Summer is on its way for those in the northern hemisphere, which means new releases to accompany you outside while you make the most of it – although those who want to beat the heat indoors are more than covered as well. Whatever your preference, there’s something for everyone this week, from bleeding-edge tech to retro throwbacks.
We’ve got a state-of-the-art 4K OLED gaming monitor in the form of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G81SF, which we had a hard time tearing ourselves away from thanks to its glorious performance. And if you want to take the party outdoors, the JBL Flip 7 Bluetooth speaker and Insta360 X5 camera are the strongest outings yet in their respective fields, with both refining their formulas to near perfection. But that’s not all – read on for more of this week’s hottest reviews.
The Samsung Odyssey G81SF has a spec list that’ll be music to the ears of gamers everywhere. It has a 27-inch 4K OLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz and a 0.03ms response time. What’s more, it supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and features VESA Display HDR True Black 400 and anti-glare technologies. The end result is an image quality that ranks alongside what the best gaming monitors can muster.
There are also some handy maintenance features to safeguard the display from overheating and burn-in. We think it’s better for gamers than for streamers, owing to the fact that it lacks KVM. There are no speakers either, nor is there Samsung Smart TV support, despite other Odyssey models getting this feature. It’s also eye-wateringly expensive, but for sheer pro-level performance, the Samsung Odyssey G81SF is hard to beat.
For
- Lovely design
- Outstanding performance
- Life-extending features
Against
- Expensive
- No Samsung Smart TV
- No USB-C port
Ural Garrett
“The Samsung Odyssey OLED G81SF is a fantastic 27-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor. Image quality is phenomenal with 166 pixels per inch, glare-free technology, and VESA Display HDR True Black 400.”
Read Ural’s full Samsung Odyssey OLED G81SF review.
We already thought the JBL Flip 6 was an excellent portable speaker, but the Flip 7 manages to make further improvements. It features 35W of power and can last up to 16 hours. Along with Bluetooth, you can also play back audio via the USB-C port, which is great if you want to take advantage of its Auracast compatibility and listen to hi-res content.
The sound quality blew us away too, and it comes close to rivalling even the best Bluetooth speakers on this front. We thought it was a shame, however, that it doesn’t pair with other Flip speakers, and the 150-minute charging time is a little on the slow side. But when you consider its very competitive price, the JBL Flip 7 is the perfect speaker to take on your adventures.
For
- Punchy, detailed sound
- Great battery life
- Hardy build quality
Against
- Could charge more quickly
- Can’t pair with other Flips
Simon Lucas
“This is not a small upgrade – it makes a clear case for itself over the JBL Flip 6, even though the older model will be available for cheaper now.”
Read Simon’s full JBL Flip 7 review.
We think the Insta360 X5 improves on the X4 in a number of ways. It has better image quality, especially in darker environments, which we highlighted as a weakness in the older model. And while it retains many excellent design elements, being just as portable and easy to use as the X4, the X5 now benefits from an IP68 rating, making it waterproof to 49ft / 15m – slightly more than the X4 could manage.
All of these improvements add up to make the X5 one of the best 360 cameras. But while we think the X5 is better, X4 owners still might not find reason enough to upgrade. But if you’re new to the market, you couldn’t do much better than starting with the Insta360 X5.
For
- Improved video quality
- Improved audio recording
- Easily replaceable lenses
Against
- Battery can drain fast
- X4 owners might not see value in upgrading
Sam Kieldsen
“The Insta360 X4 was a fantastic product when it came out only a year ago, and its successor is even better.”
Read Sam’s full Insta360 X5 review.
Retro gaming is back, and in a big way, so if you want an even more authentic experience while retaining the mod-cons of a contemporary gamepad, the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller could be for you. We think it could also be a contender for one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers if you’re keen on taking advantage of the console’s online retro library. We also found it amenable to fighting games, thanks to the six-button layout.
Best of all, it’s even compatible with the original Sega Saturn console, thanks to the included adapter. We weren’t terribly impressed with its build quality, which feels a little too hollow for our liking, and some inputs are a little hard to reach, but the Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller is a great way to play while harking back to a bygone era.
For
- Fantastic D-pad
- Great for fighting games
- Sega Saturn compatible
Against
- Awkward central buttons
- Hollow construction
- Small thumbsticks
Rhys Wood
The Sony UPB-X800M2 excels where it matters most. We were impressed by its picture quality, upscaling ability, and feature set, which includes Wi-Fi for streaming purposes. The design is also very premium, contending with the best 4K Blu-ray players in this regard.
However, there’s no denying that it’s an expensive bit of kit, and we don’t think its price is entirely justified when compared to other players, including Sony’s own lower-tiered rival, the UBP-X700. We also found its interface a little frustrating, especially the Dolby Vision setting, which requires manual toggling depending on the Blu-ray being played back. Still, you likely won’t be disappointed if all you want is a phenomenal picture.
For
- Superb picture quality
- Solid, sturdy design
- Good number of features
Against
- Comparatively poor value
- Frustrating Dolby Vision
- Dated-looking interface
James Davidson
“The Sony UPB-X800M2 is an excellent 4K Blu-ray player that delivers fantastic picture quality and great upscaling.”
Read James’ full Sony UBP-X800M2 review.
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lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
