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Daily deals Aug. 12: $150 off M2 Mac mini, $300 off 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED display, more

Get $150 off an open-box M2 Mac mini

Today’s top deals include saving $200 off an Arlo Essential Spotlight camera four-pack. 30% off floor care, $150 off a Corsair Xeneon 27-inch OLED monitor, and more.

The AppleInsider editorial team scours the web for unbeatable deals at ecommerce stores to develop a list of amazing bargains on popular tech products, including discounts on Apple products, TVs, accessories, and other gadgets. We share the hottest deals daily to help you get more bang for your buck.

There are plenty of additional bargains going on, knocking double and triple digits off Mac Studio hardware, software, iPads and more. Here’s a sampling of some of the deals, with hundreds of items on sale in our Apple Price Guide.

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Latest Intel and AMD vulnerabilities a gentle reminder to switch to Apple silicon

Intel logo

A pair of vulnerabilities have been discovered impacting Intel and AMD CPUs, and they both affect generations of processors for those who haven’t updated their systems yet.

The new threats are called “Downfall” and “Inception,” and both rely on speculative execution in a similar way as the Meltdown and Spectre bugs, respectively. They are both described as being of “medium” severity, with Downfall impacting Intel chips and Inception targeting AMD processors.

Intel and AMD have both issued OS-level microcode software updates as of now, with both companies aiming to address both vulnerabilities. As reported by Ars Technica, the two companies have also confirmed that they have not identified any exploits that exist for either vulnerability.

However, it’s important that manufacturers issue their own updates to address the issues once Intel and AMD make them available. Both Downfall and Inception are risks to consumer products, server CPUs, and workstations, any of which are equipped with years-old Intel or AMD processors.

Downfall

By all accounts, Downfall is the bigger of the two vulnerabilities. It’s known as “CVE-2022-40982,” and it’s outlined by Google security researcher Daniel Moghimi. He describes it as such:

“The vulnerability is caused by memory optimization features in Intel processors that unintentionally reveal internal hardware registers to software. This allows untrusted software to access data stored by other programs, which should not normally be accessible. I discovered that the Gather instruction, meant to speed up accessing scattered data in memory, leaks the content of the internal vector register file during speculative execution. To exploit this vulnerability, I introduced Gather Data Sampling (GDS) and Gather Value Injection (GVI) techniques. You can read the paper I wrote about this for more detail.”

Moghimi says Downfall is a “successor” to the Meltdown vulnerability, as they both rely on speculative execution to harm affected systems.

Intel says all processors based on Skylake, Kaby Lake, Whiskey Lake, Ice Lake, Comet Lake, Coffee Lake, Rocket Lake, and Tiger Lake are all impacted by Downfall, along with other processor generations as well. That means most chips produced from 2015 and newer are affected.

Intel haunted by Spectre

Intel haunted by Spectre

However, Intel’s newest 12th- and 13th-generation chips based on Alder Lake and Raptor Lake are not affected. Meanwhile, Celeron, Pentium, and Apollo low-end CPUs are not affected, either.

Inception

Inception is also known as “CVE-2023-20569,” and it’s a descendent of the Spectre bug, and it’s described as “Information exposure through microarchitectural state after transient execution in certain vector execution units for some Intel(R) Processors may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.”

Security researchers at ETH Zrich’s COSMEC group point out that this vulnerability can leak arbitrary data on a range of AMD processors, including Ryzen, EPYC, and Threadripper. The group has also published a proof-of-concept video showing off the vulnerability.

The good news is these vulnerabilities have been addressed by Intel and AMD, and neither appears to be as dangerous as the vulnerabilities they are descended from, Meltdown and Specter.

Might be a good time to upgrade to Apple silicon

Still, if nothing else, these widespread vulnerabilities are a gentle reminder that Apple has moved away from Intel in its choice of processors. The company is now all-in with Apple Silicon, meaning it doesn’t need to worry about Intel or AMD vulnerabilities like these.

Apple silicon

Apple silicon

It’s worth noting that there are still some vulnerabilities that can pop up, even for Apple silicon. The “PacMan” flaw was an echo of Spectre and Meltdown in 2022, for instance, albeit one that did not seriously harm any computers out in the real world.

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Germany approves $11 billion TSMC chip factory

TSMC plant

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has been working to expand its manufacturing footprint for quite some time, and now it has a major factory deal in Germany set in motion.

TSMC is one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers on the planet, and works with a variety of different companies for their chip needs. Of course, one of the largest partners is Apple, but TSMC has ambitions beyond the Cupertino-based company’s yearly requirements.

A new chip factory in Germany will cost upwards of $11 billion, with TSMC itself committing 3.5 billion euros, or $3.8 billion towards the effort, according to Reuters. Once the factory is up and running, it will be TSMC’s first in Europe, and just the third for the company outside of Taiwan and China.

Germany sees a path to foster a more domestic approach to semiconductor manufacturing, especially for its automotive future in a bid to stay competitive in that market. This new plant is part of a wider movement by the European Union, which recently approved the European Chips Act that offers a 43 billion euro subsidy plan to propel domestic chip making.

Germany itself will be contributing 5 billion euros to the factory that will ultimately be built in Dresden.

TSMC continues to make deals that sees the chipmaker expand beyond its home territory, a move that Apple is trying to do in its own right. The company has been trying to move beyond its China dependency for years now, with some efforts in the United States.

In that process Apple has turned to India. It has been a slow process so far, and will remain that way for quite some time, but expectations are high that Apple may see India exporting one in every five iPhones by 2025.

Apple’s manufacturing partnership with TSMC has been longstanding one, so much so that it was recently reported Apple has a “sweetheart deal” that saves the company millions of dollars because it only charges Apple for “known good dies.” However, a subsequent report based on details provided by Ming-Chi Kuo says that’s not true at all.

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IT firm CDW adds support for Apple Business Essentials

Apple Business Essentials multi-device support

Apple Business Essentials is a full suite of services for enterprise users, and now the IT firm CDW is moving to the program.

Apple’s Business Essentials program is a service that offers up iCloud storage, device management, and access to Apple Support for enterprise customers. It launched in 2021, and it’s meant for small businesses with up to 500 employees using Apple devices.

With Apple Business Essentials, CDW clients using the service can easily back up data with dedicated iCloud accounts. Onboarding with a company is simple with managed Apple IDs, and the service brings additional security options with FileVault.

Apple Business Essentials also includes on-site repair services, 24/7 support, and more. Prices start at $2.99 per device per month, or up to $24.99 per device per month, depending on storage and support requirements.

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Apple Pay launches in Vietnam

Apple Pay via Apple Wallet

Apple Pay is available in over 80 countries worldwide, and on Monday, Vietnam joins that list and now accepts the payment service.

The story was first reported by 9to5Mac, sourced from an X post by user @aaronp613 stating Apple has officially updated the Apple Pay backend to launch support in Vietnam. TPBank, which is a local bank in the area, has since launched a dedicated website letting its customers know they can add their cards to the Wallet app.

With Apple Pay now available, customers wanting to use the mobile payment option can do so after adding their supported cards to the Apple Wallet app. Once that’s done, they can simply put their iPhone or Apple Watch near a contactless card reader to make a purchase.

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Grab Apple’s M1 Max 16″ MacBook Pro with 64GB RAM, 1TB SSD for $2,599 ($1,100 off)

Packed with upgrades, this blowout bargain slashes the price of the M1 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch with 64GB memory and 1TB of storage to just $2,599. AppleCare is $80 off as well.

Save $1,100 on a loaded MacBook Pro

The exclusive price is in the form of a $900 instant rebate stacked with promo code APINSIDER, which knocks another $200 off, bringing the price down to $2,599 at Apple Authorized Reseller Adorama.

This particular configuration features Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro with a high-end M1 Max chip that boasts a 24-core GPU. It also has 64GB of memory, quadruple the amount found in the standard Late 2021 MacBook Pro. Storage is ample at 1TB, further future-proofing the machine, which is housed in Apple’s elegant silver chassis.

Bonus discount AppleCare with coupon

Along with the aggressive discount on the laptop itself, the same APINSIDER promo code takes $80 off three years of AppleCare when purchased alongside the system, bringing the cost down to $319 for the extended protection plan, offering added peace of mind.

Activating the APINSIDER coupon can be done in three easy steps.

  1. Shop through this pricing link and add the 16-inch MacBook Pro to your cart.
  2. Proceed to checkout and when you get to step 3 (Payment), look for a link with a gift icon that says: “Do you have a gift card or promo code?”
    How to open Adorama coupon code field
  3. Click that link to bring up the coupon code field and enter APINSIDER. Here’s what it looks like:
    Where to enter Adorama coupon code

Plus, save with even more deals

Best Apple prices

From the new MacBook Air 15-inch to the M2 Mac mini, AppleInsider readers can snap up exclusive discounts on even more Apple hardware. Be sure to visit our Apple Price Guide to view the latest sales and special offers at Apple resellers.

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How to turn on Sensitive Content Warnings in iOS 17

Apple expands content warnings in iOS 17

Sensitive Content Warning is a new feature in iOS 17 that allows users to protect themselves from content that may be sensitive or triggering. Here’s how to turn it on.

The internet can be a dangerous place, and it’s important to take steps to protect yourself from potentially harmful content. With the Sensitive Content Warning feature in iOS 17, you can safeguard yourself from unwanted messages that could disturb your peace of mind.

It’s part of the Communication Safety feature that Apple added for kids in iOS 15.2. But the content warning feature in iOS 17 can be enabled by users of any age.

When the feature is turned on, iOS can use on-device machine learning to detect nude photos and videos before viewing them. The Messages app will automatically blur them and requires a conscious choice by users to view the material.

All the data processing for the detection feature happens locally on the user’s device. Apple won’t know who sent you the sensitive content or the specifics of the content, only that the on-device algorithms detected content that may be related to nudity.

How to turn on Sensitive Content Warning in iOS 17

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down to find Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap on Sensitive Content Warning near the bottom and turn the toggle on or off.

After activating the feature, you will have a list of apps that endorse this functionality. Each app will be accompanied by a toggle switch, allowing you to turn the feature on or off on an app-by-app basis.

Over time, as more developers embrace the feature, additional apps will be added.

You can turn these toggles on or off based on your preferences. Further down, there is an option that says Improve Sensitive Content Warning.

You can toggle this option if you want to send anonymous data and analytics to Apple to help improve the feature. The enhanced protection includes content exchanged through AirDrop, the systemwide photo picker, FaceTime messages, Contact Posters in the Phone app, and even third-party apps.

Any photo or video containing nudity will be automatically blurred, and users can unblur it with the “Show” button.

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How to use Safari Profiles in macOS Sonoma

Apple has added a new Profiles feature to Safari in macOS Sonoma, which is meant to be a quick way to separate work and home browsing, and to help with concentration and privacy. Here’s how to use it.

The new Safari Profiles feature includes an element of private browsing, but it’s really more a development of the ideas behind Tab Groups and Focus Modes. It’s about taking away distractions, so that you can focus on what you want to be doing right now.

So you could create a Profile that is just for work. In that, you can have a whole set of Tab Groups, and you can even have extensions, that do not appear in any other Profile.

How to set up Safari Profiles in macOS Sonoma

  1. Launch Safari on the Mac
  2. Choose the Safari menu and then System Settings
  3. From the window that appears, click Profiles in the top row
  4. On the information page that appears, click New Profile

The New Profile dialog offers several options, but only one is essential — you need to give the profile a name.

Quickly set up a new Profile by giving it a name, icon and so on

Beyond that, you have the choice to:

  • Choose an icon for the profile
  • Choose a color for it
  • Have a brand new bookmarks folder, or
  • Use your existing Favorites folder
  • Finally, click Create Profile

The color is more significant than it seems. For when you next open Safari after going through this, it will open in your new profile — and the background will be that color.

What looks fine as a little thumbnail color in the dialog box can then seem overwhelmingly in-your-face when it’s on the whole Safari window.

You can quickly add a second or subsequent profile

You can quickly add a second or subsequent profile

How to setup a second Safari Profile

There’s close to no benefit having just a single Safari Profile. You would get the feature’s increased private browsing, but the real advantage of profiles is in being able to switch between them.

The process of creating a second, third, or any more profiles is subtly different to the first one.

  1. Launch Safari on the Mac
  2. Choose the Safari menu and then System Settings
  3. From the window that appears, click Profiles in the top row
  4. Your first new profile is now listed on the left
  5. Click the plus sign at bottom left to create another profile
  6. Fill out the same form with a name, icon choice and so on

Curiously, there are two more options that you only when you have already created a Profile. If you click on the name of one, you see the original form with the name and icon again, but now it also has options to do with windows and tabs.

Just as with the regular Safari, you can elect to have new tabs or windows automatically open with the Start Page, for instance.

Note, though, that this is also where you can elect to manage Safari Extensions that are in any given profile.

You create a new window in a specific Profile via the Dock

You create a new window in a specific Profile via the Dock

How to use Safari Profiles in macOS Sonoma

With your two or more profiles set up, you’re going to want to switch between them. When you have separate Safari windows open for each profile, you just click between them.

But it’s a little counter-intuitive how you get those separate windows open. Say you have a Home and a Work profile, then to open a new window in one of those, you must:

  1. Right-click on the Safari icon in your Dock
  2. Choose New Home Window or New Work Window

While you are in a Safari window in a Safari profile, everything you do stays in that profile. So you can add extensions, you can add bookmarks, and they will not appear in any other profile.

This is where Safari Profiles are similar to Tab Groups and Focus Modes. Just as with a Focus Mode, you can elect to go into a profile and not see anything else.

Tab Groups already let you compartmentalize your work. With a “Work” tab group, Safari already appears to show you solely the tabs you’ve set for work, and none for anything else.

But as superb as that is for helping you switch tasks, it’s extremely easy to switch back. With two clicks in the Tab Group menu at top left, you can immediately switch to any group you want.

With Profiles, there’s no such quick click to change. There is a new label at the top left of Safari’s screen, which shows the name of the profile in use.

However, the only way to switch is via right-clicking on the Safari icon in the dock.

How to delete a Safari Profile

  1. Launch Safari on the Mac
  2. Choose the Safari menu and then System Settings
  3. From the window that appears, click Profiles in the top row
  4. There is now a list of all your profiles on the left
  5. Click on one
  6. With that selected, click on the minus sign at bottom left
  7. Confirm by clicking Delete Profile

Note that deleting a profile also permanently deletes your browsing history, and any cookies, that were saved in it.

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Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm review: Light up your microphone setup

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm


The Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm is an adjustable steel arm that holds your microphone in place, while also incorporating multiple lights to complement your desk setup.

While the Boom Arm is geared more toward gaming, it is made for desk setups that may be cluttered and have no room for a microphone. The Boom Arm alleviates this trouble by raising the microphone over your desk and letting you easily position it nearly any way you want.

The T90 Tonor RGB Boom Arm is a sturdy microphone holder that can keep your microphone steady, but it may need to be more stable to justify its price for everything it offers.

Setting up the Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm

Setting up the Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm is easy to do, and the company even advertises that you can set up the Boom Arm in “nearly 30 seconds.” While that may be a slight exaggeration, it is still a quick install process.

To start, you take the base of the microphone and then connect it to the clamp piece that will keep the Boom Arm steady and unable to move freely when you’re positioning it. To join the two parts, you insert the base into the holder to create a single arm.

Once the two are connected, you twist the tightening screw on the clamp piece until it is secure to the edge of the desk’s thickness. The screw is very long and can support surfaces up to 6cm (2.36 inches) thick, so it should work with most standard desks.

Clamp to mount to desk

Clamp to mount to desk

After securing the base to the desk, you can stick the steel arm onto the insert on top of the base. You stick it in, tighten the screw on the side, and it will secure a connection.

On the other end of the Boom Arm is an insert that you attach to your compatible microphone, so it moves with the holder when you adjust it. The insert is very secure, and there is another screw connected to it so you can keep the microphone more securely in place.

Microphone holder hinge

Microphone holder hinge

Removing the cover panel of the top section of the Boom Arm allows you to run your microphone’s power cable through it so it stays organized and out of sight when in use. You shift the panel forwards, and it comes right off.

USB-C connection

USB-C connection

Taking off the top cover panel of the lower section of the Boom Arm will expose where you connect to power. The included USB-C to USB-A cable — which is extensive in length — connects to the port underneath the hood and is used to power the lights in the Boom Arm.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm design

The Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm is made of steel and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) material. It offers a 360-degree rotation and a 180-degree stretch of its arm.

The Boom Arm weighs 4.4 pounds alone, and while the microphone holder may seem heavy initially, you quickly get used to the weight.

The top and bottom sections both measure 15 inches in length independently. The bottom hinge can also turn 10 to 130 degrees, giving it a good range of motion.

LED lights run up and down both sides of the Boom Arm, and a power button on the side doubles as a remote to change the color modes.

The button is not a physical one but a touch surface formed in the design of Tonor’s company logo. The touch surface is only on the right side, seemingly limiting which side of the desk you can mount the Boom Arm on if you’re unprepared to reach around for it.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm lights in the dark

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm lights in the dark

On the top is an insert to connect your microphone to it, one which can turn 240 degrees. The assembly can hold a maximum of 2kg (4.4 pounds), which is quite substantial in this case.

The hinge is very sturdy and stiff, so you have to want to move it when positioning it. This can be good when wanting your microphone to stay in one place, but it may become a hassle when wanting to reposition it frequently.

The hinge can also be stretched out tens of thousands of times during its lifespan.

Two removable covers — one on the top section and one on the bottom — allow you to run your microphone’s wire through it, keeping your setup neater and more organized. The cables can only be seen at the Boom Arm’s top, bottom, and hinge.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm functionality

The Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm only has one primary electronic function, and that would be lighting itself up. It has 11 light modes you can choose from and switch between.

These light modes consist of seven solid colors with status options, spectrum breathing, spectrum flow, spectrum cycling, and spectrum gradient. The colors pulse up and down the Boom Arm, and light up the area around you.

The logo in the center of the Boom Arm acts as the remote for changing the colors and turning it on and off. Tapping on it once changes the mode, and holding down on it for three seconds turns the Boom Arm on and off.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm touch control

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm touch control

With two sections for bending, the Boom Arm allows you multiple different degrees of positioning so the microphone is at the right length and height that you need.

Light up your microphone setup

The Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm is a sturdy and adjustable microphone holder that adds bright color to your desk setup.

The touch surface remote is effortless to control and understand, and the lights respond instantly when being changed. They are bright and entertaining to look at while not being too obnoxious and distracting.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm

Flexibility is the crowned feature of the Boom Arm due to how much range it provides. The degree to which you can stretch and lift the microphone stand is awe-inspiring, and its sturdiness is top-notch.

Hiding your microphone wire(s) within the Boom Arm’s design is very clever and a great way to keep your desk setup neat and organized. Taking off the covers is tricky at first, but it is no big deal with how many times you may remove it in future.

Panel removed and wire insert

Panel removed and wire insert

The downsides are minimal, with the touch surface only located on one side of the Boom Arm, and that the flexibility is sometimes too stiff. Though, the main turning point may be the price.

For nearly $60, the Boom Arm could be too expensive for people independently looking for a mounted desk microphone stand. The lights may be a feature many do not need, and they can get multiple other microphone stands for half the price.

If you like the design of the Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm and it matches the RGB-colored desk layout you have, then it will not disappoint you and will come with a long lifespan.

On the other hand, you can find cheaper alternatives elsewhere if you need a stand to hold your microphone and do not need the fancy light layout, nor the gamer aesthetic.

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm – Pros

  • Sturdy
  • Strong material
  • Flexible
  • Easy to setup
  • Can hide wires
  • Long USB-C cable included
  • Simple to use

Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm – Cons

  • Too stiff in some areas
  • Touch surface controls are only on one side
  • High price

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to purchase the Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm

You can purchase the Tonor T90 RGB Boom Arm from Amazon for $59.99. It is currently only available in grey.

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Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 review: Banging headphones but not for everyone

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2


Skullcandy’s original Crusher ANC wireless headphones dialed up skull-rattling bass and this new model continues that same tradition, but with more comfort, sophistication, and added features.

These Crusher ANC 2 headphones remind us of that Beastie Boys lyric, “I like my sugar with coffee and cream,” in that they skew the equation to be more about liking the vibrations of low-end bass with a touch of music added in.

Skullcandy refers to its Crusher effect as sensory bass, which seemed accurate. Despite an adjustable jog wheel to raise and lower the pounding bass effect we’re going to say to these headphones aren’t for everyone.

Anyone on the search for general-purpose wireless ANC headphones has plenty of options. If, however, you do want to be moved by your music, these new Crusher headphones are certainly worth considering.

The sound of Skullcandy Crusher V2 headphones

Without the wild sensory bass accenting low-end frequencies on the music you’re listening to, the Crusher ANC 2 headphones could disappear into a void of dozens of other wireless headphones on the market.

Crusher wheel can be spun or pressed add sensory bass

Crusher wheel can be spun or pressed add sensory bass

This unique aspect defines the headphones in name and feature set, so it’s only reasonable we focus on that first.

A wheel on the left ear cup and be rolled up or down to adjust the bass effect. It did what it was supposed to when we tried it, but it could be hard to pinpoint a specific amount of the effect.

Luckily, the wheel can also be pushed to jump to pre-set intervals like 20%, 50%, and 80%. We generally found ourselves using this method more than spinning the wheel because a voice would announce the amount of the Crusher effect when using the presets.

You can use the voice commands to request more or less Crusher, but this didn’t identify what level it was at either.

We usually found ourselves listening at either the two lower 20% and 50% levels, depending on the specific song that was playing.

Turning the Crusher effect up to 100% was wild on most songs — and usually too intense for us. At 100% the effect swallowed a lot of the mid-range frequencies, though vocals often managed to poke out of the low-end ground swell.

It was definitely hard to ignore the head-shaking effect when it was turned up to 100%. Even if the Crusher effect didn’t consume all of the frequency ranges, it garnered most of the attention and could be distracting.

On the flip side, with the effect turned all the way down to 0%, the headphones still had a big and boastful enough sound. Bass still felt full while the mids were much more present and clear.

If you find yourself boosting and fiddling with EQ settings more often than not, these headphones will suit you well.

They provide a direct physical control to allow you to inject life into any song. Objectively, not every song should be put through the Crusher effect, but you can do it.

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 features

Beyond the sensory bass effect, Skullcandy has jammed quite a few features into the Crusher ANC 2 headphones.

Crusher ANC 2 headphones fold and twist slightly for their carrying case

Crusher ANC 2 headphones fold and twist slightly for their carrying case

They have ANC and awareness modes, along with physical buttons for media controls and volume. They also get 50 hours of battery life, support for Multipoint Pairing, and voice control commands.

Instead of Find My, Skullcandy uses Tile technology to locate lost headphones. The personal audio accessories use Bluetooth 5.2 and have 40mm drivers.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 weighs 332g (11.7 ounces), compared to Sony WH-1000XM5’s 249g (8.8 ounces) or AirPods Max’s 385g (13.6 ounces) mass.

The headphones didn’t feel heavy or overly weighty when worn and felt much lighter over several hours than AirPods Max did.

Buttons can be configured for different functions, including Spotify Tap and taking a photo. Feeling for the pause button, sandwiched between two other buttons was challenging initially, but slowly we learned to feel for the concave exterior one.

You also had to manually pause music a lot too, as the headphones don’t support ear detection to stop audio when removing the headphones.

Due to the way voice commands work on an iPhone, every time we turned on the headphones and they connected to our iPhone, iOS would serve a popup asking us to allow Skull-iQ access to communicate with the headphones.

Constant notification when Crusher ANC 2 connected to an iPhone

Constant notification when Crusher ANC 2 connected to an iPhone

The popup was annoying. Also annoying was saying, “Hey Skullcandy” out in public.

The actual voice commands worked fine, but overall, the trigger word and remembering its commands were a big “nope” from us.

Should you buy the Skullcandy Crusher V2?

Bose headphones often get criticized for having a distinct sound profile that boosts certain aspects. Still, a lot of people like how their music sounds in Bose’s headphones.

Padding on the ear cups and headband was comfortable

Padding on the ear cups and headband was comfortable

Similarly, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 headphones are not about reproducing music as neutrally as possible. They’re about letting people add a healthy dose of whimsy to the music they listen to.

The buying decision here is pretty straightforward. If you simply want to feel your music, using Crusher ANC 2 headphones is the closest thing to injecting the beat directly into your veins.

They perform well across the board and have features to satisfy all kinds of listeners.

The $229.99 price is reasonable for the product, but if you won’t use the Crusher sensory bass, there’s no need to spend extra on these over other less expensive wireless ANC headphones.

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 — pros

  • Respectable ANC and Stay Aware performance
  • Comfortable padding around the headphones
  • Improved sleeker design

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 — cons

  • Constant iOS notification when connected was annoying
  • No ear dection for auto-pause

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Where to buy the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2

The Crusher ANC 2 are available for purchase at Skullcandy for $229.99.