STACK #256 February 2026

CONTENTS

ISSUE 256 FEB

TECH 6 Back to uni: A quick guide 7 Five great high-spec laptops for uni 8 Five great gaming laptops for uni students 10 Five top tablets for uni 12-14 Essential accessories for uni 16-18 Content creation: Short-form video 20 Creator Q&A with Josh Neille 22-24 Content creation: Podcasting 26-27 Content creation: Game live streaming 28-29 Content creation: Music production 30 Five things we love about the Sony LinkBuds Clip 32-34 Your guide to air purifiers 36-38 Your guide to garment steamers 40 Work, play, and create with the HP OmniBook X Flip laptop 42-49 CES 2026 roundup 50 New tech at JB this month GAMING FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4 Take 5/Charts/Q5/Wham, bam, game exam! 6 Speak new evil: Resident Evil Requiem Q+A 8 You're a good sport, Mario! Mario Tennis Fever preview 10 Tokyo vice: Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties Q+A 12-13 Play today! A PC gaming guide 14 Click things up a gear! Logitech G PRO X2 SUPERSTRIKE LIGHTSPEED gaming mouse 16 Weapon of choice: RIG R5 SPEAR PRO HS gaming headset 18 The Kiyo to raising your content game: Razer Kiyo V2 + V2 X webcams 20 What's out this month? MOVIES & TV 22 Take 5/In development/5 Reasons to watch/Bob J's Film Buff Bafflers 23 Merch of the month/Charts/Socials 24 Cinema: Scream 7 / Jimpa 26 Black Phone 2 / Bugonia 28 The Travellers / Regretting You 30 Wicked: For Good / Good Fortune 32 Now You See Me, Now You Don’t / The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - Season 3 33 Bob J: This Is Spinal Tap – still goes to 11 34 Reel Classics: New from Imprint Films 35 New to 4K 36 What’s out this month? 37 Make your next night out a night in! MUSIC 38 Take 5/My first album/ STACK exchange 40 New albums: Bruno Mars + Joji 42 New albums: Karnivool + Gorillaz 44 New albums: Wuthering Heights soundtrack + Robbie Williams 46-47 What's out this month? 48 Vital vinyl: Wolfmother, Wolfmother (20th anniversary)

2026

WELCOME

Every so often, a product in the world of consumer tech shows up and quietly changes the rules. No big scene, no sci-fi promises – just a simple idea that makes you rethink how things should work. Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip earbuds feel like one of those moments. The LinkBuds Clip are part of a growing shift away from the “plug your ears and disappear” approach to audio. Instead of sealing you off, these earbuds sit lightly on your ears, letting music play with the world around you, not against it. Traffic, conversations, the sound of your coffee being made – it all stays in the mix. That might sound like a compromise, but it’s actually the point. This new wave of open-ear listening isn’t about isolation or max volume. It’s about comfort, awareness, and sound that fits into real life. You can

take a call, go for a walk, or work through a playlist without feeling disconnected from everything around you. Sony’s LinkBuds Clip bring a

fresh, wearable take on the idea, leaning into premium sound with a bold accessory-like design. Music doesn’t always need to be an escape. Sometimes, it

just needs to be there. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

jbhifi.com.au/stack

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Tech Editor Scott Hocking

Music Consultant Mike Glynn Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Gill Pringle, Bob Jones, James O’Connor Contributors Jeff Jenkins, Billy Pinnell, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Trista McConville

Social Media Manager Glenn Cochrane Production Manager Craig Patterson

Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Movie & TV Editor Glenn Cochrane Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando

Designer Clare Kelly Correspondence STACK editor@stack.com.au

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accommpanied by a parent or adult guardian

Restricted to 18 and over

General

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2026 All rights reserved. All material appearing in this publication is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material or advertisement. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of Scribal Custom Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. Whilst care has been taken in the research and preparation of this publication, the publishers, writers or anyone else associated cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or hardship arising from the content contained herein or reliance therefrom, howsoever caused, and it remains your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any such content. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or the editor. By the very nature of this publication, things change daily and we cannot take responsibility for any changes or inaccuracies that occur subsequent to going to press.

Back cover image: Florenz Mendoza on Pexels

FEBRUARY 2026

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