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• Another Sony WH-1000XM6 leak has emerged
• Import documents suggest a launch is close
• The three colors may match the existing model

Our Sony WH-1000XM5 review will tell you that we've been very impressed with Sony's flagship over-ear headphones since they launched in May 2022 – but that's nearly three years ago. Now it seems that a follow-up pair are finally about to launch.

The team at The Walkman Blog (via Notebookcheck) has spotted what seem to be importer filings, listing a couple of the countries the long-awaited Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are expected to show up in: India and Vietnam.

In addition, there are references to three colors, which are assumed to be black, platinum silver, and midnight blue. The current Sony WH-1000XM5 model is available in those three colors, plus smoky pink, which was added later and doesn't get a mention here.

There's no other information from this particular leak, but it adds to the mounting evidence that the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are going to show up very soon now – perhaps before we're half way through the year.

The best new headphones of 2025?

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones in black (Image credit: Future)

While there are usually two-year gaps between flagship Sony over-ear headphone launches, the thinking is that the company has waited longer this time to get this series into sync with its earbuds – most recently, the Sony WF-1000XM5.

Whatever the reason for the delay, these headphones are now overdue, making a 2025 launch very likely at this stage. Once the new model is unveiled, it'll no doubt be contending for a space in our best headphones guide.

This is by no means the first leak we've heard around the Sony WH-1000XM6. Last month we saw some regulatory filings related to the device, which is always a sure sign that new hardware is about to become available to consumers.

It seems we could be in line for a Bluetooth tech upgrade with these headphones, while there's also been talk of some tweaks to the design this time around. As soon as anything is made official, we will of course let you know.

You might also like

• Should you buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones in 2025?
• 6 upgrades we want from the Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds
• Philips reveals new Sony-bothering ANC headphones

The country is hosting a major international cricket tournament for the first time in a generation. It's a much-needed bright spot in a nation that's confronted recent economic and political crises.

(Image credit: Fadel Senna)

At MWC 2025, the Chinese phone-maker outlines plans to ensure its flagship phones live a long and happy life.

Find the fastest home internet speeds and cheapest plans in Amarillo with CNET's top picks for the best ISP in this Texas town.

Honor has announced a commitment to providing seven years of Android OS and security updates to its latest Magic series devices, including the Honor Magic 7 Pro.

The move brings the burgeoning smartphone manufacturer in line with Apple, Samsung, and Google, all of which provide seven years of software and security updates to their respective flagship smartphones (Apple promises at least five years of updates, but the company regularly tends to previous-generation iPhones beyond that period).

Previously, Honor handsets were typically supported with five years of updates. The best honor phones from 2024 – namely the Honor Magic 6 Pro, Honor Magic V3, and Honor 200 Pro – will remain subject to this original commitment, with the recently released Magic 7 Pro becoming the first beneficiary of the company’s new stance.

“By guaranteeing long-term software and security updates, Honor provides Magic Series owners with the confidence that their devices will remain up-to-date, secure, and feature-rich – maximizing the value of their investment and extending the lifespan of the devices,” Honor said in statement accompanying the announcement, which was made at MWC 2025.

It’s clear, then, that the move is as much a display of Honor’s faith in the longevity of its smartphone hardware as it is a commitment to sustainability (it aligns the brand with the EU's Circular Economy and Ecodesign regulations).

Do smartphones need seven years of updates?

The answer to that question has, I think, changed since Apple began offering seven years of updates to its iPhones (Google and Samsung started doing so more recently) – though I suspect that OnePlus would disagree.

In contrast to those brands (and now Honor), OnePlus has committed to offering four years of OS updates and six years of security patches to its latest flagship device, the OnePlus 13, with OnePlus COO Kinder Liu saying in a 2024 interview that longer update policies “miss the point” if the hardware they apply to becomes outdated. Sure, that reads like a self-own (i.e. an admission that OnePlus phones won’t last as long as rival models) but Liu’s point holds water for a certain generation of phones: a six-year-old iPhone XR, for instance, can technically run iOS 18, but that doesn’t mean it’ll do so smoothly.

Of course, an Honor Magic 7 Pro is not an iPhone XR; its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 12GB RAM will undoubtedly give it longevity that phones from yesteryear simply don’t have. That said, I don’t think Honor is expecting anyone to actually hold on to the same phone for seven years – this is more a case of the company aligning itself with the big boys so it can’t be criticized for not doing so.

Still, the more updates, the merrier. Offering as-long-as-possible update support can only be a good thing for consumers, provided that the hardware in question can indeed live up to the billing in seven years' time. Come back to us in 2032.

You might also like

• Honor’s Magic Portal 2.0 brings game-changing updates to one of the best Android software features
• Honor Magic 7 Pro launches with Deepfake Detection and a 200MP ‘Super Zoom’ camera
• Honor Magic 7 RSR launches with more RAM than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra combined (yes, really)

You'll still have to take measures to keep your financial information safe from hackers.

For the vast majority of people, shopping for one of the best TVs means shopping for a 4K TV. But I suspect that for the vast majority of that vast majority, the TV they buy won't be fed many 4K shows or movies. And that's important, because I think you should factor that into your buying decisions.

The reason most of your entertainment won't be 4K is because unless you're paying for the most expensive streaming packages, you're likely getting 1080p Full HD (or lower, in some cases: I'm in the UK where streamers such as Now TV delivers 720p as standard).

I'm a cautious buyer, and I grudge paying extra for marginally better streaming resolution – partly on principle but mainly because if you subscribe to multiple of the best streaming services, that extra cash soon adds up, especially as streaming gets more expensive every year. A few years ago, 4K came as standard in many cases, but as ad-based tiers have appeared, it's not guaranteed any more.

And even if you do plump for the Super Awesome Premium Plus packages, not all of the available content is in 4K. For example I watched an Anthony Bourdain show recently on a 4K streaming service; the show was filmed in 2002, apparently using RealVideo, and was so low-res you'd think they'd made it in Minecraft.

We can't travel back in time to make SD shows HD, or HD ones 4K. But with the right TV, we don't have to.

The hidden hero in the best TVs

My Anthony Bourdain show wasn't unwatchable, and my TV deserves all the credit for that: despite being blown up to 65 inches, the picture wasn't too bad. That's because my TV has a good image processor that upscales relatively low-res content well.

Thanks to image processing, Anthony Bourdain's early 2000s tour looks considerably less jaggy on my TV. (Image credit: Prime Video)

As a general rule, the bigger the TV, the more important its upscaling is going to be. Issues that aren't apparent on a 42-inch 4K panel will be terribly obvious on a 65-inch or larger. That's because the smaller panel has a much higher pixel density: both displays are packing 3840x2160 pixels, but the smaller display packs them in much more tightly, so image flaws aren't quite so visible.

We've written a detailed guide to 4K upscaling, which you can find here. But the executive summary is that it works like this: the processor analyzes the signal, applies noise reduction, sharpens anything that needs to be sharpened and, for lower resolution signals, it then converts the signal to 4K resolution (or 8K if you have an 8K TV).

It's far from new technology, but it doesn't get talk about as often as it used too – but it's just as important in the streaming age, especially with some new streaming tiers taking is backwards, as I mentioned above.

Image processing is also important for streaming at any resolution because streaming video isn't lossless: it's optimized for efficient delivery, and that means sacrificing some of the data (which is one reason many movie fans with serious home cinema setups prefer the best 4K Blu-ray players to streaming).

That data optimization can cause visible issues such as noticeable color banding or ugly gradients in darker backgrounds, where instead of a smooth range of colors or near-darkness, you see patches of color with clear dividing lines between them. If you have network congestion, the bitrate can drop and make those issues even more apparent. But with good picture processing your TV can spot those issues and fix them in real time.

How to buy the best TV for upscaling

Price is, inevitably, a big part of this: just like budget phones don't come with the latest and greatest mobile processors, TVs built to a low price aren't likely to have state-of-the-art upscaling.

The very best processing usually turns up in TV makers' flagship models first, especially with household names: the likes of Sony, LG, Samsung, Panasonic and Philips all push their extremely clever image processing systems as key selling points for their latest and greatest televisions.

All TV makers use upscaling tech, but these companies have particularly impressed us, based not only on how well they add sharpness, but in how they manage to reduce color bands – especially Sony, LG and Panasonic when it comes to the latter, though Samsung's 2025 TVs also make a great improvement in this area from our demos so far.

I'm a bit biased, of course, but I'd definitely recommend reading our in-depth reviews of any TVs you're considering: upscaling is one of the key features we look at very carefully, and because we review so many TVs we've got extensive knowledge of what makes upscaling look natural, and what leaves things looking artificial and not making the most of your 4K screen.

But I'd also suggest going to a store, even if you're planning to buy online. That's where you can test different models' upscaling really easily: turn off the retail/demo mode with its over-the-top brightness, contrast and motion smoothing and ask to see something that isn't 4K – and ideally, that isn't even Full HD.

Watching 4K content on a 4K display isn't going to show you how good its image processing system is: it's the lower-res stuff that separates the OK from the awesome.

Honor has overhauled its smartphone strategy to become an “AI device ecosystem company,” and is working on a new type of an intelligent smartphone that will feature “purpose-built, human-centric AI designed to maximize human potential.”

The company’s new CEO, James Li, announced the move – dubbed the Honor Alpha Plan – at MWC 2025, calling on the smartphone industry to “co-create an open, value-sharing AI ecosystem that maximizes human potential, ultimately benefiting all mankind.” Talk about ambition.

This Alpha plan consists of three steps, each catering to a different ‘era’ of AI: namely the Agentic AI era, the Physical AI era, and the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) era. The first, Honor says, concerns the development of a “super intelligent” smartphone, which the company will create in collaboration with various partners including Qualcomm and Google.

Honor teased various new software tools as part of its presentation – including AI Upscale and a cross-OS file-sharing technology (yes, the ability to share files between iOS and Android devices) – that will feature on its upcoming devices. Some, like AI Upscale, will come to the recently released Honor Magic 7 Pro, too.

Image 1 of 3

Step 1 of the Honor Alpha Plan (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

Step 2 of the Honor Alpha Plan (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

Step 3 of the Honor Alpha Plan (Image credit: Future)

For the so-called Physical AI era, Honor hopes “the industry” can collaborate on a shared AI ecosystem to help get the very best out of this potentially paradigm-shifting technology.

“I call on the industry to be truly open so that we can fully embrace this exciting AI future. Let’s do it together,” Li said on stage at MWC. Sure, that’s more than a little vague (does ‘the industry’ mean rival smartphone manufacturers?) but Honor is supposedly investing more than $10 billion into this cross-collaboration idea, so the company is certainly committed to the cause.

Finally, the AGI era will welcome “the co-existence between carbon-based life and silicon-based intelligence,” according to Li. AGI refers to Artificial General Intelligence, an as-yet-unrealized type of AI that matches human cognitive abilities. AGI follows ANI (Artificial Narrow Intelligence), which refers to AI designed to perform specific tasks, and precedes ASI (Artificial Super Intelligence), which refers to AI that’s, ahem, smarter than humans (think Skynet and HAL 9000 – those famously non-threatening systems).

Honor COO Ray Guo announcing the Honor Alpha Plan at MWC 2025 (Image credit: Future)

Jokes aside, Honor’s cross-collaboration ambitions are well-founded. The last few years has seen differently-sized smartphone manufacturers and software companies develop genuinely experience-enhancing AI tools (consider Samsung’s Live Translate tool and Honor’s own Deepfake Detection feature), but they’re scattered across the industry and between devices.

Pigs might fly before Apple and Samsung talk to one another, but Honor’s call to action will no doubt attract the attention of smaller companies with the expertise to accelerate the AI revolution.

In a display of confidence in its existing hardware, Honor also announced a commitment to providing seven years of Android OS and security updates to its latest Magic series devices, including the Magic 7 Pro, at MWC 2025.

You might also like

• Honor’s Magic Portal 2.0 brings game-changing updates to one of the best Android software features
• Honor Magic 7 Pro launches with Deepfake Detection and a 200MP ‘Super Zoom’ camera
• Honor Magic 7 RSR launches with more RAM than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra combined (yes, really)

At MWC in Barcelona, Honor unveiled a series of new products and announced a whopping $10 billion investment in AI.

The Honor UI Agent—powered by Google's Gemini 2 model—gives us a glimpse of artificial intelligent agents on Android.

The more storage, the better, and this locker looks as good as it performs.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 2 (game #1133).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1134) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1134) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1134) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1134) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1134) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• F

• K

• R

• W

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

Quordle today (game #1134) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1134, are…

• FRILL
• KAYAK
• REBAR
• WORDY

My winning streak is over.

Three pieces of bad luck were my undoing today – I chose ROWDY instead of WORDY, REHAB instead of REBAR, and GRILL instead of FRILL. Some days, it just doesn’t work out and you hit red lights at every junction, other days you sail through with a series of greens – I’m happy if I stall occasionally.

I hope you did better.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1134) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1134, are…

• QUACK
• MODAL
• FLESH
• AFIRE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL
• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 2 (game #630).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #631) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• LEAF
• LOAF
• ROLL
• BONE
• SCROLL
• BAR
• DINOSAUR
• LOUNGE
• CLUB
• BOLT
• COIN
• REEL
• CHILL
• NUGGET
• RUBBLE
• REST

NYT Connections today (game #631) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Take it easy
• GREEN: Precious metal
• BLUE: Tubes 
• PURPLE: Modern Stone Age family

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #631) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: BE AT LEISURE 
• GREEN: FORMATS OF GOLD 
• BLUE: CYLINDER OF MATERIAL 
• PURPLE: SEEN IN "THE FLINTSTONES" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #631) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #631, are…

• YELLOW: BE AT LEISURE CHILL, LOAF, LOUNGE, REST
• GREEN: FORMATS OF GOLD BAR, COIN, LEAF, NUGGET
• BLUE: CYLINDER OF MATERIAL BOLT, REEL, ROLL, SCROLL
• PURPLE: SEEN IN "THE FLINTSTONES" BONE, CLUB, DINOSAUR, RUBBLE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Some days I can stare at the Connections grid for ages and see nothing.

Other days I see it all in an instant. This was the case today, with my only hesitation being the momentary inclusion of SCROLL in what became FORMATS OF GOLD.

Meanwhile, DINOSAUR and RUBBLE automatically made me think of things SEEN IN “THE FLINTSTONES” but I was more certain about CYLINDER OF MATERIAL, so went for that instead. As a fan of The Flintstones who wanted to name their daughter Pebbles (Thankfully overruled) I’m ashamed of my hesitation.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 2 March, game #630)

• YELLOW: CELLPHONE MODES AIRPLANE, DO NOT DISTURB, RING, VIBRATE
• GREEN: EVADE DODGE, ESCAPE, LOSE, SHAKE
• BLUE: WHAT "W" MIGHT STAND FOR TUNGSTEN, WATT, WEST, WIN
• PURPLE: ___STRING DRAW, HAM, HEART, SHOE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 2 (game #364).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #365) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A fungus among-us

NYT Strands today (game #365) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SHIRE
• HERO
• LOSE 
• CRUSTY
• ROSE
• MINUS

NYT Strands today (game #365) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Edible toadstools

NYT Strands today (game #365) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #365) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #365, are…

• ENOKI
• BUTTON
• SHIITAKE
• OYSTER
• TRUFFLE
• CREMINI
• SPANGRAM: MUSHROOMS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

If you have never before eaten ENOKI mushrooms (Flammulina filiformis, for any Latin readers) I highly recommend them, especially if you like Asian food.

MUSHROOMS are either butt ugly or cute. With their skinny stems and cartoon-like tiny heads the enoki certainly fall into the cute category.

Meanwhile, the TRUFFLE definitely falls into the ugly pile. What they lack in looks they make up for in unbelievable flavor, but they are rapidly becoming the “salted caramel” of the savory world. You can now get truffle added to everything from chips to cheese.

I’m not complaining, I just fear there are not enough truffles to go round, especially considering how hard they are to harvest (traditionally with a truffle-hunting pig), which makes me suspect we have been overtaken by fake truffles.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 2 March, game #364)

• ZIPPER
• VELCRO
• BUTTON
• SNAP
• BUCKLE
• CLASP
• MAGNET
• SPANGRAM: FASTENERS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Two-minute review

Say hello to another bombastic entrant in Xiaomi's Ultra series. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra leads with its Leica-backed camera array, made all the more prominent by the existing 1-inch 50MP main sensor being joined by a new, larger 1/1.4-inch 200MP telephoto sensor.

As with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, it takes superb shots that don't look as processed or technically 'perfect' as what you might expect out of Google's Pixel imaging pipeline, but they're potentially better for it. Meanwhile, its videography skills have been tailored to meet and beat the likes of the iPhone 16 Pro series across areas including resolution, control, and LOG video capture.

Beyond the excellent imaging experience, the phone's underlining internals impress, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite running the show. That's backed up by tangible optimization benefits from Xiaomi HyperCore resource management, a new IceCool vapor chamber, and the fastest storage and RAM you'll find on any phone out right now.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

HyperOS 2.0 (atop Android 15) expands on the AI feature set introduced on the 14 Ultra, with useful translation, productivity and image editing tools. There's nothing that sets Xiaomi's AI feature set apart from major rivals, but it delivers on its promises (save for Reflection Removal, which refused to work correctly in testing).

Beyond AI, there is a wealth of nice refinements to the look and feel of the user experience, however inconsistencies and some inexplicable choices mean Xiaomi's interface remains one of the more convoluted and trickier to deal with. The company has also only committed to four years of OS and six years of security updates, lagging behind industry leaders and harming the phone's long-term value proposition.

The screen is stunning and boasts better drop resistance than its predecessor's, while the new Si-C (silicon carbide) battery lasts less time than expected but can be replenished quickly, thanks to rapid 90W charging. Presumedly due to some EU regulation, 15 Ultras sold in the EU come with a smaller battery than their Chinese counterparts, although this isn't an ailment that's unique to Xiaomi.

All in all, Xiaomi has improved on everything that made the last Ultra so great, while most of the weaknesses are persistent pain points, more deeply rooted in Xiaomi's approach (primarily to software).

For the price, this is a respectable uber-flagship, however those hoping to get their hands on one in markets like the US or Australia will have a tough time doing so, as Xiaomi doesn't sell its phones in these regions, and carrier support isn't guaranteed.

@techradar

♬ Relaxed (Sped Up) - MC Mablo Dos Paredões Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Price and availability

• Priced from £1,299 / €1,599
• Released February 27 in China, March 2 internationally
• Limited to no availability in US and Australia

As with its predecessor, fans in Xiaomi's homeland of China were treated to a native launch of the 15 Ultra first, on February 27. The company then staged an international release in Barcelona just days later, on March 2.

The phone went on sale on the same day, at 14:30pm GMT, coming in with a starting price of £1,299 / €1,599 across the UK and Europe (the same as its predecessor, in the UK). In some markets, there's also a higher 1TB storage model, which costs £200 more.

In regions like the UK, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra undercuts principle rivals – the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max – by £50 and £100 respectively, when comparing like-for-like storage capacities. The main difference being that both of those alternatives can be had for less, if you're willing to drop down to 256GB of onboard space, which Xiaomi doesn't offer with the 15 Ultra. Both also come with less RAM than the Xiaomi.

As ever with Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi, while the 15 Ultra's March 2 launch was heralded as its 'international' release, the brand doesn't sell smartphones in key markets like the US and Australia (although you will find their smart home and lifestyle products there). As such, beyond importing or buying via third-party retailers, you won't find the Xiaomi 15 Ultra locally; not to mention there may be carrier band incompatibilities with networks in those markets.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Specs Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Design

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Leica camera-inspired colorway
• Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 w/ improved drop resistance
• IP68-certified against dust and water

After dropping down display sizes following the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, subsequent generations of the series have generally hovered around the same weight and dimensions, and that continues with the 15 Ultra.

It's a hefty device (226g or 229g, depending on your choice of finish), and a hair thicker than its predecessor. That makes it one of the weightiest candy bar flagships of the current generation and a trait you'll notice in prolonged use, even if it does also reinforce the Ultra's air of premium power.

Aesthetically, the pillowed glass front, chamfered metal frame and large circular camera bump are consistent with the aesthetic Xiaomi has cultivated over the last few generations of Ultra, and stands apart from the more square-jawed looks of its most prominent rivals (save for, perhaps, the similarly curvaceous Honor Magic 7 Pro).

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

One of the most notable cosmetic changes is to the camera hardware. Whilst the circular quad-sensor array on the 13 Ultra and 14 Ultra offered a pleasing symmetry, Xiaomi has had to shuffle things around quite drastically to accommodate the phone's new headline telephoto snapper. The result is an asymmetrical assortment of lenses that I'd say is weaker visually but gives the 15 Ultra a more utilitarian look, which some might appreciate.

Along with the base all-black and all-white colorways – as was available on the 14 Ultra – this year you also have the option of a Silver Chrome variant (pictured), which tries to evoke the visual identity of Leica's iconic M3.

It's a bit on the nose, as a representation of the ongoing brand partnership between Xiaomi and Leica goes, but it's also undeniably distinct. Two-thirds of the phone's 'aerospace-grade' fiberglass back is wrapped in black faux leather, which stands in contrast to the satin-finish silver it's next to.

The leather has the practical bonus of added grip and after two weeks of testing, hasn't yet shown any signs of wear. That might be down to the fact that I also threw on the included glossy clear hard-shell case whenever taking the phone out and about, though.

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Xiaomi once again launched a Photography Kit accessory pack with its latest Ultra (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 2 of 2

This generation is called the 'Legend Edition', complete with detachable raised shutter and thumb grip (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

On the subject of durability, like its predecessors, the 15 Ultra packs IP68-certified dust and water resistance, which while great, does now technically lag behind key rivals, like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, OnePlus 13 and aforementioned Magic 7 Pro. In addition to IP68-protection, all three of these alternatives have adopted IP69-certification too (check out our pick of the best rugged phones for a rundown of some of the hardiest handsets out there).

While that pillowed glass frontage does seem a little exposed, especially if you were to fumble the 15 Ultra face-down, it's clad in Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0. The 14 Ultra sported its first-gen Shield Glass, which claimed to be 10x more drop resistant than the Gorilla Glass Victus on the 13 Ultra, while the 2.0 variant is supposedly 16x more resistant, compared to Victus. In theory, a drop on that 'All Round Liquid Display' shouldn't prove fatal.

Xiaomi hasn't eradicated Corning's presence from the Ultra outright, however, with Gorilla Glass 7i covering the camera array on the phone's back. Despite being as scratch resistant as the brand's top-tier Victus 2 glass, when paying Ultra prices, I'd have hoped for sapphire glass or something with even higher scratch resistance (even at the expense of drop durability), considering part of its job is ensuring camera clarity.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Display & audio

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 6.73-inch 2K 20:9 (3200 x 1440) LTPO AMOLED
• 1Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate
• Improved 'multi-scenario' 3,200-nit peak brightness

The main generational improvement to the viewing experience on the 15 Ultra is its higher peak brightness: an emissive 3,200-nit ceiling that outpaces all its mainstream rivals (the closest being the Super Actua display on the Pixel 9 Pro line, at 3,000-nits), only really falling short of Oppo's and OnePlus' latest flagships, which both claim to reach as high as 4,500-nits.

As with the 14 Ultra, the viewing experience here is unquestionably excellent. Out of the box, it serves up Full HD+ visuals and a dynamic refresh rate (between 1 and 120Hz), however, you have the option to crank the resolution up in the settings menu, to make the most of the phone's impressive 522ppi pixel density. You can also fix motion at 60Hz (for lower power consumption) or 120Hz (for more fluid viewing), and you can even force that higher refresh rate on an app-by-app basis.

Along with options for resolution and HDR upscaling, as well as motion smoothing and TÜV Rheinland-certified blue light eye protection, the 15 Ultra's display also makes the switch to an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which proves faster and more reliable than the previous optical solution, even when your hands are a little wet.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Despite an asymmetrical down and forward-firing stereo speaker pair, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra outputs sound with clear separation and clarity through almost the entirety of its volume range.

At maximum volume, the stability of higher frequencies begins to waver, while bass is present throughout, but could be more prominent in the mix. Dolby Atmos support brings with it a set of EQ sliders (including presets) and there's effective spatial audio too.

• Display & audio score: 4.5 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Software

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Launches on HyperOS 2.0 atop Android 15
• New AI features include Interpreter and Reflection Removal
• 4 years of OS + 6 years of security updates

Last year marked a pretty notable shift for Xiaomi's mobile user experience. The company retired MIUI and replaced it with HyperOS, which although familiar on the surface, served up some notable quality-of-life improvements behind the scenes (it took up significantly less space on your device's storage, for example). It also served as the launchpad for their AI feature set.

Now, the Xiaomi 15 series arrives on HyperOS 2.0 (running atop Android 15). For the most part it adds an extra layer of visual polish, with the likes of the Artistic Lock Screens now able to support video, alongside subtle new animations throughout the UI that generally elevate the experience (even if some might be a little heavy-handed).

Better contrast and reworked UI elements across the Settings, Clock and Calendar apps, make them easier to use, as do a tweaked volume control layout and the ability to long-press on control panel entries – like brightness – to expand and access additional features (very iOS-like in its execution).

Frustratingly, Xiaomi insists on continuing to bury or completely hide some fundamental Android controls (such as Extra Dim) without explanation, but it does at least finally let you toggle Today's Recommendations off, which means there's less cruft within your home screen app folders.

HyperOS is a deeply customizable and capable user experience, provided you've got the stones to learn its nuances and forgive its inconsistencies.

Look familiar Apple Intelligence users? (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

There are new and improved AI tools spanning writing, image editing, and language across HyperOS 2.0, with Xiaomi's repetoire most closely mirroring experiences from the likes of OnePlus. Apple, Oppo, Samsung and Google have all leant a little harder into generative imagery on their latest devices, which isn't really part of the experience on the 15 Ultra, beyond image expansion and the ever-creepy AI portrait (check out our Xiaomi 14 review for a deep-dive on that).

The AI Writing toolset has been fleshed out, with summarization, proofreading, extension and tone alteration; all in a handy pop-up card that, once again, looks suspiciously like Apple Intelligence's interface. Like Samsung's Writing Assist, you can call on these tools essentially anywhere you enter text, which creates more opportunities to actually use them.

The translation app – AI Subtitle – has a well thought out and easy to use interface, allowing for conversational use with a speaker sitting either side of the phone, while the existing image editing tools (Expand, Erase, and Sky) have been joined by Enhance and Remove Reflections options (although the latter was next to useless, in testing).

Erase has also been bumped up to Erase Pro, which uses a larger model for improved results, however, unlike the base feature, it relies on an active internet connection to function. In fact, when disabling my data connection, practically none of the 15 Ultra's AI features worked offline, suggesting that the all rely on off-device processing to varying degrees (the exceptions being the base Erase, Remove Reflections and Sky image editing tools).

At the phone's Chinese launch, Xiaomi also showcased interconnectivity with iOS, iPadOS and MacOS devices, including Oppo Find N5-like screen mirroring and wireless file transfer, which is on track to come to global devices in the near future (as such, I haven't been able to test this feature).

The 15 Ultra's image editing toolset (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Part of the price justification, when it comes to these top-shelf phones, is that they come with long-term support. Apple, Google and Samsung all offer a commitment to around seven years of operating system and security updates, so you know your phone will be supported for the entire time you use it, and also benefit from new functionality over time too.

Despite an improved six years' commitment to security updates with the 15 Ultra, Xiaomi has only promised four years of OS updates, which hurts the phone's value proposition, relative to some of the best phones already on the market.

• Software score: 3.5 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 50MP f/1.63, 1-inch Sony LYT-900 main sensor w/ OIS
• 50MP f/2.2, Samsung ISOCELL JN5 ultra-wide w/ 115º FoV
• 50MP f/1.8, floating 3x Sony IMX858 telephoto w/ OIS + 10cm macro mode
• 200MP f/2.6, periscope 4.3x Samsung ISOCELL HP9 telephoto w/ OIS
• 32MP OmniVision OV32B front camera w/ 90º FoV

The previous Ultra – with the same 1-inch main Sony sensor – in my opinion, captured shots as close as any phone has yet come to emulating what you might more readily expect from the best cameras.

Most of the best camera phones – the Pixels and Galaxys of the world – take technically excellent smartphone photos; replete with tone mapping and HDR processing, detail enhancement and face brightening. While the 15 Ultra has access to all these same tricks, however, it handles images very differently... more authentically.

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The 200MP telephoto can let in enough light for fast-motion macro shooting (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 2 of 20

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Leica 'Blue' monochrome filter (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 5 of 20

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Minimum amount of bokeh in Portrait mode (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 12 of 20

Standard amount of bokeh in Portrait mode (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 13 of 20

Maximum amount of bokeh in Portrait mode (note where edge detection falters around the whiskers) (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 14 of 20

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Night mode tends to over-correct on white balance, but otherwise impresses (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 20 of 20

Accurate real-world lighting conditions in which the Night mode shot was taken (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Xiaomi's processing isn't as technically savvy as, say, Google's and the camera system can be a little inconsistent – especially with attributes like white balance and edge detection (much like on the 14 Ultra) – but it doesn't shy away from contrast and shadow, which when twinned with the natural depth effect afforded to that 1-inch sensor, can help you capture truly arresting shots without really trying.

Add to that the Pro mode manual controls and baked-in Leica filters, and there's a lot you can do with that main snapper, without the need for post-capture editing. That lead 50MP sensor is just the start, of course.

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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The reason this phone's camera system looks so physically different to its predecessor's is because Xiaomi needed to make room for a huge new 1/1.4-inch telephoto sensor (up from 1/2.51-inches). The 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP9 that Vivo put to work on its most recent flagship – the X200 Pro – now also finds a home on the 15 Ultra.

Here, it serves up an equivalent 100mm focal length, and helps build on the existing camera system's impressive versatility. That large size means it's able to take in far more light than your average periscopic telephoto sensor (Xiaomi claims 136% more than the 14 Ultra's equivalent), but it's also likely the reason why the 15 Ultra lost out on its predecessor's mechanical aperture; there just wasn't room.

As trade-offs go, it's a compromise I welcome, as this higher fidelity telephoto is far more practical across zoom, portrait and even macro shooting. Speaking of macro, one of the biggest limitations of such a large main sensor is its minimum focal range, which is why it's a relief that the automatic macro mode kicks in and switches to a pleasingly competent ultra-wide.

No longer being unable to stop down in particularly bright shooting scenarios may irk videographers, but at least the Photography Kit allows for ND filters and the like, even if that's more of a band-aid than a solution

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Leica Vibrant (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Image 2 of 2

Leica Authentic (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

As well as filters, Leica's involvement expands to two shooting profiles: Leica Vibrant (the default on Xiaomi's phones) and the more muted Leica Authentic (see above), while some high quality filters can be activatated in-camera too (the monochromatic 'Blue' was a personal highlight).

Xiaomi made a big song and dance about the 14 Pro's video chops, even though stabilization at some resolutions was terrible at launch (later fixed via software updates). Thankfully, that doesn't appear to be a problem with the 15 Ultra's videography skills. You can switch between all the phone's rear sensors while recording at up to 4K/30fps, with options for 4K/120fps, and even 8K/30fps capture, if desired.

The 15 Ultra also joins an exclusive group, by being the only other phone besides the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro lines to support ACES (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) Log video capture (alongside Dolby Vision recording); making it a powerful choice for serious videographers, especially those who prefer Android to iOS.

• Camera score: 4.5 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Performance

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC
• LPDDR5X RAM & UFS 4.1 storage
• Xiaomi HyperCore system management

As with the rest of 2025's Android flagship contingent so far, the 15 Ultra arrives running on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset; in most regions accompanied by 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of the fastest and most power efficient UFS 4.1 storage on the market (there is a 12GB RAM/256GB version that's trickier to come by).

Xiaomi says the chip serves up 45% better multi-core CPU performance (compared to the 14 Ultra), artificial benchmarking places on equal footing with the recent Honor Magic 7 Pro and the company even featured a slide during its Chinese launch, highlighting every aspect in which it trumps the iPhone 16 Pro Max; including gaming and networking performance.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

A new dual channel 'IceLoop' vapour chamber offers enhanced cooling, which in real-world testing ensured that even after an hour's gameplay on a demanding title like Zenless Zone Zero with cranked visual settings (i.e. 60fps instead of 30fps), the phone never rose past a slight warmth.

Game Turbo is also on-hand to prioritize gaming performance, while also silencing notifications and the like, although finding how to bring the app onto your home screen to manage installed games takes some doing (hint: it's hidden within Xiaomi's Security app, of all places).

As with every other phone that relies on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it offers buckets of headroom, ensuring whatever phone it's in will feel fast and remain capable longer than most others in the long term. Xiaomi's latest HyperCore technology then sits on top, better managing resource allocation, so that opening and reopening apps is faster; meaning less time staring at those initial splash screens than before.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Battery

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Larger 5,410mAh battery than predecessor
• Up to 90W wired & 50W wireless charging
• 7 hours of screen-on time per charge

While Xiaomi hasn't disclosed why, as with the Honor Magic 7 Pro, the international version of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra packs in a smaller battery (5,410mAh), compared to the Chinese variant (6,000mAh). That said, 5,410mAh is still pretty capacious, and Xiaomi's Si-C Surge Battery tech offers up increased capacity, without adding addition bulk to the phone's design; Apple and Samsung should take notes.

True to the brand, fast charging is part of the equation here, with the same impressive 90W wired and 80W wireless charging support (just don't expect a charger in-box in Europe or the UK).

If you are able to source the correct adapter, at standard speeds the 15 Ultra refilled to 56% in 30 minutes and hit 100% after 67 minutes. If you dip into the phone's battery settings, however, you can enable Top Speed mode, which warns of more noticeable warmth when charging, in the pursuit of faster recharge speeds. When enabled, the phone hit 44% in 30 minutes and 100% in 50.

If you're the forgetful type, Top Speed mode might better serve you, otherwise the results, to me, suggest it's better to leave the phone in standard charging mode, which still should still prove quick enough for most users (and will likely prolong battery health).

While benchmarking using PCMark 3.0's battery test dished out an impressive score on par to the Ultra's most like-minded and similarly-capacious Si-C battery-toting rivals, real-world longevity underwhelmed at only 7 hours of use per charge. That equates to a day's use, but considering the battery tech, system improvements and capacity of the cell(s), I would have expected closer to the Magic 7 Pro, which has a marginally smaller battery but lasted 45% longer in testing.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra? Buy it if...

You want one of the best camera phones today
If you couldn't tell by the design, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is all about the camera. While it's strong on all fronts, its camera is the prime reason to consider it.

You want a great multimedia experience
The 15 Ultra's top-tier internals and crisp 2K OLED screen make it great for gaming and enjoying media.

Don't buy it if...

You want a long-lasting device
While fast charging is superb, battery life is pretty middle of the road. As for long-term use, only four years of OS updates for a phone this expensive isn't great.

You like a clean, easy-to-use user experience
HyperOS 2.0 is certainly more elegant and easier to use than previous iterations of Xiaomi's mobile interface, but it comes with a high learning curve and some truly illogical inconsistencies compared to other operating systems out there.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: Also consider

It's clear from the jump where the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's strengths lie, but there are numerous alternatives that offer something similar or excel in those areas where Xiaomi still needs to improve.

iPhone 16 Pro Max
Sure, it's a fraction more expensive, but the top-tier iPhone of today shares in the 15 Ultra's emphasis on capturing pro-grade video, while the user experience is cleaner and will likely receive OS updates for longer.

Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review

Honor Magic 7 Pro
Same chipset, same emphasis on photography, with impressive zoom abilities, plus longer-lasting battery life and longer OS update support for less money.

Read our full Honor Magic 7 Pro review

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
A similar feature set, with a focus on AI, and longer software support render this Ultra a worthwhile alternative. It's also readily available in markets where the 15 Ultra isn't

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

How I tested the Xiaomi 15 Ultra

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Review test period: two weeks
• Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used: Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, 3DMark, native Android stats, Xiaomi 120W charger

Xiaomi sent me the 15 Ultra just ahead of its Chinese and international launch events. I used the phone as my daily driver over a couple of weeks; taking it to social events for camera testing, gaming and other general smartphone use; from smart home control to social media and web browsing.

Benchmarks were carried out in both Balanced and Performance modes, although most of the time Balanced mode results were actually high. As often happens, Xiaomi devices block access to servers for graphical benchmarking apps, so I was only able to quantify CPU performance, while graphical testing was anecdotal, based on gaming usage and the like.

Having reviewed smartphones for nearly 15 years, including numerous Xiaomi smartphones, as well as devices from the company's key competition, I felt equipped to review this flagship, assessing its strengths and abilities against the market it's competing in.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

Xiaomi wants its new phone to be a photography champion. But the camera hasn't seen many updates.

Not much is new with Xiaomi's latest flagship phones, but I still love the quad-lens camera on the Ultra.

Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet: One-minute review

If you’ve read our Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack review, you’ll know that flight sim tech is getting closer than ever to turning your setup into something plucked right from a fighter jet.

The Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet follows on that same line of thinking, dovetailing beautifully with its sister product while offering a fantastic flight stick in its own right, packed with input options and plenty of settings to tweak the game feel to your liking.

It’s ludicrously expensive, though. The review unit we’re testing is formed of multiple modular sections, with the company’s AVA base, a flight stick, and a base plate. These all combine in a nifty bundle for $579 / £450 (cheaper than buying them piecemeal) but it’s definitely an investment for a flight enthusiast.

It’s still hard not to be impressed. It’s a hefty stick, one that would feel right at home doing loop-de-loops in the sky, and it’s absolutely packed with inputs with switches, buttons, and triggers all over it.

If you’re looking to take your flight sim experience to new heights, it’s hard to look past, but don’t forget that the HOTAS X is a much more affordable, entry-level model that comes with a throttle – something the F/A-18 Super Hornet doesn’t have in the box.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet: Price and availability

• List price: $579 / £450
• Available worldwide
• Offered in parts but this bundle is much cheaper

If you do want to pick up each part of the setup we’re testing here for the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet, you can expect to spend a fair amount more, with just the baseplate alone coming in at $25 / £25.

That makes the bundle the way to go, and thankfully it’s easy to put together. It took me around five minutes to get everything hooked up, and the weight is a dead giveaway that it’s built to last, weighing in at 7.6lbs / 3.5kg once it’s put together.

The bundle includes the offset adapter, too, letting you tweak the angle at which the stick rests, either for realism or just for comfort.

Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet: Specs Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet: Design and features

• The base plate could do with better feet
• Feels great to use
• Satisfying inputs

As with the Viper TQS Mission Pack, it’s hard not to be in awe of the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet once you unbox it.

It’s easy to put together, with a few screws attaching the AVA base to the base plate, and the stick basically screws on without any strenuous effort. It’s really easy to get started, too, since you just need to plug in your USB-C cable (included in the box) and you’re away.

Compared to the T Flight HOTAS I’ve been using for years, there’s a real weight to any movement on the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet, and it makes flying feel more authentic as a result.

Button-wise, there’s a trio of hat switches. Two are at the top, while one rests under your thumb, and if the game you’re playing supports all of them you’ll have more buttons than you know what to do with. Two are four-way, while another is eight-way, and combined with physical buttons you have a whopping 19 on a stick that really doesn’t waste any space at all.

Everything feels great to press, and there’s enough effort needed to hit things like the rear buttons so that you won’t find yourself accidentally hitting them too often.

Special props should be given to the trigger, too, which registers full pulls and half pulls if your game supports that, and always feels great to pull whether you’re playing something more grounded or more fantastical.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet: Performance

• Plug and play
• Customizable innards
• T.A.R.G.E.T. software is basically just for drivers

As with the Viper, Thrustmaster recommends using its T.A.R.G.E.T. software, but you can really just use it for the drivers and little else. I found everything was detected nicely in Windows’ own control panel for input devices, and that was a better spot for quick testing of deadzones and the like.

Flight sim fans may lean on it for preloading layouts built to approximate real flight controls, but as I’ve mentioned before, I fancy myself more of a Han Solo than an airline pilot, and the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet helps fulfill those dogfighting dreams wonderfully - once you map controls.

If you’re using this and the Viper, games should switch to make the latter the secondary input, but it’s worth noting I ran into some bother as certain games mapped functions to the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet that it doesn’t have access to, leading to a bizarre endless spin in the likes of Elite Dangerous and Star Wars: Squadrons. Remapping buttons did the trick, but if you’re worried you’ve got a dodgy unit, rest assured it’s a minor issue.

That aside, both games feel great when using the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet. (Intentional) barrel rolls and locking onto TIE Fighters became second nature, even without using the Viper, and I found myself tinkering with the inner chassis just to get things dialed in.

The AVA base can be opened up with ease, letting discerning pilots adjust resistance, travel, and more. It’s easily done and adds a level beyond simple button remapping that experts will no doubt have an awful lot of fun with.

In fact, the only real complaint is that in the heat of the moment, as I pulled back on the stick, I found the feet on the baseplate didn’t give quite as much resistance as I had hoped. That could be down to me and having a relatively smooth-feeling desk, but it’s something to consider.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet? Buy it if...

You’re a flying enthusiast
The price of admission is high, but this weighty stick has everything you could need for just about any flying title.

You’re a tinkerer
Digital aviation experts will no doubt delight in customizing the inner workings of the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Sadly, it’s not the cheapest stick around, making it likely to be out of the reach for more casual flying fans.

Also consider...

Still not sold on the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet? Here’s how it compares to two similar products.

Turtle Beach VelocityOne
As we mentioned in our Viper review, Turtle Beach’s VelocityOne is a slick stick (say that ten times, quickly), with an OLED display and a comfortable stick with plenty of inputs. It’s not as weighty, though, which makes it feel less premium.

For more information, check out our full Turtle Beach VelocityOne review

Logitech T Flight Hotas One
Our trusty fallback, the T Flight HOTAS remains a very comfortable stick with a throttle included, all for less than half the price of the F/A-18 Super Hornet. It works on Xbox One and Series X|S consoles as well.

For more information, check out our full T Flight Hotas One review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet

• Tested over a period of months
• Used on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070 Ti
• Tested with Elite Dangerous, Star Wars Squadrons, and Microsoft Flight Simulator

I’ve been testing the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Super Hornet for a couple of months, but the aforementioned remapping issues meant things took a little longer to settle than I’d care to admit.

Once that was sorted, though, it was off to the races (or airport?). I tested it with Microsoft Flight Simulator for some trans-Atlantic trips, but as I mentioned above, I mostly used it for dogfighting in Star Wars Squadrons or hauling space cargo in Elite Dangerous.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

We asked eye doctors everything you've ever wanted to know about contact lenses expiring and when to replace them.

The holders continue their title defense against Marco Silva's Cottagers at Old Trafford.