Category: Techradar

The Apple AirPods 3 that everyone really wants remain elusive in 2019, and our ears, in desperate need of noise-canceling true wireless earbuds, hang in wait.

Admittedly, the new AirPods (2019) do have some cool new features, like the ability to charge wirelessly. Still, they aren’t quite the all-out AirPods 3 reimagining we were hoping for, and they don’t beat rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds and the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s in terms of noise-cancelation and audio quality. 

The good news is that the next-generation of Apple AirPods could be right around the corner. We’ve heard rumors about noise-canceling and even waterproof Apple earbuds for nearly a year at this point, and now some analysts are saying that they’ll arrive by the end of the year or, at the very latest, early on in 2020.

The iPhone 11 launch has come and gone with no mention of the AirPods 3 – so, everything is pointing to a 2020 release date for the new true wireless earbuds.

[UPDATE: Noise-canceling AirPods could launch before October is out. A new report claims that an upgraded AirPods model – called the AirPods Pro, in the manner of the iPhone 11 Pro – may be about to release to market.

An incoming AirPods Pro release was cited in a report by China Economic Daily, which said the new AirPods were expected to launch before the end of October, meaning the claim could be proved (or dismissed) very soon.]

One of the best sources of Apple AirPods 3 rumors comes from a 2018 report from TF International Securities’ analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He said that we could be getting two more headphones before 2020 – an updated version of the original Apple AirPods (check) and the brand new AirPods 3. 

Apple’s WWDC 2019 keynote took place on June 3, but it was too soon for Cook and co. to announce the new AirPods 3 then – after all, the updated AirPods (2019) only came out two short months before and Apple used WWDC to announce a pair of significant new features coming to the true wireless buds.

Now that Apple has released a brand new iPod touch (7th Generation) in anticipation of Apple Arcade this autumn (September – November 2019), it’s possible that the company will launch the AirPods 3 around the same time. 

There was no mention of the AirPods 3 at Apple’s iPhone launch event in September, which saw in the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

We’re not totally surprised, as it wouldn’t make sense for Apple to release the AirPods 3 so soon after it brought out the upgraded model.

So, with everything pointing to a 2020 release, what do we actually hope to see in the AirPods 3, and how will they improve on Apple’s bestselling true wireless earbuds?

Apple AirPods 3: Cut to the chase

• What are they? The long-awaited AirPods 3 (not to be confused with the recently updated AirPods (2019) true-wireless earbuds.)
• When are they out? Our best guess is early 2020, but nobody knows for sure. 
• How much will they cost? Probably similar to the AirPods (2019), which start at $159 (£159/AU$249) – though they could jump to $199.

Apple AirPods 3: release date

Now that Apple has released an updated 2019 version of the original AirPods, we’re not expecting the AirPods 3 to be coming out any time soon. 

Kuo’s predictions have been pretty accurate, right down to the AirPods 2019 connectivity upgrade, so we’re betting on an early 2020 release for the AirPods 3, especially as we didn’t see them at the iPhone 11 launch.

We originally expected the upgraded 2019 AirPods to be significantly different from their predecessors thanks to trademark and Bluetooth SIG filings, but we now know that’s not the case. 

That doesn’t mean we won’t ever see these features in the next version, however. We wouldn’t be surprised if Apple was saving features like biometric sensors, new color schemes, and waterproofing for the AirPods 3.

AirPods 3 price and availability

Our best guess is that the AirPods 3 will be priced similarly to the current AirPods, which cost $159 / £159 / AU$249 / AED679 with the standard charging case, and $199 / £199 / AU$319 / AED829 with the new Wireless Charging Case bundled in. 

According to Bloomberg, the new AirPods are “likely to be more expensive than the current $159 model,” but we’d be very surprised if they exceed $200. 

The final price will likely come down to the features that the new AirPods 3 sport. Before we go into the features we’re expecting from the AirPods 3 in 2020, let’s take a look at what’s new with the current AirPods…

• Can’t wait? Here are the best true wireless AirPod alternatives on sale now

What’s new with the AirPods (2019)?

Apple hasn’t changed much in terms of design in its latest update to the AirPods – instead, the next-gen improvements seem to be largely under-the-hood.

Inside the buds there’s a newly-designed H1 chip which Apple has built specifically for the headphones. It improves connectivity pairing times, the efficiency of the battery life, and allows for hands-free ‘Hey Siri’ functionality.

New for the AirPods 2019 is the wireless charging case for the earbuds, which means you can use Qi-compatible charging mats to power the case without having to stick a cable in. 

As for sound quality, the 2019 upgraded AirPods are no different from the ones you could get in 2016. 

• Apple AirPods (2019) vs Apple AirPods: what’s the difference?

Apple AirPods 3: rumors

Rumors around the new Apple AirPods 3 have been circling since the originals were released in 2016, but the release of the iOS 13.2 beta may have revealed what the buds will look and sound like. 

After delving into the beta, 9to5Mac discovered an icon that could show Apple’s upcoming true wireless earbuds.

The new Apple AirPods 3 will reportedly come with noise cancelation and a comfier fit, with silicone or rubber tips giving listeners more choice when it comes to their Apple earbuds.

Apple’s recent iPhone 11 launch event left us bereft of the long-rumored Apple AirPods 3, but a new leaked image could give us a glimpse of the new Apple earbuds. 

SlashLeaks has shared a hazy image from contributor Leakspinner that it says shows the AirPods 2 “in the wild”.

If this leaked image is genuine, we could be in for an even more compact Apple AirPods charging case – and potentially smaller earbuds. It would make sense, as true wireless earbuds are getting smaller as the technology improves, and the AirPods’ long stems was subject to ridicule when they were first revealed in 2016. 

We’re not totally convinced though – the image is so blurry, there’s no way of confirming whether its a legitimate Apple prototype. You can check out the image below and decide for yourself.

Previous trademark filings suggest that the second generation AirPods would be a health and fitness device, in addition to being a pair of true wireless earbuds. Now we know that the updated AirPods don’t have these features, we think we will see them in the AirPods 3 in 2020. 

Back in July 2018 Apple filed a patent for biometric sensors, which would allow the AirPods 3 to take on fitness tracking capabilities like those seen in the Jabra Elite Wireless. This followed another patent filed in March, which further fueled the rumors.

We also heard separately that the AirPods 3 would come in black and white, be both waterproof and offer active noise-cancellation, features that have similarly been predicted by Bloomberg. Another patent from July suggested that Apple was working on some pretty nifty tech for how the earbuds handle outside noise as well as dissipating pressure from inside the ear canal. 

The patent outlined a valve system that would allow sound to escape your ear canal to avoid that weird reverberating effect that occurs when you speak with earbuds in your ears. 

It then goes on to describe how the earbuds would handle ambient noise, using a microphone to filter in noise from the outside world so that you can remain aware of your surroundings while still hearing your music.

One rumor that did prove to be accurate however was wireless charging and Bluetooth 5.0 – but instead of being an improved thanks to an updated W2 chip, Apple has designed a brand new H1 chip, which is made for headphones specifically.

Apple AirPods 3: what we want to see

Noise-cancelation

Only a couple of years ago, companies were struggling just to get true wireless earbuds working, but now the goalposts have already shifted to packing more and more functionality into their shells. 

The stunning Sony WF-1000XM3 manage to include noise-cancelation technology inside their diminutive shells, and we were hoping see similar functionality make it to the second generation of AirPods. 

Apple’s fancy ambient noise technology outlined above suggested the company is thinking along these lines, and as it didn’t make the cut for the 2019 upgrade, we’re expecting to see noise-cancelation in the AirPods 3.

Better audio quality

Companies like Sony and more recently, Cambridge Audio, have proven that true wireless earbuds can sound just as good as their wired, and even their over-ear counterparts.

If Apple can harness the audio quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 true wireless earbuds, as well as keeping the cost down, the company could be on to a real winner.

More physical controls

Apple isn’t much of a fan of buttons, but there are some cases where they save you a lot of time and effort, and headphones are one of these instances. 

On-board controls have become an almost essential feature in headphones in recent years, allowing us to control music playback and volume without having to struggle to get our phones out of our pockets. 

Now the 2016 AirPods did allow you to control music in a sense, but they relied entirely on Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. 

New to the 2019 upgraded AirPods is the ability to double tap the right earbud to start your music up if it’s paused or skip to the next track if you’re currently playing a track…and that’s it. 

We’d like to see the AirPods 3 take this further, allowing you to skip backwards and forwards more easily. What would be really great, would be to put those long stems to use and add in some swipe volume controls. 

Changeable ear tips

Apple likes to rely wholly on sleek white plastic, but we aren’t a fan of the lack of rubber tips on the AirPods, especially when there’s no cable to catch them if they fall.

We want any true wireless earbuds to feel nice and secure in the ears, and including a number of changeable ear tips so we can select those that perfectly fit our ears would be the ideal way of achieving this. 

One individual in the TechRadar office even went to the length of fixing some rubber tips from an alternative pair of headphones onto their AirPods to make them feel more secure. 

We weren’t expecting Apple to change it’s rather rigid design aesthetic with the 2019 update, but here’s hoping it will for the AirPods 3. 

Better Android pairing

Given that Apple likes to ensure all its products are designed to work as a family this has little chance of happening, but we’d love to see the AirPods play slightly nicer with Android phones. 

On iPhones, pairing is a dream. You simply hold the AirPods near your phone and they connect more or less automatically. 

However with Android the process is a lot more complicated and involving jumping into settings menus to select the AirPods manually. We’d love to see Apple simplify this process for the AirPods 3, though we’re not holding our breath.

Different designs and colors 

We get it, Apple likes white things. But in an era where iPhones and iPads are available in a range of different colors we’d love to see this same courtesy extended to the AirPods. 

We just want our headphones to match our phone and our Apple Watch; is that so much to ask?

Although Apple has experimented with different colors for its various devices, its earbuds have always stayed the same iconic white. Still, the AirPods 3 are rumored to be coming in a second black option as well. 

Longer battery life

When the original AirPods were released way back in 2016, their five-hour battery life was rather impressive; now, it’s lagging behind the competition. 

With the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 true wireless earbuds, you get nine hours from the buds themselves, and a further 36 hours of juice contained within their charging case. 

It’s clear that true wireless technology has moved on since the AirPods were first released – and so far, Apple hasn’t moved on with it.

• Prefer Samsung? Check out our Samsung Galaxy Buds review

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Motorola Razr smartphones were iconic devices back when full-featured smartphones weren’t ubiquitous tech products – but there’s a chance they could become iconic again. 

We’ve heard many rumors about a new entry, the Motorola Razr V4, which would be a folding phone that takes the old-school form factor and turns it into a ‘clamshell’-type foldable phone. 

The foldable phone battleground is heating up, with the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X expected to launch by the end of 2019, but while they’re premium devices, the Motorola Razr V4 is expected to be one of the first ‘affordable’ foldables.

We’ve actually heart it’s set to launch November 13, at an event in Los Angeles, so it could actually be available to buy before Huawei’s device.

Here’s everything we’ve heard about the Motorola Razr 2019 so far, along with a wish list of what we want from it.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A foldable reboot of the Razr range
• When is it out? Probably sometime in 2019
• What will it cost? Maybe around $1,500 (roughly £1,170, AU$2,010)

Motorola Razr V4 release date and price

The first Motorola Razr V4 release date rumor came from a report in The Wall Street Journal that pointed to February 2019 – a month that came and went with no sign of the phone.

However Motorola sent out invites for a November 13 event that looks like it could be the launch event. Several teases and hints in the invitations point towards the reveal of a foldable phone, and it’d be very surprising if Motorola had such a device that wasn’t the Motorola Razr.

As for what it will cost, the WSJ report says to expect a starting price of roughly $1,500 (around £1,170, AU$2,010). That would make it far more expensive than most phones, but that’s not surprising given that it’s rumored to have a foldable screen.

That’s echoed partly by the later rumor, which says the handset will cost €1,500 (about $1,660, £1,375, AU$2,450). Since phone launch prices aren’t always exact conversions in different regions, it’s possible that it’ll cost $1,500 in the US, €1,500 in Europe, and perhaps even £1,500 in the UK. We’d expect it to cost more than AU$1,500 though, as that would be an incredibly low price compared to the other regions!

That’s echoed partly by the later rumor, which says the handset will cost €1,500 (about $1,660, £1,375, AU$2,450). Since phone launch prices aren’t always exact conversions in different regions, it’s possible that it’ll cost $1,500 in the US, €1,500 in Europe, and perhaps even £1,500 in the UK. We’d expect it to cost more than AU$1,500 though, as that would be an incredibly low price compared to the other regions!

It also sounds like Motorola and parent company Lenovo aren’t expecting the Razr 2019 to be a mainstream device, with the WSJ report also saying that only around 200,000 units are likely to be made, and that in the US it’s a Verizon exclusive. 

How do we know the Motorola Razr V4 is foldable?

The main thing we’ve heard about the Motorola Razr V4 is that it will have a foldable screen. The first hint of that came from Lenovo’s CEO Yang Yuanqing, who, during MWC 2018, said: “With the new technology, particularly foldable screens, I think you will see more and more innovation on our smartphone design.

“So hopefully what you just described [the Motorola Razr brand] will be developed or realized very soon.”

Then, at MWC 2019, Motorola vice president and general manager Anthony Barounas, said, according to TrustedReviews: 

“If you go around the stores today, for me the phones all look the same. It’s difficult to see if it’s a Motorola, or [another brand]. How we differentiate to the consumer, show them something really different, that’s where foldables comes in. And that’s where Motorola also has a very big investment. I can’t say much but we have one franchise that will have a very big impact there.”

So that’s pretty much a confirmation that a foldable phone is in the works, though the Razr brand wasn’t mentioned by name.

Motorola Razr V4 news and rumors

While we’re fairly sure the Motorola Razr V4 will be foldable, we don’t know much about the form factor yet.

We’ve also seen patents pointing to a foldable screen. You can see images from the older patent above and the newer one below, but they both point to a clamshell design with a foldable display. 

However, while the older one shows a large hinge and seemingly a gap between the two display halves, the other, newer patent (found by 91mobiles) shows a truly foldable display.

There’s still a hinge, but this isn’t as visible when looking at the screen. This one also appears to have a smaller secondary display on the back of the phone. That makes some sense, as otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see a screen unless the phone was fully unfolded. The newer patent also shows a notch at the top of the screen.

The back also contains what looks to be a single-lens camera above the smaller display, and a fingerprint scanner on the lower section.

There’s no guarantee that either of these patents show an accurate picture of the Motorola Razr V4, but we’d expect a clamshell design, since that’s what the original Razr range had.

A subsequent rumor supports the idea that the device has a secondary screen. It also details some possible features of that screen, saying that you might be able to use it to scroll through web pages that you’re viewing on the main screen.

The secondary screen could also apparently be used to display notifications and a clock, to interact with Google Assistant when the main screen is closed, and to provide shortcuts to settings. It sounds then like it won’t have the full functionality of the main screen if this rumor is right.

Another report revealed possible specs, as well as a logo (seen above, background filled in with black for clarity). The Motorola Razr V4 will supposedly pack a Snapdragon 710, either 4 or 6Gb of RAM and either 64 or 128GB of storage. 

It also may have 2,730mAh of battery, though XDA noted that last spec might be out of date – and the Razr V4 looks to be much smaller when unfolded than its foldable competitors (like the Samsung Fold and Huawei Mate X), which look to expand into tablet-size dimensions. The Razr V4 looks to be smaller, so it might not need nearly as much juice to stay on.

Clearly, this would be a departure from other soon-to-launch foldable phones , which have top-tier specs. And while previous rumors have revealed a somewhat cheaper potential price for the Razr V4, it’s still far beyond what today’s non-folding flagship phones cost.

The silver lining, of course, is that the Razr V4 might open up the door to mid-range foldables, that have weaker specs but lower prices. If you don’t need cutting-edge processors and RAM to power foldable tech, perhaps we’ll see more affordable folding devices sooner than we thought.

Motorola Razr V4 leaks have taken another step forward though, after press renders claiming the show the handset hit Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo, but were pulled shortly after.

However, SlashLeaks was able to grab the images before they disappeared, showing us an impressive looking device.

What we want to see

Rumors about the Motorola Razr V4 are starting to roll in but we don’t know much yet, so we’ve come up with a list of what we hope it offers.

1. A great design

One of the reasons the Motorola Razr range was so popular was because of its slim, stylish design. Of course, the old models like the Motorola Razr V3, are dated now, but we’d like to see the spirit of the design carried on for the Razr V4, but in a more modern form. We want a slim, futuristic handset.

The good news is that if the screen really does fold then it should at least be futuristic, though it might not be all that slim when folded shut.

2. Genuinely useful flexibility

There’s a worry that early foldable screens could be little more than a gimmick, but we hope that’s not the case with the Motorola Razr V4. Hopefully, the company will find a way to make it feel genuinely useful.

If Motorola successfully makes a screen that can change from phone to tablet size without feeling awkward then that would be a good start.

3. Flagship specs

Any foldable phone is inevitably going to be expensive and rumors specifically suggest that the Razr 2019 will be pricey.

So we really want to get our money’s worth, by not just getting a foldable screen but also specs that can compete with the best of 2019’s new and upcoming flagships, like the Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11.

4. A long-lasting battery

We want all of our phones to have decent battery life, but this is of particular concern with foldable phones, as the larger screens could be a big drain.

So hopefully there will be an appropriately large battery in the Motorola Razr V4 to keep it going through the day and beyond.

5. A palatable price

Early rumors suggest this will be one very expensive phone, and we’d expect it to be too, since foldable screens are a new, likely pricey feature. However, for these devices to have remotely mainstream appeal the cost is going to need to be pushed down.

That probably won’t happen until the second or third generation of foldable devices, but it would be a nice surprise if Motorola (which is known in part for offering great value handsets) manages to make an affordable one on the first attempt.

6. Near stock Android with foldable features

One thing we love about most current Moto phones is that they use a version of Android that’s had little done to it, ensuring the software is polished, easily approachable and typically quick to get updated.

We hope the same is true for the Motorola Razr V4. Or at least, for the most part. What we would like to see though are some software features that help you get the most out of the foldable screen. We’re not sure what those would be, but hopefully that’s something Motorola has given some thought to.

7. A sharp, durable screen

Being foldable is one thing, but we don’t want that to be the only thing the Razr V4’s screen has going for it. We’d also like it to be a sharp, high-quality panel. And for it to be durable, because it’s going to need to be if it’s constantly being folded.

• Samsung is also working on a foldable phone

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There’s no doubt about it: we love our pets, and many of us would do anything to look after our companions, whether you have a tabby, a golden retriever, a goldfish, or a boa constrictor. 

Pet cameras, though a relatively recent addition to the smart security camera market, are a great way to do this when we’re away from home, helping us to keep a watchful eye over our furry friends from the office, the gym, or on vacation. 

Not only do the best pet cameras let you watch your pet in real time on your smartphone or tablet, but many also feature nifty extras, like treat dispensers, remote toys, and two-way audio – so you can interact with your pet away from home. 

Choosing the right pet camera for your home, budget, and your pet can be tricky – that’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to the best pet cameras you can buy in 2019. 

Best pet cameras 2019 at a glance

1. Petcube Bites 2
2. Petcube Play 2
3. Furbo Dog Camera
4. Hive View
5. Nest Cam IQ

The Petcube Bites 2 is the ultimate pet camera for anyone who wants to interact with their furry friend, as well as keep an eye on them. It’s undoubtedly pricey, but its impressive spec list and smooth operation makes it an attractive proposition for any animal lover. 

With a sleek, modern design, the Petcube Bites 2 lets you watch your pet live in 1080p HD video, which you can be zoomed in on up to four times via the PetCube app. The built-in camera gives you a 160-degree view of your room.

You can either save videos and photos to your phone for free, or sign up to Petcube Care for the ability to watch up to 90 days of video history, all saved securely on the Cloud. Subscriptions start at $3.99 (around £3 / AU$5.80). 

Built-in sensors mean that you get alerts any time the Petcube detects movement or noise, so you’ll be the first to know if your dog is barking at an intruder or your cat is meowing for her dinner.

Two-way audio is available via the app, so your pet can hear your voice via the PetCube’s built-in speaker, while a four-microphone array lets you hear everything your pup gets up to. 

Perhaps most exciting, is the addition of a treat dispenser that allows you to fling treats to your pet by swiping your finger in the app – you can control the amount of treats as well as the distance, making feeding a fun game for your pet (as well as yourself). If you want to stick to a regular feeding schedule, you can also set the PetCube Bites 2 to Autoplay mode. 

For smart home enthusiasts, there’s Alexa built-in, which means you can ask the camera to fling treats and even reorder more supplies, without the need for a separate Amazon Echo speaker. 

The Petcube Play 2 is a great solution for cat owners, as it comes with a built-in laser toy that you can control through the Petcube app – all you have to do is swipe your finger to control where the laser points, letting you play with your cat while you’re away from home. 

Worried you’ll forget to play with your kitty? You can set the laser to autoplay, while motion and sound sensors will alert you anytime your cat needs attention. 

While it’s smaller than the PetCube Bites 2, the PetCube Play 2 has all the same smart features, including 1080p HD video, a 160-degree view, two-way audio, and Alexa built-in. 

It may be called the Furbo Dog Camera, but this smart pet cam could be used for your cats too. 

It’s the most stylish camera on the list, with a sleek white body and wooden lid, with built-in LEDs that indicate its connectivity status. 

Like the Petcube models, the Furbo Dog Camera boasts HD video and gives you a 160-degree view of your room; the camera feed does have a slight lag, but it’s only a matter of seconds behind real-time. It also has night-vision, allowing you to see your pet in the dark – handy if you’re leaving your pet at home for a night out. 

The treat dispenser works in a similar way to the Petcube Bites 2, allowing you to fling treats towards your pet by swiping your finger in the Furbo app. 

Two-way audio lets you speak to your pets while out and about, while real-time barking alerts send notification to your smartphone or tablet any time the camera detects the sound of barking.

There’s no smart home integration here, and you won’t find built-in support for voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, but this is still a feature-packed pet camera that should suit any dog owner looking for a stylish solution.

The Hive View is the latest camera from the smart home manufacturer behind the well-regarded range of heating control kits – and while it’s not exclusively marketed as a pet camera, it’s flexible design makes it ideal for keeping an eye on your best friend. 

Made in collaboration with designer Yves Béhar, the Hive View is one of the few security cameras we’ve ever seen that actually looks stylish, coming as it does in a choice of ‘champagne gold’ or black and ‘brushed copper’ finishes.

Thankfully, as much effort has gone into the substance as the style, and the Hive View comes with some really cool features. Most notable is its detachable head, which allows you to temporarily move the camera – with its HD 180-degree field of vision – to anywhere you’d like in the house for as long as the on-board battery lasts, which is about an hour. 

The Hive View works as a standalone unit and with the wider Hive ecosystem, so if you’ve already got the Hive thermostat and sensors everything will work seamlessly together in the same app.

Read our full review: Hive View 

It may not be purely designed for watching your pets, but the intelligently-designed Nest Cam IQ’s ability to differentiate between humans and animals means it can double up as both a pet cam and an indoor security camera. 

Not only can it notify you if there’s movement in your home, but it can even identify if unfamiliar people should you ever have an intruder. 

The Nest Cam IQ also has the best image quality of any of the cameras we’ve tested, shooting in 4K and HDR (high dynamic range). 

The main drawback with the Nest Cam IQ is its price. Not only is it fairly expensive to start with, to use its full range of functions you’ll have to purchase a subscription to Nest Aware. But if you want the best quality, and are prepared to shell out for it, the Nest Cam IQ is probably the camera for you.

Read our full Nest Cam IQ review

• The best home security cameras you can buy today

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Cast your mind back to the year 1999. Ricky Martin was Livin La Vida Loca and the millennium was just around the corner. 1999 also gave birth to one of the most beloved and short-lived videogame consoles in history, the Sega Dreamcast, with its release acting as a bitter-sweet endeavor for Sega as a hardware developer.

20 years later and the Sega Dreamcast is still held in high regard by fans and retro enthusiasts alike, due to its innovative features and iconic library of games. 

So, for those of you who want to keep the dream alive, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to what Sega’s final console has to offer in 2019 – which starts with getting the little white box up and running.

• How the Dreamcast drove innovation for future console generations

Finding the console of your dreams

You might be wondering where you’d even find a Dreamcast console in 2019, since they’ve been discontinued since 2001. Well, one might be closer to you than you think, with many people finding their original hardware stuffed into dusty boxes in attics or basements. If, however, you didn’t have a Dreamcast back in the day or got rid of it, there are plenty of ways to obtain one using your hard-earned cash.

When it comes to the second-hand market, eBay is where most people gravitate to first. Unfortunately, retro gaming hardware is extremely hard to find on the electronic marketplace at a low price, with Dreamcast prices averaging out at around $60 (£50/AU$90). That being said, it’s worth keeping your eye on the ball when it comes to eBay, as clever bidding tactics can go a long way in achieving a bargain.

Brick and mortar shops such as CEX in the UK and Gamestop in the US also price their stock at around this price, with the difference being the bonus of a warranty. If you’re feeling especially thrifty, then your best bet is to put some graft into good old fashioned charity shopping, which means you can contribute to a good cause while feeding your money to the nostalgia monster.

Hooking up the dream machine

For those of you who checked out our previous guide to playing the best retro games, you may be aware of the caveats involved when using retro consoles today. While some consoles can be extremely difficult to get working with modern TV’s and monitors, the Dreamcast offers various solutions that stand the technological test of time.

Out of the box, the Dreamcast comes armed with a standard composite cable (red, white and yellow phono connectors) which can easily be plugged into displays from the time. This type of cable offers a quick and easy way to get things up and running, with the main drawback being the muddy picture quality of a composite video signal.

If your TV has a traditional scart socket, there are various cables available that will provide you with a high-quality video signal. These scart cables range from cheap and cheerful generic cables priced at around $10, to higher quality products from the likes of retrogamingcables.co.uk, starting at around $43 (£35/AU$63) – ouch.

“While some consoles can be extremely difficult to get working with modern TV’s and monitors, the Dreamcast offers various solutions that stand the technological test of time”

Depending on how new your TV is, you might find that traditional sockets are completely absent, which is becoming the norm to make new displays slimmer. If this is the case then fear not, as third party companies such as Pound Technology offer cables that add HDMI functionality to the Dreamcast.

Pound’s HD Link cable enables the console to be simply connected to modern displays via an HDMI port, with no additional hardware required. The cable retails for around $29.99, making it far from the cheapest available option. Users may also experience incompatibility with certain Dreamcast games, which is due to the fact they don’t support the high resolution the cable uses.

The last method of connecting Sega’s mighty little box up to a display is by using a VGA box, which essentially uses a classic VGA PC style of video connector. This is a great way to get a crystal clear image from the Dreamcast by using a traditional PC monitor set up, with many displays still featuring the interface. Just like its HDMI counterpart, however, it will also be subject to the same incompatibility issues with certain games. Speaking of games, let’s move on to the most important part of the Dreamcast experience.

A library to stand the test of time

The Dreamcast may have only been around for a mere two years, but it managed to build itself one of the most impressive gaming libraries in history. From innovative fighting games like Powerstone to beloved action-adventures like Shenmue, the Dreamcast’s repertoire is one that gamers still crave to this very day. 

As retro gaming is becoming more and more expensive as time goes by, concerns over how much these legendary titles might cost are completely understandable. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can try to obtain the best of the Dreamcast library, but at a much cheaper price.

As innovative as the Dreamcast may be, there’s one thing Sega dropped the ball with when it comes to the console’s design – region protection. This means that the Dreamcast can be easily manipulated to play any region by simply using a disk with specific software. If you’re lucky, you’ll occasionally find these disks paired with second-hand games on eBay, with the option of making your own by following a tutorial online.

“The Dreamcast may have only been around for a mere two years, but it managed to build itself one of the most impressive gaming libraries in history”

You might still be wondering why you’d want to play games from outside of your region, especially when it comes to language barriers. Well, like most things in life, it boils down to money, with certain games being drastically cheaper than their counterparts in a different country. Of course, Japanese releases are usually always cheaper than their western equivalents, mainly due to the language and hassle of getting them working. Yet, it’s worth mentioning that language issues don’t actually apply to a huge chunk of the Dreamcast library and are negated by the cost savings.

Take Street Fighter: Third Strike as an example, with a UK copy of the game costing upwards of £70, while its Japanese variant only costs around £20. This a huge saving to make considering fighting games aren’t affected by the language difference. Coincidentally, titles like the Resident Evil games on the Dreamcast don’t even use the Japanese language, despite being the Japanese versions, meaning it’s possible to obtain the same game, while still saving money.

A huge part of the fun of the 2019 Dreamcast experience is exploring titles that you might never have played back upon their release. The console’s short lifespan meant that many gamers completely missed out on the Dreamcast experience, with various titles such as Sonic Adventure and Jet Set Radio only being known of due to their various re-releases. To add insult to injury, many gamers missed out on one of the most diverse hardware experiences in videogame history, with whole genres being born out of specific peripherals.

Fishing rods, lightguns and maracas 

One of the most lovable things about the Dreamcast is its ridiculous amount of peripherals, many of which offer a truly unique gaming experience. Look at even the likes of the VMU memory card – a tiny Gameboy-esque device that could display game-specific content on its microdisplay, with it even going as far as to function as a cyber-pet when used with games like Sonic Adventure.

Having such a high tech memory card isn’t the only mind-blowing innovation Sega had in its arsenal at the time – the Dreamcast was also one of the first consoles to feature proper online gaming. Sure, we’re not talking Xbox Live levels of internet connectivity, but there was certainly a solid online experience for gamers to enjoy, especially considering it was still the early 2000’s. Titles such as Phantasy Star Online act as monumental examples of how Sega pioneered the art of online gaming, progressing it past the simplicity of previous multiplayer experiences.

“Everything seems far from mundane when it comes to the Dreamcast”

Everything seems far from mundane when it comes to the Dreamcast, with even the likes of the Dreamcast’s Keyboard offering an unexpectedly better experience over a lightgun, with parody games such as Typing of the Dead, which has players blast zombies with the power of frantic spelling. Even the tranquil experience of fishing becomes an exhilarating arcade experience when using the likes of the Fishing Rod controller and a copy of Sega Bass Fishing.

It would be a crime to talk about Dreamcast peripherals and not mention the legendary Samba de Amigo and its marvellous maracas, which are objectively the single best thing anyone could bring to a party. Samba de Amigo is a shining example of how the Dreamcast was able to bring almost any arcade experience into the home, which is something that consoles before and after didn’t quite manage to achieve.

In many ways, the Dreamcast is the dream console for anyone who wants to venture into the unknown of gaming. There’s guaranteed to be something that will surprise and please even the most seasoned of gamers, especially now that gaming has moved on from many of the values that the Dreamcast posses. Nevertheless, if you have even the slightest interest in older videogame formats, your path is in no doubt going to cross with the Dreamcast, forever proving itself as one of the most unique pieces of videogame hardware ever.

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