🏆 Review score: 4/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🔄 Seamlessly switches control between PC, Xbox, and Bluetooth-connected devices

• 🔋 Hot-swappable batteries charge in the dock provide unlimited power

• 📺 Integrated screen gives instant access to customize the controller

• 🎮 Tight controls with Hall-Effect thumbsticks and triggers & microswitch buttons and bumpers

• 😌 Repositioned select, menu, and share buttons at the bottom of the controller prevent mispresses

❌ Cons

• 🤑 $259 is crazy expensive

• 👾 No PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2 support

• 🤷‍♂️ Few interchangeable parts and no included case

Best Buy: SteelSeries Aeon Pro - $259

Amazon: SteelSeries Aeon Pro - $259

The Shortcut Review

SteelSeries is renowned for its multiplatform gaming headsets, and now it’s bringing the same simultaneous platform support to controllers. The SteelSeries Aeon Pro is the first controller that lets you seamlessly switch between PC and Xbox with a single device. It’s all thanks to the controller’s dual dock, which lets you connect two systems at a time with USB-C, plus a third Bluetooth connection for phones, tablets, and other devices. Every high-end feature you could want is here too, including Hall-Effect thumbsticks and triggers, microswitch buttons and bumpers, an integrated OLED screen, and two hot-swappable batteries that charge in the base station.

The SteelSeries Aeon Pro is a whole lot of controller that costs a lot too, at $259. That price is indisputably high, but you’re essentially getting two controllers in one, three if you want to connect your phone or tablet over Bluetooth. Just know this is primarily a PC and Xbox controller and doesn’t support the PS5 or Switch. If you’re looking for a fully customizable controller with a swappable D-Pad, interchangeable face buttons, or even removable shortcut buttons, the SteelSeries Aeon Pro isn’t what you’re looking for.

However, if you’re looking for a premium controller that you can adjust on the fly and be a reliable tool for PC and Xbox gaming, the SteelSeries Aeon Pro is well worth its price. Its tight controls and improved layout will ensure you never misjudge a counter in Onimusha: Way of the Sword and hit the apex while drift attacking in Forza Horizon 6. The swappable battery system also ensures you never run out of juice to keep playing.

Full Review

2 systems, 1 controller. SteelSeries practically pioneered multiplatform gaming peripherals with its Siberia 800 wireless headset, and now it’s doing the same with controllers. The Aeon Pro is the first dual-deck designed to connect to an Xbox and PC at the same time, allowing you to swap between them or a Bluetooth-connected device at a whim. It’s the perfect solution for me, as I have both a PC and Xbox connected to my TV, and this saves me the hassle of keeping multiple controllers around or moving USB dongles. The only issues are that you need both systems close to the dock for a hardwired USB-C connection.

👾 Nintendon’t & PlayStationo. You might notice the Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 are only mentioned four times in my entire review, and that’s because the SteelSeries Aeon Pro does not support either of them. This controller is for the Xbox and PC only, so if you wanted a PS5 or Switch controller, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

I’m certain this wasn’t an unforeseen oversight, but rather it was too complex, or the licensing was a headache to get all four platforms to work with the SteelSeries dock. By SteelSeries own account, its “focus was on XBOX and PC gamers, so we set out to create a premium controller that delivers the ultimate experience for gamers who switch between both platforms.”

🕹️ A better Xbox controller. The SteelSeries Aeon Pro is shaped like a taller Xbox, making it feel instantly familiar. Most of the buttons and the joystick are in their usual place, but SteelSeries made the smart decision of moving the select, menu, and share buttons to the bottom of the controller. This really frees up space around the left analog stick and face buttons, so I never accidentally misclick a control in the center of the controller. More companies should follow SteelSeries’ example and use this underutilized controller real estate.

Layout aside, this controller features upgraded hall-effect thumbsticks, microswitch buttons and bumpers, and two-stage hall-effect triggers over your standard Xbox controller. The magnetic sensors in the thumbsticks and triggers should help this controller last longer, as they replace the most easily worn-down mechanisms. I’m glad to report there’s a fair bit of resistance in the Hall-Effect thumbsticks, which can often feel too loose, so it’s close, if not identical, to the feel of the Xbox controller thumbstick.

📺 On-screen settings. The SteelSeries Aeon Pro is also easily configurable on-the-fly thanks to its OLED screen integrated above the Xbox button. This display regularly shows battery life and connection status, but holding the select and menu buttons for three seconds lets you check which system you’re connected to, switch between gaming profiles, and dive into customization. This on-screen menu essentially shows you every configurable option that’s available from the SteelSeries Engine app for PC, so you can tweak settings even when you’re just connected to the Xbox.

🤏 Few frills. For a $270 controller, the SteelSeries Aeon Pro doesn’t come with a lot of extras for customizable parts. No case is included, and although this is a dual-dock controller, it comes with only one USB-C to USB-A cable instead of two. Similarly, the only customizable parts an additional concave thumbstick and a longer convex thumbstick. SteelSeries hasn’t marketed the Aeon Pro as a fully customizable controller, but its high price point puts it in line with other more configurable controllers like the $219 Scuf Omega.

🔋 Infinite battery life. Battery life on the Aeon Pro only lasts a short 12 hours, but it virtually has infinite battery life since a second cell is always charging in the dock. That battery charges fast too. I was back to nearly two out of three bars charged in less than an hour. These are the very same batteries that SteelSeries has used since the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, so you could also use any extras from your SteelSeries Arctis Nova Omni or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headset to hot-swap into the Aeon Pro or vice versa.

Best Buy: SteelSeries Aeon Pro - $259

Amazon: SteelSeries Aeon Pro - $259

Should you buy the SteelSeries Aeon Pro?

✅ Yes, if…

• You want a premium controller that swaps easily between PC and Xbox gameplay

• You want a controller that will practically never run out of power

• You want software customization at your fingertips

• You want the tighter controls from Hall-Effect sensors and microswitches

❌ No, if…

• You want a controller with more swappable parts (get the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded instead)

• The PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 are your main gaming platforms (get the Scuf Omega or

• GuliKit TT Max instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Rating: 4.5/5

✅ Pros

• 🖥️ Bright Mini-LED panel that achieves OLED-level blacks

• ⚡️ 320Hz refresh rate is amazing for gaming

• 🎨 Accurate color reproduction

• 🔌 Great port selection with 90W laptop power delivery

• 📐 Sleek design with subtle-but-fun RGB lights

❌ Cons

• 🎛️ Screen needs a lot of calibration out of the box

• 🎮 No Nvidia G-Sync compatibility

• 🔊 Built-in speakers are very weak

The Shortcut review

TCL hit a unique stride with the 27-inch C2A Pro QD-Mini LED Gaming Monitor. On the one hand, it checks a lot of boxes for gamers with its 320Hz refresh rate, support for improved motion clarity, and the inclusion of OverDrive-Pro to eliminate afterimages faster than ever. But after testing the display for the past several weeks, it’s also proven to be great at just about everything you need in a monitor.

It aces the fundamentals of a great monitor, while also delivering the extra punch gamers look for to take down their foes. Compared to other monitors we’ve tried, its ability to toe the line between pro-grade workhorse and a gamer’s must-have is admirable, and its sleek design can blend into any space (even with the RGB lights on the back).

At $799.99, it doesn’t come cheap, but it’s also one of the most well-rounded monitors we’ve gotten to try out in a long time. It’s also one of the only monitors to integrate TCL’s advanced Mini-LED technologies from its TV series, which is dope in and of itself. If you’re in the market for something that can easily balance work and play, this is the one to get.

Amazon: TCL 27-inch C2A Pro monitor

Review notes

🖥️ Sleek looks and lights. The C2A Pro monitor’s design easily fits into anyone’s setup. I have it attached to my Uplift standing desk monitor arm, and its sleek body with the white finish and slim bezels looks plenty modern. It’s not terribly thick, either, although I do think it’d be nice if it didn’t curve out as much toward the back in case you’re working with limited desk space. That being said, it still looks good, and it’s perfect for gamers with the array of customizable RGB lights on the back (which can be disabled if you’d prefer no lights at all).

📺 A TV-quality panel. TCL leans on its TV panel chops for the 27-inch 4K screen on the C2A Pro - and it shows. This QD-Mini LED panel packs it all: exceptional colors with rock-solid contrast, a sharp resolution, over 2,300 local dimming zones for deeper blacks and richer details, and support for nearly the entire DCI-P3 color space. I’ve loved working on it, watching 4K videos, and my co-workers love how games look on it. It does so much right for a monitor that it puts others at Swider Studios to shame.

💡 Crank that brightness. This monitor can get really bright. With up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, everything you do on this thing will look vibrant and jump off the screen. Of course, all that extra headroom means you won’t need to run it at full blast for everything to be bright and vibrant, but the option’s there if you want to play certain games or content like HDR videos.

🎮 All the gaming specs you’re looking for… It’s almost impossible for any gamer to find an issue with the specs of the C2A Pro monitor. You get up to a 320Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth gameplay (more on that later), the TCL Halo Control System with OverDrive-Pro for eliminating haloing effects (something that’s noticeable on other high-end monitors but doesn’t seem to be an issue here), TCL Motion Clarity for eliminating motion blur in fast-paced environments, 1ms of gray-to-gray responsiveness, AMD FreeSync support, a built-in Crosshair Aim Guide, and more. It aces the fundamentals of what most need in a gaming monitor, leaving you well-equipped for the next battle.

👀 … except one. For those who have gaming PCs with Nvidia graphics cards, you’ll be sad to know that this monitor doesn’t support Nvidia G-Sync. You only get AMD FreeSync here, which isn’t the end of the world, but would’ve been nice to see anyway.

🕹️ Game Accelerator gives you an important edge. The driver behind that 320Hz refresh rate is a feature called Game Accelerator. Flick a switch, and you go from a 4K resolution with a 160Hz refresh rate to Full HD and 320Hz, making gameplay feel smoother and more responsive than many monitors on the market. The feature works seamlessly with any game that supports such a high refresh rate, and it’ll help ensure you’re on top of the action better than your competitors (y’know, assuming you don’t all go out and buy this monitor). You can also switch between the two modes whenever you want, and the transition is relatively smooth.

🦾 Ready for the pros. This monitor also has the right specs to keep professionals like photo editors, video producers, and journalists (like me) happy. The standard 160Hz refresh rate helps your laptop or PC feel very responsive for simple things like multitasking, while the color calibration modes out of the box will help those who need expertly-calibrated colors for important color-grading projects.

🎛️ You’ll want to adjust some things. By default, the C2A Pro comes out of the box calibrated for Delta E < 2 color accuracy, which is handy for pros. But for regular users who want to see, y’know, appealing colors, it takes some fiddling around to get the screen to look normal. I had to do this when setting it up for the first time, so that not everything looked washed out and gray. It was easy to do with the controls on the bottom of the monitor itself, but it definitely took a second to get the look that I wanted.

🔌 Checking all the IO boxes. When it’s time to connect your laptop, gaming console, PC, or other devices, you’ll be happy to know that TCL didn’t skimp on IO here. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4, all of which support 4K 160Hz input. There’s also a USB-C port with 90W power delivery, which means your laptop can recharge at full speed while it’s connected. In addition, there are three USB-A ports for connecting peripherals like mouse and keyboard receivers, as well as a 3.5mm audio port for outputting sound to speakers.

🔊 The speakers are really rough. Speaking of which, you’ll want to pair a set of speakers with the monitor, because the 5W drivers built into it aren’t good. I played some music and podcasts through them, and they were disappointing, to say the least. I suppose it’s convenient that TCL included them, but with zero low-end and very tinny highs, it’s better to pretend they aren’t there at all.

Should you buy the TCL C2A Pro QD-Mini LED Monitor?

Yes, if…

• ✅ You need a responsive monitor that’ll help level up your gameplay

• ✅ You want something sleek with RGB lights

• ✅ You need a 4K panel

• ✅ You want your movies and TV shows to look good, too

• ✅ You don’t mind spending a bit more on TCL’s TV-grade display technology

No, if…

• ❌ You need something bigger than 27 inches (get the Dell S3225QC)

• ❌ You need an even faster refresh rate (get the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP)

• ❌ You need Nvidia G-Sync (get the LG UltraGear 27G810A-B)

Amazon: TCL 27-inch C2A Pro monitor

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

🏆 Review Score: 4.5/5 – ‘Awesome!‘

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros:

• 🎧 Genuinely brilliant sound quality

• 💰 Amazing value

• 🪶 Super lightweight design

• 🎤 The detachable mic sounds clear and loud

• 🎮 Works on PC, consoles, and mobile

• 🔋 Great battery life

❌ Cons:

• 🤷‍♂️ The power button can be finicky

• 😔 No simultaneous Bluetooth audio support

• 🗣️ No game/chat control

Best Buy: Corsair HS35 v3

Amazon: Corsair HS35 v3

The Shortcut Review

Finding the best gaming headset doesn’t always mean you have to spend hundreds of dollars. The Corsair HS35 v3 is proof of that, as it delivers exceptional audio quality, comfort, and multi-format compatibility for just $80.

You’d think that the Corsair HS35 v3 would be full of compromises. But apart from missing higher-end features like active noise cancelling, simultaneous Bluetooth and gaming audio, the headset makes up for it with its lightweight build of just 250 grams, genuinely superb sound, and strong microphone performance.

I’ve found the Corsair HS35 v3 wireless gaming headset to be the perfect match for my Steam Machine, as I can play for hours in comfort while lying back and still enjoy immersive sound with around 30 hours of battery life.

Corsair HS35 v3 specs 🛠️

• Price: $79.99

• Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, mobile

• Connectivity: 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth, USB wired

• Colors: black and white

Unlike other headsets, which often require a custom EQ, the Corsair HS35 v3 may have the most balanced and appealing out-of-the-box sound I’ve heard. That’s a good thing as you can’t change it, but the 50mm Neodymium drivers deliver enough low-end thump to make explosions exciting, and the treble isn’t too harsh or sibilant. You also get a surprisingly wide soundstage for a closed-back pair of headphones, and I didn’t have any trouble determining where enemies were located.

The Corsair HS35 v3 sets a new standard for gaming headsets under $100 and proves that you don’t need to break the bank to get the features you need. It sounds wonderful, works across multiple devices, and the microphone won’t let you down. Read my full Corsair HS35 v3 review below.

A review unit was provided by Corsair.

What I loved about the Corsair HS35 v3 ❤️

🎧 Genuinely brilliant sound quality. Perhaps the biggest surprise about the Corsair HS35 v3 is just how good they sound. No element is overshadowed, as can often be the case with gaming headsets, yet they don’t sound lifeless either. There’s a satisfying weight to the low-end frequencies, and enough clarity and separation in the highs and mids that they performed equally well when playing more immersive single-player titles, competitive multiplayer games, and even listening to music. The headset also delivers volume in spades, which is always a big plus.

💰 Amazing value. It’s astonishing just how great the Corsair HS35 v3 sounds and the features you get at this price point. I’ve tested far more expensive headsets that don’t sound half as good and aren’t as comfortable. Even the build quality is excellent, without feeling overly plastic or cheap. There’s zero buyer’s remorse at this price point.

🪶 Super lightweight design. At just 250 grams, it’s easy to forget you’re wearing the Corsair HS35 v3. The floating headband design also helps keep the headset from pressing down on the top of your head, and the clamping force is strong enough without squeezing your temples. The swivel earcups also make them comfortable when you have them sitting around your neck.

🎤 The detachable mic sounds clear and loud. Another aspect that can let a gaming headset down is if it has a poor-quality microphone. That’s thankfully not the case with the Corsair HS35 v3’s omnidirectional microphone, which can be muted using the volume button. There’s a slight buzz when speaking, but nothing that will annoy your teammates or be perceptible during a game. Crucially, my voice sounded nice and full, without the usual harsh, metallic twang that weaker mics often suffer from.

🎮 Works on PC, consoles, and mobile. Whether you’re connecting over Bluetooth or using the supplied 2.4GHz dongle, the Corsair HS35 v4 works across several devices, which means you don’t have to worry about switching between headsets. The USB-C dongle also connects to a USB-A dongle, giving you more flexibility. Just note that it isn’t compatible with Xbox consoles.

🔋 Great battery life. At around 30 hours of playtime from a single charge, the Corsair HS35 v3 lasts long enough that battery life isn’t a problem. You can also replace the battery if it ever degrades in the future.

What I disliked about the Corsair HS35 v3 ❤️

🤷‍♂️ The power button can be finicky. It’s not a big issue, but sometimes I’d hold the power button down and the headset wouldn’t turn off, requiring me to press it again. This may be a problem with my particular unit, or something that gets smoothed out with a future update.

😔 No simultaneous Bluetooth audio support. While it’s expected at this price point, switching between game audio and Bluetooth is rather clunky. Sometimes my Bluetooth device would refuse to play audio, despite being connected, which wasn’t ideal.

🗣️ No game/chat control. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time playing with friends, there’s no dedicated game/chat control on the Corsair HS35 v3. You can adjust the volume and mute the mic, and switch to Bluetooth, but that’s it.

Should you buy the Corsair HS35 v3? 🤔

Best Buy: Corsair HS35 v3

Amazon: Corsair HS35 v3

Yes, if…

• ✅ You want a superb-sounding headset for less than $100.

• ✅ You need a headset that works across multiple devices.

• ✅ You want a headset that can be worn for hours comfortably.

No, if…

• ❌ You need a headset with active noise cancellation.

• ❌ You’re constantly adjusting the game/chat balance when playing.

• ❌ You like to create your own EQ profiles.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

🏆 Rating: 4/5

✅ Pros

• 📱 Bright, sharp displays that feel spacious

• 📸 Camera upgrades mean better low-light photography

• 🤖 Smart Gemini Intelligence features you’ll want to use

• 🔋 All-day battery life with Pixelsnap wireless charging

• 7️⃣ 7 years of software update support

• 🔊 Solid stereo speakers

❌ Cons

• 💰 Price went up by $100

• 🪫 Battery life isn’t as good as last year

• ⚡️ Wired charging is stuck at 30W

• 🎨 Colors aren’t as flashy as the other Pixel 11 Pros

• 🔲 Square form factor might not appeal to everyone

The Shortcut review

Google made its best folding phone ever with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and while it might not be the flashiest or most exciting foldable we’ll see this year, this $1,900 device deserves some love.

It looks a lot like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold from last year, save for some new colors and a rearranged camera system to fit a better main camera and HiLight (Google’s color LED that comes to life when you summon Gemini). It skips the wider format that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopted, and the price did go up by $100 compared to last year’s device.

But that doesn’t change the fact that this is a great phone. We were expecting to be underwhelmed with the upgrades Google made when we went hands-on with the phone for the first time, but after getting to review it, I have a whole new outlook on it. Not only are the upgrades welcome, but its ability to keep up with the competition (and surpass it in important ways) makes the $100 price jump a lot easier to digest.

With its sharp displays, great cameras, handy software features, and Pixelsnap, this folding phone is worthy of your attention. It can go toe-to-toe with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, all while still costing $200 less. It’s a compelling package that’s great as someone’s first foldable to help ease them into the experience, or for someone who wants truly helpful AI in the palm of their hand.

Amazon: Pixel 11 Pro Fold + $200

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro Fold

✍️ Review notes

📐 Refinement is the name of the game. Google barely changed the design of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, making it almost a millimeter thinner and shaving off a few grams to make it feel a bit more refined. Compared to the 10 Pro Fold, it does feel less brick-like, but it’s still not quite as thin or light as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. That’s fine in my book; the phone might not be the most stunning piece of jewelry in the case, but it still looks good and is perfectly functional. The fact it’s a bit lighter and thinner now is even better.

🎨 Colors are nice, but not as flashy. I love the Olive color that my review unit came in, but if you’re looking for the same vibrant hues of the other Pixel 11 Pro phones, you’ll be surprised that the only other finish the Fold comes in is Obsidian. There’s no Canyon or Fog here, and certainly nothing as vibrant as the Hibiscus Pixel 11. It’s a shame that Google only ever sells its foldables in two colors, but at least the green one looks good.

📱 Gorgeous screens that are brighter than ever. The 6.5-inch and 8-inch Super Actua AMOLED displays are as pretty as ever - and they’re even brighter than ever, too. Google boosted the brightness to 3,600 nits on each, an increase of 300 nits, which helps to see the screens more easily in direct sunlight. I took the Pixel 11 Pro Fold to the beach this past weekend and could see both displays perfectly fine in the summer sun. The screens are also colorful and vibrant without being oversaturated. From reading e-books to watching movies to playing games, you’ll love doing everything on these displays.

🤳 It feels normal when it’s closed. This is an important distinction in this day and age of folding phones. When the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is closed, it feels like you’re using a regular brick-shaped smartphone. It’s not nearly as radical as the passport-shaped cover screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it isn’t as narrow as the Z Fold 8 Ultra. It sits in between and feels as natural as any normal phone feels to use. If that’s something you value, you should strongly consider the 11 Pro Fold. It’s something you won’t find on most folding phones this year, save for the Moto Razr Fold.

🤷‍♂️ I never used HiLight. Google’s flashiest new feature on the Pixel 11 Pro series is called HiLight. It’s a little LED orb in the camera cluster that lights up when you summon Gemini, or if you get a phone call from one of your favorite contacts. But I never found an instance where I actually used it. I don’t keep my phone face-down on a table when I’m not using it, and when I did to use HiLight, I flipped it back over and kept the screen up. It’s also extremely limited in its functionality; the fact you can only see it light up if you talk to Gemini or if you get a call from someone feels like a missed opportunity to make it more useful. In the end, HiLight felt more like a gimmick to me than anything else.

📸 Photos and videos look a lot better… Google finally upgraded the camera hardware on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and it has a big advantage over the 10 Pro Fold: it lets in way more light. The new 48MP f/17 main camera has 56% better light sensitivity, which not only makes nighttime pictures look better, but it also helps balance out daytime photos by picking up more details in shadows. The result is a camera that is noticeably better than the previous generation and sparks a serious conversation as to whether it’s the best camera on a foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s 200MP lens may offer more megapixels, but it can’t match the quality of what you get on the Pixel.

❌ … but only for the main camera. That’s where the upgrades come to a halt. The 10.5MP ultra-wide and 10.8MP telephoto cameras are the same as last year, letting in less light and detail than the main sensor by a bigger margin than ever before. You get 30x zoom this time around, which is nice, but you’ll want to stick to 5x optical zoom if you don’t want your pictures to look too overprocessed. At night, neither camera can match the quality of the main shooter, making them feel more like utility cameras when you need to punch out or zoom in to capture a scene, not necessarily a lasting memory. The twin 10MP selfie cameras are the same, too, and they’re good enough for daytime selfies but not as much at night.

🎥 Video quality gets a boost. The main camera is also better at recording video, which has seen a noticeable improvement compared to previous Pixel phones. Switching between lenses is smoother than before, and there seems to be less fragmentation around sharp edges in the frame. While the Pixel 11 Pro Fold isn’t on par with, say, the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the video department, the 4K 60fps clips I captured were more than serviceable for Instagram and TikTok.

🪄 Magic Capture makes hands-free capturing even better. Google’s smart camera features always impress us, and this year, Magic Capture stole the show. Switch to the mode in the Camera app, and the phone will lean on Gemini to record a video of a scene, then capture photos of all the best moments. It looks for the best framing, action, and facial reactions during the clip and saves them to your Photos app. This is incredibly handy when using the Pixel 11 Pro Fold in its tripod mode, where you prop the phone up halfway. You can press the button and take all the hands-free pictures you want, and it’s even better that you’re not dependent on burst mode and a timer to get the picture you want.

🤖 Gemini Intelligence feels like a superpower. The experience using the Pixel 11 Pro Fold goes beyond Android 17 thanks to Gemini Intelligence. It’s Google’s suite of on-device AI features that take Gemini’s smarts to a new level. It can see what’s on your screen, what you’re talking about with your friends, which emails you send, what your favorite coffee order is, and more (so long as you give it permission). From there, Gemini can show proactive prompts to make finding information easier, like checking your calendar if you tell someone you think you’re free on Saturday. You can also use an agent to order your morning Starbucks, get an Uber, order groceries, and more, all operating in the background.

🦾 Helpful AI feels so refreshing. Whether you dive head-first into using all of the AI features on the latest Pixels or just pick and choose a few to lean on, it all feels refreshingly useful to use. I love it when Gemini can proactively find a flight number for my trip to IFA when I’m sending an email, and someone asks for it for scheduling, or when I get too many notifications, and it highlights the only ones I’ll actually care about. Circle to Search remains as useful as ever, and Rambler (voice typing for brain dumps you can send to people and make them make sense) is perfect for long conversations. There’s even Live Translations for sign language. So many of these features are exclusive to Pixel, which not only gives it an edge over the competition, but proves that AI isn’t always a gimmick to sell more phones.

🔋 All-day battery life with a catch. Google has once again shipped a folding phone that can easily last a full day, which is great. But here’s the thing: the battery inside the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is technically smaller than the one in the 10 Pro Fold, and side by side, you notice the difference. The 10 Pro Fold could last a full day and into the next morning, whereas the 11 Pro Fold will die before then. Depending on how much you use the bigger screen, your phone could die before you’re ready to call it a night. While it will still last all day long, you won’t get any extra endurance like you did last year.

⚡️ Same charging speed, but at least we get Pixelsnap. The 30W charging on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is disappointingly slow, if only because the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra get faster 45W charging. It isn’t begrudgingly slow, but something faster than 30W in 2026 would be appreciated. At the very least, we get Pixelsnap with Qi2.2 25W wireless charging. Not only is it speedy for wireless charging, but the fact Google continues to integrate magnets into the design of the Pixel is something we’ll never take for granted.

🚀 Great performance and multitasking. The Tensor G6 inside the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has proven once again that Google can make a great chip. Is it as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that a lot of other Android phones use? Not quite, but it’s still capable of reliably fast performance for general tasks, multitasking, and gaming. It’s also well-equipped to handle all of Gemini Intelligence, given Google’s extensive work on the neural processor. Paired with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, the 11 Pro Fold has plenty of power for years to come.

🔥 It still gets a little hot. One thing that continues to be an issue for Google’s folding phones is heat management. While yes, the summer months will keep your gadgets warmer than normal, and that could be the reason the Pixel 11 Pro Fold gets hot when I’m using it. But every foldable from Google I’ve reviewed has gotten warmer than the other phones in its lineup, likely due to the thinner design and less room for thermals to operate. It doesn’t happen all the time, but if you have the screen brightness cranked up and run a few apps at the same time, you’ll start noticing the back of the phone heating up.

🔊 Loud stereo speakers. Jamming out to my playlist in the shower sounds great thanks to the Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s stereo speakers. There’s one on either side of the phone when it’s open and one on the top and bottom when it’s closed, and they’re surprisingly full and loud. The bass isn’t quite as powerful as I’d like, but you won’t be disappointed here.

💰 The price should scare Samsung. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s starting price of $1,899 puts it in a weird position, and no matter how you look at it, it seems like a better deal than what Samsung will sell you. Pay the same amount of money and you get the Fold 8, which is smaller with one less rear camera. Pay $200 more and you get the Fold 8 Ultra, which looks and acts like a Pixel Fold but doesn’t have the same Gemini Intelligence features or camera quality.

💥 Best bang for your buck. Raising prices is always a negative for the end consumer, but that almost doesn’t matter in the case of the Pixel. Google’s foldable is positioned to beat both of Samsung’s foldables no matter how you swing it, so if you want the foldable with the best all-around experience for the least amount of money, you’ll want the Pixel.

🤔 Should you buy the Pixel 11 Pro Fold?

Yes, if…

• ✅ You want the smartest foldable you can get

• ✅ You want your phone to feel normal when it’s closed

• ✅ You want a great camera

• ✅ You need your phone to last all day

• ✅ You want the most features for the least amount of money

No, if…

• ❌ You want your phone to be more compact (get the Galaxy Z Fold 8)

• ❌ You want to use a stylus with your phone (get the Motorola Razr Fold)

• ❌ You want a thinner and lighter foldable (get the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra)

Amazon: Pixel 11 Pro Fold + $200

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro Fold

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

🏆 Review score: 4/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🛡️ Glare Free finish blocks reflections from sunny windows and direct lighting

• 🔆 1,600 nit peak brightness even without quantum dots

• 🏇 165Hz Nvidia G-Sync Compatible straight out of the factory

• 🎮 VRR and AMD FreeSync support for consoles and AMD-powered PCs

• 🔌 Four HDMI ports for all your gaming devices

• 🤏 Slim bezel design compared to the Samsung S95H’s unremovable Art Frame

• 📋 Improved menus for navigation and pop-up setting adjustments

❌ Cons

• 🔻WOLED downgrade hampers peak brightness and color volume

• 🎰 Lottery to potentially get a tandem OLED panel on 77- and 83-inch S90H models

Walmart: Samsung S90H - $1,799

Best Buy: Samsung S90H - $1,799

Samsung S90H - $1,799

The Shortcut Review

The Samsung S90H OLED has ticked up to my first choice for a gaming OLED TV since the Samsung S95H QD-OLED has moved on to become an art-framed living room center piece. It comes in at an approachable $1,799 price (normally $2,699) for a 65-inch screen and has gotten some big upgrades this year. First off, it finally gets the Glare Free finish that’s been exclusive to Samsung’s S95 range, so you can place this TV in a sunny room without worrying about reflections. Secondly, it comes with Nvidia G-Sync compatibility out of the box, so you’ll be able to sync it however you please with an array of Xbox, PlayStation, or PC gaming equipment thanks to its four HDMI 2.1 ports.

Unfortunately, this TV has the big catch of being downgraded to a WOLED panel, which isn’t nearly as colorful or bright as last year’s mostly QD-OLED Samsung S90F – which may have already been WOLED-only in some regions. Without quantum dots, this OLED TV can look a little dim and washed out compared to the growing segment of RGB LED TVs and the very competitive $1,799 (normally $2,499) TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED TV.

That’s not to say that the picture quality of the Samsung 90H is bad in any way. The TV has a good level of brightness, peaking at 1,600 nits. Colors are vibrant, and you, of course, get true blacks with this OLED screen. But if you want even higher brightness and more colors, look elsewhere to LG C6H, which comes with a guaranteed tandem OLED panel, or TCL’s new line of SQD-Mini LED TVs.

Full Review

🪩 Glare Free at last. Samsung’s Glare Free technology is finally trickling down to the S90H after being an S95-model exclusive feature for years. It lives up to its name, truly eliminating glare and reflections. You can see there are hardly any light reflections, despite shooting these photos in a room with a sunny window to the left and bright overhead lights. The screen looks perfectly matte without graying out any of the true blacks.

📺 WOLED only The biggest controversy around the Samsung S90H is that it features a downgraded OLED panel compared to last year’s mostly QD-OLED Samsung S90F – some regions might have already only had a WOLED. This TV’s plain old WOLED (white OLED) panel lacks quantum dots to enhance colors and boost brightness. That really translates to duller and off colors, causing Switch 2 games to appear slightly desaturated and Iron Man’s armor to lose the pop of its hotrod red.

The Samsung S90F is by no means dull. Its peak brightness still measures at 1,600 nits by my testing. However, it isn’t as impressive as the 35% brightness increase on the Samsung S95H QD-OLED. Again, the picture quality on the Samsung S90H is fantastic, but putting it next to the exponentially brighter, more colorful, and $200 cheaper TCL QM8L SQD Mini-LED has truly revealed OLED isn’t the be-all and end-all of TVs anymore.

🍄 Bigger screens, better TVs. Now, there’s a chance the Samsung S90H in its larger 77- and 83-inch sizes comes with a far superior tandem OLED panel. I can only say there’s a chance because Samsung doesn’t specifically disclose which panels are used in its OLED TVs. The only way to know after buying the TV is to inspect the pixels with a macro lens on your phone or camera, or measure your TV’s picture with a spectrometer – and make sure the return policy is generous. Alternatively, the LG C6H, which is only available in larger 77- and 83-inch sizes, is guaranteed to have a tandem OLED panel.

🎮 ​​Ultimate Gaming Pack. The Samsung S90H QD-OLED is the ultimate gaming 4K TV of 2026. With four HDMI 2.1 ports, you can expect any gaming device you plug into this TV to be fully supported with a native 165Hz refresh rate, VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible. That last one is huge, as G-Sync has been an LG OLED exclusive for the last six years. So you’ll really be able to enjoy true 165Hz gaming on this TV if you have a high-end PC gaming with an Nvidia RTX 5080 or Nvidia RTX 5090 that can handle 4K gaming that fast. Meanwhile, you’ll get VRR’s frame rate smoothing while playing consoles like the PS5 Pro and Nintendo Switch 2.

📐 Traditional design. Personally, I prefer the Samsung S90H OLED to the top flagship Samsung S95H QD-OLED simply because it doesn’t have the latter’s non-removable art frame design. The Samsung S90H simply has a thin bezel that’ll look better in my living room, since I’m not wall-mounting my TV. Unfortunately, the Samsung S90H isn’t as full-featured as the S95H, which can exclusively display Art Store artwork and supports Samsung’s optional Wireless OneConnect Box. Still, those are small sacrifices I’ll take when the Samsung S90H looks better standing on a TV stand in my living room.

📋 Better Menus. Samsung has also made small tweaks to its menus, making navigation a whole lot faster. Firstly, Home, Live, Game Hub, and other individual pages sit in tabs at the very top of the menu, allowing you to quickly switch between them. Menus also don’t seem to ever take up the whole screen anymore. I can easily go into All Settings, like brightness, Live Translate, switch on AI Soccer Mode, or more, without blocking what I’m playing.

🤖 Vision AI Expansion. Samsung has been pushing its Vision AI to do everything from Click to Search, AI karaoke, translated captions, and Copilot services. Now the S90H and all of Samsung’s 2026 TVs combine these disparate parts of Vision AI into one centralized splash screen that displays both topical news and programs to watch. Meanwhile, hitting the Vision AI button while watching anything on Samsung’s free TV service surfaces related content, such as actor/production information and trivia.

Vision AI has also become more intelligent in 2026, and my favorite feature is its ability to find programs after I give it a vague description of what I’m trying to find to watch. I also love how Vision AI can help settle living room debates like “What’s the best Star Wars movie?” and it’ll definitively and correctly choose Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back rather than giving me an indecisive response like they’re all great to different people.

Should you buy the Samsung S90H OLED TV?

✅ Yes, if…

• 🎮 You want an OLED TV for gaming Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and 165Hz refresh across four HDMI 2.1 ports

• ☀️ You want a TV that resists glare in a bright or sunny room

• 💰 You want flagship-level features without the Samsung S95H’s higher prices

• 📐 You prefer a TV with a traditional thin-bezel design

• 🤖 You want AI that can do everything from smart searching to settling living room debates

❌ No, if…

• 🎨 You want the most vibrant, saturated colors possible (get the Samsung S95H QD-OLED or TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED instead)

• 💡 You want maximum brightness for the money (get the TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED instead)

• 🖼️ You want a TV with a guaranteed better-than-WOLED panel (get the LG C6H instead)

• 🌈 You’re upgrading from last year’s S90F (get the Samsung S95H QD-OLED instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.

🔥 The Shortcut hot take

AI made your next phone more expensive. Google’s counterargument is that AI is also what makes it worth buying.

The Pixel 11 series takes a break from major design overhauls and keeps things very similar to last year’s Pixel lineup. The biggest year-over-year highlight? It’s called HiLight. It’s Google’s way of bringing back that old-school status light – more colorful and pulsating on its rear camera bar – for the era of AI and notifications overload. It’s a nice touch for people who put their phone facedown, but it won’t change your life.

Each phone comes in new colors – “Olive” and “Hibiscus” are our favorite – and looks and feels a bit nicer to use with subtle design tweaks and a reduction in weight. Google has also packed in the latest performance, camera improvements, and Gemini features. But the most noticeable difference remains the price. Google is charging $100 more across the board compared to the Pixel 10, all thanks to the same industry issues that made Apple and Samsung increase prices on their products: AI and component shortages.

Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its new form factor, Google isn’t giving you a totally new or compelling smartphone for the extra money. Rather, it’s a light upgrade with just enough quality-of-life improvements. It’s also trying even harder to get more iPhone users to switch, with a new setup experience that can move over your home screen layout, apps, contacts, photos, eSIM, and more.

The question we’ll be asking in our full Pixel 11 review is: should you switch? So far, according to our hands-on time with all four phones, there are small under-the-hood improvements to the cameras, the design, and performance that make it a worthwhile upgrade if you’re locked into the Gemini ecosystem and can stomach the $100 price hike.

Preorder & pricing

💰 $100 more than last year. Across the board, Google is increasing the starting price of each of its new Pixel phones by $100. Here’s a breakdown of how much they’ll set you back.

• Pixel 11: $899

• Pixel 11 Pro: $1,099

• Pixel 11 Pro XL: $1,299

• Pixel 11 Pro Fold: $1,899

⌚️ Yup, Pixel Watch 5, too. The new Pixel Watch 5 is also seeing an increase in price, going from $349 for the 41mm model to $399. Meanwhile, the 45mm model is now $429 versus $399 of yesteryear.

🛍️ Any special deals or discounts? Google will be taking trade-ins for old phones through its website, although they won’t be quite as lucrative as Samsung’s offers. Fortunately, you will get six free months of Google AI Pro if you pick one up, which also gets you a massive 5TB of cloud storage and Google Health Premium access.

📆 Launch day is August 20. You’ll be able to pick up all four Pixel 11 phones, plus the Pixel Watch 5, on August 20 from Google’s online store and third-party retailers, including carriers. The new Pixel Tag tracker will launch later on November 11.

Best Buy: Pixel 11

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro XL

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Best Buy: Pixel Watch 5

Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL hands-on

📐 Refined, more durable designs. The Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL look a lot like the Pixel 10 Pro series from last year, save for some very light refinements like edge-to-edge glass in the camera bar on the back. Picking them up felt like picking up a Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, which is totally fine in my book - I think the Pixel design language is quite beautiful. You also get better durability this generation, with displays that are twice as scratch-resistant as previous generations of Pixel. There’s also IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

🎨 Some of Google’s best colors. The entire Shortcut team was impressed with the Pixel 11 Pro’s colors, to say the least. I’m partial to the new Olive finish, which has an earthy sage-like tone to it. Canyon, a coral-like finish, looks absolutely stunning with its gold accents. The Matte Obsidian model also surprised us with how stealthy it looked. Fog felt the most traditional to look at in-person, but for fans of white/silver phones, you’ll like what Google cooked up here.

🌟 The big HiLight. Hidden in the camera bar on the back is a new light system called HiLight. It sits next to the flash and the three rear cameras and illuminates when you summon Gemini, so long as your phone is face-down. We got to try it during our hands-on time with the devices, and it adds a delightful visual cue when talking to the assistant that feels more useful than you’d expect. It gently glows when you speak to it, and Gemini’s voice syncs with it when it responds.

🔒 Some LED limitations. You can also assign HiLight to light up when you get a call from a favorite contact with a custom color… but that’s it. It can’t light up if you get a specific notification from an app, just for special contacts. Maybe Google will add this in future software upgrades, but for now, you’re limited to Gemini and your contacts.

📸 Finally, better cameras. One area that the Pixel has needed an upgrade in for a while is the camera, and the Pixel 11 Pro finally gets one. The main 50MP camera gets a new 1/1.3” sensor that has 2x the optical quality of the Pixel 10 Pro, capturing more light and detail than before. There’s also a revamped 48MP telephoto lens that, according to Google, can let in 32% more light than the one on the Pixel 10 Pro, while also delivering 5x lossless zoom and 120z hybrid zoom. The 48MP ultra-wide camera is unchanged, as is the 42MP selfie camera. We’ll be looking at all of these cameras closely when we get our hands on them to review - stay tuned.

🤖 Gemini Intelligence on deck. Google’s new on-device suite of Gemini tools called Gemini Intelligence comes pre-loaded on all of the new Pixel 11 phones. What does “Gemini Intelligence” mean? It can better understand your needs and specific information about you since it can see all of the data you have on your phone, making it a much more personal experience than Gemini has ever been before. Google has shown off neat demos of letting Gemini order your groceries for you, request an Uber, reorder your favorite Starbucks, and more - all in the background while you do more important things. It’s also smarter about surfacing information when you’re texting someone or sending an email.

💪 The most powerful AI on a Pixel yet. Gemini also enables new features like improved voice typing, which can intelligently take out “ums” and other interruptions for cleaner messages. Live Translate can use the Pixel’s camera app for translating sign language, podcasts and TV shows in other languages, and more. You can even have Gemini place phone calls with businesses and see a live transcription of the call as it’s happening. There are a lot of features here that seem genuinely useful, seemingly avoiding becoming “AI slop” like a lot of phones fall victim to. We’ll need to test these features to see how useful they are in real life, but on paper, Gemini Intelligence seems really promising.

🚀 Better performance with Tensor G6. Google always skips the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor for one that it makes on its own. Instead of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 like the Galaxy S26 series, the Pixel 11 series gets the Tensor G6, a chip that Google says is 20% more power efficient than the G5. It also has faster response times for things like browsing and opening apps, while the image signal processor (ISP) and TPU for AI tasks are also faster and more efficient. Tensor chips typically don’t impress us as much as one from Snapdragon, but we’ll hold judgment until we get our hands on a Pixel 11 Pro.

⚙️ Plenty of RAM and storage. Both the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL get 12GB of RAM standard, with an option to upgrade to 16GB of RAM with more storage. Speaking of which, your choices for storage are 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. In our brief time with the phones, they both felt snappy and responsive, just as you’d expect from a pair of high-end Android phones.

💡 A slight boost in brightness. One thing we noticed during our hands-on was that the Pixel 11 Pro displays seemed brighter, and that’s because they are. Google increased the brightness from 3,300 nits to 3,600 nits. It’s not a massive change, but it’s definitely appreciated. Under all the soft lights the company set up for journalists and creators to take pictures, the displays looked vivid and easier to see than last year’s models.

🔋 Same battery life and Pixelsnap. The batteries inside the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL technically shrunk compared to the Pixel 10 Pro. That being said, the 4,850mAh cell in the 11 Pro and the 5,115mAh cell in the 11 Pro XL are still quoted to last 30+ hours on a full charge, according to Google. Each phone should charge up pretty quickly too, with 30W wired charging on the smaller version and 45W on the bigger one. Plus, you still get Pixelsnap, Google’s version of MagSafe that enables magnetic Qi2.2 charging and compatibility with accessories like wireless charging stands, wallets, tripods, and more.

📱 Same sizes. Oh yeah, the sizes! The Pixel 11 Pro carries the same 6.3-inch Super Actua display as the 10 Pro, while the Pixel 11 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch Super Actua display like the 10 Pro XL. The 11 Pro feels a lot more comfortable to use in one hand than the Pro XL does, but the 6.8-inch screen surprisingly feels more manageable than you’d expect.

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro XL

Pixel 11 Pro Fold hands-on

🤏 A little thinner, a little lighter. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold looks largely like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but pick it up, and you’ll notice a difference. The phone is a tiny bit lighter and a tiny bit thinner. At 5mm thin, it’s one of the slimmest phones on the market, and its weight of 239 grams is only 24 grams heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. These differences aren’t huge, but on a device that can stretch out to a full 8-inch tablet, any reductions in thickness and weight are welcome.

🪨 Better durability, better brightness. Google says the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is its most durable yet, with 3x better strength against everyday activities. The glass on the front and back is safer against scratches, too. The crease in the middle of the screen seems to be the same as last year, but it didn’t bother us much last year anyway. Brightness also gets an upgrade, with both displays reaching 3,600 nits of brightness.

📸 An upgraded main camera. Like the Pixel 11 Pro, the Fold also gets an upgrade in the camera department. The new 48MP main camera can let in a staggering 56% more light than on the 10 Pro Fold, which means your nighttime photos are going to get a big boost in quality. The same 10.5MP ultra-wide and 10.8MP telephoto cameras accompany the main sensor, as well as twin 10MP selfie cameras. You still get all the neat photography features of a folding phone, too, like rear-camera selfies and Made You Look to get the attention of the person you’re photographing.

⚙️ A lot of similar under-the-hood upgrades. The rest of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s upgrades fall under the hood, at least for the most part. You get the Tensor G6 chip, Gemini Intelligence, Android 17, and all the multitasking features you’d expect. There’s 16GB of RAM to handle all those apps and AI features running at once, and you can choose between three storage tiers: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

📱 Same screens, battery life, Pixelsnap, and HiLight. You’ll recognize a lot of the rest of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. There’s a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch folding screen, 24+ hours of battery life with the slightly smaller 4,806mAh cell, 30W charging, Pixelsnap wireless charging with Qi2.2, and HiLight.

🆚 Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Yeah… the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has really made some waves with its new design, and it makes the Pixel 11 Pro Fold look dated almost instantly. The squarer design that Google chose isn’t as whimsical or versatile as what the Fold 8 gives you, although the Pixel does give you more cameras and deeper integration with Gemini. We’ll be diving into which foldable comes out on top during our review process, so stay tuned.

Best Buy: Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Pixel 11 hands-on

Google’s baseline Pixel 11 delivers a very similar experience to the Pixel 11 Pro, save for less gloss and a few downgrades in the camera and performance departments. These two factors stood out the most to us in our hands-on.

🎨 Hot colors. The Hibiscus and Pistachio colors for the Google Pixel 11 make this the most vibrant phone of 2026. Hibiscus is especially bold, so much so that my camera struggled to capture its deeply crimson mix of magenta and red dyes. Pistachio is a lot less in your face, but still offers a deeply green, matcha-like hue. Even if you pick the more muted colors like the blue-shaded Frost and neutral black Obsidian, they’re much more vibrant than any of the Google Pixel 11 Pro options. If you’re all about aesthetics and you want a flashy phone that attracts longing stares, get the Pixel 11 in its boldest colors.

🤏 Barely there camera bar. The Google Pixel 11 also stands out by shrinking its camera bar thickness by 40%. The camera bar hasn’t been completely eliminated, but now it only sticks out by a millimeter or two from the actual back of the phone. It also now features one contiguous sheet of cover glass that helps the camera bar look slightly more streamlined with the rest of the phone’s design.

Best Buy: Pixel 11

What about Pixel Watch 5?

There’s a new Pixel Watch that looks and acts a lot like the old model, but there are some key differences that stand out.

⚡ Speed force. The Google Pixel Watch 5 has seen the biggest spec bump in years. Powered by a new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor, Google promises a 12% boost in CPU processing power. This is also bolstered by 50% more RAM and 20% faster on-device intelligence. All of this added power allows the Pixel Watch 5 to proactively provide users with information like flight info and bus routes, flag important health stats in real time, and let you request more information with just a tap.

🗺️ GPS upgrade. Google has also promised the Pixel Watch 5 will be twice as accurate as previous generations. By overcoming building reflections and errors created by atmospheric conditions, Google promises the Pixel Watch 5 GPS can provide better route tracking for runs than not just the Apple Watch Ultra 3, but dedicated fitness trackers, like the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro.

💉 Insulin resistance tracking. The biggest new feature on the Pixel Watch 5 is something no one really saw coming: insulin resistance tracking. While it’s not as accurate as a finger prick or designed to diagnose your metabolic health, the feature can track the rhythm of your heart, the quality of your sleep, and your daily activities to help determine if you’re experiencing signs of insulin resistance. It takes about a month for the feature to start working and, once again, it’s not designed to diagnose anything. However, metabolic health is an important metric for a lot of folks in their fitness journey, and to see Google offer a way to track it is interesting nonetheless.

Best Buy: Pixel Watch 5

The new Google Pixel Tag

📍 It’s an AirTag, but for Android users. Google has also announced the Pixel Tag, a new accessory that lets you track your stuff using ultra-wideband technology and Google’s Find Hub network. It works the exact same way as an AirTag does for Apple users; it costs the same, and it has a tiny design that can easily fit into any bag or other important item you need to track. Plenty of third-party alternatives exist, but it’s nice to see Google throw its hat in the ring.

Our Pixel 11 reviews are coming

We’re gearing up to test all of Google’s latest gadgets right here on The Shortcut, and on our weekly live show, The Shortcut Live. Stay tuned for all of our coverage, and be sure to subscribe (or tell your friends) so you don’t miss out.

• Preorder Pixel 11

• Preorder Pixel 11 Pro

• Preorder Pixel 11 Pro XL

• Preorder Pixel 11 Pro Fold

• Preorder Pixel Watch 5

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🏆 Review score: 4.5/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🔭 24-600mm f2.8-4 Zeiss lens combines the 25x zoom range of 5-6 lenses into one

• 📸 Ideal travel camera for capturing both wide landscapes and zoomed-in street subjects.

• 🖼️1-inch Exmor 20.1MP sensor is mid-range in resolution

• ⚙️ Stacked Bionz XR processor speeds up processing and burst shooting

• 🎬 Sony’s fully modern video suite adds 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log 3 and LUT support

• 🧠 AI-powered real-time AF subject recognition and autoframing features

• 🔋 New Z-battery delivers dramatically longer life than the previous W-battery

❌ Cons

• ֎ Lens aperture starts narrowing after zooming to just 25mm

• ⌛ Nine-year-old sensor stumbles over narrow dynamic range

• ✨ Noise starts overtaking images at ISO 1,600

Sony RX10 V - $2,299

B&H Photo: Sony RX10 V - $2,299

Updated August 5, 2026: Adobe has updated Camera RAW and Lightroom CC, allowing us to revisit our image quality evaluation and as a result we’ve updated the score of this review from its original 4.0 stars rating to 4.5 stars.

The Shortcut Review

The $2,299 Sony RX10 V is Sony’s most flexible camera ever, and that’s largely due to the incredible reach of its 24-600mm-equivalent f2.4-4 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 25x zoom lens. That gives you the equivalent focal range of 5-6 lenses without having to lug all that gear around. Then that flexibility is bolstered by a 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor sensor that shoots up to 30fps bursts, a fully modern Sony AF system, and video standards including 4K 120fps capture, S-Log3, and the ability to import up to 16 LUTs.

Unfortunately, the Sony RX10 V trips over some fundamentals, including image quality that lacks dynamic range and poor high-ISO performance. Its AF system, while amazing most of the time, can struggle when pushed to the max by a busy background, a fast-moving subject, pushing maximum zoom, or a combination of all three.

Despite these key issues, I found myself consistently amazed by how well the Sony RX10 V handled every kind of shooting I threw at it with aplomb. From spontaneous birding to macro shots of food and wide landscapes, the RX10 V kept surprising me with its deft flexibility to capture anything. If you’re looking for the best hybrid bridge camera available, there’s no question it’s the Sony RX10 V. However, if you’re looking for impeccable image quality, you’ll be better off getting a camera with a larger sensor like the Sony A6700 with a wide focal range for the same $2,299 price.

Full Review

🔭 Big zoom. The biggest draw and first thing you’ll notice about this camera is its 24-600mm f2.8 to f4 Zeiss lens. That 25x range allows me to capture wide shots of the landscape and then zoom almost a mile away to capture far-off landmarks. This makes the camera a fantastic travel companion, as it essentially combines three to four lenses into a single piece of glass. The Sony RX10 V lets you go from shooting wide landscapes to portraits, up-close macro shots, and then long-range wildlife and sports all with one lens and one camera.

֎ Variable aperture. Unfortunately, the Sony RX10 V’s big zoom lens has the downside of a variable aperture that starts shrinking from f2.4 after the tiniest increment of zoom at 25mm. At 103mm, the lens locks in at an f4 aperture for the rest of the focal range. It’s not a huge pain to work around, but if you tire of tweaking your settings around the aperture changing all the time, you can just set the aperture to f4.

🖼️ 20.1MP sensor with leaf shutter. The Sony RX10 V features a 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor image sensor that’s mid-range in resolution, but fully stacked for faster image processing and burst speeds. The stacked Bionz XR processor allows the RX10 V to capture images at up to 30fps. The leaf shutter also makes the RX10 V a fast shooter with flashes and speedlights thanks to high-speed flash sync. That said, the RX10 V’s high-speed flash sync isn’t the best implementation, as it’s limited to just 1/2000 sec, or 1/1000 sec with wider apertures, whereas the Fujifilm X100 VI’s leaf shutter can achieve up to 1/4000 sec high-speed flash sync.

📸 Good, but underwhelming image quality. Image quality from the Sony RX10 V is sharply detailed, but using effectively the same 1-inch sensor from nine years ago causes the RX10 V to falter in two ways. For starters, color noise starts appearing at even ISO 640, while luminance noise can begin overtaking images at ISO 1,600. Unfortunately, this is just one of the realities of using a 1-inch sensor.

Meanwhile, the Sony RX10’s RAW image flexibility gives you plenty of detail to recover from shadows, but this often introduces more noise. The dynamic range recovery for highlights isn’t that strong either, so plan to under-expose images more often than not with this camera.

🎯 Hit Ratio. Sony’s latest Bionz XR processor and “AI processing unit” make the RX10 V’s autofocus system a mostly fire-and-forget affair. Once your subject has a tracking box around it, you can rely on this camera to capture it in sharp focus. That said, there were two scenarios where the RX10 V missed the mark, including tracking birds flying in front of an extremely busy background and subjects moving quickly towards me, and both happened while the camera zoom was maxed out.

The Sony RX10 V isn’t as reliable as a true sports camera like the Sony A9 III – especially since it lacks Pre-Capture to start taking a continuous stream of photos with a half-pressed shutter – but it’s a great starting point for would-be amateurs.

🧠 AI chip. As with all of Sony’s modern camera releases, the RX10 V comes rocking an AI chip that powers everything from subject recognition to color reproduction and exposure control. The useful benefit is Real-Time Recognition AF, which can recognize and track a variety of subjects, including humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and planes. This AI chip also powers the autoframing feature from the Sony ZV-E1 I keep coming back to, and it’s even more useful with the Sony RX10 V’s long zoom lens to keep far away, moving subjects in the center of the frame.

🎬 Top video specs. The best upgrades from the RX10 V’s new Exmor sensor are that it features all of Sony’s modern video features, including S-Log 3 shooting at 10-bit and 4.2.2. Sony has also upgraded the movie recording resolution and speed with up to uncropped 4K60p and slightly cropped 4K120p. It also supports LUTs, so you can see how your footage will look at the start of your edit as you’re filming. The Sony RX10 V is the best bridge camera for video, and the fact that you can smoothly zoom to 25x just makes it even better.

📐 Modern redesign. Sadly, the RX10 V no longer carries the classic streamlined and hunched-down design of bridge cameras from the 2000s. Instead, Sony has updated this new version with a squared-off body and larger grip that mimics the dimensions and controls of the Sony a7 series. As a result, the RX10 V now features three separate dials and a large AF stick. The buttons on the top and back of the camera are also more pronounced.

🔋 50% more battery. The RX10 V didn’t get Sony’s latest batteries, but the Z-batteries promised 50% longer run times with up to 630 shots per charge; in my experience, I actually saw even better performance. After taking 250 photos, including shooting some 4K video, I only saw my battery life decrease by 25%.

Should you buy the Sony RX10 V?

Sony RX10 V - $2,299

B&H Photo: Sony RX10 V - $2,299

✅ Yes, if…

• 📸 You’re looking for the best hybrid bridge camera available

• 🔭 You constantly need more zoom range

• 🎒 You’re tired of carrying around multiple camera lenses

• 🎥 You’re looking for a travel camera with all the flexibility for video and photos

❌ No, if…

• 🖼️ You’re looking for impeccable image quality (get the Sony a6700 instead)

• 🌃 You shoot mostly at night and other dark environments (get the Sony a7S III instead)

• 🎞️ You want a camera for professional sports and nature photography (get the Sony A9 III instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Review Score: 4.5/5 – ‘Awesome!‘

✅ Pros:

• 🪶 Super light without feeling cheap

• 💪 Packed with the best tech

• 👆 Excellent switches and side buttons

• 🛜 Multi-device compatibility

• 👏 The Keychron Launcher shames other brands

❌ Cons:

• ✋ Doesn’t work with every grip type

• 🤷‍♂️ Not the most exciting product

Amazon: Keychron G3

The Shortcut Review

Lightweight gaming mice have become increasingly popular, and the Keychron G3 shows how to design one that feels effortless to use without skimping on crucial features.

The Keychron G3 is armed with everything competitive gamers would expect from a high-end mouse: it has an 8K polling rate, a flagship PixArt 3950 sensor, DPI up to 30,000, and weighs just 44 grams. It feels robust in the hand, too, with no give or flex to the carbon fiber build.

Thankfully, you can make any adjustments to the Keychron G3 without downloading proprietary software. The Keychron Launcher web app lets you create custom profiles, change the lift-off distance, power management, and a variety of other settings straight from your browser.

The 500 mAh battery lets you use the Keychron G3 for days before it needs charging, even when using an 8K Hz polling rate. You can also connect the mouse via Bluetooth or wired, giving you complete flexibility.

Keychron G3 specs 🛠️

• Price: $109.99/$84.99

• Connection: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, Wired

• Sensor: PixArt 3950 sensor

• Battery Life: Up to 160 hours

• Weight: 44 grams

• Colors: Black (Carbon Fiber), Frosted Gray (PCB)

While it may not have fancy haptic induction technology like the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, the Huano Micro Switches offer a satisfying click that isn’t distracting like on the Razer Viper V4 Pro.

At just 120mm long, 38mm tall, and 63mm wide, the Keychron G3 gaming mouse is best suited to those who play with a claw-grip or a fingertip-grip. Palm-grip players will probably struggle with the Keychron G3, as it’s slightly too short for larger hands, despite the raised hump. Still, I found it incredibly comfortable to use, even as someone who tends to use a palm-grip than a claw-grip.

At $109.99 for the Carbon Fiber model and $84.99 for the Frosted Gray model, the Keychron G3 undercuts most of the competition and delivers equally impressive performance in titles where it matters most, like Counter-Strike 2. Read my full Keychron G3 review below for more.

A review unit was provided by Keychron.

What I loved about the Keychron G3 ❤️

🪶 Super light without feeling cheap. No matter how hard you squeeze the Keychron G3, its shell never flexes or creaks. There are also no rattling parts or cheap-feeling materials. It may weigh just over 40 grams, but it still feels like a premium product thanks to its excellent build quality.

💪 Packed with the best tech. With an 8K polling rate, Motion Sync, and a PixArt 3950 sensor, the Keychron G3 doesn’t skimp on premium technology to achieve its lightweight design. You won’t be held back by input latency or let down by the G3’s beefy battery.

👆 Excellent switches, side buttons, and scroll wheel. Every button and switch on the Keychron G3 is a joy to press, and there’s a satisfying weight to each one. You also get a pleasant ‘click’ sound that isn’t distracting like on other mice. The rubberized scroll wheel is also a nice touch.

🛜 Multi-device compatibility. You can connect the Keychron G3 via its 2.4GHz wireless dongle, Bluetooth, or USB-C. The 2.4GHz dongle provides a rock-solid connection, and the option to connect via Bluetooth means you can use it on other devices with the flick of a switch.

👏 The Keychron Launcher shames other brands. You can change every setting and update the firmware of the Keychron G3 using the Keychron Launcher web app. There’s no need to download a specific piece of software that may eat up your computer’s resources and take up storage space. It’s a fantastic experience that other brands should follow.

What I disliked about the Keychron G3 💔

✋ Doesn’t work with every grip type. If you’re strictly a palm-grip player, the Keychron G3 is harder to recommend. The mouse is shorter than most, which means your fingers may extend slightly past the front.

🤷‍♂️ Not the most exciting product out there. Even though the Keychron G3 has an LED light in the scroll wheel, it only turns on when the battery is low or you first connect the mouse. It means it’s not the most eye-catching gaming mouse, and it doesn’t have any special tech like the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike's haptic inductive technology.

Should you buy the Keychron G3? 🤔

Amazon: Keychron G3

Yes, if…

• ✅ You want a super-light gaming mouse.

• ✅ You’re a claw-grip player.

• ✅ You want a mouse that works across multiple devices.

No, if…

• ❌ You don’t play many competitive PC games.

• ❌ You’re not a fan of lightweight mice.

• ❌ You’re a palm-grip player.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

🏆 Review Score: 2.5/5 – ‘Not Bad‘

✅ Pros:

• 😲 It’ll wow you with its haptic feedback

• 🎮 Low latency makes it perfect for gaming

• 👍 Comfortable to wear

❌ Cons:

• 😕 Doesn’t deliver 360-degree accuracy

• 🤷‍♂️ Putting on the vest each time is a hassle

• 💰 It’s expensive for what it offers

• 🫨 It can get loud

• 🪑 You need to be sitting upright to use it

Best Buy: Woojer Vest 4

Amazon: Woojer Vest 4

The Shortcut Review

The Woojer Vest 4 is the kind of product I genuinely respect. It’s incredibly niche and built for a very specific audience, so it was never destined for mainstream appeal – especially as an accessory. Even so, Woojer has pushed ahead and produced four versions of its haptic feedback vest, and there’s no denying that the Woojer Vest 4 succeeds at making gaming, music, and movies feel more immersive.

Compatible with practically every device, the Osci TRX2 transducers deliver accurate, powerful haptic feedback that elevates whatever you’re watching. It’s almost impossible for the Woojer Vest 4 not to put a smile on your face the first time you use it – the sensation is genuinely surreal.

It’s also incredibly responsive, never lagging behind the action – even in fast-paced competitive games like Counter-Strike 2. Fire a gun and you feel the kickback instantly. It’s a crucial detail, and thankfully one Woojer hasn’t overlooked.

While gaming with the vest adds another layer of fun, listening to music is arguably the Woojer Vest 4’s strongest use case. It converts sound frequencies into a consistently convincing physical experience, making familiar tracks feel fresh again. The powerful transducers breathed new life into songs I’ve heard countless times – like Kanye West’s ‘Welcome to Heartbreak’. It gave the Woojer Vest 4 a serious workout, but it never missed a beat.

The problem is that the novelty of the Woojer Vest 4 wears off surprisingly quickly. Even though the vest is lightweight, easy to put on, and relatively comfortable, it’s still a big ask to strap in every time you go to play a game or listen to music. It reminds me of 3D glasses: as transformative as 3D could be, most people simply couldn’t be bothered to watch a film in a darkened room with glasses on.

Woojer Vest 4 specs 🛠️

• Price: $499

• Connectivity: Wired, Bluetooth

• Size: One-size fits all (S-XXL)

The Woojer Vest 4 is also loud. The haptics are far from silent, so you’ll want a pair of noise-cancelling headphones on hand. I couldn’t imagine using the Woojer Vest 4 with open-back headphones, as the buzzing and vibration noises would be downright annoying‌.

And then there’s the price. At $499, it’s a substantial investment for something that I can’t imagine most people using every day unless they’re truly committed. Woojer also positions the vest as a relaxation tool, or even as a device for music mastering to bolster its value, but I’m not convinced.

Still, if you get the chance to try it, you absolutely should. Those first few hours are a genuine pleasure, and the vest’s accuracy, responsiveness, and overall comfort are a testament to how well it’s been designed. Sadly, our collective desire for convenience is what ultimately lets it down – though your mileage may vary. Read my full Woojer Vest 4 review below.

A review unit was provided by Woojer.

What I loved about the Woojer Vest 4 ❤️

😲 It has the wow factor. The first few hours with the Woojer Vest 4 are fantastic, as it adds a new layer of immersion to your favorite media. The powerful haptics deliver a convincing sensation in games – whether it’s the thump of explosions or the kick of firing a gun. Music is also a standout, with tracks taking on new life when you’re wearing the Woojer Vest 4.

🎮 Low latency makes it perfect for gaming. If the Woojer Vest 4’s haptics couldn’t keep up with the action on screen, it would be useless for gaming. Thankfully, it’s responsive enough that the feedback lines up almost perfectly with what’s happening in-game. You also get several EQ presets to choose from, so you can tailor the speed and intensity to your liking.

👍 Comfortable to wear. Once you’ve adjusted the straps, the Woojer Vest 4 is more comfortable than it looks. It isn’t overly heavy, and it won’t cause any of the visible fatigue you might get from wearing a VR headset for long periods. It does get a little warm after a while, though.

What I disliked about the Woojer Vest 4💔

🫨 Doesn’t deliver 360-degree haptics. If you were hoping the Woojer Vest 4 would let you know where you’re being shot from, you might be disappointed. The haptics provide a more generalized rumble based on the audio from your chosen content, rather than converting it into pinpoint directional feedback.

🤷‍♂️ Putting on the vest each time is a hassle. It may seem obvious, but the Woojer Vest 4 requires some effort to use – even if it’s minimal. By design, you need to strap it on every time, which creates a meaningful amount of friction that simply isn’t there when you’re picking up a gamepad or slipping on a pair of headphones.

💰 It isn’t cheap. At $500 (though you can find it for less), the Woojer Vest 4 is a lot of money for something that isn’t essential. Yes, it’s a great sensory experience, but at the end of the day it’s still a fancy accessory for other, more meaningful devices.

🫨 It’s loud. Woojer claims its patented Oscillating Frame Actuators are silent, and while that may technically be true, the vibrations cause vest’s plastic components to generate noise – especially when the vest is set to higher settings.

🪑 You consume content lying down. The Woojer Vest 4 works best if you’re sitting upright in a chair, and isn’t designed for those who prefer watching films or playing games while lying down.

Should you buy the Woojer Vest 4? 🤔

Best Buy: Woojer Vest 4

Amazon: Woojer Vest 4

Yes, if…

• ✅ You want to elevate your music, gaming, and movie-watching experience.

• ✅ You want to make VR gaming even more immersive.

• ✅ You like novel tech that does something different.

No, if…

• ❌ You’re a low-hassle, no thrills gamer who values convenience.

• ❌ You don’t have a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.

• ❌ You primarily enjoy consuming content while lying down.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

🏆 Rating: 4.5/5

Editor’s Choice Award

Pros

• ✅ 🔒 Built-in Privacy Display – no stick-on film required

• ✅ 🤖 Galaxy AI is more agentic: book a cab with a single voice prompt

• ✅ 📸 Wider apertures + APV codec = a serious upgrade for video creators

• ✅ ⚡ Super-Fast Charging 3.0 hits 75% in just 30 minutes

• ✅ 📐 Slimmest Ultra design yet at just 7.9mm thin

• ✅ 🔭 39% NPU boost means AI features run seamlessly in the background

• ✅ 🎨 Unified color lineup across all three models – Cobalt Violet is my favorite

Cons

• ❌ 🧲 No MagSafe or PixelSnap-like feature

• ❌ 💰 Starts at $1,299 – same as the S25 Ultra, but trade-in deals help

• ❌ 🖋️ Still no S Pen Bluetooth – a loss carried over from the S25 Ultra

• ❌ 📸 Standard S26 and S26+ don’t get the wider apertures or APV codec

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

🔥 The Shortcut hot take

I’ve spent six months testing the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and while last year’s S25 Ultra was the phone that made me care about AI, the S26 Ultra is the phone that makes me trust it. Samsung has quietly shifted from flashy AI party tricks to something more ambitious: an AI that acts for you, before you even ask.

While I am currently reviewing the Z Fold 8 right now, let me break down the two things that surprised me most about the S26 Ultra – and a few things that left me wanting more from Samsung’s new flagship S phone.

• 🔒 Privacy, at the pixel level. The S26 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world with a built-in Privacy Display – and unlike the peel-off privacy film you can buy on Amazon for $12, this one is integrated into the display itself. When you activate it, the pixels literally change how they disperse light, keeping your screen crystal clear for you while blurring it out for the person craning their neck next to you on the subway. I tested it under the bright conference lighting in San Francisco, and the effect is dramatic – from straight-on, the display looked as vivid as ever; from even a mild side angle, the screen became unreadable. It works in both portrait and landscape.

• 🤖 AI that does things – not just says things. Samsung has been building toward agentic AI since the S24 series, and the S26 Ultra feels like the moment it clicks. With Gemini as your agent, you can ask it to book a taxi – it handles the entire workflow, surfaces the confirmation, and asks you to tap once to confirm. That’s it. During our demo, it worked exactly as described. The S25 Ultra’s AI was impressive at cross-app commands; the S26 Ultra starts to feel like having a capable assistant who already knows your apps.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

📸 Wider apertures change everything in low light. The main camera on the S26 Ultra gets wider apertures – meaning more light hits the sensor. In a darkened room at Unpacked, photos looked noticeably brighter and sharper than what I remember from the same shots on the S25 Ultra. This is a real, visible improvement in my opinion.

🎬 APV codec is a big deal for creators. The S26 Ultra is the first Galaxy phone to support APV, a professional-grade video codec that Samsung describes as “visually lossless.” It’s designed for creators who edit repeatedly – the footage doesn’t degrade with each pass through an editor. If you shoot and edit a lot of video, this is the most compelling hardware upgrade Samsung has offered video creators in years.

🔭 50MP ultra-wide gets autofocus. The 200MP main camera got the aperture upgrade, and the 50MP ultra-wide also gains autofocus. For anyone who has ever been frustrated by a blurry ultra-wide close-up shot, this is a small but meaningful fix.

⚡ Super-Fast Charging 3.0 is genuinely faster. The S26 Ultra charges at up to 60W via wire and hits 75% in around 30 minutes. The S25 Ultra was already quick at 45W, but the S26 Ultra shortens downtime meaningfully for a phone with a 5,000mAh battery. This is one of the reasons to buy the S26 Ultra over the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is capped at 45W.

📐 Slimmest ‘Ultra’ Samsung has ever made. At 7.9mm, the S26 Ultra is the thinnest Ultra yet. It’s nowhere near as thin as last year’s S25 Edge (5.8mm) or the iPhone Air (5.6mm), but it also doesn’t make concessions on hardware.

🧲 MagSafe is MIA – you’ll need a case for that. I’m disappointed Samsung didn’t include a magnetic back on the S26 phones. I love Apple’s MagSafe and Google’s PixelSnap, which make wireless Qi2 charging easier and allow me to snap my phone to this compact tripod (Amazon link) that I recommend to everyone. Samsung told me they chose to have the thinnest Ultra phone possible, and magnetic cases are in stock if you want this feature.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

🐉 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. This is where Samsung's flagship phones excel over other Androids. It not only includes the latest Qualcomm chip, but it basically overclocks performance to ensure the S26 series feels snappier while the redesigned vapor chamber dissipates heat more efficiently from the sides of the processor rather than just below it.

🧠 39% NPU boost is the real performance story. Samsung is leading with CPU numbers (up 19% vs S25 Ultra) and GPU numbers (up 24%), but the NPU jump of 39% is what powers always-on Galaxy AI features. That’s the stat that matters most for the AI-forward experience Samsung is building.

📱 Now Nudge actually understands your messages contextually. If a friend texts asking for photos from your trip to New York, Galaxy AI surfaces those photos from your Gallery without you ever opening it. I asked Samsung’s team how it handles privacy and was told the photo analysis happens on-device. This matches my experience on the iPhone, at least from the iOS 27 preview beta.

🧹 Photo Assist lets you describe edits in plain English. Instead of tapping through menus, you just say what you want – “make it night” or “remove the stain on my shirt.” Samsung has also added the ability to change outfits in photos using Galaxy AI, and edits can be reviewed step-by-step and undone at any point. It feels more like a conversation than a photo editor.

🔍 Circle to Search now handles multiple objects at once. Samsung upgraded Circle to Search with multi-object recognition – circle a full outfit and it identifies the jacket, the shoes, and the bag simultaneously. For fashion shoppers, this is a genuinely useful upgrade over last year’s one-item-at-a-time approach.

📞 AI Call Screening is now proactive. An unknown number calls. Before you answer, AI Call Screening identifies the caller and summarizes why they’re calling. It can filter a spam call instantly, making it the kind of background AI feature that most people want in their lives.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

🛡️ Privacy Alerts watches apps watching you. The S26 Ultra uses machine learning to alert you in real time when an app with device admin privileges is trying to access sensitive data – your location, call logs, or contacts – unnecessarily. Samsung is positioning this as “privacy at a system level,” not just a display-level trick.

🔐 Post-quantum cryptography extends to firmware. Samsung extended its PQC work to software verification and firmware protection on the S26 Ultra. This is future-proofing against quantum computing-era attacks, and it’s quietly one of the most enterprise-relevant features on this phone.

🎧 Galaxy Buds4 are a natural companion. The new Buds 4 series pairs with the S26 Ultra so you can invoke AI agents hands-free. The Buds 4 Pro adds Head Gestures just like the Apple AirPods Pro 3 – nod to accept a call, shake to decline – which sounds gimmicky but worked smoothly in our demo.

📄 Document Scan gets smarter. AI-powered Document Scan now removes distortions like creases and fingers automatically, then organizes multiple scans into a single PDF. This is one of those features that sounds minor until the moment you need to scan a crumpled receipt at an airport.

🎨 Cobalt Violet is the color to get. All three models share a unified design language and color lineup: Cobalt Violet, White, Black, Sky Blue, and Samsung Store exclusives in Pink Gold and Silver Shadow. Cobalt Violet is the standout – it reads as sophisticated rather than loud.

🌈 Creative Studio unifies creation and customization. Starting from a sketch, photo, or text prompt, Creative Studio can generate stickers, invitations, or wallpapers without switching tools. It’s Samsung’s answer to the question: “What do I actually do with generative AI on my phone?”

📡 Bluetooth 6.0 on Ultra and S26+. The standard Galaxy S26 makes do with Bluetooth 5.4. The Ultra and Plus get 6.0, which brings improved connection stability and is better suited for the growing ecosystem of Bluetooth audio accessories.

🖥️ ProScaler on Ultra and Plus only. ProScaler enhances image scaling so photos and videos appear sharper and more detailed on the screen – but it’s limited to the Ultra and S26+. Standard S26 users miss out.

🔋 5,000mAh battery – same as before, but faster to fill. Samsung hasn’t increased the battery size since the S22 Ultra era. The S26 Ultra’s advantage is efficiency: the more powerful NPU runs AI tasks without hammering the CPU, and Super-Fast Charging 3.0 makes the capacity less of a concern.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

🎮 GPU up 24% – gaming and video capture benefit most. Samsung specifically highlighted gaming and video capture as the key use cases for the GPU boost. In the brief gaming demo I saw, the frame rate looked smooth even in demanding scenes.

🌙 Enhanced Nightography extends to selfies. The AI ISP improvements that have historically improved the rear cameras now extend to the 12MP front camera. Natural skin tones and finer detail in mixed lighting – tested under the varied lighting conditions at Unpacked, the selfie results looked noticeably cleaner than what I recall from the S25 Ultra’s front camera.

🎯 Horizontal lock in Super Steady video. Video Super Steady has a new horizontal lock option that keeps the frame level even when you’re moving fast – useful for action sports or just walking while recording. It’s the kind of stabilization feature I’d use constantly.

🤝 Bixby is more conversational this time. Samsung says you can now navigate settings and adjust your phone using natural language – no need for exact command phrasing. I asked Bixby to “make the screen a little dimmer” without using the word “brightness,” and it understood. Small win, meaningful progress.

🧩 Perplexity joins Gemini as an agent option. Alongside Bixby and Gemini, the S26 Ultra supports Perplexity as a selectable AI agent, set up via a single button press. For users who prefer Perplexity’s real-time web-sourced answers over Gemini’s broader task execution, this is a welcome addition.

📅 Release date: The Galaxy S26 series started shipping to customers on March 11, 2026, if you pre-ordered one of the phones at Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, or major carriers. Samsung offered up to $900 off with an eligible trade-in, or $150 Samsung Credit toward accessories without a trade-in.

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

⚙️ Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs

• 📆 Release date: March 11, 2026

• 💰 Price: From $1,299.99

• 📺 Screen size: 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X

• 🏃‍♂️ Refresh rate: 1–120Hz adaptive

• 💡 Brightness: 2,600 nits peak

• 📸 Main camera: 200MP Wide AF

• 📸 Ultra-wide camera: 50MP Ultra Wide AF

• 📸 Telephoto cameras: 50MP (5x) / 10MP (3x)

• 🤳 Front camera: 12MP Wide AF

• ⚙️ Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm)

• 🐏 RAM: 12GB (256GB/512GB) / 16GB (1TB)

• 🗄️ Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB

• 🔋 Battery: 5,000mAh

• 🔌 Wired charging: Up to 60W (Super-Fast Charging 3.0)

• ⚡ Wireless charging: Up to 25W

• 📶 Connectivity: 5G (sub6 + mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, UWB

• 📐 Dimensions: 78.1 x 163.6 x 7.9mm

• ⚖️ Weight: 214g

• 🌈 Colors: Cobalt Violet, White, Black, Sky Blue + Pink Gold and Silver Shadow (Samsung.com exclusive)

• 🤖 OS: Android 16, One UI 8.5

• 💦 Waterproof: IP68

$150 off Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 deals

• 🤏 12% thinner titanium build with enhanced rugged durability

• 🔆 5,000 nits peak brightness outshines Apple Watch Ultra 3’s 3,000 nits

• ⚙️ Snapdragon Wear Elite processor — faster app switching, NPU for AI, satellite messaging

• 🏃‍♂️ Trail Running mode tracks elevation/climbing, detects terrain impact, warns of overexertion

• 🚰 Real-time hydration tracking that prompts water/snack breaks with Nutrition Alerts

• 🤿 Dive-ready with an IP69 rating + EN13319 certification for depths up to 130 ft (40m)

• 🔋 35% larger 800mAh battery rated for 60 hours with Always-On Display

• 🏷️ Priced at $699, $50 more expensive than the original Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 deals

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is proving to be the high-end smartwatch the Apple Watch Ultra 3 should have been. On the surface, it features a slimmer design and a brighter display that peaks at 5,000 nits. Internally, Samsung has also upgraded the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with a faster Snapdragon Wear Elite processor and a 35% larger battery. Compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 3’s crummy list of upgrades, it’s easy to see Samsung is winning here. The only thing I don’t love about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is its $50 more expensive at $699.

🤏 Slimmer titanium design. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is 12% thinner than its predecessor while retaining the rugged titanium construction as its predecessor. This new model is only 10mm thick compared to the predecessor at 12mm thick. That’s only a 2mm difference, but it’s instantly noticeable when you’re wearing the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. It feels less like you have a poker chip strapped to your wrist, and it’s easier to slip under a long-sleeved shirt or jacket.

🔆 Brightest display. The other big notable change is the new brighter, 5000-nit display. The new screen makes an immediate impression with its vivid watchfaces and menus. 5,000 nits of brightness is far brighter than the 3,000-nit Apple Watch Ultra 3, and it’s likely to be brighter than even your smartphone and even your TV – unless you have one of TCL’s new SQD-Mini LED TVs at home. Simply taking pictures of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s brighter display was easier, as the screen pops more with stronger contrast.

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 deals

🪻Snapdragon Wear Elite. There’s also a brand new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor powering the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. This is the biggest wearable chip upgrade we’ve seen in three years, and it adds an NPU for AI performance, satellite messaging, and serious battery life improvements. Immediately I can tell that apps open faster and stay running in the background while you switch between them on this new smartwatch. No more having to relaunch maps or a workout app when your notifications bring you to a different screen on this smartwatch.

🥾 Trail Running & Nutrition Alert. As ever, Samsung is pushing the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 as the world’s best workout companion and has added Trail Running as an activity. This new activity will monitor your elevation and climbing progress. It’ll even detect terrain impact using the gyroscope and let you know when you’re hiking too hard to avoid injury. Samsung has also added a new Nutrition Alert that’ll trigger when its real-time hydration guidance notices you’ve sweat too much and it’s time to replenish with a water and snack break.

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 deals

🤿 Dive-ready. On the opposite of climbing, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is promising to be dive-ready with a heartier IP69 dust and waterproof rating. It can also handle deeper depths with an added EN13319 rating (basically the EU version of 10ATM), which will allow you to take this watch to depths of 130 feet (40 meters). Samsung also says it’s developing a diving app with Mares, a world-leading diving equipment brand, that will be available later this year.

🔋 35% increased battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 comes with a larger 800mAh battery, a 35% increase in capacity compared to the previous Ultra model that came with 590mAh. Samsung rates its new smartwatch as lasting for 60 hours straight with Always-On Display turned on, but that was already roughly what you could get with the original Galaxy Watch Ultra. However this shakes out, we’ll test if the bigger battery has improved battery life with our stringent review testing.

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 deals

• → Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 deals

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Review score: 3.5/5

✅ Pros

• ⚡ Fast PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD read/write speeds

• 🚀 Big performance leap over Samsung 980

• 🔮 Excellent Magician software with migration support

• 🔋 Lower power consumption vs. 990 Pro

• ⚖️ Good performance with fast, ample system RAM

❌ Cons

• 🫥 DRAM-less design hurts overall system performance

• 🧭 Speed depends heavily on your RAM speed and capacity

• 📉 Major slowdown after 200+ GB file transfers

• 🤑 Barely cheaper than Samsung

Best Buy: Samsung 990 1TB - $269

Best Buy: Samsung 990 2TB - $529

The Shortcut Review

A new NVMe SSD in the year of RAMageddon!? The Samsung 990 SSD came as a real surprise when memory prices are surging, and products have disappeared from shelves and e-tailers. While I laud Samsung for offering consumers a new PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage option, even as other brands like Micron prioritize AI, this new storage drive isn’t a fantastic value.

At $269.99 for 1TB and $529.99 for 2TB, the Samsung 990 reflects the current memory market more than its entry-level positioning. Samsung argues the 990 delivers almost the same speeds as the Samsung 990 Pro, but at a much lower power level. However, its DRAM-less design compromises performance, as it relies on your own DDR4 or DDR5 system memory for cache. And once it runs out of system memory to use, it’ll convert its own flash storage as a secondary memory cache, but this proves to dramatically slow data transfer speeds.

Even with memory prices as high as they are, the Samsung 990 isn’t a fantastic bargain. It’s Samsung’s most bare component in years, while the 1TB Samsung 990 Evo Plus costs just $20 more and the 1TB Samsung 990 Pro can be had for $50 more.

Full Review

🧭 Speed test. The Samsung 990 is rated to deliver sequential read and write speeds of 7,150 MB/s and 6,450 MB/s, respectively. My benchmark results show almost identical figures, while the drive’s overall performance places it squarely behind the Samsung 990 Pro. More impressively, the Samsung 990 is a huge leap in performance over the Samsung 980. Not bad for a drive that’s basically been stripped down to its most basic NAND components.

🧠 Memory dependent. The Samsung 990’s DRAM-less configuration is supposed to help reduce costs for both pricey memory and the final price for you. However, it comes with a major compromise: using your own system memory as cache. That’s the same DDR4 or DDR5 RAM your PC is already using to run the OS, apps, games, and load basically anything.

This makes the Samsung 990’s performance entirely dependent on your RAM’s speed and capacity. I was able to achieve a good level of performance with my 32GB G.SKILL DDR5-6400 memory kit, but you’ll see slower speeds. Also, if you have less RAM overall, like only 16GB or 8GB, the Samsung 990 will sooner convert its own flash memory storage into a secondary cache.

Unfortunately, this creates another bottleneck, as the Samsung 900 is converting its quad-layer-cell NAND memory into single-layer-cell NAND that’s far slower than your system memory. If you want a tiny bit more speed for $50 more, consider the Samsung 990 Evo Plus, which uses slightly faster TLC NAND memory.

🏃‍♂️ Made to sprint. The Samsung 990 is a fast drive, but its greatest weakness is its lack of a dedicated cache for prolonged file transfers. After moving about 200GB of files, I saw the drive’s transfer speed drop down and waver between 300 MB/s and 30 MB/s. You’re rarely going to see this level of slowdown unless you’re moving 500GB of data at a time, but it occurs because it’s using its own flash storage as cache.

🔮 Software that works like Magic. Samsung truly has the best SSD management software, aptly named Magician. The most wondrous thing it does is migrate your boot drive from one Samsung storage device to another. No more having to reinstall Windows or save and load a backup. The app also presents all the SSD’s statistics up front, and you only have to dive into a single sub-menu to switch the drive from performance mode to economy mode.

🤑 That price. The price of the Samsung 990 stings at $269.99 for 1TB and $529.99 for 2TB. A year ago, paying that much would have afforded you double the capacity on a drive with its own built-in cache. It also doesn’t seem like that much of a bargain when the 1TB Samsung 990 Evo Plus costs $289, and even the $319 Samsung 990 Pro is just $50 more. Worse yet, the $529 Samsung 990 has also launched during a week when both the 2TB Samsung Evo Plus and the Samsung 990 Pro are on sale for $369 and $389, respectively.

Should you buy the Samsung 990 SSD?

Best Buy: Samsung 990 1TB - $269

Best Buy: Samsung 990 2TB - $529

✅ Yes, if…

• ⚡ You want flagship PCIe 4.0 SSD speeds for less money

• 🎮 You’re not a gamer or have extremely large files to move

• 🔋 You want a more power-efficient PC

❌ No, if…

• 💵 $20-$50 more for a faster drive is in your budget (get the Samsung 990 Pro instead)

• 🚛 Most of your computing involves large files or gaming (get the Samsung 990 Pro instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

You probably ask yourself every fall whether you should install the big, fancy software upgrade that Apple releases with its new iPhones. Last year’s iOS 26 was a bit polarizing with the huge Liquid Glass redesign and all the changes to apps you use each day, and it resulted in some users complaining about performance issues and an inability to see everything as clearly as they used to.

That’s why I’m happy to report that’s all changing this fall. I’ve been testing Apple’s next round of software updates on my own personal iPhone and Apple Watch, and the 2027 platforms have gotten a lot better. Both iOS 27 and watchOS 27 (which are now in public beta) fix many of the issues you might have had with the previous round of updates, and they introduce new features that make Apple’s software feel modern and more capable than ever before.

After experimenting with the iOS 27 and watchOS 27 betas for the past few weeks, these 7 upgrades stood out the most and convinced me that whether you have a new iPhone 17 Pro Max or one from years ago, a recent Apple Watch Ultra 3 or an aging model, you need to install these updates.

Disclosure: The versions of iOS 27 and watchOS 27 I’ve been testing are technically betas and not stable enough for public release. While Apple has dropped the public betas that are less buggy and prone to crashes, we recommend waiting until the fall when Apple says it’ll roll out the updates to everyone.

⬆️ 7 reasons you’ll want to upgrade to iOS 27 and watchOS 27 this fall

🚀 Everything is getting way faster

• iOS 27: It’s actually insane how much faster iOS 27 feels on my iPhone. I’ve tested the update on my iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air, and yet despite those phones coming out less than a year ago, the new software makes them feel noticeably faster than before. Apps open quicker, multitasking is snappier, and the whole system feels more responsive. My phones weren’t slow to begin with, but thanks to all the under-the-hood improvements in iOS 27, they can’t help but get faster. Anyone with an iPhone older than mine will want to rush to grab this update just for the sake of performance.

• watchOS 27: Similarly, my Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a bit snappier thanks to watchOS 27. Apple made a bunch of improvements under the hood to make it faster and more responsive, and I can feel the difference. It’s not quite as noticeable as it is on my iPhone, but things like the Control Center will spring to life quicker, while widgets take less time to load. If you have a less-powerful Apple Watch on your wrist, you’ll appreciate these changes immensely.

🫧 Liquid Glass won’t annoy you anymore

• iOS 27: Apple is making a big change to how Liquid Glass looks on your iPhone. Not only is it easier to see text and iconography out of the box, but now, you can granularly adjust the transparency of the UI to whatever you’d like. Whether you want it crystal-clear, a little bit tinted, or completely frosted, the new slider in the Settings app lets you tweak it to your liking. It’s a lot better than the options in iOS 26, which were limited to only clear or frosted.

• watchOS 27: Liquid Glass looks a lot better on the Apple Watch thanks to watchOS 27. Apple tweaked a lot of the UI elements to make things easier to see, with some more frosted than others. I’ve also noticed that buttons are easier to make out, as are notifications. Nothing was impossible to see in watchOS 26, but the visual enhancements here are welcome.

🤖 Yes, Siri AI is that good

• iOS 27: After years of Siri being the butt of every joke about how bad virtual assistants are, I’m happy to report that Apple’s assistant is finally good. Built with new Apple Foundation Models that rely on Gemini technology, Siri AI is far more powerful, more contextual, and way more useful than ever before. It knows everything about you and what’s on your phone, so it can provide contextual responses based on whatever you say. I’ve asked Siri to dig up info I knew I had somewhere but couldn’t find it, and it was able to do so effortlessly. It can comb through your email, read your texts, and more to understand what you’re talking about, enhancing the experience tremendously. It can also understand what’s on your screen, which made it easy to ask Siri to add a recipe’s ingredients I pulled up to my shopping list and set a reminder for a pop-up I saw on Instagram for this weekend.

• watchOS 27: It goes without saying that a smart watch will make you feel like James Bond whenever you talk to it, and that same feeling shows itself once again with watchOS 27. Siri AI’s ability to carry a conversation is even more convenient on the watch; you can just keep talking to it and get ideas for a workout plan, cooking tips, and more. I use it a lot to keep track of reminders and steps for recipes while I’m preparing dinner. And since it knows everything about you, all of the same personal context perks I enjoy on my iPhone are also here.

💬 Sending pictures with your texts is more reliable

• iOS 27: Ever send a picture with a text message with less-than-reliable service, only for both to fail to send? Apple fixed this with iOS 27, and it’s one of those things you don’t realize you need until you have it. I’ve sent dozens of photos with texts at this point, and not only will I get a progress bar telling me whether a photo will send, but my iPhone will also automatically retry to send a picture or video if it fails the first time. Messages will also more reliably sync your text chains with your other devices, which I greatly appreciate given the sheer amount of devices on my Apple account.

🛜 Faster AirDrop that you didn’t know you needed

• iOS 27: Another thing you didn’t realize you’d need on your iPhone: way faster AirDrop. Across all of Apple’s systems, AirDrop is getting up to 80% faster at transferring files, which is a big deal. The few times I’ve transferred files between two OS 27 platforms, it’s definitely seemed faster. I want to dive more into how much it can handle with the speed improvements now that I’m running macOS Golden Gate, so stay tuned.

💳 The Wallet app might change your life

• iOS 27: The Wallet app is getting a lot of big updates, and there are two that are probably going to change your life. Thanks to Siri AI, you can point your camera at a receipt, select the items you ordered, and instantly know how much you owe the host of your group. I haven’t gone out in a minute so I haven’t been able to test this, but I can tell a lot of people will like this. Another thing: recurring subscriptions. The Wallet app will give you insights into your subscriptions and alert you when one’s coming up. I had this feature notify me that my Spotify subscription was going to renew in a few days, and it make me excited for how useful it could be in the future for subscriptions that I don’t actually care about.

• watchOS 27: There are also updates for Wallet in watchOS 27. You can add any pass that has a QR code attached to it to your virtual wallet, then pull them up on your Apple Watch or add them to your Smart Stack. I’m going to a concert this weekend that this is going to come in handy for big time.

⌚️ Your wrist feels smarter – and makes more sense

• watchOS 27: Apple made three big UI changes to the Apple Watch that help it feel way smarter beyond interacting with Siri AI. The Smart Stack is better at recommending widgets it thinks you’ll want to reference during the day, which I’ve noticed is far more in tune with my daily habits. Press the Digital Crown and you’ll get a much smaller grid of apps; it’s only the ones that Siri AI thinks you’ll want to open, and in testing watchOS 27, it’s done a good job at recommending apps that I want to open. There’s also a new pinch gesture: tap your index finger and thumb once to select something. This makes navigating your watch with one hand way easier than before, and honestly, I can’t believe it took Apple this long to add it.

📆 When does iOS 27 and watchOS 27 come out?

Apple is set to release iOS 27 and watchOS 27 this fall for all users. I’ll continue testing the new platforms alongside macOS Golden Gate and visionOS 27 until then. Stay tuned for more coverage on The Shortcut, our Instagram page, and on The Shortcut Live!

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

🏆 Review Score: 4/5 – ‘Great!‘

✅ Pros:

• 👂 Exceptional sound quality

• 🔋 Amazingly long battery life

• 🔈 Hi-Res audio support

• 👍 THX Spatial audio included

• 🎧 Incredibly comfortable

• 👏 Works on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Bluetooth

• 🤓 Clever USB-A or USB-C dongle

• 🌈 Tasteful RGB lighting

• 📱 Desktop and mobile apps let you dial in your EQ settings

❌ Cons:

• 😔 No simultaneous Bluetooth and game audio

• 🎤 Microphone quality is poor

• 😤 Bluetooth pairing to more than one device is cumbersome

• 🥵 Earcups aren’t very breathable

• 😷 Horrible chemical smell when first unboxing

Amazon: Edifier G5 Max

The Shortcut Review

I’m rarely surprised by a product these days, but the Edifier G5 Max admittedly caught me off guard. Despite its rather gamer-centric design language and various technical promises – Hi-Res audio, THX Spatial audio, a staggering 305 hours of battery life in Bluetooth mode – I wasn’t expecting the G5 Max to become the headset I end up using each night once I’d finished my review. But that’s exactly what’s happened.

• 🎧 Best Edifier G5 Max EQ settings: get even better sound with these simple tweaks

For a closed-back headset, I was shocked by just how expansive and wide the soundstage was, and how clear, balanced, and detailed the audio sounded. I could hear audio cues in the Resident Evil 2 remake that had previously passed me by, and the shuffling, groaning zombies and stomping heavy feet of Mr. X as he roamed through Raccoon City police station never felt so menacing.

With a little tweaking of the low-end in the EQ, I found myself gravitating towards the Edifier G5 Max instead of my trusty Razer Blackshark V3 Pro – quite an achievement, considering the Blackshark V3 Pro costs $100 more and includes ANC. I even enjoyed the THX Spatial implementation on the G5 Max, which I immediately turned off on the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro as it always sounded overly tinny and artificial.

Edifier G5 Max specs 🛠️

• Price: $149.99

• Connection: 2.4GHz wireless, USB-A/USB-C, Bluetooth

• Weight: 305 grams

• Colors: white, black

The Edifier G5 Max may be one of the best-sounding gaming headsets I’ve tested in a while, and I even enjoyed them when listening to music using the supplied preset. Listening on Apple Music to Slipknot’s ‘Duality’, which bombards you with different guitar riffs, vocals, and percussion all at once, came through beautifully, with nothing muddied or overpowered.

The sub-bass is a bit lacking compared to other headsets I’ve tried, and sadly it can’t really be rectified. However, you’re still getting a really well-rounded audio profile that isn’t too bright or drowned out by lower frequencies.

If all you care about is the audio performance of a gaming headset, then the Edifier G5 Max is pretty easy to recommend. Where it falls down, however, is the headset’s microphone, which I’d describe as average at best. Even though there is a detachable boom mic and a built-in mic, neither delivered a natural-sounding recording during my testing. The mic’s noise gate was also overly aggressive, cutting off the first few seconds of a word when beginning a sentence.

Other nice-to-have features, like simultaneous audio and Bluetooth playback, are also missing, and as comfortable as they are to wear thanks to their super light build and protein leather ear cushions, my head would get noticeably hotter than when wearing other headsets – not ideal during the UK heatwave.

It’s obvious the Edifier G5 Max gaming headset isn’t perfect, then. But its audio does some serious heavy lifting to make it my current daily driver. Read my full Edifier G5 Max review below for more.

A review unit was provided by Edifier.

What I loved about the Edifier G5 Max ❤️

👂 Exceptional sound quality. The sound profile of the Edifier G5 Max is perfect for gaming, with a pleasing balance of low, mid, and high frequencies working in tandem instead of competing against one another. Some gaming headsets can be too bright, too muddy, or deliver a middling sound that satisfies no one. However, the Edifier G5 Max delivers the type of expansive and detailed audio that you usually only get from open-back headphones.

🔋 Amazingly long battery life. I charged the Edifier G5 Max once during my review and apparently still have 80% battery left. Edifier says you can expect up to 305 hours in Bluetooth mode and 227 hours in 2.4 GHz mode at 50% volume with the RGB off, and I believe that to be accurate. Simply put, you won’t have to worry about battery life with these cans.

🔈 Hi-Res audio support. Music lovers can enjoy Hi-Res audio with the Edifier G5 Max, and it’s something that will be more of a selling point now that Spotify has finally caught up with the competition. Listening to my favorite tracks on Apple Music in lossless quality using the default music profile was a real pleasure.

👍 THX Spatial audio included. I haven’t had the best experience with THX Spatial audio in the past, as it’s always sounded far more artificial than Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. However, the implementation on the Edifier G5 Max sounds fantastic and natural. What’s really nice is that when using the music EQ, THX Spatial is disabled, so you don’t have to keep turning it on and off depending on whether you’re gaming or listening to music.

🎧 Incredibly comfortable. At just over 300 grams, the Edifier G5 Max is super light with zero clamping force. My ears fit comfortably in the cups, and the protein leather pads are lovely and soft. The swiveling earcups are also always nice to have, and I found the headset band never moved from the position I wanted after it was adjusted, which can happen on other headsets.

👏 Works on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Bluetooth. I tested the G5 Max gaming headset on PS5, PC, and Bluetooth primarily, and it sounded great on every device I connected it to. PS5 owners should go through the 3D spatial audio setup to get the most out of it, as it really makes a difference once you dial in your profile.

🤓 Clever USB-A or USB-C dongle. Most headsets either come with a USB-A or USB-C dongle, but the Edifier G5 Max can work either way. It’s such a simple innovation, but one that means you don’t have to bother with an adapter. You also have more flexibility if you’re running out of USB ports.

🌈 Tasteful RGB lighting. RGB lighting on headsets is really only for streamers’ benefit, but it’s here if you want it. It’s thankfully understated, and you can choose between different settings, colors, and brightness levels.

📱 Desktop and mobile apps let you dial in your EQ settings. Every good headset lets you tinker and tweak its audio profile to your liking, and the Edifier G5 Max is no different. You can change the settings either through the desktop Hecate app or the Edifier ConneX mobile app. There are also presets for specific games to choose from if you’re not comfortable creating your own EQ.

What I disliked about the Edifier G5 Max 💔

😔 No simultaneous Bluetooth and game audio. For the price of $150, I’d have expected the Edifier G5 Max to support simultaneous Bluetooth and game audio. It’s a feature that should really be included at this price.

🎤 Microphone quality is poor. There’s no getting past the Edifier G5 Max’s poor microphone quality. Even when fiddling with the EQ, I couldn’t make it sound pleasing, and the noise gate would often cut off words.

😤 Bluetooth pairing to more than one device is cumbersome. You can’t pair the G5 Max to a new Bluetooth device unless you forget an existing connection. There isn’t a dedicated pairing button, which is rather annoying.

🥵 Earcups aren’t very breathable. They might not have active noise cancelling, but the Edifier G5 Max earcups have excellent passive noise isolation. However, I was getting hotter than usual when wearing headphones, as the earcups aren’t very breathable.

😷 Horrible chemical smell when first unboxing. The Edifier G5 Max absolutely stank of a strong, headache-inducing chemical-like substance when I first unboxed them. The smell was so pungent that I had to leave the headphones on my desk for a day or two before I could start using them. I’ve never encountered this before, and it’s something I hope Edifier can fix in the future, as it’s really unpleasant and doesn’t make a great first impression.

Should you buy the Edifier G5 Max? 🤔

Amazon: Edifier G5 Max

Yes, if…

• ✅ You care solely about audio and don’t really need a top-class microphone.

• ✅ You want a wireless headset that barely ever needs charging.

• ✅ You’re after a gaming headset that sounds great for games and music.

No, if…

• ❌ You listen to a Bluetooth device when gaming and need simultaneous audio.

• ❌ You’re someone who likes a lot of bass and sub-bass above all else.

• ❌ You game in a hot room and need a breathable headset.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 🔭 24-600mm f2.8-4 Zeiss lens combines the 25x zoom range of 3-4 lenses into one

• 📸 ideal travel camera for capturing both wide landscapes and zoomed-in street subjects.

• ֎ Lens aperture narrows from f2.4 to a locked f4 by 103mm

• 🖼️ 1-inch Exmor 20.1MP sensor is mid-range in resolution

• ⚙️ Stacked Bionz XR processor speeds up processing and burst shooting

• 🎬 Sony’s full modern video suite adds 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log 3 and LUT support

• 🧠 Sony’s AI chip drives subject recognition, color, and exposure, and overall improves autofocus

• 🔋 New Z-battery claims 50% longer life than the previous W-battery

• 🏷️ Priced at $2,299 and available later this August

The Sony RX10 V is the brand’s first superzoom camera in nearly nine years. While it features the same 24-600mm equivalent f2.4-4 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 25x zoom lens, nearly everything else about the camera is new. For starters, it features a new 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor sensor that stacked with a processor to help drive 30fps burst shooting speeds. The sensor also supports all of Sony’s modern video standards including 4K 120fps capture, S-Log3, and you can import up to 16 LUTs.

Sony has also updated the look of the RX10 V with a more squared off body mimicking the dimensions and controls of the Sony a7 series – including the latest Sony a7R VI. RIP to the hunched down, streamlined bridge cameras of the 2000s, but the RX10 V has gained several more useful dials, more pronounced buttons, and a larger grip. Sony also promises the RX10 V will have 50% more battery life, swapping out the terrible W-batteries for its Z-batteries.

This camera should prove to be the ultimate travel camera, even if it doesn’t have a selfie screen. However, it costs as much as a transatlantic flight at $2,299. We’ll soon know whether its worthy of this steep price tag, but so far I’ve had a lot of fun shooting with the new Sony RX10 V in the past day.

🔭 Big zoom. The biggest draw and first thing you’ll notice about this camera is its 24-600mm f2.8 to f4 Zeiss lens. That 25x range allows me to capture wide shots of the NYC landscape to zoom in on the most interesting characters I see on the street. This makes the camera a fantastic travel companion, as it essentially combines three to four lenses into a single piece of glass.

֎ Variable aperture. Unfortunately, the Sony RX10 V’s big zoom lens has the downside of a variable aperture that starts shrinking from f2.4 after the tinniest increment of zoom at 25mm. At 103mm, the lens locks in at an f4 aperture for the rest of the focal range. It’s not a huge pain to work around, but if you tire of tweaking your settings around the aperture changing all the time, there are P- and S-modes.

🖼️ 20.1MP sensor. The Sony RX10 V features a 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor image sensor that’s mid-range in resolution, but it’s both backside-illuminated and fully stacked. The stacked nature of this sensor overlays it with Sony’s Bionz XR processor to speed up image processing and burst shooting that goes to 30fps, up from the previous Sony RX10 IV’s 24fps.

🎬 Modern video specs. The best upgrades from the RX10 V’s new Exmor sensor are that it features all of Sony’s modern video features, including S-Log 3 shooting at 10-bit and 4.2.2. It also supports LUTs, so you can see how your footage will look at the start of your edit as you’re filming.

🧠AI chip. As with all of Sony’s modern camera releases, the RX10 V comes rocking an AI chip that powers everything from subject recognition to color reproduction and exposure control. The most immediate benefit I experienced was the RX10 V’s greatly improved autofocus, which allowed me to lock onto fast-moving subjects even at max zoom and while shooting through a crowd.

🔋 50% more battery. The RX10 V now works with Sony’s Z-batteries, which the company claims offers 50% longer battery life than its previous W-batteries. I haven’t fully tested the RX10 V’s longevity in a day, but after shooting 100-odd photos, including bursts, I only exhausted the battery by 15%.

• Up next: I can have any camera I want, but here’s why I keep coming back to the Sony ZV-E1

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Review Score: 4.5/5 – ‘Awesome!‘

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros:

• 🤏 Super portable design

• 👏 Supports every display mode

• 🤝 Switch between dock mode or tabletop mode

• 💰 Far cheaper than the official Switch 2 dock

• 🥶 The console stays cool when gaming

❌ Cons:

• 😢 No HDMI CEC support

• 🤷‍♂️ Open design won’t suit every setup

• 👋 Only has one USB-A port

Amazon: GuliKit Dock for Switch 2

The Shortcut Review

The GuliKit Dock for Nintendo Switch 2 is one of those accessories that comes along and almost trumps the original design in everyway. Compared to the official Nintendo Switch 2 dock, it’s a fraction of the size, includes practically every feature you’d want, and even provides a superior way to enjoy tabletop mode. It’s also considerably more affordable than Nintendo’s offering.

• 👍 GuliKit’s Nintendo Switch 2 TMR analog sticks are the perfect upgrade – just don’t make the same mistakes I did

It makes the GuliKit Dock for Switch 2 the perfect pick for those who would like a second dock around the home, or if you want to play your Switch 2 on a TV when on holiday, but don’t want to pack Nintendo’s bulky hardware.

GuliKit Dock for Switch 2 specs 🛠️

• Price: $29.99

• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED

There are a few missed opportunities with the GuliKit Dock that stop it from being a wholehearted recommendation. The lack of HDMI CEC support is my biggest issue, and the open-style design won’t suit every home. However, for just $30, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better third-party dock. Read my full GuliKit Dock for Switch 2 review below.

A review unit was provided by GuliKit.

What I loved about the GuliKit Dock for Switch 2 ❤️

🤏 Fits in the palm of your hand. The GuliKit Dock for Switch 2 is super compact and portable, and its clever design includes a magnetic dust cover that clips onto the top to give your console extra support. It’s a great space-saving option over Nintendo’s bulkier official dock, and a must for those who like to travel but want to still play the Switch 2 on a TV.

👏 Supports every display mode. You don’t need to worry about the Nintendo Switch 2 not displaying properly when using the GuliKit Dock. It supports 4K/60Hz, 2K/120Hz, and 1080p/120Hz video output. It even has Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which automatically changes your display to the display setting with the lowest input lag, usually called ‘Game mode’. HDR is also supported, so you’re getting all the same benefits as the official Nintendo Switch 2 dock.

🥶 Keeps things cool. Unlike other Switch 2 docks I’ve used, the GuliKit Dock provides ample airflow for the system. There isn’t a dedicated fan like with Nintendo’s official dock, but I never noticed the fans kicking up like with other versions, especially when undocking the console during gameplay.

💰 Considerably cheaper than the official Switch 2 dock. At $29.99, the GuliKit Dock is a fantastic option for those who want a second dock for the bedroom or office for their Switch 2. Nintendo wants $124.99 for its Switch 2 dock, and while you may get another AC adapter, you’re essentially paying $95 more for it.

👍 Works with the Switch 2, Switch, and Switch OLED. Unlike the Switch 2 dock, you can use the older Switch and Switch OLED with the GuliKit Dock.

🤝 Two modes in one. The GuliKit Dock also works as a tabletop mode charging stand. Simply press the ‘Dock Mode’ button on the back, and you can switch between the two display modes. Very handy.

💼 You can keep your Switch 2 case on. If you use a protective case on your Switch 2, a neat feature about the GuliKit Dock is that it has a three-level adjustment switch for the USB-C port that supports cases up to 1mm thick. Your mileage may vary with this feature, and I’ve admittedly only tested it without a case on.

🙏 Firmware can be updated. In the unlikely event that a Nintendo Switch 2 update stops support for third-party docks, the GuliKit Dock can be updated, allowing for future compatibility and peace of mind.

What I disliked about the GuliKit Dock for Switch 2💔

😢 No HDMI CEC support. HDMI CEC support is a feature that I always take for granted until it’s gone. The convenience of having my TV turn on whenever I start the Switch 2 shouldn’t be overlooked, and it was admittedly annoying having to reach for the remote when using the GuliKit Dock.

1️⃣ One fewer USB port. The GuliKit Dock only has one USB-A port instead of two like the official Switch 2 dock. If you need another port, you’re sadly out of luck, which could be restrictive depending on your setup.

🤕 Exposed design won’t be for everyone. The Nintendo Switch 2 sits proudly in the GuliKit Dock, with its screen completely exposed. It looks great, and allows the dock to function as a charging stand for tabletop mode. But if you have a house full of kids or pets running around, having the screen displayed means it’s susceptible to accidental scratches, knocks, or the device even toppling over.

Should you buy the GuliKit Dock for Switch 2? 🤔

Amazon: GuliKit Dock for Switch 2

Yes, if…

• ✅ You travel and want a portable dock you can take on the go.

• ✅ You’re after a more space-saving design.

• ✅ You’re in the market for a second, more affordable Switch 2 dock.

No, if…

• ❌ You rely on HDMI CEC support to turn on your TV and home entertainment system.

• ❌ You’re worried about the Switch 2’s screen being exposed.

• ❌ You have more than one USB-A device connected to your dock.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

🏆 Review score: 4/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🔊 Noticably louder and more dynamic than all other competing smart speakers

• 🎼 Impressive sound delivers warm, crisp mids with resonating bass

• 📲 Heos app supports up to 64 speakers in 32 groups – 2x more than the Sonos app

• 💡 Visually streamlined Heos app makes configuring multi-room audio easy

• 🔌 3.5mm aux input included without any USB-dongle

❌ Cons

• ↕️ Largest of all the current smart speakers

• 📉 Default settings can degrade the sound quality of this speaker

• ⛔ No native support for Google Assistant or Alexa+

• 🗣️ Siri voice control requires a separate HomePod

• 🚧 Speaker groups are only accessible through the Heos app

Walmart: Denon Home 200 - $399

Best Buy: Denon Home 200 - $399

Amazon: Denon Home 200 - $399

The Shortcut Review

The $399 Denon Home 200 has come out on top as the best-sounding smart speaker. I’ve been putting Denon’s newest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker to the test against all its modern rivals, including the $219 Sonos Era 100, $349 Apple HomePod 2, and $299 Bose Ultra Lifestyle Speaker, and the Denon Home 200 has consistently sounded louder and more dynamic with crisper mids and resonating bass.

That said, the Denon Home 200 is by no means perfect. It’s much bigger than all its competitors and nowhere nearly as smart. The speaker comes with no built-in support for Google Assistant or Alexa+, and while you can talk to Siri, you’ll need to have an Apple HomePod already set up in your home to use it.

This speaker also lacks a physical upfiring speaker, so if you want genuine, non-virtualized Dolby Atmos audio, you’ll have to trade up to the $599 Denon Home 400 or get the Bose Ultra Lifestyle Speaker instead.

Despite those limitations, for purely stereo sound, the Denon Home 200 is the best smart speaker for listening to music. And if you’re looking to create a stereo pair of Denon Home 200 units or an even bigger group of speakers, the Heos app offers a more visually streamlined experience that’s accessible to anyone on your Wi-Fi network. Just make sure to change the default app settings that can actually hamper the Denon Home 200’s audio quality.

Full Review

📏 Biggie-sized. The Denon Home 200 stands out as the largest smart home speaker next to the Sonos Era 100, Bose Ultra Home Speaker, and Apple HomePod 2. At 8.5 inches tall, the Home 200 is closer in size to an air purifier. Despite its larger size, its simple but elegant aluminum base and fabric exterior are muted enough that it just blends in with the rest of your home decor.

🔊 Big sound. The Denon Home 200 drives stereo sound with serious bass all on its own thanks to its dual tweeters and a 4-inch woofer. This makes the Denon Home 200 sound significantly louder than the Sonos Era 100. The Home 200 produces a more expansive soundscape with resonating bass, brighter highs, and crisp vocals. The Sonos Era 100 projects wider stereo sound with clearer vocals, but personally, the Home 200 just left a bigger impression, no matter which song I played on both speakers.

🏆 Better than the rest. I was blown away by how much better the Denon Home 200 sounded, and it also came out on top in head-to-head comparisons with the Apple HomePod 2 and the brand-new Bose Ultra Lifestyle Speaker, playing a variety of tracks like Black Eye, Hurt, Not Like Us, and Can I Kick It. The Denon Home 200 consistently produced more dynamism between the highs, mids, and lows. Comparatively, the HomePod 2 produces the cleanest sound, while the Bose Ultra Lifestyle Speaker delivers size-defying audio that’s almost as loud as the Denon Home 200 and also features a physically upfiring speaker.

🧠 Not so smart. I can hardly call the Denon Home 200 a smart speaker, as it lacks native support for Google Assistant or Alexa. The mics on the Home 200 are there purely to support Siri, but even then, it’s only available if you already have a HomePod connected in your home. If you’re looking for a truly smart speaker, you might be better off with Alexa on the Bose Ultra Speaker or the Sonos Era 100 that comes with the brand’s own smart assistant and Google Assistant.

🛜 Ready to connect. The Denon Home 200 comes with several connectivity options, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, and a 3.5mm aux input (that doesn’t require an adapter like Sonos). It can also connect directly to a variety of music apps through Spotify, Tidal, and Qobuz Connect. AirPlay 2 is on tap, too, so you can stream audio directly to the Denon Home 200 with any Apple device. Google Cast is the only thing missing on this speaker, so if you’re an Android user, look to Sonos or Bose instead.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Groupies. Denon’s Heos app allows you to pair the Home 200 into all sorts of speaker setups, and you can go for broke by assigning up to 64 products into 32 different zones. That’s double Sonos’s limit, which only allows up to 32 devices in a single Sonos system. I also like how visually streamlined the Heos app is compared to Sonos, as it puts rooms front and center in the app without having to dive into submenus.

Surprisingly, I was also able to group Denon speakers that my coworker set up on his own account, whereas a Sonos system can only be edited by its sole owner. Sonos, however, has a leg up on letting you access speaker groups from the Spotify app, whereas I can only use grouped Denon speakers from the Heos app.

📺 Home theater ready. Beyond creating speaker groups, the Home 200 can also be paired with the Denon Home 550 soundbar to serve as rear satellites in a home theater setup. However, as the Home 200 doesn’t feature any physically upfiring speakers, it can only virtualize Dolby Atmos audio. If you want the real McCoy for your home theater setup with a Denon system, you’ll have to step up to the Denon Home 400 for genuine upfiring speakers.

🎚️ Check those settings. As much as I like the Heos app, it assigns some strange default settings to the Denon Home 200 speaker. For starters, the default “Auto” sound mode actually attempts to virtualize all sound into spatial audio. While I usually love spatial audio on headphones like the AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6, I don’t expect it from a speaker designed specifically for stereo sound.

Additionally, Multi-room Audio Quality is set to normal by default, which compresses audio to 256kbps AAC format, defeating the whole point of streaming lossless audio over Wi-Fi. Even the most meager home Wi-Fi will handle uncompressed 16-bit, 44.1 kHz streaming across rooms.

🎛️ Playlist speed dial. On top of the usual set of playback and volume touch controls, the Denon Home 200 features three programmable preset buttons you can assign to play your favorite playlists and radio stations. You have to set it all up in the Denon Heos app, but once you do, you can press the buttons at any time to start playing music without reaching for your smartphone. I love the one-button playback shortcut, and it works across a variety of apps, including Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Qobuz, and SiriusXM.

Should you buy the Denon Home 200?

Walmart: Denon Home 200 - $399

Best Buy: Denon Home 200 - $399

Amazon: Denon Home 200 - $399

✅ Yes, if…

• 🔊 You want the loudest and best-sounding smart speaker

• 🎼 You want to hear more dynamism from your music with crisper mids and resonant bass

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 You want to group a huge number of speakers into separate rooms

• 🏠 You want a smart home speaker setup that’s accessible to everyone in your household

❌ No, if…

• 💵 $399 for a single smart speaker is too much (get the Sonos Era 100 instead)

• 📺 You need a satellite speaker for your home theater setup (get the Denon Home 400 instead)

• 🪜 True, non-virtualized Dolby Atmos is a must (get the Bose Ultra Lifestyle Speaker instead)

• 🗣️ You want a smart speaker you can talk to (get the Sonos Era 100 instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Rating: 4/5

✅ Pros

• 👓 Lightweight design that looks like normal glasses

• 📺 Bright display that fades away when not in use

• 🤓 Prescription lenses available

• 👆 Easy to control

• 🧠 Smart features like live translations, conversation transcriptions, and more

• 🤖 Even AI enables convenient hands-free control

• 🔋 Up to two weeks of battery life

• No camera for guaranteed privacy

❌ Cons

• 👾 Some features feel like bloatware

• 🧐 Frame styles might not be for everyone

• 💰 They get expensive… fast

The Shortcut review

As smart glasses continue to pick up steam, companies are experimenting with different implementations, purposes, and form factors until the “perfect pair” arrives (think Apple Vision Pro-level performance, but in a pair of regular glasses from LensCrafters). Even Realities is one of the latest companies to give this a swing, and the G2 glasses I’ve been testing have really impressed me.

The Even G2 are a big upgrade from the company’s original G1 pair, with a 75% larger display than before, better AI features, a sharper design, and one very important upgrade (for me): a green color option. You can customize your pair with prescription lenses, too, which I requested for my review sample.

After wearing them every day for the past couple of months, the Even G2 have proven to be more useful than I thought. It’s handy being able to see important notifications come in without looking at your phone, and some of the smart features like the teleprompter and live translations feel like must-haves, even though you might not use them every day. Some of the software is a bit buggy, and Even AI isn’t exempt from that, but the G2 are a very promising pair of smart glasses that are great for the office and everyday life. But if you’re looking to play music or take pictures with your glasses, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Even Realities: G2 smart glasses

Review notes

👓 A seemingly impossible design. Picking up the Even G2 glasses for the first time, I couldn’t believe how thin and lightweight they were. Made from magnesium and titanium, the glasses weigh just 36 grams and - somehow - fit all the necessary components to power the display, Bluetooth, navigation, and other features into tiny nubs on the arms and in the frame. Put them on and they’ll live comfortably on your face, like any pair of normal glasses from LensCrafters. This is one of the most important aspects of finding a good pair of smart glasses; they need to feel normal on your face, and I’m happy to report the Even G2s definitely do.

😎 Style options are limited, but still good-looking. Even Realities offers the G2 in two different frame shapes: The “G2 A” and “G2 B.” The former is the one I have with a vintage, rounded frame and a flat top. The latter is more rectangular and modern. Despite only offering two variations, both look good in person, especially the G2 A. You can also choose among three color options: grey, brown, and green. I opted for the green finish, which has gold accents on the arms, and they fit my personal aesthetic very well. You can also submit your prescription when ordering (although only single vision prescriptions are accepted) and get a pair of matching clip-ons for blocking out the sun.

📸 No cameras in sight. One of the biggest design choices Even made was excluding cameras from the design of the G2 glasses. These aren’t designed to take pictures, videos, or tell you about the world around you. Instead, the glasses focus on AI integration in the display to give you facts, insights into your day, reminders, and more, saving all the photo-taking for your smartphone. It’s better for privacy, of course, and it means that Even was able to slim down the design quite a bit since it didn’t need to fit a camera. Of course, if the reason you want smart glasses is to take first-person photos, these aren’t for you. I’d personally much rather have no camera if it means I get a design like this in exchange.

📺 Big screen that’s easy to see… The most impressive thing about the Even G2 is how good the display is. It’s a bit hard to describe how big it is, but it can appear closer to your face or farther away, depending on your preference. I have it set a bit closer to my eyes, and when notifications come in or I trigger the screen myself, it’s effortless to see what’s going on and read the information I need. The display appears in both eyes as overly simplistic green lines and text, with an animation here and there for loading screens and such. It doesn’t have insane graphics or high-quality visual elements, but it gets the job done well.

☀️ … except in the sunshine. The only time it’s difficult to see the screen is when you’re out in the sun. I walked around Flatiron one afternoon and saw a notification come in when I was staring at the building itself, but then when I focused my attention on the blue sky above, the screen was virtually impossible to see. You’ll find yourself readjusting your glance to look at the display more often than you think (unless you primarily stay indoors with the glasses, of course).

🌈 Some weird lens reflections. Because the displays are integrated into the lenses of the Even G2 (where else would they be?), you do see some weird light reflections if you tilt your head the right way. There’s also a noticeable blurriness where the display begins and the lenses end, which can be jarring if you’re reading small text. Both of these issues are generally easy to avoid, but coming from a normal pair of glasses to these, you’ll probably notice this just as much as I did.

👆 Easy to navigate. Double-tap the back end of either arm on the glasses and the display will appear. From there, Even makes it easy to navigate the interface. A series of swipes up, down, left, and right will cycle through the news, stocks, your calendar, reminders, and your fitness data (assuming you’re wearing an Even R1 ring, which I’m not). Long-press either arm to bring up a separate menu to open your notifications, live translations, a teleprompter, navigation, Even AI, a conversation mode, and more. You can also tilt your head upwards to bring up the dashboard hands-free, although I turned that off the first time I enjoyed a cold one while wearing them. Even says the R1 ring makes it even easier to navigate the interface, but I didn’t get to test it during my review, although other reviews I’ve read about it don’t paint it in a particularly bright light.

📲 Simple but useful features. Much of the G2 glasses’ functionality is simple. It leverages AI to enable hands-free commands such as setting reminders, learning new information, and more. In Conversate mode, you can record conversations and have them transcribed in real time, then go back on your phone and reference it later. There’s also a feature called Prep Notes that displays any notes you want to have in front of you during a conversation, a teleprompter, and live translations for reading what someone’s saying in a different language. You can even see real-time definitions and descriptions for subjects and words brought up during conversations, which, conveniently, can help you sound smarter than you are when speaking with someone.

🤖 Even AI is great for going hands-free. When wearing the glasses, you can say “Hey Even” to trigger Even AI. Powered by Even Search or Perplexity (I chose the latter), the AI lets you ask questions and do research, create reminders, take notes, and more. You can also control your glasses and ask it to open certain features like your notifications and live translations, which is convenient if your hands are full.

🏪 An ever-growing list with Even Hub… During my time reviewing the glasses, Even updated them with its new Even Hub, a place where developers can publish new plug-ins for the G2s to enable more features. I tried out a few, including a weather app, a plug-in for viewing New York City subway times, a Spotify media player, and even a paddle game. Over time, new apps and experiences will be added and further flesh out what these glasses can do.

👾 … that quickly becomes bloatware. The problem? A lot of it is bloatware. It isn’t that the ideas for each plug-in are bad, and they don’t come pre-installed on the glasses and get in your way, either. But if you want to use something like the weather chart, more often than not, the feature won’t work. That’s because it needs to sync with data from your phone, and the G2s aren’t constantly talking to your phone over Bluetooth, whether due to a bug in the connection or a power-efficiency thing. You need your phone open for the data to sync, so why not just use your phone to check the weather at that point? Even needs to work on the implementation of these features, or make the next version of the glasses more powerful so they don’t run into the same problems. There are good ideas in the Even Hub, but they can’t be executed that well at this stage.

☑️ My favorite features. After using the Even G2 glasses for a while, I realized that I use them almost like a smartwatch. A lot of what I find useful is rooted in glanceable information. However, other features benefit from the microphones and AI built into them, helping me in my workflow each day. Here’s what stood out to me most when using the G2s each day for work and at home.

• 🛎️ Notifications: It’s handy being able to see important texts or emails fly into view when you’re typing away, or walking to your next meeting. You can set granular controls for all of your notifications, too, so that you aren’t constantly bombarded with them.

• 📋 To-do lists: Having a to-do list on your glasses is underrated as all get-out. I love being able to swipe it into view and check on what I have to do next during the day. Plus, you can use the AI to quickly add things to do your to-do list.

• 🗣️ Transcriptions: Seeing what someone is saying as they’re saying it is great for conversations in two languages or if you’re hard of hearing.

• 📆 Calendars: Quickly checking my calendar on the go has been clutch for staying up to date on busy weeks at Swider Studios. Whether we’re covering a new smartphone launch or hosting an event at our space, it’s surprisingly convenient to have your calendar right on your face.

🔋 Two weeks of battery life. It’s really easy to cruise through a couple of weeks of usage with the Even G2 glasses. Not only do the glasses last up to two days on a full charge, but the case they come in supplies up to seven extra charges, so you can charge them once and forget about it for about 10-14 days. Unless you’re transcribing every conversation or reading e-books on these things (which is something you can do through Even Hub, by the way), you’ll likely have the same great battery life that I do.

💰 The price creeps higher and higher. Right off the bat, if you want the Even G2s in either frame option, they’ll set you back $599. That’s $220 more than what Meta charges for its Ray-Ban smart glasses. With prescription lenses, you’ll pay a minimum of $159 extra, depending on how intense your prescription is. Then, if you want the R1 ring to control them with, you’ll need to shell out an additional $249, bringing your (potential) total to $1,007 before tax. There’s no skirting around it - these are expensive glasses, and a huge commitment for a product in such a young market.

Should you buy the Even Realities G2 glasses?

Yes, if…

• ✅ You want smart glasses that look normal

• ✅ You’d find all the AI features helpful at work and day-to-day

• ✅ You don’t want a camera on your glasses

• ✅ You’re an early adopter

No, if…

• ❌ You don’t want to spend over $600 on glasses (get the Meta Glasses)

• ❌ You want to be able to take photos and videos (get the Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2)

• ❌ You want better graphics than green lines and text (get the Meta Ray-Ban Display)

Even Realities: G2 smart glasses

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

🏆 Review score: 4.5/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🎮 Wickedly powerful and long-lasting

• 📈 Approaching desktop Nvidia RTX 5050 graphics performance

• 🏃‍♂️ Endurance Mode sets the processor at lower 15-17W and 3-5W power modes

• 🕹️ Greatly improved inputs with Hall-Effect thumbsticks, rounder buttons, and a new metal-gated D-Pad

• 🫨 HD haptics converts simple rumble into nuanced vibrations

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Intel XeSS 3 gives you Multi-Frame Generation on the go

❌ Cons

• 👾 Early graphical glitches cause glowing artifacts

• ↔️ This handheld is super wide and long-chinned

• 💰 $1,799 price is equal to that of a gaming laptop

• 🤑 $1,799 could also buy you a PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2

Best Buy: MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ - $1,799

The Shortcut Review

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the most powerful gaming handheld in the world, and it’s all thanks to Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme processor. This new chip allows this gaming handheld to completely leapfrog every past gaming handheld, delivering far higher fps, letting you play more games on the go, and with higher-quality settings. With up to 45W of graphics power, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and its Intel Arc G3 Extreme processor are so powerful that they can even outperform entry-level gaming laptops and rival mini desktops, including the new Steam Machine.

Benchmarking the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and its Intel Arc G3 Extreme shows why this gaming handheld is truly next-gen. The up to 45W processor posted scores and frame rates so high that Intel is approaching desktop Nvidia RTX 5050-level graphics power. On the flip side, this chip can easily play AAA games like Forza Horizon 6 and Battlefield 6 and still deliver a playable 30 fps experience with high-quality graphics at full resolution. Or if you’re playing 2D platformers, RPGs, and other less graphically strenuous games, you can game for 10+ hours with the processor sipping 3-5W of power in efficiency mode.

It also helps the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ feel light and ergonomic, thanks to its Xbox-inspired controller handles. MSI has also improved all the inputs with Hall Effect thumbsticks, rounder ABXY face buttons, and a metal dome around the D-Pad. MSI is even evolving the rumble in the Claw 8 EX AI+ into what it calls HD haptics, which can precisely deliver vibrations to simulate their real-world feel. This handheld really now feels like a great controller that just happens to have a screen, while most gaming handhelds focus on being PC gaming devices with controller buttons added on.

Before you get too excited, the $1,799 price is way too high, even with the $1,699 introductory price included. You can thank RAMaggedon and tariffs for ballooning the price of everything, including a $949 Steam Deck OLED. For the same $1,799 price, you could buy a PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2 combined, or a full-on gaming laptop. If you’re really ready to pay that price, MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ won’t disappoint you; there really isn’t a better-performing or better-handling gaming handheld than it right now.

Full Review

🏋️‍♂️ Power stance. The Intel Arc G3 Extreme has proven itself more powerful than the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme in every one of our benchmarks. The increase in fps isn’t in the 10-15 range I saw from the jump going from AMD’s Z1 to Z2 chips either; the Intel Arc G3 Extreme shows a consistent 15+ frame-per-second increase over even the most powerful AMD-powered handhelds like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go 2. The gen-over-gen improvement between the Lunar Lake chip in the original MSI Claw 8 AI+ is even more staggering. This is truly a next-gen gaming handheld.

📈 More games, higher settings. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ not only plays all the games we’ve tested at higher frame rates but also runs them at higher settings. We’ve only run CyberPunk 2077 with CDProject Red’s Steam Deck preset on gaming handhelds, but the Claw 8 EX AI+ is still able to get 60fps even with high-quality settings. Other games that struggled to run smoothly on AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme, even on low settings like Hogwarts’ Legacy and Borderlands 4, play at 60fps with medium settings on the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. This also includes brand new titles like LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which I could play at high-quality settings and full resolution.

⚙️ Intel inside. All of this gaming prowess comes from the Arc G3 Extreme that Intel derived from its Panther Lake series of processors. It’s the first chip Intel has truly developed for gaming, first by cutting down the CPU core count while maintaining 12 Xe3 cores. This chip has also been practically co-engineered by MSI, as Intel pulled from all of MSI’s learnings from its last two and a half years of building handhelds, starting with the original MSI Claw and, subsequently, the much-improved MSI Claw 8 AI+.

🪭 Cooling. MSI hasn’t forgotten to upgrade the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+’s cooling to match the more powerful processor. This handheld features MSI’s new Cooler Boost HyperFlow tech, which adds a second fan and two heat pipes, providing an additional five watts of cooling. Both fans also push 25% higher pressure airflow, which should keep temps low and steady. This all kept the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ just warm to the touch while testing, even as I asked the system to run games at high-quality settings and full resolution.

🎮 Gaming comfortably. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ doesn’t just run like a dream, it feels like one. Thanks to a new pair of flared-out grips and a 20g lighter weight, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is much easier to hold. Like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, MSI took inspiration from the Xbox controller to give its handheld a new shape while also adding a laser-etched micro-dot texture for just a little more grip. Unlike the smooth-skinned MSI Claw 8 AI+, this texture doesn’t require you to white-knuckle-grip onto it, further reducing hand strain.

↔️ Wide load. While I have to commend MSI for improving the ergonomics and controls of the Claw 8 EX AI+, it seems to have left the design on the sidelines. This is by far the widest gaming handheld I’ve wrapped my hands around. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is also so wide and tall that it barely fits into even my oversized tomtoc sling case. This handheld also comes with a considerable chin that’s only there to help contain the battery. If you want a better-looking Intel Arc G3 Extreme-powered gaming handheld, the Acer Predator Atlas 8 will ship later this holiday season.

🕹️ More like a great controller with a screen. MSI has also improved every input on the Claw 8 EX AI+, starting with a new pair of Hall-Effect thumbsticks that should never degrade and are immune to stick drift. The ABXY face buttons have also been resurfaced with rounded edges, making them more comfortable to press. Even the D-Pad has been upgraded with an additional metal gate, making it snappier for fighting games.

🫨 HD Haptics. The last thing I expected MSI to improve upon was rumble, but MSI has really developed a new system here. First, MSI replaced the bog-standard rumble motor with a 6-axis IMU vibration motor that can convey subtler haptic feedback. At the same time, MSI developed a new algorithm that translates native rumble into HD Haptics to simulate more immersive feedback, such as the reverberation from stepping onto a metal floor. I personally felt the most difference in vibration while playing Forza Horizon 6, with a distinct difference in feel between the engine rumble, spinning my tires, and a full-on crash.

📼 Rerun specs. While there’s a lot new outside and inside the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, there’s a fair bit that’s the same as MSI’s last Intel-powered and even the AMD-powered MSI Claw A8. Namely, this Claw still features an eight-inch IPS display that tops out at 500 nits, making it yet another PC gaming handheld that can’t display HDR when the Switch 2’s screen is just as bright. MSI has also stuck to 1TB of storage and 24GB of shared memory.

🔋 Battle-ready battery. Like all other modern handhelds, the Claw 8 EX AI+ comes with an 80 Whr battery, but MSI has managed to squeeze more longevity out of it with AI and power-efficiency algorithms. Once again, MSI has come out on top with our battery benchmark with the longest two-hour and 37-minute run. This handheld lasts even longer while playing actual games. I could play Battlefield 6 for more than three hours.

🏃‍♂️ Endurance mode. If you want even longer battery life, Intel has implemented a new endurance mode that limits your frame rate to 30fps but puts the processor into a lower-power state that sips just 3-5W of juice. In this mode, I played Hades II for nearly 10 hours. Endurance mode also works for hearty AAA games like Forza Horizon 6 and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Both games still ran at a playable 30 fps without having to turn down the settings from high quality, and the processor only needed 14-17W of power.

Should you buy the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?

Best Buy: MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ - $1,799

✅ Yes, if…

• You want the most powerful gaming handheld in the world

• You want nearly Nvidia RTX 5050 graphics power on the go

• You want to play more games on a handheld with higher settings

• You want to play games on battery for more than 10 hours

• You’re selling your AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme-powered gaming handheld right after reading this

❌ No, if…

• You want a better-looking and smaller handheld (wait for the Acer Predator Atlas 8 instead)

• You’re in the market for a gaming laptop instead

• You’d rather buy a PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2 for the same price

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

🏆 Review score: 4.5/5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

✅ Pros

• 🎮 Fantastic ergonomic shape that’s a joy to hold for hours

• 🕹️ TMR sticks feel like traditional thumbsticks, but with more precision and no drift

• 😶‍🌫️ Removable faceplate hides all the modular parts and mode toggle switches

• 🫆 Touchpad doubles as a PC trackpad

• 🔫 Tactile and clicky microswitch triggers and buttons all around

• 🔘 Shortcut buttons for mic, volume, and custom commands

❌ Cons

• 🤏 Few additional parts come included, and none are currently available online

• 🪫 17-hour battery life is shorter than other competing controllers

• 🫨 No adaptive triggers or haptic feedback at all

Best Buy: Scuf Omega - $219

Amazon: Scuf Omega - $219

The Shortcut Review

The Scuf Omega is a controller for a higher level of play at $219. The asking price is hefty, but you feel the quality of this controller as soon as you pick it up. Its solid, seamless design speaks confidence, and it feels great in the hand thanks to its thicker controller handles and rubberized grips. Every button sounds off with a reassuring click you can feel, and this extends to the triggers when they’re locked in their shorter-travel mode.

Popping off this controller’s front panel reveals a plethora of removable buttons and mode toggles. Unfortunately, the modular controller comes with only a few additional parts (really just longer or concave thumbsticks). The Scuf Omega’s 17-hour battery life also falls short of competitors like the 20-hour Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded and the 36-hour Razer Raiju V3 Pro.

Despite those shortcomings, the Scuf Omega is a fine PS5 controller and an even better one for PC gaming, thanks to its touchpad doubling as a trackpad for navigating Windows 11. This is a tool for serious gaming that puts control and precision above all.

Full Review

🎮 Joy to hold. The Scuf Omega has a fantastic ergonomic shape that makes it a joy to hold for hours on end. It hues closely to the general size and shape to the DualSense controller, but the Scuf Omega is a little bit wider, and the handles are fuller, so you don’t have to close your fingers tightly around them. There’s also a wonderful rubberized grip that helps you keep your purchase on this controller even as your hands get sweaty from extended play.

🕹️ TMR sticks. More and more controllers have been switching from Hall-Effect to TMR sticks, and the Scuf Omega follows suit. TMR or Tunneling Magnetoresistance follows the same principle of using contactless magnetic sensing technology to avoid the physical degradation and drift issues of traditional thumbsticks. What makes TMR sticks superior to Hall Effect is that they’re more precise, faster-responding, less power-hungry, and, most notably, they have a bit more resistance, giving the same feel as a fully physical thumbstick.

🔘 Buttons on buttons. Underside shortcut buttons are nothing new on premium controllers, but the Scuf Omega adds a pair of additional side buttons and a row of five G-keys. While playing on my PS5 Pro, these buttons just give me another way to tap the face buttons without taking my thumbs off the sticks. On the PC, however, these buttons give me all sorts of ways to create custom macros to call in stratagems in Helldivers 2 or quick-save in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

🔫 Micro switch triggers. Every button on the Scuf Omega uses satisfyingly clicky, tactile microswitches, including the triggers, once you’ve swapped them to their shorter-travel mode. Each trigger has a small switch that lets you switch from a soft pull to an instant click, which comes in super handy for shooters like Battlefield 6. This is basically the opposite of an Adaptive Trigger that will actually fight against you for a more immersive gameplay experience. I personally prefer being able to fire faster with the Scuf Omega.

🗃️ Pop the lid. As with other Scuf controllers, you can pop the entire faceplate for a new aesthetic, but on the Omega, this also reveals all its swappable parts and toggleable settings. I love this design choice as it makes the controller clean and seamless. With its top lid off, you can easily switch this controller between wireless and Bluetooth, or between PS5 and PC modes. You can just as easily swap out all the controller’s parts, including the face buttons, D-Pad buttons, thumbsticks, and even the faceplate – unfortunately, though, it just doesn’t come with many actual parts to swap in.

🫥 Where are the parts? For a modular controller, the Scuf Omega doesn’t have very many of them. The controller comes with only four sets of replaceable sticks. Otherwise, there are no alternative D-Pad or face buttons. By comparison, the Xbox Elite 2 Wireless comes with at least one additional D-Pad cover. Meanwhile, the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded lets you change the left thumbstick’s orientation and swap out the entire right side of the controller for a six-button fighting game layout. Scuf tells me it has more parts on the way, but for now, it only has replacement sticks in its store.

🫆 Useful touchpad. The Scuf Omega’s trackpad works just as well as the DualSense’s, giving you four-way gesture controls for PS5 Pro games like Ghost of Yotei. Amazingly, this PS5 trackpad also doubles as a PC touchpad, so I use it as a makeshift mouse. This comes in especially useful for games with a ton of loot, like Diablo 4 or Borderlands 4, as I can easily hover over items to mark them as junk or favorite them without needing a separate mouse. I can also navigate Windows 11 to launch games from my Xbox or Steam app and download updates.

📲 Smartphone app. You can fully configure how the Scuf Omega works from its smartphone companion app. This includes calibrating the thumbsticks, programming all shortcut buttons, updating firmware, configuring RGB lighting, and controlling audio. It’s a nice implementation as the app is fast and changes apply in real time.

🪫 Middling battery life. The Scuf Omega’s battery life sits at 17 hours, which is more than enough for up to three full days of gaming. It’s a little longer lasting than the DualSense Edge, which can only run for four to six hours. But there are far longer-lasting controllers like the 20-hour Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded and 36-hour Razer Raiju V3 Pro Wireless.

Should you buy the Scuf Omega?

Best Buy: Scuf Omega - $219

Amazon: Scuf Omega - $219

✅ Yes, if…

• 🎮 You want a better feeling and a more customizable DualSense controller

• 🕹️ You dread thumbstick drift

• 🔘 You need more shortcut buttons on your controller

• 🖱️ You want a PC gaming controller that can also navigate Windows 11 in a pinch

❌ No, if…

• ➕ You want more swappable parts for your customizable controller (get the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded instead)

• 🫨 You need the immersion and haptic feedback from Sony’s Adaptive Triggers (get the DualSense Edge instead)

• 🔋 Long battery life is a must (get the Razer Raiju V3 Pro instead)

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam