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Including Microsoft's Surface computers, KEF's noise-canceling headphones and Sony's affordable compact camera.
For more of the latest and greatest product releases, check out our full collection of the best new gear.
A lot happened this week. Amazon had its second annual Prime Day — and there are many gadgets still on sale. Microsoft held its big Surface event this week where it announced its next-gen computers (you can read more on those below). And Kodak apparently can't keep up with the demand for film.
There were a bunch of new other products announced, too. Here's what you need to know.
KEF announced its first pair of wireless headphones with active noise-cancellation — the Mu7 — and at $300, they're designed and priced to compete with other flagship noise-canceling headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5. The Mu7 sport custom 40mm drivers and support for aptX HD for high-end sound. They get their unique industrial design (made out of aluminum) thanks to partnership with Ross Lovegrove, who has helped KEF design a number of its super expensive loudspeakers. Available in two different shades of grey: silver or charcoal.
Beyerdynamic announced second-generation models of its Xelento Remote (pictured, $999) and Xelento Wireless ($1,199), which are wired and wireless (neckband-style) in-ear headphones, respectively. And they don't come cheap. The two models pack the same 11mm dynamic drivers, gold-plated connectors and silver-plated cables. The Xelento Wireless support Bluetooth 5.2 and promise 14 hours of playtime.
The Surface Studio 2 Plus is an updated version of its fancy all-in-one desktop, which is notable for its 28-inch touchscreen display that can also fold nearly flat on your desk (so it's easier to draw on). This new version has updated chipsets (both CPU and GPU), which Microsoft claims doubles its performance, and it has three Thunderbolt 4 ports on its back. And no, it doesn't come cheap. It'll be available on October 25.
The Surface Laptop 5 is pretty modest update over its predecessor, the Surface Laptop 5, as Microsoft has given it new Intel processors — although there's no option for AMD chip like before —and USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 4. You'll be able to order it in either 13.5- or 15-inch models. And it'll be available on October 25.
The Surface Pro 9 is Microsoft's newest 2-in-1 tablet. It's very similar to the Surface Pro 8, but it packs newer Intel (12-gen) or ARM chipsets and can be purchased with in color aluminum finishes; previously with the Surface Pro 8, you could spruce it up with a colorful keyboard and other accessories. It has the same 13-inch display as its predecessor. It'll be available on October 25.
Acer is claiming that its Swift Edge is the lightest 16-inch OLED laptop in the world; it weighs 2.58 pounds, which is actually lighter than Apple's newest 13-inch M2 MacBook Air, which weighs 2.73 pounds — and that's pretty nuts. The most notable thing on the inside is that the Swift Edge packs a new AMD Ryzen processor, which is supposed to be more energy efficient than Intel's latest processors, and it's going to need that efficiency to power such big and bright OLED display.
The Quest Pro is the company's highest-end and most expensive virtual reality headset to date. Compared to the $399 Quest 2, the Quest Pro is better in just about every way — better display, better processor, more memory and it comes with significantly improved controllers— but it's also being positioned as more of a productivity device than for gaming. It has a new full-color passthrough feature for mixed reality experiences, so you can see the real world with real-time graphics, alerts and notifications.
Roku has announced its own ecosystem of smart home devices to compete with likes of Google Home, Amazon's Alexa and Apple HomeKit. It's called the Roku Smart Home and it consists of indoor and outdoor security cameras, a video doorbell, smart lights and smart plugs. All these devices will work with Roku's voice assistant, Roku Voice, and be compatible with Roku's new Smart Home app. They will be compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, as well, so buying into Roku's ecosystem doesn't completely lock you in either.
Price: Depends on the device
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is really the first Chromebook that's designed for gaming. It has a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a RGB keyboard because, well, it's a gaming laptop. It lacks the souped up processor and graphics card of real gaming laptops, however, and instead depends on a fast internet connection (supports Wi-Fi 6E) for cloud gaming.
The Sony ZV-1F is the company's newest compact camera for vlogging. It's just $500, which is its cheapest option to date, and it's designed for entry-level vloggers looking to upgrade from their smartphone. The Sony ZV-1F is essentially a more budget-friendly option to the Sony ZV-1 ($748); it has a similar 20-megapixel 1-inch sensor, but has 20mm f/2 lens, which is less versatile than the ZV-1's 24-70mm lens.