After CES, our review team is rested and back to work. This week we reviewed the latest devices from Valerian, Canon, Samsung and Sony, covering a wide range of product categories in the process. Grab yourself a drink and enjoy all the reviews you might have missed.
valerian visionmaster max
valerian
- Class-leading image quality
- simple automatic setup
- beautiful design
- Dolby Atmos and DTX support
- expensive
- Built-in sound is mediocre
The weeks before the Super Bowl are a popular time to upgrade a home theater setup before the big game. One way to do this is with Valerian’s VisionMaster Max – if you’re willing to spend the money. Contributing reporter Steve Dent discovered, “The Valerian VisionMaster Max is a highly capable indoor projector that delivers the best image quality thanks to the dynamic iris and advanced black level features.” “However, it is much more expensive than rival models at $5,000. It’s very hard to justify that extra money, unless you’re really concerned about picture accuracy and gaming performance, or need other features like a 1Gbps Ethernet port.”
Canon EOS R6 III
If you’re primarily shooting video these days, reporter Steve Dent has completed testing with the Canon EOS R6 III. While they said it’s great for video, the photo quality isn’t as good as you can get right now. “However, if you’re primarily interested in photography, Sony’s $2,900 A7V is a better choice,” he said. “It matches the resolution, price and autofocus of the R6 III but offers better dynamic range and less rolling shutter distortion.”
Samsung Bespoke Fridge with AI
Samsung/Ngadget
Samsung’s top-of-the-line refrigerator is pretty much unbeatable for tech-savvy owners looking for something that can be both a digital hub and a powerful smart home appliance.
- 32 inch large display
- Beverage center with built-in water pitcher
- AI-powered component tracking
- sleek design
- expensive
- Limited AI Food Identification
- Touch input could be more responsive
We don’t often review appliances here at Engadget, but Samsung’s AI-infused refrigerator caught the attention of senior reporter Sam Rutherford. You might not think you need a 32-inch display in your kitchen or a camera in your fridge, but Sam argues that once you try them you’ll never go back. He concluded, “You may not yet agree or want to pay so much for these kinds of features, but Samsung’s Bespoke AI 4-Door French Door Refrigerator has convinced me that there is a happy home for the smart icebox.”
sony linkbuds clip
Sony
Sony tried its hand at a clip-on, open-fit design, but didn’t do enough to differentiate the LinkBuds Clip from the competition.
- comfortable, open fit
- All day battery life
- responsive control
- Basic Features
- no wireless charging
- poor bass performance
- battery life
Clip-on earbuds have been making the rounds over the past few years. Several major players in headphones have tried their hand at the open-wear form factor, with Sony being the latest player to join in. While the company embraces the inherent benefits of these designs, the LinkBuds Clip doesn’t do enough to rise above the competition. “Poor bass performance and Sony’s omission of some of the more attractive features (and even some basic features) mean the company clearly hasn’t done enough to differentiate the Clips from the competition,” I wrote.
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