Reviews

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: 2-minute review

The Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker is a super slick, modern drip coffee machine that gives filter brewing the smart treatment with automatic water temperature adjustment, dosage calculations, carefully timed blooming of coffee before brewing, and presets tailored for different roasts. There's even a cold brew mode, which produces deliciously smooth results without you having to wait overnight.

If that sounds like a little too much effort (or you live with someone who's less exacting about their brew), there's also an Auto Brew mode that lets you use the Aiden like an ordinary manual drip machine - just load in your preferred quantity of grounds, and it will run until the water tank is empty.

The timer is a smart addition, though you'll need to make sure you're prepared with your coffee mug as soon as it's finished because the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker doesn't have a hot plate and while the carafe is double-walled it loses heat quite rapidly. You can minimize this problem by pre-heating it before brewing, but that's not a viable option if you're using the timer.

The machine comes with two baskets - one for single brews (green) and one for batch brews (blue) (Image credit: Future)

The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker has a mobile app (available for iOS and Android) with some handy extra features, like customizable brewing profiles that you can share with other people, and the option to update the machine's firmware. You can link the coffee machine to your phone using a QR code by selecting 'Connectivity' from the settings menu, but it's entirely optional.

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: price & availability

• Launched at $365 / £365 (about AU$580).
• Available with coffee grinder for $111 more

The Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker launched in July 2024 and is available direct from Fellow in the US, or from Amazon in the UK. It has a list price of $365 / £365 (about AU$580).

Unlike some drip coffee makers we've tested, such as the Cuisinart Grind & Brew, the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker doesn't have a grinder. If you don't already own one, Fellow offers the machine bundled with a conical burr grinder for $476 (about £380 / AU$760).

That's about the same price as the Moccamaster KBGV Select, which currently sits at number one in our guide to the best drip coffee makers, and costs $359 / £229 / AU$515. Both are premium machines, but with the KBGV Select you're paying for a super tough manual machine that should last a lifetime, while the Aiden's price tag comes from its smart brewing technology. Both justify their list prices - it's just a question of where your priorities lie.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: design

• Stylish, modern aesthetic
• Simple control dial
• Single and batch brewing baskets

The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker is beautifully designed - a compact black cuboid with a small, bright display panel, a single control dial, and a matching matt black carafe. Every part of the machine feels robust and well-made, from the sturdy hinge on the frosted plastic water tank (with clearly marked measurements on the front) to the smooth movement of the control knob.

During brewing, the LCD display shows a countdown timer and the current stage of the brewing process (such as 'blooming' or 'pulsing'), which is particularly handy since the black carafe doesn't let you see how much coffee is inside.

The machine has a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters (about 53oz), and brews in increments of 120ml (a standard tasse à café). A typical coffee mug holds around 280ml, so you'll need to set it to two cups for your usual morning brew.

The machine can recognize which basket is inserted (Image credit: Future)

It's supplied with two baskets - one for servings up to three cups, and one for bigger batch brews. It comes with filter papers designed for the larger basket; during testing, I found that my standard flat-bottomed 1x4 filter papers fitted the small one just fine. The machine can detect which basket you have inserted and will instruct you to set the 'shower' head to the appropriate color-coded setting so water is pulsed evenly over the grounds.

The carafe is well crafted, with a drip-free spout and sturdy handle, but as mentioned above, there's no hot plate in the machine's base to keep it warm when brewing has finished.

The Aiden is a piece of cake to keep clean; the baskets and carafe are easy to wash with warm, soapy water, and you can keep the body of the machine looking like new with a damp cloth. There's also a descaling mode to keep the water lines clear, which works with regular coffee machine descaling liquid. It's recommended that you do this every three months.

Fellow advises grinding your coffee coarser if you find mess in the brewing chamber once you're done, but this was never an issue for me. I used a Dualit burr grinder on a relatively coarse setting suggested for drip machines.

• Design score: 4/5

The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker has a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters (Image credit: Future) Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: performance

• Automatic and guided brewing modes
• Very quiet in operation
• No hotplate, and carafe cools quickly

The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker gives you a choice: an Instant Brew mode that works like a standard manual drip coffee maker, and a Guided Brew option that lets you tinker with settings, suggests an appropriate dosage, and brews only the amount of coffee you've specified.

Guided Brew defies the preconception that drip coffee is inferior to espresso, tailoring the temperature of the water, how long the coffee is allowed to bloom, and how long is spent sending pulses of water through it afterward depending on the dosage and whether you've selected light, medium, or dark roast. You'll even be asked to enter your elevation relative to sea level during setup. It's not something I'd typically consider, but water boils at temperatures below 100°C/212°F at elevations above sea level, which can result in under-extracted coffee if you don't adjust for it.

The carafe is beautifully designed, but tends to lose heat rapidly (Image credit: Future)

I particularly enjoyed the machine's cold brew setting. It's much quicker than brewing overnight in your fridge, taking 1.5-2 hours from start to finish depending on the quantity. The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker still uses hot water to bloom the coffee but then switches to cold for the remainder of the process, and the resulting coffee is incredibly smooth. Pop the carafe in the fridge for a while once it's done, and it's fantastic.

There's also a timer, which is something I always appreciate with a drip coffee machine. The lack of a hot plate means you'll need to be organized in the morning to grab your fresh brew before it cools, but it shouldn't disturb any light sleepers who want a lie-in. During my tests, it only reached a maximum of 59dB while pulsing water through the grounds. That's about the same as a dishwasher, and the sound only lasted a couple of seconds at a time. Cold brew mode doesn't pulse and is nearly silent.

The machine is controlled using a single dial - turn it to scroll through menus, and press to select an option (Image credit: Future)

For me, the drawback of the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker is how quickly the hot coffee cools down. Not only is there no hot plate, the carafe seems to lose heat quickly despite its double-walled design and Fellow's claim that it "keeps your coffee warm for hours in any room of the house". In my tests, a four-cup serving cooled down significantly within half an hour in my kitchen.

That's not a problem if you're only brewing a cup or two, but the machine has a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters, and it's a real shame if you brew a batch and it goes cold before you can get through it all. You could decant your coffee into an insulated bottle or carafe once it's done brewing to keep it nice and hot, but that's an extra step I'd rather avoid if possible.

The carafe and baskets are easy to clean with warm, soapy water (Image credit: Future)

Not everyone likes keeping their drip coffee on a hot plate, and leaving your drink on one for too long will definitely affect the taste, but for me, one of the joys of a drip machine is being able to brew a carafe and come back for a second cup. And if I've set a timer to brew my coffee in the morning, I don't want to find a cold carafe if I hit snooze on my alarm and spend a few extra minutes in bed.

It's a shame because the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker is otherwise superb. It does its job exceptionally well, but you should be aware that it won't keep your beautifully brewed drink hot for long.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker? Buy it if

You want to optimize your drip coffee brewing

There aren't many drip machines as smart as the Aiden, and its highly configurable settings will appeal to filter aficionados who want to optimize flavor extraction from their beans.

You enjoy cold brew coffee

The Aiden Precision Coffee Maker produces the best cold brew I've tasted and does so in just two hours. It uses hot water to bloom the coffee before the cold infusion, and the result is super smooth.

Don't buy it if

You want to brew big batches

The lack of a hot plate means you'll need to enjoy your coffee as soon as possible, and although the carafe is double-walled, it doesn't retain heat very well. A separate insulated bottle or jug will be necessary if you want to keep it hot for longer.

You'll only use the Quick Brew mode

The digital Guided Brew mode is what makes the Aiden special. If it doesn't appeal, you're better off saving some cash and choosing a simpler drip coffee maker instead.

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: also consider

If the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker hasn't won you over, here are two other options to think about.

Moccamaster KBGV Select

Our top-rated drip coffee maker, the KBGV Select doesn't have the smarts of the Aiden but is extremely well-built and very well regarded among filter enthusiasts. It has a hot plate, too.

Read our full review

Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine

If you're looking for a simple drip coffee machine with a timer for your morning brew, Smeg has you covered - and in style, too. It doesn't have the largest carafe, but this little machine does its job very well, including keeping your coffee hot until you're ready for breakfast.

Read our full review

How I tested the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker

I tested the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker using a variety of coffees from Clifton Coffee Roasters, comparing the results to those from a fully manual filter coffee machine and a V60 coffee dripper. The cold brew was compared to coffee steeped overnight in a fridge. Coffee was ground to the same coarseness using an electric burr grinder. The baskets and carafe were cleaned between uses, and I used filtered tap water for all beverages.

For more details, see how we test.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: one-minute review

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot is an Xbox and PC controller that I want to love. It gets a ton right, from its solid build quality and impressive battery life to its drift-resistant thumbsticks and all-around great-feeling buttons, bumpers, and triggers. As a controller, it ticks all the right boxes on its way to being an easy recommendation.

I’m a big fan of that titular feature, too. The pad’s two ‘Pivot’ modules allow you to swap from that traditional two thumbstick layout to something well-suited to arcade and fighting games. As such, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot is impressively versatile and well-suited to both competitive and easy-going retro play.

There are some design flaws, however, that stop the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot from being a slam dunk. For one, the act of ‘pivoting’ those modules is a pretty cumbersome three-stage process that requires you to unlock those modules, swivel them manually, and then lock them back into place.

Furthermore, I’m a little baffled by the inclusion of a Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra-like display. It’s certainly nice to have and its intuitiveness makes customizing your controller experience a breeze. But it has almost certainly made the Stealth Pivot cost more than it would’ve been without and somewhat muddles the design of the controller overall.

I like the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot a lot. But I feel that its unique selling point could shine more at a lower price point without the on-board display and with some more refinement to the overall pivoting process.

(Image credit: Future) Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: price and availability

• $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$249.95
• Available from Turtle Beach and other major retailers
• A price in between the Recon and Stealth Ultra

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot is available to buy now for $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$249.95. It can be bought from Turtle Beach directly or from retailers such as Best Buy in the US, Argos in the UK, and Amazon in all regions.

In the broader range of Turtle Beach controllers, the Stealth Pivot finds itself much pricier than the Turtle Beach Recon controller ($59.95 / £49.99 / AU$99.95) but also much cheaper than the premium Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra ($199.99 / £179.99 / around AU$329.95. Overall, the Stealth Pivot finds itself in roughly the same price bracket as the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core ($129.99 / £114.99 / AU$189.95).

The Stealth Pivot appears to come in at a pretty decent mid-range price, then. However I feel it could have been a more tempting option were it to be closer to the $100 / £100 mark and if it exclusively focused on the Pivot feature - saving that built-in screen solely for the Stealth Ultra instead.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: specs

(Image credit: Future) Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: design and features

• Overall excellent build quality
• Pivot tech is the standout feature
• Also features a built-in display, which doesn’t feel essential

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot largely impresses in the design department. It’s a largely plastic build here, but it’s all of a very high quality and feels nice in the hands - even if it’s a touch bulkier than most Xbox Wireless Controller-silhouetted gamepads.

While the rear of the grips isn’t textured here, the front features subtly textured pads that rest easy against the palms of your hands. Meanwhile, the bumpers, triggers, and rear remappable buttons have a more pronounced, bumpy texture that feels great overall. I’m also a huge fan of the smooth, circular d-pad which I found to be excellent for fighting games.

The Stealth Pivot suits the fighting game genre to a tee, actually. And that’s where we get into the pad’s standout feature: those bespoke Pivot modules. There’s one on each side of the controller, both kitted with two distinct layouts. By default, the controller’s pivots are set to the traditional two-thumbstick layout. The left module’s other side features a d-pad and two buttons, while the right bears a six-button layout.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s a neat feature that goes a long way to making the Stealth Pivot stand out from the crowd. It’s a shame, then, that the whole pivoting process can be quite awkward. For starters, you’ll need to unlock the pivots by toggling the unusually stiff switches on the rear of the pad. Then, you twist the thumbsticks clockwise to press them inwards, ensuring that they can be housed within the controller. Next comes the swivel itself before locking the Pivot modules again. It’s a pretty clumsy process overall and one I feel could use some refinement if the Stealth Pivot ever gets an improved follow-up.

Aside from some very effective trigger locks with distinct analog and digital settings, the remaining standout feature of the Stealth Pivot is its built-in display. It’s effective and unintrusive, activated by pressing a small ‘+’ button at the bottom of the controller. The Stealth Pivot’s inputs will then interact with the display’s options instead of your game until you hit that ‘+’ button again.

The display’s options are simple but have pretty much everything you’d want while gaming without overcomplicating things. You can switch between up to five button profiles (which you can create via the downloadable Control Center 2 app on Xbox and PC), monitor battery life, adjust headset volume should you have one plugged in via the 3.5mm port, and check for firmware updates.

It’s a nice addition, but one I feel isn’t much of a necessity, especially as it doesn’t really enhance the unique selling point of those Pivot modules. As mentioned, I wouldn’t have minded if the controller stuck to the Pivot modules as the one standout feature, which may have allowed it to come in at a slightly lower asking price while still maintaining what makes this controller special.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: performance

• Turtle Beach’s AntiDrift sticks are sharply responsive
• Excellent feeling buttons, triggers, and bumpers
• Excels at competitive shooters, fighting games, and retro titles

It’s much less of a mixed bag for the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot on the performance front. The Hall effect-like AntiDrift thumbsticks here are sublime, for starters. Not only are they seemingly long-lasting, but they’re also incredibly smooth and responsive, making them perfect for fast-paced competitive games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Marvel Rivals. The trigger stops work well here, too, with the option for quick-press digital triggers proving a boon in said shooters.

While I have issues with the implementation of those Pivot modules, they’re actually great in practice. If you’re a regular fighting game player, you’ve effectively got two controllers in one here, with the six-button setup on the right Pivot module being reminiscent of the Victrix Pro BFG’s dedicated fight pad module. I found this to be excellent for Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 where having quick access to those extra buttons allowed for much smoother play overall.

This more arcade-like button layout also means the Stealth Pivot is a great fit for retro gaming. I tested various old-school compilations with the controller, including Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection, and UFO 50. The alternative controls presented by the Pivot modules allow for a very comfortable experience here for games that are largely better suited for d-pad controls and quick, responsive button presses.

In terms of battery life, I managed around 21-22 hours on a full charge here, which is in line with the quoted ‘20+ hours’ on Turtle Beach’s website. However, keep in mind that a wireless connection via the included 2.4GHz dongle only works on PC and mobile. For Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One, you’ll unfortunately need to rely on a wired connection.

(Image credit: Future) Should you buy the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot? Buy it if...

You play a wide variety of games
The Stealth Pivot really shines across a variety of specific genres, including shooters, fighting games, and retro titles. Thanks to the Pivot feature and button profile mapping, it’s easy to create a diverse range of setups for responsive and comfortable play.View Deal

You enjoy customizing controls to fit your style
You can create up to five distinct button layout profiles via the Control Center 2 app on Xbox and PC, then quick-switch through all of them via the controller’s built-in screen.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You wanted something less bulky
If you’ve got smaller hands, you might not get on with the Stealth Pivot’s relatively larger size compared to other third-party controllers. In this case, a sleeker controller like the GameSir Tarantula Pro or the Xbox Wireless Controller might be a better fit.View Deal

You want something more straightforward
The Stealth Pivot is swimming in features, which likely also has pushed its price upwards. If you’ve no need for gimmicks like the built-in screen or Pivot modules, a simpler and cheaper model may be better suited to your needs.View Deal

Also consider...

If the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot isn’t quite doing it for you, check out these comparisons with two other controllers that might be to your liking instead, including a budget and more premium option.

GameSir Tarantula Pro
One of my favorite gaming controllers of 2024, the GameSir Tarantula Pro is a marvelous controller with a symmetrical thumbstick layout. Its sublime drift-resistant sticks, excellent build quality, and quick-switch button feature make this one of the GameSir brand’s best controllers yet.

Read our full GameSir Tarantula Pro reviewView Deal

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro
My vote for the best controller of 2024, there’s very little the Wolverine V3 Pro gets wrong. It’s a massive improvement over the pad’s V2 line, boasting superb build quality, Hall effect sticks, and Razer mouse click-powered buttons, triggers, and bumpers. While battery life could be better for the price, this is otherwise a masterwork of a gamepad.

For more information, read our full Razer Wolverine V3 Pro reviewView Deal

(Image credit: Future) How I reviewed the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot

• Tested for a week and a half
• Played a wide variety of games including shooters, fighting games, and retro titles
• Frequent use of the Pivot modules for certain games

While it appears I’ve scored the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot quite harshly, I had a lot of fun testing the controller and playing a range of games with it. I absolutely loved using the Pivot modules for titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, UFO 50, and Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection. I also got liberal use out of the standard thumbstick layout, loading up some Final Fantasy 14 Online, Marvel Rivals, and Path of Exile 2.

I largely played on PC, with some testing on the Xbox Series X Digital Edition paired with an LG CX OLED TV and Razer BlackShark V2 X gaming headset. Overall, I conclude that the Pivot modules give the controller a rather niche appeal due to their effective nature with certain game genres. However, for players who regularly play competitive shooters or fighting games, this could easily be a four-out-of-five or higher gamepad for you.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2024

Bluesound Pulse M: two-minute review

The Bluesound Pulse M is a mid-market multi-room speaker that promises wide, immersive sound. It's compatible with both lossless streaming and hi-res audio over a wired connection, and is clearly aimed at audiophiles who are looking for a compact yet versatile speaker. On top of this, its angled tweeters are billed as providing a broader stereo effect than many single-unit setups are capable of.

The Bluesound Pulse M’s audio is impressively detailed, as you’d expect from a speaker capable of lossless streaming. I was impressed by how Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon managed to sound both warm and crisp, with his voice rising above the mix and that tight, noodly guitarwork cutting right through. And its stereo effect is genuinely impressive – while you won’t hear two distinct channels for left and right per se, there’s still a separation to its sound that feels broader than a single speaker should be able to deliver.

Unfortunately, this is somewhat undermined by how unbalanced the audio can be. Like a lot of speakers in recent years, the Pulse M bets big on bass, which would normally be a pretty safe bet for a fan of sub like myself. However, in the process it neglects other frequencies, with mids in particular suffering compared to many of the best wireless speakers. With its sub and kicks, a slice of warm tech like Burst by Kiasmos should really shine on a bassier speaker, but instead that dusty arpeggiated synth and lush strings came off as slightly foggy here.

It is possible to rectify this using some of the speaker’s sound profiles. Personally, I found Front Row, Bluesound’s enhanced profile, to be a bit of a damp squib – it absolutely has an impact on the sound, giving it a bit more urgency, but that comes at the expense of a compressed feeling overall. Instead, I found using the BluOS app’s settings to boost treble and duck the bass achieved better results – although I did find myself wishing it had proper EQ settings to give me even more direct control over the sound.

When it comes to setting up and controlling the Pulse M, Bluesound’s BluOS app is easy enough to use, although it has some odd issues here and there. When setting up the speaker, multiple steps would fail, only to immediately succeed when I retried. And these glitches extend to its Alexa voice control skill as well. I found I was able to pause, play and skip music, but every time I asked my Echo Dot to select a specific track the Pulse M remained obstinately silent – so if voice control is your thing, you might be better off with one of the best smart speakers instead.

Design is probably the area where the Pulse M shines most. It’s well built, feeling sturdy without being overly heavy or bulky, while its white matte finish feels suitably premium to the touch. A built-in proximity sensor only lights up the buttons when you wave your hand near, which feels appropriately sci-fi. However, I’d personally prefer the touch-sensitive buttons to have some haptic feedback; offering that immediate feedback when pressed would make it much more obvious when the speaker has registered your input.

All in all, the Bluesound Pulse M is a quality mid-range speaker that's able to produce detailed, hi-res audio. Ultimately though, it lacks the nuance I’d expect from a speaker that costs $399 / £399 – powerful bass shouldn’t come at the expense of lush, expressive mids. Coupled with the fact that similarly priced speakers offer more – the JBL Authentics 200 offers fuller, more rounded sound for $349.95 / £299, while the spatial-audio-equipped Sonos Era 300 costs just $449 / £449 / AU$749 – this makes the Pulse M harder to recommend.

Bluesound Pulse M review: specs Bluesound Pulse M review: price and availability

• Released October 26, 2022
• Costs $399 / £399 / AU$899

Launched on October 26, 2022, the Bluesound Pulse M is available to buy now. It retails for $399 / £399 / around AU$899, which puts it firmly in mid-market territory – it costs a fair way north of the Sonos Era 100 at $249 / £249 / AU$399 but doesn’t quite cost as much as its premium cousin the Sonos Era 300 at $449 / £449 / AU$749.

In return for your spend, you’ll get a compact speaker with 80W of combined amplification, a single woofer and two angled tweeters. There’s not a huge variety in terms of options. It comes in just two colorways – black or white – but that’s pretty common with more premium speakers.

(Image credit: Future) Bluesound Pulse M review: features

• Great range of connectivity options
• Occasional app gremlins
• Limited EQ options

The Bluesound Pulse M rocks a decent number of features for a wireless, multi-room speaker, without necessarily ripping up the rulebook. It offers a combined 80W total amplification power, with 50W going to its upfiring 5.25-inch woofer and 15W to each of its 0.75-inch tweeters. The latter two are offset at 45 degrees from each other to give what Bluesound describes as an ‘immersive’ soundstage. Combined with an inbuilt acoustic reflector, this helps to radiate higher-frequency sounds in a 360-degree pattern, reducing the impression that the sound all emerges from a single point in space.

Getting started with the Pulse M is relatively straightforward. Once you’ve downloaded the BluOS app you just need to connect your mobile device to the speaker’s hotspot so it can piggyback on it to join your local Wi-Fi network. This process is pretty simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely smooth sailing – at multiple points I would find the connection process would time out, only to connect instantly when I retried. This did add a bit of friction to the process, particularly given that the Pulse M seemed to need setting up afresh every time it was unplugged.

Once the BluOS app is connected, it enables you to connect to the speaker via Bluetooth or AirPlay 2, as well as connecting specific apps like Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music directly to the Pulse M. The app also allows you to pair it with other Bluesound speakers to form a multi-room setup, or pair two Pulse Ms with the Pulse Soundbar+ or PowerNode to create an effective surround sound setup for your home cinema.

The BluOS app is also where you’ll find options to tweak the Pulse M’s sound profiles. On top of its default profile, it also offers Front Row, a setting that, according to Bluesound, enhances "richness in the lower frequencies (<60Hz)" and "openness and expansiveness in the higher frequencies (>5kHz)". It also offers access to the Tone Control settings, although these are unfortunately pretty limited: plenty of budget price Bluetooth speakers like the Tribit Xsound Plus 2 offer full nine-band EQ, whereas this speaker only allows you to boost or reduce treble or bass by 6dB either way. The BluOS app also offers ‘Replay-gain’, essentially an auto-gain adjustment that tweaks different tracks or albums to make sure they play back at similar volumes. I can’t say this is a problem I have very often these days, given that many streaming services standardize recordings to be at the same volume, but it’s nice to have I guess.

Naturally, the BluOS app isn’t the only way to control the Pulse M. If you want to control it as part of your smart home network, you can connect it to an Amazon Echo speaker using the BluOS Voice Control skill in the Alexa app. Unfortunately though, the skill seems to have a few holes here and there. Try as I might, I couldn’t get Alexa to select specific songs and artists – it would happily chirp that music was playing through my named speaker and then nothing would start. When I manually selected music though, Alexa was at least able to pause and play, as well as adjust the volume and skip backwards and forwards. So it’s a mixed bag: you’ll still have to reach for your phone a fair amount.

Should you prefer using your own digits to digital controls, the Bluesound Pulse M has a range of touch-sensitive controls on top of the speaker itself. These are invisible most of the time, but wave a hand over them and they’ll light up – you can then tap them to play and pause, skip forwards and backwards, set the volume, and pick one of five audio presets you’ve assigned in the app.

• Features score: 3.5

(Image credit: Future) Bluesound Pulse M review: sound quality

• Over-liberal with its bass
• Front Row audio profile lacks finesse
• Genuinely impressive breadth to its soundstage

When you actually fire up the Bluesound Pulse M, the first thing you’ll likely notice is its bass. In fact, that’s probably the only thing you’ll notice. When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, I was immediately impressed with how punchy the kick sounded and how warm the low subby end of the bass sounded – but the mids sounded set quite far back in comparison. I tried switching things up to Rosewood by Bonobo, a track that very much shines on a warmer speaker and, once again, it felt like the bass overshadowed the rest of the mix, which is pretty disappointing.

Comparing it to the Sonos Era 100, it became much easier for me to diagnose the problem. In our original Sonos Era 100 review, we criticised it for its over-emphasis on bass and yet it comes across as far better integrated and more coherent. In contrast, the Pulse M pulls way too many punches when it comes to its mids. Weighing up the two while listening to Young Blood by The Naked & Famous, there’s a real slam and thud to the bass kicks and snares to the Pulse M but, like the weightlifter who overlooks their core to focus on their arms and legs, all this flexing only serves to draw more attention to its soggy middle in comparison to its trimmer rival.

That’s not to say it completely lacks all precision. In sparser mixes, things feel like they have much more room for expression. Listening to the sparser ballad-y composition of Rains again by Solji, I was impressed with how polished and detailed her voice sounds, while the drum beats and piano are granted plenty of room to breathe – when the bass isn’t hogging all the limelight, other elements are given their chance to shine.

Given the default sound is a bit of a mixed bag, you might expect Front Row, BluOS’s inbuilt frequency tweaking, to step in and save the day. In practice, it’s a bit of a blunt tool, akin to using a pocket knife for micro-surgery. Some tracks definitely shine more with it on – originally White Dress by Lana Del Rey sounded a bit demure and lacklustre to me but Front Row boosted the breathy edge to her voice and made that light cymbal work a bit more crisp. Conversely, it brought the beat and vocals in Baby It’s You by London Grammar forward a lot but at the expense of making things sound a bit too compressed.

In my personal experience, you’ll get better results getting your hands dirty and tweaking the Tone Control settings according to your own tastes. Upping the treble by 6dB on London Grammar’s track gave its hats and Hannah Reid’s honeyed vocal that little more immediacy, while dropping the bass just a fraction by 6dB tamed the Pulse M’s worst impulses. Ultimately, this setting felt much more balanced for me and I ended up using it as standard pretty much from there on out.

One place I will commend the Pulse M however is for its soundstage. Thanks to those angled, stereo tweeters, this speaker offers a much wider sound than the narrow point of origin that many single speakers are capable of. Playing Manchild by Eels, there was genuinely an impressive sense of separation between the vocal and the guitar in the left and right channels, especially the further back I was sat in the room. While I’m not convinced I would describe this as true stereo, as Bluesound has, there’s no doubt it feels immersive and broad – although it’s not quite as impressive as the Dolby Atmos a speaker like the Sonos Era 300 offers.

• Sound score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Bluesound Pulse M review: design

• Gorgeous, refined design
• Solidly built but not bulky
• Controls could offer more feedback

For the most part, I’m a big fan of the Bluesound Pulse M’s design. The brand has nailed the nexus of minimal and premium that’s absolutely appropriate with a speaker at this price point.

Essentially a cylindrical oval shape, it gives off slight Sonos Move 2 vibes, while still being distinct enough to feel like its own beast. It comes in both black or white colorways; for me the latter has the definite edge here, feeling much cleaner and more futuristic. Its plastic body has a pleasing matte finish, while the fabric-covered grille has a curved bottom edge giving the whole thing a nice aesthetic balance. When it comes to the pure look of the device, I – unusually – have nothing negative to say.

Again, in build quality, the Pulse M occupies a Goldilocks zone of both solid without being overly bulky. The absence of a battery helps here, of course: moving it from room to room requires considerably less exertion than something like the Move 2. While it’s close in size to the Sonos Era 300, it's significantly lighter, weighing in at 2.54kg compared to the Era 300’s 4.47kg. While you’re not likely to be repositioning it very often, it’ll definitely be less cumbersome when you do.

One slight niggle centers around the touch-sensitive controls on top of the device. Given they aren’t physical buttons, I’d personally have preferred it if they’d included some haptic, or at least aural, feedback to confirm a successful finger press – I wasn’t always clear when it had actually registered a finger-press on the volume bar, meaning I’d often stab at it several times to be sure. But more of an issue for me is the lack of labelling: minimal buttons sure look cool until you’re trying to work out what half of them do, at which point you start to appreciate why almost all speakers follow certain conventions, like pluses and minus for volume or numbers for presets.

All things considered though, this feels more like splitting gossamer than splitting hairs – the overall style and build of the Bluesound Pulse M is aesthetically pleasing, and creates a decent impact in any room it’s situated in.

• Design score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Bluesound Pulse M review: value

• Looks and build match its premium price
• Sound can’t compete with similarly priced speakers
• You’ll likely get better value for your spend elsewhere

Weighing up how the Bluesound Pulse M compares in terms of value is a tough undertaking. On the one hand, it looks stunning, works as part of a multi-room setup and can stream true lossless audio. On the other, its bass out-of-the-box is seriously overblown, its app can be periodically frustrating and it’s a bit lacking when it comes to audio optimisation features.

Those kinds of compromises would mostly be fine if the Pulse M was cheaper or the competition wasn’t so good at this price range. But this is not an affordable wireless speaker: at an MSRP of $399 / £399 / around AUS899, it’s reasonable for you to expect more than you’re getting here. For that kind of money, I want a speaker to sound great right out of the box, ideally with algorithms that optimise the sound depending on the surroundings. And the Pulse M just cannot clear that bar, which feels like a missed opportunity.

So while this is a very capable speaker in a lot of ways, it’s still not enough to quite justify the high price tag: there are simply too many speakers out there that will give you better sound for your spend. For example, the JBL Authentics 200 is available for $349.95 / £299 / AU$299 and offers both the full bass and crisp treble of the Bluesound, while providing full, convincing mids. Alternatively, the Sonos Era 300 doesn’t retail for much more, at $449 / £449 / AU$749, and it rocks both full sound as well as that awesome spatial audio effect.

• Value score: 3/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Bluesound Pulse M? Buy it if...

You want wide, immersive sound
The Bluesound Pulse M can definitely fill a room. Its soundstage is much wider than many single speakers are capable of and its ersatz stereo effect is strong enough to give decent separation between various elements in the stereo field.

You want a speaker that looks the part
Looking suitably futuristic, with its matt white finish and buttons that only light up when you wave your hand near, the Pulse M will definitely make an attractive centerpiece in any living room.

Don’t buy it if...

You want unimpeachable sound balance
The Pulse M is far from a neutral listen and even unreformed bass addicts might find its subby brew a little too intense. It’s definitely salvageable with some tweaking but should you have to ‘salvage’ the sound from a $399 / £399 speaker?

You want the best value for your money
In many ways, the Pulse M is a quality product but it has an awful lot of competition at this price point. With multiple wireless speakers offering more features and more nuanced sound for not much more cash, it is worth asking whether another product might give you more banging tunes for your buck.

Bluesound Pulse M review: also consider

Sonos Era 300
Coming in at a little more than the Bluesound Pulse M, the Era 300 costs $449 / £449 / AU$749. But in return it offers so much more: on top of the stereo effect you get from Bluesound’s speaker, you also get a sensation of height with its true Dolby Atmos sound. On top of this, its sound is detailed and rich, although it does pull some punches when it comes to bass. Check out our full Sonos Era 300 review.

JBL Authentics 200
If you’d like to go in the other direction and save a bit of cash, the $349.95 / £299 /AU$299 JBL Authentics 200 is a quality multi-room wireless speaker that sounds great right out of the box. It offers well-rounded bass, rich mids and crisp, discerning treble and, while it doesn’t offer as wide a soundstage, it does offer great features like automatic room calibration. Read our full JBL Authentics 200 review.

Bluesound Pulse M review: how I tested

• Tested for two weeks
• Used in a range of rooms and settings
• Played a wide range of music over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and wired connections

I spent many hours testing the Bluesound Pulse M over the course of several weeks. Not only did I try it out in multiple different sized spaces, I also compared it to the Sonos Era 100 and hooked it up to a variety of devices, including my iPhone 16 Pro over AirPlay 2 and the Fiio M11S hi-res music player via analog stereo 3.5mm input.

In terms of music, I used our curated TechRadar testing playlist, as well as a wide array of tracks from my personal library. This allowed me to try out how the speaker handled everything from deep pulsing bass to delicate vocals. I also used a variety of different quality sources, whether that was Spotify’s standard tier, Apple’s lossless tier or Tidal’s hi-res tier.

I’ve been testing audio kit like headphones and speakers for many years now. I’ve also spent decades making music in my free time, which has given me a lot of insight into analyzing the frequencies of music, composition and soundstage.

• First reviewed: December 2024
• Read more about how we test

Govee Table Lamp 2 review

The Govee Table Lamp 2 is listed at $69.99 / £69.99, although, at the time of writing, there’s a sale on the Govee website lowering the price to $55.99 / £58.99. This may seem a little steep for a small light-up lamp but, if like me, you’re a fan of anything bright and colorful, appreciate extensive customization options, and enjoy the convenience of a smart lamp, then it’s definitely worth the cost.

When it’s off, the design of the Govee Table Lamp 2 looks pretty nice. It’s got a modern aesthetic, with silver-colored accents and a pearly finish on the circular control panel. The lamp's outer doesn’t have the cheap, unattractive finish that many lower-cost RGB lamps do; in fact, it looks like it could be made of glass, and the ridged titanium-colored inner makes for a nice feature.

(Image credit: Future)

The only slight negative I found was that the outer surface proved to be a bit of a dust and fiber magnet. I noticed a subtle texture on the side of the cylindrical lamp and realized that fibers had accumulated after only a few hours of use. This isn’t hugely noticeable, though, and our reviews office sees a lot of cardboard boxes and products daily, so the dust levels are certainly higher than average.

The controls on the device include power and two brightness adjustment buttons on the top panel, as well as color and scene cycling buttons that can be customized within the Govee Home app, meaning I was able to assign eight different colors/lighting effects to each button respectively.

(Image credit: Future)

Naturally, the design really came to life when the Govee Table Lamp 2 was on, and the effects were as beautiful as anything from the best smart lights. There’s a huge array of fantastic effects on offer via the Govee Home app, including several preset color collections, an RGB color wheel, plus another sectioned color wheel to choose colors. The latter had different emotions assigned to different color areas; choices included jolly, surprised, concerned, disappointed, and aggravated. I’m not sure I associate purple with “horrify” myself, but the assigned emotions amused me, anyway. There were over 60 scene presets to choose from, with collections of lighting effects arranged under themed tabs such as natural, festival, and sleeping, and I had great fun investigating them all.

(Image credit: Future)

My personal favorite scenes were some of the most colorful (naturally): Rainbow produced a beautiful gradient of pastel colors that slowly swirl about the outside of the lamp, and Fish Tank showed colorful shapes swirling around the center of the lamp. A great additional feature with some of these presets is that I could alter the speed, so I could set them to be as calm or as energetic as I fancied. On the few occasions I didn’t want colorful lighting effects, say when I wanted a warm light to read with, or to brighten the immediate area up, this lamp had me covered with a temperature range of 2700 – 6500K.

As if the huge array of scene and color presets weren’t enough, the AI feature was fantastic. It was like an easy-to-use online chat format, and I could ask it to create a scene via text or voice command, or take or attach a photo. I decided to take a photo of a stack of boxes in the office, and the AI bot recommended a “vibrant, dynamic lighting effect that dances and shimmers, mirroring the colorful packaging”. I accepted the recommendation, and the resulting light effect was a gorgeous pale lavender and pastel orange gradient that slowly waved from the bottom in an upwards diagonal direction – I was then able to save it to my DIY library.

(Image credit: Future)

The Govee Home app was delightfully easy to navigate and provides a great user experience. The different light features are laid out simply under labeled icons, and I really appreciated that the app allowed me to adjust the layout to suit my needs, allowing me to sort, hide, and show the quick access and modes right where I needed them.

Wonderfully bright and colorful even in a well-lit office, the Govee Table Lamp 2 was even more so in darker environments. Even on the bright white setting in darkness the light is diffused enough not to be harsh on the eyes, and the warmer lights targeted toward reading and night-time were soft and comforting.

One thing I noticed is that the Table Lamp 2 became warm after a little while, but not to a concerning extent. As I tested it in the winter, it actually proved to be a positive, as it was nice to feel a slight warmth when using the touch controls.

(Image credit: Future)

After an enjoyable period of testing and other than it collecting a little dust, there was nothing I didn’t like about the Govee Table Lamp 2. When unlit, it was unobtrusive and attractive, as much as one of these lamps can be. And when switched on it provided beautifully eye-catching and colorful light displays with what felt like endless scenes, combinations, and customizations.

As a lover of anything colorful with plenty of options to mix things up, I’m a huge fan of this smart little lamp, so if this is something you’re in the market for, you won’t feel let down by the Govee Table Lamp 2.

Govee Table Lamp 2 review: Price and specs Should you buy the Govee Table Lamp 2? Buy it if...

You want a light with lots of options and customization
This table lamp certainly isn't lacking when it comes to preset scenes and options to make your own. From personalized color collections to speed and brightness levels, the intuitive Govee app makes it light work to create the effects you want.

You want to go hands-free
The fantastic app isn't the only smart feature here as you can easily connect the Govee Table Lamp 2 to smart home tech like Alexa or Google Assistant, plus it has Matter connectivity too.

Don't buy it if...

You want a lamp that's super bright as well as smart
It's perfectly bright enough for reading or when working close to the lamp. However, as one would expect from a lamp of this size, it isn't going to illuminate a room.

You want something cheap and cheerful
While this lamp certainly gives some bang for your buck, it is on the pricey side. There are plenty of cheaper alternatives floating about – just be mindful that the build quality may be lacking, and you might be hard-pressed to find anything with such a satisfying array of features.

Govee Table Lamp 2 review: Also consider

Philips Hue Twilight
If you've got (a lot) more to spend, and you're a die-hard Philips smart home tech fan, then this purpose-built wake-up light could be the one for you. It features two light sources, one at the rear of the lamp that scatters color up the wall, and one inside the lampshade. It features an attractive, modern design, and two buttons for automation and light control, but you'll need a Hue Bridge to make the most of all the features. If you'd like to learn more, check out our full Philips Hue Twilight review.

How I tested the Govee Table Lamp 2

• I thoroughly enjoyed using the Govee Table Lamp 2 for one week
• I tested the different features and customizable settings
• I observed the brightness and visibility of the scenes in light and dark environments

I used the Govee Table Lamp 2 as a calming and mood-lifting addition to my desk setup in the TechRadar reviews office for one week. I evaluated the usability and performance of the Govee companion app and went down the rabbit hole playing with all the different settings.

I enjoyed exploring the various presets within the app. I also made some of my own color sequences, and used the AI scene creator from photos and prompts.

I assessed the different light modes in brighter and darker conditions to see how visible they were in daylight and bright office lights, and to see just how vibrant the colors were in the dark.

• First reviewed December 2024
• Read more about how we test

Sony LinkBuds Fit: Two minute review

The Sony LinkBuds Fit are the latest addition to Sony’s mid-range true wireless earbud lineup. Sony has a solid reputation for making some of the best high-end buds, while also catering to people on a budget with more affordable options. The LinkBuds range has already impressed in the past, with models like the original Sony LinkBuds, which have an open-ear design, and the Sony LinkBuds S with a closed design that are perfect for smaller ears.

The LinkBuds Fit take a slightly different approach. The name tends to suggest these buds are targeted at fitness lovers – and they are – but it also hints at their best feature, a fantastic fit. They stay put throughout rigorous workouts, but are also light and comfortable enough for all-day wear while you work.

They won’t beat the very best earbuds when it comes to sound quality or noise cancellation. Sony’s high-end models, like the WF-1000XM5, are considerably better on those fronts and Bose is still ahead of the competition when it comes to ANC, with the QuietComfort Ultra.

But although the LinkBuds Fit don’t have top-tier features, they make up for it with an option that we think is a reliable and versatile choice for most people. They’re perfect for movement, sports, and anyone who has struggled to find earbuds that fit securely without sacrificing comfort.

(Image credit: Future)

Let’s start with the fit, which is genuinely excellent. I’ve reviewed many earbuds in this mid-range price bracket, including fitness-focused models, and these are among my favorites. They’re small, lightweight, and versatile, making them ideal for almost anything – whether you’re working at a desk all day or doing intense workouts at the gym.

The fit stands out for several reasons. Each earbud weighs just 4.9g, so light that you might forget you’re wearing them. While there are lighter options – like the budget Jlab Go Pop ANC at 4.1g per bud – few fitness-oriented earbuds with noise cancellation and robust features are this light. For comparison, the Jabra Elite 8 Active, some of my favorites, weigh 5g per bud, and the Sennheiser Momentum Sport buds come in at 6.4g per bud, which is a significant difference for such small devices.

The stability and comfort are enhanced by two key features. First, the silicone tips, which are standard with most true wireless earbuds. Although there are only three sizes included, I found the pre-installed tips surprisingly perfect for my ears, even though I usually size down. That said, the limited tip selection might not suit everyone. Second, the earbuds feature silicone fins that fit snugly into the cartilage of your ear. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of how the fins looked, but they’re very effective at holding the buds in place, which won me over.

These earbuds aren’t just comfortable; they’re incredibly stable. I tested them while running in the rain, perfecting calisthenics skills upside down on parallel bars, attending a yoga class, and working out at the gym. No matter the activity, they stayed firmly in place without ever feeling tight or uncomfortable.

Aesthetically, they have a minimal yet playful design, with an almost bubble-like appearance for both the buds and the charging case. Their small size and lightweight build make them look discreet in your ears, without protruding too much, like some competitors. The design seems aimed at a younger audience, which makes sense given they’re marketed as a collaboration with singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo.

The charging case is a bit chunkier and less streamlined than those of rival buds. While I personally love its unique, slightly marble-like finish (available on the white and green versions), it might not be as pocket-friendly. If you want other colors, the Sony LinkBuds Fit also come in black and violet.

(Image credit: Future)

The Sony LinkBuds Fit have two noise-cancelling modes: standard and ambient. The standard mode isn’t best-in-class. For example, I could hear myself typing at my desk and a baby crying in a cafe. However, it effectively blocked out low-frequency sounds like the hum of a heater or the rumble of a train. It seems particularly effective at dampening hums and rumbles rather than completely silencing all noise.

With that in mind, if you want near silence, the Sony LinkBuds Fit might not be the right choice. They’re designed to reduce noise rather than eliminate it completely, which I personally appreciate as it keeps me aware of alarms or emergencies. For those needing to hear their surroundings, the ambient mode also reduces noise while still allowing announcements and other key sounds to come through.

These settings can be adjusted in the Sony Connect app, which is packed with features. You’ll find expected options, like EQ settings (with an intuitive process to determine your favored presets), head-tracking sound, and multipoint pairing. There are also more unique features, such as a mode that makes your music sound more like background noise, adaptive sound control that adjusts based on what you’re doing, and a speak-to-chat feature that pauses music when you talk. If this all feels overwhelming, the good news is you don’t need to customize every feature to enjoy a great experience right out of the box.

Connectivity is robust, with Bluetooth 5.3 supporting AAC, SBC, LDAC, and LC3 codecs, catering to a wide range of preferences and devices.

You can also customize gesture controls via the app. Sony claims you can tap the area below your earlobe or between your ear and sideburn to activate gestures, but I couldn’t get this to work reliably. Instead, I had to tap the buds themselves, which occasionally required a firm tap to register.

Battery life is solid, offering 5.5 hours with noise-canceling on and eight hours without. This matched my testing, though it varies depending on the audio codec and extra features you’re using. With the case, you’ll get just over 20 hours in total. While decent by modern true wireless standards, it’s not exceptional. For example, the more affordable Sony WF-C510s deliver 11 hours of playback but lack noise-cancelling – so your choice depends on your priorities.

As expected for workout-focused earbuds, the LinkBuds Fit have an IPX4 rating, making them resistant to sweat. However, don’t take them in the shower or to the swimming pool.

(Image credit: Future)

During testing, the Sony LinkBuds Fit delivered a sound that’s best described as powerful and punchy. While I wasn’t blown away by the detail or richness of the audio, the experience was undeniably enjoyable. The buds provide a bouncy, bass-heavy sound that’s perfect for powering through workouts.

If you’re a fan of boomy, high-energy tracks, these earbuds will hit the mark. I even boosted the bass in the EQ settings for extra impact. While this became fatiguing over time, tracks like Armani White’s Billie Eilish and Hanumankind’s Big Dawgs had an adrenaline-pumping intensity. Similarly, heavy rock like Queens of the Stone Age’s Sick, Sick, Sick sounded meaty and immensely satisfying.

Dramatic ballads like Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence also worked well, delivering an emotional punch. For work sessions, I found melodic tracks by Ólafur Arnalds especially enjoyable, often pairing them with the background music effect to improve focus.

However, these buds sacrifice some detail and subtlety in favor of their bass-forward profile. Sony’s DSEE tech, which upscales low quality sound, maybe worked some magic. But it felt like something was lacking a little when I listened to classical music, and expected the richness and expansiveness found in higher-end earbuds. At higher volumes, complex arrangements sounded a bit messy and restrained.

Which is all to say that the LinkBuds Fit excel at delivering a robust, energetic soundtrack for daily activities and workouts. However, if you’re looking to analyze every nuance of your favorite tracks, you’d be better served by a more refined option.

Sony LinkBuds Fit: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Priced at £179 / $179 / AU$348
• Released in October 2024

The Sony LinkBuds Fit cost £179 / $179 / AU$348. Although the buds are currently discounted on the Sony website in some regions. At the time of writing, the price in the UK has dropped from £179 to £149.

This price puts the buds in the mid-range category. Cheaper than Sony's WF-1000XM5 earbuds at $299.99 / £259 / AU$499 but more expensive than the Sony WF-C700N at $119 / £99 / AU$199.

Other competitors in this space are the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC at $179 / £179 / AU$299 and the JBL Live Beam 3 at $199.95 / £179.99 / AU$249. There are several at a similar price that are also considered workout-friendly buds too, like the Jabra Elite 8 Active at $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329, and the Beats Fit Pro at $199 / £199 / AU$299.

What this means is that although you will find good buds that are cheaper and can pay more for better audio performance and features, the wealth of features, the comfy fit, the design and the fitness-friendly specs make the Sony LinkBuds Fit competitively priced and good value.

Sony LinkBuds Fit: Specifications Sony LinkBuds Fit: Scorecard

(Image credit: Future) Sony LinkBuds Fit: Should I buy? Buy it if...

You’ve struggled to find buds that fit

Whether your ears are small or you get stressed when buds stick out and think you're going to lose one, give these a go. We can't make promises, but think some people will be pleasantly surprised.

You work out a lot

These buds did it all. They came running with me through fields and along the beach, to the gym, the yoga studio and swung around on some parallel bars. They’re super stable and not going anywhere.

You like a cute and considered design

They’re not premium-looking or particularly design-y, but the rounded shape, the marble case, the shiny surface and bubble-like vibe make them cute and Instagrammable.

Don't buy it if...

You want excellent ANC

I personally enjoyed what the noise-canceling here had to offer, but they’re not fantastic. No near-silent cocoon of sound to be found. Choose Bose or higher-end Sony buds instead.

You prioritize longevity

At 5.5 hours from the buds themselves, it's not like the battery life is bad, but you can find better if that’s a priority for you.

You value a seamless experience

I had to tweak the sound here a little and there's a lot to play around here in the app in terms of features. Is this a good thing? Yes But does it require a fair bit of setup? Also yes.

Also consider

Beats Fit Pro

A very similar proposition with enjoyable sound and decent ANC, as well as silicone ear fins. More expensive than the Sonys, but they've been around a while so you can find solid discounts.

Beats Fit Pro review

You'll find a better battery and more durable build from these Jabras – there's a Gen 2 version out now, too. They're also the only workout buds that come close to the Sonys in terms of comfort for me.

Jabra Elite 8 Active review

How I tested

I tested the Sony LinkBuds Fit every day for two weeks. This gave me the chance to trial them in a range of different environments and all sorts of situations.

I mostly used them to listen to music and podcasts on my iPhone 14 Pro with Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube music. I tested them when I was travelling on a train, working in a busy cafe and a quiet library and at home at my desk. I also took them to the gym when I was using the cardio machines and lifting weights, to the yoga studio, along the beach for several runs, and to an outdoor pull-up bar.

I’ve tested many headphones and earbuds over the past 12 years, with a focus on fitness devices. I’m interested in tech that prioritizes comfort and ease of use.

First reviewed: December 2024

Intel Arc B580: Two-minute review

When I reviewed the Arc A770 and A750, I said that these Alchemist GPUs were impressive first efforts for Intel's Arc range, but not yet at the level that they needed to be to compete with the likes of Nvidia and AMD in discrete graphics.

Well, with the release of the new Intel Arc B580 (2nd-gen Battlemage), there's no doubt that Intel has produced one of the best graphics cards of this generation, and given gamers on a budget an absolute gift just in time for the holidays.

For starters, let's talk about the price of this GPU. At just $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$439, the Arc B580 undercuts both Nvidia's and AMD's budget offerings, the RTX 4060 and RX 7600, while offering substantially better performance, making its value proposition untouchable at this price range.

While I'll dig deeper into the performance in a bit, I'll cut to the chase and point out the simple fact that neither the RTX 4060 nor the RX 7600 can game at 1440p without severely compromising graphics quality. Not only can the B580 perform this feat, it does so brilliantly.

This comes down to some very straightforward spec choices that Intel made with its Battlemage debut that, especially in hindsight, make Nvidia and AMD's respective decisions even more baffling. First, with a VRAM pool of 12GB, the B580 can hold the larger texture files needed for 1440p gaming, whereas the RTX 4060 Ti cannot, due to its 8GB VRAM loadout.

Then there's the B580's wider 192-bit memory interface, compared to the RTX 4060 Ti's and RX 7600 XT's 128-bit. While this might seem like an obscure spec, it's the secret sauce for the B580. This beefier interface allows it to process those larger texture files much faster than its competitors, so this GPU can fully leverage its bigger VRAM pool in a way that Nvidia and AMD's competing cards simply can't, even with larger VRAM configurations.

Boiling all this down, you end up with a budget-class GPU that can get you fast 1440p framerates the likes of which we haven't seen since the RTX 3060 Ti.

Even more impressive, in my mind, is that I did not encounter a single game where there was some kind of quirk or hiccup caused by the driver. With the Arc Alchemist cards last year, there were issues with some games not running well because of inadequate driver support, or a game's reliance on an older version of DirectX that the Alchemist GPUs weren't optimized for. I didn't encounter any of those problems this time around. The Intel graphics team's long, hard work on getting Arc's drivers up to par has definitely paid off.

If there's a criticism I can make of this graphics card, it's that its creative performance isn't as good as Nvidia's. But given the entire creative world's reliance on Nvidia's bespoke CUDA instruction set, neither Intel nor AMD were ever really going to be able to compete here.

Fortunately, the Intel Arc B580 is a graphics card for gaming, and for any gamer looking to play at 1440p resolution on the cheap, the B580 is really the only graphics card that can do it, making it the only GPU you should be considering at this price point.

Intel Arc B580: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The Intel Arc B580 is available in the US, UK, and Australia, and has been from December 13, 2024, starting at $249.99, £249.99, and AU$439 respectively. Third-party graphics card partners like Acer, ASRock, and others will have their own variants of the B580, and their prices may be higher, depending on the card.

The closest competition for the Arc B580 in terms of price are the Nvidia RTX 4060 and AMD RX 7600, both of which have a $20-$50 higher MSRP. And while Nvidia and AMD are preparing to roll out their next-gen graphics cards starting next month, it will still be a few months after the initial flagship launches before either company's budget offerings are announced. So, the B580 is the only current-gen GPU available for under $250 / £250 / AU$450 at the moment, and will likely remain so for many months to come.

• Value: 5/5

Intel Arc B580: Specifications

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Intel Arc B580: Architecture & features

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The Intel Arc B580 is the first discrete GPU from Intel based on its new Xe2 graphics architecture, codenamed Battlemage, and there are a lot of low-level changes over the previous-gen Intel Arc Alchemist. Many of these are small tweaks to the architectural design, such as the move from SIMD32 to SIMD16 instructions, but when taken together, all of these small changes add up to a major overhaul of the GPU.

That, in addition to using TSMC's 5nm process, means that even though the GPU itself has become physically smaller in just about every measure, it's much more powerful.

The B580 has a roughly 17% reduction in compute units from the Arc A580 and about 10% fewer transistors, but Intel says that its various architectural changes produce about 70% better performance per compute unit (or Xe core, as Intel calls it). I haven't tested or reviewed the Intel Arc A580, so I can't say for certain if that claim holds up, but there has definitely been a major performance gain gen-on-gen based on my experience with the higher-end Arc Alchemist cards. We also can't ignore the substantially faster boost clock of 2,850MHz, up from 1,700MHz for the A580.

Outside of the GPU architecture, there is also a smaller memory bus, with the A580's 256-bit interface dropping down to 192-bit for the B580, but the B580 features a 50% increase in its video memory pool, as well as a faster memory clock.

• Specs & features: 4.5 / 5

Intel Arc B580: Design

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The Intel Arc B580 Limited Edition reference card is what you'd call the 'base' version of this GPU, but don't call it basic.

Despite its all-black-with-white-accent-lettering appearance, this is a good-looking graphics card, much like the initial Arc Alchemist GPUs before it, thanks to its matte, textured black shroud, dual-fan cooling, and rather understated aesthetic.

In a PC component world full of ostentatious, overly aggressive and flashy designs, there is something almost respectable about a graphics card in 2024 that presents itself without gimmicks, almost daring you to underestimate its capabilities due to its lack of RGB.

That said, there is one noticeable difference with this graphics card's design: the open 'window' over the internal heatsink to help with airflow and cooling. Unfortunately, the HWInfo64 utility I use to measure temperature and power draw for the GPUs I review couldn't read the Arc B580 during testing, so I can't tell you how much of a difference this window makes compared to something like the Intel Arc A750—but it certainly won't hurt its thermals.

Beyond that, the card also sports a single 8-pin power connector, in keeping with its 190W TBP, so you can pretty much guarantee that if you already have a discrete GPU in your system, you'll have the available power cables from your PSU required to use this GPU.

It's also not a very large graphics card, though it is larger than some RTX 4060 and RX 7600 GPUs (it's about 10.7-inches / 272mm), though third-party variants might be more compact. In any case, it's a dual-slot card, so it'll fit in place as an upgrade for just about any graphics card you have in your PC currently.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Intel Arc B580: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

OK, so now we come to why I am absolutely in love with this graphics card: performance.

Unfortunately, I don't have an Intel Arc A580 card on hand to compare this GPU to, so I can't directly measure how the B580 stacks up to its predecessor. But I can compare the B580 to its current competition, as well as the Intel Arc A750, which prior to this release was selling at, or somewhat below, the price of this graphics card, and has comparable specs.

In terms of pure synthetic performance, the Arc B580 comes in second to the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti, performing about 10% slower overall. That said, there were some tests, like 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra, Wild Life Extreme (and Wild Life Extreme Unlimited), and Time Spy Extreme where the extra VRAM allowed the Arc B580 to pull ahead of the much more expensive Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti. The Arc B580 did manage to outperform the RTX 4060 by about 12%, however.

Creative workloads aren't the Arc B580's strongest area, with Nvidia's RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti performing substantially better. This might change once PugetBench for Creators Photoshop benchmark gets updated however, as it crashed during every single test I ran, regardless of which graphics card I was using.

Notably, the Intel Arc B580 encoded 4K video to 1080p at a faster rate using Intel's H.264 codec in Handbrake 1.61 than all of the other cards tested using Nvidia or AMD's H.264 options, so this is something for game streamers to consider if they're looking for a card to process their video on the fly.

But what really matters with this GPU is gaming, and if you compare this graphics card's 1080p performance to the competition, you'll have to go with the nearly 40% more expensive Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti in order to beat it, and it's not a crushing defeat for Intel. While I found the Arc B580 is about 17% slower than the RTX 4060 Ti on average at 1080p (with no ray tracing or upscaling), it's still hitting 82 FPS on average overall and actually has a slightly higher minimum/1% FPS performance of just under 60 FPS.

The AMD RX 7600 XT, Intel Arc A750, and Nvidia RTX 4060 don't even come close to reaching these kinds of numbers, with the Arc B580 scoring a roughly 30% faster average 1080p FPS and an incredible 52% faster minimum/1% FPS advantage over the Nvidia RTX 4060, which comes in a very distant third place among the five GPUs being tested. All in all, it's an impressive performance from the Intel Battlemage graphics card.

Also worth noting is that the Intel Arc B580's ray-tracing performance is noticeably better than AMD's, and not that far behind Nvidia's, though its upscaling performance lags a bit behind AMD and Nvidia at 1080p.

Even more impressive, though, is this card's 1440p performance.

Typically, if you're going to buy any 1440p GPU, not even the best 1440p graphics card, you should expect to pay at least $400-$500 (about £320-£400 / AU$600-AU$750). And to really qualify as a 1440p GPU, you need to hit an average of 60 FPS overall, with an average FPS floor of about 40 FPS. Anything less than that, and you're going to have an uneven experience game-to-game.

In this regard, the only two graphics cards I tested that qualify are the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti and the Intel Arc B580, and they are very close to each other in terms of 1440p performance. (I can give an honorable mention to the Nvidia RTX 4060, which almost got there, but not quite).

While Nvidia has certain built-in advantages owing to its status as the premiere GPU brand (so pretty much any game is optimized for Nvidia hardware by default), at 1440p it only barely ekes out a win over the Intel Arc B580. And that's ultimately down to its stronger native ray-tracing performance—a scenario which pretty much no one opts for. If you're going to use ray tracing, you're going to use upscaling, and in that situation, the RTX 4060 Ti and Arc B580 are effectively tied at 1440p.

And this 1440p performance in particular is why I'm so enthusiastic about this graphics card. While this is the performance section of the review, I can't help but talk about the value that this card represents for gamers—especially the growing number of 1440p-aspiring gamers out there.

Prior to the Intel Arc B580, gaming at 1440p—which is the PC gaming sweet spot; believe me, I've extensively tested nearly every GPU of the past four years at 1440p—was something reserved for the petit bourgeois of PC gamers. These are the folks not rich enough to really go in for the best 4K graphics cards, but they've got enough money to buy a 1440p monitor and a graphics card powerful enough to drive it.

This used to mean something approaching a grand just for these two items alone, locking a lot of gamers into incremental 1080p advances for two successive generations. No more.

Now, with an entry-level 1440p monitor coming in under $300 /£300 / AU$450, it's entirely possible to upgrade your rig for 1440p gaming for about $500 / £500 / AU$750 with this specific graphics card (and only this graphics card), which is absolutely doable for a hell of a lot of gamers out there who are still languishing at 1080p.

Ultimately, this, more than anything, raises the Intel Arc B580 into S-Tier for me, even though Nvidia's $399.99 RTX 4060 Ti GPU gets slightly better performance. The Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti just doesn't offer this kind of value for the vast majority of gamers out there, and even with its improved performance since its launch, the 4060 Ti is still very hard to recommend.

The Nvidia RTX 4060, meanwhile, can't keep up with the B580 despite being 20% more expensive. And with the AMD RX 7600 XT, laden with its $329.99 MSRP (about £250 / AU$480 RRP), falling noticeably behind the B580, the RX 7600 (which I haven't had a chance to retest yet) doesn't stand a chance (and has a slightly more expensive MSRP).

And, it has to be emphasized, I experienced none of the driver issues with the Intel Arc B580 that I did when I originally reviewed the Intel Arc A750 and Arc A770. Every game I tested ran perfectly well, even if something like Black Myth Wukong ran much better on the two Nvidia cards than it did on Intel's GPUs. Tweak some settings and you'll be good to go.

This was something that just wasn't the case with the previous-gen Arc graphics cards at launch, and it truly held Intel back at the time. In one of my Intel Arc Alchemist reviews, I compared that generation of graphics cards to fantastic journeyman efforts that were good, but maybe not ready to be put out on the show floor. No more. Intel has absolutely graduated to full GPU maker status, and has done so with a card more affordable than the cheapest graphics cards its competition has to offer.

Simply put, for a lot of cash-strapped gamers out there, the Intel Arc B580's performance at this price is nothing short of a miracle, and it makes me question how Intel of all companies was able to pull this off while AMD and Nvidia have not.

Even if you don't buy an Intel Arc B580, give Intel its due for introducing this kind of competition into the graphics card market. If Intel can keep this up for the B570, and hopefully the B770 and B750, then Nvidia and AMD will have no choice but to rein in their price inflation with the next-gen cards they plan to offer next year, making it a win-win for every gamer looking to upgrade.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Intel Arc B580: Should you buy it?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Buy the Intel Arc B580 if...

You want an extremely affordable 1440p graphics card
A 1440p graphics card can be quite expensive, but the Intel Arc B580 is incredibly affordable.

You're looking for great gaming performance
The Intel Arc B580 delivers incredible framerates for the price.

Don't buy it if...

You're looking for a budget creative GPU
While the B580 isn't terrible, if you're looking for a GPU for creative work, there are better cards out there.

You want a cheap GPU for AI workloads
The Intel Arc B580 might have dedicated AI hardware, but it still lags behind Nvidia by a good amount.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060
The Nvidia RTX 4060 is a better option for a lot of creative tasks on a budget, though its gaming performance isn't as strong despite the higher price.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
If you want a strong 1080p and 1440p gaming GPU, but also need some muscle for creative or machine learning/AI workloads, this card is what you'll want, so long as you're willing to pay the extra premium in the price.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti review

How I tested the Intel Arc B580

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• I tested the Intel Arc B580 for about three weeks
• I used my updated suite of graphics card benchmark tests
• I used the Arc B580 as my primary work GPU for creative workloads like Adobe Photoshop, as well as some in-depth game testing

Test System Specs

Here are the specs on the system I used for testing:

Motherboard: ASRock Z790i Lightning WiFi
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K
CPU Cooler: Gigabyte Auros Waterforce II 360 ICE
RAM: Corsair Dominator DDR5-6600 (2 x 16GB)
SSD: Crucial T705
PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower PF3 1050W Platinum
Case: Praxis Wetbench

Over the course of about three weeks, I used the Intel Arc B580 as my primary workstation GPU when I wasn't actively benchmarking it.

This included using the graphics card for various creative workloads like Adobe Photoshop and light video encoding work.

I also used the B580 for some in-depth game testing, including titles like Black Myth Wukong, Satisfactory, and other recently released games.

I've been doing graphics card reviews for TechRadar for more than two years now, and I've done extensive GPU testing previous to that on a personal basis as a lifelong PC gamer. In addition, my computer science coursework for my Master's degree utilized GPUs very heavily for machine learning and other computational workloads, and as a result, I know my way around every aspect of a GPU. As such, you can rest assured that my testing process is both thorough and sound.

• Originally reviewed December 2024

The KTC A32Q8 Smart Monitor from KTC (Key To Combat), a relatively new Chinese brand to the market bringing an affordable 32″ 3840 x 2160 4K 60Hz 16:9 VA panel with an advertised high contrast ratio measured at a 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut, a Variable Refresh Rate and HDR10 support.

That puts it into best video editing monitor territory. It also includes 2x 5w speakers. One key feature of this monitor is its SMART TV support for a variety of streaming services such as Google TV, Netflix, Disney+ etc.

The known Key Specs are:

Screen Size: 32”

Resolution: 3840 x 2160

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Max Refresh Rate: 60Hz (though it does support variable refresh rates)

HDR: HDR10

Colour Gamut: 98% DCI-P3

Speakers: 2 stereo speakers with 5W

KTC A32Q8: Packaging & assembly

The monitor came in the usual large box associated with monitors. The box was keen to point out the Smart TV capabilities of the monitor with logos of a couple of streaming services labelled on it. Once opened the box revealed a large polystyrene foam shell taking up the entirety of the box.

(Image credit: KTC)

The polystyrene foam came in two parts encapsulating the monitor with the stand and cables placed externally. Other than the stand, the monitor arrived with a UK to IEC13 cable, a Power Brick with Barrel adapter, HDMI Cable and its remote control. Also included were two small screwdrivers to get you started.

KTC A32Q8 only came with a quick start manual showing you how to put the monitor stand together and attaching it to the monitor, some basic specs and what the different ports on the back were for. It wasn’t very in depth. It goes into no detail about the OSD menus or other menus

(Image credit: KTC)

The stand is put together by slotting the pillar-like part onto the base plate and using the supplied screws and screwdriver, tightening them to fit. The supplied screwdriver is good for just getting started or if you have no tools, otherwise I would say use proper tools, they are painful on the hands and fingers to use.

The vertical part of the monitor is then mounted to the monitor itself, again with another two screws to support it. There is no vertical height adjustment or swivel support, only a slight amount of tilt from -5 to +15 degrees. There are no cable tidy clips, hooks, channels, etc.

(Image credit: KTC) KTC A32Q8: Connectivity

The rear of the monitor has, thankfully, downward facing connection ports thereby allowing you to place this monitor as close to a flat vertical surface such as a wall.

The connections are:

Four USB-A 2.0 ports

A 3.5mm headphone jack

DisplayPort 1.4

USB Type C connector with up to 65W of power delivery

HDMI 2.1, and;

The DC power Port

On the rear is the 100x100mm VESA mounts points

(Image credit: KTC)

The DisplayPort supports the full 4K 60Hz 10 bit colour gamut, the HDMI however is limited to only 8 bit at 4K 60Hz, a shame that they only supply a HDMI cable and no DisplayPort cable meaning that most average customers wouldn’t know this and may just opt to use the supplied HDMI cable thereby overlooking this flaw.

The USB-C also supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode allowing you to connect devices such as modern laptops to the monitor without use of a DP or HDMI cable, as long as you use an appropriate USB-C cable, which again isn’t supplied.

I was a bit disappointed by the use of the power delivery, a standard UK plug to IEC C13 cable, to power brick and then to DC barrel jack. The brick itself is that, a brick, it is fairly hefty with a long and wide body and slim height. I’m not a fan of power bricks because they will need to be placed and hidden and as an external point of failure, if the brick or DC was to be damaged, sourcing a new one with the correct sized barrel jack may prove difficult. I would have preferred a built-in solution with just a UK to IEC C13 plug as its one less thing to worry about, looking at the rear of the monitor suggest that there could have been space, there is a void large enough below the connectors, albeit the connectors may have to be repositioned if a redesign was in order.

KTC A32Q8: Performance

With a resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 32” on a VA Panel I noted that monitor a matt like textured anti reflective/glare coating on the screen, using a flashgun I was able to defeat it, but it's unlikely that you would ever have such glare like this on the monitor.

The monitor's backlight allowed some bleed but not much in truly inky blacks, not as good as a QD-LED. The image quality was sharp enough to allow you to enjoy most streaming services, complain free. To be honest, the average person will probably not notice any slight discrepancies in image quality unless testing it side by side with a better monitor from a well-known brand. Most end users would most likely be happy.

KTC A32Q8: Useability

The monitor has a single joystick like button on the back right hand side (as if looking straight ahead at the monitor) to allow navigation through the basic OSD (On-Screen Display) menu. Most of the menus, settings and controls are down through the monitor's own built-in OS like menus accessed and navigable using the supplied remote control.

After setting everything up and switching it for the first time, there were a series of menus to navigate in order to set it up which was quite involved. It wasn’t unlike me setting up my Samsung Smart TV for the first, not surprising since both are in effect, Smart TVs.

The monitor has built-in Wi-Fi, a useful feature allowing it to connect to your network and by extension to the internet allowing you to access the raft of popular streaming services. Especially as there is no RJ45 connector.

As soon as it was up and running, I used it more as a Smart TV than actual monitor, checking its features, logging on to my Netflix account, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube before remembering that this is a monitor review, not a TV one.

I used the monitor as any normal person would, using the display for work, general browsing, gaming and watching films or streaming service. For work, the monitor's large screen was useful for being able to display two good sized windows at once. General browsing was good, 32” being a very comfortable and usable size to work with unlike ultra-wide screen monitors.

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Gaming had no issues, I tested the display playing both Helldivers 2 and Horizon Forbidden West, two games which are PS5 console ports, so more modern PC games should have no issues.

Watching content, such as Amazon Prime (here seen is Fallout) has two large black bars on either side, as did Netflix. YouTube was the same though this was content-dependent. In this example I am viewing a video in the 2160 mode.

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The Monitor has 2 speakers, each with 5Ws of power, I listened to the speakers using a variety of sources from music, films, games and other genres. Like most in built Monitor speakers, they are better if you have nothing else but are easily outclassed by even cheap stereo speakers or better yet a headset or headphones.

I found the remote to be a bit on the small side, it doesn’t have many buttons and is powered by two CR2032 button batteries. the usual buttons are there; on/off, source selector, account, Google Voice, settings buttons. The centre is dominated by a square D-pad with centre select button, below that is the Home, back and multi-function button often found on Android like phones followed by the volume buttons. Lastly and most colourfully are the streaming services buttons as displayed.

Using the remote I noted the mushiness of the square D-Pad meaning that without looking at the remote, it was difficult to tell which direction you were pressing, my wife also noted the lack of a mute button which could have been placed between the “-“ and “+” volume buttons.

(Image credit: KTC) KTC A32Q8: KVM

The Monitor is KVM capable for laptops and other small portable devices that support USB C output. You can plug in a keyboard, mouse and any other USB accessory so long as they are USB 2.0 compatible, which is near universal, just be advised that you’ll be limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds if you use an external HDD. Once connected your laptop or device automatically (if capable) discover your attached devices and display your desktop.

This would mean that you could have the display set up at home with attached mouse and keyboard. You could then take your laptop with you, plug this in via USB-C and are good to go with just one cable. An alternative would be to have a desktop PC and or laptop dock capability to connect to the display sharing a common mouse and keyboard. An incredibly useful feature in this day and age of mobile computing/hot desking.

However, having tested other monitors in the past and hot desking at work, I note that in order to use DisplayPort Alternate Mode to pass a laptop’s display to the monitor require the use of properly compatible cables, most USB-C cables used for charging phones are not compatible

However, I noted that for a monitor boasting USB-C KVM and display capabilities, a distinct lack of any ethernet RJ45 jack. Whilst most laptops, tablets etc have or are Wi-Fi capable, sometimes a hardwired connection is preferred. A missed opportunity, I think.

KTC A32Q8: Final verdict

Overall, the KTC A32Q8 Smart Monitor has some decent things going for it, trying to pull double duty as a 4K monitor and Smart TV like features. It does most of this well but falls short in some places, most notably the lack of an RJ45 connector for the KVM feature and stinginess of the supplied cables.

The sheer number of connectors allows end users the flexibility to use several consoles or workstations with the KTC A32Q8 as well as other peripherals. But you will need to supply your own cables.

The downside is that there is a lack of support or exact specs on the KTC A32Q8 as finding the KTC website isn’t as straightforward as you would like, once on the KTC website there is no mention of the KTC A32Q8 or documentation.

So, who is the KTC A32Q8 aimed at? Having thoroughly used the monitor as a general user as both a computer monitor and TV, I see it as useful for students, anyone on a tight budget, or those without much space to have both a desktop with monitor and TV. As it doubles as both it can do the role of both yet taking up the space of one at a great value.

For more monitor reviews, we tested the best 5K and 8K monitors you can get right now.  

• ^ Back to top

Tineco Floor One Switch S6: Two-minute review

There aren’t too many vacuum mops like the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 – it goes from being a wet-dry vacuum mop to just a vacuum to a handheld unit. Tineco claims the Switch S6 is a 5-in-1, but I found it to be more of a 3-in-1. Still, it's one of the most versatile vacuum cleaners I’ve tested. It takes into account that no two homes are alike and that several have mixed floor types – and I don’t mean just rugs; I mean homes with either wood or tile floors as well as wall-to-wall carpeting.

Product info

The Tineco Floor One Switch S6 is available in the US and Australia. In the UK, only the Tineco Floor One S6 is being sold, which is the vacuum mop without the hot-swappable vacuum attachment that allows it to also become a handheld unit. The wet-dry vacuum mop, though, is nearly identical in functionality, with just a minor difference in the display.

Its primary function is to be a wet-dry vacuum mop, so it does both at the same time. That means its main body consists of a front-mounted dirty-water tank, which has a filter to capture solids (like debris and hair) and a clean-water tank on the rear which can also take Tineco’s proprietary cleaning solution. In tests, I found that the vacuum mop was incredibly easy to use and its cleaning prowess was quite good on both wet and dry spills, thanks to really good water dispersal and the 450rpm roller cleaning head.

This wet cleaning head gets constantly washed with each rotation, plus there’s a scraper built into the casing that, as the name suggests, keeps scraping away the dirt from the roller so as not to transfer any muck back onto your just-cleaned floor.

I found the auto dirt-detection sensors to be quite good too, with the vacuum mop dynamically altering power and water dispersion to match the spill you’re trying to clean up. Equally good is its self-cleaning process, which uses clean water heated to 70ºC / 158ºF to clean the entire machine, although you will need to first manually clean out the dirty-water tank. The roller brush is then flash-dried with air, which I’m glad for, as it reduces the chances of it growing its own little ecosystem and eliminates odors. The self-cleaning process, though, I found to be rather noisy.

Where the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 falls short is when using it as purely a vacuum. Again, it’s not bad, but there’s just not enough suction power on the hot-swappable attachment to match some of the best vacuum cleaners on the market. However, I have to commend Tineco for making such a versatile cleaning machine, as it can still handle the small, quick jobs. And, thanks to being lightweight in vacuum mode, it makes sucking up cobwebs hanging off the ceiling corners easy.

Given the battery is shared between both the wet-dry functionality and the hot-swappable vacuum, the runtime of the Switch S6 isn’t too bad. Mopping, being the more power-heavy functionality, gets you a top of 35 minutes per charge, while you'll get nearly double that amount when using it as a vacuum. There are other vacuum mops with longer runtimes, but given its versatility and excellent performance on hard floors, there’s good value for money here.

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: price & availability

• Launched in May 2024; available in the UK and Australia now via Amazon
• List price: $649 / AU$999
• UK model lacks the hot-swappable vacuum attachments

Having entered the market in May 2024, the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 has already seen some discounts during major sales but, even at full price, it offers plenty of bang for your hard-earned buck.

Unlike other vacuum cleaner models, the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 is identical in the US and Australia, where it will set you back $649 / AU$999 without a discount. Based on TechRadar’s price brackets, this price point puts the Switch S6 in the lower-premium / upper mid-range band (we consider anything over $500 / £400 / AU$1,000 as premium), but given it can be had for a discounted price at certain times of the year (usually down to around $440 / AU$640 mark), it really does represent good value as it’s so versatile.

This specific model isn’t available in the UK, although the standalone Tineco Floor One S6 is sold for £449 at full price. This is just the wet-dry vacuum mop main unit, without the swappable attachments for floor and handheld vacuuming.

While the standard S6 has plenty of comparable models from various manufacturers, including Shark and Roborock, there’s nothing quite like the Switch S6 to do a fair price comparison. Still, to put its value into perspective, the Dyson WashG1 costs $699.99/ £599.99 / AU$999, and it’s just a standard wet-dry vacuum mop. On the other end of the spectrum, the Shark HydroVac costs just $359.99 / £329.99 / AU$399.99. It’s not a versatile machine like the Tineco Floor One Switch S6, though.

You can purchase Tineco products directly from the manufacturer in the US and UK, but in Australia, the vacuums are sold via Amazon AU.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: specs Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: design

• Removable motor for switching units
• Lighter than other wet-dry vacuum mops
• Easy storage to keep all attachments together

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The first thing that hit me when I opened up the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 box was the staggering number of pieces that came out of it. And putting it all together while following the diagrams in the user manual was a losing battle. Thankfully, there are easier instructions on the box.

Given this is the first Tineco machine I’ve tested, I was a little surprised (pleasantly, I might add) to see that the motor is a separate piece on its own, which made sense to me once I realized it could be swapped between the vacuum mop and the standalone cordless vacuum. To handle those different tasks, there are two floor cleaning attachments in the box – the wet roller and a ZeroTangle brush. There’s also a Mini Power Brush for upholstery and a 2-in-1 crevice/dusting tool. Tineco even supplies a cleaning brush for the dirty water tank.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

While the main charging dock houses the mopping unit of the S6, a small side cradle fixes onto the side of the dock to hold the vacuum in place and stow the other attachments as well. So essentially, every part of this versatile machine is in one place, and the total footprint isn’t too large – so you can consider this model if you live in a smaller apartment.

The vacuum alone is really quite light and, when used as a handheld, is easy to hold up to get to cobwebs on your ceiling. And, in comparison to some other vacuum mops we’ve tested here at TechRadar, the main unit of the Switch S6 isn’t too heavy either. At 4.3kg (9.5lbs), it’s about half the weight of the Roborock Dyad Pro and the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro. Well, it is a little smaller than both of them, with the front-mounted dirty-water tank holding only 450ml of liquid compared to 720ml in the Floor One S7 Pro. So while it’s not entirely ideal for larger homes, it is more than enough for smaller ones.

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The dirty-water tank is also what prohibits the Switch S6 from sliding under furniture – it’s not bendy and tilting it beyond a 145º angle will see water slosh all over your feet. The swappable vacuum unit, though, is better able to clean under furniture, but you will need to be mindful that the angle of the cleaning head doesn’t change – if it lifts off the floor, its limited suction will be diminished further.

Like many other vacuum mops, the Switch S6 also boasts an LED display that shows you the battery life in the centre and the current cleaning mode. These include ‘auto’, ‘max’ or ‘eco’ depending on the attachment you have connected. A ring of light can be seen around the outer edge of the display that, for the most part in my case, remains blue, telling you that your floor is clean. If the iLoop sensor detects an especially dirty area of floor or a lot of debris, this turns red and the motor will increase its suction power to get your floor clean. Tineco says this function works for both the wet roller head and the vacuum head, but I only noticed it working for the former. There’s no touch functionality, but all the physical controls are within reaching distance of your fingers, so using the Switch S6 is easy. Importantly, it moves over floors smoothly, so you don’t need to exert too much energy when getting your cleaning done.

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Aside from the main wet/dry foam roller head, the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 also comes with a swappable vacuum head for carpets and soft flooring. It’s fitted with what Tineco calls – and claims to be – a ZeroTangle brush to prevent fluff, hair and other debris getting caught up and affecting its cleaning performance. In my time using the vacuum head on carpets and rugs, I can certainly support the claims as I’ve not once had to pick or clean anything out of the brush.

Smaller attachments include an upholstery brush for use on a sofa or in the car, for example, and a crevice tool with a brush that can be attached or removed to the end to assist with agitating debris in hard to reach areas. An extender pole can be attached to the main motor unit too, and the crevice tool can also be used on the end of it.

The removable motor, which can be swapped between the mop unit and the vacuum, is easy to remove from the former but, during my testing, I found that it’s a little harder to take off from the vacuum. It needs a little extra elbow grease, so it’s a good thing it has its own handle.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: performance

• Excellent mopping, but not a lot of suction when vacuuming
• Auto dirt detection works effectively to boost performance
• Self-cleaning functionality is good, but noisy

While I personally hadn’t tested any Tineco vacuum prior to the Switch S6, we have tested a few of the brand’s machines previously and have been impressed with what the company has been able to achieve at the mid-range price tag in terms of performance. The S7 Pro – while now discontinued in Australia – continues to be our pick of one of the best wet-dry vacuum cleaners for other markets.

So the expectations were high for the Switch S6 going into testing and, while it didn't outperform its older sibling, it still holds its own – particularly as a vacuum mop. I was very surprised at how much dirt it gathered in its tank, even when I thought the floors in my test space (which, for this review, was my own apartment) were looking quite clean. Importantly, none of the mopped-up dirt made its way back onto the floor.

I found that leaving the machine on Auto mode was ideal for my purposes, but there is also a Boost option for some extremely stubborn spills. The wet roller rotates at 450rpm and the cleaning head does a good job of dispersing water onto the floor for easy mopping. I found that even with caked-in stains, the Switch S6 needed no more than 3-4 passes before it mopped it all up. I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly the water dried, meaning I could walk on my floor within a matter of minutes.

What impressed me the most was how well the wet roller cleaned along the edges of a room (along skirting boards). While it won’t necessarily be able to get into very tight spaces, I found that it was able to automatically boost cleaning if it detected more dirt along room edges. I was relieved to find this didn’t need to happen very often in my apartment, but it was also reassuring to learn the iLoop sensor was doing its job.

Dynamic suction is also available for the hot-swappable vacuum as well, but don’t expect it to perform like a Dyson or Shark. While Tineco hasn’t revealed how many air watts of power is available for suction, I suspect it’s around 120 air watts. That's not as good as the approximately 250aw you get from the Dyson Gen5detect or Samsung Bespoke Jet AI, but it’s enough to handle the little clean-up jobs you might need in a pinch. I also appreciated the LED light in the vacuum head to help shine a light on otherwise invisible debris, ensuring I didn’t miss any spots. The vacuum could handle the regular weekly vacuuming, but I think the mop does such a fantastic job that vacuuming becomes unnecessary as a regular chore, saving me time.

The mopping head also made light work of liquid spillages, with just one pass being enough to clean up some milk from the floor. The iLoop sensor also kicked into gear to recognise there was a major spill and so adjusted its suction power accordingly. It also did an admirable job with grains such as rice, easily vacuuming up a small portion of rice from the floor and taking it through to the dirty water tank.

While the regular vacuum attachment does a good job with everyday dust and debris, it doesn't perform as well when attempting to vacuum up the same portion of rice. As you can see in the video, I vacuumed up a small portion of risotto rice, and while it seemed as though it had all been collected from the floor, when I picked the vacuum up, it all fell back out.

The lack of suction power also means that if you do have mixed flooring, the vacuum would definitely struggle on wall-to-wall carpeting with hair and dirt embedded deep into the fibres. I used it on the bedroom carpet and on a living room rug and wasn’t quite enthused by its suction, despite being in Boost mode. It’s still effective on hard floors, but only with everyday debris and crumbs.

However, I appreciate the fact that the Switch S6 also converts into a handheld unit. As I’ve mentioned earlier in this review, it’s light enough to keep raised for long periods of time, so cleaning upholstery or ceiling fans isn’t too hard at all.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: maintenance

• Has a self-cleaning process that is good, but noisy
• Flash-drying of the mop takes place automatically
• Manual cleaning of the dirty-tank is necessary

When you’ve finished a clean using the mopping roller head and returned the machine to its docking station, the voice prompt (if you leave it activated) will instruct you to perform a self-cleaning cycle. A button on the handle with a water droplet icon is all you need to press and the machine takes care of the rest. The self-cleaning cycle sees the machine using leftover clean water heated to 70ºC to blast the roller head while it spins to remove any dirt and debris. Dirty water collected in the tray is then vacuumed up into the dirty water tank. This process takes a couple of minutes, after which the Switch S6 blasts the roller head with hot air for around a further five minutes to dry it completely. Suction continues to be used to remove any last dirty water droplets.

It’s an effective process but one that is pretty noisy and much louder than when the machine is used for cleaning. I used a decibel meter app on my phone and recorded a reading of around 78dB. Even with the machine in my laundry room towards the back of my apartment and the door shut, I could still hear it from my living room roughly 26ft / 8m away.

Once the self-cleaning cycle is complete, the voice prompt will inform you it’s finished and tell you to empty the dirty water tank to prevent odors. I absolutely agree you should do this, as (to my surprise) odor can build up quickly. Removing the tank is simple, and you’ll want to separate the lid and the filter and run everything under a tap to remove any debris collected. I left the pieces to air dry before attaching them back to the main unit.

Tineco supplies a small brush to help agitate and remove debris from the filter. You’re also able to remove the roller head entirely to give it an even deeper clean, and Tineco supplies a spare to swap over.

• Maintenance score: 5/5

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: software

• Voice prompts are a lovely touch
• Tineco Life app is superfluous but handy

Tineco wants to make your time using the Floor One Switch S6 as easy as possible and so has integrated a voice prompt feature to give you useful instructions and to let you know what the machine is doing. These include telling you to perform a self-cleaning cycle, that it’s charging and which cleaning mode has been selected. If you don’t want to hear them, you can silence them within the Tineco Life app, or simply reduce the volume a few notches.

I found that the app itself wasn’t all that useful, and in some instances, totally unusable. I found that the machine has to be on, or at least ‘woken up’ for the app to connect. I wasn’t going to hold my phone whilst using the vacuum, so the only realistic time you can view information is soon after you’ve put it on the charging dock. It will eventually power itself down entirely, at which time I found the app didn’t connect.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

When you do manage to get the app to connect to view information, there isn’t really much to see. You can view a bar graph infographic showing the amount of time you spent cleaning on a particular day, and the current state of the water tanks and the roller head. On all occasions they all returned a ‘Normal’ result during my time testing, but the intention is that it will tell you if something needs cleaning.

There is a user manual in the app too, but I was never able to get this to open. It instructs you to “tap to enter the corresponding tutorial manual”, but in my experience, there was never anything to tap on. The app also regularly displayed the battery level as 0%, despite it being fully charged on the charging dock.

• Software score: 3.5 / 5

Tineco Floor One Switch S6 review: battery life

• Decent battery life but not adequate for large homes
• Up to 35 minutes mopping; up to 65 minutes vacuuming
• Takes a while to top up

The Tineco Floor One Switch S6 has average battery life for a vacuum mop. The company hasn’t revealed what battery capacity it’s using, but you won’t get more than 35 minutes when using the main vacuum mop unit. That’s because it needs more power to suck up dirt and debris while washing floors and keeping the brush rolling. This may not seem like much, but I found it more than enough for my apartment (which has an approximate total cleaning area of 120 sqm / 1,300 sqft), but potential users living in larger homes will need to consider another option with better battery life.

If you’re just vacuuming, however, there’ll be up to 65 minutes available on tap.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Tineco Floor One Switch S6? Buy it if...

You want one machine for all floor types

With a mopping head and a regular vacuum attachment, the Switch S6 can tackle all floor types with just one swappable motor. View Deal

You want an assured clean

With the iLoop sensor in mopping mode, suction power automatically increases when it detects major dirt and debris, meaning you can be sure everything will get sucked up. View Deal

You have a smaller home

I had no issues concerning battery life in a 2 bedroom apartment, with plenty of juice left in the tank after a clean.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You have deep pile carpet

The vacuum attachment for carpet doesn’t have the suction power to get deep within the fibres.View Deal

You have a tight budget

You are essentially getting four vacuum cleaners in one, but there are cheaper alternatives that do a similar – and sometimes better – job.View Deal

Also consider

Shark HydroVac Cordless
This 3-in-1 machine cleans and vacuums hard floors and carpets with a single roller head. No other attachments means it struggles with tight corners and ceilings, but for main tasks, it offers great value.

Read our full Shark HydroVac Cordless reviewView Deal

Dyson V15s Detect Submarine
Excellent performance in both mopping and vacuuming functions, but some design flaws keep it from getting full marks. Plus, you'll need to spend Dyson money.

Read our full Dyson V15s Detect Submarine reviewView Deal

How I tested the Tineco Floor One Switch S6

I tested this vacuum over a period of about a month in my apartment, which has a mixture of sealed wood flooring, tiles and carpets. I ran tests to see how well both main attachments picked up liquid spills and common solid spills such as rice and other grains.

Roborock Qrevo Slim: two-minute review

Although sporting a lower-profile design than some rivals, the Roborock Qrevo Slim is otherwise a full-size robotic vacuum and mop that is powerful, intelligent and packed with features. The redesigned LiDAR system means it can slide more easily under low furniture, getting to floorspace that other robots can't, without any noticeable compromise in navigation performance.

The well-appointed Roborock app serves up no fewer than five suction levels, plus configurability for the cleaning route and mopping performance. It also smartly raises its dual spinning mops when carpet is detected, and features a spinning side brush that pivots outwards to reach into the corners of every room.

With up to 11,000Pa of suction power, the Qrevo Slim is more powerful than many rivals, including the pricier Eufy Omni S1 Pro, and you can even view a live stream from the front-facing camera in the Roborock app, turning the vacuum cleaner into a pet monitor.

The Slim does not feature the bouncy 'AdaptiLift Chassis' found on the Roborock Qrevo Curv, which launched alongside the Slim in September 2024. However, perhaps thanks to the improved navigation system, the Slim robot itself still tackles thick rugs and raised door thresholds with a confidence missing from most rivals. It's also worth noting that despite the low profile, this is still a relatively large robot, with an equally large docking station, so it's best-suited to medium and larger homes. That's the short version; read on for my full Roborock Qrevo Slim review.

(Image credit: Future) Roborock Qrevo Slim review: price & availability

• List price: $1,399
• Launched: September 2024
• Availability: US

The Qrevo Slim launched in September 2024 and sits in the premium price bracket. It comes with a list price of $1,399, but you might be able to avoid paying that – I've spotted it discounted to around $999. At time of writing (because this market moves fast!) it sits at the top of Roborock's Qrevo range at, which itself occupies the middle tier of the company's robotic vacuum offering.

Below it you'll find the budget Q Series, and above you'll find the flagship S Series family, where prices start just below the Qrevo Slim (you'll pay $1,300 for the S7 Max Ultra), and extend all the way up to the range-topping, $1,800 S8 MaxV Ultra.

A four-figure vacuum may sound expensive, but that $1,300 buys you a lot of smart technology, and in this case your money goes into an interpretation of LiDAR known as 'StarSight', which is unique among robot vacuums, and is responsible for the Qrevo Slim's reduced height. You also get very high suction power – and in fact, at 11,000Pa, the Slim is more powerful than even Roborock's flagship S Series, which peaks at 10,000Pa. For comparison with other brands, the equally expensive Eufy Omni S1 Pro is rated at just 8,000Pa.

There is no ongoing subscription cost for the Qrevo Slim, although you'll need to purchase replacement dust bags every couple of months (Roborock says they get full in about seven weeks), and the side brush and mopping pads will eventually need replacing too.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Slim specs Roborock Qrevo Slim review: design

• Low-profile design fits under furniture
• Self-cleaning and emptying charge dock
• Dual rotating mop pads

The ‘slim' part of this robot's name refers to how it doesn't have a spinning LiDAR sensor on top. This makes it shorter than most rivals, and at 8.2 cm tall it can drive places other robotic vacuums cannot. Roborock has replaced the conventional LiDAR sensor with a system it calls StarSight. This includes a dual-light, solid-state LiDAR system, plus a 3D time-of-flight sensor, a camera and infrared sensors. (Head to TechRadar's article on how robot vacuums navigate for a deep-dive into this area.)

(Image credit: Future)

The rest of the Qrevo Slim's design is similar to other self-cleaning robovacs in the Roborock range. The robot is circular, with dual spinning mops at the rear (this style of mop is typically better at scrubbing than the fixed, D-Shaped pad style), a rotating brush at the side that cleverly extends to reach into corners, and a pair of rotating rubber brushes underneath. The charge dock has a dust bin and a pair of water tanks – one clean and one dirty – to work with the robot's mopping function.

(Image credit: Future)

The robot itself measures 350mm (13.8in) wide, 353mm (13.9in) deep and 82mm (3.23in) tall, while the dock is 340mm (13.4in) wide, 487mm (19.2in) deep (including a ramp the robot parks on) and 521mm (20.5in) tall, although you'll need to leave space for the water tanks, which are removed by lifting them upwards from the dock.

Roborock also sells the Qrevo Slim with a refill-and-drainage system. This works in the same way, but plumbs into your home's water supply, so can refill and drain the mopping water tanks automatically. This dock is the same width and depth, but is shorter, at 405 mm (15.9in). For this review we're looking at the regular model with the larger, manually-refilled and emptied water tanks.

(Image credit: Future)

As with other such robots, the Qrevo Slim dock charges the robot's battery and empties its dust bin into a larger bag that Roborock says only needs changing every seven weeks, although that will vary depending on what you're asking it to pick up. The robot also has its mopping pads cleaned with warm water and dried during charging, while the onboard water tank is emptied into the dock.

Back to the robot itself, and the Qrevo Slim can automatically lift and lower its mops, depending on the floor surface and what cleaning task is required. The side brush and one of the spinning mops can also move outwards, touching the walls and skirting boards for a complete clean.

There are three buttons on the top of the robot for quick access to key functions, like powering up, pausing and sending it back to its dock. Removing the magnetic cover gives access to the dust bin and filter, which can then be removed and cleaned or replaced.

The robot and dock take up a fair bit of space, and it's recommended that you place the dock against a wall, but with enough space either side for the robot to drive into, ensuring it cleans every last bit of your floor. You don't have to do this though, and you can sit the dock in a corner if needed; just make sure the ramp is clear for the robot to drive onto.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Slim review: performance

• Handles thick rugs and raised thresholds with ease
• Automatic switching between vacuum and mop
• Cleans deeply and reliably

Right away, I want to highlight how good the Roborock Qrevo Slim is at driving through thick rugs and over raised doorway thresholds. These are both tasks other robotic vacuums can really struggle with, and even flagship models with four-figure price tags have failed to clamber their way from my exposed-floorboard hallway into the carpeted bedroom.

Not the Qrevo Slim though. It drove over every threshold, every time. It even managed to wade its way through a thick rug in the lounge – something no other robot has achieved reliably – during its first exploratory drive. During that drive it used its camera and imaging sensor to create a map of my flat, which it automatically split into labeled rooms. It got most of the labelling correct, but I still had to jump into the app and make a few edits before saving the map.

Its off-roading abilities meant I could leave the Qrevo Slim to get on with its job, safe in the knowledge that it would drive into every room, clear the rug (and automatically vacuum it, too) and return to base without me checking if it had got trapped. On a couple of occasions, it briefly got stuck on a raised threshold, but always managed to clear it by reversing and driving forward again at a higher speed.

The automatic mode selection also impressed me. Since it's so often a challenge for robotic vacuums, I usually roll the rug up and set a robot to mop and vacuum the wooden floor. But with the Roborock I left it to do its own thing, where it vacuumed and mopped the wooden floor, then automatically raised its mop to vacuum the rug, before lowering it again to continue mopping the floor and ensuring the rug stayed dry.

As well as recognizing the difference between floor types, and where each room ends, the robot can also spot common household items like beds, sofa and television stands, which it then adds to the map.

(Image credit: Future)

On test, the Qrevo Slim's navigation was usually very good, driving confidently into small gaps, not crashing into anything at speed and not getting stuck. But on one occasion it got confused and failed to find its way back to the dock. Understandable if it was stuck under the sofa, or somewhere else far from the charging station, but it was just a foot or so from the dock, yet after lots of spinning around it declared defeat via an app notification. I don't know what caused this, but it only happened once during several weeks of testing.

Onto the specific cleaning tests. I begin by scattering a mix of oats and flour across approximately one square meter of wooden kitchen floor. I began in the quietest, least powerful vacuuming mode, with the robot driving a standard pattern and completing the route only once.

At just 60 dB, Quiet mode really is very quiet indeed, with the vacuuming itself no louder than the motors driving the robot around. As expected, this mode didn't do a particularly good job at picking up debris. It's okay for dust (or flour in this case) but struggled with the oat mix. Just like most other robotic vacuums, the Qrevo Slim's rotating side brush tends to flick debris around the room, and out of the robot's path. Telling it to perform the route twice mostly fixes this, as the flicked debris will be collected on the second pass.

(Image credit: Future)

Turning the vacuum power up to Balanced (one level up from Quiet) and telling the robot to clean the same area twice made a big difference. Despite only being slightly louder (about 63 dB), this setting sucked up almost all of the oat mix, with just a few pieces flicked out of reach by the side brush. Turbo mode is the next step, but at 65 dB it's only slightly louder than Balanced, but clearly has more power and was able to pick up all of the flour and almost every piece of oat.

Max vacuum strength is noticeably louder, at 69 dB. This is when the Qrevo Slim starts to really sound like a vacuum cleaner, but it's still the sort of volume you can talk over with a slightly raised voice. The cleaning power is also ramped up, providing an excellent clean.

However, on this run I noticed how when you create a zone for the robot to vacuum, it won't go right to the edges of a room, even if the zone you create overlaps the walls of the room map. This means you'll be left with a line of debris – in this case flour – swept to within a few inches of the wall but not collected. This is despite me telling the robot to clean right up to the wall. It also frequently failed to clean up directly in front of its docking station. Telling it to clean the whole room fixed this.

Finally, it's time for Max+, which even comes with a warning that it will shorten battery life due to being so power-intensive. This mode peaked at 70 dB and did a great job of collecting the debris, but the routing still meant some oats were flicked across the room and left behind; I also spotted how the robot drove over some flour without the vacuum on, then left a line of white tire tracks that it failed to pick up on subsequent passes. Requesting another clean, on a lower power setting, addressed this.

To summarize, cleaning whole rooms twice using Turbo or Max mode is best in most cases.

(Image credit: Future)

I then repeated these tests on carpet, and saw very similar results. The Quiet and Balanced modes are fine for a little-and-often approach, but failed to pick up all debris. Turbo and Max modes performed better, while Max+ feels like overkill for regular cleaning, but is still a nice-to-have. If I'd just moved into a new home, I'd be using the full 11,000 Pa of suction with Max+ in every room to start with, then switch to Routine or Turbo for scheduled cleaning.

Turbo mode is the best all-rounder, mixing an ability to suck flour out of a reasonably dense carpet, with a low volume level. I still wish the robot was better at collecting debris flicked around by the rotating brush, but this is only apparent when faced with very specific tests. You won't notice this during regular cleaning, but might need to occasionally pick up a few bits of debris with a handheld vacuum.

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, the mop. The Qrevo Slim has a pair of mops that spin at 200 rpm and push downwards for a deep clean. There are three preset water flow options (low, medium and high), plus a custom option where you can pick from a flow rate between one and 30. You can then tell the mop to clean an area once or twice, and pick from four route options, ranging from the quickest, through to Deep+, which is more thorough but takes much longer.

For my test I scattered some hot sauce across the wooden kitchen floor, left it to partially dry, then set the Roborock to work. I asked it to mop the entire room, using a moderate water flow (number 20 of 30), with two cleaning passes, and the Standard route option. In short, it did a great job. The right-hand rotating mop extends outwards, so that it can clean right up against the walls or skirting boards on an initial lap of the room, before tucking back into its default position and working together with the left-hand mop to give the entire floor a thorough wipe.

All of the hot sauce was removed, but only because I set the robot to make two passes; some stains were still visible after the first pass.

The side brush spins slowly during mopping, so it's best to use the mop on a dried stain instead of a fresh spill, as any liquid will be wiped by the brush and require manual cleaning later. It's also worth remembering that the mop uses only warm water and no detergent. (You can find premium robot vacuums that offer hot water mopping, although it's rare – the option to add detergent is more common and is included on other Roborocks, including the S8 MaxV Ultra).

(Image credit: Future)

The mopping process is all very quiet, ranging from 44 bB to 58 dB as the water tank is filled from the docking station, then emptied again, and the mop is cleaned using hot water and dried with warm air. The mop takes three hours to fully dry, but during that time you can ask the robot to either mop again, or do some vacuuming. The dock base (the part the robot sits on while charging) self-cleans with a pair of rotating scrapers, but can also be removed for a manual scrub. After several weeks of testing, the base still appeared as-new.

There's even a sensor in the charge station that checks how clean the robot's water is, then cleans the mops more thoroughly if required.

Lastly, the robot has a voice control system that responds to the command 'Hello Rocky'. It can be asked to 'vacuum the bedroom', 'mop the kitchen' or 'dry the mop', for example. The robot responds quickly and accurately, making voice commands a convenient way to access basic functions without finding your phone and diving into the app for more granular control.

The Qrevo Slim's battery life is a claimed 180 minutes. This feels fairly accurate, but will vary considerably depending on which settings are used.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Slim review: app

• Easy to use, but…
• Lots of customization on offer. Almost overkill
• SmartPlan and homescreen widgets are handy one-tap solutions

The Roborock app works like most other robotic vacuum controllers. There are several customizable cleaning parameters to adjust, including five levels of suction power, three levels of water flow for the mopping function, and the option to clean an area once or twice, plus an option to pick between the standard or faster, more efficient cleaning route. Or, it can be set to only vacuum or mop a certain room or area, depending on your needs.

There's also the SmartPlan, which uses artificial intelligence to learn your cleaning habits and preferences, then creates a customized vacuuming and mopping plan.

(Image credit: Roborock)

On top of all that are the routines. If you don't want to clean the whole map, or a single room, you can instead select the After Meals routine, which can be configured to clean only the kitchen and dining room, for example. Routines appear on the home screen of the app, and can be activated with just one tap. iPhone users can create a homescreen widget with one-tap access to a couple of your most-used routines. With that set up, it's a case of unlocking your phone and tapping once on the widget to start a cleaning routine.

There are even a few pet-friendly app features, including a function where the robot will go and look for your pet without the vacuum running, using its forward-facing camera to show a live stream of what's going on.

(Image credit: Roborock )

As with other robotic vacuum apps, there are options to reconfigure your map and rename rooms. There are also masses of settings to adjust, if you wish, from cleaning schedules, to how the robot uses its lifting mops, what temperature water it uses to clean the mops, how often it empties its dust bin, and much more.

These can almost all be left to their default setting, but I strongly urge pet owners to enable pet mode in the Reactive Obstacle Avoidance page of the settings menu, since this ensures the robot recognizes and avoids pets and their waste with extra precision.

• App score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Roborock Qrevo Slim? Buy it if...

You have low furniture

It might sound a bit niche, but its lack of height is the defining feature of the Qrevo Slim. It can drive into and clean places other robots can't reach, while the side brush and one of the mops cleverly pivot outwards to clean right up against every wall.

You need lots of power

Despite its more compact design, the Qrevo Slim is currently Roborock's most powerful robotic vacuum cleaner, with 11,000Pa of suction. The most powerful setting consumes lots of power, and is fairly loud, but it does a fantastic job of cleaning carpets and hard floors alike. Much quieter settings are also available.

You want an equally impressive mop

The Qrevo Slim's dual-rotor mop is impressive. Both mops push downwards and spin at 200 rpm, while the amount of water used is highly configurable and the robot automatically works harder on tougher stains.

Don't buy it if...

You're tight on space

Despite the name, this robot is only compact in one dimension – height. The diameter of the robot is still on par with other high-end rivals, and so too is the considerable size of the docking station. A smaller dock is available, but you'll need to be able to plumb it into your water supply.View Deal

You value simplicity

While this robot can function in a simple, one-tap way, to even get to that stage requires a fair bit of setup. There are pages and pages of settings to tinker with, routines to create, a voice assistant to learn phrases for and all manner of configuration, including no fewer than 30 levels of water flow for the mop.

You're on a budget

Although it isn't quite the most expensive robotic vacuum around, the Qrevo Slim is right up there. I think it still represents good value as a premium product, but there are also plenty of options for shoppers wanting to spend less. Roborock itself has the more affordable Q Series, for example.

How I tested the Roborock Qrevo Slim

I set up the Qrevo Slim and used it as my only vacuum cleaner for several weeks. After using it for general vacuuming and mopping duties, I performed a series of tests to appraise its cleaning abilities, as well as its noise levels and how well Roborock's smartphone app works.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed November 2024

Alien: Rogue Incursion is a prime example of horror done well in a VR game. It doesn’t simply bung you in a pitch-black space and spook you with jumpscare after jumpscare, no, the whole title exudes an inescapable tension that’s an amalgam horror of its setting, sound design, and game mechanics.

The specific nature of the chaotic, labyrinthine Gemini Exoplanet Solutions facility your two-person party – Zula Hendricks and her synth companion Davis – is stranded in doesn't overly matter, but its design and decoration certainly do.

It boasts a jumbled network of crawlspaces that are perfect for Xenomorphs to exploit to sneak up on you, and even with the motion detector it can be a challenge to track them down before they break cover and launch an attack at you – with the sound of their clambering serving as a constant reminder that the monsters are close, even if you can’t see them.

Review Info

Platform reviewed: PSVR 2
Available on: PSVR 2, PC, and later Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S
Release date: December 19, 2024 (February 13, 2025 on Quest)

Sneaking around the facility yourself is advised then to avoid unnecessary combat, but what makes that a challenge is commonplace workplace debris. On any other day a few boxes, a creaky locker door, or a trash can would be mundane items you hardly consider, but they’re transformed into your enemy by Rogue Incursion as any noise has a chance to summon your alien foes.

This ties in perfectly with the intrinsic risk-reward structure which should be at the core of a survival horror campaign like this one. Yes, you can explore a few additional rooms to try to restock your dwindling supplies, but the noise you’ll create could mean you’ll spend more resources than you’ll regain if you aren't careful.

Concept art of Davis weilding his shotgun (Image credit: Survios / 20th Centuary Fox)

I also appreciated that, as someone who is relatively unfamiliar with the Alien universe – I know what a Xenomorph is, how their parasitic nature relies on facehuggers and chestbusters to violently reproduce, and I could pick one out in a lineup of sci-fi heels, but I’ve never seen an Alien movie, and the closest I’ve come to playing an Alien game before is eliminating Xenomoprophs and Ripley in Fortnite – I never felt locked-out of the story.

This was aided by the admittedly trope-heavy plot, but while there were clear references to characters and events who meant very little to me the well-crafted dialogue contained enough context clues that I could follow along without feeling lost. So don’t feel this isn’t a game for you if you’re new to the Alien franchise like I was.

Bark worse than their bite

Ironically, however, the least scary aspect of this whole scenario was the eponymous Aliens. As you’re well stocked with military-grade rifles, shotguns, and revolvers Xenomorphs can be dispatched by Zula and Davis with enough shots to the chest or head.

And there are no variants to keep you on your toes mechanically speaking. Once you’ve fought one Xenomorph, you’ve fought them all making otherwise tense fights feel a little repetitive.

Best Bit

(Image credit: Survios / 20th Centuary Fox)

Whenever Xenomorphs approach your motion detector lets off a whistle-like alert which never failed to put me on edge. The ending is also very strong, but I can’t talk about it in this spoiler-free medium.

As a result, the fear of combat comes not from its challenges but from resource management and unforgiving save points.

You can kill any alien, sure, provided you have ammo – the supply of which is far from endless. And if a group of Aliens does catch you off guard while you’re low on healing items you’ll be sent back to the last time you saved at a panic room – and from experience, I can say it’s not unlike having your college essay reset by a computer crash after not saving for over an hour.

Xenomprophs are frightening in a way, then, but it’s a little immersion-breaking as the in-universe monster isn’t what’s scary, instead it’s the metacontext of the monster as a video game foe that is terrifying.

Concept art of the Xenomorphs (Image credit: Survios / 20th Centuary Fox)

At the same time, while I feel Rogue Incursion would have done well to start you on a weaker footing to let you truly experience the threat Xenonorphs pose, or throw in a few variants (which the facility's Xenomorph experiments would have played into from a story perspective) I never once felt at ease in this world.

And at the end of the day, that's what you really want from a survival horror excursion. To that extent this title reminds me greatly of Resident Evil 7 which similarly suffers with enemy variety outside of boss fights, but that doesn’t ever mean you want to run into the Molded or feel safe on the Baker estate. So if that was a game you enjoyed like I did, I can see you also finding a lot to love about Rogue Incursion.

Alien's own Kobayashi Maru

Story-wise, Rogue Incursion doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but its plot serves as an excellent driving force for your adventure with the ideal balance of hope and despair to keep you pushing on without ever feeling too happy about your situation.

Additionally, I appreciated that the nuggets of world-building you can glean from email logs and audio recordings bring not only additional context to the facility’s SNAFU for lore fans to chew on, but directly tie into the ending which has left me desperately excited to dive into a sequel.

I will keep this review spoiler-lite, as we always do, but I want to quickly air my grievances at the only frustrating moment I faced: the story’s mid-game no-win scenario.

It’s certainly an interesting way to play on the world’s general sense of hopelessness as you’re outgunned in an epic fight against wave after wave of Xenomorph, but not knowing I couldn’t win I had actually manually reset a few times thinking a different strategy would serve me better – the first-person death animations are a bit much for me so I preferred to use the pause menu to return to a save point than let the death play out.

Going down with too much of a fight (Image credit: Survios / 20th Centuary Fox)

Eventually, after several failed attempts I did quickly loosen the headset to check the reviewer’s guide on my phone to see if there was a walkthrough that could tell me what I was missing, and while there wasn’t a walkthrough it did mean I had finally not reset manually, and instead of returning to a panic room save point, I discovered I had progressed the story as I was always meant to lose.

It then leads into a pivtol "oh damn" moment of the game which I was not expecting at all, but the impact was unfortunately a little lost in my irrattation.

Should you play Alien: Rogue Incursion? Play it if…

You love Alien
Even as a newcomer, it’s clear this game is a love letter to the Alien series and will delight players who (for whatever reason) want to immerse themselves in the horror-filled setting.View Deal

You’re a fan of survival horror
This game is a very good example of the survival horror genre and one of the better in VR specifically as a solid blend of Metroid and Resident Evil 7.View Deal

Don’t play it if…

You want something unique
Rogue Incursion is fun, but a little bit too tropey and repetitive at times which could bother some gamers.View Deal

You want a relaxed experience
Even on its easiest difficulty there’s nothing relaxed about Alien: Rogue Incursion.View Deal

Accessibility

Alien: Rogue Incursion, like other VR games, requires a full range of upper body motion to be playable as you’ll need to be able to interact with door handles, wire puzzles, and weapon controls.

It also uses smooth motion which can be a challenge for VR newcomers, however, its strong suite of vignette options meant I was able to play for hours at a time without feeling like I was about to lose my lunch.

How I tested Alien: Rogue Incursion

I played through the whole Alien: Rogue Incursion campaign on a standard PSVR 2 setup using a regular PS5. I tried a few different difficulty settings to get a sense of the level of challenge they provided, and tried the game from both standing and seated positions to see if there were any major benefits of challenge to one style over another – there weren’t, so choose whichever you prefer.

Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is among the most budget-friendly and best email marketing platforms available today. It's tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, combining email marketing, automation tools, and CRM features into one easy-to-use platform. With professional-grade templates and strong automation workflows, it's already established itself as a firm favorite among marketers.

Brevo provides a free plan for beginners and budget-conscious businesses, allowing unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails daily. It also includes SMS and WhatsApp marketing, which isn't usually found in basic tools.

However, Brevo has its downsides. Users might face minor data import issues and find the landing page features somewhat limited. This could be frustrating for those seeking a more comprehensive tool. Despite this, Brevo's affordability and user-friendliness make it a strong contender in the market.

Brevo review: Core capabilities

Brevo provides a suite of features to simplify email marketing and customer relationship management. At its core is a user-friendly email builder, offering over 60 professional templates that can be tailored to match your brand's look. Users can customize layouts, images, and text, and boost engagement by using recipients' names, locations, or other personalized details.

Brevo shines in automation, allowing users to create workflows that respond to triggers like sign-ups, purchases, or website visits. This automation simplifies managing multiple campaigns by handling repetitive tasks and enabling targeted outreach on a large scale.

A key feature is Brevo's integrated CRM tools, which let you directly manage your customer database within the platform. These tools give detailed insights into user behavior and interaction history, helping you segment your audience for more focused campaigns.

(Image credit: Brevo)

Beyond email, Brevo supports SMS and WhatsApp marketing, enabling engagement with customers across different channels. This multi-channel strategy increases chances to connect with customers where they prefer.

Brevo also offers strong analytics tools for marketing performance insights. Essential metrics like email open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates are provided, along with heat maps and device-based reports for thorough analysis.

Although these features meet most business needs, some users may find the lack of advanced landing page creation a drawback, limiting full campaign management.

Brevo: Ease of use

Brevo is often praised for its easy-to-use interface. Signing up is quick and takes just a few minutes. The onboarding process includes helpful prompts and guidance, perfect for first-time users.

The email editor is intuitive, with drag-and-drop features that make building email marketing campaigns easy, even if you're not technical. Tasks like uploading a contact list or designing an email campaign are quick and efficient.

New users can also access resources such as tutorials, blogs, and webinars, offering step-by-step guidance to maximize the platform's benefits. However, some users occasionally experience lags and tricky data imports, which can disrupt an otherwise smooth experience.

Brevo customer support

Brevo offers solid customer support with live chat, email, and a detailed knowledge base. However, the tiered approach gets a mixed reception.

Free plan users get basic support, while paid subscribers enjoy faster response times through priority channels. Most users have positive experiences with the support team, but sometimes, responses can be slow during busy periods.

The absence of phone support might be another downside for those needing immediate help. The knowledge base is well-organized and full of tutorials, guides, and FAQs — but that may not be enough for every situation.

Brevo pricing

(Image credit: Brevo)

Brevo uses a flexible pricing model that charges based on emails sent, not the number of contacts. The Free Plan costs $0 per month and allows up to 300 emails per day with up to 100,000 contacts, but includes Brevo branding.

The Starter Plan starts at $9 per month, offering 5,000 emails monthly, with an option to remove branding for an extra fee. In some ways the Starter Plan doesn’t add up. After all, if the free plan allows 300 emails a day, that is around 9,000 emails a month if you max it out - 4,000 more than the paid plan. But with no daily limits (you can send all 5,000 emails on one day if you want) and the ability to add up to 500,000 contacts, you get a much greater level of flexibility with the Starter Plan.

The Business Plan starts at $18 per month, providing advanced features like A/B testing, reporting, and additional automation tools.

For businesses with high-volume campaigns or specific needs, the Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing and tailored solutions. Brevo’s pricing adjusts based on email volume, making it suitable for businesses of any size. It offers good value for smaller businesses or those new to email marketing, but heavy senders should evaluate the cost of higher tiers.

Brevo review: Verdict

Brevo offers a great mix of affordability and functionality. With powerful automation tools, CRM integration, and an intuitive design, it's accessible for small and medium-sized businesses. Its multi-channel marketing features also give it an edge over competitors.

However, some downsides include limited landing page capabilities and occasional lags, which might annoy users looking for a more comprehensive solution. Brevo is ideal for businesses that prioritize email marketing over full campaign management.

Brevo FAQs What makes Brevo different from other email marketing tools?

Brevo offers competitive pricing and charges based on email volume instead of contact count, making it more cost-effective for businesses with large databases. Its built-in CRM and support for SMS/WhatsApp marketing also distinguish it.

Is Brevo good for beginners?

Yes, Brevo is beginner-friendly thanks to its intuitive interface, robust tutorials, and generous free plan. Its drag-and-drop editor simplifies email creation, and the automation tools are easy to implement even for novices.

Does Brevo support advanced marketing automation?

Absolutely. Brevo's automation tools allow users to create workflows triggered by various customer actions, such as email opens or website visits. Advanced users can set up custom workflows for deeper personalization.

Is there a free trial?

Brevo offers a free plan instead of a time-limited trial. This free tier supports up to 300 emails per day, giving users a chance to explore core features before committing to a paid plan.

Can I create landing pages with Brevo?

Brevo allows for basic landing page creation, but it lacks the sophistication and customization options found in dedicated tools like Unbounce or Instapage. For businesses heavily reliant on lead pages, this could be a disadvantage.

Modretro Chromatic: Two-minute review

The Modretro Chromatic is a 2024 take on the Game Boy Color and is an excellent portable handheld device that elevates the experience of using Nintendo’s 1998 iconic video game console.

The Chromatic is founded upon nostalgia, it’s a modern device that requires three AA batteries to run, doesn’t have Bluetooth for audio, and perfectly recreates the 160x144 pixels of its spiritual predecessor, improving it with gorgeous backlighting and a very durable sapphire crystal front. The console can run physical Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, but there's no emulation, and it even has a volume wheel. With so many inconveniences, it’s still incredibly fascinating to use and takes you right back to the heyday of trading Pokemon with friends in your backyard through a link cable.

Make no mistake about it, the Chromatic is a product built for those of us who are nostalgic about the 90s, but it’s so well-made that its limitations are almost justifiable. With a supposedly indestructible magnesium alloy shell, a display that’s been built from the ground up to replicate and enhance your favorite childhood games, and excellent mono speakers, Modretro has captured the imaginations of those seeking the coziness of their youth. But in 2024, there are plenty of other devices that offer similar experiences, and the Chromatic’s confidence in what it is and who it’s for means that it’s an incredibly niche product.

I’ve been using the Modretro Chromatic for a month, and as someone who loves retro gaming from the 90s and early 2000s, I’ve got the expertise to assess the Chromatic’s biggest achievements and its shortcomings. This might be one of the most difficult products I’ve ever had to review, purely because its whole reason for existence is nostalgia. And nostalgia, as enjoyable as it can be, isn’t always worth your hard-earned cash.

I love the Modretro Chromatic, it’s a readily available Game Boy Color made in 2024 that’s stocked on shelves in GameStop. If you’d told me last year that I could buy a handheld in stores that plays my Pokemon Gold and Link’s Awakening cartridges from my youth I’d have been overcome with emotions. Ultimately, when it comes to spending $199 / £159 / $AU 316 a product needs to be more than just a time machine back to the past, and rising retro game console prices combined with a stagnant game library (even if Modretro is producing new cartridges based on new IP and old Game Boy titles) means the Chromatic is excellent for those who know exactly what they want from a device like this, but not necessarily for a mainstream audience.

Modretro Chromatic with its screen turned off (Image credit: Future) Modretro Chromatic: Price and availability

• List price: $199 / £159 / $AU 316
• Comes in six colors based on original Game Boy Color options
• Widely available in most regions and sold in GameStop stores in the US

The Modretro Chromatic is available now directly from modretro.com, and is also on shelves this holiday season in GameStop stores around the US. Priced at $199 / £159 / AU$316, the Chromatic comes bundled with a newly produced Tetris cartridge as part of Modretro's Chromatic First Edition release. The company hasn't disclosed whether the handheld will be sold without Tetris at a later date, but at the time of writing the only way to purchase a Chromatic is with a copy of the world's best-selling video game.

My review unit came in the Leaf color option, which is a similar green to my first-ever Game Boy Color and it's beautiful. The Chromatic also comes in Inferno, Bubblegum, Volt, Wave, and Midnight. All color options can be purchased with either English or Japanese markings for A, B, Start, and Select buttons.

One of the Chromatic's biggest strengths is how readily available it is. Competitors like the Analogue Pocket are often sold out online, and original Game Boy Colors can't be purchased in-store. Modretro, on the other hand, ships right away online and has teamed up with GameStop to offer the Chromatic to customers shopping in-store in one of nearly 3,000 retail locations.

Cartridge slot of Modretro Chromatic with Pokemon Gold (Image credit: Future) Modretro Chromatic: Specs

Modretro Chromatic with Modretro-produced cartridges and Zelda: Link's Awakening (Image credit: Future) Modretro Chromatic: Design and features

• Magnesium alloy shell feels incredible in hand
• Display built from the ground up with durable sapphire crystal cover
• PBT buttons are excellent

Modretro has not cut any corners when it comes to producing the Chromatic. Make no mistake about it, this is a very premium product at an equally premium price point. The design is an ode to the original Game Boy Color with a volume wheel, AA batteries, a tactile sliding switch for power, and even a satisfying "thunk" when you pop in a game cartridge.

The Chromatic feels excellent in hand, with its magnesium alloy shell weighty but not uncomfortable, and its PBT buttons and d-pad every bit as nice to interact with. Modretro has also built a 160x144 pixel modern display with subpixel-level accuracy from the ground up. The company wanted to create the ultimate Game Boy Color screen without straying too far away from the original and they've definitely managed to do so. If you were to imagine a Game Boy Color built in 2024, this would be it.

Modretro Chromatic with Pokemon Gold on the screen (Image credit: Future)

The Chromatic is very tricky to review, on one hand, it does everything it sets out to do in modernizing the Game Boy Color. On the other hand, however, it's so faithful to the original that it fits into a weird space in between the original hardware and the class-leading Analogue Pocket.

I've loved my time playing Pokemon Crystal on the Modretro Chromatic, it has felt like a warm hug every evening in bed as I explore Johto for the thousandth time. But that experience is expensive to recreate, especially considering games like Pokemon Crystal can cost upwards of $100 / £100 on sites like eBay. The Chromatic can't play any titles via emulation, so it relies on a large cartridge library and that could be a deterring factor for many people. While the screen is infinitely better than the original Game Boy Color's one that required direct light to really see it, there's no increase in resolution which feels authentic but limiting.

Modretro sells Modretro-published games for the Chromatic on its website and alongside Tetris there are excellent adaptations of games like Toki Tori as well as new IPs like Tales of Monsterland DX. That said, one of the Chromatic's most limiting elements is the Game Boy and Game Boy Color games library. Taking off my nostalgia glasses for a minute, the lack of Game Boy Advance compatibility really impacts the Chromatic. The Game Boy Advance offers a wide range of some of the best video games of all time, and I found myself yearning for games that can't be played on the Chromatic. While it might not be readily available, the Analogue Pocket can play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance cartridges, and so much more at a very similar price point.

If you're looking for a Game Boy Color with a better screen and better build quality then the Modretro Chromatic fits the bill. But for those people who want pure nostalgia, an original Game Boy Color and all its inconveniences is probably more up their street. For people who want a modern Game Boy experience as well as access to a larger game library, it's hard to not pick the Analogue Pocket's 1440p display.

Modretro Chromatic AA batteries (Image credit: Future) Modretro Chromatic: Performance

• Faithful FPGA hardware emulation of Game Boy and Game Boy Color games
• Excellent battery life (albeit inconvenient to refill)
• Comfortable for long play sessions

In terms of performance, the Modretro Chromatic is excellent at recreating Game Boy and Game Boy Color games and had no issues running any of my cartridges. The display is bright and easy to see in all environments, including direct sunlight and the speaker is much, much better than its spiritual predecessor. The sapphire glass on the front of the display means you don't need to worry at all about scratches, and combined with the durable shell makes for a stress-free gaming experience where you're never worried about damaging the handheld.

Games run excellently from classics like the Game Boy Color's Pokemon Gold to original Game Boy games like Link's Awakening which see the FPGA hardware as a Game Boy Color, adding color palettes and filters just like it would on original hardware.

Modretro has decided to use AA batteries to power the Chromatic, an ode to the past when the inconvenience of swapping out batteries was absolutely not a fun time. Well, over 20 years later and using single-use batteries still sucks. Modretro, there are some nostalgic elements that are worth keeping in the past, and AAs are one of them.

Despite the fact that replacing batteries is very inconvenient, the battery life is stellar and in my time using the handheld I only needed to swap out AAs once. Modretro says it's working on a rechargeable battery pack, but you'd expect this will cost extra once it launches.

Modretro Chromatic (left) next to Analogue Pocket (Image credit: Future)

I want to harken back to the display as aside from availability compared to sourcing second-hand hardware on sites like eBay, that's the real selling point here. The Chromatic's display is genuinely incredible, if you're looking for a faithful Game Boy experience with a little added oomph. The pixel lines from the low resolution are amazingly accurate and capture the joy of being a kid playing a Game Boy perfectly.

There were times during my time with the Modretro Chromatic that I genuinely felt transported back to my childhood, and that's something even products like the Analogue Pocket haven't been able to quite achieve. In that sense, the Chromatic's hardware and performance nails exactly what it's trying to achieve, it's just an excellent Game Boy Color Pro, a mid-console refresh if you will.

Modretro Chromatic display on left compared to Analogue Pocket display on right (Image credit: Future) Should you buy the Modretro Chromatic Buy it if...

You want a better Game Boy Color
If you're looking for a Game Boy Color and want a better screen than the original then the Modretro Chromatic is for you. The display is gorgeous, it has excellent build quality, and the buttons are a joy to use. If you only want to play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, this is the handheld for you.

You own a large Game Boy cartridge library
If you've still got all of your old Game Boy cartridges then the Chromatic will give you hours and hours of joy. The console can play any Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridge, so dust off your favorites and jump back in where you left off all those years ago.

You want a handheld retro console for the holidays
The fact that GameStop is stocking the Modretro Chromatic is not to be scoffed at. The Analogue Pocket is an excellent competitor, but it's always sold out and can't be found in stores. So if you're looking to pick up a console to play Game Boy cartridges the Modretro Chromatic will be your best bet this holiday season.

Don't buy it if...

You don't own Game Boy cartridges
If you're thinking of starting a Game Boy cartridge collection then ignore this point. But if you don't own any games already, the Chromatic will quickly become a far more expensive purchase. Some Game Boy games go for hundreds of dollars and you need to be ready to invest that into an extinct gaming system. Modretro's cartridges somewhat solve this but they won't be publishing Pokemon and Zelda, so...

You want to play Game Boy Advance games
Only purchase the Chromatic if you love Game Boy and Game Boy Color. I found myself wishing I could play games on other systems like the Game Boy Advance which ultimately meant that I chose to play games on other hardware with more variety.

You want better resolution and flexibility
The Chromatic will replicate Game Boy games in a pixel-accurate 160x144 display. If you're looking for a handheld that enhances Game Boy games for a modern audience with increased resolution, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Also consider...

If you’re still not entirely sold on the Modretro Chromatic then check out these excellent similar products for comparison and consideration.

Analogue Pocket
The Analogue Pocket is a direct competitor to the Modretro Chromatic, offering more game libraries and a larger 1440p screen. The Chromatic feels more premium in hand and has sapphire glass to protect the 144p screen, but Analogue's offering gives you more bang for your buck and fewer restrictions. Do you want a reimagining of the Game Boy Color in the form of an Analogue Pocket or a modernization of it in the form of the Modretro Chromatic?

I've owned the Analogue Pocket for over a year and use it every day. My review of this direct competitor to the Modretro Chromatic is currently in progress and will be added here soon.

Nintendo Switch OLED
If you're just looking to casually play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games on the go, the Nintendo Switch offers a range of games on its Nintendo Switch Online service. Add to that the extensive Nintendo Switch library and a gorgeous OLED display, and this might be the best middle ground for those looking for the perfect handheld gaming console.

For more information, check out our full Nintendo Switch OLED review.

Super Pocket
The Super Pocket packs power, fantastic controls, and a strong selection of built-in games from either Capcom or Taito into an attractive pocket-size package. While it may not be as capable as the other recommended options, for such a low price you really can't go wrong with this handheld device.

For more information, check out our full Super Pocket review.

How I tested the Modretro Chromatic

• Tested for a month
• Compared it directly to other retro handhelds
• Tested across game types and cartridge types

I've used the Modretro Chromatic for a month now, and have used it as my primary retro gaming handheld.

I've tested the console with all of my original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges including Pokemon Gold, Pokemon Crystal, Pokemon Yellow, and Link's Awakening, just to name a few. I also played Modretro-produced games such as Tetris, Toki Tori – Ultimate Edition, and Tales of Monsterland DX.

The Modretro Chromatic has been my main handheld gaming console over the course of the last 30 days and I've made comparisons with my Analogue Pocket.

Read more about how we test

Kanto Ren: Two-minute review

The Kanto Ren powered speaker system is, basically, ace. Designed with multi-functionality in mind, Ren is a broad-strokes stereo hi-fi that can speak to most anything you’d want it to. With HDMI ARC, optical, USB-C, RCA and 3.5mm aux inputs, and with strong Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity besides, this is the does-everything bookshelf hi-fi system that most people spend a long time putting together piece by piece – and it sounds brilliant, as well.

These active speakers are relatively low-profile against similarly-powered hi-fi and AV systems, but pack a punch with their 100W RMS of auditory juice. There’s nothing lacking frequency-wise, with a rich and compelling responsiveness across the spectrum. This, coupled with its incredible dynamic response, makes it a supple system for TV and video games, as well as an impressive and convenient music delivery system.

In short, these are plug-and-play stereo speakers with quality internals and unbeatable I/O, and at quite a competitive price for its unique placement in the audio-tech market. The Kanto Ren should appeal to quite a few different people, whether you’re after a new bookshelf hi-fi, an alternative to a TV soundbar or a no-fuss all-in-one sound system. Some of the best stereo speakers we've tested in a while then? Why, yes.

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) ) Kanto Ren review: Price & release date

• $599 / £599 / €719 (around AU$1,199)
• Launched on December 2nd

Most powered speakers of this ilk exist in the studio monitor space, as reference speakers for audio engineers and music producers – a few popular examples being Yamaha’s HS-series speakers and Adam Audio’s T5Vs (amongst a great many others we haven’t the time to profile here). These, though, are designed as practical utilities, and with music production specifically in mind – meaning fewer consumer-friendly inputs, and a frequency response curve that aims to be as flat and neutral as possible.

The Rens take the operating principles of these integrated desktop/studio solutions and brings them to the world of hi-fi, making for a genius marriage of smart audio-tech design and consumer need. In a market where customers are willing to spend upwards of four figures on a soundbar, this powerful and portable pair of highly-connectible modern bookshelf speakers is sure to stun.

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) ) Kanto Ren review: Features

• Wide range of inputs – including USB-C and Bluetooth 5.3
• Optional subwoofer out for controlled bass
• 100W amplifier brings the juice

The Kanto Ren active speaker system is a well-featured all-in-one hi-fi dealio, cramming a powerful amp with some peerless connectivity into the chassis of one of the speakers. There’s six inputs to switch between here, including: USB-C, HDMI, optical, RCA, 3.5mm aux and Bluetooth 5.3. All of these are switch-between-able on the handy included remote control, which also gives you immediate control of bass, treble and volume levels (if you don’t feel like controlling any of the latter with the powered speaker’s front-borne rotary encoder, itself a satisfyingly tactile little knob).

The Kanto Ren is a stereo speaker system, and its integrated amplifier circuitry basically follows suit – which means no extending your setup to surround-sound (though why you’d ever want to do so with this particular setup is another question entirely). There is, however, an RCA subwoofer output – which naturally cries out to be paired with Kanto’s existing SUB8 sealed subwoofer. With a subwoofer plugged in, any sounds below 80Hz are neatly and automatically redirected to it; our review is a sub-less one, though, to focus on the merits of the Rens alone.

Inside, there’s some clever digital goings-on alongside the smart convenience displayed outside. There are two digital sound profiles you can engage and switch between – namely, the Vocal Boost and Night Mode algorithms, which respectively solve the two biggest problems facing the modern TV-binger: quiet dialogue and paper-thin party walls.

Another nifty digital feature is the Ren’s auto-wake function, which you can toggle on and off with the remote. This feature ensures the speakers leap to life the moment they detect incoming audio – meaning you can enjoy their enhanced sound soon as you switch your TV on. Everything’s geared to user convenience, and it shows; using the Kanto Ren system has been nothing but a breeze from day dot.

• Features score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) ) Kanto Ren review: Sound quality

• Simply: massive
• Incredible clarity of sound
• Slightly flabby low end

The Kanto Ren system was first put through its paces via its optical input, connected to my TV. My partner and I had picked an excellent time to rewatch the first two seasons of Twin Peaks together; Angelo Badalamenti’s intro theme was a hugely gratifying listen every time the opening credits swelled in, and every tense spook was robustly supported by the wellsprings of low end these speakers are capable of producing.

Speaking of spooks, the dynamic range of the Rens was thoroughly tested by my tremulous playthrough of mind-bending action-horror Alan Wake II on the PS5 – an excellent game whose subtle nods to the Twin Peaks mythos are more like vociferous headbangs. From subtle tension to outright jumpscares, the game’s sound design is a dynamic delight; the Rens handle every jolt and spike with great humour, even when in neighbour-placating ‘night mode’ setting.

The sonorous bass is supported in no small part by the ported rear, which supplies a lot of air movement – and, naturally, makes for a pumpy, slightly indistinct low-end. With this less-sculpted breathy ‘flab’ at higher volumes, you can see why Kanto went to the trouble of including a subwoofer output. Granted, my corner-alcove placement for TV listening won’t be winning any awards (and neither will my makeshift stacked-book speaker stands, for that matter), particularly with respect to bass response – which is why I tested them elsewhere in my house for their Bluetooth and aux-input musical merits.

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) )

In testing out the Bluetooth mode, I whacked on Richard Dawson’s 2023 album The Hermit via Spotify – the title track of which is a 45-minute post-folk micro-odyssey through bucolic far-future Northumberland. This album-length song is extremely dynamically rich, and the Rens don’t falter for a moment in representing that richness.

Dawson’s croaked whispers vault into soaring leads, and tactile, distant electric guitars get swallowed by a Talk-Talk-y orchestra of loud-yet-ambient instrumentation; all of this is clear, distinct and well-separated, and as gratifyingly dynamic as the song could ever demand to be, all in spite of the potential throttling either Spotify or the Bluetooth codec can employ. Good work, Ren! That subtle breathiness in the bass is less pronounced without my bass-trappy alcove – but even within, the Rens still retained clarity and purposeful responsiveness practically everywhere else.

To test its handling of transients in a more controlled setting, I also listened to Cool Sounds’ Like That, an irreverent record full of groovy guitars and bright disco drums; Part-Time Punk’s gloriously dead 70s drums are tactile and three-dimensional, dance-y right-to-left tom fill revealing the strength of the Ren’s soundstage.

In all, the Kanto Ren stereo pair is a delightful-sounding array, and great in practically every scenario in which they could conceivably be placed. There are obvious shortcomings with respect to the ultra-low end, but shortcomings overcome by clever design – and which aren’t all that short of the mark to begin with. They’re loud, proud and unequivocally hi-fi, beating out a great many systems built for similar or even greater price-points. For this price, and with their place in the market borne firmly in mind, they’re practically perfect.

• Sound quality score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) ) Kanto Ren review: Design

• Beautiful – if delicate – matte finish
• Sleek front face
• A contemporary joy

The Kanto Ren speakers are, in a word, fetching. The MDF chassis combine considered contours with sleek surfaces; the flat front panel and its sharp vertices are offset by how beautifully the speaker cones are countersunk in – the dust covers of which are, themselves, delightfully suave.

This writer’s review set came in a fetching matte blue – but there are four other fetching matte colorways for you to pick from, including a fetchingly nostalgic orange. The slight disappointment of not getting the orange Rens to review was offset immediately by how tastefully – might I say, fetchingly? – the blue ones straddled our rather fetching orange TV stand.

The tasteful nature of the speakers extends to the soft LED dot on the active speaker unit – which smoothly changes hue depending on the audio sources you switch between. The optical source, which was used for the majority of this review, is represented by a shade of lilac I’d only describe as ‘kind’.

A small niggle, though, presents in how stubbornly finger-marks stick to that fetching matte finish. Despite the conclusions you may draw from the pictures supplied with this review, its writer’s hands are not grubby little mitts after all – but rather clumsy ones, the evidence of which is borne out by the near-unmovable streaks of dark across the otherwise-fetching front faces of the speakers. I digress.

As far as practical design is concerned, the Rens serve well. Threaded holes on the rear provide for those that might want to wall-mount their speakers, and rubber feet are provided separately so as not to rob you of choice in any matter. There are even some optional speaker grilles you can place over the front, held in place magnetically so as not to mar the sleek front with anchor slots. All told; the Kanto Ren system is designed beautifully, and considerately too.

• Design score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future (James Grimshaw) ) Kanto Ren review: Setup and usability

• Pretty much plug-and-play
• Intuitive controls
• Could stand to ship with more cables

Being active speakers, setting up the Kanto Ren stereo set is an absolute trifle – the hardest part being the safe manoeuvring of the speakers into place without scuffing that fetching (I said it again!) matte finish. There’s no additional hi-fi amp-wrangling or cable-knotting to contend with, past the simple fact of connecting speaker to speaker, and audio source to system. Indeed, setting these up is about as simple as setting up any decent hi-fi system could ever be (and especially so for AV setups).

The remote control is the thing you’ll be interacting with the most by far, and it couldn’t be simpler to operate. Everything’s clearly signposted, and you barely need the remote control ‘map’ to know what you’re pressing. A minor point presents in the occasional unresponsiveness of the volume control to repeated presses, but a little patience goes a long way with smooth control of the Ren’s various parameters (as it of course does with life in general).

The speakers ship with a length of two-core speaker cable for you to connect left speaker with right, via the screw terminals at the rear. Unfortunately, the Rens don’t ship with additional HDMI or optical cables for comprehensive out-of-the-box connectivity; if you don’t already have the requisite cables to hand, you might be ordering in and waiting a day for what you need. This writer had – and most of you will have, at that – cables aplenty to hand, but a spare HDMI wouldn’t have gone amiss as a little out-of-the-box sweetener!

• Setup and usability score: 5/5

Kanto Ren review: Value

• Not an inconsiderable expense…
• But extremely well-priced for what you get
• Will knock the socks off most, if not all, soundbars

The $599/£599/€719 (so, around AU$1,199) price point is not a trifling one, even if it does technically fall towards the lower end of the price spectrum in a broader field of living-room sound-system solutions. It’s an investment for an integrated hi-fi system, whichever way you slice it – but it’s a great investment too, and in all the same slice-ings.

If you’re wanting a genuine upgrade from the soundbar you got last Black Friday which sounds ‘ok I guess’, you’ll be blown away by the difference these full-throated speakers provide. If you’re looking to invest in better sound for your TV for the first ever time – and looking for a foolproof plug-and-play place to start – you couldn’t spend $599 much better if you tried. Great-sounding integrated systems are hard to come by, but for me the Kanto Ren ticks all the right boxes. As a living-room stereo pair, these are perfectly pitched to handle everything – and pretty darn well, at that.

• Value score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kanto Ren? Buy them if...

You want excellent hi-fi sound without the faff
The Kanto Ren system packs a shedload of functionality into the form of two mid-sized bookshelf speakers. You don’t need anything else to guarantee a quality listening or watching experience – save for a decent subwoofer to tack on if you’ve a larger space to serve. With its broad connectivity, it can be your everything-system for anything – whether you connect your laptop via USB-C, your Wi-Fi streaming set-up via optical, or your TV via HDMI.

You’re thinking about buying a soundbar
Yes, soundbars are pretty nifty looking, and yes, some soundbars purport to do pseudo-surround sound really well, but all soundbars are undeniably limited by their form. The Kanto Ren brings controlled richness and huge dynamic range in an unconventional iteration of a conventional hi-fi format, and will resultingly blow any and all consumer-grade soundbars out of the water with consummate ease.

Don't buy them if...

You want a surround-sound AV setup
Being an active stereo speaker array, it should not come as a surprise that the Kanto Ren’s integrated amplifier is stereo through and through, and does not have an additional 3 channels for surround sound. Still, if you’re wanting something that’s more expressly home-cinema-coded, maybe give these a miss.

You value upgradeability
The Kanto Ren is an integrated stereo amplifier system, with all the bells and whistles built right into the speakers themselves. If you like the idea of trying out some new speakers in the future, or eventually investing in some audiophile-grade tube amplifier system, you should be spending your money on a more modular type of hi-fi system.

Kanto Ren: Also consider

Klipsch R-51PM
Klipsch is another vaunted name in hi-fi, on account of the incredible dynamics their speakers are capable of representing (amongst other things). These are an active bookshelf offering, with optical, USB and RCA in amongst other I/O opportunities. There’s no HDMI ARC here, but there is an incredible soundstage – and a built-in phono pre-amp for the budding vinyl enthusiasts in the room.
Read more in our full Klipsch R-51PM review View Deal

KEF LSX II
KEF’s LSXII stereo speakers are similarly impressive in terms of connectivity, with HMDI ARC, optical and USB-C as well as KEF’s own W2 streaming architecture. The cones are a little smaller, and the price a little higher – but there’s some signature KEF quality in these tiny bookshelf powerhouses.View Deal

How I tested the Kanto Ren

• Tested for 4 weeks
• Used primarily in living room, as main system for TV and for audio streaming.
• Briefly tested in other regions of the home as an auxiliary hi-fi system (and to ensure verdicts weren’t skewed by the sound profile of my living room alcove).

The Kanto Ren speakers spent most of their time bookending my TV in the inner alcove of my living room, where they were put to the test, via HDMI ARC and optical input, as the primary audio system for watching TV and playing video games – as well as, in hi-fi terms, for Bluetooth streaming. Phono and Bluetooth were also trialled in my attic office, in order to assess the frequency response of the speakers in different acoustic spaces. I listened to personal-favourite records, the sound of which I could comfortably corroborate against the performance of other systems with which I’m familiar.

First reviewed: December 2024

Read more about how we test at TechRadar

Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch review

The Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch is an affordable digital photo frame that uses the third-party Frameo app to enable you to easily share your snaps via the frame. Right out of the gate, the first thing you’re likely to notice is that price; while its $149.99 / £169.99 retail price isn’t anything to write home about, during sales season we've been seeing prices around $89.99 / £89.99 – that’s a seriously low price for such a sizeable digital photo frame.

Connecting with the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame is nice and easy. Once you’ve powered it up and connected it to your Wi-Fi, you can scan an on-screen QR code to download the Frameo app. Now, simply press the "Add a Friend" button on the Arzopa’s screen, punch in the code that appears into the Frameo app, and you’re ready to start sharing pics. Even better, you can repeat this step to set up friends and family so they too can share their snaps with your frame.

Not everyone wants to share their photos with the cloud, particularly if they’re security conscious or have young children. If this is you, then the Arzopa’s offline storage will be music to your ears. The frame includes 32GB of internal storage and, should you fill this up, you can easily expand its storage capacity up to 128GB via its SD card port. This does fall short of what some of the best digital photo frames offer, but it still isn't bad, all things considered.

All digital photo frames built on the Frameo app work in the same way and, generally speaking, I’d say this is a positive. The app is easy to use: you can browse your device’s whole image library or just specific albums, adding individual photos or uploading up to 10 at a time. Unfortunately, if you want to upload more than this in one go, you’ll need to upgrade to Frameo+. The cost of this isn't exorbitant at $1.99 / £0.99 a month or $16.99 / £7.99 a year, but you'll need to bear this in mind when calculating if this frame is the right price for you.

As I mentioned in my Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame review, I’m not entirely keen on the way the Frameo app handles cropping images for digital photo frame’s auto-rotate feature. When uploading each image, you’ll set a circular focal area that the frame will ensure remains in frame in either orientation. However, this can still leave some images oddly centered or cropping out details you hadn’t anticipated. I’d rather just have the option to manually set the crop for each image.

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Once your shots are on the Arzopa, its 15.6-inch display definitely delivers your snaps with impact; the frame feels generously sized compared to many of the other affordable frames out there. Since its 1920 x 1080 resolution is shared over that larger screen estate, pixel density does fall somewhat next to rivals such as the Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame at 212ppi. However, images still look pretty crisp; rendering my macro shot of a bumblebee, the Arzopa frame shows off every grain of pollen and every hair of her fuzzy coat in decent detail.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Josh Russell)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Josh Russell)

Unfortunately, where things start to come undone is with color. On my iPhone 16 Pro’s screen, a photo I took of a fireworks display reveals a shower of magenta and violet stars in a glowing pink nebula. But when I uploaded it to the Arzopa, the red and pink hues looked washed out, completely robbing the image of any punch. Similarly, floral shots completely underwhelmed, the lack of vibrancy going far beyond slight variations in color profile to looking actively anemic and poorly shot.

The Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch does fare better when it comes to black-and-white photography at least. Thanks to its deep blacks and bright highlights, its display is sufficiently contrasty to deliver monochrome landscape and architectural shots with impressive details. The Arzopa frame definitely shows off HDR photography to a high standard.

However, even this bold contrast was slightly undermined by its screen. Perhaps even more than its muted hues, the lack of a matte finish really damages the Arzopa’s performance in bright light. Without any treatment to diffuse incoming light, my photos were always obscured by hard-edged, geometric reflections of the panel lighting in the TechRadar offices; it was almost impossible to ignore since it made it difficult to make out details in the images. Worse, this reflectiveness means the frame is almost certainly unusable in direct sunlight, further restriction its position in your home.

This tendency toward glossiness extends to other elements of the frame’s design. The Arzopa’s frame feels a little cheap and plasticky, but thanks to its black color, this doesn’t feel so in your face. However, the frame’s bezels are much harder to ignore – despite the fact their beveled edges are designed to make them look more like mounting, the white plastic is so cheap-looking and reflective that it does detract from the overall quality of the frame.

Plus, there are other unusual design choices: the frame’s stand is literally just a plastic stick that screws into one corner of the frame. While it seems to do an okay job of supporting the frame in either horizontal or vertical orientation, I’m not convinced it’s sturdy enough to withstand becoming damaged over time.

Buy it on sale, however, and the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch is available for an astoundingly good price – and it’s almost certainly better quality than some of the bargain-basement frames you’ll find on Amazon. In terms of crispness of picture, contrast and ease of use, it’s great value for money. However, its muted hues, overly reflective screen and the cheapness of its finish do make my recommendation here equivocal – if you can only find it at a higher price, some of the similarly priced best digital photo frames might make a better choice.

(Image credit: Future) Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch review: price & release date

• MSRP of $149.99 / £169.99 but currently reduced to $89.99 / £89.99
• Available now in both the US and UK
• Frameo app free or $1.99 / £0.99 a month for Frameo+

The Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch is available now in both the US and UK.

Its price varies to quite a degree, which has a huge impact on the value you’re getting. At its full price of $149.99 at Amazon US or £169.99, at Amazon UK, it effectively costs as much as the $159.99 / £149.99 Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame, which I'd argue is a much higher-quality frame, thanks to its anti-glare screen and delivery of bold colors. However, some of the sale prices we’ve seen bring the Arzopa frame down to around $89.99 / £89.99, which makes it a far more appealing option, especially if you can’t stretch to the more expensive Pexar.

One other important consideration here in terms of price is the Frameo app. While the base tier is free, to upload more than 10 photographs at a time or videos longer than 15 seconds, you’ll need to upgrade to Frameo+, which costs $1.99 / £0.99 a month or $16.99 / £7.99 a year. That will allow you to upload 100 images at a time, send two-minute video clips, and manage the content on your Arzopa remotely via the app.

(Image credit: Future) Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch review: specs

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell) Should I buy the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch? Buy it if…

You want a big, crisp screen
At 15.6-inches, the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi delivers a lot of screen estate on which to display your snaps. And while pixel density is lower than the 212ppi of the Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame, photos still look crisp and clear.

You can get it on sale
Whether the Arzopa frame delivers good value very much depends on the price you pay for it. Pick it up for the sale price of around $89.99 / £89.99 and you’re getting a very good deal, but you don’t have to spend much more than its MSRP of $149.99 / £169.99 to get a superior product.

Don’t buy it if…

You want your colorful snaps to pop
Vibrant hues aren't the Arzopa frame’s forte – colorful subjects such as flowers and fauna can look muted at best, and downright drab at their worst. Fans of black-and-white photography needn’t worry – but if you want your walls to be a riot of color, other frames might prove a wiser investment.

You want to use it in bright rooms
The Arzopa’s glossy screen means it's entirely unforgiving when it comes to reflections – whether using it during the day or at night, I found natural and artificial sources of light completely overwhelmed the brightness of the screen. Fundamentally, if it's to sit opposite windows or under harsh lighting, you’d be better off looking for a frame with a matte screen.

Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch review: also consider

Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame
The Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame scarcely costs any more than the Arzopa at full price, at $159.99 / £149.99; however, performance is superior. It offers a 2000 x 1200 resolution across its smaller 11-inch screen, delivering higher pixel density, while colors are far more vibrant. Plus, its matte, anti-glare screen keeps reflected light to a minimum. Read our full Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame review.

Aeezo Portrait 01
If you’re unable to stretch to the Arzopa – or can’t find it at a reduced price – the Aeezo Portrait 01 is a bargain alternative that also includes internal storage and costs just $69.99 / £55.99. You’ll get bolder albeit sometimes slightly unnatural, colors; but the sacrifice is resolution at only 1280 x 800, rather than the Arzopa’s 1080p. Read our full Aeezo Portrait 01 review.

How I tested the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch

I tested the Arzopa Digital Picture Frame WiFi 15.6-inch over several weeks. I uploaded a range of photos to it using the Frameo app and connected multiple other people to enable them to share images with the frame, too.

To test the performance of the frame, I uploaded a wide array of portrait and landscape images and included everything from brightly colored shots of flowers and animals to monochrome architectural shots. Additionally, I positioned the frame in multiple places around my home and the TechRadar office and changed its orientation between portrait and landscape.

I have many years of experience taking photos, both on my Canon DSLR and my iPhone 16 Pro and, over the past 15 years, I’ve taken over 40,000 photos. I’ve also spent many years working in print publishing, doing post-production on photos and preparing images for print. This means I have a lot of experience in making images look as close to their source as possible.

• First reviewed November 2024
• Read more about how we test

Firsty is a new player in the eSIM market. A Dutch startup launched in 2024, Firsty offers a very innovative freemium model — a basic free plan with speed-capped data, followed by paid plans with full-speed access starting at €1.98 or $2.10/day.

Despite being a newcomer, Firsty is quickly gaining popularity among budget-conscious travelers and those seeking a backup data option. The service now covers over 160+ countries worldwide, offering both a free basic plan and premium paid options

After testing Firsty across several scenarios, we're impressed with its unique ad-supported free tier, which provides usable, if slow, data for essential tasks. Paid plans offer reliable full-speed connectivity at competitive prices.

Firsty: Pricing and plans

(Image credit: Firsty)

Firsty offers two main plans: Firsty Free and Firsty Fast. Firsty Free provides a basic, ad-supported data connection at no cost, allowing users to access essential services like messaging and email at extremely slow speeds. Firsty Fast, the premium paid tier, offers 2GB of high-speed data per day starting at €1.98 or $2.10 per day.

Firsty's freemium model and global plans set it apart from most eSIM providers, which require switching plans and subscriptions whenever you move from one location to another. While not the cheapest eSIM option on the market, Firsty's always-on connectivity and singular pricing make it a good option for most travelers looking for flexibility.

• We've rounded up the best eSIMs for Europe.

Firsty: Features

Firsty is a unique eSIM provider that stands out from the competition mainly thanks to its freemium model and transparently-priced global plan. Here are some key features:

Freemium Model

One of Firsty's most distinctive features is its freemium model. With Firsty Free, users can enjoy a basic, ad-supported data connection at no cost, allowing them to stay connected for essential tasks like messaging and email. This sets Firsty apart as one of the few providers offering a truly free tier.

Seamless Global Connectivity

Firsty’s global plan provides seamless connectivity across borders. Users can automatically connect to the best available network without the need to manually switch SIMs or purchase local eSIM plans. This makes staying connected while traveling a breeze, eliminating the hassle of traditional roaming.

Affordable High-Speed Data

For users who need faster speeds, Firsty Fast offers high-speed data at competitive prices. Plans start at just €1.98 per day for 2GB of data, with transparent tracking and fair top-up options. This allows travelers to enjoy streaming, video calls, and other data-intensive tasks without breaking the bank.

Firsty: Installation and activation

(Image credit: Firsty)

Firsty makes it incredibly easy to get started with their eSIM service. The onboarding process is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, guiding you through each step with clear instructions.

Simply download the Firsty app, select your plan, and scan the provided QR code to install the eSIM profile on your compatible device.

The app walks you through the necessary settings to activate your eSIM, such as labeling it and setting it as your preferred line for data. Firsty provides ample resources to assist new users, including detailed FAQs, step-by-step guides, and responsive customer support.

One key aspect new users should be aware of is the importance of having a strong internet connection, preferably Wi-Fi when installing and activating the eSIM. Additionally, it's crucial to turn off data switching after activation to prevent unintended usage of your home carrier's data.

• We've rounded up the best eSIMs for Thailand.

Firsty: Coverage and speed

As of 2024, Firsty currently offers eSIM services in over 160 countries, including the US, Europe, and Asia. It leverages partnerships with local telecom operators to ensure reliable connections and competitive data speeds in most regions. Firsty is available in:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Spain
• Italy

While Firsty's coverage is not as extensive as some of its more established competitors like Airalo, the company is rapidly growing its network. Speed tests indicate that Firsty's paid "Fast" plans deliver good performance, with download speeds around 200+ Mbps and upload speeds around 25-30 Mbps, depending on the local network conditions. However, the free ad-supported tier is notably slow at around 0.05 Mbps download and 0.10+ Mbps upload, sufficient only for basic messaging and email.

Compared to other eSIM providers, Firsty stands out for its unique freemium model, offering a basic always-free plan alongside competitively priced paid options. While its coverage and top speeds may not match the most comprehensive providers, Firsty's flexibility and affordability make it an attractive choice for budget-conscious travelers.

Firsty: Support

(Image credit: Firsty)

Firsty offers multiple support channels to assist users, including email support via support@firsty.app, an online help center with FAQs, and troubleshooting guides. The app also provides in-app instructions to guide users through setup and usage.

Customer reviews suggest that Firsty's support team is responsive and helpful. One user on the App Store mentioned that the support team was "dedicated" and "available 24/7 to assist." A reviewer on Trustpilot was impressed with the service, finding it "very useful as a backup" and "very easy" to use.

However, some users on Reddit reported mixed experiences, with a few encountering issues during installation and configuration. It's important to ensure you have a strong internet connection, preferably Wi-Fi, when setting up the eSIM to avoid issues.

• We've rounded up the best eSIMs for Turkey.

Firsty: Final verdict

Firsty is different from other eSIM providers. There’s no marketplace to purchase region-specific plans depending on your travel destination, nor is there a need to activate and reactivate as you move.

Instead, there are only two plans, a free one and a paid one. While the free plan offers enough functionality to perform basic tasks, the paid plan is competitively priced and follows the same pricing model irrespective of your location.

We found Firsty to be a reliable eSIM provider with good speeds and reliable coverage, despite its offbeat approach to pricing eSIMs. While its uniform global plan may be expensive for certain areas, you may well find it to be cost-effective depending on the regions you are targeting for your international trip.

Firsty: FAQs What is Firsty?

Firsty is a mobile app that provides seamless global connectivity for travelers using eSIM technology. It offers two main products:

Firsty Free: Provides a basic speed connection for free, allowing you to email, message, and use essential apps. You get 60 minutes of free data, after which you need to watch a 30-second ad to reconnect.

Firsty Fast: The premium paid tier offers high-speed data up to 2GB per day, perfect for streaming and video calls. Prices start at around €1.98/day in Europe.

How does Firsty eSIM work?

Firsty utilizes eSIM (embedded SIM) technology to provide connectivity. An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone, enabling you to download Firsty and instantly connect to mobile networks without needing a physical SIM.

How much is the Firsty app?

Firsty’s app itself is completely free to download and use. There are no costs to install the eSIM profile.

On the free tier, you can use unlimited data at a restricted speed for essential tasks. After 60 minutes, you watch a short ad to reconnect for another hour.

If you upgrade to Firsty Fast for high-speed data, prices start at €1.98 per day for 2GB in Europe. You only pay for the days of high-speed access you need, with no monthly fees or subscription.

Oppo Find X8: Two-minute review

Oppo is back! The new Find X8 series is the company's return to form, at least in regions like the UK and Europe, where patent disputes and the like led to a two-year absence for the company. No longer.

The Find X8 line is Oppo's latest flagship phone family; it promises the best smartphone hardware the company can muster, paired with its latest Android-based ColorOS user experience.

While the Oppo Find X8 Pro is the headline-grabbing entry now topping the company's current smartphone portfolio, it launches alongside the more modest – but still unquestionably potent – standard Oppo Find X8. Despite a true global rollout for the X8 Pro, however, the base X8 is proving a little harder to come by outside of key Asia Pacific markets, at the time of writing.

If you can get your hands on one, though, you'll be pleased you did, as hardware-wise, it sports the same exceptional MediaTek chipset as the X8 Pro, the same cutting-edge silicon-carbon battery tech, the same rapid 80W charging, and a like-minded flagship-class display and camera setup.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

There are some great details throughout the experience served up by the Find X8: a physical alert slider, newfound compatibility with an ecosystem of magnetic accessories, and hardier IP69-certified protection against water compared to your average high-end handset, to name a few key features. This is also one of the first and only Android phones that supports wireless file transfers directly with iPhones, AirDrop-style (at the time of writing).

Depending on your conscience, Oppo's clear 'appreciation' for Apple's famed smartphones runs unapologetically deep within the Find X8. Beyond the new MagSafe-like upgrade, ColorOS 15's Live Alerts capsule looks to be a direct lift of the iPhone's Dynamic Island, and you'll find wallpapers that look as though they came straight out of iOS.

Provided that doesn't put you off (or you see it as a bonus), the Find X8 otherwise presents itself as an incredibly well-rounded smartphone brimming with style, features, power, and camera prowess that should have similarly-priced rivals worried.

Oppo Find X8 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Priced from equivalent to $980 / £770 / AU$1,520
• On sale from November 21, 2024
• Limited international availability compared to rivals

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the Oppo Find X8 is that in spite of its clean design and promising hardware and feature set, you'll struggle to find the phone on sale outside of Oppo's retail channels across the Asia Pacific region. You'll readily find the X8 on sale in markets like China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines, but if you're anywhere else, you'll have to consider importing.

In the likes of the UK, Europe, and Australia, it's only the pricier Find X8 Pro that's available, while Oppo's presence in the US is outright non-existent.

Using the Find X8 Pro's UK pricing and the standard X8's Indian pricing for guidance, the more modest of Oppo's latest duo starts at equivalent to $980 / £770 / AU$1,520 for the 12GB RAM / 256GB storage model. Internationally, there's also a 16GB / 512GB variant, which based on Indian pricing is about 12.5% more expensive.

Pricing places it in line with the non-Pro iPhone 16, Pixel 9, and base Galaxy S24, which considering the hardware on offer, makes it a compelling alternative.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Specs Oppo Find X8 review: Design

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Straight sides, flat display
• Physical alert slider
• IP68/69-certified against dust and water

The Find X8 Pro is all pillowed glass and rounded metal, which stands in stark contrast to the standard X8. At certain angles, you'd be forgiven for mixing up the Star Grey Find X8 (pictured) with an iPhone 15 Pro or 16 Pro rendered in Natural Titanium. There's definite aesthetic overlap, with both phones sporting flat displays and straight sides, plus just enough rounding along the edges to ensure they don't feel too sharp in the hand.

The X8 stands out with its prominent 'Cosmos Ring' circular camera module, which gives the impression of four cameras on the phone's back (one simply houses autofocus sensors), so as to better tie-in with the quad-camera-toting X8 Pro's design.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Tolerances are tight (the phone boasts symmetrical 1.45mm bezels around the display), and the metal buttons along the right side of the frame have the perfect amount of give and click. The phone's available colorways are tasteful in their execution; I particularly liked the Shell Pink finish.

Not only does the Find X8 look and feel like a beautifully crafted piece of kit, but it's got some tricks up its sleeve too. For one, it continues Oppo's use of the three-step physical alert slider we were initially introduced to on OnePlus phones; this lets you toggle between ring, vibrate, and silent sound profiles.

The X8 range is also the first to support the new Oppo Mag accessory line, which allows the MagSafe-style attachment of new magnetic accessories, like a 50W AirVOOC wireless charger and a 5,000mAh power bank; both are enabled by way of a new Oppo Mag case (sold separately). Original? No. Convenient? Yes.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Durability-wise, the promise of not only IP68, but IP69 certification, means the X8 is built to withstand more than your average smartphone. When it comes to water ingress, it can handle up to 1.5m of water for 30 minutes, as well as pressurized jets of water up to 80ºC.

Add to that Gorilla Glass 7i on the front and back (creator Corning's newest mid-range toughened smartphone glass), and "Swiss SGS and Military Grade certification, tested to whole-phone drop resistance and MGJB 150.18A MIL-STD impact standards," to quote Oppo's press release, and despite its premium finish and good looks, the Find X8 is also built to be a tough nut to crack.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Display

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Similar viewing experience across Find X8 range
• Great colors, contrast and detail
• LTPS, rather than LTPO means less dynamic refresh rate

It's nice that, beyond size, you're not really getting an inferior viewing experience by opting for the more modest Find X8 over the Pro model. Unlike Apple – who maintains a 60Hz refresh rate cap on its non-Pro iPhones – the Find X8 packs in similar ProXDR AMOLED tech as on the full-fat X8 Pro.

An impressively high 460ppi (pixels per inch) means the X8 delivers sharper visuals than the Pro model, outstanding panel-wide brightness of 1,600nits, and a whopping peak brightness of 4,500nits. Paired with the vibrancy and contrast afforded by OLED tech, not to mention Dolby Vision support, this is a great display on which to enjoy HDR content, and it copes well against bright conditions.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

From a practical standpoint, Oppo's Splash Touch helps iron out erroneous screen taps, whether your fingers are wet or you're using the Find X8 in the rain, while the in-display optical fingerprint sensor is pleasingly responsive, if a little too close to the bottom bezel, from a comfort standpoint.

As far as customizing the X8's viewing experience goes, be sure to enable 'High' resolution mode to leverage the panel's native pixel count; otherwise, everything is rendered in Full HD+ out of the box. You also have the option to force 120Hz at all times (or lock things down to 60Hz), but I found that the Find X8's Auto mode wasn't afraid of prioritizing super-smooth 120Hz visuals most of the time anyway, stepping down for apps like Spotify, Instagram, and some games.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The phone's display settings include three preset color space profiles, as well as a fine-grain color temperature control. There's also automated (TÜV Rheinland-certified) eye comfort adjustment (which includes 3,840Hz PWM dimming below 70nits, beating out equivalent tech from the likes of the OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14 series), as well as image resolution and color upscaling, as part of Oppo's 'O1 Ultra Vision Engine'.

The only real fly in the ointment, display-wise, is the use of LTPS tech, in place of the more advanced LTPO panel used by the X8 Pro. The main effect of this is less dynamic refresh rate adjustment; moving in steps between 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz, where the Pro model can scale more gradually between 1Hz to 120Hz, which is designed to help improve battery performance.

• Display score: 4.5 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Software

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 5 years of OS & 6 years security updates
• Launches with ColorOS 15 atop Android 15
• AirDrop-like wireless file transfer support with iPhones

The company's latest ColorOS 15 (running atop Android 15) is arguably one of the snappiest user experiences around, thanks to some smart behind-the-scenes technical refinements; not to mention it's brimming with neat tricks that you won't find anywhere else.

'Share with iPhone,' as the name suggests, adds AirDrop-like wireless file transfers with the latest and best iPhones; something we haven't seen from any other Android phone maker to date. The feature is also set to become more seamless, with NameDrop-style proximity-based initiation coming in a future software update.

Speaking of updates, Oppo is promising five years of OS and six years of security update support across the Find X8 series, which, while not industry-leading, is decent, and helps up the Find X8's long-term value too.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Oppo's Theme Store is there to help redress ColorOS, with system-wide themes, as well as more granular alterations; including new fonts and wallpapers (some are paid). There's also deeper control over the look and feel of everything, from app opening speed to whether a swipe down on the home screen grants access to quick settings and notifications, a global search bar or The Shelf: a dedicated widget dashboard, cribbed from OnePlus' user experience.

The company's desire to emulate Apple's famed smartphones is a little too heavy-handed in places, though. While undeniably useful and elegant, the Live Alerts capsule is a carbon copy of the Dynamic Island introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro line, and even the default wallpapers look as though the development team copied iOS 14's homework.

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Google's Gemini is the AI assistant of choice on the Find X8 series, however, Oppo offers up its own AI tool set too; with a focus on productivity and image manipulation.

Provided you're happy to use Oppo's own Documents and Notes apps, the inbuilt AI Assistant serves up one of the most comprehensive skill sets of its kind and, in testing, the results generally impressed.

You have a suite of options, like formatting rough notes, cleaning up rambling prose, refining the tone of your copy (similarly to Samsung's Galaxy AI), continuing or expanding upon your existing copy, and the option to make it more succinct too. It's not foolproof but it's a great starting point that's only going to improve with time.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Dive into the native Photos app and you'll find the AI Editor, which can upscale images, do a competent job when tasked with object removal, and has a handy reflection removal feature (which has its uses but could be better). Perhaps most impressive of all, the AI Editor also has an unblur option to rival that of the best Pixel phones.

Just note that, depending on the feature, you will need to be comfortable with off-device cloud processing.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

We've also been seeing an uptick in AI image-generation tools on smartphones from the likes of Xiaomi, Google, and, most recently, Apple, with the arrival of Apple Intelligence. The Oppo Find X8 features the company's AI Studio app.

Arguably a more locked-down experience than the text-to-image generation of Google's Pixel Studio, for example, Oppo's AI Studio gives you a range of pre-defined portrait or scene scenarios to remix your images with, using AI. The former requires you to upload a photo of a person (or persons) from your camera roll, before spitting out four results at a time, while the latter simply dresses any image you give it in the trappings defined by the prompt.

It takes a few minutes to process each request and your usage is limited by an in-app currency called 'Stars'. You accrue more Stars through actions like consecutive daily logins but right now, at least, Oppo isn't charging an additional subscription or the like for any of its devices' AI functionality.

There are some fun and interesting options in there, and the results generally hit their mark. It serves as a great way to introduce people to the concept of AI image generation and the fact that it's siloed from the rest of the phone's AI-based tools feels like a considered move too, but I suspect this is just the beginning for Oppo's AI efforts.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Camera

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 50MP main, ultra-wide & 3x telephoto cameras
• 32MP front-facing camera
• Hasselblad image tuning and exclusive features

Across both the Find X8 and X8 Pro, you're getting the same 50MP ultra-wide and 3x telephoto (with a compact triple-prism design and optical image stabilization, or OIS) cameras, as well as the same Sony-made 32MP front-facer. Beyond the absence of a 6x telephoto, the standard X8 also uses a smaller primary 50MP Sony LYT700 sensor, in place of the larger LYT808 leading the Pro model's camera array.

Even with the technical downgrade, the Find X8 still proves to be an impressively competent and versatile camera phone in its own right.

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Oppo knows how to make exceptional camera phones, most notably with last year's Oppo Find X7 Ultra; one of the best camera phones of the moment. The company's partnership with famed camera brand Hasselblad continues on the Find X8's HyperTone system too; with custom image processing, portrait mode tuning, and the brand's signature ultra-wide X-Pan capture mode.

There's a consistency across the rear sensors that grants confidence when shooting with the Find X8, which isn't guaranteed from certain rival devices. Low noise, impressive low light performance and solid dynamic range (even from the ultra-wide), mean you're unlikely to find fault with stills captured in most conventional shooting scenarios.

White balance did sometimes wobble, but colors were otherwise faithfully captured; with nice skin tones and excellent subject separation in portrait shooting (you can also adjust the virtual aperture after capture, to alter the amount of bokeh on display).

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The ultra-wide takes over when capturing macro shots, while the AI Telescope Zoom feature activates between 10x and 60x, filling in the holes in image data competently, especially in well-lit scenes. The only confusing aspect of the X8's zoom is that the interface still gives you a 6x magnification button, even though results are simply cropped; unlike on the X8 Pro, with its 6x secondary telephoto sensor.

The 32MP selfie snapper is functional, with that HyperTone Image Engine doing a lot of the heavy lifting for what is otherwise an uneventful sensor. Front-facing Portrait mode does, at least, demonstrate the same great image segmentation around a subject's hair and clothing, for example.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Oppo augments the photography experience with extras like Lighting Snap; its take on an advanced 7fps burst mode, where every shot captured when you hold down the shutter button gets run through the full HyperTone imaging pipeline, delivering far less blur than you'd get from the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra under the same conditions.

If you're looking for a phone that captures good video, the Find X8 also boasts great 4K 60fps recording in Dolby Vision across all of the phone's sensors (including the selfie snapper).

• Camera score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 3nm MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset
• Up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM + RAM Expansion up to 12GB
• Up to 512GB UFS 4.0 storage (outside of China)

The production timeline of the Oppo Find X8 series meant that both phones were ready for market before Qualcomm's newest flagship mobile chipset – the Snapdragon 8 Elite – was ready to be integrated into the phones' development cycle. Instead, Oppo opted for MediaTek's latest Dimensity 9400 SoC, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of fast storage, and the results are pretty stellar.

In artificial benchmarking, the Find X8 proves to be one of the highest-performing entrants I've ever tested, across the likes of Geekbench 6 and GFX Bench. Real-world multitasking and gaming performance are understandably excellent too, with titles like Zenless Zone Zero defaulting to 'high' graphical settings. That said, the phone's comfortable being pushed much further.

Although the official numbers state that TSMC's second-gen 3nm process grants the Dimensity 9400 35% faster CPU performance and 40% greater CPU efficiency, 42% faster GPU performance and 44% greater GPU efficiency, and 35% greater AI efficiency, the tangible benefits are that the Oppo Find X8 is equipped to handle anything and everything today's mobile experience asks of the average smartphone with aplomb, whilst also being incredibly well future-proofed.

Oppo reportedly worked with MediaTek on its Trinity Engine to better optimize how the chipmaker's hardware interfaced with its devices' user experience and features.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

What's more, a revised cooling system, which includes a new thermal gel between a reworked graphene sheet and vapor chamber, means sustained performance – especially when gaming – is superb. In a 30-minute session against an otherwise similarly-specced Snapdragon 8 Elite device I had to hand, the Find X8 delivered the more consistent performance, with less heat build-up and fewer stumbles.

While hard to test for, Oppo also promises that the X8's triple antenna design has optimized for high-performance gaming over WiFi.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Oppo Find X8 review: Battery

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 5,630mAh battery
• 80W wired + 50W wireless charging
• The latest silicon-carbon battery technology

From a technical standpoint, the Find X8's battery is pretty state-of-the-art. Switching from traditional lithium-polymer to silicon-carbon (or Si-C) has allowed Oppo to install a significantly more dense power plant than would otherwise be possible within the phone's dimensions. The result is a whopping 5,630mAh cell in what remains an impressively unobtrusive sub-200g device.

With a battery capacity larger than the likes of the mighty Galaxy S24 Ultra's – well on its way to Asus ROG Phone levels of capaciousness – a consistent peak screen-on time of 7 hours provides more than a day's use without breaking a sweat, even if that is less than expected, going by the sheer amount of power the battery promises to hold.

Where Oppo's phones stand apart from usual suspects, like Apple, Google, and Samsung, is with fast charging. The Find X8 can refill from zero to 65%, charge in 30 minutes flat, and fully replenish in under 55 minutes, thanks to support for the included 80W 'SuperVOOC 2.0' charger; that's almost twice the wattage of the next-fastest charging phone from that aforementioned trio (at 45W).

What's more, the X8 supports up to 50W wireless charging with a compatible charger too.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Oppo Find X8? Buy it if...

You want an Android that behaves like an iPhone
Oppo isn't being all that subtle about some of the inspiration behind the Find X8's design and features, but at least it's an incredibly good imitation, with bonus functionality you don't get from Apple's phones.

You want an understated gaming phone
Top-tier performance that doesn't buckle under pressure (or extended use) makes the Find X8 a pretty great phone for gaming, even if it lacks some of the features and trappings associated with this particular smartphone sub-category.

Don't buy it if...

You aren't willing to import it
For as good a phone as the Find X8 is, it's hard to come by, outside of a select run of Asia-Pacific markets, so unless you're willing to import, you'll likely go for a more accessible device in your region.

You want that secondary telephoto sensor
The Find X8 has a great camera that relies on AI to grant a zoom range beyond its physical means, but the X8 Pro gets that fourth telephoto sensor for superior optical zoom.

Oppo Find X8 review: Also consider

Apple iPhone 16
The Find X8 takes a lot of cues from Apple's iPhones, but the newest iPhone 16 comes in a broader range of colors, supports a far larger accessory ecosystem and is more widely-available, globally; with a similar price and similar performance.

Google Pixel 9
Google's latest 'non-Pro' entry packs a brighter display, protected behind tougher Gorilla Glass, whilst also offering up a cleaner user experience with longer software support.

How I tested the Oppo Find X8

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Review test period = Three weeks
• Testing included = Everyday usage, web browsing, social media browsing, video streaming, gaming, photography
• Tools used = Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFX Bench, native Android stats

I used the Oppo Find X8 as my main device for almost a month. It was my main camera, my means of checking social media, and my go-to phone for gaming for the duration of the review period.

I used a gamut of industry-standard benchmarking apps to test qualities like CPU and GPU performance, while also keeping tabs on battery drain (with timed tests for things like streaming Netflix and gaming at a fixed brightness), and screen-on time too.

I used the included in-box charger as the sole means of recharging the phone, and tried all the AI-supported features that Oppo has added here, plus all the key features found within the wider ColorOS user experience.

As a reviewer with 13 years of experience, and having reviewed Oppo phones for years, I felt confident assessing and scoring the Oppo Find X8 relative to other phones out right now, and in the context of the wider smartphone market.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2024

VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000: 30-second review Specs

Capacity: 828Wh
Battery type: LiFePO4
AC Continuous output: 1000W Pure Sine Wave
AC Peak Output: 2000W
AC Outlets: 3 x 1000W (Peak 2000W)
Solar Input recharge: 300W
AC Imput charge: 700W
Ports: USB-A: 3 x 12W, 1 x 18W, USB-C 2 x 100W, DC 2 x 120W
Dimensions: 393.7 × 279.4 × 269.24 mm (15.5x11x10.6 inch)
Weight: 16.96kg (37.4 lbs)

The FlashSpeed 1000 is a great-looking portable power station, finished in matte black and grey, with large carry handles, a decent cable storage system, and a range of inputs/outputs, all neatly arranged on the front. There’s also a large light panel on the back, which is useful for camping or if your car breaks down and you need some powerful illumination.

The rugged design of this portable power station gives the impression that it has a much larger capacity and maximum power output than it actually has. That capacity comes in at 828Wh, and the maximum output is again relatively low at the 1kW mark. Why this is surprising is because recently, when looking at power stations of this size, you'd expect a bit more headroom; however, all things considered, the VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1000 is extremely well priced for what's on offer.

What it does provide is a solid power supply, and during testing, it impressed when powering a variety of devices, from camping kettles and heaters to laptops, cameras, lighting gear, and 3D printers, and being used as backup power in the home. Out in the field, the design of the Flash Speed 1000 came into its own, with its large carry handles making it relatively easy to move around despite its weight. The large size also proved useful, providing a flat surface area to place equipment and even made a handy seat when needed. The build quality is extremely robust, reassuring you that it can take a good knock or two. Whether you're using it in daily life or out in the field for work, it should stand up to whatever use you put it to.

Before diving into the standard uses of the FlashSpeed 1000, it’s worth highlighting the jumper option. This is an interesting addition, although you’ll need the optional jumper cable adapter to use it. Essentially, it enables you to jumpstart your petrol or diesel car without the need to hook up to another vehicle. If you live in colder conditions, then a feature like this is going to be a great option.

In use, it performed well, although the maximum output of 1,000Wh was a little limiting, meaning that running either a small 1kW heater or a kettle required switching off other appliances. However, the 2,000 W surge protection does provide some buffer, especially for the kettle. For more standard uses, such as charging and running most devices, the FlashSpeed 1000 excelled.

While the FlashSpeed 1000 incorporates all the latest technology, its size and internal capacity differ from much of the market, being larger and heavier with a smaller capacity than you might expect. However, it also features more AC ports, and with the option to add a large expansion battery and a solar panel, this kit becomes one of the largest capacity and most affordable power stations available. Despite its relative size compared to some of the other best portable power stations we've reviewed, it offers superb value when fully equipped.

VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000: Price & availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The standard price for the FlashSpeed 1000 is $999/£999, although it's often heavily discounted to around half that price, which makes it an exceptionally good deal. Not only that, but when coupled with the expansion battery and the 400 W solar panel for just under $2000 / £2000, it becomes a great all-round solution.

When it comes to availability, it can be purchased directly through the VTO Man website as well as major online retailers such as Amazon.

• Score: 5/5

VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000: Design & build

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The first thing that strikes you about the FlashSpeed 1000 is that it's slightly larger than most portable power stations of this capacity. However, this is in part due to the number of ports, including three AC on the front of the unit. These include three power input options, three 12 V, six USB, and those three AC sockets (similar to those you would find at home), and two additional, less common ports for a jumper cable to start your car (Diesel or Petrol) and the expansion battery link socket.

This jumper cable feature helps differentiate the FlashSpeed from other portable power stations on the market and makes it a great option for those in the van-life culture or anyone needing a truly heavyweight, powerful portable power station for use in the field. It's particularly suitable for mechanics or anyone working in garages on cars, both for the jumper feature and also for connecting tools.

While the size and design might be slightly larger and heavier than other portable power stations of similar capacity, the size and shape are perfectly adapted to the workplace, especially the large flat surface on top and a handy built-in compartment so you can safely store all the cables needed for the power station and connecting to mains/expansion battery or solar.

In terms of portability, the design thankfully includes two large carry handles, which are needed due to the 17 kg weight. Adding the expansion battery further increases the weight, so it's good to see a trolley accessory is available, and through the test is something we wished we had. Another positive aspect of the design, alongside the carry handles and cable compartment, is the large flat top and solid build, which firstly allows tools to be rested easily on top or otherwise enables the power station to double quite nicely as a makeshift seat when needed.

Another feature we really like about the design of the FlashSpeed 1000 is that all the ports and connectors are located on the front of the unit. This ensures that nothing is hidden around the sides, such as the mains AC input. If installed in a workshop or van, this means you don’t need to pull the unit out each time you want to plug it in to charge. The only thing that is hidden on the back of the unit is the lamp, which isn't an issue.

The design and build of this portable power station are good and solid, and there are small hidden design features that add to the reassurance of quality for this power station, such as the large vents on either side and internal fans that occasionally kick in to ensure plenty of airflow.

• Design: 4/5

VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

As previously mentioned, the full capacity of the FlashSpeed 1000 is 828 Wh, which, considering its nearly 17 kg weight, isn’t a great deal. However, it does have the option to add an expansion battery, which itself has a capacity of 1,548 Wh, boosting the total capacity to a considerable 2,376 Wh.

When it comes to output, the main battery can deliver 1,000 W of continuous power, and this remains the same with or without the expansion battery. A common feature is the surge protection, which is up to 2000W, which just gives you some flexibility with appliances that often have power spikes when they first start up.

Through AC power (or mains power), you can achieve a 700 W input, enabling you to charge the main battery from 0 in 70 minutes (although you should never allow the battery to fully discharge). There’s also the option of 300 W solar power input, which, on a bright sunny day and in ideal conditions, would allow the battery to fully recharge in about six hours. Alternatively, you can use DC input charging at 200 W per hour, taking 7–8 hours for a full recharge—though this could potentially drain your car battery.

One of the highlights of the system is the use of LIFEPO4 batteries, which are incredibly safe and offer up to 3,000 full life cycles with approximately 80% capacity retention.

Another common portable power station feature is the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) function. If your house experiences a power outage, then this power station can be connected between your main power source and your devices to ensure no power loss. For example, you could position the power station between your fridge and the mains to ensure the fridge stays powered during an outage.

An interesting additional feature of the FlashSpeed 1000 is the jumper cable connector, which allows you to jumpstart your petrol or diesel car. To use this function, you’ll need an adapter, which is relatively inexpensive and available through the VTO Man website. Once connected, you simply attach the jumper cables to your car battery and start the car as you would when connecting to another vehicle’s battery.

When it comes to ports, you have three AC outlets: 110 V / 1,000 W in the US or 230 V / 1,000 W elsewhere. These are pure sine wave outputs. Then there are three DC outlets: two 12 V / 10 A DC5521 ports and one 12 V / 10 A car charger-style port. Next to these are four USB Type-A outlets—three offering 5 V / 2.4 A and one supporting 18 W. There are also two USB Type-C outlets, both of which support 100 W quick charging (200 W in total).

• Features: 4/5

VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The FlashSpeed 1000 is an interesting portable power station because, on the surface, its capacity of 828 Wh combined with a 1,000 W maximum output, physical size, and weight don’t initially make it stand out as a great option. However, as you start to become familiar with how this portable power station works, you begin to realise why its design is slightly different and how it managed to prove itself over the course of the testing.

Firstly, looking at the design of the power station. It is built to last, with two large carry handles, a cable storage compartment, and a design that, while slightly bulky and heavy, makes it relatively easy to move around. On-site, the design provides plenty of space to place tools and equipment on top or even to use it as an impromptu seat. It feels strong and robust enough to support the weight of most people.

Another benefit is that all the ports are located on the front of the unit, making it easy to plug in both power inputs and outputs without having to fuss with pulling it out of a van or moving other equipment to access the back. For example, charging via a mains AC port or a solar panel is straightforward and doesn’t require repositioning the power station.

During testing, we coupled the FlashSpeed 1000 with the expansion battery, which essentially trippled the capacity. At this point, it transformed from a single large unit to a double, quite bulky unit, but one that was far more useful in the field, with enough power to run all your gear.

When used with a range of devices such as kettles, heaters, camera equipment, lights, and laptops, the FlashSpeed 1000 was more than capable of keeping up with power demands. However, when it came to the kettle and heater—both rated at just under 1,000 W—it became clear that all other devices needed to be switched off or unplugged before operating these appliances individually. It’s impossible to run both the heater and the kettle simultaneously without exceeding the surge protection limit.

For more general use or when running just one high-demand appliance, the FlashSpeed 1000 performed exceptionally well. While the fans kicked into action during periods of high load, they remained relatively quiet during most day-to-day usage.

The arrangement of sockets and plugs is generally well thought out, with one notable issue: the MacBook Pro's transformer plugs. The height of these adapters was just a few millimetres too tall to fit comfortably between the socket and the surface the power station was placed on. To resolve this, we had to position the power station near the edge of a surface so the transformer could hang free.

Otherwise, for all other devices, the Flash Speed 1000 was ideal. Charging the unit was mostly done through the AC input (700 W), which charged the power station extremely quickly. During testing, we didn’t let the unit drop below 20%, and it consistently charged to full in under an hour. Alongside the main and expansion batteries, we also tested the 400 W solar panel. Plugging it into the solar input (maximum 300 W), we achieved about 150 W on a bright sunny day in late autumn/early winter in the UK. While this didn’t allow for a full charge in a day, it did top up the battery by about 20% over several hours.

One of the standout features of the FlashSpeed 1000 is the small LED display on the front, which shows the remaining capacity, power draw, and the type of connector being used. For example, plugging a MacBook Pro into the AC port shows exactly how much power it’s drawing and identifies the connector. If you switch to a USB port, the display updates accordingly. This simple but effective display makes it easy to monitor usage.

Unlike some premium models, the Flash Speed 1000 doesn’t feature a wireless app or additional advanced features. However, its simple, solid design and ease of use, makes it a great power source for a very reasonable price.

Test Scores:

Sony NP-F100: 14 full charges.
DJI Mavic 3 Pro battery: 9 full charges.
GoPro Hero 12 Black battery: 70 full charges.
MacBook Pro M1 Max: 7 full charges.
BambuLabs X1 Carbon: 2 hours 50 minutes of runtime.
Prusa MK4: 5 hours 52 minutes of runtime.

To run the first set of tests, the FlashSpeed was charged to 100%, and the battery or device was connected with a fully depleted battery and charged. The % usage was then divided by 100 to give a final result, where the % drop was low, two or three full discharges and recharges were carried out.

The 3D printers were set on a single 10-hour print and timed until the power ran out.

• Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the VTOMAN Flashspeed 1000?

Through the test, we used the FlashSpeed 1000 for a variety of purposes, from acting as a UPS for powering the TV and lounge lighting at home to running 3D printers in the workshop and finally providing power in the field for laptops and cameras. In all cases, the Flash Speed 1000 proved to be more than capable of handling the tasks required.

While there are some trade-offs, such as its size and weight relative to its capacity, what you get is a very good and robust portable power station. It may lack some of the frills of more premium brands, but as a power station that prioritises performance, it does exceptionally well—especially when you factor in the available accessories.

What we really liked about the FlashSpeed 1000 is that you can purchase the base unit, which essentially functions as an inverter with a reasonably sized capacity battery, and then expand it to a much larger capacity battery when your budget allows. The ability to plug in solar panels and create a complete power station ecosystem is particularly appealing, especially when considering that its price is significantly lower than many of its rivals. When comparing capacity with competitors, most do not offer the same level of expandability or the ability to handle high input volumes, whether through AC or solar, for fast recharging.

So, while the FlashSpeed 1000 may initially seem like a large, bulky, and slightly underpowered portable power station, its practicality becomes apparent in real-world use. Yes, it is large and heavy, and its 1,000 W maximum output is slightly limited, but what it does offer is a substantial amount of capacity that is delivered safely and quietly.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Buy it if...

You want a simple-to-use portable power station

One of the great things about this portable power station is how simple it is to use. All ports are located on the front, making them easily accessible for both charging and output. The large screen on the front provides easy-to-read feedback about the charge level and power output.

You like the ability to expand the power

While the 828 watt-hour capacity will be more than sufficient for most field power demands, the ability to boost this by over 1,500 watt-hours makes it extremely appealing.

Don't buy it if...

You have high-demand devices

While 1,000 W is more than enough for charging many devices, such as camera gear and laptops, more demanding appliances like heaters and kettles generally require something with a higher wattage output.

You want app connectivity

Sometimes it’s handy to operate your portable power station remotely, especially if you're working on-site and unable to access the unit to switch the power on or off. In such circumstances, having app connectivity is essential.

For more outdoor essentials, we tested the best rugged phones.

Apricorn Aegis NVX: 30-second review Specs

Connection: USB 10Gbps with 1000 MB/s read/write speeds
Compatible OS: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Symbian, and any powered USB OS with a storage file system
Dimensions: 67mm x 120mm x 15mm
Weight: 200g
Certification: IP68, FCC, CE, and VCCI standards
Warranty: 3-year limited

The Aegis NVX 1TB is a relatively simple-to-use portable hard drive, but unlike the majority of portable hard drives, this device is all about security. As is common with this style of drive, there’s a 12-key keypad on the front of the device that enables you to enter a PIN to gain access.

There’s also an integrated USB Type-C cable that tucks neatly into the side of the aluminium body, giving it an ultra-tough look and feel.

While there are many secure drives available, the Aegis NVX 1TB takes things to another level with hardware data encryption built into the device. This means that all data is encrypted as soon as it enters the drive space. Even if someone were to bypass security and access the drive, without the hardware, they would not be able to read or decode any of the data.

This drive essentially separates the software on your computer from the storage drive. Access is only unlocked once the correct PIN code has been entered, after which it functions like any other external portable hard drive. What’s interesting here is that Apricorn has included an ultra-fast internal SSD, enabling transfer rates of up to 1000 MB/s. Unlike some other secure hard drives, this makes it more than capable of being used as a working drive as well as a secure storage solution for your digital data.

Using the drive is straightforward, with a series of button pushes on the keypad allowing you to code in an admin PIN, user PIN, read-only activation, and several other security features. Since all these features are controlled purely through the 12 buttons and confirmation through the three lights on the top of the device, it can take some time to figure out all the key combinations when setting up or changing settings. Having the manual at hand is essential during setup or configuration.

Once everything is set up, however, it’s very easy to use. Plug it in, enter the code, and you gain access. For businesses, the drive can be configured with an admin password and with individual user passwords. Permissions can also be adjusted; for example, you can set it so users only have read-only access. These settings can all be configured through the keypad using the appropriate key combinations.

As a secure solution for your digital data, the Aegis NVX is one of the smallest and most robust devices we’ve seen. Once it’s set up, it makes an ideal solution. However, as ever, there is a significant price premium for this level of secure data storage.

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Price & availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Apricorn Aegis NVX 1TB is widely available and ranges in price from $339 to $739 (£265 to £579), with the 1TB version we’re reviewing priced at $539 (£422). At the time of this review, the drive is available directly from the apricorn.com website as well as through most larger online retailers such as Amazon.

• Score: 5/5

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Design & build

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Apricorn Aegis NVX 1TB is designed as a secure portable hard drive that will help protect your data even from brute force and software attacks. While the hardware encryption ensures that everything on the drive stays safe, the design and build of the drive are equally robust.

The outer shell is made from solid, aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium, which is milled from a solid metal and then sealed. Inside this ultra-tough enclosure is the SSD. The entire drive is just smaller than an average smartphone, measuring 67 x 120 x 15 mm and weighing in at 200 g. While not overly heavy, it’s more than you might expect for such a small device.

The main feature of the drive is the 12-key keypad on the front, with numbers 0 to 9 allowing for plenty of unique number combinations to gain access to the drive. Once set, there are lock and unlock buttons, as well as three additional lights across the top to indicate the drive’s status and confirm keypress combinations.

Adding to the drive’s robustness and ensuring longevity, the keys are polymer-coated and wear-resistant. This prevents revealing commonly used buttons through signs of wear, ensuring continued security over many years of use.

The connection from the drive to a computer or other device is via a short USB Type-C cable integrated into the drive’s design. This cable wraps neatly around the side of the drive and tucks in securely when not in use.

The drive is also IP68 certified, which essentially means it can withstand being submerged in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. However, while it is IP68-rated, the USB cable end remains exposed, so it’s advisable to let it dry out fully before plugging it into any devices.

• Design & build: 4/5

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Looking at the features, the drive includes AegisWare, the company’s patented protected firmware. Thanks to this hardware approach and software-free data encryption, the drive enables 256-bit AES-XTS encrypted NVMe storage.

As mentioned in the design section, the enclosure is milled from aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium and is sealed with tamper-resistant security fasteners. The drive itself is cemented in place with hardened epoxy resin, meaning that even if someone tries a brute force attack to break into the drive, it is highly likely that the SSD will be destroyed in the process.

Another big feature of this secure drive, as with many other top-rated secure drives, is the polymer-coated, wear-resistant, onboard membrane hybrid keypad. This approach to security is highly effective as it stops all basic hardware and software keylogging techniques to capture passwords, essentially because it excludes the host system (your computer) from the authentication process.

All security for the drive is configured using the keypad. While this process can feel a little fiddly and requires the manual to show you the step-by-step set-up instructions, it does enable you to have a good range of options. Most notably, you can set up separate admin and user PINs. This is ideal for business use, as the admin PIN ensures you retain full access and control, preventing users from locking you out of the drive.

The admin PIN also enables the ability to create data recovery PINs, which can be used in the case of someone forgetting their user PIN. Additionally, the drive offers two read-only modes, enabling users to access the data without being able to alter it.

Another useful feature is the ability for the admin to set programmable PIN lengths, ranging from 7 to 16 characters; this prevents the use of overly simple PINs such as 1. There's also a brute force defence mechanism, which ensures that if a pin is entered incorrectly a pre-set number of times (minimum 4, maximum 20), the drive will trigger a crypto-erase, securely wiping all data on the drive.

Alongside these advanced features, the drive includes standard secure drive options, such as lock override, drive reset features, and self-destruct PINS. These are particularly useful in business settings, allowing admins to completely reset the drive and reconfigure it for different users depending on the use.

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Like almost all high-end secure portable hard drives, the initial setup is relatively straightforward but does require that you have the manual open and follow the instructions carefully. To get started with the Aegis NVX, you simply plug the drive in via the USB Type-C port into your computer. Once done, absolutely nothing will happen other than the locked padlock icon illuminating red. This indicates that power is going to the drive, but the drive itself is not yet being accessed. When you check your computer’s system settings and look for drives, you will see that it hasn’t mounted or been recognised. At this point, the USB Type-C cable is purely delivering power with no data transfer whatsoever.

To start using the drive, you need to set up an initial pin. To do this, hold down the number nine and the green lock button, then enter your desired PIN code. Confirm it by pressing the green button again, re-enter the PIN, and press the green button once more. Each time you perform these steps, the three lights across the top will flash red, green, or blue—or show a combination of blinks and solid lights—to indicate whether the commands have been recognised. Once the initial pin has been entered, you can unplug the drive, connect it to another machine, and it will be ready to use. When plugged into a new machine, the drive will not be recognised until you enter the PIN and press the green lock button, after which the drive will unlock and mount, ready for use.

This initial PIN that you set up acts as the admin PIN. Through this admin account, you can set up additional PINs for other users. This allows others to access the drive, but only with permissions that you define, and those users will not be able to change settings or lock out the admin. This is particularly useful for businesses where secure drives need to be distributed to team members for use on-site.

Additionally, the drive enables you to set up a read-only mode using the keypad. Setting the read-only mode and accessing the drive as a user enables you to view the contents of the drive but not modify or add files, which is useful for situations such as on-site presentations where the content must remain unchanged.

The drive also includes a series of more advanced protection features; for example, in the event of a brute force attack, you can configure the drive to trigger a crypto-erase after a set number of failed attempts (minimum 4, maximum 20). This process securely wipes all data from the drive. While these features are straightforward to set up, the manual is essential for understanding the required keypress combinations.

In terms of security, the Aegis NVX is well above most competitors. The milled aluminium casing gives it one of the most robust builds of any portable hard drive we’ve tested. Additionally, the hardware encryption ensures that host devices cannot attempt unauthorised access. Unless the correct PIN is physically entered on the keypad, both brute force and software attempts to access the drive are nearly impossible. In our testing, the drive exceeded durability expectations and kept the data inaccessible despite both physical and software access attempts.

Keeping your data safe from brute force and software attacks is crucial, but it’s equally important that the drive is physically durable for use in the field. The Aegis NVX is IP68-certified, meaning it can withstand being submerged in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes, and putting it on par with many of the best rugged hard drives we've reviewed. In our testing, the drive was dropped into puddles, thrown, and subjected to far more abuse than we’d usually subject a portable hard drive to. While the aluminium casing showed some scratches and wear, the drive continued to work perfectly once dried and reconnected to a computer.

One final point about the drive’s performance is its flexibility. Whether your company works on Mac, PC, or Linux systems, you can reformat the internal SSD to the file system you need. Since the drive’s encryption is handled entirely through hardware and not tied to the SSD or host machine, the admin account can reformat the drive for use just like any other SSD. By default, the drive is formatted in NTFS, but it can easily be reformatted to APFS, exFAT, or another format as required. In our testing, we used the macOS APFS file system and NTFS with Windows 11 Pro.

Benchmarks

CrystalDiskMark: read: 1054.60MB/s Write: 998.79MB/s
AJA: read: 936MB/s Write: 894MB/s
ATTO: read: 1006.36MB/s Write: 873.13MB/s
AS SSD: read: 898.53MB/s Write: 873.13MB/s

• Performance: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Aegis NVX?

Essentially, this is an ultra-rugged, fast, secure portable hard drive that is ideal for anyone who needs to keep their data safe. Whether for personal accounts and documents at home or for businesses of any size, it offers a great option. One standout feature of this secure drive is its small size and robust build, with that IP68 certification that takes it beyond most other secure drives.

In addition to its hardware encryption, the fact that you can easily set up both admin and user access is a great feature for businesses. This allows users to either read and write or just read the contents of the drive, which can be exceptionally useful. The brute force crypto-erase feature further enhances the drive’s usability and security and just helps to give you reassurance that your data will stay safe if the drive is lost or stolen.

As a standalone secure drive, the Aegis NVX is a great choice for companies, businesses, as well as individuals. While it has a large feature set, there are some capabilities found in other secure drives that the Aegis NVX lacks, such as online connectivity, remote monitoring, and login limits. These features enable drives to be deleted or tracked by the owner, even if stolen or accessed by an unauthorised user. However, as an isolated, standalone, secure drive, the Aegis NVX is as good as it gets, with virtually no way for anyone to break into its tough exterior or its highly advanced hardware-based 256-bit AES-XTS encryption.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Buy it if...

You need an ultra-compact secure drive

The milled aluminium case, integrated cable, and neat design ensure that, despite the large capacity, this secure portable hard drive remains one of the most portable on the market.

You need security and speed

There are plenty of hardware-encrypted, secure, portable hard drives out there, but few come close to the high speed of the internal SSD featured in the Aegis NVX.

Don't buy it if...

You need remote monitoring

If your drive is stolen, you can be confident that nobody will gain access. However, some other manufacturers also offer online monitoring, allowing stolen drives to be tracked or erased when connected to an online computer.

You only have a small budget

There’s no doubt this is one of the most secure portable hard drives on the market, but that security comes at a high cost. If you’re on a budget, it might be better to consider a slightly cheaper hardware solution or, failing that, a software-based option.

For more on-the-go storage, we reviewed the best portable SSDs.

Chuwi LarkBox S: 30-second review

Picking up the LarkBox S, you can instantly tell that it’s a little different from your standard entry-level mini PC. Firstly, the build quality of this small machine is extremely high, with a mix of plastic and metal used for the outer casing, which instantly positions it at a much higher price level than it actually is.

Looking over the casing, everything is nicely finished, with four rubber feet on the base, a good selection of ports on the front and back, and plenty of ventilation for the i3 processor. As a mini PC, its looks and specifications mark it out as a perfect option for most offices or day-to-day home use. Even on a generous day, this won't be the best mini PC for heavier workloads. With its basic entry-level Intel i3 processor, it has enough power to handle all Microsoft Office apps as well as a little bit of multimedia production, as long as you don’t push it too hard.

In use, the LarkBox S proves to be decent enough at running all office applications. Excel loads quickly, and handling large but not overly complex documents is not an issue. Likewise, opening Edge and browsing, with a bit of streaming highlights how well it can handle 4K video streaming without issue. Additionally, connectivity through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is fast enough to keep up with demands.

Surprisingly, for this level of machine, even loading up DaVinci Resolve and working with some standard H.265 footage from a Sony Alpha 7 Mark IV was manageable for basic edits. However, output render times were quite significant for a 10–15 minute edit. Then as effects or more complex edits are applied, the machine begins to struggle.

Returning to the design, there are a few interesting highlights, such as the discreet graphic design on the top case and the LED light array that surrounds the front ports. These features are more common with gaming mini PCs than office PCs but are a nice touch and add a sense of fun.

Overall, as an office machine or one to use for day-to-day admin tasks at home, the LarkBox S is an extremely good option. The build quality is well above that of most entry-level PCs, and the choice of the internal hardware is pretty decent for non-intensive applications.

Chuwi LarkBox S: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From £250 / $250
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Chuwi.com or Amazon.com

While the LarkBox S is directly aimed at the entry-level market, it isn’t the cheapest option available. This is reflected in the quality of the build as well as the higher-end components used. It retails for around $250 / £250 and is available directly through the CHUWI website or major online retailers such as Amazon.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Chuwi LarkBox S: Specs

• CPU: Intel Core i3-1220P (10 Cores, 12 Threads, 12 MB cache, up to 4.4 GHz)
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz (Dual-channel SO-DIMM Slots, Expandable up to 64GB)
• Storage: 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD (1× M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD Slot, Expandable up to 1TB)
• Rear Ports: 2× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A Ports, 2× USB 2.0 Type-A Ports, 1× HDMI 2.0 Port, 1× HDMI 1.4 Port, 1× 1000Mbps LAN Jack, 1× DC-In Jack
• Front Ports: 1× Full-featured Type-C Port, 1× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C Port, 1× 3.5mm Audio Jack
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1
• Audio: 3.5mm Audio Jack
• Camera: Not specified
• Size: 118 × 118 × 41.3 mm
• OS installed: Windows 11 Home
• Accessories: 1× LarkBox S Mini PC, 1× VESA Mount, 6× Screws, 1× Power Adapter, 1× User Manual, 1× Warranty Card, 1× Inspection Report

Chuwi LarkBox S: Design

The LarkBox S is an entry-level mini PC, and its design style is both minimalistic and compact. Compared with other mini PCs, it is just a touch smaller at 118 × 118 × 41.3mm and weighs only 478 g. While most entry-level mini PCs are quite lightweight and plasticky, there’s absolutely nothing plastic-feeling about the LarkBox S.

The outer casing is made of a robust mixture of plastic and metal, giving it the durability to withstand the occasional knock during transport.

The satin effect finish is another really nice touch, reinforcing a slightly premium feel for what is essentially a relatively inexpensive machine. Similarly, the quality of the inlay around the ports, both front and back, shows that the machining and moulding are about as good as it gets for mini PCs.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

While the design is stylish and understated, it’s interesting to note the inclusion of subtle inlay graphics on the top of the casing. These add a touch of design flair, visible only when the light catches them. Additionally, there’s an LED array on the front that changes colour as it operates. This is reminiscent of many gaming PCs but is more of a fun, decorative touch on what is otherwise aimed at office use which is a bit odd.

The general layout of the machine is well thought-out. On the front, there's a 3.5 mm audio jack, two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, and the power button. Both sides feature plenty of venting, as does the back, which houses the AC input, two HDMI ports, a LAN port, and two additional USB Type-A ports.

One of the standout features of this mini PC is the ability to upgrade both the RAM and SSD. For RAM, it uses DDR4 dual-channel SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to two 32 GB sticks, and it comes with 16 GB as standard. Storage-wise, as an entry-level machine, the hard drive is relatively modest at 512 GB. This is a PCIe 3.0 SSD, but if 512 GB feels too small, it can be upgraded with an M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD of up to 1 TB, so still not huge.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Chuwi LarkBox S: Features

Starting with the size, this small machine measures 118 x 118 x 41.3 mm, making it one of the smaller mini PCs out there, although it’s relatively heavy at 478 g, which just reinforces the fact that it is made of high-quality materials.

When it comes to the internal hardware, there's an Intel Core i3-1220P with 10 cores, 12 threads, 12 MB of cache, and up to 4.4 GHz. This is supported by standard Intel UHD graphics and 16 GB of DDR4 3200 MHz RAM. The motherboard is dual-channel, so if you want to upgrade that RAM, then you can install two 32 GB sticks as mentioned before, taking you up to 64 GB, which will be useful if you are thinking about doing any multimedia editing. When it comes to storage, this is limited to a 512 GB PCIe 3.0 SSD, and again there's only a single slot for this on the motherboard. You can install an M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD, and that's expandable up to 1TB.

As an entry-level machine, it comes with Windows 11 Home installed, which will give you all of the normal functions and features. It also supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, so it is not the latest technology, but it still offers good, solid performance. There is also an Ethernet option if you are using a wired network that supports up to 1000 Mbps.

When it comes to ports, you have one full-feature Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, one HDMI 1.4 port, one 1000 Mbps LAN port, one 3.5 mm audio jack, and the DC-in.

Even as an entry level machine you can connect up to three displays through the two HDMI ports alongside one of the USB Type-C ports, which is the fully featured port. From the USB Type-C, you can run one 4K resolution monitor at up to 144 Hz. Through the HDMI 2.0 port, you can run one 4K monitor at up to 60 Hz, and through the HDMI 1.4 port, you can run a monitor at 4K up to 30 Hz.

As one final point on the feature set, as is now standard with most mini PCs, the computer also comes with VESA support, so if you do want to mount it on a wall or behind your monitor, then that is perfectly possible.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4 / 5

Chuwi LarkBox S: Performance

The design of the LarkBox S makes it extremely quick and easy to get started, with the ports on the back being easily accessible for plugging in the HDMI and the two USB Type-As to connect monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Pressing the power button boots up into Windows 11 Home, and you can run through the usual setup process, which takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

While the processor and GPU are relatively low-powered, they are more than sufficient to handle Windows 11 Home, providing a smooth experience from the outset, even when connected to a 4K monitor. Once Windows has finished the set-up, you can proceed to install the applications you need. For us, this included benchmarking software, a few games, Microsoft Office, and multimedia tools such as DaVinci Resolve for video editing and Adobe Photoshop for photography.

Starting with general admin use of the machine, it quickly becomes apparent that it has been finely tuned for day-to-day office use. The LarkBox S handles Microsoft Office and Microsoft Edge (or other browsers) well enough. One minor issue we did have was the LED light array at the front, which, while aesthetically pleasing, it can become a little distracting over time. However, it is possible to turn it off via the firmware settings, though this does require a bit of technical know-how.

Pushing the machine to a higher level of demand, we loaded up DaVinci Resolve to edit some 4K video shot on the Sony Alpha 7 Mark IV in the H.265 file format. Surprisingly, the machine handled this with relative ease for a simple 10-minute video edit. The project included multiple tracks with little grading and no effects applied. However, as soon as text or effects were added to the footage, the machine began to struggle. That said, you could still manage a 10 to 15-minute edit without too much trouble. The main point where the machine struggled was during export, as it took a significant amount of time to render the video into a file ready for upload. Still, for small video projects, this machine should suffice.

Switching to Adobe Lightroom and loading a few images, the machine performed well and was more than capable of handling basic edits to enhance your imagery for print or online use. Moving on to Photoshop with high-resolution files from the Sony A7 IV, the performance remained impressive for basic edits. The only noticeable slowdown occurred when using the brush tool for dodging and burning highlights and shadows. As layers accumulated, the processor and GPU began to struggle, revealing the machine's limitations.

The final test was to assess gaming performance. For this, we selected Tekken 8 and Hogwarts Legacy. It quickly became apparent when loading Tekken 8 that the machine was going to struggle graphically. While this program is often manageable on entry-level machines, the LarkBox S couldn't quite handle the demands. Once in the game (which took some time), even with settings reduced to a minimum and resolution down to Full HD, gameplay was possible but far from a good experience. With Hogwarts Legacy, the game was simply beyond the machine's capabilities and could not run effectively. However, less graphically and processor-intensive games, such as Portal 2 or the legacy Tomb Raider series, ran smoothly and without issue.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Chuwi LarkBox S: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Taking a look at what’s on offer here with the LarkBox S, you essentially have an entry-level machine with a premium build quality and very stylish, if discreet, looks. It also has an edge of flair about it with the LED lighting array at the front, which could easily lead you to mistake it for a gaming mini PC. In reality, this is an office machine ideally suited to everyday work with Word and Excel, as well as browsing the internet and a little bit of light multimedia editing.

While the processing and graphical power of the machine isn’t huge, as a day-to-day machine that is built to a high standard and quality, it should last you for a good number of years. The LarkBox S is a great option. Alongside the quality build and relatively decent feature set for the price, there’s also the ability to upgrade the internal SSD and RAM. While the storage capacity upgrade is limited to a maximum of 1 TB, the fact that you can upgrade the RAM to 64 GB gives you a little more flexibility for multimedia editing and handling larger Excel documents.

Overall, the LarkBox S is a great option for any business looking for a compact mini PC for office administration work. Its compact size, durability, and design mean it will fit nicely into any environment. It’s a shame that it comes with Windows Home rather than Windows Pro, but you can always upgrade if needed. As a solid, well-rounded machine with a quality build and finish, the LarkBox S is a worthwhile option that justifies the extra cost over some cheaper alternatives.

Should I buy a Chuwi LarkBox S? Buy it if...

You want a high-quality build

If you’re looking for a machine that will withstand more than the occasional knock or can be used for van life or in a workshop, the high-quality casing and solid build should meet your needs.

You need plenty of connection options

Across the front and back, there are plenty of connection options, enabling you to connect up to three monitors as well as external hard drives and other accessories neatly and easily.

Don't buy it if...

You need large internal storage

The internal hardware used means that it’s limited to just one terabyte of internal storage with the upgrade, which isn’t a great deal. If you’re looking for a machine for video editing or multimedia, you might want something with more internal storage potential.

You want to play games

Even if you’re a casual gamer and want the option to play some of the latest games, even at reduced resolution, this machine and its integrated GPU will struggle.

For productivity desktops, we reviewed the best business computers.

Brompton Electric P Line Urban - 4 Speed: One minute review

A pioneer in folding bikes, Brompton has set the standard since 1976. The bike's ingenious three-part fold design excels in various settings, from train carriages to city streets. Brompton's lettering system can be a bit confusing but in the electric range, there are only C and P line options.

The model for this review is the P Line Urban 4 Speed. It's made of titanium and steel, which makes it noticeably lighter than the entirely steel alternative that's known as the C Line. The benefit of this reduced weight comes at a financial cost but it's well worth the extra money, especially for those who need something that's easy to move around.

The 4-speed version offers a limited gear range and would benefit from a couple of extra gears at the top end. You could upgrade to the 12 speed but then you'll end up with half a dozen gears that you never have any need for. If you value simplicity, then go with the 4-speed.

Brompton's renowned build quality shines through, especially in the heavily used folding mechanisms. High-quality components will ensure a lifetime of reliable performance, something that you'd expect at this price tag.

A 300Wh lithium-ion battery and 250-watt brushless motor power this road-legal (in the US and UK) e-bike, delivering ample performance when needed. Anyone who wants a foldable and portable e-bike that oozes class could do no better than the Brompton P Line Urban 4-speed.

Brompton Electric P Line Urban 4 Speed: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $4,750 / £3,695 for Electric P Line Urban 4-speed
• Get the UK 'Flame Lacquer' version for £3,805
• Non-electric 4-speed options are also available

The Electric P Line Urban 4-speed is not Brompton's most expensive model but it's not far off. The lightweight foldable commuter bike costs $4,750 in the US and £3,695 in the UK (around AU$7,450).

The model I tested is only available in the UK and has the paint finish 'Flame Lacquer'. This attracts a higher price of £3,805. Whether it's worth an additional £100, only you can decide, but I can certainly say that it stands out from the crowd.

The bikes are packaged with everything required to construct the bike, including a detachable battery and charger to go with it. A range of accessories are also available, including a Quad Lock Mount for mounting a phone to the bike. This mount is essential for using app controls to change the bike's power level on the fly.

The high price tag of the Brompton electric bike pulls down its value rating. However, it’s important to acknowledge that Brompton is renowned for its top-tier craftsmanship and durability. This bike is a testament to that reputation.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Brompton Electric P Line Urban 4 Speed: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Classic Brompton bike design
• Quickly and easily foldable
• Lightweight titanium and steel construction

The Brompton's iconic three-point fold has remained largely unchanged since its inception in the early 1980s. The P Line Urban e-bike looks very similar to almost all Brompton models released in the past 50 years.

As with all models, you get small wheels, an adjustable seat height, and a long handlebar stem. The seating position and handling take a little bit of getting used to but after a few weeks, I couldn't imagine riding anything else. The optional roller frame allowed me to wheel the bike around when folded, and it's perfect for moving through city streets or train stations. It also doubles up as a cargo carrier for transporting your laptop or lunch.

The P Line Electric Urban is Brompton's lightest electric bike to date, thanks to its titanium rear frame and lightweight components. I had no problems lifting the bike in and out of my car or even up flights of stairs. The ingenious foldable design provides a remarkably compact form factor, making it ideal for urban commuters. While the folding process might require a bit of practice, it quickly becomes second nature.

When folded, the Brompton P Line is impressively small, easily fitting into tight spaces. The front-mounted battery can remain on the bike when folded but it's best to remove it for better portability. The included battery bag offers some storage space but is not suitable for larger items.

The bike's 250W motor is powered by a 300Wh battery, which is located at the front of the bike. The design looks a little dated compared to most other manufacturers who aim to hide the battery in the frame. I'd like to see Brompton explore a more seamless integration of their battery or at least develop a smaller and more lightweight alternative. The battery can be easily removed for charging or to operate the bike manually.

After using the bike for a while, one thing I would have greatly benefited from was a small kickstand. I was regularly having to find walls to prop my bike up, which was a little annoying.

The P Line Urban e-bike remains a practical and stylish choice for urban commuters. Its compact size, lightweight design, and reliable electric assist make it a convenient option for those who need to navigate crowded cities.

• Design Score: 4.5/5

Brompton Electric P Line Urban - 4 Speed: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Enough power for most rides
• Smooth gear changes throughout the range
• It takes a few seconds for motor to kick in

The P Line urban electric bike is a commuter's dream in practice, and I loved riding through my local city streets, navigating around cars, people, and other obstacles. It's fast, responsive, and 100% able to get you where you want to go, with a whole lot of joy thrown in for good measure.

The gear shifters functioned flawlessly, being substantial and conveniently located for my thumbs, yet unobtrusive when holding the handlebars. The four speeds were enough for most flat or gentle inclines, but as soon as you needed to ramp up the speed, the gear range became distinctly lacking. It's fine at the lower end, but two or three extra gears at the top would have upped this bike to five-star territory. Lack of range at the top end makes it very difficult to push much beyond the 25 km/h that the motor is limited to.

As with all Brompton bikes, the P Line does provide a certain unique style of ride. What is oftentimes a very smooth and nimble experience can at times be overtaken by unpredictable handling: the instant responsiveness takes a little bit of getting used to, but once mastered, it enables riders to move around urban roads and streets very easily.

One of the downsides to the handling and the location of the controls being on the battery is the precarious process of changing power levels mid-ride. I rarely felt able to make adjustments out of fear of completely losing control of the bike. I therefore opted to stay on maximum pedal assist for all of my journeys.

Much of this is overcome by using the Brompton phone app mounted with the Quadlock mount and adaptor. Through the app, you can adjust the power level quickly and easily, but it does require people to mount their phones every time they go out on a ride. I prefer the ease that a handlebar-mounted control provides, but it must be acknowledged that it has to be purchased separately.

The seat was absolutely fine for shorter journeys, but towards the end of my 7-mile commute, I was beginning to have some comfort problems. The smaller wheels were also far from ideal on the more rugged terrain of the rural roads that I took the bike on. The tyres do their best to absorb road imperfections, but they're far from able to completely smooth the ride. One for cities only.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Brompton Electric P Line Urban - 4 Speed: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• 20-45 miles per full battery
• Four-hour re-charge
• Limited range on full pedal assist

The Brompton P Line Urban electric bike offers a claimed range of 20 to 45 miles, a figure that fluctuates based on the selected power assist mode. While this might suffice for shorter journeys, the reality is that most commuters will need a daily recharge.

During my testing, a daily 14-mile commute left little in the battery tank for the next day's journeys. Having such a small range left me with a certain amount of range anxiety, although the distance achievable was very predictable. Although most commuters won't travel longer distances, the inconvenience of daily charging and associated costs cannot be overlooked.

On the plus side, a full recharge takes only around three to four hours, a reasonable timeframe for a battery of this size. The battery itself is conveniently located at the front of the bike and can be effortlessly removed. Brompton has ensured the battery's longevity by incorporating a well-protected charging port concealed beneath a rubber flap.

While the range might be a limiting factor for some, the bike’s compact size, folding mechanism, and overall riding experience make it a compelling option for urban commuting and short trips.

• Battery life score: 3.5/5

Brompton Electric P Line Urban - 4 Speed: Scorecard Buy it if...

You want an electric bike with a classic design
Brompton has always excelled at top-quality British design. Recent years have seen them add electric options to their range, but they've maintained their classic style.

You want a commuting dream
No one likes turning up at the office, needing a shower, and changing clothes. This Brompton bike, with its electric boost, provides assistance to keep you fresh when you arrive at the office.

You want fewer choices
The P Line Urban provides a limited set of four speeds. Having a small set to choose from keeps the ride simple and enjoyable.

Don't buy it if...

You want a large gear range
4 gears is pretty good, but it really does lack the higher gear range, especially when travelling faster than 25 km/h.

You have a long commute
At maximum pedal assist, this bike provides around 20 miles of range. It will be enough for most people, but if you are travelling further then you'll need a bike with bigger range.

You want a substantial bike
As with all Brompton bikes, the P Line urban model has small wheels and a compact frame. This is perfect for urban settings, but not so good for uneven surfaces.

Also consider

Axon Pro Lite

One of the best folding e-bikes for most commuters. An e-bike that is really easy to fold up, has a good level of power on tap, and is of excellent overall quality.

Read our full Axon Pro Lite review

How I tested the Brompton Electric P Line Urban - 4 Speed

Despite this bike being tailored to urban environments, I was keen to put it through its paces on a variety of road types. My daily commute provides the perfect test ride. 7 miles of hills, rural roads, city streets, on-road, off-road, and everything in between.

Over a period of two months, I used this Brompton bike as my main mode of transport. As a result, I was able to fully appreciate the pros and cons of Brompton's 4-speed Urban bike. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed using the bike and rarely found a ride that I didn't love.

First reviewed: August 2024