Reviews

HP Omen 16 Slim: Two-minute review

In these strange times where PC memory prices seemingly double by the day, an affordable gaming laptop is a tantalising prospect. But is it actually realistic? Enter the HP Omen 16 Slim, HP's latest mainstream gaming portable.

There are two core variants of the Omen 16, a standard-sized model and this so-called "Slim". Long story short, this Slim model is a little skinnier but still isn't exactly super compact for a 16-inch laptop, thanks to not only a fairly hefty lower screen bezel, but also a chassis that sticks out beyond the base of the display. At least the slightly tanky proportions translate into a tanky chassis with a solid feeling keyboard bed.

Anyway, it's the value proposition that matters and that means getting into the specs. CPU-wise, we're talking Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, which is a pretty modern 16-core chip from Intel's Arrow Lake generation. Here it's configured with 24GB of DDR5 in dual 12GB SoDIMMs. But various configs are available, including 16GB and 24GB.

There's also 1TB Gen 4 SSD, but with any gaming laptop surely the most important single component is the GPU and it's no surprise to find an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 8GB doing the pixel pumping duties.

(Image credit: Future)

It's one up from the bottom of Nvidia's RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs, but it gets the full feature set, including all the latest DLSS upscaling bells and whistles. It outputs to a 165Hz 16-inch LCD display with a native resolution of 1,920 by 1,200 pixels, making it a 16:10 aspect panel rather than the usual 16:9 ratio.

The battery is a pretty generous 70Wh item, meanwhile, and networking includes WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4 and Ethernet. Slightly less impressive is the physical connectivity. Not only are you limited to just one USB-C port (plus three USB-A), it can only do a measly 10Gbps. So, the only video out is the single HDMI 2.1 port.

Of course, gaming performance is the key metric here, and the results are pretty good, albeit with one major caveat. This skinnier Omen 16 Slim makes do with 110W of Total Platform Power (TPP) and 80W maximum for the GPU, where the full-sized Omen 16 cranks that up significantly to 170W TPP. Given premium gaming laptops can supply as much as 175W and more just for the GPU, you can see how 110W for everything, including CPU, RAM and storage, can be a limiting factor.

That said, the RTX 5060 GPU is pretty efficient and well matched with the 1200p (near-enough 1080p) 165Hz display. You'll need to use DLSS upscaling to get slick frame rates in the most demanding games. But, broadly, you'll get fairly smooth results at very high detail settings. What's more, the chassis doesn't get too hot and the fan noise is moderate.

All of which means HP has done a nice job with the HP Omen 16 Slim. It's well built, mostly well specified and delivers a pretty sweet gaming experience. Whether it makes sense as a buy comes down to pricing. As configured here with 24GB of RAM, it's a little spendy. But there's an otherwise identical 16GB model that we just spotted for a whisker under $1,200. Right here in 2026, that's a very decent deal.

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Available for £1,499 in the UK with 24GB of DDR5
• The closest US config rocks 16GB of DDR5 for $1,599
• Looks out for deals on sites like Newegg

In this precise configuration with 24GB of DDR5 RAM, the HP Omen 16 Slim weighs in at £1,399 in the UK. That's actually very good given current memory prices, right now. Indeed, you could argue it would make sense to knock that back to 16GB, keep everything else the same, and save some money.

Indeed, in the US, just that configuration is available, while the 24GB option is not. With 16GB, you're currently looking at $1,599, which is a fair bit less appealing. Currently, an otherwise identical version but with an RTX 5050 instead of the RTX 5060 can be had for $1,198 on Newegg, which implies you might be able to bag one with the 5060 and 16GB for around $1,400 at some point if you hang around and wait for a deal. At that price point, the HP Omen 16 Slim would start making a lot of sense.

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Specs

Base spec

Review config

Price

$1,189 / £1,100 (estimated UK price)

£1,399 / $1,799 (estimated US price)

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 255H

Intel Core Ultra 7 255H

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU

RAM

16GB DDR5

24GB DDR5

Display

16-inch 1200p (1,920 x 1,200), 144Hz, IPS, 300 nits

16-inch 1200p (1,920 x 1,200), 165Hz, IPS, 400 nits

Storage

1TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4

1TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4

Ports and Connectivity

1x USB Type-C 10Gbps (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4), 3x USB Type-A 5Gbps, 1x ethernet, 1x headphone/mic combo jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 76E Bluetooth 5.4

1x USB Type-C 10Gbps (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB Type-A 5Gbps, 1x ethernet, 1x headphone/mic combo jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 76E Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

70Whr

70Whr

Weight

5.35lbs / 2.425kg)

5.35lbs / 2.425kg

Dimensions

14.1 x 10.6 x 0.9 inches / 35.75 x 26.9 x 2.27 cm

14.1 x 10.6 x 0.9 inches / 35.75 x 26.9 x 2.27 cm

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Not actually that "Slim"
• Solid, well-built chassis
• Connectivity is only OK
• Cooling is well executed

The HP Omen 16 Slim is mostly plastic, just the bottom cover is metal. But it still feels very solid and durable. The Keyboard is nice and stable, with only a touch of flex when pushed hard. The keyboard, while we're on the subject, has four configurable RGB lighting zones, but at this price point, you're not going to get per-key lighting.

HP has done a nice job with the cooling, too. The twin fans draw air from the bottom cover and push it out the back and do so without making too much noise. However, despite the "Slim" branding, this is not a super compact laptop.

(Image credit: Future)

Coming in at 1.99cm to 2.27cm thick, where the standard Omen 16 measures between 2.39cm and 2.54cm, the 16 Slim is thinner than its sibling. But it's still not that compact.

Thanks to a rather large chine bezel and the way the rear of the chassis sticks out beyond the screen hinge, the Omen 16 Slim actually has a larger footprint than many laptops that trade on pure performance rather than portability and also tips the scales at 2.42kg. So, it's no featherweight.

In that context, the somewhat limited connectivity is a touch disappointing. You get three USB-A ports, but just one USB-C and even the latter is limited to 10Gbps, though it does at least support video out and charging the laptop itself.

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Decent frame rates at 1200p with DLSS
• Seriously quick SSD
• Fan noise is reasonable

HP Omen 16 Slim benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 57,311; Fire Strike: 25,198; Time Spy: 10,454; Port Royal: 6,372
Geekbench 6: Multicore: 14,468; Single-core: 3,114
Cinebench R24: Single Core: 134; Multi Core: 2,713
Crossmark: Overall: 1,992; Productivity: 1,888; Creativity: 2,182; Responsiveness: 1,783
Passmark Overall: 10,817; CPU: 38,631; 2D Graphics: 819; 3D Graphics: 17,174; Memory: 3,094; Disk: 36,232
CrystalDiskMark: Read: 7,025MB/s; Write: 5,895MB/s
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: (1200p, High): 132fps; (1200p, High, DLSS Quality): 139fps
Total War: Warhammer III: (1200p, Ultra): 83fps; (1200p, Low): 205fps
Cyberpunk 2077: (1200p, Ultra, no RT): 70fps; (1200p, RT Ultra, DLSS Balanced): 51fps
Doom: Dark Ages: (1200p, Ultra): 57fps; (1200p, Ultra, DLSS Quality): 83fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours and 32 minutes

Intel's Core Ultra 7 255H is very much a known quantity, what with its eight Performance and eight Efficient CPU cores. It's all you need for gaming in CPU terms, so the HP Omen 16 Slim's critical gaming component compared with the competition among the best gaming laptops is that Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU and how well it's been implemented.

This thinner HP Omen 16 Slim model does suffer slightly in the wattage department, with the Total Platform Power shared across the GPU, CPU, memory and more capped at 110W. But that doesn't absolutely hobble gaming performance.

For instance, running at the 16-inch display's native 1,920 by 1,200 resolution, you can crank Cyberpunk 2077 right up, with Ultra RT settings and Quality DLSS scaling and still get 44fps average frame rate.

(Image credit: Future)

OK, that's not spectacular. But it is acceptable for a single-player title. Switch off the ray tracing and you'll be looking at frame rates nearer 100. Moreover, in less demanding games, let's say something a little older like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, you can hit over 130fps even without DLSS upscaling and really make the most of the 165Hz refresh rate of the 16-inch display.

Speaking of the screen, the 16:10 aspect is a little odd and adds a little GPU load versus a vanilla 1080p panel. But it's reasonably vibrant, with nice-ish colours and contrast and decent 3ms response times. It's nothing special, but probably what you'd expect at this price point.

Just note the panel reviewed here is the upgrade 400 nit option. The base display is only 300 nits, runs at 144Hz and has much less colour fidelity. Avoid that if at all possible.

(Image credit: Future)

The 16 Slim's thermal performance is pretty impressive, too. It doesn't get too hot under load and the fan noise is reasonable. Well, it is unless you enable "Unleashed Mode" in the Omen Gaming Hub app. That cranks up the fans, but doesn't do much for frame rates.

Elsewhere, the SSD is particularly nippy, clocking over 7GB/s for reads and nearly 6GB/s for writes. For what is pitched as a value-orientated system, that's impressive. As for other elements, the sound quality from the speakers is tolerable at this price point, but the volume could be a little higher, and the webcam quality is OK.

In terms of physical performance, the chassis feels robust, even though only the bottom cover is made of metal, and the keyboard base is nice and solid with minimal flex. As for the trackpad, it's mechanical and doesn't have niceties like a glass cover. But it's large and works well enough. It's also worth noting that the memory, storage and Wi-Fi cards are all upgradeable, which is welcome in an age where too many laptops have everything soldered on.

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• Surprisingly good for a budget gaming laptop
• USB-C charging is supported
• Not actually all that portable

Undoubtedly one of the HP Omen 16 Slim's more impressive aspects is battery life. OK, you're not going to get more than a couple of hours of light gaming off the mains, but for watching video, this laptop has some real legs.

Our local video playback test netted over 12 and a half hours with the screen at half brightness. That's a realistic setting for use on, say, a plane, albeit you might want to wind the screen up a little in bright daylight.

Whatever, that's a very impressive result for a gaming laptop and makes this portable much more plausible as an all-round computing device to take with you on trips and outings. The caveat to that is that the fairly large proportions and relatively hefty 2.4kg kerb weight mean this isn't a laptop you're going to sling into a small shoulder bag and forget about.

Should I buy the HP Omen 16 Slim?HP Omen 16 Slim: Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Prices are pretty variable depending on spec and location. But certain Omen 16 Slim configurations do look appealing. You may need to keep your scanners peeled for a good deal, however.

4 / 5

Design

The "Slim" branding suggests something very compact, but this is actually a fairly beefy 16-inch laptop. That said, it is solidly built with a decent keyboard. It's just a pity the connectivity isn't a touch more comprehensive.

4 / 5

Performance

This is a value-orientated gaming laptop, so expectations should be kept in check. But the RTX 5060 GPU matches well with the 16-inch display and you can run pretty much any title at high detail settings with the aid of DLSS upscaling.

3.5 / 5

Battery life

If there's one metric where the HP Omen 16 Slim delivers beyond expectations, it's battery life. You can expect over 12 hours of video playback, which is well beyond what most affordable gaming laptops can manage.

5 / 5

Total Score

Much depends on the price you can bag on the HP Omen 16 Slim. But if you can find a good deal, you'll get good performance, solid build and a nice all-round package.

4 / 5

Buy the HP Omen 16 Slim if…

You want decent value in today's weird market
Nothing's cheap when it comes to gaming PCs, these days. But the HP Omen 16 Slim is definitely decent value in the current context of spiralling memory prices.

You want good battery life
Most gaming laptops struggle away from the mains. But the HP Omen 16 Slim will do 12 hours-plus of video playback on the battery.

Don't buy it if…

You're looking for great portability
Despite the "Slim" branding, this is not a particularly compact or light 16-inch laptop. But it is solid and feels built to last.

You need cutting-edge performance
The HP Omen 16 Slim puts out decent frame rates for a mainstream laptop. But its RTX 5060 GPU is limited to 80W and this is not a high-end machine.View Deal

HP Omen 16 Slim review: Also consider

Asus V16
If you're looking for something even cheaper, try the Asus V16. It uses older Nvidia RTX 30 and 40 Series GPUs to achieve a few savings. But it's surprisingly well built and very portable for a gaming laptop. Read our full Asus V16 review.

Medion Erazer Major 16 X1
If you want more performance without breaking the bank, try the Medion Erazer Major 16 X1 and its RTX 5070 Ti GPU. It's heavy, feels and bit cheap and the battery life is poor. But it'll kick out some very impressive frame rates. Read our full Medion Erazer Major 16 X1 review.

How I tested the HP Omen 16 Slim HX

(Image credit: Future)

• Used as my daily rig for two weeks
• Threw my Steam library at
• Got forensic with the screen and build quality

I've been round the block when it comes to gaming laptops. My first portable ran a GeForce 2 Go, if you can remember back that far. My current lappie runs an RTX 4080, and there have been plenty more in between. ANd those are just my personal machines. I've long since lost count of how many gaming laptops I've reviewed. There are always a few knocking around.

Over the years, I've learned a lot about what makes a good gaming laptop and I applied that to the HP Omen 16 Slim over a couple of weeks. That means throwing everything in my Steam Library at it, from classic strategy titles like Total War to graphics fests including Cyberpunk 2077. All round performance, including the SSD, is also important, as is battery life for what is, ultimately, meant to be a portable machine.

I'm also very picky when it comes to screen quality and keyboard feel and have something of a forensic obsession with laptop build quality. You have to be realistic at this price point, but build quality is particularly important to gaming laptop longevity. Bendy chassis usually end up in flakey performance, eventually.

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

A relative newcomer in the industry, DataImpulse has grabbed a slice of the proxy pie thanks to its wallet-friendly, high-performing service. From more than 90 million ethically-sourced residential IPs across 195 locations to mobile and datacenter proxies, users gain access to a speedy and reliable global network.

The company specializes in creating custom proxy services for businesses, though individual users who aim to access data from anywhere and collect the information they need will have no problem finding something for themselves.

Arguably, the biggest selling point is a highly competitive, pay-as-you-go pricing model with traffic that never expires. DataImpulse throws in free country-level targeting for every plan (more granular targeting options are also available), and full support for HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 proxy protocols across all of its proxy networks.

Plans and Pricing

DataImpulse operates on a transparent pay-as-you-go model where traffic never expires. In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept, the bandwidth you buy here is yours until your scrapers actually consume the bytes, whether that takes days or months.

The price structure is based on the type of proxy and the amount of traffic.

For instance, residential proxies start at a flat $1 per GB for a 5GB starter block, and go up to 50GB at the same dollar-to-gigabyte ratio. If you ramp up your scraping to the Advanced tier, the cost drops down to $0.80 per GB for an 800GB package, with custom enterprise pricing scaling down even further for terabyte-scale deployments - though you’ll have to pony up at least $4000 for the option.

Datacenter proxies start at a mere $0.50 per GB for new users, slipping down to $0.45 per GB when upgrading to a larger $450 volume pool. Once again, you can get a custom price per gigabyte.

Gaining access to mobile proxies kicks off at $2 per GB for the entry-level 5GB option. The price goes down to $1.6 per GB for bulk operations, with custom pricing available for truly massive projects.

Finally, premium residential proxies will set you back $5 per GB via 1GB and 10GB plans. And yes, there is a custom option too with a $20k starting point.

It’s worth mentioning that DataImpulse doesn’t play favorites with its plans. Each includes free country-level geo-targeting, rotating and sticky sessions, HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 support, full programmatic API access, 24/7 support, and unrestricted concurrent threads. There are no overage penalties or hidden connection fees, which means your infrastructure bill will match your actual code execution down to a T.

Features

If you decide to give DataImpulse a go, your first step will be to register, either the old-fashioned way or through your Google, GitHub, or LinkedIn profile. A classic dashboard layout will greet you, where all the important stuff is located in the left sidebar.

(Image credit: DataImpulse )

The usage chart and details will be your starting point. Once you settle on a plan, you can begin with the proxy configuration by setting the targeting options down to the ASN (Autonomous System Number) and IP rotation interval, which you can save altogether as a dedicated configuration.

You have to choose between a sticky or rotating proxy, as well as the protocol in charge. Sticky proxies are port-based (IP addresses are bound to a specific port for a specific timeframe), and the rotation interval can range from 1 to 120 minutes. Rotating proxies change the IP address automatically with each new request.

From here, it’s also possible to top up your balance by choosing the number of GBs you want to add in the event you need more traffic.

Here’s a more detailed look at DataImpulse’s offering:

Residential proxies

Arguably the workhorse of the platform, the standard residential proxy pool provides on-demand access to a sizable footprint of over 90 million active IP addresses across 195 countries. DataImpulse proudly markets its pool as entirely ethically sourced, which means all nodes join the network legally and transparently.

As a result, the IPs maintain a pristine reputation score and are drastically less likely to be blacklisted by major CDN platforms. In other words, when your script routes data through these nodes, target web servers view the connection as an ordinary home user browsing a site, rather than an automated bot. In our tests, residential proxies delivered a consistently high scraping success rate.

Premium residential proxies

DataImpulse labels these as ultra-responsive IP addresses with minimal latency that deliver better reliability and security compared to regular residential proxies. So, you should see faster connection speeds and more precise geo-targeting, especially considering you get full customization options to tweak your scripts.

Moreover, upgrading to the premium residential line significantly reduces the risk of encountering unexpected access blocks or sudden CAPTCHAs. Since this is a premium offering, it includes additional operational perks, such as a dedicated account manager to help optimize your efforts and resolve any doubts or issues.

Datacenter proxies

When targeting open public directories or basic landing pages (basically, anything that isn’t buffed up with sophisticated anti-bot frameworks), residential IPs can be an expensive overkill. To that extent, DataImpulse offers 20 million datacenter IPs in 195+ countries to tide you over in a cost-efficient manner.

With a response time of less than 100 milliseconds and the fact that these IPs connect directly to high-speed enterprise data systems, this tier is built for pure speed and instances where you need to process thousands of requests per second. You can also configure your IP address to be active for up to 30 minutes.

Mobile proxies

For the most challenging anti-bot systems, like social networks or review platforms, DataImpulse provides rotating and sticky mobile proxies. Pulling from a pool of over 16 million real 3G, 4G, 5G, and LTE cellular towers across 195 locations, these carry a distinct security advantage due to the same public-facing IP to thousands of mobile devices simultaneously.

Hence, web firewalls seldom block a mobile IP address outright since doing so would mean blocking hundreds of legitimate human users on that cell tower network. The largest pool of DataImpulse’s mobile IPs is in India (1.57 million), Saudi Arabia (444k), Italy (257k), Morocco (239k), while the United States is covered with 129k IPs. You can have a single address remain active for up to two hours.

Traffic that never expires

Perhaps the defining USP separating DataImpulse from a chunk of its competitors is the fact that your purchased pay-as-you-go traffic never expires.

In most cases, you’ll wind up with monthly billing subscriptions or restrictions on how long your traffic is valid for. If you have unused bandwidth, it’s gone for good. With DataImpulse, it remains completely active until your crawlers actively consume the bytes. Having peace of mind that you can use data as long as you need without worrying about losing access makes the model a great fit for small businesses and dev teams with limited budgetary and operational width.

Scraping

Unlike some of its peers, DataImpulse leans heavily into a developer-first, DIY network architecture. This means there is no web scraping API, as the vendor’s focus is solely on providing raw proxy connections, rather than managed scraping tools. You must write your own code to manage requests, parse the HTML, handle retries, and bypass CAPTCHAs.

On the plus side, such a model brings financial and structural flexibility for teams writing custom data collectors. By routing scripts through DataImpulse’s proxy layer, they can plug the proxies directly into any automation framework or headless browser engine using basic credentials or token structures.

(Image credit: DataImpulse)

In that regard, DataImpulse provides a Gateway API to programmatically manage, authenticate, and automate the provisioning of their global proxy pools. From there, you can dynamically generate proxy lists, rotate IP addresses, track bandwidth consumption and request volumes, programmatically set advanced targeting filters, and more.

There are also comprehensive integration blueprints for popular developer frameworks and third-party apps. Some of these include Scrapy, Puppeteer, Selenium, Shadowrocket, Multilogin, AdsPower, Playwright, and Zapier, to name a few. The platform also provides short code snippets for Python, Node.js, PHP, C#, Go, Ruby, and cURL to set up proxies. All of the above is neatly documented with built-in support and code examples.

Advanced geo-targeting and session controls

Country-level geo-targeting across all 195 covered regions is built natively into the base $1/GB price floor with zero add-on activation fees. For more accurate data parsing, there are State, City, ZIP code, and ASN filter toggles.

When it comes to rotating sessions, the DataImpulse gateway dynamically inserts a randomized IP address on every network request your scraper submits. For standard HTTP/HTTPS traffic, you simply point your scripts to gw.dataimpulse.com on port 823. In case your stack relies on the more robust SOCKS5 protocol to handle raw TCP tunnels or high-performance scraping, you use port 824.

For situations where your code requires session continuity (like managing a social profile or handling account-tied logins), you can bind your traffic to a dedicated port range anywhere from port 10000 through 20000. Doing so locks a single IP address to your active thread for up to 120 minutes, though the system gracefully defaults to a 30-minute window if no interval is set.

Ease of Use

There’s not much to say here. Most importantly, the dashboard allows you to move effortlessly around via a single-page command center tailored for fast deployment. That said, the arrangement of certain sections could be better.

For starters, the section ‘Resources’ that features the onboarding guide is tucked away in the upper right corner of your respective plan, instead of being the first thing you see. The same place holds the links for documentation and tutorials.

Then, the ‘Proxy Locations’ section provides a table overview of supported countries for each of the four types of proxies available on DataImpulse. There’s no additional functionality or details to it, which feels like a missed opportunity.

(Image credit: DataImpulse)

Acting as a de facto homepage, there is a filterable real-time line chart that plots your request volume across custom date ranges and breaks down traffic metrics by total requests, charged traffic, and total spend.

The dashboard also logs individual session activity in an audit table showing the timestamp, targeted host, consumed traffic, and error/success states, with the option to export this data directly to a CSV report.

In terms of generating your target connection parameters, the dashboard provides a straightforward copy-paste system where you can grab your master username and password strings.

You can also manage whitelisted IPs via a simple menu. Just save your scraping server's public IP address within your dashboard profile, and the gateway will automatically recognize your incoming traffic tunnels, thus shaving valuable milliseconds off your script's execution times.

Customer Support

One of the things DataImpulse singles out is its 24/7 personalized, human support. The company proudly mentions that you’ll get an answer in under 3 minutes, courtesy of an ever-present chat icon in the lower right corner. Our experience was no different - we got a tidy reply in less than a minute.

If you prefer self-service support, the company provides a thorough Documentation page. Here, you’ll find various technical reference materials, API endpoints, authentication methods, and basic proxy setup instructions.

(Image credit: DataImpulse)

Covering the more practical elements is the Tutorials page. It acts as an extensive step-by-step engineering handbook, packed with detailed screenshots, videos, configuration blueprints, and copy-pasteable code snippets for integrating proxies across dozens of operating systems, scraping frameworks, and headless browsers.

For customers deploying huge data operations at the custom enterprise level, DataImpulse boosts its support to include dedicated account managers and custom feature engineering tailored specifically to the customer’s unique data requirements.

The Competition

Truth be told, proxy services are tough competition. DataImpulse has robust providers like Bright Data, Oxylabs, and Decodo playing in the same field, though its unexpiring pay-as-you-go traffic and a highly disruptive $1 per GB residential proxy baseline certainly make it stand out. Nonetheless, the main problem is a lack of out-of-the-box software tools or any sort of target templates, leaving all the coding execution to your team.

Final Verdict

If anything, DataImpulse proves you don’t have to pay a premium to get access to a reliable and ethically sourced proxy network. In no small part thanks to its price tag and data that never expires, the company has created an accessible, developer-first platform that is finely tuned to the needs of individual developers, startups, dev squads, and growing small businesses.

So, if you have the know-how and are looking to drastically slash data collection costs, DataImpulse will more than suffice. But, if you’re not much of a technical user and require a fully managed, hands-off scraping solution, it will likely be too bare-bones for your liking.

• Take a look at our guide to the best proxy services

When I first caught a glimpse of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, it sparked a great sense of anticipation within me. After all, Square Enix and Claytechworks were collaborating to bring a brand new HD-2D RPG to the table, which appeared to combine sprinklings of classic Zelda titles with the visual, sonic, and environmental grandeur from series such as Mana and Dragon Quest.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
Release date: June 18, 2026

I’m a huge fan of the HD-2D graphical style, and massively enjoyed recent releases such as Final Fantasy: The Ivalice Chronicles and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, but I still wasn’t quite sure if I’d love The Adventures of Elliot. Was the action combat going to be polished and engaging enough? Was the world going to deliver the spectacle and appeal conjured up with other series? Would the narrative have me hooked?

Well, after playing the game for more than 25 hours now, I have an answer to all of those questions. Here’s what I made of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.

The good: combat that exceeds expectations

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Let’s start by addressing my curiosity surrounding combat in The Adventures of Elliot — just how good is it? Well, I’m pleased to report that I had a lot of fun with the action in this game. It clearly pulls on 2D Zelda, with real-time combat that challenges you to use a variety of weapons to overcome your foes.

You can equip two weapons at once, and while I typically used my sword for close range attacks and bow for projectiles, I found genuine utility in a lot of equipment, be that bombs, a hammer, spear, and more. Combat feels fluid, responsive, and well balanced. You can also defend or parry with a shield, and using this to avoid big damage can be crucial.

There’s a pretty fast, high-octane feel to battles, big or small, and by defeating multiple foes in a row, you can build up a streak to obtain better drops. This adds a layer of fun to combat, and gives you a genuine reason to seek out and destroy random creatures in your vicinity — I had a lot of fun pushing myself to get that streak as high as possible.

Combat is absolutely at its best during boss fights, though. These can offer genuine challenges, and often require you to switch up attacks, defend with care, and employ a variety of weapons to get the win. The satisfaction I got when evading a robotic titan’s assault and slashing it to smithereens with my blade was nothing short of exhilarating.

Best bit

(Image credit: Square Enix)

The highlight of this game is without question its majestic boss battles. Whether I was taking on Minister Kaifried or a bunch of deadly robotic guardians, I enjoyed making use of my full arsenal of weapons in order to emerge victorious.

What’s more, you can customize weapons with something called Magicite, which imparts specific abilities to help you wipe out the opposition with greater ease. This is executed very well, and helps you to raise attack power, unlock elemental attacks, and extend the reach of your attacks, for instance.

By spending more Tul (the in-universe currency), you can use more Magicite, and this helps you scale in terms of power as the game unfolds, making progression feel natural and well-paced.

Other gameplay elements are solid too. Platforming isn’t a massive part of the game, but feels precise and smooth. Your companion for most of the journey, Faie, also has abilities such as dashing and warping, which make traversing environments and taking down enemies even more varied and seamless, and you can unlock more of — and improve on — said abilities as the game progresses.

The not-so good: a narrative missing its spark

(Image credit: Square Enix)

So, the gameplay in The Adventures of Elliot is a hit, in my book. The brilliant bosses and close contests against frogs, robots, slugs, and more kept me coming back for more. But unfortunately, some things made me feel reluctant to indulge in long, uninterrupted play sessions — namely, the game’s narrative and dialogue.

Simply put, the story in The Adventures of Elliot lacks the spark that I was looking for. It often feels flat, lacking moments of surprise and suspense, and its largely predictable plot points paired with sluggish and dull dialogue meant that I was tempted, at times, to skip through a few scenes — something I never do with story-driven RPGs.

On top of this, the cast of characters is surprisingly weak for a Square Enix game. The protagonist, Elliot, feels somewhat hollow, and spends much of the game telling people to follow their heart, chase their dreams, and to believe in themselves. To be blunt, it feels a bit sappy, and despite his striking appearance, he’s actually quite an uninteresting lead.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

A lot of the other characters are written in a slightly wooden way, too. Elliot will meet them, they’ll reveal something that troubles them — be that isolation, missing a loved one, or seeking connection with others — the hero will do something to assist them, and then you move on. As a result, characters often lack nuance or depth, and it feels hard to care about the various individuals involved.

Like a lot of other players have pointed out online, your companion, Faie, is also rather irritating. She speaks up…a lot…and her hand-holdy, pointless interjections can feel grating. You can mute your companion, thankfully, which is a good thing given that the fairy’s high-pitched tone is still haunting me.

Much of the game is centered around time travel, another element that could’ve been handled more effectively in my view. A lot of the environments look identical across different eras, and enemy variety can be pretty limited across time as well.

I did like the discoveries you could make across different ages, though, and hunting for new weapons in the various dungeons, and general exploration, was pretty enjoyable. My critique here, however, is that the puzzles within various areas are very easy, and require little effort to overcome. Therefore, anyone seeking out the ingenious design of classic Zelda dungeons may be left wanting more.

Final thoughts: a new IP with growing pains

(Image credit: Square Enix)

The Adventures of Elliot still nails a lot of the fundamentals, with a beautiful soundtrack, gorgeous HD-2D visuals, and a neat UI. But when I look at the full package, I’m left feeling conflicted.

While the combat is slick and enticing, the underwhelming story and lack of variation in environments and enemies slightly disappointed me.

Although I still had a decent time with The Adventures of Elliot, and I enjoyed its delicious HD-2D graphics and high-octane battles, it’s clear that the new IP has gone through a few growing pains. And unfortunately, its forgettable characters and lacking dialogue bring the overall experience down a touch, meaning it doesn’t quite hit the highest of heights.

Should you play The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales?

(Image credit: Square Enix)Play it if...

You love classic Zelda combat
If you’re a sucker for combat in 2D Zelda games, then this title will surely hit the spot for you. The pace of battle and numerous weapon types keep combat feeling varied and exciting throughout the game’s runtime.

You’re a fan of the HD-2D visual style
If, like me, you’ve enjoyed the HD-2D visual style before, you'll almost certainly love it again here. The game is full of beautiful backdrops and environments, and the expressive 16-bit style sprites really pop.

Don't play it if...

You’re expecting a gripping story
The biggest weakness of this title is its underwhelming story, with dull dialogue and an uninspired cast of characters holding the overall experience back from greatness.

You want tough puzzles
Although in-game dungeons hold some highly entertaining boss fights, reaching them can often feel like a formality. That’s largely because puzzles are very straightforward, with little challenge involved.

Accessibility features

There are a number of ways to customize the experience in The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. There are a handful of text languages, and you can swap between English or Japanese voices. You can alter text display speed, and set dialogue to auto if you want to watch scenes unfurl naturally.

There are a range of difficulty modes too, and you can remap controls to your liking for a more custom experience. Unfortunately, there’s no colorblind mode, or similar.

(Image credit: Square Enix)How I reviewed Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

(Image credit: Square Enix)

I spent more than 25 hours playing through the main story and side quests in The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. I played on Normal difficulty in this instance.

For the most part, I played the game on my PS5, which is connected up to my Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, I occasionally dipped into the title on my PS Portal, and used the Sennheiser CX 80U to enjoy in-game audio while on the go.

More generally, I’ve reviewed a wide range of games here at TechRadar, though my main focus has been on RPGs, including Square Enix titles like Final Fantasy: The Ivalice Chronicles and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake.

First reviewed: July 2026

Honor Magic V6 review: Two-minute review

Chinese phone giant Honor has been on a bit of a roll recently. In 2026, it’s already given us the exceptional Honor MagicPad 4 and the compelling Honor Magic 8 Pro flagship, not to mention the impressive (albeit slightly pricey) Honor 600 Pro. Its latest foldable, the Honor Magic V6, keeps up this formidable streak and is easily worthy of being considered one of the best foldable phones today.

The big draw here is the Magic V6's market-leading durability. I’ve taken plenty of foldables for a spin, from the clamshell Motorola Razr Plus to the tablet-style Oppo Find N5, but I’ve always maintained that I would never actually buy one. Why? Because these devices are often simply too fragile. I’m pretty clumsy with my phones and regularly use (and I must admit, sometimes drop) them in the shower or bath, and there’s no way that I’m going to splash out on a premium foldable only to see it turned into a damp paperweight.

The Honor Magic V6 is the first foldable I’ve tested that truly bucks that trend.

(Image credit: Future)

In its review documentation, Honor recommended not to baby the phone — I was encouraged to take it out and about without a case, use it in the rain, and so on. I’ve been doing exactly that and, after multiple months of use, it still looks brand new. With its IP68 and IP69 ratings, it offers the highest level of water protection that I can find on the market right now, comparable to most regular high-end flagships.

Its fold is smooth, quiet, and, after being unfolded multiple times a day for weeks, is still as good as new. Honor says that the inner screen is layered with tough UTG flexible glass and has an SGS Imperceptible Crease Certification, and it really shows. The fold is near-invisible head-on, and only really shows if you hold the phone at very specific angles. This is the first foldable I’ve used where you can truly forget that it’s even there.

All of this is underpinned by a premium design that’s impressively slim. The folded phone is about as thick as an iPhone 17 Pro Max, so it feels great in the hands. Unfolded, it becomes just 4.00mm — the same incredible slimness that we loved with the previous Honor Magic V5. On that note, it’s a shame that Honor hasn’t really changed the design that much for this new iteration, though.

The look is practically identical and, on a more serious note, the V5 often ran hot, and that’s still an issue this time around. It’s especially apparent when you’re putting the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC through its paces, so be prepared for some thermal throttling if you’re spending hours in the most demanding games.

Despite these minor shortcomings, the Magic V6 is a winner and another impressive showing for Honor. I’m eager to see what the company has planned next.

Honor Magic V6 review: Price and availability

• Priced at £1,999.99 / AU$2,999 (around $2,700)
• Already discounted by £500 thanks to a voucher
• Available in the UK and Australia, but not the US

The Honor Magic V6 is priced at £1,999.99 (AU$2,999), which is a pretty hefty sum, but roughly in line with competing devices like the $2,099.99 / £1,899 / AU$2,999 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Honor gains a major edge when you consider that the V6 offers 512GB of storage as standard (the Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at just 256GB) and factor in the brand’s frequent promotions and freebies.

At the time of writing, for example, the phone is already £500 off on the official Honor website thanks to a voucher, and comes bundled with your choice of an Honor Pad 10 tablet, projector, or AI voice recorder in addition to some earbuds — you can’t really argue with the value there.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic V6's spec sheet:

Dimensions

156.7mm x 74.5 mm x 8.75mm (folded) / 156.7mm x 145.6mm x 4.1mm (unfolded)

Weight

219g

Screen

Inner: 7.95-inch 2352 x 2172 foldable OLED

Outer: 6.52-inch 2420 x 1080 OLED

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

RAM

16GB

Storage

512GB

OS

Honor MagicOS 10 (Android 16)

Rear cameras

50MP ultra-wide, 50MP wide, 64MP telephoto lens (3x zoom)

Front camera

20MP wide, 20MP wide

Audio

Stereo speakers with Honor Sound

Battery

6,660mAh lithium polymer

Charging

80W Honor SuperCharge, 66W Wireless Honor SuperCharge

Colors

Red, Gold, White, Black

Honor Magic V6 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Very similar to the V5
• Smoother, more premium hinge
• Still a large camera bump

The design of the Honor Magic V6 is practically identical to that of the V5. It is incredibly thin when unfolded, coming in at just 4.1mm, with a durable aluminium chassis. The back material depends on your choice of colorway, with the Red version using vegan leather and the Gold, Black, and White featuring a smooth fibre composite.

Whether you’re using it folded or unfolded, this is a very good-looking phone that feels great in the hands. I took it with me to Los Angeles on two business trips during my testing, and multiple people complimented the device completely unprompted and were eager to learn more about it — something that I can’t say has happened with any other mobile I’ve used.

Like most Chinese flagships, the rear of the phone features a large octagonal camera bump which isn't going to be to everyone’s taste. I do quite like how it looks, though, and appreciate the subtle tactile texture on the ring around it. The bump is also a bit smaller than that of the Honor Magic 8 Pro, which means that it’s less likely to rest under your fingers and get covered in smudges.

Although the aesthetic hasn’t changed, there have been some big improvements compared to the Honor Magic V5 when it comes to the hinge. It’s much quieter and smoother this time around, helping the phone feel more premium and sturdy. When opened, the phone’s inner display looks totally flat, and the crease is totally invisible in most situations. It only shows up at specific angles and when the screen is displaying lighter colors like grey or white.

Honor keeps things refreshingly simple when it comes to buttons with the Magic V6. There’s a small volume rocker and a power button on the right-hand side, and that’s your lot. They’re well placed for one-handed operation and feel pleasantly clicky. My only real gripe is the fingerprint reader built into the power button, which sometimes feels unresponsive and requires a few attempts to successfully unlock.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Display

(Image credit: Future)

• Both screens are bright and attractive
• Crease is barely visible
• Comes with pre-applied screen protectors

Both of the displays found on the Honor Magic V6 are excellent. The 6.52-inch OLED outer screen has a 2420 x 1080 resolution, with a fantastic 2,000 nits peak brightness (or up to an absurd 6,000 nits with HDR) that ensures that it stays visible in even the harshest lighting conditions. It uses Honor’s Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield coating, which is decently scratch-resistant and has managed to keep the screen pristine throughout my testing.

It certainly helps that the outer screen also comes fitted with a screen protector out of the box, though I opted to remove it early on as it picked up a lot of marks very quickly. (The inner display also comes with a screen protector, though be warned that this is an integral part of the display that should not be removed by the user. It thankfully seems much more durable than the outer one). Despite the rectangular candy-bar shape of the folded phone, the outer screen uses rounded corners, presumably to give it symmetry with the inner one.

That inner display is a 7.5-inch foldable OLED panel, surrounded by impressively thin plastic bezels. It’s almost as bright as the external one, with a 1,300-nit peak brightness (or up to 5,000 nits with HDR). It’s decently high resolution at 2352 x 2172 and doesn’t look noticeably less sharp than the external one in use, so you can transition between them seamlessly. Honor also deserves some credit for just how closely calibrated both of the displays are: they’re practically identical in terms of color and together just feel like a natural extension of the same panel.

Both the inner and outer screens feature an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, too (avoiding a jarring transition between different refresh rates when switching between the two), which is fantastic for smoothly scrolling apps and social media websites.

Lastly, you absolutely don’t need to worry about an ugly crease spoiling your view with the Honor Magic V6. There is still a fold that you can feel if you really examine it with your fingers, but it’s practically invisible in regular use unless you hold your phone at specific side-on angles or look very closely on a totally blank screen.

I’ve been folding and unfolding the phone constantly throughout my testing, and it hasn’t become more visible either, which is a great sign for long-term durability.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• Good camera setup
• Not quite as strong as the Magic 8 Pro
• Plenty of software features

The cameras of the Honor Magic V6 aren’t quite as strong as those of the Honor Magic 8 Pro, but they’re still very capable compared to the rest of the wider foldable category. The rear camera offers a three-lens setup, with a 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP wide, and 64MP telephoto lens.

Photos are bright and poppy by default, which is great for capturing the mood of summer days, and they offer a good level of detail — even when dealing with busy scenes and foliage. The main sensor offers 3x optical zoom, which works fantastically, alongside a much less consistent 100x digital zoom. This setup performs well in low-light conditions and those with challenging lighting setups, like concerts with bright strobe effects.

There are plenty of software features to try out on the Magic V6, including AI-powered color filters and different photo watermarks. The ability to display the photo that you’re taking on the front screen is also brilliant for group settings.

Both the front and inner display have the same 20MP wide sensor, which does a good job with selfies, even if the results are a little overprocessed. The Honor Magic V6 also has strong video shooting capabilities and can capture 4K video at 60fps.

As good as it all is, though, I do think the results are overall less impressive than the images I’ve taken with the Honor Magic 8 Pro and its 200MP main lens.

• Cameras score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Camera samplesDashiell WoodDashiell WoodDashiell WoodDashiell WoodDashiell WoodDashiell WoodDashiell WoodHonor Magic V6 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Flagship chip
• Can run hot
• Good RAM and storage

The Honor Magic V6 is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip found in the Honor Magic 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and other high–end smartphones. With this SoC, it should come as no surprise that the performance of the Honor Magic V6 is incredibly strong across the board.

In daily use, you’re not going to notice any hitches or slowdown when navigating system menus, browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox, and social media apps. It’s paired with 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough for serious multitasking. I normally rely on my phone for productivity tasks like note-taking, transcribing, and document editing while I’m out on business trips, and my flow was never broken by sudden reloads when flicking between multiple apps — even ones that I hadn’t opened for some time.

Gaming performance is also excellent. It almost goes without saying that casual titles like Plants vs Zombies 3 or Warhammer Combat Cards - 40K (two games I must admit I’ve been spending an embarrassing amount of time playing recently) are totally flawless. More demanding titles, like my go-to Zenless Zone Zero, will run beautifully at the maximum settings preset as well.

The Honor Magic V6 does have a problem with temperatures, though. Extended gaming sessions will cause the phone to heat up quite a bit, leading to eventual slowdown. I also found that it struggled massively during the recent UK heatwave, feeling red hot in my pocket and struggling to run even Google Maps smoothly in direct sunlight. Given the phone’s thinness, I think it’s reasonable that it runs hot at times — but if you want a dedicated gaming device, you would be better off looking outside the foldable market.

Only one configuration of the Honor Magic V6 is available, offering 512GB of storage out of the box. It’s a bit of a shame that there’s no 1TB model for proper power users, but this 512GB capacity will be more than sufficient for the vast majority of buyers. I still have almost 300GB of free space after multiple months of use.

The stereo speakers of the Honor Magic V6 are decent, but hardly going to blow your socks off. There’s more bass than you might expect given the phone’s slight profile, and they can get fairly loud. Just make sure that you run to the ‘Sound quality and effects’ menu in the settings app and disable the various effects that are, for some reason, enabled by default. They just make everything sound washed out.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Software

(Image credit: Future)

• Transitions between screens seamlessly
• MagicOS 10 is still a winner
• Sleek, iOS-inspired design language

I’m a big fan of MagicOS 10, Honor’s Android 16-based operating system. The design is certainly Apple-inspired, but as an ex-iPhone user, I find it both visually appealing and easy to use. It has a liquid-glass-like aesthetic, with sleek, semi-transparent menus and rounded buttons.

You get all the visual flair of using an iPhone, but with all the additional customization options that you would expect from the Android ecosystem. New icon packs, themes, and a range of pre-set options can be selected from the in-built themes app. You can even disable the transparency effects throughout the OS if you want something that looks a bit more like traditional Android.

Smart features, like an AI tool to recommend images that would be well-suited for your lock screen and AI-powered widgets that use context to suggest the app that you’re most likely to want to use, make daily operation smooth.

Other AI software elements include the ability to generate or rephrase text and a surprisingly good translation feature. They’re not all winners though. The AI Settings Agent (which allows you to type or speak sentences like ‘Turn off Bluetooth’ in order to change key settings) is laughably useless, while the so-called AI Memories App is literally just a screenshot tool with the word AI slapped on it.

But compared to other foldables that I have used, the Honor Magic V6 is by far the smoothest when transitioning between the two displays on the software front. You will get the odd moment where things freeze up, or apps fail to resize properly, but the vast majority of the time it works exactly as you would expect. I soon found that being able to seamlessly access the larger screen made it much easier to compose apps in Gmail, or edit documents in Google Drive.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic V6 review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

• 6,660mAh lithium polymer cell
• Best in class battery life
• Easily lasts for more than a day

The battery life of the Honor Magic V6 is superb. The 6,660mAh lithium polymer cell offers more than enough juice for a full day of use, even if you play graphically demanding games or stream video content. I use my phone constantly throughout the day and regularly go to bed with about 25% of juice left. With light use, you could easily stretch multiple days out of a single charge, particularly if you enable one of the power-saving modes.

6,660mAh is the largest battery capacity you will find across the entire foldable category, and it shows in real-world use. The Honor Magic V6 can comfortably outlast both the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (we’re yet to test it against the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra), as well as traditional flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Honor devices are already known for their serious battery chops, but cramming this much battery life into a device so thin and light is extremely impressive.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic V6?Honor Magic V6 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Honor Magic V6 isn’t cheap, but it does offer significantly better value than key competitors.

4/5

Design

A sleek, stylish, and durable design with a smooth hinge. It’s great, but draws heavily on the winning formula of the Honor Magic V5.

4.5/5

Display

The Honor Magic V6 offers two great screens which feel like a natural extension of each other.

4/5

Software

Honor MagicOS 10 is a capable and attractive operating system that’s well optimized for foldables.

4/5

Camera

A compelling camera setup, only lagging slightly behind regular flagships.

4/5

Performance

Extremely fast and ready for gaming, but prone to overheating during extended play sessions.

4/5

Battery

The Honor Magic V6 excels with leading battery life in the foldable category

5/5

Buy it if...

You want a foldable with serious battery chops
The Honor Magic V6 offers the best battery life in the entire foldable category. It’s the one to choose if you need serious battery performance.

You want a great-looking phone
The Honor Magic V6 doesn’t stray too far from the design of the Honor Magic V5, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s still a fantastic-looking phone.

You need a durable foldable
The Honor Magic V6 is incredibly durable for a foldable phone. It has some of the best water resistance on the market, and feels sturdy enough to last for years.

Don't buy it if...

You are a hardcore gamer
The Honor Magic V6 has the technical specs for high-level gaming, but it often runs hot under heavy load, which does hamper performance. Consider a conventional flagship or a dedicated gaming phone if you want to play the latest and greatest titles for hours at a time.

Honor Magic V6 review: Also consider

Not so keen on the Honor Magic V6? Here are two alternatives to weigh up, one folding and one not.

Honor Magic 8 Pro
The Honor Magic 8 Pro is a fantastic alternative if you want a conventional flagship with similar specs in a non-folding format. It’s cheaper, but features a larger battery, better cameras, better cameras and faster charging among other upgrades.

Read our full Honor Magic 8 Pro review

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The Google Pixel 10 Fold also offers a strong level of water resistance and durability. It’s the alternative to go for if you would prefer something running a more vanilla version of Android.

Read our full Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review

Honor Magic V6

Honor Magic 8 Pro

Google Pixel 10 Fold

Starting price

£1,999.99 / AU$2,999 (around $2,700)

£1099.99

$1,799 / £1,749 / AU $2,699

Dimensions

156.7mm x 74.5 mm x 8.75mm (folded) / 156.7mm x 145.6mm x 4.1mm (unfolded)

161.15 x 8.4 x 75mm

155.2 x 150.4 x 5.2 mm

Weight

219g

219g

258g

Screen

Inner: 7.95-inch 2352 x 2172 foldable OLED

Outer: 6.52-inch 2420 x 1080 OLED

6.7-inch 1256 x 2808 OLED, 120Hz

Inner: 6.4-inch OLED

Outer: 8-inch OLED

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Google Tensor G5

RAM

16GB

12GB

16GB

Storage

512GB

512GB

256GB / 512GB / 1TB

OS

Honor MagicOS 10 (Android 16)

MagicOS 10, based on Android 16

Android 16

Rear cameras

50MP ultra-wide, 50MP wide, 64MP telephoto lens (3x zoom)

50MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 200MP telephoto (3.7x zom)

48MP, f/1.7, 0.5-inch sensor

Front camera

20MP wide, 20MP wide

50MP

10MP

Audio

Stereo speakers with Honor Sound

Stereo speakers with Honor Surround Subwoofer

Stereo with spatial audio

Battery

6,660mAh lithium polymer

7,100mAh (tested), 6270mAh (EU)

Up to 30 hours

Charging

80W Honor SuperCharge, 66W Wireless Honor SuperCharge

120W wired, 80W wireless

39W wired charging, 15W wireless

Colors

Red, Gold, White, Black

Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, Black

Moonstone, Jade

How I tested the Honor Magic V6

• Tested for multiple months
• Used as a daily driver
• Compared to flagship devices

I tested the Honor Magic V6 over a period of multiple months, using it as my daily driver. I relied on it for a wide range of tasks, from listening to music and browsing social media on my commute to watching my favorite series on a plane and trying out the latest game releases.

Throughout my time with the phone, I frequently compared its performance to other flagship devices, including those from Honor and its major competitors.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2026

TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit: One-minute review

The TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit is a feature-packed 4K outdoor security camera that delivers many of the perks usually reserved for pricier models, including solar charging, pan-and-tilt coverage, color night vision and local microSD storage.

That last feature means you won’t need to pay for a subscription for video playback and download, but there are still some great (but non-essential) features in the paid Tapocare subscription, especially if you plan to expand your home's security with more than a single camera.

The Tapo app is also easy to use, and the C660 Kit will slot in alongside other Tapo smart home gear like lights, plugs and more to form its own smart home ecosystem. On the other hand, if you have other smart devices in the mix and would prefer a hub to control them all, Alexa has the strongest support, while Google Home only works with voice commands and video streaming to smart displays and TVs. There’s no native support for Apple HomeKit.

While it doesn't necessarily stand out in a crowded market with its design, the white casing looks sleek and stylish, and the IP65 waterproof rating means the C660 Kit is dust-tight and can withstand low-pressure water jets from any direction (aka rain, splashes or hose spray).

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Price and availability

• Starts at $169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 for a single camera unit
• Available in multipacks of 2, 3 and 4-camera bundles
• Optional Tapocare subscription plans start at $3.49 / £2.99 / AU$3.99 per month

The Tapo C660 Kit costs $169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 for a single camera unit, although multipacks of 2-, 3- and 4-camera kits are available either as set bundles or as part of a build-your-own package option directly from Tapo as well as through third-party retailers like Amazon.

While you may not need a subscription package, especially if you use a single camera unit, Tapocare might well be worthwhile for some users. It offers cloud storage, extended video clip history for up to 30 days and enhanced notifications, with plans starting at $3.49 / £2.99 / AU$3.99 per month for one camera on the Basic Tapocare tier. Prices increase as you add more cameras.

You can also buy the camera on its own without the solar panel under the TP-Link Tapo C560WS name for $99.99 / £109.99 / AU$199.

• Value: 5/5

TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Specs

Price

$169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299

Megapixels

8MP

Resolution

4K / 3840 x 2160 pixels

Field of view

105º

Pan/tilt

360º horizontal rotation, 90º vertical

Storage

microSD up to 512GB (not included)

Smart home

Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts; no HomeKit

Battery

10,000mAh

Connectivity

2.4GHz / 5GHz Wi-Fi 4

IP Rating

IP65

TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Design and installation

• Sleek black and white color scheme
• Straightforward installation with easy-to-follow instructions
• Recommended mounting height is between 2.5m and 3m (8-10 feet)

The Tapo C660 Kit has a sleek white plastic body with black accents around the lens, with IP65 rating for dust ingress protection and resistance to low-pressure water jets from any direction. This means water from rain, splashes or hose spray will be fine, but it won’t withstand immersion and pressure washing.

The solar panel is just the right size relative to the camera — it isn’t small and subtle by any means and it’s definitely noticeable once installed, but it isn’t too imposing either. As mentioned above, there is a rubber flap underneath the camera lens concealing the power button, a reset button and a microSD card slot.

Installing the Tapo C660 Kit is straightforward thanks to the easy-to-follow instructions included in the box. You start by drilling holes where you want to mount the base plate, then slot the camera in. The solar panel is screwed on top, then plugged into the camera’s USB-C port located on the bottom.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

It’s worth taking some time to think about where you want the camera placed before you install it, though. While the Tapo C660 Kit can pan and tilt the camera, getting the full view of an entire space isn’t guaranteed if it’s mounted too low since it doesn’t tilt upward. TP-Link recommends mounting it between 2.5m and 3m (8-10 feet) and in a location where the solar panel gets the most sunlight throughout the year.

TP-Link also recommends that the camera shouldn’t point at swaying trees and other moving objects like vehicles and pedestrians to prevent an avalanche of notifications, but if it’s unavoidable, the C660 lets you set motion detection zones via the app to reduce or minimize notifications of movement within those zones.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

One thing to note about the installation is that the camera has a manual power button tucked away beneath a flap under the lens. Unlike other security cameras that power up automatically when plugged into a power source (like the solar panel or a USB-C cable), this button needs to be switched on before mounting (especially when it's in a hard-to-reach height) and pairing with the Tapo app.

Pairing the camera to the app is quick and straightforward, with only a few setup options at the beginning, like Wi-Fi connection type (2.4GHz for longer range or 5GHz for better video streaming quality, both using the Wi-Fi 4 standard), assigning the camera’s location and even the icon you want displayed in the Tapo app home screen.

• Design: 5/5

TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Software and smart home support

• Tapo app is intuitive and easy to use
• Alexa has full support, while Google Home is limited
• Motion detection zones move with the camera instead of a fixed area

TP-Link’s Tapo C660 Kit natively integrates with the Tapo smart home app, allowing the camera to slot into any existing Tapo smart home ecosystem that might include lights, plugs, switches, robot vacuums, door locks and more.

If you have devices from other brands and use a smart assistant to consolidate them into one interface, the camera supports Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Alexa supports both live footage playback and voice commands, while Google Home only supports voice controls and video streaming on select devices. Apple HomeKit isn’t supported, but alerts and automations can still be done through Siri via iOS shortcuts enabled through the Tapo app.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

The app works well, with an intuitive interface using tiles to show all your Tapo devices, with dedicated tabs for the different gadget categories (like cameras, vacuums and 'Smart' for automations). You can play the live feed and adjust settings by tapping on the tile for the camera (or cameras if you have more).

Camera settings include two-way audio, a toggle for the built-in spotlight and adjustments for panning and tilting the camera. There’s also an option to 'save' a set camera position via 'Viewpoints' and easily access those positions without manually adjusting each time. Those views can be used for automations, too.

To try out the feature, I set the camera to monitor the rear of the house instead of the driveway and front stairs for just a few hours during the day, and it would activate as scheduled each time. Patrol Mode also lets you move the camera between those set positions, but the Tapo app warns that this mode may impact the camera motor’s longevity.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

One annoyance I found with the Viewpoints feature was that the motion detection zone that I set also moved with the camera and there’s no option to lock it to a specific spot. Thankfully, I didn’t have to move my camera too often for that to personally impact me, but I can see it being inconvenient for some users.

Adding to the motion tracking is a setting subject detection like person, pet or vehicle, and it can also be set for different motion detection zones as well.

• Software: 4/5

TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Performance

• Crisp 4K image quality from 8MP lens
• Built-in spotlight provides color at night
• Solar panel keeps the unit running 24/7

The Tapo C660 Kit captures videos through its 8MP lens with 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution, with a frame rate of 15 or 20 frames per second. The recorded video clips were crisp and detailed when viewing live or when playing back previously recorded footage. It was clear enough for me to see details like faces, vehicle license plates and larger text from further away, while the 18x digital zoom provided more detail than lower-resolution cameras.

It managed to retain detail in brighter areas and the video wasn’t washed out, like when direct sunlight was hitting the driveway. There’s built-in wide dynamic range to prevent overexposure in bright sunlight or underexposure in dark shadows.

Motion tracking was responsive, and the C660 Kit could track me moving when I was walking quickly, running or cycling (although I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fast runner or cyclist to try and avoid the tracking). I also liked that the camera automatically reverts to the original position after detecting movement, so I didn’t have to adjust it manually as some security cameras require you to do.

At night, the f/1.6 aperture takes in enough light to provide a clear image, and the built-in spotlight adds more low-light visibility. There’s also an infrared sensor as an alternative to color night vision. While I found both modes were able to detect movement almost instantly, the image quality isn’t as crisp as daytime mode, but it was still decent enough to be clear and fully visible.

The built-in microphone produced clear audio and was loud enough for a conversation even when I wasn't at home.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

The solar panel kept the battery topped up, with the camera almost always running at 100% apart from some overcast days. It was only when I switched on 24/7 Capture (which frankly most people won’t need) that the solar panel struggled to keep the camera charged, and I eventually had to bring it indoors (it can be removed from its base plate easily) for a top-up via a USB-C cable.

In a different test, I tried running the camera without the solar panel plugged in, and the camera ran uninterrupted for just over 2 weeks before it needed charging.

(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

The Tapo C660 Kit isn't necessarily the cheapest 4K security camera, but having local storage via a microSD card makes it a great value option compared to others that require a subscription to access cloud storage for recorded footage. It supports up to 512GB, though you'll need to purchase the microSD card separately as it doesn't come with one in the box.

TP-Link says that’s enough for around 16 complete days of recording, which is plenty for most people. Local storage means you can also back up those recordings to your home computer or another drive for redundancy. The Tapo app also lets you password-protect the microSD card for an extra layer of security.

Accessing footage from the card is easy through the app, and notifications reliably link to recordings with almost no delay after the camera detects motion. Video playback is also very smooth in the app. If you prefer cloud storage, you can opt for the aforementioned Tapocare subscription and choose a plan based on the number of connected cameras you plan to have.

Other features in Tapocare include 30 days of encrypted video storage for events, rich notifications and video summaries.

• Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit?TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit report card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

You get some premium features like 4K resolution and 360º views for an affordable price, while on-device storage means you don’t have to pay for a subscription.

5/5

Design

It features a clean, sleek white design that’s relatively sturdy, and the solar panel that helps to extend its battery life is a proportionate fit.

5/5

Software

The Tapo app is clean and intuitive, with plenty of adjustments to fine-tune the settings. Alexa has the strongest support for smart home integrations, with Google Home at a distant second.

4/5

Performance

It captures crisp 4K footage well, and also performs reasonably well in low-light situations thanks to a built-in spotlight.

4/5

Buy it if

You need to cover a large area

With a field of view up to 105º and 360º horizontal rotation, a single camera can cover a building’s full side, although you'll need multiple units if you want even better coverage.

You don’t want to recharge a security camera frequently

When placed in a sunny spot, the solar panel will keep the camera running long enough for infrequent charging, but it can even be further optimized with the right settings.

You don’t want to pay for a subscription

On-device storage via a microSD card means most of the essential functions aren’t locked behind a paywall.

Don't buy it if

You live somewhere that doesn’t get much sun

A wired security camera may be more suitable if you don’t get enough sunlight to benefit from the included solar panel.

You want better smart home integration

Alexa has the strongest support, but the camera doesn’t support live footage with Google Home, while Apple HomeKit is not supported at all.

How I tested the TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit

I installed the Tapo C660 Kit to a porch post on my property for a few months to get a sense of both its recording capabilities and whether its solar panel would keep the camera’s battery charged.

I tested all the settings, but had the alarm and spotlight mostly turned off to avoid disturbing neighbors, only doing one-off tests to see if they perform as advertized. I would also check captured footage whenever I got a push notification.

The smart home integrations were tested with smart displays (a 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub and an Amazon Echo Show 5) in addition to the Alexa and Google Home mobile apps.

First reviewed July 2026

GameSir G8+ Bluetooth: One-minute review

The GameSir G8+ Bluetooth is the wireless mobile controller in the G8 family and bolsters compatibility from being simply mobile, to the Nintendo Switch, tablets, and PC. The same full-size grips, Hall effect joysticks and triggers, and programmable back buttons that made the wired versions of the G8 so impressive remain, and at $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129, so does the price.

On paper, you’d think it’s a no-brainer to go wireless, particularly with the addition of a six-axis gyroscope adding to that strong core experience, but the wireless freedom you gain comes with meaningful trade-offs. Noticeably, the lack of passthrough charging and the lack of a headphone jack, both obvious casualties of the move to Bluetooth.

More importantly for iPhone gamers, the GameSir iOS app doesn't recognize the controller, which means the stick calibration, dead zone tuning, hair-trigger configuration, and back button mapping that make the G8 Plus so compelling as an option on other platforms go completely to waste. The Bluetooth connection itself also feels less locked-in than the wired experience on iPhone, with small stick movements occasionally getting lost along the way.

On Android and PC, the experience is significantly better. The app works, the back buttons are configurable, and there’s haptic feedback on offer as well (albeit with patchy support, particularly on mobile). For the first time, you can even use the G8 Plus with your Nintendo Switch. But if an iPhone is your primary device, the wired GameSir G8+ MFi delivers a more complete, more reliable experience for the same money.

(Image credit: Future)GameSir G8+ Bluetooth: Price and availability

• List price: $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129
• Available from GameSir and major retailers
• Same price as the rest of the G8 range

The middle sibling, the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth launched in mid-2024 at $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129, matching the rest of the G8 family.

Each variant has pros and cons, so the consistent price puts the onus firmly on the buyer to decide which set of trade-offs works best for their setup. GameSir has also released a couple of special edition color variants in some regions, including a Hulk and a Thanos Edition, which will set you back slightly more.

At this price, it remains highly competitive against the Backbone One 2nd Gen and is significantly cheaper than the Razer Kishi Ultra, though the Bluetooth limitations on iPhone mean it's not the straightforward recommendation the wired models are.

GameSir G8+ Bluetooth: Specs

GameSir G8+ Bluetooth

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129

Dimensions

9.06 x 4.21 x 2.17 in / 230 x 107 x 55mm

Weight

0.69 lbs / 314g

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3, Wired USB-C (PC), Wireless Dongle (sold separately)

Compatibility

iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS

Software

GameSir App (Android only)

GameSir G8+ Bluetooth: Design and features

• Comfortable, console controller-like ergonomics shared with the rest of the G8 range
• Bluetooth versatility across five platforms, but mode switching is a hassle
• Special edition designs are only available in certain markets

The G8+ Bluetooth is the first and only member of the G8 family that cuts the cord entirely. Wireless freedom and the versatility it brings are the entire pitch, and it helps broaden the G8’s platform compatibility too.

Unlike the original G8 Galileo and the G8+ MFi, which are limited to mobile only, this controller works with iOS, Android, the Nintendo Switch, PC (via wired USB-C or Bluetooth, with a wireless dongle sold separately), and macOS. Console gaming aside, in theory, that means the G8+ is ready to follow you anywhere on your gaming journey.

The reality, unfortunately, is a little more complicated. Each platform requires its own Bluetooth pairing mode, triggered by holding different button combinations on the controller. If you're a one-device person, this is a simple pair-once-and-forget situation, and you can skip to the next paragraph.

If you're hopping between platforms, as I was during testing, it gets tedious fast. Switching modes caused regular reconnection failures with devices the controller had previously been paired with, and keeping track of which mode goes with which platform isn't intuitive. It's workable, and we’re in first-world problem territory here for sure, but it's not the seamless experience it should be.

FutureFuture

On the plus side, turning it on couldn’t be simpler because stretching the controller open automatically powers it on and letting it close fully again powers it down. This isn’t a life-changing feature but certainly a nice convenience that worked reliably throughout testing.

A 1000mAh battery sits split across both grips, charging via USB-C. The GameSir app tracks each side independently, which is how I discovered the left and right grips drain at slightly different rates despite charging as a single unit. I saw a couple of percent drop over half an hour of active use, and the rated eight-hour battery life seems about right based on that.

The black colorway is a clean, classic look that feels more like a traditional controller than the grey and grey-and-white of its wired siblings. GameSir has also released rather jazzy Hulk- and Thanos-themed special editions in some regions, making this the only G8 variant with cosmetic variety, though they’ll set you back a little more for the paint job.

The build quality and overall shape match the rest of the family; it’s well designed and well built with the same full-size, Xbox-like grips, textured backs and a solid chassis. It’s comfortable to hold for extended sessions, and while at 11oz/314g it's the heaviest of the three on paper, the balance is good, and the weight didn't register during testing.

Case compatibility is a mixed bag, as is often the case with mobile controller grips. Without a USB-C connector going into the phone, there's no port angle to stress about, thankfully, but the physical cradle can still be tight.

My iPhone 17 Pro fit with a slim case on but sat at a noticeable angle towards the left side, which saw it protrude more than I’d like. There is a rubber pad on the phone deck that appears to serve the same purpose as the G8+ MFi's removable magnetic panel for camera bump clearance, but this one is glued down rather than magnetically attached.

GameSir’s marketing suggests this is still meant to be removed to accommodate camera bumps, but it really didn't feel like it wanted to come off, and I wasn't willing to force it. If you do take it off, don’t expect it to go back on neatly and expect to trap plenty of dust in the residue.

The D-pad shares the same feel as the rest of the G8 family: slightly mushy initial movement but with a clicky, short-travel feel once you commit to an input. Swappable ABXY caps and thumbstick caps carry over, too, as do the three alternate stick options, and they’re easily adjusted by popping off the magnetic faceplates.

Once again, however, GameSir only includes one of each of these replaceable sticks, so you can’t run the same option on both sides. One annoyance that cropped up here for the first time on any G8 I’ve tested: on iOS, the controller connects as a DualShock controller, so all on-screen UI elements in compatible games display PlayStation button labels.

GameSir doesn't include any PlayStation-legended alternative keycaps in the box, so you’ll need to remember that triangle is Y, for example.

(Image credit: Future)GameSir G8+ Bluetooth: Performance

• Hall effect inputs are excellent and responsive, but Bluetooth feels a step behind wired
• iPhone users lose app support, back buttons, and customization entirely
• Vibration motors remain largely a spec-sheet feature with no real-world use

As you’d expect, the core gameplay experience with the G8+ Bluetooth mirrors the other options in the G8 range. The Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers are smooth and precise with a high level of sensitivity.

Resistance in these is just right for my taste; I found I was able to confidently hold the sticks at a midpoint for fine adjustments without the sense that the stick was itching to return to its starting point. The triggers offer full analog travel with a responsive hair-trigger mode (assuming you can enable it, more on that shortly). In analog mode, I felt like I had a nice level of control and was able to modulate the throttle in Forza Horizon 6 with plenty of detail.

That said, the Bluetooth connection introduced a subtle but noticeable difference in feel I hadn’t experienced before with a GameSir G8. I couldn’t quite quantify it, but I didn't feel as locked-in using the G8+ Wireless as I did with the wired equivalents.

It's not consistent, obvious latency, or any kind of genuine stutter or interference; it's more that small thumbstick movements occasionally felt like they were getting lost along the way. Everything was perfectly playable, and my skill as a gamer is certainly not high enough for this to be a make-or-break thing, but if you're serious about your gaming, the wired experience is definitely tighter.

(Image credit: Future)

The biggest issue I came across, and the one that separates this controller from the rest of the G8 family, is the iPhone experience. It’s somewhat lacking. Because iOS sees the controller as a DualShock 4, the GameSir app doesn’t recognize the G8+ Bluetooth. That means no stick calibration, no deadzone adjustment, no hair-trigger toggling, and no back button mapping.

The two rear programmable buttons, labeled M1 and M2, ship unbound by default, and there's no way to configure them on iOS. They don't appear in the iPhone's native controller settings either because iOS thinks this is a DualShock 4, which doesn't have back buttons. On macOS, I was able to rebind other buttons through native system options, but back button mapping wasn't available there either for the same reason.

On Android, the picture is much better. The app recognized the controller (though admittedly it took a couple of attempts at first), and once connected, all the usual calibration, deadzone, hair-trigger, and back button configuration options were available. Gaming on the POCO X5 Pro was a smooth experience, with Fortnite and Call of Duty Mobile both running well after the usual game-side controller recognition quirks.

PC gaming was the most pleasant surprise. Connected via either USB-C or Bluetooth, the controller was recognized immediately as a PlayStation 4 controller and was fully mapped out of the box for both local and cloud gaming. Gyro tracking worked here too, which is a nice bonus for games that support it. On macOS, things were less smooth.

The controller initially tried to connect as a "GameSir G8" which required manual Steam configuration and then wasn't recognized in-game. Reverting to DualShock mode fixed the issue, and games worked with automated mapping after that.

Shoudl you buy the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth?Buy it if...

You're an Android user who wants one controller for phone, Switch, and PC
The Bluetooth versatility and full GameSir app support on Android make the G8+ Bluetooth a seriously flexible, wireless option. If you play across multiple platforms and want a single controller to handle them all, this could well be it.

You value wireless convenience over raw precision
No connections mean a simpler experience and fewer points of failure. It also brings a wider variety of devices into play.

Don't buy it if...

You're primarily an iPhone user
While it does work natively for games that play nicely with a physical controller, the lack of GameSir app support, non-functional back buttons, and DualShock workaround make the iPhone experience feel like an afterthought. The wired G8+ MFi is the better choice for the same money and with little drawback.

You want the tightest possible input response
Don’t get me wrong, the Bluetooth connection is perfectly playable, but it doesn't feel as precise and instantly responsive as the wired G8 controllers. If competitive precision matters to you, go wired.

Also consider...

Trying to work out if the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth is the one to get? Here's how it compares to other, similar controller grips.

GameSir G8+ Bluetooth

GameSir G8+ MFi Galileo MFi

Scuf Nomad

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

$99.99 / £89.99 / around AU$179.99

Dimensions

9.06 x 4.21 x 2.17in / 230 x 107 x 55mm

9.02 x 4.20 x 2.13in / 229 x 106.8 x 54.2mm

6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 93.98 x 34.03mm

Weight

10.72oz / 314g

10.72oz / 304g

0.5 lbs / 228 g

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3, Wired (USB-C), Dongle (sold separately)

Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (Bluetooth)

Compatibility

Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS

Android, iOS

iOS

Software

GameSir App (Android only)

GameSir App

Scuf Nomad Companion App (iOS)

GameSir G8+ MFi
The G8+ MFi is the wired, Apple-friendly equivalent from the same family. It offers MFi certification, full GameSir app support on both iOS and Android, passthrough charging, a headphone jack, and functional back buttons on every platform. If you don't need wireless or Switch/PC compatibility, it's the more complete package.

For more information, check out our full GameSir G8+ MFi review

Scuf Nomad
The Scuf Nomad is an iPhone-only Bluetooth alternative with a lighter build, 16 hours of battery life, and an app that actually works on iOS. It's more compact, handles phone cases better, and has configurable rear paddles. The trade-off is no Android, Switch, or PC support and a higher price tag.

For more information, check out our full Scuf Nomad review

How I tested the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth

• Tested with multiple devices
• A wide variety of games tried
• Compared to other mobile controllers

I spent several days testing across iOS, Android, PC, and macOS, with a focus on comparing the experience to the wired G8 and G8+ MFi I'd previously reviewed.

I tested on an iPhone 17 Pro and POCO X5 Pro 5G, playing Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, and Forza Horizon 6 via Xbox Cloud Gaming on mobile, and Stardew Valley via Steam on PC. I evaluated Bluetooth connectivity, app compatibility, back button functionality, latency feel, vibration motors, and cross-platform mode switching.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June-July 2026

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband: One-minute review

The Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband is a small gaming keyboard with a few surprises in store.

True to its name, it certainly doesn’t take up much room on your desk. It’s also pleasingly light, which means it’s easy to move around. Despite this and the plastic construction, the build quality seems high.

There are some unique features to the design of the K63W Pro. One is the prominent springiness of the gasket-mounted layout, which is a little strange at first, but ultimately it’s not an issue and the keys still feel just as solid as those in the best gaming keyboards.

Another is the arrow keys. Not only are they much larger than most, but each of the four directions has a second binding to include right control, right shift, menu, and Fn inputs. There’s a shortcut for toggling between the two sets of bindings, as well as activating both at the same time, with the input triggered determined by whether a key is pressed or held.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s also an option to select these modes in Cherry’s companion software. This software has other customizations, but not many. The remapping options are especially disappointing, thanks to their very awkward setup and limited options. There’s barely any performance tweaks here, either.

Thankfully, the K63W Pro is a capable performer as it is. The keys travel further than you might expect given their low profile, but they’re still just about snappy enough for fast gaming and typing. The ergonomic slant of the keycaps, as well as the generous spacing between them, make them easy to use, while the aforementioned thinness of the chassis makes for a comfortable experience, even without a wrist rest.

Cherry makes much of the K63W Pro’s Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless technology, which is designed to prevent potential interference. However, I can’t say I noticed an improvement over other wireless keyboards, and the tech isn’t worth the impracticality that comes with the incongruously large wireless puck. It’s also a shame there’s no Bluetooth support.

The K63W Pro is reasonably expensive for a compact keyboard, although the quality and interesting layout help its case in this regard. The performance is good and it's comfortable to use, but I’m not sure every gamer is going to get along with its unique features.

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $169.99 (about £150 / AU$240)
• Available now
• Expensive for a small board

The Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband costs $169.99 (about £150 / AU$240) and is available now. It comes with a USB cable and the UWB USB receiver.

This is a reasonably high price for a 70% keyboard, especially one that lacks Bluetooth support and input customizations. However, there are certainly more expensive mechanical boards out there, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75. I loved the performance of that board when I reviewed it, and it has a much better selection of input customizations than the K63W Pro.

If you want something more budget-friendly, consider the Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra. This keyboard has analog switches with a heap of performance-related features and tweaks at their disposal. They also feel just as good as mechanical switches in my view.

• Value score: 3.5

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Specs

Layout

70%

Switch

Mechanical (Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

12.1 x 5.3 x 1.2 inches (307 x 135 x 30 mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Design and features

(Image credit: Future)

• Thin and light
• Springboard-like
• Limited input customizations

There's nothing particularly exciting about the way the K63W Pro looks. It keeps things basic, although the rounded edges are a nice touch, helping to relieve its austerity a little.

True to its name, the K63W Pro is indeed compact. In addition to its truncated width, it’s also quite thin, making it comfortable to use even without a wrist rest — which is just as well, since it doesn’t come with one.

Despite its plastic construction, the K63W Pro feels sturdy and built to a high standard. Rather unique is the prominent flex of the keyboard plate. This can be pushed down quite a way when pressing a key, which is a little disconcerting at first, but it still feels perfectly stable and it rebounds fully. I wasn’t concerned about its durability, either.

(Image credit: Future)

The keycaps feel premium, too. They’re pleasingly textured and solid with little play. On top of this, the bright RGB backlighting shines through them very well, and the main legends are large and clear, although those for the Fn shortcuts on the function keys are a little too small.

You get more keys on the K63W Pro than you might think, including some navigation ones such as delete and insert. However, it’s odd there’s a blank key in the top-right corner; a missed opportunity to squeeze in another, perhaps, such as a Home key.

There are quite a few useful Fn shortcuts on the function row, including those for adjusting volume and one for opening your default browser, which are all welcome. However, a few remained a mystery to me. Two look like they adjust some sort of performance-related parameter, but I didn’t notice any action when I pressed them. There’s also one on F9 with Cherry’s logo on it that opens the Windows Run box and enters some kind of address, but again nothing happened when I pressed it. The text was too long and disappeared too quickly for me to read it, but my only guess is that it’s supposed to open some kind of Cherry software.

(Image credit: Future)

The most interesting aspect of the K63W Pro’s layout is the Mod Tap arrow keys. These are larger than your typical set since they have secondary bindings, with control, shift, menu, and Fn inputs mapped to each direction. Pressing Fn+M (there’s another Fn key mapped to the insert key) will cycle between three different modes: one enables the usual arrow key inputs, one enables the secondary bindings, and one enables both sets at the same time, with taps triggering arrow directions and holds triggering the secondary functions. The M key lights up a different color depending on which mode is active.

You can also switch between these modes using the Cherry Utility. This desktop app also features other customizations, although their dearth is disappointing. It has perhaps the worst rebinding mode I've ever seen in peripheral software, requiring you to click a ‘create’ button for every key you want to rebind, in order to bring up the option to rebind it. The layout graph doesn’t display your remapped bindings, which is another baffling oversight, and you can’t alter the Fn layer of shortcuts. There aren’t many performance-related settings here, either; you can adjust the polling rate for both wired and wireless modes, and there’s a SOCD mode with three basic settings, but that’s all you get.

Rather than your typical USB dongle, the K63W Pro comes with a block-shaped puck that requires a USB cable (also included) to connect to your device. This is what facilitates the UWB connectivity, which Cherry claims reduces interference compared to standard wireless connections. It looks sleek, but it’s quite large and takes up more space than I’m happy with, especially when you factor in the trailing cable.

• Design & features score: 3.5 / 5

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Relatively heavy keys
• Great space bar
• Unnecessary Ultra-Wideband connectivity

I mostly enjoyed my time using the K63W Pro. The keys feel well lubed and reasonably damped, although it still verges on the side of clicky than thocky, which, depending on your preferences, is either a good thing or a bad thing. Personally, I liked the feedback they provided.

I was also fond of the low-profile keycaps, which seem to slant slightly towards the user. This helped me hit keys flush, making up for the somewhat limiting tilt angle of the board, even with the two-stage feet out. This was especially noticeable with the space bar, a key I often hit on its edge but not here. It also feels slightly more damped than the other keys, while still being easy to press, a combination that makes it very satisfying to hammer away at.

The switches themselves are also low profile (specifically, they’re Cherry’s MX Low Profile 2.0). However, they have surprisingly deep travel, which makes them more satisfying than they otherwise would be. Despite this, their actuation point is relatively shallow, which meant I could still type with a reasonably light touch. They strike just the right balance between being snappy and forgiving of minor mispresses.

(Image credit: Future)

Tying accuracy is also aided by the large size of the keycaps, as well as their wide spacing. While this made reaching certain keys a little difficult when touch typing, it made gaming in the WASD position quite comfortable and secure. I could also reach the peripheral keys easily from here, including the space bar, thanks to its aforementioned slant and low profile.

In my experience, the Mod Tap feature works reasonably well, achieving Cherry’s aim of reducing side bulk without sacrificing inputs. However, you have to hold an arrow key for a long time to activate its secondary binding. I found this particularly frustrating when typing, as I required quick and regular access to the right shift key, but I often didn’t hold the Up arrow key long enough to access it. It’s also disappointing that you can’t alter the hold time.

Although Cherry makes bold claims about the UWB wireless connectivity, I can't say I noticed any performance gains over other wireless keyboards I’ve tested. Such models have greatly improved in recent years, to the point where regular-sized USB dongles perform pretty much flawlessly. And if you are an elite player concerned about lags and dropouts, you’ll probably opt for a wired connection anyway. All this is to say that the UWB tech and the outsized puck are ultimately overkill for many. What’s more, the K63W Pro doesn’t have Bluetooth support, as lots of other premium wireless keyboards feature.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Expensive for a compact board, but the quality and spec is there at least.

3.5 / 5

Design and features

Thin and light, with a solid build and a unique layout. The software is disappointing, though.

3.5 / 5

Performance

The K63W Pro is comfortable for gaming and typing for the most part, but the Mod Tap feature will take some getting used to.

4 / 5

Overall

The K63W Pro is a solid mechanical keyboard that does a few things differently, but not entirely successfully. Still, it’s a reliable and comfortable unit for most gamers.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a compact board
The K63W Pro cleverly includes keys usually omitted from such a small layout, although it does take some getting used to.

You want a comfortable board
The thin chassis and ergonomic keycaps makes the K63W Pro a board you can use all day long, although touch typing will test your dexterity at times.

Don't buy it if…

You want the snappiest experience
Despite the low profile keycaps, they have a greater travel than you might expect, which might deter those after lighting-quick taps.

You want the best input customizations
The companion software’s rebinding functionality is quite woeful; there are barely any performance-related tweaks.

Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Also consider

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75
If it’s superb mechanical performance you’re after, you can’t do much better than the Razer BlackWidow. I love how tactile and satisfying key presses are, and the number of customizations on offer via Razer’s Synapse software is impressive for a mechanical keyboard, greatly eclipsing the K63W Pro on this front. However, the BlackWidow is an incredibly expensive board, so those wanting to save money should look elsewhere. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75 review.

Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra
For something decidedly more budget-friendly, the FUN60 Ultra offers all the thrills of a great gaming keyboard without the expense. Its analog switches almost feel as good as mechanical ones, and there are plenty of adjustments you can make to alter their performance. Its construction is surprisingly solid for the price, too. Read our full Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra review.

How I tested the Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plentiful gaming keyboard experience

I used the K63W Pro for a few days, during which time I used it for working, general browsing, and of course, gaming. I used it in both wired and wireless modes.

I played games such as 007 First Light and Counter-Strike 2, which are good tests for the speed and accuracy of key inputs.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used numerous keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, ranging widely in their form factors, switches types, feature sets, and price points.

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

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2: One-minute review

The Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2 is far from being one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, but it gets a lot right, and in my testing I found it to be a solid—if unremarkable—stand-in for the official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

After I reviewed the frankly terrible Horipad for Steam, I didn't have high hopes for the Wireless Horipad Turbo. I've been rendered pleasantly surprised, as there is plenty to like about the brand's latest Nintendo-facing controller. There are a decent number of features for the price, and build quality is generally solid. It's just a shame that a few limitations and design quirks stop it short of an outright recommendation.

(Image credit: Future)

Let's frontload the review with the good, though. Hori has opted for anti-drift thumbsticks that feel great and ensure longevity. That's something the Wireless Horipad Turbo has over the Switch 2 Pro Controller, which utilizes traditional analog sticks and is thus more likely to develop stick drift over time.

Build quality is generally nice, too. While larger than the Pro Controller (and thus better suited to big adult hands), it feels solid enough, and a selection of colorways is always really nice to see.

I'm a fan of the feature set, too, with the Wireless Horipad Turbo offering a robust Turbo button option, as well as two remappable rear buttons and a button lock switch that disables utility buttons like Start, Select, Home, and Capture (for taking screenshots). There's even a GameChat button for quick access to social gaming sessions.

It's a shame, then, that the Wireless Horipad Turbo doesn't quite stick the landing in a few key areas. Battery life is paltry, falling well short of the Switch 2 Pro Controller's 40- to 50-hour gold standard. The d-pad and triggers, specifically, aren't the best—feeling incredibly mushy during play, which really isn't something you want for digital triggers in particular.

Lastly, a lack of PC compatibility means this is strictly a Nintendo Switch 2 controller. That's not necessarily a bad thing if that's solely what you're after (and it's likely a result of this being an officially licensed Nintendo product). But it does make it a less versatile controller than the likes of the 8BitDo Pro 3.

(Image credit: Future)Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2: Price and availability

• Costs $64.99 / £54.99 (around AU$93)
• Available to buy now at Hori's store page, Amazon, or local retailers
• Cheaper than the Switch 2 Pro Controller, and offers several colorways

The Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2 is available to buy now, and you've got options as to where you purchase it from. You can get it directly from Hori, Amazon, or local retailers based on your region, such as Best Buy in the US and Argos in the UK.

It'll run you $64.99 / £54.99 (around AU$93), which is a good deal cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller ($89.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95). You'll also find a healthy amount of colorways to choose from. Hori sent me the standard Black and Frost variants for review, but there's also an Aqua model, as well as special liveries based on Nintendo properties like Kirby and Super Mario.

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2: Specs

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2

Price

$64.99 / £54.99 (around AU$93)

Weight

8.3oz / 235g

Dimensions

5.7 x 4.5 x 2.2in / 145 x 114 x 57mm

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch 2

Connection type

Wireless (Bluetooth)

Battery life

10 hours

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2: Design and features

• Eye-catching translucent design
• Handy Turbo and button lock features
• Generally solid build quality

One way for a controller to win me over is if it sports a translucent design. It's a style I'm happy to see come in vogue again over the last few years, at least when it comes to controllers, and it helps the Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2 really stand out. I'm a huge fan of the crystal-clear Frost colorway, especially.

It doesn't just win out in the looks department, though. Build quality is really solid here; a huge step up from the listless Horipad for Steam, which I reviewed prior to this. It's not as premium as the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, but the Wireless Horipad Turbo feels really solid and secure in the hands, with just the right amount of weight to it.

(Image credit: Future)

The titular 'Turbo' feature is niche; not everyone will find a use for it, but it's a nice-to-have for retro games or ones that require frequent, rapid button presses. Holding down the central Hori logo button in tandem with 'A' will then let you assign a button for the Turbo input. You can also press the Start and Select buttons to adjust the speed of the Turbo setting by three increments, too.

Another feature I quite like (but again, it is probably quite niche) is the button lock switch. It's off by default, but one setting completely disables the Hori, Home, and Capture buttons, while another turns those off in addition to Start and Select.

I know I've accidentally hit the Home button instead of Start more times than I care to admit on the Pro Controller, so this is a thoughtful addition. The button lock switch doesn't extend to the pair of remappable buttons on the rear, but you can just leave these unassigned if you prefer.

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2: Performance

• Performant TMR thumbsticks
• Poor battery life
• Weak-feeling triggers and mushy d-pad

Controllers that make use of TMR (that's tunneling magnetoresistance) thumbsticks are a dime a dozen in today's gaming hardware marketplace. It's more common to find them than not now, but this is the first time I've tested a Hori controller with TMR. And I'm glad the brand has opted for them with the Wireless Horipad Turbo. They feel fantastically smooth during play, and as it's a form of Hall effect technology, it should ensure the pad's longevity for years to come.

Otherwise, this is a fairly unremarkable but inoffensive controller purely from a play standpoint. It lacks things like HD Rumble, an NFC touchpoint for amiibo scanning, and 'press to wake' functionality for the console itself. However, as these are niceties reserved for Nintendo's own hardware, it's hard to leverage this as a complaint at Hori. The lack of a 3.5mm port for wired headphones does irk me, though, because wireless audio via Bluetooth on Switch 2 is shoddy at best.

I'm also not a big fan of the controller's d-pad. It feels rather mushy to press, which at worst can often lead to inputs very occasionally not registering. Much the same is true of the triggers, which are supposed to be digital, but kind of feel like they're made of sponge.

Thankfully, connectivity isn't an issue. The controller paired immediately to my Switch 2 console, and I never experienced dropouts or noticeable input delay. And that's for the best, as this is a wireless-first controller.

You can still plug in the controller via the included USB-C for charging purposes and carry on playing. And you might be doing that frequently, as the Wireless Horipad Turbo tops out at just 10 hours of charge. That's not much better than PlayStation's DualSense Wireless Controller, and falls well short of the Switch 2 Pro Controller's monster 40-hour battery life.

Lastly, it is unfortunate that the Wireless Horipad Turbo can't be used for PC gaming. The Switch 2 Pro Controller can't either, so I suspect this is a Nintendo-issued requirement, as the Turbo bears the company's seal of approval. It just means that it's not as versatile as third-party pads from the likes of 8BitDo and GameSir.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2?Buy it if…

You want a performant Switch 2 controller that's built to last
TMR sticks will ensure this controller's longevity, and as a result, it shouldn't fall victim to stick drift even after months or years of usage.

You don't have the budget for a Switch 2 Pro Controller
The Wireless Horipad Turbo is significantly cheaper than the console's official gamepad option. And with nice colorways and some neat features, it's really not a bad fallback option.

Don’t buy it if…

You want beefier battery life
At just 10 hours of charge, you'll be topping this thing up very frequently if you regularly play your Switch or Switch 2 in docked mode.

You want something multiplatform
If you like to game on multiple devices away from your Switch or Switch 2 (like PC or mobile), you might want to look elsewhere as this is strictly a Nintendo-facing pad.

Also consider...

If the Wireless Horipad Turbo has a few too many issues for your liking, consider the following alternatives.

Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller

8BitDo Pro 3

Price

$64.99 / £54.99 (around AU$93)

$89.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95

$59.99 / £40 (around AU$84)

Weight

8.3oz / 235g

8.3oz / 235g

8.5oz / 242g

Dimensions

5.7 x 4.5 x 2.2in / 145 x 114 x 57mm

5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm

6.1 x 3.9 x 2.6in / 154 x 101 x 65mm

Compatibility

Switch 2, Switch

Switch 2

Switch, Switch 2, PC, iOS, Android

Connection type

Wireless (Bluetooth)

Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

10 hours

Around 40 hours

15-20 hours

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
Still the premium standard on Switch 2 more than a year on from release. And it's little wonder; Nintendo's official pad has a luxurious feel, and is stuffed with features including HD Rumble, NFC, remappable buttons, and enviable battery life.

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

8BitDo Pro 3
My favorite Nintendo Switch 2 controller, and one that's very hard to argue with at its budget-friendly price point. Honestly, it does everything the Wireless Horipad Turbo does, but better, and more besides.

Read our full 8BitDo Pro 3 review

How I tested the Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2

• Tested for one week
• Tested on Nintendo Switch 2 with a variety of modern and retro titles
• Used features like the Turbo functionality and button lock switch

For this review, I tested the Wireless Horipad Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2 on the console of the same name for about a week. I played a good mix of modern and old-school titles with the controller, including Star Fox, Street Fighter 6, Rhythm Heaven Groove, as well as Ridge Racer 64 and Super Mario 64 via Nintendo Switch Online's N64 library.

During testing, I made use of the Turbo functionality to enable easier, rapid button presses in classic titles like Metal Slug 3. Meanwhile, I went back and forth with the button lock switch, and I can confidently say it stopped me from accidentally backing out to the Home dashboard on a few occasions. I'd love to see this feature make a comeback for future Hori products.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2026

Valve Steam Machine: Two-minute review

It's finally happening! Valve's long-awaited Steam Machine has landed at last, promising to bring gaming-PC-level performance to an ultra-compact console-style device ideal for couch gamers who want to dip their toes into PC gaming for the first time. This is Valve's second run at the console-style PC market, and the gaming giant seems a lot more committed this time around.

And... well, I'm not entirely underwhelmed by it, but it's also not overwhelmingly impressive. I guess you could say I'm distinctly whelmed by the Steam Machine; it's a lovingly crafted piece of hardware that arguably achieves what it sets out to do, but falls down in two extremely important areas.

As you might have already guessed, those areas are performance and pricing. At the default 1080p resolution, it's a capable little machine that should be able to give you a good gaming experience with minimal fuss, but anyone expecting beefy 4K performance on par with the existing slate of top-tier home consoles is going to be disappointed.

Of course, this boils down to what sort of games you want to play. If you've got a 4K TV in your living room and want a compact PC specifically so you can enjoy older games, or the sort of indie game experiences that aren't so freely available on consoles – I'm talking the low-budget viral titles that so frequently dominate TikTok and Instagram Reels – then the Steam Machine might actually be an excellent choice.

Another key aspect of Valve's new console-PC hybrid is SteamOS, the recently updated operating system designed to provide a more console-like experience than conventional platforms like Windows and macOS. It's already available for anyone to put on their own PC, and of course powers Valve's own Steam Deck handheld. In a break from tradition for PC reviews, I've added an extra section to this review to specifically discuss SteamOS, but for now all I'll say is that it gets the job done well.

(Image credit: Future)

Moving on to pricing, it's painfully clear that the ongoing RAM crisis has taken a toll on the Steam Machine's value proposition. Starting at $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609, it's a fair bit more costly than the PS5 Pro, which my esteemed colleague Rob Dwiar already noted was "too expensive" for the average gamer in his review here on TechRadar - and that was before Sony hiked the price of its home consoles earlier this year.

Considering that the Steam Machine was widely expected to represent an accessible path into the world of PC gaming for those who have previously not ventured beyond the confines of the console market, that price tag is sure to upset some gamers who were eagerly awaiting Valve's return to the console market. Hell, you might even be better off building your own Steam Machine killer.

But it's important to remember that the Steam Machine was probably never going to live up to the price-to-performance ratio of modern home consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, even though it is ostensibly using newer, better hardware. This is due to the game development process and how developers implement platform optimization; if you're making a game for PS5, you're just making a game for PS5. You'll have to take the Pro model's specs into account now too, but at the end of the day you only need to optimize your game's performance for a specific set of hardware components with clearly defined limitations.

On the other hand, optimizing a game for PC means optimizing it for the uncountable millions of possible hardware configurations that exist across pre-built and custom gaming PCs, plus every gaming laptop on the market, plus handheld gaming PCs, and now plus the Steam Machine. It's a wildly different ballgame, and while some developers might skimp on good PC optimization, it's borderline impossible to get a game running consistently well on PC versus a specific console.

Does this entirely excuse the lackluster bang for your buck the Steam Machine offers? No, probably not. It's a mitigating factor that I have taken into account for this review – but quite frankly, I think Valve's second attempt at bringing PC gaming to the masses has slightly missed the mark.

Valve Steam Machine review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Starts at $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609
• Available now in the US, UK, and Australia
• Steam Controller can be added as a bundle

As I mentioned already, the Steam Machine starts at a rather steep $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609, which gets you the standard configuration with no controller and 512GB of high-speed SSD storage. The actual performance spec doesn't change if you upgrade to the 2TB SSD model for $1,349 / £1,149 / AU$2,109, so you're essentially just paying for the extra storage – and even by current component pricing standards, that's an expensive upgrade.

Whether you pick the 512GB or 2TB model – and despite the price, I'd definitely recommend the latter if you play triple-A PC games, since install sizes have become frighteningly bloated as of late – you get the same semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and discrete AMD RDNA 3 GPU, along with 16GB of RAM and a separate 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM.

Both models can also be bundled with Valve's Steam Controller (which also comes with a charging 'puck' and USB cable), which adds $79 / £59 / AU$119 to the base price of either model. This is actually a pretty decent add-on, since the Steam Controller is a genuinely good gamepad and normally costs $99 / £85 / AU$149 direct from Valve if you buy it separately. Unless you already own one of the best PC controllers, I'd strongly recommend getting the bundle.

It's also worth noting that pre-orders for the Steam Machine sold out almost immediately, so if you want to get your hands on one, you'll have to sign up for the waitlist directly through Steam.

• Value: 2.5 / 5

Valve Steam Deck review: Specs

Base spec

Max spec (review config)

Price

$1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609

$1,349 / £1,149 / AU$2,109

CPU

Semi-custom AMD Zen 4, 6C / 12T

Semi-custom AMD Zen 4, 6C / 12T

Graphics

Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3, 28CUs, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM

Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3, 28CUs, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM

RAM

16GB DDR5

16GB DDR5

Storage

512GB NVMe SSD

2TB NVMe SSD

Ports and Connectivity

4x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x microSD card reader, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

4x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x microSD card reader, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

5.73lbs / 2.60kg

5.73lbs / ​2.60kg

Dimensions

5.98 x 6.38 x 6.14 inches / 15.2 x 16.2 x 15.6 cm

5.98 x 6.38 x 6.14 inches / 15.2 x 16.2 x 15.6 cm

Valve Steam Machine review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Compact, cubic design
• Tidy internals and front lightbar
• Somewhat limited port selection compared to most PCs

For a product that I found a little disappointing overall, I have to say that I have very little to criticize when it comes to the physical design of the Steam Machine.

Simply put, it looks great. The whole unit is a neat black cube of matte metal measuring roughly six inches along each edge and weighing a little under six pounds, with a thin indentation near the base on the front side, inside which nestles a bright LED lightbar. Beneath this, there's a power button with an additional LED (which stays illuminated while the Steam Machine is in sleep mode) along with two USB-A ports and a microSD card slot for easily adding extra storage. The cube sits atop four small rubber feet, which feel quite durable.

The 17-LED lightbar is more than just a simple power indicator, which I quite like. If your Steam Machine is downloading a game, it 'fills' from left to right to indicate the download's progress, and you can customize it with extra colors and functions in SteamOS too.

(Image credit: Future)

It's significantly smaller than any current-gen home console and the vast majority of pre-built gaming PCs, and certainly a lot smaller than any custom desktop PC the average system-builder could assemble - you'd need to be seriously confident with graphics card disassembly and custom cooling to even get close to something this small.

In fact, it's immediately reminiscent of the Nintendo GameCube I treasured in my teenage years, though I promise I haven't let nostalgia cloud my opinion here. The closest you're likely to get to this sort of compact gaming PC now is probably the Asus ROG NUC that I personally reviewed last year - and while that offers far superior performance, it's also so eye-wateringly expensive that it makes the Steam Machine look cheap.

The front panel is removable and can be easily swapped out with magnetic faceplates. If you spring for the 2TB model, you get two of these included: a red felt fabric one and a rather nice wood-effect one that matches my TV stand perfectly... it looks right at home there, actually. Wink wink, nudge nudge, Valve.

The power supply is (somehow) built into the breathtakingly compact chassis, meaning there's no chunky adapter brick here either - just a regular cable with a two-pin power connector. This is included in the box, along with an HDMI cable (though the rear I/O also features a DisplayPort 1.4 output, which may be preferable if you're connecting it to a desktop monitor rather than a TV).

(Image credit: Future)

That rear I/O is where you'll find the rest of the ports: the aforementioned HDMI and DisplayPort, along with an RJ-45 Ethernet port, two USB-As, and one USB-C. I'll confess that as a fan of physical connectivity, I find this port selection a little lacking, but it's realistically going to be plenty for the target audience of the Steam Machine. It might be less than a fully-fledged desktop PC, but it's comparable to any modern home console. Wireless connectivity uses Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 – I would've liked to see Wi-Fi 7 here, but it's not a dealbreaker.

The internals are very tidy, with a large air intake grille behind the magnetic faceplate behind which sits the mainboard. A single large upright fan draws air through and out of the rear exhaust. This is (surprisingly) an upgradable system, though it's more along the lines of a gaming laptop than the average desktop PC; you can swap out the M.2 SSD and the RAM, but that's it.

(Image credit: Future)

Lastly, I'll briefly touch on the new Steam Controller. We reviewed it separately here, so I won't go into too much detail, but it's certainly good (if overpriced, like the Steam Machine itself). Pairing the pad and the 'puck' that doubles as a wireless transmitter and charging dock is a seamless process, and the controller itself feels good to use in games. The lack of an audio jack, as seen on other mainline console controllers, is a bit of a shame, however.

I have to admit that I really, genuinely love the design of the Steam Machine. My only real criticism here (and the only thing stopping me from giving it a perfect score in this section) is that it only has one single USB-C port, and it's on the rear. This is a minor gripe, though; for the most part, this is a very well-designed piece of hardware.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Valve Steam Machine review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Strong gaming performance at 1080p
• Cracks start to show at 1440p; falls apart completely at 4K
• Runs quietly and doesn't get too hot

Valve Steam Machine benchmarks

Civilization VII: (1080p, AMD FSR 1 + MSAA Balanced, High): 114fps; (1080p, High): 107fps; (4K, AMD FSR 1 + MSAA Balanced, High): 56fps; (4K, High): 50fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: (1080p, Highest): 131fps; (1080p, Low): 182fps; (4K, Highest): 47fps; (4K, Low): 91fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness: (1080p, Ultra): 58fps; (1080p, Low): 110fps; (4K, Ultra): 24fps; (4K, Low): 35fps
Cyberpunk 2077: (1080p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 33fps; (1080p, Ultra): 71fps; (1080p, Low): 114fps; (4K, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 10fps; (4K, Ultra): 17fps; (4K, Low): 38fps
Marvel Rivals: (1080p, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 57ps; (1080p, Low): 82fps; (4K, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 22ps; (4K, Low): 24fps

No resolution upscaling or frame generation modes are used unless otherwise specified.

Benchmarking the Steam Machine was... interesting, to say the least. I had hoped to mostly stick to our usual suite of tests used for benchmarking the best gaming PCs and best gaming laptops, but the vast majority of those systems are running on Windows 10 or 11. SteamOS, while a very solid platform these days, simply doesn't have the same degree of flexibility as Microsoft's flagship operating system.

For starters, the Steam Machine locks itself to a maximum framerate based on the refresh rate of the monitor it's connected to, which meant I had to seek out a different high-refresh-rate display to get accurate results. Notably, the Steam Deck does something similar with its built-in 60/90Hz screen, so I suspect that this is a SteamOS quirk rather than any hardware-imposed limitation, but I wasn't able to find any way to disable it.

Then I got to the compatibility issues. Half the tests we usually run (most pertinently Geekbench and 3DMark) simply can't be installed and run natively in SteamOS's default Big Picture Mode, so I had to cut down my testing selection fairly significantly. To compensate (and to provide a better idea of how well the Steam Machine can actually handle gaming), I expanded my gaming tests to include more graphical configurations than usual.

Furthermore, you have to dig into the settings of SteamOS itself to uncap the resolution, which is set to FHD 1080p by default. Eagle-eyed gamers clocked prior to the Steam Machine's release that Valve had quietly lowered expectations by adjusting the language used in the product's store page from "4K gaming at 60 FPS" to "Up to 4K gaming with FSR", crushing hopes that it would be a true competitor to the likes of the PS5 Pro. Clearly, 1080p is the ideal target, which will no doubt be a disappointment for some potential customers.

(Image credit: Future)

Anyway, let's talk about the actual performance. At 1080p with graphical settings maxed out, the Steam Machine can handle almost anything you throw at it; the discrete semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 GPU inside this little black box was able to crack 60fps in most games I tested at FHD resolution (sometimes requiring the use of AMD's FSR upscaling tech, though this had virtually zero impact on visual fidelity), with the exception of titles that use ray tracing.

With ray tracing turned off, you'll be fine; turn it on, and you can expect framerates to tank even if you also switch on FSR. Cyberpunk 2077 looked and played great at 1080p Ultra settings with no upscaling, but switching to the Ray Tracing Ultra preset (with AMD FSR 3 set to Balanced) saw my average framerate drop to a little over 30 in the built-in benchmark, while actual in-game performance was even choppier.

Annoyingly, some games don't seem to properly support the most recent version of FSR on SteamOS; while I've been able to use it in games like Civilization VII and Shadow of the Tomb Raider while testing Windows-based gaming laptops and PCs, FSR 3 was conspicuously absent from the settings menu of both games on the Steam Machine - Civilization would only let me select FSR 1, while Shadow had no upscaling options available at all.

(Image credit: Future)

Once I started to crank things up to 1440p and 4K resolution, though, the cracks started to show. Older titles (and 2D games, like my current obsession, Slay the Spire 2) largely run fine at higher resolutions - but unfortunately, I could probably say the same about any home console and plenty of cheaper desktop PCs.

Modern triple-A games start to struggle a little at 1440p, but remain playable provided you're willing to tone down the settings a bit. I've only included the full suite of 1080p and 4K results in the results box above, but to give you a few quick examples: Cyberpunk 2077 remained playable with an average framerate of 68fps at 1440p Ultra with FSR 3 set to balanced (no ray tracing), while Total War: Warhammer III dropped to 45fps at Ultra - but could be salvaged to a stable 63fps with the Medium graphical preset.

At 4K, don't expect to be playing the latest hit games at high framerates; at least, not without some very significant graphical tweaks. The now eight-year-old Shadow of the Tomb Raider was the only game I tested that made it above 60fps at 4K resolution, and that was with the graphical settings turned down significantly.

As for more demanding titles, just don't bother. Total War: Warhammer III barely made it above a 30fps average at Low settings, with frequent drops into sub-30 territory, while Cyberpunk 2077 gave abysmal benchmarking at anything above the lowest possible graphical settings, even with FSR upscaling turned on, and struggled heavily to maintain a consistent framerate during actual gameplay. Turning on FSR frame generation did technically give a stable 30fps at 4K Ultra, but with the added issue of some visual tearing and artifacting, especially during busy scenes.

(Image credit: Future)

I also experienced a small number of crashes during my testing process, specifically in Total War: Warhammer III and Marathon. It's possible that these were merely down to game instability rather than any specific fault with the Steam Machine or SteamOS (I've personally had Marathon crash at least once on my Windows 10 gaming desktop), so I won't mark it down for this, but I've opted to include it for the sake of comprehensiveness.

Lastly, I'd like to briefly discuss the thermal performance of the Steam Machine, which is a shining beacon amidst the otherwise fairly underwhelming overall performance. The large cooling fan at the rear of this little cube was whisper-quiet throughout all my testing, and the casing barely got more than a little warm. Whatever thermal wizardry Valve pulled off here, it clearly works.

• Performance: 3 / 5

Valve Steam Machine review: SteamOS

• SteamOS 3 is a very solid operating system
• Accessible for newcomers, but still packs advanced features
• Optional Linux desktop mode

A bonus section appears! Yes, I'm going to take a moment here to discuss SteamOS, since it's arguably the linchpin of the Steam Machine's whole 'console rival' mission statement. Does it really make PC gaming more accessible? I'm pleased to say yes, it certainly does.

An Arch Linux-based operating system, SteamOS is now in its third main iteration, and it's improved greatly from its humble beginnings as the full-screen version of the Steam desktop app. It's easy to set up and offers a pleasingly straightforward interface that even a gaming rookie should be able to navigate, while also packing the full suite of settings found in the Windows desktop version of Steam.

One nifty feature is the optional Linux desktop mode. It's quite effective, if basic, letting you install Linux-compatible programs like LibreOffice and the Firefox browser. It's neat, but it's a feature that will likely only be used by a small subset of buyers since it doesn't really offer anything for pure gaming users.

(Image credit: Future)

Naturally, you can connect a keyboard and mouse as well as a controller, which is useful for games where typing is necessary, but it turned out to be even more vital. I wasn't actually able to complete the SteamOS setup without first connecting a mouse to select the system language, and when playing some other games after my initial benchmarking process, I found that I couldn't complete the initial setup for Forza Horizon 5 using just the Steam Controller, which was annoying.

As effective as SteamOS is, compatibility issues are an inevitability when dealing with a Linux-based system. While the vast majority of games on Steam are fully compatible, there will be specific outliers, and there are plenty of non-gaming programs that aren't available. And of course, you can't play games from other storefronts like Epic and GOG, unless you decide to go the whole hog and install Windows 11 on it instead - which is an option!

Should I buy the Valve Steam Machine?Valve Steam Machine: Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Steam Machine is an expensive product for the specs and experience it offers, to the point where it struggles to compete with mainstream home consoles.

2.5 / 5

Design

A durable, high-quality chassis with an impressively compact design. The port selection is decent for a console-style device, and the swappable faceplates add a bit of visual flair.

4.5 / 5

Performance

1080p performance is great, but triple-A games start to struggle at 1440p and 4K. Considering the price, the gaming quality is decidedly lackluster, and you may encounter some compatibility issues with SteamOS.

3 / 5

Total Score

I really want to love the Steam Machine, and it arguably achieves its goal of competing with living room consoles, but the asking price is just a bit too high for what it offers.

3.33 / 5

Buy the Valve Steam Machine if…

You want living-room PC gaming
The compact design and straightforward functionality of the Steam Machine make it great for a couch gaming setup.

You're looking to make the jump to PC gaming
Want to ditch your PS5 in the wake of Sony's new digital-only game policy? The Steam Machine offers a very accessible way to enter the PC gaming space without the complexities of PC-building.

Don't buy it if…

You're on a budget
While you could easily spend a lot more on a compact gaming PC, the price of the Steam Machine is unfortunately a little too high to be appealing.

You want to play games from multiple storefronts
The best experience you'll get here is by sticking with SteamOS, but that will lock you out of playing games from other storefronts like Epic and Prime Gaming.View Deal

Valve Steam Machine review: Also consider

Alienware Aurora
It's a bit more expensive than the Steam Machine, but if you want a pre-built gaming PC that can comfortably tackle 1440p and potentially even 4K gaming, the more affordable configurations of the Alienware Aurora are a solid choice. Read our full Alienware Aurora review.

Asus ROG NUC
If money is no object, the latest Asus ROG NUC gaming PC is unquestionably the one to pick if you want a compact system for a living-room gaming setup. This NUC probably has the best performance-to-size ratio of any gaming PC on the market right now. Read our full Asus ROG NUC review.

How I tested the Valve Steam Machine

(Image credit: Future)

• Ran multiple PC game benchmarks
• Connected to my TV to use for 'couch gaming'
• 8+ years of experience reviewing dozens of laptops and PCs

My review process for the Steam Machine was a little different from how I'd usually approach a gaming PC or laptop review, due largely to SteamOS's Big Picture Mode not supporting our non-gaming tests.

Still, I ran the Machine through all the usual gaming tests, then took it downstairs to my living room and set it up on my TV stand to use it for some good old-fashioned couch gaming. As someone who was raised on Nintendo consoles but made the jump to PC gaming in my teens, I was keen to get the full intended experience out of the Steam Machine.

In addition to our usual game tests, I played a bunch of other games over a full weekend spent rigorously testing (read: having lots of fun with) the Steam Machine. These included Marathon, Warframe, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and the frighteningly addictive Slay the Spire 2.

I've been testing and reviewing computer hardware for almost a decade, and I've been a gamer for much longer than that. Before joining the TechRadar team, I worked at the PC-building hobbyist magazine Maximum PC, so you can trust that I'm putting every ounce of knowledge and experience at my disposal into bringing you high-quality, insightful, and non-biased reviews.

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

Nothing Ear (3a): Two-minute review

Sometimes, reviews are written with a heavy heart, and this is exactly that. I've championed Nothing's affordable "(a)" earbuds for well over two years — with the updated pink set for 2026 appearing to be right up my strasse. But all is not as it first appears.

The issues don't concern their cost. Like before, they come in at just under $100 and are therefore a candidate for our best budget earbuds guide.

Bizarrely, for the review star rating, I also have very few bones to pick with audio quality, which is still best pals with LDAC and now with Bluetooth 6.0 for a stronger connection. I recommend you tweak the sound profile from the box, mind — it's overly bassy by default — but that's hardly unheard of for earbuds at this level, and it can be rectified with a little effort.

It would have been lovely if Nothing had allowed its special sonic tests (for personalised EQ profile curation done by Nothing's software, rather than you tweaking sliders or blobs yourself) to be made available here, but the company has clearly decided that its three-minute hearing test is flagship only — although there is a new "Advanced" 8-band EQ tab with "Q factor" (more on this later).

What of the comfort levels and overall build quality? Here you get everything you'd expect of Nothing: rock-solid, colorful, and with just a couple of new flourishes to enjoy. Battery life has taken a knock, but that might possibly be down to having to work a bigger driver.

So what's the main problem? Actually there are two: Call Recording and Audio Snapshot (sometimes referred to as Audio Capture in Nothing's extensive marketing). Nobody asked for these features and, honestly, they're not the USP I wanted — even as a journalist who interviews people regularly.

None of the best noise-cancelling earbuds we recommend come with these features, but that's hardly a problem in itself. Such tech exists in the world, obviously; I point you to the Viaim RecDot, for example. But the Viaim's buds publicise their raison d'etre; there's a visible "record" button on the case, a light for in-person meetings, and a business-class $249.99 / £185 price tag. That's not the case with Nothing's version, where a surreptitious squeeze of the stem kicks off audio capture of your current call (or whatsapp voice note) in a set of buds that otherwise seem to scream "I'm a bit of fun!"

As with the RecDot, Nothing offers tech to transcribe your recordings (and not just on its own phones, either) — to a point. You get three months of its Pro Transcription service for free, with 120 minutes to use each month. And after the trial? Nothing tells me official pricing hasn't yet been finalised, but will be decided in August. If it was hard to recommend such a package before, it's even harder now when one doesn't know how much it will cost.

I can't help but feel that Nothing has taken a wrong turn here. I'd much rather have seen fan-favorite features such as personalised sound profiles and/or wireless charging rather than in-call recording. Some TechRadar team members have suggested I make like Elsa and just Let It Go, but in a year when consumer tech already feels uncomfortably intrusive (Meta, I'm looking at you with those smart glasses), adding call and voice note recording feels like a step too far. It's important to question where these features are taking us.

At $99 / £99, the price is definitely right. I'm just not sure the feature set is…

FutureFutureFutureNothing Ear (3a) review: Price & release date

• Released on July 7, 2026
• Priced $99 / £99 / around AU$192, same as the 2024 Ear (a)

The Nothing Ear (3a) cost the same as their predecessor, priced at $99 / £99.

Although the name might suggest otherwise, these are the direct successors to the excellent, five-star Nothing Ear (a) from 2024 – there was never a Nothing Ear (1a) or Nothing Ear (2a). They also slot nicely alongside the still-current but more expensive Nothing Ear (3), with the shared 3 denoting that they're part of the same generation.

The Ear (a) are some of the best budget earbuds I've ever had the pleasure of testing, and I'd looked forward to their update ever since word was out that it was coming.

Key rivals to the Nothing Ear (3a) include the Apple AirPods 4, which offer gesture control alongside a few other iPhone-exclusive features, or, for a little less, the five-star Cambridge Audio Melomania A100. If you're tempted by open earbuds instead, the Huawei FreeArc or even clip-style SoundPEATS Clip1 can both be picked up for less than the Nothing Ear (3a) right now, making them excellent-value alternatives.

Nothing Ear (a) on the left, Ear (2) on the right. Yes, there are key differences (Image credit: Future)Nothing Ear (3a) review: Specs

Drivers

12mm custom driver

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

Up to 6 hours (ANC off); up to 4.5 hours (ANC on); up to 25 hours with case (ANC off) or up to 18 hours (ANC on)

Weight

4.53g per earbud

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, USB-C

Frequency range

20Hz – 40kHz

Waterproofing

IP54

Other features

Wideband Active Noise Cancellation up to 45dB, 3 MEMs mics per earbuds with AI ENC, Nothing X App support, Custom 8-band EQ, Find My Earbuds, Low Lag mode, auto-off, Dual Connection, extra ear-tip, Audio Snapshot and in-call recording

Hello, yellow! (Image credit: Future)Nothing Ear (3a) review: Features

• Bluetooth 6.0 (15m range) with LDAC support
• Improved ANC (cancellation up to 45 dB, effective to 5 kHz)
• Pinch stems for Call Recording/Audio Snapshot, no Nothing phone required

It would be easy to say, "Look, you don't like the cutesy branding of Nothing's new 'Audio Snapshot' offering? Don't use it — there's still plenty to like for $99!" but let's dig in to see why the take is not so simple.

Firstly, we should get granular on what Audio Snapshot and Call Recording do, and what they cannot do. I mentioned above that as a journalist, I regularly record interviews, often over Zoom, Google Meet or even Microsoft Teams. When set up as an interview, my subjects usually take it as a given that I will be recording — and where I reside in the UK, it is legal to record calls, even without consent from the other party. I still always ask.

In the US, however, the laws on recording phone calls are different, varying from state to state. For calls crossing state lines, the stricter 'two party consent' law (as per the Federal Wiretap Act) applies, where both parties on a call must consent to a recording.

So what is Nothing doing about it? In its reviewers' guide, the company says it "aligns with internationally recognised privacy standards ISO 27001, ISO 27701 and EN 18031". To this end, during setup, the Nothing X app also displays a short tutorial reminding users to obtain permission before recording calls — as shown below.

Interestingly, on a traditional phone call made in the UK, the "prompt" Nothing promises will be played to everyone on the call is a simple beep. On Google Meet, a female voice announces "This call will be recorded in 3, 2, 1", presumably so anyone not OK with that can scream "Oh no you don't!". From smartphone to smartphone, there's no vocal.

Thanks to the Nothing Ear (3a)'s 32MB of onboard storage, you can start recording with just a pinch of the stems, storing up to two hours of audio on the earbuds themselves. You can also record and transcribe voice notes from apps such as Instagram or WhatsApp — and from August, Nothing says it will add summaries of call recordings, speaker identification and the ability to create calendar reminders based on what was discussed.

Nothing (app screen grabs by Future) Nothing (app screen grabs by Future)

What these earbuds can't do is record conversations that take place around you, or indeed your own voice. So, thankfully, there's no scope for eavesdropping around the water cooler.

However, my thoughts on this are clear— I'm not wholly OK with it. It puts the onus on buyers to adhere to laws, and opens the door for flouting rules of consent. I tried muting my mics to see whether the beep could be silenced, but it still plays for the person on the other end of the call to signal that recording has begun. Nevertheless, I think I've made my concerns around this feature clear.

Elsewhere, you get Bluetooth v6.0 and LDAC support for hi-res audio (the Sony-developed codec that lets you stream high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth at up to 990kbps, if your device supports it and the file is up to scratch). While the predecessor did also include the latter, it remains a valuable inclusion here.

There's also onboard spatial audio, albeit of the "static" variety rather than head-tracked spatial audio that keeps the sound anchored to your source device as you move your head. It adds a little extra depth and height to the presentation, but for me, the effect is decidedly light-touch compared to what you get from pricier earbuds.

Note that you don't get the Ear (3)'s splendid personalized hearing tests, or the useful "walkie-talkie" Super Mic. That said, there's in-ear detection (to pause music when you remove the buds and resume it when they're in), a low-lag toggle for gaming, seamless pairing, multipoint to two devices, an ear-tip fit test and a Find My Earbuds feature, which emits a rattlesnake-style sound from whichever bud you're trying to locate, to help you find it.

Nothing's Transparency mode is decent. It's a little warm, but it still delivers a more three-dimensional presentation than many buds at this level. I could hear the placement of the TV, voices in my home and a dog outside, rather than all of these sounds appearing tinny, omnipresent and seemingly on top of one another.

When deploying ANC (rather than "Transparency" or "Off"), you can once again select from High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive noise-nixing profiles. High is decent: Nothing tells me performance is up to 45dB (effective to 5 kHz), which equates to a 17.1% improvement compared to the Ear (a), thanks to a software upgrade and improved architecture regarding where the mic sits.

The issue in 2026 is the existence of the AirPods Pro 3 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2). Although it would be unfair to compare like for like, owing to the chasm in pricing, you can get better if you're willing to pay for it. That said, the ANC here is no slouch, giving a fairly clean, largely uninterrupted and issue-free neutral background for my music.

If you have a Nothing Phone, the Nothing X app and the ChatGPT app, then you can once again you can also access ChatGPT access via the Ear (3a)'s stem; simply squeeze and talk.

The new EQ tab is now an eight-band offering (up from three in the older buds), as well as the more basic audio splodge Nothing made its own — and which I rather like since it reminds me of Nura True Pro's visual depictions, rather than a mixing desk. You also get five presets in the Advanced tab, and four in the Simple tab — but you can create your custom EQ using whichever system you prefer.

And I think you'll need to get familiar with these, as I'm about to explain…

• Features score: 4 / 5

Voice AI using ChatGPT is coming using Nothing Ear (a) using your Nothing smartphone… (Image credit: Future)Nothing Ear (3a) review: Sound quality

• LDAC support represents value
• Fun, V-shaped sound — if a little quiet
• A little bass-heavy from the box, but you can fix it

As was the case with their siblings, it would be wrong of me to knock Nothing Ear (3a) in the sonic department for this money. The sound quality is easily worthy of the outlay.

That said, there are a few points to bring to your attention.

Those with a Sony or Samsung smartphone (I used a Sony Xperia) will find much to celebrate in LDAC music streaming. In My Chemical Romance's The Ghost of You, guitars snake from my left to right ear in a cohesive mix — with Gerard Way's vocal central, petulant and every bit as emotive as I remember it in the mid-noughties.

Even when I stream Apple Music songs from my iPhone, the Nothing Ear (3a) offer ample width as my playlist continues to Thank You For the Venom and the intro guitars find a spacious home in my left ear. There's room around every stem in the mix to shine, but they're all held properly in check, even in this fast-paced and challenging song.

It's a little bass-heavy at times, though. Fleetwood Mac's The Chain is a good test of a regimented low-end, and alongside the kick-drums, I did lose just a little of Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham in that glorious upper harmony through the chorus. It seems to be Nothing's modus operandi to offer a bassy listen generally, and while I did find that the new Advanced EQ tab helped, I think the enhanced low-end went a little far here.

Nothing offers a "Q Factor" in addition to what you've just tweaked in the 8-band tab, to control the width or sharpness of your adjustment. So, imagine it as a "quality factor" (because that is what it stands for), where the number you select between 0.1 and 10 determines how wide or narrow of a frequency range is boosted or cut — all of this specific to your chosen frequency. Selecting a low Q Factor will generate a wider, more gentle curve to your adjustment, where a high Q Factor will make the change narrower, steeper and more effective around that specific frequency augmentation (or reduction).

I eased off the bass and selected a Q Factor of 3.2, but you must of course play with these things yourself — and sadly, Nothing hasn't included its hearing tests here, to check how perceptive your ears are within this particular tuning.

For dynamics and nuance, the Nothing Ear (3a) are perhaps a shade less engaging and arresting than I'm used to, owing to their volume. Once criticism often levelled at Nothing's budget earbuds is they don't go especially loud, and I frequently found myself listening above 50% volume. Also, since battery life is measured at that volume, it did mean the quoted "4.5-hour battery life with ANC deployed" claims although bang on, were still disappointing.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

See how Ear (a) is just slightly bigger than Ear (2), across the board? (Image credit: Future)Nothing Ear (3a) review: Design

• Curvier case
• That 1mm bigger driver is sucks up power
• And the battery life isn't great

Hold the Nothing Ear (3a) earpieces and case next to their older Nothing Ear (a) and you'll certainly struggle in a game of spot the difference. There's the color, obviously — also available in black, white and a slightly different yellow to the hue I love in this older set — and the 50% curvier case. There's also a trio of LEDs on the case that deliver a total of six status indications for battery status, pairing status, charging levels and so on.

For further tweaks, we have to look deeper.

The driver is now 12mm rather than 11mm and features an "aerospace-grade diaphragm". You also get an extra set of ear-tips in the box, four in total, and although the XS will appeal to owners of small ears, the actual earpieces here aren't tiny, despite being lighter in weight than Ear (a), at 4.53g versus 4.8g. The actual design of the tips has been finessed, too: they're a little thicker and more flared across the outer wall. I found the buds very secure, if a little big to accommodate comfortably over my small-ish ears over the course of long listening sessions.

I've said it before now and I'll say it again: I think we've reached a point of diminishing — perhaps even negative — returns when it comes to ever-larger earbud drivers. Every new release seems to tout a bigger driver without adding weight, as if bigger automatically means better. But where does it end? 13mm drivers? 15mm drivers? To my ears, the Ear (3a)'s 1mm larger driver hasn't negatively impacted the sound, but I don wonder if it's contributed to sthe shorter battery life. In my briefing, I was told the buds themselves would last 10 hours — but that turned out not to be the case.

While the battery in each earpiece — along with the larger driver and onboard 16MB flash drive — works hard to power the buds, it's only good for up to 6 hours without ANC, or 4.5 hours with ANC turned on. And remember, I had to pump the volume up higher than 50%, which the level at which those measurements are typically taken. With the case, you'll get up to 25 hours with ANC off, or up to 18 hours with it on.

None of these stats is much to write home about. Take Nothing's own Ear (a), which offered up to 9.5 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC off, and about 5.5 hours with ANC on. Now, consider the very inexpensive Cambridge Melomania A100, which offer 11 hours per charge or up to 39 hours with the case, along with aptX Lossless. I know which I'd rather take on long road-trips…

Again, Nothing's pinch-to-control stems return here, and while volume controls aren't enabled by default, you can assign them in the Nothing X app — provided you're happy to sacrifice another shortcut in the process.

While I'm here, a quick note on call-handling. It's absolutely clear and clean as a whistle, thanks to the 3 MEMS mics per bud.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Rarely have I had so many colleagues strike up a conversation with me over a set of earbuds (Image credit: Future)Nothing Ear (3a) review: Value

• Still very good-looking earbuds
• Decent ANC; not so great for stamina
• LDAC adds value, but call-recording (for me, at least) is a no

Before now, I've always championed Nothing's "(a)" buds — and while the basics in the (3a) are fine, there are a few issues that are hard to ignore.

The Call Recording feature is top of the list here. More than any technical limitation, it's the privacy implications that concern me. Much as seeing someone wearing smart glasses now makes me wonder whether I'm being recorded, these earbuds leave me asking why someone might want to capture our conversations. I appreciate that some readers may see this as an overreaction, but it's a genuine concern for me, informed by my own experiences as a woman and former dancer who had to deal with overly familiar fans.

I think the audio quality here is perfectly acceptable for $99 / £99, but the stamina and feature set can be bettered. Even in the open earbuds market, I'd happily direct you to the cheaper Huawei FreeArc or SoundPEATS Clip1 over these earbuds.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Nothing Ear (3a)?

Section

Notes

Score

Features

I can't get behind Call Recording — although the ANC is good enough

4/5

Sound quality

An fun listen that's easy to tweak if the bass proves a bit much. Just a tad quiet overall

4/5

Design

Good-looking buds let down by disappointing stamina

4/5

Value

It's hard for me to write it, but the smart money isn't always with Nothing

4/5

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top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); pointer-events: none; width: 16px; height: 16px; flex-shrink: 0; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select-wrapper.fv-left .fv-versus-chevron { right: 0; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select-wrapper.fv-right .fv-versus-chevron { right: 0; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select { background: transparent; border: none; border-bottom: 2px solid; font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 14px; padding: 0.25rem 0; cursor: pointer; outline: none; appearance: none; -webkit-appearance: none; -moz-appearance: none; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select.fv-select-left { text-align: center; direction: ltr; padding-right: 1.25rem; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select.fv-select-right { text-align: center; padding-right: 1.25rem; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-select option { font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 14px; color: #374151; direction: ltr; text-align: left; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-vs { font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 14px; color: #374151; letter-spacing: 0.1em; padding: 0 1rem; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-body { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 1.5rem; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-row { position: relative; height: auto; padding-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; display: block; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar-container { position: relative; height: 32px; display: flex; align-items: center; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar-left-wrapper { flex: 1; height: 100%; display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; align-items: center; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar-right-wrapper { flex: 1; height: 100%; display: flex; justify-content: flex-start; align-items: center; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar { height: 32px; width: var(--target-width); transition: width 0.8s ease-out; animation: fv-grow-max-width 0.8s ease-out forwards; display: flex; align-items: center; overflow: hidden; color: #ffffff; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar-left { border-radius: 4px 0 0 4px; justify-content: flex-end; padding: 0 8px; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-bar-right { border-radius: 0 4px 4px 0; justify-content: flex-start; padding: 0 8px; }@keyframes fv-grow-max-width {from { max-width: 0; }to { max-width: 100%; }}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-center-line { position: absolute; left: 50%; top: 0; bottom: 0; width: 4px; background-color: #ffffff; transform: translateX(-50%); z-index: 1; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-inside-left { white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-inside-right { white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-val-text { font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 14px; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-pct-diff { font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-versus-label { position: absolute; left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%); top: 0; background-color: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 14px; color: #374151; white-space: nowrap; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .sr-only { position: absolute !important; width: 1px !important; height: 1px !important; padding: 0 !important; margin: -1px !important; overflow: hidden !important; clip: rect(0,0,0,0) !important; white-space: nowrap !important; border: 0 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bottom-bar { display: flex !important; flex-direction: column !important; align-items: center !important; margin-top: 0.5rem !important; gap: 1rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-footer-content { text-align: center !important; width: 100% !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-logo {display: block !important;margin: 0 auto !important;width: 120px !important;min-width: 120px !important;max-width: 120px !important;height: auto !important;object-fit: contain !important;flex-shrink: 0 !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-wrapper { text-align: center !important; margin-bottom: 16px !important; margin-top: 0 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-title-container { position: relative !important; display: inline-block !important; max-width: 100% !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-title {appearance: none !important;-webkit-appearance: none !important;-moz-appearance: none !important;background: transparent !important;border: none !important;font-size: 18px !important;font-weight: 600 !important;color: var(--riv-primary) !important;padding-right: 28px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;cursor: pointer !important;text-align: center !important;text-align-last: center !important;width: auto !important;max-width: 100% !important;font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif !important;line-height: 1.3 !important;margin: 0 !important;text-overflow: ellipsis !important;overflow: hidden !important;white-space: nowrap !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-title:focus { outline: none !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-title::-ms-expand { display: none !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-dropdown-chevron {position: absolute !important;right: 0 !important;top: 50% !important;transform: translateY(-50%) !important;pointer-events: none !important;color: var(--riv-primary) !important;display: flex !important;align-items: center !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-carousel-title-controls { display: flex !important; justify-content: space-between !important; align-items: center !important; margin-bottom: 16px !important; width: 100% !important; gap: 12px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-carousel-nav-btn {background: transparent !important; border: 1px solid #d1d5db !important; border-radius: 6px !important; padding: 6px 10px !important;cursor: pointer !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; gap: 4px !important; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-carousel-nav-btn:hover { border-color: #9ca3af !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-carousel-counter { font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; text-align: center !important; margin-top: 1rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-legend { display: flex !important; justify-content: center !important; flex-wrap: wrap !important; gap: 8px 16px !important; margin: 0 !important; padding: 0 !important; margin-top: 1rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-legend-item { display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; gap: 6px !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-legend-color { width: 12px !important; height: 12px !important; border-radius: 3px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-multi-value-legend {display: flex !important;justify-content: center !important;flex-wrap: wrap !important;gap: 12px 24px !important;margin-bottom: 1.5rem !important;padding: 0 !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-multi-legend-item { display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; gap: 8px !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; font-weight: 500 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-multi-legend-swatch { width: 16px !important; height: 16px !important; border-radius: 3px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-benchmark-group { margin-bottom: 1rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-benchmark-title {font-size: 18px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; margin-bottom: 16px !important; margin-top: 0 !important; padding: 0 !important;text-align: center !important; color: var(--riv-primary) !important; flex: 1 !important; min-width: 0 !important;font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.3 !important;text-transform: none !important;white-space: normal !important;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;word-wrap: break-word !important;max-width: 100% !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-row, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-stacked-product { display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; width: 100% !important; margin-bottom: 0.75rem !important; position: relative !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-label { width: 150px !important; flex-shrink: 0 !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; padding-right: 10px !important; text-align: right !important; font-weight: 500 !important; display: block !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-container { flex-grow: 1 !important; background-color: #E5E7EB !important; border-radius: 4px !important; min-height: 25px !important; border: 1px solid #D1D5DB !important; position: relative !important; display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-commentary-inline { display: none !important; position: absolute !important; left: 150px !important; top: 0 !important; bottom: 0 !important; right: 0 !important; width: calc(100% - 150px) !important; margin: 0 !important; padding: 0 8px !important; font-size: 13px !important; color: #fff !important; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.8) !important; border-radius: 4px !important; line-height: 1.4 !important; font-weight: normal !important; text-transform: none !important; word-wrap: break-word !important; z-index: 10 !important; align-items: center !important; overflow-y: auto !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.preview-wrapper .fv-bar-row:hover .fv-bar-commentary-inline, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.preview-wrapper .fv-bar-commentary-inline:focus, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.preview-wrapper .fv-bar-commentary-inline:focus-within, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-bar-row:hover .fv-bar-commentary-inline, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-bar-commentary-inline:focus, #fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-bar-commentary-inline:focus-within { display: flex !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar { height: 100% !important; border-radius: 3px !important; display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; transition: opacity 0.2s ease, width 0.8s ease-out !important; min-height: 23px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar:hover { opacity: 0.8 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-inner-content { display: flex !important; justify-content: space-between !important; align-items: center !important; width: 100% !important; height: 100% !important; padding: 0 8px !important; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: bold !important; overflow: hidden !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-inner-label { white-space: nowrap !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-overflow: ellipsis !important; padding-right: 8px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-inner-value { flex-shrink: 0 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-value-outside { padding-left: 8px !important; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: bold !important; color: #374151 !important; white-space: nowrap !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-label.fv-primary-product { font-weight: bold !important; color: var(--riv-primary) !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-multi-bar-container { flex-direction: column !important; padding: 4px !important; align-items: stretch !important; gap: 4px !important; height: auto !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-multi-bar-item { display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; height: 25px !important; width: 100% !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-stacked-bar { display: flex !important; overflow: hidden !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-stacked-segment { height: 100% !important; display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; justify-content: flex-end !important; padding-right: 8px !important; border-right: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.3) !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-stacked-segment:last-child { border-right: none !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-segment-value { font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: bold !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-grouped-bar-product { display: flex !important; flex-direction: column !important; width: 100% !important; margin-bottom: 1.25rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-grouped-product-title-wrapper { padding-left: 150px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-grouped-product-title { width: 100% !important; text-align: left !important; padding-right: 0 !important; margin-bottom: 0.5rem !important; font-weight: 700 !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; text-transform: none !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-cluster { width: 100% !important; flex-grow: 1 !important; display: flex !important; flex-direction: column !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-cluster .fv-bar-row { margin-bottom: 3px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-bar-cluster .fv-bar-container { height: 20px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .riv-grid line {stroke: #D1D5DB !important;stroke-dasharray: 3 3 !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-wrapper { display: flex !important; width: 100% !important; margin-top: 0.5rem !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-label-space { width: 150px !important; padding-right: 10px !important; flex-shrink: 0 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-chart-space { flex-grow: 1 !important; padding-right: 8px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-wrapper.fv-grouped-x-axis { margin-left: 0 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-line { border-top: 1px solid #D1D5DB !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-ticks { display: flex !important; justify-content: space-between !important; padding-top: 4px !important; font-size: 13px !important; color: #374151 !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-ticks span { position: relative !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-ticks span::before { content: '' !important; position: absolute !important; top: -6px !important; left: 50% !important; transform: translateX(-50%) !important; width: 2px !important; height: 4px !important; background-color: #D1D5DB !important; border-radius: 1px !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-unit { text-align: center !important; font-size: 14px !important; color: #374151 !important; margin-top: 8px !important; display: block !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-x-axis-title { text-align: center !important; font-size: 15px !important; color: #374151 !important; margin-top: 8px !important; margin-bottom: 16px !important; line-height: 1.5 !important; padding: 0 1rem !important; display: block !important; font-weight: bold !important; }#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc .fv-y-axis-title {font-size: 15px !important;color: #374151 !important;line-height: 1.5 !important;text-align: left !important;padding-left: 5.83% !important;margin-bottom: 4px !important;display: block !important;font-weight: bold !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-pie-container,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-pie-container {flex-direction: column !important; gap: 1rem !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-grouped-product-title-wrapper,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-grouped-product-title-wrapper {padding-left: 0 !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-bar-row,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-stacked-product,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-grouped-bar-product,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-bar-row,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-stacked-product,#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-grouped-bar-product {flex-direction: column !important; align-items: flex-start !important; margin-bottom: 1.25rem !important;}#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.mobile-view .fv-bar-label:not(.fv-grouped-product-title),#fv-chart-1784740420126-ma76xl7lc.labels-on-top .fv-bar-label:not(.fv-grouped-product-title) {width: 100% !important; text-align: left !important; padding-right: 0 !important; margin-bottom: 0.25rem !important; 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Solid generally, but with battery concerns and a potentially problematic call recording 'feature'

Features4Sound Quality4Design4Battery Life2.5Noise Cancellation4.5Value4Overall4012345Group 1 DataProductFeatures ()Sound Quality ()Design ()Battery Life ()Noise Cancellation ()Value ()Overall ()Nothing Ear (3a)4442.54.544window.iFrameResizer = {heightCalculationMethod: 'taggedElement'};(function() {window.fvAnimateCharts = function(chartWrapper) {if (!chartWrapper) return;function animateBars(chartElement) {if (!chartElement) return;var bars = chartElement.querySelectorAll('.fv-bar, .fv-stacked-segment');bars.forEach(function(bar, index) {bar.style.setProperty('width', '0%', 'important');bar.style.setProperty('transition', 'none', 'important');var targetWidth = bar.dataset.targetWidth;if (targetWidth === undefined) return;void bar.offsetWidth;var targetMargin = bar.dataset.targetMargin;var baseMargin = bar.dataset.baseMargin;if (baseMargin !== undefined) {bar.style.setProperty('margin-left', baseMargin + '%', 'important');}setTimeout(function() {var marginTransition = baseMargin !== undefined ? 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You want buds that say "look at me"
The pink colorway is super-striking and fun, especially against their black/transparent stems.

You have a Sony or Samsung phone
LDAC support for $99 / £99? That's good stuff.

You want to record your phone calls
These buds do offer the option to record and transcribe up to 2 hours of audio from calls, songs or voice notes — and you don't need a Nothing source device to do it.

Don't buy them if...

You want extra-special spatial audio
Nothing adds its "static" spatial audio profile here, for a slightly more immersive sound profile to your music. For me, though, it's a little bit lightweight.

You have bijou ears
This design just about works for my smaller ears with the small ear-tips (there's even an XS option included now), but if your concha or ear-well is particularly diminutive, then you may still find these earpieces a little big.

The idea of covert surveillance bothers you
As a journalist, I have no issue with recording when everyone has consented. My concern is Nothing's playful marketing if in-call recording as a lifestyle feature, despite the obvious privacy implications.View Deal

Nothing Ear (3a) review: Also consider

Nothing Ear (3a)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100

Huawei FreeArc

Price

$99 / £99 / Approx. AU$192

$149 / £119 / AU$TBC (but around AU$249) at launch, discounted now

£99 (roughly $130, AU$200) but discounted now

Drivers

12m custom

10mm Neodymium dynamic

17mm x 12mm (open earbuds)

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

No

Quoted battery life

Buds: 6 hrs (without ANC) or 4.5 hrs with ANC; Total with case: 18 hrs with ANC (or 25 hrs without ANC)

11 hours per charge; up to 39 hours with the case

7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)

Weight

4.53g

4.7g

8.9g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC, USB-C (no wireless charging)

Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless

Bluetooth 5.2

Frequency range

20 Hz – 40 kHz

Not stated

Not stated

Waterproofing

Yes, IP54

Yes, IPX5

Yes, IP57

Other features

Audio Snapshot and Call Recording; auto-off, static spatial audio, ChatGPT with a Nothing Phone

7-band EQ, ANC, DynamEQ for optimised tuning, wireless charging, 3 mics per bud

Huawei AI Life app, 10-band EQ, audio presets, find your earbuds

Huawei FreeArc
Up for taking a punt on affordable and great-sounding open earbuds? The FreeArc are available at a generous discount right now — but in all honesty, we loved them even at full price.
Read more on this in our full Huawei FreeArc review

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100
These June 2025-release earbuds didn't get the fanfare they deserved, unless you count our glowing five-star review, of course. They don't look as flamboyant — but oh, do they sound good, and the ANC is great too. Did I mention they've been discounted recently? Highly recommended for their current price.
Learn more in our in-depth Cambridge Melomania A100 review

How I tested the Nothing Ear (3a)

USB-C for juicing up, but there's no wireless charging (Image credit: Future)

• Tested for two weeks, listened against the Ear (a), Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2), Technics EAH-AZ100 and AirPods 4
• Listened in the office, walking along a beach, on a train into London, into Central London and at home
• Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music Lossless tracks and Spotify on an iPhone 15 Pro, MacBook Pro and Sony Xperia smartphone

The Nothing Ear (3a) became my primary musical companions for well over two weeks — after a 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to our Paddington office and on the London Underground to various press events) and even walking on a beach at sunset.

To assess comfort levels, ANC and battery life claims, I followed TechRadar's meticulous methodology testing and found much of note — including slightly disappointing stamina.

To check the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened for several hours to my own reference playlists on Apple Music and Tidal, alongside TechRadar's reference tracks, plus podcasts and movies. Additionally, I wore them to watch YouTube tutorials from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over seven years, full-time. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit, and user experience have always been a priority for me, but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what I'm listening to here, too.

Read more about how we test earbuds at TechRadar

• First reviewed: July 2026

Shokz OpenDots Air: Two-minute review

I've long pointed to the flagship Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds in the clip-style category, so I'll admit that I watched the release of the brand's budget-grade option with trepidation.

All too often, a brand's wallet-friendly earbuds tend to fit poorly, cut too many features, completely miss the mark sonically, or launch at a price point that doesn't make sense. But I'm happy to report that the Shokz OpenDots Air side-step those issues.

In fact, for most buyers, this pair just makes so much more sense than its sibling, the Shokz OpenDots 2. That's despite the set you're here to read about being an inferior model, on paper.

Like the numbered OpenDots, the Air uses dual 11.8mm drivers; you're only going to be able to hear a difference in sound quality if you really need Dolby Atmos or some of the unique Shokz features (which, I'm guessing, most people don't).

The OpenDots Air take a largely similar design too, which means they're just as reliable in your ear on long runs or gym sessions. Now and then, I did find them to pinch a little, which I take to be the fault of a few design tweaks, but it was nothing that stopped me using them.

There's more: the battery life is great, the carry case is nice and small and the connection was reliable. But some carry-overs are a little less desirable: like other OpenDots, the touch controls are finicky to use. And while Shokz offered some of the best-sounding open earbuds last year, the Air (and 2) launch to a much more competitive market.

What sets the OpenDots Air apart from the 2-suffixed set, making them a better buy, is the price; you can get them for roughly 25% less. For most buyers, I'd say that you should save your money and buy the Air... unless any of the other fantastic cuff-style buds (which typically do undercut any of Shokz' options) pique your interest.

After all, the Shokz premium is still in play, even with its more affordable buds.

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Launched on June 4, 2026
• Sells for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219
• Cheaper alternative to OpenDots 2

The Shokz OpenDots Air were released on June 4, 2026, alongside the OpenDots 2. That was about 10 months after the original OpenDots One became available.

You can buy the earbuds for $129.95 / £129.99 / AU$219, so they're markedly cheaper than the $199.95 / £179.99 / AU$339 OpenDots 2. The original OpenDots One also went for that price, though a year on they're easy to find at around $150 / £150 / AU$239 (and even less during sales).

Note also the flagship Shokz OpenFit Pro, (more 'traditional' shell-like open earbuds) which include noise reduction and launched in January 2026, at the significant cost of $249.95 / £219 / AU$399.

I'll continue to refer to the OpenDots Air as affordable cuff-style buds, but that's only in comparison to the OpenDots 2 and the other Shokz options listed above. Remember, Shokz is a class-leader in this category, and you pay for that. You can easily find great alternatives for even cheaper (we've even listed a few at the bottom of this review).

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Specs

Drivers

2x 11.8mm

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case)

Weight

6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1

Frequency response

100Hz-40kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• You'll get 9 hours of listening; 36 with case
• EQ has four presets, 5-band custom mode
• App is pretty light on features

You're getting 9 hours of battery life with the Shokz OpenDots Air; at least, that's the cited listening time, and from my testing, I have no cause to doubt it. That's a hair below the OpenDots One / 2's 10 hours, but the difference is negligible, and it's still a solid battery life.

The case rounds that figure up to 36 hours of listening, including recharges. That's more in line with industry standards.

As with most open earbuds, there's no noise cancellation here. It's a shame, because Shokz is one of the few companies to offer ANC-adjacent tech in open-ears (the OpenFit Pro have 'noise reduction', but we tested it and it's the same thing), and I find it's even more useful in earbuds of the like.

(Image credit: Future)

While the OpenDots Air aren't as featured-packed as many other earbuds, downloading the Shokz app lets you play around with what there is.

Possibly the best reason to download the app is the equalizer; there are four presets (standard, vocal enhancement, bass enhancement and an audio leakage reduction mode), as well as a simplistic five-band custom EQ which lets you create your own mix.

The app also lets you turn on Multipoint Pairing, change what the touch controls do, turn on (or off) microphone noise cancellation in calls, and turn on (or off) wear detection.

Admittedly, the list is a little svelte. Beyond review purposes, I only opened the app a single time, and that was to double-check I hadn't accidentally turned gesture controls off (I hadn't, more on that later).

• Features score: 3.5/5

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Svelte carry case
• Attractive blue marbled design
• Not designed to stick in the ear

They ain’t called clip-on buds for nothing – the OpenDots Air are clip-shaped earbuds with a C-shaped band joining a rounded earbud with an ovoid counterweight. The 'dot' goes in your ear-well, the 'egg' sits just behind it, looping around the lower part of the helix.

The earbuds weigh 6.3g each, with silicone and plastic making up the casework of the earpiece. I tested them at the gym, on cycles and on runs (and in other, less-intensive settings) and never had a fit issue; that’s a benefit of this form factor, and I’ve never had a wobbly clipper.

However I did find that the Air could pinch a little during longer wear sessions, and I was surprised by the relief I felt at removing them after an hour-plus run. On the topic of criticisms, the buds technically have touch controls, but I could barely get them to pick up my touch. You have to be incredibly precise to find the right spot, and I quickly gave up on using them. At this level, it's not a deal-breaker in this type of design (at least not yet), but it's my job to notice.

(Image credit: Future)

You can buy the earbuds in black or purple, a choice which carries over to the charging case. They’re IP55 protected, which means they’re safe from dust and jets of water, but you shouldn’t take them swimming.

The charging case is lighter than most I’ve seen, tipping the scales to the tune of 37.3g — that’s without the buds, and you’re looking at a total package that’s under 50g. It’s nice and small too, and I really appreciate case like this that’s lightweight and portable like this: it disappeared in my pockets with no problem.

The simplicity extends to the ports and buttons; you’re getting a USB-C port but no wireless charging, unlike the OpenDots 2, and intriguingly no Bluetooth pairing override. I don’t recall the last time I saw an earbud case without this ‘hope-you-don’t-need-it’ feature, but Shokz apparently thinks you don’t need it at all.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenDots Air: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Dual 11.8mm drivers
• Well-defined treble and bass
• Some premium features missing

Shokz has found an audio set-up it likes and has stuck with it. As with the OpenDots One and OpenDots 2, the OpenDots Air have two custom 11.8mm drivers providing the music. The company is coy on what each of these drivers are actually handling, but I’m guessing at least one is tuned towards low-end, given how much "Bassphere" is mentioned in marketing.

(What’s Bassphere? Um, a marketing word, by the sounds of it, and Shokz is quite light on specifics. I've done my due journalistic diligence in trying to dig through the fluff to get granular on Bassphere, but have been unsuccessful. It seems to be what the company refers to as its two-driver system.)

The OpenDots Air do miss some features of their pricier stablemates. There’s no Dolby Atmos tuning, for one, and it lacks a few other Shokz-designed features, including MirrorPitch (which aims the sound into your ear) and Bassphere 2.0 (like 1.0, but designed to reduce distortion which could arise from the two-driver system).

Okay, I’ve been dancing around the topic; how do the Shokz OpenDots Air actually sound? They’re rather good, for open-ears — they’re not quite on par with the higher-end OpenDots, or some varied rivals, but I enjoyed listening to music with them.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s clear to my ear that one of the drivers is dialled into the low end, giving bass a clear scooping distinction that’s often missing in open-ears. Songs like Brian Kelley’s Beach Cowboy or Kasabian’s Superpowers offer clean low-end that sit comfortably below higher-frequency sounds, without blowing it out.

The lack of support for better-than-vanilla codecs such as LDAC, or seemingly any higher-quality streaming, means audiophiles might not find these an enjoyable listen. I can’t pretend they’re on par with ‘standard’ in-ear earbuds costing this much, including ones which are geared towards sports users. But for fitness-first listeners who need their ear canals free to hear traffic, they’re all you need.

Naturally, when you’re out and about, the bass will struggle a little bit — it has a harder time cutting through surrounding noise than treble does. That’s par for the course for this kind of earbud, but it bears repeating for those not familiar with the form factor.

• Sound quality: 4/5

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Great value for money compared to Shokz roster
• Other cufflinks undercut these

If you’re comparing the OpenDots Air solely to the OpenDots 2, they're great value: you’re basically getting the same earbuds for a sizeable discount. I see the Air being the better buy for most people, out of the two.

But when you look at the wider earbuds market, my recommendation gets a bit more muted. I’ve tested plenty of pairs of clip-style earbuds that hover at, or below, the £/$100 mark, which perform basically the same as the OpenDots Air do. If you’re not married to buying Shokz buds, then you’ll find a few different money-saving alternatives below.

• Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Shokz OpenDots Air?Shokz OpenDots Air score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The battery life is great, but beyond it, there aren't many features.

3.5/5

Design

Both the buds and the case are lightweight and reliable to use.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Despite some missing features, the audio quality will tick exercisers' boxes.

4/5

Value

They're the best OpenDots for your money, though some rivals will draw your gaze.

4/5

Buy them if…

You need workout buds
Between the reliable build, the simple and pleasing sound mix and the lightweight chassis, these are great running, cycling or gym companions.

You're tempted by the other OpenDots
I don't mean to downplay the strengths of Shokz' other buds, but these are the best cuff-style options it sells.

You need a case that disappears
I kept losing the OpenDots Air's case in my bag pockets, that's how small it was.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You have sensitive ears
While these fit well 99% of the time, now and then my ears grew achy, and people with sensitive ears may have a bad time with them.

You're on a budget
If you've been drawn to the Air as a budget pair of open-ears, I'm sorry that you had to discover that they're only budget by Shokz standards.

Shokz OpenDots Air review: Also consider

The open earbuds market is incredibly competitive. Here are some others that I've tested and would recommend.

Shokz OpenDots Air

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Soundpeats Clip1

Drivers

2x 11.8mm

2x 11.8mm

12mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

No

Battery life (ANC on)

9 hours (buds), 36 hours (case)

10 hours (buds), 40 hours (case)

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (case)

Weight

6.3g (buds), 37.3g (case)

5.6g (buds), 52g (case)

5g (buds), 55.5g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IP55

IP54

IPX5

Shokz OpenDots One
This older pair matches the Air in most departments, and beat them in one or two. You can find them for only a hair more than the Air now, and sometimes for even less.
Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review

Soundpeats Clip1
For a much more affordable alternative, the Soundpeats Clip1 offer a solid build, some great audio features and great value for your money. If you're not committed to Shokz, it's well worth checking them out.
Read our full Soundpeats Clip1 review

How I tested the Shokz OpenDots Air

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for one month
• Paired with Android phone for Spotify, streaming and games
• Used during multiple kinds of activities

I used the Shokz OpenDots Air for roughly a month to write this review. This ensured they underwent some extensive testing.

This testing included countless runs, several cycles, many gym sessions, loads of walks around my neighborhood, plays on various kinds of public transport, a house move, and a trip to a surf town during a holiday.

During this time, the buds were paired to my Android smartphone. They got most of their use through Spotify, but I also used them for calls, watching some YouTube videos and playing games.

I've tested gadgets for TechRadar since early 2019. Since that time I've reviewed countless earbuds, including loads of open-style ones and the Shokz OpenDots One.

• First reviewed in July 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Razer Kiyo V2 webcam: Two-minute review

Razer is a household name in the webcam space, with its Kiyo brand being one of the most popular choices for streamers and PC gamers. The latest Kiyo V2 is another sterling example of Razer's commitment to premium build quality and high-end components, and for the most part, it's a great product.

Delivering either 4K recording at 30 frames per second or 1080p at 60, the Kiyo V2 captures quality video with a high degree of customization via the Razer Synapse software. It's fairly pricey (don't expect to see it on our list of the best cheap webcams), but for a 4K webcam with this sort of build quality and feature set, it's actually quite competitively priced.

(Image credit: Future)

Coming in black, white, and pink colorways (mine is the pink 'Quartz' model), the Razer Kiyo V2 is an extremely well-constructed product. It's durable and pleasingly tactile. The base can be extended and rotated to capture the perfect angle, and it easily clasps onto any monitor; I tested it both with the two monitors in my home desktop setup and my laptop, and it snapped into place with no issues. It's a little heavy, however, so laptops with flimsier display hinges might struggle.

The design is a departure from previous Razer webcams, which typically opted for a singular large casing surrounding the lens construction. Instead, it's a smaller lens housing with an oblong body, immediately reminiscent of the Logitech MX Brio 705.

Not everything has been abandoned with this new design, however. The lens housing, like previous Kiyo models, includes a pleasingly tactile rim that can be twisted to close the built-in physical privacy shutter. I'm always a fan of privacy solutions like this, though given the large size of the glass lens face, it would've been nice to see a lens cap included to keep it dust- and scratch-free.

(Image credit: Future)

It would potentially be nice if the webcam could be detached from the attached mount in order to fit it to a different mount; many content creators will have their own video setups and may want to use their own camera stands. However, the mount does have a threaded screw connector on the base, letting you fit it atop most industry-standard camera mounts.

In terms of video quality, it's great. 4K video is sharp and colorful, and even zoomed in, I found I looked perfectly detailed in the footage I recorded. Color reproduction is great, and the camera performed well in a range of light conditions. Low-light performance resulted in some mild oversaturation, but I've seen worse performance in more expensive cameras. It also supports HDR, though only at 30fps even at lower resolutions.

The autofocus works well, but I found it was a little slow to adjust if I quickly moved closer or further from the camera. Having tested quite a few webcams in my time, I feel that a webcam in this price range should be a bit snappier to focus.

That big lens means that the default field of view is huge. A 93-degree FOV means that the Kiyo V2 is liable to capture not just yourself but the entire room you're in, but thankfully it's easy enough to tweak this via the zoom and crop tools in Razer's Synapse software.

(Image credit: Future)

On the topic of Synapse, it's still a frankly rather clunky piece of software, but for webcam users who want granular control over their hardware, it does a solid job. In addition to zoom and crop tools, you can also manually tweak the autofocus, auto exposure, and color balance.

The Kiyo V2's software-side feature set also includes a selection of AI-powered tools, which are covered prominently in the marketing material for the webcam. These include dynamic light correction and noise reduction, but these features already existed in Synapse, and to be honest, I'm not entirely clear on what AI brings to the table here.

(Image credit: Future)

Look, Razer: I get it. I'm sure there's tremendous pressure from your shareholders to make everything AI-powered, because it's the buzzword du jour. But anyone who actually wants AI in their webcam (for whatever inane reason) likely isn't going to be better served by the Kiyo V2 than any other cutting-edge 'AI' webcam, like the Obsbot Tiny SE.

One element that does actually benefit from the involvement of machine learning is the auto-framing feature, which uses AI-powered head-tracking to keep you in the center of the frame even if you move around. However, since the Kiyo V2 lacks a mechanized gimbal, it can't alter the frame while fully zoomed out and can only track you so far; it can keep you in center frame if you move by a foot or two, but it won't follow you around a room.

On the bright side, you don't actually have to use Synapse and the AI features at all. The Kiyo V2 works great straight out of the box; just plug in the bundled cable, and you're off to the races, assuming you're happy with the default wide-angle FOV.

(Image credit: Future)

Now, for the only real problem I have with the Razer Kiyo V2. It comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box (the one with my review unit is pink, like the webcam itself), and as far as I can tell, you have to use this cable to access the full 4K functionality of the camera.

Considering that the cable is USB-C-exclusive, you'll need a free USB-C 3.0 port to make full use of the Kiyo V2. I tested it out with a USB-C to USB-A adapter, as well as using one of my own USB-C cables; no dice. It's frustrating, because USB-C ports can be in short supply for users connecting multiple peripherals, and the bundled cable is a bit short and inflexible.

(Image credit: Future)

Lastly, the built-in microphone is... fine, I guess. It's good enough for video calls, but anyone aiming to produce professional-level video content should definitely use a proper standalone microphone.

It's fair to say that the Razer Kiyo V2 deserves a spot among the best webcams on the market. There are a few niggling issues, but nothing that should ruin the experience for a gamer who wants a high-end webcam. For hardcore content creators, it remains a sound choice, but you should be aware of the downsides.

Razer Kiyo V2 webcam: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$279.95
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

At $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$279.95, the Razer Kiyo V2 is significantly cheaper than the brand's own older Kiyo Pro webcam. If you're looking for a high-quality 4K cam, it's not an unreasonable price.

Sure, you could easily get a cheaper 4K webcam, but you'll need to risk it on a less established brand, and you almost certainly won't be getting the same rich feature set seen in the Kiyo V2. Similarly effective models from other premium brands like Logitech and Elgato will cost a comparable amount, so I'm pleased to say that despite its reputation for pricey hardware, Razer got the price right this time around.

Razer Kiyo V2 webcam: Specs

Razer Kiyo V2

Price:

$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$279.95

Supported resolutions:

4Kp at 30fps, 1440p at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps

Sensor:

8.3 MP Sony STARVIS

Field of view:

93 degrees

Connection:

USB-C

Features:

Digital zoom, AI auto-framing, AI autofocus, dynamic color correction, HDR, mechanical privacy shutter

Software Integration:

Razer Synapse

Should you buy the Razer Kiyo V2 webcam?

(Image credit: Future)Razer Kiyo V2 webcam report card

Value

The Razer Kiyo V2 is still fairly expensive, but it's reasonably priced for a high-end 4K webcam and much better value than the previous Kiyo Pro.

4 / 5

Design

A fresh chassis design that retains the excellent physical privacy shutter of older Kiyos, but the forced USB-C is annoying.

4 / 5

Performance

Audio is merely decent, but the picture quality and color balance are fantastic and Razer Synapse packs a ton of extra features.

4 / 5

Avarage rating

A high-quality webcam with a broad feature set and more competitive pricing, the Razer Kiyo V2 is a great product with only a few small flaws.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want 4K
At this price point, the Kiyo V2 is competitive within the 4K webcam space - you could find cheaper ones, but only if you're willing to accept a drop in quality.

You need wide-angled recording
If you're aiming to capture a larger space (or multiple video participants), the 93-degree FOV of the Kiyo V2 is perfect.

Don't buy it if...

You're short on ports
Since it needs to use the bundled USB-C cable to access full 4K recording, the Kiyo V2 is a poor choice for anyone who already has lots of ports in use on their PC.

You're on a budget
At $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$279.95, the Kiyo V2 is still pretty darn expensive, even if it's far better value for money than the older Kiyo Pro.

Razer Kiyo V2 webcam: Also consider

Insta360 Link 2C
Our current top pick of the 4K webcams available on the market right now, the Link 2C offers superior low-light performance and autofocus while also offering the same high-quality video and AI features as the Kiyo V2.

Read our full Insta360 Link 2C review

Obsbot Tiny 2
The Tiny 2 from Obsbot delivers 4K video along with AI-powered tracking via its mechanical gimbal mount. For those who want a high-end video experience, this is a great pick.

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

How I tested the Razer Kiyo V2 webcam

• Tested the webcam in video calls and recording
• Compared image quality to other webcams
• 8+ years of experience reviewing computer hardware

I replaced my usual webcam (the Insta360 Link 2 4K) with the Razer Kiyo V2 for two weeks, using it for all my normal video calls during the workday. I also tested it in various different lighting conditions by recording video separately and comparing the clips side by side. Naturally, I installed (well, reinstalled) Razer Synapse to properly test out all the software-side features as well.

I've been testing and reviewing PC hardware for more than eight years, starting at the PC-building hobbyist magazine Maximum PC before making the leap to TechRadar's computing team. I put all of my knowledge and experience behind each and every one of my product reviews, so you can be assured that you're getting an informed and bias-free judgement.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed July 2026

Filament absorbs moisture as soon as you break the seal of the packaging, and that moisture will affect the quality of your prints, and it’s a problem that until recently no one talked about.

The effect of damp filament, even if it feels dry to the touch, shows up as stringing, popping, weak layer adhesion, and prints that just look slightly worse than they should. Because it creeps in gradually, you usually blame the printer, whereas it’s often the material.

The H1 HT is Elegoo's first dryer. It arrives to tackle one of the major quibbles with the otherwise excellent Centauri Carbon 2 (see my review here). Essentially, the fact that the machine features an open-air spool design, leaving filament exposed to whatever humidity the room happens to have.

In the case of my workshop at some points of the year, that can be high. This drybox is the company's answer. It's designed to take a single 1kg spool, heats to a maximum of 85°C, rotates the spool for even exposure and vents humid air automatically before sealing itself shut again.

The clever part is that you don't have to stop printing to use it and it’s not confined to use with just Elegoo machines. The design features two filament outlets that let you run the dryer as a heated dry box, feeding the printer while it keeps your filaments in prime condition.

ELEGOO H1 HT: Price and availability

The H1 HT is available for $70 from Elegoo's US site, and for £62 from the UK site.

For a single dryer, that's extremely well priced and undercuts most established names while offering a higher maximum temperature and, frankly, better design.

If you’re thinking about this for your Centauri Carbon 2, then you’ll need/want four, so that will set you back $280 / £248.

• Value: 5 / 5

ELEGOO H1 HT: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

I’ve been looking at Elegoo's machines for a few years - most recently the Centauri Carbon 2 - and they have always been well made. Still, there have usually been a few rough edges, and it was only with the Centauri Carbon and Centauri Carbon 2 that I started to see that change, although the sci-fi or quirky graphic remained.

The H1 HT goes further again, and the build quality is one of the best of any dryer box I've seen and used. Elegoo has dropped the sci-fi industrial styling and finally offers something more professional.

In the background, there have been changes in the company, and you get the impression this is the first result of that new influence. There are small design details, such as the lid having a proper latch that closes and seals securely, which sounds trivial until you've used dryers where the lid simply rests in place.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

At 1.53kg empty and 280 x 126 x 257mm, these are weights and measurements that I have measured and not from an official listing; it sits alongside a printer without taking up too much space on the work surface.

However, if you're using it with a multifilament, then you are looking at four of these. Each requires an AC (mains) socket, so while it’s a solution, the power and space requirements do need to be taken into account.

Another point is that units can't be stacked but sit side by side neatly. With the filament inside, it exits the dryer through one of two outlets. The rear outlet is horizontal to the work surface and takes PLA, PETG, ABS, and ASA through a tube into the printer's filament block.

In contrast, the second lid outlet handles TPU and fibre-reinforced materials, where the more direct upward route applies noticeably less friction.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Design: 4 / 5

ELEGOO H1 HT: FeaturesSpecs

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Maximum temperature: 85°C
Presets: 11 (PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PET, PP, PC, PA, PAHT-CF, PVA) plus Custom
Capacity: one 1kg spool
Display: 3.5in colour touchscreen, temperature and %RH readout
Outlets: rear horizontal, plus lid outlet for TPU and fibre-reinforced
Drying: rotating spool (switchable), dual automatic vents
Safety: overheat protection, flame-resistant inner shell, lid-open detection, fan fault detection
Connectivity: none - no app, no printer communication
Power: 170-180W average drying PLA (measured)
Dimensions: 280 x 126 x 257mm / 1.53kg without filament (measured)
Noise: 57.2dB running against 32.9dB ambient (measured)
Price: £62 / $70 / €70 / $90 CAD / $149 AUD / ¥10,399

Opening up the box when the dryer arrived, it’s obvious that Elegoo has invested in the development of this machine. Details such as the front-facing touchscreen stand out for their responsiveness and design, but more importantly, it's well thought out, with no multi-layer menu depth and everything exactly where you'd expect it.

The home screen shows chamber temperature and relative humidity alongside set temperature, remaining time and current material. The eleven presets run from PLA up to PC, PA and PAHT-CF, with Custom alongside; the inclusion of PAHT-CF highlights that Elegoo is thinking about the engineering materials that actually need that 85°C drying temperature.

I also like the fact that there’s plenty of customisation, accessed by a setup that lets you adjust almost any setting, and then you can adjust it. For printing from the dryer, I routed the filament into the block on the Centauri Carbon 2 printer, switched off the auto-rotation and set 40°C for PLA, matching the drying time to the length of the print. Unfortunately, there’s no direct communication between the box and the printer.

Rotating Drying and Lid Open Detection have their own triggers; venting simply happens with nothing to hear, and the only safety feature check activates as soon as I leave the lid open, beeping and pausing drying until secured.

It’s also worth noting that there is no app, no connectivity, and no communication with the printer, which, with a Centauri alongside, is a shame. However, this also means that it works with any FDM printer you own.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

ELEGOO H1 HT: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

To start the test with the H1 HT, I first wanted to check to see if the dryer was actually able to reach the temperature highlight. Setting up is straightforward with the packaging removed, power plugged in, filament tube inserted into the back and then the box boots up, which takes a few seconds, and you’re ready to start. I then set the temperature to 85C and pressed start. What instantly struck me was how easy this was to navigate.

The initial reading from the box was for an ambient temperature of 36°C, and watching that screen show the increase in internal temperature with the H1 HT reaching that 85°C in 8 minutes 25 seconds without a spool inside, then settled back to 77°C and fluctuated between 75 and 85°C.

I then watched it for a while, and it held that variance in temperature over a 15-minute period without issue.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

I then popped in a spool of PLA that had been in the workshop for a while and ran that through the dryer for the suggested eight hours from the present. Despite the hot weather, humidity out there is higher than you'd expect. I then popped in filaments from Elegoo, Prusa and Fillamentum with no sign of spool deformation.

What was apparent with each as I printed the test models was the uplift in quality, surface smoothness and stringing all improving dramatically once dried. Running the filament, especially PLA from the box, really made a difference and enabled printing that was closer matched to a new spool of material than one that had been sat around for a while.

Printing directly from the dryer worked on the Centauri Carbon 2 with PLA, ASA and PETG, all fed smoothly through the rear outlet with the internal temperature fluctuating slightly as expected but ensuring that 40ºC was kept at the holding point.

Over the test, the quality of the prints really increased and just became part of the printing process, although there is only one, which is a shame. Ideally, I would have four, one for each feed; however, aside from the additional space you need, you also have to consider powering each of the boxes, with each requiring its own AC power in addition to the printer.

I was also interested in the power draw, and checking this showed it utilised between 170 and 180 W drying PLA at40ºC and when it came to noise, it runs at 57.2dB against 32.9dB ambient, audible but not intrusive. Still, again that noise will increase with additional units.

Again, the touchscreen really stands out through the test, with the humidity readout giving a good sense of what's happening in the chamber. When just drying filament, the rotating spool is hard to assess in isolation; prior experience tells me even heat exposure from the rotating spool helps, although you need to switch this off when used in combination with the printer, at which point the strength of the filament feed will rotate the spool.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

ELEGOO H1 HT: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Elegoo is positioning the H1 HT as the answer to some of the feedback about the Centauri Carbon 2's open-air spool design. And having run one, I can see the potential. Considering what that machine costs, an additional $70 / £62 isn't excessive, although that price elevates as soon as more boxes are added.

While this is a great solution, it isn't as neat as a fully enclosed printer. Still, it offers flexibility and a scalable system, and the difference in print quality does make it worth the cost, especially if you’re an occasional printer and leave filament around for weeks or even months between use.

One issue worth knowing is that while drying rescues filament that's damp, not filament that's already gone brittle, so if spools have sat for months, check them before spending eight hours on a lost cause. You also have the issue of space and power outlets, but again the benefits that these dryers bring kind of outweigh that argument, at least for me.

At the end of the test, what stands out is just how good this thing is: the build, the interface, that latching lid. Something is shifting at Elegoo, and on this evidence it's one to watch.

Should I buy the Elegoo H1 HT?

Value:

$70 / £62 buys 85°C drying and a build that outperforms pricier rivals

4.5

Design:

The best-built dryer I've used, with an excellent touchscreen that’s easy to navigate

4.5

Features:

Eleven easy-to-access presets, dual outlets and print-through, but no connectivity, which is a shame

4

Performance:

Quick to reach temperature and a marked difference to print quality with open filaments

4.5

Total:

A superb first dryer that fixes the Centauri's open filament storage design.

4.5

You own a Centauri Carbon 2 or any open-spool printer.

This is the fix for filament exposed to room humidity, and you can print directly from it. The difference in print quality makes me at least feel I need more.

You print with engineering materials.

The 85°C maximum temperature and presets for PC, PA and PAHT-CF cover materials cheaper dryers can't reach, and the lid outlet gives TPU and fibre-reinforced filaments a low-friction route.

You need several spools dried at once

Each unit holds one 1kg spool, and they can't be stacked, so a four-colour setup means four dryers, and you’ll need an AC socket to power each.

You want an integrated setup.

No app, no connectivity, no communication with the printer. Everything is set manually on the unit itself.

For more top-performing models, see my guide to the best 3D printers I've tested and reviewed

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE: two-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is a 10.9-inch tablet that sits between premium flagship slates and more modest mid-rangers. Launched in April 2025, it offers a rich, vibrant display, a robust build, and smart productivity tools. So, a year after its release, is it still worth your money?

Honestly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE holds up pretty well. Not only is it relatively svelte at 6mm, it feels premium in the hands thanks to the sheer edges and satin finish. It also has a sturdy build, with its IP68 rating meaning it should happily shrug off both dust and dunkings in over 1m of water. The only part of its design I’m a little cooler on is the colorways it arrives in — some primary shades would add some interest in this parade of blues and grays.

Fortunately, the Tab S10 FE’s display doesn’t fall into this trap. While it might not quite knock the best tablets off their podium, its screen delivers sumptuous color — reds and blues, in particular, look super vibrant when sitting side by side. Whites aren’t quite as warm as I’d like, and it isn't the brightest display I’ve ever tested, but blacks feel surprisingly deep for an LED display and overall it achieves solid contrast.

The Tab S10 FE’s charms aren’t all surface level, though — it’s also capable of superb performance, given its Exynos 1580 chipset is less powerful than even some of its rival mid-rangers’. For productivity tasks, I experienced zero noticeable slowdown, even with a heap of apps open and video streaming in one half of multi-window mode. Gaming strained it a little:eh device became pretty warm during play, although mostly at higher graphics settings.

Having since been upgraded from the One UI 7 it was released with to 8.5, the Tab S10 FE’s OS feels light and versatile. Bloat is relatively minimal compared to some tablets, although I did find it a little irritating that a few of the apps that are preinstalled aren’t usable without paying money. But this aside, One UI is definitely one of the smoother Android skins I’ve used, offering effective gesture controls and easy-to-use multitasking functionality.

(Image credit: Future)

The Tab S10 also comes crammed with productivity tools and fun features. "Circle to Search" is an impressive feature that allows you to search images and text on-screen by circling it with the stylus. The "Handwriting Help" feature corrects the alignment and shape of your letters — a massive help if you suffer clumsy penmanship like I do — while the "Solve Math" function is accurate, albeit a little finicky. "Face Effects", like jawline correction and skin-tone tweaking, in photos feel a little bit borderline to me, though.

And you’ll keep getting the most out of all of these productivity tools for a long time, thanks to the Tab S10 FE’s extensive battery life. Even with a capacity of 8,000Ah, my battery test revealed the device should comfortably see you through 20 hours, which is likely to cover you for several days of real-world use. It’s none too shabby when charging, either: thanks to its 45W charging, fully topping up the battery took just 1 hour and 44 minutes, which is pretty speedy.

All told, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is an impressive tablet for the price. It may not have the most powerful chipset on the market but it’s a fantastic slate for taking notes, sketching, and other productivity tasks; the display is bold and beautiful, and its battery will comfortably last twice as long as that of the similarly priced iPad Air. As long as you’re not looking for something to game on, you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: price & availability

• Launched on April 10, 2025
• List price from $549.99 / £539 / AU$849
• Available with 8GB / 12GB RAM and 128GB / 256GB storage

Launched on April 10, 2025, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is available now. The list price for the Wi-Fi-only version sits at $549.99 / £539 / AU$849, or it costs $649.99 / £639 / AU$1,049 for the 5G version.

The Tab S10 FE’s base spec offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but you can also pick it up with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It comes in three colorways: Silver, Blue or the Gray version I tested here. Regardless of which version you opt for, you’ll get Samsung’s S Pen as part of the package — which is a great bonus, given how much functionality it unlocks.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: specs

Dimensions

254.3 x 165.8 x 6.0 mm (10.01 x 6.53 x 0.24 inches)

Operating system

Android 15 (One UI 7), upgradable

Chipset

Samsung Exynos 1580

Weight

497g (Wi-Fi) / 500g (5G)

RAM

8GB / 128GB model, 12GB / 256GB model

Storage

128GB / 256GB (up to 2TB expandable via microSDXC)

Display

10.9-inch IPS LCD, 2304 x 1440 pixels, 90Hz, 16:10 aspect ratio

Cameras

13MP rear camera, 12MP ultrawide front camera

Battery

8,000mAh (45W wired charging support)

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 2.0, 5G (cellular model only)

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: design

• Thin and light
• Solid build with IP68 rating
• Unadventurous colorways

First off, there’s something about the Galaxy Tab S10 FE's flat, unbevelled design that feels pleasingly tactile in my hands. Those chiseled edges make it feel more sturdy and substantial, while the satin finish to its metal feels wonderfully tactile beneath your fingertips. Despite its mid-market price, it definitely has a premium feel to it.

Having said that, Samsung is hardly lighting the world on fire with the range of colors the Tab S10 FE comes in. As I’ve mentioned above, your options are Gray, Silver and Blue — with the latter definitely the most standout of the three, and the Gray I tested here a little too safe. I do think it’s a shame Samsung didn’t offer the device in some more adventurous hues, especially given the Apple iPad 11-inch (2025) includes vibrant shades like yellow and pink in its lineup.

The Tab S10 FE isn’t the most expansive slate I’ve ever used, with an area of just 6.53 x 10 inches / 165.8 x 254.3mm — for reference, that’s just a little shy of the iPad 11-inch at 9.79 x 7.07 inches / 248.6 x 179.5mm. But, on the plus side, the S10 FE is pretty slight, measuring in at just 17.64 oz / 500g and 0.24 inches / 6mm thick. That’s not quite as slim as the 0.2 inch / 5.1mm Apple iPad Pro 13-inch or the 0.22-inch / 5.6mm Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, but it’s still trimmer than a lot of tablets out there.

Despite this dainty build, though, the Tab S10 FE is no delicate flower. In fact, it offers an IP68 rating, which means it should happily shrug off dust and grit, as well as survive an accidental dunking in at least a meter of water — something that is far from a given with many tablets. Keen to put this to the test, I gave it a dunking in 6 inches / 15cm of water in TechRadar’s testing tank for several minutes, and it emerged thoroughly soaked yet fully functional.

• Design score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: display

• Vibrant colors
• Strong contrast
• Could be brighter

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE doesn’t necessarily offer IMAX-scale viewing. Its display measures 10.9 inches and you lose a tiny bit of that to its rounded corners, so if you’re after something more expansive, the 13.1-inch Tab S10 FE+ might suit you better. However, its screen still performs impressively, with only a few small caveats.

To test what the display could do, I streamed some Blue Planet II in 4K. I was immediately impressed by the level of detail it was capable of: for example, the black-and-white lines flashing across a scintillating cuttlefish felt super sharp and well defined. While the Tab S10 FE’s 249.26ppi pixel density isn’t quite as detailed as the Apple iPad 11-inch (2025)’s 264ppi, the majority are unlikely to spot a huge difference in most scenarios.

Contrast also feels impressive, especially for an LCD panel. Even when side-by-side with the dappled sunlight, the depths of the ocean appeared inky black and well defined. Whites are also strong, although they run a little cooler than I’d expect — for example, the plumage of a wandering albatross and its fledgling chick looked a touch too blue for my tastes.

Fortunately, the Tab S10 FE’s hues are incredibly true to life elsewhere. Against the cobalt blue of the water, the bright red innards of a Lion’s mane jellyfish looked breathtaking, with the image not looking all that different to the Super Retina XDR OLED display in my flagship iPhone 16 Pro. For a mid-range tablet, Samsung’s Tab S10 FE sure offers some vibrant color performance.

Aside from those slightly cool whites, the only other area where the Tab S10 FE’s performance is less impressive is in terms of brightness. It offers 800-nit peak brightness outdoors in High Brightness mode, but its usual peak is 600 nits, meaning it isn't blazingly bright. That would be less of an issue if the S10 FE’s display wasn’t so reflective, but I did find it occasionally struggled to compete with the shine of the fluorescent lights overhead in TechRadar’s testing labs.

Despite this, the Tab S10 FE’s display is undeniably solid for its price, offering tantalizing viewing for a mid-market slate.

• Display score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: software

• Clean, agile OS
• Great Circle to Search and Handwriting Help tools
• Some slightly questionable Face Effects

Running One UI 8.5 built upon Android 16, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE feels light and easy to navigate. And compared to some tablets I’ve tested in recent months, it’s not crammed with bloat — I’m glad not to see Temu preloaded onto my device for the umpteenth time.

Which is what makes it all the more frustrating that some of the handful of apps that are preinstalled on the Tab S10 FE — such as LumaFusion and Clip Studio Paint — you have to pay for before using. Pre-loading my device with apps that are essentially just adverts for services you want me to sign up for just feels a bit grimey.

That’s a shame, because elsewhere Samsung’s OS feels light and offers decent productivity tools. Loading two apps in multi-window view is as simple as dragging two fingers from the side of the screen and loading the second app you’d like to use. Meanwhile, you can create multiple desktops to keep discrete workflows separate, making it a solid tool for working on the go.

Some of Samsung’s native apps are also pretty powerful. Using the drawing app Penup and the S Pen, I whipped up a sketch of my cat in an ukiyo-e style. Not only did the app make downloading and customising multiple watercolor and ink brushes straightforward, it quickly allowed me to add layers and a reference photograph to use. It even offers built-in functionality for exporting live drawing videos, which is a neat function for digital artists.

Baked into One UI 8.5 are multiple image manipulation tools. Removing irksome objects from your photographs is a pretty common feature these days, but Samsung’s Circle to Erase tool largely works well. It quickly removed an errant seagull and a hot-air balloon from a sunny evening selfie I'd snapped — although for reasons I can’t quite understand, it also half-mangled the corner of our blanket for no reason that I could fathom.

Some of Samsung’s built-in Face Effects are a little bit more dicey in my book. though. While I understand why you might want to fix blemishes or slightly smooth out complexions, tools for "fixing" people’s jawlines and lightening / darkening people’s skin tone honestly feels borderline for me in an era when looksmaxxing and colorism are very real trends. Meanwhile, the Reshape tool for tweaking facial and body features is horrifying in pretty much every sense — ethics aside, all I could really achieve with this feature was transforming myself into a Cronenbergian monster, which I’m not sure people are clamoring for on social media.

Fortunately, Samsung offers some other tools that are less contentious. Circle to Search stumped me at first, as I couldn’t seem to trigger it using the stylus or any context menus. Eventually, I worked out that you have to hold down the Home button to trigger the context-aware AI — and the results were then genuinely impressive, allowing me to quickly identify a weedy seadragon from a video or a bumblebee crawling across a rhododendron.

Samsung’s Handwriting Help tools are also pretty impressive. They deftly aligned my drifting script to the horizontal, although I found the claims that they'd "correct my letter shapes" to be a little overblown. Although, given that my handwriting looks like it was produced by a five-legged spider after too many espressos, I’ll admit this was a pretty boss-level challenge. And, more impressively, Samsung’s handwriting recognition almost invariably translated my jittering chicken scratch perfectly, something my own family can’t even do.

One of the more unique features the Tab S10 FE offers is its ability to solve calculations and equations for you. Write out a problem you’re struggling with, stick an equals sign after it and ping: an answer appears like magic. Or doesn’t. About half the time, the rabbit resolutely refused to pop out of the hat, leaving me to erase and rewrite functions over and over until it recognized them. And some sums proved more unreliable than others — root functions, in particular, seemed to throw up a lot of incorrect answers, although there’s a chance either my heinous handwriting or 25-year-old math knowledge is letting me down here.

For the most part, using the Galaxy Tab S10 FE’s software feels smooth and practical. I could just do without the paid bloat and the creepier of the photo-editing features.

• Software score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: performance

• Great productivity performance
• Games run well, for the most part
• Gets warm under heavy loads

Underneath the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE runs the Exynos 1580 chipset and comes with either 8GB of RAM (on test here) or 12GB. That chipset will net you similar performance to, say, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, but it won’t really rival any of the Snapdragon 8 series or the current generation of Apple silicon chips.

When handling everyday productivity tasks, this still translated to pretty credible performance. While browsing the Internet with multiple tabs open, I never noticed any substantial slowdown or unusual behaviour. Typing this section of this review, the Tab S10 FE didn't show any noticeable lag or hanging, even with multiple apps open in the background. Always one to push things to their most absurd extreme, I even tried streaming Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie in multi-window mode as I typed, and — blow me down — both Google Docs and iPlayer continued to run as smooth as a frog slathered in peptide face cream.

This stable performance extends to gaming as well. Loading up Call of Duty: Mobile, I was generally impressed with how stably it ran, even with the hi-res graphics packs downloaded. Even if there was the tiniest hint of jitter on the odd occasion, I never found it impacted my gameplay all that much — I was still able to click heads consistently enough to pick up multiple MVP awards in a row.

Unfortunately, playing Genshin Impact proved a bumpier ride, though. Defaulting to the lowest graphics setting, the game looked pretty awful on the Tab S10 FE, rendering everything with blocky, jagged visuals. Yet switching the graphics settings even to Low threw up a warning I was overclocking the tablet’s CPU. I was expecting this would make the game unplayable on Medium settings, but actually it still ran pretty slickly.

Which leads me to suspect that the issue lies more with the Tab S10 FE’s cooling than that medium-range chipset. Even while playing Call of Duty: Mobile, I found the device warmed up considerably after about three matches back-to-back, while playing Genshin Impact the device started to get a touch toasty after just 10 minutes. This means that you’ll probably be fine if you nerf the graphics settings, but you might not want to red-line it quite as much as I did if you’ll be playing for extended periods.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: battery

• Lengthy 20-hour battery life
• Fast 45W charging

According to Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE’s battery should last you around 20 hours, which was pretty much spot on according to my tests. After continuously streaming a video in 2K for five hours, its battery had dropped to 74%. Even allowing a little wiggle room for how uneven battery discharge curves are, Samsung’s estimates seem pretty on the money, so you should happily be able to use this tablet for several days running without it dying on you.

Even when it does run out of juice, it shouldn’t take long to top up using that 45W charging. During my testing, I found it took 1 hour and 44 minutes to go from 0% to 100% — given its 8,000mAh battery capacity, that’s really very decent.

Taking all of this into account, the Tab S10 FE’s battery life is pretty competitive. While 8,000mAh is far from the largest capacity you’ll find out there, its diminutive display and efficient chipset means it can outlast more premium tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. It might not quite be able to rival the Honor MagicPad 4, our pick for the best tablet for battery life, but it’s still seriously long-lived.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Good price for a gorgeous tablet that’s great for work, studies and streaming content. Perhaps not the best pick for gamers, though — especially given its specs are more modest than some similarly priced Android tablets.

4 / 5

Design

Slim and light, yet feels seriously well built. The IP68 rating means it will shrug off dust and accidental dunkings in water with ease. But a few more playful colorways would be welcome.

4 / 5

Display

Wonderfully vibrant colors, bold contrast and decent resolution. Whites are a little cool, though, and more brightness would help it overcome its shiny screen.

4 / 5

Software

Smooth, easy-to-use OS not too troubled by bloat and packed with productivity features. Some very smart tools such as Handwriting Help and Circle to Search. Not a fan of the preloaded apps you’d have to pay to use or the slightly creepy Face Effects.

4 / 5

Performance

Exynos 1580 chipset isn't top-of-the-range but enjoys excellent power for productivity, and decent if unexceptional gaming performance. Warms up quickly when playing demanding titles, though.

3.5 / 5

Battery

Lasts for 20 hours, despite its modest 8,000mAh capacity. And can be charged from empty to full in just over 100 minutes, thanks to 45W charging.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a great slate for work and study
Whether it’s multitasking tools, drawing apps, handwriting polishing and recognition or automatic math formula solving, the Tab S10 FE is absolutely crammed with features for making your work easier.

You want a battery that lasts and lasts
Although its 8,000mAh battery doesn’t sound like much, it’ll comfortably last 20 hours before you have to charge it. That means it’ll happily outlast a lot of tablets on the market.

Don’t buy it if…

Gaming is your number one priority
The Tab S10 FE will comfortably run most games you throw at it. But you won’t be able to max out the graphics settings, and it can get pretty warm during intense sessions.

You’d be using it in bright sunlight
While the Tab S10 FE’s display is far from dull, its 800-nit peak brightness isn’t quite enough to overcome the reflective screen. If you want to watch shows in the garden, the iPad Pro’s 1600-nit peak brightness will serve you better.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review: also consider

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE

Honor MagicPad 4

OnePlus Pad 3

Dimensions

10.01 x 6.53 x 0.24 inches / 254.3 x 165.8 x 6.0mm

10.76 x 7.04 x 0.19 inches / 273.4 x 178.8 x 4.8mm

11.40 x 8.25 x 0.24 inches / 289.61 x 209.66 x 5.97mm

Operating system

Android 15 (One UI 7)

Android 16 (MagicOS 10)

Android 15 (OxygenOS 15)

Chipset

Samsung Exynos 1580

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Weight

497g (Wi-Fi) / 500g (5G)

450g

675g

RAM

8GB / 12GB

12GB / 16GB

12GB / 16GB

Storage

128GB / 256GB

256GB / 512GB

256GB / 512GB

Display

10.9-inch IPS LCD, 2304 x 1440 pixels, 90Hz, 16:10 aspect ratio

12.3-inch OLED, 3000 x 1920 pixels, 165Hz, 15.6:10 aspect ratio

13.2-inch IPS LCD, 3392 x 2400 pixels, 144Hz, 7:5 aspect ratio

Cameras

13MP rear camera, 12MP ultrawide front camera

13MP rear camera, 9MP front camera

13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera

Battery

8,000mAh (45W wired charging)

10,100mAh (66W wired charging)

12,140mAh (80W wired charging)

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 2.0, 5G (Cellular model only)

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB Type-C 3.2

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB Type-C 3.2

Honor MagicPad 4
The Honor MagicPad 4 has a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a larger, higher-res OLED display, an even longer-lasting battery, and faster charging than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE. It’s also slimmer and lighter, while costing a similar price. So what’s the catch? It isn't available in the US or Australia, meaning this tablet is strictly for British eyes only.

Read our full Honor MagicPad 4 review

OnePlus Pad 3
There’s a reason the OnePlus Pad 3 is our pick for the best Android tablet for most people. It rocks the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset — the most powerful included in any of the tablets mentioned here — that makes it great for productivity and gaming. Meanwhile, its display has a higher resolution than its rivals here, and a 7:5 aspect ratio that makes it great for watching movies.

Read our full OnePlus Pad 3 review

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE

• Tested it over a week
• Tried out a wide variety of tasks, from work to games
• Used specific tests to assess screen, performance and battery life

I tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE over the course of a week. During that time, I used it for a range of purposes, whether that was productivity tasks such as writing this review, playing games, or watching TV and movies. I also tried out a range of the tablet’s pre-loaded software —for example, using the Notes app for taking notes or Penup for drawing.

When it comes to specific tests, I assessed the Tab S10 FE’s display by streaming Blue Planet II to see how its display delivered brightness, color, contrast and resolution. I tested performance by playing multiple games and using various apps in multitasking mode. Finally, I tested the battery by streaming 2K video at medium brightness for 5 hours to see how much it was depleted during that time.

In terms of personal experience, I’ve been reviewing phones and tablets for TechRadar for several years now and writing about tech for far longer. I’ve also tested a wide range of drawing tablets, giving me a lot of experience in commenting on color fidelity and stylus performance.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025): Two-minute review

I've used the 2024 release of the Kindle Scribe (2nd generation) for two years and I've loved every minute of it. I didn't think there was a better E Ink display to write on (and read on for that matter) and I definitely didn't think it could be improved. Yet that's exactly what Amazon has done with the 2025 (3rd generation) Kindle Scribe with frontlight.

The epaper display is still one of the best to read and write on, but it looks even brighter and, indeed, it is bigger, with 11 inches of screen real estate to use. That's fantastic for note-taking and drawing, but unnecessary for a device that also doubles up as an ereader.

Despite the additional height, the 3rd generation Kindle Scribe is both marginally thinner and lighter than its predecessor, but it is hard to hold in the hand for long periods of use — I constantly felt the need to place it on my lap or a table even when reading, but more so when jotting notes. Moreover, the lack of a broad bezel means it's very easy to trigger a page turn as the thumb rests so close to the edge of the display.

The thinner chassis is solidly built, although there's still no waterproofing (as is the case on most digital notebooks), so be careful if you decide to use it by the pool, the bath or the kitchen sink. And definitely keep it away from the sea's salty water to avoid corrosion.

The new stylus is also redesigned and, while it might feel too smooth for some users, I adore it! It never slipped once, even with sweaty palms, and, personally, gave me one of the best writing experiences I've had on a digital notebook (with the exception of the ViWoods C1 ceramic stylus possibly). Additionally, the magnetic hold to the side of the device is the strongest I've seen to date on any such device.

The homescreen interface has been refreshed and is quite practical in my opinion, and renaming the previous Notebooks tab to Workspace kinda makes sense to me. There are a few new features here: a handful of fresh templates in Workspace, a Smart Shapes feature that some users might find useful and, importantly, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive connectivity for seamless cloud transfer of files. There's even AI-enable search that can trawl through handwritten notes to give you a concise summary to answer your query.

What I'm struggling with is justifying its high price tag. While everything is now a lot more expensive, the extra screen real estate and handful of new features don't go a long way in explaining the significant price increase over its predecessor but, then again, the base model now has double the storage at 32GB and it sure is a very fast performer.

As someone who's extensively used reMarkables and Boox alternatives, I think the 3rd generation Kindle Scribe definitely gives its competitors a run for their money. I'd still only consider picking it up when discounted and only if you don't already have a previous Scribe and are embedded in the Amazon ecosystem.

Book credits: Anirudh Kanisetti and Juggernaut Books (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: price and availability

• First announced October 2025 in the US; available to buy since December 2025
• Released in the UK and other select markets in early 2026, available in Australia since mid 2026
• List price: from $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$849

The 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe is expensive — at a starting price of $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$849, it's $100 / £70 / AU$200 more than its predecessor's entry cost, but it does go some way in justifying the increase.

Firstly, as I've already mentioned, the entry model now has 32GB of storage compared to 16GB, plus the display is 11 inches (previously 10.2 inches). There are a few new software features that make it a better digital notepad compared to the 2nd-gen Kindle Scribe from 2024, but it's still hard to justify paying full price when color E Ink devices don't cost much more.

That said, color E Ink isn't where it should be in 2026 and I wouldn't recommend the $629 / £569 / AU$999 Kindle Scribe Colorsoft over this monochrome sibling.

On the other hand, the reMarkable Paper Pure, which also offers 32GB of storage, but a 10.3-inch screen and a minimal interface that's not conducive to reading is a lot cheaper with a starting price of $399 / £359 / AU$629. Even the 64GB Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi is cheaper at $449.99 / £429.99 / AU$729.

I would still recommend the 3rd-gen Kindle Scribe if you want both a reading and note-taking device in one, but perhaps consider picking it up when it's discounted, which it invariably will be during a major sale, more so once Amazon discontinues the 2024 edition (which it invariably will).

However, if you already own the 2024 version, I wouldn't recommend the 3rd-gen as an upgrade as you won't miss much. And as long as it's available to buy, the 2nd-gen is definitely better value even at full price.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

The little Kindle logo on the bottom corner of the 2025 Scribes is a new addition (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: specs

Display type:

E Ink Carta 1300

Screen size:

11 inches

Resolution:

300ppi

Processor:

Undisclosed quad-core chipset

Frontlight:

Yes (warm and cold) with ambient light sensor

Storage:

32GB / 64GB (non-expandable)

Battery:

Undisclosed capacity rated for up to 12 weeks

Speaker:

No

Water protection:

None

Software:

Linux-based

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz + 5GHz); Bluetooth 5.1 USB-C

File support:

13 document, 4 image, 1 audio

Dimensions:

189 x 245 x 5.4 mm (7.4 x 9.6 x 0.21 inches)

Weight:

400g (without case and stylus)

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: design and display

• 11 inches of beautiful, bright E Ink Carta 1300 screen real estate
• Sturdy, premium build, but slim bezels can be an issue
• Thinner and lighter than previous generation, with newly designed Premium Pen

It might not seem all that different from the previous two Kindle Scribes, but the 3rd-gen model with frontlight is a different beast, at least physically. As already mentioned, it's now a little taller thanks to an 11-inch display, but it's ever-so-slightly thinner (5.4mm vs 5.7mm) and lighter than the second-generation Scribe (400g vs 433g).

How Amazon has managed that is beyond my understanding, but it's a welcome change as it helps negates a little bit of the hand and wrist fatigue the extra height adds during handheld use over longer periods of time.

That, sadly, is exacerbated by the fact that the broader bezel from the previous generations is no longer there beside the screen where your thumb could rest. Now, all four sides are surrounded by even yet narrow bezels that can trigger a page turn if your finger or palm even remotely touches the edge of the screen. It's something you can get used to but, even then, I think all the new 2025 Kindle Scribes are best used while on a table or desk, or your lap.

Other than that, the Kindle Scribe still looks like a premium device with a very sturdy build, despite being thin and light, with minimal embellishments for a clean look. Unlike the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, though, the 3rd-gen model only comes in the usual Graphite (previously called Tungsten) variant, and I do wish another chassis color was available. You're also not going to get any waterproofing here like with the other Kindles.

The 3rd-gen Kindle Scribe (right) is a bigger screen than the 2024 release (left) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

What I'm thrilled about, though, is the new stylus. Amazon has redesigned the Premium Pen, which is now a white, smooth-bodied styls with a slightly sharper nib that adds better control to marking on the screen. The smoothness of the pen's body might make it harder to hold for some users, but I didn't have any issues with slipping, even if my palms ended up being sweaty for whatever reason.

Better yet is the magnet that attaches the pen to the side of the tablet, which is arguably the strongest I've come across on any such device. Even without a case, the Pen has never come off inside my bag when taking it in or out of a pocket. And I do mean never — it has shifted in angle, sure, but not completely fallen off. That's just my experience, though.

You still get an eraser on the top and the customizable shortcut button, as well as five spare tips in the box. What you don't get is the aforementioned sleep case, which you will need to purchase separately, but there are options galore directly from Amazon and third parties.

The white Premium Pen may not suit everyone, but I love it more than the 2024 Kindle Scribe stylus (in black) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As much as I would love to wax lyrical about the stylus, it's the 11-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display that's the star of the show here. It was already fantastic on the 10.2-inch 2024 Scribe, but now it just seems a touch better.

I'd like to say it's because of the 100nit peak brightness that makes it look nicer, but even with the LEDs dimmed, it's the cleanest, almost-white display I've used on an epaper tablet that still manages to seem like paper. In fact, I much prefer it over the duller-looking E Ink Kaleido 3 display on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

The flush screen is protected by a top layer of glass that also has an anti-glare coating. You also get the standard 300ppi resolution which, despite being spread over a larger area, still renders text and writing in sharp clarity, and it's arguably one of the most responsive screens on an epaper device to date.

• Design & display score: 4.5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Software

• Refreshed homescreen setup which is cluttered with Kindle Store recommendations
• Cloud service access is very welcome
• More writing tools but not necessarily of note (pun not intended), but new a AI feature could prove useful

It's not a complete makeover, but the homescreen setup on the top of the 2025 Kindle Scribes is different to what was previously on the older models. There's easy access to what Amazon is calling a Quick Note — just tap on it and it opens up an empty notebook for you to start writing on — beside which is a single column of your recently opened items (now called Jump Back In) that were previously arranged horizontally.

By default, the Quick Note takes up more than half the left side of the screen, but it can be shrunk by tapping double arrows, which then separates your recently opened items list into two columns, thus adding more, whether that be notes or ebooks.

I like this setup better as it's a quick glance at a fair few recently opened items, rather than you needing to scroll horizontally, plus you can see what you wrote in the Quick Note without needing to open it.

The new homescreen design is better than before, but it's still cluttered once you scroll down (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Below this section is a whole lot of what I think is clutter but some users who are embedded in the Amazon ecosystem would appreciate. These include the Recently Added items list, followed by new-feature intros and several Kindle Store recommendations based on your reading habits, which is what I really detest — it just feels like overkill and I much prefer Kobo's homepage which looks neater to me.

While the bottom navigation menu still has four items, the previous Notebooks tab is now called Workspace and it has a few extra templates that I personally couldn't find much use for. I would have loved a dedicated journal template but... oh well. Otherwise, everything else is carried over from before, with limited pen and brush options that artists perhaps won't be very happy with.

Active Canvas works even on sideloaded books...Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar..as does the side marginSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarI do wish the library would allow subfoldersSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

The biggest improvement here (across all three 2025 Scribes in fact) is the addition of Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive support. As someone who uses the former, it's made file transfer a lot easier than using the email sharing option that has previously been the clunkier norm.

There is, however, a caveat when it comes to PDFs: you can't actually mark them up after exporting them if you need to do so. The only way to reflect changes is to export the file and open in Google Docs to edit. Despite that, I still think access to cloud services is a huge improvement and I hope Amazon rolls it out to the older Scribes as well.

Also new is a feature called Smart Shapes that you can access from the stylus menu in a note — if you need to create, say, flowcharts, you can roughly draw a circle or triangle and it will automatically get converted into a proper (or neat) shape. It's not something I personally found useful, but I think it could be for students, teachers and scientists.

Smart Shapes could prove useful for some users (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The AI-powered handwriting conversion and summary creation tools from the previous generation is available here, as are the ebook annotations (Active Canvas) and side-margin notes from before, but AI search in your notes is new. It allows you to enter a keyword or phrase and all your notes, including handwritten ones (uh-huh, that's different, innit?) will be scanned to give you an AI-generated summary. It's another feature that I don't see everyone needing, but if you have a copious amount of notes on the same subject (like I occasionally do), it can be handy.

I should note that all this software improvement takes up a heck of a lot of storage. For example, when I looked into the Device Options on my 3rd-gen Scribe and Colorsoft units, I only had about 22GB and 21GB of usable storage respectively out of 32GB. This is still a good amount, but 11GB is still a heck of a lot of space to give up for power users who might want to store a lot of ebooks, audiobooks and documents on the device. To put it into context in another way: there was a time when 8GB storage was the norm in an ereader, meaning the Scribe software wouldn't even fit into an older ereader!

Software score: 4 / 5

Amazon might offer 32GB of storage, but you can't use all of it (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: User experience

• Despite its size, it's one of the best screens to read on
• New stylus writes wonderfully, although writing and drawing features are still comparatively limited
• Handful of new templates added for note taking

I have a few Kindle devices at home, including three of the 2024 releases, and yet I'm not really a Kindle fan because of how much the user interface forces you into the Amazon ecosystem.

However, the 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe with frontlight has come very close to changing my mind — I am willing to put up with the homescreen clutter because of how good reading and writing is on that glorious E Ink display. It's hands down the best epaper tablet I've tested in 2026 (it's a delayed review as it wasn't released in Australia, where I'm based, until June this year).

Amazon has made it easier to transfer files, although file support is still lagging behind the competition (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Reading

As I've already said, the 300ppi resolution looks a little better on this Scribe than it did on the previous generation because Amazon has optimized the display very well to render text in sharp clarity.

I've seen some users complain that the Scribes don't look as good as the Paperwhite, but it's important to keep in mind that the 7-inch Kindle has less surface area with the same amount of pixels as the 11-inch version, so the pixel size on the larger device will be slightly bigger. And that makes a difference, but not so much that it stands out. You have to look really carefully to see that kind of difference.

I am a big fan of the ambient light sensor on the display, which means the screen automatically dims or brightens up depending on whether I'm indoors or outdoors, or how bright or dark it might be around me. In other words, it automatically gives me a pleasing brightness for nighttime reading.

I may not need large fonts, but no matter the light setting, text is crystal clear (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The larger screen makes it an ideal choice for comic book fans but, then again, color makes them more enjoyable while you'll be reading them in grayscale. The bigger screen, however, is fantastic for those who prefer larger fonts, so you aren't turning pages after a few sentences and, thus, conserving a little battery.

The Kindle font support is still not as good as flexible as on a Kobo or a Boox device. For example, sideloaded EPUBs added to the device via the Send To Kindle platform render well, but I found a few MOBI files that didn't open as expected but work perfectly fine on my Kobo Libra Colour.

I am, however, very grateful for Amazon's cloud storage where anything in your library previously added to older devices are accessible on any new Kindle.

Writing & drawing

I didn't think Amazon could better the writing experience from the previous-generation Scribe, but lo and behold, a redesigned stylus has achieved just that. As I've previously stated, the pen is the real hero when it comes to epaper writing tablets and the white Premium Pen with a slightly sharper nib glides very well over the glass and yet has just the right friction.

Then again, a pen choice is very personal and some users might prefer more friction, which is understandable. Personally, my experience was perfect, allowing me very good control over the marks I made in a note.

Some writing templates are useful, but not all (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

What I'm not necessarily too enthused by are the limited writing tools. I think Kobo's Advanced Notebooks are still a better option compared to what Amazon offers on the Scribe, although Android devices give you even more features and tools if you think you'd need them.

While there are some new templates for notes, I think their use would be very limited to select users, and I would have much preferred if Amazon had, instead, added more pen options. I may not be able to draw to save my life, but I can see how this limitation might affect artists. For everyday doodling, my colleague Lance Ulanoff finds the Kindle Scribe better than his iPad for drawing, especially when outdoors.

Writing and drawing limitations aside, the physical experience of putting words down on the 2025 Scribe is par excellence and, for that, I can't deduct too many marks.

User experience score: 4.5 / 5

Renaming Notebooks on the 2024 Scribe (bottom) to Workspace on the 3rd-generation model (top) is neither here nor there (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Performance

• The fastest Kindle yet, with page turns barely visible (unless animated)
• Absolutely no ghosting, even with image-heavy ebooks
• Battery life takes a small hit compared to previous generation

Amazon doesn't reveal what hardware components it uses under the hood of its devices — all we know is that there's a quad-core chip with an indeterminate amount of RAM — to keep things ticking along, but whatever there is sure makes the 3rd-generation Scribe the fastest Kindle yet.

In fact, I think I might go so far as to say it's arguably the fastest ereader and epaper writing tablet I've tested to date. I make that claim based on my recent Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi review that I was testing at the same time the Amazon device and, despite being a 2026 release, was so significantly slower than the 2025 Scribe, specifically in terms of page turns.

On the Scribe, you can barely discern a page turn, unless you have the animation turned on of course. Several times during my two-week test period with the Scribe I didn't even think a tap registered until I saw the words on the new page. The time I did notice a blip was when the device was doing a full refresh.

Like its predecessor, there's absolutely no ghosting here, whether you've got image-heavy or word-heavy books. Not even a faded mark appears overlaid on notes, and I do wish Boox would learn how to achieve that.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Battery capacity is another spec that Amazon doesn't reveal, but it does say that it can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge when used for about 30 minutes a day. It's definitely doable, but I think battery life on the previous 2024 edition was slightly better. Potentially more LEDs (another spec that Amazon doesn't reveal) to power a larger display could be the main culprit here, but it doesn't take too much of a hit in comparison.

In my use case, with up to four hours of reading and about 30 minutes of writing each day saw the battery nearly empty in five days. That's with the ambient light sensor on, so no manual brightness adjustments were made and that does put pressure on the battery. Sleep timer was set to 30 minutes and Bluetooth was off, although Wi-Fi was always on. Similar use with the 2024 Kindle Scribe saw the battery drain in approximately seven days for me with the same settings.

Recharging, however, seems to be remarkably quick on the 2025 version of the Scribe with frontlight, with my unit taking just about 20 minutes to top up from 21% down when plugged into a 60W wall charger. That's with the screen switched off, though. If I charged it while the device was in use, it took close to two hours via the same adaptor and USB-C cable.

On the other hand, my Kindle Scribe Colorsoft drains even quicker and takes a heck of a lot longer to recharge.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

With limited settings options, the Kindle UI is easy to wrap your head around (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) with frontlight?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It's frightfully expensive and, despite, being larger with a few new features, it's still hard to recommend at full price.

3.5 / 5

Design & display

The 11-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display is bright and full of contrast — it's the headline act here. But the larger build makes it hard to use handheld for too long, especially without a broader bezel.

4.5 / 5

Software

The refreshed homepage setup is nice, and cloud services are a welcome addition. But not all new features will have as much value to the average user.

4 / 5

User experience

The new Premium Pen may not be to everyone's liking but I can't fault it, although I still think Amazon should have added more writing tools. As an ereader, though, it's fantastic, albeit too large if that were its sole purpose.

4.5 / 5

Performance

It's the fastest E Ink writing tablet I've tested to date, although its battery life has taken a small hit compared to previous generations.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

Money is no object and you want the best Kindle Amazon has made to date

Whether that's the screen for reading or writing, or just how impressive its overall performance is, the 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe is worth auditioning if you need a digital notebook.

You want to read and write on the same device with an easy-to-use interface

I might personally find the homescreen on the Scribe cluttered, but that doesn't detract from the fact that Kindles are easy to use. And if you want large fonts while reading or you're a habitual margin scribbler and note taker, there's enough here to take care of your digital reading and writing needs.

You want to access your files easily on any device

Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive support aren't new — Boox has been offering that long before even Kobo decided to, but it sure is new for a Kindle. So for fans of the Amazon ecosystem, access to cloud services is a welcome addition, although there is a small caveat with editing PDFs on any device.

Don't buy it if...

You want better bang for your hard-earned buck

As good as it is, the 3rd-gen Scribe isn't worth buying at full price. As long as the 2nd-gen edition is still available, that offers better value (despite the missing new features) or you can opt for an alternative from another brand, many of which are slightly cheaper.

You read a lot of comics and graphic novels

I wouldn't recommend the even-pricier Kindle Scribe Colorsoft for comics, manga and graphic novels because color E Ink still has a way to go to be worthwhile, but you'd find buying an iPad or an Android tablet for colorful pages much cheaper and more enjoyable.

You want a dedicated writing or drawing tablet

For the average note taker, the Scribe is fine, but you need more writing or drawing tools, you're better off considering a reMarkable or a Boox device instead. Professional artists should definitely looks elsewhere.

Also consider

The 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe with frontlight is easy to recommend and, for some users, it might even justify its high price tag. For anyone else, know that there are alternatives to consider, and they'll actually save you a little cash even at full price.

reMarkable Paper Pure

While a reMarkable doesn't exactly double up as an ereader, it's perfect as a dedicated digital notebook. Its minimal interface is fantastic, it now offers more storage than the reMarkable 2 is replaces and it's slightly cheaper than its Amazon counterpart.
Read our in-depth reMarkable Paper Pure review to learn more

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2nd gen)

I'm fairly certain this older Scribe will be discontinued soon (as Amazon is wont to do with previous-generation Kindles), but as long as it's available, it's better value. You won't miss the additional screen real estate, and I'm hoping Amazon will roll out some of the new software features available on its successor to make it even better than it already is.
Read our full Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review for more details

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)

The 3rd generation Kindle Scribe (left) might be better, but the 2024 edition (right) is better value (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I sadly had the 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe for just two weeks for this review, but I ensured I spent as much time as I could with it. As I've previously mentioned, I spent an average of 4-5 hours with it each day during that time, sometimes more, both reading and writing.

I was able to access my existing library as soon as I signed into my Amazon account, but I also uploaded some new EPUBs using the Send To Kindle web platform. I also connected the Scribe to my Google Drive account to transfer a couple of PDFs to the device, but I also saved select notes to the cloud, which automatically upload as PDFs with handwriting (no automatic text conversion takes place, but you can manually trigger that on the Scribe if you wish).

I tried the Smart Shapes feature and used the new AI search to test if it would be able to summarize my own review notes for me, which is successfully did. Handwriting conversion was also tested, albeit using a colleague's scrawl (I hate to admit but I can't scribble chicken scratchings no matter how hard I try).

Kindle Unlimited and Audible were also accessed on the device, and I was able to pair a JBL Bluetooth speaker for listening.

Learn more about how we test devices here at TechRadar

[First published July 2026]

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K: One-minute review

The K2 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard that aims to compete with the big names in the space.

It adopts a fairly basic design, harking back to keyboards of yore with its chunky chassis and tall keycaps. This substantial form is complimented by a reassuring weight that keeps the unit in place, without being too heavy to move around when needed.

The aluminum frame is also welcome thanks to its pleasingly solidity, although its texture isn’t the most alluring. The keycaps are of a better quality, though, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which often adorns the best gaming keyboards. Their opaque lettering means the backlighting fails to shine through them, which is an oversight committed by many Keychron keyboards.

(Image credit: Future)

To customize the inputs of the K2 Ultra 8K, you can use Keychron’s Web App. There are plenty of remapping options here, with numerous system and media commands available. There’s also a SOCD feature with a few different modes to choose from. You can also adjust the bounce time of both down and up strokes.

My review unit came with Red switches, which performed quite well. They were slightly lubed and well-damped, while still retaining a certain snappiness. However, I found their actuation a little too deep, which did result in some of my presses failing to register. Also, the sheer thickness of the keyboard did cause my wrists to ache after a while.

Using the WASD position when gaming was a little more comfortable than a typing position, and the generous spacing of the keys made navigating them quite easy. The quick rebound of the keys was also something I appreciated, and helped to make up somewhat for that aforementioned deep actuation point. Both wireless connectivity options worked well, and hot-swapping between devices was easy, thanks to the switch on the side of the unit.

The K2 Ultra 8K is competitively priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable hardware. It can’t match the sheer performance and premium designs of its more notable rivals, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and the HyperX Origins 2 1800, but considering all that it offers, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now with various switch types
• Reasonable for a wireless gaming keyboard

The K2 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now. Three stock switches are available to choose from: Red, Brown, or Banana.

This is a reasonable price for a hot-swappable, wireless mechanical keyboard with premium materials and numerous customizations available. Equivalent models from bigger brands are generally more expensive. Take the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, which is an eyewatering $299 / £299 / AU$499. However, this is one of the best mechanical gaming keyboards I’ve ever tested, and it offers a wealth of customizations that put many others, including the K2 Ultra 8K, to shame.

Then there’s the HyperX Origins 2 1800, another superb mechanical keyboard, but one that’s only marginally more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K. Again, I thought this performed better than the K2 Ultra 8K when I tested it, although its customizations aren’t as extensive. It’s also wired only, which diminishes its value somewhat relative to the K2 Ultra 8K.

• Value: 4.5 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Keychron Apex Switch (mechanical)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

12.3 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches / 311.5 x 121.5 x 31.2mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Design and features

(Image credit: Future)

• Very thick
• Solid aluminum frame
• Numerous customizations via web app

The K2 Ultra 8K has a somewhat retro design with some modern touches. The chunky chassis and squared off frame are certainly throwbacks to simpler time, but the keycaps are more contemporary affairs, thanks to their soft, rounded form.

With that thick body comes a considerable weight. This helps keep the K2 Ultra 8K planted, yet it’s not too heavy to make moving it around a chore when needed. It also contributes to the unit’s durability, as does the aluminum construction of the frame. This doesn’t feel quite as premium as others, owing to its slightly rough texture, but it’s welcome all the same. Better are the keycaps, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which is the gold standard in the keyboard world.

Somewhat unusually, the USB-C port is located on the left side of the K2 Ultra 8K rather than the rear. This may prove inconvenient for certain setups, but thankfully it’s positioned quite far back, so the difference isn’t that huge. Also, the provided USB cable has an L-shaped jack, so it doesn’t protrude outwards all that much, with the cable naturally running towards the likely location of your device.

(Image credit: Future)

There is some RGB backlighting on the K2 Ultra 8K, but like other Keychron keyboards, this is quite lackluster. It barely shines through the spaces between each keycap and since the keycap symbols are opaque, you still can’t make them out in a dark environment, which rather defeats the point of backlighting in the first place. Keychron does sell transparent keycaps, but this is an add-on you have to purchase separately rather than being a configurable substitute.

At least this lighting can be customized, either by using the dedicated key in the top-right corner or Keychron’s Web App. This app contains a lot of options for patterns and colors. It also features input customizations, with a wealth of rebinding options that includes various media and system shortcuts.

There aren’t any advanced performance-based features here, save for bounce time settings and an SOCD function. The former lets you set the press and reset times independently for keys. There are two sliders for this purpose with a range of 10-50ms, with millisecond increments. The latter lets you adjust key priority when two are pressed at the same time — you can set the first pressed key to take priority, a chosen key to always take priority, or both to cancel.

As web apps go, Keychron’s is fast and easy to use. I didn’t encounter any frustrating loading times and or major bugs. Still, I would’ve preferred a standalone app for the sake of convenience, saving you from having to load your browser every time.

• Design and features: 4 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Actuation too deep for effective typing
• Good key spacing and response for gaming
• Unit thickness can cause discomfort

My review unit came with Keychron’s Red switches, which felt a little heavier than I’m used to. They’re damped and lubed to a reasonable degree, though, which made their operation smooth, and I found the clicky impact at the end of a key’s travel quite satisfying.

I was less enamored with the actuation point. It felt like I had to press down quite far for inputs to register, which caused me issues when typing fast, as characters were often missed. Typing isn’t helped by the tall keycaps, either: as someone who usually prefers a low profile, my ability to glide around the board was limited.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, that aforementioned thickness of the chassis caused me some discomfort after a while, even with the feet folded out, as I had to angle my wrists a fair amount. The K2 Ultra 8K is crying out for a wrist rest, but alas it doesn’t come with one.

Thankfully, I found gaming in the WASD position less problematic. Despite the compact nature of the layout, the keys are still generously separated, while the ergonomic shape makes navigating them quite easy. They also rebound quickly, too, which somewhat makes up for that deep actuation point.

I didn’t have any issues when connecting the K2 Ultra 8K to my PCs wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB dongle or via Bluetooth. Hot-switching between two devices was also easy and effective, thanks to the slider on the side of the unit.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Not many mechanical keyboards offer better value than this.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Very solid and quite heavy. The keycaps are high quality, too, although the backlighting is poor. It sorely needs a wrist rest, too.

4 / 5

Performance

Presses are satisfying and quite quick, although it requires a heavier touch than I would’ve preferred.

3.5 / 5

Overall rating

Considering its spec, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value for money, but its key registering issues and uncomfortable thickness dent its appeal somewhat.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a tough unit
The aluminum frame and substantial weight make the K2 Ultra 8K a durable board.

You want to save money
There aren’t many keyboards offering this kind of spec at such a low price point.

Don't buy it if…

You have a light touch
With the Red switches at least, the K2 Ultra 8K doesn’t always respond to light presses, especially when typing quickly.

You don’t have a wrist rest
The K2 Ultra 8K is a very thick unit, and using it can get uncomfortable after a while if you have no wrist support.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

HyperX Origins 2 1800
The Origins 2 1800 isn’t much more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K, but it feels slightly more upmarket. It also performed better in my testing. It doesn’t quite have the same level of input customization, and this model isn’t wireless, but it’s still a great mechanical experience. Read our full HyperX Origins 2 1800 review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
I don’t think I’ve tried a better mechanical keyboard than this. The feedback and satisfaction from key presses is second to none, and the amount of customization is fantastic. However, it’s vastly more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K — and many other gaming keyboards. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plenty keyboard reviewing experience

I used the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K for a couple of days, during which time I used it for working, gaming, and general browsing. I connected to two different Windows 11 PCs, one via the 2.4GHz dongle and the other via Bluetooth. I also used it in wired mode with the supplied cable.

I played games such as 007 First Light and Counter-Strike 2, both of which are good tests for the responsiveness of key presses and the comfort of using the all-important WASD position.

I’ve been using keyboards for decades for all sorts of purposes, from working to gaming. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from budget offerings to high-performing, feature-filled extravagances.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

The Halo series is in an awkward spot right now. With 2021’s Halo Infinite being the last major release, the franchise’s status as a system seller isn’t as strong as it was two decades ago. Halo: Campaign Evolved is a safe yet surprisingly competent remake of Halo: Combat Evolved that attempts to bring back the glory days.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Xbox Series X
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: July 28, 2026

My earliest memory of Combat Evolved on the original Xbox was when I could barely read. My dad was visiting his university friends from back in the day, and he left me with their college-aged children. I remember getting absolutely cooked in PvP, as the only video game I had ever played before that point was Pokémon.

25 years later, I’ve played every major Halo release, and even revisited 2011’s Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remaster to see how it fared before diving into Campaign Evolved. When playing these two back-to-back, they really put into perspective how much small changes could yield substantially different experiences.

The same old story

(Image credit: Xbox)

Like the original game, Halo: Campaign Evolved follows the space marine Master Chief after his starship, the Pillar of Autumn, crash-lands on a large ring world. The Covenant alien race wants to destroy Earth, and it's up to Master Chief, along with his AI companion Cortana, to fight back against them. It’s the same exact story told in the original. Although it’s not particularly deep, it sets up an enticing universe that makes you eager to discover more about the Covenant, as well as the secrets of this new ring world.

Campaign Evolved offers three new bonus missions that, together, act as a prequel to the events of the main story. Here, Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson join up, and the duo infiltrates an enemy ship to steal some data that could point them towards the Covenant’s home world. In these missions, Master Chief doesn’t have Cortana yet and is surprisingly more of a chatterbox than his usual stoic self. He and Sergeant Johnson constantly exchange quips — Johnson’s sarcasm juxtaposes well with the Chief’s more nonchalant attitude.

However, it’s tonally inconsistent. Without going into spoilers, the ending doesn’t explain Master Chief’s stoicism in the following events of Campaign Evolved. Chief’s demeanor here would fit better in a post-Bungie universe, where the series became more character-driven beginning with Halo 4. But as a prequel to the original trilogy, his frequent yapping feels out of character.

Additionally, the three missions trade the original’s streamlined level design in favor of the more modern Halo combat arena approach. Large-scale firefights across long structures and domes are everywhere. Halo is no stranger to enemy skirmishes, but they were kept at close to medium range encounters. I won’t lie and say I didn’t have fun playing these, but I just wish Halo Studios kept the new levels more uniform with the original’s design philosophy.

The prequel missions also reintroduce the Jiralhanae brutes, which were first introduced in Halo 2. These furry monstrosities are a nice change of pace when considering that enemy variety was limited in the original.

Back to basics

(Image credit: Xbox)

The first-person-shooter gameplay isn’t as revolutionary as it was back in 2001, but I enjoyed going back to the more boots-on-the-ground experience compared to flying around everywhere with Chief’s grappling hook in Infinite. There are so many small adjustments and additions to the gameplay that actually made me take modern Halo gameplay mechanics for granted.

For starters, you can now hijack enemy vehicles, something you couldn’t do in the original or even the Anniversary remaster. You instead had to either shoot the enemy piloting the vehicle first, or blow it up, hoping that it was still operable afterwards. When I replayed Anniversary ahead of Campaign Evolved, years of muscle memory conditioned me to hijack a vehicle, only to remember that Chief can’t do that and subsequently get run over and die!

Along with the typical weapons like the pistols, assault rifles, and rocket launchers, Campaign Evolved includes new weapons found in later Halo games like the Needle Rifle and the Brute Spiker.

Best bit

(Image credit: Xbox)

Campaign Remix unlocks after completing the game once. This takes all of your discovered Skulls and randomly chooses at the start which ones to activate, providing a fun and unpredictable experience. It’s a zany approach to spice up subsequent playthroughs and increase replayability.

These new weapons actually feel more of a fit for the bonus missions. The Needle Rifle almost felt like a cheat code when I used it during the main campaign. Energy Swords were also in the original game, but Chief couldn’t pick those up. Now he can, and I never got tired of hearing the satisfying sizzling plasma every time I pulled it out. Effectively doubling the total weapon count, the minute-to-minute gunplay is more varied and fun than ever.

The radar now also shows an arrow up or down on red dots to indicate whether an enemy is above or below you. Verticality was always a personal issue for me in these games, so this is much appreciated. Power-ups can be held like in Infinite, letting you activate them when you want rather than in older Halo games where they activated upon pickup. This had a tangible impact on how I approached certain levels compared to the original, like Truth and Reconciliation, where I could choose the optimal time to turn invisible and sneak past enemies.

On the surface, these changes may seem minuscule. But when actually playing Campaign Evolved, I came to appreciate the gameplay iterations that came with later Halo games.

The human connection

(Image credit: Xbox)

Whereas the original only supported two-player co-op, Campaign Evolved can support up to four. This increase makes shootouts even more hectic and exciting, especially during the bonus missions where having a full team fits the combat design ethos. Online co-op is an easy process, as all you need to do is invite other players to your fireteam. Crossplay between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players is a big plus too.

Performance is solid, even with bullets and explosions going off every second, although cutscenes can lag sometimes.

You can also find skull collectibles scattered throughout the campaign, which are gameplay modifiers that make your runs easier or harder, like enabling infinite ammo or disabling your sprint function. There’s a whopping 42 skulls to find, so not only do finding the skulls add more replayability to the campaign, but also turning them on does too.

The biggest letdown of Campaign Evolved is the lack of any PvP multiplayer. It’s a staple of the Halo series that makes this remake feel a bit lesser.

Even with the lack of PvP multiplayer, Halo: Campaign Evolved is comfortably the best way to play the first Halo adventure with all the bells and whistles that come with the modernized features of later games. The new bonus missions are fun if not a bit uneven. Campaign Evolved feels good to play, whether solo or with friends.

Should I play Halo: Campaign Evolved?Play it if...

You love the series
This goes without saying, but if you’re a fan of Halo, it’s well worth checking out Campaign Evolved for its updated gameplay mechanics and revisiting a classic.

You like first-person shooters
Halo is the console-defining first-person shooter game that set the bar for many other modern franchises. The gunplay feels as slick and precise as ever in this remake.

You like a more streamlined experience
Compared to more recent Halo games like Halo Infinite, Campaign Evolved harkens back to more old-school level design rather than an open world.

Don't play it if...

You’re looking for PvP multiplayer
Unfortunately, as the game’s title suggests, this remake only includes the campaign. If you want to experience multiplayer, go play Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary via the Master Chief Collection.

Accessibility features

Halo: Campaign Evolved has an extensive suite of accessibility features. This includes text options like subtitles, HUD text, and voice chat text size. You can also adjust font, line spacing, and dialogue color for friends and foes.

There’s screen narration with volume and speed sliders, as well as color filters. You can adjust color correction strength, brightness, and contrast. Furthermore, you can turn on and off screen shake, flashing effects, and motion blur. For crosshairs, you can change the size, color, opacity, and thickness to see what works best for you.

There are also options to change directional damage indicators, navigation points, and even teammate markers to make finding things easier. Things like voice chat volume, widget opacity, and fade-out timer can be adjusted too.

How I reviewed Halo: Campaign Evolved

I played about 15 hours of Halo: Campaign Evolved (and counting) on Xbox Series X with a SANSUI 34-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor UWQHD. I finished the campaign, finding as many collectibles as I could along the way. I also played through the three prequel missions, as well as participated in a few missions with other reviewers in co-op.

First reviewed July 2026

AngryMiao AM Infinity.97: two-minute review

It seems everyone and their dog is betting on where the high end gaming mouse market is going next, and the AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 is betting big on super light and powerful mice that nail the basics.

Okay, we've already seen this with the Razer Viper V4 Pro, but AngryMiao takes a different approach, with a heavily perforated chassis that looks like it's escaped from a sci-fi film rather than the gaming section of a branch of Currys or Best Buy.

Look past the aesthetics, though, and there's a genuinely accomplished mouse underneath. A sub-50g weight with or without a battery, a zippy 30,000 DPI PixArt PAW3950 sensor and true 8000Hz wireless polling put it right up there with the best ultralight mice I've tested this year, and its swappable battery system is a genuinely clever solution to the age-old wireless mouse problem of battery anxiety, with spares stashed inside the wireless receiver box for whenever you need them.

(Image credit: Future)

It's not a mouse without its flaws, though. The companion software is basic and has an annoying habit of running in the background, there's no dedicated DPI button or clutch anywhere on the chassis, and at $189 it's more expensive than its direct rivals. Whether that's a dealbreaker depends on how much you value standing out from the crowd.

That's ultimately what I feel you're paying for here. The AM Infinity.97 looks and feels like nothing else on the market, and backs that up with performance that goes toe-to-toe with mice from far bigger names. If you want a boutique ultralight mouse that doesn't sacrifice substance for style, this is one of the most compelling options I've tested all year.

AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 review: Price & release date

• $189 (approx £141/AU$270)
• Released in January 2026
• Towards the top end of the market

The AM Infinity.97 costs $189, and that puts it right at the top of the ultralight gaming mouse market against some genuinely excellent competition. The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike costs $179.99, and the Razer Viper V4 Pro is $159.99 — meaning AngryMiao's boutique option is comfortably the priciest of the three.

It launched in January 2026 as the slightly smaller brother to the brand's original AM Infinity mouse, offering a different take on the highly competitive ultralight mouse sector from a brand better known for its keyboards than such potent mice.

For the price, it's competitive in features, too, with a flagship wireless sensor and polling rate specs, clever swappable batteries and a magnesium alloy chassis that's lighter than both Razer and Logitech's choices. In terms of features. It's perhaps closer to the Viper V4 Pro in that it seeeks to nail the basics of being a competitive ultralight mouse, rather than introducing new features such as rapid trigger, as the G Pro X2 Superstrike does.

AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 review: Specs

Sensor

PixArt PAW3950

DPI

100 - 30,000

Polling Rate

125 - 8,000Hz

Connectivity

Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless

Switches

TTC Orange Dot Optical V2

Weight

39g (without battery), 47g (with battery)

Battery

340mAh swappable (up to 165 hours at 1KHz)

AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 review: Design

• Sci-fi-inspired looks
• Magnesium alloy chassis keeps things sturdy
• Software has very little frills

AngryMiao is a brand I associate more for its wacky keyboards than mice, but its house style is unmistakeable. As with the likes of Gravastar, it leans into a sci-fi aesthetic with a perforated chassis in keeping with the older guard of what ultralight gaming mice used to look like.

Intriguingly, it's slightly smaller than rivals, too, being only 97% of the size of a standard gaming mouse. That's because of AngryMiao's own market research that demonstrated this kind of size was what players preferred, not least for a mouse designed more for claw grippers than palm or fingertip users. Saying that, I had no issues using this high-power rodent with my usual palm grip, and the little orange piece on the rear of the chassis acts as a useful grip that does more of the heavy lifting than you might initially expect.

The AM Infinity.97 is available in three colors: black, white, and pink. I asked for my sample in the vivid pink, but ended up with a white one – no harm done, though, as it's a nice white that's almost got a creamy, off-white hue in some lighting environments.

(Image credit: Future)

At 47g with the battery in, it's one of the lightest mice I've used this year, and pulling out the battery for wired use drops that to a genuinely absurd 39g. That's a fair bit lighter than both Logitech and Razer's choices, although not quite as light as the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro, which weighs 36g with its internal battery.

That lightness doesn't feel flimsy, either. The AM Infinity.97's chassis is magnesium-aluminium alloy, and it's properly sturdy under the fingers, with gentle contouring to to sit well in the hand and a cool metallic touch that's oddly pleasant during longer sessions.

The button layout here is sensible, with two main clickers and a scroll wheel on top, side buttons within easy reach on the left, and a Bluetooth/2.4GHz toggle tucked underneath. What you don't get is a dedicated DPI button – an odd omission at this price, and the first real crack in an otherwise polished package. The main clicks use custom TTC Orange Dot Optical V2 switches, and I've become a big fan of these in my two weeks with this mouse. They're snappy and positive under finger, and because they're optical rather than mechanical, they're also noticeably quicker to register than more traditional gaming mice.

(Image credit: Future)

Okay, there isn't the rapid trigger or haptic feedback you'll get from the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, but the short, sharp travel with ample tactility still feels pleasantly brisk and solid under finger.

If there's one area where things get less impressive for this AngryMiao mouse, it's th software. Being a web-based UI means things should be lightweight, although it's paired with a a downloadable executable that has an annoying habit of nibbling away at system resources you'd rather it left alone when running in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

When you do open it, it's easy enough to navigate, but there isn't much to it — DPI and polling rate, remapping, macros, profiles, lift-off distance and acceleration is about where the feature list ends. The bigger brand rivals offer much more complete software customisation.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 review: Performance

• Flagship 30,000 DPI sensor
• 8000Hz wireless polling
• Innovative swappable batteries

AngryMiao has fitted the AM Infinity.97 with a 30,000 DPI PixArt PAW3950 sensor, one I've put through its paces in plenty of other mice as a top-end flagship sensor, and it's every bit as sharp and responsive here either for general navigation or for getting stuck into Counter Strike 2 – my usual test for peripherals.

You won't get away for using the full 30,000 DPI all the time, as it turns this rodent into a jittery nightmare, hence why it can be moved down to a number of preset levels between 100 and 30,000 DPI in the mouse's software. Somewhere between 1600 DPI and 3200 DPI is where I ended up, preferring the former for more precise aiming in CS2, and the latter for navigating Windows and productivity workloads.

Alongside the beefy sensor, the AM Infinity.97 benefits from true 8000Hz polling across both wired and 2.4GHz connectivity, plus you get Bluetooth as an added bonus. In my testing, both wireless connectivity methods felt rock solid throughout testing, whether I was on Bluetooth with a MacBook Pro or the 2.4GHz receiver box on my Windows gaming PC.

(Image credit: Future)

As much as 8000Hz wireless polling isn't the standout feature it was a couple of years ago, and its efficacy for normal folks is debatable, it's still very nice to see for a competitive oriented rodent such as this AngryMiao choice. It's something competitive players will feel more than us normal folks, but is still handy for peace of mind your mouse is performing at its best.

The fact is that the high DPI sensor, fast wireless polling, superlight chassis and snappy optical switches combine to make the AM Infinity.97 one of the best gaming mice I've tested this year, and I've given both the G Pro X2 Superstrike and Viper V4 Pro a run for their money, too. I'd wager it's closer in philosophy to Razer, nailing the fundamentals rather than throwing haptics and rapid trigger into a light chassis the way Logitech does — but as a first impression, it's a knockout.

I found its low mass makes wrist flicks and sweeping CS2 movements almost effortless, while those optical switches give you brisk, satisfying clicks and its sensor felt dead accurate to boot.This is a mouse that nails the basics and turns that into something genuinely excellent.

The AM Infinity.97 also has one further trick up its sleeve with a feature I've only seen on a couple of other gaming mice – the Glorious Model O3 and D3 Wireless – with swappable batteries. In this instance, the batteries clip on magnetically to the underside of the mouse, and can be swapped out for a spare kept inside the 2.4GHz wireless receiver box that connects to your PC with the bundled USB-C to USB-A cable.

(Image credit: Future)

The mouse also works wired, so a dead battery is never really a crisis. What you don't get is an internal backup cell, meaning if both external batteries die, you're out of luck until you plug in – Glorious has a 'Guardian battery' inside the mouse chassis itself, which is the one area where I think they win.

This swappable battery system leads AngryMiao to claim 'infinite' battery life in its marketing bumf, although a little further down the product page, it's more reasonable. With 1,000Hz polling, you'll see up to 165 hours, while at the full 8,000Hz, this drops to up to 30 hours. For reference, I was getting between 25 or so hours on a charge on one battery with 8,000Hz enabled, demonstrating just how thirsty a higher polling rate continues to be.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the AngryMiao AM Infinity.97?AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Design

The AM Infinity.97 features adistinctive sci-fi-inspired magnesium alloy chassis that's remarkably light without sacrificing rigidity, plus sensible button placement and snappy optical switches. Basic software and the lack of a dedicated DPI button are the only real drawbacks in my book.

4.5/5

Performance

We've got flagship-grade sensor performance, true 8,000Hz wireless polling and excellent optical switches that combine to deliver one of the fastest, most responsive ultralight gaming mice I've tested, with clever swappable batteries adding genuine practicality. Just watch out for the drop-off if using 8,000Hz polling all the time.

4.5/5

Value

It's the most expensive of the other two rivals I've put the AM Infinity.97 against, but you can get it more affordably on sales, and it's still very competitive given the feature set.

4/5

Average Rating

The AM Infinity.97 is a striking mouse from a brand better known for its keyboards, and it backs up the looks with genuine substance. It's one of the most responsive, comfortable ultralight mice I've used all year, with a genuinely clever swappable battery system to boot. Basic software and a steeper price than its rivals stop it from being such an easy recommendation, but as a statement piece that also performs, it's a very compelling option.

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want flagship-level performance:
The AM Infinity.97 delivers some of the most responsive, accurate performance of any mouse I've tested this year, backed by a genuinely clever swappable battery system.View Deal

You want a mouse that looks like nothing else:
Its perforated alloy chassis and sci-fi styling make it stand out instantly against a sea of similarly shaped ultralight rivals.View Deal

You want virtually infinite battery life:
AngryMiao's magnetically swappable batteries is a genuine innovation in this highly competitive sector, and can unlock virtually endless battery life if you play your cards right.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want something more affordable:
The big thing with this AngryMiao mouse is a higher price tag against its rivals, although they trade on innovative features and overall mass.View Deal

You want a subtler-looking mouse:
The heavily perforated chassis is a statement piece rather than something built to blend in, and if you'd prefer an understated rodent, then key rivals will serve you better.View Deal

You want more polished software:
The AM Infinity.97's web-based companion app is basic, prone to running in the background, and offers far less depth than rivals when it comes to customisation.View Deal

Also consider

Razer Viper V4 Pro:

If you want the basics nailed brilliantly without the boutique price tag, the Viper V4 Pro is $30 cheaper and matches the AM Infinity.97 for pure responsiveness while also being especially light. It skips the swappable battery gimmick, but has much stronger software and remains an excellent pick for competitive play.

Read our full Razer Viper V4 Pro review.View Deal

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike:

The G Pro X2 Superstrike goes further than either AngryMiao or Razer on features with its clever HITS system that enables haptic feedback and rapid trigger and packs it into a familiar chassis to anyone who's used a G Pro X Superlight 2, albeit it is heavier than either Razer or AngryMiao's option. That being said, it undercuts the AM Infinity.97 on price.

Read our full Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike review.View Deal

How I tested the AngryMiao AM Infinity.97

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested over two weeks of use
• Used across both Windows and macOS
• Extensive gaming mouse review experience

I used the AM Infinity.97 for a couple of weeks across both a Windows gaming PC and a MacBook Pro, testing it over Bluetooth, the bundled 2.4GHz receiver, and wired via USB-C.

Counter-Strike 2 formed the backbone of my performance testing, given how heavily it leans on quick, accurate mouse movement, alongside general everyday use for browsing and productivity to assess comfort and grip over longer sessions. I also used the web-based software extensively to test each of its functions.

I've been a tech journalist for the best part of a decade, and have reviewed plenty of gaming and productivity mice in that time from brands big and small from up and down the price ladder.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

In life, you often have to meet something at what it is, not what you want it to be. This is the logic that I need you to apply to Ransom Canyon season 2 when you watch it, as all eight episodes drop on Netflix on July 23.

This Western drama soap opera hybrid serves to entertain, but it doesn't ever aim to cross a boundary. It's not striving to be the best TV show of 2026, or do anything remotely challenging or ambitious. Ransom Canyon is a show that stays in its subtly cringe and often stereotypical lane... and for that, I'm thankful.

I don't need all of my television to be profound, life-changing or even that meaningful. Sometimes, I just want to switch my brain off and pretend I live in a picturesque, rural town on the other side of the world where everyone has unrelenting drama except for me. Enter Double K ranch owner Staten (Josh Duhamel), local bar owner Quinn (Minka Kelly) and an eclectic ensemble of characters.

When Netflix commits to the soap opera bit, it ticks the genre boxes incredibly well. Season 1 of Ransom Canyon was already a strong outing, but now that the show knows itself a little more, season 2 is easily on par with the strongest seasons of Virgin River, the streamer's most iconic "cozy drama" IP.

The catch? Season 2 is releasing just weeks after the epic Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch released on Paramount+, which was widely praised by fans and critics (including me) alike. With both shows in such close proximity of each other, it's easy to see how weak the cowboy drama in Ransom Canyon actually is.

Ransom Canyon season 2 is a love story with cowboying on the side — that's an important distinction

Here's where the two shows differ dramatically: Dutton Ranch is a Western drama that sprinkles complex love stories in between. Ransom Canyon is a love story that sprinkles Western drama in between.

Once we've understood this, we know that we can't directly compare them... as much as we want to. The two have completely different functions and goals, and it's highly likely that the fanbases won't fully cross over. That being said, I think following straight after the return of Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in the Yellowstone spinoff will undoubtedly hurt Staten and Quinn's second outing.

On the surface, season 2 puts a lot of emphasis on the ongoing land feud between the Double K ranch owned by Staten and the Fuller ranch next door, now owned by dubious newcomer Yancy (Jack Schumacher). But by the time we've reached the season 2 finale, it feels completely inconsequential.

This is because we're really being driven by the romantic drama that intertwines the Ransom Canyon residents rather than the mechanics of the town itself. Nobody really cares who owns what or who works where, as long as the right people settle into the relationships that are clearly destined for them.

If Netflix hadn't have hyped the feud up in its marketing, I don't think I'd have noticed that the cowboying actually lets Ransom Canyon down so easily. Taylor Sheridan ain't in these parts, and I think it will always show.

But it's a sensational soap opera — as is cast newcomer Patricia Clarkson

(Image credit: Netflix)

As a flat-out soap opera, Ransom Canyon season 2 is delicious. The indecisively infuriating will-they-won't-they dynamics run wild, the dramatic breakups are deployed at the perfect time, but when it comes down to it, things draw to a close in exactly the way you think they will.

It's almost a comfort to know what you're going to get at an end result, to have something that's often more stable than your actual life (well, if you remove all of the fictional chaos ). Even though tensions between Staten and Quinn remain front and centre, not a single supporting character feels underused.

With each connection feeling like a fulfilling one, we're really getting a lot of bang for our buck when it comes to narrative sustenance. An extra shoutout must go to newcomer Patricia Clarkson, who joins the series as Quinn's firecracker mother, Claire. I've honestly got no clue how the show scored such a uniquely legendary talent, but they've certainly not been complacent about it.

Is Ransom Canyon season 2 more of the same? Essentially, yes. Is that a bad thing? No, that's exactly what we want. If you overlook the cowboying, you'll probably fall in love with each and every character as much as I did... and soap opera historically aren't my thing. If you can't trust the opinion of a reformer hater, who can you?

Fliki is a popular AI video generator, trusted by more than 12 million users worldwide and 50,000 companies, including brands like Meta, ByteDance, Oracle, and PayPal. You can create and edit AI videos with natural-language prompts using its AI Copilot.

In this article, we’ve put Fliki to the test, evaluating its features, pricing, and real-world in-app experience to help you find out whether this AI video editor lives up to its claims and whether it’s the right tool for you.

Fliki: Plans and pricing

Fliki is a fairly limited free video editing software, which gives you three credits per month, or 36 credits for the entire year. You can export videos with a maximum length of one minute in 720p resolution, along with access to 300 standard voices. All other video and audio generation features are limited on the free plan and restricted by the number of credits you receive.

We found the provision of just three credits per month quite stingy. For instance, generating a one-minute AI video costs around 0.8 credits. If it includes an AI avatar, it can cost around 5.3 credits alone. This means you can't do much with the free plan besides testing out the platform.

To get the most out of Fliki, you'll have to subscribe to one of its paid plans. Its Standard plan starts at $28 per month. Right now, you can get 50% off the subscription, bringing the effective price down to $14 per month. With this plan, you get 2,160 credits for the entire year, along with an expanded export length of 15 minutes in 1080p resolution, which disappointed us a bit. Kapwing, for instance, allows you to export videos in 4K quality at around the same price.

You can check out Fliki by clicking here.

(Image credit: Fliki)

That said, you get unlimited access to various video and audio tools, along with features like voice cloning, custom voices, and Brand Kits. You also get access to various templates, which help you create content using pre-built video layouts. This plan also includes several collaboration features, such as the ability to bulk-create videos from a single CSV file, an AI assistant, and Zapier integrations. However, it still does not include team collaboration, which is again a letdown.

Then there's the Premium plan, costing $88 per month, or $44 per month with the current discount. Here, the maximum export length increases to 40 minutes, but the resolution remains capped at 1080p. Some additional features include unlimited AI avatars, custom fonts, faster exports, and team collaboration.

If you've exhausted your credits, you can purchase top-up credits if you have an active subscription plan. These additional credits are valid for up to 180 days and remain active even if your subscription is canceled during this period. You can get 60 credits for $10, 130 credits for $25, and so on, all the way up to $2,500 worth of credits.

Fliki: Features

Fliki houses as many as 54 tools to create and edit videos and images, supporting various use cases. For instance, you can create social media reels, TikTok videos, or a faceless YouTube channel with Fliki.

There’s also the popular AI Avatar feature, which helps you build avatars of your own and reuse them in your videos. Besides this, you also get an AI Script Writer, voice cloning, a subtitle generator, and a pretty fun Talking Photo feature.

That said, we found Fliki’s AI avatars to be based largely on real people, rather than offering the wide range of outlandish and fictional characters we get with a site like Kapwing.

(Image credit: Fliki)

These are better viewed as use cases rather than standalone features. The core feature remains the same: generating videos and images through prompts. These prompts can be in the form of scripts, reference images, videos, or even audio. Editing tools include background removers, translators, and screen recorders.

Fliki has made a lot of recent additions to its available tools, making it a more complete video generation and editing platform. For instance, it has introduced new models such as Flux Klein 2, Nano Banana 2 for images, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.0 for video, native audio, multi-shot, and P-Video for video and lip-syncing needs.

You can also use your own media in video workflows, along with 130 new character-driven voices in 20+ languages. As recently as February 2026, Fliki rebuilt its voices to include a wider range of emotions, such as laughing, sarcasm, and deadpan, all of which can be fine-tuned using natural language descriptions.

Fliki now also supports YouTube-licensed music protected by copyright. It has also expanded its character library, allowing you to create and reuse AI characters across multiple projects.

(Image credit: Fliki)

One of its most exciting additions has been the ability to create stop-motion story videos with needle-felted wool puppet looks. Another addition is TikTok auto-publishing, which allows you to post videos created through Fliki directly to TikTok by linking your account in Workspace Settings. You can either publish them immediately or set up a drip schedule to release episodes on TikTok.

Fliki: Interface and in use

Getting started with Fliki is very easy. We used a Google account to sign up for the platform, which took less than a minute. Once you’re in, you’re greeted with a dashboard featuring a black background, along with various features highlighted in small red rectangular tabs below a prompt box.

On the left-hand panel, you’ll find all the settings you need for your video creation, including Media, Subtitles, Audio, AI Copilot, and various templates. However, note that not all of these will be accessible if you’re on the free plan, as several features are locked behind Fliki’s paid tiers.

(Image credit: Future)

The best part about editing with Fliki is its AI-powered editing assistant, where you can type in plain English what you want. For instance, you can ask it to make the intro slower or add a text overlay at any point in the video.

Besides this, you get two ways to build a video. The first is an at-a-glance scene reel laid out horizontally with a full timeline, while the second is a traditional timeline with functions like zooming and snapping, giving you more control.

Fliki has also overhauled its dashboard, giving it a more intuitive layout with a fresher look and easy-to-access tools.

Fliki: How we tested

We used the free version of Fliki to check out its AI video generation capabilities. We entered the following prompt: A woman in a red coat walks across a rain-soaked city street at night, neon signs reflecting in the puddles, camera slowly tracking alongside her (the same prompt we use for all our AI video testing).

We were impressed by the sheer number of customization options that Fliki offers. Once you enter the prompt, you have to select the video duration you want, with the minimum being 30 seconds. This was a bit disappointing, as we’d have liked to see shorter video generation options as well.

(Image credit: Future)

However, Fliki gets to work once you make the selection and generates a detailed script for you. You can edit this script before moving ahead with video generation. Besides this, you get a lot of options to customize your video right before the generation process starts.

(Image credit: Future)

For instance, you can choose the format and template, selecting between portrait, square, and landscape modes, along with the type of character you want. You can also select the AI model you want to use for generation, although most of them are Pro features. Besides this, you also have the option to select a voiceover, add captions, or choose an AI avatar.

(Image credit: Future)

We found this to be pretty convenient since you can make all the required selections in one place and don’t have to go back and forth through the platform making edits afterward. Once we were done with all the selections, we clicked on Generate Video. The actual video rendering process took less than a minute.

(Image credit: Future)

However, since the free tier does not allow you to create AI videos on its own, we were a bit disappointed by the output. The final video consisted of still images with voiceovers instead of a full-fledged video, like we got with Kapwing.

Fliki: Alternatives

While Fliki is a pretty good AI video generator and editor, it does have a few strong competitors. The first one would be Adobe Firefly, which costs around $8.49 per month, around 40% cheaper than Fliki during the discount period.

The biggest advantage of Firefly is its robust workflow features, which allow teams to build virtual storyboards and collaborate in real time, something that Fliki restricts to its highest-tier plan. You also get access to Adobe Express Premium and Photoshop with all its paid plans. That said, its video editing capabilities are still in development and are not as good as Fliki’s.

Another competitor is Kapwing, which comes with better AI avatar generation capabilities. While Fliki depends heavily on real-life characters, Kapwing gives you a lot of fictional character generation options, such as Dracula, vampires, and everything else you can imagine.

Kapwing also supports 4K video exports of up to 120 minutes, whereas Fliki restricts exports to just 1080p, which is certainly not enough in the modern content creation landscape. That said, Kapwing is a bit more expensive than Fliki, costing $16 per month. However, its free plan is more robust, allowing you to create AI videos instead of videos with still images and voiceovers.

Fliki: Final verdict

We used the free version of Fliki to check out its AI video generation capabilities. We entered the following prompt: A woman in a red coat walks across a rain-soaked city street at night, neon signs reflecting in the puddles, camera slowly tracking alongside her (the same prompt we use for all our AI video testing).

We were impressed by the sheer number of customization options that Fliki offers. Once you enter the prompt, you have to select the video duration you want, with the minimum being 30 seconds. This was a bit disappointing, as we’d have liked to see shorter video generation options as well.

However, Fliki gets to work once you make the selection and generates a detailed script for you. You can edit this script before moving ahead with video generation. Besides this, you get a lot of options to customize your video right before the generation process starts.

We've tested a range of video makers and editors, including the best video editing software, the best video editing apps and the best free video editing software.