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Regulators are putting the kibosh on sales of the automaker's upcoming EV models because of its ties to China.

• A designer working with NASA and agricultural experts has created a coffee that tastes like it was grown on Mars
• MA student Sarah Ali created the coffee as part of her 'Brew_Lab' project
• The project reflects on how climate change might affect the availability and composition of coffee

A designer working with experts at NASA and the UK’s Royal Botanical Society has produced a coffee that tastes like it was grown on Mars a hundred years from now.

The red planet-flavored Mars 2126 coffee — an ‘edible scent’ added to a regular cup of joe — is a product of Brew_Lab, a project by industrial designer Sarah Ali. The project is centered around a futuristic vending machine that brews coffee from three different dates in the future, based on climate projections.

Ali, 35, produced Brew_Lab to conclude her MA in Material Futures at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, and exhibited the project at Milan Design Week in April 2026, as well as CSM's degree show which runs until June 21.

“This is very much a climate futures project” said Ali to TechRadar, “and the way I got to Mars was through the fact that if we keep on doing what we do now, our future in 100 years time might be that Earth won’t be able to facilitate all the things we need it to.”

“It’s a little bit speculative,” she continued, “but what I found really cool was that people at NASA were already testing what food and drink would be like on Mars. There’s a lot of investment in that space.”

The Arabica successors

(Image credit: Sarah Ali)

As well as providing passers-by the chance to try a cup of Martian mud from 2126, the project also includes an edible scent designed to predict the taste of coffee grown in Sierra Leone in 2080. This uses the revived stenophylla species of coffee bean, which is more resilient to climate change than the industry-leading arabica bean.

The third and final flavor, Brazil 2027, is used to emphasize the frailty of the Arabica bean, with crop yields expected to fall by as much as 80% by 2050 (via University of Florida).

To design the scent profiles of each coffee, Ali used machine learning models fed by data from NASA’s Dr. Gioia Massa, and Kew Gardens’ Dr. Aaron Davis, a world- leading coffee expert.

A post shared by Scentible (@scentible.co)

A photo posted by on

“Dr. Davis has studied 127 different coffee species, of which only 7 to 12 are likely to survive into our future” adds Ali. Brew_Lab uses rare, hardy racemosa beans for its Martian brew, and Ali explained that NASA’s research on agriculture allowed her to factor in the effect of gravity on our perception of taste on the final product.

“I thought of Mars because it’s a very extreme scenario”, Ali said, “and the extreme scenarios allow us to really understand what’s happening. How do we think about things differently, to avoid that future or prepare for it.”

Still, it might take a few years yet for the best coffee makers to add a ‘Martian’ setting.

Drugmakers are working on a potential new shot to prevent the tick-borne illness. How might it fare in the era of vaccine skepticism?

(Image credit: Kyle Pyatt for KFF Health News)

The U.S. population was already aging and tilting toward decline. After the Supreme Court confirmed Trump's power to deport hundreds of thousands of foreign migrants, population decline could accelerate.

(Image credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Pochettino was the biggest name the U.S. men's soccer team had ever hired. His rebuild was bumpy at times — but now, with the U.S. headed to the World Cup knockout stage, the players are all in.

(Image credit: Russell Lewis)

Ukraine's long-range drones are striking deep inside Russia, up to 1,200 miles away, hitting oil refineries and depots. NPR recently spent time with one of the Ukrainian strike teams launching drones at Russian targets.

(Image credit: Serhii Korovvayny for NPR)

• Octopus enters the home battery market with two distinct systems — Nook Cube and Nook Colossus
• Renters receive the Nook Cube, a plug-in battery requiring no installation work
• Homeowners get Nook Colossus, which can be expanded to a substantial 30kWh capacity

Octopus Energy has unveiled a new home battery range called Nook, aiming squarely at the household storage market.

Announced at the company's recent Energy Tech Summit, the range includes two distinct products built for different types of customers.

One option targets the more than 10 million renting households and tenants in Britain, while the other suits homeowners seeking a permanently installed system.

Two battery systems built for different households

Octopus says the plug-in option for renters, called Octopus Nook Cube, is a compact, shoebox-sized 2kWh battery that connects to any standard wall socket.

Customers can add extra units through the Octopus app, allowing total storage to scale up to 10.5kWh over time.

For homeowners, Octopus is launching a wall-mounted, engineer-installed system called Octopus Nook Colossus, available in 5kWh and 10kWh configurations.

Larger households can stack additional units to reach a maximum capacity of 30kWh, positioning it as a genuine rival to Tesla's Powerwall lineup.

Both systems work alongside existing solar panel installations and carry a 12-year warranty as standard.

Unlike many existing systems, the battery connects directly to a standard household socket without requiring an engineer installation or property modifications.

Octopus plans to begin sales of the batteries next year across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

That timeline means households hoping for immediate alternatives to Tesla Powerwall products will need to wait until at least 2027.

Savings claims rest on existing smart tariffs

Home batteries store electricity when prices fall before releasing it later when tariffs become significantly more expensive for consumers.

Octopus says customers can increase savings further by pairing battery systems with its own smart electricity tariffs and plans.

According to the company, those tariffs have already helped customers collectively save almost £1 billion on energy expenditure.

“Home batteries are a brilliant piece of tech and one of the smartest ways to cut energy bills right now,” said Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group.

“Offering Octopus batteries to our customers is a big step in our mission to help people to tap into the cheapest energy possible.”

Demand for domestic storage has reportedly accelerated following instability in the Middle East and increasingly unpredictable energy prices worldwide.

Across the UK, Spain, and France, Octopus says it has already installed almost 26,000 solar and battery systems.

This launch makes Octopus the first major British energy supplier to sell its own battery range directly to customers.

Whether a delayed arrival affects enthusiasm remains uncertain, although rising energy costs may leave little shortage of interested buyers.

America's 250th birthday has brought more events and new crowds for Revolutionary reenactors and interpreters. They say Washington's life holds important lessons for our current political divide.

(Image credit: Michelle Gustafson for NPR)

Don't let your leftovers go to waste. Cookbook authors share clever storage techniques — like an "Eat Me First" box in your fridge — and cooking tricks to help you make the most of your food scraps.

(Image credit: Pulse/Getty Images)

Aid efforts are intensifying after twin earthquakes killed nearly 1,000 in Venezuela, with international teams arriving but a slow government response hampering relief on the ground.

(Image credit: Esteban Vega La-Rotta)

It's been another packed week of technology news, and TechRadar has been covering all of the stories that matter: the Prime Day deals, the Apple price hikes, new devices from Oura and Sonos, and plenty more besides.

If you haven't been able to check in regularly on our site, this weekly ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) round-up is here to get you up to speed. You can browse through the headlines that matter below, and click the links for the full articles.

Get yourself comfortable and review the past week below, and we'll be back again this time next week for another ICYMI summary.

7. We scoured the Prime Day deals

(Image credit: TechRadar / Amazon)

You may have noticed that it's been Amazon Prime Day this week — it's now spread across multiple days of course — and the TechRadar team has been busy searching across every Amazon category to bring you the best deals: we've found discounts on TVs, laptops, headphones, smartwatches, smart home gadgets, tablets, and plenty more besides.

No matter what you're in need of tech-wise at the moment, our US and UK round-up pages have a variety of deals that will fit, and a lot of these discounts are genuinely substantial — and many are still going. Together with the latest prices and links for each product, we've also included our expert tech advice in each case, so you know exactly why which offers are worth pursuing.

• Read more: We're tracking the best Prime Day tech deals live — 121 biggest discounts on Apple, Samsung, Kindle, Sony, and more

6. We reviewed the Oura Ring 5

(Image credit: Future)

The Oura Ring 5 is a substantial step up from its predecessor: it's slimmer, lighter, and more durable, as well as offering extra battery life — and according to our review, you might even forget you're wearing it. Oura has managed to refine the device's appearance so it looks like a normal piece of jewelry, even with the cutting-edge sensors inside it.

"It's easily the most stylish and accurate smart ring around," our review states, though it's not perfect, and there's that usual Oura subscription fee to consider if you want to access most of the tracking features. If you're wondering whether the Oura Ring 5 is the right wearable upgrade for you, then we'll tell you everything you need to know below.

• Read more: Oura Ring 5 review — a luxury smart ring for discreet everyday wellness tracking that's (almost) easy to forget you're wearing

5. Meta revealed its cheaper smart glasses

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Meta has treated us to a bumper crop of new smart glasses, starting at $299 / £269 / AU$599 and developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. We've got all the details here, including how they feel to wear, and a rundown of the design and color variations you can pick from — you certainly can't complain that there isn't enough choice in this batch.

We've also got comments from Meta CTO and Head of Reality Labs Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth, who outlined the company's vision of a smart spec future, and said "it's pretty easy to make glasses that don’t look good, it turns out". That seems to be a humorous dig at some of Meta's rivals in the space, but see what you think of the new Meta Glasses range.

• Read more: 'Our goal is to reach every corner of the market': Meta CTO Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth on the new $299 EssilorLuxottica Meta Glasses

4. We reviewed the latest Sonos speaker

(Image credit: Future)

The Sonos Era 100 SL wireless speaker is more affordable than the Era 100 that launched before it, but as our detailed review will tell you, Sonos has been able to pull this off without making too many compromises. Most importantly, the quality of the sound doesn't drop even though the price does, so you still get a top-tier listening experience.

Our review takes you through every aspect of the Era 100 SL speaker, from how easy it is to set up initially, to the sort of performance you can expect from it — with London Grammar and DJ Shadow included in the artists whose music we used for testing — and there's praise for "quality sound", "great connectivity", and "iconic design" along the way.

• Read more: 'A better price for the same performance': I reviewed Sonos' cheaper Era 100 SL wireless speaker, and was shocked at how few concessions were made to make this a bargain

3. The Steam Machine got an official price tag

(Image credit: Valve)

It's been a long wait for the Steam Machine, but we're nearly there, and now know that the starting price is set at $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609, and we can thank the price inflation driven by the RAM crisis for that. If a Steam Machine is still within your budget, you'll be able to put in an order from June 29, more than seven months after it was first announced.

If you don't think that's good value, then we've put together a guide to building your own Steam Machine alternative below. You get full control over the budget and the specs of the components you choose, and it can be a lot of fun too (as we can say with confidence given the years of PC building experience on the TechRadar team).

• Read more: Disappointed by the Steam Machine’s official price? Build your own mini gaming PC instead with these deals

2. Apple revealed its painful price hikes

(Image credit: Future / Adobe Firefly)

Speaking of the RAM crisis, it just hit Apple too: the company has racked up the pricing on many of its products, including iPads, MacBooks, and even the HomePod. The recently launched MacBook Neo, for example, now has a starting price of $699 rather than $599 in the US — a not inconsiderable rise of $100 or 17% in a single jump.

We've got all the details of how much more expensive each Apple gadget is now, with these price increases effective immediately on the official Apple Store. We've also got some ideas about where you can still find these Apple products at their original prices from third-party retailers — though you'll have to move fast to grab them.

• Read more: Apple just delivered the worst kind of news: price hikes across many of its major products (even the Neo) — and yes, RAM prices are to blame

1. GTA 6 pre-orders finally went live

(Image credit: Rockstar)

After two substantial delays, GTA 6 is finally going to go on sale on November 19, and you can get your pre-orders in now for the PS5, the Xbox Series X, or the Xbox Series S. You've got a $79.99 / £69.99 Standard Edition and a $99.99 / £89.99 Ultimate Edition to choose between, and we've got links for you to all the top US and UK retailers right here.

We're also going to keep an eye out for any bundles that these stores are offering, meaning you can pick up the game and a console at the same time — so check back often if you're interested. It's exciting that pre-orders are now live for what could be the video game of the decade, and we only have five more months to count down until launch day.

• Read more: GTA 6 pre-orders live — bundles arrive, while almost all major US and UK retailers have stock

Critics call platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi online casinos, where insider trading runs rampant.

It's about who produces the best, most succulent steaks, and how to prepare the meat. Argentina and Texas are two of the top cattle-raising areas of the world, where steak is deeply ingrained in diet and culture.

(Image credit: Julio Cortez)

• Halo Campaign Evolved will feature original content and new features, too
• Creative director Max Szlagor says the remake was a process of "crafting it piece by piece"
• The game will be "more accessible" than the original

Halo Campaign Evolved isn't just a simple remake of Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign, according to Halo Studios, but a blend of original content and new features designed for a modern shooter.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Summer Game Fest 2026, where we went hands-on with the upcoming game, executive producer Damon Conn and creative director Max Szlagor explained how the team recaptured the feel of the original game and the challenges of making it a fresh experience.

"It's a combination [..] of this Halo simulation, which we've built up over 25 years, foundationally from [Halo] Reach, but pulling in additional pieces and pairing that with this beautiful Unreal [Engine] renderer," Szlagor said. "As far as challenges, it's really just looking at it piece by piece as we build the levels, the encounters with enemies, vehicles, weapons.

"It's just a lot of stuff that we've put together. We've got all the original content plus these nine new weapons, ones you couldn't use in the original game, so making sure those fit in nicely with the Energy Sword, the Fuel Rod cannon, driving the Wraith, [and] vehicle hijacking. Just crafting it piece by piece."

Conn explained that the "key" is "to bring it into more of a modern shooter," which means "make it more accessible" by revamping old features so that they're more approachable.

"You can find your way through levels a little bit easier now," the developer added, "whereas back in the early 2000s, you had to find your way, and it was really trial and error. Now we have much more poignant waypointing to help you along."

There will also be quality-of-life features built using Unreal Engine 5, including a sprint button, but players can also play the game "the original way" by disabling the option.

"I like to sprint around and use it as a traversal function," Conn said. "It doesn't really change the way I'm going to play the game, but it definitely lets me move through the environment in a way that I'm more used to."

Halo Campaign Evolved launches on July 28 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

• Hisense launches a dedicated remote that connects to the kid-safe Vidaa Kids
• Kids can't access grown-up apps with the Safe Streaming remote
• Included across the 2026 Hisense TV range

If you're a parent, you probably don't want your kids to watch things on TV that aren't age-appropriate or safe for them to stream. But stopping that can be a pain. Hisense may have a better option: the first "Safe Streaming" remote control.

Hisense has teamed up with A Parent Media Co Inc, which owns the Kidoodle TV service, to deliver kid-friendly shows to its Vidaa TV operating system alongside the aforementioned remote. It'll be available across the entire 2026 TV range.

Rather than try to screen out dodgy stuff across your smart TV apps and channels, Hisense's solution removes them altogether. The kids can watch thousands of episodes on Vidaa Kids, and the remote is there to help them find their favorites such as Spongebob Squarepants, PAW Patrol: Pup Tales, Baby Shark and many more. There are over 50,000 episodes in total.

(Image credit: Hisense)A walled garden that's safer for kids

Like many parents I was anti-screens… until I became a parent. Sometimes parking a toddler in front of PAW Patrol is exactly what you need so you can prepare a meal, put a laundry load on or just get a few minutes' break.

But my kids didn't have access to the streaming and live channels today's smart TVs have; there's no way I'd leave young kids in front of the TV without supervision or a lot of parental controls switched on.

What Hisense is offering here is an easier life for parents of young children: rather than having to block specific apps on your TV or PIN-protect profiles in multiple apps, you can simply give the kids the Safe Streaming remote and let them get on with it.

Because it's all in one app you don't need to spend any time configuring the apps the grown-ups use, and there's no possibility of the kids getting frustrated across multiple streaming services.

The new remote will be included across Hisense's 2026 MiniLED and RGB MiniLED range, including the E8S, U7S, U7S PRO, UR8S and UR9S series, launching this month — but only on sets with the Vidaa operating system, meaning in the UK and Europe, but not in the US.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Cleer Arc 5: Two-minute review

Almost every one of the best open earbuds I’ve tested, has been designed for sports users. They let you hear your surroundings at the gym, remain aware when running in a busy area, and keep alert when cycling on a road. I don’t think Cleer missed this memo – the brand’s intentionally going for something completely different.

The Cleer Arc 5 are open earbuds designed not for sports, but for the rest of us. I was skeptical when I first saw them, but they’ve surprised me — in both good and bad ways.

The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio means these are suited for watching a TV show or movie on your commute, and their support for a range of better Bluetooth codecs, including LDAC and aptX Adaptive, shows Cleer is aiming for audiophile-quality earbuds here. Those are some exceptional features for a form factor that naturally competes with loads of extraneous background sounds.

Cleer’s app hides loads of other features too, including a posture test which uses the buds’ positional tools, and the ability to set sedentary reminders if you’re too often stuck in one spot.

The design department makes it clear that these aren’t sports buds. Though surprisingly sturdy during a run, the buds are much bulkier than your average svelte runners’ wear. And the presence of an on-case display, full of controls and settings, clearly signposts this as not for active users. When I go to the gym or for a run, the case is always left at home.

Unfortunately, despite the impressive specs and clear focus on listening quality, the Achilles’ Heel of these earbuds is the sound quality. There’s a real lack of expansie through the soundstage, and both treble and bass feel poorly defined. The open-ear form factor doesn’t help here, especially with a max volume that’s simple not loud enough, but many similar earbuds I’ve tested sound a lot better.

It’s a shame that these don’t sound fantastic, and is surprising too when you see the price tag. For some users, I see the feature set trumping the sound quality. The fantastic battery life, health features and spatial audio might trump below-average sound. But it begs the question who these are designed for, if not audiophiles or fitness fans.

Cleer Arc 5 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released in March 2026
• Made their debut at $219 (about £170 / AU$340)
• Some of the priciest within their category

The Cleer Arc 5 were announced on March 16, 2026, only four months after their predecessors. That was a quick turnaround!

You can buy the Arc 5 for $219.99 (about £170, AU$340 — no word on a release outside the US, as with the Arc 4). So these are some of the most expensive open earbuds out there.

To my mind only the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Shokz OpenFit Pro cost more, but they’re both explicitly designed for sports, while the Cleer is aimed at an audiophile market.

Cleer Arc 5 review: Specs

Drivers

16.2mm

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

12 hours (bud), 60 hours (case)

Weight

11.5g (bud), 145g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency response

65Hz to 40kHz

Waterproofing

IPX7

Cleer Arc 5 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• 12-hour battery life, 60 with case
• 8-band EQ, plus presets
• Loads of features including posture test

If there’s an area where the Cleer Arc 5 stand out, it’s in the feature set — it seems that this is what the buds were designed to do.

It starts with the basics: the battery life here is great for open earbuds. You’re getting 12 hours of listening per charge, with 60 hours once you factor in the charging case itself. Beyond a few endurance-focused earbuds, those figures are at the top of their class.

Boot up the Cleer+ app on your phone, and you’re getting a smorgasbord of tools — admittedly in a pretty confusing lay-out. You can use the app to toggle spatial audio, change between EQ modes and create custom ones, change what the touch and gesture controls do, change the case wallpaper, edit what tools are available via the case, and more.

The equalizer is an 8-band one, giving you some control over your sound, though in this day and age I’d say that 10-bands were more common. I preferred using this over the presets, which didn’t have a noticeable impact on a song’s sound.

(Image credit: Future)

The “and more” features I alluded to earlier are pretty out-there, hence needing a whole extra paragraph. They’re health ones: you can set up sedentary reminders to get you to move about, add volume limits to protect your hearing, and do a posture test which uses the gesture controls of the buds to evaluate whether you’re sitting straight.

For office workers, this latter is a genuinely useful feature, and I used it to ensure my seat and chair were level when working at my desk. However, for it to work properly, your phone needs to be at eye level too — I messed it up by leaving my mobile o,n my desk, and when I bent over to look at it, the test was ruined.

One feature you’re not getting in the Arc 5 is any kind of noise cancellation. It’s admittedly very rare in the open-ear space, but not unheard of (if you’ll pardon the pun).

• Features score: 4.5/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Giant case has a touch screen
• Earbuds are on the large side, but fit solidly
• Only IPX7 protected

Let’s start with the Cleer Arc 5’s big new feature: its charging case. Big literally: it weighs 97g all on its own, and measures 8.3 x 6 x 2cm, making it one of the biggest earbud cases I’ve seen in years.

This size isn’t just to house some pretty big earbuds, but it does that with a few extra twists. It has built-in UV charging for the buds, and a mirror inside the case for some reason. For some reason, the left earbud is housed on the right, and vice versa, which was confusing for a while until I learnt to switch.

But no, the big selling point here is a screen build into the charging case. You can use it to flick between a few menus: battery, music controls, spatial audio settings, general settings, equalizer and remote camera shutter. The interface feels akin to a smartwatches’: very basic.

For changing quick settings like EQ or skipping songs, the case was quite handy: I didn’t need to dig my phone out of my pocket and get distracted by the 120 notifications from that group chat I forgot to mute. But you can’t use the case to change playlists, create an EQ or dig deep into settings, so it won’t replace your phone completely.

(Image credit: Future)

The earbuds also have touch controls too, which were quite easy to trigger with a tap anywhere on their body, yet never accidentally picked up an unintentional touch.

I suppose that brings us onto the earbuds. These are pretty huge, and heavy too, weighing roughly 24g each. I haven’t seen an open earbud quite this big, and was expecting them to fit pretty awfully; thankfully, I was totally wrong. I went on many runs with the Arc 5, and not once did they threaten to dislodge, or wobble more than the average open-ear does.

I’d put this down to some smart balancing of the bud and counterweight. They were always comfortable to wear, even if the weight didn’t exactly make them easy to forget.

The Cleer Arc 5 comes in black or white, and I tested the latter. They have an IPX7 rating, which makes them sweatproof but not suited to swimming. I would avoid taking them out in heavier rainfall too, just to be safe.

• Design score: 4/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Large 16.2mm driver
• Blunt and indistinct sound
• Max volume is too low for open format

I was expecting the Cleer Arc 5’s sound to be its outstanding feature. Between its 16.2mm drivers, support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, and high price, it seems like these could be some of the best open earbuds yet.

I’m quite surprised to report that I was wrong, and I didn’t really love listening to tunes on the Arc. The quality isn't terrible, but it's not on par with the expectations you'd have from those aforementioned specs.

Music sounds compressed, with neither the high-end nor low-end differentiated in a way that gives any sense of sound stage or distinction. Snare drums lack bite, distorted-guitar walls turn into crunchy puddles, bass wobbles over plenty of other low- or mid- instruments. The buds would perhaps sound better if they were in-ears, but hovering a few mm over your ears, it doesn't fly.

(Image credit: Future)

Low-end is poorly defined yet too prominent in the mix: The Human Race by BYRNE starts with a harmony that sounded more like a glitching speaker than a bass singer. This line’s meant to repeat in the chorus with a bass guitar, and it completely overrides the harmony. In 311’s Good Feeling, the bass trips over all the other instruments, replacing the usually-energetic, fun chorus with the sonic equivalent of a stubbed toe.

Also affected is the treble, as vocals and higher lines lose prominence and energy. Take, for example, Morningsider’s Thinking it Over: a string motif is dropped in the mix in the introduction, and completely lost in the pre-chorus.

I’ll concede that if you listen to acoustic or folky music, you may not notice this issue as much. In songs like Caamp’s 26, the reduced instrumentation meant I could still basically hear everything.

Well, I could hear it until I stepped outside. The Arc 5 falls into a common trap with open earbuds: their maximum volume isn’t high enough to compete with noisy surroundings. When I was running near a main road, I could barely hear my songs.

• Sound quality: 3/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Features may go some way to justify price...
• ... but audio quality doesn't

The Cleer has quite a few neat features. I really like what the case display achieves, and the fit is solid. Plus, the movie listening features offer tools that many other earbuds don’t.

However that’s a really high price for any earbuds, let alone open-style ones — and especially not for ones that, frankly, don’t sound amazing.

There’s no way that these buds offer you value for money; you can get better audio quality for a lot less, especially if you’re happy to buy non-open-style buds.

• Value: 3/5

Should I buy the Cleer Arc 5?Cleer Arc 5 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

There are loads of features available here, and most of them work flawlessly.

4.5/5

Design

They're bulky, as is the case, but it all somehow manages to work together well.

4/5

Sound quality

These don't have the quality, sound stage or vibrancy you'd expect for the price.

3/5

Value

Elsewhere, you can easily get more for your money.

3/5

Buy them if…

You need office earbuds
The open-ear form factor, easy case controls and health features might make these buds suitable for office workers who need to be attentive to their surroundings, but still want to listen to music.

You love case controls
Earbuds charging case controls seem to be surging in popularity – if you’re sold on this kind of tool, the Cleer are a fine example of the art.

You watch movies on your phone
The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio are almost unheard of in open earbuds, possibly because it’s a weird marriage, but still some might appreciate it.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re an audiophile
I didn’t love the music quality here, and if you want great-sounding open earbuds, you’ll find plenty of better-sounding options.

You’re on a budget
Most open earbuds I’ve seen cost a good $100 / £100 / AU$200 less than the Cleer Arc 5. They’re a premium options, and you can easily find cheaper.

Cleer Arc 5review: Also consider

Cleer Arc 5

Huawei FreeArc

Shokz OpenDots

Drivers

16.2mm

17mm x 12mm

2x11.8mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

No

Battery life (ANC on)

12 hours (earbuds), 60 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)

10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)

Weight

11.5g (each bud), 145g (case)

8.9g (each bud), 67g (case)

5.6g (each bud), 52g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX7

IP57

IP54

Huawei FreeArc
If you want comfortable, understated earbuds that sound fantastic, the Huawei FreeArc remain some of my favorites. They’re also much cheaper than the Cleer, especially because they’re a little older.
Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

Shokz OpenDots One
If you want any open earbuds, and don’t mind jumping to the slightly-different clip-on style, these Shokz will appeal to you. They cost slightly less than the Cleer, and feel much lighter. The clip-style format also lets you hear your songs a lot better.
Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review

How I tested the Cleer Arc 5

• Tested for one month
• Tested in a range of indoor and outdoor settings
• Used for music, gaming, calls movies and TV

I used the Cleer Arc 5 for roughly a month before writing this review of them. In that time, they were paired to a succession of Android smartphones, mostly the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Moto Edge 70 Fusion.

I listened to the Arc 5 on runs, walks around my neighborhood, office sessions, long trips on public transport and at home. I mostly streamed music via Spotify Lossless, and Apple Music, but also watched movies on a variety of streaming services, played games, and tested a few other music streamers.

I’ve been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for over seven years now, including testing audio kit for nearly as long. In that time I’ve handled other Cleer gadgets as well as many, many other open-ear buds.

• First reviewed in May 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Cleer Arc 5: Two-minute review

Almost every one of the best open earbuds I’ve tested, has been designed for sports users. They let you hear your surroundings at the gym, remain aware when running in a busy area, and keep alert when cycling on a road. I don’t think Cleer missed this memo – the brand’s intentionally going for something completely different.

The Cleer Arc 5 are open earbuds designed not for sports, but for the rest of us. I was skeptical when I first saw them, but they’ve surprised me — in both good and bad ways.

The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio means these are suited for watching a TV show or movie on your commute, and their support for a range of better Bluetooth codecs, including LDAC and aptX Adaptive, shows Cleer is aiming for audiophile-quality earbuds here. Those are some exceptional features for a form factor that naturally competes with loads of extraneous background sounds.

Cleer’s app hides loads of other features too, including a posture test which uses the buds’ positional tools, and the ability to set sedentary reminders if you’re too often stuck in one spot.

The design department makes it clear that these aren’t sports buds. Though surprisingly sturdy during a run, the buds are much bulkier than your average svelte runners’ wear. And the presence of an on-case display, full of controls and settings, clearly signposts this as not for active users. When I go to the gym or for a run, the case is always left at home.

Unfortunately, despite the impressive specs and clear focus on listening quality, the Achilles’ Heel of these earbuds is the sound quality. There’s a real lack of expansie through the soundstage, and both treble and bass feel poorly defined. The open-ear form factor doesn’t help here, especially with a max volume that’s simple not loud enough, but many similar earbuds I’ve tested sound a lot better.

It’s a shame that these don’t sound fantastic, and is surprising too when you see the price tag. For some users, I see the feature set trumping the sound quality. The fantastic battery life, health features and spatial audio might trump below-average sound. But it begs the question who these are designed for, if not audiophiles or fitness fans.

Cleer Arc 5 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released in March 2026
• Made their debut at $219 (about £170 / AU$340)
• Some of the priciest within their category

The Cleer Arc 5 were announced on March 16, 2026, only four months after their predecessors. That was a quick turnaround!

You can buy the Arc 5 for $219.99 (about £170, AU$340 — no word on a release outside the US, as with the Arc 4). So these are some of the most expensive open earbuds out there.

To my mind only the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Shokz OpenFit Pro cost more, but they’re both explicitly designed for sports, while the Cleer is aimed at an audiophile market.

Cleer Arc 5 review: Specs

Drivers

16.2mm

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

12 hours (bud), 60 hours (case)

Weight

11.5g (bud), 145g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency response

65Hz to 40kHz

Waterproofing

IPX7

Cleer Arc 5 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• 12-hour battery life, 60 with case
• 8-band EQ, plus presets
• Loads of features including posture test

If there’s an area where the Cleer Arc 5 stand out, it’s in the feature set — it seems that this is what the buds were designed to do.

It starts with the basics: the battery life here is great for open earbuds. You’re getting 12 hours of listening per charge, with 60 hours once you factor in the charging case itself. Beyond a few endurance-focused earbuds, those figures are at the top of their class.

Boot up the Cleer+ app on your phone, and you’re getting a smorgasbord of tools — admittedly in a pretty confusing lay-out. You can use the app to toggle spatial audio, change between EQ modes and create custom ones, change what the touch and gesture controls do, change the case wallpaper, edit what tools are available via the case, and more.

The equalizer is an 8-band one, giving you some control over your sound, though in this day and age I’d say that 10-bands were more common. I preferred using this over the presets, which didn’t have a noticeable impact on a song’s sound.

(Image credit: Future)

The “and more” features I alluded to earlier are pretty out-there, hence needing a whole extra paragraph. They’re health ones: you can set up sedentary reminders to get you to move about, add volume limits to protect your hearing, and do a posture test which uses the gesture controls of the buds to evaluate whether you’re sitting straight.

For office workers, this latter is a genuinely useful feature, and I used it to ensure my seat and chair were level when working at my desk. However, for it to work properly, your phone needs to be at eye level too — I messed it up by leaving my mobile o,n my desk, and when I bent over to look at it, the test was ruined.

One feature you’re not getting in the Arc 5 is any kind of noise cancellation. It’s admittedly very rare in the open-ear space, but not unheard of (if you’ll pardon the pun).

• Features score: 4.5/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Giant case has a touch screen
• Earbuds are on the large side, but fit solidly
• Only IPX7 protected

Let’s start with the Cleer Arc 5’s big new feature: its charging case. Big literally: it weighs 97g all on its own, and measures 8.3 x 6 x 2cm, making it one of the biggest earbud cases I’ve seen in years.

This size isn’t just to house some pretty big earbuds, but it does that with a few extra twists. It has built-in UV charging for the buds, and a mirror inside the case for some reason. For some reason, the left earbud is housed on the right, and vice versa, which was confusing for a while until I learnt to switch.

But no, the big selling point here is a screen build into the charging case. You can use it to flick between a few menus: battery, music controls, spatial audio settings, general settings, equalizer and remote camera shutter. The interface feels akin to a smartwatches’: very basic.

For changing quick settings like EQ or skipping songs, the case was quite handy: I didn’t need to dig my phone out of my pocket and get distracted by the 120 notifications from that group chat I forgot to mute. But you can’t use the case to change playlists, create an EQ or dig deep into settings, so it won’t replace your phone completely.

(Image credit: Future)

The earbuds also have touch controls too, which were quite easy to trigger with a tap anywhere on their body, yet never accidentally picked up an unintentional touch.

I suppose that brings us onto the earbuds. These are pretty huge, and heavy too, weighing roughly 24g each. I haven’t seen an open earbud quite this big, and was expecting them to fit pretty awfully; thankfully, I was totally wrong. I went on many runs with the Arc 5, and not once did they threaten to dislodge, or wobble more than the average open-ear does.

I’d put this down to some smart balancing of the bud and counterweight. They were always comfortable to wear, even if the weight didn’t exactly make them easy to forget.

The Cleer Arc 5 comes in black or white, and I tested the latter. They have an IPX7 rating, which makes them sweatproof but not suited to swimming. I would avoid taking them out in heavier rainfall too, just to be safe.

• Design score: 4/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Large 16.2mm driver
• Blunt and indistinct sound
• Max volume is too low for open format

I was expecting the Cleer Arc 5’s sound to be its outstanding feature. Between its 16.2mm drivers, support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, and high price, it seems like these could be some of the best open earbuds yet.

I’m quite surprised to report that I was wrong, and I didn’t really love listening to tunes on the Arc. The quality isn't terrible, but it's not on par with the expectations you'd have from those aforementioned specs.

Music sounds compressed, with neither the high-end nor low-end differentiated in a way that gives any sense of sound stage or distinction. Snare drums lack bite, distorted-guitar walls turn into crunchy puddles, bass wobbles over plenty of other low- or mid- instruments. The buds would perhaps sound better if they were in-ears, but hovering a few mm over your ears, it doesn't fly.

(Image credit: Future)

Low-end is poorly defined yet too prominent in the mix: The Human Race by BYRNE starts with a harmony that sounded more like a glitching speaker than a bass singer. This line’s meant to repeat in the chorus with a bass guitar, and it completely overrides the harmony. In 311’s Good Feeling, the bass trips over all the other instruments, replacing the usually-energetic, fun chorus with the sonic equivalent of a stubbed toe.

Also affected is the treble, as vocals and higher lines lose prominence and energy. Take, for example, Morningsider’s Thinking it Over: a string motif is dropped in the mix in the introduction, and completely lost in the pre-chorus.

I’ll concede that if you listen to acoustic or folky music, you may not notice this issue as much. In songs like Caamp’s 26, the reduced instrumentation meant I could still basically hear everything.

Well, I could hear it until I stepped outside. The Arc 5 falls into a common trap with open earbuds: their maximum volume isn’t high enough to compete with noisy surroundings. When I was running near a main road, I could barely hear my songs.

• Sound quality: 3/5

Cleer Arc 5 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Features may go some way to justify price...
• ... but audio quality doesn't

The Cleer has quite a few neat features. I really like what the case display achieves, and the fit is solid. Plus, the movie listening features offer tools that many other earbuds don’t.

However that’s a really high price for any earbuds, let alone open-style ones — and especially not for ones that, frankly, don’t sound amazing.

There’s no way that these buds offer you value for money; you can get better audio quality for a lot less, especially if you’re happy to buy non-open-style buds.

• Value: 3/5

Should I buy the Cleer Arc 5?Cleer Arc 5 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

There are loads of features available here, and most of them work flawlessly.

4.5/5

Design

They're bulky, as is the case, but it all somehow manages to work together well.

4/5

Sound quality

These don't have the quality, sound stage or vibrancy you'd expect for the price.

3/5

Value

Elsewhere, you can easily get more for your money.

3/5

Buy them if…

You need office earbuds
The open-ear form factor, easy case controls and health features might make these buds suitable for office workers who need to be attentive to their surroundings, but still want to listen to music.

You love case controls
Earbuds charging case controls seem to be surging in popularity – if you’re sold on this kind of tool, the Cleer are a fine example of the art.

You watch movies on your phone
The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio are almost unheard of in open earbuds, possibly because it’s a weird marriage, but still some might appreciate it.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re an audiophile
I didn’t love the music quality here, and if you want great-sounding open earbuds, you’ll find plenty of better-sounding options.

You’re on a budget
Most open earbuds I’ve seen cost a good $100 / £100 / AU$200 less than the Cleer Arc 5. They’re a premium options, and you can easily find cheaper.

Cleer Arc 5review: Also consider

Cleer Arc 5

Huawei FreeArc

Shokz OpenDots

Drivers

16.2mm

17mm x 12mm

2x11.8mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

No

Battery life (ANC on)

12 hours (earbuds), 60 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)

10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)

Weight

11.5g (each bud), 145g (case)

8.9g (each bud), 67g (case)

5.6g (each bud), 52g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX7

IP57

IP54

Huawei FreeArc
If you want comfortable, understated earbuds that sound fantastic, the Huawei FreeArc remain some of my favorites. They’re also much cheaper than the Cleer, especially because they’re a little older.
Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

Shokz OpenDots One
If you want any open earbuds, and don’t mind jumping to the slightly-different clip-on style, these Shokz will appeal to you. They cost slightly less than the Cleer, and feel much lighter. The clip-style format also lets you hear your songs a lot better.
Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review

How I tested the Cleer Arc 5

• Tested for one month
• Tested in a range of indoor and outdoor settings
• Used for music, gaming, calls movies and TV

I used the Cleer Arc 5 for roughly a month before writing this review of them. In that time, they were paired to a succession of Android smartphones, mostly the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Moto Edge 70 Fusion.

I listened to the Arc 5 on runs, walks around my neighborhood, office sessions, long trips on public transport and at home. I mostly streamed music via Spotify Lossless, and Apple Music, but also watched movies on a variety of streaming services, played games, and tested a few other music streamers.

I’ve been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for over seven years now, including testing audio kit for nearly as long. In that time I’ve handled other Cleer gadgets as well as many, many other open-ear buds.

• First reviewed in May 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

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