One-minute review

Philips Hue is famed for making some of the best smart lights, offering the widest ranges of color shades (16 million) in a host of shapes and sizes. With product lines such as Hue Go, the brand has been moving the dial beyond individual bulbs to other lighting form factors – including its latest creation, the Hue Go portable table lamp.

Previously, models such as the spotlight-shaped Philips Hue Go 2  and the Philips Hue Gradient Signe table lamp have sported wonderful standout designs, but haven’t necessarily had the traditional homely feel you might be looking for. 

The Hue Go portable table lamp takes its design cues from traditional bedside table lamps, with a round base plate and central column supporting its lamp shade top. Available in black and white metal, the lamp makes for a fetching and chic piece on your side table, and comes with a hand grip in situ for moving the lamp from room to room. It’s lightweight at 975g and can be carried with ease around the home – and outside, thanks to its IP54 dust and water protection. 

Petite at 35 x 14.2 x 14.2cm (h x w x d), the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp is clearly designed with ambiance in mind, rather than lighting up a whole room. The lamp “shade” is purely aesthetic – the round light plate is located on the underside of the lamp shade, meaning the light splays out downwards as it would on a standard lamp without the need of a shade to diffuse the glaring light of standard light bulbs. The light plate itself measures only 25cm high, which proved a little short for use as a reading lamp unless it's on near-full brightness, which maxes out at 530 lumens. 

The top of the lamp is fully covered, and home to a button to turn the device on and cycle through the eight color hues available. This button placement is far better than the Hue Go 2, where it was perplexingly positioned on the underside of the lamp; but this does come at the expense of having any light spray from the top of the shade as you might expect from a traditional table lamp. Personally, I didn’t mind this so much, preferring to use the lamp for mood lighting; but this does limit its use somewhat.

The lamp charges on a small wired dock – and, fully charged, the battery can last up to 48 hours, depending on the hue selected. This is almost double the lifespan we saw in the Philips Hue Go 2. On test, more vibrant hues at full brightness saw it last just under 6 hours, while dimmer and less intense settings such as the flickering Cosy Candle scene saw it last close to 48 hours. One of my greatest gripes with Philips Hue lights is that there’s no way to determine the level of battery remaining, but the manufacturers suggest it takes 3-4 hours to fully charge. 

The black charging dock itself is the source of two of my biggest complaints with the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp. Although I tested the black lamp, I’ve seen customer feedback online stating that the base plate for the white colorway is also black. This feels like an oversight from a company as design and aesthetic-intensive as Philips Hue. 

Second, the lamp isn’t terribly secure on its base. A decisive knock will see it fall off its dock, and even when placed on a table, vibrations through the floor as you walk around your home can cause the lamp to teeter, flickering the light on and off in the process. 

You can opt to exclusively use the preset hues on the lamp (my personal favorites are Forest Green and Cosy Candle), but as with all of the best smart lights, there’s no need to fork out for one of the best smart switches to remotely control the Hue Go portable table lamp and unlock its true potential. Simply download the app and, where relevant, add the device to your preferred smart home ecosystem, and you’re good to go. 

As with all Philips Hue lights, it’s spectacularly easy to connect the table lamp to the app with either a preinstalled Philips Hue Bridge, which allows for up to 50 devices, or Bluetooth, which allows for up to 10. Once that’s done, you unleash a whole new world of potential for your portable table lamp. You can either use the color wheel to choose from 16 million shades, use some of the many ready-to-go “scenes” (multiple themed colors through which the light will cycle) in Philips Hue’s library, or even create your own custom scenes using the color wheel or your favorite photos. 

All in all, the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp is a slightly flawed yet fantastic addition to the Philips Hue Go lineup. It could certainly do with being a little taller and a little brighter to meet the expectations a user would have of a regular table lamp, and it feels like Philips Hue fell at the last hurdle when it comes to the wobbly, sometimes mismatched charging base. 

Still, it’s the only smart table lamp I can think of to take its design cues from the more familiar, traditional table lamp form factor, and as a first attempt it works fantastically well. I found the lamp to be really useful, too. Its battery life is truly impressive, and its portability came in very handy when I was looking in dark cupboards, crawling around under my desk trying to fix my PC, and enjoying company on my balcony. 

It also feels like a great entry point for newbies to start building their first smart home. Its inoffensive design, user-friendly app, and simple setup make for the perfect companion.

Philips Hue Go portable table lamp review: Price and availability

• List price: $159.99 / £139.99 
• Available in the US & UK
• Can be bought direct from Philips or resellers

The Philips Hue Go portable table lamp is available for $159.99 / £139.99 directly from the Philips Hue US and Philips Hue UK websites and online retailers such as Amazon. The main body is available in two colors, each with two different hand grip options; black with either a dark grey or orange grip and white with either sage green or teal. The charge plate for both colorways is black.

While the light can be easily set up using Bluetooth, you might want to opt to connect more devices and use the Philips Hue Bridge, which is sold separately for $59.99 / £49.99.

Philips Hue Go portable table lamp review: Specs

Should you buy the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Philips Hue Go Portable table lamp review: Also consider

How I tested the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp

• I tested the table lamp for 2 weeks
• I connected via Bluetooth and the Hue Bridge
• I set routines to which I could wake and fall asleep, and used Apple HomeKit to control it

I used the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp around my home for a couple of weeks, using it as a reading light, desk light, outdoor light and room light to see which settings it worked best in. 

I charged the lamp fully and then tested how long it took to drain the battery with different light settings and also used the Philips Hue app to test its functions and features, including its scenes and music sync features. During testing, I used Apple HomeKit, and it worked an absolute treat. 

Sennheiser HD-660S2: Two-minute review

The Sennheiser HD-660S2 headphones are the latest in Sennheiser’s series of open-backed models, offering a premium audio experience, comfortable fit and general sense of superiority over regular commercial cans.

These are wired headphones made for the mixing booth, with brilliant sound recreation, plush cushioning, and the rigid headband needed to prevent vibration while you listen to your favorite tracks. While cans like these are usually designed with professional use in mind – sound mixing and mastering – the HD-660S2s are also great for all-round music listening, with a relaxed sound signature and a boosted bass response compared to the original HD-660S.

You won’t be able to use these headphones on the subway, mind – as an open-backed model, there’s little-to-no sound isolation here and thus, they will only really suit those who listen to audio while chained to their desk (or lounging in a comfy listening chair). 

Unlike many of the best over-ear headphones we've tested, there's no Bluetooth or alternative wireless connectivity other than a detachable cable here. Ultimately, the HD-660S2 are best for static listening, sound mixing, or nursing a favorite album in high quality sound in your own home (without fear that you’ll miss the ring of a doorbell). There isn’t a huge amount of sound leakage, though, so you should be able to sit near someone without blaring Taylor Swift in an obnoxious manner.

High impedance headphones like these are able to limit sound distortion, thanks to a thin and sensitive voice coil, ensuring accurate sound and improved bass reproduction – and at 300 Ohms impedance, the HD-660S2 are hard to beat on this metric.

It’s worth noting that you won’t always get the full experience using everyday source devices such as your phone or laptop though; while the 2023 Macbook Air packs in support for high-impedance headphones, this isn’t common across the board, and the HD-660S2 headphones are best enjoyed for those working with high-quality audio files and devices – as well as one of the best DACs (which often double as amplifiers for these kinds of harder-to-drive cans). Thankfully, a variety of connection cables (6.3mm and 4.4mm, with a 3.5mm adapter for more pedestrian uses) ensure you can connect these cans to whatever source devices you have.

Sennheiser’s headphones are a delight to wear, with thick, plush foam and an open soundstage that surrounds the ears rather than funneling directly into them. They’re easy enough to wear for long listening periods, though an intentionally rigid construction means they can feel a little heavier than their listed 260g specification would usually suggest. While the cans come with a soft carry pouch, you won’t be able to pivot the earcups or decrease the amount of space they take up.

Even with standard music streaming over Spotify, it’s a pleasant and rewarding experience, hearing the soft croons of Lorde on Buzzcut Season dip in and out as a gentle bass track seems to float in the air around your ears. The open soundstage brings out the depth and complex layers of Ethel Cain’s Crush, as voice, synth and instrumentals are expanded out of the song’s hazy, dreamlike sound. Meanwhile, over in Beyonce’s ALIEN SUPERSTAR, the HD-660S2’s drivers can capably draw out bass detail in a way lesser headphones would simply miss entirely.

Those used to the immediate impact and power of quality closed-backed headphones may miss it, but there’s no doubt that the HD-660S2's output is easy on the ears, with a cohesive effect across frequencies high and low.

Open-backed headphones aren’t for everyone, and those of you wanting cans that work on the go, or pack in the usual medley of smart features (Bluetooth, ANC, transparency mode, voice assistants, etc) will want to look elsewhere. But for the discerning or professional listener, the Sennheiser HD-660S2 headphones hit different.

Sennheiser HD-660S2 review: Price & release date

• They cost $599 / £499 / AU$949
• Launched in March 2023

The Sennheiser HD-660S2 headphones retail for $599 / £499 / AU$949, and are available globally. That’s in line with the similarly-specified Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO, though only a third of the price of the premium Sennheiser HD 800 S, so there’s still a lot more out there for those wanting top-line audiophile cans.

You can also get the original Sennheiser HD-660S for a little cheaper, though the newer model boasts a more fleshed-out bass response. And let's not forget, if it's a cheap open-back design you want, Grado's affordable SR80x started at just $125 / £130 / AU$179 but may even be a little cheaper now… 

Sennheiser HD-660S2 review: Specs

Should I buy the Sennheiser HD-660S2?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Sennheiser HD-660S2 review: Also consider

How I tested the Sennseiser HD-660S2

• Tested for one week in a home office
• Primarily tested with Spotify desktop app on Macbook

To test the Sennseiser HD-660S2, I hooked them up to the headphone jack in my Macbook Air. Given these aren’t closed-back commuter headphones, or Bluetooth compatible, there wasn’t much point in taking them on public transport.

I focused testing on static use, both for background music and focused on listening in the home. Most testing was done through Spotify, where I broadly keep my music catalog, though I also used the HD-660S2 to listen to podcasts and YouTube/Twitch videos, to cover a variety of sources. I also gave them a spin with my Nintendo Switch, and they were certainly effective at drawing out bass detail on game soundtracks, if a little wasted on an everyday gaming device.

As the former Home Cinema Editor for TechRadar, I have years of experience testing and evaluating the quality of audio devices, from headphones and soundbars to Bluetooth speakers.

• First reviewed: March 2023

50mm lenses have always been, and will likely remain incredibly popular for the foreseeable future. ‘Nifty fifties’ are well known for being inexpensive, compact, lightweight, and for producing great image quality. And all those points remain true in the mirrorless age, except for one: cost. The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 is an exquisite lens in every respect and is easily one of the best Sony lenses available, but you have to be prepared to fork out some serious cash if you’d like to get your hands on one.

The great thing about this lens is that it’s fairly compact and lightweight despite an optical construction that produces excellent image quality at all apertures. At just 3.25 x 3.9-inches with a weight of 18.3oz / 516g, it’s well balanced with A series full-frame bodies in terms of both size and weight. This is smaller and lighter than the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM, which is an incredible lens, but some photographers will undoubtedly prefer this more compact option despite the slightly slower maximum aperture. 

For owners of A series APS-C cameras, the 50mm F.14 is a little bulky but certainly isn’t so front-heavy that it makes shooting uncomfortable. Plus, the crop factor results in an effective focal length of 75mm which is great for shooting portraits. For owners of Sony APS-C cameras, to achieve a similar focal length and field of view to 50mm, you’d need to purchase a 35mm lens - the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM is another great lens.

The 50mm F1.4 is well-built, as you’d expect, and features dust and moisture resistance allowing it to be used in a range of weather conditions and locations without fear of damage. There are two focus hold buttons that can be customized, alongside a manual aperture ring that can be set to click-free for video or to A mode for control via the camera. Plus, the included lens hood provides more than adequate protection from both stray light and damage to the front element.

The front element features a fluorine coating designed to repel dust, fingerprints, water, oil, etc. but it’s always prudent to avoid any of these contaminants if possible. On the inside, the lens is constructed of 14 elements in 11 groups, including two high-precision XA (extreme aspherical) elements and an ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element which together effectively eliminate distortion and chromatic aberration. 

The 11-blade aperture produces a circular aperture with pleasing bokeh when shooting wide open. The minimum focusing distance is 1.35ft/41cm when using autofocus and 1.25ft/38cm when using manual focus, meaning it’s not the ideal lens for close-up work, but high-thrust XD linear motors deliver fast and accurate autofocus that’s near-silent so autofocus can be used when shooting video. There’s no image stabilization built into the lens, but with many Sony A series models offering in-body image stabilization this isn’t a problem and it also helps to keep the lens compact and lightweight. 

When it comes to image quality, the 50mm F1.4 is an impressive performer with no visible distortion and a complete absence of chromatic aberration. Images are sharp throughout the aperture range that extends from the maximum of f/1.4 to the minimum of f/16. At f/1.4, images are sharpest in the center with some fall-off at the edges and a slight vignette that reduces when you stop down to f/2. Edge sharpness increases as you stop down with f/5.6 and f/8 providing the sharpest images across the frame. f/8 is the sweet spot of the lens providing maximum sharpness, which then begins to reduce slightly as you stop down to f/11 and f/16.

That said, both f/11 and f/16 produce more than adequate sharpness and can be comfortably used if you require a larger depth of field. I tested the lens with the Sony A7R V with its impressive 61MP sensor, which is unforgiving when it comes to lens deficiencies; the 50mm F1.4 didn’t miss a beat with the optical performance of the lens being a perfect match for the high-resolution sensor

This is a lens that can be used to shoot practically all subjects including portraits, landscapes, streets, and even wildlife. The latter may sound implausible, but I’ve interviewed several professional wildlife photographers who swear by this focal length in some situations.

The compact size and relatively light weight of the 50mm F1.4 make it an excellent carry-everywhere option. And although it doesn’t offer the convenience of a zoom, the excellent image quality, large maximum aperture, and the ability to simply move on your feet to reframe shots make it a lens well worth consideration; potentially making it a more attractive option than a 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom.

Sony FE 50mm F1.4: Price and availability

The 50mm F1.4 costs $1299 / £1500 / AU$2599 making it a substantial investment that will be hard to justify for many enthusiasts. It is less expensive than the flagship Sony FE F1.2 GM, which costs $1999 / £2100 / AU$2749, but it’s still almost twice the price of Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN | Art, which offers some stiff competition in terms of both price and image quality.

One point to mention is that in Australia, the 50mm F1.2 GM curiously costs just AU$150 more than the 50mm F1.4 GM on the Sony Australia website. So, if you’re considering buying a Sony 50mm GM lens, opting for the F1.2 version is a no-brainer for that unbelievable price difference. For those of us who live in the US and Europe, however, the F1.4 version is much less expensive as you would expect.

Should you buy the Sony FE 50mm F1.4?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony 50mm F1.4

The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM was tested over several days covering a range of subjects because this versatile focal length can be used to shoot most subjects. Photos were taken at different aperture settings to test overall handling, sharpness, and distortion, while static and moving subjects were shot to test autofocus performance.

Most images were shot simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically for being able to compare the results. This provides the ability to test all aspects of the lens in a real-world environment closer to how photographers will use the lens themselves, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable subject and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this. 

First reviewed March 2023