Engadget Review Recap: Steam Machine, Samsung Music Studio 7, Oura Ring 5 And More

From a major new piece of gaming hardware to the latest smart ring, our latest batch of reviews once again runs the gamut of product categories. We’ve also conducted in-depth testing of HP’s new ultraportable laptop, a Samsung speaker and an excellent new Alienware OLED display. Read on for the details on any of those items you might’ve missed, and prepare for a new slate of reviews coming soon to Engadget.

Valve’s highly-anticipated console brings your Steam library to the living room, but it comes with some major caveats. The Steam Machine is underpowered and too expensive, according to senior reporter Jessica Conditt. “In a hypothetical future where the price of a Steam Machine falls to something more reasonable, like $600, it would still be a tough sell due to its built-in hardware limitations,” she said. “Whether a gen-two Valve console nails it, or another company takes advantage of SteamOS and builds a box with the right balance of specs and price, the Steam Machine remains a good idea. At the moment, however, it requires better execution.”

If you’re looking to boost your TV audio, but don’t really like the idea of having a soundbar as a focal point of your living room, Samsung has a powerful alternative for you. The Music Studio 7 speaker primarily functions as a standalone device, but as I discovered during my review, it’s even better as a home theater stereo pair. “In fact, I’d argue the audio from two Studio 7s surpasses Samsung’s best soundbar, and at $1,000 for the pair, you might even save some money over other premium soundbars,” I said. “Even if you only opt for one, you won’t be disappointed in the mix of sound quality and features Samsung packed into this speaker.”

The latest Oura Ring won’t wow you with flashy new features, but according to senior reporter Daniel Cooper, that’s just fine. “Taking the class-leading wearable and shrinking it this much is a massive deal, especially since it comes with longer battery life,” he said. “In every other regard, it’s not a dramatic leap beyond the Ring 4, and the real magic will come in the utility of its services.”

Since it consolidated its laptop lineup, HP really hasn’t had a flagship model that could take on the likes of Apple and Dell. Senior reporter Sam Rutherford argues that the company has returned to top form with the OmniBook Ultra 14. “As the king of the hill atop HP’s consumer laptop lineup, the OmniBook Ultra doesn’t disappoint,” he said. “You can quibble about the lack of an SD card slot or HDMI port, and HP’s annoying popups and system alerts, but there’s no doubt the company has made a first-class ultraportable. It has an exquisite design with a brilliant display, strong performance and solid battery life.”

The Alienware OLED display lineup just got a boost from Samsung’s latest panel tech, and the result is something truly spectacular. “Despite my initial surprise over the AW3426DW’s size, it still looked spectacular the moment I turned it on,” senior reporter Devindra Hardawar said. “My eyes immediately noticed that it was a bit brighter than my Alienware 32-inch monitor, and the added color depth made my Windows 11 background and images on our own site pop a bit more.”