Gaming headsets are often overlooked by the masses when their television speakers get the job done, but headsets are actually an essential accessory. The best Xbox headsets even give you an edge in multiplayer, being able to hear enemies close in on you. They’re also integral in allowing players to immerse themselves like never before. With the Xbox Series X|S’s backward compatibility with all Xbox One accessories, you have a huge selection to choose from. There are also a number of great headsets that have released in the past couple years as well. So read on if you’re looking for the best Xbox headsets 2023 has to offer.
If you want to eliminate the cord that goes from the controller to your headphones, however, there are plenty of wireless headset options too. The nice thing about them is that most don’t require a USB dongle to connect wirelessly (most PS4 wireless headsets do, for example). Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless technology allows you to quickly pair with your Xbox sans dongle. Wireless models that require dongles are specifically noted below.
In making these picks, we focused mainly on a few key variables, including design and build quality, comfort and sound quality, as well as extra features — think noise cancellation, noise isolation, surround sound, detachable microphone and Bluetooth connectivity — along with price. We also took mic quality into consideration, because that’s especially important if your gaming session requires group coordination. If you can’t be heard, you can’t strategize.
Finally, so far as we know, all of the Xbox One wireless headsets listed here will also work with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
With those basics established, let’s talk about the wireless gaming headsets on this list. These are the results of our own home-based testing, updated periodically, as well as some of the other most popular gaming headsets on the market at the moment. Any of these picks for the best Xbox headset 2023 has to offer can greatly enhance your gaming experience, especially when settling in for a long gaming session.
If you’re looking for a really solid wired headset with an affordable price tag, the HyperX Cloud X is an excellent choice. It’s sturdily built, has good sound with strong microphone performance and most importantly, it’s comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. It’s designed to work with the Xbox One and the Series S and X, but isalso compatible with the PS4 and PS5, as well as the Nintendo Switch and PCs.
The Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox is a beast of wireless headset, at least in terms of size. That said, it’s not heavy and its auto-adjusting headband makes this one of the most comfortable gaming headsets you can buy; just note that its ear cups really stick out from your head. The ear pads are equipped with cooling gel-infused cushions, and the Razer logo lights up.
Aside from excellent sound quality and comfort, the other signature feature is the built-in HyperSense haptic feedback technology that lets you feel the game while you’re playing. One might call it a gimmick but it does add another dimension to the gaming experience. The only downside is that battery life takes a hit when you engage it. It’s 6 hours with HyperSense on and 20 hours with it turned off.
It’s worth pointing out that this is an open-back headset, which does help open up the soundstage and give the audio a more airy quality, but the sound will leak out of the headphones, which could annoy others around you. I found the microphone performance to be good but not stellar.
On the PlayStation and PC side, Arctis has its high-end Pro Wireless ($330), which some say is the best all-around headset for both those platforms. But for Xbox, the Arctis 9X Wireless is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more premium wireless headset. It connects directly to the Xbox wirelessly without a dongle and can also be used with your phone with a Bluetooth connection. It delivers 20 hours of battery life.
If you want a much more affordable alternative to the 9X, check out the Arctis 1, a well-designed (but less swanky) wireless model that sells for about $100. While you need to use a dongle (included), it works when connected to Xbox, Switch, PlayStation or even Android (the USB-C dongle includes a USB-A adapter cable). It’s a good value, with a detachable Discord-certified microphone, and battery life is rated at up to 20 hours, which is pretty decent.
As far as basic wired gaming headsets go, you can’t go wrong with the HyperX’s Cloud Stinger Core. It’s comfortable and has good audio quality and microphone performance. The build quality isn’t as good as some of HyperX’s step-up models, but you can’t expect everything for its affordable price point.
The Quantum 100 is the entry-level model in JBL’s line of Quantum gaming headsets, which run from $40 to $300. There’s nothing fancy about this model, but it’s pretty lightweight and comfortable with nicely padded ear cups, plus it has a detachable boom microphone. On the left ear cup there’s a volume control dial along with a microphone mute button. It also works with other game consoles and is pretty decent for music, though it’s a touch bright.
While some of JBL’s higher-end models feature wireless connectivity and even noise canceling, the Quantum 100 is just a basic gaming headphone that will appeal to more casual gamers on a tight budget.
Turtle Beach has upgraded its popular Stealth 700 headset, improving both its performance and comfort. The build quality is solid and I liked the “cooling gel-infused” memory foam ear cushions, which really fit my head nicely and play well with glasses. The headband is also sturdy and well-padded.
Turtle Beach says this Gen 2 model has improved 50mm Nanoclear drivers — the sound is more detailed and “precise” — there’s a redesigned metal-reinforced headband and a larger, high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic. Its engineers tuned it to deliver even “more detailed and precisesound.” I thought it sounded quite good, and the headset pairs to your phone and is also good for music listening and taking calls while you’re gaming. There’s an “all-new” Turtle Beach Hub app for iOS and Android that allows you to tweak the audio and remap buttons.
This headset will work with older Xbox One consoles as well as the next-gen Series consoles. Battery life is now up to 20 hours — the headset charges via USB-C — and thanks to Xbox Wireless technology, you can connect wirelessly to the Xbox without using a dongle like you have to do with the PS4.
If you’re looking at this versus the step-down Stealth 600 Gen 2, which retails for $100, that model is also good but the Stealth 700 Gen definitely has a more premium feel to it. It’s really a good Xbox wireless headset for around $160.
If you can’t quite afford Turtle Beach’s Stealth 700 Gen 2, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a good alternative at under $100. While it doesn’t have the more premium build quality of the Stealth 700, it’s a very comfortable headset with good sound and performance. The audio quality has been improved slightly, and like the Stealth 700, it’s equipped with a largerhigh-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that seamlessly integrates into the headset when retracted (muted).
An audio preset button on the left ear cup allows you to quickly customize your audio, and thanks to Xbox Wireless technology, it’s easy to connect to your Xbox. Battery life is rated at 15 hours, and the headset recharges via USB-C.
The headset is pictured in white but is more readily available in black. The PlayStation version includes a dongle for wireless connectivity with the PS4 and PS5.
Like the Steel Series Arctis 1 above, the HyperX Cloud X Flight uses a low-latency 2.4GHz USB dongle for its wireless connection to your Xbox instead of connecting directly sans dongle. This is a very comfortable headset with excellent sound and good microphone performance (the mic is detachable). It also has very good battery life (up to 30 hours), though you’ll need to turn off the LEDs on the ear cups to maximize battery life. Hopefully the next-generation version will move to USB-C charging (it uses Micro-USB).
Whether you’re an avid photographer or someone who just enjoys taking photos on your phone, using photo editing software can be a huge help in creating the pictures that you want. There are great apps for your phone and software for your computer that are available out there.
One of my favorite photo editing software is Adobe Photoshop. Adobe is constantly expanding its products and services, and right now you can grab Adobe Photoshop Elements for just $44 on Woot.
Adobe Photoshop Elements integrates artificial intelligence technology that allows you to turn photos into art, warp photos into any shape, reframe your video subjects and more. You can add moving overlays for 3D camera motion to photos and save them for easy sharing on social media.
With 60 guided edits, you can easily create pictures by extending, removing or replacing photo backgrounds. The software also includes the ability to create dynamic photo slideshows with new styles, inspirational quote graphics and animated social posts. All of these can be transformed into unique keepsakes that will make memories last a lifetime.
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In the market for a premium pair of earbuds but don’t want to break the bank? While the original Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are no longer the newest model in their lineup, these sleek noise-canceling true-wireless earbud are packed with features, and thanks to the release of the newer Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, you can even find them at a discount. Right now, Amazon has the phantom black color variant on sale for just $137, which saves you $63 compared to the usual price. There’s no set expiration on this deal, so we’d reccomend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
The original Galaxy Buds Pro have 11 mm woofers and 6.5mm tweeters, which deliver high-quality sound from each bud. Plus, intelligent Active Noise Cancellation allow a truly immersive experience when listening to music, podcasts and more. Ambient Sound mode will let in sounds that matter, and these earbuds will automatically switch from ANC to Ambient Sound mode when it hears your voice. And with four levels to choose from, you can customize these earbuds to fit your needs. An IPX7 water-resistance rating keeps them safe from sweat, rain and spills. And Galaxy Buds Pro come a wireless charging case, so you can easily store, charge and stay connected on the go.
Apple makes some of the best tablets on the market, but they don’t come cheap. While budget tablets from Amazon and others might plug the gap for some folks, the user experience is often lacking when it comes to performance, app availability or build quality. Right now at Best Buy, you have the opportunity to score a recent iPad model for just $250. Over there, the ninth-generation iPad is $79 off its retail price and down to a new record low.
If you’ve been eyeing a new tablet to help you stay productive on the go (or entertained on a comfortable couch), now’s the time to pull the trigger on what is one of the best iPad deals available right now. Apple’s 10.2-inch tablet may not be the latest model anymore — having been superseded by the 10th-gen iPad, which ditched the home button — or the most capable when it comes to raw power, but it has plenty of great features. It’s equipped with the still-capable A13 Bionic chip, an 8-megapixel wide-angle rear camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide front camera with Center Stage technology and more. The Retina display has been upgraded from previous models and now has True Tone technology, which adjusts the screen for comfortable viewing in any light.
It also features a Lightning connector and gets up to 10 hours of battery life per charge. Plus, this 2021 iPad supports the first-gen Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, which are sold separately, but can help you create and work with ease and may be worth the investment.
Apple has begun hiring employees for upcoming physical stores in India.
The tech giant currently has a dozen live job listings for brick-and-mortar stores at “various locations” across the South Asian country. According to a Financial Times report at least five people confirmed that they’ve been hired to work at upcoming stores via posts on LinkedIn.
The timing of Apple’s hiring effort seems to lend credence to earlier reports, which said the company’s inaugural brick-and-mortar store is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2023 following several delays. A July ETTelecom report said India’s teeming financial capital of Mumbai will be the home of Apple’s flagship store, which is reported to be a 22,000-square-foot store at an upscale shopping mall.
Apple declined to comment on a timeline for the opening of its first brick-and-mortar store in India.
Apple’s flagship store in Singapore takes the form of a floating glass orb.
Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images
The opening of Apple’s first India store would be part of the company’s broader retail push in the country, where its market share is relatively small compared to the country’s size and population. India is one of the largest smartphone markets in the world, but it’s also price-sensitive and dominated by Chinese companies such as Xiaomi and Vivo.
In recent years, Apple has been moving more production to India as it seeks to reduce its supply chain dependence from China. It started making iPhones in India in 2017, and it began manufacturing the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 in the South Asian country last year.
Apple opened an online store for India last September, which brought the company’s full range of products and support directly to the country for the first time. The online store was opened as the pandemic forced many physical retail stores to shut.
Apple’s popular MacBook Air received one of its biggest redesigns ever this past fall, and you can save $200 on one right now. It’s only been on the market for a matter of months, but we’ve already seen a few solid MacBook Air M2 deals and today’s discount is a match for its best ever. Both 256GB and 512GB configurations are seeing prices slashed at Best Buy with Amazon discounting the higher-capacity model.
The MacBook Air M2 features a larger and brighter 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display and thinner overall profile. Inside, it’s powered by Apple’s new M2 chip which allows for a performance bump of up to 40% and battery life as long as 18 hours, according to Apple. Other notable improvements include a 1080p FaceTime camera, a four-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio and support for Apple’s innovative MagSafe charging cable.
The base model on sale at Best Buy features a 256GB SSD, M2 chip with an eight-core GPU and 8GB of RAM. Jump up to the 512GB configuration at Best Buy or Amazon and you’ll get double the storage plus a more powerful M2 chip with a 10-core GPU.
When it comes to gaming keyboards, there are far too many options to choose from. PC gamers know that it’s one of the most important tools in their arsenal, so choosing the right one can be an overwhelming and seemingly impossible task. Paired with a great gaming mouse, the keyboard is how you make your conquest. We’ve done the work for you, so you don’t need to take a risk on a keyboard that might be subpar.
For models that’ll have a little less impact on your wallet, check out our best gaming keyboards under $100. But if you can spend more, you’ll get features such as higher-quality switches and general construction, discrete media keys and controls, a wrist rest and more. And if you don’t know what a membrane keyboard is or the difference between an optical switch and a mechanical switch, the buying advice section at the bottom will help.
Just like picking out a new gaming mouse, getting the right gaming keyboard has a lot to do with personal preference (and budget). As for the two authors of this list, Josh likes tactile switches — ones where you can feel the actuation point — but doesn’t like clicky key switches that make a sound. Lori likes clicky and tactile because she likes to feel the actuation point and likes the mechanical sound for gaming, but uses a hybrid membrane-mechanical Razer Cynosa v2 at work for the click and the bounciness of its membrane. Long years of stiff-action piano keys and having learned on a manual typewriter have turned her into a pounder.
You might also find some keyboards great for gaming but not like them for day-to-day typing. For example, those same Cherry MX Red switches that are great for gaming might be too light for some typists. Linear switches, like Cherry MX Reds, don’t have the tactile feedback that a Cherry MX Blue has, but because of their low force and smooth actuation they’re preferred for gaming, especially where multiple taps of the same key are necessary. If you have a chance to test out different keyboards to determine your favorite switch type before you buy (such as Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Red and others), I highly recommend it. You can check out this glossary of keyboard terms to help narrow your preferences.
So, are you ready to find the best keyboard for your gaming needs? Read on for a closer look at 10 great options.
Bucking the trend, keyboard prices have dropped since the last time we updated this story. But a lot of people would still prefer not to drop $100 or thereabouts on a keyboard, especially if they’re klutzy. SteelSeries’ entry-level gaming keyboards, the Apex 3 ($50) and its tenkeyless little buddy ($45) trade membrane for mechanical switches, which may put some people off.
But in exchange it’s quiet — more suitable for day-to-day work from home — and includes features you usually don’t find in a budget keyboard, like cable management, six macro keys, 10 lighting zones and media controls. And best of all, for the chronic spillers among us, they’re IP32 water-resistant.
If you’re picky about feel, you may not be crazy about them. They’re a little better than typical membrane switches, but after a while begin to feel a little mushy. And I wouldn’t use them for any game that requires quick response, since they require more actuation force than clickys. But for sims and other games that don’t require speed but do benefit from the programmability, either is a good choice.
The GMMK is the best deal in gaming keyboards. Yes, there are less expensive options, but the design and features of the Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard, to give it its full name, are unbeatable at its $110 price. Available in full, tenkeyless and 60% sizes and in black on black or white on silver colors, the keyboard is modular, letting you hot-swap its key switches. It comes standard withABS doubleshot keycaps on top of Gateron Brown tactile switches, which work well for both gaming and typing. But you can also customize the keyboard with one of 13 other Gateron or Kailh switches or the company’s Glorious Panda switches that are smooth but with a tactile bump you’ll definitely feel. Or you can get just the board and put in your switch of choice. The same goes for the keycaps; there are four to choose from or you can get none at all.
The full-size keyboard has an attached braided USB cable with three-way routing under the board (it also has a keycap puller stored on the bottom). The two smaller boards have removable cables. The GMMK has a metal top with nice-looking beveled edges. It’s a streamlined design with just the essentials; you won’t find extra media controls or a volume dial or a big, bulky body to go with them. The bottom is plastic, but you can’t see it unless you lift the board and, combined with the metal top, it has a heft to it that keeps it in place on your desk.
Even if you never swap out the switches or keycaps, this is an excellent gaming keyboard. It’s the fact that you have the option to easily do those things, though, that makes the GMMK a standout.
Want a compact 65% wireless mechanical keyboard for work and gaming? There aren’t that many around (most wireless keyboard options are 60% size without discrete navigation keys) and none that I’ve found that have Bluetooth and lag-free 2.4GHz wireless like theBlackWidow V3 Min HyperSpeed. That helps justify the higher price and it’s also solidly built and is comfortable for typing, and smooth and fast for gaming. You are limited to two key switches — linear and clicky tactile — so if you want a tactile switch without the clicky sound, you’re out of luck for the moment. Switch choices aside, if you’re in search of a great little wireless mechanical gaming keyboard that can also be your daily driver for work, you’ve found it.
Our current top tenkeyless (or TKL, i.e. no numberpad) gaming keyboard. A step up from the standard G Pro, the Pro X has swappable switches, letting you choose the exact feel you want with Logitech’s GX switches available in blue clicky, red linear and brown tactile sets for $50 each. Removing and replacing the switches is simple, making it easy to customize your experience if you’ve got the money. It’s modding made easy.
The Logitech keyboard’s overall design doesn’t differ much from the G Pro, though, which would be our runner-up pick. It’s made for esports, and its small, sturdy build and removable braided cable makes it good for travel. Logitech’s G Hub software is straightforward to use so you don’t spend a lot of time hunting for settings or control options. Attaching macros to the function keys is painless as well. Note: This item is currently unavailable at Logitech
A compact TKL version of Corsair’s excellent full-size K70 RGB MK.2 gaming keyboard, the K70 RGB TKL is designed for esports but has features any competitive gamer will appreciate. It uses Corsair’s Axon processing technology to get a polling rate up to 8,000Hz that virtually eliminates the chance that input lag is going to cost you a victory. At 8,000Hz, it reports keypresses every 0.125 milliseconds and it has a 4,000Hz keyscan rate — four times faster than competing keyboards — so it’s both detecting and transmitting keystrokes far faster than the average gaming keyboard with a 1,000Hz polling rate.
Corsair used Cherry MX Red mechanical switches, though in some regions it will be offered with MX Speed or Silent switches as well. The regular linear Red switches are fast, smooth and just reliably good. There’s per-key RGB backlighting shining through durable double-shot PBT keycaps and Corsair also includes some textured keycaps for gaming. The keyboard’s layout is better for travel and it has a removable braided USB-A-to-USB-C cable.
Next to the cable input, you’ll find a switch that flips the keyboard into a tournament-ready mode. This makes the backlighting static and disables macro activations so there’s no accidental presses while playing. You can still use other keys like the media and volume controls and change profiles, however.
Corsair’s iCue software was overhauled recently to make setting up lighting, programming macros and remapping keys more straightforward. While you can create limitless profiles and lighting layers that are accessible when using iCue, you can also store up to 50 individual profiles to the keyboard’s onboard memory. Those are accessible without running iCue and even when you’re on systems that don’t support iCue. You can also store up to 20 lighting layers.
If you’re looking for a fast, full-featured compact keyboard for FPS and MOBA games, the K70 RGB TKL has you covered.
Available in full, TKL and 60% sizes with HyperX’s own linear, tactile and clicky switches, the HyperX Alloy Origins line offers a lot of diversity so you can find just the right keyboard for your needs. All of them have slim, streamlined designs with aluminum bodies and removable braided USB-C-to-USB-A cables. You won’t find discrete media controls like the company’s Elite 2 keyboard, but the function keys are marked out with media controls as well as a Game Mode so you can disable the Windows key and certain key combos while gaming.
The Elite 2 is a beefier version of HyperX’s slimmer, lighter Alloy Origins and Origins Core TKL keyboards. Instead of an aluminum frame, the Elite 2 has a sturdier steel frame, which gives it some heft to keep it in place on your desk. A thick braided cable is attached at the back and there’s a pass-through USB 2.0 port for your wired gaming mouse or wireless receiver.
The backlit keyboard is overall larger, too, with the addition of a light bar above the function keys and a separate bar with media controls and buttons for adjusting backlight brightness, choosing one of three custom light modes you can store on the keyboard and turning on the Game Mode, which turns off the Windows key and other key combos that might interfere with your gameplay.
However, like the Origins models, the Elite 2 uses the company’s homegrown Red linear key switch features instead of the Cherry MX switch in the original. Smooth and fast, the HyperX Reds are comparable to the Cherry MX Red switch and perform just as well and should satisfy most gamers.
The switches use surface-mounted RGB backlight LEDs that are incredibly bright, so if you want a good lightshow from your gaming keyboard, this doesn’t disappoint. Plus, the keyboard is set up with HyperX ABS pudding keycaps that let the light shine through their translucent sides.
Optical key switches are praised for their lightning-fast speed and long lifespan. The Vulcan TKL Pro’s Titan optical switches add the feel of a really smooth linear mechanical switch to the formula giving you a great gaming experience. The keys, which have a muted clack to them, have a 1.4mm actuation point and no discernable wobble no matter how furiously you press them.
The keyboard is slim and lightweight and Roccat stripped away just about all of the frame around the keys keeping its footprint as small as possible. The floating keycap design gives Roccat’s keyboards a unique look in the category and really lets the per-key RGB lighting shine. It also uses a detachable USB-C-to-USB-A cable.
The company’s Swarm software isn’t as straightforward to use as others, but you’ll find all the same sort of design tools for creating custom lighting setups and macros with different profiles. You can even make your keypresses sound like laser blasts or a typewriter, among other things, through your speakers or headphones. And if you have other Roccat AIMO devices, the lighting can be matched between them.
If you’re not sold on optical switches, Roccat’s Vulcan TKL has the same excellent design as the Pro but uses the company’s Titan linear switches. They have a similar but slightly lighter feel to them compared to the optical switches with the same 1.4mm actuation point.
If you’re going to spend nearly $200 to buy the best gaming keyboard you can find, the Razer Huntsman v2, along with its less expensive little brother the Huntsman v2 TKL, delivers excellent performance with either Razer’s linear red optical switches or clicky purple optomechanical switches (which is $10 less). The two models replace the veteran Huntsman Elite (the v2) and Huntsman Tournament Edition (TKL), though the latter still exists in a green keycap model.
Razer matches Corsair’s K series for its 8,000Hz polling, and combined with the swift response of the optically based switches adds minimal lag to your gaming experience, and brings the updated sound-dampening technology to the reds. There are media controls on the full-size keyboard, programmable just like all the other keys, and Razer’s Synapse software provides extensive control over the keyboard’s setup, which you can load into one of the keyboard’s five profile slots. You can stick to presets if you’re not into tweaking settings.
For the v2, Razer dropped the beautiful underglow lighting, but that means it no longer requires the second USB port on your computer. If you miss it, there’s always the Razer Huntsman Analog v2 if you can stomach the $250 cost.
Most gamers swear by wired keyboards and for good reason: A wired keyboard eliminates lag and potential signal interference. That said, I didn’t experience either while testing the G915 using its Lightspeed wireless adapter. This wireless gaming keyboard can be connected via Bluetooth, too, and as long as you keep the backlight off or low, battery life is fairly good.
The per-key RGB lighting, as well as all keys, can be programmed with Logitech’s G Hub software. The app is generally easy to work with and you can set up to three profiles that you can change to without opening the software.
Its compact size and the company’s low-profile GL Tactile switches make it a viable choice for work and gaming, which is good considering its list price of $230. You can also get it with GL Clicky or GL Linear switches and in two colors: carbon with black keycaps or silver with white caps.
Winners of nine straight, the 49ers have looked like the best team in football the past two months. They have had the NFC West wrapped up for a few weeks now but still have something to play for in the final weekend. The 49ers can leapfrog the Eagles for the top spot in the conference and a first-round bye with a win against the Cardinals on Sunday coupled with an Eagles loss to the Giants. Kickoff in San Francisco is set for 1:25 p.m. PT (4:25 p.m. ET) on Fox.
The game will be shown on TV in the San Francisco and Arizona areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming. There is an option that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network, or VPN.
Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.
Brock Purdy has been staking a strong claim in recent weeks to become the 49ers’ long-term starting QB.
Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Cardinals vs. 49ers: When and where?
For Week 18 of the NFL season, the 49ers host the Cardinals at 1:25 p.m. PT (4:25 p.m. ET) on Sunday. The game is set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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How to watch the Cardinals vs. 49ers game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
This week’s Cardinals-49ers game is on Fox, so you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local Fox affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.
Among the live TV streaming services that carry local Fox stations, the cheapest is Sling TV Blue at $40 per month.
One important caveat: In our experience, Fox local affiliates will only be available if your billing address is in one of the 18 metropolitan areas covered in Sling’s agreement. If you’re outside of one of these areas, you’re probably better off going with one of the alternate services listed below.
Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football-specific channels like Fox, ESPN, NFL Network and/or RedZone. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.
Quick tips for streaming Cardinals vs. 49ers using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
Sling Blue is only an option if and when the ability to get Fox local affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
We tested the game successfully using an ExpressVPN server in San Francisco, so that location should work for watching the game.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
How we test VPN streaming for Sunday NFL games
For every game, we use a combination of ExpressVPN and either Paramount Plus (for CBS games) or Sling TV Blue (for Fox games). Using the maps on 506 Sports, we determine which servers are nearby and connect to one, then launch the streaming service and tune to the local CBS or Fox affiliate. If the channel comes through, it’s successful and we report the results above. We also screenshot the relevant program guide listing (see above) on either the local CBS affiliate’s website or Sling TV.
The target date of this AR/VR headset keeps sliding, with the latest report in early December from noted analyst Ming Chi-Kuo suggesting an arrival in the second half of 2023. With an announcement event that could happen as soon as January, we’re at the point where every Apple event seems to feel like the one where it could pull the covers off this device at last. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in early January that’s he’s heard the company is aiming to unveil the headset in the spring ahead of the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
2023 looks like a year full of virtual reality headsets that we originally expected in 2022, including the PlayStation VR 2 and Meta Quest 3. Apple has already laid down plenty of AR clues, hinting at what its mixed-reality future could hold and has been active in AR on its own iPhones and iPads for years.
As far as what its device could be like, odds are strong that the headset could work from a similar playbook as Meta’s recent high-end headset, the Quest Pro, with a focus on work, mixed reality and eye tracking onboard.
Here’s what we’re expecting.
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Is its name Reality Pro? Is the software called xrOS?
The latest report from noted Apple reporter Mark Gurman at Bloomberg suggests the operating system for this headset could be called “xrOS,” but that may not indicate the name of the headset itself. Recent trademark filings reported by Bloomberg showed the name “Reality” showing up a lot: Reality One, Reality Pro and Reality Processor. Apple’s existing AR software framework for iOS is named RealityKit, and previous reports suggested that “Reality OS” could be the name for the new headset’s ecosystem.
No one really expected the Apple Watch’s name (remember iWatch?), so to some degree, names don’t matter at this point. But it does indicate that Apple’s moving forward on a product and software, for sure.
Whatever the headset might become, it’s looking a lot more real lately. A detailed report from The Information earlier this year discussed likely specs, which include what Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says is Apple’s latest M2 chip. According to another report from Bloomberg earlier this year, Apple’s board of directors have already seen a demonstration of the mixed-reality headset.
Apple could take a dual headset approach, leading the way with a high-end AR-VR headset that may be more like what Meta has done with the Quest Pro, according to Bloomberg’s Gurman. Gurman also suggests a focus on gaming, media and communication on this initial first-wave headset. In terms of communication, Gurman believes FaceTime using the rumored headset could rely on Memoji and SharePlay: Instead of seeing the person you’re talking to, you’d see a 3D version of their personalized Memoji avatar.
Eventually, Apple’s plans for this headset could become larger. The company’s “goal is to replace the iPhone with AR in 10 years,” Kuo explained in a note to investors, seen by MacRumors. The device could be relatively lightweight, about 300 to 400 grams (roughly 10.5 to 14 ounces), according to Kuo. That’s lighter than Meta’s Oculus Quest 2. However, it’s larger than a normal pair of glasses, with early renders of its possible design looking a lot more like futuristic ski goggles.
The headset could be expensive, maybe as much as $2,000 or more, with 8K displays, eye tracking and cameras that can scan the world and blend AR and VR together, according to a report from The Information last year. That’s to be expected, considering the Quest Pro costs $1,500 and AR headsets like the Magic Leap 2 and Hololens 2 are around $3,000.
It’s expected to feature advanced processors, likely based on Apple’s recent M2 chips, and work as a stand-alone device. But it could also connect with Apple’s other devices. That’s not a surprising move. In fact, most of the reports on Apple’s headset seem to line right up with how VR is evolving: lighter-weight, with added mixed-reality features via more advanced pass-through cameras. Much like the Quest Pro, this will likely be a bridge to future AR glasses efforts.
Previous reports on Apple’s AR/VR roadmap suggested internal disagreements, or a split strategy that could mean a VR headset first, and more normal-looking augmented reality smart glasses later. But recent reports seem to be settling down to tell the story of a particular type of advanced VR product leading the way. What’s increasingly clear is that the rest of the AR and VR landscape is facing a slower-than-expected road to AR glasses, too.
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VR, however, is a more easily reachable goal in the short term.
Apple has been in the wings all this time without any headset at all, although the company’s aspirations in AR have been clear and well-telegraphed on iPhones and iPads for years. Each year, Apple’s made significant strides on iOS with its AR tools. It’s been debated how soon this hardware will emerge: this year, the year after or even further down the road. Or whether Apple proceeds with just glasses, or with a mixed-reality VR and AR headset, too.
I’ve worn more AR and VR headsets than I can even recall, and have been tracking the whole landscape for years. In a lot of ways, a future Apple AR headset’s logical flight path should be clear from just studying the pieces already laid out. Apple acquired VR media-streaming company NextVR in 2020 and it bought AR headset lens-maker Akonia Holographics in 2018.
I’ve had my own thoughts on what the long-rumored headset might be, and so far, the reports feel well-aligned to be just that. Much like the Apple Watch, which emerged among many other smartwatches and had a lot of features I’d seen in other forms before, Apple’s glasses probably won’t be a massive surprise if you’ve been paying attention to the AR and VR landscape lately.
Here’s where Apple is likely to go based on what’s been reported, and how the company could avoid the pitfalls of those earlier platforms.
Apple declined to comment on this story.
Launch date: Looks likely for 2023
New Apple products tend to be announced months before they arrive, maybe even earlier. The iPhone, Apple Watch, HomePod and iPad all followed this path.
The latest reports from Kuo point to possible delays for the release of the headset to the second half of 2023, but an event announcing the headset could happen as soon as January. That timeframe would make a lot of sense, giving time for developers to understand the concept well ahead of the hardware’s release, and even possibly allowing for Apple’s WWDC developer conference (usually in June) to go over specifics of the software.
Either way, developers would need a long head start to get used to developing for Apple’s headset, and making apps work and flow with whatever Apple’s design guidance will be. That’s going to require Apple giving a heads-up on its hardware well in advance of its actual arrival.
Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2 is a self-contained VR headset on the road to AR glasses. Could Apple follow a similar path?
Scott Stein/CNET
An Apple headset could be a lot like the Meta Quest, but higher end
There’s already one well-polished success story in VR, and the Quest 2 looks to be as good a model as any for where future headsets could aim. Gurman’s report makes a potential Apple VR headset sound a lot like Facebook’s stand-alone device, with controller-free hand tracking and spatial room awareness that could be achieved with Apple’s lidar sensor technology, introduced on the iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro.
Apple’s headset could end up serving a more limited professional or creative crowd. But it could also go for a mainstream focus on gaming or fitness. My experiences with the Oculus Quest’s fitness tools feel like a natural direction for Apple to head in, now that the Apple Watch is extending to subscription fitness training, pairing with TVs and other devices.
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The Oculus Quest 2 (now officially the Meta Quest 2) can see through to the real world and extend some level of overlap of virtual objects like room boundaries, but Apple’s headset could explore passthrough augmented reality to a greater degree. I’ve seen impressive examples of this in headsets from companies such as Varjo. It could be a stepping stone for Apple to develop 3D augmented reality tech on smaller glasses designs down the road.
Right now, there aren’t any smart glasses manufacturers able to develop normal-looking glasses that can achieve advanced, spatially aware 3D overlays of holographic objects. Some devices like the nReal Light have tried, with mixed success. Meta’s first smart glasses, Ray-Ban Stories, weren’t AR at all. Meta is working on ways to achieve that tech later on. Apple might take a similar approach with glasses, too.
The VR headset could be a ‘Pro’ device
Most existing reports suggest Apple’s VR headset would likely be so expensive — and powerful — that it will have to aim for a limited crowd rather than the mainstream. If so, it could target the same business and creative professionals that more advanced VR headsets like the Varjo XR-3 and Meta Quest Pro are already aiming for.
I tried Varjo’s hardware. My experience with it could hint at what Apple’s headset might also be focusing on. It has a much higher-resolution display (which Apple is apparently going to try to achieve), can blend AR and VR into mixed reality using its passthrough cameras, and is designed for pro-level creative tools. Apple could integrate something similar to its lidar sensors. The Quest Pro does something similar, but in a standalone device without as high-end a display.
Varjo’s headset, and most professional VR headsets, are tethered to PCs with a number of cables. Apple’s headset could work as a standalone device, like the Quest 2 and Quest Pro, and also work when connected to a Mac or iPad, much like the Quest 2 already does with Windows gaming PCs. Apple’s advantage could be making a pro headset that is a lot more lightweight and seamlessly standalone than any other current PC-ready gear. But what remains unknown is how many apps and tools Apple will be able to introduce to make its headset feel like a tool that’s truly useful for creators.
Controls: Hand tracking or a small wearable device?
The Information’s previous reports on Apple’s headset suggest a more pared-down control system than the elaborate and large game controller-like peripherals used by many VR headsets right now. Apple’s headset should work using hand tracking, much like many VR and AR headsets already enable. But Apple would likely need some sort of controller-type accessory for inputs, too. Cracking the control and input challenge seems to be one of the bigger hurdles Apple could face.
Recent patent filings point to a possible smart ring-type device that could work for air gestures and motion, and maybe even work with accessories. It’s also possible that Apple might lean on some of its own existing hardware to act as inputs, too.
Could that controller be an Apple Watch? Possibly, but the Apple Watch’s motion-control capabilities and touchscreen may not be enough for the deeper interactions an Apple headset would need. Maybe iPhones could pair and be used as controllers, too. That’s how Qualcomm is envisioning its next wave of phone-connected glasses.
North Focals’ smart glasses design prototype. North was acquired by Google in 2020.
North
Future AR smart glasses may also be in the works
Getting people to put on an AR headset is hard. I’ve found it a struggle to remember to pack smart glasses, and find room to carry them. Most of them don’t support my prescription, either. Developer-focused AR glasses made by Snap that I tried at home show what everyday AR glasses could look like someday, but they’re still a work in progress.
Qualcomm’s plans for AR glasses show a wave of devices arriving between 2023 and 2025, but at this point no one has been able to crack making a perfect pair. Software, battery life and even common cross-platform interfaces remain a big challenge.
Kuo’s prediction of AR glasses coming a few years after a VR-AR goggle-type headset would line up with what other companies are promising. The challenges with AR glasses are a lot greater than VR. No one’s figured out how wearing them all the time would work, or how you’d interact with virtual objects: Hand tracking? A watch or a ring? Voice? Neural inputs?
Apple always touted the Apple Watch, first and foremost, as a “great watch.” I would expect the same from its glasses. If Apple makes prescription glasses and makes them available, Warby Parker-style, in seasonal frames from its Apple Stores, that might be enough for people if the frames look good. Apple’s VR headset, according to Gurman, will also offer prescription lenses. That could be a stepping stone to developing glasses later on.
Google acquired smart glasses manufacturer North in 2020, which made a prescription, almost normal set of eyewear. North’s concept for glasses might be too similar to Google Glass for Apple’s tastes, but the idea of AR glasses doubling as functional glasses sounds extremely Apple-like. More recently, Vuzix’s planned smart glasses for 2021 show how far the tech has shrunken down, but even those planned glasses won’t have the ability to spatially scan the world and overlay augmented reality: They’ll be more like advanced glasses with heads-up displays and 3D audio.
A report from The Information in 2020 said new AR lenses were entering a trial production phase for Apple’s AR hardware (9to5Mac also broke the report down). These lenses sound much closer to normal glasses than current AR headsets allow, but when would those be ready?
Could Apple make its first smart glasses something more basic, letting Apple slowly add more AR features over time and let newcomers settle into the experience? Or would Apple try to crack the AR challenge with its first pair of glasses? Augmented reality is a weird concept for eyewear, and potentially off-putting. Maybe Apple will aim for subtlety. The original Apple Watch was designed to be glanced at for just 5 seconds at a time.
Are the AirPods Max a sign of how expensive a headset could be?
The business-focused HoloLens and Magic Leap cost thousands of dollars. Current VR headsets have trended towards $500 or more.
The latest price reports suggest something between $2,000 and $3000, which is in the territory of business-focused AR headsets like the HoloLens 2, or business-creative VR headsets like those from Varjo. An analysis from TrendForce published in February also estimates that an Apple headset’s hardware would cost in the thousands, and it predicts that Apple would employ a “monthly subscription-based software solution.”
Apple’s headphones, the AirPods Max, indicate that the pricing could climb high. At $549, they cost more than a PlayStation 5. And those are just headphones. A pair of smart glasses, or an advanced VR headset, would be a lot more advanced.
iPhone-connected, too?
Qualcomm’s AR and VR plans telegraph the next wave of headsets: Many of them will be driven by phones. Phone-powered glasses can be lighter and just have key onboard cameras and sensors to measure movement and capture information. Meanwhile the phone does the heavy lifting and doesn’t drain headset battery life.
Apple’s star device is the iPhone, and it’s already loaded with advanced chipsets that can do tons of AR and computer vision computation. It could already power an AR headset right now; imagine what could happen in another year or two.
Apple could also have its own high-end dedicated chip in its first wave of VR and AR headsets, as reports suggest, but they’ll also undoubtedly dovetail with more advanced processors in Apple’s phones, tablets and Macs. Over time, this could mean smaller glasses that lean on connecting to other Apple devices, or the cloud.
Apple’s iPhones are likely to be the engine.
Angela Lang/CNET
How Apple could blend the real world with AR and VR
Apple already dabbles with AR overlays with real world locations: QR code and NFC-enabled App Clips can launch experiences from real-world locations with a tap or scan. These micro apps are made to work with AR, too: With glasses or an AR headset, they could eventually launch interactions at a glance.
Maybe QR codes can help accelerate AR working in the “dumb” world. Apple’s iPhones also have a U1 chip that can be used to improve accuracy in AR object placement, and also to more quickly locate other Apple devices that have the U1 chip, too.
Apple’s AirTags arrived in 2021 with features similar to Samsung’s SmartTags Plus that use similar ultrawideband technology. These tags could be seen via an iPhone app using AR, which could possibly extend into Apple’s future VR or AR headsets. If all Apple’s objects recognize each other, they could act as beacons in a home. The U1 chips could also be indoor navigation tools for added precision.
Microsoft’s collaborative mixed-reality platform, Mesh, shows how meetings with people in virtual spaces could happen instantly and in work-like environments. Apple already enables multiperson AR in real places, but a necessary next step would be to allow a platform for collaboration in AR and VR like Microsoft is developing.
Apple’s depth-sensing hardware is already here
Apple is already deeply invested in camera arrays that can sense the world from short and long distances. The front-facing TrueDepth camera, which Apple has used on every Face ID iPhone since the X, is like a shrunken-down Microsoft Kinect and can scan a few feet out, sensing 3D information with high enough accuracy to be used for a secure face scan. Apple’s lidar technology on its recent iPhones and iPads can scan out much further, several meters away. That’s the range that glasses would need.
Apple’s existing lidar technology, combined with cameras, is already good enough to scan environments and 3D objects. Add to this the wider-scale lidar scanning Apple is doing in Maps to enable overlays of real-world locations with virtual objects via a technology called Location Anchors, and suddenly it seems like the depth-scanning Apple is introducing could expand to worldwide ambitions.
Apple’s new Mac chips already point toward VR-AR compatibility
Apple’s M1-enabled Macs and those since are technically a lot more capable of the power needed to run AR and VR, and they share similarities to how iPhone and iPads handle graphics. Developing a common groundwork across devices could allow a headset to feasibly run on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, making it a universal Apple device accessory.
That would be essential if Apple intends on its VR or AR headsets to have any role in creative workflows, or be used for games or apps. It’s one of the limitations of existing VR headsets, which need to run off particular Windows gaming PCs and still don’t play that well with iOS or Android phones.
AirPods went from absurd to essential. Can Apple do the same for smart glasses?
Sarah Tew/CNET
Look to AirPods for ease of use — and audio augmented reality
I’ve thought about how the AirPods’ comfort — and weird design — was an early experiment in wearing Apple’s hardware directly on our faces — and it was a success. It proved that doing so could be accepted and become normal. AirPods are expensive compared to in-box wired buds, but they’re also utilitarian. They’re relaxed. If Apple’s working on AR or VR headsets, they’ll need to feel the same way.
The AirPod Pros’ spatial audio, which AirPods Max and AirPods 3 also have, points to where future ideas could head. Immersive audio is casual, and we do it all the time. Immersive video is hard and not always needed. I could see AR working as an audio-first approach, like a ping. Apple glasses could potentially do the world-scanning spatial awareness that would allow the spatial audio to work. In the meantime, Apple’s already developing the spatial audio tech that its VR headset would need.
The HoloKit X, a pair of goggles with a reflective visor that turns an iPhone into an AR headset. It can work with an Apple Watch and AirPods. Could this be Apple’s strategy too?
Scott Stein/CNET
Apple Watch and AirPods could be great companions
Apple’s already got a collection of wearable devices that connect with the iPhone, and both make sense with glasses. Its AirPods can pair for audio (although maybe the glasses have their own Bose Frames-like audio, too), while the Watch could be a helpful remote control. The Apple Watch already acts as a remote at times, for the Apple TV or for linking up with the iPhone camera. Apple’s future headsets could also look to the Watch and expand its display virtually, offering enhanced extras that show up discreetly, like a halo. Or they could use the Watch as some sort of controller.
The Apple Watch could also provide something that it’ll be hard to get from hand gestures or touch-sensitive frames on a pair of glasses: haptics. The rumbling feedback on the Watch could lend some tactile response to virtual things, possibly.
There’s already a low-cost pair of phone goggles, the HoloKit X, that explores these ideas. It uses an iPhone for the headset’s display and cameras and can channel spatial audio to AirPods, and use an Apple Watch for gesture controls. Apple could do the same.
Could Qualcomm and Apple’s reconciliation also be about XR?
Qualcomm and Apple are working together again on future iPhones, and I don’t think it’s just about modems. 5G is a key feature for phones, no doubt. But it’s also a killer element for next-gen AR and VR. Qualcomm has already been exploring how remote rendering could allow 5G-enabled phones and connected glasses to link up to streaming content and cloud-connected location data. Glasses could eventually stand on their own and use 5G to do advanced computing, in a way like the Apple Watch eventually working over cellular.
Qualcomm’s chipsets are in almost every self-contained AR and VR headset I can think of (Meta Quest, HoloLens 2, a wave of new smart glasses, the latest version of Google Glass, Vive Focus). Will Apple’s tech dovetail at all with Qualcomm’s cross-device platforms?
There are other AR devices out there, like the nReal Light. Apple needs to open up iOS to work with them, like fitness trackers and smartwatches.
