• Apple has raised prices across multiple categories in Australia
• The MacBook Neo has lost some of its entry-level appeal
• The move follows rising RAM and storage costs

Australian shoppers looking for EOFY offers, or waiting for early Amazon Prime Day tech deals, now have another price shift to factor in. Apple has raised local prices across several major product categories, including the new MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, iPad range, Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini and more.

The timing is awkward, but it also hasn't come from nowhere. Apple has usually been better than most tech companies at absorbing supply chain pressure before it reaches shoppers, though the current RAM and component crunch has been dragging on for long enough to change that calculation.

The warning signs came last month, when Tim Cook flagged "significantly higher memory costs" on an earnings call, then said RAM prices would "drive an increasing impact" on Apple products from this month.

Australian buyers will feel this

One of the clearest examples is the new MacBook Neo, Apple's lower-cost MacBook model and the machine most likely to appeal to students, or anyone trying to get a new Apple laptop for less than MacBook Air money. In Australia it launched with a price from AU$899. It now starts at AU$1,049, so it has lost some of its entry-level appeal.

Sure, it’s still Apple's cheapest laptop, but the higher starting price makes it less competitive against Windows laptops that have been fighting to compete with the Neo. The 512GB model with Touch ID has also gone from AU$1,099 to AU$1,249.

The MacBook Air has lost some of its competitive edge, and the 13-inch model with the M5 chip (check out our MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review) has jumped from AU$1,799 to AU$2,099 to start.

The 15-inch model is up by the same AU$300 amount, from AU$2,199 to AU$2,499. For a laptop that often sits in the middle of Apple's consumer Mac range, that is a significant hit to its value proposition.

The MacBook Pro increases are especially notable in some configurations. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 now starts at AU$3,199, up from AU$2,699, and the higher-end M5 Max models have also moved up by several hundred dollars. Buyers looking at extra memory or storage were already dealing with expensive upgrades, so the higher base prices only make that decision harder.

The Mac mini is another notable hit. It has gone from AU$999 to AU$1,299, which is a 30% increase on a machine that has often been one of the easier Apple desktops to justify on price.

The iPad range is up, which matters for students, families and anyone who was looking at a new tablet for work, study, travel or general use. The 11-inch iPad Air now starts at AU$1,249, up from AU$999, while the standard iPad, iPad mini and iPad Pro models have also increased.

The rises are not limited to Macs and iPads. HomePod mini has gone from AU$149 to AU$199, HomePod is up from AU$479 to AU$549, and Apple TV 4K has jumped from AU$219 to AU$299. Vision Pro was already a niche product at AU$5,999, and the new AU$6,299 starting price certainly does not broaden its appeal.

Apple's iPhone lineup, Apple Watch and AirPods appear to have avoided this round of increases at least. That helps limit the pain for some buyers, but it doesn’t change the issue for anyone who was waiting to buy a Mac, iPad or other Apple device.

Aussie price changes

Of course, Apple is not the only company dealing with higher memory and storage costs, but the scale of these changes is still pretty notable. Price rises across one or two products are easy enough to explain. Price rises across most of Apple’s range are not something that’s easily avoided.

An Apple spokesperson said: “The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly. We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”

The main question is whether the Australian prices come back down if the RAM shortage eases, or whether these higher starting points become normal. We are hopeful, but Apple hasn’t promised a reversal.

For now, local retailers may be worth checking more closely, especially if older stock or short-term deal pricing remains available during EOFY and early Prime Day sales periods.

To help out, we have included some of the better remaining Apple deals below.

Best old price Apple deals

Other Apple deals

These products haven't gone up in price, but they're still great deals. Want more? Check out our dedicated EOFY Apple sales page. Or for more laptops, take a look at our best EOFY laptop deals.

It's Amazon Prime Day, and one of my favorite deals of day isn't actually a huge discount, but I think it's a really worthwhile buy at the lower price. It's the WiiM Amp Ultra, which is available for $449 at Amazon US (down from $529), or you can get it for £425 at Amazon UK (down from $499).

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

I have the WiiM Amp Ultra at home, and it's an amazing streaming amp for this price. It's really well-built and looks at home among nice furniture, with a solid metal finish — and it's shockingly compact, considering that it provides up to 100W per channel, so it can work with some really hefty speakers,

Most importantly, it sounds excellent, and there's support for nearly every music service you could want (but I'll come back to that "nearly), plus useful inputs for a turntable and so on.

I use it with a pair of Dali Oberon 5 bookshelf speakers, and the combination is off the charts for a hi-fi system that barely takes up any space. Obviously, floorstanding speakers are tall, but the Oberon 5 only have the same footprint as bookshelf speakers, so these three boxes overall can be used even in space-starved homes, but sound like you've got a much bigger, beefier setup.

When I started this configuration, I auditioned it against using the Amp Ultra with a pair of Dali Oberon 1 bookshelf speakers, and against a pair of Sonos Era 300 speakers (a pair of which costs about the same as getting the Amp Ultra and Oberon 5 speakers).

The Oberon 1 bookshelf speakers crushed the Sonos Era 300 when it came to detail and dynamic response in music, but they were equally crushed by the Sonos for bass depth and dispersion of sound in the room.

However, the Oberon 5 are the best of all worlds with the WiiM powering them — big and controlled bass, fantastic detail in the mids and treble, superb dynamic attack, and great dispersion in the room.

So I'd recommend the WiiM Amp Ultra generally, but if you're thinking that you'd like a whole magnificent hi-fi setup for under £1,000 in the UK, here's my recommendation today — if you're in the US, scroll down, because I've got a recommendation for you right after.

Today's best UK WiiM Amp Ultra and speaker deal combination

Today's best UK WiiM Amp Ultra and speaker deal combination

Some speakers are quite a lot more expensive in the US than in Europe, and Dali speakers are chief among this category. So when looking for an equivalent system to suggest with the WiiM Amp Ultra in the US, I wanted to find something that was also a huge bargain, and that's just as good, and the ELAC Debut 2.0 F6.2 is the perfect option, because their bookshelf version also got five stars from What Hi-Fi? in their review.

The downside to the WiiM Amp Ultra

There is one thing I want to note about the Amp Ultra: it's not 100% ideal for Apple Music households, despite its aluminum look and slick design. It lacks any kind of Apple support outside of Bluetooth — not just Apple Music (which is normal for streaming amps, only Sonos has this natively), but even AirPlay 2, which nearly every other music streaming device on the planet supports.

It doesn't have a USB audio input either, which seems like an odd omission for an 'Ultra' device — and it's annoying that it rules out using your Apple device's USB port to send Hi-Res Audio to it.

Now, Spotify is the most popular service, and that's supported. I have a Tidal subscription, so I'm all good. This is far from affecting everyone, but there are plenty of people who are deep in the Apple system, who use Apple Music only, and the Amp Ultra is oddly hostile to those people.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

• The Sopranos: The Complete Series is a limited edition 4K Blu-ray release
• 86 episodes over 28 discs including 2 bonus Blu-rays
• December 2026 (US), $149.99

One of the greatest TV dramas of all time is coming to 4K Blu-ray. The Sopranos: The Complete Series box set is available for pre-order in the US and Canada, and will be released at the end of 2026.

This far from the first Sopranos box set: in addition to the DVD box set I've got on the shelf, there was a Blu-ray box in 2014, plus a 25th anniversary Blu-ray box set in 2024, which included The Many Saints of Newark as well. So this is the first time it's all available in 4K.

This edition delivers a brand new and currently untitled featurette with Sopranos creator and writer David Chase. That featurette is on one of the two bonus discs that also include hours of extra material including a two-part documentary, seven behind-the-scenes featurettes, and all of the bonus content previously released on The Sopranos: Complete Series Blu-ray release. And it's all delivered in hardcover lay-flat book packaging.

For fans of the show, this looks like the ultimate release: the best-looking, most pristine way to see one of the most influential TV shows ever.

Why The Sopranos in 4K is a must-have mafia drama

The Sopranos tells the story of depressed mob boss Tony Soprano, who's going to therapy in secret because he knows that if word gets out about his "weakness", he's a dead man walking. It's as much about family as it is about mafia families, and it features stellar performances throughout.

During its run the show amassed multiple well-deserved awards including 111 Primetime Emmy nominations and 21 wins, 5 Golden Globe awards, and Emmys for cast members James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Drea de Matteo, and Joe Pantoliano.

I'm not being hyperbolic when I tell you that The Sopranos began a golden age of TV drama. Without The Sopranos, there would be no Breaking Bad, Mad Men or any of the other premium shows we love so much.

It was pivotal in shifting the view that TV was inferior to cinema, and that our relatable protagonists couldn't be awful people. And it was really, really, really good: the writing, the performances and the cinematography were all superb.

While much of the praise for The Sopranos centers on the cast, and rightly so, the work of cinematographer Alik Sakharov was crucial too. The cinematography was groundbreaking in how it contributed to the story, and there's a fascinating article about it on No Film School. And if that's the kind of thing you find interesting, then this new 4K box set was made for you.

The Sopranos 4K Blu-ray box set has a release date of 8 December 2026 in the US and a recommended price of $149.99.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Two years ago, Netflix dramatically let me down. As a massive anime fan, I tuned into the first season of their live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender remake and was horrifically disappointed within minutes. In fact, the most positive critique you could give it is that it was better than the live-action movies, which are widely considered to be garbage.

Why? The action was all there, but the heart of Aang's story wasn't. Spectacular VFX tried to cover up the hollow, mundane narrative underneath. In fact, to quote a fantastic jaw-dropping writer called Jasmine Valentine: "There’s little room to learn, with life-changing realizations made in a ridiculously short amount of time. If a tale can’t be paid its due diligence in a certain remit, should we even bother at all?"

In 2026, my excitement for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is non-existent. I've approached its seven-episode run with complete trepidation, honestly wondering if there is anything better that I could be covering this week. However — while a long way from being a masterpiece — the hit Netflix show has clearly been listening.

Now that all of the exhausting worldbuilding is out of the way (for the most part), fans can finally focus on the character relationships that they want to invest in. There's a lot of tenderness and vulnerability on display, which is the most fulfilling part of our cast having grown up so much between seasons.

But there's still something obvious that's really bothering me... and it comes back to Netflix's "cookie-cutter" mold that none of its programs can escape.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 has finally learned its lesson about the importance of heart

Read it and weep (for joy), kids — Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 actually has heart. If we're being honest, nobody had to put any effort into achieving this, with the mere fact that the lore of the Four Nations is fully established meaning there's now room for bigger, better things.

A mature Aang (Gordon Cormier) now straddles his inner struggles of legacy and constant imposter syndrome even more effectively, with the likes of Katara (Kiawentiio), Sokka (Ian Ousley), and Suki (Maria Zhang) now all settled into their selves, wants and needs.

If anything, Zuko (Dallas Liu) is going through it the most. After deserting his family and retreating into hiding at the end of season 1, we've got a lot more sympathy with him this time around as he grapples with his supposed destiny of capturing Aang for the Fire Nation's glory. Unlike Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), he's no longer a villain, but a victim.

The standout character of season 2 is easily Toph (Miya Cech), who has finally been introduced after not appearing in season 2. Coming from a complicated family background that routinely dismisses her Earthbending, she comes into her own sassy self after teaming up with Aang to teach him the next element.

Collectively, the team is now firing on all cylinders, and it's nothing short of a joy to watch. Now we understand who they are and what the bigger picture looks like; intimacy, fun, and genuinely satisfying friendships are now flourishing. The jokes land, the serious moments stab you in the heart, and whimsy is flying around like Appa the sky bison.

Netflix makes season 2 look exactly like The Witcher — just with different lore

Everything else in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 feels like more of the same — and that's a huge problem when it comes to the visuals. Broadly speaking, the Four Nations are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the detail that the creative team has packed into the landscapes is nothing short of impressive.

The immediate VFX, such as the bending that our characters use, leave a lot to be desired. It's obviously not a usual thing for people to have fire and water shooting out of their hands, so we're suspending a great deal of belief anyway... but being in the moment doesn't help when seeing it happen looks so fake.

This lumps season 2 into the same visually poor category as The Witcher, which is another comparison I made during season 1's debut. Cover the faces of the actors, stick them in the woods for a combat scene, and you'd be hard-pressed to tell the shows apart. Netflix is determined to make all of its genre programs look exactly like one another, and I'm baffled as to why.

Then there's the ultimate ending, which we already know without including spoilers. Much like other long-running anime series like One Piece (with its Netflix adaptation also guilty of this), we've known about the final endgame from its first five minutes. Here, it's for Aang to learn his bending skills, become all-powerful, and defeat Lord Ozai and the Fire Nation.

With a third series already confirmed, this is being drawn out for as long as humanly possible. It was obvious that none of the above was going to be achieved by the time season 2 wrapped up, so we've made little substantial progress from when Aang's goal was first introduced.

For me, the constant theme of "Oh no! Danger is on the horizon, and the Fire Nation must be stopped" is going to wear thin quickly. I'd really like to see season 3 mix things up, but I'm guessing that it won't.

Did I enjoy seeing Aang and the gang in 2026 more than in 2024? Absolutely. Has it renewed my interest in seeing them again at the end of 2027 (season 3's assumed release window)? Far from it.

Spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ahead.

Even before Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 dropped on Netflix, we knew exactly where it was heading: the Fire Nation taking over all of the Four Nations.

In the latest batch of seven episodes, the target is the hidden city of Ba Sing Se — and as of season 2 episode 6, it's been captured.

With Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) the only person who can save the day, the pressure is on to stop Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) from doing any more damage.

Unluckily, Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu) is taking her dad's wishes into her own hands. But can our favorite gang cope with her fiendish plans?

Here's everything you need to know about the Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ending... and what it might mean for the already confirmed season 3.

Appa, Sokka, Zuko and Katara are all captured by the Dai Li — which is now controlled by Azula

We kick off Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 episode 8 with a flashback of baby Aang meeting Appa the sky bison for the first time. Aang feeds Appa an apple (trying to say that three times fast), and they embrace.

Cut to the present day, where Appa has been kidnapped by the Dai Li — Ba Sing Se's secret police force — which is now being controlled by Princess Azula. Trust me, you will cry seeing him in chains.

In a meeting with the city's Grand Secretariat, Long Feng (Chin Han), Azula kills all of Ba Sing Se's highest-ranking men in the force when they question why the Fire Nation wants to control the city. Long Feng, however, begrudgingly but fearfully complies with Azula's plan: to raise Ba Sing Se's drawbridge and let the Fire Nation troops roll in, taking out anything they want in the process.

Remember, this is all coming from Lord Ozai's orders, despite Azula being a more than willing vehicle for them. But Appa isn't the only Aang ally the Dai Li has captured on her orders, with Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio) also in separate cells.

Sokka reunites with inventor Sai (Danny Pudi) in his cell, with the inventor already being captured before his arrival. Together, they try to figure out how to use the prison's underground structure to break free.

Katara has been put in a cell with Zuko (Dallas Liu), who was caught by the Dai Li after "doing a good act." This marks the biggest pinnacle in Zuko's personal struggle between good and evil so far, and Azula has no idea that he's jailed.

Meanwhile, Toph (Miya Cech) returns home to her mother, complaining that Aang and co. "don't understand her" after their huge falling out in episode 6. While initially seeming on board with how great Toph's earthbending powers are, her mother poisons Toph's tea in order to try and control her urge to leave home forever.

Aang and Iroh plan an escape mission

So where is Aang in this? Right behind his pals, having already figured out where Appa is underground just by sensing him. When the Azula-controlled Dai Li parade through the center of Ba Sing Se, he's hidden by allies made in season 2, episode 1.

When he attempts to approach the Dai Li's underground jail, he's spotted by Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and is immediately suspicious. Iroh reveals that he's also on a mission to break Zuko out of jail, thinking that the pair should team up for maximum effect.

Iroh tells Aang about a secret door that Avatar Kyoshi once installed to lead into the underground caves, but it needs all four elements bent at once to be able to open it. Aang is missing his firebending powers at this stage, so he needs Iroh just as much as Iroh needs Aang.

Together, the pair locate and open the door, and set off on their rescue mission.

Zuko tries to bond with Katara

While Sokka and Sai try to be proactive, Katara learns who Zuko really is. Immediately, she goes on the defensive, telling him how all of her family — and the entire Waterbending tribe — were wiped out thanks to the hostile Fire Nation invasion.

Zuko definitely feels empathy for Katara, but still has a chip on his shoulder. He tells her that the Fire Nation also stripped him of his family, with his mother dying at the hands of Lord Ozai.

The more the two talk, the more they realize that they have a lot in common. It's the closest we've even seen Zuko come to his "good" side, and it seems as though he's finally going to stay that way for good.

Looking at the burn mark around his left eye, Katara offers to try and heal Zuko using the waterbending potion in the locket around her neck. Just as she's about to apply it, Aang and Iroh storm in, having found and released Sokka and Sai first.

Aang goes to fight Zuko, but Iroh stops him, claiming that he's seen huge changes for the better in his nephew. Not quite believing that Zuko has defected from the Fire Nation, the gang sets off in search of the exit.

Aang's escape plan is thwarted

With the Dai Li everywhere, the gang splits up. Aang goes to find Appa after Long Feng brings him up to speed with Azula's plans, earthbending a hole through the ceiling so that Appa can fly to safety.

But as he tries to rejoin the others, he passes another prisoner who was originally being psychologically tortured by a Dai Li officer earlier on. Aang offers to bring her with them, but instead of accepting his offer, she shouts that "the Avatar is here," alerting the guards.

From there, it's fighting on all fronts. In pairs, the group makes light work of the Dai Li roaming the hallways, especially when Toph joins suits, revealing that she has invented "metalbending."

In fact, metalbending is how she ended up there in the first place. When she wakes up after her poisoning, Toph awakes in a metal box riding inside her mother's horse and carriage. Coming to the conclusion that Aang really does understand her, where her family doesn't, she bends the box and flies out of the carriage, making her way to safety.

An all-out battle with Azula changes Zuko's allegiance

With the fight raging on, Azula soon joins the mix, learning that her brother is among the escapees. Honing her focus on him, she tries to convince him, once again, to rejoin her side.

At first, Zuko remains hesitant, more confident in his newfound ability to do good things. But when Azula brings up the death of their mother, he changes his mind.

Where Zuko has always held a grudge against Azula for how she acted when their mother died, Azula reveals that she was only acting on her mother's orders. Their mom wanted the siblings to stay together through the trauma, breaking an emotional trigger point inside Zuko when he hears this.

By the time the rest of the gang reach a large clearing in the underground caves, Azula and Zuko emerge to fight them all as a team. This shocks Katara, who had genuinely believed that Zuko was coming around to being on their side.

After a lot of intense bending and fighting, it looks as though Azula has Aang right where she wants him — after all, the entire point of kidnapping his friends was to lure Aang to Ba Sing Se.

But in his hour of need, Aang taps into what can best be described as an "Avatar portal," seeing physical forms of all the Avatars that came before him in his mind's eye. More clearly, it's what causes Aang's eyes and head arrow to turn a shining blue, as he's essentially channelling their collective power through his body.

Aang is left unconscious

At this point, we see Aang's best bending to date, turning the tables on Azula and leaving her (and the Dai Li guards who join her) powerless.

But just as he's about to deliver the final blow, Aang loses his inner vision, effectively shutting his power off. He collapses to the floor, but Katara, Sokka and Toph are able to get him to safety thanks to Appa having waited outside.

With Ba Sing Se still under Azula's control, our final scene shows the gang flying away on Appa's back. Kata uses the potion she initially offered to Zuko on Aang, aiming to heal him and bring him back to full health.

However, nothing happens after she gives it to him, with the final shot showing Aang completely unconscious and unresponsive.

Season 3 predictions

Obviously, finding out if Aang has actually survived the battle is a top priority for season 3. But the mere fact that season 3 has already been greenlit basically confirms that we'll be seeing Aang again anyway.

In a nutshell, we can expect to see Aang learning to firebend, infiltrating the Fire Nation, and preparing for his climactic showdown with Fire Lord Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrives. Not too much, then.

We also know that Zuko will eventually team up with Aang and the gang to make this happen, so we can expect to see some more emotional upheaval from him.

We're hoping to see season 3 episodes next summer.

• 'The Closet' is a faithful recreation of the famous Criterion Closet
• Browse in full 3D (the correct option) or in list view (boo)
• Connects to the Criterion Channel for easy streaming

If you've always wanted to browse the Criterion Closet but haven't been able to because (a) it's in New York and (b) you're not a famous actor, then Redditor olievans has just the thing for you: the entire Criterion Closet in virtual 3D form, explorable right in your web browser.

You can can take a look at The Closet right in that link. It features 1,327 Criterion editions, all shelved in the order of their spine numbers, and you can pull each disc box out from the shelf to inspect the design more closely. You can also filter the collection by decade, director, country, language and more — the physical version can't do that.

If you're not familiar with the Criterion Closet, it's a library of the special-edition disc sets released the film distributor Criterion, which been releasing much-coveted discs with beautiful art, great extra features, and often unique high-quality restorations since the age of Laserdisc.

Since 2010, the real Closet has been a place where directors, actors and other well-known faces — from Martin Scorcese to Charli XCX — are filmed picking their must-see movies from the range.

Why it's fun to be in the Closet

The Closet is available in two flavors: a full 3D reproduction of the iconic closet, and in list form. The list is more functional but a lot less fun because you don't get the surprise of finding This Is Spinal Tap immediately next to The Seventh Seal.

The website is a really fun way to browse one of the world's best movie collections, and while there are a few issues — it's not really obvious how to get your mouse cursor back, so on my Mac I had to press Esc twice to return to the home page and escape the closet — it's beautifully done and the closest thing you'll get to the real thing without first getting some IMDb credits under your belt.

What I really like about this is the discovery element. The Criterion Collection is very wide-ranging, and that means you never know what's going to be next on the shelf: Paris, Texas (number 501) is followed by the Australian thriller Revanche (502) and the historical German romance Lola Montès (503).

That makes it feel very much like the Blu-Ray equivalent of crate digging for exotic vinyl records: the Criterion Closet is full of surprises.

A note from the Editor

Hello! Matt Bolton, Managing Editor for TechRadar's home theater coverage here. As a Blu-ray collector, I've decided to take the opportunity I'll never have in real life and give you my Criterion picks — as in, these are ones I actually own. I'm not going to give you a whole spiel about each one, don't worry — but I'll highlight why

• Anora — a chunky collector's edition, and the best way get a 4K version
• Blow Out — essential for the DTS-HD Master sound, and the 4K restoration
• I Know Where I'm Going — the first 4K restoration of a B&W cinematography classic
• In The Mood For Love — one of my favorite movies, in the highest quality
• Lost Highway — the only way to get it in 4K Dolby Vision with a new DTS-HD sound restoration
• Moonage Daydream — the only way to get this in both Dolby Atmos and uncompressed sound, shockingly
• The Power of the Dog — the only way to get it in the higher bit rate of Blu-ray
• The Red Shoes — one of the most incredible-looking movies of all time, in its best-ever restoration
• Thief — the best-looking version of Michael Mann's grittiest movie

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• Disney Store is beta testing a new AI Personal Shopping Assistant
• The conversational tool can recommend products, gifts, and other items
• I tried it early, and it's very knowledgeable about Disney's universes

If you've used the Disney Store app recently, you'll know it’s been getting a steady stream of updates over the past few months — from push notifications for limited-edition drops to a faster, easier-to-navigate interface.

Now Disney Store is taking another step forward with a feature designed to make finding the right product feel a little more intuitive — and we have an exclusive first look. It’s dubbed the Disney Store AI Personal Shopping Assistant, and it’s a conversational AI shopping tool built directly into the app. It lets users describe what they’re looking for in natural language rather than relying on traditional keyword search, though the standard search experience will remain in the app.

The shopping assistant is currently live as a beta test for a select portion of signed-in users on the Disney Store iOS app in the United States. Disney says it will continue to learn from usage and refine the experience over time, with expansion to Android, DisneyStore.com, and international markets planned for a later date.

To see how well it works, I first asked it for gift ideas for a niece who loves Jessie from Toy Story, along with some fun toys to go alongside a classic doll. After a short pause, it returned a curated set of suggestions tailored to that character, each with brief explanations for why they fit the prompt. Instead of standard search results, it felt more like a tailored recommendation flow.

On the surface, the assistant doesn't feel like a separate feature bolted onto the app. Instead, it's built directly into the existing search experience. A new magnifying glass icon with a subtle sparkle now sits in the top-left corner of the home screen, taking you into search, where Disney prompts users with "Need ideas? Ask our AI Personal Shopping Assistant."

Once inside, it shifts into a conversational interface. In my testing, it opened with: "Hello Jacob, how can I help?" followed by a handful of suggested prompts to get started. From there, it behaves more like a shopping assistant than a traditional search bar, designed to understand natural language requests — whether you're looking for gifts, planning outfits for a Disney Parks visit, or tracking down merchandise tied to specific characters or franchises.

In practice, it feels responsive and surprisingly aware of Disney's wider universe — not just flagship characters like Mickey Mouse or Stitch, but also more obscure references, newer additions to the catalog, and park-related and age-appropriate suggestions.

"Our focus is always on enhancing the guest journey and meeting our fans where they are," said Patrick Sager, VP Disney Stores. "By introducing an AI-powered shopping assistant to the Disney Store app, we're blending storytelling with technology, delivering smarter recommendations, seamless discovery, and a more connected experience, making it easier than ever for guests to find the perfect product."

Items can be expanded for more detail or added directly to a shopping bag, reducing friction between browsing and purchase. The assistant also encourages exploration through follow-up prompts. After an initial query, it suggests refinements like "show Jessie dolls" or "show more plush toys," helping users narrow results without starting over. Of course, you can also type a follow-up or take it in an entirely new direction.

Disney says the assistant was developed in-house and built within its own ecosystem of characters, stories, and products. No guest data was used during development, and that remains the case going forward.

Beyond the conversational layer, Disney has also built in standard usability features: thumbs up/down ratings — which will likely be used to refine the experience over time — the ability to clear the chat at any time, and a light and dark mode toggle.

The Disney Store AI Personal Shopping Assistant feels like an early pilot feature in Disney’s broader push into AI-powered experiences — one that follows recently announced AI enhancements within the My Disney Experience app at Walt Disney World, as well as Disney’s departure from its deal with OpenAI.

While those efforts focus on planning and in-park experiences, the Disney Store implementation brings the same idea into retail. The common thread is that Disney appears to be exploring how AI can support different parts of its ecosystem, using conversational tools to surface products while still keeping everything anchored in the characters and worlds that define the brand.

At this stage, it still feels experimental in places rather than fully defined, but it’s clear Disney has put thought into how it integrates into the existing shopping experience rather than simply layering on a generic AI chatbot. I’m very curious to see how it evolves as new characters or franchises are introduced, as we see new product launches, and as we get closer to the holiday season. Who knows, maybe Disney will add a deal alert or restock functionality.

If you give it a go, let me know what you think of the experience in the comments below.

Toy Story 5 only hit theaters three days ago, but ahead of Amazon's Prime Day and thanks to Walmart Deals — yes, a very to-the-point name — you can already save on some of the most exciting toys launched alongside the film.

Yes, Toy Story 5 might be all about toys versus tech, but Mattel's Interactables are some of the most exciting figures around because they can talk to each other. While these are "playscale" rather than movie-scale and a bit less tech-heavy, these versions of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Jessie still delight.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Even better, they're a record 54% off, bringing each figure down to just $10. That's right: you can get a movie-accurate, play-sized Jessie, Woody, or Buzz Lightyear for only $10 — a deal that's definitely headed to infinity and beyond.

Each figure can speak on its own, but when you bring them near one another, some clever under-the-hood tech lets them interact, cycling through more than 10 phrases together. If you've got a friend in these toys already, now's a pretty good time to add another one to the collection.

Today's best Toy Story 5 figure deals

Scoring a Toy Story 5 figure for $10 is a pretty incredible feat, and if you're a Walmart+ member, you'll score free, fast shipping as well. Both Woody and Jessie come with their iconic hats, and you'll notice that Jessie sports a sheriff badge while Woody doesn't, making these figures accurate to their appearances in Toy Story 5.

Jessie stands 8.8 inches tall, Woody measures 9.2 inches, and Buzz Lightyear comes in at 7 inches tall. The entire Interactables PlayScale line from Mattel is designed around this scale, meaning that if you pick up one of these figures — or all three — and add Forky or Lilypad down the line, they'll fit right in. Better yet, they're also designed to work with Mattel's other PlayScale figures.

Either way, whether you're shopping for a kid who just saw Toy Story 5 in theaters or looking to upgrade your own collection — because we're all young at heart, and we won't judge — Walmart is serving up a practically perfect deal here. It's a straight-out-of-Star-Command bargain to score a new Mattel figure for a record 54% off, and you can check out our behind-the-scenes tour at Mattel to see how these figures came to life.

Now for some minor spoilers. If you haven't seen Toy Story 5 yet, consider this your warning.

Friendly reminder: a minor spoiler lies ahead.

Alright, if you've scrolled this far, you've probably already seen Toy Story 5 and know about the arrival of a new Buzz Lightyear. If you're anything like me, you've likely been waiting to see a toy version of that upgraded Space Ranger.

I'm talking about the new Hi-Tech Buzz Lightyear, which gets an upgrade that finally lets the iconic toy take flight. Mattel is already serving up its own version, set to ship later in 2026 — specifically around August — that's designed to be safe for both kids and the young at heart.

Yes, Mattel has unveiled the Toy Story 5 Flying RC Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear, an enhanced version of the iconic character from›› the film. Rather than wings that pop out and somehow generate flight, this version deploys four propellers protected by safety guards, making it much more suitable for younger fans.

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the Toy Story 5 Flying RC Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear comes with a controller that makes takeoff and landing easy with the press of a button. It's also intended for indoor use, and I'm certainly looking forward to going hands-on with it later this year.

If you're already sold, Walmart is taking preorders for the Toy Story 5 Flying RC Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyear right now at $75.57 with an estimated delivery date of August 20, 2026.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

If you're signed up to Amazon Prime, you'll no doubt have unlocked one of its best free perks — Prime Video. But did you know that membership also currently gives you access to limited-time deals as low as $0.99 a month on 36 streaming subscription add-ons?

The discounts are part of this week's Amazon Prime Day sale, which has seen the price of several subscriptions and bundles slashed to record lows both in the US and UK. With so many different options to choose from, I've picked out three of the best savings I can find in the sale to help make sure you don't miss out.

These offers mostly end on Friday, June 26 (check the details below), which means you don't have long to pick from the discounts available. If you need help deciding, then I'd recommend Apple TV and Paramount+ no matter where you live. Not only are they among the most discounted, but their catalogs are stacked with great content.

I've also picked out two other Prime Video streaming add-ons from the sale: BritBox for those in the US and MGM+ for UK shoppers, as both are the cheapest I can find them at the time of writing. Once you've locked in one of the deals below, I'd love to know which you picked — leave a comment below.

Today's best 3 Prime Video streaming deals in the US

Today's best 3 Prime Video streaming deals in the UK

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £24.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from under £10
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Headphones: up to 50% off
• Laptops: from £149.99
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Eufy & Roborock
• Wearables: Garmin & Huawei from £36.99

Before the finale episode of Dutton Ranch aired earlier this month, we asked TechRadar readers if they wanted to see it renewed — and with 96% saying 'yes', I have a feeling you'll want to know how to get Paramount+ for $0.99 (was $13.99) a month for two months.

With this limited-time discount applying to both tiers, it's a no-brainer to pick the 'Premium' ad-free plan that gives you access to more features and content, like Showtime Originals, CBS live, and more. The same limited-time offer is also available as part of the Amazon Prime Day sale, where it expires on 25 June — a whole day after Paramount closes its own discount.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Today's best Paramount+ deals

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to see another Paramount+ deal after CEO David Ellison said the streaming service was "reviewing discount practices" in the company's third earnings report last year.

In the same breath, Ellison announced plans to increase the price of both plans at the start of 2026, bumping the Paramount+ cost up by $1 each, while also sunsetting its free trial offer, which is now only available as a membership perk with Walmart+ or DirecTV.

Considering that this Paramount+ discount is also more than half the price of last year's Black Friday streaming deal, I wouldn't hold off grabbing it. Black Friday is often the best time of year to pick up a cheap subscription, which makes this quite likely a record low price for the year.

I'll admit Paramount+ doesn't have the biggest catalog compared to rivals, but more than 40,000 episodes and movies is nothing to scoff at. It's the home of Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone universe, and after seeing the excitement around its expansion — with one Dutton Ranch star saying season 2 "deserves to be made" — I don't doubt this franchise is a big pull for potential new subscribers.

Are you currently subscribed to Paramount+? Let me know by voting in the poll below, or leave a comment further down. I know a lot of people tend to jump between subscriptions, so I'd love to know if Paramount+ is one you regularly keep on rotation.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £24.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from under £10
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Headphones: up to 50% off
• Laptops: from £149.99
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Eufy & Roborock
• Wearables: Garmin & Huawei from £36.99