Razer is known mostly for its high-end gaming devices, but it also has a diverse collection of accessories. It just launched a very weird one for mobile, the Gaming Finger Sleeve. It's designed to absorb sweat and thus reduce friction on the screen to help you max out performance when playing Fortnite and other mobile games.

The sleeves, which can go on your thumbs or forefingers, are woven from nylon, spandex and conductive silver fibers — meaning they'll work with most mobile devices. It also helps them to absorb sweat while allowing your fingers to breathe, keeping keeping them relatively cool and dry. They're pretty thin at 0.8mm (and hand washable), so they should still give you some sense of touch.

In the words of one of my colleagues, "thumb hyperhidrosis is real, fam," so the Gaming Finger Sleeve could be genuinely useful for some folks, silly as it seems. It could also be a big help in particularly hot or humid environments. In any case, it will certainly mark you as a very, very serious mobile gamer. It's now available for $10.

Xiaomi has released its latest high-end smartphones aimed at creators with a list of features that puts many brands to shame. The marquee device is the Xiaomi 11T Pro, the first smartphone to use the company's proprietary 120W HyperCharge technology. That lets you charge the 11T Pro's 5,000 mAh battery in just 17 minutes with 34 safety features including real-time temperature monitoring. It also uses technologies like dual charge pumps, a dual-cell battery structure and graphene tech.

That's just the start of the impressive laundry list of features, though. It comes with a triple-camera setup including a 108-megapixel wide angle, 2x tele-macro and 120 degree ultra-wide angle lens. Around the front, there's a 16-megapixel, f/2.45 in-display (pinhole) selfie camera. For video, it can record 8K using Samsung's HDR10+ system with AI cinema modes that allow for one-click recording. 

Xiaomi

The 6.67-inch, FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) AMOLED flat display is a technological tour de force, with features like a 120Hz refresh rate, TrueColor, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1,000 nits of peak brightness and Corning's tough Gorilla Glass Victus. Sound-wise, you get Dolby Atmos audio with dual Harman Kardon speakers. Watching movies at those settings might eat the battery pretty quickly, but again, you can fully recharge the thing in just 17 minutes. 

Inside, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and max 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, along with 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6 and dual SIM slots. It will launch soon in gray, white and blue, with prices in Europe starting at €649 and going up to €749 for the 12GB/256GB model — but don't expect to see it in the US.

Xiaomi

Next up, the 11T model shares many of the 11T Pro's features, including the camera setup and 6.67-inch 120 Hz flat AMOLED display with HDR10+. However, it lacks Dolby Vision and a few other display features. The biggest difference is the processor: It uses a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-Ultra 6-nanometer chip rather than the 5-nanometer Snapdragon 888. It also "only" offers Xiaomi's 67W wired turbo charging, rather than the 120W HyperCharge system and is limited to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage. The 11T will also come in gray, white and blue and start at €599 when it arrives in Europe from "official Xiaomi channels." 

The last device is the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, a smaller but still well-spec'd phone. It achieves a relatively tiny size with a thickness of 6.81mm and weight of 158 grams, or 5.57 ounces. At the same time, it still comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with 10-bit TrueColor and Dolby Vision support. You get a triple-camera 64-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera and a 5-megapixel tele-macro camera. Inside, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G mobile platform and 4,250mAh battery with 33W fast charging. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and starts at €369. 

Amazon has a good bundle deal going on right now for Samsung fans. You can get a free SmartTag when you buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 from the online retailer, with the final cost being $150. That's $30 off the normal price of the bundle, so those looking to add a few new accessories to their setup can do so for a bit less.

Samsung only just came out with the Galaxy Buds 2 in August, and they act as the company's affordable option in its wireless earbud lineup. We gave them a score of 84 because they pack a lot of value for $150. They have good sound quality with active noise-cancellation and an adjustable ambient sound mode. Unsurprisingly, the ANC isn't as powerful here as it is on pricier earbuds, but that's to be expected. However, the Buds 2 will do a decent job blocking out environmental noise around you. They also support wireless charging with their included case, and you should get five hours of use with ANC turned on before they need more juice.

As for the SmartTag, it's Samsung's answer to Tile trackers and Apple's AirTags. You probably won't use it to keep track of the Galaxy Buds 2, as it's better suited as a keychain attachment or something you slip into your wallet or backpack. You can then monitor the location of your things from your smartphone and force the SmartTag to chime whenever you need to find a misplaced item.

It goes without saying that this bundle is best for Android users, particularly those with Samsung smartphones. SmartTags aren't compatible with iOS devices, and while you could use the Galaxy Buds 2 with an iPhone, you won't get all of the customizable features in the companion app that you get when using them with an Android device.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

You can finally use wireless headphones and earbuds with the Nintendo Switch. The gaming giant has quietly announced on Twitter that it has rolled out a software update, which gives the Switch the ability to pair with Bluetooth devices for audio output. After updating, you'll now see a Bluetooth Audio section under Settings, as well as a new status indicator that shows whether a pair of headphones is connected. 

The new feature only works with devices for audio output only, though, and doesn't support microphone input via Bluetooth. You can only pair your Switch with two controllers at once while using Bluetooth audio, so you'll have to disconnect your device if you want to get into wild eight-player battles with friends. And while up to 10 Bluetooth devices can be saved on the system, only one can connect to the console at any one time. In addition, you can't use wireless headphones or earphones when you play local wireless multiplayer games — Switch would automatically cut your connection.

Wireless audio has been conspicuously missing from the Switch since it first launched. Over the years, several third-party manufacturers released accessories that added support for wireless audio devices, while a previous update also added support for USB headphones. This update, however, will finally make it a lot easier to go wireless, considering it will allow you to connect the Bluetooth earphone you use with all your other gadgets.

If you miss Driver games, you'll soon get to revisit the classic open-world franchise — but not in a playable form. GamesIndustry.bizreports Ubisoft is producing a live-action Driver TV show that will premiere solely on Binge, a free gaming-oriented streaming service due to launch in 2022. The duo didn't detail the plot or cast, but it won't be surprising if the series revolves around racer-turned-undercover-agent John Tanner.

It's unclear when the show will arrive. It's not guaranteed to launch alongside Binge itself.

For many, the larger question may be whether or not there's a large audience for the show. Like with the rumored Splinter Cell series, Ubisoft hasn't touched the originating game brand in a while. The last Driver game was a 2014 free-to-play mobile title, Driver:Speedboat Paradise, and the last truly big release was 2011's Driver: San Francisco. This also isn't quite a timeless classic. Apart from the very first Driver and San Francisco, most games in the series have received middling reviews and the sales to match.

The series does have a premise virtually tailor-made for TV, though, with its Bullitt-inspired premise and real-world setting. And look at it this way: we wouldn't be surprised if the show presaged the development of a new Driver game, even if it was just a show tie-in.

The Xbox app on PC just got much more useful. You can now use it to stream games from your Xbox Series X/S. In addition, the app can now stream all of the console titles available through the cloud on Xbox Game Pass.

This is the first time Microsoft has enabled remote play on PC for Xbox Series X/S — folks have been able to stream Xbox One games to PC since 2015. The company says it has improved the feature's stability and added features such as being able to stream games from consoles in 1080p at up to 60 frames per second and play some original Xbox and Xbox 360 games. 

Microsoft noted that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers in 22 countries can now play console titles through the cloud on Windows 10 (and soon, Windows 11) PCs. As long as you have a membership, compatible controller and a sturdy enough internet connection, all you need to do is hit the Cloud Gaming button in the Xbox app and you'll be able to stream console and PC games and play either by yourself or with friends. 

There are currently 294 console games available through the cloud on Game Pass Ultimate, compared with 115 PC games. Those include some EA games via the bundled EA Play membership.

The update marks another step forward in Microsoft's goal of bringing cloud gaming to as many devices as possible. Last month, the company said it would enable cloud gaming on Xbox consoles this holiday season. Game Pass subscribers have been able to stream games from the cloud via web browsers since June. 

Meanwhile, if you want to play a game on your Series X/S but your TV's in use, you'll able to hop into a session on your desktop or laptop instead. Remote play is also available on iOS and Android phones and tablets.

2001 was quite a memorable time in gaming. Standout titles include Grand Theft Auto III, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy X. It was also the year Xbox made its debut, while the Sega Dreamcast bowed out. But while all that was going on Nintendo was still going strong, releasing the Game Boy Advance in March of that year and a new home system in September. The GameCube was quite a console, an adorable box with a great wireless controller and fun add-ons like the Game Boy Player. 

Unfortunately, the system was plagued by a thin library, especially compared to the PlayStation’s combined roster of PS1 and PS2 games. But what titles they were — it gave us Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Monkey Ball and the original Animal Crossing. On the GameCube's 20th anniversary in Japan the Engadget staff looks back at their favorite titles from that era which, once again, doesn't include some of the obvious candidates. — Kris Naudus, Buyer's Guide Editor

Donkey Konga

I’ll be honest; I was late to the GameCube and the only reason I bought one was for Donkey Konga. I first played this rhythm title at a Toys ‘R’ Us and fell in love with those stupid bongos. A year before Guitar Hero this was the party game du jour, and I took my cube and controllers everywhere. I quickly unlocked every song, and became an absolute master at “Oye Como Va.” It was followed by a sequel and the bongos were even the default control scheme for Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, but nothing matched the sheer joy of playing that first installment and the sore palms that ensued. — KN

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Call it the anti-Resident Evil. Eternal Darkness puts you in the shoes of Alexandra Roivas, a young woman trying to solve the mystery of her grandfather's horrific death. Its century-spanning story covered a dozen characters, all connected to an ancient Lovecraftian god. While there's combat, it was more about psychological trauma than the survival horror of Resident Evil. Most notably, it had a sanity meter that would change the gameplay and environment and even throw simulated system errors to freak out players. Take that, Metal Gear Solid.

Like many GameCube titles, Eternal Darkness was clearly an attempt to attract an older audience. It was the first M-rated game published by Nintendo, and the company kept the trademark alive for a decade. But it was never re-released outside of the GameCube, and hope for a direct sequel was squashed when developer Silicon Knights filed for bankruptcy in 2014. There was an attempt at a spiritual successor, Shadow of the Eternals, that fell apart after failing to raise enough money via crowdfunding. It's almost fitting that a game about millennia-old evil may end up being lost to the sands of time. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Editor

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

After the runaway success of Awakening and Three Houses, it’s hard to see what made Path of Radiance, Fire Emblem’s only GameCube release, so special back in 2005. Nearly two decades later its presentation looks stiff and dated, and the game is missing the relationship mechanics beloved by newcomers. But in Path of Radiance you’ll still find many of the elements that came to define later Fire Emblem games.

They exist in a sort of prototypical form since this was the first game in the series to make the jump to 3D. We take a lot of it for granted now, but back then series developer Intelligent Systems had to figure out the mechanics for the first time. And it did, making for a game that’s still fun to play to this day. It has one of the best stories in the series, with an English script that captures a lot of the nuances of the Japanese original.

It’s that story that made me fall in love with Path of Radiance when I first played it more than 15 years ago. Even when the game was at its most punishing, I wanted to see what would happen to Ike and his band of mercenaries. Path of Radiance was my first Fire Emblem game, but it’s the one I keep coming back to because of just how much I enjoyed my first playthrough as a teen. — Igor Bonifacic, Contributing Editor

F-Zero GX

The original F-Zero for the Super NES is one of those games I wore out as a teenager. While the futuristic space racer only had 15 courses, they were beautiful and challenging, and even when I did well, I always felt like I could do a little better. A decade later, F-Zero GX hit the GameCube and showed just how far racing had come.

The basic concept is the same: high-speed futuristic hovercraft battling it out in wild, creative courses where one mistake can lead to disaster. The GameCube’s horsepower meant the courses were longer, more complicated and visually stunning. The sense of speed was probably the biggest change, though: even now, 20 years later, this game feels incredibly fast. That speed makes it positively unforgiving, and I never progressed that far through the game’s many challenges. Driver AI was also significantly improved. In the first game, you mostly only had to worry about the three main rivals. But in GX, it’s easy to end up in 15th or 20th place in the blink of an eye if you’re not careful.

Despite that, I still remember the game fondly, in large part because it’s the last real entry in the F-Zero franchise. I didn’t play the Nintendo 64 entry in the series, so the jump from the SNES to the GameCube was pretty mind-blowing at the time. It’s a shame that Nintendo has let the series languish since then, because I’d love an updated version of GX for the Switch. — Nate Ingraham, Deputy Managing Editor

Mario Kart: Double Dash

I have fond memories of Mario Kart: Double Dash for a not-unique reason. In the early 2000s, my friends and I had frequent co-op video game nights, and Double Dash was a mainstay in our lineup. Mario Kart games have always been amazing in local multiplayer, and Double Dash was no exception. After Mario Kart 64, it was disappointing that all four players couldn’t compete directly against each other, but we quickly got used to the game’s unusual mechanic that let one player drive and another throw weapons. Having two teams of two players was an interesting wrinkle to the gameplay, and it makes Double Dash one of the more unusual games in the series.

As with most GameCube games, it looks wonderful. Mario Kart 64, like a lot of N64 games, hasn’t aged as well visually, but Double Dash is still gorgeous, and Nintendo took a major step forward in terms of creativity and variety in the game’s levels. There are more hidden routes and ways to approach each level than ever before, and the scope of boards like Wario Colosseum and the game’s take on the ubiquitous Rainbow Road were unmatched at the time. It’s no coincidence that almost every course in this game has appeared in subsequent versions of Mario Kart — so even if you never played Double Dash, you’ve likely come across some of its iconic tracks. — NI

Metroid Prime

In the 80s and 90s, the Metroid franchise was defined by three classic titles: the original Metroid for the NES, Metroid II: Return of Samus on the Game Boy, and Super Metroid on the Super NES. They cemented Metroid gameplay as a side-scrolling action / exploration game, with a non-linear set of levels. Players would come across areas that you couldn’t fully explore before beating bosses and finding items in other parts of the game.

Metroid Prime, however, completely turned the series around, putting it in 3D for the first time. While the style resembled a first-person shooter, the gameplay still put exploration at the forefront, rather than fast-paced gun fights. That said, the game is plenty challenging, even punishing at times in its difficulty: its massive bosses and twisting tunnels full of enemies were unforgiving.

But for me, the most memorable part of Metroid Prime is the incredible atmosphere of Tallon IV, and the wonder of finding new sections of the deserted planet to explore. Prime also did a great job at expanding the story and lore of the Metroid series, with loads of scannable items that explain what happened to the ruined world. The sequels to Metroid Prime are great, but this first game is arguably the best in the series and a huge part of why we’re all so excited about someday getting our hands on Metroid Prime 4. — NI

Odama

It’s such a strange concept that it sounds like some developer’s fever dream — a combination pinball strategy game with voice control. But Odama was quite real, and it was glorious. Like any tactical wargame, you controlled an army of men (though via voice commands) who needed to overtake the enemy gate at the top side of the display. Complicating things was a giant ball that destroyed all in its path, but fortunately, you could exert some control over it with a pair of flippers at the bottom of the screen. There was a lot going on and it was utterly bonkers, but if you managed to beat Odama you were rewarded with the best ending theme to a video game ever. — KN

Pokémon Colosseum

Though the Pokémon series is, at its heart, a role-playing game series from Japan, it’s not very typical of the JRPG genre we’ve become accustomed to through franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. But way back in 2003 second-party developer Genus Sonority tried its hand as a more “traditional” story-based RPG, placing the player in the shoes of a reformed criminal trying to rescue Pokémon from his former organization. Pokémon Colosseum took place in the cyberpunk-flavored Orre region, as opposed to the more pastoral settings of the handheld RPGs. The “snagging” mechanic for collecting Pokémon was interesting, and the storyline had more of an edge to it. It was followed by a sequel in 2005, Pokémon XD, but I’d love to see this spinoff series continued on the Switch. — KN

Resident Evil 4

It's easy to forget that Resident Evil 4 was initially a GameCube exclusive. It's been re-released on practically every platform, including the Oculus Quest 2 later this year. But it all started on Nintendo's purple box, a platform not known for having many action titles. The game's staying power makes sense though. It's the first Resident Evil game rendered completely in 3D, and it featured a slick over-the-shoulder camera that made shooting infected baddies feel genuinely kinetic.

Resident Evil 4's gameplay would go on to influence not just the entire series, but most action games moving forward. It was also a great example of the GameCube's unheralded horsepower, which could deliver smoother and crisper graphics than the PlayStation 2. Even today, the original GameCube RE4 still looks fantastic, with high-quality character models and environments teeming with detail. In comparison, the PS2 version look like a muddy mess. — DH

Skies of Arcadia Legends

It may not be fair to call Skies of Arcadia Legends a GameCube game, since it's just a port of a classic Dreamcast title. But I'm giving it a shout because it's still one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and perhaps reminiscing about it will finally spur on a digital re-release. The GameCube port fixes some of the frame rate and stability issues from the Dreamcast, and adds new characters to boot, making it the definitive version of the game.

Set in a world of floating continents, Skies of Arcadia Legends focuses on sky pirates who embark on a world-saving journey, naturally. You can explore a 3D world map with your airship, which gets into large-scale turn-based battles with other vessels and giant enemies. Much like Chrono Trigger, you can tell that Skies of Arcadia comes from a dream team of developers. In this case, the staff previously worked on Phantasy Star, Panzer Dragoon and Sakura Wars.

While Sega originally planned to bring Skies of Arcadia to the PlayStation 2, it ended up focusing on the GameCube port instead. Perhaps Nintendo has a stake in that port and we just don't know. Still, it'd be nice to play such a well-crafted game once again. I can't be the only person who still regularly listens to its epic soundtrack. — DH

After beta testing the second major PlayStation 5 firmware update over the past few weeks, Sony is ready to roll it out to everyone, along with new versions of the PS4 system software and the PlayStation mobile apps. The PS5 patch is the big one since, 10 months after Sony released the console, the company is finally unlocking the internal storage expansion slot for everyone.

Although you can store games on an external hard drive, you can't run PS5 titles from USB storage. Those drives are just too slow for PS5 games. Plug in a compatible M.2 solid state drive, though, and you can use it just like the system's internal storage for PS5 games, PS4 titles and media apps. You can move games and apps between the internal storage and M.2 SSD as you wish.

However, it's important to note that not any M.2 drive will do. You'll either need one with a built-in cooling structure or to add your own heatsink. Sony has several other requirements. We've put together a guide detailing the best SSDs you can buy for your PS5.

The update adds some other handy features, including 3D audio support for TV speakers, which you can activate through the sound menu. You'll be able to use the DualSense controller's microphone to measure the acoustics and help decide the best setting for your space. There will be equalizer settings for the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset too.

Some key user interface changes are on the way as part of tomorrow's update too. It should be easier to tell whether a game you have installed is the PS4 or PS5 version. Each will be listed separately in the Installed tab on the Home screen and in the Game Library. 

You'll have additional customization options for the Control Center, including more choice over which controls to include in the bar at the bottom of your screen. You'll also be able to see and send messages to friends and parties from the Control Center's Game Base section.

On the accessibility front, there are new screen reader shortcuts. Press the PlayStation and triangle buttons to turn the feature on or off, and press the PS and R1 buttons to have the tool repeat the last thing it said. PlayStation Now members can select a resolution of 720p or 1080p depending on the game, and there's a tool to test your connection and hopefully help you resolve any issues.

The console will also be able to automatically record clips of your "personal best" moments, such as hitting a better time or score when you compete in challenges. You can access those clips from the Media Gallery or the challenge card in the Control Center. In addition, there's a new trophy tracker that lets you view progress on up to five trophies per game in the Control Center.

Sony

That's not all, though, as Sony will release a PS4 update tomorrow. You'll be able to see your PS5 trophies (as well as others' PS5 accolades) on PS4. On both consoles, you'll be able to disband a Party without removing people individually if you're the Party owner.

On top of that, there are updates coming to the PlayStation mobile apps. Starting tomorrow, you'll at last be able to stream PS4 and PS5 games to your iOS or Android device over mobile networks, a feature that definitely would have come in handy for visits to the park during the summer. You can adjust video quality options to help manage your data.

Meanwhile, as of September 23rd, you'll be able to watch your friends' PS5 Share Screen broadcasts through the PS App. It may take up to a week for the feature to become available through the Android version of the app, as Sony is rolling it out gradually on that platform.

Samsung may not have added to the Galaxy Note lineup this year, but you can still get last year's excellent Note 20 series if you prefer big, slab-like phones to foldables. Amazon's running a sale right now on the entire series, knocking the Galaxy Note 20 5G down to $750 and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G to $900. That's an all-time-low price on the Note 20 and only $25 more than the record-low on the Note 20 Ultra. The online retailer also has a daily deal today on Samsung SmartTags, so you could pick up one of the company's tiny Bluetooth trackers for only $20 to go with your new smartphone.

These are some of the biggest and boldest smartphones Samsung has made in recent years, with the Note 20 including a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED touchscreen and the Note 20 Ultra sporting a 6.9-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED screen. Both run on the same octa-core processor and support 5G connectivity, but the Note 20 Ultra has 12GB of RAM while the standard Note 20 has 8GB. Both also come with the Note series' signature S Pen for drawing, doodling and note-taking and that's one of the biggest selling point for these devices. The S Pen, while it hasn't changed much over the past few years, continues to be a solid stylus for Note handsets, with little lag time when writing on the smartphone's screen and gesture controls with features like Anywhere Actions.

While the Note series isn't for everyone, the Note 20 Ultra earned a score of 86 from us and we considered it to be Samsung's best big phone when it came out last year. It has excellent performance, a fantastic screen, a battery that lasted at least 12 hours on a single charge and a more thoughtful S Pen experience than previous generations. It's over the top in many ways, but a device like that is easier to justify when you can get it for much less than usual.

As for Samsung's SmartTags, they're the company's version of Tiles trackers and Apple's AirTags. You can attach one to things like your keys or slip one into your wallet to keep track of things via your smartphone. The companion app will show the tracker's last location and you can also use to to force the SmartTag to ring so you can follow the sound to your lost item. SmartTags are water-resistant and, unlike AirTags, they have a keyring hole so you can easily attach them to your things without buying additional accessories.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Sonos has sold home theater products for a long time, but the company has made the living room even more of a priority in recent years. It started with the Sonos Beam, a smaller and more affordable version of the flagship Playbar soundbar. And 2020’s new flagship, the Sonos Arc, was the company’s first soundbar capable of Dolby Atmos playback.

Today, the Beam is getting a major upgrade. The new, second-generation Beam goes on sale today for $449 and will be available on October 5th. That’s $50 more than before, in line with the other price increases Sonos announced last week. The good news is that the new Beam is more capable than its predecessor in a number of ways. We’ll have to review it before we can really say if it’s worth the extra $50, but there are a number of notable new features here.

The new Beam looks nearly identical to its predecessor, aside from a new perforated polycarbonate grille instead of the cloth front found on the original. It also has the same speaker components inside: a center tweeter, four woofers, and three passive bass radiators. What’s different is that the new processor inside the Beam is 40 percent faster, which opens up a lot of new audio formats.

Sonos

Most notably, the gen-two Beam supports Dolby Atmos, for movies, TV and music (the latter in a limited fashion, for now). Scott Fink, a product manager at Sonos who worked on the new Beam, says that the horsepower from the new CPU let the company increase the speaker arrays — not the specific speaker components, but, as Fink explains, “the set of software that coordinates the playback and interaction of all the speakers together in the soundbar.” The new Beam has five arrays, up from the three in the older model, and Fink said that the extras are dedicated to surround sound and height info.

All told, the Beam supports the same home theater audio formats as the Arc (including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Multichannel PCM and more), which costs twice as much as the Beam. In addition to the increased processing power, the new Beam has HDMI eARC to facilitate these new formats. Sonos says the speaker should have improved dialog clarity thanks to the additional audio processing power, something that should make the currently-available speech enhancement feature work better than before.

The hardware also supports additional music formats, as well. The Beam (as well as the Arc) will soon support the Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos formats from Amazon Music. Some Sonos speakers have worked with a handful of HD music services for a while now, but this is the first time that a 3D music format will work with the company’s products. I asked if there were any plans to support Dolby Atmos on Apple Music, and unsurprisingly the company wasn’t willing to say yet. But, there shouldn’t be any technical reason, it’s just a matter of Sonos and Apple working together to get more Apple Music formats supported.

Sonos

As with other Sonos products, the new Beam connects to the company’s other speakers for multi-room playback; you can also use other Sonos speakers as surrounds. You can tune the speaker to your room to improve the sound using Trueplay, assuming you have an iOS device. The Beam also has far-field microphones so it can receive voice commands through either Alexa or the Google Assistant, but that’s not required (there’s a mic mute button right on top of the Beam, too). Like some other recent Sonos speakers, the new Beam has NFC to make setup even easier — playing your phone running the Sonos app near it will automatically connect it to your WiFi network.

Based on what Sonos has said so far, the new Beam is probably not a crucial upgrade for most, unless you’ve been itching to get Dolby Atmos into your setup without spending a ton of money. But given that the Beam is already the best-selling compact soundbar (according to NPD data), these upgrades should help it keep its lead over the competition — even with that $50 price hike.