Latest news with #XM6
Gizmodo
14-07-2025
- Gizmodo
Sony's Best-in-Class ANC Headphones May Have a Major Design Flaw
Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones might sound great, but that's only if they don't break before you put them on your head. While it's too early to say whether Sony's latest world-class headphones have a widespread issue, the first reports of broken hinges are starting to roll in, and they feel ominously reminiscent of similar problems with the WH-1000XM5. In a Reddit thread that's actually pulled from a Red Note post (sorry for the convolution; that's just the way life is sometimes), one user shows how their Sony XM6 have seemingly snapped at the hinge that holds the headband and earcup/internal speaker components together. Having looked at these pics myself and knowing how much these headphones cost ($450), all I can say is… ouch. As I mentioned, it's obviously too early to tell if this is an issue that XM6 owners should be worried about, but it does feel relevant considering widespread reports of the XM5 hinge, which you need only take a short gander at Reddit to contextualize. I'm also curious how exactly this pair of XM6s broke—specifically how much force was applied. Did they get sat on, or did they just explode after being gently picked up? I used Google Translate on the Red Note post, and the original poster of this hinge failure claims they 'usually use [the headphones] carefully,' but again, it's kind of hard to know for sure what transpired. One thing is for sure, though, and that's if there's a problem, someone at Sony is going to be mighty disappointed. As noted by SoundGuys, the XM6 actually come with a redesigned hinge that's meant to prevent this whole problem from happening. Specifically, there's a redesigned folding mechanism that features a metal hinge inside the plastic housing that is (theoretically, at least) more durable. It's worth noting that in a poll conducted by SoundGuys, 25% of users reported having a broken hinge. That's a lot of angry customers and potentially a lot more first-time AirPods Max owners. Say what you will about Apple's very expensive AirPods Max, but they do have a premium metal build and great sound. For now, we'll just have to see if any more reports of broken hinges start to roll in and hope that Sony's redesign actually solved the problem. If this is actually a widespread issue, Sony XM6 owners may want to be extra cautious with their headphones until Sony either addresses the issue or puts out some kind of recall, though I don't think it'll get that far.
Engadget
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
The best Amazon Prime Day deals for the last day: Our top picks on headphones, TVs, robot vacuums and more
Amazon Prime Day is almost over, so now's the time for members to stock up on discounted home essentials, clothing, shoes, and of course, tech. It's safe to say that Amazon's website has been overwhelming for the entirety of the event, so we wouldn't blame you if you got distracted immediately upon opening it. If you've got gadgets on your wishlist, Engadget has you covered. We're surfacing the best Prime Day deals on gadgets and gear we can find for the whole of the shopping event. As in years past, Prime Day has brought solid discounts on some of our favorite tech including earbuds, tablets, robot vacuums and home devices. These are the best Prime Day deals you can get before the sale ends tonight. Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $149 (40 percent off): The AirPods Pro 2 remain Apple's best set of wireless earbuds, as they offer the full set of Apple-focused features, strong ANC, onboard volume controls, a comfy in-ear design and a warm sound profile that most should find agreeable. They can even work as a hearing aid now. Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K smart TV for $798 (47 percent off): This is the set that spurred all of the art TV copycats, and it's been a favorite of our staff for a long time. Samsung's set looks like a piece of art hanging on your wall when you're not watching TV, and you can cycle through thousands of images to show on the TV so you'll always have something new to display. Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $23 (21 percent off): Jisulife makes handheld fans we've recommended in past gift guides and this is one of its newer models. It can be held, folded so it sits flat on a table or worn around your neck for a cool breeze wherever you're going. It has an easy-to-read display in its center that will show you the fan speed level or current battery life, and its 5,000 mAh battery can last up to 19.5 hours on a single charge when you're running the fan on its lowest setting. Leebein Electric Spin Scrubber for $38 (46 percent off): This was my favorite thing I bought last year because it makes the must-detested chore of cleaning my shower less of a pain. It's an electric spin scrubber that comes with multiple cleaning heads so you can use it on your countertops, sinks, tubs and showers and more. It also has an adjustable arm so you can reach tough spots in hard-to-reach places, and it convenient recharges via USB-C. Samsung SmartTag 2 for $15.50 (48 percent off): Samsung users looking to keep track of their stuff need look no further than the SmartTag 2. One of our top picks for the best Bluetooth trackers, this accessory easily attaches to keys, bags and other items and uses Samsung's large finding network to show you their last known location. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $248 (38 percent off): While the XM6 headphones are the latest and greatest, they only make small changes to the already stellar XM5. These were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for a long time before the XM6 launched earlier this year, and we still like them for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC, multi-device connectivity and good battery life. Note that the black model is the only one down to $248 at the moment; all other colors are on sale for $298. Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $570 ($180 off): You can't get much better than a Dyson if you're on the market for a cordless stick vacuum, and the V15 Detect delivers. It's our current top pick for the best cordless vacuum overall thanks to its excellent suction power, lightweight design, good battery life and the included Fluffy Optic cleaning head that uses a laser to show you where all the debris is while you're using it. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle for $500: We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that Amazon has the Nintendo Switch 2 available to order "by invitation" now. The Mario Kart World bundle is listed at the standard $500 price, so it's not a Prime Day deal per se, but considering Amazon was (supposedly) shut out of the initial Switch 2 order process earlier this year, it's notable to see the console listed on the site at all. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 (49 percent off): Our favorite budget streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick HD is an easy, dirt-cheap way to upgrade an aging TV set. It supports HD video and its revamped remote can control the power and volume of your TV, so you don't have to keep track of two controllers. Anker iPhone Nano Power Bank with Built-in USB-C Connector for $20 ($10 off): One of these little guys could represent the difference between a dead phone and a not-dead phone. It's the size of an oldey-timey lipstick case and delivers a partial charge to any USB-C phone. We tested it out and awarded it a spot in our guide to power banks. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 ($25 off): This stick handles Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, 4K video and HDR10+ and supports Wi-Fi 6E. It has the fastest processor of any Fire TV Stick and Engadget's Jeff Dunn has gotten a lot of use from the stick as a retro gaming emulator. Of course, Amazon's user interface is less elegant (and less democratic) than others. And it highly prioritizes Prime Video content. Lexar Professional Silver Plus for $38 ($35 off): Our tests showed this to be the fastest microSD card on the market, beating out the whole Samsung line. Not only is it fast enough to download and upload 4K files without trying your patience, it's also waterproof, cheap and squeezes in both USB-A and USB-C ports. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 (44 percent off): Amazon revived the Spot smart alarm clock last year, which features a half-circle shaped display that shows the time, weather and other information like song titles when you're using the speaker to play music. It has a compact design that will make it easy to fit on a desk or a nightstand, and as with any Alexa smart speaker, you can use it to control IoT devices like smart lights, locks and more. Apple Watch Series 10 for $280 ($120 off): We consider Apple's flagship wearable to be the best smartwatch you can buy, period. It's a mostly iterative update, with faster charging, a slightly slimmer design and a marginally larger display than the prior Series 9. That said, it's still a comprehensive fitness tracker, and no other smartwatch can integrate as neatly with iPhones and other Apple devices. Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) for $479 ($120 off): In our opinion, the iPad Air is the best iPad for most people as it strikes an ideal balance between performance, price and features. The M3 chip is almost overkill for a tablet, but it means performance should never be an issue. And upcoming productivity gains from iPadOS 26 should make the tablet even more powerful. Apple iPad (A16) for $280 (20 percent off): The latest base model iPad comes with a faster A16 chip, 2GB more RAM and 128GB of storage as standard. It earned a score of 84 in our review — if you only need an iPad for roaming the internet, watching shows and doing some lighter productivity tasks, it's a good starter tablet. Sony WH-CH720N headphones for $78 (48 percent off): The cheapest Sony headphones we'd recommend that are no slouch. They're lightweight and comfy with respectable sound for the price. You also get Adaptive Sound Control, 360 Reality Audio and multipoint Bluetooth on this budget model. Beats Pill for $99 (34 percent off): The Beats Pill is one of the few portable bluetooth speakers we liked enough to give it a full review. Those of you who love the classic Beats bluetooth speakers will be happy to know they're back in fine form. Nobody can beat the Pill for bass, and its sound is crisp and lossless at almost any frequency and volume. For some reason, only the Kim Kardashian branded version is on sale, but it's the exact same speaker. Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $160 (30 percent off): The best earbuds for Pixel phone users are down to $160, which makes them a great purchase right now. Live translate and hands-free access to Gemini might be the highlight, but these earbuds have great sound and capable ANC too. Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $369 (26 percent off): The second-gen Beam soundbar has support for Dolby Atmos and it has a relatively streamlined design that should be easy to fit into most home entertainment setups. Microsoft Surface Laptop (13.8-inch, Snapdragon X Plus) for $860 (28 percent off): In addition to running on a Snapdragon X Plus processor, this 2024 Surface Laptop has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It's a Copilot+ PC that also has a 13.8-inch touchscreen, and it should last up to 20 hours on a single charge. Google Pixelbook Go (13-inch, Intel Core M3) for $319 (51 percent off): The Pixelbook Go is a bit old at this point, but if you're a Chrome OS lover and want a Google-made laptop, this is a solid option. It includes an Intel Core M3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a 12-hour battery life. Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 multicooker for $70 (50 percent off): This six-quart pressure cooker and multicooker is a versatile kitchen tool for anyone who (somehow) didn't buy into the Instant Pot craze a few years back. It can do a lot with its nine cooking modes, including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, rice cook, saute and more, and the six-quart size is great for families and meal-preppers. Ring Doorbell Battery + Indoor Cam 2 for $70 (50 percent off): If you're looking to build out a security system in your home, this bundle is a good place to start, giving you a video doorbell and an indoor security camera. You'll be able to see both live feeds in the Ring app, and they can send you motion alerts and let you speak to people on the other end of the camera when you're not at home. Kindle for $85 ($25 off): Our favorite budget option in our guide to the best ereaders, the latest base Kindle has 16GB of storage — more than enough to hold hundreds of books at a time. It has a compact and durable design that's easy to take anywhere, and the latest model is faster than before with speedy page turns and a more seamless navigation between books, your library and other parts of the UI. Crucial X9 Pro 2TB for $120 ($60 off): The Crucial X9 Pro with 2TB storage space is marked down 33 percent for Prime Day. It's our top pick for the best portable SSD right now thanks to its excellent speeds, compact yet rugged design and five-year warranty. Samsung 990 Pro for $150 (29 percent off): The whole Samsung Pro line of SSDs is excellent for gamers, with PS5s in particular seeming to run much faster with one installed. The 990 Pro can reach read speeds of up to 1,400 KB/s — and yes, that's kilobytes, not megabytes. Ninja Dual-Zone air fryer (10 quart) for $180 ($70 off): This model is one of our favorite air fryers thanks to its dual-zone cooking system, which allows you to prepare two separate foods at different temperatures and settings. There's even a Match Cook feature that ensures both foods will be done at the same time, regardless of their cooking settings. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $183 ($37 off): Our top pick for the best air purifier, Levoit's Core 400S reliably improved air quality in our testing, plus it has easy to use onboard controls and replaceable filters that are not too expensive. We also found it to not be offensively loud, even on its highest setting. iRobot Roomba 104 Combo robot vacuum and mop for $250 (44 percent off): This combo machine will vacuum and mop on its own, plus it comes with an auto-empty base as well. That means it will automatically empty the dry debris it collects into the base after every cleaning job. Kindle Scribe for $260 ($140 off): The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets you can buy at the moment, and certainly the top pick if you want a writable table that also excels as an ereader. It provides a great reading and writing experience, thanks in part to its ability to access the entire Kindle ebook library, and it has handy Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox integration. Hisense S7N CanvasTV (65-inch) for $898 (31 percent off): Hisense's spin on Samsung's Frame sets, the CanvasTV, comes in much cheaper and with a boatload of features. The S7N sports an anti-glare display and art mode, as you'd expect, but there's also 144Hz support for a bit of gaming. It also comes with a slim wall mount so you can hang it on your wall like a genuine work of art. (The 55-inch model is also a great deal at $689, and the 77-inch is down to $1,399.) Samsung The Frame Pro (65-inch) for $1,899 (14 percent off): New for 2025, Samsung's Frame Pro sets offer brighter and higher-quality Mini LED panels for a superior TV watching experience. The 65-inch Frame Pro is a great option for most living rooms since it's large enough to deliver an immersive viewing experience, and it also comes with Samsung's wireless One Connect box for less cable clutter. While there's still no OLED Frame TV yet, this Mini LED set is the closest you'll get today. (If you're looking for something larger, the 75-inch Frame Pro is down to $2,699, and the 85-inch is $4,061.) Prime Day is Amazon's members-only shopping event, which means you'll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial closer to July and participate in the event. Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be back this year on July 8 through July 11. Amazon Prime Day typically comes around annually in July. In the last few years, Amazon has also had its "Big Deal Days" in October, which is effectively a second Prime Day and the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Prime subscribers can go to Amazon's site on Prime Day to see all of the exclusive deals they have access to. Prime subscribers do not have to do anything additional to get Prime Day sales: the discounts you see on product pages will show up in your cart automatically. If you're not a Prime subscriber and you go to Amazon to shop on Prime Day, you'll likely see tons of items on sale but only "with Prime;" those discounts will not be available to those who are not active Prime subscribers. Technically yes, but even if you do not pay for a Prime membership, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day. While most Prime Day deals will be exclusively available to subscribers, there are always a handful of sales available to all shoppers. Amazon distinguishes between them very clearly: you'll see "Prime exclusive" on product pages near the deal pricing on the discounts that are only available to paying members. Separately, it's very likely that other retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too. So if you're not keen on shopping at Amazon at all, it's worth checking out other retailers during the week of Prime Day to see if they are matching Prime Day deal prices.
Engadget
10-07-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Get up to $152 off the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for Prime Day
We typically see solid deals on headphones and earbuds for Prime Day every year, and this time around is no different. We're a couple days into Prime Day now, but one of the best deals is still in stock: Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are on sale for up to $152 off. The black option has that steep discount, bringing it down to $248. All other colorways are $102 off and down to $298. These are some of the best discounts we've seen on these cans all year. These headphones once topped our list of the best wireless headphones before being usurped by the XM6. They are still fantastic, despite being slightly outshined by the newer kid on the block. We praised the "supreme comfort" and "great sound" in our official review, along with the powerful ANC technology. The battery life is also incredible here. Users can expect around 30 hours per charge, which will more than handle a long train ride or flight. It's also lighter than the XM4, which adds to the overall comfort. There are touch controls on the outside panel of the right ear cup, with the ability to play, pause, skip tracks and adjust the volume. These cans also work with various voice assistants and there's an affiliated app that allows for even more customization. The headphones offer multipoint connectivity and there are a handful of integrated microphones for phone calls. The only downside here remains the price, which has been somewhat alleviated by this sale. If your budget is tighter, Sony still sells the WH-1000XM4 headphones and they're on sale for $185 thanks to Prime Day. Since the XM6 cans are the latest and greatest, this model is getting a bit old at this point — but it could be a good option for those looking to spend less than $200 on a good set of ANC headphones.
Engadget
09-07-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Walmart Deals 2025 rivals Prime Day with sales up to 47 percent off
Amazon Prime Day has been a summer mainstay for a long time, so much so that it's spawned a bunch of other sale events that compete with it. Case in point: Walmart Deals 2025. Yes, Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale is back again this year, and it includes discounts across a slew of categories including tech and gadgets. Engadget covers all of the best Prime Day deals you can get, but we're aware that not everyone pays for Prime and not everyone wants to do the bulk of their shopping at Amazon. But that doesn't mean you should miss out on some good tech deals. Walmart is actually matching some of the best Prime Day deals this year, and so you can save on some of our favorite gear without needing to go through Amazon to do it. Here, we've collected the best Walmart Deals savings we could find, and we'll continue to update this post throughout the event as we discover new discounts. Roku Express HD streaming device for $17 ($12 off): If you're simply looking for an affordable streamer to upgrade an aging TV, the Roku Express HD could fit the bill. It plays HD-quality content and gives you access to every major streaming platform including HBO Max, Disney+, Prime Video and others. It'll tuck away behind your set nicely and it supports headphone mode, which lets you connect headphones to the Roku mobile app for private listening and viewing from your TV. Razer Kraken Hello Kitty & Friends Bluetooth headset for $47 (47 percent off): Razer makes excellent gaming accessories and this Hello Kitty & Friends version of the popular Kraken headset might be just what you were looking for to add more personality into your Twitch stream outfits. Aside from the cute design, it supports Bluetooth 5.0, comes with 40mm drivers and sports a beamforming microphone. Google TV Streamer 4K for $84 ($16 off): Our top favorite streaming device, the Google TV Streamer 4K is basically a souped-up Chromecast with 4K content support, an easy to use interface and a great remote control. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 for $129 (47 percent off): While it's an older model, we generally like Samsung Galaxy Watches and they're arguably the best smartwatches for Samsung phone users. The Galaxy Watch 6 has good all-day activity tracking and sleep monitoring, plus heart rate tracking, personalized health insights and more. Samsung 32-inch Smart Monitor M5 for $199 ($100 off): Not only will this be a good monitor for your home office setup, but it also acts as a full smart TV, too. Its interface gives you access to platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and others, and it also comes with a SmartThings IoT hub built in so you can connect and control things like smart lights directly from the monitor. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $296 ($104 off): While the XM6 headphones are the latest and greatest, they only make small changes to the already stellar XM5. These were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for a long time before the XM6 launched earlier this year, and we still like them for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC, multi-device connectivity and good battery life. Hisense 75-inch U6H ULED 4K smart TV for $448 (36 percent off): This Quantum Dot TV can reach 600 nits at peak brightness across its 48 local dimming zones. It supports Dolby Vision and Atmos, HDMI 2.1 inputs for a better gaming experience and it has the Google Assistant built in for voice control. PlayStation 5 Slim Astro Bot bundle for $453 ($106 off): This version of the console has a disc drive and comes with 1TB of storage, plus the ever-popular Astro Bot game. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M1) for $599 ($50 off): The M1 Air has been long gone from Apple's own site, but it's still a more than capable laptop for anyone looking for a solid, all-purpose machine. We still recommend springing for an M3 or M4 machine instead, but if you're on a budget, this deal will be hard to beat. MSI Thin A15 gaming laptop (15.6-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $649 (37 percent off): Along with a Ryzen processor, this MSI gaming laptop sports a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and a 144Hz screen, and it comes in at just about 4 pounds in weight.
Tom's Guide
08-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I'm a TV tester and these Sony Prime Day deals are the ones I'm adding to my cart now
Sony's got some big plans for Prime Day deals, offering steep discounts across his product lineups. Everything from audio to TV, there are so many amazing deals to sink your teeth into across Amazon, but some are limited-time only, so you have to act fast. I've listed below all my favorite AV deals, which include speakers and headphones, as well as displays. You'll find savings on some of Sony's brand new products, including its WH-1000XM6 headphones for $428 and the Bravia 8 II OLED for $2,498. But you might want to go with some of its older tech just to save a bit more. We'll be updating this list throughout Prime Day, so you can expect to find all the best savings across Sony products, both old and new. Check them all out below. Sony's first ULT headphones offer bass-boosted audio at a budget price. These headphones come equipped with a 30-hour battery life, Alexa AI controls, and noise canceling. Sony also built these to mirror its XM series of headphones in terms of comfort. One of Sony's weirdest audio products sees its first major discount. Meet the Bravia Theater U, a one-of-a-kind speaker that fits around your neck. It's a bit more popular in Japan but lets you get even more immersive with your audio and gaming where necessary. The XM5 are the better buy in the Prime Day sales. They block almost as much noise, have a very similar, more spacious sound, and they look very close indeed. They're also a full $120 less than the XM6. They scored half a star more than the XM6 in their 4.5-star review. The Sony WH-1000XM6 has finally received its first discount, but it's not as deep as we might have first hoped. Still, if you want the latest Sony headphones with the best ANC, a more comfortable fit and a brand-new hard case, this is the way to go — it'll just cost a bit more. We gave them a 4-star review, so you know you're getting some quality headphones either way. Ensure you get the best audio for your home entertainment setup with this full speaker system that comes with surround sound speakers and a subwoofer. The Bravia Theater 6 is Sony's most budget soundbar, but it packs with incredible performance on its 5.1-channel system with Dolby Atmos support. This is a state-of-the-art surround sound system by Sony that doubles as home décor. With four wireless speakers, the Sony Bravia Theater Quad brings all-around sound via a 360 spatial sound mapping procedure that envelops the area in Dolby audio. It's a major diligence from a typical soundbar, yet offers incredible coverage for the right environment. Sony's Bravia 2 II (read as "mark two") launched this year, offering budget pricing on a serious LED screen. While it may not boast sophisticated display technology, it does come equipped with special PS5 features that enhance visuals for gaming, and it's kitted with Google TV, so you have access to all your favorite content, plus tons of free channels. The Bravia 5 is Sony's cheapest Mini-LED TV, offering stellar 120Hz visuals with some incredible motion processing thanks to Sony's XR processor. It's built with AI, so expect some upscaling chops and serious performance in color. As with all Sony TVs, the Bravia 5 also has some exclusive PS5 features that make it a surefire bet if you're a PlayStation gamer. Providing incredible visuals, sound, and 4K upscaling, the Sony Bravia XR A95K OLED is a truly impressive TV. There's support for HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, a 120Hz refresh rate and 2 HDMI 2.1 ports. The included Bravia Cam also opens up a variety of useful smart features. The Sony Bravia 7 Mini-LED TV takes the best of what makes Sony displays so sought-after and makes it value-intensive. It's the cheapest Mini-LED in Sony's 2024 TV lineup, which makes it perfect for some incredible savings. The Bravia 7 comes kitted with an ATSC 3.0 tuner for NextGen TV access, plus support for almost all of the HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. The Sony Bravia A95L is a QD-OLED TV that combines two display technologies: quantum dots for vibrant colors/expanded brightness and OLED for perfect blacks/infinite contrast. That results in a picture that isn't merely good, it's sumptuous with every type of content, every time. In our Sony Bravia XR A95L QD-OLED TV review, we said the Editor's Choice TV offers superlative picture and top-notch sound, mated with the outstanding Google TV interface and a cornucopia of other useful options. Launched in 2025, the Sony Bravia 8 II takes up after the Sony A95L OLED TV, one of the most beloved OLED TVs from three years past. The Bravia 8 II takes up several upgrades, like increased contrasts and improved motion handling. It's also set to have some of the widest color coverage in OLEDs of the year, which is a stellar get for an already incredible display. 65" for $2,998
