Panasonic’s SC-GN01 lets you wear soundtracks for total in-game immersion

It might be styled like a tiny life jacket (without the bright red whistle), but Panasonic’s wearable gaming speaker is the opposite of a floatation device: designed to sit comfortably on your shoulders, it’s all about immersion. And unsurprisingly for a system developed with Square Enix, the SoundSlayer has in-game audio sorted. An array of four full-range speakers, paired with a high-performance signal processor, fires sound up and around the neck to create a realistic and absorbing acoustic bubble – all without squashing your lobes like a standard set of headphones. Three modes (RPG, FPS and Voice) ensure it’s good for all the genres, while dual echo-cancelling mics mean you’ll come through loud and clear. Plus its USB and 3.5mm connections can plug in to pretty much every platform, from Nintendo Switch to Xbox Series X. Keen to dive in? Shipping in late September, the SC-GN01 will set you back £160.

Chris Rowlands Freelance contributor

About

Formerly News Editor at this fine institution, Chris now writes about tech from his tropical office. Sidetracked by sustainable stuff, he’s also keen on coffee kit, classic cars and any gear that gets better with age.

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Cameras, gear and travel tech