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Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3: two-minute review

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 is a wireless gaming headset compatible with numerous platforms, thanks to its Bluetooth integration and two USB dongles.

While it’s largely free from the typical gaming accouterments – there’s no RGB lighting, for instance – it still cuts a conspicuous figure thanks to its ultra-wide drivers, so this isn’t exactly a headset you can travel around with. Virtually all of the best PC gaming headsets out there have a lower profile than this.

Thankfully, it’s not as heavy as it looks, although some gamers might prefer something lighter. Personally, I didn’t have an issue with this aspect of the Stealth 700 Gen 3. What bothered me more was the lack of headband padding, which resulted in an achy head even after short sessions.

The comfort around the ears is much better, though. The earcups provide plenty of padding, and glasses wearers shouldn’t have a problem either. My only gripe is that they’re very large, and the fit wasn’t snug enough to secure them in place when I moved around more emphatically. For normal head movements, though, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 stay in place just fine.

The general build quality is good too, even if the materials used in its construction aren’t always the most premium. The foldable microphone is a nice touch, and feels equally well made, with an easy opening mechanism and plenty of stability when down.

There are four buttons on the Stealth 700 Gen 3, allowing for plenty of on-the-fly adjustments. There are also three scroll wheels, with two for controlling the volume from Bluetooth and transmitter sources independently, meaning you can realistically listen to music or take calls on your phone at the same time as receiving game audio from your PC or console.

Further tweaks are possible using Turtle Beach’s Swarm 2 peripheral software (on PC), allowing for some detailed output and input configurations, as well as reassignment options for the Mode button and one of the wheels, although these are limited.

The sound is great for both gaming and other forms of entertainment, including listening to music and watching content. All frequencies are clear and well-balanced, while the Bass Boost mode imparts a noticeably fuller low-end without diminishing overall quality, although small amounts of distortion can intrude with higher volumes. The microphone is less impressive, but it offers enough clarity to get by and the noise gate works well to block unwanted sounds from being picked up.

The Stealth 700 Gen 3 connects quickly via the wireless transmitter and over Bluetooth, and both work in tandem well. However, I did experience occasional dropouts on PC; whether the issue was with the headset or my particular setup is hard to tell, but if the former, hopefully, this is something that can be fixed with an update.

Battery life is excellent and seems in line with Turtle Beach’s 80-hour claim, as after a couple of days of use via Bluetooth and the transmitter across multiple platforms, it only dropped by between 5-10%.

It sits in the middle of the market in terms of price, costing about the same as the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, which is one of the best wireless gaming headsets around. However, this headset packs in more features than the Stealth 700 Gen 3, as well as excelling in virtually every other area. There’s also the Epos H3, which is one of the best cheap gaming headsets around, although you will have to settle for a wired connection.

While both these gaming headsets might offer better value, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 isn’t far behind. It puts in an admirable effort at this price point, with sound quality that punches above its class. There are a few comfort and usability issues, but I don’t think they’re dealbreakers at this price.

(Image credit: Future) Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 review: price and availability

• $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95
• Available now in three color options
• Mid-lane pricing for a gaming headset

The Stealth 700 Gen 3 costs $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95 and is available now in three colorways: Black, White, and Cobalt Blue. There are models with various compatibility options for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, although all cost the same.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, one of the best wireless gaming headsets in our view, is the same price (and even slightly cheaper in the UK). This headset has great output and input quality, formidable build quality, and more tweaks and customizations than the Stealth 700 Gen 3, such as THX Spatial Audio compatibility. Battery life is also great, making it a tough headset to beat at this price point.

If you want to spend a lot less on a gaming headset, then the Epos H3 is one of the best wired gaming headsets around and can be found at a significant discount from its original price. We think this headset offers superb sound and great levels of comfort for the price. A wireless variant is also available, although this is quite a lot more expensive.

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 review: design and features

• Very bulky
• Plenty of physical adjustments
• Some useful features and customizations

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 maintains a rather muted appearance, steering clear of the gamer gaudiness afflicting some other gaming headsets; there’s not even any RGB lighting. It is, however, quite bulky, with extremely wide drivers – perhaps the widest I’ve seen on a gaming headset – so it still isn’t what you’d call discreet.

It feels well-made, though. It might not employ the most premium materials, but they feel relatively solid and are put together well. The fold-away microphone is also a nice touch, with its hinge mechanism offering a smooth operation, while at the same time providing plenty of stability once done. However, while the Stealth 700 Gen 3 isn’t as heavy as you might imagine, those who are sensitive to weighty headsets should still take heed that it’s heavier than some others in this sector.

The earpads are very thick, which helps make the headset comfortable to wear. Turtle Beach specifically mentions the Stealth 700 Gen 3 as being glasses-friendly, and I can say I found this to be the case, as I experienced no aches or fatigue from wearing them over the arms of my frames.

These pads are also uniquely shaped, vaguely following the contours of an actual ear lobe, which I found worked quite well in my case, although they were perhaps a little too large for me; since the headband is quite wide too, they don’t fit as snuggly as those on other headsets, although this is only a problem with more vigorous head movements. The large opening also means that it should accommodate most ear shapes and sizes.

Driver-height adjustments are easy to make yet hard to move accidentally. The drivers also rotate ninety degrees, allowing you to comfortably hang them around your neck. The headband, however, is less comfortable. While the padding looks soft and plush, it compresses far too easily, meaning the harder material inside pressed onto the top of my head, causing aches even after short periods of time.

(Image credit: Future)

There are various buttons on both drivers: the CrossPlay switch is used for toggling between the two transmitters (one for Xbox and one for other platforms), a Bluetooth button, and a Mode button for cycling sound profiles – although unfortunately, the voice prompt doesn’t tell you which mode is currently selected, which some Razer headsets do.

The power button can also be tapped to toggle the Superhuman Hearing mode, although on occasion this failed to work, requiring me to power off and power on the headset to make this button operational.

Oddly, there are three scroll wheels on the Stealth 700 Gen 3: one is for mixing game and chat levels, while two are for volume – one for Bluetooth sources and the other for transmitter sources. This may seem like overkill, but it helps to allow for the Stealth 700 Gen 3 to showcase one of its unique features: simultaneous playback from Bluetooth and transmitter sources, with the ability to control the volume of both independently.

It does mean you’ll have to learn the positioning of each wheel when you want to make adjustments on the fly. Thankfully, though, each wheel is small enough to prevent the layout from feeling cramped, and they’re easy to operate once you’re able to locate them, providing smooth yet controlled adjustments.

Only one of the wheels can be reassigned using Turtle Beach’s Swarm 2 software, with options to adjust the levels of the mic monitoring, chat, bass boost, treble boost, or the noise gate of the mic.

Swarm 2 offers further customizations and tweaks. The aforementioned Mode button can be reassigned too, although the only optional function besides its default is toggling the noise gate.

Various sound presets are available in Swarm 2, including Bass Boost, Bass and Treble Boost, and Vocal Boost. You can tinker with each of these presets – or create a custom preset – by cutting or boosting 10 different points across the frequency band by 9dB, ranging from 32Hz to 16kHz. This means you have plenty of scope to tailor the audio to your preferences.

There’s also a setting called Superhuman Hearing, which is designed to elevate certain in-game sounds, such as footsteps and gunshots. As for mic settings, you can adjust the sensitivity for pick-up, the monitoring level, and the noise gate, all of which are useful input settings to be given.

(Image credit: Future) Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 review: Performance

• Impressive sound
• Passable microphone
• Some connectivity issues

I was generally impressed with the audio of the Stealth 700 Gen 3. All frequencies are clear and balanced, while the Bass and Treble Boost mode considerably enhances the low end without being overbearing, and is great for both gaming and listening to music. This mode can introduce distortion when you crank the volume up, but it's easily tamed by lowering the volume slightly. I found the Vocal Boost less usable, as it significantly reduces overall fidelity.

The Superhuman Hearing mode was somewhat useful in certain scenarios, but I ultimately preferred leaving it off. When playing Counter-Strike 2, the footstep setting did make such sounds more prominent, but at the cost of noticeably deteriorating the overall audio quality. The same can be said for the gunshot setting, which also didn’t seem to make gunshots easier to discern either. Having Bass and Treble Boost turned on provided the best experience for me, providing clear audio with plenty of impact and fullness.

For an integrated microphone, the quality is passable, although it doesn’t provide the greatest vocal clarity. The noise gate feature, though, is useful and does indeed block unwanted sounds from coming through.

Connecting to a PC via the USB transmitter is as simple as plug-and-play. The same is true of when connecting to consoles, being as easy as the best PS5 headsets and best Nintendo Switch headsets. Bluetooth was also easy to set up with my phone, and I couldn’t detect any discernible difference in sound quality. I had no issues playing games on my PC (via the dongle) and listening to music from my Google Pixel 7a (via Bluetooth) at the same time either.

However, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 can take a couple of seconds to reconnect to a PC when powering it back on after sleep, and I experienced a few unsolicited disconnects from my PC after a bleep from the headset that I couldn’t explain.

It’s possible the issue lies with my PC rather than with the Stealth 700 Gen 3, although I haven’t experienced this issue with other gaming headsets. Thankfully, I was able to get the sound back quickly, and hopefully a firmware update will fix the issue if it is indeed a fault with the headset.

On a more positive note, the battery life of the Stealth 700 Gen 3 is great, with the 80-hour claim made by Turtle Beach appearing to hold true, as it only dipped between 5-10% after a few days of varied use.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3? Buy it if...

You want great gaming audio
The sound from the Stealth 700 Gen 3 is clear and impactful, making it great for gaming and music listening, and the Bass Boost improves the sonics further.

You want plenty of physical adjustments
With four buttons and no less than three scroll wheels, adjusting various settings while gaming is easy.

Don't buy it if...

You have a sensitive head
While I found the earpads perfectly comfortable, the headband doesn’t have enough cushioning, resulting in aches.

You want a low profile… in every sense
The Stealth 700 Gen 3 is about the chunkiest gaming headset I’ve ever used, so if you want something sleek and discreet, this isn’t it.

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 review: Also consider

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is one of the best gaming headsets around, as it barely puts a foot wrong in any aspect: It’s comfortable, well-built, has great sound and features, and has a long battery life to boot. It’s the same price as the Stealth 700 Gen 3, and since it’s slightly more well-rounded, it might just have the edge.

Read our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review

Epos H3
If you’re on a serious budget, then the Epos H3 is the best wired gaming headset in our view, thanks to its superb sound and comfort levels that punch above its low price. There’s also a wireless variant available, although naturally, it’s more expensive.

Read our full Epos H3 review

How I tested the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3

• Tested for several days
• Used on multiple platforms
• Extensive gaming experience

I tested the Stealth 700 Gen 3 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, listening to music, and watching video content. I tried it with numerous devices, namely a Windows 10 PC, a PS5, and a Nintendo Switch. I connected to these systems via the wireless USB transmitter and Bluetooth where I could.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, where detailed sound and vocal clarity are of the utmost importance. I also recorded my own voice to test how the microphone sounded.

I have been gaming for over 20 years, and during that time I have experienced numerous headsets from a wide range of brands and across various price points. I have also reviewed multiple gaming headsets previously.

• First reviewed February 2025.
• Read more about how we test

A lot happened this week, and NPR has you covered. Catch up on the big news and culture moments you might have missed.

(Image credit: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images; NPR; Liz Rosa/Jasmine Mooney)

• South Korean startup FuriosaAI rejected an $800 takeover from Meta
• Deal collapsed over post-acquisition plans despite above market valuation
• FuriosaAI chose to stay independent and will launch its RNGD chip this year

As demand for AI infrastructure continues to grow, hyperscalers like Meta, Microsoft, and Google are actively working to reduce their reliance on Nvidia’s pricey hardware by developing their own custom silicon. Meta has reportedly begun testing its first in-house AI training chip, as part of a broader push to gain more control over its AI stack.

In addition to its internal efforts, Meta has also been exploring acquisitions of promising AI chipmakers to bolster its hardware capabilities.

One such target was Korean startup FuriosaAI, which the tech giant saw as a strong candidate to help accelerate its AI infrastructure ambitions. Meta made a buyout offer worth $800 million (approximately 1.2 trillion won) for the company, but despite the offer coming in about 400 billion won (roughly $300 million) above FuriosaAI’s estimated market value, it was rebuffed.

A difference of opinion

According to Maeil Business Newspaper, negotiations broke down due to conflicting visions about the company’s future. FuriosaAI’s leadership chose to walk away from the deal and continue operating independently in the increasingly competitive AI semiconductor space.

“Since October of last year, Meta had been looking at several AI semiconductor companies in the U.S. and Israel, and finally chose FuriosaAI as a strong acquisition target and entered into negotiations at the beginning of the year,” an insider familiar with the company told Maeil Business Newspaper.

“I understand that the negotiations broke down because the two sides could not narrow their differences over the direction of the business and organizational structure after the acquisition, rather than the price.”

Founded in 2017 by CEO June Paik, FuriosaAI specializes in AI chip design and currently employs around 140 people - over 90 percent of whom are developers, including engineers from Google, Qualcomm, and Samsung.

The company’s flagship product, RNGD (pronounced 'Renegade'), unveiled at Hot Chips 2024, is a high-performance AI inference chip built on TSMC’s 5nm process and equipped with dual HBM3 memory.

According to FuriosaAI, it delivers twice the efficiency of traditional GPUs while consuming only a quarter of the power, so it’s easy to see the appeal to Meta.

Mass production of RNGD is expected to begin in the second half of 2025 and Maeil Business Newspaper reports that a number of major organizations, including LG AI Research and Saudi Aramco, have signed up to test the chip’s performance.

FuriosaAI has raised around 70 billion won (approximately $52 million) in funding to support its chip production and operational costs.

(Image credit: FuriosaAI ) You might also like

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The White Lotus season 4: key information

- Season 4 is already confirmed
- No official details about cast, dates or plot revealed
- No cold destination on the cards
- Rumors of a European destination

The White Lotus season 4 was confirmed before season 3 even aired. If that’s not a surefire sign of how wildly popular this darkly comic anthology has become – and just how much juicy, sun-soaked chaos it still has to give – then we don’t know what is.

Even though we’ve barely had time to rinse the salt water from our hair and check-out of The White Lotus season 3, fans are already asking: where will the hit anthology series take us next?

We’ll be real with you, nothing is official yet, apart from the fact it is happening. But that won’t stop us from diving headfirst into the rumor pool.

Between interesting reveals in interviews, online rumors, and some good old-fashioned speculation, there’s plenty to get excited about. From potential destinations to returning characters and Mike White’s increasingly unhinged genius, here’s everything we (think we) know about The White Lotus season 4 so far.

The White Lotus season 4: when it is landing?

The big question is, where will The White Lotus season 4 be set? (Image credit: HBO Max)

Right now, there’s no official release window. All we know for sure is that HBO renewed The White Lotus season 4 back in January before season 3 even aired.

But that won’t stop us from making some educated guesses. Season 1 of the hit show arrived in July 2021, followed by season 2 in October 2022. Season three then premiered on February 16, 2025 – there was a slightly longer wait than usual due to the Hollywood strikes that paused production across the industry in 2023.

As for season 4? Production is expected to begin in 2026, which means we likely won’t be checking into the next White Lotus location until late 2026, or possibly even early 2027. What can we say? Luxury chaos takes time.

When it does arrive, expect to see it on HBO and Max in the US, just like previous seasons. Elsewhere, availability will vary. For example, in the UK, season 3 landed exclusively on Sky, while past seasons are available to buy on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

The White Lotus season 4: has a trailer been released?

Will Natasha Rothwell star in all four seasons of The White Lotus as spa manager Belinda Lindsey? (Image credit: HBO Max)

Sadly, no trailer for The White Lotus season 4 has landed yet. And honestly, we’re not expecting one for a while. With production not likely to begin until 2026, you’ll be waiting a bit longer for your next dose of suspicious stares and sweeping drone shots of paradise.

In the meantime, you could rewatch the season 2 trailer if you’re missing Tanya McQuoid’s unforgettable chaos. (Let’s be real, we all are.) And consider this your official excuse to rewatch the whole series from the beginning, too – purely for research purposes, of course.

The White Lotus season 4: confirmed cast

Will any character in The White Lotus season 4 be more iconic than Tanya McQuoid? Doubtful (Image credit: HBO)

Potential spoilers follow for The White Lotus below.

As The White Lotus fans know by now, each season brings a brand-new group of guests and resort staff to a different, picture-perfect location.

So far, casting for season 4 hasn’t been confirmed. But it’s expected to feature another fresh ensemble of tourists and locals. That said, don’t rule out a few familiar faces.

The White Lotus isn’t afraid to bring characters back when it makes sense – just look at Natasha Rothwell’s return as spa manager Belinda Lindsey in season 3, or the recurring role of Greg (Jon Gries), who’s somehow made it through all three seasons.

Of course, we can’t talk about The White Lotus without mentioning Jennifer Coolidge’s unforgettable Tanya McQuoid, who became the emotional (and slightly unhinged) heart of the first two seasons. While her storyline may be, erm, wrapped up, never say never in The White Lotus universe.

Casting is always a major moment for this show. It tends to be a buzzy blend of big names and breakout stars, so expect plenty of excitement once the lineup does drop.

In a May 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, creator Mike White teased that an “all-star season” might happen in the future, saying: “If the show goes on for a couple of seasons, it would be fun to have an all-star season [...] It would be easy to just be full-on anthology, but I think it's more fun to have little threads through the show.”

Translation? Keep your eyes peeled. The next guest list could be full of surprises.

The White Lotus season 4: story synopsis and rumors

The White Lotus season 4 is bound to be full of scandal and secrets – but where will it be set? (Image credit: HBO)

It’s still early days, but if The White Lotus season 4 sticks to what’s worked so well for the show before, we can probably expect the familiar setup, which includes a glossy, high-end resort, a cast of privileged and messy guests, and a dead body teased in the opening moments.

Traditionally, the show unfolds over 6 to 8 episodes, flashing back to the days leading up to the mysterious death while peeling back layers of wealth, power, desire, and delusion. But don’t get too comfortable, creator Mike White has made it clear the formula isn’t set in stone.

“I don’t think it needs to always be a body,” White told The Hollywood Reporter. “There are so many ways that we want to reinvent the show each year. Like, what is this show – other than people? A fresh mystery, people maybe expect that. But I don’t feel constrained by expectation. It’s fun.”

Whatever format The White Lotus season 4 takes, it’s safe to assume we’ll get another sharp, satirical look at human nature, filtered through the lives of both the resort’s wealthy guests and its often-overlooked employees. And just like past seasons, there’s likely to be a central theme that shapes the tone of the story.

In HBO’s Unpacking Season 2: Episode 7 video, White explained: “The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex. I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality.” So what will season 4 explore? Fame, politics, revenge, legacy? We can’t wait to find out.

But let’s be honest, half the thrill of a new season of The White Lotus is finding out where it’s set. Location doesn’t just provide the backdrop, it practically becomes a character in its own right.

According to Deadline, in a February 2025 interview, HBO executive Francesca Orsi teased a return to Europe, saying: “We’re going on some locations scouting in the next couple of weeks, so we’ll know soon [...] I can’t really say where we’re going to land but chances are somewhere in Europe.”

So far, each season has been filmed at a real-life Four Seasons resort, which doubles as the fictional White Lotus hotel. And there are plenty of glamorous European options still on the table – including a particularly dreamy one in the south of France.

That said, conflicting reports hint that the team may be eyeing an entirely new continent. According to Parade, a source revealed: “Right now, it’s looking like the next season of The White Lotus will be shot in Egypt or Mexico [...] They want to pick somewhere they haven't shot yet, so a new continent. They want to go somewhere completely new since this season is in Asia, which is why they're between the two. The decision should be made soon."

And don’t hold out for a snow-covered murder mystery anytime soon. As executive producer David Bernad said on The Bill Simmons Podcast: “Mike [White] doesn’t like the cold. That’s why we’ll never do it. So we’ll never do it….feel confident we’ll never do a season in the cold. He just, Mike is, Mike’s not built for, he’s a California guy. He’s not built for the cold. But never say never, but I would be surprised.”

So a ski resort is definitely off the table. But the options still feel endless. Wherever it is, you can bet two things. It’ll look stunning and someone will probably die there.

Will there be more seasons of The White Lotus?

Only The White Lotus season 4 has been confirmed, but we'd bet good money on future seasons, too... (Image credit: HBO Max)

Will The White Lotus extend beyond the confirmed fourth season? Oh, we'd put money on it. But nothing is confirmed.

Speaking to Deadline, Francesca Orsi said: “I imagine he is going to go beyond four [...] He [White] hasn’t confirmed it, but I think he has more to say than just one more season.”

So while nothing beyond The White Lotus season 4 has been confirmed yet, it’s clear the appetite – for both viewers and the creators – is there.

And honestly, why stop? The show's anthology format gives it endless flexibility. So as long as it continues to deliver its signature mix of satire, scandal, and sunscreen, we’re ready to check in for as many seasons as they'll give us.

For more news about the return of some of the best Max shows, check out our guides on The Last of Us season 2, Creature Commandos season 2 and Euphoria season 3.

This week was a momentous one as Microsoft turned 50. On top of that, we finally saw the Nintendo Switch 2 in all its glory, and Sony's new OLED tech floored us.

To catch up on all that and the other biggest stories of the week, we've rounded them up here. There's a quick recap of each story, and links to further reading if you're desperate to know more.

Once you're up to speed on the news, be sure to check out our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (April 4).

7. Microsoft turned 50 – and celebrated with a big CoPilot upgrade

(Image credit: Future)

Not many tech companies have lived long enough to celebrate their golden anniversary, but grizzled tech giant Microsoft hit that impressive milestone this week. Rather than sit back with a well-earned Old Fashioned or embarrass its grandchildren with a chicken dance, it announced a big upgrade to its CoPilot AI assistant instead.

CoPilot is now morphing from a fairly standard, generative AI chatbot into a full-blown companion to rival ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Well, that's the theory anyway – the new CoPilot now has a memory to help it "learn who you are deeply", while the mobile apps can use your smartphone's camera to help it understand what you're seeing.

That all sounds both useful and creepy, but will CoPilot have the staying power of Windows, Word or even Clippy? Time will tell – we'll let you know in 2075.

• Read more: Microsoft 50th Anniversary Copilot Event live – we're on the ground with all the latest news

6. Nintendo spilled (almost) everything on the Switch 2

(Image credit: Nintendo)

This week, we went hands-on with Nintendo Switch 2, which is due to launch in just a couple of months on June 5, 2025. The new console boasts a number of significant improvements over its predecessor. These include support for 4K resolution on TV, and 1080p on the handheld. We can also expect variable refresh rate support, 256GB of storage space and frame rates of up to 120fps for supported games.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is priced at $429.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95 for the console by itself. A bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World can also be bought for $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$769.95. Though prices could rise, at least in the US as Nintendo announced it's delaying Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in response to the recent Trump tariffs.

Plenty of official peripherals and accessories have been announced. A camera for the new GameChat feature will be sold separately and can be connected to the Switch 2’s USB-C ports. We’re also getting a Pro Controller 2 and a wireless Nintendo GameCube controller that will be compatible with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s upcoming Switch 2 GameCube game library.

• Read more: I spent four hours with Nintendo Switch 2

5. Nintendo showcased the Switch 2 software lineup too

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware reveal, we also got a preview of all the software coming to the new console later this year.

The headline was obviously the Switch 2’s biggest first-party launch title: Mario Kart World. This open-world rendition of the karting title is bigger and better in every way based on our preview, with some delightful new courses and an expansive map to race across.

Other hits from the showcase included Donkey Kong Bananza, new (albeit brief) Silksong details, a look at The Duskbloods – an exclusive FromSoftware title for the Switch 2 – and the arrival of GameCube Classics via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service.

The only downside is the games are getting pricier with Mario Kart World starting at $79.99 / £75.99. Not to mention that Nintendo’s charging for Welcome Tour – an interactive instruction manual it has designed for the Switch 2.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 live updates

4. ChatGPT had a rollercoaster week

(Image credit: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It’s been a hell of a week for OpenAI. It kicked things off last week by launching native image generation inside ChatGPT. Previously it has relied on DALL-E for images, but now it could do them itself, and do them better. People quickly realized that it was great at imitating the style of the anime powerhouse Studio Ghibli and a craze for Studio Ghibli-style images of people hit the Internet, resulting in OpenAI’s servers going into meltdown as 1 million new users signed up in just one hour. ChatGPT went down at least three times this week.

Melting servers weren’t OpenAI’s only problem, with many people questioning the legality of producing art in the Studio Ghibli copyright style. Should an AI be allowed to reproduce Studio Ghibli’s founder Hayao Miyazaki’s painstaking frame-by-frame approach to animation with such faithful mimicry?

It’s also strongly rumoured that Deep Reasoning, the wildly popular agentic research capability found in ChatGPT Pro and ChatGPT Plus is coming to the free tier of ChatGPT very soon after a member of OpenAI’s Technical Staff revealed the information in an online discussion. Let’s hope the servers can handle it if and when this does happen.

• Read more: ChatGPT was down again – here's everything we know

3. CinemaCon 2025 gave us film previews galore

(Image credit: Getty Images)

CinemaCon 2025 gave us four days of showcase presentations from the biggest names in Hollywood including Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, DreamWorks, Focus Features, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures.

There's so much we could talk about but a few highlights include the Spider-Man: Brand New Day title and date reveal, the John Wick 5 announcement, four The Beatles movies are coming in 2026, and we got the first footage from Wicked Part Two, Avatar: Fire & Ash, and Tron: Ares.

• Read more: CinemaCon 2025 – every big movie announcement

2. We saw Sony's new top-end OLED TV in action

(Image credit: Future)

Sony unveiled the new TVs it has coming in 2025, and probably the juiciest is the Sony Bravia 8 II – a follow-up to both the Sony Bravia 8 mid-range OLED and the high-end Sony A95L QD-OLED.

Sony didn't reveal prices, but said that it'll be cheaper than the A95L, despite being a QD-OLED TV, using the latest-gen panel (the same ones found in the Samsung S95F). With the new-gen panel it'll be brighter than any previous Sony OLED, and should have richer colors. It'll also be only way to get the highest-end QD-OLED screen with a glossy finish, rather than the matte Glare-Free 2.0 finish used by Samsung.

If the Bravia 8 II can hit the same kind of prices as the LG G5 and Samsung S95F – rather than coming in significantly more expensive, like the A95L did – then we could be onto something very special from Sony.

• Read more: I saw Sony's new top-end OLED TV in action

1. Garmin's new subscription caused chaos

(Image credit: Future)

Garmin has unveiled a new and extremely unpopular subscription platform, Garmin Connect+. The company says that its free experience isn't going anywhere, but that hasn't stopped furious users in their thousands protesting the new $7 subscription.

For the monthly fee, Garmin is promising users six paywalled features including Active Intelligence, an AI-powered agent that theoretically gives you more personalized insights into your training and performance.

Generally, fans of the brand are upset about the move because Garmins are often very expensive, making the added cost of a subscription harder to bear. There's also plenty of discourse about the fact that the subscription itself is very thin, and doesn't seem to offer a tremendous amount of value to users given the cost.

Whichever way you slice it, the Garmin Connect+ launch has been a disaster for the company, and with users already tense over a significant outage and premium devices being left out in the cold when it comes to software, the launch could not have been timed worse.

• Read more: Furious Garmin users revolt over new subscription service

• Indian government is expected to contribute a staggering 90% of the cost
• The announcement comes as fab demands is heating up on the back AI explosive growth
• Construction of these fabs is a very long process and always lags demand, sometimes by years

L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT), a fabless chip startup backed by Indian engineering firm Larsen & Toubro, is planning to build a $10 billion wafer fabrication facility in India.

A report by eeNews Analog claims the ambitious plan hinges on LTSCT achieving $1 billion in annual revenue by the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

Founded in 2023 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro, LTSCT was created to design a range of semiconductor components, including MEMS sensors, analog and mixed-signal ICs, RF chips, and smart power devices. While the company hasn’t yet started shipping chips, its CEO, Sandeep Kumar, expects commercial production to begin in the second half of 2025.

Increasing ABF production by 50%

eeNews Analog says Kumar told Business Standard, “A fab plant will require an investment of over US$10 billion. Even with subsidies, it will mean an investment of US$1 billion.” He noted the company’s fab plans would be triggered only if it achieves $1 billion in annual revenue by the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

The company is banking on India’s semiconductor push, which includes a $10 billion incentive program launched in 2021.

The Indian government is expected to contribute up to 90% of the cost of the proposed fab - a level of support that Kumar acknowledges is unusually high by global standards. LTSCT isn’t expected to seek outside funding beyond that.

eeNews Analog noted that LTSCT’s long-term strategy would see it transition from a fabless designer to an integrated device manufacturer (IDM).

The company has already secured more than $300 million in funding from Larsen & Toubro to support its design efforts, with plans to develop 15 chip products by 2027.

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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 5.

• Anthropic has launched an AI assistant for colleges called Claude for Education.
• The new AI aims to help students, faculty, and administrators with everything from tutoring to policy summaries.
• The new Learning Mode offers Socratic questioning rather than just answering questions.

Anthropic has a new version of its AI assistant Claude aimed at the world of higher education. The new Claude for Education model offers universities a way of embedding a less disruptive version of AI into classrooms and offices.

Claude for Education is designed to help students with their studies without just doing it for them, and to help faculty customize their curricula. Though Claude, like any other AI chatbot, could write a paper that a student might try to pass off as their own, Claude for Education does try to address that issue with the new Learning Mode. Claude will switch from just answering questions to responding with questions of its own in a nod to the Socratic method of teaching.

Ask for the answer, and Claude might instead ask for ways to think about the problem or what proof could support a thesis. Presumably, it would respond to a question about the airspeed of an unladen swallow by asking which subspecies the swallow belongs to. It can also make a study guide based on materials you upload. That's essentially a feature of Google's NotebookLM too, but has obvious utility in college. You can see how that works below.

Claude college

Anthropic wants students to consider AI less of a homework machine and more of a thoughtful TA. Since more than a quarter of teensuse ChatGPT alone for homework, it's an issue that needs to be addressed. Nobody wants to create a generation of students who just copy-paste AI output into their essays.

And some schools are responding. Northeastern University has signed on as Anthropic’s first official “design partner,” offering Claude access to 50,000 students, faculty, and staff across its 13 campuses. Champlain College and the London School of Economics and Political Science are also among the first adopters.

OpenAI has its own education-focused tools, and CEO Sam Altman even announced that ChatGPT Plus would be free to college students through May. Claude’s approach is more focused, like the deal OpenAI made with Arizona State University to incorporate its AI at the school.

Anthropic is looking to widen Claude's adoption at schools through its new Claude Campus Ambassadors program, which gets students to work with the company in rolling out educational initiatives. They’re also offering API credits to students who want to build cool projects using Claude.

Of course, the real test isn’t how many students use Claude, but how they use it. Because as much as I love the idea of AI making life easier for students and professors, there’s a line between using tech to learn and using it to dodge learning entirely. And that line is, well, blurry. It will be necessary to keep watching how these tools are used and whether they actually help students learn in meaningful, human ways.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers will be at the White House to celebrate their World Series win. But not everyone is happy that the team will meet with President Trump.

(Image credit: Kevork Djansezian)

The Washington Capitals star came into Friday's game two goals shy of tying the NHL's career record, set decades ago by the great Wayne Gretzky. The Capitals have six games left in the regular season.

(Image credit: Nick Wass)

The National Weather Service has issued a warning that the South and Midwest may experience more severe storms, flooding and tornadoes in the days ahead.

(Image credit: Jon Cherry/AP)

Adding eyes to artificial intelligence is always a tricky thing. Do you want it to see everything you're doing all the time? Certainly not, but I think most of us agree that an AI visual assist when you need it could come in quite handy. Microsoft's new Copilot Vision may be one of the most promising applications of AI-based visual capabilities I've seen yet.

Microsoft unveiled the Copilot Vision update for its Windows App and mobile apps (you can point your camera at things, and Vision can identify them for you) during a splashy, combined Copilot and Microsoft 50th Anniversary event.

Copilot all but got a brain transplant, using both homegrown (Microsoft AI or MAI) and OpenAI GPT generative models to deliver updates across memory, search, personalization, and vision capabilities.

Now that I've seen Copilot Vision in action, I can tell you it's one of the most exciting and important updates of the bunch – even if it is coming in two stages.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

In the version you can access for your supporting Windows Desktop app right now, Copilot Vision can see the apps you're running on the desktop. When you open Copilot – by selecting the icon or pressing your Copilot key on your keyboard – you can now select the new eyeglasses icon.

This lets you see a list of open apps; in our case, we had two running: Blender 3D and Clipchamp. This means that while Copilot is aware of the available apps running on Windows, it is not automatically watching.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

We selected Blender 3D, and from that moment forward, something in my Windows existence shifted. I realized that Copilot can truly see which app you're running, and instead of guessing at your intent, it answers based on the app and even the project you're working on.

A 3D coffee table project was open, and using our voice, we asked about how to make the table design more traditional. Our prompt contained almost no details about the app or the project, but Copilot's answer, in a lovely baritone, was fully contextual.

We then switched and asked about how to make annotations in the app. Copilot started to answer but we interrupted and asked where to find the icon to add the annotations. Copilot quickly adjusted and promptly told us how to find it.

This could prove enormously useful because you're no longer breaking your flow to jump out to search or even to over-explain which app you're using or the project. Copilot Vision sees and knows.

Let me tell you, though, about what's to come.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

We followed the same steps to open Copilot and access the Vision component, but this time, we pointed Copilot at our open Clipchamp project.

We asked Copilot how to make our video transitions more seamless. Instead of a text prompt explaining what to do, Copilot Vision showed us exactly where to find the necessary tool in the app.

A giant arrow (inside an animated circle) appeared on the screen, pointing at the transitions tool it recommended we use as it explained the necessary steps. We ran through this demo a couple of times, and owing to its still under-development nature, it didn't always work.

When it did, though, it pointed to a potentially exciting change in how we'll work with apps in Windows.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

We've also seen a demo video that shows Copilot Vision digging even deeper into the Photoshop app to find the right tools. This, my friends, is Clippy on steroids.

Imagine the future where you use text prompts or your voice to figure out how to perform tasks in an open app, and Copilot Vision digitally takes your hand and guides you through. There's no sign that it will take app-level actions on your behalf, but this could be an incredible visual assistant.

The good news is that the Copilot Vision that at least knows what app and project you're working on is available now. The bad news is that the Copilot Vision I really want has no definite timeline. But I have to assume it won't be long. We did see it live, after all.

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The news is a reversal from February announcements that said it would "no longer ship o3 as a standalone model."

The end of A Minecraft Movie plants the seed for a bigger, blocky, cinematic universe to take shape.