STACK #195 Jan 2021

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

ISSUE 195 JAN 2021

LIFE TECH 4 Intro 6-8 Chromebooks 8-9 Laptops 10 Gaming Laptops 12 Monitors 14-15 Tablets

WELCOME We made it! Welcome to 2021 – a new year and a new beginning. While we sweat in the middle of an antipodean summer, for many it’s time to welcome the new school year. As is now tradition in STACK , we’ve pulled together the ultimate Back to School Guide to make your tech buying decisions a whole lot easier. Also this month, Sir Patrick Stewart returns to his iconic role as one of Star Trek’s most loved and respected captains, Jean-Luc Picard, in the thrilling first season of Star Trek: Picard ; and in games, the perennial Agent 47 is back to ply his deadly trade in Hitman III . And finally, from Gaga to Gorillaz, The HU to The Killers, Swifty to Springsteen and Keith to Kevin, the 2020 edition of Choice Cuts is the most impressive collection of top albums we’ve assembled to date! Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

16-22 Essential IT 24 Smartphones 26 Smartwatches 28 Eco Bags 30-32 Essential Accessories 34-36 Projectors 38 What’s New MUSIC 44 Interview with Jarryd James 46-48 Writers Select: Cream of the 2020 Crop 50-53 Choice Cuts of 2020 54 The STACK Record Club 56-57 AlbumTales: Duran Duran (1981) 58 This Month at JB GAMING 62 Roving Reporter/Game Changers 64 Fast Forward 66 Hitman III

68-70 Best of 2020 72 Accessorise Now! 74 STACK Recommends 76 Out this month FILM & TV FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4 Roving Reporter 6-7 Wonder Woman 1984 8 Penguin Bloom 9 The Dry 10 Ammonite 12 Bob J’s Movie Trivia 14-15 Star Trek: Picard 16 The High Note 17 Dirt Music 18 The Rising Hawk 19 Come Away 20-22 STACK ’s Best of 2020

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & TV Editor Scott Hocking Music Editor Zoë Radas Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones, Gill Pringle Contributors Bryget Chrisfield, Glenn Cochrane, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Nathan Lawrence, Jake Cleland, Tim Lambert, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby,

Anthony Horan, Nicholas Kennedy, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom, Bec Summer Social Media Manager Imogene Lewis-Granland Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK 33 Jessie Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended formature audiences

Notsuitableforpeople under15.Under15smust beaccommpaniedbya parentoradultguardian

Restricted to18andover

General

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