News
- PlayStation has announced that it will not release games on physical discs from January 2028
- This comes days after GTA 6 pre-orders were digital or code-in-a-box orders only
- Decision looks to pave the way for a digital-only PS6, probably releasing in 20-28 at the earliest
PlayStation has today announced that no new PlayStation games will be released on physical disc from January 2028 onwards.
In a huge blow to the concept of physical ownership, the gaming giant has said this move is "a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs" in a new PS blog post.
It goes on to argue that, "This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today."
The move is unlikely to be popular with fans and particularly with game collectors, and comes just days after the disc-less GTA 6 pre-orders, which saw Rockstar ditch the disc in favour of code-in-a-box game box releases.
Not only this, but this decision also comes a matter of days after PlayStation removed some movies that console owners had bought digitally from their libraries with no compensation.
It all points to a digital-only future, with a physical disc drive only being useful for games released before January 2028 on PlayStation. Sony's next PlayStation console being digital only by default now seems very likely.
It's a far cry from Sony's famous dunk on the PS4's competitor, the Xbox One, at the beginning of the last console generation, when the latter appeared to be announced with a function that would block resale and sharing of physical games. Microsoft quickly rowed that back.
The under-30-second video clip published by PlayStation has been viewed millions of times and is part of a series of famous 'wins' for PlayStation's console over Microsoft's back in 2013 that set the scene for that generation — and beyond — and is part of gaming folklore.
Now, however, it's all changed. This decision will further bring the concept of owning one's own games under scrutiny when publishers and platform holders will simply retain the right and ability to pull the plug at will, with consumers not necessarily owning a copy of the game they bought.
How do you feel about Sony's decision to no longer release any new PlayStation games on physical discs from 2028? Vote in the poll below or leave a comment.
- A video showing the Neo's apparent strengths versus Windows laptops went viral on X
- It wasn't a fair comparison, as pointed out in Microsoft's response — but the reaction of the computing public is even more telling
- A rumor is also circulating that Microsoft has ditched a couple of more affordable Surface devices
It's a tricky old time for laptops, what with the RAM crisis pushing up prices, and Microsoft has taken the opportunity to launch a counterattack on the MacBook Neo, following Apple's recent price hikes — not that the Surface lineup isn't suffering itself, with rumors of more misery inbound in the form of cancelled models.
Windows Latest spotted the controversy around Windows laptops and the MacBook Neo, which wasn't started by Microsoft, but rather by a video that went viral on X. The clip, which was aired by @Ahmadansari2233 and has racked up 5.4 million views, shows how the MacBook Neo is superior to an 'others brand laptop' (meaning a Windows 11 model).
As Windows Latest notes, the video actually uses an HP Victus gaming laptop, and this is hardly a fair comparison. Why would you compare a budget gaming notebook to the Neo? Furthermore, some of the points made — like the level of flex in the lid of the HP model — are obviously cherry-picked to show the worst of Windows 11 devices versus Apple's budget creation (with flex being a known issue for the HP notebook).
Clearly, we'd have a very different video if we looked at the MacBook Neo's gaming prowess versus the HP Victus. (No, it wouldn't make any sense to do that either, but this just underlines the ridiculous idea of comparing a Windows 11 gaming notebook to Apple's portable.)
At any rate, the success of the video prompted Microsoft to respond, with the official Windows account on X showing the Dell XPS 13 being put through its paces (including a laptop lid and base showing little flex, unlike the HP notebook).
The post from Microsoft goes over some of the XPS 13's benefits — including that it packs a touchscreen — and highlights the price of $699 in the US, just after Apple has bumped the MacBook Neo price up to that level (increasing it by $100, and the regional equivalent elsewhere). Dell weighs in to back up Microsoft here.
And it's fair enough that Microsoft should defend itself, given that the original video is skewed against the Windows 11 side of the laptop world. (Not that Microsoft is above employing these sorts of tactics itself, mind.)
But there are problems raised nonetheless, firstly by the recent happenings with the Surface lineup, and secondly, in the painful reaction to Microsoft jabbing back at this bit of MacBook Neo promotion.
Surface issues — and a bigger problem of entrenched perceptions(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)If we're going to talk about pricing, an obvious stumble from Microsoft of late is that it has applied eye-watering cost hikes for the Surface range. These were truly hefty increases, even if Apple has just actioned its own hikes for the Neo and other MacBooks. (And yes, it's true enough that while the Neo cost bump was relatively mild, it has certainly diminished its appeal versus budget Windows 11 laptops).
What's more worrying, though, is the rumor that Microsoft is ditching models at the more affordable end of its laptop range. Windows Central reports that the Surface Go 4 and Surface Laptop Go 3 have gone out of stock with most retailers, and seemingly Microsoft doesn't plan to make any more of these devices. Neither are next-gen replacements for these cheaper Surface laptops coming, either, if Zac Bowden's sources are correct.
In fairness, the Surface Laptop Go 3 has effectively been replaced by the Surface Laptop, although the latter still starts from a higher price point, about 20% pricier in fact (and that's with the new cheaper 8GB model of the latter). And the Surface Go 4 will certainly be missed as a budget option, even if it was a business-targeted device. As Bowden notes, it appears that the Go 4 was a popular device in the enterprise sphere with a palatable price tag, even if our review didn't agree with that sentiment.
However, pricing and Surface rumors aside, the most notable concern for Microsoft here must be the reaction to its riposte against the MacBook Neo on X. As noted, I think it's a fair enough response, but the majority of Reddit doesn't seem to agree – or at least, many Redditors do agree that there's a key problem with any Windows 11 laptop.
As one poster puts it succinctly: "The problem with Windows machines is that they have Windows on them."
Others in that Reddit thread echo the same sentiment, if not a more barbed and pronounced take on it – and it's the same story in the replies to Microsoft's response on X. One poster says: "But it's Windows. You run the risk that any or every monthly update will break something. Sticking with my iMac and Mac Neo."
What's this illustrates is that despite the obvious improvements in modern Windows 11 laptops – of which the Dell XPS 13 is a good example – and Microsoft's big campaign to fix Windows 11, there are a lot of hardcore doubters still out there. Okay, so those detractors may be noisier than those in the happier-with-Windows camp, but there's still a good deal of negative feeling to overcome for Microsoft – which is made quite clear when the company tries to blow its own trumpet in this way.
In truth, I think Microsoft has done very well with the improvements made to Windows 11 thus far this year, and I hope that progress will continue throughout the rest of 2026. Frankly, that'll be necessary to really start to turn around some of the more entrenched perceptions about Microsoft's desktop OS, and all that's still going to be an uphill struggle as this episode aptly illustrates.
- AMD is reportedly preparing a 10% price hike on graphics memory kits for Radeon GPUs
- This means retailers could increase prices of Radeon GPUs from the likes of Sapphire or Asus
- This case is yet another example of just how hard the RAM crisis is hitting the PC market
Gaming is becoming an expensive hobby for both console and PC gamers, and it's all because of the ongoing RAM crisis. Unfortunately, another manufacturer's GPU components may be the next victim of price hikes.
As reported by VideoCardz, AMD is planning a 10% price increase on graphics memory kits for its Radeon GPUs this July, according to a new post on a Board Channels forum. This means that AMD's AIB partners, such as Sapphire and Asus, will pay more for components, which might result in higher retail prices for Radeon GPUs.
The Board Channels post states that these price hikes are a result of 'tight global supply of graphics memory chips,' including the noticeable trend of 'continuously rising market prices'.
Of course, there's no confirmation from AMD on the matter just yet, but if true, it doesn't help AMD's position in the GPU market up against its fierce rival, Nvidia. Frankly, both are in a tough spot due to higher memory costs across the board, which is well established for effectively every PC manufacturer at this stage in 2026.
While most of Team Green's RTX GPUs are fairly expensive for consumers, the advantage of better upscaling technologies and raw performance when using ray tracing in games makes them more appealing, in comparison to newer Radeon GPUs.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)While we await confirmation from AMD, consumers should start buying new hardware now. Both AMD and Nvidia GPUs are still expensive across several retailers, and it's a tough spot for any gamer to be in when searching for an upgrade.
However, if you don't own a gaming PC at all, it's worth keeping an eye out for several deals — and fortunately, Best Buy's 4th of July sale is already underway, and this iBuyPower Slate Intel Arc B570 gaming PC is only $899.99 on sale.
It also comes with 16GB of DDR5 RAM (which would be expensive to buy separately), and most importantly, it's using a GPU that's perfectly capable of great gaming performance at 1080p and 1440p resolutions.
When acknowledging the messy state of the PC hardware market and the prospect of more price hikes, it's hard to ignore a deal such as this, especially when Intel's XeSS upscaling has improved over the last few years — so if it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase.
My non-negotiable for any kind of trip is a good pair of headphones. Public transport without a way to zone out from my surroundings? Unthinkable. A good podcast, playlist or audiobook can make any tediously long journey pass in double-quick time.
Day-to-day, my over-ear cans are my playlist-deliverer of choice, and so far I've been lugging them around on my vacations too, but I've decided it's time to invest in some earbuds for travel. The main benefit of an in-ear option is that it's significantly more compact for packing, but in hotter climes, I've also been struggling with overheating ears (it's a privileged problem, but a problem nonetheless, okay?) — and I'm concerned about what the sweat and suncream is doing to my earcup padding.
Luckily, the talented TechRadar Audio team has been busy testing dozens of pairs of earbuds, and I have plenty of well-reviewed options to choose from — I've rounded up my top contenders below. All of these come highly recommended, but the top three are 5-star buys. Click the 'View details' button for more info about each one, and why I'm considering it. For more options, head to our general roundup of the very best headphones for travel.
Brilliant travel earbuds Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Ear BudsTop contenders because they're both very good and very affordable — I personally find it stressful to have any of my pricier gadgets with me when I go away, and it wouldn't be a disaster if I left one of these in a hotel room or dropped it in a pool. We called these headphones "a sure-fire hit". The noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort and battery life are all far better than we'd expect at this price point.
Pros- Fun, zealous, expansive sound
- Vastly improved active noise cancellation
- Smaller, more pocketable case
- No wireless charging support
- No flagship sound profile curation
The main reason I'm considering these earbuds for travel is because the noise cancellation is second to none. We said: "These buds are the most sonically exuberant listen I've heard to date in this type of form factor, a fact only enhanced by their rock-solid, near-impenetrable active noise cancellation (ANC), which you can usefully tweak on a slider when creating Bose's hugely successful 'Modes'."
Pros- Bose's noise cancellation is still top of the class
- Tailored immersive profiles add value
- Excellent device agnostic spatial audio with head tracking
- Earbuds are still a touch big
- No guided hearing tests
- EQ tweaks limited to three tabs
We called these "a highly competent set of earbuds and a joy to wear". They're especially great for using on flights, because you can plug the case's USB-C port into the headphone jack on an in-flight entertainment system, and it'll work as a wireless audio transmitter. The ANC is also great.
Pros- Incredible levels of detail and dynamism
- Vastly improved comfort; better stamina
- Effective ANC
- Lacks ear-tip or fit tests
- No proprietary spatial audio
- Battery life can still be beaten
Another noise-cancellation hero — we called the ANC "truly remarkable". These also stand out for offering extra perks like Live Translation, which will come in handy on further-flung trips. A potential down-side is the slightly limited battery life when making use of all those extra features.
Pros- Wall-of-silence active noise cancellation
- Much comfier and more secure fit
- Heart-rate monitor adds value
- Still questionable stamina (with all features deployed)
- Case button will be missed
- Live translation requires work to set up
These are a little different, because they're open-ear headphones. While I love all-encompassing noise-cancellation, there are situations — particularly when traveling alone — where I want to be more aware of my surroundings, and these would work well for that. They're also nice and affordable, with good sound and fit.
Pros- Top-tier sound
- Competitive price
- Comfortable fit
- App download pains
- Middling battery life
- Would benefit from ANC
Like the Freearc buds above, these open-ear headphones are designed for times when you want to be aware of what's going on around you. We're also fans of the performance — our reviewer said: "The buds nail the basics; they’re comfortable to wear, grip reliably in the ear... and don’t weigh too much." They also praised the "hardy" build — a bonus for travel.
Pros- Fantastic listening test
- Comfortable build
- Competitive value
- Low max volume
- Cheap-feeling case
- Touch control issues
A few weeks ago, Reuters reported that India's Tata Electronics, one of Apple's largest iPhone production facilities, suffered a serious data breach compromising 200,000 files and 630 gigabytes of data. Apple wasn't the only target — Tesla data was snapped up, too — but the apparent fruits of that illicit labor resulted in one very large iPhone 18 Pro leak.
We have no confirmation that the videos of a silver iPhone 18 Pro undergoing drop tests are real, but the detail in the online post that the videos come from a Tata leak lends credence to their veracity.
Some called it the biggest leak since Gizmodo and the iPhone 4. As others have noted — and I agree — it's really not on that level. After all, the iPhone 4 that someone found in a California bar was a fully functioning model. For all we know, the alleged iPhone 18 Pro shown in the video is just a dummy model or a chassis with no internal components.
It's what comes next, though, that has me concerned and I'm sure worries Apple too.
A trickle could become a flowAs of this moment, the data from the breach, which Tata Electronics confirmed, is on the Dark Web. This is a part of the internet hidden from the public web; it's not searchable by Google or even your favorite AI chatbot. Only people who know how to traverse the dank space, usually using a Tor browser, can search the treasure trove of information from Tesla and Apple.
According to Reuters, a group called World Leaks had started posting data from the breach on the Dark Web and it included "several purported Apple files and folders, some titled 'com.apple.factorydata', and documents referring to 'material specification'."
What appears to be happening is that hackers (and maybe others on the Dark Web who know where to find these files and how to dig into them) are just starting to unearth critical data from Apple (and Tesla). It stands to reason, then, that the videos we've seen are not the end of the leaks but just the beginning.
Why not Ultra?With the launch of the iPhone 18 lineup likely just a few months away (most expect it to happen in the first half of September), Apple is well past the point of design and specification. It's working with manufacturing partners like Tata Electronics to assemble the phones (and maybe test them) and prepare them for shipping. Once Apple unveils all its new handsets, including perhaps the new iPhone Ultra foldable, it will be just a few weeks before they start shipping to customers. Apple must build millions of handsets now in order to prepare for typical demand.
As for what we might see next, that's anyone's guess. Obviously, this leak put Apple on high alert. It may be playing the whack-a-mole game of stamping out the spread of this leak, and is surely it's working with Tata to ensure another breach doesn't happen. But there's not much Apple can do to police the Dark Web. It can't break down the door of the Internet and demand those files back.
Hackers and other interested parties will dig through those folders and files, looking for other tidbits to post — I'm sure they've already been scouring them for any indication of a folding device. Tata, though, may not have been tasked with building that completely new and all-important device. This is just conjecture, but for that flexible handset, Apple could've turned to its oldest and most trusted iPhone manufacturing partner in China, Foxconn.
I know, why do that when the US is pushing for manufacturing outside China (and in the US, if it can get it)? My thinking is that the Ultra folding iPhone will be more expensive and probably not as appealing as a mass-market phone and will therefore sell in far lower quantities. In that case, Apple leaves that with Foxconn and still hands at least a third of the iPhone 18 assembly duties to Tata.
If that's the case, then future leaks will revolve around everything but the new foldable... if Apple is lucky.
Mark my words, though, I really don't think this is the last major leak we'll see in the run-up to Apple's big iPhone 18 launch.