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Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In co-stars Ruth Buzzi and Gary Owens at NBC's 75th Anniversary Party, in Los Angeles, in 2002. Buzzi was best known for her regular appearances in the variety TV show during the late 1960s and early 70s.'/>

Buzzi, who was best known for her regular appearances on the NBC variety TV show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, died on Thursday at her home in Texas.

(Image credit: Rene Macura)

The Daniel K. Inouye telescope snapped a clear image of sunspots.

(Image credit: VTF/KIS/NSF/NSO/AURA)

The billionaire investor, now 94, also said he would be resigning as CEO at the end of the year. He spoke at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting known as "Woodstock for Capitalists."

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Josh Funk))

• Researchers set new wireless data record over 4.6km with infrared
• Data beams allow many parallel high-speed connections without interference
• Researchers believe this can bridge future 5G and 6G network connectivity gaps

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have transmitted data between the TU/e campus and the High Tech Campus over a 4.6km distance using infrared light.

This feat happened at the astonishing rate of 5.7 terabits per second, the equivalent of streaming 1.9 million Netflix shows in HD simultaneously, making it the fastest wireless data transmission ever demonstrated over this big a distance in an urban setting.

The record-breaking connection was established using advanced optical antennas from Aircision, a spin-off of TNO based at the High Tech Campus. These antennas transmit data through invisible infrared beams instead of cables or radio signals. This technique, known as free-space optical (FSO) communication, enables ultra-fast, interference-free data transmission.

Paving the way for its future applications

“We need new ways to meet the increasing demand for fast and reliable connectivity,” said Vincent van Vliet, a TU/e PhD researcher involved in the project. “Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems.”

The team used the Reid Photonloop testbed to achieve the breakthrough. This permanent set-up allows experiments with high-speed wireless communication and uses cutting-edge technology to combine multiple wavelengths in a single transmission.

“Because the transmitted infrared light is highly focused, an almost unlimited number of communication links can exist side-by-side without interference, allowing wireless network capacity growth at an unprecedented scale,” Van Vliet explained.

The Reid Photonloop testbed, named after the late John Reid, a driving force behind the project who passed away before its realization, stretches between the Flux building at TU/e and Building 37 at the High Tech Campus, a distance of 4.6km across Eindhoven.

"This facility will allow us to refine high-speed wireless communication and optimize its reliability and availability in all weather conditions,” said Chigo Okonkwo, Associate Professor and head of TU/e’s High-Capacity Optical Transmission Lab.

Aircision sees future applications for this technology in connecting 5G and 6G antennas where laying fiber is impractical.

“We are redefining how data is transmitted over the air. This record-breaking achievement proves that our technology is ready to make high-speed internet accessible to millions of people faster than ever before,” said Luis Oliveira, co-founder of Aircision.

The findings were presented at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference 2025 in San Francisco.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he will ask Defense Department officials why an Army Black Hawk helicopter violated flight restrictions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

(Image credit: Stefani Reynolds)

Hansi Flick's league leaders go in search of a win against the relegated Pucela.

We live in times when tech firms will more often than not leave us disappointed; such is the nature of iterative technology upgrades and product cycles. So I was fully prepared to be disapproved by an attempt to run Death Stranding on my aging MacBook Air 13-inch (M2).

Last year, Apple touted how the 2019 game, which originally launched on the PS4, was coming to both macOS and iOS.

Now, Death Stranding is a rather attractive open-world game with a good few systems at play, and it has the added need of rendering actors Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, among others, with solid realism. It’s not a game for a bit of low effort porting, so I’d prepared myself for disappointment.

Thanks to the move to in-house Apple silicon, modern Mac and MacBooks have buckets of performance to tap into – be that for battery efficiency or handling a mass of Chrome tabs or some professional video rendering. Of course, one’s mileage varies depending on the generation of chip and whether it’s an M-series with a 'Pro' or 'Max' suffix (those offer the most power).

While I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the M2 chip in my MacBook Air, it’s mostly been for how well it handles everyday tasks and sips power – at least compared to Windows laptops I’ve used. It can also run Baldur’s Gate 3, which is no mean feat, and handles the likes of Divinity Original Sin 2 with aplomb.

Still, I was concerned that a more graphically ambitious game would prove too much for my MacBook.

Reader, I was wrong.

Out-stranding

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

Booting up Death Stranding, I was surprised at how smooth everything felt – there were no odd audio glitches or stutters, as can happen in my experience when running demanding games on Valve’s Steam Deck. Positive first steps, then.

Once the game got up and running, and after an oddball opening sequence that’s very much in keeping with the style of director Hideo Kojima, I was dropped into the boots of futuristic delivery man Sam Porter Bridges’ boots.

And, to my surprise, the game ran at what I felt was a steady 30 frames per second – sure, not the smooth 60 fps I like, but more than playable. This was at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and with graphics settings turned up to their highest settings.

Now, playing a game with the kind of expansive vistas that Death Stranding sports on a 13.6-inch display isn’t the best way to experience it. But the impressive colors the Retina display on my Air manages, despite being an LCD panel, helped make some of the wet and green landscapes of North America pop with punchy dark greens, blues, yellows, and grays.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

At 30 fps Death Stranding – at least so far – feels very playable. Plus I’m sure I could squeeze out more if I dig into the graphics settings.

It’s also seriously impressive that I’m running a game of this calibre on a fanless laptop, where previously it would take a dedicated games console to kick Death Stranding into gear. So yeah, I was impressed and had to put my skepticism to bed.

More than all of that though, is how this shows the promise for proper gaming on MacBooks.

Mac gaming has arrived

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

With Apple's in-house designed chips showcasing that they are more than just great slices of silicon for getting stuff done, and have the graphical grunt for gaming, I could see a decent future for actually gaming on Macs.

Now I don’t expect custom Windows PCs to be replaced by Macs, no matter how powerful the latter get. But I do see MacBooks being viable gaming machines if more games are ported over to run on M-series chips, either via the App Store on Stream.

I like the idea of a MacBook being a form of secondary device to game on when you don’t want to be hunched over a desktop PC. Or as a machine that goes from work to play when on a trip away from home; perhaps replacing the need to carry the likes of the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, especially when dealing with limited luggage capacity.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

But beyond that, I think there’s scope for Apple Arcade to be expanded to include games that are made from the ground up to run on M-series chips. This might go against the initial idea behind the ‘Arcade’ moniker, which suggested that the subscription service was able to offer the same games on all manner of Apple devices. But it could open up a new tier of gaming for Macs.

There’s a slight wrinkle in that I’ve been waiting for gaming to improve on Macs for a while, what with the introduction of the Metal graphics API, but it’s only just feeling like it's getting to a noteworthy level. So it could be a case that we’ll need to wait a few more years before we see any significant changes.

But I’m hopeful for a future where gaming on Mac is less of an afterthought, and the laughable proposition it once was is left thoroughly in the rear mirror.

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The idea has been hanging in the air for a few years (pun very much intended), and now it’s finally happened: DJI has killed off its long-running Phantom drone.

The company recently announced that, as of 1 June 2025, it’ll be suspending after-sales support and servicing for its Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced drones. This means there’ll be no more official technical support or product maintenance for these two models – and that doesn’t come as a great surprise, given that neither of them has been in production since 2018. It’s just the way of the consumer electronics world: things move quickly, nothing lasts forever, and resources need to be directed towards newer products.

Still, when a product line as iconic as the Phantom comes to an end, it feels like a momentous occasion. After all, this is the drone series that truly popularized and democratized aerial photography and videography, taking them from something only experts and professionals could undertake into hobbies available to anyone with a few hundred pounds to spare.

DJI launched the line in January 2013 with the original Phantom (later known as the Phantom 1), a distinctive white quadcopter that used a GPS-based navigation to hover steadily in place. It didn’t include a built-in camera but could accommodate an optional GoPro Hero.

By the end of the year, its successor the Phantom 2 Vision had arrived, complete with a gimbal-mounted camera capable of capturing 14MP photos and 1080p video plus the ability to deliver a live feed directly to the pilot’s smartphone, which would be mounted on the remote controller.

A truly visionary drone

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision and its pioneering 1080p camera in action (Image credit: DJI)

Back in early 2014, the Phantom 2 Vision became the first drone I ever reviewed. Or ever flew, for that matter. I’d been writing about cameras and photography for a few years already, but the idea of being able to take a camera up into the sky and gain an entirely new perspective on the world felt incredibly fresh and exciting.

I was living in New York at the time and often took this (rather ungainly) white quadcopter soaring above the parks, playgrounds, streets, buildings of my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and even over the East River.

The footage looks extremely rough these days, but at the time there was nothing else like it out there. It felt crazy and more than a little transgressive to be flying above the city capturing HD video – like the Phantom had given me access to a secret world that very few others had cottoned onto yet. I never quite had the guts to fly it among the skyscrapers and packed streets of Manhattan, even if the drone laws back then were a lot less strict than they are today.

Few non-techy people even knew about the existence of consumer camera drones in 2014, and I’d often have to field questions from intrigued passers-by – which could be difficult to answer adequately whilst simultaneously trying to keep a drone that had nothing in the way of anti-collision technology in the air.

I crashed several review samples of this and other Phantoms over the following years (sorry, DJI PR people!), not only in New York but when I eventually returned home to the UK – memorably ploughing one straight into a tree seconds after informing a curious dog-walker that “these things are pretty much impossible to crash”.

The Phantoms did get less accident prone over the years, incorporating more and more of the autopiloting and obstacle avoidance technology that we’ve come to take for granted in today’s DJI drones. They also saw the introduction of better cameras, gimbals to keep those cameras dead level with the horizon, and batteries that went on for far longer than the Phantom 2’s stingy 15-minute lifespan.

The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced: a much more capable drone than the early Phantoms, but still a little too large by modern standards

By the time the Phantom 4 Advanced arrived in 2017, the range was capable of capturing 4K video and flying for almost 30 minutes on a charge. However, it soon became clear that DJI’s priorities were shifting to its folding drones like the Mavic and later Mini and Air series. And why not? For all the Phantom’s charms and lightweight build, its inability to fold down to a conveniently portable size made it a pain to carry, whereas the Mavic, Air and Mini series will easily fit into a backpack – or even a pocket, in the Mini’s case.

DJI's drones dominate practical every drone category today, from the feature-packed sub-250g Mini 4 Pro, to the triple camera Mavic 3 Pro, with others offering superb value such as the Mini 4K beginner drone.

It is probably an apt time, then, for the Phantom to fade away into darkness like the spirit for which it’s named. But even if it’s gone, I’ll certainly never forget those early days of the range. It was a truly ground-breaking product that essentially built the consumer drone market from nothing. Godspeed, DJI Phantom – and may your props never stop spinning.

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• The Sony WH-1000XM6 could be out in the next couple of weeks
• They may go back to the older folding design
• It seems likely that they'll cost more than the WH-1000XM5

When it comes to the best over-ear headphones you can buy, our current list features both the WH-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM5 from Sony – and it looks as though the Sony WH-1000XM6 pair are going to be unveiled before too long.

As per The Walkman Blog (via Notebookcheck), the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are set to be announced in the first or second week of May. However, it might be the middle of June before you can actually order them online or find them in shops.

The same source says the price will be around $479. As you'll see from a read of our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, the current headphones launched at $399 / £380 / AU$649 (though they're now cheaper) – so we're looking at quite a substantial price hike.

Bearing in mind that the WH-1000XM5 headphones made their debut in May 2022, the follow-up pair have been a long time coming. The model before that, the Sony WH-1000XM4, were unveiled all the way back in August 2020.

What we think we know so far

The non-folding WH-1000XM5 headphones (Image credit: Future)

There's one other tidbit of information from this leak: the WH-1000XM6 headphones will apparently fold, unlike the WH-1000XM5 we have now. It's a return to the design of earlier models, including the WH-1000XM4 and the Sony WH-1000XM3.

It's a lot more information about a pair of headphones we haven't really heard too much about so far, despite their launch apparently being imminent. One leak that has emerged suggests the color options are going to be black, platinum silver, and midnight blue.

Another leak from the start of the year pointed to improved Bluetooth capabilities and perhaps a redesigned and stronger hinge. Our expectations are pretty high, considering we've been waiting for these headphones for three years now.

As we've also seen the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones make their way through regulatory filings, it seems very likely that they're going to be unveiled in the coming weeks – and we will of course let you know as soon as anything is official.

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• Fraudulent chargebacks are no longer rare, they're a rising epidemic draining billions from merchants
• First-party fraud is booming because banking apps make it easy to lie and win refunds
• Mastercard says businesses face 324 million chargebacks by 2028 if nothing changes fast

Fraudulent chargebacks are fast becoming a major financial and operational burden for global businesses, new research has warned.

A Mastercard-sponsored study by Datos Insights estimates sellers will lose $15 billion to fraudulent chargebacks in 2025.

The total volume of chargebacks is projected to reach $33.79 billion this year and rise to $41.69 billion by 2028. These fraudulent disputes have far-reaching implications that affect everyone from merchants to consumers.

Digital growth comes with new risks

The increase in digital and card-not-present transactions has made online shopping faster and easier, but it has also made it more vulnerable. More purchases made via ecommerce platforms mean more chargeback claims.

Ironically, 45% of chargebacks stem from "first-party" claims, where valid customers fraudulently deny transactions. This is aided by the ease with which malicious actors can contest charges via banking apps, even without solid proof.

Mastercard believes that if nothing is done quickly, there will be 324 million chargebacks by 2028, up from 261 million in 2025. Unfortunately, a system created to protect consumers is now being abused.

Chargebacks are more than just a financial hassle for online companies, particularly those that use even the best ecommerce platform. On average, the chargeback value per dispute for some industries exceeds $120.

Businesses, especially SMEs, cannot handle this cost, and so to save time, many sellers dismiss low-value claims, but these losses mount quickly. They are now forced to decide whether to bear the loss or invest heavily in cybersecurity and dispute resolution procedures. Either way, they will spend more money, which will eventually lead to higher prices or even worse outcomes.

The Mastercard data shows that 46% of SMEs have experienced a cyberattack, with severe outcomes: 18% filed for bankruptcy, and 17% shut down entirely. Cybersecurity is now seen as essential, with 62% of SMEs making it a top budget priority and around 80% calling it critical to daily operations.

The solution? Advanced AI tools. Automated alerts, clear transaction labels, and detailed digital receipts enable smarter dispute handling. Mastercard notes that businesses using these tools now win more than half of their representation cases, where they contest chargebacks with evidence.

Businesses need to collaborate with the best merchant service and payment gateway providers to curb this threat because, without intervention, the costs will inevitably fall on everyday shoppers in the form of higher prices and slower service.

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Prices for goods, credit card debt, the job market and your investments can be impacted. Here's what's at stake when the Fed meets next week.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #692).

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #693) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CHEWY
• NOODLE
• CARS
• DARTH
• JAM
• ВОВА
• TOUGH
• SHRED
• SOLO
• DRY
• SUGAR
• BLUTO
• TEA
• GENUS
• STRINGY
• MILK

NYT Connections today (game #693) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: (Very) well done
• GREEN: Grab your plectrum 
• BLUE: Syrups optional
• PURPLE: Altered space

Need more clues?

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

NYT Connections today (game #693) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT 
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR 
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA 
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED

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

NYT Connections today (game #693) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #693, are…

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, TOUGH
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR JAM, NOODLE, SHRED, SOLO
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA BOBA, MILK, SUGAR, TEA
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED BLUTO, CARS, DARTH, GENUS

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I’m not sure I would describe CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, and TOUGH as “QUALITIES”, but it was thinking about eating something unpleasant that led me to linking them together. It just wasn’t OVERCOOKED MEAT that I had in mind.

I used to work in the meat department at a large supermarket and it was the animals I worked alongside that put me off meat for 15 years, rather than the thought of erm, eating animals.

Lab-grown meat, untouched by humans and farmed by robots, cannot arrive quickly enough as far as I’m concerned.

My mistake came in thinking that we were looking for the elements of a classic English teatime, rather than the INGREDIENTS IN A BUBBLE TEA – so I had JAM (like one spreads on one’s scones) instead of BOBA.

Having eliminated this, I was able to put another meaning of jam, along with some other things people who enjoy butchering music like doing with their electric guitars.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, May 3, game #692)

• YELLOW: AWESOME DOPE, FIRE, LIT, SICK
• GREEN: DEFEAT SOUNDLY CREAM, LICK, PASTE, SMOKE
• BLUE: "WILL" CONTRACTIONS WITHOUT THE APOSTROPHE HELL, ILL, SHELL, WELL
• PURPLE: URL ENDINGS PLUS A LETTER COMP, MILK, NETI, ORGO

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #1195).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 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 #1196) - hint #1 - Vowels How 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 #1196) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do 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 #1196) - 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 #1196) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• S

• S

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1196, are…

• PINCH
• SMOKE
• SCARY
• CANNY

A total of 15 percent of five-letter words begin with the letter S, so it’s no surprise that today’s Quordle featured two of them.

It is also a good reason to use one of them as a start word, which helped me no end today, giving me a headstart with SMOKE and SCARY.

Despite roaring through today’s puzzle pretty quickly I still tripped up by guessing SCARF – a case of going with a bad hunch, instead of the data.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1196, are…

• GRASS
• CURIO
• EMBER
• SWILL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• Quordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSE
• Quordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNT
• Quordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE
• Quordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICK
• Quordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPH
• Quordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRN
• Quordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFT
• Quordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEE
• Quordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACH
• Quordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUE
• Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULT
• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #426).

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

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

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

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Star Wars: A New Hope

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• POLE
• NINE
• REIN
• NAME
• REAL
• WARBLE

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 8th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #427) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #427, are…

• PLANET
• EMPIRE
• SPACE
• LONG
• TIME
• GALAXY
• REBEL
• SPANGRAM: OPENING CRAWL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was wondering about the reason behind this edition of Strands and then I noticed the date on my laptop screen.

Fortunately, you didn’t have to be a Star Wars fanatic to enjoy today’s search, which instead pays tribute to the OPENING CRAWL, the introductory piece of floating text that became a signature of all the Star Wars movies.

In the 1977 original version, the text, which begins “A LONG TIME ago, in a GALAXY far, far away…”, was designed to sync with John Williams’s main theme, with each new paragraph timing with a new section of music.

Sadly, this subtle effect was lost when the movie was retitled “A New Hope” and subsequently became chapter four of the nine-part Luke Skywalker saga and the insignificant seed of the sprawling 99-part franchise.

For all the hooplah that was to follow, that opening crawl was a reminder of the power of words to set the imagination flowing and transport us to another dimension. May the fourth be with you.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, May 3, game #426)

• GAUZE
• TAPE
• SYRINGE
• STETHOSCOPE
• THERMOMETER
• SPANGRAM: DOCTORS KIT

What is NYT Strands?

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

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

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 is the newest model of the ThinkPad E14 lineup, and it's the budget offering to get into this popular lineup of business computers.

It's not the very best ThinkPad around - I didn't find it the most powerful or possessing the best battery life; it's not the sleekest or the most featured. But what it is well noted for is that it is a good budget laptop. It's an excellent price for a computer, especially one with one of the most well-known badging on it.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6: Unboxing & first impressions

Unpacking this computer was pretty straightforward. It came with standard Lenovo packaging and minimal accessories. It had the charger, some documentation, and the laptop, that is all.

The charger Lenovo sent is a 65W USB-C Charger, which was a lovely thing to find. Instead of a specific barrel connector or those odd proprietary and unique chargers, forcing you to always carry a second charger. With USB-C, all of the newest devices and cables can work; this charger can also charge my phone and other devices.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Upon first impression, I was able to note pretty quickly that this is a budget laptop. While it is clearly a ThinkPad laptop, it is also clearly a budget version. It looks like a very basic and very generic laptop overall, which, for this tier of laptop, was expected. It's a tad heavier than I expected it to be at first glance, but not in any way that is unbearable or odd.

The keyboard looks like a ThinkPad, it has the little red dot TouchPoint in the middle, with a left and right click button positioned at the top of the touchpad. For a budget laptop for writers, it's a decent model. Lastly, the display is about what I expected, being good enough to get some work done, but nothing remarkable at all.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6: Design & build quality Specs

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (12 cores, up to 4.8 GHz)
Graphics: Integrated Intel Graphics
Memory: 16GB DDR5, 5600MHz
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD Gen 4
Display: 14″ WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, anti-glare, 300 nits, 45% NTSC
Ports: 2x USB-C (one Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet RJ45, headphone/mic combo
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
Camera: 720p HD webcam with privacy shutter
Audio: 2 x 2W stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
Battery: 47Wh, supports Rapid Charge (80% in 60 minutes)
Weight: 1.44kg / 3.17lbs

The laptop looks like a business laptop; I'll give it that. It looks like a model that you'd see if you're in a professional workspace, in a business class at the local university, or even a library. It looks like something used in a professional scenario, albeit one where high performance is unnecessary.

It has a sturdy chassis with ports on the left and right sides, though I wish there were a Thunderbolt port, or at least the USB-C, non-Thunderbolt port, on the right side. The keyboard is comfortable enough to write a lengthy email or use for basic daily tasks, especially for the money. The TrackPoint and touchpad are responsive and can be adjusted easily to be more or less sensitive based on your needs.

Lastly, speaking of IO, there is an ethernet port, an HDMI port, and the USB-C, USB-A, and headphone jack, giving this computer more ports than most modern laptops.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6: In use

By now, this is not my favorite laptop, but I will say it's a known budget laptop. If you're looking for the dream machine that can power through it all, this isn't it. But if you are looking for a cheap machine that passes all of the tests that Lenovo does so well, then by all means, this computer is worth considering. But, know that opening programs are a tad laggy; the webcam is pretty cheap, too, and the speakers are rough.

During testing, my team and I noticed that, especially in comparison to faster laptops, we frequently double-click on the E14 due to a lack of responsiveness, resulting in unintended clicks once the first page loads. Granted, we are used to high-end, flagship computers, but this one can still be slow for some applications.

Another thing we noticed is that while this did have great port offerings, we didn't love the location of the ports; we would have much rather had one of the USB-C ports be on the right side.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6: Final verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 is a budget, entry-level, basic business laptop that serves as an accessible entry point into the otherwise popular ThinkPad Ecosystem. It looks, feels, and works like a ThinkPad, but the performance, display, and abilities trade-offs show that this is not the regular ThinkPad you see and read about.

Looking to save? We've rounded up more of the best budget laptops you can get right now.

With the proliferation of clip-on earbuds, Shokz is getting in the game with its premium priced $200 OpenDots One buds. I went hands-on with them to see how they stack up against Bose's top-rated Ultra Open Earbuds.

Full spoilers follow for Thunderbolts* and various other MCU projects.

"Marvel has a villain problem". It's a criticism that's been hurled at the comic book giant's cinematic juggernaut for years.

And with good reason. Between 2008 and 2017 (or, rather, from Iron Man to Thor: Ragnarok), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was as much of a graveyard for its supervillains as it was a multi-billion dollar-spinning franchise.

Aside from the odd Big Bad who survived due to their fan popularity (Loki) or status as an anti-hero rather than a full-blown villain (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier), Marvel Studios didn't think twice about killing those who opposed some of the best superhero movies' protagonists.

That all changed with Thanos' arrival. Not only did the Infinity Saga's primary nemesis actually live to fight another day by the end of Avengers: Infinity War – a film he was arguably the main character of – but he also did the unthinkable: he won. Indeed, he bested Earth's Mightiest Heroes and successfully carried out his plan to wipe out half of all life in the known universe.

Thanos was the first real Big Bad who not only survived the events of an MCU movie, but also achieved his goal (Image credit: Marvel)

Okay, he met his end a year later in Avengers: Endgame, but Thanos' introduction was a watershed moment for the MCU because it proved Marvel villains didn't need to be one-and-done scenarios.

Since then, Marvel has been far more selective with the villains it kills off. Spider-Man: No Way Home, WandaVision, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Brave New World... more villains have survived the events of these MCU movies and Disney+ shows, as well as other Phase 4 and 5 projects, than those in Phases 1, 2, and 3.

Now, when someone from the comic titan's never-ending rogues gallery bites the dust, there's a valid excuse to bump them off. Take Deadpool and Wolverine's Cassandra Nova, for example. If the titular odd couple hadn't killed her, she would've destroyed the multiverse, so she had to be disposed of. Nonetheless, these days, Marvel villain deaths are the exception rather than the norm.

Marvel's Thunderbolts* film continued the comic giant's recent trend of not killing its primary villain (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

All of which brings me to Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie and the two feature films – The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday – that'll come after it.

The final Marvel Phase 5 movie, which has just landed in theaters worldwide, Thunderbolts* follows in many of its recent forebears' footsteps by not killing its primary antagonist. Though The Void, aka the darker half of Lewis Pullman's Bob Reynolds/Sentry, is more of an antagonistic force – one who Reynolds and his fellow misfits must nonetheless overcome to save the day – than the outright villain of Thunderbolts*. The fact that Pullman was one of the initial 27-strong cast confirmed to appear in Doomsday also spoiled how this film would end. After all, Reynolds wouldn't be part of Doomsday's cast if he and his superpowered alter-egos perished in Thunderbolts*.

But I digress. The point is, Marvel's latest big-screen offering is another example of its desire to keep villains and/or antagonistic figures around who can still serve a purpose.

Predictably, Marvel is keeping schtum on the plot of Avengers: Doomsday (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

That gives me hope, then, that the bad guys due to appear in First Steps and Doomsday – Ralph Ineson's Galactus and Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom – might not be unceremoniously dumped soon after their MCU debuts.

The chances are that one or both antagonists won't make it out of these movies alive. Somehow, The Fantastic Four might find a way to beat the planet-devouring cosmic being. According to The Fantastic Four: First Steps' official trailer, Galactus has marked this version of Earth – remember, Marvel's First Family will exist in a different universe for much of this film – for destruction, but that doesn't mean he'll succeed in his endeavor.

Meanwhile, Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga, will likely see a seemingly infinite number of MCU heroes, plus legacy characters from Fox's defunct X-Men film franchise and previous Sony Spider-Man movie series, work together to defeat Doom. That could lead to the reinstallation of the MCU in its current form or, as some fans have predicted, a hard reset that reboots Marvel's money-printing franchise for a new generation of heroes, villains, and viewers alike.

Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel
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But, what if Marvel does the unthinkable? What if it doesn't just keep Galactus and Doom around for the long haul but, in a world-first for its cinematic franchise, also delivers back-to-back films where the villains win?

Alright, it's highly probable that Doom will be victorious by the time Avengers 5's end credits roll. Much like Infinity War and Endgame, Doomsday and Secret Wars are being approached as a two-part tale, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo seeking inspiration from both of Marvel's 'Secret Wars' comic book storylines.

The third and fourth Avengers movies are proof that if Earth's Mightiest Heroes are divided, they will fail to stop an existential threat. Based on what Thunderbolts* post-credits scene suggests – read my Thunderbolts* ending explained piece for more details – plus rumors that Doomsday will be an Avengers vs X-Men film in all but name, it's possible Doom will conquer all because its heroes are too busy fighting among themselves to unify and take him down.

How much of a shock would it be if The Fantastic Four were defeated in their first MCU movie? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

First Steps' narrative outcome is less certain. Again, thanks to Thunderbolts* end credits stinger, we already know that The Fantastic Four will appear in the MCU by the end of one of 2025's most anticipated new movies. How and why they traverse the multiverse to get there, though, is a mystery that First Steps will solve.

Right now, the prevailing theory among fans is that the iconic quartet will regrettably flee their utopian universe because they can't save it. Some MCU devotees believe they'll be forced to run because of Doom, who may destroy their reality to prevent the spread of Incursions – a cataclysmic event where two universes collide and one destroys the other – that were first introduced in Doctor Strange 2.

Other observers predict Galactus will follow through on his plan to consume the Earth that The Fantastic Four call home. The group will try to stop him but fail. Knowing they can either escape with their lives or perish alongside their world, they make the difficult but selfish decision to disappear into the night.

Will Downey Jr's Doctor Doom adopt this pose if and when he wins the day in Avengers: Doomsday? (Image credit: Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Studios)

I'm hoping for the latter outcome. Indeed, it makes an incredibly tragic backstory for Reed Richards and company upon their MCU arrival; one they could try to redeem themselves with by helping the MCU's current hero roster defeat Doom. Not only that, Galactus' victory would also be a better fit for the direction I want Marvel to go in with First Steps and Doomsday – i.e. releasing two movies in relatively quick succession where the bad guy triumphs.

We've already had a situation where a villain wins the day in one film but is ultimately defeated in the next with Infinity War and Endgame. In my view, it would be baffling if Marvel played the same card with Doomsday and Secret Wars as it did with the aforementioned pair.

Despite the recent turbulence the MCU has been buffeted by, fans will turn up in their droves to watch the next Avengers movies. Wouldn't it be even more fantastic, then, if they did so knowing that, having watched The Fantastic Four lose in First Steps, they witness Downey Jr's Doom similarly be victorious?

Neither the MCU nor its fanbase would have seen the likes of villains securing victories in back-to-back movies. Your next two films are a golden opportunity to surprise us all and do just that, Marvel. My advice? Don't mess it up.

You might also like

• Thunderbolts* is an electrifying and emotionally impactful Florence Pugh-front Marvel movie that defied my expectations of what an MCU film can be
• Get the lowdown on everything to do with Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• See if you agree with my ranking of the best Marvel movies

Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X is a new take on the classic gaming joystick with a very specific job to do. A three-axis joystick supported by a plethora of buttons and inputs, this Xbox and PC-compatible accessory feels at home on a worksite, not a runway, and more specifically, it’s heading straight for the farmyard.

That means a large multifunction joystick with a mini-stick, thumbwheel, and dual triggers, 33 mappable action buttons, and a hand throttle. Plus, there are Hall effect sensors powering the ambidextrous joystick, so there should be plenty of precision control and longevity on offer.

Pre-mapped for Farming Simulator 25 out of the box, it’s here where I spent most of my time with the FarmStick X, and while I’m an admittedly very amateur farmer, I had a pretty good time. I’ll admit the benefit of the joystick itself wasn’t always immediately obvious, and there were a few teething hiccups, but in the right machinery it proved a total gamechanger.

Common actions were physically and metaphorically closer to hand and not needing to manually bind these, saw me near enough jumping straight from the main menu to fishing a skid-steer loader out of a river - more on that later.

It’s clear the FarmStick X is targeting die-hard Farming Sim enthusiasts, but with manually configurable inputs it’ll work as a button-rich joystick across a wide range of other simulation games too. So while this agricultural controller sits nearly alone in the market for its primary function, it’s up against some stiff competition from more generic HOTAS accessories and Logitech’s Farm Simulator Heavy Equipment Bundle.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X: Price and availability

• List price: $129.99 / £99.99 / €119.99
• Limited retail availability outside US or Canada
• Requires additional hardware purchase for Xbox compatibility

A familiar-looking device, the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X is the second generation of the joystick that first arrived at the end of 2023. Fast forward to the start of 2025, and the new iteration maintains all of the original FarmStick’s features while welcoming Xbox console compatibility. The X on the end probably gave that away.

That X will cost you $30 more than the previous PC-only edition and sees the FarmStick X rise to $129.99/£99.99/€119.99. While on its own, that price is reasonable and slots it neatly in just below more flight-focused HOTAS hardware and joysticks, that’s not quite the full story. On PC, there’s no extra purchase required; you can pair the FarmStick X with keyboard controls or additional hardware like a wheel.

On Xbox, however, Thrustmaster makes quite a strong point of noting that you’ll need one of its wheels for the console to accept the FarmStick X, plus you’re limited to Farming Simulator 25 as the only compatible game. That skews the value proposition quite heavily for console players and raises the realistic minimum cost to somewhere north of $300.

In testing, however, I was able to use the FarmStick X without a wheel and in partnership with a standard Xbox Series X controller. This was expectedly awkward, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend this setup, but it seemed possible.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X: Specs

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X: Design and features

• Hall effect three-axis joystick with mini thumbstick and triggers
• 33 mappable buttons and throttle control
• Xbox Series and PC compatibility (requires extra hardware on Xbox)

While it may be destined for the farmyard, there’s something distinctly fighter jet about the design of the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X. The gunmetal grey base and electric orange accents are striking, and I got a real old-school vibe as soon as I took it out of the box. This, unfortunately, wasn’t a case of old-school cool for me though; it all seemed a bit dated and lacked any sort of premium feel.

Most of this is down to material choice more than color; the FarmStick X is almost entirely plastic, and the base is noticeably hollow. Now I’m not suggesting this needed a full carbon fibre chassis and titanium accents, but not all plastic is the same, and I can’t help but feel Thrustmaster cut back a little in this area. Even a wafer-thin metal shell over the base would have made a huge difference.

The buttons on either side of the base also suffer as a result of material choices; the hard molded plastic buttons are nothing more than fine. They do the job, but would have been better with rubberised caps in my opinion. The smaller buttons on the FarmStick X’s joystick are rubber and feel much better to use as a result. More of those next time, please, Thrustmaster.

The SimTask FarmStick X’s main event is the large joystick, and once again, it’s all plastic, and I can only call it fine as a result. I won’t go as far as to say it feels like a toy, but a little rubberisation would have been far more comfortable, provided more grip, and felt more high-end in your hand.

The ambidextrous shaping is nice to see (shout out to the lefties), and I found it comfortable to hold for extended sessions. It is quite thick, however, I have reasonably large hands, so this worked out well for me, but younger or smaller wannabe farmers might not be as pleased.

Tucked away on the rear of the base is an array of connections, including the all-important USB-C port for connecting the FarmStick X to your PC or console. You’ll also find a couple of ports for expanding your ecosystem - a DIN port and an RJ12 port for a TFRP rudder. Finally, a toggle switch for flicking the FarmStick X between Xbox and PC compatibility mode.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X: Performance

• Hall effect, three-axis joystick offers great control
• Button mappings often need manual configuration
• More suited for experienced players than beginners

Like many people, I’ve dabbled in Farming Simulator a few times in the past, taking inspiration more from Jeremy Clarkson than Kaleb Cooper, however. I tend to jump into a fresh multiplayer session with a friend, mess around causing mischief in the field, try as many machines as possible, and that’s that.

It’s great fun, and those past experiences made me curious of what the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X would bring. Racing games are made immediately more enjoyable for even the most casual players by adding a wheel and pedals, but is the same true of adding a joystick to Farming Simulator 25? After a few hours of messing around causing mischief in a field and trying as many machines as possible, the answer is: yes, sort of.

I started on PC, and it wasn’t as smooth an introduction as it should have been. The Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X is only pre-configured for one game, Farming Simulator 25, and from my experience, this still needs polishing up. Some keybinds didn’t do anything, others that claimed to do one action but actually did another, and some buttons I struggled to find at all.

A lot of the difficulty here comes down to a mismatch in labelling, the game refers to each button with a number, and while some of these are printed on the physical device, most aren’t, meaning I had to have the PDF manual open on my second screen. I’m sure you’d get used to it pretty quickly, particularly if you take the time to map your own buttons, but as a casual gamer, this was frustrating.

On Xbox, initially things felt much more polished, though I quickly realised it’s a far shallower experience in the long run. Here, the keybinds that were mysteriously mismatched or missing entirely on PC were present and correct, which I was thankful for, as there’s no ability to adjust or manually change keybinds on console. Again, you’re left to navigate which button is which by yourself; those slightly helpful number labels are now gone entirely, however, so it’s really a case of press and hope until you get your bearings.

Once I’d got the hang of which buttons did what, however, my experience did improve. I paired the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X with the brand’s T128 SimTask wheel and pedals across both PC and Xbox, and as a combo, they work well. I did find uses for the FarmStick X’s joystick somewhat limited, however, and while it lends itself well to cranes and front loader machinery, for general farming activities, I found myself more focused on the wheel.

The FarmStick X itself felt like a niche add-on rather than a necessity, and it wasn’t an immediate gamechanger like a steering wheel and pedals are.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)

That said, having found myself with an urgent need to retrieve a skid-steer digger from a river (how it got there isn’t important), the FarmStick X came into its own. Controlling the various functions of an excavator's arm with the three-axis joystick was wonderful, and I don’t think I could have replicated this experience with other devices. The Hall effect sensor offered precise and responsive control in all directions, with just enough resistance in the stick itself to feel like I could hold position without needing to fight it.

For experienced farmers with existing wheel setups they know like the back of their hand, the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X will likely offer plenty of extra value and add a new dimension to gameplay. This is definitely a die-hard’s accessory for those who have moved well beyond the basics of farming and are not one for the masses.

In an attempt to unearth a little more value for a casual gamer, I swapped out of Farming Simulator and over to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to see if the FarmStick X could hold its own as a generic joystick option, too. Again, the answer is sort of. The stick was immediately recognized by the game, but unsurprisingly needed every single button action and joystick axis to be manually configured.

After a few minutes of fiddling, I’d bound throttle and basic rudder controls and was able to take to the skies. Much like my river escapades, the FarmStick X’s joystick felt responsive and offered a great level of control. I’ve no doubt if you can invest the time in properly mapping every button, the FarmStick X would work just fine across any number of joystick-suited simulation games.

Sadly, this option only exists for PC players as the FarmStick X refuses to play nice with other titles. I’m curious as to why, though, having been told I needed a wheel to use the joystick, only to discover it worked happily with just a controller, I couldn’t help but push my luck. Full of hope, I fired up Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Xbox too, and to my surprise, the game immediately recognized the FarmStick X as a generic joystick input. I was able to select it in menus and manually bind inputs, I even used the in-game tools to validate it was capturing input data correctly, it was working - until it wasn’t.

Having cobbled together a couple of basic binds, I jumped in a plane to find that while the FarmStick X was sending commands to Flight Sim 2024, and the game happily knew what they meant, it then did nothing with them. I don’t know why it works in menus but not in the game itself, and I’m aware it’s not officially meant to, but I can’t help but feel there are some licensing executives in expensive suits stopping this from happening rather than any genuine compatibility problems.

It’s a shame because it makes the FarmStick X harder to recommend for console players, being limited to preset binds in a single game is a far tougher sell, and means Xbox users are paying more to get less than their PC-only friends in the next field over.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) Should you buy the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X? Buy it if...

You’re an experienced sim farmer
If you regularly play games like Farming Simulator 25 and already have a wheel and pedals, the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X is a helpful companion that makes it far easier to control certain vehicle types.

You love a simulation game
While it’s designed for Farming Simulator 25, the FarmStick X can be manually configured to work with just about any joystick-compatible game. You’ll need to invest a little time to get your mapping right, but there’s definitely value here away from the farm.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a casual Farming Simulator player
This is quite a niche piece of hardware that only improves certain aspects of the game in a relatively limited set of machinery. It’s also only pre-configured for Farming Simulator 25, and even then, those results are mixed.

You don’t have a wheel and pedals
The FarmStick X is an add-on to an existing wheel system rather than a controller capable of holding up on its own. Despite what Thrustmaster claims, you could technically bodge together a control scheme with keyboard and mouse or a controller on PC or Xbox, but this is awkward and a setup I wouldn’t recommend it.

Also consider...

Not sure if the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X is the right choice? Here are a couple of other flight stick options you might consider instead.

Note: The FarmStick X is quite a unique and specific device, so there aren’t a plethora of truly like-for-like options to explore. Instead, these alternatives are more flight-focused, and while they will require manual keybinding in-game, each offers the same core joystick and button functionality.

However, we are in the process of reviewing farming-sim specific gear from the likes of Logitech and Hori, and will update this section when those reviews are live.

Also consider Thrustmaster Sol-R Flight Stick
More sci-fi than soybean, the Sol-R flight stick could be a good choice if you’re looking to play more than just Farming Simulator 25. It offers the same Hall effect technology for precise joystick controls with a slightly different array of secondary inputs, plus it’s available in a dual pack, which could suit certain farm machinery well.

For more information, check out our full Thrustmaster Sol-R Flight Stick reviewView Deal

Also consider Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Stick
While again it’s designed primarily as a flight stick, you could manually bind the VelocityOne as an alternative to work the fields. There are fewer mappable buttons here, but onboard HOTAS controls alongside a multi-axis joystick could prove useful for controlling some farm machinery.

For more information, check out our full Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Stick reviewView Deal

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry) How I tested the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X

I primarily tested the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick X as part of a gaming PC setup with an Intel Core i9 14900k CPU, AMD Radeon 9070XT GPU, and the Thrustmaster T128 SimTask wheel and pedal set. I initially jumped into Farming Simulator 25 to test the out-of-the-box button mappings before making manual tweaks and binds via the in-game menu where necessary in order to fully utilize the FarmStick X’s features. I often test products by streaming games on Twitch, and if you want to see how I got on with using the FarmStick X to operate a crane precariously close to a river, well, I’ve got you covered.

After around 10 hours of configuration and play, I swapped over to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to see how it would perform out of its comfort zone. Throughout my time using the FarmStick X, I paid close attention to how the joystick in particular responded to inputs, as well as attempting to trigger false or missed button inputs.

I then moved to the living room and fired up my Xbox Series X and Samsung S90C. Again, I spent the majority of my time in Farming Simulator 25, this time paying close attention to differences in button mapping and experience between console and PC. I pushed my luck here, officially the FarmStick X requires a wheel for Xbox compatibility, but I ran tests with both the stock Xbox wireless controller and no additional controller inputs connected. I also attempted to use the joystick to play the unsupported Microsoft Flight Simulator 24 via Xbox Game Pass, unsuccessfully.

First reviewed April 2025

Read more about how we test

Whether their favorite hobby is hitting the gym, running or taking a yoga or Pilates class, we have rounded up some of our favorite fitness products that any active mom will love.

Epson QL7000: two-minute review

The Epson QL7000 is a projector designed for situations where you normally wouldn’t use a projector: well-lit rooms free of the dark furniture and gray walls typical of home theater environments.

What makes the Epson QL7000 uniquely qualified for such situations is its brightness, which goes far beyond what you get with the best projectors and even matches some of the best TVs. The QL7000 has a specified 10,000 lumens brightness, where a typical home theater projector tops out in the 2,500 to 3,000 range. That’s one of the reasons why the QL7000 costs $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), though there are other good reasons as well.

The QL7000 is a 'body-only' projector that needs to be outfitted with a separate lens. Epson offers a range of special lens options, including long-throw ones that let you position it far from a screen, and ultra-short-thow ones that let you install it super-close. This level of installation flexibility is unique for a consumer-grade projector, especially one as small and lightweight as the QL7000. It also has an attractive case design that will let it fit in with your living room’s decor.

The QL7000 uses a laser 3LCD light engine, along with pixel-shifting, to display 4K images. Epson’s 32-bit QZX Picture Processor is used for upscaling and other types of processing, and it supports the HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats (but not HDR10+, a format we’re seeing increasing support for in projectors).

A pair of HDMI 2.1 ports on the QL7000 support 4K 120Hz and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), making Epson’s projector, which also has a low 19.6ms input lag, a great option for gaming. But the real draw of the QL7000 is watching sports – its super-bright picture can easily hold up in rooms with the lights on, and games of all sorts have an incredibly immersive quality on a big screen (up to 300 inches max, in this case).

The QL7000 also looks great when you dim the lights for movie time, and with a variable laser light output adjustment, you can create a separate picture mode optimized for more traditional theater-style viewing. Epson’s high-lumen projector lacks the black level refinement seen in some of the top 4K projectors, but with such powerful brightness reserves aided by a dynamic contrast feature, movies watched on the QL7000 pack a strong visual punch.

Ultimately, the QL7000 is a specialized projector designed for multi-use environments, and it serves that purpose brilliantly. Between the projector itself and the separate lens, you’ll pay quite a bit to experience its stunning brightness in your home, but for some, it will be well worth the cost.

Epson QL7000 review: price and release date

• First available: March 2025
• Price: $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000)
  

The QL7000 has a specified 10,000 lumens light output, and its laser light engine has a 20,000-hour lifespan (Image credit: Future)

The flagship model in Epson’s Q Series projector lineup, the QL7000 lists for $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000). Prices for Epson projectors generally remain consistent over time, though discounts are occasionally tied to sales events. This price is for the QL7000 projector body only, with four lens options available at extra cost.

Other Q series models include the Epson QL3000 (6,000 lumens, $14,999) and Epson QB1000 (3,300 lumens, $7,999).

Epson QL7000 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Epson QL7000 review: design and features

The QL7000 has a stylish case with angled corners, and it's available in black or white (Image credit: Future)

• Compact and stylish for a high-lumen projector
• Multiple lens option, including ultra-short-throw
• Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz and ALLM support

The Epson QL7000 represents a departure from the massive, industrial look of typical high-lumen projectors. It’s not only smaller and lighter than such models, but it has a stylish, angled case that’s available in black or white. This sets it apart as a projector that can blend in with a living room setting rather than dominate.

The QL7000 is a “body-only” projector that requires a separate lens. Epson sells a range of lenses, which allow for everything from long-throw to ultra-short-throw installation options. For this review, the company sent me a middle-throw option with a 1-1.6 zoom, +56 to -56 vertical shift, and +16 to -16 horizontal shift.

A laser 3LCD light engine in the QL7000 uses separate red, green, and blue imaging chips and employs pixel shifting to display a 4K image. Light output is specified at 10,000 lumens (white and color), around four times as high as typical home theater projectors, and the QL7000 also supports Epson’s contrast-enhancing UltraBlack technology.

The QL7000 uses Epson’s proprietary 32-bit QZX Picture Processor for upscaling, frame interpolation, and dynamic HDR tone mapping. HDR support includes HDR10 and HLG, but not the HDR10+ format supported by some home theater projectors, including the Epson QB1000.

Gaming features on the QL7000 include two 40Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). A 3.5mm audio output is also provided (like other high-end projectors, the QL7000 lacks built-in speakers), along with dual USB-A, Ethernet, and RS-232C ports. There is also support for Crestron, Control4, and other home automation systems.

The QL7000’s setup features include horizontal and vertical lens shift, keystone correction, and point correction. Since I installed the projector on a table for my testing, the setup was simple, with the trickiest part being inserting the lens into the projector’s front. Four adjustable feet are provided for leveling the projector during setup, though most QL7000 installations will use a ceiling mount.

A full-size, fully backlit remote control comes with the QL7000. The buttons are large and well arranged, but the functions seem mainly aimed at installation, with no controls to make quick adjustments to basic picture settings like brightness and contrast.

• Design and features score: 5/5

Epson QL7000 review: picture quality

The QL7000 demonstration I attended at CEDIA Expo 2024. Note how bright the picture looks on the 200-inch screen in bright lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)

• Incredibly bright HDR images
• Impressive HDR tone mapping
• Very low input lag for gaming

First, let’s look at some measurements. With the QL7000 set to Natural mode (the most accurate picture preset) and a 100% laser light output setting, it measured 1,005 nits on a 10% white HDR pattern. It also measured 1,340 nits in Dynamic mode, which is the one I ended up using for most of my picture evaluation after calibrating the grayscale and color points. For the sake of comparison, the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives, a theater industry trade group) digital cinema specification calls for 300 nits brightness for projectors to properly display HDR.

Contrast ratio in Dynamic mode with Dynamic Contrast on and the laser light output set to 30% was 68,000:1. With laser light output set to 100%, that number was boosted to 253,600:1, an excellent result that many competing projectors, particularly DLP-based ones, would struggle to match.

The QL7000’s UHDA P3 color space coverage was 83.7% in Natural mode, and BT.2020 coverage was 61.8% in the same mode. Those numbers aren’t nearly as impressive as high-end home theater projectors like the JVC DLA-NZ800, which is capable of full P3 coverage, or certain triple-laser ultra-short-throw models like the Hisense PX3-Pro that can fully cover BT.2020. Even so, colors looked punchy on the QL7000.

Input latency tested with a Bodnar 4K Input Lag meter was 19.6ms with the QL7000’s Image Processing menu option set to Fast. That’s an excellent result for a projector, and combined with the QL7000’s ALLM feature, it sets the QL7000 apart as a great option for big-screen gaming.

The most exceptional aspect of the Epson QL7000’s picture is its stunning brightness. Even when watching in a bright room with light streaming in from windows, the crisp, clear 4K image beamed by the QL7000 had a true window-on-reality quality.

A main benefit to all that brightness is getting to watch sports on a very big screen. When I first saw a demo of the QL7000 at the 2024 CEDIA Expo, Epson had paired it with a 200-inch screen in a well-lit room, and the football games they were showing looked clear and bright. For my setup, I used a much more modest-sized 92-inch matte white, 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima screen, with the projector’s lens surface situated at a 10-foot distance.

As luck would have it, both the NBA playoffs and the Stanley Cup playoffs were happening during my time with the QL7000. No shortage of sports to watch! Viewing in the daytime with room lights on, the QL7000’s exceptionally bright picture made a Pacers vs Bucks match look incredibly realistic, with the Pacers players' bright yellow uniforms retaining their rich yellow hue even in my brightly lit room. With a typical home theater projector, the same image would have had washed-out-looking colors, but that was not at all the case with the QL7000.

The same held for a Capitols vs Canadiens match, with the large, bright projected image giving me a rink-side seat. The red hue of the Montreal players’ uniforms popped against the rink’s icy, white surface, and the QL7000’s excellent motion handling made fast-action plays look completely solid.

With the lights in my room dimmed for movie viewing, the projector’s picture benefited from reducing its laser light output to 30%, which provided more balanced contrast. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Dune, in a scene where Paul Atreides is tested by the Reverend Mother, her veil came across as a solid black, and there was good overall detail in the dark background.

The projector’s somewhat elevated black level – not unexpected in a model designed for high light output – caused some shadow details to be obscured. However, both lowering the gamma setting to -1 in the Advanced menu and setting black level to 0% in the Dynamic Contrast menu helped somewhat in this regard.

Watching a reference scene from the Bond film No Time to Die that I use to test motion handling, a panning shot across a craggy hillside cemetery showed only minimal judder and motion blur. With the QL7000’s Frame Interpolation mode set to Low, those artifacts completely disappeared, and there was only a slight motion smoothing penalty seen in the picture.

As a final test, I watched a few scenes from The Elephant Man on 4K Blu-ray. The QL7000 presented the film’s black-and-white image with excellent uniformity – there was no sign of tinting or variable brightness across various sections of the screen.

• Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Epson QL7000 review: value

The QL7000's fullly backlit remote control makes it easy to adjust settings in a dark room (Image credit: Future)

• Provides a larger picture than biggest-screen TVs
• Picture brightness a match for some TVs
• Unique option for bright-room viewing

At $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), the Epson QL7000 crosses over into the money-no-object realm for projectors, making value almost a moot point. Its main benefit is in projecting a 4K image onto screens as large as 300 inches, and with a level of brightness that’s so powerful you can watch during daytime hours with room lights on.

You can now buy super-bright mini-LED TVs in the 100-inch range for substantially less, a reality that would put something of a dent into any consideration of the QL7000’s value. But 100 inches pales in comparison to 300 inches, and yes, people actually exist who want screens that big.

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Epson QL7000?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You want to watch in a bright room
The QL7000 aces the task of beating daylight and overhead lights, making it a unique option for bright room viewing.

You want a great projector for sports
With a specified 10,000 lumens brightness, you’ll feel like you’re watching sports on a huge-screen TV and not a projector with the QL7000, and its excellent motion handling means fast-action plays look crisp.

You want a great projector for gaming
The QL7000’s dual HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K 120Hz and ALLM. Input lag is also a low 19.6ms, which is excellent for a projector.

Don’t buy it if… 

You want the best projector for movies
The QL7000’s exceptional brightness makes it ideally suited for sports. Movies look great on it as well, but there are other projector options that do a better job handling 4K movies with high dynamic range.

You don’t want to buy a separate lens
The QL7000 is a “body only” projector that requires a separate lens. The lenses are easy to install, but they add to the cost of an already pricey projector.

You don’t need ultra-large screen support
If you don’t need a projector that can support a 300-inch screen size, there are plenty of other good options available, though they won’t match the QL7000’s brightness.

Also consider...

JVC DLA-NZ800
JVC’s 8K projector is a top choice for home theater enthusiasts and features special processing to get the best from 4K movies with HDR. It’s not nearly as bright as the QL7000, and at around $19,000, it’s far from cheap, but if you want the best projector for dark room viewing, look no further.

Read our full JVC DLA-NZ800 review

Epson QB1000
The QB1000 is the current pick as best projector for sports in our best 4K projectors guide because its 3,300 lumens specified brightness is higher than most models. If you can provide some level of dimming in your viewing space, you’ll save a substantial amount of money by opting for the QB1000 over the QL7000.

Read our full Epson QB1000 review

Sony Bravia Projector 8
The Bravia Projector 8 is another high-end home theater option that costs less than the QL7000 but doesn’t come close to matching its brightness. It uses Sony’s new XR processor for projectors, a tech derived from the company’s TV lineup that makes images look crisp and clean on the big screen.

Read our full Sony Bravia Projector 8 review

A ceiling-mount QL7000 installation (Image credit: Future) How I tested the Epson QL7000

• Tested at home, in a room with controlled lighting
• Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
• A 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima matte white projection screen was used for evaluation and measurements

When I test projectors, my first step is to use them for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie, Cinema, or, in the Epson QL7000's case, Natural) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the projector’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using a 10% white window pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the projector can render the extended color range in ultra-high-definition sources. The final measurements are contrast ratio, which is the ratio of the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector can display, and input lag, which is measured using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.

First reviewed: May, 2025

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