Technology

• A small number of reports of RTX 5090 power cables overheating and melting have been confirmed
• This follows widespread reports of similar issues with the previous RTX 4090
• However, it's possible that third-party cables could be to blame this time around

Remember ‘cablegate’? Back in late 2022, users started to report that the power connectors of their Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics cards were overheating and essentially melting into unusable hunks of plastic - and now, according to some buyers, the same issue could be plaguing the newly-released RTX 5090.

Now, I covered the cablegate fiasco when the story was at its peak, and at the time, I was willing to assign at least some portion of the blame to Nvidia, as the PCIe Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) had previously published a report warning of ‘thermal variance’ risks regarding the 12VHPWR adapter used for the RTX 4090. This time around, though, I’m really not so sure Nvidia is at fault.

For starters, the issues appear far less widespread than with the RTX 4090; while there were literally dozens of reports back in 2022 (which continued well into 2024), we’ve only seen two isolated confirmed cases of cable-melting with regard to the RTX 5090. The first came from a Reddit user, while the second was reported by the Spanish YouTube channel Toro Tocho Reviews. Both reported the same issue: the power cable overheated and melted at both ends, something we didn’t see in the majority of RTX 4090 connector failures.

Secondly, the first of these cases was confirmed to have involved a third-party power cable from PC-modding supplier MODDIY, introducing a new potential point of failure. Nvidia has now moved over to the 12V-2×6 connection standard for more stable power delivery and more secure pin connections, and although MODDIY claims its cables support the new standard, the Reddit user stated that they’d been using this cable for two years with an RTX 4090. Backward compatibility with third-party 12VHPWR cables is likely to continue to be an issue for Nvidia’s GPUs - notably, MODDIY now has a page on its website advising buyers with RTX 5000-series GPUs to purchase new-for-2025 12V-2×6 cables.

So is there really a problem?

In other words, at least one of these cable-melting cases appears to have been caused by user error: the 12VHPWR cable that melted, despite being physically compatible with the RTX 5090, was presumably unable to handle the power delivery taking place. Nvidia’s latest flagship GPU is a hungry girl, after all, with an obscene 575W TDP.

PC modders are gonna mod, of course, but given the known issues with the previous-gen card’s power connector, I’d personally be very reluctant to use anything but the cables supplied in the box at this point. A Reddit megathread on the topic has been created to compile additional cases, and there’s a fair amount of debate in the comments as to whether Nvidia is to blame or if users should be taking more care to avoid third-party cables - even if they claim to be compatible.

Naturally, I reached out to my contact at Nvidia to ask for a quote, but Team Green declined to comment - not even a ‘we’re investigating’, instead pointing me to MODDIY’s page warning about using older 12VHPWR cables. It seems Nvidia feels more confident this time around, further reinforcing the idea that the cases we’ve seen so far were caused not by the GPUs themselves but rather third-party hardware.

It is still possible that we’re only at the beginning of a tidal wave of similar reports - given the extremely limited availability of the RTX 5090 at launch, we might be yet to see the full extent of the issue as only a small number of users have managed to get their hands on the GPU.

Still, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Two cases (with a few more unconfirmed) aren’t exactly the cavalcade of issues we saw after the RTX 4090 launch, so there’s every chance these problems won’t be so widespread. If you were lucky enough to snag one of Nvidia’s new flagship GPUs, my only advice is this: stick with the supplied cables for now! If you've got thoughts on this, please feel free to tell me what a genius/idiot I am in our shiny new comments section below. Frankly, I'd love to chat with someone who actually managed to buy one of these cards...

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• Nikon announces Z-mount versions of the RED V-Raptor and RED Komodo
• The Nikkor Z 28-135mm F/4 PZ cine lens was launched simultaneously
• Since Nikon's RED takeover, we've seen permanent price drops for select RED cameras

Nikon's RED takeover is in full effect, following the launch of two RED cinema cameras with Nikon's Z-mount; the RED V-Raptor and RED Komodo. The Z-mount versions were launched alongside Nikon's own new cinema lens too, the Nikkor Z 28-135mm F/4 PZ.

Nikon instantly became a major player in cinema cameras when it acquired RED Digital Cameras in March 2024, and it's taken less than a year for us to see the fruit of the takeover, with Z-mount versions of two super popular RED cine cameras in the filmmaking industry.

It's a sucker punch to Canon – the RED Komodo 6K was previously only available with Canon's RF-mount, but its future is now firmly in camp Nikon. There will be various lens mount adaptors available, including Nikon Z to Nikon F and Nikon Z to PL, but RED's future is shifting away from Canon lenses.

What's more, the Nikon effect has extended to RED camera pricing, the cine camera maker's name, plus Nikon's own cameras are benefitting from RED tech. Let's take a look at what's been happening.

The new Nikkor Z 28-135mm F/4 PZ is now available – here's it's mounted to a Nikon Z9 camera and DJI RS4 Pro gimbal, plus the lens will be directly compatible with the new Z-mount RED cameras. (Image credit: Nikon ) The Nikon effect is in full swing, and I expect more is to come

In and of itself, there's little that's new in the Z-mount versions of the RED V-Raptor and Komodo, besides the lens mount and what Nikon says is improved autofocus capabilities. The biggest impact is direct compatibility with Nikon Z-mount lenses, of which there are many, and which now includes the Nikkor Z 28-135mm F/4 PZ – a versatile and gimbal-friendly zoom with cine features that costs $2,596.95 /£2499 and has an April 2025 sales start date (Australia price and availability TBC).

What's even more exciting, especially to indie filmmakers, is Nikon slashing the prices of RED Komodo 6K bundles. In September 2024, we saw permanent price reductions of as much as $3,000 off – for example, the Komodo 6K Camera Production Pack now costs $11,995 (was $14,995). Still not cheap by any means, but more affordable for pros. Prices for the RED Komodo 6K with Z-mount start at $6,995 (around £5,600), while the RED V-Raptor 8K costs $29,995 (around £24,000 - converted from USD).

Nikon has also officially stripped back its subsidiary's name too, from RED Digital Cameras to simply RED, which is what most people call it anyway.

In the other direction, Nikon cameras are benefitting from RED tech. Back in September 2024, four RED LUTs color profiles were made available to Nikon's current mirrorless cameras, including the Nikon Z6 III, Nikon Z8, and Nikon Zf, and even certain DSLRs like the D780. Nikon's N-Log video footage can now be stylized into Rec.709 color using any one of RED’s Film Bias, Film Bias Bleach Bypass, Film Bias Offset, and Achromic – color profiles co-developed with cinema colorist Eric Weidt.

I don't expect the Nikon effect to stop here either. What do you think – what are the most exciting developments we can hope for from Nikon's RED takeover? Better video features in Nikon's mirrorless cameras? More Z-mount cine lenses? Let me know in the comments below.

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• Lies of P: Overture is due to launch in 'Summer 2025'
• It's a DLC prequel to the soulslike's main campaign events
• You will need the base game in order to play this DLC

Lies of P: Overture, a DLC expansion of the 2023 soulslike game, is finally arriving sometime in "Summer 2025".

The expansion was revealed during the February 12 PlayStation State of Play, and according to an official PlayStation Blog post written by developer Round8 Studio's Jiwon Choi, Overture is set to be a prequel to the main events found in Lies of P.

"As you might have guessed from the title, Lies of P: Overture takes you back in time to uncover the hidden stories of Krat," the post reads. "Now, you will venture back in time to experience the harrowing journey that birthed that fateful moment. Through Lies of P: Overture, we aimed to fully refine, forge and complete the story as we originally envisioned it."

The trailer for Lies of P: Overture shows off plenty of interesting gameplay additions. The protagonist now has access to weapons like a bow and arrows, as well as plenty of extremely flashy combat moves.

Snow-covered locales are featured prominently - a biome that wasn't really present in the main game. And yep, it also looks like there'll be plenty of monstrous new boss fights to challenge, too.

A release date for Lies of P: Overture isn't set in stone just yet, but it will be out sometime this summer. As such, we can probably expect it to launch somewhere between the months of June and September of this year.

It's news that particularly excites me, especially as we haven't heard anything about the DLC since a brief teaser from the developer way back in 2023. Lies of P is also my favorite soulslike from beyond the FromSoftware stable. It tops our list of the best soulslike games, largely owing to its gloriously macabre setting, innovative weapon-mixing combat, and a surprising faithfulness to the source material.

Similarly, it ended up being my personal 2023 game of the year. In short, I'm unsurprisingly incredibly excited for Lies of P: Overture.

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The first information about the Monster Hunter Wilds roadmap has been revealed. Post-launch, players can expect regular updates, with two small DLCs having already been announced. Looking at previous games, we can expect new monsters and Event Quests moving forward, spaced out throughout the year.

Monster Hunter Wilds is another step forward for the long-running co-op action franchise. For one, its huge open world is more seamless, and more alive than ever before, with distinct seasons that promise to mix up hunts in interesting ways. If the Monster Hunter Wilds beta is anything to go on, we could see the game land on our list of best multiplayer PC games by the end of the year.

Here's everything you need to know about Monster Hunter Wilds' roadmap and upcoming DLC updates. We'll detail what's been announced in terms of post-launch support, and as we move through the year, we'll also take a look at the schedule moving forward. It's clear that Capcom intends to support the game for a while, so stay tuned for regular updates to this page.

Monster Hunter Wilds roadmap

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds currently has two post-launch title update DLCs planned. You can find these listed below, with some details on each.

• Free Title Update 1 - Spring 2025 (Mizutsune, Event Quests, Additional Updates)
• Free Title Update 2 - Summer 2025 (New Monster, Event Quests)

Monster Hunter Wilds Free DLC 1

(Image credit: Capcom)

First up, we have the Free Update Title 1 DLC. This is the one we know most about, as it's already been revealed that Mizutsune will be the main monster added. For those that don't know, Mizutsune is a kind of bubble dragon, that moves around like a dancer, elegantly weaving through the air. It's seriously formidable, secreting bubbles that will give you Bubbleblight, increasing your evasiveness, before making it difficult to move around without slipping. In Monster Hunter Rise, you needed to ensure you were stocked up on Cleansers, to combat this ailment.

Of course, Mizutsune could be retooled for Monster Hunter Wilds, so we will need to wait and see just how it looks before planning out how to take it down.

Alongside Mizutsune, there will be some new Event Quests to take on. These are available at the Mission Board and generally involve slaying groups of monsters, to earn new rewards. Again, we'll have to wait for the specifics, and for more explanation as to what "additional updates" means. Free Title Update 1 will be added sometime in Spring 2025.

Monster Hunter Wilds Free DLC 2

Capcom has also revealed Free Title Update 2, which, for now at least, has yet to be fully detailed. We know that it'll add a new monster, as well as new Event Quests. We also know that it'll arrive sometime in Summer 2025.

We'll have to wait and see which monster is added, though we're hoping for Rajang.

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Whether you’re biking to the office or schlepping a camera to a shoot, a laptop bag is your constant companion. These WIRED-reviewed packs do the job.

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Apple often releases a slate of new products in the Spring each year (usually April or May), and the latest rumors suggest 2025 will be no exception.

But with the iPhone SE 4 and M4 MacBook Air seemingly on the horizon, will there be a big Apple event soon or will we see its new products announced separately? We've rounded up the latest rumors here to let you know when to expect Apple's next big launches.

While a repeat of Apple's previous Spring events (like 'Spring Loaded' from 2021) is possible, a more divided flurry of announcements is currently looking more likely according to the latest speculation. Read on to find out the latest on the iPhone SE 4 and more...

When could the Apple event happen?

(Image credit: Apple)

Rumors have been swirling for months that Apple has new products on the way early in 2025, including an iPhone SE, M4 MacBook Air, new iPad Air and 10.9-inch iPad. Sources like Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman have claimed that they’re all either imminent or will be released in the coming weeks.

Apple has frequently held shows in March over the past few years – for example, in 2022 its 'Peek Performance' event saw the arrival of a new iPhone SE and iPad Air. But there's no guarantee that an event like that will happen this year and the odds are increasingly on there being separate announcements.

Apple also often releases new devices using press releases, and it might decide to do the same in 2025 for the likes of the iPhone SE 4. As the time ticks down towards March, we can expect more rumors to emerge as to whether an actual event is in the cards. For now, here's the latest on all of its apparently imminent launches...

iPhone SE 4

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Foxartbox)

Apple has been heavily rumored to be planning a new iPhone SE, and according to many sources its release date is imminent.

The latest rumors (below) suggest the iPhone SE 4 could land in the week beginning February 17. And this could be the most significant update to the iPhone SE in years – potentially in its entire history.

New iPhone SE is still imminent and should be announced by next week, when the company is holding product briefings. Tomorrow there’s a smaller announcement. For Friday, Apple Vision Pro reps are reaching out to press about an announcement to come. M4 MacBook Air within weeks. https://t.co/UabWO0shjYFebruary 12, 2025

It’s expected to lose the chunky bezels and Home button featuring Touch ID, replacing them with an all-screen look and Face ID for a more modern appearance.

Apparently, we could get a 6.1-inch OLED display, a single 48MP rear camera, Apple’s latest A18 chip and 8GB of memory (which in turn will enable Apple Intelligence), and a USB-C port. It is also said to debut Apple’s in-house 5G modem chip.

• Rumored launch: during the week beginning February 17

M4 MacBook Air

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

After Apple brought the M4 chip to the MacBook Pro late last year. The MacBook Air is next in line, and it’s widely touted to be launching this spring. The M4 chip could only bring modest performance improvements, though, according to rumors.

Don’t expect much else, either: no chassis redesign, no new display, no improved speakers. This will probably be a simple chip upgrade – nothing to sniff at given Apple silicon’s impressive power, but don’t hold your breath for a wide-ranging overhaul.

• Rumored launch: sometime between March and April

iPad Air and 11th-generation iPad

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

A recent rumor claimed that new versions of the iPad Air and the 10.9-inch iPad are on the way, meaning they could well be included as part of a spring event hosted by Apple – or simply announced in a more low-key fashion.

Like the iPhone SE 4, the iPad 11 has also been claimed to be getting Apple’s own 5G modem. And with Apple pushing to bring Apple Intelligence to as many of its products as possible, that also feels like a likely inclusion. It would require a new chip, with the A17 Pro being put forward as a possibility to match the one found in the iPad mini.

The iPad Air, meanwhile, will feature “internal improvements,” Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claims. It could also get a new Magic Keyboard for both the 11-inch and 13-inch sizes.

• Rumored launch: sometime in March or April

Apple HomePod with screen

(Image credit: Future)

Apple last updated the HomePod in 2023, but a third-generation model could be coming as soon as this spring – although the latest rumors have thrown that into doubt.

Apparently, the new HomePod may feature Siri voice control and Apple Intelligence, although other sources have called that into question. It might also have an OLED display measuring six or seven inches across, which would give it a new degree of functionality not seen in previous models.

There seems to be a lot of crossover with reports that Apple is working on a home hub device that combines a speaker with a display. Apple is also said to be working on a speaker with a screen that is attached to a robotic arm.

Whether these will be branded as HomePod devices isn’t clear, but they’re still at least several months away from being announced, Mark Gurman believes. So don't expect HomePod news until well after the rumored iPhone SE 4, M3 MacBook Air, new iPad Air and iPad 11.

• Rumored launch: sometime in 2025, but still apparently "months away from shipping"

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• IBM’s Finance & Operations teams given an ultimatum
• Workers told they must move closer or accept a redundancy package
• Expensive workers will be replaced with new recruits and AI

IBM has enforced a revised return-to-office policy among its Finance & Operations business unit amid what is being referred to as a ‘soft layoff.’

Reports have claimed employees were told they must relocate to be nearer to the company’s North Carolina or New York offices in order to comply with the new office-working mandate.

Workers who prefer not to do so will need to leave the company, but they will be able to do so with a severance package worth up to six months, depending on how long they’ve been with IBM.

IBM using RTO to enact layoffs

“Managers are being instructed to reach out to their reports and ask that they relocate to Raleigh, North Carolina, or Poughkeepsie, New York,” a spokesperson told The Register. “They must be within 50 miles of one of these sites. If not, they will be offered severance.”

The Finance & Operations division is believed to be a costly unit for the company, but by employing artificial intelligence, fresh graduates and outsourcing, IBM hopes to cut costs. The Register’s source confirmed: “AI will be implemented to replace people.”

IBM’s RTO mandate pushed employees to resign voluntarily, therefore avoiding formal layoffs, hence the ‘soft layoff’ description. Previously, the company has faced allegations of discrimination when enacting layoffs.

Two weeks ago, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report: “Three years ago, we laid out a vision for a faster-growing, more-profitable IBM. I'm proud of the work the IBM team has done to meet or exceed our commitments.” Quarterly and full-year revenue were up just 1% year-over-year. IBM hopes for 5% revenue growth in 2025.

Looking ahead, The Register’s source said: “The CEO has stated, 'thousands will be replaced by AI,' and management is currently heavily focused on cuts and slowing hiring.”

TechRadar Pro has asked IBM to confirm its revised policy and the impacts of artificial intelligence on its workforce, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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Keeping your list of Marvel movies and TV shows short and sweet.

• Gemini Live is now more conversational and dynamic
• It is better at translating languages and recognizing accents
• Screen sharing and video streaming abilities coming soon

If you’re a Gemini user then you will have got an email from Google today explaining that the company is rolling out an upgrade to Gemini Live to “make your conversations even more dynamic and engaging”.

The new upgrade to Gemini Live (the conversational part of Gemini that you can access on your phone) means that conversations have been improved by an, as yet unnamed, new AI model. Google stated that “With our latest model, Live can better understand multiple languages, dialects or accents in a single Live chat and help with your translation needs.”

As well as the February improvements to Gemini Live, Google also shared its plans for Gemini Live updates in the future. “In the coming months, we'll also bring screen sharing and live video streaming capabilities to Live.”

These updates hint at a multimodal future for Gemini Live on all devices, where it has the ability to be aware of what is being shown on the screen so you can ask questions about it. Currently that’s something it can’t do unless you own a Pixel 9 phone, which has the ability to "Talk live about this". While you can upload a photo to standard Gemini, and ask the chatbot questions about it, or ask it to extract text from the photo, you can’t do this in Live mode yet unless you won a Pixel 9.

Privacy update

Along with this new ability, Google also issued a privacy update, stating that “As part of providing this improved experience, your audio, video and screenshares are stored in your Gemini Apps activity (if it's on). Your data in Gemini Apps activity is deleted per your auto-delete period in that setting, and you can manage and delete your Gemini Apps activity at any time.”

To access your Gemini Apps activity, on a mobile device, click on your profile picture in the Gemini app, then on ‘Gemini Apps Activity’. In a web browser, go to gemini.google.com and click on the menu icon, then Activity.

(Image credit: Future, Lance Ulanoff) What I found

A conversation being more dynamic is pretty subjective, so I tried a conversation with the new update today and while it went smoothly it was hard to pinpoint what the differences were, if any, from my previous interactions with Gemini Live. Sure, Gemini sounded perky and eager to please, but it has always sounded like that.

The next thing I wanted to try was the translation abilities. I tried to get Gemini Live to translate words from Spanish to English, but more often than not it kept telling me that the word I was saying was the name of a town in California or Michigan, rather than translating it into English! However, that may have more to do with my Spanish pronunciation than Gemini’s ability to translate from Spanish to English. To be fair, I did manage to get it to understand some of my Spanish words and translate them eventually.

So, I’d say it was hard to pinpoint exactly what had changed in Live, however when I asked Gemini Live when it was last updated, it said February 2025, so I’m assuming it has been updated with the new abilities. Let me know in the comments if you’ve noticed that your Gemini chats feel more alive compared to before.

Gemini LIve is currently free to all Android users, but also available in the Gemini app to iPhone users who are subscribed to Gemini Advanced.

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• We finally have a release date for Borderlands 4 thanks to a recent trailer
• It's coming on September 23, 2025, with a dedicated Borderlands 4 State of Play in Spring
• It's set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S

We finally have an official release date for Borderlands 4 thanks to an explosive new trailer that gave us our first substantial look at gameplay.

Shown off in the most recent State of Play, the Borderlands 4 trailer shows plenty of fast shooting in the impressively high-fidelity world of Karios.

As you would expect from the series, we saw the player experimenting with a very large variety of weapons that ranged from traditional looking machine guns to giant rocket launchers and weird glowing melee attacks.

Traversal seems to be one of the big focuses in Borderlands 4, which promises to let players "move across the Borderlands like never before" with new mechanics like double jumping, gliding, dodging, and a grapple hook.

Developer Gearbox Entertainment describes it as "our most ambitious game to date" and it definitely seems like one that fans of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre should keep a close eye on in the coming months.

The trailer ends with an official release date, September 23, 2025. We also now know that a dedicated Borderlands 4 State of Play presentation is coming in Spring, which will presumably reveal even more details about the game.

Borderlands 4 is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

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• The New Garmin tactix 8 is here
• It features new 47mm and 51mm sizes
• It also has an AMOLED display, solar options, and an Applied Ballistics solver

Garmin has just surprised us with the launch of its new tactix 8 smartwatch, probably the company's most formidable Garmin ever.

The new tactix 8 is the company's latest 'tactical' watch. The tactix series is jammed full of military-inspired features. All Garmin's usual workout smarts are here, combined with serious rugged durability and tactical features, such as rucking and a new Applied Ballistics Solver.

If you don't know what that last one is, the tactix 8 probably isn't for you: it's a feature designed to offer more information on shooting a rifle, with 'customized aiming solutions for long-range shooting based on your rifle characteristics, bullet characteristics, and various environmental conditions' according to Garmin's website. A bit like a golf watch for gun users.

The tactix 8 is a military-grade smartwatch with advanced GPS, a 1.4-inch AMOLED display, titanium bezel, and a sapphire lens.

It's all tested to US military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance, with dedicated tactical features including jumpmaster activity, waypoint projection, dual-position GPS format, stealth mode, a kill switch, night vision compatibility, and support for the trendy new rucking activity.

Garmin tactix 8: the details

The Garmin tactix 8 looks set to become the best Garmin for the military mind and those who want the most formidable Garmin watch on the market. It even has a preloaded Applied Ballistics solver that gives you access to aiming solutions for long-range shooting in the field. As you can see, this isn't really a watch you'd wear for a Park Run.

It features Garmin's SatIQ tech from the Instinct 3, a 3-axis compass, support for recreational diving, and a built-in flashlight.

It also comes with 43,000 golf courses for downtime between missions, and Garmin's usual suite of industry-leading health and fitness tracking features.

The Garmin tactix 8 costs $1,299.99 for the 47mm AMOLED version, or $1,399 for the 51mm version. The solar 51mm version is also the same price. If you're serious, there's also a $1,599 solar version with an Applied Ballistics Elite Solver for even more intense shooting solutions. Otherwise, the taxtix 8 comes with the Ultralight Applied Ballistics Solver.

The tactix 8 starts life at £1,189 in the UK and AU$2,299 down under. Order availability begins on February 21.

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• Wharfedale has a new pair of loudspeakers, the Aston
• Combines new audio hardware with a retro look and satin finish
• It's a limited run of 500 units, starting at £1,699 per pair

Audio hardware specialist Wharfedale has unveiled the Aston, a new loudspeaker model with a retro look and a limited run of 500 units.

The Aston is the latest addition to Wharfedale’s Heritage range, which consists of “recreations of famous models from its past, entirely re-engineered using contemporary techniques and materials.”

That means Wharfedale is, much like a Disney executive, going through its extensive back catalogue and giving whatever it can a new lease of life with the latest advanced technologies.

But whereas recent Wharfedale Heritage releases have tended to revamp past models with newer hardware, the Aston is a new direction entirely – though it does share a name with a wall-mounted speaker design from the '70s, and goes for a retro finish with a vintage-style grille and real-wood veneers rather than a more modern look.

Measuring 340 x 200 x 255 mm per unit, the Aston roughly has the dimensions of a pair of bookshelf speakers, but can be combined with Wharfedale’s speaker stands for more assertive positioning in your living room. You can also opt for walnut, mahogany or black oak veneers, which are hand polished and lacquered “to a satin finish”.

The Aston is a “classic two-way protected speaker”, meaning each speaker unit contains a simple woofer and tweeter pairing, specifically designed for the model by Wharfedale’s Head of Acoustic Design, Peter Comeau, and you’ll get a 55Hz-20kHz frequency response to capture the highs and lows of movies and music alike.

In a press release, Comeau says that “By harnessing the latest developments in cabinet, driver and crossover design from key Heritage Series models, then adapting and enhancing them to suit a two-way speaker with a specifically sized compact cabinet, I’ve created a ‘signature’ speaker that entirely fulfills the brief I set myself for my first commercial design all those decades ago: a compact speaker with a wide-bandwidth sound.

“When you hear the Aston, I hope you’ll wonder how we achieved such a full-scale sound from speakers of such diminutive size – natural, even, detailed and engaging across the full frequency spectrum. The answer is simple: acoustic engineering of the highest order.”

(Image credit: Wharfedale) 'Seriously impressive'

It’s a more basic setup than some three-way Heritage models that throw in a mid-range driver, but you’re still getting some premium parts, including the ceramic magnet motor system, 25mm fabric dome, and damped rear chamber used in Wharfedale’s high-end Dovedale model (which retails for £5,000 per pair).

The Aston has been in development for several years, with an initial prototype shown at the High End audio show in Munich back in 2022.

The company is putting out some seriously capable audio hardware these days, with TechRadar’s TV Hardware Staff Writer James Davidson calling the recent Wharfedale Super Denton “mind-blowing [...] understated but seriously impressive.”

You can pick up the Aston for £1,699 (about $2,120 / AU$3,380) without speaker stands, or £1,999 with stands included, once late February comes around. The stand is technically available separately for £500, but we’d recommend getting it discounted as part of the overall package.

That’s pricier than the majority of models you’ll find in our best stereo speaker guide, but for style, power, and the satisfaction of owning limited-edition hardware, it's a lot more reasonable than I might've guessed, especially from a brand with such heritage.

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• YouTube TV and Paramount are having a distribution disagreement
• Paramount content is set to leave YouTube TV from February 13, 2025
• There's no word when it'll return, but YouTube has promised compensation

YouTube TV subscribers are about to see their channel selection take a hit as Paramount and CBS content leaves the service – but hopefully it won’t be gone forever.

According to a notice sent to subscribers, YouTube has been unable to reach a content distribution agreement with Paramount, meaning that from February 13, 2025, you’ll likely be unable to access various channels. This won’t just affect the streaming of new content; recordings you have stored on your DVR of anything from a Paramount channel will be removed too.

Until the issue is resolved, Entertainment Plus subscribers will automatically get $10 off each bill received while Paramount’s content remains unavailable, and Google says those of you with Paramount+ with Showtime or BET+ add-ons through YouTube TV won’t be billed for your subscription until the issue is resolved – and you’ll get an automatic refund on your last charge amount.

YouTube adds that if it can’t reach an agreement and Paramount content is “unavailable for an extended period of time” (though there’s no specifics on what that means) YouTube will offer subscribers an $8 credit they can claim at tv.youtube.com.

Until the issue is resolved, the following channels will be unavailable on YouTube TV (per a YouTube support page):

National channels

• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• Comedy Central
• MTV
• Nickelodeon
• Nick Jr.
• Nick Toons
• Paramount
• BET
• BET Her
• CMT
• Comet TV
• Dabl
• MTV Classic
• MTV2
• MyNetwork TV
• NewsNation
• Pop
• Smithsonian Channel
• Start TV
• Teen Nick
• Tr3s: MTV, Musica y Mas
• TV Land
• VH1

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Local channels

• Atlanta 69 (WUPA)
• Boston TV38 (WSBK)
• Dallas-Fort Worth KTXA
• New York (WLNYDT)
• Philadelphia 57 (WPSG)
• Pittsburgh KDKA+ (WPCW)
• Sacramento KMAX 31 (KMAX)
• San Francisco KPIX+ (KPYX)
• Seattle 11 (KSTW)
• Tampa Bay 44 (WTOG)

There’s no word on when a new agreement between Paramount and YouTube TV will be reached, but a similar disagreement between YouTube and Disney happened back in December 2021.

Their deal expired on December 17, 2021, causing Disney services (including ESPN and ABC) to go dark, but they were restored on December 20.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that this Paramount disruption will be over equally quickly, though YouTube is giving no sign of when or even if a new agreement will be reached, only saying: “We’re still in active conversations with Paramount, and we hope to come to an agreement with them as soon as possible.”

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Cybercriminals are coming after you this Valentine's Day. Don't fall for a "fauxmance."