Reviews

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Two-minute review

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti definitely had a high expectation bar to clear after the mixed reception of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 last month, especially from enthusiasts.

And while there are things I fault the RTX 5070 Ti for, there's no doubt that it has taken the lead as the best graphics card most people can buy right now—assuming that scalpers don't get there first.

The RTX 5070 Ti starts at $749 / £729 (about AU$1,050), making its MSRP a good bit cheaper than its predecessor was at launch, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, as well as the buffed-up Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super.

The fact that the RTX 5070 Ti beats both of those cards handily in terms of performance would normally be enough to get it high marks, but this card even ekes out a win over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super, shooting it nearly to the top of the best Nvidia graphics card lists.

As one of the best 4K graphics cards I've ever tested, it isn't without faults, but we're really only talking about the fact that Nvidia isn't releasing a Founders Edition card for this one, and that's unfortunate for a couple of reasons.

For one, and probably most importantly, without a Founders Edition card from Nvidia guaranteed to sell for MSRP directly from Nvidia's website, the MSRP price for this card is just a suggestion. And without an MSRP card from Nvidia keeping AIB partners onside, it'll be hard finding a card at Nvidia's $749 price tag, reducing its value proposition.

Also, because there's no Founders Edition, Nvidia's dual pass-through design to keep the card cool will pass the 5070 Ti by. If you were hoping that the RTX 5070 Ti might be SFF-friendly, I simply don't see how the RTX 5070 Ti fits into that unless you stretch the meaning of small form factor until it hurts.

Those aren't small quibbles, but given everything else the RTX 5070 Ti brings to the table, they do seem like I'm stretching myself a bit to find something bad to say about this card for balance.

For the vast majority of buyers out there looking for outstanding 4K performance at a relatively approachable MSRP, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the card you're going to want to buy.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much is it? MSRP is $749/£729 (about AU$1,050), but with no Founders Edition, third-party cards will likely be higher
• When can you get it? The RTX 5070 Ti goes on sale February 20, 2025
• Where is it available? The RTX 5070 Ti will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti goes on sale on February 20, 2025, starting at $749/£729 (about AU$1,050) in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively.

Unlike the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, there is no Founders Edition card for the RTX 5070 Ti, so there are no versions of this card that will be guaranteed to sell at this MSRP price, which does complicate things given the current scalping frenzy we've seen for the previous RTX 50 series cards.

While stock of the Founders Edition RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 might be hard to find even from Nvidia, there is a place, at least, where you could theoretically buy those cards at MSRP. No such luck with the RTX 5070 Ti, which is a shame.

The 5070 Ti MSRP does at least come in under the launch MSRPs of both the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super, neither of which had Founders Edition cards, so stock and pricing will hopefully stay within the bounds of where those cards have been selling for.

The 5070 Ti's MSRP puts it on the lower-end of the enthusiast-class, and while we haven't seen the price for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT yet, it's unlikely that AMD's competing RDNA 4 GPU will sell for much less than the RTX 5070 Ti, but if you're not in a hurry, it might be worth waiting a month or two to see what AMD has to offer in this range before deciding which is the better buy.

• Value: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Specs

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• GDDR7 VRAM and PCIe 5.0
• Slight bump in power consumption
• More memory than its direct predecessor

Like the rest of the Nvidia Blackwell GPU lineup, there are some notable advances with the RTX 5070 Ti over its predecessors.

First, the RTX 5070 Ti features faster GDDR7 memory which, in addition to having an additional 4GB VRAM than the RTX 4070 Ti's 12GB, means that the RTX 5070 Ti's larger, faster memory pool can process high resolution texture files faster, making it far more capable at 4K resolutions.

Also of note is its 256-bit memory interface, which is 33.3% larger than the RTX 4070 Ti's, and equal to that of the RTX 4070 Ti Super. 64 extra bits might not seem like a lot, but just like trying to fit a couch through a door, even an extra inch or two of extra space can be the difference between moving the whole thing through at once or having to do it in parts, which translates into additional work on both ends.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

There's also the new PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, which speeds up communication between the graphics card, your processor, and your SSD. If you have a PCIe 5.0 capable motherboard, processor, and SSD, just make note of how many PCIe 5.0 lanes you have available.

The RTX 5070 Ti will take up 16 of them, so if you only have 16 lanes available and you have a PCIe 5.0 SSD, the RTX 5070 Ti is going to get those lanes by default, throttling your SSD to PCIe 4.0 speeds. Some motherboards will let you set PCIe 5.0 priority, if you have to make a choice.

The RTX 5070 Ti uses slightly more power than its predecessors, but in my testing it's maximum power draw came in at just under the card's 300W TDP.

As for the GPU inside the RTX 5070 Ti, it's built using TSMC's N4P process node, which is a refinement of the TSMC N4 node used by its predecessors. While not a full generational jump in process tech, the N4P process does offer better efficiency and a slight increase in transistor density.

• Specs & features: 5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Design & features

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• No Nvidia Founders Edition card
• No dual-pass-through cooling (at least for now)

There is no Founders Edition card for the RTX 5070 Ti, so the RTX 5070 Ti you end up with may look radically different than the one I tested for this review, the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.

Whatever partner card you choose though, it's likely to be a chonky card given the card's TDP, since 300W of heat needs a lot of cooling. While the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Founders Edition cards featured the innovative dual pass-through design (which dramatically shrank the card's width), it's unlikely you'll find any RTX 5070 Ti cards in the near future that feature this kind of cooling setup, if ever.

With that groundwork laid, you're going to have a lot of options for cooling setups, shroud design, and lighting options, though more feature-rich cards will likely be more expensive, so make sure you consider the added cost when weighing your options.

As for the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the sleek shroud of the card lacks the RGB that a lot of gamers like for their builds, but for those of us who are kind of over RGB, the Prime's design is fantastic and easily worked into any typical mid-tower case.

The Prime RTX 5070 Ti features a triple-fan cooling setup, with one of those fans having complete passthrough over the heatsink fins. There's a protective backplate and stainless bracket over the output ports.

The 16-pin power connector rests along the card's backplate, so even if you invested in a 90-degree angled power cable, you'll still be able to use it, assuming your power supply meets the recommended 750W listed on Asus's website. There's a 3-to-1 adapter included with the card, as well, for those who haven't upgraded to an ATX 3.0 PSU yet.

• Design: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• RTX 4080 Super-level performance
• Massive improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super
• Added features like DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation

A note on my data

The charts shown below offer the most recent data I have for the cards tested for this review. They may change over time as more card results are added and cards are retested. The 'average of all cards tested' includes cards not shown in these charts for readability purposes.

And so we come to the reason we're all here, which is this card's performance.

Given the...passionate...debate over the RTX 5080's underwhelming gen-on-gen uplift, enthusiasts will be very happy with the performance of the RTX 5070 Ti, at least as far as it relates to the last-gen RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super.

Starting with synthetic scores, at 1080p, both the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 5070 Ti are so overpowered that they get close to CPU-locking on 3DMark's 1080p tests, Night Raid and Fire Strike, though the RTX 5070 Ti does come out about 14% ahead. The RTX 5070 Ti begins to pull away at higher resolutions and once you introduce ray tracing into the mix, with roughly 30% better performance at these higher level tests like Solar Bay, Steel Nomad, and Port Royal.

In terms of raw compute performance, the RTX 5070 Ti scores about 25% better in Geekbench 6 than the RTX 4070 Ti and about 20% better than the RTX 4070 Ti Super.

In creative workloads like Blender Benchmark 4.30, the RTX 5070 Ti pulls way ahead of its predecessors, though the 5070 Ti, 4070 Ti Super, and 4070 Ti all pretty much max out what a GPU can add to my Handbrake 1.9 4K to 1080p encoding test, with all three cards cranking out about 220 FPS encoded on average.

Starting with 1440p gaming, the gen-on-gen improvement of the RTX 5070 Ti over the RTX 4070 Ti is a respectable 20%, even without factoring in DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation.

The biggest complaint that some have about MFG is that if the base frame rate isn't high enough, you'll end up with controls that can feel slightly sluggish, even though the visuals you're seeing are much more fluid.

Fortunately, outside of turning ray tracing to its max settings and leaving Nvidia Reflex off, you're not really going to need to worry about that. The RTX 5070 Ti's minimum FPS for all but one of the games I tested at native 1440p with ray tracing all pretty much hit or exceeded 60 FPS, often by a lot.

Only F1 2024 had a lower-than-60 minimum FPS at native 1440p with max ray tracing, and even then, it still managed to stay above 45 fps, which is fast enough that no human would ever notice any input latency in practice. For 1440p gaming, then, there's absolutely no reason not to turn on MFG whenever it is available since it can substantially increase framerates, often doubling or even tripling them in some cases without issue.

For 4K gaming, the RTX 5070 Ti native performance is spectacular, with nearly every title tested hitting 60 FPS or greater on average, with those that fell short only doing so by 4-5 frames.

Compared to the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super, the faster memory and expanded 16GB VRAM pool definitely turn up for the RTX 5070 Ti at 4K, delivering about 31% better overall average FPS than the RTX 4070 Ti and about 23% better average FPS than the RTX 4070 Ti Super.

In fact, the average 4K performance for the RTX 5070 Ti pulls up pretty much dead even with the RTX 4080 Super's performance, and about 12% better than the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX at 4K, despite the latter having 8GB more VRAM.

Like every other graphics card besides the RTX 4090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090, playing at native 4K with ray tracing maxed out is going to kill your FPS. To the 5070 Ti's credit, though, minimum FPS never dropped so low as to turn things into a slideshow, even if the 5070 Ti's 25 FPS minimum in Cyberpunk 2077 was noticeable.

Turning on DLSS in these cases is a must, even if you skip turning on MFG, but the RTX 5070 Ti's balanced upscaled performance is a fantastic experience.

Leave ray tracing turned off (or set to a lower setting), however, and MFG definitely becomes a viable way to max out your 4K monitor's refresh rate for seriously fluid gaming.

Overall then, the RTX 5070 Ti delivers substantial high-resolution gains gen-on-gen, which should make enthusiasts happy, without having to increase its power consumption all that much.

Of all the graphics cards I've tested over the years, and especially over the past six months, the RTX 5070 Ti is pretty much the perfect balance for whatever you need it for, and if you can get it at MSRP or reasonably close to MSRP, it's without a doubt the best value for your money of any of the current crop of enthusiast graphics cards.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti if...

You want the perfect balance of 4K performance and price
Assuming you can find it at or close to MSRP, the 4K value proposition on this card is the best you'll find for an enthusiast graphics card.

You want a fantastic creative graphics card on the cheap
While the RTX 5070 Ti doesn't have the RTX 5090's creative chops, it's a fantastic pick for 3D modelers and video professionals looking for a (relatively) cheap GPU.

You want Nvidia's latest DLSS features without spending a fortune
While this isn't the first Nvidia graphics card to feature DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, it is the cheapest, at least until the RTX 5070 launches in a month or so.

Don't buy it if...

You want the absolute best performance possible
The RTX 5070 Ti is a fantastic performer, but the RTX 5080, RTX 4090, and RTX 5090 all offer better raw performance if you're willing to pay more for it.

You're looking for something more affordable
While the RTX 5070 Ti has a fantastic price for an enthusiast-grade card, it's still very expensive, especially once scalpers get involved.

You only plan on playing at 1440p
If you never plan on playing at 4K this generation, you might want to see if the RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards are a better fit.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080
While more expensive, the RTX 5080 features fantastic performance and value for under a grand at MSRP.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 reviewView Deal

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super
While this card might not be on the store shelves for much longer, the RTX 5070 Ti matches the RTX 4080 Super's performance, so if you can find the RTX 4080 Super at a solid discount, it might be the better pick.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super reviewView Deal

How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

• I spent about a week with the RTX 5070 Ti
• I used my complete GPU testing suite to analyze the card's performance
• I tested the card in everyday, gaming, creative, and AI workload usage

Test System Specs

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

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

I spent about a week testing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, using it mostly for creative work and gaming, including titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Avowed.

I also used my updated suite of benchmarks including industry standards like 3DMark and Geekbench, as well as built-in gaming benchmarks like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light 2.

I also test all of the competing cards in a given card's market class using the same test bench setup throughout so I can fully isolate GPU performance across various, repeatable tests. I then take geometric averages of the various test results (which better insulates the average from being skewed by tests with very large test results) to come to comparable scores for different aspects of the card's performance. I give more weight to gaming performance than creative or AI performance, and performance is given the most weight in how final scores are determined, followed closely by value.

I've been testing GPUs, PCs, and laptops for TechRadar for nearly five years now, with more than two dozen graphics card reviews under my belt in the past three years alone. On top of that, I have a Masters degree in Computer Science and have been building PCs and gaming on PCs for most of my life, so I am well qualified to assess the value of a graphics card and whether it's worth your time and money.

• Originally reviewed February 2025

Oppo Find N5 review: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

Oppo had one mission when making the Oppo Find N5: make the world's thinnest book-style foldable. It's a testament to the company's phone making skill that it not only succeeded, but produced such a powerful, enjoyable, and good-looking device along the way. For my money, this is the direction folding phones should be heading in, and using the Find N5 feels easier and more seamless than the folding devices I've used in the past. It's a strong contender for the best Oppo phone I've ever used.

The standout feature of the Find N5 is its design. The phone unfolded measures just 4.21mm thick, which is thinner than an iPad Pro and only beaten in the foldable space by the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT. It really is amazing to hold the Find N5 for the first time, and this slimness never stops being genuinely convenient. I'm here to tell you that this isn't a gimmick: the Find N5's profile is a big part of the reason the phone feels so useable. Even at a folded thickness of 8.93mm, it's barely bulkier than an iPhone 16 Pro Max. The displays are both great, and both the largest you'll find on a book-style phone, at 6.62-inches for the cover screen and 8.12-inches for the inner display.

The Find N5 has got the hardware power to challenge the premium slab flagships too. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage make the sole configuration a powerful one, and Oppo has made every effort to improve the historically middling battery life of the average folding phone with a huge 5,600mAh silicon-carbon cell. In the case of the Find N5, slim does not mean slow. Looking at the competition, the thicker and heavier Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, with its smaller battery and less powerful internals, seems a bit archaic by comparison.

It's not without compromise, though. In order to attain such a slim profile, the camera system has been scaled back compared to the previous generation Find N3 (still sold worldwide as the OnePlus Open) and results can vary from great to pretty undesirable. There are also a few software bugs, but I'm aware some of this will be due to developers not optimizing for the foldable form factor.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the Oppo Find N5. It's a huge step towards foldable devices that don't feel at all constrained by their form factor, with a barely-visible crease, two great displays, and a very reasonable battery life. Any imperfections aren't impactful enough to stop this feeling like the folding phone of the future. If it wasn't for its limited availability, the Find N5 would be a shoe-in for our list of the best folding phones.

Oppo Find N5 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Pricing in the UK and Australia TBC
• Availability TBC
• Costs around £1500 in Singapore

Oppo hasn’t revealed pricing for the Find N5 yet, so we haven’t yet got a take on the value for money the phone offers. The phone has been confirmed to cost the equivalent of around £1500 in Singapore, but we're still waiting for further details.

As for availability, Oppo has no distribution in the US so it’s overwhelmingly likely the Find N5 won’t launch there. We aren’t quite sure of the full extent of the Find N5’s availability elsewhere, but we know it’s coming to the UK at least.

We’ll update this section once the phone’s pricing is officially available, but until then keep reading for a detailed review of the Oppo Find N5.

Keep in mind that once we hear of the Oppo Find N5's official UK launch price, our overall verdict and score could change.

Oppo Find N5 review: Specs Oppo Find N5 review: Design

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 4.21mm unfolded thickness, 8.93mm folded
• Comes in two colors, black and white
• Crease is barely noticeable

The Oppo Find N5 is one of the most impressively designed phones I’ve ever used – actually, rewind that – the Oppo Find N5 is one of the most impressively designed things I’ve ever used. Unboxing the phone for the first time was one of those rare “wow” moments: the Find N5 is truly incredibly thin. At a folded thickness of 8.93mm it’s about half a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and at an unfolded thickness of 4.21mm it’s even slimmer than a 2024 iPad Pro. Holding it side-by-side with the 5.8mm-thick OnePlus Open (the previous generation Find N3 in all but name) really highlights the progress Oppo has made in the past two years.

The Oppo Find N5 also nails the ever-crucial hinge: Oppo is calling its hinge the Titanium Flexion Hinge, and what this means is that Oppo has used 3D-printed titanium alloy to create a hinge that’s more resilient and rigid while being 26% smaller than the previous generation. I noticed that the hinge has real resistance to it, feeling solid when open between around 20 and 120 degrees, and snapping open or shut on either side of this range. Oppo says the hinge should last for 10 years of normal use, though this will naturally vary between users.

The Find N5 opens nearly completely flat, and that smaller hinge makes less of an impression on the inner display, too – the crease is really only visible when the screen catches the light in a certain way, and it’s effectively invisible when you’re actually using the phone. Oppo says the crease on the Find N5’s inner display is 10% narrower and 50% shallower than the already impressively unobtrusive crease on the OnePlus Open. The crevice running down the middle of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 looks absolutely comical by comparison.

It's difficult to get the crease on the Oppo Find N5's inner display to show up on camera (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

The rest of the chassis is made of aluminum, with a glass cover screen and fiber rear panel. The bezel around the inner display is made of a thick plastic that conceals strong magnets to hold the phone shut, and the inner display itself is covered in a plastic coating. I had no durability concerns with the sturdy outer frame of the phone the inner display can be dented by anything hard, even a fingernail, so be cautious. Buttons are standard fare, with a volume rocker, ringer switch, and power button doubling as a fast fingerprint scanner.

The Find N5 pushes the boat out in terms of water resistance, and as far as I’m aware is the first folding phone to carry both an IPX8 and IPX9 rating for protection against water ingress. There’s no certified dust resistance though.

Oppo has a great track record when it comes to aesthetics, and the Find N5 is no different. In global markets the phone is available in either Misty White or Cosmic Black, and the white unit I tested featured a cool marble effect similar to the pearlescent material used for the Oppo Find X8 Pro. It’s a subtle touch that adds a hint of luxury, and contrasts nicely with the slimmed-down black camera island. Ergonomically, the phone’s rounded edges make it reasonably comfortable to hold when unfolded and decently usable one-handed, at least for right-handed users.

If I had one note about the design of the Oppo Find N5, it’s that the edges are so slim that it can actually be a little tricky to get enough purchase to open the phone. Then again, there’s not much Oppo can do about that while continuing to make these phones thinner, which if you ask me is a much more important goal. Overall, the Find N5 is a marvel of engineering that feels good to use – you can’t ask for much better than that.

Design score: 5 / 5

Oppo Find N5 review: Display Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 6.62-inch cover screen
• 8.1-inch inner display
• Both screens are bright and sharp with 120Hz refresh rate

Though Oppo has leaned on the Find N5 being the “world’s thinnest book-style folding phone” in marketing, the displays here are class-leading in a different way. The Oppo Find N5 sports the largest displays on any phone of its type, with a 6.62-inch cover screen and massive 8.12-inch inner display, and both are sharp, bright, responsive panels that make just about anything look excellent.

The Oppo Find N5 features an 8.12-inch folding inner display, with a resolution of 2248 x 2480 pixels, peak brightness of 2100 nits, and variable refresh rate of 1-120Hz. At an almost-square aspect ratio of 9.9:9, the Find N5 is a great choice for watching videos, taking photos, and reading articles. This screen is a touch dimmer than the inner display on the OnePlus Open, which is noticeable but not an issue: I found the Find N5 to be more than serviceable in a variety of indoor and outdoor lighting conditions.

Next to the OnePlus Open (right), the Oppo Find N5 (left) is visibly larger (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

By surface area, the Find N5’ inner display is larger than an iPad mini’s, which makes it a great choice for multitasking. As for the cover screen, the Find N5 goes well beyond the idea of a backup panel, with a sharp and contrasty 6.62-inch panel that makes one-handed use not only viable, but genuinely enjoyable. Both displays support the Oppo Pen stylus, sold separately, which opens even more productivity possibilities.

The cover display boasts a resolution of 1140 x 2616 pixels, peak brightness of 2450 nits, and that same variable 1-120Hz refresh rate. At an aspect ratio of 20.7:9 it’s a touch slimmer than the conventional 19.5:9 employed by the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25, but wider than the 22.1:9 cover screen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Google Maps is a fantastic experience on the large inner display. (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

Switching between the two displays remains as easy as opening and closing the phone. Opening the phone will instantly continue your activity on the inner screen, while jumping from the inner to outer screen requires a swipe up to keep things going. These are two great panels that really feel like they work together as part of one cohesive system.

Display score: 4.5 / 5

Oppo Find N5 review: Software

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Android 15 with ColorOS 15
• Great multitasking features
• Bloatware on a phone of this caliber is ridiculous

I’ve been a fan of the software experience on Oppo phones for quite some time now – ColorOS 15 (based on Android 15) is one of the cleanest, fastest, and most customizable implementations of Android on the market, and Oppo has gone out of its way to ensure the experience translates well to the folding form factor; the UI as a whole remains blisteringly fast. Default apps and AI are all fine, but I imagine most users will head for the pre-installed Google suite and Gemini for their general application and AI needs.

In many ways, ColorOS still feels like an imitation of iOS, and the projection of the OS onto the folding form factor can feel like a bizarro mashup of iPhone and iPad features. The three dot multitasking menu is here, directly lifted from iPadOS, and allows you to activate split screen or floating windows with as many as four apps at once (three in split view and one floating). Originality aside, this works very well, and I was surprised by just how much the Find N5 could handle. I also like the pop-up that appears when you switch between two apps frequently, which suggests putting the two in split screen.

There’s another unique productivity feature that Oppo has added to the Find N5, but it isn’t installed by default. The new O+ Connect app for Mac allows the Oppo Find N5 to control Apple computers remotely, with real-time screen mirroring and a virtual keyboard appearing on the phone screen. This, building on previous file sharing functionality between Oppo phones and iPhones and iPads via the same app. O+ Connect works wirelessly over LAN, though Oppo wouldn’t tell me the exact latency. I’m not sure how useful this is in practice, but the idea of seeing Adobe Premiere Pro or Ableton Live on such a small screen is genuinely novel.

As is standard with Oppo phones, the customization on offer is world-class, with gorgeous live wallpapers and various ways to change fonts and colors across the UI. Regrettably, though, the phone comes preloaded with a handful of bloatware apps that most people won’t use – frankly, it’s frustrating that a phone of this price and calibre comes with any bloatware whatsoever. This is a luxury phone: it’s more about respect for the customer than any sort of actual inconvenience. That said, once you get the app drawer looking how you want it, ColorOS sails smooth.

Software score: 3.5 / 5

Oppo Find N5 review: Cameras

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 50MP main camera
• 8MP ultra-wide camera
• 50MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom

The OnePlus Open – a.k.a the global version of the Oppo Find N3 – made waves by being the first folding phone to sport a properly flagship-grade camera system – it also had one of the largest camera bumps we’ve ever seen. With the Find N5, Oppo has prioritized a slim build to the point that the camera system has had to be scaled back. The cameras here are still usable, good even, but definitely where the compromises needed to produce the world’s thinnest book-style foldable are most acutely felt.

The Find N5 comes equipped with a 50MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and 50MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Across the board, we see a reduction in resolution compared to the previous generation, though the main and telephoto cameras have larger sensors (Oppo hasn’t shared the sensor size for the ultra-wide). This translates to brighter images at the cost of a bit of granular detail. The main camera is decent and reliable, producing expressive photos in daylight and holding its own in darker environments too. The reach and depth of field offered by the 3x telephoto camera is especially impressive, while the 8MP ultra-wide is a mystifyingly low-spec choice that is hard to get good images from.

Next to the OnePlus Open (left), the Oppo Find N5 has a visibly smaller camera system - but this comes at the cost of some performance. (Image credit: Jamie Richards Future)

The Find N5 also sports two identical selfie cameras – one punch-holed into each display – and they’re simply below par. Both are stuck at a measly 8MP and produce low-detail, low-contrast images. As the Find N5 is a folding phone, you can of course take selfies with the main camera, using the cover screen as a viewfinder, but that’s not really a replacement for a decent selfie camera – especially if you’re trying to be subtle.

As for the actual photography experience, the folding form factor allows for a lot of freedom with how you take your pics and videos. The inner screen works incredibly well as a massive viewfinder, and you can use the lower half of the screen as a gallery while shooting. Equally, the phone is slim enough that taking photos with the screen folded is just as pleasant. As for video, the phone maxes out at 4K 60fps.

The high-end cameras common to today’s flagship phones require a certain amount of physical space, which Oppo may have been unable to accommodate in such a slim frame. Alternatively, designing such a slim phone might have just been too expensive a process to make a better camera system cost effective. Either way, I respect that making the world's thinnest folding phone comes with some compromises, and the Find N5 can still take great photos – but this camera system is a noticeable backwards step.

Camera score: 3 / 5

Oppo Find N5 Camera Samples Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Oppo Find N5 review: Performance

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• Snapdragon 8 Elite (7-core variant)
• 16GB of RAM
• 512GB of storage

Oppo wasn’t messing around when it decided on the internal specs of the Find N5. This is a seriously powerful phone equipped with the latest mobile hardware and a massive amount of memory. There’s only one configuration to choose from, but with specs like these, you’re very unlikely to be disappointed.

Equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, the Find N5 has more than enough hardware power to handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. The phone flew through day-to-day tasks and sessions of Call of Duty Mobile with no fuss, only warming slightly during the most intense multitasking.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset found within the Find N5 is the lower-powered 7-core variant, but you wouldn’t notice it in normal use. The large screen, responsive UI, and powerful internals come together to provide a consistently excellent experience.

However, I did encounter some glitchy behavior during my testing period. On one occasion, the phone fully locked up when switching between the cover and inner screen, which required a restart. Other times, apps would become unresponsive due to a change in aspect ratio or switching screens. Some of this will be for app developers to sort out, and Android 16 should bring features that force developers to make apps that deal better with changing aspect ratios, but it’s still something to be aware of.

Overall, despite a few hiccups, you should find that the Find N5 flies through whatever you throw at it, with enough storage to last years of normal use and enough memory to keep up as applications and AI get more complex. It's the first folding phone I've seen that I'd consider a genuine productivity tool.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find N5 review: Battery

(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

• 5,600mAh silicon-carbon battery
• 90W wired charging
• 50W wireless charging

It’s generally accepted that folding phones will have a shorter battery life than their candy-bar counterparts, due to the use of inefficient split battery cells, and the increased power draw of a large inner screen. With the Find N5, Oppo has made every effort to counteract this trend, but there’s only so much that can be done within the bounds of folding phone design.

With a – say it with me – class-leading battery capacity of 5,600mAh, the Find N5 can make it through a day of mixed use without having to think too much about charging. That battery is larger than the cells found in either the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and I found myself not really worrying about charging overnight or to 100% before leaving the house. That’s partly thanks to the adoption of silicon-carbon battery technology, which allows for a much higher power density. If you do get down to 1%, the phone enters an ultra-low power mode that keeps essential functions active until you can top up.

Charging is really no chore, as the Find N5 supports some truly rapid charging speeds. The phone supports up to 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging over Oppo’s proprietary AirVOOC standard. That’s excellent, not just for a folding phone but for a smart device in general – there are laptops that don’t support charging this fast. Oppo quotes a 50-minute charge time from 0-100%, but I found this took around 45 minutes with an Oppo 80W charger.

I did notice the battery draining a touch faster than on modern slab flagships, but then again I also noticed an improvement versus the OnePlus Open. Relative to other folding phones, this is a winner, but compared to slab phones there’s still a little catching up to do.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Oppo Find N5 Buy it if...

You want the thinnest folding phone

The Oppo Find N5 is only beaten by the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT when it comes to thinness, and while we wait for the latter device to come to global markets the Find N5 reigns as the thinnest foldable money can buy. This is a futuristic piece of tech that feels very much ahead of the curve design wise.

You want a powerful mobile device

With the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 16GB of RAM, the Oppo Find N5 takes on everything you throw at it with ease. The inner screen is great for multitasking, and games run very well so long as they support the squarer aspect ratio. You won't be left wanting for hardware power.

You want two great displays

The Oppo Find N5 stuns with both its cover screen and large folding display. Not only are these the biggest screens found on any book-style folding phone, they're bright, sharp, and rich with color and contrast, making the phone a winning choice for viewing videos, movies, and photos.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best cameras

The cameras on folding phones are rarely up to the standard of their slab phone counterparts, but the Find N5 takes another step back in the photography department to attain its slim profile. These cameras are fine, but nothing to write home about.

You want something familiar

I'm a big fan of Oppo's ColorOS Android wrapper, but for users who are more accustomed to Samsung or Google phones there may be a bit of a learning curve. Ironically, the amount of, ahem, inspiration Oppo takes from iOS may make jumping ship from iPhone a touch easier.

Oppo Find N5 review: Also consider

OnePlus Open

The OnePlus Open is still on sale from OnePlus directly, as well as select third-party retailers and networks. As mentioned, this is the Find N3 in all but name. Since OnePlus isn't releasing its own foldable this year, this is the closest you'll get to the Find N5 in the US.

Read our OnePlus Open review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Though the Find N5 bests the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in many ways, there's a reason so many people choose Samsung's iconic foldable over the competition. Great cameras, familiar software, and integration with the Samsung ecosystem make this phone a compelling choice.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Oppo Find X8 Pro

Want a beautiful, powerful Oppo phone with none of this folding malarkey? Get the Oppo Find X8 Pro and enjoy one of the best camera phones ever produced.

Read our Oppo Find X8 Pro reviewView Deal

How I tested the Oppo Find N5

I used the Oppo Find N5 as my main smartphone for a period of one week, putting it through daily use cases like watching videos, listening to music, scrolling through social media, and reading articles, as well as more intentional tests like gaming sessions and timed charging. The model I tested came in the white color option and came with the standard 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Using the Find N5 as my daily driver over a week or so also gave me a sense of how useful or annoying the positive and negative attributes of the Find N5 are, particularly how the phone holds up ergonomically over time. I then applied my broad knowledge of the smartphone market and journalistic training to assess the performance and value of the Find N5.

For more on our smartphone testing process, be sure to take a look at how we test phones for review.

DJI RS 4 Mini: Two-Minute Review

Gimbals have gone from dedicated filmmaking accessories to must-have tools in the arsenal of every content creator. DJI is almost single-handedly responsible for that, bringing stabilized video to the masses with its range of accessible smartphone gimbals and camera gimbals. The RS 4 Mini is the latest addition to that line-up and – based on my experience – it’s the best DJI gimbal to date for YouTube and Instagram videographers.

One look at DJI’s description of the RS 4 Mini confirms that this is a gimbal targeted at content creators. Its spec sheet reads like an influencer’s wish list: it supports vertical shooting; it works with both cameras and smartphones (using the optional Mini Phone Holder); and the new Intelligent Tracking Module enables automatic face tracking to keep solo videographers in the frame.

Beyond those headline additions, you also get a raft of improvements that make it a much more complete gimbal than the RS 3 Mini. In physical terms, it borrows a number of premium features from DJI’s flagship RS4 gimbal. That includes automatic axis locks which unlock seamlessly when the gimbal powers on, as well as physical switches for gimbal and joystick modes, plus a fine-tuning knob for balancing the camera mounting plate.

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(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

All of these tweaks improve a hands-on experience which was already solid. You get the same 1.4-inch color touchscreen, which is as responsive to swipe inputs here as it was before. There’s also a comfortably positioned trigger and front scroll wheel, which can be used to control one of several functions on a connected camera. (Note that the multi-camera control cable bundled with the RS 4 Mini is a USB-C number. For certain models, including the Sony A7S III I shot with, a different cable is required.)

The RS 4 Mini matches the high production standard of any recent DJI product, with a robustness to the build that suggests it’ll be shooting with you for many years to come. That’s despite weighing just a smidge more than the RS 3 Mini at only 890g. It packs down just as tidily too, measuring 236 × 64 × 316mm in folded form (versus 195 x 98 x 323mm for the RS 3 Mini).

Setup still starts with balancing the axes, which is an unfortunate necessity with any gimbal. Instruction videos in the Ronin app do make this as painless as possible and the upgrade to Teflon interlayers means the RS 4 Mini’s arms slide more smoothly through the brackets. They can still be a bit grippy when trying to find the sweet spot with a heavier camera though.

This only really becomes frustrating when you want to switch from horizontal to vertical shooting, because you’ll need to rebalance the axes each time. Still, that switch has been made simpler with the RS 4 Mini: you no longer need to remove the camera from the mounting plate. Instead, you loosen and press a knob, allowing you to detach and remount the plate vertically with the camera still in place. Clearances are quite tight in this orientation, mind.

As above, the DJI RS 4 Mini can also be used to stabilize smartphones with the optional Mini Phone Holder. This simply slots into place on the mounting plate. Its performance capabilities mean the RS 4 Mini is overkill if you only shoot content on mobile, but the option adds welcome flexibility for those who work across multiple devices.

Other improvements also proved welcome in practise. The built-in battery still isn’t removable, but it is bigger at 3,100mAh. The claimed maximum of 13 hours (up from 10 hours) is based on the gimbal being stationary, which isn’t reflective of real-world usage for most users. In testing, we averaged around half of that, which is still better than the RS 3 Mini. Arguably more important is the fact that DJI has shaved an hour off the recharge time, bringing it down to 1.5 hours. That reduction means you can get back to shooting more quickly.

Despite its Mini moniker, the gimbal’s maximum payload is an enthusiast-friendly 2kg, which means it can handle a full-frame mirrorless camera body attached to a relatively weighty lens. Fully loaded, its shorter handle does offer less ergonomic support than the RS4 or RS4 Pro. In testing, I found the redesigned RS Briefcase Handle a help here: lighter and smaller than the previous version, it mounts to the side of the gimbal and adjusts to different angles, giving your supporting hand something to grip.

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(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

In performance terms, the RS 4 Mini has the chops to compete with pricier gimbals. It should come as no surprise that stabilization is simply superlative, thanks to DJI’s 4th-gen algorithm – the same one used by the RS4 and RS4 Pro. It effortlessly smooths out motion across all three axes, even when you’re walking along with your subject. Movements from carrying a camera by hand are almost entirely eliminated in the resulting footage.

Controlling a gimbal can be a bit of an art form, but the RS 4 Mini smoothes the learning curve. Its joystick makes panning and tilting a fluid experience, while a new ‘Responsive’ follow mode reacts more rapidly to hand movements when circling a subject. Fire up the Ronin app and you’ll also find the option to use your smartphone as a virtual joystick via Bluetooth, plus creative modes for shooting panoramas, timelapses and more. You’ll be hard-pushed to find a more intuitive gimbal.

Nowhere is that more evident than with the RS 4 Mini’s party trick: subject tracking. The key to this is the optional Intelligent Tracking Module, which attaches magnetically to the top of the mounting arm. Fronted by a small camera lens, it uses AI to detect faces and deploys the gimbal’s motors to track them.

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(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

The effectiveness of this tool can’t be overstated. For filmmakers, it allows you to move around a subject without having to manually pan and tilt to keep them centered in the frame. It’s also a boon for content creators working alone. With the RS 4 Mini stood on its tripod base, users can move around the camera and it will follow their face through a full 360-degree horizontal arc.

These dual uses are reflected in the ways you can enable ActiveTrack. The first is with a single press of the trigger (there needs to be a face in the frame for this to work, which it took me a while to figure out). The second is by using gesture controls: stand in front of the RS 4 Mini and you can throw up the relevant hand signal to start or stop tracking, as well as recording. When the mode is active, a ring light around the Module’s lens turns from red to green (this can be disabled if the situation demands subtlety).

This feature is a lot less gimmicky than it might sound. I can see influencers, content creators and would-be presenters using gesture activation to easily control the tracking feature from afar. Not least because the feature proved incredibly reliable in testing, never once missing a signal.

ActiveTrack proved no less consistent, locking on to faces with remarkable accuracy. That makes sense, given that DJI has been perfecting the system on its drones and pocket gimbals for years. Its application here is game-changing because it allows you to use the tracking tech with any camera or smartphone that can sit on the gimbal.

Add up the RS 4 Mini's features and you're looking at a compact gimbal which can keep you automatically framed in stabilized high-res video shot vertically on a full-frame camera. When you consider that it costs the same as the RS 3 Mini did at launch – and not too much more with the Intelligent Tracking Module factored in – that makes the RS 4 Mini a strong contender for the best-value camera gimbal you can buy right now.

DJI RS 4 Mini review: Price and Availability

The RS 4 Mini can be used to stabilize cameras and smartphones, with an optional tracking module for game-changing subject tracking features. (Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

• Released on February 20, 2025
• Standard DJI RS 4 Mini priced at $369 / £339 / AU$539
• Combo kit with Intelligent Tracking Module costs $459 / £419 / AU$659

DJI announced the RS 4 Mini on February 20, 2025. The gimbal is available to order now, priced at $369 / £339 / AU$539. That’s identical to what the RS 3 Mini cost when it went on sale in January 2023, which we think represents good value, given its upgrades and performance. The standard kit includes the following components:

• DJI RS 4 Mini gimbal
• Quick-release mounting plate
• RS 4 Mini tripod base
• Multi-camera control cable (USB-C)
• Charging cable (USB-C)
• Screw kit

The DJI RS 4 Mini is also available as a Combo kit, which additionally includes the RS Intelligent Tracking Module for AI-powered subject tracking, as well as the new RS 4 Mini Briefcase Handle, which serves as an adjustable second grip. The Combo kit costs $459 / £419 / AU$659.

It’s worth noting that the Intelligent Tracking Module is also available to buy separately, meaning users can upgrade their shooting setup down the line. It’s priced at $69 / £59 / AU$99. Given its impressive tracking capabilities, we think most users will want to equip their RS 4 Mini with the optional module.

Also available as a standalone accessory is the DJI RS 4 Mini Phone Holder, which allows users to attach a smartphone to the gimbal’s mount. While the DJI Osmo Mobile 7/7P is a more natural fit for content creators who only shoot with a smartphone, the holder gives owners of the RS 4 Mini the flexibility to use it with both a camera and a mobile device.

DJI RS 4 Mini review: specs DJI RS 4 Mini review: Also Consider

DJI RS 3 Mini

The previous generation of DJI’s compact camera gimbal is still a capable tool. It doesn't support the Intelligent Tracking Module and lacks some features offered by the RS 4 Mini, such as automatic axis locks and mode switches. That said, it still supports vertical shooting and offers impressive stabilization. What's more, it can now be found at a discounted price.

DJI RS4

A professional-grade gimbal with a 3kg maximum payload, the RS4 is a step up from the RS 4 Mini. It’s relatively lightweight, easy to set up and supports a range of accessories. If you’re serious about video and don’t need the portability of the RS 4 Mini, this could be your gimbal. It is heavier and more expensive, though.

Read our in-depth DJI RS4 review

Should I buy the DJI RS 4 Mini?

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands) Buy it if...

You want automatic subject tracking
Equipped with an Intelligent Tracking Module, the RS 4 Mini can automatically track faces and keep subjects in the frame – ideal for solo content creators.

You want a portable yet powerful gimbal
Well-built yet lightweight at 890g, the RS 4 Mini packs pro-grade features from DJI’s premium gimbals into a package that’s relatively travel friendly.

You appreciate satisfying design
Automatic axis locks, a fine-tuning knob and a single plate for vertical and horizontal shooting make the DJI RS 4 Mini a tidy bit of kit.

Don't buy it if...

You only shoot with a smartphone
The RS 4 Mini offers the flexibility to shoot with a smartphone or camera, but the Osmo Mobile 7P is better value for mobile-only creators.

You shoot with heavyweight kit
With a maxium payload of 2kg, the RS 4 Mini can handle full-frame cameras, but heavier bodies and lenses need the RS 4 Pro.

You won’t use Intelligent Tracking
While the RS 4 Mini offers plenty of improvements, the main addition is Intelligent Tracking. Without it, the RS 3 Mini might save you money.

How I tested the DJI RS 4 Mini

• I tested the DJI RS 4 Mini gimbal for a fortnight
• I used it with a Sony A7S III, Nikon D7100 and iPhone 12
• I shot with it handheld and stood on its tripod base

DJI supplied me with a sample unit of the RS 4 Mini gimbal for this review, along with the Intelligent Tracking Module, the Mini Briefcase Handle and the Mini Phone Holder.

Over the course of a fortnight, I tested the gimbal and its full complement of accessories. I primarily shot with a Sony A7S III attached to the quick-release plate, paired with an FE 28-70mm F2 GM lens. That combination sat towards the upper end of the RS 4 Mini’s payload capacity, hitting the scales at close to 1.7kg.

To see how the RS 4 Mini performed as a smartphone gimbal, I used it with my iPhone 12 mounted in the Mini Phone Holder. That same phone was paired with the gimbal using a pre-release version of the Ronin app.

And because I had it to hand, I also mounted my Nikon D7100 to the gimbal with a 50mm prime lens, simply to see how well its subject tracking worked with a legacy DSLR model.

I spent several hours shooting handheld with the RS 4 Mini. I attached the optional Mini Briefcase Handle for some of this period, to understand how the grip improved handling with weightier cameras.

I also shot with the RS 4 Mini on its tripod base, primarily to test the effectiveness of its Intelligent Tracking Module for solo content creators. I used gesture controls to control the gimbal in my living room.

I test a lot of cameras and lenses for TechRadar, and I regularly write about DJI. I’ve also tested the DJI RSC 2 in the past, so I’m well-placed to review the RS 4 Mini.

First reviewed February 2025

Bose Smart Soundbar: Two minute review

The Bose Smart Soundbar is a great way to elevate your TV experience in the bedroom or other small room. It’s not up to the task of a home theater setup, especially without a subwoofer, but that’s not its purpose. if you’re looking to bring Dolby Atmos sound to a smaller setup, it’s one of the best soundbars you can buy.

The Bose Smart Soundbar’s lack of low-end will frustrate action and superhero movie fans and its narrow soundstage keeps it from truly elevating the audio experience, especially when listening to music. However, it still is one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, with two upward-firing speakers that provide a sense of space and immersion that somewhat offsets that narrow soundstage. In a smaller setup, it almost completely masks it.

Just as important, this soundbar is stacked with features. There’s an A.I. dialogue mode, Alexa and Chromecast support, plus a whole lot more. My favorite feature lets you use specific Bose earbuds as the rear speakers in a surround sound setup for a unique experience. Unfortunately, those are sold separately. And, of course, the Smart Soundbar has the typical Bose markup, so this is not necessarily a great deal, though I wouldn’t call it overpriced either.

If you’re looking to upgrade your TV experience in a smaller space like a bedroom or small apartment, the Bose Smart Soundbar is an ideal option, especially with all the features on hand. Just be willing to shell out some extra cash and be aware of its shortcomings.

The Bose Smart Soundbar comes with everything you need to quickly get up and running (earbuds cost extra) (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Price & release date

• Price: $499.00 / £499.95 / AU$799.95
• First available: September 2024
• Available in the US, UK, and Australia

Having been released in September of 2024, the Bose Smart Soundbar is the newest addition to the company’s soundbar lineup. And at $499.00 / £499.95 / AU$799.95, its price tag is about what one would expect from Bose since you’re paying a little bit for the name. You might get more in terms of features or even a subwoofer and surround speakers for that price if you go with models from other companies, but you might be trading off some quality for those extras.

We reported around the time of release that the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds can work as rear speakers for this soundbar. And while that is certifiably a very appreciated feature, you won’t get a pair for free when purchasing the soundbar but will have to pay an extra $299 / £299 / AU$449.95 for the earbuds.

The Bose Smart Soundbar and Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are available in the US, UK, and Australia.

Bose Smart Soundbar review: Specs

Power and mic control buttons are located on the soundbar's top surface (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Features

• Personal Surround Sound (requires optional Bose earbuds)
• App is easy to navigate and use
• Wi-Fi and Voice assistant support

My favorite feature of the feature-filled Bose Smart Soundbar is Personal Surround Sound, which uses Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds as rear speakers so you can get an actual surround sound experience without needing to use rear speakers. Plus, you can adjust how subtle or strong the effect is in the app as well as boost different settings like center channel level for those with issues hearing dialogue. This feature requires you to purchase Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, however, and they’re not exactly cheap.

I particularly liked this feature for gaming. I used Personal Surround Sound while playing Star Wars: Jedi Survivor and found it created a fairly integrated soundscape for the main character to run around in – half the time I couldn’t tell if what I was hearing was coming from the soundbar or the earbuds.

In a way, Personal Surround Sound is even better than a traditional surround sound system since you don’t have to be locked into a specific seat to hear all the audio elements in the soundtrack at the proper distance. On the other hand, this feature only works for anyone wearing the earbuds – not exactly great for group viewing.

The app, which is easy to navigate and use, has plenty of other features on tap. Of course, there are some basic EQ settings. While there’s no parametric EQ, you can adjust the treble, bass, center channel, and height effect, aka spatial audio. You can even toggle on a Wall EQ setting to adjust for when the soundbar is installed against a wall.

Speaking of spatial audio, this soundbar does support Dolby Atmos, and physically reproduces it via those upward-firing speakers. Some soundbars support Dolby Atmos but don’t have any upward-firing speakers, instead using virtual trickery to give a sense of spaciousness. The difference is noticeable.

Bose TrueSpace also takes advantage of those upward-firing speakers, upscaling sound so that you’re getting a spatial audio experience even when the source isn’t Dolby Atmos encoded. (It’s like listening to mono audio on a stereo set of speakers.) As far as I could hear, it’s the same audio going upwards as out whereas Dolby Atmos audio has specific elements that are designated height effects.

If you’re hard of hearing or just find the modern mixes of movies to be hard to understand, the AI dialogue mode might be the feature for you. It’s supposed to automatically adjust dialogue for clarity’s sake. When testing – I watched the beginning of The Dark Knight for this feature – I found that dialogue was clearer since there was a subtle boost to the midrange where voices typically sit. It wasn’t obnoxious the way some dialog boosting modes are, but it still boosted sounds that sit in a similar frequency range that weren’t voices. It’s not perfectly executed, but still is done well.

Lastly, the Bose Smart Soundbar has Alexa support as well as both Chromecast built-in and AirPlay. With Alexa, you can talk to the soundbar the way you would an Amazon Echo, even asking what the weather is or setting a timer. I did find that I had to articulate the wake word a little more for the soundbar to hear me, but that’s not all that big of a deal.

During testing, I found the built-in Chromecast and AirPlay to work seamlessly, which is something I always worry about as in the past I’ve had connectivity issues with Wi-Fi streaming on some devices.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

The Bose Smart soundbar features two upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos height effects (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Performance

• Light on bass
• Balanced mids and crisp highs
• Somewhat narrow soundstage

The Bose Smart Soundbar sounds about as good as a soundbar can. You have to remember that these types of audio devices exist mostly for convenience’s sake.

With that in mind, let’s discuss its audio limitations. First up is the bass. While I could turn up the bass level in the app, the low-range boost affects the mid-range frequencies. Since there are just some bass ports on the back and no actual subwoofer-specific drivers, not to mention that the drivers are necessarily compact, the lack of a strong bass response is unsurprising.

There was no rumble on hand when I tested it with The Batman, The Dark Knight, and Deadpool & Wolverine (400 Blows doesn’t lend itself to testing soundbars). Whenever there are big fights in these kinds of movies, there’s always a lot of very punchy low-end information. But here, all that information is very muted if not gone. At least, there’s a subwoofer output to correct that by adding an external subwoofer, and Bose also offers wireless subs (and surround speakers) that can be paired with the Smart Soundbar.

The other parts of the frequency range fare better. The mid-range is not quite rich and full, but it is well-balanced. I generally didn’t need the A.I. dialogue mode, for instance, as the dialogue was consistently intelligible. It also helped that I could boost the center channel level in the app to help with that.

The high-end is nice and crisp on the Smart Soundbar. Whether it was the string arrangement in movie scores or even dialogue when I tested it, everything had a nice clarity as opposed to being overly pronounced or even painful to listen to.

This soundbar's soundstage is inherently limited by its form factor. That said, the sound did feel like it has more width than other similarly sized soundbars I’ve tested and used. This was helped quite a bit by the spatial audio capabilities, as everything sounded a little bigger and wider, even though I didn’t hear as much left-to-right movement as I expected.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

The Bose Smart Soundbar's main connections are HDMI eARC and optical digital audio, along with a line output for a subwoofer (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Design

• Upward-firing speakers
• On-unit controls just for voice assistant
• No alphanumeric LED display

Bose is not breaking the mold design-wise with the look or color of the Bose Smart Soundbar. This is a long rectangular, matte black soundbar with a grill that covers the front and wraps around the side to cover the center tweeter and the racetrack transducers on each end. There’s a grill on the top of the unit as well where the two upward-firing transducers are.

Speaking of all those speakers, despite it being technically a 3.0.2 system (the left, right and center speakers along with the two upward-firing ones), the audio decodes at 5.1.4. There are some ports on the back to help with bass but there aren’t any drivers dedicated to the low end.

The on-unit controls are fairly limited as just two buttons are sitting on top of the left side for voice assistant support. There’s a microphone button to turn the internal mic on or off and an Alexa action button to interact with Alexa in a few different ways including stopping the feature.

Most of the physical controls are available through the remote. You have the usual ones like power, mute, and volume controls as well as three source buttons (TV, Bluetooth, App) and a play/pause button. Nothing too crazy. The remote itself is fairly small and light, which is nice, though its small size makes it the kind of remote that’s very easy to lose.

As far as ports go, it has the necessary optical and HDMI ports as well as a subwoofer out, an IR port, and a USB

There’s no front panel alphanumeric LED display – something I always wish I had when it’s missing – just an LED light when the soundbar turns on or is listening when listening to a voice assistant command. While I did miss it, I didn’t miss it all that much.

• Design score: 4 / 5

The Smart Soundbar's control app gives you access to a wide range of EQ settings (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Setup & usability

• HDMI eARC connection to TV
• Easy, app-based setup
• One-remote use with Roku TVs

Setup of the Bose Smart Soundbar is very straightforward, even if it takes just a little longer from beginning to end. If you just want to get to it and don’t care about all the features, connecting the soundbar to either your TV’s optical or HDMI eARC port is most of the work. Put some AAA batteries into the remote (unfortunately not included) and you’re good to go.

There are a few more steps if you want to get the full experience. After downloading the Bose app, you pair it to the soundbar (and the Ultra Open earbuds if you have them) and then set up Wi-Fi on the soundbar for AirPlay, Chromecast Built-in and Alexa.

The Bose Smart Soundbar is made to pair seamlessly with Roku TVs. Luckily, I have one so I was able to go through the process – just follow the onscreen instructions – which allowed me to use my TV remote for basic functionality. On that note, once Alexa was set up, I was able to manipulate the soundbar just by using the wake word and speaking to it.

• Setup & usability score: 5 / 5

Using the Smart Soundbar's Personal Surround Sound feature requires the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (not included) (Image credit: Future) Bose Smart Soundbar review: Value

• Features boost value
• Can get more advanced systems for same price
• Cheaper standalone soundbars available

If you’re looking at features, the Bose Smart Soundbar has a lot going for it with the Personal Surround Sound feature (which, again, requires a separate purchase), A.I. dialogue mode, and app support.

For a similar price, however, you can get a 5.1-channel system like the maxed-out version of the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus, which also gives you a subwoofer and rear speakers for true surround sound. As nice as Bose’s personalized surround sound feature is, only one person can use the earbuds at a time. Amazon’s system is lacking features and doesn’t have voice assistant support – not even Alexa. Its audio quality is not quite as crisp, nor does it have the upward-firing speakers of the Bose soundbar. Of course, if you’re on a budget, you can skip the subwoofer and rear speakers and just get the standalone Amazon Soundbar Plus soundbar for $249.99 / £249.99 (about AU$400).

Another option is to spend $349 / £299 (originally $499 / £449 / AU$695) to get the Sony HT-S2000, a 3.1-channel standalone soundbar that includes virtual spatial audio and good bass response. It costs a little less for something that gets you 80% of the way there. But again, you’re giving up a lot as it doesn’t have voice assistant support, the personalized surround sound that’s unique to this Bose soundbar, or one of the many other features on hand.

• Value score: 4 / 5

The Bose Smart Soundbar and Ultra Open Earbuds (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Bose Smart Soundbar? Buy it if...

You need all the features
The Bose Smart Soundbar is about as feature-filled as it gets, from Alexa and Chromecast built-in to a personal surround sound feature accessible if you have a pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

You’re looking for great sound in a single soundbar
This soundbar has the typical Bose audio quality one expects. While a bit light in the bass, it has good clarity and dynamics.

You want true Dolby Atmos
Thanks to the inclusion of two upward-firing speakers, this soundbar offers a real spatial audio experience. On top of that, it can upscale non-Dolby Atmos tracks into faux spatial audio.

Don't buy it if...

You want a full surround sound system
While you can use the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for a great surround sound experience, it’s just for one person. If you want a full surround sound experience, especially with guests, look elsewhere.

You’re on a budget
For a single soundbar, you’re paying quite a premium here. There are decent soundbars, albeit with less features and lower-quality sound, at a fraction of the price.View Deal

Bose Smart Soundbar: Also consider

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus system costs about the same as the Bose Smart Soundbar. And while it’s not nearly as feature-packed, it does come with a subwoofer and surround speakers for a more immersive experience (discounting the Bose’s personal surround sound feature).

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus review

Sony HT-S2000
While its Dolby Atmos is virtual, this soundbar still punches above its weight thanks to its impressive sound. There’s no voice assistant support or Wi-Fi streaming, but its price has dropped a bit from when it was released.

Read our full Sony HT-S2000 review

Hisense AX5125H
Hisense's soundbar system offers 5.1.2 channels in a compact package with wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer. It also has an alphanumeric front panel LED display and costs less than Bose's soundbar.

Read our full Hisense AX5125H review

How I tested the Bose Smart Soundbar

The Nakamichi Dragon with its two subs in my home. (Image credit: Future)

• I used the Bose Smart Soundbar for a couple of weeks
• Tested with TV, movies, games, and music

I used the Bose Smart Soundbar regularly for a couple of weeks. I watched movies, shows, gamed and listened to music with it. I tested all the various features, especially the Personal Surround Sound feature to see what it could do.

After having tested the Bose Smart Soundbar, it still surprises me all that this soundbar has to offer. It’s that feature-packed. This is an ideal soundbar for someone with a smaller, not-quite home theater setup, but who still wants a premium experience, and not just because of the name.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

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

Asus Zenbook A14: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Despite it only being February, Asus has already had it’s fair share of laptops revealed this year. From the brand new Asus Zenbook Duo showcased at CES, down to the shiny ROG Ally gaming lines, it’s clear that Asus has been busy in the workshop. The Asus Zenbook A14 is no stranger to the limelight, and this new 2025 edition could just be the best Asus laptop you can pick up right now if not one of the best laptops on the market.

Coming in at less than a kilo, the Asus Zenbook A14 is extremely lightweight, to the point I often forgot it was in my backpack making it a great laptop to use on the go. Despite being so small, you also get an impressive battery life with Asus promising up to 32 hours of video playback, which although the laptop didn’t quite live up to, the battery was still pretty impressive.

While you can find other laptops which can provide you with a similar performance at a cheaper price point, the Asus Zenbook A14 also features a stunning display which makes using this device to watch movies an absolute pleasure.

However, with great performance and some amazing features comes a high price point. If you’re not ready to splash the cash with a price point of $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899, then this might not be the right one for you.

Asus Zenbook A14: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

• How much does it cost? $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

You can currently pick up the Asus Zenbook A14 in most regions, though certain configurations are not available in the US. Sitting at a pretty steep $1,399.99, it’s definitely a premium option in the world of productivity laptops. It’s currently on sale in the UK, coming down to just £1,099.99 over at the Asus website, but still costing above the £1,000 mark, there’s no doubt the Asus Zenbook A14 is expensive.

Alternatives on the market at this price point include the Apple MacBook Air 2024 edition, which features the M3 chip and comes in at $1199. You can also pick up the Microsoft Surface Laptop which comes in at around $1,099 for 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, while it doesn’t have a flashy OLED screen, the specs are very similar for $200 less.

Value: 3 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Specs

The Asus Zenbook A14 comes in 2 configurations, with the main difference being the CPU. You can also opt for different RAM options, but overall you’ll find a major leap in the performance of the higher specification laptop compared to the more budget friendly option. Either way, you get your hands on an absolutely stunning display and lightweight chassis.

As of right now, while the second model is listed on the Asus website, no retailers are stocking it and no prices are shown just yet.

As of right now, you can’t adjust each of these specification options individually. If you want the SnapdragonX X1 with 32GB of RAM, then you’re out of luck. It’s also worth noting that the memory in the laptops is maxed out too, so if you pick up a model with 16GB of RAM, you can’t add more yourself.

Asus Zenbook A14: Design

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

When first unboxing the laptop, the packaging already blew me away. Coming in an ultra-thin, lightweight box, I originally wasn’t even sure there was anything in it because of how light the laptop is. When picking it up and moving it around, the laptop felt more like an iPad or tablet in terms of thickness and weight. Measuring in at just 1.34cm (0.53 in) thick, the Asus Zenbook 14 was practically thinner than my fingertip, and while my current Macbook Air is thinner at 1.13cm (0.44 in), the Zenbook actually felt lighter and smaller thanks to the smooth casing.

While being sleek and stunning, the aluminum casing on the laptop does feel somewhat like plastic making for a seemingly cheap finish. You can pick up the laptop in a Zabriskie Beige, which we tested, or an Iceland Gray. Looking back, I would have opted for the Gray version instead as the beige somewhat resembles the color of recycled cardboard.

The keyboard is very low profile but still makes for satisfying key presses with large spaced-out buttons to prevent too much fat fingering when typing. You also get a large, smooth trackpad which has a range of alternative functions built into the edges such as increasing the volume and brightness.

You get a few ports on the Asus Zenbook A14, including one USB-A port, two USB-C ports, a HDMI port and an audio jack. While this is a decent amount of ports by modern laptop standards, it certainly wasn’t enough for me when plugging in peripherals such as a mouse, USB headset, extra monitors etc. I used a USB extender most of the time I used the laptop. I preferably would have had an extra USB-A port.

Design: 4 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Generally, using the Asus Zenbook A14 has been a great experience and I’m actually disappointed that my review period with it is coming to an end. Right off the bat, having a laptop this lightweight is such a pleasure, I can take it anywhere with me and don’t have to think twice. Often I get frustrated taking my laptop on the go due to the weight and impending back pains but I didn’t feel that for a second with this device.

When actually booting up the Zenbook, the first thing I noticed was how beautiful the screen was. The OLED panel is beyond spectacular and watching movies or videos on this thing was great. Given how similar specifications for laptops can be nowadays, the main standout for me is when a device can deliver power as well as some flashy features, and the OLED screen does just that.

Asus Zenbook A14: Benchmarks - Laptops only

Here's how the Asus Zenbook A14 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 16215; Fire Strike: 3606; Time Spy Extreme: 507

GeekBench 6: 2103 (single-core); 8793 (multi-core)

CrossMark: Overall: 913 Productivity: 764 Creativity: 1135 Responsiveness: 817

PCMark 10 Battery Life: 17h 16 min

TechRadar movie test: 22h 25 min

While the Asus Zenbook A14 didn’t deliver the best score in our Time Spy Extreme test, this device obviously isn’t made for gaming or high intensive processes. If you’re intending to complete pro level tasks on your laptop, like 4K video rendering, then this probably isn’t the laptop for you. I did attempt some editing on Photoshop while also being in a video call on Teams and the device didn’t stutter even for a second, which was a breath of fresh air from my Macbook Air which starts screeching if I open too many Chrome tabs at once.

Even when having a load of different programs open at once, or while putting the laptop through its paces during benchmarking, it stayed extremely quiet the whole time. At first I was worried it wasn’t cooling very efficiently but it stayed at a reasonable temperature while also being quiet enough for me to barely hear it - it's a great choice if you don’t want to disturb everyone around you while you use your laptop on a train or plane.

Performance: 5 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Battery life

One of the main selling points of the Asus Zenbook A14 is the battery life, with Asus claiming 32 hours of video playback on one charge and I have to say it definitely felt like I was able to stretch the battery out of this thing. Despite using it every day for work and then watching movies and videos on it in the evening, a single charge would last a couple of days easily.

In my PCMark 10 battery life test, I found that despite turning off the lighting on the keyboard, it would sometimes come back on periodically. I would then turn it back off with the tap of the F4 key, however this does make me believe that I probably could have gotten some more usage time out of the device had this not happened. My TechRadar movie test felt a bit more accurate thanks to the lighting staying off, coming in at over 22 hours.

While neither of these scores stack up to the promised 32 hours, when not using the laptop with constant video playback, it's clear that you’ll get your money’s worth out of the battery.

Battery: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Asus Zenbook A14? Buy it if...

You want a long-lasting battery

You can comfortably use this laptop for days at a time without needing to charge it.

You need something portable

Weighing less than a Kilo, this laptop is perfect for taking on the go with you.

You want stunning visuals

The OLED panel is beyond beautiful, and makes watching movies and videos a great experience.

Don't buy it if...

You want a powerhouse of a machine

While you do get excellent performance here, this laptop is not designed for heavy duty usage like intensive gaming or video rendering.

You need a load of ports

There are some ports on the Zenbook A14, but there definitely aren’t enough here to power a whole set up without some USB extenders

You’re on a budget

While you do get the performance and features to back up the price here, the Asus Zenbook A14 is by no means cheap.

Also Consider

If our Asus Zenbook A14 review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)

If you’re on the hunt for a more powerful device that can handle more intensive tasks like video rendering or 3D animation then the Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) could be the one for you thanks to its meaty M4 Pro processor.

Read our full Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) reviewView Deal

Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a device that can handle some pretty intense gaming, then the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is likely a better option. Hosting a AMD Radeon RX 7600S 8GB GPU.

Read our full Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook A14

I spent two weeks using the Asus Zenbook A14, replacing my typical laptop for everyday usage. I used the laptop for productivity including work purposes as well as leisure and entertainment like watching videos and movies.On top of typical everyday usage, I benchmarked the laptop using a wide range of software such as 3DMark, Geekbench and PC Mark.

First reviewed Feb 2025

Cambridge Audio Evo One: two-minute review

The Cambridge Audio Evo One is a high-end wireless speaker that's capable of playing audio at up to 32-bit/192kHz. But that’s really only part of the picture: it’s also a multi-room speaker, an internet radio, a soundbar, and a turntable phono stage. It’s almost quicker to list the things it can’t do. The Evo One packs a lot of skills into its substantial frame, making it a natural choice for anyone who wants to cover every base but doesn’t have the space or the cash to splash on buying a whole system of hi-fi separates.

Once the Cambridge Audio Evo One was optimized for my listening space – you can manually adjust its sound for the reflectivity of your room and its distance from the wall – it rewarded me with lush, well-rounded sound. The low end is warm and yet tight – there’s none of the unfortunate swampiness you get with cheaper, bass-heavy speakers. Meanwhile, trebles are well handled, neither succumbing to timidity nor becoming so strident that they grate. This means that rather than facing off aggressive overtures from above and below, the mids are allowed the proper space to express themselves, letting the harmonics of vocals and instruments shine.

The Evo One’s separation is right up there with the best wireless speakers on the market. Listening to Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar was a revelation – the strings are beautifully expressed, feeling vibrant despite their low volume, while the reverb on those gorgeous vocals is given plenty of room to breathe. Its soundstage isn’t quite as impressive though: it offers decent stereo spread without extending far beyond the bounds of the unit, but any single-unit speaker is never going to beat a true pair of the best stereo speakers.

Pitch-perfect streaming is just one of this speaker’s talents though: it offers a wide range of additional sources, from internet radio to TV audio via eARC. To test its mettle when it comes to movie audio, I hooked it up via HDMI and watched Ari Aster’s Midsommar – it expertly handled the swelling drone of its forbidding bass, while giving dialogue sufficient clarity and presence. Using its built-in phono stage, I also hooked up my turntable and span a selection of records – it did an excellent job with the likes of Black Sands by Bonobo and Kingdoms In Colour by Maribou State, expressing both with plenty of dynamism and clarity.

When it comes to design, the Cambridge Audio Evo One is hardly the kind of speaker you’ll want to hide away – its charcoal speaker mesh and smooth walnut surface make it an item of furniture you’ll want to show off, and I certainly felt that it earned pride of place in my living room.

Meanwhile, its front display gives you a stronger connection to the artist you’re listening to, although it’s not quite as bright as I’m used to in this era of ubiquitous 1,000-nit phone screens. However, let's be clear that you probably should think of it as an item furniture – it's big.

With its wide array of connectivity options, polished, poised audio and sophisticated looks, the Cambridge Audio Evo One is a worthwhile purchase, even taking into account its not inconsiderable price. Personally, I’m happy to give the Cambridge Audio Evo One a full-throated endorsement, and I doubt you’ll be disappointed with its performance or capabilities. If you want something that's also wonderful for sound but less expensive, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro is also a highly capable wireless speaker for nearly half the price.

Cambridge Audio Evo One review: price & release date

• Released on August 9, 2024
• List price is $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495

The Cambridge Audio Evo One was released on August 9, 2024. It retails for $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 for this single unit – that's not exactly the cheapest price you’ll find a wireless speaker going for, but once you scratch the surface of the things this device can do, that asking price becomes much more reasonable. When a speaker is this capable, you really are paying for what you get.

(Image credit: Future) Cambridge Audio Evo One review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Cambridge Audio Evo One review: features

• Multi-talented feature set
• Crammed with well-amplified drivers
• Manual room optimization

Given its bulk, you won’t be surprised to hear that the Cambridge Audio Evo One is absolutely crammed full of drivers. It has 14 in total: four one-inch silk dome tweeters, four 2.25-inch aluminum cone mid-range drivers, and an utterly absurd six 2.75-inch long-throw woofers. Each of those drivers has 50W of amplification behind it, so it’s reasonable to expect that this beast is going to have gargantuan sound.

Such a well-furnished setup makes sense when you see how Cambridge Audio has positioned the Evo One. While it’s nominally a wireless speaker, it has plenty more tricks up its sleeve than just cueing up tunes from your Roon. Designed to sit at the heart of your home audio ecosystem, it really is a renaissance speaker, able to tackle the vast majority of listening tasks you throw at it.

First off, as well as offering Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, it’s capable of streaming hi-res audio at up to 24-bit, 192kHz from streaming services, offering you significantly better quality than even CDs can muster. You can do this via built-in streaming services like Tidal and Spotify, or using its multi-room functionality to stream over Google Home, Apple AirPlay 2 and Roon. You can also stream radio over the internet, should you fancy letting someone else take over DJ responsibilities, or play direct via USB at the frankly ludicrous high quality of 32-bit/384kHz.

But its talents don’t stop there. Hook it up to your TV using an eARC cable and you can use it as a substitute soundbar – it won’t give you Dolby Atmos or height channels, but it will give your TV’s flimsy inbuilt sound a colossal boost. You can also hook up an external source through its RCA line-in, or plug one of the best turntables into its integrated phono stage and spin your records through it. It really does offer an astounding level of functionality that puts less gifted wireless speakers to shame.

Beyond sources, the Cambridge Audio Evo One offers some excellent functionality to help you polish the sound you’re getting. It offers a seven-band EQ to tailor its audio profile to your tastes – while this isn’t quite as versatile as the nine-band that some speakers offer, realistically it’s going to be plenty granular enough to tweak the sound balance.

Even more helpful are the Evo One’s room-calibration settings, which allow you to adjust its sound profile to account for how reflective your room is and how close the speaker is to a wall. I actually prefer this to the auto-calibration some speakers offer – it really allowed me to use my own judgement and knowledge of my space to get the sound just right, which I’m sure fellow audiophiles will appreciate.

All told, the Cambridge Audio Evo One is an incredibly well-specified speaker, offering a ton of functionality that even similarly high-end wireless speakers aren’t necessarily always capable of. If you’re just looking for a setup that allows you to stream hi-res audio, then maybe that will prove unnecessary window dressing, but if you’re looking for a Swiss Army Knife of a speaker that will sit at the heart of your home audio system, then it’s hard to argue with what’s on offer here.

• Features score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future) Cambridge Audio Evo One review: sound quality

• Once calibrated, it sounds beautifully well balanced
• Excellent separation
• Not the widest soundstage

Hand on heart, I was a bit underwhelmed by the Cambridge Audio Evo One’s sound at first. Listening to Black Eye by Allie X, the saw-edged bass synth sounded full but a little swampy, and there was a slightly echoey vibe to the kick, while a lot of the mix sounded muddier in the middle. That’s when I realised I hadn’t adjusted its room-optimization settings…

And boy, did tweaking those settings make a difference. Lowering the setting for room reflectivity and increasing the slider for how far the speaker was from the wall tamed the boom back and upped the transients. The bassline was tight while still being deliciously warm, the detail of the percussion became much more crisp, and the vocal rose above everything without obscuring anything. Suddenly it was like hearing my favorite songs for the first time, and it rapidly transformed my opinion of what this speaker is capable of.

Once properly calibrated, it’s not just the bass that sings; the rest of the frequency range sounds great too. When I listened to I Want You by Moloko, everything was so tightly integrated in the mids; that tight funky guitar lick and the timbre of the strings rang through clearly, while Róisín Murphy’s voice glued the whole mix together, from the nice warm sub end of the funky bass to the transient bite of the snare hits. And it masterfully handles songs that can be make or break in terms of treble – it deftly handles the crisp harmonics of the strummed guitars and snare and tom hits on You Can Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac, while giving them sufficient body to stop the whole mix feeling aggressively bright.

But the Evo One isn’t just great at balancing different frequencies; it has real poise when it comes to separation as well. I stuck on Claire de Lune by Kamasi Washington and the results were exquisite. Those honey-sweet horns feel so richly textured that you could almost take a bite out of them, while the pluck of the double bass feels like it’s almost it’s in the room with you. Even the piano, oft overshadowed when listening to this mix on weaker speakers, cascades out when appropriate – everything has a palpable sense of space that makes everything feel much more real and evocative.

The Evo One doesn’t just handle digital audio sources well. I hooked up my Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT turntable to the speaker via its built-in phono stage and cued up Kingdoms In Colour by Maribou State. The overall sound was faithful and gave everything a sizable presence and, while it wasn’t quite as remarkable as its hi-res audio output, I put this down more to my budget deck than the Evo One’s innate capabilities.

One area where this wireless speaker doesn’t quite trounce the competition though is its stereo soundstage. Don’t get me wrong: firing up Daydreaming by Radiohead I could absolutely appreciate how the snatches of Thom Yorke’s vocal echoed to the left and right, while the guttural reversed strings that end the track swam convincingly from side to side. However, unlike some speakers, including the Sonos Era 300, the sound doesn’t extend much beyond the confines of the cabinet, and there’s no attempt to convince you there’s real height here. I’d argue that’s not really its whole vibe though – the Evo One aims for hi-res sound that’s very well reproduced, rather than high-tech trickery.

To test how the Evo One handled TV audio, I wired it up to my TV via ARC and settled in to watch Ari Aster’s hallucinogenic horror Midsommar. The Evo One delivered an appreciable improvement over the TV’s built-in speakers, giving the movie’s ominous soundtrack much more warmth and gravitas; Voice Clarity mode in particular helped the speech in the movie ring clear, while letting the droning bass continue to create suspense. While not a home theater soundbar replacement – you’re not going to get Dolby Atmos height channels or significant width here – it certainly represents an upgrade over TV sound alone.

Ultimately, the sound on offer here is impressive, particularly given how many tools it has in its box. If you’re wanting a premium, single-unit speaker that will cover all the bases, this is likely your best bet at this price range.

• Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Cambridge Audio Evo One review: design

• Elegant, high-end design
• It’s a big fella
• Display is a little dim

In light of its price and the brand behind it, I’m sure I’m not going to shock anyone by saying that the Cambridge Audio Evo One offers smart, premium design. Everything about it is designed to form a focal point in your home, from its FSC-certified walnut panelling to its charcoal-colored fabric speaker grille. It definitely looks suitably high-end – although an alternate color would have been a great option to include, as beige cloth and a lighter wood such as birch or beech would look amazing alongside airier interiors.

Naturally, with all the drivers, amplification and other sundries inside its frame, this isn’t a small unit – in fact, at 26.6 x 5.1 x 11.4 inches / 675 x 129 x 290mm and 32lbs / 14.5kg, it’s a bit of a beast. But there’s something dependable about its big frame – it makes it feel like a genuine item of furniture that you’re pleased to show off. The only caveat here is if you want to place it in front of your TV to really take advantage of its eARC connectivity: it's no small fry height-wise, and will likely block the bottom of your screen, so you’ll want an entertainment unit that can accommodate both.

The main focal point of its front is the 6.8-inch, 1280 x 480 LCD display. Offering a range of options from track information and artwork to a stereo pair of VU meters, the display offers an attractive way of connecting more closely to the tunes you’re listening to. It’s not a very bright display, though, but expecting the kind of 1,000-nit HDR displays that have become commonplace in phones and tablets was always going to be a stretch. It’s plenty bright enough to carry out its intended function, even if you’re not going to be reveling in sumptuous, vibrant colors.

The Evo One’s remote control is well designed, nicely balancing functionality with simplicity. Standard controls are all idiot-proof – you can play, pause, skip forwards and backwards, raise and lower the volume, and power the unit on and off – but there are also some convenient presets that allow you to fire up your favorite sources, stations or playlists at the press of a button. You can also adjust the display’s brightness and switch between its various screens. You’ll need to reach for your phone to do anything particularly complex, but it's nice to be able to use it like a hi-fi separate when you want some screen-free time.

All in all, the Evo One oozes premium style, without too many unnecessary bells and whistles piled on top. Sure, the display could be brighter, and you’re out of luck if you're not into the dark wood and charcoal upholstery Cambridge Audio has opted for. But make no mistake: this is a luxury speaker that feels like an item of furniture in its own right.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Cambridge Audio Evo One review: value

On the one hand, the Cambridge Audio Evo One is unarguably expensive for a single-unit speaker – $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 is not pocket change for anyone. On the other hand, this isn’t just a single-unit speaker. When you view the Evo One in terms of all of the gadgets it potentially replaces – wireless speaker, streamer, soundbar, phono stage – the value equation shifts significantly in its favor. For the price, it’s incredibly versatile, and is an excellent all-in-one option for someone who finds a whole range of hi-fi separates too extravagant an investment in terms of money and/or space.

And there are few rivals that can beat it for value. For example, while the Naim Mu-so 2nd Gen offers a premium, single-unit speaker for $1,299 / £899 / AU$1,299, it doesn’t have a screen, and nor does it offer eARC connectivity or a phono stage. Conversely, the gorgeous Ruark R410 does offer everything you can get here – wireless streaming, multi-room, Bluetooth, DAB+ radio, eARC input, built-in phono-stage – but it’s also just as pricey, coming in at $1,799 / £1,299 / AU$2,599.

• Value score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Cambridge Audio Evo One? Buy it if…

You want a feature-packed single-unit speaker
The Evo One is an impressive all-in-one package, taking the place of four or five home audio separates. So if you want a set-it-and-forget-it sound solution that minimizes the cable chow mein choking up your living room, this is a very good option.

You want lush, confident sound
When properly optimized and fed some hi-res material, the Evo One offers exquisite balance and impressive separation of different elements. It’s a polished and impressive performer that will happily sit as the jewel in the crown of your multi-room speaker setup.

Don’t buy it if…

You actually want a soundbar
Stop the presses: the Evo One isn’t one. It’ll add some much-needed poise and gravitas to soundtracks, but if you’re expecting height channels and a wide soundstage, you really do need to invest in an actual soundbar.

You’re looking to save some cash
No two ways about it: the Evo One is an expensive speaker. At $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495, it’s more comparable to the Ruark R410 or the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 – you’re paying a premium price for a premium speaker.

Cambridge Audio Evo One review: also consider

Naim Mu-so (2019)
If you love the form factor and are yearning for superlative-sounding, hi-res streaming without extra features such as a phono stage or eARC, but for a lower price in exchange, the Naim Mu-so 2nd Gen is an excellent choice. At $1,299 / £899 / AU$1,299, it's a powerful and impressive speakers, as our full Naim Mu-so (2019) review explains.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro
Following in the footsteps of the classic airship-shaped iPod dock from the 2000s, the Zeppelin Pro is a powerful wireless speaker capable of rich, hi-res sound. Admittedly it’s less talented than the Evo One – again, there’s no connectivity options like phono in or eARC and it has considerably fewer drivers. But it is much more affordable, coming in at just $799 / £699 / AU$1,349, and still sounds exquisite for the price, as we dig into in our full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro review.

How I tested the Cambridge Audio Evo One

• I tested it for a month
• I used it for a wide range of audio, from hi-res streams to TV audio via eARC
• I have decades of experience using and reviewing audio gadgets

I tested the Cambridge Audio Evo One over the course of a month. First of all, I used the TechRadar testing playlist, as well as many of my own standard testing tracks, to see how its sound stacked up. I listened to a wide range of different sources, from hi-res streaming on Tidal to Spotify’s lowest-quality tier to see how it coped with different audio quality.

I also tested all of its additional features. I listened to several vinyl albums, both via line-in and through its built-in phono stage, using my Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT. I also connected it to my TV via eARC and tested its AV sound by watching multiple TV shows and movies. Finally, I tweaked its various sound optimization settings, and played with the EQ settings to test out how they impacted the sound balance.

I’ve spent many years covering audio gadgets, from headphones to speakers, and use a wide variety of sound setups at home, from Bluetooth speakers to my system of hi-fi separates. On top of this, I’ve spent decades making and producing music, which has given me a great deal of insight into how to assess the balance of frequencies and breadth of soundstage.

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

One-minute review

The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is the most disappointing mobile gaming controller that I’ve ever tested. For the lofty price of $119.90 / £99.90 - which is a whopping $19.91 more than the Backbone One 2nd Gen in the US - you’re getting a mobile controller that performs worse, has a lower build quality, lacks a lot of major features, and, in the case of the iPhone variant that I tried, doesn't even fit properly on some recent phones.

There is simply no reason to consider this controller at its retail price - but that’s not to say that it is completely irredeemable.

The thumbsticks are a little loose for my taste but undeniably work well for fast-paced games like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. The large, Xbox-style buttons are also responsive and quite appealing if you intend to use them for Xbox Cloud Gaming - though it’s a shame that the D-pad is uncomfortably flat and imprecise. There’s also the fact that this is a Bluetooth gamepad, which, even though this means that it requires separate charging and does not feature charging pass-through, some might still prefer over the wired connection of the Backbone One 2nd Gen.

The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is quite a unique shape too, being something of a middle ground between the compact Backbone One 2nd Gen and the full-size Razer Kishi Ultra, and comfortable in the hands for extended gaming sessions.

If you can find it on sale with a discount of 50% or above, I could see this being a solid, though certainly not leading, option. Otherwise, I’m hoping that manufacturer Nacon takes the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro back to the drawing board for an updated, overhauled successor.

(Image credit: Future) Mobile Controller MG-X Pro: Price and availability

• iOS version costs $119.90 / £99.90
• Android version is $99.90 / £74.90
• Available via Nacon and Amazon

The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro sells for $119.90 / £99.90 on the Nacon website and similar rates over at Amazon. It’s available in both the US and UK, with two alternate versions to choose from. I tested the white ‘iPhone’ variant, which is compatible with iOS devices.

The Android, or ‘Xbox’ version, comes in black - with a larger Xbox-style home button. Despite being a licensed product, it’s bizarrely a little cheaper than the iOS one - at $99.90 / £74.90.

I wouldn’t say that this is good value, but at this lower price, the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is a little bit more competitive in the face of the $99.99 / £99.99 Backbone One 2nd Gen.

Mobile Controller MG-X Pro: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Mobile Controller MG-X Pro: Design and features

• Thick and comfortable in the hands
• Plastic feels cheap
• Face buttons are reliable

The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro’s design is a midpoint between smaller options like the Backbone One 2nd Gen and Scuf Nomad and larger mobile gamepads such as the Razer Kishi Ultra. It’s quite hefty, weighing 0.77lbs / 350g, with an overall shape that’s a bit reminiscent of the Xbox Wireless Controller, albeit with an extending spring-loaded back to accommodate the addition of a mobile phone.

The grips are thinner than Microsoft’s pad, however, and the overall layout is a little bit squashed in comparison - with the thumbsticks, buttons, and D-pad all very close together. It’s certainly not uncomfortable, even in my larger hands, and I actually quite like the way that little nook underneath the rear triggers provides a perfect little resting place for your middle fingers.

Still, the build quality is a letdown at this price point. There are cheap-looking seams on the sides of the controller, plus a few visible imperfections in the plastic molding. Some corners are quite sharp too, especially where the phone is attached, which occasionally led to me painfully scraping my hands on it while trying to get my device in and out. This is nowhere near the almost Apple-like construction of the slightly cheaper Backbone One 2nd Gen.

(Image credit: Future)

This is a Bluetooth gamepad, so it has no physical connection to your phone. Instead, you need to turn it on by holding the small home button and waiting for it to connect to your device. Four small LED indicators show you its current status, such as its current battery level and whether it's in pairing mode. On the bottom of the controller is a USB-C port, used to charge up the controller. Bear in mind that, unlike the Backbone One 2nd Gen, there’s no charging pass-through here, so won’t be able to top up your device while it’s in use. There’s also no headphone jack, so many of the best gaming earbuds simply won’t work.

The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is compatible with the MG-X Series App, which bizarrely only seemed to be available on iOS. This is fully functional, but lacks anything beyond the most basic features - only offering thumbstick calibration, a quick control guide, and the option to update your gamepad. There’s no button remapping here, no way to customize trigger sensitivity, no list of suggested compatible games, or really any reason to ever boot it up. It’s significantly behind the Backbone or Razer Nexus apps, which both function as game launchers and offer basic necessities such as button remapping in addition to a few killer features like, in Razer’s case, a fantastic virtual controller mode.

At least the setup process is mercifully straightforward, simply requiring you to turn on the controller and select it from your phone’s Bluetooth menu to pair.

(Image credit: Nacon) Mobile Controller MG-X Pro: Performance

• Strong battery life
• Thumbsticks feel quite loose
• D-pad is awful

The performance of the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is just about acceptable, provided you ignore the price. The thumbsticks are roughly equivalent in size to the Xbox pad but with a thinner column and much more travel.

There’s not a lot of resistance, which makes them quick to use in fast-paced multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile or PUBG Mobile, but at the same time means that they feel a tad slippery.

The face buttons have a flat design with a lot of surface area and a pleasant, membrane-feeling mechanism. The D-pad is also very flat and spongy, but unlike the buttons, I soon found that this made it very hard to make precise inputs. Pressing right would often also trigger an upwards input and if you play lots of platformers or retro games with D-pad controls, this is going to be a complete dealbreaker.

A note on accessibility

(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)

Nacon sent me the Android variant for testing - and I've had a pretty positive experience with it from an accessibility standpoint. Thanks to its chunky design, it's the only mobile controller I've really been able to use and has let me enjoy Stalker 2 on the sofa via remote play. Each arm is perfectly sized and the buttons are arranged closely enough for my different hands to engage with. It's a shame about the price and build, but for those looking to try a uniquely shaped mobile controller, the MG-X Pro earns some credit.

- Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor, TechRadar Gaming

The iOS version of the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro also doesn't fit well if you’re using a larger iPhone. I tested the controller with my iPhone 15 Plus, where the large camera module makes it difficult to securely insert. It goes in fine enough at first, but is loose and could fall out if you’re not careful. After a quick look online, I discovered that this was quite a common complaint with a handful of customers saying that it didn’t fit an iPhone 14 Pro Max either.

Swapping over to an old iPhone 12, this was not an issue at all, so it’s clear that Nacon needs to revise the design for modern iPhones - or at the very least add a disclaimer to its store page clarifying exactly which devices it’s most compatible with. This makes it a mobile controller that you’re realistically not going to want to use out and about; after all there’s no point risking your phone coming loose and falling out onto a hard surface while you’re trying to game on the train.

The only area where the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro unreservedly delivers is in its battery life. Nacon claims that it will last “up to 20 hours” and I can attest that it gets very close to that figure. I was able to use the controller repeatedly throughout the week without ever having to worry about charging it up, which is excellent.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro? Buy it if...

You want strong battery life
Easily the best element of the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is its battery life. You’re getting close to 20 hours in standard use, which is great and cuts down on the need to charge it up between sessions.

Don't buy it if...

You crave the best value
The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro is far too expensive for what you get. It’s impossible to recommend above the many similarly priced and even cheaper alternatives out there today.

You want lots of features
The Mobile Controller MG-X Pro has a tiny feature set and a comically barren mobile app. If you want a controller that you can truly customize, then you need to look elsewhere.View Deal

Also consider

Looking for something a bit better than the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro? Consider these two strong alternatives instead.

Scuf Nomad
The Scuf Nomad is similar to the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro in that it’s also a Bluetooth mobile gamepad, but it has a significantly greater number of features and a much more high-quality design.

Read our full Scuf Nomad review

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The Backbone One 2nd Gen is the mobile controller to beat, and massively better than the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro. It’s wired, but fits more phones, is compatible with both Android and iOS at once, and boasts a great app.

Read our full Backbone One 2nd Gen review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro

• Test for a few weeks
• Tried with a variety of mobile games
• Compared to other controllers

I tested the iOS version of the Mobile Controller MG-X Pro for roughly three weeks. During that time I paired it with my trusty iPhone 15 Plus and, briefly, an old iPhone 12. I played a wide variety of compatible mobile games, including favorites like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Zenless Zone Zero, Hitman Blood Money Reprisal, Call of Duty Mobile, and more.

Throughout my time with the controller, I compared my experience with my hands-on testing of other mobile gamepads including the Razer Kishi, Razer Kishi Ultra, Backbone One, Backbone One 2nd Gen, Scuf Nomad, Turtle Beach Atom, and GameSir X2s Type-C.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Release date: February 21, 2025

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a game that I’m stunned even exists. In the AAA gaming space, it’s so rare to see a franchise just let loose with a genuinely absurd premise. Yet with action-adventure game Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio pulls it off with such unabashed confidence that you really just have to respect it.

And still upon reflection, it’s a premise that manages to make perfect sense for protagonist Goro Majima. For the most unhinged of the series’ legendary yakuza - a guy who’s previously had success running a cabaret club and a construction company - taking up the mantle of a pirate captain and sailing the high seas in search of lost treasure is something he’d probably do in a heartbeat. With or without the amnesia he’s struck with at the start of this game.

It’s a concept that elevates Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii from any old spinoff to a truly memorable adventure and one that absolutely stands out confidently against the backdrop of the long-running series. It’s still a Like a Dragon title through and through - with an abundance of minigames, side quests, and a massive open hub to explore - but the backdrop of piracy and treasure hunting makes Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii one of a kind.

Setting the stage

(Image credit: Sega)

Six months on from the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, we find Majima washed up on the beach of a remote island off the coast of Hawaii. Near death and with little in the way of memories to his name, he’s mercifully saved by a child named Luke, who lives on the island with his dad and older sister.

Over the course of the first chapter, Majima repays Luke’s kindness by helping the island deal with a rather major pirate problem. And we’re talking pirates in the strictest sense: galleons outfitted with powerful cannons and menacing sails, staffed by salty treasure-hungry sea dogs. It turns out the whole thing is quite the racket in the waters surrounding Hawaii (in the Like a Dragon universe at least).

After a stint doing errands on the island, it’s not too long before Majima gets a pirate ship - the Goromaru - and a ragtag crew of his own. And so properly begins an adventure that successfully weds a Treasure Island-esque narrative with Like a Dragon’s political and faction-based intrigue. While it’s not as big on throwing you wild curveballs as the mainline series, it’s a tale that’s nonetheless entertaining and thrilling from start to finish, with an absolutely phenomenal finale to boot.

White whale, holy grail

(Image credit: Sega)

Gameplay and exploration in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is split into two distinct segments, those being land and sea. When you’re ashore, it’s perhaps unsurprisingly like most other Like a Dragon titles; Majima gets to fully explore the city of Honolulu (returning from Infinite Wealth) and engage in all kinds of minigames, side stories, and combat.

As in prior entries, clueless goons are more than keen to make a beeline for Majima should they spot him out and about, which is where his two distinct combat styles come into play. I’ve covered them extensively in my previews beforehand, but what you need to know is that the Mad Dog and Sea Dog styles offer incredibly unique ways to engage your foes.

Mad Dog is closer to the Majima you expect. Wielding his iconic knife, he employs rapid attacks, a powerful gap closer, throws, and more. It’s ideal for whittling down a single target or a small squad of baddies. Sea Dog is the more interesting of the two, as Majima dons his pirate garb, wields two cutlasses, and has access to a flintlock pistol and a hook. It’s much better suited to the larger-scale fights you’ll have during story missions and deck battles.

Best bit

(Image credit: Sega)

It’s hard to single out any one aspect of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii as its absolute best bit, but the sheer variety of content on offer is undoubtedly a swashbuckler’s dream. Even better, you can take it all at your own pace. Want to tick off some substories or chill with some minigames? Or do you want to take things up a notch by sinking some lily-livered sailors in the Pirates’ Coliseum? Outside of major story beats, it’s all available to you at any time.

Overall, Majima feels exceptionally powerful here, to the point where the Normal difficulty setting was honestly quite a breeze. Throw in some hilariously strong Heat Actions, Mad Dog’s Doppelganger mode, and Sea Dog’s Dark Instruments (both available via the chargeable Madness Gauge) and we have what is certainly among the most overpowered move sets in series history.

But by Davy Jones is Majima such a joy to play as. Whether it’s blasting away entire scores of lads with a charged flintlock shot or wreaking havoc with a giant ethereal chimpanzee (no, really), combat rarely feels like a drag. Enemies aren’t necessarily pushovers though, with some types wielding spears or shields to counter specific abilities.

However, as powerful as Majima feels, you’ll still need to play smart. That’s especially so when you chase after Honolulu’s bounty targets - a piece of side content that provides plenty of cash with which you can use to invest in upgrades for Majima and his ship.

Those spear guys can poke you out of the air, for example, while shielded foes will need to be robbed of their protection with the hook before significant damage can be dealt. And that’s before we’ve even gotten to kickboxers, gunners, tigers, bears, and enemies that drop a grenade on defeat. Believe it or not, they’re actually worse than the tigers and bears.

Waterworld

(Image credit: Sega)

Majima’s as much a terror out at sea, if not more so. Captaining the Goromaru is the other half of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and it’s unlike anything we’ve seen from the series yet. Well, perhaps besides the vehicle combat of Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, but that’s obviously even more of a spinoff than this game is.

There’s a ton to do out on the high seas, with exploring the vast waters surrounding Hawaii and other notable locales forming a good chunk of the playthrough. You can engage in ship battles, explore uncharted islands for lost treasure, and even undertake a massive side story that has Majima and crew taking down the Devil Flags - a notorious pirate armada.

One thing to note is that content with the Goromaru is noticeably harder than anything else in the game. Enemy ships can pack a punch, especially those of higher ranks. So, you’ll need to do some groundwork in order to make your ship as powerful as possible. That’ll come in the form of scouting new crew members you can find dotted around Honolulu, as well as upgrading the ship’s durability and firepower.

Your shipmates will also level up when they’re staffed on the ship, and certain members can provide unique First Mate or Squad Leader buffs if they’ve been assigned to those positions. Such buffs include increasing damage you deal to an enemy ship’s stern, or increasing the number of times you can shoot out a smokescreen to obscure enemy vision while you resuscitate downed crewmates or put out hazards like fires or poison mist.

(Image credit: Sega)

You’ll also be able to take your crew into the Madlantis Pirates’ Coliseum, a substantial bit of side content where you’ll engage in ship battles of escalating difficulty. Defeating the enemy ship will then transition you to a deck battle, where your entire crew faces off against the enemy’s on their own ship. It’s a genuine thrill to see so many characters clash against each other in combat like this, and while it can get quite messy and nonsensical, it’s still great chaotic fun.

Manning the Goromaru is a part of the game that I found to be the most engrossing. Ticking off content and participating in minigames to unlock new crew members always feels fulfilling, and definitely incentivizes you to try out activities like Dragon Kart, Crazy Delivery, and the usual smattering of side activities to unlock even more goodies.

There are a few stubborn barnacles to deal with out on the ocean, though. Engagements with enemy ships can get quite lengthy later on in the game, which does add to overall sea travel time. And while the Goromaru can boost and make use of air currents to sail swiftly, the simple act of traveling from A to B can still take a good chunk of time. Especially when you’re constantly running into other fleets.

The sea is also the only place in the game where you’ll experience notable performance drops (at least I did on the PS5 review version I tested), especially when inclement weather such as rain storms get involved. It’s nothing horrible or unplayable, but definitely worth noting if you’re playing on console.

Should I play Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii?

(Image credit: Sega) Play it if...

You want a compact Like a Dragon adventure
Similar to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name before it, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s run time is shorter than the length of its name, making for a much more digestible experience.

You love pirates
It really is as simple as that. If you’re pining for a swashbuckling adventure the likes of which we seldom see in video games, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will scratch that itch and then some.

Don't play it if...

You’re not caught up on the series
While the game is generally friendlier to newcomers than others, it does still mention and feature characters and events from prior entries, and spoils major story beats from Infinite Wealth, so play at your own risk if you’re still making your way through the wider series.

Accessibility

The accessibility options in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii are something of a treasure trove, too, with plenty on offer to accommodate gamers of all stripes.

Some highlights include options for automatic quick time events, stick control swapping, reducing the motion of waves out at sea, thorough subtitle options (including backgrounds and character names), and three distinct color vision assistance settings (deuteranopia, protanopia, and tritanopia). Full button configuration is also supported.

How I reviewed Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

My full playthrough of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii took 25 hours to finish on PS5, playing on an LG CX OLED TV with the DualSense Wireless Controller.

While I finished the main story, the Goro Pirates side story, and tackled the majority of available side content, this was by no means a completionist run. If you’re going for 100% - that’s fully completing all side content including the exhaustive challenge list - expect to sink in anywhere between 30-40 hours.

First reviewed February 2025

Sonus Faber Lumina II: Two minute review

Since the early 1980s, Sonus Faber has been creating high-performance, high-end loudspeakers and charging a (generally perfectly justifiable) arm and a leg for them. But in a move not many people saw coming, the company decided to democratize its ‘Made in Italy’ cachet by launching a pair of speakers that sell for an almost-mainstream $1,499 / £999 /AU$2,200 per pair. They’re called the Sonus Faber Lumina II.

In many ways, the Lumina II are Sonus Faber business as usual. The standard of build and finish is impeccable, the materials are premium (although the company’s customary use of real leather will no doubt alienate as many people as it excites), the look is sophisticated and understated. And, sure enough, there’s a little ‘Made in Italy’ sticker on the cabinet's rear, just to let you know you're dealing with something a little special even among the heady brands that make the best stereo speakers.

In many ways, the Sonus Faber Lumina II sound like their money’s-worth, as well as looking and feeling like it. They’re a balanced, insightful and nicely detailed listen, are able to organize a soundstage well, and with unarguable talent where frequency response and tonal fidelity are concerned. No, they’re far from the punchiest speakers around – they run out of meaningful puff quite early in the bass frequencies – and they’re not enthusiastic about bigger volume levels, either.

But for some people, the fact that this is Sonus Faber we’re talking about will be enough to overlook these (admittedly fairly mild) shortcomings. The harder-headed consumer, though, knows that the Sonus Faber Lumina II are far from the only choice at this sort of money – the likes of the KEF LS50 Meta loom large.

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Price and release date

• Released June 15, 2021
• $1,499 / £999 / AU$2,199

The Sonus Faber Lumina II are on sale now, and in the United Kingdom a pair will cost you £999. In the United States, you’re looking at $1,499, while in Australia they’ll set you back AU$2,199.

Passive standmounting speakers at this sort of money are not exactly a rarity, of course. So, apart from the ‘handmade in Italy’ cachet, what does Sonus Faber have up its beautifully tailored sleeve?

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Features

• 29mm ‘damped apex dome’ tweeter
• 150mm pulp/fibre mid/bass driver
• Front-facing bass reflex port

As a pair of small and (relatively) affordable passive loudspeakers, the Sonus Faber Lumina II aren’t exactly awash with features, but those they have are of high quality and are utterly fit for purpose.

So, reading from the top of the front of each speaker, there’s a 29mm tweeter of Sonus Faber’s own ‘damped apex dome’ design, which features a silk diaphragm and is mounted using a visco-elastic baffle to effectively isolate the vibration it produces from the cabinet. Below here there’s a 150mm mid/bass driver – a cone made from a combination of natural fibres and cellulose pulp. It sits in what Sonus Faber describes as an ‘ultra-free compression basket’, and the promise is of high linearity and dynamic performance.

The speakers stand on a little plastic plinth – there’s a little gap between the main cabinet and the plinth where a bass reflex port faces forwards. This makes the Lumina II nicely forgiving of positioning in your room, notwithstanding a few rather unusual positioning issues thrown up further down in the ‘design’ section.

The overall arrangement is good for a frequency response of 55Hz - 24kHz, according to Sonus Faber. Crossover is at an unremarkable 1.8kHz, sensitivity is an equally ordinary 85dB, and nominal impedance is four ohms. The manufacturer suggests that any worthwhile amplifier with 50 watts or more available should be able to drive the Lumina II without issues.

• Features score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Sound quality

• Detailed and spacious presentation
• Organized and unflappable…
• …unless you decide to listen at bigger volumes

If you’re familiar with any of Sonus Faber’s products from the turn of the century onwards, the overall emphasis of the Lumina II sound isn’t going to come as much of a surprise. No matter the sort of stuff you like to listen to, and no matter the source of it, these speakers are a balanced, naturalistic and periodically absorbing listen.

The tonal balance of the Lumina II is carefully neutral, so a nicely organic recording like Nico’s The Fairest of the Seasons enjoys a true-to-life depiction of the small string section, acoustic guitar, and expressive and unmistakable vocal. There’s plenty of detail revealed and contextualized at every part of the frequency range, and the Sonus Faber travel from top to bottom in a smooth and undemonstrative manner. No part of the frequency range gets overstated and, apart from the very lowest frequencies, no part is underplayed. The crossover between tweeter and mid/bass driver is all-but imperceptible.

The speakers do good work with harmonic variations, and are quite explicit where soundstaging is concerned, too. There’s a respectable degree of dynamic headroom available, and a willingness to track even the smaller changes in attack or intensity carefully.

Switch to a copy of Aw, Shoot! by CMAT and the Lumina II’s ability to open up a fairly compressed and dense recording is straightforwardly impressive. It can create appreciable space on the soundstage, and where less accomplished speakers present this recording as a sort of aural wedding cake, with element piled on top of element, the Sonus Faber bring some order to bear. Detail levels are good all over again, and the ability to tease out the finer, more transient occurrences in a recording and let them enjoy a little breathing space is not to be sniffed at.

There’s appreciable bite and shine at the top of the frequency range, but nothing too threatening or hard-edged – there’s real refinement to the treble response here. The midrange is eloquent and revealing, and – up to a point – low frequencies are just as substantial and well-resolved as everything going on above them.

The Lumina II don’t so much run out of extension at the bottom of the frequency range – not by the standards of reasonably compact standmounters, anyway – as run out of conviction. There’s a lack of power and drive towards the bottom of their frequency response which can make for a slightly lightweight rendition of whatever it is you’re listening to. Low frequencies are nicely controlled, so rhythmic expression is convincing, but outright ‘punch’ is in rather short supply.

It’s equally safe to say that volume is a factor in the Sonus Faber comfort zone. At moderate volumes the Lumina II are a composed, insightful and well-organized listen, with talents that extend well beyond ‘unflappability’. But if you up the ante, volume-wise, a fair bit of that composure deserts them, along with some of their powers of organization. The can begin to sound just fractionally two-dimensional and ever-so-slightly stressed. Dial the volume down just a little and normal service is quickly resumed.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Design

• Choice of three finishes
• Leather-covered sides and top surface
• 304 x 180 x 263mm (HxWxD)

Obviously you’ll make up your own mind as to the decorative potential (or otherwise) of the Sonus Faber Lumina II. What can’t be argued with is the quality of construction or finish – these are impeccably made loudspeakers. The company’s ongoing determination to cover a good portion of its speakers in leather (both sides and the top of this model) won’t sit well for those who’d prefer a vegan option, but as far as ‘craftsmanship’ is concerned, the Lumina II have plenty in evidence.

Each speaker is a tidy 304 x 180 x 263mm (HxWxD), and if you choose either of the ‘walnut with maple inlays’ or ‘wenge with maple inlays’ the front baffle is of multilayered wood with real wood veneer. The piano black alternative is glossy, all right, and also built of multilayered wood but it’s quite reflective, so is not perhaps the first choice for those who may wish to use their Lumina II as part of a home theater set-up in a darkened room.

At the rear of each cabinet there are four nickel-plated speaker binding terminals that can be used with bare wire, banana plugs or spade connectors. Biwiring or biamping is perfectly straightforward.

Although the configuration of the speakers makes them quite forgiving of room position, the liberal use of leather does not. The company is quite unequivocal: you should not position your Lumina II near windows or sources of heat, and they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Perhaps lots of leather isn’t such a brilliant idea after all…

• Design score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Value

‘Made in Italy’ seldom comes cheap, and in a market dominated by speakers that have been ‘designed and engineered’ in one place and then inevitably ‘made in China’, it’s quite a prestigious point of difference. And where materials, build quality and the standard of finish are concerned, it’s hard to argue that you’re not getting full value here.

And up to a point, that’s all true when it comes to sound quality, too. But a look at the ‘also consider’ section below lets you know that if you’re prepared to forgo a bit of the undeniable Sonus Faber cachet, better pound-for-pound performance is available…

• Value score: 4 / 5

Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Should you buy them? Buy them if...

You’re a sucker for Italian design
Like every Sonus Faber product, the Lumina II are a visual and tactile treat.

You enjoy open, detailed and naturalistic sound
These speakers have a real talent for opening up a recording and peering deep inside.

You do your listening in a darkened room
The leather finish means these speakers are more affected by sunlight than most.

Don't buy them if...

You’re vegan
The leather finish might be a dealbreaker.

You like to listen loud
The composure that’s such an admirable part of the Lumina II's sound can go astray at big volumes.

You consider ‘wallop’ to be a positive word
Other speakers of comparable size and price can dig deeper and hit harder.

(Image credit: Future) Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Also consider

KEF LS50 Meta
All price-comparable speakers tend to look a bit agricultural next to the Sonus Faber Lumina II but KEF’s outstanding LS50 Meta have a strong look of their own and, most importantly, the sort of all-around excellence the Lumina II can’t quite match. The ever-expanding number of available colors and dramatic visuals of the driver array don’t do any harm, either…View Deal

Sonus Faber Lumina II review: How I tested

• Connected to a Naim Uniti Nova, listening to Qobuz and Tidal tracks
• Also hooked up a Rega Apollo for CDs; Cambridge Audio/Clearaudio for vinyl

During my spell listening to the Sonus Faber Lumina II, they were powered by a Naim Uniti Nova streamer/amplifier capable of delivering 70 watts of power per channel. I also used the Naim for listening to Qobuz and Tidal, as it is both a streamer and an amplifier.

I listened to compact discs using a Rega Apollo player, and vinyl via both the Cambridge Audio Alva TT v2 and Clearaudio Concept turntables.

The Lumina II remained in my listening space for the test's entirety – the area is nothing too sophisticated, it’s a fairly ordinary (though not particularly reflective) room that works excellently for my purposes. Using this disparate sources, I listened to myriad different recordings, from a plenty of genres, and from a wide range of eras.

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

OnePlus Watch 3: One minute review

Writing this OnePlus Watch 3 review, I was struck by how much smaller of a leap we've seen from the OnePlus Watch 2 to the OnePlus Watch 3, compared to the leap the Watch 2 made from the original. The first OnePlus Watch was considered bad by every metric, but the OnePlus Watch 2 was a spectacular improvement in every way.

The OnePlus Watch 3 has much less work to do, iterating on an already successful design. Like the OnePlus Watch 2, it’s got the look of a classic dress watch with its outer casing and bezel, now upgraded from stainless steel to titanium. Its AMOLED display is now comprised of 2D sapphire crystal for improved durability, and its battery life has been extended from the OnePlus Watch 2’s 100 hours to 120 hours, beating rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra for longevity.

I’ve only used it for a few hours, but functionally it performs as smoothly and as well as any Wear OS watch I’ve yet used, including the Google Pixel Watch 3. It’s an option most Android phone users should consider, and it’s sure to make its way into our best Android watches list in future.

Its usability is vastly improved by the addition of a rotating digital crown, allowing for easier scrolling and navigation, especially during sweaty workouts in which the touchscreen would be harder (or grosser) to use.

My main gripe is with the watch’s size: I would have loved to see OnePlus bring out a second, smaller model for those with smaller wrists. Many people, including a lot of women, will find it’s just too big and heavy for daily wear. However, this issue aside, it’s a powerful, robust daily driver with modern health tools and a timeless look.

OnePlus Watch 3: Specifications OnePlus Watch 3: price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• £319 in the UK (approximately $400 / AU$630)
• Available in the UK / EU
• Availability for other regions is TBC

The OnePlus Watch 3 is available in the UK, where it's priced at £319 (approximately $400 / AU$630), and in the EU. It's available to order from today.

We’re currently unsure if the watch will be available in the US and AU markets, but will update this full review with that information when we get it.

OnePlus Watch 3: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Sumptuous screen
• Rotating crown
• Very big for smaller wrists

As mentioned, the OnePlus Watch 3 shares many design similarities with the OnePlus Watch 2. However, there are a few changes both under the hood and, erm, over it. The watch still runs Wear OS 5 on its Snapdragon W5 chipset, but it also runs a second operating system, RTOS, powered by a new BES2800 MCU chip.

By switching from Wear OS to the low-power RTOS, the OnePLus Watch 3 is able to extend its battery life. In conjunction with the new chip, a bigger 631mAh battery means the Watch 3 lasts up to 120 hours, compared with the older model's 100 hours.

The shape and design of the OnePlus Watch 3 are very similar to the Watch 2 pictured below. At 46.6mm x 47.6mm x 11mm, not including the thickness of the sensor, it’s a hefty watch at 81g including strap. It might look like a timeless metal dress watch, which helps, but the sheer size of it will be off-putting to a lot of people.

However, its size does mean it’s packing a lovely big screen. Its 2D sapphire crystal and buttery-smooth AMOLED puts out 2,000 nits, the same brightness as the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The big screen makes reading messages and notifications a pleasure rather than an annoyance to, doubly so thanks to the other big new addition: a rotating digital crown. Pressing the crown takes you back to the main menu, and its wheel is used for scrolling, while the side button starts workouts. Coupled with the touchscreen, it’s all very intuitive, and a design that will be familiar to users of the best Apple Watches.

OnePlus Watch 3: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• 60-second heart health check-in
• New ECG functionality
• Dual-frequency GPS

As well as the rotating digital crown, tougher new screen and bezel, and longer battery life, there are software features aplenty, both new and returning. The beauty of the best Android watches (much like the best Apple Watches) is that you can stuff them full of third-party apps, and it’s the same case here. I’ve already got Strava, Spotify, AllTrails, Audible… all my usual suspects.

First up among the new stuff is the 60-second health check-in. By pressing your finger on the All-In_one sensor button, the OnePlus Watch 3 measures your heart rate, conducts an electrocardiograph scan (this feature will be available later in the year), and tracks blood oxygen levels, mental wellness, wrist temperature, sleep quality, and a new metric called ‘vascular age’, similar to Garmin’s Fitness Age, but specifically tailored to heart health.

A big emphasis is placed on heart heath, with vascular elasticity measured and the new ECG functionality working with this to create benchmarks based on age. Essentially, the OnePlus Watch 3 can tell you a rough idea of how 'old' your heart is in comparison to the rest of your body. If you’re in your thirties but very fit, you might have the heart of a 25-year-old for example, whereas someone out-of-shape might have a heart age edging towards the forties.

GPS is now dual-frequency for additional accuracy. The Watch’s basic workout app supports over 100 different sports mode, but only 11 of these offer ‘professional modes’ or unique metrics, such as running. The rest are nice-to-haves for instant input into your digital training diary.

I’ll be adding a Performance section, along with final scores, in my full review after I've worn and tested the watch over a longer period. Check back soon!

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P: Two-Minute Review

A lot has happened in the mobile gimbal market since DJI launched the Osmo Mobile 6 back in 2022. At the time, the Osmo Mobile 6 could claim to be the best ultra-portable folding smartphone stabilizer around, but since then, the Insta360 Flow Pro and Insta360 Flow 2 Pro have provided strong competition – mostly due to the fact that their Apple DockKit compatibility means they can automatically track subjects on a range of iPhone apps, not just the gimbals’ own companion app. As a result, the Osmo Mobile 6, which could only track (albeit track very well) on its own Mimo app, started to feel quite outdated.

All that changes with the launch of the new DJI Osmo Mobile 7P, which includes a module allowing it to track using any app on any phone. That addition, which theoretically puts DJI back in pole position of the ultra-compact gimbal market, comes with a few other tweaks and improvements, but otherwise, the 7P feels very similar to the 6 – which is no bad thing.

The design is beautifully simple. The Osmo Mobile 7P folds down to a pocketable size (by which I mean it’ll fit in a coat pocket rather than a jeans pocket) but can be ready to shoot in a single movement, while the magnetic clamp phone mounting method and the gimbal’s clever auto-balancing means successfully attaching and detaching my phone takes moments rather than minutes.

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Stabilization works very well, with the three-axis gimbal following my movements intelligently and smoothly and the built-in 215mm extension rod enabling both extra distance for vlogging and higher and lower angle shots. The shape of the handle and the grippy material on its front, along with the light weight of the gimbal, make it very comfortable to use one-handed.

There are four gimbal movement modes to choose from: Pan Follow (which locks the tilt and roll axes while following horizontal pan movements), Pan Tilt Follow (similar but follows tilt as well), FPV (which follows motion across all three axes, for more dramatic videos), and SpinSpot (a specialist mode that enables Gaspar Noe-style rotation of the camera angle). There’s not much scope to adjust stabilization outside of the default settings for these modes, but I never found that to be an issue during my tests.

The gimbal’s onboard controls are basically the same as the Osmo Mobile 6’s, with a thumb stick supporting manual gimbal movement and a wheel allowing manual focus pulling and smooth zooming. There are also buttons for mode switching, start/stop recording, and flicking between front and rear cameras or horizontal/landscape phone orientation. The trigger on the front can be held down to fix the current gimbal angle or double-tapped to reset the angle to its default. All fine by me.

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As well as handheld stabilization, the Osmo Mobile 7P can act as an autonomous camera operator thanks to its tracking capabilities and mini tripod; after setting it up on a flat surface, a vlogger could perform a piece-to-camera while moving around and the gimbal will follow them.

The mini tripod now comes built into the handle, which is more convenient than screwing on the mini tripod that came with the Osmo Mobile 6; its short feet mean it’s not as stable, however, and I’d expect a strong gust of wind to knock it down. So, investing in a better tripod to screw into the standard tripod mount on the gimbal’s base might be advisable if you’re going to be shooting outdoors often.

In terms of tracking, the Osmo Mobile 7P represents a massive leap forward over its predecessor. When using the DJI Mimo app on your phone to capture video, the new ActiveTrack 7.0 tracking adds support for group tracking, fast subject reacquisition (if the subject ducks behind an object then re-emerges, for instance), and tracking while using zoom. It can also be set up so that the subject isn’t kept in the center of the frame but to one side, providing welcome new composition possibilities.

The only thing I didn’t like about the tracking was the gimbal's inability to rotate through 360º horizontally. The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro does offer this kind of ‘infinite’ rotation tracking, so be aware that you don’t get it here.

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Even better, perhaps, is the fact that the new Multifunction Module accessory adds support for simple human subject tracking with any smartphone app. So, I can fire up my iPhone’s native camera app, TikTok, BlackMagic Camera, Instagram, or Zoom and still have the Osmo Mobile 7P follow me around – albeit not with all the features I’d get from ActiveTrack tracking. The Module’s tracking uses an onboard camera, and it’s quite good at following a tricky subject around the room. This camera also recognizes gestures, allowing you to start/stop tracking, stop/start video, and adjust framing using your hands.

The Module, which fixes to the magnetic clamp and can be pointed front or backwards, also includes an LED fill light with four brightness levels (the brightest of which is surprisingly powerful) and four different color temperatures. It can also wirelessly pair with a transmitter from DJI’s Mic Mini to offer a quick, fuss-free way to get great audio for vlogs. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Mic Mini to test this with, and my DJI Mic 2 transmitter annoyingly doesn’t replicate the feat.

Battery life on the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P is roughly the same as you get from other small gimbals, with a full charge offering up to 10 hours of use. However, with the Multifunction Module attached, as well as tracking and more gimbal movement, I’d expect closer to five hours of use – or less if the LED fill light is blazing away.

Overall, I was hugely impressed by the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P, which keeps all that was good about the Osmo Mobile 6 while adding massive improvements to tracking. I’d say the addition of the Multifunction Module means the Osmo Mobile 7P now pips the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro for the title of best small folding gimbal, although both models are superb stabilizers for on-the-go video work.

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P review: Price and Availability

The Osmo Mobile 7P comes with a soft drawstring bag to store all its main elements (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

• Announced February 18, 2025
• Osmo Mobile 7P priced from $149 / £135 / AU$219
• Lighter, Module-free 7 priced from $89 / £85 / AU$159

The DJI Osmo Mobile 7 series launched on February 18, 2025 and is available to order now. The range consists of two slightly different models: the Osmo Mobile 7P and the Osmo Mobile 7. The former, which I've reviewed here, is a little larger and heavier and comes supplied with the new Multifunctional Module accessory. However, it’s worth noting that the Module is available separately and compatible with the Osmo Mobile 7, so buyers can always upgrade their model later on down the line.

The Osmo Mobile 7P costs $149 / £135 / AU$219, while the Osmo Mobile 7 costs $89 / £85 / AU$159. These prices look like quite good value to me, given that the 7P’s closest rival, the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro, costs roughly the same (actually, ever so slightly more). The new model is actually a little cheaper than the Osmo Mobile 6 was at its launch in 2022 too; it’s good to see something beating inflation these days.

A range of accessories are launching alongside the gimbal, but at the time of writing, I have not been given prices or further details about them, merely their names. These are: the DJI OM Magnetic Quick-Release Mount; DJI Mic Mini Transmitter; DJI OM 7 Series Tracking Kit; and DJI OM Grip Tripod.

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P review: specs DJI Osmo Mobile 7P review: Also Consider

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro
Until the Osmo Mobile 7P showed up, this was undoubtedly the best compact mobile gimbal around. Now, it sits alongside it as a highly recommended option, although its lack of a tracking module means it only really offers extended tracking for iPhone users via Apple DockKit compatibility. Android users are better off with the Osmo.

Read our Insta360 Flow 2 Pro review

Hohem iSteady M7
While it’s significantly pricier and bulkier than the Osmo Mobile 7, the iSteady M7’s beefy stabilization works with phones up to 500g in weight, and it offers a plethora of adjustment options for perfectionist creators – plus a brilliant built-in touchscreen remote control module. A more professional option for those who demand more than simplicity and portability.

Read our Hohem iSteady M7 review

Should I buy the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P?

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Buy it if...

You want the most flexible tracking on a small gimbal
The Osmo Mobile 7P’s Multifunction Module allows it to track subjects with any camera app on both Android and iPhone, which hasn’t been available on a tiny folding gimbal until now.

You own a DJI Mic Mini
The Module is also able to directly connect to DJI’s tiny Mic Mini wireless mic, giving vloggers clearer audio immediately. Sadly, it’s not compatible with the full-size DJI Mic 2 or Mic.

Don't buy it if...

You own a large, heavy phone
Not many phones weigh more than 300g, but if yours does, you’ll need a bigger, stronger gimbal like the Hohem iSteady M7. The Osmo Mobile 7P works best with regular-sized handsets.

You like to heavily tweak settings
The Osmo Mobile 7P keeps things simple when it comes to gimbal movement and stabilization, and if you want to make precise adjustments to the way these things work, a more pro-friendly gimbal is in order.

How I tested the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P

• One week of use
• Tested with iPhone 13 and various iOS apps
• Used inside and outdoors both on tripod and in hand

DJI loaned me a review sample of the Osmo Mobile 7P, which included the gimbal, Multifunctional Module, magnetic clamp, cables and a soft storage bag but no additional accessories.

I tested it out using my Apple iPhone 13 in and around my home, using it both handheld and set up on its mini tripod indoors and outdoors. I tested all movement modes too.

Having recently reviewed several rival mobile gimbals for TechRadar, I’m in a good position to compare the Osmo Mobile 7P to its competitors.

First reviewed February 2025

Dell XPS 13: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

Dell's XPS 13 laptop line has been kicking about for quite a while now, and it's come a long way. The XPS brand debuted more than two decades ago, with the very first XPS laptop launching back in 2007; needless to say, the latest iteration of the Dell XPS 13 looks and feels far more modern, sharing very little DNA with that first XPS laptop, and it's (almost) flawless.

Sporting the same sleek design we saw in the 2024 Dell XPS 13 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, the new model basically takes everything that laptop did and does it better, thanks to new Lunar Lake processors from Intel. In our review model, that's the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, which delivers staggeringly good battery life and a general uptick in performance over the Snapdragon model.

When I say staggeringly good, I do mean staggeringly good – I'll get into the details later in this review, but in our video playback test the Lunar Lake XPS 13 clocked in just shy of 24 hours, beating most of the machines on our current list of the best laptops. In terms of general use, it can literally go for days without a charge if you're just doing basic tasks like word processing and answering emails. It feels like a giant middle finger from Dell and Intel to the MacBook Air's generational drops in battery life, and I'm so here for it.

(Image credit: Future)

Performance-wise, things are a bit less impressive, but still basically excellent. The laptop ran smoothly no matter what I threw at it, and overall performance in my benchmarking tests exceeded that offered by the previous Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 – and many other laptops at this price point.

Speaking of price, I should probably clarify right now that this isn't a cheap laptop; our review unit is priced at $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50, placing it squarely in 'premium ultrabook' territory. Still, it delivers great value for money when you look at the specs and performance, with an absolutely gorgeous OLED display

The only reason this isn't an immediate five-star review is the fact that Dell hasn't resolved some issues with the design that I've noticed in previous models, dating back to the 2023 Dell XPS 13 Plus. These are mainly related to usability and accessibility; while the design looks incredible, the edgeless touchpad and lack of physical Fn keys hurt the laptop's functionality a little, stopping it from achieving perfection.

Despite these niggling issues, the new XPS 13 is still an absolutely fantastic laptop that I'd happily use for the next five years or more – how do you feel about letting me keep this one, Dell?

Dell XPS 13: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? Starts at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There are multiple configurations of the 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra version of the XPS 13, with prices starting at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80 for the non-touchscreen model. In a strange twist, the Core Ultra 5 configuration is actually $50 more expensive in the US for no discernible reason; elsewhere, that's the cheapest model.

You'll likely at least want a touchscreen and a Core Ultra 7 processor to get the full experience from this laptop, which is what our review unit offers, and that model checks in at a cool $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50 – certainly not inexpensive, but about par for the course for premium ultrabooks. It is notably more expensive than the latest M3 MacBook Air, which is almost a year old now – in other words, macOS fans likely won't be making the switch to Windows 11 based on this review.

The top-end configuration of the Dell XPS 13 will cost you $2,349.99 / £2,634 / AU$4,899.40, and offers an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chip, 32GB of RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, and the same lovely 3K OLED touchscreen in my review model.

• Price score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Specs Dell XPS 13: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Lightweight but sturdy
• Looks fantastic
• Still has some accessibility issues

Aesthetically speaking, Dell didn't need to change a thing for this new iteration of the XPS 13: it's still rocking the same sleek chassis as last year's model, combining a modern style with a robust traditional clamshell design in either Platinum (featured here) or Graphite colorways.

The screen is the star of the show here: my review unit has the top-spec 3K (2880 x 1800) InfinityEdge OLED touch display, and it's glorious. Colors are bright and vivid, contrast is deep, and picture quality is generally very sharp and detailed. Even in more demanding tests that battered the frame rate a bit (like 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark), it looked magnificent.

The keyboard feels great to type on, with a decent amount of key travel and a satisfying bounce despite the super-thin chassis (it measures just 1.48cm in total thickness), and the cool backlighting makes it easy to use in low-light conditions. Naturally, it features a dedicated Copilot key as well as a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button.

Unfortunately, I have the aforementioned beef with aspects of the keyboard and touchpad layout. The touchpad is 'invisible', integrated edgelessly into the palm rest, and while it's very responsive, and the palm rejection works perfectly, the lack of tactile edges is actually a little irritating in practice. While testing the XPS 13, I would sometimes unknowingly slide my fingertip past the edge of the pad's sensor range and try to click, to no avail.

These frustrations continue with the function bar above the keyboard, which is actually an LED-backlit touch bar that can swap seamlessly between traditional Fn keys and media keys when you hold down the Fn button. While this is a clever (and rather visually satisfying) solution, the lack of physical feedback is annoying, and in brightly-lit conditions – like working outside on a sunny day – these backlit 'keys' become virtually impossible to actually see. It's annoying, and both of these problems pose accessibility issues for sight-impaired users; not being able to feel a button or the edge of the touchpad with your finger would make using this laptop extremely difficult for a blind or partially-sighted person, even with screen reader tools.

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The quad-array speakers and 1080p webcam are both very good – not the best I've ever seen, but perfectly capable of handling high-quality video calls and even playing music or videos out loud. I do generally recommend using a headset over integrated speakers when it comes to laptops (especially for gaming), but these do the job well. The webcam array also features an IR camera for facial recognition logins, although it lacks any sort of privacy shutter or kill switch, which would have been a nice inclusion for security-conscious users.

In terms of overall construction, this is one very sturdy laptop in spite of its thin-and-light design. The outer metal shell is scratch-resistant machined aluminum with a matte finish (though it does pick up fingerprints), and the internal plastic of the keyboard and palm rest feels durable too.

One downside to the overall design is the dearth of physical ports: you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-Cs, and that's literally it. No USB-A, no Ethernet or video output (although those USB-C ports do support DisplayPort video), no microSD slot, not even a humble 3.5mm audio jack. I get it; USB-C is a great multipurpose connection standard, and this sort of port layout is increasingly common in modern ultrabooks, but if you need to use the laptop while it's plugged in, you're limited to just a single Thunderbolt port, which is a shame. Prepare to buy a USB-C hub if you're planning to connect a lot of devices to your XPS 13, basically.

• Design score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Performance

• Lunar Lake performs excellently
• Copilot+ works as advertised

As expected, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V in my XPS 13 review unit performs admirably, delivering strong performance in virtually every department, helped along by its hefty 32GB of DDR5 memory. It's truly mind-blowing to me how rapidly laptops have improved in the past decade. Speaking as someone who's been testing them for years, being able to play modern games on an ultralight compact laptop like this just feels unreal.

That said, this isn't a gaming laptop – though I'll discuss the graphical performance in a bit – so let's focus on what the XPS 13 is really for: everyday productivity. Across almost all of our synthetic benchmarks, it beats last year's Snapdragon X Elite model handily by a decent margin. Multi-core performance in Geekbench 6.4 was notably a bit weaker, but still good, while single-core performance was stronger.

Dell XPS 13 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 2024) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 34,618; Fire Strike: 9,058; Time Spy: 4,407; Steel Nomad: 889
Cinebench R23: Multi-core: 8,494; Single-core: 1,874
Geekbench 6.4: Multicore: 11,001; Single-core: 2,716
Geekbench AI: Single Precision Score: 2,359; Half Precision Score: 1,217; Quantized Score: 4,811
PCMark 10: 6,827
Crossmark: Overall: 1,839; Productivity: 1,684; Creativity: 2,174; Responsiveness: 1,467
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: (1080p, Ultra): 65fps; (1080p, Low): 155fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 23 hours, 26 minutes

In any case, when it came to real-world use, I had zero problems. Opening 20 Chrome tabs and multitasking between them caused no slowdown, and the laptop boots up and wakes from sleep mode incredibly fast. General responsiveness and functionality were excellent. Dell's own pre-installed software is here, naturally, but it's mercifully quite unobtrusive – no bloatware here, besides the usual Windows 11 stuff.

Given that the Core Ultra 7 258V packs an Intel AI Boost neural processing unit (NPU), I put that to the test as well. In the Geekbench AI benchmark, it produced a quantized score of 4,811; a reasonable showing, but weak compared to a system with a discrete GPU for advanced AI processing. However, in practice, Windows Copilot worked quickly and effectively on the XPS 13.

The Dell XPS 13 handled everything I threw at it with relative calm, only spinning up its fans to any noticeable volume during the 3DMark rendering tests. In most tests, I heard barely a whisper from the fans, and general use was completely silent most of the time.

(Image credit: Future)

Intel's focus on power efficiency and thermal performance for the 2nd-gen Core Ultra chips has clearly paid off. The laptop barely got warm throughout my entire testing process – opting for a rear exhaust vent rather than the underside vents I often see on ultrabooks was a wise move from Dell, as it means using the laptop on a soft surface (like a duvet, or your own thighs) won't block any heat output.

When it comes to gaming, it's surprisingly viable on the XPS 13: toss in features like Intel XeSS upscaling (or AMD's open-source FSR 3.1), and you can reasonably play the vast majority of PC games on this laptop, even modern titles – just be aware that you'll probably need to tweak down some of the graphical settings in order to get a decent frame rate. This certainly isn't one of the best gaming laptops, but it'll happily stand up to a bit of casual gaming when the workday is done.

(Image credit: Future)

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Dell XPS 13: Battery

You probably got this from me raving about the battery further up in this review, but wowzers. Yeah, never saying that again. Seriously though, the battery life on this thing is absurd, beating out virtually every other laptop I've tested. Dell promised 24-hour battery life, and I'll be damned if it didn't deliver.

Our battery test involves running a looped 1080p video clip with the laptop set to standard power efficiency mode in Windows 11, with Bluetooth off, the volume at zero, and brightness at 50%. Running on battery power, the XPS 13 shut down after 23 hours and 26 minutes of playback – if you were using it at minimum brightness with additional low-power modes enabled, you could probably stretch it even further.

Granted, this isn't indicative of everyday use; many people will want brightness set to maximum or Bluetooth turned on to support a mouse or headset (because, you know... not enough ports on this bad boy). Still, it's a phenomenal showing that batters most of the competition, and virtually guarantees that this laptop will see you through a full workday.

One thing I really value in a laptop battery is its ability to hold charge when turned off or in sleep mode, and the XPS 13 also excels in this area. After sitting on a desk for several days, unplugged and unused, I cracked it open and found it still had more than 50% battery. Thanks to Thunderbolt 4 power delivery, it also charges very fast, going from empty to 80%-plus in one hour when not in use.

• Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Dell XPS 13? Buy it if...

You need long battery life
If you want your laptop to last through a full day's work and then some (or you're just prone to forgetting your charger), then Dell has you covered.

You want something lightweight but powerful
With a thin chassis and low overall package weight, the XPS 13 is a compact powerhouse that doesn't skimp on performance for its lightweight design.

You want to use AI locally
Intel’s Lunar Lake chips bring boosted NPU performance against previous models, so anyone who wants an ultrabook capable of running on-device AI tools should consider the XPS 13.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
Even though it backs up its price tag with excellent performance and a strong spec sheet, there's no denying that the Dell XPS 13 is a pricey piece of hardware.

You're sight-impaired
The edgeless touchpad and lack of tactile feedback on the function bar above the keyboard will prove to be a real issue for blind or partially-sighted users – this feels like a case of form over function.

You like plugging stuff in
Two USB-Cs, Dell? That's all we get? A measly showing for physical connectivity, something that won't bother some users but will really irritate others.

Also Consider

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M3 is one of the best compact laptops on the market, and its performance is top-notch too – the XPS 13 beats it in some areas, but if you prefer macOS to Windows, this is the one to pick.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

Dell XPS 17 (9730)
If you want a powerful laptop but would prefer a larger display (and you're not overly concerned about portability), then the Dell XPS 17 is worth a look.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 (9730) review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook S 14

• I used the Dell XPS 13 for a week, both for work and personal projects
• I ran it through our full suite of benchmarks
• I tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test as well as general use

As usual with laptops, my process for reviewing the Dell XPS 13 involved replacing my daily driver with it for a week (usually I'd like a little longer, but deadlines are deadlines). This helps me get a feel for how the laptop handles everyday workloads, as well as giving me a good amount of insight into the build quality and user experience.

Once I'd used the XPS 13 for a little while, I ran it through our grueling gauntlet of synthetic and real-world benchmarking tests, running every test at least three times to produce accurate averages.

Lastly, I always try to play some games on every laptop I review, and the XPS 13's performance genuinely surprised me – I was able to play Warframe and Elite Dangerous with few to no hiccups after a bit of tweaking in the graphical settings, although the demanding Black Myth: Wukong proved a bit much for the integrated graphics in this laptop.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2025

Boulies EP200: 30-second review

Supremely comfortable. That was my first thought after assembling the Boulies EP200 office chair and sitting down for the first time. And after a month of constant use - for at least eight hours a day, sometimes more - this initial assessment still holds true.

This is a delightful mesh seat which feels at all times supportive, relaxed, and one of the best office chairs I’ve ever tested. I’ve long been a fan of mesh office chairs, which are a lot more breathable and far less sweaty than fabric and leather (or worse, so-called PU or faux leather) options you’ll often find on even the best gaming chairs. If you’re using your chair for long hours at a time, to my mind mesh is the way to go. On this score, the Boulies EP200 ably fits the bill.

My real concern was whether that mesh seat would suffer from a general sagging or whether it would be too firm - either can lead to discomfort and fatigue during the work day. I’m happy to report that it hits the Goldilocks spot, neither too hard nor too soft, but just right.

There are a handful of features lacking here, which you’ll find on higher-priced desk chairs. Notably, the lumbar support is fixed to one spot - although you can move it back and forth, it isn’t height-adjustable to accommodate for taller users (as a man of average height, this wasn’t an issue for me).

Nonetheless, it does boast decent lower back support, 3D armrests, a pleasant headrest, and overall, I had no real problems positioning these to make it as comfortable as possible for all-day use.

Boulies EP200: Price & availability

(Image credit: Boulies )

The Boulies EP200 Series retails for $300 via the Boulies.com website by clicking here.

In the UK, the chair is available for £280 from the Boulies.co.uk site which you can visit by clicking here.

Right now, only the black cold-cured foam version is available in the US, while the UK offers both gray and black models.

At the time of review, this chair is currently discounted to $200 / £190, which is more in-line with budget-price office chairs - and an excellent price for what’s on offer, I feel. You can also pick it up from Amazon and other online retailers.

Boulies EP200: Specs Boulies EP200: Design

Close-up of the mesh weave on the Boulies EP200 (Image credit: Boulies )

The EP200 Series is available in black or gray, with the choice of a mesh or a cold-cured foam seat. Both models possess a tightly woven, single-piece mesh backrest. I selected the gray mesh variant for review, which I found unimposing in the home office.

Design-wise, it’s of the classic office chair look, not dissimilar to the likes of the Sihoo M57 (read our review here). Smart and professional, it won’t look out of place either in the home or in the office, and I have no complaints with its appearance. At 51cm, the backrest itself is relatively wide compared to some at this price-point, giving it more utility for those with a larger frame.

Around the back, it’s similarly unfussy, with a Y-shaped plastic support where, within the nub, you’ll find the adjustable lumbar support. The only sign of decoration comes from a silver piece of plastic stamped with the Boulies signature. This is a separate piece, fitted post-assembly, and entirely optional depending on your tastes.

Boulies EP200: Assembly Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Boulies )Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Boulies )

Taking around twenty minutes from start to finish, constructing the Boulies EP200 is about as simple as any I’ve tried. Plug the wheels into the aluminum base, bolt the backrest to the seat, then affix the contoured headrest. Connect the armrests, add the gas lift to the base, and rest the chair on top. All par for the course when it comes to office chair assembly.

While the box is admittedly heavy, I had no issues hauling it upstairs into the office, and assembling the entire unit on my own. The included manual is straightforward and easy to follow, and if you have any experience piecing chairs together, you’ll have no trouble here whatsoever.

Boulies EP200: Comfort & adjustability Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Boulies )Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Boulies )Image 3 of 4

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(Image credit: Boulies )

I was impressed with the comfort of this office chair - in fact, I’d find reasons to sit at my desk outside of work hours just to use it. I found the suspended mesh seat firm without being too hard, and supportive in all the right places.

As a chap of average height and build, I didn’t struggle with finding the sweet spot here. Like all gas-lift office chairs, you’ll find a lever beneath the seat to adjust the overall height. Pulling this lever outward unlocks the backrest so you can recline - just push back with your body weight until you find the appropriate angle, then lock it into place again. Easy stuff.

A second lever beside this is where you can control how far back the seat can go, and I found I had to have it moderately far forward in order to get into the lumbar support in the correct position. After making this adjustment, the foam lumbar support pushing through the mesh offered consistent lower back support.

I was expecting the unpadded armrests to be a bind, akin to resting one’s elbows on a slab of warm concrete. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the foam, while relatively thin and somewhat hardened, provided an excellent balance between comfort and support - much like the rest of the chair, to be fair. As typical 3D armrests, these can be moved up and down, backwards and forwards, and outward and inward.

However, I would’ve liked to see a few more adjustability options. Specifically, the lumbar support, which can be repositioned on the horizontal plane by turning the screw cap, but not vertically, which would be useful for taller users. The headrest, too, can be moved up and down, but won’t shift forward, back, or angled in any way. Perhaps I’m being greedy, since for the price, I don’t consider these deal-breakers.

Boulies EP200: Final verdict

If you’re looking for a decent ergonomic office chair that won’t break the bank, there’s a lot to recommend about the Boulies EP200. It might not boast all the bells and whistles you’ll find on chairs twice the price, and it would’ve been nice to have a few extra adjustability points here and there. But for a modern, uncomplicated seat, I found it supremely comfortable and ultra-breathable even when used all day.

Should I buy the Boulies EP200 Series office chair? Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies )Image 2 of 3

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(Image credit: Boulies )

Buy it if…

✅ You want an affordable ergonomic office chair: Considering the price, the Boulies EP200 is extremely comfortable, offering good all-round support,with most of the key features I’d like to see in an office chair.

✅ You demand all-day comfort: I used this chair for at least eight hours a day for a month during testing, and never once felt fatigue set in. If you’re planning on being at your desk for work, rest, or play, it’s an effective choice.

Don’t buy it if…

❌ You need more adjustments: While you can reposition plenty of parts of this chair, it lacks height adjustable lumbar support, 4D armrests, and an angled headrest. That may be a deal-breaker for some.

❌ You need a padded backrest: Both versions in the Boulies EP200 Series of office chairs feature a mesh backrest, and while I found it snug and comfortable, many prefer a cushioned option for additional comfort.

For more workspace essentials, we tested the best standing desks for the home and office.

Early on in narrative adventure game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1, you find yourself in the maximalist milieu of its protagonist’s cluttered bedroom, circa 1995. After fiddling with the pin art board and pilfering through a collection of shiny VHS tapes, my eye was drawn to the off-brand Tamagotchi on Swann’s desk.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam
Release date: February 18, 2024

As I admired the familiar chunky design, marked delicately by little scratches, the screen came to life, and new options appeared on screen: Play, Feed, Eat. Like an archaeologist, I marveled at the unnecessary meticulousness of this moment — there was no need for Lost Records to include a fully-playable pocket pet, yet here I was, cleaning up its poop like any good teenager would.

This level of detail is redolent of developer Don't Nod's first two Life is Strange games, which solidified the studio’s reputation as new wave masterminds of segmented narrative. There have been many Don't Nod and even some Life is Strange games in the time since, but the key creatives behind that initial diptych have yet to deliver a successor, until now.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a new IP that explores the uncanny, messy nature of humanity from a stylized and period-specific perspective. So far, it’s an adventure dripping in tactile nostalgia and pithy mystery that evolves the ethos of the games that came before it. Evoking Life is Strange’s episodic approach, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is split into two parts, with the second tape coming in April 2025.

In Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1, four friends who vowed never to speak after an undisclosed incident are summoned back to their hometown when an ominous package arrives in the mail. You play as Swann, an anxious forty-something who must face the events of the troupe’s ‘lost summer’, rekindling their dormant relationships to understand why the parcel arrived after all this time and what could be inside.

To do this, you’ll rummage through gorgeously curated midwestern dioramas, jumping between 1995 and 2022 to pick apart set pieces and choose lines of dialogue, with the story molding around your version of events. The decisions you make in the past and present weave together as the story unfolds, ensuring each choice feels loaded regardless of what you’re doing. In Velvet Cove, appearances are deceiving, and the liberating break the friends have since put behind them obscures an otherworldly backbone waiting to be unearthed.

Swann’s teenage self is also equipped with a trusty camcorder that you’ll use to film the events of the summer as they unfold, a unique mechanic that helps to distinguish Lost Records from its peers. As you explore, you can pull out your trusty device on a whim to capture precious moments and create idiosyncratic memoirs. You’ll often be prompted to film certain scenes, too, with that footage showing up during cutscenes, cleverly immersing you in the 90s fantasy.

Be kind, rewind

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

The basis of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is rewarding exploration. If you search hard enough in your reckless friend's garage, you might find the crude placement of perfume samples meant to hide the scent of weed. Or, if you wander deeper through an abandoned park, you might stumble upon some choice graffiti that illuminates the small-town mentality and class dissonance present in Velvet Cove. Not every nook and cranny hid something shocking, and oftentimes, the small clues served to illuminate the complexity of the townsfolk, blurring the lines between what I thought it meant to be a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ character.

Looking for such hints is helped by the overarching mystery of Swann’s amnesia, which weaves the spirit of investigation into the main plot. As such, combing through each room or open space feels natural and less game-like, with my attention drawn to Swann’s actions instead. Whether I’d scoured a room or not, I never felt as though I was missing something, with Don't Nod consistently giving me enough information to push forward.

This sense of immersion is helped by the stellar voice acting delivered by the Lost Records cast. There’s distinct naivete and softness as the younger versions of their characters chat, which rubs against the awkwardness as they reconnect as their older selves. Lines are delivered with patience and intent, and I relished watching their tones shift as the summer played out, as they became a closer, more flirty group. This shift is also accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack that blends its original score with a smattering of licensed cult tracks (including Cocteau Twins) to great effect.

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

Despite how magical and freeing Lost Records can feel, Don't Nod doesn’t shy away from the harsher elements of humanity either, and handles them with care. As a teen girl, Swann doesn’t fit the ‘skinny’ mold, an issue that comes up cruelly for them throughout Lost Records. While visceral performances summoned plenty of emotion from me, I found the quieter teenage disaffection of Swann and their group to be equally as moving. This is particularly true for the case of Swann’s friend Nora, whose brash aesthetic and attitude act as a mask for insecurities about their troubled home life.

Of the leading group, the firecracker Kat is perhaps the most intriguing, with much of the story centering around their homelife, their polar opposite sister Dylan, and her disaffected but strangely magnetic boyfriend Corey, who appears to bully and accost the girls. Kat’s struggles seem simple, as punk beliefs wrestle with traditional family values. It would be easy to settle on Kat’s situation as one-dimensional family trouble, but Lost Records subverts these expectations considerably and did well to reframe my experiences with its cast of murky heroes and villains.

What’s in the box?

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

Perhaps my favorite aspect of Lost Records, though, is the variety of choices you can make and how they ratchet up your emotions. Unlike the team’s previous work on Life is Strange, here, the story-shifting decisions don’t appear with an intimidating on-screen chyron.

It’s fair to assume that the repercussions of my actions won’t be fully revealed until Tape 2. However, there were still plenty of instances where I saw my actions immediately play out. For example, in the opening moments, Swann talks to their mum on the phone and reminisces about their old cat: from here on out in the past, from feeding them to cuddles, that is your pet’s name. No matter how big or small the selection felt, a fine-tuned balance of player influence alongside the main linear story made me feel necessary to the plot despite it being moored in a confident overarching narrative.

Best bit

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

You won't find any collectibles throughout Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1. Instead, Swann can pull out their trusty handycam at any point to film seemingly random pieces of set dressing to create nostalgic video memories, complete with a snowy 90s filter. Public graffiti, bird species, and dilapidated playground equipment are dotted around Velvet Cove, waiting to be transformed from small town bric-a-brac into a stylized retro memoir. What’s most impressive, though, is that the tidbits of tape you’ve filmed go on to play in cutscenes, giving your playthrough a unique and dreamy feel.

Lost Records isn't always hazy sunsets, though, with some scenes twisting towards horror. In one particular instance, Swann fell through a window into an abandoned house, the exit guarded by a mystical padlock. Wandering through the dark, with only my camcorder light to guide me, I felt pangs of genuine fear while puzzle-solving. Much of Lost Records revolves around dialogue, and these surprising deviations into thrilling puzzles and spooky tricks kept me on my toes as I moved through the story, which is persistently tinged with menacing magical realism.

A stand-out feature was the intricately modeled characters and carefully curated visual identity in both the past and present. Despite jumping twenty-seven years, Velvet Cove feels trapped in the past, with its water tower adorned with gaudy wooden antlers and the plaid-wearing regulars in the local bar. Rusty chain link fences, cracked cement, and abandoned spaces create a strong feeling that the town has been left behind, a sensation which contrasts against the liberated aesthetic of the girl group who are keen to leave it behind.

Across my playtime I encountered a smattering of technical bugs, such as chugging when scenes would load and, in one instance, a crash. These issues were minor in the grand scheme of the game, and I’m hopeful they will be resolved before the launch. Thankfully, a forgiving checkpoint system meant I never lost that much progress when I did run into problems.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 might only be the first half of the story, yet even as I rolled credits, tears streaming down my cheeks, I felt satisfied and deeply curious about the chaos its cliffhanger ending had wrought. I’m keen to dig in and unlock the missing pieces of Swann and Co.'s past, one aberrated camcorder clip at a time.

Should I play Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1?

(Image credit: Don't Nod) Play it if…

If you love cinema…
Gameplay in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is interspersed with gorgeously shot cutscenes that feel ripped from a coming-of-age film yet to exist.

You like games grounded in reality…
Similar to Don't Nod's previous work, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 doesn’t shy away from the crueler parts of humanity, exploring complex topics like fatphobia and misogyny.

Don’t play it if…

You want to play something fast-paced…
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is first and foremost about taking your time and enjoying the environments and vibes curated throughout its slow-moving story. While there are undoubtedly moments of urgency, much of Tape 1 involves gently combing through the Velvet Cove and getting to know its inhabitants.

Accessibility

When you boot up Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1, you can choose the interface text size (small, medium, and large) and toggle on and off subtitles. From this screen, you can also select the size of the subtitles (small, medium, large.) Due to the heavy themes in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, you’ll also have the choice to turn on trigger warnings.

These warnings include topics such as drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. On this screen, you can also tweak audio dynamic range, choosing between a narrow (little difference between loud and quiet moments, suitable for low-quality sound systems or noisy playspaces), Medium (moderate difference between loud and quiet moments, ideal for most speakers), and Wide (sizable difference between loud and quiet moments, ideal for high-quality sound systems or quiet playspaces)

From the pause menu, under controls, you can toggle on and off vibrations and how the camcorder behaves in the game. There are also options to reduce motion sickness, such as a toggling off head bob, camcorder motion controls, and shifting the camcorder feel between regular, light, very light, and none. You can additionally invert cameras and movements and remap the entire keyboard from this menu.

Where visual effects are concerned, You can toggle on and off motion blur, camera smoothing, and camera shake. From the interface menu, you can also toggle on and off a speaker cue that provides a visual cue for who is talking as well as toggle the persistent reticle in first and third person.

How I reviewed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

I completed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1’s story in around nine and a half hours on my PC. In that time, I searched through each environment and completed most mini montages Swann could film throughout, as well as tested photo mode.

I used an AOC 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz monitor, a Logitech MX Master 3S mouse, and a Logitech G915 TKL keyboard. For sound, I used my external Creative Pebble V2 speakers and Audio Technica ATH-MX50X headphones plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 interface. My GPU is an RTX 3080, and my CPU is an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X.

First reviewed February 2025

PebbleHost has been around since 2017 and despite not often featuring among best Minecraft server hosting provider lists it is still a great host. It offers three different types of plan encompassing budget, premium, and extreme. Understandably, the prices vary wildly depending on what you choose here with the budget servers proving the highlight for those on a tight budget.

PebbleHost sticks to focusing on its Minecraft server hosting rather than including other games, but you can also sign up for VPS hosting or dedicated server hosting if you want more freedom. For gaming communities, there’s also Discord bot hosting. If you’re looking for the best dedicated server hosting, it could be worth checking out PebbleHost but in this review, we’ve focused on its dedicated Minecraft server hosting options. Here’s how we found the PebbleHost experience to be.

Plans and pricing

PebbleHost offers three tiers of Minecraft server plans. All its plans offer 24/7 customer support via Discord, a free MySQL database, full FTP access, unmetered storage, a free subdomain creator, unlimited slots, and global server locations. Where plans differ is in terms of the hardware involved.

The budget range uses older CPUs such as the Intel i9-9900k and Ryzen 5700X, and DDR4 memory. The premium range uses the Ryzen 7900 CPU and DDR5 memory, with the Extreme range using the same hardware but also offering dedicated CPU threads. The two pricier plans also provide a one-click Modpack installer and free automatic backups which are bordering on essential for any Minecraft server admin.

For all servers, you can use a sliding scale to increase the RAM involved, and whether you want any additional CPU threads for your server. The cheapest budget server offers just 1GB RAM but costs only $3 per quarter. A more mid-range option comes from the Premium server with 5GB RAM which is $11.25 per month. The cheapest Extreme server has 6GB of RAM and 3 threads and starts at $37.50.

PebbleHost offers a 72 hour refund policy which isn’t the longest but is fairly standard with other competitors like Shockbyte offering similar.

During the signup process, Advanced DDoS mitigation is added onto the price tag but you can unselect it. Another options include a dedicated IP, and additional MySQL databases. Whatever you decide, payment is possible via credit or debit card, Apple and Google Pay, as well as Paypal, FastSpring, and crypto currencies. Costs can ramp up (more on if it’s worth it later) but everything is laid out in a clear and obvious manner.

Ease of use

A screenshot of the PebbleHost control panel - running a low-end server. (Image credit: Future)

The sign up process with PebbleHost is straightforward and instantly offers up access with passwords for the client side of things and the control panel. During sign up, you’ve already picked what server type you want installed so that’s one step removed. All you really need to do is get the server started and operational.

On the control panel, there’s a list of options on the left hand side with easy ways to check out the file manager, set up your MySQL database, and add subusers which is great if you want to add admins or even a co-owner to your plan. The jar manager helps you switch between different versions like Paper, Vanilla, or Spigot.

For the most part, everything is clearly laid out so you won’t get confused. Opt for anything but the budget plan if you want a one click install for mod packs as well as automatic backups, and there’s even less work involved for you.

If you’ve never set up a Minecraft server before, you won’t get too confused here.

Speed and experience

Adding another user/admin to PebbleHost. (Image credit: Future)

PebbleHost offers servers located in North America (Canada), Europe, and the UK. Premium server users also have the option of a server located in Australia or Singapore, as well as the US. When signing up, keep an eye on what’s available as some server locations sell out.

I used a server based in Europe, as am I, and saw a steady 30-35 ping. There was no downtime either which is always welcome news.

How well the server operates really does depend on the plan you choose. While $3 per quarter seems like a bargain for the cheapest plan, in reality, you won’t get far with it. Even with no one active on the server, half the RAM is allocated, and once someone logs on, the CPU usage soars. It’s best to invest a little into something that actually suits your needs.

That’s even more important if you plan on installing mods or plugins (and you should). Still, even at its most basic, PebbleHost demonstrates what it offers. Just make sure you opt for a Premium plan at minimum if you want to gather together friends with no hassle. Although, bear in mind that if you opt for one of the more expensive plans, it could work out cheaper to go elsewhere.

Support

PebbleHost has two main forms of support -- a ticketing system and a Discord server. The Discord server is reasonably active and useful for quick advice from both staff and experienced users. It can also prove useful if you need advice about mods or other community elements which PebbleHost isn’t equipped to advise on.

When using the ticket system, I received a response within less than 10 minutes. It was both friendly and informative. If you’re truly stuck, you can pay $10 per month for advanced Minecraft support so someone on the PebbleHost team will setup up to 30 Forge/Fabric mods, as well as setup many other key additions for your server.

Besides direct support, PebbleHost also has a knowledgebase which is helpful and incorporates some YouTube videos. PebbleHost is also transparent with uptime with its server status page breaking down every server and part of the company’s infrastructure. At time of writing, its 7-day average uptime is a very respectable 99.992%.

Final Verdict

PebbleHost’s speciality is offering well performing Minecraft servers for those looking for something cheap or mid-range. It gets a little expensive for the most premium/Extreme options which makes your decision a little harder. When it comes to the budget price point though, it’s hard to fault PebbleHost.

I was particularly impressed with how quick and efficient support was (without being cold or unfriendly), and how straightforward the PebbleHost Control Panel is to use. The addition of a Discord server is always useful too.

The sweet spot here is going for a PebbleHost Premium server. Anything pricier is a little too expensive for all but the most high-end user, and the budget option is a little too basic and slow. Stick with the Premium server and you can have a good quality Minecraft server set up in no time. The backup of speedy support will ease any worries newbies to being a server admin may have.

JBL Tune 305C review

If you’re on the hunt for some new earbuds but you’ve not bought into the whole wireless thing, the JBL Tune 305C could be an enticing budget option. These wired earbuds promise punchy bass, a comfortable fit – not a bad package for £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). So can the JBL Tune 305C live up to these bold promises, or do they instead fall flat?

Well, let’s start where it matters most – sound. Of course, the main attraction is meant to be JBL’s “Pure Bass” sound but despite providing enjoyable warmth, this won’t conjure up the low-end boom that bass heads may want. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, there was a solid amount of depth to the thumping drum machine, but it lacked the impact and prominence in the mix to really have my head bopping. When listening to All Night Long by Chris Stussy, the bouncing bass never sounded lethargic or unresponsive, but again, it wasn’t as hard-hitting as I’d hoped.

You can be assured, however, that bass won’t sound nasty and distorted. Similarly, I didn’t experience much in terms of tinniness in the treble range or overly thin mids – something that all our picks of the best wired earbuds are capable of circumventing. But clean audio isn’t always a given with budget buds – the Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds with USB-C Connector, for instance, are very cheap… and they sound it. The JBL feel like good value in comparison.

Another positive is that the JBL Tune 305C can play hi-res music files thanks to the inclusion of a built-in digital to analog converter (DAC) – pretty impressive for some buds that come in at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). But although overall audio is certainly clear, it doesn’t really sound massively detailed.

For instance, I tuned into Clair de Lune by Kamasi Washington and piano notes soaring up and sinking down sounded slightly clumped – where they’d sound more individualized and defined using more premium buds such as the Sennheiser IE 200. Piano was also given a lot more breathing space with the IE 200, whereas it sounded more muddied with the Tune 305C – but not to a degree that it was totally lost in the mix.

One reason that I didn’t get a massively nuanced, informative listen from the Tune 305C was their in-ear fit. Like the Apple EarPods USB-C, they’re pretty loose-fitting, with an 'open-ear' design. They don’t include eartips, like the SoundMagic E11D, for example, meaning sound is less concentrated into the ear canal. Some may prefer the looser feel of these – I can’t deny that they were easy to keep in for longer listening sessions.

But still, they would occasionally feel as if they were falling out, especially when I was on the go. Not ideal if you’re on a run or working out. This design choice also limits noise isolation, so you may have to put up with the sound of that wailing baby on your four-hour flight… uh oh.

But again, some may prefer the more relaxed feel of the Tune 305C. On top of that, these are pretty lightweight and didn’t subject me to all too much cable noise – impressive for buds at this price-point.

(Image credit: Future)

And that’s not all – you also get a neat controller, which has volume, play/pause and mic controls built-in. Firstly, I have to say I was very impressed with mic quality. There was some very slight tinniness on a phone call, but my voice was nice and clear. Meanwhile, a voice recording came through with limited background static and well-defined vocals – rare for lots of wired earbuds.

You’re not going to believe me, but the fun doesn’t stop there either. If you hold down the volume up button for two seconds, you can even switch between Standard, Bass and Voice modes. EQ settings are pretty rare for cheap wired earbuds, so I was delighted to find this here. Really, the only downside practicality-wise is the lack of waterproofing, which would be ideal for listening in the rain or when exercising.

Another slightly disappointing aspect of these earbuds is their design. The buds each have a raised piece of plastic with the JBL logo on which looks a little clumsy, and the flat wire might not be to everyone’s taste either. Don’t get me wrong, my eyes didn’t burn just looking at the Tune 305C, but I was hardly swooning over them. The controller looks decent, however, and is positioned near your cheek for easy access, not to mention that the wire – despite not being too pretty – is tangle-resistant, which is useful if you need to slide these into your pocket.

All in all, the JBL Tune 305C are a solid pair of in-ear buds. They have typically clean audio with commendable bass and volume, EQ options and a surprisingly good mic. The loose fit does come with sacrifices in the audio and noise isolation departments and it's a shame not to see waterproofing too. But at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), there’s still plenty to like here.

If you want a step-up USB-C option, the SoundMagic E80D will outperform the Tune 305C in most departments, but there are some nice cheaper options too, such as the Skullcandy Set USB-C.

(Image credit: Future) JBL Tune 305C review: Price and release date

• £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21)
• Launched in 2024

The JBL Tune 305C launched in 2024 – the same year that the audio specialists dropped the Tune 310C model, which uses ear tips for a more snug, noise-isolating listening experience.

These in-ears are typically priced at £16.75 / AU$24, making them a very budget-friendly option. They’re also available in a number of attractive color variants including: Black, Blue, Red and White – I tested the latter for this review.

JBL Tune 305C review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the JBL Tune 305C? Buy them if...

You’re on a tight budget
If you want a cheaper wired option, these are worth considering. At £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), you get audio that’s rarely tinny or grating, solid loudness and even EQ options – not bad at all.

You’re always on the phone
If you love a phone call, you’ll likely be satisfied with the JBL Tune 305C’s built-in mic. You get decently clear, defined speech as well as call controls, making these ideal for those who enjoy a good natter.

Don't buy them if...

You want strong noise isolation
Due to their loose-fitting design, these JBL Buds will offer very little in the way of noise isolation. If you’re looking for decent passive noise isolation at an ultra-low price, consider the Sony MDR-EX15AP. But if you want to take things up a notch and wouldn’t mind going wireless, then take a peek at our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds – which includes a very cheap option.

You’re expecting top-tier audio quality
If you’re expecting a top-drawer sonic performance from the JBL Tune 305C you’re likely to be disappointed. Sure, they have a built-in DAC for hi-res listening and pretty warm bass, but they can sometimes produce a fairly bloated sound, especially at high volumes.

JBL Tune 305C review: Also consider

Skullcandy Set USB-C
If you’re looking for a stylish, moderately priced pair of wired earbuds, the Skullcandy Set USB-C could be the perfect fit. They boast a clean, curved design, attractive color options and solid sound quality. There are no built-in volume controls, which is slightly irritating, but IPX4 waterproofing does give it some points in the durability department. Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review.

SoundMagic E80D
The SoundMagic E80D are some of the best budget-friendly wired earbuds around. Why? They offer excellent comfort, an inbuilt DAC for hi-res listening and impressive noise isolation. It’s a decent amount more than the JBL Tune 305C, sure, but if you have that extra cash, you’re in for a far superior sonic experience. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

JBL Tune 305C review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for one week
• Used in the office and on public transport
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the JBL Tune 305C over the course of one week. When I used these buds for music listening, I mainly used Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I also tried them out with YouTube and Spotify on my Windows Laptop.

Not only that, but I made sure to run through tracks in the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – read our guide on how we test earbuds for more. I did, however, also spend hours tuning into songs from my personal library. And I took the 305C with me everywhere for this review. I tested them at a busy London train station, on walks through my local town centre and in the office.

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

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: one-minute review

The Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is just that. It is indeed an air fryer, and not really more than that, but the design is utterly unique. Rather than cooking in a plastic drawer, your food goes on a metal tray in a glass cooking container with built-in plastic handles and feet. The heating element, which Ninja calls the PowerPod, is placed onto the glass container. When your cooking is complete, simply remove the PowerPod and place the glass container right onto the table for serving.

If you have leftovers, you can just put the included lid on your glass container and stick it in your fridge. The glass containers come in multiple sizes and the PowerPod has an adapter so it will fit on each container perfectly. There are four cooking modes: Bake, Air Fry, Max Crisp, and Recrisp. Each runs at a different temperature range, so you have some flexibility.

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: price and availability

• List price: $159.99 (about £127 / AU$251)

You can purchase the Ninja Crispi directly from Ninja’s website, where it’s available in a number of bundles containing multiple glass containers. You can also purchase extra glass containers in three different sizes separately: $29.99 for the six-cup container, $39.99 for the 2.5-quart container, and $44.99 for the four-quart size. The standard $159.99 system, which I tested, comes with the large four quart and the small six cup glass container. It’s available just about everywhere that sells air fryers online and in person, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and many more.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: specifications Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: design and features

• Heat comes from removable Crispi PowerPod
• Four cooking functions
• Looks functional rather than attractive

The cleverly designed Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is a really a cooking pod, called the PowerPod, and a collection of glass cooking dishes. The cooking dishes, which Ninja calls TempWare Containers, withstand high cooking temperatures and are made just for the Ninja Crispi. You must use Ninja’s TempWare Containers; the PowerPod won’t work on other dishes. A built-in plastic piece adds handles and feet so you can place the dishes on any countertop. Each cooking dish comes with a metal crisper plate that nests inside and keeps the food off the bottom so air can circulate around it.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Place your food into one of the glass dishes on the crisper plate and place the pod on top. The PowerPod fits the small six-cup dish perfectly on its own. If you’re using the larger four-quart dish, you’ll need to use the included adapter for the PowerPod. Choose your cooking function mode: Recrisp (380°-400°F), Bake (375°-400°F), Air Fry (400°-425F), or Max Crisp (425°-450°). Select your cook time by pressing the - or + buttons. Press the start button to begin.

As with most air fryers, you will usually need to flip your food over halfway through the cook time. To pause cooking, simply remove the PowerPod and it will power off automatically. To re-start cooking, place the pod back onto the glass container and hit the start button once again.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The standard bundle comes with the largest glass dish, which has a four quart capacity, and the smallest one, which holds six cups. Ninja also makes a medium 2.5-quart glass dish, which is sold separately. Any of the glass dishes can be purchased separately, and there are different bundles you can buy with varying dish combinations. The handles and feet allow you to use the dishes for serving the food; there’s no need to transfer it to another container. All of the cooking dishes also come with an air-tight lid, so you can use the dishes for storing food as well.

Cleaning the Ninja Crispi is easy. You don’t need to clean the PowerPod, just the glass containers and crisper plates. They are even dishwasher safe, though it is easy enough to just wash them by hand. Though it’s not mentioned in the literature, I was able to use paper air fryer liners which made cleanup even easier.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: performance

Though there are four cooking modes, the Ninja Crispi is truly an air fryer. The Air Fryer, Max Crisp, and Recrisp modes all worked pretty much as expected. The Bake mode, however, was a bit disappointing. I tried baking several items, all of which turned out fully browned on the top and raw in the middle. Since air frying in general requires flipping for even crisping, I’m not that surprised that the baking mode wasn’t great. I think baking would be fine for something quite thin, like cookies or very small mini muffins. If you want to make something thicker, like full-sized cupcakes, you’re better off using a regular oven. Of course, most people don’t buy air fryers in order to bake.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I eat a lot of fresh roasted vegetables, so I air fried broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. I used both Air Fry and Max Crisp modes. There is a learning curve, but once I got the hang of it, the veggies turned out delicious with just the barest spritz of oil. You definitely want to remember to flip your food, at least once during the cooking process. When I didn’t flip it, the food did not cook evenly. The Ninja Crispi is very, very fast. It’s a good idea to check your food frequently to make sure you don’t burn it. Even with careful flipping and checking, vegetables tend to brown (or blacken) quickly in some spots before all of them are fully cooked. Raw vegetables tended to come out more blackened and crisp rather than tender.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

My favorite vegetable cooked from its raw state was the diced sweet potatoes. They were crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The next day I used the Recrisp mode to heat up the leftovers, which turned out great.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I made a bunch of veggie burgers, as well as protein waffles, veggie tots, falafel balls, and veggie “chicken” nuggets. They all turned out wonderful and crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. I didn’t need to add any oil to any of these convenience foods.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I hosted a Super Bowl party and air fried some frozen french fries for my guests. The fries disappeared so quickly, I ended up air frying another batch immediately! They were perfectly crisp and evenly browned on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle. I did nothing to doctor them at all, no oil or seasonings, and they came out just right.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

My family got in on the air frying fun. My youngest is a more adventurous cook than I, and they made some panko-crusted and seasoned tofu squares. The tofu was delicious! As expected, it was nice and crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. They didn’t even have to press and dry the tofu first. I’m a vegetarian but my husband eats meat; he used the Ninja Crispi to quickly and easily cook some chicken breasts. They got nicely browned on the outside (flipping half-way through cook time is a must) and cooked all the way through.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

As I mentioned above, I did try Bake mode. First, I made some pancake bites in a little silicone baking dish. The tops browned but the rest was still raw. I actually pulled off all the tops, flipped them over, and put them through another bake cycle. That worked fine. I also baked a (rather thick) protein air fryer cookie with the same results. I did the same thing where I pulled off the top, flipped it over, and put it through another cycle. Again, it was fine that way. So if you do use Bake mode, just be sure your items are very thin.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System? Buy it if

You want to minimize cleanup and hassle

Put your food in one specially designed glass dish. Then air fry, serve, and store your food without having to move it to another dish. You only have one dish to clean. Easy peasy!

You want multiple cooking modes

From low heat to high heat: Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp.

You want portability

You could easily keep the PowerPod at the office, for example, and just bring the glass container with your food inside ready to air fry each day.

Don't buy it if

You want something pretty to keep on your counter

The Ninja Crispi just looks functional. It has a lot of parts (stackable, but still) so you’ll need some storage space.

You want the cheapest possible no frills air fryer

There are certainly cheaper options out there.

You plan to do a lot of baking in your air fryer

If that’s the case, you might prefer a toaster oven-air fryer combo appliance instead.

Ninja Crispi: also consider

If you're not sure about the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System, here are some other options to consider...

Ninja Double Oven Air Fryer

Cook two different items two different ways at the same time in this two-compartment air fryer oven. This is a good pick if you want to bake and air fry with the same appliance, which is why it earned a place in our roundup of the best air fryers.

Read our full review here.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer

Just want a regular air fryer? This two-basket version does the job, twice, earning it the title “best budget air fryer” on our list of the best air fryers.

Check out our full review here.

How I tested the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System

• I tested Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp modes multiple times
• I used it daily for two weeks to cook a variety of food
• I cleaned it after each use

Although I’m a foodie, I’m kind of a lazy cook. As a wife and mother of three, I used to put more effort into crafting a variety of nutritious meals from scratch when my kids were little. Now that they’re grown, I still want to eat healthy meals, I just don’t want to take the time to cook them. The Ninja Crispi certainly helps me get food on the table fast. My family (my husband, my adult child, and I) used the Ninja Crispi daily, sometimes multiple times in one day, for two weeks. We made loads of fresh veggies, plus veggie burgers, veggie chicken nuggets, french fries, frozen waffles, breaded tofu, falafel, veggie tots, chicken breasts, pancake bites, and a protein breakfast cookie. I cleaned it after each use, which was quite easy. I did use paper air fryer liners sometimes, which made cleanup even easier.

Read more about how we test.

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The Elegoo Centauri Carbon is one of the new wave of CoreXY fully enclosed machines that I've reviewed this year, although this one is aimed directly at the entry-level market. Elegoo already has a decent history with this level of printer, with their Neptune printers being some of the most reliable on the market—if not the most well-known.

The main reasons for making the switch from the traditional bed slinger to the CoreXY machines is that they ensure high speed and accurate prints, and it's nice to see a printer of this type and quality come from Elegoo.

After removing the printer from the box, it only took around 10 minutes to get it set up and started with the first print. What really impressed me was the fact that it was so easy to use. It actually compared really well against the new Creality and Anycubic machines and, again, was just extremely fast and ran through its various self-checks faster than those competing machines.

While an initial check through the specifications showed that this is a slower printer than the new Creality K2 Plus or the S1 from Anycubic, when it came to general print speeds away from the standard test models, the Centauri Carbon actually outpaced them.

As I've seen with many of the best 3D printers, there's a lot of self-checking that goes on, so the auto bed levelling, strain gauge system, and other fail-safes all help to avoid misprints. It's nice to see a printer of this type coming out with its own integrated camera as a standard part of the machine, rather than an optional extra—the main thing here is that it will also print Carbon fill straight from the box, again without any additions.

The enclosed design enables plenty of material support, and through the test, I used PLA, PETG, as well as TPU and carbon fill, just to give the printer a full run of materials. With more advanced materials, having that enclosed build area does help with print quality, and when it comes to materials such as PLA, you can always pop the top of the machine to increase airflow.

Overall, while there's nothing groundbreaking about the Centauri Carbon, other than the amount of printer that you get for the price. When it comes to build quality, design, and ease of use, I have to say I've been extremely impressed. Although it remains a closed system, as an out-of-the-box and easy-to-use solution, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon is just a really well-thought-out and solid machine.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon: Price and Availability

The Elegoo Centauri Carbon can be purchased directly from the official Elegoo website as well as through major online retailers.

US: $299.99
UK: £299.99
EU: €329.99
CA: $449.99

• Price and Availability: 5/5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The first thing I noticed when I lifted the Centauri Carbon out of the box was just how heavy it was for such a relatively small machine. The reason for this is that it has a completely integrated chassis, which helps boost stability, and certainly, for a machine of this type, it feels really solid. That solid build is carried across the entire design of this 3D printer, and it all feels really high-quality, with reinforced aluminium alloy pillars and stainless steel side panels. They all add weight but, again, add to that rigidity, which is needed for a CoreXY machine.

Looking over the machine, the overall build is good and solid, with a high-quality glass door at the front and a touchscreen for easy navigation and control of the machine. One of the pitfalls of this type of machine is that a door or top needs to be removed or opened when printing filaments such as PLA, and that's certainly a case here—some of the latest machines have started to incorporate other manual or automatic vent systems. Considering the price, the build and design is very high, so to not featuring a vent at this level isn't an issue. For a machine of this type, the display is just about standard at 4.3 inches, offering a full-colour screen that is nice and bright and extremely responsive.

Inside, due to the design of the machine, everything is neatly packed away, so it looks like a really refined 3D printer. It would have been considered premium had it been released a year ago, but now it sits just at the upper end of the entry-level price point. From the outset, it just seems like superb value for money, considering the quality and the number of features that you get.

There's a lot here that is reminiscent of the old bed-slinger Cartesian printers, so we have the large 256 × 256 × 256 mm print area, and as standard, there is a flexible magnetic build plate. This enables easy model removal when needed.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

On the outside of the machine, you have your USB port so that you can transfer files offline to and from the machine, and the right-hand side of the machine features the filament holder, which is pretty standard and not enclosed. These days, it's more common to put your filament into a dry box of some type, and the design of this machine actually makes that next to impossible, so if a dry box is added, it will be an external module.

When it comes to the nozzle, there is a standard 0.4 mm option fitted by default, and as is now standard, this can be swapped and changed for a range of other diameter nozzles depending on the type of work you're doing. When it comes to the maximum temperature, this can reach up to 320°C—perfect for specialist materials—and there is plenty of flexibility over the adjustment of the temperature when needed. This is the Carbon model, so you guessed it, as standard out of the box, it's Carbon ready. Likewise, the bed temperature can also rise up to 110°C, again ideal for specialist materials.

• Design: 4.5/5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Specs

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Build Volume: 256 × 256 × 256 mm
Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 mm (default)
Max Nozzle Temperature: 320°C
Max Bed Temperature: 110°C
Filament Compatibility: PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PLA-CF, etc.
Printing Speed: ≤500 mm/s
Acceleration: 20,000 mm/s²
Slicing Software: ELEGOO Slicer, supports third-party slicers
Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi
Display: 4.3-inch full-color touch screen
Power: 1100 W @ 220 V, 350 W @ 110 V

This is Elegoo's first CoreXY motion machine, and if we look at the quality of their previous 3D printers, this first launch sets a pretty good standard when it comes to entry-level machines of this type for others to follow.

Starting out with the build area, at 256 × 256 × 256 mm, this is big all things considered and will give you plenty of flexibility over the type of model that you print. When it comes to the actual size and weight of this machine, it measures 398 × 404 × 490 mm, which again really isn't that large for a machine of this type and build area. When you compare that with the traditional bed slinger, it actually takes up a lot less space. However, when it comes to weight, these machines are in a different league compared with the older bed-slinging Cartesian models and has a weight of 17.5 kg. So, despite that relatively small footprint, with the strength and quality of the construction, the weight of this machine is far greater.

Just taking a quick run-through of the tool head, and it's fitted with a 0.4 mm nozzle diameter, and this can be swapped out and changed for others. It's heated by a 60 W heater, which is quite powerful, meaning that the hot end will heat up quickly. Inside the tool head there's that filament cutter, which helps to avoid filament clogs but also lends to the belief that this is going to be a multifilament machine in the not-too-distant future, and as standard, it takes 1.75 mm filament—so good standards all around.

The build plate is a double-sided flexible magnetic plate, which again is pretty standard, and it can reach temperatures up to 110°C. Along with the nozzle's maximum temperature and the enclosed design of the machine, that will enable plenty of flexibility over the type of materials that you print.

The CoreXY kinematics enable several advantages over the previous Cartesian design. Primarily, they are a lot faster and also more accurate. When it comes to speed, it has a maximum tool head speed of 500 mm/s, which is impressive, and a maximum tool head acceleration of 20 m/s²—again, exceptionally fast. But as I've come to realise, speed isn't everything, and whilst it might not match up to the likes of the Creality K2 Plus or the Anycubic S1 with those speeds, the speed at which it does its self-checks and heats the hot end could make all the difference.

As we've seen with the likes of the Bambu Lab P1P and many other machines on the market, cooling is as important to print quality as heating, and Elegoo has really tackled this with a high-speed 5020 cooling fan, an internal enclosure cooling system, and an auxiliary cooling fan—all to help with the efficient cooling of models as they're being printed. In addition to cooling, there is also a filtration system, so if you are using toxic filament such as ABS, then the built-in nano mineral crystals should help to reduce the odours and particles coming out of the machine.

One of the touches that I really like is the built-in camera, which enables timelapse recording as well as monitoring. While this is possible on most modern machines, it isn't always the case that the camera is included as a standard part when you buy the kit, so it's great to see that it's standard for the Elegoo Centauri Carbon.

• Features: 4.5/5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Setting up the Elegoo Centauri Carbon took me around 10 minutes, with the most effort being lifting the 3D printer out of the box. The reason for this was that, while it looked small, it was actually surprisingly heavy, and I wasn't quite prepared for that weight. At 17.5 kg, it is about average for a CoreXY machine, but with its slightly smaller footprint than most, it was still a bit of a surprise.

Placing the printer onto a work surface, and it all looks extremely neat with assembly essentially consisting of plugging in the small LCD and removing all the packaging.

Switching it on, the printer ran through its setup process and auto-levelling, with all checks running through relatively quickly and smoothly. Feeding in the filament and following the load instructions, and all was complete.

Starting out, I ran a few of the test prints from Elegoo, and the machine quickly proved just how efficient and fast it could be. While this isn't the fastest 3D printer on paper, when it actually came to use, it seemed to be incredibly quick. Using the example 3DBenchy, it produced this in a little over 15 minutes, and to be honest, the quality of that print was really good.

As the test went on and I produced more prints, I became increasingly impressed with the precision and speed that the Elegoo Centauri Carbon was capable of when printing with a variety of different materials. One thing that really struck me was that, because of its size and quality of the physical machine's construction, there was very little vibration. Although it caused a little bit more noise than some, the speed at which it printed and the consistency and reliability it was capable of were really impressive.

Again, when it came to checking over those prints for print quality, there was little to fault. The test models showed that it handled negative space, overhangs, bridging, and dimensional accuracy exceedingly well.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

This is the fourth 3D printer that I have looked at in as many weeks that shows complete separation between the older Cartesian printers that I was reviewing a year ago and this new wave of CoreXY machines. The main thing here is that the Elegoo Centauri Carbon is far cheaper than many of its rivals.

When reviewing this machine, you can't help but make comparisons with the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon, which sits side by side with it on the workbench. The Elegoo Carbon actually takes the lead, mainly due to the time it takes to do its safety checks and the speed at which the nozzle gets up to temperature. Otherwise, when it comes to actual print quality, both are actually very similar. I would say that while they compete, the X1 Carbon is still a more premium machine and, in the long run, is the better machine, but considering the price of the Centauri Carbon, it gives the X1 Carbon a run for it's money.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

It's incredible how far things can come in a year, with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon really being a competitor against the far more expensive Bambu Lab X1 Carbon. The print size is exactly the same, but with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon, you have those faster speeds due to the fact that the nozzle gets up to temperature really quickly, spends less time doing safety checks, and, ultimately—no doubt due to the rigid, high-quality build—it seems to be incredibly reliable.

The more I used the Centauri Carbon, the more I could see how this design has developed. What Elegoo has done is focus on the quality of the print and the hardware of the machine to ensure that it's able to compete in an increasingly competitive and advanced market.

I recently looked at the Anycubic S1, and that machine was capable of producing some of the most accurate prints that I've ever seen from a 3D printer of its type and price range. While printing some specialist materials, the S1 does require a nozzle upgrade. The Elegoo Centauri Carbon, however, comes ready and equipped to print with carbon fibre materials straight out of the box, and there is no other machine at present in this price range that can do that.

Its main competitor is really the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon, but with that model costing over £1,000, there's a huge difference in price. So if you are looking to print with carbon fibre materials, whereas a few weeks ago I would have recommended the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon without a doubt, now you're spoilt for choice with the X1 Carbon, Original PRUSA Core One or now this ultra-cheap entry-level Elegoo Centauri Carbon.

Should you buy the Elegoo Centauri Carbon? Buy it if...

You want an outstanding printer

This smallish CoreXY machine pitches itself at a level that is well beyond it's price point. The build is outstanding, and the quality of prints and speed absolutely excels.

You want outstanding prints

While speed is the core of these new machines, dial down the pace and the print quality, utilising a huge variety of prints, including carbon, is outstanding.

Don't buy it if...

You need multifilament now

Although it looks like eveything is in place for multifilament printing, at launch this is a single filament machine.

You want to print at scale

While the build area is pretty good, there are plenty of machines that are now offering 300mmx300mmx300mm build areas.

For more 3D printing devices, I've also tested and reviewed the best 3D printers for miniatures and the best hobby 3D printers.

As a company, BenQ has been heading up and to the right for years. They crushed it with the monitor light bar and showed they could also dominate the monitor market. Then, they made dedicated monitor line-ups, some for coding, some for business, and some that are just great monitors for the masses.

The BenQ RD320UA is just a continuation of that greatness, but not in a boring way. In my humble opinion, it is in the running for the best monitor for programming on the market. But what makes this so incredible is that though it's a "coding monitor," I'd be thrilled to use it as a business monitor and never show a line of code. It's that good.

Granted, it's not the best monitor for photo editing and definitely not the best video editing monitor either. Most likely, though it would be good, it's not built for that. Nor is this built for gaming due to the 60Hz limitation. But, outside of creative or high graphical intensity needs, this monitor is incredible.

It has outstanding IO, a built-in KVM, a built-in backlight to help with eye strain, and specialized coding modes to help with eye training and clarity of code, helping supercharge your coding sessions without needing anything but this great monitor.

BenQ RD320UA: Price and Availability

Depending on the reseller or retailer, this monitor ranges from $650 to $700. It is more premium, but it's for a good reason. You can buy this monitor without needing or even wanting an upgrade for quite some time. Plus, its build quality and feature set are tremendous benefits.

If you're a programmer with multiple computers, perhaps personal and work, now with this monitor, you won't need a KVM. Plus, if you're a programmer and work at night or in the dark, with the RD320UA, you won't need a backlight as this will help illuminate behind the monitor, helping with strain. Lastly, it has an ergo arm built in, meaning you don't need a separate monitor arm.

You can purchase this monitor from BenQ's website, Amazon, and other retailers.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) BenQ RD320UA: Unboxing and First Impressions

The box for this monitor was shockingly thick, but then I remembered I got the model with the Ergo arm, which made more sense with how dense it was. The box all together was packaged fairly efficiently and had two main layers. The first layer had all the cables, documentation, and the ergo arm pieces. The bottom layer housed the panel itself.

The Ergo arm was super easy to set up, with a simple rubber-enforced twist clamp that I threw on the edge of my desk and then tightened down. There were no extra steps to assemble anything, grab and go. Then, I added the ergo arm piece that connects to the mount and the mounting piece that connects to the monitor itself.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

The power cable easily tucked away into the cable management that's built into the Ergo Arm, but the USB-C that came with the monitor was a tad short for what I was wanting, so I left that out for now so I could plug my MacBook Pro into the front of the monitor and get a stacked setup working.

The first moment I plugged into this monitor, I was blown away by the Nano Matte panel's clarity and beauty. The clarity is remarkable, and the lack of glare is also huge.

Thanks to the ergo arm, I could position the monitor exactly how I wanted it to and get to work with incredible flexibility and ability. The Ergo arm didn't feel weak, but rather, it was high-quality and firm.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) BenQ RD320UA: Design and Build Quality Specs

Screen Size: 31.5 inches
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160)
Panel Type: Nano Matte
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Connectivity: USB Type-C, HDMI, DisplayPort
Ergonomics: Adjustable Ergo Arm (height, tilt, swivel)

This monitor all around is a classic BenQ monitor. It's high quality, sleek, gorgeous, and has excellent ports. The monitor is made with premium materials. The Ergonomic arm is a fantastic feature that I wish more monitors included. BenQ's ergo arm is excellent all around. I hope it was longer on the top arm, but that could be me used to a full-blown, dedicated monitor arm I've used for years.

The Ergo arm on this BenQ display allows easy pivoting and rotation, enabling you to switch the monitor to portrait mode effortlessly. It also offers height adjustment, panning, tilting, and movement to the left and right. This feature is quite impressive. The core of the Ergo arm allows for twisting, providing maximum mobility.

The entire monitor is impressive, but the standout feature must be the built-in MoonHalo light ring in the back's mounting area. Surrounding the circular disc mounting plate is an entire LED light strip with a diffuser integrated into the monitor. This light can be easily turned on and off, offering complete temperature control. Additionally, built-in quick buttons allow you to display the light strip on the top and sides or for a full 360-degree effect.

What's particularly convenient is that this can be controlled through the complementary DisplayPilot 2 app, enabling you to make adjustments without reaching behind the monitor, asking Google to turn on the light strip, or fumbling with your phone to hit a button in another app. Everything can be managed directly from your mouse and keyboard through your computer. If the goal for usability is a frictionless experience, sign me up for DisplayPilot 2 because that app could not be more straightforward to use, and the fact that it can now help me turn on bright lights in my monitor, too, is just incredible.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) BenQ RD320UA: In use

When I got this monitor, I was thrilled to set it up. Because I am testing other accessories on my main monitor setup, I threw this display on my secondary desk setup in my studio. I hoped to get a reasonable amount of time with this monitor, but I did not expect to be drawn to this display even when my main display is also a newer BenQ and is gorgeous.

The Nano Matte Panel enhances everything on display, and even in a room that doesn't have a ton of reflections or bright light glares or anything like that, I find my eyes feel like they are resting when looking at this display. They can lock in on what I am doing so quickly.

While I am not a professional engineer and work in code all day, I do have a few scripts I run weekly to do some back-end work for one of the companies I support. I was skeptical of the "coding mode" on this display, but I can say that it made a difference with readability. I wouldn't know that having this coding mode viewing option is an absolute must if you work with code, but if I did work with code daily, I would turn this feature on if I had it. So take that as you will.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

The MoonHalo was super easy to play with and utilize. I love having lights behind my monitor, but nothing too crazy. Since I am still rocking the original BenQ Halo Plus lightbar (that still uses USB-A and Micro-USB, along with a wired puck if that gives any indication of age) at my main desk setup, I moved my desk to be in front of some Govee Glide Hexa Pro light panels that I had already set up on a wall. Now, I keep these on a warm glow, paired with a lamp from Vari on a set of drawers from Vari, and my desk has one LED light strip I keep on cooler white for a nice contrast.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

With the RD320UA, I'd be able to and would desire to negate the Govee panels and one of the lamps; I'd use the backlight and add a monitor light bar, and my whole setup would be ready to go lighting-wise. The MoonHalo makes it super easy to reduce eye strain at night by adding some backlight so the contrast isn't so intense, and it has an auto mode, so you don't even have to think about it. In addition to helping with your eyes, having the backlight turned on makes the whole area feel more elevated without needing extra accessories.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

One remarkable feature of this monitor is its built-in KVM switch, which makes it incredibly easy to switch between devices. I use several devices throughout the day, though most would probably have a work and personal computer. This monitor can connect to two devices, and with the press of a button, it allows you to swap your USB-connected keyboard and mouse (or use a Bluetooth receiver/dongle) from one computer to another, all while displaying the new computer on the screen. KVM stands for Keyboard, Video, and Mouse, and that's exactly what this function switches. Usually, if I have needed something like this in the past, I use a Logitech Keyboard and mouse that have multiple connections and then manually switch the input, but with the KVM built-in, I can now do this without any friction.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) BenQ RD320UA: Final verdict

The BenQ RD320UA offers a compelling package for software developers, engineers, or business professionals in general, prioritizing eye comfort, screen clarity, and ergonomic design. While it isn't designed for gaming or streaming, its coding-focused features justify the premium price for professionals who code extensively.

For more dev tools, we reviewed the best laptops for programming.

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max ergonomic Office Chair continues the C7 legacy of chairs that has performed very well in the last few years. I've tried out the C7 and the C7 Lite; both have been excellent chairs.

Like many of the best office chairs from the company, the C7 Pro Max is designed to showcase the best of what Flexispot offers within not only this C7 line-up but also its entire catalog.

Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Price and Availability

The C7 Pro Max is Flexispot's most premium chair, priced at $799.99, but it is currently discounted at the time of writing this down to $599.99 on official website (check it out by clicking here). The C7 Pro Max comes in a light grey or a black colorway, with a matching seat color.

While you may be able to find this chair through some other retailers, it's worth noting that Flexispot runs deals fairly regularly on their site, making the products even more accessible.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Unboxing and First Impressions

The C7 Pro Max came in a box like the other Flexispot chairs I reviewed. The packaging keeps everything secure, yet it's easy to unbox. Assembling the C7 Pro Max took around 27 minutes and was straightforward. The instructions were clear, the parts were easy to find and distinguish, and everything went together quickly.

At first glance, this chair looks a lot like the Flexispot C7 and Flexispot C7 Lite that I have previously checked out. It has a similar shape; you can tell it's part of the same design language. However, some things stick out as upgraded. First, the lovely design on the back "spine" of the chair, the controls are slightly modified, the leg rest is slightly changed, and the lumbar support is somewhat different. The rest looks very similar, just making the changes needed and learning from the success of the C7 Ergonomic Chair. What's great, and what matters, is that this chair is still fantastic; it's comfortable, it's premium feeling, it's sleek and professional, and it's great for all-day comfort.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Design and Build Quality Specs

Weight capacity: 330 lbs.
Height range: Recommended for users 5’9” to 6’11”.
Recline angle: Adjustable to 135 degrees.
Base: Aluminum alloy for durability.
Warranty: 10 years.

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max is constructed with a high-quality mesh seat that allows both support and comfort, all while allowing for ventilation for those who get a little warm in their posterior during the day if they are sitting in a leather seat, for example, that doesn't breathe. The most prominent feature of this chair is the dramatic lumbar support. While this feature is aggressive-looking, it's comfortable. I could dial in just how much resistance I wanted, and once I could pick that amount, I hadn't touched it since.

The last element worth mentioning is the metal base. Some chairs have a plastic base where the wheels connect to the piston that holds the chair up (and usually changes the chair's height too). However, the C7 Pro Max has a metal base, which adds to the frame's comfort and quality build design.

Flexispot C7 Pro Max: In use

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max has been a fantastic chair in my rotation for several months. In that time, I've gotten comfortable dialing in every setting just as I want for maximum comfort while working. While having a lot of adjustability is excellent, you do have to spend the time to set it up; otherwise, there's no point in choosing a nice ergonomic chair compared to a simple, no-adjustment dining chair, for example.

The C7 Pro Max has a gravity-sensing chassis that auto-adjusts based on weight, though this works better for those that 200lb plus, or perhaps it's just more noticeable. I've had friends and peers of many weights and heights check out this chair to see how well it worked for everyone. For those under 200 and under 6 feet tall, this is comfortable and even good. But this is an excellent chair from my little testing group for those a bit bigger and a bit taller. Even my son loves it.

The only issue is that he's five-years-old and skin and bones, meaning he doesn't come anywhere close to even the minimal weight suggestion from Flexispot, nor the height range -- though he does still love running down to my office to jump in this chair pretty much every chance he gets. For reference, I am about 6'2" tall and 210lb. For me, this chair feels great, and like it's designed for me in mind. I had a friend who is around 280lb and 6'4" sit in this chair and his immediate response was to exhale and smile -- in a good way.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

The backrest is great; the armrests are stiff enough that I don't find myself falling to my doom after leaning on them and having them give out on me like has happened on other chairs. But, at the same time, I can adjust them to whatever setting I want to give me the armrest relief I am looking for. The leg rest is nice, too, though I feel like I need to lean back actively or adjust my legs just right to lean back while my legs are up too, that could be my build. Someone built differently than me may experience different proportions, making leaning back with the footrest easier.

For the past several months, this has been a great chair; through all my stress testing, early mornings, and long hours in this chair, It still looks as good as new and functions as though it's brand new. If you're looking for a new, high-quality office chair without paying the ultra-premium pricing of some of these chairs, the C7 Pro Max might be the chair you're looking for.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Final verdict

The FlexiSpot C7 Pro Max is a remarkable ergonomic chair designed for users who prioritize comfort and adjustability. While the price tag might be on the higher side, the build quality and extensive features make this a fantastic option, especially if you are taller and a bit bigger. This chair is an excellent representation of what makes the C7 line-up a great choice from Flexispot.

For more office space essentials, we tested the best standing desks and best office desks.