STACK #250 August 2025

CONTENTS

ISSUE 250 AUG 2025

TECH 5 Geek speak/editor’s choice

8-9 Unpacking the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 & Flip7 10 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 vs Z Fold6 comparison 11 What’s new with the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 12 Protect your new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 & Flip7 14-16 Your essential guide to buying a smartphone 20-24 What’s new and trending in smartphone tech 26 The new Nothing Phone 3 is here 28 What’s new from Motorola 30 New, budget-friendly phones from TCL 32-34 Phones to suit all budgets 36 A quick guide to chargers 38 Check out the MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo laptop 40 JBL Tour One M3 headphones review 42 New tech at JB this month GAMING FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 3 Take 5/Charts/Q5/Wham, bam, game exam! 4-6 Mmm... organised crime! Mafia: The Old Country interview 8 Back in the pink! Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World preview 10 Getting it over the line: Rugby League 26 Q+A 12 Have your Snake and eat it too! Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater preview 14 Soul sacrifice: Lost Soul Aside interview 16 Bug out! Gears of War: Reloaded preview 18 Asp good as it gets! Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Mouse review 20 Stream Xbox games on select LG TVs 22 What’s out this month? MOVIES & TV 24 Intro/Take 5/Filmmaker’s Signature/In Development/Bob J’s Film Buff Bafflers 25 Merch of the month/Charts/Socials/ This month 20 years ago 26 Cinema: The Life of Chuck / The Naked Gun 27 A calculated return: The cast of The Accountant 2 28 Holy breakout! The Phoenician Scheme 30 Bang on target! Claes Bang on William Tell 31 A slick operator: Billy Bob Thornton on Landman 32 Cheating death! Final Destination: Bloodlines 33 Field of screams: Eli Craig on Clown in a Cornfield 34 New Doc on the block: Doctor Who: Season 1 36 Bob J: Revisiting The Lion in Winter 37 New to 4K 38 Reel classics: New from Imprint Films 40 What’s out this month? 42 The latest anime/Board games MUSIC 44 Take 5/My first album/ STACK Exchange 46 The boys light up: Hilltop Hoods Q+A 48 Hurt so good: Charlie Collins Q+A 50 New albums from Sabrina Carpenter + Cold Chisel 52 New albums from Wolf Alice + The Hives

WELCOME

Spearheading this month’s smartphone special is our comprehensive coverage of Samsung’s swish new foldable series, the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7, announced at last month’s big Galaxy Unpacked event and now available at JB. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold is perhaps the most prestigious and luxurious of the brand’s Galaxy series, and the Fold7 raises the bar once again with a bigger and more durable cover and main display, a 200MP main camera, plus a design upgrade making it the lightest, slimmest, and most pocket-friendly Fold to date. Then there's the trendy Flip7, which has also received some impressive upgrades like a larger and more versatile cover display that lets you do more without the need to flip open the phone. We’ve unpacked all the latest and greatest features to look forward to, along with a side-by-side comparison of the Fold7 and its predecessor, the Fold6, plus the range of dedicated cases to keep your prized investment well protected and looking good. Elsewhere in our smartphone special you’ll find an updated and comprehensive buying guide with all the key things to consider before you go shopping, as well as what’s new and trending in the world of smartphone tech, all the latest phones hitting JB, and more. If you’re considering upgrading your phone, there’s never been a better time than now! 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, Stuart Coupe, Trista McConville, Michael Caverzan

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

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, 2025 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.

54-55 What’s out this month? 56 Vital Vinyl: The White Stripes, Get Behind Me Satan 57 Shake some action

Hilltop Hoods back cover photo credit: Ashlee Jones

3