News Stellar Blade PC Requirements Include 75 GB Installation Space Shift Up reveals some surprisingly forgiving system requirements for its action-adventure title's upcoming PC release on June 11th. Posted By Ravi Sinha | On 16th, May. 2025 Stellar Blade, Shift Up’s debut console title, is finally coming to PC, with the official trailer now available. The PlayStation Blog has revealed various other details on the hack-and-slash title, including the requirements. Lo and behold, they’re actually somewhat forgiving. The minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-7600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 580 (8 GB), and 16 GB RAM at the Low preset for 1080p/60 FPS gameplay. Playing on High preset at 1440p/60 FPS requires a Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 3600X, an RTX 2070 SUPER or Radeon RX 6700 XT, and 16 GB RAM. For 4K/60 FPS at Very High settings, you’ll need a Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 3600X, an RTX 3080 or Radeon RX 7900 XT, and 16 GB RAM. It requires 75 GB of installation space, and while an SSD isn’t necessary on the minimum end, it’s mandatory everywhere else. Stellar Blade launches on June 11th for PC. Check out our review of the PS5 version here. Tagged With: Elden Ring: Nightreign Publisher:Bandai Namco Developer:FromSoftware Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView More DOOM: The Dark Ages Publisher:Bethesda Softworks Developer:id Software Platforms:Xbox Series X, PS5, PCView More Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Publisher:Sony Developer:Kojima Productions Platforms:PS5View More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom Will Add HDR Support on Switch 2 Optimized visuals and improved picture quality are also confirmed for both action-adventure titles on the Nint... Super Mario Odyssey, 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and More to Receive Free Switch 2 Enhancements Free Switch 2 upgrades have also been confirmed for Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, New Super Mario Bros. U De... Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Will Have Improved Frame Rate on Switch 2 Both games will also featured improved picture quality with a free Nintendo Switch 2 update, it has been offic... Stellar Blade PC Requirements Include 75 GB Installation Space Shift Up reveals some surprisingly forgiving system requirements for its action-adventure title's upcoming PC ... Grand Theft Auto 5 Sells Over 215 Million Units, Red Dead Redemption 2 Crosses 74 Million The Grand Theft Auto series nears 450 million units sold while the Red Dead Redemption franchise finally cross... Jade Raymond Departs From Fairgame$ Developer Haven Studios The live-service shooter was also allegedly meant to launch this Fall for PS5 and PC but has since been delaye... View More

Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones were launched on Thursday. They replace the existing WH-1000XM5 as the Japanese electronics brand's flagship-level headphones and are powered by a new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3. As per Sony, it is up to seven times faster than the previous model and leverages 12 microphones for delivering more precise noise cancellation. The headphones come with LDAC codec support for high-resolution audio streaming along with 360 Spatial Sound technology.Sony WH-1000XM6 Price, AvailabilitySony WH-1000XM6 are priced at $449.99 (roughly Rs. 38,400) in the US and CAD 599.99 (roughly Rs. 51,200) in Canada. They are offered in Black, Platinum Silver, and Midnight Blue colourways.The headphones will be available for purchase via Sony.com, Best Buy, Amazon, and other authorised dealers. There is no information about their India availability yet.Sony WH-1000XM6 SpecificationsThe Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless ANC headphones are the successor to the WH-1000XM5, and are said to bring improved ANC and sound quality. They are powered by Sony HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 that is said to offer better performance across the board. Sony claims the WH-1000XM6 was created in collaboration with world-renowned mastering audio engineers at three top recording studios in the industry — Sterling Sound, Battery Studios, and Coast Mastering — for delivering a superior auditory experience.As per the company, the new WH-1000XM6 headphones leverage 12 microphones which adapt the noise cancellation more precisely to your wearing situation and environment. They have a carbon fiber composite material dome and uniquely developed voice coil structure which reproduces subtleties in every frequency. Courtesy of the LDAC codec, the Sony headphones support High-Resolution Audio and High-Resolution Audio Wireless. Additionally, Edge-AI and DSEE Extreme upscale compressed digital music files in real time to restore the sound lost in compression.One of the standout new features on the Sony WH-1000XM6 is scene-based listening. It is said to leverage sensing technology to automatically play music based on the user activity and adjust noise cancellation levels in line with their environment and location. As per Sony, this feature, along with quick access, can connect to music streaming services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music.For connectivity, the Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless ANC headphones use Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth LE (low energy) Audio, along with support for SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. They also have multipoint connectivity and auto switch for switching between devices. The headphones have an improved design with a soft fit wider headband featuring synthetic leather that is claimed to ensure a pressure-free fit.Similar to the previous models, the headphones employ a combination of button and touch controls, with the latter placed in the ear up. They work in tandem with the Sony Sound Connect app which can be used to adjust settings and fine-tune the listening experience. It enables features such as 360 Reality Audio, hear-through mode, and native hands-free support for Google Assistant and Alexa voice assistant.Sony claims battery life of up to 30 hours per charge (ANC enabled) on the WH-1000XM6, which is similar to the previous model. There's also quick charge functionality that is said to juice up the headphones to deliver three hours of listening time with just three minutes of charge. They also support simultaneous charge and listen. REVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesign / ComfortAudio QualityBattery LifeValue For MoneyGoodLooks good, comfortable fit Very good app and features Detailed, well-tuned, flexible sound Impressive active noise cancellation Excellent battery lifeBadA bit expensive Does not fold fully, less portableRead detailed Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones reviewColour BlackHeadphone Type Over-EarMicrophone YesConnectivity WirelessType HeadphonesMore Sony Headphones & Headset For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Further reading: Sony WH-1000XM6, Sony WH-1000XM6 Price, Sony WH-1000XM6 Specifications, Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony, headphones Shaurya Tomer Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More Related Stories

2025 Sony has a team of magicians on staff. It’s the only rational explanation I can come up with for how it’s raised the bar for active noise-cancelling headphones year after year. I really thought Sony couldn’t improve upon last year’s model, the class-leading WH-1000XM5. But the WH-1000XM6 (yes, the naming convention still sucks) has so many new features—a revamped design that folds again, a new processor and drivers, and more mics—I can’t argue with the results. The XM6 ANC headphones don’t have many flaws to speak of. Although the estimated 30 hours of battery life is solid, I’m always looking for more time off the charger. Honestly, the only downside is the hefty $450 price tag, but then again, Apple seems to have no problem selling AirPods Max for $550. Sony WH-1000XM6 Sony's WH-1000XM6 outdoes its predecessor in just about every category, making them the headphones to beat this year, noise cancelling or otherwise. Pros Cons At first glance, you may not notice all the refinements that Sony made to the XM6. But I assure you, they all add up to a more comfortable and polished pair of headphones. The leatherette over-ear cups create a nice passive noise-cancelling seal, the headband is wider for better weight distribution on your dome, and it’s great to see Sony listened to feedback and made them foldable again. Even little touches like a larger power button that’s easier to press are worth appreciating. Sony’s playing it a bit safe with the usual black, silver, and midnight blue colorways, but hopefully it’ll roll out more interesting shades down the line. It’s not hard to get the XM6 connected to your smartphone or laptop. The minute you flip the included magnetic hard case open, you’ll get a pairing prompt on your phone, which walks you through connecting the headphones via Bluetooth, and then you’re ready to go. The initial pairing process only takes less than three minutes, but I still wish it was faster, like it is on most modern wireless earbuds. Play your cards right, and you’ll rarely have to touch your phone. Unlike AirPods Max, you can control audio from the touch-sensitive surface on the right ear cup using taps and swipes. A double tap plays and pauses audio or answers and rejects a call, while a forward or backward swipe switches to the next and previous track, respectively. Swiping up or down adjusts the volume, while holding your hand over the earcup launches Quick Attention, which pauses audio until you remove your hand. And if you don’t feel like touching the headphones, you can nod your head or shake it to answer or reject a phone call. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo The NC/AMB button (noise cancellation and ambient noise mode) also pulls double duty. Press it twice to Quick Access a chosen app (Amazon Music, Spotify, or Endel). You can program a second app to launch with three taps, but you’ll need the Sony Sound Connect app (previously called Headphone Connect) to configure that. I’m always wavering between Bose and Sony when it comes to noise-cancelling tech. Right now, Sony has taken a noticeable lead. In its quest for silence, or at least a quieter environment, Sony has brought its new QN3 processor and 12 upgraded microphones (versus eight on the XM5). It also wouldn’t be 2025 without a healthy dose of AI. To that end, the XM6 has AI noise reduction, which the company says was trained on over 500 million voice samples. The result is some seriously quiet phone and video calls. You also have a refreshed AI Noise Optimizer feature, which works to identify and eliminate pesky ambient noises. I took the XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for a trip on the New York City subway—a place full of random smells and noises. Neither pair of cans did anything for the summer bod funk in the air, but plenty for the latter. In terms of regular train noises (opening and closing doors, moving along the tracks, train announcements, etc.), the XM6 was slightly better at muting the din without any music playing. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo Sony’s newest ANC headphones also did a better job of shielding me from a lover’s spat on the train. I typically hear more ambient sound while wearing Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra. I cued up Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” on the XM6 and committed myself to minding my own business. Okay, I may have switched over to Ambient Sound to hear some of the juicier details, but not for the whole conversation. Speaking of Ambient Sound, that’s the mode I engage when I’m walking alone at night or in unfamiliar surroundings. It lets in outside noise so you can keep tabs on your surroundings. One minute, I’m hearing nothing but the deep bass and raunchy lyrics in the Ying Yang Twins’ “Wait (The Whisper Song),” and the next, there’s birds chirping and traffic sounds filtered in. Deeper bass, brighter highs, and fuller mids—what a difference a driver makes. The 30mm drivers utilize a more rigid dome construction, which translates into more balanced audio performance. Since my regular playlist covers a wide swath of music genres, I kept the built-in equalizer off to get the flattest frequency possible. That means when I listened to Sevendust’s “Enemy,” there wasn’t any artificial bass being added. It was just me, crisp cymbals, bombastic percussion, an energetic set of electric guitars, and silky smooth vocals juxtaposed against guttural screams. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo Even without spatial audio or Cinematic mode, the XM6’s soundstage is seriously generous. I can really make out the finer vibrations of the twang of the guitars on “Raised Right” by Reyna Roberts. The violin and vocals were just as clean, where I could hear some of the plosives as Roberts enunciated words like “night” and “taught.” But what about the low end? No, the XM6 don’t go as hard on the bass as the Sony’s Ult headphones. But I discovered they still bring the boom as I listened to Pop Smoke’s “Dior.” The bass was nice and weighty but didn’t overwhelm the violin, hi-hats, or the Nextel chirps and other electronic elements throughout the drill track. Whether I’m watching a movie or listening to music, spatial audio has become one of my favorite features to indulge in. Seriously, cue up a music service that supports Dolby Atmos or Sony’s 360 Audio format—you’ll thank me. It’s a cool, almost eerie feeling to move your head from right to left or up and down and have the music respond to your location accordingly. It essentially creates your own personal concert hall. Spatial audio is at its best watching action scenes, as the gunfire and subsequent explosions gain an extra dimension of immersion. Previously called Headphone Connect, the renamed Sound Connect app retains all previous functionality while adding new features. While I love a kitchen sink approach to features, I have a feeling that many users won’t touch more than 50% of them. Speak-to-Chat, Spatial Audio, Ambient Sound Control, Adaptive Sound Control, and multipoint pairing are all present. Something new to the scene is Listening Mode, which lets you toggle between Standard, Background Music, and Cinematic modes. The first one is pretty straightforward: you listen to your music with whatever settings you’ve got enabled. Background Music lowers the volume so you can carry on a conversation. The audio is a bit diffused, but you can still bop without losing too much detail. Cinematic mode is the exact opposite and expands the soundstage. It’s not on a par with spatial audio, but it’s the mode I recommend using when you’re watching movies or TV. (If you’re concerned about protecting your hearing, the app has a Safe Listening feature that tracks your sound allowance as advised by the World Health Organization. It can also track how much ambient noise the cans have protected your ears from.) There’s also Scene-based Listening (SBL). This goes hand-in-hand with Adaptive Sound Control. Where the latter automatically adjusts noise cancellation based on your location, SBL will start playing music from your chosen player based on activity or location. You can set it to play at the start of your commute, while you’re taking a jog or working out at the gym and the app will learn your habits and adjust ANC levels accordingly. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo My only complaint is that some of the cooler features, like spatial audio and Find Your Equalizer, aren’t front and center. Instead, they’re tucked away in smaller menus that aren’t easy to navigate. You really have to hunt for the setting you’re looking for. I already mentioned the XM6 has a set of 12 microphones on each side, half of which are beamforming devices designed to focus on picking up your voice. Combine that with the AI Reduction technology, and you’ve got crystal clear calls whether you’re connected to a smartphone or laptop. I was most impressed with how well the AI reduction worked. Whether I was in a busy coffee shop or walking down a construction-laden street, my callers reported little to no background noise. That doesn’t mean that they totally blocked out the jackhammer I walked by or the overhead train. The headphones muted them and all but killed any wind resistance, but certain noises don’t totally disappear. The XM6 has the same 30 hours of battery life (with noise cancellation on) as the XM5, with a quick charge that translates to three hours of power after being plugged in for three minutes. The battery shoots up to 40 hours if you disable the noise cancellation. Keeping the volume at about 50%, I’ve only had to charge the headphones twice over the course of a week. While I would have loved for Sony to give the XM6 even more battery life, that doesn’t mean the company didn’t give us some sort of improvement. Unlike previous headphones in the WH-1000 series, you can charge the XM6 while they’re in use. Instead of having to face a long commute from Brooklyn to the Bronx sans music or ANC, I just plugged them into my Anker battery pack and maintained my peace on the train. I’m going to do my damnedest to stop doubting Sony when it comes to outdoing itself. But it’s so hard when it seems like the company’s ANC headphones can’t get any better. Because let’s be clear, the XM5 landed on many a best noise-cancellation headphones list. But the Sony WH-1000XM6 has taken just about everything I loved about its predecessor and given it a big update. Better driver? Check. New processor? Yep. Actually useful AI features? You betcha. The result is a refined and feature-packed pair of premium ANC headphones with best-in-class ANC and a comfortable, albeit safe design.

Image: NintendoAs you might recall, Nintendo will be releasing "free updates" for select Switch games on the Nintendo Switch 2. It's already revealed the specific titles that will be getting this treatment and now it's detailed what exactly you can expect. Once again, these updates will enhance the overall gameplay experience with visual enhancements, frame rate improvements, additional feature support, and more. "By connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet and performing a system update, you can download free updates for selected games that may improve graphics or add support for features such as GameShare. The contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game."Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube812kWatch on YouTube Here's the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo's official website. All of these updates will be available on 5th June 2025 alongside the launch of the Switch 2. On this page: 12 Switch Games Are Getting Free Switch 2 Upgrades, Here's What You Can Expect ARMS Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Frame rate: Optimized for Nintendo Switch 2 for smoother movement (even when playing with 3 or more players). HDR support. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain GameShare support: Up to four people can play in Party Mode. Share locally or share online via GameChat. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. HDR support. GameShare support: Two people can play all of the courses. Share locally or share online via GameChat. Club House Games: 51 Worldwide Classics GameShare support: Up to four people can play 34 games. Share locally or share online via GameChat. Game Builder Garage Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Supports Joy-Con™ 2 mouse controls. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Pokémon Scarlet Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Frame rate: Improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2. Pokémon Violet Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Frame rate: Improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Frame rate: Optimized for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2 (including Bowser's Fury). HDR support (Bowser’s Fury only). GameShare support: Up to four people can play Super Mario 3D World. In Bowser's Fury, two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Bowser Jr. Share locally or share online via GameChat. Super Mario Odyssey Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. HDR support. GameShare support: Two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy. Share locally or share online via GameChat. Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. HDR support. Zelda: Link's Awakening Updates included: Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. HDR support. Next-gen TLC What do you think of these updates for these Switch games? Let us know in the comments. [source nintendo.com] Related Games See Also Share:0 0 Liam is a news writer and reviewer across Hookshot Media. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of many iconic video game characters. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation Offenders may find their Switch bricked PSA: My Nintendo Store Switch 2 Invites Are Starting To Roll Out Refresh that inbox Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed GameChat has a "significant impact on system resources"

Macworld Who wants to spend $80 on a single Nintendo Switch 2 game? And that doesn’t even factor in the cost of the console. That’s why more people have been switching to third-party consoles like the Retropian, a handheld gaming console that comes with over 10,000 classic games pre-loaded, and it’s only $79.99 (reg. $129). A console that costs as much as a single game The Retropian Color is a fully loaded, compact gaming device that supports games from over 20 classic consoles, including NES, SNES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, PlayStation 1, and even arcade systems like MAME and Neo Geo. It runs on an open-source Linux system, which means you can customize it or add new emulators if you want to expand your library. A 3.5-inch IPS screen brings crisp detail and vivid color to even the oldest pixelated favorites, and the 6-hour battery life means you can play through a full day of travel or downtime without constantly recharging. You also get modern features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for multiplayer gaming, plus a USB-C charger and stereo speakers for smooth setup and sound. It’s only $79.99 to get a Retropian Color. Retropian Color Retro Handheld Gaming Console (Green)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Just like Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong is getting a minor makeover as Nintendo moves into the next generation. And like the elder DK, Diddy will look a bit more like his The Super Mario Bros. Movie counterpart, with the addition of… teeth. A poster on the Famiboards forums noticed this week that the Nintendo Switch news channel showed off new artwork for Diddy Kong, and while the differences may be small in the grand scheme, they make the old, Rare-era Diddy look weird by comparison. Diddy Kong’s new look now includes a full mouth of teeth, the apparent removal of the Nintendo “racetrack” logo from his signature cap, and more realistic looking toes. Diddy’s pot belly has also been raised a bit, so it’s clearer where his tummy ends and his fur begins. Here’s an early look at the new Diddy Kong, via Famiboards poster Professor Chops: Compare that to this 2023 artwork of Diddy Kong from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass: The “new” Diddy Kong hews more closely to his Donkey Kong Country appearances than that of his brief cameo in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Yes, he had a full set of pearly whites in Nintendo and Illumination’s animated film, but the cinematic version of Diddy appeared slightly more muscular, had eyes that were set apart, and sported a basketball-style jersey, as opposed to a tummy-accentuating crop top. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Diddy with teeth, though. While many of his video game appearances render him toothless, Diddy Kong’s second amiibo, from the Super Mario collection, shows the younger DK with chompers — something the Diddy amiibo released as part of the Super Smash Bros. collection didn’t. All of this is to say that Diddy Kong has teeth now, and for the foreseeable future, no longer has to gum all of his food. Perhaps we’ll see more of this toothy Diddy in upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 games Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World, though the character hasn’t been confirmed to appear in either title just yet.

KILLER INSTINCT® GOLD – Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

Sony WH-1000XM64.5 ExcellentBottom LineSony's high-end WH-1000XM6 headphones feature foldable earcups, new driver tuning, and noise cancellation that rivals the best from Bose.US Street Price$449.99Learn MoreSony WH-1000XM6 ReviewVSBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones4.5 ExcellentBottom LineThe Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones pump out robust sound and offer the best noise cancellation of any over-ear models we've tested.Street Price1699.0Learn MoreBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Review Table of ContentsPriceDesignComfortCases and CablesBluetooth and ConnectivityBattery LifeMobile AppNoise CancellationTransparency ModeSound QualityMic Quality PriceIf you want the best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones available, be prepared to pay up. None of these models comes cheaply. It's not entirely surprising that Apple has the priciest pair of the bunch at $549—the AirPods Max are also the oldest. The brand-new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones cost a cool $449. Bose now has the "cheapest" pair of the bunch with its two-year-old QuietComfort Ultra ringing in at $429.99. Winner: Bose QuietComfort UltraDesignAll three headphones have their own look and defining features. Sony's resembles the previous model, with a matte plastic look and a lightweight build. They come in three colors (Black, Midnight Blue, or Silver), and the earcups can fold flat for portability. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, meanwhile, are mostly plastic, even more compact when folded, and come in four colors (Black, Lunar Blue, Plum, or White Smoke).Left to right: AirPods Max, Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra(Credit: Christian de Looper)Aesthetically, the AirPods Max stand out thanks to their metal build and clean lines. They have removable earcups and come in the most color options, including Blue, Midnight, Orange, Purple, and Starlight. Their use of metal makes them heavier, but ensures they look the most luxurious. They also have a fantastic rotating digital crown for adjusting the volume and controlling other features.Winner: AirPods MaxComfortBose QuietComfort Ultra(Credit: Christian de Looper)The metal build of the AirPods Max makes them the heaviest of the three (13.6 ounces), but doesn't impact their comfort as much as you might expect. They're good at distributing weight across the top of your head, and their plush earcups don't clamp down too tightly. Nonetheless, both the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (8.8 ounces each) are more comfortable. Of the three, the lower clamp force and thicker padding of the Bose headphones make them the most comfortable for extended listening.Winner: Bose QuietComfort UltraCases and CablesWhile the AirPods Max may look the most high-end, the same can't be said of their meme-worthy rubber case, which is more of a barely there cover-up than a case. They only come with a USB-C cable, though you can use it for lossless USB audio. To connect them to a 3.5mm source, you’ll need to buy Apple’s USB-C to 3.5mm adapter separately.Left to right: AirPods Max, Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra(Credit: Christian de Looper)Both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sony WH-1000XM6 come with a clamshell hard case and the cables you need for both charging and wired listening. They each include a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable, while the Bose headphones have a 2.5mm-to-3.5mm cable for their smaller input port, and the Sony headphones have a standard 3.5mm cable. Sony's carrying case has a magnetic clasp instead of a zipper, but I prefer the smaller leather case that comes with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra.Winner: Bose QuietComfort UltraBluetooth and ConnectivityAll three headphones support the standard SBC Bluetooth codec, and they all have AAC on top of that. That’s where Bluetooth codecs end on the AirPods Max, though. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones add support for AptX Adaptive, which works with compatible Snapdragon-powered phones. As has been the case with Sony's high-end headphones for years, the WH-1000XM6 also support LDAC, which works with most modern Android phones, and LC3, which is becoming more common on Android devices.AirPods Max(Credit: Christian de Looper)Both the Bose and Sony headphones have Bluetooth multipoint for connecting to two devices simultaneously. If connecting to multiple Apple devices is your goal, the AirPods Max enjoy a significant ecosystem benefit—they can switch seamlessly between any Apple device (Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, Mac) signed into the same iCloud account. Sony gets the win here for codec support (LDAC works with more phones than AptX Adaptive and LC3 is a nice addition), while Apple gets the win for versatile ecosystem connectivity (as long as you use Apple devices).Winner: Tie (AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM6)Battery LifeNone of these headphones stand out when it comes to battery life. The AirPods Max have a rated battery life of 20 hours with noise cancellation on, but you might find that you get less actual listening time if you don't put them in their case every time you take them off (they enter standby mode rather than turn off completely). The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones step that up to 24 hours, while the Sony offers 30 hours of listening and the fastest charging. While the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones can get three hours of listening from 15 minutes of charging, the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones can get three hours of listening from just three minutes of charging. Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6Mobile AppThe mobile experience associated with these three headphones is starkly different. On the surface, the AirPods Max appear to be the most bare-bones. Rather than rely on a separate app, their settings are integrated deeply in your iPhone's operating system. To access them, you have to wade through the Bluetooth settings menu where you can tweak things like noise modes and automatic head detection, but there's no EQ. You can also tweak some settings through Control Center, including spatial audio settings. Recommended by Our EditorsSony WH-1000XM6(Credit: Christian de Looper)The Bose app is minimalist and easy to navigate. The main screen grants you access to noise modes, Bluetooth settings, button shortcuts, and a rudimentary EQ. It lets you tweak what it labels as bass, mid, and treble, but doesn't specify which frequencies each slider affects.Sony's Sound Connect app offers far more control than Bose. You can set up your noise modes, button shortcuts, and location-based noise settings. You also have access to a comprehensive 10-band EQ, with bands ranging from 31Hz to 16kHz. Apple beats the others on depth, but Sony keeps everything in one spot and has the best EQ.Winner: Tie (AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM6)Noise CancellationUntil the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones arrived, Bose was the clear winner when it came to noise cancellation. The QuietComfort Headphones silence most environmental sounds. The AirPods Max offer respectable ANC, but it can't compete with Bose or Sony offerings, both of which excel at dampening ambient noise, whether you're on a plane or in a busy coffee shop.Bose QuietComfort Ultra(Credit: Christian de Looper)Sony has a slight edge when it comes to complicated settings like a city bus or a busy cafe, spaces that have uneven bursts of sound that Bose isn't quick enough to cut. Bose still delivers excellent ANC, but it's no longer head and shoulders above the competition, and Sony takes the win in this category.Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6Transparency ModeAirPods Max(Credit: Christian de Looper)While the AirPods Max trail behind the other two in ANC, they're a clear winner when it comes to transparency mode, which lets you hear your surroundings. They deliver natural and consistent audio and don't introduce the hiss that Bose and Sony do. Winner: AirPods MaxSound QualityAll three of these headphones offer outstanding sound quality. The 40mm drivers in the AirPods Max deliver deep bass and the best high-end response of the three, but the lack of a user-adjustable EQ is frustrating.The Bose headphones also offer excellent bass response with clear highs, but those highs aren't quite as crisp as they are on the AirPods Max. The audio also doesn't really feel as spacious as the AirPods Max, which have a wider soundstage and can sometimes come across as overly processed. Lastly, the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones have a slightly sculpted sound, removing some of the mids that Bose keeps. If you want to change the sound signature, Sony offers the best EQ to do so.Sony WH-1000XM6(Credit: Christian de Looper)If spatial audio is important to you, then the AirPods Max are the best of the bunch, as long as you use them with Apple devices. The AirPods Max can actually process surround sound input, instead of artificially adding the effect to stereo sources (assuming the content offers it, of course).So while the AirPods Max have the best audio out of the box, the Sony offers much deeper customization, supports higher-quality sources, and works with more devices, making it a tie.Winner: Tie (AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM6)Mic QualityThe microphones across all three headphones are perfectly sufficient for voice calls. Bose offers a little more body than Apple or Sony, but not as much clarity and detail. The AirPods Max microphone is crisp and detailed, but of the three, Sony's headphones deliver the best experience thanks to their half-dozen microphones and improved beamforming technology.Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6

The XR Interaction Toolkit (XRI) is a high-level, component-based interaction system for creating VR and AR experiences. It provides a common framework for interactions and streamlines cross-platform creation. This update adds three key features: eye gaze and hand tracking for more natural interactions, audiovisual affordances to bring interactions to life, and an improved device simulator to test in-Editor. To help you get started, let’s explore each addition in more detail.For a more in-depth breakdown of the update, check out what’s new in XRI 2.3, or explore the sample project.XR developer and founder of LearnXR.io, Dilmer Valecillos, has put together an awesome video tutorial on XRI 2.3:Along with XRI 2.3, we’re shipping the Unity XR Hands package in prerelease. XR Hands is a new XR subsystem which adds APIs to enable hand tracking in Unity. It includes built-in support at release for OpenXR, with support for Meta platforms soon to follow. In addition, external hardware providers can pipe in hand-tracking data from their existing XR SDK by following the provided API documentation.This release of XRI includes the Hands Interaction Demo, a sample package showcasing a hand interaction setup where you can switch between hands and controllers without changing anything in your scene on-device. Using this functionality, your content may start with a standard controller setup, but transition seamlessly to hands for specific tasks or natural interactions in gameplay.XRI 2.3 also supports natural poking interactions through the XR Poke Interactor. This allows you to poke using hands or controllers on 3D UI or XRI-enabled UGUI Canvas elements.New headsets like the HoloLens 2, Meta Quest Pro, and PlayStation® VR2 include sensors to track where users are looking. Gaze-based interactions can help you build XR apps that feel more natural and provide an additional way to engage with content. To support this type of interaction, we have introduced the XR Gaze Interactor, driven by eye-gaze or head-gaze poses. You can use this interactor for direct manipulation, like hovering or selecting by dwelling on interactables.Since we generally don’t recommend that apps be controlled entirely with eyes, we have introduced an additional form of controller and hand-based interaction assistance to help users select specific objects: the XR Interactable Snap Volume. This component complements the gaze interactor, as it allows for snapping interactions to a nearby interactable when aiming at a defined area around an object. Snap volumes can also be used without the gaze interactor to enable easier object selection for users.Tobii, a global leader in eye-tracking technology, assisted with the concepts and research. If you’re interested in learning more, you can browse their knowledge base of eye-tracking concepts.Using hands for interaction is different from using controllers in that there’s no haptic or tactile feedback to confirm when an interaction takes place. The affordance system, a set of performant components that animates objects or triggers sound effects in reaction to an object’s interaction state, helps mitigate this feedback gap. This system is built to work with any combination of interactor and interactable in both new and existing projects.The new XR General Grab Transformer reduces the complexity of the hierarchy and allows one general-purpose transformer to support both single and two-handed interactions on an interactable, rather than multiple grab transformers. It also enables two-handed scaling, letting you scale objects up and down by moving your hands apart or together, similar to zooming in and out on a mobile phone.We’ve also added an Interaction Group component. This behavior allows a developer to group interactors together and sort them by priority, which allows only a single interactor per group to interact at a given time. For example, when a Poke, Direct, and Ray Interactor are grouped together, poking a button will temporarily block the other interactors from interacting with the scene. This can keep you from accidentally grabbing something nearby when you’re working in the distance, and prevents rays from shooting into the scene while you’re grabbing or poking an object up close.Testing XR apps on a headset is important, but testing in-Editor helps reduce iteration time. In this release, the XR Device Simulator received a major usability update with a new onscreen UI widget that makes it easier to see what inputs drive the simulator, and which ones are currently active.New simulation modes have also been added so you can toggle between commonly used control modes. At startup, the device simulator activates the new first-person shooter (FPS) mode, which manipulates the headset and controllers as if the whole player was turning their torso. You can then cycle through the other modes to manipulate individual devices: the headset, the left controller, and the right controller. To use the XR Device Simulator, import the sample from the Package Manager.It’s been a long time coming, and our updated sample project is finally here. It showcases the array of XR experience building blocks you can use in XRI 2.3. The project is divided into stations that help you understand how each major feature of XRI works, and includes both simple and advanced examples for each. You can access the sample project on GitHub and use it to kick-start your next XR app.Though it’s still early days for eyes and hands in the XR Interaction Toolkit, we’re always working to make building expressive XR experiences easier. As we head towards XRI 2.4 and beyond, we would appreciate your feedback. We’d also love to see what you build with these tools, so feel free to include the hashtag #unityXRI when posting on social media.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is launching in a few weeks in the United States. It will cost $450, a price some think is too high. But that price could go up in the near future as President Trump continues enacting tariffs on imported goods. So it’s not surprising that, when asked how long the company can commit to that price point, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser didn’t provide any real timeline. Suggested ReadingNintendo Switch 2 Could Launch With Almost No Reviews Share SubtitlesOffEnglishSuggested ReadingNintendo Switch 2 Could Launch With Almost No Reviews Share SubtitlesOffEnglishNintendo Switch 2 Could Launch With Almost No ReviewsIn a May 15 interview with IGN, Bowser talked about Nintendo’s new store in San Francisco, the company’s theme parks, and of course the Switch 2's June 5 launch. When specifically asked about the extent to which Nintendo can “commit to Switch 2's $450 price tag for both launch and beyond,” Bowser admitted that the situation with tariffs and prices is fluid but suggested the company wants to make sure as many people as possible can buy one. “Well, we made a commitment by announcing the pricing of both the single SKU at $449 and then the bundled SKU with Mario Kart World at $499,” answered Bowser. “And we really thought it was important that we established that price point, even after further tariffs were announced, to give consumers that comfort that they would be able to purchase at that price point. Obviously, it’s still a very fluid situation and it’s difficult to determine what may be happening in the upcoming months or weeks. But our commitment is to find ways within existing market conditions or changing market conditions to make our products, including Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, as obtainable as we possibly can.”Kotaku has reached out to Nintendo about Bowser’s answer. Another piece of the “making sure you can buy a Switch 2 in 2025" puzzle is ensuring there are enough consoles in stock in the United States to support the seemingly high demand. According to Bowser, Nintendo plans to have a “continuous flow of product that’ll be available through the holidays.” The question still remains: How much will those Switch 2 consoles cost when November or early 2026 roll around? .