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An eGPU (external GPU) is exactly what the name suggests—a GPU that sits outside a computer and uses some sort of external connection to send and receive data.

If you’re looking for fun and simple projects that you can do on your Raspberry Pi, these are perfect for you. Each should take under an hour to complete, and they all offer quite a bit of functionality for anyone wanting to learn more about their Pi.

Samsung has released its 2026 Micro RGB TVs in the U.S., and they promise to make the cutting-edge display technology more affordable — while putting pressure on Sony to deliver with its True RGB line.

The smart home promises automatic convenience, but setting up a system that works well often involves unexpected difficulties. You can find the main components like sensors, hubs, and voice assistants easily, but the parts you need to upgrade your setup are often expensive, poorly made, or impossible to find.

Raspberry Pi OS has received a new update today, and there will now be a password needed by default to run sudo commands. This is the most significant change in Raspberry Pi OS version 6.2 amid the bug fixes.

Mercedes' EQS electric sedan is already a driving range champion, but now the company plans to cement its lead. The German badge has introduced a refreshed 2027 EQS that it claims has a range of 575 miles on the WLTP testing cycle, which would make it the longest-range EV on the market.

Routers are much like graphics cards in the sense that once you buy one, you likely won't have to replace it for years. A third-party router, once bought, may follow you from home to home, from ISP to ISP, and be no worse off.

Google has made some controversial decisions related to its flagship search engine in recent years, but this one will probably be pretty popular.

The company announced in a developer note (via 9to5google) that it will start punishing websites that hijack users' back buttons in their web browsers.

In case you're not familiar with this phenomenon, sometimes you'll click a link on Google and realize it's not what you wanted. When you click the back button, instead of being taken back to Google, you'll be taken to some other part of the website, or an ad, or something else you didn't want to see. This practice is also known as "history manipulation," according to our colleagues at Lifehacker.

"We believe that the user experience comes first. Back button hijacking interferes with the browser's functionality, breaks the expected user journey, and results in user frustration," Google wrote in an update to its spam policy explaining the decision.

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SEE ALSO: Google Chrome now has vertical tabs, and you should give them a try

I have definitely encountered this phenomenon over the years, and clearly so have others, given that Google is doing something about it.

Anyway, as it is wont to do, Google will penalize sites that engage in this practice by limiting their visibility in search rankings beginning on June 15. It is now officially categorized as a "malicious practice" by the company.

"Pages that are engaging in back button hijacking may be subject to manual spam actions or automated demotions, which can impact the site's performance in Google Search results. To give site owners time to make any needed changes, we're publishing this policy two months in advance of enforcement on June 15, 2026," Google wrote.

A malicious practice is something that "[creates] a mismatch between user expectations and the actual outcome, leading to a negative and deceptive user experience, or compromised user security or privacy." As someone who has experienced back button hijacking, I would say it definitely fits the bill.

Google also had some blunt advice for sites and developers that use this practice: "You are expected to remove or disable it."

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TL;DR: Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League quarter finals were electric last week, but places in the semi-final stage are not yet decided. Atletico Madrid are 2-0 up against Barcelona and will be confident of getting a result in front of their fans at the Metropolitano Stadium, but Barcelona possess the talent to overturn that deficit.

If Barcelona are going to produce something special, they'll need the likes of Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford to deliver strong performances in front of goal.

If you want to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona?

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on April 14. This fixture takes place at the Metropolitano Stadium.

How to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona for free

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Sony expanded its Inzone gaming lineup on Tuesday with a new headset, an OLED gaming monitor, and other new releases, but the new H6 Air headset is by far the most interesting of the bunch.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Inzone H6 Air Wired Open-Back Gaming Headset $199.99 at Amazon
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Most new headphones prioritize wireless connectivity and active noise-cancellation, but Sony is offering an alternative to ANC headphones that might really appeal to some gamers.

Open-back headphones do have some big advantages, as I learned while testing the Inzone H6 Air ahead of its official release today.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

This headset sounds more expensive than it is. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

I'm still in the process of testing the new headset, but read on for my first impressions, as well as my thoughts on why gamers should consider open headsets in the first place.

Why would gamers want open-back headsets?

Open-back headphones have several benefits, but the most important is a more natural soundscape. Because the drivers aren't targeting soundwaves directly at your ear, they can create a wider, more natural soundscape that lets you hear spatial audio much more clearly. So, for gamers who like 360-degree sounds — and esports players who need to be able to pinpoint footsteps and other sound effects — open-back headsets have some big perks.

Combine that with the wired connection, and the H6 Air open-back gaming headset offers fidelity you won't get in most other headsets — or even noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones.

The open design lets you hear spatial audio more clearly. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

I've wondered before if headphone technology is plateauing. New releases from Bose, Sony, and Apple make only very marginal improvements over headphones released three or four years ago.

Instead, audio brands seem to be segmenting the audience, offering niche products for every type of consumer. It's the breakfast cerealization of the audio category. You can now choose from wired earbuds, noise-cancelling headphones, bone conduction products, open earbuds, sleep earbuds, and now, open-back headphones.

Open headphones have been around for decades, primarily in HiFi studio monitors. And the Sony Inzone H6 Air are based on Sony studio monitors. The H6 Air features a custom version of the drivers in the Sony MDR-MV1 open-back monitors, which cost $419.99.

Thanks to those studio monitor drivers, this lightweight gaming headset sounds like a pair of $400 headphones — but without the ANC.

First impressions: The H6 Air headset put a smile on my face The H6 Air feature a detachable 3.5mm cable and microphone. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

My favorite headphones in 2026, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, are heavy, and weighing in at just 199 grams (without the microphone), the H6 Air is noticeably lighter. And because of the open-back design, they also have an airy feel (you can literally see the drivers through the back of the headset.

The Inzone H6 Air features the same spring-based adjustable headband as the Sony Inzone H9 II headset, which Sony launched in 2025. This system feels a bit flimsy, but it's a fine tradeoff for a lighter weight. They fit comfortably on my head, even with big hair and glasses.

Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable Sony H6 Air: How do they sound?

As much as I love a slick design, audio is always the most important factor when testing headphones. And the Sony H6 Air sounds much better than I expected.

That's likely because of the wired connection and the MDR-MV1 drivers inside the headset. Sony packed its new gaming headset with drivers from $420 studio monitors, and you can really tell.

Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Whether playing Cyberpunk: 2077 or listening to Radiohead's "National Anthem," the sound was excellent. And, as promised, the sound felt bigger than usual. I did notice some odd audio distortions. When making phone calls in Cyberpunk, V's voice sounded strange and faraway.

So far, I've also been impressed with the microphone quality, though I don't have much else to say about it yet. The lack of noise cancellation could definitely be an issue with the microphone.

Where to buy the Sony Inzone H6 Air gaming headset

You can buy Sony's new open-back gaming headset at the Sony online store and Amazon. The headset is priced at $199.99

Where to buy Sony H6 Air headset AMAZON Sony H6 Air Wired Open-Back Gaming Headset $199.99 Shop Now SONY Sony H6 Air Wired Open-Back Gaming Headset $199.99 Shop Now

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Sony Inzone H6 Air headset: By the numbers Unboxing the Sony Inzone H6 Air. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Here's the official specs list for the new Sony Inzone gaming headset:

• Style: Open-back wired gaming headset

• Weight: 199 grams (without microphone)

• Drivers: Precision-tuned drivers based on Sony MDR-MV1 studio monitors

• Software support: Access to PC Inzone Hub with USB-C Audio Box

• Audio: 7.1 channel surround sound with 360-degree spatial audio

• Micrphone: Detachable microphone

• Connectivity: 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C adapter

RESTOCK ALERT: As of April 14, the Lego Star Wars Gingerbread AT-AT Walker building set is back in stock at Lego's website for $59.99. This coveted set sold out and shifted to 60 day backorder twice in late 2025, so grab it now before May the 4th shoppers come.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Gingerbread AT-AT Walker (#40806) $59.99 at Lego
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Sorry, but Halloween (Home Depot's Halfway to Halloween sale, actually) isn't the only holiday you're going to hear about this April. We're just doing our due diligence and letting you know that the Lego Star Wars Gingerbread AT-AT Walker is in stock for $59.99 as of April 14.

The popular set includes a gingerbread-house-style AT-AT draped in Christmas lights and a gingerbread-house-style Darth Vader minifigure holding a candy cane as a lightsaber. The sides of the AT-AT open up to reveal a fireplace scene complete with stockings, a drink and a cookie, and gifts.

SEE ALSO: Lego has dropped a World Cup collection featuring Messi and Ronaldo: Here’s where to pre-order now

Generally speaking, a spring restock of a holiday Lego may not be a huge deal. But anyone who tried to secure the Gingerbread AT-AT Lego in late 2025 knows the drama behind this set — and probably knows that $60 is around what online resellers want for the gingerbread Darth Vader minifig alone.

Lego's website will be flooded with Star Wars fans as May the 4th hype builds, starting with a Star Wars Day livestream preview on April 15. Before everyone else sees, it'd be wise to click "add to cart" before the button inevitably turns to "backorder." Plus, spending $40 or more on any Lego Star Wars purchase through April 19 unlocks a free exclusive Mini-Build of Vader's TIE Advanced starfighter from A New Hope.

As a refresher, Lego dropped the Gingerbread AT-AT Walker in Oct. 2025. The set sold out immediately, and then sold out again after a big restock in Dec. 2025. For quite some time, there was a 60-day backorder window. So while many folks were waiting two months for their festive AT-AT walker to arrive, yours should ship the very next day.

The line between mainstream and luxury cars has gotten seriously blurry lately. Regular brands are leaning hard into premium design cues and materials that used to be exclusive to high-end European models.

TL;DR: Live stream Liverpool vs. PSG in the Champions League for free on Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League semi finals are calling. Well, they're calling for PSG after they raced into a 2-0 lead against Liverpool last week. In truth, the scoreline could have been much worse for Liverpool. They'll still believe that they can turn things around at Anfield, but they'll need to produce something truly special to stop PSG from scoring.

PSG have won their last four away games, keeping clean sheets in the last three. That bodes well for their trip to Anfield.

If you want to watch Liverpool vs. PSG in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Liverpool vs. PSG?

Liverpool vs. PSG in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on April 14. This fixture takes place at Anfield.

How to watch Liverpool vs. PSG for free

Liverpool vs. PSG is available to live stream for free on Prime Video (30-day free trial).

This free stream is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock Prime Video to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Liverpool vs. PSG for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit Prime Video

5. Watch Liverpool vs. PSG for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Liverpool vs. PSG without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Liverpool vs. PSG in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE UP TO 20%: As of April 14, save up to 20% off the Shark CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask at Sephora with promo code SPRINGSALE. Discounts vary based on Sephora Beauty Insider member tier.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sephora Shark CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask $279.23 at Sephora
$349 Save $69.77 Promo Code: SPRINGSALE Get Deal

Ready to get serious about your skincare? A face mask is always a good idea. But while disposable masks are a one and done situation, products like Shark's CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask can help you look and feel your best in the long run over and over again. And thanks to Sephora Savings Event going on right now, you can score a rare discount on this Shark mask as a member of Sephora's Beauty Insiders program.

As of April 14, save up to 20% off the Shark CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask at Sephora with promo code SPRINGSALE. Discounts vary based on Sephora Beauty Insider member tier. To receive this discount, you must be logged into your Sephora account and a part of the Beauty Insider program. Beauty Insiders receive 10% off, while VIB members receive 15% off. Rouge members receive the highest discount of 20%, which will apply to your order and the mask discounted automatically at checkout.

SEE ALSO: The Shark CryoGlow is the best red light mask we've tested — and it's currently on sale

Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodard took this mask for a spin for 10 months, and confidently labeled it the "best LED mask" she's tried. It's more than a red light mask, however, as it can emit red, blue, and infrared light to help treat everything from fine lines to acne. These addiitons help the mask to stand out from the competition, with the added benefits of its other colored light components.

It also offers special cooling techniques which, aside from giving you a comfortable, airy freeze all over your face, can help to tighten your undereye area and surrounding zones. It has three adjustable chill levels for your comfort, as well as four special treatments optimized by dermatologists you can rely on for each session.

If you've been on the fence about trying this mask out, now's the time to go ahead and give it a try, especially as the mask rarely goes on sale on its own. Take advantage of the discounted percentages for Beauty Insiders and try it out for yourself now.

While most coders use integrated development environments like VS Code. My code editing tool of choice is Vim, a much smaller package that's been around for over 30 years. Since Vim is heavily influenced by the original Vi, its lineage is even older, dating back to the late '70s. Why would I use something so old? Here's why Vim works for me.

Justin Bieber wants you to take a chill pill, but this time he's not asking screaming fans to calm down at his show.

We're talking Bieber's SKYLRK fashion brand, the clothing label follow-up to his now-defunct Drew House project from 2018. Home to a variety of hoodies, tees, sunglasses, and a selection of "Bieberchella" merch right now, SKYLRK is the pop star's latest venture aiming to outfit fans with his name and his brand. It also saw one of its first collabs in 2026: the Shark ChillPill Personal Fan SKYLRK-Exclusive.

This limited edition personal fan, which Shark debuted earlier last month, is marketed as a "personal cooling system": a 3-in-1- fan, mist, and InstaChill device that offers "high-speed airflow up to 25 ft/sec", dry-touch misting, and Shark's special cooling plate that the company claims to drop skin temperature by up to 16 degrees on contact.

With 11 hours of battery life (on its lowest speed setting), you should be able to shake off some of the high heat we're expecting across the summer, or at the very least soothe you back to sleep if you wake up overheated and the other side of the pillow doesn't help.

How to buy the Shark ChillPill Personal Fan SKYLRK-Exclusive

While the fan comes in a variety of fun colors (bright teal Glacier, magenta Dragon Fruit, lavender Haze), it's Bieber's SKYLRK version that'll be catching eyes this summer as it comes in a shocking red-orange shell dubbed "Heat". While most of the ChillPill colorways are available to buy on both Amazon and Shark's online storefront, the SKYLRK Heat colorway is only available via SKYLRK and the Shark storefront.

Right now, it looks like SKYLRK no longer features a listing for the ChillPill, so if you want to get your hands on the SKYLRK Exclusive Heat version of the Shark ChillPill, head over to the Shark online storefront, where the Heat colorway is still in stock. It's the same price as the rest of the ChillPill options, so you can still snap up a fashionable color for the second weekend of Coachella or to cool off any time the blazing summer heat starts getting to you.

With Bieber's SKYLRK and Coachella performances going viral ahead of Weekend 2, now's the time to go ahead and lock yours in. We can't imagine the ChillPill will be around much longer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark ChillPill Personal Fan SKYLRK-Exclusive $150.02 at Shark
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I've spent over a decade reviewing Android phones and tablets, and I've tested almost every flagship Samsung Galaxy phone released over the last 14+ years. Some were certainly better than others, from plastic shells and removable batteries to the premium models we have today.

When people watched NASA's Artemis II mission return to Earth, they saw helicopter views of little orange-clad figures exiting the spacecraft onto a raft. 

But the U.S. space agency has since released a short closeup video of the Navy recovery team as it opened the hatch on Friday, April 10. The trained divers and medical officers entered the tiny 330 cubic-foot Orion capsule, greeted the four astronauts. 

SEE ALSO: A girl asks for Pluto to regain its planet status. NASA chief: We're looking into it.

From video cameras mounted on the recovery team's helmets, shown in the X post below, it's as if you're right there with them. The team cheers and claps, with shouts of "let's go!" followed by "four green" (a callout that the crew was OK). 

"Welcome home," the recovery team said to the Artemis II crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, the first humans to fly around the moon since 1972. 

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Up close, the spacecraft, dubbed Integrity by the crew, appeared battered and singed as it bobbed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California. The capsule had just plummeted through Earth's atmosphere, a fiery descent that put the crew through a 25,000 mph ride. 

During that intense and dangerous phase, the astronauts experienced nearly 4Gs, a pressure pushing against them equal to four times their bodyweight. Without proper training, those conditions, coupled with adrenaline overload, could cause a person to blackout. 

But as the recovery team soon discovered, not only was the returning crew healthy, they were in high spirits, smiling as they waited through the procedures to leave the spacecraft. At the end of the video, one of the recovery officials, referred to as "Vlad," said he had something for Wiseman. The clip ends before that "something" is revealed. 

"Jesse, Steve, Laddy, and Vlad….such an incredible feeling to welcome you aboard Integrity after a nearly 700,000 mile journey," Wiseman said in a post on X. "Forever thankful for your service to our crew and the nation."

Featured Video For You NASA's Artemis II mission concludes with a perfect splashdown in the Pacific

What is clear is that the people who welcomed Artemis II back to Earth seemed just as exhilarated as the astronauts themselves. Before climbing inside the crew's living quarters for the 10-day journey, the team almost forgot to place the seal cover over the bottom edge of the hatch in their haste to see their friends. 

Artemis II, which launched April 1, marked NASA's triumphant return of human-led space exploration. It planned the voyage as the critical shakeout cruise for the spacecraft before the agency attempts to land on the moon. During the flight, the Artemis II crew put Orion through its paces, testing everything from propulsion and communications to how well humans can live, work, and make scientific observations far from home.

The day after Artemis II's splashdown, Commander Reid Wiseman visits the Orion spacecraft in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha. Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls

Packed with cameras, sensors, and experiments, the mission turned the crew into both test pilots and test subjects, gathering data to shape future Artemis voyages. A successful journey vets the hardware and flight controllers for a moonwalk planned for 2028. 

NASA isn't just motivated to get back to the moon for the moon's sake but to practice keeping humans alive in another world for extended periods. That's crucial before sending astronauts on a months-long spaceflight to Mars, perhaps possible in the late 2030s. 

A new space race also sets the timeline for the Artemis campaign. The United States wants to land on the moon again before China, which is extremely close to achieving its first human moon landing. 

If you thought the splashdown meant Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen could finally relax, you'd be wrong. Just hours after landing, NASA tested the crew's mettle again with an obstacle course. 

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I've always been fascinated by LaserDisc technology. Long before I'd ever seen video played from a disc, and not long after I'd heard my first album on CD, I had the opportunity to watch movies on LD.

Generally, when the word "immersive" is used in headphones marketing, it means the headphones will have some form of spatial audio, and even more likely, active noise cancellation.

Sony is flipping the script on that idea with the release of the Sony Inzone H6 Air, a wired, open-back gaming headset that, by design, comes without any noise cancellation. The new headset is a part of a larger expansion of the Sony Inzone gaming lineup, announced Tuesday.

The headphones are available now for $199.99. Along with the H6 Air, Sony announced a new OLED gaming monitor optimized for first-person shooters, the Inzone M10S II. The monitor will be available for purchase later this year at a price of $1,099.99.

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In addition, Sony also announced cosmetic updates to existing Inzone products. We've got all the details you need, plus a first look at the new products.

Sony Inzone H6 Air headset: Price, release date, specs

The Sony Inzone H6 Air open-back headphones are available starting April 14 at Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy, with a price of $199.99. Because of the open design, they're Sony's lightest gaming headset, and they have the same spring-hinge headband design found on the Inzone H9 II headset.

As an overview, here's what to expect, spec-wise:

• Style: Open-back wired gaming headset

• Weight: 199 grams (without microphone)

• Drivers: 40mm drivers based on Sony's MDR-MV1 studio headphones

• Software support: Access to PC Inzone Hub with USB-C Audio Box

• Audio: 7.1 channel surround sound with 360-degree spatial audio

• Micrphone: Detachable cardioid microphone

The new Sony Inzone H6 Air headphones. Credit: Sony SEE ALSO: The 7 best Sony headphones to buy in 2026, tested by audio experts

Sony has never before offered open-back headphones in their gaming line. However, the company has made premium open-back studio headphones — namely the aforementioned MDR-MV1, which at $419.99, are over double the price of H6 Air headphones.

Open-back headphones are not to be confused with open earbuds. The latter is designed to let sound from the environment in while balancing the streamed audio, essentially functioning as a transparency mode. Open-back headphones, on the other hand, are less about providing situational awareness and more about providing the most realistic spatial soundscape possible.

With an open back, the headphones' acoustics allow for the sound to have more physical space, allowing for a more natural spatial soundstage. (Anyone who's experienced subpar spatial audio features on noise-cancelling headphones knows how huge this feature is). The idea, as Sony explains in their press release, is to both accurately reproduce the sounds of a game, and make it sound as if it's coming from all around the player.

SEE ALSO: The most comfortable headphones we've ever tested will take care of your ears

One of our testers recently described the elite audio experience of open-back headphones while reviewing the Sennheiser HD 599. While open headphones are popular among audiophiles, open-back gaming headsets aren't particularly common in the gaming community, as evidenced by the limited offerings at Micro Center, a PC gaming and electronics store. Sony's pricing seems relatively competitive to the competition — Audio Technica's open-back gaming headphones go for $139.99, while ASUS ROG's go for $299.99.

Further bolstering the sound of these headphones is the equalizer settings, which can be accessed through the Sony Inzone hub. For these headphones, a new setting has been added specifically for role-playing and adventure games.

Mashable's tech editor has been testing the new H6 Air headset ahead of their launch, and so far, he's been impressed with the sound. The headphones are also noticeably lighter than most headphones, with a comfortable fit and a strong microphone.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Inzone H6 Air $199.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Sony Inzone M10S II monitor: Price and specs The Sony Inzone M10S II monitor comes with a dual mode refresh rate of QHD 540Hz and HD 720Hz. Credit: Sony

The Sony Inzone M10S II is the latest gaming monitor from the brand, though it won't be available to purchase until later this year. At this time, Sony puts the suggested retail price at $1,099.99 ($100 cheaper than the last generation Inzone M10S monitor). Here's what you'll get with the monitor:

• Display: OLED

• Size: 27-inch full display mode and 24.5-inch tournament mode display mode

• Refresh rate: Dual mode refresh rate with 540Hz QHD with rapid 0.02ms response time and 720Hz HD

• Tilt: Wide tilt range of -5 to 35 degrees

• Special features: Advanced motion blur reduction, Super Anti-Glare Film

• Warranty: Three-year warranty

This OLED gaming monitor was specifically designed for FPS gamers. It features a FPS Pro mode and FPS Pro+ mode, which optimize gameplay for the OLED experience

Sony collaborated with the esports organization Fnatic to help create a monitor optimized for competitive gamers. The refresh rates and price point certainly point to those players as the target audience — if you main farming sims, this isn't the monitor for you. Comparable dual-mode monitors include the ASUS ROG Swift, also priced at $1,099.99, and this LG UltraGear monitor, which clocks in at $999.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Inzone M10S II $1,099.99 at Sony
  Learn More More updates to Sony's Inzone line Esports org Fnatic collabed with Sony on the Mouse-A and gaming mats. Credit: Sony

Sony's Fnatic collab extended into their existing product line, with exclusive Fnatic editions of the Inzone Mouse-A ($169.99), Inzone Mat-F ($74.99), and Inzone Mat-D ($44.99). These products run about $10 to $20 more than the base item without an exclusive design.

Translucent purple joins the Sony Inzone buds lineup. Credit: Sony

Outside of the collaboration with Fnatic, Sony also added a third colorway to their Inzone Buds line: a transparent glass purple joins the existing black and white earbuds. Sony's gaming earbuds come with spatial audio, a 2.4GHz connection, and 12 hours of battery on a single charge. The translucent purple earbuds are available immediately at Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy, retailing for the same price as the black and white colorways — $239.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Inzone Buds $239.99 at Amazon
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