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• The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is a new compact espresso machine
• It offers a combination of automated and manual coffee-making features
• It's on sale now for $999.95 and will be available on Amazon from June 1

De'Longhi has just launched a new compact espresso machine, the La Specialista Touch, which makes brewing well-balanced coffee as simple as possible while still giving you a taste of the barista experience.

I reviewed the machine when it launched in the UK earlier this year, and called it "one of the best espresso machines you can buy" for small kitchens. Despite its impressive features, it's surprisingly compact, fitting a high-quality grinder, generously sized water tank, and smart steam wand into a shockingly small package that won't dominate your kitchen.

It's also one of the best coffee makers if you want to make the jump from a fully automatic machine to a manual one. The La Specialista Touch can automate the trickiest parts of the espresso-making process, and let you take control when you feel confident.

Pulling a well-balanced espresso is a piece of cake with the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch (Image credit: Future)

For example, its Smart Bean system (accessible via the large color touchscreen) helps you pick the ideal grind size for the type of coffee beans you're using and achieve the ideal extraction time. Coffee is ground directly into the portafilter handle, which has a specially designed funnel to minimize mess and a calibrated tamping tool helps you press it down to create a well-formed puck with no channels or cracks.

Foamed to perfection

The De'Longhi La Specialista's steam wand is another highlight. After picking a drink from the menu and following the instructions to brew your coffee, you can either raise the wand fully to texturize your milk manually, or leave it angled down and let the machine do the work for you.

The machine's automatic steam wand does an impressive job texturizing dairy and plant milks (Image credit: Future)

Whether you want dry froth for a macchiato or creamy microfoam for a latte, with dairy milk or a plant-based alternative, the automatic system does an impressive job. See my full De'Longhi la Specialista Touch review for more details.

The La Specialista Touch is available now direct from De'Longhi for $999.95, and will go on sale at Amazon on Sunday, June 1.

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• The FTC finalized its orders for GoDaddy following security breaches
• The orders are part of an agreed settlement
• GoDaddy has different headlines for different operations

The US Federal and Trade Commission (FTC) has outlined almost a dozen requirements which hosting provider GoDaddy must fulfill in order to settle the charges of data security failings that resulted in multiple data breaches in recent years.

In a 14-page document, the FTC first stated that GoDaddy must no longer misrepresent its security and data protection practices, use of security technologies, or its participation in security and privacy programs (suggesting that the company actually misled users about its security practices).

GoDaddy then has 90 days to implement a comprehensive program that is documented and updated at least once a year (or after an incident), assigns a qualified person responsible, and assesses and manages internal and external security risks, among other things.

Additional requirements

The hosting giant also has 180 days to disconnect or secure unsupported software and hardware, monitor for unauthorized changes to the OS and app files, and to set up “phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) for employees, contractors, and customers. APIs need to be secured with HTTPS, authentication, rate-limiting, and monitoring.

Other requirements include third-party security assessments, full cooperation with assessors, annual executive certification, incident reporting, and more.

GoDaddy is one of the best website hosting companies around, serving more than five million customers across the world.

Roughly two years ago, it was discovered that an unknown threat actor had been sitting in GoDaddy’s systems for several years, installing malware, stealing source code, and attacking the company’s customers.

The company's SEC filing at the time showed the attackers breached GoDaddy’s cPanel shared hosting environment and used that as a launch pad for further attacks. The company described the hackers as a “sophisticated threat actor group”.

The group was eventually spotted in late 2022 when customers started reporting that traffic coming to their websites was being redirected elsewhere.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Microsoft is adding an AI-powered Write feature to Notepad as part of Copilot Plus
• Write uses prompts to generate and refine text
• The update also enhances Paint with a sticker generator and the Snipping Tool with smart cropping

Microsoft Notepad is about as basic a tool as you'll find on Windows. Just a basic blank slate for writing. But, like everything else these days, Microsoft has decided to infuse Notepad with some AI.

The new Notepad feature is called “Write” and is part of a Windows 11 update currently being tested by Windows Insiders.

As the name implies, Write gets Notepad to write (and edit). You can submit a prompt, and it will draft text on your behalf, or rewrite something you've already put together into something more polished or of a different length or tone. You just have to right-click in a document, then click Write, and Windows Copilot will produce a prompt box.

You can submit the prompt and see what the AI comes up with. Then you can choose to accept it, refine it, or start over.

The feature builds on other AI tools that Notepad added in the last year or so. There's the Summarize tool and the Rewrite tool to let you tweak your text’s tone or structure.

Really, “Write” is the big one. It turns Notepad from a passive canvas into something a bit more active and encourages people to collaborate with one of Microsoft's many AI interfaces.

Snipping and painting AI

Notepad isn’t the only AI improvement added to classic Microsoft apps. Paint is getting an AI sticker generator that turns text into images and an object select tool that uses AI to figure out what’s foreground and what’s background. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Snipping tool can now automatically crop and resize your screenshots based on what it thinks you’re trying to highlight.

Now, all this AI magic doesn’t come entirely free. To use the new Notepad and Paint features, you’ll need to sign in with a Microsoft account and be running Windows 11 on one of Microsoft’s new Copilot Plus PCs. There’s also a credit system in place, meaning the AI tools will be metered, though Microsoft hasn’t announced how much this will cost yet.

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• Spider-Man: Brand New Day could feature another major Marvel superhero
• The latest cast rumor suggests one of the original Avengers will have a sizeable role to play
• If true, Marvel and Sony might retread old storytelling ground with their inclusion

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will apparently feature another major Marvel superhero – and, if true, I'm worried that the film will retread old storytelling ground in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Yesterday (May 26), a report from superhero fansite Nexus Point News suggested one of the original six Avengers will show up in Spidey's next big-screen adventure. Nexus Point News also indicated that said individual would have a substantial role to play in the Marvel Phase 6 movie, too. Potentially big spoilers immediately follow for Spider-Man 4, so proceed at your own risk.

Will we see the webslinger do battle with one of the OG Avengers? (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)

According to Nexus Point News's sources, Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk will have a large supporting role in Brand New Day. There's no information on how Banner or his gamma-irradiated alter-ego will fit into proceedings, but there are murmurings that he could be the latest scientific genius to mentor Tom Holland's Peter Parker.

Now, it's unclear if Nexus Point News' latest claim is true. For what it's worth, the outlet's overall track record can be described as pretty accurate. Per the ResetEra forums, they were the first website to break the news that Alex Garland was set to direct an Elden Ring film adaptation. That claim, which was made on May 6, was made almost three weeks before A24 and Garland were confirmed to be working on an Elden Ring movie.

If this Hulk rumor ends up being true, though, it raises two major concerns about the film's plot for me – both of which lean into some tired and cliched narrative beats that the MCU has already explored.

Please don't give us another Hulk versus fellow superhero fight, Marvel and Sony (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The first worry I have is that Holland's Spider-Man might get another mentor figure. After making his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, the webslinger was taken under the wing of Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, until his death in Avengers: Endgame. It can also be argued that Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange temporarily assumed the role of a mentor figure, albeit a slightly antagonistic one, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, too.

The prospect of Ruffalo's Banner becoming the wallcrawler's third tutor-style figure in just four Spider-Man films to date would be overkill as far as I'm concerned. It would also undo the ending of Spidey's third solo outing in the MCU, with No Way Home being the hard reset that the webhead needs to not only grow up as an individual, but thrive as a hero without supervision.

Banner's (and, by proxy, Hulk's) inclusion also presents an uninspired storytelling situation we've seen before. That being, a Marvel hero potentially having to battle the big, green, lean machine.

Whether it's Avengers: Age of Ultron or Thor: Ragnarok, we've already seen the likes of Iron Man and Thor square off against Hulk. More recently, we've also witnessed Sam Wilson's Captain America go toe-to-toe with a similar foe in US President Thaddeus Ross' Red Hulk – the duo fighting in the final act of Captain America: Brave New World.

Smart Hulk (left) was last seen in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Now, given their respective strengths, a Spider-Man versus Hulk fight could be interesting, but do we really want to watch another superhero brawl with Banner's superhuman alias? I certainly don't.

There are numerous Spider-Man villains who deserve to show up in his next film. In fact, three are reportedly set to feature in Brand New Day. That's before you look at other members of his rogues gallery who are rumored to feature, such as Mister Negative, Silver Sable, and Tarantula. Unless Spidey teams up with Hulk to defeat this collection of villains, what purpose would it serve to include the Savage Hulk side of Banner's persona as another 'bad guy' for the webslinger to deal with?

Of course, this is all speculation at this point, so we'll have to wait until filming gets underway (it's expected to start in August) to see if Ruffalo is spotted on one of Brand New Day's sets. If Banner does show up in Spider-Man 4, I really hope it's not in a new advisor capacity or as an antagonistic figure because the MCU needs to take some creative steps forward and not look back at what's worked before. So, Marvel and Sony, lean into the 'new' aspect of Brand New Day's title, please.

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Hells Canyon is the deepest river canyon in the United States. Now scientists have solved the mystery of when it formed.

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• Nvidia’s GPUs are facing another bug causing black screen crashes
• This affects RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti GPUs and won’t let you boot to the desktop
• Nvidia has a fix to hand, but applying it could be a somewhat tricky matter for some folks – though the impact of this bug isn’t widespread, apparently

Nvidia has released a fix for owners of RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards who are seeing their PC boot to a black screen.

This is a nasty problem, of course, leaving those affected unable to use their PC unless they have some way of getting around the black screen that’s presenting itself and bringing the boot process to a screeching halt, instead of allowing people to get to their desktop.

VideoCardz highlighted Nvidia’s confirmation of this problem in a support document which also provides a tool to cure the showstopping bug, namely the Nvidia GPU UEFI Firmware Update Tool v2.0.

Nvidia makes it very clear that this patch – which is an update for the motherboard BIOS – should only be installed by those who are encountering black screen woes. If you aren’t affected by this issue, don’t grab this tool.

Of course, there’s a slight problem in terms of downloading and using the tool on a PC with this bug, given that as mentioned, you seemingly can’t get to the desktop in the first place.

Not with a normal boot, anyway, which is why Nvidia provides a list of workarounds to get your PC booted in its support material. That includes heading into the BIOS (which you can do before your PC starts to boot, following the instructions provided with your computer or motherboard) and ensuring you are in UEFI boot mode and not Legacy/CSM mode.

That’s because the latter can cause the black screen problem, but do note that some (older) PCs may not have a UEFI option, in which case, Nvidia advises you to “contact customer service of your graphics card manufacturer for a legacy VBIOS update.” (Not meaning Nvidia itself, of course, but the maker of your board, such as Asus, Gigabyte, MSI and so forth).

The other main trick that should work to get to the desktop is if you have integrated graphics (on your processor), you could switch to use that (in the BIOS graphics settings) instead of your Nvidia GPU. Or if your CPU doesn’t have integrated graphics, you could use an another (old or borrowed) Nvidia GPU in your PC temporarily.

Analysis: A frustrating issue with limited impact

(Image credit: Nvidia)

This is a knotty problem, then, or it could be in some scenarios, potentially requiring a bit of fiddling around to get to a place where you can install the patch to resolve it.

That’s far from ideal, but the good news is that there don’t seem to be many gamers affected by this bug, as VideoCardz points out. That’s comforting to hear in some ways – even if it may partially be a reflection of the lack of popularity of the RTX 5060 in particular for various reasons – but clearly some GPU owners will be hit by this snag, otherwise Nvidia wouldn’t be bothering with a patch to cure it.

Sadly, Nvidia graphics card owners have been facing black screen issues from boot, or black screen lock-ups during everyday use or gaming, ever since new GeForce drivers were released with support for Blackwell GPUs. And that doesn’t just extend to those RTX 5000 graphics cards, either, but RTX 4000 models have been affected too (or even the generation before that in a scattering of reported cases).

In short, there’s been a general wonkiness with Nvidia’s graphics drivers since the RTX 5000 series arrived, and this is the latest episode. All in all, it’s not a good look for Team Green.

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• Nintendo Switch 2 supports traditional USB mouse controls
• This was revealed in a presentation for Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
• It opens up the possibilities for wider mouse and keyboard support on Switch 2

If you don't like the idea of dragging the Joy-Con 2 across your desk to access Nintendo Switch 2's mouse controls, it turns out you might not have to.

Michi Ryu, producer on Koei Tecmo's Switch 2 port of Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, has revealed that the upcoming game supports traditional USB mice on the new console (via VGC).

Ryu begins the demonstration, which you can watch for yourself in the video below, by playing the game in the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode. “The functionality is the same as the already released Steam version, allowing for left click, right click and wheel operations,” he says.

Around the 11-minute mark in the video, Ryu reveals that a USB mouse has been connected to the Nintendo Switch 2 system, taking priority over the Joy-Con 2 as the main method of control. Ryu can then still use various shortcuts that are mapped to the left Joy-Con 2.

While being able to use a USB mouse on Switch 2 is great news, it's still an unknown as to how widespread mouse support will be with other Nintendo Switch 2 games. For example, I can see USB mouse support being excellent for Civilization 7 and Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2.

It is worth noting, though, that some first-party Nintendo games might not be a great fit for traditional mice. That includes Drag x Drive and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - both of which have rather bespoke mouse control schemes that'll presumably be better suited to the Joy-Con 2 and its extra buttons.

Still, USB mouse support is a great thing to see regardless. It could even open up the possibilities of, say, a Final Fantasy 14 Online or The Elder Scrolls Online ports to Switch 2 - assuming the console also has keyboard support like the original Switch did.

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• Sony is reportedly working on its next PlayStation portable console, codenamed 'Jupiter'
• A leaker claims that the device's chip will be developed by AMD and use Samsung Foundry’s SF2P node
• It's said a deal hasn't yet been finalized

Sony is rumored to be working on its next PlayStation handheld console.

That's according to known leaker Jukanlosreve, who has claimed that Sony is currently working on its PlayStation Vita successor, which could be announced by 2028.

Sony is said to be "evaluating a new low-power gaming SoC [System-on-Chip] project", which is being internally referred to as codename "Jupiter", and the company wants AMD to develop it.

"The chip is expected to be developed by AMD and fabricated using Samsung Foundry’s SF2P node, with mass production targeted for post-2028," Jukanlosreve said.

The leaker also stressed that the deal hasn't been finalized yet as it's "still under review between Sony, Samsung, and AMD."

Exclusive: On the Sony PlayStation HandheldSony is currently evaluating a new low-power gaming SoC project—internally referred to as “Jupiter.”⁰The chip is expected to be developed by AMD and fabricated using Samsung Foundry’s SF2P node, with mass production targeted for…May 24, 2025

This isn't the first time we've heard of Sony developing a portable console. In November 2024, it was reported that the PlayStation company was developing a handheld that could run PS5 games natively.

Sources familiar with the project said at the time that the device would compete against the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox handheld that's currently being prototyped, and would be different from its PlayStation Portal.

It was said that the new console wouldn't rely on cloud gaming or remote play and would instead run PS5 games all on its own, like a more powerful PS Vita.

However, like the most recent leak, it was reported that Sony could still decide against bringing the handheld to market, and that it’s still "likely years away from launch."

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• Audio-only video playback is heading to Android Automotive
• The update should eventually reach Android Auto
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If you're an Android Auto user like me, you'll know there's currently no support for video playback. However, video apps are now on the way to the software, with a useful tweak for those times when your vehicle is on the move.

As spotted by 9to5Google, there's a new clip uploaded by Google to the Android Developers account: it shows the Android Automotive interface switching to an audio-only mode for videos while driving.

Android Automotive is the version of Android Auto that car makers can build into their vehicles, no Android phone required. This platform does already support video apps, but only when the car is parked.

Eventually, these same features should make their way to Android Auto on phones. Last week we got the news that video players are "coming soon" to Android Auto, so let's hope audio-only playback isn't too far behind.

A long time coming

I can understand why it's taken a while for video apps to make it to Android Auto, because there's the danger of distracting drivers – and with the software running from a phone, it's harder to detect when a vehicle is actually in motion.

However, I'm glad that Google is getting around to providing support for both video apps and an audio-only mode. As a YouTube Premium subscriber, I watch a lot of videos, and having access to them in my car will add a lot more entertainment to journeys.

Even with the video disabled, I can listen to live music gigs, video explainers, ambient music mixes, video podcasts, interviews, and much more besides. Then when I'm parked up, I can check out the football highlights too.

This is only just being worked on by developers for Android Automotive, so it may be a significant while before it makes it to the consumer version of Android Auto – but I'll be patiently waiting to use it as soon as it appears.

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• A major Indian job site was leaking recruiter emails
• The problem stemmed from a bug in the Naukri API
• The hole was quickly plugged, but users should be aware of scams

One of the most popular and widely used job portals in India has reportedly been found leaking recruiter email addresses.

A security researcher named Lohith Gowda recently discovered a vulnerability in Naukri’s API for Android and iOS apps, which exposed the recruiters’ email addresses when they were viewing profiles of potential candidates.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Gowda explained what the dangers of this vulnerability were: “The exposed recruiter email IDs can be used for targeted phishing attacks, and recruiters may receive excessive unsolicited emails and spam."

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2FA codes and session tokens

Gowda further stressed that the email IDs can be added to different spam lists and public breach databases, which are sometimes picked up by scraping bots. This, in turn, can lead to automated bot abuse and various scams.

Relevancy and a sense of urgency are key to a successful phishing email.

An attacker might reference an ongoing hiring campaign, a candidate's resume, or a job platform the recruiter uses, to make the email feel timely and legitimate.

Urgency, on the other hand, is how threat actors force the victims into making rash decisions that they later regret.

In this case, these could be claims of a top candidate being about to accept another offer or interview access links that are expiring.

After discovering the flaw, Gowda reached out to Naukri, who then plugged the leak. “All identified enhancements are implemented, ensuring our systems remain updated and resilient,” Alok Vij, IT infrastructure head at Naukri’s parent company InfoEdge, confirmed to TechCrunch. “Our teams have not detected any usual activity that affects the integrity of user data.”

Naukri.com is one of the most popular Indian job sites. According to SimilarWeb, it had more than 28 million unique monthly visits in April 2025, and ranks as the number one job and employment website in the country.

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AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life (quoted)

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g / Charging case: 48.4g

Driver

10mm

(Image credit: Future)AKG N5 review: Price and availability

• Announced in September 2024
• Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
• Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

(Image credit: Future)AKG N5 review: Features

• Poor real-world battery life
• Range of ANC options
• Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

(Image credit: Future)

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

(Image credit: Future)

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

• Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

(Image credit: Future)

• 10mm drivers
• Balanced sound profile
• Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

• Sound performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)AKG N5 review: Design

• Chunky and cheap charging case
• Lightweight and comfortable buds
• Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is (Image credit: Future)

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

• Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

• Value score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category

Comment

Score

Features

There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.

4/5

Sound

The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.

4/5

Value

By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.

3.5/5

Design

A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component

AKG N5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Water resistant

IP54

IP57

IP54

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)

6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g (buds)

5.4g (buds)

5.3g (buds)

Driver

10mm

10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter

11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

(Image credit: Future)

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

• First reviewed: May 2025
• Read more about how we test

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