Sonos Arc Ultra
Sleek minimalist design, astonishing sound
Price: R25 000
What I love most about Sonos products is the design and how easy they are to install and use. I also love the how well they integrate with a smartphone and how the experience is seamless.
Sonos has spent over two decades perfecting sound, and the Sonos Arc Ultra is at the pinnacle of this perfection.
The new premium soundbar debuts the brand’s revolutionary transducer technology called Sound Motion. The transducer is responsible for converting electric signals into sound waves. This is an audio engineering breakthrough. Because the transducer is smaller, it can deliver more from a smaller product. The bass from the Sonos Arc Ultra is double that of its predecessor.
The magic that happens inside is the impressive part. There are seven dome tweeters and six woofers that work with fifteen class D digital amplifiers to deliver an exceptional 9.14 spatial audio experience. And you do not have to worry about setting anything up. Trueplay technology embedded in the Arc Ultra uses software and AI to measure the acoustics in the room to deliver the perfect audio experience.
If you are looking to surprise someone with an amazing birthday gift in 2025, this is the one to get!
https://www.planetworld.co.za/products/home-audio/audio/soundbar/multi-room/sonos-arc-black
Samsung S25 Ultra A
The ultimate Android device
Price: R30 000
Samsung’s flagship phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, has the best of everything and delivers exceptional performance! It really is phenomenal.
The truth is it looks almost identical to the previous model and the hardware upgrades are incremental, but they are big enough to warrant that upgrade.
The new model is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which ensures even better performance and optimisation that translates to a snappier device and longer battery life.
AI is at the core of this phone. It’s built to be able to deliver in this AI era. You need the power to be able to deliver personal experiences such as editing videos and photos, or just analysing data on the device. There is a massive amount of processing happening on the phone from different sources to deliver relevant information to users.
And that’s where the fundamental shift has happened with phones. It is how we interact with phones and what happens in the background without us even realising it.
Apart from the AI and the processing power, there are subtle changes to the design – you will notice more rounded edges, the phone is slightly lighter, and the cameras have been marginally improved.
In my opinion, the Samsung S25 Ultra is the best phone in the world right now!
https://www.samsung.com/za/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/
Dell Pro Max
Artificial intelligence at your fingertips
Price: From R50 000
Computing demands are growing exponentially. Users want that power at their fingertips, but at the same time new generations of laptops need to operate efficiently.
Dell recently launched a broad selection of notebooks that cater for every segment of the market.
The flagship Dell Pro Max laptops come in 14-inch and 16-inch variants. They are designed for maximum performance and professional-grade productivity.
The devices include the Intel and AMD Ryzen processor options, as well as professional graphics.
The new machines are fully configurable and offer a QHD+ resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and an optional touch screen.
Running Windows 11, the latest Dell AI-powered laptops have a brand-new design and keyboard layout, allowing users to access Copilot direct from the keyboard and integrating the AI experience into workflows.
If you are looking for a seriously powerful machine that can power intensive workloads from animation to video rendering, run AI inferencing and fine-tune large language models (LLMs), the Dell Pro Max is designed to deliver.
https://www.dell.com/en-us/plcp/lp/dell-pro-max-pcs
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition
Elegant AI powerhouse
Price: From R50 000
Another AI powerhouse notebook to consider is the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition. The pedigree of Lenovo goes back to the IBM Think Pad days and these machines are excellent in design and performance. Now take everything you know and have experienced with a ThinkPad and add ultra refinement.
The ThinkPad X9 comes in 14-inch and 15-inch Aura editions. The new generation Copilot+ PCs are powered by the Intel Core Ultra processors. The ThinkPad X9 Series unveils a sophisticated new contemporary aluminium design, blending elegance with practical innovation. It is really a beautiful device that is surprisingly light. The slim form factor feels premium and solid in your hands.
Without becoming too technical on the “guts” of this machine, it has the best of the best and it is powered to deliver computing power for processing large amounts data in the environment of intense AI development. It is designed for demanding customers and power users who want peak performance with no compromise.
It has some other cool features…
Smart Modes, for example, has five tailored settings — Shield, Collaboration, Attention, Power, and Wellness, which allow users to easily switch between optimised device configurations. These modes help enhance security, manage power efficiency, support virtual meetings, and even encourage healthy digital habits.
The one I love is Smart Share. It was developed in collaboration with Intel and it facilitates rapid photo transfers between Android iOS devices and the ThinkPad X9, creating a seamless, integrated experience across devices.
If you are considering your next laptop, the ThinkX9 Auro edition should be on top of the list for your next upgrade.
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