Every projector is a product of compromise. Top-tier 4K projectors can deliver excellent detail and black levels, but usually lack a built-in sound system and cannot be easily moved around.

And outdoor projectors make their compromise clear more than any other projector category, as they must carefully handle the balance between convenience and performance.

With the FIFA World Cup in full swing, more people are looking for ways to watch the winning kick on a big screen from the comfort of their gardens. But no outdoor projector has ever offered the perfect delicate equilibrium between each aspect. I’ve tested my fair share of portable projectors so far and, although nothing has achieved the ideal balance yet, I'm always keeping my eye out for a model that could change all that

So what exactly does the perfect outdoor projector offer?

Portability

To take your projector into the garden and even on the road, it needs to be easy to carry around. Otherwise, you will end up lugging a heavy piece of kit around, which doesn’t make for a practical or fun alternative to watching on your TV screen.

We’ve seen some pretty neat designs in terms of portability that certainly tick this box. Take the Xgimi Mogo 4, for instance, which is a can-shaped projector that weighs just 1.3kg and is only 21cm tall.

You can pull out the main body from the sturdy plastic stand when you want to use it, and its small footprint makes it a great example of the portability I’m looking for in an outdoor projector.

There’s a remote that hangs from the stand that gives you access to the basic controls, such as volume and settings, if you don't want to rely on the larger remote that is also available. It is far from the only model to offer this kind of flexibility, but it's a great example of true portability in the category.

Most outdoor projectors these days also come with platforms such as Google TV, which give you access to the usual streaming suspects, including Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. That makes accessing your favourite TV shows and films simple, although some platforms lack World Cup essentials such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. You can work around this by casting from another device, at least.

A long-lasting built-in battery

If a projector is small and portable, though, then it understandably must make some sacrifices in other areas. One of the biggest of these is the lack of a built-in battery. Many projectors claim to be portable but, if they don't have a battery, then you are limited to placing it where you can get access to the mains.

Some projectors let you connect a power bank to extend their battery life a little, but that depends on the model's capabilities.

And even if your projector offers a built-in battery, it is often only just enough to watch a few episodes. The Xgimi Vibe One is a small, compact model with a built-in battery, but the brand claims it offers a maximum of 1.2 hours of juice until you need to plug it in. That number is only if you are using the projector in the Eco mode, however. In Standard mode, the battery gave us just under an hour of AV action, which will only give you one half of a World Cup match.

In an ideal world, a projector's built-in battery would be able to last entire game or movie without conking out.

Bright, punchy picture

Of course, the picture needs to be a strong performer in various lighting environments. You might start watching a game at 5pm, where the sun is still blazing during these scorching summer months.

That means you need a projector that can deliver a punchy image that can withstand bright viewing conditions. So far, I have not come across a compact model that can deliver the perfect level of detail, black depth and colour.

Ultimately, that is one of the sacrifices that must be made for the projector to be portable and compact, as there is less room for more comprehensive features. If such a model existed that could expertly balance picture performance and size, it would have a prime spot in our test room.

Immersive sound

Finally, the perfect outdoor projector delivers engaging and precise sound that makes every viewing experience even more immersive.

The closest we have come to this dream is with the Nebula X1 – a 4K projector with a 2.1-channel configuration. We say in our review that the projector's "audio makes it stand out from the crowd, as it is rare we have found a projector that can pack such a punch in terms of bass."

Plus, vocals are clear and relatively emotive, delivering a rich overall sound. This is an outlier in the outdoor projector world, as most of the built-in speakers don't manage much dispersion of sound or punch.

The most recent projector to enter our test room promises to tick every one of these boxes (bar the built-in battery). The Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro claims to be the "world's first mobile theatre system", presenting as an all-in-one package on wheels. Yep, actual wheels. It features four detachable speakers to place around your space, a 4K picture that goes up to a claimed 3500 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a clever design.

We are yet to publish our full review but, suffice to say, the Nebula projector has not managed to claim the crown as the perfect outdoor model.

I never actually expect to find a perfect outdoor projector because – as I said at the start – all of them are a product of compromise. Still, I'm excited to see how close we can get.

MORE:

These are the best outdoor projectors

And here are the best projectors

Check out the best soundbars

Unless you're living under a particularly isolated rock, you'll know that the World Cup is currently causing a global outbreak of football fever.

That’s certainly the case in my household. My housemates are footy enthusiasts who demand that we tune in for all of the matches that are being played at "sensible" times – thankfully, that hasn't included those 2 AM kickoffs as of yet.

This means my TV and Sky Stream box have been working overtime, a trend I expect to continue for the rest of the tournament. But there's an unexpected joy to owning a top-notch TV (in my case, a Sony OLED): my friends suddenly care about picture quality

Usually, I'm met with eye rolls when I bring up resolutions and HDR formats, but the World Cup has miraculously changed all of that. As soon as I switch the TV on, I'm reminded to "put it on BBC iPlayer because it's showing the matches in 4K". This, of course, doesn't apply to the games shown on ITV.

I happily oblige for most games, and for the most part, I've been pretty impressed by the 4K streams from BBC iPlayer. Generally speaking, the games have looked really sharp, and colours pop nicely.

In fact, I'm watching the Czechia vs. South Africa game in 4K as I type this, and visually, it's an absolute treat.

Why, then, will I absolutely refuse to watch any of the England games in 4K? I'm so glad you asked.

The problem is the broadcast delay.

BBC iPlayer reportedly has a delay of around 30 to 40 seconds, while Sky Stream has a similar 35 to 40-second delay compared to Freeview's 8 to 10-second delay (these figures tally with some real-world testing we've just done for this feature on World Cup broadcast lag, by the way).

In real-world terms, this led to a few goal spoilers during the recent England vs. Croatia match, thanks to cheering from my surrounding neighbours before the goals even registered on my TV.

There is, thankfully, a solution. Sky has implemented three new "Real Time" channels in tandem with the World Cup.

These new versions of BBC One HD, ITV1 HD, and ITV4 HD reportedly slash latency by 22 seconds – not perfect, but much closer to Freeview.

However, Sky seems to have been fairly modest with that figure; our testing found that the latency compared to Freeview could drop to as low as five seconds

The tradeoff, of course, is resolution. These channels are capped at regular HD, and you can feel the drop after watching in 4K on iPlayer. Even so, it's a compromise I'm willing to make for England's game on Tuesday.

Thankfully, when I quizzed my housemate on whether he's willing to drop 4K to avoid spoilers, he also felt that the loss of visual fidelity was worth the tradeoff.

While sacrificing 4K in this instance is a shame, I'm ultimately chalking this up as a worthwhile learning experience. My flatmates now appreciate 4K more than ever before; now I just need to expose them to the wonders of 4K Blu-ray...

MORE:

Buying a new TV for the World Cup? Here are the features to look out for

Check out our picks for the best TVs

As well as our full Sky Stream review

I’m obsessed with broadcast delays (no, I’m not much fun at parties).

It all stems from Euro 2020, when my insistence on watching every match in 4K via BBC iPlayer resulted in several goals being spoiled by cheers from my neighbours and the revellers at a pub down the road.

Since then, I've prioritised low latency over outright picture quality when choosing how to watch major sporting events.

But I'd never actually tested the accepted wisdom around broadcast delays. So, with Sky launching its new Real Time feature for Sky Glass and Sky Stream, I decided it was time to find out which viewing method is actually fastest.

So, there I was, on a sweaty Thursday evening, setting up a second TV in my living room so that I could compare different broadcast options during the Czechia v South Africa match.

I needed to remove as many variables as possible, of course, so my two TVs needed to be identical. I therefore borrowed a 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 II OLED to match the one currently in situ in my lounge.

After ensuring that both TVs were running the same software and had the same picture settings, I plugged my now rarely used aerial into the ‘new’ TV (the one on the right in all of the photos sprinkled throughout this piece) and set about comparing that with the alternatives at my disposal.

This is what I discovered.

Freeview (aerial) vs BBC iPlayer

Before I get started, it’s worth noting that everything is delayed.

It simply takes time for anything that's filmed live to make it through all of the broadcast equipment, be encoded and transmitted, travel to and from satellites in space or through underground fibre-optic cables, and finally be decoded and displayed by your TV.

It’s commonly accepted, though, that watching the signals received by your aerial via a Freeview tuner is the least delayed option available. The BBC itself says that it takes 7-8 seconds for something happening live to reach your TV via this method.

So, how much slower was iPlayer than the TV playing Freeview? A hefty 23 seconds. That’s plenty of time for a goal to be spoiled by cheers from the neighbours.

Interestingly, I found no meaningful difference between BBC iPlayer's HD and UHD streams. If you're watching via iPlayer anyway, choosing the 4K feed doesn't appear to add any extra delay.

I also tested the iPlayer app on several devices – the Bravia 8 II itself, a Sky Stream box, and an Apple TV 4K – and the result was always 23 seconds, there or thereabouts.

It’s worth remembering that BBC iPlayer is the only way to watch the World Cup in 4K, and the feeds look terrific, but when immediacy matters, such as when England are playing, foregoing pixels for promptness is the sensible way to go.

Sky Stream/Glass

Time for Sky Stream, and the good news is that this was indeed quicker than BBC iPlayer. The bad news? It was still around 18 seconds behind Freeview.

That’s better, of course, but still more than enough time for a goal to be spoiled.

But, as I mentioned earlier, Sky has a special feature up its sleeve for dealing with this…

Sky Real Time

That feature is Real Time, which is designed to massively reduce the amount of lag experienced during big sporting events.

Sky has rolled Real Time out just in time for the World Cup, and it’s available on the BBC HD, ITV1 HD and ITV4 HD.

It’s worth noting that it’s not turned on by default. Once you tune in to one of the channels mentioned above during a World Cup match, you then need to click the ‘Real Time’ button that appears on the screen. Do that, and you’ll be switched to a special ‘RT’ version of the channel.

So, how much faster is Real Time? A whopping 13 seconds faster than standard Sky Stream, which makes it just five seconds slower than the Freeview tuner.

That’s close enough, I think, to rarely be an issue.

Conclusions, caveats and Sky Q

You’ve probably spotted that there’s a significant absentee from my testing, Sky Q, and there’s an easy explanation for that – I no longer have a satellite dish.

However, Sky has previously told me that Real Time brings Sky Stream/Glass to within three seconds of Sky Q, and the results of my testing certainly suggest that's plausible.

It’s also worth noting that there are plenty of variables that mean your results might vary slightly from mine. Aerial connections and Freeview tuners are remarkably consistent, but network conditions are not. Broadband speeds, router performance, wi-fi quality and even the streaming device itself can all affect how quickly a live stream reaches your screen.

Still, if you want to see how all of these various viewing methods compared, delay-wise, for me, here’s a little graph I whipped up:

Broadcast / reception delay

Here's how long, in seconds, it takes each broadcast type to show you a goal that's just been scored

Delay

Live

0

Freeview (aerial)

8

Sky Q (satellite)

10

Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time

13

Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time

26

BBC iPlayer

31

010203040

Delay Data

Product	Value
Live	0
Freeview (aerial)	8
Sky Q (satellite)	10
Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time	13
Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time	26
BBC iPlayer	31

This is according to my testing – bear in mind that your mileage may vary.

So, is Sky Real Time the saviour of sports fans tired of hearing celebrations before they see the goal?

Not quite. My tests suggest that a good old-fashioned aerial is still the quickest way to watch live TV, and Sky Q via satellite probably remains a touch faster too.

But Sky's new mode narrows the gap dramatically. Instead of lagging tens of seconds behind the live action, Sky Stream and Sky Glass are now close enough to traditional broadcast TV that, in most homes, they're unlikely to be the reason a goal gets spoiled.

For years, choosing streaming TV meant accepting that everyone else would see the goal first. Thanks to Real Time, that trade-off is finally starting to disappear.

MORE:

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

And don't forget the audio! Here are all of the best soundbars

I love watching sport outside.

I think it's at least partly thanks to fond memories of watching football matches in pub gardens, cold beer in hand, sun on my back, perhaps a bowl of chips within arm's reach. Glorious.

These days, my pub garden visits are a little less frequent, so ahead of the World Cup I decided to try to bring the experience home. My plan was simple: set up a projector in the garden, fire up the BBQ and spend the summer watching football under the open sky.

What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

Before we begin, I should point out that while I've spent almost 20 years reviewing TVs, projectors and home cinema kit, I have exactly zero experience of building an outdoor cinema. I also approached this project with a level of wanton optimism that, in hindsight, was entirely unsupported by evidence.

Still, if nothing else, my mistakes might help you avoid making the same ones.

Mistake 1: assuming an indoor projector would work outside before dark

The first challenge was deciding what to use as a display.

The windows for three rooms of our house face the garden, which limits the available wall space. After some negotiations with my equally football-obsessed wife, it was agreed that a projector screen could temporarily be hung across the dining room windows.

A projector seemed the obvious answer. After all, I wanted the biggest image possible, and no TV I can afford stretches to 150 inches.

While a portable projector might seem the natural choice, most battery-powered models aren't especially bright and often won't last through an entire football match. Since I was going to need mains power anyway, I borrowed the Hisense M2 Pro from our review stockroom.

It's a five-star projector, it's relatively compact, and it supports both BBC iPlayer and ITVX – a surprisingly rare combination in projector land and an essential one for World Cup duty in the UK.

So far, so sensible.

Then came Friday evening. Canada versus Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kick-off at 8pm.

At around 6pm, I wheeled the projector into position using some spare sections of hi-fi rack, ran an extension cable across the garden and powered everything up.

And... nothing.

Well, not quite nothing. The projector was clearly producing light, but there was no discernible image on the screen.

I moved the projector closer.

Nothing.

Closer still.

Nothing.

Eventually, with the projector just inches from the screen, a tiny image emerged from the gloom.

At this point, I began to suspect that projecting onto a giant screen outdoors before sunset might not have been my finest idea.

To be clear, this wasn't blazing Mediterranean sunshine. It was an overcast British evening on the opposite side of the house to the sun. Yet even that proved too much for a projector rated at 1300 ANSI lumens.

The lesson? A projector that looks bright indoors can look surprisingly dim outside.

Mistake 2: buying the cheapest 150-inch screen I could find

Perhaps I should have mentioned the screen.

Wanting something easy to put up, take down and store, I ordered a portable 150-inch projector screen from Amazon for the princely sum of £36.

It had excellent reviews.

It also turned out to be little more than a stretchy white sheet with a black border.

In hindsight, perhaps "buy the cheapest giant screen available and hope for the best" wasn't the sort of rigorous testing methodology that has sustained my career for almost two decades.

The biggest problem, I think, was that the screen had no backing. I hadn't considered this when ordering, but once it was hanging in front of our dining room windows, I could immediately see the issue: light was passing straight through it.

Thankfully, the screen was at least easy to install. With the help of some included ropes, a couple of conveniently positioned hanging basket brackets and my long-suffering wife, it was up in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, being easy to hang is only one of the qualities you want in a projector screen.

Mistake 3: forgetting that darkness and warmth rarely arrive together in Britain

I left the projector running while I finished cremating dinner on the BBQ and hoped conditions would improve.

By the 8pm kick-off, the picture was technically watchable, but only just, so we ended up watching the first half indoors.

By half-time, though, it was a different story.

As darkness fell, the image suddenly looked pretty decent.

The projector had enough light output after all, but only when the sun stopped competing with it.

At this point, I was even able to move the M2 Pro further back, create a much larger image and enjoy a picture that was genuinely impressive considering the circumstances.

The projector automatically re-focused itself each time I moved it, too, which was very handy.

At last, I had the something approaching the outdoor football experience I'd been aiming for.

There was just one problem.

It was absolutely freezing – hence the blanket-covered child in the photo above.

After about 10 minutes, common sense prevailed and we headed back inside.

What I'd do differently

The good news is that most of the problems were self-inflicted.

For starters, I picked the wrong projector.

The Hisense M2 Pro is an excellent lifestyle projector that's plenty bright enough for indoor use. It was never designed for outdoor use, which is an entirely different challenge, and I should never have expected it to work in daylight, regardless of the overcast skies.

Clearly, something much brighter is required. Perhaps the 3500 ANSI lumen-rated BenQ TK705i or Nebula X1 Pro might fare better.

I also need a better screen. At the very least, one with a black backing to prevent light passing through it. An ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen would be better still, though those tend to cost considerably more and are often designed for permanent or semi-permanent installation, which isn't where I am with this project.

Finally, I hadn't considered comfort enough. The irony of outdoor football viewing in the UK is that the picture often improves just as the temperature drops to unpleasantly nippy levels.

So yes, this first attempt was largely a failure, and, at 10pm last night, I was ready to abandon the whole idea.

This morning, though, I found myself browsing projector screens again, and I'm already planning phase two, which will probably involve a better screen, a fire pit and the considerably brighter Nebula X1 Pro – which, handily, we currently have in for review.

If that doesn't work, I may have to accept that the answer isn't a projector at all, but an outdoor TV.

Unfortunately, outdoor TVs are eye-wateringly expensive, particularly at the sort of size I'm aiming for.

Which means there's every chance I'll end up exactly where I started: watching the World Cup indoors and wondering why I thought I knew better than the British weather.

MORE:

Here are the best outdoor projectors you can currently buy

And these are the best projectors in general

We've built an awesome playlist that features a local artist from every World Cup 2026 host city

Hands up if at least one of England's Euro 2020 goals was spoiled by the roar from a neighbour's house or the pub down the road?

If you, like me, have your hand up – and you're a Sky customer – you're going to love this upgrade that is rolling out to Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

That upgrade is 'Real Time', and it's designed to reduce latency when watching sport on Sky Glass/Stream – just in time for the World Cup.

Sky Glass and Stream have a fair amount of delay when compared with Sky Q and Freeview via the aerial – about 35-40 seconds against Sky Q's 10-15 seconds and Freeview's 8-10 seconds – but Sky tells me that Real Time reduces this by 22 seconds, and that this makes it "just 3 seconds behind Sky Q".

That means that the delay on Sky Stream should be down to around 13-18 seconds, which should be close enough to significantly reduce the chance of hearing about a goal before you see it.

Here's a graph showing the different delays of the various broadcast/reception methods, because I like that sort of thing:

Broadcast / reception delay

Here's how long, in seconds, it takes each broadcast type to show you a goal that's just been scored

Delay

Live

0

Freeview (aerial)

8

Sky Q (satellite)

10

Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time

13

Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time

35

BBC iPlayer

40

010203040

seconds

Delay Data

Product	Value
Live	0
Freeview (aerial)	8
Sky Q (satellite)	10
Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time	13
Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time	35
BBC iPlayer	40

Sky's new Real Time feature brings Sky Glass and Sky Stream within touching distance of watching via your TV's aerial

Sky Glass and Stream have actually had a low-latency feature for a while, but only for the Sky Sports Main Event channel.

That's no good for the World Cup, though, because all World Cup matches are broadcast in the UK by the BBC and ITV.

That's where Real Time comes in: it works on the BBC HD, ITV1 HD and ITV4 HD channels. And while Sky's press release mentions a somewhat vague "select live sports", a representative confirmed to me that all World Cup 2026 matches will be available with Real Time.

It's worth noting that Real Time won't be activated by default. Instead, once you tune in to the channel showing your match, a Real Time button will pop up. Select that, and the latency should immediately drop.

Another thing to note is that Real Time only works on the HD channels mentioned above. If you want to watch the World Cup in 4K, you will have to do so via BBC iPlayer, but you will have to accept around 40 seconds of delay in that case: the Beeb has been working on low-latency streaming for a while now, but it's seemingly not ready for wholesale rollout.

As always, actual delays can vary depending on factors such as broadband performance and how content is being delivered, but cutting more than 20 seconds from Glass and Stream's latency is a genuinely meaningful improvement.

For football fans, especially during a World Cup summer, it could make spoiled goals a thing of the past. That's a big win in my book.

MORE:

Check out our Sky Stream review, our Sky Glass Gen 2 review, and our Sky Glass Air review

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

Chinese brand Haier is launching its latest range of affordable TVs, all boasting 4K resolution.

The new release is being led by the flagship S90 series, which the brand claims will combine “dynamic visuals, immersive audio with ultra-reactive gaming experience”.

This “immersive audio” comes in the form of Dolby Atmos support, delivering “three-dimensional and cinematic audio quality”. The two 10W speakers are employing technology from British hi-fi brand KEF as well.

The S90 uses QLED panel technology with AI picture optimisation, with Haier saying this results in “rich tones and smooth colour transitions”.

In terms of physical connectivity, you will find four HDMI ports, with one supporting eARC. We assume that means the TV can handle 4K/120Hz signals, given its 240Hz DLG feature, but when we asked a Haier representative for confirmation, they couldn’t provide a clear answer.

Haier is also launching the entry-level K85 and the mid-range S80 models. These step-down TVs do not have Dolby Atmos, but they do offer Dolby Audio for “clearer voices and more balanced sound”. The S80 features a QLED panel, like the S90, while the K85 uses a 4K LED backlight.

All of the TVs come with Freely built-in. That gives you access to streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 and ITVX in the UK. Fire TV acts as the smart platform for all the models, offering access to Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Each range offers slightly different sizing options. The S90 goes from 55- to 85-inches, with the latter being the biggest screen size across all the models. The K85 is available in 43- to 65-inch sizes, and the S80 from 43- to 75-inches.

If you want to get your hands on the 65-inch S90, it will set you back £580. That is certainly aiming at the affordable end of the market, so Haier has TCL firmly in its sights. The S90 is up against the likes of the TCL Q6C, which launched at £649 for the 65-inch model. When we had the TCL set in our test room earlier this year, we praised its excellent picture quality and gaming performance which meant we awarded it a five-star rating.

We are yet to see how the flagship Haier model compares, but its affordable price tag and comprehensive smart platform could spell trouble for the current market leaders.

MORE:

Check out our TCL Q6C review

These are the best budget TVs

And here are the best budget soundbars

The FIFA World Cup is fast approaching on the 11 June, and that means the football fans among you are likely looking for the best way to experience one of the biggest sports events of the year.

If you are hunting for a way to watch the first kick on the big screen, then you may have considered a portable or coffee table projector. Both categories have the advantage of being compact enough to carry from room to room easily, all while boasting a larger screen size than the average TV. The only difference is that a portable projector features a built-in battery, whereas a coffee table model does not.

But which projector is the best choice for you? We have hand-picked three projector models that cater to slightly different needs, so there is something for everyone.

Whether it's portability or picture quality at the forefront of your mind, we have got you covered.

Best cheap

It’s fair to say that when we first had the Wanbo Vali 1 in our test room, we were not expecting greatness from the affordable model. That’s because it launched at a jaw-droppingly low price (£270 / $279 / AU$499) and is available even cheaper right now in the UK at Amazon for £229.

Despite its low cost, the Wanbo model exceeded our expectations. It’s not the perfect projector, but it delivers a natural and enjoyable picture.

We say in our review that, when watching Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes: “During the opening minutes, as our ape protagonists swing through the green undergrowth and out into the open trees, the projector portrays a surprisingly balanced image that neither jumps out as overly vibrant nor dull.”

The built-in speakers are not quite as impressive, but they still deliver clear dialogue. For the World Cup commentary and crowd atmosphere, we recommend using a separate speaker for the best experience.

You can tilt the body up to 200 degrees, so the image can be projected onto a screen, ceiling or the wall (we strongly recommend investing in a screen to get the best picture quality from the hardware). It offers a maximum screen size of 180 inches as well.

There is no built-in battery on board, so you will need to have access to the mains. In terms of streaming, it comes with Android TV built-in (more on that later). The projector itself is easy to carry around, weighing about 2.8kg. It also sports a white, rounded body and large single lens which makes for a practical-looking design.

If you are looking for a projector to deliver a big-screen experience on a budget, the Wanbo Vali 1 is a great option.

Best portable

For those looking to take their viewing experience on the go, the Xgimi MoGo 4 offers a portable design that is also worth your time.

It comes with a built-in battery and claims to offer up to 2.5 hours of battery life. That figure is only applicable for Eco mode, which reduces the picture’s brightness, so it is not ideal for outdoor viewing.

That means it offers a fair bit of wire-free usability without being connected to the mains. You can project an image up to 120 inches without warping the picture, and auto-keystone and auto-focus features make for easy set-up.

In terms of design, the Xgimi projector is incredibly compact. It measures 21 x 10 x 10cm (hwd), which is about the same as a large water bottle. That makes it easy to pop into a bag if you are on the move. Google TV comes built-in, and getting the projector up and running takes a matter of minutes.

There is a small remote that hangs off the body of the projector so that you don’t have to keep track of multiple components. This remote keeps things extremely minimal with just controls for volume, a D-pad to navigate the menu and a back button. You can also use the more comprehensive separate remote which offers more navigation features.

While it is more expensive than the Wanbo model, the MoGo 4 is still a budget-friendly projector, coming in at £509 / $499.

But how does it actually perform? When we had it in our test room, the Xgimi MoGo 4 offered a sharp and punchy picture. While its vibrancy can be a little heavy-handed at times and motion can appear smeary, the overall image is easy to watch and keeps a fairly natural balance.

Best entry-level 4K

If your budget can stretch a bit wider, then there’s an Award-winning 4K projector model that is ideal for your sports needs. Enter the Hisense M2 Pro, which scored a five-star review when we had it in our test room.

It is currently available for £899 / $1299, which is a fair bit more expensive than the above models. But that is justified by its 4K resolution (via pixel shifting) and more premium-feeling design.

The M2 Pro sports a silver box-shaped body with a spherical glass lens at its front and speakers at its sides. A hinged stand is bolted to its bottom, which makes it easy to adjust the angle of the image. There's also a common thread adapter in the base, which opens up the possibility of mounting the projector to the ceiling.

As with the Xgimi model, you will find Google TV built in to give you access to a selection of streaming services. You can push the screen up to 200 inches, and auto-keystone and auto-focus are available.

In terms of its picture performance, we call it "one of the best performers we’ve seen in its class" in our review. That is thanks to its sharp image, warm skin tones and well-handled dark detail.

Its 2.0 in-built speaker system offers enough clarity and separation to keep voices and background noise separate enough for comfortable viewing, but loses composure with more intense, busy audio.

Despite this, the Hisense is a brilliant 4K projector that takes both movies and sports matches to the next level.

The streaming conundrum

While all of the projectors on this list (and the majority of those in the portable or coffee table market) come with a smart platform built-in, there are some extra considerations that must be made when it comes to watching the World Cup.

In the UK, all of the matches will be split between BBC iPlayer and ITVX. If you are looking for 4K coverage, the BBC says it will be selected matches in UHD but we don't know exactly how many that will entail.

If you are based in the US, you can watch platforms such as Fox Sports and YouTube TV.

Each streaming platform has slightly different offerings when it comes to native app support. Google TV, for instance, tends not to include BBC iPlayer, but ITVX is usually available. This differs with individual models, but it has been our experience with the models on this list.

Luckily, there are ways to get around this, such as casting from your phone or laptop. This will let you watch the content on the big screen, but it comes with its own issues, such as high latency. That means you could hear the screams or groans of your neighbours before you see the ball hit the back of the net.

Another option is to use a streaming stick with support for the missing apps. Our best budget recommendation currently goes to the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation), which offers a wide range of streaming support, including ITVX and BBC iPlayer. You can currently snag the streamer for £70 at Argos in the UK.

There is the even cheaper Amazon Fire Stick HD which retails at £40 at Amazon, but we have yet to review this. If its performance is anything like its more premium sibling, however, then it has the potential to be a worthy choice.

MORE:

These are the best projectors on the market

Check out the best streaming devices

Here is our review of the Hisense M2 Pro

American brand Roku has launched its first range of projectors in the UK: the Sharp H272 and the Aurzen D1R.

As their names suggest, the models are launching with two respective hardware partners to “combine advanced projection technology with Roku’s intuitive operating system”.

Richard Halton, Country Manager at Roku UK, claims the projectors are, “bringing the seamless streaming experience Roku users know and love to an exciting new form factor – making big-screen entertainment more accessible than ever”.

The 1080p projectors include Roku’s full app library, including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. The two have also been designed to work when projecting the image onto a screen or wall (we highly recommend the former for the best picture quality).

The Sharp model claims to go up to 120 inches, while the Aurzen entry is a little smaller with a maximum screen size of 100 inches.

The Aurzen D1R is the brighter of the two, offering 280 ANSI lumens, compared to the Sharp H272’s 200 ANSI lumens. These are both on the lower end of the scale, so they will likely perform best in a dark room.

The D1R also has the on-paper edge when it comes to sound, offering two speakers driven by 5W of amplification, which beats the Sharp’s 3W offering. Both come with Dolby Audio, but, unsurprisingly for a budget model, there is no Dolby Atmos on the cards.

There are a few smart features included with both models, which should make setting them up a little easier. These include auto-keystone and auto-focus.

Bluetooth and HDMI connectivity are available, so you could pair wireless speakers, a soundbar, or a subwoofer for “an enhanced home theatre experience.”

You can also access Apple AirPlay support for streaming music, videos, photos, podcasts, and games from Apple devices.

Their designs look fairly similar, with both sporting a white rectangular body with rounded edges.

We don’t have pricing yet, but both will launch in June. With their brightness specifications and streaming offerings, Roku seem to have its sights set on the likes of the Xgimi Vibe One (£219 / $269 / AU$599) projector.

When we reviewed the Vibe One in our test room, we praised its compact design and natural-looking image, which ultimately earned it a solid four-star rating. We'll wait to see the projectors in our test room before giving a verdict, but they could be a strong entry in the budget projector market.

MORE:

Here are the best portable projectors

Check out the best projectors right now

These are the best scenes to test your Dolby Atmos system

The Hisense PL2 delivers a 150-inch screen experience without the need to sacrifice your entire living room to a TV that size. Sounds good, right?

Thanks to a limited-time Amazon deal, you could be the proud owner of the PL2 for a discounted price of $1800. The $200 price cut doesn't make the projector 'cheap', but it's certainly more tempting, especially if you were in the market for one anyway.

We gave the PL2 five stars after having it in our testing room and crowned it one of the winners in our What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025. Snap it up while it's reduced.

But what makes this model worth your consideration? First off, it offers a balanced picture performance, especially when it comes to portraying natural-looking colours and solid dark detail levels.

We say in our review while watching Dune: Part Two: "The additional brightness gives explosions and the desert sand noticeably more impact and vibrancy compared with [its predecessor] the PL1, which was best in class at this price less than a year ago."

The Hisense PL2's Dolby Atmos sound performance isn't quite as impressive as its picture, but the eARC socket makes it a prime candidate to be paired with a separate sound system.

The ultra-short-throw model offers an up to 150-inch image via a laser light system that's capable of reaching 2700 lumens. This makes it an ideal TV replacement, as using the PL2 shouldn't be troubled by the intrusion of ambient light.

Furthermore, it includes the Google TV operating system, meaning support for a wide range of international and domestic streaming apps, including the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+ is built in.

You'll also find HDR support in the form of HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

If you're aiming for a cinematic experience at a scale that exceeds any of the currently available best TVs, then the Hisense PL2 is worth considering, especially at this low price.

MORE:

Here's our review of the Hisense PL2

And these are the best projectors right now

Ultra-short throw projector vs big-screen TV: which should you buy?

If you’ve spent any time at all reading the TV reviews here on What Hi-Fi?, you’ll know that panel technology alone does not make a TV.

Even televisions that use the same panel can look vastly different from one another, and that’s before you consider all the other things – such as features, design and sound quality – that might sway a buying decision one way or the other.

When the LG G5 was released last year, it sent the Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech that had been behind its flagship panels for the last two years packing, and replaced it with new, cutting-edge Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology.

A few other TVs also bought into this tech – notably the Panasonic Z95B and the Philips OLED910 – and since we’ve already put the LG G5 and the Z95B up against one another, it’s high time we considered how the Philips OLED910 compares with its panelmate too. Let the battle begin.

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: pricing

Considering the LG G6 is currently prepping itself for the shelves, the LG G5 is now much cheaper than it was at launch (though perhaps not as cheap as it will be in a couple of months).

This price would have brought it much closer to the original price of the Philips OLED910 if a recent price drop from Philips hadn’t widened that gap once again. That is, of course, if you live in the UK or Europe – Philip OLEDs aren’t available in the US or Australia.

We tested both of these TVs at 65 inches, and currently you can pick up that size of the LG G5 for around £2499, while the OLED910 is available for as little as £1799.

The 65-inch G5 has gone as low as £1899 in the past, but we've never seen it available for less than the OLED910.

If 65 inches doesn’t suit your space, you’ll have more choice on size with the G5, which is available in 48, 55, 77, 83 and 97 inches – though it’s worth noting that the 48- and 97-inch sets do not use the Primary RGB Tandem panel, and so therefore will not reach the same brightness levels.

That, perhaps, makes the fewer size choices of the Philips OLED910 less of an issue, with the 55- and 77-inch options, alongside the 65-inch set, most likely covering the screen sizes most people want – and at considerably lower prices.

When it comes to pricing, then, the Philips takes an easy win.

Winner: Philips OLED910

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: design

Whatever design you prefer is the right answer to which is best, but we’d argue there is more to like about the design of the Philips OLED910 over the LG G5.

The Kvadrat fabric covering the under-screen speaker gives it a stylish, furniture-esque look, and four-sided Ambilight only adds to its flair.

The G5, by comparison, is as slim (2.4cm) and attractive as its predecessors – but it’s a design that has gone unchanged since the G1.

It feels ready for a makeover, but there’s absolutely nothing to dislike here otherwise. The Zero Gap wall mount makes for a super flush fit if you are looking to mount it, but if not, be sure to look out for the version that comes with the tabletop stand – in the UK, that’s currently only available for the 55- and 65-inch versions.

Slim and sleek is all well and good, but we have to pay the OLED910 its dues for its greater aesthetic consideration.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: features

We already know that the LG G5 and the Philips OLED910 share the same super-bright Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, with peak brightness claims of up to 4000 nits, but what in their feature lists separates them?

For a start, behind those panels are, of course, two different processors – the Philips 9th Gen P5 and LG’s Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 2. Both are the companies’ most powerful TV chipset, with AI smarts on board that claim to offer a helping hand when it comes to making the picture and sound the very best for what you’re watching.

In the G5, that includes AI Picture Pro and AI Sound Pro, the former covering off a range of picture enhancements, such as AI Perceived Object Enhancer (which aims to boost the three-dimensionality of the picture), AI Super Upscaling and OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping.

LG has also installed an AI chatbot into the G5, which is on hand to help you get your picture how you want it, or solve issues with your TV. For those who don’t feel confident trawling through a settings menu, you can say things such as “my TV isn’t bright enough” to have the settings automatically adjusted.

For the OLED910, the on-board AI helps to classify what it is you’re watching and adapt the picture quality to suit. It also offers similar AI-judged improvements to things such as sharpness, colour vibrancy and contrast, though as always you can turn these off if you prefer.

Elsewhere, the Philips OLED910 continues its commendable commitment to supporting all four of the current HDR formats – that’s HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, alongside the basic HDR10 and HLG.

The G5, by comparison, only supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. That covers off the majority of content, in honesty, but the additional support on the OLED910 does keep you covered for absolutely everything, and futureproofed too.

Where the Philips really loses ground is in its connectivity, and this has a particular impact on gamers.

On the LG G5, you have four full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, all capable of handling 4K/165Hz signals with VRR and ALLM (which covers off the 4K/120Hz max for consoles and 4K/144Hz for fancy PCs), while the OLED910 only has two, with a maximum limit of 4K/144Hz.

One of the HDMI 2.1 sockets also doubles as the eARC port, so you’ll be reduced to just one for your gaming machines if you need it for a soundbar or other sound system. That's not the end of the world if you don't mind any further devices being limited to 4K/60Hz, but it will be an annoyance to many gamers.

We’d also lean towards the LG G5’s webOS platform over the OLED910’s Google TV platform. For us, webOS wins on ease of use and speed, but it also offers a more comprehensive selection of streaming apps, with BBC iPlayer currently missing from Google TV.

It’s closely run in this section, with some wins on both sides. But we think the TV with the best, most impactful features for most users is the LG G5.

WINNER: LG G5

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: picture quality

Given that both of these TVs received five-star reviews, you can imagine there’s little to grumble about in the way they handle pictures. However, even with the same panel behind them, there are differences in their delivery that might sway your buying decision.

Thanks to that new Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, the G5 and OLED910 are noticeably brighter than their predecessors, and – most importantly – handle their additional nits well.

Philips does seem to put HDR levels of brightness behind SDR content on all of its picture modes though, which is something we wish was optional, even if it doesn’t impact the overall picture performance.

Colour handling is excellent on both, with punchy and vibrant pictures that clearly benefit from the additional colour volume afforded by this panel. There’s the occasional oversaturation of skin tones in some scenes on the Philips OLED910 that we don’t notice as much in the G5, but overall both sets balance vibrancy and accuracy with few complaints.

Both offer Filmmaker Mode alongside a whole host of other picture options – it’s the picture setting we recommend, since it is the most accurate and usually switches off all additional processing. However, we actually found the OLED910 leaves some of it turned on, mostly for helping the TV to look its best at various levels of ambient lighting.

It’s worth experimenting here and deciding for yourself if there’s any positive impact, but if you’re particularly against any form of added processing, some extra care will be required in the OLED910’s menus to make sure it’s all off.

You can expect sharp, detailed and insightful pictures from both TVs. If pushed, we’d say the Philips gets closer to the solidity and three dimensionism of the Award-winning Sony Bravia 8 II, which is also helped by the OLED910’s better handling of dark scenes – there’s a slight black crush from the LG G5 that means you lose some shadow details in the darkest parts of a picture.

Overall there are some pros and cons for both TVs, but both offer a superb picture with lots to like. We’re chalking this one up as a draw.

Winner: draw

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: sound quality

While these TVs might come close in picture quality, when it comes to sound quality, there is a clear winner.

The LG G5 offers a 60W 4.2-channel system, while the Philips OLED910 has a 3.1-channel 81W system, produced by B&W, that sits underneath the screen like a soundbar.

Overall, the G5’s performance is disappointing. Even with our preferred Cinema preset, it just isn’t able to dig deep and deliver much bass at all, nor is it very assured with low-level dynamics, meaning dialogue often sounds lifeless and dull.

It’s a really unexciting sound, which means, without a doubt, you’ll need to add to the G5 by way of a soundbar or surround sound system.

However, the Philips OLED910 proves that not all TV sound has to be bad, and manages to deliver a wide, detailed sound, with good effect placement (even with Atmos sounds), impressive weight and a really lovely tonal balance by TV standards.

Dynamics are impressive for a TV too, and there’s a much better handling of low-level dynamics, meaning voices have realism and character, while bigger volume changes are handled well too.

There’s a little softness to deep bass, but you’ll be hard pushed to find a TV that sounds better.

Of course, a good soundbar will be even better, but you’d need to invest in something around the level of the Sonos Arc Ultra for a significant upgrade on what this TV can do.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Philips OLED910 vs LG G5: verdict

As always, there can only be one winner, and given how close these TVs come in key areas such as picture quality, the value offered by the Philips OLED910 is hard to ignore.

Throw in nice-to-haves such as Ambilight, a pretty great built-in sound system and a living room-friendly design, and that saving over the G5 starts to look even tastier.

However, this particular head to head isn’t cut and dried by any means, and if gaming is a key consideration for you, we might be inclined to recommend the LG G5 because of the additional HDMI 2.1 ports.

The better smart system and full complement of catch up apps is also a mark in the G5’s column, as is that stunningly slim wall-mounted design, which might be worth the additional outlay.

Still, the Philips OLED910 is to be applauded for how much it offers at such a great price.

Getting a 65-inch TV with a performance this good for well under the £2000 mark is nothing short of a bargain. If you choose it as your next TV, we think you’ll be very happy indeed.

OVERALL WINNER: Philips OLED910

MORE:

Read our full Philips OLED910 review and LG G5 review

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

Watch Winter Olympics 2026 live streams

It's been an impressive Winter Olympics for host nation Italy, with 27 medals already secured. However, it is Norway topping the charts thanks to their 17 golds. Both nations will have the chance to add to their tallies in the last few days of the Games, with a host of finals taking place.

On Saturday, there's the women's halfpipe and the ski mountaineering mixed relay, while on Sunday medals will be up for grabs in the four-man bobsleigh, women's curling and men's ice-hockey.

Read on to discover how you can watch Winter Olympics 2026 live streams online and from anywhere using a VPN, and potentially for FREE.

• Dates: February 4-22
• FREE Streams: BBC iPlayer (UK) / CBC Gem (Can) / 9Now (Aus)
• Unblock any stream: try Norton VPN 100% risk free

Winter Olympics 2026 preview

The 25th Winter Olympics sees the Games return to Italy for the first time in two decades, with both the fashion capital of Milan and the famed resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo hosting a variety of events. These include some new additions, with ski mountaineering making its debut, skeleton adding a mixed team event, luge including women’s double and ski jumping adding super team events.

In total, 116 gold medals will be up for grabs across almost three weeks of action. Among those seeking to add to their tally is legendary skier Lindsey Vonn. The American came out of retirement two years ago and is now seeking to add to her tally of medals, some 22 years after making her Olympic debut in Salt Lake City. Another American chasing gold is figure skater Ilia Malinin, known as the ‘Quad God’ for his ability to land quadruple jump combinations.

Whether you prefer the scintillating speed of alpine skiing and bobsleigh, or the tactics of the biathlon and the curling, you won’t want to miss any of the action from Italy.

So read on to discover everything you need to know to watch Winter Olympics 2026 live streams — including international TV channels, a full schedule and FREE streams.

Winter Olympics 2026 free stream

The good news is that there are a host of ways to watch free live streams of the 2026 Winter Olympics in different parts of the world.

Australia (9Now), the UK (BBC iPlayer) and Canada (CBC Gem) all offer FREE live coverage, which can be accessed via their websites or apps.

What's more, in the US you can get free coverage from NBC, USA Network and CNBC thanks to the 21-day trial to YouTube TV.

Away from home? You can use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked...

Watch Winter Olympics live stream 2026 from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular Winter Olympics live streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch any Winter Olympics 2026 live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NortonVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 60-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Watch Winter Olympics live streams 2026 in the US

There are numerous ways to watch the Winter Olympics 2026 in the US but it is NBCUniversal which has all of the action covered through its numerous channels, including NBC, USA Network and CNBC.

To watch the Winter Olympics, you'll need access to the Peacock streaming service. You'll need the Premium subscription, which starts from $10.99/month or 109.99/year).

Alternatively, cord-cutters can opt for a service like Sling TV. The Sling Blue package costs from $45.99/month and gives you access to more than 30 channels including NBC (select markets) and USA.

If you're outside the U.S. but have one of these subscriptions, you can watch Winter Olympics 2026 live streams using a VPN such as Norton VPN.

• Expert TV advice: best OLED TVs for sports fans

Watch Winter Olympics 2026 live stream in the UK

UK fans are in luck as much of the Winter Olympics will be broadcast for free on the BBC and its BBC iPlayer service.

However, it won't show all of the action from Italy. For the most comprehensive coverage, you'll need to sign up to Discovery Plus. Its standard Entertainment plan costs £3.99/month, or combine it with a full TNT Sports package for £33.99/month.

Away from the UK? You can still follow Winter Olympics 2026 live streams thanks to Norton VPN.

Watch Winter Olympics live stream 2026 in Australia

As mentioned above, Aussies can watch the best action from the Winter Olympics 2026 for free across the 9Network and its 9Now streaming site and app.

However, if you are looking for comprehensive coverage and don't want to miss anything, then you'll need Stan Sport. It costs from AU$32/month ($22/month right now!), with 4K UHD action available for an extra $10.

Away from Oz? Use a VPN to access your local live stream from overseas – without being blocked.

Watch Winter Olympics live stream 2026 in Canada

Coverage of the Winter Olympics 2026 in Canada is provided by CBC, with more than 2,000 hours of content to be live streamed for FREE online on the CBC Gem streaming platform. All you need to do is register for a free account to watch.

Away from Canada? You can use a VPN such as Norton VPN to make your device believe it's back home in Canada.

Winter Olympics 2026 schedule

🗓 Day –2 — Wed 4 Feb 2026

Curling

Mixed doubles round robin

🗓 Day –1 — Thu 5 Feb 2026

Curling

Mixed doubles round robin sessions throughout the day

Ice hockey (Women’s)

Preliminary games throughout the day

🗓 Day 0 — Fri 6 Feb 2026 (Opening Ceremony)

Curling

Mixed doubles round robin sessions

Opening Ceremony

Evening at Milan’s San Siro Stadium

Figure skating & Ice hockey

Competition sessions (no medal finals yet)

🗓 Day 1 — Sat 7 Feb 2026

🏅 First medal events start:

Alpine skiing — Men’s downhill

Cross-country skiing — Skiathlon

Ski jumping — Women’s normal hill

Snowboarding — Big air final

Speed skating — Women’s 3000m

Curling, women’s ice hockey prelims & more

🗓 Day 2 — Sun 8 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Women’s downhill

Biathlon — Mixed relay

Cross-country — Men’s skiathlon

Snowboard — Parallel giant slalom (men & women)

Luge — Men’s singles

Speed skating — Men’s 5000m

🗓 Day 3 — Mon 9 Feb 2026

🏅 Snowboard & freestyle final medals

Curling, ice hockey, ski jumping events continue

🗓 Day 4 — Tue 10 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Women’s team combined

Cross-country — Sprint classics

Biathlon — Men’s 20km

Curling — Mixed doubles finals

Ski jumping — Mixed team

Short track relay

Figure skating & ice hockey prelims

🗓 Day 5 — Wed 11 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Men’s Super-G

Biathlon — Women’s 15km

Nordic combined — Men’s individual

Luge — Doubles

Women’s moguls

Speed skating — Men’s 1000m

Curling, figure skating & hockey

🗓 Day 6 — Thu 12 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Women’s Super-G

Cross-country — Women’s 10km

Freestyle skiing — Men’s moguls

Luge — Team relay

Snowboard — Snowboard cross & halfpipe

Short track — Finals

Curling & hockey

🗓 Day 7 — Fri 13 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Biathlon — Men’s 10km sprint

Cross-country — Men’s 10km

Speed skating — Men’s 10000m

Snowboard — Snowboard cross & halfpipe

Figure skating — Men’s free skate

Curling, ice hockey & skeleton heats

🗓 Day 8 — Sat 14 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Men’s giant slalom

Biathlon — Women’s sprint

Cross-country — Women’s relay

Freestyle skiing — Dual moguls

Ski jumping — Men’s large hill

Skeleton — Women’s final

Short track & curling sessions

🗓 Day 9 — Sun 15 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Women’s giant slalom

Biathlon — Men’s & Women’s pursuit

Bobsleigh — Women’s monobob

Cross-country — Men’s relay

Curling round robin concludes

Mixed snowboard cross

Figure skating — Pairs SP

Hockey & skeleton mixed team

🗓 Day 10 — Mon 16 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Alpine skiing — Men’s slalom

Bobsleigh — Women’s monobob

Figure skating — Pairs free

Freeski — Big air

Hockey finals start, curling & short track qualifiers

🗓 Day 11 — Tue 17 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Nordic combined — Men’s large hill

Biathlon — Men’s relay

Snowboard — Women’s slopestyle

Speed skating — Team pursuit (Men & Women)

Curling, figure skating & hockey playoffs

🗓 Day 12 — Wed 18 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Cross-country — Team sprint

Biathlon — Women’s relay

Freestyle skiing — Aerials

Snowboard — Men’s slopestyle

Short track finals

Curling & hockey quarterfinals

🗓 Day 13 — Thu 19 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Nordic combined — Team sprint

Ski mountaineering — Sprint finals

Figure skating — Women’s free skate

Ski aerials

Men’s & Women’s hockey medals

Curling & halfpipe qualifiers

🗓 Day 14 — Fri 20 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Biathlon — Men’s mass start

Freestyle skiing — Women’s ski cross

Short track — Women’s 1500m & relay

Speed skating — Women’s 1500m

Men’s hockey semis & curling medals

🗓 Day 15 — Sat 21 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Biathlon — Women’s mass start

Cross-country — Men’s 50km

Bobsleigh — Four-man & heats

Mixed freestyle aerials

Curling — Men’s gold

Speed skating — Mass start

Ski mountaineering — Mixed relay

Hockey bronze & figure skating gala

🗓 Day 16 — Sun 22 Feb 2026

🏅 Medal events:

Bobsleigh — Four-man final

Cross-country — Women’s 50km

Curling — Women’s gold

Hockey — Men’s gold

Closing Ceremony — Verona Arena (afternoon)

• Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best TVs
• Or save money with these unmissable cheap TV deals
• Where to find the best Formula E live stream

Hands up if you're sick of receiving emails from streaming services with a subject line referencing "pricing updates".

I've lost track of how many times I've reported on or read about subscription prices creeping up, and I fear that I'll be doing the same throughout 2026. Frustration from viewers is mounting, too, so what's the solution?

According to Manhattan's COO, Alex Arbab-Zadeh, it's the company's latest streaming box; well, more specifically, it's what the streaming box can do.

The Aero 4K TV Streamer was officially revealed last week, and I had the chance to attend the launch and get a better understanding of what it offers.

Streaming hardware is a crowded market after all, and there are huge international players such as Apple, Google and Amazon all vying for a place in your media unit. So how does this plucky British streamer stack up?

Well, I was sold on the concept by a single quote from Alex Arbab-Zadeh. Upon revealing the Aero 4K, he stated that "you can buy the box and never pay a penny for content again".

This is because the Aero 4K not only offers access to the free TV streaming platform Freely but also uses the TiVo operating system, which features an abundance of free shows and movies via the TiVo+ service.

In fact, Manhattan claims that TiVo+ offers over 400 streaming channels and on-demand content options, while Freely offers 70 of its own channels, plus the range of content available on the existing terrestrial streaming apps.

That's a lot of content for not a lot of money; well, no money if we're being pedantic. Now, if we're being realistic, the volume of high-quality productions may not be as high as the likes of Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video, but TiVo+ highlights that it does stream content from some major franchises.

You do, of course, have to put up with ads, but that's to be expected, and the TiVo OS platform does support plenty of paid streaming apps such as Netflix and Disney Plus if needed.

In fact, I think that's where the Aero 4K will hit its stride as a streamer. It's all about options; there is the free content on board that can supplement the paid services, and it might inspire those who are tired of pricey monthly subscriptions to cut back now that they can supplement the services they wish to keep with an abundance of free content.

We've not really seen a streaming box like this; the Award-winning Apple TV 4K expects you to cough up if you want to stream anything other than the free-to-access apps mentioned above, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)'s FreeVee free streaming platform is a bit of a mess right now, as it's in the process of being integrated into Amazon Prime Video.

With interest growing around free, ad-supported streaming, just look at Samsung's commitment to its expansive TV Plus platform; it's easy to see the appeal of the Aero 4K. However, only time will tell whether it will be equally impressive when it comes to picture and sound quality.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best streaming devices

As well as the best streaming services for movies and TV shows

And here are the best TVs

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Sony Bravia 8 II. It did, after all, take home the TV Product of the Year gong from the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards.

To win that prize, Sony’s flagship OLED set had to defeat not only the Samsung S95F, with which it shares its QD-OLED panel, but also the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B, which both feature cutting-edge Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology.

All four of those TVs are utterly awesome, so for the Bravia to come out on top was quite the achievement.

But there was one rival that didn’t make it in time for our Awards-deciding flagship OLED shootout – the Philips OLED910.

This features the same super-bright Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel tech as the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B, but it combines it with super-sexy European styling, a B&W sound system, dazzling Ambilight and super-aggressive pricing.

So, is all of that enough to unseat our current Award-winner? We directly compared these two flagship sets over several days, using all of our favourite discs and streams, to find out.

Spoiler alert: it’s a mighty close contest.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Pricing

Philips went super-aggressive with the OLED910’s launch pricing, releasing it to the market for £2199 at 65 inches and £3399 at 77 inches.

Even though rival sets, including the Bravia 8 II, had been on sale a while and been discounted, the OLED910 was cheaper out of the gate.

It’s dropped in price now, too, with the 65-inch model currently available for £1799, and the 77-inch version for £2799.

The Bravia 8 II has been further discounted, too, but the 65-inch model still currently costs £2199. There’s no 77-inch version, but unlike the Philips, there is a 55 incher, which is £1799 at the time of writing.

So, in the 65-inch size in which both sets are available (and which we directly compared), there’s a big £400 price difference. That’s extremely hard to ignore, and means the OLED910 takes first blood in this face-off.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Design

The Sony Bravia 8 II is a smart-looking TV, but it’s barely any different in appearance to the preceding A95L, which launched back in 2023. A design refresh to match the ambitious performance upgrade would have been nice.

Still, this is a very purposeful-looking, monolithic TV that looks particularly neat when the feet are installed at their default low–profile setting, which keeps the bottom edge of the TV within about a millimetre of the surface upon which it’s placed.

Those feet can alternatively be installed in a taller setting that creates a gap of a few centimetres between TV and furniture, into which you can slot a soundbar.

The Bravia 8 II does, of course, have an integrated sound system (a good one at that), but thanks to the technology it uses, it’s completely invisible from the front, contributing further to the stylishly clean appearance of the TV.

The Philips OLED910 is a very different aesthetic proposition. The integrated sound system includes front-facing speakers, but these are incorporated into a slim bar that’s wrapped in grey Kvadrat fabric and has nicely rounded corners, giving the set a softer, more appealing appearance.

Like the Sony, the Philips OLED910 has feet rather than a pedestal, but these feet are installed further towards the centre of the bottom edge of the TV, rather than the furthest points as they are on the Bravia 8 II. In other words, while the Sony can only be placed on top of furniture that’s at least as wide as the TV, the Philips will be happy on something narrower.

And, unlike the Sony, which has a fairly uniform thickness of about 3.4cm, the Philips combines its fairly chunky 5.6cm section with super-thin panel sections at the sides and top of the chassis. To our eyes, that makes it more visually striking, but beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder.

On that note, we have to mention Ambilight here. This is Philips’s unique bias lighting system, which features coloured LEDs around four sides of the OLED910’s rear. These can dynamically extend the on-screen image onto the wall around the TV in the form of coloured light.

Ambilight isn’t for everyone and isn’t a bonus for all content, but it does look spectacular, and for bright, colourful movies and games, it can really add something special.

All told, while the Bravia 8 II’s monolithic styling will certainly appeal to many, the OLED910’s softer, more living room-friendly appearance and (at least occasionally) thrilling Ambilight mean it wins this round.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Features

On paper, the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 take notably different approaches.

The Bravia 8 II uses Samsung Display’s latest QD-OLED panel, paired with a custom heatsink and the XR processor. Sony claims this enables a 25 per cent brightness increase over the preceding A95L and a 50 per cent uplift over the Bravia 8 W-OLED, alongside improved colour volume and better dark gradation.

Philips, meanwhile, has stuck with LG Display technology but upgraded from MLA to Primary RGB Tandem OLED. Philips quotes eye-catching brightness figures of up to 3700 nits for small highlights and 350 nits full-screen – numbers that should translate into a more dynamic image than the preceding OLED909, even in restrained picture modes.

Processing is a major talking point for both sets. Sony’s XR Processor introduces a new AI scene recognition system, which analyses content in real time and adjusts picture parameters for greater realism.

Philips counters with its 9th Gen P5 AI Engine – a powerful processor packed with features including Machine Learn Sharpness, AI Smart Bit Enhancement and AI Perfect Reality, all designed to optimise sharpness, colour and contrast depending on what’s on screen.

HDR support is one area where Philips holds a clear advantage.

The OLED910 supports all four HDR formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The Bravia 8 II, meanwhile, supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, but, as ever with Sony, HDR10+ is not supported.

The Sony does, however, boast IMAX Enhanced certification, and leans heavily into its Studio Calibrated Modes, with dedicated Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Sony Pictures Core presets designed to present content as the creators intended.

On the subject of Sony Pictures Core, the Bravia 8 II also comes with credits that can be used to ‘buy’ movies from Sony’s exclusive streaming service, which delivers content in almost 4K Blu-ray quality.

Gaming support is broadly similar. Both TVs offer 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM and a Dolby Vision game mode, though the Philips also supports 4K/144Hz, which will appeal to hardcore PC gamers with super-serious rigs (current consoles can’t go beyond 120Hz).

Frustratingly, both sets are limited to two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which doubles as the eARC socket, potentially leaving just a single 4K/120Hz input once a soundbar is connected.

Sony adds its ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ features, but these are a little less grand than they sound – only the HDR Auto Tone Mapping does something beyond the capabilities of other sets, such as the OLED910, and while this is useful for getting a fairly accurate HDR performance out of most PS5 games, it isn’t quite 100 per cent accurate.

Both TVs use the Google TV smart platform, which is pretty good these days, but while Sony has sought to fill in Google TV’s terrestrial catch-up app gaps through the addition of YouView, the Philips OLED910 is missing BBC iPlayer.

We’re not going to factor the two different OLED panel technologies into the round, as it’s the actual picture performance that matters, and we’ll cover that in the next section. That leaves the two TVs fairly evenly matched on the features front: the Philips has HDR10+ and 4K/144Hz support, but the Sony has IMAX Enhanced, Sony Pictures Core, and the BBC iPlayer.

Ultimately, we’re calling this a draw, but you can call it a win for one or the other TV based on which of those feature differences matters to you.

WINNER: draw

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Picture quality

Both the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 deliver genuinely excellent pictures, but when viewed side by side, it becomes clear that they prioritise slightly different strengths.

The Bravia 8 II sets the benchmark for balance and effortlessness. Straight out of the box, its core presets – Dolby Vision Dark and Professional – deliver a beautifully judged image with no need for tweaking.

Peak highlights are brighter and more piercing than those of Sony’s previous OLEDs, colours are richer without exaggeration, and improvements to dark gradation reveal noticeably more shadow detail.

Crucially, all of this combines to create an image with exceptional solidity and three-dimensionality: objects have weight, people feel rounded and lifelike, and backgrounds possess genuine depth.

That sense of realism holds across all content types. HDR movies benefit from punchy highlights and immaculate tone mapping, animation bursts with colour without tipping into garishness, and even standard-definition material is upscaled with impressive cleanliness, sharpness and restraint.

Nothing ever feels forced or over-processed, and the Bravia 8 II consistently presents content in a way that feels authentic and natural.

The OLED910, by contrast, can take more work to get right, but rewards that effort with a thrilling, high-impact image.

Once switched into HDR Filmmaker Mode and properly dialled in, it delivers bright, punchy HDR with excellent sharpness, fluid motion and a strong sense of vibrancy.

OLED’s perfect blacks are paired with strong shadow detail and consistent colours in dark scenes, and motion handling is a particular highlight, striking a rare balance between smoothness and cinematic integrity. In fact, we’d go as far as to say it’s a match for the Sony in terms of motion processing – something we absolutely hadn’t anticipated.

Where the Philips falls slightly short of the Sony is in absolute accuracy and subtlety. Reds can occasionally appear a touch over-emphasised, particularly in skin tones, and while this is rarely obvious in isolation, it becomes more apparent when compared directly with the Bravia 8 II’s more natural colour handling.

In HDR10 content, the OLED910 gets impressively close to the Sony overall, but the Bravia has the edge in terms of contrast control, three-dimensionality and overall image cohesion.

Dolby Vision performance on the Philips is excellent in Filmmaker Mode, though blacks can appear slightly raised in very dark scenes – again, something that’s most noticeable next to the Sony.

SDR content, meanwhile, is significantly over-brightened in all picture modes. It looks great, with oodles of punch, but having at least one preset that tracks SDR brightness accurately would have been nice.

Ultimately, the OLED910 is a superb picture performer and one of the closest challengers to Sony’s flagship. But the Bravia 8 II remains the reference, delivering a more natural, solid and consistently cinematic image across all formats, with less effort required from the viewer.

WINNER: Sony Bravia 8 II

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Sound quality

Both the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 rank among the very best-sounding TVs available, but they go about their audio delivery in notably different ways – and in this case, the Philips ultimately comes out on top.

The Bravia 8 II uses Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ system, with actuators vibrating the screen itself to produce sound, supported by twin subwoofers.

This creates an unusually strong sense of cohesion between picture and sound, with voices and effects locked precisely to their on-screen positions. Dialogue is clear, detailed and warm, and there’s enough dynamic subtlety to convey emotional nuance in performances, as well as enough punch to handle larger shifts without flattening out.

Spaciousness is also impressive by TV standards. Effects stretch well beyond the edges of the screen, creating a soundstage that feels wider and more immersive than most integrated systems can manage.

Bass depth isn’t class-leading, but it’s controlled and weighty enough to underpin action scenes convincingly, without unwanted distortion or boom. Overall tonal balance is excellent, making the Bravia 8 II one of those rare TVs that doesn’t immediately demand the addition of a budget soundbar.

The OLED910, though, raises the bar further. Its Bowers & Wilkins-tuned 3.1-channel system delivers a sound that’s bigger, weightier and more room-filling than the Sony’s, with excellent width, precise effect placement and impressive dynamic range.

Dolby Atmos soundtracks are handled with confidence, producing a convincing sense of scale and height, particularly when the Entertainment mode is engaged.

Low-level detail is a real strength, with subtle background sounds and musical elements placed clearly and naturally, while dialogue remains full-bodied and expressive. Dynamics are handled with assurance, too, from quiet conversational moments to louder, more demanding sequences.

Deep bass is a touch soft, but crucially remains clean and distortion-free – and there’s much more of it from the Philips than there is from the Sony. Compared directly, the Philips sounds more powerful, more immersive and more expansive than the Sony.

While both TVs will still benefit from the addition of a dedicated sound system, the OLED910 noses ahead if you’re determined not to go down that route. If you are prepared to add discrete sound, you need to be looking at something on the level of a Sonos Arc Ultra before you’ll hear a clearly worthwhile improvement on either TV.

In short, the Bravia 8 II delivers excellent, finely balanced sound with superb picture-to-audio cohesion, but the OLED910 sets a new benchmark for built-in TV audio at this level, edging ahead as the best-sounding TV of the two.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Verdict

This is one of the closest TV head-to-head battles we’ve seen in some time, and the fact that the Philips OLED910 gets so close to the Sony Bravia 8 II is a huge achievement – particularly given its lower price, more adventurous design and genuinely outstanding built-in sound.

The OLED910 wins convincingly on value, and edges the Sony on design flair and audio performance. It also delivers a thrilling, high-impact picture once properly set up.

If you want a premium OLED that looks and sounds spectacular, and you’re keen to avoid adding a separate sound system, the Philips makes a hugely compelling case.

But picture quality remains the deciding factor – and here, the Bravia 8 II still stands apart.

Its image is more natural, more consistent and more three-dimensional across all formats, with none of the small compromises that occasionally creep into the Philips’s delivery.

Just as importantly, it achieves this with less effort from the user, delivering reference-level results straight out of the box.

That combination of accuracy, balance and cinematic realism is why the Bravia 8 II earned its Product of the Year crown – and why it keeps it here.

The OLED910 pushes it harder than almost any rival we’ve tested, but when it comes to the overall best TV you can buy right now, Sony’s flagship remains the one to beat.

OVERALL WINNER: Sony Bravia 8 II

If you're looking for a projector to upgrade your home cinema system, choosing an ultra-short-throw model can be a great decision. After all, they are ideal if you are short on space, as they can project a large image when positioned inches away from your projector screen.

And we have spotted a big discount on one of the best UST models on the market right now. The Award-winning Hisense PL2 projector received a five-star rating from us when we had it in our test room, impressing with its balanced picture and excellent feature offerings.

It's currently available at Sevenoaks Sound & Vision for £1199, chopping a whole £800 off its original price. That's not the lowest price we have seen it drop to (Black Friday saw the model's cost fall to £959), but this is still a brilliant saving on such a top-performing model.

To get this discount, you will need to apply the code GDHI200 at checkout.

But what makes this model worth your consideration? First off, it offers a balanced picture performance, especially when it comes to portraying natural-looking colours and solid dark detail levels.

We say in our review while watching Dune: Part Two: "The additional brightness gives explosions and the desert sand noticeably more impact and vibrancy compared with [its predecessor] the PL1, which was best in class at this price less than a year ago."

The Hisense PL2's Dolby Atmos sound performance isn't quite as impressive as its picture, but the eARC socket makes it a prime candidate to be paired with a separate sound system.

The ultra-short-throw model offers an up to 150-inch image via a single laser light system that's capable of reaching 2700 lumens. This makes it an ideal TV replacement, as using the PL2 shouldn't be troubled by the intrusion of ambient light.

Furthermore, it includes the Vidaa operating system, meaning support for a wide range of international and domestic streaming apps, including the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and BBC iPlayer, is built in.

You'll also find HDR support in the form of HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

If you're aiming for a cinematic experience at a scale that exceeds any of the currently available best TVs, then the Hisense PL2 is worth considering, especially at this low price.

MORE:

Here's our review of the Hisense PL2

And these are the best projectors right now

Ultra-short throw projector vs big-screen TV: which should you buy?

Owning a complete home cinema system is the stuff of dreams, isn't it?

But did you realise you could buy such a thing for a little over £500 this Black Friday?

• Check out all of the Black Friday deals at Amazon
• Richer Sounds Black Friday event
• Sevenoaks Black Friday deals
• Peter Tyson: Black Friday event

Well, it's true! By combining two amazing Black Friday deals – on five-star components, no less – I've built a system that includes a 4K Mini LED TV and a complete Dolby Atmos soundbar system for just £538.

The system

• TCL 50C6KS Mini LED TV: £349 at Amazon
• Hisense AX5125H Dolby Atmos soundbar system: £189 at Amazon
• Total cost: £538

The TV

The TCL 50C6KS is our favourite budget 50-inch TV – and it has the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 gong to prove it.

What really wins you over is the picture: deep, inky blacks – rare on a sub-£500 TV – combined with really strong brightness and vivid, convincing colours thanks to its Mini LED backlight and Quantum Dot panel.

Shadows look rich, HDR highlights pop nicely, and there’s a surprisingly good amount of detail even in dark or complex scenes.

On top of that, it supports the full spread of HDR formats – HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG – so you can access all of your content in the highest possible quality.

Google TV is built in, so all of the big, global services (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, etc.) are ready to go, and TCL has gone out of its way to add all of the UK's main catch-up apps, including BBC iPlayer.

Not that you'll need it, but the built-in sound also over-delivers for the money: surprisingly detailed, decently spacious and with Dolby Atmos support – more than you’d expect at this price.

Sure, it isn’t perfect: the screen is 60 Hz only, so it can't handle 4K/120Hz gaming (though the gaming experience is otherwise very good, it has to be said).

Motion is also a little soft, and on rare, extremely bright highlights, there’s a little clipping or slightly blatant dimming-zone transitions.

But honestly, those felt like tiny trade-offs at the full price of £419, let alone the Black Friday price of £349 at Amazon.

The Dolby Atmos soundbar system

You no longer have to spend a fortune and mix-and-match lots of different components to get a full home cinema system. Instead, you can get it all in one box, and for less than £200.

The one-box system I'm referring to is the Dolby Atmos-friendly Hisense AX5125H.

This isn't just a soundbar, but a full 5.1.2-channel system that includes a soundbar, a wireless subwoofer and two wireless surround speakers.

The result isn’t just louder than your TV’s built-in speakers, it’s genuinely cinematic: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks come alive with solid impact, plenty of bass and a sense of space that makes films and shows far more immersive. Importantly, voices remain clear, even during heavy-duty scenes.

For the money, this is simply the most complete surround sound setup you’ll find.

Setup is refreshingly simple: HDMI eARC gets you going in minutes, no fuss. The hardware feels solid, and though the design is no flashy showpiece, it’s compact enough to sit naturally below most TVs (including the TCL C6KS) and doesn’t look toy-ish.

Sure, there are some limitations. The sub can get a little over-enthusiastic now and then, which in the busiest action scenes can make bass slightly boomy and even muddy dialogue a little. And while the package is excellent for movies, for stereo music or nuanced sound-mixes, it doesn’t quite reach high-end levels.

Again, though, those were minor issues at the original price of £249, so they really pale into insignificance with this £60 discount.

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

In the last few years, we have seen the coffee table projector market skyrocket.

The appeal is obvious: these models can deliver huge cinematic thrills in your living room, but can also be tucked away in a cupboard when not in use.

With smart platforms and speakers built in, they're essentially complete home cinemas in neat little boxes.

Here, we have two of the latest and greatest 4K models side-by-side for direct comparison.

The Epson EF-72 is one of the most stylish models we've seen, and is designed to provide “flexible and immersive entertainment that’s ideal for any space”, according to the company.

The Hisense M2 Pro is perhaps sporting a more divisive design, but it's smaller than the Epson and is, says Hisense, capable of delivering "depth and nuance like no other".

Those are bold statements from both competitors, but how do they actually perform? We've tested both models side by side in our dedicated AV test room, so we can tell you which one comes out on top. Let's get cracking...

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: price

The Hisense M2 Pro launched for £1299 / $1299 / AU$2495, but it's now widely available for a much lower £949 / $1000 / AU$1595.

The Epson EF-72, on the other hand, launched for the lower price of £1150 / $1000 (it's not available in Australia) but hasn't been discounted quite as heavily. Current pricing is £999 / $950.

That places both of the projectors firmly in the premium coffee table projector market, so they come with high expectations.

Given that the Hisense is the slightly more affordable projector in the UK and the Epson is marginally cheaper in the US, we're calling this round a draw.

**Winner: Draw**

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: design

Epson's projector really stands out from the crowd, leaning into the lifestyle element of the category.

Sporting a sturdy stand and base, the projector has a trendy Scandinavian feel, with a wooden top and cloth fabric wrapped around the body.

The underside features funky coloured lighting, with users able to select a range of different ambient light modes by pressing their hands to the top – nice if you don't want to watch movies in pitch blackness or are using the projector as a Bluetooth speaker or simple mood light.

You can tilt the EF-72 upwards 90 degrees and downwards by 15 degrees, so you can display content on the ceiling, floor or at an angle.

The Hisense M2 Pro takes a different approach, offering a design not unlike something out of a sci-fi movie. Its silver cube-shaped body is supported by a flat base that can be tilted a full 360 degrees.

You can also mount this model on the wall or ceiling, or use the base to position it on a table.

With the Hisense weighing in at 3.9kg and the Epson at 4kg (about the same as a bowling ball), both models are relatively light and easy to move around. It's worth noting, though, that neither projector has a built-in battery, so they can't be considered fully portable.

The M2 Pro's remote has a premium feel with a sleek finish, a responsive D-pad and various streaming shortcuts. The Epson's black remote is more plain and plasticky, but it's perfectly usable and has a similar layout to that of the Hisense.

The Epson has a throw ratio of 1.20:1, whereas the Hisense offers 1.0 to 1.3 via the flexible zoom feature. This means you can get a larger image from a shorter distance.

Despite the Hisense's more flexible throw ratio options, the Epson takes the crown this time for its luxurious feel and unique design.

**Winner: Epson EF-72**

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: features

So what features do these projectors offer?

First off, both the Hisense and Epson models feature Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as a USB port. The two projectors also have a single HDMI input that doubles as an eARC connection.

While both projectors are presented as 4K models, neither has a native 4K resolution. Instead, both employ pixel shifting technology to deliver a 4K effect.

This is entirely expected at this level, and pixel shifting is capable of delivering excellent results when used effectively.

The Epson and the Hisense models both support HLG and HDR10, but the M2 Pro goes beyond this to include HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

Both the EF-72 and M2 Pro have built-in smart platforms: the former features Google TV, while the latter has Hisense's own VIDAA system.

In each case, you get access to the apps of the biggest streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV, but the Hisense also offers the BBC iPlayer app in the UK, whereas the Epson does not.

Neither of the projectors supports Dolby Atmos but the Hisense does support DTS Virtual X, which the brand says delivers "distortion-free, immersive sound".

In terms of screen size, Epson claims the EF-72 can go up to 150 inches whereas the Hisense model can supposedly reach up to 200 inches. It claims to go brighter as well, quoting 1300 lumens of brightness, where the Epson can offer up to 1000 lumens.

The Hisense's more advanced HDR support and brightness levels pip the Epson to the post here.

**Winner: Hisense M2 Pro**

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: picture quality

Now for the main attraction.

The Epson offers a perfectly likeable, colourful picture that is easy to live with.

When watching Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, we say: "The colours with this disc look pleasingly punchy and warm, while still being nicely balanced. Flaming torches held by the apes look fierce and vivid against the dark background, and the green of the leaves in the forest later on appears earthy and natural."

Its motion handling is smooth and, for the most part, still maintains the sense of natural movement, making for distraction-free viewing.

But the Hisense M2 Pro simply offers a crisper, punchier image that the Epson cannot match.

The contrast is excellently controlled and, when watching Civil War, we find that "tracer bullets across the night sky look fantastic, retaining a precisely controlled burn".

In terms of motion handling, the Hisense also matches the Epson by offering a smooth but authentic sense of movement.

The Hisense model delivers impressive black levels, too, and without crushing shadow detail.

It's this combination of deeper blacks and brighter highlights that ultimately gives the Hisense M2 Pro the win in this round.

As pleasant as the Epson EF-72 is, it's hard to escape the feeling that it's playing things a little safe. There's nothing strictly wrong with that, but the Hisense adds dynamism without adding any obvious deficiencies, so it's all gain with no pain.

**Winner: Hisense M2 Pro**

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: sound

Neither the Hisense nor the Epson deliver jaw-dropping audio quality, but we frankly wouldn't really expect them to.

Epson once again plays things a bit safe, with the EF-72's single 10W speaker delivering a "rather flat and uninteresting" sound, despite the 'Sound by Bose' label.

It does manage to portray voices well by keeping them warm and balanced, all with a reasonable amount of bass to portray the emotion of each scene. But the sound remains quite localised and struggles to create much of a sense of immersion.

The Hisense M2 Pro's two 10W speakers, meanwhile, offer reasonable separation between dialogue and background noise, and provide some sense of directionality.

But its low end is a little too weak and it can suffer from sibilance and distortion during more demanding scenes.

While the Hisense offers a better overall sound than the Epson, neither can deliver movie soundtracks with anything like the scale necessary to do justice to the epic images, so in both cases, we recommend adding a dedicated sound system.

**Winner: Hisense M2 Pro**

Epson EF-72 vs Hisense M2 Pro: verdict

There's a lot to like about the Epson EF-72. With its charming living room-friendly design and warm, cinematic picture, it is a welcome addition to the coffee table projector category.

But the Hisense M2 Pro trumps it in terms of image quality, most significantly by delivering brighter highlights and deeper blacks, resulting in a punchier and more solid-looking picture.

Add the better sound quality and slightly lower price (in the UK at least), and you have a fairly straightforward decision.

**Overall winner: Hisense M2 Pro**

MORE:

Here's our full reviews of the Epson EF-72 and Hisense M2 Pro

Check out the best projectors right now

We’ve had a thoroughly enjoyable time watching TCL upset the AV apple cart with a string of spectacularly good-value premium TV models this year.

We’ve not, though, had the chance to sink our teeth into any of the brand’s entry-level stuff – until today.

The 43-inch P7K is the smallest model from TCL’s second most affordable TV series for 2025, and it can be yours for relative peanuts.

Not surprisingly for that money, though, the 43P7K lacks more than a few of the impressive premium picture and sound quality features that have served TCL so well this year. So, can it really still add to the brand’s run of TV bangers?

Price

The 43-inch P7K’s £269 / AU$799 (around $360) price is its biggest up-front attraction.

Rivals are in pretty short supply at this level. We do have a review coming soon of Samsung’s 43-inch UE43U8000F, though, which is actually a tiny bit cheaper than the TCL model.

It’s also worth pointing out that TCL’s step-up P8K range introduces a few handy extra features, including a 120Hz screen and more powerful audio, without costing much more than the equivalent-sized P7Ks. The P8K series doesn’t include a 43-inch model.

Design

The 43-inch P7K looks budget in some ways, but not in others. It's a bit chubby around the back by today’s slender standards, for one thing, and its supplied desktop feet are as lightweight, plasticky and basically designed as any we’ve seen on any TV to date.

Looking at the screen straight on, though, we’re struck by how narrow the bezel around it is, and by how a subtly textured finish to that bezel manages to give it a vaguely stone-like appearance that cunningly disguises its actually quite lightweight heart.

The 43P7K’s remote control, on the other hand, makes no attempt to hide its basic plastic construction. It’s not actually unpleasant to use, though, thanks to its spacious layout and inclusion of a helpful selection of direct access streaming app buttons.

Features

Not surprisingly for a TV this affordable, there’s not nearly as much to detain us in the features department as there was with TCL’s C7K and C8K range toppers. Then again, there’s arguably a bit more going on than you might expect to find for so little cash.

For starters, the native 4K screen still uses Quantum Dot technology to deliver its colours. Also, while the P7K uses ‘standard’-sized LEDs rather than Mini ones and doesn’t carry any local dimming technology, its LEDs are still helpfully placed directly behind the screen rather than around the edges.

There seems to be a basic global dimming operation in place, too, where the core light level of the entire image is adjusted in response to changes in the brightness of the content you’re watching, and the panel at the screen’s heart is still one of TCL’s new so-called HVA ones – albeit a much more stripped back version than is found in TCL’s Mini LED models.

Its VA-type LCD panel should deliver better contrast than the IPS alternative that other budget TVs quite commonly use. Hopefully, this, in conjunction with the direct lighting and global dimming, will yield better dark scenes than we customarily see for this sort of money.

The P7K’s hardware charms are joined by TCL’s AiPQ processing system, which extends its enhancement tendrils into various key picture performance areas, including motion clarity/judder, colour, upscaling of sub-4K sources, and sharpness. Fear not, though, purists: all of the AiPQ options are strictly optional.

The P7K’s smart features come courtesy of Google TV, bolstered, we’re pleased to say, by separate deals with the BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 catch-up services that aren’t typically available through Google TV. Having gone that far, it’s perhaps a shame that TCL hasn’t also pursued either Freeview Play or Freely as a way of bringing the UK’s TV streamers together in a more ‘managed’ way.

You can control the TV by speaking to it, though, courtesy of Google Assistant support, and you can also stream stuff to it via Bluetooth or wi-fi.

Physical connections comprise an optical digital audio output, two USB ports, both satellite and RF tuner inputs, an Ethernet port and three HDMI ports.

While one of these HDMIs supports eARC for passing the TV’s sound out to a connected AVR or soundbar, none of them support 4K/120Hz. That should come as no surprise, given that the P7K’s panel is a 60Hz affair.

What is somewhat surprising is that you can actually get 120Hz feeds into the TV at lower resolutions, thanks to TCL’s Game Accelerator technology. There’s also support for ALLM switching when a game source is detected, and even VRR.

Now we’re on the subject of gaming, the 43-inch P7K has just 10.5ms of input lag when in its Game mode. That’s a seriously speedy result that shames many TVs costing many times more. There’s also a Game Bar menu you can call up instead of the usual home screen when gaming. This offers a helpful mix of basic gaming aids and information on the incoming graphics feed.

The 43P7K’s sound is delivered by a fairly basic 2 x 10W speaker system, without the built-in subwoofer or Onkyo/Bang & Olufsen audio collaborations found higher up TCL’s current TV range. This is only to be expected on such a cheap TV, though.

Allowing us to finish this section on a high note is the screen’s ability to handle all four of the main high dynamic range formats in the AV world today: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. This means that the TV will always receive the best version of any source that’s fed to it.

Picture

The 43-inch P7K continues TCL’s very welcome 2025 trick of delivering better picture quality than you’ve any reasonable right to expect for its price.

The (mostly) good news starts with its brightness, as it delivers more light with both HDR content and the ‘Standard’ SDR preset than the vast majority of TVs in its budget class.

We should clarify this right away by saying that we’re not talking about light levels that remotely challenge those of today’s mid-range and higher TVs – including, especially, TCL’s own mid-range and higher sets. But there’s certainly enough light emerging from its screen to enable it to distinguish clearly between HDR and SDR, as well as making SDR actually look a bit like HDR in the previously mentioned Standard preset – all without things ever feeling forced or strained.

The brightest HDR highlights enjoy some genuine intensity, too, and there’s a surprisingly high level of general brightness with HDR content that floods the whole screen with light. This brightness is typically stable and consistent across the screen, too.

The above-par brightness for a budget TV also feeds into the P7K’s colours, which enjoy more vibrancy and volume than you’d normally see on such a cheap TV. Bolstered, it seems, by the use of that Quantum Dot colour system.

Regular readers of our TV reviews may recall, though, that Quantum Dots aren’t a guarantee of good picture quality.

We’ve seen numerous examples of budget Quantum Dot TVs with worse picture quality than cheaper non-QD models if other picture elements, especially contrast, aren’t good enough. Even the brightest colours retain their richness on the 43P7K, though, and its palette is underpinned and counterpointed by deeper black tones than we typically see at entry-level prices.

Black levels are again, to be clear, not on the same level as those of TCL’s more premium TVs. Especially those that boast the brand’s excellent new Mini LED and local dimming combination. But you’re never going to get those sorts of contrast-enhancing features on a TV as cheap as the P7K.

Putting the finishing touches to the 43P7K’s mostly winning pictures is some seriously impressive sharpness and detail – at least with native 4K sources.

This even holds true with action scenes and sports footage, thanks to the way TCL’s screen avoids the smearing behind and lost resolution over moving objects that is such a common feature of budget TVs. Even judder with 24fps movies is pretty well handled by the Natural and Low settings of the AiPQ processor’s motion processing options.

There are a few little reasons, though, why the P7K hasn’t quite earned that fifth star so many of its TCL siblings have picked up this year.

First and worst, during dark HDR scenes, you can see faint jets of light creeping into the bottom left and right corners.

Viewing angles are fairly limited before colour and contrast start to be affected too, and while most aspects of the AiPQ processor work quite well, the set isn’t the best upscaler – at least of standard definition sources and games played at 1080p/120Hz using the Game Accelerator feature.

Finally, we struggle a bit with the P7K’s Dynamic Contrast feature. You need this active to get the best contrast/black levels and stop dark scenes from losing a little shadow detail, but it can cause the TV to flicker a bit during dark scenes. So, you end up having to make a choice between two slightly compromised solutions.

The 43P7K’s pictures deserve for us to finish talking about them on a positive note, though, so let’s wrap up by saying that it’s a surprisingly enjoyable screen to game on, and that its Standard and Movie presets are both well-designed to give you easy and enjoyable out-of-the-box bright and dark room viewing options for movies and TV shows.

Sound

The 43P7K’s simple stereo speakers manage to create a pleasingly large spread of sound, and place Dolby Atmos effects across that spread with decent accuracy. There’s a little forward thrust to its sound, too, despite the set not carrying any forward-facing speakers.

For most of the time, the sound is also clean and free of distortions, dropouts, crackles and the like, and while bass is limited in terms of both its presence and depth, it’s not wholly absent, meaning the sound isn’t quite as weightless and thin as that of many budget TVs.

There are limits to how far the 2 x 10W sound system can be pushed, though.

Meaty action scenes sound a bit thin, and while regular day-to-day TV sounds clean enough, really deep movie bass rumbles and drops can succumb to pretty distracting amounts of crackle and buzz.

Finally, while voices usually sound quite clear and well-rounded, they can get pushed into the background a bit during the most raucous movie moments.

Verdict

While the 43-inch TCL P7K isn’t quite flawless enough to add to TCL’s 2025 five-star TV review tally, it still offers a better all-round combination of picture quality, sound quality, gaming capabilities and smart features than you have any right to expect for its exceptionally low price.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Sharp 43GM6245K

Also consider the Sky Glass Air

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

As live gigs become more ambitious to stage and expensive to attend, TV coverage is ramping up, meaning it could be time to give your home cinema a musical makeover instead.

MTV has returned to its roots with 24/7 music videos this week, the BBC and Sky Arts deliver wall-to-wall festival coverage, concerts can be downloaded in exceptional quality, and streaming giants are increasingly broadcasting artist tours and documentaries.

The music content we can now stream at home has evolved far beyond, and deserves far better than, basic TV speakers. It has created new demands for your home cinema setup, and positively demands an upgrade to a versatile all-in-one music system, or active stereo speakers with an HDMI eARC input.

Turning to TV

The catalyst for all this excellent content isn't nostalgia – it's economics. As anyone scrambling for Oasis tickets will tell you, concert tickets have become prohibitively expensive, while shows sell out instantly, only to reappear on extortionate reseller sites.

Jamie Tagg, Festival Director of Mighty Hoopla, reveals the harsh reality: “Our talent budget has well over doubled, if not even tripled, in the last few years. And that's for a whole host of reasons. Not only is top talent huge now, the numbers are just insane.”

“The market is so different to 10 or 15 years ago when touring was part of your campaign. Now it is your main driver of income, and we all want exclusivity on our lineups – so I’ve got to pay for that.”

Tagg also cites increasing customer expectations for the ticket price – bountiful hand sanitiser, glamping-style flushing toilets, and gourmet food choices. It’s an economic reality that has priced out countless music fans.

Matt Kaplan, UK & EU Director at ethical ticket reseller Tixel, which caps prices at 20 per cent above face value, says over 90 per cent of tickets on the platform are for last-minute gigs taking place that week. But if they can’t get one, music television can be the next best thing.

“I don’t think there’s ever going to be a substitute for the religious experience of going to the show. But if that’s supplemented by digital or virtual experiences for those who couldn’t be there or want to relive it, then that’s a good thing.

“Ultimately, shows have a certain capacity, and high-demand events are going to sell out, leaving many fans disappointed. But there are other ways artists and their management can offer access to the music.”

Gig-ready home cinema

Here's where most home cinema enthusiasts get it wrong. Traditional surround-sound systems, and even soundbars, are designed for dialogue-heavy films and explosive action sequences, and often disappoint when playing musical content.

Music demands stereo imaging, tonal balance, and rhythmic precision over directional effects – qualities many home cinema speakers (and especially most soundbars) prioritise less.

The solution lies in music-first audio equipment that combines streaming convenience with serious musical chops. Modern hi-fi streaming products, all-in-one systems and active speakers all prioritise stereo performance over surround effects, and take up less space than a 5.1 surround sound system.

Many of these stereo products now also include HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) connectivity, which allows your TV to send high-quality audio signals to dedicated music-first audio equipment.

So, your options are no longer limited to a traditional multi-box surround system or poor soundbars; for those who want a great-sounding and immersive music experience, the best TV sound setup for music streaming in 2025 is a seriously capable stereo product that embraces HDMI eARC connectivity for seamless TV integration, and recognises that musical and cinematic priorities often differ.

Here are our five-star suggestions below.

Best all-in-one systems with HDMI ARC connectivity

If you don't want multiple boxes and cables, then an all-in-one system is a great (and stylish) option. The Ruark Audio R410 combines classic British styling with modern connectivity. Its warm, musical character suits acoustic and vocal-heavy content particularly well.

Meanwhile, the Naim Mu-so 2 delivers the British manufacturer's characteristic rhythmic drive and punchy timing – qualities that make live concert streams feel more immediate and engaging. Its distinctive design also serves as a statement piece.

The Cambridge Audio Evo One makes it a clean sweep for the Brits, thanks to its broad, room-filling presentation and fluid handling of dynamics. It is ideal for spacious and immersive concerts and documentaries, coming across almost like a live living room performance.

Active stereo speakers for music streaming

The desktop speaker-sized KEF LSX II system represents the sweet spot for compact, all-in-one wireless speakers with HDMI eARC capability. These diminutive speakers deliver remarkable clarity and stereo separation that make studio recordings and live performances equally engaging.

For maximum musical impact, though, the bigger KEF LS50 Wireless II scales up that concept significantly. Larger drivers and more powerful amplification mean this speaker system can handle everything from intimate jazz recordings to full-scale concert broadcasts with finesse.

Budget-conscious buyers should consider the Elac Debut ConneX DCB41 powered speakers. While lacking built-in streaming (only Bluetooth), they offer excellent musical performance (and far better than any budget soundbar) when paired with your TV via HDMI.

Music streamers with HDMI eARC

For maximum flexibility, consider building around dedicated components. A music streamer is an increasingly popular source – just remember that you will have to provide amplification and speakers to complete the system.

The WiiM Ultra offers exceptional value as a music streamer, supporting as it does all major streaming services while providing the crucial HDMI eARC connection for TV integration.

Premium alternatives include the Eversolo DMP-A6 and Cambridge Audio EXN100. Each offers enhanced build quality and a more sophisticated DAC section for improved sound quality as you go up the price range.

Sonically sound streaming amplifiers

The WiiM Amp Pro represents remarkable value in the streaming amplifier category, combining as it does streaming capabilities with amplification – you just need to add speakers. Its compact form factor suits modern living spaces, too.

Mid-range to premium streaming amplifiers include the Ruark R610, NAD C 3050 and Naim Uniti Atom. Each offers distinct sonic characteristics and varying degrees of power output. Naim emphasises timing and rhythm, Ruark provides warmth and musicality, while NAD delivers power and control.

For those preferring entirely separate amplification, the high-end Cyrus 40 AMP offers audiophile-grade performance and an e-ARC input, though you will need to add a separate streamer (and speakers) to complete the system.

The psychology of music streaming at home

Jamie Tagg believes the key difference to watching music content at home lies in the storytelling. “We put Kate Nash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra together and then thought we’ve got to document this. That’s going to be out soon, and it’s a really lovely thing to watch.

“We’re all walking behind the Beyoncé Coachella documentary, which was a performance, but it had insight, it had commentary, and it was interesting, so I do think there is a huge world of that coming.

“Blur’s To the End was excellent, as was The Stone Roses: Made of Stone. When you get to see the journey, that to me is much more fascinating than just watching a gig.”

As live music costs continue to rise, Matt Kaplan notes the likes of Viagogo and Stubhub employing something called speculative listings to assess demand, but the tickets don’t exist yet.

“That’s how prices are artificially inflated. They might think there’s a super hot show and decide to buy X amount of stock, put them up for £1,000 or whatever the mark-up might be, and they only need to sell a fraction.

“So with Beyoncé, her actual stadium shows weren’t sold out, but I’m sure the brokers had sold a lot of tickets. They don’t necessarily care about filling the room; they just care about offloading stock. It’s like an arbitrage game for them.”

Kaplan adds that most artists and managers aren’t making money; they are merely covering costs. So while Tixel supports the grassroots LIVE Trust with a £1 levy on every ticket sold, music TV and online content could be a vital revenue stream.

MORE:

Arcam's refreshed A5+ and A15+ stereo amplifiers aim to improve upon the best

8 standout tracks we've been enjoying in our listening rooms this past month

We asked Dolby all the big questions about Dolby Vision 2 – and we have good and bad news

I have spent the last three days measuring TVs.

That's obviously not unusual for a TV reviewer, but this time I wasn't measuring dimming zones, input lag or peak brightness – I was measuring energy use.

It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, and the plan is to introduce power draw figures to some of our reviews in the future, but our first annual Sustainability Week was the kick up the backside that I needed to actually make a start.

Now, measuring the energy use of something like a TV is a very time-consuming process – you need to connect an energy meter and let it run for a while, and I wanted to test various different aspects – so this is only the start of the research, but it has already produced some results that surprised me.

SDR vs HDR

I first wanted to find out whether different content types affected power draw, so I played seven different 10-minute clips through the 65-inch LG G5 and Sony Bravia 8 II in our test room, and the 65-inch Sony A95L that I use at home.

Those clips were the 4K Blu-ray of the super-bright Pan, which I ran in HDR10; the far-less-bright Blade Runner 2049 on 4K Blu-ray, also in HDR10; Toy Story 4 in 4K and Dolby Vision from the integrated Disney Plus app; the 1080p, SDR Blu-ray of True Grit; an episode of the latest series of QI from BBC iPlayer in HD; the very first episode of the Mr. Bean TV show, in standard-def from Amazon Prime Video; and 10 minutes of Sky Sports News, sent from a Sky Stream puck.

That gave me a lot of data, but I'm not going to go into that in detail now, partly because I'm saving it for a future feature, but mostly because it's only really interesting because of where it sent me next.

You see, the measurements suggest that the source and resolution make little difference to the amount of power the TV uses – the only thing that really makes a difference is whether the content is in HDR or SDR, with HDR content using less power when in the least processed modes, but more power in modes such as Dynamic or Vivid.

That makes sense when you think about it. It's brightness that uses power, and in modes such as Filmmaker (or Professional in the case of Sony), HDR will be brighter than SDR.

But in broadly brighter modes, particularly Standard or Dynamic/Vivid, the TV will bring SDR content up to HDR-like brightness levels, and will employ additional processing for that task (as well as all of the additional processing those modes tend to involve), hence SDR content will then use more power than HDR.

Filmmaker Mode (or equivalent) can save energy (and money)

What I really got obsessed by, though, was the overall power draw of different picture presets.

It was clear that the brighter modes would use more power, but how much more? And how much more would that extra energy cost?

So, I did yet more testing on my Sony A95L at home, as well as some research on how much the average household uses its TV, what the HDR/SDR content split is like, and how much electricity currently costs.

First up, the power draw of the four main presets, which are, from least to most processed, Professional, Cinema, Standard and Vivid:

According to Ofcom, in 2024, the average Brit spent just over 4.5 hours watching TV and video content per day.

Of this 4.5 hours, 84 per cent was through the TV set (as opposed to a smartphone, tablet, etc), so about 3.75 hours (3 hours and 45 mins) of watching content through the TV per day.

So, in a normal year, we're looking at 1369 hours of TV viewing.

Ofcom doesn't produce figures on HDR vs SDR (at least, not that I've seen), but Philips last year told me that its data shows that only 4-8 per cent of viewing through its "high-end" range, which includes all of its OLED models, is in HDR.

Let’s say, because the What Hi-Fi? audience is undoubtedly more passionate than average, that our readers watch 8 per cent HDR content. That would be 110 hours of HDR viewing per year, and 1259 of SDR.

Let's look at the energy use figures for the different modes on an annual basis, then, based on 110 hours of HDR and 1259 hours of SDR:

I don't know about you, but kWh mean very little to me – what I wanted to know is how this translated to monetary cost.

For the purpose of the UK energy price cap, the current average electricity cost is 25.73p per kWh.

So let's turn those above energy figures into pounds and pence by multiplying them by £0.2573:

As you can see, over the course of a year, the Professional preset of my 65-inch Sony A95L (which, again, is very similar to the Filmmaker Mode of other TVs) will cost roughly 25 per cent less than the Standard preset that many people will default to.

But spare a thought for those people who think they need to turn everything up to 11 and choose the Vivid mode: they could save £25 a year by switching to Professional.

As an aside, this testing reminded me just how horrible modes such as Vivid and Dynamic are. Garish, blinding and horribly noisy, you couldn't pay me £25 to use it on my TV for a week, let alone a year.

Professional/Filmmaker is where you get the most cinematically authentic delivery with most TVs. So, to my mind at least, it's better as well as cheaper.

But is your TV cheaper to run than your kettle?

Now, while I know I should be, I'm not someone who really has much idea of how much energy is used by the various appliances around my home, so I was taken aback when Ketan Bharadia (What Hi-Fi?'s Technical Editor) suggested that a TV only uses about as much power as a kettle.

Well, I set about doing another round of testing, and he's broadly correct.

While the data doesn’t seem terribly reliable, it’s suggested that Britons boil the kettle an average of 4 times per day, so that would be 1460 times in a typical year.

Let’s say (optimistically) that they’re boiling just 500ml each time – that’s the minimum for a lot of kettles and generally considered enough for two mugs of tea or coffee.

My kettle (a Kenwood Mesmerine ZJM811OR, if you must know) uses 0.069kWh to boil 500ml of tap water.

Multiplied by 1460 hours, that’s 100.74kWh per year, at a cost of £25.92 using the price cap average.

That's less than running my Sony A95L in Professional mode for a year, but only by £4.

The A95L is a 65-inch, flagship-grade OLED, too, so will use more power than most. There's every chance that many people are spending more each year running their kettle than their TV.

That's something that will require lots more data to prove, though, so expect more energy usage data on our TV reviews in the future.

In the meantime, give Filmmaker Mode (or your TV's equivalent) a go – it might save you some money as well as give you the best, most authentic picture quality.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

Check out all of our Sustainability Week coverage

‘Great sound shouldn’t cost us the planet’ – how Cambridge Audio wants to make hi-fi green

This new TV trend championed by Hisense and Samsung is a huge win for sustainability – now I wish every TV manufacturer would join in

Freely is expanding its streaming offerings with a “simple and affordable” puck that gives you access to live and on-demand TV on televisions that do not have the platform built-in.

The free streaming platform gives you access to a range of different streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and PBS America.

It was launched on a variety of next-generation smart TVs in April last year, providing access to over 40 channels without the need for an aerial dish or wires. That includes models from the likes of Hisense, Panasonic, and TCL.

This should allow audiences to ‘plug-in and stream’ live and on-demand TV all in one place.

Freely has teamed up with French entertainment technology company Netgem as its device partner. It says the puck is a “small and modern device” that will provide a “seamless and intuitive user experience.”

The device will include the same interface as seen on Freely Smart TVs, including a TV Guide with seven-day forward and backwards functionality, plus the ability to bookmark your favourite shows.

CEO at Everyone TV, Jonathan Thompson, said, “Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone. Expanding to ‘plug-in and stream’ devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription.”

We don’t yet know how much the puck will cost, but we are expecting to get more information in the coming months.

With more pricey competitors such as Sky Stream and Apple TV 4K also on the market, Freely’s first streaming puck could be a great alternative for those on a budget looking for a simple, straightforward offering.

It’s set to come out later this year, and we’ll keep you updated.

MORE:

Here are the best streaming devices

This is our review of Apple TV 4K

I’ve tried Freely: here are five things I like and three things that could be improved

The 48-inch LG C5 is the second smallest option in the company’s current step-down line of OLED TVs – which automatically makes it an interesting beast.

Flagship OLED TVs aren't really produced in sub-55-inch sizes. Sure, there's the new 48-inch G5, but that lacks the Primary RGB panel of its larger siblings, so it doesn't really count as a fully fledged flagship.

All of which is to say that while the C5 range is a step-down line, the 48-inch C5 is pretty much as premium as TVs this size get.

It’s also coming off the back of a hot streak for LG, with two generations of its predecessors not only earning top marks from our reviewers, but then going on to win What Hi-Fi? Awards.

Has lightning struck a third time with LG’s 48-inch C5 OLED TV? Here’s what we found after thoroughly putting it through its paces in our dedicated test rooms.

Price

The 48-inch LG C5 launched at a price of £1500 / $1599 / AU$2499. We’ve recently seen some early discounts that knock the odd hundred off, but you're currently still looking at paying close to full price.

The 48-inch C5's main rival is the identically sized Samsung S90F, which uses the same OLED panel technology. Unsurprisingly, the 48-inch Samsung S90F is priced at launch very similarly to the C5, at £1499 / $1500 / AU$2499.

You can also get the C5 in 42-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch sizes. The 42-inch LG C5 launched for £1400 / $1399 / AU$2199. Prices then rise in line with the TV’s size, capping at £5999 / $5399 / AU$7999 for the largest 83-inch option.

Build

LG hasn’t rethought the wheel with the C5’s design. In fact, it’s so unchanged that if you put it next to 2022's LG C2, let alone last year's C4, you would probably struggle to spot the difference.

Unlike the 42-inch model, the 48-inch C5 has the same central stand design as the 55-inch version we reviewed earlier this year, which is quick and easy to assemble. Just plonk the stand on the TV's back and secure it with the included screws. Once done, it provides a stable base that will fit on most regular-sized TV cabinets without issue.

Sadly, the stand doesn’t have a swivel mechanism, though this is less of an issue here as the set’s ports are mostly housed on its side rather than back, making them fairly easy to access.

The bigger annoyance is the angled slant and low height of the stand, which can make the positioning of a soundbar tricky. If you do go for a soundbar, you will want to make sure it's a fairly low-profile model, such as the Sonos Beam (Gen 2).

In the US and many other territories, LG has released a new sleek, modernised controller for the C5. But we’re yet to see it in the UK, where a slightly tweaked version of the somewhat long-in-the-tooth Magic Remote is the only option provided.

The controller remains largely unchanged outside of the addition of a new AI shortcut button and a minor tweak that changes the input button so you can control all connected devices with it – including things such as smart lightbulbs – rather than just select which HDMI input you want.

While these changes are fine, we would have liked LG to make bigger quality-of-life changes, adding things such as backlighting and rechargeable batteries – elements that are increasingly common on rival OLED sets we test.

While the pointer functionality, which lets you navigate menus with an onscreen cursor that’s moved with motion controls, is welcome, the remote is clunky to use in low light, which is what most serious movie fans will be doing.

Features

The 48-inch LG C5 is packed to the brim with features, which is particularly impressive considering its small size. But, as with its design, not a great deal has changed since last year.

Starting with the two big elephants in the room: the panel tech remains unchanged and, despite years of asking, there’s still no heatsink.

The panel used remains a WOLED, with the older brightness-boosting Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech seen on last year’s G4 sadly being retired, rather than trickling down to the C-series, as we’d hoped it would this year.

The lack of MLA is a shame, as it does offer palpable brightness improvements based on our testing. But it’s also not surprising, as it has been superseded by the Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel tech that LG Display debuted on the LG G5 at CES in January. MLA is sadly going to the same farm as curved screens and 3D TVs.

Equally, a heatsink could have helped the TV go brighter for longer without risking damage. The omission is particularly noticeable on this size of the C5 which, despite having the same Brightness Booster Engine as the larger models, can't hit the same peak brightness levels.

This isn’t a phenomenon specific to the C5, though. It’s an issue on all smaller OLEDs, due to a combination of factors including pixel aperture and the impact it has on heat management. Pushing the panel too hard can also impact colour accuracy, which is why companies tend to tune smaller sets more conservatively than larger models.

The only big change for the C5 is the use of a newer LG Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor. Like every chipset we’ve seen recently, the Alpha 9 Gen 8 has an overt focus on AI, which LG claims it has leveraged to help the TV deliver more advanced upscaling and holistically improve colour accuracy, audio quality and HDR tone mapping.

Outside of the dedicated AI picture and sound profiles, which can be accessed in the C5’s settings, the only obvious front-facing AI feature it brings is a new chatbot system designed to help you troubleshoot and generally use the set. Through vocal commands, you can do things such as tweak picture settings and ask what a particular toggle does.

The C5 supports the most common HDR standards of HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG. The only ongoing omission is Samsung’s home-brewed, open-source HDR10+, which is a rival to Dolby Vision and offers similar frame-by-frame dynamic range optimisation powers for compatible content.

Thankfully, the lack of big feature changes is largely forgivable, as the LG C-series was already one of the most feature-packed you could find.

The main highlight remains the inclusion of four, as opposed to the more standard two, full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs, one of which doubles as an eARC port.

While two HDMIs will be fine for most people, dedicated gamers with multiple latest-gen consoles and a sound system (which will use the eARC port) will really benefit from the C5's four.

Those four HDMI 2.1 sockets all support 4K/144Hz (as well as the more common 4K/120Hz), plus VRR and ALLM. Dolby Vision gaming is also on board and a welcome inclusion for Xbox Series X/S owners.

So all-in-all, if you connect a current generation games console or PC, the unit will run smoothly and as fast as the machine allows – it won’t be the C5 causing the bottleneck.

LG’s webOS 25 software runs the show and is fairly similar to the version we saw on the older C4. The only big addition outside of the AI assistant is a new Xbox app, which lets you stream games directly from the TV and adds the ability to pair a Bluetooth controller directly to the C5. This used to be exclusive to Samsung TVs.

Otherwise, the OS retains its strong app support, with key services including Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and ITVX all being supported and running correctly during our checks.

Picture

Powering up the 48-inch LG C5 paired with our trusty Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, the set immediately has a different character to both its 55-inch sibling and its key rivals. Watching Dune: Part 2 with the TV’s out of the box standard settings, as often happens, the set tries too hard.

Peak bright areas in the desert stand out too much as the C5 tries to show quite how bright it can go, while colours look a touch too warm. Motion handling is also very heavy-handed, with the fighters looking like dancing ballerinas, rather than aggressive knife-wielding warriors.

Thankfully, things rapidly improve as we fiddle with the settings, eventually settling on Filmmaker Mode, with the lowest Cinematic Movement option on, sharpening and judder reduction off and dynamic tone mapping on. Colour temperature, which is now tweaked using a slider control, rather than the less granular options of before, is left at its default for Filmmaker Mode.

Set up accordingly, the desert retains its sparkle, with the brightest part of the sky shining in a way OLEDs this price from even a few years ago can’t, but with significantly more detail.

Bright shading is strong, too, with a wonderful hue of blue transitioning to orange across the image.

Cloud clusters equally retain their shape, despite the added brightness, showing the difference pixel-level light control can make. Our only minor quibble is that colour temperature still looks a smidgeon too cool, but rapidly shifts the other way when we make minor adjustments.

Motion handling has also now regained its composure, with the actions of the on-screen characters taking on their intended weight, and a difficult scene in which a Fremen fighter launches a missile at an Ornithopter looks accurate, with no ghost frames or awkwardness seeping in.

We move on to one of our new favourite 4K Blu-ray test discs, Civil War. During the heated nighttime battle scene, the explosions look dynamic and truly pop out of the dark sections with zero bloom – as we’d expect from an OLED – but we see colour volume drop slightly, especially in characters’ skin tones.

This is particularly noticeable on close-up shots. While the brightest parts of faces pop and look wonderfully three-dimensional, the darker parts take on a greenish hue, losing all warmth, resulting in a flatter, less natural image than we like.

This is slightly annoying as the set otherwise handles dark scenes admirably. Switching to our Alien: Romulus test disc, the opening scene shows a giant spacecraft slowly creeping out of the pitch black vacuum of space. The image is full of detail with every nook and cranny of the vessel on display, giving us a wonderfully three-dimensional spectacle.

Playing Top Gun: Maverick, the skyline once again looks excellent, full of pop and detail, but an area of the aircraft carrier in the shadows looks slightly flat, losing some definition in areas that look wonderfully sharp on the Samsung S90F we’re testing it against (full review coming soon).

Yet, when we switch to Oppenheimer, the issue doesn’t repeat during a shadow-heavy scene where he is meeting politicians. The skin tones look natural, and the entire picture has a sharp, wonderfully three-dimensional quality, with every stitch of their suits visible.

Moving to our final, incredibly difficult, SDR True Grit upscaling test, the C5 performs well.

During the tricky opening, the dark lights in the night-time farm hold a nicely bright, distinctive spot, with the glow illuminating details well without introducing noise or oversharpening the falling, fluffy snow.

The intentional spaghetti western grain is retained as we move to a brighter scene, with the set not pushing too hard and oversharpening or flattening the very difficult picture.

Ultimately, while the 48-inch LG C5 displays a couple of niggling picture issues, it's superbly competent overall. And many users won't notice those issues at all.

Sound

The 48-inch C5 features the same 2.2-channel 40W speaker system as the outgoing C4.

On a set this size, audio quality is usually one of the main compromises you have to put up with. This is because their smaller dimensions impact how much air the speakers can move around. Based on our testing, this remains the case with the 48-inch C5.

Starting with the set in its standard audio mode, the C5’s performance is distinctly flat, with every part of the sound coming from the centre of the screen. Gunfire and soldiers’ shouts during Civil War lack their intended directional quality.

On top of this, while gunfire never sounds acidic as it does on the S90F, it lacks the bite you’d expect, and explosions in the distance show the C5’s low end doesn’t quite have the heft required to deliver the intended, bone-rumbling effect.

Sadly, this isn’t fixed when we switch to the AI audio mode. LG is making a lot of noise about the C5’s new AI audio powers, with its custom AI Sound mode that aims to “optimise the audio” to its users’ specific tastes. The set-up requires you to click through a process, picking options that “describe your preferences” before optimising the speakers to them.

Here, while the set noticeably tries to separate the frequency range more, it makes each part thin in the process. Gunfire takes on a nasal, fizzy quality, and sibilance creeps into dialogue while the low end all but disappears.

We get the best results switching to the set’s Cinema mode. But even then, the audio lacks definition.

Moving to an intense scene in Top Gun: Maverick, the audio remains flat. The boom of jet engines lacks precision and directionality, and voices aren’t suitably separated from background noise, making some conversations hard to follow.

This makes a soundbar or other speaker system an essential purchase for any serious movie fan planning to pick up the LG C5.

Verdict

The 48-inch LG C5 retains the Korean giant's legacy as one of the top small-ish OLED TV makers, but largely because it sticks very closely to the blueprint that made past C-series sets great, rather than any clever innovation.

If you’re yet to take the OLED plunge, then this is a solid option, especially if you’re short on space or cash-rich enough to justify one as a secondary, bedroom set.

But the lack of progress is beginning to show at this size, and it means that the 48-inch LG C5 isn’t the slam-dunk, no-brainer purchase it used to be – especially with Samsung and Panasonic nipping at its heels.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Features 5
• Sound 2

MORE:

Read our review of the 48-inch LG C4

Also consider the 48-inch Samsung S90F

Read our LG 65QNED93 review

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

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

Amazon Prime Day has already provided a flood of excellent home cinema deals; however, this one might take the cake.

The Hisense PL2 ultra short throw projector, which we awarded five stars earlier this year, is currently down to its lowest-ever price thanks to the Prime Day sales.

Originally launching for £1999, the PL2 can now be yours for just £1299 at Amazon; that's a jaw-dropping discount of £700. You'll also find this deal at Peter Tyson and Sevenoaks Sound & Vision.

The entry-level model in Hisense's Laser Cinema series also happens to be the best projector that the company currently offers.

This ultra-short-throw model offers an up to 150-inch image via a single laser light system that's capable of reaching 2700 lumens. This makes it an ideal TV replacement, as using the PL2 shouldn't be troubled by the intrusion of ambient light.

Furthermore, it includes the Vidaa operating system, meaning support for a wide range of international and domestic streaming apps, including the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and BBC iPlayer, is built in.

As for the AV-specific features, you'll find HDR support in the form of HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

It might not be the best option for gamers, as neither of the two HDMI 2.1 sockets (nor the single HDMI 2.0) supports 4K/120Hz gaming; instead, you'll need to drop to 1080p to achieve 120Hz gameplay.

Picture-wise, we commended the PL2's balanced image, especially highlighting its natural colours and solid dark detail levels. The higher peak brightness compared to its Award-winning predecessor is also appreciated, and the punchy, rich colours can be an asset to animated content.

The PL2 isn't quite as impressive when it comes to sound, however, the eARC socket makes it a prime candidate to be paired with a Dolby Atmos soundbar.

If you're aiming for a cinematic experience at a scale that exceeds any of the currently available best TVs, then the Hisense PL2 is worth considering, especially at only £1299.

MORE:

Find more home cinema deals on Amazon this Prime Day

More great TV deals to be had at Richer Sounds

Sevenoaks Sound & Vision is home to some home cinema bargains right now

Watch Women's Euro 2025 live streams

Switzerland is welcoming the best female footballers in Europe, with the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Football Championship – better known as Euro 2025 – kicking off on 2nd July and running for a month until the final at Basel’s St. Jakob-Park on Sunday 27th July. England's Lionesses are looking to defend their title, but world champions Spain, while Germany remain firmly in contention to avenge the defeat from three years ago and take their crown. It is turning into one of most competitive tournaments yet.

We enjoyed two epic semi-finals. England needed late goals from Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly to see-off a resilient Italy. Spain then overcame Germany in another match that went to extra time. Now, the final is upon us. It is England vs Spain and repeat of the 2023 World Cup final. Can the Lionesses avenge their defeat, or will Spain have their hands on both trophies at once?

Euro 2025 is FREE to watch on BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK. And you can use a VPN to watch Euro 2025 live streams from anywhere, if you happen to be away. Below we have all the information you need on TV channels, international live streams and how you can watch this festival of football absolutely free.

• FREE: BBC iPlayer / ITVX (UK)
• US: Fox Sports via Sling TV / Fubo
• Unblock any stream: NordVPN – the No.1 soccer VPN

Free Euro 2025 live streams

Like the Women's World Cup, the European Championships remain free to watch in the UK, with the BBC and ITV sharing matches between them.

That means you can watch every Euro 2025 match on catch up online on either of the BBC iPlayer or ITVX, both of which are completely free to stream live and on catch-up (assuming you have a valid TV licence).

Both services can be watched on laptops, smartphones and have apps for a wide array of streaming devices and games consoles.

Plenty of other competing European countries also had live coverage, including hosts Switzerland (Play SRF, Play RTS, Play RSI), Austria (ORF), Belgium (RTBF, VRT), France (TF1, France Televisions), Germany (Das Erste, Sportsstudio), Italy (Rai Sport ), the Netherlands (NPO1) and Spain (RTVE).

Stuck outside your home country? You can use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked...

Watch Euro 2025 live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to access your regular Women's Euro 2025 streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch any Euro 2025 live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Watch Women's Euro 2025 live streams in the US

Soccer fans in the US can watch Euro 2025 live on on FOX, FS1 and Disney Plus.

Disney Plus prices start at $9.99 per month or $159.99 for the year. A potentially more cost effective option is paying $16.99 per month for the Disney Plus bundle, which gives you access to Disney Plus, Hulu and Max.

Alternatively, you can stream FOX and FS1 via cable-cutting service Sling. Prices start at $50.99/month for Sling's Blue plan, which includes both channels.

Another option is Fubo. It's base tier gets you well over 100 channels (including Fox, FS1, NBC and ESPN) and cloud DVR with thousands of hours of space to store shows. Prices start at $79.99 a month. Plus, there's a free trial of Fubo too.

Of course, Sling and Fubo are only available within the States so be sure to use a VPN if you're a US subscriber stuck abroad. We recommend NordVPN, as it's reliable and comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Expert TV advice: best OLED TVs for sports fans

Watch Euro 2025 live stream in Australia

If you're in Australia, streaming service Optus Sport is providing live coverage of Euro 2025 games. The service costs $9.99 per month at the moment, as it is shutting down in August.

You can watch on mobile, tablet, TV, streaming devices, computer or games consoles and cancel anytime.

Sadly, those over the Tasman Sea will not be able to watch the action, as no deal has been done to air the competition in New Zealand,

Away from Oz? Use a VPN to access your local Euro 2025 live stream from overseas – without being blocked.

Can I watch Women's Euro 2025 in 4K UHD?

Unlike most high profile sports tournaments these days, this year's Women's European Championship unfortunately, won't be broadcast in 4K UHD. The same was true of Euro 2024.

It is understood that the cost of producing 4K footage isn't matched by demand, with many people watching live sport events on devices that don't carry 4K integration.

There is a possibility that coverage could be 'upscaled' to 4K, which would be some small consolation to viewers with 4K TVs. This will be the decision of each host broadcaster. Otherwise it'll be your on 4K TVs doing the upscaling leg work.

Watch Euro 2025 in HDR

Although there will be no 4K, matches from Euro 2025 will be produced in HDR – or single-layer 1080p50 HDR (hybrid log-gamma, HLG) to be precise.

HDR (standing for High Dynamic Range) is an improvement on non-HDR pictures thanks to its ability to deliver more accurate colours and better contrast. So although you won't get to enjoy the pin-sharp detail of 4K, it should still enhance your Euro 2025 watching experience.

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

Watch Wimbeldon 2025 live streams

The third Grand Slam of the year is up and running, with the world’s best players battling for the title on the famous grass courts at Wimbledon. Taking place from Monday, June 30 until Sunday, July 13, Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejcikova are attempting to defend the titles they won one year ago at SW19.

Luckily for fans in the UK and Australia, all of the action from SW19 will be streamed for FREE via BBC iPlayer and 9Now. But can tennis fans in the US and Canada also access a free stream? And what devices are BBC iPlayer and 9Now available on? Read on to find out how to watch Wimbledon 2025 online and for FREE from anywhere.

• FREE: BBC iPlayer (UK)
• FREE: 9Now (AUS)
• Unblock any stream: NordVPN – the No.1 tennis VPN

Free Wimbledon 2025 live streams

Tennis fans based in the UK and Australia are among the luckiest in the world as they can watch Wimbledon live streams for FREE.

British streaming service BBC iPlayer is providing the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament, with viewers able to choose which match to watch as there will be live streams covering every court at SW19.

BBC iPlayer is FREE - but you will need to create an account, have a valid U.K. postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB) and a TV license.

Alternatively, in Oz, Channel 9 and 9Gem is the home of Wimbledon and you can stream both channels live via 9Now.

Away from home? Use a VPN to watch Wimbledon on BBC iPlayer or 9Now for free — we’ll show you how to do that below.

Watch Wimbledon 2025 live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular Wimbledon 2025 streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch Wimbledon live streams from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

• Expert TV advice: best OLED TVs for sports fans

What devices can I watch BBC iPlayer on?

• Amazon Fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, TVs)
• Android TV (please note: some models aren’t supported)
• Android (Mobile & Tablet) - Android 7.0 and above
• Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
• Google TV (Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield)
• Freely
• Freesat (please note: some models aren’t supported)
• Freeview Play (TVs and set-top boxes) (some models aren’t supported)       
• iOS (iPhone & iPad) - iOS 14 and above        
• LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)       
• NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
• PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)
• Roku (Stick & Roku-OS powered TVs, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
• Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and above)        
• Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream puck
• Virgin Media (360, Stream, TiVo)
• YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
• Xbox (One, Series X, Series S)

What devices can I watch 9Now on?

• Amazon Fire TV devices
• Android (Mobile & Tablet) - Android 5.0 and above
• Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
• Fetch
• Foxtel
• Freeview
• Google TV (Chromecast)
• Hisense TV
• iOS (iPhone & iPad) - iOS 12 and above    
• Kogan TV
• LGTV
• Nvidia Shield+
• Roku
• Samsung Smart TVs
• Sony Android TVs
• TCL TV
• Vodafone TVs

Wimbledon 2025 schedule

June 30-July 1: Men’s & women’s first round

July 2-3: Men’s & women’s second round

July 4-5: Men’s & women’s third round

July 6-7: Men’s & women’s round of 16

July 8-9: Men’s & women’s quarter-finals

July 10: Women’s semi-finals

July 11: Men’s semi-finals

July 12: Women’s singles final

July 13: Men's singles final

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

At first glance, the BenQ W2720i looks as though it could be a tough sell.

Its built-in sound system, auto set-up, unusual AI-bolstered performance enhancements and Google TV smart platform make it look like a casual living-room projector. Yet its relatively high price, Filmmaker Mode, 2500 lumens of claimed peak light output and the fact that it has been fully calibrated before shipping make it look like a serious home theatre projector.

Meanwhile, its support for 120Hz feeds and a Fast mode for reducing input lag even get you wondering if it’s another one of BenQ’s dedicated gaming projectors.

The more you use the W2720i, though, the less it looks like a projector with an identity crisis and the more it looks like one of the finest projector all-rounders we have ever seen.

Price

On one hand, the BenQ W2720i’s £1999 / $2599 / AU$3299 price tag looks a little high for a projector which, in some ways at least, gives off a casual living-room vibe.

On the other hand, though, some of its specifications and features make the W2720i start to look a much more serious proposition than it first appears, to the point where its price actually starts to look like quite a bargain. Provided, of course, that its performance lives up to its on-paper promise.

The W2720i’s unusual positioning, with feet in two usually separate projector camps, makes direct competition hard to find. Based on price more than anything else, though, we should mention BenQ’s own X3100i and the Hisense C1.

The X3100i is a cute cube-shaped projector with a focus on gaming that also happens to excel with video, while the C1 is a really likeable living-room projector with good picture and (unusually) sound quality tucked inside a lovely metallic blue cubic design.

Design

While a fair bit larger than your average casual ‘coffee table’ projector, the W2720i is still quite pretty by projector standards.

Its edges are all nicely rounded off, its top edge enjoys a comely curve that further softens the projector’s presence, and the promisingly substantial, centrally placed lens is tucked within a neat recess adorned with silvery strip highlights.

Its smooth matt grey finish looks and feels more premium than those wrapped around many living room projectors, too.

The remote control that BenQ provides with the W2720i is equally attractive, thanks to a nicely rounded shape that sits comfortably in your hand, a premium white gloss finish, and a logical, spacious button layout.

The buttons are backlit, too, to make them easier to find in a dark movie-night environment.

Features

This is where the W2720i starts to get really interesting, mixing as it does features and specifications that would normally be found only shared across different projector types.

Its optics are built around a DLP system, illuminated by LED lamps claimed to deliver 30,000 hours of use without replacement. That’s enough for around 15,000 movies – or one movie every day for 40 years – unless you happen to be obsessed with Titanic and Killers Of The Flower Moon, anyway.

The LED lighting delivers up to a claimed 2500 lumens of peak brightness and a promising claimed dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, while colour coverage is stated to achieve 90 per cent of the DCI-P3 HDR spectrum and 98 per cent of the Rec 709 SDR spectrum.

In keeping with BenQ’s more overtly home theatre-targeted projectors, the W2720i has been calibrated for accuracy in BenQ’s factory before shipping, with a certificate of calibration included in the box.

Fans of relatively accurate, ‘serious’ movie viewing experiences will also be pleased to hear that the W2720i carries a Filmmaker Mode designed to deliver images that stay true to the main established image standards.

The W2720i’s connections go further than those of most projectors by including three HDMIs, one of which provides ARC support for passing sound – including Dolby Atmos tracks – out to a connected AVR or soundbar, and one of which supports 4K/120Hz feeds (though not VRR) from a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or suitably capable PC graphics cards.

Given the game-friendly nature of one of the HDMIs, though, it’s a pity that the W2720i doesn’t provide a dedicated Game mode as a shortcut to the projector’s most responsive settings.

There is a ‘Fast’ picture option that reduces the time the projector takes to render images, but when you select this it generates a message saying you also need to manually turn off a bunch of other features, including keystone correction, noise reduction and the projector’s 4K sharpness enhancement, to get the fastest response out of the projector. Which only underlines the feeling that it would surely have been better if BenQ had just set up a Game preset with all these adjustments done for you.

Making BenQ’s thinking here even more strange is the fact that if you set your games console or PC to feed the W2720i a 4K/120Hz HDR feed, the projector suddenly decides that it can actually automatically turn its noise reduction and motion enhancer 4K features off for you.

Your reward for following the Fast mode instructions and going to the trouble of turning off as much of the projector’s image processing tools as possible is an input lag time of just 17.8ms – a great result by projector standards.

Other connections include two USBs (one offering 2.5A of power for, say, a video streaming ‘stick’, and one media reader); RS232C and 12V trigger ports help you integrate the projector into a home entertainment control system; plus 3.5mm and digital optical audio output alternatives to the eARC HDMI route. Though the W2720i does also carry its own built-in 2x5W stereo speaker system.

For cable haters, the W2720i supports wi-fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. The wi-fi option is particularly important here, as this feeds the video streaming apps the projector carries as part of its integrated Android TV smart system. The W2720i is far from the first projector to incorporate Android TV, but it does make a better fist of it than any other projector we have seen to date.

For one thing, its Android TV implementation runs reasonably slickly and stably during our tests, without the myriad bugs and app failures we see all too often in the smart projector space. Even better, all the key video apps seem actually to be nativised to the projector’s capabilities, rather than any of them serving up lower-quality generic feeds from basic open website portals.

Even the W2720i can’t, of course, suddenly overcome Android TV’s blind spot when it comes to some of the UK’s main broadcaster catch-up services. So there are no functioning BBC iPlayer, All4 or ITVX apps, for instance.

The likes of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Discovery+ and Paramount+ are all present and correct, though, which will quite likely be enough for many households. And you can always add a relatively cheap streaming stick to cover those missing apps.

The W2720i supports high dynamic range playback from both its built-in streaming apps and external sources, with HDR10+ support joining the basic HDR10 and HLG formats. There’s no Dolby Vision support, but getting even one of the premium HDR formats on a projector is still quite rare.

The W2720i’s HDR credentials are boosted, too, by an HDR Pro system designed continually to optimise HDR10 and HLG pictures to the projector’s capabilities – a bit like the HDR dynamic tone mapping systems that many TVs carry these days.

The set-up process for the W2720i features an unusual but helpful combination of automated and manual options.

An auto screen-fit system adjusts the picture to match the size of your screen, while an AI Cinema Mode can automatically adjust the picture based on analysis of both the content you’re watching and the tone and level of light in your room. But there are also manual vertical optical image shift and 8-point geometry correction tools, plus a reasonably helpful 1.3x level of optical zoom.

The attractive on-screen menus also provide access to a ‘Cinemaster’ suite of adjustments, containing Colour Enhancer, Pixel Enhancer 4K, Motion Enhancer 4K, Global Contrast Enhancer and Local Contrast Enhancer options. While you need to handle these options with care, they actually add up to quite a useful set of picture fine-tuning tools.

While content support for 3D continues to dwindle, finally, the W2720i still provides playback support – assuming you sort yourself out with the necessary BenQ 3D glasses, of course.

Picture quality

Any lingering doubts about the W2720i’s talents potentially falling awkwardly between casual and serious home theatre stools are quickly and emphatically put to bed when we finally sette down to see what it can do.

So many aspects of the W2720i’s pictures feel right, in fact, that it’s actually hard to break them down into their constituent elements. We instead keep finding ourselves just getting caught up in what we are watching. This is, of course, exactly the experience you want from a projector – but we guess you want a bit more detail than that from the supposed professionals. So, with a deep breath, here goes.

First up, the W2720i’s pictures are phenomenally sharp. We hear those people who say DLP projectors like the W2720i don’t deliver truly native 4K resolutions, relying instead on pixel-shifting/double flashing technology to achieve a ‘virtual’ 4K image. But so crisp, detailed, pristine and full of texture and density are the W2720i’s pictures that they really do look 4K, even if pushed to prodigious image sizes. Nor is there anything artificial about this sharpness; it feels entirely natural and organic rather than the result of any sort of aggressive processing.

The sharpness holds up even during 24p movie action scenes thanks to some strikingly natural, cinematic handling of judder with a provided 24P True Cinema setting in play.

The W2720i excels, too, with contrast. Many projectors struggle to strike a convincing balance between the sort of relatively high brightness that HDR sources depend on and the sort of convincing black colours needed to make dark HDR scenes look as convincing and compelling as bright ones. For the most part, though, the W2720i strikes an excellent balance, as bright scenes and image areas enjoy plenty of punch and some surprisingly intense small light ‘peaks’, while dark scenes usually avoid excessive grey clouding and still contain enough shadow details to share the same depth you get with bright shots.

Again, there is typically nothing artificial or forced about the W2720i’s compelling contrast, either. Dark scenes even manage to look consistently stable, without any distracting flickering issues, despite the best picture settings relying on a dynamic contrast system where brightness is continually adjusted to deliver the best results.

The W2720i’s colours continue the natural theme. An impeccable sense of balance, for instance, ensures that no tones look forced or stand out too much against the rest. The projector can cover enough of the DCI-P3 spectrum, too, to mean that even the most vibrant areas of colour don’t look ‘rolled off’ or off-key, and the subtleties of colour tone that BenQ’s projector can deliver ensure that blends look smooth while objects in the picture look solid and three-dimensional.

Skin tones are particularly well handled, too, avoiding both that plasticky look and the green/red/jaundiced tones they can take on with less talented projectors.

Despite its wealth of HDR-friendly features, the W2720i adapts extremely well to SDR sources, and expertly turns its hand to gaming once you have activated the Fast mode and turned off the projector’s video-processing features.

The W2720i’s impressive array of truly nativised video streaming apps contributes to the most consistently excellent streamed picture quality we have seen from a smart projector. The sharpness, cleanliness, contrast and colour balance it achieves with 4K HDR streams from every major streaming app (though especially Netflix) is always a joy to behold.

It’s hard to find negative things to say about the W2720i’s pictures in the context of its price point. There are brighter projectors out there that can push HDR harder, though the W2720i’s ability to deliver real intensity to HDR’s brightest highlights while also achieving natural-looking black levels actually makes its 2500 lumens of light feel pretty perfectly judged. So really our only fair complaints are that relatively large bright highlights of HDR pictures can lack a little subtle shading detail, especially in Filmmaker Mode, and that the projector’s usually convincing dark scenes can suddenly grey out momentarily if a mostly very dark shot suddenly features an extremely bright highlight.

Neither of these issues occurs often enough, though, to count as a remotely big deal in the context of everything the W2720i gets right.

Sound quality

The W2720i’s built-in sound system isn’t exactly the most powerful we’ve heard. Even at maximum volume, the sound doesn’t get very loud at all, denying soundtracks anything like the sort of impact you want to go with the massive and punchy images the projector can provide.

It’s not all bad news, though. For one thing, the speakers can project dialogue, ambient effects and the sort of relatively trebly sounds that help good film soundtracks feel busy a decent distance away from the projector’s body.

This creates a larger sound stage than most projector sound systems manage, as well as making some of the sound seem to be coming from at least somewhere in the vicinity of the on-screen action.

Low-frequency sounds don’t escape the projector’s bodywork quite as readily, which can leave loud scenes sounding a bit dislocated.

There’s quite a nice tone to bass sounds, though, and while the speakers can’t get loud, they do at least avoid distortion and dropouts.

So, while you’ll want to find some sort of external audio solution for serious film nights, the W2720i can work OK as a standalone all-in-one solution for casual occasions.

Verdict

The W2720i does an outstanding job of straddling the usually incompatible worlds of serious and casual home cinema/home entertainment projection.

Indeed, this is a remarkable all-rounder that is more than good enough to make its asking price look like a steal.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 3
• Features 4

MORE:

Also consider the BenQ X3100i, Hisense C1 and Epson EH-TW7100

These are the best projectors you can buy right now

Amazon Prime Day is on the horizon, and there's one deal at the top of my wish list.

The savings event will officially kick off on the 8th of July, with deals on a range of hi-fi, AV and home cinema gear expected. However, it's one of Amazon's own products that I'm keeping my eye on.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which sits at the top of Amazon's incredibly popular streaming stick range, just scored five stars in our recent review. For the money, it's our top pick for those looking for an upgrade over their TV's built-in streaming apps, or for anyone with an older 4K TV that features outdated software.

At £70, it undercuts rivals such as the Apple TV 4K and Google TV Streamer, but I reckon we'll see an even better price very soon.

Amazon tends to ruthlessly discount its products, slashing serious percentages off price tags during its own sales event. Therefore, I will eat my proverbial hat if the Fire TV Stick 4K Max doesn't see a major discount in two weeks.

During the period in which we tested the Fire TV Stick, it was priced at just £50 in a sporadic Amazon sale that didn't appear to be linked to any specific savings event.

If it can randomly drop by £20, I expect to see a deal that matches or beats that on Amazon Prime Day. The previous generation model dropped from £65 to just £38 back in 2023, so I'm gearing up for a similar saving.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max would be a no-brainer at £50 (in fact, we called it a no-brainer at its full asking price), as its picture performance is well worth that money. We appreciated its crisp and detailed image, rich colours and considered handling of motion.

Furthermore, the Fire OS streaming platform includes a wealth of apps – with everything from Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and BBC iPlayer, to niche services like Mubi and Shudder included – and the support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR is the icing on the cake.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max this Prime Day, so check back often to see if my dream deal ends up becoming a reality.

MORE:

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review

As well as our picks for the best streaming devices

And read our full Google TV Streamer review

Xgimi has been producing a steady stream of portable projectors recently, with the latest hitting the shelves only last week.

The MoGo 4 is the brand’s latest contender, but with some formidable competition on the market, it’s an uphill battle for the small, yet mighty, projector.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air is standing with its arms crossed, sizing up the MoGo 4 with a stern look. It is, after all, the current overall champion of our best portable projectors page.

Luckily, we have tested both projectors, so there is no need for the pair to step into the ring and settle things with violence.

So let’s take a look at how these projectors perform.

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: price

You can get the MoGo 4 for £509 / $499 (around AU$765).

While we have yet to see any price reductions yet, as the projector has just hit the shelves, it's quite likely that there will be discounts in the near future.

The Nebula Mars 3 Air launched at a slightly higher price of £550 / $600 / AU$1300.

Since it was released over a year ago, however, we have seen some decent discounts knocking it down much closer to the MoGo 4’s price.

**Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4**

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: design

Both the Xgimi MoGo 4 and the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air have practical yet stylish designs that are difficult not to like. They also have built-in batteries, with both models touting a claimed 2.5 hours of playback when not in the vicinity of a mains socket.

Weighing in at 1.3kg, the MoGo 4 has a cylindrical body that can be twisted to transform the hard plastic on the side into a nifty stand. This can then be adjusted up and down easily, making set-up a relatively fuss-free affair.

A mini-remote is also included alongside the full-fat remote control we would expect, which could make it easier to transport – you can leave the primary backlit remote at home when taking the MoGo out of the house if you’d prefer to keep it safe and sound.

The Nebula Mars 3 Air’s bucket-like design weighs only 0.4kg more than the MoGo 4, making it simple to take on the go. The included carry handle is appreciated, but the lack of physical positional adjustment is a bit of a problem.

With a more versatile design that allows for easier picture positioning, the MoGo 4 comes out on top.

**Winner: Xgimi MoGo 4**

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: features

Both portable models are 1080p-resolution, LED-lit DLP projection systems. They also use Google TV as their operating system, which has built-in Netflix; we note this because up until now, support for Netflix on portable projectors has been spotty at best.

You can also access Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+, but BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 are not available unless you Google Cast from another device.

There is only one HDMI connection on each projector, but that's to be expected, considering they are primarily designed to be portable; streaming is built in, and we’re not convinced anyone is going to be carrying a Blu-ray player or console everywhere they go.

When it comes to picture modes, both models are keeping things simple. They offer Movie, Standard and Game presets, as well as an Eco mode which lowers brightness to extend play time when running away from a mains power source.

It’s a similar story with the audio presets on offer, with the two models offering Music and Movie modes. The Nebula Mars 3 Air has an Outdoors mode, while the MoGo 4 offers a Sports mode. We can’t see this being a huge sway in terms of appeal for cinephiles, but sports fans will see the appeal of having a louder and more spacious sound.

Both projectors feature two built-in drivers; however, the MoGo 4’s 6W speaker system is topped by the Anker’s slightly more powerful 8W system.

In terms of setup features, the MoGo 4 is keeping things simple yet practical with auto-keystone correction that kicks in when the projector is moved.

The Anker model has its own version of this, which they have called ‘Intelligent Environment Adaptation 3.0.’ This also includes an auto object avoidance system that attempts to reposition the image to the side of any objects that might appear in the projector’s direct line of sight.

Both projectors are pretty much on the same level when it comes to features, however, so a tie seems fair.

**Winner: draw**

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: picture

Now for the main attraction.

We were impressed by the picture performance from the MoGo 4 during testing, as we found it presents a “vibrant and crisp” overall image.

It does tend to overdo that vibrancy at times, though. This is most likely because Xgimi wants the image to be clear in light conditions, but in a more traditional dark room, it can look as though the colours are overcooked.

Despite that, it looks impressively natural and does a good job with dark details. We also noted that the contrast of flaming torches against the black background in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes looked “punchy”, which made for an overall cinematic image.

With the Nebula Mars 3 Air, we say in our review that the “sharpness doesn’t look forced or processing-induced” and note that it can “present dark scenes without much of the grey wash that’s so common among rival projectors.”

While we do notice that the auto focus system can sometimes leave the image looking a touch softer in its upper quarter, it is still easy to live with and great fun to watch with pretty much any source you throw at it.

This time, it’s the Nebula model that just takes the lead.

**Winner: Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air**

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: sound

With audio performance, the Nebula Mars 3 Air emerges more clearly as a leader. The sound is pretty expansive by projector standards and doesn't feel trapped inside the body.

We note in our review: “Detailed movie mixes sound crisp and busy, but are also well-rounded enough not to sound harsh or thin.”

The MoGo 4, on the other hand, keeps the sound quite localised. This results in a reasonably thin overall sound, although it does manage to maintain a balanced presentation.

Neither of the projectors manages to go very loud, but this is to be expected when the big focus for the manufacturers is portability.

**Winner: Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air**

Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: verdict

Both the MoGo 4 and the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air are excellent examples of how picture quality doesn't have to suffer for a projector model to be portable.

If getting the best picture and sound quality out of a projector is the most important aspect for you, then the Nebula Mars 3 Air does pip the MoGo 4 to the post.

That being said, the MoGo 4 still provides a clear picture with a more versatile build.

**Overall winner: Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air**

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

Nebula has produced a reliable stream of projectors over the last few years, from portable models such as the four-star Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air to pricier purchases such as the Cosmos Laser 4K projector.

Now, Nebula, which is owned by Anker, is launching another 4K projector that it says is a “cinema-grade outdoor entertainment system”.

The Nebula X1's (supposedly) portable design and easy set-up mean it could be ideal for indoor and outdoor movie screenings.

However, a glance at the specs sheet reveals the projector requires a constant mains connection and is much larger and heavier than most people would consider to be really portable.

In our minds, therefore, this is more of a 'coffee table projector' that can be fairly easily moved between rooms, packed away in a cupboard and brought out for epic movie nights. But, sure, it can also be used in the garden if you have a long extension cable.

Categorisation is tricky, then, but it’s much less important than the performance, which is in many ways very good.

Price

The Nebula X1 is available for £2200 / $2999 (around AU$4550).

There’s also an ‘accessory pack’ that includes two wireless satellite speakers, a carry case and two wireless microphones for £500 / $999.

The price for the projector alone pits it against premium models such as the BenQ X3100i (£2099 / $2399 / AU$3599), which earned a What Hi-Fi? Award last year for its all-round picture performance.

While the BenQ and Nebula are styled quite differently, they’re overall very similar semi-portable projector propositions.

If it’s a true portable projector that you’re after, you’re better off looking at much smaller, battery-operated alternatives such as Nebula’s own Mars 3 Air or BenQ GV31, which cost £550 / $600 / AU$1300 and £449 / $599 / AU$999 respectively.

Build

The X1 has a smart and nifty design that includes a bucket-like handle that can be activated by pushing it down. It is available in one colour: a light yet metallic-looking grey.

The projector measures 24 x 19 x 28cm and weighs 6.2kg. While that is of course heavier than properly portable projectors, it is light enough to carry around for a short distance.

The projector can be placed on a projector stand, table, or the floor, with an optical engine and lens array that then tilts up to 25 degrees. There is an add-on gimbal you can buy as an extra stand for the projector, but it will set you back a further £120 / $179.

The remote control is intuitive to use, helped massively by the addition of backlight buttons to make navigation easier in the dark.

On the top of the projector is a touch screen from which you can control volume, power, and begin keystone correction. There’s also a toggle button so you can navigate the menu without the remote.

Sci-fi nerds will also be pleased at the addition of a Battlestar Galactica-esque red light that appears on the top when the projector is turned on.

Features

The triple-laser X1 projector boasts a 4K resolution, a claimed 3500 ANSI lumens of brightness and it can supposedly project an image up to 300 inches in size.

Nebula is also employing some AI smarts to make the set-up supposedly simpler. The brand’s AI Spatial Adaptation auto set-up includes real-time autofocus, keystone correction, ambient light adaptation and wall colour adaptation, which can all be switched on via the remote control.

We use it to fit the picture to our screen, and while some adjusting is required, the AI does a good job of understanding the space around it.

There is also a Spatial Recall feature, so the Nebula X1 can remember your preferred settings for selected spaces to make set-up easier.

In terms of streaming capabilities, the Nebula projector features the Google TV platform with Netflix built in. You can choose to download all the usual suspects, including Channel 4, Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV+, Netflix, ITVX and Amazon Prime Video. BBC iPlayer is not available, though you can at least cast it to the projector from your phone as a workaround.

If you want to connect to a gaming system or Blu-ray player, the X1 also has two HDMI ports on the rear, including one with eARC for use with an external sound system.

The projector has an internal liquid cooling system, which Nebula says helps keep noise to a whisper-like 26dB. While using the projector, the system is indeed impressively quiet, barely audible in fact.

When it comes to the picture modes on offer, the X1 offers a whole host of options.

First up, the brand’s own NebulaMaster mode can “improve contrast with enriched details in both bright and dark areas of the image”, according to the company. However, while we find that this mode does boost the brightness, the image also takes on a pale hue that is lacking cinematic warmth.

Standard mode has this same paleness, but it’s also lacking the enhanced detail of NebulaMaster, so we feel it’s best avoided. There is a Sports mode, which heightens the highlights in the image, and a Vivid mode brightens the picture even more, but at the expense of dark detail.

There are Day and Night modes calibrated by the ISF (Imaging Science Foundation), which do tailor the image to these different environments with adjusted brightness levels, but they also tend to flatten the image and make it less engaging.

Our preference is the Movie mode, which offers the most balanced presentation in terms of colour and detail, and gives us the most cinematic picture.

For gamers, there are Standard and Extreme gaming picture modes to choose from.

If all that is not enough for you, there are also several sound modes to choose from. For testing, we stick with the Movie sound preset due to its wide sense of space and its vocal clarity.

There is also a Music mode, which brings out the vocals more but at the expense of the bass, and an Outdoors mode that widens the soundstage but lacks the detail and impact of the Movie setting.

Nebula has an accompanying app as well, where you can change picture and sound modes, use the image correction tools and select a streaming service to open.

There’s also a neat feature where your phone screen is designed to resemble the remote’s toggle wheel. You can use Google Cast through the app, too.

Picture

We kick off with Alien: Romulus via Disney+. As a spacecraft silently drifts through a floating wreckage, the Nebula X1 immediately shows off its impressive black levels as the enveloping blackness of space is inky and dark.

Twinkling stars contrast with the blackness, and their brightness successfully peeks through. The Movie picture mode certainly helps the image to feel cinematic too; as the ship passes through the debris, it has a good sense of three-dimensionality.

In terms of colour, the X1 keeps the picture vibrant and engaging. With the Antarctica episode of Seven Worlds, One Planet on 4K Blu-ray, the gentoo penguins preparing to dive into the ocean are detailed and vivid. Their bright red beaks and fluffy feathers look tangible and textured.

At times, the picture is actually a bit too sharp, with a slightly unnatural degree of enhancement creeping in. This can be solved by reducing the Sharpness a few points, which results in a more balanced picture that is still pleasantly crisp.

Moving to the more subtle palette of Oppenheimer on 4K Blu-ray, the Nebula X1 does start to struggle a little.

When Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer stands in front of a blackboard, there is a slight flickering on the white wall behind him. We have noticed this flicker with other projectors, but the X1 exaggerates it.

We also find that the rainbow effect, which is when you catch glimpses of coloured light out of the corner of your eye, is slightly more noticeable with the Nebula than with some rivals, including the BenQ X3100i.

There is a slight judder to motion from the X1, too. When Oppenheimer arrives at his new home with his family in a car, the swooping aerial shot feels slightly glitchy. What’s interesting is that this delivery of motion is a little inconsistent: we rewatch this scene numerous times, and the ratio of judder to smoothness varies on each watch.

The BenQ X3100i, by comparison, is consistently smooth in its delivery, and the flicker in the blackboard scene is much less noticeable.

Despite these flaws, the X1’s vibrant colour presentation and depth do provide an impressively immersive experience that feels cinematic.

Sound

Many projectors tend to drop the ball when it comes to audio, but the Nebula X1 excels here. Even without the optional wireless speakers, the projector’s 2.1 speaker configuration manages to create a rich and detailed sound by projector standards.

When watching Thor: Ragnarok, the battle sequence between the villainous Hella and the Asgardian army feels weighty and gripping as you can feel every punch.

The dialogue is clearly audible even in busy scenes such as this, providing a balanced overall audio experience.

It is reasonably localised, so we do not get a huge sense of immersion, but this is impressive sound overall.

The BenQ X3100i, by comparison, sounds thin and much less impactful, especially in terms of vocal clarity. When it comes to sound, the Nebula X1 blows the competition out of the water.

We also test the X1 with the optional wireless speakers. These use Nebula’s own surround sound format, FlexWave, to create a sense of height along with the up-firing drivers.

The soundstage is immediately widened and upgraded, filling the room with detailed but immersive audio.

Verdict

The Nebula X1’s audio makes it stand out from the crowd, as it is rare we have found a projector that can pack such a punch in terms of bass.

Its slightly inconsistent picture performance is a shame, because when the projector is operating at its best, it is exceptionally detailed and three-dimensional.

If you are looking for a projector that offers a simple set-up, punchy picture and top-notch sound performance, then the Nebula X1 is a great contender.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Also consider the BenQ X3100i

Best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

If you’re one of the growing sea of people looking to take the ultra-short-throw projector (UST) plunge, a unit from Hisense may well be on your shopping list; and for good reason.

The Chinese tech giant’s recent offerings have impressed our testers enough over the past year or so to earn positive reviews and cement its lead in the space..

And, having tested the Hisense PX3, we are pleased to report that this trend, for the most part, continues – though there are some caveats, including its slightly odd positioning in Hisense’s current “Laser Cinema” line.

Price

The company’s “Laser Cinema” category of UST projectors, where you'll find the PX3, sits above its cheaper “Laser TV” options.

This means it targets the upper echelons of UST projectors as a category and has a price tag to match, currently retailing for £2499 in the UK. At the time of publishing, the unit was not on sale in the US or Australia.

In isolation, that’s pretty reasonable, with rivals we’ve tested including the Epson EH-LS650 retailing for around £2199. But oddly, it costs the same as its Award-winning sibling, the Hisense PX3 Pro.

The lack of differentiation is odd, but there is partial reasoning for this, specifically that the base PX3 is, for the most part, identical to its Pro-series sibling.

The bigger spanner in the works is the existence of the Hisense PL2, which costs less, retailing for £1999 / $2499 and has fairly competitive specifications with the PX3.

Build

The PX3 and PX3 Pro projectors look identical. To the extent that we had to check the serial numbers on our review units several times before swapping them in and out during testing.

Both have utilitarian designs with angular grey metallic finishes and a slightly aggressive-looking metal front grille. This houses the units’ identical inbuilt 50-watts per channel Harmon Kardon speakers.

The PX3 is also atypically long and shallow, measuring the same 12 x 55 x 30cm as the Pro. This is intentional and means the unit has a very short 0:22:1 throw ratio that lets it sit incredibly close to a wall and throw up an 80-150-inch image.

The short throw distance should make setting the PX3 up relatively simple and let it sit neatly on smaller cabinets and tighter spaces than many rivals, which tend to need a bit more space.

But in the real world we find its set-up is still a little finicky. Like nearly all the ultra short throw projectors we test, the PX3 doesn’t feature physical lens control. Instead, it tries to initially force you to rely on keystone and digital picture correction.

The fiddly process asks you to set the unit up by taking a photo of a projected test pattern and then uploading it to Hisense’s website.

The process is not seamless and even after numerous attempts we still found ourselves having to fiddle with the adjustable feet and make manual adjustments to get it just right.

Be warned, this process is far easier if you have a partner in crime who can help tell you how it looks at a decent distance while you play with the feet and general positioning.

The other common compromise you get is that the unit doesn’t come bundled with a screen, which you really do need if you want the best results – trust us, no matter how good a projector is, you’ll never get truly brilliant results running directly onto reflective, painted walls.

The remote is identical to Hisense’s other standard UST and home cinema projector models. This means it’s a long chunky beast with a solar panel light sensor built in that’s designed to prolong battery life.

The design is fine, but once again lacks a full backlight, which is a minor but common issue we experience with most home cinema hardware.

Features

If you’re wondering what differentiates the PX3 from the Pro, after thorough testing, hours of going through its specifications sheets, instructions manual and having a conversation with Hisense, we can confirm there are three things.

First, the PX3 doesn’t have IMAX Enhanced or DTS support like its Pro sibling. This will be an annoyance for Disney+ subscribers, where you can stream content mastered to that standard.

Thanks to the unit's support for the more common HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG formats, it's not a deal breaker, however.

The inclusion of HDR10+ will also benefit Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+ and, in the future, Disney+ subscribers. This is a tweaked variant of HDR10 that offers frame-by-frame brightness and colour correction for HDR images.

Second, it offers 200 ANSI lumens less brightness than the Pro. Specifically, 2800 lumens to the Pro’s 3000.

Outside of this, it features the same 3000:1 contrast ratio, 110 per cent coverage of the BT.2020 color space and quoted 25,000-plus hours of light source life.

The firm’s Trichroma RGB laser light tech also returns, which uses separate red, green and blue lasers to project images, in a bid to offer a wider and more accurate gamut of colours.

These are top-end specifications. As a frame of reference, the Hisense PL2 Laser TV sitting below the PX3 line offers 2700 lumens of brightness. The older PL1, which we still recommend as it has been heavily discounted and still performs excellently, has an even lower 2100 ANSI lumens peak brightness.

The only other difference is that the PX3 has an inbuilt TV tuner to complement its VIDAA operating system. This means you can tune it and use it to play normal terrestrial TV as well as stream via its inbuilt apps.

VIDAA itself remains a good, albeit slightly clunky OS. Though its interface is a little less optimised than Google TV and the like, app support is solid.

All the usual suspects, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ are present and stream correctly. In the UK, there’s also a decent selection of UK catch-up apps and local services, including BBC iPlayer and Now.

Outside of this, the PX3 Pro offers identical specifications to the Pro model – which is no bad thing.

The UST is being pitched at gamers with rare ‘made for Xbox Series consoles' certification. What this means is that, unlike many USTs, the unit’s two HDMI 2.1 inputs can handle games at 4K/120Hz.

These are complemented by an HDMI 2.0 output with eARC, plus a USB-A and 3.5mm audio output and ethernet – though its Wi-Fi 6 connectivity means you shouldn’t need the final input to stream.

Picture

The PX3 delivers a very similar picture to the PX3 Pro when we run the two head-to-head. Interestingly, we find slightly different settings from those available with its sibling get the most out of it, thanks to some performance-related software updates to VIDAA.

Powering up our Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray, the PX3’s standard setting’s motion handling is way too aggressive, and the picture verges on suffering from the dreaded soap opera effect. The contrast is a little too heavy-handed, too, and swathes of detail as Maverick exits a dark caravan come out as completely black.

Playing with the settings, the Filmmaker mode offers the best starting point, but still requires some finessing. With all motion and noise reduction off, movements look a little too jagged and the colours have an overt yellowish tone.

Using the projector’s “dark detail” setting you can undeniably see more of the picture, but black tones become inconsistent and become a constant distraction as they flip up and down from scene-to-scene.

Eventually we settle on Filmmaker mode with dynamic tone mapping on, the colour profile set to Warm 2 and the projector’s motion and noise reduction settings on low to get the best results.

Switching to our Dune: Part 2 4K Blu-ray, the PX3 delivers an admirable performance. Skin tones have a pleasing warmth and the rolling desert dunes look three-dimensional, with every shadow and sparkling grain of sand holding a distinct place. Explosions have an aggressive peak that makes the action-packed scene come alive and immerse you in the action unfolding on screen.

This is even more noticeably watching Barbie, where the intentionally cartoony, overbaked colour palette has a vibrancy and pop you won’t find on cheaper USTs, the Hisense PL2 included. The PX3 does a decent job, never pushing too hard and looking overbaked, as happens on the Xgimi Aura 2.

Moving to our tried and tested Blade Runner 2049 test disc, the projector offers a solid performance, for the most part. The upgraded Trichroma RGB laser light source gives colours a pleasing pop you don’t get on most USTs.

The red gloves of Sapper Morton’s hazmat suit in particular hold a captivating vibrancy as he works his farm.

Skin tones as he enters the dark farmhouse retain a sense of warmth and three dimensionality, with his cheeks retaining their intended red tinge. In most instances, the PX3 does a stellar job showcasing peaks, with there being a pleasing range of tones and colours from the darkest and lightest parts of the picture.

This gives the picture a wonderfully three-dimensional feeling. Objects and characters hold a distinct place in the picture, adding a sense of depth and realism that cheaper USTs can’t match.

But there are some issues. The projector struggles to rapidly shift between bright and dark segments. On a couple of occasions, the entire picture shifts from the UST’s standard deep blacks to a slightly grey tone, causing unnecessary distraction in the process.

This is annoying as the issue doesn’t repeat on the cheaper Hisense PL2 which, while more subdued, offers a more consistent picture.

This is a general trend that makes the PX3 and PX3 Pro both a harder sell in today’s market, given the difference in price and smaller performance gap.

The PX3’s motion handling suffers from some issues, too. When turned completely off, the movements of Morton and K during a heated exchange in Blade Runner 2049 feel too jagged and unnatural. But when we switch to Low or Filmmaker, things go too far the other way and the throws and punches are oversmoothed. We’d like a middle ground between the two.

SDR upscaling is also average at best. The PX3 struggles with the opening scene of True Grit, a famously difficult SDR test disc due to the film’s intentionally grainy spaghetti western nature, with the black level occasionally jumping and artefacts creeping into the falling snow.

Thankfully, the issue only occurs in difficult scenes. The projector does an admirable job streaming the original Total Recall on Netflix, offering a fun picture that deals surprisingly well with the film’s old-school physical effects and red, dusty environments.

Sound

The PX3’s built-in sound system is identical to the Pro model’s, outside of its lack of DTS support. Its performance is similarly middling as a result.

Voices and background noise in the opening scene of Blade Runner 2049 are clear, but slightly thin. The bass-heavy second scene pushes the system to its limit, and distortion creeps in and the low end overpowers the mid and higher parts of the frequency range.

Switching from Standard to Theatre mode, things marginally improve. During a difficult scene in which K converses with a hologram moving around his apartment, there’s more of a sense of separation between the different parts of the audio. But the directionality lacks finesse.

This becomes even more apparent watching Top Gun: Maverick. There’s a definite sense of direction, and even some height, to the audio, but it doesn’t quite match the movements of the planes, making the experience feel disjointed.

There’s a slight acidity to some engine noise that is just unpleasant enough to make you wince during certain segments as well.

The end result is a system that is just about fine for casual TV streaming, but nowhere near controlled and powerful enough for serious film viewing. If you want the best results, you will want to budget for a separate sound system, if you don’t already have one.

Verdict

The PX3 is an odd UST that in most ways is identical to the PX3 Pro we reviewed and gave five-stars to last year. And if we’d reviewed it at the same time as its Pro sibling, it would have been an easier recommendation despite its lack of IMAX Enhanced and DTS support.

Colour volume and vibrancy are solid by UST standards, and outside of quirks with its motion handling and light control, it can deliver dazzling results playing films.

But in 2025, the existence of the cheaper Hisense PL2, which narrows the gap between the PX and PL series like never before, makes it a harder sell. As a result, it is a fantastic UST projector for gamers and a good, though not perfect, option for movie fans.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Hisense PL2

Also consider the Xgimi Aura 2

Read our Hisense PX3 Pro review

Best projectors: budget, 4K and ultra-short-throw

Sony quietly dropped a new 4K Blu-ray player in March of this year, and it really did come out of the blue. At the time, Sony hadn't updated its Blu-ray player line-up for over five years, so I had to pinch myself upon seeing a model tagged as "new" on the company's website.

Generally speaking, the current crop of 4K Blu-ray players has begun to show their age; take Panasonic's DP-UB820EB player, for example, which still holds the top spot on our best Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray players list, despite it launching in 2018.

So, surely Sony's new player was the saving grace for 4K Blu-ray; a format that I've anxiously monitored since my first Adventure into AV back in 2022, titled 4K Blu-ray is on the verge of dying out, and no one seems to care. Well, it's a good sign, but not the one that I and many other people were quite hoping for.

Sony's new player, the UBP-X700/K appears to be a fairly modest update on the UBP-X700, which was also released in 2018. It looks practically identical from the outside, and there doesn't appear to be any grand statements regarding picture and sound enhancements.

If anything, the biggest news is that this new player will be dropping features, which is admittedly quite a large red flag on paper. The UBP-X700/K seems to drop wireless network functionality, meaning no streaming or screen mirroring features as found on the previous version of this player.

Understandably, I've seen plenty of reader comments on our social platforms and my news article centred on the new player, which rightfully point out that a new player with fewer features isn't a glowing indictment for the future of 4K Blu-ray.

I get it, streamlining your AV setup by having one convenient box to handle all of your disc-based and streaming needs is useful, but I have to ask... who is streaming on their Blu-ray player?

I have the Sony UBP-X700 at home hooked up to my Philips OLED907 TV, and the only things I've watched on it are Blu-rays.

In fact, I deleted the included streaming apps just a couple of weeks ago, simply because they were cluttering the home menu of my player; and that didn't take long considering it was only Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and YouTube that were supported.

Most modern smart TVs include all the apps you'll need anyway, and there is plenty to be said for investing in one of the best streaming devices.

Instead, I would point to this new player feeling like a lazy repackage of an existing player above all else; an all-new player would have been preferable, so why didn't Sony give us one? My guess is that this is merely a spec bump to keep the player relevant; it has the same design, same remote and even the same name.

A new player could have breathed life into the 4K Blu-ray format, instead of merely keeping it ticking over. Admittedly, we haven't reviewed the Sony UBP-X700/K, and I'm hoping that I'll be blindsided by a serious picture and sound upgrade – but my hopes aren't sky high.

Ultimately, I'm delighted to see the 4K Blu-ray format get a vital lifeline, but I can't help feeling like the first new mainstream 4K Blu-ray player in half a decade is a bit half-hearted.

The lack of streaming credentials truly doesn't phase me, and I really don't think it should bother prospective buyers either.

That being said, it would have been nice if Sony substituted in a notable upgrade (perhaps HDR10+ support or an upgraded DAC?) to offset the loss of this feature.

MORE:

Read our full Sony UBP-X700 review

Check out our picks for the best Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray players

As well as the best OLED TVs

If you’re looking at snapping up one of the best TVs, chances are you have one or two picks from LG on your shortlist, and the company’s C5 and B5 entry-level to mid-range offerings aren’t a bad place to start.

Both models promise to offer impressive picture quality and features for less money than their pricier LG G5 sibling, making them tempting for those who don't want to part with flagship levels of cash.

With that in mind, we’re comparing the LG C5 and B5 to help make your decision between the two that little bit easier.

Note that while we’ve fully reviewed the LG C5, we’ve yet to put the B5 through its paces. As a result, our comparison is based on our comprehensive testing of the C5, combined with our years of experience reviewing LG TVs and the specs of the B5.

Naturally, we will update this feature once we've had the opportunity to put the B5 through our in-depth tests.

LG C5 vs LG B5: price, release date, and sizes

The LG C5 has already launched, while the B5 is expected to land between April and June 2025. Prices for every model in the B5 range have yet to be revealed in the US, UK, and Australia, though European prices across all screen sizes have been revealed.

We also have some prices for various sizes in the UK, US, and Australia (from a combination of LG's own site and retailers such as John Lewis in the UK) and, as you'd expect, the B5 is cheaper than the C5 across the board.

Here is all of the launch prices available for both models at the time of writing:

Both TVs will be available in various sizes, with the C5 coming in 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch variants. Bar a 42-inch model, the B5 will also be available in the same sizes. It also marks the first time that LG has offered its entry-level OLED in the larger 83-inch size.

LG C5 vs LG B5: design

The C5 features LG’s familiar central pedestal-style stand, which tapers outwards towards the bottom. While this creates a sleek look, it can make positioning a soundbar underneath somewhat challenging, which is something to consider.

The TV's overall build quality is solid though, with a premium feel despite being predominantly made of plastic.

The B5, in contrast, has a more traditional design, with legs at either end of the body. While this might make for easier soundbar integration, it does mean you’re limited to a media unit that’s wide enough to accommodate its full length.

Neither option is necessarily better, but you’re likely to have your own preferences. If you’re wall mounting of course, then the stand designs are moot.

LG C5 vs LG B5: features

While both TVs run on LG's webOS 25 smart platform, which provides access to all major streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and UK catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. But there are some differences under the hood.

The more premium C5 is powered by LG's Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor, which brings various AI-focused features to the table, including an intuitive chatbot system for troubleshooting and voice recognition that can automatically switch user profiles.

In terms of connectivity, the C5 offers four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports capable of handling up to 4K/144Hz signals with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). This comprehensive gaming support continues LG's tradition of making its OLEDs particularly well-suited for gaming.

In contrast, the B5 uses the less powerful Alpha 8 Gen 2 processor, but it also provides four HDMI 2.1 ports. The key difference here is in refresh rate capabilities – while the C5 supports up to 144Hz, the B5 tops out at 120Hz.

For console gamers using PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X (which max out at 120Hz), this difference won't be noticeable, but it might matter to PC gamers with high-end systems.

Both TVs support the same HDR formats – HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision – with neither offering compatibility with the Samsung-backed HDR10+ standard. They also both feature Dolby Atmos via HDMI eARC for immersive audio when paired with compatible sound systems.

We’ll have to wait for our full review of the B5 to determine what differences, if any, are brought to the table by its less powerful processor.

LG C5 vs LG B5: picture quality

The most significant difference between the C5 and B5 lies in their panel technology. The C5 features LG's OLED Evo panel (also known as OLED EX), complete with Brightness Booster tech.

In our testing, we found that the C5 delivers a rich, solid and engaging picture that balances vibrancy with authenticity. Its contrast is excellent, with perfect blacks and impressive brightness for an OLED TV without MLA or Primary RGB Tandem panel technology.

The B5, on the other hand, uses a standard WOLED panel without the Evo/EX enhancements. Based on our experience with previous B-series models and the provided specifications, we expect it to offer lower peak brightness compared with the C5. Last year's B4 model, for example, achieved around 600-700 nits in HDR, while the C-series typically reaches higher figures.

However, it's worth noting that even the entry-level B-series OLED TVs from LG have historically offered excellent picture quality. The perfect blacks and infinite contrast that are hallmarks of OLED technology should still be present on the B5, even if it can't match the brightness and colour volume of its more expensive sibling.

LG C5 vs LG B5: sound quality

In our C5 review, we found its audio performance to be good, but not exceptional. It delivers dialogue with adequate clarity for day-to-day viewing, but lacks low-end heft and can sound harsh when using AI Sound mode.

Although we haven't tested the B5's audio capabilities yet, its specs suggest a similar 2.2-channel speaker configuration to the C5. Given LG's track record, we expect it to offer comparable sound quality, perhaps with slight compromises in power or clarity.

As with most TVs, we'd recommend pairing either model with one of the best soundbars or a dedicated audio system to match the impressive picture quality they offer.

LG C5 vs LG B5: early verdict

Based on our full review of the C5 and the B5’s specs, both TVs look set to be compelling options in LG's 2025 OLED lineup, targeted at slightly different audiences.

The C5 is the more premium option, offering enhanced brightness, more sophisticated processing, and higher refresh rates for PC gaming. It's an excellent all-rounder that delivers impressive picture quality and a comprehensive feature set that justifies its higher price point.

The B5, while slightly compromised in terms of brightness and processing power, should still deliver the core OLED experience – perfect blacks, infinite contrast, and natural colours – at a more accessible price point. For many viewers, these compromises will be acceptable given the expected savings over the equivalent C5 model.

If you're a movie enthusiast or serious gamer who wants the best possible picture quality and highest refresh rates, the C5 (or even the flagship G5) is likely worth the premium. However, if you're looking to experience the benefits of OLED technology while keeping costs down, the B5 could prove to be the better value proposition.

We'll update this comparison with a definitive verdict once we've had the opportunity to fully review the B5 and assess how it performs in our dedicated test rooms.

MORE:

Read our LG C5 review

LG 2025 OLED TV lineup: everything you need to know

Read our LG G5 review

How to watch Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull live streams online from anywhere

Today's Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs William Scull live stream sees all four super-middleweight titles on the line in what should be a thrilling bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Canelo holds the WBC, WBO, and WBA belts at 168lbs but was stripped of the IBF title after choosing to fight Edgar Berlanga instead of mandatory challenger Scull.

Scull stepped in, beat Vladimir Shishkin to claim the vacant IBF belt, and now has the chance to become undisputed champion. To do that, he must upset one of the all-time great pound-for-pound fighters.

The undefeated Cuban has just nine stoppages and has never faced anyone near Canelo’s level. While the Mexican star has had a long career, he's still the man to beat at super-middleweight, with recent wins over Berlanga, Jaime Munguia, and Jermell Charlo.

Below we have everything you need to watch a Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull live stream from anywhere with a VPN.

• Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Main card: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT / 12 a.m. BST (Sun) / 9 a.m. AEDT (Sun).
• Canelo vs Scull: 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT / 4 a.m. BST (Sun) / 1 p.m. AEDT (Sun).
• U.S. PPV — DAZN
• U.K. PPV — DAZN
• FREE STEAM — Watch on delay Azteca 7 (Mexico)
• Unblock any stream: NordVPN – the No.1 boxing VPN

Can I watch a Canelo vs Scull live stream for free?

Unfortunately not. Previously, fight fans in Mexico have been able to watch Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez fights for free on Azteca 7. However, that won't be the case this time around as streaming service DAZN has the rights to show the fight live.

If you live in Mexico, though, you can watch a pre-record of the fight in its entirety, albeit not live and as it happens. The programme will start at 10 p.m. CST, though details are yet to be released about the exact start time of the Canelo vs Scull fight.

Away from Mexico when the fight takes place? Remember to fire up a VPN to be able to watch the pre-record Canelo vs Scull fight as if you were back home. We recommend NordVPN, scroll down for more information.

How to watch Canelo vs Scull live streams from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular boxing live streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that makes your device appear as if it's in a different country, enabling you to watch the Canelo vs Scull live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to watch Canelo vs Scull live streams in the U.S.

Fight fans in America can watch Canelo vs Scull live streams via DAZN PPV. The PPV cost is $59.99.

There's also a bundle PPV package available with the Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero fight (plus Devin Haney on the undercard) from Times Square, New York City, on Friday, May 2. For $90, you get access to both Canelo vs Scull and Garcia vs Romero.

You must also have a regular DAZN subscription to watch all the action unfold.

DAZN prices start from $19.99 a month on a 12-month contract or $224.99 if you pay for a year up front. There is also a month-by-month flexible option for $29.99. Every option comes with a 7-day free trial, cancel any time.

DAZN is available on the best streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple tvOS, Chromecast and most smart TVs.

If you're an American stuck abroad, and want to tune into the Canelo vs Scull live stream on your usual DAZN account, get a VPN such as NordVPN.

• Expert TV advice: best OLED TVs for sports fans

How to watch Canelo vs Scull live streams in the U.K.

The Canelo vs Scull live stream is available on DAZN in the U.K and is priced at £21.99.

If you would like Friday night's Garcia vs Romero PPV as part of a bundle then you can buy both for £34.99.

Remember, you also need a DAZN subscription, available with a free 7-day trial that can be canceled at any time. When the trial ends, DAZN costs £14.99 a month on a 12-month contract, or £24.99 month-to-month. An annual subscription will cost £119.99 in the U.K.

DAZN subscribers in the U.K. that have a HD-enabled Sky box can register to watch the fight on DAZN 1 HD on channel 429 on Sky here.

Traveling away from the U.K.? Watch Canelo vs Scull online as usual with a VPN, such as NordVPN.

Watch Canelo vs Scull live streams in Australia

Boxing fans Down Under can watch Canelo vs Scull live streams via DAZN.

In Australia, the PPV fee comes in at AU$39.99. If you want the aforementioned Garcia vs Romero fight bundled in, it'll set you back AU$62.99.

You'll need to buy a subscription too, with prices starting at $13.99 for a 12-month contract, but a seven-day free trial is available to DAZN newbies.

Traveling away from Australia? Unblock your usual stream with NordVPN.

Watch Canelo vs Scull live streams in Canada

DAZN Canada is showing the Canelo vs Scull fight in Canada for a PPV fee of $59.99.

Like in the U.S., if you want to combine it with the Garcia vs Romero fight on Friday night, then you can buy a bundle for $90.

You'll also need to buy a subscription to DAZN, available with a 7-day trial, with prices starting from $19.99 per month on a year-long contract. It's $199.99 if you pay for a full year up front, and $29.99 on a flexible month-by-month basis.

Away from Canada right now? You'll need to get yourself a good streaming VPN, such as NordVPN.

How to watch Canelo vs Scull live streams in the rest of the world

For more or less every other country around the world (up to 200 of them) it's DAZN again for a Canelo vs Scull live stream, with the vast majority of non-subscribers getting a 7-day free trial to the platform.

The PPV costs $24.99 but remember, if you're away from home at the minute, you'll need to get yourself a boxing VPN, such as NordVPN.

Canelo vs Scull tale of the tape

Canelo Alvarez
Nationality: Mexican
Age: 34
Height: 5' 7.5"
Reach: 70.5"
Total fights: 66
Record: 62-2-2 (39 KOs)

William Scull
Nationality: Cuban
Age: 32
Height: 5' 11.5"
Reach: 73"
Total fights: 23
Record: 23-0 (9 KOs)

Canelo vs Scull fight card

Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull; Super middleweight, for the undisputed title
Bruno Surace vs Jaime Munguia; Super middleweight
Martin Bakole vs Efe Ajagba; Heavyweight
Badou Jack vs Norair Mikaeljan; Cruiserweight, for the WBC title
Marco Verde vs Michel Polina; Middleweight
Brayan Leon vs Aaron Guerrero; Middleweight

• Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best TVs
• Or save money with these unmissable cheap TV deals
• Watch the Miami Grand Prix live stream 2025

Watch World Snooker Championship 2025 live streams

Zhao Xintong will play three-time world champion Mark Williams in the final of the 2025 World Snooker Championships. The Chinese ace thumped seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-7 to become only the second player from Asia to reach a Crucible final.

Meanwhile, Williams defeated world number one Judd Trump 17-14 to become the oldest ever player to reach a World Championship final.

The final got underway yesterday and Xintong moved into an 11-6 lead. The best-of-35 final continues today at 1 pm BST.

Below we have everything you need to watch a free World Snooker Championship live stream from anywhere with a VPN.

• WATCH FREE: BBC iPlayer (UK)
• US & AUS: WST TV
• UK: TNT Sports / Discovery+
• Unblock any stream: NordVPN – the No.1 snooker VPN

Free World Snooker Championship 2025 live stream

BBC and its BBC iPlayer streaming service has the rights to broadcast the 2025 World Snooker Championship in the UK, live and for free from Saturday, April 19 to Sunday, May 5.

Stuck outside the UK? You can use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked...

Watch World Snooker Championship live stream 2025 from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular snooker live streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch any World Snooker Championship 2025 live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Watch World Snooker Championship live streams 2025 in the US

You'll need a subscription to WST Play to watch the World Snooker Championship live in the US.

A subscription to the service will set you back $2 per day, $6 per month, or $50 per year.

If you're visiting the U.S. from the U.K. you can watch your usual BBC iPlayer stream from anywhere with NordVPN, as set out above.

• Expert TV advice: best OLED TVs for sports fans

Watch World Snooker Championship 2025 live stream in the UK

In the U.K., every match of the 2025 World Snooker Championship is being shown across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and the BBC Red Button.

That means you can watch World Snooker Championship live streams for free on BBC iPlayer, which is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks.

The tournament is also being shown on TNT Sports and Discovery+.

A 'standard' subscription to Discovery+ will set you back £6.99 per month or £59.99 per year. The package includes coverage of a wide array of live sports, including cycling, tennis, motorsports, the Paris Olympic Games, and more.

If you're currently traveling overseas, don't worry, as you can use NordVPN to watch from abroad.

Watch World Snooker Championship live stream 2025 in Australia

WST Play is the only place to watch the World Snooker Championship in Australia.

A subscription starts at US$2 per day, going up to US$50 per year, but the US$6 monthly pass looks like the best of both worlds.

Any Brits who are currently abroad in the country can use one of the best VPN services to access their usual streaming service. We recommend NordVPN.

• Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best TVs
• Or save money with these unmissable cheap TV deals
• Where to find the best F1 live stream

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

It's easy to be cynical about yet another Amazon sales event, and it's fair to say that not every 'deal' included in the Spring Deal Days is the real thing, but there are some discounts worth shouting about.

This one is for those who like to watch a bit of sport or stream their favourite TV shows while cooking up a storm in the kitchen: the 24-inch Roku smart TV is down to just £99 at Amazon right now.

It's produced by little-known brand RCA, but don't let that put you off: we subjected this little telly to our full, rigorous testing process and found it to be surprisingly competent and very smart. User reviews are very positive overall, too.

Of course, it doesn't have to go in a kitchen – it would make a great bedroom TV, too.

As you'd probably expect, this RCA TV is very basic in terms of design, but it's also very lightweight, which might be a bonus for those who can see themselves wanting to move their TV between rooms – or perhaps even from the house to the caravan for holiday time.

The HD-Ready (720p) screen is low-res by modern, full-sized TV standards, but it's fine for a TV this size and price, and the picture it produces is surprisingly bright and punchy – ideal for rooms that see a lot of light.

It's sharp and detailed, too, and it even handles motion fairly well, so you don't get the nasty ghosting that's typical of TVs at this level.

The real star, though, is the Roku smart platform, which is jam-packed with apps, from the usual big-hitter streaming services (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV) to Now, Discovery+ (the current home for what was BT Sport) and all of the UK's catch-up apps.

All told, the RCA Roku TV was a bit of a bargain at its original price, and now it's cheap as chips!

MORE:

Check out our Amazon Spring Deal Days live hub

Heres the full RCA Roku TV review

And here are the best cheap TVs available right now

There’s a new range of Philips OLED TVs on the horizon, and the brand’s mid-range OLED810 offering has caught our eye. It’s a direct rival to Sony’s own mid-range TV, the What Hi Fi? Award-winning Bravia 8, with both sets boasting AI smarts and promising bright, contrasty OLED picture quality.

We gave the Sony Bravia 8 five stars for its all-round excellent picture performance, saying in our review that it is “wonderfully sharp” with a good sense of depth. In our review, editor-in-chief Alastair Stevenson also found that it provided key upgrades that “cinephiles care about”, such as skin tones looking more realistic than from its rivals.

While we have not yet tested the Philips and will wait until we have done so before delivering our final verdict, we have seen it in action at the brand’s European launch event.

By taking a deep dive into the specifications and features of both TVs – as well as our experiences with each – we can get an idea of how the two TVs could compare.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: price

The Sony Bravia 8 is available in three different sizes. It launched at a price of £2199 / $2000 / AU$3495 for the 55-inch model, £2699 / $2800 / AU$4495 for the 65-inch version, and £3999 / $3900 / AU$6995 for the range-topping 77-inch model.

However, having been on sale for around a year, it can now be picked up for much less. Here are the latest and lowest prices:

We don’t yet have pricing for the new Philips OLED810, but its predecessor, the Philips OLED809 launched for less than its contemporary rivals. At this stage, we can only hope that Philips takes the same approach this year.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: design

The OLED810 has an "ultra-thin, black metal bezel" along with a metal 'pill' swivel stand in a satin chrome finish. We suspect that will make accessing the sockets at the back pretty easy. The 77-inch model has metal 'soap bar' arch feet in satin chrome instead.

Looking at the Sony Bravia 8, it is noticeably flatter than its predecessor, the Sony A80L. This lets it sit flush to the wall more easily when mounted. The feet are thin with a flat top. These can be positioned close together in the middle of the TV’s bottom edge or further away near the screen’s edges. You can also raise them to allow for the placement of a soundbar under the TV if you wish.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: features

The two rivals both promise high levels of brightness, with the OLED810’s ‘higher output OLED_EX panel’ reportedly offering a peak brightness of 1500 nits for the 55-, 65- and 77-inch models.

Sony has also been pushing for a brighter and brighter picture with each new release. The Bravia 8’s WOLED panel is meant to be 10 per cent brighter than that of the A80L, but it still can’t reach the same levels as its flagship QD-OLED sibling, the Sony A95L.

Both the Philips OLED810 and Sony Bravia 8 use AI to boost performance. In terms of picture, the Bravia XR processor promises to use AI to improve the Bravia 8’s picture processing and let it deliver an even more authentic, natural-looking home cinema experience. There is also some AI wizardry at work when it comes to audio, as the chip uses its processing powers paired with Sony’s unique Acoustic Surface Audio+ hardware in an attempt to offer radically better virtual surround sound.

The OLED810 is utilising AI thanks to the 9th Gen P5 AI processing. Adaptive Intelligence (which classifies content into different categories using AI) can now learn from additional data such as trained in-frame analyses, META data, source info, full frame analysis and environment sensing, to optimise the final picture to match the content more seamlessly.

Another feature is its apparently improved colour reproduction, which is the result of a new AI Adaptive Gamut Enhancer feature. This extends colours to make them more vibrant but without affecting skin tones. It can also be set to different tastes, such as ‘natural’, ‘balanced’ and ‘vibrant’.

As is the norm for Sony, the Bravia 8 supports HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG, but not HDR10+. There is, however, an IMAX Enhanced picture mode. There’s no mention of IMAX Enhanced support for the OLED810, but it does support HDR10+ as well as the three other HDR formats supported by the Sony.

In terms of gaming, both TVs have just two HDMI 2.1 inputs. They offer Dolby Vision Gaming, a welcome addition for Xbox users, as the latest X/S consoles support the standard. Both TVs also support 4K/120Hz gaming – though not the 4K/144Hz gaming that hardcore PC gamers with similarly hardcore rigs might desire. Outside of this, VRR and ALLM are also on board – two key features that help make games feel more fluid and reactive.

With the Philips OLED810, the game bar has been updated, and now has an auto-detection ability for the most popular titles. You can tweak custom settings under your own dedicated profile so they can be loaded automatically the next time you play.

Both TVs use Google TV and broadly support the same streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video. Some TVs with Google TV do not include UK catch-up apps (BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, My5, and ITV X). We know that the Bravia 8 does support them. As for the new Philips OLED810, we don’t know yet but the OLED809 did not include these so bear that in mind.

Philips’ unique offering is its three-sided Ambilight tech, which matches the colours on screen, spilling light onto the wall behind and making the picture more immersive. Depending on your preferences, this may be a big draw or a bit of an ick. The OLED810 also includes the new Moments App, which lets you share photos from your phone to the larger screen.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: picture

All these AI improvements for the as yet untested OLED810 sound intriguing and, if it’s a step up from the OLED809, it has the promise to produce a top-notch image.

As we said in our review of the OLED809: "during bright scenes the levels of detail, colour accuracy and range the OLED809 offers match if not beat the best OLEDs we’ve tested at this price." We can only wait and see if the new model is even better.

The Sony Bravia 8 is one that we have been able to get in the testing room so we can say with certainty that when it comes to picture quality, it does not disappoint.

We said during a viewing of Oppenheimer: “Black and white scenes reveal exceptional levels of detail, with every stitch and weave on characters’ suits and ties remaining clearly visible. The picture is wonderfully sharp and doesn’t appear flattened, as it does on the flagship Bravia 9, with characters and objects holding a true sense of depth and separation from the scene’s background.”

One negative we did notice was its handling of SDR, where a bit of black crush occurs during particularly dark scenes. However, that was more of a nitpick, and overall the picture quality was deemed “balanced and immersive”.

Ultimately, we are going to have to test the two TVs side-by-side before we can deliver a verdict on their relative picture performance merits. We will update this page once we have done that.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: sound

The OLED810 features an integrated 70W 2.1 sound system (though this is reduced to 50W for the 42-incher). A digital crossover controls the distribution to the two-way left and right speakers, plus a dedicated triple-ring, rear-facing bass driver – all supported by four passive radiators. It's a similar arrangement to its predecessor, which we described as "a capable performer". Once again, we haven’t had the chance to hear it for ourselves but when we do, you’ll be the first to know.

Sony’s sound set-up is a 50W system consisting of two actuators, two tweeters and a single bass driver, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support. In our review, we described the Bravia 8 as “one of the better-sounding OLED TVs we’ve tested, but [...] not a huge step forward for Sony.” Saying that, we found it was controlled and spacious. When watching Bladerunner 2049, Ryan Gosling’s character converses with a hologram and the voices are suitably differentiated from background noise and the scene’s soundtrack.

Again, we will need to test both TVs against each other to pass judgement, but we generally recommend investing in a soundbar to improve your overall experience and we don't expect that advice to alter here.

Philips OLED810 vs Sony Bravia 8: early verdict

As we’ve said, we can’t comment too much on a direct comparison between the two TVs as we have not had the chance to test out the Philips OLED810. However, the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sony Bravia 8 will be a hard one to trump with its top-notch picture quality and incredibly sharp image. Plus, its price has had a year to go down, so you’ll be able to get it for much less than the OLED810 when the latter launches.

Philips’ OLED809 is also a high performer, so the Sony could be up against a worthy rival in the OLED810. The specs on paper look promising, and plenty of people will be drawn by its Ambilight feature. Once we have had the chance to get up close with the OLED810, we will update this page.

MORE:

Here's our review of the Sony Bravia 8

Check out the best OLED TVs

And these are the best TVs on offer right now

Chromecast is dead; long live the Google TV Streamer. When Google revealed that it was putting its Chromecast brand out to pasture late last year, many eyebrows were raised amongst the AV-minded folk of the What Hi-Fi? team. After all, the Chromecast with Google TV was a three-time Award winner, so what could replace it?

Google’s answer? A bigger and more feature-rich streaming box that’s designed to sit proudly on your media unit rather than dangle from an HDMI socket behind your TV. While a more powerful streamer from Google is exactly what we’ve been asking for, it also comes with a higher price tag and, as we’ve come to find out, not a lot in the way of improvements.

Price

The Google TV Streamer is a pretty significant step up in price compared to the outgoing Chromecast with Google TV. It officially costs £99 / $100 / AU$160, which is a tough pill to swallow when we recall that the Chromecast was priced just £60 / $50 / AU$99.

This price increase also puts the Google TV Streamer closer to the Product of the Year-winning Apple TV 4K (£149 / $130 / AU$219) and the not-quite-as-impressive Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation (£140 / $140 / AU$219).

Ultimately, a price increase this substantial – literally double for the US market, for instance – needs to be justified, so our expectations for the Google TV Streamer are understandably high.

Build

Google’s new streamer sports an all-new look that’s designed to take centre stage on your media unit. This is a streaming box much like the Apple TV 4K and Fire TV Cube, rather than a dongle or stick, and Google has taken design into account to help you accept the Streamer’s new place in your set-up.

It sports a low-profile, pebble-like appearance that’s no bigger in width than an average smartphone in landscape orientation. With its rounded corners and off-white Porcelain finish (the US also gets a grey-toned Hazel colourway), the Streamer looks clean, simplistic and, if we’re being honest, a bit bland. That’s no great shame, however, as it is designed to seamlessly integrate into your TV set-up, not draw your eye away from the screen.

Google keeps things simple on the rear of the body too, with a USB-C socket for power (cable and mains block are both included in the box), an ethernet socket (which is a major perk of this new form factor), an HDMI 2.1 socket, and a button that helps you locate your remote if you misplace it.

Speaking of which, bundled with the Streamer is Google’s Voice Remote, which looks very similar to the one included with the Chromecast. This smooth, rounded handset is slightly longer, making it feel a bit more comfortable in the hand. Some controls have been rearranged too – the volume buttons have migrated from the side of the handset to a more conventional place on the top edge with the rest of the buttons, while the home and Google Assistant buttons have swapped places.

Overall, we have very few complaints about the remote, aside from the fact that it is missing any sort of dedicated media controls. It does score points for having a “find my remote” feature, which is a godsend when the slippery handset slides between the couch cushions.

Features

If it wasn’t clear from the name, this streamer uses the Google TV operating system, which is also featured on a number of TVs from the likes of Sony, Philips and TCL. This Android-based software is fairly easy to navigate, includes a wide selection of streaming apps, and boasts a lot of smart home features (thanks to the inclusion of both Matter and Thread) – a boon for those who have invested in smart plugs, lightbulbs and doorbells.

It encompasses a wide range of international and domestic streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, alongside the likes of ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and, since a recent update, BBC iPlayer. There is also a wide range of lifestyle and gaming apps, including fitness and yoga, as well as a variety of Android games that can be played with the included remote.

Considering the Google TV boasts 4GB of RAM (the same amount found in the Apple TV) and an unnamed processor that is reportedly more powerful than the one found in the Chromecast, we’re slightly frustrated by how often this operating system freezes.

Clicking through menus too quickly can cause the Streamer to stick, requiring it to take a moment to compose itself and move on; if we were pushing the hardware to the limit with a graphically intensive game, we’d understand – but we’re just browsing the home menu.

Software irks aside, the Google TV Streamer does include a host of new AI-based features courtesy of its Gemini platform. This includes more accurate content suggestions, AI-generated synopsis labels for movies and TV shows, display reviews for content, and even season-by-season breakdowns of TV shows if you need to catch up. On the whole, these mostly work well, however, we did find the three-word content descriptions to hiccup on occasion.

While Blade Runner 2049 is accurately described as “existential, atmospheric and bleak”, we’re not sure we’d describe BBC satirical comedy Amandaland as “gritty”. The best description is for Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk, which the streamer labelled as “incredible” – technically correct, we suppose.

Moving away from AI and back to AV, the Google TV Streamer ticks pretty much all of the boxes here. It can stream 4K HDR video (providing you have the correct subscription tier for your chosen service and a capable TV or projector), with all major HDR formats supported, including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG. It also supports the expected set of Dolby audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital. Unfortunately, DTS:X is not catered for.

Finally, the HDMI 2.1 socket doesn’t seem to support the usual gaming features we associate with the connection, but that’s forgivable as it doesn’t support console-quality titles. Interestingly, the LG C5 OLED TV that we’re using for testing recognises that it supports Quick Media Switching (QMS), which minimises the frequency of black screens flashing up when switching to different frame rates or HDR formats.

Picture

Considering the Chromecast with Google TV earned multiple Awards based on its five-star picture performance, our expectations are, naturally, fairly high. So, is the Google TV Streamer better than the Chromecast? We’re pleased to announce that it is. Is it good enough to justify the increased price and fend off the Apple TV 4K? Unfortunately, it is not.

We have both the streamers mentioned above on hand as reference devices to compare the Google TV with, and while there are plenty of positive aspects regarding the Streamer, it’s in an awkward spot as an upgrade that falls short of the competition. We use a range of streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as some content purchased on Apple TV.

Starting with John Wick: Chapter 4 on Netflix in 4K Dolby Vision, we can see a clear improvement over the previous Google streamer in terms of contrast. The picture features enhanced depth and deeper blacks, which help to make the image a bit more impactful. The opulent Parisian palace interior looks crisp and detailed, and the Google TV Streamer does the dramatic lighting justice with bright highlights that ensure details aren’t lost on Caine’s face as he is recruited by the Marquis to hunt down Wick.

We then switch to A Quiet Place: Day One in HDR10 on Amazon Prime Video, to assess how the Streamer approaches colours. It’s good news, as it balances punch and naturalness well; Samira’s yellow coat and orange hat have a nice sense of vibrancy while also looking measured and authentic. Likewise, the vibrant foliage and tennis court found in Challengers appear both rich and eye-catching without looking overdone.

Sticking with the steamy tennis-themed flick, we find that motion isn’t an issue on the Google TV Streamer, as the tennis ball darts from one side of the court to the other without any awkward stuttering or flickering. However, this film features a fairly pronounced film grain effect, which can look a tad fuzzy and distracting on the Google Streamer.

We also refer to some lower resolution content, Peep Show on Netflix to be exact, and find that the Streamer does a solid job of presenting the older show. The natural characteristics are still present, but its tendency to emphasise some visual fuzziness is also apparent.

We conclude testing with the opening of Blade Runner 2049 on the Apple TV app, and while we’re generally positive about the picture, it’s pipped by the Apple TV 4K in practically every sense. Apple’s streamer is punchier, richer, more three-dimensional and crisper, leading us to prefer its picture over that of the Google. Admittedly, it is more expensive, but we deem the additional outlay to be worth the picture upgrade if your budget can stretch.

Sound

While we can be fairly complimentary towards the Google TV Streamer’s picture performance, we can’t really say the same about its sound. It suffices for movies and TV shows in most ways, which we admit is the most important factor, with a clear and detailed sound that emphasises vocal clarity. As bullets and arrows start flying in a battle at the Osaka Continental Hotel in John Wick: Chapter 4, the streamer does a solid job of delivering weighty thuds as bodies drop, and the slashes of katanas sound clean and sharp.

That being said, it doesn’t deliver much in the way of low-level dynamics. Dialogue sounds flat and uninteresting, with a one-note feel to voices, robbing the performances of emotion in the process. That dull characteristic can also be felt at the start of Challengers, as the electronic score that bursts to life in the opening match feels misjudged and doesn’t have the intended impact due to its weak timing.

These deficiencies are felt heavily when listening to music through the Google TV Streamer. There is an absence of warmth, and instruments lack texture, which we find is the case with Tool’s Invincible and Taylor Swift’s Willow. Pair that with a lackadaisical sense of timing and the aforementioned poor low-level dynamics, and we’re left with an uninspiring musical performance that is easily bested by the rich and natural-sounding Apple TV 4K.

Ultimately, the Google’s sound will be serviceable for many, but for those with keen ears who want a streamer that delivers a cinematic and musical sound, you may wish to look elsewhere.

Verdict

The Google TV Streamer is in an awkward position. It’s a good streamer that will likely meet most people’s needs; however, it is a good streamer that replaces a great one. It does so at a premium, too, with a higher price tag attached for a picture and sound performance that isn’t far detached from its predecessor.

Furthermore, this inflated price puts it uncomfortably close to the exceptional Apple TV 4K, which betters the Google TV in the most important areas.

Admittedly, the Apple TV 4K might not be a tempting proposition for staunch Android users who refuse to touch Apple products with a ten-foot barge pole, but if picture and sound are top priorities for you (and we’re not sure why they wouldn’t be), then the Apple TV is a better choice.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Apple TV 4K (2022)

Also consider the Amazon Fire TV Cube

Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

These are the best video streamers you can buy

Scotland vs Ireland FREE live streams

The Scotland vs Ireland live stream on the second weekend of the 2025 Six Nations is a crunch clash for both teams. The visitors beat England on matchday one, while Scotland overcame Italy in their first outing of the tournament.

Scotland vs Ireland 2025 Six Nations is free to watch in the UK and Ireland, and from anywhere in the world by using a VPN, if you're away from home. It's Peacock TV and DAZN in the USA and Canada respectively. Down Under, it's Stan Sport in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand.

• UK: BBC iPlayer (FREE)
• IRE: RTÉ Player (FREE)
• Unlock any stream with NordVPN

Scotland vs Ireland live stream: preview

This 2025 Six Nations game between Scotland and Ireland will take place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. The match kicks off on Sunday, February 9 at 3pm GMT / 10am ET / 2am AEDT (Mon.).

Scotland beat Italy 31-19 last time out, but this will be a much stiffer test. Having never won a Six Nations before, Scotland are unsurprisingly outsiders this year, but a win on Sunday would give them real belief for the remainder of the tournament.

Ireland edged out England in round one, emerging triumphant by a narrow 27-22 margin. The reigning champions are seeking a third Sixth Nations title on the bounce and they are widely fancied to come out on top in Edinburgh.

Ireland are a possession-focused team, while they are also strong at the breakdown. Scotland have evolved into a kicking team and that will be a key part of their strategy here.

You can watch all 2025 Six Nations games online for FREE, including this one. So keep reading to discover where to live stream Scotland vs Ireland in your country and from anywhere in the world.

Scotland vs Ireland team news

Scotland: 15-Kinghorn, 14-Graham, 13-Jones, 12-Jordan, 11-Van der Merwe; 10-Russell, White; 1-Sutherland, 2-Cherry, 3-Z. Fagerson, 4-J. Gray, 5-Gilchrist, 6-M Fagerson, 7-R Darge, 8-Dempsey.

Ireland: 15-Keenan; 14-Nash, 13-Henshaw, 12-Aki, 11-Lowe; 10-Prendergast, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Kelleher, 3-Bealham, 4-Ryan, 5-Beirne; 6-O'Mahony, 7-Van der Flier, 8-Doris

Scotland vs Ireland FREE live streams

This and every Six Nations game will be shown for free in the UK and Ireland.

In the UK, the free Scotland vs Ireland live stream is on BBC iPlayer, while in Ireland it will be streamed for for free on RTÉ Player.

If you're outside of the UK or Ireland this weekend, you can always try using a VPN to get around geo-restrictions that you'll face when overseas. We recommend NordVPN as it's really easy to use, fantastic at unblocking restricted streams and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

Don't worry if you've never used a VPN before – it's really easy, and we have full instructions below.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular Six Nations live streams, including Scotland vs Ireland, while travelling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch your usual Six Nations live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to use a VPN to stream Scotland vs Ireland

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. So for Scotland vs Ireland, you may wish to choose a server in the UK or Ireland.

3. Then head over to BBC iPlayeror RTÉ Player or your chosen streamer on your browser or device and enjoy your free Scotland vs Ireland live stream!

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in the UK

You can watch Scotland vs Ireland live on BBC One this Sunday afternoon at 3pm GMT.

That means you can also stream the game online and for free on BBC iPlayer, available on browsers, smartphone app or a variety of streaming devices.

To stream content live or on-demand on BBC iPlayer, you'll need a valid TV licence.

Remember: use a VPN to access either service when travelling outside of the UK.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in Ireland

Every game of the 2025 Six Nations is being shown for free in Ireland.

Free-to-air channel RTÉ 2 will show Scotland vs Ireland live.

That also means you'll be able to stream the game via RTÉ Player, which is available across a wide range of devices.

Don't forget: Irish nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in Australia

Streaming service Stan Sport has the rights to show every match of the 2025 Six Nations live in Australia, including Scotland vs Ireland.

To watch every game ad-free you'll need a Basic Stan package ($12 a month) together with its Stan Sport add-on (a further $15).

As well as the Six Nations, Stan Sport also has the rights to loads more international rugby, as well as other top tier sports, including Champions League soccer, Grand Slam tennis and Formula E motor racing.

Out of Australia? Use a VPN to access your local stream when away from home.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in the USA

NBC's Peacock streaming service is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in the USA, including Scotland vs Ireland.

Peacock starts from only $7.99 a month, or you can pay more to get rid of the ads. In addition to the Six Nations, you'll also be able to watch the likes of EPL soccer, WWE, Premiership Rugby and lots more.

The Peacock TV app is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, LG smart TV, Vizio TV, PS4, and Xbox One. You can also watch through your web browser.

Matches are also going out on CNBC, but not live. If you have CNBC in your cable package, you'll be able to watch on TV or online with your login credentials. We'd recommend checking your schedules to see when they're planning to show each game.

Outside the US? Peacock is only available within the States so be sure to use a rugby-friendly VPN if you're a subscriber stuck abroad.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in New Zealand

Kiwis can watch Six Nations rugby courtesy of Sky Sport, which is showing every game of the 2025 tournament, including Scotland vs Ireland.

Subscribers can also watch online using the its Sky Go service.

If you don't already have Sky and don't wish to commit to a full package just for the rugby, then Sky Sport Now offers weekly ($29.99) and monthly ($49.99) passes.

Travelling abroad? Live stream this year's Six Nations on your home streaming service using a world class VPN.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in South Africa

To watch all Six Nations 2025 fixtures in South Africa, including Scotland vs Ireland, you'll need access to SuperSport.

If you can't watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Alternatively, you can get SuperSport channels via the DSTV streaming platform, with plans starting from R129 per month.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in Canada

Specialist sports streaming service DAZN is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in Canada, including Scotland vs Ireland.

A DAZN subscription will currently set you back CA$29.99 a month or CA$199.99 a year.

As well as giving you every Six Nations 2025 match, DAZN also has exclusive rights in Canada to Champions League, Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, while the serve has dedicated apps for a wide variety of mobile devices, set top boxes and smart TVs.

Don't forget: Canadian nationals can live stream matches via DAZN when overseas with a VPN.

Watch Scotland vs Ireland live stream in Singapore and Asia

This year's Six Nations will be covered live across large parts of Asia by Premier Sports.

The network is set to show every game live in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

A monthly pass for Premier Sports will currently set you back $25.99, but there's a 45% discount to be had if you opt for an annual plan at $169 for a full year.

In addition to the Six Nations, a Premier Sports subscription also gives you access to Heineken Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership, NRL, URC and Rugby Championship action.

British fan in Asia? Then use a VPN to watch the free coverage from back home.

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

Ireland vs England FREE live streams

Today's Ireland vs England live stream on the opening weekend of the 2025 Six Nations will be a huge game for two tournament big hitters. The visitors beat the the two-time defending champions and deny them a Grand Slam in the last game of the tournament 12 months ago, so the Irish will be primed for revenge.

Ireland vs England 2025 Six Nations is free to watch in the UK and Ireland, and from anywhere in the world by using a VPN, if you're away from home. It's Peacock TV and DAZN in the USA and Canada respectively. Down Under, it's Stan Sport in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand.

• UK: ITVX (FREE)
• IRE: Virgin Media Player (FREE)
• Unlock any stream with NordVPN

Ireland vs England live stream: preview

This opening round game of the 2025 Six Nations between Ireland and England will take place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The match kicks off today, Saturday, February 1 at 4.45pm GMT / 11.45am ET / 3.45am AEDT (Sun.).

That Ireland were denied a Grand Slam by England at Twickenham last year still rankles and the opportunity for revenge first up couldn't have fallen better. The two-time defending champions are intent on becoming the first team in the venerable old tournament's 142-year history to win a three-peat outright. With Andy Farrell on British and Irish Lions preparation duty, Simon Easterby will be in interim charge but the coach is highly regarded in the game and won't even miss the retired Jonny Sexton at fly-half thanks to the emergence of Sam Prendergast. With captain Peter O'Mahony still marshalling the back row, they'll start the tournament as joint-favourites with France.

England's attempted brand of free-flowing rugby is great until they hit the last 20 minutes. Steve Borthwick's side led New Zealand and Australia late into last year's Autumn Internationals but came up short, with confusion abounding whether the blitz defence was still the system or not. A mixture seems likely after Felix Jones' exit. Without flying winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for the tournament and full-back George Furbank for the opener, Borthwick will look to Freddie Steward and Ollie Lawrence to break lines and make use of Marcus Smith's invention at fly-half.

It’s set to be an overcast afternoon in Dublin, but a relatively mild one with temperatures hovering around the 9C mark. The atmosphere is already electric at the Aviva Stadium for what is always one of the occasions of any Six Nations season.

You can watch all 2025 Six Nations games online for FREE, including this one. So keep reading to discover where to live stream Ireland vs England in your country and from anywhere in the world.

Ireland vs England team news

Ireland will be without inspirational forward Joe McCarthy, who started every match of the 2024 tournament, through injury as Tadhg Beirne moves to the second row in replacement. Sam Prendegast gets the nod ahead of Jack Crowley at fly-half, with Jamison Gibson-Park also in from the off. Garry Ringrose gets the nod to partner Bundee Aki at centre.

For England the Curry twins – Tom and Ben – will start an international for the first time as they line up either side of Ben Earl in a strong back row. Marcus Smith gets the nod at fly-half, with Freddie Steward at full-back and Cadan Murley on the wing. Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South and the in-form Tom Willis are on a bench that contains a 6-2 split between forwards and backs.

Ireland XV: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham; Ryan, Beirne; Baird, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Clarkson, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.

England XV: Steward; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Murley; M Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Martin, T Curry, B Curry, Earl

Replacements: Dan, Baxter, Heyes, Chessum, Cunningham-South, Willis, Randall, F Smith

Ireland vs England FREE live streams

This and every Six Nations game will be shown for free in the UK and Ireland.

In the UK, the free Ireland vs England live stream is on ITVX, while in Ireland it will be streamed for for free on Virgin Media Player.

If you're outside of the UK or Ireland this weekend, you can always try using a VPN to get around geo-restrictions that you'll face when overseas. We recommend NordVPN as it's really easy to use, fantastic at unblocking restricted streams and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

Don't worry if you've never used a VPN before – it's really easy, and we have full instructions below.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular Six Nations live streams, including Ireland vs England, while travelling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch your usual Six Nations live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to use a VPN to stream Ireland vs England

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. So for Ireland vs England, you may wish to choose a server in the UK or Ireland.

3. Then head over to ITVX or Virgin Media Player or your chosen streamer on your browser or device and enjoy the free Ireland vs England live stream!

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in the UK

You can watch Ireland vs England live on ITV1 this Saturday afternoon at 4.45pm GMT.

That means you can also stream the game online and for free on the channel's ITVX platform, available on browsers, smartphone app or a variety of streaming devices.

To stream live on ITVX, you should have a valid TV licence, though that isn't required for watching the game on catch-up.

Remember: use a VPN to access either service when travelling outside of the UK.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in Ireland

Every game of the 2025 Six Nations is being shown for free in Ireland.

Free-to-air network Virgin Media will show Ireland vs England live.

That also means you'll be able to stream the game via Virgin Media Player, which is available across a wide range of devices.

Don't forget: Irish nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in Australia

Streaming service Stan Sport has the rights to show every match of the 2025 Six Nations live in Australia, including Ireland vs England.

To watch every game ad-free you'll need a Basic Stan package ($12 a month) together with its Stan Sport add-on (a further $15).

As well as the Six Nations, Stan Sport also has the rights to loads more international rugby, as well as other top tier sports, including Champions League soccer, Grand Slam tennis and Formula E motor racing.

Out of Australia? Use a VPN to access your local stream when away from home.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in the USA

NBC's Peacock TV streaming service is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in the USA, including Ireland vs England.

Peacock starts from only $7.99 a month, or you can pay more to get rid of the ads. In addition to the Six Nations, you'll also be able to watch the likes of EPL soccer, WWE, Premiership Rugby and lots more.

The Peacock TV app is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, LG smart TV, Vizio TV, PS4, and Xbox One. You can also watch through your web browser.

Matches are also going out on CNBC, but not live. If you have CNBC in your cable package, you'll be able to watch on TV or online with your login credentials. We'd recommend checking your schedules to see when they're planning to show each game.

Outside the US? Peacock TV is only available within the States so be sure to use a rugby-friendly VPN if you're a subscriber stuck abroad.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in New Zealand

Kiwis can watch Six Nations rugby courtesy of Sky Sport, which is showing every game of the 2025 tournament, including Ireland vs England.

Subscribers can also watch online using the its Sky Go service.

If you don't already have Sky and don't wish to commit to a full package just for the rugby, then Sky Sport Now offers weekly ($29.99) and monthly ($49.99) passes.

Travelling abroad? Live stream this year's Six Nations on your home streaming service using a world class VPN.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in South Africa

To watch all Six Nations 2025 fixtures in South Africa, including Ireland vs England, you'll need access to SuperSport.

If you can't watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Alternatively, you can get SuperSport channels via the DSTV streaming platform, with plans starting from R129 per month.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in Canada

Specialist sports streaming service DAZN is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in Canada, including Ireland vs England.

A DAZN subscription will currently set you back CA$29.99 a month or CA$199.99 a year.

As well as giving you every Six Nations 2025 match, DAZN also has exclusive rights in Canada to Champions League, Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, while the serve has dedicated apps for a wide variety of mobile devices, set top boxes and smart TVs.

Don't forget: Canadian nationals can live stream matches via DAZN when overseas with a VPN.

Watch Ireland vs England live stream in Singapore and Asia

This year's Six Nations will be covered live across large parts of Asia by Premier Sports.

The network is set to show every game live in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

A monthly pass for Premier Sports will currently set you back $25.99, but there's a 45% discount to be had if you opt for an annual plan at $169 for a full year.

In addition to the Six Nations, a Premier Sports subscription also gives you access to Heineken Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership, NRL, URC and Rugby Championship action.

British fan in Asia? Then use a VPN to watch the free coverage from back home.

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

France vs Wales FREE live streams

The France vs Wales live stream in the opening match of the 2025 Six Nations will be a fascinating early test for both teams in the northern hemisphere premier rugby union tournament. The visitors 'won' last year's wooden spoon and are in dreadful form but a victory in Paris against Les Bleus would set Warren Gatland's beleaguered side up well.

France vs Wales 2025 Six Nations is free to watch in the UK and Ireland, and from anywhere in the world by using a VPN, if you're away from home. It's Peacock TV and DAZN in the USA and Canada respectively. Down Under, it's Stan Sport in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand.

• UK: ITVX (FREE)
• IRE: Virgin Media Player (FREE)
• Unlock any stream with NordVPN

France vs Wales live stream: preview

This opening round game of the 2025 Six Nations between France and Wales will take place at the Stade de France in Paris. The match kicks off on Friday, January 31 at 8.15pm GMT / 3.15pm ET / 7.15am AEDT (Sat.).

France probably start the 2025 tournament as joint favourites with Ireland, as captain Antoine Dupont returns to the fold after missing last year's jamboree to prepare for his gold medal-winning Sevens turn at the Paris Olympics. Fabien Galthie has such a stellar list of names at his disposal – Dupont, Thomas Ramos, Romain Ntamack – that not even electric winger Damian Penaud joining Gael Fickou on the treatment table will deplete the head coach's match-winning options. Last year's runners-up have flair aplenty in the backs, lots of muscle up front and Ramos' dead-eyed kicking from the tee.

Wales need a win and soon. Last year's wooden spoon wasn't even the worst bit of 2024 for Warren Gatland & Co, whose 45-12 defeat to South Africa extended their losing run to a record 12 in a row. Dafydd Jenkins, the youngest captain in Six Nations history last season in the absence of Jac Morgan, has spoken in the build-up about restoring the pride of the red shirt and the Exeter lock and the returns of British and Irish Lions duo Josh Adams and Liam Williams – boasting more than 150 caps between them – should help in that endeavour. Morgan is now fit again to return to the back row, but an opener in Paris is quite the early test.

It’s set to be a chilly one in Paris for this one, with temperatures of around 4C for kick-off, which is coming up shortly. Crucially, though, it looks like it’s going to be dry in the French capital for this Six Nations opener, which will hopefully lead to an open, free-flowing game.

You can watch all 2025 Six Nations games online for FREE, including this one. So keep reading to find out where to live stream France vs Wales in your country and from anywhere in the world.

France vs Wales team news

France will be without winger Damien Penaud for the opener, the winger having picked up a toe injury in training this week, but the good news for Les Bleus is that fly-half Romain Ntamack will make his first international appearance in 17 months after overcoming a serious knee injury. Theo Attissogbe joins Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Thomas Ramos in the back three.

For Wales, Evan Lloyd and Henry Thomas get their first starts for Wales, with Ben Thomas given the nod at fly-half ahead of Dan Edwards, who is expected to make his Welsh debut from the bench. There’s an even split between forwards and backs among the replacements, where Nicky Smith will win his 50th cap if he comes on. Liam Williams will start at full-back.

France XV: Thomas Ramos; Theo Attissogbe, Pierre-Louis Barrassi, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romaine Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio; Alexandre Roumat, Emmanuel Meafou; Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregory Alldritt

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Georges-Henri Colombe, Hugo Auradou, Mickael Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Nolann Le Garrec, Emilien Gailleton.

Wales XV: Liam Williams; Tom Rogers, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams; Ben Thomas, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Evan Lloyd, Henry Thomas, Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins, James Botham, Jac Morgan (capt) Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Dan Edwards, Blair Murray.

France vs Wales FREE live streams

This and every Six Nations game will be shown for free in the UK and Ireland.

In the UK, the free France vs Wales live stream is on ITVX, while in Ireland it will be streamed for for free on Virgin Media Player.

If you're outside of the UK or Ireland this weekend, you can always try using a VPN to get around geo-restrictions that you'll face when overseas. We recommend NordVPN as it's really easy to use, fantastic at unblocking restricted streams and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

Don't worry if you've never used a VPN before – it's really easy, and we have full instructions below.

How to watch France vs Wales live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular rugby union live streams, including France vs Wales, while travelling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch your usal Six Nations live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to use a VPN to stream France vs Wales

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. So for France vs Wales, you may wish to choose a server in the UK or Ireland.

3. Then head over to ITVX or Virgin Media Player or your chosen streamer on your browser or device and enjoy the free France vs Wales live stream!

Watch France vs Wales live stream in the UK

You can watch France vs Wales live on ITV1 this Friday evening at 8.15pm GMT.

That means you can also stream the game online and for free on the channel's ITVX platform, available on browsers, smartphone app or a variety of streaming devices.

To stream live on ITVX, you should have a valid TV licence.

If you prefer to watch the rugby with Welsh commentary, it will also be shown on S4C on TV, S4C Cllic and the BBC iPlayer online.

Remember: use a VPN to access either service when travelling outside of the UK.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in Ireland

Every game of the 2025 Six Nations is being shown for free in Ireland.

Free-to-air channel Virgin Media will show France vs Wales live.

That also means you'll be able to stream the game via Virgin Media Player, which is available across a wide range of devices. See the schedule above for this weekend's streaming locations.

Don't forget: Irish nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in Australia

Streaming service Stan Sport has the rights to show every match of the 2025 Six Nations live in Australia, including France vs Wales.

To watch every game ad-free you'll need a Basic Stan package ($12 a month) together with its Stan Sport add-on (a further $15).

As well as the Six Nations, Stan Sport also has the rights to loads more international rugby, as well as other top tier sports, including Champions League soccer, Grand Slam tennis and Formula E motor racing.

Out of Australia? Use a VPN to access your local stream when away from home.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in the USA

NBC's Peacock TV streaming service is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in the USA, including France vs Wales.

Peacock starts from only $7.99 a month, or you can pay more to get rid of the ads. In addition to the Six Nations, you'll also be able to watch the likes of EPL soccer, WWE, Premiership Rugby and lots more.

The Peacock TV app is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, LG smart TV, Vizio TV, PS4, and Xbox One. You can also watch through your web browser.

Matches are also going out on CNBC, but not live. If you have CNBC in your cable package, you'll be able to watch on TV or online with your login credentials. We'd recommend checking your schedules to see when they're planning to show each game.

Outside the US? Peacock TV is only available within the States so be sure to use a rugby-friendly VPN if you're a subscriber stuck abroad.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in New Zealand

Kiwis can watch Six Nations rugby courtesy of Sky Sport, which is showing every game of the 2025 tournament, including France vs Wales.

Subscribers can also watch online using the its Sky Go service.

If you don't already have Sky and don't wish to commit to a full package just for the rugby, then Sky Sport Now offers weekly ($29.99) and monthly ($49.99) passes.

Travelling abroad? Live stream this year's Six Nations on your home streaming service using a world class VPN.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in South Africa

To watch all Six Nations 2025 fixtures in South Africa, including France vs Wales, you'll need access to SuperSport.

If you can't watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Alternatively, you can get SuperSport channels via the DSTV streaming platform, with plans starting from R129 per month.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in Canada

Specialist sports streaming service DAZN is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in Canada, including France vs Wales.

A DAZN subscription will currently set you back CA$29.99 a month or CA$199.99 a year.

As well as giving you every Six Nations 2025 match, DAZN also has exclusive rights in Canada to Champions League, Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, while the serve has dedicated apps for a wide variety of mobile devices, set top boxes and smart TVs.

Don't forget: Canadian nationals can live stream matches via DAZN when overseas with a VPN.

Watch France vs Wales live stream in Singapore and Asia

This year's Six Nations will be covered live across large parts of Asia by Premier Sports.

The network is set to show every game live in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

A monthly pass for Premier Sports will currently set you back $25.99, but there's a 45% discount to be had if you opt for an annual plan at $169 for a full year.

In addition to the Six Nations, a Premier Sports subscription also gives you access to Heineken Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership, NRL, URC and Rugby Championship action.

British fan in Asia? Then use a VPN to watch the free coverage from back home.

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

Watch Six Nations 2025 for free

The 2025 Six Nations reaches its conclusion this weekend with a Super Saturday lineup that couldn't have more riding on it. Ireland need to beat Italy to stand any chance of winning a record third championship in a row, England seek a bonus-point win against Wales – on a 16-game winless run – to force France to serve it out in the final match of the day against Scotland, who also have an outside shot at the title. One word: massive.

You won't want to miss the final round of fixtures on March 15, so keep reading to discover where to watch Six Nations FREE live streams online (use a VPN if you're travelling outside the UK).

• UK: BBC iPlayer & ITVX (FREE)
• IRE: RTÉ Player & Virgin Media Player (FREE)
• US: Peacock TV / CNBC
• Unlock any stream with NordVPN

Six Nations 2025 preview

You always know spring is on the way in the northern hemisphere when the Six Nations rolls back around, and the 2025 edition promises a veritable slew of big hits, devastating line breaks, rucks, mauls and everything in between.

Defending champions Ireland have had to do without head coach Andy Farrell all tournament while he takes time out to prepare for the British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia later this year. Simon Easterby has done a decent job as temporary replacement, but last weekend's 42-27 defeat by France had the end-of-an-era feel to it with Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy playing their final home tests. Ireland must beat Italy and hope England and France both lose if they're to win title number three in a row.

France started as joint favourites, with captain Antoine Dupont back in the side after missing last year's tournament to prepare for winning sevens gold at the Paris Olympics, and lived up to that billing with that victory over Ireland. Les Bleus' surprise 26-25 defeat by England in week 2 now seems even more of an aberration, with Fabien Galthie's hulking pack doing the damage. Beat France and the championship is theirs, regardless of results elsewhere, though they'll have to do it without Dupont, who suffered a serious knee injury against Ireland.

England have had to do without flying young winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for the tournament, but former captain Jamie George's earlier-than-expected recovery from injury has been a boost to Steve Borthwick. Superb in the first half against Ireland before a shattering loss, the Red Rose finally delivered an 80-minute performance and crossed the whitewash late to beat France in Le Crunch in week 2, before overcoming Scotland in another one-point win last time out. A bonus-point win over Italy, plus a France victory in Ireland, has taken them into the final weekend with something to play for. Do that and all the pressure will be on France to beat Scotland.

Scotland approach every Six Nations with renewed hope of a first title since 1999. With Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell and Darcy Graham, they have one of the best backlines in world rugby, but a forward pack that can still be 'got at'. Bludgeoned into submission by the Irish, they couldn't back up a superb first half against England with the points their performance deserved and succumbed by a single point as Finn Russell missed a last-minute conversion that would have sealed victory. Now facing one of the biggest packs in France, can they stand up, especially with an outside shot at the title a possibility?

Wales are now on a 16-game losing streak after picking up their second Six Nations wooden spoon last year and starting with losses to France (in which they lost to nil) and, even worse, Italy in their opening two fixtures. Head coach Warren Gatland has paid for that form with his job, with interim boss Matt Sherratt stepping in for the remainder of the tournament and the Dragons roared against both Ireland and Scotland to boost morale. Knowing they can extinguish bitter rivals England's hopes of a Six Nations title, the Welsh would love nothing more than a win to avoid a second successive wooden spoon.

Italy's optimism continued apace with their win over Wales, only for familiar failing to rear their ugly head in that record-breaking 11-try defeat to France a fortnight ago. The Azzurri's attacking verve has been notable in the past few tournaments, with Tommaso Allan a solid presence at fly-half and Ange Capuozzo and Monty Ioane fine finishers out wide. Another big defeat by England followed, but can they fight back against Ireland?

Italy host Ireland first up in week 5, with the latter needing to win to stay in the title hunt. That's followed by Wales vs England at the Principality Stadium as the visitors need a bonus-point win to put the pressure on France, who take on Scotland in Paris with the title in their hands. It's quite the Super Saturday to bring the 2025 Six Nations to a close.

Six Nations matches – round 5

All times and TV channels in UK (GMT):

Saturday, 15th March – Italy vs Ireland 2.15pm, watch free on ITVX

Saturday, 15th March – Wales vs England 4.45pm, watch free on BBC iPlayer

Saturday, 15th March – France vs Scotland 8pm, watch free on ITVX

Six Nations 2025: Injury news

England have had to deal without Manny Feyi-Waboso, George Furbank, Alex Dombrandt, Alex Coles and Sam Underhill for most or all the tournament. George Martin has probably played his last game of the 2025 tournament, with knee and shoulder complaints, as has Ollie Lawrence who snapped his achilles early on against Italy.

Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, and Craig Casey will miss out for Ireland, but prop Tadhg Furlong is fit again to join the pack. James Lowe and Dan Sheehan snuck back into the squad by tournament start. Caelan Doris returned to the side to face France after missing out against Wales, with Mack Hansen now also back to face Italy.

Scott Cummings is likely to miss the tournament for Scotland, who will also be without captain and centre powerhouse Sione Tuipulotu, who has a pectoral complaint that requires surgery. Darcy Graham missed the defeat by England but returned in time to face Wales. No such luck for back rows Luke Crosbie and Jack Mann, while Jack Dempsey has also now picked up a know and will miss the France game.

Prominent French duo Jonathan Danty and star back-rower Charles Ollivon remain out, but the good news is that star centre Gael Fickou has recovered from injury in time to face Scotland in their title decider. Unfortunately, Antoine Dupont's serious knee injury suffered against Ireland rules the captain out of action for nine months.

Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada will be without Andrea Zambonin, star wing Louis Lynagh and Paolo Odogwu, while flanker Sebastian Negri will miss the start of the tournament.

Gareth Anscombe is fit to play for Wales but Josh Adams will miss out against Scotland after pulling a hamstring. Fellow winger Tom Rogers is also out. Dewi Lake is back in the squad, though.

Free Six Nations 2025 live streams

The BBC and ITV are showing every game of the Six Nations between them for free in 2025. That means you can watch every game free via BBC iPlayer, ITVX and S4C (Welsh-language).

That's also the case in Ireland with RTÉ and Virgin Media Player sharing live broadcast duties

Outside of the UK or Ireland? Use a VPN to access any local stream from abroad. We recommend NordVPN.

Not used a VPN before? It's easy. Just follow our step-by-step guide...

Watch Six Nations 2025 live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular rugby union live streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch your usal Six Nations live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to use a VPN to stream Six Nations 2025

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. So for Six Nations rugby, you may wish to choose a server in the UK or Ireland.

3. Then head over to BBC iPlayer or ITVX or your chosen streamer on your browser or device and enjoy the free Six Nations live stream!

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in the UK

As explained above, coverage of the 2025 Six Nations is once again shared between ITV and the BBC, while S4C will also offer Welsh-language coverage of the Wales match from each round. And all for free!

ITV is set to show every England, France, Ireland and Italy home match, while the BBC has the rights to every Wales and Scotland home match. Full schedule below.

This means its extremely easy to watch Six Nations 2025 matches free on the ITVX and BBC iPlayer websites or mobile apps – both live (with a valid TV licence) and on catch up.

Remember: use a VPN to access either service when travelling outside of the UK.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in Ireland

Every game of the 2025 Six Nations is being shown for free in Ireland.

Free-to-air networks RTÉ and Virgin Media are once again sharing live broadcast duties.

That also means you'll be able to stream every game live via either RTÉ Player, or Virgin Media Player, with both services available across a wide range of devices. See the schedule above for this weekend's streaming locations.

Don't forget: Irish nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in Australia

Streaming service Stan Sport has the rights to show every match of the 2025 Six Nations live in Australia.

To watch every game ad-free you'll need a Basic Stan package ($12 a month) together with its Stan Sport add-on (a further $15).

As well as the Six Nations, Stan Sport also has the rights to loads more international rugby, as well as other top tier sports, including Champions League soccer, Grand Slam tennis and Formula E motor racing.

Out of Australia? Use a VPN to access your local stream when away from home.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in the USA

NBC's Peacock TV streaming service is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in the USA.

Peacock starts from only $7.99 a month, or you can pay more to get rid of the ads. In addition to the Six Nations, you'll also be able to watch the likes of EPL soccer, WWE, Premiership Rugby and lots more.

The Peacock TV app is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, LG smart TV, Vizio TV, PS4, and Xbox One. You can also watch through your web browser.

Matches are also going out on CNBC, but not live. If you have CNBC in your cable package, you'll be able to watch on TV or online with your login credentials. We'd recommend checking your schedules to see when they're planning to show each game.

Outside the US? Peacock TV is only available within the States so be sure to use a rugby-friendly VPN if you're a subscriber stuck abroad.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in New Zealand

Kiwis can watch Six Nations rugby courtesy of Sky Sport, which is showing every game of the 2025 tournament.

Subscribers can also watch online using the its Sky Go service.

If you don't already have Sky and don't wish to commit to a full package just for the rugby, then Sky Sport Now offers weekly ($29.99) and monthly ($49.99) passes.

UK or Ireland rugby fan abroad? Live stream this year's Six Nations on your home streaming service using a world class VPN.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in South Africa

To watch all Six Nations 2025 fixtures in South Africa, you'll need access to SuperSport.

If you can't watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Alternatively, you can get SuperSport channels via the DSTV streaming platform, with plans starting from R129 per month.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in Canada

Specialist sports streaming service DAZN is showing every game of the 2025 Six Nations live in Canada.

A DAZN subscription will currently set you back CA$29.99 a month or CA$199.99 a year.

As well as giving you every Six Nations 2025 match, DAZN also has exclusive rights in Canada to Champions League, Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, while the serve has dedicated apps for a wide variety of mobile devices, set top boxes and smart TVs.

Don't forget: Canadian nationals can live stream matches via DAZN when overseas with a VPN.

Watch Six Nations 2025 live streams in Singapore and Asia

This year's Six Nations will be covered live across large parts of Asia by Premier Sports.

The network is set to show every game live in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

A monthly pass for Premier Sports will currently set you back $25.99, but there's a 45% discount to be had if you opt for an annual plan at $169 for a full year.

In addition to the Six Nations, a Premier Sports subscription also gives you access to Heineken Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership, NRL, URC and Rugby Championship action.

British fan in Asia? Then use a VPN to watch the free coverage from back home.

Six Nations 2025 fixtures, times and dates

All times and TV channels in UK and Ireland (GMT):

Round 1
Friday, 31st Jan – France vs Wales 8.15pm (ITV, Virgin Media)
Saturday, 1st Feb – Scotland vs Italy 2.15pm (BBC, RTÉ)
Saturday, 3rd Feb – Ireland vs England 4.45pm (ITV, Virgin Media)

Round 2
Saturday, 8th Feb – Italy vs Wales 2.15pm (ITV, Virgin Media)
Saturday, 8th Feb – England v France 4.45pm (ITV, Virgin Media)
Sunday, 9th Feb – Scotland vs Ireland 3pm (BBC, RTÉ)

Round 3
Saturday, 22nd Feb – Wales vs Ireland 2.15pm (BBC, Virgin Media)
Saturday, 22nd Feb – England vs Scotland 4.45pm (ITV, RTÉ)
Sunday, 23rd Feb – Italy vs France 3pm (ITV, Virgin Media)

Round 4
Saturday, 8th Mar – Ireland vs France 2.15pm (ITV, RTÉ)
Saturday, 8th Mar – Scotland vs Wales 4.45pm (BBC, Virgin Media)
Sunday, 9th Mar – England vs Italy 3pm (ITV, RTÉ)

Round 5
Saturday, 15th Mar – Italy vs Ireland 2.15pm (ITV, RTÉ)
Saturday, 15th Mar – Wales vs England 4.45pm (BBC, Virgin Media)
Saturday, 15th Mar – France vs Scotland 8pm (ITV, RTÉ)

Six Nations 2025 table and results

Round 1
France 41 - 0 Wales
Scotland 31 - 19 Italy
Ireland 27 - 22 England

Round 2
Italy 22 - 15 Wales
England 26 - 25 France
Scotland 18 - 32 Ireland

Round 3
Wales 18 - 27 Ireland
England 16 - 15 Scotland
Italy 24 - 73 France

Round 4
Ireland 27-42 France
Scotland 35-29 Wales
England 47-24 Italy

Round 5
Italy vs Ireland
Wales vs England
France vs Scotland

Six Nations 2025 FAQs

• Upgrade the action: best TVs
• Go big this year: best projectors
• Where to find the best Formula 1 live stream

The Premier League returns tonight, and if you're looking for a new TV on which to enjoy it, we've got a great deal for you. The 42-inch Philips 808 OLED TV is reduced by £200, to just £799 at Richer Sounds.

That's a whopping £700 cheaper than its launch price of £1499, making it almost half price.

Best Philips OLED808 deal

We haven't tested this 42-inch model, but the 55OLED808 earned a perfect five out of five. Which was a relief – because of rights issues between Google TV and Freeview Play, the TV was delayed, and wasn't released until October. Sadly the issue was never resolved, and so the TV lacks the usual UK terrestrial catch-up apps (BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX and My5). That's easily rectified by adding a streamer like the Google TV Streamer or Amazon Fire TV Stick, but still, it's annoying having to switch devices and having to shell out extra.

That's the bad news out of the way, now on with the good. The OLED808 is a barnstormer of a TV. It has plenty of gaming features like 4K@120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Nvidia G-Sync, though only two HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which is used for a soundbar's eARC functionality) means gamers with a sound system and multiple consoles will have to do some port switching.

This is Philips' first 42-inch OLED TV, and it uses the Next Gen Ambilight system introduced in 2022 – this is brighter and capable of recreating more hues. The picture on the 55-inch model we tested is very sharp indeed, with exceptional levels of detail. 

We can't comment on the 42-incher's picture quality as we haven't reviewed it. But generally speaking, smaller TVs aren't as bright as their larger incarnations, so we would expect this one to be a bit dimmer than the 55-incher that graced our test rooms. But because of the smaller screen, they tend to be a bit sharper. If that's true, you're in for a treat.

And with this discount, you can splash out on some snacks to enjoy in front of the first game of the season.

MORE:

Read our Philips 55OLED808 review

Also consider the Sony A80L and LG C3

And here are all of the very best TVs available right now

It’s Games time. With the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony taking place today, making history by being the first to be held outside of a stadium, we are just hours away from 16 full days of world-class sporting action, with Badminton kicking us off tomorrow (nice and early in the UK), ladies and gentlemen.

If there’s ever a fortnight to be stuck to your TV setup or home cinema, it’s now – but if you have a 4K (Ultra HD) and HDR (High Dynamic Range) TV or projector and perhaps even a surround sound 5.1 or Dolby Atmos audio system, you’ll certainly want to watch all the gold medal glory in those leading audiovisual formats. 

The good news is that the Paris 2024 Olympics is being broadcast in 4K and HDR around the world: the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) is producing the global feed in 4K HDR with 5.1.4 Atmos surround sound, and France Télévisions is leading the broadcaster way for its home games by offering 4K HDR broadcasts through its new digital terrestrial channels. 

So is that quality also available where you live, via your country’s broadcasters?

UK: you can watch the Olympics in 4K and HDR

In the UK, the BBC is the official Olympic television broadcaster, however despite the Beeb’s previous dabbles in live 4K HDR broadcasting via its iPlayer service, it will only be offering HD (1080p) and SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) through its BBC One and BBC Two coverage.

So can you watch Paris 2024 in 4K HDR in the UK at all? Thankfully, yes.

For the past decade, Warner Brothers Discovery (owner of Eurosport and Discovery) have exclusively had the European rights to the Olympics, so it isn’t surprising that both channels will offer a better viewing experience. There will be 4K HDR broadcasts on Eurosport’s main linear UHD channel, which is available via satellite on pay-TV platforms such as Virgin Media, EE TV and BT TV for subscribers.

The Discovery+ service (which currently has a £3.99/month special offer for the duration of the Olympics through Amazon Prime Video Channels or discoveryplus.com) also offers Eurosport 1 and 2, but will deliver the Olympic broadcasts only in HDR – not 4K. (If you have Sky TV or EE TV, you’ll get access to Discovery+ offerings for free during the Olympics.)

As for audio, we cannot yet confirm whether Eurosport or the pay-for platform providers will offer surround sound.

US: you can watch the Olympics in 4K, HDR and Atmos

Comcast NBCUniversal's USA Network channel will broadcast some events in 4K with HDR (Dolby Vision) and Dolby Atmos surround sound, reportedly through all of the following: the Xfinity Stream app, Altice, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV/Stream, Dish, Fubo, Sling TV, Verizon and YouTube TV. (Multiple reports state that NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service will live-stream every event – but not in 4K.)

NBC will actually produce the games in HD HDR, before upconverting it to 4K (it’s calling it ‘enhanced 4K’) for distribution. And on the surround sound front, as reported by SVG, “NBC trucks onsite in Paris will mix a 5.1 production but will pass the extra eight channels of height information [from OBS] untouched to NBC’s primetime-immersive audio-control room” for a mixed 5.1.4 output.

Australia: you can watch the Olympics in 4K

While the Olympics coverage is being shown on the Nine Network terrestrial channel, the Stan Sport streaming service is offering 4K coverage of Paris 2024, with “all medal events and major moments” being available in the superior resolution. So on that basis, the streaming service’s 4K coverage should be very comprehensive. This is the first time Australia will offer the Olympics in 4K, though there’s no mention of HDR or Dolby Atmos.

What devices you need to watch the Olympics in the highest possible quality

So to watch the Olympics in 4K, you need two things: a 4K/HDR TV or projector, and a 4K/HDR-compatible device (a streaming stick or set-top box) that can host the broadcast platform offering 4K coverage, if the TV itself does not via, say, an app. And hey, it's not too late for an upgrade! 

For example, in the UK, you’ll need a 4K/HDR TV or projector and, say, an EE TV Box Pro or Sky Q box/Stream stick with the relevant subscription. 

In the US, you’ll need a 4K/HDR TV or projector and, say, a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity with the relevant subscription. To get the Dolby Vision flavour of HDR that will be offered on USA Network, both devices must support Dolby Vision too.

And in Australia, you’ll simply need a 4K TV that can access the Stan Sport app, plus the relevant subscription.

For the Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 immersive sound available in the US, you’ll need either a Dolby Atmos soundbar or an Atmos-compatible AV receiver (connected to speakers that can deliver all or some of the available 5.1.4 channels).

MORE:

How to watch the Opening Ceremony: live stream Paris 2024 Olympics in 4K HDR today

Best TV 2024: flagship OLEDs and affordable flatscreens tried and tested

Best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2024: tried and tested by our review team

The Paris Olympics 2024 is set to be a brilliant Games, with incredible performances and records tumbling. We're going to see some of the true greats, from Simon Biles in gymnastics to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in athletics to Andy Murray's last-ever tennis tournament.

Swimming provides plenty of action at the start of the Olympics, with lots of medals on offer. Can Adam Peaty add to his collection? Will Léon Marchand dominate in home water? There are also always sports that we don't get to see usually that grab the attention in an Olympic Games. For instance, handball is a fast and furious sport that the host nation excels in, and canoeing can provide plenty of drama too. The track cycling always promises thrills and spills too.

The athletics, an Olympic highlight for many, gets underway towards the end of the first week, beginning with the men's 20km walk race. After that, it's into the track and field events in the main stadium. It all builds up to the 100m finals. American duo American Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles will be looking to bring home the golds.

It's going to be a brilliant couple of weeks of sporting excellence. You won't want to miss any of it. Here's how to watch Olympics streams and 4K TV broadcasts from everywhere.

How to watch Paris Olympics 2024 free online

All the ways you can tune into the Paris 2024 Olympics for free:

🇬🇧  BBC iPlayer – 250+ hours of free coverage
🇮🇪  RTE – 250 hours of free coverage
🇦🇺 9Now – every event free across 40 live channels
🇨🇦 CBC – 22 hours per day of free live coverage

Blocked? Watch your local FREE Olympics stream with a VPN

How to watch Olympics in the UK

The time difference between France and UK is only an hour, so watching the Paris Olympics won't require any nasty alarm calls.

BBC One and BBC Two will broadcast more than 250 hours of live coverage across the entire 19-day Summer Games. You can also watch Olympics Extra, a second live stream on BBC iPlayer (free with TV license), to follow the best moments. 

Need to catch up? Tonight at the Games on BBC One every evening will examine the day's biggest talking points with the help of the BBC team: Fred Sirieix, Isa Guha, Hazel Irvine, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Jeanette Kwakye, JJ Chalmers and Laura Kenny. 

Nice. But the BBC is not the home of the Olympics in the UK – that honour goes to Eurosport (and it's Discovery Plus streaming platform). Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 will deliver wall-to-wall coverage with live action from 7am -10.30pm daily, totally 350 hours, plus highlights and replays through the night.

Discovery Plus (£3.99 a month) – the official 'Streaming Home of the Olympics' in the UK and Ireland – will serve up all 329 medal moments and 3,800 hours of live coverage via 55+ live channel feeds. It even has a dedicated Team GB Hub.

Watch Olympics streams from abroad

You won't be able to watch your go-to  Olympics live stream while travelling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you. You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though.

It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in the right country, allowing you to watch any Olympics live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Watch Olympics Paris 2024 live in US

In the USA, cable TV coverage is spread across NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel, E! and Telemundo. The action will also be available to stream on Peacock ($7.99 a month with ads), NBC Sports App and NBCOlympics.com. 

Peacock will use "interactive features" to help fans navigate more than 5,000 hours of live coverage throughout the Games, including all 329 medal events.

Both NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26, beginning at Noon ET. Nearly 100 boats will carry athletes down the River Seine. 

NBC Olympics primetime will be hosted by host Mike Tirico, Grammy-winner singer Kelly Clarkson and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning. Snoop Dogg will also join NBC's Primetime in Paris, reporting on various Olympic competitions.

Don't have cable? You can watch NBC Olympics streams via Sling and Fubo.

Australia: Olympics 2024 live stream

You'll find all-day Olympic coverage on Channel 9 and 9Gem, while 9Now will stream every moment of every event FREE across more than 40 dedicated live sport channels. Phew! 

To check which events are on Channel 9 and 9Gem, check out the schedule here. Of course, you'll need a good streaming VPN to watch 9Now when outside Oz. 

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will stream live on 9Now. A replay will be broadcast on Channel 9 from 1pm AEST on Saturday, July 27.

Fun fact: each sport has its own dedicated page on 9Now. You can find available live streamed events scheduled for the upcoming Olympic day from 6am AEST each day. If the event you is still live, you can use the 'Start Over' option to watch it from the beginning.

Canada: Watch an Olympics 2024 live stream

In Canada, Olympics coverage is spread across CBC, Sportsnet and TSN ($19.99 a month). 

CBC’s comprehensive free coverage of Paris 2024 will feature live broadcasts from every venue and include every Canadian medal-winning moment, with 22 hours of live TV coverage each day, totalling more than 3,000 hours of live action.

Looking for online coverage? CBC Gem offers FREE live streams of every event at Paris 2024, with pre-Olympic coverage of soccer and rugby sevens beginning Wednesday, 24th July.

Coverage of Team Canada kicks off Thursday, 25th July on CBC and CBC Gem with the first match for the Canadian women’s soccer team at 10.30am ET. CBC’s live coverage of the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony begins Friday, 26th July at 1pm ET on CBC networks and streaming platforms.

You can also watch Olympics documentaries, including two-parter La Grand Seine, which tells the story of the final 12-months of preparation for the Opening Ceremony – arguably the biggest show on earth. Part one airs Thursday, 25th July at 9am ET on CBC Gem.

New Zealand: Paris 2024 Olympics live stream

Sky Sport is the exclusive New Zealand broadcast partner for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024. Sky's coverage boasts 12 Olympic channels, covering 32 sports and 200 Kiwi athletes over 19 days from 25th July to 12th August.

You'll find extensive coverage across Sky Sport and  the Sky Go app, plus streaming on Sky Sport Now (a one-off Olympics Games Paris 2024 Pass will set you back $35).

Looking for FREE Olympic coverage? The free-to-air on Sky Open channel (Freeview channel 15 or via the Sky Go app) will cover most events featuring Kiwi athletes.

Daily live coverage will air from 7pm - 9am NZDT, along with 24-hour replays, highlights and special features during non-competition times.

 Sky Sport will also dish up a daily early morning review show, hosted by Kirstie Stanway. Laura McGoldrick will front the evening coverage which kickstarts the day in France. 

Watch Olympics 2024 live in Ireland

Olympics fans in Ireland can watch 14 hours of coverage a day across three daily TV programmes on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, featuring athletics, swimming, boxing, rowing, gymnastics, badminton, rugby sevens and more.

You can watch FREE Olympics streams via RTÉ Player, RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. Traveling outside Ireland? You'll need a good VPN to watch the Irish coverage from abroad.

RTÉ's Olympics 2024 live stream begins on 26th July at 6pm IST, when the Opening Ceremony gets underway in Paris. Tune in to see approximately 10,500 athletes cross float down the River Seine on boats!

Paris 2024 will see the largest-ever Irish contingent travel to the Olympics, with 133 athletes competing across a multitude of sports. Ireland’s hockey team competing at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium is set to be a highlight.

RTÉ's studio line-up includes Andrew Bree and Gráinne Murphy (swimming), Derval O’Rourke, Rob Heffernan and Sonia O’Sullivan, (athletics) Bernard Dunne and Kenny Egan (boxing), Johnny Bell (hockey), Mairéad Kavanagh (gymnastics) and Annalise Murphy (sailing).

Paris 2024 Olympic Games schedule of events

• 3x3 basketball (Jul 30 - Aug 5)
• Archery (Jul 25, Jul 28 - Aug 4)
• Athletics (Aug 1-11)
• Artistic gymnastics (Jul 27 - Aug 1, Aug 3-5)
• Artistic swimming (Aug 5-7, Aug 9-10)
• Badminton (Jul 27 - Aug 5)
• Basketball (Jul 27 - Aug 4, Aug 6-11)
• Beach volleyball (Jul 27 - Aug 10)
• BMX freestyle (Jul 30-31)
• BMX racing (Aug 1-2)
• Boxing (Jul 27- Aug 4, Aug 6-10)
• Breaking (Aug 9-10)
• Canoe slalom (Jul 27 - Aug 1, Aug 3-5)
• Canoe sprint (Aug 6-10)
• Cycling road (Jul 27, Aug 3-4)
• Cycling track (Aug 5-11)
• Diving (Jul 27, Jul 29, Jul 31, Aug 2, Aug 5-10)
• Equestrian (Jul 27 - Aug 6)
• Fencing (Jul 27 - Aug 4)
• Football (Jul 24-25, Jul 27-28, Jul 30-31, Aug 2-3, Aug 5-6, Aug 8-10)
• Golf (Aug 1-4, Aug 7-10)
• Handball (Jul 25, Jul 27 - Aug 4, Aug 6-11)
• Hockey (Jul 27 - Aug 9)
• Judo (Jul 27 - Aug 3)
• Marathon swimming (Aug 8-9)
• Modern pentathlon (Aug 8-11)
• Mountain bike (Jul 28-29)
• Rhythmic gymnastics (Aug 8-10)
• Rowing (Jul 27 - Aug 3)
• Rugby 7s (Jul 24-25, Jul 27-30)
• Sailing (Jul 28 - Aug 8)
• Shooting (Jul 27 - Aug 5)
• Skateboarding (Jul 27-28, Aug 6-7)
• Sport climbing (Aug 5-10)
• Surfing (Jul 27-30)
• Swimming (Jul 27 - Aug 4)
• Table tennis (July 27 - Aug 10)
• Taekwondo (Jul 7-10)
• Tennis (Jul 27 - Aug 4)
• Trampoline gymnastics (Aug 2)
• Triathlon (Jul 30-31, Aug 5)
• Volleyball (Jul 27 - Aug 11)
• Water polo (Jul 27 - Aug 11)
• Weightlifting (Aug 7-11)
• Wrestling (Aug 5-11)

• Vroom service: where to watch a free F1 live stream
• Expert advice: best TVs you can buy today
• Shop our best TV deals

Philips may have been slightly late to the party in 2023 with the release of its OLED TVs, but the OLED808 is a prime example of good things coming to those who wait. While it didn't grace our AV test room until December of last year, we called it "one of the best" TVs to launch in 2023, which is high praise indeed.

While it was already a competitively priced TV back then, the price of the OLED808 has dropped significantly since its launch; we presume that the launch of the 2024 Philips TV range may have played a part in this. We originally reviewed this TV at £1399, however through Richer Sounds' VIP Club programme it can be yours for just £999. 

Serving as the step down from the flagship OLED908 in Philips' 2023 OLED TV lineup, the OLED808 is the mid-range model in Philips' current offering of OLED TVs. It is set to be replaced by the OLED809 later this month, which is expected to be slightly brighter and come with an updated processor, but considering the price and performance of this TV, we're willing to bet that the OLED808 will be the better buy.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, it's important to mention that this TV doesn't include Freeview Play apps, meaning you won't be able to download BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 or ITV X catch-up apps. While this is frustrating, we wouldn't consider it a deal breaker by any means, and it can be remedied by pairing this TV with a media streamer.

The OLED808 is outfitted with an OLED EX panel that can reportedly hit 1000 nits of brightness, as well as featuring a 4K resolution, 120Hz maximum refresh rate and support for both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+. We praised this TV's ability to deliver a dynamic yet balanced picture with bucketloads of contrast, crisply defined edges, and punchy colours.

Sound performance is equally impressive, with a 70W 2.1 sound system built into the TV. It might not be quite as impressive as the Bowers & Wilkins speaker system of its more expensive counterpart, but the Philips-tuned sound system delivers more bass than expected. It's clear and dynamic too, making it a perfectly good sound system to use for everyday viewing – that being said, you could put the cash you've saved with this deal towards a Dolby Atmos soundbar for an even better audio experience. 

Finally, this TV delivers a comprehensive set of gaming features with 4K/120Hz gaming support with VRR and ALLM on two of its four HDMI sockets. While a full suite of HDM 2.1 sockets would've been nice, only the most hardcore of gamers with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X will find this to be an issue. 

If this OLED TV sounds appealing to you, then we'd recommend taking advantage of this excellent deal at Richer Sounds. Just remember to sign up for the free VIP Club membership programme to take advantage of the full savings price. 

MORE:

Find the best OLED TV deals here

Read our Philips OLED909 hands on review

Check out the full Philips 2024 TV lineup

If you're in the market for a very affordable TV with a surprisingly solid performance, this deal is for you. The Hisense 43A6KTUK, which we awarded five stars in our review, is down to just £204 at Richer Sounds.

You need to be a Richer Sounds VIP member in order to get that price, but joining is free and instant, and it gives you access to lots of other exclusive deals that are often genuinely the best available anywhere.

It's worth noting that this Hisense was only £229 when we tested it, so this is a discount of just £25, but at this level that still represents a drop of over 10 per cent, which isn't to be sniffed at.

It almost goes without saying that £204 is very little to pay for a 43-inch TV of any kind, but the Hisense isn't just cheap – it's cheap, surprisingly feature-packed and actually good.

On the features front, you get a 4K resolution and support for HDR, including in the more advanced, 'dynamic' Dolby Vision format. That's a real rarity at this level. And rather than the usual edge LED backlight, the A6K has LEDs directly behind the screen for better contrast and backlighting consistency.

Hisense's own VIDAA smart platform runs the show, and this is a real bonus, as it's easy to use and packed with apps, including the big hitters such as Disney+, Netflix and Prime Video. All of the UK's catch-up services, such as BBC iPlayer, are present and correct courtesy of Freeview Play, and the remote includes shortcut buttons for a number of apps and a microphone for voice control.

In terms of performance, the A6K looks a little soft in motion and doesn't go as bright as more premium models, but it's a surprisingly balanced and authentic performer with good colours and pretty deep blacks. The backlight is really consistent, too, with none of the distracting clouding you often get with backlit TVs – even mid-range models.

All in all, while you won't get (and shouldn't expect) a premium performance for this sort of money, the Hisense 43A6KTUK is a really solid performer for its low price and is better overall than most TVs in the sub-£500 bracket.

MORE:

Read our full Hisense 43A6KTUK review

These are the best cheap TVs you can buy right now

And here are the best TV deals

Amazon's 4K streaming sticks have fallen to match their lowest prices ever. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is now £35 (down from £60), while the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is now £45 (down from £70). That's £25 off each, matching their Black Friday 2023 prices.

These deals are part of Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale, which doesn't officially start until tomorrow. Early birds, these are your worms.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K deal

The Fire TV Stick 4K originally launched in 2020, with the second-gen model adding more power, more RAM and wi-fi 6 support in 2023. The original model earned five stars from us, as well as a What Hi-Fi? Award, thanks to its effortless usability, seamless integration with other Alexa-enabled devices and fantastic picture and sound quality. You can just say one word to start up your TV, your Fire TV Stick and to start watching a particular show, for example. How's that for smart?

Of course the price is a large part of its appeal, and now that it's matched its lowest ever price, it's more tempting than ever.

But if you want to take a step up, it won't cost much more...

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max deal

Again, this is a second-gen product that launched in 2023. It boasts a 2GHz quad-core processor, double the storage of the first model (16GB) and wi-fi 6E support.

The first-gen model earned high praise from us for its wide-ranging selection of streaming apps (including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and BBC iPlayer in Ultra HD) and the sharp, detailed, colourful picture. It wasn't quite as impressive as some rivals like the Apple TV 4K, however, but that's to be expected given the price. 

Tempted? The deals are valid until 25th March, provided stocks last.

More:

Compare! Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K vs Apple TV 4K

These are the best media streamers around

Find out which Amazon Fire TV Stick should you buy?

What do you consider when choosing a new TV? Obviously, the main factors such as screen size, resolution and HDR support are important, but they're not the only things you should be thinking about.

There's a handful of other, often-overlooked factors you need to check before buying to avoid disappointment. Some of these – such as whether a stand is included – should be givens but, amazingly, they're not.

So before you buy, consult our checklist, and make sure that when you get your expensive new TV home you're not met with a nasty surprise...

• Check out the best 65-inch TVs

1. Catch-up apps

When you're spending thousands on a new TV, you would expect it to come with the basic apps. But that's not always the case.

Last year, Sony and Philips TVs launched without the UK terrestrial catch-up apps (BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Channel 4, My5 and BBC Sounds). In the case of Sony, they subsequently arrived via an update in November 2023. This has happened previously with certain other models from Sony and LG, and it feels as though every year there's at least one brand that's missing them.

That is kind of staggering, if you think about it. Imagine spending four figures on a new TV only to then have to shell out at least another £30 for a Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick so you can watch catch-up. Admittedly, these apps usually arrive further down the line as part of an update, but in some cases this can take months. Yet another reason we rarely recommend buying a TV when it's brand new.

2. Stand

TVs come with stands, right? Just like cars come with wheels. Well, not always. The LG G3 is designed to be wall-mounted, which means it doesn't come with a stand. Instead, you get the Zero Gap Wall Mount, which is a bracket that allows your TV to sit flush against the wall. Great, if that's your thing. Not so great if you don't want to drill holes in your wall.

The G3 is compatible with a stand, and thanks to its standardised VESA points, it should be pretty easy to find one that fits. But it is another expense, and one that should be unnecessary at that.

LG seems to have realised this, as the 55- and 65-inch models of its G4 TV (the follow-up to the G3) will be bundled with stands. It always pays to check before you buy.

3. Feet width

Some TVs don't have a stand but also don't require wall-mounting. These TVs have feet instead, that are often slim and blade-like. Which is all well and good, but you'll want to check their width before you buy.

The feet on the 65-inch Sony A95L, for example, sit at the extreme edges of the TV in order to avoid reflections on the screen. In order to hold it, your TV cabinet will need to be at least 145cm / 57 inches wide. That's wider than a typical desk.

The 77-inch A95L's feet can be positioned more centrally to dramatically shrink the TV's footprint, but there's no space within the chassis for that to happen with the 55- and 65-inchers. Better get the tape measure out, or you could find yourself shopping for a new TV cabinet.

Sony's aren't the only TVs to vary their stand/feet configuration depending on their size. LG's 42-inch C3 comes with feet, but from 48 inches up has a pedestal stand, making it much easier to accommodate on a TV unit. But as we'll see in the next section, this has its own downside...

4. Room for a soundbar?

We always recommend adding a soundbar to your TV, as the audio is half the experience. But some TVs are more accommodating than others.

Sony's best TVs, for example, come with extenders to raise the TV a little higher on the feet to make room for a soundbar. Some Philips' TVs use a similar system. LG's C3, however, comes with a pedestal stand at all sizes apart from the 42-incher, which doesn't leave much room for a soundbar. Better get the tape measure out again, unless you want part of the screen obscured...

5. Dimensions

But don't put the tape measure away just yet. You still need to measure the overall dimensions of your TV to make sure it fits your space. Because while the screen size might be the same, TVs' overall dimensions can very quite a bit.

For example, the 65-inch Panasonic MZ2000 is 6cm taller than the same size Sony A95L, and a considerable 3.5cm thicker. Those differences might seem slight, but when you're trying to cram the biggest TV possible into your space, every centimetre matters.

6. Gaming spec

The best gaming TVs have a lot more going for them than just great picture quality. There's a host of features you'll want to explore if gaming is a priority.

If you have more than one console, perhaps the most important consideration is the number of HDMI 2.1 ports the TV has. Most modern TVs have four HDMIs, but only Samsung and LG offer all four at the HDMI 2.1 spec (though some lower-end 2024 Philips TVs will do too). This lets you take advantage of the ALLM, VRR and 4K120 gaming features (though not all HDMI 2.1 TVs support them, whereas some exclusively HDMI 2.0 TVs do, so check before you buy). TVs from Sony, Philips and Panasonic use the MediaTek Pentonic 1000 chip, which only allows for two HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning the other two are the regular old HDMI 2.0 standard. 

One of these HDMI 2.1 ports inevitably doubles up as the ARC/eARC port, meaning you can plug in a soundbar or AV receiver. If you only have two HDMI 2.1s to begin with and you end up using one for your sound system, that leaves just one port for full-fat console gaming. Cue lots of getting down on your knees to plug in a new cable every time you want to switch consoles or gaming PCs. (If that is the case, go for a TV such as the Panasonic MZ2000, which at least has a swivel stand that makes it easier to get at the sockets.)

You should also look out for low input lag to minimise the time your button presses take to register with the corresponding on-screen action, Dolby Vision gaming and HGiG for better HDR gaming.

• This year's OLED TVs have only two HDMI 2.1 connections – here's why that's not good enough
• Forget the LG C4, the B4 is the OLED TV I'm interested in this year – and it's thanks to its four HDMI 2.1s

7. Sound quality

Yes, a new TV should look the business, but people often neglect how it sounds. It's understandable: good sound might not be as arresting as stunning visuals, especially if you're in a shop with the TVs muted or all clashing with each other's audio. And true, if you want the best sound, you should partner your TV with a soundbar or surround system. But if you don't have the space or funds for either of these, then decent TV sound is a must.

Sadly, it seems a lot of TV manufacturers don't agree. LG's 2023 range of OLEDs probably leads the pack in the disparity between picture and sound quality. Sony's A80L and A95L fare much better, thanks to their actuator-based tech. But they're still no match for a great soundbar.

We always give sound quality due prominence in our TV reviews, so make sure you read up on your chosen TV before you buy. And if it doesn't fare adequately on that score, ensuring you have the funds – and space – for a suitable sound system will enhance your enjoyment no end.

MORE:

These are the best TVs you can buy right now

Here's how to calculate the right viewing distance for your TV

And how to set up your TV and get the best picture