Samsung helps move SSD virtualization from software workarounds into hardware design
New NVMe standard could transform storage management inside AI data centers
AI infrastructure demands are driving a major shift in SSD architecture
Samsung Semiconductor has confirmed its role in ratifying TP4193, a new NVMe technical standard called PCIe Exported NVM Subsystem Migration.
The company developed this specification alongside Google and other major infrastructure players within the NVM Express organization.
It fundamentally changes how NVMe solid state drives handle virtualization inside large, AI-driven data centers.
A shift from software tricks to hardware-native design
Storage virtualization has traditionally lived above the SSD itself, managed by hypervisor software running on the host server.
That software had to intercept every command from a virtual machine, disguise the drive's true identity, and pass modified instructions along, a method known as trap-and-emulate.
This approach worked reliably but consumed significant processing cycles and introduced latency into every input and output path.
As AI workloads tied to GPU clusters grew more dynamic, these inefficiencies became far more noticeable across large-scale deployments.
TP4193 moves that entire process into the SSD hardware itself, letting drives present virtualized, isolated storage constructs natively.
The host server now functions as an orchestrator rather than an implementer forced to constantly intercept and rewrite commands.
This shift slims down hypervisor complexity considerably while giving virtual machines direct access to administrative queues, cutting latency in the process.
Why this likely keeps SSD prices elevated for AI buyers
The standard introduces two core capabilities: standardized creation of virtual storage objects and controlled masking of a drive's underlying attributes and capabilities.
Together, these functions let a virtual machine migrate between physical SSDs without noticing any change to its underlying hardware environment.
That capability matters enormously for hyperscale data centers running constantly shifting AI training and inference workloads across GPU-heavy infrastructure.
Since TP4193-compliant drives require new hardware capabilities built directly into the SSD controller, older inventory cannot simply receive a software update to comply.
Companies like Google, already named as collaborators on the standard, have clear incentive to refresh storage fleets to gain these efficiency and migration benefits.
Combined with existing NAND supply constraints and rising demand tied to generative AI infrastructure, that refresh cycle adds fresh upward pressure on enterprise SSD pricing.
Multi-tenant environments benefit from secure isolation across multiple GPU attach points, a feature increasingly demanded by AI infrastructure operators managing shared hardware.
Hyperscalers rarely delay adopting standards that reduce hypervisor overhead and simplify live migration across thousands of virtual machines simultaneously.
Whether this translates into an immediate wave of hardware purchases remains uncertain, since standard ratification and actual product rollout rarely happen on the same timeline.
What seems more predictable is that any near-term drop in enterprise SSD prices looks increasingly unlikely, given how directly this standard ties new capability to new hardware.
Here at TechRadar, I test some of the best 4K Blu-rays each month as part of the Blu-ray Bounty. This is where we look at the latest 4K releases from that month and judge whether they’d be a worthy addition to your collection, focusing solely on the video and audio quality of each disc.
Every so often, a disc wows me so much that I add it to my rotation for testing the best TVs and best soundbars. 4K Blu-ray is my go-to source for AV testing, as it delivers a higher video bit rate, resulting in better picture quality than streaming, and uncompressed soundtracks for the best audio.
Some of the discs from the near-100 discs I’ve tested as part of the Blu-ray Bounty that have joined over the years include Wicked, The Mask, The Sound of Music and Dark City, to name just a few.
As part of the most recent June 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, there’s another disc that will definitely be joining the testing rotation, as it performs at a reference-quality level. And that disc is Speed Racer.
Breathtaking color
Speed Racer's bold red colors proved an interesting test for the Samsung S95H/S99H (left) and LG G6 (right) (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
My go-to 4K Blu-rays for color testing have been Wicked and The Sound of Music. Wicked features an oversaturated, candy-color style that really generates a lot of pop on the right screen, while The Sound of Music delivers still-vibrant but more authentic and realistic colors.
Speed Racer falls in Wicked’s camp, but takes it to another level. Throughout the movie, there are some seriously vivid colors. Red is a prominent feature throughout the movie, as it's the color of Speed Racer’s ‘M’ logo and the interior of his car, both of which are often front and center on screen. It’s also the color of the Racer garage at home and Papa Racer’s shirt, which he wears throughout the movie.
When I tested the Samsung S95H/S99H and LG G6 side-by-side, both TVs interpreted the red differently: the G6 gave it a much deeper red hue, while the S95H/S99H made it look paler, almost orange in some places. Both of these TVs, likely to be two of the best OLED TVs I’ll test in 2026, captured the visual punch of this red, but it was useful to see how each TV interpreted the color.
Both the S95H/S99H (left) and G6 (right) do a great job delivering the vibrant purples of Royalton Industries accurately. (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
There are plenty of scenes where a single color dominates. As the Racer family arrived at Royalton Industries, there were a lot of bold purples, including the airship's color, the walls, and even the transport. On the OLEDs I tested the disc on, these purples had a beautiful richness to them that again was displayed in different ways by the S95H/S99H and the G6, with the latter again adding that bit more depth.
This trend continued throughout the movie, whether it was the neon greens of a grass field in a flashback, the fantastic pink/purple/orange gradients in the sky during sunset or the lush blues of the sky during daytime race sequences (or Speed’s iconic blue and white shirt.) Even the white of the Mach 5 / 6 and Speed’s helmet had a glorious clarity to them, really dazzling on the S95H/S99H and G6.
The use of color is fantastic in Speed Racer, and if you have a TV with Dolby Vision, you’ll be rewarded with the most breathtaking colors, some of the best I’ve ever seen on a 4K Blu-ray. But it’s not just color reproduction where this disc is useful.
A Dolby Atmos showcase
Speed Racer's races sequences are fantastic for sound testing, particularly Dolby Atmos (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future)
When it comes to testing soundbars and TV audio, my go-to 4K Blu-rays have been The Batman, namely the Batmobile/Penguin car chase scene for its detail and bass, and Top Gun: Maverick, for its all-around expansive Dolby Atmos soundtrack.
Speed Racer has proved to be a far more compelling disc, audibly, than I ever thought. While I anticipated some hefty bass from the car’s engines, I didn’t anticipate the level of detail and sound mapping I would hear.
During the opening race, there are plenty of demonstrations of pinpoint accuracy as cars swerve wildly through the corners of the winding track. The sound of squealing tires demonstrates excellent directionality and is fully connected with the action on screen. As a car moves from side to side on screen, you can be sure to hear it in the front channels.
One moment in this scene, in particular, really grabbed my attention, though. As Speed makes his way around the track, he has to grind the rear axle of the Mach 5 against the edge of the track and as I was watching, I heard the sound of a grind come through crystal clear in the left rear speaker of the Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar I was using (an 11.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos system comprising of a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers). This was the moment that made me realize just how precise and detailed the Dolby Atmos mix of this disc is.
Speed Racer's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is truly immersive and exceptionally detailed (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
There’s good use of Atmos effects and height channels too. As Speed uses his spring-loaded chassis to jump over a rival racer, a cut to said rival’s cockpit reveals a burst of not only bass but also the sound of the wind from the Mach 5 as Speed flips over. This sounded immersive, clean, and incredibly precise. There are plenty of helicopter sequences too, which are great for showing what Atmos can do.
There were plenty of highlight moments throughout the movie, but it is the race sequences that showcase the clarity and depth of this Dolby Atmos soundtrack. But there’s one final area where this disc is a perfect testing disc.
Always in motion
Fast-paced race sequences are frequent throughout Speed Racer, and are a great 'stress test' for a TV (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
Motion handling is a key component of any TV. If a TV can’t accurately handle fast-moving images, then action movies and sports won’t look good. While motion interpolation settings, such as judder and blur reduction, can reduce these, they can introduce unwanted side effects, such as the ‘ghosting’ of a ball in a soccer game (where a trail of the ball appears as it travels across the screen).
I anticipate that Speed Racer is going to act as somewhat of a ‘torture test’ for some TVs (like The Batman can be due to its low brightness), as there are not only plenty of fast-paced driving sequences with plenty of quick shifts in direction, but one other real challenge: slow panning shots.
Frequently throughout the movie, commentators from various countries slowly track across the screen from side to side, and even on the S95H/S99H and G6, which have proven to have great motion handling with the right settings, these shots still struggled at times. The commentators sometimes showed judder as the TV’s tried to interpolate the motion, meaning this is something I’ll be using in future tests. With these panning shots, however, there is sometimes natural judder.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
Again, though, it’s the fast-paced race sequences that can make or break a TV’s motion. Chaotic driving as cars swerve to avoid debris, smash into one another, or pull a tight turn can look unnatural if a TV’s motion isn’t right. Too much blur and judder reduction, and it’ll look artificial; not enough, and it’ll look like a juddery mess.
Speed Racer really is one of the best Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos 4K Blu-rays I’ve ever tested and is a triple threat disc for color, motion and sound, so if you’re a regular reader of our TV and soundbar reviews and comparisons here at TechRadar, expect to see Speed Racer appear very soon.
The K100XR can travel at over 220 mph (354 km/h) and has a range of 1.9 miles (3 km)
Nordic Air Defense has demonstrated the K100XR engaging in a live interception
Three K100XR interceptors cost less than a single Stinger missile
Drone warfare has presented numerous challenges over the past few years, mostly demonstrated in Ukraine’s defense and retaliation against the Russian invasion, a prolonged conflict that started in 2022. Stopping drone attacks has proved difficult, but that could be about to change.
Defense startup Nordic Air Defense, along with its partners, have unveiled the K100XR, a portable counter-drone system that can intercept and destroy attack drones, such as the Iranian-built devices employed by Russia.
Recently the subject of a live “Demo Day,” the Nordic Air Defense has taken the K100XR beyond the conceptual stage and demonstrated the drone – which can travel faster than a Black Hawk attack helicopter – before a media audience.
Counter-drone vs. Stinger missile
Working in partnership with Volvo Defense, as well as Polish firms WB Group and Tantalit, Nordic Air Defense has taken the K100XR from concept – as revealed in 2025 – to a working prototype, capable of reaching speeds over 220 mph (354 km/h) which makes it faster than the 183 mph (294 km/h) Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter.
But the speed that this compact 12-inch long drone offers as a response to drone attacks is only part of the story. It can maintain its general position for over 20 minutes, thanks to the fact it relies on not jet, but propeller-based propulsion. The K100XR can reach altitudes of 3,300 feet (just over 1 km) and uses AI to identify and track enemy drones, completely autonomously.
As the AI is embedded within the drone, once it is launched the K100XR requires no continuous input from a human controller. Nordic Air Defense claim that three of these counter-drone devices costs less than a single Stinger missile, which typically costs around $480,000.
Can the K100XR realistically play a part in drone defense?
Following the event, the company issued a statement online, noting “The K100XR is designed to meet that challenge by combining high speed, advanced maneuverability, autonomy and a low cost per kill. Demo Day marked an important milestone for Nordic Air Defence.”
Several theaters are opening up that rely on this technology, from the Iranian crisis in the Middle East to NATO’s response to Russia’s expansionism and belligerence on the EU border (which may explain the interest of Nordic Air Defense’s Polish partners). These largely use low cost Iranian Shahed-type drones, essentially single-use kamikaze devices loaded with explosive payloads. Nordic Air Defense’s Demo Day illustrated how the K100XR can deal with these threats, which makes the “low cost per kill” factor significant.
While the scalability of the operation remains unknown, the cost of K100XR drones versus a Stinger is a clear advantage and will likely be a major deciding factor in whether it can prove a more effective deterrent or response to drone warfare.
The Mac mini has emerged as an affordable system for agentic workloads
Apple has seen "incredible demand" for the Mac mini and Mac Studio
Apple silicon can handle an agentic AI while other architectures use a GPU and CPU
If you’re looking for the best way to explore and deploy agentic AI without breaking the budget, the Mac mini might be just what you’re looking for.
Apple’s Doug Brooks has expressed enthusiasm for how the Mac mini and Mac Studio desktop computers are capable of handling agentic AI tasks, thanks to Apple silicon, the ARM-based SoC that the company has introduced over the past half decade.
Success with local AI on these machines has been attributed to design choices made before the arrival of advanced LLMs, with the evolution of Apple’s Neural Engine highlighted as a key factor.
How the Mac mini is ideal for agentic AI
The Mac Studio is also suited to agentic AI (Image credit: Future)
Brooks is the senior product manager of Apple silicon, and referred to the “incredible demand” for Mac minis and Mac Studios when speaking to The Deep View before WWDC 2026.
Describing the Mac mini as an “amazing system” that can “tap into the strengths of Apple silicon and unified memory in a very power-efficient way, and increasingly they're delivering compelling price-performance as well.”
The price point of a Mac mini – compared to the more expensive Mac Studio – makes it particularly suited to teams exploring agentic AI but without the budget to pay for tokens and larger systems.
Neural Engine technology dates back to the A11 chip, and its evolution and inclusion within the current generation of Apple chips, and its high-performance, power-efficient compute processes are pivotal in delivering machine learning to the desktop.
As many AI tools were available first on the Mac (or released exclusively for macOS), it seems that upgrading to the latest Mac mini or switching from Windows has been instrumental in demand.
Mac mini: amazing for AI
Apple’s work on AI has seen deployment in everyday use across computers, tablets, and smartphones, and the company has been a leading exponent of hybrid AI, where an agent can “decide what needs to happen locally and what needs to happen in the cloud based on the workload.”
“For agentic workloads, people often want a system that's under their control, isolated from their primary machine, and capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
But it is the strength of the Apple Mac mini and Apple Studio – as well Apple’s notebooks – in handling AI that seems to have enthused Brooks the most. He cites security and economics as concerns for developers and creators who are now realising that they can handle AI workloads sitting at their desk – whether using a Mac mini or something more powerful.
Meta is crossing the border to build a data center in Alberta, Canada
The data center will have a 1GW capacity and cost $9 billion to build
It will eventually lead to 300 operational jobs, Meta says
Meta has announced its ambition to build a $9 billion datacenter in Alberta, Canada, with a 1GW capacity.
The project, which was announced in a Meta blog post, is set to be built just outside of Edmonton in Sturgeon County, with the construction expected to take two to three years.
Meta says the data center will support around 3,000 jobs during construction, and then 300 operation jobs when the data center is up and running.
1GW AI-optimized data center
Alongside the data center, Meta has announced that it will improve local infrastructure with a CAD $60 million in roads and water services. The project will also see its electricity usage matched with “100% clean and renewable energy,” with the full costs of the data centers’ energy use covered by Meta.
“This specific location met the factors we typically look for: good access to infrastructure, a robust electric grid and access to energy, a strong pool of talent, and a great set of community partners that helped us move this project forward,” a Meta spokesperson told CNBC.
The project marks Meta’s first data center venture in Canada, and will join a fleet of 32 other Meta campuses across the globe. Alberta was also chosen because of its lenient regulatory environment, allowing the construction to be approved with a comparatively small amount of legwork.
Meta also hopes “to plan for and meet our energy needs years in advance of this data center coming online” by working with Canadian energy services such as Greenlight Limited Partnership, Altalink, Capitol Power and the Alberta Electric System Operator.
The AI capacity offerings from Meta come relatively late in the game compared to industry leaders such as Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft, prompting it to undertake an aggressive buildout across the US and elsewhere.
Meta is also reportedly venturing into the cloud computing industry by selling excess capacity at some of its completed AI data centers in order to offset the costs of construction. Meta predicted that it would spend between $125-145 billion on AI and data centers in 2026.
Customers will have to pay extra to make it road legal
A/C comes courtesy of removing the doors
The US is about to get one of the cheapest electric vehicles ever offered for sale, as the Stellantis Group has confirmed that the tiny Fiat Topolino will be available Stateside.
Starting from just $13,995 (plus a $990 destination fee), the compact electric runaround features an equally minuscule 5.4kWh battery pack that delivers just 46 miles of range on a full charge. There's also a distinct lack of creature comforts.
Based on the Citroën Ami, the glorified golf cart is designed to offer a mobility solution for busy European cities, with the model classed as a light quadricycle (category L6e) that sees the law regard it more like a four-wheeled scooter or moped than a traditional passenger car.
FiatFiatFiatFiatFiat
This allows drivers as young as 14 to get behind the wheel in some European countries, and with the lack of a stereo, air conditioning, or an infotainment display (there is a smartphone cradle), the vehicles are about as basic and easy to maintain as they come.
That said, micromobility options like this are on the rise in the USA, where a craze for golf carts seems to be sweeping the nation.
According to a report by Today, residents of affluent neighborhoods are using electric carts for everything from grocery shopping trips to school drop-offs.
Golf cart manufacturer Club Car says the market value has soared from $1 billion pre-pandemic to more than $5 billion today.
Fiat hopes to cash in on this boom, with a range of stylish Topolinos that arguably have slightly more character than your average golf course transportation.
Analysis: Cute, but not really a car
(Image credit: Fiat)
Thanks to its restricted top speed, diminutive proportions, and limited crash safety features, the Fiat Topolino isn't really classed as a traditional "car" in North America.
In fact, should customers want to use it on public roads, they will have to pay for a special conversion kit to raise the top speed to 25 mph and make it street legal on roads with speed limits of 35mph or less.
According to CNBC, Stellantis won't charge extra for this, but a mandatory destination fee of $990 will see the final price increase to $14,985.
The impossibly cute car, which roughly translates to "little mouse" from its native Italian, will also go on sale in the UK, with prices starting from £8,995.
Numerous models and special editions have already been touted, including a Sport edition that adds bespoke wheels, colors, and badges.
Fiat also unveiled a Multiplina concept (see above) that takes the Topolino platform and stretches it to act as "the missing link between a Topolino and a car," according to its maker.
There's no word on when we will see that go into production, but order books for the standard micro machine are already open in most markets.
It should stop modders from disabling the light that lets people know you're using the camera
Meta is also targeting modders on and off its platform
Last month we shared details of reports that Meta glasses were being modded to bypass privacy protections and turn them into secret spy glasses. Now Meta has revealed it will update the glasses’ software to detect whether its light has been tampered with (or destroyed) to prevent recording.
Whenever you take a photo or video with Meta glasses, a white light appears on the front of the glasses to signal to people around you that you’re filming.
For creeps looking to be more secretive with their recordings, this light is a hindrance, but Meta has imposed more basic tamper-proof features since launch. That is, any attempt to use the camera while the light is blocked — such as by a piece of tape — wouldn’t be allowed. The trouble is, modders have found ways to open up the glasses and disable or damage the light and its mechanisms that prevent it from showing, without getting flagged by the system — meaning you can use the camera as you normally would, but without anyone else knowing.
(Image credit: Meta)
This is (to put it bluntly) not good, and when the reports came out, a Meta spokesperson told me that the company was looking into ways to disable this workaround.
They also explained that Meta is working hard to stamp out advertisements for these kinds of services — some of which appeared on its own Facebook Marketplace platform — with its latest announcement explaining this means banning accounts, taking down listings, and taking legal action against people or businesses that tamper with its tech.
Beyond the detail of updating software to prevent tampering, the whole article from Meta is focused on privacy, and crucially how Meta keeps you and others safe.
Thanks to people misusing its tech, the wider notoriety these gadgets are getting again, and reports of contractors seeing recorded images and videos that Meta glasses users might not have fully realized they could see, Meta and smart glasses makers have been facing major privacy questions.
With this article, Meta seems to answer many of them, though we’ll have to wait and see if it can convince users — or if they might be tempted by the rise of cameraless smart glasses.
The only way is cameraless?
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Even Realities, another smart glasses firm, recently announced it has raised $150 million in investment at a $1 billion valuation — not too shabby for a company that only launched its first XR gadget in 2024.
Instead of Meta’s camera-first approach, Even Realities went for a display-first approach. Information is shown visually as green text and basic diagrams to provide features such as AI advice, navigational directions, or a speech appearing on a virtual prompter. Its specs also lack speakers, though that’s not true for all glasses of their kind.
Losing out on the camera is, of course, a major privacy win for some, as there’s no possible way for the glasses to see something they shouldn’t or be used to spy.
The thing is, I think these kinds of glasses are pretty terrible. Having tested a few at home, the ones without a camera just aren’t worth wearing.
(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)
Smart glasses, despite being increasingly popular, are in their infancy, which in the tech world means you can expect to pay a fair sum for relatively limited features — that’s the price of being an early adopter. That’s especially true, I’ve found, for these XR glasses specifically, because while they can offer several tools like navigation, on-screen translations, a prompter, and notification pop-ups, their usefulness is pretty limited.
How often do you need a prompter? Or one-way translation tools? In the case of the latter, because these kinds of glasses often have you rely on your phone to set up the translation feature or access other features, you might as well just turn to something like Google Translate — which has conversation modes so that two people can talk and see translations through a single device.
The software I’ve found for these types of specs can also be pretty terrible with sluggishness, inaccuracies, and crashes — and if I, as someone who tests smart glasses professionally, have trouble, I can’t imagine what less techy people must think.
Additionally, the green text can be hard to make out on a bright day if you’re outside, making on-screen directions difficult to see.
(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)
While admittedly more limited feature-wise, the Meta glasses and smart specs like them feel like way better value for money. From Meta specifically, the software is generally very reliable, and more broadly, the ability to snap a photo whenever — either to capture a moment or to provide context for an AI’s response — comes in handy so often.
Even if it isn’t as good as my phone camera, the ability to record a memory, hands-free and without being taken out of the moment, is so utterly delightful.
Yes, there are privacy challenges which need to be hashed out more formally, as even without the ability to record privately there is still plenty of room for creeps to harass people with this kind of gadget, but if you want a pair of smart glasses right now there simply isn’t a better option.
Attention 4K Blu-ray fans! Arrow Films has a huge sale on its 4K Blu-rays, with up to 50% off some discs. You can check out the sale at Arrow Films' site, and there are tons of participating retailers, including Amazon in the US and HMV and Amazon UK in the UK. While stock is slim of some discs, between the different retailers, you should be covered.
While there are loads of options in the sale, I've picked my top discs, all of which I've either personally tested as part of our monthly Blu-ray Bounty column, or some that we even own ourselves at TechRadar.
One of my favorites is Dark City, a disc that looks superb on the best TVs, with rich contrast and black tones. Next is Arrow's version of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which is the best the iconic Western has ever looked, with impressive textures and bold colors.
Speaking of bold colors, Heathers is great for showing off your display's color reproduction, as is The Mask, one of my reference discs for testing color and for testing the best soundbars.
For our full thoughts on these discs, check out below. These are just our top picks of discs we've tested ourselves, but there are tons of discs in the sale to check out.
Our top picks from Arrow Video's 4K Blu-ray sale - US
Arrow Video
Dark City 4k Blu-ray
Arrow Video
Westworld (1973) 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Video
The Mask 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Video
The Warriors 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Video
Tremors 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Video
Heathers 4K Blu-ray
Our top picks from Arrow Video's 4K Blu-ray sale - UK
Arrow Films
Dark City 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Films
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Films
Heathers 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Films
Thief 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Films
Tremors 4K Blu-ray
Arrow Films
Westworld (1973) 4K Blu-ray
Why I've picked these discs
Dark City
(Image credit: Arrow Films / Future )
Dark City follows the story of John (Rufus Sewell), a man who wakes up with amnesia to find himself under investigation for murder and being hunted by a group of strange beings known as the Strangers.
Dark City looks superb in 4K. Arrow's restoration delivers crisp, realistic textures and inky black levels, plus, there are plenty of high-contrast scenes that really shine on the best OLED TVs. There's a reason this disc has entered my testing rotation.
The disc has both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtracks. Speech is clear throughout, and while there aren't any scenes that will really test your home theater, the score's deep, rumbling bass will at times get your subwoofer working.
Heathers
(Image credit: Arrow Video / Future )
Heathers follows the story of Veronica (Wynona Ryder), a high-schooler part of a popular clique of girls called Heather. Veronica begins to date a rebellious, new student called J.D (Christian Slater), who eventually starts to kill students he doesn't like.
The Arrow restoration of Heathers does an excellent job capturing the oft-gaudy aesthetic of the 1980s. Colors are bold and vivid (especially the Heathers' outfits), and there's plenty of refined detail in people's clothing. Textures have been cleaned up nicely, making everything, including people's hair and skin, look lifelike.
This disc comes with three soundtrack options: DTS: HD 5.1 MA; Stereo 2.0 and mono. I used the DTS: HD 5.1 MA in my testing, and it was clean and clear throughout. There aren't many showcase moments, but still, speech is clear, sound is mapped well and there is some impact to effects like gunshots.
Westworld (1973)
(Image credit: Arrow Video / Future )
Westworld is about an interactive theme park inhabited by androids, where patrons can live out the fantasy of life in the Wild West. Eventually, the androids turn on both the staff and visitors of the park. The movie stars Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin and James Brolin.
Westworld looks excellent in this restoration from Arrow. Intricate details, such as the parts of a gun, are defined and realistic, while skin looks true-to-life. Colors are also big and bold in places, such as the red of the brothel's walls. Cinephiles will be happy with the level of film grain retained, too.
There are multiple soundtrack options available, including 4.0, 2.0, 1.0 and 5.1. Using the 5.1 for testing, there's some nice detail, demonstrated by the ricocheting bullets which are well mapped to the surround channels. There's a nice, wide soundstage to give different sounds room to breathe, and speech is clear too.
The Mask
(Image credit: New Line Cinema / Future )
The Mask tells the story of Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey), a bank-worker who discovers a supernatural mask that turns him into a super-powered being. The movie helped launch Carrey's movie career, and was the big-screen debut for Cameron Diaz.
While this 4K disc does have fantastic picture quality, (more on that in a sec), really it's the Dolby Atmos and DTS: HD 5.1 MA soundtracks that shine. As the Mask tornadoes around Stanley's bedroom, through the right sound system, the ensuing chaos is precise and accurately mapped, with refined detail. This is true throughout, whether the Mask jumps around or uses cartoon-ish violence. A seriously-impressive sounding disc.
Visually, The Mask looks great too. Color reproduction is this Arrow disc's main strength, with the Mask's yellow suit looking bright and vivid throughout. Textures have a 3D-like level of detail and there's plenty of scenes with strong contrast and deep black tones.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
(Image credit: Arrow Films / Amazon MGM / Future )
One of the most iconic Westerns ever made, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly follows the Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood), as he, a bandit named Tuco (Eli Wallach), and a mercenary 'Angel Eyes' (Lee Van Cleef) all try to find buried Confederate gold through uneasy alliances and betrayals.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly looks sensational in Arrow's 4K restoration. Detail is organic and lifelike, particularly in close-up shots, that show every scar, bit of stubble and dirt in full clarity. Color really pops on screen when used, and the movie's darker scenes show rich, inky black tones and powerful contrast.
There are DTS: HD 5.1 MA and DTS: HD Mono MA soundtracks on offer. The 5.1 soundtrack is immersive, with precise effects, such as ricocheting bullets, and there's a good hit of bass during scenes with explosions and the rumble of horse's hooves. Speech is clean throughout and the movie's legendary score is balanced and beautiful.
The Warriors
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures / Future)
The Warriors, an adaptation of Sol Yurik's novel of the same name, follows the story of a gang in 1970s New York named The Warriors. They find themselves framed for murder, and must make their way back across New York and home to Coney Island, while being hunted by thousands of members from rival gangs.
The Arrow version of The Warriors is excellent. Textures have been uplifted and given a much crisper look, but there's still plenty of film grain, to capture the movie's gritty tone. Colors have plenty of punch, shown best in the opening scene by the different gang's colorful uniforms. Contrast is also strong, and there's plenty of scenes to show this, especially in the gloomy subway platforms.
This Arrow disc contains a Dolby Atmos soundtrack (unlike the Paramount release which only has a 5.1 mix) and it's all the better for it. The soundstage is wide and immersive, effects are clear and there's good impact and accurate sound mapping throughout. The best scene to showcase this is as the Warriors fight the Punks in a subway station bathroom.
Thief
(Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios / Arrow Video / Future)
Thief follows the story of Frank (James Caan), a professional safecracker trying to escape his life of crime. It was Michael Mann's (Heat, Collateral) feature film directorial debut.
Another fantastic restoration from Arrow, Thief looks brilliant in 4K. There's plenty of scenes with rich, powerful contrast, and a good amount of film grain present for cinephiles. Detail, such as skin, hair and clothing, all look refined and lifelike.
There are DTS: HD 5.1 MA and stereo 2.0 soundtrack options on offer. I used the DTS: HD 5.1 MA for my testing and there was plenty of nuanced detail, such as the whirring of the sale drill, that were delivered clearly. Tangerine Dream's excellent score is balanced, with big, bold synths and fantastic clarity.
Tremors
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)
Tremors is about a tiny Nevada town being terrorized by a mysterious underground menace, and it's the definition of a cult classic. It's got a really tight script, and ekes all of its production value from being filmed out in beautiful mountains, mixed with some fantastic practical visual effects.
It's a beautiful transfer that uses HDR to deliver nuanced skies, bright highlights in the sun, and the most ridiculously orange blood and monster bits you've ever seen.
The latter is also delivered in gloriously strong detail and texture, as is the dirt of the countryside as it slides around when a Graboid shifts underneath it. There's a nice grainy softness, but this really makes the most of its 4K upgrade. It sounds great too, but it's the visuals I appreciated most, especially when it comes to admiring the monster effects.
The real highlight here is the adaptive lumbar support that offers consistent support as you shift in your seat. It's not a feature we often see on mid-range and budget office chairs. In our review we called it “an excellent option for those wanting a quality, highly adjustable, and highly supportive chair that will last for years.”
Today's top office chair deal
A highly adjustable ergonomic chair with self-adaptive lumbar support that moves with your body rather than staying in a fixed position. The breathable mesh back keeps you cool over long sessions, and the 4D armrests adjust in four directions so they actually support your arms at the right height and angle for your desk setup.
Our reviewer Collin Probst tested the C7 across full working days and found it genuinely comfortable throughout — no pinch points, no back pain, no need to get up and adjust. Read the full FlexiSpot C7 review for the complete picture.
The feature that sets the C7 apart from cheaper ergonomic chairs is its self-adaptive lumbar support. Most chairs at this price offer a fixed lumbar pad that sits in one spot and stays there whether or not you’ve shifted your weight, leaned forward, or slouched slightly over the course of a long afternoon.
The C7’s lumbar mechanism moves with your micro-adjustments throughout the day, consistently maintaining contact with your lower back rather than losing it the moment you stop sitting perfectly. In our testing, this translated directly to less lower back fatigue over sustained sessions.
The 4D armrests are the other standout feature for the daily work use case. At this price most chairs offer 2D armrests that only go up and down — the C7’s go in four directions (height, width, depth, and pivot angle), which means you can position them to actually meet your elbows where they naturally rest for your specific keyboard and monitor setup. Our reviewer, who is 6’1” with broad shoulders, found them easy to dial in and comfortable for his frame — a useful data point for taller users wondering about fit.
The breathable mesh back addresses the heat issue that plagues many office chairs with solid foam backs. Over an eight-hour day in a warm room, the mesh panels allow air to circulate behind you rather than trapping it, which makes a noticeable comfort difference in the kind of sustained daily use this chair is designed for.
The 90–128-degree recline range is wider than that of most mid-range office chairs, which typically cap out at 110–115 degrees. The full recline position is comfortable for reading or taking a call in a relaxed posture, and the recline tension is adjustable so you can tune how much resistance the chair offers when you lean back.
The up-to-10-year warranty is a meaningful differentiator compared with most mid-range competitors, which ship with 2 or 3 years of coverage. At about $30 per year over the warranty period, that long-term support materially changes the value calculation for a chair you plan to use every day.
One honest note from our best office chairs guide: the C7’s build quality doesn’t match the premium feel of Steelcase or Herman Miller chairs, and the mechanisms — while well-specced — don’t have the same precision glide as higher-end models.
But that's to be expected, and honestly, it never felt like a huge trade-off once we were actually in the seat.
For more of our favorite furniture, we've tested the best office chairs around - and yes, the FlexiSpot C7 is on the list.
The Samsung S95F was our TV of the Year last year, thanks to its excellent picture quality, effectiveness in a bright room and superb gaming capabilities. It edged out the LG G5, the S95F’s flagship rival, for the honors — but needless to say, both these models were top-tier performers and contenders for our list of the best TVs. So I've been relishing testing their successors side by side.
I’ve already tested and reviewed the LG G6, the G5’s successor, and it earned five-stars in my LG G6 review. It’s one of the best OLED TVs I’ve tested this year, especially for bright room viewing (more on that later).
Now, the S95F’s successor — which is called the Samsung S95H in the US, and the S99H in the UK (and there is a separate model called the S95H in the UK, which is different to the US' S95H. Clear? Great…) has arrived in our test room, so I put the S95H/S99H and G6 side-by-side to see which flagship OLED comes out on top.
Colors
Both the Samsung S95H/S99H (left) and LG G6 (right) showcase bold colors, but the S99H made reds in Speed Racer look orange in places, shown in the floors and shelving, while the G6 showed red (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
Color reproduction on both these TV’s predecessors has been superb in the past, so I was keen to see how the two new models would fare. I started with Speed Racer on 4K Blu-ray, which I recently reviewed as part of the June 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, and boy, does it have some impressive colors.
With both TVs set to their respective HDR Movie modes (called Cinema Home on the G6) colors are bold, punchy and vibrant on both TVs, perfectly delivering the hyper-saturated, cartoon-esque look of the movie.
Colors practically exploded on screen on both TVs. Looking closer, the G6 has deeper, richer colors which add a more 3D-like effect to the picture, while the S95H/S99H’s are on the more natural side. Blues, greens, purples and yellows appear more true-to-life on the S95H/S99H, while the G6 opts for dazzle.
One thing I found very interesting however was how each TV rendered red. In some scenes, I noticed that the S95H/S99H made these red details look more orange, while on the G6 they had a much more candy-apple red look that felt more accurate to the movie. This was clear in a scene with the red shelves, walls and floors of the Racer family garage, shown above.
The S95H/S99H (left) has higher fullscreen brightness, but the G6 (right) has punchier peak brightness and bolder colors (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
In the close-up shot of Speed Racer during a race shown above, the red of his seat and the M logo on his helmet was deeper and bolder on the G6, looking a little pale on the S95H/S99H. For any red tones, I preferred the G6’s saturation: for this movie at least, in these modes.
For the record, in terms of measurements, the S95H/S99H scored 2.2 SDR color accuracy and 99.97% UHDA-P3 and 89.3% BT.2020 HDR color gamut coverage, to the G6’s 2.3 SDR color accuracy, 99.3% UHDA-P3 and 83% BT.2020 color gamut coverage (measured after its most recent update as of July 3rd 2026). So, these two generally measured about the same in these major areas.
When it came to skin tones, I found myself drawn to the S95H/S99H. The G6 clearly favoured red in Cinema Home, hence the deeper reds in objects. To some, the skin tones of characters on the S95H/S99H may have looked a little washed out, but I found the highlighting red tones in people’s faces, such as their cheeks, during close-up shots to be a little distracting.
The S99H (left) has more accurate skin tones, with the G6 (right) favoring red shades in skin tones Lionsgate / Future Both TVs show great color reproduction in La La Land, but the S99H's (left) feel more natural Lionsgate / Future Both TVs do a great job rednering the gradation of the sky in La La LandLionsgate / Future
Switching to La La Land, with both TVs in Movie mode, the more natural colors worked in the S95H/S99H’s favour. At the spring pool party, Mia’s yellow dress was vibrant on both screens with some gorgeous visual pop, but the yellow looked more authentic on the S95H/S99H. In the background, the green bushes were deeper on the G6, which gave them a nice, rich look, but again I felt the softer green of the S95H/S99H suited the movie better.
Later on, a close-up shot of Mia, the G6 again showed off the red tones in her skin, while on the S95H/S99H, her skin tone was uniform, more lifelike. In the ‘City of Stars’ scene, as Sebastian walks along a pier at sunset, both TVs accurately delivered the gradation of the sky, which goes from purple, to orange, to pink, accurately and while the G6 again had that richer look, the S95H/S99H had a bit more punch in the paler tones.
Contrast and dark room viewing
With both TVs set to Movie mode (Cinema Home on the G6), both can easily show a dark movie like The Batman in brightly lit conditions and still have good contrast (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
Moving onto darker movies, I started with The Batman, my reference disc for darker scenes. The Batman is a very dim movie (mastered at a max of around 400 nits) so it can be tricky for any TV to accurately display.
As both TVs have effective reflection handling layers (more on that below), I tried out the movie in Filmmaker Mode in a brightly lit room — and of the two, the G6 better preserved richer black tones with crisper textures and contrast. The S95H/S99H was much dimmer, and although the matte screen blocked mirror-like reflections, the movie was harder to watch.
Switching to Movie mode on both TVs, it then became a much closer call. Watching the subway scene, as Batman stands on a dark subway platform, both TVs delivered strong black levels with good shadow detail. The S95H/S99H had the more uniform picture of the two overall in Movie mode.
With both TVs set to Filmmaker Mode, the S95H/S99H (left) shows deeper blacks and more dynamic contrast, but sometimes can crush said blacks. The G6 (right) preserves better detail, but is a little bright (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
Switching to darker viewing conditions, and switching back to Filmmaker Mode, the differences between each TV was much more apparent. While both TVs still delivered strong contrast, shown in scenes with bright lights against dark backgrounds such as the Batcave and the crime scene at Mayor Mitchell’s house, the S95H/S99H actually delivered noticeably deeper blacks.
In some cases they were too deep, as it did exhibit some black crush, which resulted in loss of shadow detail. In the same subway scene from before, the background became mostly ineligible on the S95H/S99H. On the G6, these same details were preserved, but the picture was much brighter and the darker areas on screen weren’t as satisfying. Despite the black crush, I found myself drawn to the S95H/S99H’s more uniform picture.
With both TVs in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 (right) does a better job showing this scene from Fight Club in a bright room20th Century Studios / Future With both TVs set to Movie mode, it becomes a much closer call20th Century Studios / Future
Next I switched to ‘brighter’ movies with dark scenes, and went back to having brighter conditions in the room. In Fight Club, back in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 had the more impactful contrast and richer black tones.
As Marla and the narrator talk in a dimly-lit shop, the S95H/S99H’s matte screen created a haze effect across the screen, affecting some dark tones and made textures look a little softer. The G6’s glossy screen had crisper textures and deeper blacks with more impactful contrast. But switch to Movie mode and, again, it was a toss up as to which looked better.
Using a scene from space in Alien: Romulus in Movies modes, both TVs delivered rich black tones with a good amount of white stars dotted throughout, something some cheaper TVs I’ve tested can’t reproduce as cleanly. Again, in Filmmaker Mode, the G6 was the more engaging picture with the inky blacks, but the S95H/S99H did a better job handling reflections on this occasion, while still delivering powerful contrast. So let's dig more into reflections and visual punch.
Brightness and reflections
Both TVs deliver bright, brilliant whites with excellent, controlled brightness. A note: the S95H/S99H does not have this red tint in person, it is the matte screen being picked up the camera awkwardly (Image credit: Future)
OLED TVs are getting brighter. Once struggling to hit over 1,000 nits HDR peak some years ago, this is easily surpassed now, on both flagship and mid-range models.
I measured the S95H/S99H as hitting 2,739 nits HDR peak brightness (10% window) in Filmmaker Mode, as well as 449 nits of fullscreen HDR (100% window). In HDR movie mode, the S95H/S99H hit 2,751 nits peak and 450 nits fullscreen.
The G6 in the same modes, after a re-test with a new firmware update, hit a staggering 3,004 nits peak (10%) and 451 nits fullscreen brightness in HDR Filmmaker Mode. In HDR Cinema Home, the G6 hit 2,207 nits peak and 365 nits fullscreen brightness.
How did this translate into real-world scenes? Using some snow scenes from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark, both TVs, set to Filmmaker Mode, showed punchy white tones with plenty of vibrancy, but the G6 had that little bit more depth in some areas. Generally, however, the S95H/S99H had the brighter picture in larger white areas, during a shot of a snow-covered ground or a white sky.
The S95H/S99H's (left) stronger fullscreen brightness in Movie mode is on show in this scene from Fight Club, as the blue sky looks much brighter than on the G6 (right) (Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future )
In movies, going back to Speed Racer, Speed’s white Mach 5 car and helmet appeared brighter on the S95H/S99H, especially in Movie mode, which makes sense based on the 500 nits peak HDR difference between the S95H/S99H and G6 in that mode.
However, the G6 again had that satisfying glint that drew the eye more. In daytime scenes, the S95H/S99H again showed higher overall brightness, especially in lighter colors like green and yellow. But, the G6’s richer colors sometimes gave it a perceived sense of higher brightness through its boldness.
In another scene from Fight Club, again in Movie mode, as the narrator stands over an overturned car in the day, the clear, blue sky was noticeably brighter on the S95H/S99H. The G6 still showed good brightness, but it wasn’t as impactful as the S95H/S99H.
Both TVs are very effective at reducing reflections and while the S95H/S99H (left) is better at getting rid of them totally thanks to its matte screen, the G6 (right) does a better job maintaining black tones while reducing reflections (Image credit: Future)
I’ve touched on bright-room conditions and reflection handling above, and both these TVs are impressive on this front. The S95H/S99H’s anti-glare screen does an excellent job at eliminating mirror-like reflections, turning them to a haze. While it would beat every other OLED TV in brighter rooms, the G6 is more than a match for it.
When I compared the LG G6 to last year's Samsung S95F for their reflection handling, I preferred the G6, as it did a better job delivering inkier, richer black tones while still eliminating most reflections.
The S95H/S99H is brighter than the S95F, and while this does mean its overall picture quality next to the G6 is improved, delivering more powerful contrast, I still prefer the G6 for bright rooms… in Filmmaker Mode.
In Movie mode, however, it again becomes a very tight call, edged by the G6 for me. I just preferred the preservation of contrast over the out-and-out reflection handling.
Which do I prefer?
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future )
In these tests, the LG G6 proved to have bolder colors, with better black levels and punchier highlights in brighter conditions (still with great reflection handling). The Samsung S95H/S99H showed better skin-tone accuracy, better contrast balance and black tones in dark room viewing, and higher perceived fullscreen brightness.
Deciding between these two TVs is no easy task. Both deliver outstanding picture quality, with their own strengths, and superb gaming experiences. It's never been a closer contest. So torn am I between the two, I’m saying you can’t really go wrong with either. It will come down to price and what you’re looking for — though while I've only focused on picture here, I do know that a lot of people are put off by the huge frame on the S95H/S99H, and that might make the difference.
If you want Dolby Vision HDR, bolder colors and better contrast with richer black levels in a bright room, go for the G6. If you want HDR10+, a more accurate-feeling picture out-of-the-box in a dark room, and a TV that beats the most challenging reflections, go for the S95H/S99H. Honestly, both TVs can do pretty much everything.
If I had to choose one today, it would be the LG G6. Not only does it have the better black level performance in brighter rooms, but right now, it's cheaper in the UK (where I am) and Australia, with a 55-inch G6 costing $2,299 / £2,099 / AU$3,499, while the S95H/S99H 55-inch costs $2,199 / £2,399 / AU$3,999. If I were in the US, or if the prices switch here, I could easily change my mind: it's that close.
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