A triptych image of the Meridian Ellipse, LG C5 and Xiaomi 15.
(Image credit: Future / Meridian / LG / Xiaomi)
We're officially now only a few short days away from the kicking off of Amazon Spring Deal Days, the retailer's first big sale of the year on March 25 - 31. Given you're likely to already have a long wishlist of tech you want to buy, we wanted to be on hand to help out. That's why we've rounded up some of the hottest reviews we've carried out over the last week to help you whittle it down a little.
We've got plenty of reviews to sate your curiosity. First off, we've been putting the LG C5 OLED TV to the test to see if its glorious color, cutting-edge gaming features, and smart AI improvements help the C-series retain its crown of some of the best sets ever made. On top of this, we've been trying out Meridian's super-premium wireless speaker to see whether its clever audio processing justifies its high price tag. And there's plenty more where they came from.
LG C5 with AI Voice search on screenTechRadar Editor's Choice 5 star badge on a black background
(Image credit: Future)
The LG C5 follows directly in the footsteps of its C-series forebears, offering that perfect mid-range sweet spot between impressive performance and price. Available at a nearly identical cost as its predecessor, the C4, this OLED TV offers fantastic picture quality and cutting-edge features that make it a shoo-in for one of the best TVs out there.
The C5 is crammed full of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming, while it's rocking a heap of new AI features and an upgraded Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI processor. Its picture is truly breathtaking as well – offering vibrant color, bold contrast, and exquisite detail, as well as impressive Dolby Vision HDR. All in all, it's a great performer for a moderate price.
For
Brilliant picture quality
Full suite of gaming features
Great webOS smart TV platform
Against
Sound could be better
No HDR10+ support
Minimal upgrade over the LG C4
Reviewed by
James Davidson
Reviewed by
James Davidson
"Delivering excellent picture quality, superb gaming performance, and an intuitive smart TV platform with new AI features, the LG C5 is a top-notch TV. It's hard to argue with how good it really is."
Read James's fullLG C5 OLED TV review.
The Xiaomi 15 against a blue sky
(Image credit: Jamie Richards Future)
The Xiaomi 15 is crammed full of power, even when compared to other high-end phones. Packing the best-in-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, it's capable of staggering performance, whether you're talking everyday use or high-octane gaming. Meanwhile, its 5,400mAh silicon-carbon battery is pretty impressive for comparitively small phone, meaning you should comfortably get a full day's use out of it.
On the face of it, the Xiaomi 15 is a solid contender for one of the best phones out there. However, there is one significant hurdle: getting hold of one. As with any Xiaomi phone before it, the 15 isn't available in the US, meaning it's going to be hard for a lot of potential users to buy one. That's a real shame, given its staggering power and reasonable price.
For
Fantastic display
Great ergonomics
Long-lasting battery
Against
Bloatware and advertising
Conspicuous design
Reviewed by
Jamie Richards profile picture
Reviewed by
Jamie Richards
"The Xiaomi 15 impresses in nearly every category, going toe-to-toe and even beyond its more familiar contemporaries with a luxurious build, impressive camera system, and ultra-speedy performance. The admittedly fast operating system is marred by bloatware, but this powerful flagship is still one to consider, so long as you can get ahold of one."
Read Jamie's fullXiaomi 15 review.
The Meridian Ellipse from above on a stone worktop in front of a pink background and a house plant.
(Image credit: Future)
The Meridian Ellipse is a seriously high-end wireless speaker. Not only can it handle hi-res audio sources, either by Wi-Fi or wired inputs such as USB-C or optical inputs, but it's also crammed with clever features, from position-optimization settings to vertical sound-raising technical wizardry. It's also well-built and has an attractive finish, although it's perhaps not as fancy as some of its similarly pricey rivals among the best wireless speakers.
Unfortunately, it is a little lacking where it counts most. While its clarity and detail can be truly fantastic, offering unerringly precise recreation of hi-res recordings, it does have some gaps in its frequency balance, with sub and low-midrange, in particular, losing some presence. For a speaker that costs such a premium, you might want to consider if this is a compromise you're happy to make.
For
Crisp, accurate presentation
Crammed with smart features
Sounds great at higher volumes
Against
Eye-wateringly expensive
Slightly weak sub and lower mids
Some cheaper rivals offer better sound
Reviewed by
Josh Russell author bio image
Reviewed by
Josh Russell
"The Meridian Ellipse offers precise hi-res audio and has a handful of well-executed features that are almost unrivaled. But scratch the surface and there are some sonic weaknesses; at this kind of price, that becomes impossible to ignore."
Read Josh's fullMeridian Ellipse review.
From left to right, there's a MacBook Air and XPPen drawing display with accessories. There's some brightly coloured artwork on the display that reads "Spicy".TechRadar recommends badge on a white background
(Image credit: Future)
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is a mid-range drawing display packaged up with all the accessories you could need – and then some. It comes with two styli, a wireless shortcut remote, a stand, and much more besides. It's a dream to draw on, with zero lag or jitter, while the textured anti-glare etched glass makes it feel a lot like sketching in real life.
But perhaps the factor that makes it one of the best drawing tablets is that colossal 24-inch screen. Not only does this allow you to work on even larger pieces at near lifesize but, with its 16.7 million colors and 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 98% Display P3 color gamut, it reproduces photos and illustrations with gorgeous, vivid hues. Not bad given it is quite a bit cheaper than many of the premium options out there.
For
Vibrant and detailed 4K display
No lag or jitter; minuscule parallax
Natural, precise drawing experience
Customizable buttons on styli and remote
Against
Large and heavy
Impractical dial on shortcut remote
Supplied with unnecessary cables
Reviewed by
Cesci's headshot in pink.
Reviewed by
Cesci Angell
"The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is a truly impressive and good-value, large-format pen display, the surface of which feels impressively natural to draw on. Despite its capabilities, it's also simple to use, making it a good choice for professionals and beginners."
Read Cesci's fullXPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review.
Sage Oracle Jet coffee machine with cup of coffee and milk pitcher on kitchen counterTechRadar Editor's Choice 5 star badge on a black background
(Image credit: Lee Bell)
Sitting right at the nexus of top-quality, customizable coffee and labor-saving automation, the Sage Oracle Jet lets you make your coffee your way, even if you're not a full-fledged barista. First off, its burr grinder offers 45 different settings, letting you make seriously precise adjustments to your grind to get the best out of your beans. Its automatic tamping system also serves up a perfect, pre-tamped puck of coffee, so you can get straight on with your brew.
And this is as easy as any of the best espresso machines, thanks to a touchscreen display that guides you through every step of drink selection, grinding, extraction, and milk frothing. Meanwhile, its Auto MilQ steam wand textures milk to the perfect consistency to match your chosen beverage and selected milk type. All told, it's incredibly easy to use while offering delicious results.
For
Exceptional espresso quality
Automatic grinding, tamping and milk frothing
Large, intuitive touchscreen
Smart grind adjustment guidance
Against
Pricey
Takes up quite a lot of space
Grinder can be messy
Can’t brew and steam simultaneously
Reviewed by
Lee Bell
Reviewed by
"The Sage Oracle Jet is an incredibly advanced yet user-friendly espresso machine that blends automation with barista-level control. It’s perfect for those who want high-quality coffee at home without the learning curve of a fully manual machine."
Read Lee's fullSage Oracle Jet review.
You may like
Reviews Editor
Josh is Reviews Editor at TechRadar. With over ten years of experience covering tech both in print and online, he’s served as editor of T3 and net magazines and written about everything from groundbreaking gadgets to innovative Silicon Valley startups. He’s an expert in a wide range of products from Spatial Audio headphones to gaming handhelds. When he’s not putting trailblazing tech through its paces, he can be found making melodic techno or seeking out the perfect cold brew coffee.