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Both sides come into the quarter-final clash fatigued but fired up after tough last-round victories.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 6, No. 286.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Sunday, July 6, No. 756.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 6, No. 490.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 6, No. 1,478.

XO, Kitty season 3: key information

- Officially renewed in February
- Filming rumored to have begun
- Main cast expected to return
- No official trailer released yet
- Plot details remain under wraps
- No news on future seasons

XO, Kitty season 3 is officially on the way.

Over two seasons of Kitty Song Covey's adventures at the Korean Independent School of Seoul, we've watched her chase her dreams, explore relationships and retrace her mother's steps. And now, we're heading back to KISS for senior year.

A spin-off from To All The Boys I've Loved Before, a trilogy of movies on Netflix based on Jenny Han's novels of the same name, it's an exciting standalone (with surprise crossover guest stars) on one of the best streaming services. So, it's time for some more Seoul searching!

Here's what we know so far about XO, Kitty season 3's plot rumors, predicted cast and more.

XO, Kitty season 3: is there a release date?

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A photo posted by on

There's no XO, Kitty season 3 release date yet, but I can confirm that the show has officially been renewed.

The announcement was made on Valentine's Day 2025 on Instagram, with Anna Cathcart – who plays Kitty – seen answering the door to some Valentine's Day gifts in an official post. Though she says: "Last time I checked, I was very single."

Via a note on the flowers, Anna reads: "Roses are red, violets are blue, there's a third season of XO, Kitty in store for you". And from her gift bag, she pulls out the script for the next season wrapped up nicely in a pink ribbon ready for more drama and romance at KISS.

And it appears the cast and crew may already have commenced filming. On May 18, Joshua Lee who plays Jin, posted a video on TikTok of him dancing with Regan Aliyah (Julianna) with Sasha Bhasin (Praveena) in the background. He captioned it: "Reunited w/ @regan aliyah @Sasha Bhasin in Korea for no reason at all!!" Hint, hint.

There was a two-year wait between seasons 1 and 2, but something makes me think that with such a swift renewal and filming potentially in progress, we won't have to wait that long for XO, Kitty season 3. We may even be lucky enough to get it next year... Watch this space!

XO, Kitty season 3: has a trailer been released?

With no official release date for XO, Kitty season 3, we'll have to wait for a trailer (Image credit: Netflix)

There's no XO, Kitty season 3 trailer to share just yet. For season 2, the trailer dropped a month before the show hit Netflix. So, until we have a release date, it's hard to say when we'll get a trailer.

But, keep an eye out here and I'll be sure to update as soon there's any whispers of news from KISS.

XO, Kitty season 3: predicted cast

The main cast of XO, Kitty are expected to return (Image credit: Netflix)

While XO, Kitty season 2 was full of dramatic moments, none of those involved the explosive departure of any big characters. So, I'd expect all of the main cast to return for season 3:

• Anna Cathcart as Kitty
• Gia Kim as Yuri
• Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho
• Choi Min-yeong as Dae
• Anthony Keyvan as Q
• Peter Thurnwald as Alex Finnerty
• Regan Aliyah as Julianna
• Sunny Oh as Mihee
• Sasha Bhasin as Praveena
• Joshua Hyunho Lee as Jin Lee
• Jocelyn Shelfo as Madison
• Ryu Hanbi as Eunice

Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) from To All The Boys I've Loved Before has made crossover appearances in both XO, Kitty seasons 1 and 2. So, I'd predict we'll see him once again in season 3.

Plus, XO, Kitty season 2 saw Kitty reconnecting with her family in a bid to fulfil her late mother's wishes. And while it took her to new places to meet with new people, it also reunited her with her sister, Margot (Janel Parrish), who features in the Netflix movies.

And whether Audrey Huynh will return as Stella after her plan was finally exposed, we'll have to wait and see.

XO, Kitty season 3: story synopsis and rumors

Will Kitty and Min Ho spend the summer together? (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers for XO, Kitty seasons 1 and 2 to follow.

XO, Kitty is notoriously dramatic (and that's one of the reasons I love it). Season 2 was full of twists, turns and when it came down to the final moments before KISS went on summer break, Kitty finally admitted her feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Dae's, best friend, Min Ho. Phew.

Yes, Kitty is at KISS for reasons that reach far beyond finding love, but what's moving halfway across the world without a bit of relationship drama? Similarly to season 1, when it comes to Kitty's love life, the season 2 finale ended on quite the cliffhanger.

This time though, Kitty found herself admitting her own feelings for Min Ho (rather than the other way around) and boldly asking to accompany him and his family on their summer adventures – a music tour. Whether he took her with him though, we don't know the answer... yet.

I imagine when it comes to the XO, Kitty season 3 plot, it'll pick up right where we left off. And fortunately, we also know that Kitty got her scholarship renewed, meaning she'll be returning alongside her friends after summer for her senior year.

Showrunner Jessica O'Toole told Tudum: "I'm so excited to head back to Seoul for another season with our incredible cast and crew. If you thought junior year at KISS brought the drama, just wait."

She added: "I know we left fans on a cliffhanger at the end of season 2, but I can promise season 3 will be worth the wait, including our first summer episode – not to mention plenty of romance, friendship, adventure... and kissing. Lots of kissing".

Kitty's not the only one falling in love (Image credit: Netflix)

And all that kissing might have a lot to do with all the new relationships from XO, Kitty season 2.

There's Jin and Q, who will find themselves spending summer apart after Q got accepted in the USC summer training program. Then, there's Dae and Eunice, who started a romance during the talent show. However, Eunice eventually won the competition – meaning she's also heading off for the summer, but this time as an opener for Min Ho's K-pop star brother.

Plus, Yuri learned a couple of hard truths as season 2 drew to a close. One, that Juliana had officially moved on with Praveena (both of whom are seemingly filming for XO, Kitty season 3). And then, finding out her family assets have been frozen due to a class action lawsuit that threatens all of Yuri's wealth.

For Yuri then, life is a lot more complicated than just romance. And to further add to that drama, she also found out she had a brother, Alex, who will no doubt have a part to play in season 3.

There's a lot to unpack, but in true XO, Kitty fashion I'm sure it'll be tackled with drama, crossed wires and a whole lot of love.

Will there be more seasons of XO, Kitty?

Will Kitty return for season 4? (Image credit: Netflix)

There's no news on XO, Kitty season 4 to share just now. Why? Well, given that season 3 doesn't even have a release date, it's hard to look further beyond that.

But, there is speculation that they have to give Kitty a chance to finish her final year of KISS. And that means, another season.

With the focus picking up on the summer of XO, Kitty season 3, there's even a chance viewer won't even see out the full school year in the upcoming episodes. In which case, there's scope for even more than one more season.

For more Netflix-based coverage, read our guides to Nobody Wants This season 2, Stranger Things season 5, The Four Seasons season 2, and One Piece season 2.

• Seagate’s 30TB Exos M is helium-filled and built for data centers, not home PCs
• 2.5 million hours MTBF sounds great until you realize how specific this use case is
• The IronWolf Pro HDD targets NAS users, not hyperscale cloud infrastructure like Exos M

A new listing for Seagate’s 30TB Exos M hard disk drive has appeared online, offering what is currently the largest HDD available for under $620.

ServerSupply lists the drive at $650, but applying the site’s 5% discount brings the price down to $617.50.

Seagate’s Exos M (model ST30000NM004K) is a helium-sealed 3.5-inch internal hard drive built around conventional magnetic recording (CMR) technology.

Enterprise-grade capacity at an unexpectedly low price

With a 7200 RPM spindle speed and a 512MB multi-segmented cache, it delivers a sustained data transfer rate of up to 275MB/s.

The drive supports a SATA interface and is hot-plug capable. According to Seagate, it is designed for high-capacity use cases including hyperscale data centers, enterprise backup systems, and distributed file storage frameworks like Hadoop and Ceph.

The manufacturer also reports a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 2.5 million hours and an annualized failure rate of just 0.35%, suggesting this model is meant for non-stop, 24/7 operation.

Additional features include PowerBalance and PowerChoice technologies for more efficient energy management, and RSA 3072 firmware verification for security.

These specifications strongly indicate that the Exos M is tailored toward enterprise infrastructure, not the typical desktop setup.

Another Seagate 30TB drive also appears in listings and shares many of the same core specifications. Provantage lists the IronWolf Pro ST300000NT011 HDD for a slightly higher $669.69, still an affordable price for a drive of this capacity.

Although they share similarities (30TB, CMR, 7200 RPM), their firmware, vibration tolerance, and workload optimizations will likely differ because Exos is tuned for hyperscale environments, while IronWolf Pro is optimized for NAS workloads.

Despite the attention-grabbing capacity, calling Seagate Exos M the best HDD depends entirely on context.

For cloud infrastructure and archival storage, it may represent strong value, particularly at this price.

But for everyday users, its 3.5-inch form factor, 7200 RPM speed, and enterprise-oriented feature set make it impractical.

Ultimately, the Seagate Exos M is a highly specialized product, but its pricing makes it look accessible.

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• Flash memory now doubles as secure key storage using conceal-and-reveal method
• Encryption keys hidden in plain sight in standard commercial 3D NAND memory
• Machine learning attacks failed to guess the keys, showing true randomness and security

As digital data volume continues to grow with the rise of AI, cloud services, and connected devices, securing that data has become increasingly difficult.

Traditional password-based protections are no longer enough, and while hardware security solutions like Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) offer stronger protection, they have struggled with real-world deployment.

Most PUFs require custom hardware and lack the ability to hide keys when not in use, leaving systems exposed.

Unique and unpredictable

A research team at Seoul National University has introduced a new hardware security approach called Concealable PUF. This method uses commercial 3D NAND flash memory, typically found in mainstream storage devices, to create a secure method of storing and hiding encryption keys.

What sets this apart is its ability to hide a key beneath user data and reveal it only when needed. The technique was recently published in Nature Communications.

The key innovation involves a weak application of the GIDL (Gate-Induced Drain Leakage) erase process. This boosts variation between memory cells, making each chip's characteristics unique and unpredictable.

These variations can be used to generate the PUF data that serves as a secure, unclonable key.

With this approach, no structural or circuit changes are required. The method works directly with standard V-NAND flash memory, making it easier to scale.

This could potentially allow hardware-level security to be implemented in everyday consumer electronics without added cost or complexity.

The university says Concealable PUF passed stress tests which included wide temperature ranges and over 10 million read cycles. It also withstood machine learning-based attacks, which could not predict the key beyond random guessing levels.

Impressively, the key was able be concealed and revealed over 100 times without any errors, showcasing the system’s stability.

Professor Jong-Ho Lee, who led the project, said, “Concealable PUF stands out for its creativity and practicality, as it utilizes mass-produced vertical NAND flash memory technology without modifications.”

Lead author Sung-Ho Park added, "This research is significant because it demonstrates how PUFs can be implemented using the erase operation of existing V-NAND flash memory without altering the circuitry or design. By enabling selective exposure of the security key, our method opens up new possibilities for enhancing both security and memory efficiency."

The team plans to extend this technology into other security-focused hardware solutions, targeting industries like IoT, mobile, and automotive electronics.

Via TechXplore

Concealable PUF using GIDL erase on V-NAND flash memory. (a) Schematic of the concealable PUF using V-NAND flash memory.(b) Circuit diagram of V-NAND flash memory.(c) Description of the GIDL erase method (Image credit: Nature Communications)You might also like

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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, July 5 (game #489).

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 #490) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… My hero!

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SPORE
• GIRL
• PROW
• SWILL 
• BILL
• FEUD

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 5th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #490) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #490, are…

• STRENGTH
• SPEED
• FLIGHT
• INVISIBILITY
• HEALING
• SPANGRAM: SUPERPOWER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

All those "I"s made INVISIBILITY very, erm, visible today. Although, to be fair, all of today’s words were hiding in plain sight and didn’t need much of a puzzling SUPERPOWER to reveal.

That said, the very first word I saw on the grid was “girl” right beside “power”, so I did briefly flirt with this being something to do with the Spice Girls.

Asking someone what superpower they’d like is a great conversation starter that can reveal a lot about a person, especially if it comes with the caveat that you don’t actually have to do good things with it – like fight evil geniuses and their henchmen and henchwomen.

FLIGHT would be interesting and STRENGTH would be nice, and being invisible would mean a lifetime of free sports and concerts, but I like the idea of SPEED – although I’d need to find someone with the HEALING superpower first, so they could sort my knees out.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, July 5, game #489)

• CLOCK
• WATCH
• CHRONOMETER
• HOURGLASS
• SUNDIAL
• SPANGRAM: TIMEKEEPERS

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.

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, July 5 (game #755).

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 #756) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SEUSS
• CHINA
• DISNEY
• DECAF
• CRUMB
• PRUSSIAN
• PEPPER
• WARE
• EVIL
• CRYPTO
• POTTERY
• GRAIN
• MORSEL
• DRE
• SHRED
• CERAMICS

NYT Connections today (game #756) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Stick them in the kiln
• GREEN: Bits
• BLUE: What’s up d….?
• PURPLE: Sounds like body part

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 #756) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FIRED OBJECTS
• GREEN: PARTICLE
• BLUE: DRS
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG

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

NYT Connections today (game #756) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #756, are…

• YELLOW: FIRED OBJECTS CERAMICS, CHINA, POTTERY, WARE
• GREEN: PARTICLE CRUMB, GRAIN, MORSEL, SHRED
• BLUE: DRS DRE, EVIL, PEPPER, SEUSS
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG CRYPTO, DECAF, DISNEY, PRUSSIAN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I am sure there will be indignation around the English-speaking world about today’s purple group.

Yes, CRYPTO and DISNEY both work as words ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG – but DECAF? And PRUSSIAN? Maybe, it’s a New York thing.

Thankfully, such quibbling didn’t matter to me, because the other three groups were relatively easy to put together.

DRS I saw immediately and included four examples of non-practising doctors – although having said that, Dr Pepper is named after a real person.

Meanwhile, Green Eggs and Ham author Dr Seuss did get an honorary doctorate years after adding his fake honorific – and he, I am sure, could tell a shin from a shun.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, July 5, game #755)

• YELLOW: CON GAME HUSTLE, RACKET, SCHEME, STING
• GREEN: COMBINE, AS BAKING INGREDIENTS BEAT, BLEND, FOLD, STIR
• BLUE: YEARN BURN, ITCH, LONG, PINE
• PURPLE: KINDS OF LISTS BUCKET, LAUNDRY, SHORT, TO-DO

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, July 5 (game #1258).

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 #1259) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1259) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1259) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1259) - 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 0.

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 #1259) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• S

• E

• R

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

Quordle today (game #1259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1259, are…

• AMPLY
• SPAWN
• EXTOL
• RIDGE

This felt like a particularly tricky edition of Quordle, and not just because of the sneaky rare letter, which took me an age to commit to.

I felt confident entering “psalm” and was convinced it would be correct; when that failed, I was forced into making up words that sound a bit like words which, well, can drag on a bit.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1259, are…

• WEAVE
• CRASS
• RUDDY
• FIBER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE

• Lists of Pixel Watch 4 colors and bands have leaked
• 41 mm and 45 mm models are predicted
• We could see the new wearable turn up in August

If Google sticks to its previous schedule, then the successor to the Google Pixel Watch 3 should be breaking cover sometime in August – quite possibly alongside the Google Pixel 10 – and we've now seen a flurry of leaks around what to expect from the Pixel Watch 4.

Tipsters Roland Quandt (via Notebookcheck) and Arsène Lupin (via 9to5Google) have both posted extensive lists of the colors, sizes, and bands coming with the Pixel Watch 4, and the two sources are in agreement about what's coming.

We can expect Silver/Porcelain, Silver/Iris, Gray/Moonstone, Black/Obsidian, and Gold/Lemon to be the case color and watch band combinations, which include a few tweaks to the options you can currently get with the Pixel Watch 3.

There will also be a host of official bands to pick from. It seems the materials are staying the same, but the colors – including Jade, Lemongrass, Moonstone, Matte Black, and Indigo – all look like they're going to be new for 2025.

Rumors and renders

Google Pixel Watch 4:WiFi/LTE41mm/45mmBlack/ObsidianGold/LemonMoonstoneSilver/IrisSilver/PorcelainJuly 4, 2025

As expected, all of these combinations are going to be available in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes, and there will be LTE options alongside Wi-Fi-only models too. The bands will be available in multiple sizes as well, according to these leaks.

Nothing is certain until Google actually announces the Pixel Watch 4 and makes it official, but the fact that two of the most prominent tipsters in the business are coming up with the same lists adds more credibility to them.

We haven't heard too much in the way of Pixel Watch 4 leaks and rumors so far. There has been talk that the smartwatch will be more repairable than its predecessors, and that the device may launch with some useful software updates in tow.

There have also been leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 4, pointing to a design that's not too dissimilar to the current model. We'll most probably see a few more tidbits revealed in the next month or so, ahead of the launch.

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• Ryzen 7 255 is a downclocked, China-exclusive chip without the usual 16 TOPS AI NPU
• Minisforum N5 supports up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM but lacks ECC memory support
• The N5 offers dual USB4 ports and 10GbE networking for versatile connectivity

Minisforum has introduced the N5, a compact network-attached storage (NAS) device now available globally.

Released alongside the more powerful N5 Pro, this new model is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 255, a processor so obscure that it doesn’t even appear on AMD’s official global website.

Instead, it’s listed only on AMD’s Chinese site as the Ryzen 7 H 255, a chip with eight Zen 4 cores and a base clock of 3.8GHz, boosting up to 4.9GHz.

Downclocked chip with missing AI features

Falling under the Ryzen 200 and Hawk Point series, the processor has a default TDP of 45W, configurable between 35W and 54W.

However, the Ryzen 7 255 raises some questions about positioning and performance.

Minisforum also uses this processor in the AI X1, but it seems to be a rebadged Ryzen 7 8745HS, essentially a lower-wattage variant of the Ryzen 7 8745H, a chip offered exclusively in China.

It appears that the Ryzen 7 255 misses out on the 16 TOPS NPU that most of the Ryzen 7 250 series chips use, which means the chip is expected to lag in AI-centric tasks.

The CPU and GPU are also slightly downclocked, which could lead to modest but noticeable performance reductions.

Despite those caveats, the Minisforum N5 offers an attractive array of features that may appeal to users seeking a hybrid between a NAS device and a mini PC.

Like its Pro variant, the N5 supports up to 96GB of DDR5 memory through dual SO-DIMM slots.

However, it does not offer ECC RAM support, a key distinction for those prioritizing data integrity.

The device can run multiple operating systems, including Linux, MinisCloud OS, and Windows 11 Pro.

For connectivity, it includes two USB4 ports, 5Gbps and 10Gbps Ethernet ports, an OCuLink interface, and a PCIe x16 slot running at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds.

These features make it viable not only as a NAS device but also as a potential mini workstation, especially when paired with the best NAS drives for storage expansion.

Pricing begins at $553 for a base configuration that includes 64GB of storage but no RAM, though a version with 16GB of RAM is available for an extra $48.

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Superman is gearing up to fly into theaters. The rebooted DC Universe's (DCU) first film arrives worldwide on July 11, so you'll want to learn more about the ensemble starring in James Gunn's Superman movie.

Below, I've compiled a list of every character appearing in the superhero flick. I'll also tell you which actor is portraying them and where you might have seen them before.

One last thing before you proceed: I didn't include characters who haven't been confirmed as part of Superman's official cast. So, while a Guardians of the Galaxy star is said to have a bit-part role in Superman and a big fan theory about Ultraman's real identity is circulating online, you won't find those or other potential spoiler-based cameos in this guide.

David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman

David Corenswet is the latest actor to portray the iconic Kryptonian (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Corenswet is the latest actor tasked with bringing Clark Kent/Kal-El to life in a live-action project, following stars such as Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill. In the DCU's iteration, Krypton's most famous son will possess the superhero's usual powerset, including heat vision, the ability to fly, super strength, invulnerability, super speed, and x-ray vision, among others.

Corenswet made a name for himself in Netflix's The Politician, but he's also appeared in films like Hulu's The Greatest Hits and Universal's Twisters, and in other TV shows, including Hollywood and Lady in the Lake.

Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane

Rachel Brosnahan plays Clark Kent's perennial love interest and fellow Daily Planet reporter (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best known for playing Miriam 'Midge' Maisel in Prime Video's The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Brosnahan will portray combative journalist Lois Lane in this DCU Chapter One film. She'll be less of a damsel in distress in Superman, with Brosnahan's take on the character being feistier and more proactive than previous versions.

Her award-winning performance in the aforementioned Amazon TV Original notwithstanding, Brosnahan has had roles in Spies in Disguise, Manhattan, and The Amateur, among other productions. You'll next see her in Presumed Innocent season 2 on Apple TV+, with Brosnahan recently announced as the crime anthology series' next lead.

Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor

Nicholas Hoult has now played iconic characters in Marvel and DC Comics (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Hoult, who reportedly accepted the role of Lex Luthor in November 2023 before his official casting was announced just days later, will play one of Superman's most iconic adversaries. Despite Superman's first-look image teasing the potential appearance of another big villain, Luthor will be the film's Big Bad.

UK viewers will immediately recognize Hoult from 2002's comedy-drama film About a Boy and Channel 4's teenage drama Skins. Since then, Hoult has gone on to play a younger version of Marvel character Hank McCoy/Beast in Fox's second X-Men film franchise, and starred in numerous other projects, including Renfield, Warm Bodies, Nosferatu, Tolkien, Juror No. 2, The Great, and The Menu.

Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific

Edi Gathegi is the first actor to play Mister Terrific in a live-action capacity (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Real name Michael Holt, Mister Terrific will make his first-ever live-action appearance in one of the DCU Chapter One's most exciting movies. Gathegi will play Holt, one of three superpowered individuals who make up the corporately owned Justice Gang.

As for who Mister Terrific is: he's a scientist-turned-superhero who uses floating orbs – known as T-spheres – to create holographic projections, hack into other machines, and emit energy bursts. He's also incredibly smart – the man has 14 PhDs in DC Comics – and wealthy. Essentially, he's got the finances and firepower to match that of the more famous billionaire vigilante Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Gathegi's credits include multi-episode and/or multi-season appearances in Apple's For All Mankind, NBC's The Blacklist, TNT's Proof, and ABC's The Family Tools. Some viewers may recognize him from X-Men: First Class and The Harder They Fall, too.

Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern

Frequent James Gunn collaborator Nathan Fillion will portray one of the DCU's Green Lanterns (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Guy Gardner, one of many DC characters to assume the Green Lantern alias – individuals bestowed with a green ring that grants various abilities to its wielder – will be portrayed by Nathan Fillion. He's one of three Green Lanterns confirmed to appear in this cinematic franchise, too, with Aaron Pierre's John Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan set to be introduced in HBO's Lanterns TV show.

Most famous for playing Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds in Firefly, Fillion has appeared in numerous other popular shows and movies. In a glittering career, he's also renowned for playing Richard Castle in ABC's Castle and The Rookie, T.D.K in The Suicide Squad, different characters in The Guardians of the Galaxy film series, and voicing characters in various animated TV series and Halo videogame franchise.

His appearances in new seasons of The Rookie and its Feds spin-off aside, Fillion will next be seen reprising his role as Gardner in Peacemaker season 2, which arrives on HBO Max in late August.

Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl

Isabela Merced was last seen portraying Dina in The Last of Us season 2 (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The third and final Justice Gang member, Hawkgirl – real name Kendra Saunders – is set to be played by Isabela Merced.

Hawkgirl has one of the most complicated histories in all of DC Comics. Essentially, though, Saunders is the latest reincarnation of Shayera Hol, a member of an alien race known as the Thanagarians. The third incumbent of the Hawkgirl mantle, Saunders possesses the memories of her forebears, Hol and Shiera Sanders. She's also a reluctant and cynical hero, so expect her to butt heads with the more idealistic Superman. Abilities-wise, she can fly, is an expert combatant, and possesses the usual superhuman abilities.

Last seen playing Dina in The Last of Us season 2, Merced's star is on the rise due to her performances in Spider-Man spin-off Madame Web, Alien: Romulus, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and Turtles All the Way Down. She'll also cameo in season 2 of Peacemaker next month.

Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord

Maxwell Lord, seen here in Peacemaker season 2's first trailer, will have a small role in Superman (Image credit: DC Studios/HBO Max)

Ordinarily a Wonder Woman villain, Maxwell Lord will have a small role in Superman. Sean Gunn, frequent collaborator and brother of DC Studios' co-chief, is playing the Justice Gang's primary financier.

The voice of Weasel and G.I. Robot in HBO Max animated series Creature Commandos, aka the first DCU production to be released, Gunn has also portrayed Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Weasel in The Suicide Squad, and Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls. Like Fillion and Merced, Gunn will also show up in Peacemaker season 2.

Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho

Metamorpho will be more crucial to this movie's story than some people realize (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Played by Barry alumnus Anthony Carrigan, Rex Mason/Metamorpho is another metahuman who'll appear in a live-action capacity for the first time. Mason is an archaeologist who can alter his body's atoms to change shape and consistency, and create any element he wants.

First revealed in a behind-the-scenes featurette, Metamorpho's DCU design is near-identical to his look in the comics. Superman's official trailer and Superman's final teaser also indicate he'll play a small but significant role in its plot, too – read my Superman trailer #2 breakdown piece to find out why.

Apart from his scene-stealing performance as NoHo Hank in Barry, audiences might have seen Carrigan in Gotham, Death of a Unicorn, Fatherhood, and The Forgotten.

Maria Gabriela de Faria as Angela Spica/The Engineer

Angela Spica is part of a superhuman group known as The Authority in DC Comics (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Maria Gabriela De Faria is playing Angela Spica/The Engineer, a member of The Authority, a Wildstorm Universe/DC Comics anti-hero team unafraid to resort to extreme measures to save the day. Spica is usually depicted as having a liquid body and various superpowers due to her nanite-enriched blood. However, while her DCU counterpart is similarly imbued with nanotechnology, they act as a suit of armor, allow Spica to craft various weapons, and grant her superhuman abilities.

A Venezuelan actor who's starred in various telenovelas, de Faria won't be a familiar name to many. She's guest-starred in some English-language series, including Deadly Class, The Moodys, and Animal Control, but her forthcoming appearance in Superman is her biggest international role so far.

Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.

Rick Flag Sr. has been promoted since we saw him in Creature Commandos season 1 (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

After surviving the events of Creature Commandos season 1, Rick Flag Sr. will have a small role to play in Superman. He was voiced by Frank Grillo in the adult animated show, so it's no great surprise that Grillo portrays the newly installed Head of ARGUS's live-action version, too.

A prolific actor, fans will know Grillo from playing Brock Lumlow/Crossbones in the MCU, Bill in Sylvester Stallone's Paramount+ TV hit Tulsa King, Alvey in Kingdom, Nick in Prison Break, and Frank in Warrior, among many other films and shows.

Wendell Pierce as Perry White

Wendell Pierce, pictured as part of the Superman world press tour, will portray The Daily Planet's editor-in-chief (Image credit: Eric Charbonneau)

Wendell Pierce has been cast as Perry White, the Daily Planet's tough-but-fair editor-in-chief, who was last played on the big screen by Lawrence Fishburne.

Last seen in Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie, Pierce is best known for Bunk Moreland in The Wire, aka one of the best HBO Max shows of all time. He's also appeared as Robert Zane in Suits and James Greer in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, and starred in a variety of highly rated films, including Selma, Ray, and Malcolm X.

Skyler Gisondo, Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, and Christopher McDonald as Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard, Cat Grant, and Ron Troupe

Ron (second left), Cat (third left), Steve (back middle), and Jimmy (second right) are all employed by The Daily Planet (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

White, Lane, and Kent – when the last of that trio isn't being a superhero, anyway – aren't the only Daily Planet employees we'll see in Superman.

Gisondo is on board as Jimmy Olsen, the news outlet's photographer and friend to Kent and Lane. Viewers may recognize him from The Righteous Gemstones and The Santa Clarita Diet.

Bennett (Saturday Night Live, Hamster and Gretel), Hoover (The Belko Experiment), and McDonald (Jill & Jack) round out the Daily Planet's roster. They'll respectively portray self-serving sports reporter Lombard, gossip columnist Grant, and general journalist Troupe.

Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Jonathan 'Pa' Kent and Martha 'Ma' Kent

The Kents are Kal-El's surrogate parents (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Vince and Howell were confirmed to be playing Clarke's surrogate parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, last April. It's unclear how big a role they'll have, but based on the footage we've seen, we know they'll share some heartfelt scenes with the titular Kryptonian.

Superman will mark Vince's first screen appearance in four years, with the Murder One, Stranger Things, Bird Box, and Beautiful Girls star's last role coming in 2021's Crime Story. Meanwhile, Howell's acting credits include Beckinfield, The Edge of Sanity, and The Resident.

Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher

Eve Teschmacher is positioned as a social media influencer in the DCU (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Typically, Teschmacher is Luthor's assistant and love interest. While the latter has been retained for Supes' next big-screen adventure, Sampaio's version has been tweaked to also make her a social media influencer.

A runway model by trade, Sampaio's filmography isn't as extensive as many of her Superman peers. However, she has appeared in an episode of Billions, and had small movie roles in Crisis, Wifelike, and At Midnight.

Ouzo the dog as Krypto the Superdog

(Super)Man's best friend will be a huge hit among kids and animal lovers alike (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

This list wouldn't be complete without a nod to Krypto the Superdog, who stole our hearts when Superman's first trailer was released last December.

Based on James Gunn's rescue dog Ouzo, Krypto will be a boisterous version of Supes' canine companion. Indeed, we've seen him being a menace in the aforementioned teaser, Superman's first official clip, and other trailers for one of 2025's most anticipated new movies. Don't be surprised if Krypto, who's also expected to appear in next year's Supergirl film, is one of the movie's highlights when it's eventually released.

You might also like

• Find out how to watch the Superman movies in order
• Or get the lowdown on streaming the DC movies in order
• Alternatively, see if you agree with our ranking of the best Batman movies

There are two methods to share your games between multiple Switch 2 consoles using Virtual Game Cards. And neither one is called GameShare.

It's hard to believe, but the progress bar on the year 2025 has just hit the 50% mark. That mildly terrifying marker is a good opportunity for us to look back at the tech we've spent days reviewing over the past six months and ask a simple question – what are the best new products we've tested in 2025 so far?

The answers from our many experts across audio, phones, computing, cameras, TVs, fitness, the smart home and more are below. Has AI killed hardware innovation? The list below suggests the answer is an emphatic 'no'. While there are some familiar faces below (hello, Nintendo Switch 2), there are also bold new designs from the likes of Honor, Motorola and Sigma.

The price of this kind of innovation often doesn't come cheap, so we've also sprinkled in the best-value launches we've seen from the worlds of chargers, smart glasses and smartwatches. If you're looking for a temperature check on the year so far in tech, you've come to the right place...

The best tech of 2025 so far

What are the best things TechRadar has tested and reviewed in 2025 so far? There have been a lot of contenders, but we've picked out the very top ones across all of our categories below.

Because of the sheer variety in our product testing, the order of our list is a little arbitrary, but that's all part of the fun. And among the top six are four products that have all been given a coveted five-star TechRadar rating...

17. Sigma BF

• The polarizing, stand-out camera of 2025 so far

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The Sigma BF ignores so many camera design norms that it should, by rights, be a total failure – and yet it has been the most talked about snapper this year. Crafted out of a single block of metal, this premium-feel minimalist full-frame camera with tactile buttons has some of the boldest design flourishes you’ll ever see, which have led to it being described as the camera Apple would’ve made.

My experience testing the BF over several weeks proved to be a rollercoaster: the smooth, featureless body that’s properly awkward to grip onto, the control setup being the very definition of ‘minimalist’, the omission of a viewfinder and lack of tilt / rotate movements in the screen, no decent connectivity, no card slot (which is disconcerting), nor in-body stabilisation.

For all these lows, the minimalist Sigma BF is a compelling, creative tool with plenty of highs. It does design differently – far from a cold, unfeeling product, its stark, stripped-back beauty pushed me to go out and take photos – and I loved the look of the photos I took with it. (Timothy Coleman, Cameras Editor)

• Read our in-depth Sigma BF review

16. Anker Nano Charger 45W

• Our new, go-to compact phone charger for traveling

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re looking for a new phone charger, the Anker Nano Charger 45W is a truly excellent option. It offers more than enough power to activate fast-charging on the best iPhones and best Samsung phones, and even comes with a 6ft USB-C cable.

What makes this model so special, though, is that it's phenomenally compact and lightweight – especially given its generous maximum power output.Yes, with the use of GaN technology, Anker has ensured that this charger is mighty enough to juice up your devices in a flash, while also being petite enough to slide into tight spaces at home or on the go.

And when you need to take the charger out and about, you can simply fold the prongs away and slide it into your pocket or bag – pretty convenient. Considering the Anker Nano Charger 45W has a list price of just $34.99 / £24.99 (about AU$50), you’re looking at unbelievably good value for money. A special mention also goes to the Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station 3-in-1 Foldable Pad too, which is a smartly designed palm-sized wireless charger that we’ve been taking on our travels ever since it launched. (Harry Padoan, Staff Writer)

• Read our in-depth Anker Nano Charger 45W with USB-C Cable review

15. OnePlus Watch 3

• The Android smartwatch of 2025 (so far)

It may only be a modest step up from the OnePlus Watch 2, but the company's 2025 take on its big, beautiful smartwatch is the best Wear OS experience you can buy.

The Watch 3 is designed for those who want a smart dress watch with a side of casual fitness, and it mostly succeeds in those aims. Battery life is one of its big selling points – during our tests, we found it lasted an impressive four-and-a-half days, despite us subjecting it to several, GPS-based workouts.

We also found that it tracks running particularly well and accurately monitors your sleep. This clearly isn't isn't a watch for Apple fans or anyone with an aversion to hefty timepieces, and we did have a few issues with swim-tracking. But if you're looking for a premium Wear OS experience, this is it – and a smaller version will launch on July 8.

• Read our in-depth OnePlus Watch 3 review

14. Roborock Saros 10 and 10R

• Twin winners for the best robot vacuums we've tested

(Image credit: Future)

Understandably, of Roborock's new 2025 line of robovacs, its was the Saros Z70 with its big mechanical arm that garnered most attention. While the tech is undoubtedly exciting, on test we found the Z70's more understated range-mates more genuinely useful. The Roborock Saros 10 and Saros 10R are a formidable pair of home helpers, each offering something slightly different but both equally impressive.

Roborock is one of the very best robot vacuum brands around, and these robot vacuums showcase the latest-and-greatest versions of its technology, both offering accurate navigation, superb suction, advanced object identification and docks that will take care of almost all maintenance for you (and look great while doing so).

However, the big selling point is that both bots have special ways of accessing low-height spaces. That doesn't sound too exciting, until you realize it means they'll be able to clean places that regular, taller bots can't, such as the dusty depths beneath your sofa. There are other small differences – which we dig into in our Roborock Saros 10 vs 10R side-by-side testing article – but they're both good enough to earn a joint crown as the top robovacs of 2025 so far. (Ruth Hamilton, Homes Editor)

• Read our in-depth Roborock Saros 10 review
• Read our in-depth Roborock Saros 10R review

13. Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

• The most stylish phone you can buy by far

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If you think smartphones have become too dull, you need to meet the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. It's the antithesis of the boring glass rectangle, combining unique design flourishes (like the wood finish option above) with some flagship-level performance.

This year, that finally includes a powerful chipset – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite – which is the brains behind most of today's Android powerhouses. Snapping its flip phone design shut is an incredibly satisfying way to hang up on people, too.

The Razr Ultra 2025's main 7-inch display is also glorious (the biggest you'll find outside tablet-style foldables) and even its second screen is faster than any iPhone display, with a 165Hz refresh rate. All of this comes at a cost, of course. But outside price tags, Motorola's flagship shows that foldables no longer need to mean compromises.

• Read our in-depth Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) review

12. Jura J10

• The tastiest coffee machine we've tested in 2025

(Image credit: Future)

The Jura J10 is a premium bean-to-cup coffee maker that produces perfectly extracted hot and cold-brewed coffee every time, and makes some of the best latte macchiatos I’ve ever had.

Hot espresso is rich and flavorsome, and the automatic milk steamer can produce different textures depending on the drink you’re making. Just choose what you want from the menu, and the J10 will do the rest. For cold brew, the J10 lets the freshly ground coffee pre-infuses, then pulses cold water through it at high pressure, recreating the rounded, mellow flavor of coffee steeped in the fridge overnight.

It then tops it off with perfectly foamed milk - which can be infused with a syrup of your choice. It’s not cheap, but if money is no object, then it’s the best coffee machine released this year. (Cat Ellis, Homes Editor)

• Read our full Jura J10 review

11. SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3

• Your ticket to pure, analog gaming bliss

(Image credit: Future)

The latest models in SteelSeries’ Apex Pro lineup certainly had some big shoes to fill (the TKL variant from 2023 still remains the best gaming keyboard for customization). But the new generation certainly didn’t disappoint – especially the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3, which is my personal pick of the bunch.

It’s built to incredibly high standards, with a super-solid chassis that still remains light, while the double-shot PBT keycaps feel every bit as premium as you might imagine. The performance from the analog switches is pretty much flawless, too.

There’s no denying the Apex Pro range is expensive, but the Mini is the cheapest model owing to its small size, yet the layout doesn’t feel compromised thanks to the number of shortcuts available. If you want pure analog gaming bliss, this is the keyboard for you. (Lewis Maddison, Reviews Writer)

10. Xreal One Pro

• The best AR glasses around for entertainment

(Image credit: Future)

The Xreal One Pro AR smart glasses are a cut above any other pair we’ve tested, and give us insight into what 2026’s Android XR glasses could have in store.

Like other current-gen AR specs this Xreal pair can be connected to a compatible phone, PC or gaming device and project the screen on a giant virtual screen – up to 171 inches – with dazzling 120Hz full-HD visuals produced by its 700-nit Sony OLED display.

What makes these glasses special, however, is that they boast a new optical engine. This prism, which reflects the OLED screen into your vision, is not only less bulky but produces a cleaner image while also offering a wider field of view. This unique hardware feature is what makes the Xreal One Pro glasses excellent, and easily the best smart glasses we’ve tested so far this year. (Hamish Hector, Senior Staff Writer, News)

• Read our in-depth Xreal One Pro AR review

9. Honor Earbuds Open

• So good we forgot we were wearing open earbuds

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The best headphones or earbuds in 2025? Tough call, honestly.

Do we go with the February release Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, a hugely anticipated update – and one that finally added heart-rate monitoring to Apple-subsidiary earbuds? How about the May issue Sony WH-1000XM6 over-ears, or even Nothing's first ever headphones, the Headphone (1) – which narrowly made this missive by arriving on July 1?

After much consideration, I'm going with none of the above and opting for a set of open earbuds – a now-huge category that's seen a 600% growth since last year (thank you for that stat, Huawei). The thing with open-fit designs historically has been bass response; it's hard to get decent low-end clout when the drivers are neither covering your ear completely nor creating an in-ear seal, using your ear canal.

The biggest compliment we paid these buds in our full Honor Earbuds Open review was that they sound so good, we genuinely forgot we were wearing an open-ear design. Oh, and if you thought open earbuds couldn't ace noise cancellation, think again… (Becky Scarrott, Audio Editor)

• Read our in-depth Honor Earbuds Open review

8. Apple iPad Air M3 (2025)

• The new 'best tablet for most people'

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

In recent years, Apple’s iPads haven’t changed a great deal, with small refinements being made from generation to generation. That’s mostly the case with the 2025’s iPad Air, but with the addition of Apple’s in-house designed M3 chip, the iPad Air is pretty much the best tablet for most people.

This is because its 11-inch display offers plenty of space to do everything from browse copious amounts of webpages, to watching movies on a commute or sketch out digital works of art. The M3 chip, which can also be found in MacBook Air models, though not the very latest ones, has buckets of power that most people will struggle to put under a silicon sweat.

Add in accessories like the Magic Keyboard and you’ve also got a pseudo laptop replacement, especially if you tap into various cloud-based tools and software. In short, this is the leading tablet you can buy in 2025 so far, and we don’t expect that to change as the year marches on. (Roland Moore-Colyer, Managing Editor, Mobile Computing)

• Read our in-depth Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025) review

7. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

• The ultimate Android phone

While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra didn’t shake-up the large-phone format established with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and its predecessors, it marks the culmination of Samsung efforts in iterating on and refining its flagship phone into one of the best phones money can buy.

As such, we’ve dubbed the Galaxy S25 Ultra as “the ultimate Android” thanks to its superb design, excellent display, powerful performance and an array of cameras that’ll help you get the most out of your phone photography pursuits. But the Galaxy S25 Ultra also stands out as a platform for the generative AI features Google has baked into Android, and those that Samsung has added into the mix with Galaxy AI.

Features like Circle to Search have been refined to be genuinely useful, while other AI-powered tools open up more creative opportunities. However, even if you have no interest in such smart features, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a superb phone; it’s not cheap but then we feel it’s still the leading phone to come out of 2025 so far and one that’ll serve you well some years from now. (Roland Moore-Colyer, Managing Editor, Mobile Computing)

• Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

6. Amazfit Active 2

• The king of smartwatch value

Yes, we already have a smartwatch in this list (see the OnePlus Watch 3 at no. 15), but we had to give a prominent shout-out to Amazfit's latest all-rounder – at $99 / £99 / AU$160, it isn't just the best-value smartwatch we've tested in 2025, it might just be the best-value gadget that's graced our labs. That garnered it a rare five-star TechRadar rating in March.

It can't perform miracles, so there are weaknesses – its fitness-tracking is still a level below Garmin's industry-leading accuracy, and there's no NFC. The lack of Wear OS or watchOS also means it lacks polish in some areas. But its feature-set is vast, and its fitness- and heart-tracking is still very accurate.

We're also big fans of its stainless steel design, which is light and comfortable. As our review concluded, the Amazfit Active 2 offers "unbelievable value for the price" and even "goes toe-to-toe with the Apple Watch for health tracking". While this isn't quite enough for it to top our guide to the best smartwatch, we do think it's the best cheap option by quite a distance.

• Read our in-depth Amazfit Active 2 review

5. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Generation

• A Bluetooth speaker that punches way above its weight

(Image credit: Future)

Five years is eons in Bluetooth speaker technology and portable audio in general, but that's how long B&O made us wait between iterations of its premium pastel-hued, English muffin-shaped speaker.

The good news is, it was worth the wait: our glowing five-star review of the Beosound A1 Gen 3 reveals a May 2025-issue speaker that's all about sonic performance alongside a generous helping of pride in ownership.

It's little short of a masterclass where materials and their deployment are concerned and for sound, the A1 3rd Gen can summon highly unlikely low-frequency presence and substance. Basically, it hits remarkably hard for a speaker of its proportions. No, it's not cheap, but that doesn't mean it's not good value.

Yes, we loved the also-five-star March release JBL Flip 7, but the B&O buy is such a classy performer it's impossible not to give it the nod. (Becky Scarrott, Audio Editor)

• Read our in-depth Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Generation

4. Apple MacBook Air (M4)

• The best laptop of 2025 so far

(Image credit: Future)

When I was asked what was the best laptop that’s been released so far in 2025, the answer was easy – and also a little bit disappointing. It’s easy because the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) – and its 15-inch version which I reviewed – is a superb laptop that combine excellent performance, a thin and light design and, best of all, an incredibly competitive price that rival laptop makers simply cannot match.

The 2025 MacBook Air is also a culmination of Apple’s reinvention of its laptop line, which started back in 2020 when the company ditched Intel as its hardware partner and began making its own chips, often referred to as ‘Apple silicon’. The M4 chip offers both excellent performance, as well industry-leading efficiency, so it can run for multiple work days on a single charge of the battery. The long battery life, dependable performance, slick design and affordable price makes it an easy recommendation for most people.

So why the disappointment? With Apple’s modern MacBook Airs proving to be so successful, both critically and commercially, it means we’ve hit a streak where Apple isn’t making any big changes with every annual release, so the M4 MacBook Air isn’t a major leap over the M3 model, which wasn’t a big change from the M2 model.

I’d love to say that the best laptop of 2025 so far is a device that takes risks, does something different or really shakes up the market. Instead, it’s a very competent and accomplished device which is no bad thing, of course, but I don’t want Apple getting complacent. (Matt Hanson, Managing Editor, Core Tech)

• Read our in-depth Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 review (and our review of the 13-inch model)

3. Marshall Heston 120 Dolby Atmos soundbar

• A stunning Dolby Atmos soundbar that absolutely rocks

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(Image credit: Future)

It may have a controversial design that you’ll either hate or love, but there’s no arguing that the Marshall Heston 120 Dolby Atmos soundbar grabs your attention in a way that no other soundbars can manage. For its first soundbar, Marshall went all-in on the guitar amp look that the company’s amps are known for, even down to the gold-plated volume knobs (no, they don’t go to eleven).

Despite its looks, the Heston 120 is no flash in the pan. This 5.1.2 channel model delivers potent Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound, and its bass is seriously impressive for an all-in-one bar. It also sounds great with both Atmos and stereo music, which is something we don’t normally say about most soundbars, and it has multiple HDMI 2.1 ports with up to 4K 144Hz pass-through for gaming. (Al Griffin, Senior Editor Home Entertainment, US)

• Read our in-depth Marshall Heston 120 Dolby Atmos soundbar review

2. Nintendo Switch 2

• The best all-round handheld gaming experience you can buy

After years of constant leaks, rumors, and speculation, the Nintendo Switch 2 finally arrived and it was well worth the wait.

The Japanese gaming giant’s latest hybrid handheld console is its most powerful system yet, delivering substantial performance gains compared to its 2017 predecessor. Not only that, but this iteration has a much larger screen and is far more comfortable in the hands, plus it comes crammed with a whole host of exclusive features.

The overhauled Joy-Con 2 controllers, for example, can be turned on their sides and used like computer mice. The built-in GameChat functionality (effectively Nintendo’s take on popular services like Discord) works wonderfully and helps facilitate a more social gaming experience.

Of course, no console launch would be complete without a deluge of new games. The showstopping Mario Kart World takes the series’ popular racing action off the track for the very first time, with hectic 24 player matches and huge open-world environments to explore. Ports like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition show off the Switch 2’s hardware power, while transformative Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades to titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom breathe new life into old favorites. (Dash Wood, Hardware Writer)

• Read our in-depth Nintendo Switch 2 review

1. LG G5 OLED TV

• The OLED TV we'd spend our own money on

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

In a year with multiple impressive new OLED TVs, the LG G5 stands out as the most exciting TV of 2025.

The G5 incorporates a new Primary RGB Tandem structure OLED display panel that delivers very high brightness for an OLED TV, making it a great option for both movie nights and daytime sports viewing. The G5 is also particularly well outfitted for gaming, and its beautifully slim design makes it perfect for wall mounting.

TechRadar recently did a side-by-side comparison of the G5 with two other 2025 flagship OLED TVs, the Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II. Our takeaway from that comparison was that the G5 was the TV we’d spend our own money on, owing to its excellent overall picture quality across a range of room lighting conditions. (Al Griffin, Senior Editor Home Entertainment, US)

• Read our in-depth LG G5 OLED TV review

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• Battery and IP-rating details leak for Samsung's next foldables
• We also have some information for when they'll be available
• These devices are getting their grand unveiling on Wednesday, July 9

Samsung is all set to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 this coming Wednesday, July 9, and ahead of the big day we've seen some more leaks around what these next-gen foldable phones are going to bring with them.

We recently got word that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 might stick to an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance, same as the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and now we have further info from YTechB about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the cheaper Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE too.

Both the Flip foldables will also have an IP48 rating, the leak reveals. That means some level of waterproofing, but not the full protection against small dust and dirt particles that we were hoping for this time around.

Meanwhile the battery capacities and maximum time between charges are said to be 4,272mAh and 40 hours and 28 mins for the Z Fold 7, 4,174 mAh and 42 hours and 4 minutes for the Z Flip 7, and 3,887 mAh and 37 hours for the Z Flip 7 FE.

Coming soon

#Samsung #GalaxyZFold7 #GalaxyZFlip7 #GalaxyZFlip7FE #GalaxyWatch8 #GalaxyWatch8Ultra2025 #GalaxyWatch8Classic will be available to pre-order starting 07/09 3PM and available on 07/25 #GalaxyUnpacked pic.twitter.com/4FlUnlVjMIJuly 4, 2025

Phone manufacturers including Samsung use a more idealized battery capacity rating in their advertising, so there'll be some discrepancy between those figures above and what shows up on the actual specs list.

It looks likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will get the same battery capacity as its predecessor, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is set for a slight battery boost compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 6 – something we've also heard from previous leaks.

So when will you actually be able to buy these new foldables? Well-known tipster @OnLeaks says preorders will open on the event day, July 9, while shipping and in-store availability is set for July 25.

Those dates include the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 models, which are also expected to make an appearance this coming Wednesday. As ever, we'll be covering all the announcements for you live as they happen.

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The Sigma Art 14mm f1.8 DG HSM is heavy and pricey, but it's also an incredible lens for anyone who wants to take epic photos of the night sky.