model in the range, alongside the Bravia 8 and Bravia 8 II. The range also includes three models of LED TV including one mini-LED, and two flagship True RGB models, the Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II, although not all models are available in every country — I explained the full Sony 2026 range (without the Bravia 6, obviously)

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Sony says the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick is designed for beginner fight-stick users in mind
• PlayStation’s Vice President of Product Development, Edwin Foo, says it's for "those people who have grown up with the DualSense and gamepads"
• Foo adds that the market is already "pretty well served" for experienced users

Sony is launching a brand-new PS5 peripheral, the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick, designed specifically for fighting games but also for beginner players who lack fight stick experience.

TechRadar's senior reviews writer Harry Padoan got the chance to test out the new Sony fight stick ahead of its launch this year, and spoke to PlayStation’s Vice President of Product Development, Edwin Foo, who said that it's designed for first-time fight stick users.

When asked why Sony would target the former audience, Foo explained that there are two reasons, the first being that beginners deserve a chance to experience a fighting stick too.

"We [Sony] think it’s an experience that those people who have grown up with the DualSense and gamepads deserve to give a shot. It’s another way to play," Foo said.

The second reason is that Sony is aware that the market is already saturated and targeted towards seasoned fight stick users.

"We think the market is actually pretty well served already for people who already know and love fight sticks and have already made their choice, so to speak," he said.

The FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick is slated to launch on August 6, 2026, for $199.99 / £179.99, with pre-orders starting on June 12.

Padoan writes that the fight stick "hits the right notes" performance-wise when tested against Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, is "approachable and straightforward to use," and "offers ultra-low latency in both wired and wireless capacities."

"One more thing that struck me about the FlexStrike was how secure and ergonomic it was to use," Padoan said. "The model’s tilted, textured base kept it fixed in place on my lap; it never seemed as if it was slipping off, and its lightweight construction kept it feeling comfortable in use."

Sony’s new Pulse Elevate speakers are aiming to bring “lifelike desktop audio” to your gaming sessions and beyond, and I travelled over to PlayStation’s UK headquarters in London to try them for myself.

I got to experience their in-game audio capabilities, music streaming skills, and even talk to PlayStation’s Vice President of Product Development, Edwin Foo, about the speakers’ creation process.

But just how good are the Pulse Elevate? And what exactly sets them apart from the swathe of competing desktop stereo speakers? Here’s what I think after my time with the upcoming product.

Sony’s new speakers: an overview

The moment that Edwin and I sat down with the Pulse Elevate, he responded to a question that he already knew I’d ask: “Why would we [Sony] need to make [desktop] speakers?” The answer came in two parts.

First of all, he said, since the release of the PS5 in 2020, Sony has identified a significant and growing portion of the user base that is not playing “in front of a TV on a couch,” but instead, while sitting at a monitor. “We realize that this trend is growing and we really need to acknowledge it,” Foo told me.

And the second part of the answer, he revealed, was that Sony felt that the display side of the desktop gaming equation was already well-served. “There are just lots of options out there for monitors,” Foo said. “But we realized that the audio portion of that experience could use some help”.

For many, relying on monitors for audio won’t be an option — many aren’t equipped with speakers in the first place, and when they are, they’re often pretty poor.

But Foo was also keen to highlight how headphones or headsets might not be a great alternative for some gamers, citing issues such as discomfort, ears overheating, and isolation from the rest of the household.

Headphone-like immersion on your desktop

Instead, Sony felt that speakers were the way to go — but it wanted to ensure that players could almost recreate the immersive experience of using headphones. Foo’s team was responsible for the Pulse Elite headset, released in 2024. And a lot of key tech from that model has been placed within the new Pulse Elevate.

The first example is PlayStation Link, Sony’s proprietary ultra-low-latency tech, which is ideal for gaming — and an important inclusion given that these speakers cannot be used wired; they either sit on charging docks or can run off the dock for 12 hours, according to Foo.

The second technology carried over is the Planar magnetic drivers, and this is the exciting stuff. These studio-inspired drivers offer tremendous accuracy and directionality, which makes them ideal for gaming, where you want a precise sense of where specific sounds are emanating from.

It’s worth mentioning that both speaker units also have a built-in woofer, which provides punchy, almost cinematic bass. Sony says that with the woofers and planar magnetic drivers combined, users can enjoy “a varied soundscape that’s perfect for desktop gaming”.

Sound check

After getting the lowdown on the Pulse Elevate’s inception, it was time for me to give them a go. I sat down at a desk, placed the speakers into their raised position, and entered a demo of Ghost of Yōtei.

This demo contained a story overview from 2025’s State of Play deep dive, and was very dialogue-focused. A narration running throughout the demo came through with exceptional clarity, never getting drowned out by music stirring in the backdrop or impactful bass. But it was in my second demo where I got a real taste of the Pulse Elevate’s full capabilities.

Yes, I got the chance to play the opening segment of Saros using the Pulse Elevate, and this is where the speakers impressed me most. When running through the environment, I was blown away by the directionality of ambient effects beside me, as well as enemies flying up and overhead. In addition, gunshots sounded agile and concise, rather than muddy or shrill, while dialogue remained well-balanced in the mix.

The planar magnetic drivers go a long way in providing precise stereo imaging, but there’s also Tempest 3D AudioTech on board, which endeavours to conjure up immersive surround sound for games that support it.

As well as gaming, I got to try listening to some music, which you can stream via Bluetooth on the Pulse Elevate for ultimate convenience. We tuned into Stay by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber, and I was impressed with the bass output of the speakers as well as the energetic percussion.

We’ll need more time to test the speakers to determine just how good they are — especially for music, but they certainly made a good first impression. However, I’ve not even mentioned one of the best parts about these speakers yet: their noise-rejecting microphone.

With music turned up to the max, Foo spoke a few words, which were recorded at a Teams meeting. When we listened back, the music was totally inaudible, and Foo’s voice came through with spectacular clarity. This really blew me away, as I tested a lot of audio tech with AI algorithms for ‘crystal clear calls’ and they can often be underwhelming. But this works incredibly well, and means you can enjoy in-game audio while talking to your pals without any compromise in terms of speech clarity.

Talk about a first impression

I have to say, I was pretty impressed by the Sony Pulse Elevate during my time with them. They offered an impressive sense of space while retaining clarity across the frequency range, and their noise-reducing mic feels very well equipped for online gaming.

There are some slight compromises; for example, Foo told me that the speakers don’t support LDAC, and with no wired alternative, that means that true hi-res audio is off the table. Still, the AAC codec is supported, and with a good quality signal, that can often be enough to deliver outstanding audio.

The planar magnetic drivers are also a fantastic inclusion, and I felt that they captured the feeling of headphones for desktop gaming to great effect. Again, though, we’ll need to test them for an extended period to get the full picture.

One more thing I’ll say is that I like the design of these. They can stand flat or raised, depending on your preference, and they easily slot on or off their charging docks. Their sloped appearance is also pretty eye-catching, and they look classy in both of their color variants: Midnight Black or White.

Some details remain unknown, such as the speakers’ price — which Foo was unable to tell me just yet — as well as their release date. However, Sony previously touted them for a 2026 launch, so hopefully we can get our hands on them sooner rather than later.

Sony is bringing a wireless fight stick to new audiences with its upcoming FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick. The tech giant is looking to pitch its new PS5 peripheral to those who have never owned a fightstick before — perhaps those who grew up with gamepads rather than arcade cabs — as well as relative newcomers to the fighting game genre.

Why? Well, to find out, I sat down with PlayStation’s Vice President of Product Development, Edwin Foo — a man who has overseen the development of products like the PlayStation Portal and Pulse Elite Headphones. I also got to try out the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick for myself — and I’ve got the lowdown on its price, release date, and more.

So, here’s everything you need to know about the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick, and how I rated my time with the new PS5 peripheral.

Enter Sony’s beginner-friendly FlexStrike

Before we get into the details, allow me to introduce Sony’s new fight stick. The FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick can be used without a cable via PlayStation Link or wired via USB-C. I was told that the model offers 4ms latency when connected over PlayStation Link — favored over Bluetooth for its highly stable and speedier connectivity.

The model features a custom-built digital stick, which is fairly short — for an ergonomic yet fast and responsive feel. Pair that with well-sized buttons featuring mechanical switches, and you have a very solid foundation to work from.

But who exactly is this for? For Foo, this model is squarely aimed at fight stick first-timers — those who have grown up using gamepads rather than arcade cabs — but also newer fighting game fans.

He was keen to highlight how a lot of models boast an almost intimidating array of buttons, and can be pretty hefty to boot. The FlexStrike’s simplistic layout makes it more approachable, and its ergonomic design is ideal for people who just want to “pick it up, put it in their lap, and play,” he said.

But this got me wondering: why would Sony target players who are new to fight sticks, rather than more experienced fighting game fans? For Foo, this came down to two key reasons. The first, he said, is that “we [Sony] think it’s an experience that those people who have grown up with the DualSense and gamepads deserve to give a shot. It’s another way to play”. The second, he said, is that “we think the market is actually pretty well served already for people who already know and love fight sticks and have already made their choice, so to speak”.

Getting hands on

After chatting away about Sony’s upcoming peripheral, I was given a chance to try it out for myself. We loaded up the upcoming fighter Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, and both my opponent and I picked up a FlexStrike each. Interestingly, you can connect two of Sony’s fight sticks up to a single dongle and maintain ultra-low latency.

Now, time for a confession. I kinda suck at 2D fighters. I enjoy the odd bit of Guilty Gear or Street Fighter, but I am by no means up to competitive standards, and inevitably, I got my butt kicked.

However, I did get to experience everything the fight stick had to offer, and I found it really pleasant to use.

First of all, let’s talk about the control stick. Its relatively short stature made movement feel incredibly snappy and responsive, and I never suffered from pesky mis-inputs or anything. The click of the stick moving was satisfying and relatively light — it wasn’t obnoxiously loud or distracting, and Sony found a great balance in my view.

It was a similar story for the buttons, which felt tactile and reactive, and were placed in a convenient way to ensure maximum comfort. I never felt like I was overstretched, and the layout felt very beginner-friendly — ideal for the target audience. I also appreciated a lock button on the fight stick, which prevents you from accidentally triggering buttons like options or pressing the ‘PS’ button — after all, accidentally pausing the game can be grounds for disqualification in some competitive situations.

One more thing that struck me about the FlexStrike was how secure and ergonomic it was to use. The model’s tilted, textured base kept it fixed in place on my lap; it never seemed as if it was slipping off, and its lightweight construction kept it feeling comfortable in use.

Final thoughts: a well-made model, but a slightly tough sell?

Performance-wise, I think this model hits the right notes, especially for the target market. It's approachable and straightforward to use, and offers ultra-low latency in both wired and wireless capacities. Something I also discovered is that the model has a battery life of 40 hours, which is very solid indeed, and means you won’t have to charge it very often at all — another user-friendly feature.

But something that may prove to be a point of contention is the FlexStrike’s price. Sony told me that the upcoming peripheral will launch at $199.99 / £179.99. And while that’s not extortionate, I do think that the intended audience — i.e., fight stick newcomers — may feel that the cost is hard to justify.

Although it’s high in quality and has welcome features such as a carry case with a protective slot for the stick, and mechanical switch-powered buttons, almost $200 / £180 is quite a bit to spend on a peripheral — especially one that some will find not essential for play.

Having said that, Sony told me that the FlexStrike will release on August 6, 2026 — the same day as Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, meaning that a lot of new players could be tempted to go all in on the ultimate fighting game setup. Foo told me that there are no plans for a game and fight stick bundle on day one, but if we saw bundles in the future, that could be an effective way of shipping more controller units.

But what do you think? Do you see the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick being a success? Are you excited to try it out for yourself? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

The FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick will release on August 6, 2026, and pre-orders will start on June 12.

As we draw towards the end of another week, it's time to look back at the stories that shaped the technology landscape over the last seven days — collected here for your convenience in our regular In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) round-up.

A lot has happened, as is always the case. The Pope weighed in on the pros and cons of AI, we looked at new gadgets from Oura and GoPro, Sony showed off its latest TVs, and Fitbit users were less than happy at being forced to use the Google Health app.

Make yourself comfortable and join us as we take a tour through those stories and more. Once you've fully caught up, you'll be ready for whatever the next week brings.

8. Oura revealed ‘the world’s smallest smart ring’

After much anticipation, the Oura Ring 5 is here, ready to claim the title of being the best smart ring on the market. Compared to the previous model, the new wearable is smaller, lighter, and more durable, while also offering extra battery life — you should be able to go for a week between charges (in our tests, the previous Oura Ring 4 lasted around six days).

There's a lot more to talk about with this new device, too, including the redesigned portable charging case, real-time activity tracking, expanded support for women's hormonal and reproductive health, and the ability to add lab results, such as blood test results, to your profile. We've got all the details here, including the price (which has gone up).

• Read the full story: Oura just unveiled 'the world’s smallest smart ring', the Oura Ring 5 — and members are going to love these 7 upgrades

7. We spent a long weekend with GoPro Mission 1 Pro

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro is a camera that GoPro is hoping will appeal to more serious filmmakers and creatives (hence the Pro in the name), and those with more to spend: it comes with a 1-inch sensor that's capable of recording in up to 8K video resolution, and a rugged design that keeps the camera waterproof up depths of to 66 feet (about 20 meters).

But is it actually any good? To find out, TechRadar's intrepid Senior Staff Writer Hamish Hector took the camera on a long weekend of adventures, exposing it to high May temperatures, sandy beaches, a paddling trip, and more. The verdict is that this is a GoPro that mostly impresses, though several limitations are worth noting.

• Read the full story: I spent a long weekend with the GoPro Mission 1 Pro — it survived heat, sea, sand and a couple of drops, but you need to respect its limits

6. The Jony Ive-designed electric Ferrari got a roasting

The newly unveiled Ferrari Luce is the first electric car from the luxury sports car manufacturer, and it's been designed in partnership with LoveFrom, the company headed by Jony Ive, formerly head of design at Apple. The big reveal of the car has led to a wave of responses online and off, and the majority of them are... not particularly positive.

Various commenters have compared the Luce to a Waymo robotaxi, suggested the design is "worse than I could have ever imagined", and concluded that "Ferrari have absolutely and completely lost their minds." Ouch. Don't take their words for it, though — have a look at the aesthetics of the Luce for yourself (even if it's unlikely that you can afford it).

• Read the full story: 'Somehow worse than I could ever have imagined': the new Ferrari Luce EV is getting a brutal reception, but legendary Apple designer Jony Ive has defended his choices — and there's one key decision most people agree with

5. The Pope warned us all about AI ‘dehumanization’

AI is the biggest talking point in tech at the moment, and Pope Leo XIV has now joined the chat. The Pontiff shared his thoughts on AI as part of his new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas — an encyclical, a formal document published by the Vatican and traditionally used to address major moral or social issues, in case you were wondering.

It's a long document, but if you want the short version, the Pope reckons that AI threatens to create "new forms of dehumanization", and that its "opaque algorithms" are a worry for humanity and social justice. There are references to the Tower of Babel here, and a warning that AI could be the next folly to lead to disaster for humankind and our faith.

• Read the full story: The Pope just warned AI could create 'new forms of dehumanization' — and his message feels aimed straight at Big Tech

4. Meta started ‘the end of social media as we know it’

Social media platforms aren't particularly pleasant places to be a lot of the time, so how do you feel about paying extra for them? Meta has announced that it's rolling out monthly subscription options for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — though at the moment, we haven't heard much in the way of details about what you get in return for your money.

Whatever the new plans involve, TechRadar's Editor at Large, Lance Ulanoff, thinks it's a bad idea and that we should expect more and more features to become paywalled as time goes on.

Might end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp eventually become a WhatsApp Plus extra, for example? Or could we see restrictions on free users in terms of posting limits?

• Read our full hands-on preview: Meta's subscription plans are the tip of a terrible pay-to-engage iceberg and may be the beginning of the end for social media as we know it

3. We reviewed ‘the most immersive Bond game in years’

When it comes to Bond video games, everyone thinks immediately of GoldenEye, and then... there's not much else of note really. It looks like that's going to change with the launch of 007 First Light from IO Interactive, which has been acclaimed by reviewers and gamers alike for bringing a high-quality, engaging experience to the Bond universe.

In our own review, which you can get to below, TechRadar Senior Editor Amelia Schwanke says: "007 First Light is perhaps the closest a game has ever come to making me feel like I’m starring in a Bond film... this stylish origin story still feels like a triumphant return for the most iconic secret agent." The game is out now, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

• Read the full review: 007 First Light delivers a blockbuster Bond origin story packed with spycraft, stealth and explosive action set pieces

2. Google outraged Fitbit fans again with new Health app

The Google Health app is now replacing the Fitbit app on Android and iOS, and the Fitbit community isn't happy about it: the new app has been described as "atrocious", "clunky", and "unbelievably bad" across the internet, and there are widespread complaints about fitness data being logged incorrectly and Google's AI coach being less than helpful.

There's no going back, unfortunately, for those who much preferred the design and the flow of the now-replaced Fitbit app. Google has said it will be working on fixing bugs and adding new features to the Google Health app over the coming weeks, but it will take time for these negative user sentiments to be turned around.

• Read the full story: Google Health is getting heat for being 'unbelievably bad' after replacing the Fitbit app — but Google says fixes are coming

1. We finally saw Sony’s first 'True RGB' TV in action

The arrival of new Sony TVs is always worth celebrating, and we've been taking a close-up look at the new Sony Bravia 9 II, Bravia 8 II, and Bravia 7 II models. These are the first 'True RGB' televisions from Sony, making use of an RGB mini-LED backlight: the tech promises an upgrade over mini-LED, through the way that the LCD backlight can adjust its colors.

There's a lot more to know about these TV sets, too, including pricing, which you'll find in the article below. Color range and viewing angles have been improved, as has the anti-reflective technology, and HDR performance is significantly better as well. We've also had time to check out the impressive Sony Bravia Theatre Trio speakers.

• Read the full story: I saw Sony's first 'True RGB' TV in action compared to a studio monitor and Sony's best OLED TV — and based on early measurements, Sony might finally bring 'reference' HDR performance to your home

And why not test yourself on last week’s seven biggest tech stories to see how well you were paying attention? Take the quiz below.

• Sony's 2026 TV range has now all been announced
• Three tiers: RGB mini-LED, OLED and LED
• In sizes from 43 inches to 115 inches

Sony has just launched two new Bravia TVs today, with the new Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II replacing the current Bravia 7 and Bravia 9. The new models have RGB mini-LED backlights and fairly hefty prices: the Bravia 7 II starts at £1,899 / $1,599 (about AU$3,560) for a 50-inch model, and this rises to £22,999 / $30,999 (about AU$43,165) for the Bravia 9 II at 115 inches.

Although the two highest-end models simply replace their predecessors, other models in the current Bravia range are a little more confusing: both the Bravia 8 and the Bravia 8 II are available, while there's no Bravia 5 II – just the Bravia 5. And have you ever tried saying the name of the Bravia 2 II out loud to someone? It requires explanation!

It's a little confusing (though only a little by TV-naming standards), but it all makes more sense when you see that the Bravias are broken into three tiers: True RGB mini-LED, OLED and LED respectively. The bigger the number, the further up the list it lives.

Which Bravias are in the Sony range of 2026 TVs?

Let's start with the flagships first.

The Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II are True RGB TVs. The Bravia 7 II is available in 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 and 98-inch versions, while the flagship Bravia 9 II comes in 65, 75, 85 and 115-inch versions.

That makes the Bravia 7 II the first RGB TV from any brand to come in a 50-inch version — previously the smallest was 55 inches — and that puts it right up there against the best OLED TVs if you want a premium TV at a smaller size. Those TVs should be worried: we've seen Sony's RGB tech on multiple occasions and it's very impressive.

The key difference between the Bravia 7 II and the Bravia 9 II is that the latter has a more powerful backlight than its sibling. It's capable of 3,990 nits in Professional Mode. We measured the Bravia 7 II at 2,078 nits in the same mode. Both of those numbers are from testing pre-production models but we'd expect very similar real-world numbers — we expect there will also be fewer dimming zones and other changes in the Bravia 7 II, but we'll need to test the TVs for more detail on that.

Next up there are the two OLED ranges, the OLED Bravia 8 and the QD-OLED Bravia 8 II. They both come in 55 and 65-inch flavors. In the US, the Bravia 8 is also available as a 77-inch TV. Here's our Bravia 8 review, and our Bravia 8 II review, if you want to read about both sets.

And the final tier are the LED TVs; the Bravia 5 is mini-LED, while the Bravia 3 II and the Bravia 2 II are more standard LED tech.

The Bravia 5 comes in 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches; the Bravia 3 II comes in 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 and 100 inches, and the Bravia 2 II is available in 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75 inches.

So that's it — you can mostly just use the first number to tell whether something is better or worse than the other models, but sometimes it being a 'II' matters… and sometimes it doesn't.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Sony has just announced the Bravia Theatre Trio, which is a new Dolby Atmos wireless system that splits the difference between a proper surround system and a soundbar, and is particularly designed with huge TVs in mind, to make sure the soundscape is wider than the TV itself — but will be tempting to anyone who wants a physically more separated sound than the best soundbars alone can deliver.

It can also be expanded into a fuller wireless surround setup, and I got to hear this full-force system in action. But first, let's go over the basics.

The Sony Bravia Theatre Trio is, as the name implies, three wireless speakers in a package. It's what home theater fans call an 'LCR' system — meaning left, center, and right channels.

There's a center speaker that's like a mini soundbar, which connects to your TV over HDMI eARC. And there are left and right speakers that look like little pillars with a flat section added to the back, so they can be wall-mounted.

The center speaker has two woofers and a tweeter, while each of the the side speakers each has a woofer and tweeter facing forward, and then an 8cm upfiring driver for Dolby Atmos height channels.

In the simplest terms, this is a 3.0.2-channel system, though Sony says that the system is built heavily around virtualization of more in-depth speaker setups. This initial three-speaker system can apparently mimic 24 phantom channels.

Sony says that it's done some smart stuff with its virtualization tech in the Bravia Theatre Trio, including rethinking how those phantom channels work: they're now designed not just to mimic the placement of a more elaborate speaker setup, but also to mimic the "indirect sound sources" of a cinema room's acoustic signature, including reflections.

So yes, for those keeping track of how psychoacoustic virtualization works, it may be the case that this system is using the reflections of your room to create the sense of an entirely different set of reflections…

To help the system do this as well as possible, it comes with a USB-C microphone that you can use for room calibration. Just plug it into your phone or tablet, fire up Sony's app, and follow the instructions so it can do its best work.

As I mentioned above, this three-speaker core setup can be expanded with add-on rear speakers or a subwoofer as well.

You have two choices of subwoofer: the new Sub 8 is a mid-range option, while the Sub 9 is an absolute massive beast of a sub by lifestyle tech standards. It looks like two Sub 8 units glued together with a vent in the middle, and while Sony didn't confirm the specs, I wouldn't be surprised if that's not far from the truth.

You also have two choices of rear speaker: there's the existing Bravia Rear 8 or the new Bravia Rear 9, which are more or less the same speakers as the front left and right (woofer, tweeter and upfirer combo — in the same design).

Of course, these add-ons will cost you — and the core Bravia Theatre Trio package isn't cheap either. Here's the breakdown of all those options (Sony was only able to provide UK pricing pre-launch and Australian info for the Theatre Trio only, but we'll update with other pricing as we get it):

Sony eats Sonos' lunch

Before I get to my experience of the performance of these speakers, something that immediately struck me is that this kind of setup is what Sonos' users have been begging to company to do for years.

Given that Sonos' whole thing is wireless satellite speakers, its users have asked many, many times (directly and on the r/sonos subreddit) for the ability to use separate front left and right speakers in an LCR setup with its soundbars.

There's even a third-party app that enables this called SonoSequencr, which is quite popular among Sonos home theater enthusiasts.

It seems wild that Sony has offered this before Sonos, and with a better spec list than Sonos can offer, because the Bravia Theatre Trio offers both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support (Sonos lacks DTS), and has an HDMI passthrough port (supporting 4K 120Hz) so you don't lose an HDMI port by using it.

Of course, if Sonos did end up offering a setup to compete with this, it could have a major price advantage. You can get a Sonos Beam Gen 2 (as the center channel) and two Sonos Era 300 speakers (as spatial audio side speakers) for £1,077 at the time of writing, compared to £2,000 for the Sony system.

And there's also the small issue that in my demo of the Sony system I found it to be quite hit and miss…

Mixing it up

I didn't get to hear just the Bravia Theatre Trio core setup on its own at Sony's event; instead I heard the fullest setup, with the original trio, two Rear 9 speakers, and two Sub 9 subwoofers (though, somewhat oddly, these were placed next to each other rather than spaced for even bass distribution).

In terms of pure physical channels, this is a 7.2.4 setup, but Sony was unable to confirm exactly what the virtualized channel setup it creates using the phantom channels would be — though Sony confirmed that you get 24 phantom channels regardless of how many physical speakers are involved.

First up we watched the big music performance in Sinners at the juke joint. What jumped out straight away is that the system provides a really powerful and warm sound, which is really well suited to the pounding of drums and making the tonality of guitars feel solid and electric.

However, I wasn't that impressed with separation of different elements in the mix, despite all the Dolby Atmos power going on — and in particular I felt that the vocals were more subdued than I'd expect, especially for a system with an actual separate center speaker.

Moving onto the car shoot-out in No Time to Die, the surround and positioning effects got a particular chance to shine. The rear effects were solid, but the side effects were especially impressive considering there are no real speakers there.

Building on that, I thought the way sound moved from the front, around the sides, and to the back was especially impressive — it felt like the sound moved smoothly the whole way, and didn't jump from the front to the back, which is how it can feel in some simple five-channel systems.

But this demo also showed the same apparent weakness with vocals, with dialogue feeling soft and a little muddy even in the quieter moments — and even some of the mid-frequency effects seemed to not pop quite as strongly as they should (I have seen this scene a lot in demos).

The final demo was the first racing scene in Ready Player One, and the system produced a lot of sound and fury all around me here… but I thought there was a slight softness to the fine details that held it back — the very sudden sounds didn't seem quite as dramatically sudden as they should, which robbed them a little of impact, scale and spectacle.

That last point wasn't helped by the fact that in all three demos I noticed that the sound and visuals weren't quite in sync. This isn't uncommon in HDMI ARC-based systems at all, but I don't normally notice it as strongly as I did here — and I think it made a difference when experiencing the crunching crashes of Ready Player One if you see the impacts before you hear them.

Of course, this is far from a review — and I'm really interested to see how just the core Bravia Theatre Trio set performs on its own. But at this early stage, I'm kind of torn: I love the overall concept and the design, but I'm concerned about the high price based on the performance I heard so far.

After more than a year of teasing, Sony has finally announced its first 'True RGB' TVs, which use an RGB mini-LED backlight. They're called the Sony Bravia 9 II and Sony Bravia 7 II, and I got to see the Bravia 9 II in action.

Sony first showed us its RGB tech back in March 2025, and then showed it to us again in September, and the again a couple of months ago. It's kind of a relief to finally see it in a product that people will be able to buy.

The Sony Bravia 9 II is the highest-end model, and will be available in multiple larger sizes, while the Sony Bravia 7 II is notable for being the first RGB TV to come in a 50-inch size, which will make it interesting competition for the smaller options among the best OLED TVs — 55 inches was the smallest size of RGB set we'd seen so far.

They're not cheap, though — here's the size and price breakdown of these TVs (Sony was only able to supply UK prices at the time of writing):

RGB TVs use an LCD panel with lights behind it, like other mini-LED TVs, but the backlight can change color to better match what the pixels in front are supposed to show. Each mini-LED in the backlight includes individual red, green and blue sub-pixels to create the range of hues.

This enables a wider color range within the pixels, and requires less color filtering to do it, so the panels can have fewer layers, which helps with efficiency.

Sony has combined this with its X-Wide Angle Pro wide viewing angle, as well as a new anti-reflective system. Sony refused to give any information about the anti-reflective layer, but it looked to me like a matte element is involved, given the sheen that light created on the screen in my demo room.

The Bravia 9 II has a more powerful backlight system than the Bravia 7 II, but I didn't see them compared in real scenes directly, and Sony doesn't tend to discuss that kind of technical information too deeply.

What I did see was the Bravia 9 II compared to the Sony Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV, the Sony Bravia 9 mini-LED (original non-RGB flavor), and Sony's reference studio monitor that's used for pro film grading — though sadly I couldn't take and share photos of the comparison.

Ever since the Bravia 9 was first announced, which was shortly after Sony rolled out its current studio reference monitor that reaches 4,000 nits of brightness, Sony has been pushing the idea that it wants its TVs to be able to perfectly replicate the HDR experience of the reference monitor.

Sony believes that more movies will be mastered for 4,000 nits of brightness now that there's a suitable 4,000-nit monitor (1,000 nits has been by far the most common mastering level), and so to replicate the full tonal range of these movies properly, TVs should also be able to hit 4,000 nits of peak brightness.

This hasn't been possible in any of Sony's previous TVs, and it's quite obvious when you turn the tone mapping off that you lose a lot of detail in bright highlights when compared to the studio monitor… but Sony's demo showed that the Bravia 9 II lost much less detail in those areas in a direct comparison with all four screens.

It still wasn't able to exactly recreate the reference monitor, but it was by far the closest to recreating the pure reference image for HDR tones — and in color for some scenes, though this was much less clear-cut, with the Bravia 8 II putting in a strong showing in this case, and the Bravia 9 occasionally looking closer in certain scenes.

Sony declined to say what the actual brightness of the TV is expected to be, but happily we've had access to a pre-production unit to be able to measure this ourselves.

The Bravia 9 II is capable of 3,990 nits in Professional Mode (which is the most accurate mode, and is closest to the Filmmaker Mode that we usually like to test in) in a 10% HDR window — so yes, it's basically capable of that promised 4,000-nit paradise.

Even more impressive is its fullscreen brightness in this mode, which we measured at 827 nits — that's around double the fullscreen brightness we got from the similarly priced LG G6 OLED TV.

For comparison, we measured the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED at 1,439 nits in a 10% HDR window and 183 nits of fullscreen brightness. We measured the Bravia 9 (original) at 1,871 nits in a 10% window and 495 nits fullscreen.

We've also had the chance to measure the Sony Bravia 7 II's brightness, and that delivered 2078 nits in Professional Mode in a 10% HDR window, so we can expect the HDR performance of the Bravia 9 II to have clearly strong impact — although the Bravia 7 II actually delivered over 900 nits of fullscreen brightness in our measurements, so it actually beats its big sibling there.

These measurements were taken on pre-production units, as I mentioned, so we'll make sure that the final versions test the same — but they're impressive numbers.

The big question is whether the contrast and dark-tone performance will be as good. It looked strong in Sony's brief demos, but the company is unlikely to have shown me anything that might indicate color bleed from the RGB backlight, so we look forward to digging into that too.

Other things to note about the Bravia 9 II include its use of Sony's Acoustic Multi-Audio+ tech, which means powerful built-in speakers that now include up-firing speakers for more height in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks.

On the downside, however, the TV still comes with only two HDMI 2.1 ports (out of four ports in total). Sony is basically the only manufacturer launching new high-end TVs with only two HDMI 2.1 ports, and it's frustratingly limiting if you plan to connect a soundbar as well.

I also want to highlight the fun new stand design of these TVs. The main panel of the stand is made from a light-bending material that lets through the tone of what's behind it, but not specific details.

I'm very impressed with my early looks at the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 8 II — they're both very premium TVs, but the 9 II looks like it could compete hard with Samsung to offer the best TV for brighter rooms with its huge brightness and anti-reflection tech, but with Sony's meticulous attention to accuracy.

And I'm really keen to get my hands on the little 50-inch Bravia 7 II, because it could offer the premium competition to the LG C6 at this size. Stay tuned for our full reviews later.

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• Sennheiser launches Momentum 5 wireless headphones
• Improvements to ANC, feature set and repairability
• Price bumps up against Sennheiser's premium cans

Better late than never, eh Sennheiser? The legendary audio brand took four years to bring its much-anticipated Momentum 5 Wireless to market, but they're finally here — and perhaps just in time to show the recently-released Sony 1000X The Collexion how it's done.

These new cans succeed the five-star Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which we loved all the way back in 2022, and are still in use today by several members of the TechRadar team. Perhaps the brand was just waiting for its tenancy on our list of the best headphones to end, so it could reclaim the top spot.

Releasing in June 2026, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless are due to cost $399 / £329 / AU$749, which represents a little price hike from their predecessors. It's much less than Sony's fancy newest headphones — but it's basically right in line with the price of the Sony WH-1000XM6.

It puts them quite close to my favorite headphones from the company, the Sennheiser HDB 630, which sell for $499 / £399 / AU$999 — and I'd personally be tempted by the HDBs. But maybe I'll feel differently once we've actually tried the Momentum 5 Wireless and their new features.

Momentum? You barely know 'em

Sennheiser has given the Momentum 5 a 42mm driver again, like the Momentum 4, but has added certification for Hi-Res Audio, Snapdragon Sound and aptX Lossless codecs. The app also now has an EQ and presets, as well as a listening test.

Improvements come to active noise cancellation (which is now influenced by four microphones, over two in the last pair — but far fewer than the 12 employed by Sony), while Bluetooth is version 5.4 out of the box, but Sennheiser promises an upgrade to 6.0 in the future.

Other features include Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking — we love this on the Sonos Ace, so hopefully it's just as good here.

The battery life is slightly lower than the previous model at 57 hours, but that's only three hours less than the Momentum 4's lasting power, and is still nearly double the 30 hours promised by the Sony XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen.

Sennheiser's making a point of repairability for the Momentum 5: apparently, it's easy to use a Phillips screwdriver to remove and replace an ailing battery. Since the battery is often the aspect of gadget which will stop working first, this will hopefully ensure your headphones keeping lasting for years.

There are three color options for the Sennheiser Momentum 5: black, white and blue (or 'Denim', according to the brand). Whichever you buy, you'll get a carry case, USB-C charging cable and 3.5mm headphone cable.

No matter how you shake it, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 don't look like huge reinventions of the fourth-gen model, but that's no bad thing. You can't argue with a perfect review.

Instead, it seems to update some of the Momentum 4 features which haven't aged well in four years, and if the sound's had a tune-up in the right places, we expect these to be pretty damn competitive.

While a lot of people will be considering a visual or audio upgrade to their home setup in time for the World Cup, which kicks off June 11, one football fan's setup is going to make your plans feel… inadequate. It's an elite home theater designed with sports in mind, and it's won two CEDIA awards.

The project is called the Buzzards Road Home Cinema, and it was developed and executed by IndigoZest and Cinema Luxe. It uses a Sony 4K projector, an acoustically transparent screen (where LCR speakers were positioned behind the screen), and a 9.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos sound system.

Driving the system is a Artcoustic CPH1000D digital amplifier, an Anthem MCA 325 v2 power amplifier, and an Anthem MRX 1140 v2 Dolby Atmos AV receiver.

For speakers, Artcoustic made up the majority of the speaker configuration. Artcoustic Spitfire A10 wall speakers, Artcoustic SL 2-1 three-way monitor speakers and Artcoustic SL Architect PAS SPL in-ceiling speakers were used. For subwoofers, there were two Artcoustic Spitfire Sub 3 and two Artcoustic Sub 2 units in use.

For pictures, a Sony 4K projector and a 145-inch Control4 Dragonfly Fixed Ultra AcoustiWeave Projection Screen acoustically transparent screen were installed.

Alongside this, a Kaleidescape Strato 4K UHD Movie Player was installed, a premium alternative to the best 4K Blu-ray players that we’ve used here at TechRadar and it’s legitimately the real deal.

This is a seriously immersive setup with plenty of power and you’ll often find Sony 4K projectors at the heart of a reference setup, like the one I saw at AWE’s headquarters back in 2024. But the AV equipment was only one part of this system.

Football fan paradise

One element crucial to the whole concept was the use of the room for showing football games (particularly Newcastle United).

Paul Laventure, Client Director at IndigoZest, said “Big sporting events are ultimately about shared experience, and that sits at the heart of how these spaces are approached. The ‘perfect’ setup goes beyond just a large screen and great sound; it’s about creating an environment that brings people together effortlessly”.

This was taken into consideration for planning not only the layout of the seating, opting for a more sociable layout to the traditional home theater seating, but also for control. The room's owner wanted to able to switch easily between movie viewing and football, but not just in a boring regular setup.

The installers used Control4, a smart control system focused on multi-unit control from one platform, the add a one-button ‘Football Mode’. Using this not only switches to watching football in the home theater room, but the match is also broadcast around the wider property.

For an added bit of smart control magic, whenever someone calls to the house on its gate intercom, the content on the screen — including live broadcast matches — pauses to make sure “nothing was missed”.

A good-looking room

While cinephiles and home theater enthusiasts may not be too worried about the look of a room, Buzzards Road was designed to be a social space that also reflected the look of the rest of the property. This is where interior designer Sinead Kelly Herbert came in.

Working with the AV team, Herbert worked to implement the best fixtures to make the cinema room feel more welcoming. Bronze lighting fixtures were used, as well as a fiber-optic star ceiling, CNC-cut panelling and a stone-finished bar at the rear of the room.

Alongside this, all the speakers listed earlier, and the projector, are hidden so the room feels as comfortable as possible. The result? “Today, it’s the most-used room in the house — a social space, a sanctuary, and a statement in refined entertainment,” says Laventure.

With all these visual touches and the focus on a social environment for a great atmosphere for football, not to mention the Football Mode and exquisite-looking list of equipment, this sounds like the ultimate World Cup watch party place. Alas most of us will just have to settle for the best TVs and best soundbars.

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This week, we were treated to Google AI updates galore at Google I/O 2026, and Apple announced the date of its own software showcase keynote: WWDC 2026.

To catch up on all this and more, scroll down to read our highlights of the biggest tech news stories of the week.

But before you go, you might want to test yourself on our tech news quiz…

7. The Trump Phone saga got worse

Last week, we reported on what was hopefully the end of the T1 Trump Phone’s saga: it is being shipped out to customers. Though this week we have terrible news, and that’s the personal data of seemingly everyone who bought one has been leaked, thanks to a security exploit on the Trump Mobile website.

This includes names, addresses, and “everything short of credit card number,” said YouTuber Coffeezilla via his Voidzilla sidechannel (who was one of the people affected by the leak).

This leak also seemingly revealed that only around 30,000 orders have actually been placed for the T1 Phone, and only from roughly 10,000 distinct customers, which is a far cry from the previous estimates of around 590,000.

• Read the full story: Trump Mobile seems to be leaking customer information

6. Apple set a WWDC date

Knowing when Apple will hold WWDC and knowing the exact day and time of the keynote are two different things. One is a signal to mark your calendar and make travel plans, the other (that keynote) is a trigger for deep rumination about all Apple will say and do. Now that we know it’s June 8 at 10AM PST, we’ve been pondering that big Google Gemini-backed Siri reveal, platform updates galore, a folding tease (please), and Tim Cook’s CEO swan song. What a wild day it will be.

• Read the full story: A glowing WWDC invite might hint at the next-gen Siri

5. Nvidia gave up on gamers?

Nvidia has seen incredible growth thanks to the AI boom — turns out making the metaphorical mining tool in the AI gold rush (with its processors being an essential component for data centers that power the largest models) makes you a killing. However, its latest investor call announced not only a record-breaking quarter, but also that it’ll be grouping how it reports sales for GPUs bought by gamers with those bought for robotics, automotive, and telecoms needs.

This change in strategy lines up with the rumor that we won't see any new GPUs from Nvidia this year at all, as it seems Team Green is turning its back on PC gamers somewhat.

The move to bury graphics sales in Nvidia's financial reports feels like another step on this path of marginalizing the GeForce family. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but it does feel somewhat ominous.

• Read the full story: Nvidia doesn't seem to care about gaming GPUs any more

4. We played Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

After going hands-on with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced at a Ubisoft preview event in Paris last month, we can safely say that this is a remake done extremely well. It has all the makings of a fabulously refreshed experience, taking one of the best games in the series, giving it a boost mechanically and a glow-up aesthetically, and still ensuring the right balance of the original’s spirit with some game-enhancing modernizations.

Combat has been overhauled to be much more action-oriented, and while there’s a clear influence of recent games in the series like Assassin’s Creed Mirage here, it still retains that flow, style, and piratical action that made Edward Kenway such a joy to take on in combat all those years ago. The world of the Caribbean in the Golden Age of Piracy looks absolutely breathtaking, controls have been tightened, exploration feels more organic and natural, and there are even big changes to those pesky and annoying insta-fail stealth missions.

We didn’t get to see much of the brand-new content that’s been made for Resynced, but we’re excited to dive back in and devour everything the original had, and more, all over again when the game releases on July 9.

• Read our full hands-on preview: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced perfectly captures the spirit of the original

3. We tested Sony’s expensive headphones

Sony has launched its most expensive wireless headphones to date, the Sony 1000X The Collexion. The idea here is to take the technology of the super-popular WH-1000XM6, power it up even further with a next-gen processor and new advanced audio transducer design, and then add its most comfortable and premium physical design on top of that. Has it worked? Well, in our Sony 1000X The Collexion review, we had high praise for their more spacious and detailed sound, and their absolutely supreme levels of comfort and beautiful metal finish. So are they worth their steep $649 / £550 price? Well, that’s a bit more contentious…

• Read the full review: Are Sony’s priciest wireless headphones worth it?

2. Google I/O delivered Android XR… kinda

We’ve known since last year that 2026 will be Google's year of the smart glasses, and at I/O we finally saw that promise in all its glory as Samsung unveiled a pair of pairs from Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Attendees also got to experience Xreal’s Project Aura glasses.

As expected, they’re essential Ray-Ban Meta glasses but powered by Google Gemini — though that’s not necessarily a bad thing given the popularity of Meta’s specs.

The only catch? We didn’t get prices or release dates for any of this tech, though Samsung did promise its glasses would land in the “Fall” (so either September, October, or November).

• Read the full story: We saw the first Samsung Android XR glasses at Google I/O

1. Google I/O brought AI galore

Google I/O 2026 kicked off this week, and if you were worried/hoping (delete as appropriate) that artificial intelligence (AI) was a passing craze, think again. The software giant revealed incoming Gemini-powered upgrades for Search, Android, Google Docs, online shopping, and even YouTube (yes, really) at its annual developer conference, meaning AI is likely to touch your life one way or another, sooner rather than later.

In fact, Google is so confident about the all-encompassing nature of its new software tools that the company used an iPhone (not a Pixel) to demo Gemini Spark at Google I/O. Was that a warning shot to Apple, or an olive branch? Maybe we’ll find out at WWDC…

• Read the full story: Gemini is becoming impossible to avoid

• "Now is the time to start thinking about pointing input" for Google TV says Google
• No Google TV manufacturers currently use pointy remotes
• Gemini AI features seem to be the reason for the push

I believe there are two kinds of TV user in the world: people who hate LG's Magic Remote, and people who haven't used LG's Magic Remote. I'm in the former camp, so I'm bemused by Google's latest announcement: it looks like something very similar is coming to Google TV.

If you're not familiar with the Magic Remote, it uses Wii-style motion control with similar accuracy, so trying to point at anything can be frustrating: the cursor drifts with even the slightest movement, turning channel hopping into what feels like a round of Wii Tennis. It's an attempt to solve the ongoing challenge of controlling a smart TV from a distance, and I don't think it's a successful one: my kids' TV has a Magic Remote and they, and I, hate it.

But Google seems to disagree. "Now is the time to start thinking about pointing input", Google TV developer relations engineer Paul Lammertsma told app makers at Google I/O this week (via FlatpanelsHD)

What's the point of a pointing remote?

To the best of my knowledge, the only mainstream TV manufacturer using pointing remotes is LG, and LG doesn't use Google TV. So what's going on?

It's all about Gemini and ever more feature-packed TVs, it seems. As Lammertsma explained: "The TV experience that we once knew is changing. Gemini is changing the way we discover and stream content with voice, but how we use the remote is evolving too. Pointer remotes bring motion-controlled input to the big screen, unlocking faster user navigation across the Google TV Home page and within content-heavy apps."

It seems unlikely that LG is going to dump its own webOS platform in favor of Google TV, so Google encouraging the adoption of pointing remotes in apps strongly suggests that either Google or one of its partners is developing pointing remotes for Google TV sets. It's unclear whether the support will be backwards compatible or limited to new TV models only.

Making TV remotes is hard, I know: some are far too complicated and others are far too simple. I hope Google has cracked the drift and accuracy problems that plague handheld remote controls and that the movement looks like it does in the animation above — and not like the remote control in my kids' room that drives us all mad.

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• Sony's PlayStation State of Play returns on June 2, 2026, featuring Marvel's Wolverine as the headline act
• The showcase will last over an hour, with news and announcements on games from top studios worldwide
• It will also be showcased in Alamo Drafthouse theatres, suggesting a big reveal is on the horizon

Gaming in 2026 is already stacked with plenty of games in the pipeline for launch, notably the most anticipated of them all in Grand Theft Auto 6 from Rockstar Games — and it's seemingly about to get even better this June.

Sony has announced its next PlayStation State of Play will take place on June 2, which will feature a new reveal of Marvel's Wolverine, with 'more than 60 minutes' of updates, announcements, and gameplay reveals from 'top studios around the world'.

The showcase will kick off with Insomniac Games' Marvel's Wolverine, focusing on the gritty combat and new details on what the third-person action-adventure game will have to offer when it launches on September 15, 2026.

As for other games, we can expect almost anything to show up, based on Sony's brief description of worldwide high-quality studios being featured — and Sony is also holding a fan-viewing event at multiple Alamo Drafthouse theatres for the State of Play, so it appears as though something significant besides Marvel's Wolverine is on the horizon.

It's worth noting that Summer Game Fest 2026 kicks off three days later on June 5, so there's plenty of speculation to be made in the meantime. With that being said, here's what I hope shows up.

Dragon's Dogma 2 Expansion

Dragon's Dogma 2 hasn't left the discussion among gamers since its 2024 launch, with the expectation of an expansion. Capcom inevitably did just that for the first entry in the franchise, with Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen adding a new region, story, bosses, gear, and enemies to tackle, in Bitterblack Isle.

Fans also believe Capcom recently teased the existence of an expansion within its latest anniversary celebration post, alongside some mysterious additions to the game on Steam's backend. In that case, it wouldn't be a stretch to suggest there's a strong chance a reveal is on the cards.

Stellar Blade 2

Shift Up hasn't been shy of teasing the development of the Stellar Blade's sequel, as it recently stated development is progressing smoothly within its latest earnings report, so it may indeed be time to reveal what the developers have been cooking behind closed doors.

The sequel will be self-published on this occasion and will likely arrive on PC day one, stepping away from the first entry's timed exclusive format. That doesn't necessarily mean Shift Up won't be revealing the game at a State of Play, so this isn't an unrealistic expectation or wish for the June 2 event.

Grand Theft Auto 6

Without a doubt, GTA 6 is one title that is highly unlikely to be revealed at Sony's upcoming State of Play, as Rockstar Games is more than confident to host a big reveal itself.

However, rumors have been active regarding Rockstar and PlayStation's marketing collaboration for the game, and since Take-Two Interactive's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has already stated that marketing for GTA 6 will begin during the summer, June 2 (or frankly, June 5 during Summer Game Fest) seems like the ideal time for that.

It's a bit of a long shot, but it would make sense since Sony is showcasing the event at a theatre, a move it hasn't committed to in years, setting the stage for massive crowd reactions.

When I first saw the Sony 1000X The Collexion headphones — the company's new higher-end cans designed to offer a more spacious and natural sound with better comfort compared to the Sony WH-1000XM6 — I had an immediate thought, and I wasn't alone among the audio journalists I was with: these look a lot like the Sonos Ace.

Both headphones go for a super-clean look, internal mechanisms for the headband arms, slim-profile earcups, chrome-finish detailing, and a mottled faux leather material.

So I had an idea: I took them to our photography studio and got some close-up photos taken of both headphones, and I made a quiz. I pixelated the photo of them at the top to avoid giving anything away, but if you to see the headphones before you play (Easy Mode, if you like), then I'll put the original image of them side-by-side after the quiz.

Are you enough of a headphone aficionado to tell two of the best noise-cancelling headphones apart? I'll admit, I built the damn quiz, then only scored 9/10 when testing it…

Scroll a little further if you're looking for that side-by-side image — I didn't want accidental spoilers.

Let us know in the comments how you did — the first two players on the TechRadar team (other than me) scored 3/10 and 8/10 respectively, so we've had a range of scores even among tech experts (though not necessarily headphones experts).

If you want to read more about Sony's new headphones, you can read our full 1000X The Collexion review, or you can read in-depth about the five key upgrades and three unexpected downgrades in The Collexion compared to the XM6 headphones, including Sony explanation of why there are compromises.

Still have questions? I’ll be answering everything you want to know about Sony’s most expensive wireless headphones ever in a live Q&A tomorrow (May 20) at 12pm ET / 5pm BST, alongside Harry Padoan, who tested them.

Now, here's that image of them together:

• Sony unveils 1000X The Collexion headphones for $649 / £550 / AU$999.95, available in May 2026
• Custom 30mm driver, and new processor with DSEE Ultimate and '360 Upmix' spatial audio modes
• Design focuses on comfort, with gentler clamping force and larger earpads

Sony has just unveiled its most expensive (and possibly most-leaked) wireless headphones to date, which it's calling 1000X The Collexion. If you just want to read whether they're any good, then you can go straight to our Sony 1000X The Collexion review, because we've been using them for a few weeks.

But if you want to know more about what makes them different, and why Sony produced them in the first place, stick around here — I spoke to Sony insiders from the UK and Japan to hear more about what makes them worth their high price tag.

And what is the Sony 1000X The Collexion's price tag? That would be $649 / £550 / AU$699 when they're available sometime during May.

That price is a major leap over the $459 / £349 / AU$699 you now pay for the Sony WH-1000XM6. But Sony hopes that you'll think The Collexion (as I'll call them from here) are worthwhile — the company told me "we wanted to go further then ever before, to create something that isn’t just the next in our line-up, but that represents 70 years of audio mastery."

Building on that, Sony's Personal Entertainment Product Manager, Mike Somerset, said: "Is this just the 1000XM7? The answer very clearly is: no. It’s aimed in a totally different direction… We’re bringing some new things to these headphones that we have never done before."

The Collexion being a "different direction" makes them interesting to compare to the XM6, because they're an improvement over the XM6 in several ways — but are actually a step back in others, and that's not an accident. So here are the upgrades and arguable downgrades you need to know about.

1. A striking new look (and case)

The Collexion's look is very Sony if you've been following the evolution of the Sony WH-1000XM5 and then the XM6 — but it's clearly a little more premium and full of flourishes.

Sony says the name for the design "theme" used for The Collexion is: "Resonate".

It comes in Black or Platinum (ie, white) finishes, and a key element according to Sony is that "every visible part is made from two materials," with the intention of creating "contrasting textures".

There's a new case design too, with a handle — it's more 'handbag-like' in some ways.

That even runs through into the metal detail in places — for example, the hinge connecting the earcups to the headband is "hand-polished by skilled craftspeople", and mixes a sand-blasted finish with glossy chrome.

Sony says that the faux leather material alone was two years in development. The company also put in a lot of work, such as working with a split-design battery for the first time, to reduce the thickness of the earcups to just 40mm for a sleeker profile when wearing them — that's compared to 45.4mm in the XM6 cans.

The combination of the slimmer earcups and the metal detailing gives them a look that's more than a little reminiscent of the Sonos Ace, and that's no bad thing.

Sony also said that the goal here was to create a "timeless design", and I think there's something to this: the matte metal headband reminds me of the metal headphones you'd get with a Sony Walkman in the '80s, yet the rest of the design is undeniably modern Sony.

2. A focus on comfort

The redesign isn't just about the aesthetics, of course. Sony also said that it's particularly focused on comfort here, so that you can wear them for hours and hours, and barely notice they're there.

Specifically, the gap in the earpads is larger in these headphones than in the XM6, so they're less likely to touch the outside of your ears, and they give you a little more breathing room — and are likely to fit better with glasses.

The headband is also a little thicker, so the pressure is distributed a little more evenly — and the clamping force of the headband has been reduced, so you'll feel less pressure wearing them. This last point will come back later, though, because it's a double-edged sword…

3. A more powerful processor

Sony is introducing a new audio processor for the first time in The Collexion: the Integrated Processor V3. This is then combined with the same QN3 noise-cancellation processor used in the Sony XM6.

The V3 is Sony's most powerful headphone processor yet, and it means that these are the first headphones to include DSEE Ultimate. DSEE is Sony's audio upscaling tech, meant to take limited-quality Bluetooth streams and to upscale and add back in detail and dynamic range that's been cut out by compression.

"DSEE Ultimate is the best that Sony has ever done, and we’ve never put it in headphones before," the company said — DSEE Extreme was the previous best tech in its headphones, while Ultimate was limited to its music players, such as the Sony NW-A306.

The key difference is that it's powerful enough to upscale both the sample rate and the bit-depth of the sound at the same time — Sony says this is thanks to AI, as so many things today are. Sony says the sample rate will be upscaled to 96kHz, and the 16-bit depth will be upscaled it to 24-bit.

Sony says that it also brought a bunch of other audiophile engineering developments over from the Walkman line to the V3 processor design, including a low-phase-noise crystal oscillator for “perfect timing”, advanced solder containing gold at “key audio points on the circuit board”, and various component optimizations to improve “the signal to noise ratio across all frequencies”.

The V3 processor also enables new spatial modes, so let's get into those, because they're important enough for Sony to have devoted a whole new button to them.

4. Spatial Audio 'Upmix' modes

Sony is going big on spatial audio in The Collexion, and is using the power of the new V3 processor to offer four "360 Reality Audio Upmix" modes, which can take any audio source and turn it into spatial audio, but with a different kind of signature to the space depending on the mode.

There will be a Cinema mode (which the Sony XM6 also have) to feel like you're in a home theater, but now also a Music mode (designed to sound like you're in a live venue), and Game mode. There will also be the great Background Music mode from the XM6, which sounds like you're listening in a café or somewhere with soft ambient music.

There's a new button on the headset to switch between these modes, though by default it'll cycle between Music, Cinema and the mode being off. You can customize it to add Game or Background music in the Sony Sound Connect app.

Unfortunately, we don't think these are very good — you can read all about that in the full Sony 1000X The Collexion review.

I asked Sony why it doesn't support Dolby Atmos for this, since the experience there tends to be great. It said that there were several factors, ranging from how Android itself and different phones deal with Atmos encoding, to what’s possible in chipsets it's using — but Sony also said it wanted to give the same experience to all users, regardless of your device of streaming service of choice.

5. New speaker driver and sound tuning

Sony said that its goal with The Collexion was to "faithfully reproduce sound as the creator intended" and to “allow listeners to relax and immerse yourself in the lingering resonance of the music".

To do that, it developed a new "bespoke" 30mm driver, which has a similar design principle to the one used in the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds: it's a dual-material design, with a very hard central dome to improve detail, and a softer outer edge for better bass response.

The harder center is made using a "unidirectional carbon-layered core composite", which apparently means it's made from long carbon strands — "like hair", Sony said. The XM6 headphones' driver also uses carbon, but a lower percentage of it in the mix of materials (including paper). More carbon means more rigidity.

Sony said that the sound character it's aiming for includes "perfect balance, and really fantastic sound and detail" that is "toned to reproduce the sound as artists intended".

Sony also said that it was focusing on "a wider stage, and greater separation between instruments and vocals" with "a smoother, more pleasant bass" that it described as "appropriate fullness".

In comparison to the XM6, Sony said the older model is "in between the monitor and the consumer" in terms of its profile, and that the sound is "punchier" (which is exactly how my colleague Harry Padoan described the difference in his Sony The Collexion review) — but The Collexion has a wider soundstage and more focus on "natural-feeling" sound.

6. Shorter battery life

OK, it's time to move onto the areas where The Collexion are (arguably) a step down from the XM6 headphones. First up is the battery life, which is rated at 24 hours — Sony's other 1000X headphones have clocked in at 30 hours.

That's below average compared to basically all the best noise cancelling headphones — even Bose, which was happy offering 24 hours for years, raised its game to 30 hours for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen. Pretty much the only competitor it's not lower than is the AirPods Max 2, which offers a measly 20 hours.

Sony told me that this change was due to making the earcups slimmer, and acknowledged that it was a compromise compared to the usual amount — but it also noted that it was sufficient for the longest flights.

Sony also highlighted that the batteries can be replaced in the future without trouble, because they're just held in with screws, rather than glued in.

7. Not optimized for noise cancellation

The Collexion have the same general noise-cancellation tech as the Sony XM6 — including the QN3 processor and 12 microphones — plus an improved driver, so you might assume it would Sony's best noise-cancellation yet… but Sony was clear not to expect this.

Sony emphasized that it would still steer you to the XM6 if you want its top ANC power. The reason is that the focus on comfort — elements such as the lighter clamping force and change in earcup material and design — means that these headphones won't have quite as strong a physical seal against outside sounds as the XM6.

Again, in our The Collexion review you'll read they're actually very good for noise cancellation, and are on par with AirPods Max 2 — but yes, the XM6 are noticeably better when it gets loud. It's a fair trade-off for the comfort, though.

8. They're not foldable

This won't be a dealbreaker for everyone, but some people really prefer headphones that fold for travel, and we were really pleased that Sony added this feature back into the XM6 headphones, having dropped it in the Sony XM5.

The Collexion don't fold, but Sony said that portability was something it had in mind when creating the slimmer earcups, and between that and the case being a little smaller, it's still a nice small thing to put in a bag — and also of note for travellers, the wider headband means they're more comfortable to wear around your neck.

Sony 1000X The Collexion: Two-minute review

The Sony 1000X The Collexion headphones arrive 10 years since Sony released the first set of headphones in its 1000X series, and to mark the occasion the Japanese tech giant has delivered its most expensive pair of wireless headphones ever. These are an ultra-premium pair of over-ears that are aimed squarely to be a rival to Apple’s AirPods Max 2.

And the Sony 1000X the Collexion really do feel like Sony’s attempt at going for the AirPods Max's popularity without the restrictive nature of that model’s iOS-centric feature-set. Everything from the sound signature through to the flatter design feels like a challenge to Apple, and, on a number of fronts, I’d argue that Sony has risen to said challenge.

Let’s start where it matters most and discuss sound quality. The Collexion (as I will call them) have an incredibly expansive, spacious soundstage, which provides plenty of room for individual instruments to express themselves.

Vocals and instruments are expertly separated, and there’s a fantastic degree of balance across the frequency range, resulting in nuanced, articulate sound. Combine that with using LDAC or lossless wired audio, and you’re in for a very detail-oriented listen.

The broad, roomy sound will certainly appeal to fans of the AirPods Max and their successor, although on a personal level, I did prefer the tighter and punchier sound signature of the Sony WH-1000XM6.

In terms of features, The Collexion riff heavily on what the XM6 had to offer, with impeccable touch controls, a 10-band custom equalizer, and third-party integrations like Spotify Tap and YouTube Music Quick Access. But there are some notable differences.

Here, users can access DSEE Ultimate for upscaling lower-quality files to 96kHz and 32-bit. This is enabled by a new V3 chip, which also powers some 360 Upmix audio modes for Music, Cinema, and Gaming, although these are unfortunately pretty poor, meaning I barely ever touched them. This is a shame, especially as the headphones have a dedicated button for such modes.

Noise cancelling is very good on The Collexion, and a 12-microphone system provides a solid barrier against traffic noise, surrounding chatter, and the like. Sony has been clear that the XM6 are more ANC-focused, and this came across in my testing, with a few more sounds seeping in with The Collexion — but what’s here still competes well against models like the AirPods Max 2 and bests the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2.

Something that has taken a substantial step down, however, is battery life. You’re only getting 24 hours now (with ANC on), which is a fair bit less than most of the competition. 30 hours is essentially a standard for premium wireless headphones now (in no small part thanks to it being Sony's usual benchmark), although The Collexion can still outlast the AirPods Max 2, which only manage about 20 hours of playtime.

I think these headphones largely nail their more luxurious design, though. They have a gorgeous faux-leather headband and earcups which both look and feel amazing, while titanium details also offer a nice contrast to that material, and make The Collexion stand out clearly over the more unified look of other models in the 1000X line, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5.

Generally, the headphones also feel very sturdy, and although they have a fair bit of weight to them, they’re less hefty than the AirPods Max 2. The Collexion are also exceedingly comfortable, and I felt happy using them for hours on end without ever feeling the need to adjust them.

All in all, then, the Sony 1000X The Collexion are a great pair of headphones that, on the whole, justify their asking price. Factors like their luxurious build, spacious sound, and solid feature-set mean they fare well against competitors in this price range.

There are some downsides, such as lower battery life and ANC power compared to the Sony WH-1000XM6, as well as the underwhelming 360 Upmix modes, but all in all, these headphones are worth considering for any who loves the feel of Sony headphones but wishes for a more revealing sound profile.

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Price and availability

• List price of $649 / £550 / AU$999.95
• Released in May 2026

The Collexion were officially unveiled in May 2026, about 10 years after Sony released the first set of headphones in its 1000X series. They’re the most premium wireless headphones on Sony’s roster, and have a list price of $649 / £550 / AU$999.95, meaning they’re $200 / £200 / AU$300 more expensive than the Sony WH-1000XM6.

This puts them close to the AirPods Max 2 — though Apple has them undercut by a good $100 in the US, and £50 in the UK (they cost the same in Australia). Other notable competitors include the Dali IO-8 for £499 in the UK and AU$899 in Australia, though these cost a hefty $899 in the US. There's also the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 for $799 / £629 / AU$1,299.

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: specs

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Features

• ANC and battery life can’t match the XM6
• Best-in-class touch controls
• DSEE Ultimate for upscaling, plus LDAC and wired lossless available

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Sony 1000X The Collexion have a very similar featureset to the Sony WH-100XM6 — although there are some things that are exclusive to this pricier model, and some things they don’t do quite so well.

Let’s start with the new stuff. One brilliant addition is DSEE Ultimate. This technology is enabled by a new Integrated Processor V3 chip, and has never featured in a pair of Sony headphones until now (only in its music players).

DSEE Ultimate uses AI tech to upscale the sample rate of a lower-quality audio file (including stuff that's being compressed down for Bluetooth transmission) to 96kHz / 24-bit resolution. When using this on Spotify, a lot of the tracks I listen to regularly sounded a touch more detailed, and I highly recommend keeping this setting on.

On top of this, The Collexion bring high-resolution to the table via both wireless and wired means. First of all, these headphones feature LDAC for higher-res Bluetooth listening. This tech is still inherently lossy, but if you want to take a step up, you can connect the headphones to your listening device via a 3.5mm connection for wired lossless audio.

Something else enabled by the V3 chip is The Collexion’s 360 Upmix spatial audio modes. Although there’s no Dolby Atmos support, there are Music, Cinema, and Game modes, all of which take a standard audio signal and convert it into a more expansive format.

Unfortunately, I found that these upmixed modes produced poor audio quality, so even though the feature is enticing in theory, I barely made use of it — more on that later.

Still, there are plenty of great features on board, such as The Collexion’s top-tier touch controls. These are the same as on the XM6 — you can swipe to skip tracks and adjust volume, cover the right earcup to enable transparency mode on the fly, and double tap to play or pause your music.

The touch controls are incredibly responsive, and the decision to use a double tap to pause means I never accidentally triggered a command.

Call quality is also strong once again, with four feedback mics on the inside of the headphones. There’s also a 10-band equalizer and presets for personalized audio, multi-point connectivity, voice assistant compatibility, and third-party software integrations like Spotify Tap and YouTube Music Quick Access.

A lot of these settings are available in Sony’s Sound Connect app, which is relatively easy to use, but some settings are buried deep in numerous sub-menus, which can be a irritating at times.

Anyway, let’s talk about the most important feature of all: active noise cancellation. Again, you get the choice to use full ANC, a transparent ambient sound mode, or no noise cancelling at all. There’s also adaptive sound control, which switches settings depending on your environment and behaviour.

Just how good is the ANC here, though? Well, Sony was clear with us that The Collexion are less centered around ANC than the WH-1000XM6 — despite also containing the QN3 processor and 12-microphone system, just like those headphones.

And although noise cancelling is still very good on The Collexion headphones, with surrounding chatter and traffic noise kept quiet even at medium listening volumes, I could certainly tell the difference compared to the XM6. While listening to music, some higher-pitched sounds, like typing and taps running, as well as louder sounds like doors closing, could still be heard.

If you want best-in-class ANC, I’d stick with the XM6 — or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 — but otherwise, you’ll likely be satisfied with the noise cancelling available here.

One other feature that’s received a downgrade from the XM6 is battery life. You only get 24 hours here, which Sony says is a result of The Collexion’s flatter design in the earcups compared to the XM6, which offer 30 hours of playtime.

But let’s be honest: 24 hours just isn’t very good. It’s enough to last you through a long flight, and will likely get you through a few days at the office, but avid listeners will still have to charge their cans fairly regularly.

Ultimately, the standard in this bracket is 30 hours, although Sony still outdoes Apple here, with the AirPods Max 2 only able to manage 20 hours.

• Features score: 4 / 5

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Sound quality

• Expansive, open sound is striking
• Sensational attention to detail using LDAC and wired lossless
• 360 Upmix modes are best avoided

If you’re looking for a pair of headphones that offer the sort of expansiveness that Apple’s AirPods Max 2 can, with all mod-cons available to you, but you don’t want the restrictions those impose on non-Apple devices, then I’d argue that The Collexion are the closest thing available.

These headphones conjure up an incredibly wide, spacious soundstage — using them, it feels as if you’re listening to music inside a large virtual room. They use a new 30mm driver, which has been redeveloped with soft edges and a harder center for enhanced detail and balance.

Listening to Voyager by Daft Punk, the airy synths sounded pleasantly forward, while the percussion occupied its own individual pocket, with plenty of room to express itself. Bass then entered the fray with tremendous impact, and came through with an almost three-dimensional quality. Spacey synths also carried a tremendous sense of space, while guitar licks danced away in the backdrop.

The headphones performed very well, no matter what genre I threw at them. With a deep house track like Planet 34 by Jesse Maas, the bass came through with admirable depth and agility, meaning the low-end sounded full and energetic rather than lethargic and ‘boomy’. Higher-pitched percussion in the treble range also maintained tight control, but never sounded blunt or underpowered.

Generally, there’s a pleasant balance right across the frequency range, and instrument separation is incredibly refined. Pair that with the headphones’ great attention to detail, and you’re in for a pleasantly nuanced listening experience.

I should be clear, however, that these headphones are at their best with some form of higher-res mode of listening. For instance, when I listened to Felini by Venerus and Marco Castello, I found that using LDAC over standard Bluetooth made a noticeable difference.

Vocals came through more naturally and articulately, while soft acoustic guitars sounded a little more expressive — the tune just had a more open, nuanced sound to it overall. This was also the case when using a wired connection, so if you want to experience The Collexion at their most intricate, make sure to use one of these options.

But how do The Collexion compare to the Sony WH-1000XM6? Well, The Collexion go for a more expansive and spacious sound, while the XM6 offer a tighter, punchier interpretation.

In Sadao Watanabe’s jazz-funk fusion record, Down East, I could detect a huge difference in the way that the headphones handled the smooth, funky bass. On the XM6, it was by no means overwhelming, but certainly impactful and slightly forward. There was still a solid amount of low-end weight on The Collexion, but the bass had a more spacious quality.

The Collexion’s more dispersed sound and almost distant low-end meant the track lost a bit of its bite, and I actually preferred the more direct approach of the XM6. There’s no doubt that The Collexion are capable of offering more space for individual instrumental elements to work their magic than the XM6, but some may actually prefer the tighter approach of the latter.

Ultimately, which you prefer is largely down to personal preference — I already preferred the sound signature of the WH-1000XM6 over the airy, broad approach of the AirPods Max 2, for instance, but I’m confident that both sound fantastic in unique ways.

One thing that did disappoint me, however, was the quality of the 360 Upmix modes. When using the Music mode, tracks sounded glaringly worse — vocals lost clarity, drums had a tinny edge, and keys in the mid-range lost their tonal accuracy. The Cinema mode was a bit better, but I still found speech to be less clear and defined, making for a weaker overall viewing experience.

This is a shame, given that the 360 Upmix modes are pitched as a major feature, and even have a dedicated button. But at the time of writing, they’re just not good enough.

• Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Design

• Stunning faux-leather casing with titanium details
• Super-comfortable fit with plush earcups
• Slightly odd-looking case

Sony’s The Collexion headphones look strikingly different from models like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and XM5, combining a beautiful faux-leather exterior with metal details.

The look of the outer casing is top-class, and is a clear indicator that these headphones are a premium product. Even when I used touch controls, the textured feel of the faux-leather was incredibly satisfying — and these small touches go a long way when you’re spending north of $500 / £500 on headphones.

Dual-textured metal links the earcups to the headband, and the metal is used for the various buttons and ports, and I can see people being divided on how enticing this looks.

Where the XM6 went for an ultra-fluid, homogenous design, The Collexion go for more of a contrasting look, and overall, I’m a fan. When we attended the product launch, Sony told us it was aiming to create a “timeless design,” and although I’d argue that headphones like the Marshall Monitor III ANC — which have a gorgeous retro look — do this slightly better, I still like The Collexion’s aesthetic.

Although the Sony WH-1000XM6 are my go-to headphones, there’s always been one thing I’ve disliked about their design: the bulky-looking earcups. The Collexion have done away with this, in favor of flatter and slimmer earcups — similar to those of the Sonos Ace. They look fantastic, and although Sony told us that the more compact form was a large reason for the reduced battery life, I’m a big fan of this choice style-wise.

Despite their flatter earcups, the Collexion are actually quite a bit heavier than the XM6. Sony’s new cans come in at 0.7lbs / 320g, compared to the 0.6lbs / 254g of their cheaper cousin. This is likely a result of the more premium materials being used, but I never felt that the headphones were too hefty in-use, and they’re still considerably lighter than the 0.9lbs / 386g AirPods Max 2.

In fact, I’d argue that these headphones are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever used. Their plush earcups, cushioned headband, and low-pressure feel is sensational, and makes for incredibly comfortable listening sessions, no matter how long.

There’s a wider headband on this model than on the XM6, which means these headphones won’t clamp too hard if you place them around your neck.

There are a few physical buttons on board, for altering noise cancelling levels and turning the power on or off, and for when (or rather if) you want to sift through the 360-degree audio modes. The rest is down to the touch controls, which are best-in-class.

Although I’ve been full of praise up to this point, The Collexion do have a few potential drawbacks worth pointing to, design-wise.

The first is that they're not foldable. This is a shame, as I love the XM6’s foldability, especially if I’ve forgotten the case and want to place them in a small bag or larger-sized pocket.

Another thing I'm not super-keen on is the case. Like the XM6, the Collexion have a magnet-lock case, which is incredibly practical and good to see. However, the look of the case is… not the best. It almost looks like a mini handbag, and not an especially attractive one. You can see it just below.

This is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, but personally I preferred the more simple look of the XM6’s case.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Value

• Very high asking price
• Justified in most areas, but less so in others
• Overall they still compete well against the likes of the AirPods Max 2

So, do the Sony 1000X The Collexion earn their high asking price? Well overall, I’d say they do — but the picture isn’t entirely black and white (unlike their color options).

At $649 / £550 (about AU$900), these are Sony’s priciest wireless headphones, coming it at around $200 / £200 more than the WH-1000XM6. That value is realized in many respects, with more spacious and detailed sound, better upscaling, and a considerably more premium build.

However, these headphones lag behind the XM6 when it comes to ANC and battery life. They still compete well in terms of noise cancelling, sound quality, and design against similarly priced rivals like the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 and the Apple AirPods Max 2, but if you want a true pair of all-rounders with top bang-for-buck, then the XM6 would still be my top recommendation.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Should you buy them?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: Also consider

Sony 1000X The Collexion review: How I tested

• I tested them for just under two weeks
• I predominantly tested them using Tidal
• Tested in real-world conditions

I spent more than a week testing the Sony 1000X The Collexion headphones, during which time I tested them in as many real-world situations as I could, to test the active noise cancellation.

Although I dipped into apps like Spotify, I predominantly used Tidal to test their performance, due to its support of higher-resolution files. I began my testing by sifting through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres, but I also listened to hours' worth of tunes from my personal library.

I’ve spent years testing all sorts of audio gear here at TechRadar, ranging from party speakers to audiophile-friendly wired and wireless headphones. I also reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM6 and compared them to rivals from Bose, Apple, Bowers & Wilkins and more — I've been using the XM6 headphones for more than a year now, so I had a deep understanding of how The Collexion differed from their counterpart.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: May 2026

• PlayStation is ending single-player PC ports, according to Bloomberg and confirmed by PlayStation boss
• Ghost of Yotei and Saros were likely the next games to be ported onto PC
• Kena: Scars of Kosmora will still be on PS5 and PC, when it launches in 2026

PlayStation's presence on PC has gradually expanded over the years, with its exclusive single-player games arriving on the platform a year or so after launch — but that's now coming to an end.

As reported by VGC, PlayStation boss Hermen Hulst has confirmed that single-player PS5 exclusives won't be coming to PC anymore, according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. This comes after its initial report in March, which is now corroborated via Hulst's internal confirmation to staff.

The most recent exclusives, Ghost of Yotei and Saros, were heavily rumored and expected to be ported to PC, particularly the former, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, which was released on PC three years after its console debut.

Unfortunately, that's not happening anymore, marking the end of an era when many of PlayStation's blockbuster titles were available on Steam and Epic Games. One title, Kena: Scars of Kosmora, is still scheduled for launch on PC in 2026, and that's only because Ember Lab isn't a first-party PlayStation studio, but Sony is responsible as its publisher.

Bloomberg also stated that PlayStation believes PC ports risk damaging the 'console's brand' and the sales of the PS5. However, it feels as though Sony has taken two steps backwards, as this hurts consumers more than it benefits them.

The staggered release system that would see exclusives arrive on PC at least one year later was good for consumers who were either exclusively on PC or owned a PS5 console, whilst also on PC, with the freedom of playing at launch or patiently waiting for a better version in terms of graphics and performance.

It's an understandable move from PlayStation in a financial aspect, especially since a continuation of PC releases would actually benefit Valve's upcoming Steam Machine — which is poised to be a direct rival in the console space as a console-like PC.

While this stance can change again in the future, it's highly unlikely at this rate, especially if the rumors of Project Helix (the next Xbox console) will be able to run Steam, effectively acting as a PC, as that would mean Sony would be lending its exclusives over to rivals in both Valve and Microsoft.

When Sony invited me to try the new Sony A7R VI, naturally, I leaped at the chance to handle a camera that we just rated five out of five stars in our recent review. The camera wasn't the only thing I wanted to try, however, as the brand was also debuting the rather eye-catching FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS — a lens that looks to offer serious reach for birders or sports photographers alike.

Such reach, alongside the A7R VI's impressive 66MP resolution, should be a birders' dream considering the camera's rather ridiculous cropping potential. Couple that with the brand's latest autofocus? Even a street photographer like me has no excuse for not nailing the shot anymore.

The Sony 100-400mm f/4.5 GM currently retails for €5,000 / £4,400 (AU$ TBC), so it's not a cheap lens by any stretch. According to Sony, it's aimed at the Professional/enthusiast crowd, straddling the middle-ground between 'amateur' and the brand's highest-end professional glass.

When I saw this lens, I immediately thought it was a like-for-like upgrade to the prior FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS, released back in 2017. That's not the case, however, as this new lens features not just a constant aperture, but also improved autofocusing capabilities according to Sony.

In the hand, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is a hefty specimen, but it's surprisingly lightweight for a telephoto of this size. Sony stated that they were deliberating between making this one either an f/4 or an f/4.5 constant aperture, but they chose the latter because of its substantial weight savings.

At 1,840g, I think they made the right choice here. Considering just how good the brand's BSI full-frame sensors are, you're not losing much light-gathering capacity with a half-stop of aperture. The lighter weight, however, should pay dividends when lugging this lens out and about in the field.

A few other things I really liked about this lens are the well-thought-out FN buttons scattered around the barrel of the lens, which offer plenty of customization options. The support for 45mm drop-in filters at the base of the lens is also a nice touch, meaning you don't have to fork out for massive 95mm front filters.

A great pairing with the Sony A7R VI

There is an old adage that gear doesn't make the photographer. Certainly, that's true, but if there's anything that can help you nail that telephoto shot, it's got to be this lens in combination with the Sony A7R VI.

I have to admit, I'm a relative beginner when it comes to bird photography. I could not even tell you the difference between a coal tit and a great tit. I can tell between a duck and a goose, but only just.

Even I was able to get some good shots with the 100-400mm f/4.5. In the hands of a pro, the possibilities here are surely expansive.

At 400mm, the lens features impressive reach, but it's in combination with the A7R VI's 66MP sensor where it truly shines. With such cropping potential, you can reach far beyond an APS-C crop here - upwards of 100% zoom, in fact.

This is where the lens's constant f/4.5 aperture also comes in handy, in that you still get a decent level of background separation at the most extreme end. While the bokeh can still get a little busy, it will be smoother than the f/5.6 featured on the older 2017 lens.

I didn't have much time to test this lens in the field, but from my short experience, it was a very potent combination. I still missed a few shots (mostly due to my own failings), but I was definitely surprised at how sharp the images were at such extreme crops upon inspection in post. Again, there's serious potential here for experienced birders.

Excellent autofocus, too

Everyone knows the Sony A7R VI is a beast when it comes to autofocus, but this lens is arguably just as impressive. Throughout my session, I tried quite a few lenses, including higher-end GM primes, and I was surprised that the hefty 100-400mm f/4.5 didn't lag behind any of its siblings.

Sure, when compared to something like the stunning FE 50mm F1.2 GM, the 100-400mm f/4.5 is not quite as rapid, but it is surprisingly close. In my brief testing, focus acquisition was extremely impressive when paired with the new A7R VI. Even on a busy basketball court, the lens had no trouble tracking faces and action with the camera's admittedly excellent human-priority focus mode.

Again, I'm reminded of the previous gear adage, but really, with equipment this good, it really is so effortless to nail a shot - this is action and bird photography on easy mode. From my few hundred-or-so test shots, I had an impressive hit rate, and the images from the basketball scene in particular rendered with impressive sharpness thanks to the lovely light conditions.

For a full assessment, I'd need to properly judge low-light performance as well as distortion, aberration, and so on, but this lens definitely impressed me from my initial hands-on.

There's an open nature reserve with a wetland, encircled by woodland, about a 10-minute drive from my house, and it’s one of my favorite places to go running. Sunrise on a cold morning here can be magical for photography too — the sun-kissed mist hovering over the water makes for dreamy conditions.

Throughout the year, the nature reserve attracts a range of migratory and rare species of birds, making it a popular spot for birding — people will drive a good hour or more to visit with their long lenses, spotting scopes and binoculars.

I've never tried serious bird photography myself, chiefly because I'm way too young for that (joking), but also because the longest lens I've ever owned is a 70-200mm, which doesn't get me nearly close enough.

Recently, however, I had the chance to test Sony's longest lens, the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS, and the idea of trying bird photography suddenly became very appealing.

I paired the super-telephoto zoom lens with the new Sony A7R VI. My logic was that the camera’s stellar bird-detection autofocus skills, blazing-fast shooting speeds of up to 30fps, and 66.8MP stacked sensor were perfect for bird photography when armed with the 400-800mm focal length.

One visit led to another, and before I knew it, I was out the door at 5am every morning, gear in hand.

I had just found my new hobby. It happened a few years earlier than I care to admit, but why resist the inevitable? Yes, I'm now into birding, and I have this incredible Sony camera gear to blame.

The super-supertelephoto lens

When I first saw Sony’s 400-800mm lens in 2024, I thought it was a peculiar focal length. But after my bird photography testing, it feels like the perfect range for this genre.

For most bird photography — in the wild at least — you’ll want a focal length of at least 600mm to get close enough, but I found that even longer, at 800mm, was my most-used setting.

I wouldn’t want an 800mm prime lens, mind you, even if that meant benefitting from a slightly faster aperture. When you're locked in on a bird at 800mm, and it moves, which it will, it can be tricky to locate them again. That’s why quickly zooming out to 400mm is handy.

With a wider perspective at 400mm, you can locate the subject more easily, and then zoom back in again. In any case, about 10% of the time, the 400mm focal length was actually the better pick when I was lucky enough to get physically close.

Optical image stabilization is handy, smoothing out camera shake and consequently making this lens totally usable handheld. The focus range limiter is neat too, but I tended to keep the focus range set to 'full' given the birds could be located any distance from me at any point — in one spot, there are gauze bushes next to a boardwalk.

The one thing against the lens is its maximum aperture, which is f/6.3 at 400mm and reduced to f/8 at 800mm. I usually opted for a 1/1000sec shutter speed at 800mm to freeze action, and at f/8 in anything but good light, you’ll find ISO needs to be bumped up, which impacts image quality.

Depth of field is not an issue, though. At 800mm and f/8, backgrounds are delightfully blurred, just about all of the bird is in sharp focus, and the photos looks great.

An upshot of the limited maximum aperture is that the lens is much lighter than Sony’s professional fast-aperture telephoto primes, such as the 600mm F4, and it’s much, much cheaper, too. For amateur bird photography, I think the 400-800mm F6.3-8 is the practically perfect lens.

The speedy, highly detailed camera

If the 400-800mm F6.3-8 is the ideal lens for bird photography, the A7R VI proved to be its perfect partner. Like its predecessor, the camera features subject-detection autofocus with a dedicated option for birds, but it adds an auto option, which is handy when you’re regularly switching between subjects.

For bird photography, however, I selected the dedicated AF mode on the assumption that this could help improve the camera’s scan rate, with less in the scene for it to be looking for — after trying both options, I would advise you to do the same.

I also tried bird photography with the 400-800mm lens and the older Sony A7R V, and it felt like autofocus was slightly slower compared to the new camera. I don’t have numbers to back this up or give a measurable difference, just my experience.

I was impressed by how the camera could latch onto birds even when they filled just a small portion of the frame. Check out the example below — the A7R VI easily located the distant male stonechat.

With continuous burst shooting set to 10fps using the mechanical shutter, bird-detection autofocus in play, camera and lens image stabilization active, I had a dream setup, on the foundation of a high-resolution stacked sensor and extreme dynamic range.

Sony says the A7R VI has a 16-stop dynamic range, which is 1-stop more than the A7R V and most other professional cameras. It also has the most pixels in a full-frame sensor — all 66.8MP of them.

What I appreciated about the high-resolution sensor was the ability to crop into images where the subject filled a small portion of the frame, even when shooting at 800mm.

Just how much can you crop? Well, the camera's APS-C crop mode (1.5x) is still 28MP, and in that mode the 800mm setting of the lens effectively looks like a 1200mm lens (see the sequence above at 400mm, 800mm, and 800mm with the 1.5x crop mode). It's possible to crop in much more than that and still get a detail-rich image, especially for images displayed on mobile devices. You might not need such big files in terms of output, but for bird photography, being able to crop is supremely helpful.

The birdlife

That’s the gear covered — but how was my experience itself? I had an absolute blast — in the space of a week, I went from a complete novice to confidently identifying a range of bird species for inquisitive passersby impressed by the camera gear in my hand. Yep, I had become one of those guys.

The nature reserve is home to a wide range of birdlife. My very first snaps were of Canada geese on the water, mainly because the light and mist were magical. But venturing further along the boardwalk, I saw ground-nesting birds and more.

There were Chats, Finches, Woodlarks, and I even saw a family of Dartford Warblers. I tuned in my ear for birds; the car alarm-like shrill of a Lapwing and the peculiar call of a Curlew — I was told that I was looking at the only nesting pair in this county. Common Cuckoos were present too, though I never got the camera tracked onto one of those.

I photographed European Stonechats who had caught dragonflies and grubs, and watched a Reed Bunting go back and forth gathering nest-building material. The delightful contrast of a (European) Goldfinch amidst the pale green leaves of a birch was spectacular.

Seemingly, it was my time — I was becoming a bird enthusiast. I had given in to the inevitable. I was hunting for birds, enjoying the thrill of getting the shot, but with a camera and not a rifle.

And honestly, it was the most fun I'd had with the camera in ages. This didn't feel like work, but something that fed me. And, yes, I did ask Sony to extend the loan of the lens, because I wasn’t ready to give it back. Once I bid farewell, I’ll be looking into buying a super telephoto zoom lens of my own (but I'm not quite ready for a bird spotting journal...yet).

Interested in trying bird photography out for yourself? Check out our selection of the best wildlife photography cameras.

• Sony has posted an advert for the Xperia 1 VIII's AI Camera Assistant tool
• But all the images using this feature look worse than the 'before' shots
• It's unclear how this could have happened without Sony realizing

Update 15/05: Sony has followed up its X post with a second post explaining that the AI Camera Assistant feature "doesn’t edit photos after shooting — it suggests 4 settings in different creative directions based on the scene and subject. You can choose any option or use your own settings." The rest of this article is as originally published.

AI is a controversial tool, but even those against the technology would probably admit that it has some utility. One such use case is to improve photos, but Sony’s recent attempt to advertise AI's skills in this area has very much backfired.

You see, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has just launched with an ‘AI Camera Assistant’ tool, which, on paper, sounds promising. It can make suggestions about settings you might want to change, such as exposure, bokeh, and color, based on what you’re pointing the viewfinder at, in order to get the best version of a photo. Except, its suggestions are seemingly absolutely terrible.

In a post on X, the official Sony Xperia account has shown some before and after photos aimed at advertising the capabilities of this tool, but the improved shots basically just seem to be overexposed to ludicrous levels, washing out colors and details, and leaving the photos looking pale and unnatural.

An accident or an intentional gamble?

Even if the feature really is this bad, it’s bizarre that Sony would highlight its failings like this, so there’s some debate online about what’s going on. Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei even weighed in, suggesting “this must be engagement farming??” But if it is, it’s quite the gamble given just how terrible this makes the feature look.

Other replies have described the results as “awful” and noted that “all the originals look better”, with one poster saying, “If this is intelligence, I'd prefer my phone dumb.” Another simply asks, “Is this satire?”

The response is almost universally negative, and it seems hard to believe that Sony didn’t realize the adjusted photos look worse. But it’s also hard to imagine the company would intentionally post bad images for engagement.

Perhaps, then, the before and after shots have accidentally been mislabeled, but the post has been up for quite a while now, so you’d think it would have been taken down if that was the case.

We’ll be interested to give the AI Camera Assistant feature a try for ourselves when we get our hands on the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, but for now, based on Sony’s own images, it looks like something you might want to steer well clear of.

Sony A7R VI: Two-minute review

Highly-detailed images or blazing-fast performance — historically, you'd have to pick one or the other when choosing a camera. However, Sony has now given us both in one model — the A7R VI — and for me, it's the perfect mirrorless camera.

I've shot everything from detail-rich landscapes to fast-moving wildlife photography while testing the A7R VI, and it hasn't missed a beat. I've really appreciated the huge number of pixels I have to play with, which means that heavily cropping into images is entirely possible.

Its new 66.8MP stacked full-frame sensor resolves more detail than the sensor in the 50MP A1 II — Sony's previous flagship camera for quality and performance — and most of that camera's speed in terms of sensor readout.

I say 'most', because its readout speed is half that of the A1 II, and able to support autofocus up to 60fps, but it has certainly been sufficiently speedy for just about every scenario I've used it in. And rolling shutter distortion is minimized compared to the A7R VI's predecessor, the A7R V — I shot with both cameras at the same time in order to make direct performance comparisons.

Even better, the A7R VI costs £4,500 / AU$6,999, which seriously undercuts the pricier A1 II. Considering what the A7R VI can do, the A1 II feels somewhat redundant, especially when the speed-specialist A9 III is also on the scene for the likes of pro sports photographers who demand the absolute fastest performance.

Of course, that's still a decent chunk of anyone's money, and the A7R VI costs a lot more than the still-incredible A7R V, which has fallen in price since its launch in 2022, and is probably the better value pick if detail is all that matters to you.

However, given the upgrades here, which also include a new and higher-capacity battery type, the A7R VI's starting price feels justified. I've been reviewing cameras for 15 years, and I think Sony just made the first one that's perfect. I could happily dine out on its skills for many years to come.

Sony A7R VI: price and release date

• Announced on May 13 2026
• The body-only price is £4,500 / AU$6,999

Yes, the A7R VI'S £4,500 / AU$6,999 launch price is higher than that of the A7R V, which cost £4,000 / AU$5,499 on its announcement late in 2022, and which can now be had for around £3,000 / AU$4,799. That said, the A7R VI is more camera — it's not just a resolution king, but a speed demon too.

When you consider what the A7R VI is capable of versus the Sony A1 II, which costs more than £6,000 / AU$9,999, it feels like excellent value.

• Price score: 4.5/5

Sony A7R VI specs

Sony A7R VI: Design

• Still lightweight and small versus rival high-resolution full-frame cameras
• Rugged design and excellent ergonomics
• Touchscreen features a 4-way axis, the detailed EVF detail packs 9.44m dots

For recent models, Sony has made great strides in improving how its cameras handle, and how easy the menus and controls are to navigate. It's no longer the case that rival Canon and Nikon cameras are simply easier and more intuitive to use.

For starters, Sony has improved the design of the grip — on the A7R VI it's even bigger and more pronounced than before, no doubt to house the upgraded and physically larger new battery type which debuts here (more on this in the performance section).

The new bulb button on the camera's top plate illuminates key buttons in low light, making them easier to find in the dark, and there's a tally lamp for video recording. Each port sits behind its own rigid door, which when in use sits neatly out of the way. These are all lovely additions to what is otherwise a very similar design to the A7R V.

Like before, we get three control wheels for exposure adjustments (one of which is lockable), four custom buttons (though not one on the front of the camera, sadly), a grippy AF joystick and a four-way control dial which also includes drive mode and ISO shortcuts.

There's a neat 3.2-inch touchscreen with 4-way articulation, meaning the screen can be flipped out to the side and viewed at awkward angles, whether you're shooting in vertical or horizontal format. There's a highly detailed 9.44m-dot EVF, too, but this time it's a HDR DCI PW display which Sony says is 3x brighter than the one in the A7R V.

We get twin card slots again, and each slot accepts either an SD card or one of Sony's CFexpress Type A cards. Per gigabyte, CFexpress Type A cards are among the most expensive, more so than CFexpress Type B used in rival cameras. Of course you can use cheaper SD cards, but you'll want a CFexpress card to get the A7R VI's speediest performance for burst shooting and so on.

Naturally, with this being a pro body, the A7R VI is weather-resistant. I'm not in the habit of wrecking cameras, and certainly not review samples that I have to send back, but you can feel that the A7R VI is rugged too. The back-right control dial has a tiny bit of give, and could be a weak point, but it performed fine during my review.

If I was to have one criticism, it's that the camera body still feels a little cramped — many of the controls are small and tightly packed together. You'll also want a vertical grip when pairing the A7R VI with big lenses for better balance, such is its compact design. But overall, the A7R VI is as good a camera body as Sony has ever made.

• Design score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: Performance

• The sensor is stacked with rapid readout speed, minimizing rolling shutter distortion
• A new higher-capacity NP-SA100 battery makes its debut
• Subject tracking autofocus performance further boosted with new chip

While the A7R VI's design is a minor upgrade, its performance reaches new levels thanks to a new 66.8MP stacked sensor, new Bionz XR 2 processor, combined processing and AI chip (as in the Sony A7 V), and an entirely new battery. Let's look at each of these in more detail, starting with the sensor.

Not only is the sensor the highest-resolution for the full-frame format at 66.8MP, it's a stacked sensor, which means a faster readout speeds, and a half-stop boost in image stabilization performance, now up to 8.5 stops.

Stacked sensors power everything from rapid autofocus speed to minimizing rolling shutter distortion. The A7R VI's is faster than the A7R V's regular 61MP sensor, but not quite as quick as the A1 II's 50MP stacked sensor, nor the A9 III's 24MP global shutter.

We also get a next-gen processor, the Bionz XR 2. Top features include 10fps burst shooting (mechanical shutter) for up to 535 frames in compressed RAW, and up to 30fps blackout-free (electronic shutter) for up to 150 shots — the latter is a three-second burst.

One of the buttons can be assigned as a burst-shooting boost, meaning you can tick over at, say, 10fps in using the electronic shutter and up this to 30fps when a key moment occurs.

Burst shooting is also supported by the pre-capture feature, where up to one second of shots can be buffered with the shutter half-pressed, before you fully press the shutter to engage a sequence.

Like in the A7 V, the A7R V combines the processing chip with the dedicated AI chip — the setup found in previous-generation cameras like the A7R V — into a single chip, for greater efficiency and power conservation, and for smarter autofocus and accurate auto white balance and color rendition.

In addition to a boost in the maximum possible length of burst shooting sequences before the camera slows up, there's an auto subject-detection mode this time around, which is very handy if you regularly switch between subject types, plus dedicated subject-tracking modes for as humans, birds, animals and vehicles, with the camera able to recognize head, eyes and even body shape (human pose), to intelligently understand where exactly to focus on, with a super impressive hit ratio of sharp shots.

I photographed a lot of birdlife, and found the bird detection autofocus super reliable, and even able to pick out subjects when they only took up a small portion of the frame. Those who like to use spot focusing will enjoy seeing the size options expanded, with new XL and XS options for wider or even more precise focusing.

And then there's the new battery, a NP-SA100 unit with 2,670mAh capacity. For Sony photographers, this one is a big deal — the first new battery for Sony mirrorless cameras in nine years, since the legendary NP-FZ100.

The new battery is physically larger and has a 17% bigger capacity than the NP-FZ100's 2,280mAh, which already delivered rival-beating power, so that's the good news.

The bad news is that the batteries are not forwards / backwards compatible. You can't use your stock of NP-FZ100 batteries in the A7R VI, nor can you use the new NP-SA100 in an older Sony camera.

Batteries, along with the continued use of Sony's own CFexpress Type A cards, are another potential costly extra, which will no doubt irritate some Sony fans keen on the A7R VI. I certainly enjoyed having two NP-SA100 batteries and a charging dock for long weekends of heavy shooting, and would personally factor that into a purchase. The bottom line, though, is that the new battery's life is better — and who wouldn't want that?

• Performance score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: Image and video quality

• The highest-resolution full-frame sensor in a mirrorless camera, and it's a stacked type
• 66.8MP equates to 28MP with a 1.5x (APS-C) crop
• Dynamic range boosted by one stop to a class-leading 16 stops

The 'R' series of A7 cameras have always been about detail — delivering the highest-resolution stills that Sony cameras are capable of. And the A7R VI boosts the series further, from 61MP to 66.8MP, and this is achieved with a substantial boost in performance thanks to the stacked sensor.

There are some who would have preferred an even bigger boost in resolution over a boost in speed — there was a time when the A7R VI was rumored to come with a (regular) 100MP sensor. For me, however, as someone who photographs everything from landscapes to portraits and wildlife, I prefer the versatility of the A7R VI's sensor. It's basically perfect for my needs.

With a stacked sensor, there's a risk of some compromises in image quality, especially in low light. Thankfully, in the case of the A7R VI, the opposite is true, and dynamic range is further boosted from 15 stops to 16 stops.

I don't usually need 66.8MP stills, but being able to crop into such large files can be super handy. For example, I took a lot of bird photos, and even with Sony's 400-800mm lens, which is its longest telephoto lens, the tiny, distant subjects at times appeared small in the frame.

No problem: I could crop right in and still enjoy super-sharp detail. To give you an idea, the 1.5x (APS-C) crop mode is still 28MP, which is a huge file size. Employing that crop with the 400-800mm lens is effectively like having a 1200mm lens! This is where high-resolution cameras can be particularly helpful.

Color is also improved, with the subject-detection AI chip analyzing the scene for better auto white balance (AWB). For example, where older AWB systems might look at a lush green woodland scene and compensate with the opposing tone, resulting in an overly magenta hue, the A7R VI knows it's a woodland, or a person in the shade, and will select the right tone for the scene.

Video recording looks similar to the A7R V's going by the numbers: 8K up to 30fps and 4K up to 120fps, and still no open-gate recording, but the new stacked sensor minimizes rolling shutter distortion, making the A7R VI a better option for video than its predecessor. It's also equipped with more filmic color profiles.

• Image and video quality score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Sony A7R VI?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sony A7R VI: also consider

How I tested the Sony A7R VI

• Sony loaned me the A7R VI four weeks before it was announced
• I had four lenses to use with it, plus twin batteries and a charging dock
• I've taken photos and videos of a wide range of subjects to test key feature

I had the chance to test the Sony A7R VI for four weeks ahead of its announcement, and used it with four lenses: a small 24mm f/2.8 prime, the 28-70mm F2 GM, 70-200mm F4 G OSS II Macro and 400-800mm F6.3-8 telephoto zoom. I was also supplied with two batteries and the twin charging dock.

Given the camera's high-resolution stacked sensor and latest processor, which incorporates the previously separate AI chip, I wanted to test the camera's image quality and performance in a wide range of scenarios, which included landscape photography, wildlife photography, portraiture and more.

I also tested its burst-shooting skills, shooting in both the mechanical and electronic shutter modes, and noting how many photos the camera could capture before slowing up.

Sony also loaned me the A7R VI's predecessor, the A7R V, so I was able to make various performance comparisons, especially around high-speed photography.

• First reviewed: May 2026
• Read more about how we test

• Sony has launched the Xperia 1 VIII
• It has a redesigned camera block, a new telephoto sensor, an AI camera assistant, and a top-end chipset
• It also costs more than most high-end phones, and isn't available in much of the world

Like clockwork, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has now been announced, a year to the day after the Sony Xperia 1 VII. But while the day is the same, the details are different, as Sony has given its new phone a much-needed redesign.

That’s mostly meant changing the camera block, so instead of the vertical line of lenses in the top left corner that we’ve seen since the Sony Xperia 1 II, there’s now a square camera block, with the metal housing wrapping around to the left edge of the phone.

Other than some new gemstone-inspired shades (Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold), that’s the only major visual change, but it makes the new phone look dramatically different.

The other big change this year also relates to the cameras, as they include a new AI Camera Assistant that will suggest things like lenses, bokeh effects, and color tones, based on the scene and subject, to help ensure your photos look their best. It sounds a bit like the Camera Coach feature on the Google Pixel 10 Pro series, so it’s not a totally new idea, but it’s a potentially useful implementation of AI anyway.

The cameras, by the way, include a 48MP f/1.9 wide, a 48MP f/2.0 ultra-wide, a 48MP f/2.8 telephoto with a 70mm focal length, for roughly 2.9x optical zoom, and a 12MP f/2.0 front-facing camera.

Those are largely the same lenses as last year, except for the telephoto, which was previously only 12MP and with a roughly four times smaller sensor, but which had a continuous optical zoom, so you could optically zoom to more distances. Instead, on the new phone, you can use sensor cropping to get near optical-quality zoom at other distances.

Other specs of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII include a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery with the promise of two days of life, a 6.5-inch 1080 x 2340 OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, an IP68 rating, and full-stage stereo speakers, which likely means you’ll get better audio from them than most phone speakers.

It also continues to have features that the rest of the smartphone industry is largely abandoning, like a 3.5mm headphone port and a microSD card slot — plus sizable bezels above and below the screen, rather than a punch-hole camera.

A high price and relatively limited support

Unfortunately, those bezels aren’t the only bad element of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, as it is also only promised four major Android operating system upgrades, along with six years of security updates. That’s not terrible, but it’s dwarfed by the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series and the Google Pixel 10 line, both of which are promised seven years of Android updates.

And it’s not as if the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a cheaper phone — in fact, it costs more, with a starting price of £1,399 for a version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, rising to £1,849 for a model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

There’s no availability in the US or Australia, but for comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,199, the Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$1,999, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. So, Sony’s phone costs more than any of these, likely making it hard to justify for most would-be buyers.

If you do want the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, though, and you live somewhere that it’s available, you’ll be able to pre-order it now, with UK shipping estimates currently showing as June 19. And if you do pre-order, you will at least get a pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones thrown in free, which are worth $449 / £399 / AU$699 in their own right.

• New Sony The Collexion headphone renders arrive
• They show product very similar to WH-1000XM6
• A few premium design changes, and two colors

We've been reporting tirelessly on new top-end headphones from Sony that are set to bear the name The Collexion. We've seen them spotted on the head of a Hollywood star and leaked on Sony website listing pages, with a May 19 release looking likely.

But I'd been so caught up in the flurry of leaks, that I'd missed something obvious — and newly-leaked renders courtesy of Android Headlines have highlighted: these headphones look incredibly familiar.

Coming in white and black hues, the Sony The Collexion headphones appear to be gentle evolutions of the Sony WH-1000XM6 and XM5, especially in the looks of the speaker cups.

In fact, squint and these basically are the WH-1000XM6. It's clear that Sony isn't straying far from past designs with its new cans, which might surprise people hoping for top-end blasters that match the rumored $600-ish price tag — but there are difference in the shiny metallic elements that are really reminiscent of the Sonos Ace.

What's new here?

Let's run through the differences I can see between these rendered headphones and the XM6 cans.

Most comfortably, the headband seems to be made from a different material, with leaks pointing to it being vegan leather rather than plastic as in the XM6. This material is also said to be used for the ear pads.

A new hinge mechanism is at play too, although to see still images, it's hard to tell how it works. At the very least, Sony's attempts to play around with this design element suggests The Collexion could have a sturdier build.

Renders show a USB-C port, but no 3.5mm headphone jack. That's not a surprise, though, because the space where this audio port would be, is obscured in the pictures.

Naturally, under the hood there are probably loads of hardware changes that make these an audible step up from the XM6 — these won't literally be the same headphones (at least, I hope).

But given the high price point mooted for the new headphones, you'd be forgiven for hoping for a more inventive design. The best headphones for audiophiles show their colors with unique designs, flashy patterns or mechanical flair, and if you've paid top dollar for expensive cans, you want to feel it.

Given all the leaks and teases, I'm expecting us to learn more officially pretty soon.

• Sony CEO, Hideaki Nishino, shows commitment to using AI for PlayStation game development
• Nishino intends to use AI to improve game development and 'unleash the creativity of our studios'
• This comes amid the controversy behind AI's impact on the gaming market, and its use in Nvidia's DLSS 5

AI is causing significant issues within the PC and game console markets, with exceedingly high RAM prices and shortages — and now, there's another reason gamers should be worried about its presence in gaming.

As reported by VGC, Sony's CEO, Hideaki Nishino, recently highlighted a new plan that includes using AI on PlayStation to improve productivity in game development.

This comes amid controversy over AI not only driving prices up across the board due to increased memory demand, but also through Nvidia's DLSS 5 (planned for late 2026), which many have likened to a generative AI filter for games.

DLSS 5's introduction has already served as a worrying sign of what game development may eventually become, and it's not even here yet — and while it will be optional for players, many developers have already backed the tool and plan to utilize it once available.

That's exactly what makes Nishino's pledge to use AI concerning, as he stated: "At PlayStation, our goal is always to be the best place to play and the best to publish. We see AI as a powerful tool to help us in this mission."

The latter statement effectively mimics what was said about DLSS 5 by Nvidia itself and some game developers and publishers, suggesting that AI will only be used as a 'tool' and not a centerpiece of games, but it's not that simple.

Nisihino continued saying: "The vision, the design, and the emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and performers. AI is meant to augment their abilities, not replace them," further insinuating AI will be strictly used for game development.

"We believe AI will unleash the creativity of our studios, power a more curated platform, and enhance the PlayStation experience for both players and creators."

On paper, PlayStation's commitment to keeping AI use strictly within game development without replacing human artists isn't necessarily bad (not a popular move either), but it's what it could eventually lead to that's very concerning.

With DLSS 5, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told gamers they were 'completely wrong' about DLSS 5 being generative AI in games, as it was 'content-controlled generative AI'. However, those were seen as buzzwords to stop gamers from seeing DLSS 5 for what it actually is, as it clearly changes character and environmental details, straying from the artist's design choices.

PlayStation doesn't have a DLSS 5 equivalent case (thankfully), but AI's very presence in game development for the company to begin with means there's a chance its use could spread even further, perhaps with gen AI assets showing up in games.

It's not much of a stretch to suggest the latter could happen when Activision is actively using AI in its Call of Duty games, which hasn't gone down well with players. The only hope that remains is that backlash from consumers keeps PlayStation and its first-party studios at bay, and if DLSS 5 is anything to go by, it's a decent start.

• Sony is hesitant to announce the PS6 price or release window, as it remains undecided on the release date and price point
• The CEO, Hiroki Totoki, says forecasts of FY 2027 suggest the price for memory will be 'very high'
• Sony is now in the same spot as Valve, which still hasn't announced a price or launch date for the Steam Machine

Price increases for both PC and console hardware are more frequent than ever due to the disruptive RAM crisis, and it has unsurprisingly left some companies fearful of making any sudden decisions.

As reported by VGC, Sony is currently undecided on the PS6 regarding its release date and price, as the memory crisis runs rampant, following in the same footsteps as Valve, as it is still deciding the release date and price for the Steam Machine.

This comes at the same time Nintendo announced the Switch 2's price hike, which will come into effect from September 1, 2026, and frankly, it highlights the current state of the PC and console markets as the worst in decades — especially since Sony recently raised prices for its PS5 hardware.

It's no surprise, then, to see Sony concerned about plans for the next game console, PS6, and its CEO, Hiroki Totoki, effectively made it clear that consumers probably shouldn't be anticipating any major updates on the PS6.

"We have not yet decided on at what timing we will launch the new console, or at what prices," Totoki said, emphasizing the uncertainty within the market. "So we would like to really observe and follow the situation.

"Looking at the current circumstances, the memory price is also expected to be very high [in] FY 2027, because there will still be a shortage of supply. So under that assumption, we must think carefully what we will do."

What makes matters worse is that current prices for the PS5 and PS5 Pro are already seen as overpriced by consumers, and that likely means the PS6 — which should be a significantly more powerful console compared to the PS5 — could be in the same ballpark, or worse, more expensive.

If the RAM crisis is still alive and well once 2027 arrives, Sony may be left with no choice but to go with an unpopular price point, which will rub consumers the wrong way regardless. It's exactly why the Steam Machine's inevitable launch is still in a limbo state, as Valve doesn't want to be rash in such uncertain times, and leave consumers frustrated.

It's only a matter of time before updates arrive from both Sony and Valve (with the latter likely being much sooner), but fans shouldn't be surprised if both gaming systems end up being unaffordable.

PlayStation is no stranger to limited-edition or fresh colorway accessories, and maybe no product gets that treatment more than the DualSense Wireless Controller. For many, the unique designs and fresh looks let you match the controller to whatever game you’re playing — or even your personality.

While I am still holding out hope for a 30th Anniversary DualSense restock, PlayStation’s recent drop, which debuted back in March 2025, is bursting with color and might even have gotten its inspiration from the Icon Blue edition that dropped in late 2025.

The Hyperpop Collection is a clan of three PS5 pads: Techno Red, Remix Green, and Rhythm Blue. So while the names might make you think of Rock Band or Guitar Hero, PlayStation’s team shared that these designs are all about bursts of color and are inspired by the impressive RGB-lit setups many players use.

Essentially, these pops of color extend from your setup — or even the screen of some of your favorite PS5 games — into your hands via the DualSense Controller. Neither the Techno Red, Remix Green, nor Rhythm Blue gets a full paint job, though. Rather, each is presented more like a gradient, with the bottom half of the controller getting the vibrant treatment while the top remains black.

Even though the paint job doesn’t cover the entirety of the controller, these really do stand out thanks to the glossy finish across all three. The result is a smooth-feeling controller, which may or may not be the best fit for you, as it lacks some of the texture found on other DualSense Controllers.

These do have a certain amount of sparkle and spectacle to them. I especially like the Rhythm Blue. As the vibrant blue starts to fade to black, I really liked the tapering effect PlayStation accomplished here as well.

Remix Green, as you can see from the photos above, has some more yellow undertones, making it effectively a lime-green. Remix Red is likely the runner-up in my books, offering a really nice shade of red that any fan of Spider-Man or Marvel would likely jive quite well with.

If you’re after an eye-catching DualSense Controller, though, and your favorite color is green, red, or blue, you really can’t go wrong with this set. And if you’re really after a full-circle look, PlayStation offers matching PS5 covers in the same shades.

PlayStation’s DualSense Controllers in Hyperpop Techno Red, Remix Green, and Rhythm Blue are available for $84.99 / £74.99 / AU$134.99 at major retailers. I’ll include a few links for them below, but it looks like all three are sticking around for a while.

Hyperpop DualSense Collection in the US

Hyperpop DualSense Collection in the UK

• Sony WH-1000XX The ColleXion all but confirmed
• Spotted on Hollywood star's head in NYC
• Seems to give a wink and nod to previous leaks

If there were any doubt that Sony was cooking up something special, it should now be dispelled. We've reported on 'Sony WH-1000XX The ColleXion' leaks before, and now it seems like the brand's 10th-anniversary super-premium headphones could be real.

They haven't been officially announced yet, but they seem to have shown up in public, all but guaranteeing a release is on the horizon.

Specifically, they were seen worn by F1 star Damson Idris, in several photographs which were shared by various fashion pages on X. Case in point:

Over on the r/headphones Subreddit, audiophiles were quick to note that these aren't a known pair of headphones, with a Sony logo making it clear that these are the product of the Japanese brand, but several design differences from the likes of the WH-1000XM6.

It seems, then, that we're looking at Sony's as-yet-unannounced premium option. The pictures give us a look at a few key design features, including an interesting metal headband/hinge, an audio jack, some grilles and a carry case too. Thankfully, the latter looks a lot more sensible than the AirPods Max 2 'bra' case.

Tin-foil hat time

Ostensibly, this could be a simple leak. We occasionally hear cases of tech testers snapped with upcoming gadgets in public: companies do need to let their devices get real-world testing, after all.

But you probably don't use Hollywood stars to do said testing. The fact that it was Damson Idris who was spotted with the cans, in very professional-looking photographs, makes me think it wasn't a massive coincidence — and then there's the fact that an official Sony account replied to the above X post with the 'eyes' emoji, drawing attention to the whole thing rather than avoiding it.

My conspiracy theory (and that of most of the Reddit commenters)? Sony has started sending out the WH-1000XX The ColleXion headphones to certain people, in the hopes that they'll get pap-snapped with the cans to raise intrigue.

We've seen it before, with brands such as Beats giving its audio products to influential people, to tease the imminent launch of an exciting new device. Even if not true, and this was just a happy coincidence for the brand, Sony's clearly leaning into it.

The rumor mill says that these headphones will be announced on May 19. Since we're getting these 'candid' teases of the cans, that launch date is looking increasingly likely.

So far we've heard that these will be top-end cans selling for around €629 (about $740, £550, AU$1,030), that could have advanced ANC and audiophile-quality specs, but perhaps a worse battery and heavier weight than Sony's other headphones.

If the rumors are correct, we won't have long to go until we discover the truth in these whispers.

• Sony has confirmed players won't need constant internet access to play digital PlayStation games
• A 30-day license verification countdown has been introduced fpr new digital games
• A one-time online check will be required to validate the game license

Sony has finally responded to the ongoing PlayStation license controversy, confirming that a constant internet connection won't be required to play digital games.

Earlier this week, a new '30-day license check' was spotted on digitally purchased PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 games, immediately raising concerns among users. It was initially thought that the system would revoke game licenses if players didn't log in to their PSN account or connect their console to the internet.

This would apply to digital games bought after the latest March system update, and reportedly not impact previous purchases.

"Potential major DRM issue rolled out by PlayStation (and Xbox as well, allegedly). All new PSN purchases now have a 30 day validation countdown. Already investigating to find out more details," spotted X/Twitter user 'DoesItPlay'.

However, Sony has now addressed the issue and, at the same time, quelled worries by confirming that users only need to be connected to the internet and complete a one-time license authentication. Beyond that, no further checks will be required.

"Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual," a Sony Interactive Entertainment spokesperson told GameSpot. "A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."

Thankfully, the new system shouldn't cause too much trouble for users, but any PS5 and PS4 digital games bought from the PS Store going forward will need to be authenticated once.

It's suspected that the license check is to prevent potential refund scams, specifically filing for a refund and then immediately disconnecting from the internet to continue playing the game.

In other news, Sony has begun rolling out its new PlayStation age verification system in the UK and Ireland as part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA). The process is currently optional, but will become mandatory in June 2026.

Those who don't complete age verification will lose access to many PlayStation communication features like text and voice chat, messaging, Discord voice chat, streaming features, and more.

Users should receive an email asking them to complete the age verification steps. If you haven't received yours yet, you can check out the official FAQ to get started.

• Sony is under fire for new rumored '30-day license check' for digital purchases on PS5 and PS4 consoles
• The DRM feature was spotted by several users, and seems to only impact purchases made after the March system update
• Sony is yet to explain whether the feature is intentional or a bug

Sony has been under fire over the last few months over significant price hikes on PlayStation 5 and PS Portal hardware amid the ongoing memory crisis and wider economic struggles. Unfortunately, the company is back in the spotlight again, for the wrong reasons — and arguably the worst yet.

As reported by VideoCardz, several PlayStation users spotted a new '30-day license check' on digitally purchased games on PS5 and PS4. This supposedly revokes game licenses if users don't log in or connect their console to the internet within 30 days, meaning that they can no longer be played until the console is connected to the internet again.

This seemingly only applies to games that have been bought after the latest March system update, and reportedly won't impact previous purchases.

Unsurprisingly, the situation has left several users panicking, effectively labelling the measure as a new form of console digital right management - or DRM.

Comment from r/GamingLeaksAndRumours

Comment from r/GamingLeaksAndRumours

It has also sparked comparisons to Microsoft's Xbox One controversy back in 2013, when it revealed a DRM feature that required users to be online every 24 hours or games would stop working, alongside frustrating restrictions on game resales.

Notably, Sony famously mocked Microsoft with a short video on how to share games on PS4, but now in 2026, Sony is seemingly following suit. That's, of course, if this new license check is intentional.

Concerned users have already reached out to PlayStation's chat support, and based on the replies, it appears as though this new DRM measure is indeed intentional, despite suggestions that it may be a bug. We've reached out to Sony for a statement, but haven't received a response yet.

If this is a fully intended feature, then it will undoubtedly place Sony in consumers' bad books. Microsoft was forced to walk back on its initial DRM feature thanks to strong backlash, and it won't be a surprise to see the same pressure mounted on its rival this time around.

• Samsung Display applied for screen certifications that seem to include the first 83-inch QD-OLED panel
• New 24-inch monitor-size panel is also references
• No official word on a launch or plans for when they'll appear

There's big news in the world of QD-OLED TV: the first 83-inch QD-OLED panel has appeared in certification listings, which suggests that a launch is on the cards.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the UL Solutions certification database details multiple Samsung Display QD-OLED panels that have been submitted for the organization's QuantumView verification. And one of those panels is labelled QDOLED83.x, where the number refers to the panel size in inches.

The full list starts at 24 inches and runs through 27 inches, 31 inches, 34 inches, 49 inches, 55 inches, 65 inches, 77 inches and 83 inches. Until now, QD-OLED panels have topped out at 77 inches.

The sizes under 55 inches are for monitors rather than TVs, and offer a much-anticipated secret of their own: they appear to confirm rumors of a 24-inch version coming.

When is the 83-inch QD-OLED TV launching?

The short answer: we don't know. The slightly longer answer: Samsung hasn't announced its existence, let alone product plans, pricing or launch dates… but we can make a very well-educated guess

We've had rumors of this 83-inch panel before, and they've proved to be unfounded: the discovery of what was thought to be an 83-inch QD-OLED in Samsung's parts database in late 2024 turned out to be the Samsung S95F, which came in an 83-inch size, but uses a WOLED panel from LG Display for that size, and stuck with QD-OLED for the smaller sizes.

This leak looks much stronger, because it comes from Samsung Display (the part of the company that makes the panels, not the part that makes TVs) directly.

The company uses UL Solutions' QuantumView certification as a marketing angle – so for example last week Samsung's press office was delighted to tell us that Samsung Display's entire QD-OLED line-up has achieved that certification. That press release didn't detail the screen sizes, however.

So far Samsung hasn't listed an 83-inch QD-OLED in its 2026 line-up, and neither has Sony, which also uses Samsung Display panels. But it would be rather strange to get certification for a screen size you don't intend to sell.

So while an announcement doesn't appear to be imminent, I'd expect to see this large model become an option in 2027's TVs. It will probably go through mass manufacturing later in 2026, ready to be assembled in TVs at the end of the year and the start of next year — perfect for the usual TV cycle of announcements at CES and launches during the following April or May.

In meantime, we expect that the 2026-release Samsung S95H/S99H will use Tandem WOLED for its 83-inch model again — though that's no bad thing, given the performance of the LG G6 OLED TV in our review, which uses the same panel.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

“Engaging affirmation protocol,” says the voice in my ear as I pull out a knife and head for the nearest loot stash. “Assert: you will be forgotten. Assert: you take relief in that realization.”

The tech minds in Silicon Valley dream of AI agents: independent systems designed to operate without oversight, booking holidays based on a single prompt, or making complex coffee orders to your tastes. Frappuccino, decaf, semi-skimmed, Lake Geneva in the summer.

But they could be dreaming bigger. In the first-person extraction shooter Marathon, one AI agent is an eerie, maternal silkworm who “helped shepherd your consciousness into your very first shell”. Another, Gaius, is committed to ensuring humanity’s survival by attending to food production as our species spreads throughout the stars. And then there’s Vulcan, who is flanked by an enormous digital lion - its skin rippling like a CRT monitor doused in water. Vulcan has some important functions too, but thanks to the big cat, it’s a little difficult to concentrate on what they say.

For the corporations that once had a stake in Tau Ceti IV - the doomed settlement Earth had such high hopes for - the AI agents appear to be a link in the chain of plausible deniability. As a freelance runner, you’re hired to carry out tasks to disrupt the operations of rival companies or investigate whether profit might still be salvaged from the planet below. No matter the damage you cause, however, you can’t be easily traced back to your employer. Since you never speak to a human being directly, the executives who benefit from your sabotage are protected. They are, to use a Marathon-appropriate term, behind a bubble shield.

Your only regular companion in this lonely setup is ONI - the Irish-accented onboard navigational intelligence, who guides you through Marathon’s earliest contracts and updates you on the status of your robotic body as you creep through the ruins of the colony. “You may exfiltrate if the possibility presents itself,” she says on your first meeting. “But a far more likely outcome is your expedient demise.”

The ONI way

ONI is a straight talker. It’s her tone that steels you against the mechanical reality of playing Marathon: you will die, frequently, without grace or meaning. When several teams spawn into a map, nobody’s success is guaranteed; by the end, every player might well lie in a pool of their own cerulean blood, after clashing with each other or the robot battalions left behind by the Unified Earth Space Council.

ONI routinely chimes in with a comment when you beam down to the surface at the beginning of a run. “Neurologics optimised,” she might say. “Shell primed for exploration and violence.” Pay attention, and you’ll find she delivers practical pointers, advising caution and shrewd risk assessment. Is there any better extraction shooter advice than to “calculate your strategic response to threats based on your run objectives”?

This, uniquely among the competitive FPS genres, is the one where combat is not a given - and not necessarily the wisest course. Survival in Marathon is often about deciding when to let a team pass, knowing you’re already too battered to pull off an ambush, or loaded down with too many valuables to take on the risk of a chaotic gunfight. Not for nothing does ONI recommend “moderate ego detachment during your runs”. Pride comes before a fall. Though I wish I hadn’t phrased it quite like that. Now I’m thinking about the digital lion again.

The orientation process of playing Marathon lasts for at least 20 hours, I would argue. During that time, you’re still wrapping your head around the aural clues that fill the air on Tau Ceti; learning to distinguish the hi-NRG rattle of turret fire from the staccato splash of player fights. Before you’ve learned how to move unheard, you’ll give away your position without even knowing you’ve done so - picking up an innocuous data card, or rifling through a munitions crate.

It’s a magical period of death and dawning understanding; one in which you’ll need the philosophy of ONI’s affirmation protocols in order to push forward. Whether it’s a reminder that “every reset refines your potential” or that “previous failures may inform your strategy for future success,” there’s a kind of mathematician’s optimism to be found in her words. A comfort after yet another squad wipe.

Tough love

Sometimes, ONI’s voice is simply used to instill tension and existential horror. “Observation: the settlers here valued expansion over survival,” she says when arriving in the diseased agricultural zone. “They are now deceased.” She’ll warn you not to pay attention to any apparent screams you may hear, which - as she explains with the cold reasoning of a piece of code - can’t sensibly be attributed to the long-dead. “Reminder: Please refer to your operating manual if you experience repeated memory loss,” she says, helpfully.

But at the galaxy brain level, ONI offers a new perspective on Marathon, and perhaps failure in general. Every time you die on Tau Ceti, your consciousness is ejected from your shell and flung back up into orbit, ready to be installed in a new bit of humanoid hardware. ONI identifies the possibility that, through mechanical reincarnation, you may one day be freed from the terror that grips every new Marathon player. “Reminder: death is not the end,” she says. “Let it sharpen your focus for the runs ahead. You rise again on bones spun new and fresh.”

It’s useful to view your in-game vault in the same way. Every wipe clears space, making room for future gear and helping you to reassess your priorities. The cobwebs are blasted away each time an opponent shreds you with their LMG, and ultimately, that’s good for both parties. It might not be enlightenment, exactly, but ONI’s natterings have helped me to process the repeated losses that come inevitably in Marathon, and to embrace the beauty of Tau Ceti’s eternal opportunity.

“Move without fear, as you have died before and will again,” she says. “Memories of pain have been purged. You are free to run.”

• Saros on PS5 Pro reportedly hits its target 60fps 4K performance
• PSSR 2 offers "exceptional" particle effects, and frame rates are "generally very consistent
• The PS5 version "isn't quite as pristine, but it's perfectly good considering the platform"

Saros reportedly runs incredibly well on PS5 Pro, hitting target frame rates, while the base PS5 version "isn't quite as pristine" but still manages to perform as it should.

The release of Housemarque's sci-fi action game is just around the corner, and the first reviews have given us an idea of what performance we can expect from PS5 and PS5 Pro.

According to Digital Foundry's breakdown, Saros "truly excels" on PS5 Pro with its single 60 frames per second (fps) mode targeting a 4K output, along with Sony's upgraded PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling technology.

But it's PSSRs that make Saros' particle effects "exceptional," and while they're not always in "hyper crisp 4K", they appear stable and "acceptably sharp."

DF's Oliver Mackenzie also said frame rates are "generally very consistent on PS5 Pro", hitting its target of 60fps at 60Hz output "the overwhelming majority of the time, save for some one-off drop frames on occasion and some rare larger declines in very intense sequences."

There's also mild tearing when frames "go a little over budget," but DF said it isn't noticeable during normal gameplay when using Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), only in captured footage.

Housemarque has confirmed that cutscenes run at 30fps on PS5 and PS5 Pro, with DF adding that the game's short pre-rendered videos are "encoded at 24fps and typically play at that update."

As for the PS5 version, DF said Saros "isn't quite as pristine, but it's perfectly good considering the platform."

"In place of PSSR, I suspect we're looking at FSR 2 or FSR 3 as an upscaling solution based on certain aliasing and discclusion patterns in motion," Mackenzie said. "It's softer and has a tendency to flicker and break up in some slightly distracting ways, but it's mostly fine."

However, particles like leaves and projecticles, and combat tend to look a "little bit rough" due to FSR, but for a PS5 game, image quality is "fine enough."

"The base PS5 version, while perfectly acceptable, takes an understandable hit to image quality with a ~1224p internal resolution," Mackenzie said. "With no PSSR available on the amateur PS5, the game seems to rely on AMD's FSR 2 or FSR 3 for upscaling, resulting in a soft image that can flicker and break up in motion."

"Most critically, FSR is actually a fairly poor handler of particle effects here, which disrupts the game's key visual identity and makes complex combat scenarios look worse than they should. Performance is good, but not quite as watertight as the PS5 Pro release, with dips below 60fps possible in some intense combat scenarios."

Saros is set to launch on April 30, exclusively for PS5.

• A new PS5 software update has been released
• The features include more emoji message reactions and improved usability
• Players were hoping for more console stability fixes instead

Sony has released a new PlayStation 5 software update, and it's pretty underwhelming to say the least.

According to the patch notes for version 26.03-13.20.00, the PS5 messages now have additional emoji reactions and have received some improvements. That's it, folks.

"We’ve added more emojis that you can use for message reactions. We've improved the messages and usability on some screens," the full extent of the patch notes read.

It's not what most players were hoping for, with some wondering whether the console will receive a new stability and performance update soon.

"Where is Stability? Is it safe? Is it alright?" one user said on Reddit.

"Wonder when we’re all getting the updated home UI," another said, as one user replied, "After you submit your government issued ID."

The person is referring to the new PlayStation age verification system, which has now begun rolling out in the UK and Ireland.

The process, which began as part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), is currently optional, but will be mandatory starting June 2026.

Those who don't complete age verification will lose access to many PlayStation communication features like text and voice chat, messaging, Discord voice chat, streaming features, broadcasting to YouTube and Twitch, joining parties or group sessions, and other in-game user-generated content (UGC).

To use the new emoji message reactions, players will soon be required to complete the age verification process.

Players should now begin receiving emails, asking them to complete the age verification steps. If you haven't received yours yet, you can check out the official FAQ to get started.

• PlayStation age verification has begun rolling out for users in the UK and Ireland
• As part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), age verification will be mandatory in June
• Many communication features will be unavailable if the user doesn't verify their age

Sony has begun rolling out PlayStation age verification for users in the UK and Ireland.

The age verification process, which is part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), is currently optional, but will be mandatory starting June 2026, according to the FAQ.

Sony is asking players to complete the process to avoid interruptions later this year and keep access to PlayStation communication features like text and voice chat, messaging, Discord voice chat, streaming features, broadcasting to YouTube and Twitch, joining parties or group sessions, and other in-game user-generated content (UGC).

It explained that some games offer their own communication tools or UGC features, and if age verification is not completed, certain features will be unavailable.

"Because each title is designed differently, the specific features affected may vary by game," Sony said. "As titles update their implementations over time, additional in-game features may become restricted for users who have not verified their age.

Players have reacted to the new change, with one Reddit user saying, "Sony making age verification mandatory for core PlayStation social features feels like a preview of where the internet is heading."

Others have said they shouldn't have to verify their age if they've owned their account for more than 18 years, with some suggesting that if a purchase was made with a credit card, Sony should automatically know the user is an adult.

TechRadar Gaming's own Managing Editor, Rob Dwiar, received an email alerting him to the age verification. In case you haven't received yours yet, it reads:

"Verify your age to keep using communication features. At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we are committed to creating safe, age-appropriate experiences for players and families while respecting privacy and giving players and parents meaningful control over their gaming experience.

"As part of our compliance with global regulations, you'll need to verify your age later this year to continue using PlayStation communication features, such as messages and voice chat. You will still be able to access other PlayStation services, like games, trophies, and the Store, if you do not verify your age."

A QR is also attached to the email, prompting users to scan and follow the steps to verify their age.

Sony is using Yoti for age verification, the same service Microsoft uses for Xbox after introducing the mandatory feature last year. A government-issued ID, a facial scan for estimated age, and a mobile provider check can all be used to verify the user's age.

You can verify now or scan the QR code on the FAQ to get started if you haven't received an email yet.

• Former Naughty Dog developer Gabriel Betancourt claims Neil Druckmann told him there are "several" immune people in The Last of Us
• Betancourt recalls Druckmann saying that "There's a whole congregation of that kind of person" in the game's world
• He adds that Druckmann wanted to tell a story "with multiple characters"

Former Naughty Dog lighting artist Gabriel Betancourt has claimed The Last of Us series creator Neil Druckmann told him that Ellie wasn't the only immune person in the game's world.

If you're familiar with The Last of Us, you'll know that Ellie is immune to the Cordyceps infection that ravaged the world. In the game, it's Joel's mission to deliver her across America to the Fireflies so the rebel group can use her to create a cure.

However, spoiler alert, Joel discovers that creating a cure means Ellie will die in the process, so he kills all the Fireflies and whisks her away in an act of love, a controversial decision that also has major repercussions in The Last of Us Part 2.

It's thought that Joel took away the only chance humanity had of ever having a cure, since Ellie is the only immune person in the world. Or is she?

According to Betancourt, in a recent interview with Kiwi Talkz, Druckmann told him that there were "several people" in the world who were immune to the infection.

The developer explained that before leaving the studio in 2019, he had a conversation with Druckmann about keeping Ellie as the only immune person, because it would otherwise diminish The Last of Us' ending.

Betancourt recalls Druckmann saying that "There's a whole congregation of that kind of person", meaning immune people, and he wanted to "tell a more sophisticated story. I want to tell a story with multiple characters and kind of expand on that."

"I felt like the pillar of the story was Ellie being the only person with the cure," Betancourt said. "And so protecting her, and making sure she got to where she needs to go to save humanity - because without the cure, life is hopeless - that's what created the gravity of that world. That was the context that made The Last of Us special."

The concept of additional immune people didn't end up becoming a plot point in The Last of Us Part 2, and it's still unclear if Druckmann intends to follow through with his comments.

It's been years since Betancourt's conversation with the now-head of Naughty Dog, so it's possible ideas have changed, evolved, or been completely scrapped.

While a third The Last of Us game hasn't been announced at this time, Neil Druckmann has seemingly teased the future of the PlayStation series, writing on social media about a "few stops that remain on the road ahead."

Druckmann has previously discussed the possibility of The Last of Us Part 3 rumors, saying, "the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of 'Last of Us.' This could be it." However, the director's statement contradicted what he'd previously said about the potential of there being "one more chapter to this story".

Currently, Naughty Dog is developing its new single-player game for the PS5, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

• Saros will feature PSSR 2 on PlayStation 5 Pro
• The PS5 Pro version will also offer an increased base render resolution at 60fps
• Cutscenes will seemingly run at 30fps on PS5 and PS5 Pro

Developer Housemarque has confirmed that Saros will offer Sony's updated PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling technology on PS5 Pro, but seemingly stated cutscenes will run at 30fps.

In a new PlayStation Blog post outlining the upcoming game's PS5 and PS5 Pro features, such as immersive 3D audio, DualSense haptic feedback, and fast loading times, creative director Gregory Louden said the team has upgraded to PSSR 2 following its release last month.

Louden said the update "provides an even sharper image; you can barely tell it apart from native 4K as you explore Carcosa."

"Since 1995, our goal at Housemarque has been to push the hardware, and with Saros we continue this drive thanks to this PSSR update," the director said.

Technical director Seppo Halonen also touched on the game's increased base rendering resolution on PS5 Pro, which means the Saros "will have an even clearer higher resolution image at 60fps."

"While we use dynamic resolution to ensure stable frame rate even in the middle of hectic combat, PS5 Pro always delivers a sharper image in a scene-to-scene comparison," he explained.

"Saros on PS5 already looks incredible and runs at rock solid 60fps, but for PS5 Pro we push our graphics even further. Furthermore, there are many small adjustments in reflections and overall quality, ensuring that the increase is not only more pixels, but also the content we render scales up to match."

However, despite using PSSR 2, Saros' story cinematics will apparently un at 30fps on PS5 and PS5 Pro, because Housemarque wanted to prioritize "quality over quantity".

"The only place where we switch to 30fps is in key story cinematics where we go quality over quantity and render the high quality characters, lighting and postprocessing at peak resolution – which again is higher on PS5 Pro," Halonen said.

Saros finally launches later this month on April 30, exclusively for PS5 and PS5 Pro.

• Former PlayStation exec Shawn Layden has suggested Xbox can't save Game Pass
• Layden said Xbox is "trying so hard to will this into health" despite the current issues
• This comes after a leaked memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma revealed plans to "evolve" the "expensive" service

Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has suggested Microsoft can't save Xbox Game Pass, following comments made by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma about wanting to "evolve" the service.

Earlier this week, a leaked memo to employees obtained and reported on by The Verge showed Sharma admitting that the subscription service is now too expensive for members as she outlined a brief plan for how she aims to change things, writing, "Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. It’s also clear that the current model isn’t the final one.

"Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system, which will take time to test and learn around."

Now, in a new LinkedIn post, Layden responded to the report saying Microsoft is trying too hard to keep Xbox Game Pass alive, suggesting the company can't save it.

"They are trying so hard to will this into health, despite unfavorable diagnostics and a grim prognosis," Layden said. "A clarifying post mortem would do the entire industry some good."

Layden has been a staunch critic of subscription models for some time, calling them a "danger" to the industry that turns developers into "wage slaves" (via Games Industry).

In the same report from The Verge, it was said that Call of Duty and the release of Black Ops 7 was one of the main contributors to Microsoft increasing the price of Game Pass once again in October 2025.

Currently, the Ultimate tier costs members $29.99 / £22.99 per month, up from $19.99 / £14.99 per month. There are also reports that the company is considering combining Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscription tiers, which could mean some users would pay more each month.

• Sony is discontinuing several features for its customers
• The changes affect antenna and set-top box users
• Menus and program information will be removed for affected users

Do you get your TV fix using an antenna or a set-top box? If so, you make up a sizable proportion of the viewing public — but if you’ve got a Sony Bravia TV in your home, you could be about to lose a key feature from your device.

As noted by Cord Cutters News, a support page on the Sony website now warns customers that the company will be altering its service in “late May 2026,” and not in a good way.

Specifically, the page explains that at that time, antenna users will get a greatly reduced experience. “Program information may not appear depending on the channel,” Sony says, and “Only programs from recently watched channels may be shown.” Channel logos won’t be displayed in the program guide, and thumbnail images in program descriptions will also no longer be available.

Unwelcome changes are coming to the TV menu, too. The Set Top Box menu will be removed entirely, to be replaced by a simplified Control menu. As well as that, thumbnails won’t appear in the TV menu.

Affected TV models include the A95L series from 2023, the Bravia 9 (XR90), Bravia 8 (XR80) and Bravia 7 (XR70) from 2024, and the Bravia 8 II (XR80M2) and Bravia 5 (XR50) from 2025. That could be frustrating news for loyal Sony customers — the Bravia 8 II, for example, was only released last year and cost upwards of $3,499 / £2,999 / AU$4,999 at launch. Losing features from such a recent (and pricey) device is hardly welcome news.

A ‘penny-pinching’ move

Sony hasn’t given an explicit reason for the move, but it’s likely to do with the backend costs of providing program details and images to users. For Sony, continuing to deliver these to antenna and set-top box customers might not be worth it.

But these users probably make up a sizeable proportion of Sony’s base. Ars Technica cited a survey from 2025 that suggested that 19% of 2,200 US adults polled used an antenna with their TV. A second survey referred to by Ars Technica found that of 1,600 US TV viewers who were aged between 16 and 74 and had broadband access, 26% said that a set-top box was their “default device for watching TV.”

Unsurprisingly, Sony customers were not thrilled to hear about the changes. On Reddit, user NewsCards said the move risked Sony gaining a reputation as “a penny-pinching brand willing to take away established features that 19% of their customers use, just to save a few bucks.” User tuppertom chimed in by adding: “Looks like I can stroke Sony off of my shopping list.”

If you find yourself in the cohort of affected customers, you’ll need to prepare for reduced functionality come late May. Either that, or you might consider switching to a different TV model — something we can help with thanks to our round-up of the best TVs on the market.

• Peter Parker's face model Ben Jordan appears to confirm Marvel's Spider-Man 3 is in development
• In a now-deleted post, Jordan is wearing motion capture gear on a set
• The caption also included a spider emoji

Insomniac Games has seemingly begun development of Marvel's Spider-Man 3.

While there's no confirmation from the studio itself, Peter Parker face model Ben Jordan did share a behind-the-scenes photo on Instagram today showing him posing in motion capture gear (via @WeBeenCroft).

The post, which was swiftly deleted after posting, featured Jordan standing on a set with his hands in the Spider-Man web shooting pose, along with the caption "IYKYK [If you know, you know]" accompanied by a spider emoji.

Capturing a model's face for a character is typically something done at the beginning of development, before motion capture and scenes are filmed, so it's possible Spider-Man 3 is in the early stages of production.

Peter Parker's original face model, John Bubniak, was replaced with Ben Jordan for the PS5 edition of Marvel's Spider-Man: Remastered, but the character is voiced by actor Yuri Lowenthal.

Insomniac hasn't announced Marvel's Spider-Man 3, but we can probably bet on a third instalment in the series, considering Spider-Man 2's cliffhanger and the game's success with critics and players.

Currently, the studio is working on Marvel's Wolverine, which is scheduled to launch on September 15 for PlayStation 5.

Unlike in the Spider-Man games, where Peter Parker and Miles Morales' stories are contained within New York City, Wolverine's trailer confirmed that Wolverine, aka James "Logan" Howlett, will travel to Japan, Madripoor, and Canada.

Insomniac has also confirmed that the game takes place in the same universe as Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

Last month, Sony announced that it would be raising the price of its PlayStation 5 console by $100 / £90, increasing its cost to $649.99 / £569.99 up from $549.99 / £479.99.

It should come as little surprise that this news has prompted a huge increase in demand for second-hand consoles as shoppers flock to resale platforms in search of cheaper alternatives.

Online marketplace Gumtree reported a massive 93% rise in year-on-year enquiries for pre-owned consoles in the UK. This came alongside a recent 30% jump in demand compared to March's weekly average, making it clear that the price hike is having an effect.

Gumtree CEO Andy Harper observed that the "price increase has triggered an immediate reaction from buyers" with demand spiking "in a matter of days."

The company is seeing even bigger spikes in big cities. In London, for example, demand shot up up 129% after the price increase came into effect on April 2, 2026. Manchester, another major UK city, similarly saw demand up 91%.

Harper argues that "buying second-hand is no longer a compromise" but rather "a smarter way to shop." If you're currently one of the many looking to score a discount on a used console, here are three tips to help you avoid common pitfalls.

1. Buy refurbished if possible

Online marketplaces like eBay can help you score brilliant deals, but they do come with their own risks. For added peace of mind, I'd always recommend buying a refurbished (or renewed) system from a big retailer instead.

Sony sells its own certified refurbished PS5s, which it says are subject to a "rigorous recertification process" and numerous tests to bring them up to the same standard as a new console. US shoppers can also consider refurbished options at GameStop and Best Buy, which are subject to similar checks.

In the UK, third-party storefronts like CEX and Back Market are good bets. Amazon also lists plenty of renewed or refurbished consoles in both regions, though prices and condition does tend to vary depending on what's in stock at the time of your purchase.

The exact meaning of refurbished can vary depending on the store, so always make sure to carefully research what it means in your specific instance. While Sony will provide a new box for a used PS5, a renewed console from Amazon, for example, might come without any of its original packaging.

2. Look for a generous warranty

Warranty coverage is also a must, as sometimes faults can slip through the retailer's checks. I would aim for a minimum of 12 months, as that should see you through that initial teething period where issues are most likely to arise.

It might seem boring, but actually taking the time to read the exact warranty policy is very worthwhile. It will give you a good idea of what to expect if the worst does happen, and lets know the kind of faults that would be covered.

A certified refurbished PS5 from Sony, for example, comes with the same 12-month warranty as a brand new console, which alone could justify spending more to get one direct than going elsewhere.

3. Test the system right away

This might seem like a no-brainer, but when you first unbox your used PS5, you should start by testing everything to make sure it's working as it should.

Try every USB port, test the disc reader if one is included, and make sure that the HDMI port functions properly with a couple of displays.

You should pay special attention to the controller that comes with your system, too, as they commonly develop faults with prolonged use.

Head to the Test Input Devices page in the console's settings menu (found by clicking accessories, and then controllers) to make sure that there is no thumbstick drift or button input issues.

• Leaker Moore's Law is Dead claims Sony will launch three PS6 devices in 2027
• The leaker says a PS6 "lite", a main PS6, and a handheld will be released at the same time
• It's also claimed that the consoles will range between $350 and $1000 in the US

A leaker has claimed Sony will launch its next-generation PlayStation with three devices in 2027, including two consoles and a companion handheld.

That's according to a new YouTube video from Moore's Law is Dead (MLID), who has previously accurately reported on other leaked hardware details, in which he attempted to estimate the pricing for the next PlayStation hardware following recent price hikes of the PS5 (via GamesRadar).

In the video, MLID claimed that Sony would launch a base PS6, a "lite" model dubbed the "PS6 S", and a PS6 handheld at the same time next year.

The main console would reportedly feature an Orion CPU, while the PS6 S and handheld would feature the AMD "Canis" chipset.

In terms of pricing, it's estimated that each device could range between $350 and $1000 (which converts to around AU$500 to AU$1,400 in Australia), with the PS6 handheld, which sounds like it could be like the PS Portal, being the cheapest out of the bunch.

While MLID didn't offer specific pricing leaks, the YouTuber predicts that due to the increasing cost of components, RAM shortages, and rising tariffs, the price tag for each console could change in the future.

MLID estimated that the "PS6 S" could cost between $349 and $549 (about AU$500 to AU$769 at current rates), the PS6 companion handheld between $499 and $699 (around AU$699-AU$980), and the main PS6 console between $699 and $999 (about AU$980-AU$1,400).

This is all just speculation at this time, but given Sony's recent price hikes of the PS5, PS5 Pro, and PS Portal, the next-generation console and its counterparts may be a bit pricier than the launch PS5 was back in 2020.

The company announced the huge price changes last month, citing the "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" for its decision to increase the price of the PS5 by $100 and the PS5 Pro by $150.

As of April 2, the PS5 now costs $649.99 / £569.99 / AU$999, up from $549.99 / £479.99 / AU$829.95. The PS5 Digital Edition is now $599.99 / £519.99 / AU$919.95 instead of $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$749.95, and the PS5 Pro is now priced at a whopping $899.99 / £789.99 / AU$1399.95, up from $749.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199.95.

Meanwhile, the PS Portal now costs $249.99 / £219.99 / AU$389.95, up from $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.95.

Another week, another seven days of some seriously big tech news, and we're here to help you catch up on what you might have missed.

From Mac shortages to Artemis II iPhone photos, we have recaps of the seven biggest news stories of the week below for you.

When you're finished, make sure to also check out the eight new movies and TV shows you should watch this weekend.

7. Pebblebee built an excellent AirTag rival

This week, personal safety device company Pebblebee launched its new Halo tracker, a new AirTag rival but with added functionalities.

Built on that ‘what if something goes wrong’ feeling, the Halo tracker can be registered on Apple’s Find My app or Google’s Find Hub, so no additional app is required. When activated, the tracker signals a 130dB siren when activated to attract attention from passersby in the area, and will also emit a flashing strobe of light (which doubles as a 150-lumen flashlight), all while sharing your real-time location with up to five trusted contacts called your Safety Circle

It’s retailing now for $59.99/ £55.28/ AU$87.88, and each device comes with a free 12-month subscription to Pebblebee’s Alert Live plan, which is required for live location sharing.

• Read the full story: Pebblebee’s new personal tracker is an AirTag crossed with a safety siren

6. We tried DJI's robovac

The people at DJI know a lot about drones, but it turns out they’re no slouches when it comes to robot vacuums, either. We tested the new DJI Romo P, with its funky transparent case that lets you see its cleaning components while it works, and its obstacle detection and navigation blew us away.

The Romo P surpassed expectations in our vacuuming tests, too, getting right into the corners of the room, and did an admirable job mopping up messy spills on hard floors. It’s expensive, yes, but it’s one of the best robot vacuums that has ever roamed our floors, and we highly recommend it.

• Read the full story: DJI’s first foray into the pantheon of home cleaning

5. We experienced Sony RGB TV

We've been waiting for Sony's formal entry into RGB TV, and this week we got a first look at what the TV giant has dubbed True RGB. It's an eye-catching name amongst the crowded RGB TV space, with Samsung, TCL, and Hisense all already taking up space.

Our early first impressions of Sony's True RGB TV tech proved good, though, with punchy colors, high brightness, and overall impressive visuals. Sony says its first consumer TV model with True RGB will launch in Spring 2026, and Sony's RGB TV tech is a three-diode system with one red, one green, and one blue, plus a new backlight driver controlled by Sony's unique mix.

As always, Sony will strive not to skew reality and, ideally, deliver visuals that match the creator's intent.

• Read the full story: I saw Sony’s True RGB TV tech in action

4. We poured one out for Samsung Messages

We said goodbye to Samsung Messages this week, as the South Korean tech brand announced the service is shutting down in July.

The announcement came with a suggestion to switch to Google Messages, but many folks are frustrated by the change.

There's no workaround to keep access to Samsung Messages, but if you don’t like Google Messages, there are at least alternative apps you could use, including Textra SMS and Handcent Next SMS messenger.

• Read the full story: Samsung Galaxy owners rebel against being forced to switch to Google Messages

3. Amazon stopped support for some Kindles

As of May 20, Amazon will be pulling the plug on support for Kindles and Fire tablet models released before 2012. However, most of the affected devices are still widely used today (mainly the Kindle 3, Kindle 4, and the first generation Kindle Paperwhite), and it’s rubbed keen e-readers the wrong way.

When the day comes, you’ll still be able to read content that’s already downloaded on your device, but you won’t be able to purchase or download new books after the date has passed. For most users, the simplicity of a Kindle is what has kept them glued to older models instead of upgrading to Amazon’s more advanced, and therefore pricier, models. Besides, this isn’t stopping users from sideloading new books as a workaround — but how long will it be until Amazon clamps down on this, too?

• Read the full story: Amazon is pulling the plug on old Kindle devices

2. NASA shared its otherworldly iPhone snaps

The Artemis II mission has been wowing us, mere earthlings, this week with its deep-space adventures — and that included shooting what are probably the best iPhone and GoPro photos ever taken.

Two of these, showing astronauts Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman looking back towards their home planet, were shot using the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s selfie camera, no less. And outside the ship, a 12-year-old GoPro captured a mind-blowing photo of a lunar eclipse from the far side of the moon.

Our camera roll looks decidedly underwhelming by comparison. Still, it was fascinating to see NASA using some of the same dusty old camera tech – including the decade-old Nikon D5 DSLR – that we’ve been eyeing up in secondhand stores.

• Read the full story: The first iPhone 17 Pro Max photos sent back from the Artemis II mission really are out of this world

1. Mac stock ran low

Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and MacBook Neo stock has been running low across various Apple stores, and problems may persist.

You could be waiting several weeks, or even months in some cases, to receive your Mac Mini or Studio order, depending on your configuration. While Apple hasn't confirmed the rumors, many suspect the ongoing RAM crisis is to blame.

As for the MacBook Neo, the delays are instead being blamed on a weirder source: a lack of iPhone 16 Pro chips. The theory is that these chips were chosen because Apple had a stockpile of A18 Pros with a faulty CPU core; the five-core chips wouldn't work for phones but could be repurposed into Neo chips. However, the incredible popularity of the Neo may have taken Apple by surprise, leading to shortages.

• Read the full story: Mac shortages hit, and the RAM crisis is probably to blame

Ever since I saw my first RGB-backlit TV at CES 2025, from Samsung (immediately followed by Hisense and TCL later in the show), I've been really bullish on the technology's potential — even going so far as to call it "a huge danger to OLED TVs".

2026 is really the year of the RGB TV, with major launches coming from nearly every huge TV maker, and I've been really excited by the models I've seen in previews, ranging from Samsung's first-of-its-kind 130-inch RGB TV to Panasonic's tease of a future RGB model it may launch, to Hisense's UR9 RGB TV that's unique by offering a DisplayPort connection, to Sony's demonstration of the tech it plans to launch in 2026.

So, having finally seen so much of these TVs in action, my anticipation of them actually arriving must be only growing, right?

My friends, they haven't even launched yet, and I'm already exhausted by the whole RGB rollout.

They're not even here and they're too confusing

A major part of the problem is that there are already just too many variations — or possible variations — and considerations to track.

You can read our full explanation of RGB-backlit TVs here. Still, the gist is that because it uses a colorful backlight, that means it can deliver a wider range of colors than regular mini-LED and can have less light bloom from bright areas to dark area potentially, because colors don't always leak as obviously (as my colleague Jake Krol noted on his more recent trip to see Sony show off its RGB tech again).

So, this is a new technology that's better than regular mini-LED, right? It's the most premium tech, ready to take on the best OLED TVs?

Well, not according to TCL, which is including two RGB TVs in its new TV range, and neither of them is its flagship TV. The flagship is the TCL X11L, which uses a new-and-improved version of regular mini-LED tech to deliver some impressive results compared to other mini-LED models in our testing.

Here's what's most confusing: one of the RGB TVs that TCL is launching is its second-fanciest model, sitting just below the X11L, but the other is one of its least-premium models, sitting below its mid-range 7-series mini-LED TVs, due to its limited number of dimming zones and middling brightness.

LG is also launching RGB TVs, which might come as a surprise given that it's the standard-bearer for OLED. Well, guess what? It's positioning its RGB TVs below the LG G6 and LG C6 OLED TVs in the range, and it really just seems to be offering them so it can provide an affordable, larger-screen option than its OLEDs can deliver.

Philips is similarly launching an RGB TV model that seems to replace the mini-LED models it's always had that sit below the OLEDs in its product range, so it's the same deal there.

So all three of these companies think that RGB TVs are not going to be the flagship. But Hisense disagrees! Its flagship TV this year is an RGB TV, and the TV just below that will also use RGB tech, and then it switches to regular mini-LED tech once you get to the mid-range U7-series (which looks great this year thanks to a new anti-reflective layer).

Samsung is also making RGB TVs the flagship of its LED range, with mini-LED models only coming in lower down the range with the QN80H and below (including some models that are mini-LED without QLED, which genuinely shocked me).

Except Samsung has a kind of split flagship TV personality these days: is the flagship the Samsung R95H RGB TV, or is it the Samsung S95H/S99H elite OLED TV (which has impressed us in our early testing at home)? It's basically both!

Sony will launch its 'True RGB' TV sometime this year, but we have no idea what the price will be, or how it will compare to the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED TV in the line-up — but I expect it to sit above it, based on Sony's pursuit of 4,000 nits reference-quality TVs to match its studio monitors.

So to recap, is RGB tech the new premium OLED-killer tech? Well, LG and Philips seem to think it's not, and OLED is still the top dog. Samsung hasn't chosen a side. TCL doesn't like OLED anyway, and yet still says RGB tech doesn't even beat its own mini-LED tech.

Only Hisense is fully committed, and is even removing its sole OLED TV from sale in 2026.

So what's the average TV buyer supposed to think? Obviously, the TechRadar TV team is going to be testing them to work out which are indeed very premium and which should be genuine alternatives to OLED as the premium TV pick… but for someone who's just trying to understand the options available to them and level of quality you get from a particular type of technology, the RGB launch looks like a total fumble.

And that's before you get to trying to reckon with what's in the panels themselves.

Not all RGB tech is created equal, probably

Since mini-LED launched around 2021, the technology has become… complicated. There's no rule on what can be called "mini-LED," so some of the TVs marketed that way today are just TVs we would have known as direct-LED TVs in the past. Samsung even released edge-lit TVs that it markets as mini-LED, which I think is pushing the definition too far.

But also, do you get better results from something with very small LEDs packed in, but terrible control of light bleeding from one area to another, or from something with bigger LEDs in fewer zones, but with better shaping of the light as it passes through the panel?

At first, the technology was very samey, but it's developed into something complex over time with a million ways to approach its simple concept.

RGB TVs are launching with a ton of confusion around the specific implementation already built in, even though they offer such a clear original concept (of having a colorful backlight instead of a single color).

For example, did you know that some RGB TVs might not actually use red, green, and blue LEDs in each backlight element, as is the whole promise of the technology? There are versions of the tech that use two LEDs (blue and green) with a phosphor color filter to create the full range of hues. This would be cheaper to make, but it will surely perform less well.

Sony has been making a big fuss about how its upcoming TV will have individual red, green, and blue LEDs for each backlight element, because it's a premium piece of tech. Sony seems to be briefing against other brands that might be cutting corners, to make clear that its (probably high-priced) TV is worth the cash.

Who would be launching a cheaper TV that cuts corners this way? Most people would probably guess the Chinese brands that have been undercutting the likes of Sony and Samsung on price for years.

But Hisense is doing the exact same briefing as Sony against unnamed competitors who may use the cheaper version. The company told me that its two new RGB TVs use all three LED colors, unlike some that might be using the dual-LED system.

Okay, what about TCL? The company certainly gets some side-eye from TV enthusiasts following the result of a lawsuit saying that it can't call certain TVs "QLED" anymore. Well, TCL told me explicitly that its higher-end RGB model not only uses all three RGB LEDs, but it actually has two of each LED per element to provide better light performance.

The company said that the red element even uses an individual control chip per red LED, because the red wavelength needs the most careful management. For green and blue, the two LEDs are each controlled by one chip.

Now, Sony's made a big song and dance about having one LED per color, and TCL's out here with two LEDs per color — who's the more premium now, eh, Sony? The answer is: I have no idea! We'd have to test both, but this whole thing leaves me exhausted rather than excited about a new technology that hasn't even launched yet. Multiple companies are pointing fingers at others for cutting corners, but everyone is also successfully emphasizing how they're absolutely not cutting corners.

The good news is that it should be very obvious if TVs are using the cheaper system once we get them in our labs, because the spectrum power distribution of a TV screen is like a fingerprint for different technologies, since it measures the inherent luminance of different wavelengths within the panel, which gets adjusted for the content.

But the thing is, we're not even done with the technology being confusing yet, because at CES in 2026, Hisense literally didn't show its two new RGB TVs at all, instead opting to show the next version of the tech, which is no longer RGB anymore. It's RGBC, because the company is apparently adding a cyan LED in addition to the red, green, and blue.

Am I excited about this? I don't know, man, why don't you let me see what I think of the RGB ones first!

And I haven't even talked about how RGB TVs will often "color zones" instead of the "dimming zones" you get with mini-LED, meaning you need to divide the number of color zones by three in order to get the equivalent number to simple dimming zones, because color zones count all three RGB elements as independently dimmable (but this is silly, because we only care about the number of zones in terms of their ability to turn things black).

What do you tell people in your own advertising?

Look, it's obviously great that the TV world is more innovative and competitive than it's ever been right now. It's going to mean better results and cheaper TVs for people buying them, so I'm far from mad about all this.

But I'm bemused, because the TV companies are making it both harder for themselves and for me by rolling this tech out in such a chaotic manner.

Take Hisense, valiantly betting on RGB as being the flagship top-of-the-line TV. It will surely just advertise that RGB is the best you can get — nice and easy, right? Except TCL will offer an RGB TV that massively undercuts both of Hisense's TVs, so Hisense's own advertising may work against it because it makes that TV look incredibly tempting in comparison to its own — and both companies have opted to name their versions of the technology 'Mini RGB', so they'll sound incredibly similar to most people.

When someone asks me whether one type of TV technology is better than the other, or even just whether something is good for a particular purpose, I can normally give a succinct answer, even if it starts with 'depends'.

I really don't know how to answer with RGB tech this year. I'll probably have to tell people to ignore the name and just think of it as mini-LED because of how interspersed it is with mini-LED tech between different manufacturers at similar prices.

But that seems like such a waste of a new screen technology, doesn't it? OLED has such a simple dominance of branding as the premium TV tech, and RGB could have challenged it, but collectively, the branding has been diluted before it even launched fully.

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• A PlayStation 5 UI update is seemingly being tested
• A Reddit user noticed a subtle change to their console's interface and posted a photo
• The changes should make it easier to access the PS Plus and PS Store pages

Sony is reportedly testing a new PlayStation 5 home screen UI that subtly rearranges a few important elements of the interface.

A user of the r/PlayStation subreddit posted a photo showing off what seems to be a new look for the console. It might be hard to see what's different at first glance, as all of the obvious changes are located at the very top of the screen.

New Playstation Home Screen UI from r/playstation

Rather than the usual games and media tabs, there's a row of icons including new homes for the PS Plus and PS Store tabs. As the row is controlled by your controller's shoulder buttons, this would presumably make it a little quicker to access either.

Opinion on the new design seems mostly positive in the thread. "I like a more direct access to the library," said one commenter. "I would much prefer this set up to the current one," agreed another.

"I can't tell what's different," one posted in confusion.

One Redditor speculated that this is "hopefully a sign that themes are coming" - though sadly, there is no concrete evidence that this change is in anticipation of the highly requested feature arriving.

Some also pointed out similarities with the interface of the PlayStation 4: 'Close enough, welcome back PS4.'

It's also not clear how this change is being rolled out. The author of the photograph explained that they are in the PlayStation firmware beta program, but other members seem not to have received it. There's a good chance that it is only being tested with a small group of users right now and may become more widely available later.

• A new 007 First Light Limited Edition DualSense controller has been announced by Sony
• As usual, the pad will cost $84.99 / £74.99
• Preorders begin next week on April 17 before the controller releases alongside the game on May 27

Sony has announced a brand-new variant of its DualSense wireless controller set to launch alongside 007 First Light this year.

The 007 First Light Limited Edition Dualsense controller will launch alongside the game on May 27, and pre-orders begin in a matter of days. Next week, in fact, on April 17.

As is usual for Sony's limited edition pads, it will cost you $84.99 / €84.99 / £74.99, and have all the excellent features we've come to know and love from the PS5 controller, from haptics to adaptive triggers and great PC compatibility.

Naturally, it's the design that's the star of the show here, and Rasmus Poulsen, Franchise Art Director on 007 First Light, states in a new PlayStation Blog post that "Every element of the DualSense design was crafted as a celebration of Bond’s return, blending legacy and modernity to create a controller that feels unmistakably 007 from the moment you see it."

At the core of that is the controller's shiny golden sheen finish that's punctuated and complemented by darker, black features.

The controller features the instantly recognisable 007 logo in the middle of the touch pad with strong lines radiating from it, across the pad. On the rear of the pad, among the sea of goldness, the 007 First Light name and tagline of 'Earn the number' are present.

I think it looks very slick and chic, and I simply must add it to my collection. I love limited edition PS5 hardware like this, and with 007 First Light being one of my most anticipated games of the year, this seems like the perfect way to celebrate it.

Shedding more light on the limited edition design, Poulsen said the "golden finish pays tribute to the elegance, legacy, and timeless style of the franchise, while the barrel-inspired detailing reflects the themes of the game and how it feels to play it as well as being a nod to one of pop culture’s most recognizable visual signatures."

To get your hands on what I think will be a very popular product, you'll need to be locked in with our live coverage of pre-orders that's happening at 10am ET, and 10am local time everywhere else, next Friday.

We’ve known for some time that Sony has been developing its own take on RGB TV tech, one that would sit alongside its mini-LED and OLED offerings.

Now, after a trip to Sony’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, I’ve seen the latest version of it in person — and the company confirmed that later in 2026, Sony’s 'True RGB' tech will debut in consumer TVs.

What 'True RGB' actually changes

At its core, Sony’s approach — like other RGB-backlit TV offerings — rethinks one of the most fundamental parts of an LED TV: the backlight.

Traditional LED and mini-LED TVs rely on a blue (or white) backlight that passes through filters to create other colors. RGB LED uses independently controlled red, green, and blue LED in the backlight itself to generate color directly.

That means less reliance on filtering and, in theory, more precise control over both brightness and color.

Sony’s implementation uses three individual diodes — one red, one green, one blue — paired with a new backlight driver and its processing tech. The goal is simple on paper: control light and color at a far more granular level than traditional LED systems allow.

And as we’ve seen in previous reporting, that combination can also unlock high brightness — with Sony targeting up to 4,000 nits — alongside wider color volume.

A continued focus on accuracy

What stood out most in Sony’s demos, though, wasn’t just brightness or color — it was restraint.

Sony continues to lean heavily into its 'creator’s intent' philosophy, and that carries through here. Instead of pushing oversaturated reds or hyper-vivid greens, the image aims to stay true to the source, just with a richer palette to pull from. The result is a picture that doesn’t feel artificially boosted, but rather well-controlled.

Skin tones were a particularly strong example. In scenes that can often look overly warm or exaggerated on other displays, Sony’s rendering stayed grounded and more in line with what you’d expect from a professional monitor.

That’s not always the flashiest approach, but it’s deliberate — and it helps True RGB stand out from other early RGB implementations I’ve seen.

That being said, Sony isn’t the first to RGB TVs, but that’s clearly intentional. This is a technology that’s been in development for years, and the company’s approach reflects that patience. Rather than simply adopting RGB LEDs, Sony is focusing heavily on how they’re controlled — particularly in terms of density and processing.

Because while RGB LED is fundamentally about switching from a single backlight to a colorful one, performance ultimately comes down to how tightly packed those LEDs are and how intelligently they’re driven.

From what I saw, Sony is pushing a very dense backlight design with minimal spacing between LEDs, combined with precise control from its processing. That allows it to manage light output — and, crucially, color — at a very fine level.

Control is a key part of the story

If I had one takeaway from the demo, it’s that control is a key differentiator here. Sony’s system can adjust brightness and color at a granular level across the screen, and importantly, maintain color integrity even in smaller highlights — an area where RGB backlighting can struggle.

Instead of the typical white halo effect, blooming on Sony’s prototype more closely matched the color of the object itself. A bright red highlight, for example, produced a red-tinted spread rather than a washed-out glow.

It’s a subtle improvement, but one that makes bright scenes feel more natural and less distracting.

Brightness is another clear advantage, making this tech particularly appealing in brighter rooms — spaces with lots of windows or less control over ambient light — where the best OLED TVs can sometimes struggle to compete.

And based on what I saw, that brightness doesn’t come at the expense of color accuracy, which can be a trade-off at times.

Based on this early look, True RGB doesn’t feel like it’s trying to replace OLED or even necessarily mini-LED. Instead, it feels like Sony is carving out a third option that’ll likely be quite premium.

You’re getting the brightness advantages of LED, combined with a level of color control that approaches OLED — something we’ve previously noted as a key goal for RGB backlighting.

It’s still early, and these were controlled demos, so questions remain around real-world performance — including viewing angles, uniformity, and how it handles everyday content. But the direction is clear.

Sony’s True RGB looks like a meaningful step beyond mini-LED in color performance and control — not a definitive leap just yet, but a strong indication of where high-end LED TVs could be headed next.

And if Sony can deliver this at scale, it won’t replace OLED — but it might become a compelling alternative alongside it.

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• Sony has announced a new program called The Playerbase
• The initiative is designed to give fans the opportunity to be scanned into a PlayStation Studios game
• The Playerbase will kick off with Gran Turismo 7, but will expand soon

Sony has announced The Playerbase, a new initiative offering devoted PlayStation fans the chance to be scanned into a PlayStation Studios game.

The company shared the news in a new PlayStation Blog post, describing the initiative as a "unique opportunity for PlayStation’s biggest fans to step into some of the biggest game worlds by having their likeness scanned and appear within a PlayStation game."

"For over 30 years, we’ve continued to look for ways to celebrate our gaming community, which has a vital role in PlayStation’s history and future. Today, we’re excited to offer an opportunity to bring some of our devoted PlayStation fans even closer to the PlayStation experience," said Isabelle Tomatis, vice president, global marketing, Sony Interactive Entertainment.

The Playerbase will start with Gran Turismo 7, but will eventually expand and include fans in additional PlayStation Studios titles "in the near future", which could mean other games included in flagship franchises like God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Horizon, and more.

The program will be available in the Americas, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Australia, and fans can visit the official website for The Playerbase starting today to get started.

Players will be required to sign in with a PlayStation account ID and answer a series of questions to proceed with their application.

"After reviewing applications, we’ll select a limited number of finalists to participate in video interviews to learn about them and their connection to PlayStation," explained Tomatis. "From there, one PlayStation fan will be selected to be featured in Gran Turismo 7 as part of The Playerbase, where they will have a special limited-time appearance as an in-game character portrait, similar to how characters are presented throughout the game."

The selected fan will also visit a visual arts studio in Los Angeles for a scanning day and to collaborate with a designer to create a custom Fantasy Logo and a unique vehicle livery, which will be added to the Showcase menu permanently.

"Over time, we look forward to expanding The Playerbase as additional PlayStation Studios participate, having fans featured in ways that fit each game’s own style and world," Tomatis said.

"The Playerbase is our way of saying thank you to the players who make PlayStation what it is today. We can’t wait to meet the fans who will step into the world of PlayStation in a whole new way."

• Even more apparent shovelware games have been removed from the PlayStation Store
• Sony has removed games like Water Blast Shooter - Wet Gun, Supermarket CEO Simulator, and Jesus Simulator
• Sony has been delisting hundreds of shovelware games since last year

Sony has delisted even more alleged shovelware PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games from its storefronts.

As reported by Eurogamer and spotted by a user on PSNProfiles, games including Urban Driver Simulator, Water Blast Shooter - Wet Gun, Supermarket CEO Simulator, Racing Car Chaos: Extreme Stunt Showdown, as well as a so-called Jesus Simulator, have all been removed.

"Looks like spring cleaning has hit some more shovelware publishers, namely GOGAME CONSOLE PUBLISHER LTD, VRCFORGE STUDIOS and WELDING BYTE S.R.L. Seems like they were hit just as April rolled around," posted forum user 'HuntingFever'.

Sony has been tackling "spam" shovelware software for some time now. Although it's unclear if it was a direct result, the company's ongoing battle followed an investigation by IGN which featured interviews from game developers criticizing the lack of quality control across the PlayStation Store and the Nintendo eShop and the never-ending list of "spam" and "slop" games, along with poor discoverability for studios.

Last year, users found evidence that developer RandomSpin - which released over 40 titles in just 2024 alone - has had most of its games removed, including Bodycam Shooter, Supermarket Simulator Pro, Backrooms Brotherhood, and Backrooms Inside The Escape.

These games, as well as other titles that can be found on the PlayStation Store, typically feature recycled assets and AI-generated images that copy other popular games already available on the platform.

In January, Sony removed over 1,000 shovelware games from the PlayStation Store, all of which were listed under a single developer, ThiGames, so it's clear the company has no plan to stop its battle any time soon.

Every week we put together our ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) round-up of the top stories that have hit the TechRadar website over the last seven days — just in case you did miss any of the big happenings in the world of tech since last week.

The ICYMI series has been running for a long time at this point, and we've yet to have a quiet week. However, even by the standards of this feature, we're coming to the end of a particularly packed seven days in tech-land.

We've had NASA launches, 50 years of Apple, Samsung TVs, controversial changes to Netflix apps, and more besides. Get comfortable and dive in.

7. Sony and TCL’s new TV venture went official

Two of the biggest names in TVs are teaming up: Sony and TCL this week announced a new partnership under the name 'Bravia, Inc'. While TCL will have a (slightly) bigger stake in the enterprise, the TVs themselves will continue to have Sony Bravia branding, and we can apparently look forward to the same "premium" experience that Bravias are known for.

Also included in the deal are the Sony home theater projectors that have also been a hit with consumers serious about their living room setup. We're hoping the deal means better value TV sets at lower prices, although it's not clear exactly what this will mean for future models — particularly the high-end OLED TVs that Sony is currently so well known for.

• Read more: It's official — TCL will make Sony's future TVs in a new joint venture, so say hello to 'Bravia, Inc'

6. Samsung gave its watches a big health upgrade

While blood pressure monitoring via Galaxy Watches has long been available in markets such as South Korea and the UK, users in the US have had to wait patiently for the feature to get regulatory approval. That has now happened, and Samsung has announced that US owners of a Galaxy Watch 4 or later can now get started with blood pressure monitoring.

It's not quite as simple as strapping a Galaxy Watch to your wrist and pressing a button though, because the smartwatch will still need calibrating with a proper blood pressure cuff every 28 days (this makes sure the readings you're getting on your wrist match up with your actual blood pressure). You'll need the Samsung Health Monitor app installed too.

• Read more: Got a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or later? You'll be able to 'monitor your blood pressure right from the wrist' very soon

5. We tried the AirPods Max 2

The wait for the AirPods Max 2 was a long five years after the original headphones launched, but they're here now — and TechRadar editor Jacob Krol has been thoroughly testing them out. If you want to know whether they're worth the upgrade, and how much difference the updated H2 chipset makes to audio quality, this is where to find out.

As well as that new chipset, the AirPods Max 2 headphones bring with them improved active noise cancellation technology and a new Adaptive Audio mode that really impresses. However, there's also a lot that's the same here, including 40mm drivers in each earcup, the colors you can buy them in, and battery life (said to be up to 20 hours).

• Read more: I tried the AirPods Max 2, and they're an upgrade worth waiting five years for — it’s the smarter, more immersive listening experience that stands out

4. Netflix hobbled its Apple TV app

Netflix rolled out a pretty major change to its app for the Apple TV streaming boxes this week, and it's not a change that's gone down well with viewers. The app now uses Netflix's own on-screen control system rather than the standard one baked into tvOS, which means certain playback features that have been there for years are now no longer available.

Buttons on the Apple TV remote that previously did one action now do another, for example, and online reactions to the inconvenient changes have been rather negative to say the least — for some it's even a move worth unsubscribing over, especially as Netflix recently bumped up its monthly fees again. Maybe it's time to go back to physical media...

• Read more: 'Time to unsubscribe' — Netflix made a big change to its Apple TV app, removing a ton of useful functions

3. Artemis II took off with iPhones on board

NASA launched its first mission to the moon in over 50 years this week, and while the crew of the Artemis II mission will be going around our nearest celestial neighbor rather than landing on its surface, records will be broken: this is the furthest human beings will have been from Earth ever, as the Orion spacecraft passes the moon and then slingshots back.

So what's the tech angle? Well, in addition to all the sophisticated instruments NASA has put on board Orion and is using to monitor its progress, astronauts have been allowed to take iPhones into orbit for the first time. We're looking forward to seeing the photos and videos that get captured, even if some of the same tech bugs happen up in space too.

• Read more: Smartphones in space — the Artemis II crew are throwing an iPhone around in zero gravity

2. Apple turned 50

Apple as a company turned 50 years old this week, and it's no exaggeration to say it's responsible for some of the most important and iconic gadgets in history. To celebrate the milestone, we've been running a host of different features and retrospectives, including a look back at the best Apple devices in history (as voted for by you, the TechRadar readers).

We've also got some rare personal insights from Apple CEO Tim Cook, a rundown of the best retro Apple accessories you can buy, a look at how Apple and the iPod impacted the music industry forever, and a huge quiz on all things Apple. It's not been a completely smooth ride for Apple though: we've also covered some of the company's biggest fails.

• Read more: 50 years of Apple — all our coverage in one place

1. We lived with Samsung’s new flagship OLED TV

Hopes are high for the Samsung S99H/S95H OLED TV leading Samsung's television lineup for 2026, and after TechRadar's John Archer spent a week in the company of the 77-inch version of this model, our anticipation levels just went up a few more notches. He describes it as having "the potential to be seriously special" when it arrives in stores.

The predecessor to this model — the Samsung S95F — was crowned the TechRadar TV of the Year in 2025, and this 2026 model comes with a refreshed design, a notable boost in screen brightness, and improved HDR performance, among other upgrades. There's also the option to cut down on cabling by picking up a Wireless One Connect box as well.

• Read more: I've lived with Samsung’s new flagship OLED TV — and I've never seen anything quite like it