Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i T3

1 MACBOOK PRO (2021) • From £1,899, apple.com The novelty of Apple first designing and then building its own processors has worn off. It’s not simply a novelty any more: it’s a full-blown revolution. The MacBook Pro now firmly removes Macs from the ‘buy if you prefer macOS to Windows’ category and places them firmly in the ‘just plain better’ camp. The stats don’t lie. The chip at its heart – either the 10-CPU core, 16-GPU core M1 Pro or the 10/32 Max, depending on your spec – makes for a truly superior processor, firmly outclassing the already superb M1 and (though we can’t exactly compare apples-to-apples any more) seemingly flattening both AMD and Intel’s latest offerings. It’s not all about the guts, though. Apple has marked the occasion of…

Jim Lee began his career as a music photographer during the early 1960s working with bands, such as The Who and The Kinks but he soon found his leaning veered towards fashion photography and his trajectory headed for the stars working alongside Anna Wintour for Vogue, Harpers & Queen and the New York Times. He helped to define the fashion aesthetic of the Swinging Sixties before he changed track and turned his hand to directing commercials and feature films in the 1970s. Lee’s photographic portfolio is lauded for its artistic merit, and it has earned him a permanent collection at the V&A. This image was taken on a Nikon F camera with a 200m lens. The model is Celia Birtwell and it was taken for designer Ossie Clark in 1969.…

The Skullcandy Push Active (£69.99, skullcandy.co.uk) was designed for exercising and thus features flexible over-ear hooks to ensure the buds stay in place even when you’re moving around like a crazy person, trying to keep up with your HIIT instructor. You also get Skull-iQ voice control and impressive battery life: 10 hours in the earbuds and 34 hours in the charging case, plus rapid charging. For just under £70. What a bargain.…

WOLF GOURMET STAND MIXER Producing cakes that will make you smile, but with a price tag that may make you wince, this has an ultrapowerful motor ensuring even mixing no matter how challenging the ingredients. It could be your kitchen’s ultimate secret weapon. £1,299, subzero-wolf.co.uk WOLF GOURMET FILTER COFFEE MACHINE This machine’s Accu-Brew mode weighs your coffee grounds to ensure the perfectly balanced beverage every time. The jug holds 10 cups-worth of coffee, which should get you going of a morning. £649, subzero-wolf.co.uk WOLF GOURMET 2-SLICE TOASTER This is identical to the 4-slice toaster apart from the one obvious difference. Able to handle even the thickest doorsteps, it toasts across ‘the full continuum of the toast-browning spectrum from crisp and pale to dark brown with a distinct crunch.’ £299, subzero-wolf.co.uk…

Q EMILY, WARWICK Why do people care about headphone jacks so much? A It’s not about wired headphones, reader. It really isn’t. An eagle-eared listener may be able to tell the difference between Bluetooth and hard-line, but they must then contend with the constant rubbing of cable on clothes, the ever-present fear of snagging and having one’s buds inelegantly yanked from one’s lugs, the glaring fact that dangling wires are, in 2021, dorky as all hell. Besides, a USB-C DAC is going to output a finer signal than any headphone jack, if that’s what you’re really interested in. It’s not about wired headphones: it’s about choice. Whenever a feature gets taken away, particularly if it relates to a not-quite-dead-yet technology, people get cross. It happened with physical phone keyboards, with…

An interesting bit of research came to light this month. According to Aviva home insurance, one in ten of us bought something during lockdown that we regretted – and I don’t mean 5,000 rolls of toilet paper, or cupboards full of Spam, just in case. No, I’m talking about classic luxury products such as, erm, air fryers and, um, hot tubs. All the standard treats. This sparked a lot of amused and slightly puritanical coverage, crowing that people had splashed out on frivolous nonsense and were now ashamed of their profligacy. However, several things in the data don’t really add up. Firstly, one in ten people is not a lot. If you said ‘nine in ten people bought an exercise bike, hot tub, massive TV or other thing to help…

There’s a lot of choice when it comes to affordable tablets, with some of the biggest names in the business – Apple, Amazon, Samsung – putting out slates that are very reasonably priced. Whatever you’re looking for, there should be a cheap tablet out there for you. The recommendations that we’ve put together here attempt to cover as many bases as possible in terms of sizes, operating systems and price points, while staying inside the original ‘affordable tablet’ brief. Each of these models comes from a manufacturer you can trust – so you should be well covered in terms of warranty, support and software updates into the future. LOW-PRICE iPAD 10.2-INCH iPAD (2021) The cheapest brand new Apple tablet you can buy right now, the 10.2-inch entry level iPad may…

Not to be outdone by Apple’s proprietary offering, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag+ only works with Samsung phones but has impressive functionality crammed into that tiny square. Just like the AirTags, Samsung’s improved tracker – defined by the + over the regular SmartTag – comes with built-in UWB, which means that you can get ultra-precise directional location on your lost things at home when Bluetooth is a little too vague. Samsung has even gamified the hunt somewhat with its use of augmented reality tech in the app that will literally point you to your lost items using your phone camera. If you don’t fancy this though, you can always just sound the tag’s ringer and use the audio cue alone. It’s also possible to use the SmartTag+ in reverse to ring…

DEATHLOOP Think Groundhog Day meets Hitman and you might be an eighth of the way to understanding the murderous madness of what the Dishonored devs did next. Deathloop is an immersive blend of single and multiplayer packed with special powers and guns. Just maybe block out a few days for it. £49.99, Arkane Studios JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION 2 Time to check if you can run a functioning Jurassic Park without the attractions eating the tourists. This is a full dinosaur theme park sim starring Jeff Goldblum and Bryce Dallas Howard. With even more creatures – including underwater and flying dinosaurs – we might be extinct faster than ever. £49.99, Frontier Developments KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS It’s a quiet year for console exclusives but this beautiful colourful adventure from an indie…

HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts. We only choose people with specialist knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these,…

PURE ELECTRIC PURE FLUX ONE The Pure Flux One offers an exceptional value for money and punches above its weight in terms of looks and performance. It has only one gear, mechanical disk brakes and no chain: the bike uses a grease-free, ‘unbreakable’ carbon belt. £999, pureelectric.com CANYON ROADLITE:ON At around 16 kg, the Roadlite:On could almost be described as lightweight, and thanks to the upright riding position and 11-speed Shimano gearing, the bike feels extremely nimble. It’s not what you would call cheap, but the Roadlite:On is excellent value. From £2.399, canyon.com XIAOMI MI SMART FOLDING ELECTRIC BIKE This Mi Smart folding ebike is not the most fun on two wheels by any means, but for less than half the price of a Brompton, you get a well-built, decent…

2021 is undoubtedly the year of camping and staycations, so, with that in mind, we took one of Volkswagen’s recently updated California campervans up to the Isle of Skye to see what all the fuss is about. With new technology, design and an improved interior, the California 6.1 (from £56,846, volkswagen.co.uk) aims to reaffirm its position as the benchmark van – after all, more than 175,000 California campers have been built, making it the most successful vehicle of its kind, ever. The biggest appeal of the VW California is how immaculately packaged everything is – every inch of space is used ingeniously and built to remarkably high standards. It’s like the TARDIS, but instead of travelling through space and time, it’ll travel through Britain’s motorways and campsites. The long journey…

When you think of high-end kitchen gadgets, names such as KitchenAid, Bosch, Magimix and Sage might spring to mind. But they are not premium at all compared to Wolf Gourmet. Dedicated to making the very best version of any given popular kitchen gizmo, Wolf Gourmet is uncompromising on design. And price. Rather than adding flash features and smart connectivity, Wolf Gourmet concentrates on the core functionality of each device. So about the most modern feature on the blender (£599.99) you see here is the small LED screen, which shows how long it’s been blending for, as well as speed and chosen setting. However, the important bit is that the 2.4 horsepower motor can push the blades to over 210mph, thereby blending everything from sauces and smoothies to home-made peanut butter.…

We begin with a rare practical tip from Guru, who is usually more inclined towards ridicule and rants. Did you buy the cheapest monitors possible from a brand that will remain unnamed, and then find one start to develop lines of dead pixels right about the same time you decided you could not be bothered with the hassle of a warranty return? Funnily enough, that happened to Guru, too. A £2 plastic clamp from Amazon, positioned to squeeze the bit of the monitor where the ribbon connector had started to detach itself, will sort the problem right out, look terrible, and make you question whether ingenuity is really all it’s cracked up to be. GaGu spent a good portion of his supposed-to-be-working time this issue resurrecting one of the several…

1 LOGITECH G923 DRIVING FORCE RACING WHEEL New-gen driving games are taking car physics and engine audio into new dimensions so it feels increasingly like sacrilege not to be using a racing wheel. Logitech’s G923 comes with its proprietary Trueforce next-gen feedback and is crafted from aluminium, steel and leather for a truly tactile experience. £299.99, game.co.uk 2 SEAGATE EXPANSION CARD Seagate’s official storage was previously only available in a 1TB option but there are now 512GB and 2TB versions available. This expansion card fits into the dedicated slot on the back of your Xbox Series X or S. The SSD has what’s called Xbox Velocity Architecture – you can play games directly from the storage. From £219.99, scan.co.uk 3 XBOX ADAPTIVE CONTROLLER Microsoft’s passion for accessibility is unrelenting and…

If you’ve had AirPods for years, love them, and are wondering whether the 3rd-gen model is worth it, the answer’s an easy yes. They feature more discreet buds, massively improved audio quality, and even more iPhone-friendly features. It’s what you like about the current ones, but made better in every way. Let’s get into the good stuff, then: the sound quality. The new AirPods sound excellent, and are a major and instant step up over the 2nd gen. The improvement seems to come from a more dynamic driver, because what you’ll notice immediately is how much clearer and brighter everything from the mid-range up is. It makes the earlier model immediately feel like the bass is actually weighing down the soundscape, and the treble is only just keeping its head…

Sky Glass is an incredible package. It’s a TV with 4K resolution and an integrated speaker system. That’s not all it does, though, because you’ll get the whole world of Sky entertainment packed in without the need for a satellite dish or Sky Q box. Sky has made everything about it easy and hassle-free. Even picking the TV in the first place is made simple because there are just three sizes to choose from: small (43-inch), medium (55-inch) and Large (65-inch). Even getting the Sky Glass set up on your TV cabinet is very easy. The delivery company will come and assemble the whole thing; it takes them about 10 minutes from start to finish and they can take all of the packaging away with them. Because Sky is pre-installed…

The Evercade VS is the latest in a now long line of modern retro consoles. There’s a big difference with the Evercade VS, though. Unlike these systems, which came with a limited, pre-loaded selection of games, the Evercade VS is a full-on console that runs on its own carts of classic arcade games, all of them legally licensed. In terms of overall aesthetics the Evercade VS looks fantastic. It’s got clean lines and the white finish looks really smart. Attention to detail has been paid here in terms of design, even though the console is light and has a hollow feeling when held, evoking an old-fashioned console from the ’80s or ’90s. Other details from that era of home entertainment consoles include the very NES evocative controllers, which are larger…

Even in 2021, lightweight, wearable exoskeletons seem and feel futuristic. You won’t pass anyone wearing one on the street, nor will you see people in the gym assisting their squats with such a device. That said, non-commercial exoskeletons do exist and better still, you can not only pre-order them, but they also cost less than a run-of-the-mill MacBook. Take, for example, the Enhanced Robotics Sportsmate 5 ($899, xenhanced.com). This handy little device has two modes – Outdoor and Fitness – and provides either assistance or resistance, depending on what you need. In Outdoor mode, it provides 18 Nm of assistance, while in Fitness mode, it offers an added 10 Nm of resistance. According to Enhanced Robotics, wearing the Sportsmate 5 for certain exercises can help you burn 40% more calories.…

TOMTOM GO DISCOVER The TomTom Go Discover is a straightforward navigation device without fancy features. It is ultimately about utility, not showbiz moves and fancy tricks, and there’s no doubt TomTom delivers excellent usability here. £229.99, tomtom.com GARMIN DRIVESMART 86 Maybe the most advanced sat nav around, with a gorgeous 8-inch display that can be mounted in either landscape or portrait mode. Packed with features such as environmental zone routing, hands-free calling and builtin Garmin voice assist. £319.99, garmin.com TOMTOM GO CAMPER Designed for camper vans and caravans, you’ll get customised navigation and points of interest with the size of your vehicle in mind. It’ll also help find an ideal place to stay with detailed campsite information preloaded. £379.99, tomtom.com…

1 WING PENDANT LIGHTS The dining table becomes a centrepiece of the home over the festive season, so creating a stylish ambience with overhead lighting is key to setting the right tone. Available in two sizes, small and large, these Wing Pendant lights in ceramic make a statement without too much fuss. £120 (small); £280 (large), mineheart.com 2 ILLUMINATED STAG’S HEAD While thankfully the habit of hanging a dead animal on your wall has largely been consigned to the past, you can still indulge your penchant for the prowess of a stag’s head but in an ethical way with this illuminated rattan beast. While the bare antlers cast a pleasingly Scandi silhouette, the lights will help light your way with their warm glow. £49.99, lights4fun.co.uk 3 RED RICE BERRY WREATH…

HOME SWEET HOME ALONE This entirely unnecessary Disney+ reboot of the already-rinsed franchise could be as good as the original, which Guru’s kids forcibly ignore every festive season. Who knows? DIE HARD Whether you think it’s a Christmas movie or not, it is and that’s final. It’s rentable through Amazon Prime Video, and specifically to be watched on December 24. SANTA WITH MUSCLES Hulk Hogan is a weirdly orange, glistening Father Christmas in this 1996 movie not even worthy of its 2.6 rating on IMDb. Literally only Guru likes it. Go on, rent it on YouTube.…

The AirTag is exactly what you would expect from Apple’s first foray into dedicated tracking tech. A slick solid circle of Cupertino design, resolutely allergic to the idea of having an ugly hole for attaching to anything. But buy yourself an AirTag holder – no, you don’t need to go for the Hermès option – and the AirTag is very good at exactly what you want it to do. AirTag makes the most of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) tech alongside Apple’s Find My network to make sure you know exactly where your items or even pets are. At home this means the Find My app shows just how far away from your AirTag you are at all times, and lets you ring it for even speedier finding. If you lose something in…

1 PHILIPS HUE SYNC BOX & GRADIENT LIGHT TUBE Get the full Ambilight experience without investing in a whole new TV. Combo up a Philips Gradient Light Tube and Sync Box and the colours of your games can spread dramatically across the living room walls with perfectly matched lighting. £229.99 & £174.99, philips-hue.com 2 ASUS ROG STRIX GS-AX5400 GAMING ROUTER Most routers are the kind of tech you hide behind plant pots but this dual band box has RGB that just demands pride of place. With an ethernet port specifically for gaming, and a total bandwidth of up to 5400Mbps, this will upgrade your entire house as well as your console experience. £214.99, asus.com 3 MIDNIGHT BLACK DUALSENSE Sony’s choice of a white console and controller hasn’t always felt like…

Do you want comfortable headphones with excellent noise cancelling, a clean balanced sound and bass performance that will let you listen to your music for hours, and hours, and hours? Then the Bose QuietComfort 45 could be just what you are looking for. Replacing its predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, after four years, they do not disappoint. Straight out of the box you get the headphones, a zipped travel case to keep them in, a 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable to manually connect to devices, a USB-C cable to charge them and a Quick Start Guide to help you get set up. So what’s new? The design hasn’t had a massive overhaul but the small changes Bose has made make the headphones look that little bit more premium. Available…

SAMSUNG Q80A The Glass has little direct competition right now. But if you’re willing to forgo streaming Sky, this QLED set from Samsung offers a bright HDR picture and newgen gaming features for a similar level of moolah. From £829, johnlewis.com LG A1 QLED sets are great. But if you want inky blacks and rich colours, OLED is the way to go. Simply the best OLED under £1,000, the A1 offers truly impressive images and supports both Dolby Vision and Atmos. From £899.98, lg.com…