If you’ve been looking for a free TV streaming service to fill up those long days and weekends, look no further: Roku has now launched a free, ad-supported TV platform in the UK.
The Roku Channel isn’t a new enterprise, having first launched in the US back in 2017. The service aggregates free content from a variety of sources and publishers into the simple and easy-to-navigate Roku OS, giving those hankering after free TV a handy place to browse all sorts of films, TV shows, documentaries, and the like.
You’ll find over 60 live TV channels on the service, as well as around 10,000 TV episodes and films available to stream on demand. They include home renovation shows, cooking shows, kids TV shows, family programming, true crime, and plenty more besides.
The Roku Channel is coming to Roku streaming devices, including the Roku Express, Roku Premium, and Roku Streaming Stick+ – though you’ll also find it on Samsung smart TVs and the Hisense Roku TV that launched in late 2019. It’s on Sky Q boxes and Now TV streaming sticks too.
Exciting times for UK viewers
Roku has been pushing further into the UK market as of late, with a great budget television set – the Hisense Roku TV – now on UK shores, and the recent Roku OS 9.3 update bringing Alexa and Google Assistant support to Roku streamers too.
The Roku Channel may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer paying for ad-free content rather than having their viewing experience continually interrupted (though kids shows will receive significantly fewer ads). But for those after free TV shows, or just a supplement to their existing TV streaming service subscriptions – Netflix, Disney Plus, and the like – the Roku Channel is here.
LG's first 48-inch OLED TV is on the cusp of release, and we finally have a price tag for the compact OLED – but, sadly, it's not as cheap as we'd hoped.
The LG CX OLED is this year's successor to the LG C9 – a brilliantly capable television that topped a huge number of our buying guides (best OLED TVs, best 55-inch TVs, etc) last year.
We caught wind of the set's 48-inch model a few months ago, and ever since we've been eagerly awaiting a retail price to put next to the (relatively) small TV.
So, how much does it cost? The 48-inch CX OLED will cost £1,499 – around $1,860 / AU$3,100 by current conversion rates. That's a decent £300 lower than the 55-inch, and likely to lower over the coming year, but is still nowhere near cheap enough to meaningfully shake up people's buying habits for OLED displays.
Admittedly, we only have the UK pricing, for now, but it doesn't bode well for those wanting an affordable OLED in 2020.
A missed opportunity
Previously, the cheapest LG OLED available has been the B Series, such as the LG B9 OLED we reviewed last year. When we got word of a 48-inch OLED model, our immediate hope was that it could bring OLED TV prices below £1,000 / $1,000 (around AU$1,700) and finally drop OLED sets within reach of those with smaller budgets.
Sadly, that isn't the case. At the moment, it looks like the 48-inch CX is going to cost roughly the same as the 55-inch BX OLED, which feels like a pointless overlap to have pursued.
There are certainly issues of cost involved for LG, given the need to create new production lines for the smaller 48-inch size, which won't yet have been scaled up to a large size. It may also be the case that LG doesn't want to undersell the model as something inferior, or reduce its profit margins for a size it doesn't know for sure people want.
But we can't shake the feeling that a 48-inch model of the BX would have been the best thing for consumers – helping to lower the price barrier at the very bottom of LG's OLED range. As it is, this reduction and size and cost for the CX isn't as tempting or game-changing as we hoped it would be.
The pricing for the LG BX OLED has yet to be revealed
Is there hope for cheap OLEDs yet?
Yes! For one, we haven't received official pricing for the LG BX, in any territory. It may be the cheapest OLED in the range does do what the 48-inch CX model couldn't, and offer a real bargain for a decent OLED display.
This is also the first 48-inch OLED that LG has put out, and we could well see more TV series get this smaller size in 2021 – or somewhat unexpectedly in late 2020. The pricing of this model is likely to drop by the Black Friday sales later this year, too, though likely won't drop to a three-figure sum. This is really just the start of 48-inch OLEDs, and they may need time to realize their potential for bringing OLED into many more people's homes.
The cheapest OLED you can buy currently is the Hisense O8B, at just £999 (around $1,200 / AU$2,050) in the UK, though for a baseline of quality you'll really want to go for whatever LG OLED you can afford.
LG has misstep slightly, though, in picking the CX over the BX – and not offering the price drop it could have.
The first of LG's 2020 TV range is rolling out to the UK, with the LG CX and GX OLED TVs set to launch in the coming days – and the premium WX and ZX models coming not long after. The range had already kicked off in the US and South Korea, but now is expanding further afield.
With the LG CX replacing last year's C9 model (our favorite OLED of 2019) and the new GX Gallery Series standing in for the cancelled E Series, there's plenty to get excited about in the world of OLED – and both sets are great contenders for the best LG TVs or best OLED TVs of this year.
We now have word that the CX and GX OLEDs are launching in the days after April 6, with the former starting at £1,799 for the 55-inch model, and the GX starting at £2,299 for the same size.
They'll both come in a 65-inch size, too, with the CX set to get a 48-inch – the first for LG's OLED TV range – and 77-inch size later in May. The wallpaper-thin WX OLED is launching in mid-April in a single 65-inch size, priced at £4,499. The only 8K OLED in the 2020 range, the ZX, will be launching in May first with a 88-inch size (at £39,999), and then a 77-inch size (at £24,999) shortly after.
What's new?
If you already have a 2019 LG OLED TV, you probably don't need to think about an upgrade.
For anyone looking for a new TV anyway, though, LG sells some of the best OLED TVs on the market, with inscrutable contrast ratios and incredibly deep blacks – as well as a market-leading smart TV platform, webOS.
LG's 2020 TVs also support HDMI eARC and auto low-latency mode (ALLM) for TV-to-soundbar audio and a smoother frame rate. The new a9 Gen 3 chip should show a small markup in picture processing too.
There's no word on a release date or pricing on the budget BX OLED, strangely, though we did originally expect it to launch alongside the CX in April or May. We'll be sure to update you as we learn more about 2020's LG B9 successor.
The new BenQ TH685 projector is shaping up to be a great new AV option for console gaming in your home.
With an incredibly bright 3,500 lumens, 4KHDR projection, and 8.3ms input lag, the TH685 is designed to show off console games in vivid detail and colors – with any HDMI-connected console such as the PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch being easy to hook up to the projector.
The low input lag is the most notable spec here, given televisions often struggle to get below 20ms, and a larger lag means the gameplay isn’t as smooth and responsive to controller inputs as it could be.
Now retailing for $799 (around £650 / AU$1,300), the TH685 joins a long line of BenQ projectors for a variety of home entertainment needs. We recently reviewed the BenQ TK850, an almost-as-bright projector for sports viewing that comes with a specialized motion smooth algorithm – though even that model was more than capable for HDR gaming in the home.
In the US, the BenQ TH685 is currently available at Amazon, BestBuy, Projector People, B&H and Newegg in the US – with UK / AU pricing yet to be confirmed.
Fancy a sports-specific projector? Check out these BenQ TK850 deals below:
HDR for all
Since the HT3550 / W2700 projector model we reviewed last year, BenQ has supported HDR projection on a variety of devices, with its HDR Pro technology being compatible with HDR10 (the basic HDR format) and HLG (hybrid log gamma, the SDR/HDR broadcasting format).
Games are especially conducive to HDR viewing, given the uptick in vivid colors and enhancements to contrast – making enemies, NPCs (non-player characters), and environmental details stand out even clearer and livelier than before.
We expect the Xbox Series X to really lean into HDR gaming – even if this console generation was largely fought on 4K gaming instead.
Sony doesn’t offer as many LCD sets as, say, Samsung – the world’s largest TV maker – but there’s still a smattering of LCD TVs here to get your eyes on, with the cheapest (X70) starting at just £599 for the 43-inch model.
The XH81 and XH80 are the more notable sets here, complete with Google Assistant / Alexa compatibility and a souped-up 4KHDR Processor X1. They don't quite have the processing chops of Sony’s higher-end OLED TVs, but still offer 4K resolution and support for the dynamic Dolby Vision HDR format. There’s support for Dolby Atmos audio, too.
These sets both come with the Google Play Store and Chromecast built-in as well, meaning you’ll have a range of streaming apps from Netflix to Disney Plus – though not Amazon Prime Video, sadly.
The XH81 starts at £699 for the 43-inch model, and is available in 49, 55, and 65-inch models too. The XH80 starts at £649 for the 43-inch TV size, and is available in 49, 55, 65, 75, and 85-inch sizes. 55-inch and larger models will come with a more advanced X-Balanced speaker system too (for both ranges).
The X70 will offer a step down in terms of picture quality and smart features – with a more basic “no frills” smart platform, though still with Netflix, YouTube, and an internet browser to use. It’s available in 43, 49, 55, and 65-inch sizes.
The Nintendo Switch may be gearing up for a massive release of remastered Super Mario games this year, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the beloved gaming franchise.
According to VGC, a host of Super Mario titles from across various console generations are being prepared for remastered releases on Nintendo Switch – likely filling the gap between larger first-party releases, and drumming up some Nintendo hype in a gaming conversation that (in 2020 at least) is largely about the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
While the news hasn't been officially confirmed, additional sources close to the matter told EuroGamer that these games would include Super Mario 64 (from the Nintendo 64), Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Wii) and Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube).
Super. Mario. Sunshine.
SUPER MARIO SUNSHINE
The Super Mario franchise is now 35 years old, meaning it's provided countless hours of platforming joy to equally countless gamers around the world.
Super Mario Sunshine was one of the first GameCube games this writer came across – and which this writer has been impatiently waiting for a remaster of for several years now. Its tropical island setting, Mario-as-villain dramatic stakes, and incredible variety of the F.L.U.D.D. water nozzle – hovering, spraying, or blasting into the sky alike – made for a truly joyful platforming game. There's even a mini-boss fight on a rollercoaster!
Without a GameCube Classic Mini in sight – in the vein of the NES Classic and SNES Mini consoles – a remastered version for Switch is, without exaggeration, a dream come true.
It's unclear what Nintendo's release plans will be, though. It's possible these games will come to the free retro game simulator thrown in with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription – though the occasion may lead Nintendo to consider a fully-fledged release with a 2020 RRP. We hope for the former, but are prepared for the latter.
If you're choosing between the LG BX OLED or LG B9 OLED, which is the right pick for you? There's huge demand for affordable OLED TVs these days and, while you can't exactly get one cheaply yet, LG's B Series OLEDs are still the cheapest organic LED TVs that the South Korean manufacturer puts out each year.
The LG BX OLED is the new model for 2020, taking over from last year's LG B9. The two models are set to overlap for a good while though – in fact, the 2018 model is still available to buy in some territories.
The BM models also won't be rolling out for a few weeks yet, so those of you stuck at home and eager to upgrade your TV may be tempted to pull the trigger on a B9 model now.
With Hisense no longer making OLED TVs, and its existing O8B OLED not offering a particularly reliable experience – during our tests, at least – LG is the place to go for a budget OLED, and in this guide we'll run you through everything you need to consider before making a choice between the BX and B9 OLEDs.
We can't speak definitively on pricing just yet, as the newer LG BX model has yet to receive an official RRP. However, we can make an informed guess based on pricing for B Series OLEDs from previous years.
The LG B9 went on sale at around $1,995 / £1,529 / AU$2,900 for the 55-inch model, and $3,055 / £2,499 / AU$4,530 for the 65-inch model. By late 2019, this had dropped to $1,399 / £1,299 (around AU$2,030) for the 55-inch OLED55B9, or $2,299 / £1,799 (around AU$3,340) for the 65-inch OLED65B9.
You can still buy the LG B8 for $1,200 in the US, from Amazon, so we'd expect the LG B9 to have fallen to a similar price by this time next year.
The B Series usually undercuts LG's C Series by a good $200 / £200 / AU$350, making them the cheapest OLEDs put out by LG each year.
LG BX vs LG B9: processor and picture quality
That price drop comes with a catch, though. Like the LG B9 OLED before it, the LG BX OLED will use a lower-spec processor than its more premium siblings. So instead of the a9 Gen 3 processor found in the LG CX and GX OLED, you'll find the a7 Gen 3 processor.
This follows on from the previous year, when the B9 used an a7 Gen 2 processor instead of the C9's a9 Gen 2 chip.
We reviewed the LG B9 OLED very favorably last year, with only small markdowns for the occasional video noise caused by the lower-spec processor, as well as middling upscaling performance. But the sacrifices here seem worth it if you're mainly interested in getting an OLED TV that's more affordable than some of the options out there.
We expect a slight uptick in picture quality from BX's picture processor, although the LG BX is unlikely to match the picture output of, say, last year's LG C9. The BX will include LG's new Face Enhancing processing technology, to better represent skin tones and help faces to stand out from backgrounds.
LG BX vs LG B9: design and specs
Processor aside, is anything materially different when it comes to the design, formats, or inputs of the LG BX and LG B9?
These sets are actually almost identical in terms of their specs. The BX and B9 both ship in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, and the exact dimensions of each model size appear unchanged, excepting the odd 0.1 of an inch. The B9's 19.9kg weight (including the stand) is unchanged too.
The BX also retains the 40W audio output of the B9, including the 20W subwoofer added to the B Series for the first time last year. Both sets feature 2.2 channel speakers, like those on the C9, though without the same TV stand solution as the latter, which is designed to funnel downward-firing audio towards the viewer.
The a9 processor offers a notable improvement over the a7 chips used in the LG BX and B9 OLEDs
If you’re connecting your headphones or smartphone to the TV via Bluetooth, you’ll be pleased to know that the BX uses the latest 5.0 standard, as the B9 did, rather than the B8's older and less reliable 4.2 connectivity. We've yet to find out exactly what ports are built into the BX, but we expect a good number of HDMI and USB inputs.
Both are 4K TVs with HDR panels, and support the dynamic Dolby Vision HDR format, as well as Dolby Atmos surround sound (although not HDR10+) and both ship with LG’s sleek magic remote and streamlined webOS smart TV platform. With LG’s ThinQ AI integrated, too, you’re getting a very smart system, with built-in Alexa / Google Assistant support and the ability to connect to Google Home and Amazon Echo devices.
Apple AirPlay 2 support – which came as an update to 2018 and 2019 LG TVs last year – will also be on the BX from launch.
LG's webOS smart platform might be the best available today
LG BX vs LG B9: takeaway
LG's B Series is a smart bet for anyone looking to get an OLED TV into their home at a reasonable price, even if what counts for 'budget' in the world of OLEDs is still a lot more expensive than cheap LCD panels.
In our LG B9 OLED review, we found the B9 had the same weaknesses as the older B8, in terms of occasional video noise and processing that can't compete with higher-end sets. That's unlikely to change much with the BX, although we expect a nominal improvement in terms of the extent of these visual imperfections – not enough to warrant an upgrade from the LG B9, but certainly enough to make the BX worth considering for a new TV.
Keep in mind that the B9 should still be on sale in the coming months, at a notionally lower cost than the incoming BX. And for now, to get an OLED TV that actually is relatively affordable, by today's standards, the older B9 model may be the one to go for.
Development on the PS5 has been largely secretive over the past few years, but it appears that at least one source at Sony is comparing the next-gen console to Netflix when pitching the platform to game developers.
Kotaku news editor Jason Schreier posted on the forum site Resetera, commenting that, “I have heard some fascinating things about the PS5’s operating system like this – one of the pitches they’ve been making to developers is ‘playing a PS5 game should be as easy as Netflix.’
“They want to make players feel like they can load up the game immediately and know exactly how much time a given activity is going to take them. They want people to feel more inclined to play in short bursts rather than only wanting to turn on the console when they have a few hours to spare.”
It seems clear that offering quickly-accessible content will be just as crucial as offering quality content in the next generation of consoles – which is shown by the increase in interest around game streaming, with PS Now, Google Stadia, and Project xCloud having emerged in recent years as an alternative to purchasing games one by one.
Faster!
The PS5 seems set to pack a lot of features we're expecting will come in next-gen gaming, and improved loading speeds is a big one.
We've already heard a lot about the SSD (solid state drive) in a recent PS5 specs stream, which will enable the hardware to more quickly find and load up information from anywhere on the drive – whether you're playing a single-player campaign or launching into multiplayer modes.
Being able to play quickly is increasingly necessary in our time-starved society – and the PS5's potential capability to load up huge video game worlds at a faster speed than the PS4 is something we're not going to complain about.
The Sony PS5 won’t turn its back on backwards compatibility, it seems – with PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny asserting that the crucial functionality won’t be on the chopping block even for later, cheaper versions of the PS5 console.
Speaking in a PS5 live stream on March 18, Cerny spoke at length about the technical capabilities of the next-gen PlayStation, focusing largely on its SSD drive – a first for a PlayStation console – 3D audio, and ray tracing. (Cerny has become “quite bullish” on the benefits of ray tracing, he tells us.)
But we also learnt a bit more about plans for backwards compatibility, with “almost all” of what Cerny refers to as the 100 top PS4 games being compatible with the console from launch – and more possibly to follow during the console’s lifespan.
We also heard that backwards compatibility will be in every PlayStation 5 console, and won't be removed as Sony finds ways to brings the cost of the console down over the course of its lifespan.
"Once backwards compatibility is in the console, it's in," Cerny said. "It's not as if a cost-down will remove backwards compatibility like it did on PlayStation 3."
For those without long memories, the original PS3 had dedicated internal hardware to run PS2 discs, but this was only the case with the launch units. Later iterations like the cheaper PS3 Slim shipped without PS2 compatibility to bring down costs – essentially forcing gamers to choose between support for their back catalogue of PS2 games or the lower price tag of the sleeker Slim console.
It's a relief to hear that won't be the case with the PS5, whatever Sony's plans for future console iterations in the coming years may be.
PS5 Slim: a likely future
This bodes well for newer editions of the console that arrive down the line. A PS5 Slim may be planned, though history suggests we will have to wait a while after launch. The PS3 Slim (2009) launched a whole three years after the original PS3 console, which hit the markets in 2006. We saw a similar time gap between the PS4 (2013) and PS4 Slim (2016) too.
It's possible we'll see a PS5 Slim in 2023, then – which would give the mainline console some time to drop in price and build up a dedicated audience before Sony launched a more wallet-friendly version.
What will the new price tag be? It's hard to speculate, given we don't know the pricing for the regular ol' PS5 yet, but in the scenario were the first PS5 console is priced just shy of $500 / £500 / AU$750, we'd likely see a Slim version sit closer to $400 / £400 / $600.
For comparison, the PS4 Slim retailed at $300 / £260 / AU$440, down from the $400 / £400 / AU$550 retail price of the original PS4.
There have been rumors – unsubstantiated, we might add – of Sony launching two consoles in late 2020, with a basic PS5 and more advanced PS5 Pro model, but we think that's highly unlikely given announcements around the console so far.
When Samsung PlayGalaxy Link launched its beta a few months back, it was admittedly with little fanfare – but the announcement of the game streaming service’s incoming closure has been even more quiet.
Loading up the PlayGalaxy website now presents an apologetic notification for the service, stating that, “After many difficult discussions, PlayGalaxy Link will be ended on 27 March 2020 due to internal policy changes.”
PlayGalaxy Link had been launched as a cloud gaming service exclusive to Samsung Galaxy smartphone, though we largely assumed it would roll out to other Android phone ranges in the future. Back when Fortnite first launched on Android, Samsung Galaxy handsets were the first to get it, and we didn’t expect Samsung would restrict the audience of the platform forever.
Either way, PlayGalaxy Link is closing, so any Samsung Galaxy owners who had signed up to the beta will lose access to the service after March 27, as per the announcement.
It’s unclear exactly what’s being referred to by “internal policy changes”, but it’s likely that PlayGalaxy Link became less of a priority for the electronics manufacturer given the momentum of its competition.
It’s a tough time to be launching a game streaming service, to be fair. Google Stadia is taking up the attention of most gamers interested in a dedicated streaming service, with the existing PS Now platform and Microsoft’s in-the-works Project xCloud offering plenty of other avenues to play games through the cloud.
While PlayGalaxy Link never made it out of beta, it’s clear that cloud gaming is very much here to stay.
Netflix Party has arrived, and the unofficial new social feature for the world's biggest TV streaming service should make watching your favorite shows on your sofa a little bit less lonely. It lets you sync playback on movies and TV episodes with your friends, wherever they are.
What is Netflix Party? The website for the feature calls it "a new way to watch Netflix with your friends online. Netflix Party synchronizes video playback and adds group chat to your favorite Netflix shows."
Syncing playback means that you'll be starting and ending a movie at exactly the same time as your friends – with a sidebar for real-time chat throughout whatever you're watching.
Want to scream in capital letters together as Barb is dragged to The Upside Down in Stranger Things, or weep over the moving scenes of self-realization in Queer Eye? You can do that, without having to take your eye away from the screen.
It's not an official Netflix feature, and it's supported by a Patreon, but it's simple enough to add it to your browser. There's a catch, though: it's only available on Google Chrome. So if you're a die-hard user of Safari, Firefox, or – shudder – Microsoft Edge, you don't currently have an option.
It's not the first time we've seen something like this, even for Netflix.
We've previously reported on the social streaming app Rave, which lets users sync Netflix or YouTube videos over mobile (or certain VR headsets) with other users of the app. But Netflix Party looks like it will have a far wider user base by virtue of being a browser add-on, rather than being limited to smartphones and tablets.
In this self-isolating society, having more social features in our content services is a great thing. Having tried out Netflix Party ourselves, it's both non-obtrusive and simple to use, with a neat sidebar stuck on the right side of the screen, and options to set an icon and nickname for every person joining the synced stream.
All you have to do is download the extension in your Chrome browser, and then hit the Netflix Party icon on your bookmarks bar while watching a movie or TV episode. The chat will continue across consecutive episodes, too – meaning you can binge a whole season with your nearest and dearest.
The PS5 is getting a surprise live stream on March 18, according to an official tweet by PlayStation Europe – promising a deeper look at the specs and capabilities of the incoming next-gen PlayStation.
PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny will be speaking in the live stream, which should offer a "deep dive into PS5's system architecture and how it will shape the future of games."
What does all that mean, you ask? It means we'll get a better understanding of what's going on in the PS5, under the hood – and it may be somewhat in response to Microsoft's continued (and much more forthcoming) drip-feed of specs information for the Xbox Series X console.
Unlike the PS5, the Xbox Series X has been officially unveiled too, and it doesn't sound like we're going to see the PS5's console design just yet. Is it still being finalized? Is Sony just holding its cards close to its chest? We'll see if the live stream on March 18 has anything to tell us in that regard.
How to watch the PS5 live stream
The live stream will kick off at 4pm GMT / 5pm CET (12pm ET / 9am PT) on March 18, which will be available to watch on the PlayStation Blog – a usual place for game announcements and stories about PlayStation-related news.
LG's cheapest OLED TV for 2020, the LG BX OLED, will be launching this April, alongside the more premium OLED sets in the LG TV 2020 range – bucking tradition from previous years.
The BX joins the LG CX OLED, LG GX Gallery Series OLED, LG WX OLED, and 8K-ready LG ZX, all of which feature LG's most advanced TV processor, the a9 Gen 3 – aside from the BX, which uses a lower-spec chip, the a7 Gen 3. The CX and ZX are expected in April, with the WX set to follow in May.
This is certainly a change in strategy, given that 2019's LG B9 OLED released many months after its other OLED siblings. We didn't get our hands on a testing unit until last October, so it's notable that the 2020 model is releasing only seven or so months after its predecessor.
LG's B Series OLEDs get a lot of attention each year, and for good reason: OLED is still an expensive TV technology, and – with pricing starting at $2,500 (around £2,000 / AU$4,000) – the BX is going to be the cheapest way to get your hands on a new LG-branded OLED this year. (Keep in mind that last year's LG B9 is half that cost right now, and currently still on sale.)
Other TV brands have sought to undercut LG on price, such as Hisense with its ill-fated O8B OLED – that suffered from numerous processing issues and led Hisense to stop pursuing OLED displays altogether.
So it's reassuring that the BX will be launching alongside LG OLEDs higher up in the range, if only so buyers like yourself won't have to choose between an expensive OLED now and an affordable OLED later. Who has the patience for that, anyway?
The Samsung Sero TV was one of the most eye-catching sets we caught sight of at CES 2020 at the start of the year – for reasons good and bad. As a set that can shift between portrait and landscape viewing at the click of a button, it offers a very different utility to the majority of televisions out there.
The rotating screen is unlike any other Samsung TVs – or anything anyone else is doing, for that matter – but it’s also geared so strongly towards the TikTok generation as to seem largely irrelevant to the majority of TV users. However, the Sero’s audio capabilities may do something to temper the aversion many TV consumers are likely feeling towards it.
Why’s that? The Sero TV features 60W speakers in a 4.1 surround sound configuration, far beyond the capabilities of the average home television, which usually sits at 10-20W in stereo for acceptable-but-uninspiring audio.
The Sero’s speakers are housed in its TV stand, with forward-firing drivers aimed right at the viewer. "When playing videos, games and music, The Sero’s speakers provide a vivid and clear sound because they are positioned to face front and deliver sound directly to listeners," says Chris Jo, head of products and operations at Samsung Electronics America's TV division.
You’re not getting Dolby Atmos support, so those after truly high-end audio will want to look at some Dolby Atmos speakers – or a set like the Samsung Q950TS QLED, which really goes above and beyond when it comes to sound output. But the speakers of the Sero still offer more than we might accept for what the TV is being angled for – namely, portrait videos.
Portrait artist
Mobile videos, such as those made and shared through TikTok and Snapchat, are rarely high-quality affairs. Although an increasing number of smartphones are able to record 4K video, built-in microphones for smartphones aren’t anywhere near the level of professional recording booths, let alone the premium audio mastering of blockbuster films.
TechRadar’s phones writer, Tom Bedford, tells us that, "While some expensive flagship smartphones have impressive mic recording capabilities – like the iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S20 – the majority really don't.”
We’re told by Samsung that the Sero is “Geared toward younger users with an interest in viewing experiences such as the ones found on their mobile devices,” such as “social media content, streaming services and gaming”.
We can’t imagine most smartphones being capable sources to cast high-resolution video or detailed audio – even with the Sero’s upscaling abilities – but the speaker setup is still pretty decent for general TV use, such as Netflix shows or movies from a 4K Blu-ray player.
It’s clear that Samsung’s range of designer TVs are more focused on being lifestyle products than purely AV devices – as we saw when we reviewed the original The Frame TV back in 2018.
The Frame TV made a gorgeous piece of decor, even if its visuals weren’t overly up to scratch. But the QLED panel inserted into the 2019 Frame TV model, and the upmarket audio on offer in the Sero, shows that these sets are more than just pieces of furniture with screens. Whether you want them, though, is a matter entirely for you.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is at its lowest ever price in the UK, with a surprisingly low price of £159 when buying the handheld console and a screen protector from Game.
This deal is only live in the UK, but marks an astonishingly good deal given the Switch console usually retails for £179 by itself – and that's before you add in the screen protector too. (Not in the UK? Scroll down below for prices in your region.)
The news is all the sweeter considering the imminent release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which launches on March 20. That means anyone wanting to hop on the Switch train for the latest instalment of Animal Crossing – or buy a second, smaller Switch to share among the family – can do so for that little bit less.
Sadly, the special edition Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch console is at the same £319 price as before – and the Switch Lite's usual RRP hasn't been dropped across the board yet – but its overwhelming cuteness should soften the pain of the purchase. That Tom Nook does now how to empty our wallets.
