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Tom's Guide
5 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I spent a month comparing Sony's flagship WH-1000xM6 vs Sony WH-1000xM5: here's the model I'd buy
Sony's latest cans are an iterative update — there's a new hinge, improved sound quality, and a brand new carrying case. Comfort has improved thanks to the thicker headband, and there's much better call quality. Its 30 hours of battery remains unchanged, however. They're less a leap up and more a lateral step. The XM5 have been around for a while now, but they're no less excellent years after their initial release. Great noise canceling, solid sound quality and a comfortable fit make for a pair of headphones that's been at the top of our best list for quite some time. They're still available, making them a cheaper alternative. The Sony WH-1000xM5 have had a tremendous three-year run as the best noise-cancelling headphones overall. They surpassed Bose's prime offerings to become the category's top option and set new standards for active noise cancellation, sound quality, and smart controls. I'm always using them for travel and work, especially when my AirPods Pro 2 need recharging. My wife is also a huge fan and jacks my pair when I'm not looking. Upgrading to another model never crossed my mind until the Sony WH-1000xM6 were announced. These next-gen cans launched back in May, and the company was gracious enough to provide me a sample in advance. I spent the past month testing them to see how they stack up against their predecessor, discovering few distinctions and numerous similarities in the process. So, are the WH-1000XM6 my new go-to headphones? Let's just say that I haven't passed the WH-1000XM5 to my wife just yet. Scroll down to read my expert opinion. I'm digging the WH-1000xM6's audio enhancements. Despite employing the same 30mm drivers and proprietary technologies as the WH-1000xM5, everything sounds amazing. Bass, balance, and definition are equally great. DSEE Extreme technology works wonders by increasing the fidelity on poorly engineered tracks for clearer presentation. The LDAC codec streams hi-res audio at CD-like quality on compatible devices when jamming to the best music streaming services. Bonus features like the custom five-band EQ with outstanding presets allow for plenty of sound personalization. Hi-Res Audio and spatial audio are fine-tuned on the WH-1000xM6, and it shows when listening to complex recordings. Depth and instrumental layering are emphasized. The content also sounds more immersive. 360 Reality Audio is OK on the WH-1000XM5. ANC is also superior on Sony's latest headphones. The new Adaptive NC Optimizer feature adjusts performance by thoroughly examining the external sounds in your environment. There are 12 mics beneath the hood that block out unwanted distractions across the frequency spectrum. Not all noises are silenced. High-pitched screams and sirens are audible, especially when listening to music at moderate volume or with the Safe Listening feature enabled. The WH-1000xM5 are still a noise-cancelling stunner. They use eight mics and dual processing (QN1 and V1 chipsets) to eliminate ambient noise at an elite level. Sony's Auto Optimizer feature is solid and automatically selects the best ANC setting for your current environment, though I prefer the Adaptive NC Optimizer for its accuracy. The WH-1000xM5's 20-level Ambient Sound mode is excellent at picking up every peep with precision from several feet away. This listening mode is just as effective on the WH-1000xM6. Sony's versatile control scheme of physical buttons, touch sensors, and voice assistance (Google Assistant/Siri) is kept intact. All inputs are highly responsive to presses, swipes, taps and voice commands. Special features like Quick Attention and Speak-to-Chat return and work well; the former lowers audio to about 10 percent when placing your hand over the right ear cup. A mute/unmute button was added to the WH-1000xM6. While a thoughtful inclusion, it's not something we see being used frequently. Listeners will find Ambient Sound, Quick Attention, and Sony's auto-mute features (Speak-to-Chat, wear detection) more convenient for boosting awareness. The point is that these two models operate 95% alike. They also come with identical battery life. You're getting up to 30 hours with ANC on, and 40 hours of continuous playback when the feature is disabled. That translates to about a week's worth of moderate listening time (5 hours daily), depending how you use either set of cans. High volume and select features (e.g., DSEE, spatial audio) drain battery life by about 3 to 6 hours. Quick charging went untouched; a 3-minute charge generates 3 hours of playtime when using a USB-PD (power delivery) compatible charger. I expected a little more playtime from the WH-1000XM6, or at least smarter battery life management, but Sony thought otherwise. Less-expensive alternatives like the $249 Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 and $349 Marshall Monitor III boast up to 100 hours of listening time. The WH-1000XM6's battery life looks lame in comparison. The WH-1000XM5 are, to my ears, the superior calling headset and one of the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls. Clarity, noise reduction, voice capture, and wind resistance are all terrific. Apparently, the WH-1000XM6 use AI beaming mics and AI noise reduction for sharper call quality that extracts voices from rowdy backdrops. It's barely noticeable. That's not to say the WH-1000xM6's call quality isn't top tier. The WH-1000XM5 is just better for voice calls. Another controversial take is the WH-1000xM6's craftsmanship. Some critics think it's a noteworthy step up from the previous entry. I do not. The WH-1000xM6 and WH-1000xM5 are constructed from the same recycled materials and synthetic leather. They share the same minimalist appearance and colorways. Additions like the mic mute/unmute button, redesigned power button, and wider, asymmetrical headphone band for optimal comfort give the WH-1000xM6 minimal flair. The smaller carrying case with magnetic lock is what really makes them more appealing, at least from an aesthetic standpoint. Are Sony's new flagship headphones better? Yes, but by an incredibly small margin. Just how small? Here is how I rate them against their older sibling. Sony WH-1000xM6 Sony WH-1000xM5 Price and value (5) 3 5 Design (15) 12 11 Controls (10) 9 9 Sound quality (20) 19 18 Active noise cancelling performance (20) 19 18 Special features (15) 14 13 Call quality (5) 3 4 Battery life (10) 9 9 Total score (100) 88 87 A one-point victory isn't all that convincing. Furthermore, the WH-1000xM6 are just too expensive right now. I get that Sony felt pressured to increase the price by $50 in preparation for the tariff situation affecting the global economy. All the audio improvements are greatly appreciated as well. However, there is more value in the WH-1000xM5, which currently sell for $298 on Amazon as of this writing, and they are often on sale. Upgrade to the WH-1000XM6 if money is no object. Otherwise, be happy knowing you'll get remarkable noise-canceling and sound performance from the WH-1000xM5 for nearly $150 less.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Time of India
These genius gadgets will make you the favorite child this Father's Day 2025
Father's Day is almost here, and many people are looking for a gift that feels special and useful. Father's Day isn't just for dads, it's for anyone who has been like a father to you, no matter their gender. This list is all about last-minute gifts that you can still buy before the big day. Here are 10 gadgets you can give your dad as compiled by Newsweek. 1. Sony WH-1000XM6 In Sony's popular XM series the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are the newest. They look better, fit more comfortably, and sound even better than the XM5 model. The headphones have improved noise-canceling, more microphones, and a new processor. They cost $450, but the XM5 is still available for less. 2. Dremel 8240-5 12V Cordless Rotary Tool Kit – A DIY Dream The Dremel 8240-5 is like a tiny electric Swiss Army Knife, it can drill, screw, sand, polish, cut, grind, and even engrave. It comes with lots of attachments: sanding bits, cutting discs, polishing tools, and more. It's cordless, which makes it easy to carry and use anywhere. Perfect for small DIY projects at home, even cool stuff like building a backyard TARDIS, as recommended in the report by Newsweek. This year, Dremel also launched a Blueprint tool series, including a 3-in-1 drill with a stud finder and laser level, and a portable saw that comes with its own mini workbench. Great choice if you don't have a full tool shed and need compact tools that still do a lot. 3. Apple Watch Series 10 Best choice if your parents use an iPhone. Great for health tracking, like fall detection, heart monitoring, and Fitness workouts. Has a bigger screen, better mic, and even shows water temperature, great for swimmers. Can also make calls from the wrist, helpful in emergencies. Live Events 4. Withings ScanWatch Nova Looks like a classic diver's watch, not a nerdy smartwatch. Still tracks health: ECG, blood oxygen, temperature. Has a small screen for notifications and step counting. Battery lasts 30 days, and it comes with tools to adjust the strap at home. Great for parents who want something smart but stylish and low-key, as recommended in the report by Newsweek. 5. Nebula Cosmos 4K SE Smart Projector Portable 4K projector that's easy to use, just plug and play. Super bright 1,800 ANSI Lumens and works even on a non-white wall. Can go anywhere: living room, backyard, or movie night under the stars. Gives you a 200-inch screen without needing a full setup. Way easier than old-school bulky projectors and more affordable than other big brands. 6. Withings Body Cardio Smart Scale Not just a scale, check your heart health and body composition. Automatically recognizes each person who uses it. Syncs to the Health Mate app so you can easily track everything. Looks clean and simple, but has lots of hidden tech inside. 7. reMarkable Paper Pro A distraction-free tablet for writing, drawing, and reading. Now has a color screen and works like a notebook with a pen. Add the keyboard case and it becomes a full writing/editing machine. Perfect for parents who love writing or reading and want less screen-time, as recommended in the report by Newsweek. 8. Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB-BK Wireless Turntable A serious Bluetooth record player that looks like the classic DJ decks. Has an S-shaped tone arm and can play your old vinyl records really well. You can connect it via RCA cable, USB, or Bluetooth 5.0. Has adjustable pitch control, but not made for DJ scratching. Great for digitizing old records, helpful for parents who want to save their music. 9. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom This game is not only about fighting but also solving clever puzzles and using creative thinking. You can solve tasks in your own way, build machines, use weather tricks, or fight cleverly. A great game even for non-gamers or dads who love a challenge but not too much action. The puzzles are like Portal, but in a fantasy world, super fun and brainy. 10. Nintendo Switch - OLED This version has a better screen and cooler Zelda-themed design. It's both a portable and home console, so you can play it anywhere. If your dad is a casual gamer, this model is more than enough, no need to wait for a Switch 2. Pairs perfectly with Tears of the Kingdom and looks great while doing it. Ideal for dads who want a chill and fun gaming experience with top visuals, as recommended in the report by Newsweek. FAQs Q1. What is a good last-minute gift for Father's Day? A smart gadget like a watch, tool kit, or game console is a great last-minute gift. Q2. Can I buy these gifts for someone who isn't my dad? Yes! These gifts work for anyone who's been like a father to you, no matter their gender.
The Verge
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Sony's noise-canceling WH-1000XM6 are already on sale with a $30 gift card
Less than a month after making their debut, the WH-1000XM6 are on sale at Amazon in black, blue, and platinum with a $30 gift card for $448. It's not a straight cash discount, sure, but if you were already debating picking up Sony's latest pair of noise-canceling headphones, it makes the $50 price hike over the last-gen XM5 easier to stomach. If you were to ignore the steep price hike, the new XM6 are a welcome improvement over the XM5 in every way. They're outfitted with Sony's latest noise-cancellation chip, which allows them to do a better job at drowning out the ambient noise you might encounter on the street, at your local coffee shop, or on your next cross-country flight. Their transparency mode is as natural-sounding as ever, too, and thanks to a new set of drivers, they deliver clearer vocals and the same dynamic, rich sound for which the XM series is known. Design-wise, they also represent an excellent return to form, albeit with a few minor tweaks for added comfort and convenience. They sport a wider headband that's designed to alleviate pressure during longer listening sessions, along with a redesigned power button that's easier to distinguish from the onboard ANC button. More importantly, however, they once again collapse with the aid of a joint in each arm, allowing them to take up less room in the included carrying case. As someone who frequently travels with the XM5 — the only pair in the XM series that can't fold down — I can say the change is greatly appreciated. More ways to save this weekend 8BitDo's Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller has fallen to its lowest price to date at Amazon, where you can grab it in green or purple for an all-time low of $25.49 (about $5 off). The 2C is a great little gamepad for Windows and Android, one you can connect via USB-C, Bluetooth, or a 2.4GHz dongle boasting a 1,000Hz polling rate. It's also got an extra set of remappable shoulder buttons and Hall effect sticks / triggers, so you needn't worry about the notorious 'Joy-Con drift' that has plagued consoles like the Switch. When it comes to portable batteries, Anker and EcoFlow are the two biggest names that come to mind. Jackery is a close second, though, and now through June 18th, you can save up to $3,300 on various power solutions thanks to the company's Father's Day sale. There's a lot on offer, but the highlight for me is the port-heavy Explorer 1000 power station, which is available for a limited time from Jackery and Amazon for just shy of $500 ($300 off). If you're big on Android Auto but hate having to plug your phone into your car's infotainment system, Motorola's MA1 wireless car adapter is on sale at Best Buy for a new low of $34.99 (50 percent off). The Chromecast-looking USB dongle pairs with smartphones running Android 11 or higher via Bluetooth, allowing you to then transmit data over 5Ghz Wi-Fi. Just ensure your car or aftermarket head unit actually supports Android Auto in the first place.
Engadget
12-06-2025
- Engadget
The best Father's Day gifts you can still shop last minute
The big day is approaching and there's plenty of pressure for you to hand over a gift that says a lot all at once. It may be called Father's Day, but this is an event for you to say a loving thank you to whatever person held that special role in your life, irrespective of gender. Here's a list of the best gifts you can give to show your appreciation for all of the parenting they did, and may even still do. Sony's XM series of headphones are the default option for pretty much every regular buyer these days. Sony's latest model, the WH-1000XM6, offer a better looking design, a more comfortable fit and even better sound than its predecessor. As Billy Steele wrote in his review, if you thought the XM5s couldn't get better, you'll be staggered by the improvement here. A lot of small things have been tweaked, including the fact there's an updated processor, more microphones and improved ANC. For $450, they're pricier than the previous XM5 model, but that one is still available as of right now, so it could be a good option if you need to stick to a budget. $448 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $448 at Amazon$450 at Best Buy I've been obsessed with Dremel's electric multi-tools ever since I watched Alexi Sayle ask 'did I mention we cut?' back in the early '90s. And yet, despite being an adult with my own home, I've never needed to actually go out and buy a Dremel like the 8220 I've had my eye on for years. Look at the thing — it's like an electric Swiss Army Knife, complete with drill and screwdriver bits, sanding bits, polishing bits, metal-cutting discs, grinding stones and engraving tools! Just think about all of the things I can drill, screw, sand, polish, cut, grind and engrave if I had one of those right now. It's 'cos my kids are still under the age of 10, and so haven't grasped the hints that I want them to buy me a Dremel. Hey kids, buy me a Dremel. Anyway . This year, the company launched Blueprint, a new range of dinky cordless power tools to tackle Dremel-sized jobs. That includes the Blueprint 3-in-1 Drill Driver, a handheld drill with a built-in stud finder and its own laser level, even if the latter is only attached to the body with sticky putty. I'm more excited by the Portable Saw Station, a handheld compact electric saw whose carry case turns into its own workbench. That includes templates for making bevel, miter and cross cuts, a line laser and guide track to keep your cuts nice and straight. You see, while my DIY skills might charitably be described as 'elementary,' I've always harbored an ambition to build my very own backyard TARDIS. You know, the blue police box from Doctor Who — hidden between the trees as a little piece of magic. I just need to take six months or so to learn how to do it, and I reckon these sorts of tools would be ideal for the job. Especially since I don't have my own woodshop and would need everything to fit down into as small a space as possible. $80 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $100 at Ace Hardware$80 at Lowe's If you own an iPhone, then the Apple Watch is essentially the default option for what smartwatch you should buy. There's only a handful of devices that match Apple's product for versatility, use and affordability. If you're concerned about your parent's health, then the fall detection features alone may justify the investment. Not to mention the general health tracking capabilities and the ability to keep them healthy with a Fitness+ subscription. I haven't even mentioned the built-in ECG, which is useful for enabling them to keep an eye on their own heart health. Benefits of the Apple Watch Series 10 include its bigger display that's far easier to look at from off-angles. It also carries its own water temperature tracking, so if your parent is a water baby, they can keep an eye on the conditions. This time around, Apple also improved the microphone, making it easier to make calls from your wrist — useful if your parent might want to use it as a lifeline when they're on their own. $299 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $300 at Target$670 at HSN Of course, there are people who don't want a smartwatch, or at least not one that looks like a smartwatch. I get it, some folks don't want to look like a neeeerrrrrrd in their dotage, and it's for those people that I recommend Withings' ScanWatch Nova. It's a hybrid smartwatch in the body of a classic diver's watch that embodies everything that most smartwatches can't. Withings' policy is to build a best-in-class hybrid watch, like the ScanWatch 2, and then put those same guts in a classier body. It has a digital subdial for notifications and an analog one for step counting, which can be set to meet your specific goals. But lurking underneath that body is also an ECG, SpO2 (blood oxygenation) monitoring and a temperature sensor – which can be used for cycle tracking and to warn of infections. All of that tech is hidden in a submariner-style diver's watch that comes with black, blue or green face and bezel options. Put it on and you'll instantly feel like a rugged, outdoors-y type who has their poop together, and is ready to either Do An Espionage or Solo Pilot A Yacht Around The World. Withings is even smart enough to throw in a whole bunch of tools to help you size your band without needing to schlep to a jewelry store. Oh, and I didn't even mention the 30-day battery life. $670 at Amazon Even if your dad isn't an A/V nut, there's a good chance they've still watched those YouTube videos of people building their own cinemas. But the idea of owning a projector is often better than the reality, which can be quite the time and labor-intensive process. That's why I'm smitten with the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, a portable projector with the power of a full one. It's small enough to stow in a cupboard when not in use, and can go anywhere in your home or outdoors on warm evenings. Plus, it lacks many of the compromises inherent in those dinky projectors you often see on the market. It'll pump out 1,800 ANSI Lumens of bright, 4K Dolby Vision-tuned light to a screen size of up to 200 inches. The automatic setup is effortless, and I tested it on a wall painted gray and it was able to compensate for the color quite easily. It's not as expensive as some rivals on the market and it'll do a fairly fantastic job no matter the task you ask of it $1,300 at Amazon Let's face it: You want your loved ones to stay healthy, keep an eye on their heart and generally be around for as long as possible. One way to do that is by upgrading your bathroom scales to something like Withings' Body Cardio smart scale. Designed to look as unobtrusive as possible, but hidden inside its shell is a number of extra special features you don't get elsewhere. You'll get a heart-health check, automatic person tracking and a full body composition breakdown, telling you how much fat, water and muscle you're carrying. I'd be remiss not to mention, too, Withings' class-leading Health Mate app, which is great for collating large chunks of health data and helping you understand it in an easy-to-digest manner. $160 at Amazon I'm a big fan of distraction-free writing machines that help me get my head down away from the temptations of the internet. reMarkable's e-paper slates have been a mainstay on this guide for years, and now the company has launched a new flagship model. The reMarkable Paper Pro is bigger and faster than its predecessor, but most importantly of all comes with a color display. On its own, it's a fancy pants e-reader with a stylus that'll let you write, draw and annotate PDFs. But when paired with its own Type Folio, it becomes something much greater indeed, a writing and editing machine that's perfect at home or on the go. If I'm struggling with a draft and need to get away from my desk, the Paper Pro is the perfect gadget to come with me. Plus, I can't get pulled into a Slack chat or avoid the problem by staring hopelessly at my emails. If there's a downside, it's the price. It was already more expensive than the equivalent slate from Apple, and tariffs exacerbated that. But if you've got siblings and can club together to get your parent the thing they need to harness their literary ambitions, you should. $629 at reMarkable There are a lot of Bluetooth turntables which are designed for the hip crowd who want to show off their ye olde-fashioned record player. But if you're looking for something a bit more capital-S serious without shelling out for a high-end Technics unit, Audio Technica's romantically-named ATLP120XBT might be worth a glance. The fact it could be confused for a Technics SL-1210, right down to the s-shaped tone arm is, I'm sure, just a total coincidence . The sound is good, and you'll get adjustable pitch control alongside the belt-driven turntable (sorry, no scratching on this unit). And connectivity-wise, it's well-stocked, with Dual RCA-out, USB or Bluetooth 5.0, with support for aptX. It's a unit I'm thinking about getting for my mum, since it'll enable her to digitize her stack of 78rpm records over that USB connection. $499 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $499 at Amazon$499 at Macy's Look, if your dad is anything like me, then they're probably not a massive gamer, or might just play the odd title. I'm told that there's a whole genre of Dad Games out there that apparently appeal to the fathers in our lives, which are all about following some sort of process. It's likely then that they won't have paid much attention to The Legend of Zelda series, which feels as un-Dad a game as you could imagine. Which is why I'm here to say that, until the start of this year, I felt the same, but I've since had my eyes opened to how amazing it really is. Even better, is that there's a brand new title in the Zelda series, Tears of the Kingdom , which I'd urge all of you to check out. You play as Link, a little dude who – much like Mario – has to rescue a princess countless times throughout history. That normally involves traversing a beautiful, unspoiled paradise called Hyrule that's scattered with all sorts of monsters who want to kill you. From the outside, you might think that it's all just button-mashing and hyperactive combat, which is not a dad-friendly genre. But, in fact, the game puts far more emphasis on puzzle-solving and lateral thinking, and it has the best 3D puzzles this side of the Portal series which alone makes it ideal for dads the world over. Not to mention the freedom to tackle the game any which way you want to, giving you the choice to build your own solution rather than being forced to comply with Nintendo's. In the last game, Breath of the Wild , you could harness the game's physics and chemistry engines to dispatch troublesome enemies by using the environment against them. For instance, you could freeze them and then give them a whack, building up the kinetic energy to such an extent that they're sent hurtling miles away from you. Or, if you approach them in the middle of a storm, you can get them to raise their metallic swords in anger and get a dose of lightning. In this one, you can find scattered electronic components and assemble them however you want to jury-rig vehicles to help you get around. I mean, what could be more Dad-Game than that? $70 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $70 at Target$70 at HSN And if you're buying Tears of the Kingdom , then you might want to get the console to go with it. Nintendo's Switch OLED Edition takes the same portable-home console hybrid you already know and love, but dials it up to 11. Now, you might be wondering why I'm not recommending you get your elbows out and try to snag a Switch 2 instead. Honestly? If your dad is more of a casual gamer, then the existing Switch is already such a compelling option, it's hard to justify the extra cost for the newer model. After all, the OLED Edition got a lot of necessary hardware upgrades, including a far better display. Given the game recommendation, my preference would be the Tears of the Kingdom specific Switch. It comes with gold Joy Cons with lovely Zonai designs on the body and a gorgeous white and gold TV dock. Even nicer is the concentric circle watermark on the underside, which looks significantly classier than the plain option. Especially if they're going to play the game on the go, when they might want to let the world know that they appreciate the finer things in life. Plus, the Switch has a mature and deep library of games that won't be going anywhere in a hurry, especially given the emphasis on backward compatibility between the old and the new. $290 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $310 at GameStop At school, one of my friend's dads converted one of his home's bedrooms into a White Room. It's a soundproofed room with nothing but a single armchair facing a fancy HiFi, a dedicated space for Music Appreciation. In retrospect, the fact that my friend's bedroom was half the size and he had to share with his younger sibling was pretty rough. I suspect, deep down in the DNA of every dad, is the Dad Urge (™) to develop an unhealthy interest in high-end audio gear. Thankfully, there's an easy way to prevent your parent blowing your inheritance on a pair of B&W Nautilus. Chinese high-end audio masters Fiio produce a wonderfully elegant desktop DAC and speaker pair that'll do the same job as a White Room at a fraction of the cost. The R7 has an Android music player in front that'll connect directly to their streaming service of choice. And it can also play locally stored music, or connect it to another player via AirPlay, USB, Bluetooth, optical or analog audio lines. The R7 can be paired with Fiio's matching set of SP3 speakers that have 3.5-inch woofers, 1-inch tweeters and wonderfully smooth sound. The price all-in is a bit steep, but it might scratch that itch without causing any ructions around the Thanksgiving dinner table. $700 at Amazon I'll make no bones about the fact that, as a dad, I'm writing this guide as much as a vehicle for wish fulfillment as I am to dole out consumer advice. And, like a lot of people. I've gradually grown more and more obsessed with Fujifilm's X-series of cameras. A combination of old-school rangefinder styling, great photo quality and relatively limited supply has made them a hot ticket. The fact the X-series comes with film simulation modes is, for many, the thing that puts it on top over plenty of cameras from other manufacturers. But the high price of the flagship – edging north of $1600 — X100 means it's a pricey and dicey proposition for any hobbyist photographer. Thankfully, Fujifilm has a cheaper and I might even argue better option in the form of the X-T30. It's a step down on the spec list, with an older 26.1-megapixel sensor compared to the 40.2 of its newer sibling. But what it's got going for it is the smaller body size which makes it so portable as to be pocketable, ease of use and the same analog dials for fine-grain control. Not to mention that, when paired with the 35mm f/2 lens, it's wicked fast and takes pretty beautiful shots. I've been into my local camera shop multiple times to try out the X-T30 with this lens but, so far, neither of my kids have picked up the hint and bought one for me. $899 at Amazon If anyone asks me what TV to go for, my knee jerk reaction is to recommend LG given the broad advantages it has over its competitors. The company's OLED TVs remain best in class and I think the base-ish model OLEDs offer excellent value for money. 2023's OLED C3, for example, offers plenty of the same features as its higher-priced siblings. There may not be too many extra bells and whistles but for pure picture quality, you're good to go with its massive contrast ratio and great black reproduction. Essentially, it's a TV for people with champagne tastes but something a bit closer to a Bud Light budget. $1,227 at Amazon I suspect a lot of dads fall into the trap of having the ability to buy themselves nice things, but never actually go through with it. (I could easily buy myself a Dremel, for instance, but I still haven't!) One thing they've probably thought about but not followed through on is to upgrade their coffee routine from whatever they bought before you were born. I myself was making at home lattes with instant coffee and a microwave for far longer than I'm prepared to admit. But I was wary about buying a bean-to-cup machine given that they can become a time-consuming hobby in and of themselves. So, after plenty of research, I bought the Creatista Plus, a Nespresso-compatible machine that makes pretty decent coffee at home. As well as producing standard drinks, you can use the built in steam wand to prepare milk for something that's close enough to barista-standard. Now, I'll say that it is a lot pricier than some of the machines in its class, but I chose it as much for how it looked as what it did. Sure, there's a built-in digital display that'll give you fine-grain control over every fact of your coffee, but it also looks like a proper grown-up coffee machine. And it's the sort of thing that should stand proudly on your countertop as it forms a key part of your dad's morning routine. $570 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $600 at Macy's$450 at Best Buy Do you find that it's harder and harder to relate to your folks as you, and they, get older? Some of this, I'm sure, is down to the media they consume, especially if they've become trapped in the echo chambers found in the basement of your cable TV guide. If they're an avid reader, however, then it might be worth offering them Capitalist Realism by the British philosopher Mark Fisher. It serves as a relatively short, and fairly gentle introduction to Fisher's viewpoint on the culture at large, especially given what's going on right now. At 81 pages, it can hardly be called a weighty tome, and it lacks some of the florid language you often see from philosophy books. Fisher often draws parallels between his points and various pop culture milestones that most folks will be familiar with. A treatise on Office Space's rules around pieces of flair dovetails into an exploration of how politicians focus on metrics for success will hide the diminished quality of whatever they're trying to improve. References to lines of dialog from Heat become points to connect the destruction of community and the way mental health has become an individualized issue, rather than a societal one. And it might just help make your Thanksgiving dinner conversations a little more pleasant in future. $14 at Amazon
Engadget
10-06-2025
- Engadget
The best Father's Day gifts and gadgets for every dad in 2025
It's easy to feel the pressure in the run-up to Father's Day. Finding a gift that encapsulates all of the gratitude, love and appreciation you feel toward them is a high-pressure task. Thankfully, this is why we're here to point you in the direction of the best gifts you can get. And don't forget, dad isn't a name, it's a job title, so show your appreciation to whatever person filled that role in your life. Sony's XM series of headphones are the default option for pretty much every regular buyer these days. Sony's latest model, the WH-1000XM6, offer a better looking design, a more comfortable fit and even better sound than its predecessor. As Billy Steele wrote in his review, if you thought the XM5s couldn't get better, you'll be staggered by the improvement here. A lot of small things have been tweaked, including the fact there's an updated processor, more microphones and improved ANC. For $450, they're pricier than the previous XM5 model, but that one is still available as of right now, so it could be a good option if you need to stick to a budget. $448 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $448 at Amazon$450 at Target I've been obsessed with Dremel's electric multi-tools ever since I watched Alexi Sayle ask 'did I mention we cut?' back in the early '90s. And yet, despite being an adult with my own home, I've never needed to actually go out and buy a Dremel like the 8220 I've had my eye on for years. Look at the thing — it's like an electric Swiss Army Knife, complete with drill and screwdriver bits, sanding bits, polishing bits, metal-cutting discs, grinding stones and engraving tools! Just think about all of the things I can drill, screw, sand, polish, cut, grind and engrave if I had one of those right now. It's 'cos my kids are still under the age of 10, and so haven't grasped the hints that I want them to buy me a Dremel. Hey kids, buy me a Dremel. Anyway . This year, the company launched Blueprint, a new range of dinky cordless power tools to tackle Dremel-sized jobs. That includes the Blueprint 3-in-1 Drill Driver, a handheld drill with a built-in stud finder and its own laser level, even if the latter is only attached to the body with sticky putty. I'm more excited by the Portable Saw Station, a handheld compact electric saw whose carry case turns into its own workbench. That includes templates for making bevel, miter and cross cuts, a line laser and guide track to keep your cuts nice and straight. You see, while my DIY skills might charitably be described as 'elementary,' I've always harbored an ambition to build my very own backyard TARDIS. You know, the blue police box from Doctor Who — hidden between the trees as a little piece of magic. I just need to take six months or so to learn how to do it, and I reckon these sorts of tools would be ideal for the job. Especially since I don't have my own woodshop and would need everything to fit down into as small a space as possible. $80 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $100 at Ace Hardware$80 at Lowe's If you own an iPhone, then the Apple Watch is essentially the default option for what smartwatch you should buy. There's only a handful of devices that match Apple's product for versatility, use and affordability. If you're concerned about your parent's health, then the fall detection features alone may justify the investment. Not to mention the general health tracking capabilities and the ability to keep them healthy with a Fitness+ subscription. I haven't even mentioned the built-in ECG, which is useful for enabling them to keep an eye on their own heart health. Benefits of the Apple Watch Series 10 include its bigger display that's far easier to look at from off-angles. It also carries its own water temperature tracking, so if your parent is a water baby, they can keep an eye on the conditions. This time around, Apple also improved the microphone, making it easier to make calls from your wrist — useful if your parent might want to use it as a lifeline when they're on their own. $299 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $300 at Target$299 at Best Buy Of course, there are people who don't want a smartwatch, or at least not one that looks like a smartwatch. I get it, some folks don't want to look like a neeeerrrrrrd in their dotage, and it's for those people that I recommend Withings' ScanWatch Nova. It's a hybrid smartwatch in the body of a classic diver's watch that embodies everything that most smartwatches can't. Withings' policy is to build a best-in-class hybrid watch, like the ScanWatch 2, and then put those same guts in a classier body. It has a digital subdial for notifications and an analog one for step counting, which can be set to meet your specific goals. But lurking underneath that body is also an ECG, SpO2 (blood oxygenation) monitoring and a temperature sensor – which can be used for cycle tracking and to warn of infections. All of that tech is hidden in a submariner-style diver's watch that comes with black, blue or green face and bezel options. Put it on and you'll instantly feel like a rugged, outdoors-y type who has their poop together, and is ready to either Do An Espionage or Solo Pilot A Yacht Around The World. Withings is even smart enough to throw in a whole bunch of tools to help you size your band without needing to schlep to a jewelry store. Oh, and I didn't even mention the 30-day battery life. $670 at Amazon Even if your dad isn't an A/V nut, there's a good chance they've still watched those YouTube videos of people building their own cinemas. But the idea of owning a projector is often better than the reality, which can be quite the time and labor-intensive process. That's why I'm smitten with the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, a portable projector with the power of a full one. It's small enough to stow in a cupboard when not in use, and can go anywhere in your home or outdoors on warm evenings. Plus, it lacks many of the compromises inherent in those dinky projectors you often see on the market. It'll pump out 1,800 ANSI Lumens of bright, 4K Dolby Vision-tuned light to a screen size of up to 200 inches. The automatic setup is effortless, and I tested it on a wall painted gray and it was able to compensate for the color quite easily. It's not as expensive as some rivals on the market and it'll do a fairly fantastic job no matter the task you ask of it $1,100 at Amazon Let's face it: You want your loved ones to stay healthy, keep an eye on their heart and generally be around for as long as possible. One way to do that is by upgrading your bathroom scales to something like Withings' Body Cardio smart scale. Designed to look as unobtrusive as possible, but hidden inside its shell is a number of extra special features you don't get elsewhere. You'll get a heart-health check, automatic person tracking and a full body composition breakdown, telling you how much fat, water and muscle you're carrying. I'd be remiss not to mention, too, Withings' class-leading Health Mate app, which is great for collating large chunks of health data and helping you understand it in an easy-to-digest manner. $160 at Amazon I'm a big fan of distraction-free writing machines that help me get my head down away from the temptations of the internet. reMarkable's e-paper slates have been a mainstay on this guide for years, and now the company has launched a new flagship model. The reMarkable Paper Pro is bigger and faster than its predecessor, but most importantly of all comes with a color display. On its own, it's a fancy pants e-reader with a stylus that'll let you write, draw and annotate PDFs. But when paired with its own Type Folio, it becomes something much greater indeed, a writing and editing machine that's perfect at home or on the go. If I'm struggling with a draft and need to get away from my desk, the Paper Pro is the perfect gadget to come with me. Plus, I can't get pulled into a Slack chat or avoid the problem by staring hopelessly at my emails. If there's a downside, it's the price. It was already more expensive than the equivalent slate from Apple, and tariffs exacerbated that. But if you've got siblings and can club together to get your parent the thing they need to harness their literary ambitions, you should. $629 at reMarkable There are a lot of Bluetooth turntables which are designed for the hip crowd who want to show off their ye olde-fashioned record player. But if you're looking for something a bit more capital-S serious without shelling out for a high-end Technics unit, Audio Technica's romantically-named ATLP120XBT might be worth a glance. The fact it could be confused for a Technics SL-1210, right down to the s-shaped tone arm is, I'm sure, just a total coincidence . The sound is good, and you'll get adjustable pitch control alongside the belt-driven turntable (sorry, no scratching on this unit). And connectivity-wise, it's well-stocked, with Dual RCA-out, USB or Bluetooth 5.0, with support for aptX. It's a unit I'm thinking about getting for my mum, since it'll enable her to digitize her stack of 78rpm records over that USB connection. $439 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $499 at Adorama$499 at Macy's Look, if your dad is anything like me, then they're probably not a massive gamer, or might just play the odd title. I'm told that there's a whole genre of Dad Games out there that apparently appeal to the fathers in our lives, which are all about following some sort of process. It's likely then that they won't have paid much attention to The Legend of Zelda series, which feels as un-Dad a game as you could imagine. Which is why I'm here to say that, until the start of this year, I felt the same, but I've since had my eyes opened to how amazing it really is. Even better, is that there's a brand new title in the Zelda series, Tears of the Kingdom , which I'd urge all of you to check out. You play as Link, a little dude who – much like Mario – has to rescue a princess countless times throughout history. That normally involves traversing a beautiful, unspoiled paradise called Hyrule that's scattered with all sorts of monsters who want to kill you. From the outside, you might think that it's all just button-mashing and hyperactive combat, which is not a dad-friendly genre. But, in fact, the game puts far more emphasis on puzzle-solving and lateral thinking, and it has the best 3D puzzles this side of the Portal series which alone makes it ideal for dads the world over. Not to mention the freedom to tackle the game any which way you want to, giving you the choice to build your own solution rather than being forced to comply with Nintendo's. In the last game, Breath of the Wild , you could harness the game's physics and chemistry engines to dispatch troublesome enemies by using the environment against them. For instance, you could freeze them and then give them a whack, building up the kinetic energy to such an extent that they're sent hurtling miles away from you. Or, if you approach them in the middle of a storm, you can get them to raise their metallic swords in anger and get a dose of lightning. In this one, you can find scattered electronic components and assemble them however you want to jury-rig vehicles to help you get around. I mean, what could be more Dad-Game than that? $70 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $70 at Target$70 at HSN And if you're buying Tears of the Kingdom , then you might want to get the console to go with it. Nintendo's Switch OLED Edition takes the same portable-home console hybrid you already know and love, but dials it up to 11. Now, you might be wondering why I'm not recommending you get your elbows out and try to snag a Switch 2 instead. Honestly? If your dad is more of a casual gamer, then the existing Switch is already such a compelling option, it's hard to justify the extra cost for the newer model. After all, the OLED Edition got a lot of necessary hardware upgrades, including a far better display. Given the game recommendation, my preference would be the Tears of the Kingdom specific Switch. It comes with gold Joy Cons with lovely Zonai designs on the body and a gorgeous white and gold TV dock. Even nicer is the concentric circle watermark on the underside, which looks significantly classier than the plain option. Especially if they're going to play the game on the go, when they might want to let the world know that they appreciate the finer things in life. Plus, the Switch has a mature and deep library of games that won't be going anywhere in a hurry, especially given the emphasis on backward compatibility between the old and the new. $270 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $310 at GameStop At school, one of my friend's dads converted one of his home's bedrooms into a White Room. It's a soundproofed room with nothing but a single armchair facing a fancy HiFi, a dedicated space for Music Appreciation. In retrospect, the fact that my friend's bedroom was half the size and he had to share with his younger sibling was pretty rough. I suspect, deep down in the DNA of every dad, is the Dad Urge (™) to develop an unhealthy interest in high-end audio gear. Thankfully, there's an easy way to prevent your parent blowing your inheritance on a pair of B&W Nautilus. Chinese high-end audio masters Fiio produce a wonderfully elegant desktop DAC and speaker pair that'll do the same job as a White Room at a fraction of the cost. The R7 has an Android music player in front that'll connect directly to their streaming service of choice. And it can also play locally stored music, or connect it to another player via AirPlay, USB, Bluetooth, optical or analog audio lines. The R7 can be paired with Fiio's matching set of SP3 speakers that have 3.5-inch woofers, 1-inch tweeters and wonderfully smooth sound. The price all-in is a bit steep, but it might scratch that itch without causing any ructions around the Thanksgiving dinner table. $700 at Amazon I'll make no bones about the fact that, as a dad, I'm writing this guide as much as a vehicle for wish fulfillment as I am to dole out consumer advice. And, like a lot of people. I've gradually grown more and more obsessed with Fujifilm's X-series of cameras. A combination of old-school rangefinder styling, great photo quality and relatively limited supply has made them a hot ticket. The fact the X-series comes with film simulation modes is, for many, the thing that puts it on top over plenty of cameras from other manufacturers. But the high price of the flagship – edging north of $1600 — X100 means it's a pricey and dicey proposition for any hobbyist photographer. Thankfully, Fujifilm has a cheaper and I might even argue better option in the form of the X-T30. It's a step down on the spec list, with an older 26.1-megapixel sensor compared to the 40.2 of its newer sibling. But what it's got going for it is the smaller body size which makes it so portable as to be pocketable, ease of use and the same analog dials for fine-grain control. Not to mention that, when paired with the 35mm f/2 lens, it's wicked fast and takes pretty beautiful shots. I've been into my local camera shop multiple times to try out the X-T30 with this lens but, so far, neither of my kids have picked up the hint and bought one for me. $899 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $899 at Macy's$900 at Best Buy If anyone asks me what TV to go for, my knee jerk reaction is to recommend LG given the broad advantages it has over its competitors. The company's OLED TVs remain best in class and I think the base-ish model OLEDs offer excellent value for money. 2023's OLED C3, for example, offers plenty of the same features as its higher-priced siblings. There may not be too many extra bells and whistles but for pure picture quality, you're good to go with its massive contrast ratio and great black reproduction. Essentially, it's a TV for people with champagne tastes but something a bit closer to a Bud Light budget. $1,227 at Amazon I suspect a lot of dads fall into the trap of having the ability to buy themselves nice things, but never actually go through with it. (I could easily buy myself a Dremel, for instance, but I still haven't!) One thing they've probably thought about but not followed through on is to upgrade their coffee routine from whatever they bought before you were born. I myself was making at home lattes with instant coffee and a microwave for far longer than I'm prepared to admit. But I was wary about buying a bean-to-cup machine given that they can become a time-consuming hobby in and of themselves. So, after plenty of research, I bought the Creatista Plus, a Nespresso-compatible machine that makes pretty decent coffee at home. As well as producing standard drinks, you can use the built in steam wand to prepare milk for something that's close enough to barista-standard. Now, I'll say that it is a lot pricier than some of the machines in its class, but I chose it as much for how it looked as what it did. Sure, there's a built-in digital display that'll give you fine-grain control over every fact of your coffee, but it also looks like a proper grown-up coffee machine. And it's the sort of thing that should stand proudly on your countertop as it forms a key part of your dad's morning routine. $600 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $600 at Macy's Do you find that it's harder and harder to relate to your folks as you, and they, get older? Some of this, I'm sure, is down to the media they consume, especially if they've become trapped in the echo chambers found in the basement of your cable TV guide. If they're an avid reader, however, then it might be worth offering them Capitalist Realism by the British philosopher Mark Fisher. It serves as a relatively short, and fairly gentle introduction to Fisher's viewpoint on the culture at large, especially given what's going on right now. At 81 pages, it can hardly be called a weighty tome, and it lacks some of the florid language you often see from philosophy books. Fisher often draws parallels between his points and various pop culture milestones that most folks will be familiar with. A treatise on Office Space's rules around pieces of flair dovetails into an exploration of how politicians focus on metrics for success will hide the diminished quality of whatever they're trying to improve. References to lines of dialog from Heat become points to connect the destruction of community and the way mental health has become an individualized issue, rather than a societal one. And it might just help make your Thanksgiving dinner conversations a little more pleasant in future. $14 at Amazon
