The first important piece of information about this hardware is that this isn’t a PC, or rather, it's not an Intel, AMD or X86-compliant platform that can run Windows.

It’s built around ARM technology, much like modern phones and tablets, although its ARM technology has been scaled up to work with massively powerful Nvidia Blackwell technology that is capable of 1 petaFLOP of AI performance using FP4.

This has all been shoehorned into a gorgeously engineered 150mm-square, 51mm-high form factor that resembles an oversized NUC.

The system can be used directly by attaching a mouse, keyboard, and screen, but it’s also intended to be used in a headless mode from another system, which might explain why it comes with relatively modest onboard storage.

What this system doesn’t allow for is much expansion, at least internally. The inclusion of a special networking connection, the Nvidia ConnectX-7 port, does allow another Ascent GX10 node to be stacked on top, doubling the amount of processing power and the price.

The platform that runs the integrated AI software stack is Ubuntu Linux, so familiarity with that might be useful for those wanting to work directly on it.

As anyone working in AI can already attest, nothing to do with this type of development is cheap, and the Asus Ascent GX10 is more than $3000 for a single node.

But given the expertise needed to use this hardware and the associated developer costs, this AI-focused hardware might be the least expensive part of any project. And, with memory costs rising dramatically, a system with 128GB of LPDDR5X onboard it might be significantly more expensive by the end of 2026 than it is at the start of it.

Asus Ascent GX10: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $3090, £2800
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? From online retailers.

The ASUS Ascent GX10 isn’t available directly from Asus, but it's easy to find at many online retailers, including Amazon.

For US readers, the price on Amazon.com is $3099.99 for the 1TB storage SKU (GX10-GG0015BN), and $4,149.99 for the 4TB storage model (GX10-GG0016BN).

Given that a 4TB Gen 5 SSD is about $500, that is a remarkable price hike for the extra storage capacity.

For UK readers, on Amazon.co.uk the 1TB model price is £3769, but I found it via online retailer SCAN for a more palatable £2799.98. SCAN also carries a 2TB option for $3199.99 and the 4TB model for £3638.99.

The important details of this platform are that the hardware inside the GX10 isn’t exclusive to Asus, as Nvidia GPUs are (in theory) available across a number of brands, and Nvidia has its own model.

The Nvidia DGX Spark Personal AI Supercomputer, as the originator modestly calls it, costs £3699.98 in the UK, for a system with 128GB of RAM and 4TB of storage.

Acer offers the Veriton AI GN100, which bears an uncanny visual resemblance to the Asus but comes with 4TB of storage, like the Nvidia option. This is £3999.99 direct from Acer in the UK, but only $2999.99 from Acer in the US.

Another choice is the Gigabyte AI TOP ATOM Desktop Supercomputer, a 4TB storage model that sells for £3479.99 from SCAN in the UK, and can be found on Amazon.com for $3999.

And the final model with the same spec as most is the MSI EdgeXpert Desktop AI Supercomputer, selling for £3,598.99 from SCAN in the UK, and $3999 on Amazon.com for US customers.

Overall, the prices of all these products are roughly in the same ballpark, but the Asus in its 1TB configuration is one of the cheaper choices, especially for those in Europe.

Asus Ascent GX10: Specs

Asus Ascent GX10: Design

• Uber NUC
• Connect-7 scalability
• Limited internal access

While the GX10 looks like an oversized NUC mini PC, at 1.48kg it's heavier than any I’ve previously encountered. And that doesn’t include the substantial 240W PSU.

The front is an elegant grill with only the power button for company, and all the ports are on the rear. These include four USB-C ports, one of which is required for the PSU to connect, a single 10GbE LAN port and a single HDMI 2.1 video out.

You can connect more than one monitor by using the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports in DP Alt mode, if you have the adapters to convert those into DisplayPort.

What seems mildly odd is that Asus went with three USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, a standard that was an effective dead end in USB development, and not USB4. And, there are no Type-A USB ports at all, forcing the buyer to use an adapter or hub to attach a mouse and keyboard to this system.

As mice and keyboards are still mostly USB-A, that’s slightly irritating.

But what makes this system truly interesting is the inclusion of a ConnectX-7 Smart NIC alongside the more conventional 10GbE Ethernet port.

The best the 10GbE LAN port can offer is a data transfer of around 840MB/s, which is technically slower than the USB ports, even if it's quick by networking technology.

The ConnectX-7 port is a technology developed by Mellanox Technologies Ltd, an Israeli-American multinational supplier of computer networking products based on InfiniBand and Ethernet technology that was acquired by Nvidia in 2019.

In this context, ConnectX-7 provides a means to link a second GX10 directly over a 200 Gbit/s (25 GB/s) InfiniBand network, enabling performance scaling across the two systems.

There are certainly parallels with this type of technology to the time when Nvidia enabled two GPUs to work in unison using a dedicated interconnect, but the ConnectX-7 interface is a much more sophisticated option where both processing and memory can be used in collective exercise, enabling the handling of large-scale models with over 400 billion parameters. That's double the 200 billion that a single unit can cope with.

Mellanox does make ConnectX switches, but I’m not sure if it is possible to connect more than two GX10 via one of those. Being realistic, each system is still only capable of 200 Gbit/s communication, so adding additional nodes beyond two might offer diminishing returns. But this technology is utilised in switched fabrics for enterprise data centres and high-performance computing, and in these scenarios, the Mellanox Quantum family of InfiniBand switches supports up to 40 ports running at HDR 200 Gbit/s.

It may be that products like the GX10 will be the vanguard for the wider use and application of ConnectX technology, and a blueprint for easily expandable clusters.

However, the last aspect I looked at on the GX10 was a disappointment, and it was the only nod to upgradability that this system has, beyond adding a second machine.

On the underside of the GX10 is a small panel that can be removed to provide access to the one M.2 NVMe drive that this system supports.

In our review, the hardware was occupied by a single 2242 M.2 PCIe 4.0 1TB drive, although you can also get this system with 4TB. The fact that there wasn’t room for a 2280 drive is a shock, because that effectively limits the maximum internal storage to 4TB.

But conversely, the only other of these types of systems I’ve seen, the Acer GN100 AI Mini Workstation, has no access to the internal storage at all. So perhaps Asus Ascent GX10 owners should be thankful for small mercies.

Asus Ascent GX10: Features

• ARM 20-core CPU
• Grace Blackwell GB10
• AI platforms compared

The Nvidia GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip represents a significant leap in AI hardware, emerging from a collaborative effort between Nvidia and ARM. Its origins lie in the growing demand for specialised computing platforms capable of supporting the rapid development and deployment of artificial intelligence models. Unlike traditional x86-based systems, the GB10 is built around ARM v9.2-A architecture, featuring a combination of 20 ARM cores—specifically, 10 Cortex-X925 and 10 Cortex-A725 cores. This design choice reflects a broader industry trend towards ARM-based solutions, which offer improved efficiency and scalability for AI workloads.

The GB10’s capabilities are nothing short of remarkable. It integrates a powerful Nvidia Blackwell GPU paired with the ARM CPU, delivering up to a petaFLOP of AI performance using FP4 precision. This level of computational power is particularly suited to the training and inference of large language models (LLMs) and diffusion models, which underpin much of today’s generative AI. The system is further enhanced by 128GB of unified LPDDR5x memory, ensuring that even the most demanding AI tasks can be handled efficiently.

The GB10’s operating environment is based on Ubuntu Linux, specifically tailored with NVIDIA’s DGX OS, making it an ideal platform for developers familiar with open-source AI tools and workflows.

There is an exceptionally fine irony to this OS choice, since Nvidia’s hardly been a friend to Linux over the past three decades, and has actively obstructed its attempts to compete more widely with Microsoft Windows. If anyone doubts my opinion on the relationship between Linux and Nvidia, then search for “Linus Torvalds” and “Nvidia”. Recently, Linus has warmed to the company, but much less to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. And, he’s not a fan of the AI industry, which he described as "90% marketing and 10% reality".

Looking to the future, the evolution of the GB10 and similar superchips will likely be shaped by the ongoing arms race in AI hardware. As models grow ever larger and more complex, the need for even greater memory bandwidth, faster interconnects, and more efficient processing architectures will drive innovation. The modularity offered by technologies like ConnectX-7 hints at a future where AI systems can be scaled seamlessly by linking multiple nodes, enabling the handling of models with hundreds of billions of parameters.

In terms of raw AI performance, the GB10 delivers up to 1 petaFLOP at FP4 precision, which is heavily optimised for quantised AI workloads. While this is less than the multi-petaFLOP performance of NVIDIA’s flagship data centre chips (such as the Blackwell B200 or GB200), the GB10’s power efficiency is a standout. It operates at around 140W TDP, far lower than the 250W or more seen in GPUs like the RTX 5070, yet offers vastly more memory (128GB vs 12GB on the 5070). This makes the GB10 especially suitable for developers and researchers who need to work with large models locally, without the need for a full server rack.

While there are some other players hidden in the shadows, mostly Chinese, the key AI players are Nvidia, AMD, Google and Apple.

NVIDIA has the Blackwell B200/GB200 products for datacenter flagships, offering up to 20 petaFLOPS of sparse FP4 compute and massive HBM3e memory bandwidth. These are massively expensive enterprise products, and the GB10, by contrast, is a scaled-down, more accessible version for desktop and edge use, trading some peak performance for efficiency and compactness.

AMD's line of AI accelerators is the Instinct MI300/MI350, these are competitive in terms of raw compute and memory bandwidth, with the MI350X offering up to 288GB HBM3e and strong FP4/FP6 performance. But these don’t offer the same level of flexibility as the GB10, even if they’re better suited to interference tasks. And, the same can be said for Google TPU v6/v7, a technology that is highly efficient for large-scale inference and is optimised for Google’s own cloud and AI services.

Whereas Apple M3/M4/M5 and Edge AI Chips are optimised for on-device AI in consumer products, with impressive efficiency and integrated neural engines. However, these chips are not designed for large-scale model training or inference, and their memory and compute capabilities are far below what the GB10 offers for professional AI development.

The NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip stands out as a bridge between consumer AI hardware and data centre accelerators. It offers a unique blend of high memory capacity, power efficiency, and local accessibility, making it ideal for developers and researchers who need serious AI capability without the scale or cost of a full server. While it cannot match the absolute peak performance of the largest data centre chips, its unified memory, advanced interconnects, and software support make it a compelling choice for cutting-edge AI work at the desktop.

However, that statement does assume that current AI is a path work taking.

Asus Ascent GX10: AI Reality Check

Looking at the specifications of the Asus Ascent GX10, it's easy to be impressed by how much computing power Asus, with the help of Nvidia, has managed to squeeze into a tiny computer, and its ability to scale.

However, there are three practical little pigs living in this AI straw house, and in this story, I’m the wolf.

Those researching AI might think I’m referring to the three AI issues that confront all public implementations. Those being algorithmic bias, lack of transparency (aka explainability), and the significant ethical/societal risks associated with the spread of misinformation. But I’m not, because these are potentially fixable to a degree.

Instead, I’m talking about the three unfixable issues with current models

Almost every AI platform is based on a concept called the Deep Neural Net, and under that are two approaches that are generally classified as LLM (Large Language Models) and Diffusion models, which are the ones that can generate images and video.

What both these sides of the Deep Neural Net coin show is a pattern-matching approach to problems, like the computer is playing a complex version of the children’s card game Snap. The results are coloured by the scale of the data and how quickly the routines and hardware platforms find the patterns.

Before IBM made computers, they sold card files, with the concept that it was quicker to navigate the cards to the information you wanted.

It’s a generalisation, but these models are purely more sophisticated versions of that, because if the pattern they’re looking for doesn’t exist in the data, then the routine can’t inspirationally create it.

To make the results seem less random, model designers have tried to specialise their AI constructs to focus on narrower criteria, but the Nirvana of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is that the AI should be generally applicable to almost any problem.

How this issue manifests in AI responses is that when confronted with a pattern that the routine can’t match accurately, it just offers up the partial matches it found that may or may not be related at all.

These ‘hallucinations’, as they’re often called, are a choice the model makers have between the AI admitting it has no idea what the answer is, and delivering a response that’s got a remarkably low possibility of being correct. Given that AI companies don’t like the idea of their models admitting they haven’t a clue what the answer is, hallucinations are deemed preferable.

Perhaps some of the problem here is not AI, but that users aren’t trained to check what the AI is producing, which isn’t entirely spurious.

The next issue is the classic ‘prompt injection’ issue, where you ask a question, and then, often based on the response, you realise you asked the wrong one, and then proceed in an entirely different direction. The AI doesn’t recognise this pivot and tries to apply its previous pattern constructions to the new problem, and becomes entirely confused.

And the final piglet, where current AI entirely falls down, might be classed as original thinking, where what the user wants is a new approach to a problem that hasn’t been documented before. What has defined humans as being especially impressive thinkers is their ability to abstract, and that is something that current AI doesn’t do, even modestly.

While prompt injection can probably be solved, the other two issues regarding generalisation and abstraction are unlikely to be fixed by the Deep Neural Net, these need a radically new approach, and ironically, not one that AI is likely to come up with.

Some of you reading this will be wondering why I’ve inserted this information into this product reveal, but the whole purpose of the Asus Ascent GX10 is to facilitate the design and testing of LLMs and Diffusion models, and at this time, these have significant limitations.

But critically, the development of the whole Deep Neural Net direction doesn’t appear to have resolution to some of the more problematic issues, which suggests it might ultimately be a dead end.

It might turn out to be useful for lots of problems, but it's not the AI we’re looking for, and the likelihood of it evolving into that true artificial intelligence is extremely low.

This is especially relevant to the Asus Ascent GX10, since it doesn’t have a practical purpose beyond the creation of models, as it’s not a PC.

These aren’t all the issues associated with AI, but they’re some of the ones that might directly impact those buying the GX10, at some point or another.

Asus Ascent GX10: Early verdict

It’s exciting to see Asus make something this radical, showing that it truly believes in a post-Windows, post-PC future where hardware is purely specified for a specific task, and in the case of the Asus Ascent GX10, that’s AI model development.

I’ve already covered the caveats regarding that subject, so for the purpose of this conclusion, let's pretend that AI is the solid bet that some think, and not an underachieving dead end that others believe.

For corporations, the cost of this hardware won’t be an issue for their IT people to experience building AI models and evaluating their worth.

The beauty of a system like the GX10 is that it’s a finite cost, unlike buying access to an AI server centre cluster, which will be an ongoing cost, and likely to become more expensive if demand is high. While the data centre still might be needed for the biggest projects, or for deployment, the GX10 does provide a first rung for any proof of concept.

However, if the AI path is not the one that is ultimately taken, this machine becomes mostly a beautifully engineered paperweight.

For more compact computing, see our guide to the best mini PCs you can buy

That’s not to say it’s a slow starter, though. Code Vein 2 does a great job of steadily introducing you to its new and overhauled gameplay systems in those opening hours. And overall, this is a much more confident game than its 2019 prequel.

The original Code Vein, which I’m nonetheless a fan of, was painfully linear (outside of one comically labyrinthine level about halfway through) by soulslike standards, had fairly one-note characters, and a difficulty that was more rollercoaster than curve.

Code Vein 2 comes seven years later and is a vast improvement on almost all fronts. It presents a world, story, and characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with. The open world, once it does truly open up, is wonderful to explore; packed with things to find and secrets to uncover without feeling overwhelming. I adore the new Blood Code system, too, which makes it incredibly easy and riskless to try out new weapons, abilities, and builds.

If you generally enjoy soulslikes, including Lies of P or the Nioh series - or if you were a fan of the original Code Vein - then Code Vein 2 gets an easy recommendation from me. Some of the original game’s problems do persist here, though. Namely, a lack of enemy and boss variety, some rather samey dungeon design, and a bit of a difficulty trench that makes much of the mid-game pretty breezy.

However, these issues pale in comparison to my main bugbear with Code Vein 2. Its performance on console needs some serious work, with the game often struggling to meet even 30 frames per second (fps) in the larger outdoor environments. There’s also little difference between the two console performance options; neither offers a particularly stable play experience.

If Bandai Namco is able to rectify this through post-game support, however (and there will likely be a good amount of it with an expansion set to release this year), then Code Vein 2 has a chance of becoming one of the best soulslike games of recent years. After all, the ingredients are already here.

The end of the world as we know it

If you’re new to the series, fear not. Code Vein 2’s story is, by and large, a separate entity from that of the first game. While some terminology and lore tidbits do cross over, the original is certainly not required reading in order to enjoy this sequel.

It does begin in a similar manner, though. The player character, having recently died, is resurrected as a revenant hunter. From your base of operations, MagMell, you’re tasked with slaying five heroes of old in order to prevent an imminent calamity.

It’s not as simple as just rocking up to their door and demanding a fight, though. You’ll first need to procure a key - a resonant object that played an important part in any given hero’s life - to release them from dormancy. To do so, you’ll travel back in time to the hero’s eras not only to explore their regions on the world map, but also to get to know them intimately and help them solve the crises of their time.

It’s a brilliant narrative hook. The heroes are all incredibly likable characters. Befriending and forming bonds with them in the past, only to have to put them down in their boss forms in the present, always left me feeling a little saddened. It was enough of a hook to get me to keep playing, especially as side quests involving the heroes can help them come to terms with past regrets and put a more positive spin on their fates in the future.

Full kit

Code Vein 2 puts player expression at the forefront. Like the first game, you’ll start with a fantastic, in-depth character creator, and it’s even better in the sequel. You can customize your character to a pretty granular degree, from clothing and accessories to hair highlights and even how light bounces off their eyes.

I’m not ashamed to admit I spent a whole hour making my hunter, and to some, that’s probably no time at all, given the options on offer. You can fully change your appearance at MagMell at any time, too, if you ever want to make adjustments both small and large.

There’s a healthy amount of weapon types, too, from massive axes and hammers to hit-and-run mid-range options like bayonets and rune blades. In addition to standard weapons, there are plenty of armaments to supplement your build, also. Formae, for example, come in offensive and defensive varieties. There aren’t a terrible amount of these in the game, but they do offer you options for ranged attacks, shields, evasion, and more.

Then there’s the Jails, supplementary weapons that you’ll use to drain essence from enemies to restore the Ichor you need to spend on skills. You can assign four skills to a weapon, and they come in the form of offensive maneuvers or support spells. Learning how and when to use skills in battle is essential in Code Vein 2, and using them in tandem with your regular attacks and your Jail offers a pretty satisfying combat loop.

Code of conduct

The Blood Code system returns in Code Vein 2, and they’ve been significantly overhauled here.

Put simply, a Blood Code is essentially a template for your desired build. Individual Blood Codes have their own spread of stats baked in (you can level up your character, but like in the first game, this is a general increase to health, attack power, and the like). This lets you best take advantage of different types of weapons and playstyle-altering boosters.

It’s a novel idea, and one I think works well here. Blood Codes mean that you don’t have to lock yourself into any one type of playstyle, like you might have to in the likes of Elden Ring or Lies of P, before having access to stat reallocation in those games.

Not liking the heavy strength-based playstyle? Swap out your Blood Code for something Dexterity or spell-focused. In terms of builds, you’re really only limited by weapon upgrade materials, which are plentiful out on the world map and can be found easily via exploration. You’re also actively incentivized to try out several Blood Codes, as maxing out familiarity with them will reward you with unique and powerful boosters, which are similar to Elden Ring’s talismans (or Dark Souls’ rings).

Blood Codes also feature the 'Burden' system. Weapons and other equipment will contribute to this burden, and your Blood Code's stats are effectively the amount of 'weight' that can be applied to them. If you're under the stat burden, you'll gain various benefits, while going over will incur penalties. Overburdened Vitality, for example, will lower your dodge efficiency under a certain health threshold.

With friends like these

Rounding out combat in Code Vein 2 are your partners, with whom you can explore the open world. You can choose which partner to take with you at any Mistle (that’s Code Vein’s version of checkpoints/bonfires), and they offer varying stats and perks based on their own playstyles and personality.

Partners are a fantastic system, too, and offer something of a stealth difficulty option, of sorts. Your partner can fight alongside you, for one, handy when you need a distraction when facing multiple enemies. Alternatively, you can ‘assimilate’ your partner, absorbing them into your Jail, giving you noticeable stat boosts and increased power. This is incredibly useful during boss fights, especially if you’re confident going one-on-one with Code Vein 2’s most challenging foes.

Speaking of challenge, one complaint I have is that, like the first game, difficulty is a bit all over the place. I greatly struggled in the first 10 or so hours of play. Enemies have incredibly high poise, rarely staggering from even heavier-hitting attacks. Most can hit like a truck, too, leading to some growing pains as you’re finding your feet in the early game.

However, once you’ve got some solid upgrades behind you - be that a powerful new weapon or Blood Code - things start to become significantly easier. The first major boss was quite the gatekeeper for me, and certainly the one I struggled most with in the entire playthrough.

After this, while the game wasn’t necessarily any easier on paper, I’d earned enough upgrades through thorough exploration that few areas, enemies, and even bosses gave me any trouble whatsoever. In fact, it wasn’t until the last couple of late-game dungeons that difficulty shot right back up, honestly feeling a little over-tuned.

Code Vein 2 has a bit of a difficulty trough, then. The game is bookended on either side by significant challenges, but you’ll likely breeze through a good three-quarters of the game’s overall content. Enemy and boss variety is pretty lacking, too, meaning you’ll quickly learn the ins and outs of most enemy types before the halfway mark. That’s definitely a shame, especially as the world presented in Code Vein 2 is otherwise incredibly creative, with some truly astounding boss designs.

The frontier wasn't built in a day

Overall, I love Code Vein 2, but there was one major aspect of the game that often prevented me from enjoying it fully. Performance on console (at least on PS5, where I reviewed the game) is frankly abysmal.

While interior locations run well enough, often maintaining the 60fps target, things plummet in the larger outdoor environments. There is a ton of environmental clutter, from rubble and foliage to abundant particle effects, which certainly doesn’t help. But even the act of swinging the camera around can cause the frame rate to chug uncomfortably. It can be a nightmare against bosses, too, with some of the flashier attacks resulting in a notable decrease in overall performance.

In short, it’s a mess. It’s something that I hope Bandai Namco can address post-launch, as Code Vein 2 is an otherwise brilliant game, unfortunately hampered all too often by poor performance.

Should I play Code Vein 2?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility

There aren’t many dedicated accessibility options in Code Vein 2 at launch. The game does feature fully remappable controls, though, and decent subtitles support that lets you adjust size, background opacity, and speaker identity.

How I reviewed Code Vein 2

My playthrough of Code Vein 2 lasted around 42 hours. This was near enough a 100% completion run, tackling all main and side quest content. In that time, I fully upgraded several weapons, Blood Codes, and Jails, and was able to craft some seriously powerful builds.

I’ll definitely be looking at a New Game Plus run close to when the planned DLC drops later this year. I played the game on PlayStation 5 with the DualSense Wireless Controller, on an LG CX OLED TV.

First reviewed January 2026

The Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C is the latest, and widest, lens to join Sigma’s comprehensive list of primes with a fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, complimenting the 16mm, 23mm, 30mm and 56mm f/1.4 primes in its Contemporary range.

All five f/1.4 primes are specifically designed for mirrorless APS-C cameras, and as such are small and portable. The Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C is available for Sony E and Fujifilm X, but also for Canon RF, with the brand now opening up to third-party lenses with autofocus on its APS-C cameras.

Speaking of mount options, on Sony E and Fujifilm X bodies with a 1.5x sensor crop the 12mm lens behaves more like an 18mm focal length (full-frame equivalent), whereas on Canon APS-C mirrorless cameras with a 1.6x crop factor it will feel a little more zoomed in, and behave more like a 19mm focal length.

So if you own one of these APS-C mirrorless camera bodies should you run out to buy the Sigma 12mm prime? Well, it's not the widest prime on the market – that title goes to the Sony 11mm f/1.8. However, if you don't mind it being a little more zoomed in at 12mm, and prefer the brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture, then it's an absolute no-brainer.

If your budget can't quite stretch to the Sigma 12mm, or you shoot on Sony mirrorless, then you'll want to see what other options are available for you below.

Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C: Price and availability

• Priced at $579 / £519 / AU$1,000
• Lens hood included
• Announced August 2025

Sigma announced the 12mm f/1.4 DC | C on August 19 2025, and it started shipping later in September.

It's available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF mounts and costs $579 / £519 / AU$1,000. To put that into context, its rivals are the Sony E 11mm f/1.8, which costs $699 / £477 / AU$799, the Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 STM, which costs $429 / £440 / AU$624, and the Samyang AF 12mm f/2, which retails for $499 / £348 / AU$598.

While it can’t match the Sony’s wide focal length, it does offer a great balance of a still very wide 12mm focal length and that super-wide f/1.4 aperture, all wrapped up in a very small and portable package.

It's a little more expensive than the Viltrox and Samyang offerings, so those on tighter budgets may prefer to save money and miss out on the better features found in the Sigma 12mm. Sony users will be faced with a tougher choice, as they'll have to also weigh up the Sony E 11mm f/1.8, which has a wider focal length at the cost of a slower maximum aperture.

For me, the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C lens would have been even better value for money if it had included an iris ring lock and MF/AF switch on the barrel, though I think for most people these will be minor gripes in an otherwise stellar lens that combines brilliant portability with great image quality and a super-fast and wide aperture and focal length.

Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C: specs

Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C: Design

• Some level of weather-sealing that's usually reserved for more premium Art lenses
• Very lightweight at 7.9oz / 225g
• Sony and Fujifilm versions have an iris ring, while Canon version has a Control Ring

The Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C is perfectly small and portable, with super-sleek dimensions of 68 x 68.4mm and a weight of just 225g, which makes it well matched with the smaller APS-C bodies it’s designed to be used with. You can also use it on a full-frame camera, but you’ll need to use the camera's APS-C crop mode to accommodate the smaller imaging circle this lens produces.

With not a lot of lens barrel to play with, the exterior design has been kept simple, with just an electronic fly-by-wire focus ring and also an iris ring to control the aperture – the latter is a ‘Control’ ring on Canon RF cameras, which can be assigned to a range of functions, including, but not limited to, aperture.

There are, however, no switches on the barrel itself, which means you’ll need to dive into the menus to switch between AF and MF. There’s also no switch to lock the iris ring in its ‘A’ mode to prevent it from slipping, and the iris ring is also clicked, with no way to switch it over to a de-clicked mode – two features which I’ve become accustomed to after using Sigma Art lenses such as the 135mm and 17-40mm. While not a dealbreaker by any means, these would have been welcome inclusions here.

Inside, the lens is constructed from 14 elements in 12 groups, and includes three aspherical elements, plus two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements.

It has a rounded 9-bladed aperture design which can be opened as wide as f/1.4 or closed to f/16. The minimum focus distance is also just 17.2cm, so close-up shots with blurry backgrounds are very possible (see my test shots in the Performance section).

On the front of the lens is a filter thread which takes 62mm screw-in filters. A LH652-01 petal lens hood is included, which is equally as petite as the lens itself, and helps to block out stray light rays to reduce flare.

The front element also has a water- and oil-repellent coating that compliments the dust and splashproof design of the lens. Sigma’s more budget-friendly line of Contemporary lenses don’t usually get the weather-sealed treatment, but this 12mm is somewhat protected, as it has a rubber gasket around the rear lens mount.

The lens is as fast as or faster than its main competition, including the Sony E 11mm f/1.8, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 and Samyang 12mm f/2, though it’s not quite as wide-angle as the Sony model. It’s also the most expensive of the pack – more than twice the price of the Samyang. It’s similar in size and weight to the Samyang and Sony, though the Viltrox model is notably larger and heavier. However, if the speed of the faster aperture or shallow depth of field are your priority and money is no object then the Sigma is definitely one to consider.

Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C: Performance

• Very small and portable
• Bright f/1.4 maximum aperture makes it a beast for low-light shots
• Sharp details and smooth bokeh
• No switches on lens barrel, making it a little difficult to switch settings

I was able to test the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC on both an APS-C Sony A6700 and full-frame Sony A7R IV in crop mode, both of which delivered images around 26MP.

Autofocus was fast and reliable – it took a brief moment to lock on but was overall impressively fast and quiet. Sigma claims the stepping motor delivers ‘minimal’ focus breathing, and in my testing I would have to agree. The autofocus was also accurate when locking on to subjects with low contrast, and it kept up well with the Sony A6700’s subject-detection and tracking, too.

It would have been nice if the lens featured optical image stabilization; however this wasn’t too much of an issue, considering most modern mirrorless cameras have sensor-based IBIS and you also have that super-wide f/1.4 maximum aperture, so you rarely capture shaky shots or footage. Many low-light shots. such as traffic trails or astrophotography. also require a tripod, so the lack of optical image stabilization for these types of shots isn't an issue.

Image quality was overall impressive, with decent center sharpness from the get-go, though that super-wide f/1.4 aperture did contribute to a little softness around the edges and corners, but these areas became sharp very quickly by f/2.8. The corners were also quite dark in the raw and JPEG files, though again this was remedied by f/2.8, and this vignetting is easily fixed in post-production.

The in-camera lens correction profiles did a good job at creating sharp and mostly distortion-free photos. There was also impressively virtually no chromatic aberration, and the lens handled flare when shooting towards the sun very well.

As is to be expected from a lens with such an extreme wide-angle focal length, Sigma’s 12mm does show some signs of barrel distortion around the edges, but this is by no means fisheye, and is overall it's very well handled. Straight lines of buildings do tend to bow a little when shot from up close, so if buildings and architecture is the top of your mind you’ll almost certainly be better off with a tilt-shift lens. Aiming the lens up at buildings exaggerates the barrel distortion the most.

However, for an everyday walkabout lens for city shots it’s a great choice. While perhaps not the best option for exterior architecture, it would be a fantastic lens for interiors, where the wide focal length will help you squeeze more of small spaces into the frame, and its bright f/1.4 aperture will help you get good results even in dark interior spaces.

Should you buy the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C

• I used the lens extensively for a month, shooting around busy cities in both during the day and at night
• I paired it with the Sony a6700 APS-C body as well as a Sony a7R IV full-frame body in crop mode
• I took wide-angle shots of cities, sunsets, low-light scenes, starscapes, and more

I got hold of the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C and Sony A7R IV and A6700 bodies for a month to give the lens a thorough testing over an extended period.

Due to its small size and portability the lens quickly became my go-to option when I needed to bring a camera with me for days out around cities such as London, where I shot everything from landscapes to cityscapes, sunsets, astro and still life.

I took a range of pictures with in-camera lens corrections enabled, and also turned off to see the comparison. I shot in raw and JPEG formats, and shot at all of the various apertures to gauge how things like corner sharpness and vignetting changed throughout the aperture range.

• First reviewed January 2026

AVM is known for doing things a little bit differently with networking features to make their routers stand out from the crowd, and sure enough, the Fritz!Box 5690 Pro is no different. The 5690 Pro has been designed for home and small business use, and what makes this particular model stand out from the competition is just how future-proof it is, being fully compatible with the latest technologies such as fibre and Wi-Fi 7 as well as backward compatible with what has come before.

As such, it takes the leap to Wi-Fi 7, meaning that if you have the latest devices, iPhone 16, Vivo X200 you can ensure that you get the fastest possible internet speeds. It also features two internal routers, one that enables DSL and the other fibre connections, meaning that if you've just swapped to fibre, or you know that you're going to in the near future, you can upgrade to this router knowing that it will be suitable for use later on.

Compared with many home routers, there are a few more options for connectivity on the back. Alongside the fibre and DSL to connect you to the outer world, there's compatibility for a telephone and some smart home devices built-in, so connecting an internal phone network for a small business or connecting to your smart devices in your home is made much easier with the use of this router.

Getting started with the router wasn’t as straightforward as many others that I've tested, and there are plenty of options through the setup process. Essentially, you need to know a bit more than the standard user about what type of internet connection you have, fibre, DSL, or other, and through the setup process, you're asked for speeds and other specifications that need to be answered accurately in order to make the most of what this box has to offer.

Whilst I didn't have the optional smart home additions such as the Fritz!Fon and Fritz! Smart, it's great to see that AVM has not just thought about this as a router that’s going to draw in the internet into your house or small business, but also as the expandable heart of a larger networking ecosystem.

Right from the start of this test, whilst the design, graphics and look of the Fritz!Box 5690 Pro do make it look extremely user-friendly and for the mass market, which in many ways it is, if you really want to make the most of what’s on offer here, especially those smart home features and the more advanced fibre connection, then you are going to need a higher level of network understanding.

Once you do get everything set and configured, the signal strength and speed are exceptionally good. However, used as just a straightforward router, this is on the expensive side - given that cost, it's unlikely to make it into our best Wi-Fi router round-up. But if you consider it as just the start of your home or business networking hub, especially with mesh, smart home options and an easy way to set up an internal telephone system, then it suddenly becomes very good value, which is matched by excellent performance.

Fritz!Box 5690 Pro: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? £453
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? You can get it Amazon

At present, the AVM Fritz!Box 5690 Pro is available in Europe from the official website here. It's also available from online retailers like Amazon.co.uk here, where it's priced at £453.

• Value: 4 / 5

Fritz!Box 5690 Pro: Design

• Stylish design
• Wi-Fi 7
• DSL and Fibre support

The styling of the 5690 Pro is quite different from most other wireless home or small business routers. It's relatively large with two prominent WLAN and Connect buttons on the red detailing around the right-hand side of the unit, and four very clearly laid-out LED indicators showing connection and status.

Around the back, everything is clearly laid out, with options for both DSL and fibre connectivity. Most of us are still on DSL, which is pretty straightforward to set up, but the great point here is that it's ready for fibre as well, and in the box you're provided with a fibre-optic cable ready to get going. You just need to check that you have an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) that supports the fibre-optic cable connection. That means that it doesn’t just offer the usual network socket, but also features an optical option.

One of the first things that highlights that this is completely different from anything else is the fact that it comes with two SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) modules, essentially a plug-in adapter, which slot into the back of the unit depending on the type of fibre connection you're using. There's one module for AON up to one gigabit and another for GPON up to 2.5Gbps. This is the first of what could be a few stumbling blocks where you have to pick the correct one for your connection. If you’re on DSL then you don’t have to worry.

Once the SFP is installed, you can then connect your DSL, any analogue phones that you have, your WAN/LAN, and up to four gigabit LAN connections directly to computers. There's also a USB 3.1 port if you need to connect a USB stick or a hard drive.

The ports at the back are quite recessed, which helps protect them from getting knocked, offering a good amount of protection compared with most routers that simply have the cables sticking out.
When it comes to power, the router comes with its own power lead straight into the AC mains.

One of the other features that I liked from the outset was the WLAN button on the red detailing. This enables you to quickly turn the WLAN on and off without logging in to a web interface. A quick press will switch off the internet if you want to disable it overnight.

The second button is the Connect button, and this uses WPS pairing, ready for mesh setup. A quick push starts WPS pairing, and a longer press (up to 6 seconds) initiates the mesh connection mode.

Finally, there are four LEDs along the front. The first is Info, this is a custom status LED you can set up through the Fritz!OS, so if you do have a system that you would like a visual confirmation for, then you can assign it to this LED. Then you have Fon, which is for the phone connection, either analogue or VOIP, and will only activate if there's a phone plugged in.

The next LED is WLAN, and if this is solid, it shows that the WLAN is connected and working. Likewise, the Power/Internet LED indicates that you're connected and powered on. Otherwise, the design remains simple, with most advanced features accessible through the browser interface.

• Design: 4 / 5

Fritz!Box 5690 Pro: Features

One of the big features here is that it has a built-in fibre through the SFP module as well as a DSL modem, so there's no additional hardware needed. You can just take it out of the box and get started. When it comes to fibre, those two SFP modules included, one for 1Gbps and the other 2.5Gbps dependent on your connection.

Next up on the ports is the DSL and telephone port, alongside a 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN port. There are also four gigabit LAN ports for connecting computers and a USB 3.1 port.

The telephone port supports a telephone/DECT telephone system that enables cordless telephony, where this 5690 Pro box acts as a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) base station. So if you're running a small business and need to set up an internal phone network, then this is a great option. Whilst the price for a standard router might seem expensive, when you start to factor in all these additional features, it becomes very good value.

It's worth pointing out that whilst there are plenty of features here, it will only support one internet connection at a time. This should be fine for most homes and small businesses, but if you're operating a more complex network with a dual connection, then you'll need to upgrade to a more enterprise-level router or just have two.

The Fritz!Box supports Wi-Fi 7, which enables it to simultaneously use three frequencies, 2.4GHz, 5GHz and the new 6GHz band. This multi-link operation (MLO) enables it to use multiple frequency bands for greater stability and compatibility with devices.

This box theoretically enables speeds of about 18,500Mbps, using the fastest 6GHz band at 11,530Mbps, the 5GHz band at up to 5,760Mbps, and the 2.4GHz band at 1,200Mbps. It’s just worth pointing out here that only the 5GHz and 6GHz bands will support full Wi-Fi 7 wireless connectivity.

Alongside the router, there are also a wide variety of smart home accessories, including the Repeater 6000. So if you live in a larger house or have a larger office where the Wi-Fi signal starts to get weak, then attaching one of these at a midway point will help boost the signal throughout in a mesh-style system.

Likewise, there’s also a telephone system with DECT that enables up to six cordless handsets to be connected, and Zigbee smart home control is also built into this router. Again, all of these features are great to see in a router of this type, but accessing them does take some technical know-how.

Alongside the hardware, you also have the Fritz!OS, and this enables you to manage router passwords, settings and access. You can also set up features such as advanced parental controls and guest Wi-Fi options, which is great if you're running a small business or have guests in your house and don't want them on the main network. It also enables you to set up a media server that will provide NAS-like functions using USB storage or a dedicated NAS.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

Fritz!Box 5690 Pro: Performance

Getting started with the Fritz!Box 5690 Pro was relatively straightforward, with the unit being removed from the box, plugged in and then the DSL cable connected. Unfortunately, while I have fibre running to the house, my box does not enable me to connect directly through the fibre optic cable into a router.
This means that whilst I can test the Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, when it comes to checking the speeds, I will be limited by that DSL connection.

One of the first things that was apparent compared with the router and mesh system that is presently installed in both the house and my office was that the single router unit had a far greater range. I was able to pass through several walls and a distance of over 8 metres without attaching a repeater.

During the test period, the router was left in place for over four weeks, supplying the household with its main internet connection, used for network storage, general household internet use and TV, and during that time the connection proved exceptionally reliable, with the ability to log on through the https://fritz.box URL to access the router options and settings.

One thing that became apparent during the initial process, and again when further devices were connected, was that, unlike some of the out-of-the-box router options available, the 5690 Pro does require a bit more technical knowledge to get set up and running. That knowledge will only become more necessary when switching over to a true fibre connection, with not only the need to connect up the fibre-optic cable, which is straightforward, but also to know the exact details of your connection type.

For the most part, the speed of the connection was exceptionally good. It's just a shame that the network port for LAN is limited to 2.5Gbps, not 10Gbps, which I would’ve expected with a router this fast. However, with a two NAS attached, the transfer rates to and from that box were excellent and on par with my existing system. Using my MacBook Pro M1 Max, I did notice that compared to the Eero router, there was very little speed difference. However, when I switched over to the ASUS ExpertBook equipped with Wi-Fi 7, I saw a significant uptick in speed.

What I also really liked was that, unlike my standard routers that offer only one or one network ports on the back, here I had four additional gigabit LAN ports, meaning that I could keep two NAS units and a network adapter attached at all times to the router, just making access between all network-connected devices that much easier.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Fritz!Box 5690 Pro: Final verdict

During the test, it became very obvious that when it comes to the Fritz!Box 5690 Pro, you should really think of this as the heart of your networking ecosystem, and one that’s future-proof, ready for fibre if you haven't already made the move from DSL.

It packs a lot into one small box with its dual modem and two connection types. Once it's set up and installed, you can use it for standard internet, phone calls, and also for operating all your smart home gadgets, of which Fritz! offers a good selection. If you already have smart home gadgets, however, then you do need to check compatibility. While it fully supports DECT ULE and some Zigbee 3.0 protocols, it’s not fully compatible with all devices, although there’s usually a workaround if you have the technical knowledge.

Those additions to the Fritz! Box ecosystem comes at an extra cost, but if you're setting up a small business and looking for a complete solution, then this is a solid option. Likewise, if you're setting up a smart home and have a bit of technical knowledge, again, this is a good choice, which actually balances out the price when you consider everything that's included.

If you're just looking for a straightforward Wi-Fi 7 router, then this might be a bit more advanced than you need, but it’s great to see that level of flexibility. The fact that it has additional gigabit LAN ports on the back does make it extremely useful and one step up from your average router, even at a base level, and for the last month I haven’t had to uplug units in order to make room for review gear.

By the end of the test, I was impressed with the quality of the wireless connection, even through my DSL connection, the performance over Wi-Fi 7 was a noticeable step up from the Wi-Fi 6 system I currently have installed. But what stood out more was that I could plug my NAS straight in, along with other network-connected devices, and there was the option to add in a telephone system as well. That means I could have a phone in the office, studio and workshop, keeping my work number separate from my personal mobile.

If you run a small business or work from home and have plenty of devices connected to the internet, then this is a solid option. You might need some technical knowledge for the more advanced features, but as a straight out-of-the-box option, it isn’t too difficult to work out, and will provide you not only with reliable internet, but a future-proof design and feature set that should last for years.

Should I buy a Fritz!Box 5690 Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

If you’re short on space, but still want to experience the wonders of Dolby Atmos, then the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 could be the soundbar for you. This 2.1-channel model aims to supply “immersive, spatial sound” in a single, compact bar, using virtualized Atmos.

Let’s start with a bit of a reality check. The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 has some key limitations that hold it back from delivering the expansive, three-dimensional sound that larger models offer. It uses a fairly basic 2.1 channel configuration, with four main drivers – two front-firing 2.25-inch speakers, and two built-in four-inch subwoofers.

Unlike most of the best soundbars for Dolby Atmos, the Flexus Core 100 doesn’t have up-firing drivers, which are required for ‘true’ Atmos. There’s also no center channel on offer, and as a fairly narrow bar, this thing’s not going to plate up the width you’d expect from a full-length model.

With all of that said, the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is a pretty good-sounding model. When watching a 4K UHD Blu-ray of Top Gun: Maverick, I was impressed by accurate dialogue in the opening scene – which sounded well-defined, and maintained the echoey effect you’d expect in a wide open space.

On top of that, Maverick showcased the low-end talents of the Flexus Core 100. The rumble of jet engines was more impactful than a lot of bars in this size category – and other parts of the frequency range didn’t sound obscured as Tom Cruise’s character prepared for take off.

I will say, though, that when the jet flew up and overhead, the verticality of the move was very limited. And more generally, this soundbar struggles to conjure up a sense of height – it's understandable with its technical limitations, but it’s going to be an issue for those wanting great Dolby Atmos in a small package.

In spite of its unremarkable height effects, the Flexus Core 100 still provides a decent amount of width for such a narrow model. In The Mask, the soundbar commendably replicated the cartoonish spin of the titular character across the screen. As he smashed through a glass window, the combination of a low-end thump with a high-pitched shattering also came through with clarity and impact, capturing the surprising nature of the move brilliantly.

One small issue I picked up on was during a scene where two B-rate mobsters are playing air hockey in the backdrop. Here, the left and right channel separation seemed overzealous and choppy – likely a result of there being no center channel, as this isn't something I experienced on a 5.1 bar like the Marshall Heston 60.

As well as movies, I tried listening to some music over Bluetooth using Tidal. And like a lot of small soundbars, the Flexus Core 100 isn’t particularly talented in this department.

In Black Eye by Allie X, I was satisfied with the depth of the bass, although it wasn’t particularly agile. Meanwhile, vocals were clear enough, but not separated all too much from other sounds in the mid-range. Percussion wasn’t the most precise either, and it lacked a sense of space. Overall, I got a relatively clean listen, but one that lacked nuance or detail.

With Atmos music, it was a similar story. Dream of Arrakis by Hans Zimmer offers solid low-end punch, but the attack of percussion was fairly blunt, and vocal elements weren’t all too clear in the mix. The expansiveness of this master was also pared back quite a bit compared to what I’ve heard on more premium compact bars, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2.

Something else I realized when playing tunes, was that the soundbar didn’t automatically switch to Music mode – something I’ve become relatively accustomed to from most modern soundbars. You have to select the appropriate mode with the included remote or the Klipsch Connect Plus app.

Still, the two modes are decently differentiated, and if you want to make additional changes, you can make use of an equalizer in the companion app. And EQ options aren’t bad at all – you can manually adjust bass, mids, or treble, or switch between presets, including: Flat, Vocal, Bass, Treble, and Rock.

More generally, I was a big fan of the Klipsch Connect Plus app. It’s brilliantly responsive, well laid-out, and pretty feature-rich. On the main screen, you can change source, activate a genuinely great multi-level voice enhancement setting, activate night mode, and more. An additional settings menu also opens up channel level adjustment, surround and subwoofer pairing, and display brightness adaption.

The only thing I was really missing on the app was some kind of room calibration tool to optimize the Flexus Core 100 to my listening space – something you’ll find on soundbars like Sonos Beam 2nd Gen and Marshall Heston 120.

I touched on the Flexus Core 100’s display a moment ago, and I have to give Klipsch some kudos here – it looks absolutely fantastic. Rather than relying on a basic lighting system, there’s a large display with full letters and numbers to let you know which mode you’re using, source you’re connected to, and volume level you’re at. This is incredibly clear, and makes for a much smoother user-experience.

On top of a neat display and seamless in-app experience, setting the Flexus Core 100 up really couldn’t have been easier. You’ve just got to connect it to a power source, and hook it up to your TV over HDMI eARC or digital optical – easy as pie. You can also build your system out at your own pace by connecting a compatible wireless sub, or a wired one via the soundbar’s ‘sub out’ port. You can also purchase Flexus Surround speakers for a more three-dimensional listening experience.

In terms of functionality, the only major miss in my view is the omission of Wi-Fi streaming. Personally, this is an absolute must for me. I love being able to use Spotify or Tidal Connect to enjoy my music in higher quality than Bluetooth streaming allows. Some may also lament the lack of DTS support, which is less common than Dolby Atmos for streaming, but is often used on Blu-rays.

We’ve spoken a lot about the technology involved so far, but how does the Flexus Core 100 fare in the looks department? In my opinion, this soundbar is a little on the average side. The large logo on the right side isn’t the most attractive, and the fabric speaker grille doesn’t quite give off a premium impression. Still, the model is well-made, and I’ve already raved about its excellent display.

One thing I’ve not mentioned yet is the Flexus Core 100’s price-tag. And this is pretty competitive, all things considered. It comes in at $349 / £299 / AU$645, which is less than a 2.0 channel rival like the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 and considerably less than compact Atmos titans like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose Smart Soundbar.

In the end, then, the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is a solid soundbar overall. It won’t deliver the most amazing Dolby Atmos, it’s not the best-looking model I’ve seen, and I’m also still sad about the omission of Wi-Fi streaming.

But its great bass levels, clear dialogue, impressive companion app support, and ease of use are all highly commendable. If you’ve got the cash, I’d suggest going with either Sonos or Marshall’s compact soundbars, but if you’re on a tighter budget, this model is well-worth considering.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: price and release date

• $349 / £299 / AU$645
• Launched in April 2024

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 was released in April 2024, and is part of a product line that also features the Flexus Core 200 and the exceptional Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

It has a list price of $349 / £299 / AU$645, making it the cheapest product in that lineup, and very competitively priced against other compact Dolby Atmos models like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, for instance.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: specs

Should I buy the Klipsch Flexus Core 100?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: also consider

How I tested the Klipsch Flexus Core 100

• Tested with movies and music across multiple hours
• Used in our TV testing space at Future Labs
• Mainly played 4K Blu-rays for movies and streamed via Tidal for music

When testing the Klipsch Flexus Core 100, I had the soundbar connected up to the phenomenal LG G5 OLED TV via its HDMI eARC port.

I spent the majority of my time with the soundbar watching 4K UHD Blu-rays – predominantly viewing them via the Panasonic DP-UB820. However, I also watched some shows on Netflix, and streamed music through Tidal using the Dolby Atmos and stereo formats.

On top of this, I made sure to exhaust all of the Flexus Core 100’s features, and cycled through all of the settings in the Klipsch Connect Plus app, including the various sound modes and EQ calibrations.

More generally, I’m an experienced tech reviewer with a particular focus on audio-visual gear, and have tested a wide range of soundbars. During almost two years at TechRadar, I’ve covered everything from budget models like the Sony HT-SF150 through to premium Dolby Atmos soundbar systems, such as the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

• First reviewed: January 2026
• Read more about how we test

I've tested plenty of the best camera bags over the last 15 years (seriously, I've got quite the collection), but only recently got my hands on Wandrd gear for the first time. Of course, I had to start with the established American accessory maker's best-selling PRVKE, which is now in its V4 version.

It's a stylish roll-top backpack, available in seven muted colors and three sizes, with an optional cube insert designed to stow camera gear.

Wanting a slimline day pack, I opted for the mid-size 21L version in 'Sedona Orange' – the boldest look of the lot – with the cube insert. There's an even smaller 15L version (the only size in the range with the camera compartment built-in) or a larger 31L size. Wandrd has seemingly ditched the 41L size from the previous version of the PRVKE.

I also picked up the D1 fanny pack (also in Sedona Orange) at the same time, to complement the bag for essentials.

What I particularly appreciate about the PRVKE V4 is how good it looks without the usual camera bag tell-tale signs. No, this looks like a regular roll-top bag that I see so often on commuter trains in the UK, and a particularly stylish one at that.

Inside, however, I could pack several thousand dollars/pounds worth of camera gear (in the 'Essential Camera Cube'), squeeze in my 17-inch MacBook Pro, and fill a number of the small zipped pockets with accessories such as charging cables.

And there's still space in the open third at the top, which is accessed through the roll-top, for day items such as a sweater and tupperware container.

It took me a little while trying out the various compartments with my gear, seeing what combinations would easily fit in the cube, and at first, I wasn't convinced I had picked the right size for my mid-range mirrorless camera and lenses.

However, with a little endeavor, I squeezed in my mirrorless camera with lens attached, an additional lens, and various accessories, including a small LED light panel.

I've happily used the PRVKE V4 21L for commuting and day trips, although it'd be a stretch using it for a weekend – I reckon the 31L version (which I haven't tried but has the same layout) would be ideal for that.

The PRVKE V4 truly looks the part – I really like the wide choice of muted colors it's available in, which now total seven in all, especially the orange that I went for – but it's also practical too.

The shoulder straps and back are lined with a padded mesh, making a long day of lugging gear a comfortable experience.

On one side, a stretch pocket easily holds a water bottle or tripod, with an additional strap to secure taller items. On the other side, a zip pocket accesses where the cube sits – directly to your camera gear. Not all of today's discreet camera bags offer such direct access to gear, so points to the PRVKE V4 there.

I like the handle on the top, too, with the two straps fixing to each other magnetically. They make picking up the bag a breeze, as does the additional handle on the back, which can conveniently slot over a suitcase handle for air travel.

The PRVKE V4 is not quite perfect, mind you. I found dirt a little sticky on the smooth back of the bag, and the roll-top design isn't the most weatherproof. I don't think all of the pockets are necessary either, but that might not be true of the next person.

It's also a shame that the key camera gear accessory – namely the cube insert – is a pricey extra for what is already a relatively expensive bag (15L aside, which has the camera compartments fixed in place).

Overall, these are minor drawbacks for what is clearly a well-designed backpack. I can easily see myself relying on the 21L bag for days out, commuting, and, with the cube removed, even a weekender pack. If you want a weekend bag with camera gear, I'd recommend the 31L version instead.

There's a reason the PRVKE has proved such a hit these last few years, and now, in its updated V4 form, I'm glad to have joined the party. This will no doubt be my go-to day bag for the foreseeable future.

Wandrd PRVKE V4: price and availability

• Available in 15L, 21L and 31L versions
• There are seven muted colors to choose from
• Prices start at $234 / £207 (Australia availability and pricing vary), the camera cube costs extra

The Wandrd PRVKE has been available for a number of years, and this review is of the current V4 version.

The PRVKE V4 can be purchased in one of seven muted colors at the Wandrd store: Black, Aegean Blue, Wasatch Green, Yuma Tan, Sedona Orange, Rhone Burgundy, and Atacama Clay. It's available in three sizes: 15L, 21L, and 31L – the smallest is the only one to feature a camera gear compartment. Here's a breakdown of the prices:

The 15L version costs $279 / £246 (no need for an optional cube insert), the 21L bag only is $234 / £207, and the 31L bag only is $254 / £224.

The Photography bundle includes the Essential Camera Cube and adds $85 / £74 to the cost of the 21L and 31L versions, while the Pro photography bundle includes the larger Pro Camera Cube and add $120 / £105 to the cost. Those accessory prices are a little steep in my opinion.

The former version of the PRVKE bag also came in a larger 41L version, which is still available at various retailers for around $273 / £242.

Wandrd PRVKE V4: specs

Should I buy the Wandrd PRVKE V4?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Wandrd PRVKE V4

• I had the 21L version of the PRVKE V4, with the 'Essential' cube insert
• I used the PRVKE for over a month, mainly as a day or weekend bag

Wandrd arranged a long-term loan of the PRVKE bag for me – the 21L version with cube insert.

I've used the PRVKE as my primary bag for commuting, simple day trips, and the occasional weekender.

It has stored a range of my camera gear – from mid-range mirrorless models with a couple of lenses, to smaller vlogging gear with a range of accessories such as LED lights. I've also stored a 17-inch MacBook Pro inside.

Throughout my testing, the bag has been subject to inclement weather and used in a range of environments, including large cities. This is a true long-term review.

First reviewed January 2026

The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 is just far too expensive to recommend.

As a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller alternative that comes in at $69.99 / £49.99 (around AU$100) (that’s only $15 / £15 less than the going price of Nintendo’s official offering), it simply shouldn’t feel anywhere near as cheap and hollow as it does.

This is far from the only issue, as there is a raft of other problems to contend with. Although the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 features all of the expected inputs (including two remappable rear ones), the Start and Select buttons are tiny and positioned right at the bottom of the pad’s face, making them difficult to press.

The triggers are also quite shallow, leading to a very unsatisfying pulling motion. If that wasn't enough, the hard plastic and abrasive texture around the tips of the thumbsticks make them uncomfortable to use over long periods of time.

These are all issues that were present with the much cheaper PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller, but it’s much easier to forgive on a model that starts at just $39.99 / £29.99. It’s especially egregious when even super budget controllers like the $24.99 / £29.99 GameSir Nova Lite don’t suffer from anywhere near the same number of problems.

The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t a total lost cause, though. The battery life, which can reach up to 30 hours, is strong, and its motion controls work well. You also get the option of far more interesting designs than you would find with the official offering, which is pretty neat.

PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2: Price and availability

• Costs $69.99 / £49.99 (around AU$100)
• Official Pro Controller goes for $85 / £64.99
• Not strong value for money

At $69.99 / £49.99 (around AU$100), the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 is not particularly good value for money, especially when you can find the official Pro Controller for around $15 / £15 more in either the US or UK at the time of writing.

The hollow build quality is almost identical to the significantly cheaper $39.99 / £29.99 PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller, so I don’t understand why PowerA thought it would be appropriate to hike up the price just for the addition of wireless connectivity and motion controls.

If this controller were to cost around $49.99 / £39.99, then this would be a much more positive review - but it’s just not competitive at its asking price. This is especially true when you factor in similar costing third-party options like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2, which is far superior in terms of build and features.

The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 is at least widely available in the US and UK via the PowerA website or retailers like Amazon.

PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2: Specs

PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2: Design and features

• Standard controller shape
• Row of buttons at the bottom
• Features remappable rear inputs

The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 looks like your standard Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 controller, with the usual face buttons and asymmetrical thumbstick layout. Although this controller is compatible with both systems, it features a dedicated C button like the official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

My only real issue with the design here is the positioning of the Start and Select buttons. They’re tiny and arranged as part of a row with the Capture, Home, and C buttons that are positioned right at the bottom of the face of the controller. They’re awkward to hit as a result, and frequently required me to reposition my hands a little in order to reach them, which is a frustrating oversight. They sit above a little LED light bar, which illuminates when the controller is in use.

I tested the ‘Mario and Friends’ variant of this pad, which has a colorful Super Mario-inspired pattern. The print is high quality, and the colors are pleasant, which definitely gives this controller some edge over Nintendo’s comparatively boring Switch 2 Pro Controller in terms of looks. There is also a cute Kirby design available, or a more subdued Pokémon one. The controller is also offered in plain black if you prefer.

On the back of the pad are the two programmable rear inputs and a dedicated programming button. Unlike the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, where everything is remapped through software, this pad requires a bit of fiddling with the programming button in order to get your desired bindings set up. The process is quick and intuitive, though, so it’s hard to dock PowerA any points for it.

The company does lose marks for its choice of plastics, though, which are noticeably lower quality than those found on Nintendo’s first-party hardware. The whole controller has an almost brittle feel to it, and I don’t think it would fare well if it were dropped on a hard floor, even from a modest height.

The huge visible screw holes on the back of the controller also don’t do it any favors, lending it a very cheap appearance from behind

PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2: Performance

• Uncomfortable thumbsticks
• Shallow triggers
• Otherwise fairly solid

The best thing I can say about the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 is that it does at least function, and is still suitable for casual players or as a spare in multiplayer environments. It’s not very pleasant to use, though, thanks to a few major flaws.

Firstly, while the thumbsticks here do contain Hall effect sensors, which is good for longevity, they’re made of a hard plastic and have an abrasive texture around their tips that becomes uncomfortable for the thumbs over extended play sessions.

The controller’s triggers are also very shallow but simultaneously rather spongy and thus almost impressively unsatisfying to pull. The D-pad is pretty bad too, with a similarly spongy feel and a very flat, broad shape that makes precise inputs difficult. This is definitely not a controller that you would want to dive into a shooter or retro platformer with.

As is common with third-party Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, you also don’t get support for HD rumble or amiibo. The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 does gain points for its motion control support, however, and I found it more than accurate enough for pointer controls in games like Super Mario Galaxy 2.

The battery life is another strong suit. PowerA claims that you can achieve up to 30 hours per charge, and I found this figure to be accurate. It’s a bit less than the staggering 40 hours offered by the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, but still among the best in the third-party scene.

Once you get used to the positioning of the Start and Select buttons, the rest of the pad is perfectly solid to use. The buttons feel decent and all work as intended, and I never experienced any issues with connectivity or pairing.

Should I buy the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider...

Not pleased by what the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 brings to the table? Here are two more premium alternatives worth weighing up.

How I tested the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2

• Tested for more than two weeks
• Tried with a wide range of games
• Compared to a range of other controllers

I tested the PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 for a period of two and a half weeks. During that time, I tested a wide range of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 games, such as Mario Kart World, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition, and more.

I frequently compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other Nintendo Switch 2 peripherals, including PowerA’s own PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller and the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2026

Cast your mind back to 2013 and Sigma had just brought out its 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM | Art lens – the world’s first zoom with a fast, constant f/1.8 aperture – and was set to revolutionize the photography industry.

Over a decade since that lens pushed the boundaries of what a zoom lens could do, the world's largest independent lens manufacturer has gone one better with the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art, which like its predecessor boasts a constant and bright f/1.8 aperture and promises to deliver exceptional image quality comparable to a prime, but with an expanded zoom range, all while being more than 30% lighter than its predecessor.

The lens is specifically designed for mirrorless cameras with an APS-C sensor and is available in L-mount, Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Canon RF versions. I've spent a month testing an E-mount version of the lens mounted on a Sony A6700, to see if this optic really can do the job at least three primes.

The TLDR is that it absolutely can, and I thoroughly enjoyed hitting the streets to use it for all sorts of photography, from city shots to portraits, shallow-depth-of-field still-life shots, and even low-light scenes like traffic trails and stars.

While the 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art builds on its predecessor in pretty much every way, it's not free from faults. It's an APS-C lens with a smaller imaging circle, so it's less future-proof if you upgrade to a full-frame camera later down the road. It's also very expensive, and costs significantly more than its predecessor did back in 2013.

If money is no limit, and you love to shoot at a range of wide-angle focal lengths while also having the versatility of a fast f/1.8 aperture, this is the lens for you, providing you shoot on an APS-C mirrorless body. However, if you're on a stricter budget, and prefer smaller lenses and don't mind switching between them, then you may be better off with one or two cheaper prime lenses instead – provided you're not shooting weddings and other events where you may have less time to swap your optics over.

Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art: Price and availability

• Priced at $919 / £779 / AU$1,650
• Lens hood included
• Announced in July 2025

The Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC Art costs $919 / £779 / AU$1,650. That’s more than Sigma’s original 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art, which retailed for $799 / £699 (around AU$1,150) at launch. However, this higher price is to be expected given more than a decade of inflation since then, and tariff increases have likely impacted US pricing too. Regardless, I think the extra money is justified in the US and UK by the suite of upgrades that come with the new and improved version.

It’s difficult to say exactly who this lens is for, as I personally found it a bit frustrating with it either being not wide enough or not telephoto enough for my shooting style, though as someone who regularly likes to shoot with 35mm prime lenses, there were times when the extra versatility from its small zoom range was welcome. It is a bit like a souped-up kit lens, but one that costs significantly more.

If you’re on a tighter budget, and not fussed about that wide f/1.8 aperture, or you’re looking for something a bit more portable for your everyday carry lens, then the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary would be a better choice. Similarly, if you don’t want a zoom and simply want a smaller prime lens there are options like the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM that are lighter, smaller and a little bit cheaper, too. So it really comes down to what you want to use the lens for.

However, for events and wedding photographers shooting with APS-C bodies I can see this lens being a game changer, giving those photographers extra focal length options and a fast f/1.8 aperture when they may not have the time to change lenses.

Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art: Specs

Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art: Design

• Some degree of weather-sealing, usually saved for more premium Art lenses
• Combines a versatile zoom range with a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture
• Switches on the lens barrel to control AF/MF and iris ring functions
• Much longer than most prime lenses with a length of 115.9mm

The Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC Art lens improves on its predecessor in virtually every way. Not only is it 34% lighter, tipping the scales at 18.8oz / 535g, it’s also 6.5% leaner in diameter and 4.2% shorter in length. Despite being a skinnier and lighter model it manages to pack in a 2.35x optical zoom, with a more expansive focal range of 17-40mm, whereas the original 18-35mm fell just shy of 2x optical zoom, so the overall zoom range has been expanded by roughly 18%.

As in the 18-35mm f/1.8 the optical design comprises 17 elements, but there’s one fewer aspherical and one fewer SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements this time around, meaning there’s a total of three aspherical and four SLD elements inside the barrel.

The aperture has been upgraded however, and instead of the old nine-bladed design, we now have a more premium 11-bladed design, which should deliver better-rounded bokeh.

The rear mount is brass and also weather sealed, confirming the dust and splash-proof credentials of the optic. The lens is available to fit L-mount, Sony E, Fujifilm X and Canon RF, and factoring in the 1.5x crop factor of APS-C sensors the lens will behave much more like a 25.5-60mm, with the exception of Canon cameras, which have a 1.6x sensor crop and with which the lens will be have a slightly tighter perspective at 27.2-64mm.

On the outside of the lens barrel are the zoom and focus rings, which are a decent size and have a knurled rubber finish, making them very grippy and comfortable to use. Because this new lens is designed for modern mirrorless cameras it has an electronic fly-by-wire focus ring rather than a mechanical one, and this also means we’ve lost the focus distance window on the top. Both rings turn smoothly and are easy to operate.

A third ‘iris’ ring sits closest to the lens mount and is for controlling the aperture. This also has a lock to keep it securely in the ‘A’ position if you prefer not to use it, and there’s also a switch to enable or disengage the click – videographers will likely prefer the smoother declicked option when recording footage. It’s also worth noting that on the Canon RF version this is instead a Control ring which can be assigned custom functions for all sorts of settings, including but not limited to aperture.

The zoom is internal, so the lens remains compact and doesn’t rack out when zooming in or out. The throw from 17mm to 40mm on the zoom ring is also quite short, and certainly less than 90 degrees, so you can zoom fully in or out very quickly.

Also on the barrel is a switch to control AF/MF, and there are two AF-L buttons for holding focus, though these can be assigned different functions via the menu.

Heading to the front of the lens we see the front element, which isn’t overly large considering it has a wide f/1.8 max aperture, and this is also where you’ll attach the 67mm screw-in front filters. The front element also has a water- and oil-repellent coating to make it more durable in harsh outdoor environments.

Also in the box is a LH728-02 petal-shaped lens hood, which is part plastic and part rubber for a premium feel, and also has a nice chunky button to lock it in place and release it. This fits on the lens backwards to take up less space when not in use.

Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art: Performance

• Chromatic aberration and flare handled well
• Bright f/1.8 aperture makes it great for low light and blurry backgrounds
• Corner details a little soft and vignetting at f/1.8 but cleared up by f/2.8
• Autofocus is fast, quiet and accurate

When it comes to assessing performance, we first need to consider who the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC lens is for. It clearly excels in low light with its fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, though its wider focal range of 17-40mm makes it a bit too wide for portraits, so it’s likely to be better suited to indoor events, astrophotography, and perhaps as a wide option for wedding photographers who don’t have time to switch lenses and need its versatility.

It is designed for use with APS-C cameras, which means its imaging circle is too small for full-frame cameras, with which you would see a pronounced vignette. That said, you can still pair the lens with a full-frame camera using the camera’s APS-C crop mode. The downside to this approach is that you won’t be making the complete use of the sensor – effectively throwing away pixels.

I took the lens out around London for several days, using it as my main lens for street photography. In this setup I found it to be a little on the large side, not in terms of width, but in overall length – it’s easily twice the length of, say, my Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM. This made it more difficult to keep a low profile and take candid shots of people going about their lives without me being noticed, though this is the cost of having a more versatile zoom range.

With its focal length of 17-40mm it’s fair to compare the lens to an 18-55mm kit lens, but with a little less telephoto power – it falls frustratingly short of that magical 50mm focal length which works wonderfully well with a wide aperture of f/1.8 for wider mid-length and head-and-shoulders portraits.

With all that being said, it is a big step up from the old 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens – the new version is 34% lighter, 6.5% shorter and 4.2% thinner, all while boasting two more aperture blades and being able to focus 2cm closer. While these may sound like minor updates, when combined they make the lens feel like a big upgrade overall.

On to image quality, and I have to say that considering its broad zoom range and constant f/1.8 maximum aperture I was quietly impressed. Corners were a little soft and showed some vignetting when shooting wide open at f/1.8, though this was pretty much cleared up by f/2.8 and was easy to fix in software. Impressively, there was very little sign of chromatic aberration, and flare was handled well when shooting towards the sun.

There is a little barrel distortion around the edges when shooting at the wider focal lengths, which as expected starts to disappear as you zoom in – at 40mm the distortion has completely vanished. What distortion there is is very minor and testimony to the new lens element construction, and the in-camera lens corrections do a good job at ironing this out, though further correction can be applied in post-production to straighten out vertical lines more.

Autofocusing was a joy thanks to the High-response Linear Actuator motor, with the lens being very speedy, silent and reliable in achieving focus even in low light.

Should you buy the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art

• I used the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art extensively for a whole month and regularly took it out on day trips around busy cities in both day and night
• I paired it with the Sony a6700 APS-C body as well as a Sony a7R IV full-frame body in crop mode – both of which delivered 26MP stills
• I took shots at all focal lengths and apertures of cities, sunsets, low light scenes, stars and more

I got hold of the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC | Art and Sony A7R IV and A6700 bodies for a month to give the lens a thorough testing over an extended period.

Due to its small size and portability the lens quickly became my go-to option when I needed to bring a camera with me for days out around cities such as London, where I shot everything from landscapes to cityscapes, sunsets, astro and still life shots.

I took a range of pictures with in-camera lens corrections enabled and also turned off to see the comparison. I also shot in RAW and JPEG formats and shot at all of the various apertures to gauge how things like corner sharpness and vignetting changed throughout the aperture range.

• First reviewed January 2026

I can see why Epson has sold over a 100 million EcoTanks. Being the first to bring the refillable concept to market, Epson hasn’t stopped tweaking the design so that the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series looks like the slickest all-in-one inkjet in the shop.

I’m testing the white ET-4956 variant, but its also available in black and they both come with a feature-set to suit any small business or home-based professional. It can both duplex print and duplex scan as well as offering an improved automatic document feed (ADF) and a faster print speed than its predecessor.

The main attraction is the huge amount of inbox ink (enough to print for three years), but the asking price is rather high, so let’s see if the new model can maintain Epson’s lead in the increasingly competitive refillable 4-in-1 printer category.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Design and build

The redesign looks fresh to my eye, especially in this white livery. The folding front panel ensures the touchscreen display is always visible, while the new status light encircling the top of the ink tank cover makes it easy to see if and how your printer is responding from the far side of the office. The smooth plastic feels sturdy enough and the motorized paper output glides out smoothly every time you’re ready to print.

The paper input tray can hold an adequate 250 sheets of paper up to letter or A4-size, but it’s a pity there’s no second input tray as this means you’ll need to unload the main tray each time you want to print on different media.

The 2.4-inch touchscreen is somewhat small, but big enough to operate and quite sensitive. The cable ports are easily accessible at the left side and the fairly large 70ml ink tanks are well integrated on the other side. It’s a practical design overall and the whole thing feels well made.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Features & specifications

As the top model in Epson’s three-strong range, the ET-4950 series is a four-in-one multifunction device with print, scan, copy and fax functionality, plus plenty of extras. The ADF on top can hold 30 sheets of paper and copy both sides of each page automatically.

That’s something the previous model couldn’t do. It’s using a PrecisionCore print head with 784 inkjet nozzles to achieve a print resolution of 4,800 x 1,200 DPI. WiFi 5 with AirPrint compatibility is built in and it can print on paper up to 300g/m².

It prints quickly for an inkjet with a claimed top speed of 35ppm (pages per minute) with simplex monochrome pages or 23 in color. That’s slightly confusing as the ISO/IEC 24734 is just 18ppm, but suffice to say, that it printed a little faster than its predecessor and compares well with other inkjets in its class. The quoted 8.5-second FPOT (first page out time) is accurate and also PDQ (pretty darn quick).

The only features missing are Bluetooth, NFC, a USB Host port for printing from or scanning to a USB stick and a multi-purpose tray. The first three items I can live without, but a second paper input tray would have really improved the functionality of this printer. Perhaps Epson will include it with the next update.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Setup and operation

The printed quick-start guide is easy to follow. Just remove all the transport tape, load some paper, plug in, turn on and follow the on-display prompts.

I’d recommend downloading the Epson Smart Panel app onto your Android or iPhone first as this makes it easier to add your new printer to your wi-fi network. I’d also recommend printing out the test pages when offered to ensure all your nozzles are aligned and firing correctly.

Filling the ink reservoirs is a quick and clean process as the bottles hold the same volume of ink as the tanks — 70ml for the three coolers; 127ml for black — and each spout is shaped to fit only its corresponding tank so you can’t muddle them up.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Performance

The Epson EcoTank ET-4956 I tested put in a strong all-round performance, printing quickly and cleanly with only one paper jam where I loaded a photograph into the automatic document feed for copying. Where the manual says that it can handle paper up to 300g/m² (my photo paper was only 200g/m²) it means via the main tray and evidently not via the ADF.

That incident aside, I was pleased with my test pages, although I couldn’t honestly see any improvement over the outgoing EcoTank ET-4850 test pages. That’s unsurprising given it’s using the same heat-free inkjet technology and the same hybrid pigment and dye-based inks.

Plain pages of text print quietly in simplex mode and the paper is turned swiftly in auto duplex mode. The pigment black is applied precisely enough, but it’s not as dark as, for instance, the Canon MAXIFY GX4020, which uses a smiler hybrid ink system.

Switching to color test documents plays more to the Epson’s strengths as its dye-based C/M/Y inks are particularly bright and color documents look pleasingly vivid. It also does well with photography for the same reason.

The Epson recognizes a range of coated photo paper types and given premium glossy photo paper, my test photos really popped. This printer manages an enhanced resolution of 4,800 x 1,200, which is enough for photo printing, but dedicated photo printers, like the Canon PIXMA G3270, produce sharper images for less money.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Consumables

The Epson EcoTank ET-4950 comes with five ink bottles containing a total of 464ml of ink. That’s equivalent to around 65 regular ink cartridges and enough, Epson reckons, to print for around three years before needing to buy refills.

Epson’s bottled ink is cheap compared with cartridge ink and there’s nothing to stop you from buying third party ink, which is even cheaper. Put like that, Epson’s claim that this printer is up to 95% cheaper to run than a cartridge printer seems reasonable.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Maintenance

Epson says its heat-free printing tech means you’ll never need to replace the printhead, which is a cost incurred by plenty of other inkjet owners. This printer is also less prone to clogging in the nozzles thanks to some improved engineering.

However, the settings menu includes several anti-clogging cycles that can be run if (or more likely, when) dried up ink stops you printing. Epson includes a one-year, or 100,000-page warranty with this model.

What you may well have to replace is the maintenance box when it eventually fills up with the tiny amounts of excess ink generated by printing and cleaning. A replacement costs around ten dollars and it looks to me like you could save money by emptying and cleaning the existing one.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series: Final verdict

The Epson EcoTank ET-4950 and its variants proved that Epson is the brand to beat in this refillable office-friendly mid-price category. I found it easy to set up and operate thanks to the responsive touchscreen and good design and it has all the features I consider essential for the home worker or small shared office.

In other words, it duplex prints pretty quickly, connects readily my 5GHz Wi-Wi and turns out crisp and colorful test pages on all kinds of media. I also appreciated the two-sided scan feature and, of course, the generous amount of inbox ink.

Does Epson still make the best ink tank printers? This category only gets more competitive with new players like the significantly more affordable Brother DCP-T780DW entering the fray, while the excellent HP Smart Tank 7001 comes with larger ink tanks and the Canon MAXIFY GX4020 offers superior print quality.

But with more features than those rivals, and such a strong all-round performance, I can highly recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series.

For more top-performing models, I've tested the best home printers and the best all-in-one printers.

Having just reviewed the GMKtec M5 Ultra, that prior investigation puts an interesting twist on the M7 Ultra now before me.

Because the M5 was built on a platform that wasn’t widely utilised, and the M7 Ultra turned out to be built on a platform from 2022 that nobody used at all.

However, don’t be put off by the older hardware, because this Ryzen 6000 series processor with Zen3+ architecture is well-suited for a mini PC. It has DDR5 support, USB4 and plenty of PCIe lanes, enabling the M7 Ultra to deliver a well-rounded and confident performance level that’s above any of the Ryzen systems that use DDR4 and the Vega 8 GPU.

It’s also got plenty of potential for upgrades, either internally with the SODIMM and M.2 slots, or externally via USB4. And it must also be one of the cheapest systems to come with Oculink, enabling the external connection of discrete graphics cards via its 64Gb/s interconnect.

Compared to a cutting-edge system, it only has eight cores (sixteen threads), the DDR5 is only 4800 MT/s, and while it is a PCIe 4.0 system, it only supports PCIe 3.0 on the M.2 slots.

Those caveats make me think that the M7 Ultra is suitable for someone who needs a little big more power, but not the performance of a Ryzen 9 or Ryzen AI machine.

For that person who does more than just basic office tasks, this might be ideal, and if they suddenly need more graphics performance, it can be added via Oculink.

Where this system is flawed is that it's slower than the M7 and M7 Pro that came before it. Given the silicon's age, this isn’t going to feature in our round-up of the best mini PC systems, but with a reasonably effective platform and plenty of ports, it's not junk either.

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $310/£260/€300
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Direct from GMKtec and via online retailers

Much like the M5 Ultra, the M7 Ultra is offered in three basic SKUs that go from the baseline barebones system with no memory or storage, to an intermediate 16GB+512GB option that’s reviewed here, to the top spec with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

In the USA, these machines are priced at $309.99, $439.99, and $529.99, respectively.

GMKtec doesn’t have a specific UK outlet, but from the European site (e.g., de.gmktec.com), these systems are £260, £347 and £408, which, if you have DDR5 and an M.2 module, looks like a great deal. Euro prices are €299.99, €399.99 and €469.99. And all the M7 Ultras bought in Europe come with a free 8-in-1 USB docking hub reputedly worth €29.99.

I'm also seeing it available on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk with similar pricing.

For those curious, based on the current exchange rates when writing this, the 32GB+1TB model is almost the same price no matter where you buy it, but the barebones model is 12% more expensive.

Another obvious question is how these prices compare with the M5 Ultra? In short, the M7 Ultra is about $50 more than the M5 Ultra for the barebones, and about $40 more for the 32GB+1TB option. When you consider that the M7 Ultra comes with USB4, uses DDR5 and is significantly faster, then the price difference is modest.

What I’d advise against is sourcing this via Amazon, as their systems only come with 512GB of storage, and the asking price is $489.99.

In this part of the review, I’d normally list the other mini PCs that use the same platform and how some are more expensive, and others are cheaper, but not today.

Unless I missed one, no other mini PC maker is using this platform, and I couldn’t find any retail computer, of any variety, that uses it. There are several mini PCs with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 6850H, and other “H” series chips, but these are not the same as the PRO 6850U.

Why is this the case? I’ve no information to share. It might be that AMD has TMSC make bins of many Ryzen 6000 mobile chips with no clear market, and now they’re having a clear out of those that didn’t sell.

Whatever the reason, this is a mid-2022 platform built on a fab AMD no longer relies on, and it might be that the GMKtec M7 Ultra is the one and only machine the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U gets to see the light of day.

Which might go some way to explain how competitively priced this system is.

• Value: 4 / 5

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Specs

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Design

• Decent build quality
• Easy internal access
• VESA mountable

There are two important things about GMKtec systems I like, and those are the build quality and the ease of internal access. And, the M7 Ultra doesn’t confront either of those expectations.

While the top and underside of this NUC are plastic, the part that is likely to take the greatest amount of abuse, the sides, is metal on all faces.

It’s a cool gunmetal grey, and the plastic top is painted to match.

Access is remarkably straightforward, with the top rotating to come away, and with that removed, there are four large screws visible that most people should have a suitable screwdriver for.

I like that these are large, easily visible screws, not the tiny ones that ping under my desk before activating their inbuilt cloaking devices. These are only discoverable either with socked feet or the use of a stupidly powerful electromagnet.

Even I couldn’t misplace these screws was my first thought on seeing them.

With those removed, the DDR5-4800 modules and M.2 slots are unobscured, and upgrading either of them merely requires the replacement parts and a couple of spare minutes.

The memory modules were branded as GMKtec, but the chips had OEM Micro branding. Therefore, based on the repositioning of that source for memory, we won’t be seeing this in future GMKtec products.

Thankfully, you can swap the RAM with any DDR5-4800 SODIMMs of any brand, as long as they’re the same type and size.

On the outside, the M7 Ultra doesn’t go off the beaten path with all the ports on the front or back, and those on the front are well placed for the attachment of storage. Both USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports are on the front, along with the USB4 port, the 3.5mm audio jack and the Oculink port. Oh, and the power button.

Maybe the Oculink port might have been better on the back, but there isn’t much room with dual 2.5GbE LAN sockets, dual USB 2.0, another USB4 port and both HDMI and DisplayPort.

One feature which is slightly controversial on the M7 Ultra is that hot air is ejected under the external ports, not above them. While there is the possibility that it might impact the connected cables, I can’t see this air getting heated enough to melt the insulation on these.

As GMKtec do with most of its systems, included with the M7 Ultra, is a plate that can be used to VESA mount the system to the back of a monitor. As the scale of this system might make it tempting for someone to pick it up and take it home, connecting it to the monitor is probably a good idea. For those seriously concerned about theft, it also has a security slot on the rear.

As with the M5 Ultra, the engineering, accessibility and port deployment are good, and there doesn’t appear to be any significant design issues with this design.

• Design: 4 / 5

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Hardware

• AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U
• DDR5 Memory
• Gen 3 PCIe M.2 Slots

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is a mobile processor featuring eight cores, launched in April 2022 as an offshoot of the Ryzen 6000 series. And, the closest silicon from the core series is the Ryzen 7 6800H, a Zen 3+ (Rembrandt) architecture chip made for Socket FP7.

AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) doubles the effective thread count to sixteen, giving it some potential for multi-threaded software.

Operating at a base frequency of 2.7GHz, boosting up to 4.7GHz when required, this silicon was part of the swansong of the 6nm process at TSMC before AMD moved to the 4nm fabrication in the 7040 series.

The thermal design power (TDP) is just 15W, but that can be bumped to 28W, making it highly energy-efficient. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum official speed of 4800 MT/s. It also supports 6400 MT/s for surface-mounted LPDDR5, but GMKtec hasn’t chosen to use that.

And, as I’ve alluded to already, this is the only PC I’ve found that uses this specific processor, so it now seems unlikely that a machine using the greater bandwidth memory is ever likely to appear.

Since Zen3+, AMD has evolved the Zen4 and Zen5 architectures, with more powerful GPUs, 8000MHz DDR5 options and larger core and thread capabilities.

In this context, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U provides a solid underpinning to the system where it can run reliably for long periods and remain effectively silent.

However, there are a few choices GMKtec made that are more nuanced than merely picking an older processor. One might assume AMD let this business have these at a bargain price.

As is often the case, this all revolves around PCIe lanes and how these critical resources are allocated. In this system, there are various draws on the bandwidth of the PCIe subsystem, which has twenty lanes of PCIe 4.0 at its disposal. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has an integrated USB4 controller, but it still needs at least four lanes for USB4 and at least four more for Oculink, leaving only eight lanes for everything else.

In that pile are all the other USB ports, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, the small M.2 slot for the Wi-Fi, and most importantly, the two M.2 slots. However you dice this up, without using a PCIe switch, something had to give, and what gave here was the M.2 slots ended up being only Gen 3, not Gen 4.

I can see a strong argument that either one of the USB4 ports or the Oculink should have been sacrificed to provide Gen 4 storage, but that might have created a thermal issue for keeping the NVMe drives cool.

With the amount of bandwidth available, this was a tough choice, and GMKtec went with Oculink and two USB4 ports but downgraded the M.2 slots, for good or bad.

I’d have liked at least one Gen 4 M.2 slot, but I’m not the one trying to shoehorn all this technology into a tiny box.

• Features: 3.5 / 5

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Performance

Given the modest price difference between the M7 Ultra and its M5 Ultra little brother, these seem the obvious systems to compare.

And, unsurprisingly, with DDR5 memory and the 12 cores of the Radeon 680M in its corner, the M7 Ultra is a good bit quicker than the M5 Ultra in the majority of the tests.

Although, for some curious reason, the CineBench24 multi-core test is a win for the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U over the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U. But these results aren’t replicated in Geekbench or PCMark 10.

Why Windows Experience Index scores the GPUs inaccurately in this instance is another mystery, but that's the precise result reflected here.

There is, however, a hollow aspect to this victory, which is that my results from the old GMKtec NucBox M7, which used the Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, were much better, scoring 14909 for 3DMark WildLife. Given that the original M7 system used DDR4, something doesn’t add up.

Yes, this system is up to 50% faster than the M5 Ultra, but it should be even quicker than that. It’s like it's operating on a single memory module, though I checked that it isn’t.

Looking back at the original M7 and the M7 Pro, the M7 Ultra has less processing power and lower GPU performance than both of these.

Unfortunately, the M7 is out of stock, and the M7 Pro is discontinued, I suspect.

I’ve concluded that, unless there was a fault with my machine, the M7 Ultra has the unfortunate accolade of offering less power than the models it replaced, sadly.

• Performance: 3 / 5

GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra: Final verdict

Not sure what to think about the GMKtec M7 Ultra, since it uses a processor no other machine has ever used and yet delivers performance numbers below those of its predecessors.

What’s the most curious thing about this system is that it uses DDR5 memory, but with the same 680M GPU, it's slower than the M7, which used DDR4. How is that possible?

The M7 Ultra's bandwidth should make it faster, not 66% of the M7’s speed in the 3DMark Wildlife benchmark.

I’m hoping that this system merely needs a firmware update to deliver the results the hardware should be capable of.

Because of these issues its not an obvious replacement for the M7 or the M7 Pro, but there are plenty of alternatives using Ryzen 6000 and 7000 chips that can perform better.

Should I buy a GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

2026 is a big year for Marvel. With its cinematic universe struggling to rediscover the consistency that defined its first decade, there's never been more pressure on highly-anticipated movies like Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day to get people back onside.

And yet, it falls on Wonder Man, the comic book giant's first Disney+ show of the year, to convince casual fans that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is worth sticking with or jumping back into. It's a wonderful thing, then, that Wonder Man is a franchise-disrupting, metatextual caper that's arguably the studio's most creative TV original since WandaVision.

I was born to play this character

Produced under the Marvel Spotlight banner, Wonder Man introduces us to Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul- Mateen II), a luckless and capricious actor struggling for work in the MCU's version of Hollywood.

When Williams learns that Oscar-winning director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is remaking 'Wonder Man', an in-universe movie that's also his favorite film of all time, Williams vows land the lead role. Well, as long as he can keep his biggest secret – as one of Wonder Man's teasers confirmed, that he possesses actual superpowers – under wraps.

Having superhuman abilities should be advantageous for a project like this, right? Not if you're Simon Williams, a serial overthinker whose passion for his craft often makes him difficult to deal with personally and professionally.

His failure to secure regular work and tendency to lose the roles he does get due to a passion interpreted as overzealous interference are, unsurprisingly, emotionally destabilizing moments for Williams. Add in your demonstrably powerful abilities appearing whenever you experience negative emotions, and that's a recipe for disaster.

That's especially true if Williams' abilities ever manifest while on set. The reason? Enhanced individuals are banned from working in Hollywood, so it's not the ideal profession for Williams, whose tortured nature is captured with pitch-perfect intensity and gravitas by Wonder Man's lead star Abdul-Mateen II.

Wonder Man is as much Trevor Slattery's (Ben Kingsley) story as it is Williams', though.

A washed-up thespian and recovering substance abuser who we first met as fake terrorist The Mandarin in Iron Man 3, Slattery is an important cog in Williams' journey and the Marvel Phase 6 show's wider narrative.

Apprehended by the Department of Damage Control (DoDC) at an airport following his redemption arc in Shang-Chi, Slattery is coerced into helping the superhuman-monitoring US government agency keep track of Williams, whom it believes to be a highly dangerous individual.

Rather than position Slattery as a primary supporting character, though, Marvel installs Kingsley as the series' co-lead. It's a storytelling decision that not only allows Wonder Man to thoroughly examine this enigmatic and eccentric character's background, personality, and motives in greater detail than before, but also plays to Kingsley's strengths as an actor.

Utilizing the British icon's extensive affiliation with the Royal Shakespeare Company and penchant for playing characters as straight as possible, Wonder Man gives Kingsley a stage to really shine on. Equipped with Slattery's awkward and unfiltered persona, Kingsley is the uproarious fulcrum for the various hijinks that ensue throughout, too.

Just the two of us

Armed with either of these likeable albeit lost souls, Wonder Man would be an enthralling watch. The resolution to build its plot around both, then, is a match made in heaven.

From their initial encounters at a Midnight Cowboy screening and then the 'Wonder Man' auditions, where a regret-filled Slattery takes pity on Williams as he struggles to maintain his composure, they're a mesmerically mismatched pair that deserve to be added to the MCU's ever-expanding collection of charming double acts.

A two-hander in all but name, it's the kind of odd-couple dynamic that doesn't come along often, but produces all manner of on-screen fireworks from the outset.

It's a bond initially formed by their mutual love for their craft. Slattery sees his tactless and ego-driven self in Williams and uses his experience and calming influence to guide the less-seasoned actor through the murky world of Hollywood. It isn't long, though, before their student-teacher relationship blossoms into a genuine bromance – and, like me, you'll soon be rooting for them to individually and collectively succeed.

That said, I'll admit my desire to root for them was strained at times. Whether it's the emotionally unavailable Williams occasionally shutting out his mentor, or Slattery's duplicity in trying to keep both Williams and the DoDC onside – honestly, at one point, I genuinely thought Slattery would fully betray his new friend – theirs is a companionship buffeted by numerous outside forces. Ultimately, though, the earnestness of their buddy-cop dynamic, plus the hardships these tragic characters have endured, is what'll make you cheer them on.

And all the world's a stage

With its intimate, dual-character-study-first approach, Wonder Man plays more as a tragicomedy with sitcom elements than a biting commentary on the corporate Hollywood machine.

Sure, Wonder Man's metatextual layers run deep, and it doesn't shy away from the cutthroat nature of the entertainment business. However, it's not a fourth-wall-breaking project in the way She-Hulk: Attorney at Law or the Deadpool films are. Nor does it hold up a taunting mirror to Hollywood in the same way that The Studio does. Laugh-out-loud funny though Wonder Man is, it's not as outrageously chaotic or toe-curlingly hilarious in its takedown of the industry as that Apple TV Original is, or as scathingly satirical of the superhero genre like Prime Video's adaptation of The Boys is.

I don't consider those to be faults that Wonder Man possesses, but Marvel's latest small-screen offering isn't beyond reproach.

For one, its Williams and Slattery-absent Twilight Zone-esque fourth episode provides context for one of Wonder Man's early mysteries, but brings its primary narrative to a grinding halt just as it's really beginning to build momentum. Similarly, while its circumnavigation of Williams' complicated comic book history facilitates an easier MCU introduction for the character, this source material deviation will irritate some Marvel Comics purists.

And then there's the finale, which falls foul of the same problem that's plagued other Marvel TV Originals on one of the world's best streaming services. In its favor, it foregoes the archetypal – not to mention predictable – CGI showdown between hero and villain, which is a welcome departure from the Disney subsidiary's usual TV blueprint.

Nonetheless, just another five to 10 minutes showing how Williams has grown as an individual across its eight-episode run would've helped its pacing and stopped it from racing towards an ending that may be perceived as somewhat anticlimactic.

My verdict

Ultimately, though, those niggles didn't prevent me from having a blast with Wonder Man. Pardon the pun, but it's a wonderfully executed slice of television that's both a celebration of the performing arts and an eye-opening peek behind the curtain of an industry that continues to entertain us to this day.

It might be a bit on the short side, runtime-wise, and its narrative flow is a little uneven, especially in the first half. But, armed with a charismatic leading pair firing on all cylinders, and a story that'll resonate with anyone who's set out to achieve their wildest dreams and did so, Wonder Man deserves a standing ovation for proving nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it – and if you have a little help along the way.

Wonder Man releases in full on Tuesday, January 27 (North and South America) and Wednesday, January 28 (everywhere else). To learn more about the series ahead of launch, read my guide on everything we know about Wonder Man.

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I received the Boox Go 7 months ago for review, along with the Boox Go Color 7 (Gen II), and I’m glad I delayed my testing. A few firmware updates since I tested its color sibling have improved overall performance and I now have the new stylus for it.

That’s right: the Go 7 is more than just a basic ereader, offering stylus support and a native Notes app that’s full featured. You’ll need to purchase the stylus separately, though, but that’s not unprecedented – you’ll need to do the same for the Kobo Libra Colour as well, for example. While the new InkSense Plus is an improvement over the older Boox InkSense pen previously sold, writing on the Go 7 isn’t as nice as I’ve experienced on other ereaders – there’s just not enough friction.

That said, the 7-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display here is the standout feature and there’s nothing more important for an ereader than its screen. Right from the start, it made the Go 7 the better device compared to its sibling – something I said in my Boox Go Color 7 (Gen II) review and I still stand by that statement – putting it on par with the likes of the current-gen Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024). Text is sharp and crisp, while the overall reading experience is enhanced by very snappy performance. Page turns are quick, whether you want to tap to turn or use the buttons.

Speaking of which, access to the Google Play Store gives you a lot more flexibility on how you want to use the ereader – the native apps are great, but if you have personal preferences for specific reading or productivity app, they’re easy to install, with fast load times and smooth third-party functionality.

Another reason I love a Boox device is the impressive file and font support. You can sideload a wide variety of files and fonts, and you don’t even need a wired connection for that – Google Drive and Dropbox support help with cloud transfer that’s quick and easy. Transferring directly from a USB-C external hard drive or portable SSD is also remarkably simple and very fast and, in all honesty, I don’t see the need to tether this device to a PC at all for file transfer.

The Boox interface has also improved but, as I’ve said before in many of my previous reviews, there’s still too much going on and some setting options are still hidden within the native app and accessed from different submenus. Better streamlining is definitely called for, which would be a huge help to first-time Boox users.

Another reason I’m docking marks from the Go 7 is its lack of waterproofing. Given its price tag and that all its main competitors have IPX8 certification, it’s a huge oversight. If you’re careful with it while traveling or reading by the pool, in the bath or near the kitchen sink, this is arguably the best Boox device I’ve tried in a long time.

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: price & availability

• Released in April 2025 in most major markets
• List price: $295.99 / €249.99 / AU$419
• Available to buy directly from the Boox Shop and select retailers

It seems very strange to me that if you’re in the US and you shop directly from the online Boox Shop, the Go 7 costs more than the Go Color 7 (Gen II) – the latter is listed at $279.99, while the former is $295.99 at full price at the time of writing.

On the other hand, the pricing for Europe and Australia makes more sense: €249.99 and AU$419 respectively for the Go 7 compared to €279.99 and AU$459 for the color variant.

No matter where you live, the monochrome Go 7 is a relatively expensive ereader, although it can be argued that its price is justified by the open operating system and 64GB of onboard storage that’s expandable via a microSD card.

Moreover, its features include writing (although the InkSense Plus stylus will need to be purchased separately for $45.99 / €45.99 / AU$69) and built-in stereo speakers (sound isn’t great though). That said, not everyone will need the freedom that the Android operating system provides and the likes of the Kobo Libra Colour is cheaper at $229.99 / £209.99 / AU$379.95.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: Specs

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: design & display

• Crisp and clear 7-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display
• Slim, lightweight and compact body with page-turn buttons
• Features speakers and microSD card tray

The Go Color 7 II and the Go 7 are siblings, meaning they’re identical physically – the only difference being the screen technology they use. In fact, the design has been inherited from the original Go Color 7 and that’s not a bad thing at all.

The Go 7 is slim, lightweight and compact enough to take with you anywhere. And the page-turn buttons are well placed to be just where your thumb would sit when holding the tablet in one hand. Personally, though, I would still prefer the old Kindle Oasis asymmetry (still used in the Kobo Libra Colour) that had a little extra thickness along the larger bezel to make it more ergonomic. The thinness of the Go 7 can make the fingers hurt if you're someone who reads for long hours. Having a case to add some overall thickness helps with this little issue.

I love how the page-turn buttons feel and work – there’s a nice little feedback that makes them satisfying to use. They become volume-adjustment buttons if you’re using an app that doesn’t need scrolling or page turning, which is nice since you can listen to audio files here.

As with the color variants (Gen I and II), the rear is textured, and there’s a small power button on the bottom right corner of the tablet. One slim edge is just thick enough to house a USB-C port for charging, as well as a microSD card tray and speaker grilles. A tiny mic is on the opposite edge.

Boox continues to steer clear of waterproofing for its ereaders, sadly, with the Go 7 also missing out. In my opinion, it’s an unforgivable oversight given its price tag.

The star of the show, however, is the Go 7’s display. As its name suggests, it’s a 7-inch screen using E Ink’s Carta 1300 technology. This display has proved itself time and time again on other ereaders and does so again here where it’s been optimized well.

Text and images are displayed marvelously well and the anti-glare coating on top ensures bright overhead lights don’t distract when you’re reading. The LEDs for the screen are fantastic, far better than the screen light on the Go Color 7 II. The light is brighter and not nearly as yellow as on the color version of this ereader. In fact, I’m amazed at how different the two screens are – the Go 7 is practically perfect while the Go 7 II is fuzzy and too warm.

• Design & display score: 4.5 / 5

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: software & apps

• Runs a slim version of Android 13 with excellent native apps
• Full access to the Google Play Store offers a lot of freedom
• Clean user interface, but some settings are hidden in submenus

An ereader running Android is an excellent choice for anyone who doesn’t want to get locked into either the Kindle or Kobo ecosystems. The freedom to use third-party apps or source content from any platform, can make a huge difference to the user experience.

That said, the native apps have plenty to offer and the average user may not even need to download anything else from the Play Store. The library app called NeoReader, for example, offers plenty of customization options that you don’t need to use MoonReader or KoReader… unless that’s really what you prefer. The same goes for the native Notes application too. There’s also a browser and music player, among other things.

Some of the third-party apps I’ve used on this Boox device are Kindle, Kobo and Evernote, but I’ve used Libby on a different Boox ereader.

The Boox interface has evolved into a much cleaner version of the convoluted UI from years past, but there’s still room for improvement. For example, it’s not at all obvious that there’s some library settings in NeoReader hidden on the top menu bar under More – it’s very easily missed unless you have the patience to explore every single menu option on the device.

The Notes app is also not available on the home screen navigation by default; you need to head into the device’s System Settings to find it and apply it to be visible if you plan to use it often. For me, given the Boox Go 7 has stylus support, the expectation is that the Notes app would be available by default on the home screen.

I saw a major change in how the ebook styling menu in the library app was set up in 2025 and that’s been carried over, which is a good thing. However, the complications still exist: tap in the middle of the screen when an ebook is open to bring up the menu, choose Style and the setup is much cleaner than before, but you need to tap on More Settings to adjust fonts, spacing and margins. These are much easier to access on a Kindle or Kobo.

Long story short: I can see the Boox UI is improving, but there’s really just too much going on still and the average user doesn’t need so many customization options. I don’t think even a power user like me needs so many options on an ereader. Less is more, Boox.

• Software & apps score: 3.5 / 5

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: user experience

• Arguably one of the best reading experiences on an electronic device
• Full featured, but takes some learning to get it set up for individual needs
• Not a great writing experience

Most of us read text-heavy books, so opting for a monochrome ereader makes economical sense as there’s really no point in opting for a color screen if you aren’t going to be viewing anything more than a book cover in color. But the Go 7 makes a much stronger case of being the better ereader compared to the Go Color 7 (Gen II) by offering a much nicer reading experience.

As I’ve already alluded to in this review, the screen on the Go 7 is a standout. Text is sharp and there’s good contrast too, making it one of the best Boox ereader I’ve used. This is further enhanced by the fact that page turns are quick, whether via a tap on the screen or the buttons. That said, individual books take a little longer than the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) to open, but all other library functionality is snappy. Boox really has done an excellent job of optimizing the E Ink Carta 1300 display for this device.

Text selection for highlighting or annotating is also quick, and it’s very precise if you use the InkSense Plus stylus. However, the Boox Go 7 doesn’t support global handwriting, which means you won’t be able to annotate or markup books using NeoReader – and that's despite a feature called FreeMark (which allows you to write on the screen when any app is open but not annotate). The native Calendar (for memos) and Notes apps are the only places where there's default stylus support.

This might seem restrictive, and for a power user like me, that definitely is, but the average user looking for a capable ereader won’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles of a more advanced epaper tablet like the Boox Note Air series.

If you did want to use the Notes app, though, be warned – the writing experience isn’t great. The InkSense Plus glides over the screen with barely any friction and it can be a little disconcerting at first, but you do get used to it. That said, there’s absolutely no lag and stylus input is instantaneous. I’ve used it to write and draw crude designs on the Notes app and didn’t mind it, but I would much prefer to use the Boox Go 7 as an ereader rather than a note-taker.

• User experience score: 4 / 5

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: performance

• Fast and snappy performance
• Occasional ghosting only when reading image-heavy books
• Battery drain is higher compared to the competition

The Go 7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM – the same combo powering the color variant – and performance is generally very good for an E Ink device.

While the NeoReader app isn't the fastest book loader, that's not a fault of the device but he application. However, using third-party apps is smooth, with quick loads and all other functionality within them working well. Where I’ve previously encountered third-party app crashes on older Boox tablets, I had no such issues here.

As with the Go Color 7 II, I found wired file transfer via OTG to be remarkably quick and, for the first time while testing a Boox tablet, I didn’t even bother using Google Drive or BooxDrop to access my ebooks. I only signed into my Google account to access the Play Store.

Thanks to the Carta 1300 screen, the Go 7 doesn’t suffer as much from ghosting as the color version. In fact, I had no ghosting while reading text-only books, but there was the occasional overlay when reading graphic novels, which is common when reading image-heavy titles on epaper displays.

Battery life, however, is disappointing. The expectation from an ereader boasting a 2,300mAh capacity pack would last a few weeks, but in real-world use Android devices like the Go 7 don’t offer as much use on a single charge like a Kindle or Kobo.

If you have Wi-Fi switched on at all times, you’ll get about a week of use when reading about two hours a day and the screen brightness set at medium levels. You’ll eke out more with Wi-Fi (and Bluetooth) turned off and the light dim.

Start doing more than just read and you will see the battery drain even faster. The browser and music player are power hungry, and the more you jot notes, the quicker the Go 7 will run out of juice. Battery drain even in sleep mode is quite significant – something I’ve seen in nearly every Boox I’ve tested to date.

While there’s no quick charging here, you don’t need to wait too long for the battery to top up. On average, the Go 7 took about two hours to go from 9% or 10% to full over the several months I used it when plugged into a USB-C port of a 65W wall charger. It will be slower if you use a dock connected to your PC or a USB-A to C cable, but this is quite standard for most ereaders.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Go 7?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Onyx Boox Go 7 review: Alternatives

If you're not sure whether the Boox Go 7 is worth picking up, I've listed a few alternatives below, with the Kobo Libra Colour, despite its color screen, being its closest rival from a design perspective. There are other standard ereaders as well and I've listed their specs in the table below to help you compare them all.

How I tested the Onyx Boox Go 7

I might have had the Boox Go 7 for months, but I've used it on and off for maybe just two of those before writing this review. That's because I got distracted by other Boox devices...

I digress, though. For this review, I tried various ways to upload files, including signing into Google Drive. I moved one font folder over, but used the OTG support to import the ebooks I wanted on the device for my testing. I used the same method to transfer a couple of music files to test the built-in speaker as well.

I was sent the new InkSense Plus stylus towards the end of December and I was pleasantly surprised to see that setup was remarkably simple as long as the pen was charged.

From the Play Store, I downloaded the Kindle and Kobo apps to access my existing libraries and to test how third-party apps function. I also used Evernote and Libby on this device, plus downloaded CPU X to confirm what hardware was powering this device.

I used the stylus to both write and draw, but spent most of my testing hours reading. I did use the browser briefly.

I've been testing ereaders for nearly a decade now for TechRadar and built up a strong knowledge base to help me able to objectively compare different models from different brands – and the Go 7 definitely stands out.

Read more about how we test

[First published January 2026]

Granted, Spaceship offers a slightly more futuristic site design and interesting product names (e.g., Starlight, Hyperlift). However, even this is subjective, since one man's meat can be another's poison. Additionally, the superficial design differences don't affect the performance of the core products themselves.

In some instances, the product offerings are also identical in many ways. For example, the cloud WordPress hosting offered by Spaceship is EasyWP, which is another product that Namecheap has tried to spin off as a standalone offering.

• Want to try Spaceship? Check out the website here

What types of hosting does Spaceship offer? 

Spaceship offers an extensive product range that includes domain name services, web hosting, and associated services like a CDN, VPN, and domain name-based communication services. And because it's stripped out some essential services from hosting, these can also be considered other services, such as email hosting and auto backups.

Spaceship shared hosting

Spaceship's shared hosting plans start at $1.21/mo and top off at $2.87/mo on two-year cycles. They all begin with a 30-day free trial before any charges are due. The lowest-tier (Essential plan) comes with 20GB NVMe storage, free SSL, SiteJet AI website builder, and security services from Imunify360.

As you move up the plan tiers, storage space increases, and you also get the inclusion of AI tools that can help you write content for your site.

The kicker is that email services are free for only 30 days or one year, depending on the email plan you choose during sign-up. You'll also have to decide if you want auto-backups, which start at $11.76 for 5GB on the two-year plan. Added together, that initially low hosting price doesn't feel so low anymore.

Spaceship Cloud WordPress hosting

With WordPress sites driving much of the internet today, it's unsurprising that Spaceship also offers cloud-based WordPress hosting. These plans include the same 30-day free trial option as Spaceship's shared hosting plans. Thereafter, prices range from $28.88/year to $48.88/year, depending on which plan you choose.

Likewise, email services on these plans are free for a year, after which you'll have to pay separately for them, outside your hosting fees. At least you get HackGuardian for free, along with MalwareGuardian Autoclean protection on the two higher-tier WordPress plans.

Spaceship VPS hosting and App hosting

Spaceship offers a range of Virtual Private Server (VPS) plans called Starlight Virtual Machines. These come in three flavors: standard, CPU-optimized, and memory-optimized. The prices are also similar to Spaceship's cloud plans and are available on a monthly, quarterly, yearly, or pay-as-you-go basis.

For example, the standard VPS offers 1 CPU core, 2GB of RAM, 25GB of NVMe storage, and 1 TB of bandwidth. This is priced at either $4.90/mo, $13.88/3 months, $42.44/yr, or $0.007/hr.

You can also add on block storage of between 50GB and 500GB to these plans, of course, for an additional fee. Block storage plans cost between $30.44/year and $302.44/year, and you can attach up to 3 blocks to each virtual machine.

App hosting comes in the form of Starlight Hyperlift plans, which are essentially micro VMs. These allow you to connect to GitHub, then pull and build your code for deployment. It's a convenient and super-cheap way of deploying apps quickly. Hyperlift plans cost between $30.88/year and $453.88/year.

Can I build a web store with Spaceship?

Since Spaceship comes with the SiteJet AI website builder and supports WordPress, you can technically build an online store. That means you either create one from scratch or run WooCommerce.

There are no ecommerce specific features at Spaceship, so you'll have to find all your ecommerce needs elsewhere, such as payment gateways, specialized plugins, and so on. However, most of what you'll need is available with the Softaculous app installer (free at Spaceship).

If you want a dedicated ecommerce or online store, consider a service dedicated to this, such as Shopify or Squarespace. Or if you're planning to build for extreme traffic, a more scalable option like Cloudways or ScalaHosting.

How fast is Namecheap?

To measure Spaceships' performance, we uploaded our standard WordPress test site. This site sports a relatively simple design with online store functionality and a handful of products.

We then run two key tests: One to assess how well the hosting server handles WordPress in general, and the other to see whether it can withstand increasing user traffic over set periods.

It's interesting (and yet unsurprising) to see that Spaceship shared hosting servers offer nearly identical performance characteristics to Namecheap servers. In core WordPress performance areas, Spaceship servers held up well under scrutiny, with results slightly above average.

The siege load testing tool we use is the more critical of the two since it best reflects how well a site hosted on Spaceship will perform in real-world scenarios. Unsurprisingly, performance here was also similar to Namecheap, with Spaceship successfully processing all transactions even at 15 concurrent users.

Even better, the longest transaction times were consistent, meaning your website users won't have to deal with overly long wait times, even when many users are on your website. While it may sound like something all web hosts should be capable of, this delicate load-balancing act isn't always present among hosting brands.

How easy is Spaceship to use?

Right on its About Us page, Spaceship states that its "primary mission is to redefine speed and simplicity." This is about half right since we've already seen that Spaceship offers above-par performance. However, the usability factor is a separate ballgame altogether here.

After you've signed up for a Spaceship plan, the site attempts to take you through what it calls an "unboxing process," which initially worked well for us. However, after completing the final step, we were unceremoniously booted to the website's main page with no explanation. After that, we were on our own and had to follow the standard experimentation process. Not an altogether smooth transition.

The user dashboard at Spaceship is also a little hard to use, especially for those new to web hosting. Sure, it looks cool (subjective), but it doesn't offer much of a different experience from cPanel. You'll still have to plod through the options one by one and figure them out on your own.

The bigger problem is that our default WordPress installation didn't work. This ended up in a chat with support, which took around 30 minutes to resolve. The strange thing was that the issue was caused by a misconfiguration in the .htaccess file, which the system itself created. Not an entirely great experience nor first impression if you're a new Spaceship user.

What is Spaceship's support like?

Spaceship offers 24/7 support via a knowledge base, live chat, and email (there's no telephone support).

The web knowledgebase is a modest collection of how-to articles organized into several categories. Sometimes, even the categories don't make much sense. For example, although Spaceship offers the SiteJet AI website builder, there is a knowledge base category that covers the Alf website builder instead. At the same time, Alf is what Spaceship calls its automated support chatbot, so you can understand our confusion.

Aside from the knowledge base, you can also choose to chat with their AI agent (and get transferred to a human) or email them for support. The process of getting in touch with them is smooth. We tried the process, and it took us just a few seconds to connect to a real support agent.

Final verdict

Spaceshop hosting plans start at pretty unbelievable prices, but you'll quickly realize that if you need all the regular features a hosting plan comes with, those low prices will soon balloon. At the same time, stripping them out offers a good deal if you don't want email or backups with your plan.

While their server performance is decent, we're concerned about the failure of their automated WordPress installation system. For new users, this can be a breaking point and lead to a disastrous first impression.

Spaceship web hosting FAQs

The Amazfit Helio Strap is a good lower-cost alternative to a Whoop band or even some of the best fitness trackers like Fitbit, as long as you enter with the right expectations. The hardware itself is substantially cheaper, and no subscription is required for day-to-day use of a Helio Strap.

In return, you get all-day health and fitness tracking, with more of a focus on active forms of exercise than some lifestyle wearables. Amazfit doesn’t provide quite as explicit training readiness insights as a Whoop band, but with stats that focus on your training load and overall condition, it doesn’t take a degree in sports science to join the dots for yourself and get most of the benefits.

This is a less upmarket band than some of the competition. Its central part is plastic, with no metal parts, but this is a win for comfort as it further lowers weight.

Amazfit Helio Strap: Specifications

Amazfit Helio Strap: Price and availability

• It costs $99.99 / £99.00 / $179.00AU
• Less than the Polar Loop
• Much less than the ongoing Whoop subscription

Despite having less tech inside than a more traditional fitness tracking wearable, the pricing of these screenless wearables (other than the Whoop MG) is less aggressive than some other categories. It’s because they’re a lifestyle buy as much as anything

The Amazfit Helio Strap is one of the better-priced options, though. It costs $99.99 / £99.00 / $179.00AU, far less than a Whoop band or the Polar Loop.

There’s no need for an ongoing subscription here either, although one is of course offered. It’s called Aura (not to be confused with Oura). This adds an AI-based wellness advisor and lots of audio-based relaxation content, costing $69.99 (around £52 / AU$100) a year, although during testing we were offered a year’s worth for £19.99. There’s a 14-day free trial too.

• Value score: 4/5

Amazfit Helio Strap: Design

• Screen-free
• Does not feel premium, no metal
• Extremely light – set and forget

The Amazfit Helio Strap is a screen-free wearable, and an exceptionally light one. It weighs just 20g, strap included. You can thank the relatively low-frills style of the central unit for this, which is just a puck of plastic. All you see when wearing the Hello Strap is the fabric of the strap itself, which hooks up to the tracker’s block using traditional watch fastenings. Amazfit also offers an arm strap, should you prefer to wear it off the wrist.

I have at times had to check whether the watch was actually still attached, which is just not something that happens with the GPS running watches I tend to wear daily. There is one important caveat to note on the design, though; the Amazfit Helio Strap is not as slimline as you might guess. It sticks out a way from your wrist and its sides don’t fully hug its surface either. In person it’s thicker than the Coros Pace 4 watch I was using at the same time, which is at odds with the vibe most of these screenless wearables try to give out.

That said, Amazfit doesn’t sell the Helio Strap as a casual step and sleep tracker. It apparently has the keener exerciser in mind, as you can see from the Hyrox-themed strap attached here. Hyrox and Amazfit have entered a partnership (Amazfit is now the official timekeeper for the event), but the standard version of the strap is plain two-tone dark grey.

This watch isn’t a friend to those tight-fit long-sleeved base layers that hug the wrist, but actually wearing the Hello Strap has been an entirely discomfort-free experience. Of course, you will still need to make the strap reasonably tight for the most accurate heart rate results so the little sensor mount on the back will leave an imprint in your wrist. It comes with the territory.

Amazfit rates the watch’s water resistance at 5ATM, so you won’t have to take it off too often. The official guidance is the Helio Strap is “suitable for splashes, snow, showering, swimming” but shouldn’t be worn in the sauna or for a “hot shower” as the steam can damage the internal seals.

• Design score: 4/5

Amazfit Helio Strap: Features

• Relatively slight on features
• Transmit HR data to gym machines and fitness watches
• Set up to 10 haptic alarms

Wearables like the Amazfit Hello Strap are not out to wow us with their expansive feature lists (after all, they’re designed not to be interacted with) but it does do more than you might guess.

It has a temperature sensor, for example, used to check for variations from the norm overnight. Such a change could be an indicator of illness. You can set up to 10 alarms too, which use the Helio Strap’s vibration motor to alert you. It’s not a massively powerful buzz, though, so you might not want to rely on it to wake you up for work each day.

A little unusual for a screenless wearable, Amazfit also stresses its active fitness tracking skills. You can manually start a specific tracked exercise in the app on your phone, and the Helio Strap can also be set to automatically detect workouts and log them as such. When you start a tracked session in the app, the Helio Strap can transmit live heart rate data to another device. Some more advanced gym machines support this, as do cycling computers and some fitness watches. It uses Bluetooth for this, not ANT+, which was the classic technology of heart rate chest straps.

What else is there to note? The Hello Strap uses a tiny little charge puck that connects to a pair of metal contacts on the back. Easy to lose, but also easy to transport in a pocket.

• Features score: 4/5

Amazfit Helio Strap: Performance

• Battery life as described
• Solid heart rate accuracy
• Plenty of metrics provided in-app

Low upkeep is one of the best parts of the Amazfit Hello Strap. Despite weighing next-to-nothing, Amazfit still says it delivers “up to 10 days” of battery life. And that is entirely consistent with our experience. After using it for a week, the Helio Strap had 35% charge left. While two-week battery watches with screens are common enough, they weigh a lot more than the Helio Strap.

A lot of this wearable’s metrics rely on heart rate data. The Hello Strap’s is mostly solid with some small issues that may not dull its appeal too much, especially at this price point. Throughout the day, passive tracking is decent and there are no wild spikes as you walk around your home or office. This can happen when a tracker takes any sign of walking as a suggestion your HR is likely rising fast.

You don’t manually start tracked activities on the watch, but when comparing the results of long runs on the Helio Strap with those of a chest strap, though, the Amazfit Hello Strap occasionally overestimates heart rate by around 10bpm. Not a hugely meaningful difference to most, and certainly good enough for an indication of heart rate zones, but still not quite as accurate as the best Apple Watches. Amazfit does talk about the Helio Strap as a wearable to pair with another fitness watch, to fill in stat gaps throughout the day and night, and during other workouts the results were (relatively) bang-on accurate. But there’s definitely scope for tracking accuracy to improve in a firmware update.

As for tracking steps, the Amazon Helio Strap recorded slightly lower counts over a five day period, apart from one day when they were almost identical just 3000 steps apart. Over the five day period the Helio Strap recorded 94% of the steps of the Garmin Forerunner 970. It’s also worth noting the Garmin was worn on my dominant arm (the Helio Strap was not) so that could have a part to play here.

Sleep tracking performance is solid. A couple of nights during testing I wore the Amazfit Helio Strap alongside three other wearables to see how great the disparities would be: the Garmin Forerunner 970, Polar Loop and Coros Pace 4. All four of these watches failed to pick up on any of the moment you briefly wake up and wonder why the alarm clock reads 4:55am. But those times you actually have to get up to go to the toilet? It picks them up. The Amazfit Helio Strap also did consistently note a change in sleep state and heart rate during those missed moments of wakefulness, though – the next best thing.

It’s also important not to underrate the quality of the Amazfit Helio Strap app. It’s Zepp, shared with other Amazfit wearables. And its layout is kinda great for the purposes of a wearable like this. On the front page you get a handy summary of stats you likely want to see daily, with a traffic light system too show which (if any) are a bit dodgy. These include resting heart rate, sleep duration, Skin temperature, exertion load and more.

This layout returns in a separate Sleep tab, where we get stats like heart rate variability, Deep Sleep duration and skin temperature, again with the traffic light system.

Amazfit also goes big on a concept called BioCharge, which is an estimation of your overall energy level. The one missing next step is what you get with Whoop, where such data – and other bits – are used to more explicitly tell you whether you should work out on a specific day or not. And the paid-for Aura subscription is more about wellness and relaxation that that kind of athlete-focused experience.

• Performance score: 4/5

Amazfit Helio Strap: Scorecard

Amazfit Helio Strap: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

First reviewed: January 2026

Since Intel stopped its NUC platform, and by its definition guidance, we’ve seen a significant number of mini PC designs that have stepped outside the norms of shape and size in mini systems.

GTBox makes a mix of conventional designs and more out-there options, and the T1 is distinctively different. This NUC-sized motherboard is vertically mounted in a cylindrical speaker case measuring 115mm in diameter and 165mm high.

Because of that ergonomic choice, there is no front or back, only a single I/O section where all the ports and the power button are located. That’s a bit of a crunch, and due to this, there is only one USB4 and LAN port, but there are HDMI and DisplayPort video outs.

Inside the cylindrical speaker case is a punchy AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS processor, Zen 4 architecture from the 2023 Hawk Point series. In this context, it's combined with 32GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD.

This makes the T1 a powerful small system eclipsed only by Ryzen AI platforms, and the pre-release pricing is extremely competitive.

However, the downside to this design is that there is no access to the memory or storage, and you are specifically told that opening up the T1 to do this is ‘irreversible’.

If you are happy with those limitations, then the T1 might be a good choice, but the lack of flexibility precludes it from being one of the best mini PCs I've tested. Maybe with the T2, or whatever, GTBox can work out a way to put the mainboard on sliding rails to make memory and storage upgrades (or replacements) possible.

GTBox T1: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $700
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Direct from GTBox

At the time of review, there is only a single SKU of the GTBox T1 available from the official GTBox site.

That model comes with 32GB of DDR5 and 1TB of storage. The cost is $699.99 for US customers with shipping included. GTBox doesn’t quote specific prices in other currencies, but they will ship to the UK, EU and Switzerland.

One oddity I noticed is that before you add this system to the cart, it tells you that “Free standard shipping on orders over $99” and “Free shipping and tax included in Europe and the United States.”

When you add it, it says that if you spend another $100, you can get free shipping.

I hope that’s a mistake. In both the UK and the EU, there are rules about real price discounts, where you can’t say you’ve made a reduction if you never sold it at the pre-discount price. GTBox has this machine reduced from $799.99 to $699.99, and I suspect it had that from the start.

Looking at competitor systems using the same platform, the candidates include the Bosgame M4 and the Acemagic W1.

The Boxgame M4 has had some hardware changes since I reviewed it, but you can still find the original M4, which uses the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS and costs $559 for the 32GB+1TB SKU, via Amazon.com.

And, the Acemagic W1 is $549, but there is no stock of the memory and storage options. However, Acemagic will sell you the barebones model for only $280.

All of these systems, when in stock, are cheaper than the GTBox T1, and all of them also have the ability to be internally upgraded with extra RAM and storage.

On that basis, the T1 doesn’t look like an especially hot deal.

• Value: 3 / 5

GTBox T1: Specs

GTBox T1: Design

• Speakerific
• Limited ports
• Zero internal access

There is something about the mesh covering that speakers use that is lovely to touch, with a distinctly fabric feel. As this system is a computer-in-a-speaker, with a slate blue colour scheme, it looks great perched on the edge of a desk.

That’s where this system was designed to sit, since it doesn’t have any VESA mounting options, and you wouldn’t be able to hear the sounds it generates if it were out of sight.

On top is a circular depression with an LED light that can be set to pulse through various RGB colours via the BIOS. That there isn’t a software component to set this is disappointing, as repeatedly going into the BIOS to make changes seems excessively complicated.

But where this system entirely leaves behind the current world of mini PCs is that it only has one place where ports are accessible, and there is no access whatsoever to the internal system.

All the ports are on a single I/O shield, and that includes five USB ports, one USB4, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 and one USB 2.0. There are both HDMI and DisplayPort, and if you use the USB4 port for video, it allows triple displays to be operated from this one computer.

There is also a 3.5mm audio jack, a single 2.5GbE LAN port, the power inlet and a power button. But there is no security slot to stop anyone from walking off with the T1.

With things so tight in this area, maybe the top might have been utilised for a second USB4 port, but that wasn’t something the designers embraced.

Having more ports is always better, but what really confronts the reality of this system is the lack of internal access. With no approved way in, should you want more memory (if it's even socketed) or to replace the storage, there are no options. That limitation is problematic for a business customer as it reduces the flexibility of this design considerably.

What you do get is a system with an inherently fairly loud speaker, but you can’t really use this for conferencing, since there is no corresponding microphone.

• Design: 2.5 / 5

GTBox T1: Hardware

• AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS
• One USB4 port
• Unused PCIe lanes

Many mini PC builders are turning to AMD, largely due to the affordability of its components and the generous number of PCIe lanes, which allow for an array of high-speed ports. The Ryzen 7 8745HS is a Hawk Point processor that, to my knowledge, was originally released in June of 2023.

This chip boasts eight cores with hyperthreading, enabling it to handle sixteen concurrent threads. It offers a slightly improved power profile over the Ryzen 7 8745H, resulting in modestly higher clock speeds.

While there are several advantages to this processor, but also one notable drawback. That caveat is the age of the 780M GPU, which has now been superseded by the 890M and also the new 8060S integrated GPUs. It’s not Intel UHD Graphics bad, but there are faster options that aren’t discrete video cards.

On the upside, it utilises Zen4 architecture, matching the performance of the previous generation's 7745HX. Additionally, it supports DDR4, DDR5, and the latest LPDDR5x memory standards. Its most significant advantage for mini PC applications lies in the twenty PCIe 4.0 lanes provided by AMD, which facilitate multiple ports and significant expansion capabilities.

The capacity of these lanes has enabled the implementation of USB 4 and Oculink on some systems, but here there is only one USB4 port and no Oculink. However, the M.2 SSD slot does at least get PCIe 4.0 lanes, even if you can’t get inside to use an SSD of this spec in that slot.

With only one USB4 port, no Oculink and a single M.2 Gen 4 slot, this machine has PCIe lanes that sit entirely idle and contribute nothing to the overall experience.

Therefore, this system is something of a contradiction, as it has a decent processor and DDR5 memory technology with dual modules, providing ample bandwidth and enhancing GPU performance.

But, there are also at least eight PCIe lanes doing nothing, no way to exploit the PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, and no expansion path other than using a single USB4 external drive or the LAN.

• Features: 3.5 / 5

GTBox T1: Performance

As a counterpoint to the T1, I chose the excellent Bosgame M4. But if you go to the Bosgame website now and select the M4, it shows as discontinued for the M4 Neo and the M4 Plus. However, it is still possible to get the original M4 from other outlets.

The reason I went with the M4 was that it uses the same CPU, GPU, and memory as the T1, giving some indication of whether the T1 is a good version of this platform.

And, looking at the first part of this benchmark collection, all the signs are good, as it edges the M4 in the GPU tests and matches it in most of the processing metrics.

But where it all goes slightly awry is when we get to the CrystalDisk benchmark and discover that the best performance the GTP3000-1TB can achieve is below the 4,000Mb/s threshold that PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe drives can almost reach.

This is a guess, since I can’t identify the maker and spec of the GTP3000-1TB, but given the number, I’m inclined to believe that this is a Gen 3 drive, which, as this system has a Gen 4 slot, is a depressing conclusion. If it is a Gen 4 drive, then it's one of the slowest I’ve ever seen. What makes this even worse is that because you can’t get inside the T1, this drive can’t be replaced with something quicker or larger.

The phrase grasping defeat from the jaws of victory seems suitable for the T1, since it had all the pieces it needed to be a winner, and then blew it with an apparent cost-cutting exercise.

Overall, aside from the storage, this machine performs well and is perfect for a power user, or rather one who doesn’t need more than 32GB of RAM or 1TB of quick storage.

• Performance: 4 / 5

GTBox T1: Final verdict

There are two elephants in the GTBox T1 room, and the first of those is a design where you explicitly can’t get inside the system to do any form of upgrades. There are plenty of appliances where that sort of limitation is considered normal, but the PC isn’t one of them.

And, given the upgrade paths that other mini PCs provide, that’s a significant problem.

I’d had less of an issue with this if GTBox had at least made some sort of effort to make the M.2 slot accessible, but the owner is told not to open the T1 under any circumstances.

The other elephantine problem is the asking price, which seems about $150 more than it should be with this specification. It may be that, with this unique speaker styling, GTBox assumed a price premium was in order, but nothing about this design justifies it.

With memory and storage going up in price, the cost of the T1 might suddenly become something of a bargain, but based on other machines using the same platform, it's way too high, and there are Ryzen AI systems that aren’t much more than this cost.

But, if we put our purchasing blinkers on and ignore the lack of flexibility and the price, this is a decent mini PC with a great hardware platform (ignoring the SSD) that delivers a good user experience.

However, business IT buyers don’t tend to wear those blinkers much these days, and they’d reject this due to the cost and the lack of internal access.

Should I buy a GTBox T1?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

The ‘big three’ telcos of TPG, Optus and Telstra all offer 5G home internet plans, with a smattering of subsidiaries also offering services using the networks of the aforementioned trio.

Vodafone is one such subsidiary of TPG that has a selection of 5G home internet plans cheaper than its NBN equivalents. There are some caveats, such as the fact that Vodafone’s 5G plans max out at 100Mbps – compared to up to gigabit plans via the fixed-line NBN – but as I found out during my three-week review period of the top-tier plan, there is potentially sensational value to be had.

What’s more, all Vodafone 5G home internet plans come supplied with a Wi-Fi 7 modem and a separate mesh node to help provide network coverage throughout your home. While some other 5G home internet providers also supply a Wi-Fi 7 modem, the fact that Vodafone includes a mesh node represents great value.

The service isn’t without its faults, with the main one being that you’re capped to a maximum download speed of 100Mbps. While I was able to achieve faster speeds than this, and Vodafone says it is theoretically possible for other customers, it’s in no way a guarantee. If you want a 5G service that rivals even the fastest NBN plans, then I would encourage you to check out services from either Spintel or Optus.

If you do sign up for Vodafone 5G internet and find the service doesn’t live up to expectations, then as long as you return the modem, you’ll only need to pay for one month of service. In the case of the Premium plan on review here, that’s AU$60 if you’re not a Vodafone mobile customer, and AU$55 if you are.

If you’ve been considering switching to a 5G home internet plan, then read on to find out my experience using the 100Mbps Vodafone 5G plan at home.

Vodafone 5G home internet: plans and pricing

• Three plans
• Up to 100Mbps
• Extra savings for Vodafone mobile customers

Vodafone offers three 5G home internet plans. They are:

• 5G Home Internet Basic (18Mbps TES) | AU$50p/m (first 6m, then AU$60p/m)
• 5G Home Internet Plus (50Mbps TES) | AU$55p/m (first 6m, then AU$65p/m)
• 5G Home Internet Premium (100Mbps TES) | AU$60p/m (first 6m, then AU$70p/m)

If you’re a Vodafone mobile customer, you can save an extra AU$5 off the introductory cost for the first 6 months of your service.

In either instance, Vodafone’s 5G home internet plans are cheaper than the NBN equivalent. A Vodafone NBN 100 plan, for example, costs AU$74p/m for the first 6 months, then AU$94p/m ongoing for non-mobile Vodafone customers.

All Vodafone 5G home internet plans ship with a Wi-Fi 7 modem and mesh node. Both of these are free if you remain connected to a plan for 36 months. If you cancel your service before the 36-month period ends, you’ll need to return the modem and node to Vodafone within 30 days. If you don’t, you’ll be asked to pay a non-return fee, which is calculated at AU$11 per month for any time remaining within the 36 months.

As you can see from the plan details above, all Vodafone 5G home internet plans have their speed capped, up to a maximum of 100Mbps. Considering some other 5G home broadband providers, such as Optus and Spintel, offer an uncapped speed tier – which has the potential to provide near-gigabit speeds depending on environmental factors and distance from the nearest tower – it can make Vodafone’s option less appealing.

It’s also worth noting that TPG also offers 5G home internet that uses the Vodafone 5G network, yet charges considerably less for comparable plans. Taking the 100Mbps plan on review here as an example, TPG charges AU$44.99p/m for the first 6 months, before increasing to a regular ongoing cost of AU$64.99p/m. Vodafone’s equivalent is AU$10 more each month.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Availability

As is the case with any provider of 5G home internet services, the main obstacle to connection is availability. Just because an area has 5G mobile coverage doesn’t always mean it will have 5G home internet coverage. This is because internet service providers (ISPs) need to limit the number of active connections in an area to help avoid congestion.

To check if your home address can connect to the Vodafone 5G home broadband network, you can enter your address on Vodafone’s website.

I tested the Vodafone 5G modem at three different locations in Sydney, with an apartment in Alexandria being the authorised home address. I also tested at an apartment in Homebush and the TechRadar office in Sydney CBD, as both were eligible to connect to the 5G home internet network. As I’ll explain in the performance section, however, each location experienced vastly different speeds.

Vodafone 5G home internet: modem design and setup

All Vodafone 5G home internet plans are supplied with Vodafone’s new Super Wi-Fi modem and mesh node with Wi-Fi 7 support. Neither are the most visually appealing units, adopting a simple black box design, but I do like how the node is small, almost like a book, that can be easily tucked out of the way. There’s no screen to indicate signal strength, as you’ll find on the Optus 5G modem that’s supplied with Optus and Spintel 5G home internet plans.

The main 5G modem measures 215.9 x 125 x 125 mm (HWD), while the mesh node measures 170 x 60 x 140.4 mm (HWD). The main unit has 1 x 2.5Gbps WAN port and 2 x 1Gbps LAN ports, and the mesh gets 2 x 1Gbps LAN ports.

Setting up both the main 5G modem and the mesh node was incredibly simple. Once you’ve installed the SIM card in the base of the modem, plugged it into power and turned it on, it will begin to search for a signal. You’ll then need to install the My Internet Connection app on your phone to access modem settings and add the mesh node.

The login details for the router are found on a label on its underside, and while it is great for security purposes, I would recommend changing the login password to something secure after setting it up. The supplied password is long and made up of various characters and numbers. There is a check box to remember the password, but I found that when logging in after a few days of inactivity, the password hadn’t been remembered. You can’t store the password in your phone’s password manager either, so you’ll need to type the whole thing out again to access the app.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: performance

Download speeds

After testing the modem and mesh over the period of a few weeks, my speed test data was surprising to say the least. This is because, despite the Vodafone plan being capped at 100Mbps, I regularly achieved over 200Mbps download speeds at the Alexandria address that the service was set up for.

In fact, from 14 tests, I only recorded a speed below 100Mbps on one occasion, where I got a measurement of 80.10Mbps. Admittedly, this result was taken at 6.39pm, so encroaching on the busier evening hours of 7pm to 11pm. Two tests were above 100Mbps but below 200Mbps – 154Mbps and 189Mbps at 8:35 am and 11:23 am, respectively, so far removed from the typically busier hours. A further test at 10.39 pm returned a speed result of 156Mbps – and all others were above 200Mbps. The average speed I achieved was 201.74 Mbps.

I mentioned that I was experiencing well above the expected plan speeds to our Vodafone representative. They said, “It’s not unusual for customers on our 5G Home Internet plans to experience speeds above the advertised minimum, especially when conditions are ideal.”

“Factors like being close to a 5G tower, strong network capacity and good modem placement all contribute to faster performance. While speeds over 100Mbps aren’t guaranteed, they are possible in some cases and the speeds you're enjoying are within the range of what customers may achieve under optimal conditions.”

Indeed, the speeds I recorded at our office location in the Sydney CBD were much, much slower at around 10Mbps, while at the Homebush location, we recorded an average download speed of 118.15Mbps.

Upload speeds

Upload speeds also fared well, particularly at the Alexandria address. The maximum possible upload speed of the Home Internet Premium plan is 20Mbps (it’s the same for the 50Mbps Home Internet Plus plan, and only 2Mbps for the 20Mbps Home Internet Basic plan). I achieved an average upload speed of 18.08Mbps from my tests, and managed to break the 20Mbps barrier on five occasions.

As was the case for download speeds at the Sydney CBD address, upload speeds weren’t that great, hovering around 10Mbps. In Homebush, things actually got worse, with an average upload speed of just 7.70Mbps.

Upload speeds are important for anyone who intends to live stream content or upload large files, and so if this is you, you may find that the Vodafone 5G home internet service won’t be able to service your needs. I was able to carry out a video call with the TechRadar team largely without issue. I did experience some buffering, but not to the point where I had to switch back over to my regular home internet connection, which has upload speeds of up to 100Mbps.

Connection

I was very impressed with the connection I experienced to the Vodafone 5G modem and the mesh node. I had the modem setup in my main living space and the mesh node at the other end of my apartment in my bedroom. When I walked into my bedroom, my phone seamlessly switched over to the mesh node, and it continued to deliver similar speeds to those experienced when connected to the main modem.

You can easily see which devices are connected to which access point within the My Internet Connection app.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Gaming

Accessing web pages, social media, and streaming video content shouldn’t pose much of an issue to the Vodafone Home Premium 5G internet plan, but what about gaming? Avid gamers rely on fast connection times to game servers and, because of the inherent nature of wireless internet connections, they can suffer from a greater amount of interference.

I’m not a gamer myself, so to test the Vodafone 5G service’s gaming credentials, I pointed my web browser at Game Server Ping to conduct a ping test, and compared the results achieved via the 5G connection against my regular Gigacomm home internet connection.

Here’s how Vodafone’s 5G internet ping rates compared to my fixed-line connection. All tests were carried out on a laptop connected to each modem via an Ethernet cable.

I handed over the main 5G modem to my gamer colleague who lives at the Homebush address, and while they could connect and play games, they added that it was “very laggy and cuts out frequently, particularly when experiencing higher ping speeds”.

Based on this statement and the ping speeds, the Vodafone 5G home internet service isn’t likely going to be a good option for hardcore gamers.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Extra Features

With the exception of Optus, which includes a standard Netflix subscription with its top-tier uncapped 5G home internet plan, you won’t find any extra perks bundled in with a home broadband plan.

Vodafone mobile customers stand to benefit the most from a 5G home internet service with the telco, as they can save AU$5 per month ongoing as long as the mobile service remains active.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Cancellation and hidden fees

As per Vodafone’s terms and conditions, you are free to cancel your service at any time, but there are some stipulations. Firstly, you’re required to pay a minimum of one month of the service and the monthly fee is charged “until the end of the month in which you notify that you wish to cancel”.

As long as you return the modem and mesh to Vodafone within 30 days of cancellation, you won’t have to pay for it. If you return it after 30 days, or if you don’t return it at all, you’ll be charged a device payment calculated at AU$11 per unused month in a 36-month period. The maximum cost of the modem if it’s not returned is AU$396. If you remain connected for 36 months, the modem is free.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Reputation

• Few customer reviews for 5G home internet
• NBN customers leave negative reviews

It's tricky to find many reviews from customers for Vodafone's 5G home internet service. However, of the accounts I can find, via Reddit and Whirlpool, the general consensus is positive, with people claiming they get good 5G signal and decent speeds.

As for Vodafone as an internet provider on the whole, however, things are much less positive. The telco's NBN service receives generally negative reviews on sites such as Product Review, with a 2.1-star rating out of 5, from 544 reviews at the time of publishing.

Given the fact you're able to return the 5G modem to Vodafone within 30 days of cancelling a service to avoid paying the modem device fee, I would still recommend signing up to Vodafone 5G home internet, as you can effectively trial it for a month and only pay AU$60 for the 100Mbps plan.

Vodafone 5G Home Internet: Verdict

Based on my experience using the Vodafone 5G home internet plan, I can recommend it for anyone considering signing up for the non-NBN alternative. I would, of course, recommend you check your area for network coverage before signing up.

Plan pricing is competitive, especially if you are able to achieve download speeds faster than those advertised. This isn't a guarantee of course, but a nice bonus.

I also appreciate the fact that Vodafone will waive the modem device fee if you return it within 30 days of cancelling your service. Considering some other providers, such as Optus, don't offer the same benefit, it makes Vodafone's service the more attractive option.

Agreed? Great, because Chris Pratt's new AI sci-fi thriller Mercy is the latest victim of this heinous crime. With a 101 minute runtime, Pratt spends 90 of those sitting in the same chair, wrongly accused of a murder he didn't commit. Instead of being given a defense lawyer like a normal society would, he has to face off against an AI-generated judge in a 'mercy' courtroom (who conveniently looks exactly like Rebecca Ferguson).

If he can't prove his innocence past a certain percentage, he'll be fried on the spot. Override the algorithm sufficiently, and he'll walk free. Cue an entire movie of sifting through ring cam footage, facetiming witnesses and finding crucial evidence on his daughter's private Finsta account.

After about 15 minutes of this, the gimmick wears off pretty quickly. Pratt himself is clearly loving it (possibly due to the ease of his character also being called Chris) but unsurprisingly, this doesn't translate offscreen. Mercy is mundane in its own unique way, but there are few surprises – it'll hit you over the head with its ambivalent AI messaging.

Mercy refuses to call AI a hero or a villain, and that's a missed opportunity

"Maybe humans and AI both make mistakes" is a line of dialogue in Mercy that I've only slightly paraphrased, and it sums up the movie's moral vagueness in one nifty sentence. Sure, we've just spent an hour and 40 minutes watching an AI-generated court judge nearly kill Chris over a wrongful conviction, but we all make mistakes, right?

This was Amazon MGM Studios' chance to lay down the AI line by deciding what side of the industry argument they're on. Instead, they've chosen to sit on the fence, and that transforms any vim and vigor Mercy did have into pure monotony. If we're not using storytelling to send home a powerful message, especially about something so ever-changing, then what's the point?

Of course, the point is to make a bit of money at the box office by seeming to touch on a topical subject. It's the same way that a social media influencer might look like they're supporting a social campaign, but are actually doing the surface-level bare minimum to help it. Mercy could have been an industry-changing heavyweight piece of art, but no – let's play around with some CGI graphics instead.

For a big-budget studio, these graphics feel incredibly cheap. This is where the most obvious connection to Prime Video's take on War of the Worlds, starring Ice Cube, comes into play. Both have the same function and aesthetic look – almost as if Amazon is ashamed that is uninspired slop is all it's got to offer.

Rebecca Ferguson is our one and only savior

Almost no movie (perhaps with the exception of 2023 thriller Missing) can use tech, screens and social media as its sole method of storytelling to its advantage – the concept is as lame as lame comes. But our AI-fashioned Rebecca Ferguson is the jewel in our crown of criminal offenses.

Even as a non-human entity, Ferguson shines. She's far from a voice of reason, but seeing the cracks in her generated facade is easily the most satisfying payoff in this otherwise faltering farce. She's also the only source of continuity when Mercy decides to finally let Chris out of his chair for an unhinged 15-minute duration, abandoning all of its narrative mechanics without warning.

You get where I'm coming from here. ChatGPT could probably have written a much stronger script and overarching plot, while watching any other takes on AI or the digital world would be a more shrewd use of your time. Our best case scenario is hoping Mercy is popular enough to finance more Guardians of the Galaxy or Star-Lord content, and then never speak of it again.

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The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a compact 2-in-1 laptop that aims to offer both performance and versatility in a single package.

True to most of HP’s lineup, the Pavilion x360 14 has a smart and understated appearance. The light grey colorway and sleek contours imbue it with elegance, while its 14-inch size helps with portability.

However, this latter aspect is undermined somewhat by its relatively thick and heavy construction, so it’s not the best laptop for frequent travelers who want a device with as minimal a footprint as possible.

The upshot of this weight, though, is that it adds some reassuring solidity. Both the base and the display enclosure of the Pavilion x360 14 have very little give, while the materials used all over the unit feel premium. The hinge for the lid is also sturdy, if a little clunky in action when you're pushing the screen beyond 90 degrees, as I often do whenever I use a 2-in-1 laptop.

Despite its small size, there are a good number of ports on the Pavilion x360 14. Along with two USB-A and one USB-C port, there’s also an HDMI port, a microSD slot, and a combo audio jack, all of which I welcome. What’s more, they’re conveniently located.

The general performance of the Pavilion x360 14 is pretty good. It can handle light productivity and stream 4K content with ease. However, it can suffer from micro-stutters when moving quickly from task to task. Also, gaming performance is average-to-poor, owing to the absence of a dedicated GPU. Of course, this isn't a gaming laptop, so you shouldn't really expect impressive game performance.

I noticed that even under moderate loads, a fair amount of heat radiates from the left side of the Pavilion x360 14, as well as the top keyboard rows. Thankfully, temperatures aren’t alarmingly high. The fans generate some noise, but remain pleasingly quiet relative to many other laptops under stress.

The display is pleasingly sharp and vibrant, and although reflections are prominent at times, I usually found the maximum brightness setting could mitigate their presence to an acceptable degree.

Despite the small size of the Pavilion x360 14, its keyboard has a pleasingly spacious layout, which, combined with the snappiness of the keys themselves, makes it satisfying to type on. However, there was no backlighting in my particular review unit – a grave omission given how hard it was to make out the lettering most of the time.

The touchpad is usable, if a little small, and has a smooth surface. It’s also quite solid, although I did notice a slight rattle when tapping and clicking, which can hamper feel and feedback.

The touchscreen on the Pavilion x360 14 is responsive and accurate, however, those keen on illustration might be disappointed with the small – but still noticeable – levels of friction, which can lead to slightly rough swipes, whether a stylus or a finger is used.

The battery life of the Pavilion x360 14 is quite good. It lasted over 11 hours when I ran our movie playback test, which is similar to some of its more expensive rivals. However, it pales in comparison to the highest performing laptops on this front, which can endure twice as long in some cases.

All things considered, though, the Pavilion x360 14 is a strong option in the 2-in-1 sector, thanks to its decent everyday performance and impressive design. It’s a shame that it’s not as portable as other convertible models, and there may be better value alternatives depending on what you require from a laptop, but at the very least the Pavilion x360 14 deserves a place on your shortlist.

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Price & Availability

• Starts from £699 (about $920 / AU$1,400)
• Available now
• Expensive compared to some rivals

The HP Pavilion x360 14 is available now and starts from £699 (about $920 / AU$1,400). For that, you get an Intel Core i3, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. However, we have seen it on sale for half this price from HP’s own website, which obviously makes it much better value.

The unit I review here is the top-spec model and costs around £1,000. It features an Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage (although you can upgrade to a 1TB drive instead). Again, we’ve seen a hefty discount on this variant, but its usual price is quite dear.

If you don't need a truly convertible laptop, but still want a touchscreen, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a fine alternative. It’s decidedly more expensive, but it’s a truly premium machine, featuring an OLED display and a pleasingly portable design.

However, if your heart is set on a 2-in-1 but you want a more budget-friendly option, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is worth considering. Thanks to its compact form factor, great display, and usable touchscreen, it’s one of the best Chromebooks currently around.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Specs

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Design

• Heavier and bulkier than expected
• Solid construction
• Impressive port selection

The Pavilion x360 14 looks smart, with its pristine light gray finish, rounded edges, and flat surfaces. All these aspects reflect HP’s desire to emulate the best MacBook designs.

Despite initial impressions, though, the Pavilion x360 14 is actually less slender and light than you might expect. Not only does this heft hamper portability, it’s doubly disappointing to see in a convertible laptop, since you’ll likely be picking it up and flipping it upside down frequently to use the touchscreen. The best 2-in-1 laptop options are all lighter than this.

On the plus side, the weight does contribute to the overall sturdiness of the HP Pavilion x360 14, as there’s virtually no flex to any of its panels. The materials employed seem quite premium as well, more akin to metal than plastic.

Also, the lid hinge is stable enough to prevent the display from wobbling under most circumstances. It operates smoothly, too, although I found it took a bit more effort to adjust the display angle compared to other laptops I’ve used.

More irksome, however, was the fact that once it’s reclined beyond 90 degrees, the rear of the base lifts clean off the underlying surface. This is a design choice some other laptops employ, but it’s not one I’m fond of. It always felt awkward adjusting the display to this point, and results in less stability when using the keyboard.

Speaking of which, my review unit had no backlighting for the keyboard. I always lament this omission in any laptop, but it’s especially disappointing in the case of the Pavilion x360 14. The characters are dark and contrast marginally with the finish of the keys themselves, making them hard to see in many instances; at certain angles, they were totally invisible.

Even though the Pavilion x360 14 is a small laptop, it has an admirable selection of interfaces. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, the latter of which supports both Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 standards.

Additionally, there’s an HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and a microSD card reader. It’s a small shame the latter isn’t fit for standard SD cards, but I can forgive this omission given the form factor of the Pavilion x360 14.

The ports are spread quite evenly across both sides, which improves convenience. They’re also ordered in a logical way: for instance, the power connector is furthest away from the user, while the microSD reader and combo audio jack are closest.

• Design: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Performance

• Reasonable everyday performance
• Heat and noise even under moderate loads
• Responsive but uninspiring touchscreen

The general performance of the Pavilion x360 14 is reasonable, if not spectacular. It can handle light productivity and entertainment tasks well, even streaming 4K content without disruption.

However, despite my review unit having an Intel Core i7 installed, it wasn’t as swift as I was expecting. When switching between browser tabs or loading new web pages, it frequently stuttered. These stutters were momentary, so were minor infractions in the main, but they added up to become more disruptive when I tried to accomplish multiple (but not especially demanding) tasks in quick succession.

Being the top spec model, my review unit also had Intel Iris Xe Graphics. In theory, this offers improved performance over Intel UHD Graphics, but it’s still integrated to the CPU. This means that the Pavilion x360 14 is only capable of very light gaming. I managed to run Cyberpunk 2077 on Medium graphics, but it wasn’t a smooth experience, in terms of frame rate and visual fidelity.

A noticeable amount of heat emanated from the left vent of the Pavilion x360 14, as well as from the top keyboard rows and the section above. This was the case even when I conducted moderate workloads. Thankfully, the temperatures were never uncomfortable or concerning. Fan noise accompanied such moments, but it was pleasingly quiet relative to some other laptops under load.

The 1080p resolution of the Pavilion x360 14 provides plenty of sharpness, which is doubtless helped by the compact 14-inch display. Colors also appear vibrant. It can be quite reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to keep them from being distracting.

The touchscreen functions well, responding to inputs made by either a finger or a stylus quickly and accurately. However, the surface isn’t the smoothest, so more intricate usage, such as drawing or handwriting, can result in a dragging sensation. The effect isn’t as egregious as it is on some other touchscreens, but if you’re after one of the best touchscreen laptops, the Pavilion x360 14 might not cut it.

If you’ll mainly be typing, though, you’ll be pleased with the keyboard on the HP Pavilion x360 14. The keys are comfortably spaced despite the compact layout, and there’s a surprising amount of travel to presses, which makes them satisfying to use. They’re still snappy enough to type quickly, though.

The touchpad is less impressive. It operates well enough, but the small size and numb-feeling taps and clicks – in part due to the slight rattle I noticed – result in a less tactile experience.

• Performance: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Battery Life

• Respectable by 2-in-1 standards
• Some longer-lasting rivals
• Quick to recharge

The Pavilion x360 14 has a decent battery life. It lasted about 11 hours in our movie playback test, which is close to the same score achieved by the Acer Chromebook Spin 312.

However, it can’t beat the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, another fantastic 2-in-1 laptop, which managed over 14 and a half hours. Also, more conventional laptops can last longer, sometimes up to 20 hours or more. The Pavilion x360 14 is quick to charge, though. It took about two hours to fully replenish.

• Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the HP Pavilion x360 14?

Buy the HP Pavilion x360 14 if...

Don't buy it if...

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Also Consider

How I tested the HP Pavilion x360 14

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Laptop testing experience

I tested the HP Pavilion x360 14 for a few days, during which time I used it for multiple tasks, including productivity, streaming, and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests for laptops, which are designed to assess every facet of performance. I also tested the battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop.

I have plenty of experience both using and reviewing laptops. I have covered many models, ranging in their form factors, use cases, and price points.

• First reviewed: November 2025
• Read more about how we test

Unsurprisingly, Murphy's track history likely means that streamers like Hulu and Disney are all but happy to throw money his way and wait for the next big thing to materialize... except, this isn't really happening anymore. While shows like 9-1-1 are getting more grandiose by the minute (Angela Bassett in space? Really), others including American Sports Story and Grotesquerie fell off the radar and were quickly cancelled.

Then All's Fair became the 0% Rotten Tomatoes stinker that took the internet by storm, guaranteeing a second season purely by fully leaning into its own stupidity. I really didn't think Murphy could top his own dreadfulness, but new FX series The Beauty easily clears any flop he's ever previously produced.

Why? Because at least All's Fair knew how terrible it was. At least Grotesquerie didn't pretend to be a success story. The Beauty is masquerading as something much more significant than it actually is, without contributing anything to the cultural zeitgeist aside from making sure you have the safest sex possible.

The Beauty on FX is The Substance-turned-STD, and everything about it is wrong

I know that you won't want to watch this series based on the above trailer, but let me set the scene for you anyway. Two FBI agents (played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall) travel across Europe to unravel the mysterious death of a group of supermodels. None of them appear to know each other, but all have the same symptoms – a virus, burning alive from the inside and spontaneously exploding upon death.

This either sounds like the recipe for absurd hilarity or insightful social commentary, but The Beauty is neither. After you've finished being baffled by Bella Hadid's out-of-place cameo, you're left feeling nothing aside from wondering how the series was green lit in the first place. We had The Substance last year, so we hardly need its knockoff little sister.

It doesn't take long for The Beauty to hit you over the head with its intended messaging of "what will people risk in order to be beautiful?". You could argue that a plethora of shows and movies have mulled over this age-old question already, ironically beginning with Nip/Tuck itself. Truthfully, we know what people would risk to be attractive (everything), and the critical analysis ends there.

Murphy is clearly churning out old ideas here, and there's nothing of merit or value contained within any single scene. The decision to make the killer virus a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is morally ambiguous, particularly when you consider Murphy's deft handling of the AIDS crisis in Pose. Is this meant to be an ironic nod to real-life history? Is it merely intended to shock whoever is watching? Condom sales might increase after this, but not much else will.

Go girl, give us nothing

But let's put the gory gimmicks and missed narrative opportunities to one side. What else do we have left? Peters and Hall are secretly lovers, but don't have an ounce of chemistry between them. This makes flogging an already dead horse even trickier, because there's almost no incentive to watch. Murphy has already told us how our exploding supermodels die thanks to the mutant sex virus, so where's the payoff?

There's also the gauche notion that "fat is bad" that plays through the center of the story, and that's neither fitting for 2026 nor is it an original thought. 20 years ago, Murphy could have been lauded as daring by tackling body image head-on, but now it's just uncomfortable to watch slim actors in fat suits. Again, there's nothing of value to making this a worthwhile endeavor.

So we're left with a mis-matched, tone-deaf, mundane splatter of madness on our screens, and I'd rather have been blasted straight in the face with the VFX department's guts like an Italian horror movie from the 80s. Perhaps that way, I'd have felt something.

During the international press tour, I saw star Ashton Kutcher talk about The Beauty as if nobody has dared to make television like this before. I have to wonder if he's actually ever watched TV before now, and that's before I consider that his ex-wife Demi Moore examined this same topic in an infinitely more successful way.

Our only two wins are the brash pop soundtrack and a cameo role from the icon that is Isabella Rossellini. I don't know what Murphy has got on her to get this appearance, but God is she so much better than this. We all are.

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In 2025, open earbuds became the trendy new kind of headphone to buy, and the market was dominated by sports loop-style buds. By the end of the year, though, cuff- or hook-style open-ears had dethroned them, and the Huawei FreeClip 2 are some of the big new buds to use this form factor.

My favorite open-ears of last year were the Huawei FreeArc, so I was hopeful that this new option would deliver something special – perhaps even enough to dethrone the big names on this particular block, like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or Shokz OpenDots One. However you might as well call these the FreeClicarus, because the company has flown too close to the sun.

The selling point of the FreeClip 2 is this: they’re some of the lightest, thinnest and therefore most comfortable clippy ear-cuff type earbuds to date. This is clear from the size of the charging case, which is the smallest I’ve ever seen in such buds, but also from the design and build of the buds themselves.

However even with the ‘heaviest’ cuff-style buds, I’ve never had a problem with weight, and in the FreeClip 2, the reverse was true. Buds like this rely on gravity to lock them firmly around your ear, and if they’re light, they just won’t sit right. I found the buds didn’t naturally sit properly, so needed some adjustment every time I used them, and were far too easy to knock off if they received a bump or swipe. They never fell out during exercise, but they did when I was pulling up my hood, putting on a bike helmet or bringing my noggin too close to my neck.

There are other aspects of the bud that are poorly designed. The touch controls are too finickety, requiring a precision and soft touch that I defy anyone to have at any point, let alone when they’re running or walking. And like all Huawei hearables, the companion smartphone app requires so many hoops to jump through, you’ll feel like an elephant at a circus (on Android, at least – on iOS or HarmonyOS, the process is simple). And, perhaps most damning of all, the audio quality just isn't very good.

You might now be wondering why I gave a modestly positive score to the FreeClip 2, and that's for two reasons. Firstly, it's because these issues aren't terrible. Secondly, it's for two really handy perks that the buds offer which alternatives don't.

Firstly, as I've already said, they're lovely and lightweight, and they were more comfortable to wear for runs or walks than alternatives. Secondly, the maximum volume is really high, fixing a common open earbuds issue – hearing your music properly. Despite their issues, the dearer-than-they-should-be pricing and being a let-own compared to the FreeArc, I can see these being a reliable buy for certain users.

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Specifications

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Price and availability

• Released on January 21, 2026
• Priced at £179.99 (roughly $240, AU$350)
• Premium price for clip-style buds

The Huawei FreeClip 2 were announced in December 2025, and put on sale on January 21, 2026 (today, at the time of writing). Just in time for your New Year Resolution to run more – unless you live in the US or Australia, where the things don’t sell.

At £179 (roughly $240, AU$350), the FreeClip are fairly premium cuff-style buds. They match the highly-rated Shokz OpenDots One, though undercut the $299 / £299 / AU$449 Bose Ultra Open Ears. Most earbuds with this form factor I’ve tested have been cheaper, though, with some great options at half the price that we’ll explore near the bottom of this review.

For some Huawei-shaped context, the original FreeClip were released two years prior for about the same price. If you want any open earbuds regardless of the form, the Huawei FreeArc came out in early 2025 for about half the price, and they’re the best sports-loop-style open earbuds I’ve tested to date.

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Design

• Incredibly light case, comfortable buds
• Too flexible and light to fit properly
• IP57 protection

When I first took the Huawei FreeClip 2 out of the box, I thought Huawei had left them in the wash too long and they’d shrunk. The case is absolutely tiny. I’m talking about 5 x 5 x 2.5cm, smaller than any other charging case I’ve ever seen, and at 37.8g I don’t recall testing any lighter either. Lovely for popping the case in my pocket.

Like most clip-style open earbuds, the left and right buds are interchangeable, so you can pop them in your ears or the case either way around. But the process of putting them in the case is quite confusing, with an arrangement that seems… illogical. You can see what I mean in the pictures; it’s different to any other cuff buds I’ve tested, and I constantly put them in wrong and only noticed when the lid wouldn’t close properly. I found this quite annoying, but it’s the price to pay for a small case.

Onto the buds themselves: a spherical bud (or Acoustic Ball, according to Huawei), counterweight (Comfort Bean, apparently), and the connector loop (Airy C-bridge Design), all in a 5.1g package. The loop is quite elasticky, so there’s a lot of flex between the components, but I never noticed any ill effects when the buds were in my ears.

I noticed something with the bud – sorry, the Acoustic Ball – that I’ve not heard on other clipping buds. Sometimes when I put them in my ear, the audio wouldn’t be at full power, and I’d have to readjust them before they sounded right. Usually this kind of bud just falls into place, and I wasn’t used to this kind of micromanagement. It was also easier than I’m used to, to knock them out of place – they had a solid fit when exercising, but I kept hitting them out of my ear with bike helmet straps, hoods and hats. I think the frail design and light weight have resulted in some fit reliability problems.

There are touch controls on the buds: stroke the counterweight – I mean, Comfort Bean – for changing the volume, double-tap any part of the buds to play or pause, tripe to skip. The tapping was generally okay, even though my touch wasn’t always picked up, but I really struggled with the swiping – it’s really hard to intuitively reach the right spot behind your ear to find the trigger, and in my experience it was rarely picked up correctly anyway.

You can pick up the Huawei FreeClip 2 in three colors: blue, black or white. They’re rated to IP57, so they have limited protection against dust and can be immersed in shallow water for a limited time.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Features

• Fantastic listening test
• Battery life is 8 hours, 32 hours with case
• Fewer other features than some rivals

A recurring problem with Huawei earbuds is that their app situation is, I'm sorry to have to say it, a bit of a nightmare for Android users (an app-solute nightmare?) and that’s no different for the FreeClip 2. Own an iPhone? You’re in the clear – the companion app can be pinched straight from the App Store.

On my Android phone I had to go into a web browser, download and then install an APK for the Huawei AppGallery and use that to install the Huawei Audio Connect app (I then, for good measure, deleted AppGallery). That’s quite a lot of admin just to turn off touch controls.

It might not be worth it. The app lets you pick between four presets (and lets you create your own with a 10-band equalizer), and lets you toggle a few features like touch control, wear detection and head control (you can shake your head to reject an incoming call). Okay, there’s a ‘Find-My’ feature for lost buds or case and drop detection, two useful features. The app also has an Experimental Features menu which, for now, just has a toggle for adaptive volume – since this is labelled as under development, it didn’t feel fair to evaluate it for this review.

I will say, wearer detection is rarely present on open earbuds, and even more rarely is it fully functional. One thing I noticed over my testing process is that on the FreeClip 2, it works very well. Sometimes, it’s the small things!

The battery life is a little longer than the rivals, with the earbuds lasting 9 hours before you need to pop them back in the case. The case, despite its short stature, offers a decent amount of mileage too: 39 hours in total. It’s not class-leading, but it’s still very good.

The FreeClips support Bluetooth 6.0, a figure I don’t always see in buds like these, and I never had any connection issues; they were fast to pair every time I used them. They can also pair with multiple devices simultaneously so you can use them with both your phone and, say, a running watch.

• Features score: 4/5

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Sound performance

• Single 10.8mm driver
• Music sounds lifeless
• Lovely, high max volume

Each Huawei FreeClip 2 earpiece has a 10.8mm driver, just like its predecessor – it seems that the improvements in this sequel are in the design department, not the audio sector. That’s a shame because while we didn’t receive the original model, I saw some negative responses to its audio quality, and I’m going to level (I think) those same complaints at the new model.

Music, frankly, sounds flat and lifeless, condensing different instruments into one musical line instead of a sonic spread and then, oddly elevating mid tones higher above treble and bass. It sounds like the guitarist forgot to plug their axe in, the singer is struggling to remember the lyrics, the bassist is pushing through carpal tunnel syndrome.

In The Roosevelts & James Mason’s This Is Life, the rhythmic acoustic guitar seems to take dominance of the mix over the bass and vocals (drums? Not here, officer). The same happened in ABBA’s Waterloo: the acoustic stings in the verse stood above everything else, but strangely when the instrument returned in the chorus it was barely audible. I listened to a recording of the fourth movement of Antonin Dvorak’s New World Symphony, and the brass overshadowed the entire instrumentation – even in the segments they’re barely present.

In short, I wasn’t wowed by the Huawei FreeClip 2’s sonic prowess – it’s not the worst I’ve ever tested, but it is for the price. However, the buds do one spec better than any other model I’ve reviewed, and it’s a department that’s crucial for open earbuds: volume.

Too many times, these open-fit headphones don’t go loud enough, and they’re hard to hear due to the background noise you’re not meant to be isolated from. The FreeClip 2, however, go really loud, and for this reason alone I’d still recommend them to some fitness users who’ve struggled with other options.

If the buds support any features like Dolby Audio or aptX, or codecs like LDAC or AAC, it isn't mentioned on Huawei's website or app.

• Sound performance score: 3/5

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: Value

Given the glut of cuff-style open earbuds at sub-$100 (or £, AU$ equivalent) prices, you can expect a premium product if you’re going to pay a premium price like this. I’m sorry to say that I don’t think the FreeClip 2 quite deserve to be called that, though; the feature set, fit and sound quality aren’t significantly better than the budget options on the market.

I think Huawei missed a trick by pricing these buds as they did. You can pay less and get just as much, or pay the same amount and get more from rivals.

• Value score: 3/5

Huawei FreeClip 2 review: scorecard

Huawei FreeClip 2: Should I buy?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Also consider

How I tested

I listened to the Huawei FreeClip 2 for just over two weeks before writing this review. In that time I used it paired to my Android smartphone.

I used the FreeClip daily during that time. I worked out at the gym, went on runs and cycled, and also used it when not exercising at home and on walks around my neighborhood. I listened on Spotify and Tidal, watched on streaming services and played several games with them.

These are the latest in a busy line of earbuds I've tested at TechRadar, including plenty of open-ear options and various gadgets from Huawei.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: January 2026

The HP Pavilion 16 is aimed at those looking for a capable everyday machine for a reasonable price.

It’s clear that HP has paid attention to the aesthetics of the Pavilion 16. Not only does the Sky Blue colorway add more interest than the monochromatic tones typical of mid-range laptops, but the materials employed look premium as well.

Its elegance is further emphasized by its sheer slenderness; I don’t recall having seen a thinner 16-inch laptop, making it one of the best laptop designs around. While this aspect helps with portability, the deceptively hefty weight doesn’t.

I can’t complain about the build quality of the Pavilion 16, though. There’s little flex to any part of it, despite its aforementioned lean form, while the parts that are plastic are pleasing to the touch. This is especially true of the keys, which have a slight texture for added tactility.

There are some useful ports on the Pavilion 16, including two USB-A, two USB-C (which support both Power Delivery and DisplayPort standards), and an HDMI port. However, most are loaded on the right-hand side, and the two USB-C ports are placed closest to the user, which can be inconvenient as the power cable has to be plugged into one of them.

The Pavilion 16 handles general tasks rather well, from light productivity to 4K video streaming. However, since it lacks a dedicated GPU, graphics-heavy workloads are handled with less aplomb. Some light gaming is still possible, but you’ll have to dial back the settings and settle for unremarkable frame rates and visuals.

Fan noise is noticeable, even when the Pavilion 16 is running at a moderate intensity, but I would still describe it as being within acceptable bounds. Nearly all of the heat is confined to the very rear of the underside, which I also appreciated.

The 1200p WUGXA display is sufficient for this size of laptop, providing a clear and sharp image. Color reproduction and brightness levels are also commendable, although reflections can be a little too prominent at times.

If you’ll be doing a lot of typing, the Pavilion 16 is likely to meet your needs. The wide spacing of the keys, coupled with their deep travel and dampening, makes them satisfying to use. And if you’ll be dealing with lots of numbers in your work, you’ll be pleased with the inclusion of a numpad, too.

However, the touchpad is less impressive. It’s quite small for this size of laptop, yet at the same time manages to intrude while typing; I would often trigger cursor movement with my thumb palm. In the main, though, it’s still sufficient enough for everyday use.

An area where the Pavilion 16 excels is battery life. It lasted over 20 hours in our movie playback test, and charging times are very fast as well. On this front, it beats most of its similarly-priced rivals.

When you combine this aspect with its other plus points, the Pavilion 16 adds up to an enticing proposition, given its reasonable starting price. There are certainly other great laptops at this end of the market, some of which may have the edge in terms of performance, but the Pavilion 16 remains one to consider if you’re after a mid-range, workaday machine.

HP Pavilion 16 review: Price & Availability

• Starts from $459 / £569 (about AU$700)
• Available now in various configurations
• Reasonable price point

The HP Pavilion 16 starts from $459 / £569 (about AU$700) and is available now. Models with different Intel and AMD processors are available, as are models with touchscreens. RAM configurations also vary from 8GB to 16GB.

This is a reasonable price for a large laptop of this spec. For a similar price, you could also get the Acer Aspire Go 15. I was impressed with its performance when I reviewed it, which is perhaps marginally better than that of Pavilion 16. However, its display is less impressive than the Pavilion 16’s.

If you’re looking for another budget alternative, the HP OmniBook 5 14-inch (2025) could be one to look out for. It features a cutting-edge and vibrant OLED display, and impressively long battery life.

• Value: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Specs

HP Pavilion 16 review: Design

• Exceptionally thin
• Premium feel
• Mixed connectivity options

The Pavilion 16 cuts an elegant figure, thanks to its minimalist design that’s free from fuss and unsightly bulges. The Sky Blue colorway also helps to distinguish it from many others in this sector, endowing the unit with enough interest while maintaining a professional appearance.

More impressive is just how slender the Pavilion 16 is. For a 16-inch laptop, it’s remarkably thin, which certainly helps with transportation. Its weight, on the other hand, is more of a hindrance, since it’s heavier than I expected it to be.

The plastics used in the Pavilion 16 feel premium, especially that of the keys, which are finished with a subtle texture that offers a pleasing amount of traction. They’re also secured firmly in place, without a hint of looseness.

This same level of solidity applies to the overall construction of the Pavilion 16, too. There’s remarkably little flex to the chassis or the lid, despite how thin both are. What’s more, the hinge holds the display in place with impressively little wobble, no matter the angle, while being very easy to adjust at the same time.

There are two USB-A and two USB-C ports on the Pavilion 16, as well as an HDMI port – an increasingly rare sight on modern laptops. There’s no SD card reader, though, which is a small shame.

A bigger point of contention is the placement of the ports. All but two are on the right, which might prove inconvenient for some. And while I was glad to see the USB-A ports split across both sides, the two USB-C ports are both on the right.

What’s more, they’re located in front of all other ports, nearly mid-way along the chassis, which can cause issues when connecting the USB-C power adapter. Personally, I always prefer the power port to be the furthest away, in order to prevent the power cable from trailing over others or being obstructed by things you may have next to your laptop.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Performance

• Reasonable everyday performance
• Not ideal for gamers or creative pros
• Tactile keyboard

The everyday performance of the Pavilion 16 is commendable. It handles light productivity, browsing, and entertainment tasks well, which is what one would expect from this grade of laptop. More impressively, it can stream ultra-HD video without issue.

Such content is enhanced by the large display, which is allowed to make full use of its space thanks to the thin bezel. There’s enough brightness and vibrancy to make the viewing experience an enjoyable one, and while reflections can reveal themselves at points, for the most part the Pavilion 16 does an admirable job of keeping them at bay.

Even when performing moderately intense workloads, the fans in the Pavilion 16 were audible. However, the noise never rose above a muted whir, so I didn’t find them disruptive. Most of the heat was confined to the rear underside, with commonly-touched surfaces remaining cool.

Since it has no dedicated GPU, the Pavilion 16 isn’t the best choice for gamers or creative types. Cyberpunk 2077 was just about playable on Medium settings, but even here I experienced some stuttering and the occasional slowdown. Naturally, it wasn’t very pleasant to look at, either. You'd be better off checking out our list of the best gaming laptops instead.

Thanks to the wide chassis, the keyboard fits comfortably in the Pavilion 16, even with its number pad. However, while the keys have plenty of space between them, they don’t seem as large as those on other laptops. I had to adapt my typing accordingly, but as the size difference is that great, this didn’t take long.

Better is the considerable amount of travel and dampening they have, especially by laptop standards. This makes them more tactile and engaging to use.

Despite its relatively small size, the touchpad got in the way as I typed. The palm of my right thumb frequently triggered cursor movement; thankfully, no clicks or taps registered, which would’ve been much more disruptive.

Its small size also means navigation isn’t as expansive as it could’ve been. What’s more, it lacks the smoothness of some of the best in class, and I felt a slight rattle whenever I tapped or clicked, which made such actions feel awkward. Having said all this, I’ve certainly experienced more frustrating laptop touchpads, and it’s perfectly usable in the main.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Battery Life

• Lasts long
• Beats many rivals
• Quick to charge, too

The battery life of the Pavilion 16 is very impressive. It lasted a mighty 20 hours and 15 minutes during our movie playback test, a score that bests many of its rivals by a large margin. The Acer Aspire Go 15, for example, only managed close to 12 hours.

Equally as impressive is just how quickly the Pavilion 16 can fully recharge, taking about 90 minutes.

• Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should I buy the HP Pavilion 16?

Buy the HP Pavilion 16 if...

Don't buy it if...

HP Pavilion 16 review: Also Consider

How I tested the HP Pavilion 16

• Tested for a few days
• Used for multiple purposes and benchmarked
• Experienced laptop reviewer

I tested the HP Pavilion 16 for a couple of days. I used it for a variety of tasks, from productivity and browsing to streaming video and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to comprehensively assess every aspect of a laptop's performance. This included a battery life test, where I ran a movie on a continuous loop until the HP Pavilion 16 shut down.

I am an experienced laptop reviewer, having tested a large number across a broad range of price points, form factors, and specifications.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed November 2025

The Polar Loop is, on the surface, what a lot of folks want. It’s a lifestyle-friendly wearable like the popular Whoop MG, but one that doesn’t come with a mandatory monthly subscription.

It’s screen-free, with a lightweight body and fabric strap for maxed-out comfort. Polar has kept the Loop simple, offering a limited set of features rather than trying to cram in lots of extras. It tracks your sleep, your steps and has a crack at recognising and logging activity sessions — runs, walks and so on. This part is patchy, but the Polar Loop was never going to be that big a hit as a one of the best fitness tracker with the hardcore exerciser crowd anyway.

The Polar Loop’s issues are largely software-based. You have to get on with the Polar app to make the Loop fun to use, and its interface and presentation of data could really do with a rethink. This is planned for the future, but for now, this isn’t quite the Whoop-killer you may be hoping for. It’s shown up on that front by the cheaper Amazfit Helio Strap.

As is, what you get is a decent screen less tracker, but one that may be better later into its lifespan – after a software update, at least.

Polar Loop: Specifications

Polar Loop: Price and Availability

• $199 in the US
• £149.50 in the UK
• AU$299 in Australia

The Polar Loop launched in early September 2025 as a subscription-free alternative to the Whoop band. This is a little over a year since the launch of the Polar 360, a business-oriented wellness wearable that’s ultimately pretty similar to this consumer version. It costs $199 in the US, £149.50 in the UK and AU$299 in Australia.

While there are no explicit ongoing costs, there is a totally optional subscription called Polar Fitness Program, which works out an adaptive training plan for you. This costs 9.99 Euro a month after a free trial. This is far better value than the Whoop, which doesn’t sell you the device at all – just an expensive subscription. But for a fitness tracker that doesn’t actually do a lot, it’s still quite highly-priced.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Polar Loop: Design

• Screenless
• Steel accents
• Comfortable stretchy bands

The Polar Loop is similar enough to the Whoop band that Whoop has sued Polar claiming the company nicked its design. However, what this really boils down to is a couple of conventions already seen across the screenless wearables landscape.

Polar uses a fabric strap that weaves, buckle-like, over the wearable’s main unit. It covers where the screen would be in a normal watch. The Loop uses a velcro-style fastener and is clearly designed to look like a lifestyle wearable over a hardcore fitness gadget. While much of the core brick is plastic, the top and outer parts are brushed bronze-shade steel. It’s there to provide a touch of class.

These screen-free wearables are intended to be the kind of gadget you set and forget, at least until the battery runs out. The Polar Loop weighs 29g, strap included, light enough not to pick up any real momentum as you swing your arms unlike a watch like the Apple Watch Ultra, which weighs close to 60g. But you are still gong to see those familiar skin indents when you occasionally take the watch off, pressing its contours into your wrist.

Is it comfy? Sure, these slightly stretchy fabric bands are ace for comfort. But I’ve found the Amazfit Helio Band slightly easier to forget I’m wearing, no doubt because it’s even lighter: just 20g.

The Polar Loop has no buttons and no LED status indicator. You can’t interact with it if you try. There’s not even a vibration motor: it’s about as stripped-back as Polar could make it. Water resistance is rated at WR30, which in other wearables is often seen as not enough for safe swimming, while Polar says the Loop is fine for “bathing and swimming” under the ISO22810 standard, just not diving or snorkelling.

• Design score: 4/5

Polar Loop: Features

• No subscription
• Very little interaction
• Precision Prime heart rate sensor from 2018

One of the core appeals of the Polar Loop is, of course, that there is no mandatory subscription. There is a paid part of the app, though.

It’s called Polar Fitness Program, which costs around $11 a month (9.99 Euro). This launched in April 2025, provides tailored workout plans. It would work much better when paired with Polar’s more conventional fitness watches, like the Polar Grit X2, than a Loop.

The Polar Loop’s own feature set is very stripped-back. You can’t, for example, make the watch broadcast its heart rate data to be used by another device. There’s no altimeter, so counting of steps climbed is not recorded. You cannot use the Polar Loop as an alarm as there’s no vibration motor. When the Polar Loop is running low on battery you’ll simply get an incessant reminder to charge on your phone. You know the funny bit? Polar actually released a tracker called the Loop 2 in 2015 that did have vibration, and a half-hidden screen made up of 85 LEDs.

Neither that band nor the Polar Loop records blood oxygenation data either, despite the heart rate array making use of green, red and orange LEDs. Polar calls this its Precision Prime array, and it has been around for absolutely ages. A similar design was found in 2018’s Polar Vantage V. That’s a lifetime ago in tech terms, but the basics still work well.

• Features score: 2.5/5

Polar Loop: Performance

• 8 days of battery life
• Some activity tracking errors
• HR data testing similar to Garmin Elevate V5 sensor

Despite the lack of a screen, Polar says the Loop lasts eight days, which is actually a bit less than some of its watches with displays. This is basically on the money. You can expect it to last around a week. With no GPS or screen, there should be little variation in how long it lasts based on your activity level.

Like any wearable, the Polar Loop is heavily reliant on its heart rate sensor for any data beyond your steps. This wearable has a pretty good one, despite using older hardware. While this is not a replacement for a full-on runner’s watch due to its lack of GPS, its HR data during runs is pretty similar to that of a Garmin Forerunner 970 (one of the best Garmin watches) and its Elevate V5 sensor, wore concurrently during most of my testing.

The Polar Loop doesn’t tend to mess up the start of workouts, or show unexpected major HR spikes during the work day when you do little more than potter about. There was one unexpected spike during a tracked run, but in general the results are solid here.

By default, the Polar Loop will record basic stats 24/7, and then automatically log any slightly extended stretches it believes you’re exercising. Go for a 12-minute walk? You can expect to see that pop up in the Polar app. It’s not entirely flawless, though; during one run, the Loop only clocked half of the hour-and-change workout, seemingly stopping during a brief break, only to fail to register the second half. The durations of some sessions are off too, although you can always take a more active approach to tracking: in the Polar phone app, you can manually start a tracked session, select the Loop, and use it as the source for HR data.

That aside, the Polar Loop has a good stab at recording your daily steps. And it of course tracks sleep, too, estimating your time spent in the light, deep and REM sleep zones, and records interruptions. The Polar Loop is more sensitive to these than another wearable’s full-on wakeful moments detection, so you may well see your sleep records peppered with these tiny interruption blips.

The lead stats Polar wants you to focus on are sleep duration, sleep solidity and regeneration — basically how much that sleep is getting your body back where it needs to be. However, there’s also an ANS Charge (autonomous nervous system charge) section in which you can check out breathing rate and heart rate variability.

All the basic data is here, and it’s sound enough. The Polar Loop’s biggest issue is the phone app isn’t really all that enjoyable to use, may look dated to some and doesn’t really direct the user that well as to what they should focus on.

The app’s home screen is Diary, which acts like a feed of your day, showing recent auto-tracked exercises, your step count and so on, in semi-chronological order. This is not as effective as the software in Amazfit’s rival Helio Strap app, which is more intuitive and has a handy traffic light-style system to alert you to any stats that may be out of the ordinary.

Screen-free wearables are massively reliant on their apps for the overall quality of experience. And Polar’s could do with some work. It’s just not that inviting a space to hang out in. Polar does plan to fully revamp the app in future, but right now we can only work with that we have.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Polar Loop: Scorecard

Polar Loop: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

First reviewed: December 2025

TL;DR, yes, but I’m left feeling like the Switch 2 edition is only the second best way to play the best way to play Final Fantasy VII.

I’m not the only person who loves Final Fantasy VII Remake. Former TechRadar Computing Hardware expert Jackie Thomas gave it five stars out of five back when it released on the PS4 almost six years ago, and the story, music, and general beauty of the game haven’t changed with this port.

But as you’d expect, going from a home console to a handheld hybrid, some technical downgrades are to be expected – with both texture quality, framerate, and fidelity dips noticeable, though playing in Docked mode does give it a noticeable visual bump.

That said, are you playing on the Switch 2 for graphical superiority? If you are you might want to rethink your console choice, as the true beauty of the Nintendo hybrid is its ability to game on the go, and for an tens-of-hours-long RPG – that’ll hold your attention between 30 and 90 hours based on whether you want to focus on the story, complete a few side quests along the way, or seriously devour every piece of additional content across both the main campaign and bonus Intermission downloadable content (DLC) episode – is essential for more time-strapped gamers.

Finding time to play all of that at home can be tough, especially if you share your TV. Taking Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the go as part of your morning commute, on trips if you travel regularly, or simply enjoying it in portable mode on the couch while someone else uses the main screen in your home entertainment setup makes finding the time much more manageable – meaning you can actually start enjoying the games you buy, and not just stare at them in your ever-growing digital library.

If this convenience is what you crave, you’ll love Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Nintendo Switch 2. For everyone else, this game is still required reading, but you’d be better served by its PlayStation 5 edition (provided you have access to the console).

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is part one of Square Enix’s recreation of the 1997 RPG, Final Fantasy 7. While it is, in some ways, simply a third of a game, the care and attention put into every inch of this title doesn’t leave you feeling shortchanged.

As I mentioned in the intro you can easily spend close to 90 hours playing Remake if you sink your teeth into every challenge the game has to offer, including finishing every side mission, earning the high score in every minigame, completing the game on Hard mode (which requires a whole replay), and besting the greatest foes in Shinra’s virtual battle zone.

I can say, as someone who has done exactly this, you won’t regret the time you spend in Midgar, but even if you simply focus on the main quest-focused story (including the Intermission story featuring Yuffie), then you’ll still be savouring Final Fantasy VII for around 30 to 40 hours.

Even if you’ve played the 1997 version, there’s plenty to enjoy here too.

The Remake expands on the story in a way that better fleshes out each character, the relationships between the key players, and (if I’m honest) makes the experience much more engaging rather than what could at times feel like a slog.

There are a few new twists and turns to discover as well, but every single one feels like a worthy addition to the mythos and the core story FFVII is telling – rather than fluff that would detract from its message.

Combat ready!

The gameplay has had a tune-up, too.

I enjoy turn-based battling, but Final Fantasy VII’s approach to combat is undeniably more active and approachable to a wider audience. At the same time, I appreciate the “Classic” difficulty mode the game introduces, which helps to return some of the accessibility offered by turn-based combat if you want it.

If playing regularly, you must actively attack and block with your character to charge ATB so you can perform more powerful skills and spells. In Classic mode, the characters all fight and guard automatically, letting you simply focus on which enemy to target and when you want to use those more powerful moves.

It’s not a substitute for the slower pace of turn-based fights, but feels closer to it if you require a slightly calmer pace.

In any case, with this more active approach to combat comes complexity where lots can be happening at once – especially in bigger fights that have Cloud, Tifa, and Barrett slashing, punching, and firing away at a small army of Shinra guards and bots returning fire – but the Switch 2 did its best to keep things flowing smoothly.

There’s no in-system way to track framerate, but the gameplay did seem to hold steady at 30 frames per second (fps) as Square has promised. If you’re used to higher rates, you’ll notice some frameyness to the game in handheld mode, but honestly, it doesn’t detract from the experience – especially since this isn’t a game like a shooter where 60fps-afforded precision is essential.

There are also a few noticeable texture and model downgrades compared to the PlayStation version, which are even more apparent if, like me, you’re used to the PS5 rendition rather than the PS4 edition of Remake. When you dock your Switch 2, however, things do start to look a lot better, and even in handheld mode, there is an undeniable beauty to Final Fantasy VII Remake that persists even if the overall quality has taken a hit.

Again, as I mentioned in my intro, it’s also not like you’re choosing the Switch 2 for its graphical fidelity. Quality is the price we pay for handheld convenience, and I’ll hold firm to the fact that this port does look great, even if not quite as great as the PlayStation edition. It just comes down to what you value more.

The only other point I’ll make on the Switch 2 vs PlayStation comparisons is cost.

At launch, the Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will cost you $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$69.95. It’s a reasonable price of entry in my mind, but you should note that a twin pack of Remake and its part 2 Rebirth on PS5 will set you back $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$159.95 (it’s not such a great deal based in Australia at full-price, though I’ve seen it on sale for much less in each of these regions meaning it’s a better deal than these numbers make it look).

Two games for effectively the price of one-and-a-half (or even for the price of one if you get the twin pack with a discount) is clearly a good deal. So if you have access to both consoles, and won’t appreciate the convenience of handheld mode, or would appreciate the better value proposition, then you might want to consider your options for how to experience Final Fantasy VII.

Should you play Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade on the Switch 2?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has several difficulty controls to help with accessibility.

There’s Classic mode if you’d prefer a simpler battle system, but also the ability to always have max HP, a full ATB gauge, and constantly deal max damage (among other effects) that can make the game more approachable.

Beyond this, there are subtitles for all cutscenes, and there isn’t a built-in colorblind mode, which can unfortunately make a couple of fights and minigames a little tougher if you are colorblind.

How I reviewed Final Fantasy VII Remake on Nintendo Switch 2

I’ve already put over 80-hours into Final Fantasy VII Remake and its DLC episode on my PS5 – as I mentioned in my review, I enjoyed it so much I went out of my way to get every trophy – so I already knew my thoughts on its mechanics and its story before booting this title up, and had a great point of reference for the Switch 2 version.

The focus of this review was to test how well the Nintendo Switch 2 can handle the game I love. To test this, I played the title over many, many hours in both docked and handheld mode, made sure to explore both the main story, side quests, and minigames, and made notes about its technical capabilities.

I reviewed this game using a standard Nintendo Switch 2 when in handheld mode, and on a Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED with a Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar, and an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller in docked mode.

With the stakes immediately sky high, the six-part series is a far cry from other January streaming choices like Harlan Coben's Run Away and Agatha Christie's Seven Dials. It's an original story, and it certainly feels fresh to watch. We've not had a money-led TV show in quite a while (and certainly not framed through workplace monotony), and oddly, the thing we always avoid talking about is going to become the subject of watercooler gossip.

Why? Because Steal puts the pedal to the metal from the moment you press play on episode 1. The premiere episode is an incredibly strong start to a new series, with our heart in our mouths as Zara and her team are held at gunpoint while our strangers fleece the trading company out of millions of pounds, which come directly from the everyday person's pension.

It's a dramatic way to start the day, but the basics of this could genuinely happen to any of us at any given time, making our thriller binge hit a little too close to home. But when we find out that Zara is more involved than meets the eye (without spoilers), the risk-factor flatlines.

Steal starts and ends with a financial implosion, but the middle is a drab sinking fund

In an ideal world, Steal would have been four episodes rather than six. Given that miniseries tend to be capped at six episodes (especially on a global streaming service), I'm not too surprised by the show's structure, but by the time we reach the middle of the tale, we're treading water.

There's only so many times that Zara can tell others that she's in trouble before it gets old, feeling as though her strife is something we've seen a million times before. Rather than being riddled with B-plots, Steal is focused on its main storyline at all times, and that leaves little wriggle room for creative exploration.

Sure, the heist becomes a literal matter of life-or-death, but sometimes you need a palette cleanser to offset a pill that's truly tricky to swallow. Four episodes would have cut the chaff to get straight to the final climax, with little time for characters to wait around feeling sorry for themselves, even though the painful mess is all their fault.

As I've touched on, episode 1 is a lesson in how to open a show to any aspiring writer. The tension ticks along nicely, with Sophie Turner delivering arguably the best performance of her career to date – and certainly one of the most vulnerable.

Everything we learn about Zara during this build-up cannot be trusted, and that's a seductive risk for us to play with. How much can we trust her, and how much can we trust her perspective of the heist? There are certainly no clean hands here, that's for sure.

Motherland and Line of Duty fans rejoice – Anna Maxwell Martin is Steal's secret weapon

As much as I thoroughly enjoyed Turner's performance, I wouldn't say that she's the breakout star of the show. That accolade is reserved for Anna Maxwell Martin, who has about two scenes across the entire six episodes.

She's a straight-talking MI5 enigma who meets with Zara on the sly to try and tease highly sought-after information out of her. Blunt and overtly threatening in her tone, Maxwell Martin turns in exactly how I'd imagine Julia from Motherland would be if she was a copper.

Unintentionally humorous, could potentially kill you, and more than anything, is completely over the drama that she's been sucked into.

All-in-all, it's a really solid outing from Steal. I really hope that Amazon can keep up this quality of content, even if it's messy overall – I'd much rather TV took risks like this that didn't land rather than play it one-note and totally safe.

Frankly, Steal is worth watching for its first episode alone, but the season finale isn't too far behind in terms of satisfaction levels. If you've ever wished that you chose a high-flying financial career over whatever it is you do in real-life, this will reverse that pipe dream in the blink of an eye.

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Nutribullet has cemented itself as a trusted name in the kitchen appliance space, with its blenders and juicers among the best in the market. The Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender offers this same quality in a more lightweight package, allowing for on-the-go blending.

The Nutribullet Flex is an upgraded version of the Nutribullet Portable Blender, adding a few welcome new features, including increased capacity and clear charge indicators. As such, it comes in slightly more than its predecessor, while still being affordable at under $100.

Considering the quality of this personal blender, it offers excellent value for money for those seeking a convenient, portable blender that produces optimal results with cold beverages and smoothies. Its lightweight design means you can easily disassemble the appliance and take it with you to work, the gym, or on vacation, while its rechargeability means you won’t be searching high and low for a plug socket.

Each of its four charges allows for approximately eight blend cycles (each lasts 30 seconds), meaning you can quickly mix your food and transport it with ease, using the convenient carry loop attached to its lid. If you’re looking for a personal blender that prioritises convenience, speed, and cold beverages, this is an excellent choice.

However, this blender lacks versatility and can struggle with some ingredients or recipes, so you’re best to stick to cold drinks and smoothies with this one. Its portability is always negatively impacted by its volume, which could restrict where you can use it, and the lack of storage for its sharp blades.

Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender: price and availability

• $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.95 at Nutribullet
• Available at third-party retailers, such as Amazon, Decathlon, and Target

Priced at $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.95, the Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender offers great quality for an affordable price. And, what’s more, we regularly see discounts on this appliance at Nutribullet and third-party retailers.

While it doesn’t offer as much versatility as many of the best blenders on the market, if you’re looking for a portable blender for cold drinks and smoothies, without breaking the $100 mark, this is a great choice.

For those who want to keep under the $50 mark, however, the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender ($39.99 / £39.99 / A$79.95) offers a solid alternative. If you don’t mind splashing out a bit more for a more powerful, convenient on-the-go blender, we highly recommend the Nutribullet Flip ($99.99, roughly £80 / AU$150), especially if you intend to make a lot of frozen or icy beverages.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender: specifications

Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender: design

• Rechargeable, with plug-in option
• Tight seals prevent leaks
• Carry loop on sip lid for on-the-go drinks
• No storage for blade block

Out of the box, the Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender comes with a motor base, a 590ml cup, a sip lid featuring a carry loop for on-the-go use, and a blade block. While our model came in black, Nutribullet offers several colour options, including green and grey.

The blender is straightforward to assemble and takes up minimal space, making it ideal for smaller kitchens or communal work/living spaces. Disassembling the appliance also requires minimal effort; its parts are fairly compact, so they easily fit into an average-sized backpack or gym bag. Our only concern is a lack of storage for the blade block, which is sharp. Including a small hub for this could make the appliance safer to transport.

This portable blender’s 590ml cup offers enough space to make a single smoothie or drink for one, though it's worth noting that the 'max' line on ours was at 400ml, meaning, in reality, that’s the capacity you have to work with. The accompanying sip lid screws snuggly onto the cup, preventing any leakages, while its secure carry loop allows you to carry your finished drink in hand as soon as your blending is complete.

The blade block fits tightly onto the bottom of the cup and is locked into the motor base with a satisfying click. Again, we had no issues with leakages throughout our testing. The motor base has a minimalistic LED display, featuring a large power button. This simply requires one press to turn on. When turned on, a clockwise light ring appears around the button, confirming it's ready to be operated. Below this button are four LED lights, indicating the amount of charge the blender currently has.

The Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender is rechargeable, meaning it largely works wirelessly. A USB-C cable for charging is included, which plugs into a discrete port at the back of the motor base. However, no adapter is included. While you can use the appliance plugged in, it must have at least one charge (one white light) for this to work, and operating the blender plugged in pauses charging during the blend cycle. In addition, the provided cable is only 50cm long, restricting where you can place the appliance.

We found it took approximately 50 minutes for one light (charge) to appear, and the blender offered approximately eight 30-second blending cycles per charge. This does, however, seem to be variable and can depend on what you’re blending and if you’re overheating the appliance.

This blender’s lightweight design makes it fairly easy to transport, but you may want to consider where you use it. Nutribullet products are typically quite loud, and while the Flex Portable Blender is a bit quieter (depending on its use), we found it averaged a decibel reading of 82, roughly equivalent to the volume of traffic. So, while you can take it to work or the gym, your colleagues and peers may not appreciate it.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender: performance

• Best suited to beverages
• Blends smoothies consistently well
• Struggles with certain solid ingredients
• 30-second blend cycle may not be enough

We began our testing of the Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender with Nutribullet’s own Banana Kale smoothie recipe. Due to the size of the appliance, we had to half the recipe to ensure it fit the cup. This blender comes with a small leaflet instructing you on how to build a smoothie optimally, in other words, the order to add the ingredients. It’s a lifesaver for those new to smoothie making, and blenders, too, for that matter.

After adding the ingredients and securing the cup, we pressed the power button, which triggered a 30-second blend cycle – which you can stop at any time by pressing the button again. The results were impressive: the consistency was thick and creamy, but smooth. There were no lumps of unblended fruit or veg in the cup or under the blades.

Next, we used one of the recipes Nutribullet recommends for this appliance. Following the included QR code takes you to the Nutribullet app, which allows you to input your appliance type and dietary requirements and suggests recipes based on your needs. The app itself is a bit of a pain; it signed us out every time we closed it, and wouldn’t let us sign in again without creating a new account. The recipes, too, were limited to fewer than 10, primarily smoothies and lattes.

We tried the Strawberry Banana Smoothie, composed of almond milk, ice, chia seeds, half a banana, strawberries, and vanilla extract. We again built the smoothie as suggested, but found that – despite being recommended for the Portable Blender – the ingredients exceeded the max line. This is potentially because they’re for the non-Flex version of this device, but this isn’t specified in the app (nor is Flex specifically a choice when choosing your device). As a result, we had to remove a large amount of ice for the blender to function safely.

The results, again, were excellent. However, we did find a small lump of unblended banana in the final product, and some of our chia seeds had stuck to the side of the cup in a clump. Overall, this didn’t affect the final product and, again, there was no unblended residue stuck under the blades.

As part of our standard control testing for blenders, we don’t simply test smoothies, however. Nutribullet describes the Flex Portable as being for “on-the-go lifestyles,” and while that suggests it's primarily for beverages, it doesn’t specify it’s only for smoothies and cold drinks.

We tested Nutribullet’s hummus recipe, again halving the ingredients. While the bottom portion of the ingredients blended fairly well after one cycle, the top remained untouched. The blender struggled considerably with the thickness of the hummus, slowing it to a standstill at one point, despite our attempts to loosen the mixture. Similarly, the appliance struggled with ice.

We wanted to use our ice control tests to check the chopping abilities of the blade. Again, the bottom portion was chopped, but the top remained untouched.

Surprisingly, what did work well was mayonnaise, another of our controls. This recipe applies more to a standard blender, as it requires adding oil while the device is on. We, instead, stopped the blender short of its cycle to add more before blending further each time. The result was actually nice, well-blended mayonnaise.

While the Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender is capable of mixing some non-beverage recipes, it’s not recommended. This isn’t necessarily a big drawback for this product, which is likely aimed at those making beverages on-the-go rather than quick mayo for your lunchtime sandwich.

What is worth noting is its struggle with more solid, thicker ingredients and its lack of versatility. If you are in the market for a portable blender that focuses on making cold drinks and does that well, but doesn’t offer the capabilities of competitor products, this is an excellent choice.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Nutribullet Flex Portable Blender?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

First launched in 2020, it’s fair to say that the Blink Mini has seen a fair few improvements over the last five years. Initially just a compact, bog-standard 1080p security camera, it was upgraded in 2024 with colour night vision and outdoor functionality as the Blink Mini 2 before receiving its current make-over as a 2K camera (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) in September 2025.

Available in black or white, it can be bought either individually or as a two-pack. We tested the two-pack version in white which currently retails on Amazon for the very reasonable price of £69.99 (about $100 / AU$140). Alternatively, you can buy it as a single unit in both colours for £39.99 (about $50 / AU$80). Whereas many of Blink’s products are battery-operated, making them particularly flexible for installation, the Blink Mini must be plugged into the mains.

However, because it doesn’t require a battery it does mean the camera is exceptionally small, around 2 x 2 inches / 5 x 5cm for the camera itself and standing around 3 inches / 8cm tall including the base. It’s also very lightweight so it’s easy to move from one part of the house to another if, say, you want to monitor a particular area of your property while you’re away on holiday.

As with most security cameras these days, installation requires downloading the camera’s app onto your smartphone and adding the device using the QR code on the back of the product. Alternatively, you can type in the serial code into your phone instead. Unlike more advanced models, the Blink Mini only works on the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (it's not compatible with the 5GHz frequency). However, this wasn’t a major issue.

You can use the Blink Mini 2K+ camera on its own via the app, or as part of a much larger network with other Blink devices, including video doorbells and indoor/outdoor security cameras. Not only does the Blink Mini 2K+ come with its own built-in siren, it can also be used as an indoor chime for the Blink video doorbell which, somewhat annoyingly, doesn’t have its own plug-in chime accessory.

In addition, the device automatically connects to Amazon Alexa so you can view footage via the Alexa app/TVs equipped with Fire TV or get notifications sent to Alexa-compatible devices, such as Amazon Echo smart speakers.

As with many home security devices, full functionality, such as the ability to filter motion alerts by person or vehicle (known as Blink Smart Detection) does require a subscription. However, the good news is that Blink’s subscriptions are half the price of Ring’s subscription costs, starting at £2.50 per month (compared to £4.99 per month for Ring).

Blink Mini 2K+: subscription options

Blink Basic Plan. Cost: £2.50 (about $3.50 / AU$5) per month or £24.99 (about $35 / AU$50) year. Covers: one camera. Features: cloud storage (30 days), person/vehicle detection (Blink Smart Detection), and video editing between devices (Blink Moments).

Blink Plus Plan. Cost: £8 (about $10 / AU$16) per month or £80 (about $100 / AU$160) year. Covers: Unlimited cameras at one location. Features: All Basic features plus 10% off Blink devices and extended warranty.

Local storage (no subscription). Cost: free. Requires: Sync Module 2 (£34.99 - about $50 / AU$70) and a USB flash drive. Features: saves clips locally. Note: Blink Smart Detection/Blink Moments is not available with this option.

Blink Mini 2K+: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $49 / £39.99 / AU$89 each (£70 for two), $US49 ($89 for two), AU$69 ($130 for two)
• When is it available? Available since September 2025
• Where is it available? UK / US / Australia

US company Blink has earned a reputation for its reasonably priced home security devices, and the Mini 2K+ is certainly no exception. Whereas most cameras will set you back around $130 / £100 / $200 each, you can actually buy a two pack of Blink Mini 2K+ cameras for less than that price.

It’s certainly a pretty good deal, but as ever with consumer electronics these days, nothing is ever that simple. Sure, if you just want the basic features, such as motion alerts and two-way audio communication, then that is all you have to pay. But if you want the full functionality that the camera offers, including Blink Smart Detection and 30 days of recordings stored in the cloud, you will have to commit to a monthly subscription plan.

Alternatively, if you only need the subscription to store video clips, then you can always invest in the Blink Sync Module 2, which allows you to record and store up to 256GB of video clips on a connected USB flash drive. However, this will cost another £39.99 (about $50 / AU$80), plus the cost of the USB flash drive.

Finally, with an IP65 water resistance rating, the Blink Mini2K+ can be used outdoors, but only if you buy the 4m Blink Weather Resistant Power Adaptor, costing another £9 (about $12 / AU$20). Like the cameras, this is available in either white or black.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Blink Mini 2K+: design

• Extremely compact design
• Built-in spotlight
• Mains-powered only

The first thing you notice about the Blink Mini 2K+ is just how small it really is. Standing just an inch tall on a stand that can be positioned to virtually any angle, it certainly lives up to its 'mini' moniker.

Two colours are available – white or black (we tested the white) – and despite its bargain-basement price tag the Mini 2K+ feels like a classy, well-built security device. At the rear is a USB-C socket while provided with the camera is a 6.5ft / 2m USB-A to USB-C lead and a plug. Alternatively, it’s possible to buy a 13ft / 4m length of weather-resistant cable with power adaptor for outdoor use.

Once the Blink app is downloaded you can simply add the camera to your set up using the QR code on the back of the device where you’ll also find the speaker. This provides voice instructions during set up and can also be used as a chime for any connected Blink video doorbells.

Turn the camera around and in the centre there’s the 2K lens (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) while underneath is the built-in microphone. Also on board is a blue light that comes on during recording and at the top of the camera you’ll find the built-in spotlight for providing coloured images at night. Like the blue recording light, this can be switched on and off via the app, or set to come on automatically when the camera senses motion.

Blink Mini 2K+: performance

• 2K resolution
• Clear two-way audio
• Decent color night vision

When it comes to performance, the Blink Mini 2K+ certainly offers a big improvement over its 1080p predecessor (at the time of writing this original model is available on Amazon so cheaply) Where you really notice the difference is when using the 4x digital pinch-to-zoom feature on your smartphone. With the 1080p camera, images soon become pixilated as you zoom in. However, with this latest 2K model you can home right in and see the detail in, say, a face or an item of clothing.

Another massive improvement is in night vision. Whereas the previous model only offered traditional IR (infrared) recording in black and white, this model boasts a surprisingly powerful built-in spotlight for color recording. During my tests, the spotlight illuminated the hallway when coming home on during the evening, producing vivid colored images on recorded footage. Audio, too, has been improved with two-way talk now filtering out background noise, such as traffic, so you can hear voices more clearly.

Users with a Blink video doorbell can set multiple Blink Mini 2K+ cameras as a chime so if someone presses the doorbell you can hear it in several rooms if you so choose. That’s particularly handy as Blink’s video doorbell doesn’t come with its own plug-in door chime, unlike models from other companies such as Ring.

Finally, you can also link the Blink Mini 2K+ to Amazon Alexa to receive announcements such as ‘Motion detected at the office’ via your Echo speakers or display the video feed on your Echo Show. However, as Blink is now owned by Amazon, the device doesn’t work with rival platforms such as Google Home or Apple Home.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Blink Mini 2K+?

Blink Mini 2K+: also consider

If you're not quite sure whether the Blink Mini 2K+ is the best home security camera for you, here are two other options to consider:

Should you buy the Blink Mini 2K+?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

How I tested the Blink Mini 2K+ security camera

• I used a pair of cameras in several rooms of the house for three weeks
• I set them up myself using the QR code provided on the back of each model
• I linked them to other devices including a Blink video doorbell and several Amazon Echo smart speakers

Testing the two cameras over the Christmas/New Year period gave me the ideal opportunity to see how they responded to visitors coming to the house. Throughout this time one of the cameras was focused on my hallway facing the front door with the spotlight set to come on whenever motion was detected. It also served as a chime for my Blink video doorbell, which I could hear throughout the house.

he other camera was moved between several rooms, including the kitchen and downstairs as well as upstairs rooms we use as offices. However, the cameras weren’t used outside as the units provided didn’t come with the necessary waterproof power adaptor.

The Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink could be one of the best SSDs for PS5 but, at least for the moment, the pricing is out of control. The 1TB model is difficult to find, while the 2TB and 4TB variants come in at an eye-watering $365 / £220 and $599 / £539.99 respectively at third party sellers on sites like Amazon and Newegg.

This makes it almost impossible to recommend at these prices, especially when alternatives like the WD Black SN850P and Lexar NM790 with Heatsink are in stock cheaper. Of course, this is entirely being driven by the ongoing RAM shortage (which also affects SSDs with DRAM chips), so I will look to update this review if and when they come down to more reasonable rates.

Pricing aside, the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink is a solid, if somewhat unremarkable, PS5 SSD. With quoted read speeds of up to 7,400 MB/s read and 7,000 MB/s write (for the 1TB model) it’s one of the fastest models on the market on paper - though I found its performance to be less impressive in the real world than these figures would suggest.

The 2TB model that I tested scored an underwhelming 6,030MB/s speed on the internal PS5 storage benchmark putting it behind both the WD Black SN850P and Lexar NM790 with Heatsink, not to mention the company’s own officially licensed Seagate Game Drive M.2 SSD for PS5. Still, it’s comfortably above the 5,500 MB/s speed recommended by Sony and doesn’t increase loading times in any noticeable way.

As you would expect for a model marketed towards PS5 owners, the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink comes with a chunky heatsink fitted out of the box. It’s very similar to the one found on the Seagate Game Drive M.2 SSD - albeit with a colorful orange line graphic rather than a blue one. As is the case with that drive, I found it to be perfectly effective.

As a result, the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink could be a great pick for the right price. At the moment, I wouldn’t rush to add it to your basket though given the inflated rates.

Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink: Price and availability

• 1TB is $130 / £145 / around AU$290, 2TB is $365 / £220 / around AU$440, 4TB is $599 / £539.99 / around AU$1080
• Prices vary and are hard to pin down
• Stock is hard to find in the US and UK

In the US the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink costs around $130 for the 1TB model - though I wasn’t able to find any retailers carrying stock of that variant at the time of writing. 2TB and 4TB models are easier to find though with stock available at Newegg. There, 2TB goes for $365, while 4TB is $599. Both of these prices come from a third-party seller and are disproportionately high, so I would avoid buying them for now.

In the UK it’s even harder to find, as it’s currently out of stock at Amazon. Historical price data shows that the 1TB model cost around £145, while the 2TB was £220 when both were in stock. The 4TB model is currently available at Overclockers UK, where it costs £539.99.

Seagate told me that a 1TB model of the drive is currently meant to cost $114.99 / £158.99, while 2TB and 4TB are supposed to be $194.99 / £271.99 and $394.99 / £516.99 respectively - though the representative was careful to clarify that “SSD prices are currently very volatile” and “can change daily” (that latter part was even in bold for emphasis).

Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink: Specs

Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink: Design and features

• Chunky heatsink fitted out the box
• Readily PS5 compatible
• Good warranty coverage

The Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink looks remarkably similar to the Seagate Game Drive M.2 SSD for PS5, though with some small aesthetic differences. For starters, the chunky heatsink of the FireCuda bears a little ‘FireCuda’ logo print and a subtle orange decal. Despite the size of the heatsink, this model easily fits into the PS5’s storage bay.

It comes well-packaged in a plastic tray with a little foam insert to keep the pins safe and a little pack of documentation. In there you’ll find an advert for Seagate’s Rescue data recovery service, a basic manual with some general advice on fitting the SSD, and information about the drive’s warranty.

In applicable regions you get five years of limited warranty coverage here, which should be enough to see you through the rest of the PS5’s lifespan and is on par with what’s offered by the competition. The drive’s quoted 5,050 TBW durability is also excellent.

Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink: Performance

• Underwhelming benchmark score
• Decent real-world performance
• Heatsink seems effective

Despite the lofty quoted speeds, the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink achieved quite an underwhelming result in the PS5’s internal storage benchmark coming to just 6,030MB/s which is on the lower end of the results for SSDs that I’ve tested. Still, this is more than fast enough for the PS5 and in my testing didn’t impact playing in any noticeable way.

While the substantially cheaper Lexar NM790 with Heatsink caused occasional stutters in demanding games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink was silky smooth in every title that I tested.

Its performance in my usual real-world file transfer tests was also decent. Copy to the SSD from the PS5’s internal storage, 68.75GB of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 took just 44 seconds to transfer. The drive performs very well with even larger file sizes too, with the 86.33GB Ghost of Yotei copied in just 45 seconds. A combination of both games totaling 154.7GB only took 1 minute and 24 seconds.

Smaller titles were a little bit slower, with the 16.85GB Wuchang: Fallen Feathers taking eight seconds and the tiny 1.2GB C Smash VRS taking just two.

Copying from the SSD back to the console, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Ghost of Yotei were ready in 4 minutes and 41 seconds and 6 minutes and 5 seconds respectively, while both at once took 10 minutes and 17 seconds. Finally, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers was ready to launch after 1 minute and 13 seconds while C Smash VRS took 13 seconds. These figures are all perfectly adequate, though realistically more dependent on the PS5’s internal write speed than anything else.

There was no noticeable slowdown throughout my testing, which would indicate that the chunky heatsink does its job well and curbs thermal throttling.

Should I buy the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

After some alternatives to the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink? Here are two to consider.

How I tested the Seagate FireCuda 530R with heatsink

• Tested for a week
• Tried with multiple games
• Compared to other PS5 SSDs

I tested the Seagate FireCuda 530 with heatsink for a week, fitting it to my personal PS5 console. During that time I evaluated its performance with a range of copy tests, in addition to recording the console’s internal benchmark score and trying it with a range of installed games to determine whether the SSD would cause any impact on smoothness.

Throughout my time with the SSD I compared the experience to my hands-on testing of other models including the Samsung 990 Pro with Heatsink, WD Black SN850P, Lexar NM790 with Heatsink, Seagate Game Drive M.2 SSD for PS5, Lexar Play 2280 and more.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2026

It's fair to say Polar’s smartwatch line up has become a little confusing over the last few years, with “Pro” and “Titan” versions floating around at premium prices alongside the Grit, Vantage M and Ignite series – it's not exactly easy for buyers to decipher which model is the best for them.

The arrival of the Polar Grit X2 doesn't exactly help things. But it does point to the brand at least trying to make its outdoor models simple again – not by reinventing the wheel, but by taking the best bits of the Grit X2 Pro and repackaging them into something that feels more wearable, less intimidating and – crucially – much cheaper.

That’s the core appeal here. The Grit X2 uses the same underlying hardware and software as the Pro model, including Polar’s Elixir biosensing platform (that tracks heart rate, ECG, SpO2 and skin temperature), dual-frequency GPS for better outdoor accuracy, and a bright AMOLED display that finally makes mapping feel like a proper “modern” feature rather than a gimmick. It also keeps full offline maps capability and a generous 32GB of storage for them, which is still something many outdoor watches either charge extra for or half-deliver.

Where it differs is mostly in the build. The case is smaller and lighter, the materials aren’t as premium as the Pro, and water resistance drops from 100m to 50m. That might sound like a downgrade on paper, but in reality, the Grit X2 is simply more practical for most wrists and most lives, especially if you’re wearing it 24/7 for sleep tracking and recovery insights.

It’s not perfect, though. Polar’s smartwatch features remain fairly basic – notifications, music controls, a few widgets and that’s your lot, as usual with Polar – and Polar Flow is still one of the least intuitive companion apps in the game. The watch interface also looks a bit old-school next to Garmin’s slicker menus and Apple’s “everything is an app” approach.

Still, if what you want is a capable, no-nonsense outdoor watch that leans heavily into training, recovery and mapping, the Grit X2 is arguably Polar’s best value rugged wearable yet.

Polar Grit X2: Price and availability

• Price: £399 / $799 / AU$799
• Release date: June 2025
• Colors: Night Black and Brown Copper

The Polar Grit X2 launched in June 2025 and lands in a noticeably more approachable price bracket than the Grit X2 Pro, which is exactly the point.

In the UK, the watch has a £399 RRP but if you shop around you're likely to find it for less. At the time of writing, it's on sale for £331.17 on Polar's official online store. In the US, the watch is listed for a pretty unproportionate $799, probably due to import reasons from Polar's native EU, and in Australia it’ll cost you AU$799.

That pricing puts it in an interesting middle ground. It’s clearly more “serious” than basic outdoor-ish watches, but it’s also not trying to compete directly with the ultra-premium crowd like the Garmin Fenix 8 or Apple Watch Ultra range on price. Instead, it’s more of a smart alternative if you want flagship-grade tracking and mapping without paying flagship money.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2: Design

• Slimmer, lighter and easier to live with than the Pro
• AMOLED display looks fantastic and is protected by sapphire glass
• Strap is comfortable but oddly stiff

The Grit X2 feels like Polar’s attempt at a rugged watch that doesn’t look like a dinner plate strapped to your arm. It sports a 44.7mm case (around 45mm in real-world terms) with a fairly slim 12.5mm thickness, which is a genuinely wearable size for an outdoor watch and a noticeable shift from the bulkier Pro model.

Despite being the “cheaper” version, it still keeps a stainless steel bezel and sapphire glass over the display, which is exactly what you want on something that’s likely to scrape against rocks or whatever else life throws at it. The main cost-saving is in the case itself, which is reinforced polymer instead of a more premium metal build. It doesn’t feel cheap, but it does feel less luxurious than the Pro if you’re the kind of person who cares about that.

The watch is also MIL-STD-810H certified, meaning it’s been tested against shock, temperature and humidity extremes. In other words, it’s meant to handle the outdoors properly, not just look like it can.

The display is a 1.28-inch AMOLED panel with a 416 x 416 resolution, and it’s one of the main reasons this watch feels like a modern upgrade over older Grit models. It’s sharp, colourful, and makes maps far more usable than the old MIP screens do. You can set it to always-on too, which looks great, but obviously hits battery life considerably.

Around the bezel you get Polar’s familiar five-button layout, and they’re textured and easy to press even when your hands are cold or sweaty. That matters more than you’d think, especially when you’re mid-run and don’t want to be poking at a touchscreen in the rain.

My only real gripe here is the strap. It’s flexible enough, but it has a slightly stiff feel that makes you very aware of it during workouts. The good news is it uses a simple sliding pin mechanism, so swapping it out is easy if you’d rather stick a softer strap on there.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2: Features

• Loads of outdoor and training features lifted from the Pro model
• Offline maps are excellent – route guidance is less seamless
• Smartwatch features still feel basic

The Grit X2 is essentially running the same feature set as the Grit X2 Pro, which is a big deal when you consider how much cheaper it is (£399 vs £649 RRP, although obviously US costs are much higher).

Polar’s Elixir biosensing platform is the main draw here, boasting 4th-gen optical heart rate tracking, wrist-based ECG, blood oxygen-sensing (SpO2) and skin temperature tracking. In real life, that translates to a watch that feels properly serious about health data, rather than just ticking the usual smartwatch boxes.

Polar’s recovery tools are still some of its strongest features. You get Nightly Recharge, which breaks down how well your body recovered overnight, and more sleep insights than most people will ever need. There’s also Training Load Pro and Cardio Load, which help you understand how hard you’re pushing across sessions, plus performance tests like leg recovery and walking tests.

It’s a very “Polar” approach, which is to say it’s geared toward people who actually care about training patterns and recovery trends rather than just collecting colourful rings.

The outdoor side is equally strong. You get full offline maps, 32GB of storage for them, and navigation features that finally put Polar in a more competitive place with the likes of industry big guns Garmin and Suunto. The maps themselves look great on the AMOLED display, and moving around them feels responsive rather than laggy. You can switch orientation, view points of interest and pan around without it feeling like you’re fighting the watch.

The less slick part is how you actually get routes and turn-by-turn navigation. You can upload GPX files, or sync routes from services like Komoot and Strava, but those options often require paid subscriptions – and the whole process still feels more fiddly than it should. You can absolutely use the maps without turn-by-turn guidance, but if you want a seamless experience planning a route on the fly, for instance, Polar still isn’t there yet.

As for smartwatch features, it’s the usual Polar story. You get phone notifications (but can’t act on them), weather widgets, and music controls. That’s basically it. There's no app store, nor is there a proper ecosystem. Nothing that feels meaningfully new compared to previous Polar watches. If you want your watch to replace your phone for anything beyond workouts, this isn’t the one.

• Features score: 3 / 5

Polar Grit X2: Performance

• Dual-frequency GPS is accurate and reliable for most outdoor training
• Heart rate tracking is solid, but can drift high in hard efforts
• Sleep and recovery insights are strong

In day-to-day use, the Grit X2 performs like you’d expect from a watch using Polar’s latest hardware.

Dual-frequency GPS is now becoming standard across sports watches, allowing for more accurate positioning in challenging environments. However, that doesn’t automatically mean every watch that features it is perfect. In the Grit X2’s case, though, it’s a strong performer. Compared against watches like the Garmin's latest Forerunner 970, it generally held up well in terms of accuracy and didn’t do anything weird with routes.

Heart rate tracking is also solid, especially in steady-state workouts where optical sensors tend to behave best. When intensity ramps up, it still has that familiar wrist-sensor problem where readings can spike a bit higher than expected, especially during sudden pace changes. It’s not the end of the world, but if you're obsessed with accuracy, you'll be way better off with a chest strap, or perhaps using the Polar H10 alongside this watch.

I also used the Grit X2 for indoor sessions and general gym workouts, and it handled those well enough, with the usual caveat that wrist HR is never going to be flawless when you’re gripping bars or constantly flexing your wrists.

Sleep tracking is one of Polar’s longstanding strengths, and it shows here. The Grit X2 does a decent job of capturing the broad trend, like when you fell asleep, how long you slept, and whether your night was restful or messy, etc. Sleep stages (REM, deep, etc.) are still something I take with a pinch of salt on a wrist-mounted wearable, but the overall sleep score and recovery insights are useful. If you want a watch that encourages you to take recovery seriously, Polar remains one of the best at it.

The area where Polar lets you down in the Grit X2 isn't the tracking, it's the presentation. The Polar Flow app might be packed with data, but it's just so poorly put together. Some of the terminology is also a bit cryptic, which makes quick glances harder than they should be.

When it comes to battery life, the Grit X2 uses a 310mAh battery, which is smaller than the Pro model’s chunkier cell. Polar says you’ll get up to a week in smartwatch mode (assuming you don’t use the always-on display), and in my experience that’s realistic. Turn on always-on, however, and that’ll obviously be cut down.

For GPS tracking, you’re looking at about 30 hours in the best accuracy mode, which is decent for most runners, hikers and cyclists.

One genuinely neat addition is that you can charge the watch while still tracking an activity. That’s not something you’ll do while running, but if you’re hiking with a power bank in your pack, it’s a smart way to avoid ending an activity early just because battery anxiety kicks in.

The most interesting battery detail, though, is that it’s replaceable. That’s rare on rugged sports watches, and it’s a big deal for longevity. Polar says you can’t do this yourself and will cost €39.90 ( around £35 / $45), plus service and shipping fees to send the watch to a Polar Service Center. If you’re someone who keeps watches for years, that’s a pretty good perk.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2: Scorecard

Polar Grit X2: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

I wore the Polar Grit X2 daily for around two weeks, testing its features during various activities, including running, cycling and yoga. I used its dual-band GPS for outdoor workouts and tracked recovery metrics with Polar’s app tools.

I also evaluated its smartwatch functionality by syncing it to a smartphone, using it for notifications and assessing app integration. To test durability, I wore it during both high-intensity workouts and casual everyday use, paying attention to comfort and battery performance.

First reviewed: January 2026

It’s a Metroidvania that certainly offers up its own level of challenge, but this is a simpler, friendlier, and more pensive affair, one that I’m sure anyone with a love of the genre will find charming, intriguing, and entertaining.

Developer Douze Dixièmes is clearly a team that knows its chosen genre well, ticking all the boxes you’d expect across an adventure that lasts a dozen hours or so at a minimum. However, much more awaits beyond the game’s first ending, and I was driven to uncover more of the story, face the game’s hardest bosses and conquer the most demanding platforming sections.

This is the way the world ends

You play as Mio, a nimble and fleet-footed robot, who must explore The Vessel and prevent this dilapidated AI-controlled spaceship that serves as home to a community of charming robots from a complete shutdown. To do so, you have to partake in that most classic of video game quests: collect the five MacGuffins that are scattered in the far corners of the facility and bring them together to breathe life back into the system.

As you explore, the familiar language of the Metroidvania is all around you, showing you how Mio’s skills and abilities will grow and improve. These are the grappling points you’ll be able to latch onto later. Here are the doors that only open with a certain attack. There’s the chasm that can only be crossed once you can glide. Anyone with a good amount of experience with the genre will find Mio comfortable and understandable at a glance.

At first, I found this made the game a bit too relaxed for my liking, and I feel that other fellow veterans of the genre may also react this way to the game’s opening hours. Sure, I was still enjoying my time winding my way through the corridors of The Vessel, bashing corrupted robots into pieces, and breezing my way past the obstacles in my way, but I was hoping things would escalate.

What helped put off some of those initial worries was the fact that The Vessel is such a fun and fascinating place to explore. From the grandiose Metropolis with its gold-plated buildings and imposing architecture, to the overgrown gardens rife with threatening foliage that reaches out to grab you with its red tendrils, there’s an impressive variety to this constructed and isolated world floating through space.

And it looks gorgeous too: the vibrant colors and graphic novel-esque hand-drawn design make the game pop. Mio herself is a funky-looking character, too, with a swish cape and flowing strands leaking out the back of her head like hair. I especially like the general robots that inhabit The Vessel with their big blocky heads, stuck-on goggle-eyes, and expressive waves to Mio as she passes.

Special shoutout should go to the music as well, which does an incredible job of setting the tone and creating an atmosphere in each biome of The Vessel. Understated and ethereal choral singing mixes with funky electronic bops and pulse-racing boss music to create a diverse soundtrack full of originality and wonder. One particular section genuinely made me just stop and enjoy the music for a moment because it was so perfectly suited to the environment.

Flow state

Eventually, you reach the mechanical bowels of The Vessel in its vaults, one of the most engaging areas to explore, where some of the toughest platforming challenges are found as you avoid lasers, spiked rollers, and fiery pits. And here’s where MIO started to come into its own and remind me of another genre great: Ori and the Blind Forest.

Here, you can combine the various moves you’ve unlocked to string together double jumps, wall climbs, glides, and other traversal abilities to explore new locations, zip through tight sections of platforming, and survive testing combat challenges. From here on, I had countless joyous moments of entering that wonderful flow state and emerging on the other side with immense satisfaction or in awe at a new location I’d discovered (or ingeniously implemented shortcut I’d unlocked).

Yet, while exploration and platforming are where the game excels, combat is where it slumps a little. It’s never bad, but it is missing a spark or idea to elevate it. I think it’s because you simply mash a combo string of three attacks and, well, that’s about it. Yes, there’s a dodge, and yes, you can use the Hairpin power to grapple towards enemies and keep combos going in midair, but it’s all just to continue that one-two-three punch again and again.

Modifiers you buy using the ‘Nacre’ currency dropped by defeating enemies give you a chance to optimise your build and personalise your setup to suit your preferred play style, but there are limits to how many you can equip. The majority only offer light tinkering at most, too, rather than anything that meaningfully expands your offensive options.

For example, you can mark enemies to receive more damage after a successful dodge, or add a heavy attack after a grapple. It helps a little. And I did find a few fights where it excels. Combat, though, is ultimately competent and serviceable, if repetitive.

It doesn’t diminish everything else I like about MIO: Memories in Orbit, though. It doesn’t always turn out this way, but developers with a reverence for the Metroidvania genre have gone out and made an excellent Metroidvania of their own – one that I encourage fans of the genre (or just great games in general) put at the top of their must-play list.

Should you play MIO: Memories in Orbit?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

MIO: Memories in Orbit has a few but limited accessibility options that are mostly focused on the game's difficulty. These come in the form of three assists. One makes bosses easier over time by reducing their health every time you die, a pacifist option stops all enemies (except bosses) from attacking you, and the final one gives you more health after you stand on the ground for a brief period of time.

Outside of that, controls can be fully remapped, which I would encourage to more easily reach various abilities during challenging boss fights and platforming sections. Also, subtitles can be toggled on or off.

How I reviewed MIO: Memories in Orbit

I played MIO: Memories in Orbit for around 17 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro on a Samsung S90C OLED TV using a DualSense Wireless Controller. A handful of hours of my playtime were also spent using the PlayStation Portal, which worked very well for this style of game.

Audio was played through a Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar, and I’d suggest a good-quality soundbar or a pair of headphones to fully appreciate the game’s excellent audio.

Although I reached an ending to the game in about 14 hours, there are additional areas to explore, bosses to fight, and secrets to uncover should you wish to go for 100% completion, which the developers say can take anywhere between 25 and 40 hours.

First reviewed January 2026

If you're looking for one of the best gaming desks, you're probably already aware that these fancy tables often don't come cheap. Nor does the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave, but having spent a few weeks using it after replacing my tired old office desk (which I bought on Amazon six years ago), I can confidently say that it's worth every penny.

Eureka has a decent history of producing office-standard chairs and desks, but this is the first gaming desk I've personally seen from them - and if the rest of their gaming range is anything to go by, they're taking it just as seriously as the professional office market. This L-shaped desk is of damn good quality, with a sturdy metal frame and two tempered glass panels forming the desktop.

Underneath that dark frosted glass is a small open space lined with RGB LED strips, which create a wave effect (hence the GTG Wave's name) when it shines through. It's a nice feature, and while it's not one I'd necessarily pay extra for, it does look good - especially in a darker room.

Measuring 60 by 40 inches (about 152 x 102cm) in total - though obviously, the L shape means that some of this space is cut out for your chair to neatly slot in - it's certainly on the larger side when it comes to gaming desks. It's larger than the Secretlab Magnus that we highly recommend, so if you're working with limited space at home, you'll likely be better served by something like the far more compact Corsair Platform:4.

Still, if you've got the gaming room real estate, this is an excellent choice. I found it pretty easy to assemble solo, and it comes with a handful of extra features that I definitely value in a gaming desk. Firstly, there's some decent cable management options here; not only are there two flip-down metal racks along the rear edge, which can each house a multiplug unit or AC adapter brick, but the GTG Wave also comes with several plastic stick-on cable tie blocks - useful both for your own devices, and the cables for the LED lighting, which can be connected directly to your PC via a standard 4-pin ARGB header if you want to synchronize the lighting to the rest of your setup.

Another feature that will no doubt prove invaluable for some users is the VESA mounting bracket, which attaches to the back edge of the desk and can support two monitors at once. I don't personally have a VESA-compatible gaming monitor (mine is the fixed-base Razer Raptor 27), but I'm now seriously considering getting one.

Overall, I found it really hard to fault the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave. If I had to pick out some complaints, it would probably be that the RGB lighting isn't super visible in a brightly-lit room like my home office, but that feels like nitpicking. One thing I would note, however, is that I'm going to need to invest in a desk mat; the all-glass surface makes me a little nervous when I put things on it...

Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave: Price and availability

• Retails at $599.99 (around £445 / around AU$890)
• Ships to the US, UK, and Europe, but not Australia
• Leaning towards the premium end of the market

At $599.99 (around £445 / around AU$890), the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave is certainly on the pricier end of the market - though it's worth noting that you could easily spend more on a gaming desk and get something smaller and less impressive. In terms of what the GTG Wave offers in value for money, I'm actually very happy with the price.

Considering that this is a pretty large gaming desk, it's actually cheaper than the much smaller aforementioned Corsair Platform:4, and only $100 more than the SecretLab Magnus (which is also a bit smaller than the GTG Wave). I'm not going to go down the rabbit hole of how many square inches of desktop space you get per dollar, but the Wave certainly isn't overpriced when you look at the wider gaming desk market.

When it comes to availability, Eureka is an American company that primarily ships to the continental United States, but they also sell through retail partners in the UK, Japan, and selected European countries. Unfortunately, it doesn't ship to Australia, meaning that our gaming friends down under are out of luck.

Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave: Specs

Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave: Design and features

• Looks and feels like a premium product
• Relatively easy assembly
• Plenty of customization

Despite having some extra features and essentially requiring assembly in two separate halves due to its L-shaped design, the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave was actually quite easy to put together.

While I could've asked my partner to assist me with assembling the GTG Wave, I opted to forge ahead by myself, specifically to see how challenging it would be to build it alone (after all, many of us won't have an extra pair of hands on, uh, hand). I'll be honest; as I unboxed the heavy glass panels and carbon steel frame, I was already starting to regret my decision to fly solo.

However, I'm pleased to report that I had the whole thing upright and ready to use (minus the cable racks and VESA mount) in under half an hour from getting it all unboxed and laid out. The instructions are clear and detailed, and assembly requires no additional tools - just the included hex keys.

You can pretty easily build it one piece at a time with the glass top-down, then flip the whole thing over once it's assembled. At no point in the process did I feel overwhelmed or confused, and once I had it upright, I only had to tighten a few screws for the whole thing to feel very robust. Attaching the cable racks and VESA mount is similarly easy.

Interestingly, there are screwholes for you to attach a headset hook and cup holder (on the left and right side, respectively), but these weren't included in my review model even though they do feature on Eureka's website and promotional images. I can live without these, personally - I tend to leave my headset on the armrest of my gaming chair, and I'm left-handed, so I prefer to keep my drink on the left side with a coaster anyway - but I'm assuming these should have been included. Amusingly, Eureka initially also sent me the wrong wall plug, but swiftly supplied me with a region-appropriate one once the mistake was realized.

Setting up the RGB lighting only requires you to plug in two cables, regardless of whether you're connecting it to your PC directly or just using the default mode, which is controlled with a basic IR remote. If you're not syncing it to the rest of your build, you can choose between solid color, rainbow, or color pulse patterns, and a sound-reactive mode (which means there must be a tiny microphone hidden in there somewhere). You can also set it to switch off automatically after 30 or 60 minutes.

There are only two levels of brightness, and even the brighter setting isn't super bright - you can still see it in a well-lit room, but it only really pops in a dimmer environment. If you're the sort of person who prefers to be bathed only in the RGB glow of your setup and display while gaming, then it's perfect; otherwise, it's more of a minor style win.

Despite the LEDs, the GTG Wave actually doesn't look that ostentatious, especially with the lighting turned off. With only a small logo stamped on one of the short edges, it actually looks very unassumingly professional - and considering that my gaming PC is also my work PC, I think that's great.

Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave: Performance

• Cable racks function as designed
• Ample room underneath for storage
• Glass top makes me a little anxious... and can't take too much weight

As far as performance goes, I have no real complaints about the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave. It does what it advertises; my whole desktop PC setup fits easily on top with plenty of space left for other assorted bits and pieces. Seriously, I had to tidy up a LOT before shooting these review photos. You don't need to see all my figurines, sorry.

With a height of 30 inches (about 76cm), it's standard height for a gaming desk with a small degree of adjustability (perhaps half an inch or a centimeter or so) coming from the screw-on feet. The real advantage of these is that they can be easily adjusted to make the desk sit stably on an uneven floor. Since setting it up, I've moved a small drawer unit underneath the short edge of the 'L', which fits perfectly. In fact, the size of this desk means I could probably fit more underneath it, but at 6'3", I like having the extra legroom.

While the cable racks don't feel quite as durable as the rest of the desk (they're made of a notably thinner metal), they had no issues bearing the weight of my multiplug and my Razer monitor's hefty power brick. If you're not using them, you can either leave them unattached or flip them up on a hinge so they don't get in the way. The VESA mount, on the other hand, needs to bear a lot more weight, and it's suitably sturdy.

Of course, the two tempered glass panels that form the upper worksurface of this desk won't bear as much weight as a more conventional metal or wooden desk. The GTG Wave is officially rated for 200lbs / 90kg, which should be plenty - just don't lean too hard on it.

The real concern is edge shattering; I've built enough PCs in my time to know that sometimes a sharp impact on the wrong spot of a tempered glass panel can lead to tiny shards all over your carpet. It's also nigh-impossible to gauge the actual durability of panels like this; it could break tomorrow, or last for another decade. Needless to say, I'd recommend investing in a desk mat. While using a mouse works fine on the glass top, if you're a naughty desk luncher like me, you won't want to put plates or glasses on this without some protection.

Nonetheless, this glass does feel fairly durable. It's fingerprint- and scratch-resistant, bearing no visible marks after weeks of use, though I will note that it shows up dust (and in my case, dog hairs) quite noticeably - probably worse than a wooden desk, since it appears to get dusty faster than my old desk, which was black-painted wood. That being said, it actually encourages me to clear off and wipe down my desk more than I used to, so I can't really mark Eureka down for silently encouraging me to maintain desk cleanliness.

Should you buy the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Not keen on the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave? Here’s one cheaper desk and one more premium gaming desk option for you to consider.

How I tested the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave

• Used as my main desk
• Tested over multiple weeks
• Extensive work and play

I replaced my tired old Amazon desk with the Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave several weeks ago, assembling it myself. I used it almost every day, both to work and play on my desktop gaming PC, as well as eating several meals at it (I know, I know, it's a bad habit). I spent many hours at a time sitting at it in my NobleChairs Hero TX - with regular breaks to stretch, of course!

While I wasn't able to make proper use of the VESA mount option, I did set up the cable racks and used them to clear up the space under my old desk, which had become something of a cable-tangle nightmare. I also played around with the LED lighting and connected it directly to my motherboard to synchronize it with my rig's ARGB theme.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2025-January 2026

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa is a compact capsule coffee maker with optional milk-frothing for cappuccinos and macchiatos, plus hot and cold milk foam. It's excellent at the fundamentals, and Lavazza's A Modo Mio pods are superb – affordably priced and packed with great quality coffee, with no flavored or sweetened options.

The Deséa is simple to use, as you'd expect from a capsule coffee maker, and is exceptionally quiet. During the testing period, it reached a maximum of only 50dB during brewing, making it the quietest machine I've tested to date.

It uses the same milk-frothing system as the Lavazza Assoluta (an automatic coffee maker that adapts its own settings to suit your chosen beans). This comprises a large glass cup with a lid containing a rotating electric whisk and a steam pipe. It works reasonably well with full-fat dairy milk, but in tests it produced very little foam when used with oat milk. This was very different to my experience with the Assoluta, so I suspect the much smaller Deséa may not be able to generate the same level of steam pressure.

Overall, it's a likeable little espresso machine that would be a good option for small kitchens, particularly if you're the lone coffee-drinker. The price of its capsules won't make you sweat, even if you enjoy several cups a day.

Lavazza A Mio Modo Deséa: specifications