According to a document leaked on X, Google is planning to introduce some major changes to its Bard AI tool as soon as this coming week. The plans, which have not been publicly confirmed, reportedly include changing the Bard name to Gemini. It would make sense for Google to do so, if only for simplicity’s sake — the company introduced its new multimodal AI model, Gemini, at the end of 2023 and has begun integrating it into some of its products, including Bard.

The changelog shared by Android app developer Dylan Roussel is dated February 7, and also notes that the paid Gemini Advanced tier will become available at this time. It mentions a Gemini app for Android is “coming soon,” as well.

Per the document, Gemini Advanced will give users access to the Ultra 1.0 model of Gemini, which is “far more capable at highly complex tasks like coding, logical reasoning, following nuanced instructions, and creative collaboration.” It’ll be available in over 150 countries and optimized for the English language at the start. The changelog also says Gemini will expand to Canada with this release.

Apple released a new support document for the Vision Pro on Friday night, and it clarifies which accessories will — and won’t — work with the headset. While Apple says it is compatible with “most” Bluetooth keyboards, including its own and other manufacturers’, the Vision Pro doesn’t support Bluetooth mice. Vision Pro owners will be to use Apple’s Magic Trackpad, though.

Apple Vision Pro officially hit shelves yesterday, and there are hundreds of apps for productivity and entertainment available at launch. With eye and hand tracking for precision navigation and controls, there isn’t necessarily a need for a mouse, but some people probably would have liked to use one for certain tasks. However, it is compatible with plenty of other accessories that are critical for certain experiences, like gaming controllers. According to Apple, “All controllers with MFi (Made for iPhone) designation work with Apple Vision Pro. This includes controllers by Xbox, PlayStation, and any controller that works with iPadOS.”

And, while it supports Bluetooth keyboards, you may need to upgrade if you use an older Apple keyboard. According to Apple, its older models that use removable batteries will not work with the Vision Pro.

Apple’s Vision Pro is here — along with a solid collection of third-party launch apps. Although there are some big-name omissions (Netflix, YouTube and Spotify), the headset already supports over a million compatible App Store apps, Apple’s first-party offerings and over 600 apps developed specifically for the “spatial computing” device. Here are the notable third-party Vision Pro apps you can install on day one.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft

Microsoft didn’t skimp on its entry into the Vision Pro era. Seven of the company’s Office apps are available to install on launch day. These include Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Loop.

The Windows maker added several tools unique to the mixed-reality headset. For example, Word has a focus mode to block out distractions, PowerPoint includes an immersive environment for practicing presentations in front of a virtual audience and Excel lets you quickly move documents to other apps using Vision Pro’s pinch-to-drag gesture.

Microsoft Teams uses Vision Pro’s “Persona” feature, which gives you a digital avatar. Persona matches your digital representation’s facial expressions to yours; this may give off uncanny valley vibes to your colleagues, but it could also make your virtual self appear more lifelike. In addition, Microsoft’s VisionOS apps include Copilot, the company’s generative AI assistant that can draft text, create summaries and generate PowerPoint presentations.

Disney+

Disney

Given Disney’s longstanding collaboration with Apple (Steve Jobs sat on the company’s board, and Bob Iger sat on Apple’s until 2019), perhaps it isn’t surprising Disney went all-out with its Vision Pro app.

The app lets you stream Disney+ content in one of four 3D virtual environments: the Disney+ Theater (inspired by Hollywood’s historic El Capitan), the Scare Floor from Monsters Inc., Tony Stark’s Avengers Tower and Luke Skywalker’s land speeder on Tatooine. Although we’ve seen virtual environments in countless Meta Quest (and other VR) streaming apps, Vision Pro’s higher resolution should make them feel more immersive.

Disney’s VisionOS app also includes a selection of supported 3D films. The library consists of “dozens of popular movies,” including Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Elemental and Encanto. (Disney promises the list will expand over time.) You can also buy or rent more 3D movies from the Apple TV apps’ Store tab.

Zoom

Zoom

Zoom is also an early Vision Pro supporter. Like Microsoft Teams, Zoom’s VisionOS app will use Apple’s Personas, displaying you in calls as a 3D virtual avatar that matches your facial expressions and hand movements. The company says you can scale the app’s spatial setup “to the perfect size,” ensuring you feel like you’re in the same room as your colleagues.

A future update to the Zoom app will add support for 3D object sharing, letting designers share and collaborate on 3D models in their virtual space. The app will also eventually include Zoom Team Chat and the ability to pin your fellow meeting participants in space around you. Zoom says the latter will help you “feel more connected to the people in the meeting.”

MLB and NBA

MLB

America’s second and third most popular sports leagues are represented on Vision Pro. The NBA app lets you stream up to five live broadcasts in multi-view while glancing at other game scores and stats off to the side. Meanwhile, the MLB app offers fully immersive environments, including a ballpark with a view from home plate and stats for each pitch. A future update (scheduled for around Opening Day) will add access to “additional MLB.TV content” for subscribers.

The world’s premier baseball league shared its enthusiasm for the app. “If there is an opportunity for a baseball fan to enjoy our sport on any given platform, then we need to have a presence where we can deliver unique storytelling experiences,” wrote MLB Deputy Commissioner Noah Garden.

Max

Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max is available on Vision Pro, offering access to the streaming service’s movies, series, news and sports. The company says select titles will be available in 4K and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.

Like other VisionOS apps, Max will offer at least one virtual environment in which you can stream content: the Iron Throne room from Game Of Thrones and House of the Dragon. “The intricate Targaryen-era adornments will make fans feel like they’re watching the programming available on Max in Westeros during the height of their reign,” wrote HBO / Max Content Chair Casey Bloys.

Lowe’s Style Studio

Lowe's

Lowe’s will use the Vision Pro to make it easier to imagine ways to spend money in its stores. The Lowe’s Style Studio app lets headset owners “step into an immersive, interactive 3D kitchen scene,” allowing you to “experiment in ways that weren’t possible until now.” The idea is to inspire you by stepping into a virtual space “curated by Lowe’s professional designers” with hundreds of customizable real-world materials.

Game Room

Resolution Games

Stockholm-based studio Resolution Games launched the Game Room app, which lets you play tabletop classics in mixed reality or fully virtual environments. Games include chess, solitaire, hearts, yacht and (the Battleship-like) Sea Battle.

It supports one to four players in online play against foes using different Apple devices (not just fellow Vision Pro owners). It also supports single-player against AI opponents.

Other confirmed apps and games

Here are more highlights from Vision Pro’s collection of over 600 launch apps:

• AmazeVR Concerts - Front-row virtual concerts

• Animoog Galaxy - Create music in 3D space

• Apple Arcade games (more than 250 games, including NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, Sonic Dream Team, and TMNT Splintered Fate)

• Blackbox - Spatial puzzles

• Box - Cloud file management and collaboration, including with 3D objects

• CellWalk - Tour a bacteria cell

• Complete HeartX - Anatomy, diagnoses and treatments

• Decathlon - Shop in 3D

• djay - Turntables and mixing

• Exploring Mars - Explore Mars with NASA rovers

• Fantastical - Calendar and tasks

• Healium - Relax in nature scenes

• IMAX - View 2D and 3D content

• Insight Heart - Learn about the human heart

• J.Crew Virtual Closet - Immersive shopping

• JigSpace - Interactive presentations in 3D

• Lego Builder’s Journey - Build with 3D LEGO bricks

• Loóna - Relaxing 3D dioramas

• Lungy: Spaces - Breathing exercises and meditation

• MindNode - Mind maps in spatial reality

• Mytheresa: Luxury Experience - Shopping with live consultations

• Navi - Real-time translation with live captions

• NowPlaying - A peek behind the music

• Numerics - Live business widgets

• Odio - Personal sound spaces

• OmniFocus and OmniPlan - Project management visualizations

• PGA Tour Vision - Immersive golf experience

• Red Bull TV - 3D maps of races / immersive videos

• Sky Guide and Night Sky - Your personal planetarium

• Skatrix Pro - Physics-driven skateboarding

• solAR - Explore the solar system

• Spool - Make music videos

• STAGE+ - Classical music performances

• Super Fruit Ninja - Slice and dice

• Synth Riders - Immersive gameplay

• tappr.tv - Discover new music and choreography

• Void-X - Retro arcade shooter

• Wayfair Decorify - Redesign your space

• Webex - Immersive meetings

• Zillow Immerse - Virtual home tours, interactive floor plans

For more on the Apple Vision Pro, you can read Engadget’s early impressions from Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar and a second hands-on with Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low and Editor-in-Chief Dana Wollman.

Let's be honest: you deserve better than simply sticking with your TV's built-in speakers. Sure, modern TVs can pump out decent audio (and you can find good deals on some at the minute), but most folks would be far better served with a proper home theater setup. And, with the Super Bowl right around the corner, Sonos has picked a good time to run a sale on many of its devices. One discount in particular that stands out is a price cut for the Sonos Arc. The company's top-end soundbar has dropped by $180 to $719. That matches Black Friday pricing.

The Sonos Arc is one of our favorite premium soundbars. It has a sleek design and delivers great audio quality. There are some downsides, unfortunately. The Arc only has one HDMI input, so your TV is the only device you can connect to it directly. While the soundbar ties into the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, giving you the option to add some of the company's other speakers as surrounds, expanding the setup can get expensive pretty quickly.

That said, Sonos subwoofers are on sale too, including the Sub Gen 3. That has dropped from $799 to $639. The Sub Gen 3 will pair seamlessly with the Arc or several other Sonos products to help you build out a complete home theater system with more low end. Meanwhile, it's worth taking a look through the rest of the sale as Sonos has slashed prices on other speakers as well as some bundles.

CTA

For the discerning gamer who didn't rush out to grab NVIDIA's RTX 40-series GPUs over the last few years, the company's new Super cards are genuinely compelling. They all deliver far more power than before — so much so that the $599 RTX 4070 Super is actually a decent 4K gaming card. But the $999 RTX 4080 Super is also a solid deal for power-hungry gamers, since it's $200 less than the original 4080. Between those two cards, NVIDIA now has desirable upgrade options for mid-range and high-end gamers.

But what of the new RTX 4070 Ti? It's stuck right between its two siblings, with no clear audience. After all, if you're ready to spend $799 on a video card, stretching a bit more for the 4080 Super might make more sense for the additional power. Otherwise, you might as well just get the 4070 Super, overclock it a bit, and spend the extra $200 on another SSD or more RAM. It's a conundrum entirely of NVIDIA's making, one that might have been solved by giving the 4070 Ti Super a slight $50 discount. (And it's even more confusing when some cards, like the ASUS model we reviewed, are priced above MSRP.)

Just like the 4070 Super, the 4070 Ti Super and 4080 Super feature more CUDA cores than the original models, as well as slightly higher clock speeds. The 4070 Ti Super packs in 8,448 CUDA cores compared to 7,680 on the 4070 Ti, while the 4080 Super has 10,240 CUDA cores instead of 9,728. The 4070 Ti Super also has 4GB more VRAM, bringing it up to 16GB of GDD6X memory, while the 4080 Super sticks with 16GB. (NVIDIA likely doesn't want to edge much closer to the beastly RTX 4090, which is now selling for hundreds more than its original $1,599 launch price.)

Given the RAM bump, I expected the RTX 4070 Ti Super to be far faster than the 4070 Ti, but it ended up scoring only 742 points higher in the 3DMark TimeSpy Extreme benchmark. It fares better on games, scoring 15fps higher in both Halo Infinite (104fps) and Cyberpunk 2077 (93fps) while playing in 4K with maxed out graphics and ray tracing settings. The 4080 Super's results were similarly muted: It hit 289 more points than the 4080 in TimeSpy Extreme, and it was 10fps higher in Cyberpunk (103fps) while playing in 4K with ray tracing.

Content creators will also appreciate the additional horsepower. The 4070 Ti Super scored 87,707 points in the Luxmark HDR benchmark and 7,424 points in Blender's test, compared to 75,997 and 7,247 on the 4070 Ti super. The 4080 Super hit 99,515 points in Luxmark HDR compared to 94,832 points from before.

These are the results you'd expect by simply throwing more CUDA cores into these cards, so I'm not exactly disappointed. But after benchmarking both GPUs and comparing their results to the 4070 Super, I'm more underwhelmed by the 4070 Ti Super. I can understand NVIDIA not wanting to make it much faster, but it seriously needs to be cheaper than the original 4070 Ti. Otherwise, like I said, the 4070 Super is far more compelling, and I wouldn't be surprised if cheaper 4070 Ti cards pop up.

We reviewed the ASUS TUF Gaming 4070 Ti Super (which is currently selling for $850), as well as NVIDIA's Founders Edition 4080 Super. The ASUS GPU sports three fans and a typical heatsink design, whereas NVIDIA's card once again uses its unique (and very effective) vapor chamber cooling setup. Both cards hovered around 75 Celsius under load, but the ASUS GPU was noticeably louder thanks to those three large fans. I could still hear the 4080 Super spin up under pressure, but it wasn't nearly as loud.

If you can’t tell by now, the biggest selling point of the 4080 Super is that it's $200 less than the original. Not only is it a better deal on its own, but its lower price should (hopefully) help to reduce the cost of older 4080 cards eventually too. And if you’re not ready to shell out $999 for a video card, then the $599 4070 Super is no slouch either.

The Super Bowl is set, and we're already seeing a handful of deals on well-reviewed TVs in advance of the big game. Sonos has rolled out a sale on some of its home theater equipment as well. If you're not looking for a living room upgrade, the top recommendation in our microSD card buying guide, the Samsung Pro Plus, is down to a low of $11 for a 128GB model. And for those in search of new headphones, Anker's Soundcore Space A40 is top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, and it's now $20 off at $59. A few Apple gadgets are also down to all-time lows, including the iPad Air, Apple Watch SE and 15-inch MacBook Air. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

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Apple’s 10th-gen iPad is on sale via Amazon as part of a bundle that includes two years of AppleCare+ warranty coverage. The discount brings the price of the 64GB model down to $409 from $518, which is a savings of more than $100. Apple sells the basic iPad for $449, so it’s like getting two years of warranty coverage for free, plus a little bit of walking around money.

If the 64GB model doesn’t do anything for you, the sale extends to just about every SKU available for Apple’s entry-level tablet. You have your pick of multiple 256GB models and a range of tablets with cellular connectivity. All of the discounts are in the $110 range, just like with the 64GB model.

As for the tablet itself, the iPad doesn’t exactly need an introduction. This is considered the most “basic” of Apple’s tablet lineup, but it’s still a fantastic choice for streaming content, checking on the dumpster fire that is social media, playing games and doing all kinds of other stuff. This is the 10th-gen version, so you get some features that were formerly reserved for its higher-priced cousins. There’s USB-C, a large display with thin bezels and a front-facing camera on the landscape edge.

This tablet is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, which is surprisingly speedy, considering it's not one of the newer M-class chips. The battery life is solid, lasting anywhere from ten to 12 hours per charge, depending on what you’re using it for. Otherwise, it’s an iPad. You know what to expect.

Of course, this isn’t a perfect tablet. It doesn't come with any accessories, like the Apple Pencil, and the display isn't the sharpest on the block. It’s also usually on the expensive side, given the internal specifications, but this discount assuages that a bit. The other major caveat is that new iPad models are expected later this year, but this one is still plenty capable. 

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For its first phones of 2024, Samsung focused so much on its “Galaxy AI” features that, physically, the Galaxy S24 series doesn’t appear to be much different than the S23. Once again, the company's phones aren’t different enough to justify upgrading from their predecessors, especially knowing that the S23 series, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and Tab S9 will be getting at least some of these AI features later this year. There’s also competition from the Google Pixel 8 series, which offer many of the same new features from a more established AI company.

Still, that doesn’t mean we should dismiss the Galaxy S24 series altogether. Samsung’s AI efforts may be an indicator of smartphone features to come. Even when compared to the Pixel 8s, Samsung’s Galaxy AI has its perks, particularly with real-time translation in voice calls and the option to change the tone of your writing. In places where Google's Pixel is not available, Samsung has an opportunity to capture an audience that's curious about generative AI on phones. The question is: has Samsung done a good job at integrating these AI tools into its smartphone line?

Design and display

Compared to last year's S23 series, this year's flagships are basically the same, save for some new colors — I received the S24 in “Marble Gray” and the S24+ in “Cobalt Violet.” With the S24 and S24+ side by side, you’ll notice the lowered LED flash on the back, along with the frame’s cleaner layout with a new matte finish, but the lack of changes isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, as someone who is accustomed to various Chinese smartphones, I find Samsung’s minimalist design to be refreshing, especially with the uniformly sized individual rear cameras.

Aside from screen size, display resolution and battery capacity, the S24 and S24+ share identical specs. The S24 packs a 6.2-inch Full HD+ screen, weighs 167g and comes in at 7.6mm thick. The larger S24+ sports a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ panel, and it’s 29g heavier with an extra 0.1mm in thickness.

It’s worth noting that both models use the same AMOLED 2X panel, with an adaptive refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz, as well as a 2,600-nit peak brightness. I’ve had no problem reading things on either screen while out and about, though I haven’t experienced strong sunlight over the past few unusually cold days here in Hong Kong.

Cameras

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

This is probably the most boring aspect on the S24 and S24+, because there is no change here from last year’s phones. On the rear is a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 10 MP 3x telephoto camera, while a 12 MP camera sits up front. Samsung does point out that these cameras benefit from the new generative AI editing tools, which allow you to reframe shots, shift (or delete) subjects and create slow-mo clips from existing videos.

If you’re looking for better low-light performance and improved zoom, you might prefer the S24 Ultra (which my colleague Sam Rutherford reviewed). Still, the S24 and S24+ should be sufficient for your daily snaps, and for me, the results were usually consistent across the three rear cameras. Indoor shots tended to be a little on the dark side and noisier than the results I got on my main phone, the OnePlus Open (which has newer and larger sensors). The difference became more apparent as the environment got darker, especially the faded reds (like on taxis and traffic lights) and the aggressive sharpening on shrubs.

On a more positive note, I’d like to echo my colleague Cherlynn Low’s praise of the S23+’s selfie camera in her review last year. The S24 and S24+ inherited the same setup. In fact, it captured so much detail on my face — pores, dried skin, facial hair, et cetera — that I started to miss the beautification options offered by Chinese phones. I was also impressed by the video recording capabilities, as a 4K clip I shot at 60 fps during a bus ride home came out silky smooth. The relatively low light didn’t seem to affect video stabilization that much.

Software: Making a strong case for practical generative AI

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

I spent most of my time with my S24+ testing its “Galaxy AI,” which is touted as a privacy-first AI suite powered by the neural processing unit inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. In other words, these phones can run some of their “advanced intelligence” tasks on device, and there’s an option to go completely offline for added privacy, but the results may not be as good or as up to date. On a related note, Samsung promises to never use your data “for machine learning or for targeting ads,” and that “your data is immediately deleted from our servers or our partner’s servers as soon as generation is complete.”

Samsung’s Galaxy AI can be broken down into six functions: “live translate” for voice calls, live interpreter (for in-person conversations), writing assist from the keyboard (for quick translations and changing the tone of your drafts), note assist (for auto summarization and formatting), transcript assist (with translations of your recordings) and generative edit in the gallery app. The translation features rely on Samsung’s own language packs, which currently include English (US and UK), Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish (Mexico, Spain and US), Thai and Vietnamese. The company promised that more will be added later.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

Before we go further, I’d like to point out that it wasn’t immediately clear where I could enable these AI features. They are disabled by default, and there’s no single switch to enable them all in one go. It took me a while before I dug up the “advanced intelligence” hub in system settings. Even for Google’s self-explanatory “Circle to Search,” I had to go through multiple settings pages to enable it.

The most prominent Galaxy AI feature is perhaps the real-time two-way translation for voice calls, which Samsung has been pitching since November. I had to first enable live translate in the dialer app’s settings, where I had to set the languages of myself and the receiver (it’s easier if you install the necessary language packs in the “advanced intelligence” hub beforehand). Then when you eventually make the phone call, you’ll also need to tap on the “call assist” button, and then tap the “live translate” button to start.

This took me a few runs before I realized I had to hit both buttons to get this thing going, at which point the live translate tool would broadcast a prompt declaring that the call is being translated and live-captioned. Speaking of, be warned that the phone app doesn’t save these transcripts afterwards (I found out the hard way), so be sure to take screenshots or jot down important info before you hang up.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

I enlisted my Ghanaian friend, Paul, who speaks French (and better Mandarin than me!). It took a few runs to let Paul get used to the delay (again, likely not a privilege to be had in the real world), and then we concluded that Samsung’s French language pack struggled to pick up some names and culinary terms, which was likely because it didn’t play well with Paul’s regional accent. Other than that, Paul and I were able to understand each other’s translated speech.

Paul and I also tried the split-screen interpreter tool during a face-to-face conversation. The tool was hard to find — it’s on the second page of the system’s pull-down menu; there is no app shortcut. Once we got the hang of the timing (especially with the pauses required to let the AI start processing), most translations were accurate, so long as Paul’s accent didn’t confuse the software.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

Samsung's system performed better in Korean, which should come as no surprise. I brought my S24+ to lunch at a Korean restaurant, and after paying the bill, I used the interpreter to compliment the establishment in two or three lines. The manager’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Korean translation, which came out fast and exact. He then introduced some of his restaurant’s top dishes to me via the interpreter, but as I went to dig up the dish names the next day, I found out that the system only stores conversations for 24 hours. I lost all my earlier call transcripts. A disclaimer about transcript history would have helped.Samsung's system performed better in Korean, which should come as no surprise. I brought my S24+ to lunch at a Korean restaurant, and after paying the bill, I used the interpreter to compliment the establishment in two or three lines. The manager’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Korean translation, which came out fast and exact. He then introduced some of his restaurant’s top dishes to me via the interpreter, but as I went to dig up the dish names the next day, I found out that the system only stores conversations for 24 hours. I lost all my earlier call transcripts. A disclaimer about transcript history would have helped.

The writing assist AI tools were more conveniently located – right above the Samsung keyboard. I could quickly translate short phrases while typing into a field – I just needed to give it a second or two before it automatically swapped my typing to its translation. However, I noticed that the Chinese for “Korean barbecue” (“韓式燒烤”) didn’t translate properly to Korean — it became “코리안 야끼” which is “Korean yaki” (which led me to okonomiyaki pancakes instead on Google), when it should be “코리안 바비큐” as Google correctly deduced. I’m sure Galaxy AI’s accuracy will improve over time, but be prepared to come across such silly mistakes every now and then.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

As a reporter, I look forward to trying the AI transcription feature in Samsung’s Voice Recorder app in future interview opportunities. There’s no setting required, and like Google’s Recorder, it can recognize multiple speakers. But unlike the Pixel version, you can only transcribe (using any downloaded language pack) once you’ve finished recording, rather than seeing it live. This is a little odd considering Samsung has a live interpreter tool; maybe it had to rush out this unpolished Galaxy AI bundle in time for the launch.

Samsung’s other text-based AI tools will also come in handy, especially as I occasionally switch between English and Chinese. I’ve been able to play around with both the “writing style” and “spelling and grammar” tools in Samsung’s keyboard. In Samsung’s Notes app, you can also tap into Galaxy AI for auto summarization and formatting, which can be useful after jotting down notes from press events and interviews.

Sure, you can already perform similar tasks using ChatGPT, but it’s nice to have these functions just a couple of clicks away on our phones. I wouldn’t trust all of the grammar suggestions, though, as some didn’t make sense. Not all of the writing styles listed will suit your needs, either, but they do provide some amusement — like how to write to your love interest in the style of a professional letter.

Performance and battery life

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

Like the S24 Ultra, the S24 and S24+ are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor — but only in the US, South Korea and China. If you’re buying one in the UK, then you’ll have to make do with the Samsung Exynos 2400, though benchmarks have indicated that its performance isn’t far off from Qualcomm’s counterpart and, on paper, it actually has a faster 5G modem. As for options, the S24 starts with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for its $800 base model, whereas the S24+ starts with 12GB of RAM and twice the storage at $1,000.

I’ve yet to run into any hiccups on either device, and the slick Android 14 animations made switching from one app to another feel effortless. On Geekbench 6, the S24 and S24+ saw notable improvements in CPU multi-core performance scores, reaching 7,049 and 6,641, respectively. Both models saw a bigger boost in GPU scores, up to 15,082 and 14,982, respectively.

The S23+ already impressed us with its 25-hour result on our video rundown battery test last year. This time, the S24+ lasted for 25 hours and 50 minutes, beating its predecessor by almost an hour. The smaller S24 didn’t disappoint, either, clocking in at about 24.5 hours, so battery life isn’t an issue if single-handed operation matters to you. The S24+’s battery life is even more generous in the real world: With the occasional Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and camera testing throughout the day, I still often ended up with 50 to 60 percent of power by the time I got home in the evening. If I forgot to charge the phone overnight, it could still last another day.

Wrap-up

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

I began my review of the S24 and S24+ with low expectations. After all, they weren't very different (visibly) than their predecessors. But as I spent more time with these devices, their minimalist design and slick UX grew on me. Then came the built-in generative AI features, which are more convenient and intuitive than most other third-party bots. There’s even greater potential with the live translation tools, especially with international travel basically back to pre-pandemic levels. The new software aids, combined with subtle design tweaks, help the S24 and S24+ make a more compelling case for upgrading from an S22 or earlier models. Or switching over from other brands, for that matter.

Even though OpenAI and Google are already well ahead in the generative AI game, Samsung still deserves some credit for simplifying these functions — at least while it keeps offering Galaxy AI for free until the end of 2025. For now, though, Samsung needs to find a way to polish the whole package, and make some of the AI features more easily accessible. More importantly, users should be offered an option to save the transcripts after each translated phone call or in-person chat. I’m sure Samsung would rather not have Galaxy AI be reduced to a channel for venting.

You can grab a pair of the well-reviewed Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds for $140 via Wellbots. Just enter the code “60ENGDGT” at checkout to get that sweet discount of $60, which is 30 percent off the MSRP. This isn’t the lowest price ever for these earbuds, but it’s close.

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro made our list of the best wireless earbuds, and for good reason. These are likely the best choice for Android and Pixel phone users. To that end, you’ll get access to Google Translate’s conversation mode, which translates conversations in near-real-time. These transcriptions are read in the language of your choice and piped right into the earbuds. We also noted that the audio drivers are much-improved over its predecessor, delivering deep and punchy bass.

In our official review of the earbuds, we called out the impressive active noise cancellation (ANC) performance, which was missing from the previous generation. We also liked the Bluetooth multipoint connection option and the reliable touch controls, which is something that earbud manufacturers often struggle to get right.

Not everything’s rosy in Pixel Buds Pro land, however, as the spatial audio feature still needs some work. Another major complaint was the price, an issue that this limited-time sale pretty much solves. As for other specs, the Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds last up to 11 hours per charge, with up to 31 hours when including the charging case. These earbuds offer IPX4 water-resistance and wireless charging.

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If you're in the market for a Fire TV device it's a good time to buy, as Amazon is having an early Valentine's Day event. The Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale for $35, for a savings of $15 (30 percent) off the regular price. You can also grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40, netting you 33 percent ($20 off). And finally, the Fire TV Cube is priced at $115, near its lowest price ever. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is Amazon’s most powerful streaming stick, thanks to a faster processor that delivers 40 percent more power than the one in the Fire TV Stick 4K. That translates to faster app start times and more fluid menu navigation, for a better overall experience. The Fire TV Sitck 4K Max also comes with WiFi 6 connectivity, as well as support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio, along with Alexa commands via the Alexa Voice Remote.

While not quite as zippy, the Fire TV Stick 4K is slightly cheaper at $35. It's a great option if you want a low-profile streaming device that can handle 4K content. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR, and comes with the Alexa Voice Remote, which lets you search for and launch content with voice commands. Frankly though, for the extra $2, I'd grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

The Fire TV Cube is Amazon's most powerful streaming device with a hexa-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It supports 4K, HDR content with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and it has picture-in-picture live view as well. You're also getting hands-free Alexa controls, too, letting you turn off your lights or check the weather, even with your TV off.

Finally, don't forget about Amazon's Fire TV soundbar that's back on sale for $100, for a savings of nearly 20 percent. It can enhance your TV audio via dual speakers, with access to 3D surround sound, while offering DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio support.

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