Sony HT-AX7

Immersive surround sound ; Easy to use ; Long battery life ; Smart design

Battery life depletes in standby mode ; Sounds strained at high volumes ; Less convincing with music ; No Wi-Fi

A genius idea that’s executed well, the Sony HT-AX7 will improve your small screen home cinema experiences thanks to its immersive surround sound speakers. It’s an imperfect speaker and works better with some content than others, but it is a blast to use.

Compact, attractive and ingenious design ; Can create a convincing 360-degree sound ; Crisp, detailed sound

No HDMI or wi-fi connectivity ; Small speakers can distort ; Limited dynamic range

While it’s unique and interesting, the HT-AX7 doesn’t entirely satisfy as either a home cinema device or Bluetooth speaker for music

The HT-AX7 is an impressive speaker that delivers on its promise to bring portable cinematic sound to our phones and tablets. However, its price tag isn't easy to swallow, so its appeal will be likely be confined to a fairly niche audience.

Although it felt more successful when viewing onscreen content rather than music listening, I'll be able to go into more detail about that when I get to try it out in my own surroundings. My full Sony HT-AX7 review is coming soon.