Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition is an excellent version of the 2024 open-world Star Wars game. It runs incredibly well overall, with a frame rate that rarely dips below its 30 frames per second (fps) target while also pushing some impressive ray tracing effects. It might just be the best Nintendo Switch 2 port that we’ve seen yet, especially considering the fact that the original release would sometimes stutter on more powerful hardware like the PlayStation 5.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC Release date: September 4, 2025 (Nintendo Switch 2)
The value proposition of this version is also off the charts. Rather than its usual Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, Gold Edition, and Ultimate Edition release strategy, Ubisoft has opted to include all the Gold Edition content out of the gate for anyone buying on Nintendo Switch 2.
This means you get the full season pass with two substantial new story chapters that take a total of about 10 hours to beat. Oodles of cosmetics for protagonist Kay Vess and her companion Nix are also included, plus the short pre-order bonus Jabba’s Gambit mission.
While I could lament the fact that the handful of cosmetics from the Ultimate Pack haven’t been thrown in too (though they are still purchasable separately via the eShop if you want them), this is still an incredible amount of content that encompasses all the major DLC additions since launch.
It’s an easy sell at the asking price of $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$89.95 (or even less on sale) when you consider that the Gold Edition costs $109.99 / £104.99 / AU$169.95 on other platforms.
If you’re a fan of the Star Wars universe, then you’re going to love the peerless faithfulness of this adaptation. As an intergalactic rogue forced to go on the run after a heist gone wrong, you explore a series of large open-world planets as you gradually put together a crew and navigate relationships with some of the galaxy’s most notorious criminal clans.
Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi films, familiar locations like the desert plains of Tatooine are wonderfully represented and seamlessly presented alongside new additions like the sandy Toshara Moon or dense jungle world of Akiva.
Best bit
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
The five planets of Star Wars Outlaws are all a fan’s dream. It includes the perfect mix of nostalgic favorites like Tatooine alongside some more interesting and beautiful inclusions like the snowy world of Kijimi.
Everywhere you explore looks superb on Nintendo Switch 2, especially in handheld mode. On the console’s 1080p screen, it appears delightfully crisp and, although the quality of 3D models does take a small hit, the overall experience feels about on par with that of an Xbox Series S, which is a very impressive result.
In some regards, it actually looks better here than on the Series S, with improved ray-tracing effects in interior environments. Wandering around the densely populated city of Mirogana early in the game, the lighting effects appear rich and complex. Locations are crafted with a high level of detail throughout the game, and I’m glad that the enjoyment of occasionally stopping to soak it all in and pore over every small element of a space hasn’t been lost in the jump over to less talented hardware.
Things do fare a little worse when the system is docked, though. Playing on a 4K TV, I noticed upscaling was used very liberally, which lends certain areas quite a blurry look. Anywhere with lots of plants, for example, tends to look rather fuzzy, and Kay’s hair suffers from some noticeable aliasing. The pop-in in the open world becomes more noticeable in docked mode, too. When you’re zooming around on your speeder, you’ll regularly see little bushes or shadows appearing in the distance - but you get used to this very quickly.
More powerful than you could possibly imagine
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
If you’ve experienced Star Wars Outlaws on another platform, then you’ll also need to acclimatize to the frame rate when jumping over to the Nintendo Switch 2 version. It's locked to 30fps here, a change that was especially noticeable as I compared the game with its PS5 port side by side.
When you’re actually playing, it is less apparent, though, and developers Massive Entertainment do deserve some serious credit when it comes to just how well Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition maintains that frame rate target.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Stutters are extremely rare, and I only noticed them starting to crop up in moments of very intense action with multiple explosions, many enemies on screen, moving vehicles, and the like, all at once. Importantly, the experience is never rendered unplayable, and I think the odd hiccup is a worthwhile trade-off for the opportunity to dip in and out of this game on the go.
I’ve been playing Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition sporadically since it launched back in September, and I did initially experience a few unexpected crashes in longer play sessions. With time, these seem to have been remedied through various patches, though, so those jumping in today can expect a relatively flawless experience.
With all of this said, Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition nets an easy recommendation as one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games. If you’ve played it before, it’s a joy to re-experience in handheld mode with all the new DLC included. If you’re a newcomer, then you don’t need to worry about suffering a compromised experience due to your choice of hardware.
Should I play Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2?
Play it if...
You want a huge open-world experience on the go Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition offers tens of hours of content that’s wonderful to dip into on the go. With all major DLC included, this is an experience that you’re going to keep coming back to.
You’re a big Star Wars fan Fans of the Star Wars universe will love the attention to detail of Star Wars Outlaws, all of which has been preserved wonderfully in this brilliant port.
Don't play it if...
You’re sick of open-world games I enjoy Star Wars Outlaws, but it certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel in terms of Ubisoft open-world games. If you want a more novel experience, pick up something else from the Nintendo Switch 2’s expansive library, like Mario Kart World.
Accessibility features
Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition has a dedicated accessibility menu on Nintendo Switch 2 with a number of useful settings and presets.
By default, the HUD has been scaled up to 150% in handheld mode, with large text size enabled.
There are also four menus designed to address gameplay, cognitive, color, vision, and hearing needs. Color settings can be fully customized, and there is a range of difficulty options.
How I reviewed Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2
I played nearly 15 hours of Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, constantly comparing my experience of the game with that of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S versions.
I primarily played in the console’s handheld mode, but also endeavored to spend a few hours in docked mode in order to assess its performance.
Of the two modes, handheld mode is definitely the strongest as the smaller screen does a good job of smoothing over many of the visual cutbacks. While playing in docked mode, I relied on the official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
The Hisense L9Q represents the pinnacle of what Hisense can do for home theater projection. It’s a sizzlingly bright 4K ultra short throw (UST) projector that boasts the wide color gamut of triple-laser projectors alongside the accurate color of Pantone Validated hardware.
The Hisense L9Q is a capable streamer on its own thanks to integrated Google TV, and it has fast-enough hardware to run the operating system smoothly. It can also serve as a hub for various video sources with its multiple HDMI ports and an ATSC 3.0 tuner input – a rare feature on the best projectors. And though it doesn’t include a screen like some earlier Hisense L9 models, this version has a variable focus to let it adapt to different setups.
Where most other projectors settle for two or maybe four speakers, the L9Q packs in a whopping ten Devialet-designed speakers in a 6.2.2 configuration for the most impressive sound I’ve heard from a projector. It may not beat actual surround sound speaker systems, but it’s enough to put even the best soundbars to shame.
The L9Q is even a solid gaming projector with its ability to display 4K 60Hz gameplay with low input lag or switch over to 1080p 240Hz for extra smooth visuals and responsive gaming.
It’s a serious package, but it comes with a seriously high-end price at $5,999 / £3,999. That may seem steep, but considering how quickly the prices of TVs ramp up when you go past 75 inches, the math starts to work in Hisense’s favor. The L9Q can put out a 150-inch picture just as easily as it can do 100 inches, and has flexible setup features to get up and running.
For most people who don’t need the added brightness and already have a good sound system, the $3,499 / £2,499 Hisense PX3-Pro will be a more reasonable option. But if you demand the best, the L9Q delivers.
The Hisense L9Q is available for $5,999 / £3,999. In Australia, the projector comes bundled with a 120-inch screen and sells for AU$9,999. Given that it launched towards the end of 2025, the L9Q is unlikely to see any major discounts until sometime in late 2026.
The Hisense L9Q comes with a full-size remote control and uses the Google TV platform for streaming (Image credit: Future)
TheL9Q has four HDMI ports (1 with eARC and two HDMI 2.1) and supports gaming at 1080p/240Hz (Image credit: Future)
Hisense L9Q Review: design and features
Stunning design
Projector, sound system, and streamer all in one
Plentiful connection options
Hisense here has created what I think is its best-looking UST projector yet. The L9Q borrows some of the ideas from the retro-futuristic PX line to deliver a bronze-kissed work of art. Most of the frame of the L9Q is a little boxy, keeping it simple with clean lines, but the front has small channels with power indicator lights and the top bears a curved sort of wave meant to evoke Roman amphitheaters. That’s not just for style either, as the top integrates several speakers. The front is emblazoned with concentric rings and a grille on the front hides even more speakers. Around the side, there are two discs housing yet another pair of speakers.
While the design is very appealing, it’s also functional. The projector sits on four height-adjustable feet to help you level the projector and get a perfectly square image. Where its Hisense L9G predecessor was designed with specific screen sizes in mind (and included those screens), the L9Q is more flexible, offering adjustable keystone and focus to let you adapt it to your needs. The flip side is that the L9Q does not include any screen, which was an addition worth easily $1,000 on earlier models. Whatever screen you do set it up with, the projector can automatically fit the picture to it, though it's a software solution and will reduce the actual image resolution.
Another set of sensors at the top of the projector helps protect your eyes. When these detect someone is close to the projection, they'll dim the display, and after 5 seconds, turn it off entirely. That's good to have since this projector uses bright lasers, and in my testing, the sensors have been fairly responsive.
Another update with the L9Q is that the throw ratio has been reduced to 0.18:1. This lets you get a big image while getting the projector closer to the wall.
Around back, the L9Q has a good selection of connections. You get four HDMI ports, two of which meet the version 2.1 spec. A separate HDMI offers eARC, so you don't have to use up an HDMI 2.1 port for audio output. There's also an optical digital audio output, an Ethernet input, and an RF input for the L9Q’s ATSC 3.0 receiver. The projector even supports a PVR recording system for broadcast TV using an attached storage device. Three USB ports round out the options, with two offering USB 3.0 speeds, and one of those using a Type-C connection.
Even if you don't connect the projector to an external source, you can stream content on the built-in Google TV operating system. While many projectors include built-in operating systems like this, the L9Q actually has the hardware to run it smoothly. In my time testing, the system remained responsive even as I launched and navigated apps, and I could reliably control the projector at all times. The Wi-Fi 6E connection used by the streaming platform is also robust.
Hisense’s included remote is almost the same as what came with the PX3-Pro. It's a long silver handset made out of plastic with the typical Google TV navigation ring. At the top, it features a handful of shortcuts to streaming apps, including one customizable shortcut. There's also a dedicated input select button, which is always handy to have.
One difference between the remotes is that instead of having a control for brightness, the L9Q remote has a channel select button. This and the volume controls are on tall, pill-shaped buttons that are easy to feel out. One great feature of the remote is that it reacts to movement and will light up many of the controls if you simply move it. This is very helpful in the typically dark home theater environment.
Design and features score: 5/5
Powered by 5,000 lumens, the Hisense L9Q's picture stands out even in bright lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)
Hisense L9Q Review: performance
Wonderfully bright picture with rich color
Support for 1080p/240Hz gaming
Potent 10-speaker Dolby Atmos sound
The Hisense L9Q brings UST projector picture quality to new heights. Hisense already impressed me with earlier models such as the L9G and PX3-Pro, but the L9Q carries the torch even further. It’s their brightest projector yet while still providing the stunning color of Hisense’s RGB laser light engine.
Ultimately, its specified 5,000 lumen brightness may be overstated, as maximum brightness comes via a high-brightness mode that results in some horrible color shift. But even without that, the projector beams a brilliant picture. The vivid colors it is capable of don’t mean a sacrifice in accuracy either, as the L9Q is both Pantone Validated and Pantone SkinTone certified.
All of that is delivered with strong contrast. The black levels aren’t so low that letterbox bars disappear completely, especially in darker movie scenes, but when the projector is beaming bright, the bars become hard to see thanks to the projector’s contrast.
The L9Q’s black levels and contrast aren’t quite on the level of the Sony Bravia Projector 7, but it gets closer than most projectors I’ve seen, and it manages it with more vivid color and higher brightness. Not to mention that the L9Q is almost half the price of Sony’s projector.
With most picture presets, you’ll be facing some unfortunate motion smoothing, though, since the projector’s SDR and HDR picture profiles default to using motion smoothing. This has its benefits for some content by smoothing out camera pans and moving objects, but it adds a soap opera effect to movies. The “Film” setting avoids these unsightly artifacts while still keeping judder subdued, however.
The L9Q delivers good focus from corner to corner with manual setup, making the most of its 4K resolution. And the amount of detail you can see with the picture stretching up to 100 inches or larger is exceptional.
Gamers can get plenty from the L9Q as well. Even when it’s beaming a 4K 60Hz picture, it’s able to keep the input latency low enough to make for a fairly responsive experience. Like the Hisense PX3-Pro, the L9Q can drop down to 1080p and crank its refresh rate to 240Hz for super smooth gaming (just make sure to set the HDMI input source to Enhanced Pro or it will top out at 120Hz). I took it for a few runs in Hades, and it was stunningly smooth with virtually no detectable lag.
Though the L9Q did a good job of hiding the rainbow effect most of the time, it is susceptible to it like many other DLP projectors. I didn’t notice it much when watching 4K content, where it only occasionally cropped up and was most visible on white areas of the image. It was also more noticeable while running the projector at 1080p/240Hz.
The projector’s very robust speaker system was an extra pleasant surprise. It uses a total of 10 speakers in a 6.2.2-channel configuration. Four of those speakers are in the front, two on the sides, with four more positioned along the curved top. It’s not as engrossing as a proper surround system or as booming as a double-sub setup (nor is it hitting deep sub-bass), but the sound is weighty, loud, and presents a surprisingly wide soundstage for such a small unit.
With Dolby Atmos audio piping out of the speakers during Star Wars: The Force Awakens, blaster shots seemed to come out from different points in space, there was some height to the TIE fighters flying over, and explosions were properly booming. Ultimately, it’s worth pairing a projector of this quality with an external sound system, but if you don’t, there’s a lot to get from the built-in speakers.
Performance score: 4.5/5
The L9Q has a very appealing, yet functional design (Image credit: Future)
Hisense L9Q Review: value
High price
Extra value as an all-in-one system
No projector screen included in US and UK
The Hisense L9Q is a serious piece of kit, and it has the price to match. At $5,999 / £3,999, you have to expect a lot from this home theater projector, and for the most part, it delivers. Its picture is bright and color-rich, it has powerful built-in sound, and it has Google TV for streaming. But for most people, the $3,499 Hisense PX3-Pro is going to be the more sensible option, since it offers much the same experience but without quite the same brightness, audio power, or extensive connectivity options.
It's kind of a shame that the L9Q doesn't come bundled with a projector screen in the US and the UK, but its flexible lens control means you can pair it with whatever screen you want for the most part. Hisense had offered pre-order customers the option of either a free screen or its HT-Saturn sound wireless speaker system, both of which would have made this an astounding value, but that deal appears to have since expired.
Value score: 4/5
French speaker and amplifier manufacturer Devialet designed the L9Q's built-in audio system (Image credit: Future)
Hisense L9Q
Notes
Rating
Design and features
The Hisense L9Q is gorgeously designed and feature-packed. It has the most robust sound system I’ve heard built into a projector, it offers bright and flexible projection, and it has Google TV and plenty of ports for other video sources.
5/5
Performance
The L9Q’s picture is gorgeous. This projector beams bright, has a wide color gamut, strong contrast, and great clarity. It works well for movies and games alike. And that picture is paired with impressive speakers. Even the operating system runs smoothly, which is not always the case with projectors running Google TV.
5/5
Value
The Hisense L9Q packs a lot into one package. Its price isn’t surprising for even just its projection, but the speaker system makes it even more reasonable. It’s just too bad Hisense isn’t throwing in a screen as well.
4.5/5
Should I buy the Hisense L9Q?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want the ultimate UST projector
The Hisense L9Q beams bright pictures and has powerful audio. It plays twitchy video games just as well as it can play cinema masterpieces. And it’s got all the ports you need plus Google TV built-in.
You want powerful built-in audio
The L9Q's speaker system is far more robust than what you’d get from its competition. If you’re looking for a projector that can stand on its own without needing to be connected to an external sound system, this is your best bet.
You need a projector for brighter rooms
Almost no projector is going to look great in a bright room, but there’s a big difference between a 1,000-lumen and a 5,000-lumen projector where viewability is concerned. The L9Q’s high brightness is a big advantage it has over the competition.
Don’t buy it if…
You plan to always watch in the dark
A huge part of the package here is the brightness. If you’re always going to be watching in a dark home theater, the L9Q’s 5,000-lumen brightness is likely going to be over the top. Better to instead buy the PX3-Pro and apply those savings to a quality screen and sound system.
You want a sub-100-inch picture.
The L9Q can support a smaller picture, but it’s almost unfeasible to get one. With a 5.4-inch gap between the projector and your wall, you’ll get a 100-inch picture. At 2.2 inches, the picture size will be 80 inches.
You won’t use a screen and have imperfect walls
As great as the L9Q itself is, its picture is dependent on other factors. It will look best with a screen, though it can still look great on a bare wall. But due to the extreme angle of UST projection, anyimperfections in your wall — warping, pits, texture — will have an easier time showing up in the picture.
While it’s no match for the color or audio provided by the L9Q, Epson’s EpiqVision Ultra LS800 can get close to its brightness, offering a picture that works well in brighter rooms. Its use of 3LCD technology also avoids rainbow artifacts, and the projector is a good deal cheaper.
The Xgimi Aura 2 is a competent alternative with a quality picture that also benefits from a wide color gamut. It has an elegant design and a similar throw ratio to the Hisense. It’s not nearly as bright and doesn’t have the same gaming capabilities, but if you’re looking for a sleek UST home theater projector, it is a strong option.
If you’re not sure you need the L9Q's high brightness or powerful built-in speakers, then the PX3-Pro is the way to go. It uses similar underlying technology to give you a gorgeous, colorful picture and has the same 240Hz gaming prowess. It’s also a bit smaller. More importantly, it’s substantially cheaper, giving you extra room in your budget for a sound system and quality screen.
Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade
I tested the Hisense L9Q at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.
My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models that my colleagues and I at TechRadar have tested.
I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.
The Edge series from Motorola has been one of the most consistently interesting lines of Android phones for cost-conscious buyers; they’re not always the best smartphones around, but they look classy and get you unrivaled value for money in the Android world. But I’m not so sure about the Motorola Edge 70, which has fallen in with the wrong crowd by trying to follow the new thin-phone ‘trend’.
Super-thin smartphones are starting to feel like a new bandwagon that tech companies are leaping on, apparently after having noticed the huge lack of interest buyers had in the last bandwagon: AI. This bandwagon’s turning out no better: we didn’t love the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and the iPhone Air was lambasted online, and so the Motorola Edge 70 has a lot to prove.
Before testing the Edge 70, I thought Moto would be preaching to the choir; I gave the Edge 60 a glowing review (I think it's my favorite phone of the year), and was fond of the Edge 60 Pro too. Perhaps it should have been telling that the previous generation of Edge mobiles came out only six months prior, because this new Edge is nothing to write home about.
Yes, it’s thin, and yes, it’s light, but it’s still just as wide and tall as your average Android smartphone, so these two tweaked specs don’t exactly amount to a revolutionary redesign.
Beyond its chassis, this is another solid mid-range Android phone. There’s a decent processor and enough RAM to blast through games, a good-looking screen, a classy color scheme, and a competent camera array (albeit with a few downgrades from the Edge 60 Pro in certain areas).
However, the huge price jump up from the Edge 60 – and the solid increase on the Edge 60 Pro too – throws my ‘mid-range’ argument into disarray; this is an expensive mobile which doesn’t go nearly far enough in justifying that price.
Bear in mind the number of downgrades from the still-very-fresh Edge 60 line: the new Edge 70 loses a camera from the 60 and 60 Pro, and also misses out on the fast charging and strong performance of the latter. And remember: the 60 Pro is a cheaper phone.
That’s doubly painful when you consider how much bloatware there is on this newer device; it's a symptom of a cheap phone that feels out of place when you’re buying a phone that’s only a little less pricey than the Samsung Galaxy S25 or iPhone 17.
Generally speaking, the Edge 70 runs smoothly, and there are a few things to like. I like how the Water Touch feature makes the phone easy to use when your hands are wet, the screen looks good, and the amount of on-board storage and RAM is great. And there's no denying that the Edge 70 is cheaper than its thin-phone rivals, even if that's simply because they're even more ludicrously priced.
A slightly-thinner-than-average body doesn’t make the price make sense, though, especially when the Motorola Edge 60 is basically half the price. Even though it’s a solid phone all around, the cost makes it hard to recommend the Edge 70 over its six-month senior.
Motorola Edge 70 review: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Released in November 2025
£699.98 (roughly $920, AU$1,400)
No US release expected; AU possibly
Motorola announced the Edge 70 on November 5, 2025, and put it on sale shortly afterwards.
You can buy the Motorola Edge 70 for £699.98 (roughly $920, AU$1,400). The phone won’t be released in the US, as Moto has a different Edge strategy there, but I’m expecting it to come out in Australia at some point in the near future based on precedent.
That’s a massive price increase from the £379 (roughly $520, AU$700) asking price of the Edge 60, but also more than the £599 (around $800, AU$1,250) of the Edge 60 Pro.
The Edge is, at least, cheaper than its rivals: the Galaxy Edge (Samsung’s phone, not the Star Wars theme park) begins at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849, while the iPhone Air goes for $999 / £999 / AU$1,799. Yikes.
Motorola Edge 70 review: specs
Motorola Edge 70 specs
Dimensions:
159.9 x 74 x 5.9 mm
Weight:
159g
Screen:
6.7-inch FHD (1220 x 2712) 120Hz P-OLED
Chipset:
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4
RAM:
12GB
Storage:
512GB
OS:
Android 16
Primary camera:
50MP, f/1.8
Ultra-wide camera:
50MP f/2.0 120-degree
Front camera:
50MP, f/2.0
Audio:
Dolby Atmos stereo speakers
Battery:
4,800mAh
Charging:
68W wired, 15W wireless
Colors:
Gadget Grey, Lily Pad, Bronze Green
Motorola Edge 70 review: design
(Image credit: Future)
Thin (5.9mm) and light (159g)
Comes in three Pantone colors
Military-grade protections
I spent the introduction to this review comparing the Moto Edge 70 to its thin-phone contemporaries; it’s 5.9mm thick, and you can feel how svelte it is just by picking it up. It's so thin, in fact, that I felt duty-bound to protect it with the rigid plastic in-box case, thereby mitigating the benefits of a slender mobile in the first place.
The rest of the dimensions are more in line with your standard smartphone: it's 74mm wide and 159.4mm long. Mind you, in weighing 159g, it feels lighter in the hand than the average mobile.
Color company Pantone continues its quest to paint all the Edge phones in various distinct hues; this time around, we’ve got Gadget Grey (a mostly-boring grey but with some blue highlights), Lily Pad (olive green with some orange highlights), and the one I used, Bronze Green (dark green with lighter-green highlights – there’s no bronze to speak of).
As always, the use of some interesting colors immediately makes this Moto one of my favorite-looking phones of the year, and the textured back just adds something to the panache. I do wish that Motorola had given the Edge 70 a curved-edge screen like in some of the past generations, but presumably, this wouldn’t work with the thin body. The lack of it means that, visually speaking, the Edge 70 is ‘one of’ my favorites, but the Edge 60 family pips it to the post.
Let’s talk about ports and buttons. There’s a USB-C port on the bottom edge (no 3.5mm jack for audio), a power button and volume rocker on the right edge, and, right out of reach on the left, the AI button.
The Edge 70 is IP68/69 protected against dust and water submersion, and is also compliant with the military MIL-STD-810H standard, which means it’s tough against the knocks and bumps that a military-grade piece of kit would need to be.
If you decide to use the in-box case to protect the phone, you're not making a bad decision because it's nice and solid (not a cheapie silicon thing that many phone makers put in the box). But it's also incredibly hard to get onto the phone, and nearly as hard to remove, so you're going to need some good luck and brute strength. If you're buying this phone for your grandma, you should stick around to help her get the thing on!
Design score: 4 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 review: display
(Image credit: Future)
6.7 inches, 2712 x 1220 resolution
120Hz refresh rate, 20:9 aspect ratio
Water Touch adds some extra usability
The Motorola Edge 70 has a 6.7-inch screen, which is roughly the average size for an Android smartphone. The resolution (2712 x 1200) is also what you’d expect from such a mobile.
A few other specs and features help the phone’s display stand out, though. It has a nice high max brightness of 4,500 nits, a 120Hz refresh rate, support for HDR 10+, and some optimizations from Pantone.
A feature I really appreciate is Water Touch, which basically just means the screen will pick up your touches better if you’ve got wet hands or if the display has droplets on it. No longer does bathtime prohibit the use of screens.
Breaking up the display at the top is a punch-hole cut-out for the front camera, but it’s so small and unobtrusive that you’ll easily forget it was there.
Display score: 4 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 review: software
Here are the apps pre-installed on the Edge 70 (although I can excuse Ecosia, since that's the one I picked as my browser on load-up). (Image credit: Future)
Android 16 with four guaranteed updates
Bloatware (pre-installed apps) abounds
Moto's AI app has yet to prove itself
While Motorola phones have long used stock Android as their operating system, the company has slowly been tweaking the formula in myriad ways over successive generations of Edge. So, while the Edge 70 technically has stock Android 16, it’s not exactly the same as the stock Android software you’d see on Pixel phones – mostly for the worse.
The worst is that, at least on first start-up, Motorola has opted to copy some cheap Chinese phone makers in plastering its devices with bloatware. When you first boot up the Edge 70, it’s already full of apps like Amazon Music, TikTok, and Booking.com, and while you can delete them all, it doesn’t help but make it feel like your own mobile is one walking billboard.
Most of these apps are innocuous, at least, but some raise eyebrows. Perplexity is one – an AI search engine with myriad active lawsuits and accusations against it – and controversy-laden e-retailer Temu is another. It bears repeating that this phone isn’t that different in price from the iPhone 17 – seeing pre-installed apps at all, especially ones of this caliber, leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Motorola’s also pushing harder into its own AI tools than most other companies, mostly with its Moto AI, an assistant that’s slowly gaining skills and tools with each new Moto phone I test.
However, its feature list is still quite eclectic (note-taking, playlist generation, and file organization seem to be its main tools, according to Moto’s website), and none of them really solve problems I’d otherwise have on my smartphone. I used Moto AI when I was testing the Edge 70, but I no doubt would have ignored it if I were using the phone normally.
Not all the changes to stock Android are terrible, and I’ve long liked Motorola’s customization and navigation features. And if you ignore the AI and delete the bloatware, the phone runs decently well. It’s set to get four years of security updates (presumably up to Android 20), and five years of security updates.
Software score: 3 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 review: cameras
(Image credit: Future)
50MP main and 50MP ultra-wide cameras
50MP front-facing
Some odd over-brightening issues
Motorola’s marketing materials make a point of how the Edge 70 has three 50MP cameras; this is technically true, but don’t imagine for a moment that the Edge 70 has three rear cameras like the Edge 60 members did. Instead, it only has two, with that third high-res snapper being the one on the front, and I’m disappointed that Moto opted to drop the telephoto lens that made the last generation surprisingly solid camera phones.
On the back, then, we’ve got a 50MP main snapper with OIS and a 50MP ultra-wide with a 120-degree field of view. Nope, no telephoto lens.
I've previously been quite negative about the cameras on Motorola phones, as the optimization software doesn't match that on rival mobiles, making pictures look a little dull. Usually, the low price of the phone justifies these shortcomings, but that's obviously not the case here. Thankfully, I wasn't too put out by the snaps either.
With sufficient lighting, pictures have a fair amount of color and detail, and autofocus was fairly quick to find objects. Manual focus was a bit of an issue, though; usually, I find tapping on an object in the viewfinder does the job, but when I tried it in the Edge 70's camera app, it also changed the brightness of the shot... quite dramatically.
Look at the two snaps of cookies in the camera sample section; the first one is default, the second is when I pressed on the snack. I like a bright picture as much as the next guy, but it's a little too much in that particular case.
(Image credit: Future)
I took quite a few low-light photos with the camera; it's that period of the year where we have about three minutes of sunlight, after all. The camera held up well, presumably thanks to a solid sensor that takes in lots of light.
Around the front, the selfie camera uses pixel binning to ensure snaps have enough light; you can see the results on a pretty gray day below.
Taking a stroll through the rest of the phone app, you'll find most of the standard options you've come to expect on a smartphone: night vision, panorama, portrait photography, slow-mo and time-lapse videography, and so on.
You can record video at 4K at 30fps or FHD at 60fps, and slow-mo switches between 120fps at FHD or 240fps at HD.
Camera score: 3.5 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 camera samples
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Motorola Edge 70 review: performance and audio
(Image credit: Future)
Mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB Storage
Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo speakers
Looking under the hood, the Motorola Edge 70 has a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, which is a mid-range piece of kit we’ve seen in a handful of Androids, including the Realme 15 Pro and Vivo V60. While seeing ‘mid-range’ may cause you to be wary, let me win you back over: there’s 12GB RAM and a hearty 512GB storage. Now those are specs I like to see!
I took the Edge for a whirl (well, many whirls over two weeks) playing Call of Duty: Mobile and Northgard, and was impressed by how close the performance was to that of phones with top-end chipsets or more RAM. Playing hectic online games, I never felt like I was lagging or dropping behind in a way that affected my performance, and the phone seemed fine to render loads of assets or enemies at once.
When I put the Edge 70 through the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark test, it returned an average score of 4,115 (though, notably, with a bigger variation in results than I normally see with this test). That reflects the mid-range status of the mobile, with Snapdragon 8 Gen chipsets scoring in the 5,000-6,000 range (or even higher), though it is a little way behind the Edge 60 Pro, which used a top-end chipset from a different company.
Honestly, though, when you get to a certain point, these numbers are just numbers. I never felt that the Edge 70 lacked performance when I was gaming, and that’s what matters.
Audio-wise, the Edge 70 has dual stereo speakers, which were tuned with some Dolby Atmos magic. Otherwise, for listening to music, you can use the Bluetooth 5.4 to connect wirelessly, or via a wired connection if you can find an adaptor to plug your cans into the USB-C port (there’s no headphone jack).
Performance score: 4 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 review: battery life
(Image credit: Future)
4,800mAh battery
68W wired charging
15W wireless powering
Despite being a thin smartphone, the Edge 70 has a battery that’s roughly average in capacity: 4,800mAh, which a few years ago we’d have called positively huge.
I’m not going to pretend it grants the Edge a miraculously long battery life, as it’s powering a pretty big display, but it ensures the handset will easily last a full day of use. During my testing, the Edge 70 reliably waltzed through half of day two before needing to be powered up.
Charging is done at 68W, which is the same as most past Moto Edge phones, and 15W wireless charging has been thrown in for good measure. You’re getting from empty to full in about 40 minutes if you charge with a compatible cable.
Battery score: 3.5 / 5
Motorola Edge 70 review: value
(Image credit: Future)
Thin phones are, unfortunately, exceedingly expensive devices. When you consider that, in the Edge 70, you’re getting one for substantially less than the iPhone Air, perhaps you can convince yourself that you’re getting a good deal.
But if you look at the Motorola Edge 70 as the sum of its parts, it’s hard to deny that it doesn’t offer great value for money. Its specs are mostly all mid-ranged, with much cheaper alternatives from various rivals beating it six ways from Sunday.
So, if you absolutely need a smartphone that’s a few millimeters thinner than your current one, no matter the price, at least this is getting you better value than the iPhone or Samsung. But if you’re happy to consider all your options, no matter their thickness, skipping the Edge 70 is a no-brainer.
Value score: 3 / 5
Should you buy the Motorola Edge 70?
Motorola Edge 70 score card
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
From another brand, a phone with the same specs would have a price tag that's half of the Edge 70's.
3 / 5
Design
Pantone wins again, but the slender body helps too.
4 / 5
Display
It's just as good-looking as the last time we saw this screen on a Moto phone.
4 / 5
Software
The bloatware's getting worse, and Moto's more preoccupied with its AI tool than fixing it.
3 / 5
Camera
The cameras are fine for the price, though I miss the better hardware of the Edge 60.
3.5 / 5
Performance
You get a solid set of power specs for the price.
4 / 5
Battery
Any kind of reliable battery is a miracle in a thin phone like this.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You must have a thin phone If you're looking at the iPhone Air or Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with envy, then the Moto Edge 70 is your way to get a thin phone without breaking the bank.
You need lots of storage With 512GB of on-board storage, you're never going to need to choose which photos you need to delete to get more space, or pick and choose the apps that take up that space.
You like the look Honestly, all of Moto's Edge phones have a little extra pizzazz thanks to Pantone's decorations; they're a splash of color in a monochromatic market.
Don't buy it if...
You don't care about your phone's thickness All thin phones are expensive... but if thinness isn't an important thing for you, your money will go a lot further with a different device.
You're on a budget Many people associate Motorola with cheap phones, because it makes some of the best. But the Edge 70 is certainly a premium model.
You're not an AI fan Moto's been very gung-ho about its own AI tools, but the Edge 70's bloatware includes lots more, like Copilot and Perplexity. If you're on the righteous anti-AI train, this isn't the right phone for you.View Deal
Motorola Edge 70 review: Also consider
Let's take a proper look at those phones I've been comparing the Motorola Edge 70 to:
Apple iPhone Air Apple's thin phone is 0.3mm more slender than the Edge 70, but a little heavier. It's the one to buy if you want an Apple phone, although it's not the strongest specs-wise.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge This is a powerful phone with top specs across the board, and it's also thinner than the Moto, though not as light. It's super slow to charge, though.
Motorola Edge 60 It's cheaper and it's weaker, but otherwise this slightly older phone matches or exceeds the specs of its newer relative. So, it's certainly well worth keeping on the wishlist.
I used the Motorola Edge 70 for two weeks in order to write this review. That's the usual TechRadar test period, and a figure I use as an absolute minimum in order to ensure I've given every gadget a fair shake.
In that time, I used the Edge 70 as my normal smartphone for tasks like social media, photography, and gaming. Outside of full testing, I also took it for a few camera tests to collect more samples for the gallery. Alongside experiential use, I used a few lab tests to gauge certain metrics of the phone.
I've been reviewing mobiles at TechRadar for over six years now. I tested both members of the Edge 60 family, and have used most previous Moto Edge devices, as well as countless other handsets made by the company (and, of course, non-Moto phones too!).
Star Wars: Beyond Victory has the makings of a perfect Star Wars buffet and a contender for one of the best VR games of recent times.
The promise of a VR story delving into the previously one-inch deep lore of podracing is enticing – especially to someone for whom the prequel trilogy was a hallmark of their childhood.
Review Info
Platform reviewed: Meta Quest 3 Available on: Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S Release date: October 7, 2025
Podracing not only provides the opportunity for exhilarating VR gameplay, but gives storytellers the chance to expand on characters like Sebulba – a key antagonist of the Phantom Menace, who we only spend about 5 minutes with before he's benched in favor of a dual-blade-wielding Sith – and explore the seedy underworld that would facilitate this dangerous and deadly sport.
After plating up, however, you realise Beyond Victory's buffet has gone stale, and there’s not nearly enough of it to satiate your hunger.
Beyond Boring
Like a growing number of titles this generation, Star Wars: Beyond Victory blends virtual and mixed reality elements in its gameplay and storytelling. Unfortunately, every segment you'd want to be in VR is instead relegated to MR, and the remaining first-person segments left me wishing there wouldn't be more.
Effectively cutscenes, the VR sections have you mostly standing around in one of a few tiny locations that you can hardly explore, with the occasional ‘puzzle’ to solve – tedious minigames where you use tools to fix up vehicles, but which require next to no thought to work out.
Everything else plays out in MR via a virtual table you can place in your room. This includes exploration of more expansive spaces (though the exploration wasn't super enjoyable, so I always just made a beeline for the objective) and podracing.
Yes, that's right. In this VR podracing game, you never sit in a podracing cockpit; instead, you look down at the virtual table as you race through a track using your controllers to accelerate, steer, and boost your podracer from a bird's-eye view.
(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)
While somewhat enjoyable, the simplistic podracing gameplay feels like it was lifted from a mediocre mobile game – right down to the table offering only a limited view of what's ahead, like a smaller phone screen restricting your vision.
Oh, and there’s only three podraces – and one car chase. You can replay them in arcade mode with unlockable characters, but there's only so much enjoyable replayability to be extracted from repeating the same few tracks over and over.
A Star Wars Short Story
(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)
A common theme for Star Wars: Beyond Victory is that its ingredients sound an awful lot more delicious than the final concoction.
Story-wise, things start well. You have a podracer desperate to become a champion to honor his friend, allies who support him but who believe podracing is a vile sport and are willing to face arrest (or worse) to stand up for their beliefs, and Sebulba's criminal crew – led by the former podracing champion looking to raise a champion of his own, and also pull him down into his villainous activities.
The issue here is that the game is far too short – I finished it in about an hour. You don't spend long enough with any of these factions to do anything more than rush through cliché story beats and conflicts that start and resolve in mere minutes.
I would love to have seen our protagonist Volo evolve more gradually over a longer story. Perhaps seeing his racing style adapt to be more aggressive across a series of races to reflect him turning into a true member of Sebulba's crew before eventually standing up for his friends.
(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)
Or heck, give us some kind of basic choice-based story for different endings and race abilities based on who we side with.
That way, at least the short experience could be replayable a few times to get different outcomes, and make this game feel more worthwhile.
Unfortunately, lackluster gameplay and story left me frustrated at the time I'd spent reviewing this game – with one of my favorite moments being when the credits rolled and I could finally go back to Hades 2 on my Nintendo Switch 2.
A single star in the night
There was nowhere else in my review to work this in, but I also want to talk about the playset feature. So I'm tacking it on the end here.
This alternative to the campaign and arcade modes is a full MR experience that allows you to move, scale, and place 3D models of Star Wars characters and vehicles in your home to construct static dioramas. You can even add explosive effects to bring your models to life.
(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)
I did think the models were well-crafted – with a good level of detail that works with the sculptures at tiny all the way up to human scale – however, while it would be a neat add-on to an already good game, it doesn’t do enough to save Beyond Victory in my books.
If you’re a Star Wars mega fan and see Beyond Victory on sale for a heavily discounted price, then I think playset does just enough to be worth playing around with – it helped me feel like a kid again playing with action figures.
Otherwise, this is still a Star Wars game worth skipping over.
Should you play Star Wars: Beyond Victory
Buy it if...
You want to play with MR action figures Playset is the only mode in Star Wars: Beyond Victory that I actually enjoyed playing around with. Unfortunately, it’s quite simplistic and isn’t enough to justify buying the whole game at full price.
Don't buy it if...
You want a VR podracing game The mixed reality podracing gameplay is not what you’d expect from Beyond Victory if you came into it blind. You’ll find the classic Star Wars: Racer series does a better job of scratching that immersive itch – and the first came out in 1999.
You aren’t a mega Star Wars fan There’s not a lot here to love, and even less if you care little about Star Wars. Sometimes these sorts of games can find ways to appeal to non-fans, but that’s certainly not the case here.
Accessibility
For everything negative I’ve had to say about Star Wars: Beyond Victory, the game is quite accessible by VR’s standards.
You can enjoy the experience entirely seated, you can turn on settings like teleportation movement and screen shake to make the few VR segments less motion sickness-inducing if you’re still new to the medium, and the mostly mixed reality gameplay is even better for managing your motion sickness.
You could even play the game with only one controller if you need to. I used both, but all of the controls are doubled up across each handset, so you could put one down and still have every button you’d need.
How I reviewed Star Wars: Beyond Victory
I played this game on my Meta Quest 3, using a Kiwi design battery strap and controller grips. I played through the entire story from start to finish in two sessions (as I hadn’t charged my Quest 3 up before diving in for the first time) after completing the tutorial. Afterwards, I went straight into arcade mode and then spent a bit of time in playset mode.
I completed a few achievements to unlock some bonus racers for the arcade, and models for my playset, but decided to call it quits after no more than two and a half hours with this title, as I had sampled everything it had to offer.
The Samsung HW-Q990F is the successor to the Samsung HW-Q990D, a five-star Dolby Atmos soundbar that earned a top spot in our best soundbars guide. The Q990F doesn’t change much of Samsung's formula, with the main change being a redesign of the subwoofer to a smaller compact size, but it continues Samsung's legacy of excellent Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Samsung HW-Q990F features 11.1.4 channels across four separate units, including a soundbar, a subwoofer and two rear speakers. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X passthrough, along with 4K 120Hz on multiple HDMI 2.1 ports.
The Q990F’s sound-enhancing features include SpaceFit Sound Pro to tune the system for your specific viewing space. Plus, owners of some of the best Samsung TVs can make use of its Q-Symphony for even bigger and better sound.
Performance is nothing short of brilliant on the Q990F. Its smaller subwoofer doesn’t sacrifice any power or detail and is arguably more nuanced than its predecessors. Elsewhere, the system delivers immersive and engaging surround sound, an impressively wide soundstage, and a dynamic presentation of Dolby Atmos height effects up there with the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Q990F is especially great for Atmos music, and while it won’t beat the likes of the Marshall Heston 120 or Sonos Arc Ultra, it’s still a solid option for music playback.
The Q990F’s new, more compact subwoofer is a dream for those looking to save on space. The system’s size is identical to its predecessor, but its overall finish and materials don’t quite feel as premium as the Q990D’s. Still, the Q990F feels well-built, sturdy, and premium enough for the money.
Setting up the Q990F is a breeze. Once connected to the TV via HDMI eARC, the four units sync wirelessly, and you’re on your way. The SmartThings app is necessary for setup, and it allows you to fine-tune the Q990F and access some of its best features. If you don’t want to use the app, Samsung’s supplied remote is more than adequate for control.
The Q990F is undoubtedly a premium-priced soundbar. There are cheaper surround soundbar packages available, along with powerful all-in-one solutions, but the Q990F justifies its price with its performance. It’s not a big step up over its predecessor, which is the better value choice while it’s still available, but once that stock runs out, the Q990F is ready to fill the gap. Expect some big deals on the Q990F throughout the coming year as well, as prices are already dropping.
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Price & release date
The Samsung HW-Q990F isn't the smallest of soundbars, but it should be able to fit under most TVs (Image credit: Future)
Release date: May 2025
Price: $1,999 / £1,699 / AU$2,099
The Samsung HW-Q990F is Samsung’s 2025 flagship soundbar. It sits above the HW-Q930F, HW-Q900F, HW-Q800F, HW-Q700F, and the Samsung QS700F, a redesign of the mid-range Q700 series.
Since its launch in May 2025, prices for the HW-Q900F have dropped, and it is now regularly available for $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$1,599, a healthy discount.
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Specs
Dimensions (W x H x D)
Soundbar: 1232 x 70.8 x 138 mm (48.5 x 2.8 x 5.4 inch); Subwoofer: 249 x 251.8 x 249 mm (9.8 x 10.0 x 9.8 inch); Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm (5.1 x 8.0 x 5.5 inch)
Speaker channels
11.1.4
Connections:
1x HDMI out (with eARC), 2x HDMI 2.1 in, optical digital audio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Sub included
Yes
Rear speakers included
Yes
Features
Q Symphony, SpaceFit Sound Pro, Adaptive Sound, Game Mode Pro, Tap Sound, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, HDMI 2.1 120Hz pass-through, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision pass-through, wireless Dolby Atmos
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Features
The Samsung HW-Q990F has an HDMI out eARC port, as well as two HDMI 2.1 in ports, which both support 4K 120Hz for gaming. (Image credit: Future)
11.1.4 channels
Dolby Atmos & DTS:X passthrough, including wireless Dolby Atmos
HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz support
The Samsung HW-Q990F has much the same impressive feature set as its predecessor, the Samsung HW-Q990D. It has 11.1.4 channels but increases the total number of speakers by one to 23, and it features a new, sleeker, dual-driver subwoofer (more on that below).
The Q990F supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, along with Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby 5.1 and DTS: HD-Master Audio.
For connections, there is an HDMI eARC port for connection to displays, as well as two HDMI 2.1 in ports that support 4K 120Hz for gaming. There is also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming for music playback, including Dolby Atmos music support.
The Q990F's audio-enhancing features include SpaceFit Sound Pro, which can optimize the sound for your living space; Private Audio, which uses the rear speakers for late-night listening; Adaptive Sound, where the sound is tweaked in real time; Active Voice Amplifier Pro, which uses AI to boost the level of voices in soundtracks; and Q-Symphony, a feature that combines the built-in speakers of compatible Samsung TVs with the Q990F’s sound for boosted audio.
Wireless Dolby Atmos support lets you stream Dolby Atmos soundtracks from compatible Samsung TVs to the Q990F soundbar, albeit in a compressed format. Also, there is Tap Sound, which lets the Q990F instantly stream the music you’ve been listening to when you tap your smartphone on it.
The Q990F can be controlled using the supplied remote control or with the Samsung SmartThings app, where more in-depth sound and EQ adjustments can be made. The app is also where features such as Active Voice Amplifier Pro, SpaceFit Sound Pro and Adaptive sound can be accessed.
Features score: 5 / 5
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Performance
The Samsung Q990F's immersive sound is perfect for high-octane scenes like the Batmobile chase from The Batman (pictured) (Image credit: Future)
Expansive, powerful sound
Weighty, tightly controlled bass
Excellent gaming performance
Despite having only minimal changes on paper from its predecessor, the Q990F has mighty shoes to fill, and Samsung’s change to subwoofer was a risky move. Thankfully, the move paid off.
Samsung’s new subwoofer may be smaller, but it’s just as powerful as its predecessors. It delivers impactful, meaty bass and has room-shaking power. Watching the Batmobile chase from The Batman, the roar of the Batmobile’s engine produced plenty of glorious rumble, with each rev of the engine reminding me just how engaging this small but mighty subwoofer is.
The subwoofer sound is also tightly controlled and nuanced. Musical numbers such as Defying Gravity from Wicked still had plenty of detailed low-end, giving instruments and vocals \room to breathe in the mix.
Placement of sound effects is another area where the Q990F excels. During the same Batmobile chase in The Batman, the direction of sound as Batman and Penguin weaved in and out of traffic was tracked across the front soundbar with stunning accuracy and precision. The same was true in Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus as X-Wings and TIE Fighters flew around and overhead, making full use of the rear speakers.
The Q990F’s sound balance also impressed me. In Wicked, the higher-pitched vocals were front and center, and reproduced with real clarity, while the strings sat perfectly with the lower bass tones, creating a wonderfully balanced mix. And the system’s beautifully wide soundstage easily filled our testing lab.
Musicals, like Wicked (pictured), sounded great on the Samsung HW-Q990F (Image credit: Future)
Testing out the Q990F’s features, I found that SpaceFit Sound Pro not only added volume but tightened the sound up without affecting the expansive soundstage. The results may vary depending on your room (our testing lab is well laid out for soundbars), but it’s worth giving it a try.
I tested the Q990F with the Samsung S95F, one of the best OLED TVs of 2025. This allowed me to test out Q-Symphony, and it added extra volume and power and widened the soundstage even more, something that was particularly noticeable with subtle effects such as gear changes or engine revs from the Batmobile in The Batman.
Switching from movies to music, the Q990F sounded great with Dolby Atmos tracks. Listening to an Atmos mix of Riders on the Storm by the Doors via Tidal, the rain was perfectly placed overhead while Jim Morrison’s low vocals, the guitars, and the high notes of the keyboard were clear, precise, and well-balanced. And when I listened to Barry White’s I’ve Got So Much To Give, the guitars, bass and drums felt like they were coming from different areas around the room.
Stereo music performance wasn’t as show-stopping as Dolby Atmos music, but it was good nonetheless. Thelonious Monk’s Japanese Song displayed impressive width, with the piano sounding bright and clear and the smooth, punchy tones of the saxophone accurately positioned. It’s not going to beat the likes of the Marshall Heston 120 for musicality, but it does a good job.
Playing Battlefield V at 4K 120Hz, with an Xbox Series X running through the Q990F to the S95F TV, the action felt smooth and responsive during chaotic gunfights and sequences. It even had a 9.5ms input lag time when I measured it, proving that there was no added latency when the Xbox’s signal passed through the Q990F.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Design
The Samsung HW-Q990F's subwoofer (pictured) is significantly more compact than previous generations (Image credit: Future)
New, more compact subwoofer
Soundbar as wide as a 55-inch TV
Not as visually appealing as predecessors
The Q990F comprises four units: the main soundbar, the subwoofer, and the two surround speakers. Each unit has undergone a redesign, and while the new subwoofer is much more visually appealing, the other units somehow feel and look cheaper than the ones in last year’s Q990D system.
The metal grille-type design of the soundbar remains the same at the front, but on top, it has been replaced by a cheaper-looking, lined, grated design, and the same is true of the rear speakers.
The subwoofer is the biggest change in terms of scale. Samsung has scrapped the bulky, weighty upright subwoofer design of past systems in favor of a more compact, cubed build. The new subwoofer measures 249 x 251.8 x 249 mm (9.8 x 9.9 x 9.8 in), compared to the Q990D’s subwoofer, which measured 220 x 413 x 410 mm (8.6 x 16.2 x 16.1 in). It’s almost half the size of the Q990D’s sub, allowing much more freedom for placement. The main soundbar and rear speakers are the same size as the Q990D’s.
The soundbar has the same alphanumeric display found in previous generations, and while still challenging to read, it’s a welcome feature.
Design score: 4 / 5
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Setup & usability
The Samsung HW-Q990F is easy to control with both the SmartThings app and supplied remote (pictured) (Image credit: Future)
Easy setup
Useful SmartThings app for control and features
Wireless connection between units
The Q990F is an excellent option if you’re looking for a surround sound system without the cable hassles you’d find in a traditional wired home theater setup.
The setup of the Q990F was easy, despite it having multiple units. After plugging the main soundbar into the S95F TV’s HDMI eARC port, I next plugged in all the units, and they wirelessly synced up.
The Q990F can be controlled either using the supplied remote or the SmartThings app. The remote is more than adequate, but using the SmartThings app gives access to all the sound and setup features described above and more. It’s worth giving the app a go, though the Q990F’s sound is also good out of the box.
Setup & usability score: 4.5 / 5
Samsung HW-Q990F review: Value
The Samsung HW-Q990F comprises four units: a soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers. Although sold at a premium price, its performance justifies its cost (Image credit: Future)
Complete soundbar system
Premium price
A minor upgrade over its predecessor
At $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$1,599 at the time of writing, several weeks after its launch, the Q990F is at the premium end of the soundbar market. All-in-one solutions that provide a superb cinematic experience, such as the Marshall Heston 120 and Sonos Arc Ultra, are priced at $999 / £999. And there are even budget surround sound options, such as the Hisense AX5125H ($299 / £299), that give you surround sound at a fraction of the cost.
But the Q990F delivers superior performance, with serious power and engaging and immersive sound, thanks to its 11.1.4 channels and 23 speakers.
There is the small matter of the Q990F’s predecessor, the Q990D, still being available for $1,199 / £799 as it nears the end of its life cycle, and outside of the Q990F’s sub, there are not a great deal of upgrades. Right now, the Q990D is better bang for your buck, but as stock depletes, the Q990F is a more than worthy successor to the Q990D.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q990F?
(Image credit: Future)
Section
Notes
Score
Features
An extensive list of sound enhancing features, plus 4K, 120Hz support for consoles
5 / 5
Performance
Immersive, dynamic, expansive and powerful sound
5 / 5
Design
A more compact and visually appealing subwoofer, but the rest of the design feels like a step back
4 / 5
Setup & usability
Simple setup and plenty of control via remote or SmarThings app
4.5 / 5
Value
Delivers on its price, but undoubtedly still a premium soundbar
4 / 5
Buy it if...
You want an immersive, cinematic experience The Q990F delivers expansive, detailed and weighty sound, especially with Dolby Atmos soundtracks.
You want to use your soundbar for gaming The Q990F's HDMI ports support 4K 120Hz for current-gen consoles, which delivers responsive and snappy gameplay.
You want to be able to hide your subwoofer The redesigned subwoofer supplied with the Q990F is compact and saves space, and it does so without sacrificing any sacrifice to sound quality.
Don't buy it if...
You're trying to save money Because it is a full surround sound soundbar package, the Q990F comes at a premium that will outstretch most budgets.
You want a clear front display If you're not going to use the app, you'll need to rely on the front display when switching inputs. Sadly, it's not the easiest thing to read.
You own the Samsung HW-Q990D Other than the redesigned, smaller subwoofer, there are minimal changes or upgrades in the Q990F compared to its predecessor, the Q990D. If you own the latter, you don't need to upgrade. View Deal
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Also consider
Samsung HW-Q990F
Samsung HW-Q990D
LG S95TR
JBL Bar 1300X
Dimensions
Soundbar: 1232 x 70.8 x 138 mm (48.5 x 2.8 x 5.4 inch); Subwoofer: 249 x 251.8 x 249 mm (9.8 x 10.0 x 9.8 inch); Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm (5.1 x 8.0 x 5.5 inch)
Soundbar: 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm, Subwoofer: 220.0 x 413.0 x 410.0 mm , Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm
Soundbar: 1249.68 x 63.5 x 134.6 mm (49.2 x 2.5 x 5.3 inches) Subwoofer: 200.6 x 406.4 x 403.8 mm (7.9 x 16 x 15.9 inches), Rear speakers: 160 x 223.5 x 142.2 mm(6.3 x 8.8 x 5.6 inches)
Soundbar: 1000 x 60.9 x 139.7mm (39.4 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches), Surround speakers: 203.2 x 60.9 x 139.7mm(8 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches), Subwoofer: 365.7 x 480 x 365.7mm (14.4 x 18.9 x 14.4 inches
Speaker channels
11.1.4
11.1.4
11.1.4
16
Connections
Two HDMI 2.1 input, One HDMI output, optical output, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Two HDMI 2.1 input, One HDMI output, optical output, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
1x HDMI out (with eARC), HDMI 2.1 in, optical digital audio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
4 HDMI inputs (1 with eARC), optical digital audio, USB type-A
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Samsung HW-Q990D (2024) The Samsung HW-Q990D is the Q990F's predecessor and delivers similarly impressive performance. Because it came out in 2024, you can now regularly find the Q990D for half the price of the Q990F, and it's not a real step-down. If you find a deal, the Q990D is a superb choice. Read our full Samsung HW-Q990D reviewView Deal
LG S95TR (2024) The LG S95TR is LG's flagship soundbar system from 2024 and is the LG equivalent of the Samsung HW-Q990D. It delivers clear, powerful and immersive sound and is better suited for LG TV owners than Samsung's models thanks to its WOW Orchestra feature. Price-wise, it's close to the current Q990F, so it'll come down to what TV you own. Read our full LG S95TR reviewView Deal
JBL Bar 1300X The JBL Bar 1300X also has four units including detachable surround speakers from the bar itself, for a space saving solution when not in use. The Bar 1300X is a full surround sound package for those without a Samsung TV but still want an expansive and weighty sound.
To test the Samsung HW-Q990F, I connected it to the Samsung S95F, Samsung's flagship OLED TV for 2025. This allowed me to use Q-Symphony and other Samsung-related features.
I tested the Q990F using the same reference scene I use when testing the best TVs, particularly 4K Blu-rays of The Batman and Wicked. I also used 4K streaming, which has compressed sound mixes, to see how it fared, particularly the Star Wars space battle sequences. I also analyzed the system's sound balance, as well as speech and sound effects placement.
I tested the Q990F's music streaming capabilities with both Dolby Atmos and stereo mixes through Tidal and Spotify, over both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I also tested the Q990F's gaming performance using an Xbox Series X and Battlefield V.
Launching alongside the Nintendo Switch 2, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is quite simply the same game, but better. Bless developer and publisher Epic Games for trying, but Fortnite on the original Nintendo Switch is hardly the most elegant way to play and feels like you’re at a significant disadvantage thanks to the decreased graphical fidelity, framerate, and draw distance. It’s forgivable on handheld, but with TV mode, it looks rough and feels rougher. But I’m glad to say the Nintendo Switch 2 edition is a great way to play, no matter where you are.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2; Non-Switch 2 version available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, PC, Android, iOS (in some regions) Release date: June 5, 2025
I mean, what can you even say about Fortnite at this point? Epic Games’ 100-person Battle Royale game has taken over the world over the last eight years, and it’s only grown larger in the time since. In the vein of something like Roblox, Fortnite is both a battle royale and a user-generated game platform where you can find an endless amount of custom maps to play with your friends on.
But let's get into why the Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is such a great way to play.
Chug jug with you
(Image credit: Epic Games)
To really hammer that “you can play Fortnite without even touching its main mode” point home, I don’t like Battle Royale – the marquee mode – thanks to the game's building mechanics. However, when it comes to the Zero Build mode, it’s undoubtedly the best Battle Royale game on the market right now. Over the years, Epic has augmented the core mechanics of the game with a host of new movement options like wall kicking and roll landing that keep things fluid in what used to be the jankiest of movement systems.
Of course, the problem with any ‘evolving game’ is that it’s tough to give a review of the main mode because of how it changes. Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 was peak, while Chapter 4 and Chapter 5’s third seasons were two of the absolute worst seasons of a live service game I’ve played. This means there could be three-month stretches where you just simply don’t like the game. And considering Epic Games has been experimenting with seasons based around media franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and a rumored upcoming Simpsons season, if you don’t like those, that’s all you get for months.
Thanks to the use of the Nintendo Switch 2’s feature set and specs, it's one of the best ways to play the game on console and by far the best handheld version.
Outside of that, there are the Epic Games-created modes. There’s Fortnite OG, which brings back the original Chapter 1 map (which can also be played in Zero Build, thankfully); Reload, which is a faster-paced 40-player battle; and Ballistic, a first-person mode that is a take on Counter-Strike. While none of these stand up to the core mode, they offer different ways to take on the mechanics of Fortnite and are solid games in their own right.
Then there are non-shooting modes like the Minecraft-inspired Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and the best side mode, Fortnite Festival, which is a rhythm game mode and the closest thing we’ll get to a new Rock Band game, considering it was developed by Guitar Hero and Rock Band creator Harmonix. This mode gets constantly updated with songs and artists, with a new singer taking center stage with a skin and big song drop every few months or so (with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Metallica, and Hatsune Miku showing up).
And despite having so many options, the player base for each main mode is really healthy, meaning you’ll never wait too long to find a game of anything, with some custom games even having dedicated player bases. A few of these Epic-made modes have their own seasons and battle passes, too, which does add up if you don’t subscribe to the Fortnite Crew. However, Epic recently changed it so XP earned in any mode goes towards every single pass, which is a massive step up.
Mouse trap
(Image credit: Epic Games)
Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the same game as it is everywhere else; there are no exclusive modes or anything of the sort. However, thanks to the use of the Nintendo Switch 2’s feature set and specs, it's one of the best ways to play the game on console and by far the best handheld version of Fortnite.
Compared to the Nintendo Switch version, which ran at 880p docked and 660p in handheld mode, FortniteNintendo Switch 2 Edition runs at 1224p docked and 900p in handheld, so it still isn’t 4K / 1080p, but it is a significant boost. However, the resolution isn’t where the upgrade matters; the improved textures as well as a far greater draw distance, which was one of the original console’s biggest hindrances – especially with how big the Fortnite map is. Most importantly, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition runs at a solid 60fps as opposed to the 30fps of the Nintendo Switch – which in an online shooter that has cross-play with more powerful platforms – makes a world of difference.
Gyro aiming returns from the Nintendo Switch edition of Fortnite, but new to the Switch 2 version is support for mouse controls via the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Effectively, this allows you to use a mouse setup for aiming with the movement capabilities of an analogue stick, and is a wonderful combination.
Best bit
(Image credit: Epic Games)
As I was writing this review, Epic released a Hank Hill skin alongside an emote recreating the King of the Hill intro: my best bit can only be that and even how it looked on the Switch 2, which was excellent.
However, the mouse implementation is a touch awkward. Due to the lack of buttons available, you’ll still need to access the face buttons on your Joy-Con to jump and reload, which creates some uncomfortable moments as you crane your hand. Plus, the mouse controls need to be activated from the in-game menu, as opposed to just sticking the Joy-Con in mouse position like in other games. This isn’t the biggest pain in the world, but it doesn’t revert back once you use a controller that doesn’t support mouse controls (such as attaching your Joy-Con 2 to the Switch 2 itself), which means you’ll need to get the controller off and go through the menu with the mouse to deactivate it.
Fortnite is a phenomenon for a reason; if you let yourself get by the “popular game bad” noise that you often see with this and the likes of Call of Duty, you’ll find what is probably the best Battle Royale game in the genre. And even outside of that, it’s a massive game platform that has an endless supply of whatever you like, from racing, rhythm games, and even custom Fall Guys games.
However, the risks of an ongoing game persist because you’ll occasionally be hit with a season that makes the game bad for months, and there’s not much you can do to help it.
Having said that, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is easily the best way to play on the go or on a handheld device, and while it’s outclassed in power by the PS5 and Xbox versions when it comes to TV mode, it’s still solid to look at, and the mouse controls give it an edge that those consoles don’t have.
Should you play Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
Play it if...
You want to play Fortnite on a handheld Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition outclasses the version on the original Switch in every way, taking what is a means to an end and making it a fantastic way to play in its own right. Plus, the mouse controls make tabletop mode a great way to play, too.
You want something free to play on Switch 2 Fortnite has a seemingly endless amount of modes and content, and is being updated constantly. And unless you want to pick up a skin of John Cena or Raiden from Metal Gear Solid, you don’t have to pay a single penny to play all of the game’s modes.
Don't play it if...
You need the best graphics and performance from Fortnite While the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Fortnite has a perfectly fine resolution and – in my experience – sticks at a solid 60fps, that’s where you cap out. The current-gen console versions and PC ultimately look better and support higher framerates.
Accessibility
Fortnite has a ton of accessibility options, including multiple color blindness filters, the ability to remap controls however you like, alongside multiple control options like gyro aiming and mouse controls.
A standout feature is the visual sound effects toggle, which displays a ring around your character to indicate the source of sound effects and their corresponding representations (footsteps, loot, gunfire, etc.). This is particularly beneficial for those with hearing difficulties or when playing the game with the sound muted.
How I reviewed Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
I played around eight hours of Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on top of a good 300-400 hours played across PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch. During my time with the Nintendo Switch 2 edition, I tested Zero Build mode, Fortnite Festival and a number of custom games.
I played this in a mixture of handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch 2 itself and on a Samsung Q60D TV and a Samsung HW-T450 soundbar using the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and the Joy-Con 2 controllers when using mouse mode.
The Samsung QN90F is the company’s flagship mini-LED TV series for 2025. It’s available in 43-inch to 98-inch screen sizes, and is a showcase for the full range of new features Samsung is bringing to market in its 2025 TV lineup.
A key feature found in the Samsung QN90F and other 2025 flagships, such as the Samsung QN990F 8K TV and Samsung S95F OLED TV, is a ‘2.0’ version of Glare-Free technology. Previously limited to the S95F, one of the best TVs of 2024, this effectively eliminates screen reflections, and does so while retaining the deep black levels needed to maintain picture contrast when watching movies in a bright room – something the S95F stopped short of delivering.
The QN90F also has a new NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, which allows for a range of AI-driven picture enhancements to improve picture upscaling of lower-resolution sources and motion handling for sports. It even adds HDR to standard dynamic range programs being upscaled to 4K, giving them a high dynamic range-like look.
Picture quality on the QN90F is stunning. The TV’s powerful, refined local dimming delivers images with strong contrast and deep, detailed shadows. This is the kind of performance we expect to see from the best mini-LED TVs, and the QN90F has set the bar high for 2025.
The QN90F’s 4.2.2-channel built-in speakers provide clear and dynamic sound over a wide volume range. Dialogue clarity is good at the default settings, but there are also processing modes, such as Active Voice Amplifier Pro, to further improve clarity. The TV’s Object Tracking Sound Pro+ feature ensures that both dialogue and sound effects accurately follow the onscreen action.
As with other high-end Samsung TVs, the QN90F has a full suite of gaming features, including support for 4K 165Hz across its four HDMI 2.1 ports, FreeSync Premium Pro, and Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which offers cloud-based, console-free gaming. The TV’s ultra-low input lag makes gaming performance as responsive as one can expect from the best gaming TVs.
The QN90F’s Tizen smart TV platform is among the most advanced in the industry, and Samsung has given it a range of tweaks for 2025 to improve navigation and expand content offerings. The company’s own Samsung TV Plus free ad-supported TV portal provides a wide range of channels. There’s also the Samsung Art Store, a subscription-based service previously limited to Samsung's The Frame TVs that lets you view a wide range of art offerings when the TV is in standby mode.
At $2,499.99 / £2,499 / AU$3,499 for the 65-inch model I tested, the Samsung QN90F isn’t cheap, and it faces stiff competition from the flagship mini-LED TVs from Hisense and TCL. However, the QN90F more than holds its own when it comes to picture quality, features, and design, making it a premium choice for discerning viewers.
Samsung QN90F review: Price and release date
The Samsung QN90F's Glare-Free tech eliminates screen reflections when viewing in bright rooms (Image credit: Future)
Release date: March 2025
43-inch: $1,299.99 / £1,199
50-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,299
55-inch: $1,799.99 / £1,699
65-inch: $2,499.99 / £2,499 / AU$3,499
75-inch: $2,999.99 / £3,499 / AU$4,499
85-inch: $4,499.99 / £4,999 / AU$5,999
98-inch: $14,999.99 / £8,999
The Samsung QN90F is the company’s flagship 4K mini-LED TV series for 2025. Launch prices are lower compared to 2024’s Samsung QN90D series, with the 65-inch QN90F I reviewed priced at $2,499.99 / £2,499 compared to $2,699.99 / £2,699 for the 65-inch QN90D.
Pricing for new Samsung TVs typically takes a substantial drop by mid-year – the same 65-inch QN90D was priced at $1,899 / £1,999 / AU$3,995 when we reviewed it in September 2024, for example – so buyers can expect discounts going forward.
Such discounts will let the QN90F compete more effectively with affordable brands such as Hisense, which at the time of writing had reduced the price of its new 65-inch flagship Hisense U8QG mini-LED TV to $1,399 in the US.
Samsung QN90F review: Specs
Screen type:
QLED with mini-LED
Refresh rate:
Up to 165Hz
HDR support:
HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio support:
Dolby Atmos
Smart TV:
Tizen
HDMI ports:
4 x HDMI 2.1
Built-in tuner:
ATSC 3.0 (USA)
Samsung QN90F review: Benchmark results
Samsung QN90F review: Features
The QN90F has four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support (Image credit: Future)
Glare-Free screen
NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor with 4K AI Upscaling Pro
4K 165Hz gaming support
The Samsung QN90F’s headline feature is its Glare-Free screen. This anti-reflection tech was previously limited to the Samsung S95D OLED but has migrated to all of the company’s flagship TVs in 2025. It very effectively reduces screen glare from ambient room lighting and can even minimize reflections from direct lighting sources such as lamps.
Samsung’s new NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor is used in the QN90F series and enables features such as 4K AI Upscaling Pro, Auto HDR Remastering Pro (upscales standard dynamic range programs to high dynamic range), and AI Motion Enhancer Pro (reduces motion blur in sports and other fast-action content).
Other picture enhancements include Wide Viewing Angle, which improves screen uniformity when viewing from off-center seats, and Real Depth Enhancer Pro, which analyzes scenes to emphasize the difference between foreground objects and backgrounds for a more 3D effect.
The QN90F has a similar audio feature set as its predecessor, including a 4.2.2-channel speaker array powered by 60W, Object Tracking Sound Pro+ for accurate dialogue and sound effects placement, and Active Voice Amplifier Pro to enhance dialogue in complex movie sound mixes. The Q-Symphony feature requires a compatible Samsung soundbar to unlock and combines the TV’s speakers with the soundbar’s output for an expanded soundfield.
Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform supports both Samsung’s own Bixby and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, and the TV features built-in far-field mics for hands-free voice control. Samsung has added a wide range of custom apps to Tizen for 2025 – everything from the Samsung Art Store (a feature previously only available on its The Frame TVs) to Dr. Tail, an online pet care consultation platform.
The QN90F series supports FreeSync Premium Pro for gaming, with up to a 165Hz refresh rate across its four HDMI ports. There’s also Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming, with a wide array of selections from apps like Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Boosteroid and Luna.
Features Score: 5/5
Samsung QN90F review: Picture quality
The QN90F's picture looks consistently great when viewing in bright and dark lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)
High brightness and refined local dimming
Good off-axis picture uniformity
Effective Glare-Free screen tech
My measurements of the Samsung QN90F were made with its Movie picture mode active. While the Filmmaker Mode provided a slightly more accurate picture, the extra brightness from Movie mode made it a better all-round option for both dark and bright room viewing, and I found myself subjectively preferring it.
Peak brightness measured on a white 10% window pattern with HDR was 2,086 nits in Movie mode, and 1,987 nits in Standard mode. Fullscreen brightness measured on a white 100% window pattern with HDR was 667 in Movie mode and around the same level in Standard.
Those are excellent brightness results, and roughly similar to what we measured on last year’s Samsung QN90D.
UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage results in Movie Mode were 93.6 and 76.5, respectively, marking a slight improvement over the Samsung QN90D. Color accuracy, meanwhile, averaged out to a 6.3 Delta-E value (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen), which is a higher level than the 3 threshold we normally look for, though Filmmaker Mode showed better results.
After calibrating the QN90F’s grayscale, its picture looked fantastic. Colors were rich and detailed, and the TV’s high brightness and contrast gave the picture a strong visual punch in both dim and bright room lighting conditions.
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The Samsung Art Store has a wide range of famous artworks on offer, along with images from Disney, Star Wars, and National Geographic (Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
Watching the movie Mountainhead (streamed on Max in 4K HDR), the bright orange outerwear worn by the tech bros wandering the grounds outside the mountain retreat popped nicely against the snowy background. The white sky and snow-filled trees displayed an impressive level of highlight detail, and the picture had good uniformity even when watching from off-center seats.
The QN90F’s strong contrast also gave excellent depth to darker shots in movies like Oppenheimer. Shadows looked deep, and I saw almost no evidence of backlight blooming effects. While the QN90F’s rich color display carried over to Oppenheimer, the movie's black-and-white scenes also revealed excellent uniformity across the picture’s full range of black, white, and gray tones.
Motion handling on the QN90F was also very good, with only a minimal level of judder and blur visible in a reference scene from No Time to Die where James Bond walks across a craggy hillside cemetery. To evaluate this scene, I selected the TV’s Filmmaker Mode, which disables all motion processing, but setting the judder and blur adjustments to 3 in the Custom menu fully eliminated motion artifacts without adding any unnatural “soap opera” effect.
As mentioned above, I preferred the QN90F’s Movie picture preset for its extra brightness kick, a factor that helped bring out shadow detail and highlights when viewing in both dim and bright rooms. With my room's overhead lights turned on, the TV’s Glare-Free screen was completely free of reflections. And even when I turned on a lamp in front of the screen to see how it could handle strong light sources, the light was effectively diffused.
The QN90F’s Glare-Free screen performs as advertised. And, unlike the version used in last year’s Samsung S95D OLED TV, it manages to maintain solid black levels, even when viewing in a bright room.
Picture quality score: 5/5
Samsung QN90F review: Sound quality
The QN90F (side view shown above) has impressively clean, full sound for such a slim TV, but a soundbar is recommended to take movie viewing to the next level (Image credit: Future)
4.2.2-channel, 60W speaker array
Clean, well-defined sound
Object Tracking Sound Pro+ and Active Voice Amplifier Pro features
The QN90F has a 4.2.2-channel, 60W speaker array, along with Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound Pro+ feature to optimize dialogue and sound effects placement. Active Voice Amplifier Pro uses AI to analyze, separate, and amplify dialogue in sound mixes. There are two preset sound modes, Standard and Amplify, with the latter also giving dialogue levels a general boost.
I found the QN90F’s sound to be clean and well-defined, even when played at fairly loud levels. Bass, while lacking the weight and extension you’d get from using one of the best soundbars with a separate subwoofer, was also suitably punchy.
Sound effects, while well-delineated, were mostly contained to the screen area, with little in the way of a surround effect. Dolby Atmos height effects were also modest, though certain scenes, such as one from No Time to Die with a close-up shot of clanging church bells, proved more effective here than others.
The QN90F supports Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature, which combines the TV’s speaker output with a Samsung soundbar for enhanced and expanded sound. As good as the QN90F’s built-in sound is, this slim TV would definitely benefit from being paired with a Samsung soundbar or one from another brand.
Sound quality score: 4/5
Samsung QN90F review: Design
The QN90F's sturdy aluminum pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)
Ultra-slim, bezel-free design
Sturdy pedestal stand with cable management
Solar-powered remote control
The Samsung QN90F has a remarkably slim design for a mini-LED TV. The panel depth is a mere 1.1 inches, and the TV’s ‘bezel-free’ display means there’s a disappearingly slim black border surrounding the screen.
Samsung’s ‘Sharp Neck Hexagon’ aluminum pedestal stand provides firm support, and a cable management system on the back makes for tidy installation. The side-mounted input section features four HDMI 2.1 ports plus an antenna connection for the TV’s ATSC 3.0 tuner (US-only).
The QN90F’s battery-free SolarCell remote control draws power from ambient room lighting, but can also be charged via its USB-C port. I’m of two minds about this compact, minimalist remote. On the one hand, its small size and uncluttered layout fit with the design philosophy of the QN90F. On the other, it lacks a dedicated input button – something I complained about in my LG G5 OLED TV review – and it mostly facilitates onscreen menu navigation to perform functions, along with voice-controlled searching.
Design score: 5/5
Samsung QN90F review: Smart TV and menus
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Samsung's Tizen smart TV interface neatly divides browsing options into multiple categories (Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
Samsung Tizen Smart TV platform
Samsung Art Store
Some settings buried deep in menus
As with all Samsung TVs, the QN90F series uses the company’s Tizen Smart TV platform. This presents a mostly uncluttered ‘For You’ homescreen, with program recommendations, a customizable row of app selections, and tabs to access additional Live TV and App screens.
A vertical row of icons on the homescreen’s left side provides access to the Search, Art, Daily+, and Gaming hubs. The Art Hub now features the full Samsung Art Store, which costs $4.99/month or $49.90/year in the US, and offers selections from partners such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museo del Prado, the Tate, and, new for 2025, Star Wars and Disney. Think of this as a streaming service for artwork, which looks fantastic on the TV’s Glare-Free screen.
Daily+ is Samsung's lifestyle hub, and you’ll find a wide range of fitness and productivity apps here, along with telehealth services for you (HealthTap) and your pets (Dr. Tail).
The Live tab on the homescreen features programming from Samsung’s own Samsung TV Plus and other free ad-supported TV channels. There are an almost ridiculous number of free channels here to explore, and you can also view a program grid that integrates live channels received via the TV’s ATSC 3.0 tuner in the US.
With most picture settings buried deep in the TV’s menu structure, it can be difficult to access even basic picture adjustments like brightness. Some of the drudgery is lessened by the QN90F’s quick menu, which presents a compact screen overlay with a customizable range of settings and setup options, including sound and picture preset modes and, yes, brightness.
Another advantage of the quick menu is that by selecting the All Settings icon, along with a full list of menu options for picture, sound, advanced features, and more, you’ll see a list of your five last used settings for easy access. There's also a search option here, with voice control support, if you don’t want to scroll deep through menus.
Smart TV & menus score: 5/5
Samsung QN90F review: Gaming
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Samsung's Gaming Hub (1) and onscreen game menu overlay (2) (Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
Four HDMI 2.1 ports
4K 165Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, and HDR10+ gaming support
9.5ms input lag
Higher-end Samsung TVs regularly rank among the best gaming TVs, and that’s still very much the case with the QN90F. With four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz support, FreeSync Premium Pro, HGiG, and Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which features apps such as Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Boosteroid, and Luna, there’s little here that’s been overlooked, with the exception of Dolby Vision Gaming (HDR10+ gaming is supported, however).
The QN90F’s ultra-low 9.5 input lag results in highly responsive gaming performance. Gaming is also enhanced by the TV’s game bar menu, which lets you quickly make gaming-related picture and sound adjustments and access the Super Ultra Wide Game View and MiniMap Zoom features.
Gaming score: 5/5
Samsung QN90F review: Value
The QN90F's compact SolarCell remote control has a limited button count and is mainly designed for navigating onscreen menus (Image credit: Future)
Great performance and features help justify the price
Impressive competing TVs available for less
A complete package for TV perfectionists
Making a value call on the Samsung QN90F can be tough. It’s an excellent all-around TV with great picture and sound quality, a complete set of gaming features, and an attractive, living room-friendly design.
The QN90F faces stiff competition from other TV brands, such as Hisense and TCL, which also make great mini-LED TVs and ultimately sell them at a much lower price. As mentioned above, the 65-inch Hisense U8QG that earned 4.5 out of 5 stars in our review now costs $1,399 in the US. We haven’t yet reviewed the new TCL QM8K, but if its pricing history follows the same trajectory as last year’s TCL QM851G, that model will eventually cost around the same as the Hisense U8QG.
Nevertheless, the QN90F scores value points over its competition with better overall picture and sound quality, a superior smart interface, a more advanced feature set, and a sleeker design. It really is the complete package and an excellent option for watching movies and sports, gaming, or even scheduling a telehealth appointment for your pet.
Value score: 4/5
Should I buy the Samsung QN90F?
(Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN90F
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Feature-packed, with AI picture and sound enhancements and a wide array of gaming features
5/5
Picture quality
High brightness and refined local dimming plus a Glare-Free screen make this a great TV for viewing in a range of lighting conditions
5/5
Sound quality
A built-in 4.2.2-channel speaker array provides clear, and reasonably full sound, but it's light on bass and immersion
4/5
Design
A wonderfully sleek design with sturdy pedestal stand, but the SolarCell remote provides few options for direct control outside the menu system
5/5
Smart TV and menus
Samsung's relatively uncluttered Tizen smart interface is easy to navigate and there's a wide range of apps plus the Samsung Art Store
4/5
Gaming
An impressive suite of gaming features plus cloud-based gaming and fast, responsive performance
5/5
Value
Pricey compared to the mini-LED competition, but great performance, features, and design for the money
4/5
Buy it if...
You want a TV for viewing in bright rooms: The QN90F has a powerfully bright picture, and its Glare-Free screen tech eliminates screen reflections when viewing in bright rooms.
You want a great TV for movies: The QN90F’s powerful local dimming delivers pictures with deep blacks and refined shadows. And its Glare-Free screen ensures that blacks remain solid over a range of room lighting conditions.
You want a great TV for gaming: The QN90F has a full suite of gaming features: four HDMI ports with 4K 165 Hz support, FreeSync Premium Pro, HGiG, and Samsung’s Gaming Hub. Its ultra-low 9.5ms input lag also ensures fast and responsive gaming.
Don't buy it if…
You want Dolby Vision HDR: Like all Samsung TVs, the QN90F doesn’t support Dolby Vision high dynamic range. However, it does support the HDR10+ format, which can now be found on shows from Amazon and Netflix.
You want to save money: The QN90F faces strong competition from mini-LED TV makers like Hisense and TCL. If you can tolerate a small step-down in performance and features, you’ll save a fair amount of money by buying a TV from one of these brands.
Samsung QN90F: Also consider...
Samsung QN90F
Hisense U8QG
Samsung QN90D
TCL QM851G
Price (65-inch)
$2,499.99 / £2,499 / AU$3,499
$2,199 / £TBC / AU$2,999
$2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299
$2,999 / £2,999
Screen type
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
QLED w/ mini-LED
Refresh rate
165Hz
165Hz
144Hz
144Hz
HDR support
HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG
Smart TV
Tizen
Google TV / VIDAA
Tizen
Google TV
HDMI ports
4 x HDMI 2.1
3x HDMI 2.1
4 x HDMI 2.1
4 (2x HDMI 2.1)
Hisense U8QG
The U8QQ is Hisense’s top mini-LED for 2025, and it offers very impressive picture quality for the price. There are areas where it comes up short against the QN90F, such as its sound quality and off-axis picture performance, but it’s still a very solid, high-value bet.
Samsung’s top 2024 mini-LED is still available, and it delivers nearly as good picture quality as the QN90F. You won’t get the QN90F’s Glare-Free screen or 4K 165Hz gaming support, but you will save money as the QN90D is now discounted.
TCL’s top mini-LED from 2024 is another high-brightness TV that also performs very well with movies. It’s only available in the US, where it's now seeing steep discounts.
Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)
I spent about 15 viewing hours in total, measuring and evaluating
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using them for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with the smart TV menu and picture adjustments.
I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.
For the Samsung QN90F, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.
In the two and a half years since the Star Wars TV series' first season ended, my excitement levels have only grown. That could've presented a problem if, like many a crashed starship in the famous galaxy far, far away it inhabits, the political spy thriller didn't stick the landing with its second and final installment.
Join me in breathing a sigh of relief, then, that it does. Andor season 2 is a near-masterpiece that, a couple of faults aside, cements the show's position as the best piece of Star Wars live-action media since the original movie trilogy.
Rebel leaders, standing by
Andor season 2 takes a different storytelling approach to its predecessor (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
Initially picking up events after its predecessor's finale, Andor season 2 takes a different storytelling approach to the Disney+ series' first outing.
Where season 1 followed its ensemble cast across a single year, this season's 12-episode run is divided into four trilogy-style events. Each three-episode block depicts a specific event within the four years leading into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – the 2016 film that connects Andor to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
Andor season 2 is... the best piece of Star Wars live-action media since the original movie trilogy
Previously described as "very sexy" time jumps by showrunner Tony Gilroy, episodes 1 to 3 cover three days, four years before Rogue One happens. Then, chapters 4 to 6 depict a week-long event three years out from the aforementioned movie. Next, entries 7 to 9 tackle a 14-day period two years before the Gareth Edwards-directed flick. Finally, episodes 10 to 12 take place in the five days leading up to Rogue One.
With both seasons reportedly costing an eye-watering $645 million, it's clear Disney, which has tightened the purse strings during Bob Iger's second stint as CEO, wanted to wrap up this expensively-assembled program.
That's bad news for fans who loved Andor's first season and craved more of its thrilling, character-driven storytelling. It also presented a creative conundrum for Gilroy and company to overcome – how to cram four seasons' worth of character evolution and plot progression into a dozen episodes.
Mon Mothma is as integral to Andor's story as the titular character (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Some teething problems in season 2's first act notwithstanding, it's a storytelling approach that, hesitant though I was over how well it'd work, I actually warmed to. Sure, season 2 is fast-paced at times (I'll get into this more later as part of my wider criticism of this season), but the beauty of its four-year cycle is its ability to show the ever-evolving nature of the show's key relationships at annual intervals.
Be it friendships, romances, uneasy alliances, or another type of interpersonal dynamic, season 2's multi-year plot approach – one largely devoid of filler material – highlights the rollercoaster ride that each one goes on.
Sure, character dynamics can change within TV show seasons whose events play out over weeks and months rather than years. It's a process that worked wonders for Andor's first season, but armed with its multi-year format, the series' sophomore outing not only demonstrates how its tentpole moments impact these relationships but also the in-flux nature of its core dynamics in all of their soul-stirring, melodramatic, and tear-jerking glory.
The beauty of this season's four-year cycle is how it showcases the ever-evolving nature of the show's key relationships
Predictably, a lot of the shifting dynamics revolve around Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). As the show's titular character, season 2 takes a purposeful approach to examining the ebb and flow of his personal associations.
Indeed, there's underlying tension, occasional levity, and soul-piercing drama to the bonds he shares with those he's closest to and works for, as well as clear affection and/or respect amid the oft-times messiness of these dynamics. Understandably, that includes ones he has real stakes in, with Bix (Adria Arjona), Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), Wilmon (Muhanned Bhair), and, as confirmed by an appearance in Andor season 2's first trailer, his eventual android bestie K-2SO.
Bix and Cassian's relationship dramatically shifts as season 2 plays out (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
That said, while the series bears his name, season 2 is as much, if not more so, an ensemble piece than its predecessor was. (By the way, it's worth watching the season 1 finale again, or streaming last season's 14-minute recap, to refamiliarize yourself with the sheer number of characters in the show. My head was spinning throughout season 2's opening salvo as I tried to remember who everyone was, what they were doing, and where they were!)
Fascinated though I was by Cassian's relationships with some of Andor season 2's cast, I found myself more hooked by the politically dicey dynamics involving Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), who's arguably this season's stand-out. She's certainly the most interesting character in season 2's first act and, spoilers notwithstanding, episode 9 fully cements O'Reilly's place as one of the finest actors to grace the Star Wars universe.
The engrossingly uncomfortable dynamic between Galactic Empire officers Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) that slithers with reptilian delight, plus the compelling expansion of Luthen's fraught surrogate-style relationship with Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau), are equally worthy of praise. I never tired of seeing these particular dynamics play out and, given another season or three, I'm sure they would've been even more intoxicating to watch.
Heirs to the Empire
Denise Gough's Dedra Meero is captivatingly unlikeable once more in the show's second season (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
Season 2 successfully navigates its expansion of, and call backs to, the wider Star Wars galaxy, too.
There is, despite what Gilroy previously suggested, some character and plot-based winks to the camera, but they're not as egregious as references in other Star Wars projects.
In fact, whether it's the return of Rogue One's main villain Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), who steals scenes with his terrifying unpredictability, or subtle nods to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One itself, they're easily forgivable inclusions that actually enhanced my viewing experience.
Ben Mendelsohn reprises his role as Death Star overseer Orson Krennic in Andor's final season (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
The addition of new worlds also expands on the grandeur of Lucasfilm's vast galaxy, which the Galactic Empire dominates during this time. The live-action debut of one planet is especially key as it allows for the exploration of an emotionally devastating event that should also clear up fan confusion over said incident's Star Wars canonicity.
I won't tease much else about it for those with little knowledge of wider Star Wars lore. Believe me when I say, though, that season 2 episode 8, which showcases this event in such soul-crushing fashion, might be the best – if that's the right word to use – chapter since the season 1 finale. If nothing else, it certainly rivals last season's 12th episode for sheer emotional impact, and I'm not afraid to admit that I shed a tear or two as its end credits rolled.
Season 2 episode 8... rivals last season's 12th episode for sheer emotional impact
If there was a problem with one of the best Disney+ shows' final season – and this might slightly contradict what I wrote earlier – it's the condensed and at times rushed feel of some of its four acts.
I appreciate it's been a costly endeavor for Disney. I also understand that showrunner Tony Gilroy had the unenviable task of compressing four seasons' worth of content into the show's last installment. So, the fact that he achieved this seemingly impossible task should be applauded.
The compelling character complexities of Kyle Soller's Syril Karn are on full show in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Still, the sheer number of narrative hoops that season 2 has to jump through, the quick-paced nature of some three-episode events, and the occasional sidelining of important supporting characters make this season feel a tad scattershot in its storytelling approach.
Act 1, for instance, feels largely untethered and tonally different from its fellow volumes. The severe cuts between scenes are often jarring, while the lack of narrative and character-based pay-off delivers an abrupt end to season 2's opening three-part chapter. It comes across as a standalone trilogy that feels out of place among its brethren.
It's not the only act marred by niggling issues. Act 4 is more closely connected to acts 2 and 3 than act 1 is, and plays the role of direct link to Rogue One. However, it's a little on the short side, and I'll admit I was expecting a bit more suspense or shock value in a three-parter where the Rebel Alliance finally learns about the Death Star.
Don't get me wrong, some moments are genuinely thrilling, dramatic, action-packed, and heart-wrenchingly sad, and I certainly wasn't unsatisfied with how season 2 ends. Indeed, its final scene will make you view Rogue One in a whole different light. I just think that, with a few extra minutes here and there, act 4 would've been even better than it was.
My verdict
Andor season 2 is a devastating and epic tour de force – one filled of potent political drama, weighty ethical dilemmas, and captivating character introspection – that rebels against the notion that Star Wars is a dead franchise walking.
In my view, nothing comes as close to matching the awe, shock value, and prestige nature of the original films – which turned Lucasfilm's iconic sci-fi universe into the powerhouse franchise it is today – as this epic and expertly crafted show.
Would it be even better as a three-season event (a Star Wars trilogy, you say?) comprising eight episodes apiece to fully explore its characters, their dynamics, the impact of their decisions, and help things feel less rushed? Yes, but this is the hand that Gilroy and company were dealt, and there's no debate that they've pulled off an almighty task in making one of 2025's new Star Wars shows as breathtakingly good as it is.
In my Andor season 1 review, I labeled it "a blood-pumping spy thriller that might be the best Star Wars shows yet". Now, I'd replace "might be" with "is". If Disney learns anything from Andor, it's that there's an entire galaxy's worth of more mature, creative, and original stories that deserve to be explored.
The question now is: will the House of Mouse be brave enough to pursue similar ideas? If it does and they're as good, if not better, than Andor, I'll be a Star Wars devotee for a long time yet.
Andor season 2 launches with a three-episode premiere on Tuesday, April 22 (US) and Wednesday, April 23 (UK and Australia). Three new episodes arrive each week until the show's finale in mid-May.
The Dangbei Atom is a 1080p-resolution portable projector. Priced at $899 / £899 (with prices often falling to $699 / £699), it’s pricier than the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 and similarly priced to the LG CineBeam Q, two of the best portable projectors available.
The Dangbei Atom uses a laser DLP light engine and supports the HDR10 and HLG HDR formats, but only via streaming and not through an HDMI or USB connection, which is a shame for those looking to connect one of the best 4K Blu-ray players. It has auto keystone and auto focus, although its manual keystone adjustment is more effective. It also comes with Google TV built in, providing access to some of the best streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus. Connections on the Atom consist of one HDMI 2.0 and one USB port.
Picture quality is a mixed bag with the Atom. Its bright image gives more colorful scenes a vivid enough look, contrast is decent and it handles sports motion well. However, given its struggles with black levels and darker scenes, its picture won’t beat the best projectors anytime soon. Sound quality is better than expected, with a solid punch, but is still limited by the projector’s size.
The Atom is light and compact with an appealing blue, square design. For those who want to take a projector with plenty of smart features and capabilities on-the-go, it’ll do the job and easily fit in most small bags.
Dangbei Atom projector review: Price & release date
Contrast on the Dangbei Atom is decent overall, but textures appear too sharp in most picture presets other than Movie, where they look too soft. (Image credit: Future)
First released: February 2024
Price: $899 / £899
The Dangbei Atom’s $899 / £899 list price puts it in a similar price bracket to other portable projectors such as the LG CineBeam Q and Samsung Freestyle Gen 2. Prices for the Atom have dropped to $699 / £699 since its release.
Dangbei Atom projector review: Specs
Dangbei Atom review: Design & features
The Dangbei Atom has access to Google TV alongside other smart features such as Chromecast (Image credit: Future)
Sleek, portable design
Google TV smart platform
Laser DLP (ALPD)
The Dangbei Atom is a slim, compact portable projector. It measures 7.6 x 7.6 x 1.8 inches (19.5 x 19.5 x 4.75 cm) and weighs 2.8lbs (900g). The Atom is mains-powered only, with no battery option.
The 1080p-res Atom's DLP laser (ALPD - Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) light engine delivers a specified 1,200 ANSI lumens brightness. It can beam images up to 180 inches, which is impressive for a projector this small, and has both auto and manual keystone correction and focus. I found the auto focus to be very effective, but also found it best to use manual keystone correction.
The Atom’s Google TV smart platform features major streaming services including Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video. It has Google Voice Assistant for voice control and Chromecast for a wireless connection to phones and tablets. Physical connections include one HDMI port for video only and one USB-A port.
Both the HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats are supported, but only through the built-in streaming apps and not HDMI or USB. There is also support for 4K input, which is downscaled to the Atom’s native Full HD resolution. For audio, the Atom features 2 x 5W speakers.
Design & features: 4/5
Dangbei Atom projector review: Picture & sound quality
Where the Dangbei Atom's picture succeeds most is with brighter, more colorful images, such as from movies like Elemental (pictured) (Image credit: Future)
Bright, colorful image
Picture lacks detail
Passably good sound
For my testing of the Atom, I used an 80-inch, 1.0 gain matte white Optoma screen. Measuring the Atom’s brightness on a 10% white window pattern, it hit 109 nits in Movie mode – a significant step-up compared to the LG CineBeam Q, which hit 60 nits in Filmmaker Mode, but lower than the JMGO N1S Pro 4K, which hit 161 nits.
The Atom’s main strength is its surprisingly bright out-of-the-box image, which served more colorful scenes well. Watching Elemental, streamed on Disney Plus in HD and HDR10, colors looked punchy, particularly in scenes where Ember created glass sculptures. In Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s throne room lightsaber fight, reds mostly looked accurate, but were slightly too vivid.
Dangbei’s projector did a solid job displaying sports. The Standard mode provided the best picture and motion handling when I watched a football game streamed from Prime Video – a welcome result as there are no motion adjustments to work with in the setup menu.
The Atom struggled with dark movies. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman revealed an acceptable balance between light and dark tones, but black levels were raised, looking more gray than black. (I measured the Atom's contrast ratio at 181:1.) Shadow detail was solid overall, with elements in clothing such as Batman’s chest plate still visible.
The Atom also struggled with textures. Throughout most viewing in Movie mode, these appeared soft, even by portable projector standards. In other picture modes, textures appeared too sharp, giving them a fake look, with few picture settings available to fix this.
The Atom’s dual 5W speakers don’t create a room-filling sound, but are solid enough considering the projector’s size. Watching the Batmobile/Penguin chase scene in The Batman, the sound was clear, and there was some impact during explosions and car crashes. However, the soundstage was narrow, and the bass was limited.
The Atom has a game mode for gaming, but that’s the only related feature. Playing Battlefield V was a perfectly fine experience, but some lag was noticeable. When I measured it, the Atom's input lag was 60.4ms, an average score for a portable projector that's not specifically designed for gaming.
Picture and sound quality: 3.5/5
Dangbei Atom projector review: Value
The Dangbei Atom's included remote is typical for a Google TV remote. (Image credit: Future)
Smart features
Sleek design
Better priced rivals
Priced at $899 / £899 upon release, the Atom is nearly double the price of the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 in the UK but doesn’t deliver twice the performance. (It's similarly priced in the US.) Even the LG CineBeam Q, a 4K portable projector, can be found for $799 / £799.
The Atom's price has since dropped to $699 / £699, which is more palatable for the smart features and performance it offers. LG's CineBeam Q and Samsung's Freestyle Gen 2 are still better value overall, but the Atom is still a decent enough portable projector.
Value score: 3.5/5
Should I buy the Dangbei Atom projector?
The Dangbei Atom can be taken anywhere thanks to its slim, light design. (Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a seriously portable projector Thanks to its light weight and square design, the Dangbei Atom easily lends itself to on-the-go viewing.View Deal
You want a bright image The Atom's picture thrives with bright, colorful scenes (think animation), which look great for a projector this size and price. View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want the best value portable projector Although priced well for its features, the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 and LG CineBeam Q provide better bang for your buck. View Deal
You want a consistent picture Although bright, the Atom's picture ultimately struggles, most notably with black levels and textures. View Deal
Also consider
LG CineBeam Q The LG CineBeam Q delivers an excellent 4K resolution picture plus a comprehensive list of smart features for a portable projector. It's often priced the same or marginally higher than the Dangbei Atom, and is a better value. Read our full LG CineBeam Q review.
Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 The Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 isn't as bright as the Dangbei Atom, but it's more well-featured and its picture quality is better overall. Plus, it's much cheaper in the UK. Read our full Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 projector review.
Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro Cheaper than the Dangbei Atom, the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro offers a lot of the same features and better performance for less. Its not as portable or bright as the Atom, but those are the only places it falls short. Read our full Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro review.
How I tested the Dangbei Atom projector
(Image credit: Future)
Tested with an Optoma 80-inch, 1.0 gain matte white screen
Tested using Blu-ray, streaming sources
Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software
To test the Dangbei Atom, I used streaming and disc sources. Watching reference scenes, I tested the Atom's picture quality, focusing on color accuracy, black levels, brightness and contrast, and textures.
To record measurements for color and grayscale accuracy, brightness, and contrast ratio, I used a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software.
The Atom was primarily tested in pitch-black conditions in TechRadar's testing room. It was also tested in varying lighting conditions to see how it would handle ambient light in other viewing situations.
Premium audio brand Audio-Technica has announced limited edition Star Wars themed versions of its ATH-CKS50TW2 wireless earbuds to mark the Star Wars Celebration, which takes place in Japan this year.
The Mandalorian
Grogu
The limited edition earbuds will be available in four different variants. The Mandalorian edition will feature a metallic silver and gray to match the masked bounty hunter's armor. Next is the Grogu edition, which naturally features a green and beige color scheme to match the beloved character. On the other side of the spectrum is the...
