Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2018 i Stuff UK

Panasonic Lumix GH5S £2199 (body only) / panasonic.co.uk Itching to unleash your inner Martin Scorsese? Panasonic’s GH5S is built for serious auteurs and has the Ultra HD internals to match your vision… • It’s totally 4K, man There are 4K cameras and there are 4K cameras, but believe us when we say the Panasonic Lumix GH5S is a properly 4K camera. The successor to last year’s GH5, this mirrorless system camera has refined its ambitions to focus heavily on Ultra HD footage with a high-sensitivity 10.2MP sensor. • It’s got big-screen dreams New to the shooting game? Video formats are probably a mystery to you. Rest assured the GH5S can handle all of them, including ‘cinema 4K’ (that’s 4096x2160) at 60fps. HDR and 10-bit colour are also supported. • It…

Not so long ago, the television was probably the most boring gadget in your home. Unless you happened to own one of those battery-powered waste bins. But thanks to the holy trinity of Netflix, 4K and OLED screens, TV has been revolutionised all over again. So what could Philips’ new set possibly bring to this already raging party? A light show of its very own, of course. You see, the 55POS9002 is the first OLED telly ever to feature Philips’ exclusive Ambilight tech, which uses strips of LEDs around the TV’s rear edge to project an array of colours onto the wall around it. Sounds like a gimmick, doesn’t it? Just wait until you’ve sat through Blade Runner 2049 in the company of this thing. Your peepers won’t settle for…

Sky Soundbox Price from £249 / stuff.tv/SkySoundbox What’s the story? Only Sky customers need only apply here (it’s £799 for the rest of us), but if you are signed up then the Soundbox is well worth looking into. With a Sky Q Multiscreen subscription you can pick one up for less than a third of its ‘normal’ price. Given this soundbar-cum-wireless-speaker is made by hi-fi pros Devialet, that seems quite the deal. And you know what? It absolutely is. Is it any good? Its giant lunchbox shape might be a little awkward if you just want to stick it under your telly and be done with it, but if you can find space on a rack then this is a fine audio accompaniment. With a clear, widespread sound and plenty…

£270 / stuff.tv/Honor7X Honor already has one of the best-value phones you can buy in its line-up... so why not go for the double? The £380 Honor 9 might be a real bargain if you’ve got the cash to splash, but there are plenty of people who haven’t – which is where the 7X comes in. It replaces the already impressive 6X, which was only released in January 2017 but has already lost ground in the ongoing arms race of mobile specs. A year really is a long time in smartphones. The 7X shouldn’t show its age for a long time to come, however, thanks to an ultra-modern 18:9-aspect screen and a pair of cameras on the back. Like the 8 Pro, one of Honor’s most expensive models, it has…

PLATFORM Ori and the Blind Forest If you go down to these woods today you’re in for a big surprise: an Xbox exclusive that’s properly essential. A world removed from your average Super Metroid / Castlevania tribute acts, Ori and the Blind Forest blends button-mashing exploration with its own innovative mechanics and a gorgeous orchestral aesthetic that’s as inviting as it is punishing. No wonder Microsoft has already pulled the trigger on a sequel for later this year. ■ £14.99 / Xbox, PC Sonic Mania Before Sonic Mania hit stores, it’d been so long since Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog starred in a decent game that we were beginning to think his Mega Drive outings were nothing but a shared fever dream between ’90s kids. Mercifully, Mania came along to restore…

1 HOT BUY Apple iPad Pro 10.5in from £619 / apple.com The 9.7in iPad Pro was already sitting comfortably as our favourite tablet, but that wasn’t good enough for Apple. Rather than giving its flagship tablet a few minor tweaks, it introduced a bigger screen and an immensely potent processor. In fact, this device is so powerful and flashy that it’s even blurring the lines between tablet and laptop. If you only want to browse social media and watch Netflix, the 10.5in iPad Pro is overkill; this is for those more interested in creation than consumption. Stuff says The iPad Pro puts all other tablets to shame – it’s unbeatable as a multimedia machine or creative tool 2 Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 £500 / samsung.com The Tab S3 is powerful and…

1 HOT BUY UPDATE Super Mario Odyssey £50 / Switch Jam-packed with inventiveness, this is a crazily enjoyable video game–one that’s big and silly and totally essential if you’ve got a Switch. Not only does it show off what Nintendo’s portable console is capable of, but it also reminds you why Mario has endured for so long now. Its variety elevates Odyssey above any other recent platformer–and roaming free around vast new kingdoms, possessing all sorts of critters with your magic hat, just feels great. Stuff says Eccentric, unpredictable and riotously entertaining, Mario’s return is a blast • OR PLAY THIS A Hat in Time Don’t own a Nintendo Switch? You can still quench your 3D platformer thirst with this adorable indie title. £23 / PS4, Xbox One, PC TIPS &…

1 HOT BUY Fujifilm X-T20 £799 / fujifilm.eu Coming with the same 24.3MP APS-C sensor and processor as the X-T2, plus a touchscreen (which its sibling lacks), the X-T20 will leave you with a lot more spare cash in your account. And for most people, the model will deliver results that are just as good as its pricier big brother’s. With well laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent autofocus and access to superb lenses, the X-T20 is just one more fantastic mirrorless camera from Fujifilm. Stuff says The X-T20 nails the sweet spot between price and performance • NOW ADD THIS Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre Tripod You no longer have an excuse for wobbly photos with this carbon-fibre tripod. It weighs just 1.65kg. £235 / manfrotto.co.uk • TIPS &…

CREATE YOUR OWN GIFS Forget emoji–animated gifs are now the best way to add colour to your online conversations. But rather than using pre-made ones, why not make your own? • On Windows There are a couple of options for those with a Windows computer. You could use the website Giphy for a quick and easy option that lets you grab short clips from YouTube videos; or for gifs with better image quality you can try Giffing Tool. This allows you more freedom by recording the whole screen or a chosen area. You do need to pay to remove watermarks, but the price is up to you. • On macOS Apple fans have fewer options, but among our faves is GIFable. Once downloaded for £1.99 from the Mac App Store,…

SPOILER ALERT If you’re going to name a car after the best driver ever to sit inside a Formula 1 car, it had better live up to the hype. On looks alone, we think the McLaren Senna has that in the bag: it’s a track-focused monster that’s overflowing with aerodynamic tweaks, from the colossal spoiler at the back to the angry air inlets that scythe through the carbon fibre chassis. It weighs next to nothing (for a hypercar), and with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, you can expect a power-to-weight ratio of 660bhp per tonne. No word on frivolities such as top speed or 0-60mph times just yet, but expect them to be equally ludicrous. NEWS FEED ONEPLUS 5T’S TRUE GRIT The grippy, granular texture of this limited-edition ‘sandstone white’ version…

You’ve locked yourself away for the weekend with a thousand packets of Monster Munch and an illegal tap into the national Ribena network. You’ve checked over your gaming PC, gaming monitor, gaming headset, gaming keyboard and gaming mouse, and everything is in place for the ultimate fragathon. Except… you’re sitting on that thing? If you want to ascend to the seat of gaming power, you should first consider the power of the gaming seat. And they don’t get much more powerful than the newly updated Secretlab Omega (RRP £400), with upgraded overall construction, armrests, hydraulic piston and lumbar back pillow for ultimate comfort and stability in the heat of battle. It’s where your rear end longs to be – and you’ve got three chances to win one in this month’s…

LG OLED65G7V £3999 / lg.com What’s the story? If you know LG’s OLED TVs from last year (and who doesn’t?), then you’ll remember they all feature the same superb screen tech. Aside from size, it’s the stuffthat surrounds the display that makes one telly in the range more expensive than another, and that means this G7 model comes with its own built-in soundbar – saving you the need to buy one yourself. Is it any good? As you’d expect, the pictorial side of this 4K OLED is an unalloyed delight. With a little bit of tweaking you’ll be treated to gorgeous, deep blacks and almost perfectly judged motion. Considering you can get all this with the significantly cheaper B7 OLED, however, a lot rests on the G7’s in-built soundbar. And…

US$130 / amazon.com Adding a screen to a voice assistant speaker? Now that’s a novel idea – but the Echo Show didn’t make it a particularly useful one. Not yet, at least. We struggled to find enough worthwhile uses for the screen when the US version came out last year – and that hasn’t changed with the UK release, especially now YouTube access is gone thanks to a dust-up with Google. But Amazon is already back with a second attempt – and in a sense, the Spot is to the Show what the Dot is to the standard Echo: out now in America and coming over here later, it’s smaller, cheaper… and a much more appealing device in some key ways. Importantly, it seems to have a more distinct identity…

£189 / stuff.tv/HiveView ■ The Hive View security camera looks like something from a 1990s sci-fi imagining of 2050: suitably futuristic but not so bizarre that it’ll look out of place at home. The two colour options – ‘white and champagne gold’ or ‘black and brushed copper’ – give it real flair. ■ So what’s the gimmick? The camera unit magnetically clips on to the arm-and-base combo. Lift it off and it immediately goes wireless; there’s no delay. The battery only lasts 90 minutes max in this mode, though. ■ Besides the removable camera, the View is sadly humdrum. It will monitor its surroundings for noise and movement, then fire off a notification to the app if it detects something it shouldn’t. But in terms of smart features, that’s about…

Google Pixelbook from £999 / stuff.tv/Pixelbook Yup, another Chromebook that costs a grand. As the successor to Google’s former line of Pixel laptops, this Pixelbook basically does the same stuff for around the same amount of cash. Only this machine can run Android apps as well as those designed for ChromeOS. It’s thin and light, with a fantastic keyboard and gorgeous screen. In fact, if the Pixelbook only ran Windows it would easily take on Lenovo’s Yoga range and Dell’s XPS 13. Alas, when those laptops have the flexibility to run the likes of Steam and Photoshop, it’s hard to recommend Google’s alternative over them. STUFF SAYS An ultra-high-end machine for the Google hardcore LOVELY NEW FLAT At only 10mm thick and a scant 1kg in weight, this premium laptop…

1 HOT BUY BARGAIN BUY Samsung Galaxy S8 £512 / samsung.com You don’t need us to tell you that the Galaxy S8 is a bezel-less thing of wonder. Just look at it: glorious! And beneath that gorgeous facade lies an equally sumptuous blend of power and performance. With enough oomph to run any app you please, and a point-and-shoot camera to rival both the iPhone X and the Google Pixel 2 XL, this really is an astoundingly good comeback after Samsung’s Note 7 woes. We’d have accepted nothing less. Stuff says It’s beautiful… and it’s hands-down the best phone you can buy right now NOW ADD THIS DeX Station Hook up a monitor, keyboard and mouse to this puck-sized device for an almost complete computer experience via your Galaxy S8.…

1 HOT BUY Apple MacBook Pro from £1249 (13in) / apple.com The MacBook Pro didn’t really need a big update, but we’re not moaning that Apple decided to give it one, especially since it comes at no extra charge. With the new Kaby Lake processor giving the Pro a big boost in power, this is a monster of a laptop – even without the Touch Bar. When you factor in the gorgeous display, fantastic keyboard/touchpad combination and slick design, putting the MacBook Pro at No1 was the easiest decision we’ve ever made. Stuff says Performance, portability and a sensible price make this the king of laptops • NOW ADD THIS Satechi Type-C USB 3 Hub Two ports not enough? This hub adds loads more and sits snugly against the MacBook Pro’s…

Baby Driver If you’re going to trust anyone to be your DJ then it might as well be Baby, the tinnitus-suffering getaway driver who has an iPod plugged into his lugs 24/7. From Jon Spencer to Blur, most of the tracks share an upbeat vibe to match the pace of Edgar Wright’s stylishly speedy romp. £9.99 / Amazon Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Director James Gunn had a tough task compiling the soundtrack for this sequel, given the original album was such a mega-hit. But he’s once again assembled a playlist that conveys zany energy with a heartfelt core. £7.59 / Amazon La La Land Even if you’re still wary of musicals, just try to resist tapping your foot along to City of Stars, the song that won one…

1 HOT BUY Tado Smart Thermostat from £199 + installation / tado.com It might not be as pretty as the Nest 3.0, but Tado has quietly evolved into the best all-round smart heating system around. Like autopilot for your boiler, it senses when you’re leaving home or coming back thanks to the app’s geolocation. And Tado’s gadgety goodness is second to none, with the option of zonal control for individual rooms and voice smarts from the likes Alexa and Google Assistant. Stuff says Tado roasts the competition with its combination of simplicity and smarts • NOW ADD THIS Tado Smart Radiator Thermostats Once you’ve tasted the joys of zonal smart heating, you and your wallet will never go back. £59 each / tado.com • TIPS & TRICKS • Check out…

I STUFFIN’ LOVE THIS Tom Morgan Reviews Editor The Vive Pro feels like HTC simultaneously answering its critics, making the changes its diehard fanbase has been asking for, and drawing a line in the sand for the rest of the VR world. It really is a huge leap in terms of definition. Small text that was unreadable on the original Vive is now clear to see, and image quality in general is way better. You can still see the pixels if you go looking for them, but when you’re hurtling around Austria’s Red Bull Ring in a virtual McLaren 650S, things are moving too fast to notice. HTC has doubled down on high-end hardware that can be truly immersive. Add in the wireless adaptor, and virtual reality has never felt more ready…

The innovator MakerBot Replicator+ Missing a part in the Ikea flatpack? Want to touch your favourite fictional spaceship? Have the urge to make an action figure of yourself? The Replicator+ 3D printer can help with all of these and more. And if you have a rubbish imagination, you can go for a snoop on MakerBot’s Thingiverse site, which showcases near to a billion pre-made designs. £2808 / artsystems.co.uk TRADITIONAL INKERS The photo friend Canon Pixma MG5750 How much time have you wasted waiting for Snappy Snaps to print your photos? With this Canon printer you can do it yourself. It can scan and copy too, while the Wi-Fi Link means you can print your pics from afar – although that risks Granny seeing your ‘candid’ holiday snaps. £45 / canon.co.uk…

FIRST GET THESE… ONE THRUSTMASTER TMX RACING WHEEL Take your Forza sessions to new heights of realism with this compact wheel/pedal setup. Its force feedback gives you something to struggle with as you tear around Silverstone, giving an extra level of wristwracking immersion. All that’s missing is the stench of burning rubber. £140 / thrustmaster.com TWO TURTLE BEACH XO THREE There are cheaper over-ear headsets for Xbox, but the XO Three feels worth the extra outlay for its 50mm drivers, high-sensitivity mic and leather earpads, which respectively keep it loud, clear and comfy. Plus it’s tough enough to survive the inevitable post-deathmatch rage-throw. £55 / turtlebeach.com THREE HORI REAL ARCADE PRO.V Lovers of old-school arcade brawlers like Tekken 7 and Injustice 2 should make a beeline for a Hori, which…

£160 / stuff.tv/MamboFPV First-person-view flying is nothing new in the world of drones. Enthusiasts have been sending live feeds from their quadcopters’ cameras to dedicated headsets for years, and more recently, companies like DJI have released FPV goggle accessories that beam crisp ‘cockpit’ images from drone to eyeball in a split second. Even so, Parrot has pulled off something noteworthy with this evolution of the Mambo: it’s made FPV drones affordable. For £160, you get everything you need for first-person flight, bar an iOS or Android smartphone – and if you’re reading Stuff, let’s face it, you’ve almost certainly got one of those already. This high-flying device isn’t without turbulence, though. Unreliable flight skills and a short battery life prevent the Mambo FPV from reaching the heights of most major…

€449 / stuff.tv/ErazerVR ■ Microsoft is trying to make VR cheaper with mixed reality – and Medion is here to help. Just note that, as with the Acer unit we reviewed last month, there isn’t really anything ‘mixed’ about it: for the moment you’ll only be exploring virtual worlds, not blending the real and the digital. ■ Medion’s MR headset is built to Microsoft’s exact specs – meaning that, looks aside, there’s not much to set it apart. There’s one hang-up, though: it’s not comfortable to wear for long sessions. ■ This kit is as bare-bones as they get, with just the headset, controllers and cables in the box, so you’ll need your own headphones. On the plus side, because there are no sensors to plug in – thanks to…

FOR CASTING CLEVER SPECIAL SKILL SWITCH PLAY Usually, Android and Apple devices get on like Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. With Pocket Casts, however, all of your podcasts sync across platforms automatically, so you can start listening with your Android phone and continue with your iPad. POCKET CASTS £3.99 / iOS ? £2.99 / Android Annoying people have been telling us for at least a year now that “podcasts are back”. Th e only problem is, chances are most of your friends and family have varying opinions on which podcast app is the one you should download… so we’ve done your homework. Pocket Casts tops our list of recommendations. With a user-friendly interface, offline listening and automatic downloads for subscribed podcasts, this app covers all the basics adeptly. But it’s…

1 HOT BUY NEW Philips 55POS9002 £1799 / philips.co.uk With a picture that’s punchier than LG’s, HDR performance to rival Sony’s and the stunning Ambilight wall-illuminating effect that helps it stand out from both, the Philips 55POS9002 is just about the best thing going in the television market right now. It also helps that it’s available at a relatively affordable price for an OLED 4K HDR set. A few major apps may be lacking, but a cheap streaming stick or 4K games console will solve that little quibble. Stuff says Ambilight is awesome, but even without it this is one of the best TVs ever • NOW ADD THIS Sky Q Once you’ve got a 4K TV, you’ll want access to the best 4K content. Sky Q is a good bet for…

JARGON BUSTER FIRST, THE WARM-UP 1 Room service? Some smart heating systems, such as Tado and Evohome, have zonal controls that let you change the temperatures of individual rooms via radiator thermostats. This is useful for homes with lots of rooms, but a bit of a waste for one-bed flats. For smaller homes, a Nest thermostat will give you decent savings without the extra expense. • Get this: Tado Smart Thermostat £199 / tado.com 2 Heat of the moment There are smart thermostats that react to unplanned movements. Gone to the pub at the last minute? Geofencing means the heating will stay low until you’re stumbling back with a kebab. It’s a handy trick, although if you have a more predictable life you might be better off with a system…

1 HOT BUY SNES Classic Mini £80 / nintendo.co.uk Why bother splashing out over £200 on a games console when you can get the SNES Classic Mini for a fraction of that? Especially when you get 21 classic titles pre-installed on this nostalgia-inducing machine, including the likes of Super Metroid, A Link to the Past, Super Mario World and the never-before-released Star Fox 2. And with two controllers bundled in the box, you’ll be able to start the Super Mario Kart action right away. Stuff says With 21 classic games installed, gamers won’t find better value anywhere • NOW ADD THIS 8Bitdo Bluetooth Retro Receiver Fed up of those short cables? Use this clever device to connect most modern controllers wirelessly. £16.14 / 8bitdo.com • TIPS & TRICKS • Chickens…