Like Amazon’s latest HD streaming stick, the 2026 4K model no longer needs an external power adapter. Instead, it draws power from a TV’s USB port, cutting back on the mess of cables behind most people’s TV cabinets.
An updated version of 2025’s Fire TV Stick 4K Select, the new $129 model (sans the ‘Select’ name) returns some of the more modern touches the previous model lacked. Namely, the 2026 Fire TV Stick 4K uses Wi-Fi 6 technology (up from Wi-Fi 5), while Amazon claims the latest streaming device provides faster performance than last year’s Select model, which only had 1GB of memory.
Included with the 4K streaming stick is Amazon’s new Fire TV Remote, which is meant to be more “tactile”. According to Amazon, the remote is more comfortable to hold, and it’s easier to identify buttons without looking away from the TV.
Available by itself for existing Fire TV Stick owners, the new remote costs $24.95 as a standalone device. It also houses a programmable star button that you can assign a favourite app or a shortcut to specific settings, like enabling subtitles.
Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick ships with an early access version of Alexa+, the company’s new AI-based software platform. It powers cross-app search functionality in addition to content recommendations using conversational language.
Amazon routinely updates its Kindle e-readers, and the latest edition might be one of the most substantial changes to the brand’s entry-level model.
Among the updates are the usual suspects: smoother digital page-turning performance and a battery life that lasts well beyond a month. But it’s the form factor that claims the biggest change.
While retaining the six-inch screen size of its predecessor, the 2026 Kindle is thinner and more compact overall. Amazon’s new Kindles also sport what the company calls a “front-flush display”, where the border no longer sits slightly above the screen. Now, it sits flat alongside the screen, trimming some of the device’s thickness in the process.
At the cheapest end of the scale, the 16GB base Kindle costs $279. For $299, the Kindle bumps up the storage to 32GB and comes with an aluminium back, a first for the entry-level model.
This new flush display design also comes to the latest versions of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft e-readers. Lasting up to 12 weeks on a single charge, the seven-inch Kindle Paperwhite shares a similar variety of models to the entry-level model. $369 gets you 16GB of storage, while the $399 Signature Edition comes with 32GB and an aluminium housing.
Image: Amazon.
Similarly, the 2026 Kindle Colorsoft uses the new edge-to-edge screen design, with the option of displaying colour. It starts at $449 for the 16GB model, and the 32GB aluminium-backed model costs $499.
Image: Amazon.
Rounding out the updates, Amazon launched a new suite of accessories designed for the latest Kindle range. Among them is the $49.95 Kindle Click, a small Bluetooth remote that can, like the Kobo Remote, turn pages without needing to hold the device. The new range is available to order from Amazon today.
Improved sound quality and noise cancellation are welcome, but your opinion of the Apple AirPods 5 will depend on how well they fit your ears.
It’s been 10 years since the first iconic AirPods were released, followed three years later by the AirPods Pro sporting noise cancellation. As is Apple’s way, Pro features gradually trickle down to the standard variants.
This time round, Apple has released two new models: the $219 ‘AirPods 5’ and $249 ‘AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case’. Both cases have a built-in battery to recharge the earbuds. As the name suggests, the main difference is that the latter’s carry case supports wireless charging – but there are other key improvements which make it worth spending the extra 30 bucks.
Technically, this is a review of the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, but to keep things simple I’ll just call them the AirPods 5.
Apple AirPods 5 first impressions
At first glance, the Apple AirPods 5 look the same as their predecessors. They stick with the AirPods Pro-style stout stems introduced with the AirPods 3, as well as the smaller earbuds introduced with the AirPods 4 to fit smaller ears.
Sticking with the AirPods 4’s smaller earbuds also allows the AirPods 5 to stick with the AirPods 4’s more compact charging case. It’s a fraction taller than the Pro case, but only three-quarters the width.
Whether you consider smaller AirPods earbuds an improvement depends on the size of your ears.
I found the old AirPods 3 to be a comfortable fit, but my wife and daughter found their bulk uncomfortable. Now, I find that the smaller AirPods 4/5 earbuds feel strange because they are too small to fit firmly in my ears.
Part of the problem is that the standard AirPods lack the silicone tips used by the Pro models.
The AirPods Pro 3 come with a choice of five foam-infused silicone ear tips. Not only does this help you find a comfortable fit, but it ensures they reach further into your ear to ensure a better seal, which improve their noise cancelling abilities by passively blocking more outside sound.
To be fair, some people find silicone tips awkward and would consider the AirPods 5 more comfortable to wear for extended periods.
The AirPods 5’s one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for me. I could get used to the fact they feel loose in my ears, and perhaps even to the fact I can sometimes hear the wind blowing through them because they’re not snug. But I can’t get past the amount of outside noise which bleeds through – despite the active noise cancellation – simply because they’re not a tight fit.
The AirPods 5 lack silicone tips, which will please some people and frustrate others. Image: Adam Turner.
Like their immediate predecessors, the AirPods 5 are available in two models, but what separates them has changed.
The $299 ‘AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation’ were Apple’s first non-Pro earbuds to introduce noise cancellation, although they also lacked the silicone tips used by the Pro models to help block outside noise.
Meanwhile, the basic $219 AirPods 4 missed out on active noise cancellation. Their carry case also lacked wireless charging and a speaker for Find My, so they couldn’t beep to help you find them when they fell down the back of the couch.
This time, both new AirPods models feature active noise cancellation. Compared to the basic $219 AirPods 5, the $249 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case still adds wireless charging and a Find My speaker to the carry case. As before, the Qi‑certified wireless charging works with an Apple Watch charger but not a wireless MagSafe charger.
Both models carry over the force sensor on the stems to manage playback and calls, but the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case also inherits volume swipe on the stem from the Pro models. Disappointingly for some, the heart rate sensor for workouts still hasn’t trickled down from the Pro models.
Perhaps the most significant difference between the two new models is that AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case earbuds offer five hours of ANC playback and seven hours without, which is an hour longer than the basic AirPods 5.
This alone might be worth the extra $30 if you struggle to make it between recharges. The standard AirPods 5 battery life is underwhelming compared to other noise-cancelling earbuds.
The AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case adds a speaker to the case so it’s easier to find using Apple’s Find My. Image: Adam Turner.
The Apple AirPods 5 retain the same H2 processing chip as the AirPods 4, but Apple has still managed to improve the audio quality and throw in extra usability features.
Head tracking still works with spatial audio, but now it also allows you to interact with Siri with a simple nod or shake of your head – useful for answering or dismissing calls, as well as engaging with notifications.
This could be particularly helpful as Siri gets smarter, with the more capable Siri AI rolling out in beta in iOS 27. Plus, you’ve got support for Live Translation introduced with iOS 26.
The AirPods 5 are also tougher, stepping up from IP54 to inherit the AirPods Pro’s IP57 ruggedness. Whereas before they were splashproof, now the AirPods 5 and their case are designed to survive at a maximum depth of one metre for up to 30 minutes. They’re considered water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, so still treat them with care.
Other improvements come down to a new acoustic design and improved audio processing, with Apple claiming “the industry’s best Active Noise Cancellation in an open-ear design”.
By open-ear, Apple means earbuds without a silicone tip to seal the ear canal and help block external noise. It’s worth noting that the AirPods Pro 3 come with five pairs of ear tips in the box, which makes a big difference when it comes to getting a good fit and improving the noise cancellation.
Apple says the AirPods 5’s improved active noise cancellation removes up to 50 per cent more external noise compared to AirPods 4, while helping Transparency Mode sound more natural. Like the Pro models, Adaptive Transparency intelligently adjusts the volume of different noises.
You’ve still got Conversation Awareness to automatically lower the volume and boost voices when you start speaking, so you can talk to people without removing an earbud. You’ll soon switch it off if you tend to talk to yourself all day.
You still miss out on the Pro’s Conversation Boost, which makes it easier to make out voices in a noisy environment like the pub
In terms of design, the AirPods 5 rely on an all-new multiport acoustic architecture “inspired by AirPods Pro 3” to deliver richer bass, clearer vocals and better separation of instruments. There’s also the benefit of Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the tuning based on how the earbuds fit in your ear.
Quality
When it comes to active noise cancellation, your mileage will vary considerably depending on how snugly the AirPods 5 fit in your ears.
Active noise cancellation works best when dealing with consistent background sounds. For example, the constant white noise of a loud kitchen exhaust fan or outside rain.
It struggles more with individual sounds. While dulling an exhaust fan, but struggles with other kitchen noises like clattering glassware. Similarly, it blocks the steady white noise of outside rain but still lets through the loud, inconsistent sound of individual raindrops hitting the window or water dripping from the gutters.
That’s why active noise cancellation works best in conjunction with a snug-fitting silicone tip, which passively muffles those inconsistent sounds that the audio processing fails to block.
This difference is very clear when switching between the AirPods 5 and old AirPods Pro 2 (although, to be fair, the Pros 2 also have better noise cancellation).
Standing next to the white noise of a loud exhaust fan, the AirPods 5 come close to matching the AirPods Pro 2’s noise cancellation, although the AirPods 5 let through a bit more high-end hiss. (In a quiet room, you notice they actually produce more hiss than the Pros).
It’s a very different story during a heavy rain or when you’re cooking up a storm. Wearing the AirPods Pro 2, you’d barely realise it was raining, or anything else was happening in the kitchen. Switching to the AirPods 5 still deals well with the white noise, but suddenly all those inconsistent sounds are a lot more noticeable.
It’s a similar story in a noisy cafe, where you’re dealing with a chaotic mix of constant and inconsistent sounds. It dulls noise but isn’t great if you’re looking to reduce distractions.
Well, at least I can hear all those other noises clearly, because the AirPods 5 are too small for my ears to offer that important passive noise muffling. Things should improve if they fit perfectly in your ears, but you’ll never get the same results as with earbuds that feature silicone tips.
When it comes to music playback, the Apple AirPods 5 perform admirably, delivering full-bodied sound with clearer highs and decent bass, which isn’t too heavy and doesn’t get murky when someone drops a fat beat.
You’ve also got the advantage of user-adjustable EQ, although only three bands, which has also been added to earlier models thanks to a software update.
Who is the Apple AirPods 5 for?
If you would rather not cough up $429 for the AirPods Pro 3, the Apple AirPods 5 offer great wireless audio and reasonable noise cancellation, with the added advantage of tight Apple integration, including access to Siri.
They’re an improvement on the AirPods 4, but if great noise cancellation is your primary concern, then you’ll want to look to earbuds that come with a selection of silicone tips.
Apple AirPods 5
The Apple AirPods 5 are a decent upgrade but 'open-ear' noise cancellation without silicone ear tips is still underwhelming.
Features
8.5
Value for money
9
Performance
8.5
Ease of use
10
Design
9.5
Positives
Improved active noise cancellation and sound quality
Snapmaker has launched the Snapmaker U1 3D printer in Australia, bringing four-toolhead, multi-colour and multi-material printing to JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. Pre-orders are open now at A$1,299, ahead of the printer going on sale on 15 October with an RRP of A$1,399.
The U1 follows a Kickstarter campaign that raised US$20.6 million from 20,680 backers, which Snapmaker says makes it the most funded 3D printer ever.
Four toolheads instead of one
Most multi-colour 3D printers feed every filament through one shared nozzle, unloading, reloading and purging each time the colour changes. It is slow, and it wastes a lot of filament.
The U1’s SnapSwap system holds four independent toolheads and swaps between them in about five seconds. Source: Snapmaker
The U1’s SnapSwap system uses four independent toolheads instead, each loaded with its own colour or material. The printer swaps the whole toolhead in about five seconds, and because the materials stay hot, there is no purging. As long as you load the materials first, no intervention is required.
You can also mix materials in one print, from soft, flexible and even fabric-like filaments to rigid ones, plus water-soluble supports. An optional top cover unlocks high-temperature materials such as ASA. The build volume is 270 x 270 x 270mm.
Flexible, fabric-like materials are among the U1’s options. Source: Valens QuinnShiny filaments and multiple colours combine in this doughnut printed on the U1. Source: Valens Quinn
Designed for beginners
Snapmaker is pitching the U1 at mainstream home users, not just professional makers. It calibrates itself, reads RFID tags on filament spools, and uses failure detection to stop a print if something falls on the bed or the print turns to spaghetti.
Setup guides come printed and in the Snapmaker app, which also handles remote monitoring and has tutorials built in. The open-source Snapmaker Orca slicer covers models from other sources.
There’s a handy timelapse mode too for creating videos of your creations to watch back later.
Less waste, less waiting
Snapmaker says the U1 produced up to 85 per cent less filament waste than shared-nozzle systems in its own tests.
At the launch, it showed us. The same multi-coloured blue-tongue lizard was printed on a conventional multi-colour printer and on the U1. The first left a plate piled high with purged filament. The U1 left a few small scraps.
Filament wasted printing this lizard on a conventional multi-colour printer. Source: Valens QuinnThe waste from printing the same lizard on the Snapmaker U1 – a huge difference! Source: Valens Quinn
Almost any colour from four spools
Full-spectrum colour mixing stacks very thin layers of translucent filament to create new colours, so you can mix your own and assign them to a model. Prints take longer, but the results speak for themselves.
This parrot was printed on the Snapmaker U1 using full-spectrum colour mixing. Source: Valens Quinn
Translucent PETG is on the way, alongside wood-look PLAs.
Who is Snapmaker?
Founded in 2016, Snapmaker makes 3D printers, laser engravers and CNC machines, and has more than 100,000 users worldwide. It handles R&D, software and manufacturing in-house.
“We designed the U1 to make multi-colour and multi-material printing faster, cleaner, and easier to use,” said Sheila She, Head of Global Go-to-Market at Snapmaker.
Price and availability
The Snapmaker U1 is available for pre-order now at JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman for A$1,299, with JB Hi-Fi adding bonus filament to pre-orders. It goes on sale on 15 October 2026 at an RRP of A$1,399 and comes with a one-year warranty.
Keen to find a better deal on your home internet? We’ve compared the cheapest NBN plans from many of the biggest telcos to find the best deals for you in each speed category.
One of the best ways to save money on your internet bill is to shop around frequently. Many internet service providers (ISPs) offer introductory deals, including generous discounts for the first six months. Afterwards, it’s always worth comparing providers so you’re not left paying more than you should. Most ISPs don’t use lock-in contracts, making it relatively easy to swap to a better-value plan.
After the big NBN speed upgrade, it’s now easier than ever to enjoy fast internet at decent prices. Some older NBN plans got five times faster for the same price. Not a bad deal for those eligible.
With that in mind, here are the current cheapest NBN plans in Australia from a wide range of telcos. We also have some affordable tips and tricks on how to maximise your current internet speeds. Looking for a new phone plan, too? Compare the cheapest SIM plans to save even more money.
Right now, SpinTel sells the cheapest NBN plan; its 25Mbps plan costs $41 per month for the first six months. After discounts, $69.95 per month is the ongoing price. Tangerine, Dodo, and Moose NBN also sell some of the cheapest plans, offering discounted rates of $45 or less per month.
Take a look at the widget below for more of the cheapest NBN plans. We update this article monthly, but the widget updates automatically, giving you up-to-date and accurate information.
Many of the retailers display promotional prices aimed at new and returning customers. These offers generally involve paying a discounted rate for six months before reverting to a standard price. To view the details of promotional offers, click on the green text labelled ‘deal’, which will also show the standard price.
Each plan featured here includes unlimited data. Some providers let you save a few dollars every month by choosing a plan with a data cap. If you know you don’t need much data, use this search tool to find plans with monthly data allowances.
NBN 25 plans
Suited for streaming videos in HD and basic online tasks, an NBN 25 plan gives you a bit more flexibility and much more value for money.
Like above, SpinTel’s NBN 25 plan is the cheapest, costing $41 per month for the first six months. Once the discounted period ends, the plan costs $69.95 per month ongoing. Other cheap NBN 25 plans come from Tangerine ($42.90), Dodo ($43.99), and Moose NBN ($44.80). Once their six-month discounts end, Dodo charges $73.99 per month, Tangerine’s price goes to $72.90, while Moose costs a reasonably priced $64.80 per month.
Without discounts, most of the cheapest NBN 25 plans cost between $65 and $70 per month, so it’s a relatively cost-effective speed tier.
NBN 50 plans
Traditionally Australia’s most popular internet plan, NBN 50 balances value with performance. These plans support 4K video streaming and can sustain multiple simultaneous users.
At the moment, Belong sells the cheapest NBN 50 plan, priced at $55 per month for the first six months, and then $91 per month thereafter. Afterwards, Dodo’s plan costs $87.99 per month. Dodo and Moose NBN also sell NBN 50 plans below $60 at the time of writing, at $57.99 and $59.90 per month for the first six months, respectively. After discounts, they’re a bit cheaper than Belong, with Dodo’s ($87.99) and Moose NBN’s ($83.80) full pricing sitting below $90.
Most full-priced NBN 50 plans start at around $85 per month, so it’s worth shopping around.
NBN 100 and NBN 500 plans
This is where the NBN speed upgrade starts to kick in. For customers with Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connections, the NBN 100 tier becomes NBN 500 plans at no extra cost.
Both sets of speeds are ideal for streaming multiple 4K videos and downloading files quickly. If you get 500Mbps speeds, those downloads will be five times quicker. Only slightly more expensive than the 50Mbps tier, NBN 100 plans are still good value for most people; NBN 500 is even better value, given the small gap in pricing.
To start with, let’s look at the cheapest NBN 100 plans — these speeds apply to those with Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Building (FTTB), and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connections:
You can currently choose from three discounted NBN 100 plans priced at $65 or less per month, including Belong ($59), Dodo ($62.99), and Moose NBN ($63.80). Each telco’s discount lasts six months, before the monthly price jumps up to $95, $92.99, and $86.80, respectively.
There are a few sub-$90 NBN 100 plans going around, but the majority start at $90 per month without discounts.
If you have a direct fibre connection, here are the cheapest NBN 500 plans:
As you can see, the prices are more or less the same as NBN 100, which makes it pretty good value for those who can get NBN 500 plans.
Adding to the sub-$65 deals is a $59.90 discounted rate offered by Tangerine. Once its six-month discount expires, Tangerine’s NBN 500 plan costs $92.90 per month.
As long as you have the technology to support faster speeds, the prices for NBN 500 plans are no more expensive than the slower NBN 100 tier.
NBN 750 plans
500Mbps download speeds aren’t fast enough for you? For even faster speeds, you could try NBN 750, which was NBN 250 before last year’s wholesale speed upgrade. This is the tier you consider when you want to download the latest video game or save a whole bunch of media for offline viewing.
SpinTel and Dodo currently sell the cheapest NBN 750 plans at discounted monthly rates of $69 and $69.99 apiece. Afterwards, SpinTel’s ongoing cost is $94.95, while Dodo costs $99.99.
Without factoring in discounts, expect to pay between $100 and $110 per month for most NBN 750 plans.
NBN 1000 plans
NBN 1000 plans also come with 100Mbps upload speeds, giving you fast downloads and a strong upload rate. Consider these plans if you regularly work with large files, like content creators, and don’t want to waste time waiting for downloads or uploads to finish.
You’ll notice that not every telco promises 1,000Mbps download speeds during peak times. That’s because the NBN speed upgrade is still relatively new, so the industry is still collecting real-world performance data. Rest assured, though, that these plans are fast.
Belong currently sells the cheapest NBN 1000 plan, offering a $75 monthly rate for the first six months, before the price reverts to $110. SpinTel ($76) and Dodo ($79.99) are the closest competitors at the time of writing.
Elsewhere, most NBN 1000 plans cost upwards of $110 per month.
NBN 2000 plans
One of the new additions following the speed upgrade, NBN 2000 plans, also known as ‘Hyperfast’, is for absolute power users. Capable of handling multiple 8K video streams and downloading large files in the blink of an eye, it’s much faster than anything previously available to the wider Australian public.
Because it’s new and a bit on the pricier side, not many ISPs sell NBN 2000 plans just yet. Still, there are some discounts available, with prices already varying between telcos.
Mate currently has the cheapest and fastest NBN 2000 plan, selling it for $141 per month for the first six months, and $166 thereafter. Superloop is close behind, with a $148 monthly NBN 2000 plan. That price lasts for six months before increasing to $168 per month.
With not as much competition as other speed tiers, some NBN 2000 plans are as expensive as $194 per month.
What you need to know
If you want broadband internet in Australia, your main and most reliable choice is via the National Broadband Network (NBN). Although the NBN provides the internet backbone, it does not sell plans directly to the public. Instead, telecommunication vendors package up retail and business plans, which include different features and levels of customer support.
NBN availability
The NBN is available to all Australians, but the way you access the NBN may be different. This might include a fixed cable into your home, wireless access via an antenna on your roof or a satellite dish.
To see what technology is available to you, start by visiting the NBN getting connected page. After entering your address, you will be shown the technology available at your address. You will also see which providers or NBN retailers sell access in your area. In Sydney alone, we were presented with 123 different retailers.
Speed and reliability
It is important to understand that the speed and reliability of your NBN plan can differ by retailer. Each buys internet capacity from the NBN. This capacity is then shared with a certain number of the retailers’ customers. This means that a retailer may have faster speeds in one suburb versus another based on how many customers are accessing the overall capacity. It’s always good to ask your neighbours who they are with and their experience with a particular NBN retailer.
It’s also worth checking the ACCC website regularly. They publish quarterly broadband performance results, measuring how well telcos deliver on advertised internet speeds. You want to be certain that you’ll get the speeds you pay for, so this is a good starting point.
Having good internet speed is more than just a fast broadband connection. For more, be sure to check out GadgetGuy’s guide to improving your internet for more information.
Which NBN plan?
When evaluating an NBN plan, consider the following criteria:
Data Limits – Is there a monthly download limit of data, or is the plan unlimited?
Download Speed – Best measured at its busiest in megabits per second (Mbps) typical evening speed. Is it enough to watch Netflix? (Netflix requires 10-25Mbps depending on resolution quality.) Larger households with members using the internet simultaneously will require higher download speeds.
Cost – How much do you pay each month, and is there a connection fee?
Contract – Are you locking yourself to a retailer for a period, or is it month-to-month?
Telephone – Is a fixed-line telephone service bundled into the plan?
Customer service – What hours are supported, and is it an Australian-located call centre?
Upload speed – Important for people who save large files online, like photos and videos.
Changing providers
If you wish to change internet providers, the process involves signing up with the new retailer in-store or online. You may receive a new Wi-Fi router, and you may have to return your old router to your previous retailer. The retailer-provided router is generally low quality but provides a fixed-line telephone connection if selected.
Your retailer might offer you an email address. Still, we recommend using a non-telco-specific email address, such as Gmail or Hotmail, allowing you to easily change NBN retailers.
The NBN changeover process can take less than an hour, but depending on the location and NBN technology, it could take a few days. To take advantage of introductory offers, you could swap your provider every six months.
Suppose you do not wish to leave your existing provider. In that case, you may be able to negotiate a better rate by comparing it to cheaper offerings.
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Are you looking to save on your phone bill? We’ve rounded up the cheapest SIM plans from a range of different carriers to help you find the best price. If you’re unsure about whether a SIM-only mobile plan is what you need, our quick guide to SIM-only mobile plans will get you up to speed.
Generally speaking, if you don’t want a new phone or a lock-in contract, a SIM plan is the way to go. It’s easy to get what you need without paying for excess features. Unlimited phone calls and text messages usually come standard, with data and international roaming the main points of difference. If you do want a phone, however, check out the current deals on phone plans, including discounted handsets.
We update this article monthly, so bookmark this page to keep up to date with the cheapest SIM plans. Prices update in real-time, meaning you get the latest deals available in Australia right now. You can also use a custom search to choose a plan that suits your exact needs.
All of the plans featured in this article include an expiry period of at least 28 days. You can purchase a SIM plan with a shorter recharge window, ideal for travellers who only need a bit of data while visiting Australia.
At the time of writing, Pivotel sells the cheapest postpaid SIM plan, priced at $11.45 per month for the first six months. That’s half its usual monthly price of $22.90, which you’ll pay once the discounted period ends. It comes with 25GB of data via Vodafone’s 4G network.
At its discounted $12 monthly price (down from $23), SpinTel’s 25GB plan costs only an extra 55 cents per month. This SIM plan from SpinTel connects to Optus’ 5G network, so the choice comes down to your network preference.
Moose Mobile (Vodafone 4G) and Swoop (Vodafone 5G) aren’t far behind, selling discounted postpaid SIM plans at $14 per month for the first six months. Afterwards, an ongoing plan with Moose costs $23 per month, while Swoop costs a couple of dollars more at $25 per month.
If you’re keen on a postpaid SIM plan on the Telstra network, Tangerine currently sells the cheapest option. Its $30 monthly plan costs $15 per month for the first four months, including 30GB of data. Keep in mind that this Tangerine plan only uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G networks, so check the coverage map before locking anything in.
Prepaid
At the time of writing, OnePass Mobile is the cheapest prepaid SIM plan with a discounted $12.50 rate for the first six recharges. Normally $25 every 28 days, OnePass Mobile’s 22GB plan connects to the Optus 5G network, while bundling in a OnePass membership at no extra cost.
MVNOs on the Vodafone network round out the next cheapest prepaid SIM plans. Starting with Lycamobile, its 50GB plan costs $15 per recharge for the first six recharges (on a 28-day cycle. Once the discount ends, the price reverts to $30 per recharge. Also $15 are the 30GB plans from iiNet and TPG (Vodafone 5G), but both are billed monthly, netting you an extra few days.
On the Telstra network, the cheapest current prepaid SIM plan is $25 from Everyday Mobile on a 30-day renewal. The Woolies-branded telco uses Telstra’s wholesale 4G network with 22GB of data, plus a 10% discount on one Woolworths shop every month.
Cheapest 5G SIM plans
5G coverage reaches more of Australia than ever, bringing with it faster download speeds. Phones compatible with 5G are also increasingly affordable, making it easier to access high-speed networks.
In some cases, 5G plans can cost more, but as you’ll see below, they can also be among the cheapest.
Postpaid
SpinTel’s discounted $12 plan mentioned earlier is currently the cheapest postpaid 5G SIM plan, followed by Swoop’s $14 monthly plan.
Outside of discounts, postpaid 5G plans start from $23 per month, so it’s a reasonably affordable tier.
Prepaid
Topping both the cheapest overall and 5G prepaid plans, OnePass Mobile features again with its 22GB plan, which costs $12.50 for the first six 28-day recharges. Lyca Mobile, on the Vodafone 5G network, is similarly cheap, priced at $15 per 28 days for the first six recharges, including a large 50GB allocation. Afterwards, it costs $30 every 28 days.
In a slight shakeup to the Telstra side of the market, both Aldi Mobile and Boost Mobile are the cheapest Telstra-based prepaid SIM plans with 5G access. Both cost a flat rate of $28; Aldi’s plan recharges every 30 days, while Boost has a 28-day recharge cycle. 12GB comes with each Aldi recharge, and Boost includes 8GB. However, Boost Mobile’s advantage is being the only MVNO with access to the full Telstra 5G network, reaching further than Aldi’s wholesale network access.
For a bit more data on the Telstra network, Aldi Mobile and Ezee Mobile include 29GB per 30-day recharge for $29. Both rely on Telstra’s wholesale network, so check the coverage map to be sure if your area is covered.
Depending on your data needs, you can generally pick up a 5G prepaid plan for $25 per recharge.
Cheapest 365-day SIM plans
If you know what you need over a longer period and want to save money in the process, a 365-day SIM plan might do the trick. Simply pay once per year, and get a bank of data to use with unlimited calls and texts. It’s a cost-effective way of paying your phone bill for basic internet users who aren’t big downloaders.
For the next couple of weeks, OnePass Mobile sells the cheapest long-expiry plan. For $149, you can get Optus 4G network access and a large 350GB data allocation. Keep in mind, the regular allocation for future recharges (at the full $200 price) is 200GB, which is still competitive compared with other telcos.
Kogan also currently sells its Small 365-day plan for $149 (down from $179.90). Via the Vodafone 4G network, it includes 220GB with the first recharge, and 140GB with future recharges.
If you want a long-term SIM plan on the Telstra network, Everyday Mobile is currently the cheapest option. Priced at $250 and including 215GB, it provides access to Telstra’s wholesale 4G network. 5G access comes with Boost Mobile’s $300 365-day SIM plan in return for 290GB of data for the first year (subsequent recharges include 240GB).
What you need to know about SIM-only plans
It’s fairly easy to change your SIM plan provider. Even more so with the rise of embedded SIM (eSIM) technology, letting you change plans almost instantly with a compatible device. Instead of requiring a physical card, eSIM stores network information directly in your phone.
Irrespective of which service provider you go with, the actual network used will be either Optus, Telstra or Vodafone. Many of the cheapest SIM plan providers are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). This refers to carriers that use the network infrastructure of another company.
Boost Mobile is a popular MVNO that has full access to Telstra’s network, reaching 99.5% of Australians. Not every MVNO includes a network’s full coverage, so it’s worth checking a company’s website to ensure your area is serviced.
In terms of how much data you should choose, data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that Australians generally pay for more than what they need. On average, Aussies use 10.2GB of phone data per month, so it’s likely you could get away with a smaller allowance that costs less.
It also depends on how much you stream and download content using your phone. If you mainly use home or office Wi-Fi and don’t stream much, stick with a cheaper plan.
Postpaid versus prepaid
There are a couple of slightly different SIM plan options to choose from. Postpaid refers to plans that operate on a monthly billing cycle, where you pay at the end of each cycle. Postpaid SIM plans generally don’t involve a lock-in contract, so you can freely swap if your needs change or a better deal comes along. If you hit your data cap for a month, your telco might limit speeds until the next cycle or charge extra costs, so check the fine print beforehand.
Prepaid, on the other hand, sees you pay at the start of each cycle for a fixed number of days. Most prepaid SIM plans have a 28-day expiry cycle instead of a full month. Shorter expiries are also available if you need a SIM while travelling, making it a flexible option. The upside is that if you go over your data limit, you won’t incur extra costs. A lot of prepaid plans don’t automatically recharge by default but you can set up auto-recharge manually, with some telcos offering discounts or bonuses if you do so.
Phone number portability
The SIM changeover process takes about 10 minutes of your time or even less if you choose an eSIM. You will receive instructions to visit a website, provide your details, prove your identity (online) and then insert your new SIM.
Note you will have a choice to migrate your existing mobile number or choose a new one. About 15 minutes later, you should be up and running. However, the documentation will indicate it may take up to 24 hours and be affected by working hours.
Best network coverage
Network coverage is one of the most important factors to consider when buying any phone plan. Low prices and all the data in the world don’t mean much if you can’t get a signal.
Telstra decided to no longer express its network as a percentage of the Australian population, after the rules governing how telcos present network coverage changed midway through 2026. As such, a percentage-versus-percentage comparison is a bit trickier, but Telstra still claims the biggest phone network coverage in Australia by way of square kilometres.
Network
Network size
Telstra
2.14 million square kilometres
Telstra wholesale
1.4 million square kilometres
Optus
1.2 million square kilometres
Vodafone
1.2 million square kilometres
More important than percentages and square kilometres is whether your location has coverage. The best way to check is via a telco’s network map:
If you’re not sure which telco to choose, try a plan for a month. Lock-in contracts are largely a thing of the past, so it’s easier than ever to try one provider and swap if it doesn’t work out.
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Arriving slightly later this year, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 range adds a bit more internal power and beefs up the tablets’ speakers, while a new tracker is set to launch next year.
This year’s range of premium Samsung tablets consists of two larger models: the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and the 12.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12+. Last year’s tablets didn’t include the ‘Plus’ model, with Samsung opting to alternate between tablet sizes as the sidekick to the Ultra model.
Both tablets run on a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor with 12GB of memory (the 1TB Ultra model gets 16GB of memory). This year’s range gets a new quad-speaker array, providing a four-channel audio system, up from previous tablets’ two audio channels.
Image: Samsung.
Consistent with other mobile device launches, there’s a higher price tag with the latest models, likely due to the AI-driven global memory shortage. In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $2,299, $200 more expensive than last year’s Tab S11 Ultra launch price. For comparison, the Galaxy Tab S12+ starts at $1,999 locally, up from the Galaxy Tab S10+’s $1,799 price tag.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 range launches in Australia on 22 October. Like the brand’s top-end phones, the tablets support seven years of OS and security updates.
A new Samsung tracker
Launching alongside Samsung’s new tablets is the Galaxy SmartTag 3, the brand’s latest tracking device. Compared to the second-gen tag, the latest version is 35 per cent smaller and 33 per cent lighter.
Arguably the biggest change is the SmartTag 3’s iOS support. Compatible with Android and iOS devices, Samsung’s new tracker works across different brands, potentially helping households not wedded to one ecosystem over another. Apple device owners can track the SmartTag 3’s whereabouts via Samsung’s SmartThings app.
Image: Samsung.
In addition to the smaller size and cross-OS support, Samsung claims the new tracker can help locate objects from farther away. Using a combination of Bluetooth 6 and ultra-wideband technology, the SmartTag 3 can precisely locate a position from up to 60 metres away using Compass View, Samsung says.
Australians keen to upgrade their Samsung trackers will need to wait, however. Korea gets the Galaxy SmartTag 3 next week, but an Australian launch isn’t due until 2027.
