That was quick. Less than a day after reports surfaced about a new Mac Mini, Apple has officially announced a 2026 edition of its pint-sized desktop computer.
With M6 and M5 Pro models available, the new Mac Mini starts at $1,449 in Australia, $500 more than the 2024 M4 model’s starting price. With the M6 chip, Apple’s computer still begins with 16GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD as a base configuration.
Compared to the M4 model, the M6 variant gets a 12-core CPU and GPU (up from 10 cores), and a faster 170GB/s peak memory bandwidth. It still has the same number of ports (now with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port), but the wireless connectivity gets a boost, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 supported.
With a strong focus on AI, Apple claims the M6 Mac Mini produces up to four times faster AI performance than the M4 model. Other claims include twice as fast storage and graphics, plus 40 per cent faster CPU performance.
As for the M5 Pro Mac Mini, which starts at $2,699 (another $500 increase versus the M4 Pro model), it ships with up to an 18-core CPU (up from 14 cores) and a 20-core GPU. Similarly, the memory bandwidth increases to 307GB/s, up from the M4 Pro’s 273GB/s speeds. By default, the M5 Pro Mac Mini includes 24GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD, with options to get up to 64GB and 8TB, respectively.
Billed as an “always-on desktop for AI agents”, the M5 Pro model reportedly processes LM Studio Prompts four times faster than the M4 Pro Mac Mini.
Pre-orders for the M6 and M5 Pro Mac Mini computers start today, launching on 22 September. Joining them are new Mac Studio models, Apple’s more powerful desktop PC alternative.
Aldi is back with another pair of affordable Ecovacs robot cleaners, something the supermarket chain has become well-known for. This time, it’s the Deebot Neo 4.0 robot vacuum and the Deebot Winbot Mini window cleaner.
A successor to last year’s Neo 3.0 Omni, the $279 Deebot Neo 4.0 steps up the suction power to 11,000Pa, up from 9,000Pa. It’s also a big step up from the popular Deebot Neo 2.0 (5,000Pa), which Aldi sold on and off over a couple of years.
This specific model doesn’t come with an auto-empty station; instead, it uses a charging dock that the robot returns to between cleaning runs. So, you’ll need to empty the robot’s 350mL dustbin manually each time, which previous Deebot Neo owners would be used to.
Image: Ecovacs.
Aside from the more powerful suction, the Deebot Neo 4.0’s other main upgrade is the addition of Ecovacs’ “ZeroTangle 2.0” technology. By using a V-shaped brush, it’s meant to prevent hair tangles, resulting in less clogging and less hands-on time.
Joining the new Deebot is the $249 Winbot Neo Mini, a returning Aldi Special Buys item that cleans windows automatically. Handy for hard-to-reach glass, it sticks to windows and cleans them using a built-in spray nozzle to wash them for you.
Image: Ecovacs.
Part of Aldi’s eclectic middle aisle Special Buys goods, the latest Ecovacs range goes on sale on Saturday 5 September. There are online listings for both robots, but they’ll only be sold in stores.
Based on the reaction to past Ecovacs sales at Aldi, expect to see a crowd when the doors open, as keen shoppers try to get a robot cleaner before they sell out.
Kicking off Gamescom in Germany overnight, ROG confirmed an October launch for its OLED-laden Xbox Ally X20 gaming handheld, along with local pricing details.
As revealed in June, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is a limited edition version of the Xbox Ally X, made as part of Asus’ gaming brand’s 20th anniversary celebrations. Most of its internals are the same — an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset, 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, and a 1TB SSD — with the most obvious changes on the outside.
Replacing the IPS screen of the original model is a slightly larger 7.4-inch OLED display. It shares the same 120Hz VRR specs, with better colours, contrast, and a higher 1,400-nit peak brightness as the main benefits.
ROG also equipped the Xbox Ally X20 with new TMR joysticks and a swivelling D-pad that can swap between four- and eight-directional inputs depending on the game. Instead of the black casing used by the standard model, the X20 sports a translucent look.
Image: ROG.
ROG will sell its limited edition handheld gaming PC in two versions: as a standalone $2,499 device, and a $4,499 bundle that includes a pair of ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 AR glasses, a dbrand Killswitch case, and a Pelican case. ROG’s AR glasses aim to replicate a personal cinema-like experience, using a built-in 240Hz micro-OLED display to produce the equivalent of up to a 171-inch screen.
Compared to the Xbox Ally X, the X20 is $700 more expensive, or $900 based on the original launch price. That price discrepancy is likely due to a combination of memory shortage costs and pricier OLED technology. With its nearest competitor, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, starting at $2,749, ROG faces some strong competition.
Designed to bring out the best in modern TVs, Dolby Vision is a licensed high dynamic range (HDR) technology that, among other things, helps bring out an image’s contrast and colours. One of HDR’s core features is its ability to display bright highlights and deep shadows on compatible TVs without blowing out the rest of the picture.
Dolby Vision 2 builds on this foundation, adding more content-specific optimisations like ‘Authentic Motion’ and ‘Precision Black’. According to Chris Mayer, Hisense National Training Manager, the technology is meant to save you from drowning in settings menus.
“Dolby Vision 2 delivers brighter, clearer and more lifelike picture, so you always see exactly what you’re supposed to see,” said Mayer. “It works automatically in the background to adjust the TV’s picture to suit what you’re watching, so content looks its best without having to change any settings.”
Mayer added that Dolby Vision 2 steps up “from primarily dynamic HDR into a more intelligent, content and environment-aware picture system”. In its original announcement, Dolby claimed that the updated HDR format uses metadata provided by the creator to adjust a TV’s image automatically based on several factors, including ambient lighting and the specific type of content shown.
Which Hisense TVs are compatible with Dolby Vision 2?
At the moment, several Australian Hisense TVs support Dolby Vision 2. This includes the brand’s new RGB Mini LED range, like the UR8S, and some of its ‘ULED’ TVs. TCL has also publicly backed Dolby Vision 2, but hasn’t confirmed when it’ll arrive on its TVs.
Here are the Australian Hisense TVs currently compatible with Dolby Vision 2:
Just to add another variable to the equation, each of these TVs supports what’s called ‘Dolby Vision 2 Max’. As explained by Dolby, some features are exclusive to the Max version of its new HDR format. Dolby Vision 2 Max requires more processing power, thus unlocking Authentic Motion, the ambient-light detecting ‘Light Sense 2’ feature, and a range of pro-level settings.
Image: Hisense.
Set to appear on other TVs later, Dolby Vision 2 (sans ‘Max’) still uses the latest image engine powering the HDR technology. It also supports ‘Content Intelligence’, the feature that uses a content’s metadata to adjust the picture scene-by-scene in a way that respects the creator’s intent.
Where is the Dolby Vision 2 content?
Here’s the kicker: Australians don’t have much access to Dolby Vision 2-native content. Overseas, Peacock, Canal+, and iQIYI have committed to streaming Dolby Vision 2 content, but no major local streamers are on board yet.
Fortunately, Dolby’s latest HDR format is backwards-compatible. Even if a piece of media doesn’t yet have Dolby Vision 2 metadata, existing content can still benefit.
“As Dolby Vision 2 continues to roll out, customers can expect to see more compatible movies, TV shows, live sports and other content becoming available in the coming months,” said Mayer. “Existing Dolby Vision titles can also benefit from Dolby Vision 2’s upgraded image processing on compatible TVs.”
As reported by TechRadar, much of the process for updating existing Dolby Vision content can be automated, making it easier for creators to get on board. However, features like Precision Black and Authentic Motion — the latter of which reduces judder without inducing the dreaded ‘soap opera effect’ — require a manual touch.
Image: Chris Button.
“That feature is so sensitive that we don’t generate that metadata, it has to be manually authored,” Dolby’s Jonas Klittmark told TechRadar.
Although sports and video games are also compatible, movies and TV shows are the main beneficiaries of Dolby Vision 2. Major streaming platforms, like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Prime Video, already support Dolby’s earlier HDR format. In other words, if you have a Dolby Vision 2-compatible TV, you can start putting the upgraded image engine to work.
For gamers, it’s a different story. Both the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 use the open-source HDR10 format rather than Dolby Vision. PC is much the same, with minimal Dolby Vision support. Xbox Series X and Series S, on the other hand, are Dolby Vision-compatible across games and media playback. So, unless you’re an Xbox player, there isn’t much native support for Dolby’s HDR standard.
Dolby Vision 2 in action
In a nice quirk of timing, I’m currently reviewing the Hisense U7SAU, one of the models that received the Dolby Vision 2 update earlier this month. When booting up Dolby Vision-compatible content, the Dolby Vision 2 Max badge appears on the screen as the HDR mode kicks in.
Although I didn’t have access to any content that uses Authentic Motion or Precision Black, the settings menu showed a simplified approach to HDR. On the Hisense U7SAU, Dolby Vision 2 comes with four modes: Standard, Pro Reference, Custom, and Game. When playing the built-in demo footage, Game was inaccessible, but I could poke around the other modes.
Image: Chris Button.
When set to Standard, the customisation exists on a simple sliding scale. Dubbed ‘Picture Intensity’, you can set a value between minus five (the lowest) and five (the highest). To my eye, it looked like Picture Intensity adjusted the picture’s brightness, contrast, and colour saturation levels. By default, Standard looked a bit too vivid, but dialling the slider down produced an image I was happier with.
Image: Chris Button.Comparing the peak Picture Intensity (left) to the lowest setting (right). Images: Chris Button.
Conversely, Pro Reference looked the best before any tweaks. It’s the closest thing to ‘Filmmaker Mode’, setting the colour temperature to ‘Warm 1’ and presenting a more natural-looking picture. Interestingly, Pro Reference doesn’t let you change the colour temperature, while Standard has no such restrictions.
Image: Chris Button.
Also, instead of Picture Intensity, Pro Reference gives you two separate sliders. One is for peak luminance, the other for minimum luminance. Otherwise, it’s less modular than Standard, likely to preserve the cinema-like reproduction. As its name suggests, Custom is more of an open buffet, but the philosophy behind Dolby Vision 2 is to simplify HDR, so I can’t imagine many people touching it.
It’s early days, and I’m keen to test Dolby Vision 2 with more content, but it’s a refreshingly simple way to customise HDR visuals. Now all it needs is broader support.
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Motorola has kicked off its Father’s Day sale with some eye-catching deals, including big discounts on its flagship handset and foldable phones.
Until 9 September, you can grab up to $500 off Moto’s diverse range of phones at Australian retailers. Among the headline deals is $500 off the Motorola Signature and $400 off the Razr Fold.
When I reviewed the Motorola Signature earlier in the year, I said it provided one of the best camera systems on any Android phone around its $1,499 price tag. All four of its cameras are 50MP, including the impressive 3x optical zoom telephoto lens.
Image: Chris Button.
Offering some strong competition to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 and Google’s Pixel devices, the Signature is Motorola’s most powerful phone. You can thank the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip for that, powering performance on par with other flagship phones.
Sporting a big 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, the Razr Fold lasts a long while on a single charge. Like the Signature, the Razr Fold also boasts a great set of cameras, capturing plenty of details and colour in each snap.
Also joining Motorola’s Father’s Day sale are the Razr 70 Ultra flip phone ($200 off), Edge 70 ($300 off), and the entry-level Moto Watch ($50 off).
On sale now, you can find the discounted range at the likes of JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman:
Podcasters and audio professionals have another mic arm to choose from, with Australian company Rode releasing the sturdier DS3.
An upgrade from the previous model, the Rode DS3 fits mics and recording equipment up to 1.5kg (up from 950g). It also comes with adapters to fit 3/8″, 1/4″ and 5/8″ thread screws, working with a range of microphones, lights, and other accessories.
Like Rode’s previous desktop mic arm, this one doesn’t use a clamp. Instead, its base is weighted to keep it in place, with the added benefit of easier movement mid-recording. On top of that, the DS3 gains a ball head designed for smooth and quiet mic repositioning.
Based on the smoother movement and increased weight capacity, the DS3 looks like a decent upgrade. A black version is now available for $180 in Australia, with a white version to come later.
These days, having a projector in your home doesn’t mean completely overhauling your living room or finding space for a massive device. Modern projectors are much more portable, and the XGIMI Elfin Flip 4K is one of the more versatile examples going around.
Named as such for its sleek swivel-based design, the XGIMI Elfin Flip can be plugged in and projecting in just a matter of seconds. Depending on your available space, it can project an image up to 200 inches. Not bad for such a small device!
It’s a lot brighter than many other portable projectors too, beaming up to 1,600 ISO lumens. Years ago, you wouldn’t dream of using a projector anywhere other than a dark room. Today, that’s not so much of an issue.
