Last year, Sony launched one of my favourite gadgets of the summer – the Sony reon pocket pro, a wearable air conditioner that sat at the base of your neck to cool your entire body down.
Now, it’s launching an upgraded model that doesn’t just fit better, but cools you down even more than before, as well as featuring a new design that lets you adjust the airflow exhaust for better performance and efficiency. Called the Sony reon pocket pro plus, it’s the latest version of the brand’s wearable gadget that’s designed to help you stay cool during hot weather.
Sony’s not the only brand to launch new portable cooling devices in recent months. In March, Shark launched the Shark chillpill, a three-in-one handheld fan that took inspiration from the previous reon pocket pro. Like Sony’s other reon products, the Shark chillpill also uses a cooling plate to help cool you down faster than a traditional fan. Here’s everything you need to know about the upgraded model, with my full review coming soon.
Read more: These are the best handheld fans to keep you cool this summer
Sony reon pocket pro plus
The biggest upgrade with the new reon pocket pro plus is the cooling performance. Sony says the wearable air conditioner is now capable of delivering up to 20 per cent more cooling power than the previous reon pocket pro thanks to a new cooling algorithm and redesigned thermal system. In smart cool mode, the cooling plate can apparently reach temperatures that are 2C cooler than before. Considering the previous model already felt like pressing an ice pack against the back of my neck during the heatwave, I’m very intrigued to see how much colder this one will feel. Sony says that I should feel my entire body get cool this time, rather than just the upper portion of my back.
Sony has also redesigned the neckband that keeps the device in place. It features a new adaptive hold design, with the updated neckband apparently improving the holding force by around 40 per cent, helping the device stay securely pressed against your neck while walking around. I found the older model did tend to shift around a lot whilst I was wearing it, creating a gap between the cooling plate and my skin, making it less effective on the move.
The airflow exhaust system has also had a makeover. You couldn’t always use the previous model with high-collar clothes, but the new reon pocket pro plus lets you adjust both the angle and length of the vents. Sony says this should help improve heat dissipation while also making the device easier to hide underneath different shirt collars.
The company is also launching a new reon pocket tag 2, which is basically an environmental sensor that measures the temperature and humidity around you so you don’t have to adjust the temperature yourself. Sony says it’s roughly 18 per cent smaller than the previous version and now comes with a carabiner attachment so you can clip it onto bags or your belt (not just clothing).
Available to buy now, the Sony reon pocket pro plus costs £199, which is the same launch price as the previous reon pocket pro. That’s still undeniably expensive for what is essentially a souped-up ice pack, but I’m intrigued to see if this new model can cool my entire body down, rather than just the upper portion.
Dyson has also launched a £99 handheld fan for the summer
