Articles by Tom Bedford, Contributor

Tom Bedford joined TechRadar in early 2019 as a staff writer, and left the team as deputy phones editor in late 2022 to work for entertainment site What To Watch. He continues to contribute on a freelance basis for several sections including phones, audio and fitness.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

He grew up in Bristol, UK, and has also lived in Norwich, UK, Salt Lake City, UT, and currently resides in London, UK.

Articles by: Tom Bedford

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro in a sunny outdoor setting.

Xiaomi's shiny new open earbuds fix one massive problem with this kind of headphone design

By Tom Bedford published 28 September 25

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro fix the ever-present noise leaking problem of open earbuds, but they only sound okay and the design has some issues.

The Status Audio Pro X on a window sill.

Forget AirPods Pro 3, these premium buds sound fantastic and look so much classier

By Tom Bedford published 27 September 25

Recommended

The Status Audio Pro X cost a little more than the AirPods Pro 3, but take on Apple's heavyweights with a more refined audio set-up.

The Fairphone 6 standing before various boxes.

I tested the world's most eco-friendly phone, and was surprised by this one small addition

By Tom Bedford published 24 September 25

The Fairphone 6 brings some upgrades on its predecessor and has a few surprising bells and whistles that you might not have expected for the latest iterative eco-phone.

After a year of searching, I’ve finally found a rival for my favorite earbuds

By Tom Bedford published 20 September 25

Bose’s helping hand pays off in the Skullcandy Method 360, great-sounding mid-range earbuds.

The Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C next to an iPad Pro on a wooden table

I ditched my iPad Pro for a rival you've never heard of, and it kicked my creativity into overdrive

By Tom Bedford published 20 September 25

I swapped my iPad Pro for the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra, and it's unlocked my creativity.

One handy feature means these AKG headphones just became my go-to for gaming and movies, not just music

By Tom Bedford published 17 September 25

Recommended

Top-tier cans that go some way to justifying the price

Screenshot from Apple's September 2025 event

I used a live translation feature like AirPods Pro 3's for earbuds, and I'm not convinced it's what we need

By Tom Bedford published 10 September 25

It was one of the biggest announcements at Apple's 'Awe dropping' even yesterday, but I'm not sure it's the update we really needed

Forget the new features, the AirPods Pro 3's most boring upgrades are their killer selling points

By Tom Bedford published 9 September 25

Something special in the specs

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4 – the 6 key differences to help you decide which is the better buy

By Tom Bedford published 9 September 25

We compare the newly-unveiled AirPods Pro 3 with the older AirPods 4 to help you understand the key differences.

The OnePlus Nord 5 against a brick wall.

I spent two weeks with the OnePlus Nord 5, and I can't decide whether it's an upgrade or a downgrade

By Tom Bedford published 9 September 25

The OnePlus Nord 5 brings upgrades in two key areas: display and processing. However, across the board, there are many smaller downgrades.

The Baseus Inspire XC1 above a green blanket.

I tested this cheaper rival to Bose and Shokz' cuff-style open earbuds and other brands could learn a lot from it

By Tom Bedford published 8 September 25

The Baseus XC1 are clip-on open earbuds with a few rough edges, but they're a valid alternative to pricier rivals.

I tested some of the cheapest noise cancelling earbuds and now I’ll never spend more than $40

By Tom Bedford published 27 August 25

Recommended

The JLab Go Pods ANC are the cheapest noise cancelling earbuds that you should genuinely consider buying.

The Shokz OpenDots One on a white windowsill

Shokz' first clip-on open earbuds just beat the Bose Ultra Open in testing, for me – smart price; flexible design

By Tom Bedford published 20 August 25

Recommended

The Shokz OpenDots One offer a comfortable and reliable fit, decent sound quality and a price tag that won't break the bank.

The Generic P2961 headphones in black on a wooden table, with TR's $5 Challenge badge

I bought AirPods Max knockoffs for just 2% of the price, and it reminded me how good we have it

By Tom Bedford published 15 August 25

To win a $10 challenge, I tested budget AirPods Max knockoffs, but all it did was confirm just how good other budget headphones can be

HomePod mini 2: all the latest rumors, what we know and 5 things we want to see

By Tom Bedford last updated 14 August 25

Could the HomePod mini 2 arrive in 2025? There are certainly a few rumors gathering traction…

It took 30 seconds of rain for me to realize: open earbuds are a genuine running essential

By Tom Bedford published 11 August 25

Trying to run 5k with my regular in-ear buds in the rain? A slippery mess. Trying that same run with open earbuds? Big yes.

The Denon AH-C840NCW against a wooden table.

Denon AH-C840NCW review: tempting earbuds from a price perspective, but as an overall package they fall short

By Tom Bedford published 31 July 25

The Denon AH-C840NCW are more affordable AirPods Pro alternatives which deliver in the audio and design department, but struggle for useful features.

The Denon AH-C500W buds next to the case.

Denon AH-C500W review: the first cheap AirPods rival I didn’t prefer to Apple’s earbuds

By Tom Bedford published 22 July 25

The Denon AH-C500W come at a surprising price, undercutting Apple’s AirPods – but not by enough to make them must-buy rivals

The Motorola Edge 60 in front of a flowery bush.

After a month with the Motorola Edge 60, I think it's as good as the most expensive phones I've tested

By Tom Bedford published 22 July 25

Recommended

The Motorola Edge 60 is an affordable Android that speeds past expectations in just about every department.

Best back to school earbuds: 5 options for heading back to uni or college, all TechRadar tested

By Tom Bedford published 21 July 25

Heading back to campus and want to beat the noise with music? These pocketable (and pocket-friendly) earbuds will solve that

OneOdio OpenRock S2 review: second-gen earbuds that sit a lot closer to industry norms

By Tom Bedford published 15 July 25

The year of the open-ears continues with the OneOdio OpenRock S2, from one of the original open earbud makers.

OnePlus Buds 4 review: the best earbuds for noise-cancellation I'll ever test (probably)

By Tom Bedford published 9 July 25

Recommended

The OnePlus Buds 4 have a svelte design, top-notch ANC and a bassy sound, so it’s a shame that a few rough edges let them down.

Several pairs of open earbuds lined up on a window ledge.

Considering open earbuds? These are the top 3 open-fit buds I've tested in 2025

By Tom Bedford published 30 June 25

They're everywhere in 2025, but which new open earbuds are the best right now? I've got this – I've tested little else this year…

7 must-try Android apps you didn't know you needed until now

By Tom Bedford published 29 June 25

I use these 7 lesser-known Android apps to level up my smartphone game.

These 6 iOS-style features prove that Android isn't stuck in the past

By Tom Bedford published 28 June 25

Yes, widgets are a thing on Android. Yes, so is AirDrop, Apple Pay, and Genmoji – they just have different names.

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