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JBL Tour One M3: two-minute review

JBL has pitched its new Tour One M3 wireless over-ear noise-cancellers right into the heart of the action. They’re priced to compete with hitters as big as Bose and Sony, but the company hasn’t just slapped a premium price-tag on and hoped for the best. These headphones are specified to compete, and even have an optional extra that elevates their functionality beyond that of any price-comparable rival.

Wireless connectivity, frequency response and battery life are all well up to standard. Control options are numerous and well implemented. And with the optional Smart Tx transmitter, JBL is able to turn the Tour One M3 into a wireless receiver of non-wireless sources, as well as facilitating group listening for as many people who have Auracast-compatible headphones would like to participate.

There’s no arguing with the standard of build and finish that’s on display here, either, though the majority of the plastics used in the construction don’t feel as expensive as you might expect in a product as pricey as this. Still, at least the comfort quotient is high, thanks to some judicious padding and a low overall weight.

And if you like your sound punchy, upfront and animated, there’s plenty to enjoy here and the JBL don’t scrimp on the details, either. Their spatial audio effect is subtle and effective, and the noise cancellation puts them up there among the best noise cancelling headphones mix with anything that hasn’t got the word ‘Bose’ on it.

Don’t venture into bigger (higher) volume levels, though, because no good can come of it. The treble response, which is assertive at the best of times, can become unruly and the overall sound becomes two-dimensional and rather shouty.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)JBL Tour One M3 review: Price and release date

• Release date: April 15th, 2025
• Price: $349 ($399 with Smart Tx transmitter); £329 (£379); AU$479 (AU$549)

You don’t need me to tell you this is serious money for a pair of wireless over-ear noise-cancellers, even before you add in the cost of the Smart Tx transmitter – $349 ($399 with the transmitter); £329 (£379); AU$479 (AU$549).

JBL has picked a fight with brands as credible as Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, Sennheiser and Sony (to name just four) by pricing the Tour ONE M3 this way, which can mean one of only two things. Either JBL is completely confident or JBL is utterly rash.

Whichever your preference, it's probably not enough to put the JBL Tour One M3 among the contenders in the best wireless headphones market.

JBL Tour One M3 review: Specs

Weight:

278g

Drivers:

40mm mica dome dynamic

Battery life:

40 hours (ANC on); up to 70 hours (ANC off)

Control:

app; physical/touch; voice

Bluetooth:

5.3 (SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC)

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)JBL Tour One M3 review: Features

• Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC codec compatibility
• Up to 70 hours of battery life
• Optional Smart Tx transmitter

There are boxes to be ticked when you’re charging this sort of money for a pair of wireless noise-cancelling over-ears, most of which are marked ‘the best version of X’, and the JBL Tour One M3 ticks all of them.

For instance, they use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity, and feature multipoint connectivity as well as compatibility with LC3 and LDAC codecs as well as SBC and AAC. They will run for as much as 70 hours (at moderate volume and with noise-cancellation switched off) between charges, and you can expect 40 hours even if you listen at high volume and with ANC switched on.

The ANC itself is a three-stage system: choose between ‘ambient aware’ (an in-app slider controls how much of the outside world is allowed in), ‘talk-thru’ (which pauses music while significantly boosting external sounds, voices in particular) and ‘noise-cancelling’. There’s another slider here, to adjust ANC intensity - or you can switch on ‘adaptive ANC’ to automatically adjust the level based on ambient conditions. ‘Auto compensation’, meanwhile, assesses the headphones’ position on your ear relative to your ear canal in order to adjust ANC on the fly.

JBL suggests the Tour ONE M3 have a frequency response of 10Hz to 40kHz, which, if it’s anything like accurate, should be ample. Sound is served via a couple of 40mm mica dome dynamic drivers.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

The control app itself has plenty of functionality beyond fiddling with active noise-cancellation, of course – ‘JBL Headphones’ is free for iOS and Android and is one of the most comprehensive apps around.

For instance, it allows you to select a ‘spatial audio’ setting (‘fixed’, ‘head-tracking’ or ‘off’) and investigate your EQ options (there are six presets and the ability to specify some custom settings using a 10-band equalizer). You can take a hearing test to help the headphones adapt to your specific hearing profile, exert some influence of the physical methods of control, set a volume limiter and plenty more besides. These include checking on firmware updates and remaining battery life, plus adjusting the length of time without an incoming signal required before the headphones power down – basically, this app is a model of usefulness and stability.

Then there's the Smart Tx transmitter (a cost option, let’s not forget), through which JBL has an authentic Point of Difference. If you’re familiar with the ‘retransmission case’ that the top-end Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 true wireless in-ears have been supplied with for the past few years, you’ll know one of the things the Smart Tx can do – attach it to a non-wireless source of music, such as the in-flight entertainment system, via one of its USB-C slots and it will wirelessly stream to the headphones.

But there’s more to this little brick than that. It also uses Auracast to allow multiple devices to listen to whatever is playing into it (as long as all headphones are Auracast-compatible, of course). Its full-colour touch-screen duplicates quite a lot of the app’s functions, too, so to make changes you don’t have to fish your phone out of the pocket on the back of the seat in front of you. Yes, it needs charging (via its second USB-C) and, also yes, it’s another thing to disappear down the back of the sofa or something, but for those who fancy its functionality, it’s a very useful little device indeed.

• Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)JBL Tour One M3 review: Sound quality

• Punch, drive and detail in fairly equal measure
• Effective and quite nuanced spatial audio effect
• Easily spooked by bigger volumes

Some headphones don’t really mind the sort of stuff you listen to, or how you choose to listen to it – they just get on with the job, regardless. The JBL Tour One M3, I think I can safely say, are not those headphones.

As far as music styles are concerned, they’re not especially fussy, but where quality of recording is concerned, they have definite preferences. It’s mostly due to their treble response – the top end as reproduced by the Tour One M3 is absolutely as bright and bitey as is acceptable. So if you provoke it with a recording that shares that same high-end edginess – Nick Lowe’s You Got the Look I Like is a good example – things can get compounded into something very close to hardness.

There’s no shortage of detail revealed at the top of the frequency range, though, and that’s the case throughout. At every point the JBL are an observant and insightful listen, able to identify even the most fleeting episodes in a recording. Midrange resolution is impressive, and at the bottom end they punch with the sort of weight and determination we’ve all come to expect from JBL equipment. There’s a slight bias towards the bottom of the frequency range when EQ settings are left alone, but this can be mitigated a little in the app. What EQ adjustment can’t do, though, is affect tonality that’s nicely naturalistic right until the top end gets involved.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Dynamic impetus is considerable, especially where the biggest shifts in volume or intensity are concerned, and the upheavals in Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters are described in full. The smaller, but no less significant, harmonic variations get appropriate weighting, too. Soundstaging, when listening in straight stereo, is organized and reasonably expansive, but there’s a pleasant unity to the stage, an idea of performance, that makes for a confident and convincing presentation.

Switch on spatial audio and the effect is much less showy than some rival designs shoot for, and it’s all to the good as far as I’m concerned. The stage opens up in every direction without losing too much of its definition, and the sensation of space doesn’t feel in any way artificial.

No, the major issue here concerns volume, and the Tour One M3's inability to cope with it. Turn up the volume and the sound becomes two-dimensional and rather too assertive – every part of a recording seems to rush to the front of the stage, and the top-end tonality (which is problematic all the time) becomes quite abrasive and almost glassy. ‘Composure’ is the word I’m after, and it deserts the JBL the moment you decide to listen at big levels.

The active noise-cancellation, by way of contrast, needs no excuses making for it. Does it cloak you in an eerie blanket of silence like the equivalent Bose headphones can manage? No, it doesn't. Does it bear comparison to the very best alternatives out there that aren’t by Bose? Most definitely. Without altering their sonic characteristics or introducing a suggestion of counter-signal, the Tour One M3 deal with the vast majority of external distractions and leave you free to get on with listening.

Not too loud, though, obviously.

• Sound quality score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)JBL Tour One M3 review: Design

• Fold flat and inwards, so have quite a small carry-case
• Choice of three finishes
• Perceived value is not all it might be

Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the way the JBL Tour One M3 are built and finished. Despite having so much articulation in the frame that they can fold up into a winningly compact carry-case, they give every impression of being carefully constructed and ready to last. But when it comes to perceived value, the embodiment of the word ‘premium’ that comes from the look, the feel and, let’s face it, the smell of a pair of headphones, the Tour One M3 don’t have it in anything like the quantities of their price-comparable rivals.

In terms of the look, that might be down to the fact that my review sample is in an insipid finish called ‘mocha’ – perhaps the appearance is a bit classier in the black or blue alternatives. But the color has nothing to do with the way the Tour One M3 feel and the plastics which make up a lot of the frame are hard and feel inexpensive. All of which is unfortunate, given how expensive these headphones actually are.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

The practicalities of the design are absolutely fine, though. The contact points are pleather-covered memory foam, and they’re softly pliant. The headband adjusts with a very positive action, and the clamping force it exerts is nicely judged. These 278g headphones are easy to wear and it’s simple to get and remain comfortable inside them. JBL isn’t quoting an IP rating, though, so it’s worth making sure you don’t get too comfortable in inappropriate environments.

On the left earcup there’s a slender ‘volume up/down’ rocker switch. On the right, meanwhile, a ‘power on/off/Bluetooth pairing’ slider is positioned above an ‘action’ button that cycles through ‘noise-cancelling’, ‘ambient aware’ and ‘talk-thru’. The surface of this earcup also has a touch surface that allows control over ‘play/pause’, ‘skip forwards’, ‘skip backwards’ and ‘summon voice assistant’, and this is where telephony functions are accessed, too. It’s possible to unintentionally trigger touch controls when feeling for that ‘action’ button, but broadly speaking these are effective, well-implemented user interfaces.

The USB-C slot can be used both for charging the battery and for data transfer - which means the Tour One M3 are genuinely high-resolution headphones if hard-wired to an appropriate source. And there are eight mics spread over the two earcups taking care of voice-assistant interaction, telephony and noise-cancellation.

• Design score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)JBL Tour One M3 review: Value

• Variable sound
• So-so perceived value
• Excellent control options, including the Smart Tx transmitter

Ultimately, the JBL Tour ONE M3 can’t be said to offer cast-iron value for money. They have a lot going for them where comfort is concerned, their noise-cancelling is very good, their control options are all very well realized and, in some ways, they sound very enjoyable and entertaining, too.

But the hard, quite cheap-feeling plastics that make up a lot of the frame, the tendency to lose a little self-control at volume, and the sheer strength of the products they’re competing against all conspire to make the JBL a diverting alternative rather than a nailed-on candidate for your ‘value for money’ shortlist.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Should I buy the JBL Tour One M3?

Section

Notes

Score

Features

Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC codec compatibility; optional Smart Tx transmitter a potential game-changer

5 / 5

Sound quality

Excellent ANC; dynamic impetus; nuanced spatial audio; but too easily spooked at high volumes

3 / 5

Design

Fold flat into neat carry-case; comfortable; hard plastic don't lend premium finish

4 / 5

Value

Very good control options; so-so perceived value

3.5 / 5

Buy them if…

You like quite forceful sound
There’s no denying the upfront and vigorous nature of the JBL sound in general, and that goes double for the Tour One M3.

You enjoy a USP
The Smart Tx transmitter brings a lot of additional functionality to the headphones (as long as you remember to keep it charged).

Comfort is important
These headphones are relatively light, the fit is nicely judged, and the contact points are all nice and soft.

Don't buy them if…

You’re especially sensitive to treble sounds
At best, the JBL are lively at the top end; at worst, they’re quite hard and unyielding.

You’re big on perceived value
It’s not about the build or the finish, they’re both fine. It’s just that the JBL don’t look or feel anything special.

You like to listen at bigger volumes
The Tour One M3 are prone to over-excitement at high volume, and lose some of what makes them an enjoyable listen in the first place.

JBL Tour One M3 review: Also consider

Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony’s ubiquitous-for-a-reason WH-1000XM5 are now routinely available at around $299 / £249 (they launched at $399 / £299) and, on a pound-for-pound basis, wireless over-ear noise-cancelling cans don’t get any more rounded or across-the-board excellent than this.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Bose QuietComfort Ultra
You may prioritize noise-cancelling, of course, and if that’s the case then don’t look any further than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Where ANC is concerned, everyone else is playing catch-up.
Read the full Bose QuietComfort Ultra review

Edifier Stax Spirit S5
If you prefer the road less traveled, though, and you can live without active noise-cancellation, the Stax Spirit 5 from Edifier uses their planar magnetic driver technology to deliver the sweetest of sounds.
Read our full Edifier Stax Spirit S5 review

How I tested JBL Tour One M3

• Connected to iOS and Android music players, wired and wirelessly
• Connected using the Smart Tx transmitter to a laptop
• Lots of different music, lots of different file types and sizes

I listened at my desk, connecting the Smart Tx transmitter to a laptop, I listened while out and about and I listened on public transport, to lots of music of many different file types and sizes. I spent over a week critically to get the best feel possible for the JBL.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: May 2025

• A new Pixel superfan event has been spotted
• It could offer a sneak preview of the Pixel 10
• That would point to a launch before August

We know that Android 16 is going to be launching significantly earlier in the year than Android 15 did, and now the signs are that the Google Pixel 10 could break cover earlier this year than the Pixel 9 did in 2024.

According to Android Police, Pixel superfans in the UK – so Pixel owners who've signed up for access to a community of people who really, really like Pixels – have been invited to an exclusive Pixel 10 preview event on June 27.

Yes, that's June 27, 2025 – a mere 27 days from today (May 31). Now the Pixel 10 isn't mentioned by name on the invitation, but it does refer to "pre-release Pixel devices", which most probably means the upcoming flagship phone.

We're speculating a bit here, but the Google Pixel 9 launched on August 13, 2024. If Google is going to demo the Pixel 10 to superfans near the end of June, then we might be looking at a launch for the device sometime in July.

Speeding up

The Pixel 9 Pro is due a successor soon (Image credit: Blue Pixl Media)

An earlier Pixel 10 launch would fit with a recent Google trend too: the Google Pixel 8 was unveiled on October 12, 2023, so these launches are getting earlier and earlier with each passing year – perhaps to get way ahead of the traditional September iPhone launch.

And Android is launching early this year, too: Android 16 is expected to leave beta sometime in June, whereas Android 15 wasn't officially finished until September 2024. Google is speeding up its hardware and software development, it seems.

Thanks to the Android 16 beta program and Google I/O 2025, we already know a lot about what the software upgrade is bringing with it, of course. One of the most significant updates is a visual overhaul called Material 3 Expressive.

We don't know quite as much about the Pixel 10, though a few leaks and rumors have emerged in recent months. It is apparently going to bring with it a pretty underwhelming camera upgrade, and improved display technology.

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I’ve spent the last two weeks with Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and when showing the all-new Galaxy S device to my friends and family, the same two comments would always be made. The first: ‘wow, that’s thin’. The second: ‘why?’.

Sadly I’ve been unable to provide a quick answer to the latter. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge doesn’t trim the fat when it comes to being an epic handset – it features the same great user interface that Samsung refined with the S25 launch and, indeed, it looks and feels especially premium. But the feature that justifies its ‘Edge’ namesake hasn’t been demonstrated as particularly useful.

Despite being more expensive than the Galaxy S25 Plus (the edge starts at $1,099.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,849, while the Plus starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699), it features a lot of the same specs – and where it doesn't, it's often made sacrifices, including with the camera and battery.

There’s a nice mix of features here that, on the whole, are probably attractive to a user after a particular spec. That being said, the S25 Plus remains the better phone, and if you’re gravitating towards more expensive phones, I’d recommend the S25 Ultra over the Edge.

I don’t really have a lot to say about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, but if you’re someone who has been craving a thin phone, pay attention to this device. I don’t recommend paying full price but, once Black Friday sales roll around, I’d be more inclined to purchase the Edge at a discount. At full price, however, with the Galaxy S25 Plus now seeing price drops, it's a tough sell.

What are these features?

A Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge lockscreen. (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Ask yourself what you’re willing to sacrifice for a thin phone. Battery size? A camera lens? A stylus? To achieve what is likely the thinnest phone on the market right now, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has sacrificed all of these things but, at the same time, it has received an interesting mishmash of features from both the S25 Plus and S25 Ultra, along with some features of its own.

The 200MP lens on the Edge, which it carries over from the Ultra, is great in use and captures a lot of color and detail, though the 12MP ultrawide camera from the Plus is also featured, rather than the much more capable 50MP lens on the Ultra. The telephoto lens is nowhere to be seen, removed to achieve the thinness, meaning that zoom capabilities are severely limited.

The battery is only a 3,900mAh capacity pack – smaller than the 4,900mAh battery found in the Plus and the 5,000mAh in the Ultra. This is again due to the thinness. I can confirm that it’s not as devastating as it may read on paper – I’ve been able to yield full-day batteries from the S25 Edge successfully during my time with it; however, I’m left yearning for the gigantic battery in the S25 Ultra, which I could rely on to last me into a second day if I forgot a charge.

My 9-5 workday with the S25 Edge saw the phone run down to about 51% once I got home, and using it casually one morning, the phone dropped from 100% to 87% in just under two hours. No doubt it’d be struggling if I forgot to charge it overnight, or when I got home after work.

A phone of this price might be unconscionable with a battery like this, but I kind of see it as a non-issue. It’s not really intended to be the same exceptionally capable device as the Ultra, after all – this phone is realistically closer to the Z range, as it’s more niche and experimental (albeit no fold).

Left: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Right: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The display is also fairly nice, though it’s identical to the 6.7-inch, 3,440 x 1,440 resolution screen featured on the Plus – apart from the new Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 protective layer. I would have liked the screen to have similar squared dimensions to the Ultra, along with the flagship phone’s premium anti-glare glass to make it a more competitive handset (and more different to the Plus), but that’s just me.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor is the exact same as the one that’s in the Plus and Ultra, and the AI feature set (which Samsung still hasn’t indicated the future pricing of) remains identical.

And that naturally leads up to the thinness – yeah, it’s thin. I don’t really know what to say: Samsung made a thin phone. Cool. It’s still as thick as a standard phone when you put a case on it, something that I would highly recommend as, although it looks quite nice, I was not confident in holding the phone without a case by the side of the road or when on a balcony. The camera housing also adds a bit of chunkiness, protruding far from the phone's back.

What was I expecting?

A Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge lying on its face. (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The Galaxy S25 Edge feels like a stumble more than anything else, which is a shame considering Samsung’s recent track record: the hugely impressive Galaxy Ring, the epic Galaxy S25 Ultra refresh and awesome-value Galaxy A56 are all brilliant examples of the Korean tech giant’s ability to read the room and understand what its customers actually want.

While I don’t deny the existence of folks looking for a thin phone, the S25 Edge fails to carve out a unique niche among the Galaxy S family of devices. Simultaneously, the Edge feels too close to the S25 Plus to feel unique on its own, and too feature-stripped to justify buying at full price.

There are places that Samsung could take the Edge idea to make it more appealing. As I alluded earlier, bringing it closer in spec and aesthetic to the Ultra, offering its anti-glare layer and more squared shape while also being thinner, smaller and cheaper is one place where the Edge might be justifiable.

Another is the opposite: reckoning with the fact that it’s going to be feature-limited to begin with, instead positioning it closer to the base-model Galaxy S25, offering a similar set of cameras and size, along with the incredible thinness with a slightly higher price.

It’s close to the issues encountered by the Galaxy Z Flip. That phone has similar battery and camera limitations as the Edge, along with a high price, but the Flip gets a pass as it’s really cool to treat your phone like a classic flip phone and it has an additional screen. The Edge is just thin.

For now, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge feels just a little too niche for mass-market appeal, which explains why the company has only chosen three color options (one being exclusive to Samsung’s online store). It’s a good phone and I recommend purchasing it – just not over the other phones in the S25 range and certainly not for the full price.

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Luis Enrique's men battle it out against the Serie A giants in Munich.

Hints and answers for Connections for June 1, #721.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle, No. 1443, for June 1.

Practical Magic 2: key information

- Set for release on Sept 18, 2026
- Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprising their iconic roles
- Plot will follow Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic novel
- No official trailer released yet
- Expected to stream on HBO Max after theatrical release
- Joey King "in talks" to play Sally's daughter

Practical Magic 2 is on its way and considering it's been nearly 30 years since we enjoyed the 1998 original, it's practically magical news – especially because Warner Bros. has already confirmed the release date as September 18, 2026.

Will Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman be reprising their iconic roles? Yes, they certainly will. The sequel is set to bring back at least that much of the original's spellbinding magic, with both Sally and Gillian Owens played by the original actors.

Marked as a theatrical release at first, it will almost certainly arrive on HBO Max after that, as a Warner movie – the original Practical Magic has found its home there.

And who knows, Practical Magic 2 may well find itself among the best Max movies to watch on one of the best streaming services. Here's everything we know so far about Practical Magic 2 from release date, to cast, to plot and so much more.

Practical Magic 2: release date?

The spell is cast. The date is set. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return. Only In Theaters September 18, 2026. Rewatch the original #PracticalMagic now streaming on MAX. pic.twitter.com/SfPT1DduLXMay 6, 2025

Practical Magic 2 will arrive in theaters on September 18, 2026. The news was confirmed by an official post on X in May by Warner Bros, accompanied by some magic words from the movie's stars, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

They can be heard reciting a spell: "Tooth of wolf and morning dew. Something old and something new. Let the spell begin to mix. September 18, 2026."

While it says "only in theaters", it's all-but-certain to come to HBO Max after that, since that's Warner Bros. Discovery's official streaming platform. It's where the original 1998 Practical Magic just dropped too, if you want to remind yourself of the magic.

Practical Magic 2: has a trailer been released?

Will Aunt Franny and Aunt Jet return? (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

There's no official Practical Magic 2 trailer yet, which is not surprising considering the cast and crew haven't announced any notice of filming.

During an interview with Variety in February though, Kidman revealed that the sequel is "moving ahead rapidly", before shutting down any further questions. I'll be sure to update here when an official trailer drops.

Practical Magic 2: confirmed cast

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman will reprise their iconic roles (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

As far as the Practical Magic 2 cast list goes, it's pretty sparse. But, there's two crucial actors who will be reprising their role, as reported by Variety:

• Sandra Bullock as Sally Owens
• Nicole Kidman as Gillian Owens

It feels as though Practical Magic 2 wouldn't be possible without the return of Bullock and Kidman as the Owens' sisters, so this casting announcement coming hand-in-hand with revealing the movie's existence makes total sense (and is a huge relief).

To tie the cast together perfectly, we're wondering if Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest will also reprise their iconic roles as Aunt Franny and Aunt Jet respectively. Both women are still acting, despite being 81 and 77 years old, respectively.

There is an important crew member returning, though, and that's Akiva Goldsman who co-wrote the original Practical Magic. And he's officially back on board for writing Practical Magic 2.

Finally, though yet to be confirmed, Joey King is reportedly "in talks" to play Sally's daughter (as per Variety) and we'll delve more into the importance of this role in the plot section below.

Practical Magic 2: story synopsis and rumors

Practical Magic 2 will be based on Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Full spoilers for Practical Magic to follow. Plus, potential spoilers for Practical Magic 2.

The original Practical Magic movie in 1998 is based on the first novel in the famed series by author, Alice Hoffman. It followed Sally and Gillian, two reluctant witch sisters, who are raised by their aunts in a small town tackling a curse that could stop them from ever finding love.

And, as they grow up, they use their gift of practical magic to try to break the wretched curse for good.

So, when it comes to the plot of Practical Magic 2, it marks a return to the books. Hoffman's series consists of four novels; Practical Magic (1995), The Rules of Magic (2017), Magic Lessons (2020) and The Book of Magic (2021). And Entertainment Weekly exclusively revealed in July 2024 that The Book of Magic would be the basis of the sequel's plot.

Speaking to EW, producer Denise Di Novi said: "I think [fans are] going to be very pleased. We're going to be very faithful. We're cognizant to how important those characters and that movie are to so many people. We're not going to reinvent the wheel."

We know from the official book synopsis that this, the fourth in Hoffman's series, follows "three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother", as well as the "younger generation" including Kylie Owens, the daughter of Sally.

And, of course, there's already talks about casting Sally's daughter, but I won't delve into the synopsis of this book any further for fear of revealing too much. I don't want the same generational curse that haunts the Owens family coming down on me.

Will there be more Practical Magic movies?

Will a Practical Magic prequel be revisited? (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Never say never. While there's no suggestion that any more Practical Magic movies are on the way, I can't say for certain that this marks the end. That said, given that Practical Magic 2 is based around Alice Hoffman's conclusive novel of her series, then for Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman's story at least, it feels... well, conclusive.

But, while another movie might be out of the question, how about a TV show? The two prequel novels that came between Practical Magic and The Book of Magic have been a focus of previous, though failed, attempts to bring Practical Magic back to life.

The most recent by HBO Max as it hoped to create a TV series in 2019. Set to focus on the aunts, Franny and Jet, it failed to get the green light, but perhaps Practical Magic 2 can bring the magic back to life?

I imagine it will all depend on the success of the movie – if it's a big hit, spin-offs could be worked out pretty quickly.

For more Max TV show-based coverage, check out our guides on House of the Dragon season 3, Peacemaker season 2, Creature Commandos season 2, and The White Lotus season 4.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are here, and it’s safe to say that we’re big fans of Sony’s new flagship cans, awarding them our Recommended badge in our Sony WH-1000XM6 review – if you're buying new, they're clearly some of the best headphones you can buy right now. But what if you already own a pair of the legendary Sony WH-1000XM4? Is it really worth the upgrade considering the gap in price between each model?

Well, I’ll give it to you straight: yes, yes it is. I’ve spent weeks using the brand new Sony WH-1000XM6, during which time I’ve been able to test them side-by-side with the Sony WH-1000XM4. And Sony really has got it spot on this time, levelling up every part of the package without making any design decisions the feel like a step back (*ahem* Sony WH-1000XM5, looking at you).

The improvements are clear and make a big difference throughout the Sony WH-1000XM6, but I’ve selected the three most impactful factors that may convince you XM4 owners out there to upgrade. So, let’s dive straight into things.

(Image credit: Future)1. Sony has taken noise cancelling to new heights

It’s undeniable. These are the best Sony headphones ever for noise cancelling. When pitting the XM6 against the XM4 in an ANC test, it wasn’t even a contest. And that says a lot given that the XM4 still put up a strong performance as far as noise cancellation is concerned.

Look, the XM4 do well to dispel low-end sounds, and are great if you want to dull harsh noise. When using them, I rarely found it difficult to remain focused on my favorite tracks or TV shows. But the XM6 are a real cut above.

It doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing, these headphones almost always deliver silence, or at the least, near-silence. In busy, traffic-filled areas, I was totally detached from the world around me. When vacuuming my apartment, disruptive whirring sounds were utterly crushed. And on public transport, it was as if I was traveling alone.

The XM6 are kitted out to supply this class-leading ANC. That’s thanks to a new, drastically stronger QN3 HD noise-cancelling processor that channels the abilities of 12 microphones to phase out all ambient sounds.

The XM4, meanwhile, have seven fewer mics and a significantly weaker processor. Sure, they had wonderful ANC at the point of launch, but now, they’ve been outclassed by a wide array of rivals – of course the XM6, but also Sony’s own XM5 model and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, to name just a couple. We rate these as the best noise cancelling headphones when it comes to pure noise stopping power, and you absolutely will hear the difference if you choose to upgrade.

The Sony WH-1000XM6's class-leading ANC provides a true escape from the outside world (Image credit: Future)2. You get the sleekness of the XM5 with the XM4’s foldability

As I mentioned in my Sony WH-1000XM6 review, these headphones marry the very best design elements of their two predecessors to perfection. I’m sure a lot of XM4 owners love the foldability of their cans, which is ideal for throwing them in a bag when you’re on the go.

And I’m also sure that Sony is under no illusions that removing that feature from the XM5 model put off a lot of XM4 owners who might've considered an upgrade.

Thankfully for those people, Sony has listened to its critics and brought folding back from the dead – and improved it. The Sony WH-1000XM6 use fortified metal hinges that are more durable and enduring than those on the XM4.

That means you’ll have less to worry about around breakage or damage over the coming years. On top of that, there’s a new magnetic case for you to put the folded-up XM6 into – in my opinion, that’s more practical than the XM4’s zip-up one.

But not only do the XM6 fold, they look pretty cool while doing so. Sony’s new cans have largely maintained the slimmer, seamless, rounded design of the XM5 – which already had a more premium look than the XM4 in my view.

The headband is greatly improved from that of the XM4, with a less plasticky appearance, a smoother feel, and luxurious levels of comfort thanks to being wider. There’s also a neat paper-like matte consistency to the XM6’s exterior, which looks extremely clean. They feel like a real physical upgrade.

Foldability is back and better than ever (Image credit: Future)3. Upgraded audio, forged alongside leading mastering engineers

Let’s conclude by discussing what matters most on any pair of the best wireless headphones: sound quality. When we reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM4, we lauded their clean, expressive sound, punchy bass and impressive attention to detail.

Their 40mm dynamic drivers – similar to those used in the Sony WH-1000XM3 before them – are more than capable of handling heavy beats or delicate vocal ballads, with overall audio quality still satisfying me half a decade after launch.

But, as you’d hope, the Sony WH-1000XM6 do all of this and then some. In my comparison testing, I found the XM6 produced a more balanced sound, right out of the box. Sony’s new cans were developed alongside a number of well-renowned mastering engineers, and perhaps unsurprisingly, that means there’s a more even sound across all frequencies.

The end result is a combination of pumping yet disciplined bass, rich mids, and energetic highs. That new and improved sonic cocktail really makes the XM6 worth the step up in my view.

There’s also a ‘noise shaper’ in the XM6, which enhances digital to analog conversion and removes distortion from sudden sound changes, capping off a fantastically controlled listening experience.

Another crucial improvement from the XM4 is the XM6’s more nuanced, wider soundstage. Every instrumental element is given plenty of room to breathe, forging open, layered, and hypnotic listening experiences. Yes, the XM6 really are great at immersing you in the music… but also in movies too.

That’s thanks to a new feature called 360 Reality Audio Upmix. Just flick Cinema mode on in the Sony Sound Connect app, and the headphones will convert a basic stereo signal into a more expansive format, helping to create a three-dimensional spatial impression.

Finally, you’ve still got all the great sound-related features from the XM4. Whether that’s DSEE Extreme upscaling for lower-quality music files, LDAC for ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth listening, or EQ adjustment, you’ll be in for an absolute treat.

The XM6 do still have an advantage here, with a 10-band equalizer giving you elevated levels of control, and that improved ANC I mentioned will keep you even more engrossed in the music.

You get the picture – the XM6 really do have all bases covered, and you will immediately feel a clear difference moving from the old model to the new.

The WH-1000XM6 have all the tech required for a premium listening experience (Image credit: Future)You might also like

• I compared the Sony WH-1000XM6 to the Sony WH-1000XM5 directly, to see which are the best-value buy
• I tested the Sony WH-1000XM6 against the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones to see which take the noise-cancelling headphones throne
• 3 reasons I'd buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 and 3 reasons I wouldn't, based on my real-world testing

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After All Things Considered producer Mia Venkat became a fan of Survivor, she and her friend group play their own version every year.

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The White House said it's reached deals with nine law firms to provide about $1 billion in pro bono services. But the details of those agreements remain murky.

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Current and former Meta employees fear the new automation push comes at the cost of allowing AI to make tricky determinations about how Meta's apps could lead to real world harm.

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• AI is fueling a huge increase in cyberattacks
• The US is the primary target for ransomware attacks
• Threat actors are turning to vulnerable assets

It won’t come as a surprise to many cybersecurity professionals, but AI is behind a drastic rise in the number of cyberattacks, with new research from Fortinet revealing the apparenty scale of the problem.

The study found that year-on-year, automated scanning activity has seen a 16.7% increase, with 36,000 scans per second recorded globally - with the research describing threat actors as “shifting left” towards vulnerable digital assets “earlier in the attack lifecycle”, in particular, Remote Desktop Protocol, IoT systems, and Session Initiation Protocols.

Infostealers have been threatening organizations for a long time, but this research has unveiled a staggering 500% increase in available logs from compromised systems - meaning over 1.7 billion stolen credentials are circulating on the dark web, noting, “this flood of stolen data has led to a sharp increase in targeted cyberattacks against businesses and individuals."

A call to action

The report warns cybercriminals are taking advantage of these login details too, with a 42% increase in compromised credentials observed for sale.

Interestingly, zero-day attacks only account for a “small percentage” of threats, and cybercriminals are increasingly using “live of the land” vulnerabilities to remain undetected.

The Ransomware-as-a-Service landscape is expanding, with new groups emerging and old players solidifying their gains. Ransomhub was the most active group in 2024, claiming 13% of victims, with LockBit 3.0 (12%), Play (8%) and Medusa (4%) all following close behind.

Such ransomware attacks are targeting one country in particular, with the United States taking 61% of incidents, followed by the UK at 6%, and Canada at 5% - a strong indication of the trend against American organizations.

“Our 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report makes it clear: cybercriminals are scaling faster than ever, using AI and automation to gain the upper hand,” said Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and Global Vice President of Threat Intelligence at FortiGuard Labs.

“Defenders must abandon outdated security playbooks and transition to proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that incorporate AI, zero trust architectures, and continuous threat exposure management.”

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for AI tools
• Bridging the AI skills gap: the role of businesses, academia, and mainstream education

The rate of progress in the tech world has shown no signs of slowing down over the last seven days. Whether it's advances in the capabilities of AI video generators or a long-serving messaging app finally appearing on Apple's tablets, it's been quite a week.

As good as we try and make our journalism here on TechRadar, we know that not everyone has time to sit down and digest every story that we put up across the week – and so we present to you this In Case You Missed It recap so you can get yourself caught up.

We'll be back with another ICYMI for you at the same time next week, but for now let's dive into some of the stories that have been causing the biggest ripples in the tech pond over the last few days – there's a lot to get through, and a lot of topics to cover.

If you need more reading material, check out the best new movies and shows to stream this weekend.

8. Garmin’s Whoop-style ‘sleep band’ edged closer to reality

Could another Garmin product be on the way? (Image credit: Mike Sawh)

Garmin is already one of the biggest and most well-respected names in fitness wearables, and it seems a brand-new device is on the way: well-placed sources say they've seen signs of a screenless, sleep-tracking band that Garmin is planning to introduce soon.

It sounds a bit like a Whoop band, from the few details that have emerged so far, which would undoubtedly make it a more comfortable option for wearing in bed than a chunky smartwatch. As yet, however, we haven't heard anything official from Garmin.

• Read more: Garmin's long-rumored Whoop-style screenless 'sleep band' will reportedly break cover soon

7. A streaming login leak got us updating our Netflix passwords

You might want to change your Netflix password (Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you're signed up for a Netflix account, be sure to reset your password at your earliest opportunity, as millions of login credentials have been leaked online. It's not just Netflix, either: accounts across Prime Video, Disney+, and other services are also affected.

The silver lining is that financial information related to these accounts seems to be safe, but there's no room for complacency, especially if you're using your streaming logins for other accounts as well.

It's best to assume you've been exposed and change your details.

• Read more: Time to change your Netflix password? Millions of login details have leaked, according to a cybersecurity report – and it's not just Netflix

6. Anker gave us earbuds that double as a phone battery pack

Meet the Anker Soundcore P41i (Image credit: Soundcore)

We're always keen to see tech that's a little bit different here at TechRadar, and that's the case with the Anker Soundcore P41i wireless earbuds. These little buds last up to 12 hours, which rises to a huge 192 hours if you include the charging case.

That's because the compact charging case doubles up as a general-purpose power bank that'll charge your phone too, if needed – it features a 3,000mAh capacity battery inside, so it may mean there's one less gadget or charging plug you need to carry around with you.

• Read more: Anker's new earbuds have a case that doubles as a phone battery pack – and, unsurprisingly, giant battery life for the buds

5. Sony handed indie filmmakers a new compact video camera

The new Sony FX2 camera (Image credit: Sony)

The Sony FX2 video camera was officially announced this week, bringing with it a tiltable EVF and a 33MP full-frame sensor. It's capable of filming in 4K at up to 60fps, and it's going to be available from July 2025, priced at $2,700 / £2,700 / AU$ 5,299 for the body only.

We still need to get our hands on the Sony FX2 and put it through some tests, but from what we can see, it looks ideal for anyone making movies on a small, low-budget scale. There are some limitations, though, including a lack of 32-bit float audio recording.

• Read more: Sony's new compact video camera is official – and it looks ideal for YouTubers and indie filmmakers

4. We tested Google’s mind-blowing AI video maker

Veo 3 can create all kinds of weird and wonderful clips (Image credit: Future)

AI video making has made a huge step forward with the arrival of the Veo 3 model from Google. Clips made by Veo 3 have been flooding onto the web and across social media, and it's now just about impossible to tell what's real and what's fake with these videos.

We've been able to run a few prompts through the Google Veo 3 engine, creating clips of dinosaurs painting and dramatic set pieces on the surface of Mars. It can take some work to get a result you'll be happy with, though, and we've also got some Veo 3 tips to share.

• Read more: I created these wild AI videos in Veo 3 and here's how you can do it too

3. Samsung launched the One UI 8 beta for early adopters

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the phones first in line for One UI 8 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Samsung's next big update is One UI 8, based on Android 16, and you can test it out now if you have a Galaxy S25 phone and live in the US, the UK, Germany, or South Korea. Find out how you can sign up now, and the headline features you can expect from the update.

More upgrades and tweaks will no doubt be added as the beta progresses. Samsung also told us that One UI 8 will launch in full in the coming months, alongside some brand-new foldables, which we expect to be the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

• Read more: Samsung launches the One UI 8 beta for Galaxy S25 phones – here's how you can get it

2. The first Dolby Atmos FlexConnect speaker landed

The TCL Z100 offers some clever surround sound tricks (Image credit: Dolby / TCL)

The TCL Z100 has the distinction of being the first speaker to be announced that works with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect. That's the audio tech that can create dynamic surround sound in a room, no matter how many speakers you've got or how they're arranged.

Up to four TCL Z100 speakers can be combined in a single configuration, and while we've yet to hear pricing and release date details on this unit, it's great to see the dynamic technology making its way into speakers, two years after it was announced.

• Read more: Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is one of the coolest bits of tech I've seen in years, and it's finally coming in a speaker you can buy

1. WhatsApp finally got an iPad app

WhatsApp, now on the iPad (Image credit: Shutterstock)

It's been a long time coming, but WhatsApp is finally available on the Apple iPad – so your chats can spread themselves out across a bigger screen. As well as sending and receiving messages, you'll be able to share your screen and video chat with up to 32 people at once.

You'll be able to sync conversations across from your other devices in just a few seconds, and WhatsApp promises there's more to come with WhatsApp on Apple's tablets. Is it too much to ask Meta to get around to making an iPad app for Instagram next?

• Read more: WhatsApp just finally launched its much anticipated iPad app

I love a good permanent desk setup. However, something that is also very real in my life is that I am always on the go, working away from my principal, beloved home office, and I cannot risk losing productivity, nor slowing down while working away from home.

So, I went down the rabbit hole of finding the best portable monitors a few months ago. I had spent time using my iPad as a second screen, but since moving to an iPad Mini 7 from my M1 iPad Pro 11-inch, I lost the screen real estate I wanted.

When I found the Sotsu FlipAction monitors, I snagged the Pro variant without hesitation. I thought it would be perfect for me, but I only upgraded it to the flagship Elite Model shortly after. That was 166 days ago from writing this review (whilst using the Flip Action Elite 16 and my MacBook Pro). Since then, I've had this monitor go everywhere in the laptop sleeve of my 20L Nomatic Backpack, and I have used it almost every day. I have some thoughts.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16: Pricing and Availability

The Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16 Portable Monitor can be purchased through the Sotsu website by clicking here. It's currently priced for pre-order at $789 / £594, and is available in a silver or space black, perfectly complementing a MacBook colorway.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16: Unboxing & first impressions

Right away, when I opened the box, I was struck by just how Apple-esque the Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16 looked, and in the best way. The silver color, the rounded edges, the black bezel matching the silver edge, and the gorgeous display. I

immediately noticed that without changing any settings, I plugged the display into my MacBook Pro, which perfectly matched my MacBook screen. Then, I saw the base and stand. At first, it looked like it would be complex or not exactly what I wanted, but I was sold when I noticed that I could extend the monitor out and have it raise above my MacBook.

When I realized I could set the display in portrait, horizontal, next to my MacBook display, above my MacBook display, or on its own, I was hooked.

Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16: Design & Build QualitySpecs

Screen Size: 16-inches
Resolution: 3840 x 2400
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Brightness: 450 nits
Contrast Ratio: 1200:1
Color: 100% DCI-P3
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Power Consumption: 15W
Dimensions: 14.4" x 9.3" x 0.5"
Monitor Weight: 925g
Base Weight: 435g

As I mentioned, this looks like an Apple product. If Apple were to make a portable monitor, it should buy out Sotsu and make this display itself. It's that good, and matches that well.

The build quality is spectacular and still looks brand new after nearly 200 days of daily use. The hinges work great, the IO is still tight, and the display has had zero issues.

The design is fantastic, and I find myself returning to this portable monitor repeatedly, even when testing others, or having other co-working setups I could plug into.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16: In use

After nearly 200 days of use, I found the absolute sweet spot for this display. I've made a straightforward modification; other than that, I am using this screen as intended, and it has been a dream to use. My single modification was swapping the cable that came with it to a 1m Thunderbolt 4 cable. I added a 40 Gbps right-angle adapter to it, so I still got the cable pointing to the back of my Mac towards the portable monitor.

I did this simply with the ease of my EDC in mind. There was nothing wrong with the cable Sotsu sent, but I knew I'd have some bigger files to transfer that I would want a Thunderbolt 4 cable in my bag for, so I may as well have one that is multi-purpose.

For many reasons, the Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16 has been my secret to productivity. First of all, I can now easily get a two (or three) screen setup, all out of my sleek EDC backpack, all powered with a single power in, one cable connecting my Mac to the display, and then if I want zero latency, one cable running from my Mac to my iPad Mini. Second of all, depending on what I am working on, I can swap between having a stacked monitor layout, to a portrait monitor next to my Mac, to a second display for my iPad, to a completely independent monitor for a Mac Mini, a camera setup, or another device I am working on.

Third, it is lightweight and easy to fit in my backpack without needing to reorganize or shove things in there; it just collapses to almost nothing and slides into a sleeve in my bag. And fourth, it has better screen resolution than the average monitor and most monitors that would even be available. At the same time, I travel, making this an even easier no-brainer to use.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

My daily setup experience now includes the Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16-inch. Setting up my entire workspace only takes seconds, and I can do it nearly anywhere. I usually spend most of my time with the display above my MacBook, at a more ergonomic eye level, and operating as my primary display. My 13-inch MacBook screen below is for my secondary things, running two virtual screens, one for admin, and one for project management. Then my iPad Mini runs anything from research to Spotify, Reminders, Slack, or sometimes Notion.

When I am working on something where I want more vertical space, I'll rotate the display to portrait mode so I can see more lines of whatever I am working on, and then when I am done, I'll rotate it back and move it back to above my MacBook.

If I'm working in an area where stacked monitors don't make sense for some reason, then I'll put it to the left and still have a multi-display setup.

There are a few things that I wish this display had, that would simply be icing on the cake. First, would be a USB-A port. Since I am on a newer MacBook Pro, I don't have any USB-A ports and there have been two instances where I have had to pull out a dongle to use that USB-A device. I wish that up by my SD Card slot reader on the base there could also be a USB-A port.

Secondly, I wish that there was an app integration with the display much like DisplayPilot 2 on any newer BenQ Monitor. However, I have gotten around needing to control display brightness by using an app called Monitor Control. Third, I wish the panel was OLED for the added brightness, and fourth, I wish there was a nano texture display option too, much like what I have on my iPad with a Paperlike screen. However, none of those qualms are cons, just wishes for a customized option.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Beautiful, High quality

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Right for most people

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Priced well for the product

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sotsu FlipAction Elite 16: Final verdict

In short, this display has become a staple in my EDC Setup for a reason. It has been the perfect portable monitor for me, and its largely due to the design, the 4K panel, and the remarkable multi-function stand. I have no plans to take this out of my everyday carry bag anytime soon, and I plan to continue using this panel nearly daily.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: One minute review

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is a strap-based monitor designed for your upper arm that uses optical tracking tech to measure blood volume, rather than electrocardiograph or ECG, which measures the heart's electrical signals. While many of the best heart rate monitors use ECG, optical sensors are found in the best smartwatches. Which begs the question: why does Coros' stand-alone HRM use optical sensors instead of ECG?

The short answer, from Coros, is that optical heart rate monitoring works by using light shone through your skin to see your blood flow. While watches can do a reasonable job on the wrist, there is a lot more blood higher up the arm, making a dedicated strap – which can be affixed tightly yet comfortably to that higher arm position – more accurate.

So, for your money, you are getting a more accurate optical heart rate monitor than a smartwatch, yet with arguably a more comfortable wearing position. Unlike a chest strap, it's a comfortable wear for both men and women of all body types and sizes, and to top it off you get a decent 38 hours of use with its rechargeable battery.

Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, this can be used with many different devices from smartwatches and phones to bikes and gym machines. There's also a useful wear detection feature which means this can auto-power on and connect. All you need to do is put it on.

There is basic waterproofing, to 3ATM, but this is more to make it sweat and rain-proof – so don't expect this to be usable for swimming. You also won't find connectivity options like ANT+ here, so that may limit some people in terms of which devices this can be used with.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor key specs

Component

Coros Heart Rate Monitor

Dimensions

42.5 x 28.4 x 9.1mm

Weight

19g with strap

Fit

18-32cm standard, 24-43cm large

Case material

Plastic unit, with polyester fibre, nylon and spandex band

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Compatibility

3 simultaneous

Water resistance

3 ATM

Accelerometer

No

Battery

Rechargeable USB-A

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Price and release date

• Available to buy now in the US, UK, and Australia
• Priced at $79 / £69 / AU$140 RRP
• A similar price point as Garmin's HRM Pro

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor launched on June 27, 2023 and is available across the globe. It launched with a price of $79 in the US, £69 in the UK and $140 in Australia.

The Coros HRM is available in several colours thanks to a selection of band options, which you can pick at purchase. These include Grey, Lime and Orange. There is also an option to get a large version of the Grey if needed – more details on that in the design section.

You can buy the Coros HRM directly from Coros via sites like Amazon.

Price-wise, it's comparable to the Garmin HRM-Pro, so it's in line with the rest of its competitors without being either outstanding value or egregiously expensive.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Design

• Comfortable to wear
• Easy to fit
• Simple design

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is all about simplicity and as such this is a doddle to wear. Since this is made to go on your bicep, once you've got the right size adjusted to suit you using the velcro fitting, it's a simple case of sliding it up your arm to pop it on.

The strap materials are a combination of polyester fiber, nylon and spandex, which all equate to a very comfortable feel. But, crucially, this is flexible enough to slip on and off with a stretch, but tight enough to stay in place without it feeling too tight or uncomfortable.

At 19g the total weight is barely noticeable. When you consider people run with large phones in arm strap cases and barely notice them, you can imagine how unobtrusive this feels.

Does this feel more comfy than a chest strap? The answer in my case was a yes, but that may vary from person to person. I certainly like the fact this slips on easily, and thanks to that auto-wear detection sensor it'll connect up quickly and easily too.

This is made to fit biceps of sizes between 18 and 32cm. So unless you're very slim or a bodybuilder, this is likely to fit you comfortably regardless of gender. If you are bigger in the arm area then there is the option to go for a larger variant of the strap at point of purchase, which accommodates 24-43cm biceps.

Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)

The sensor setup itself comprises five LEDs with four photodetectors. That combination, representing the best optical heart rate sensors from Coros right now, should mean this is fairly future-proof, unlikely to be eclipsed by more accurate technology for a while. That said, it won't offer SpO2 measurements, so if you're after O2 features then you may want to keep looking elsewhere.

There is an LED light on the side of the main unit which acts as a useful communication light. When on charge this will glow orange until the battery is full after two hours, and it then turns solid green so you know it's good to go.

The charger is USB-A at one end and a proprietary magnetic attachment at the end of the HRM connection. While it's easy to plug into many different power sources, we would have preferred the more efficient, up-to-date USB-C.

The strap is also washable, where the main unit can slide off, making it possible to keep that looking fresh for long periods.

• Design score: 4/5

Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Features

• App is minimal
• Lots of third-party app compatibility
• No swim tracking

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor can be paired to many devices and works with the app you want to use. But there is an included Coros app that you can use, ideal if you've already got other Coros devices like the Coros Pace Pro.

The Coros app is fine for analyzing data, but it won't track you while you're out exercising. So you will need to use a third-party app, like Strava. I connected the HRM by opening the Coros app, and once connected, I could just open Strava, slip on the armband, and it would pull in the HR data directly.

I found this helpful for heart rate training or zone tracking. Generally speaking, I used the phone to collect the data and then only looked at it when analyzing my effort after I was back and showered off, so you'll need to take your phone in a chest, waist or arm-mounted running case.

Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)

It's also worth noting that if you already have a smartwatch and simply want to add a more accurate heart rate tracker than the built-in optical option, this can connect to your smartwatch too. And yes, this did prove more accurate than wrist-based options during our testing, so this could be a viable alternative to a chest strap.

The app is the only way to know an accurate measure of the HRM's battery life. Sure the light on the side can give you rough guidance, but that's not likely to serve you before a run or ride where you'll want reassurance you have enough juice to go the distance. A push notification would have been helpful when connected too.

It's worth noting that this can broadcast heart rate to up to three devices simultaneously. So you could have your watch and phone connected to your bike computer at the same time, for example. I haven't tested this feature yet, but it's good to have the option should the need arise.

• Features: 3/5

Coros app (Image credit: Future)Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Performance

• Good accuracy
• Easy to use
• Very comfortable

One of the most important things to mention here is comfort. This is more comfy to wear than a chest strap, while offering almost the same level of accuracy. It's easy to slip on and off, less noticeable to wear and can also be kept hidden to avoid knocks – with the option to slide it under your sleeve.

While a wrist-worn heart rate monitor in a watch can be useful, wearing this on your bicep is so much more accurate. As mentioned it's a better spot, with more blood, for clearer readings. But it's also higher up the arm with far less movement when running and way less bumping when riding a bike. All that combines to offer great levels of accuracy across sports while staying comfy.

Where this falls down compared to a chest strap is battery life. It's decent, hitting close to the claimed 38 hours in real-world use, but still doesn't compare to the one or two year battery power of some chest straps.

Coros HRM on the left and chest strap on the right. (Image credit: Future)

In one run (image above), with an early hill climb which I use to beat any chance of averaging explaining accuracy, I did spot some issues. I had a competitor chest strap on in addition to the arm-based Coros HRM connected to my phone. On the hill climb, my heart quickly jumped to 170 and the chest strap kept up. However, the Coros strap lagged behind, reading 155. It did catch up, but was a few seconds behind.

After that, as the distance lengthened and those averages came into play, it got even closer, but I was aware of that initial blip.

So while you can see the early discrepancy, generally both the Coros and chest-mounted HRM show similar readings with near-identical max and average heart rate data. It was certainly noticeably more accurate than a wrist-worn optical heart rate sensor is capable of offering.

• Performance score: 4/5

Coros HRM: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

In line with competition, making it reasonable.

3.5/5

Design

Very well designed to be comfy, work well, be easy-to-use and accurate.

4.5/5

Features

Great app compatibility but loses points on lack of swim support.

3/5

Performance

Accurate, comfortable and easy to use.

4/5

Total

A superb option for accuracy and comfort with charge support.

4/5

Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Buy it if...

You're need true heart rate training
A dedicated HRM detects changes to your heart rate more accurately than a watch alone, allowing you to zone train with quality.

You want comfort and ease
The Coros HRM is very comfortable and easy to slip on and off with that auto turn-on and -off functionality, making it a pleasure to use.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: don't buy it if...

You want to see your data
Unless you own a Coros or other smartwatch, then seeing your data isn't easy when phone connected to this HRM.

You want the best battery
While battery life here is good, it's not chest strap level performance so consider that charging will be a part of this use.

Also considerAlso consider

Component

Wahoo Trackr

Garmin HRM Pro

Coros Heart Rate Monitor

Dimensions

615 x 30 x 10 mm

142 x 30 x 12 mm

42.5 x 28.4 x 9.1mm

Weight

39g with strap

59g

19g with strap

Case material

Plastic

plastic

Plastic, polyester fibre, nylon and spandex

Connectivity

Bluetooth and ANT+

ANT+, Bluetooth

Bluetooth

Operation temperatures

-10, -50°C

-10°C - 50°C

Up to 122°F

Water resistance

IPX7

5ATM (50 meters)

3 ATM

Accelerometer

No

Yes

No

Battery

CR3202 rechargeable

210mAh

38 hours

Garmin HRM-Pro (£119 / US$129.99 / AU$159.00)

Designed for multi-sport use, the HRM-Pro is the most advanced heart rate strap Garmin produces, although it’s probably of greater interest to those who already own Garmin products.

Read our full MyZone Garmin HRM-Pro review

MyZone MZ-Switch (£139.50 / $159.95 / AU$209.99.)

The MyZone MZ-Switch isn’t just a chest strap. The center sensor node features an ECG monitor as well as an optical sensor and pops out so it can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch.

Read our full MyZone MZ-Switch review

How I tested

I used the Coros HRM for a few weeks to test. I did this across running and cycling mainly and mixed in longer steady trips out as well as hills and sprints to get a range of results. I compared using a wrist-worn Garmin, a chest strap and, at one point, an optical armband too. I used this with a few different apps to try out how the data could be used, shared and analyzed.

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