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MacPaw has spent years building a reputation as one of the most design-conscious developers in the Mac ecosystem. Its flagship product, CleanMyMac, has long included a malware removal module powered by Moonlock's engine. In October 2025, the Kyiv-based company spun that security technology into a standalone product: Moonlock, a full-featured antivirus app that goes well beyond a simple scanner.

Rather than leading with threat counts and detection percentages, Moonlock frames itself as security software that treats users like adults, explaining what malware is, why it matters, and what to do next, instead of firing off opaque alerts. The marketing centers on a 'care, not scare' approach, essentially promising to educate you rather than just bombarding you with red-text alerts.

While many live in the mythical belief that Macs are immune to viruses, MacPaw's own research reports that 66 percent of Mac users encountered at least one cyber threat last year, with a 67% increase in registered macOS backdoor variants in 2025. The research shows a key message: macOS is not immune, are users are being targeted more frequently than ever.

Plans and pricing

Moonlock starts at $54 per year for a single Mac, with licenses available for 2, 5, or more than 10 devices per subscription. Monthly billing and one-time lifetime license options are also available for those who prefer not to commit to an annual cycle.

Discounts of up to 67 percent are advertised on multi-year plans, which is worth exploring if you intend to stick with the product long term.

New users get a seven-day free trial, though a credit card is required to start. That is a common enough practice, but it does mean you will need to remember to cancel if the product does not suit you. To soften the blow of that annual fee, Moonlock offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is a considerably more generous safety net than the case-by-case refund process offered by some competitors.

Current Setapp subscribers get access to Moonlock at no additional charge, which may be the most compelling value proposition for those already in MacPaw's subscription ecosystem. At $54 per year for a single device, standalone pricing lands considerably higher than ClamXAV's three-Mac Home plan at $29.95, a gap worth weighing if budget is a primary concern.

Features

(Image credit: Moonlock)

Moonlock is organized into six sections: Home, Malware Scanner, VPN, Network Inspector, System Protection, and Security Advisor. That framework reflects a deliberate decision to bundle a security suite rather than deliver a focused antivirus, giving the product a notably broader footprint than Mac-only rivals like ClamXAV.

(Image credit: Moonlock)

Real-time protection runs continuously in the background, monitoring file activity, app behavior, and Mail attachments even when the main application window is closed. The Malware Scanner supports on-demand and scheduled scans, with built-in quarantine and removal tools. Detected threats are accompanied by plain-language explanations rather than raw file paths and specialized terms.

(Image credit: Moonlock)

The bundled VPN is a simplified version of MacPaw's ClearVPN, covering around 60 server locations across more than 45 countries. Independent testing found no DNS or WebRTC leaks, and MacPaw maintains a no-logging policy. Speed retention is strong, holding around 82 percent of baseline download speeds on transatlantic connections and up to 96 percent on closer servers.

Network Inspector adds a country-level connection blocker, permitting users to block outbound traffic to specific regions. System Protection audits macOS's own built-in security settings and walks you through any gaps. Finally, Security Advisor provides a checklist for basic digital hygiene, including practical guidance on habits such as two-factor authentication and app permissions. AI assists with malware classification on the backend, helping the team update threat databases before new strains reach your device.

Privacy and Security

From a top level perspective, Moonlock was tested by the third-party laboratory AV-Test in September 2025 and earned it's AV-Test certification. It scored a 5.5/6 in Protection, 4.5/6 in Performance, and a full 6/6 for Usability (which I'll dive into in the next section).

As for the credibility of the underlying research arm, Moonlock Lab has made several notable contributions to the antivirus landscape, being the first to identify PyStealer on VirusTotal, and the lab has also been cited by the SANS Institute for discovering new variants of the Atomic macOS infostealer.

Regarding privacy, the VPN operates under a strict zero-logs policy, and all data is processed locally. MacPaw publishes a Trust Center at security.macpaw.com describing its data-handling practices, certifications, and security standards, which is a nice change in transparency from many other antivirus providers.

The one caveat worth noting is that Moonlock is a recent standalone launch. While the underlying engine has been in use in CleanMyMac for some time, the app itself has a limited history as an independently tested product. But it is worth noting that in the time since the last time AV-Test handled Moonlock, MacPaw have likely taken steps to improve protection and performance.

Interface and in use

The interface is highly polished, modern, and immediately legible, with a two-panel home dashboard that separates tasks on the left from status information on the right. Everything is where you would expect it to be, and the visual hierarchy makes it easy to tell at a glance whether your Mac is protected.

Instead of a generic 'Threat Resolved' notification, Moonlock tells you what was found, why it poses a risk, and what your options are. I found I was the one to make the final call on whether to remove a flagged item, which sidesteps the infuriating experience of automated deletion that occasionally catches legitimate software.

The system requirements make it suitable for older devices too, requiring macOS 13 or later and 515MB of disk space. The app runs quickly and, in day-to-day use, does not noticeably drag on performance. Installation requires a MacPaw account, which adds a step that competitors like ClamXAV skip entirely for home users, but the tradeoff is a unified login for managing licenses and accessing support.

Ultimately, Moonlock is a great option for those looking for an accessible and easily navigable Mac antivirus that doesn't bombard you with any overly-technical language, and performs as though you are the one in control.

Support

Moonlock support runs on MacPaw's established infrastructure, with a dedicated knowledge base that covers installation, configuration, and troubleshooting, and those with questions can submit immediate inquiries through the support portal. In-app feedback is also available via the Help menu.

(Image credit: Moonlock)

As with many Mac-focused security products, live chat or phone support does not appear to be offered as a standard option. For most home users, the knowledge base and email channel will be sufficient. Teams with more complicated environments should verify support response times before committing, particularly given that Moonlock is a relatively new standalone product and the support documentation is still maturing.

The competition

ClamXAV is the most direct rival in the Mac-exclusive antivirus space. At $29.95 per year for three devices, it is considerably cheaper than Moonlock's $54 single-device starting price, and it also holds a perfect AV-Test score compared to Moonlock's test results. It does not include a VPN, network inspection, or the polished onboarding experience Moonlock offers, but for those who want focused antivirus protection at a lower cost, it is a strong option.

Intego Mac Internet Security X9 sits at a comparable price point and includes a network monitor, with a longer track record in independent third-party testing. Bitdefender Total Security and Norton AntiVirus Plus both offer wider platform coverage and larger feature sets, making them better fits for households with mixed Windows and Mac devices.

Those who are already subscribed to CleanMyMac should also note that its built-in malware-scanning module, powered by the same Moonlock engine, continues to function independently. Therefore the question is whether the full Moonlock standalone app adds enough to justify an additional subscription or an upgrade in spending.

Final verdict

Moonlock is one of the most carefully designed security apps I've encountered in the Mac ecosystem. Its interface is excellent, its feature set is broader than most Mac-specific alternatives, and the research team behind it is doing genuinely credible original work. The 30-day money-back guarantee is also a nice addition, despite the need to enter your payment details first.

At $54 per year for a single Mac, it costs nearly twice as much as ClamXAV's three-device plan. The added value of the bundled VPN and Network Inspector goes some way toward justifying that gap, but those who already have a VPN solution elsewhere may not find the extras compelling enough. Setapp subscribers, on the other hand, get all of this for free as part of a subscription they likely already value.

For long-standing CleanMyMac users who already benefit from the embedded Moonlock engine, the standalone app offers greater depth, visibility, and control, but it's not a replacement for anything missing. It is a fuller version of the protection they have already been relying on, now with a VPN, richer reporting, and a proper home for the security features that were previously contained within a Mac cleaning utility.

For Mac users who want a single subscription that covers antivirus, VPN, network monitoring, and system security guidance, Moonlock makes a strong argument. Just go in aware of what you are paying for relative to the alternatives.

You might also be interested in our report on the best Mac apps of the year.

• Aldi is launching a new outdoor lamp range
• Each lamp is solar-powered and comes in two styles with three color choices
• The cost just £4.99, making them an affordable way to give your garden a glow-up

We’re seeing more and more affordable tech gadgets appearing in the middle aisles of budget supermarkets these days — and if you’re looking to give your garden a summer makeover, Aldi just unveiled a new range of solar-powered garden lights.

The lineup, which goes on sale on July 9, consists of two styles of outdoor table lamp, mushroom-top and flat-top, both of which are available in three colors: black, mint, and beige, so you should be able to find a colour that fits in with your garden decor.

Each lamp costs just £4.99, making them an affordable way to give your garden a glow-up with Aldi proving once again that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on the best smart lights in order to brighten up your home and garden.

Aldi’s new lighting range isn't, of course, in the same ballpark as smart lights from the likes of Philips Hue or Govee. There’s no app and no controls to fiddle with, and because they’re solar powered, placing them in sunny spots in your garden will ensure they have enough juice to last through a whole evening of outdoor dining or partying.

(Image credit: Aldi)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from national treasure Nigella Lawson is that summer parties aren’t just about good food and drinks — the setting and decor are just as important, and lighting plays a big part in creating the perfect atmosphere.

It’s not only budget brands like Aldi that are jumping on the outdoor lighting bandwagon — if you want app-based features such as the option to change the colour of your lights, the big smart home brands are getting in on the act too.

Govee’s recently released smart string lights marked the brand’s first step into solar lighting costing £119.99. Though this is a little more pricey than the average solar-powered light , Philips stills takes the top spot on the price front — its own Festivia Smart Globe String Lights are one of our favorite garden gadgets for giving your outdoor space an instant lift.

• Alibaba bans access to Claude Code, tells employees to use internal Qoder instead
• Anthropic was tracking markers to indicate which users were in China
• Anthropic accused Alibaba of major Claude model distillation effort

Alibaba has reportedly banned its employees from using Claude Code internally, beginning July 10 2026, classifying it as a high-risk tool that risks organizational security.

The change follows similar trends already observed among American tech giants, banning Chinese tools from internal use, but Alibaba cited genuine concerns that have been acknowledged by Claude-maker Anthropic.

The ban could also be seen as a push for Alibaba's own alternative, with workers advised to use the company's own Qoder AI assistant instead.

Alibaba bans Claude Code over security concerns

The controversy stems from developers reverse-engineering Claude Code, revealing it contained code to identify Chinese users. Checks for Chinese system time zones, proxy servers, AI lab infrastructure and network characteristics were all revealed.

Anthropic stated this experimental feature launched in March, and was designed to combat unauthorized resellers, prevent account abuse and protect its models from AI distillation.

However, the spyware was reportedly hidden using obfuscation and steganographic techniques, making them effectively invisible to users.

This isn't the first time both companies have found themselves in a sticky situation – Anthropic recently accused Alibaba of conducting the largest known model distillation attack against Claude (via Reuters).

More broadly, Chinese companies have been increasingly referring to domestic AI tools like Qwen, DeepSeek, Moonshot and Ship amid growing geopolitical tensions.

While that trend has been largely mirrored in the US, in favor of the likes of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Cloud and xAI, US firms have reportedly been exploring cheaper Chinese alternatives in the name of cost efficiency.

Alibaba and Anthropic haven't publicly commented on this matter as yet.

X-Men 97 season 2 is in full swing following last week's three-episode premiere. And, while you'll only be able to stream one new chapter this week, it's such a great episode — one equipped with a bombshell ending — that you'll need plenty of time to recover after watching it. On this occasion, then, a new two-episode drop isn't necessary.

But, I digress — you want to know when the Marvel TV show's forthcoming entry will come out on Disney+, so let's stop beating around the bush and get on with it, shall we?

What time can I watch X-Men 97 season 2 episode 4?

The fight against Apocalypse echoes through time.Stream Marvel Animation’s #XMen97 Season 2 now, only on Disney+. pic.twitter.com/6snkgaOcUhJuly 5, 2026

The next installment of X-Men 97 will make its debut on Wednesday, July 8 at 12am PT / 3am ET in North and South America.

Based in another world region and can't work out when this season's fourth episode will air on one of the world's best streaming services? No sweat. Check out the list below to see what time you should tune in to catch it:

• 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 X-Men 97 season 2 come out?

To shape the future, they'll have to survive the past. Marvel Animation’s #XMen97 Season 2 is now streaming. Don’t miss the first three episodes now on Disney+! pic.twitter.com/sYomhEAPQUJuly 1, 2026

New entries of this Marvel Phase 6 TV series will arrive on Disney+ every Wednesday for the foreseeable future. With five more episodes left of the X-Men's animated show before it departs our screens — until its third season is released, that is — there'll plenty more mutant mayhem to consume in the weeks ahead.

Want to know the official launch dates that new episodes of this Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project will make their bow on? See below:

• Season 2 episode 1 — out now
• Season 2 episode 2 — out now
• Season 2 episode 3 — out now
• Season 2 episode 4 — July 8
• Season 2 episode 5 — July 15
• Season 2 episode 6 — July 22
• Season 2 episode 7 — July 29
• Season 2 episode 8 — August 5
• Season 2 episode 9 — August 12

• ITV is selling its media and entertainment divisions to Sky
• The £1.6 billion deal is a massive shake-up for UK television
• Analysts say viewers could expect Sky and ITV's offerings to merge in future

The UK's TV landscape just changed in a big way, with ITV announcing that it's agreed to sell its media and entertainment business to Sky in a massive £1.6 billion deal.

The agreement makes it one of the biggest deals in UK media history. It'll see Sky take ownership of the ITVX platform and ITV's free-to-air channels, but doesn't include the ITV Studios production arm (which makes the likes of I’m A Celebrity and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office).

So what does this all mean for the average Downton Abbey fan or Sky subscriber? Will ITV's channels remain free-to-air? And what does it mean for current and future shows on both platforms?

Here are some of those big questions answered by media and broadcasting experts...

Will ITV continue to be free-to-air?

Yes, for the foreseeable future at least. ITV has public service broadcasting commitments from its licence that run until 2034. The Sky deal doesn't change that.

Tom Harrington, a TV analyst from Enders Analysis, says ITV being free-to-air is also likely one of the main reasons for the potential deal. "ITV remains profitable and the reach that it commands as the major commercial broadcaster is probably the main reason why it would be attractive to Comcast/Sky".

(Image credit: Future)

However, Sky's focus could increasingly shift from ITV's broadcast offerings to its online streaming platforms – and may ultimately see ITVX and NOW TV merge.

"Online video advertising remains a key area of growth, as audiences increasingly turn to the convenience of the expansive catalogues available to them via streaming. As such, monetisation of this space is essential for broadcasters’ ongoing strategies," said Peter Ingram, Research Manager at Ampere Analysis.

"A sale of ITV to Sky will likely lead to an acceleration of the development (and possible integration) of streaming propositions such as ITVX and NOW with a focus on expanding online video subscription and advertising revenues," he added.

In other words, expect ITVX and its ITVX Premium subscription to become the primary focus for Sky. Not that traditional broadcast TV will be left by the wayside.

"ITV’s linear operations could be rationalised, but key assets will remain in order to continue monetising the still sizeable audience that is loyal to linear TV", Peter Ingram added.

What might this mean for current TV shows?

Major changes for ITV or Sky viewers are unlikely in the short term due to existing agreements and contracts. But one thing you can expect to see is more ITV shows on Sky, and vice versa.

"An immediate impact of a combination could be an element of integration of Sky and ITV’s programming assets," Peter Ingram from Ampere Analysis predicts.

"The two companies are among the highest content spenders in the UK, with ITV providing a slate of locally resonant shows, news and sports rights. Sky provides local and international first-run and library film and TV series, major sports rights (such as Premier League football) and news. The two operators could utilise some of these programming assets across a combined entertainment ecosystem to greater effect," he added.

(Image credit: NBC)

However, Tom Harrington from Enders Research told us before the finalisation of the deal that changes could be more of a slow burn. "From a viewer perspective, in the short term there probably wouldn't be many discernible changes: the ITV and Sky offerings would remain similar," he said.

"In time, Comcast/Sky may have differing opinions to current ITV management about how to monetise on free-to-air and there could be channel changes and a differing approach to ITVX," he added.

The nature of the deal – which doesn't include ITV's production arm, ITV Studios – might also eventually affect the kinds of shows you see on its channels. ITV Studios produces shows like Love Island and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here and The Voice. Those could one day find a different home, some analysts predict.

"The biggest customer of ITV Studios is ITV itself, and more than half of all ITV's viewing is from shows it makes itself in Studios," Harrington explained. "So if Comcast/Sky was to acquire ITV broadcast then we would assume it would include a long-term agreement that guaranteed the flow of content from ITV Studios to the channels/ITVX," he noted.

"However, even with some sort of agreement, over time you could foresee that the relationship between these two parts would weaken from current levels," he said.

Is this good or bad news for TV viewers?

It's still too early for definitive conclusions about the deal. However, experts have highlighted three potential impacts that are broadly good, bad, or mixed.

Based on previous mergers, there's reason for some concern about TV quality, according to Tom Harrington from Enders Research. "Generally in a merger/acquisition such as this, the result is less content being produced overall, as savings and efficiencies are immediately sought. So overall there may be less on offer — although this may not necessarily be obvious to the viewer," he said.

(Image credit: Ludus Magnus)

Still, on the plus side, the TV shows that do get made might be more widely available. "You would imagine that Sky may want to utilise Sky programming on ITV and vice versa. So certain viewers may get access to shows and some sport that they may not previously have had access to," he added.

Peter Ingram from Ampere Analysis is also a bit more optimistic about the long-term health of TV shows on both ITV and Sky. "The increased scale provided by the group’s presence across TV and streaming would facilitate an even stronger revenue base, allowing for the production of more high-quality original programming for UK consumers," he predicts. Let's certainly hope so.

The Ingalls are back, 2026 style. Thanks to Netflix, Laura Ingalls Wilder's hit book series Little House on the Prairie is returning to the small screen, 52 years after it was first adapted.

The 1974 Western-drama ran for nine seasons, starring Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle and Melissa Sue Anderson in the leading roles... but can the 2026 version last as long?

Before new episodes have even hit the streaming service, there's good news: Little House on the Prairie has already been renewed for a second season.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet — when is season 1 available to watch?

What time can I watch Little House on the Prairie on Netflix?

Little House on the Prairie drops on Netflix on Ju1y 9, 2026.

As for exact time, it should be the standard 12am PT release that previous hit shows such as Emily in Paris have enjoyed.

For global regions, here's when you need to be prepared:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 6pm AEST
• New Zealand – 8pm NZDT

When do new episodes of Little House on the Prairie come out?

(Image credit: Netflix)

All eight episodes of Little House on the Prairie will likely be its standard release schedule going forward.

There's currently no word on when season 2 might be released, though it is thought to be in production.

• Hideo Kojima has spoken about the end of physical PlayStation discs at a festival
• He said he is "very sad" about the announcement and worries about what it means for ownership
• He warns that we might be heading towards a streaming future: "Some company will own the server and say, 'You can turn on the tap for a certain amount of money each month.'"

Celebrity video game designer Hideo Kojima has revealed that he is "very sad" about the recent news that Sony plans to discontinue the production of physical PlayStation game discs in January 2028.

Speaking at the Il Cinema in Piazza festival in Rome, Italy (remarks that we have machine translated), he said "I'm very sad about it, because I grew up with physical media" and mentioned that he is currently collecting Blu-ray discs and DVDs.

"Games are a little different because you download them to your hard drive, so the data remains on your hardware," he continued. "However, if games move towards streaming in the future, that will also disappear. It's like streaming subscriptions for movies. Like Netflix or Amazon, there's a server somewhere, and you only have the right to turn on the tap. When you turn it on, the data on the server comes out."

He fears that in the future many forms of media will only be accessible via subscription services "from the start" leaving us with no option other than to pay a monthly fee in order to access our favorite titles.

"If that happens, what will happen is that I won't own the data," he says. "Some company will own the server and say, 'You can turn on the tap for a certain amount of money each month,' [...] and it's certainly conceivable that the data will stop being distributed."

"When that happens, I won't be able to watch my favorite movies or play my favorite games, and that's what's scary."

The comments come as fans continue to grapple with the announcement, which has resulted in widespread backlash, though it seems unlikely that Sony will backtrack on the decision as the historic PlayStation factory that manufactured 24 billion gaming discs is already being turned into a micro-optics lab as production winds down.

Are you a Google user living in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, or Switzerland? If so, you have probably received a message from the tech giant informing you that it will soon start using your IP address for advertising measurement purposes.

Google has so far only used IP addresses to route traffic and display adverts in these regions. However, as reported by Bleeping Computer, from 4 August, it will allow third parties to show you more personalised adverts by tracking your activity via your IP address.

The move raises questions about compliance with the GDPR in the EU and UK, which classifies IP addresses as personal data. Under current regulations, companies must obtain users’ consent before tracking IP addresses for the purpose of personalising adverts.

Indeed, the tracking of IP addresses in the EU is regarded as 'fingerprinting' — an invasive profiling practice that tracks an individual and their devices to link their digital activities. IP addresses can help identify your device, making it much easier for third parties to build a profile and bombard you with targeted ads while potentially exposing your data to hackers.

Google has stated that it is now shifting the burden of complying with the regulations in these regions onto advertisers, reminding them to adhere to its EU User Consent Policy and to obtain valid consent from users in the regions concerned, thereby placing much of the responsibility for managing and tracking IP addresses directly on these companies.

The days when the tech giant promoted a privacy-friendly digital environment now seem a distant memory. However, the best VPNs can help you retain control over your IP address.

NordVPN: TechRadar's top-rated VPN
Our top-rated VPN offers blistering speeds, seamless unblocking, and a suite of additional security tools, like its flagship next-gen antivirus suite.

Plans start from only the equivalent of $3.49 per month, but you can give NordVPN a try without fully committing thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review to know more.View Deal

What Google’s IP-tracking means for your privacy

Google's new initiative could mark a significant turning point in terms of consent. Above all, it involves the creation of persistent profiles based on users' activities.

By placing the responsibility for obtaining consent on advertisers, while at the same time making it impossible for users to delete their own 'digital footprint' themselves, the Big Tech giant heavily impacts users’ online privacy.

Additionally, advertisers may implement consent banners in ways that are unclear or designed to encourage users to click 'accept', leading regulators to question whether the new system truly respects users' choices.

Although users might soon be able to manage IP-based personalisation, current opt-out options are limited to existing cookies and ad personalisation settings — meaning that, at present, users have little control over this new form of profiling.

It is particularly clarifying that Google itself was previously against the move, having completely U-turned from 2019, when it recognised fingerprinting as 'wrong', claiming it undermines users’ freedom of choice.

However, in 2024, the platform backtracked on its pro-privacy stance and lifted the ban on advertisers' use of fingerprinting, almost immediately raising concerns at the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which described the reversal as 'irresponsible'.

Awkwardly for Google, new developments come just one month after the ICO published its 2026 guidance, where it reiterated that tracking a person's digital activity across different websites to build a behavioural profile will continue to require users' explicit consent.

How can a VPN help?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A virtual private network (VPN) gives you control back over these issues, as it spoofs users' IP addresses to minimise tracking — routing your traffic through remote servers and fooling websites you visit into thinking you’re somewhere else.

Leading providers, including NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN, offer services such as ThreatProtection, CleanWeb and NetShield, which provide both shared and dedicated, static IP addresses, as well as blocking trackers, reducing cookie pop-ups and using alternative IDs, making IP-based identification harder.

A handful of secure free VPNs, including ProtonVPN Free, Windscribe Free, and Privado VPN Free, are also worth the game. However, these solutions usually have limitations, often a limited number of servers, which can slow down connection speeds and cause traffic congestion.

In recent years, some top VPNs have also integrated anti-fingerprinting technologies. Windscribe, for example, has added such a feature on its Chrome and Edge browser extensions, while Mullvad VPN developed the Mullvad browser with fingerprinting resistance.

Finally, using a privacy-first browser like Mozilla Firefox, which incorporates an ad-blocker, free proxy, and fingerprinting protections, will help minimise IP-tracking for ad personalisation, making unpleasant ads a distant memory.

For thirty years, the hardest part of a sophisticated cyberattack was the human labor behind it. Finding the vulnerability. Writing the exploit. Chaining the access. Staying quiet long enough to matter.

That work required teams, time, and tradecraft. It’s the reason nation-state operations looked different from criminal ones, and why most organizations could plan around the gap between them.

That gap is closing.

We are entering what I think of as the Mythos era, in which machines can do in minutes what used to take skilled human operators months. Cybersecurity defenses are improving, but the layer where final decisions are made, the human one, is now the easiest to exploit.

The advantage that protected most organizations, most of the time, is going with it. Precision at scale is no longer a contradiction. It’s a feature.

The Human Stack: what it is and why it matters

Most of the conversation about this shift has focused on what these systems do to vulnerabilities. That conversation is accurate, but incomplete. The harder problem is what machine-speed attacks do to the systems those vulnerabilities ultimately route through: systems that depend on human decisions.

That’s a layer most security programs don’t explicitly own. I call it the Human Stack, the point where every system finally comes down to a person deciding whether a wire transfer goes through, whether an email is trusted, or whether a voice on a phone call is real. We have spent a generation hardening everything above it, and almost nothing on the layer itself.

For most of cybersecurity's history, that was a tolerable bet. Attackers had to choose between going wide and crude, or narrow and precise. The Human Stack held because precision didn’t scale, and scale didn’t achieve precision.

That tradeoff is gone.

What the next wave of attacks looks like

The next wave won’t arrive as malware. It’ll arrive as evidence. A voicemail that sounds exactly like the person it claims to be. A video call with a face you have known for ten years. An email thread that picks up a conversation you actually had, in the cadence you actually use, referencing a project that actually exists. The technical indicators will be clean, and the social indicators will be perfect. The only thing that will be wrong is the conclusion the human is being led to.

Last year, I spent time with the team behind Midnight in the War Room, a documentary premiering August 5 at Black Hat USA. It brings together over 50 experts, from global CISOs and military strategists to reformed hackers and victims of cyber conflict. The conversations were about something that has been happening for a long time and is about to be accelerated: the industrialization of social engineering, and the steady weaponization of the behavioral attack surface.

That surface doesn't stop at your perimeter. It extends through every vendor, managed service provider, and cloud services administrator your business depends on. Your operations going offline may have nothing to do with your own people, and everything to do with someone three vendors deep making a decision under synthetic pressure.

What this means for enterprises

For businesses, this isn’t theoretical. Financial risk is direct. We're already seeing fraudulent wire transfers, manipulated approval chains, and finance chiefs impersonated so convincingly that payments clear before anyone notices.

Operational disruption can come with no malware on your systems. The behavioral attack surface doesn't stop at your perimeter. It extends through every vendor, managed service provider, law firm, auditor, and cloud administrator your business depends on.

A compromised third party, manipulated through a perfectly constructed social engineering campaign, can take your operations offline without leaving a fingerprint anywhere near your network. Most organizations scrutinize their own security posture far more rigorously than the human decision-making environments of the third parties they rely on, leaving that exposure largely unmanaged.

Regulators and insurers are starting to ask harder questions about that exposure, and most organizations don't yet have good answers.

The shift from prevention to resilience

There's a second shift that boards need to start preparing for, and it's bigger than any single control or technology. We're leaving the era in which security success is measured by attacks prevented. We're entering one in which the realistic measure is how quickly an organization recovers when belief fails.

Prevention still matters, and the investments organizations have made in it have been the right ones. But in a world where attacks will sometimes succeed because they're indistinguishable from legitimate activity, prevention alone is no longer a coherent strategy. Resilience is.

What resilience means at the human layer is different from what it means at the technical one. Technical resilience is about systems that fail gracefully and recover quickly. Human resilience is about decision-making environments that can absorb a successful deception, recognize it, and contain it before it compounds. Most organizations have invested in the first. Very few have invested in the second. That's the gap the next decade will judge us on.

What leaders should do

The security stack remains necessary, but this era exposes that even the best systems hand their hardest decisions to humans, and we haven't invested in that layer with the same rigor. Here’s where to start:

Measure recovery, not just prevention

When belief fails, how fast can your organization catch it, contain it, and get back up? That has to be designed into your operating model now, not figured out after an incident.

Design for decision-making under deception

Training people to spot phishing isn't sufficient when the phishing email is indistinguishable from a real one. Build institutional processes that don't rely on a single person making the right call under pressure.

Treat people as operational infrastructure.

Human judgment is a critical system. It needs redundancy and failure protocols, just like any other.

Extend your security culture to your vendor ecosystem

The behavioral attack surface runs through your entire supply chain. Your third-party risk program needs to account for the human layer, not just the technical one.

The window is closing

Midnight in the War Room will make this visible in a way an op-ed cannot.

The Mythos era did not create this problem. It revealed it. The cost of exploiting human decision-making precisely was high enough to keep most attackers out. That barrier is collapsing now.

What comes next will not announce itself. It’ll arrive looking like someone you trust, asking for something that feels completely reasonable, right up until the moment it isn't.

The question is no longer whether your systems can withstand attack. It's whether your people are prepared to make decisions in a world where the evidence itself can no longer be trusted, and whether your organization is built to recover when those decisions go wrong.

We've reviewed and ranked the best cloud antivirus.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

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, July 5 (game #1623).

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 #1624) — 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 #1624) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1624) — 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 #1624) — 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 2.

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 #1624) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• S

• P

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1624) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1624, are…

• TRAWL
• SPICE
• PIANO
• SHARK

This game worked out very well for me, although that was largely due to a quartet of pretty straightforward words.

TRAWL was my only moment of doubt but felt right as I slowly tapped the letters out.

Daily Sequence today (game #1624) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1624, are…

• BLEAK
• COVET
• GREED
• DROOP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE

OXS Storm A2: Two-minute review

The OXS Storm A2 is a wireless gaming headset with support for multiple platforms, including the PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and mobile.

It has a basic design that verges on anodyne, especially in its dark grey colorway. The X-shaped indents on the sides of the drivers do little to add interest, instead making it look dated.

Thankfully, the headband is far more sleek, and overall it’s much less bulky than many of its rivals. It’s also pleasingly light, and the drivers fold away neatly, making the Storm A2 one of the best PC gaming headsets for portability.

The quality of the materials is also quite good, with most feeling smooth and solid. The padding on the earcups and headband also appear strongly attached.

This padding is reasonably plush and comfortable, too. The headband is more comfortable than many others I’ve experienced, although it’s not quite plush enough to prevent fatigue after long sessions.

The same charge can be leveled at the earcup padding. It’s reasonably soft, but it’s not thick enough to prevent the insides of the drivers from pressing into my ears, which causes aches after a while. However, these aches are quite minor, and I’ve certainly tested more uncomfortable headsets than this.

More impressive is the sound of the Storm A2. There’s plenty of crispness and balance to all frequencies, which makes it a great headset for both gaming and listening to music.

(Image credit: Future)

The surround sound feature is also a must in my opinion: not only does it create a more immersive sense of space, but it adds a much-needed low-end fullness as well.

The ANC function is quite rudimentary, seeming merely to reduce the bass frequencies of ambient sound rather than masking it entirely. This is effective to an extent, but it certainly doesn’t rival the ANC of the best headphones.

It’s also a shame that there’s no software to tweak the sound of the Storm A2 further. This means that you won’t be alerted to firmware updates, either — if any at all were to appear for the Storm A2.

The mic quality is poor, mired as it is by crackling and a low resolution. What’s more, there were times when it seemed to stop working altogether until I powered the headset on again.

Connectivity is mostly good, although Bluetooth pairing can take a little longer than is typical. At least hot-switching between devices is quick and easy.

The battery life of the Storm A2 is also quite good, seeming to live up to OXS’ claim of 70 hours. You can also charge and use the headset at the same time, although the included USB cable is a bit too short to make this practical for many setups.

At just over $100, the Storm A2 represents good value considering its multiple connectivity modes and platform support, as well as its ANC and surround sound modes. Its lack of software and long-term comfort mar its appeal slightly, but if you’re looking for great sound without spending ungodly amounts, you could do worse than the Storm A2.

OXS Storm A2 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $129.99 / £129.99 / AU$169
• Available now in black and white colorways
• Decent price for an ANC wireless gaming headset

The OXS Storm A2 costs $129.99 / £129.99 / AU$169 and is available now in two colorways: black and white. It comes with a USB cable, a 2.4GHz USB dongle (with Type-A and Type-C connections), a detachable microphone, and a leather pouch for storing the headset.

This is a reasonable price for a wireless headset with multiple connectivity modes and ANC. The absence of companion software for further customizations tweaks does put a slight dent in its appeal, though.

For those on an even tighter budget, there’s the OXS Storm G2. This is a much bulkier wireless headset, but it’s still quite light and reasonably comfortable, although the sound is inferior.

For a more premium experience with a host of tweaks at your disposal, consider the Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720. Aside from all the customizations available via its software and onboard controls, this headset also has the heaviest bass I’ve ever experienced, which can be great when you’re in the mood for it.

OXS Storm A2 review: Specs

OXS Storm A2

Price

$129.99 / £129.99 / AU$169

Weight

10.3oz / 293g

Drivers

40mm full-range Dynamic Drivers

Compatibility

PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Mobile

Connection type

Wireless (2.4Ghz via dongle, Bluetooth 5.4), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

Up to 70 hours, play-while-charging function

Features

5-mic ENC detachable gooseneck mic, ANC, Passthrough, OXS Xspace 7.1 spatial algorithm

Software

None

(Image credit: Future)OXS Storm A2 review: Design and features

• Impressive build quality
• Light and very portable
• Uncomfortable for long sessions

In terms of aesthetics, the Storm A2 isn’t particularly noteworthy. The grey colorway of my review unit was a little dour, while the X-shaped indents on the sides of the drivers look a little dated.

There are some nice touches to its design, though. It’s a lot more sleek in its white colorway, and the minimalist design of the headband, which neatly hides the adjustment mechanism, is rather fetching. This mechanism can be a little difficult to slide, but it's not too onerous, and once set in place, it stays put.

The Storm A2 is uncluttered in terms of its controls, too. There are no fancy dials here, just four buttons: three on the left driver for volume and power, and a button on the right for toggling ANC, Passthrough, and surround sound functions. All buttons are quite small, but they’re easy to locate by touch and press while wearing the headset.

Build quality is also quite good. The various materials feel smooth and premium, and the joins are solid. The fabric padding of the earcups and headband is neatly and strongly attached, too.

(Image credit: Future)

The microphone is also well made. It has a gooseneck design, which means it can be bent into any shape you like. It’s easy to bend yet stable once in place, although there are certain positions that it refuses to adopt. It’s also relatively short, which does limit its versatility; you’ll struggle to get it dead in front of your mouth, for instance.

The whole headset is very light with a slender profile. You really could wear it out and about, while the agile folding design makes it easy to pack away into a bag.

This lightness helps with comfort, too, as the Storm A2 doesn’t weigh your head down. Its fit is quite snug and stable, while the earcups and headband are sufficiently padded to provide short-term comfort.

For long sessions, though, the thinness of the padding in these areas can cause minor aching. And in the case of the drivers, the thin padding failed to prevent the insides of the drivers from pressing against my ears, making the Storm A2 feel more like an on-ear rather than over-ear headset.

There’s no companion software or app for the Storm A2, which is a shame. Many other gaming headsets feature this, allowing you to adjust certain settings and tweak the sound. Such software usually delivers firmware updates as well, which makes its absence here even more concerning.

(Image credit: Future)OXS Storm A2 review: Performance

• Surprisingly crisp and clear audio
• Lacks the immersion of fully enclosed headsets
• Poor mic quality

The Storm A2 offers impressive audio. All frequencies are clear and balanced, while the bass is full and punchy without being overbearing or causing distortion. This makes the Storm A2 great for gaming, listening to music, and watching movies.

Audio effects and atmospheric sounds in Resident Evil Requiem, for instance, came through clearly, while the surround sound feature helped to impart a greater sense of space. It also made the overall sound noticeably fuller, adding far more low-end, so I always had this mode enabled. When I played Counter-Strike 2, gunshots were rendered with plenty of punch, while reloads were crisp and the direction of footsteps was easy to discern.

However, since the drivers don’t enclose your ears as much as other headsets, owing to that aforementioned thin padding, audio is less immersive than it otherwise would be, as if sound is leaking out of them a little.

There’s a slight background hiss at all times as well, regardless of whether I had ANC enabled or not. This was most noticeable when playing on the PS5, but it was also present on the Switch 2. Fortunately, this isn’t game-ruining since it’s easily masked by in-game audio most of the time, and I didn’t notice it at all when connected to my Android phone via Bluetooth.

(Image credit: Future)

The ANC feature does a reasonable job of negating outside sound, although it seems to merely cut the lower frequencies of ambient sound. More sophisticated ANC technology that's included in premium headsets and headphones does a better job of masking all kinds of frequencies and sounds from the listener’s environment. The Passthough function fares better, allowing outside sound to come through clearly.

Perhaps the worst aspect of the Storm A2, though, is its mic. The quality is poor, with audible crackles and a low resolution. Also, it failed to even register on my PC as an input on one occasion, while the toggle for turning the mic on and off (achieved by double-tapping the power button) seemed to stop working. Thankfully, a simple restart of the headset seemed to fix these issues, but they’re concerning nonetheless.

I didn’t have any connectivity issues with the Storm A2, though. In addition to my PC, it connected to my PS5 with the same ease as the best PS5 gaming headsets. Pairing with my Android phone and Switch 2 took a little longer than is typical for Bluetooth headsets and headphones, but not long enough to be a problem.

Hotswitching between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections was also quick and easy, merely requiring the holding of the ANC button for a second to cycle between them. You can also connect to devices over USB, which also charges the Storm A2 at the same time, something that can prove very useful. The included USB cable is quite short, though, so you’ll need your device close by. What’s more, neither ANC nor surround sound works with a wired connection.

OXS claims that the Storm A2 has a battery life of 70 hours. Based on my testing, I’m inclined to believe this figure, since I managed to use it for several days straight without charging.

Should I buy the OXS Storm A2?Buy it if…

You want versatile connectivity
Multiple connectivity options allow you to connect to numerous platforms, while hotswitching between them is quick and easy.

You want clear sound
Whether you’re gaming, listening to music, or watching videos, the Storm A2 is clear and full, especially with surround sound enabled.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best mic
The mic on the Storm A2 is perhaps its greatest weakness, sounding low res and sometimes failing to function correctly.

You want to customize the sound
Aside from ANC and surround sound, there aren’t any adjustments for the audio, since there’s no accompanying software.

OXS Storm A2 review: Also consider

If you don’t like the sound of the OXS Storm A2, try these alternatives instead:

OXS Storm A2

OXS Storm G2

Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720

Price

$129.99 / £129.99 / AU$169

$79 / £62 (about AU$123)

$269.99 / £229.99 / AU$449.99

Weight

10.3oz / 293g

9.9oz / 282g

0.78lbs / 354g

Drivers

40mm full-range Dynamic Drivers

50mm full-range dynamic drivers

40mm

Compatibility

PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Mobile

PlayStation, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS

Connection type

Wireless (2.4Ghz, Bluetooth 5.4), Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-A),

Bluetooth, Wired (USB-C, 3.5mm AUX), 2.4GHz wireless (USB-A dongle)

Battery life

70 hours

40 hours

48 hours

Features

5-mic ENC detachable gooseneck mic, ANC, Passthrough, OXS Xspace 7.1 spatial algorithm

Three EQ modes, detachable mic

THX Spatial Audio, Crusher bass enhancement, eight-band EQ, 4 sound presets, Sidetone mode, plug-in mic

Software

None

None

Skull-HQ (PC), Skullcandy mobile app (Android and iOS)

OXS Storm G2
An even more affordable wireless headset, the G2 is a lot larger than the Storm A2, but it still manages to keep the weight down. It doesn’t sound as good, either, but it still offers an enjoyable sonic experience.

Read our full OXS Storm G2 review.

Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720
This is a lot more expensive than the Storm A2, but it has a lot more features, better levels of comfort, and a bass response that’s stronger than any headset I’ve experienced before. It’s certainly a lot bulkier than the Storm A2, and its open-backed design means people around you will hear everything you’re doing.

Read our full Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 review.

How I tested the OXS Storm A2

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several weeks
• Used for gaming and other tasks
• Extensive gaming and audio experience

I tested the Storm A2 for several weeks, during which time I used it for gaming, watching streams, and listening to music. I used all of its features, too.

I connected it to my PS5 via the 2.4GHz dongle and to my Android phone via Bluetooth. For the Switch 2, I used a mixture of both these connections, and I connected to my PC via the dongle and via the USB cable. I played a variety of games, including Counter-Strike 2 on PC, Resident Evil Requiem on PS5, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder on Switch 2.

I’ve been gaming for decades, and have used multiple headsets with multiple platforms during that time. I’ve also delved into the world of audio production, so I have experience with monitor and hi-fi headphones. I’ve reviewed other gaming headsets before, including another OXS model, the Storm G2.

• First reviewed: June 2026
• Read more about how we test

Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: 30-second review

The Tenda BE5010 i36 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 ceiling access point built for business environments. It supports speeds of up to 5010Mbps across 2.4GHz and 5GHz. A 2.5GbE PoE+ uplink removes the bottleneck that limits most budget ceiling APs. And the price sits well below what you would normally pay for hardware at this specification level.

Tenda has been making network equipment since 1999. The i36 is not an adapted home product. It is purpose-built infrastructure hardware that powers up via PoE, mounts cleanly to a ceiling or wall, and feeds into the Tenda CloudFi management ecosystem.

The feature list covers all the expected ground for a business-grade AP. Fast roaming, WPA3, VLAN tagging per SSID, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, beamforming, and load balancing are all present. Up to 256 clients can associate, with 100 recommended. That recommended figure is a point worth noting. Most vendors only publish the maximum, as producing a realistic number is something most in the networking industry avoid like the plague.

The one critical thing missing is a 6GHz radio. The i36 is dual-band. That means no access to the wide, uncongested channels that the upper tier of Wi-Fi 7 makes possible. In most deployment scenarios, that will not matter. In very dense, high-demand environments, it might.

In terms of features and management, this might not be the best Access Point available, but for those working with a tight budget, it might be sufficient.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $109.99/ £105.99/€107.99
• When is it out? It is available now
• Where can you get it? You can get it directly from online retailers like Amazon

At around $109.99 in the US via Amazon, the i36 represents some competitive spirit. Comparable dual-band Wi-Fi 7 ceiling APs from TP-Link and Ubiquiti regularly cost two or three times as much. In several cases, those rival units offer only marginal advantages in spec.

The pricing even undercuts some mature Wi-Fi 6 ceiling APs still on the market. That naturally raises questions about build quality and ecosystem depth.

The UK price is £105.99 on Amazon, and from the same source, it can be found across Europe for €107.99.

Tenda does sell via AliExpress, but at the time of writing this model isn’t available from that location.

As a PoE injector that delivers 802.3at power is included in the box, buyers don’t need a PoE switch or injector in addition to this AP. The i36 draws up to 17.4W. That sits well within the 30W ceiling of 802.3at, so any standard PoE+ switch is sufficient, and most businesses should have one by now.

Looking at the opposition, most have ceiling Access Points that are cheaper, but they’re invariably Wi-Fi 6, not Wi-Fi 7. Once you add the number 7, things become notably more expensive.

The TP-Link EAP772, for example, does have the 6GHz band, but it is $169.99/£151.92, and it doesn’t come with a PoE injector, so extra expense may be hidden.

Even more expensive is the Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro, which is close to $190 in the US, and it doesn’t have a power adapter either.

And, the most expensive model I found was the EnGenius ECW510, which has roughly the same specs as the BE5010, but the asking price is $217.98.

Probably the best-value alternative is the Zyxel Wi-Fi 7 BE5100 Access Point, which sells for $77.59, but the power supply is not included. And from what I understand, it supports Mesh.

But in the grand scheme of things, the Tenda BE5010 i36 offers exceptional value.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Value score: 4.5/5

Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: Specs

Feature

Spec

Model:

i36 Ceiling Access Point

2.4GHz:

2x2 up to 688 Mbps (20/40MHz)

5GHz:

2x3 up to 4323Mbps(20/40/80/160Hz)

6GHz:

N/A

Max Clients:

256

Recommended Clients:

100

SSIDs:

8

Ports:

1x 100/1000/2500Mbps PoE+ Ethernet; 1x 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet 1 x Reset button

Mesh:

No

MLO

Yes

AFC

No (no 6GHz)

Wired Link Aggregation

No

CPU:

Unknown

Memory:

Unknown

Storage:

Unknown

USB Ports:

No

Modes:

Access Point, Client + AP

Firmware:

V1.0.0.3(4327)

Dimensions:

250.6 mm diameter x 55 mm

Weight:

640g

Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: Design

• Saucer
• Dual LAN ports
• PSU included

The i36 is a circular white disc that appears to have modelled itself on the saucer section of an original series Star Trek ship. I’m not sure if this is trying to draw attention to itself or not, but if it is, that’s exactly not what you want from a ceiling AP.

At 250.6mm across and just 55mm deep, it’s quite large as these devices go, but it should work in the majority of office settings with white paintwork or ceiling tiles.

Tenda includes mounting hardware for both ceiling and wall installation. The disc clicks onto a base plate that screws directly to the surface. Cable entry is through the edge of the mount, and there are three standoffs included that should provide sufficient ventilation for the AP in use. The installation is clean, assuming a LAN cable run is already in place.

The port arrangement is better than most, where a single PoE LAN is offered. A 2.5GbE port handles both incoming PoE power and uplink network traffic. The secondary gigabit port adds flexibility. A thin client, display controller, or IP phone can sit alongside the AP and plug into that second port without needing a separate drop. It is a small detail that competing units at this price often omit. It’s a shame that the second port wasn’t also 2.5GbE, allowing for these to be chained from a single LAN cable, but having the second port is incredibly useful.

Included in the box with the AP is a PSU, and thankfully, Tenda avoided the classic mistake of making a directly connected power supply that requires a local power outlet. The PSU provided comes with a PoE Ethernet injector, enabling power to be supplied at the server end of the cable, where power is likely to be easily accessible.

In my testing, I didn’t use this, since it was made for an American power outlet, but hopefully, for those buying this device outside the USA, regionally compliant versions are included.

The design of this AP is simple yet functional, and that’s mostly what IT people want from them.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Design score: 4/5

Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: In use

• Basic router
• Limited controls

There are three ways to configure the i36. A local web interface is available at 10.16.16.169 or 192.168.0.254. The Tenda CloudFi mobile app covers most day-to-day management tasks. And the full CloudFi cloud platform handles multi-site deployments and fleet management.

For a single AP installation, the local web interface is perfectly adequate. For a school, hotel, or office campus running multiple units, the cloud platform and app become genuinely useful tools. That flexibility across deployment scales is a strength of the platform.

Tenda describes three steps to get a standalone unit running: set the working mode, configure the wireless network, and congratulate yourself on a job well done. The interface and feature set provide a straightforward onboarding process that only requires you to provide an 8-character password with no restrictions for special characters.

The management feature set goes a little beyond the basics. However, it can isolate clients using VLAN tagging, and also isolate the SSID. There are eight possible SSIDs, so you can put Guests on a different one from standard users, and isolate admin functions to another.

AP isolation, client access control, and RSSI threshold controls let you shape the wireless environment precisely. Weak signal client steering actively moves poorly connected clients to a stronger access point, or it will if you have multiple APs and are using the CloudFi functionality to administer them.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Fast roaming via 802.11k/v/r is supported throughout, although the word ‘Mesh’ is never mentioned in this context. In any environment where users move between access points, a clean handoff matters. Hotels, school corridors, and warehouse floors all benefit from this, though this function isn’t Mesh, which the hardware doesn’t support.

The other word that isn’t used is VPN, as there are no automated connections where VPN tunnels can be established via the AP.

Compared to the management tools provided by others, specifically TPLink Omada and UniFi, this is Cloud management with a very light touch. While it is possible to have multiple projects for different locations and administer them centrally, there are limits to what can be done with this tool. There is a mobile app version with the same functionality, but it relies on you registering on the Cloud version to have an account to interface.

Perhaps there is more to CloudFi if you have other Tenda equipment, such as gateways and switches, but it’s a shadow of the Omada Cloud admin. But, on the positive side of that coin, Tenda don’t charge you to use it, or expect a local hardware controller.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• In Use: 3.5/5

Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: Performance

• 5010Mbps peak
• 2.5GbE uplink
• 160MHz channel
• No 6GHz band

And, this is true of the most expensive hardware, as much as it is with this.

On paper, the i36 is an impressive unit. The 5GHz radio tops out at 4323 Mbps using 4096-QAM modulation across a 160 MHz channel. That is a decent amount of bandwidth for a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 radio without a 6GHz band. The 2.4GHz radio contributes 688Mbps. It is useful for legacy devices and extending the range into areas where the 5GHz signal falls away. I wasn’t expecting the 6GHz band at this price, and it isn’t included.

The 2.5GbE uplink is the headline specification at this price. Most budget ceiling APs are throttled by a 1GbE uplink long before the wireless radio hits its limit. With 2.5GbE, the wired connection to the network is no longer the constraining factor. Tenda claims aggregate wired throughput of up to 2.1Gbps under optimal conditions. But, and this is a problem with most APs of this generation, if it does hit those high notes using dual-band Wi-Fi 7 clients, then it's still leaving 60% of the possible Wi-Fi performance on the table. The only way this could be fully utilised is if Wi-Fi clients are talking between themselves, and not using the uplink.

To better explain my thinking here, let’s talk about that 4323Mbps 5GHz figure. It assumes a Wi-Fi 7 client capable of 160MHz channel operation and 4096-QAM encoding. Most current smartphones do not meet both of those requirements, and actually, relatively few laptops do either. A mixed environment of Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 7 clients will produce substantially lower aggregate throughput.

That is true of every access point in this generation and should be factored in when reading any peak specification figure. Just because this router can theoretically operate at those speeds doesn’t mean it will be doing so regularly, if ever.

Connecting with a laptop that had a Wi-Fi 6E adapter to my 1GbE PoE network, I managed a connection bandwidth of 2.4Gbits, but due to the LAN limitations, the fastest file transfer was about 85MB/s. Using a Comfast Wi-Fi 7 adapter, I managed a 2.8 Gbit link, but less performance on the file transfer. With a 2.5GbE backhaul and a better Wi-Fi 7 adapter, 200 MB/s might be possible, but that is when there is only me using the AP.

Without a 10GbE backhaul or 6GHz band and given the variability of Wi-Fi 7 technology, these are realistically the results most access points will deliver currently.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point: Final verdict

The Tenda BE5010 i36 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 ceiling access point that punches far above its price. It brings 5010Mbps of wireless speed, a 2.5GbE uplink, WPA3 security, and a capable cloud management platform to a category that typically charges far more for these features.

The absence of a 6GHz band is a real limitation for those who need it. For everyone else, this is a compelling piece of kit at a price that is hard to argue with.

(Image credit: Tenda)Should I buy a Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point?Tenda BE5010 i36 Access Point Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

For Wi-Fi 7, this is a bargain

4.5/5

Design

Simple but effective saucer design

4/5

In Use

Cloud connector or not, its your choice

3.5/5

Performance

2.5GbE LAN backhaul is the limiting factor

4/5

Overall

Excellent 5G travel router with a few caveats

4/5

Buy it if...

You need cheap equipment
Given that most of the alternatives are at least 50% more, and don’t come with a PoE injector, this hardware is undoubtedly a cost benefit. However, the CloudFi system isn’t as powerful as a TP-Link or UniFi system, so it may take more time to administer.

Don't buy it if...

You want all Wi-Fi 7 offers
Without the 6GHz band, Wi-Fi 7 isn’t much faster than Wi-Fi 6e, and equipment at that level is even cheaper than this. It does have some other virtues that make it worth considering, but the unused frequencies of 6GHz make it special. This AP doesn’t support 6GHz.

You want a Mesh solution
This hardware doesn’t support Mesh, even if it does have fast roaming via 802.11k/v/r. Without Mesh technology, it would be difficult to integrate this into existing APs from other brands that do support Mesh technology.

For more connectivity solutions, we've reviewed the best business routers

• Japan plans to deploy 10 million additional robots before 2040 arrives
• Nursing homes and food factories sit at the centre of expansion
• Noetra will supply the AI foundation powering future Japanese robots nationwide

Japan has unveiled a revised national robotics strategy which aims to introduce around 10 million robots in the country by 2040.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa announced the plan, which now spans 18 fields after adding food manufacturing and medical care to earlier priorities.

The government intends to move quickly to establish a core AI robotics hub, supporting deployment, research, and workforce training activities across the country.

Robots move beyond the factory floor

Officials described the hub as central to helping companies adopt robots at scale over the coming years, particularly in sectors already struggling with staff shortages.

The strategy centres on Noetra, a domestically produced multimodal foundation model developed alongside a National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology project focused on physical AI.

Noetra is majority-owned by SoftBank, NEC, Sony Group and Honda, while Fujitsu and Rakuten are reportedly still weighing whether to join the consortium.

Akazawa said accumulated data from elderly care, disaster response, manufacturing sites and the Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning effort underpins the government's confidence in the approach.

"The utilization of accumulated data" would become Japan's "winning strategy," he said, framing global competition as a contest over accessible datasets rather than raw computing power alone.

The government plans to build data infrastructure for physical AI and robots that reflects the country's own industrial strengths.

It will lean on decades of experience operating machinery in hazardous or labour-scarce environments nationwide.

International partnerships and regional ambitions

Officials have confirmed a collaborative arrangement with research institutions in the US, Canada, France and the UK to support development of the base model.

The resulting technology will reportedly be made available widely to Japanese AI developers, businesses and eventual users across multiple industries and regions.

According to officials briefed on the plan, some companies are expected to use the platform as a foundation for expanding into foreign markets in later years.

The minister also linked the strategy to broader efforts encouraging AI-driven transformation originating from regional areas outside Japan's major metropolitan centres, rather than concentrating growth in Tokyo alone.

Japan's ageing population and restrictive migration policies continue creating labour shortages across industries struggling to recruit sufficient numbers of workers.

Policymakers increasingly view automation as a practical response because many vacancies remain difficult to fill through conventional hiring efforts alone.

Supporters frequently argue that robots are filling roles unavailable to human workers rather than directly replacing existing employees across industries.

The revised strategy therefore includes medical care responsibilities alongside duties within food production and beverage manufacturing environments across the country.

South Korea announced a comparable robotics ambition this week, adding a competitive dimension to the wider regional picture as both countries pursue sovereign AI capabilities.

Whether those ambitions become reality may depend less upon announcements than sustained investment, technical progress, and broader public acceptance domestically.

Via The Register

The Samsung S95F was our TV of the Year last year, thanks to its excellent picture quality, effectiveness in a bright room and superb gaming capabilities. It edged out the LG G5, the S95F’s flagship rival, for the honors — but needless to say, both these models were top-tier performers and contenders for our list of the best TVs. So I've been relishing testing their successors side by side.

I’ve already tested and reviewed the LG G6, the G5’s successor, and it earned five-stars in my LG G6 review. It’s one of the best OLED TVs I’ve tested this year, especially for bright room viewing (more on that later).

Now, the S95F’s successor — which is called the Samsung S95H in the US, and the S99H in the UK (and there is a separate model called the S95H in the UK, which is different to the US' S95H. Clear? Great…) has arrived in our test room, so I put the S95H/S99H and G6 side-by-side to see which flagship OLED comes out on top.

Colors

Both the Samsung S95H/S99H (left) and LG G6 (right) showcase bold colors, but the S99H made reds in Speed Racer look orange in places, shown in the floors and shelving, while the G6 showed red (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

Color reproduction on both these TV’s predecessors has been superb in the past, so I was keen to see how the two new models would fare. I started with Speed Racer on 4K Blu-ray, which I recently reviewed as part of the June 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, and boy, does it have some impressive colors.

With both TVs set to their respective HDR Movie modes (called Cinema Home on the G6) colors are bold, punchy and vibrant on both TVs, perfectly delivering the hyper-saturated, cartoon-esque look of the movie.

Colors practically exploded on screen on both TVs. Looking closer, the G6 has deeper, richer colors which add a more 3D-like effect to the picture, while the S95H/S99H’s are on the more natural side. Blues, greens, purples and yellows appear more true-to-life on the S95H/S99H, while the G6 opts for dazzle.

One thing I found very interesting however was how each TV rendered red. In some scenes, I noticed that the S95H/S99H made these red details look more orange, while on the G6 they had a much more candy-apple red look that felt more accurate to the movie. This was clear in a scene with the red shelves, walls and floors of the Racer family garage, shown above.

The S95H/S99H (left) has higher fullscreen brightness, but the G6 (right) has punchier peak brightness and bolder colors (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

In the close-up shot of Speed Racer during a race shown above, the red of his seat and the M logo on his helmet was deeper and bolder on the G6, looking a little pale on the S95H/S99H. For any red tones, I preferred the G6’s saturation: for this movie at least, in these modes.

For the record, in terms of measurements, the S95H/S99H scored 2.2 SDR color accuracy and 99.97% UHDA-P3 and 89.3% BT.2020 HDR color gamut coverage, to the G6’s 2.3 SDR color accuracy, 99.3% UHDA-P3 and 83% BT.2020 color gamut coverage (measured after its most recent update as of July 3rd 2026). So, these two generally measured about the same in these major areas.

When it came to skin tones, I found myself drawn to the S95H/S99H. The G6 clearly favoured red in Cinema Home, hence the deeper reds in objects. To some, the skin tones of characters on the S95H/S99H may have looked a little washed out, but I found the highlighting red tones in people’s faces, such as their cheeks, during close-up shots to be a little distracting.

The S99H (left) has more accurate skin tones, with the G6 (right) favoring red shades in skin tones Lionsgate / Future Both TVs show great color reproduction in La La Land, but the S99H's (left) feel more natural Lionsgate / Future Both TVs do a great job rednering the gradation of the sky in La La LandLionsgate / Future

Switching to La La Land, with both TVs in Movie mode, the more natural colors worked in the S95H/S99H’s favour. At the spring pool party, Mia’s yellow dress was vibrant on both screens with some gorgeous visual pop, but the yellow looked more authentic on the S95H/S99H. In the background, the green bushes were deeper on the G6, which gave them a nice, rich look, but again I felt the softer green of the S95H/S99H suited the movie better.

Later on, a close-up shot of Mia, the G6 again showed off the red tones in her skin, while on the S95H/S99H, her skin tone was uniform, more lifelike. In the ‘City of Stars’ scene, as Sebastian walks along a pier at sunset, both TVs accurately delivered the gradation of the sky, which goes from purple, to orange, to pink, accurately and while the G6 again had that richer look, the S95H/S99H had a bit more punch in the paler tones.

Contrast and dark room viewing

With both TVs set to Movie mode (Cinema Home on the G6), both can easily show a dark movie like The Batman in brightly lit conditions and still have good contrast (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

Moving onto darker movies, I started with The Batman, my reference disc for darker scenes. The Batman is a very dim movie (mastered at a max of around 400 nits) so it can be tricky for any TV to accurately display.

As both TVs have effective reflection handling layers (more on that below), I tried out the movie in Filmmaker Mode in a brightly lit room — and of the two, the G6 better preserved richer black tones with crisper textures and contrast. The S95H/S99H was much dimmer, and although the matte screen blocked mirror-like reflections, the movie was harder to watch.

Switching to Movie mode on both TVs, it then became a much closer call. Watching the subway scene, as Batman stands on a dark subway platform, both TVs delivered strong black levels with good shadow detail. The S95H/S99H had the more uniform picture of the two overall in Movie mode.

With both TVs set to Filmmaker Mode, the S95H/S99H (left) shows deeper blacks and more dynamic contrast, but sometimes can crush said blacks. The G6 (right) preserves better detail, but is a little bright (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

Switching to darker viewing conditions, and switching back to Filmmaker Mode, the differences between each TV was much more apparent. While both TVs still delivered strong contrast, shown in scenes with bright lights against dark backgrounds such as the Batcave and the crime scene at Mayor Mitchell’s house, the S95H/S99H actually delivered noticeably deeper blacks.

In some cases they were too deep, as it did exhibit some black crush, which resulted in loss of shadow detail. In the same subway scene from before, the background became mostly ineligible on the S95H/S99H. On the G6, these same details were preserved, but the picture was much brighter and the darker areas on screen weren’t as satisfying. Despite the black crush, I found myself drawn to the S95H/S99H’s more uniform picture.

With both TVs in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 (right) does a better job showing this scene from Fight Club in a bright room20th Century Studios / Future With both TVs set to Movie mode, it becomes a much closer call20th Century Studios / Future

Next I switched to ‘brighter’ movies with dark scenes, and went back to having brighter conditions in the room. In Fight Club, back in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 had the more impactful contrast and richer black tones.

As Marla and the narrator talk in a dimly-lit shop, the S95H/S99H’s matte screen created a haze effect across the screen, affecting some dark tones and made textures look a little softer. The G6’s glossy screen had crisper textures and deeper blacks with more impactful contrast. But switch to Movie mode and, again, it was a toss up as to which looked better.

Using a scene from space in Alien: Romulus in Movies modes, both TVs delivered rich black tones with a good amount of white stars dotted throughout, something some cheaper TVs I’ve tested can’t reproduce as cleanly. Again, in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 was the more engaging picture with the inky blacks, but the S95H/S99H did a better job handling reflections on this occasion, while still delivering powerful contrast. So let's dig more into reflections and visual punch.

Brightness and reflections

Both TVs deliver bright, brilliant whites with excellent, controlled brightness. A note: the S95H/S99H does not have this red tint in person, it is the matte screen being picked up the camera awkwardly (Image credit: Future)

OLED TVs are getting brighter. Once struggling to hit over 1,000 nits HDR peak some years ago, this is easily surpassed now, on both flagship and mid-range models.

I measured the S95H/S99H as hitting 2,739 nits HDR peak brightness (10% window) in Filmmaker Mode, as well as 449 nits of fullscreen HDR (100% window). In HDR movie mode, the S95H/S99H hit 2,751 nits peak and 450 nits fullscreen.

The G6 in the same modes, after a re-test with a new firmware update, hit a staggering 3,004 nits peak (10%) and 451 nits fullscreen brightness in HDR Filmmaker Mode. In HDR Cinema Home, the G6 hit 2,207 nits peak and 365 nits fullscreen brightness.

How did this translate into real-world scenes? Using some snow scenes from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark, both TVs, set to Filmmaker Mode, showed punchy white tones with plenty of vibrancy, but the G6 had that little bit more depth in some areas. Generally, however, the S95H/S99H had the brighter picture in larger white areas, during a shot of a snow-covered ground or a white sky.

The S95H/S99H's (left) stronger fullscreen brightness in Movie mode is on show in this scene from Fight Club, as the blue sky looks much brighter than on the G6 (right) (Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future )

In movies, going back to Speed Racer, Speed’s white Mach 5 car and helmet appeared brighter on the S95H/S99H, especially in Movie mode, which makes sense based on the 500 nits peak HDR difference between the S95H/S99H and G6 in that mode.

However, the G6 again had that satisfying glint that drew the eye more. In daytime scenes, the S95H/S99H again showed higher overall brightness, especially in lighter colors like green and yellow. But, the G6’s richer colors sometimes gave it a perceived sense of higher brightness through its boldness.

In another scene from Fight Club, again in Movie mode, as the narrator stands over an overturned car in the day, the clear, blue sky was noticeably brighter on the S95H/S99H. The G6 still showed good brightness, but it wasn’t as impactful as the S95H/S99H.

Both TVs are very effective at reducing reflections and while the S95H/S99H (left) is better at getting rid of them totally thanks to its matte screen, the G6 (right) does a better job maintaining black tones while reducing reflections (Image credit: Future)

I’ve touched on bright-room conditions and reflection handling above, and both these TVs are impressive on this front. The S95H/S99H’s anti-glare screen does an excellent job at eliminating mirror-like reflections, turning them to a haze. While it would beat every other OLED TV in brighter rooms, the G6 is more than a match for it.

When I compared the LG G6 to last year's Samsung S95F for their reflection handling, I preferred the G6, as it did a better job delivering inkier, richer black tones while still eliminating most reflections.

The S95H/S99H is brighter than the S95F, and while this does mean its overall picture quality next to the G6 is improved, delivering more powerful contrast, I still prefer the G6 for bright rooms… in Filmmaker Mode.

In Movie mode, however, it again becomes a very tight call, edged by the G6 for me. I just preferred the preservation of contrast over the out-and-out reflection handling.

Which do I prefer?

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future )

In these tests, the LG G6 proved to have bolder colors, with better black levels and punchier highlights in brighter conditions (still with great reflection handling). The Samsung S95H/S99H showed better skin-tone accuracy, better contrast balance and black tones in dark room viewing, and higher perceived fullscreen brightness.

Deciding between these two TVs is no easy task. Both deliver outstanding picture quality, with their own strengths, and superb gaming experiences. It's never been a closer contest. So torn am I between the two, I’m saying you can’t really go wrong with either. It will come down to price and what you’re looking for — though while I've only focused on picture here, I do know that a lot of people are put off by the huge frame on the S95H/S99H, and that might make the difference.

If you want Dolby Vision HDR, bolder colors and better contrast with richer black levels in a bright room, go for the G6. If you want HDR10+, a more accurate-feeling picture out-of-the-box in a dark room, and a TV that beats the most challenging reflections, go for the S95H/S99H. Honestly, both TVs can do pretty much everything.

If I had to choose one today, it would be the LG G6. Not only does it have the better black level performance in brighter rooms, but right now, it's cheaper in the UK (where I am) and Australia, with a 55-inch G6 costing $2,299 / £2,099 / AU$3,499, while the S95H/S99H 55-inch costs $2,199 / £2,399 / AU$3,999. If I were in the US, or if the prices switch here, I could easily change my mind: it's that close.

Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2 review

The Snakebyte Ergo Grip 2 is a basic grip for the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons, although it has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Its design is very much a case of function over form. There’s no RGB lighting, and the all-black colorway leaves no room for levity. At least it's simple and unfussy, consisting merely of a central bar and two grip handles on either side. These handles are reasonably long but quite thin compared to more traditional controllers.

(Image credit: Future)

The build quality isn’t particularly great, it has to be said. There’s quite a bit of flex to the whole unit, although it's solid enough and the plastic feels smooth in the hand. But it’s certainly not going to challenge the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers on this front.

There’s a small switch underneath the Ergo Grip 2 to release the central bar from the bottom of the pad, allowing it to pivot upwards and out of the way of the grip handles so you can insert the Joy-Cons. This seems a little gimmicky, and what’s more, it’s not strictly necessary: by inserting my Joy-Cons at an angle, I managed to get around the handles while the center was locked down.

I think it would’ve been simpler to engineer a solution where the handles didn’t get in the way at all, rather than have a rotating mechanism. I’m also mildly concerned about the button that locks it down. I noticed a small amount of play while it’s locked down, which could spell failure further down the line.

(Image credit: Future)

Happily, the fit for the Joy-Cons is more secure. They slot into the Ergo Grip 2 just as well as they do into the Switch 2 itself. The hold feels strong, and the handles effectively partially cover their outsides, which prevents them from being prised out easily.

In action, it’s quite comfortable. The Joy-Cons sit fairly close together, but not so close as to cause issues. However, the grip handles took me a little while to get used to. At first, I had to slide my hands upwards to reach the Joy-Cons' bumpers when playing games such as Super Mario Bros. Wonder. However, I discovered that I could slot my last two fingers into the handles’ small indents for better purchase, which helped alleviate this problem somewhat.

But there are a few more ergonomic issues with the Ergo Grip 2. The bottom parts of the grips aren’t particularly long, and what’s more, they’re completely vertical, rather than angling outwards. This meant that they didn’t sit in the palms of my hands as well as more traditional gamepads, leading to a less secure feeling of grip.

(Image credit: Future)

This verticality extends to the orientation of the Joy-Cons. They don’t angle outwards at the bottom, which is part of the reason why reaching the bumpers can be a struggle. Other grips, such as the Genki Dual Wield, create such an angle, which feels like a more natural way to use the Joy-Cons.

The Ergo Grip 2 features a USB-C port for charging while you play. There are LEDs on top to indicate charging status, although these are basic, merely lighting up red while charging and green once complete.

At 200cm, the included USB-C cable is quite long, but it's made from rubber. This contrasts with the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, including other controllers and grips, that come with braided cables for better flexibility. Thankfully, the cable is quite light, so I didn’t feel much resistance while playing, and I wasn’t worried about the cable disconnecting. However, it’s quite hard to unbunch, meaning it fails to maximize its entire length.

At less than £20, though, such shortcomings are easier to swallow. If all you’re after is a cheap way to securely hold your Joy-Con 2 controllers and want to play and charge at the same time, you could do worse than the Ergo Grip 2.

Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

The Ergo Grip 2 can be ordered from Snakebyte’s website for €19.99, which is about £17. However, we have seen it for less than this at other retailers. This is a fair price for a Joy-Con 2 grip, especially one that features charge-and-play.

However, there are Switch 2 accessories that are arguably better value for money, including others from Snakebyte. Its Starter Kit S2, for instance, includes Joy-Con 2 grips, a case, wired earbuds, joystick caps, and a screen protector — all for about the same price as the Ergo Grip 2.

Should I buy the Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2?Buy it if…

You want your Joy-Cons secured
The design of the Ergo Grip 2 means that your Joy-Cons are locked in place with nowhere to go.

You want to play and charge at the same time
Thanks to the USB-C port and cable, you can charge the Ergo Grip 2 as you play.

Don't buy it if…

You want formidable build quality
The release button for the pivot mechanism doesn’t feel particularly solid, which is a slight concern.

You want the best ergonomics
The upright nature of the Ergo Grip 2 means you don’t get the same ergonomics of typical gamepads.

Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2 review: Also consider

Genki Dual Wield Nintendo Switch 2 charging station
This accessory features two grips for two sets of Joy-Con 2s, as well as a charging station for them. The triangular shape of the grips creates a more natural playing angle for your Joy-Cons, although the completely flat surface of the grip and its small central hole hamper ergonomics somewhat. Still, for the price, the Dual Wield is a decent value.

Read our full review Genki Dual Wield Nintendo Switch 2 charging station review

How I tested the Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Ergo Grip 2 for several days. I played various games with it attached to my Joy-Cons, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I attached and detached my Joy-Cons several times to test the fit and pivot mechanism of the grip.

I’ve been gaming for decades and have used many systems and controllers in that time. I’ve also reviewed other Switch 2 grips, as well as numerous controllers for the Switch, PC, Xbox, and mobile.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: June 2026

The best Bluetooth speakers get better every year: we get improved batteries to supply even more sonic stamina, wider connectivity, and a dizzying range of designs. The market is so competitive that 'good enough' just isn't good enough to stand out any more, and that means the speakers launched and launching in 2026 are often exceptional.

The first six months of 2026 have been great for audio fans, with a range of very good portable speakers to cover pretty much every niche. There are ridiculously loud party speakers that'll annoy your neighbors, tiny portables that are perfect for podcasts, small speakers that are ideal for when you're showering and go-anywhere, play-anything portables for the great outdoors. And we've tested a ton of them with in-depth reviews.

So I've picked out the five top Bluetooth speakers we've review so far in 2026, now that we're half-way through the year. The products I've picked here aren't the only Bluetooth speakers launched in 2026 by any means — for example, there was IKEA's 10-dollar Kallsup speaker, which is so cheap you can buy stacks of them to make a musical pyramid, which we also tried. I also haven't featured stationary wireless speakers that may include Bluetooth, but tend to be more focused on Wi-Fi — we're all about the portable options here.

I've picked my top five based on our in-depth testing, their price tags and how well I think they'll fit into most people's lives.

5. Tribit Stormbox Micro 3

• List price of $64.99 / £62.99 (about AU$130)
• Released in April 2026
• Rating: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

The budget Bluetooth sector is absolutely jam-packed with affordable options, but it's hard to beat the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3: it's super-cheap even at full price, and it's frequently discounted from the launch price of $64.99 / £62.99 (about AU$130).

With 24 hours of battery life, a solid build and IP68 dust and water resistance it's a great go-anywhere speaker, and while its single 48mm driver is small, it's surprisingly punchy, with impressive bass for such a compact design. We really like the sound the Micro 3 delivers: it's a good all-rounder for music, podcasts and audiobooks.

Read our Tribit Stormbox Micro 3 review

4. Marshall Bromley 450

• List price of $799.99 / £549.99 / AU$1,079
• Available from March 31, 2026
• Rating: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

The Marshall Bromley 450 is the marginally more sensible member of the Bromley party speaker range: it's considerably cheaper than its very expensive sibling, but still puts out a whopping 400W of Class D amplification — and it can keep playing for over 40 hours, albeit not at full volume. With a list price of $799.99 / £549.00 / AU$1,079 it's still quite expensive, but you're getting a lot of bang for your buck.

In our Marshall Bromley 450 review, we praised its 360-degree audio and noted that you can pair it with a second Bromley over Auracast if 400W isn't shaking the building enough. And as someone who's carried many a Marshall amp up and down venue stairs, I love that it echoes the design of classic Marshall amps and cabinets. Like most of my favorite rock bands it's a little bit ridiculous and enormously entertaining.

Read our Marshall Bromley 450 review

3. JBL Go 5

• List price of $54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75)
• Released in April 2026
• Rating: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

JBL is one of the best-known brands in the Bluetooth speaker space, and it consistently delivers very impressive products with equally impressive prices. Last year's JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6 are firm favorites of ours, and this year JBL has updated its cute JBL Go ultraportable.

We gave this new model the full five stars in our JBL Go 5 review, calling it "the best tiny Bluetooth speaker" — while 4.8W output means it's hardly a party speaker, it delivers impressive sound from its tiny case along with attractive edge lighting and a durable, waterproof design. It's one of the best-sounding small speakers we've ever tested.

Read our JBL Go 5 review

2. Sonos Play

• List price of $299 / £299 / AU$499
• Released on March 31st, 2026
• Rating: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

So far we've been focused on Bluetooth-only speakers, but now let's turn to a portable option that can also be used in multi-room setups over Wi-Fi. Sonos is the big brand in that space, and the Sonos Play is a superb new addition to the Sonos range whether you want it to fly solo, take it on your travels, or use it as part of a wider Sonos setup.

It's a little more expensive than rivals, but the Sonos Play delivers powerful and well-rounded audio, has superb streaming support and connectivity including Hi-Res Audio over Wi-Fi, and its USB-C port can be used as an audio input: you can get an adapter that enables you to connect a turntable or other wired audio source.

It delivers up to 24 hours of battery life and sits on a good-looking charging cradle when you don't need to take it places, which means you can grab and go in an instant without unplugging.

Read our Sonos Play review

1. JBL Xtreme 5

• List price of $399.95 / £329.99 (about AU$560)
• Launched in April 2026
• Rating: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

This beast makes the JBL Go 5 look like it was made for a Lego character. The rugged, chunky and very loud JBL Xtreme 5 is a bit of a beast, delivering mesmerizing bass from its rather hefty frame. It's marginally bigger than its predecessor, but the sound is bigger too.

As we said in our review, "this is how you do an upgrade. This model has more power, more striking sound, lighting for added beauty points, and an even more durable build than last time out." It's also solidly built, reminiscent of the old Nokia phones where if you dropped them, you were more likely to break the ground than your phone.

Dustproof, waterproof and with a long-lasting battery keeping the party going for up to 28 hours, the JBL Xtreme 5 is exceptional — but if it's just a little too heavyweight for you, the 2025 JBL Charge 6 is very good too.

Read our JBL Extreme 5 review

EZVIZ EP4: one-minute review

Fitting a video doorbell or security camera is often a non-starter if you rent or live in an apartment where drilling into the walls isn’t allowed. That’s where the EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer comes in — by fitting through your front door’s existing peephole, it brings almost everything you’d get from a full video doorbell, without any damage that could upset your landlord.

The physical setup is incredibly easy and took me just 10 minutes to complete. After you’ve unscrewed the old peephole, the EP4 securely clamps onto the door without a power tool in sight.

Once it’s running, the footage captured is very clear, giving you a detailed look at anyone outside. The companion app is simple to use and intuitively designed, making it effortless to check live feeds, use the two-way talk feature, or adjust security settings.

When it comes to saving video footage, EZVIZ doesn’t lock you into a subscription plan like some rivals. While the company includes a free trial of its cloud subscription service, you aren’t forced to pay for it afterwards. If you want to skip the recurring fees, you can opt to install a local microSD card (up to 512GB) to store clips locally.

However, the EP4’s AI facial recognition has a notable quirk. Although it's smart enough to identify who is at your door, there’s currently no way to stop the app from sending you notifications when it spots someone you know — including you. Because you can’t tell the camera to ignore certain individuals, you’ll be alerted every time you walk through your own front door.

EZVIZ EP4: price and availability

• List price £229.99 (about $300 / AU$440)
• Available in the UK, but not the US or Australia
• No subscription necessary if you use a microSD card

The EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer is available in the UK for £229.99 (about $300 / AU$440), but I’ve seen it discounted to as little as £159.99 during sales events. It’s not yet available in the US and Australia at the time of writing, but older models are, so hopefully the EP4 will launch more widely soon.

If you want to store your videos at home subscription-free, you’ll also need a microSD card (up to 512GB), so factor this into the cost. If you’d prefer to store footage in the cloud, you’ll want an EZVIZ CloudPlay subscription. After a 30-day free trial, there are three plans to choose from:

Plan Type

Cameras supported

Unlimited cloud storage

7-day event-based video history

30-day event-based video history

Individual plan

1

Yes

Monthly: $3.99 (about £3, AU$6)

Yearly: $39.99 (about £30, AU$58)

Monthly: $6.99 (about £5.30, AU$10)

Yearly: $69.99 (about £53, AU$100)

Home plan

4

Yes

Monthly: $5.99 (about £4.60, AU$8.70)

Yearly: $59.99 (about £46, AU$87)

Monthly: $10.99 (about £8.40, AU$16)

Yearly: $109.99 (about £84, AU$160)

Business plan

10

Yes

Monthly: $12.99 (about £9.90, AU$19)

Yearly: $129.99 (about £99, AU$190)

Monthly: $27.99 (about £21, AU$41)

Yearly: $279.99 (about £210, AU$410)

• Value score: 4.5/5

EZVIZ EP4: design

• Discreet external camera
• Very simple to fit without damaging door
• Internal screen projects an inch into the room
• Visitors might not spot the doorbell button

The EP4 has two main parts: the camera, which has a cable that threads through the peephole in your door, and a screen that sits on the inside. The camera has a doorbell button below the lens (though visitors might not notice it because it's at an unusual level), a motion sensor at the top, and a speaker and microphone on the side.

It’s compatible with doors between 1.4 x 4.1 inches / 35 x 105mm thick, with a peephole diameter between 0.6 inches and 2 inches / 14mm and 50mm. That’s a wide range, and should be fine for the vast majority of internal and external doors, but it’s worth measuring yours first just to be sure. You can remove the peephole from your door by simply unscrewing it, though if it’s particularly tight, you might need to use a pair of pliers to get it started.

The camera unit threads through an existing peephole and is compatible with most doorsFutureI recommend using a spirit level to get the camera straight before securing it in placeFutureThe screws connect the backplate to the camera, clamping them to your door without damaging itFuture

To fit the EP4, start by measuring the thickness of your door using the card template provided, and choose the appropriate pair of screws, indicated by the instruction manual. These will be used to clamp the EP4 onto your door. Peel the paper off the 3M tape on the back of the camera unit, position it on the outside of your door (I recommend using a spirit level to get it straight), thread the screws and data cable through the peephole (you can roll a piece of paper around them to avoid snagging), and press down to secure it.

Then tighten the screws a little, slide the mounting plate for the screen into place, tighten the screws the rest of the way, plug in the data cable, and slide the screen into place. The whole process takes no longer than 10 minutes, and when you want to remove it, there’ll be no damage to your door.

The external camera is unobtrusive, and visitors might not realize it's also a doorbellFutureThe internal display gives a clear view of the area beyond your front door, but you'll get a better picture in the appFutureThe screen stands about an inch proud of your doorFutureWhen you move, just unscrew the EP4 and screw the original peephole back in placeFuture

It’s a clever design, and the exterior camera is discreet (it comes with stickers to put on your door if you want to warn visitors they are being recorded), but it’s worth being aware that the interior screen stands about an inch proud of the door, so you’ll need to be very careful if it opens opposite a wall.

You can detach the screen unit to charge it via a microUSB cable (supplied with the EP4) and insert a memory card. It’s a shame there’s no hot-swappable battery — you can’t use the camera and doorbell while the unit is charging — but battery life is quite respectable. EZVIZ suggests up to 120 days, though this will depend on how many times the camera is triggered and how often you use the internal screen to see what’s happening outside.

• Design score: 4.5/5

EZVIZ EP4: performance

The EP4 is an ingenious home security device that provides many of the advantages of a video doorbell or home security camera without needing to make permanent changes to your property. It’s a great pick for an apartment, with excellent picture quality and smart notifications, though it’s worth being aware of a few drawbacks — particularly when it comes to person recognition.

The resolution of the internal screen is fine, and you’ll immediately benefit from a field of view that’s much wider than your original peephole, but it doesn’t do justice to the EP4’s 4K camera. To see footage in its full 4K glory, you’ll need to use the Ezvizlife app, which also gives you access to all the EP4’s settings, as well as event history, saved recordings, call logs, two-way talk, and static photos.

The app's welcome screen gives you quick access to video logs and live viewFutureThe camera records 10-second clips when triggered, which are kept in your video logsFutureYou can browse recordings at any time, scrub through video, capture stills, and export video filesFuture

Footage in the Ezvizlife app is incredibly sharp, and there’s very little lag between events happening outside and the camera starting to record. You’ll notice a delay when using two-way talk, but it’s only a couple of seconds, and no worse than some much higher-end video doorbells we’ve tested here at TechRadar.

When a visitor uses the doorbell, you'll receive an incoming-call-style notification that you can choose to reject or answer to start two-way talk. It's also possible to start two-way talk at any time through the app if you can see someone at the door.

Want to keep your identity private? The app gives you two options: ‘Uncle Tone’, which deepens your voice, and ‘Clown Tone’, which makes it high and squeaky, both of which work well and will effectively disguise your voice if you don’t want to be recognized. Personally, I would prefer an option that doesn’t sound quite so cartoonish, but they’re a welcome feature nonetheless.

I found the fisheye-correction option particularly useful during my testing, along with the AI person-shape recognition, which correctly identifies subjects even when they’re wheeling a bike or carrying a large object that might obscure their body shape.

When a person is detected, the camera will send a notification to the EZVIZ app, and start recording a 10-second video clip, which will be saved on an SD card or in the cloud, depending on which storage option you’ve chosen. You can also choose to watch through the camera live at any time, trigger a recording, or capture a still image.

Person identification works even when an individual's outline is obscured by large objectsFutureYou can see a live view through the app or internal screen any timeFutureCheck your video logs in the app, export videos, and capture still imagesFuture

You can also export videos from your logs at any time, which is very useful if you're unfortunate enough to need them as evidence for the police.

EZVIZ is a Chinese company, and although the app has been localized quite well, some parts are still confusing. For example, if you attempt to toggle a feature that’s still in beta, you will see a notification reading: “The current status of this detection is closed. Please enable the corresponding algorithm in the intelligent detection before enabling this function”.

For me, the biggest drawback — and the one that holds the EP4 back from a better score — is the implementation of facial recognition. In an ideal world, you wouldn’t receive a notification when your own face is detected, and you could disable alerts for other members of your household as well, so you’re only alerted when a stranger arrives. Unfortunately, that’s not an option with the EP4, which notified me that “Cat appeared” each time I arrived home from work.

You can add a person to 'Familiar Faces' using an existing photo, or take a new oneFuturePhotos should be well-lit and taken from the frontFutureAdding yourself to 'Familiar faces' doesn't mean that the app will 'ignore' you Future

Facial recognition works very well, and even identifies a person wearing a cycle helmet and sunglasses, but at the moment, the implementation seems back-to-front. In fairness, though, the feature is still in beta, so perhaps the developers at EZVIZ will make that change before its full launch. For now, it's a real problem.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the EZVIZ EP4?EZVIZ EP4 score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Very reasonably priced, particularly during sales, though you'll need an SD card too.

4.5/5

Design

Ingenious design that's great for renters, though screen projects quite far into the room and isn't very high-res.

4/5

Performance

Key functions are great, but you'll receive notifications whenever it detects your own face.

3.5/5

Buy it if

You rent your home

There’s no need to drill or make any permanent changes to your door, which will keep your landlord happy. When it’s time to move, the EP4 comes right off, and you can screw the old peephole back into place.

You’re on a budget

The EP4 is a great value doorbell and camera combo, and is frequently discounted on Amazon.

Security is a real concern

The 4K footage will make it easy to identify anyone who’s up to no good, if you’re unfortunate enough to need it as evidence.

Don't buy it if

You particularly want to watch for packages

Although the EP4 has a good horizontal field of view, it doesn’t cover your doorstep, so you won’t be able to see parcels left there.

You have notification fatigue

At the moment, there’s no way to avoid receiving a message when you approach your own front door.

EZVIZ EP4: also consider

If you're not sure whether the EZVIZ EP4 is the right security camera/doorbell for your home, here are two other wireless alternatives to consider.

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell

This excellent subscription-free doorbell earned our seal of approval due to its sharp 2K recordings, ease of use, and great battery life.

Read our full Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell review

Eufy Video Doorbell Dual

Another solid subscription-free option, with dual cameras so you can keep an eye out for deliveries.

Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell Dual review

How I tested the EZVIZ EP4

I installed the EZVIZ EP4 on the door to my apartment, having first unscrewed the original peephole. I used it for two weeks, adding myself and my husband as 'familiar faces' halfway through. I used the two-way talk function to speak to him when I received a notification that he had arrived, and we used the doorbell function to speak to one another. I kept recordings on a microSD card once the seven-day cloud storage trial expired, and used the app to review recordings, export videos, and capture still images.

At the end of the test period, I removed the EP4 and replaced my door's original peephole. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed July 2026.

D-Link G572: 30-second review

Living in the south of England, you’d expect the internet speeds to be pretty decent, and at one time, not long ago, in the New Forest, they were. But then, as the area started to develop, connection speeds dropped and became increasingly unstable, meaning that if you run a business, fallbacks are needed if you want to keep running.

However, even then, the cellular networks can be hit and miss, aim for the high ground, and ordinarily, you can get a signal, so when my fibre network at home keeled over completely, I reached for my usual choice of mobile network router to get me back online.

However, this time the fibre connection has not been short and tipping over for over a week with no connection and intermittent service for the last few months, I’ve had to look for a more permanent solution. Thankfully, the G572 was in for review and has now been delivering impressive connection speeds to the 4G network from its high point in the house and office.

Unlike my high-end portable 5G router, this box requires AC power, but then it provides wireless coverage that essentially matches that of the Eero 6 routers we usually use at home. In an area where connection speeds are usually lacking, the powerful antennas do the job.

While I still can’t connect to a 5G network, the 4G connection speeds are impressive, with the speed test nearly reaching 80 Mbps and upload speeds of around 6 Mbps. Still some way off the fibre connection, but a lifesaver when you rely on that connection for work and, of course, entertainment.

But this router has not only stepped in where the fibre connection fails, in the office, but another once-sweet spot for bad fibre connection, which, on last checking, has now dropped below 10Mbps and the cellular network is close to non-existent. Using this router, the cellular network connection speeds have improved enough to enable some email, web browsing, and music streaming; video streaming might be wishful thinking. Then there’s also the ability to just plug it directly into the 10G network, fully integrating it with the office network.

The other point at home is that multiple devices can be easily connected with surprising efficiency. Most days when working at home, I’d have two to three machines, three robot vacuums, which I discovered only work when there’s an internet connection, the Alexa, and a couple of mobile phones.

In the evening, that volume of connection uplifts with my partner’s phone and laptop and the use of the Fire Stick. Ordinarily, this volume of connections would cause a slowdown of the connection speeds, especially as the usual mobile router would need to be placed in relative proximity to where the devices were being used, but here, placed on another floor, the connection speeds are still impressive, with a floor between the router and the devices used.

I looked at the previous iteration of this router, the D-Link G530, last year, and was impressed with the Wi-Fi 6 performance. This new model boosts the wireless connection speed to Wi-Fi 7 and adds three more network ports to the back. The uplift in performance is significant to the point that, for most people, with a dedicated network SIM, you can seriously move away from a wired broadband connection, even if you’re limited to the 4G connection.

In my household, while this unit came in for review, the real-world testing has been a little more real-world than I would have liked. While I’m impressed with the download speeds, the upload is a little more limited.

However, if you need a fast and reliable connection in a workshop, studio, office, or at home where you don’t have a fibre connection, or you have a good 5G connection and are happy to rely on a cellular network, then this is a great option. Most importantly, while this box is expensive and the data-only SIM also doesn’t come cheap, the impact of no internet at all makes this fallback a valuable addition to your business costs.

D-Link G572: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? £350
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Online at major retailers

At present, the D-Link G572 will set you back around £350 for the base unit. On top of that cost, you will also need a mobile SIM contract.

In this test, I used the Unlimited plan from Vodafone, which is uncapped on both usage and speed through the business plans, and this set me back around £250 for the year.

There are cheaper data plans out there, but if you rely on the internet and a clean connection, then this plan, even when limited to the 4G speeds due to local network coverage, will ensure you can keep your business going.

• Value: 4/5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)D-Link G572: Specs

Antenna: 10 x Wi-Fi internal antennas, 4 x LTE/5G NR internal antennas, two of which can be substituted with external TS-9 antennas
Interfaces: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, 1 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x SIM card slot
Wireless speed: 7200Mbps (5GHz up to 5764Mbps / 2.4GHz up to 1376Mbps)
IEEE Standard: IEEE 802.11be/ax/ac/n/g/b/a, IEEE 802.3u/ab
Size: 137 × 146 × 205mm; 660g
OS installed: Router firmware with Web UI and D-Link Falcon app management
Accessories: Power adapter
Wi-Fi standard: IEEE 802.11be/ax/ac/n/g/b/a
Wi-Fi speed: BE7200, up to 5764Mbps on 5GHz and 1376Mbps on 2.4GHz
Ethernet: 4 × Gigabit LAN, 1 × 2.5GbE WAN
SIM: 1 × Nano SIM card slot
Antennas: 10 internal Wi-Fi antennas; 4 internal LTE/5G NR antennas, with two substitutable via external TS-9 antennas
Security: WPA/WPA2/WPA3, WPS, SPI firewall, anti-spoofing, IP filtering, and DMZ support

D-Link G572 Review: Design

Like the excellent G530 I looked at last year, the G572 uses an almost identical upright white tower design that sits neatly on a shelf or windowsill. Throughout the test, I moved the router around to find the strongest connection in the home, and, just like with your mobile phone, it’s worth checking the signal strength.

As there’s no screen or readout on the router itself, you need to rely on the companion app, which, while simple, highlights basic information, including that all-important signal strength. While mine was still only three bars, flickering onto four on occasion, the performance was maximised for the area.

The relatively small footprint of 137 x 146mm enables easy positioning. However, you do need to make sure that the positioning is near an AC plug. In the house, that wasn’t an issue, with the prime location directly next to a socket.

Likewise, in the studio, a plug was easily located; however, in the office, the prime location was some distance from the nearest AC socket, so rather than using an extension cable, I used a Jackery 1000 V2 power station, which kept the router running happily throughout the day with a minimal impact on the capacity.

While the unit has a relatively small footprint, the height of 205mm means that you do need a decent-sized shelf height to position the router, and as I moved from one location to another, I actually found that this height was pretty average for most of the shelving units that I use across all locations, so the router fitted without issue.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

On the back of the router is a 2.5GbE WAN and four gigabit Ethernet ports, which I was able to plug directly into the network, then there’s the all-important slot of the Nano SIM and AC power socket and the option to connect the TS-9 antenna if you need a connection signal strength boost. Locally, for me, this might have been an idea, but those were not provided for this review.

Getting started with the router is straightforward: install the Nano SIM, then plug the box into the mains. Once done, you install and connect the app, update passwords, and create or log in to your D-Link account, and then you’re pretty much set to go.

For wireless, like any router, you need the username and password; for the wired network connection, it just needs to be plugged in. I installed the DXP4800 GT and the IDX6011 Pro as part of my usual video setup.

As a cellular router, the ease of use and integration into my existing network while I wait for the fibre to be fixed was surprisingly smooth and easy.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)D-Link G572: Features

The G572 is quite an upgrade from the already impressive G530, with the main focus being the switch to Wi-Fi 7 and the inclusion of four network ports on the back. The cellular connection also offers 5G NR support, with theoretical download speeds of up to 7.01Gbps in SA mode for pure 5G potential and up to 5.67Gbps in NSA mode, where the 4G/LTE network is still the base infrastructure, which is the system by which I tested the unit.

Wi-Fi 7 BE7200 supports multi-link operation and dual-band speeds of up to 7200 Mbps, which really makes a difference as more devices are connected. It lets multiple devices connect to the same router using different bands, freeing up bandwidth and improving speeds.

On the back of the router are five network ports, with one WAN 2.5GbE set apart from the four Gigabit LAN ports that enable you to connect to your computer, NAS devices and other office equipment.

The main feature that sets this apart from a standard router is the slot for a Nano SIM. This is essentially the same type that you find in most phones, and you can get a data-only SIM package from most mobile providers.

Once inserted into the slot, it can connect to the cellular network to provide a fast internet connection. While a cellular network connection option is what differentiates this from the standard router, you can also plug directly into your standard wired fibre network connection with automatic failover.

The incoming network cable plugs directly into the 2.5GbE port; if your wired network fails, then it will automatically switch to the mobile connection, so you don’t have any downtime.

Through the test, I tried several locations, in the studio where it stood alone with the cellular network connection. In the home, the fibre internet had failed, so the box was positioned on the second story for the best hebest cellular network signal.

Finally testing in the office, where the wired connection is extremely slow and has dropouts, I put the router between the wired connection and used it as my Wi-Fi network so that when the fibre connection dropped, it automatically switches to the cellular network.

Alongside the hardware is also the D-Link Falcon app and the web UI, which enable you to set up and manage the box. The app, which is how most people will access and communicate with the router, is relatively simple and easy to navigate with access to all the settings you want. If you want a little bit more in-depth control, then you can use the web view that can be accessed directly from your browser window.

When it comes to security, the usual boxes are ticked: WPA/WPA2/WPA3 security, SPI firewall, anti-spoofing, IP filtering, DMZ, and WPS. I was also pleased to see that it offers parental controls, as well as a switch that basically turns everything off at night, so if you’re in the office and you want to switch it off completely when you leave, then you can just access the app, and it’s a simple one-touch button to switch it off.

If you’re in the home, using separate parental controls on the access, essentially saying that after 6 o’clock in the evening, all internet connections are off. The great thing here is that D-Link has really sorted this out, so it’s probably one of the quickest and easiest options I’ve come across in a long time.

The other big feature here, especially for office use, is that you can connect plenty of devices, so within the studio, I had one PC, two Macs, and two mobile phones connected. I also had two NAS systems, and the box handled everything with ease, providing fast internet and network access over the cellular and wired networks.

Even though the LAN ports only offer a Gigabit connection, as my network is isolated at 10GbE through the switch, this wasn’t too much of an issue and only limits the speed at which the wired devices to the router will connect to the internet, which, with the 4G connection, didn’t really pose an issue.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4.5 / 5

D-Link G572 Review: PerformanceTest Scores

Download speed: 79.3Mbps (4G network)
Upload speed: 5.97Mbps (4G network)

The G572 sounds like a great idea on paper and can be used in several ways. Firstly, if you’re in an office, outhouse, studio or other location where there is no wired internet connection, then you can use this router to connect to the cellular network, and then all of the devices can connect to it in exactly the same way as you usually have with a wireless router.

Alternatively, if the internet connection is absolutely critical and slightly unstable, as it often is here in the New Forest, you can place it between your wired connection and use it as a wireless router in exactly the same way as all other routers of this type. However, if that wired connection falls over at any point, then the cellular connection kicks in, meaning that you have no break in network connectivity. If you plug it into your existing wireless network, as I have in this review, you'll notice very little difference in the connection, even if there is a slight drop in speed, unless it’s uploads where there will a significant slow down.

Unlike portable cellular routers that you can take anywhere, this one is designed to be plugged into mains power, so you can use it in your office, home, or anywhere else with mains power. In this review, I also had to plug it into a Jackery 1000 V2 power station because the place with our best cellular connectivity in the office was too far from a plug to connect without an extension lead. Used in this way, it actually provided a sound solution.

Getting set up and started with it was all easy enough, and once the unit was taken out of the box, it was simply a case of plugging my Nano SIM into the slot on the back and then plugging it into the mains. In the studio, this was as far as it went. I was able to connect using the app and get the rest of the unit set up; it was all quick and really straightforward.

Once connected, whilst I could only find a 4G connection, the transfer rates were almost at 80 Mbps, which was impressive on the download, although the upload speed, closer to 5 and 6 Mbps, was less impressive than my usual wired connection, but in line with what I’ve experienced in the past.

Once everything was set up, I could connect to whichever device I wanted to the router, select that network name, enter the password, wait a couple of seconds, and it would connect. What was impressive here was that every device I connected to delivered similar performance: newer Wi-Fi 7 devices were limited only by the cellular network speed, while older devices that only featured Wi-Fi 6 still produced very fast speeds. Unfortunately, there is no 5G coverage in this area.

Used off-site with no wired connection, I had the router running for around six weeks, and it provided a solid, stable connection throughout, even during the heatwave, when the wired connection at home decided to come to a grinding halt and has since failed to come back online.

While the first month of the test proved just how good this router was in the office and studio, where it provided decent internet connection for download and moderate for upload, the real test came where I had to package up the router and take it home, find a location around the house where I could actually get a mobile phone signal for that data connectivity, and then plug it in.

I’m used to network speeds of around 150 Mbps and upload speeds that are equally impressive; however, while we used to have very decent cellular connectivity, that connectivity has recently dropped out this year. In searching around the house for a decent location for the router, I finally settled on the second floor and the rear of the house, which must have had the clearest line of sight to whichever mast it’s picking up.

Once it was switched on and connected, the 4G connectivity showed at three to four bars, and testing out the transfer rates, I was again surprised to see that I was getting around 80 Mbps, not at all bad.

Now, in my second week of using it as my main internet connection, I can confirm it works incredibly well. I might not be able to test out the 5G speed, but even at 4G, with the slightly ropey connectivity of the area, I’m still getting those fast download rates, although uploads are slightly slower at about 5 to 6Mb per second, and you do have to pick your time of day, with that signal dropping to about 20Mb per second at the height of what seems to be mobile phone use in the area.

Despite that, in the evenings, we’d have at least one Alexa going, two laptops, possibly two mobile phones, and the Fire Stick playing whichever streaming channel we’d settled on for the evening. The D-Link G572 was able to supply all devices without issue, and whilst you could tell, especially with the streaming services, that I wasn’t having the usual speed of connection that I’m used to with the wired fibre connectivity, it was still incredibly impressive.

When the unit first arrived, and after I’d initially set it up, I tested it with the wall connection, installing it as the main router for the house and connecting it to the 2.5GbE WAN port at the back. I was again really surprised by the coverage it provided in the house, surpassing the Eero 6 wireless router I presently use. I also noted that those devices that utilise Wi-Fi 7, primarily a couple of mini PCs that I have for a review, saw the transfer rates vastly increased, still limited somewhat by the 2.5GbE input, but still significantly more than the other router.

Back in the office, and with it just connected to the mobile network and with one of the worst fibre connections going, I connected to the back of the D-Link G572 again, although this time it was more to see whether it could improve the connectivity I usually have in the office.

Here, I was really impressed: every time the wired connection cut out and switched to the mobile network, it was still not great and was far slower than when I was using it at home, but a definite improvement on what I’m used to.

To get a fast connection in my office, I need to cross the car park and go into the next building. There’s obviously a connection somewhere within the old building. However, having this router in between meant that when my wired connection was actually feeling like working well, I’d have a relatively decent connection, and then when it would drop out, it switched over to the cellular network, and for the first time, I was able to work nonstop using the internet connection without worrying about it dropping out partway through a call or upload.

What I really like about the router, although its speed was slightly limited, was the fact that it had those four Gigabit LAN ports, which means I can plug in my NAS boxes for archive and working, along with the network printer, which made them more easily accessible on the network, both wired and wireless. While my actual network in the office runs at 10GbE, this downgraded it to just one. For most office work, this is absolutely fine, and when I actually need faster connectivity, I can go through the switch and plug directly into the faster NAS.

As I’m used to working in an environment where the internet connection can be variable, from very good to absolutely non-existent, always having some sort of wireless router with me is an essential part of my working kit, and I usually rely on the Netgear Nighthawk M7, as it’s just a very powerful and portable solution, although even that struggles at the moment in the office.

The D-Link G572 is a far cheaper solution, which is good, especially considering the cost of a 5G unlimited data package, which can also see costs rise rapidly. With this AC-powered router, I was impressed from the outset. It is a bit of a shame that those LAN ports are limited to a Gigabit, but when it comes to one of these devices, it’s just simple. It does what it does, and you don’t need to really think about it. It’s exceptionally good, and for someone like me, who works in an older building in a town with very little internet, this makes a lot of sense.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)D-Link G572: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

When I tried out the predecessor to the D-Link G572 last year, I was impressed by just how versatile it was and by the fact that it could serve as a backup to my internet connection. At that time, my wired and cellular network connections around the New Forest were exceptional, but in the intervening year, the cellular network dropped out entirely, and even the wired network that had always been so reliable became especially unreliable, meaning I had to look for alternative solutions.

Having now burnt through EE, O2, Vodafone and a few other providers, it turns out there's been an issue with our mast for almost a year, so a device with a good antenna to pick up whatever signal you can get is essential.

What I found with the D-Link G572 was that, even without the optional antenna, it still picked up a pretty decent signal as long as it was positioned correctly. That place in the house took quite some time to locate, but once I did, I was seeing speeds in excess of 80 Mbpsd, far faster than I would have thought possible and over 20 Mbps faster than the comparable rate on my iPhone 15 Pro using the same network.

I also like that I could plug it in between my wired fibre connection and use it as my wireless router, with it switching to cellular when the wired connection drops out. Even though many of my devices around the house couldn’t fully use that Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, it was fully backwards compatible and still provided all devices with a strong signal, enabling me to continue working despite cellular and wired connection issues.

As a solution for anyone working off-grid or in a location where a wired or even cellular data network can be an issue, this D-Link G572 is certainly worth the money. Whilst it might seem that it is a premium option, especially when you consider you’re also going to need a data SIM contract, actually, just the fact that it keeps you working online and able to do business makes it a valuable asset for any business.

Should I buy the D-Link G572?

Value

Initially, it seems expensive, especially when you put the cost of a cellular network package on top, but then, if it keeps you working, it more than pays for itself.

4.5/5

Design

Very neat, with a tower design that sits easily on a shelf or window ledge, as long as you have power nearby to keep it running.

4/5

Features

5G and Wi-Fi 7 are leading features, and it’s also good to see that it’s fully backwards compatible with your older gear.

4.5/5

Performance

Only really limited by your cellular network connection, and when it works, plugging it into your wired connection improves usability.

4/5

Overall

A great choice as a fallback if you have an internet connection that is temperamental and unreliable, and more than worth the money to keep you working.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

Fibre connection unavailable
If you’re in a new office, location or studio where there just isn’t any fibre connection, then this cellular network router can be an absolute lifesaver, providing you with ultra-fast internet, as long as the network is available and comes close to fibre in speed.

Backup matters most
If you’re working in an area with an unreliable copper or fibre connection to your home or office and are regularly cut off from the internet, this is a perfect solution.

Don't buy it if...

The signal is weak
If your area doesn’t have 5G coverage, you'll be limited in the speeds you’ll get from this wireless cellular network router; however, even with 4G speeds, those transfer rates are impressive.

You need 6GHz
This is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router, so tri-band 6GHz isn’t available. If you want a 6GHz option, you’ll be looking at a lot more money.

For more connectivity solutions, we've tested the best Wi-Fi routers.

AirPods Max 2

Thanks to their new H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 offer punchier sound, stronger ANC, and a more compelling feature-set than their predecessor, and iOS users will get an especially top-level overall user experience. Yes, we would’ve liked to see some higher-res wireless codecs on board, and the underwhelming 20-hour battery life is still here, but their expansive and emotive sound and beautiful design ensures they’re still a hit.

Pros

• Incredibly expansive soundstage
• Eye-catching metallic design
• Vast swathe of iOS-friendly features

Cons

• Less versatile for Android users
• Way heavier than the XM6
• 20-hour battery life is weak

Sony WH-1000XM6

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones that combine the best design elements of their predecessors, while leveling up the sonic and ANC capabilities of what came before. With super-clean touch controls, an ultra-comfy fit and a ton of features at your disposal, there’s a lot to love about these headphones.

Pros

• Punchy and tight yet well-balanced sound
• Foldability makes them ultra-compact
• Cheaper than the AirPods Max 2

Cons

• Lack the visual flair of the AirPods Max 2
• Earcups are on the bulky side
• AirPods Max 2 have a more spacious sound signature

Having tested countless pairs of ANC headphones, it takes something special to truly wow me. But today, we’re going to compare two sets of premium cans that did exactly that: Apple’s AirPods Max 2, and Sony’s WH-1000XM6.

If you’re considering which pair of headphones are for you, I’ve got you covered. I’ve spent hours testing both sets side by side, assessing each model on their feature-sets, performance, design, and most importantly, value for money.

The AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 are both wonderful headphones, and each earned a 4.5 star review and hearty recommendation from us here at TechRadar. They’re different in more ways than you may expect, offering a pretty unique listening and user experience, but ultimately, there’s one set I’d pick over the other. Curious to hear my verdict? The scroll on down to see this clash for the ages to unfurl.

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: price & specs

AirPods Max 2

Sony WH-1000XM6

Price

$549 / £499 / AU$999

$449 / £399 / AU$699

Drivers

40mm custom

30mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Battery life

20 hours

30 hours

Weight

13.6 oz / 386g

8.96 oz / 254g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: features

Both the AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 are rammed with features, but there’s one major point of differentiation — Apple’s cans are heavily tailored towards iOS users.

That’s right, the AirPods Max 2 have a lot of features that Android users won’t get access to. Stuff like Spatial Audio, auto-device switching, Siri, and Apple Intelligence integrations. This is understandable, although it’s a shame that Android users have no way to directly alter the headphones’ EQ. Apple users get a fantastic range of options to choose from, though, with stuff like Live Translation and the head-tracked Spatial Audio really standing out.

Sony’s headphones are undeniably more versatile, with myriad features available to both iOS and Android users. They have no end of options, with a 10-band EQ, scene-based listening, a Cinema upmix mode, speak to chat, and mic-mute. This is all controlled by Sony’s Sound Connect app, which is easy to use, although some settings do feel a little hidden in sub-menus.

(Image credit: Future)

But how about the main event: ANC? This is a much closer fight than I expected, actually. See, the XM6 offer class-leading noise canceling capabilities, and even when I’ve used them on flights they’ve silenced the sound of the deep jet engines firing or conversations happening around me. But the AirPods Max 2 are genuinely very competitive, even against the XM6. In my office, the sounds of keyboards clacking, colleagues talking, and cars passing by outside were totally crushed. Both headphones are top-tier when it comes to noise cancelling, and I’d argue they even rival Bose.

Another crucial area to explore is battery life. The Sony WH-1000XM6 keep things pretty standard with 30 hours of battery life with ANC on. This is the typical figure you’ll see for headphones in this kind of price range — nothing special, but enough to get you through a fair few days of listening. The AirPods Max 2, however, only supply 20 hours with ANC on. That’s just not good enough, and falls well short of the competition. If you don’t want to charge your cans all too often, then the XM6 are a better pick.

There are a few other areas where the XM6 prevail over the AirPods Max 2 as well, such as their superior call quality and background noise supression, inclusion of intuitive and precise touch controls over Apple’s digital crown, and use of DSEE Extreme for upscaling lower-quality audio files.

So, if you’re an iOS user, the AirPods Max 2 definitely have some snazzy features up their sleeves — including some smart options that the XM6 leave out. Each are great when it comes to ANC, and are on relatively even footing there. But Sony’s cans offer superior compatibility, battery life, and call quality, making them the overall winner in this category.

(Image credit: Future)AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: sound quality

This is what you really came here for, right? But before I get into my sound comparison, let’s take a look at a few technical differences.

Like their predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM5, the Sony WH-1000XM6 use 30mm dynamic drivers, except they’ve been redesigned with high-rigidity carbon fiber for better performance across the frequency range. They also feature Sony’s QN3 processor featuring a noise-shaper, which pre-empts sudden sound changes for a more controlled listening experience.

On the other hand, the AirPods Max 2 use custom 40mm drivers — just as the original AirPods Max did. However, the sequel added a new amplifier alongside Apple’s H2 processor, which is intended to supply more detailed, cleaner sound. Unlike the LDAC-equipped XM6, the AirPods Max 2 have no higher-res Bluetooth codec support, although you can access lossless playback via the headphones’ USB-C port.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get into my listening comparison. In Journey by Ruze, the differences between the two pairs of headphones were clear. With the AirPods Max 2, I was treated to a spacious, immersive interpretation, with expansive vocals and dreamy synths showing off the headphones’ nuanced soundstage.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 went for a different approach, with a tighter and punchier take. Bass came through with the kind of impact that instantly demanded my attention. Vocals and synths were also really clear and well separated in the mix, but didn’t have quite as much of an expansive quality.

(Image credit: Future)

Moving over to something softer with Sakamichi by Yuta Orisaka and it was a similar story again. Vocals were emotive and tonally accurate, and were elegantly separated from strumming guitars. Percussion was also rhythmic and well-defined in the mix, and the broad soundstage exposed the track’s layers with finesse.

The XM6 excelled too, and vocals had excellent clarity in the mix, warped electric guitars sounded brilliantly separated — almost as if they were operating in a separate pocket. Meanwhile, the warmth of the track’s bass came through beautifully, and subtle percussive elements were weighted nicely too. Despite this, there was still a tightness to the sound — the direct and cohesive sound of the XM6 is simply very striking.

So, which headphones sound better? I think it’s a question that’s harder to answer than you may expect. On a strictly technical level, I’d argue that the AirPods Max 2 offer a bit more nuance, thanks to their wider soundstage, which opens up a more revealing and insightful listen. But I really do think there’s a case to be made for the XM6. Their punchier, tighter approach sounds spectacular, and adds a lot of vim and excitement — especially to more energetic tracks.

Ultimately, this one’s down to personal preference. If you want a more intimate sound with the joys of LDAC, then the Sony WH-1000XM6 are for you. But if you’re looking for an ultra-spacious, meticulous soundstage with clean all-round sound, then the AirPods Max 2 get the nod for me. Let’s call this one a tie.

(Image credit: Future)AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: design

The AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 have shown themselves to be very different propositions so far. And that’s reflected in their design as well.

In my view, the AirPods Max 2 are some of the best-looking wireless headphones on the market today, with a super-striking metallic look, an elegant fabric headband, and a selection of eye-catching colors. Sure, they look just about identical to the original AirPods Max, but if it ain’t broke…

The Sony WH-1000XM6 look pretty good themselves, though. They have a sleek, cohesive, and textured appearance, which resembles the XM5 pretty closely. The XM6 have more of an understated selection of colors than the AirPods Max 2 — personally I prefer what Apple’s headphones have to offer, but it’s totally down to personal preference.

(Image credit: Future)

I’d argue that the AirPods Max 2 have a more premium look and feel — as you’d hope considering the price difference — I just think they’re more striking. In addition, I prefer the flatter appearance of the earcups on Apple’s headphones to the semi-bulky look of the XM6’s.

But hang on. The XM6 aren’t down and out just yet. Because if we’re talking about pure practicality, they have the AirPods Max 2 beat. The XM6 are totally foldable, making them phenomenally compact if you want to toss them into a small bag, whereas Apple’s headphones are a bit more rigid. On top of that, the XM6 come with a fantastic magnet-lock case that's far better than the bizarre smart case of the AirPods Max 2, which doesn’t even protect the headband.

Overall, though, I’m gonna hand this one to Apple. I do like the case and foldability of the XM6 for sure, but the attention-grabbing, luxurious look of the AirPods Max 2 is undeniable. Yes, they’re also a fair bit heavier than the XM6 too, but I still found Apple’s cans very comfortable in use, meaning they just about edge it for me.

(Image credit: Future)AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: value

There’s no hiding the fact that the AirPods Max 2 are significantly pricier than the Sony WH-1000XM6. Apple’s latest headphones typically come in at $549 / £499 / AU$999, while Sony’s have a list price of $449 / £399 / AU$699. But which one actually offers better value for money?

As I noted above, these headphones are very different, so the answer will vary depending on a few factors. The AirPods Max 2 offer more expansive sound than the XM6, paired with an excellent set of features for Apple device users and a luxurious look to boot. They are definitely on the expensive side, though, and although we’ve seen them pop up on sale with a few retailers (even as low as $399 in the US over Amazon Prime Day), they do have some notable flaws for the price.

The battery life instantly comes to mind — 20 hours isn’t very competitive. They also lack higher-res Bluetooth codecs, and their compatibility with Android devices is limited. Still, they’re a great pair of headphones overall, with fantastic sound quality, looks, and iOS functionality.

(Image credit: Future)

At $449 / £399 / AU$699, the Sony WH-1000XM6 feel like an easier sell. They offer ANC that’s easily on par with the AirPods Max 2, a more practical design, they sound spectacular, with a punchy yet well-balanced signature, and their broad compatibility is a big win — especially if you own a Windows laptop or Android phone.

These are also on sale fairly regularly, and I’ve seen them drop as low as $380 / £300 in recent times in the US and UK respectively. Sure, if you only have Apple devices, these may not offer the same convenience as the AirPods Max 2, and Sony’s headphones also leave out USB-C audio passthrough and have a slightly less premium look.

It’s closer than I initially thought, but I do think the Sony WH-1000XM6 are better value when all’s said and done. For less money, you get super-engaging sound, top-tier ANC, better battery life, and a more versatile software setup.

(Image credit: Future)AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: verdict

So, if I could only choose one pair of these excellent headphones, which would I recommend? In this instance, I’m going to hand it to the Sony WH-1000XM6. Apple’s headphones are undoubtedly fantastic performers, and if you want the most spacious sound and features tailored for iOS, they’ll undoubtedly serve you very well. But for less money, the XM6 are just the slightly better value pick for me. Their combination of S-tier ANC, balanced, yet tight and punchy sound, and more versatile compatibility make them the ideal all-rounders.

OpenAI has begun discussions about giving the US government a 5% stake in the company, according to an FT report, with CEO Sam Altman supposedly raising the idea as a method for smoothing relations with the Trump administration.

Of course, right now there is no agreement or deal, and no guarantee the idea will ever move beyond conversations. Any arrangement would almost certainly require political support and significant legal work before it could become reality. Still, the fact that OpenAI is even entertaining the conversation tells us something about how seriously artificial intelligence is now being treated, both in Silicon Valley and in Washington.

The first reaction many people had was understandable. If the government owns part of OpenAI, does that mean ordinary Americans somehow get a share too? It's an appealing thought when AI companies are attracting eye-watering valuations while promising to reshape the economy. Unfortunately, that's not exactly a likely outcome, no matter what the intentions.

AI economy access

The reports suggest Sam Altman has discussed a model inspired by Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes annual payments to residents. It's an odd framing of AI as a natural resource instead of a software business. Bullish AI fans insisting it will be economically transformative might see it that way, and if they're right, perhaps some of that value should eventually flow back to the public, many of whom have helped incrementally train the models through use.

But the government owning shares in OpenAI wouldn't automatically translate into everyone getting a check. Financial benefits would depend on lots of little details, including whether profits were distributed at all, and if they'd go to public services or even the national debt over your own bank account.

Despite being just a hint of a rumor of a conversation, the questions are worth taking seriously. AI companies are asking society to embrace changes that could alter workplaces, education, healthcare, and entire industries. It is not unreasonable for people to wonder whether they should share in the wealth created by those changes.

Power at stake

There is another reason these discussions matter, and it may prove even more significant than the financial side. OpenAI has become part of a broader conversation about national economics and technological leadership. Governments around the world increasingly see advanced AI as strategic infrastructure rather than another consumer technology.

That helps explain why OpenAI might want a closer relationship with Washington. AI companies already rely on government decisions. Those connections are likely to become even more important as AI models grow larger and more expensive to build.

But governments are expected to regulate powerful companies fairly and independently. Becoming a shareholder in one of those companies could make that relationship look unethical, even with the best will in the world. Public trust often depends as much on appearances as on legal structures. Especially since there's even less sense that OpenAI's competitors like Google, Anthropic, or Meta will follow suit.

A government stake does not automatically mean the public owns part of OpenAI in any meaningful way, and it certainly does not guarantee anyone will personally benefit. So even if the proposal starts to become more real, skepticism and a close eye on any actual agreements is a healthy approach.