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FiiO FH19: Two-minute review

Another day, another pair of FiiO headphones, and this time it’s the FiiO FH19, a pair of wired in-ear monitors. The FH19 are, by FiiO standards, a fairly expensive proposition and so it follows that the company, as is its established practice, has thrown the kitchen sink at them where specification and design are concerned. If FiiO has overlooked anything here, I’m not at all sure what it might be.

As is appropriate for a product with such a big specification – a couple of dynamic drivers plus half a dozen balanced armatures per earbud, enhancement technology for most parts of the frequency range, high purity sterling silver cable, you name it – the FiiO FH19 are quite physically large, too. The provision for 22 pairs (count ‘em!) of various ear tips helps to get the best fit, but at 12g a side these are chunky earbuds despite the liberal use of aluminium and titanium in their construction. And despite their carefully ergonomic shape, plenty of FH19 will protrude from all but the most generously sized ear-hole.

A contender for best wired earbuds? Perhaps – they have plenty to them, after all – but may fall down on that top-end sound. It's a close-run thing.

FiiO FH19 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• $599; £549; AU$999
• Launched in July 2024

The FiiO FH19 wired in-ear monitors are on sale now, and as you can see from the asking price in various territories, the company is not afraid of lining up against some of the biggest names in all of IEM-land. From the eccentricity of the Campfire Audio Cascara to the dead-eyed pro credentials of Sennheiser IE 600 and Shure SE535, you’re not short of choice if you’ve big money to spend…

FiiO FH19 review: Specs Fiio FH19 review: Features

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Hybrid dynamic driver/balanced armature arrangement
• Midrange notch filter and ‘S.Turbo’ bass enhancement
• High-purity sterling silver cable

The biggest news here as regards ‘features’ has to be the driver array FiiO has specified – each FH19 earbud features no fewer than eight drivers. A pair of 13.7mm dynamic drivers are arranged in a push/pull layout in an effort to maximize phase consistency and reduce the amount of power required to achieve optimum sound pressure level, and six Knowles balanced armature units deal with midrange and treble reproduction. FiiO has worked closely with Knowles, specifying acoustic vents at the rear cavity of the midrange drivers to maximize sound energy, and with Onkyo to ensure the cleanest possible sound from the dynamic driver arrangement.

And just in case this seems a bit tentative, the company has added a midrange notch filter to minimize the overlap between the sound produced by the midrange and high-frequency balanced armatures. There’s also the racy-sounding ‘S.Turbo’ technology that literally acts like a turbocharger by guiding low-frequency soundwaves through a turbine-like structure to deliver (according to FiiO) deep and vibrant low frequencies. 

What else? Well, rather than resistor-based ceramic capacitors, the FH19 feature film capacitors for greater crossover accuracy. And a suspended voice coil reduces both the adhesive load and reduces the possibility of unnecessary contact – instead, there ought to be smooth, uniform diaphragm movement.

FiiO suggests the entire FH19 arrangement results in a pair of in-ear monitors with a frequency response of 8Hz - 40Khz, a sensitivity of 109dB and an impedance of 16 ohms. Which means the FH19 really ought to be delivering full-range sound from pretty much any source of music without too much difficulty.   

Getting audio information into this almost performatively complex arrangement happens via 1.2m of high-purity sterling silver cable. It consists of eight braided strands, each carrying 28 wires for a total of 224 wires - each individual wire is enamelled, and the cable is twisted in Litz braids. It connects to each earbud using stainless steel MMCX connectors, and the connection to a music source can be made using either of the ‘twist/lock’ unbalanced 3.5mm or balanced 4.4mm jacks that are supplied.     

• Features score: 5/5

Fiio FH19 review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Semi-open housing
• Swappable audio filters
• Titanium and aluminium construction

First things first: these are relatively large, relatively heavy in-ear monitors, and despite the fact that FiiO provides no fewer than 22(!) pairs of ear tips of various sizes and materials, if you’re on the smaller-eared side the FH19 are going to feel like quite an uncomfortable earful. 

Let’s assume, then, that your ears are no smaller than ‘a bit smaller than average’. In this scenario, the FH19 are easy to fit securely and, thanks to the carefully ergonomic shape of the housing, comfortable too. Yes, they protrude from the ear in a slightly inelegant fashion, but that just allows bystanders to get a good look at the semi-open design with its aluminium shell and titanium midframe.

There are sound reasons why the FH19 feature a semi-open housing, of course – they’re mostly to do with the balance of internal air pressure and the prevention of pressure on the eardrum. Equally, FiiO has selected aluminium for the earbud shell because of its light weight, durability and willingness to be formed into relatively complex shapes, while titanium’s rigidity and resistance to corrosion make it a wise choice for the midframe. The fact that they combine to deliver a product that looks upmarket and even quite dramatic doesn’t do any harm, though.

Obviously, by allowing the wearer so much scope to get a comfortable fit, FiiO is hoping to maximize the audio performance of the FH19, but it’s also taken more direct steps. The FH19 are pre-installed with a ‘green’ audio filter which, according to the company, “delivers refined and detailed treble”. But it also supplies two alternative pairs that can be fitted by the wearer: ‘red’ (which “enhances low frequencies, providing powerful and impactful bass”) and ‘black’ (“offers balanced sound that is clear and transparent”). A little tool is supplied to make the changeover as simple as possible.

The tool itself arrives in a fairly large, hexagonal travel case that features some branding and also contains a magnetic cable-tie, a small brush to help keep your FH19 clean, and the alternative 3.5mm cable termination. It, like the earbuds themselves, looks and feels like a premium item. 

• Design score: 4.5/5

FiiO FH19 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Spacious, well-defined sound
• Rapid, punchy and entertaining presentation
• Can be goaded into top-end unruliness

Like any pair of in-ear monitors, the FiiO FH19 will perform most agreeably when they fit correctly. Unlike most pairs of in-ear monitors, the FiiO offer you well over a dozen options where ear tips are concerned, so getting to the point of identifying the most appropriate pair takes a little longer than normal.

Similarly, the audio filter options need to be investigated in order for you to establish what your preference is – although, as I will discuss just a little later, the pre-fitted ‘green’ pair are likely to be the least commonly deployed. But once you have reached the point whereby you’re happy with both the physical fit and the audio filters fitted to the FH19, there’s an awful lot to like about the way they sound.

A 24bit/44,1kHz FLAC file of Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, for instance, sounds energetic, wide-open and rapid. There’s proper control of the attack of low-frequency sounds, so even when they’re coming thick and fast there’s proper definition and separation. Rhythmic expression is confident, and momentum is maintained at every turn. Similarly the midrange is detailed and packed with variation, so the close-mic’d vocal is expressive and information regarding technique, timbre, attitude and all the rest of it is available in spades.

The semi-open arrangement allows the FH19 to sound more spacious than the usual ‘directly into your ear’ sensation of monitors that are, to be fair, directly in your ear. There’s an airiness and openness to the soundstage they present, a sensation of the gap between specific elements of a recording and more than enough elbow-room for each of those elements to do their thing in something approaching isolation. But there’s no overall sense of isolation or remoteness to the sound the FH19 serves up: instead it’s quite tightly unified and unarguably ‘together’. The recording is presented as a performance, as individual elements acting with a common aim rather than simply doing their own thing while other things happen nearby.

Switch to a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of Chick Corea’s Return to Forever and the FH19 continue to impress. They pay close attention to the harmonic variations in specific instruments and the wordless vocalizations, and dispatch the bigger dynamic shifts in volume or intensity with the sort of casual effortlessness that lets you know  there’s plenty more where that came from. 

The tonality here is basically neutral, your choice of audio filter notwithstanding, and despite the numerousness of the drivers, the FH19 integrate the frequency range well. Where the audio filters come into play most obviously, though, is where treble response is concerned.

A 24bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of LesAplx by Floating Points has plenty of high-frequency activity, of many different tones and substances, to offer. There’s no two ways about it, with their default ‘green’ audio filters fitted, the FiiO FH19 are altogether too happy to get hard and edgy at the top of the frequency range. Even with one of the other filter options selected (my preference is for the ‘black’ option, FWIW), it doesn’t take a lot for the treble response here to get a bit overexcited. Dial in more volume and things just get shinier and, in extremis, abrasive.

Still, this is easily mitigated against. Leave the ‘green’ audio filters well alone, don’t listen at the sort of volumes you shouldn’t really be listening at anyway, and all will be well. 

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

FiiO FH19 review: Value

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Stack up well against the competition for price
• …But only if they fit

If you’ve read this far then I’m going to go ahead and assume you don’t think your ears are too small for FH19 ownership. So as long as they fit, there’s plenty to suggest the FiiO offer very acceptable value for money

The quality of materials used and the way they’re constructed, the engineering prowess that’s been brought to bear and, most of all, the open and engaging sound quality they’re capable of delivering in almost every circumstance see to that. Hear them against the best of their rivals and you’ll quickly realise what FiiO is offering here is not to be sneezed at. 

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the FiiO FH19? Buy them if...

Balanced and open sound seems your sort of thing
The clever semi-open configuration allows the FiiO FH19 to sound more spacious than your average in-ear monitor.

Don't buy them if...

You’re especially sensitive to high-frequency sound
At bigger volumes, or when connected to unsympathetic sources of music, the FH19 can get quite carried away where the top of the frequency range is concerned.

FiiO FH19 review: Also consider How I tested the FiiO FH19

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Connected to a FiiO M15S DAP
• Connected to an iFi iDSD Diablo 2 headphone amp
• With a big range of digital audio content of all types and file sizes

I won’t pretend it has been any kind of hardship, not really. Using the 4.4mm balanced connection I joined the FiiO FH19 to a FiiO M15S digital audio player and to an iFi iDSD Diablo 2 headphone amp – this way I was able to listen to digital audio files of all sizes (320kbps to 24bit/192kHz) and to music of all styles. I also connected them directly to the 3.5mm unbalanced headphone socket of an Apple MacBook Pro – not an experiment I’m in any kind of hurry to repeat. 

Read more about how we test earbuds.

• First reviewed: October 2024 
• Read TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee

A win for the Blues could see them climb into the top four.

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE: two-minute review

The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is a laser and LED smart projector capable of projecting 4K Dolby-Vision-enhanced imagery up to 200 inches. It was first released in the US, followed by the UK in August and September 2024 for a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99.

It's cheaper than its predecessor, the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K, which has an extra 400 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a full laser light source, compared to the 4K SEs laser and LED HybridBeam. The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has plenty to boast about though, with Google TV built-in, offering effortless access to popular streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+, and many other useful apps, as one would expect from Google. There’s decent support for external content too, with HDMI and USB-C ports making it simple to connect a disc drive or laptop.

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has a stated brightness of 1,800 ANSI lumens – this is some way short of most of the best 4K projectors. Our testing didn’t provide results to get excited about, with measurements taken including 122 nits peak brightness, which wasn’t radically different from the BenQ v5000i, and grayscale accuracy of 8, plus a color accuracy of 3.4.

Coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut came in at 88.9%, with BT.2020 reading 76.3%. The input lag measured up, with 35ms of lag in Game Mode Standard, and 18.5ms in Game Mode Extreme.

(Image credit: Future)

Real-time autofocus, auto keystone correction, and auto screen fit worked well when projected onto small targets, but I found I had to manually alter the four keystone points to get the image to sit centrally (just about) on my 100-inch screen. I could only watch at 60 inches, as I lacked the space to have the projector the required 7.8ft / 2.4 meters away from the screen. If you have your heart set on getting the full movie theatre experience without having to shell out on a house extension, I’d recommend taking a look at our pick of the Best ultra short throw projectors instead.

When it comes to the performance of the contrast and brightness when watching content, darker scenes in movies and TV shows with a dark aesthetic were plagued by pixelated grays where darker areas would otherwise be visible while watching on a TV. This isn’t entirely uncommon for projectors, as producing dense blacks is naturally difficult given how the image is generated, but I can’t say that it didn’t subtract from the otherwise fabulous viewing experience. Scenes in Damsel and Prometheus in particular showcased the Cosmos 4K SE’s ability to deliver stunningly vivid color and intricate details, no doubt thanks to the addition of Dolby Vision. This, along with the two built-in 15-watt Dolby-Audio-enabled speakers made watching movies and series with this projector a satisfyingly immersive experience. You can read further details about this in the Picture Quality section below.

In a nutshell, provided you have the space to achieve the screen size you want, you’re happy watching content in little more than a dim light, and you have the space to place this chonky example of a portable projector, I’d highly recommend the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE.

(Image credit: Future) Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: price and availability

• List price: $1,299.99 / £1,299.99
• Available in the US and the UK
• Released in August / September 2024

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE became available in the US in August 2024, followed by the UK in September 2024, at a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99. Apart from the Amazon Prime Day sales, when it dropped to $999 / £999, which Anker matched on the Nebula website, the cost of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE looks to have remained at its usual price. At the time of writing, the Cosmos 4K SE is not available in Australia.

While unlikely to be a spontaneous purchase at this price, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is still miles cheaper than all but one in our choice of the best 4K projectors.

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: specs Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: design and features

• Google TV built-in
• Large but technically portable
• Efficient auto-correction and calibration features

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE just about classes as portable, though it is a bit of a chonk, weighing in at 4.5kg /9.9lb, and with dimensions of 10.4 x 8.7 x 6.5 inches / 264 x 221 x 165mm. I was able to pick it up and carry it about, but I had to be careful about it. It would be even more of a hassle if it wasn't for the helpful, and comfortable silicone inbuilt handle that protrudes from the top of the projector body.

This projector is solely mains-powered, with no built-in battery or compatible battery pack. So while you might be able to carry it outside, you'll need to have access to a suitable power outlet for al fresco viewing.

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE uses its HybridBeam, which is a combo of laser and LED, to generate images with up to a specified 1,800 ANSI lumens of brightness. The auto screen adjustment, auto keystone, and autofocus features did a great job of projecting images that were rectangular and crisp for the most part, especially when projecting onto smaller targets, which for me in particular was the wall space next to my bed. However, I found I was limited to just 60 inches when trying to watch on my 100-inch screen. This forced me to make use of the four-point manual keystone correction, as the Cosmos 4K SE insisted on fixing the 60-inch projection to the upper-left corner of the screen each time, which looked all kinds of wrong. After some investigating, I learned that the 4K SE needs to be at least 7.8 feet / 2.4 meters away from the target to project at 90 inches or above. I was using the projector in quite a large room, so this seems fairly limiting.

(Image credit: Future)

Anker claims that it’s possible to watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room with windows and indirect daylight, but unfortunately, I must disagree. The issues I’ve already mentioned regarding the contrast and black density were when watching in darkness. When I tried to watch with additional light sources any stronger than the colorful LED strips behind my TV, this contrast issue got worse, and anything more than very dim sunlight made it very difficult to see most of what was going on in whatever I was watching.

Having a light source in the room also plays havoc with the Wall Color Calibration feature, which is intended to alter the coloring of the projection so that it still looks correct regardless of the color of the wall you’re projecting against. I tested this out in our TechRadar music room, which is painted a deep teal color. When I tried this with some indirect sunlight coming from the small window far over to the right on the same wall I was projecting onto, the “color corrected” image had an off-putting blue tint to it. When I repeated the calibration with the lights off, it worked perfectly, and I was really impressed.

(Image credit: Future)

I found the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE easy to control thanks to the backlit remote control's handy voice assistant feature, as I could ask Google to whisk me straight to the content I wanted. The Nebula Connect app also worked well as a remote control, too.

I love that the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE comes with Google TV built-in, as in my experience it has proven to be the most efficient Android TV OS by far. As expected, it provides access to all of the popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and Apple TV, plus easy access to YouTube, naturally. It's simple to access content from external sources too, thanks to the USB-C input and the two HDMI ports, one of which is a HDMI 2.1 (eARC), supporting 4K visuals at 60 hertz, with lossless transmission.

When it comes to audio output, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has two built-in 15-watt speakers enabled with Dolby Audio. I didn't observe any issues with the sound quality during my testing, I was very satisfied with the quality. I would have picked up quite quickly if there were any issues that a typical user would notice – I've tested a lot of Bluetooth speakers in my time so I will spot from a mile off poor clarity or if the bass and treble are below par.

• Design score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: picture quality

• Beautifully vivid color
• Disappointing lack of contrast
• Immersive cinematic experience

When I got my hands on the Cosmos 4K SE, I was really excited to try it out. I'd previously tested the Nebula Mars 3 Air back in my freelancing days, which I loved, so I was expecting big things from the 4K SE.

After letting it warm up for an hour, myself and my colleague James conducted tests to evaluate the projector's capabilities. The peak brightness, when viewing in Movie Mode and measured on a white 10% window pattern, was 122 nits in SDR, which isn't far off the peak brightness reading we got for the more expensive BenQ v5000i, and 119 in HDR, surpassing the reading we got for the BenQ.

The color performance figures that resulted from our testing didn't blow me away, but at this price and for casual viewing, I can forgive the Cosmos 4K SE for this. The projector achieved a Grayscale accuracy of 8, and a 3.4 for color accuracy, which was just a whisker off our target level of 3.

Coverage of the BT.2020 scored 76.3%, and the UHDA-P3 color gamut coverage was also nothing to shout about at 88.9% meaning that, although the colors were satisfyingly vivid, they weren't as rich and varied as those projected by the LG CineBeam Q, which gave an impressive reading of 98.7%. These test figures were obtained while viewing in HDR Movie Mode. The input lag in Game Mode Standard was 35ms, and in Gaming Mode Extreme was 18.5ms, which supports Anker's claims of the 4K SE being low latency with under 19ms of lag and should satisfy the majority of casual gamers.

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of the brightness and contrast when viewing there were mixed results. In lighter scenes, the whites and colors were satisfyingly bright and dazzling, but the handling of the contrast in dark scenes left a lot to be desired. The first film I watched on the Cosmos 4K SE was Damsel on Netflix, starring Millie Bobby Brown. I can easily jump straight into all the positives, as I was stunned by the beautiful imagery that the projector delivered, but I'll get the negative out of the way first. It was clear fairly early on that there was a contrast issue.

When the main character Elodie enters a dark cave, all detail is lost around her, with stonework being replaced with grey pixelated sections. Achieving a quality deep black can prove difficult for projectors, especially those that don't possess full laser optical technology – with a 238:1 contrast ratio reading from the Cosmos 4K SE, it’s hardly surprising that it didn’t perform brilliantly in this area. Aside from this, there were so many scenes that took advantage of the projector's strengths, likely due to the presence of Dolby Vision. The scenes involving the luminescent grubs and the crystal caves were visually stunning, with the vivid colors and clarity making Damsel a delight to watch.

During the opening sequence of Prometheus, the level of brightness was impressive, as was the color density. The delicate details on the spaceship as it came in to land were visible and clear, as were the pores and veins on the Engineer's face. The level of intricacy in the DNA scenes when the strands were getting affected by the black pathogen highly impressed me too. The scene that really caught my attention, though, was when David has a drop of Chemical A0-3959X.91 on the tip of his finger. The close-up shots of this were visually stunning, so much so that I started to calculate quite how I could incorporate a projector screen into my living room on a permanent basis. Despite the darker scenes in Maleficent and Damsel noticeably lacking contrast, similar scenes appear to be handled better in Prometheus; they still weren't perfect, but darker details were more visible.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic. Series like Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality.

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, playback was smooth during intense fight scenes, with the images remaining crisp and high quality, despite the fast movement. The detail is fantastic once again, with the intricate weave of the fabric of Hawk Eye's suit clearly visible.

Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic, even when watching in the dark. Series such as Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality, which is a real shame considering the projector's fabulous performance in other areas.

• Picture quality score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: value

• Good picture quality for the price
• Delivers a satisfying at-home cinema experience
• Uses Laser and LED hybrid optical technology

At $1,299.99 / £1,299.99, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is $400 / £400 cheaper than the previous model, the Nebula Cosmos 4K, despite the 4K SE having a large projection range, Google TV built in, and Dolby Vision. This price difference is likely due to the 400 additional ANSI lumens and, more importantly, due to the original 4K utilizing a laser light source, compared to the 4K SE's laser and LED HybridBeam, which could explain its lackluster brightness.

Overall, the viewing experience was fantastic when in a dimly lit room, and the sound quality was spot on. It was like having a pop-up cinema, with beautifully vivid colors and no problems with fast-paced scenes. The downsides can't be ignored, however, with a lack of contrast in some darker scenes when watching in the dark, and a distractingly bad lack of contrast and brightness issues when watching in the light, despite viewing at the projection size that Anker claims would be visible in a well-lit environment.

While it's pretty chunky, and not exactly an attractive addition to the decor unless it's situated in a casual TV and gaming den, it feels suitably robust for the price. While the size and weight initially made me question its apparent portability, this weight pales in comparison to other 4K projectors such as the Samsung The Premiere 9, and the carry handle definitely makes moving it about a simpler task. If the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE might upset your Feng Shui, then fear not, as more attractive alternatives are available, such as the LG CineBeam Q, which you can learn a little more about in the Also Consider section below.

• Value score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE? Buy it if

You don’t want to spend several thousand
While $1,299.99 / £1,299.99 is still a high price to pay, you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Cosmos 4K SE. Built-in Google TV, competent auto-correction features, and impressive imagery and sound are well worth the cost if you can spare it.

You want popular apps at your fingertips
The advantage of the built-in Google TV is the ease of the interface and the distinct lack of bug and lag-related issues that I’ve experienced with so many Android-based OS. It’s satisfyingly simple to get set up, so you can get to streaming content without the frustration.

You want an immersive cinematic experience
Picture this, relaxing comfortably in the dark, bag of popcorn in hand, as you watch a feature-length film in 4K on the big screen, all from the comfort of your own home. The stunning visuals and immersive sound the 4K SE delivers are worth splashing out on.

Don't buy it if

You want the big picture but have a small space
A short-throw projector the Cosmos 4K SE is not. You need at least 5.5ft / 1.69m of space to achieve a screen size over 60 inches, which, for me personally, is a must, as I love the big-screen experience.

You want an easily portable projector
While it wouldn’t be difficult to maneuver for most, this projector is big and weighty. The carry handle makes life easier, but if you’re going away for the weekend it’s going to take up valuable trunk space, and there’s no way you’d want to lug it around on public transport.

You don’t want to be kept in the dark
Although Anker claims that you can watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room and indirect daylight, I found that watching with just one small window a few feet from the projection on an overcast day caused the quality to reduce drastically, the projected image looked washed out, and darker scenes that lacked contrast in optimum conditions became practically invisible.

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: also consider

Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K
The 4K SE’s older sibling is almost identical in size and weight, and while it doesn’t possess some of the more desirable features, such as Dolby Vision and Google TV, it’s brighter and utilizes laser DLP optical technology, rather than a laser / LED hybrid. Check out the full Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K review.

Hisense PX3-Pro
A far pricier option, but if you want a top-quality, ultra-short-throw projector, then this could be the one for you. It’s not portable like the other alternatives listed here, but it performed well in various lighting conditions, delivered bright, rich colors, and a higher standard of contrast when compared to the 4K SE. Why not take a look at the Hisense PX3-Pro review to find out more.

LG CineBeam Q
If you want a projector that’s not a space invader, and can even make an attractive addition to your decor, then the LG CineBeam Q would be a good fit. While it’s not perfect, with limited brightness and poor audio quality, it looks stylish, projects in good-quality 4K, and can provide access to popular streaming apps, whether you’re watching at home or on your travels. If this has piqued your interest, there's plenty more detail in the full LG CineBeam Q review.

How I tested the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE

• Tested at home and in the TechRadar music and TV testing rooms
• Tested in different lighting conditions
• Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software

I got the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE setup and had an explore around the available features, apps, and settings. I tried out the various display presets to determine the most satisfying option for casual viewing. I watched several films, series, and online content to establish how well the projector handled the different aesthetics. I tested the visibility of the projection by watching in total darkness, minimal lighting, and daylight.

My colleague, TV expert James, and I, measured the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The results provided Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, providing us with figures to assess the projector’s overall accuracy.

We also ran tests to obtain measurements of the peak light output in both standard and high dynamic range modes, and measured the coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space, to obtain readings that determine how well the projector can render the extended color range. Finally, we measured the contrast ratio, determining the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector is capable of displaying, and the input lag, which is an important reading if you’re looking for a gaming projector in particular.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed October 2024

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'Parts work' or Internal Family Systems is a type of talk therapy that’s surged in popularity. Here’s how it works and how it can help with stress. 

• Gemini 2.0 could be arriving in December
• Expect across-the-board performance improvements
• ChatGPT-5 may be launched at the same time

It was only a few days ago we heard rumors around OpenAI launching a next-gen ChatGPT-5 model – rumors dismissed as "fake news" by OpenAI chief Sam Altman – and now we're hearing Google Gemini 2.0 could be made public in the next couple of months.

Like the ChatGPT rumor, this comes from The Verge (via 9to5Google). The last major Gemini upgrade came back in February, when Gemini 1.5 was pushed out. Google uses the Gemini name for both its AI bots, and the underlying models.

What we don't get in this report are any indications of what might be new and improved in Gemini 2.0. If previous releases are anything to go by, expect smarter answers, faster processing, support for longer inputs, and more reliable reasoning and coding.

As per the report, Gemini 2.0 doesn't offer the sort of performance increases its developers were originally hoping for – but the article also notes that this is a trend affecting all large language models (LLM) in general, not just those at Google.

Keeping up the pace

Gemini (the app) runs on Gemini (the AI model) (Image credit: Google)

If Google (and perhaps OpenAI) did indeed launch AI model upgrades before the end of the year, it would be further evidence of the time and resources that companies are investing in artificial intelligence in order to stay ahead.

In recent weeks we've seen new video tools, improved image generation, and bespoke search features launched by AI companies. When next week rolls around, meanwhile, millions of iPhone owners will be able to try out Apple Intelligence for the first time..

That said, we're still waiting for Google to launch the next-gen Project Astra AI assistant we saw demoed at Google I/O 2024 back in May. Project Astra combines multiple inputs and outputs in a more advanced and natural way than ever.

While we have previously spent some hands-on time with Project Astra, it doesn't seem as though it's directly connected to Gemini 2.0 – though it may be powered by it. Of course as soon as anything is made official, we'll bring you the news here.

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I recently started using an iPhone 15 after five years away from Apple smartphones, and as my prior pieces on the iPhone’s lackluster 60Hz screen and satisfyingly nostalgic form factor may have let on, coming back to iOS has been a bit of a rollercoaster.

There is one thing about the iPhone that I’m unreservedly happy about, though, a feature that I’m happy to call the best in its class.

It’s not the Dynamic Island with its useful notifications, nor the 48MP main camera with its excellent low-light performance, nor the USB-C port with all its interconnectivity – in fact, my favorite thing about the iPhone 15 is something that’s been part of the iPhone lineup since the very beginning.

I’m talking about the humble speaker, situated along the bottom edge of the iPhone 15 and paired with the speaker grille along the top of the screen for stereo sound. I have been continually amazed by how fantastic this tiny dual-channel system sounds, especially compared to the other handsets in my rotating smartphone loadout.

Sounding off

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

As a lover of both music tech and consumer tech, I’ve found myself genuinely confused at how Apple has managed to wring so much bass and presence out of such a physically small speaker, but at full volume I find I’m able to hear songs clearly from any room in the house.

I can clearly remember a time when phone speakers were something of an afterthought, a definitively sub-optimal way of listening to music on a phone. My first ever smartphone, an early HTC One, had a speaker grille about a centimeter wide that sounded predictably atrocious.

However, this didn’t stop me from listening to music on it – I’ve continued to use phone speakers in the years since, mostly just to put something on while I’m doing chores or getting ready to head out.

That said, the iPhone 15 is the first phone I’ve used that I feel offers a proper listening experience, rather than just a way to have something playing.

Lately, I’ve found myself eschewing the Amazon Echo smart speaker and Presonus Eris 3.5 monitors I’ve got dotted around the house for the convenience of the iPhone – it’s physically impossible to replicate the rich sound of a 3-inch speaker with a smartphone, but the iPhone 15 gets close enough that I rarely feel like I'm missing out for background listening.

It’s not that I don’t care about audio quality either – I quite regularly buy music online for the sake of getting the best quality sound and even produce my own music. The blend of simplicity and quality offered by the iPhone is just really tough to beat.

In fact, with the option of proper speakers already in place and portability solved by the iPhone, I find that I’m not tempted by even the best Bluetooth speakers – a necessity in my music listening arsenal in years past.

Overall, the iPhone 15 is a reminder of Apple’s engineering prowess and just how far the phone speaker has come. Audio is rarely the reason a phone makes it to our list of the best phones, but music lovers shouldn’t ignore this underrated aspect of the iPhone experience.

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A couple of years ago, Israeli startup CogniFiber made headlines with Deeplight, a fiber-optic cable which could, “process complex algorithms within the fiber itself before the signal hits the terminal.” At the time, we warned this technology wouldn’t reach end users in the near future, and was unlikely to appear in laptops or smartphones anytime soon.

However, eeNews Embedded is now reporting on Oriole Networks, a UK-based startup using light for a different purpose - to create efficient networks of AI chips.

The technology can reportedly train LLMs up to 100 times faster than conventional methods while drastically reducing power usage, and this research aims to mitigate the growing energy consumption of data centers driven by the rapid expansion of AI workloads and the increasing demand for high-performance computing.

20 years of photonics research

“Our ambition is to create an ecosystem of photonic networking that can reshape this industry by solving today’s bottlenecks and enabling greater competition at the GPU layer. Building on decades of research, we’re paving the way for faster, more efficient, more sustainable AI," said James Regan, CEO of Oriole Networks.

The company's roots lie in optical network research from University College London (UCL) and Oriole’s unique IP is based on the work of founding scientists Professor George Zervas, Alessandro Ottino, and Joshua Benjamin.

The startup has already drawn attention from a number of investors keen to find solutions for AI's increasing energy demands.

With plans to release its early-stage products by 2025, Oriole Networks hopes to reshape AI’s infrastructure by making it faster, more energy-efficient, and ultimately more sustainable.

eeNews Embedded quotes Ian Hogarth, a member of Oriole’s board, and a partner at Plural which led the latest funding round, “Applying 20 years of deep research and learning in photonics to create a better AI infrastructure demonstrates how much more innovation there is to come to help reap the benefits of this technology," he said.

"The team behind Oriole Networks has proven experience in both company building and bringing deep science to commercialization, creating a fundamental shift in the design of next-generation networked systems that will reduce latency and slash the energy impact of data centers on which we now rely.”

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