Technology

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, October 11 (game #1218).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1219) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CALAMARI
• MANDARIN
• STATE
• ABBREVIATION
• NICKNAME
• HANDLE
• SHAPE
• WEATHER
• CONDITION
• CONTRACTION
• SITUATION
• BEAR
• ALKYLAMIDE
• STAND
• ELISION
• MELAMINE

NYT Connections today (game #1219) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Where we’re at
• GREEN: Put up or shut up
• BLUE: Brief words
• PURPLE: As seen on letters and packages

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1219) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: STATUS
• GREEN: TOLERATE
• BLUE: WORD SHORTENINGS, OFTEN
• PURPLE: WORDS MADE USING U.S. POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1219) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1219, are…

• YELLOW: STATUS: CONDITION, SHAPE, SITUATION, STATE
• GREEN: TOLERATE: BEAR, HANDLE, STAND, WEATHER
• BLUE: WORD SHORTENINGS, OFTEN: ABBREVIATION, CONTRACTION, ELISION, NICKNAME
• PURPLE: WORDS MADE USING U.S. POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS: ALKYLAMIDE, CALAMARI, MANDARIN, MELAMINE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Living and growing up outside of the US put me at a disadvantage for today’s purple group — although I am still not sure I would have seen it even if I was based in the States. Kudos if you did.

I managed to get through without making any mistakes, but this was one of those games where I got by on hunches and luck and never had a strong hold on what the group categories might be.

ELISION was a word that I had not heard of before, but ABBREVIATION, CONTRACTION and NICKNAME all seemed to go together, so I took a chance. I have since discovered that it means “omission of one or more sounds, vowels, consonants, or whole syllables from a word or phrase to make speech faster and easier". Yes folks, it’s a good ‘un.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, October 11, 2026, game #1218)

• YELLOW: PUT TO USE: APPLY, HARNESS, UTILIZE, WIELD
• GREEN: MONTHLY BILLS: CABLE, ELECTRICITY, INTERNET, PHONE
• BLUE: THINGS YOU MIGHT FIND IN A GLOVE COMPARTMENT: GLOVES, ICE SCRAPER, MAP, REGISTRATION
• PURPLE: ENDING IN GAMBITS: EMPLOY, PATRICK, PERUSE, SYNTACTIC

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, October 11 (game #1721).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1722) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1722) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1722) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1722) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1722) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• B

• R

• S

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1722) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1722, are…

• HELLO
• BELOW
• RIGHT
• SLANT

Everything fell into place for me today, with every word being the most expected.

In brief, exactly the sort of game I needed after losing my win stream on Saturday.

Thank you, Quordle gods.

Daily Sequence today (game #1722) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1722, are…

• OPERA
• TULLE
• FEVER
• DEMUR

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1721, Sunday, 11 October: LILAC, INLET, TRIAD, SHAPE
• Quordle #1720, Saturday, 10 October: SWEAT, THIRD, RURAL, CLASP
• Quordle #1719, Friday, 9 October: OLDEN, DUNCE, SWATH, HILLY
• Quordle #1718, Thursday, 8 October: MINTY, ROWER, BROOD, RESET
• Quordle #1717, Wednesday, 7 October: PALER, FROTH, DOZEN, ERASE
• Quordle #1716, Tuesday, 6 October: FRESH, SKULK, BATCH, ENSUE
• Quordle #1715, Monday, 5 October: SIXTH, SPEAK, SEDAN, HEIST
• Quordle #1714, Sunday, 4 October: INFER, RAINY, THING, ARENA
• Quordle #1713, Saturday, 3 October: CHORE, FLYER, STICK, PURSE
• Quordle #1712, Friday, 2 October: IVORY, SADLY, ANGEL, LLAMA
• Quordle #1711, Thursday, 1 October: NAVEL, SHEER, BIRTH, TACKY
• Quordle #1710, Wednesday, 30 September: CHOKE, BATCH, MOSSY, EAGER
• Quordle #1709, Tuesday, 29 September: BILGE, MEDAL, LODGE, PORCH
• Quordle #1708, Monday, 28 September: BRUNT, TORSO, STONE, HEATH
• Quordle #1707, Sunday, 27 September: VALET, CHEST, VIGIL, PUREE
• Quordle #1706, Saturday, 26 September: SNORT, BIBLE, LAPSE, CRANE
• Quordle #1705, Friday, 25 September: SWEAR, FLOOD, GUPPY, GROAN
• Quordle #1704, Thursday, 24 September: TOPIC, METRO, SCALP, FREED
• Quordle #1703, Wednesday, 23 September: SHEET, BLAND, JOIST, GUAVA
• Quordle #1702, Tuesday, 22 September: COMFY, LOBBY, DRESS, PANEL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, October 11 (game #952).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #953) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… In a manner of speaking

NYT Strands today (game #953) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SLING
• RANGER
• FOUL
• GONE
• LONG
• RACON

NYT Strands today (game #953) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #953) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 8th row

• Last side: right, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #953) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #953, are…

• PARLANCE
• JARGON
• VERNACULAR
• LINGO
• DIALECT
• SPANGRAM: TURNOFPHRASE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Another easy game where I got the Spangram second (there are no prizes or badges for that, unfortunately). Very annoying, although I did appreciate how TURNOFPHRASE took a turn across the board.

I was expecting to find the word “slang” on the board, but made do with the non-game word “sling”. Instead, we had the many different ways in which languages can be described.

Personally, I think DIALECT is fascinating, particularly how someone in the same country can ask for a cup of coffee in a hundred different ways depending on where they come from

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, October 11, game #952)

• PAGER
• ICEBOX
• INKWELL
• TYPEWRITER
• TELEGRAM
• SPANGRAM: OLDFASHIONED

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

• World of Warcraft: Forever won't receive any new races from retail World of Warcraft
• Blizzard says its "main focus" is to "build off the foundational lore of Warcraft," since Forever exists in its own "continuity"
• It confirms that the stakes won't be as high as retail WoW to begin with, as "You aren’t THE hero in WoW: Forever, you are just A hero"

Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that it doesn't plan to add any modern World of Warcraft races to World of Warcraft: Forever, since the game exists in its own timeline.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, where the WoW: Forever team discussed adding the controversial dual-faction Skyborne race and its plans for the game's future, Blizzard said it doesn't plan to reintroduce any races from Azeroth-based expansions, such as Battle for Azeroth, Shadowlands, or Midnight.

"We have no plans to add races from WoW’s expansions at this time," Blizzard said, meaning fans shouldn't expect new races like Vulpera, Goblins, or Haranir.

And Blizzard's reasoning for avoiding the newer additions to retail WoW? It explained that it wants to build on the original Warcraft game because WoW: Forever essentially exists within its own timeline.

"Our main focus for the game is to build off the foundational lore of Warcraft," it said. "This means first and foremost the RTS [real-time strategy ] games, and we’ve hit on this right from the start with our content that picks up after the events of the new Warcraft 3: Forsaken Kingdom campaign.

"One of the liberating things about this game existing in its own continuity is that we can forge our own path forward and tell stories that serve the world of WoW: Forever first and foremost. It wouldn’t be fair to WoW: Forever and the players who want to see where this world is going for us to spend a ton of time trying to further flesh stories that have already been told extensively in the modern game."

Blizzard added that it plans to "keep our stories very grounded," explaining that while the stakes of modern WoW are "so vast" and "have that gravity and weight because of how far our characters have gone in that world," WoW: Forever will start "in a very different place."

"We may be a part of larger narratives and events, but how we interact with those narratives will be more subtle and grounded, just as was the case in original WoW," the team said, emphasising that "You aren’t THE hero in WoW: Forever, you are just A hero."

It continued, teasing, "That isn’t to say we’ll never go to some of the places that came in later WoW expansions, but we are fairly committed at this time to doing the WoW: Forever version of those places, not simply retreading the versions of these places that we’ve already seen."

Elsewhere in the same interview, Blizzard confirmed that it's actively working to combat real-money trading (RMT) in WoW: Forever.

• MSI’s Prestige N16 Flip AI+ becomes yet another RTX Spark laptop brand
• The top model carries 128 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD
• Every configuration uses a 20-core CPU and a 6,144-core GPU

MSI has launched the Prestige N16 Flip AI+, adding a 16-inch convertible to Nvidia's rapidly expanding RTX Spark hardware lineup.

Microsoft, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo have also introduced or announced RTX Spark systems, while Acer has shown its own compact desktop design

That competition leaves MSI differentiating its device through a 128 GB memory option, a 20-core processor and a high-resolution Tandem OLED display.

MSI packs flagship RTX Spark hardware into a convertible

The Prestige N16 Flip AI+ combines Nvidia's 20-core RTX Spark N1X processor with a GPU containing 6,144 cores across all three configurations.

Its 16-inch Tandem OLED touchscreen delivers 3,840 × 2,400 resolution, a variable refresh rate between 30 Hz and 120 Hz, and peak HDR brightness of 1,000 nits.

MSI fits the hardware into a convertible chassis weighing 1.9 kg, with dimensions of 357.7 × 254.3 mm and thickness ranging from 13.9 mm to 16.9 mm.

Under the hood, a 99.9 Wh battery supports charging at up to 140 W, although MSI has not specified battery endurance or the time required for a full recharge.

The Prestige N16 Flip AI+ comes in three configurations, with memory and storage capacity accounting for the differences between them.

The base model offers 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, while the midrange version increases memory to 64 GB without changing storage capacity, and the top configuration doubles memory again to 128 GB and increases storage to 2 TB.

MSI joins Microsoft, Dell and other RTX Spark laptop makers

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra, ASUS's ProArt P14 and P16, Dell's XPS 16, HP's OmniBook Ultra 16 and Lenovo's Yoga 9n 2-in-1 already give buyers several RTX Spark laptop options.

Their approaches differ, with Microsoft's machine using a 15-inch mini-LED display, while ASUS focuses its RTX Spark models on creator-oriented ProArt laptops.

Dell uses the XPS 16 for its RTX Spark offering, while HP has placed the processor inside its larger OmniBook Ultra 16.

Lenovo takes a convertible approach similar to MSI, with its Yoga 9n combining RTX Spark hardware and a 360-degree design.

Acer has also entered the RTX Spark ecosystem with a compact desktop design, although that product does not compete directly with MSI's convertible.

MSI's main distinction is its combination of a convertible form factor, a 128 GB memory option and a high-resolution Tandem OLED display.

The company has opened preorders through authorized retailers, with availability varying by market.

In the United States, the laptop starts at $3,299, while UK buyers pay £3,099 for the 32 GB model with 1 TB storage.

The British price rises to £4,099 for the 64 GB version, a £1,000 increase over the entry configuration, and Eurozone pricing starts at €3,899.90 for the 32 GB model, rising to €5,099.90 for the 64 GB version, and the highest configuration costs €7,999.90, combining 128 GB of RAM with 2 TB storage and costing more than twice as much as the entry model.

Via Notebookcheck

It's Vision's time to shine. After playing a supporting role in myriad Marvel movies and TV shows, the superpowered synthezoid is finally set to star in his own project in VisionQuest.

Set around a year — in-universe, that is — after WandaVision, the Disney+ TV Original will reunite us with Vision (Paul Bettany), who's suffering from an identity crisis following the events of WandaVision's finale. Searching for meaning, he consults the A.I. programs in his programming for guidance and advice, including Ultron (James Spader), aka the villainous android last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Soon, though, Vision is forced to go on the run with Tommy Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica), a mysterious individual who claims to be one of Vision's reincarnated twin sons, when nefarious forces come gunning for the highly-advanced tech that Vision possesses.

With that somewhat lengthy story synopsis out of the way, we can move onto the real reason for you clicking on this article. That being: when will every episode of VisionQuest be released on one of the world's best streaming services?

What are the release dates for every episode of VisionQuest?

Paul Bettany is joined by MCU newcomer Ruaridh Mollica in the final Marvel TV show of 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney+)

The penultimate Marvel Phase 6 TV series will arrive with a two-episode premiere on Tuesday, October 13 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET in the US and Canada.

Originally, VisionQuest was supposed to make its worldwide debut on Wednesday, October 14. However, Marvel has since announced that it'll be released early in North and South America. The rest of the world will have to wait until October 14 to see them.

As for when the other six chapters should be released, Marvel has also revealed that episodes 3 and 4, and chapters 5 and 6, will launch together in the two weeks that follow. After that, episodes 7 and 8 will arrive independent of each other.

Confused? Don't be. Check out the list below for each episode's confirmed launch date:

• VisionQuest episode 1 — October 13 / 14
• VisionQuest episode 2 — October 13 / 14
• VisionQuest episode 3 — October 20 / 21
• VisionQuest episode 4 — October 20 / 21
• VisionQuest episode 5 — October 27 / 28
• VisionQuest episode 6 — October 27 / 28
• VisionQuest episode 7 — November 3 / 4
• VisionQuest episode 8 — November 10 / 11

What time can I watch VisionQuest?

We'll see human versions of AI programs F.R.I.D.A.Y, J.A.R.V.I.S, U, AND D.U.M-E in VisionQuest (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney+)

As I mentioned above, every episode of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) show will come out at 6pm PT / 9pm ET in North America.

Live elsewhere? Here's when new installments of VisionQuest are expected to premiere in your time zone:

• US — 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — 2am BST
• India — 6:30am IST
• Singapore — 9am SGT
• Australia — 11am AEST
• New Zealand — 1pm NZST

It's worth noting that the above times will change in the weeks ahead.

Take on our Vision-based Marvel quiz!

Think you're a Marvel super-fan? See if you can get 100% on our tough VisionQuest quiz before the Paul Bettany TV show is released on Disney+!

Indeed, with the clocks going back in the northern hemisphere, as well as forward below the equator, some episodes will be released earlier or later than the aforementioned times. As and when they come into effect, I'll update this section.

For now, check out my VisionQuest review, which covers all eight episode (don't worry, it doesn't contain major spoilers). After that, read up on everything we know so far about VisionQuest and find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order if you're planning a Vision-specific re-watch before VisionQuest's arrival.

A new Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini are also expected to be unveiled Tuesday.

The AI boom is quickly reaching the physical limits of grid capacity and thermal dissipation. The electric grid is stretched as ever, causing longer connection waits for AI data centers, and conventional air and liquid cooling systems struggle to meet the demands of rapidly growing facilites.

As they continue growing at a rapid pace, AI data centers now face a mix of challenges, from computing power outpacing GPU interconnects’ data transfer abilities, to volatile load swings stretching grid power factor correction (PFC) systems and rack power density overloading traditional cooling systems.

Let’s break down the major thermal and electrical bottlenecks slowing the AI boom and how companies are innovating their way out.

The thermal wall (Rack-level friction)

Standard server racks generate a lot of heat, and high-performing GPU clusters generate even more, pushing thermal limits further than ever. Modern GPU racks exceed 50 to 100 kW of power consumption per cabinet, making traditional air and liquid cooling methods insufficient.

Standard cooling systems keep clusters operating between 65 and 85 degrees, but 90 to 100 degrees trigger performance throttling to prevent permanent GPU damage. With GPU racks drawing massive electrical energy, which converts into heat, preventing them from hitting throttling limits has become harder than ever.

Traditional air cooling systems weren’t built for rack densities surpassing 30 to 40 kW, which AI clusters easily surpass, with 100 kW or more becoming the norm. Maintaining airflow at high densities to cool 100 kW+ power racks requires running power-hungry fans at extreme speeds. This saps electrical energy and worsens the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) for the data centers. To cool mega AI clusters with air alone, operators would need “hurricane-grade” airflow, which is impractical. Then how about liquid cooling?

Liquid cooling relies on fluid mechanics, where cold plates use microchannels to force turbulent flows directly over chips to keep them cool. Keeping enough volume of fluid flowing through these microchannels requires massive pumping power, an increasing constraint for data center operators. To mitigate this challenge, operators are pivoting to direct-to-chip cold plates mounted directly on the processor, rather than over it, to keep it cool while consuming less pumping power.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Phase-change mechanics are also helping GPU clusters cool more efficiently. Here, the clusters use the latent heat of liquid vaporization or solid-liquid transitions to absorb the massive heat spikes from high-density GPU racks. Specialized dielectric fluid comes in direct contact with the hot GPUs and then boils into vapor to instantly pull away heat. The vapor then rises, reaches a condenser, and converts back into liquid droplets via gravity, then drips back into the pool to repeat the process. This process is known as two-phase immersion cooling, and it reduces cooling energy by up to 40%.

Some data center operators are pivoting to closed-loop liquid cooling systems, where recirculated fluid cools the GPUs with little to no evaporation loss, removing the need for frequent top-ups.

For example, Microsoft, a top-three data center operator by capacity, has implemented a closed-loop system for newer data centers, where water is filled once and circulated to servers to absorb heat, moved to air-chilled coolers to cool down, then recirculated to absorb heat without needing fresh supplies. This system is costly and will take some time to roll out at scale, but it demonstrates how companies are innovating against thermal bottlenecks.

The interconnect and board-level limits

GPU clusters rely on electrical copper or optical interconnects to share data, memory, and workloads. Electrical copper interconnects have long been the standard, but high GPU workloads have pushed them to the limit.

Electrical signals lose strength over long distances (greater than two meters), with usable reach halving every time bandwidth requirements double, and massive GPU clusters have made the communication distances longer than ever. Closely packed copper interconnects also generate electromagnetic interference that disrupts other signals, requiring complex equalization systems that drain more power.

There’s also the issue of power loss across copper plates on GPU circuit boards (due to resistance). The more current transmitted through copper plates, the more heat is generated, requiring more cooling energy that itself is already a bottleneck.

With electrical interconnects hitting their absolute limits, data center owners have little choice but to pivot to optical interconnects, which convert data into light pulses that travel through fiber optic cables with minimal loss over long distances. These cables are way thinner than copper bundles, creating more airflow paths in dense, heat-generating GPU racks.

Companies are even moving from pluggable fiber optic cables to silicon photonics, or co-packaged optics (CPO), where optical circuits are embedded directly on GPUs to transmit light over long distances. For now, optical interconnects are much costlier than electrical copper, costing up to 7x more in some GPU setups, but there’s little choice but to absorb this cost in the short term because the latter has reached physical limits. On the bright side, as more companies adopt optical interconnects and invest in mass production, the costs will likely reduce.

The grid & substation crisis

Lastly, electric grid connection is the primary challenge affecting AI data centers. Modern electric grids weren’t designed to handle the rapidly increasing loads of AI data centers, with 30 GW of new capacity added worldwide from 2021 to 2025 alone. Rapidly growing additions have stretched the supply chain for electric grid components and introduced engineering challenges that grid operators must work around.

For instance, high-voltage transformers that ensure safe voltage delivery to GPU clusters are in short supply. Wait times have spiked from 6 to 12 months as of 2020 to two to four years currently, much longer than expensive mega GPU clusters can wait for their operations to get powered.

Existing power factor correction systems on grid networks have become strained by massive load draws from new AI data centers. GPU clusters shift power demand within seconds, with one second of low inference demand drawing stable power from the grid and the next second drawing excessive power because of usage spikes. These fluctuations create complex harmonics that overheat transformers and affect the grid, needing grid operators to invest heavily in mitigation systems.

AI clusters are scaling to gigawatt levels, pushing voltage step-down switchgear to its most tolerable limits. Larger transformers, needed to serve these gigawatt-level clusters, lower electrical impedance, forcing potentially high short-circuit fault currents down a line. If a short circuit ever occurs, magnetic fields exert tough mechanical forces on switchgear busbars, causing them to bend or rip free from their mechanical support. What comes next is a structural failure, which grid operators or isolated data center power networks can’t let happen.

Companies have turned to various solutions to counter these electrical bottlenecks. For one, there has been a major turn to solid-state transformers, which use high-frequency power electronics and semiconductors to step down voltage, not magnetic fields like conventional transformers.

(Image credit: Docan Power)

High-frequency electronics enable solid-state transformers to actively regulate voltage and filter harmonics, leading to fewer fluctuations. They are 97 to 99% efficient, compared to 95% to 97% for conventional transformers, and that 1 to 2% difference adds up to a lot in gigawatt-level data centers. Better yet, they are much smaller and lighter than conventional transformers, enabling faster logistics and deployment.

However, SSTs introduce their own challenges. The internal high-frequency components and chips powering them are expensive, often five times or more per kVA than low-frequency alternatives. They also require multiple power conversion stages (AC-DC and DC-AC/DC-DC), and tiny losses compound during these conversions, making it difficult to hit peak efficiency. Internal components generate heat and age faster, requiring more active maintenance than conventional transformers.

Cost is also an issue, as SSTs are currently much more expensive to build and maintain than magnet-based transformers. However, with more investment in mass production, costs will likely reduce over time, allowing AI GPU clusters to adopt them faster. Siemens, the world’s second-largest transformer manufacturer, recently partnered with fellow German tech firm Reinhausen to mass-produce a modular solid-state transformer for AI data centers, and that’s just one example.

Because SSTs can’t be immediately adopted at scale, and conventional transformer shortages have contributed to long wait times for electric grid owners, AI data center owners have been forced to take matters into their own hands. Some have built their behind-the-meter power generation and substation systems to power GPU clusters as they wait to get connected to local grids. xAI, the Elon Musk-led AI company, added 59 portable natural gas turbines, with a combined capacity of over 400 MW, to power its Colossus data center in Memphis, Tennessee, while it waits for a grid connection.

Some data center owners are also looking at Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), where compact nuclear fission reactors generate power on-site, but that’s still mostly in the conceptual stage at this point. SMRs face various limitations, particularly very high costs compared to gas turbines or renewables.

Still, many other data centers, both in early and late construction phases or completed, remain in long queues for electrical grid connections. For instance, in Northern Virginia, which hosts the world’s largest cluster of data centers (570 and gradually increasing), new facilities face wait times of up to 14 years for a grid connection.

US-based electrical grid operators have invested massive amounts in upgrades ($208 billion in 2025 alone and $1.1 trillion in planned investments from 2025 to 2030, per Edison Electric) but still struggle to meet exploding data center demand. More investments are needed to address electrical grid bottlenecks, and so are new technologies that can reduce data center energy consumption to help distribution networks keep up.

The reality of next-generation compute deployment

With technical details, we’ve explained the grid, thermal, and GPU interconnect bottlenecks stretching the next-generation AI compute deployment boom to its limits. These are serious physical and technical challenges that require innovative approaches to address, and fortunately, there’s been no shortage of these approaches.

We’ve outlined examples like electric grid operators turning to solid-state transformers that allow active voltage regulation and harmonic filtering to keep power systems stable, or some GPU cluster operators building their own power generation systems while they wait for local grid connections.

For thermal bottlenecks, GPU cluster operators are leveraging direct-to-chip cold plates mounted directly on GPUs, instead of over them, to stay cool while consuming less energy. Phase-change mechanics also help, where liquid vapor absorbs heat from GPU racks, pulls the heat away, and recondenses back into liquid to repeat the process, reducing energy needs by up to 40%.

Microsoft has tried to reinvent the wheel by implementing a closed-loop liquid cooling system, using liquid coolants continuously recirculated in a sealed pipe network with minimal top-ups.

However, closed-loop cooling systems are more difficult to expand than open-loop systems as GPU needs grow, and they can be louder under heavy loads as pump motors and radiator fans run simultaneously. At a time of growing public backlash against new data centers, environmental noise matters too, not just technical limitations. Closed-loop systems are also more expensive, but costs can reduce over time as more companies adopt them.

For interconnect limits at the circuit board level, companies are switching from electrical copper to fiber optic cables because they transmit data faster and more reliably over long distances, even though they cost more. GPU manufacturers are working on embedding optical circuits directly on chips to transmit light even more efficiently than cables.

Despite these challenges, AI data centers continue to grow at a rapid pace, with 66 GW of new capacity currently under construction in North America alone.

Looking to the future, it's clear a lot is happening in this area, and it’s exciting to watch the various approaches companies have adopted to surmount the electrical, thermal, and interconnect bottlenecks.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 arrived earlier this year boasting a familiar trick: it folds into a pocket-friendly square and places a surprisingly useful screen on the outside.

With this new model, Samsung has kept the basic Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 formula intact, but shaved down the body, improved the hinge, added more processing power, and made the cover screen easier to live with.

The displays, camera hardware, battery, and charging have barely moved, though, leaving last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 looking far from obsolete — it's also now much cheaper than its newer sibling.

To help you make sense of what's changed and which model is best, we've weighed up the price, design, displays, cameras, performance, software, and battery life of these two foldable phones to see which deserves your money.

As a disclaimer, we've fully reviewed the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but not the Galaxy Z Flip 8. We have spent time with the former model, though, so we've based our judgements on both hands-on experience and on-paper specs.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: specs comparison

Before we dig into the details, here’s an overview of both phones’ key specs:

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Dimensions:

85.7 x 75.4 x 13.1mm folded; 166.9 x 75.4 x 6.1mm unfolded

85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7mm folded; 166.7 x 75.2 x 6.5mm unfolded

Weight:

180g

188g

Display:

6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main; 4.1-inch Super AMOLED cover

6.9-inch AMOLED main; 4.1-inch AMOLED cover

Refresh rate:

1–120Hz main; 60/120Hz cover

Up to 120Hz on both displays

Peak brightness:

2,600 nits

2,600 nits

Chipset:

Exynos 2600 / Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, depending on region

Exynos 2500

RAM:

12GB

12GB

Rear cameras:

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide

Front camera:

10MP

10MP

Battery:

4,300mAh

4,300mAh

Charging:

25W wired, 15W wireless

25W wired, 15W wireless

Storage:

256GB / 512GB

256GB / 512GB

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: price and availability

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Flip 8 in July 2026, and the phone went on sale on August 7. Prices start at $1,199.99 / £1,149 / AU$1,949 for the 256GB model, rising to $1,399.99 / £1,319 / AU$2,249 for 512GB.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 arrived in 2025 at $1,099 / £1,049 / AU$1,799 for 256GB, while the 512GB version launched at $1,219 / £1,149 / AU$1,999.

Samsung is therefore asking an extra $100 for the entry-level Z Flip 8, despite retaining the same storage capacity. The gap grows further with the 512GB models, and the older Flip 7 is likely to become even more tempting as retailers clear stock and discounts begin to appear, especially around sales events like Black Friday.

Given the global memory shortage and rising inflation, Samsung's decision to raise the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 makes some sense, but it does mean the Z Flip 7 — which is still a great phone — represents even better value in 2026.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: designThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 FutureThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7Future

Samsung has focused on making the Galaxy Z Flip 8 a little easier to carry and use, rather than giving it a big redesign. At 180g, it's 8g lighter than the Flip 7, while its 6.1mm unfolded body is 0.4mm thinner.

Fold the two phones shut, and the difference grows slightly, with the Flip 8 measuring 13.1mm compared with 13.7mm for its predecessor.

The revised Armor FlexHinge is the more useful change. Samsung has reduced friction inside the mechanism and widened the inner edges so that your fingers have more room to open the phone.

In our early hands-on testing of the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the phone felt noticeably easier to open and close than the previous model — a small refinement that should become more valuable when you repeat the motion dozens of times each day.

Otherwise, the family resemblance is strong. Both phones use the same flat-sided clamshell shape, with the large cover screen wrapping around the two rear cameras.

The Flip 7 already felt sturdy and polished, although its familiar Galaxy styling could look rather restrained beside some rival foldables.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: displayThe Galaxy Z Flip 8's display FutureThe Galaxy Z Flip 7's display Future

Samsung has carried both of the Flip 7’s displays straight over to the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Each phone opens to reveal a 6.9-inch, 1080 x 2520 AMOLED panel with a 1–120Hz adaptive refresh rate, while the outside is covered by a 4.1-inch, 948 x 1048 FlexWindow. Peak brightness remains 2,600 nits.

That leaves little room between them on paper, although this is hardly a weakness for the older phone. In our review of the device, we awarded the Flip 7 a perfect 5/5 for its displays, finding the inner screen bright and clear even outdoors.

The Flip 8 receives some cover-screen improvements, but the main changes concern how Samsung’s software uses the FlexWindow rather than the panel itself. We’ll cover those additions later.

Both phones offer two excellent screens, and there is no convincing hardware reason to choose one over the other.

Winner: Tie

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: camerasThe Galaxy Z Flip 8's rear cameras FutureThe Galaxy Z Flip 7's rear cameras Philip Berne / Future

Samsung has left the underlying camera hardware unchanged — you might be sensing a theme emerging here.

Both phones combine a 50MP main camera with a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP selfie camera, with no dedicated telephoto lens for longer-range shots.

In our testing, the Flip 7 produced strong results with more natural-looking colors than some older Samsung phones and an excellent Portrait mode.

Its folding design also lets you use the cover screen as a viewfinder for sharper selfies from the 50MP rear camera, although the lack of optical zoom limits its versatility.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 directs its attention towards video.

Camcorder Grip places the recording and zoom controls within easy reach when the phone is held sideways, while Super Steady’s Horizontal Lock can keep footage level as the handset moves or rotates.

Our early hands-on found the latter feature particularly effective, although more aggressive stabilization can crop the frame and reduce image quality.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: performance and softwareThe Galaxy Z Flip 8's cover screen FutureThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7's cover screenZachariah Kelly / TechRadar

This is where the Galaxy Z Flip 8 begins to put some meaningful distance between itself and its predecessor.

US and Australian models of the Z Flip 8 use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, while the UK version of the phone receives Samsung’s Exynos 2600, replacing the Exynos 2500 inside the Flip 7. The latter chipset features in every version of the Flip 7, in every region.

The older phone still handles everyday apps, split-screen multitasking, and Samsung DeX without much trouble, but its performance was one of the weaker parts of our review. The Flip 8 has considerably more headroom for gaming, demanding apps, and Samsung’s growing collection of AI features — even if your version of the phone uses the Exynos 2600, and not the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Its software is also better suited to the folding design. Android 17 and One UI 9 add a proper FlexWindow app tray and let you rearrange widgets directly from the cover screen.

Both phones receive seven generations of Android upgrades, but the Flip 8 naturally starts one version later and offers a smoother cover-screen experience from day one.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: batteryThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 FutureThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7Future

Samsung has kept the same 4,300mAh battery in both phones, alongside 25W wired and 15W wireless charging.

Neither model comes close to the fastest-charging foldables, and the Flip 8 gains no extra capacity to offset its more powerful hardware.

The Flip 7 generally made it through a full day in our review, although heavier photography or gaming could leave it needing an evening top-up.

The Flip 8’s newer chipset should use that capacity more efficiently, but the improvement is unlikely to transform the experience. These remain one-day phones with relatively slow charging, leaving little to separate them.

Winner: Tie

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (Image credit: Future)

The most revealing thing about this comparison is how mature Samsung’s Flip formula has become.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 improves the parts you touch every day — weight, thickness, hinge action, performance, and cover-screen software — while leaving the displays, camera hardware, battery, and charging largely untouched.

Given these upgrades, the Flip 8 is a better phone for someone buying their first Flip, especially if they plan to keep it for several years.

Existing Flip 7 owners have far less reason to move. Last year’s model still delivers most of the same foldable experience, and its lower price makes the Flip 8’s refinements look expensive rather than essential.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

There’s no doubt that AI has helped revolutionize the world of work at many companies, with human employees working alongside agents to unlock improved efficiency and productivity.

But for many firms, the promise of AI is still being overshadowed by the sheer scale of the endeavor - with so many models (and new ones emerging on a seemingly weekly basis), how do you know what is right for you?

One of the big themes at the recent Atlassian Team Europe 26 conference was how companies can cut through the chaos and realize their aims, so I spoke to the company’s top AI minds to find out more.

The power of teams

“Atlassian's entire ethos is all around teams - unleashing the power of the team is our mission,” Atlassian Chief Product & AI Officer, Tamar Yehoshua tells me at Team Europe 26.

“We've all been using AI agents (but) they're all more geared towards an individual,” she adds, “but they're not organized or effective for teams...so we're taking that and saying, ‘how do you work effectively with teams and AI’? That's multiplayer, and so we want to make sure everyone can work effectively, so you can collaborate with agents in an effective way like you can collaborate with humans.”

This “multiplayer” AI was another major theme at Team Europe 26, as Atlassian looked to emphasize its position as being the connector between customers and technology.

“Teamwork is very messy, and our job is to make it much less messy, and understandable and controllable for our customers,” Atlassian Head of AI Sherif Mansour says.

“A lot of AI is about increasing personal productivity…the same problems we solve for humans, we solve for agents.”

(Image credit: Atlassian)

“Every customer we talk to, everyone is using AI - it's no longer should we, or what do we do - that's already happened...but people are not sure how to use it effectively, and they're not sure if they're getting the maximum ROI,” Yehoshua adds.

“You see the evolution with every new technology, first there’s scepticism, then curiosity, and then its acceptance, and then it’s optimising - I think we’ve gotten through the initial phases, and now we’re asking, how do I use this effectively and optimize it?”

She notes there are different levels of anxiety for customers, as the sheer number of new AI models coming out can be disorientating, especially with the need to stay flexible for when new models launch.

She notes that companies don’t want to be using advanced models for simple tasks - something Mansour refers to as “killing a mosquito with a rocket launcher” - so making sure the right model for the job is on offer is vital.

Atlassian’s AI gateway looks to pick the best model for the task within its products - so for example, Rovo work will switch to a new model if a more advanced one is released, all without the customer ever knowing - although they retain the ability to pick their own model if they want.

Yehoshua also highlights new upgrades to Loom, which now offers video generation from pull requests, and AI agents which use Rovo to categorize defects and cut down on duplicate reports.

No silver bullets

“AI feels like chaos to many of us - but I don’t think the answer is giving them a silver bullet that will solve all their problems,” Mansour says.

“We like to use the phrase ‘give them a nervous system’ so they can handle it - we’re always thinking about how we can bring calm and visibility and control to the chaos.”

Mansour says he advises customers not to bet entirely on one provider for the whole context graph, as the real value comes from collaborating with multiple entities to gain different kinds of opportunities and insights.

“There’s a lot of silver bullet offerings…but no-one really talks about the messiness of work,” he says, “it’s about creating a system to help you control the chaos - the chaos will always be there, but how do you make sure you’re aware of it?”

“It’s less about making teamwork perfect - it’s about making teamwork less messy.”

(Image credit: Atlassian)

I ask Yehoshua about personal usage - is she embracing the chaos of AI, or taming it for maximum efficiency.

“Everything that I do, I ask myself first - if this is a process I could change?,” she says, “if you look at AI and how it’s working, the biggest thing is behavior change…I tell customers, there is so much power in the tools they already have, and building in that behavior change is important, but it has to come from the top-down.”

How do we make sure we don’t go too far, and just automate all work processes, I ask her.

“I think it’s going to be trial and error - I think we’re going to try things and some of them might not work - but I honestly don’t think that’s our problem yet,” she replies, noting that enterprises often have the guardrails and protections needed to ensure a human always remains in the loop, and the answers can be trusted.

In an earlier session, Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes had declared that, “customers are not subscribing for the software we've built, but for the software we will build”.

Normally you might question such a forward-looking statement, but with Atlassian’s focus on collaboration, it seems to ring true.

“The pace of delivery has increased significantly,” Yehoshua says, “you want to align with the companies that have the same vision as you do…people in some ways want more flexibility, as things are changing so fast, especially with models, they don’t want to be locked in…we are a neutral party who want to make it easy for our customers to work - we’ve always been the open platform who focuses on the team.”

“The main advantage we have is our platform,” she adds, “the strength of what we do is that customers are using us across so many different areas of their workloads.”

Do more - with more

Looking forward, it’s clear AI is here to stay - and it’s down to businesses themselves to judge how best to embrace it.

“I think we've now empowered more people to do more,” Yehoshua says. “Anyone can build a prototype - now that doesn’t mean that you want anybody checking in production code - so you still have to have very clear guidelines on what can go into production - but the idea is that it’s democratized, where the ideas can come from…so you have so many more options on how the lifecycle can evolve.”

“Worlds are expanding - they’re not going to be merged into one, but everyone can do more…every role can do more, so that everything is accelerated.”

Mansour agrees, pointing out that harnessing the power of context in your data can be the ultimate differentiator between your business and the competition.

“If we all have access to the same intelligence, that’s like a level playing field, it’s the sum of all averages - what’s unique is the actual perspective you bring to the table,” he says.

“Our customers shine when their context shines - and so anything we can do to help them enrich the context, understand it better to provide it to AI in a secure way, they will always get better results from that.”

• Stream The Party free on ITVX (UK restricted)
• Unblock ITVX with NordVPN (75% off now)
• Watch Episodes 1-5 now; Sunday, October 11

ITV’s new thriller The Party stars Luke Evans as journalist Martin Gilmour and Tom Cullen as his childhood friend Ben Fitzmaurice.

Based on Elizabeth Day’s bestselling novel and adapted by Sarah Solemani, the five-part drama follows a celebration that takes a shocking turn. The Party also stars Joanna Scanlan and Lydia Leonard.

So how can you watch The Party on ITVX from outside the UK? Can you get a free stream in the US, Australia or Canada? And is ITVX available as a smartphone app?

Here's our full (and quick) guide to how to watch The Party for free...

How to watch The Party for free on ITVX

Watch all five episodes of The Party for free on ITVX from Sunday, October 11.

You don't need a ITVX subscription, just a valid TV license and to sign up with your email.

New to ITVX? Register for a free account or download the app on your mobile device.

OUTSIDE THE U.K.? ACCESS ITVX FROM ANYWHERE WITH A VPN.

How to watch The Party on ITVX from anywhere

ITVX is only available to UK residents with a TV license signed up to the free service.

Luke Evans fans traveling or working outside the UK will need to use a VPN to access ITVX's free The Party episodes in the US and Australia.

There are lots of VPNs but NordVPN is the one you can rely on to unblock ITVX and stream ITV thriller The Party (2026).

NordVPN – try it risk-free for 30 days
Looking to access ITVX from outside the UK? If you're traveling abroad, use NordVPN to access ITVX as if you right back home in the United Kingdom. We test all the providers and we rate Nord as the best VPN. There's 24/7 support available, a money-back guarantee and, best of all, you'll currently get over 75% off with this deal.View Deal

It's really easy to use a VPN to watch The Party on ITVX.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is the best choice.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US and want to watch your free usual ITVX stream, you'd select 'United Kingdom'.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ITVX create an account or sign in, and watch The Party free.

Which devices can I watch The Party on ITVX with?

You can use ITVX on all of the following devices and platforms:

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)
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 puckVirgin Media (360, Stream, TiVo)
YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
Xbox (One, Series X, Series S)

The Party (2026) – Full Cast

Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour

Tom Cullen as Ben Fitzmaurice

Sarah Solemani as Lucy Gilmour, Martin's wife

Joanna Scanlan as Sylvia Gilmour, Martin's mother

Lydia Leonard as Serena Fitzmaurice, Ben's wife

Lindsay Duncan as Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice, Ben's mother

Douglas Hodge as Lord George Fitzmaurice, Ben's father

Sam Troughton — role not specified

Sally Scott — role not specified

Sinéad Matthews — role not specified

Bally Gill — role not specified

Amaka Okafor — role not specified

Rakie Ayola — role not specified

Also listed in the cast are Phoenix Laroche as Barnaby Fitzmaurice and Tilly Walker as Cosima Fitzmaurice.

Martin vs Ben: We break down the main characters...

Luke Evans in The Party (Image credit: ITV)

Martin Gilmour (Luke Evans)
A calculated and buttoned-up man, Martin is a political journalist whose opinion pieces always seem to favour Ben Fitzmaurice’s position. As the new scholarship boy from South Wales, Martin fell in love with Ben at school and has kept himself in Ben’s circle ever since, by whatever means necessary.

Martin remains loyal to Ben, despite a secret in their past which caused a seismic shift in their relationship, and these days has to contend with Ben’s growing family and political ambitions. That is until the secrets that have bound Martin to Ben threaten to come out…

Ben Fitzmaurice (Tom Cullen)
A confident, charismatic man who has had the world laid at his feet. Born into landed gentry, Ben is a Conservative Party MP with eyes on the party leadership. He has a charm that comes with growing up with an innate safety net.

A gifted speaker, Ben has the ability to hold a room with ease, but beneath this bluster run deeper emotions that Ben has yet to face up to. When his own impulsive decisions throw everything into disarray at his birthday party, Ben is forced to confront his dark past head on. As the hedonism of the party rises the temperature, Ben has to reckon with the truth of what he did… can he really run from the truth forever?

The Party launches on Sunday 11th October with Episode 2 airing on Monday 12th October, on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Solar power continues to be used more widely, and the science behind the technology is developing too: researchers from the Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques (ICFO) in Barcelona, Spain have just announced a breakthrough in solar cell engineering that could push efficiency rates beyond the standard 33% ceiling.

When the solar panels of today convert sunlight to electricity, most of the energy is lost along the way, through heat and light — one way to think about it is as the 'cost' of conversion. A physics theory known as the Shockley-Queisser limit predicts that we'll only ever be able to hit a 33% conversion rate in standard single-layer solar cells.

However, scientists like the team at ICFO are hard at work trying to break the Shockley-Queisser rules. In this particular study, the focus is on the faint infrared glow that solar cells give off: it's technically called the Boltzmann loss, and it's part of the reason today's solar tech is stuck below that 33% limit.

Beat the glow

The ICFO research team (Image credit: ICFO)

When sunlight hits a solar panel, the photons in the light knock electrons loose in the panel's semiconductor material. Those electrons can be pushed out as electricity, but not all of the electrons are collected in time: some escape and are turned back into photons, which creates an infrared glow spilling out in all directions.

To tackle the problem, the ICFO team took a standard solar cell and swapped out the transparent front electrode — that's the bit the sunlight strikes first, and it has to both conduct electricity while also letting as many photons through as possible.

Rather than using the standard indium tin oxide for a front electrode, the scientists used a very thin layer of silver, thin enough to let most of the light through, operate as a conductor, and also behave partly like a mirror. This restricted the angles through which light could escape, boosting the efficiency rate.

"Our study is a significant step forward in the solar energy conversion field as it opens a completely unexplored route to surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit," says Dr. Francisco Bernal Texca, the first author of the new study.

By adapting and evolving the approach used here, the scientists say that efficiencies close to 43% could be possible, in theory — though it's important to note that the team only observed small gains in efficiency in their tests. The 43% claim is a prediction about the potential of this method.

This 'mirrored box' approach to solar cells has been explored in the past, but no one's been able to get it working in a lab before, or to get boosts in both voltage and current at the same time (a critical part of the setup).

Stacking and splitting

Longi has had an efficiency announcement of its own to make (Image credit: Longi)

As the ICFO researchers point out, there are multiple angles to approach solar panel efficiency from, and there's progress being made in all of them. There are basically three ways that energy is lost from sunlight in a solar panel: through light loss (as above), through heat loss, and through the photons having too little energy to be converted.

There's a lot of attention being paid to the heat loss part of the problem, and the most common way scientists are trying to get around this is by stacking two materials together. These have different bandgaps, which are essentially the minimum energy a photon needs to kick an electron loose. A bigger bandgap means more photons can be caught (it captures a greater spectrum of light, essentially).

Earlier this year, Chinese solar manufacturer Longi set a new record of 35.5% efficiency by stacking a crystal material called perovskite on top of a conventional silicon cell. The bandgap of perovskite can be 'tuned' to accept specific wavelengths of light, which means higher energy photons can be absorbed.

You'll see a lot of different records and percentages announced though, which relate to different materials and different solar cell technologies. For example, researchers from Kyushu University and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz recently announced a quantum yield of 130% with their own approach, using singlet fission.

That's a yield though, not an efficiency rate: to tackle solar panel heat loss, singlet fission splits high energy photons into two packets, which can then free two electrons, and in this case it produced 13 energy packets for every 10 photons. It could eventually improve solar cell efficiency further down the line, but more work is needed to develop it.

While this solar panel science can get quite dense and complicated, the end goal is simple to understand. As these technologies are refined and commercialized, we'll be able to get more electricity from solar panels without increasing their size, cutting utility bills and reducing our reliance on fossil fuel energy.

Conrad's (Pierce Brosnan) quietly disarming when he wants to be, isn't he? As MobLand season 2 hits the halfway mark, his power play on Eddie (Anson Boone) confirms that his priorities are in completely the wrong place.

Not only is he burying his head in the sand when it comes to the impact of his civil war feud with Kevin (Paddy Considine), but he's also neglecting his health in a way that could have serious consequences.

But what on Earth will happen this week? And when does MobLand season 2 episode 5 arrive on Paramount+?

What time can I watch MobLand season 2 episode 5 on Paramount+?

MobLand season 2 episode 5 will drop on one of the world's best streaming services in the US and Canada on Friday, October 16 at 12am PT / 3am ET.

Here's when it will be released in other nations globally:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 5pm AEST
• New Zealand – 7pm NZST

When do new episodes of MobLand season 2 come out?

(Image credit: Paramount+)

MobLand season 2 will have a total of 10 episodes, with new entries airing weekly. That gives us the following schedule:

• Episode 1: out now
• Episode 2: out now
• Episode 3: out now
• Episode 4: out now
• Episode 5: October 16
• Episode 6: October 23
• Episode 7: October 30
• Episode 8: November 6
• Episode 9: November 13
• Episode 10: November 20

• Liverpool vs Man City: Sunday, October 11 at 4.30pm BST / 11.30pm ET / 2.30am AEDT (Sun.)
• Streams: Sky Sports (UK), Peacock (US)
• Outside the UK? Use NordVPN to unblock your streaming account

Watch Liverpool vs Man City in the Premier League 2026/27 season, as Anfield is sure to reserve an especially hostile reception for the club that has been found guilty of multiple financial rule breaches. Can Enzo Maresca foster a siege mentality and continue his side's 100% record? Or will Andoni Iraola channel the feeling and kickstart his Reds reign?

It had to be Liverpool. The announcement of City's 114 financial rule breaches by an independent commission (charges the club still deny and will appeal) during the three-week international break meant the build-up to facing one of the teams most affected would be extended and dripping in narrative. Anfield will be rocking, necessarily so after a quiet start to life under Iraola that is yet to deliver a Premier League home win.

Maresca has said the "feeling is fantastic" in the camp as the City boss attempts to establish an us-against-the-world mentality in light of the panel's recent findings. If ever there was a game to 'control the controlables', and focus on the football, this is it. The Italian boss will look to extend his side's record to six league wins from six, with Erling Haaland in trademark goalscoring form – the Norwegian has seven goals in all competitions this term.

Here's how to watch Liverpool vs Man City in the 2026/27 Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Liverpool vs Man City team news

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Araujo, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Koumas, Munoz, Wirtz, Barcola.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Nyoni, McConnell, Ngumoha.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O'Reilly, Fernandez, Anderson, Semenyo, Cherki, Ndiaye, Haaland.

Subs: Rulli, Kovacic, Doku, Reis, Gvardiol, Bouaddi, Allan, Khusanov, Lewis.

How to watch Liverpool vs Man City for FREE

Free Liverpool vs Man City streams are scarce but there are a couple of options.

In the US, the Premier League 2026/27 fixture will be on NBC, which is available free to anyone with a TV antenna or cable.

Matches shown on NBC can be accessed via OTT streaming services such as YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream, which all have free trials of varying lengths.

Not in the US? You need a VPN to unlock your FREE stream — find out more below.

How to watch Liverpool vs Man City from anywhere

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How to watch Liverpool vs Man City live streams in the USA

Soccer fans in the US can watch Liverpool vs Man City in the Premier League on NBC. You can watch for free with TV antenna or cable, or stream via NBC.com by inputting your provider details.

Streaming service Peacock also provides access to live NBC content. You'll need a Peacock Premium subscription, plans start from $12.99 a month, or $129.99 a year.

NBC content is also available via YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream, which all have free trials of varying lengths.

Outside of the US? Use a VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream. We like NordVPN best.

How to watch a Liverpool vs Man City live stream in the UK

(Image credit: Future)

Sky Sports is broadcasting Liverpool vs Man City in the UK on its Premier League and Main Event channels.

Packages cost £35 per month for new customers, or £22 per month if you already have a Sky TV contract. The Sky Go app lets you watch on your laptop, mobile or tablet.

Fans can also tune in using a NOW Sports Membership, with 24-hour passes costing £14.99.

Not in the UK for Liverpool vs Man City? Use NordVPN to access your usual Premier League streams.

How to watch Liverpool vs Man City live streams in Canada

Fubo is the Premier League's broadcast partner in Canada and it has live coverage of Liverpool vs Man City.

Prices start from CA$31.49 per month for Fubo's Sports Monthly package. However, the best option right now is the Quarterly Package which costs just CA$27.99 CA$14.99 for each of the first three months. You can also watch Fubo's content if you have a select DAZN subscription in Canada.

Not in Canada? Use NordVPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your preferred coverage from anywhere.

How to watch Liverpool vs Man City live streams in Australia

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A Liverpool vs Man City live stream is available in Australia on Stan Sport.

You can pick up a Stan Sport subscription for as little as AU$29.99 per month for the basic plan containing adds. That price consists of the AU$9.99 Stan subscription fee plus the Sport add-on for AU$20.

Outside of Oz? You can use a VPN to access your usual Premier League coverage. We recommend NordVPN.

What is the Liverpool vs Man City start time?

Liverpool vs Man City kicks off at 4.30pm BST / 11.30pm ET / 8.30am PT on Sunday, 11 October.

If you are in Australia, the game will be broadcast at 2.30am AEDT on Monday, 12 October.

What is the Liverpool vs Man City head-to-head?

Of the previous 231 meetings between the sides, Liverpool have won 110 to Man City's 63, with 58 draws.

City were dominant in the fixture last season, winning both league fixtures between the sides – 3-0 at the Etihad and 2-1 at Anfield – before inflicting a 4-0 drubbing over the Reds in the FA Cup.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Yes, we’re getting some glorious Goku before GTA 6.

• A new Google TV Streamer is rumored to be on the way
• Tipped upgrades include microphones and more storage
• There's no word yet on a launch date or any potential pricing

The first Google TV Streamer launched in August 2024, and standalone Chromecast devices were discontinued at the same time. Now a second streaming box is rumored, and it sounds like the included upgrades will be substantial.

According to "a source familiar with the matter" speaking to 9to5Google, the updated device will have a similar design to the original, except for being slightly narrower. The current model measures 6.4 inches x 3 inches x 1 inch (16.3 cm x 7.6 cm x 2.5 cm).

The new model will apparently add microphones, which means you will of course be able to say "hey Google" and speak out some voice commands or AI queries without having to use the remote to do it — a bit more like a smart speaker.

Presence sensing is tipped to be added to, which means the screensaver could load up when you're in the room, and more detailed information (such as the time and weather) might be displayed when someone gets close.

Time to upgrade?

The Chromecast with Google TV (Image credit: Google)

Other rumored upgrades: a faster chipset and more storage, beyond the 32GB of room that the current model offers for apps and files. It seems there will be two more shortcut buttons on the remote as well, in addition to the current Netflix and YouTube ones.

That all sounds appealing to me, as someone who has hung on to the older Chromecast with Google TV. Despite its increasing age, it remains a perfectly capable streaming device, which doesn't differ hugely from the current Google TV Streamer.

If the new model was faster, had more room on it, and worked more like a smart speaker (or a smart display), then I may have to consider the upgrade — though price will be crucial as always (the current model just got a price hike to $149 in the US).

It's not clear when this updated model might arrive, but we're now two years on from the first device. With a new Apple TV 4K box rumored to be arriving at Apple's event next week, Google won't want to wait too long before updating its own hardware.

Camera gear enthusiasts, myself included, can be an impatient lot at times. We want to see shiny new models with better features (whether we need them or not).

So what happens when two of the major manufacturers have had a particularly quiet year? Pandemonium (on the rumor sites' comment sections, at least)!

So far in 2026, Sony has released the 5-star A7 V and A7R VI mirrorless cameras, and revived its bridge camera range with the class-leading RX10 V. Canon has delivered another 5-star camera, the EOS R6 Mark III, and revealed an all-new design with the recent EOS R8 Mark II.

Where are Fujifilm and Nikon in this picture? Fujifilm is yet to release a single camera this year. The same was true for Nikon until recently, when it launched a viewfinder-less 'C' version of the Z5 II.

Before that, the last camera Nikon released was the Nikon Zr cinema/vlogging camera, and the Z5 II before that, marking 18 months with no truly new mirrorless camera.

Rumors heavily suggested a Fujifilm X-T6 would land in September, but one month on, we're still waiting. And it's set against this backdrop that fans with a touch of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) are getting agitated.

Well, I'm here to address those concerns with a healthy reality check.

The still amazing X-T5 from 2022FutureThe Nikon Z8 pro full-frame camera from 2023 holds its own three years laterFutureAlready ahead of the game

Yes, new is exciting. This year I've felt the buzz of testing the Ricoh GR IV, Sony A7R VI, Lumix L10, OM System PEN, Leica Q3 Monochrom and Canon EOS R8 Mark II, among others. However, it was the last camera on that list that brought a point into sharp focus for me — cameras have a pretty long shelf life.

The EOS R8 Mark II was a decent upgrade from the EOS R8 from 2023, with a new look, design improvements, and in-body image stabilization added — basically addressing key drawbacks of the original. However, it still failed to reach the entry-level full-frame camera bar set by Nikon 18 months ago with the Z5 II.

In fact, every current Nikon camera fares well against direct rivals at every level — the Z8 from 2023, for example, remains an incredible pro camera. And if you were to ask me which APS-C mirrorless camera I'd recommend in 2026, it would have to be the Fujifilm X-T5. Yes, a camera released in 2022.

Fujifilm hasn’t launched a new camera in 2026. And Nikon's only effort so far is a version of an existing camera with the viewfinder removed. But I don't think that matters.

In the case of the 2025 Z5 II, it already set the entry-level full-frame camera standard and even Canon’s new model hasn’t met it. And you won't find a better APS-C sensor than the Fujifilm X-T5's stabilized 40MP unit. If and when Fujifilm does release an X-T6, it will be improving on an already class-leading model.

Of course, there is space and a need for improvement, but a manufacturer having a quiet year isn’t quite the big deal many Fujifilm and Nikon fans currently make it out to be.

What do you think? Do camera companies need to release new products every year? Have your say in the comments below.

In this spoiler-free review, I explain why this is the most personal horror game I’ve ever played

It’s a solid example of an Android foldable, but I worry that Apple has changed the game.

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

The extraordinarily dry summer of 2026 has not been kind to UK-based lawn mower reviewers, but thankfully the grass has finally sprung back to life and given me the opportunity to put this mostly excellent Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E though its paces.

On paper the Euro-spec Vision Cloud WR306E sounds wonderfully simple, but I found the initial setup procedure a mite clunky, with various stages of connecting and configuring that required a lot of patience before everything started working as expected. Let's just say that it wasn't the effortless drop-and-mow experience of the TerraMow V1000 I reviewed earlier this year.

Despite these initial shenanigans, this bot has turned out to be a very reliable lawnsmith indeed. Its vision system allows it to recognize the shape of a lawn and avoid obstacles, while accurate cloud-based RTK satellite positioning helps it maintain its bearings without relying on any additional RTK aerials, let alone traditional boundary wire. And then there's the included Cut-to-Zero side module, which tackles one of the biggest annoyances with robot mowers — the uncut strip of grass they usually leave around the edges.

Yes, I do miss having a remote motorized cutting height function but, in the main, this model has impressed me with its excellent navigation and ability to stay on the lawn without veering off into the borders. I've also been chuffed by its accurate obstacle avoidance and generally excellent cut quality — and all for a snip under £900.

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: price & availability

• How much does it cost? £899 (about $1,190 / AU$1,710)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? UK and Europe

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is a UK and Euro-spec model so if you're shopping in the USA where gardens are generally much more expansive, your closest alternative is the 1/4 Acre model which retails at Amazon for $984.48

At around £899 in the UK, the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E sits in the mid-priced tier of robotic lawn mowers. Your best online store choice for this particular model is Amazon where it sells for £899. If you live in Europe, the WR306E is also available for roughly the same price in Euros.

In terms of competition, £899 puts the WR306E against some serious alternatives, namely the TerraMow V600 and Segway Navimow i108E, which are currently selling for roughly the same price. Alternatively you could drop down a notch to the 500m² version of this mower — the WR305E — which sells for just £699 in the UK and €594 in some parts of Europe. The WR305E doesn't ship with the Cut-to-Zero edge-cutting module though it will accept the module if bought separately for around £100 from Worx UK.

Value score: 4 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E: specs

Max lawn size

600m²

Navigation

V-SLAM stereo vision AI + Cloud-based RTK

Auto mapping?

Yes

Cutting width

7 inches / 18cm

Cutting height adjustment

1.2-2.4 inches / 30-60mm, manual 

Edge cutting?

Yes, with included Cut-to-Zero module

Drivetrain

Two-wheel drive

Charge time

80 mins

Maximum slope

30% / 16.7 degrees

Multizone management?

Yes

Obstacle avoidance

V-SLAM + AI

Connectivity

Wi-fi + Bluetooth

Security

WiFi + GPS tracking

Noise

58dB

Waterproof

IPX6

Rain sensor

Yes

Weight

25lbs / 11.4kg

Dimensions

23 x 11 x 18 inches / 57.6 x 28.3 x 45.7cm

Product code

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: design

• Camera and RTK-based navigation
• Cuts grass in parallel stripes
• Comes with a unique edge cutter
• Excellent battery system

(Image credit: Future)

The specific model I received for this review is the WR306E which has a lawn range of 600m² and comes with Worx’s efficient Cut-to-Zero module for precise edge cutting. However, you can also purchase this model’s cheaper stablemate — the WR305E — which retails for £300 less and features an 'optional' edge cutting module and a slightly smaller area range of 6,458 sq ft / 500m².

The acutely angular Worx Landroid Vision range adopts a very unusual design in that it’s difficult to tell the front from the rear. And even when you suss it by noticing which way the camera is pointing when operating, the front position of the drive wheels, the sloping design of the rear and the position of the RTK receiver still make it look like it’s actually going backwards. It continues to flummox me every time.

While I’m on the subject of body design, the Worx’s myriad of tight angles also make it trickier to wipe down and keep clean in the long run. Unlike other models on the market that have simple rounded shells, this one is full of tight nooks and crannies. It’s not a deal breaker but I think I prefer a more streamlined look than the Landroid Vision Cloud's Star Wars-style aesthetic. But each to their own.

Like all good modern bots, the Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is IPX6 rated for weather resistance, and comes with a control display on the unit, a big red ‘stop’ button for bringing it to an immediate emergency halt, a rain sensor and, perhaps a little disappointingly, a manually adjustable cutting height dial rather than the usual app-controlled motorized method.

Let’s take a look at the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E’s features in detail.

Drive system

Many two-wheel-drive robot mowers are driven by the rear wheels with one or two small castor wheels at the front. However, this configuration can make it tricky when manually mapping a lawn using the RC control method because the front castors tend to pitch it off course when they hit a small dip. By contrast, this model has front-wheel drive using two large, ribbed wheels to pull the mower along and that means it's much easier to steer when mapping near the edge of borders or creating virtual multi-zone pathways.

The Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E can scale inclines of up to 30% (16.7 degrees), which is about average for a two-wheel-drive model. Nevertheless, if your lawn has steep inclines that are beyond the scope of this model, perhaps consider the similarly-sized Mammotion LUBA Mini, which has the ability to scale gradients of up to a whopping 80% (38.6 degrees).

Score ref: 4/5

Cutting system

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is equipped with a 7-inch / 18cm three-blade cutting disc that slices grass like a pair of scissors, leaving no ragged edges when examined at macro level. Furthermore, this model also features the company's new twin-bladed Cut-to-Edge system, a dedicated offset cutting module that allows the blades to reach much closer to the lawn’s edge than a conventional centrally-mounted cutting disc. This means less manual trimming with a line strimmer afterwards and a much tidier-looking finish around borders, paths and flowerbeds.

One contributory factor to this model's lower-than-average price is the omission of an app-controlled motorized cutting deck, and that is something I most definitely miss. Instead, you will need to adjust the WR306E's cutting height directly on the mower by turning its big orange dial to your preferred height.

The Landroid Vision Cloud's unique edge cutter works very effectively. At least it did on my lawn (Image credit: Future)

Unlike most other mowbot models equipped with motorised decks that can be set to cut in 5mm increments – and even 1mm increments in the case of the Mammotion LUBA 3 – the Worx only offers four cutting heights in 0.4-inch / 10mm increments, from 1.18 to 2.3 inches / 30mm to 60mm. The same applies to the Cut-to-Zero module's cutting height which can be adjusted to three different heights: 2, 2.4, and 2.8 inches / 50, 60 and 70mm.

For me, it's not so much the hassle of having to visit the mower to change its cutting height but the fact that I can't select my favorite midway cutting height of 1.37 inches / 35mm, which I consider to be the sweet spot for a healthy sward, at least in the UK.

Like all good modern robot mowers, the Landroid Vision Cloud's intelligent scheduling means it can make frequent, relatively small cuts rather than attacking long grass in one go. This regular mulching approach leaves fine clippings on the lawn to decompose naturally while leaving more space in the green waste bin for other garden refuse.

Moreover, this mower also cuts your lawn in pseudo parallel stripes. However, the combination of the robot's single centrally-located rear trolley-style wheel and the two large ribbed driving wheels on the front does tend to create a slightly less appealing three-line stripe. It's not a deal-breaker, but I much prefer the more natural-looking stripes created by four-wheeled robot mowers like the Mammotion LUBA range.

Score ref: 4/5

Navigation

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx WR306E uses a combination of cloud-based RTK positioning and sophisticated camera-based navigation to find its way around the lawn without relying on traditional boundary wires. RTK provides highly accurate satellite positioning, helping the mower understand exactly where it is so it can maintain a consistent mowing pattern across the lawn.

Its V-SLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) dual camera system, meanwhile, continuously looks at the ground ahead while identifying the boundaries between lawn and non-lawn areas such as flowerbeds, paths and borders.

The Worx WR306E can initially map a lawn in two ways: automatically or manually by steering the robot around the lawn’s perimeter using the virtual RC controls in the Worx Landroid app. During its initial mapping run, it builds up a picture of all mowable areas by using its vision system to recognize where the grass ends. So, rather than charging blindly towards a border and into the lupins, it recognizes the boundary and adjusts its route accordingly. In essence, the camera provides the visual intelligence while RTK handles the positioning accuracy.

The WR306E also supports multi zoning so if you have two or three lawns that can be easily reached by the mower with no obstructions like steps or gates in the way, simply select the zone feature and steer it from one zone to the next and the robot will follow that path from thereon in. And if your lawn has any perilous areas like ponds or steep drop-offs, you can easily add no-go zones where necessary.

Score ref: 4.5/5

Obstacle avoidance

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has an excellent obstacle avoidance system that uses its onboard camera and AI to recognise most common garden hazards, including people, pets, toys, plant pots and garden furniture, allowing the WR306E to alter its route rather than blundering into them. Thankfully it doesn't treat leaves and other small pieces of garden debris as obstacles or it would never get the job done.

Score ref: 5/5

Battery system

(Image credit: Future)

Almost all robot mowers come with built-in batteries that can cost a packet to replace if they develop a fault (very feasible, especially after winter storage) or have come to the end of their useful lifespan. That is not the case with any of Worx's robot lawn mowers because, in a stroke of genius, the company has elected to stick to the convenience and cost-effectiveness of its tried-and-trusted PowerShare battery system which works across a huge range of Worx-branded cordless garden and power tools.

Hence, if the Landroid Vision Cloud's 20V 4.0Ah lithium battery has an unlikely hissy fit and stops working altogether, you can either use another PowerShare battery from your Worx grass trimmer or leaf blower, or simply buy a new one for around £64. To put this into perspective, a new Mammotion LUBA 3 battery will set you back between £276.66 to £363.66, depending on the specific capacity or model variant.

Score ref: 5/5

Security

(Image credit: Future)

Security is an important consideration with a robot mower that spends much of its life unattended in the garden, so the Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has several measures designed to discourage unwanted interference.

Firstly, its connection to the Worx Landroid app locks it to the user's Wi-Fi and Worx account, rendering it useless to any opportunist thieves. GPS-based positioning, meanwhile, helps keep track of where it is. And if the mower is lifted or moved unexpectedly, its security function will trigger an alert and prevent unauthorized use by requiring the user's security pin code.

Score ref: 4/5

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: performance

• Accurate navigation around lawn boundaries
• Reliable obstacle detection
• Decent parallel mowing patterns
• Convoluted set-up process

(Image credit: Future)Setup

Most modern robot mowers are very easy to unbox and set up by simply locating a suitable space for the charging station, plugging it into the nearest outdoor wall outlet and syncing the robot to one’s Wi-Fi and manufacturer account. The first part of the Landroid Vision Cloud’s set up went as smoothly as expected, but unfortunately it all went a bit pear shaped the moment I started to connect the robot to my Wi-Fi and the Worx Landroid app.

It’s been difficult trying to recall the full sequence of events, but the setting-up process went from fairly straightforward to downright annoying in a very short space of time. And most of the problem was down to the front-end user interface which displays various meaningless codes, icons and LCD patterns on the robot’s screen interface.

After connecting it to my Wi-Fi by stabbing at buttons on the robot’s LCD display, it mysteriously said ‘IDLE’ on the screen, so I restarted it. It then jumped in early to supposedly update the firmware without me having reached that part of the process. I watched and waited a few minutes but when nothing happened, I restarted it again and then received an error code like something from a Windows operating system in the late 1990s. I can’t remember how I resolved the error code but it went back to idle again, so I restarted it a third time.

At this juncture I should admit that I rarely follow instruction manuals and I also have a habit of not waiting long enough for computers to do their thing. Out of frustration, I also occasionally perform restarts when they might not be required.

Anyway, after taking a well-earned tea break for 10 minutes, I noticed an auto mapping button had popped up on the app screen so I tapped it, and off it went to start mapping the perimeter. I'm still not sure what caused the installation issues but it's been running smoothly ever since.

I’ve set up a lot of robot mowers over the most few years and, while this model was nowhere near as complicated as the Husqvarna 305E Nera I reviewed in 2025, I think that Worx could make things easier by overhauling the front-end user experience.

Score ref: 3.5/5

Cutting and usability

(Image credit: Future)

In performance terms, the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has proved to be an extremely impressive bit of kit, particularly when it comes to staying where it's supposed to and not wandering off into the rose garden. The parallel cutting approach is also a big advantage over this model’s haphazard, pinball-style 2024 predecessor, the Landroid Vision M600, which I reviewed for TechRadar's sister publication T3.com, and the result is a more uniform finish and much better lawn coverage.

I was also surprised by how efficient the Cut-to-Edge module was at dealing with solid borders. The closest other robots have managed to get to our solid flower bed border is about four inches but this model manage to cut to within an inch in some places and that's a major plus in its favor.

Admittedly, the majority of my testing was on a patchy lawn ruined by the long summer drought of 2026, but on those areas where the grass had fully recovered, the Landroid Vision Cloud performed as well as the vast majority of robot mowers I've reviewed. Yes, the stripes it left in its wake weren't as aesthetically pleasing as those created by the Mammotion LUBA range, but I don't consider this a deal-breaker because, well stripes are stripes, and the fact it does them at all is cause for celebration.

In my tests, the Landroid Vision Cloud's obstacle avoidance system did a very good job of steering around objects in its path, including a very small flower pot that flummoxed an EGO robot mower I recently reviewed. It’s battery consumption was excellent, too, with plenty of juice left in the can after completing a cut of my modest 1,851 sq ft / 172m² lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

During several months of periodical testing — mostly during the UK's drought period — the Landroid Vision Cloud's RTK and V-SLAM navigation system has been rock solid, failing only once to find its charging base. But that was because I'd moved the base four feet to the right. Once I'd placed it closer to the base, it received the signal and has not had any trouble docking since.

While I don't think this model is as completely fuss-free as the TerraMow V1000 or its cheaper sibling, the V600, I still think it's up there with the best for reliability, rock-solid obstacle avoidance and dependable navigation. And while the Landroid Vision Cloud's stripes aren't quite as attractive as those created by the LUBA range, I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

Score ref: 4.5/5

Performance score: 4 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: Worx Landroid app

• Comprehensive lawn management features
• Colourful interface
• Some settings aren't immediately obvious

(Image credit: Future)

The colorful Worx Landroid app is the main control center for the mower, giving you access to a surprisingly wide range of functions. From the home screen you can start, stop and schedule mowing sessions for different days, monitor battery level, mowing progress and the mower’s current location, though this streaming function is usually about five seconds behind real time.

The app is also where you create and edit no-go zones, set up multiple lawn areas and define paths between them. However it took me a while to find the map section which is buried under My Map in the general information menu — along with all the stuff about the device's settings, firmware updates, support — instead of on the home screen.

For this reason I don't think the app is especially intuitive and feel it could do with a few tweaks to make it easier to navigate and find particular settings. I've also noticed that the robot is pretty slow to respond to commands in the app so give it time before you start stabbing at icons on the screen.

App functionality: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E?

Section

Notes

Score

Value for money

It’s a wee bit pricey, but excellent performance, wire-free convenience and smart navigation justify the investment

4/5

Design

Compact, modern and practical, the Landroid Vision Cloud’s design prioritizes function over unnecessary frills

4.5/5

Performance

The Landroid Vision Cloud’s excellent cutting and precise navigation deliver consistently impressive mowing performance

4/5

App functionality

A feature-packed app, but its confusing layout does complicate menu navigation

3.5/5

Buy it if

You want wire-free operation on a budget

Wireless operation greatly simplifies lawn management

You want lawn stripes

Excellent cutting delivers a decently neat finish

You have a cluttered lawn

This model sports excellent obstacle avoidance

Don't buy it if

You want completely fuss-free setup

Initial setup can feel unnecessarily complicated

You want to adjust everything via the app

The lack of a motorized cutting deck adjustment limits flexibility

You require a wider cutting width

Consider a model like the Mammotion LUBA 3 instead

How I tested the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E

(Image credit: Future)

Despite my delayed tests brought about by a UK drought, I finally managed to find some patchy grass on my lawn to give this robot a good series of closely-inspected tests between its general scheduled tasks.

I first noted how well it automatically mapped my lawn before setting a cutting height of 40mm and noting how accurately it went up and down the lawn and how closely it cut to the edge. No issues there. I also added some obstacles to see how well it fared against previous models I’ve had on my lawn and it passed that test with flying colors.

Reviewing robot mowers can be a time consuming business — especially when they behave in strange ways — but I have to say that this one has been very reliable with no disconnections or unusual border excursions to report. However, I think that Worx needs to work on the setting-up process which turned out to be a relatively frustrating experience.

First reviewed October 2026