Reviews

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

Many business backup solutions require a dedicated Windows Server host, but Nakivo’s Backup & Replication (NBR) is far more amenable as it can be deployed to just about any platform you care to name. It will run happily on a Windows host, but also supports Linux, VMware vSphere, Nutanix AHV, AWS EC2, Raspberry Pi and all the main NAS appliance vendors, including Qnap and Synology.

On review is NBR 10.9, which includes bare metal recovery where you use its new Bootable Media Wizard to restore physical Windows and Linux servers from selected backups. Malware protection is now available, with NBR integrating with a range of third-party antivirus products, and all MS365 components, including Teams, can be protected.

Licensing is equally versatile. There are five versions available, with options for perpetual licenses or per-workload subscriptions. Nakivo cuts through any confusion with a cost calculator on its website. We’ve shown the price for an Enterprise 10-server perpetual license with a two-year 24/7 support contract here.

For testing, we chose Qnap’s TS-855eU-RP short-depth 8-bay rack NAS and used the QuTS Hero App Center to load the NBR package. NBR comprises three service components, with a Director for browser-based management, Transporters to handle backup, replication and recovery operations, and Repositories for storing backups.

After adding protected systems to NBR’s inventory, it pushed the transporter service to our physical Windows servers and workstations; note that Mac clients are still not supported. For Hyper-V, the service just needed loading on our host, while for our VMware vSphere host, we only had to provide its credentials for agentless VM backups.

Our Qnap appliance received a default local repository but this was on its system SSDs, so we created another on a large-capacity RAID5 pool. During creation, you must enter the absolute path, which can be found from an SSH session using the Linux List command.

Other possibilities for repositories are local storage, network shares or cloud stores. Ransomware protection comes into play with NBR supporting immutable cloud storage from Amazon EC2 and S3, Microsoft Azure Blob, Wasabi and Backblaze B2.

Services can be extended to MS365 Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams (Image credit: Future)

Creating backup jobs is simple as options are based on the systems in your inventory. Just choose those you want to protect, assign a repository, set a schedule and decide how daily, weekly, monthly and yearly recovery points you want retained.

For our Hyper-V host, we chose the VMs to be included, and protecting our VMware vSphere system only required the host to be selected so any new VMs would be automatically added to the schedule. To use malware protection, you declare a “scan server” to NBR, which has the required antivirus software running on it.

MS365 licensing is separate, with ten users costing £252 per year, and it requires a special SaaS repository to store backups, which we found isn’t currently supported by QuTS Hero 5.1. Nakivo’s attentive support suggested creating an iSCSI target on the appliance and mapping it to a Windows system running the transporter service – hardly elegant, but it does work.

Recovery features are outstanding. Along with files and folders, granular restores can be used for MS365 items, SQL databases and on-premises Exchange objects. Disaster recovery is just as good, with Flash Boot jobs creating new VMs directly from the backup repository and facilities for replicating VMs as clones.

SMBs that don’t want their backup software tied to a Windows Server host will love Nakivo’s Backup & Replication 10.9 as they can run it on almost any hardware platform and OS they want. It’s good value, MS365 protection is handled well and it provides extensive data recovery services.

We also rated the best file-hosting services.

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

Hornetsecurity’s VM Backup is designed specifically to protect VMware and Hyper-V environments. It presents a clever management console where most operations can be carried out using nothing more than drag and drop.

VM Backup’s perpetual licenses are based only on the number of hosts, regardless of the sockets each one has. There’s also a subscription model where licensing is charged on the monthly number of VMs being backed up.

A perpetual Standard edition starts at £348 and allows you to back up five VMs per host. You can protect all VMs on each host with the Unlimited edition (£426 per host), while the Unlimited Plus edition on review ups the price to £536 and enables all the features VM Backup has to offer.

And features there are aplenty, with Unlimited Plus 9 enabling support for immutable cloud storage on Amazon S3 and Wasabi, and Azure Blob coming soon. When creating offsite backup locations, you configure these locations as immutable, which brings the Object Lock mechanism into play and turns them into ransomware-resilient WORM repositories.

We installed VM Backup on a Windows Server 2019 host and had our VMware and Hyper-V hosts declared in 15 minutes. After assigning a local hard disk backup repository, we dragged and dropped selected VMs onto it and started our first backups.

VM Backup supports local and external storage, iSCSI targets and UNC paths for NAS shares as backup destination options. For secondary off-site locations you can use physical devices, network shares, the free Offsite Backup Server app and standard or immutable cloud storage. We added a Synology NAS share for our on-site backups and an Amazon S3 bucket with Object Lock enabled for immutable off-site cloud storage.

Plenty of backup destinations are supported (Image credit: Future)

Two predefined backup schedules are provided, but it’s easy to create your own with the preferred weekly and monthly recurrences, versioning and retention policies. Each job can include replication to the secondary location. You add VMs by dragging and dropping them on the desired schedule and retention policy icons.

Along with a cloud console for managing multiple VM Backup installations, Unlimited Plus adds constant data protection (CDP) which is enabled on selected VMs and set to run as often as every five minutes. Both Unlimited and Unlimited Plus provide inline deduplication for faster backups, and you can view your storage savings from the dashboard.

A wizard guides you through the data recovery process: you choose a VM, restore its virtual hard disk, clone it or boot it straight from a backup to its original host or to another one. If you need to retrieve a file, folder or on-premises Exchange item, VM Backup provides granular recovery technology (GRT) services.

For data restoration, all three VM Backup versions use the Sandbox & Verification feature to confirm the integrity of all backups. Along with verifying data, it runs a background job that clones a VM back to the original host and confirms that it runs correctly.

VM Backup is an affordable choice for Hyper-V and VMware environments. The Unlimited Plus version delivers a wealth of features at a great price, support for immutable cloud storage, adds valuable ransomware protection and it’s incredibly easy to use.

We've ranked the best virtual machine software.

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360: Two-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 is a 15.6-inch convertible laptop, featuring a fully rotatable lid for tablet-style use.

It has a remarkably slender form, thanks to its ultra-thin profile. However, while the Galaxy Book5 360 is light for a laptop, it’s still a little too weighty to be used as a tablet comfortably for extended sessions.

From a build quality perspective, the Galaxy Book5 360 is engineered as well as the best laptops around. Every material and component feels premium, including the lid hinge which operates flawlessly, offering plenty of stability without being hard to move. The port selection is good as well, although a few placements are a little inconvenient.

(Image credit: Future)

The Galaxy Book5 360 doesn’t suffer from bloatware as other laptops can, and the preinstalled Samsung apps are useful in the main. These include a capable note-taking app and Air Command, which features useful shortcuts to compliment S-Pen functionality. There’s also AI Select for drawing and searching sections of the screen.

On the issue of performance, the Galaxy Book5 360 handles productivity and entertainment workloads with aplomb, and is capable of streaming ultra high definition content with relative ease.

The vivid display is a real boon in this regard too, as it renders images sharply and with plenty of vibrancy. However, it is overly prone to reflections, especially when displaying darker colors, as well as appearing slightly washed out at other times, although these are minor drawbacks that fail to ruin the experience.

The Galaxy Book5 360 can also handle gaming too, although it doesn’t always offer the smoothest experience in this regard. More of an issue is the fan noise generated even under fairly tame workloads, as I found out when downloading a sizable game file.

Fortunately, this noise isn’t too disruptive, and is mercifully muffled somewhat, owing to the vents being placed underneath the Galaxy Book5 360; but lift it up and it gets louder. On a positive note, it at least remained relatively cool.

(Image credit: Future)

I did find that the Galaxy Book5 360 excelled when it came to typing, thanks to the exquisite feel of the keys, which are satisfyingly damped and very responsive. They’re also generously spaced, which is all the more impressive given a number pad is present. The trackpad is equally brilliant, offering silky smooth and accurate swipes.

Samsung’s S Pen is included with the Galaxy Book5 360, and works well on the touchscreen, tracking accurately and quickly. However, there is a slight dragging sensation as you use it on the touchscreen, which might deter keen illustrators, but I found it acceptable for general writing and drawing. It’s also a shame there’s nowhere to store it.

The Galaxy Book5 360 is certainly a capable and exceptionally designed 2-in-1 laptop, and stands up well to the competition. It might lack the formidable performance of some of its rivals, but it’s still powerful enough for most needs, and while it’s not exactly cheap, it’s still priced competitively.

If you’re after another excellent convertible laptop, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the best in this regard, while the Microsoft Surface 7 is the best overall laptop in our view. Both have similar price tags to the Galaxy Book5 360, and perform excellently in most areas too.

(Image credit: Future) Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 review: Price and availability

• Starts from $1,349.99 / £1,249 (about AU$2,148)
• Available now in grey
• Middle of the market

The Galaxy Book5 360 starts from $1,349.99 / £1,249 (about AU$2,148) and is available with a grey finish only. It’s configurable with 256GB, 215GB, or 1TB of storage, Intel Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 processors, and 130V or 140V 8GB Intel Arc GPUs, although all get 16GB of RAM, a 15.6-inch display, and come with Samsung’s S Pen stylus. There’s also a Pro version, which also has a larger 16-inch screen.

For a 2-in-1 laptop, the Galaxy Book5 360 is well-priced considering the quality on offer. It locks horns with some of the best Windows laptops on the market, such as the new Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, which we think is the best Windows laptop overall right now. This laptop also has a touchscreen, but it isn’t convertible like the Galaxy Book5 360. It also uses an ARM processor, so beware certain apps aren’t optimized or even compatible with this architecture yet.

If you’re looking for one of the best 2-in-1 laptops, then the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 takes the crown in this sector. We found its performance excellent, while the battery life seriously impressed us. The Surface Pro 11 also uses an ARM processor, though. Base models are cheaper than the Galaxy Book5 360, but prices are more closely aligned when comparing like-for-like configurations.

• Price: 3.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 review: Specs

Here are the specs for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 360:

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 review: Design

• Phenomenal build quality
• Light, but still heavy for tablet use
• Free from bloatware

The Galaxy Book5 360 makes a terrific first impression. It’s extremely thin with no superfluous bulges, adopting completely flat planes on all its sides. It’s reminiscent of the best MacBook Pro models in this regard, which is high praise indeed.

It’s also quite light, which is exactly what you want in a convertible laptop. However, it’s still not as light as the best tablets or even the new Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4), meaning it’s probably too cumbersome to be used as a tablet for the majority of the time.

All of its materials look and feel premium, and the hinge mechanism fulfils the brief of being smooth yet stable. Both joints have a small footprint and so avoid getting in the way when the Galaxy Book5 360 is folded back completely.

(Image credit: Future)

The screen takes up most of its allotted real estate, thanks to the very thin bezels which join seamlessly with the display itself. Again, it’s another indication that the Galaxy Book5 360 is constructed to the highest standards. And despite this slender design, the Galaxy Book5 360 still manages to fit in a 2MP, 1080p camera.

Port selection is sufficient too: on the right you’ll find a USB-A port, a microSD slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the left are two USB-C ports, which use the Thunderbolt 4 protocol and can be used for charging the Galaxy Book5 360. However, it’s a shame these aren’t split across both sides, as this would’ve made plugging in the Galaxy Book5 360 more convenient if you’re restricted on your outlet placement.

The HDMI port is also on the left, and comes before the two USB-C ports, while the 3.5mm audio jack is the furthest of the three ports on the right, which again I find inconvenient, given that a headphone cable will have to cross over other connections on that side.

The Galaxy Book5 360 features a full-size keyboard with a number pad, something I personally welcome given its advantages for productivity purposes. It also includes a Microsoft CoPilot key, for quickly bringing up the brand’s AI tool. The trackpad is large and offset to the left slightly, and feels just as premium as the rest of the Galaxy Book5 360.

(Image credit: Future)

My one complaint from a design standpoint is the lack of storage for the S Pen; it can’t attach magnetically to the body, as is the case with the best iPad models, for instance, and there's no slot or clip for it either.

The Galaxy Book5 360 is mercifully free from bloatware, and the included Samsung apps justify their inclusion. Samsung Notes is easy and intuitive to use with plenty of helpful S Pen-related functions, while Samsung Studio is available for editing video content.

There’s also AI Select, which recognizes images and text you draw around and searches for the selection via Microsoft Bing. It has its uses, but as with most AI-related features, results can vary – sometimes quite wildly.

Another convenient app is Air Command, which summons a pop-up menu with useful shortcuts for the S Pen (this menu can also be opened by clicking the S Pen’s button, although this didn’t always seem to work for me). There are shortcuts creating a note and Smart Select, which works similarly to the Windows Snipping Tool, allowing you to drag a box to screenshot portions of the screen, which you can then overlay with text or drawings, as well as share it with others.

(Image credit: Future)

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 review: Performance

• Capable for common tasks
• Great typing experience
• Multitasking not the best

The Galaxy Book5 360 is a capable performer on the whole, although it isn't spectacularly fast. Basic tasking is taken in its stride, but slowdowns are common when too multitasking – even when multiple browser tabs are open, it can suffer, which is a surprise given its 16GB of RAM.

It can easily handle common productivity workloads, such as word processing and spreadsheet creation, and when it comes to entertainment, the Galaxy Book5 360 is more than capable of streaming ultra-HD content without breaking a sweat; for instance, I managed to watch 4K videos on YouTube without any issue.

Thanks to its Intel Arc GPU, the Galaxy Book5 360 is endowed with some credible gaming prowess too, even when playing some AAA titles. For example, I managed to play Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced at 1080p with a mixture of medium and high graphic settings, albeit not at a consistent 60 frames-per-second and with frequent micro-stutters. However, it was still perfectly playable enough to enjoy the experience, and will likely suffice for more casual players.

(Image credit: Future) Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 benchmarks

Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 did when we put it through our benchmarking procedure:
PC Mark
7,008
3D Mark
Time Spy - 3,804
Night Raid - 31,816
Fire Strike - 7,900
Geekbench 6.4:
Single - 2,586
Multi - 10,150
Cinebench R23:
Single-core - 1,808
Multi-core - 9,486
Battery life test:
20 hours 30 minutes

The more egregious aspect of running demanding workloads on the Galaxy Book5 360 is the noise it generates in the process. The fans whirred constantly and quite intensely while I played; and more worryingly, this noise also persisted when downloading the game itself, which shouldn’t have been too onerous a task to warrant the fan speed.

Thankfully, the noise is somewhat muffled thanks to the underside vent placement. and in neither case did the Galaxy Book5 360 become unduly hot; there was a mere warming confined to a small area underneath.

The Galaxy Book5 360 excels more when it comes to typing. The keys feel tactile yet light, and are a joy to use thanks to their damped feel and responsive nature. They’re also spaced out nicely – a very impressive feat considering there’s a number pad squeezed in here too, as these can severely compromise ergonomics on laptop keyboards in my experience.

A number pad is also extremely useful from a productivity standpoint, so combining this with its great typing experience means the Galaxy Book5 360 rivals some of the best laptops for writers.

The touchpad is exceptionally smooth and responsive too, making for effortless navigation. The large surface area also helps in this regard, and thankfully I made no accidental swipes or clicks when resting part of my hand on it while typing.

(Image credit: Future)

The AMOLED display is another highlight of the Galaxy Book5 360, with its 1080p resolution providing a much sharper image that I was expecting, rivalling laptops with higher pixel counts. 4K content is rendered with plenty of vibrancy, although darker scenes are prone to generating reflections.

Thankfully, this isn’t too disruptive, and the Galaxy Book5 360 does a commendable job of preventing bright lights in the room from dominating the image completely. However, content can look a little washed out at times, and the Galaxy Book5 360 is still best used in environments with optimum lighting.

The touchscreen is accurate and responsive when used with fingers or the S Pen. The latter also tracks very well, although the screen does grip a little too much when drawing. Professional illustrators might lament this fact the most, but those who merely like to doodle and write notes by hand should find the S Pen’s performance perfectly acceptable – although its button is quite awkward to use, owing to its placement and flush design.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 review: Battery life

• Long lifespan
• Outlasts key rivals
• Fast to charge

The Galaxy Book5 360 has a 68.1Wh battery, which Samsung claims can last up to a staggering 31 hours. When I ran our test video on a continuous loop until it depleted, the Galaxy Book5 360 lasted 20 hours and 30 minutes – considerably short of the brand’s claims, but still a very impressive performance nonetheless.

It trounces many of its rivals, including the aforementioned Microsoft Surface 7, which only managed just over 10 hours, as well as the Surface Pro 11, which gave up the ghost after 14 hours and 33 minutes.

Samsung also claims the Galaxy Book5 360 is quick to charge, and it’s correct: I managed to get it from empty to full in just over 90 minutes, using the included charger and USB-C cable.

• Battery: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book5 360? Buy it if...

You want exceptional design
Every part of the Galaxy Book5 360 feels expertly engineered, and the folding mechanism is as smooth and as stable as you could wish for.

You want it for general productivity and entertainment
For most workloads, the Galaxy Book5 360 is perfectly capable. It can even handle gaming on some fairly demanding titles, although it isn’t up with the best gaming laptops.

Don't buy it if... 

You want to use it as a tablet regularly
Despite its 2-in-1 functionality, the Galaxy Book5 360 is a little too cumbersome to be used as a tablet all the time.

You want a silent operator
The Galaxy Book5 360 was a little too eager to fire up the fans in my experience, and their constant whining is certainly noticeable.

Samsung Galaxy Book5 360: Also consider

Microsoft Surface 7
If you can make do with just a touchscreen, rather than a fully convertible laptop, the Surface 7 is an excellent choice. We found its performance very capable across multiple areas, while its design, battery life, and even sound quality are great as well. It uses an ARM processor, though, so beware of possible incompatibilities. Read our Microsoft Surface 7 review.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11
A detachable 2-in-1 laptop, the Surface Pro has great performance and battery life, as well as a fantastic keyboard. It also comes with the Surface Pen, Microsoft’s take on the stylus. The base model doesn’t have an OLED screen, and like the Surface 7, all variants use an ARM processor, and app compatibility isn’t ubiquitous yet. Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 11 review.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book5 360

• Tested for one week
• Performed variety of tasks
• Laptop testing experience

I tested the Galaxy Book5 360 for about a week, during which time I used it for all kinds of tasks. I edited documents and spreadsheets, and used Google Chrome for browsing, sometimes with multiple tabs open to test performance further.

I also streamed 4K content on YouTube, and played Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced to test its gaming potential. I used the included S Pen for writing and drawing in Samsung’s various creative apps.

I have been using laptops for decades, for both work and entertainment. I also have previous experience reviewing various devices, including other Windows models and Chromebooks.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: March 2025

One Step GPS aims to simplify fleet management for businesses of various sizes by providing reliable and accessible GPS tracking technology. It focuses on providing a user-friendly and cost-effective fleet tracking solution. It emphasizes real-time data, driver behavior monitoring, and comprehensive reporting to help businesses improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.

A core strength of One Step GPS lies in its diverse feature set, designed to cater to the specific needs of fleet operators. One Step GPS primarily targets small to medium-sized businesses, fleet managers, construction and transportation companies, and service-based businesses. Its key selling points revolve around its affordability, ease of installation, and user-friendly web-based software.

OneStepGPS: Pricing

One Step GPS provides businesses with an affordable and flexible GPS fleet tracking solution. Their pricing structure is centered around a monthly fee of $13.95 per device, offering a cost-effective way to monitor and manage their fleet.

One of the key advantages of One Step GPS is the absence of long-term contracts. This allows businesses to scale their usage up or down as needed without being tied to a lengthy commitment. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for businesses with seasonal fluctuations or those that are just starting up and may not have predictable long-term needs.

While the company advertises "no equipment costs," it's important to understand that the GPS devices themselves are not purchased outright. Instead, they are provided as part of the subscription service and must be returned to One Step GPS upon termination of the service. This model allows businesses to avoid upfront hardware costs but also means that they do not own the devices.

(Image credit: One Step GPS)

The core of One Step GPS's offering is its subscription-based model. The $13.95 per device monthly fee is consistently advertised as the base price. However, it is recommended that businesses contact One Step GPS directly to obtain the most up-to-date and specific pricing details. There may be additional fees or variations in pricing based on specific business needs, fleet size, or additional features required.

Overall, One Step GPS presents itself as a budget-friendly and adaptable GPS tracking solution for businesses. Their focus on affordability, flexibility, and a straightforward pricing structure makes them an attractive option for businesses seeking to implement or enhance their fleet management capabilities.

OneStepGPS: Features

OneStepGPS offers a comprehensive suite of fleet management and vehicle tracking solutions designed to optimize fleet operations and enhance driver safety.

Its core functionality revolves around real-time GPS tracking, providing continuous visibility into vehicle locations with frequent updates. This real-time data is accessible through an intuitive web-based platform seamlessly integrated with Google Maps, allowing for easy visualization and analysis. Users can delve into historical data, accessing up to three years' worth of information on routes, stops, and addresses, facilitating in-depth analysis and trend identification.

(Image credit: One Step GPS)

The system goes beyond basic tracking by actively monitoring driving behavior. It tracks instances of speeding, harsh braking, rapid acceleration, excessive idling, and prolonged stops, providing valuable insights into driver performance and enabling proactive intervention to promote safer driving practices. The platform's alerting and notification capabilities are designed to keep fleet managers informed in real-time.

Geofencing alerts notify users when vehicles enter or exit predefined zones, while after-hours driving alerts flag unauthorized vehicle use outside of designated operating hours.

Additionally, the system can send text and email notifications to alert managers of unsafe driving behaviors or unauthorized vehicle use, allowing for immediate action to be taken. Vehicle service reminders are also incorporated, promoting preventative maintenance to minimize downtime. OneStepGPS is built with scalability and customization in mind, allowing for granular control over user access and permissions.

OneStepGPS extends its capabilities beyond basic tracking with a range of advanced features tailored to specific fleet requirements. For trucking operations, the system offers DOT-compliant Electronic Logging Device (ELD) solutions, automating the logging of Hours of Service (HOS), International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA), and Driver-Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) data, streamlining compliance and reducing administrative overhead.

(Image credit: One Step GPS)

Asset tracking capabilities provide real-time location data for valuable assets, aiding in theft prevention and recovery. The integration of an AI dashcam adds an extra layer of safety and accountability. The dashcam captures HD video footage both road- and driver-facing, providing valuable evidence in the event of accidents or disputes. AI-powered alerts for risky driving behaviors, such as distracted driving or drowsiness, enable real-time intervention to prevent accidents. Live and historic video recording allows for comprehensive review and analysis of driving events.

(Image credit: One Step GPS)

Furthermore, vehicle diagnostics capabilities, available on select vehicles, enable remote monitoring of critical vehicle health metrics, such as fuel level, engine temperature, and battery voltage. This information allows for proactive maintenance and early detection of potential issues, reducing breakdowns and optimizing vehicle performance. The comprehensive suite of features offered by OneStepGPS works together to provide businesses with a powerful and versatile tool for efficient and effective fleet management.

OneStepGPS: Support

OneStepGPS has made customer support a top priority by offering multiple channels for customers to access help, ensuring that assistance is readily available whenever it is needed. The company emphasizes its US-based support team, highlighting the benefit of direct and efficient communication with agents who are knowledgeable about the product and can provide effective solutions.

Customers can reach OneStepGPS representatives by phone, with separate numbers dedicated to general inquiries and technical or billing support. This ensures that customer inquiries are directed to the appropriate department for prompt and specialized assistance.

For those who prefer quick and convenient support, online chat is available for immediate solutions to simple issues. Email support provides an alternative for customers with more detailed inquiries or those who prefer to have a written record of their communication. This diverse contact system allows customers to choose the support method that best suits their individual preferences and needs.

In addition to its multi-channel support system, OneStepGPS further demonstrates its commitment to customer satisfaction by offering a lifetime warranty on its devices. This warranty covers manufacturing and software defects, as well as equipment failures that are not caused by customer misuse or neglect. This comprehensive warranty provides customers with peace of mind and reinforces the company's confidence in the durability and reliability of its products.

OneStepGPS also recognizes the value of self-service support and provides a range of online resources to assist customers. These resources include a frequently asked questions section that addresses common inquiries, as well as detailed information about the company's warranty and terms and conditions.

By offering both human support and comprehensive online resources, OneStepGPS aims to deliver a well-rounded and reliable customer experience that fosters trust and loyalty.

OneStepGPS: Final verdict

OneStepGPS offers a comprehensive suite of fleet management tools designed to optimize operations, enhance safety, and improve efficiency. The real-time tracking is complemented by detailed historical data, allowing for in-depth analysis of past routes, stops, and driving behaviors. Asset tracking capabilities extend beyond vehicles, allowing businesses to monitor the location and status of valuable equipment. AI dashcams enhance safety by recording incidents and providing driver coaching.

Furthermore, OneStepGPS enables robust monitoring of driver behavior, including metrics such as speed, acceleration, and braking. This information can be leveraged to identify areas for improvement, encourage safer driving practices, and reduce the risk of accidents.

OneStepGPS is committed to providing a reliable and supportive experience for its customers. They offer US-based customer support, ensuring prompt and knowledgeable assistance.

LG xboom Buds: two-minute review

Enter the LG xboom Buds, a pair of wireless earbuds fine-tuned by the man who spins his chair around on UK primetime TV… and produces a few hit songs now and then too: will.i.am. LG and will.i.am’s combined effort looks to supply “supreme sound”, effective ANC and unique style factor.

And for the price of $99 / £119, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Sure, the LG xboom Buds aren’t the cheapest on the market, but they're hardly priced in the premium cost bracket. Having said that, these earbuds don’t quite hit the dizzying heights we’ve seen from a handful of previous efforts, with good but not great sound and disappointing design.

Let’s start by tackling sound – the thing that matters most for us in our hunt for the best earbuds. Out of the box, you’re going to be struck by decent, deep and impactful bass output, ramped-up treble and fairly clean mids. I’d argue that the treble is overly forward on occasion, and can get a little grating at high volumes. That’s not the end of the world, of course, just hop into the xboom Buds app and take it down a peg – but it’s still a bit of an inconvenience when other options (see the Nothing Ear (a) are good from the box).

Bass is responsive, controlled and capable of going pretty deep. The xboom Buds are even capable of handling dark sub-bass – exactly what I’d expect from a product with ‘boom’ in its name. You’re not going to get a super-detailed listen out of these earbuds – there are no fancy codecs like LDAC and you’re not going to get the phenomenal instrument separation required to conjure up an expansive, nuanced soundstage. But with the right tuning, the xboom Buds certainly sound clean enough for the price.

Something that, for me, reduced my enjoyment when listening though was the fit. They feel a little chunky in-ear and protrude a fair bit, making for a not-so-elegant appearance or security. Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t too uncomfortable to use or anything, I just didn’t like keeping them in for particularly long sessions. It’s also worth noting that each bud has a practical hook that ensures it’ll stay in, even in more action-packed moments. They’re also IPX4 splashproof, ensuring they’re workout-ready.

I feel like I need to give these buds their flowers and one area where they deserve praise is in their features. The xboom Buds have a bundle of options to mess around with, whether that be EQ adjustment, customizable ANC or adaptive touch controls. Another major feature is Auracast compatibility, which enables you to connect up to any available broadcast nearby, such as music playing from a TV at the gym.

What’s a bit of a shame, though, is the removal of certain smash hit features from the LG Tone Free T90S – one of LG’s more recently released pairs of wireless buds and for me personally, among the best I’ve tested. Sure, leaving out Dolby Atmos, head tracking and immersive audio tech is understandable – the xboom Buds are a more budget-friendly alternative and that’s premium stuff in the audio world. But I would’ve loved to have seen Plug & Wireless return – which enables you to stream audio over Bluetooth from a source wired to the charging case. There’s no UVnano tech for keeping your buds bacteria-free either, which was pretty nifty on the T90S.

But back to the positives: ANC is proficient at nixing excess noise. In public areas, chatter and vehicles in my surroundings had their rumblings kept pretty quiet – dulled at the worst of times and totally cut out at the best. There’s also a transparency mode that’s great if you want to let a few ambient sounds through.

Another positive is battery life. These can knock out ten hours with ANC off and 7.5 hours with it turned on, which is only lengthened by the lightweight charging case. That should be enough for a day or two’s worth of listening and it’s an improvement on the T90S’s nine hours and five hours you get with ANC off and on, respectively.

All in all, the LG xboom Buds are a solid, yet flawed entry into the South Korean tech giant’s audio portfolio. They have sound quality that’s up-to-scratch for everyday listening and that will likely suit non-audiophiles perfectly, though the more keen listeners among you may wish for a bit more sonic finesse. Not to mention the fact that they have a feature-set and battery life that can compete with some of the best noise cancelling earbuds about.

In the end, though, these are let down by sub-par style and comfort. Given they’re on sale now, I’d highly recommend picking up the LG Tone Free T90S instead, or if you’re willing to cheat on LG, the Sony WF-C700N – more on those later.

(Image credit: Future) LG xboom Buds review: price and release date

• $99 / £119
• Launched in the UK March 2025
• Coming to the US in April 2025

The LG xboom Buds launched in 2025 and the first hundred UK customers could grab them for £99. Now, the xboom Buds are available for $99 / £119, meaning they’re in a middle place between being budget and mid-range earbuds. You can grab them now on LG’s official website in either black or white – I tested out the latter variant.

LG xboom Buds review: specs

(Image credit: Future) LG xboom Buds review: features

• Great app with customizable ANC, touch controls and EQ
• Auracast broadcast option
• Plug & Wireless, and UVnano left out

LG has a real knack of packing its audio tech with a flowing fountain of features and the xboom Buds are no different. But one of the flagship inclusions here is Auracast. This is a type of Bluetooth technology that enables you to tune into an audio broadcast transmitted from a phone, TV or similar device. Just download the LG xboom Buds app and you can access any nearby broadcasts.

The app also opens the door to some classic features like EQ options and adjustable ANC. In terms of EQ, you’re looking at a pretty slim set of presets: Natural; Immersive; Bass Boost; and Treble Boost. But you can also save two custom calibrations with the eight band equalizer, which you’ll likely want to make use of for the best possible sound – more on that later. ANC is pretty good too, during testing it effectively dulled the sound of a hairdryer and keyboard clacking, but it didn’t deliver that near-silent listening experience you’d expect from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, for instance. There’s transparency mode here too, which enables some ambient noise to creep through if you’re on a run or similar.

Something I loved about the xboom Buds app was that it instantly triggered a test to determine the best in-ear fit for listening as well as optimizing ANC. All I had to do was position myself near a noise similar in volume to an air conditioner and the xboom Buds could work their magic. Some other nifty extras include: whispering mode, for keeping your voice clear when speaking softly on calls; wind noise detection, for reducing the disruptive nature of wind to listening; Find My Earbuds, which plays a sound if your buds have gone on the run; and game mode, for reduced latency.

All in all, there’s a lot here that was seen in LG’s recent outing, the LG Tone Free T90S. That means customizable touch controls, multi-point and voice alert, for reading messages received aloud to you. But unfortunately, you’ll also lose out on a few top-class inclusions from the T90S. That includes UVnano bacteria cleaning technology, Plug & Wireless (which enables you to connect the charging case to a source like an in-flight entertainment interface and stream its audio output over Bluetooth) and immersive sound tech like Dolby Atmos and Head Tracking.

So, if you still want the most premium audio and feature-rich option, the T90S are still going to be your best pal. But that doesn’t mean these buds don’t have a strong set of features in their own right. And that’s not to mention the fact that the xboom Buds actually have superior battery life. You get ten hours with ANC off and 7.5 hours with it turned on, which is only extended by the handy charging case. That’s not going to blow your mind, like the JBL Live Beam 3’s twelve hour battery life (ten with ANC on), but still LG serves up a commendable slice of playtime.

• Features score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) LG xboom Buds review: sound quality

• Clear audio output with rich bass
• Do need some tuning for a more balanced sound, though
• AAC, but no aptX Adaptive this time out

After powering the LG xboom Buds on, I realized that they were set to the Natural EQ mode, which places emphasis on deep bass and treble sounds. Right off the bat, I switched into a custom EQ with more tempered treble. The default calibration put so much emphasis on sounds residing in the upper frequency range that higher-pitched sounds – especially percussion – could get quite grating.

Making that small alteration, made a world of difference. Treble sounded much more controlled and mids became a lot clearer too. But as the xboom name suggests, there’s some serious attention paid to low-end sounds. So, when listening to Black Eye by Allie X, I found the drum machine hits to have admirable depth – they were also rapid enough to ensure that the track maintained its trademark ‘bounce’. Vocals, synths and other elements weren’t separated enough to make for an elegantly layered, nuanced sound, but they were clear enough in the mix to ensure a decently enjoyable listen.

Unfortunately, though, delicate electronica that enters the fray around the song’s minute mark was a little too understated – perhaps in part due to the lack of higher resolution Bluetooth streaming. You get AAC here, but there’s no aptX Adaptive – something that made for a great inclusion in the LG Tone Free T90S.

Still, that shouldn’t detract from the fact that these buds are still capable of delivering a generally clean, enjoyable listening experience. When tuning into Come On Back With Your Love – Sunrise Mix by Kolter, vocal chops were clear and pumping bass had my head bopping.

The xboom Buds also handled bangers with imposing sub bass pretty well too. I was instantly struck by the in-your-face rumble that runs through The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – something that cheaper rivals typically struggle with. Quality did take a bit of a hit at peak volumes – I’m talking 90% - 100% – but I never felt the need to blast my music quite so loud.

One more sound-related aspect I want to touch on is mic quality. Now, when I recorded a voice note, speech was relatively clear with limited static and I could only hear a bit of sibilance. On a video call with a colleague, there was a slight tinniness to my voice – not to the point where my words were hard to make out – but enough that switching to my everyday headphones made a noticeably positive impact.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) LG xboom Buds review: design

• Not particularly sleek looking
• Secure, but slightly uncomfortable in-ear fit
• IPX4 splashproof

I’ll get straight to the point, reader: I’m not a massive fan of the design LG has gone with for the xboom Buds. Firstly, they look a little bulkier in-ear than the sleek and elegant-looking T90S. They protrude out a fair bit too, meaning they’re not the most discreet buds on the market.

The xboom Buds are a fair bit cheaper than the T90S and that shows from the more basic charging case and their plain outer casing. I tested the white variant, though these are also available in black if you’d prefer. The only design quirk here is that the buds have an almost hook like contraption fitted that keeps them firmly sealed into your ear, which is pretty handy for when you’re getting active. The hooks are a little awkward visually, but in-ear, they’re not going to be visible – not a bad addition all in all.

But something that’s more noticeable is that the in-ear fit of these is a touch uncomfortable, at least in my view. Their rounded shape made them feel a little too chunky in my ear, unfortunately, which meant I rarely wanted to keep them in for longer than an hour or so at a time. Sure, these buds feel nice and secure and form a tight seal, I just wish they looked and felt a bit more discreet.

On the upside, these are IPX4 splashproof. Well, at least the buds are – you’ll want to keep the case away from water. That means they’ll be well suited to workouts or use in light rain. There are also different sized ear gels in the box if you want to tighten or indeed loosen the in-ear feel.

• Design score: 3/5

(Image credit: Future) LG xboom Buds review: value

• Much cheaper launch price than LG’s previous buds...
• ...but fewer premium features included here
• Still by no means cheap and better value options are out there

With a list price of $99 / £119, the LG xboom Buds are essentially a budget to mid-range option with competition including the excellent Sony WF-C700N – more on those later. That makes them much cheaper than 2024’s LG Tone Free T90S, which launched at £229 (about $300), but these were admittedly more premium.

Of course, these buds are a totally different proposition. They’re not designed for the most high-end audio experience and take away that focus on spatial, three-dimensional sound. They’re also a bit more bare-boned with no UVnano tech or Plug & Wireless. But given that they still have a rich feature-set in their own right and they sound decent, all things considered, they’re not priced too badly.

I would argue, however, that there are a lot of buds that sound as good, if not a little better, that cost a fair chunk less. For instance, we scored the Nothing Ear (a) five out of five for sound quality, thanks to their fun, zealous sound and inclusion of LDAC. But they’re regularly available for less than $100 / £80. And even if you want to go for that more premium LG Tone Free T90S option, they’ve received a hearty price cut, making them available for closer to the $180 / £150 mark. I think they’re worth that extra cash.

That’s not to mention that $99 / £119 is by no means cheap for wireless earbuds. There are lots of excellent cheap options to choose from too if you’d prefer, such as the budget-friendly Sony WF-C510, which we even preferred to the far pricier Apple AirPods 4.

• Value score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the LG xboom Buds? Buy them if...

You want wireless earbuds for a workout
The LG xboom Buds have a hook-like contraption attached to them that keeps them firmly in-ear, even during more active periods. They’re also IPX4-rated, making them both sweat and splash resistant.

You’re looking for Auracast-ready earbuds
There aren’t a ton of wireless earbuds out there that support Auracast, so if you want a solid pair that incorporate such tech, these are worth a look. Just fire up the LG xboom Buds app and you’ll be able to tune into any nearby Auracast broadcast. Easy as you like.

Don't buy them if...

You want top-tier sound quality
The xboom Buds don’t sound bad, let’s get that straight. But they’re not the most talented in the audio department either, sometimes lacking in instrument separation and detail. They’ll also require some tuning out of the box due to the top-loaded treble, which can get fairly harsh at high volumes.

You’re a movie fanatic
Unlike the LG Tone Free T90S, the LG xboom Buds don’t offer support for Dolby Atmos or head tracking. As a result, you’re not going to get the most immersive, three-dimensional sound in the world out of these.

LG xboom Buds: also consider

Sony WF-C700N
I’ve personally owned the Sony WF-C700N for well over a year and can vouch for their quality. These are some of the best value earbuds around, with impressive ANC, surprisingly detailed sound and a comfortable fit. You’re not going to get that Auracast compatibility here, and they have just been superseded by an upgraded Sony WF-C710 model (review incoming) but I’d still put these above LG’s latest earbuds effort. Read our full Sony WF-C700N review.

Nothing Ear (a)
These unorthodox looking buds are still a firm favorite of ours here at TechRadar. Why? They offer stellar sound with LDAC, admirable noise cancelation and wonderful in-app experience. No wonder they’re still sitting pretty as our best mid-range option in our best wireless earbuds guide. Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review.

LG xboom Buds review: How I tested

• Tested for two weeks
• Used in the office and while on walks
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the LG xboom Buds over a two week period, using them for hours during each working day and beyond. I tried them out at the office, while at home and when on walks to assess the fortitude of ANC across multiple environments.

Most of the time, I tested these wireless buds using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I also tried using them with both Spotify and YouTube on my Windows laptop. When listening to music, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres but I also tuned in to hours worth of tunes from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared these to the LG Tone Free T90S earbuds on metrics such as comfort, audio quality, ANC capabilities and features.

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

Logitech Pro X 60: Two-minute review

The Logitech Pro X 60 is a compact wireless gaming keyboard featuring Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity, employing the brand’s Lightspeed standard for improved gaming performance.

Its no-thrills appearance makes it suitable for any setting, although the magenta variant adds a lot more vibrancy if that’s what you’re after. It’s also small and light enough to fit easily into any setup.

What’s more, the build quality is excellent. Despite its lightness, it still feels solid and is put together as well as the best gaming keyboards. The various buttons and folding feet also seem durable and engineered to a high standard, while the double-shot PBT keycaps feel as premium as you would expect.

Despite the compromised layout, the Pro X 60 still manages to include a volume wheel, positioned on the left side of the chassis and within comfortable reach of the middle fingers, although it’s a shame it has no click-to-mute function. There are also two buttons on the rear for hot-swapping between devices connected via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle.

There are a good number of FN shortcuts available on the Pro X 60, too. However, even more customizations and shortcut options are possible with Logitech’s G Hub software. Numerous binding layers are available, and you’ll find an impressive number of system commands and media functions to map, and even the ability to assign mouse inputs.

There are also shortcuts for actions specific to certain applications, such as Streamlabs, OBS, and Discord. Key combinations with modifiers can also be bound, as can five inputs to a single key. As is customary for gaming peripheral software, G Hub also offers macro creation and RGB tweaking.

When gaming, the Pro X 60 performs admirably. Despite using optical switches, it feels more like a mechanical keyboard, with snappy and responsive inputs. It isn’t as damped as others, but I still found the tactile switches in my unit a pleasure to use. Typing is equally satisfying, although the lack of wrist support does become more of a problem in this instance, given the steep angle created by the thick chassis.

Connectivity via both wireless standards is good, and hot-switching between devices is quick and easy. Battery life is decent too, although charging is a little on the slower side.

The Pro X 60 is an expensive keyboard, especially for one with optical switches and a 60% layout. It does perform well, but there’s plenty of competition at this price point: for not much more, you could get the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which offers tremendous analog switches, although it’s wired only. And if you really want to save money, the Keychron C3 Pro is one of the best budget keyboards around.

(Image credit: Future) Logitech Pro X 60 review: price and availability

• $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95
• Available now in multiple colorways
• Expensive for its form factor

The Pro X 60 costs $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95 and is available now in black, white, and magenta colorways. It comes with a USB cable and an extension adapter for the USB dongle, as well as a spare Escape key and a carrying case.

For a 60% keyboard, the Pro X 60 is certainly expensive. It’s not far behind the price of the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which is one of the best analog keyboards I’ve tried. As such, it also features a vast amount of tweaking options to get the set up just so. However, it’s wired only, and while a wireless variant is available, that’s more expensive.

If you want something decidedly more budget-friendly, then the Keychron C3 Pro is about the best keyboard for those looking for a cheap, compact companion. We found it performed well, even for gaming, although it might not satisfy more serious players.

Value: 3 / 5

Logitech Pro X 60 review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Logitech Pro X 60 review: design and features

• Good build quality
• No wrist support
• G Hub software is versatile

The Pro X 60 cuts a sleek and elegant figure, with its floating key design, which I’m usually a fan of. It has a rather muted appearance for a gaming peripheral – although the magenta colorway certainly makes it more vibrant, as does the RGB lightning.

Since it has a 60% layout, the Pro X 60 is small and compact, with a light weight as well. The feet are a little on the shallow side, as they only raise the board by eight degrees. Still, I found this just enough to get a comfortable position.

However, no wrist rest is included, and despite finding it more comfortable than other rest-less gaming keyboards, after longer sessions the Pro X 60 can get uncomfortable, especially when typing.

There are two convenient buttons on the back to quickly switch between wireless modes, and a small volume wheel is located on the left side, which saves space and is easy to use while in the WASD position. It’s a shame, though, that this wheel has no click function for muting – this is instead handled via an FN shortcut.

(Image credit: Future)

All aspects of the Pro X 60 feel premium, from the chassis to the double-shot PBT keycaps, which have a subtle texture while still being smooth to the touch. They’re quite thick and have a small indentation.

Despite the lack of keys, the Pro X 60 does a good job of including numerous FN shortcuts. These are clearly marked on the keys that have this function, although it’s a pity that the RGB lighting doesn’t illuminate them, so you’ll need a good memory if you’re using the Pro X 60 in the dark.

Logitech also allows for extra layers of customization via its G-Shift functionality and the custom assignment button, which is mapped to FN+A by default. Using the G Hub software, you’ll be able to rebind keys to a wealth of system commands, including audio output cycling and other media controls, as well as mouse inputs. You can also assign key combinations involving modifier keys, and assign up to five binds to a single key.

G Hub also provides shortcuts for specific functions in Overwolf, Streamlabs, Discord, and OBS. The obligatory RGB customizations and macro creation sections are also present. The interface is clear and easy to navigate, with handy explanations provided for various settings. G Hub also runs stably for the most part, although it can be a tad sluggish at times.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Logitech Pro X 60 review: performance

• Snappy, fast switches
• Feels mechanical
• Fast connectivity switching

The Pro X 60 performs well when it comes to the business of gaming. The tactile switches feel just as snappy as some of the best mechanical keyboards – despite being optical – yet they’re not too light to allow for mispresses. They’re quick to rebound too, allowing for rapid inputs. However, those who like a good amount of dampening probably won’t be too keen on the feel of the Pro X 60, as they’re more clicky than cushioned.

The space bar, though, is more damped with a smoother actuation, yet is even more springy than the other keys, which again helps quick, successive inputs. However, due to its angle, which slopes away from the user, I occasionally hit it with the edge of my thumb rather than flush. The other keys on the bottom row follow the same trajectory, but I didn’t experience any issue with these and were easy to hit comfortably.

Even though the aforementioned FN shortcuts are impressive in their scope, the positioning of the arrow key shortcuts could be better. They’re on the same side as the FN key itself, which means the combination of all keys involved has to be done on one hand, which I found awkward and unintuitive. The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini, for instance, places its arrow key shortcuts on the WASD keys, which makes more sense. However, you can of course remap the arrow key shortcuts to other keys if you wish, so the inconvenience isn’t that great.

I also found the Pro X 60 good for typing, as that tactility and bounce provides plenty of feedback while being easy to use. The shallow indentations of the keycaps makes them amenable to gliding, too. What’s more, since the actuation point isn’t too high, I didn’t make many typos, at least compared to similar keyboards I’ve tried. As someone who generally prefers low profile, laptop-style keys for productivity, I was surprised how well I got on with the Pro X 60 in this regard.

I experienced no issues with connectivity during my time with the Pro X 60, and switching between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth devices was fast and easy. After several days of varied use, the battery dipped by about 10%, which seems roughly in line with Logitech’s 65-hour claim. Charging it from half to full capacity took about three hours, which isn’t especially quick, but it suffices.

Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Logitech Pro X 60? Buy it if…

You want top-draw build quality
Every aspect of the Pro X 60 is premium, which is all the more impressive considering how light it is.

You want snappy performance
The response of the switches is excellent, as is their feel, for both gaming and typing.

Don’t buy it if…

You want mechanical switches
Despite feeling like a mechanical keyboard, the Pro X 60 uses optical switches, which might deter some gamers.

You want something budget friendly
The Pro X 60 is expensive, and although it performs well, it has some fierce rivals at this price point – and below.

Logitech Pro X 60 review: Also consider

Keychron C3 Pro
If you want something with a similar form but considerably cheaper, then the Keychron C3 Pro is the best keyboard for those on a budget in our view. We were very impressed with its strong performance, although elite gamers might not be entirely satisfied. At this cost, though, it’s hard to do better. Read our Keychron C3 Pro review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL
For not much more than the Pro X 60, you could also bag yourself this fantastic analog keyboard. Such switches have several advantages, including adjustable actuation points, top-tier accuracy, and the added rapid tap ability. A more costly wireless variant is also available. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL review.

How I tested the Logitech Pro X 60

• Tested for several days
• Varied usage
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the Pro X 60 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I used both the 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth to connect to two different PCs.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for peripherals given the demands it places on accuracy and responsiveness. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 : Heart of Chornobyl, which similarly tests these aspects, but requires a broader usage of keys.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced a good deal of keyboards in that time. I have also reviewed numerous examples, ranging in their form factor, switch type, and price.

• First reviewed March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Roborock F25 Ace: Two-minute review

If you’re someone like me whose home features predominantly hard floors, then investing in a wet-dry vacuum cleaner can be a godsend as it drastically reduces the amount of time it takes to clean, while also delivering excellent results.

The Roborock F25 Ace is the second wet-dry vacuum cleaner I’ve personally tested and after using it twice a week for four weeks straight, I’ve retired the previous one I had into storage.

Not only is the F25 Ace ludicrously simple to set up for first-time use, it’s left my floors looking cleaner, and I can’t feel any dust or grit underfoot after a session, something I’ve previously experienced with other such floor washers. It feels especially well built too, and I have every confidence in its reliability for years to come.

The F25 Ace is the range-topping model in Roborock’s latest F25 series of wet-dry vacuums. How many models it sits above depends on where you live. In the US, for example, there are four other models below it and a separate F25 Ace Combo that adds a vacuum cleaner attachment for soft flooring – much like the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 that I’d been using before this. Australia gets just two F25 models, with the Ace sitting just above the standard F25. At the time of writing, this series isn’t available in the UK but I’ve had confirmation it’s “coming soon”.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

What does this range-topping model offer over its lower-specced siblings? A more informative display (in comparison to other models, anyway), app connectivity and a few other notable cleaning features, including power-assisted wheels and an automatic detergent dispenser, both of which ultimately provide a more convenient and thorough cleaning experience.

What made my time using the F25 Ace particularly joyful was the fact it can maneuver around corners and furniture with ease thanks to a pivoting cleaning head, and the ability to lie completely flat to help get to hard-to-reach places, like under furniture. This maneuvrability, combined with its excellent cleaning results, make it a strong contender to be one of the best wet-dry vacuum cleaners.

The self-clean cycle is especially effective and, with the right settings activated, quiet too. It was a good job the hot self-clean cycle was effective, as the F25 Ace returned plenty of dirty water following each cleaning run around my home. The amount of dust and debris on my wooden floors was invisible to my eyes, but the Roborock machine was able to pick it all up and then some! Both the clean and dirty water tanks are simple to remove, clean out and refill, and depending on how large your home is you may not need to refill the clean tank after every use. In my case, it held enough water to complete two full cleans and two self-clean cycles.

There is plenty of customization on tap via the app, and you’re able to make just as many adjustments – the amount of water used during cleaning, the amount of detergent released, how thorough of a self-clean you want the machine to perform and more. There’s quite a lot to get your head around and certainly more than I’ve been used to from a vacuum cleaner, but they’re features I certainly appreciated.

At $549.99 / AU$999.99 it’s competitively priced compared to its closest rivals. It is still a decent chunk of cash, however, so I would say only people whose homes are virtually all hard floors should consider buying it. If you have a mixture of hard and soft flooring, then the aforementioned Tineco machine may be better suited to your needs, or two separate, more affordable vacuum cleaners.

Roborock F25 Ace review: Price & availability

• Available since mid-February in US and late March in Australia; currently not sold in the UK
• List price $549.99 / AU$999
• Available directly from Roborock and authorized retailers, including Amazon

The Roborock F25 Ace made its official debut at CES 2025 in January and was available to buy in the US by mid-February. It’s currently enjoying a staggered launch around the world, with Australians able to purchase the appliance since late March 2025. At the time of writing, it’s been confirmed for launch in the UK, but pricing is still to be announced.

The F25 Ace is listed on Roborock’s US store with a list price of $549.99, while in Australia it’s available for AU$999.99. This puts it in the upper mid-range price bracket based on our experience and in direct competition with other wet-dry vacuum cleaners such as the Dyson G1, which costs $699.99 / £599.99 / AU$999, and the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro, which tops our list of the best wet-dry vacuum cleaners and costs $799 / £599 / AU$1,299.99. The latter can regularly be picked up at a discount however, especially during major sales events.

There are several other models within the F25 series depending on where you live. The US store also lists the F25 Alt, which misses out on smart dirt detection, the extra-informative LED display and app connectivity. There is also an F25 Ace Combo for $749.99, which adds a separate stick vacuum cleaner for cleaning carpets and other areas in handheld mode.

Roborock says the filter and roller head should be replaced every 12 months at the latest. A spare filter is supplied, but not a roller. The company has listed pricing for official replacement parts, but third-party options are available, the cost of which depends on where you live. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of replacement bottles of the floor cleaning solution, which you can get from the official Roborock store. The company says you should only use its own solution with the F25 Ace.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Roborock F25 Ace review: specs Roborock F25 Ace review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Lightweight and easy to maneuvre
• Lie-flat design for hard-to-reach areas
• LED display is good, but not great

There’s minimal effort required to get the F25 Ace up and running. Once you remove the pieces from the box, all you need to do is clip the handle into the main unit, then snap on the roller head. There are various pieces of protective packaging to remove but, otherwise, that’s all there is to it.

You’ll want to plug the charging dock in and place the machine onto it immediately for two reasons: to make sure there’s power before you use it for the first time, and connect it to the app via your home Wi-Fi network. There aren’t any other attachments included with the F25 Ace, aside from a small brush to help clean the filter and dirty-water tank, a small bottle of cleaning detergent and a spare filter.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Roborock F25 Ace follows a similar design language to floor washers from other brands, such as our current favorite wet-dry vacuum cleaner, the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro. Both are sleek grey-and-white units with the dirty-water tank on the front and a long, non-adjustable handle with a few control buttons for power, cleaning mode selection and self-cleaning. The S7 Pro does, however, come with a spare roller head, something not included with the F25 Ace.

Where the design of these two machines differs, and what is one of the F25 Ace’s key selling points, is that its clean-water tank is at the base of the machine, placed over the roller head beneath. On the Tineco Switch S7 Pro, the clean water tank is at the rear, which prevents it from tilting too far back.

Having the clean-water tank positioned towards the base of the machine, says Roborock, allows it to have a lower center of gravity, making it easier to move around your home and lay it flat to push under furniture. It also provides added weight to ensure the roller head remains in constant contact with hard floors to help improve its cleaning efficiency.

The dirty-water tank is on the front of the machine, as is the case with similar models from other brands. The capacity remains the same across all models within the F25 series at 720ml (the same as with the Tineco S7 Pro). The clean-water tank maxes out at 740ml, which is less than the S7 Pro’s 850ml capacity. It’s also smaller than other models in the F25 series, which get a larger 870ml water tank. Despite that, I was able to regularly get two full mopping runs from a single fill across a cleaning area of approximately 120 sqm / 1,300 sqft in my apartment.

Where Roborock says the F25 Ace differs from other floor washers is the design of the roller head. It features what the company calls JawScapers – 141 3mm-long comb teeth – positioned behind the roller. Not only is this said to prevent hairs getting tangled, but it also claims to squeeze dirty water out of the roller and into the tank, to prevent water marks appearing on the floor during cleaning sessions.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The F25 Ace has an LED display that shows you its battery life, the current cleaning mode and a small colored bar to indicate its dynamic performance facilitated by a proprietary DirTect Smart Sensor on the rear of the machine. This sensor detects the amount of dirt in the water it’s mopping to automatically adjust water-flow rate and suction power, while the roller head remains spinning at the same speed. For the majority of my testing, the bar (thankfully) remained blue, indicating my floor was a ‘normal’ level of dirty, although there were the occasional bits that pushed it into the red and nothing was needed on my part – the F25 Ace did what was needed by itself.

The LED display is clear to see, but compared to models from other brands, I found it to be a little uninspiring. It conveys information via icons only, which took me a few uses to wrap my head around. If voice prompts are on, it will tell you what mode you’re in, but there’s no extra information to tell you what each mode means and the user manual isn’t much help. This doesn’t affect the machine’s cleaning prowess, but it does mean the user experience isn’t as good as I’d expected.

The display on the Tineco S7 Pro on the other hand is a lot better at imparting information, using images, words and more colors to tell the user what’s going on. You’re also able to adjust settings better on the S7 Pro thanks to buttons on the handle – something the Roborock doesn’t have and requires you to use the app, which isn’t ideal if you need to tweak a setting on the fly and your phone is in another room.

The Roborock F25 Ace (along with the F25 Alt in the US) benefits from a few proprietary technologies that sets it apart from other models in the F25 series. These include SlideTech 2.0 Automated Wheels to add motorized assistance to reduce the effort it takes to push the F25 Ace around your home.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

You can adjust the level of motorization in the app between Mild, Moderate and Intense. I left this setting on the default Moderate mode and appreciated how the vacuum didn’t want to take me for a walk around my home, as was the case with the Tineco Floor One Switch S6 that I’ve previously reviewed. The Intense setting, however, will pull you along for a ride.

The added motorization makes the machine feel lighter than its 4.7kg weight would suggest. Robrock does say the wheels “intelligently detect the user’s push and pull strength and adjust the power assistance in real time,” but I couldn’t tell if that was actually happening during my testing.

Another feature found on the F25 Ace is an automatic detergent dispenser. The 100ml compartment is next to the clean-water tank, both of which sit within a removable clear plastic unit on the roller head. You’re able to set the ratio of detergent to water to one of three settings within the app, and the appropriate amount of detergent gets automatically sprayed directly onto the roller during a cleaning run. I stuck to the default setting of Daily for the majority of my testing and that was enough to occasionally leave some soap suds on the floor. Another swipe over these areas took care of the remaining suds.

And, a small niggle, but the previous Tineco machine had an auto-stop feature when the handle is returned to its starting position. The Roborock machine doesn’t have this feature, and I found I missed it as it made pausing, cleaning and moving the machine to another room a bit easier.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Roborock F25 Ace review: Performance

• Powerful performance leaves floors clean
• Exclusive features work well
• Some setting tweaks may be required for best results

The F25 Ace is my first Roborock review, but I have tested similar wet-dry vacuums before. I was already quite impressed by the Tineco Floor One Switch S6’s mopping, cleaning and drying capabilities, and our reviewers have always rated other Roborock machines, like the Roborock Dyad Pro, very well. So my expectations from the F25 Ace were high going into testing and it didn’t disappoint.

Thanks to the aforementioned SlideTech wheels, I found it incredibly easy to move the machine around my home. The cleaning head has a 70º angle of pivot (35º left and right), making tight turns possible.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I also found that thanks to its ability to tilt backwards by 180º, cleaning the floor under my dining table, for example, was easier than with other vacuum cleaners and I barely had to move the chairs. Instead I was able to weave the F25 Ace around the chair and table legs with ease with a light push with one hand. Do note that when the machine is totally flat, the cleaning head loses the ability to pivot, but any angle smaller than 180º allows it to remain agile.

Where I found the lay-flat ability most useful was getting underneath my bathroom vanity unit, an area that’s been ignored because no other vacuum or floor washer I’ve tried could get under it.

Similar to when I tested the Tineco Switch S6, I was surprised by just how much dirty water was collected after one run throughout my home. I was also impressed with how much debris was collected, especially as much of it wasn’t clearly visible to my eyes before the cleaning run. The F25 Ace has 20,000Pa suction power, so was evidently able to vacuum even the smallest of particles. Combined with a roller that rotates at up to 450rpm, and gets cleaned by scrapers within its housing unit on each turn, my floors felt much cleaner underfoot once I’d finished a session.

The design of the roller head on the F25 Ace ensures it can get closer to edges. To test this, I poured some milk along the edges of my kitchen cabinets to see how much would be cleaned up. It performed exceptionally well, mopping up the entire spillage in just one run. It wasn’t quite the same story with dry debris, as it did miss a few grains of rice I poured on the floor.

But, for dry spills in the center of the floor, I have zero complaints. I poured generous helpings of rice and coffee beans onto my floor and with one push over either spill with the F25 Ace cleared it up entirely.

Compared to the Tineco machine I’ve previously tested, the Roborock F25 Ace’s default water-rate flow is higher, meaning it uses more water for mopping. This really isn’t an issue as the roller is very effective at mopping, leaving no puddles behind. If the floors remain too wet for your liking, you can reduce the water-flow rate via the app.

That said, if you are going to use the detergent – and Roborock strongly suggests you use only the one it provides or recommends – you might see soap suds not fully disappearing with each swipe. This happened to me on occasion and I had to run the roller head over those areas a couple of times more to ensure no soap scum accumulated on my floors.

Roborock promises that the F25 Ace will leave floors streak-free, but I don’t completely agree with that claim. While my floors were certainly clean after going over them, when I viewed them in the right light, I could see some noticeable streaks where the roller head and wheels had passed over. They’re not so noticeable that it bothered me too much, but it’s not exactly fulfilling the promise.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Roborock F25 Ace review: Maintenance

• Self-clean cycle is effective
• Time and temperature settings can be adjusted
• Dirty-water tank will need extra cleaning

Once placed back in the dock after a cleaning session, a voice prompt will instruct you to perform the self-clean cycle, which you activate by pressing a button on the handle or within the app.

Roborock says the whole cycle – cleaning and drying – should take approximately five minutes using a combination of hot water and 90ºC / 194ºF hot air. While that’s more or less true, I found it can be closer to 10 minutes in the Quiet Drying mode.

During self-cleaning, the roller head spins in both directions while it’s blasted with hot water to help remove as much dirt and bacteria as possible, with all dirty water being collected in the tank. You’re able to choose between ‘High’ and ‘Room Temperature’ water settings in the app – naturally, hotter water will be more effective for cleaning. Roborock doesn’t say how hot this water is, but does claim it uses 90ºC / 194ºF hot air as it hits the roller head, which is quite good as many robot vacuums with self-cleaning cycles use 75ºC air for drying.

The JawScrapers help remove debris from the roller head during cleaning. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Considering how much dirty water was collected after each run around my home – indicating how dirty the floor was – the roller head looked surprisingly clean. The quality of the roller itself also seems to be very good because, even after several uses. It does have a limited lifespan, though, and you will need to replace it at some point – Roborock recommends changing it once every six to 12 months, depending on your use case.

The washing part of the self-clean cycle is quite noisy. I used a decibel meter app on my phone and recorded a maximum reading of around 75dB. The drying, however, registered a pleasant 55dB that Roborock calls “Quiet Drying”.

Using this drying mode will lengthen the time it takes to complete the self-clean cycle, so you can choose a quicker option. You can track the progress of the self-clean cycle in the app – it was how I realized the drying process took longer when quiet.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

A voice prompt will inform you once the self-cleaning cycle has finished and instruct you to empty the water tank. Of course, this is only if you can hear the prompt. I had the F25 Ace stored in my laundry room towards the back of my apartment, and with the door closed, I could barely hear them. I would have liked a phone notification too, giving me a greater chance to ensure the dirty-water tank is cleaned out promptly. You can empty the dirty-water tank while the roller head is drying to save on time.

Once the tank had been emptied and debris collected in the filters washed away, I left all the pieces to air dry before returning them to the machine. The majority of debris came off under a tap, but Roborock supplies a long brush to help agitate any particularly stubborn pieces.

I did notice when cleaning the day after mopping up the milk spillage that milky water was being collected in the dirty-water tank, suggesting that the roller head wasn’t completely cleaned during the previous self-clean cycle. It didn’t have any effect on the cleanliness of the floor.

• Maintenance score: 4.5/5

Roborock F25 Ace review: Software

• Plenty of customization
• Remote access when away from home
• Pop-up notifications would be a nice feature

As I’ve already alluded to, the F25 Ace can connect to an app to open up a good selection of customization options. App connectivity is only possible on the F25 Ace and F25 Alt models, which I think is a shame as I think the other models in this range would also benefit from that extra control.

I was pleasantly surprised that the app gives me remote control over the F25 Ace’s settings when away from home. Not only can you make adjustments, you can also start a self-clean or drying cycle. While I don’t think it will see much use, I think this feature is handy if you’ve had to do an emergency quick clean before running out the door in the morning, letting you start a self-clean cycle while you’re on the road or in the office.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

One feature I found utterly superfluous was the remote control mode. It asks you to lay the F25 Ace flat on the floor (there’s a small wheel in the handle to ensure it remains level), after which you can move it around your home using the remote control buttons on your phone. It doesn’t work well at all during my testing, where the machine either had a significant lag between command and action or didn’t register the button presses at all. While the roller turns when being remote controlled, I didn’t see it doing any cleaning at all.

Then there are the voice prompts that let you know what the machine is doing – when you switch cleaning modes, instructing you to perform a cleaning cycle or to tell you it’s finished. You can change the language of the voice prompts within the app or adjust the volume level. If you want to switch them off, as I did after testing them for this review, you just mute them by moving the volume slider all the way down.

I didn’t find the voice prompts too useful as they were unclear most of the time and, as I mentioned earlier, I would have appreciated additional pop-up notifications on my phone, particularly when the dirty-water tank needed emptying.

• Software score: 4.5/5

Roborock F25 Ace review: Battery life

• Good battery life, but may not suffice for larger homes
• Up to 60 minutes in Eco mode; 40 minutes in Auto
• Recharge time can take a while

The Roborock F25 Ace has a 4,000mAh battery that the company says is good for up to 60 minutes of use in Eco mode or 40 minutes in Auto mode. However, this is only really relevant for anyone with a particularly large surface area to clean as the machine recharges whenever it’s on the charging dock.

I never had any battery issues when cleaning my apartment with the F25 Ace, which has an approximate total cleaning area of 120 sqm / 1,300 sqft, as I was able to complete a full clean in roughly 10 minutes wherein I used just 15% of battery. For context, Roborock says the 60-minute runtime in Eco mode should be enough to cover a 410 sqm / 4,413 sqft space.

However, when I returned the F25 Ace to the charging dock to self-clean, I noticed the battery level continued to drop by as much as another 10%. I assume the power required to complete the clean uses up more battery than it receives from the dock.

• Battery life score: 5/5

Should you buy the Roborock F25 Ace review? Buy it if...

You want an easy, thorough clean

The F25 Ace can be moved around with little effort and its cleaning performance is stellar, leaving you with clean floors in no time at all.

Your home has hard-to-reach areas

Thanks to its ability to lie flat, the Roborock F25 Ace can get into more places than a large number of similar machines, meaning more of your floors will be cleaned.

You like to take control of your appliances

There are numerous customization options with the F25 Ace via the app, covering cleaning and maintenance. You may find the default settings don’t work for you, so you can easily change them.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

Your floors are carpeted

It may seem obvious, but the Roborock F25 Ace only works on hard floors. If your home is predominantly carpet, you’ll want to look at other vacuum cleaner models. View Deal

You have a limited budget

I think the F25 Ace is worth the money, but the fact remains there are cheaper alternatives available, like the Shark HydroVac Cordless, which can also work on low-pile soft floors.View Deal

Roborock F25 Ace review: Also consider

Tineco Floor One Switch Pro 7

Our favorite wet-dry vacuum for a reason, this powerful machine cleans incredibly well, can get up close to edges and has a gorgeous, interactive LED display. It costs more at full price, but can now regularly be picked up at a discount.

Read our full Tineco Floor One Switch Pro 7 reviewView Deal

Shark HyrdoVac Cordless

If your budget is tight, this Shark machine is a great option, especially as it can also be used on low-pile carpets, making it a more versatile proposition.

Read our full Shark HydroVac Cordless reviewView Deal

How I tested the Roborock F25 Ace

I tested this wet-dry vacuum over a period of about a month in my apartment, using it to clean at least twice a week. I experimented with the various settings adjustments within the app to see what effect they had on the overall cleanliness of my floors.

To really test its mopping and vacuuming credentials, I spilled milk and scattered grains such as rice on the floor to see how much was vacuumed up.

I made a note of how well the brush roller head was washed and dried after each cleaning run around my home and assessed how much clean water was left in the tank (and how much dirty water was collected).

This is the first Roborock vacuum cleaner I’ve tested, but I have previously tested the Tineco Floor One Switch S6, which is a similar wet-dry vacuum cleaner, but which also has extra attachments for cleaning carpets and other soft floorings.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: two-minute review

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is a cutting-edge cordless vacuum with a self-empty dock, companion app, and AI-powered suction automation. I tested a model ahead of its launch to see how it compares to the rest of the best cordless vacuums on the market, and if it manages to justify costing more than any other vacuum we've tested at TechRadar.

To the untrained eye (and honestly, the trained eye, too), the AI Jet Ultra appears a lot like a regular cordless stick vacuum, albeit a high-quality model that's solidly built and comfortable to use, with an extending telescopic wand and ergonomic handle. However, under the hood it boasts advanced AI smarts that enable it to detect exactly the kind of floor it's on and adjust its suction and brushroll speed in response, to deliver an efficient clean that won't waste battery or make the vacuum too difficult to push.

That's the theory, anyway. On test, the AI adjustments proved a little unreliable. I could hear a change when shifting from lino to carpet, but it overlooked more subtle changes in floor type, and didn't adjust when cleaning the edges of rooms, either. Interestingly, it did sometimes adjust when encountering large spillages, even though it isn't advertised as being able to detect differing dirt levels.

That's not to say the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum doesn't offer excellent cleaning power – it does. It aced all my suction tests. But there are a number of vacuums I've tested that have also achieved great results in these tests; the point of difference here is the AI, and I think there's still a bit of work to be done in this regard.

I was more impressed with the auto-empty dock. This isn't unique to Samsung – today's best Shark vacuums also come with their own empty stations – but the unit here is particularly stylish, and ultra-convenient, too. It might benefit allergy-sufferers who don't want particles escaping back into the air, or anyone with a large home and lots of dust or pet hair. The latter will also benefit from the extensive potential runtimes offered by the two swappable batteries. There's also a companion app, although this doesn't feel terribly necessary.

A big sticking point for many will be the price. At £1,199.99 (US and AU price TBC) I'd want this vacuum to be pretty much perfect, and certainly for those advanced AI features to work correctly and make a noticeable difference to performance. However, I'm not sure the price is justified.

That's the short version. Read on for my full Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review, and to find out if it might be the best vacuum for you.

(Image credit: Future) Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: price & availability

• List price: £1,199.99 (US and AU pricing TBC)
• Launch: UK pre-order from March 2025, on sale 22 April (US / AU TBC)

At list price, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra costs £1,199.99 and will available to pre-order from late March 2025, for an on-sale date of 22 April. I'm awaiting pricing and launch info for the US and Australia, but that UK price is equivalent to around $1,550 / AU$2,450. The price puts this vacuum firmly in the premium price bracket; in fact, I think this is the priciest vacuum we've ever tested at TechRadar.

However, chances are you might not have to shell out that list price. During deals events we often see hefty discounts on Samsung appliances, and I predict that this will be the case for the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, too.

In comparison, Dyson's most advanced model at time of writing is the Dyson Gen5detect, with list prices from $949.99 / £769.99 / AU$1,549. That model doesn't have the auto-empty dock or companion app, though.

At time of writing, Shark's top vacuum is the Shark PowerDetect Cordless. That one does have an auto-empty dock, although overall feels far less premium than the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. With the base, it costs $499.99 / £549.99 / AU$999.99.

Samsung's previous model in the lineup – the Bespoke Jet AI – has a list price of $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,499.

Is it worth it? I'm not sure. While the build quality is solid and the performance good, I think much of what you're paying for is those advanced AI features, which on test didn't quite work as advertised. They also didn't result in a noticeably more efficient clean than other, AI-free vacuums I've tested. If you do decide this is the vacuum for you, I'd definitely hold out for a discount.

• Value for money score: 2.5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra specs Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: design

• Stick vacuum with telescopic wand and ergonomic handle
• Comes with self-empty dock that can also diagnose any problems
• Various attachments including two floorheads and mini-motorized Pet Tool+

The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is the third generation model – you can read about this vacuum's predecessors in our Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review (2023 launch) and Samsung Bespoke Jet cordless vacuum review (2022 launch).

Under the hood, this Ultra model certainly sees some improvement over the Bespoke AI Jet. For example, this new version offers 400W of suction power (compared to 280W), and it comes with a new "spinning cyclone" (although there's no info yet on what this does). The addition of AI is also an upgrade, improving the vacuum's detection capabilities. So, while the previous model could differentiate between carpet, hard floor and mats, and be aware that it's been lifted up, the new model can do all that, but is also able to detect long-pile / dense carpet, and corners. Used in AI mode with one of the two main floorheads, the vacuum has been designed to optimize suction power for an effective, battery-efficient clean.

Alongside the AI smarts, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra arrives with a companion app and the ability to self-diagnose any maintenance issues, such as blockages.

Vacuum

The vacuum itself is a fairly standard-looking stick vac, if a little dramatic with its matte off-black finish. The main motor mechanism is on the larger, heavier side, but the handle has an ergonomic grip and rest for your index finger, making it secure and comfortable to hold. Above the handle you'll find an "On" button, plus and minus buttons, and a small screen for displaying information.

You can use the plus and minus buttons to cycle through the five different power modes: Min, Mid, Max, Jet and (if you have one of the main floorheads attached) AI. The screen will display which mode you're in, and how much cleaning time you have left on the battery in that mode.

Image 1 of 2

A screen provides info about suction mode and remaining runtime (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

It'll also inform you of any issues (Image credit: Future)

It will also show maintenance information: when to clean the filter; when the dock dustbag is full; and if the brushroll is blocked, for example. The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra has diagnosing powers, too. It told me when the floorhead was blocked (when it had tried to suck up my bath mat) and even displayed a graphic showing me what to do to clear it. Today's best Dyson vacuums can also self-diagnose and provide specific fix instructions.

The AI Jet Ultra also makes it possible for you to display any messages and calls to your phone on its screen. I guess that might be useful if you're concerned about missing any important calls/messages as a result of the noise of the vacuum, but it seems more like a gimmick to me.

There are a couple of filters within the dustbin section (Image credit: Future)

Remove the dustbin and you'll find a small, washable filter. The main filter (behind a metal mesh) sits inside the dustbin, and can be accessed by twisting the plastic cover to unlock it. There's also a paper filter hidden behind a grille, but I couldn't figure out how to access it for cleaning purposes. New to this model is HEPA filtration – the most effective filtering found in commercial products.

Rather unusually, this vacuum ships with two different-sized batteries. Both fit on the vacuum, with one designed to last 100 minutes, while the other will last up to 60 minutes.

The wand and floorhead / detail tools clip on, with a clever addition being a slider on the main wand that allows it to extend. At minimum height the vacuum's reach is pretty short (I'm 5ft 8in and needed to extend it a fair way to use it comfortably), so I think part of the motivation behind this is that it means the dock doesn't need to be super-tall. However, being able to adjust height to suit the user does make it more comfortable to use.

A hinge attachment allows you to angle your detail tools (Image credit: Future)

Samsung also provides a joint attachment that can be angled at around 45, 90 and 135 degrees. This sits at the bottom end of the wand, extending its reach even further. It's designed for up-high cleaning with a detail, too. You can't use it with any of the motorized cleaning heads (so the two floorheads and the mini Pet Tool+). Shark's equivalent feature sits at the top end of the wand and allows it to pivot forward to 90-degrees, for easier cleaning under furniture – arguably, a slightly more useful setup.

The previous model had an optional mop attachment, but this isn't a feature here – or, at least, I didn't have one included on my review model.

Dock

This stick vacuum comes with a large dock that both charges the machine and empties the onboard dustbin. It takes the form of a dramatic-looking black cylinder with a base.

The dock charges the vacuum and empties its dustbin (Image credit: Future)

The vacuum slides in the top, prompting anything in its onboard bin to whoosh out and into a larger dust bag in the base. There's a discreet Start/Stop button, to manually control the emptying if required, and the process can also be managed via the app. To access the larger dust bag, you remove the black, plastic cover and open a second hatch behind.

Inside you'll find a 2L dustbag (Image credit: Future)

Overall, I think Samsung has done a great job of making the dock look as stylish as possible, given that it has to be a fairly awkward size and shape to do what it needs to do. It's certainly more high-end looking than Shark's big, white, Toblerone-shaped auto-empty docks (see our Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum review for an example). While Shark's machines can be purchased with or without a dock, the Samsung dock is included as standard.

Accessories

Samsung provides a wide range of detail tools to help you tackle different cleaning tasks. They are as follows:

• Active Dual Brush floorhead
• Slim LED Brush+ floorhead
• Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head
• Combination tool
• Extendible Crevice tool

Image 1 of 3

The vacuum comes with various detail tools (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

There are two main floorheads (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

An accessory tree provides somewhere to store everything (Image credit: Future)

Your main floorhead looks to be the Active Dual Brush, which has a small fluffy roller and a larger one with bristles. I assume this is for use on both hard floors and carpet. There's also a Slim LED Brush+, which has just one large fluffy roller. It's designed for hard floors specifically, since the soft roller can get nice and close to the floor without scratching it.

The Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head is meant for covering larger, not-flat surfaces such as sofa cushions. Samsung has supplied a kind of accessory carousel that has space to house all five of the attachments, with the main floorheads clipping on and dangling downwards.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: performance

• Comfortable and fairly maneuverable, but can be hard to push on carpet
• Suction excellent, but AI adjustment doesn't always seem to work
• Self-empty dock is a big effort-saver

Upon switching the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra on for the first time, the screen took me on a whistle-stop guide of the vacuum – and I mean whistle-stop; each bit of information barely stayed on-screen long enough for me to read it.

To test performance, I used the vacuum to clean my whole flat, putting all the different attachments through their paces, measuring my experience against Samsung's performance claims. I also ran a series of suction tests on hard floor and carpet.

Comfort & usability

First up, I have to commend Samsung for the ergonomic design of the vacuum's handle. It's a simple thing but often forgotten (I'm looking at you, Dyson) and really does improve comfort in use. That's especially important when the vacuum is on the heavier side, as this model is.

The vacuum is comfortable to hold, thanks to an ergonomically shaped handle (Image credit: Future)

The main Jet Dual Brush floorhead seems to pivot pretty well – although it isn't as nimble as a Dyson – but on test I found it difficult to change direction and get the vacuum moving again on carpet. This was a complaint our reviewer had with both the previous iterations of this vacuum; it seems Samsung might have stuck with the same design here. It's much better with the Slim LED Brush+ on hard floor, though.

Many vacuum brands have built anti-tangle features into their floorheads, but sadly, the Jet Dual Brush is lacking here; it quickly becomes tangled with my long hair when used on my carpet.

The main floorhead quickly became tangled with hair from my carpet (Image credit: Future)

Both of the main floorheads feature LED headlamps, which are on by default. These do help light the way, but there's a marked difference between these kinds of white lights and the green laser used by Dyson. The former will really only help illuminate dingy corners, while the latter shows up dirt that's near-invisible to the naked eye.

Cleaning performance

The AI mode can be used with either the carpet or hard floor floorheads. Samsung says the vacuum can sense hard floor, carpet, long-pile carpet, mats, corners, and when it's been lifted up. It will then adjust suction and brushroll speed to deliver equivalent cleaning power to being used in Mid mode, but while saving battery and being easier to push, due to less resistance.

It's all quite complicated, but Samsung provided me with some graphics to show the science behind it all – and, in theory at least, it seems to make sense. (Although I will state for the record that in my opinion, I do think that "AI" is being thrown in purely as a buzzword here.)

It's worth flagging that the dock needs to be plugged in with the vacuum connected via Bluetooth for the AI to work, and this mode only works with the two main floorheads.

On test, I found this auto-adjustment a little hit and miss. I could hear the power shifting as I went from hard floor to medium-pile carpet – and I'd receive a notification on-screen saying that the vac was "Optimizing for environment". It also dropped to a lower-power mode when I lifted it up.

However, when I laid out my bath mat (medium thickness, thin, looped pile) on my carpet, it didn't adjust for it; it repeatedly tried to eat it. It also failed to adjust when cleaning the edges / corners of rooms – a feature that has been specifically added to this model.

Power seemed to sometimes adjust for debris on the floor, although this isn't an advertised feature (Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, the vacuum did occasionally (not always) adjust for high levels of dirt: for example, when clearing up the spilled oats or cleaning an especially dusty area. Dirt detection isn't something Samsung advertises as an AI feature, although this is the main focus of competitor vacuum brands' automation efforts.

Dyson (with the V15 Detect and Gen5detect) and Shark (with the Detect Pro and PowerDetect cordless) offer their own automation features. Models from both brands can adjust suction based on whether they're cleaning hard floor or carpet, and the level of dirt is detected. Shark's models even adjust when cleaning the edges of rooms. In general, I've found these models more reliable, plus I think adjusting cleaning power based on dirt rather than floor type is a more logical priority.

Suction tests

To get a more objective view of how well the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum performs, I ran TechRadar's standard suction tests. It was possible to see this vacuum's powerful suction because after running it around my flat, the bin had collected quite large quantities of grey fluff. I can only assume this is dirt off my carpet (which is 3+ years old and past the shedding stage).

On with the tests. I started by emptying a teabag onto my carpeted floor, to see if the vacuum could clear it with the Active Dual Brush floorhead attached – and it did so extremely well. I tackled one side of the mess using AI mode, the vacuum clearing it in a single forward pass. On the other side I used the vacuum in Min mode, and everything was gone in one forward and backward pass.

Image 1 of 2

Tea on my carpet, before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

... and during (Image credit: Future)

I then ran the same test using oats, to see how well this floorhead would cope with larger debris. Again, the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra cleared everything without any issues, even when I switched from AI mode to Min mode. Neither did the oats ping around, as can happen with larger particles.

During both tests, I also tried pulling the floorhead backwards over the spillage, and was pleased to see there was no pooling of debris behind the floorhead.

Image 1 of 2

Oats on my carpet before the test... (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

... and after (Image credit: Future)

I sprinkled oats along the side of my fireplace, too, to gauge the efficiency of this vacuum's edge cleaning. I was disappointed not to hear the power ramping up here, especially since edge detection is a new addition for the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. Nevertheless, the vacuum did manage to suck up most of the mess, leaving only the oats closest to the carpet's edge; but it did ping some around through the process. The Crevice tool cleared the rest with no issues.

Edge cleaning was decent, although suction didn't adjust as it should have done (Image credit: Future)

Attaching the Slim LED Brush+, designed for use on hard floors, I then repeated the same tests on my kitchen lino.

I found the Samsung cleaned up the tea leaves fine, but did cause them to pool behind the floorhead when approached from behind. However, this seems to be a common occurrence with this type of floorhead, because I have encountered the sae problem with the Dyson counterpart.

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Tea on my lino floor before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

... and during (Image credit: Future)

When I ran the test with the oats, the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra cleared them well when approached from the front, but on the reverse stroke the debris again pooled and was pinged around.

Image 1 of 2

Oats on my lino floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

Oats pooled behind the floorhead when it was pulled backwards over the spillage (Image credit: Future)

In general, the soft Slim LED Brush+ seemed to struggle to pick up hair and debris off lino flooring around edges of the room. I assume it's really designed for fine dust, but it's very difficult to tell how it's managing that.

Attachments & handheld mode

Like most modern stick vacuums, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra can be converted into a handheld machine by removing the wand and adding a detail tool. In use, while it felt a little heavy used in this way; it was fine in general, with the ergonomically shaped handle helping with grip and maneuvering.

This vacuum can be transformed for use as a handheld (Image credit: Future)

The Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head worked well on my sofa, although it did quickly become tangled with hair. (This is an issue Dyson has managed to solve by swapping out a parallel roller for a conical one.)

The Pet Tool+ worked well but became tangled with hair (Image credit: Future)

Samsung has made its Crevice tool extendible, although be aware that it does become wobbly when extended. My only other minor complaint with the attachment-swapping process is that upon removing the main floorhead following my suction tests, I found some oats fell back out onto my floor – they obviously hadn't quite made it to the bin.

Emptying

The Samsung vacuum's auto-emptying worked as advertised, clearing almost everything from the bin on its "short" cycle, and leaving only a bit of fluff and few hairs wrapped around the central filter. It was a little noisy, but nothing too offensive.

I appreciate that Samsung has included an option to turn the lights off on the dock and vacuum screen – charging LEDs that blink in the night are a perpetual irritation to me.

However, you can't turn off the auto-empty, which in my opinion is an oversight. I found it annoying when using the vacuum for just quick cleanups, when there was barely anything in the bin. There are also occasions where you won't want the disturbance – say the dock lives near a child's bedroom, and you've used the vacuum elsewhere in the evening; you'll need to be quick on the Stop button when adding it back onto its perch.

Although I don't particularly mind having to manually empty my vacuum's bin, the automation is super convenient. It might also appeal to allergy sufferers, because it means fewer chances for allergens to escape back into the air once they've been sucked up. You will have to factor in the ongoing cost (and minor hassle) of buying dust bags, though.

App

You can control aspects of the vacuum's settings via the Samsung's SmartThings app. It will display charge status, and when the dustbin was last emptied. You can also direct for the dustbin to be emptied, if the vacuum is docked. However, since this happens automatically when you dock the vacuum, it feels a little unnecessary... although I guess it might be useful if it hasn't fully emptied, and you don't want to get up and press the button on the machine itself.

Screenshots from the SmartThings companion app (click to expand) (Image credit: Samsung / Future)

You can also adjust the time allocated to emptying the dustbin – shorter, if you know you aren't picking up much on a general clean; longer, if you're dealing with mountains of pet hair – and set the default suction power. It's on AI as standard, but you could pick a different mode, if you prefer. And it's also possible to switch off all the vacuum's lights while it's docked. Note that none of this functionality is essential, though, so you could get by just fine without the app.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: battery life

• Comes with two interchangeable batteries
• One lasts 100 mins, the other 60 mins
• Theoretically up to 2hrs 40 mins cleaning in Min mode

Unusually, my Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra came bundled with two batteries – one big (in size and capacity) and one small.

Samsung quotes a maximum runtime of 1 hour 40 minutes for the larger battery, and 60 minutes for the smaller. Anything over an hour's runtime is exceptional, although obviously we're talking about that being achieved on the lowest powered mode, plus that's not standardized from machine to machine.

One unit will charge in the vacuum on the dock, and there's a separate small charge dock supplied to keep the second battery juiced up. All this means you can hot-swap them, to get up to 2 hours 40 minutes of cleaning.

• Battery life score: 5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: alternatives to consider

Dyson Gen5detect
This is Dyson's most advanced model at the time of writing. It's premium in price but still a lot cheaper than the Samsung. The floorheads contain sensors that detect dust and debris, adjust suction in response, and report back in real time on-screen. The hard floor floorhead also has a laser than can illuminate near-invisible dust. There's no auto-empty dock, however.

Read the full Dyson Gen5detect reviewView Deal

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty System

This is Shark's top model at the time of writing. It's significantly cheaper than both the Dyson and the Samsung, although it does also feel less premium. It can auto-adjust suction based on dirt levels, floor type, and if it's cleaning near the edge of a room. There's an optional auto-empty dock, too.

Read the full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review View Deal

Should you buy the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra? Buy it if...

You have a big home and are serious about cleaning
The dual-battery setup and auto-empty capabilities come into their own in larger homes with higher levels of dirt.

You suffer from allergies
The auto-empty dock has benefits for allergy-sufferers, because there are far fewer chances for particles to escape back into the air.

You love a cutting-edge gadget
Not many vacuums these days use AI or come with a companion app. If you want the most modern floor cleaner around, Samsung's new vac is up there.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is the most expensive vacuum we've tested by some margin. There are plenty of alternatives that offer similar performance and features for a much lower price.

You have a smaller home with one floor type
The AI features are the main reason for investing in this vacuum, and if your home has only one floor type throughout, you won't see most of the benefits.

How I tested the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra

I received a pre-launch sample of the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, and was only able to keep it for a week. During this time, I used it to clean my entire flat, testing out all of the detail tools as well as using both floorheads. I also ran TechRadar's standard suction tests to get an objective idea of how it performs in practice. I tested any features and claims made by Samsung, and compared my experience to other vacuums I've reviewed – in particular, the Dyson Gen5detect and Shark PowerDetect stick vacuum.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed February 2025

Baseus Blade Pro power bank review

While an excellent power bank for many reasons, the Baseus Blade Pro really stands out for its skinny form factor, combined with a large 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity and beefy 100W (20V, 5A) output. There are very few such power banks that can slot into a laptop sleeve, yet still offer fast charging, making this my favorite option when traveling light.

I also think the Blade Pro is a great option for phone charging if you need to do multiple top-ups, and the slim form works well in a backpack too. That said, at 13.4 x 13.4 x 2.0 cm (5.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches), it's definitely too large to fit in most pockets comfortably. The exception to this is bulky winter wear, and I have used it to power a heated jacket in icy weather when traveling.

The Blade Pro has two USB-C ports that can each output 100W, though if both are used at the same time, they're limited to 65W and 35W respectively. The two USB-A ports can do 30W (12V, 2.5A) or 27W at 9V, 3A. While charging three devices is totally fine, plugging in four means all ports are limited to just 5V output, which results in much slower charging, and won't charge most laptops.

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Charging the Blade Pro via either USB-C port happens at up to 60W and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach full capacity. With a 65W or higher charger, the power bank also supports pass-through charging, so you can charge the power bank and another device at the same time. This means you can plug the power bank between your laptop and its USB-C charger, and charge both at once without needing to swap any cables once it is done.

You also get a low-current charge mode for smaller accessories like headphones (which stops the power bank from turning off when charging devices that only need a little bit of power), along with a fantastic display that shows the voltage, current and remaining runtime while charging.

At 440g (15.5 ounces) the Blade Pro is quite lightweight for the size, but the flat shape means it's slightly larger in total volume than the smallest power banks with comparable capacity. In my opinion, this is more than offset by the slim design, which makes it feel much less bulky.

(Image credit: TechRadar)

I conduct comprehensive testing of power banks to make sure they can meet the manufacturer's claims, as many don't actually do what they say they will. Overall, the Blade Pro gives excellent results that earn it a place in our best power banks guide.

The 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity is enough to bring typical laptops back to a full charge (or at least hit 70% for those with large batteries), or charge a phone three to four times over, depending on the model.

In testing, when outputting the full 100W for a sustained period of time, the Blade will slow down the charge rate to make sure its cells stay healthy long term. In our real-world testing with a high-power 100W laptop (which typically averages slightly under 100W), this protection feature didn’t kick in.

That said, with sustained high output, the Blade Pro does generate some waste heat (which is totally normal), so you'll get the best performance if it's not left in a bag when charging a laptop. If you’re just charging a phone though, it stays very cool and can be tucked away.

(Image credit: TechRadar)

The only other things I can fault the Blade Pro for are that it tends to pick up scratches easily, and after months of pulling it in and out of my bag, it has lost one of the little rubber feet.

If buying the Blade Pro, keep in mind that it is often sold for as little as half the list price when on sale, and is generally much cheaper than the prices listed below.

Also watch out for the older (non-Pro) Blade model, as they look very similar. The older Blade is a great power bank (and a good buy if discounted), and it has the same features and outputs as the Pro, but be aware it’s larger overall and uses an older cell chemistry.

All in all, no matter which model you go for, the Blade Pro is ideal for slipping into a bag to charge a laptop and other devices.

Baseus Blade Pro: Price & specs Baseus Blade Pro: Test results

If all these numbers don't mean much to you, I have included scores out of 5 for each test result so you can see how it fared at a glance.

At phone-charging rates (20W / 9V / 2.22A), the Blade Pro delivers an outstanding 91.55% of its rated capacity. At 20V and typical laptop charging rates, performance is even better, hitting 93% of the rated capacity.

During testing under a sustained 100W (20V, 5A) load, the Blade Pro will usually renegotiate the output at 65W (20V, 3.25A) once the remaining capacity drops to somewhere between 50% and 30%, mainly to manage heat. At these higher sustained loads, efficiency takes a noticeable hit, and around 54.7Wh (76%) of the rated 74Wh ends up being usable.

This might seem like a concern, but it isn't a problem for normal use. But if you do need a power bank that can output the full 100W for the entire capacity, then consider a model like the Anker 737 or the ZMI No.20 – both of which can sustain their full output.

(Image credit: TechRadar) Should I buy the Baseus Blade Pro? Buy it if...

You love the form factor
The Blade Pro is one of only a select few power banks that is both slim and high output.

You want pass-through charging
The Blade Pro will pass through up to 60W, charging itself and your device at the same time.

You want to watch charge rates in real time
The Blade Pro gives detailed information about the voltages and amperages for each port, making it easy to tell exactly how fast your device is charging.

Don't buy it if...

You need dual 100W output
If both USB-C ports are in use, the Blade Pro limits the outputs to 65W and 35W.

You want to draw 100W continuously
The Blade Pro runs hot and efficiency drops at sustained high output.

You want the smallest power bank possible
While only 2cm (0.8 inches) thick, this 13.4cm x 13.4cm (5.3 x 5.3 inches) slab of power bank isn’t suited for slipping into a pocket.

(Image credit: TechRadar) Also consider

The Baseus Blade Pro is one of the best slim yet high output power banks available, but below are a few other options if you are looking for something different.

ZMI No.20
This power bank uses premium components, has a large 25,000mAh (90Wh) capacity and can fast charge anything from a phone to a laptop at up to 100W.

Read our full ZMI No.20 review

Anker 737 (PowerCore 24K)
A high-end alternative with a more detailed display, a 140W output, and a love-it-or-hate-it squarish form factor.

Read our full Anker 737 power bank review

Iniu B6 power bank
Need something easy to carry? With 20W fast-charge capability and a 10,000mAh (37Wh) capacity, the Iniu B6 is the perfect low-cost power bank to slip into your bag when on the go.

Read our full Iniu B6 power bank review

How I test power banks

I get hands-on with every power bank I can, and perform extensive testing in both the lab and real-world scenarios. Using equipment like the ChargerLab POWER-Z KM003C, I check charge voltage, protocol support, and log capacity tests.

Each power bank is also tested with real devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and more, as well as connected to a programmable load tester for multiple charge cycles. I carry a selection daily in both pockets and bags to assess their durability and ability to withstand rough, everyday use.

All measurements and weights are personally verified, ensuring accuracy beyond the manufacturer’s listings.

Want to know more? Read about how we test.

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: two-minute review

Want to talk to whoever comes to your front door no matter where you are in the world? Then you will need a video doorbell. While Amazon-owned Ring is generally acknowledged as the market leader, another Amazon-owned company, Blink, offers a cheaper and, for some, more attractive option.

Now available with the company’s Sync Module 2 (a compact home hub), the Blink Video Doorbell can be used as part of a wider security system comprising several Blink cameras, or by itself without the sync module. However, its functionality without the sync module is restricted to live interactions including viewing recordings up to 60 seconds after they have taken place. If you want to watch and listen to recordings after this then you will either need to pay for a subscription starting at £2.50 a month or use the sync module with up to 256GB USB storage for storing recordings locally (sold separately).

The Blink Video Doorbell can be used with the Sync Module 2 to create a larger ecosystem including extra Blink cameras (Image credit: Chris Price)

What I like about the Blink products is that they are generally easy to install. The Blink Video Doorbell is no exception. Two decent Energizer Lithium AA batteries are provided for wire-free connectivity. Alternatively, you can connect the video doorbell to your existing doorbell wiring, including a legacy doorbell chime (providing it's rated between 16 and 24 volts).

Unfortunately, the Blink device doesn’t come with its own chime. This means if you are using the device wirelessly you will need to use either a Blink Mini 2 camera as a chime, or connect to an Alexa-compatible device such as an Amazon Echo Show, Echo Dot or Amazon Fire TV stick via the Alexa app (support isn’t provided for Apple HomeKit and Google Home products). A speaker is also built into the video doorbell, though this may not always be loud enough to hear indoors, especially if you live on a noisy street.

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The doorbell is easy to install and takes two AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

The doorbell is easy to install and takes two AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)

Provided with the Blink are two mounting options: a standard mount for placing on a flat surface, and a wedge mount for a door architrave. We installed ours using the standard mount and the provided screws and wall plugs, which took about five minutes to complete. The video doorbell simply clips into the mount although if you want to remove it you will need to use the metal ‘key’ provided. This springs the unit out of the mount from underneath and helps to protect it from getting stolen.

As with all video doorbells, installation requires downloading the app and scanning the QR code on the back of the device (or entering its serial number manually) before pairing with your home’s Wi-Fi. Support is provided for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but it lacks the 5GHz connectivity of some other devices. Once installed, you can customise the camera to suit your needs. Options are provided for adjusting the video resolution of the camera, ranging from ‘saver mode’ to ‘best’ (1080p HD during the day, infrared HD night vision after dark). However, you will need to replace the batteries more often if recording in ‘best mode’

There are two ways to mount the Blink Video Doorbell (Image credit: Chris Price)

Other actions you should take include editing ‘motion zones’ so you only record footage of people coming to the door, rather than people walking past or even cars driving by. As with all video doorbells, it seems, the Blink is a little overly keen to capture everything going on outside so it’s worth turning down the sensitivity. Not only will this help preserve your device’s battery, it will also help preserve your sanity as you really don’t want to get pointless alerts every time a dog-walker goes past your garden gate.

Finally, you can also adjust settings for the video doorbell itself, including the speaker volume (the speaker is located on the bottom of the device) and the ‘dingtone’ – the sound that the doorbell makes when you press it. For UK readers, this sounds remarkably similar to the Moonpig ad.

If you have an Amazon Echo speaker or Firestick it’s also advisable to connect the Blink app to Alexa so you can get additional chimes to choose from. These include clock sounds, jingle bells and even a funeral march – perhaps not the most welcoming chime for guests to hear when they come to your house.

Blink video doorbell with Sync Module in black supplied by Screwfix.

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: subscription options

Blink Basic Plan: £2.50/month per device or save and subscribe via Amazon for £24.99/year.

Blink Plus Plan: £8/month for unlimited devices or save and subscribe via Amazon for £80/year

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: price and availability

• How much does it cost? Blink video doorbell and Sync Module $69.99/£59 (about AU$110)
• When is it available? Available since November 2024 with Sync Module 2
• Where is it available? UK/US

As with other Blink home security products, the Blink Video Doorbell represents very good value for money with a retail price of only $69.99 / £59 (even cheaper without the sync module but that’s probably a false economy). That works out at about AU$110, though it's not currently available in Australia.

It doesn’t offer the same range of features that more sophisticated doorbells offer, including those from Ring. Video resolution isn’t the highest, and it doesn’t come with its own chime. However, for most people it is more than adequate, especially if you use it in conjunction with other Blink home security products (the company makes some of the best home security cameras if you're on a budget).

The Blink doorbell comes in black and white, so you can choose the option that looks best (Image credit: Chris Price)

It’s also quite a convenient option if you don’t want to remove the doorbell camera for charging every couple of months, or wire into your old doorbell system. And while functionality is limited to live alerts without paying a subscription, there is the always the option of storing video footage locally using a USB stick connected to the Sync Module 2 to avoid monthly costs.

Subscriptions start at $3 / £2.50 a month, which is much less than many video doorbell manufacturers charge (Ring’s cheapest plan is currently $4.99 / £4.99). This includes 30 days of cloud storage as standard in the UK (60 days in the US), person detection and photo capture (images are captured frequently for more coverage). Alternatively, for $10 / £8 a month you can get support for an unlimited number of devices as well as some additional functionality such as Moments, where multiple clips from several cameras are automatically grouped into one video.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: design

• Easy-to-install mounting bracket
• Lightweight
• Compact

While some of the best video doorbells, such as the Yale Smart Video Doorbell, are quite chunky, the same can’t be said of this Blink model. Available in a black or a white finish to suit your décor, it’s quite a lightweight and compact model – bigger than a standard doorbell, but not much bigger. It also comes with an IP54 rating which means that it offers protection against limited amounts of dust and water splashes but isn’t completely waterproof.

A release key allows you to open the doorbell to change the batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)

Supplied are two mounts (one for placing on a door architrave and one for mounting flat) which can either be screwed or drilled into the door frame. The doorbell then just clips into the mount.

As with other devices, the Blink video doorbell features the camera on the top of the unit so it’s important not to mount the device too high. Around 1.5 metres off the ground is probably ideal. Underneath the lens is a microphone and beneath that is the actual round doorbell button. This boasts a stylish blue LED light around it that glows when pressed (it can also be set to glow when it senses motion).

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The doorbell comes with an angled plate (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

There's also a flat plate, so you can choose the one that suits your door (Image credit: Chris Price)

In terms of design that’s pretty much it, apart from a small speaker and the release key on the base of the unit for when you need to change the batteries. At the back is space for housing two Lithium AA batteries (supplied), screws for connecting doorbell wires if needed and a reset button. There’s also the QR code to scan with your phone after installing the app.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: performance

• Image quality not the best (especially in saver mode)
• Stable video connection
• Overly sensitive camera

If you're looking for the ultimate in video doorbell performance, then expect to be disappointed. While the Blink Video Doorbell is more than adequate, it’s not the best unit out there by a long way. Firstly, it lacks the functionality of some other devices, most notably the lack of support for Google Home and Apple HomeKit.

Image quality isn't the sharpest, but will be fine for most users (Image credit: Chris Price)

Images aren't quite as sharp as those from higher-end doorbells, either. Maximum resolution is 1080p, and that's in ‘best' mode, rather than standard mode, which Blink recommends in order to preserve battery life. The camera is also quite sensitive to motion, which means it has a tendency to record too much footage unless you turn the sensitivity down and limit the active areas to around your front door.

That said, I didn’t have too many complaints during testing. It only took around 5-10 minutes to set the video doorbell up properly and once set up the doorbell maintained a strong connection with the wireless router. Throughout the testing process, I was also able to get a relatively quick connection when talking to someone at the door which has proved to be a problem in the past.

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Setting up the Blink Video Doorbell is quick and easy (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

You can access extra features with a Plus subscription (Image credit: Chris Price)

And while not having a chime to hear the doorbell indoors could certainly be an issue for some, I found it easy enough to connect the doorbell with Alexa in order to play doorbell sounds through my Amazon Echo speakers.

In summary, the functionality of the Blink Video Doorbell might be a little limited but, considering its very low price, performance is quite good.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2? Buy it if

You already have Blink cameras

The software makes it easy to use the video doorbell as part of a Blink home security system comprising indoor and outdoor cameras.

You're on a shoestring budget

Costing just $69.99 / £59 with the Sync Module 2, the Blink video doorbell is one of the cheapest and easiest to install models on the market

Don't buy it if

You need a separate chime indoors

The Blink doesn’t come with a chime so you will need to turn up the volume of the device or rely on either a separate Blink camera or connect to Alexa-enabled devices.

You don’t want to buy expensive batteries

If you opt for wire-free installation, you will need to buy two Lithium batteries every few months – much more expensive than standard alkaline batteries.

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: also consider

Not sure whether the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 is right for you? Here are a few other options for you to consider.

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Amazon-owned company Ring has firmly established itself as the ‘go to’ company for video doorbells and now has several including this wire-free model.

Read our full Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review

Arlo Video Doorbell

An affordable wired video doorbell, the Arlo device offers a lot of useful features, but you will need to pay for a subscription to benefit from many of them.

Read our full Arlo Video Doorbell review 

Yale Smart Video Doorbell and Doorbell Chime

A solidly built video doorbell, the Yale device offers good image and sound quality. However, streaming recorded content and speaking to people at the door can be a little slow.

Read our full Yale Smart Video Doorbell review

How I tested the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2

• I used the doorbell every day for two weeks
• I installed it myself
• The doorbell was set up on the front door facing towards the road

To test a video doorbell properly you really need to use it as part of your home system for at least two weeks, which is what I did. Obviously, this isn’t long enough to test all aspects of the product, such as its battery life, which Blink claims to be up to two years (having used Blink products for several years it’s probably more likely to be around six months). However it is long enough to give me a good idea of the product’s functionality and performance.

On many occasions I was able to speak to people at the front door (usually the postman) and I recorded lots of footage from the front door that was stored both in the cloud and locally via a USB stick without any problems. I was also able to link the device successfully to the Alexa app to get alerts/view footage via my Echo devices, though it’s worth noting some people have reported problems with this.

Finally, I tested both white and black versions of the video doorbell to see how each looked when it was installed on the doorframe. Personally, I thought the white version looked much nicer, but it is largely a matter of taste.

First reviewed March 2025

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition is designed for mid-level racing sim enthusiasts, promising a smooth and precise experience.

The leatherette steering wheel has a thick, squared-off design, which I personally prefer. It feels premium and smooth to the touch, sliding through the hands with ease. The paddles also feel excellent, responsive, and easy to tap.

All the other buttons are of a similarly high standard and are positioned well to make for easy access, just like those of the best racing wheels. The dial switch is also a nice touch, although it can only flick toward its two available directions rather than remain on them, which might limit its usability for some.

The pedals are metal and have a high shine, which makes them seem as though they’re made from plastic. They feel great under the foot, though, and the pedal base is stable even on hard floors.

Attaching the wheelbase to a desk is easy enough, if a bit awkward thanks to the weight of the servo and its clamp design. However, it remains firmly in place once attached. Once you power on the TX, take care to keep your hands well away from the wheel, as the autocalibration is quite vigorous.

The TX requires you to download a driver and software in order to get the latest firmware updates and tweak various settings. It’s not the most elegant tool in the world, but it’s stable to run for the most part and offers the usual force feedback settings with plenty of scope for tailoring the experience to your liking, with individual settings for spring and damper configurations, for instance.

In action, the TX is pleasantly smooth and accurate, imparting a strong sense of connection between you and the car. The pedals are also a pleasure to use, being easy to press while offering plenty of feedback, especially the brake pedal. The throttle might be a bit too loose for some, but I found it was still informative enough for controlled inputs.

I did have a few gripes with the TX, though. While the pedals offer plenty of adjustments, the throttle and brake were a little too close for me – although this is a problem I have with many pedal sets. Also, while playing American Truck Simulator, the calibration seemed to go awry, with wheel turns no longer syncing up with those in-game. Whether this is a fault with the wheel or the game is hard to say, but it’s worth mentioning all the same.

However, for the price, the TX is certainly a capable wheel, offering great feel and decent build quality in the main. Depending on your territory, it’s cheaper than the Thrustmaster T300RS, and I think it performs considerably better than this wheel.

Conversely, the Thrustmaster T248 is cheaper than the TX, and is our pick as the best racing wheel overall, thanks to its ease of use and great force feedback. And if you’re looking specifically for the best Xbox racing wheels, then the Logitech G923 is hard to beat. Nonetheless, the TX is a great wheel for those starting out on their racing sim journey.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Price and availability

• $369.99 / £309.99 (about AU$588)
• Available now with various accessories
• Some rivals are cheaper

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition costs $369.99 / £309.99 (about AU$588) and is available now. It can be configured with various wheels and pedal sets, as well as handbrakes and shifters.

It’s slightly more expensive than the T300RS in the US, although quite a bit cheaper than that wheel in the UK. Regardless, the TX performs better in my view, thanks to the smoother steering, better paddles, and greater feedback from the pedals. The button placement is also better, and the T300RS lacks a dial switch.

However, the Thrustmaster T248 is cheaper than the TX, but it’s the best racing wheel overall in our view, thanks to its ease of use, brilliant pedals, and generally excellent performance for its relatively low price. The Logitech G923 is also one of the best around, although this is more expensive than the TX in the UK but cheaper in the US.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Specs Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Design and features

• Great feeling wheel
• Stable pedal base
• Unglamorous but stable software

The Thrustmaster TX follows a rather typical design. The steering wheel is relatively thick and flatter than perfectly cylindrical designs, which I prefer. It’s finished in a leather material that feels very smooth and makes for seamless slides whenever the wheel self-centers.

The T3PA pedal set features pedal heads made from metal with a high shine, although they feel more like plastic under the foot and are quite light. The base is pleasingly stable, even on hard floors, which I didn’t find with the T300RS. An optional conical stop for the brake is also included but uninstalled by default.

You can adjust the spacing, height, and incline of all pedals, and the process involves unscrewing the pedals with the included Allen key, which is simple enough, if a little time-consuming.

Installing the wheelbase is also quite straightforward, if not the most seamless experience. The screw and thread for fixing the clamp isn’t the smoothest, and the clamp itself tends to rotate out of place while screwing, which is a little frustrating. Also, the handle for turning the screw frequently gets in the way of the base, further adding to the awkwardness.

What’s more, the front-heavy weight distribution of the wheelbase means it won’t stay on the table without falling off, so I had to lean it on my chest while I attached the clamp to my desk with both hands. Ultimately, though, these are minor grievances, and it didn’t take long to get set up.

(Image credit: Future)

Once installed and powered on, you should take care to keep your hands well clear of the wheel, as the autocalibration of the TX – and other Thrustmaster wheels – is quite violent.

If you’ve owned a Thrustmaster wheel before, you should find software setup quick and easy. If you haven’t, you will have to download drivers and a configuration tool via Thrustmaster’s website, which took me a couple of attempts to get working correctly the first time, requiring a restart of my PC. It’s also a little awkward to open the configuration tool, since it’s integrated with Windows’ controller control panel, and it uses a rather dated-looking UI, but it at least functions well.

You’ll find the typical racing wheel adjustments, with options to change the steering angle, with a maximum of 900 degrees, and force feedback options for the periodic and constant forces, as well as those for the spring and damper parameters.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Performance

• Smooth and accurate steering
• Great brake pedal
• Experienced a one-time calibration issue

The overall performance of the TX is hard to fault. Steering feels much smoother and more connected than on the Thrustmaster T300RS, for instance – lacking that wheel’s notchiness, especially at the start of turns. This meant that making slow and small movements was a more pleasant experience, and was especially noticeable when playing American Truck Simulator, which largely calls for this style of driving. However, steering is still responsive enough for rapid turns and corrections, as I found when racing in Assetto Corsa.

Tracking is also accurate and precise; however, when playing American Truck Simulator, I did experience an instance of desynchronization, with the game lagging well behind my inputs. It’s hard to say whether this is an issue with the game or the wheel, but it’s worth pointing out. Thankfully, the rest of the time it was faultless.

The paddles are quick and provide enough feedback – another area of improvement over the T300RS. The same is true of the buttons, which are tactile and satisfying to use, with many positioned towards the edge of the center, which makes them easy to reach with the thumb. Despite how they feel, though, they’re still no match for those adorning the best PC controllers.

(Image credit: Future)

Pedal response, though, is more impressive. The throttle might be too light for some, but I adapted quickly and found it still offered enough control. The brake pedal is a real highlight, as it’s super smooth and offers the ideal amount of progressive resistance, which in turn imparts plenty of feedback to let you know how hard you’re braking.

However, my one gripe with the pedals is that the brake and throttle are too close together for my liking, even after I adjusted their spacing to their furthest points. I will admit, though, that this is a problem I usually experience with pedal sets in general, so others may not have an issue in this regard.

As with other Thrustmaster wheels, the force feedback can be extremely strong, and I found it borderline unusable on its maximum setting. Thankfully, there are plenty of adjustments you make to it, so getting the right balance between ease of use and immersion is simple. The other force feedback parameters, such as those for the spring and damper, offer noticeable changes too, allowing for greater degrees of steering weight and rebound.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You want good button selection
The buttons are laid out sensibly, and the dial switch is a useful addition, allowing for more mid-race adjustments.

You want smooth inputs
Both the wheel and pedals offer smooth operation with plenty of feedback, making you feel better connected to in-game vehicles.

Don't buy it if...

You want a standard dial
Although the TX helpfully includes a dial switch, it only flicks; it doesn’t stay in position, which might not be ideal for all use cases.

You want a strong throttle
The throttle pedal on the TX is very light, so those who want something less sensitive might want to go with another pedal set.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: also consider

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition faces some stiff competition, namely from these alternatives.

Thrustmaster T248
As the best racing wheel overall in our opinion, there’s not a lot the T248 gets wrong. It’s easy to use and has good pedals and force feedback. We did find that the wheel was slow to recenter, and the paddles weren’t the best, but it’s a great wheel in many other respects.

Read our full Thrustmaster T248 review

Logitech G923
The Logitech G923 is the best Xbox racing wheel in our view. It greatly improves its force feedback system over previous iterations and offers tremendous build quality and steering performance.

Read our full Logitech G923 review

How I tested the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition

• Tested for a few days
• Played various driving games
• Decades of experience

I used the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition for a few days, during which time I tried to make as many adjustments as possible to the pedals and force feedback settings in order to experience the full extent of its capabilities.

I played Assetto Corsa in order to test its fitness for serious sim racers. I also played American Truck Simulator to see how well the wheel handles slower and smaller pedal and steering inputs.

I have been gaming for decades, with arcade and sim racers being among my favorite genres. I have used various racing wheels in the past, and have previously reviewed the Thrustmaster T300RS, a similar wheel to the TX.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

SwitchBot Blind Tilt: one-minute review

Smart blinds can be set to open and close remotely on a regular schedule, or when triggered by an event, via an app or using voice controls. However, they’re pretty expensive – which is where the SwitchBot Blind Tilt comes in. Like many of SwitchBot’s products, it’s designed to be retrofitted, and means you can make your existing blinds "smart" rather than replace them. It offers the ideal solution for renters or homeowners on a budget.

The Blind Tilt works with venetian blinds, using a motor to twist the wand to open and close the slats completely, or open them partly to control the amount of light allowed into the room. It’s a very simple idea, but one that SwitchBot has executed well. Having installed a unit to one set of blinds, I found myself wanting to fit the Blind Tilt to every window in my home.

Operated via the SwitchBot mobile app, you can set the blinds to open and close remotely, or – even more helpfully – make adjustments to them on a schedule. If you don’t mind the sound of the motor, the Blind Tilt is an affordable alternative to one of the best wake-up lights for rousing you with natural light in the morning.

SwitchBot devices are also compatible with all the main smart home ecosystems, and the Blind Tilt worked almost seamlessly with Google Home in my tests. It wasn’t quite as responsive as a smart light, but integrating it into my smart home was a piece of cake. Best of all, it's a far more affordable solution that having to invest in a whole smart blind, and can be set up in about 10 minutes.

SwitchBot Blind Tilt: price & availability

• Much cheaper than buying a whole smart blind
• Bundle discounts and frequent sales
• Requires an additional Wi-Fi hub

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt launched in 2022, and is available to buy direct from SwitchBot and major retailers including Amazon. It has a list price of $69.99 / £69.99 (about AU$110), with discounts available if you buy a set of two, three, or four units. SwitchBot also runs regular sales, with discount codes on its website that are applied to products in your basket automatically. You'll find all today's best prices below.

Even without discounts applied, the Blind Tilt costs far less than a full motorized smart blind. For comparison, the SwitchBot Adjustable Smart Roller Shade launched in early 2025 comes in at $199.99 / £169.99 (about AU$320) for the smallest size without a solar panel.

To use either the Blind Tilt or the Adjustable Smart Roller Shade, you'll need a SwitchBot hub, whose prices start at $39 / £35 (about AU$60).

• Value score: 5/5

SwitchBot Blind Tilt: design

• Quite chunky, visually unattractive
• Can be fitted in 10 minutes
• Very simple to install and remove

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt doesn’t require any drilling, and can be installed in about 10 minutes using the 3M adhesive pads included in the box. These hold the unit firmly in place (I’ve had one installed for several weeks without any sign of movement), but can be removed easily if necessary.

Replacement pads are available to buy directly from SwitchBot, so you can take the Blind Tilt with you when you move house.

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt comes with all the fittings you need, but you'll need to buy a Wi-Fi hub (shown on the left) separately (Image credit: Future)

The Blind Tilt has several different components that have to be positioned in exactly the right place for the blind wand to rotate correctly, but it comes with templates that make this a piece of cake. There’s no need to use a tape measure or a level – just follow the instructions to the letter (there are printed directions included in the box and videos are available online), and you can have the whole system working in about 10 minutes.

Before installing the Blind Tilt, you’re instructed to make sure your blind header and wand are cleaned using the alcohol wipe included in the pack. With that done, you use a small plastic guide to measure the rough circumference of your blind wand and choose an appropriately sized connector. If your wand is on the cusp of two sizes, choose the larger one to ensure the connector clamps around it fully.

Image 1 of 5

Use the measuring tool included with the SwitchBot Blind Tilt to choose the correct sized adapter (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 5

The Blind Tilt also comes with a cardboard template that helps you position everything correctly in relation to your blind wand (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 5

The motor unit slides into a connector that adheres to the blind rail (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 5

Once you've fitted the small, medium, or large adapter to the blind wand, this gray piece with cogs clips over the top (Image credit: Future)Image 5 of 5

The main motor unit clips onto the cog piece, allowing it to rotate the wand (Image credit: Future)

The main part of the Blind Tilt is a white, cylindrical unit containing the motor and battery, which slides onto a connector stuck onto the header of your blinds. You’re provided with a cardboard guide that helps you position this at the correct distance from the wand, whether you want to fit it on the right or the left. Once that’s done, just clamp the main motor unit onto the wand, and you’re ready to start.

You can recharge the Blind Tilt via USB-C, but if your window gets enough sunlight, it will be far easier to use the solar charger included in the box. This attaches to your windowpane using 3M tape, and plugs into the Blind Tilt using a short cable. It isn't a particularly attractive solution, but it’s effective and will be mostly obscured by your blinds when you’re indoors.

The Blind Tilt is quite large when fully assembled (Image credit: Future)

The Blind Tilt isn't the most elegant solution, but that's the price you pay for retrofit smart home devices. If you want something more discreet, you'll need to part with more cash for a purpose-made motorized blind.

• Design score: 4/5

SwitchBot Blind Tilt: performance

• SwitchBot app works flawlessly and is attractively designed
• Blind Tilt is easy to control using third-party smart home platforms
• Motor is quite noisy, and may be too loud to use as a wake-up light

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is very easy to use and should be compatible with almost any venetian blind. I attached it to a small blind on a door leading to my balcony without much space to maneuver, and it worked perfectly.

In order for the Blind Tilt to work, you need the SwitchBot Hub, which uses Bluetooth to connect the Blind Tilt (and other SwitchBot devices in your home) to your Wi-Fi network. Note that this isn't included in the box; it's a separate purchase. You might get one as part of a bundle if there’s a deal running; but otherwise, you’ll need to pay at least $39 / £35 (about AU$60) for the SwitchBot Hub Mini.

The SwitchBot Hub Mini with Matter compatibility costs a little more, and the SwitchBot Hub 2 is pricier still, but has a screen, physical buttons, and supports more devices than the other two models.

Connecting the SwitchBot Blind Tilt to the SwitchBot app is super simple. Just press the button on the motor unit and the app will locate it within a few seconds (Image credit: Future)

Linking the Blind Tilt to the SwitchBot Hub Mini via the SwitchBot app is straightforward. Just hold down a button on the motor unit to put the Blind Tilt in pairing mode, and the Hub Mini will find it automatically.

The trickiest part of the whole experience is "teaching" the Blind Tilt the degree to which it needs to rotate the wand to open and close your blinds. To do this, rotate the wand manually as prompted and the app will record how far it needs to twist, and in which direction. Just be careful not to turn the wand the wrong way – or you’ll need to restart the calibration from scratch.

The SwitchBot app is attractive and simple to use, with your devices organized into rooms. There are quick access buttons for opening and closing the slats (up or down), or you can use a slider to make minor adjustments. The app also lets you create a schedule (which is very useful) or set the blinds to open or close on a delay (less so).

You can adjust the angle of your blinds using a slider in the SwitchBot app, open or close them fully with a tap of a button, and set schedules (Image credit: Future)

Adding the Blind Tilt to Google Home was straightforward, too. Log into your SwitchBot account through Google Home, and you should be able to see your SwitchBot devices, add them to rooms, and control them using the app or a smart speaker.

The experience of using the Blind Tilt through Google Home didn’t feel quite as polished as operating it through the SwitchBot app (if you use the slider to open and close the blinds, there will be a noticeable delay before the change registers on-screen), but it integrated easily with the rest of my devices and was simple to open and close with spoken commands. You can even link it to a smart bulb so the blinds lower when the light is turned on.

The Blind Tilt is operated the same way as a smart light bulb in Google Home, although it's a little slower to respond (Image credit: Future)

Other than the lack of a hub included in the box, my only real complaint is that the SwitchBot Blind Tilt is rather loud in operation. My husband could hear it in the next room, and having three working in sync to open all the blinds in a room simultaneously creates quite the cacophony. I like the idea of waking to natural light in the morning, but I’d have a hard time sleeping through it.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the SwitchBot Blind Tilt? Buy it if

You're renting

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt doesn't require you to make any permanent changes to existing fittings, plus you can remove it easily and re-use it in your next place.

You're on a budget

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is much cheaper than investing in a whole motorized blind.

Don't buy it if

You don't have venetian blinds

The Blind Tilt doesn't work with roller blinds, or shades that don't have a vertically hanging wand.

You're picky about aesthetics

This isn't the most attractive device in the world. If you want something clean and neat-looking, you'll need a purpose-made smart blind.

SwitchBot Blind Tilt: also consider

Not sure that the SwitchBot Blind Tilt is the right solution to your window-dressing needs? Here are two other options to consider.

SwitchBot Roller Shade

SwitchBot's smart roller blind comes in a wide variety of sizes, and you can replace the fabric with one of your choice. It's one of the cheapest smart blinds around, and works with Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, or SwitchBot's own nicely designed app.View Deal

SwitchBot Curtain 3

If you have curtains rather than blinds, this little bot will slide along the rail or pole to open and close them. It's more expensive than the Blind Tilt, but cheaper than a whole motorized curtain rail. View Deal

How I tested the SwitchBot Blind Tilt

I installed the SwitchBot Blind Tilt on the blinds in my bedroom at home, and used it for several weeks. I started out controlling it via the SwitchBot app, then connected it to the Google Home app and operated it via the Google Home app on a Google Pixel Tablet.

I used it with the SwitchBot Hub Mini, which was in the same room about four meters from the Blind Tilt.

First reviewed March 2025

Mobapad N1 HD: one-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

The Mobapad N1 HD is a Nintendo Switch controller aimed towards more serious gamers, thanks to its versatile functionality and premium features.

It doesn’t look particularly spectacular, and it even lacks RGB lighting, a common feature on many third-party controllers. It does, however, look a little more distinct in its pink and purple colorway.

On close inspection, you can tell the N1 HD is built to a high standard, rivaling some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers. The materials feel premium and the construction is solid, yet it’s also very light in the hand and comfortable to hold – although those with larger hands might find it a bit too small.

The buttons and sticks also feel great, offering a pleasing amount of dampening and smoothness for the most part. The N1 HD also comes with a USB cable for charging and wired play, although it’s quite short and isn’t braided, restricting its practicality.

The mobile app for the N1 HD includes various customization options, some of which are pretty detailed, such as custom curve profiles for the analog sticks. Certain adjustments can also be made using the settings and other buttons on the controller itself.

To game with, the N1 HD lives up to its promises. The Hall effect sticks are as smooth as you could want, and the buttons are satisfying and super responsive, especially the D-pad – no matter which of the two included hats you have attached. It’s a shame, however, that the triggers lack analog control when used with a PC or mobile.

Although I found it easy to connect to the Switch and PC, switching between them on the fly isn’t really viable, since repairing is required, although fortunately, this is an easy process. Connecting to Android is relatively simple too, although beware that you will need to connect to "Mobapad N1" rather than "Mobapad N1 HD" in the list of Bluetooth devices your phone finds.

The N1 HD is expensive, but so too are the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and the 8BitDo Ultimate, two of the best Switch controllers out there. Like those pads, it’s a hugely capable controller and although it lacks analog triggers and seamless device switching, the N1 HD is worth your consideration all the same.

Mobapad N1 HD review: Price and availability

• $74 (about £60 / AU$119)
• Available now worldwide
• Similarly priced to key rivals

The Mobapad N1 HD costs $74 (about £60 / AU$119) and is available now in three colorways: black, white, and pink with purple accents. Mobapad only lists USD prices on its website, but it does ship worldwide. It comes with two D-pad hats, a USB cable for charging and wired play, and a dongle for wireless PC connectivity.

If we judge it by its original price (we have seen it on sale at a considerable discount), it’s close to the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, although this controller lacks official support for other platforms, as well as extra buttons on the front and rear.

The N1 HD also costs about the same as the 8BitDo Ultimate, our pick as the best Nintendo Switch controller right now. This too has Hall effect sticks and multi-platform support, but unlike the N1 HD, the Ultimate comes with its own charging dock. However, it doesn’t have NFC support, so it can’t be used with Amiibo accessories.

Mobapad N1 HD review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Mobapad N1 HD review: design and features

• Solid yet lightweight build
• Might be too small for some
• Detailed mobile app

The N1 HD boasts a similar design to the best Xbox controllers: it even has the same distinctive D-pad design, although this is removable and can be swapped with a more traditional four-pronged unit included in the box. Due to these similarities, It looks rather unoriginal in its black and white colorways, but the pink and purple variant does help to set it apart somewhat.

However, the upside of this familiar form is the ergonomic benefit: it sits well in the hand, and the lightness makes it even more comfortable. It’s a little smaller than an Xbox Wireless Controller, though, which may be a problem for those with larger hands. And if you're a fan of the best PS5 controllers, then it might not be for you either. Despite its unsubstantial weight, it feels well constructed, with durable, premium-feeling plastics. The textured grips are a welcome touch too.

The USB-C port is easy to use thanks to its placement, although it isn’t recessed, which may be a cause for concern, but I didn’t find it prone to disconnecting while gaming. The included cable is a standard charging cable, without the braiding or length those included with many other controllers have, which does limit its practical usage.

The N1 HD has liquid silicone buttons, which Mobapad claims are more comfortable and more durable, while also improving consistency. Under the thumb, they certainly feel pleasant, but the dampening isn’t the best I’ve experienced, and the button caps aren’t the tightest, with some wobble to them. The shoulder buttons, however, feel better in both these aspects, but the triggers are a little too short for my liking.

The analog sticks are a highlight, with treaded edges to help improve grip, which they certainly do. I did find them to be a tad small, though, but those with smaller thumbs shouldn’t have a problem.

There are also two extra back buttons for customizable programming. While these are also quite small, they did suit my grip style, as my middle fingers naturally landed flush onto them.

Aside from the usual Switch buttons, you’ll also find a setting button, which can be used in conjunction with other inputs to perform various functions, from altering vibration intensity and toggling turbo modes to programming macros. These are complex for input-based functions; some controllers don’t even offer this level of customization in their software tools.

Speaking of which, the Mobapad mobile app offers even more tweaking potential, including the ability to remap buttons and set trigger modes on a per-button basis, with hold and loop options to choose from.

You can also change the dead zones and curve profiles of the analog sticks, with the latter adjusted via two points on a graph, freely draggable to create your own style, which is very involved. It’s a shame, however, that you can’t even view the battery level of the N1 HD in this app, which seems like a basic piece of information to omit.

Other features of the N1 HD include the ability to switch between Xinput, Dinput (for older games), Switch Pro input modes, and NFC support for Amiibo hardware. Currently, it’s not compatible with Mobapad’s PC software, but support is expected after March.

(Image credit: Future) Mobapad N1 HD review: performance

• Great buttons and sticks
• No analog triggers
• Device switching clunky

The N1 HD performs well. The face buttons are satisfying to use, with a good deal of accuracy and responsiveness. The D-pad has these qualities in even more abundance, with an even shorter actuation, making it great for rapid taps. It’s also easy to roll for quick consecutive inputs with either the circular or four-pronged hat installed. It is, however, very clicky, feeling more like a mouse button than a controller button, which may deter some gamers, but I found it satisfying to use.

Even more damped are the shoulder buttons, which have a softer feel but still provide a responsive input. However, since the N1 HD is a Switch controller first and foremost, the triggers lack analog capability, even when used with a PC. This is a shame when playing certain games, such as those involving driving or racing, since they lack the precise control these titles benefit from.

The analog sticks utilize Hall effect technology, which purportedly offers greater precision as well as preventing stick drift. I certainly found them precise and incredibly smooth to move in all directions, providing just the right amount of resistance to impart some useful feedback without being onerous. The N1 HD also supports motion controls, and again I found these accurate, tracking superbly.

In my experience, the rear M buttons were also easy to use, although they were less consistent in their responsiveness; their small size and short travel meant that they were hard to hit in the optimal place every time.

Connecting the N1 HD to your platform of choice is also very easy. During my test, it connected instantly to my Switch, as well as to my desktop when using the included USB dongle, making it just as amenable to the platform as some of the best PC controllers. However, hot-switching between wasn’t an option, as the N1 HD required re-pairing to each device, which is a shame for those who switch between the two regularly.

At first, I was unsuccessful in connecting the N1 HD to my Google Pixel 7a, although this was remedied when I realised that I needed to connect to "Mobapad N1" rather than "Mobapad N1 HD" in the list of found Bluetooth devices. Once paired, using the N1 HD with my phone was as easy and responsive as with other platforms.

I wasn’t able to test the battery life of the N1 HD to exhaustion, and considering the lack of battery information – none in the mobile app and only an LED indication on low battery – I couldn’t gauge how much I had left. I can say, though, that it lasted for several days of use without showing a low battery warning.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Mobapad N1 HD? Buy it if...

You want an Xbox-style controller
The Xbox design is a popular one for good reason: it offers just about the best ergonomics around, and the N1 HD is all the better for following its lead.

You want multi-platform support
Although the N1 HD is primarily a Switch controller, it also works with PC and mobile devices, both wired and wirelessly.

Don't buy it if...

You have large hands
Despite its high levels of comfort, the overall form of the N1 HD is quite small, as are the sticks, triggers, and rear M buttons.

You want analog triggers
Despite being compatible with platforms other than the Switch, the N1 HD doesn’t have analog triggers, which won’t be ideal for certain games.

Also consider...

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
As one of the console’s official controllers, the Switch Pro Controller is unsurprisingly one of the best, offering more features and functionality than the stock Joy Con controllers. We found it comfortable to hold and were taken by its excellent D-pad. And although its original price is relatively high, it can often be found at a discount. Read our Nintendo Switch Pro Controller review.

8BitDo Ultimate
The 8BitDo Ultimate is our number pick as the best Switch controller, thanks to its great price, performance, feature set, and comfort levels. It also comes with its own charging dock, which is very convenient. However, unlike the N1 HD, there’s no NFC for Amiibo support, but this is about the only drawback. Read our 8BitDo Ultimate review.

How I tested the Mobapad N1 HD

• Tested for several days
• Used on Switch and PC
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the N1 HD for several days, during which time I used it on Switch and PC, both wired and wirelessly. I tried to use it on two Android phones but failed to connect with either.

I played The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which provides a thorough test for any controller, given the demands it places on all manner of inputs, from the face buttons to the analog sticks and motion controls. On PC, I played Art of Rally to test the triggers and sticks, and Tekken 8, which is great for testing button responsiveness. On my Android phone I played Alien: Isolation and Asphalt Legends Unite.

I have been gaming for over 25 years, and during that time I have experienced a large number of controllers across a myriad of platforms. I play on consoles, including the Switch, as well as PC, both of which I use controllers with.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed January-February 2025

Sharp Osaka: Two-minute review

If you’re the person that loves to have tech to match your personal aesthetic, the Sharp Osaka isn’t really the one for you. What it is, though, is a great value solution for anyone who simply wants to listen to the radio from seemingly any location.

Smaller than my desk calendar, the Sharp Osaka is easily grabbed with one small hand and slips into my coat pocket well enough, too.

As with all DAB radios, the only bulky part is its extendable aerial arm which you can easily hide away when not in use. The Sharp Osaka's battery life comes in at about 15 hours which isn’t above average for such radios but will serve you well for most of your active day. Charging via USB-C means you’re unlikely to need to pack an extra cable any time you go away, too.

Costing £70 – that's about $90 in the US or AU$143 in Australia, where available – when first released in September 2024, the Sharp Osaka is already discounted at time of writing, bringing it down to an even more affordable £50 ($65 in the US and AU$102). That’s a good price for a DAB radio of this standard and it also doubles up as a basic Bluetooth speaker.

Its controls are more intuitive than its convoluted manual suggests, leading you to mostly enjoying the Sharp Osaka without much hassle. One of the best DAB radios? Maybe not, but still a simple solution to your radio listening needs.

Sharp Osaka review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)

• Released September 2024
• Cost £70 / €90 (currently only available in the UK and Europe)

The Sharp Osaka DAB radio was released in the UK and Europe in September 2024. It costs £70 / €90 depending on your region (unfortunately, it's not available in the US or Australia as it stands) so it’s affordable for a DAB radio.

We’ve already spotted some discounts emerging in the UK with the price more around the £50 mark.

That makes it one of the more affordable portable DAB radios around. It’s much cheaper than the stylish but premium Roberts Revival Petite 2 and also the ageing Sony XDR-P1 DAB radio. It’s slightly more expensive than the Groov-e Boston but that’s far from the right size for putting in your pocket.

Sharp Osaka review: Specs Sharp Osaka review: Features

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)

• DAB and FM radio, plus Bluetooth speaker
• 12-hour battery life
• 3.5mm headphone jack

The Sharp Osaka DAB radio has all the features you could need without offering up much in the way of surprises. At first glance, it looks like it’s only a DAB radio but it uses a technology it calls BestTune which combines FM, DAB, and DAB+ into a single station list to help you find the best option based on signal strength. I really liked this as it saved me switching between different modes while still gaining the best signal.

In all, the Sharp Osaka has a 120-station memory spread equally across BestTune, DAB and FM and, honestly, you probably won’t have to overthink this either. I simply turned it on and it figured things out for itself, quickly allowing me to find the station I wanted to listen to.

A tap of the source button also takes you to the Bluetooth side of things. Bluetooth 5.3 is in charge here so you won’t need to fret about any drop-out issues when pairing with your phone or tablet. I certainly didn’t have any issues switching between the two.

Sharp's website in various regions differs between 15 and 12 hours of promised battery life, however I found the latter to be the rough sweet spot during use. As is often the way, volume can affect a lot here. The USB-C cable is perfect because on my travels I didn’t have to worry about packing an extra cable to recharge it.

On the side and next to the USB port is a 3.5mm headphone jack if you want to connect the Sharp Osaka DAB radio to the best wired headphones for some added privacy.

Other neat extras include an alarm function and a SlideShow tool which displays images from the radio station where available. In reality, I never found a station that offered this but I’m continuing my search in my own time as it sounds fun.

Features score: 4 / 5

Sharp Osaka review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)

• Mono speaker
• A little tinny
• Loud volume but some distortion

The Sharp Osaka is impressively loud, especially given its relative size. Though 10 is the average volume you’re likely to use, it goes all the way to a Spinal Tap-trouncing 30. It travels far, too. I cranked it up then walked a few rooms away and could still hear it.

That comes at a price with the audio quality not the best and offering some distortion but it’s fine for casual listening. I checked out Absolute 90s and found suitably old and nostalgic while listening to Blur’s Tender and The Rhythm of the Night by Corona. The latter lacks some excitement with the Sharp Osaka lacking crispness and spark, but the former translated reasonably well, never once leaving me waiting for that feeling to come.

This is the radio you’ll listen to while doing other things rather than indulging in your audiophile urges.

Sound quality: 3 / 5

Sharp Osaka review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)

• Functional, lightweight design
• Simple-to-use buttons...
• ... but not especially tactile

The Sharp Osaka gets right to the point with its design – it isn’t spectacular looking but nor will it confuse you. On the front left sits the mono speaker, with its controls and screen to the right. The 2-inch color display is simple but clear, other than when looking at it in bright light conditions.

Controls are also similarly easy to figure out although there’s no tactile quality to it which will be an issue for anyone with sight issues. That’s not uncommon with many popular DAB radios but it does mean my search for a more accessible DAB radio will have to continue.

When listening to the radio, you’ll need to pull out the antenna which is quite tightly clicked in at other times. On the side are ports for charging and headphones. There’s also a neat little key lock button which means no one can accidentally tap a button by mistake.

The Sharp Osaka is only available in a black/gray mix but it looks reasonably sleek.

Design score: 3 / 5

Sharp Osaka review: Value

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)

• Inexpensive
• Ideal for a quick fix
• Cheaper than most

The Sharp Osaka was pretty cheap compared to the competition even before it went on sale (which seems to be commonplace now). Its primary competition for portability is something like the aforementioned Roberts Revival Petite 2 but it’s far cheaper than that. A closer rival could be the Pure Woodland but that’s less portable.

It might not be as adorable as that Roberts but the Sharp Osaka is far more affordable, which makes it tempting.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Sharp Osaka? Buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
The Sharp Osaka brings all the DAB radio essentials at a very affordable price.

You want something truly portable
The battery life could be a little better but in exchange, you get a truly lightweight and portable device for putting in your pocket.

You want simplicity
Combining FM and DAB options together saves you from paying too much attention. I’m a fan of this simplicity laziness.

Don't buy it if... 

You want great audio
With a mono speaker, the Sharp Osaka was never going to be class-leading but it can get a little tinny with music compared with talk.

You want great battery life
The Sharp Osaka’s battery life is about average for the price. There are trade-offs for its size and if you’re away from power for a while, this could be an issue.

You don’t need a radio
Potentially an obvious one, but if you need a Bluetooth speaker more than a radio, there are better choices around.

Sharp Osaka review: Also consider

Roberts Revival Petite 2

My favorite DAB radio in recent times, the Roberts is very portable and looks gorgeous, but it all comes at a higher price.

Read our full Roberts Revival Petite 2 review here

Sony XDR-P1

The Sony is harder to find these days but it certainly rivals the Sharp Osaka for size. If you want the big-name brand, this is the closest rival.

Read our full Sony XDR-P1 review here

How I tested the Sharp Osaka

• Used the Sharp Osaka over two weeks
• Listened to DAB radio, and music via iPhone 14 Pro and Bluetooth
• Over 10 years' experience testing audio equipment

The Sharp Osaka followed me around the house and the garden. I mostly used it in my home office but I also moved it to the kitchen while I cleaned and the living room while relaxing. On the rare days of good weather, it followed me outdoors for a little bit.

I used it exclusively via the rechargeable battery as it saved me finding a USB port to connect it to. I mostly listened to the radio but once in a while, I listened to some podcasts through my phone. This was typically via Spotify.

Otherwise, there was a lot of Absolute 90s, ranting at LBC, and relaxing with BBC Radio 5 Live.

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee
• First reviewed in March 2025

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid: one-minute review

The Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid is a compact wired gaming keyboard with analog switches for greater precision and versatility when it comes to tweaking performance.

It looks like a fairly typical keyboard, lacking the pomp and ceremony of some of the more extravagant gaming peripherals out there, although the RGB lighting does make it stand out more, as do the white and pink colorways.

In terms of build quality, the Pro X TKL Rapid is level with what the best gaming keyboards offer. It has a thick yet sleek form, with enough heft to make itself known without being onerous. All the materials feel premium too, especially the keycaps, which have just enough texture to make them tactile.

There are a few extra media and other buttons at the very top, and a volume wheel that’s smooth and easy to use in the heat of the moment, thanks to its long, cylindrical shape. It’s a minor shame that it has no click-to-mute functionality, though.

The Pro X TKL Rapid can be customized using Logitech’s G HUB software, which offers plenty in the way of rebinding options, and also features the obligatory macro creation and RGB tweaking.

There are also plenty of actuation adjustments available, some of which are more involved than I’ve ever seen before. A real-time visual indicator is provided for general actuation, although such feedback is sadly absent when setting up Rapid Trigger, Multi-action, and Key Priority functions – and where it’s perhaps needed most.

To game with, the Pro X TKL Rapid offers the snappy performance you would expect from analog switches. However, I did find it a little too difficult to hit certain actuation points accurately and consistently, which is a problem if you have multiple inputs assigned to a single key.

I also found typing uncomfortable, owing to a combination of the thick keys and a lack of wrist support. Those who are used to thicker keycaps for typing may find them easier to live with, though.

For the price, the Pro X TKL Rapid represents good value compared to many analog keyboards. However, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is cheaper, and we still think it’s the best gaming keyboard around. So despite being a capable analog keyboard, the Pro X TKL Rapid doesn’t quite reach the heights of some of its key rivals.

(Image credit: Future) Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: price and availability

• $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$329.95
• Available now in three colorways
• Cheaper than some analog rivals

The Pro X TKL Rapid costs $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$329.95 and is available now in three colorways: black, white, and pink. It comes with a detachable USB-C-to-A cable, although it’s wired-only, with no wireless alternative available.

This is a good price for a wired analog keyboard. It’s cheaper than the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL, for instance, although I personally found that board offered better precision, and I could find little wrong with it in terms of performance or design. It also comes with a wrist rest, which the Pro X TKL Rapid doesn’t, although this is perhaps its weakest aspect.

However, there’s also the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog TKL, whose full-size counterpart we still think is the best keyboard for gaming. This smaller variant is cheaper than the Pro X TKL Rapid, yet offers incredible performance, customization, and design.

Value: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: design and features

• Muted looks
• Premium build quality
• Useful analog tweaks

The Pro X TKL Rapid looks fairly typical for a Logitech gaming peripheral, with a subdued aesthetic that will fit in any setup or situation. However, the white and pink colorways add more vibrancy. Meanwhile, its body is thick but not to the extent of some other boards, and quite weighty without being the heaviest around. The compact layout and floating keys also help to make it appear more sleek than it otherwise would be.

In line with Logitech’s other peripherals, the Pro X TKL Rapid is very well made, with a premium plastic chassis and superb-feeling keycaps that are silky smooth with just enough texture to offer some tactility. Overall, the Pro X TKL Rapid is certainly up there with the best gaming keyboards in terms of build quality.

Its keycaps are also quite thick and have a small indentation. The layout is compact without being cramped, and there’s a very slight dip in the middle to aid with ergonomics. The overall tilt of the keys can be increased using the two-stage feet, which offer four-degree and eight-degree angles.

A handful of media keys adorn the top of the Pro X TKL Rapid, alongside a button for toggling RGB lighting brightness levels and a Game Mode button for disabling keys of your choosing while gaming, with the Windows key deactivated by default.

There’s also a volume wheel in the top right corner, that takes the form of a long, cylindrical roller you scroll up and down on, which gives it a smooth operation and makes it easier to utilize than a laterally rotating dial. It’s a shame, however, that there’s no click-to-mute function, although this is handled by one of the media buttons instead.

(Image credit: Future)

The Pro X TKL Rapid can be customized using Logitech’s G HUB peripheral software. Here you’ll find the usual gaming keyboard customization options, including RGB customization, macro creation, and key remapping.

On the latter front, there are a large number of system functions you can assign, including audio input and output cycling and opening certain Windows apps, such as Task Manager and File Explorer. Mouse buttons can also be mapped (although cursor movements can’t), and there are specific shortcut actions for Overwolf, Streamlabs Desktop, Discord, and OBS.

Fn and G-Shift layers are available for rebinding, in addition to a custom assignment shortcut (by default mapped to fn+F1) that can be used to toggle your rebinds on or off.

Since the Pro X TKL Rapid has analog switches, there are various actuation adjustments at your disposal in G HUB, too. You can adjust the overall actuation point of keys between 0.1 and 4mm, as well as toggle a Rapid Trigger function to alter their reset point between 0.1 and 2mm.

There’s also a Multi-action feature that lets you assign two inputs to a single key – which isn’t to be confused with the Multiple Commands feature, which lets you assign up to five inputs to a single key, depending on whether you press, hold, or release the key in question. With Multi-action, each input is triggered at two independent, customizable actuation points. However, only keys and modifiers can be selected for Multi-action, with system functions, macros and the like excluded, which is a shame.

Another analog feature is Key Priority, which lets you decide which of any two keys takes registration precedence when pressed at the same time (beware, though, that this function is banned in certain games, such as Counter-Strike 2).

This mode has settings more in-depth than I’ve seen before in analog keyboard software. You can choose which one always has priority, or prioritize whichever is pressed furthest pressed or pressed last. There’s also a neutral mode, which prevents either key from registering if they’re both pressed, as well as a toggle that allows for both to register as normal when fully pressed simultaneously.

It’s a shame, however, that there’s no controller emulation option, as some other analog keyboards provide. And although there’s an animation conveying real-time actuation in the main menu, none is provided when setting up Multi-action, Rapid Trigger, or Key Priority, which is a real shame since this would provide some much needed visual feedback for the adjustments you make.

These omissions aside, G HUB is hard to fault in terms of usability, with its clear layout making for easy navigation. It was also quite stable in my experience; there were a few occasions where it felt a little sluggish, but not disruptively so. Useful explanations are also provided for most of the analog adjustments, along with guides for these and the remapping functionality in the settings menu.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: performance

• Satisfying key strokes
• Overly sensitive analog switches
• Uncomfortable typing

The gaming performance of the Pro X TKL Rapid is good for the most part. The keys feel great to press, offering a smooth operation with a satisfying thock, although this isn’t as pronounced as that of the best mechanical keyboards. I still found them pleasurable to use, though.

Their slight indentation also helped my fingers to stay secure, while the angled layout made it comfortable to access the salient keys, including the bottom row as that can sometimes be a problem area for gaming keyboards. I do wish, however, that the feet offered a more acute angle, which would’ve made access even easier and more comfortable.

(Image credit: Future)

Since the Pro X TKL Rapid has analog switches, the Pro X TKL Rapid is capable of offering extremely snappy performance, too. However, I found that no matter what actuation point I set, the switches were always a little too sensitive. This makes it harder to hit certain actuation points, which is especially a problem if you have Multi-action inputs set up.

That aforementioned thickness also created an issue, especially when typing, as I had to adopt a more unnatural wrist angle and once more the feet didn’t provide a sufficient angle to remedy this. What the Pro X TKL Rapid really needs is a wrist rest, but unfortunately one isn't included.

The thick keycaps didn’t help either, although I’m someone who usually prefers low profile, laptop-style keys for productivity purposes, so other users may not have an issue with these.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid? Buy it if…

You want analog performance at a good price
Analog boards are usually quite pricey, and while the Pro X TKL Rapid isn’t exactly cheap, it does undercut the competition.

You have high build quality standards
The Pro X TKL Rapid is constructed as well as the best gaming keyboards without being too heavy, which is an impressive feat.

Don’t buy it if…

You want absolute control
Despite the analog keys being plenty responsive, I found it hard to meet certain actuation points, given their overly sensitive travel

You want controller emulation
Despite the many analog tweaks available in G HUB, there’s no option to have the Pro X TKL Rapid emulate joysticks and triggers.

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: also consider

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog TKL
The Huntsman V2 Analog is still our pick as the best gaming keyboard around, thanks to its stellar performance and phenomenal build. It does have a steep list price, but it can be found for less if you shop around, while the TKL version is actually even less than the Pro X TKL Rapid. Read our Razer Huntsman V2 Analog review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
The Apex Pro TKL is one of the best analog keyboards I’ve used, thanks to the incredible control it offers over key presses. It’s also built like a tank. There’s no denying it’s a pricey board, though, and the wireless variant is even more expensive. It also lacks controller emulation, but if pure analog performance is what you’re after, the Apex Pro TKL is hard to beat. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

How I tested the Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and productivity
• Plentiful PC gaming experience

I tested the Pro X TKL Rapid for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, productivity, and general browsing.

I played Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for peripherals, as it requires the utmost responsiveness and precision. It’s also a good test for the Rapid Trigger functionality of analog keyboards, allowing for very fast micro-movements and counter-strafing. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, another FPS but one which utilizes more keys on the board.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have used a large number of gaming keyboards. I have also reviewed a good number of them, including other Logitech models and those with analog switches.

• First reviewed March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Two minute review

Weeks of stock shortages and scalping later, I can finally breathe: RTX 5000 laptops are here, offering a fresh path into Nvidia's glorious ray-traced future that doesn't involve selling your soul on Ebay - though you might need to sell a kidney to afford the new Razer Blade 16, especially if you're eyeing the top-of-the-line RTX 5090 configuration graciously provided to me for this review.

Yes, Razer is not beating the 'pricey hardware' allegations any time soon; the new Blade 16 starts at a wallet-battering $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95, and the higher-spec configurations rocket beyond the four-thousand mark in the US, UK, and Europe.

Don't get me wrong, though: the sky-high pricing is just about the only criticism I have here. Razer's iconic 16-inch laptop has undergone a subtle redesign - and I mean subtle, bordering on indistinguishable - that provides a range of small but worthy improvements, and at the heart of it all, Nvidia's Blackwell GPU lineup delivers boosted performance and a new wealth of features ready to do battle with the best gaming laptops.

(Image credit: Future)

I'll get into the real meat of these graphics upgrades later on, but here's the short version: this thing goes hard. Between DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, Reflex 2, and the general generational improvements from RTX 4000, even the most demanding titles deliver crisp, speedy frame rates on the QHD+ OLED screen - and the 240Hz refresh rate means you won't find your game performance capped by the display.

The Razer Blade 16 isn't all steak and no sizzle, either. This is one classy-looking gaming laptop, as I've come to expect from Razer, with an anodized aluminum chassis, per-key RGB lighting, and the same overall top-notch build quality any previous Razer owner will be well accustomed to. Again, scroll on down to that Design section for all the juicy deets, but I will take a quick moment here to remark on the new-and-improved keyboard, which now features greater key travel and smoother actuation than previous models to provide a more pleasant typing experience as well as responsive inputs when gaming.

With how difficult it's proving to get your hands on a desktop RTX 5000 GPU, many will be looking towards the incoming slate of Blackwell-equipped laptops to scratch that hardware upgrade itch. If that's you - and you can stomach the price tag - then the Razer Blade 16 is the laptop to pick.

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• How much is it? Starting at $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There's no getting around it: this is one expensive laptop, even pricier than the previous RTX 4000 Razer Blade 16 we reviewed back in late 2023. Granted, you're getting a hell of a lot of gaming power for your money, but it's still pricey.

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) will cost you $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95 for the base configuration: that gets you an RTX 5070 Ti, 10-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 processor, 32GB of ultra-speedy LPDDR5X 8,000MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD. That's right - the long-standing industry baseline of 16GB of RAM is out, 32GB is the new standard for Razer.

There are a few different configurations, with more RAM or storage and an upgrade to either an RTX 5080 or 5090. The top-spec model costs a piggy-bank-busting $4,899.99 / £4,299.99 / AU$7,999.95, packing the RTX 5090 along with a 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a huge 4TB of storage (in the form of two 2TB SSDs). Every version has the same 16-inch 240Hz QHD+ OLED display; sadly, there's no 4K model on offer, which does feel like a somewhat odd omission considering that the RTX 5090 is absolutely capable of 4K gaming.

I really can't stress enough that this is a comically enormous amount of money for the average PC gamer. As a fun little exercise, I went looking online for used cars that cost less than the Blade 16 review unit I'm typing this review on. 47,764 results. Oof.

Still, when scalpers are selling RTX 5090 cards on Ebay for upwards of four thousand bucks, it's not an entirely unattractive proposition. I mean, you're getting the whole system here, while the additional cost of a full desktop PC build capable of supporting Nvidia's latest flagship GPU without bottlenecking isn't exactly cheap. I have no doubt there will be laptops from other manufacturers that offer the same (or at least similar) specs at a lower price, but there will be sacrifices made - whether that's chassis materials, display quality, or memory speed.

• Value: 2.5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Specs

(Image credit: Future) Razer Blade 16 (2025): Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Same classic Blade finish with premium-feel anodized metal casing
• New keyboard design is a real improvement
• Chassis is lighter and more compact than previous models

Razer has long held a reputation as a company known for using premium materials for its hardware, and the new Blade 16 certainly doesn't buck this trend: every Blade begins life as a singular slab of tempered aluminum, which is then precision-milled into shape and electrochemically anodized to create a wear-resistant color finish designed to last.

(Image credit: Future)

Although the overall aesthetic of Razer's modern Blade lineup has changed very little over the years - compare this laptop side-by-side with the Razer Blade we reviewed back in 2018, and you'll see what I mean - there have been some small adjustments this time around, and all of them are good changes.

For starters, the laptop has been retooled to reduce the overall weight and size; there's a limit to this, especially with a 16-inch display, but Razer has managed to cut down the total package volume by almost 30%. It's almost half a centimetre thinner than the previous-gen Blade 16 (4.59mm, to be precise), and it adds that half-centimete to the length of the laptop instead - in practice, this doesn't make the Blade 16's footprint any appreciably larger, but does make it look and feel a lot thinner. It's also 310 grams lighter than the previous model.

(Image credit: Future)

Razer has also seen fit to improve the keyboard this time around, and it makes for a more satisfying typing experience than previous Blades. The key travel has been increased by 50%, and the actuation force sits at a finely-tuned 63G, providing a good amount of physical feedback that helped me avoid misinputs while both gaming and typing. The keys are quite widely spaced, which makes it comfortable to use even for long periods.

Naturally, this Blade now comes with a dedicated button for Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant for Windows, though I doubt most buyers will have much cause to use that. More interesting is the new row of five programmable macro keys, giving you instant access to the functions you use most often.

Additionally, this ain't your daddy's backlit RGB keyboard: not only does the full layout have per-key RGB lighting, but multiple keys actually feature two LEDs beneath the keycap, enabling a nifty feature where holding down Fn or Shift switches the illumination to instantly highlight the relevant keys. You can see what I mean in the GIF below - it's a small bonus, but I rather like it.

(Image credit: Future)

The touchpad is nothing to write home about (let's be honest, you'll be using a mouse anyway), but it is nice and large with a firm click to it. There's also a pretty straightforward 1080p webcam and microphone array, both of which work fine.

More impressive are the speakers: a six-speaker array with THX Spatial Audio support makes for one of the best audio experiences I've seen on a laptop. It's no secret that laptop makers often skimp on speaker quality because so many people will simply connect a headset anyway, but that's certainly not the case here. The bass is rich and punchy, and the midrange is crystal clear; high pitches are a little bit thin, but it's still a strong showing overall.

I'm not going to dedicate a huge amount of time here to the pre-loaded Razer Synapse software package, but I will say that there are some welcome improvements over the old (and rather wonky) version. Tweaking your system performance and lighting effects is nice and straightforward, as well as syncing and modifying any Razer peripherals you want to use.

(Image credit: Future)

I can't not talk about the screen, of course. Razer's hardware lineup has always offered high-end display configurations, often employing OLED panels, which remains the case here - though as I mentioned further up in this review, there's strangely no 4K configuration available this time around. Instead, every 2025 Blade 16 model comes with the exact same 16-inch 240Hz OLED display, with a resolution of 2560x1600. That's a 16:10 aspect ratio, which I'm personally a big fan of on laptops.

Still, it's an undeniably gorgeous screen: colors are bright and vibrant, contrast is sharp, and blacks are deep. It looks fantastic in motion while playing games like Cyberpunk 2077; the rainy, neon-splattered streets of Night City after dark are vividly colorful and realistic on this display.

One feature that I'm always happy to see is upgradability. Unfortunately, the RAM in the Razer Blade 16 is soldered, but the SSD is user-upgradable. In fact, anything less than the 4TB configuration (which uses two 2TB SSDs) comes with an empty NVMe slot for you to easily plug in a second drive if you want to expand the storage yourself.

Lastly, we've got a nice broad port selection here, with two USB-C ports, three USB-As, an HDMI port for connecting a second display, the omnipresent 3.5mm headphone jack, and finally a full-size SD card reader for creative users - a wise inclusion considering that this laptop can comfortably pull double duty as a work system (more on that later).

• Design: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Best-in-class performance
• RTX 5090 and Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 are a deadly combo
• New Nvidia features offer a huge performance boost

Enough about aesthetics: this is a gaming laptop, so how well does it run games? The answer is: extremely well, especially once you factor in Nvidia's DLSS and frame-gen tech.

Our standard testing process involves running games without using any form of upscaling or frame-gen tech, and you can see the results below. It's worth noting that the 2024 Razer Blade 16 with RTX 4090 I've used for comparative purposes has an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, which quite literally has double the core count of the Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 chip in this laptop, so without implementing Nvidia's latest goodies, the differences are relatively minor in many games.

Performance is still strong, make no mistake - but if you're aiming to play the latest games at maximum graphical settings on this laptop's native 1600p resolution, you're going to want to use DLSS.

Kick DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) into gear, and it's a totally different story. I tested a few different supported titles at their respective maximum presets with ray tracing enabled, and both enjoyed a serious performance bump with Nvidia's fancy AI-powered software enabled.

There's been quite some debate about tools such as resolution upscaling and frame generation, not least due to the use of AI for both, and I admit I've been skeptical in the past. Here, it's a revelation. Earlier iterations of DLSS - and the frame-gen model seen in the previous RTX 4000 generation - were imperfect, prone to impact lag and visual glitching, especially on hardware that would struggle to hit 60fps without any AI-assisted add-ons. But DLSS 4 and MFG work phenomenally well on a laptop packing an RTX 5090; in Alan Wake 2, a thoroughly beautiful (and therefore demanding) game, I was lucky to reach above the 60fps mark without any upscaling or frame-gen enabled. With those settings turned on? 200fps, easy.

Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal saw similarly massive framerate bumps. In Cyberpunk, the maxed-out ray-tracing preset struggled a bit at native resolution, scoring a meager average of 43 fps. With DLSS 4 and MFG, it averaged 217fps while still looking absolutely stunning. In Returnal, 113fps went to 240fps (which was the active cap) at 1440p - it doesn't have the option to run at the Blade 16's 1600p 16:10 resolution, but still, you get the idea.

It looks so good now, too; gone are the tearing and blurring I noted in my early experiments with DLSS, without any appreciable amount of input latency either. I imagine it's still there, perhaps noticeable to a pro esports gamer playing a twitchy shooter like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, but I certainly wasn't able to detect it.

Of course, DLSS 4 and MFG aren't available universally. Developers have to add support for the functionality, although there's also a new DLSS Override option for 'force-enabling' it in unsupported games, which I deployed for Returnal - as far as I could tell, it worked without issues, though of course that's just for one modern game.

Performance in synthetic tests was also strong, with good - though not world-beating - performance across both gaming and creative workloads. If you're hoping to use this laptop for professional creative work, it won't let you down. In fact, the performance it offers compared to the weight of the laptop is among the best I've ever seen, making it ideal for working on the go.

It's worth noting here that the 2024 Blade 16 actually outperforms the new model across several of our tests, but again, we can put that down to the significantly more powerful CPU found in the 2024 model. The power efficiency of the Ryzen chip is not to be understated, though - take a look at the battery life section, and you'll see what I mean.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Battery life

• Surprisingly good battery life
• Almost a full day's regular use, about two and a half hours of gaming
• Charges fast but uses a proprietary charger

Battery life is rarely a selling point of gaming laptops, but I was pleasantly surprised with the battery life on the Razer Blade 16. In the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, it lasted for almost two and a half hours; in real-world tests, I found this figure highly accurate, assuming you're playing with the battery efficiency preset on in Windows and brightness at 50% or lower.

Outside of gaming and running similarly demanding software, the Blade 16 offers some impressive longevity for a gaming laptop. The 90Whr battery lasted for almost seven and a half hours in our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, and it also holds charge remarkably well when not in use. This is likely due to the improved Nvidia Optimus tech, which offloads graphical processing to the Ryzen CPU's integrated graphics when you're not playing games or running GPU-intensive apps. Razer claims that the new Blade 16 offers 'up to 11 hours' of use, which is probably true if you really try to squeeze the battery with minimum brightness and power-saving mode turned on.

Although it needs a fairly chunky power adapter with a proprietary Razer connector, the Blade 16 also charges very quickly, charging up to 50% in about 30 minutes and 100% in just over an hour.

• Battery Life: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025)? Buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025) if...

You want the best gaming performance there is
The RTX 5090 laptop GPU inside this laptop is a monster, delivering top-notch frame rates in games and offering the full suite of performance-boosting Nvidia software.

You want a gaming laptop you can use for work
Thanks to its surprisingly strong battery life and great capabilities when it comes to handling creative and AI workloads, the Razer Blade 16 can comfortably pull double duty as a work laptop when you're not using it for gaming.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
Starting at over two grand, this is not a cheap gaming laptop by any means.

You want something compact
Although Razer has worked miracles reducing the weight and thickness of the new Blade 16, no 16-inch laptop can reasonably be called 'small'.

Also consider

If my Razer Blade 16 (2025) review has you considering other options, here is another laptop to consider:

Razer Blade 14 (2024)
If you're in the market for something a bit more svelte, consider the Blade 16's little sibling, the Blade 14. These aren't available with RTX 5000 GPUs, however - at least, not yet. But you still get the same excellent design and build quality, and a lower price tag too.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

MSI Titan 18 HX
Another absolute beast of a gaming laptop, the Titan 18 HX from MSI is a strong pick if you're looking for a gaming laptop that can also function as a premium workstation PC. With an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to 128GB(!!!) of RAM, this is one of the finest desktop-replacement systems on the market.

Read our full MSI Titan 18 HX review

How I tested the Razer Blade 16 (2025)

I spent just over a week with the Razer Blade 16 (2025), using it almost every day for both work and gaming. I don't always love working, but damn, if this didn't make it more pleasant.

Naturally, we ran plenty of performance tests on the Blade 16, taking additional time to test out the new DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation features on a handful of supported titles. What I played the most was Warframe, which isn't in our testing suite but look, I'm an addict.

In terms of work, I used the Blade 16 for everything from word processing to web browsing to image editing, and even took it out into my garden to work in the sun and put the battery life and display to the test in a real-world setting - both held up great.

• First reviewed March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

Arcserve UDP (unified data protection) provides a one-stop shop for backup and recovery of all your physical and virtual systems. Available as a turnkey appliance or software only, UDP 9.1 introduces a choice of private on-premises or cloud management.

There’s a range of licensing plans; the price we’ve shown is for an on-premises UDP 9.1 single socket premium license. Socket licenses are only applied to the systems being protected, have no restrictions on the amount of back-end storage and support unlimited virtual machines.

Ransomware protection for the UDP host comes into play as the price includes the Sophos Intercept X Advanced for Servers endpoint protection software. Arcserve supplies it with a personal Sophos Central account so you can manage the software in the cloud.

We chose the on-premises UDP version and installed it on a Dell PowerEdge R760xs Xeon Scalable server running Windows Server 2022. Initial deployment is deftly handled by a wizard that helped create protection plans, add nodes, define a backup destination and schedule jobs.

The recovery point server (RPS) is a smart feature. It defines where data is backed up to, and you can use the local host along with other networked Windows Server systems. It provides AES-256 encryption, deduplication and replication services, and each RPS performs global deduplication using dedicated data block locations, hash databases and indexes.

When physical nodes are declared to UDP, an agent is pushed to them. To define our VMs for agentless backup, we used the import function to add the VMs to be protected. UDP also supports CIFS/NFS shares, and we had no problems bringing a Synology NAS appliance under its protection.

UDP 9.1 allows you to move all data protection management into the cloud (Image credit: Future)

Microsoft 365 (MS365) support is enabled when a UDP license has been applied but the authorization process is tediously complex. You may want to consider Arcserve’s separate SaaS cloud product for protecting MS365 accounts as this is far easier to use.

Protection plans are very flexible and contain selected nodes, an RPS, the required number of recovery points and a schedule that can be run as often as every 15 minutes. A smart feature is the option to add extra tasks to a plan; these include replication to a remote RPS and assured recovery, which loads a temporary VM on a virtualization host, confirms it works and then deletes it.

Another valuable task is virtual standby, which creates backup VMware or Hyper-V VMs of selected nodes. It uses a heartbeat service measured in seconds to monitor the primary node and, if it fails to respond, the standby VM is automatically started using the latest recovery point.

For file and folder recovery, we loaded the UDP agent’s console for the selected node, chose a recovery point, picked files and folders and restored them back to the node or another location. An agent installed on our SQL Server system automatically added its databases as backup sources and we had no problems restoring these back to the host.

We tried out cloud management by installing the gateway component on a separate Windows host and using the migration tool to move everything to our cloud console account. This only took ten minutes, and we could then use the portal to manage our on-premises UDP installation along with all backup and restore tasks.

MS365 support is cumbersome, but UDP 9.1 delivers a wealth of data protection services for a wide range of environments. Recovery features are outstanding, the free Sophos endpoint agent adds essential ransomware protection and you can choose from on-premises or cloud management.

We also ranked the best antivirus rescue disks.

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

With 16in laptops all the rage, it’s hardly shocking to see that size class invade the portable monitor space. Nor is it a surprise to see Asus leading the charge, with its ZenScreen MB16QHG priced at a heavyweight £399.

That’s four times the cost of a 15.6in 1080p monitor you’d find on Amazon, but the ZenScreen not only features a 2,560 x 1,600 IPS panel but also offers a 120Hz refresh rate. Throw in strong color performance, a robust stand and one of the brightest panels we’ve seen in a portable display, and the MB16QHG has a lot going for it.

Asus opts for a hinged base rather than a kickstand or detachable/magnetic stand. This makes the unit heavier, but it’s a solid design that provides easy access to the ports. I also like the fact that the cables connect low down at desktop level and behind the screen. So, while most portable monitors have ugly cables protruding from the side, here they’re far less obvious.

The hinged base makes it easy to access the ports (Image credit: Future)

The display’s hinge allows it to sit completely vertical or lay flat against the base (and any angle in between). Asus also integrates a tripod socket into the bottom of the base, adding yet more flexibility.

Speaking of the base, you’ll find a single full-size HDMI port and a full-function USB-C port on the right. The left side is home to a second USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I used the included USB-C cable for my testing, as it’s a simple one-cable affair for power, video and audio. The OSD joystick and a power button are located on the back of the monitor.

Build quality matches other members of the ZenScreen family, meaning it’s primarily constructed of plastic to keep costs in check and weight down. However, it doesn’t feel cheap thanks to a stylish grain effect. I’m less convinced by the backlit Asus logo in the center of the bottom bezel, as it’s almost too eye-catching.

Fortunately, the quality and resolution of the screen distracted me. For example, I used the monitor to edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and greatly appreciated the 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. And while the 120Hz refresh rate is there to attract gamers, I also appreciated it for mundane tasks such fast-scrolling in Edge; text and images stayed crisp as they whirled by. Gamers should note that this screen isn’t Adaptive Sync compliant, so there’s no AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync support.

The 16in MB16QHG is the perfect match for a 16in laptop (Image credit: Future)

The MB16QHG stood out in our brightness testing, delivering 417cd/m2 compared to the typical 250cd/m2 of a standard portable monitor (albeit short of the 500cd/m2 that Asus claims). To achieve 100% brightness, plug the monitor in with the included wall adapter. Relying on a single USB-C cable to handle all the heavy lifting for power and video limits you to a 60% brightness.

The ZenScreen covered 116% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 163% of sRGB, which is excellent for an IPS panel. Panel uniformity was good, with no obvious backlight bleeding. The only area it fell behind OLED was when I watched Incredibles 2, with blacks appearing more like a dark grey.

As usual with Asus, there are many picture modes to choose from via the OSD. Navigation is intuitive via a joystick, which is much quicker than the norm of up/down/select buttons found on lesser portable monitors.

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a great all-around portable monitor. Not only does the 2,560 x 1,600 resolution offer extra detail over FHD panels, but its 16in diagonal is the perfect match for the growing army of 16in laptops. With high brightness levels and strong color coverage, it could even attract photographers (that’s where the tripod mount comes in handy).

Admittedly, the MB16QHG doesn’t come cheap. You can buy 15.6in OLED portable monitors (including one from Asus) for this money. However, that’s a Full HD panel, and if you’re looking for additional resolution, and bumping up to 4K resolution is overkill, the MB16QHG is well worth considering despite its high price.

We've also rated the best pre-built gaming PCs.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Two-minute review

The Obsbot Tiny SE is an entry-level pan-tilt-and-zoom gimbal webcam with AI features that punches well above its weight. At a remarkably affordable price point of $99 / £109 / AU$199, it offers a compelling blend of features and performance that makes it a strong contender, but only if you need a camera that can follow you around a room.

Watching the Tiny SE swivel and tilt to follow your movement is oddly adorable. (Image credit: Future)

The low price point is probably down to the Obsbot Tiny SE maxing out at 1080p resolution. If you’re a stickler for 4K, check out the Obsbot Tiny 2, but for most users, 1080p strikes an excellent balance between quality and practicality. What's more important is that this webcam will go up to 100 frames per second, if you’re moving around a room, gesturing, or being rather animated in general having smooth motion is going to be important.

The webcam utilizes a 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, resulting in decent low-light performance with minimal noise and grain. This is a significant advantage for home offices with terrible lighting; gamers who prefer a moody, backlit setup will also appreciate how well this webcam performs.

Here is a side-by-side image comparison against the budget webcam king, the Logitech C920. As you can see, the lines are sharper, the details are clearer, and the color balance is better.

Granted, the Logitech C920 has been around for a while now, but at the same 1080p resolution the Tiny SE is notably sharper. (Image credit: Future)

The Tiny SE is, as the name suggests, tiny. Especially for a camera that includes motors able to follow you around a room. There is something undeniably cute about something so small following you around a room. Its compact design ensures it doesn’t hog space on your desk or screen. Here is a picture with it next to an SD card to give you an idea of how small it really is:

The Tiny SE certainly lives up to its name. (Image credit: Future)

The webcam comes with a standard monitor mount, making it easy to clip onto your laptop or desktop display. For added versatility, it also includes a 1/4-inch thread for mounting on tripods or other camera accessories.

The USB-C connection ensures compatibility with modern devices, and the included USB-C to USB-A adapter covers legacy ports. This thoughtful inclusion makes it adaptable without forcing you to rummage through your drawer of forgotten dongles and adapters.

The built-in AI tracking is a showstopper. Whether you’re pacing during a presentation or showcasing a product for your audience, the webcam keeps you perfectly framed. You can choose between different framing like upper-body tracking, or close-up shots.

The tracking works pretty well, keeping subjects in focus even when they move around the frame. Paired with the smooth 100 FPS recording, the result is buttery-smooth footage that doesn’t feel like a typical static webcam shot.

When not in use, the Tiny SE 'goes to sleep' by rotating the camera downward. (Image credit: Future)

Gesture controls are a fun addition that I personally found annoying but I could see being useful for someone who is presenting. Need to zoom in? Flash an “L” with your hand. Want it to follow your movements? Raise your hand, and it locks onto you. Sometimes however it interprets hand gestures incorrectly and will zoom into a random area or follow you when you don’t want it to. Try it out for yourself to see if it's useful, but personally, I turned it off.

When testing the built-in microphones for the Tiny SE in a quiet room, my voice is clear with good range for webcam use, although a small amount of room echo and noise are present. The mic isn’t exceptional but then I was never expecting it to be and it does struggle a little in a crowded office. You'll always sound better with a dedicated headset or microphone but for a webcam, the Tiny SE offers acceptable audio quality.

The flip-out mount makes attaching the Tiny SE to a monitor or tripod a breeze. (Image credit: Future)

In terms of usability, the setup process is straightforward. Plug it in and you’re good to go. The Obsbot Center software does take this webcam to the next level and while it is annoying installing an app for a webcam, it really is worth it to get the most out of the Tiny SE. Its intuitive interface makes adjusting settings a breeze, whether you’re tweaking the tracking mode or fine-tuning image quality. You can adjust ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and refresh rate, as well as play with its AI features. The software also supports integration with tools like the Elgato Stream Deck, letting you set up presets for different angles or zoom levels at the push of a button.

While the AI-driven tracking around a room is almost flawless, the autofocus leaves something to be desired. While it technically works, it isn’t as snappy or accurate as autofocus found in higher-end and more expensive models. There’s noticeable focus hunting and occasional warping, which can be distracting when trying to present or walking around. It’s one of the few compromises they clearly made to keep the price so low.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $99 / £109 / AU$199
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

Here’s where the Obsbot Tiny SE hits it out of the park: the price. At $99 / £109 / AU$199, this webcam is fighting way above its weight class. Comparable models with similar features and gimbal tracking often cost significantly more. The Tiny SE provides a budget-friendly option for those who want tracking without the premium price tag.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Specs Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam?

It's not included in the box, but you can also buy Obsbot's standalone Tiny Smart Remote 2 for controlling the webcam. (Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You're upgrading a conference room setup
This is a "no-brainer" for businesses looking to upgrade conference calls. Its ability to track speakers and provide a more dynamic meeting experience while also being affordable and easy to use makes is easy to recommend.

You need AI tracking on a budget
The Tiny SE offers smooth, reliable AI tracking. If you move around during presentations, demonstrations, or online teaching, this camera will keep you framed effectively.

Don't buy it if...

You don't need pan, tilt, and zoom
The AI tracking and PTZ features are the Tiny SE's main selling points. If you primarily sit stationary in front of your computer, a less expensive, static webcam will likely suffice and save you money like the cute Obsbot Meet SE.

You need 4K video quality
If you're a professional content creator (or you're very serious about video conferencing) you might want to spring for a 4K webcam instead.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Also consider

Logitech C920
The quintessential 1080p webcam. Logitech's C920 has been a reliable and sensibly-priced choice of webcam for years, making it a good pick if you'd like to save some cash and don't need the fancy AI-tracking features found on the Obsbot Tiny SE.

Read our full Logitech C920 review

Obsbot Tiny 2
If you're looking for a more premium webcam than the Tiny SE, the Tiny 2 from Obsbot is virtually the exact same device - but with a 4K camera and some extra bells and whistles. For those who want a high-end video experience, this is a great pick (though it's naturally more expensive than the Tiny SE).

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

How I tested the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam

• Tested the webcam in video calls
• Spent a while experimenting with the gesture command feature
• Compared image quality to other webcams

I used the Obsbot Tiny SE for video calls and general image quality testing, as well as trying it out with various lighting levels to see how well it performed. I also tried out the gesture controls, and did some side-by-side comparisons with other webcams the offer the same resolution.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed March 2025

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: one-minute review

It’s easy to stick with the big name best dash cams, but if you’re not fussed about brand then the low-key Ombar and its DC42 Dash Cam might be an alternative route to take. The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam I’ve been testing comes supplied as a bundle, which means there are two cameras inside the box. First up, the front-facing unit features a slender design that sits in landscape orientation well out of the way on a vehicle screen. It boasts 4K video capture too, plus very acceptable levels of audio, although there’s no rear screen, which might be a turn-off to some.

This is augmented by a second, rear-facing dashcam that shoots 2K. Instead of utilizing the same old barrel design that is seen in many dash cam bundles, this unit is a small rectangular design and can be easily mounted in the rear window of the majority of vehicles. Everything works via a series of cables, with one going to the power and the other connecting the cameras together. In this respect, it’s worth remembering that there is quite a lot of cable to feed in behind trim panels during the installation process. Both cameras are held in place by supplied sticky pads that adhere to the mounting plates and screen glass.

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam has to be one of the easiest models to setup and configure, with much of this needing to be done via the supplementary app. The front camera unit also hosts some handy LEDs, one in red to tell you it’s recording neighbored by a small green LED that indicates GPS is activated. Microphone and camera reset holes sit immediately adjacent to them. Another benefit is down to the design, which alongside being super svelte offers a sliding mount that enables quick and easy removal of the front-facing camera if and when it is needed.

Adding to the appeal is the specification, which includes 170-degree field of vision for the front camera, 5G Wi-Fi, voice guidance, night vision, 64GB of storage and parking monitoring. The latter functionality requires an optional hardwire kit. Indeed, the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam comes with a dazzling array of features and functions given the fact that it retails for just over the $100/£100 mark, which makes it a great option for anyone on a budget. There’s a supporting Ombar ‘Kacam’ app too. This takes the place of a rear screen on the main unit and provides all of the tools needed for file management, as well as initial setup.

Another bonus with this bundle is that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam comes with a supplied 64GB microSD card, which slots into the end of the front camera. Everything else needed is in the box too, with all wires and fixings supplied. However, it’s worth remembering that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is just like the majority of other models in that it will need permanent fixing in your vehicle using an optional hardwire kit if all of the static parking and 24-hour monitoring tools are required. Nevertheless, this is a straightforward fitment job for any qualified individual and can even be attempted by novices if time and care is taken.

(Image credit: Future) Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: price and availability

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is available now and, in the bundle arrangement I’ve been testing, can be purchased from the manufacturer’s website. It’s listed there as the OMBAR DC42 Dash Cam Front and Rear 4K/2K/1080P+1080P 5G WiFi GPS and currently costs just $107.99 (around £84). This represents a $12 saving over the original cost price of $119.99 although shipping needs to be added and depends on the delivery location and route using either the US postal service or UPS.

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: specs Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: Design

I rather like the design of the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam. It’s very sleek and slender, which worked well when I tried it in a couple of different models of vehicle. In fact, it can sit quite happily just behind the rear-view mirror and is barely visible.

The unit looks and feels well made too, featuring a construction of grey heavy-duty plastic, along with a selection of ports and LEDs that also look and feel very durable during daily use. Of course, the downside here is there’s no rear screen, but a respectable supporting app takes good care of dash cam and file management.

(Image credit: Future)

Backing it up is the secondary camera, which sports a neat little rectangular design that sits happily in the rear window of a car. Both cameras are affixed using self-adhesive pads attached to brackets. The one for the front camera has a handy slider mechanism, so it can be detached quickly and easily if you need to take it with you for some reason.

Then there’s the cabling, which is standard issue dash cam wiring that needs to be fed behind trim panels in the car. The rear camera wire connects with a push fit to link it to the front unit.

(Image credit: Future) Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: Performance

Considering the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is essentially a budget model, this is an impressive bundle arrangement. The front-facing camera delivers crisp and clear F1.8 aperture, 4K, UHD footage shot at 3840x2160p maximum with very good audio as well. The rear-facing unit is a 2K capable offering, but the footage is still very serviceable and feels like it would definitely be of use in the event of any kind of incident. After installation, I found the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam to be reassuringly low maintenance.

In fact, it operated seamlessly and offers an audible alert once you’ve switched the vehicle on, plus there’s the bonus of the LEDs that glow to show the camera is working. I found this handy considering there’s no rear screen for this model. The so-called Kacam app, by Ombar itself, is neat too with a user-friendly interface that doesn’t deliver any surprises.

(Image credit: Future)

File transfer is impressive as well thanks to up to 5Ghz transfer rates. Ombar keeps its processor information quite well hidden, but to be honest I couldn’t fault the Galaxycore internals, which certainly never failed during my time using both dash cams.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been mightily impressed by the after-dark capabilities of the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam, which makes it very notable as the WDR and Super Night Vision tools built-in seem able to capture license plates and road signs without fuss or bother. This adds additional value to the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam and, again, makes the dash cam bundle particularly appealing if you make a lot of journeys after the sun has gone down.

Another extra that I got good use from was the voice prompt feature, which allowed me to confirm settings, like if the Wi-Fi was connected. Rounding out this impressive package is the benefit of built-in GPS tracking, which is always good for gathering data about any journey, including date, time and speed.

Should you buy the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You’re a newbie or need a replacement
The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam makes a lot of sense for anyone who wants to get a dashboard camera for the first time or simply replace an older, outdated model.

Features and functions matter
Surprisingly for an affordable package, the DC42 packs in a lot of functionality for something so frugally priced even though there’s no rear screen.

You want all round coverage
This model has the benefit of twin cameras, which offer a reassuring level of coverage for both the front and back of your car.

Don't buy it if...

You require a rear screen
The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam lacks a rear screen, which can be a turn-off although the supporting app works as a great replacement.

Only front-facing is needed
This review features a twin-camera setup, which means there are more cables to install and that might not be needed by some.

You like an imposing design
Having a visible dash cam can be handy when you’re behind the wheel, but this model’s svelte lines are quite easy to miss.

How I tested the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

• I installed the dash cam into two test cars for an initial period of three weeks
• I used it for numerous journeys during both day and night
• I connected it to my phone and downloaded recordings for comparison

I got to test the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam over the course of a few weeks and had the benefit of being able to try it in more than one vehicle. That allowed me to check just how flexible the design was, especially when it came to removing the dash cam after use. The sliding bracket is super handy, although this does leave the base bit sticking to the windshield, which has to be removed for installation in another car.

However, due to the temporary fitment situation, I wasn’t able to fully explore the parking features, which requires permanent installation using the optional hard wire kit. Nevertheless, based on performance during daylight and after dark hours, I have every reason to think that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam should work very well in this scenario. I particularly liked the low maintenance way it just got on the with job.

• First reviewed March 2025