Qualcomm just revealed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the appropriately-named second member of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 line. This follows the Gen 5 Elite, which was first revealed back in September.
The standard Gen 5 is still a powerful mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) with a top clock speed of 3.8GHz. That's slightly lower than the Elite's top speed of 4.6GHz, but still nothing to sneeze at. It includes a custom-built Oryon CPU and boasts speed-enhancing features like matrix acceleration. The company says the platform offers a 36 percent performance improvement when compared to Snapdragon 7, along with a 76 percent increase in web browsing responsiveness.
Qualcomm
The SoC also features the Qualcomm Adreno GPU, just like the Elite, which "unlocks higher clock speeds and boosts gaming and graphics performance by 11 percent." This is a chip intended for modern smartphones, so it also has been designed for AI. It boasts the company's proprietary Sensing Hub technology that combines microphone and sensor inputs to detect a user's intent to speak.
It's capable of on-device AI processing due to the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. The company says this will enable "agentic AI assistants to deliver context-aware interactions and personalized suggestions." That's corporate speak for "it does stuff and says stuff."
Qualcomm
Qualcomm says these chips will begin showing up in mobile devices in "the coming weeks." The company named OnePlus as a partner and that organization did just announce a brand-new smartphone that was suspiciously devoid of any real specs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-snapdragon-8-gen-5-is-a-cut-down-version-of-qualcomms-flagship-elite-chipset-063050786.html?src=rss
OpenAI has announced that it's changing how ChatGPT's Voice mode works on the web and inside the company's app. As part of an update, you can interact with ChatGPT Voice directly within your ongoing chat, letting you see a transcript of your conversation with OpenAI's AI model, along with visuals that demonstrate whatever ChatGPT is talking about.
You can start a voice chat just by tapping or clicking on the "waveform" icon next to ChatGPT's text field. Rather than launching into the original orb-filled interface the feature launched as, voice chats now happen in-line with whatever you were previously discussing. In the demo video OpenAI shared alongside the announcement, ChatGPT was able to display a transcript of the conversation, followed by a map listing popular bakeries and photos of pastries sold at Tartine. OpenAI says that if you prefer the original Voice interface, you can switch back to it by toggling on Separate mode under the Voice Mode section of ChatGPT's Settings.
You can now use ChatGPT Voice right inside chat—no separate mode needed.
You can talk, watch answers appear, review earlier messages, and see visuals like images or maps in real time.
Combining visuals and voice responses together is a natural extension of the multimodal nature of ChatGPT. You can already prompt OpenAI's model with your voice and an image or video, it makes sense that voice responses from ChatGPT should have the same level of detail. Google has explored similar methods for making Gemini Live more expressive during conversations, including letting the AI highlight specific parts of a live video with overlays. This OpenAI feature isn't quite reactive in the same way, but it could make a voice conversation with ChatGPT more informative.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/now-you-can-use-chatgpt-voice-without-leaving-your-chat-195000538.html?src=rss
Microsoft just released a spate of software updates for ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handheld consoles. Perhaps the most notable feature is the introduction of default game profiles, which are available in a beta mode starting today.
These are performance profiles tailored to specific games so they run perfectly on the handhelds. Once enabled, the software will automatically balance the frame rate and power consumption to strike the perfect balance. This means that players won't have to head into the settings to make manual adjustments.
These profiles are currently available for 40 of the more popular games on the platform, including Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Microsoft says that using the default game profile while playing Silksong, for instance, will add an hour of battery life. To that end, the profiles are only used when playing on battery. I hope this becomes a regular part of the Ally experience and comes to many more titles.
There's a new search filter that lists games by how they perform on the device, which is sort of a riff on Valve's "Steam Deck Verified" badge. Microsoft also boasts that gamepad responsiveness has been improved and that game libraries will now load quicker. The company says this is especially noticeable for "players with large game libraries."
The cloud gaming page should now load quicker and be more responsive. Finally, there's the usual array of bug fixes and performance enhancements. This is a nice little batch of upgrades, just in time for the holidays.
For the uninitiated, the ROG Ally and Ally X are handheld gaming consoles that run an Xbox-adjacent version of Windows 11 and can play pretty much any Xbox game. We praised the "top-notch performance" in our official review. These handhelds are the real deal, and consumers agree. Sales have been so robust that ASUS recently began ramping up production.
The success of these consoles should ensure more software updates down the line. Microsoft has already committed to adding game save indicators for crossplay. It also plans on improving sleep and wake reliability and upgrading the formatting options for microSD cards. The more powerful Ally X is getting AI upscaling next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-just-released-a-bunch-of-software-updates-for-the-rog-xbox-ally-164802697.html?src=rss
Apple has laid off dozens of employees across its sales team to streamline the organization and eliminate overlapping roles., according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. “To connect with even more customers, we are making some changes in our sales team that affect a small number of roles,” the company told Gurman, though it didn’t say how many people were affected. Apple also said that it’s hiring for new sales roles and that laid off employees can apply for them. They have until January 20 to secure a new position within the company, or they will be let go with a severance package.
Some of the affected workers told Gurman that while Apple’s official internal reason was to streamline its organization, the layoffs were primarily driven by its plan to shift sales more towards third-party resellers. By relying on third-party channels further, Apple could lower costs like its spending for people’s salaries, especially since it eliminated longtime employees. They reportedly include managers and other staff members who’ve been with the company for 20 to 30 years.
Apple’s government sales team, which works with the Defense and Justice departments, was one of the biggest groups affected by the layoffs. It’s not quite clear if it was a direct effect of the recent US government shutdown. As Gurman notes, the layoffs have taken place in the middle of a record-breaking period. After posting a $102.5 billion revenue for the quarter ending in September, it’s now on track to make $140 billion in sales for the quarter ending in December.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-lays-off-part-of-its-sales-team-140000749.html?src=rss
Yes, it’s Tuesday, but the Black Friday sale bonanza continues to start earlier (wielded by even more retailers) each year. Our team was, is and will be curating the best Black Friday tech deals for this year’s retail push and with less than a week to go, plenty of the best offers are already live.
One surprise: PlayStation 5 discounts, with $100 off all the versions of the console . That brings the PS5 Digital Edition down to $399, the standard PS5 to $449 and the new PS5 Pro to $649.
In recent years, Black Friday sales have included even the most premium recent models, though the discounts are a little less remarkable. For example, the AirPods Pro 3 are currently on sale with a $29 discount on Amazon. Sadly, no discount for the iPhone Pocket.
Get the ad-supported plan for $3 per month for one year.
HBO Max has rolled out a limited-time one-year subscription for $3 per month, a total cost of $36 for a year. The deal’s Basic With Ads plan, which allows full HD streaming on two devices, costs $11 a month at full price.
The MasterClass Black Friday deal has up to 50 percent off subscriptions. Annual plans cost $120 to $240, so it’s a notable discount — and it works for returning users too.
Meanwhile, Audible is offering three months for $3, with access to Audible’s enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals. Sadly, it’ll then revert to the usual $15 a month.
Deactivating Facebook may lessen depression, anxiety and loneliness.
Meta allegedly suspended internal research into the mental health effects of its products after it showed that people who stopped using Facebook experienced less depression, anxiety and loneliness. This comes from unredacted court filings in a lawsuit filed by multiple US school districts against major social media companies. According to Reuters, the filings also showed internal research staff expressing the findings had merit. One compared the findings to the tobacco industry “doing research and knowing cigs were bad and then keeping that info to themselves.”
Yesterday, Malaysia announced it plans to ban social media for young people, like Denmark and Australia.
Dell’s 16 Premium looks as beautiful as ever, but the company’s usability issues from the XPS lineup remain. It’s kept the invisible trackpad, and the keyboard’s function keys disappear under sunlight. It’s gorgeous and fast, but as a premium device, we want more functionality, more battery life, more ports. Just… more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-the-best-early-black-friday-2025-deals-121500600.html?src=rss
Fortunately, we live in a time when most information can be recovered from another device or the cloud. Now, iPhone users can add another app to that list. Signal has announced that secure backups are now available for iOS devices. It follows a similar launch for Android devices in early September. The company shared the news on X and linked to the previous Android blog post for all additional information.
At the time, Signal noted that secure backups would be an opt-in feature and available in Android users' latest beta release. The company stated this was to test the feature on a smaller scale before it came to iOS and desktop — so clearly something worked.
The end-to-end encrypted backup offers no-cost storage of a user's text messages and up to 45 days of media. Keeping older media costs $2 per month — Signal's first paid offering. "The reason we’re doing this is simple: media requires a lot of storage, and storing and transferring large amounts of data is expensive," Signal said at the time. "As a nonprofit that refuses to collect or sell your data, Signal needs to cover those costs differently than other tech organizations that offer similar products but support themselves by selling ads and monetizing data."
Anyone who opts-in will have their messages backed up each day. The secure backups use a 64-character recovery key that is available exclusively on a user's device. It's required to access the backup and Signal is unable to recover it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/signal-extends-backup-feature-to-ios-users-133006884.html?src=rss
The best soundbars can completely transform your TV setup, turning flat, lifeless audio into something that actually sounds cinematic. Whether you're watching blockbuster movies, listening to music or gaming, a good soundbar delivers clearer vocals, deep bass and better overall playback than most built-in TV speakers ever could.
In 2025, there’s a soundbar for every kind of home entertainment setup — from compact all-in-one units to full surround systems with subwoofers and rear speakers. Some prioritize simplicity and sleek design, while others are packed with immersive features like Dolby Atmos and smart voice controls. No matter your budget or your space, we’ve picked the best soundbars you can buy right now to help elevate your audio experience.
I typically come out of CES with a pretty clear understanding of the new soundbars that are coming for the year, but that wasn’t exactly the case in 2025. LG decided to carry over its most premium soundbars from 2024, but it will add the compact S20A this year. The company only previewed the model at CES, so full specs are still forthcoming.
Samsung will once again keep the same overall design and features for its top-end Q990 soundbar. However, the company is adding a few new tools and it drastically reduced the size of the wireless subwoofer that comes in the box. Samsung does have one new model for 2025, the QS700F, that’s designed to sit on a table or automatically adjust to being mounted flat on a wall. Details are scarce on that soundbar for now and I anticipate a full spec sheet when the company is really to sell it.
Of the big three TV companies, Sony is the only one that didn’t announce any home theater gear at CES. The company has decided to focus mainly on its automotive efforts at the show recently, leaving TV and audio announcements for later in the year. The company debuted multiple soundbar options in 2024 and a four-speaker setup for the living room in the Bravia Quad. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sony released new soundbars later in the year since its most recent models were only announced last April.
One company I would keep an eye on is Sennheiser. The original Ambeo model is nearly six years old and could use a refresh. The company has added medium and mini options to the Ambeo lineup since then, but it would be nice to see a refined version of the largest model too. The original Ambeo soundbar is huge, so no matter how good it sounds, it will always be a tough sell for some people.
Although I think it’s less likely, it’s also possible that Sonos has new soundbars this year. While the company’s next device will likely be the rumored set-top streaming box, the Sound Motion tech inside the Arc Ultra would offer a big improvement to bass performance in compact models like the Beam and Ray. The company may bring Sound Motion to standalone speakers first, but it’s destined for those smaller soundbars eventually.
The best soundbars for 2025
What to look for in a soundbar
Features
When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get in your new audio system. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio quality, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find all-in-one soundbars with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best playback quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium soundbar systems support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards — essentials if you’re building a truly cinematic home entertainment setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account. If you're looking for one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, size, channels and subwoofer options will be important factors to consider. Some models even include a dedicated subwoofer to enhance bass performance, bringing an extra punch to action scenes and soundtracks.
Ports
This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars are limited when it comes to connectivity options. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. Even at the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc still only has one HDMI port. If you plan to connect multiple devices like a set-top box, gaming laptop or console directly to your soundbar for the best audio experience, you’ll want an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are critical for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio formats, as well as high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content.
Channels
Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to when looking for the best soundbar is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear surround speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the dedicated subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play and how they contribute to the overall soundstage.
Wireless
Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. When it comes to Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection. For instance, Sonos speakers often offer seamless integration with iOS devices, making it easy to connect and stream music wirelessly. If you’re looking for a wireless speaker that can enhance your TV setup while also offering flexibility for audio throughout the house, it's worth considering a multi-room system.
Size
This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on.
Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want a full home entertainment experience with crisp vocals, thunderous deep bass, and immersive surround system audio?
By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started.
Other soundbars we tested
Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6
There’s a lot to like about the Bravia Theater Bar 6, Sony’s new midrange option in its soundbar lineup. Sound quality is the speaker’s best attribute, even though it’s limited by its 3.1.2-channel configuration. The biggest two issues with this model are the lack of Wi-Fi connectivity — which means no AirPlay, Chromecast or Spotify Connect — and the need to use your computer and a thumb drive to install firmware updates. Neither of those should be things you have to consider on a $650 soundbar in 2025.
Sonos Arc
There’s no doubt that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it’s also the company’s most expensive. With a new model based on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s difficult to recommend this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works well as both a soundbar and a speaker, and the device will fit in nicely with other Sonos gear you might already have for a multiroom setup. It only has one HDMI port though, where much of the competition allows you to connect streaming and gaming devices directly to their soundbars.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
I don’t think Sennheiser’s medium-sized model offers enough to stand out from the more powerful Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is more affordable and does a solid job with immersive audio in its own right. Like the rest of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no option for satellite speakers as you can only add a subwoofer to the soundbars. However, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA input, so you can use it with a turntable if you’re into vinyl.
Best soundbar FAQs
Is a soundbar better than speakers?
It really depends on what you’re after. A soundbar is definitely a simpler, more compact solution compared to a full speaker setup. If you want better sound than your TV’s built-in setup but don’t want to deal with multiple speakers and wires everywhere, a soundbar is probably the way to go. Some soundbars can even deliver impressive surround sound effects, thanks to features like Dolby Atmos and virtual audio technology.
However, if you’re an audiophile or want true surround sound for an at-home theater experience, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, surround speakers and subwoofer will give you a richer soundstage and more control over your experience.
What connection do I need for a soundbar?
Most modern soundbars connect to your TV via HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the easiest and best option for achieving high-quality audio. If your TV supports this, all you need is an HDMI cable, and you’ll get not only great sound but also some extra features like controlling the soundbar with your TV remote.
If HDMI ARC isn’t an option on your TV, you can use an optical cable, which also delivers solid audio quality. Some soundbars even offer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and a few still have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older devices.
Do all soundbars come with subwoofers?
Not all soundbars come with subwoofers, but many do or at least offer one as an optional add-on that you can purchase separately. A subwoofer is what gives you that deep, booming bass, so if you like action movies or want a fuller sound for music, having one can make a big difference. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, but these generally don’t provide the same punch as a separate one.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html?src=rss
One of the more intriguing prospects Amazon revealed at its devices and services event back in September was Alexa Home Theater, a surround sound mode for select Echo speakers. Amazon has now confirmed to Engadget that it's rolling out Alexa Home Theater "broadly" starting today.
This could make Echo speakers a more budget-friendly, entry-level alternative to a Sonos setup in some consumers' eyes — though a good soundbar may be actually a better bet for those just starting to put together a home theater system. You can connect up to five of the company's new Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers plus a subwoofer to a Fire TV Stick 4K or 4K Max (the original Echo Studio isn't compatible).
Amazon said that, after you plug in several Echo devices in the same room as your TV and link them to the same Wi-Fi network, the Alexa app can walk you through the setup process. Alexa will automatically tune the speakers for your space.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/alexa-home-theater-surround-sound-for-echo-speakers-is-rolling-out-now-204557932.html?src=rss
Apple updated its flagship earbuds this year with the new AirPods Pro 3, but the AirPods Pro 2 were our top picks for the best wireless earbuds for Apple users for many years before that. They're a bit hard to find at this point, but Walmart Black Friday deals have come for them (in addition to a bunch of other Apple products). Walmart has the AirPods Pro 2 for $139, which is the lowest price we've ever seen them and more than $100 off their standard $249 price tag. During Black Friday last year, they dropped to around $155.
At this price, the AirPods Pro 2 are a good option for anyone who wants most of the conveniences and features of the Pro 3s without spending nearly $100 more. They have excellent active noise cancellation and great sound quality, and thanks to a firmware update, they do support Apple's new Live Translation feature. Using the buds in tandem with the Translate app on iPhones running iOS 26 or later, you can translate foreign languages in conversation in real time, hearing other languages being spoken to you in your preferred language.
Sound quality remains great on the Pro 2 and battery life hits at around six hours of use on a single charge with ANC enabled. The wireless charging case that comes with the Pro 2 actually offers more total hours of listening time than the Pro 3 — 30 hours in total, in comparison to the Pro 3's 24 hours. You also get most of Apple's health tracking capabilities along with all the conveniences of the H2 chipset, which includes quick pairing and switching, plus hands-free Siri. What you won't get here is built-in heart rate tracking and improved sound quality and ANC, all of which are stand-out features of the new Pro 3.
In addition to the AirPods Pro 2, other AirPods are on sale for Black Friday. AirPods 4, both with and without ANC, are down to record-low or near-record low prices. Plus, the new AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for their best price since their launch in September. We'll update this post as more Walmart Black Friday tech deals come in.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/walmart-black-friday-deals-the-airpods-pro-2-are-down-to-their-lowest-price-yet-170032199.html?src=rss
We've had less than a year to mourn the loss of Dell's iconic XPS laptop brand, and frankly, I'm still not over it. But time moves on. Engadget has already reviewed the Dell 14 Premium, formerly the XPS 14, and now I've finally had a chance to put the larger Dell 16 Premium through its paces. My conclusion? It's still as beautiful as the last XPS 16, but I also think Dell seriously needs to rethink its ultramodern design strategy.
With its minimalist design (look Ma, no visible trackpad!), smooth metal case and clean lines, the Dell 16 Premium looks like a work of art. It's the sort of thing I'd imagine someone creating as a prop for a sci-fi movie in the '90s, when we could barely imagine real notebooks moving beyond chunky grey bricks. But those good looks come at a cost — both in terms of price (it starts at $2,000) and basic functionality.
If you've read my reviews of the XPS 16 and XPS 13 Plus, Dell's first models to use this aesthetic, you might think I'm just beating a dead horse. But it's worth pointing out again, more than three years after I first chastised Dell for chasing style over function, that the company seemingly hasn't learned anything. Sure, it's a bit faster than before, thanks to Intel's Core Ultra chips and NVIDIA's RTX 50-series GPUs, but that's not saying much.
I still have trouble using the 16 Premium's borderless trackpad because it's tough to tell where the clickable zones are. I still hate the capacitive function row, both because it becomes miraculously invisible in bright light and it's tough to build muscle memory for specific keys (like changing the brightness or volume). And honestly, I still don't know how Dell can justify offering only USB-C ports and a microSD card slot on a laptop meant for serious work. Even Apple realized that it had to include a wider variety of ports for professionals, and that's also something other PC makers like ASUS and Acer offer. Did Dell miss the memo?
Worst of all, the 16 Premium's 4K OLED screen seriously hampers its battery life. It only lasted six hours and five minutes during a basic video rundown, whereas the previous XPS 16 lasted eight and a half hours in the much more demanding PCMark 10 battery test. (For some reason, that benchmark didn't run properly on my review 16 Premium review unit.) Larger laptops often stuff in bigger batteries than smaller models, but the 16 Premium can't even manage that.
At least it's faster than before. The Dell 16 Premium I reviewed was equipped with Intel's Core Ultra 7 255H chip and a low-wattage version of NVIDIA's RTX 5070 GPU. It scored around 10 percent higher than last year's XPS 16 in PCMark 10, and it was notably faster in the Geekbench AI benchmark thanks to Intel's revamped NPU. I was even able to play Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K at 84 fps thanks to the 5070, though I had to enable DLSS 4 frame generation to do so. For some reason though, the system would slow to an absolute crawl whenever I enabled ray tracing features. At best, I only saw around 60 fps in 1080p while using the low ray tracing settings.
The Dell 16 Premium from the rear.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Sure, it's not a gaming laptop, so I can't directly compare it to something like the Razer Blade 16. But it's strange to see one of NVIDIA's latest GPUs handle ray tracing so poorly. As you'd expect, the Dell 16 Premium also got pretty loud whenever its fans spun up. At least they managed to keep the system relatively cool though: Its CPU and GPU sat at 68C and 70C, respectively, under load.
The more I looked at the Dell 16 Premium's beautiful facade, the more I wanted something... more. It needs more usable ports, like HDMI and a full-sized SD card reader. It needs more useful function keys that are visible in bright light — and also stay in one place — so I can touch type more easily. And for the love of god, just give up on the invisible trackpad. It's a parlor trick that just makes it harder to tell left and right mouse clicks apart, despite the impressively large trackpad area.
The 16 Premium's "invisible" trackpad blends seamlessly into its wrist rest, while the keyboard lays perfectly flat and a row of capacitive function keys sits above.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Given its premium positioning, I also expected more from the laptop's speakers. They sound fine compared to most Windows laptops, but they can't hold a candle to the audio sorcery Apple accomplishes with the 16-inch MacBook Pro. When playing music, the 16 Premium doesn't have much dynamic range or low-end tone, whereas Apple's speakers often surprise me with their depth and enveloping sound. During late night writing sessions, I often find myself playing music straight through the 16-inch MacBook Pro, rather than casting it off to my Sonos speakers like the 16 Premium forces me to do.
To avoid being entirely negative, I'll reiterate that I genuinely enjoy looking at the Dell 16 Premium. I love the way its keyboard and large key caps lay perfectly flat along the notebook's lower half. And I'll admit, the 16-inch OLED screen looks lusciously colorful when it needs to. I'm just asking for Dell's designers to consider a better balance of style and functionality for their next stab at a premium 16-inch laptop.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/dell-16-premium-review-stylish-to-a-fault-130000463.html?src=rss
