Engadget review recap: ASUS ZenBook A16, AirPods Max 2, Sonos Play and LG Sound Suite

Spring has certainly sprung here at Engadget. Well, it has in terms of reviews, at least. We’ve put over a dozen devices through their paces since my last roundup, which gives you a lot to catch up on over the weekend. Read on for the rundown of all the reviews you might’ve missed.

ASUS’ ZenBook A14 didn’t live up to our expectations last year, but now the company is back with a 16-inch machine and a shot at redemption: the A16. “Compatibility issues aside, the ZenBook A16 delivers just about everything I want in an ultraportable,” senior reporter Devindra Hardawar said. “It’s got a gorgeous OLED screen and all of the ports you need. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite chips also give it a much-needed power boost. And best of all, it’s one of the lightest and sleekest 16-inch Windows laptops I’ve come across.”

Until this year, Apple’s only updates to the AirPods Max were new colors and a USB-C port. The company finally gave its pricey over-ear headphones the powerful H2 chip, delivering a host of handy features from the AirPods Pro. “The H2 chip brings Apple’s over-ear headphones on par with the rest of the AirPods lineup, namely the AirPods Pro 3,” I said. “And since I don’t expect Apple to announce new earbuds this year, that parity should remain for a while.”

Sonos badly needed a win. Thankfully, the company regained some of its mojo with a new portable speaker that offers the best of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in the same device. “The latest Sonos speaker offers impressive sound quality, flexibility and portability, and it’s the kind of product that can help Sonos rebuild its reputation after its recent difficulties,” deputy editor Nathan Ingraham said.

After an impressive CES debut, LG’s Sound Suite was my most anticipated review of the year. Despite impressive sound quality and Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, there are still some kinks to work out in both the setup and general use. “There’s no denying that LG has created a powerful and immersive living room experience with its Sound Suite lineup,” I said. “While I did experience some setup and software issues, those are things LG can iron out over time — Sound Suite is still brand new, after all.”

The last few weeks have been pretty audio-heavy here at Engadget, including the first headphones and speakers from Fender Audio, two sets of headphones from JBL and the Roland Go: Mixer Studio. I also reviewed the first of Sony’s 2026 soundbars, the Bravia Theater Bar 5, and contributing reporter Steve Dent reviewed the Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro all-in-one projector.

Senior reporter Sam Rutherford really took one for the team and spent some time with the Robosen Soundwave Transformers robot. Lastly, Steve took flight with the DJI Avata 360 drone, which is a direct answer to Insta360’s Antigravity A1.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-asus-zenbook-a16-airpods-max-2-sonos-play-and-lg-sound-suite-133000521.html?src=rss

Read more @ Engadget

Latest posts

Nintendo is raising Switch 2 prices

Nintendo is raising the price of its Switch 2 console globally, "in light of changes in market conditions," and is now forecasting a drop...

Sony’s PS5 sales plummet amid price rises and a memory crisis

Sony sold just 1.5 million PS5 consoles in its most recent fourth fiscal quarter, down 46 percent year over year. The slump in PS5...

Apple’s education discount now requires proof that you’re a student

Watch models like the Apple Watch Series 11 (pictured) are also now available at discounted education rates for the first time. | Photo by...

Canvas is down as ShinyHunters threatens to leak schools’ data

The Instructure-owned learning management platform, Canvas, is down after recently confirming a massive data breach that impacted student names, email addresses, ID numbers, and...

These Fitbit features won’t be available in the Google Health app: Badges, sleep animals, more

Ahead of the Google Health app rolling out next week, the company has detailed what Fitbit features are going away or significantly changing. Read more...

Gmail adds AI Inbox to the bottom bar as Help me write becomes more personal

After its introduction on the web, AI Inbox is coming to Gmail for Android and iOS. In the navigation drawer, “AI Inbox” appears below...

Google Search adds Easter egg celebrating Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday

To celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, you’ll find a very special Easter egg featuring some of the biggest flora, fauna, and critters in...

Did Microsoft just tease a new Xbox UI?

Microsoft showed off a "consistent" Xbox UI across handhelds, consoles, and cloud gaming during its Xbox keynote at the Game Developers Conference in March....

ChatGPT’s ‘Trusted Contact’ will alert loved ones of safety concerns

OpenAI is launching an optional safety feature for ChatGPT that allows adult users to assign an emergency contact for mental health and safety concerns....

Valve is fighting Steam Controller scalpers with a new reservations system

Valve's new Steam Controller sold out quickly when it went on sale on Monday, and the company is going to open a "reservations queue"...