Issue 197

T3 Australia

The gadget and technology magazine

T3 Australia1 min read
T3 Australia
Editor: Ben Mansill ben.mansill@futurenet.com Creative Director:Troy Coleman troy.coleman@futurenet.com Matt Bolton, Nick Odantzis, Claire Davies, Paul Dimery, Craig Stewart, Chris Barnes, James Jarvis, Warren Brown, Duncan Bell, Joe Branston, Alex C
T3 Australia1 min read
Editor’s Letter
Thanks to the economic wonder that drives this modern world, pretty much every new day sees gadgets and tech toys and tools released upon the free market, for you to buy and use until they break, get lost, or are superseded. T3’s function in all thi
T3 Australia1 min read
T3 ’s Mission
T3’s mission is to help you find the best products for every area of your tech lifestyle. From traditional gadget buys like phones and TVs to connected home security and sports sensors, if it can make your life better, we’re here to make sure you get
T3 Australia1 min read
Our Awards
Only a five-star review earn a product our prestigious Platinum Award We give this only to tech that stands out for stunning aesthetics or a clever build This award, and others like it, are given for exceptional performance in a key feature The wi
T3 Australia6 min read
Horizon
$TBC, philips.com.au Philips’ TV division has been growing fast in recent years. The company’s patented Ambilight tech allows it to offer something completely unique to the market, its partnership with Bowers & Wilkins adds solid audio offerings to i
T3 Australia1 min read
The Bomb Squad
A tailored bomber that passes as a smart overshirt. Reiss has crafted it from a sumptuous blend of wool-infused fabrics, with a heavier weight to rest over jumpers. $475, reiss.com Patterned bombers are a hot ticket for spring, but if bold prints
T3 Australia1 min read
The Hottest Timepieces Right Now
One of the most emblematic El Primero chronographs, the A385 made headlines in 1970 when it was strapped to a Boeing 707’s landing gear on a flight from Paris to New York. $12,200, zenith-watches.com The Oyster Perpetual range has been completely
T3 Australia1 min read
Money No Object
Ageing skin is a fact of life, but that doesn’t mean we have to take it lying down. LED face masks have been a thing in America for quite some time, but now they’re infiltrating our shores with promises of plumper, more supple and less crinkly skin.
T3 Australia1 min read
Gadget Guru’s Magic Box
Guru’s trials and tribulations in the home renovation game are well known by now, but following the departure of his previous builder from the project (apparently he’d made a mint on Bitcoin, so could no longer be bothered) GaGu saw the setback as an
T3 Australia4 min read
Gadget Guru
Which kind of headphones offer the best experience? A Presuming we’re leaving out ear buds and on-ear headphones here, both for reasons of space and because each category is a subjective minefield, GaGu will limit this selection to only over-ear kit
T3 Australia1 min read
Now Playing
It get didn’t Guru. The timeywimey film flew through Guru’s eyes, ricocheted about his brain, then dribbled out of his ears. Maybe why he couldn’t hear the dialogue. There’s a void between your author’s 500 ELO chess rating and his ambition, so he’s
T3 Australia1 min read
Best Hiit Workout Gear
Performing HIIT with a TRX Slam Ball requires dedication, lots of power and good form to avoid any unnecessary strains or injuries. It’s worth it, though, as repeatedly mashing the TRX Slam Ball into the ground gets the blood pumping and feels awesom
T3 Australia1 min read
Back To Basics
Adidas has a shot at reimagining the original Ultraboost and delivering a bold new design combined with the latest performance technology. The core development is the redesign of the torsion system. $270, adidas.com.au ■
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Breathe In, Breathe Out
What is Lumen ($385, lumen.me)? Lumen is a hand-held, portable device that measures metabolism. In essence, Lumen is a breathalyser that uses “CO2 sensor and flow meter to determine the CO2 concentration in a single breath”. Based on this, the algori
T3 Australia1 min read
Carbon Plated
With the combination of 6mm heel-to-toe drop, a rockered midsole and the carbon plate running the length of the shoe, running in the Vectiv Flight almost feels like cheating. The Carbon adds an additional level of stabilty and propulsion to your stri
T3 Australia3 min read
Duncan Bell Is Upgrading
You know that you have achieved Peak First World Problems when you start complaining about being sent free stuff, so I try not to do that, as it would be unseemly. However, the sad fact is that my job mainly involves getting sent shiny new tech baubl
T3 Australia10 min read
Gadget Wishlist
The new LG UltraWide monitor for 2021 is going to dominate pretty much any room you put it in, thanks to its curved, 39.7-inch Nano IPS LCD display panel, running at a 5K resolution. Creatives will appreciate that 98 percent of the DCI-P3 colour spac
T3 Australia5 min read
Cracking Cameras
By far and away the dominant area of the market right now – at least in terms of new releases – mirrorless cameras bring you all the latest camera technology, generally in smaller and lighter packages than traditional DSLRs. Having been around for ju
T3 Australia5 min read
Running Watches
Running has never been unpopular but it saw a huge surge in interest in the last 12 months, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown in many countries. Despite all the negativity that surrounds the virus, the pandemic had a positiv
T3 Australia4 min read
Top-notch Turntable Setups
A semi-automatic, belt-driven turntable with a built-in phono stage and USB recording, the Lenco L-85 is a great starter deck. It offers an enjoyable performance for the money, which is next to nothing in record player terms, and its on-board pre-amp
T3 Australia2 min read
The Best Running Watches For All Type Of Runners
You don’t need a running watch to get better at running, although wearing one can get you road fit faster. The best running watches in 2021 are way more accurate than sports wearables used to be, even just a few years ago. The most competent running
T3 Australia2 min read
Best Foot Forward
Running is all about cardio endurance, so don’t try to go a 100 miles an hour when you first start. Get the heart rate up gradually and keep it at a steady level throughout the run, definitely below 70% of the maximum heart rate, which can be calcula
T3 Australia1 min read
Best Running Accessories For Newbies
The Lightrike foam is Adidas’ latest innovation and it was first introduced in the SL20 running shoes. This light and responsive foam makes every run a joy, perfect for everyday training and jogging. $95, adidas.com.au The Openmove might be entry
T3 Australia4 min read
Small Speakers For Every Room
The diminutive Dot sounds better than the third generation, its front-firing speaker more effective than the previous model’s unidirectional one, and its voice recognition is better too. The bigger Echo sounds better but the Echo Dot is happy in smal
T3 Australia1 min read
Tested
In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exi
T3 Australia2 min read
Sony A7C
Announced in September 2020, the Sony A7C holds the accolade of the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera system. In essence, Sony has blended together its top-of-the-line APS-C model, the Sony A6600, with its mid-range full-frame camera, t
T3 Australia1 min read
Verdict
WE’RE IMPRESSED Small and light; kit package well-priced; fully articulating screen. WE’D IMPROVE Handling; low-resolution viewfinder; kit lens not the best; single card slot. THE LAST WORD With full-frame tech inside an APS-C body, the A7C’s perfo
T3 Australia3 min read
Hisense 75U80G ULED 8K TV
$6,999 hisense.com.au The TV is, as is the way of modern TVs, sleek, slim in bezel with a somewhat spidery stand. The TV looked to also have four mounting points suitable for a standard VESA-compliant wall-mounting bracket. All the connections – fou
T3 Australia2 min read
Hiking Boots
Like the tyres of a car, the most important part of your outdoor gear is the bit that grips the road or trail, and a good quality pair of hiking boots are the critical tools you need to enjoy the outdoors. The very best hiking boots will not only be
T3 Australia1 min read
Verdict
WE’RE IMPRESSED Great 8K of course. Just as importantly, first class scaling of lesser resolutions up to that magical 8K. WE’D IMPROVE We’re moving into a world of much more refined local dimming. It would have been nice to see that here. THE LAST
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
The Samsung Q950TS was the company’s flagship 8K TV last year, and this is where Samsung is really trying to impress you. The result? We’re impressed. $15,245 (85 inch), samsung.com Sony has put out a truly stylish, well-crafted television – the f
T3 Australia6 min read
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
From $1,849 samsung.com The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the phone the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra should have been. Last year’s phone was a massively powerful handset that, in some areas, was coarse around the edges – and as such fell from grace in ter
T3 Australia3 min read
Apple AirPods Max
$899 apple.com/au Apple’s new over-ear cans raised eyebrows, voices and hackles when they were announced thanks to a steep price. With some remarkable design and audio engineering, the AirPods Max are worthy of a higher price. But this much more? Ai
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
These are the Clark Kent of ANC cans: unassuming until they reveal their powers. They have super ANC, breathtaking sound and great battery life and to pause your music, just start speaking. $369, sony.com.au The PX7 look amazing and, remarkably, s
T3 Australia1 min read
Pro Add-ons
To make the most of the S21 Ultra’s features, you’re going to want one of these bad boys. It will allow you to note and scribble to your heart’s content and Samsung currently packages them with a compatible case from just $99. $59, samsung.com Whi
T3 Australia1 min read
Verdict
WE’RE IMPRESSED Beautifully natural and open sound; excellent ANC; great comfortable fit; really nice engineering. WE’D IMPROVE Very high price; some battery annoyances; Smart Case just isn’t that useful. THE LAST WORD These are some of the best-so
T3 Australia3 min read
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1)
From $1,999 apple.com/au This is the most exciting laptop Apple has made in years. Some may rightly point out that this isn’t a high bar – after all, there’s been a feeling for a while that Apple has been playing it safe with its MacBooks, instead s
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
This item from Dell is a true beast of a laptop, with a 10th-gen i5 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD as standard. But can it rival Apple’s mighty M1 chip for speed? Not quite. From $1,799, dell.com Announced just last month, the latest Gram 17 h
T3 Australia2 min read
Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro
$319 thrustmaster.com Let’s cut straight to the chase: this is a seriously good controller and one that offers truly phenomenal customisation and configuration options. Its party piece is its ability to swap out its joysticks, d-pad, triggers and gr
T3 Australia2 min read
Polar Verity Sense
$129 polar.com/au-en While anyone who cares even just a little bit about their health and fitness is likely to have gone and bought themselves a wrist-based fitness tracker over the years, if you’re looking to up your training intensity or you want
T3 Australia1 min readNetworking
Specifications
Android 6+, iOS 12+ compatible; 6-LED optical HR tracking; 16MB memory; Bluetooth LE; ANT+; 50m water resistance; 20h training battery life; 30mm diameter, 9.6mm height; 5g tracker, 7g armband, 2g goggle clip. ■
T3 Australia2 min read
Samsung HW-Q950T
From $1,299 samsung.com As a big, comprehensive Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Samsung HW-Q950T aims to create the effect of an elite 9.1.4 surround setup using four wireless boxes. The soundbar itself is substantial, and extremely nicely finished. There
T3 Australia1 min read
Specifications
Display sizes 43, 50, 55, 58, 65, 70, 75 inches Panel 3840x2160 LED OS Tizen HDR HDR10+, HLG Connectivity 2x HDMI, 1x USB, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 5 Sound 2.0 channel, 20W Dimensions 963x558.4x59.2mm - 1672.2x957.7x59.5mm Weight 8.1kg - 30.4kg ■
T3 Australia2 min read
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
From $1,299 consumer.huawei.com The Huawei Mate 40 Pro finds itself with the same problem as other recent Huawei handsets: top-notch hardware but issues on the software front since the US stopped it from dealing with Google. That means you might not
T3 Australia3 min read
Samsung RU7100
$799 (50in) samsung.com This TV takes a key place in Samsung’s line up: the company cornered the ‘entry-level TV by a credible brand’ market some time ago and, based on how strongly above its weight the RU7100 punches, doesn’t seem ready to give it
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
A budget TV ground-breaker. If you want a big screen, a banging picture and bags of apps (but weedy sound), then there’s few better purchases right now. $595 (50in), hisense.com. au This is the fanciest non-QLED TV Samsung makes, offering crisp H
T3 Australia3 min read
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
From $999 microsoft.com The Surface Laptop Go marks an attempt by Microsoft to offer a more affordable alternative to its line of premium products – and in this case those premium products are the Surface Laptop 3 and the Surface Book 3. It’s a lapt
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
Looking for something slightly cheaper but that feels premium? The Vivobook 15 is the place to look. It has tiny bezels and a lush design, but its innards aren’t quite as powerful as a higher specced Surface Go. From $749, asus.com For those that
T3 Australia1 min read
Requirements
Tracker Apple Watch Series 3 or later Devices iPhone 6s or later / iPad / Apple TV OS watchOS 7.2 and iOS 14.3 / iPadOS 14.3 / tvOS 14.3 or later Extra equipment Some exercises may require dumbbells, a yoga mat, a stationary bike, a rowing machine, o
T3 Australia3 min read
Apple Fitness+
$14.99 a month/$119.99 pa apple.com/au Bound to have the likes of Peloton and Fiit shaking in their gym socks, Fitness+ offers an interactive fitness experience powered by the Apple Watch. Clearly, Apple’s goal is to dominate the fitness space. But
T3 Australia3 min read
Grado GT220
$365 gradolabs.com Anyone concerned about whether Grado’s acknowledged mastery of over-ear headphones could translate to a pair of true wireless in-ears, relax. Something so small never sounded so mighty. ‘Design’ is not really something that happen
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
If you’re looking for a more established ecosystem with no shortage of trainers, this is the right (ahem) Fiit. It maybe doesn’t have the sheer variety of Fitness+ though and is a fair bit dearer. Approx. $18 a month, fiit.tv Offering great classe
T3 Australia1 min read
The Alternatives
These tiny but mighty buds are a favourite of ours for a reason. Not only do they offer IPX4 weatherproofing and 11 levels of adjustable ANC, they’re discreet and offer awesome audio. $299, jabra.com.au You can’t knock the AirPods Pro: they’re com
T3 Australia9 min read
Best Of The Best
If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Best of the Best is the most useful gadget-buying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has t

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