You can feel the excitement in the air. Grand Theft Auto 6 will be available to play in less than two weeks, officially launching on November 19. We're fortunate here in Australia, as we'll be able to play the much-anticipated game before the rest of the world — our Kiwi cousins get it slightly earlier, but what's a few hours when we've had to wait 13 years.
That's only possible if you download the game ahead of time. And with preloading officially kicking off today, November 10, you'll want to make sure your NBN plan is ready to download the enormous 212GB file. If it isn't, there's still time to switch to one of the fastest NBN plans before launch day, so you can begin preloading and doing your bit to help avoid breaking the Australian internet.
And now is a great time to switch regardless, as several early Black Friday NBN deals have gone live, including an offer from Telstra that's almost too good to be true.
The telco is currently offering 50% off plan fees for four months across all of its plans, making it one of the cheapest providers for introductory pricing across several speed tiers. Yes, it happened — we got cheap Telstra NBN plans before GTA 6.
With the fastest NBN plans capable of downloading GTA 6 in as little as 14 minutes, compared with 56 minutes on slower connections, switching could make all the difference.
I’ve selected Exetel’s NBN 500 plan as the top choice for this tier, as it’s not only affordable, with fuss-free billing, but it’s possible to boost your speed to NBN 1000 for 24 hours for just AU$1, perfect for downloading GTA 6 faster. Plus, the telco recorded the quickest ping speeds in the most recent ACCC broadband performance data report of 6.9ms, which could be ideal if you intend to game online.
The most affordable NBN 750 plan that promises maximum plan speeds is this one from Spintel. The telco receives generally favourable reviews from customers, and even the ongoing cost is low for the tier, with the AU$94.95 monthly fee coming in well under the current AU$107 average.
• AU$69 total minimum cost • AU$983.70 first year cost • AU$1,139.40 ongoing yearly cost
It’s definitely possible to spend less on an NBN 1000 plan (and if you do, make sure to check out my other recommendations), but this plan from Superloop is well-optimised for online gameplay and has been proven to overdeliver on its typical evening speed claims. Throw in near-universal acclaim, and you have yourself a fine choice for a gigabit internet plan.
• AU$89 minimum cost • AU$1,218 first year cost • AU$1,368 ongoing yearly cost
If you want an NBN 2000 plan, then you’ll likely first need to have dedicated equipment installed at your premises, which could affect the time it takes to download GTA 6. Still, if it’s the plan for you, this option from Superloop gets my seal of approval. Only a handful of providers currently offer an NBN 2000 plan, and given Superloop’s track record and positive reviews, and below-average pricing, it’s an easy recommendation.
• AU$148 minimum cost • AU$1,896 first year cost • AU$2,016 ongoing yearly cost
Over the last few years, Zoom has probably had one of the most intriguing journeys in the business world.
After booming during the pandemic, the company has since expanded its offerings to cover a huge range of enterprise needs, with contact center services alongside traditional video conferencing and expanding AI tools.
As the company looks ahead to its new AI-enabled evolution, I went to the Zoom Experience Centre in London to find out more.
Refusal to compromise
“When we look at EMEA, we think the landscape is shifting in how organizations think about the technology they rely on,” Louise Newbury-Smith, Zoom’s Head of UKI, explains.
“For years, the pattern has been pretty similar, an organization would adopt a platform and then have to manipulate their own way of working around that platform - we really want to reverse that.”
“There is still some of that friction…(but) what’s changing is that organizations are starting to refuse to compromise - they want platforms to work the way they want to work.”
Zoom opened its UK data center in November 2025, greatly improving the situation for organizations in the region, as data residency choices which didn't exist before are now in place, meaning the likes of local councils, NHS trusts and financial services firms can store their data locally.
Newbury-Smith notes that the EMEA region is not a secondary market for Zoom, but high growth opportunity, a point echoed by Nick Tidd, Head of Global Channel GTM, who said the region offers, “a truly remarkable opportunity for our customers and for our partners, when you look across the product portfolio.”
This opportunity is hooked onto AI, particularly the growing importance of the context layer, a situation where Zoom is ideally placed, Tidd says.
“Think of how Zoom is positioned across the product portfolio - capturing all of those conversations…(and) putting them into the context to capture them in the workflow is where we are very different to others.”
(Image credit: Zoom)
This move was expanded by Leo Boulton, Zoom’s Head of Product, Solution and Industry Marketing, who ran us through the company’s recent releases and product announcements, highlighting the importance of context in Zoom’s concept of “conversation to completion” in its new Unified Context Layer.
“Conversations come natural to us - the way that we work is through conversations, it’s just a natural part of how humans are,” he noted, “so getting the job done should also be a natural thing - not something that requires a change in behavior, but something that should naturally just be part of our everyday work.”
If this doesn’t happen, workers will resist change, Boulton notes - particularly when it comes to AI, which is why Zoom is looking to embed intelligence into work itself.
Context has become a critical part of improving AI performance and usefulness in recent months, and Zoom wants to ensure its tools are as up to date as possible - but this requires some key elements.
“Before AI can truly understand how people work and operate, we have to guarantee it has the highest-quality raw materials,” Boulton points out. “The conversation must be crisp, clear and understood with genuine eye contact – because only with the best ingredients can AI deliver the most value.”
Zoom has been working hard to improve the quality and fidelity of its audio and video for calls and meetings, including the upcoming launch of a real-time “voice smoothing” tool known as “touch up my voice” and a pose correction tool enabling for greater eye-to-eye contact to boost interpersonal connections.
The better your agents understand your business, the more effectively they can work for you, Boulton notes, as he demonstrated how users will soon be able to benefit from a live assist feature which offers proactive suggestions during a call, such as telling you to speak slower or faster.
Zoom Chat is also getting a significant upgrade, making it what Boulton said should be a shared space where people and agents will interact and work together.
“We don’t expect our customers to live entirely inside Zoom,” he said. “True adoption only happens when tools feel natural, which is why our context layer is open by design – bringing the intelligence directly into whatever interface people already choose to work in.”
So it’s clear that Zoom wants to be so much more than your classic video conferencing and chat platform - and its ability to get the most out of your information could make it a very handy tech partner going forward.
“The direction is super clear,” Newbury-Smith concludes, “we're building and serving our customers where they are.”
It’s taken quite a while for Wi-Fi 7 to become a mainstream technology – even Apple hasn’t adopted it right across its product range yet – but TP-Link has just launched the first Wi-Fi 8 router in the somewhat imposing form of its new Archer 8 Ultra.
In fact, the final technical details for Wi-Fi 8 probably won’t be announced until 2028, but the key features of the new standard are well known, allowing TP-Link and other manufacturers to prepare new products that will introduce the new technology over the next couple of years. It’s also planning to release a number of mesh routers and range extenders that will use Wi-Fi 8 in 2027 as well.
It’s safe to say that a state-of-the-art router with Wi-Fi 8 will be massive overkill for most home users – after all, the Archer’s tri-band Wi-Fi and top speed of 19Gbps will leave most home broadband services trailing in its wake.
And, of course, it comes with a state-of-the art price tag too. However, the Archer 8 Ultra is a good opportunity to look at the new features that will shape the next generation of Wi-Fi technology.
TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra review: Price & release date
How much does it cost? Pre-order for £699 (around $950), then £899.99 (around $1,199)
When is it available? Released on November 15, 2026
Where can you get it? Available in US, EU, UK
The Archer 8 Ultra is currently available for pre-order from TP-Link’s website, and will be officially launched on November 15, 2026.
The US pricing hasn’t been confirmed at the time of writing, but there’s a special offer for pre-orders in the UK for £699 (around $950), with the price rising to £899.99 (approx. $1,199) following the launch in November. There are currently no rival Wi-Fi 8 routers to compare it with, but that pricing makes the Archer 8 Ultra twice as expensive as a high-end, current-gen Wi-Fi 7 model.
Wi-Fi 8 focuses on extending range and signal power in order to improve reliability.
This means that the Archer 8 Ultra needs to provide some pretty heavyweight hardware. It’s built like a tank, consisting of a matte-black obelisk that stands 245mm high, 98mm wide and 226mm deep, and it houses no less than 18 internal antennae to help beam the Wi-Fi signal far and wide.
It also provides an impressive set of ports and connectors, including two 10Gbps ports that can handle the latest high-speed fibre broadband, and also double up for a wired network connection (LAN) for devices such as a PC or gaming console that needs maximum performance.
There are also four additional 2.5Gbps ports for additional wired connections and, somewhat oddly, a single 1Gbps port as well.
TP-Link’s Tether app is also well designed, allowing you to scan a QR code in order to quickly connect to the router’s new network. By default, the app creates two separate networks, with one network reserved for the high-speed 6.0GHz band that is supported by newer computers and mobile devices.
The second network combines the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands in order to provide compatibility with older computers and mobile devices. That setup should suit most users, but more advanced users can connect to the Archer 8 Ultra via a web browser interface that provides greater control over your network settings.
Design: 5/5
TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra review: Features
The new Wi-Fi 8 standard is a big step forward, and is awash with jargon and buzzwords, such as MAPC (multi-access point co-ordination), ELR (enhanced long range), and DRU (distributed resource units), and you can find out more about these on the TP-Link website.
But the TLDR version is that Wi-Fi 8 shifts the focus away from sheer speed and instead concentrates on improving both range and reliability for larger homes and offices, as well as public and outdoor venues that may have dozens or even hundreds of connected devices spread over a very wide area.
Of course, the 19Gbps speed of the Archer 8 Ultra certainly sounds impressive, but it’s not actually any faster than the top speed of 46Gbps that is already possible with current-generation Wi-Fi 7 devices.
Wi-Fi 8 also uses the same frequency bands – 2.4GHz, 5.0GHz and 6.0GHz – that are available with Wi-Fi 7 as well. This ensures that the Archer 8 Ultra will be backwards-compatible with existing computers and mobile devices that use Wi-Fi 7.
However, those buzzwords that we just mentioned are designed to improve the range and reliability of the Archer 8 Ultra, so that a single router can cover an area of 3,600sq.ft (although some regions may quote this as 3,000sq.ft due to differences in local regulations).
(Image credit: TP-Link)
It’s also designed to support up to 200 connected devices, and includes a Multi-Floor Mode that can automatically configure the Archer network to work efficiently within homes, offices, and other buildings where people and devices may be spread across multiple floors and levels. Suffice it to say that if you live in a modest two-bedroom house or apartment, then the Archer 8 Ultra will definitely be what The Sisters Of Mercy refer to as ‘a slight case of overbombing’.
Features: 5/5
TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra review: Performance
Tri-band Wi-Fi 8
Very few - if any - Wi-Fi 8 devices yet
Still fantastic performance with Wi-Fi 7 devices
Benchmarks
Ookla Speed Test – 2.4GHz/5.0GHz (download/upload)
Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps
20GB Steam Download – 2.4GHz/5.0GHz
Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps
Ookla Speed Test – 6.0GHz (download/upload)
Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps
20GB Steam Download - 6.0GHz
Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps
I’ve not come across any PCs or mobile devices that currently support Wi-Fi 8 but, as mentioned, Wi-Fi 8 does use the same frequency bands as Wi-Fi 7, so I was able to get some idea of the performance offered by the Archer 8 Ultra using an existing laptop with Wi-Fi 7.
The extended range and reliability of Wi-Fi 8 makes it a good option in my office, as I have a deadspot in one particular office at the back of the building. Unsurprisingly, both of the Wi-Fi networks set up by the Archer 8 Ultra were easily able to cruise along at the maximum 150Mbps provided by my office network when running the Ookla SpeedTest and for downloading large game files from Steam while connected to nearby devices in the same room.
And it didn’t bat an eyelid as I picked up my laptop and walked along the corridor to the Wi-Fi deadspot in the furthest back office.
The one disadvantage of the high-speed 6GHz band is that it has a shorter range than the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands – which is why those bands are still used even on next-gen routers such as this.
However, the range and reliability of Wi-Fi 8 ensured that the 6.0GHz band was able to reach my back office and maintain full speed with no trouble at all.
Of course, it’s still early days for Wi-Fi 8, so the Archer 8 Ultra won’t be an essential purchase for many people right now, but it’s a fascinating look at a future world where we will be surrounded by Wi-Fi all around us, both at home and in the wider world outside (more so than we currently are).
Performance: 5/5
Should I buy the TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra?
Attribute
Notes
Score
Features
Wi-Fi 8 introduces many new features designed to improve range and reliability
5/5
Performance
It’s incredibly fast, but Wi-Fi 8 also provides big improvements in range and reliability
5/5
Design
It’s big and bulky, but packed with high-end hardware.
5/5
Value
A state-of-the-art price for a state-of-the-art router
4/5
Buy it if…
You’re an early adopter Wi-Fi 8 won’t officially be launched until 2028, so there won’t be many PCs or mobile devices that support it before then.View Deal
You have an enormous home Wi-Fi 8 is all about range and reliability, and the Archer 8 Ultra can cover areas of up to 3,600sq.ft. It’ll be great if you own your own football pitch.View Deal
You’re a business user Public venues such as hotels or sports venues that need to provide reliable Wi-Fi for hundreds of visitors will find that Wi-Fi 8 is a big improvement over previous versions.View Deal
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget The Archer 8 Ultra is one of the most expensive routers we’ve ever come across, and there are plenty of Wi-Fi 7 routers that will provide good performance at half the price.View Deal
You have a modest home Most smaller and medium-size homes simply won’t need the extended range of Wi-Fi 8, or its blazing Wi-Fi speeds.View Deal
You just want to watch Netflix A top speed of 19Gbps means that the Archer 8 Ultra is dozens of times faster than most home broadband connections, so it’s massive overkill for simple streaming services.View Deal
Also consider
D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 Few of us can actually use Wi-Fi 8 at the moment, so an affordable Wi-Fi 7 model such as the Aquila Pro is a more mainstream option, providing a top speed of 9.5Gbps at a competitive price.
Netgear Orbi 373 Its dual-band Wi-Fi 7 runs at a relatively modest 5Gbps, but the Orbi’s three mesh routers can easily cover very large areas up to 6,000sq.ft.
Even as a tech journalist who spends all day, (almost) every day playing around with gadgets and apps, there's still plenty that I miss: like, for example, the ability to view how much time you've been spending on YouTube from inside the mobile app.
It works like Digital Wellbeing (on Android) or Screen Time (on iOS), but specifically for YouTube. You can dig into how much time you've spent on YouTube today and over the past week, with an average for the last seven days.
This has actually been around for years, and it's available whether or not you're signed up for YouTube Premium — though when I checked up on my stats, I was glad that I've been paying the monthly fee, if only to avoid hours and hours of ads.
First step — turning on Watch History
The Watch History feature in YouTube (Image credit: Future)
The 'time watched' statistics we're talking about here will only appear if you've got YouTube Watch History turned on. You can check this inside the mobile app by tapping your profile picture (bottom right), then the cog icon, then Manage all history (you can find the same settings on the web here).
To see what you've watched most recently, you can tap your profile picture then History in the mobile app, or choose History from the left-hand navigation menu on the web. There are tools here for searching through your history, deleting the entire record of everything you've ever watched, and putting your Watch History on pause.
It is of course entirely up to you whether or not you enable Watch History. The downsides are Google knows more about you, and it can be hard to get out of recommendation rabbit holes; on the plus side, you will get served videos to watch that might be at least vaguely related to your interests (it's great for discovering new music, for example).
More of your Watch History can be got at through the comprehensive Google Takeout service, which you can find on the web here. Select the YouTube entry, and Google will gladly give you a CSV file detailing every single video you've ever watched on the platform, as long as you've always had Watch History turned on.
Note that the 'time watched' stats don't include videos you've deleted from your Watch History, or that you've watched in incognito mode. However, they do include the YouTube viewing you've done across all your devices (as long as you were signed in), except for inside the YouTube Music apps and on the YouTube TV platform.
You can find your viewing stats inside the YouTube mobile app for Android or iOS by tapping your profile avatar (bottom right), then tapping on the cog icon (top right), and choosing Time management. You can't get these stats through YouTube on the web at the moment, which seems a bit of an oversight.
There's not much in the way of a breakdown of what you've been watching, but you can see your running totals and average for the past seven days. There's also a stat about how your viewing compares to the week prior, so you can see if your spending more or less time on the platform week-to-week.
I was honestly surprised by my stats: almost five hours a day on average at the moment. Okay, I do play a lot of lo-fi music videos while I'm working, but that's still an awful lot of content compared to hours in the day — and it extends to tech reviews, explainer videos, and of course all the podcasts that have recently shifted to video.
I've written before about how essential I find YouTube Premium, and the revelation of how much time I actually spend on the site and in the app has more than justified the monthly outlay for me personally — I can't imagine the number of ads I'd have had to sit through otherwise. In fact, YouTube Premium tells you how many ad-free videos you've watched on this page (570 hours and counting for me).
You'll see the time management screen also gives you some controls if you want to limit the amount of clips you're watching day to day. There are toggle switches for setting up reminders around bedtime and taking breaks, and for putting a limit on how much time you spend watching YouTube Shorts each day.
When I’m searching for the best NBN deals, the main factor I’m taking note of is the monthly price. Second to that come perks which, to be honest, are becoming rarer and rarer. So when Dodo announced it’s now offering its NBN customers totally unlimited mobile data via its postpaid SIM plans, I simply had to take notice.
This offer, available to new and existing customers, works as follows — sign up for any Dodo NBN plan, and you’re eligible for the new Infinity plan, a AU$19/m SIM-only offer that includes unlimited data, capped at 50Mbps.
Unlimited 5G mobile data on the Optus network for just AU$19/m is a standout deal in itself. But combine it with Dodo’s low-cost NBN plans — now on the receiving end of an AU$30/m discount for six months — and you've got a package that's hard to ignore.
The unlimited data Infinity plan is available with any Dodo NBN plan. To order, you first need to complete the sign-up process for an NBN plan, including making a payment. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to sign up for the Infinity plan via the Dodo mobile app.View Deal
Unlimited mobile plans aren’t entirely new. While virtually all telcos will allow you to continue using data, if you exceed your monthly allowance, download speeds are usually throttled to around 2Mbps. However, Felix has been offering truly unlimited data SIM plans for some time, and while speeds are restricted, they're now available at up to 80Mbps.
Unlimited data at 80Mbps, of course, sounds great, but it'll cost you AU$50/m. Dodo's unlimited data plan, meanwhile, is capped at 50Mbps but costs just AU$19/m, making it arguably the better-value option.
Take my favourite NBN speed tier of all — NBN 500 — as an example. You'll pay just AU$62.99/m for the first six months for Dodo's plan (far less than the current AU$95/m average). Throw in the unlimited mobile data plan, and your monthly total comes to AU$81.99/m — that's cheaper than some NBN 25 plans! Once the six-month introductory period is up, your ongoing monthly total will be AU$111.99.
There's no end date to Dodo's unlimited mobile data offer, but the discounted NBN plans for Black Friday sales in Australia are time-sensitive. So, to secure the lowest possible price, you'll need to sign up before December 8.
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