EPOS has unveiled its latest premium gaming headsets, the GSP 601 and GSP 602. 

EPOS?SENNHEISER’s GSP 601 and 602 offer high-quality, crisp audio fidelity, clarity and exceptional realism for gaming sessions, says the company. Not only have these headsets been designed for quality-loving and aesthetic-minded gamers, but the headsets also boast the GSP 600’s much-lauded ergonomic design. Moreover, these headsets eschew the standard gaming palettes for something much more classy.

Sporting a sleek white frame with black accents and interchangable copper-coloured side panels, the GSP 601 looks understatedly stylish.

Meanwhile, the GSP 602 adds unique flair with gloss navy exteriors set against bold brandy-coloured around-ear coupling pads.

The new EPOS?SENNHEISER offerings retain the 600’s ergonomic leatherette earpads with adjustable pressure for the required passive noise-isolation. Additionally, you get broadcast-quality audio from the flexible boom arm microphone featuring lift-to-mute for crystal-clear team communication. Also, on-the-fly volume adjustments are easily made via the wheel on the outer edge of the right ear cup.

The GSP 601 and GSP 602 plays nice with PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and all other consoles and mobile devices with a 3.5 mm jack input.

Price and availability

The EPOS I SENNHEISER GSP 601 and GSP 602 are available now on eposaudio.com/gaming at a suggested retail price of £199.

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Creative Technology has announced the release of Sound Blaster X3, its latest addition to the legendary Sound Blaster line-up of sound cards which kicked-off the PC audio revolution 30 years ago. 

Announced at IFA recently, we now have more information about the Sound Blaster X3.

Naturally, the latest iteration takes things further. Firstly, the X3 sports a high-resolution USB DAC with multi-channel audio playback.

Additionally, you get the famed Sound Blaster digital processing tech as well as Super X-Fi headphone holography.

Sound Blaster – Super X-Fi 

With 400 million Sound Blaster cards sold over the last 30 years, the latest Sound Blaster X3 has quite some shoes to fill, However, thanks to it rocking Super X-Fi technology (a first for Sound Blasters), it shouldn’t worry.

Super X-Fi recreates the soundstage of a surround speaker system in headphones and personalises it for a natural listening experience. Basically, you should get real cinema audio in your headphones.

High-spec DAC

The X3 is a high-resolution, 7.1 multi-channel USB DAC, offering up to 32-bit / 192 kHz playback. Also, the headphone amplifier is capable of driving studio-grade headphones.

As well as offering 7.1 discrete channel output, this external sound card also offers 7.1 virtualisation on just 2 speakers. It also features Dolby Digital Live encoding for connecting optically to external receivers for multi-channel speakers.

Furthermore, you can customise Sound Blaster’s surround virtualisation tech through the personalised EQ presets to enhance your audio experience. 

Sound Blaster XS hits the sweetspot

With the new Audio Balance feature on Sound Blaster X3, the volume feed can be toggled between two audio sources. This nifty function is handy if you like to chat while watching movies or playing games or prefer listening to some tunes while gaming. 

Sound Blaster X3 shows its versatility further in terms of its connectivity, offering cross-platform compatibility for PC, Mac, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Also, it is supported by the new Sound Blaster Command software for desktops, and a corresponding mobile app to save console users the hassle of switching to desktops for control and customisation.  

Sound Blaster upgrade deal

As a gesture of appreciation for their support over the last 30 years, Creative is offering an exclusive promotion to its fans – the opportunity to upgrade from your old sound cards with an attractive 15% discount off the latest Sound Blaster products. This promotion will be valid for all upcoming Sound Blaster products launched until the end of the year. 

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster X3 is available now for £119.99 from Creative.com.

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SteelSeries announces the newest member of the Arctis family, the Arctis 1 Wireless. Touted as the world’s first USB-C wireless gaming headset the new headphones provide lossless, gaming-grade wireless across four different systems.

The Arctis 1 Wireless features the new slimmed-down body of the Arctis 1 but connects via a small USB-C dongle for a true lossless and low latency connection across Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC and mobile.

Game on the Go or at Home

The Arctis 1 Wireless utilises a small USB-C dongle and features SteelSeries’ lossless 2.4GHz wireless tech for ultra-low latency wireless on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4 and Android. The upshot of this is that you get to take the same console or PC experience on-the-go on Nintendo Switch or Android devices.

Also, the Arctis 1 Wireless easily doubles as a stylish pair of on-the-go headphones. Thanks to a detachable microphone and sleek low-profile design, gamers can enjoy the award-winning performance of Arctis no matter where you are.

The Arctis 1 Wireless also uses the same ClearCast microphone for natural-sounding clarity and noise cancellation.

Ehtisham Rabbani, SteelSeries CEO, told GadgetyNews:

With the continual growth of console gaming, alongside the emergence of mobile gaming experiences such as game streaming services and Nintendo Switch, gamers’ audio needs have evolved, and that evolution is wireless. Gamers need a truly multi-platform wireless headset that easily transitions between experiences, and that’s exactly what we’ve delivered with the Arctis 1 Wireless.

New Headband

The Arctis 1 Wireless also forgoes the iconic ski goggle suspension headband in favour of a lower profile solution. The reason for this is that the new headband is optimised for use on the go.

However, it still boasts excellent comfort thanks to the Airweave fabric ear cushions. Finally, the steel-reinforced headband aids a perfect fit and lasting durability.

It also provides the added flexibility of a 3.5mm cable to easily plug into other devices like Xbox controllers or any other device with a 3.5mm connection.

Price and availability

The Arctis 1 Wireless is available now globally for $99.99/€119.99/$119.99 at steelseries.com.

The post Steel Series Arctis 1 Wireless 4-in-1 Headphones Launched appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Following Creative’s launch of its Outlier Air True Wireless earbuds, the tech company is all set to showcase its diverse portfolio of innovation-inspired products at its booth at IFA 2019, Berlin.

Sound Blaster X3 with Super X-Fi 

Sound Blaster’s audio revolution began with the creation of the first Sound Blaster sound card in 1989. Since then, over 400 million Sound Blasters have been sold, with the brand etching several milestones in sound card development. 

The latest Sound Blaster X3 has landed, and it boasts Super X-Fi technology, a first for Sound Blasters. 

Super X-Fi recreates the soundstage of a surround speaker system in headphones. Furthermore, it’s personalised for a natural listening experience. 

Digital Audio Tech

Naturally, Sound Blaster X3 is packing a raft of digital processing technologies. Besides having Super X-Fi technology built-in, it is a high-resolution, 7.1 multi-channel USB DAC, offering 32-bit/192 kHz playback, and features a headphone amplifier capable of driving studio-grade headphones.

Additionally, there is Dolby Digital Live encoding for connecting optically to external receivers for multi-channel audio on speakers. 

Finally, Sound Blaster X3 has a versatile array of connectivity options offering cross-platform compatibility for PC, Mac, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. 

SXFI THEATER: Low Latency Wireless Headphones

Another standout highlight at Creative’s IFA booth this year is Creative SXFI THEATER.

Touted as the latest breakthrough solution in wireless headphones it features the audio realism of Creative’s award-winning Super X-Fi headphone holography. SXFI THEATER is a game-changer like no other headphone, according to Creative.

Propriety Wireless Transmission

The headphones sports a proprietary 2.4 GHz digital wireless audio transmission, with five times less latency than a Bluetooth transmission. The result is genuinely seamless audio and video sync. 

Stamina-wise, the cans clock up to 30 hours of battery life, which is amongst the best for wireless headphones. Topping it off with a gaming microphone engineered for clear communications, SXFI THEATER checks all the boxes for unsurpassed movie and gaming enjoyment. Furthermore, the SXFI THEATRE headphones play nice with PC, Mac, PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Creative at IFA 2019

Creative’s booth at IFA features a theaterette, specially constructed for demo sessions with SXFI THEATER headphones.

Additionally, Creative is also be showcasing its other latest audio solutions at IFA 2019, such as:

• Creative’s most advanced PCI-e sound card Sound Blaster AE-9, the pinnacle of PC audio innovation
• Outlier Gold, the new gold standard in true wireless earbuds with 14 hours of battery life per charge and Software Super X-Fi
• MUVO Play, a waterproof speaker with a stereo wireless link which is ideal for outdoor adventures
• T100, a premium Hi-fi 2.0 desktop speaker system

The Creative booth at IFA 2019 is located at Messe Berlin, Hall 3.2, Stand 209 from 5-11 September.

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An interesting development in HDMI cables was brought to my attention over the weekend. Marseille’s mCable Gaming Edition is a HDMI cable that promises to improve image quality in your games. It acheives this by adding anti-aliasing and enhanced colour detail.

One topic that is sure to start a war of words on any HiFi forum is the subject of cables and what they do/don’t bring to your equipment. My take on this, if you’re interested, is that anything you add to your system will take something away from the tune you actually hear in the end. So, every component should be designed to minimise that loss. Let’s face it, you can’t add anything to the source (CD, record, FLAC), can you? So, good cables, or anything else for that matter, should retain as much information as possible.

However, the mCable Gaming Edition actually does add something.

Marseille’s mCable Gaming Edition

What does the mCable Gaming Edition bring to the table when you can pick up a HDMI cable up from Poundland? As many people will be keen to point out, “HDMI is a standard so there can’t be any difference between the pound store version or the hyper-expensive ‘snake oil’ sold by unscrupilous high end vendors”. There’s also the “Ha! Does it make the zeros rounder and the ones sharper, then?” crowd.

The fact is that this particular HDMI cable is fitted with an ASIC processor at the TV end of the cable.

This is an integrated chip dedicated to processing each frame it receives. Edge detection, artifact removal and colour management are some of the main points of note. As all of this requires power the cable features an integrated USB cable. I guess that the company is taking it as read that most modern TVs have a USB slot near the HDMI ports.

The mCable works with several resolutions up to 1080p outputting from the source, so if it receives a 480p, 720p, or 1080p signal, the ASIC automatically kicks in and carries out its processing.

However, that does mean that if it gets a 60Hz 4K signal from a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, it switches off any processing and you get the picture without tweaks from the cable.

Is it worth it?

Eurogamer has actually put the cable through its paces.

The upshot is, for PC gamers, it really isn’t worth it. Yes, it might take a little bit of work from the GPU but you probably won’t notice any improvements.

[amazon_link asins=’B075M8ZWMY’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’gadgnews-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=”]They went on to test titles on PS4 and Xbox One. Here they found some improvements but nothing that should send you parting with cold hard cash for the cable, from my understanding. Although, they did say that the mCable would be most effective on TVs where processing and upscaling aren’t a strong point.
 
Finally, the Nintendo Switch. On native 1080p titles such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Minecraft, as they free of any anti-aliasing, are perfect candidates for the cable.
 
When switching between a standard HDMI and the mCable, their findings were that,

…jagged edges are smoothed off and Mario Kart 8’s visual quality gets some notable returns.

Price and availability

You can buy the cable now from Amazon for £131.43 + postage.

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It has been a while since I have got fired up about a Sony phone. In fact, the last one I was proud to own was the Walkman W810i. However, Sony launched their Xperia XZ2 at Mobile World Congress last week, and I was there.

Back in 2011 I was at the launch of Sony’s PlayStation phone. I really liked it but it seemed to disappear shortly after. That was a shame as Sony was being daring. The thing is, even when Sony gets it right, it generally falls short somehow.

So, has that changed with the Xperia XZ2? Well, it sports thinner bezels and proper 4K HDR video recording. Additionally, there’s the curious new vibration engine.

Sony Xperia XZ2 hands on

The first thing that strikes you is that the huge bezels have disappeared from Xperia XZ2. Instead, you are faced with a glorious 18:9 display. Already, as I flip it around in my hand, I know that I am holding a phone from the 21st century. This might not seem a big deal to you but, and it has to be said, it is huge for Sony.

Granted, this is not following the bezel-less trend. Neither is is sporting the very fashionable notch first seen on the Essential phone (sorry Apple fans).

While the bezel has been minimised, it is still very much there. Furthermore, they are useful. You see, those additional bits of real estate house some decent stereo speakers. Sony says these are 20% louder than those that feature on the XZ1. Arguably, and more importantly, they’re much better sounding too.

Performance

Under the hood is the mighty Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile platform. The Sony XZ2 was the first to be announced using this system on chip. Granted, the Galaxy S9 does also sport the 845, but only in certain markets.

Mated to the Snapdragon 845 is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. If you plan to shoot HDR video then you’ll be grateful for the microSD slot, which now supports cards up to 400GB. That should do ya!

Dangerous curves

Oh, the XZ2 feels nice in the hand. The rear uses 3D Gorilla Glass 5 to create the lovely curved finish. Also, the sides have been radiused too. No more flat and sharp Sony here.

While we are admiring the curved rear of the new Sony, it is a good time to point out the fingerprint scanner sitting beneath the 19-megapixel camera.

The smooth edges have dispensed with the headphone jack. I guess this is fated across all mobile devices now. However, Sony are bundling in a dongle and will also sell an accessory that lets you listen and charge simultaneously. Whilst at the Sony stand I was given a demo of some rather natty earpleasers linked to the XZ2. More on those in another post.

It is great to see that Sony continues to focus on audio quality even though they ditched the jack. The XZ2 offers support for LDAC as well as Hi-Res audio.

Screen time

Thanks to Sony’s bezel slimming program, the XZ2 is about the same size as the XZ1 but sports a 13% larger screen, measuring in at 5.7 inches.

The LCD panel is bright, colourful and it offers support for HDR. It will even try to upscale SDR content to HDR, although to mixed results. Sticking with Amazon and Netflix, though and you’ll see the benefit.

Also, you’ll also be able to provide your own content as the XZ2 can capture 4K HDR recordings. Naturally, this can be toggled on and off from within the camera app. I was really impressed with the results though.

Camera

The Sony Xpreia XZ2 is loaded with a 19-megapixel sensor with added memory, 3D facial scans and predictive capture. That 3D stuff has been added to the 5-megapixel selfie camera, too for those who care.

Sony said that is has worked with Qualcomm to build a new ISP that will be exclusive to the Xperia XZ series. This should improve areas such as reduced noise, better low-light performance and superior colour reproduction. During the demo this all looked good, but I would love to get in some real world testing with this.

With HDR the colours are noticeably brighter and the dynamic range far better, as you would hope. Someone else in the room did state that some parts of the images on the screen we were shown were oversaturated though. I didn’t notice this myself but I thought it worthy a mention as I was also on less than 2 hours sleep after a delayed flight in to Barcelona.

HDR footage is captured with 10-bit depth and BT.2020 colour, both of which are impressive for a phone. For comparison, typical FHD video captures 8-bit colour and BT.709 colour.

Furthermore, you can shoot in 960fps slow-mo at 1080p. Someone released a phone the day before boasting about their 720p skills One thing that hasn’t improved, however, is the amount of video you can treat to slow-mo. It still stands at around 3 seconds of video footage can be converted.

Good vibrations

One new feature that I am not entirely sold on is the Sony Dynamic Vibration System. Think the haptic engine inside a Dualshock 4 PS4 controller.

Basically, there is now a much more pronounced rumble when you receive a notification. Moreover, this feature can also be used when you’re playing games and viewing films.

I played a demo of Angry Birds with it turned on and the phone did rumbling when something relevant happened on-screen. I can see a use for it whilst gaming. However, using it for movies and music was just odd to me; you might disagree though.

Thankfully, this feature can be customised as to how potent the vibes are or even turned off.

There’s more

Finally, there’s all the other stuff. There is Bluetooth 5.0 and Qi wireless charging are all present and correct. The body of the XZ2 is IP68-rated for water-resistance and there’s a 3180mAh battery inside.

Android 8 Oreo will come as standard, but with Sony’s skin. I did notice Sony’s own apps still making an appearance and duplicating some of the standard apps. Hopefully, these can be done away with. The user interface is a tad Marmite but you can always download a different one.

First impressions review conclusion

A great looking camera and screen combined with a modern look. Is this really a Sony Xperia? Yes, it is still a little on the safe side, but I actually do like what I am seeing here.

The new vibration motor is… there. However, top marks for the 4K HDR recording. The phone’s audio sounds great both through the speakers and the earphones I tested it with.

As long as the camera lives up to everything I have been told when being used by incompetents such as myself, Sony could well have a hit here.

Price and availability

You can pick up the Xperia XZ2 in four colours (black, silver, blue and pink) from the end of March.

Prices start from £699 sim-free. More information can be gathered from the Sony website.

The post Sony Xperia XZ2 first impressions review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Here’s a weird thing. We’ve been through Black Friday week and Cyber Monday but this deal is even better! A 4K gaming console for under £260? That’s the PlayStation Pro 1TB model too.

You’re not misunderstanding anything here. You can actually buy the PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB from Amazon UK right now for £40 less than you could on Black Friday.

Why? I don’t know. Just suffice to say you can.

This for the console only, but you can add FIFA 18 for another £36 – do that separately and still save £4 on the bundle price.

The white PS4 Pro console is £289.99.

Still, £259.99 for the PS4 Pro is a Billy bargain, especially if a loved one has got it on their Christmas wish list. Get someone to chip in with some top titles and it’s game on for Chrimbo!

The Xbox One X, the other 4K gaming console, is currently listed for £449.95.

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Fancy yourself as a bit of a bedroom racecar driver? Even though you still can’t get the knack of setting off in a real car without it kangerooing across the carpark, there is hope for you to make your dreams come true yet.

Driving a high-performance car around a race track takes plenty of skill and practice. It usually also involves you working through lower classes of vehicle before you get to the real big guns. Furthermore, there’s usually a decent budget involved.

But, what happens if your wheel-skills are outgunned by your skills with a gaming controller?

Well, you might fancy taking Nissan’s modified GT-R/C for a spin.

This special performance grand tourer can actually be driven using a PlayStation 4 controller. You may have already guessed that it was created for the release of Gran Turismo Sport.

Nissan GT-R/C at Silverstone

This modified car was thrashed around Silverstone’s National Circuit, with driver Jann Mardenborough steering the GT-R from a helicopter above the circuit.

You can imagine the amount of clever tech that went into making this awesome radio-controlled car a reality.

[youtube id=”jxKTBRcVROw”]

The racing drone has four robots which operate the steering, transmission, brakes and throttle. There are also six computers at the back of the car looking after the controls.

The Dualshock PS4 controller used for the GT-R/C is unmodified, but has a range of one kilometre.

Fastest radio-controlled car?

On its fastest lap of 1:17:47, the Nissan GT-R/C averaged 76 mph (122 kph) and reached a top speed of 131 mph (211 kph). Not bad.

For safety, there’s a Racelogic VBOX Motorsport sensor that sends speed data to an LCD screen in the helicopter.

There’s also two independent safety systems on separate radio frequencies, which will allow two different operators to brake or cut the engine if required.

Following the demo run, the Nissan GT-R/C will be toured around to schools in the UK to promote STEM education.

That’s a great and noble cause, but when can I have a go?

The post Real Nissan GT-R/C races around Silverstone using PS4 controller appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Gaming consoles look great in a modern living room. The thing is, what happens if your decor is more classic? Well, thanks to Toast’s covers, your Xbox One S, PS4 Pro and Nintendo Switch can get wood.

Cutting edge gaming consoles can now add a bit of natural flare.

Thanks to Toast, the latest gaming machines can be transformed from their ultramodern forms and into wooden sculptures.

Gaming log

Each Toast cover is laser-cut from real wood veneer and finished by hand for a precise fit and perfect finish, according to the company.

The grain patterns of each piece of veneer are cut to match, creating a seamless look as they wrap around the game console.

The veneer is paired with a high-quality adhesive that attaches the cover directly and securely to the console.

Not only will your console look original, the cover will protect your pride-and-joy from bumps, nicks and scratches.

Naturally, the cooling of your console is retained. The Xbox One S cover even adds some retro-cool styling (pun intended) to the vents.

The Nintendo Switch kit covers the console’s face, sides and back as well as the top face of the Joy-Con controllers.

Special branch

You can even have your wooden covers laser-engraved with pretty much anything you fancy. There’s a variety of fonts and text sizes to choose from.

Better still, get some original artwork, avatar or logo dialed in by Toast’s designers.

Finger on the twigger

Ok, so it’s late and my brain isn’t coming up with any other puns.

The Toast gaming covers are available in four sustainable wood choices. There’s Walnut, Ash, Bamboo and Ebony.

Toast gaming console cover prices

Xbox and PS4

Prices for the Xbox and PlayStation start at $49 for standard covers. They kick-off from $54 with custom text engraving and then $79 for fully customised covers.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch pricing starts at $24 for dock kits, $39 for console kits, and $59 for both.

Custom text engraving is an extra $5 and fully custom dock covers start at $54.

If you fancy adding some grain to your game, head on over to the Toast website fir (sorry) more details.

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Microsoft’s Project Scorpio Xbox specifications have now gone official. It’s quite a beast too!

Last year Sony gave us the PlayStation 4 Pro; a more powerful version of the PS4 that allows you to play certain games at higher resolutions.

In the other corner, Microsoft has the Xbox One S. This turbo-charged Xbox One was more of a refresh than anything.

Project Scorpio promises to to take things to a whole new level.

So, we now have the specs. The thing is, we still don’t know what the new console will look like. Come to think of it, we also don’t know how much it will cost.

Project Scorpio specifications

• CPU: Eight custom x86 cores clocked at 2.3GHz
• GPU: 40 customized compute units at 1,172MHz
• Memory: 12GB GGDR5
• Memory bandwidth: 326GBps
• Hard drive: 1TB (2.5-inch)
• Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray

Eurogamer’s full reveal

[youtube id=”RE2hNrq1Zxs”]

Project Scorpio Vs PlayStation 4 pro

So how does Project Scorpio stack up against the PS4 Pro?

Both Scorpio and the PS4 Pro are rocking eight cores. The thing is, the Scorpio’s hits 2.3 GHz vs. the PS4 Pro’s 2.1 GHz.

Scorpio sports 40 CUs at 1172 MHz for its GPU, while the PS4 Pro clocks in at 36 CUs at 911 MHz.

Scorpio offers more RAM to developers, providing 12GB of GDDR5 memory vs. the PS4 Pro’s 8.

The PS4 Pro only provides 218 GB/s of memory bandwidth vs. Scorpio’s 326 GB/s.

Scorpio also provides a 4K UHD Blu-ray player, while the PS4 Pro strangely omits it. As I’ve just been discussing with a buddy of mine, this is even odder given that Blu-ray is Sony tech.

When it comes to getting the most out of your 4K TV, Scorpio should outperform the PS4 Pro substantially.

4K at 60fps

One of the highlights from Digital Foundry, as an example of new gamer’s power, was a demo of Forza.

DF stated that its performance is “remarkable” with the Forza Motorsport demo achieving true 4K and 60 frames per second. It managed this still with a “substantial performance overhead,” – apparently around 65%.

This means that the new console can achieve a huge amount of graphical improvements out of the box. That, still with room for developers to make additional improvements to shadows, anti-aliasing, draw distance, and various other performance-hungry aspects.

Will you be buying one?

Get the full details here.

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