When my wife and I, along with our then four-year-old son, moved house around three years ago, I promised that the new living room would be a family room first and a home cinema second.

The 12-speaker, dual-amp-powered beast I’d assembled (and loved) wasn’t going to fit that brief, so it went into storage with a promise that one day I’ll convert the garage into a dedicated cinema room.

After much auditioning, the new system became a Sony A95L OLED TV and HT-A9 pairing (with the optional SA-SW5 subwoofer), and it has served us very well indeed.

Considering the HT-A9 system consists of just four speakers, its Dolby Atmos presentation is impressively enveloping, accurate and detailed, and with the additional subwoofer, there’s plenty of bombast for movie nights and gaming sessions. My wife frequently comments on how good it sounds.

One extra benefit of simplifying the system was that I could retire the painstakingly programmed Logitech Harmony remote that had made the old setup usable by ‘normal’ people.

Logitech had already discontinued the Harmony line, so moving on felt sensible. Besides, the new system was simple enough that the TV remote and HDMI-CEC would be sufficient, I reasoned.

Oh, how wrong I was.

When simple becomes complex

Over time, the sources crept back in. Alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X came a Nintendo Switch.

I brought the Apple TV 4K back in for better picture and sound than the A95L’s integrated Google TV smart platform, too. This sat alongside the mainstay Sky Stream Puck.

And eventually, I could bear leaving my beloved Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray player in cold, damp storage no longer.

Six sources into four HDMI inputs just won’t go, so an HDMI switch had to be added, and HDMI-CEC, which had been unreliable from the start, became almost entirely useless.

Sure, sometimes one press of the power button would wake everything and switch to the correct input. More often, though, something wouldn’t cooperate, leaving us staring at a blank screen while rummaging for one of the many remotes scattered around the room.

The search for Harmony

After putting myself and my family through this for far too long, I admitted defeat. It was time for a universal remote again.

My old Harmony was still in storage and technically still supported, but I didn’t want to invest effort setting up a discontinued product that could lose support at any point – or fail with no replacement available.

So I went looking for a modern equivalent. The internet pointed me to the Sofabaton X1S.

After a week of use, I can say that the Sofabaton X1S has genuinely simplified our setup. But it isn’t the magic bullet that Harmony was.

The biggest issue – and one widely reported by Sofabaton users – is the absence of a ‘Help’ button.

It’s inevitable that, occasionally, something won’t power on or switch inputs correctly. Harmony’s solution was simple: press Help and the remote would resend commands, then walk you through correcting power or input status.

Sofabaton offers no such safety net. If something goes wrong, you either have to exit Activities, dig into the Devices menu, locate the misbehaving component and manually correct it (hardly intuitive for the experienced user, let alone a first-timer), or dig up the original remote for the tricksy component in question.

Even Sofabaton’s newer, pricier X2 seemingly doesn’t include an equivalent ‘Help’ function, which suggests this isn’t an oversight but a deliberate design decision. That’s baffling to me.

To be fair, the X1S gets things right first time, most of the time. But when it doesn’t, the recovery process feels clumsy. It’s the main reason I’m tempted to resurrect my old Harmony.

Setup was also more involved than I remember with Harmony. Configuration is handled entirely through a phone app – fine for many, I’m sure, but I’m a middle-aged man who very much conforms to the stereotype of wanting to use a computer rather than a phone for anything ‘serious’.

Finding the correct device profiles proved hit-and-miss, too, particularly with UK-specific kit. My Sky Stream Puck required several attempts before I found a fully working profile – ironically, a user-supplied one. And, even after specifying my exact TV model, most of the commands were wrong, leaving me to manually correct them.

Ultimately, Sofabaton feels as though it ‘knows’ your devices less well than Harmony did. Where Harmony generally anticipated, the X1S frequently needs educating.

My only other gripe is the lack of a charging dock. Plugging it in isn’t a hardship, but a simple stand would feel more elegant. Third-party options exist, but not readily in the UK.

The good outweighs the bad

That may sound like a lot of criticism, but I do like the Sofabaton X1S. The design is sleek and comfortable, the scroll wheel is preferable to a touchscreen (though I’m aware that not all owners agree), and the included transmitter reliably reaches components nestled in the deepest nooks.

Most importantly, we’ve reduced our six remotes to one, and my wife and son can operate the system far more confidently than before.

It has brought order back to our home cinema – even if it hasn’t quite restored Harmony.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs and best surround sound systems you can buy right now

Over the past few weeks we've been running our usual load of group tests, between jetting off to launch events and tradeshows to cover all the latest home cinema launches.

As part of that, I have had the chance to take a look at some of 2025's biggest TV and projector launches. And in all the chaos, it has become apparent that projectors are evolving in a direction no one really expected: that is, to target next-generation gamers as well as movie fans.

And honestly, even as one of What Hi-Fi?'s team of cinephiles, I am all for it.

A lightbulb moment at IFA

It all started when I visited Xgimi's booth at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin and was greeted with the Horizon 20 Max.

This is the brand's latest entry to the home-cinema projector market and a sibling of the Xgimi's less pricey, Horizon 20 Pro and Horizon 20.

Despite seeing a multitude of similar coffee-table projectors recently, there's a key reason these immediately stood out to me: the brand’s focus on selling them to gamers.

As with many of the companies I visited, all the representatives were keen to showcase them as a valid alternative to a proper gaming TV.

There was even a small gaming setup available in Xgimi's booth with Assassin's Creed Shadows on offer. The gameplay appeared pretty judder-free and was undeniably fun – despite the fact the Max doesn't match a modern premium TV in a key area that gamers care about.

The Max can play games at framerates up to 240Hz only in 1080p in its reduced latency settings, not 4K. This is fine if you're willing to sacrifice resolution for frames and responsiveness, but it will put off those gamers who demand 4K.

Still, as I watched the gameplay I found myself immersed nevertheless, which got me thinking about why it was so fun, despite the obvious shortcoming. After more time watching the Assassin's Creed demo than I care to admit, it came to me; it's the flexibility of the projector and ability to throw up a big-screen experience on the fly.

I use a tabletop projector as my primary screen and there's something special about the versatility it brings.

If you want to bring your game to a different space without switching to a handheld console, for example, you’re a little stuffed if you just rely on a TV. That's why the Xgimi Mogo 4 is my go-to at the moment, and a constant companion when I go away, or have a friend visit with a Nintendo Switch 2.

On top of that, you do not have the ability to adjust the picture size if you want a larger screen. You can get an image size of up to 300 inches with the Max, which far exceeds the dimensions of even the biggest TVs on the market.

This is where recent coffee-table projectors can really excel where TVs struggle. Their lighter and more portable build means they offer that much-needed flexibility without the hefty price tag.

For comparisons sake, the 77-inch LG C5 launched at the eye-watering price of £3800 / $3699 / AU$5999. That makes the Max's $2499 (around £1815 / AU$3755) price seem much more palatable by comparison – certainly if screen size is your main focus.

The team and I still need to check the projector's picture and sound quality in our test rooms before we make any final judgements. As always, if it can't deliver in these areas, it's not going to be worth buying regardless of how big the screen it can project is.

But, thankfully it does come with some impressive hardware to help in this effort. Every model in the new lineup supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced with native Netflix support also available.

The flagship Horizon 20 Max features an all-new X-Master Red Ring Lens which Xgimi claims can help to deliver 5700 ISO lumens brightness.

And, based on my initial impressions, I can't help but be a little excited to try the Max, in particular, again.

During my demo I came away impressed with the sheer brightness and vibrancy of the Max projector. With the screen size set at about 200 inches, the image filled the space well; it felt like a truly immersive gaming experience, and one I want to enjoy again. Work also seems to have been done to deal with the projector's handling of contrast, which is a key area where we have found past Xgimi efforts to have struggled.

There have been a smattering of specialist gaming projectors in the past, but after seeing Xgimi's latest range I can't help but feel they are the start of a trend – and a sign that we will see even more appear in the not too distant future.

MORE:

Projectors galore! Xgimi launches four models to break into the premium 4K market

Here's our review of the Xgimi MoGo 4

And check out the best gaming TVs right now

Golly gosh, the KEF XIO is a bit of alright.

KEF brought its new – and first-ever – soundbar in to show us a few weeks before it was announced, and I was immediately taken by the design.

I had expected something a bit more out there, with visible Uni-Q drivers and fancy colour combinations in the style of its LS range of desktop speakers.

Instead, the company has produced a Dolby Atmos soundbar that’s far more staid and subtle, and while that initially sounds disappointing, the XIO is so sleek, stealthy and stylish that you just have to admire its classiness.

Its super-thin design makes the XIO perfect for positioning in front of a TV, and it looks unbelievably good mounted on a wall beneath an OLED TV, thanks to it being mountable flat against the wall.

Set up is a doddle, too, and the really slick app makes general use truly enjoyable.

Of course, what matters most is the sound, and I had concerns here, particularly related to that slim design. If the move towards super-slim TVs has taught us anything, it’s that space-starved speakers struggle to produce satisfying sound.

But I need not have worried. The XIO is, of course, thicker than most TVs, but KEF has also produced several new drivers that I won’t detail here (read our KEF XIO review for the full technical lowdown), other than to say they’re able to move much more air than one would expect of drivers in such a slim chassis, as well as being very cleverly controlled.

The resulting sound is exceptionally crisp and detailed, but also satisfyingly deep and punchy in the bass. The XIO fills a room admirably as well, delivering Dolby Atmos soundtracks with spaciousness and placing effects with rare three-dimensional precision.

All told, this is a truly lovely soundbar – probably the best I’ve ever heard – and I’d love to have it for my system at home. But there’s just one nerdy feature missing that means it won’t work for me.

Yep, I’m talking about HDMI sockets.

The KEF XIO has just one HDMI connection – an eARC port that connects it to your TV. The idea is that all of your sources are routed into your TV as normal, then the eARC connection handles the transmission of sound from TV to soundbar.

That’s great for most people, in that it keeps things nice and simple (though it can be tricky to ensure your TV is outputting sound in the right format), but it’s a pain in the bum for someone who has more than one high-spec games machine and a TV with just two HDMI 2.1 sockets.

I am one of those someones. I own a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and I want to be able to access the 4K/120Hz gameplay of both, which is dependent on HDMI 2.1 sockets.

Unfortunately, my Sony A95L TV, like all Sony, Panasonic, TCL and Hisense (and most Philips) TVs, has just two HDMI 2.1 sockets – and one of those doubles as the eARC port.

If I connect a soundbar such as the KEF XIO to the eARC port, I have just one HDMI 2.1 socket left for a console. Which means my other console will have to be connected to a 60Hz socket – or I’ll have to mess around and switch cables whenever I want to switch between them.

Many soundbars, particularly premium models, have additional HDMI 2.1 inputs to compensate for this. Some have just one, so you’re at least not losing out by connecting them to your TV, but others (the Samsung HW-Q990F and HW-Q990D, for example) have two, so that’s an HDMI 2.1 net gain.

The KEF XIO isn’t unique in omitting dedicated HDMI inputs and 4K/120Hz passthrough functionality – the Sonos Arc Ultra is another infamous example – but it feels particularly egregious at the XIO’s £1999 / $2500 / AU$3600 level.

Here’s hoping KEF’s second-gen XIO – or perhaps its sister soundbar, if such a thing is in development – fills in this feature gap so that gaming nerds like me can get fully on board.

MORE:

Read the full KEF XIO review

Here are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

We’re pretty used by now to TVs equipped with Tivo smart systems coming in at the more affordable end of the market.

Even knowing that, though, didn’t fully prepare us for Sharp’s 70GK4245K: a Tivo-toting TV with a 70-inch screen that costs just £489.

Surely a screen size to price ratio this extreme can’t actually be fun to watch, can it?

Price

It’s still rare for even 55-inch TVs costing under £500 to arrive in our test rooms, yet here we find ourselves staring at a 70-inch screen that costs just £489 (around $660 / AU$1000).

The 70GK4245K doesn’t look like it’s going to be just another ‘it makes a picture, what more do you want?’ budget TV, either.

For instance, its 4K screen can also take in the Dolby Vision high dynamic range format, its audio system can handle Dolby Atmos tracks, and its already content-loaded Tivo smart system is backed up by the latest Freely platform. Truly, our budget TV cup runneth over. So long as there’s also some sort of quality to its pictures, of course.

The 70-inch screen size is pretty rare these days, with most brands offering 65 and 75-inch options instead. Couple this with its ultra-affordable price, and direct competition for the 70GK4245K is hard to find.

If Tivo is the most important thing to you and you can resist the 70-inch screen, Sharp also has a decent little 43-inch Tivo model, the 43GM6245K, that can be yours for under £250, while Bush’s 50-inch 50UT24SB Tivo set is also an engaging all-rounder currently going for £319 on Amazon.

If strong picture quality is more important than Tivo, TCL’s 65-inch 65P755K is very good value at £449 at the time of writing, and as new replacement models are just around the corner, even the 75-inch can be had for just £549 if you get a move on.

Design

It became obvious as we were setting up the 70GK4245K that its build quality is pretty flimsy. Anyone with a sufficient wingspan should easily be able to pick it up and move it around without the need for a second pair of hands. Its bezel is on-trend thin around three of its sides, though, while the slightly wider bottom edge looks glossy enough to just about persuade you that maybe the TV isn’t entirely made of plastic after all.

The rear is fairly chunky by modern TV standards, making it a rather cumbersome wall hanging option. Though VESA wall mounting points are of course present, if that’s really the way you want to go.

The desktop feet provided with the 70GK4245K look OK in a no-nonsense kind of way, but infuriatingly, the only attachment point for them is right out near each bottom corner, meaning the TV can only sit on a bit of furniture that’s almost as wide as the TV. Which is no joke when that TV is a 70-inch model.

The GK4245K ships with a remote control that’s basically as plasticky and lightweight as the TV. A brushed finish for the main front plus a faux metallic look to the central cursor navigation section, though, just about succeed in making the handset look posher than it really is.

Features

We’ve covered the Sharp 70GK4245K’s headline claims already: namely that it delivers a 70-inch screen, Tivo/Freely smarts and Dolby Vision HDR (as well as the core HDR10 and HLG formats of HDR, of course) for the mind-bogglingly low price of £489. More detail is needed on some of those features, though – and, surprisingly, there are quite a few other things going on with this budget set, too.

The LCD panel used for the 70GK4245K appears to be a VA one rather than a low-contrast IPS one, for starters. It’s not clear whether the set is direct or edge lit, though the way some clouding appears over the picture’s edges (more on this later) suggests that it may be the latter. At any rate, there’s certainly no evidence of local dimming going on – which we wouldn’t expect there to be, of course, on such an incredibly affordable TV.

There is a global dimming system at work, however, which Sharp claims can deliver a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. We can tell you now that this is an extremely optimistic figure, mind you, that’s based on mathematical potential rather than real-world performance.

The GK4245K only has a native 60Hz panel, so you’d think there would be no potential for high frame-rate gaming support through any of the provided three HDMI ports. Actually, though, a connected Xbox reveals that the TV can support 120Hz refresh rates – albeit only at 1080p resolution, and without any HDR support. You can retain HDR – including Dolby Vision – with 4K gaming feeds at 60Hz max, just to be clear.

The HDMIs support ALLM switching when a game source is detected, as well as VRR, and input lag in the Game mode is a very snappy 14.8ms.

Other connections include a couple of USBs, an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an IR remote control extender, an optical digital audio output, and even a blast-from-the-past mini composite video/stereo audio input. Plus, of course, there’s built-in wi-fi to feed the Tivo smart system.

The GK4245K’s Tivo implementation shows no signs of any budget TV-related compromises. It runs as slickly and stably as any other version we’ve seen, and it carries the usual impressive array of apps and sources.

These include Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Prime Video, Rakuten, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All4, My5 and the Freely platform, which essentially lets you live-stream many of the TV channels on the Freeview HD broadcast platform – as well as providing on-demand access to many tens of thousands of hours of catch-up programming from Freeview’s main channel providers.

The only really striking absentee from Tivo’s app list is Apple TV+. You can now access Apple TV through the Prime Video app, but the quality of the feeds you get that way doesn’t seem as good as those you get through direct Apple TV apps.

It’s worth adding that Tivo also supports arguably the most straightforward, intelligent and helpful voice recognition/content search system in the TV world.

Surprisingly, finally, the GK4245K carries a few quite premium picture adjustment features. There’s a 10-bit colour feature for smoothing out potential banding in HDR colours, for instance, as well as a pair of customisable Dolby Vision modes on top of the more predictable Dolby Vision Dark and Bright options.

There’s even support for a full calibration thanks to both 2-point and 11-point white balance correction, plus hue, saturation and brightness adjustments for the red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta and flesh tone colour elements.

Picture

The GK4245K’s pictures turn out to be a really pleasant surprise in most ways. For starters, they’re substantially brighter than we’d anticipated based on our experience of other similarly ultra-affordable TVs. This expresses itself in both enjoyably crisp and punchy highlights within HDR pictures, and respectable sustained brightness with full-screen HDR bright shots.

You’re not witnessing by any means the full range and impact of HDR’s light range, to be clear. But you do get enough of it to help pictures look reasonably natural and engaging rather than the dull compromise we’d honestly expected to see. What’s more, while it’s hard to imagine Sharp has equipped a TV as cheap as the 70GK4245K with a particularly clever HDR tone mapping system, HDR pictures feel nicely balanced and don’t suffer excessively with clipping (lost shading and colour tone subtleties) in their brightest parts.

Even more surprising, the healthy brightness the GK4245K manages to find for HDR playback doesn’t come at the expense of convincing dark scenes. The amount of greyness that creeps into parts of the picture that should look black really isn’t excessive at all, despite the screen’s lack of advanced light control tools.

What’s more, provided you don’t use the Dolby Vision Dark picture setting, shadow detail remains abundantly present in even the darkest corners. This helps dark scenes look almost as natural and full of depth and detail as bright ones, resulting in a much more consistent viewing experience than we’d expected to find on such an affordable big-screen TV. Though the ‘almost’ back there is doing some slightly heavy lifting, for reasons we’ll get to in a moment.

Another very pleasant surprise about the GK4245K is how sharp and clean its pictures look. Part of this is a result of the screen’s surprisingly subtle colour handling. There’s no wide colour gamut coverage or Quantum Dots here, yet the screen handles even the most subtle of blends and tonal shifts without the sort of striping, blocking or ‘clumping’ we’d anticipated at this price point. You don’t even need to call in the set’s 10-bit colour emulation feature.

Motion is also handled quite well for such a cheap TV. There’s a touch of blur if a fairly large object moves at speed across the screen, but this never turns into actual smearing or lagginess, and there’s enough finesse in the screen’s shading and enough native sharpness in the core 4K delivery to stop even action scenes from starting to look truly soft.

As well as containing more shading subtlety than expected, colours look consistently balanced, with no tones standing out too strongly against the rest, and no aggressive blue or green wash hanging over proceedings. As with the GK4245K’s brightness, we’re not seeing the full range of tones and saturations HDR can provide, but we’d take a holistic, balanced approach to colours like the GK4245K provides over some more heavily saturated but also gaudy and uncontrolled mess any day.

Add to the mix some surprisingly clean upscaling of SDR sources that holds up even on a screen as big as this one, as well as slightly more forgiving viewing angles than we’d expected, and you can see why we’re such fans of the 70GK4245K’s pictures for its money. The only thing stopping us from giving it five stars, in fact, is something we’ve alluded to a couple of times before: backlight clouding.

Extraneous light creeps into dark scenes in a number of areas – mostly at the screen’s edges, but also in a couple of more central spots. These light pools disappear entirely during bright footage, and they’re really the only significant issue we have with the GK4245K’s budget pictures. But they can be distracting enough during very dark sequences to cost Sharp’s TV one full picture mark.

Sound

The 70GK4245K’s sound can’t repeat its picture heroics. Audio struggles to escape the TV’s bodywork even at full volume, leaving action scenes and dense musical scores sounding quite swallowed and thin.

The way the sound feels trapped inside the GK4245K’s speakers, even with Dolby Atmos mixes, also means dialogue can sound a bit detached from the onscreen action, and given that Sharp’s TV doesn’t produce a particularly compelling midrange, you won’t be shocked to learn that there’s practically no bass presence.

The GK4245K’s sound is at least operating within the limitations of its speakers, though, meaning that even the most bombastic Hollywood moments don’t cause low-frequency distortions or treble harshness. So while we’d have loved much more sheer oomph from the 70GK4245K’s sound, what we’ve got does at least not sound broken.

Verdict

No 70-inch TV costing £489 is ever going to be perfect.

In the Sharp 70GK4245K’s case, that means having to put up with some backlight clouding in dark scenes and an uninspiring built-in sound system.

Putting up with these relatively minor issues is made surprisingly easy, though, thanks to both an excellent Tivo smart system and an overall level of picture quality that really has no business turning up on such an affordable home cinema-sized TV.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Sharp 43GM6245K

Also consider the TCL 65P755K or 75P755K

Read our Bush 50UT24SB review

Best TV: flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets tried and tested

I've made no secret of the fact that I love the Apple TV 4K.

There are various devices in my system that could take care of my streaming needs, including my TV, Sky Stream Puck, PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, but the Apple TV 4K is nicer to use than all of them and generally delivers better picture and sound quality, too.

The other advantage of using the Apple TV 4K for streaming is that when the rest of my family goes to bed, I can switch from using my speaker system to using my AirPods Max for sound.

I and several of my colleagues have written many times about how good Apple's Spatial Audio is, particularly through the AirPods Max.

To reiterate, though, it really does get disarmingly close to the cinematic experience you get from listening to a very good Dolby Atmos system out loud – to the extent that I rarely feel aggrieved when I have to make the switch at the behest of my long-suffering wife and son.

In fact, Spatial Audio via the AirPods Max is so good, it puts to shame the Dolby Atmos / 3D Audio headphones processing you get from the Xbox Series X and PS5.

That got me thinking: wouldn't it be great if the next Apple TV 4K had a load of HDMI inputs so that you could connect all of your sources to it and use Apple's Spatial Audio for the whole lot?

I certainly think so.

It wouldn't just benefit games, either, but also the watching of 4K Blu-rays via a dedicated player, plus late-night / early morning F1 races and NFL games.

It might be that Apple could achieve a similar result using the Apple TV 4K's existing eARC support, which already allows sources to be routed through a TV and out to the Apple TV, which then sends the audio to HomePods, but my understanding is that making this work with AirPods is surprisingly tricky.

Besides, having an Apple TV that worked as an HDMI hub would be useful in other ways, too, not least in how much it would reduce cable spaghetti.

One of the things I miss most about my old AV receiver is that it handled all of my HDMI switching, leaving just one cable going up to the TV.

A compact Apple TV device that did that (as well as everything else that the Apple TV 4K already does) would be even better.

In truth, though, I just don't think there's any way that Apple will ever go down this route.

The thing is, cables just aren't sexy.

Maybe one input with passthrough is a possibility, but can you imagine Tim Cook on stage, flashing a load of HDMI sockets? Me either.

But if Apple doesn't do something nerdy like that with the next Apple TV 4K, I don't know what it can do.

Almost three years on from launch, the current, third-generation Apple TV 4K is still the best standalone streamer available, and it's hard to think of ways it could be improved.

More processing power could be added, of course, but do people really use their Apple TVs for power-hungry tasks? I don't know a single person who even plays games on theirs.

Rumours have been around for ages about Apple working on a Dolby Atmos soundbar that has integrated Apple TV streaming smarts, but the chances of that ever seeing the light of day seem to dwindle with each passing year.

So, go on, Apple. Give me the nerdy HDMI inputs I want so I can use Spatial Audio for everything. You might as well.

MORE:

Check out our Apple TV 4K review

This Apple TV 4K Dolby Atmos hack has been a game-changer for my system

I ditched my Apple TV 4K for Sky Stream – here are 3 things I love and 2 things I don't

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick range of streaming devices may not be the most glamorous or technically impressive products that we see in our AV testing room, but they serve a specific purpose and perform said purpose well.

Case in point is the first-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which offered affordable plug-and-play 4K HDR streaming, with a solid picture performance and feature set that was hard to argue with, especially for the price.

The only thing holding that streamer back was the existence of the then-Award-winning Google Chromecast with Google TV, which just edged out the first-generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max when it came to picture and sound performance.

Luckily for Amazon, Google has since discontinued that device and replaced it with a streamer that’s nearly double the price, and not quite as good. So, it would make total sense for Amazon to strike while the iron is hot, and deliver an upgraded streaming stick that undercuts the Google TV Streamer; and that’s exactly what it has done.

Today, we have the second-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and with upgraded performance, a significant lack of competition and a tempting price tag, it might just be the easiest no-brainer buy in the AV world.

Price

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation) officially costs £70 / $60 / AU$120; a smidge more than its predecessor’s £65 / $55 / AU$99 starting price. While a price rise – albeit minor – isn’t necessarily a welcome sight, what will be more enticing are the discounts that this streamer will inevitably receive throughout the year.

During its own sales events – Big Deal Days, Prime Day and Black Friday – Amazon almost always heavily discounts its own products. You can expect to pay closer to £50 / $40 / AU$89 if you time your purchase right.

Better yet, Amazon’s new streamer benefits from a major player exiting the market. Google’s Chromecast with Google TV was the roadblock preventing the previous generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max from achieving the full five-star commendation; however, that Award-winning streamer has been discontinued.

Google has replaced it with the four-star Google TV Streamer, which costs £99 / $100 / AU$160; considerably more than the Chromecast’s £60 / $50 / AU$99 launch price and, more importantly, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

As for other rivals, Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K undercuts the Amazon streamer at £50 / $50 / AU$110, though it’s yet to land in our AV testing room.

Build

The new Fire TV Stick isn’t a radical departure from its predecessors, though there are some identifying features to distinguish this newer model.

It’s still an all-plastic cuboid with an HDMI connector sticking out of one end, akin to an oversized USB thumb drive with the corners rounded off.

Unfortunately, this means that the last generation’s tendency to hog the area surrounding the HDMI socket it's lodged into is once again prevalent, meaning you may struggle to plug a cable into the adjacent HDMI port unless you use the included adapter.

A further design oversight relates to the power socket, which bafflingly uses Micro USB rather than the widely accepted USB-C standard. While we appreciate Amazon including a power adapter in the box, the decision to stick with the older, less convenient and less widely used connection is an odd choice indeed.

Moving away from the stick itself and onto the remote, Amazon has bundled in the same Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced model that can be found with the Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation). It’s functional, comfortable to hold, and features shortcuts to streaming services, which will differ depending on which region you purchase it in.

We would have liked to see the “find my remote” function included here, as it comes as standard on the Google TV Streamer; however, you’ll need to purchase the optional Fire TV Remote Pro for that, which also includes backlit buttons.

Features

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max’s only mission is to bring 4K streaming smarts to your TV, and it does so with a decent list of appreciated features.

HDR, for example, is supported in all of the major formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, meaning this streaming stick will play nicely with your TV regardless of whether you own a Dolby Vision-sporting LG TV or an HDR10+ only Samsung.

Furthermore, it supports Dolby Atmos audio, as well as up to 7.1 surround sound.

Inside the Fire TV Stick is a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor, and Amazon has been kind enough to double the storage from 8GB to 16GB, though RAM stays at 2GB.

Wi-Fi 6E is also supported, which should offer “smoother 4K streaming”, according to Amazon – though you’ll need a compatible router to access this.

At the heart of the Fire TV Stick experience is Fire OS, which you’ll also find on the company’s Omni-series QLED and Mini LED TVs, as well as (from 2024) Panasonic’s OLED TVs.

It’s a robust, well-supported and versatile operating system, which might not look quite as clean as Apple’s tvOS or be brimming with AI features like Google TV, but it's good for the straightforward streaming tasks that we require of a Fire TV Stick.

One area where Fire OS frustrates is with its ad-heavy nature. Amazon’s services are also pushed to the forefront, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering it manufactured the device, and the ads can be somewhat forgiven thanks to the device’s relatively low price tag.

App support is, unsurprisingly, excellent, with a full range of global streaming apps – including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and, of course, Amazon Prime Video – and domestic services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and more.

Fire OS is also home to some niche services, including Mubi, Shudder, BFI Player and others, making this a solid choice for mainstream and indie movie fans.

Something to note with the Apple TV app is that it's exclusively used as a hub for Apple TV+ content and a way to access your existing Apple TV library. The store cannot be accessed directly through this app, so you’ll need to purchase your desired movie or TV series on a smartphone or tablet to watch it on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

Music and gaming apps are also well supported, with the likes of Spotify, Tidal and Deezer on board, though Apple Music is unfortunately sidelined. Thankfully, that can be circumvented with the inclusion of AirPlay 2.

Gaming-wise, Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service and Xbox are the two major players, while casual games that can be controlled via the included remote are also accessible.

Picture

Much like its predecessor, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max provides plenty of positive picture attributes, which makes it a rather compelling streamer for the money. Better yet, it doesn’t have the Chromecast with Google TV to contend with, and instead now has the four-star Google TV Streamer as its major adversary.

We plug the Fire TV Stick into our reference Sony OLED TV and load up a range of streaming apps onto the device to deduce how it handles picture performance.

Firing up Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning on Netflix, the Fire TV Stick delivers a sharp and engaging picture, with plenty of detail in the suits worn by Ethan Hunt and his well-dressed gang as they plan out their mission in Abu Dhabi Airport.

There is ample detail to skin textures, and aside from a few instances of skin tones looking a tad on the warm side, the Fire TV Stick generally impresses.

We also take no issue with how motion is handled, as the MV-22 Osprey military aircraft carrying a troop of elite agents tasked with hunting down the hero glides smoothly into frame, with the whirring propellers showing no signs of awkward juddering or stuttering.

Switching to Challengers in HDR10+ on Amazon Prime Video, we’re once again impressed with the detail levels, colours, and motion, deducing that the Stick 4K Max provides a balanced and enjoyable image overall.

Furthermore, the film grain that can sometimes be presented as overbearing image noise on the Google streamer seems cleaner and looks more intentional on the Fire TV Stick.

Feeding the Fire TV Stick some HD content, namely Gladiator II, once again on Prime Video, we do notice that the edges of subjects get slightly softer. That being said, clothing and skin remain detailed enough, and the streamer certainly doesn’t make a big deal of presenting the comparatively lower resolution content.

We compare it directly to the Google TV Streamer with these aforementioned movies, alongside Mad Max: Fury Road and Babylon on the Apple TV app, and this is where things get interesting.

Despite costing a fair bit more than the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Google TV Streamer’s picture looks nearly identical. We can pick out a touch more detail on the Google TV, and colours are slightly punchier (if anything, we could accuse the Google of overdoing skin tones here), but otherwise, we struggle to see the point in shelling out for the pricier Google TV Streamer when it comes to picture performance.

Sound

While the picture performance is practically identical to the Google TV Streamer (albeit for less money), where we see the biggest difference between these two streamers is in sound quality. Make no mistake, the Fire TV Stick 4K is no maestro, but it's a darn sight better than the Google TV Streamer.

Loading up Tidal to stream tracks including Gasoline by HAIM and Taylor Swift, Luther by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, and From by Bon Iver, we’re met with sound that can best be described as solid. It won’t blow your socks off, and timing is one aspect where the Fire TV Stick does falter, but it’s a warmer, more cohesive and dynamic performance compared with the poor-sounding Google TV Streamer.

This is true for movies and TV shows as well, as we return to Mission: Impossible to find clear and detailed vocals that have been prioritised within the greater audio mix. That being said, they don’t sound detached, and the tense soundtrack still has its chance to build suspense effectively.

Verdict

Amazon’s flagship streaming stick is a solid option for anyone whose TV’s built-in streaming apps just aren’t cutting it. Its sharp and colourful picture, paired with its easy plug-and-play usability, should appease those who want to squeeze a bit more life out of their ageing 4K TV, or sidestep their TV’s built-in operating system.

Unless you’re considering stepping up to the Apple TV 4K, which costs double the price, the Fire TV Stick 4K is the go-to 4K streaming device at this level.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Google TV Streamer

Also consider the Apple TV 4K

These are the best video streamers you can buy

Much as we love getting our teeth into the latest and greatest hunks of glorious high-end TV technology, it’s also a great day at What Hi-Fi? towers when we happen upon a massive TV bargain.

Happily we’re having one of those days right now, thanks to Sharp’s 43GM6245K: a 43-inch TV that somehow manages to combine both TiVo and Freely smart systems with good picture and sound quality for less than £250.

Price

The 43-inch GM6245K’s price in the UK (the only territory where it’s available) is its single most eye-catching feature. Just £249 for a 43-inch TV is seriously cheap under any circumstances, so by the time you add to the bargain one of the most user-friendly smart services around and surprisingly good picture and sound performance, the value appeal becomes pretty much off the charts.

That’s not to say there isn’t any competition out there at the same sort of price. Bush’s 50UT24SB delivers a decent 50-inch picture and TiVo smarts for just £270, for instance, while there are also TVs out there from multiple brands sporting Roku smart systems that also deliver 43- and 50-inch screen sizes for less than £300. The 43GM6245K, though, ultimately has more going for it than any of its similarly cut-price peers.

Design

Looked at from a typical viewing distance, the GM6245K is pretty easy on the eye for such a cut-price TV.

The grey finish of the slightly wider bottom edge contrasts neatly with the slender black used for the rest of the bezel, and Sharp has managed to make a design feature of its logos, with the words Aquos and Harman Kardon (more on this one later) appearing very stylishly in the bottom left and right corners of the screen respectively. The two blade-style feet that Sharp’s TV sits on boast a pleasingly shiny finish, too, while at the same time presenting such a slender profile when the screen’s viewed head-on that you barely notice them.

The surface delights do hide a couple of classic giveaways of the GM6245K’s ultra-affordable nature, though. Namely, that it’s really quite chunky around the back by modern TV standards, while its exceptionally lightweight chassis reveals that it’s made almost entirely from pretty low-grade plastic.

While these build issues raise concerns about the quality of what might be going on inside the set, though, they’re not really obvious to the naked eye once the TV has been set in place.

Features

Despite how cheap it is, the Sharp 43GM6245K is much more than just a 4K 43-inch screen. It uses a VA type of LCD panel, lit directly from behind, for starters – a combination that typically delivers better contrast than the IPS and/or edge-lit alternatives commonly used in the budget TV world.

Sharp actually claims a huge dynamic contrast ratio for its TV of 1,000,000:1 – an on-paper figure that you can very much expect not to see with real world content, but which does at least suggest that the GM6245K’s light output can adjust to changes in source content to a greater extent than you would expect to find at the this price point.

Colours are delivered by a Quantum Dot system that is also not something you could normally expect to find on a sub-£250 43-inch TV – though it’s worth saying that other budget TVs that use Quantum Dots don’t always make a success of it, seemingly compromising other aspects of their performance in their eagerness to embrace the expanded colour range and brightness available.

The GM6245K’s panel only supports refresh rates up to 60Hz, so there’s no support for the 4K/120Hz gaming feeds now delivered by the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or premium PC graphics cards. There’s some solace for gamers, though, in that Sharp’s TV does carry a dedicated Game picture preset that reduces input lag to just 15ms.

There’s also support with both gaming and video sources for high dynamic range formats that extends beyond the basic HDR10 and HLG platforms to include the premium Dolby Vision system. This supplies compatible TVs with extra scene-by-scene image data to help them deliver more accurate and dynamic-looking results.

The GM6245K’s connections include three HDMI ports (one capable of passing Dolby Atmos sound on to soundbars or AVRs using HDMI’s eARC technology); two USB ports; a 3.5mm headphone jack/audio line out; an optical digital audio output, and mini composite video and audio inputs. This adds up to a slightly more comprehensive roster of connections than you might necessarily expect to get on a £249 43-inch TV.

The unexpected surprises extend, too, to the GM6245K’s audio system, with the Harman Kardon logo at the bottom right of its screen frame showing that Sharp has promisingly worked with the respected third-party audio brand in developing this TV’s 2 x 12W speaker system.

Last but certainly not least on the GM6245K’s feature list is support for both the TiVo and Freely smart TV systems. TiVo provides an admirably straightforward and engaging interface for most of the TV’s streaming apps, which include such big hitters as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube. It also carries arguably the most comprehensive and easy-to-use content searching/finding service in the TV world, built on TiVo’s quarter of a century of working on intelligent content recommendation experiences. This now incorporates an impressively flexible and helpful voice recognition system – not bad for a sub-£250 43-inch TV.

The only issue with TiVo’s smart platform at the time of writing is that it does not provide direct access to the Apple TV+, Discovery+ or Paramount+ streaming services. There is a workaround, though, in that they are all now available via the Amazon Prime Video app.

Freely, if you’re not familiar with it, is a relatively new (launched in 2024) streaming service backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 that carries a claimed 70,000+ hours of on-demand content but also, more importantly, lets you live-stream many of the channels carried on the Freeview HD broadcast platform, potentially removing the need to have an aerial installed on your home.

Picture

As with its features, the 43-inch GM6245K’s picture quality is far better than we would have expected from such a cheap TV.

Its contrast, for instance, while predictably not achieving anything like 1,000,000:1 levels of exuberance with real-world images, manages to deliver simultaneously both richer, deeper, more neutral-looking blacks and more brightness – especially with full-screen bright HDR clips – than you’d normally get at this price level.

The black bars above and below wide aspect ratio films and TV shows look a bit greyer than we’d ideally see, perhaps, but this greyness is less noticeable in the main image area. Dark scenes become greyer-looking if you have to watch the GM6245K from an angle, too – though this is a limitation common to the vast majority of VA-type LCD TVs. And, actually, the angle you can get to before the drop in contrast becomes really ugly is a bit wider here than we usually find with budget TVs.

The level of greyness hanging over dark scenes is limited enough to stop them looking flat or unconvincing, especially as Sharp’s set manages to hold on to impressive amounts of subtle detailing in even the darkest picture corners. There are also no obvious distracting instabilities caused by the TV’s dynamic contrast tools, despite the TV managing to deliver (especially with Dolby Vision sources) surprisingly punchy and backlight blooming-free highlights even when they appear against mostly dark backdrops.

The GM6245K’s pictures are impressively sharp for its price, too. Native 4K sources actually look 4K despite the compact (by today’s standards) size of the 43-inch screen, helped by some good colour tone definition in bright scenes and less interference from judder and motion blur than budget TVs usually manage. That’s not to say there’s absolutely no resolution loss during camera pans or over fast-moving objects, but the occasions where you might spot a little softness creeping into an action-packed scene are rare enough to feel like surprises rather than a constant distraction. And there’s certainly no sign of the aggressive judder with 24fps films or the sort of smearing effect over fast-moving objects that so many similarly affordable TVs seem to produce. And that’s despite the GM6245K not having any dedicated motion processing to help counter potential motion issues.

We mentioned that colours in bright scenes are delivered by the 43GM6245K with good subtlety for a budget TV, and this is backed up by precious little sign of the sort of banding/striping issues that some HDR TVs – even some much more expensive models, in fact – can suffer with when trying to show subtle colour blends. Skin tones, too, look unusually natural and nuanced, avoiding the jaundiced or plasticky finish often seen with budget and even mid-range TVs.

This doesn’t mean colours are perfect. They’re not the most vibrant we’ve seen, despite the Quantum Dot influence, and during dark scenes colours sometimes start to exhibit clumping, as the TV struggles to deliver subtle tonal differences as effectively as it does during bright scenes. A faint pinkish tone occasionally creeps into the picture too, but this is rare and sufficiently subtle when it occurs that many viewers may well never even notice it.

While these issues might be a reason to spend a chunk more cash on stepping up to a good mid-range TV, though, they’re all pretty puny complaints by the standards of the 43GM6245K’s price point.

Sound

The Harman Kardon-designed audio of the GM6245K incorporates a two-way speaker system, with separate bass/mid-range and treble drivers designed to deliver a cleaner, clearer sound. For the most part, it works pretty well.

For instance, the TV can get louder than most budget TVs without succumbing to distortions or harshness. Dialogue is delivered with enough power and clarity to always remain totally intelligible, yet despite some high-pitched voices sounding slightly sibilant, speech in films and TV shows typically doesn’t sound too bright or detached from the rest of the mix. Voices also benefit from a mild vertical lift, so that they seem to be coming from the onscreen action rather than from the speakers built into the screen’s bottom edge.

The GM6245K is able to project sound a likeable distance beyond the physical confines of its bodywork too, enabling it to get more benefit from its ability to play Dolby Atmos soundtracks than you might expect from a two-channel speaker system. Certainly, there’s enough about its staging to create an effective sense of ambient sound effects existing somewhere beyond the more specific effects at the heart of an Atmos mix. This also helps the sound appear cleaner.

Some treble sounds can become rather shrill, though, and a general lack of bass can leave big movie moments feeling a little weightless and thin. Though the GM6245K does at least acknowledge its bass limitations rather than trying so hard to find low frequencies it can’t sensibly support that it forces its speakers into distortions or dropouts.

An odd quirk of the GM6245K’s sound finds it emitting a nasty raspberry sound whenever you skip tracks on a Blu-ray disc. While we felt a bit affronted by this problem while skipping to and between favourite test scenes for this review, though, it obviously isn’t something that will often trouble anyone in regular viewing conditions.

All in all, while inevitably not perfect, the 43-inch GM6245K’s sound once again performs better than we’d expect from such a cheap TV.

Verdict

Is the Sharp 43GM6245K good enough to give good mid-range or premium TVs sleepless nights? Nope, not really. Is it good enough, though, to humble the vast majority of other similarly ultra-affordable TVs out there? You bet your bottom £249 it is.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the TCL 55C655K

Also consider the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED QL43F601

Read our Bush 50UT24SB review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets tried and tested

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the PlayStation 5 is rather popular. So popular, in fact, that estimates suggest it has outsold the Xbox Series X 2:1.

Sony Electronics is understandably keen to leverage its connection to the Sony PlayStation division and benefit from that popularity, and one of the main elements of that is the ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ initiative.

Launched in 2021, Perfect for PlayStation 5 encompasses a handful of gaming features that Sony believes make its top TVs… well... perfect for the PS5.

But did you know that only one of those features is exclusive to Sony TVs? And, in fact, that unique feature isn’t actually perfectly implemented.

So, what exactly is Perfect for PlayStation 5? How does it work, and how do you get the most out of it? What’s more, does it actually make Sony’s TVs better than rivals from Samsung, LG and Panasonic when it comes to PS5 gaming?

What is Perfect for PS5?

At its core, Perfect for PlayStation 5 is two key features: Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode.

Looking through Sony’s promotional material, extra features are often bundled together under the banner, such as PS Remote Play, 4K/120Hz and VRR, but these aren’t exclusive to Sony TVs and they weren't really part of the original Perfect for PlayStation 5 program.

And, in fact, Auto Genre Picture Mode is just a fancy term for a feature that is available on most TVs under a different name: Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

As most gamers will know, ALLM is a feature that allows your TV to recognise when a game is being played so that it can automatically switch to its game mode. I.e. the picture preset with the lowest latency (aka input lag).

What we’re left with, then, is Auto HDR Tone Mapping, which is unique to Sony TVs and is genuinely interesting, so it’s really fair to say that it’s the essence of the Perfect for PS5 program.

It’s also what we’re going to focus on here.

What is Perfect for PS5 Auto HDR Tone Mapping?

You might be familiar with the PS5’s ‘Adjust HDR’ facility. It pops up whenever you connect the console to an HDR TV with which it’s not familiar (and usually again after a software update).

It consists of three screens: a white one with a grey sun in a white box; a black one with a grey sun in a white box; and a black one with grey sun in a black box.

The idea is that you click up or down on your controller to brighten or dim the box until the sun is ‘barely visible’.

What you’re doing when you go through these menus is essentially calibrating the PS5's HDR delivery to the capabilities of your specific TV. It ensures that highlights are as bright as they can be without being overexposed at the expense of detail, and that blacks are properly black.

On the face of it, the Adjust HDR system is really simple, but there are a couple of issues with it.

The first is that if you make adjustments until the sun is ‘barely visible’, as instructed, you will end up with highlights just a smidge dimmer than they could be, and blacks will be slightly less than inky.

The other issue is that if your TV has any tone mapping switched on, which many do by default, even in game mode, it will work at counteracting the changing brightness on the first two screens and you’ll end up with a hugely over-brightened image with blown out highlights.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could avoid these potential pitfalls by having these settings adjusted for you? Well that’s precisely what Auto HDR Tone Mapping is designed to do.

Connect your PS5 to one of Sony's Perfect for PlayStation 5 TVs and a pop-up will appear over the Adjust HDR screen to say that the appropriate settings for your specific model of TV have been automatically applied.

There’s just one problem…

Are the Perfect for PS5 Auto HDR Tone Mapping settings accurate?

The problem is that the Auto HDR Tone Mapping settings that are applied are (at least with all of the many TVs with which we’ve tested it in the last few years) quite accurate, but not… perfect.

Take the awesome A95L, for example: the Auto HDR Tone Mapping automatically sets brightness one click higher in both of the first two Adjust HDR screens than is entirely accurate, and it sets the black level two clicks up from the bottom, which means you’ll never get perfect black.

It’s worth pointing out that these automatically selected settings will provide a very good picture indeed, and most people will never know that they’re not getting a perfectly accurate HDR performance.

If you really care, though, you will want to make a couple of little tweaks to get the most accurate HDR performance possible.

How do you get perfectly accurate HDR from the PS5 on your Sony TV?

As mentioned, when you connect your PS5 to your Sony TV for the first time, a pop-up will appear over the Adjust HDR screen telling you that the best settings have already been applied, but you can still adjust them, and that’s what I recommend.

The first thing to do is hop into your TV’s picture settings and find the HDR Tone Mapping setting. You want to turn this off temporarily.

Once HDR Tone Mapping is switched off, go back to the first Adjust HDR screen, take your PS5 controller and tap down on the d-pad until you can’t go any darker. The grey sun should be very visible in the white box.

Now you want to slowly click up on the d-pad until the sun disappears. The click that takes it from barely visible to invisible is the final one. This point can be easier to see when the room is dark.

Now do exactly the same thing on the second Adjust HDR page.

On the final Adjust HDR page (the black one), you simply want to tap down on the d-pad until you’re right at the bottom. That ensures you get perfect blacks (at least insofar as your TV can produce perfect black).

Now it’s worth going back into your TV’s menus and changing the HDR Tone Mapping back to Gradation Preferred. This will retain the accuracy you’ve just calibrated in while ensuring your TV is delivering all of the pop it’s designed to.

Are Sony TVs the best for playing PS5 games?

Sony’s Perfect for PS5 branding is, of course, designed to make everyone believe that a Sony TV is the best choice for PS5 gamers but, in truth, that’s not really the case.

The best Sony TVs are excellent for gaming, with great picture authenticity, pop and responsiveness. The Game Bar is good, too, particularly on the latest models. And, as mentioned, the Auto HDR Tone Mapping provides very good results automatically.

But you can do better. We recommend LG’s OLED TVs as the best gaming TVs. They lack Sony’s Auto HDR Tone Mapping, of course, but they have an excellent HGiG setting that makes it a doddle to get perfectly accurate HDR using the PS5’s Adjust HDR screens.

LG’s OLEDs also have even lower input lag than Sony’s, and they have four HDMI 2.1 sockets, which is super-useful if you have an Xbox Series X/S and/or a gaming PC as well as a PS5.

Even the best Sony TVs have just two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which doubles as the eARC port. If you have a soundbar or other sound system connected to that eARC port and your PS5 connected to the other HDMI 2.1 socket, any further games machines will have to be plugged into an HDMI 2.0 socket that doesn’t support 4K/120Hz.

Which TVs are ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’?

The ‘Perfect for PS5’ initiative launched in 2021 with Sony’s Z9J, A90J, A80J, X95J and X90J TVs.

Since then, all of the brand’s premium sets have included the Perfect for PS5 features.

The Perfect for PS5 models that are currently on sale include (but aren’t limited to) the A95L, X95L, A80L and X90L from 2023; the Bravia 9, Bravia 8 and Bravia 7, which launched last year; and the brand new Bravia 8 II and Bravia 5.

Click the links above to read our reviews of each model, or check out our dedicated guides to the best Sony TVs and best gaming TVs.

Microsoft has announced a major price increase to its Xbox range, and it's going to impact more than just the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles.

It will affect the UK, North America, Australia and Europe, with accessories and first-party games also going up, meaning new and existing Xbox gamers are going to feel the sting.

Starting with the consoles, the Xbox Series S, which we reviewed at £250 / $300 / AU$500 back in 2021, will now carry a recommended retail price of £300 / $380 / AU$550.

The Xbox Series X, on the other hand, will increase from £449 / $499 / AU$749, to £500 / $600 / AU$850. Price increases are also hitting the 512GB version of the Xbox Series S, the discless Xbox Series X Digital, and the 2TB Xbox Series X.

Furthermore, Microsoft states that "Xbox Series S and X availability may continue to change over time depending on the retailer and by country."

We're not entirely sure what this entails, but it could hint towards stock shortages that harken back to this console generation's early days, in which Xbox and PlayStation consoles were hard to come by.

Alongside the consoles, controllers are set to become more expensive, with the standard remote now costing £60 / $65 / AU$100; for reference the Xbox Wireless Controller originally launched at £55 / $60 / AU$90.

Xbox's official headsets (both the wired and wireless versions) are also getting a price hike, though it will only affect the US and Canada.

Finally, Microsoft has confirmed that first-party game titles will also get more expensive. It states that some titles will go up to $80 by the "holiday season" (presumably December), though it hasn't confirmed international pricing for future games quite yet.

Microsoft cites "market conditions and the rising cost of development" as the reasons behind this price increase, and it isn't the only company that's feeling the pressure.

Sony announced that the PlayStation 5 will become more expensive due to “a challenging economic environment” last month. Furthermore, Nintendo has raised eyebrows with its pricey new Switch 2 console, which features games priced similarly to the incoming Xbox increase.

We're willing to bet that the vaguely named "market conditions" and "challenging economic environment" are in reference to the tariff situation in the United States. Microsoft primarily manufactures its Xbox hardware in China, which is currently subject to substantial tariff rates, so while it's disappointing to see a price increase, it's not entirely surprising.

MORE:

Read our full Xbox Series X review

PS5 vs Xbox Series X: which one should you choose?

Here are the best Xbox Series X settings for picture and sound

If you ask me, the Sony A95L is still one of the very best TVs you can currently buy – even though it's been on sale for well over a year.

The combination of a QD-OLED panel with Sony's legendary processing and one of the most capable in-built TV sound systems around makes the A95L an all-rounder of rare talent.

Needless to say, then, I leapt at the chance to check out its successor, the Bravia 8 II, in person in Tokyo ahead of its 28th April US launch and June launch in the UK.

Is it everything I hoped it would be? Mostly yes, but also not entirely. Ahead of our full review, here are all of the things (so far) that I like about the Bravia 8 II, and the few things I'm not so keen on.

The good stuff

It can go much brighter and reproduce more colours than the A95L

The biggest improvement for the Bravia 8 II is that it features 'the latest QD-OLED' panel from Samsung Display.

The capabilities of this new panel vary somewhat depending on who you ask and, of course, the specific TV in which it's used, but Sony says the Bravia 8 II will be able to hit a peak brightness level 25 per cent greater than that of the A95L.

It will also be 50 per cent brighter than the Bravia 8, which features a W-OLED panel and will continue in Sony's 2025 TV lineup.

But alongside brighter highlights, this new panel also brings with it greater colour volume.

Sure enough, in the demos I saw, the Bravia 8 II was clearly brighter than the A95L, Samsung S95D and LG G4 – but it also had more detailed highlights and more vibrant colours, particularly in the brightest parts of the picture.

Picture processing has been improved, too

The panel is only one ingredient in the picture quality recipe, and one of the reasons that so many people are drawn to Sony TVs over their Samsung and LG rivals is the Japanese brand's much-lauded picture processing.

One thing that Sony has paid particular attention to with the Bravia 8 II is its low-light performance – essentially, how it handles black depth and shadow detail.

This was demonstrated to me using a clip from Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, and the Bravia 8 II did a much better job than the S95D and G4 of revealing the details in the murky scene and maintaining natural colours.

Was the Bravia 8 II digging up details that the director intended to be hidden? The Sony BVM-3110 mastering monitor that was supplied for reference suggested not. In fact, even the Bravia 8 II was less revealing than the monitor.

Sony has also beefed up the AI chops of its XR processor, and the Bravia 8 II (and Bravia 5) will benefit from a new 'AI scene recognition system' that, according to Sony, "detects and analyses data with flawless accuracy, then optimises the picture for ultimate realism".

As good as Sony's processing generally is, terms such as 'flawless accuracy' and 'ultimate realism' seem a bit overly ambitious. Instead, I'm expecting a bit of an upgrade to the A95L's depth enhancement feature, which gently increases the three-dimensionality of an image without making it seem enhanced.

Useful tweaks to how the Professional and Cinema modes work

Sony has never boarded the Filmmaker Mode train, arguing that its Professional mode does a similar thing, and this year, that and Cinema mode are getting some useful tweaks.

The Professional preset is now designed to look more like the brand's BVM mastering monitor than ever before, with little to no active processing or enhancement.

In a dark room, the Cinema preset will look very similar to Professional, but the ambient light sensor will be switched on by default.

This means that when you turn the room lights on, the Bravia 8 II will compensate both in terms of colours and brightness so that you still get a perceptually accurate picture.

If done correctly (this wasn't demonstrated to me in Tokyo), this should work very similarly to how LG's current OLEDs do when you put them in Filmmaker Mode and enable their ambient light sensor.

In other words, for many people, it could be the only picture setting they ever need.

Unchanged audio system should still sound very good

The A95L is pretty much the only TV that I feel I could live with from an audio point of view. That isn't to say that it's not fairly easily beaten by a soundbar – but it's much more capable than the insipid sound systems of almost all of its rivals.

So, it's broadly good news (I'll get to the negative aspect shortly) that the Bravia 8 II sports the same sound system as the A95L.

That sound system features two actuators that vibrate the whole screen with two subwoofers to add weight and depth. The step-down Bravia 8, in comparison, has just one woofer, and its two actuators are smaller and less capable.

The key benefit of the actuator approach is that the sound literally comes from the screen, so the audio and visuals are tied together in a way that other TVs can't match.

But what's most impressive about the A95L is how this focus and directness combine with spaciousness and a sense of three-dimensionality to deliver a fairly impressive (by TV standards) Dolby Atmos delivery.

If the Bravia 8 II merely sounds as good as the A95L, it will still almost certainly be the best-sounding TV in its class – though the Panasonic Z95B might give it a run for its money.

More affordable than the A95L in the UK

Sony promised that the Bravia 8 II would be more affordable than the A95L was when it launched, but I had imagined we would be looking at a drop of something in the region of 10 per cent.

Well, the prices have now been announced, and in the UK (we'll get to the US prices later) the 55-inch Bravia 8 II is 17 per cent cheaper than the equivalent A95L was at launch, and the 65-inch model is 19 per cent cheaper than its equivalent.

That will make the Bravia 8 II much more competitive with its rivals than the A95L was. We don't yet have UK pricing for the Samsung S95F, but the LG G5 is, at launch, £100 cheaper than the Bravia 8 II at 55 inches, but £300 more expensive at 65 inches.

Here's a full comparison of the UK launch prices of the Sony Bravia 8, Bravia 8 II, A95l and the LG G5:

The feet can be extended to accommodate a soundbar

While the Bravia 8 II's feet aren't perfect (more on which below), they can be positioned either flush with the bottom of the TV or extended to create a space for a soundbar.

Because there is also a big distance between the feet, there's plenty of space for said soundbar and no awkward plate to get in the way.

The exclusive Sony Pictures Core app is still a great value-added treat

While not a new thing for the Bravia 8 II, the Sony Pictures Core app remains a compelling selling point for Sony's TVs.

For those not already in the know, Sony Pictures Core (formerly known as Bravia Core) is a streaming service that is exclusive to Sony TVs.

What's special about it is that it streams movies in much higher quality than rival services. We're talking about bitrates of up to 80Mbps, whereas Apple TV maxes out at around 40Mbps and Netflix and Prime Video are down at around 25Mbps.

The result is cleaner, crisper picture quality, particularly with the IMAX Enhanced content that is available.

Buyers of the Bravia 8 II will get 10 tokens that can be spent on premium movies, plus 24 months of streaming from the general catalogue.

The bad stuff

Much more expensive than the A95L (and the LG G5 and Samsung S95F) in the US

While the UK is getting the Bravia 8 II for much less than the launch price of the A95L, it's the opposite story in the US, where Sony appears to be factoring in the costs and potential costs of tariffs.

The 55-inch Bravia 8 II is a whopping 25 per cent more expensive than the A95L was at launch, while the 65-inch version is 14 per cent more expensive.

Inevitably, that means it's much more expensive than the launch prices of the LG G5 and Samsung S95F. Here's the full comparison:

Still only two HDMI 2.1 sockets

It seems almost unbelievable – and yet so wearily predictable – that Sony's flagship TV in 2025 still has just two HDMI 2.1 sockets.

LG has been producing models with four such ports since way back in 2019, for heaven's sake.

We know the reasoning, of course: while LG and Samsung produce their own HDMI boards, most other brands, including Sony, have been relying on MediaTek for their HDMI boards.

MediaTek does now produce an HDMI chipset with four HDMI 2.1 ports (the Pentonic 800), but that is in other ways a downgrade on the Pentonic 1000 found in many flagship TVs, including the A95L, Bravia 8 and Bravia 9, and it seems that Sony is reluctant to compromise in order to get those extra sockets.

Still, if feels as though Sony, in particular, should have found a way around this issue by now.

Of course, for many, two HDMI 2.1 sockets are plenty, but as someone with an Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and gaming PC, it's not enough for me.

No option to add a subwoofer

This is a bit of a niche one, and certainly isn't something that other TVs offer, but I really feel that Sony should have made it possible to connect one of its wireless subwoofers to the Bravia 8 II.

As great as the A95L sounds by TV standards, it's relatively lacking in terms of bass weight and depth. The addition of a subwoofer, though, would make it a real force to be reckoned with – and could in fact sound better than most soundbars.

Sony already produces three wireless subwoofers, and I imagine it wouldn't be too tricky to make them compatible directly with a TV.

I imagine Sony is simply too interested in selling soundbars such as the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 and systems such as the Bravia Quad to want to give people a less expensive alternative sonic route to go down.

I just think that's a bit of a shame.

There's no 77-inch model

As you may have spotted from the pricing graphs above, there is no 77-inch version of the Bravia 8 II. In fact, the 77-inch version of the A95L will continue in the Sony range instead.

This seems like an odd decision. We know that 77 inches is an increasingly popular screen size, and we know there's a 77-inch version of the latest QD-OLED panel, as it's being used in the 77-inch Samsung S95F.

It feels as though a lot of people will essentially be forced to go with that Samsung, the LG G5 or the Panasonic Z95B if they want a flagship 77-inch TV with the latest and greatest screen technology.

The feet are too far apart for a lot of furniture

As mentioned, the Bravia 8 II's feet can be extended to make room for a soundbar, which is great, but they can only be positioned at the very extremes of the set's bottom edge.

That means that the TV won't stand atop furniture any narrower than the TV's overall width, which is 122cm (48 inches) for the 55-inch model and 145cm (57 inches) for the 65-inch version. That's going to be a problem for some buyers.

Of course, it is possible to simply buy an inexpensive third-party stand that connects to the TV's VESA mounting points, but no one really wants the additional cost and hassle involved in that when they've just spent thousands on their fancy new TV.

The Bravia 7 is the second most high-end Mini LED TV in Sony’s current (and ever-expanding) TV range.

As such, it inevitably loses some of the eye-catching headline specifications of the flagship Bravia 9.

For instance, it has fewer local dimming zones, isn’t as bright and it has a less powerful sound system.

It’s also, though, substantially cheaper than the Bravia 9 – and, as we’ll see, it retains enough of Sony’s Mini LED picture quality mastery to make it arguably the best value option yet from the brand’s current range.

Price

The 55-inch Bravia 7 was £1899 / $1900 / AU$2935 at launch, but it is now available for significantly less – just £1299 / $1300 / AU$2495.

That still puts it in mid-range TV territory – maybe slightly towards the top end of mid-range territory, given the sort of aggressive pricing the likes of TCL and Hisense are applying to their mid-range and even high-end models these days.

It backs this status up with plenty of on-paper promise, including a Mini LED backlight with local dimming and an uncompromised version of Sony’s dependable XR processor.

Design

The Bravia 7 unsurprisingly isn’t as opulently well built as the Bravia 9. It still retains plenty of the combination of subtle elegance and flexibility that seems to be built into Sony’s TV design DNA at the moment, though.

For starters, the screen and its frame are both designed to finish on the same flush level, which always instantly creates a premium impression. The frame is trim, too, and while the rear panel sticks out a little further than today’s TV trendsetters, it could still make for an effective wall-mounting option.

If you’re going to place your Bravia 7 on a piece of furniture, there’s more good news.

For starters, its feet slot into place without the need for any screws. Also, the feet can be placed in no less than four different configurations: out wide under the bottom corners with the screen either sitting flush down on them or raised up an inch or three, or closer together towards the middle of the screen, again either with the screen sitting low on the feet or raised slightly.

The option to place the feet close together means you can put the 55-inch Bravia 7 on a piece of furniture much narrower than the TV, while the option to raise the screen gives you room to put a soundbar underneath.

The Bravia 7 ships with a tidy-looking smart remote control boasting a tactile, stripped-back button count, but which still finds room for a selection of direct app access buttons and a mic button to activate its Google Assistant voice control features.

The handset is apparently made from approximately 80 per cent recycled plastic, too, and it’s finished in an easy-to-clean polyurethane coating.

Features

Even though there are two TV series sitting above it in Sony’s current range, the Bravia 7 still boasts a Sony XR Backlight Master Drive panel that combines a Mini LED lighting system with local dimming that operates, in the case of the 55-inch model we're testing, across more than 300 separate zones.

This combination promises tight control over where the TV delivers its available light – especially considering how effective Sony’s backlight control systems have tended to be over the years. Even with TVs that have far fewer dimming zones than the Bravia 7 at their disposal.

The Bravia 7 also boasts a Quantum Dot colour system, driven by Sony’s Triluminos technology. This is part of the latest version of Sony’s XR processor, which extends its tendrils into just about every aspect of picture quality – including delivering automatic HDR conversion of SDR with some of its picture presets, and subtly adjusting multiple picture facets to make the resulting images more closely resemble the three-dimensional way our eyes perceive the real world.

Its relative affordability doesn’t stop the Bravia 7 from adopting Sony’s policy of pursuing the picture endorsements of multiple third-party AV industry big guns.

So there are ‘calibrated’ modes for Netflix, Prime Video and Sony’s own high quality (up to 80Mbps streams) Sony Pictures Core streaming service. These are designed to automatically adopt picture settings that get as close as possible to the different studios’ preferred video mastering conditions.

The Bravia 7 is also certified by IMAX as being up to the job of doing justice to the special, ultra-clean IMAX Enhanced mastering system – as well as allowing you to take advantage of the IMAX Enhanced titles provided on Disney+ and the aforementioned Sony Pictures Core.

There’s plenty of Dolby cooperation, too, in the form of Dolby Atmos sound and support for the Dolby Vision dynamic HDR format. Dolby Vision appears alongside the more basic HDR10 and HLG systems, but as ever with Sony TVs, there’s no support for HDR10+.

The Dolby Atmos (and DTS:X) sound is delivered courtesy of a multi-channel audio system that also features a 5.1.2-channel ‘upmixing’ system to embellish stereo or 5.1-channel soundtracks.

There’s also the option to have the TV’s speakers join forces with various Sony soundbars, home theatre speaker packages and personal listening systems to take advantage of Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology, which creates a hemisphere of virtual speakers all around your seating position.

Connections on the Bravia 7 include four HDMIs, two of which can handle the 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM gaming features deliverable by the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and some PC graphics cards.

There’s support for a low-latency Dolby Vision game mode, too, as well as a special game-specific onscreen menu system, and compatibility with the Perfect For PlayStation 5 feature, where the console can automatically recognise the TV and output some pretty accurate HDR settings accordingly. You can even stream PlayStation games to the TV via the PS Remote Play app.

It’s a pity that only two of the HDMIs can handle all these gaming features, but this limitation is slightly easier to accept on the Bravia 7 than it is on Sony’s flagship TV ranges. Still, similarly priced LG and Samsung TVs have four top-spec HDMI sockets.

Smart features are provided by Google TV. This brings with it the usual extreme plethora of video streaming, gaming and information apps, bolstered in the UK by the YouView platform, which adds the catch-up services for the UK terrestrial broadcasters that Google TV does not typically cover.

Google TV also brings with it both compatibility with Google Chromecast for streaming from your smart devices, and the Google Assistant voice recognition and control system. There’s compatibility with Apple AirPlay 2, too, and if you’re not a fan of Google Assistant you can use either Alexa or, if you own an Apple Home device, Apple’s Siri voice recognition system.

One last unusual feature of the Bravia 7 is the Bravia Cam. This optional extra attaches magnetically behind the screen’s top edge, providing a camera that introduces the ability to control the TV via gesture; a Proximity Alert to warn children not to get too close; a facility to reduce brightness if the camera detects nobody is present in the room; video conferencing; and even the ability to detect where you are in relation to the TV and adjust the brightness, contrast, sound balance and volume accordingly.

Picture

The Bravia 7’s picture quality is clearly built on the same DNA as Sony’s spectacular flagship Bravia 9, delivering more of that TV’s in some ways groundbreaking picture quality than you’ve any right to expect.

At the heart of the Bravia 7’s picture charms is its outstanding backlight control. At the bright end of the spectrum, Sony’s TV delivers exceptionally bright and intense HDR whites and colours that blaze off the screen with more intensity than they do on many much more expensive flagship TVs.

Just as impressively, though, the Bravia 7 also delivers startlingly deep, dark, convincing, and at times quite OLED-like blacks.

Even better, the Bravia 7 doesn’t deliver these light extremes in isolation – as in, it doesn’t only deliver convincing blacks with exclusively dark shots, or only deliver outstanding brightness with exclusively bright shots. Rather, its backlight controls are so astute and powerful that they’re able to retain most of the brightness punch for bright highlights and most of the black level depth and uniformity for dark areas even with shots that contain a mix of dark and light content.

As well as producing a level of contrast that’s exceptionally rare if not unique to find on a mid-range TV, the Bravia 7’s ability to maintain so much brightness and black depth with the sort of mixed brightness images that make up the vast majority of what we watch means that it delivers a fantastic level of consistency across bright and dark scenes.

And wherever you’ve got consistency, you’ve got a more immersive experience, where nothing the TV does throws you out of what you’re watching.

The Bravia 7’s consistency whether it’s showing mostly bright or mostly dark images extends, too, to its ability to bring out pretty much every detail in even the darkest picture corners. The only exception to this is with the Movie preset, but even here the ‘black crush’ effect is pretty minor. Not enough, at any rate, to make dark scenes look hollow or flat.

Maybe the biggest sign of just how clever and effective the Bravia 7’s backlighting is, though, comes from how well it manages to keep a lid on blooming around stand-out bright objects.

In particular, the black bars above and below wide aspect ratio films remain almost completely free of either general greyness or areas of blooming, even if a bright object appears right alongside them – a really useful feat of backlight isolation engineering that precious few rivals these days even seem to attempt.

The extent and intensity of clouding around bright objects, even when they appear against nearly black backgrounds, is also startlingly limited for such a bright mid-range TV.

In fact, the only time the backlight engine struggles enough to become noticeable in a negative way is in the appearance of slight general clouding and occasional slight blue colour shift with shots that contain a particularly complex mixture of scattered extreme light and extreme dark elements.

As well as being rare, though, even during these moments the Bravia 7’s backlight ‘flaws’, such as they are, are much less likely to distract than the sort of heavy dimming of bright objects or really pronounced halos of extraneous light that many other locally dimmed LCD TVs exhibit.

The combination of high brightness and strong contrast also joins forces with Sony’s excellent XR Triluminos Pro system to deliver a sumptuously wide, vibrant, but also natural-looking and refined colour range. Sony’s TV even manages to retain full saturations in very dark picture areas, as well as, like the Bravia 9, bringing out subtle light differences in very bright areas that elude most if not all other TVs in its class.

The Bravia 7’s superb level of light and colour control for a mid-range TV unlocks an exceptional sense of sharpness and detail with native 4K pictures, too. This is delivered without any sign of the sort of exaggerated grain or ‘glowing’ object edge issues associated with heavy-handed sharpness processing, too, and remains largely unsullied by either motion blur or judder if you set the TV’s XR Motion Clarity feature to one of its relatively low-powered modes.

The Bravia 7 also upscales HD sources to its 4K resolution brilliantly, offering palpable detail and insight without introducing colour shifts or obvious unwanted digital processing side effects.

Gamers will be pleased to hear that all the attributes that make the Bravia 7 such an excellent video performer also make it a fantastically fun and immersive gaming display. The TV’s input lag of 17.9ms in Game mode is a touch higher than we’ve seen with some other Sony TVs, but not enough to affect anyone but the most hardcore competitive gamers.

It’s tough to find anything negative to say about the Bravia 7’s pictures for its money, really.

Aside from the relatively minor cloudiness and colour shifting with rare shots containing a broad mix of light and dark extremes, all we can come up with is that backlight blooming becomes more noticeable if you have to watch the TV from much of an angle.

Otherwise, it’s all good. Really good.

Sound

The Bravia 7 features one of Sony’s so-called Acoustic Multi-Audio sound systems, which in this case means 40W of power pumped into a four-speaker system comprising two full-range bass reflex drivers and two tweeters for, according to Sony, cleaner, more accurately placed detail sounds.

While not quite as potent as its pictures, the resulting sound – especially if you remember to run the provided audio auto-calibration system – is very good for a TV in this price category.

It manages to create, for instance, a soundstage that projects nicely away from the TV’s physical chassis, and then populates the large, room-filling sense of space it creates with plenty of clean and well-positioned details. Enough to do at least some justice to the three-dimensional sound fields created by Dolby Atmos and DTS:X mixes.

Dialogue emerges from the heart of the Bravia 7’s soundstage with conviction and clarity, and while occasionally the sound can feel too polite and trebly with the most explosive action movie moments, lacking a little bass heft, none of the speakers collapse into distortion under pressure.

Verdict

Much more of the groundbreaking backlight technology Sony developed for its flagship Bravia 9 range seems to have filtered down to the Bravia 7 than we would have expected for its money.

In fact, while not feeling quite as explosive and ‘next-gen’ as the Bravia 9, the Bravia 7’s images are actually a little more consistent, resulting in as good a mid-range LCD TV as we’re likely to see this year.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the LG OLED55C4

Also consider the Samsung QE55QN95D

Read our Philips 55OLED809 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and affordable flatscreens tried and tested

After just two years in the sun, MLA OLED technology has been consigned to the tech graveyard. In its place, we have the far more unhelpfully named Primary RGB Tandem OLED, which is also known (again, unhelpfully) as Four-Stack OLED.

The LG G5 is the very first Primary RGB Tandem OLED TV to enter our test rooms and, to cut a long story short, any complaints about how much of a mouthful the names of the technology are no longer seem relevant in the face of the picture improvements it brings.

An initial issue with the way it handled streamed Dolby Vision content has now been fixed via a software update, and we can finally be as positive about the LG G5 as we always wanted to be: this is a stunning television and a surprising leap forward for OLED TV technology.

Price

The LG G5 is a flagship-level 4K OLED TV, with a premium price tag of £3299 / $3400 / AU$5299 for the 65-inch model that we have before us today.

Much like the G4, it also comes in screen sizes of 55, 65, 77, 83, and 97 inches; this year, though, LG has expanded the lineup with a 48-inch model for the first time.

Full launch pricing for the G5 is below, with the G4's launch prices provided for reference.

The good news is that the G5 is priced almost identically to the outgoing G4; and in some cases, it's actually cheaper. The 55-inch version, for example, is $100 cheaper than the G4’s launch price in the US.

More interesting and important is how the LG G5’s pricing compares to that of its 2025 rivals, the Samsung S95F, Sony Bravia 8 II and Panasonic Z95B.

We don’t yet have any 2025 Panasonic TV prices, but the Samsung S95F is a touch cheaper than the LG G5 in the US but a little more expensive in the UK.

In the UK, the Sony Bravia 8 II is slightly more expensive than the LG G5 at 55 inches but a fair bit cheaper at 65 inches. In the US, though, the Sony model is much, much more expensive.

All of the launch prices we have for the G5, S95F and Bravia 8 II are in the table below, and we'll add pricing for the Z95B once we have it.

Design

Much like its C5 sibling, the G5 carries forth the design from its predecessor – no great shame: we approved of the G4’s sleek and attractive build.

That being said, it would be remiss of us not to mention the fact that this design has been used since the G1, so an updated look to coincide with the new panel technology would have been a nice touch.

Nevertheless, the slender frame and stylish silver trim give the G5 an eye-catching design befitting its “Gallery” designation.

The G5 has a universal thickness (well, thinness) of just 2.4cm. Admittedly, that’s not quite as slender as the C5 is in its thinnest sections, but the C5 also features a relatively chunky box-out section that means it’s actually 4.5cm at its thickest point.

The G5 comes in two versions, one bundled with LG’s Zero Gap wall mount for a flush fit and seamless wall-mounting setup, the other with a tabletop stand; note, the G5S variant (which includes the stand) is currently available only in 55- and 65-inch sizes here in the UK. The official pricing is the same for the stand and wall-mount versions.

We have the stand variant of the G5 before us today, and we approve of its minimalist styling and easy-to-assemble design. Furthermore, the stand can be set to two positions: there is a sleek, low-profile look, or a higher position to accommodate a soundbar.

A 48-inch screen size has been a staple of the C-series OLEDs for quite some time, and LG expanded (or, should we say, shrunk) its entry-level B-series OLED to include a 48-inch version in last year’s lineup. However, this size is a first for the G series and a rare instance of a flagship TV launching at this size.

There is a catch, however, as LG states that the 48- and 97-inch versions of the G5 don’t sport the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED technology and therefore won’t hit the same brightness levels as their siblings.

We have seen this many times before with MLA and QD-OLED TVs, as manufacturers tend to make the panels in core sizes (55- to 83-inches), though it is a shame that the smallest flagship model won’t be on par technically with its larger counterparts.

Less new and exciting is the included remote, which, besides swapping the input control for a more generalised connected-devices hub button and adding a new AI shortcut button, is broadly unchanged from the version that came with last year’s G4. And the G3 from 2023. And the G2 before that. And the G1 before that.

We would have liked to have seen a more premium handset with backlighting offered with the G5, but that’s unfortunately not the case – at least not for the UK.

Those looking to buy the G5 in markets outside of the UK (such as North America or South Korea) will be treated to a sleeker and more streamlined remote. This hasn’t made it over to the UK, says LG, on account of its missing number pad.

This feels like a bit of a cop-out to us. Other brands, such as Samsung and Sony, get around the UK’s requirement for a remote control with buttons by bundling their TVs with two zappers: a fancy, minimalist number and an old-school ‘boring’ one. LG should have done the same thing.

Features

The headline feature of the G5 is that it's the first TV to launch with the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel.

This new panel architecture comprises four individual OLED layers – two blue, one red and one green – to boost brightness and colour volume.

The G3 and G4 both featured Micro Lens Array OLED (MLA), which involves a layer of millions of microscopic lenses that focus the light output towards the viewer.

The technology worked well for its (relatively speaking) short lifespan, but it has now been completely replaced.

This means that manufacturers such as Panasonic and Philips, which have previously used MLA panels, have also transitioned to Primary RGB Tandem OLED for their respective upcoming flagship TVs.

With that important context out of the way, what does this new panel architecture have to offer? At a basic level, this new panel pushes the brightness limits of OLED to new heights.

LG Electronics (which produces LG’s TVs) remains tight-lipped about an official nit figure for the G5, but LG Display (which produces the actual OLED panels) and other manufacturers that are using it have stated that the Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel can reach up to 4000 nits peak brightness.

Colours should appear richer and more vibrant, too, particularly in the brightest parts of the picture, because the panel is not reliant on a white OLED to boost brightness.

Headline peak brightness figures should always be taken with a pinch of salt: partly because manufacturers are prone to exaggeration; partly because the way they are measured doesn’t tally with most of what people actually watch; and finally because they are usually attainable only in the TV’s most vivid and least cinematically accurate picture presets.

That said, we have still been promised and are expecting to see a noticeable increase in brightness from the G5, in both small highlights and full-screen bright images.

This enhanced brightness isn’t purely down to the panel. It’s also in part thanks to LG’s Brightness Booster Ultimate engine, which LG claims will deliver three times higher brightness than the entry-level B5 OLED TV.

Yes, a comparison against the C5 would have been much more interesting, but LG never provides figures to illustrate the differences between its G- and C-series models.

Powering the Brightness Booster Ultimate engine (and everything else the G5 does) is the new Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 2, which, as the name suggests, is heavily built around AI.

This new processor drives many of the AI-backed functions of the G5, including the AI Picture Pro and AI Sound Pro options, both of which come with a fairly robust customisation process.

AI Picture Pro serves as an umbrella term for a range of picture-enhancement features, including AI Perceived Object Enhancer (which aims to enhance the three-dimensionality of the picture), AI Super Upscaling, and OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping.

Furthermore, you can consult the built-in AI chatbot to diagnose issues with your TV and solve them. LG has even implemented a large language model, so you don’t need to remember specific commands to adjust the settings.

Instead, you can just say “make the picture brighter” or “I can’t hear voices very well,” and the TV will react accordingly.

As for core AV features, the G5 supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. Samsung’s HDR10+ technology is not present, which is no surprise at all and not a particularly big deal. Dolby Atmos audio is also supported, both through the built-in 60W 4.2 channel sound system and via audio equipment connected to the HDMI eARC socket.

Speaking of HDMI connectivity, there are four full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets on the G5. These are all capable of handling 4K/165Hz (as well as the 4K/120Hz that current consoles max out at, of course) signals with VRR and ALLM. That makes this an ideal gaming TV for those with several consoles and/or a gaming PC.

Furthermore, the G5 features LG’s excellent Game Optimiser feature, which gives you quick access to key gaming settings as well as information such as frame rate and whether ALLM is enabled.

You can also access game streaming apps through the webOS 25 operating system, including the Xbox app, to stream near-console quality titles without requiring a console.

Elsewhere, the webOS platform features all of the expected streaming apps, both domestic and international; these include Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, as well as BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4.

Picture

Playing a range of our go-to reference 4K discs, including Top Gun: Maverick, Pan, The Matrix, Oppenheimer, No Time to Die and Interstellar, we can assess this flagship set’s capabilities.

After much testing, we opt for the Filmmaker Mode picture preset, with TruMotion set to the Cinematic Movement setting and sharpness turned down to zero, as we believe these settings suit the G5 best.

What is immediately striking is how bright the new Primary RGB Tandem TV looks next to a conventional OLED. We’re talking levels that, in cases where peak-brightness highlights are on show, such as when Maverick engages the scramjet of the Darkstar hypersonic aircraft, we are compelled to shield our eyes from the blazing brightness.

Feed it some content that is specifically mastered to target a higher brightness, such as the 4K Blu-ray release of The Matrix or Pan, and it becomes apparent that the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED is truly a technical marvel.

When Neo first enters the computer simulation, the white void in which he and Morbius converse is truly striking. Here, we experiment with the Dynamic Tone Mapping feature and – unlike with the C5, which tends to benefit from the boosted brightness – we opt to keep it turned off as it can over-brighten content such as this.

Moving on to Pan, the sequence in which the flying pirate ship floats through a cluster of suspended bubbles towards Neverland is both dazzling and deeply engaging, thanks to its rich, vibrant colours and excellent detail levels. The sun, which often gets lost in the bloom of brightness surrounding it, has a clear circular outline with an intensely bright core.

On the subject of colours, the G5 benefits from the enhanced colour volume afforded by the new panel technology. The bubbles mentioned above feature stunning gradations of blue and green, while the sun casts a rich golden glow across the patchwork sails.

In the same sequence, we find that skin tones are superbly realised, with a hint of red in the cheeks of the titular character, alongside a wide range of skin tones appearing well judged.

The G5 also presents a terrifically three-dimensional image. The brief shot of a watchtower in Oppenheimer looks solid and crisp, with a clear distinction between the tower in the foreground and the desert in the background.

This also highlights how sharp and detailed the G5 looks in general, with everything from environmental features to clothing and skin textures all featuring bucket loads of detail without looking over-sharpened.

Switching back to Top Gun: Maverick, we find that motion is also a key strength of this TV. As Maverick tears down the road on his Kawasaki motorcycle with reckless abandon, the G5 refuses to stutter or judder.

As mentioned, we opt to switch the TruMotion setting to Cinematic Movement, which adds a very minor touch of motion processing to smooth out any 24fps judder while introducing no discernible unnaturalness.

If you are entirely averse to any sort of motion processing, you’ll want to switch TruMotion off entirely. The good news is that the G5 still handles motion very well in this setting, with very little judder.

When we originally reviewed the LG G5, we discovered a very nasty flaw in the way it handled streamed Dolby Vision content. Low-light scenes, in particular, would break up into blotchy posterisation, to the extent that extended sequences in some movies were essentially unwatchable, and raised blacks were common.

Alien: Romulus was the most obvious and unpleasant example that we found during testing, though many other movies, both expected (Interstellar) and unexpected (No Time to Die) also suffered.

Thankfully, once we brought these issues to LG’s attention, it acted extremely quickly and produced a software update to fix the issue. That update is now available to all, and streamed Dolby Vision content now performs as it should.

Sound

The G5’s sound is, unfortunately, less spectacular than its picture. While this was rather expected – the C5 was our first hint that LG hadn’t revolutionised its approach to built-in sound for its OLED TVs – that doesn’t negate the G5’s middling sound performance.

We opt for the Cinema preset, as it offers a wider, louder and punchier sound compared with the Standard setting. The G5 also sounds a lot clearer in this mode, as the Standard setting delivers a recessed and restrained performance.

While those attributes will make it fine for day-to-day use, such as watching the news, quiz shows and sitcoms, the speakers don’t really suffice for watching movies.

Playing our go-to Blade Runner 2049 stress-test sequence, we appreciate that the set attempts some of the dramatic dynamic shifts found in the Flight to the LAPD track, but it doesn’t dig particularly deep into the low end of the thumping bassline.

During the “interlinked” baseline assessment sequence, the G5’s unsure approach to low-level dynamics means that a majority of the dialogue sounds quite lifeless and dull. That extends into the conversation between K and Joi in the sequence afterwards, which lacks any real sense of character or emotion.

Ultimately, you will want to pair the G5 with a soundbar or, ideally, an AVR and home cinema speaker system if you want a sound that matches its picture performance.

Verdict

Now that the streamed Dolby Vision flaw has been fixed, we can wholeheartedly recommend the LG G5.

This TV is capable of delivering a truly exceptional picture, with bold highlights, rich colours and crisp details.

It ticks every box we look for in a five-star TV and represents one of the biggest jumps in OLED picture quality since the technology first emerged as a real contender roughly a decade ago. Just make sure you also budget for a dedicated sound system.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

And these are the best TV deals

Sony made the very bold decision last year to pivot away from OLED for its flagship TV and instead launch a next-gen Mini LED model. The brand made huge claims about the performance of the Bravia 9 and its borderline revolutionary homegrown backlight, particularly around brightness, and it broadly delivered (here's our Sony Bravia 9 review), yet I was still a little disappointed with it.

For me, while the Bravia 9 is an incredibly impressive technological achievement and one of the very best backlit TVs in existence, it still can’t match the contrast you get from an OLED TV and its self-emissive pixels.

This pixel-level contrast control of OLED has benefits right across the picture, from ‘pop’ to perceived sharpness and three-dimensionality, and the Bravia 9 just isn’t as strong in those areas. Sony will of course point to the Bravia 9 being able to hit peak brightness figures far beyond what any OLED can, but a vanishingly small number of modern movies demand such brightness, so I don’t feel it’s worth the compromises that have been made elsewhere.

None of which is to say that the Bravia 9 is a bad TV. On the contrary, it’s a really good one and, from what I hear, it’s really popular, too. It’s just not the best Sony TV for me. The good news, though, is that I think Sony might deliver my ideal flagship TV this year.

Bring on the Bravia 10

Sony no longer sticks strictly to an annual TV model cycle and I don’t expect it to launch a successor to the Bravia 9 this year. Too much development work over several years went into that new model and its progressive backlight tech, so I think Sony will leave it on shelves throughout 2025. Instead, I think it will launch a new Bravia 10 above it, and I think it will be a successor to 2023’s A95L QD-OLED, which is still my favourite TV on sale today.

Assuming I’m right – and it really is an educated guess that I’m making – it will be fascinating to see whether Sony goes with the latest QD-OLED panel tech, which has improved significantly since 2023, or switch to the new Four-Stack (aka Primary RGB Tandem) OLED panel technology from LG Display. Either way, we could be looking at a big, compromise-free brightness upgrade and potential improvements to the A95L’s already stellar reproduction of colours.

While a dedicated sound system is always the best option, the A95L is one of very few TVs that I could just about live with from an audio point of view. Its Acoustic Surface Audio+ tech, which involves actuators that imperceptibly vibrate the screen to make sound, ties the picture and sound together in a way that no non-Sony TV can match, but it also spreads sound out to the sides and above the TV surprisingly effectively. It’s quite bass-light, though, so I would like the Bravia 10 to combine this Acoustic Surface Audio tech with the ability to connect the TV to one of Sony’s wireless subwoofers. This would make for a very discreet but potentially rather potent sound system.

One obvious deficiency of the A95L that will absolutely need to be addressed if the Bravia 10 is going to tick all of the boxes for me, is the number of HDMI 2.1 sockets. The A95L has just two of them, which is a massive pain in the backside for someone who has a PS5, Xbox Series X and gaming PC. In truth, I’m not sure that this is a problem that will be solved this year – while MediaTek, which supplies Sony’s chips, now produces one with four HDMI 2.1 sockets, it’s a less powerful one from a processing point of view, and I can’t see Sony opting for a potential performance downgrade just for the extra HDMI 2.1s. Still, I remain hopeful that Sony has come up with a clever solution to this connection conundrum.

All of which is to say that if Sony does have a Bravia 10 OLED TV up its sleeve, it has the potential to be mind-blowingly good. Of course, I could be wrong about everything – there may not be a Bravia 10, there may never be a successor to the wonderful A95L and Sony may decide to replace the Bravia 9 with another Mini LED TV after all. That would be a great shame, I think. Perhaps Sony would at least consider launching some new 'small' OLED models to replace 2022's 42-inch and 48-inch A90K as a consolation prize...

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

These are the best TV deals

Whenever you buy a new TV you should also budget for one of the best soundbars

Philips announced its 2025 OLED TV, Mini LED and soundbar ranges yesterday, and in all of the excitement about four-stack OLED panels and next-gen Ambilight, one neat little gaming feature that I’m rather excited about got understandably overlooked. That feature is customised picture settings for individual games.

Yep, I hear you; most people just let their TV switch to its Game mode when they fire up their console. It shouldn’t surprise you, though, that I’m not that sort of person: I take the time to adjust all of the picture settings so that I’m getting the most authentic and accurate delivery of a game possible.

It’s tempting to think that game developers don’t care about such things, but these days, they very much do, and at the very least they will develop a game using monitors that are calibrated to D65 white point, which is ‘warmer’ than the tone used in the game modes of most TVs. If you don’t at least change that, you’re almost certainly not seeing the game anywhere near the way it was intended to be seen.

That said, there are times when I relax my self-imposed demand for accuracy in a quest for some extra ‘pop’. When I fire up Astro Bot, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Sackboy: A Big Adventure (which, as an aside, I heartily recommend to anyone who games with their kids), I want the bright highlights and vibrant colours to leap off the screen. I don’t mess with the colour temperature, but I often add a bit of extra brightness, contrast, and/or dynamic HDR processing.

When I switch back to something more ‘serious’, though, such as The Last of Us Part II or Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, those settings are all wrong. The gritty, realistic settings are given an unnatural punch, and detail is missing from the bright highlights and shadowy corridors. That simply will not do, of course, so back I go into the TV menus, tweaking several settings until I get the picture back to where it should be.

Philips, though, has a solution to this constant tweaking. Last year, its TVs allowed you to set up as many as 10 game ‘profiles’ with customised picture, sound and Ambilight settings, instantly reducing the amount of menu faff that a fussy fellow like me would have to endure. This year, it’s taking the concept further by apparently allowing you to customise your settings for individual games. And these settings will then be automatically applied whenever you fire up that specific game.

How will this work? I’ll level with you: I don’t know. My colleague Lewis Empson is currently on a flight back from the Philips launch in Barcelona and I’m hoping he can fill me in once he’s landed. I am slightly concerned about the press release’s suggestion that this feature might apply to just ‘the most popular games’, though, and would be disappointed if it was limited to just a handful of titles.

There’s another obvious gaming deficiency with the new Philips OLED range when it comes to gaming, too: with the exception of the entry-level OLED760, which features a lesser processor, all of the models have just two HDMI 2.1 sockets. As someone with a PS5, Xbox Series X and gaming PC, that’s a huge frustration that simply shouldn’t exist in 2025.

On the other hand, no other brand produces TVs with Ambilight, which is a particularly dazzling delight when combined with those extra-punchy, fast-paced, cartoony games.

In short, I’m very much looking forward to trying out the new Philips OLED TVs for gaming as well as movies and TV shows. Could they turn out to be among the best gaming TVs? Stay tuned for our comprehensive, comparative reviews in the coming months.

MORE:

Check out our Philips OLED810 vs LG C5 comparison

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

Until the new C6 and G6 arrive in a few months, the C5 and G5 will remain at the heart of LG’s OLED line-up.

• Check out our LG C6 hands-on and LG G6 hands-on

Even when those successor models do appear, the C5 and G5 will still make an awful lot of sense, thanks to heavy discounting. But, for many buyers, the choice between them won’t be straightforward.

Both are premium OLED TVs, both sit among the best TVs you can buy right now, and both benefit from LG’s years of refinement in panel tech, processing and gaming features – but they’re designed for subtly different priorities.

The C-series is LG’s long-standing sweet spot: more affordable, more flexible in terms of placement, and traditionally the one that offers the best balance of performance and price.

The G5, by contrast, is LG’s flagship OLED, pushing harder on brightness, design and outright picture performance thanks to its more advanced panel technology and gallery-style build.

On paper, the differences are clear enough. In reality, though, the gap between LG’s top-tier and step-down OLEDs has narrowed considerably in recent years, which raises an important question: is the G5 really worth the extra money, or does the C5 get you most of the experience for less?

We’ve fully tested both TVs using our usual mix of real-world viewing, reference discs and streaming content, assessing everything from HDR brightness and colour accuracy to motion handling, gaming performance and sound quality.

That means we’re in a position to go beyond spec-sheet comparisons and explain how these two OLEDs actually perform where it matters most.

Below, we break down exactly what’s new, what’s different, and – crucially – which of LG’s current OLEDs makes the most sense for you.

Pricing

As you would expect, at launch, both the C5 and G5 were very expensive, but the G5 commanded a clear premium.

Here's the full launch price comparison:

Discounts are now available on both models, but you can generally expect to pay a premium of at least £500 / $500 / AU$800 to go for a G5 over a C5 of the same size – and significantly more than that if you're going for a very large set.

If you're wondering why the premium commanded by the UK-exclusive 48-inch G5 is much smaller than that of the larger models, it's likely because it lacks the Primary RGB Tandem technology, so it will be less of an upgrade over its C series equivalent.

Ultimately, the LG C5 has to take this round. As for whether or not the G5 is worth the extra cash? We'll get to that...

Winner: LG C5

Design

Place these models side by side with their predecessors, and you might struggle to spot the difference. But while not much has changed from their respective predecessors, the G5 and C5 are very different to one another.

The G5 has a 'Gallery' design, which means it looks a bit like a picture frame.

But unlike G-series models of old, the G5 is offered in two versions: one with LG's Zero Gap wall mount, and the G5S variant, which includes a tabletop stand at the 55- and 65-inch sizes. You will also be able to buy a stand for the G5 separately as well.

The stand itself can be set to two positions for a sleek, low-profile look, or a higher position that accommodates a soundbar underneath.

The C5 retains the supremely slender side profile across much of the chassis, with a modest boxout that houses the connections and processing components near the bottom of the rear panel. It's also incredibly lightweight by TV standards.

On the front of the TV, we're treated to slender bezels around the display and a narrow, central pedestal-style stand that is both stylish and slightly obstructive to those who wish to position soundbars below their TV, due to the fact that it tapers outwards.

The G5 has a universal thickness of just 2.4cm, giving it a consistently slim profile compared to the C5's variable thickness.

Also, for the first time, the G series model comes in a 48-inch size, though it doesn't go quite as small as the C5, which comes in a 42-inch model. It's worth noting, however, that the 48-inch and 97-inch G5 variants don't feature the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel found in the other sizes.

The G5's tabletop stand is also swapped out for dual blade-style feet on the smallest model, while the largest version is bundled with a wider stand to accommodate the broader frame.

Ultimately, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and which of these two TVs is most visually appealing to you will probably come down to whether you're wall-mounting it or placing it on furniture.

However, to these eyes, the C5 is actually the more attractive TV, primarily on account of the incredibly thin sections of its chassis. Unlike the G5, all versions come with a stand (or feet), too, and its incredible lightness makes it easy to wall-mount.

Winner: LG C5

Features

The G5 has a couple of new tricks up its sleeve.

First up, LG has ditched the MLA screen technology of the G4 and switched to new Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology (also known as Four Stack OLED).

This new panel architecture comprises four individual OLED layers – two blue, one red and one green – to boost brightness and colour volume. This results in even more brightness with more vibrant colours.

According to LG, the G5 is three times brighter than the brand's entry-level B5. It doesn't offer a brightness comparison with the C5, but the difference there is clear to see. We'll get to that in the picture section below.

The C5 has to make do with a standard WOLED panel. Not only does it not feature the fancy new four-stack brightness-boosting panel architecture of the G5, it doesn't even get the MLA technology of the old G4 or G3. Nor does it feature a heatsink.

Even so, LG has managed to squeeze some more brightness out of this panel for the C5. Again, more on that below.

Both TVs are exceptional for gaming, with all four HDMI sockets being full-fat, 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 affairs with support for the all-important 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM features.

Both models can, in fact, support 4K gaming signals beyond 120Hz, with the C5 going up to 144Hz and the G5 right up to 165Hz. For console gamers, all of this is irrelevant, as even the Xbox Series X and PS5 Pro max out at 120Hz, but it will be a consideration for super-hardcore PC gamers with equally hardcore rigs.

Both TVs have excellent HGiG implementation, which makes it a doddle to get a spectacular and accurate HDR performance from most modern games, and both support Dolby Vision gaming, too.

Of course, both TVs also support Dolby Vision for movies and TV shows, plus the standard HLG and HDR10 formats. No LG TVs support HDR10+, but we don't consider this to be a big deal.

Rather than all-new processors, both the G5 and C5 feature upgraded versions of last year's respective offerings.

The G5 has the Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 2, while the C5 has the Alpha 9 Gen 8. LG hasn't been clear on what improvements these bring, but it did say that the AI Picture Pro feature (which automatically improves the picture quality) has been enhanced.

The new processor in the G5 drives many of the AI-backed functions, including AI Picture Pro, which serves as an umbrella term for features such as AI Perceived Object Enhancer (which aims to enhance the three-dimensionality of the picture), AI Super Upscaling, and OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping.

The G4's Virtual 11.1.2-channel upmixing has also come to the C5, while the AI Sound Pro mode now has a Voice Remastering feature that intelligently boosts dialogue clarity without sacrificing the other elements of a soundtrack.

Both TVs will have three new features courtesy of LG's AI TV system: ‘Recognise You’, ‘Customise to You’ and ‘Care Around You’.

'Recognise You' uses voice recognition to detect which user is barking commands at it or asking it questions so it can respond correctly.

'Customise to You' lets the individual users customise the TV's picture and sound settings to their preference, and load them up each time they watch.

'Care Around You', meanwhile, helps you solve common issues using an AI chatbot.

The TVs also benefit from a large language model, meaning you can use natural commands such as "make the picture brighter" rather than having to remember specific phrases.

So, the G5 and C5 share an awful lot of features, but the Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, faster processor and support for 4K/165Hz gaming mean this round has to go to the G5.

Winner: LG G5

Picture Quality

Having tested both the G5 and C5, we can provide detailed insights into their respective picture performances. The C5 offers a rich, dynamic, and detailed picture that impresses at every turn, with improved brightness over its predecessor. But the G5 takes things to another level entirely with its new panel technology.

The G5's Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel delivers truly dazzling brightness levels that can, in peak brightness highlights, literally make you want to shield your eyes. This is most noticeable in HDR content mastered for high brightness, such as 4K Blu-rays of The Matrix and Pan – both of which show off the G5's stunning highlights while maintaining excellent detail.

Colours on the G5 also benefit from the enhanced colour volume. The TV presents vibrant, rich hues alongside well-judged skin tones with a natural hint of warmth. The overall picture has a fantastic three-dimensional quality, with subjects standing out against backgrounds to striking effect.

Both TVs deliver excellent motion handling. They excel at presenting fast movement without judder or stutter when using the Cinematic Movement TruMotion setting. Even with motion processing turned off completely, both TVs still handle motion very well.

While the C5 doesn't have the pizzazz of the G5 at its best, it does offer a rich, dynamic, and detailed picture that still impresses at every turn.

When watching movies in Filmmaker Mode (now imbued with the power of Dolby Vision HDR for the relevant content), the C5 delivers an accurate and balanced picture. For HDR10 content, we highly recommend switching on dynamic tone mapping to experience the full brightness upgrade that the C5 offers.

The C5's colours are rich and punchy, too, and yet never look overdone or unnatural. Low-light colour volume is a particular strength, allowing dimly lit scenes to appear atmospherically dingy while still maintaining rich hues and colour variation. This extends to skin tones, which are presented with lively-looking warmth that makes all the difference.

The picture's solidity and three-dimensionality are also exceptional, with subjects standing out against backgrounds to striking effect. Edges are sharp yet never over-etched or artificial-looking.

The extra brightness over the C4 is most noticeable in high-nit content, such as Pan, where the C5 presents scenes with stunning brightness and lavish colours. While it may not rival the highs of QD-OLED or the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED found in the G5, it's evident that LG has pushed the limits of 'traditional' OLED even further than before.

For Dolby Vision content, the C5 excels at low-light scenes. Colours remain punchy, and subtle lighting looks natural and effective. Dark details are well presented, allowing viewers to differentiate between different shades of black even in shadowy portions of scenes.

The C5's upscaling capabilities are equally impressive. When displaying HD and SDR content, the TV retains remarkable detail without introducing fuzziness or blockiness. The enhanced brightness is even apparent here, with intense light sources being replicated with the necessary impact.

Ultimately, though, everything the C5 does, the G5 does at least as well, if not better. Whether the level of upgrade is justified by the size of the price difference is something we'll tackle right at the end.

Winner: LG G5

Sound quality

Having tested both models thoroughly, we can confirm that neither the G5 nor the C5 offers particularly impressive sound quality.

The G5 features a 60W 4.2 channel sound system, but despite the impressive specifications on paper, the performance doesn't quite deliver.

In our testing of the G5, we found that the Cinema sound preset offers the best performance, providing a wider, louder and punchier sound compared with the Standard setting.

However, even in this mode, the TV struggles with dynamic shifts and doesn't dig particularly deep into the low end of bass-heavy soundtracks. Dialogue often sounds quite lifeless and lacks emotion, particularly in quieter scenes.

As for the C5, while it delivers dialogue with enough clarity for day-to-day use, the overall sound quality is merely adequate, rather than exceptional.

Voices have some warmth and presence to them and are outwardly projected enough to make them audible. There is a semblance of atmospheric effects, with background sounds coming across with decent detail, though upward-firing projection is limited, as height effects seem to stick to the top edge of the TV's chassis.

What's really missing, though, is a sense of low-end heft, as bass-heavy content feels lightweight. Increasing the volume can add some impact, but it also introduces unwanted crackling.

The AI Sound mode doesn't shine either, as it introduces an aggressively harsh quality with an unpleasantly abrasive edge that makes dialogue and effects sound forced.

Ultimately, you'll want to pair either TV with one of the best soundbars to match their impressive picture quality.

Winner: draw

Verdict

On a purely technical level, there’s no escaping the fact that the LG G5 is the more advanced TV.

It wins more of the individual rounds, delivers higher brightness, greater colour volume and a more striking design, and pushes OLED technology further than any LG model before it.

If you’re chasing outright performance and want to see what OLED can currently do at its limits (at least until the new 2026 models arrive), the G5 is hugely impressive.

But that isn’t the whole story.

The LG C5 may not hit the same extremes, but it gets close where it really matters. Its picture is vibrant, punchy and beautifully controlled, its feature set is comprehensive, and its gaming and smart credentials are every bit as strong as the flagship’s.

Crucially, it delivers that performance at a significantly lower price – and without the placement restrictions that come with the G5’s gallery-style design.

In day-to-day viewing, the gap between the two TVs is smaller than their spec sheets suggest. The G5’s extra brightness and colour headroom are undeniably impressive with the right material, but they only occasionally transform the experience to the extent that the price jump feels essential.

The C5, by contrast, feels like a TV that’s been tuned to perfection for real-world use, offering a level of performance that will satisfy almost everyone, almost all of the time.

So while the G5 is the more exciting technological showcase, the C5 is the smarter buy.

If you’re a committed enthusiast with the budget – and the desire – to chase the very best OLED performance LG can offer, the G5 is worth considering. For everyone else, the C5 remains the OLED TV we recommend most strongly.

Overall winner: LG C5

MORE:

Read our LG C5 review

LG 2025 OLED TV lineup: everything you need to know

Read our LG G5 review

Philips has saved the best for last with its 2024 OLED TV lineup. The OLED959 is the latest and most premium addition to the lineup, and it marks 20 years of Ambilight TV, so you know it's bound to be special. 

Sporting a 65-inch second-generation Micro Lens Array (MLA) OLED panel capable of reaching a claimed 3000 nits, this Philips is going toe-to-toe with the likes of the LG G4, Samsung S95D and Philips' own OLED909. It also supports all of the current mainstream HDR formats including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG. 

You may notice that we specified 65 inches, and that's because this TV only comes in one size. Philips has positioned OLED959 as a more premium and bespoke model compared to the other OLED models in its range, hence the built-in floor stand and discreet sound system – more on that in a moment. 

While that might make the OLED959 sound rather serious, this Philips set still features the premier suite of gaming features we've come to expect on high-end televisions. It features a maximum 144Hz refresh rate, though console gamers will likely find the 4K/120Hz with VRR and ALLM via its two HDMI 2.1 sockets to be more useful. It also supports Dolby Vision Gaming, which is admittedly a feature limited to select Xbox Series X games currently, but it's a nice feature to have nonetheless. 

As to be expected, the OLED959 is brimming with AI features – this is a 2024 TV after all. Philips' 8th Gen P5 AI Dual Engine powers the show here, with features such as Ambient Intelligence V3, a new AI Machine Learn Sharpness V2 system and a new Smart Bit Enhancement algorithm. 

Ambient Intelligence V3 can optimise HDR performance based on the ambient light in the viewing space; Philips says that this will ensure "exceptional HDR performance can be maintained in bright viewing conditions while maintaining the director’s creative intent in darker rooms".  It also enhances contrast in real-time to match the light output of the display to reduce clipping in bright scenes. 

The other AI features, AI Machine Learn Sharpness and Smart Bit Enhancement work in tandem to enhance detail and realism, with the latter system which reportedly "extends 8-bit video to near 14-bit precision". This will address visual artefacts in lower-resolution content without losing detail, according to Philips.

With AI out of the way, we can move on to the real stars of the show; Ambilight and the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, specifically. The OLED959 features an advanced four-sided Ambilight Plus system, which can more accurately project the image on the screen onto the wall behind your TV via the 192 lighting zones. Philips highlights the higher resolution and enhanced motion tracking, which will make this Ambilight system more accurate and dynamic than the one found on the OLED809 and OLED909. 

Moving onto sound, the built-in 5.1.2 B&W sound system is set to offer excellent sound in a discreet package. It features an impressive 18 drivers in total, with dedicated front, left and right channels comprised of dual 30 x 50mm midrange drivers, alongside B&W's signature titanium dome tweeter. Furthermore, there is an additional set of midrange drivers acting as side-firing left and right channels, as well as upward-firing elevation drivers for Dolby Atmos height effects. 

Finally, there is a rear-mounted 75mm subwoofer supported by two pairs of balanced 45 x 65mm passive radiators, though you can hook a subwoofer up directly to the OLED959 if you want deeper bass. This sound system is backed up by 12 channels of amplification with a total power rating of 102W; by TV standards this is a mighty impressive sounding system on paper.

While you do get a lot more in the way of design and features, there is quite a substantial price tag to consider. The Philips OLED959 is available to order now at Richer Sounds for £3999, which is a notably higher price than the five-star 65OLED809 (£2099) and four-star 65OLED909 (£2799).

MORE:

Read our full Philips OLED909 review

And our Philips OLED809 review

Check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

4K/120Hz gaming is becoming a commonplace feature in everything from premium OLED sets to mid-range LED TVs thanks to the standardisation of HDMI 2.1 and high refresh rate panels. The current generation of gaming consoles, namely the Xbox Series X and PS5, have also played a key part in this transition away from the 60Hz standard, but what comes next?

Samsung has answered this hypothetical by confirming that the QN900D, the company's flagship 8K Mini LED TV, now supports lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rates. While PC gaming fanatics will already be acquainted with this and even with higher refresh rates such as 360Hz on premium gaming monitors, this is a first for TVs. 

Samsung reportedly confirmed that the QN900D supports 240Hz signals at CES 2024 at both 1080p and 4K thanks to the inclusion of the unique NQ8 AI Gen3 processor (which isn't featured on the other 8K models in Samsung's 2024 lineup). 

There are, of course, some caveats to be made aware of. 240Hz signals will only be supported on high-end PC hardware, such as Nvidia's RTX 4090 graphics card, or Apple's higher-specced MacBook Pro and Mac Mini computers. That's because 240Hz signals over HDMI 2.1 require a system called Display Stream Compression (DSC) due to the signals requiring a higher bandwidth than 4K 120Hz.  

That means that the aforementioned game consoles won't be compatible, however, they are already capped at 4K/120Hz with a very select list of titles that even support that feature, so this is no great loss. Sony has just unveiled the PS5 Pro, though we don't anticipate that it will support the higher refresh rate either. 

Truthfully, even the top-of-the-range Nvidia graphics cards struggle to reach 240Hz at 4K in triple-A games with demanding graphical effects, however, less graphically intensive titles will certainly benefit from the higher frame rate. The benefits of 240Hz include greater responsiveness, reduced visual artefacts such as ghosting, and enhanced clarity in fast-paced games. 

MORE:

Read our full Samsung QN900D review

Check out our picks for the best 8K TVs

And here are the best gaming TVs

Sony has announced a new update coming to the PlayStation 5 that will introduce personalised spatial audio to the console. While the PS5 already supports the Tempest 3D audio system, this update will tailor the immersive audio experience to each individual's ears.

In a demo of the new UI that can be found here, Sony shows off the new step-by-step calibration system that will be added to the settings menu of the PS5 when this update is released in the coming months (no exact date has been set yet). The calibration settings involve test sounds being played through your headphones, with users then locating the direction of the sound using a three-dimensional audio bubble graphical interface. 

This new audio feature is expected to work across a variety of wired and wireless headsets, so you won't need one of Sony's own Pulse 3D PS5 headsets in order to take advantage of it. Furthermore, this is quite a big upgrade over the current spatial audio customisation settings, which only allow you to change the height level of sound effects. 

This personalised spatial audio system joins Dolby Atmos, which was also recently added to the PS5 in a software update. Sony's implementation of Dolby Atmos is more focused on using external HDMI eARC devices such as Dolby Atmos soundbars or AVRs, so this new headphone-based spatial audio system should benefit gamers who prefer to use gaming headsets.

MORE:

Read our full PlayStation 5 review

Team Sony or Team Microsoft? PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X

Here's how to get the best picture and sound from your PS5

BenQ has launched its latest pair of gaming-focused projectors, and these new models cater to the casual crowd. These projectors also feature a notable step up in light source technology over their predecessors, meaning they should "thrive in both light and dark rooms for enjoying movies and gaming", according to BenQ.

The TK710 and TK710STi are replacing the TK700 in BenQ's lineup and this year, lasers have been added into the mix. BenQ claims that the laser-enhanced light source will deliver 3200 ANSI lumens of brightness and feature an impressive 20,000-hour life span. They also feature a 4K resolution via pixel shifting, as well as support for HDR10. 

But these are gaming projectors first and foremost, so what gaming specifications does the TK710 offer? BenQ touts a low input lag of 16.7ms when gaming in 4K at 60Hz, though that drops further to 4.2ms when gaming in 1080p resolution at 240Hz; it's worth noting that these appear to be the same specs listed for the TK700 model, so this isn't necessarily an upgrade. BenQ does support dedicated HDR gaming modes for first-person shooter and role-playing games, however, meaning your favourite titles should look crisp and vivid on this projector.

While gaming specs seem decent on the surface, it's worth noting that neither of the two included HDMI sockets are rated at the HDMI 2.1 standard, meaning you won't have access to the latest VRR and ALLM features if you're using a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. There is support for HDMI ARC however, which will most likely be preferable than the single built-in 5W speaker.

The TK710 is a slightly larger unit, capable of delivering a 100-inch image at 2.5 metres, while the more compact TK710STi can beam a 100-inch image at 1.5 metres. BenQ is even throwing an Android TV-powered dongle into the box with the STi version for streaming content from various services including Netflix.

BenQ has priced these projectors competitively, with the TK710 retailing for £1349, while the TK710STi costs £1599. This puts them a few hundred pounds below the company's other, more serious gaming units, such as the BenQ X3000i. Both models are available now on BenQ's online retail website. 

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best projectors

And the best projector deals available now

Good news gamers, the Xbox cloud gaming app is coming to select Fire TV 4K sticks in July. 

This means Fire TV devices will soon be able to stream hundreds of cloud-enabled games directly through the Xbox app without needing a console. 

It will be arriving on the latest Fire TV sticks – Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) which cost £60 / $50 and £70 / £60 respectively – next month and will be available in over 25 countries including the UK and US.

Microsoft’s game-streaming service was previously exclusive to Samsung Smart TVs since 2022, so it’s great to see it coming to more brands. 

Only these two models of Fire TV Sticks have been confirmed so far, so we are waiting to see if the cloud gaming app will be coming to more Fire TV devices or any other TV brands soon. 

To access Xbox cloud gaming via their Fire TV Stick, users will need a compatible Bluetooth game controller (including non-Xbox options like the DualSense and DualShock 4) and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan, which currently costs £13 / $17 per month. The roster of games available to stream includes the likes of Starfield, Fallout 4, and Forza Horizon 5. It’s also available in HD resolution, although there isn’t support for 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos yet.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick range already represents excellent value and a convenient way to add streaming smarts to a TV or monitor. Now with access to Xbox gaming too, they’re an even stronger and more comprehensive option.

MORE:

Read the full Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K review

And our in-depth Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review

This week: celebrating Home Cinema Week on What Hi-Fi?

Philips has just announced that its 2024 OLED TVs have officially gone on sale, which can mean only one thing. That's right, the older models' prices are in free fall, so it's the perfect time to snag a bargain if you're not fussed about having the very latest model. 

Case in point we have the 55OLED708, Philips' entry-level OLED model from 2023. Originally priced at £1500, it can be yours currently for just £849 if you purchase it from John Lewis. The retailer has marked this TV as reduced to clear, which means that stock is probably dwindling, and with a scrumptious saving of £651, we don't expect it to stick around for much longer.

While this exact model hasn't graced our AV testing rooms, we did test the step-up model last year, with which this TV shares a lot of features and specs. The OLED808 was (and still is) an excellent TV, so considering the OLED708 shares some similar DNA, we're willing to bet this TV is also a strong performer.

This is a 4K OLED TV with HDR support; Philips is one of the special few manufacturers that supports all of the current formats including both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as HDR10 and HLG. As it's an OLED set, you also get deep inky blacks and supreme contrast thanks to the self-emissive display technology. 

It's also a 120Hz panel, meaning PS5 and Xbox Series X gamers can look forward to buttery smooth gameplay with VRR and ALLM further enhancing your gaming experience. HDMI 2.1 is, of course, required to access 4K/120Hz gaming with these features, and this TV has two of them, which is perfectly acceptable considering the price. Bear in mind that one of these sockets also serves the purpose of eARC, so be prepared to sacrifice some gaming performance if you have both current-generation consoles and a soundbar or AVR.

On the subject of sound, the OLED708 features a 2.0-channel sound system with four 10W speakers, totalling 40W of power overall. This TV supports both DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, plus the aforementioned eARC port, meaning you can always use some of the money you've saved to invest in a Dolby Atmos soundbar if you want to level up the audio performance.

As this is a Philips TV, there are a few Philips-specific features that you get access to on this model. It features the P5 Picture Perfect Engine which will adapt the picture with the power of AI to achieve "lifelike detail and contrast, rich colour and smooth motion", according to Philips. There is also the iconic Ambilight feature, which will create a lovely light show on the wall behind your TV that extends the picture past the borders of the screen – or you can set it to a static light which supposedly boosts perceived contrast if you'd prefer. You can also switch it off entirely if you dislike it, although we think Ambilight is a pretty great feature.

Rounding out the smart features on this set, it's running Google TV and supports a wide range of global streaming apps including Netflix, Apple TV, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video (as well as many more apps). There is a slight hitch for UK users as Freeview Play apps are missing, meaning there is no direct access to BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV X or Channel 5; however, this can be rectified by attaching an external media streamer.

At just £849, this OLED TV deal is an absolute steal. While we have seen a few stellar sales on the LG G2 and Samsung S90C recently, this sub £1000 OLED TV is easily one of the most appealing deals we've seen as of late. While the S90C deal we reported on recently is around £50 cheaper, this Philips offers Dolby Vision support. Ambilight and (in our opinion) the more intuitive Google TV operating system for a very close price. 

However, gamers may prefer the four HDMI 2.1 sockets of the Samsung, and we can't argue with the brightness-boosting qualities of QD-OLED. Either way, this Philips deal is certainly worth a look if you're looking for an excellent-value OLED TV, just don't miss out as stock is presumably limited. 

MORE:

Read our full Philips OLED908 review

Check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

As well as the best TV deals

Microsoft has announced a disc-less Xbox Series X Digital Edition, a Galaxy Black Special Edition Series X console, and a 'Robot White' Xbox Series S – all of which will hit shelves in "holiday 2024" (November or December, then).

At the annual Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, Xbox president Sarah Bond also teased that Microsoft was "hard at work" on a next-generation Xbox console.

The highly anticipated Xbox Series X Digital Edition mirrors the existing console's specification but ditches the disc drive, comes in a Robot White finish, and costs $450 – $50 less than the Series X's original RRP. Microsoft is yet to confirm other territory pricing, although we can expect figures of around £400 and AU$650.

That's good news for digital-first Xbox Game Pass gamers who are looking to upgrade to the Series X for less, although the standard Series X can currently be bagged for only $409 at Walmart. 

Previous rumours of a bold new cylindrical design, 2TB of internal storage and Wi-Fi 6E (for improved throughput latency and interference mitigation) are unfounded, though they could relate to the next-gen console Bond says is now in the works.

Next up is a 'Galaxy Black Special Edition' Series X with double the storage (2TB SSD) and a unique design whose silver, grey, and green celestial effect draws "inspiration from constellations and the spirit of exploration and adventure that outer space evoke". It comes with a matching controller that sports a 'Galaxy Black' D-pad and 'Velocity Green' back case and will be available in "limited quantities" for $600. Again, that should translate to approximately £500 and AU$950.

Last and, to be fair, probably least, Microsoft is also launching a 1TB Series S in Robot White, following the 1TB Carbon Black variant it launched last year to offer gamers more storage over the original 512GB Series S. That 2023 black model will only be available while supplies list, with the new white version arriving for $350 (roughly £300 and AU$550).

You can see each of the three consoles in more detail in Microsoft's teaser trailer on YouTube.

Pre-order information and territory pricing will come to light in "the coming months".

MORE:

Best gaming TVs 2024: the top sets for your PS5 and Xbox Series X tested

PS5 vs Xbox Series X: which is better?

Which is the best 4K Blu-ray player, PS5 or Xbox Series X?

Apple has just unveiled the new iPad Pro which, in a first for an Apple tablet, has an OLED display. Not just any OLED display, either, but a 'Tandem OLED' display that features two OLED panels sandwiched together for extra brightness. The company is claiming 1000 nits fullscreen brightness and 1600 nits peak brightness. Combined with the perfect blacks of OLED, that should make it an awesomely dynamic display.

Apple has a habit of producing superb screens, and there's every reason to believe this one will be its best yet. I just can't help thinking, as I have with many previous iPads, how cool it would be if the new Pro had an HDMI input into which I could connect a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Yes, I can see that incredulous look on your face, and I'm not even going to pretend this isn't a niche wish. To most, the idea of partnering a portable screen with a decidedly not-portable console is pure madness, but I'm not looking at this as an on-the-go solution, but as a once-I-get-there solution.

I travel a lot for work, and there have been plenty of occasions when I've wished I could take advantage of the time to myself by whiling away a few hours on whichever epic game I don't have time for in everyday life (I've still not finished Baldur's Gate 3, if you're wondering). Sure, I could plug my console into the hotel TV, but I'm a graphics snob, and have you seen the state of hotel TVs these days?

The existing iPad Pro is already like having a flagship TV in your bag, and the addition of OLED should only elevate that further. It should offer something very similar to the Panasonic OLED TV experience I have at home, but obviously on a much smaller scale. The OLED tech should make it super-responsive, too, as should the 120Hz refresh rate. It is, in theory, the ultimate portable gaming monitor, but without an HDMI socket, there's no opportunity to take proper advantage.

Sure, the iPad now has so-called 'console-grade' games such as Resident Evil Village, and Assassin's Creed Mirage is on the way, but that's a drop in the ocean of the PS5 and Xbox Series X game libraries.

So why not stream games via the Xbox or PlayStation cloud gaming services? Did I not mention that I'm a graphics snob? Cloud gaming is much lower resolution than native console gaming. It's laggy and often juddery, too, even with a great connection, and have you seen the state of hotel wi-fi these days?

I want a premium gaming experience wherever I am, and I'm prepared to cart a full-fat console across the country to get it. I draw the line at carting along an OLED TV, too, so it's a massive shame (at least to this nerd) that Apple has never produced – and probably never will produce – an iPad with an HDMI input.

MORE:

Here's everything you need to know about the new iPad Pro

These are the best tablets you can buy right now

And these are the best OLED TVs

TV spec upgrades are a little thin on the ground this year, but one new spec that is doing the rounds is support for 144Hz signals. A feature of the new LG C4 and G4, and Samsung models such as the S95D, QN95D and QN900D, this is an upgrade on the super-popular 4K/120Hz gaming spec. Exciting, right? Actually, only for a very limited number of people.

For those not in the know, 4K/120Hz gaming involves a console or PC outputting a game in 4K resolution at 120fps to a 4K display that can refresh 120 times per second. It results in a super-responsive, super-smooth experience that not only looks and feels great but can also give you a competitive advantage in fast-paced online games.

Upping the frame/refresh rate to 144Hz of course has the potential to improve this even further and, in fact, 144Hz monitors have been available for quite some time. The problem is that outputting games at higher frame rates requires more processing power from the console or PC, which is likely a key reason that no current console can handle 144Hz gaming.

There’s no real reason that a console couldn’t offer 144Hz gaming at resolutions below 4K so that someone could, for example, select to save processing power by dropping to 1080p so that it could be used to increase the frame rate to 144fps, and this is in fact what many PC gamers do when responsiveness matters more than fidelity. Console makers, though, tend to be more precious and controlling over how their platform’s games are presented, so either the PS5 or Xbox Series X offering such an option feels unlikely, particularly in the case of the PlayStation.

There is every chance that the rumoured PS5 Pro and/or an equivalent new Xbox will feature an increase from 4K/120Hz to 4K/144Hz – after all, there seems to be no appetite for increasing resolution beyond 4K – but we could equally be waiting for full, next-gen consoles before that upgrade materialises.

In the meantime, only hardcore PC gamers will be able to take advantage of the 144Hz support of this year’s best gaming TVs.

MORE:

Check out our full review of the 144Hz LG C4

And here's our Samsung S95D review

These are the very best TVs you can buy right now

TCL has unveiled its first TV for its 2024 European lineup, and it is a successor to an Award-winning model, so expectations are high. The TCL C855 replaces the C845, which earned the Chinese tech conglomerate a five-star review and the 'Best budget 55-inch and larger TV' title last year. So what does this updated 2024 model have to offer? The early signs are looking good. 

As was the case with the previous model, this is another Mini LED backlit TV with quantum dots, although there are a handful of impressive upgrades this year. TCL has massively increased the number of dimming zones on the C855 compared to last year's model and brightness has been boosted too. Here's how the C855 compares to the C845:

The increased volume of dimming zones should improve picture accuracy and contrast, and reduce halo and blooming effects from lights on predominantly dark backgrounds (something we did notice on the predecessor in specific scenes). Brightness also gets a boost, as last year's model reached a claimed 2000 nits peak brightness; the C855, in comparison, is suspected to reach 3500 nits peak brightness – that's quite the improvement.

Elsewhere, the C855 appears to carry across many of the core features and specs of the C845. This includes the two HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of 4K/120Hz gaming or up to 144Hz VRR gaming with supported sources. It also supports AMD Freesync Premium Pro if you plan on using this as a super-sized PC monitor. Dolby Vision is also supported up to 120Hz, which alludes to Dolby Vision Gaming support for the Xbox Series X. 

It'll also use the Google TV platform with Chromecast built-in, and support for Dolby Vision HDR and IMAX Enhanced picture modes. Audio should also be impressive on this TV, with a 2.2.2-channel Onkyo-branded speaker system and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for external audio devices that can handle it such as soundbars and AVRs. The C845 scored the full five marks in the sound section of our review, so expectations are high. 

TCL is also updating the design slightly for 2024, with a grid-style back panel, slightly skinnier bezels and a slimmer build overall. The centralised pedestal stand remains on the 55- and 65-inch models, while the 85- and 98-inch variants use a pair of blade-style feet at either end frame. It's set to go on sale soon in Europe, and TCL has already launched the new model on its official website.

MORE:

Should you buy a TCL TV?: here's what we think

Check out our picks for the best TVs

And find the best TV deals here

Amazon has launched its Spring Deal Days savings event, and while it might be a great time to grab a new pair of wireless headphones or a soundbar, the OLED TV deals leave something to be desired. 

While there are plenty of models on sale, we've found that other retailers are offering competitive deals that can save you even more money. Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks both have hefty discounts running on top-notch OLED TVs right now, and we've taken the liberty of rounding up those very deals.

LG G2

We know the G2 isn't LG's newest, flashiest model, but at this price, it's a mighty tempting OLED TV. Packed with features and picture performance aplenty, the G2 is probably the best-value OLED TV on the market right now; as long as you don't care about having the latest model number.

In our review of the 65-inch model back in 2022, we praised its improved brightness and punchy colours, as well as its updated gallery design; and we have it on good authority that the 55-inch model should provide a similar experience. 

This TV is also a haven for console gamers, thanks to its four full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, 4K/120Hz support and support for Dolby Vision Gaming on the Xbox Series X. LG's Game Optimiser menu is also present here, which is still one of the best game mode menus on the market. 

Its original RRP was £2399 back in 2022, but the 55-inch LG G2 can now be yours for just £899 if you purchase through Richer Sounds and use code LG10PERCENT at checkout. For reference, Amazon currently has this TV for sale at £949.

LG C3

The LG C3 OLED TV is still the best all-rounder for most people thanks to its comprehensive feature set and impressive picture performance. We felt that it was a little bit too pricey at launch, with very few upgrades over its predecessor; but at this price, it's a much easier sell.

We complimented its "balanced, authentic picture quality" and "flawless gaming spec" (4K/120Hz, four HDMI 2.1 ports, VRR and ALLM) in our review, which is why it earns our recommendation. It supports a host of HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, as well as Dolby Atmos audio; practically everything you could need is on board. 

While we were hesitant to recommend the C3 at its launch price of £2899, this deal brings the price down to £1439. Just make sure you sign up for Sevenoaks' Rewards scheme and use code GD10PC for a combined savings of £1560. For reference, Amazon is currently selling the 65-inch LG C3 OLED TV for £1599. 

Sony A80L

We've made no secret of how much we adore the Sony A80L OLED TV, as we awarded it the prestigious Product of the Year Award last year. In a year with fierce competition from Micro Lens Array and QD-OLED TVs, the Sony A80L proved that standard 'WOLED' still has plenty to offer.

It features excellent contrast and a natural, balanced image that dazzles. While it isn't as bright as its next-generation OLED competitors, its picture performance is more than worthy of its Award-winning title. It's also an ideal pick for gamers thanks to its 4K/120Hz capabilities, and while we would have preferred four HDMI 2.1 sockets, two will suffice for most users.

We reviewed this set at £2399, however, you can find it for £1399 on Sevenoaks via its free Rewards membership programme; which is £100 cheaper than Amazon's current sale price.  

Sony A95L

Sony's flagship OLED TV for 2023 is an absolute stunner as it pushes the boundaries of QD-OLED screen technology. The A95L QD-OLED TV is a winner on practically all fronts, thanks to its exceptional colour, contrast and detail. Its built-in speaker system is also good, which is a rarity on the majority of super-slim OLED TVs that come through our TV and AV test room. 

Once again it features a plethora of gaming features such as HDMI 2.1 (only two of the four ports are this spec), VRR and ALLM. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, as well as a much-improved stand compared to its predecessor. 

Amazon is currently selling this TV for £2499, but you can save yourself an additional £200 if you purchase via Sevenoaks' Rewards membership or Richer Sounds' VIP membership schemes. 

Samsung S95C

Samsung's flagship QD-OLED TV for 2023 was nothing short of a technical marvel, and while the S95D is about to supplant it, we reckon it's still worth a look if you're after a TV that packs a punch. While we can't give this TV points for subtlety, its dazzling brightness, rich colours and impressive contrast make up for that.

As is the case with the other TVs on this list, it is also well equipped for console gaming with four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets that support 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM. What you won't find, however, is Dolby Vision, as Samsung opts for HDR10+ on its sets instead.

We reviewed this model at the launch price of £3599, but Richer Sounds has it on sale for a fraction of that at just £1799, while Amazon is selling it for £1819. Don't forget to add code SAMSUNG10PERCENT at checkout for the best price.

Philips OLED808

Philips was late to the OLED TV party in 2023, but the wait was certainly worth it. When we tested the OLED808, we appreciated its dynamism, balance and clarity, as well as its impressive sound by TV standards. 

As is the case with the other TVs on this list, you get 4K/120Hz support, VRR and ALLM for next-generation console gaming. Dolby Vision is also supported, as is Dolby Atmos for immersive audio. This is a Philips TV, of course, so Ambilight is here to create a light show alongside whatever you're watching on screen.

We reviewed it at £1399, but Richer Sounds is already knocking £150 off the price – no membership or code required. We're cheating slightly here as the Philips OLED808 isn't available on Amazon, but it's still a great OLED TV at a discounted price.

MORE:

We've found 6 big hi-fi bargains you won't find in Amazon's Spring Day Deals

As well as the best Amazon Spring Deal Days offers

Check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

The Amazon Spring Deal Days event is now underway, so we'll be covering all the best hi-fi and AV discounts over the next five days!

If you’re on the hunt for an OLED TV there’s no need to wait, with the 65-inch 2023 LG B3 currently down to just £1219, its lowest price yet. If that screen size is too large though, the 55-inch version of the B3 has also had a nice drop in price, now available for £899. But don't delay, there are only about ten models of each size left for order! 

The LG B3 was released back in April 2023. The 65-inch variant launched at £2699 and has seen some significant price drops over the last few months. This most recent price slash brings the launch price down by over 50 per cent – that’s a solid discount on a 4K OLED TV released less than a year ago. 

We haven’t tested out LG’s B3, however, the 65-inch C3 received a four-star review while the 65-inch G3 model earned a five-star rating. We praised both for their natural, balanced picture but lamented the price hike from LG’s C2 to C3.

The C3 received a couple of price drops since we reviewed it, which remedied the main issue somewhat. However, it’s also worth noting that the B3 is still cheaper, sitting £250 below the 65-inch C3 which is currently priced at £1458.

The B3 features LG’s ‘a7 AI Processor 4K Gen6’ picture processor and supports HDR formats including HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. There’s also 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM on board which is great if you're a PS5 or Xbox Series X user.

On the audio side, there’s Dolby Atmos support and LG's AI Sound Pro feature, which aims to virtually mix audio to create the effect of a 5.1.2 surround speaker system.

LG’s B3 features four HDMI ports with two specified as HDMI 2.1 connections. Port three handles eARC connections for soundbars and other audio gear. 

Are you looking for the best deal on a 2023 LG OLED TV? Perhaps these B3 discounts are just what you're after! 

MORE: 

Read our full reviews on the LG C3 and G3 TVs

Amazon Spring Deal Days 2024: best early deals on hi-fi, TVs, headphones and more

LG 2023 OLED TV lineup: everything you need to know

Best OLED TV 2023: the latest and greatest models, rated and ranked

An AV launch at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show? Optoma has made use of the gathered congregation of hi-fi heavyweights to debut a new 4K projector, and it's packed with smart features. The UHZ55 joins the UHZ66 (we sense a pattern) in the projector company's current lineup of 4K beamers, and it's making a strong first impression. 

Optoma is touting "true 4K" resolution on this unit, although we presume that's achieved with pixel shifting, as hinted at by the price (more on that later). It's also set to include HDR support via the HDR10 and HLG formats. The big selling point of this projector's picture is the 3000 lumens of brightness and 2,500,000:1 contrast ratio, which means you'll be able to watch it comfortably with the lights on, or so Optoma says. That being said, Optoma did confirm that this projector is destined for home cinema set-ups more than casual lounge environments.

You'll find three HDMI 2.0 sockets for hooking up a Blu-ray player, with one port designated as an eARC socket for connecting audio equipment (Dolby Atmos soundbar or AVR). You can certainly hook up a PS5 or Xbox Series X, but you won't find the latest 4K/120Hz gaming features. No word has been given on ALLM or VRR, but Optoma has been kind enough to include an enhanced gaming mode with a reduced 4.2ms input lag and 4K/60Hz or 1080p/240Hz picture modes. 

If you don't fancy cluttering up your set-up with a dedicated disc player, then you'll be pleased to find a built-in streaming module based on Android. Optoma mentions a Marketplace app for downloading streaming apps; Netflix is even included which is a rarity with built-in streaming platforms on projectors such as these. If cutting cables is your plan then you'll also be pleased to find it's WiSA HT Certified, meaning this projector will play nice with similarly certified wireless audio devices. 

Rounding out the smart wireless features is voice assistant functionality. The UHZ55 is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, providing you have a suitable Echo or Nest speaker (respectively) to connect to the device.

As for the light source, Optoma has made use of Texas Instruments’ DLP technology and Optoma’s DuraCore laser technology, allegedly ensuring up to 30,000 hours of maintenance-free use. Optoma also touts easy installation with this unit if you plan on ceiling-mounting it. 

The Optoma UHZ55 is expected to launch in March for £2000 (around $2540 / AU$3860). 

MORE:

Read our full Optoma UHD55 review

Check out our picks for the best projectors 

As well as the best home cinema deals

UPDATE 21/02/2024: Xbox boss Phil Spencer has clarified the company's approach towards physical media on future Xbox consoles, and thankfully it sounds like good news. In an interview with Game File's Stephen Totilo, Spencer stated that the company's future doesn't “hinge on people moving all-digital.”

Spencer affirms that Xbox will "follow what the customers are doing", adding that it'll respond to the demands proportionately. He noted that a large proportion of customers still buy physical disc version of games, and in response to that Xbox will continue to support physical media, but won't push it further than the market demands. 

So does this mean the new Xbox that Microsoft has hinted at won't ditch the disc drive? We're not sure yet, although Phil Spencer has since confirmed that leaks that sprung up last year have all undergone various changes as development continues. 

ORIGINAL STORY 16/02/2024: Remember last year when Microsoft suffered an information leak that unearthed two new Xbox models? It looks like those leaks and rumours could be coming to fruition, as Microsoft has teased a future Xbox model that is set to feature the "largest technical leap" yet.

Confirmation that Microsoft is working on a powerful next-generation console came during the most recent edition of its Official Xbox Podcast, in which it also confirmed that exclusive titles from the Xbox games catalogue will also come to PS5 and Nintendo Switch. 

Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed new hardware is on the way, with further announcements expected "this holiday" (we presume this means the end of the year). Bond also stated that Microsoft is "invested in the next-generation roadmap", in which it will deliver "the largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation".

If this is a nod towards the leaked consoles that surfaced in September of last year, then we have some concerns. The Xbox Series X refresh that we caught sight of featured a controversial change by dropping the disc drive, meaning that (hypothetically) you'll only be able to play games and watch content via digital versions or streaming services.

The Xbox Series S is also set to get a refresh, although it looks to be a spec bump with upgraded ports, a new wi-fi module and an upgrade to 1TB of storage. Ultimately, it probably will not feature a 4K Blu-ray disc drive either, as is the case with the current Xbox Series S model. This means that the likelihood that you'll be able to use your 4K Blu-Ray movie discs on either of these new models is very slim.

We're unsure of what the new Xbox models will feature in terms of AV features, however going off the very well-specced current-gen consoles, we can begin to make some speculations. HDMI 2.1 for 4K/120Hz gaming is a given, with support for VRR and ALLM expected too. Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Vision Gaming and Dolby Atmos are also featured on the current Xbox models, so we'd be surprised to see these features not make their return on the upcoming model.

With LG, Samsung and Panasonic announcing that their respective G4, S95D and Z95A OLED TVs will feature a new, higher 144Hz maximum frame rate, could we see this new Xbox support it? Only time will tell, as the leaked documents that hint at this new console reference a 2028 launch. As for now, we're just clutching onto our 4K Blu-rays while we still can. 

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best gaming TVs

As well as the best TVs overall

And the best TV deals

Denon's new AV amplifier, the AVC-X6800H, is set for sale in the UK and Europe during mid-February 2024.

The new amp looks to enter as Denon's third-from-top AV amp, below the A1H and the X8500HA.

The AVC-X6800H features 11.4 channels with 11 x 205 watts of amplification. It will also retain features from the preceding model, such as the premium MultEQ XT32 suite of Audyssey room-correction software, and support for immersive audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro-3D. It also offers DTS Neural:X and Auro-Matic upmixer, designed to optimise older content.

Denon's new AV amp supports a range of HDR formats such as Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dynamic HDR. There's also eARC connectivity on one of the HDMI ports.

For those of you out there with an 8K TV, all seven HDMI inputs and two of the outputs support 8K pass-through as well as 8K upscaling of 4K content.

The AVC-X6800H also features HEOS built-in, which allows compatible hardware throughout your home to communicate and wirelessly stream audio in multiple rooms.

For those looking to integrate this unit into a wider setup, the X6800H can be set to Pre-Amplifier mode, which disconnects the internal amplifier and is said to give a cleaner signal path and allow for more tolerance in the clipping level. You can also disconnect select speaker channels and use external amplification to drive the channels of your choosing. 

Next-generation gaming features such as VRR (variable refresh rate), QFT (quick frame transport), and ALLM (auto low-latency mode) are supported with this amp, meaning any PS5 or Xbox Series X consoles will display visuals smoothly and with a clean frame rate.  

The AVC-X6800H AV amplifier will be available through authorised Denon retailers for £3000 / €3500 next month. 

MORE:

Whatever happened to the budget stereo amplifier market?

Best AV receivers 2024: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested

Considering getting your hands on a massive TV? Well, Hisense’s 100-inch Mini LED U7K TV has had its price slashed by £1500.

Now at its lowest price ever, the 100-inch U7K is down to £3489 on Amazon. Still, a fair sum by any means, but the hefty 30 per cent discount could go a long way depending on your budget. As panels get larger, so do their prices, meaning we’re keen to catch any fresh discounts.

We liked the 65-inch version of the U7K and while you can’t guarantee the quality will scale up perfectly to the 100-inch model, this deal could be worth a look. Especially if you either simply want a massive TV, or are put off by projectors and their lack of gaming or smart features.

In terms of specifications, the U7K uses a Mini LED panel with Quantum Dot Colour technology which provides bright punchy colours, based on our testing. It features a Game Pro Mode, offering VRR and ALLM at 144Hz, perfect if you’re planning on hooking up a PS5 or Xbox Series X. It also supports Dolby Atmos immersive audio along with a range of HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG.

The U7K offers plenty of connectivity options, with Bluetooth and AirPlay capabilities on board. There are also four HDMI ports, which should be plenty for most set-ups. All four ports support 4K video and one is dedicated to handling eARC connections.

It would be fair to think that the world of TVs is moving towards an OLED-based panel future, especially with the rise of MLA technology. However, Mini LED screens offer high brightness and good contrast at a competitive price meaning they aren’t going away any time soon.

MORE:

Read our full Hisense U7K (65U7KQ) review

Mini LED TV: everything you need to know about OLED TV's premium rival

We don’t imagine there are too many of you out there who will be buying a TV system exclusively to indulge your passion for FC 24 or the latest incarnation of CoD; for most buyers, a good gaming system needs to shine with TV and movies as well as competitive pastimes.

Nevertheless, there are one or two key strengths that a good gaming system simply must possess – which is why we have chosen this particular quartet to kick off our selection of top AV systems.

The system

• TV: LG OLED42C3 (£999 / $900 / AU$1695)
• Soundbar: Sonos Beam Gen 2 (£499 / $499 / AU$629)
• Console 1: Sony PlayStation 5 (£459 / $500 / AU$799)
• Console 2: Xbox Series X (£379 / $420 / AU$649)
• Total system price: £2336 / $2319 / AU$3772

TV: LG OLED42C3

Let’s start with that most important ingredient of all – the TV. While LG has this year made much of its G3 range – the world’s first MLA OLED screen – the C3 has quietly bagged our 2023 Award for the Best 40-43in TV, not least because it is terrific value for money. Its retail price alone should turn heads but recent healthy discounts have made it a real prize.

Crucial for a serious gaming TV, the LG has four HDMI 2.1 sockets, all rated to the full bandwidth of 48Gbps, and all capable of handling the 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM signals that are output by its console partners here, the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Plenty of tellies can handle these gaming features, but most can only do so via two HDMI sockets, one of which often has to fulfil eARC output duties.

The real headline here is that LG’s TVs combine this array of four HDMI 2.1 sockets with support for Dolby Vision gaming at up to 4K/120Hz, which is still a real rarity in the TV world and is great for Xbox Series X gamers. The C3 also includes a particularly good execution of HGiG, an agreed industry standard for the implementation of HDR in gaming. This essentially makes it easy to get good tone mapping in many modern games.

Fulfilling our brief to also excel with TV and movies, the C3’s operating system is crammed full of content, all of it easy to access and smooth-functioning. You couldn’t reasonably wish for a broader spread of streaming apps, and all the content that should be presented in 4K, Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos, is.

The LG might seem small against many of today’s leading screens, but this gives it the advantage of a higher pixel density, and that means pin-sharp images. In fact, the OLED42C3’s picture delivery actually makes its 65-inch sibling look a touch hazy. In addition, this TV’s image presentation is wonderfully dynamic and punchy, as well as being particularly subtle and natural with colours; all of which helps make games seem more realistic and immersive. Just remember to adjust the motion processing to your taste though – this is one area where LG still can’t quite match Sony’s mastery. Our recommendation would be to start with the Cinematic Movement option and compare that with the other processing options available.

We can’t pretend this 42-inch version of the C3 delivers much to get excited about when it comes to sound, but that couldn’t matter less in this context, as the excellent Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is on hand to take the sonic reins.

Soundbar: Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

When it comes to breaking into the big time, Sonos cracked the sound barrier long ago. Where it has really excelled though, is in keeping its product line fresh with constant updates and new models. And the Beam (Gen 2) is a good example. We liked it enough to say, in our original review, that “While sequels often pale in comparison to their predecessors, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 joins the ranks of The Dark Knight, The Godfather Part II and The Empire Strikes Back as not only a worthy successor but better than its predecessor in every way. That's no small claim, as the first-generation Beam captured our hearts back in 2018 and was adorned with What Hi-Fi? Awards up until this new version launched.”

And we haven’t changed our minds. Key to the Beam’s success is the inclusion of Dolby Atmos, and it really is quite a revelation – despite not having any dedicated upward-firing speakers among its roster of five drivers. Genuinely located overhead sounds are, admittedly, slightly out of the Beam’s reach, but there is more to Dolby Atmos than aeroplanes and helicopters, and the Gen 2 handles this format better than any other comparably priced soundbar. We would even go as far as saying that the Beam does a better job with it than many more expensive soundbars with upward-facing drivers.

When listening to Atmos films with the Beam Gen 2 there's tangible motion, depth and space, which heightens the drama and sense of immersion. And, of course, that same sense of drama is present when you are gaming, as the Beam’s skill with space and dynamics comes to the fore to render effects with punch and accuracy.

Not many soundbars at this price point come with networking capabilities, but the Beam Gen 2’s ability to integrate into a wireless multiroom system – as you would expect from a Sonos product – is fundamental to its design. Although you can control the volume via your TV remote, you will need the slick and user-friendly Sonos S2 app to connect the Beam to other Sonos products.

Housed at the rear in the ‘cable cove’ are sockets for power, ethernet and HDMI eARC as well as a connect/reset push button, while the top surface carries touch-sensitive buttons, LEDs and mics for voice control of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Spotify Connect is built in as well.

Consoles: Sony PS5 and Xbox Series X

And so to the console. Or, rather, consoles. Anyone who knows the first thing about gaming also knows that there are only really two players in this game; Sony’s PlayStation, currently in its fifth iteration, and the Microsoft Xbox, here in its latest, flagship Series X guise. And anyone serious enough about gaming to build an AV system around it will know that, with many titles only available on one or the other of the two devices, the only way to be sure you can access the games that you want is to have both models at your disposal.

Both are available without an optical disc-drive, but in each case we feel the compromises are not worth the cash saving, and so are including the full-fat versions here.

Measuring 39 x 10 x 26cm, the PS5 is huge – so big that it makes the Xbox Series X (which itself has considerable bulk) look positively compact. As long as you’ve got space for it though, any worries about its size will surely vanish once you start using its satisfyingly responsive DualSense controller. It’s a massive step up from its DualShock predecessor, and is packed with technology that helps immerse you in the games you play in new and inventive ways, including by providing haptic feedback as well as resistance in the triggers.

Being older tech, the Xbox’s controller can’t match that level of sophistication, but it is still a hugely capable device, helped by effective Dynamic Latency Input (DLI) that is designed to immediately synchronise each controller input with what you see on your screen.

Both the PS5 and Xbox have 8-core CPUs from AMD, but the Xbox’s are clocked at 3.8GHz while the PS5’s are 3.5GHz. Both consoles also use AMD graphics processors, the Xbox’s providing 12 teraflops of power against the PS5’s 10.28 teraflops.

Both consoles offer plenty of streaming apps, from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, to Apple TV, Disney+ and YouTube. In the UK, both launched without BBC iPlayer, although Microsoft soon brought it to the Xbox consoles and Sony followed suit.

When it comes down to gaming performance, both consoles deliver a super-solid 4K/60Hz experience and some games are available in even more responsive 4K/120Hz. VRR and ALLM are supported by both consoles, too, and the Xbox supports gaming in Dolby Vision as well as the standard HDR10 offered by the PS5.

In performance terms, there's very little between the PS5 and XSX, so if you are choosing between the two it makes the most sense to go for the one that your friends already own so that you can play together online.

The respective game subscription services should be considered too, though, and here the Xbox Series X comes out on top: Xbox Game Pass is an extraordinarily good deal that gives you access to every first-party Xbox game (even those that are brand new) and loads of third-party games for a very reasonable monthly cost. PlayStation's equivalent, PS Plus Extra, is similar but less overflowing with games and doesn't grant access to first-party blockbusters until they have been out for a while.

Of course, a really serious gamer will want to cover all of the bases, which is why we have included both consoles in this dedicated gaming system. There's an option to add a Nintendo Switch or gaming PC via the last remaining HDMI socket, too...

Just last week we reported on the latest tvOS 17.2 update that's released on the Apple TV 4K (2022) streamer, bringing a new look to the Apple TV app. Since then, Apple has confirmed that the redesigned app will carry across to many more platforms, including supported TVs, streaming sticks and boxes, and gaming consoles. 

The big changes we can expect across this new app update for third-party devices are the new sidebar navigation menu, profile selection and redesigned home screen. We also expect to see the new Apple movies and TV store be included, which has just replaced iTunes on the Apple TV 4K. This will allow users to purchase or rent content through Apple's service in up to 4K Dolby Vision HDR.

However, we don't expect all of the features seen in the last Apple TV update to be present in this new version of the update. Some of the third-party streaming integration could be limited, as Apple won't have as much control over other companies' smart platforms as it does over its own tvOS platform. We also don't expect to see this update come to the simplified Apple TV+ app, which just includes access to Apple's streaming library and is designed for older hardware. We'll be keeping an eye out for this new update to launch, so expect more specific details in the near future. 

Apple hasn't given any official word as to when we can expect this update to roll out fully, however, it likely depends on the manufacturers being cooperative and will vary depending on the platform. Speaking of platforms, we can expect to see this update come to Amazon, Roku and Google streaming devices, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and TVs from practically all notable manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Hisense and more. 

MORE:

Read our full Apple TV 4K (2022) review

And our full Apple TV+ review

Check out our picks for the best media streamers

The price of this 98-inch TCL TV has plummeted to its lowest ever thanks to this amazing Black Friday deal.

Specifically, the TCL 98P745 4K is available for an incredibly low £1999 at Peter Tyson, a huge £1000 saving on its regular price.

We haven’t reviewed this TV yet, but we’d recommend any buyer on the hunt for the biggest TV possible this Black Friday consider the deal for a couple of reasons.

First, because we don’t often see 98-inch TVs sell for this little. To put it in context, the only other big deal on a 98-inch TV we’ve seen is on the Samsung QN90A, which is currently selling for £6000 at Samsung. That’s a £2000 discount sure, but still a lot of money by any standard.

Second, because, as you’ll see if you jump over to our “should you buy a TCL TV?” guide, the company has been on something of a hot streak recently.

The TCL C845K was a surprise hit when it landed in our test rooms earlier this year, proving to be one of the best TVs you could get for £1000. It even won a What Hi-Fi? 2023 Award thanks to its stellar (for the money) picture quality and healthy portfolio of gaming features – nearly all of which feature on the TCL 98P745 as well.

Highlights include HDMI 2.1 connectivity, which can accommodate 4K/120Hz gaming for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners (and 144Hz for PC) and ALLM alongside the dedicated gaming mode, which aims to further reduce latency.

HDR support is also great, as it supports Dolby Vision (including for gaming) and HDR10+ as well as the usual HDR10 and HLG.

This is why we’re willing to suggest this deal to any buyer dead set on getting a 98-inch TV this Black Friday.

Our only caveat is that we can’t attest to its picture quality on a personal level until we get it in for testing. On top of that, buyers should be aware that it features an LCD panel, so it definitely won’t match an OLED TV’s deep inky blacks.

This is why if you’re not dead set on needing 98-inches of screen real estate we’d recommend jumping over to our best Black Friday TV deals guide. There you can see our team of experts’ curated picks of the best discounts currently doing the rounds on sets we’ve tested.

We’ve already seen a load of great savings that let you grab great sets including the 65-inch LG G3, Samsung S95C, and Sony A80L for a similar price.

MORE:

These are the best TVs we’ve tested

Don’t forget about audio! These are the best Black Friday soundbar deals we’ve spotted

Check out our picks of the best OLED TVs

The PS5 has finally had a discount worth paying attention to this Black Friday. If you've been holding out on upgrading to the next generation console, or perhaps you're team Xbox and are curious to see what's happening on Sony's side, this is your best bet at getting a decent deal on the PS5.

Usually retailing for £480, EE still has the PS5 at the lowest price we've seen since its launch; although this is somewhat of a loaded statement as the PS5 has increased in price since then. Originally retailing for £450, Sony has since raised the price to £480 where it has remained since. 

Now, thanks to an early kick-off for Black Friday, you can scoop up the disc-drive-equipped PS5 for £379 at EE - a saving of £101. We're especially pleased to see it's the version that includes the disc drive, as this model can double up as a gaming machine and a 4K Blu-ray player.

Sony's next-generation console had a rocky start back in 2020, with supply issues and a lack of notable titles plaguing the system at launch. However, three years on these issues have been ironed out, with abundant stock and loads of excellent titles such as Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Horizon: Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok.

It's also had a few technical upgrades along the way too. Notably, Sony has since updated the PS5 to output at Quad HD (1440p) for those with monitors or TVs that support the resolution, as well as a huge audio upgrade that it released just a few weeks ago. The PS5 is finally capable of system-wide Dolby Atmos support, meaning you can play games and watch movies using the immersive audio format over supported HDMI eARC devices such as Dolby Atmos soundbars. 

This model notably includes a disc drive, meaning you can use physical media for games and movies, 4K Blu-rays to be exact for the latter. There is also a model that is digital only, although it doesn't seem to be on sale - this could be due to the impending new model that can be equipped with a detachable disc drive. That new model is expected to perform the same as the current PS5 so don't worry about getting an inferior version if you spring for a new console now. You'll also get access to a range of streaming services on the PS5, including Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, as well as region-dependent services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. 

So will you be taking the plunge into next-generation gaming? If you do, make sure you have a top-notch gaming TV to plug it into, as this generation is all about 4K/120Hz.

MORE:

Check out the best Black Friday deals 

Alongside the best Black Friday TV deals

And read our full Sony PlayStation 5 review

Sony has produced two of the very best TVs of 2023 in the form of the A80L mid-range OLED and A95L flagship QD-OLED. Both TVs produce stunning picture quality and much better sound than the vast majority of televisions, and while the best gaming TVs are still produced by rival LG, the A80L and A95L are comfortably the best gaming TVs that Sony has produced in recent years.

However, you won’t get the best HDR gaming experience by simply sticking with the default settings. That’s because HDR Tone Mapping is on by default, and this makes HDR games overly bright and also makes it impossible to accurately use the HDR calibration tools of the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and even a PC.

“But wait, I’m a PS5 gamer – aren’t these settings all done for me?” I hear you ask. Sorry to break it to you but this particular element of Sony’s so-called ‘Perfect for PS5’ feature set, which sees console HDR configured automatically when the PS5 recognises the Sony TV to which it’s connected, isn’t very accurate and results in an overly bright delivery – only slightly so in the case of the A95L but significantly so in the case of the A80L. So yes, even you should make this little bit of extra effort.

The problem

As mentioned, HDR Tone Mapping is switched on by default on the A80L and A95L, even when in Game mode. This will artificially brighten highlights in HDR, giving games a blown-out, over-exposed appearance.

Using the PS5’s or Xbox’s HDR calibration feature won’t help either, as the active HDR Tone Mapping makes it impossible to get an accurate result. If you follow the instructions given by the console, you’ll end up setting peak brightness far too high, resulting in an even more blown-out, over-exposed delivery.

The solution

The basic solution is a really easy one: turn off HDR Tone Mapping in the Sony TV’s menus – you’ll find it in the ‘Brightness’ sub-menu of the ‘Picture’ section, as seen in the above picture on the A95L (the A80L's menus look slightly different but are broadly the same).

You can then perform the Adjust HDR adjustments on the PS5 and/or HDR Game Calibration on the Xbox Series X/S.

Whichever console you’re using, you’ll find there are two calibration screens involving a white window, and one with a black window. For the white windows you want the sun (in the case of the PS5) or checkerboard pattern (in the case of an Xbox) to just disappear – the single click up (PS5) or to the right (Xbox) that makes the symbol disappear and the window turn completely white is the one to stop on. For the step with the black window, you simply click all the way down (PS5) or all the way to the left (Xbox) – this ensures that black is really black.

It is worth noting that while a lot of games now use this console-level HDR calibration, there are quite a few that still don’t, so it’s always worth also digging into the settings of the specific game you’re playing to see if there’s a dedicated HDR calibration option in there. If there is, use it and simply follow the instructions. If there isn’t, you can be pretty sure that it’s using the console’s global HDR settings that you’ve already calibrated – assuming it is an HDR game that you’re playing.

One last step to make game HDR even better

While switching off HDR Tone Mapping (and following the above instructions) will get you a very good and accurate HDR performance overall, there is some minor inconsistency in the way the Sony A80L and A95L handle mid-tones when they’re set up this way. This is so minor that most people will never notice it, but if you want the very best, most accurate HDR performance, once you’ve followed the steps above you should change the TV’s HDR Tone Mapping setting back to ‘Gradation Preferred’. This will retain the peak brightness settings you’ve implemented but will also sort out that slight mid-tone inconsistency.

And there you have it: essentially perfect HDR gaming on your 2023 Sony OLED TV.

MORE:

Here's the full Sony A80L review

And here's the full Sony A95L review

These are the best TVs you can buy right now

Unreal Engine, the framework many popular console, PC and mobile games are built on, has introduced new options for developers to include support for the latest HDR formats and Dolby Atmos immersive audio on mobile platforms. 

While HDR gaming isn't anything new, the update means Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are about to become a lot more common in upcoming video games. 

Up until now, developers have mostly been limited to HDR10. Only a handful of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S games support Dolby Vision ,like Halo Infinite and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. 

This list can now be massively expanded now that Dolby has introduced Atmos and Vision plugins. The expansion means games built on this platform will be able to take advantage of more immersive directional audio, as well as bolder contrast and more vivid colours. 

Some notable titles built on the Unreal Engine include Fortnite, Gears 4 and Borderlands 3. 

Wider Dolby Vision HDR support will be exclusive to the Xbox and PC games running on Windows 10 or later. However, Dolby Atmos is coming to the last generation Xbox One and to Android phone games thanks to the new plugin, meaning immersive audio is coming to gamers on more platforms than ever before. 

Dobly is one of many companies expanding its HDR support for games. Samsung's HDR10+ Technologies group has announced a similar integration with Unreal Engine with a plugin for game developers to take advantage of the format. It will support VRR, 120Hz and automatic calibration between the game and the TV display. 

The first game to support HDR10+ on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be The First Descendant which is games support Dolby Vision like y next year. 

Unfortunately for PS5 gamers, none of these benefits will be gracing the Sony console, which currently only supports HDR10. There is no word as to whether HDR10+ or Dolby Vision support could be added later down the line, but that has been the case with a Dolby Atmos update, so never say never. 

MORE:

Read our full Xbox Series X review

As well as the best Xbox Series X games for sound and picture

Are you team Sony or team Microsoft? PS5 vs Xbox Series X

After heavy speculation and plenty of leaks, Sony has finally unveiled its refreshed PS5 design. As anticipated, it's slimmer, lighter, smaller and most importantly, it has a trick up its sleeve for lovers of physical media - so of course, we're intrigued. 

The new PS5 model is supposedly 30% smaller and 24% or 18% lighter, depending on if you opt for the version that includes the disc drive. But if you decide to purchase the digital model, and regret your decision later down the line, then fret not, as you can purchase a modular, detachable disc drive later down the line. After concerns that Xbox is planning to ditch physical discs, this has reignited hope that gaming companies won't be ditching physical formats quite so soon.

This might just be the announcement we needed, as we've been existing in a state of peril as the security of the 4K physical format seems to have dwindled as of late. This new modular PS5 will give users the option to add a physical disc driver later down the line, even if they choose not to get one initially, which sure looks like a good sign to us.

As for other upgrades, the new PS5 gets an additional USB-C connector, an upgrade to 1TB of internal SSD storage and a new two-tone half glossy and half matte finish to the exterior. Performance is expected to stay the same, with no noticeable upgrades to the internal specifications, although a new design will likely mean a change to how the console handles cooling.

The same DualSense controller seems to be included with this new model that first appeared with the launch model PS5, and there doesn't seem to be any new notable accessories apart from the vertical stand now being sold separately for £25 / $30 (around AU$50).

The new refreshed PS5 (already unofficially being dubbed as the PS5 Slim) will first release in the US in November, expanding to other markets in later months. Sony confirms that once the remaining stock of the current PS5 models is depleted, the new PS5 will be the only available model. 

The Digital Edition starts at £390 / $450, while the version with the disc drive costs £480 / $500 (Australia prices are still pending). This is more expensive than the launch price of the original PS5 Digital Edition (£360 / $400 / AU$600) and Physical Edition (£450 / $500 / AU$750) however this is in line with current PS5 prices as both models received a price hike earlier this year. 

The all-important detachable disc drive comes in at £100 / $80, meaning you'll save £10 or $30 if you decide to get the disc-drive included model from the get-go. 

MORE:

Read our full PS5 review

As well as our Xbox Series X review 

Can't decide? Read our PS5 vs Xbox Series X comparisons

Beyerdynamic, a company that's prestigious for its headphones and microphones, has combined its two strengths to create what could be the ultimate gaming headset. It's the company's first attempt at a wireless gaming-orientated set of headphones – however, it's leaning heavily on its nearly 100 years' worth of experience to ensure that it's a strong start. 

The MMX 200 Wireless resemble the other headsets in the MMX lineup closely, although they're now untethered thanks to support for Bluetooth 5.3 and the company's low latency wireless adapter. This should give the MMX 200 a competitive edge, as no one wants laggy or distorted audio when they're trying to focus on the game at hand. Speaking of the wireless receiver, it's compatible with PC, PlayStation (PS5 and PS4) and Nintendo Switch, however, you'll need to plug them in via the 3.5mm headphone jack if you want to use them on the Xbox Series X.

Moving onto the drivers found in this headset, Beyerdynamic has equipped the MMX 200 with dynamic 40mm high-performance drivers that deliver "powerful bass, clear mids, and detailed highs". The German audio brand states that these drivers help recreate "in-game effects with vivid audio playback". Beyerdynamic states that these custom drivers feature enhanced sensitivity and increased impulse response and detail across the extended frequency range, meaning they should capture all the necessary details you need for competitive gaming, like footsteps and environmental effects. 

However, you're going to want to talk to your teammates, not just listen to them, and that's where the detachable boom mic comes into play. Beyerdynamic says the included 9mm capsule microphone is podcast-quality and that the electret condenser capsule will allow for higher max sound pressure levels (SPL), wider response, and less noise. Better still, it's more power efficient than other gaming mics according to Beyerdynamic, which is ideal now that this headset is relying on battery power. Speaking of which, Beyerdynamic quotes upwards of 35 hours of use on a single charge, although it claims that the actual playtime can be between 40 and 50 hours including idle periods. 

Finishing off with the design and build of these headphones, they're surprisingly understated for a set of gaming headphones. There are no gaudy RGB lights or bright neon colours, instead, they're a bit more refined and mature with a monochromatic design that's available in either black or grey. The only gaming representation you'll see are a few subtle orange highlights – these cans are clearly made for the more style-conscious gamer. Beyerdynamic also highlights premium build materials including an aluminium headband, memory foam in the ear cushions and headband for enhanced comfort, and faux-leather ear pads which can be easily swapped out if they need to be replaced. 

The MMX 200 Wireless is available on Beyerdynamic's website and Amazon now for €249.00 / £249.99 / AU$399 – if you're in the UK then you'll be able to purchase the MMX 200 Wireless from Beyerdynamic's European site. 

MORE:

Read our full Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset review

Check out our picks for the best wireless headphones

As well as the best wireless headphone deals

Microsoft is currently embroiled in a US legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission (the FTC) over its intended purchase of Activision Blizzard. So far, so yawn. However, as part of that legal battle, information has leaked (thanks, The Verge) about a new version of the Xbox Series X, a new Series S and a new controller.

Inevitably, it's the Xbox Series X about which we're most interested, and on that there's good news and bad news. Code-named 'Brooklin', the good news is that the new Series X sports a bold new cylindrical design, has been upgraded to 2TB of internal storage, has Wi-Fi 6E for 'better throughput latency and interference mitigation', and uses less power than the existing model.

The bad news is that it's a digital-only model, so there's no disc drive. That's perhaps less of a problem for an Xbox than it is for a PS5, seeing as Xbox Game Pass is still so much stronger than PlayStation Plus, but it's still a shame for those who like to collect games or simply take advantage of discounted and second-hand discs, and it also (crucially, as far as we're concerned) obviously means that Blu-ray playback is off the menu. That could be yet another nail in the coffin for disc-based movies.

The new Xbox Series S (codename 'Ellewood') looks very much like the existing model, which is a bit disappointing, but it does also get a storage upgrade (to 1TB), Wi-Fi 6E and lower power consumption.

Both new consoles will come with a new controller, codename Sebile. It has a two-tone monochrome paint job that makes it look rather like a white controller that's been dipped in tar yet somehow (to this writer, at least) looks very smart. It also features motion controls, a rechargeable battery (finally!) and modular thumb sticks.

Interestingly, it also features a 'Direct-to-Cloud' connection, which will presumably result in reduced latency when using Xbox Cloud Gaming on a TV or portable device. On that subject, Microsoft is also touting 'Seamless Pair & Switch' functionality, the idea being that you can take your controller anywhere and quickly use it with different devices.

According to the leaked documents, the new controller will be announced later this year and will be priced at $70. That's $10 more than the official price of the original Series X/S controller. That likely means that the UK price will be £65 (£10 more than the current model) and that the Australian price will go up to around AU$110 (an increase of AU$20).

The new Xbox Series X and Series S will apparently be released in 2024, in November and September respectively (yes, that's Series S before Series X), and will be no more expensive than their predecessors in the US. Assuming there are no surprise increases elsewhere, that means we'll be looking at $499 / £480 / AU$799 for the new Series X and $299 / £250 / AU$499 for the new Series S.

MORE:

These are the best gaming TVs you can buy right now

Check out our PS5 vs Xbox Series X comparison

Denon has announced a new flagship AVR, the AVR-X6800H, slated for a 2024 release. 

Based on the model number and included features, we assume that this new model is set to replace Denon’s X6700H, which is currently the brand’s second-from-top receiver available. 

The previous model was prefixed with AVR globally, while in the UK and Europe, it was known as AVC, so we imagine that this naming trend will continue with the new X6800H. 

Designed and manufactured in Japan, the X6800H will also include a number of improved features, including an upgrade from 11.2 channels to 11.4, with 11 x 140 watts of amplification. It will also retain features from the previous model such as Audyssey room correction and support for Dolby Atmos alongside other immersive audio formats, such as DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro-3D. 

On the video front, the X6800H supports the usual HDR formats such as Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dynamic HDR, while all seven HDMI inputs and two of the outputs will support 8K video. There’s also ARC and eARC connectivity available on one of the HDMI outputs. 

As you’d expect from a flagship-level AV product, this new AVR supports next-gen gaming features such as VRR and ALLM, which help to make your PS5 or Xbox Series X consoles display visuals as smoothly as possible. 

HEOS is also built into the unit, allowing for communication and wireless streaming of music between compatible hardware throughout your house. 

While we know that the AVR-X6800H will retail for $3500 (approx £2790), an exact release date is not yet known with Denon's site stating that it will be ‘coming soon’. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for any new info and update you as it arrives. 

MORE:

Denon’s new stereo receiver promises 8K video support and a world of wireless and hi-res streaming

Yamaha’s new streaming amp and all-in-one system look to unify listening throughout your home

We recently brought you news of the first 32-inch OLED, and now we can report on the first 32-inch QD-OLED. The snappily named ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM from Asus was announced during the recent Gamescom event in Cologne, which probably tells you everything you need to know about its intended audience: yes, this is indeed a gaming monitor, as is the 32-inch Dough OLED we wrote about previously.

As such, the Asus offers a 240Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1. The specific HDMI 2.1 features it supports haven't been outlined but one would presume that VRR and ALLM are on board – we've contacted Asus for clarification.

Crucially, this is a 4K monitor with a TV-style 16:9 aspect ratio rather than a super-wide display. That might put off some PC gamers who prefer a super-wide ratio, but it makes it better suited to console gaming as both the PS5 and Xbox Series X support 16:9 only.

Asus says that the PG32UCDM can reach a peak brightness figure of 1000 nits and has a custom heat sink and graphene material 'to protect the OLED panel by reducing the risk of burn-in'.

The ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM and aforementioned Dough monitor are just the first of what we expect to be an onslaught of 32-inch QD-OLEDs and 'W' OLEDs. In fact, while they're the first monitors or their type to be announced, they may well not be the first to hit shops: they use panels from Samsung Display and LG Display respectively, and between them, those manufacturers supply panels to all major TV and monitor brands.

Asus says that the PG32UCDM has an 'estimated on-the-shelf date' of 'around Q1 2024'. We expect a number of rivals – mostly monitors but also some TVs – to be announced in the run-up to and during CES 2024 in January. In-shop dates will likely be very similar as the supply of the panels from Samsung Display and LG Display is the greatest contributing factor.

What sort of price we might have to pay for a 32-inch monitor or TV is currently unknown, but it is worth noting that 42-inch OLEDs have so far been disproportionately expensive, often costing almost as much as their 48-inch siblings.

MORE:

The first 32-inch OLED is exactly what I want, but I'm not buying it

These are the best OLED TVs you can buy right now

And here are the best gaming TVs

We recently brought you news of a big gaming update for Sony's soundbars that was in the works, and later confirmed that the HT-A9 would be getting the same update. Well, good news – that update is now available.

What's the big deal? This update adds support for VRR and ALLM to the HT-A7000 and HT-A5000 soundbars, as well as the HT-A9 wireless home theatre system. This means you can connect your PS5, Xbox Series X or gaming PC to the soundbar's (or home theatre's) HDMI input and still benefit from smooth VRR gameplay and automatic ALLM switching on your TV – assuming your TV itself supports these features.

With many TVs having just two HDMI 2.1 ports that can handle 4K/120Hz (a feature already supported by these Sony devices), VRR and ALLM, and in most cases one of those also being the eARC port through which your soundbar or home theatre must be connected, the fact that these formats can now be passed through means you no longer 'lose' one of your top-spec inputs.

We've applied the update to our HT-A9 review sample and can confirm that it's working as intended. In the picture at the top of the page, we've got a PS5 running through the HT-A9 and then on to HDMI 2 (the 2.1-spec eARC port) of a Panasonic LZ1500 OLED TV. The PS5 menu system confirms that VRR is now supported – it wasn't when the system was connected this way previously.

This update only serves to make these three Sony devices even more appealing. The HT-A7000 already features at the top of our best soundbars page and the HT-A9 is a unique, five-star system. The HT-A5000 received a solid four-star verdict in our review.

The new firmware should be automatically downloaded and applied, but you can go into the system menu and 'force' the update by navigating to Advanced Settings and clicking 'Software Update'. You might find that the update has automatically been applied without you noticing. To check, go to Advanced Settings, System Information and check the Software Version. The update is version 001.779 for the HT-A9 and HT-A7000, and 1.769 for the HT-A5000.

MORE:

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

Here's everything you need to know about VRR

You can grab the LG C3 for less than £1000 for the first time ever with this cracking deal from Peter Tyson. 

This is a big deal as the TV is a serious performer. Earlier this year, we bestowed a five-star review upon LG’s 42-inch C3 OLED TV, praising its sharp image, amazing contrast, and great specs. In fact, the only reason we advised readers to consider waiting was its price, which was a little too steep for our liking.  

Thankfully this issue has now been temporarily fixed with the 42-inch C3 now available for £999 over at Peter Tyson, along with a five-year warranty and free delivery. 

The 42-inch C3 launched at £1500 / $1400 / AU$2595. In the UK, this price made it slightly more expensive than the 42-inch C2 was at launch. This new price deduction of £500 now makes the 42-inch C3 worth serious consideration for anyone in the market for a smaller TV. 

As the popular C2 reaches the end of its life cycle and production begins to cease, the kinds of savings and price reductions we saw for the TV are now starting to trickle over to the newer C3, which is great news.

Connectivity options are one of the C3’s biggest strengths, this model of TV features four HDMI 2.1 sockets rated to the full bandwidth of 48Gbps. One socket supports eARC/ARC while all four sockets can handle 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM signals output by the PS5 and Xbox Series X. There are many models of TV that can handle these gaming features, however, most only do so via two sockets, rather than all four available.

The LG C3 features 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision capabilities, to name a few, making it a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy their favourite movies or games at a high quality.

The C3, like other LG TVs available, offers Dolby Vision gaming right up to 4K/120Hz. There’s also an HGiG mode that makes it easier to achieve a better HDR tone mapping experience in modern games.

This model also has a new and improved processor over the former C2 – the Alpha 9 Gen 6. Some of the key improvements made from the older chip includes AI Upscaling Pro, which is designed to reduce noise in upscaled sub-4K content without sacrificing any intentional film grain.

It also adds OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro, which independently optimises the HDR delivery of 20,000 individual zones in each image (up from 5000 zones).

As a final set of perks, the new chipset adds Object Enhancer, which sharpens elements in the foreground for extra image depth, and HDR Expression Enhancer, which applies specific tone mapping to those foreground elements for extra three-dimensionality.

MORE:

Read our LG C3 (OLED42C3) review

LG C3 vs C2: which LG OLED TV should you buy?

I love QD-OLED and MLA, but ‘standard’ OLED TVs still have a lot to offer

Sony has unveiled its first 98-inch 4K TV in a bid to take on TCL and Samsung’s reign over the large-screen 4K market.

The new 98-inch X90L is available to buy in the UK and US and is retailing for £9000 / $10,000. 

Sony launched its first 98-inch TV in 2019. That model, however, featured an 8K resolution and an absolutely huge price tag of $70,000. Despite ongoing advancements, 8K TVs don’t yet appear to be of significant interest to the TV-buying public, but very large TVs apparently are, hence the recent trend for massive 4K models.

In fact, Sony hasn't even selected its top 4K LCD model – the X95L – for the giant screen treatment, but instead the step-down X90L, further emphasising the desire to launch TVs that are massive but also attainable.

Back in June, we tested out the 55-inch X90L, appreciating how it really gets the very best out of its seemingly relatively modest panel tech, with fewer dimming zones than many rivals. We would be impressed if Sony could deliver that level of performance at this size and price – though that's far from guaranteed.

The X90L uses a VA LCD panel that is produced by TCL CSOT, which is essentially the display hardware-manufacturing arm of TCL. TCL CSOT, which provides panel tech to Sony, Samsung, and other brands, says it’s made major efficiency improvements in the production of 98-inch TVs in the last year or so. This has allowed it to produce larger screens at increasingly affordable prices – though still expensive, clearly. 

Recently, the CEO of TCL declared there was interest in more affordable 98-inch 4K TVs, with sales in South Korea more than doubling in the last 12 months.

The X90L runs on Android TV and features a 100/120Hz VS LCD panel with LED zone dimming and is powered by ‘Cognitive Processor XR’, Sony’s latest video processor. The TV also supports, 4K 120Hz, ALLM, and VRR over HDMI 2.1, great news for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners. 

In terms of connectivity, the X90L features four HDMI inputs, with eARC available. It also features Chromecast built-in alongside Apple Airplay.

Sony’s new 98-inch X90L is currently £9000, quite a lot more expensive than similar models offered by Samsung or TCL. However, a lot less expensive than its 8K model at launch…

MORE:

Read out Sony X90L (XR-55X90L) review

And our Sony X95L (XR-65X95L) review

Best TV 2023: the latest and greatest TVs, rated and ranked

Samsung unveils flagship 98-inch Neo-QLED 8K TV with Dolby Atmos system – and it’s eye-wateringly expensive

Samsung has begun taking pre-orders for its second-generation Freestyle portable projector, the successor to the model it launched at the beginning of last year. On paper, The Freestyle Gen 2 bears a lot of resemblance to last year's model, it even looks almost identical, but it's got a trick up its sleeve that gamers are sure to appreciate.

Starting with the basics, The Freestyle Gen 2 is as versatile as its predecessor thanks to its compact stature, built-in stand and ability to project an image up to 100 inches on any surface. The second generation model also brings back the adorable design of the original, which is cylindrical main body housing the lens and internals and a podium-style base that can be easily angled to point at a wall, or pointed upwards towards a ceiling. 

It is a little light on ports, with the only option to connect a media streamer or console being the micro HDMI socket, although that connector does support ARC for hooking up external sound devices if you so wish. You can also connect wireless speakers via Bluetooth, which also comes in handy for the projector's special feature.

Samsung makes up for the lack of HDMI availability by including the full Tizen operating system on The Freestyle, the same system found on its TVs. That means you'll get practically every streaming app you'll need (Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and so on), but it doesn't stop there. New for the 2023 model is game streaming, with the Xbox app allowing for big-screen console gaming without the need to hook up an Xbox. This comes as part of the Samsung Gaming Hub which also includes Amazon Luna, NVIDIA GeForce Now, Utomik, Anstream Arcade and Blacknut. 

Moving onto the specs of the projector, it features a 1920 x 1080 resolution (full HD) and support for HDR in the HDR10+ and HLG formats. It's using an LED light source, with a claimed 30,000-hour life span, with that light source providing a peak brightness of 230 ANSI lumens. Samsung is also bringing back the built-in speaker capable of 360-degree sound from last year's model; that's not to say it delivers immersive 3D audio, but that the sound is dispersed in a way that's more spacious than its compact footprint may suggest.

The Freestyle Gen 2 is available to pre-order in the United States right now for $799.99, and you even get a free waterproof carrying case as a pre-order bonus. No news has been shared of a UK or Australian release quite yet, however, it should cost around £630 / AU$1250 in those respective markets.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung The Freestyle review

And check out our picks for the best outdoor projectors

As well as our overall picks for the best projectors

Sony has announced another big update for one of our favourite Dolby Atmos home cinema systems and it’ll please PS5 and Xbox Series X owners alike.

As we reported last week, Sony's HT-A7000 and HT-A5000 soundbars are due to receive a software update that adds VRR and ALLM support so that such signals can be passed through the integrated HDMI sockets, and the company has now confirmed to What Hi-Fi? that the same update will be heading to the HT-A9 speaker system. What's more, Sony has also confirmed that this update will be released in September.

The Sony HT-A9 speaker system consists of four identical-looking wireless speakers alongside a hub that connects to your TV. Each of the speakers contains a 19mm front-facing tweeter, a full-range X-balanced driver along with an upward-firing X-balanced driver. 

The HT-A9 system performed well and received a five-star review when we tested it out back in 2021, so this latest update will be a welcome bonus for users. 

Together, Sony says that the speakers create a bubble of sound from 12 ‘phantom’ speakers. Sony also points out that the units, which are marked with their intended room position, don’t need to be placed at the same height or in any kind of measured position. It’s a fairly unique product and diverges from other complete speaker packages which often come packed with sub or satellite speakers. 

In terms of connectivity, the four speakers connect to the hub wirelessly, however, they still require mains power. The control hub features an eARC output and an HDMI pass-through connection which supports 4K@60fps and HDR. 

Now with VRR and ALLM coming soon, you might be considering hooking up your PS5 or Xbox Series X, however, with the limited HDMI ports available, you may be in for some cable switching. 

MORE:

Read our full Sony HT-A9 review

Sony’s 5-star Dolby Atmos soundbar is getting a huge next-gen gaming upgrade

Check out our picks for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Sony has announced plans to release a huge update to one of our favourite Dolby Atmos soundbars that’s sure to delight PS5 and Xbox Series X owners.

Specifically, Sony has announced plans to roll out VRR and ALLM features to its acclaimed HT-A7000 and HT-A5000 soundbars. 

Back when the bars were released, Sony stated that it was planning to add these capabilities via future firmware updates and it looks like that time is near.  

We’re most excited about the update to the HT-A7000 which performed better when we reviewed the two bars last October. During testing the HT-A7000 offered slightly better performance, which is why we gave it five stars and the HT-A5000 a still respectable 4 stars. 

Either way, the upgrade will be welcome for anyone on the market for a new Dolby Atmos soundbar for next-generation gaming. While we praised both models for their impressive Dolby Atmos performance, robust sound and rich set of features, we lamented the lack of VRR and ALLM support, so it’s great news to hear Sony will be remedying this.  

Both bars feature one or two HDMI 2.1 pass-through sockets currently capable of handling 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz, and Dolby Vision HDR – soon Sony will be adding VRR and ALLM to that list.  

Passing VRR information through the HDMI loop-through system of either bar means a VRR-capable screen can avoid screen-tearing and change its frame rate in sync with the shifting frame rate of any game. 

ALLM support will allow your console to communicate with a compatible display, whether it’s playing a game or video source so that it can automatically engage its fast-response Game preset, where appropriate. 

An exact date for these latest updates has not yet been announced, but we expect them to be rolled out very soon. We’ve reached out to Sony for more information and will report back as soon as we have more information.

MORE: 

Our picks for the best soundbars in 2023

Check out our Sony HT-A7000 review

And our Sony HT-A5000 review

As much as Sky might resist them, comparisons between its just-announced Sky Live camera accessory and the much-maligned Xbox Kinect were always going to be drawn. Both are cameras that attach to the top of your TV and use body-tracking technology to open up gesture-controlled gaming and fitness experiences, after all.

The biggest problem for Kinect, though, was that it was a very casual-leaning bit of kit that was being forced down the throats of hardcore gamers – the Xbox One even came bundled with the second-generation version whether you wanted it or not – and many people didn’t.

It’s a different story for Sky Live, which is a genuinely optional accessory for the Sky Glass TV, and one that – while not cheap if bought upfront – can be added to a Sky package for a monthly amount small enough that many subscribers won’t even notice.

And, of course, Sky Glass isn’t a hardcore gaming device that fans feel is being watered down for a casual audience. It’s not a gaming device at all, so Sky Live’s small roster of super-accessible games is a pure bonus – nothing is being taken away.

But what’s most convinced me that Sky Live could be a success where previous, similar devices have failed, is how seamlessly it is integrated into the Sky Glass user experience and how well it performs in action.

Simply plug it into the Sky Glass TV and Sky Live-specific apps and menu options appear. Head to a program page (Sky’s Ashes coverage or Succession, for example) and a new ‘Watch Together’ button is available. Click it and you can quickly and easily set up a watch party with friends and family. Anyone in the group can pause, rewind or resume, making it feel more communal, and Sky’s technology – at least according to our hands-on session – seems to do a great job of keeping everyones’ video feeds synchronised.

You can do standard video calls, too, of course, and while my suspicion is that the desire for sofa-based video chat has waned somewhat in the period since Covid lockdowns, there’s a chance they could make a bit of a comeback with the right technology and availability. Sky’s partnership with Zoom for this is clever, as it means Sky Live users can talk to those running the Zoom app on a phone or tablet and, soon, on an Apple TV 4K or recent Sony TV. At the launch event, Sky Live did a much better job of connecting to calls and framing participants than my Portal TV did in a whole sorry year of use.

The Mvmnt fitness app looks genuinely good, too, with very impressive tracking and a degree of gamification that I can see being addictive rather than off-putting, and a general presentational style that appears to do a pretty good job of treading the very fine line between encouraging and patronising.

As for the games, I won’t be selling my PS5 any time soon, but I will be pumping some time into the Beat Sabre-like Starri rhythm action game, I will be trying to convince my folks to do an online game of Monopoly, and I wish that the Peppa Pig game had been available when my little boy was a couple of years younger.

Whether Sky Live will be a real success will come down to what happens next. Can Sky tempt enough developers on board to create a thriving ecosystem of apps and games? It’s certainly making all the right noises in that regard, but only time will tell. Its appeal will surely broaden if it can be untethered from the Sky Glass TV, too, as AV nerds such as you and I are unlikely to have a Sky Glass TV in our lounge but are far more likely to have a Sky Stream Puck connected to an OLED TV or somesuch.

In other words, I still don’t know whether Sky Live will be a hit. I just know it’s better than I expected – and probably better than you’re thinking.

Read more:

This is everything you need to know about Sky Live

Here's our Sky Glass review

And you can get Sky Glass without the TV with Sky Stream...

... which you can partner with any of the best TVs

ViewSonic has debuted the world's first projector that's made for Xbox, and it even has Microsoft's seal of approval. The X2-4K Certified Gaming Projector is a US-exclusive beamer that's designed to be partnered with the Xbox Series X and Series S, but it seems to be missing a key feature. 

Carrying the "Designed by Xbox" stamp that's reserved for third-party partner accessories like remote controllers or headsets, the X2-4K is, as the name suggests a 4K projector with a gaming slant. ViewSonic says that it worked directly with the Xbox team at Microsoft, putting the projector through over 60 different test scenarios to ensure peak performance and compatibility.

So with that in mind, you're probably expecting a no-compromise projector that is the ultimate companion to the powerful Xbox Series X; but that's not really the case. The X2-4K is only equipped with HDMI 2.0 connectors, meaning it can either output at 1440p (Quad HD) at 120Hz, or 4K 60Hz. This means that the Xbox's biggest gaming feature, 4K 120Hz to be exact, is not accessible on this projector. Maybe the "Designed for Xbox" stamp only applies to the black and green styling of the unit instead.

According to ViewSonic, the projector instead intelligently adapts picture settings to best suit the gaming content it's displaying as well as "Xbox-exclusive resolution and refresh rate combinations", hence the Xbox approval. It also has a claimed 4.2ms Ultra-Fast input, as well as the option to simulate 240Hz refresh rate within the advanced settings, although this means the resolution maxes out at 1080p.

The rest of the projector looks to be fairly standard, with an LED light source capable of producing 2900 lumens and a claimed lifespan of 30,000 hours. The X2-4K is also HDR and HLG compatible and ViewSonic says the built-in Harman Kardon speakers supposedly offer theatre-level sound. It can project an image up to 120 inches, which means your Xbox games should feel especially cinematic, and set-up should be easy too, with comprehensive keystone and four corner adjustment features, as well as an auto keystone feature.

However, at $1600 (around £1250 / AU$2340), the ViewSonic X2-4K is on the pricier side, especially considering competition from the likes of BenQ and Epson which undercut that price. We can't see the X2-4K entering our best projectors list any time soon, but we are looking forward to seeing more console-approved projectors in the future.

MORE:

Read our full BenQ W1800 review

As well as our picks for the best projectors

And the best projector deals