Midas well go gold: five of the finest golden gadgets reviewed, from MacBooks to headphones
SOMETIMES you just have to bring the bling. Gold is a trend that becoming more popular in high tech, seen in everything from Apple Macs to headphones.
WHETHER you’re Donald Trump or just looking to trump your competition in the luxury stakes, there is a sudden influx of golden gadgetry in which to invest.
From Apple’s latest and slimmest computer to special editions of Bang & Olufsen’s high-end headphones, we have them reviewed and rated.
Apple MacBook
Apple / 4/5 / from $1799 / apple.com/au
It’s easy to fall for Apple’s super-skinny gold laptop that offers a Retina screen, a fanless design, an improved keyboard, and a touchpad with Taptic engine to allow Force Touch gestures. At just 920g and 1.3cm thick, it’s also portable enough to make a MacBook Air look almost chunky. But beauty like this comes at a price. Its one USB-C port may be the way of the future, but it will mean you must carry a few adaptors in the present. Also, the MacBook can’t match the MacBook Air in some key specifications including battery life.
Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H6
Bang & Olufsen / 4.5/5 / $549-$579 / beoplay.com
Danish firm Bang & Olufsen specialise in making luxury audio technology and they do not falter with the BeoPlay H6 headphones. Available in two golden hues — bronzed hazel and rose gold — the H6 set shows off thoughtful, sophisticated design, with a sturdy but lightweight aluminium frame, grainy leather headband, and softer than soft leather ear pads that serve to physically block noise. The sound from these cans is clear and natural, with particular attention mid-range sounds and treble, unlike their bass-happy mainstream rivals. Wireless convenience and noise cancellation is missing, but their crisp audio luxury is indisputable.
Twelve South HiRise Deluxe
Twelve South / 4/5 / $79.95 / store.apple.com/au
The new version of Twelve’s South’s iPhone and iPad stand received more than just a golden dusting. The Deluxe HiRise is the first to come in Donald Trump’s favourite colour, but it also comes with both Lightning and Micro USB charging cables, can be assembled without the use of tools, and has a dial to adjust its rear plate, allowing room for all iPhone and iPad cases. Users cannot vary its angle or easily swap connections, but this Deluxe phone holder is sophisticated and well considered.
Mophie Juice Pack for Apple iPhone 6 Plus
Mophie / 3.5/5 / $129.95 / mophie.com
If you’re venturing away from a power point for more than a day, even phablets need a battery case. Mophie now offers the Juice Pack for Apple’s largest phone and it comes in gold to match its charge. The case is lighter than you might expect, at 110g, and features curved edges, four lights to check its battery, a switch to release power to the phone, and a Micro USB port for charging the iPhone. It delivers an extra 60 per cent battery life, or enough for another 8.5 hours of video play. It does add length to the phablet, however, and you’ll need to use a supplied connector to plug in your headphones.
Braven Lux
Braven / 4/5 / $179.99 / braven.com
This gold and glossy portable speaker has more to offer than just good looks. With a rubber plug protecting its ports and an IPX5 rating, you can use this splashproof device near water with confidence. It offers 12 hours of battery life and you can use it as a 1400mAh battery backup to charge other devices. Two Lux speakers can be paired together for stereo sound, it can be used as a speakerphone and, using its audio-out port, you can feed it music from an old-school audio system. While not a mind-blowing sound, its output is impressive given its compact size.
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