Reviews

Garmin Fenix 8: One-minute review

The Garmin Fenix 8 was perhaps the most anticipated watch from Garmin in a very long time, and the reveal didn’t disappoint. The Garmin Fenix 7 series has been consistently rated among the best Garmin watches ever, and the Garmin Fenix 8 is packing most of Garmin’s best hardware features that were introduced in the years since the Fenix 7 was released. 

Features like an AMOLED display, a microphone and speaker for calls, and an LED torch for attracting attention or running safely at night (and, er, for seeing in the dark) have been folded into the Fenix 8. 

It now has new waterproofing and an Apple Watch Ultra-style dive watch capability, cribbed from the Garmin Descent series. The watch can act as a working dive computer for scuba activities down to 40 meters, although in our exclusive chat with Garmin product lead Jon Hosler he revealed that the watch can actually go beyond that depth. 

New, improved GPS means new software features: with a “dynamic routing” ability automatically generates back-to-start directions during running and cycling workouts, and if you’re running on a pre-prescribed route your Fenix 8 will intelligently compensate if you stray from the path. Purchasers get to choose between three different sizes, with an additional choice of a solar-powered memory-in-pixel display (a duller, more power-efficient smartwatch screen) or a brighter, more smartwatch-y AMOLED one.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a fantastic watch. It’s built like a tank without being too obnoxious, although it doesn’t deviate much from older Garmins (in fact, it looks almost the same as my Garmin Epix Pro at first glance). You know what you’re getting, and if you like Garmin’s existing stable of adventure watches, this is the best one yet. 

However, that performance excellence comes with an eye-watering price tag, which is almost too much in comparison to its contemporaries. Almost, but not quite: I considered knocking off half a star, but this may well be the best-performing Garmin watch I’ve ever tried 

Garmin Fenix 8: Specifications Garmin Fenix 8: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

• Starts at $799.99 / £689.99 / AU$1,349 for cheaper 47mm Fenix E
• Prices for 43mm Fenix 8 start at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699
• Reaches up to $1,199 / £1,119 / $2,199

The Garmin Fenix 8 starts at $799.99 / £689.99 / AU$1,349 for the cheapest model, a 47mm model christened the Garmin Fenix E. The Fenix E is a version of the AMOLED display Fenix 8 with no solar charging option, 16 days of battery life, no torch, no advanced leak-proof buttons for dive watch activities (although it’ll still stand up to water exposure, with 10ATM waterproofing) and a stainless steel case, with no titanium option. In essence, it’s an AMOLED Fenix 7. 

The full-price Fenix 8 starts at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699 for the 43mm AMOLED watch, which is a significant jump from the E, rising to the considerable sum of $1,199 / £1,119 / $2,199 for the 51mm solar-powered version. What you get for this is a big increase in battery life of up to 28 days, the advanced waterproofing leak-proof buttons, dive watch functionality, the torch, a more advanced heart rate sensor, and the option of an AMOLED screen or a memory-in-pixel, solar-charging screen. 

The full-price Fenix 8 is incredibly expensive. Its performance is phenomenal, and the engineering behind it is equal to many an analog timepiece; but such a price is very hard to justify for all but the wealthiest sportspeople. 

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Fenix 8: Design

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

• AMOLED or MIP screen
• New leak-proofing
• Sapphire glass/titanium options

Structurally, the Garmin Fenix 8 looks almost identical to the Fenix and Epix watches that came before it. The Epix line was a version of the Fenix with that gorgeous, smartwatch-like AMOLED screen, but Epix doesn’t exist anymore – Garmin has axed the name and folded it in with the main Fenix line. The Fenix 8 inherits that AMOLED screen as an option, while the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen is Garmin’s traditional duller, battery-efficient screen with Power Glass solar technology, which extends the watch’s battery life if you spend around three hours or more outdoors. 

The screen is made of Corning Gorilla Glass as standard, but an upgrade to the harder category of Sapphire glass is available. Likewise, the Fenix 8’s case is a mix of tough polymer and stainless steel, but you can upgrade the metal components to titanium for an additional cost. These upgrades are on top of the already-steep price, but the base model should be more than sufficient for all but the most adventurous outdoorspeople. The thick, wipe-clean silicone Garmin band will be familiar to most, but it can be swapped with a trail-specific fabric loop like the Enduro.

Garmin’s standard combination of a five-button setup – Up, Down and Options buttons on one side, and a Start/Stop and a Back button on the other – and touchscreens work well as they have always done, while a new raised section on the right-hand side makes it look a little like an Apple Watch Ultra in practice. 

Garmin’s widget-based screen layout is fast and intuitive to use. It’s easy to navigate through the watch’s options and add new apps, such as Spotify for offline music playback without a phone. You can add widgets through your phone’s Wi-Fi connection, making it easy to customize at home before you step out the door. 

Garmin Connect, the watch’s companion app, is stellar, and as comprehensive as ever. It’s very granular, showing you lots of data points and workout-creation options – almost too granular for beginners. Then again, beginners are unlikely to be spending this much on a sports watch, and it’s all well-organized. There’s not much that’s new to speak about, but it remains best-in-class. 

•  Design score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Features

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

• New GPS functionalities
• Dive mode
• LED torch

Let’s start off with the new stuff. Dynamic routing offers a small quality-of-life improvement to GPS-tracked running, walking or cycling workouts, as you now have the option to enable Back to Start before you even head out the door. Simply set a distance goal for your run, then enable Back to Start and the Fenix 8 will generate an out-and-back route once you’ve hit around 40% of your distance goal. There’s no need to follow a pre-prescribed route until then, which is great. Dynamic routing also allows you to deviate from a route you’ve already created, rerouting you automatically while keeping your target goal in mind. Very handy. 

I’ve not had the opportunity to test the new Dive Mode yet, unfortunately: after this review has been published I’ll be handing the device off to a writer who’s also a recreational diver for a more thorough breakdown of that particular mode. But like Garmin’s Descent series, you get a fully-functioning dive computer with gauge, nitrox, air and apnoea modes for recreational scuba diving and free-diving activities. It’s enough for casual adventure enthusiasts who may scuba or snorkel once or twice a year, and who spend the rest of their time running, cycling, or swimming. 

The LED torch is the same torch as on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro models, and works just as well. I’ve already used it to find my way twice in the dark at full power (admittedly, only to the bathroom) and I stick the red mode on at night to alert cars that I’m jogging on the sidewalk in the dark. It’s surprisingly powerful, creating a moving spotlight of red that illuminates the ground in front of me as I run. 

Otherwise, a lot of the new advancements – such as more accurate GPS, topographical maps, the new heart rate monitor which promises to be more accurate, improved battery life, and leakproof buttons to enable all the dive stuff – is under the hood. At its heart, the Garmin Fenix 8 is an iterative update of an older, already-fantastic watch, and the smartwatch category as a whole hasn’t moved on very far since then, which means the Garmin Fenix 8 is still best in show. 

Heart rate alerts, sleep tracking, nap tracking, stress tracking, respiration tracking and other holistic tools sit alongside Training Readiness, Endurance and Hill scores to make this an incredibly comprehensive health and fitness watch. Garmin Messenger allows you to directly communicate between devices using Garmin’s satellite network. There’s a smorgasbord of available widgets and functionalities which you can use to customize your watch, from shortcuts to services like Garmin Coach to a Tides widget for open-water swimmers and surfers. You can download music, sync to Strava, and receive (but not make) calls on-wrist. It’s practically perfect, with every performance tool you’ll ever need.

•  Features score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

• Accurate GPS
• Long battery life
• Advanced heart rate sensor

As I’m an existing Garmin user, the watch was easy to set up and use with my pre-existing Garmin account, syncing to Strava and Spotify immediately. We won’t labor the point here: the watch is good, and it works. Tested against an Apple Watch Ultra 2, it recorded a very similar performance and distance while on a 5K, and I found the differences in heart rate readings to be minimal, allowing for variations in algorithms and a different wrist. You can read more about how the Apple Watch Ultra fares against premium Garmins in my account of wearing the Watch Ultra and the Garmin Epix Pro during a marathon.

The Fenix 8’s display was bright enough for me to see clearly, and after a full charge, I almost drained it completely after 13 days of regular GPS workouts: a combination of running, strength training, and stand-up paddleboarding (and yes, there’s a specialist GPS-based profile for that, which even counts the strokes you make as you glide across the water). 

I have yet to test its new cycling features, but I did test dynamic routing during a running workout, deliberately going off-piste (to borrow a skiing term) to check out its capabilities, and it performed fine. I departed from the route I had created with Garmin Connect, and it successfully rerouted me by the closest available detour within about two minutes. I also popped in my distance requirements and enabled the out-and-back routing on a 5K run, and it successfully kicked in just after the 40% mark. 

Otherwise, the Fenix 8 tracked my sleep with good accuracy, successfully logging periods when I woke up during the night, and delivering a Training Readiness score during the day which tracked well with my previous few days’ energy levels, from an anecdotal perspective. The torch was nice and bright (as is the lovely screen), and I haven’t even scratched the surface in terms of all the features available to me during a training block.  

•  Performance score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Scorecard

(Image credit: Garmin) Garmin Fenix 8: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans) Buy it if...

You love the outdoors

Garmin Fenix 8 has all the survival tools you’ll ever need, from GPS to a barometer and compass.

You’re a triathlete

Runners, cyclists, and swimmers will really get the most out of this watch.

You’re multidisciplined

Paddleboarding? Golf? Surfing? Skiing? Detailed, comprehensive and unique workout profiles exist for them all.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

Even the cheaper Fenix E is not a watch for users without deep pockets. 

Also consider...

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Nowhere near the same battery life, but perhaps the best alternative from a smartwatch standpoint. 

Read our full review

Coros Pace 3 

Our best value running watch, a cheap-and-cheerful adventurer's companion.

Read our full review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Fenix 8 for three weeks, draining the battery down, sleeping with the watch, and testing it over several different kinds of workouts including running, strength training and stand-up paddleboarding. I compared it to an Apple Watch Ultra 2 (my litmus test for GPS and HR accuracy) during a 5K run, and spent time with the watch examining the settings and functionalities, both on-device and in Garmin Connect. 

First reviewed: September 2024

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Two-minute review

The Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air is the brand’s new ultralight gaming mouse promising top-tier performance, which it hopes to achieve with its ergonomic design, quality hardware, and in-depth tweakability. 

Considering the Burst 2 Air is a full-size gaming mouse, it’s remarkable that it only tips the scales at 47g, undercutting many gaming mice in the lightweight category. Rather than sporting an all-over honeycomb design to shed the weight, it has just two small cutouts underneath that expose the underside to the PCB within. Despite this absence of material, Turtle Beach has managed to include a handy slot to store the 2.4GHz USB receiver. As an exercise in cutting weight, it’s impressive. 

With its understated appearance, the Burst 2 Air cuts a rather unremarkable figure, especially compared to the audacious looks of some of the best gaming mice. The white colorway I tested does look more vibrant than its black counterpart, and the light gray accents on the logo, side buttons, and scroll wheel are a nice touch. There are two small LEDs, one between the mouse buttons and another under the scroll wheel, but these are relatively subtle. The finish is smooth with a slight texture that I found suitable for my palm and fingers, although grip tape is included in the box for those who prefer something more substantial. 

The Burst 2 Air fits nicely in the hand, with an even curve all around, although there’s slightly more bulk towards the back end. There isn’t much of a forward rake either, so it doesn’t feel like your fingers are falling away. Turtle Beach doesn’t recommend specific grip styles but it seems ideal for most, though it may be too bulky for those who prefer the claw type. My only real complaint about the shape of the Burst 2 Air is that the sides cinch inwards a little too much for my liking, making it harder to squeeze during those clutch moments.

The mouse wheel is softly notched but still provides enough security to prevent mis-scrolls. It’s tight and secure when pressed, while still being easy to actuate. The side buttons are very clicky, and their angle and protrusion make them easy to use. Rather than being situated on top or underneath, as is typical for many gaming mice, the DPI cycle button is located on the left front side. It’s small and pressing it can be awkward, given it’s quite close to the bottom, meaning your thumb ends up pressing into your desktop. This is a small grievance, though, and the button operates smoothly.

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to the business of gaming, the Burst 2 Air is a joy to use. Maneuverability is exceptional, gliding effortlessly on almost any surface, thanks to the thick PTFE skates. The pre-tensioned optical switches can be activated with light clicks, and although they travel further than I expected, this only adds to their satisfaction. There is the slightest indentation on the buttons themselves, just enough to guide your fingers to the optimal position.

Coupled with the ultra-light total weight, this makes the Burst 2 Air very precise. Of course, what weight, shape, and size is best for a gaming mouse comes down to personal preference, but for me, I found the Burst 2 Air ideal for my hands and swipes. Using it with the included USB cable does add more resistance to movements, but I adapted to it quickly, and I wouldn’t go so far as to call it drag, with all the negative connotations that word brings. As with many braided cables, durability can be an issue, but during my time using it I didn’t notice any fraying. 

For customizing and adjusting settings, you’ll need Swarm 2, Turtle Beach’s peripheral software. As soon as you open it, you’re greeted with jagged fonts that are hard to read and fail to inspire much confidence. I have previous experience using this software with a Turtle Beach keyboard, and in that case, I found it to be obtuse in places and not the most user-friendly. Some of my concerns remain in place in the case of the Burst 2 Air, although I do think mice settings are more clearly laid out. 

The software allows for all the typical tweaks you'd expect, including adjustments for the DPI. However, this has a clunky implementation, requiring you to drag dots across the screen for each of the five predefined settings. In theory, this interface is a good idea, but it’s poorly executed here, with bugs and glitches occurring until I updated the mouse’s firmware. The update also fixed the battery level readout, which was previously stuck at 18%, even when charging.

There are also adjustments for the poll rate, with five settings ranging from 125Hz to 1000Hz, and a debounce time slider in a nondescript unit between 0 and 10 (a lot of other software I’ve tested measure this in milliseconds). There’s also DCU calibration, which is equivalent to lift-off distance. There are two predefined settings, very low and low, as well as a custom mode that automatically sets the distance based on a few test movements. Again, though, there is no indication in any setting as to what the exact distance you’ve set is.

(Image credit: Future)

Other settings include angle snapping, which smooths cursor movements by making them more linear, and motion sync, which aligns the mouse’s polling rate to that of your PC, so only the latest polling data is read. In theory, this improves accuracy as tracking becomes more seamless, but in reality, only hardcore pro players will likely notice or care about this. During my tests, I failed to notice much difference when activated.

It’s also compatible with Nvidia Reflex, which claims to reduce input latency even further when gaming. It requires an Nvidia GPU and a monitor compatible with Nvidia G-Sync (although my FreeSync monitor worked with this too). It’s only currently supported by a handful of games, and again it’s a feature that only pro players will likely notice in action.

Switching between the different connectivity modes worked fairly seamlessly in my experience, letting me switch between two devices on the fly with a flick of the switch underneath. Note, however, that when connected via USB cable, this overrides your other connectivity options, so device switching effectively becomes unavailable until you pull the plug.

The claimed battery life of the Burst 2 Air is 120 hours in Bluetooth mode, and 40 when using the 2.4GHz receiver. According to my tests, this seems accurate, as the battery barely dipped below 90% over several days of use, even when set to the maximum 1k poll rate.

The Burst 2 Air is a solid wireless gaming mouse for those who are after a comfortable yet speedy performer. The overall shape, low package weight, connectivity options, and smooth glides are its standout aspects. However, Swarm 2 isn’t the most intuitive peripheral software to use, and the fact is there are better value gaming mice that match the Burst 2 Air for performance, such as the Cooler Master MM311. It’s by no means a bad pointer to plump for, but there are plenty of other great options around for less money.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $99 / £99 (about AU$147)
• Black and White colorways

The Burst 2 Air is priced at $99 / £99 (about AU$147) and is available now. It comes in either Black or White colorways.

For a gaming mouse of this spec, the Burst 2 Air represents pretty average value for money. It competes with other wireless mice such as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, which offers similar features and functionality. It also supports an 8k poll rate, although this does require Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which costs an extra $29 / £29 / AU$54.

If you’re after a wireless gaming mouse with an 8k poll rate straight out of the box, then be prepared to part with more cash. Offerings in this category can set you back considerably more: the Razer Viper V3 Pro, for example, is over $100 / £150 / AU$275.

However, if you’re happy with 1k, there are more wireless budget picks than ever. For instance, there’s the Cooler Master MM311, which is our current pick as the best gaming mouse for those on a budget – it’s heavier than the Burst 2 Air and runs on AA batteries, though. If you want a rechargeable battery, then the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 could fit the bill; although it weighs 61g, it’s slightly cheaper than the Burst 2 Air. There’s also a wired variant with an 8k poll rate for even less.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Specs Should you buy the Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air? Buy it if...

You want a super-light mouse
49g is seriously light, making the Burst 2 Air ideal for rapid movements. It’s even more impressive considering the body is full-size.

You want a smooth glider
The Burst 2 Air glides with incredible ease, thanks to the thick PTFE skates, working well on different surface types.

You want multiple connectivity options
The Burst 2 Air can be connected using the included USB-C to USB-A PhatomFlex cable, or wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB receiver or Bluetooth, which allows for quick-switching between devices.

Don't buy it if...

You want a high poll rate
Gaming mice that are marketed for esports use usually offer poll rates up to 8k, but the Burst 2 Air tops out at 1k. If this matters to you, then look elsewhere.

You’re on a budget
The Burst 2 Air is averagely priced for a gaming mouse of this spec. There are more budget-friendly wireless gaming mice available than ever, so you’ll likely be able to find cheaper alternatives with similar levels of performance.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Also consider How I tested the Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air

• Tested for two weeks
• Played FPS and strategy games
• 10+ years PC gaming experience

I tested the Burst 2 Air for around two weeks. During that time, I used it with a variety of games, as well as for general use and productivity.

I played FPS titles including Counter-Strike 2, the evergreen peripheral tester, as well as strategy games that almost exclusively use mouse inputs, such as Tactical Breach Wizards. 

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have tried a variety of gaming mice of all shapes and sizes from the likes of Razer, Logitech, Alienware, and HyperX, to name a few. I generally prefer full-size mice over miniature ones and prefer a light to medium weight. 

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: September 2024

LG Gram 17: Two-minute review

The LG Gram 17 is a large but super-light and thin laptop, promising premium productivity performance in a portable package.

Design-wise, the LG Gram 17 is clean and sleek, keeping all its angles and surfaces as minimal as possible. As for build quality, the plastic body doesn’t inspire much confidence, although there’s no denying it saves weight. I found the hinge for the lid very loose, resulting in the display repeatedly rebounding on opening the laptop, which in my mind casted doubt over its durability.

The IPS display is certainly large, but it isn't exactly vibrant. Colors are rendered perfectly well, but LED and OLED displays are usually more impressive, even those with the same 2K resolution of the LG Gram 17. However, it does excel at preventing glare, as per LG's claims; I tried using it in various areas around my living space to produce some unfavorable angles for sunlight, and couldn't catch it out – it remained clear in most conditions. 

In terms of performance, the LG Gram 17 handles the tasks it’s designed for with aplomb. The model on test was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and 32GB of RAM. It made short work of spreadsheet creation and word processing, and could deal with light photo editing. It also played back HD and 4K video content with ease. 

During our benchmarking, it outperformed many of the best laptops – such as the Microsoft Surface 7 – for productivity. However, it wasn’t as impressive when it came to GPU workloads, including gaming. The Intel Arc GPU can’t match other high-end GPUs, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 in the Dell XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Mercifully, the LG Gram 17 is mostly free from the bloatware that can plague other Windows laptops. LG’s software suite is mixed in terms of usefulness, but it wasn’t too intrusive or resource-heavy. The most egregious app was LG Recovery and Update, but this only popped up occasionally, and offered desirable updates when it did – although it did fail to make clear that some updates will cause the system to shut down without notice. 

The most useful tool in the suite is LG Gram Link, which allows you to connect mobile devices to transfer files and mirror screens both ways. You can also use it to control your mobile device with the LG Gram 17’s trackpad and keyboard. For the most part, all these functions work as intended, although lag and slowdown can be an issue at times.

The battery is very good for this class of laptop, lasting more than 12 hours in our tests, which involved a battery benchmark using PCMark, in addition to running a 1080p 30fps video on a continuous loop. For comparison, the Dell XPS 17 (9730) only managed a little over nine hours, while the Microsoft Surface 7 quit after 10 hours.

One of the major problems with the LG Gram 17, though, is the noise and heat it generates under load. This was apparent even during setup, with the fans whirring up near the start of the process. The low-pitched hum would then elevate during heavy workloads, to the point of becoming distracting. The underside and the keys also became very hot to the touch, giving me cause for concern. 

Another issue that severely hampers the LG Gram 17 is the keyboard. Although I usually welcome the inclusion of a number pad, here it forces the character keys too far to the left, creating an awkward typing position. It also means the palm of your right thumb rests on the trackpad, with movements being registered as cursor swipes and sometimes even taps. In addition, the keys, while they feel satisfying and pleasant to tap, can sometimes fail to register, especially the "o" key, which caused me no end of frustration. 

This is a hotly contested space, and you'd expect the LG Gram 17 to deliver on its premium promises given the price it commands. However, there are simply better value alternatives that offer not just lightning performance, but also a better design and user experience. 

If you’re after a large laptop with plenty of power, then the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is a solid choice. If you want a smaller form factor but still want performance, then our current pick as the best laptop around, the Microsoft Surface 7, would be a great alternative.

LG Gram 17: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910)
• Available in three colorways
• High-end specs

The LG Gram 17 costs £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910) and is available now. It arrives in your choice of three finishes – black, white, or charcoal gray – and it can be had with between 16-32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD. As for graphics, you have a choice of either an Intel Arc or Intel Iris XE Graphics GPU.

At this price, the LG Gram 17 is competing in the premium sector, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 – which, in our view, is the best business laptop . That machine is superbly built with an excellent keyboard and display. Specs-wise, it does come in behind the LG Gram 17, and so do its costlier range-topping variants. However, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is durable and built to last, delivering your money’s worth.  

At the other end of the market sits the Acer Travelmate P4, which can be had for as little as $400. For that, you do get lesser specs, with older CPUs and no NVMe SSD options, but we still found it to be a very competent performer. 

If you desperately want a 17-inch display, then we think the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is the best laptop with a large screen. It’s also replete with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, perfect if you’re after serious gaming and content creation pedigree. 

LG Gram 17: Specs

(Image credit: Future) LG Gram 17: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Very light for a large laptop
• Number pad compromises ergonomics
• Keystroke and trackpad issues

As with many Windows laptops in recent years, the LG Gram 17 takes design cues from Apple’s MacBook line. It keeps to a minimal aesthetic, with clean edges and surfaces unsullied by unnecessary bulges or protrusions. 

However, almost immediately on opening its lid my confidence in the build quality of the LG Gram 17 was sapped. The hinge is incredibly loose, meaning the display ricochets like a pendulum. It could be argued this is the price you pay for such an effortless mechanism, but I don’t think this bodes well for its longevity.

In fact, the premium feel is lacking from the entire chassis – although, again, this may be the sacrifice for keeping the LG Gram 17's weight down. And for a 17-inch laptop, it's impressively light and thin, which makes traveling with it far less hassle than it otherwise would; it slotted nicely into my backpack for my commute to the office, and I didn’t feel overburdened. There’s no doubt that as large laptops go, the LG Gram 17 is one of the most portable around.

The keys are compact and well made. The trackpad is highly engineered and large, too, with a very smooth surface that creates little friction. This makes for pleasant and precise swipes and gestures.

As fond as I am of number pads, incorporating one in the LG Gram 17 does compromise its ergonomics. It means the character keys are forced over to the left, which I found made the typing position more awkward, with my right hand closer to the left than I’m used to.

It’s welcoming to see a large screen that isn’t compromised by a thick bezel. What's a shame, though, is how much the bezel protrudes on the LG Gram 17, with the display itself set quite far back – another area where you can tell corners have been cut, and where it fails to live up to the sleekness of Apple’s laptops, despite its attempts to emulate their style.

(Image credit: Future)

The display itself uses IPS technology, which produces a fine enough image. However, it fails to impart a level of sharpness you'd expect from the 2L/ WQXGA resolution. On smaller screens that same resolution looks sharp and sleek, but that fidelity starts to deteriorate once it’s stretched out to 17-inch. However, what can be said in its favor is its anti-glare properties, which do indeed help to retain visibility even in bright sunlight.

As for port selection, the LG Gram 17 has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, the former pair on the left and the latter on the right. There’s also a headphone output, a microSD card slot, and an HDMI port. Oddly, the latter is located before the USB-C ports, meaning that your charging cable will be plugged in closer to the front than you'd expect, which might upset those who are particular about cable management.

The keys are well damped with just enough travel, making for a snappy and satisfying feel. However, all too frequently my keystrokes would fail to register, in particular when hitting the "o" key, for reasons I struggle to fathom. As a conservative estimate, I'd say that more than half the time presses would result in nothing appearing on-screen.

Another typing issue is the aforementioned position of the character keys. As well as making the hand position awkward, it also resulted in my right thumb palm resting on part of the trackpad. Occasionally, this would cause swipes and taps to register.

For any laptop, these two issues pose a major obstacle for getting work done. However, for one such as the LG Gram 17, designed with productivity in mind, it’s close to unforgivable. These may just be personal issues, with others unaffected; but I’ve never had typing issues to this degree on other laptops I’ve tried.

Conversely, I also experienced too many occasions where the trackpad would fail to register taps I performed deliberately. However, in other aspects, the trackpad is great to use. It’s smooth and accurate, while swipes and gestures are easy to perform consistently, thanks to the responsiveness.

LG Gram 17: Performance

The LG Gram 17 is fast when it comes to performing most productivity tasks. Everything from knocking out spreadsheets and word processing to low-key photo editing is within reach. And, when it comes to downtime, video playback is fast and smooth, even with 4K content. The Intel Core Ultra 7 certainly appears to live up to expectations.

LG Gram 17: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 16,752; Fire Strike: 6,131; Time Spy: 2,908
Cinebench R23: 1,595 (single-core); 9,746 (multi-core)
GeekBench 6.3: 2,198 (single-core); 11,358 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home test): 6,039
PCMark 10 (Battery test): 5,477
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours, 12 minutes

For more intensive workloads, the LG Gram 17 is somewhat inconsistent. In our benchmarking tests, it scored well on office-based tasks. It beat the Microsoft Surface 7 in the PCMark Home test, although it did lose to it in GeekBench single- and multi-core tests with considerably lower scores.

For more graphics-heavy workloads, scores weren’t so great either. The LG Gram 17 still beat the Surface 7, but in our Dell XPS 17 (9730) review, this laptop performed far better – not exactly surprising, given the LG Gram 17 I had to test came with an Intel Arc GPU, rather than an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 featured in the XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Thankfully, the LG Gram 17 keeps the bloatware to a minimum, with only a handful of LG apps preinstalled. Most of these function well for the most part, and refrain from eating into performance or bombarding you with notifications. The LG Recovery and Update can intrude at times with notifications; but, thankfully, most of them are worthy of your attention.

Other LG apps include ThinQ, which, quite frankly, seemed redundant, only letting me contact support; and LG Gram Link, which lets you connect with your mobile device, allowing for file sharing to screen mirroring. Both function well, although the mobile app did have trouble connecting to my network until an update fixed the issue.

(Image credit: Future)

Mirroring my phone screen on the LG Gram 17 worked well, but keyboard and trackpad inputs were sluggish. You can also duplicate and extend the LG Gram 17 display on your smartphone, and this is more responsive, although I think it would be better to mirror on a tablet than a small smartphone screen. Using the keyboard and trackpad to control my phone was also responsive during my tests, although for some reason I wasn’t able to scroll web pages on the Chrome mobile app.

One of the chief annoyances I had with the LG Gram 17 was the noise. Occasionally – and especially when setting up – there would be a low-end hum, elevating to a higher pitch and louder volume under more intensive workloads. I was almost convinced it was the sound of a hard disk, as it sounded very similar. 

After the initial setup, fan noise became less frequent, but would still rear its ugly head from time to time. In addition, the base of the LG Gram 17 would also on occasion become hot, which would be uncomfortable if using the machine on your lap. Sometimes, even the keys themselves became hot to the touch. This was a real cause for concern, and didn’t instill me with much confidence to use the LG Gram 17 for heavy workloads over long stretches.

As far as the speakers go, they perform well enough, offering a balanced sound without distortion. They don’t have much impact, but compared to most other laptops, they acquit themselves admirably.

LG Gram 17: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

Although LG doesn’t provide a figure for the battery life of the Gram 17, it does claim it to be “ultra-long”. During my tests, I found it could handle more than a whole day’s worth of work. 

I tested the battery life by using the 3DMark benchmarking tool, as well as playing a 1080p 30fps video on a loop. From a full charge, the LG Gram 17 lasted an impressive 12 hours and 12 minutes before shutting down. 

This means the LG Gram 17 eclipses the Microsoft Surface 7, our current pick as the best laptop overall, which lasted about 10 hours during our tests. It also beats our pick for the best large laptop, the Dell XPS 17 (9730), which managed 9 hours and 5 minutes. 

Should you buy the LG Gram 17?

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

You want something large but light
It’s impressive how the LG Gram 17 manages to fit a big display in such a light package, making it a lot easier to travel with than you might expect.

You’ll be using it for work
The LG Gram 17 handles office-based tasks well, including intensive ones. It’s also very capable of entertaining you with its hi-res content streaming pedigree.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting away from it: the LG Gram 17 is expensive, and there are cheaper alternatives out there that offer the same performance.

LG Gram 17: Also consider How I tested the LG Gram 17

• Tested for one week
• Performed various tasks and benchmarking
• Plentiful experience with PC laptops

I tested the LG Gram 17 for about a week, trying out its features and functions. I used it for a variety of tasks, from streaming video and editing photos, to general productivity and browsing. I also worked with it on a desktop and my lap on a sofa, and in various lighting conditions, too. I commuted with it to test its portability.

I put the LG Gram 17 through TechRadar’s benchmarking procedure, which involves using multiple tools repeatedly to test laptops and desktops as thoroughly as possible. These emulate various workloads, from productivity and content editing to gaming.

I have plenty of experience with laptops of all varieties, from Windows machines, MacBooks and Chromebooks. I also have experience testing tablets and using desktop PCs for gaming. 

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed September 2024

Two-minute review

When I was a photography student I used to constantly complain about the cost of film, despite buying my medium-format 120 films in bulk for a discount, with which you only get between 8-12 photos per roll. How little did I realise how expensive film costs would shoot up in the future, and it's the surge in price, together with a spike in analog photography popularity that has led many to half-frame cameras like the Kodak Ektar H35.

The Kodak Ektar H35 is a point-and-shoot half frame 35mm camera that's as simple as they come. It's part of a fairly recent resurgence of half frame cameras, which is most likely because they provide two exposures for every 35mm frame, which doubles the number of photos you can shoot on a 35mm film. So, that's 48 exposures on a 24 exposure film and 72 on a 36 exposure film.

This is a point-and-shoot camera, much like a disposable camera in many ways including image quality from the lens. The main difference is that you can change the film to reuse the camera, and also the AAA battery that's required to power the built-in flash. The H35 is enjoyable in its simplicity, pocketable, nicely designed and reduces the cost of film. But whether or not it's one of the best film cameras is debatable.

One of the hurdles to this camera for me, alongside other points we'll delve into later is the cost. Remember, this is essentially a stylized disposable camera made reusable, so at $45 / £49 / AU$100 it's not expensive in the wider sense, but it is for what you get in terms of build and image quality, it's arguably overpriced.

Kodak Ektar H35: specs Kodak Ektar H35: design

The Kodak Ektar H35 may be a Kodak camera by name, but it's actually a licensed use of the trademark and the camera is manufactured by a company called RETO Production. This is neither here nor there because it's a film camera, and it works, but it's worth mentioning that you're not getting a high-quality Kodak camera here.

The H35 is available in four colors: black, brown, sand and sage. I opted for the brown version where the brown leatherette finish set against the brushed chrome, ahem plastic, gives the camera a distinctively 1970s look. Aesthetically, the H35 is a great-looking camera that's bathed in retro charm and is incredibly lightweight and highly portable.

Being made entirely of plastic, except for the electronics used in the battery compartment and for the flash, build quality is pretty low. Like I've said already, it's basically a disposable camera remade as reusable. Although saying that, disposable cameras are probably more robust despite being single-use.

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There's a built-in flash that's activated by turning the wheel around the lens. The power output is impressive for such a small flash, and there's a red light on the back of the camera that indicates that the flash is fully powered and ready to be used. But this setup does make it easy to leave the flash on and waste power in the single AAA battery.

One aspect of the camera that you have to get used to, and it doesn’t take long, is that photos are captured in portrait format when shooting with the camera in landscape orientation, and vice versa. The viewfinder is also small, but it's perfectly adequate for composing shots.

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In terms of overall performance, I have to admit that I wasn't impressed in the slightest. Yeah, I'm a film camera snob and prefer higher quality medium-format, but I also know that there are much better half frame cameras available. Some truly vintage half frame cameras, such as the Canon Demi, don't even cost much more than the H35 and they're much better quality in every way, while if you want the latest albeit pricier option, there's the new Pentax 17.

You'll be lucky to get a sharp shot from the H35's fixed focus plastic 22mm lens (an equivalent 35mm focal length when shooting half-frame). The shutter speed is fixed at 1/100 sec with a fixed f/9.5 aperture, so you may now be wondering how this camera can correctly expose shots.

Cameras like this rely on the fact that print film has an exposure latitude of two stops, which means you can get a printable image from a shot that's anywhere between two stops under and two stops overexposed, so a four-stop exposure window.

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Image quality generally is low because you're using such a small amount of celluloid, where fewer silver halide crystals create the image compared to a full 35mm frame. This coupled with the poor lens quality certainly creates a lo-fi aesthetic that some will love and others will hate.

In terms of handling, the H35 couldn’t be easier to load with film and use, being a point-and-shoot camera. You can pretty much switch your brain off while using it. When shooting I found it as easy as that, but one thing I did experience was stiffness in the film advance dial when winding the film on. This came and went, but with the all-plastic construction, I did wonder how much stress was being put on the film advance mechanism.

It didn't stop there either; when rewinding the film, the flimsy handle on the dial at the bottom of the camera didn’t feel robust at all, quite the opposite. So once again, I was left wondering how many films you could put through the camera before something breaks. Plastic construction will undoubtedly help to keep the price of the camera down, but I'd rather pay a bit more for something that's better built with the potential to last longer – ideally for years.

Should I buy the Kodak Ektar H35?

(Image credit: James Abbott) Buy it if...

You want to shoot lo-fi analog photography
If you want a lo-fi aesthetic in your shots, the blurry and low-quality images produced by the H35 should be just what you're looking for.

You want to cut film costs
With 48 exposures on a 24 exposure film and 72 on a 36 exposure film, shooting with a half frame camera will effectively cut your film and processing costs in half.

You'd like simplicity
You can't get any easier than a point-and-shoot camera like the H35, so you don't need you're nervous about exposing film correctly.

Don't buy it if...

You'd like better quality photos
All half-frame cameras have quality limitations, but the plastic lens of the H35 compounds this, so for better analog image quality consider a 35mm camera instead.

You'd like a camera that will last
The H35 doesn’t feel like it will last very long based on the cheap build quality. There are better options out there both new and second-hand, and not always for much more money.

You don't want film costs
Despite getting twice the number of shots per roll of film than with 35mm, film these days is expensive, as is processing and scanning. The cost per film quickly adds up.

How I tested the Kodak Ektar H35

(Image credit: James Abbott)

• One roll of film
• Point-and-shoot pictures of a city center

I tested the Kodak Ektar H35 over a couple of hours walking around a city like a tourist shooting a range of subjects in different lighting conditions. Being a point-and-shoot camera with only a flash that can be turned on and off, it was simply a case of shooting and seeing how the photos came out at the end.

With this in mind, my main focus was on the handling and build quality of the camera since these were tangible at the point of shooting. A roll of film was enough to get an idea of these aspects of the camera because you have to go through the whole process of loading, exposing, winding on and then rewinding the film manually before processing the film.

First reviewed September 2024

Govee Floor Lamp Pro: one-minute review

If you’re looking for a standing floor lamp with a bunch of smart features, a vast array of lighting moods, and a built-in Bluetooth speaker, you’ll struggle to do better than the Govee Floor Lamp Pro. That’s partly because it’s the only floor lamp that currently offers this feature set, but also because it’s rather good.

It’s not without its quirks and certainly not perfect, but the lamp shines (literally) when it comes to adding ambiance to your home, replete with some fun features that set it apart from more serious offerings. If you're looking for an affordable way to liven up your space, it's one of the best smart lights around.

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro requires some self-assembly, but feels solid once put together (Image credit: Future)

Out of the box, the first thing I was struck by was the assembly. My current favorite floor lamp is the Philips Hue Signe Gradient Floor Lamp, a pricey HomeKit offering with a range of lighting moods and a premium design. While that lamp comes pre-assembled (and ships in a commensurately large box), the Govee alternative comes in bits.

You’ll need to attach four metal strips to the base using a series of metal brackets held in place by screws. Once that’s done, you connect the wiggly tube that holds the lighting magic and stuff it into the metal shell. The assembly wasn’t overly complicated, it’s definitely a bit finicky and might turn off users who just want a plug-and-play lamp right out of the box.

While the overall design of the Govee Floor Lamp Pro feels solid, it doesn’t exude the quality of a Philips Hue fixture. The metal feels a little bit cheap and the electronic connection between base and light didn't fill me with confidence. Once built however, the overall design feels sturdy and solid, and while it doesn’t feel like a premium light fixture like the Hue, it’s also around half the price.  

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro supports 16+ million colors (Image credit: Future)

Using the Govee Floor Lamp Pro takes the form of Govee’s own app, available on iPhone and Android. There’s no HomeKit or Matter support, but Alexa and Google Home users do benefit from compatibility. As a HomeKit user myself, all my testing was done through Govee’s app. While it’s not going to win any Apple Design Awards any time soon, the app enables connecting your lamp to your home Wi-Fi network, which was seamless, and then all of the lighting options. The Govee Floor Lamp Pro supports some 16 million colors in a plethora of configurations, scenes, and settings. 

You're not limited to the color wheel picker; you can also pick warm or cool white ambient lighting (Image credit: Future)

You can choose any block color from a range of presets or a color wheel, and there’s a simple Illumination section for ambient, natural light for reading and beyond. Like other Govee products, the Floor Lamp Pro can also tune into music, either through its built-in microphone or from your mobile device as it’s playing, providing rhythmic lighting to match your tunes.

There’s also a DIY section where you can try other people’s cool scenes, and a finger sketch option where you can create your own combinations. There’s also a cool Scenes section, my personal favorite, which draws various colors together into scenes such as sunrise, sunset, aurora, and others. 

You can use it as a directional lamp, but the Govee Floor Lamp Pro works best when used to wash a corner of a room or a wall with light (Image credit: Future)

As you can see, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro offers practically infinite possibilities when it comes to lighting your home. It’s useful for parties, gaming, office work and reading, or literally anything else you can think of. There are settings for brightness and color, timers, and literally anything else you can think of. Immensely versatile, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is useful in almost any situation. 

By nature of its design, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro lends itself best to wall washing. It’s most effective when used to bathe a surface or a corner of your home in ambient light. It does work as a directional lamp, but you’ll be missing out on a lot of the fun and functionality of the device. The Pro’s design over previous Govee offerings means it's a lot taller and has a much wider luminous cross-section, putting out a ton of light all in one place.

The Floor Lamp Pro comes with a physical remote control, which attaches to the lamp via a magnetic clamp (Image credit: Future)

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro ships with a couple of nifty features you won’t find on rivals that really make it stand out. While the app is delightfully comprehensive and versatile, sometimes you just want to turn the light on, pick a color, and be done with it. To that end, there’s a handy remote that lets you control the power, brightness, or the color and temperature of your light. Without even touching your phone you can turn on the light in seconds, pick from a range of colors, and be on your way. There’s even a magnetic clamp you can use to attach your remote to the body of the lamp, keeping it safe and secure. 

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro’s party piece is the Bluetooth speaker built into its base. It’s not audiophile quality, but it can be used via Bluetooth from your smartphone or tablet to play music or podcasts. It’s got a reasonable range of audio and is nice for a bit of bedroom mood music or as the centerpiece for an impromptu party. The speaker also powers the app’s onboard ambient white noise, although the quality of these left a lot to be desired, you probably won’t want to use any of them. 

Overall, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is a brilliantly versatile and comprehensive smart lamp. It might not boast the premium fit and finish of a Philips Hue alternative, but it’s a lot cheaper and just as cheerful. 

The app includes fun features including a finger-sketching option that you can use to create your own lighting scenes (Image credit: Future) Govee Floor Lamp pro: specs Govee Floor Lamp Pro: price and availability

• List price: $219 / £219 (about AU$320)
• Discounts often available

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro can be found on Govee’s website in both the UK and the US, retailing at $219 / £219 (about AU$320). However, it’s usually discounted to around $185 / £170 (about AU$270), so it pays to shop around for a bit of a bargain.

It can also be picked up on Amazon for a similar price, again with discounts down to $199 / £170 (about AU$290). That’s a pretty decent price for a well-equipped lamp with lots of features. To put that into perspective, Philips Hue’s Signe Gradient lamp retails for $329 / £279 (about AU$480). The latter comes assembled and has a more premium build, but the Govee alternative will do much the same job of lighting your space and comes with the added benefit of a built-in Bluetooth speaker and a remote. 

Should you buy the Govee Floor Lamp Pro? Buy it if...

You’re a Google Home or Alexa user

This lamp is a great option for smart home users with systems powered by Google Home or Amazon Alexa.

Don't buy it if...  Govee Floor Lamp Pro: also consider

Not sold on the Govee Floor Lamp Pro? Here are two other smart floor lamps you should consider.

How I tested the Govee Floor Lamp Pro

• I used the Govee Floor Lamp Pro for several days
• I connected it to my home Wi-Fi network and used its app extensively
• I tested all of its features including the speakers

I've used the Govee Floor Lamp Pro for three weeks, mostly as a nightstand in my bedroom. I placed it in various positions throughout my home, including in various different corners and settings. 

I used the Govee app extensively to control the lamp after pairing it with my iPhone, going through all of the various settings, color options, and features. 

I have five years of smart home journalism experience and have extensively tested a broad range of smart home products including smart lights, plugs, speakers, and more. I have also tested other smart lamps in this specific product category field, notably the Philips Hue Signe Gradient and the Govee Floor Lamp 2, which has helped to inform my review. Read more about how we test.

First reviewed September 2024

Samsung Q60D: Two minute review

The Samsung Q60D is a budget QLED TV that delivers good picture quality and gaming performance and is a fine entry-level option for those looking to save money. It’s missing some key features and faces plenty of more affordable competition, however, so it’s not going to beat the best TVs anytime soon.

Picture quality on the Q60D is fairly good overall, with punchy but natural colors and solid contrast. Detail is where the Q60D shines, with crisp textures serving as the Q60D’s best aspect. With a QLED panel and standard LED backlight, black levels won’t rival those of the best OLED TVs, but they are better than the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, another affordable QLED TV. There’s some motion blur when watching sport and shadow detail is lacking compared to sets that benefit from better backlights, but the picture is good overall for a TV at this price.

The Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel, 20W speaker array. Speech is clear and there’s good sound placement thanks to Samsung’s OTS Lite feature, but the sound lacks the bass heft and virtual surround you’ll get from the best TVs for sound. For those looking to use it for more than casual viewing, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars. 

Gaming on the Q60D is fun enough, with the TV’s decent gaming performance helped by a low 9.6ms input lag time and a clean picture. However, with no support for 120Hz or VRR, it lacks key features of the best gaming TVs, though it does support ALLM and has Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub. 

The Q60D is fairly priced for what it offers and is available in 43-85-inch screen sizes (a 32-inch model is also available in the US). However, it faces competition from cheap mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N, and the TCL C805 (in the UK), all of which benefit from more gaming features, Dolby Vision HDR support and mini-LED backlights. 

The Samsung Q60D delivers surprisingly crisp details.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Prices & release date

• Released April 2024 
• 32-inch: $479.99 
• 43-inch: $529.99 / £479 
• 50-inch: $599.99 / £549 
• 55-inch: $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195 
• 65-inch $799.99 / £899 / AU$1,495 
• 75-inch: $999.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,995 
• 85-inch: $1,699.99 / £1,699 / AU$2,995 

The Samsung Q60D is the entry-level QLED series in Samsung’s 2024 TV range, sitting below the Q70D and Q80D. 

Since release, Q60D prices have fallen across every screen size in every region and it’s regularly on sale both through Samsung and other retailers. We’ve seen the 50-inch model we tested for as low as £479 in the UK – more than £200 off from its initial £699. In the US, prices have dropped roughly $200 across the range. 

Samsung Q60D review: Specs Samsung Q60D review: Benchmark results

The Samsung Q60D includes three HDMI ports, but none support 4K 120Hz or VRR.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Features

• 4K QLED ‘Dual LED’ panel  
• Tizen smart TV platform 
• HDR10+ high dynamic range support  

The Q60D features a QLED panel that uses quantum dot tech to improve brightness and color detail over standard LED TVs. It also features what Samsung calls ‘Dual LED’ tech, which aims to boost contrast. It comes with Samsung’s Quantum Processor Lite 4K processor, with the more premium NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor available starting in the step-up Q80D series. 

As with all Samsung TVs, the Q60D supports the HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats, but not Dolby Vision. For Dolby Vision support in a similar price range, look to the Amazon Omni QLED. 

For sound, the Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel speaker array totaling 20W of power and features a ‘Lite’ version of the Object Tracking System (OTS) that can be found in Samsung’s more premium sets. It also supports Adaptive Sound and the Q Symphony feature that can combine the TV’s speakers with those in a compatible Samsung soundbar. 

For gaming, the Q60D comes with Samsung’s Gaming Hub, with support for Cloud gaming apps from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and more. It also features ALLM but does not support 4K 120Hz or VRR.

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen platform for its smart TV interface. Tizen provides access to popular streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. In the UK, it also supports BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and Freeview apps, although live TV services are handled by Samsung’s own TV Plus system rather than Freeview. 

• Features score: 4/5

The Samsung Q60D's contrast is richer than anticipated, with a good balance between light and dark tones.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Picture quality

• Punchy colors  
• Refined detail  
• Middling black levels and contrast 

When measuring peak brightness, the 50-inch Q60D yielded results of 417 nits and 384 nits in Standard and Filmmaker Modes respectively on a 10% HDR white window. This is lower than the rival Amazon Omni QLED, which hit 531 nits and 402 nits in its same picture modes on the same tests, though it’s worth noting the Amazon TV was a 65-inch model.

Measuring the Q60D’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 71% and 92.9% for BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces respectively in Filmmaker Mode. While those are not the best results, they are still decent for a budget TV and actually put it in line with mini-LED sets such as the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U6N. 

The Q60D did a decent job displaying standard-definition images on its 50-inch screen, though it’s likely that textures would be fuzzier on larger screen sizes. High-definition content fared better, showing clearer-looking textures.

Moving onto 4K HDR sources, I first viewed a stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus to test the Q60D’s colors. In the throne room fight scene, which is filled with bright reds, the Q60D displayed plenty of punch while also maintaining a natural look. And in the opening race sequence of Ready Player One, colors were vivid, even though they lacked some of the same brightness I’ve seen on more premium TVs.

The Samsung Q60D thrives with bright images.  (Image credit: Future)

The Batman is a challenging movie for many TVs due to its numerous dark scenes. Viewed with regular room lighting, the Q60D demonstrated good contrast throughout and decent enough black levels, especially for a QLED set. In the opening crime scene, there was good shadow detail with no black crush. Light sources, such as lamps, were balanced well within the scene's dimly lit surroundings. 

Viewing this same scene in darker lighting conditions, blacks took on more of a gray look with a cloudy wash over the whole screen. However, black levels were still better than expected and better than those of the Amazon Omni QLED. 

Viewing black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, the Q60D did a better job displaying the film’s wide range of brighter whites and grays over the black tones. 

The Q60D demonstrated refined-looking textures and details. In scenes from The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, facial features were clearly defined, and details in clothing also had a more realistic look than I anticipated for a budget QLED TV. Watching demo footage from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark Blu-ray, details in landscapes, cityscapes and close-up shots of animals looked authentic throughout. 

When I watched an HD stream of a Soccer game on Prime Video, the Q60D delivered acceptable motion handling. I found that setting judder reduction in the motion section of the picture settings to a lower amount, say 2 or 3, was better than having it set to full, though some may prefer the smoother processing. Regardless, there was still some judder and blur present due to the TV’s 60Hz panel. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll be better off looking at the best TVs for sport, such as the Samsung QN90D. 

The Q60D’s motion handling with movies was much better. Watching Top Gun: Maverick, it did a solid job with the quick panning shots and tumbling cameras during the training missions and Darkstar opening scene. There was still occasional judder, but it didn’t detract from the viewing experience. 

• Picture quality score: 4/5

The Samsung Q60D suffers from limited built-in sound, as heard when watching La La Land.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Sound quality

• Clear speech
• Good directional sound  
• Limited bass and soundstage  

The Q60D has a 2.0-channel speaker array with 20W of power. It supports Object Tracking Sound Lite (OTS Lite) and Adaptive Sound, a feature that changes volume based on an analysis of the content being displayed. It also has Q Symphony, a feature that combines the Q60D’s built-in speakers with those in compatible Samsung soundbars for an enhanced audio presentation. There are two sound presets, Standard and Amplify, with Amplify being the best overall and the one I used during testing. 

The Q60D delivered clear dialogue during the chaotic Batmobile chase in The Batman. It also delivered good sound placement, with effects such as tyres, crashes and bullets in the Batmobile chase scene well-placed on the screen and connected to the action.

Other elements of the Q60D’s built-in sound were lacking. Its limited bass meant there was no real impact from the rumbling engines of cars in both The Batman and Ready Player One. And with a limited soundstage, the full, sometimes brash jazz score of La La Land was restrained, with some instruments lost in the mix.

For those looking to use the Q60D as a main TV, a soundbar is recommended. 

• Sound quality score: 3/5 

The 50-inch Q60D I tested came with support feet that could be height-adjusted to fit a soundbar underneath.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Design

• Sleek, slim design  
• Premium looks for price 
• SolarCell remote 

The Q60D has a more premium design than you’d expect at this price level, with a sleek, thin profile that's similar to pricey sets such as the Samsung S95D OLED. The rear panel also has a burnished, navy finish that again gives the Q60D a premium look. 

A near bezel-less front allows nearly all of the picture to take up the screen. The 50-inch model I tested came with height-adjustable support feet to fit a soundbar underneath. These felt a little cheap but were very easy to install and provided sturdy enough support. 

The Q60D is supplied with Samsung’s SolarCell remote, which has a solar panel on the rear and a USB-C port at the bottom for charging. It’s good to see this remote, which doesn’t use disposable batteries, supplied with more budget sets in Samsung’s TV range. 

• Design score: 4/5

Tizen is divided into various hubs, including the useful Gaming Hub (pictured).  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Smart TV & menus

• Tizen smart TV platform 
• Good range of picture settings 

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform. This is divided into multiple hubs that allow for easy navigation and organization and includes Home, where apps plus TV show and movie recommendations are displayed; Ambient, which lets you select dynamic and static artworks; Game, a hub that houses everything gaming-related including cloud-based apps; and Daily+, which has office, health and home-based apps for daily tasks.

There are a good number of settings available for those who like to adjust picture quality, with preset modes including Standard, Movie, Filmmaker and more. The same can’t be said for audio, which has only two preset modes, Standard and Amplify, and very few settings to adjust. 

• Smart TV & Menus score: 4/5 

The Samsung Q60D has limited gaming features, but still performs well at 4K 60Hz.  (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Gaming

• Samsung Gaming Hub and ALLM 
• No 120Hz or VRR support 
• 9.6ms input lag time   

The Q60D doesn’t have as many features as the best gaming TVs, with no HDMI 2.1 ports for 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support. It does support 4K 60Hz and ALLM, however, and has Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from the likes of Xbox, Luna, and Nvidia GeForce Now. 

Despite its lack of next-gen gaming features, the Q60D’s gaming performance is perfectly fine. Playing Battlefield V, shootouts and battles still felt suitably intense and switching between targets was smooth and judder-free. There are Off, Level 1 and Level 2 Game Motion modes to choose from, though I did not notice a significant difference between the three options. 

Graphically, the Q60D did a solid job. Textures were well-defined and colors had a dynamic look. Contrast was decent, giving objects a sharper appearance, though I did find that HDR tone mapping was a little aggressive in some sequences.

• Gaming score: 4/5 

The Q60D comes with Samsung's SolarCell remote control. (Image credit: Future) Samsung Q60D review: Value

• Fairly priced for picture and performance 
• Budget mini-LEDs available from TCL and Hisense  
• Good range of sizes and frequently on sale 

The Q60D delivers good overall performance at a budget price that will suit many people. However, it faces stiff competition from cheap mini-LED TVs that provide more gaming features and better picture quality such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N in the US and UK, and the TCL C805 (UK-only). 

The 55-inch Q60D is priced at $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195 (prices have dipped below this level before). Hisense’s U6N is priced at $499 / £749 / AU$995, and while it shares similar gaming features, it benefits from a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR support. The TCL C805 (available in the UK and Australia) costs  £649 / AU$1,395, and although pricier, it benefits from 4K 120Hz and VRR gaming support and also features a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR.

For US and UK customers, there is also the Amazon Omni QLED, which retails for roughly $349 / £399 and benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support, though the Q60D provides a better overall picture. 

Despite tough competition, the Q60D is likely to see major discounts throughout the year, which will bring its value more in line with the models listed above. 

• Value score: 3.5/5 

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Samsung Q60D? Buy it if...

You want a good picture for the price
The Q60D delivers crisp textures, solid contrast and vivid colors in an affordable TV, beating most similarly priced LED models. 

You want a nice-looking TV
With a slim profile, adjustable feet, and trim bezel, the Q60D looks more premium than its price would suggest. 

You want a budget gaming TV
If you're looking for a gaming TV that performs well with your Nintendo Switch and advanced gaming features don't matter, the Q60D is worth checking out. 

Don't buy it if...

You need good built-in sound
The Q60D delivers clear speech, but its built-in sound lacks in other areas. For more than casual viewing connect a soundbar.  

You need the best gaming TV
Gaming performance is good on the Q60D, but it lacks key features including 4K 120Hz and VRR support that we expect to see in the best gaming TVs. 

You want the best value TV
While prices are likely to drop, the Q60D faces competition from mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and TCL C805 which offer more but sit at a similar price. 

Also consider

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
The Omni QLED has similar specs to the Q60D, but supports Dolby Vision HDR, which the Q60D doesn't. It's also frequently on sale for less than the Q60D, though the Q60D has an overall better picture. 

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

Samsung Q80D
The Q60D's more premium QLED sibling, the Q80D delivers better pictures, more gaming features, superior performance, and better built-in sound. But you will pay roughly $300 / £300 more for this step-up in quality.

Read our full Samsung Q80D review

Hisense U6N
The Hisense U6N has similar features and specs to the Q60D, but it benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support and a mini-LED backlight for more refined pictures. It's also very similar in price. 

Read our full Hisense U6N review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Samsung Q60D

• Tested in lab with varying lighting conditions
• Tested using both SDR and HDR sources 
• Measurements recording using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software 

When testing the Samsung Q60D, I first used it for casual viewing to determine the most accurate picture preset modes (Movie, Filmmaker Mode and in some cases Standard) before moving on to critical viewing. 

I then used a variety of SDR (broadcast TV, DVD, Blu-ray) and HDR (4K streaming and 4K Blu-ray) sources to test the out-of-the-box picture, analyzing color, contrast, motion, black levels, detail and upscaling (for lower resolution sources), using reference scenes. For 4K Blu-ray playback, I used a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player. 

After critical viewing, I made measurements of brightness (both SDR and HDR), color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. To do this, I used a test pattern generator and colorimeter and recorded results using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software. 

Brightness measurements were recorded for both HDR and SDR in nits using 10% and 100% white window patterns. For the color gamut, I recorded the Q60D's BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 coverage. For color and grayscale accuracy, I recorded the Q60D's Delta E values (the margin for error between the test pattern source and what's displayed on the TV) and averaged them. 

I also tested the QN90D's gaming performance using an Xbox Series X and recorded its input lag time with a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester. 

For more information on how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out our guide in the link. 

• First reviewed: September, 2024
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: two-minute review

The Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is a stellar video doorbell that’s mostly a pleasure to use. Its quick detection might be as quick as the best home security cameras. And its clear image at all times of day, not to mention ability to be used both wired and wirelessly, makes it worthy of discussion among the best video doorbells. It’s pretty easy to install as well, especially if you go the wireless route.

It is among the more expensive models out there, at least compared to offerings from the likes of Ring and Eufy, and has a bit of a delay that can make communicating with anyone at the door a bit frustrating. Plus, if your Wi-Fi connection has issues, audio will cut in and out so that anyone waiting at the door will have a tough time understanding you.

That said, the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell has enough going for it to offset those issues. The video quality is sharp at 2K and has HDR support along with night vision, not to mention that the dual-camera setup allows the user to get a full view of what’s happening at their doorstep. There are a whole host of settings available through the app as well as features such as voice assistant support.

Overall, as long as you don’t plan on having long conversations with people at your doorstep and are willing to drop around $230, the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is quite the catch.

(Image credit: James Holland) Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: specs Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: price & availability

• List price: $229.99 (about £180 / AU$350)
• Available in the US

 Despite having quite the presence in the UK and Australia, Philips currently only sells the 7000 Series Video Doorbell (specific model number is DDA270X02103/37) in the US. For those that do have access to purchasing it (aka Americans or anyone with access to American marketplaces) can pay $229.99 (about £180 / AU$350) to get one. That’s admittedly on the high end.

Sure, you’ll pay the same price for the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, which is only available wired, making the Philips model a better deal, not to mention the Ring model requires a subscription to save video. However, something like the Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless) has a similar resolution, and likewise doesn’t need a subscription (though Eufy does offer one), for a cheaper rate of $199.99/£159.99 (around AU$285). Of course, it comes with a bulky base station that you have to make space for. 

• Value score: 4/5

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: design

• Straightforward wireless installation. Wired is almost as easy
• Includes an indoor chime unit
• Comes with a good amount of storage

Since the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is made to accommodate both wired and wireless connectivity, the amount of parts in the box can seem like a lot. It comes with the video doorbell itself, a chime unit, a flat mount, an angled mount, a USB-C charging cable along with an assortment of cables to be used if you go the wired route, and wood anchors with two sets of screws of different lengths depending on which mount you choose to use.

(Image credit: James Holland)

The actual installation is pretty straightforward, especially if you go the wireless route like I did. Philips offers some basic instructions on placement along with a rectangular piece of paper with pre-drawn mounting positions. 

Once you know where you want to place the doorbell (and this might be different if you go the wired route as you’ll reuse the wires from an existing doorbell), you just need to drill a hole at those pre-drawn mounting positions. Of course, the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell doesn’t come with a drill or a screwdriver and you’ll need those. Also, depending on the type of surface you’re using, you might need to make bigger holes to insert the wood anchors.

(Image credit: James Holland)

The next step is to place the mounting plate you want to use and screw that in. If you need the angled one – maybe the doorbell’s positioning is off to the side – then you use the longer screws provided. You’ll still use the flat mounting plate on top of the angled plate. Once the mounting plate(s) is installed, you clip in the video doorbell and plug the chime unit in a power outlet inside and the physical part is done.

You also need to download the Philips app and pair both the chime and video doorbell. But other than scanning a QR code, the steps are basically just to follow the on-screen directions. It’s all pretty straightforward.

(Image credit: James Holland)

If you do want to go the wired route, it’s a little more complicated as you not only connect the positive and negative wires going from your existing doorbell to the Philips 7000 Series Video doorbell, but you need to shut off your breaker and insert a wire along the circuit as well. It’s not all that much more complicated, but does require a little more work (and a properly labeled breaker box).

The actual video doorbell is sizable without being obtrusive, as it measures 6.29 in. x 2.16 in. x 1.22 in. (160mm x 55mm x 31mm) and weighs 9.87 ounces. It comes just in black with a dual camera and a single doorbell on the front.

(Image credit: James Holland)

It has a USB-C port underneath a silicon covering for charging if you go the wireless route, so it retains an IP67 rating. That means it should survive all but the toughest of storms. It also comes with 8GB of storage so that it can save about clips for quite awhile locally. That’s greatly appreciated since the company doesn’t offer a subscription for cloud-based storage.

Also worth noting is that the chime unit, which comes in white, has an ethernet port if you want to physically connect it to your router.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: performance

• Sharp video quality that shows both face and foot-level views
• Has about a 10-second delay
• Audio sometimes cuts in and out

 The performance of the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is mostly very good. Since it’s always active and not just when it’s rung, it’s very responsive telling the user as soon as someone has passed by it. Its motion detection is immediate. Plus, it will light up at night the way a motion sensing light would.

It also will tell you right away when the doorbell has been pressed on the off chance you can’t hear the chime from the phone or the chime unit. It’s also very accurate at only detecting humans when that preference has been set in the app (you can also set it to detect any motion).

(Image credit: James Holland)

The video quality is also quite excellent. Its 2K resolution with HDR and night vision support means that you’ll be able to easily identify who or what is in front of the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell at all times. For example, I was able to see from one of the recorded events (more on that later) that my sister came home with burgers from Freddy’s without telling me. Now, I’m not saying to use the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell as a way to spy on your family’s eating habits. However, I was able to read the writing on the packaging that she brought with her.

The video setup is actually a dual camera one so, along with its wide 157 degree field of view, you can see everything going on at your doorstep. One camera is pointing, as long as the doorbell is positioned correctly, at face-level, while the other is at the feet. This is particularly useful if someone is dropping off (or, more concerningly, taking) a package.

(Image credit: James Holland)

There are really only two big issues with the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell. The first is the fact that there’s about a ten-second delay between what I saw and heard and what was actually happening. While this is somewhat necessary for recording purposes, it’s frustrating when trying to communicate with whoever’s at the door. 

The second is the fact that sometimes the audio from the app to the doorbell cuts in and out. This makes communicating with whoever is at the door even more frustrating considering there’s already that ten second delay. When the voice comes through uninterrupted, it is clear at least.

On the upside, there are some interesting features on hand including some preset audio responses. With a press of a button, you can tell a delivery driver to just leave a package, for instance. The Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell can also be paired with Alexa and Google Assistant, though you won’t get the full video feed. And if you need to set specific zones for detection, you can do that too.

(Image credit: James Holland)

The app will also record events by default in 15 second increments. You can adjust the length of each video clip, but it’s a good length. Now, you’re not getting super smooth video since this is going on 8GB or storage instead of the cloud as there’s no subscription. But, it’s useful to look at past events to see what’s happened – for instance, when someone gets a burger without offering to get you one.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell? Buy it if...

You want a clear view
With a 157-degree field of view, dual-camera setup that shows both face- and feet-level, not to mention HDR support and night vision, you’ll clearly see everything happening at your doorway.

You want the option to go either wired or wireless
The Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell can be used both wired and wirelessly (many models only offer one type of connectivity), so you can choose after the fact how you want to install. Plus, installation is easy regardless.

You don’t want to pay for a subscription
Since it has a decent amount of onboard storage, it can save events for a long time without the need of a subscription. With a lot of the competition, you often need that subscription to hold onto recordings for a significant amount of time.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Though the price is worth it, the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is not cheap, especially compared to some of the competition.

 You need immediate communication
Though its 10-second delay is probably just due to it also recording, that latency can make interacting with those at your door frustrating.

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell: also consider

 Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is a premium video doorbell that not only looks the part, but offers a wider field of view and sharp video quality. It is, unfortunately, wired only and is pricey as well, though it often goes on sale since it’s a bit older.

Read our full Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 review 

Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless)

While the Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless) doesn’t have HDR, it still has that sharp 2K resolution, not to mention it’s a little less expensive than the Philips. It also can be used without a subscription, though one is on offer. This model is wireless only.

Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (Wireless) review 

How I tested the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell

 To test the Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell, I used it for a couple weeks to not only answer the door, but to monitor all activity coming in and out (mostly my brother-in-law letting the dogs out to pee). I also played around with and tested the various settings in the app to see how they work. Read more about how we test products.

First tested September 2024

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: Two-minute review

I was once told that only a poor writer starts with a quote. So forgive me, because this one (from author and leadership mentor John C. Maxwell) explains my thoughts on Bowers & Wilkins' Pi8 far better than I could: A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them. 

A lot has been corrected here, and it takes a big man (or woman, or person) to do it. TechRadar reviews typically begin with the bold claims made by a product's marketing team, and end with whether or not we felt the performance lived up to the hype. But B&W has approached this iteration with such humility, honesty and determination (rather than nonchalance and bravado) that I cannot do that. What I can tell you – and with some joy – is that the Pi8 are some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds I've ever tested.

They are, as you'll probably have guessed, completely unlike their older siblings. Gone are the Swiss watch-style embellishments and metallic circular top plates of the Pi7 and Pi5 (and the Pi5 S2 and Pi7 S2), which looked beautiful in my hand but didn't work in my ear canal. Bowers & Wilkins has effectively started from scratch this time around, deploying the services of the same in-house team that created its PX7 S2 and sublime PX8 over-ear headphones – a set of cans I said "look stunning and sound even better" under intense review. 

Has the gamble worked? While I'd love to stretch this two-minute verdict out, let's face it, the star rating at the top of this review is kind of a giveaway. Yes, it has. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are now as physically comfortable and secure as they are sonically detailed and dynamically agile.

Also, you now get on-ear volume control. I've been knocking B&W's decision to leave this off the spec sheet since 2021, which meant that even with the company's most elite earbuds, I had to rifle through my bag to alter the volume, while propositions at a fifth of the price could do it. And now that's fixed. Okay, you have to choose whether you want the tap-and-hold gesture of either earbud to tweak volume (left down; right up) or scroll between ANC and passthrough in the left bud, and voice assistant activation in the right, but I don't care – at least, not enough to knock a half-star off. 

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are a five-star set of earbuds all day long, even at their considerable price point. 

(Image credit: Future)

A quick bit about their corresponding Pi6 siblings, which were unveiled (as is B&W's tradition) on the same day: aptX Lossless support is reserved for the flagship Pi8. Also, while the slightly cheaper Pi6 feature new 12mm bio-cellulose drivers (based on tech used in the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e, B&W's 2023 update to the aforementioned PX7 S2 over-ears), the Pi8 get an upgraded DAC, DSP and amplifier components from ADI, meaning they effectively bypass Qualcomm's digital-to-analog converter. You also get the carbon cone drive unit technology first used in the excellent top-tier PX8 over-ear headphones in the Pi8 – see the design language carried over from that in-house team?

The Pi8 also offer the case retransmission function first seen in the Pi7 and January 2023-issue Pi7 S2. This lets you ping audio to the earbuds wirelessly but without Bluetooth, from connected analog or digital sources, (in-flight entertainment systems, gym equipment, newer USB-C-enabled iPhones, and so on). It's not the first case capable of doing the retransmission dance – see the Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 or LG Tone Free T90S for more examples – but B&W's case goes a step beyond, by retransmitting in aptX Adaptive (ie. up to 24-bit/96kHz quality). It's quite the upgrade if you care about streaming quality – and with earbuds as capable (and aspirational) as the Pi8, you really should.  

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Price & release date

• Unveiled on August 21, 2024 
• Priced $399 / £349 / AU$599

Admittedly, the Pi8 are not cheap. The best one can say about the asking price is that the 2021 Pi7 launched at the same $399 / £349 / AU$699, so it's refreshing to see that Bowers & Wilkins hasn't hiked the price – although that's still top-end in today's money, to be sure. 

The cheaper Pi6 became available on September 15, priced at $249 / £219 / AU$449, which is more palatable, but remember that you don't get the flagship features or hardware, as detailed above.

What else can this kind of money buy? Why, competition is rife up here, friend! Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds come in at $299 / £299 / AU$449; Technics' excellent EAH-AZ80 are also in the same ballpark, at $299 / £259 / AU$499 and the Final ZE8000 MK2 (our pick for the best-sounding buds we've ever tested) are $399 / £289 (around AU$609), where available.

Suffice to say, it's tough at the top. But that's where B&W now finds itself – and the Pi8 are sitting rather prettily up there, it must be said. 

(Image credit: Future) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Specs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Features

• Excellent case retransmission feature
• Effective ANC
• Very good call-quality; Music App is a joy to use

Do the Pi8 nix noise as deftly as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the AirPods Pro 2? For me, yes. As I understand it, the Pi8 have received quite the overhaul here – using tech from their PX8 over-ear siblings – and however B&W has implemented this, it works. That cocooned feeling of leaving the outside world behind kicked straight in but without any sense of wind-tunnel nausea or my eardrums being unceremoniously sucked into a vacuum. It's probably also thanks to the hugely improved fit and the seal it creates betwixt those talented drivers and my ear canals (more on this later), but you should know that here, the noise-cancelling is very good. 

There’s also a useful 'Pass Through' mode, that lets me hear my colleague talking next to me. You can switch these profiles off entirely, but there’s no capacity to tweak the levels of ANC any further, and no 'adaptive' ANC option. I don't care. When the full-fat version is this good, why get granular and try to tweak things? If you just want something that kicks extraneous noise to the curb so you can revel uninterrupted in your sonic selections, the Pi8 are it. 

Now, the case: aside from its no-nonsense, pocketable appeal, you can plug that USB-C port (USB-C to 3.5mm and USB-C cables are in the box) into a non-Bluetooth source, such as an in-flight entertainment system, and it'll double as a wireless audio re-transmitter but in aptX Adaptive transmission up to 24-bit/96kHz quality. Imagine the scene: you're in the middle seat on a long-haul flight, and the window-seat passenger wants to get out. It's fine! Your earbuds are safe in your ears, still sending audio, and your fellow passenger won't trip over long tangling cables – not on your watch! 

(Image credit: Future)

What about call quality? I liked it a lot, despite the lack of sidetone-type tech to either boost or minimize my own or the caller's voice manually. The Pi8 have three mics per earbud and B&W says the setup's been upgraded using PX8-flavor tech. For me, even during an off-shore windy day in Woolacombe (never been? It's on the UK's North Devon coastline, surfer hotspot, you should check it out), my caller told me I came through loud and clear. 

It's worth noting that there are no ear-tip fit tests, hearing tests for creating personalized sound profiles, or proprietary spatial audio processing here. If you want those things, you'll need to look at options from Bose, JBL, or even Nothing. What you'll find instead is a very good five-band EQ tab and the talented Bowers & Wilkins Music app. This companion app will quickly become the way you access your music since it corrals all of your paid-for music streaming services (so I never need to go to Qobuz or Tidal specifically – it's all here!) and even serves up various "curated by Bowers & Wilkins" playlist selections for your new listening gear. 

For better or worse, B&W wants the star of the show to be the untouched and unadulterated sound quality, rather than giving you ways to mess with it. The inclusion of Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Bluetooth 5.4 chipset is a testament to that. But remember, a separate high-performance dedicated DAC/DSP amp has also been thrown in, to swerve that within even the Qualcomm chip. That's the extent to which B&W has taken matters into its own hands regarding the sound quality. While it might not be an ideal proposition for those who know they need to augment certain frequencies right from the box (and would rather have B&W do it for them), those who don't need specific sonic recipes cannot fail to be wowed by the separation, neutrality and sonic clarity here.

If you've got an aptX-compatible source, you'll get much better wireless audio support too, including aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive support at up to 24-bit/96kHz. And as you'll read below, the sound quality here is unparalleled from a wireless earbuds design. 

• Features score: 4.5/5

Yes, I still love 2003 Laith Al-Deen…  (Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Sound quality

• Separation, detail and clarity in spades 
• Bass is resolute; mids textured
• Noise-cancellation doesn't mar the experience

Rarely will you read a TechRadar section entitled 'Sound' so wholly positive, so prepare yourself: no matter what genre of music I threw at them (and no matter the streaming source) it felt as if the B&W Pi8 had unpacked, weighed, opened out, examined, layered and finally presented my music with the skilled hand of a French pâtissier. The Pi8 buds also didn't seem to care whether they were working with lowly compressed Spotify streams, Tidal Max tracks, Apple Music offerings or Qobuz albums. Everything was served up with a flourish. 

In Lupe Fiasco's Cake, bass frequencies in the vocals sink easily as low as Fiasco is able (which is considerable), revealing a bass floor few earbuds can take you to. During the title track, Samurai, I'm struck by the pin-point accuracy of each voice's placement in the mix. Hype men jump out from my ear lobes, my temples and beneath my chin in a raucous and zealous mix. 

Switching to Stranger by Hinds and Grian Chatten, jangly guitars and Hinds' ethereal vocal stylings are present and have ample room to shine, joining each other in a cohesive mix but never competing for space. Chatten's voice joins centrally and I'm living inside my head as if at a gig, with the Fontaines D.C. front-man, well, literally in front of me… 

Refreshingly, deploying ANC or pass-through doesn't make anything go sonically awry either. Bass is just as resolute in Gunna's collage with pass-through on, a profile that can so often throw a slightly tinny, sweet veil over the audio. 

Any downsides? I'm struggling – and we pride ourselves on being tough critics here at TechRadar. For attack, drive, musicality, dynamic nuance, balance across the frequencies, placement, timing, and all the other things I usually talk about where sound is concerned, Bowers & Wilkins' considerable work and back-to-the-drawing-board approach has paid off. Oh, do these earbuds sound good… 

• Sound quality score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Design

• Totally reworked driver housings – and it works 
• On-ear functions require a compromise
• Pocketable case

While they might not look as resoundingly premium as the Swiss watch-esque Pi5 or Pi7, the redesign here was necessary. The top surface of each nicely-branded bud is a shiny touch-capacitive button that works very well. 

The buds are available in Anthracite Black with silvery accents (the sample pictured here), Dove White, Midnight Blue and Jade Green. It's a plastic build, but of premium matte plastic that seems to murmur 'I'm expensive' when you pluck them from their small, pebble-shaped case. 

Bowers & Wilkins came clean to me and admitted it needed to fix some issues in the older iterations: the mic and sensors on the older Pi7 models weren’t in the best position, meaning they could get blocked by the wearer. Remember my quote at the very top of this review? It takes a big company to admit to its mistakes, and it has all been fixed for Pi8.

There's now a little indentation containing a sliver of grille, running the entire circumference of each earpiece and directly under that touch capacitive top plate. Under it are those mics and sensors – as far away from your head and ear folds as it's possible to put them. Neat.

As noted previously, a brand new "trickled down from the PX8" carbon cone driver is at the helm here, and you get four silicone ear tip options in the box: extra small, small, medium and large. I switched to the small set, but since the neck of the earbud isn't long and the design has been so carefully conceived, I don't think the tip size is paramount here. Honestly? I truly feel that B&W has taken a long, hard, humble look at Technics' EAH-AZ80 with 'concha-fit' design for the Pi8. Why do I think this? Because, as with the Technics earbuds, they look a little bulky (and they do weigh 7g each, which isn't light) but they fit just as naturally and unobtrusively. The weight is distributed as evenly as possible so they feel as if they hug your outer ear, once in situ. Simply put: they fit beautifully, and you don't need to keep screwing them further down your delicate ear canal. 

The Pi8 offer more battery life than their older siblings – but not much more. The maximum playtime is 6.5 hours from the earbuds and a further 13.5 hours from the case, for 20 hours of total use – but the good news is that those tests are with ANC on. Without it, I got closer to 8.5 hours from a single charge in my testing. For clarity, the Pi7 S2's stamina was 5 hours for the earbuds (ANC off) and an additional 16 hours from the charging case, for a 21-hour total. 

I do have one minor negative though, and it's similar to the minor issue I encountered with the JBL Live Beam 3. Basically, you need to ditch a set of functions again. To clarify, you can now get on-ear volume control by long-pressing either Pi8 earbud, but to have it you need to forego scrolling through ANC profiles and access to your voice assistant. On the one hand, I love that I now get on-ear volume support. On the other, I'd also like to have the option to deploy ANC by touching the earbuds as well. And I know it's not too much to ask at this level because the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 can do it. 

That's where the complaints end though because when you add in that case retransmission feature, this is a very likeable, comfortable design from Bowers & Wilkins – and a complete rewrite of the playbook that I'm sure did not come easy. 

• Design score: 4.5/5

The buds are truly comfy, honestly!  (Image credit: Future) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review: Value

• Acceptable battery life given the excellent sound
• Sound-per-pound, they're winning
• If you want hearing tests, you'll be disappointed

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are not cheap. They are earbuds for the listener who wants excellent, unchanged, high-quality audio in a comfortable build. If that's you, the sound here is the best I've heard in a wireless design to date. And if you've got a decent hi-res music service subscription, the B&W Music app will have at it and make your life very easy. Essentially, if you value sound quality above all else, here's where the smart money goes.

However, for battery life, the Pi8 can be beaten by recent options from JBL and Cambridge Audio, and if you want spatial audio mixed in with the ANC, you'll need to look to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. 

Hearing tests (and the personalized sound profiles they can facilitate, from the Nothing Ear, for example) and ear-tip fit tests are also absent in the Pi8, so if those extras are high on your list of priorities, the value-for-money option lies elsewhere – possibly with Nothing; maybe even with the Denon PerL Pro. 

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8? Buy them if... Don't buy them if... Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: Also consider

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100
The ANC is very good indeed here, too – as is the sound quality. And to top it all off, you get the option of Matt Berry on voice prompts (his "Waiting to pair!" is the best you've ever heard). The overall aesthetic isn't as polished (the case is a little bigger) and the fit is good but not exceptional, but the M100's still a viable rival, depending on your priorities.
Make your choice by reading our Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review

How I tested the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for three weeks; listened against the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100, AirPods Pro 2, JBL Live Beam 3 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra
• Used at work, at home and on a long weekend away (in the office, walking along Woolacombe beach, on a train) 
• Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music Lossless tracks and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro, a Sony Xperia 1 V and a MacBook Pro

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 became my musical companions for over three weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period. 

They accompanied me to work on weekdays (walking brusquely to the station; on the London Underground network; at the office), and throughout a long weekend in Woolacombe, with regular trips along the seafront after surfing – which is a great way to test any wind interference from mics during calls.

To better test the fit and security of the Pi8, I even wore them during an aerial silks training session, and they did not budge. 

To check the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from grime to classical) on Apple Music, Qobuz and Tidal, but also podcasts and albums on Spotify, and YouTube tutorials (mostly about checking the tire pressure on my car, and how to reset the system so the warning light goes off, in case you wondered) on my MacBook Pro. 

I’ve been testing audio products well for over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in a previous life, sound quality, fit and user experience have always taken priority for me – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I have grown to love immersing myself in a bubble of silence too. 

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: September 2024

SoundMagic P58BT ANC: Two-minute review

Chinese audio company SoundMagic's bid to become a leader in the best budget headphones stakes is a strong one. The audio specialist retains a special place in cash-savvy audiophiles’ hearts, thanks to 2018’s SoundMagic E11C wired earbuds, which paved the way for a range of similarly affordable IEMs. And after launching its first wireless over-ear headphones in 2021 with the SoundMagic P23BT, it’s back with a pricier follow-up.

That’s how we come to the SoundMagic P58BT ANC, cans that are still distinctly affordable, but with a few upgrades over the past models. After testing, though, I’ve got to say that the upgrades don’t make these a better proposition.

It goes without saying that you have to set your expectations at a reasonable level when looking at affordable over-ear headphones (and I say it anyway to make it clear that I did lower my standards). And there is a lot to like here with that in mind, but I had two big issues with the SoundMagic that any potential buyer will have to get over first.

Firstly, I simply didn’t find them comfortable to wear. A relatively small arch means the pads are pushed right into your head, and I had to remove them every time I listened for more than an hour due to the headaches they caused. The P58BT ANC have a 60-hour battery life which is really great (though not best-in-class), but at my rate, that means 60 listening sessions followed by ample pauses.

The other issue, which is decidedly less subjective than the last, is that the SoundMagics don’t have any kind of smartphone app, marking the only audio gadget I can recall testing in recent years that doesn’t have any kind of way to control its features other than on the product itself. 

This means you’re lacking some (arguably-) basic features that most rivals have, namely an equalizer to tweak the audio mix. I desperately wanted to fiddle with the sound of the cans, but was stuck with the default balance which emphases mids over bass or treble frequencies.

If you want to toggle the features the P58BTs do have, you have to use gesture controls over the large pad on each earpiece, or rely on button-pressing patterns for the sole physical button on the left ear cup. In my several-week-long testing period, I found myself completely incapable of memorizing all the various gestures and shortcuts for the modes that I’d usually enable on my smartphone, and I’d imagine all other users (who aren’t in MENSA) will have the same experience.

As I said, you always have to bear in mind the price with low-cost headphones like the SoundMagic P58BT ANC, and the detailed audio and valiant battery life will sway over some users, especially those who may be able to overlook my stated issues. Yes, SoundMagic puts out its headphones at a competitive price point, but there are many other rivals on the market at similar price-points that I found more impressive.

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released in August 2024
• Sell for $90 / £79 / AU$134

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC were announced, and put on sale, at the end of August 2024. That’s a lengthy three-year hiatus since the P23BT. They're also available in a pretty lengthy list of countries around the world on SoundMagic’s website.

At launch, the headphones cost $90 / £79 / AU$134, so they’re pretty affordable if not as bargain-bin as the $55 / £50 (roughly AU$100) P23BTs, and we'd expect a little more as a result.

There are a lot of competitors at that price point, including some on our list of the best cheap headphones, with the top-rated Earfun Wave Pro and the Sony WH-CH520 both slightly cheaper. 

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Specs SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Distinct lack of features
• ANC is welcome if not powerful
• Total battery life of up to 60 hours

I tend to wax lyrical in headphone review ‘features’ sections, for better or worse, but that won’t be the case for the SoundMagic P58BT ANC. And that's because there isn't a lot to cover.

Let’s start with the titular feature: active noise cancellation, something the P23BT didn’t offer. Here it’s present and accounted for, but nothing to write home about: solid enough to remove overbearing background noises but lacking nuance or power to compete with the greats. As an example, the headphones would cancel out the rumble of a bus I was riding, but not the low chatter of the people on said bus.

Bear in mind that these are over-ear headphones, so there's some natural noise cancellation from the natural fit of the cups, and this certainly helps the ANC.

(Image credit: Future)

The SoundMagics do compete in terms of battery life, with 60 hours of music in the tank. There are few headphones that last that long, even amongst over-ears, and it’s truly a blessing for people who habitually forget to charge (like me) or suffer from battery anxiety (also me). Some rivals beat the SoundMagic in this department, (see the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 for an excellent 100-hour option with ANC disabled – albeit a more expensive one) but many top-end cans fall far short of the figure.

And the rest of the feature set is… almost totally barren. You see, SoundMagic doesn’t have an app, so all the features you’d normally find when using one are notably absent. No equalizer, no ambient modes, no way of tracking the P58BT’s battery level if your phone UI doesn’t tell you.

There is actually a low-latency game mode, which does what it says on the tin, and solves an issue that I’ve never faced in all my years of mobile gaming. For the reasons you’ll read about in the design section, I found enabling this more faff than it was worth.

• Features score: 2.5/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Comfortable and light design
• A few on-cup controls
• Folds up into carry case but no IP rating

The SoundMagic P58BT tip the scales to the tune of 305g, so they’re not particularly heavy, but there are certainly lighter headphones out there if you’re worried about them being too weighty. 

That wouldn’t be a misplaced fear either, as I found them a little uncomfortable to wear – the silicone ear pads felt very rigid, pressing down on my ears rather than settling onto them, and I had to break up listening sessions as a result. It goes without saying that this is a subjective observation but I do have to mention it, especially given that I’d use some other headphones I’m testing as a reprieve when the SoundMagics got too painful.

They come in two color options: black or silver, and don’t seem to have a waterproofing or IP rating that’s listed on SoundMagic’s website.

You can adjust the cans to quite an extent with an adjustable-length headband and cans that can rotate and fold to quite a dramatic degree. I kept accidentally flipping the cans around 180-degrees and getting confused which side was right or left.

(Image credit: Future)

The left ear pad is the one with the features: it has a USB-C port for charging, 3.5mm jack (with an audio cable included in the box) and the power button, which needs to be held for a surprisingly long amount of time to turn the P58BT on or off.

Most of the controls, however, come with the gesture controls, and this is my biggest gripe with the SoundMagics. The flat pad on each cup can be swiped in different directions or tapped for loads of different functions: changing volume, skipping tracks and so on.

Frankly, I found the amount of different gestures I needed to memorize overwhelming, which is to say I simply couldn’t remember any of them. If I wanted to pause music or change volume I’d have to rely on my phone; ANC is toggled with the power button instead of the pads and I continually forgot about this until I’d already tried all the swipes and slaps.

There’s also the issue that some controls are directional: swipe up for one command, swipe left for another. This would seem well and good but ‘up’ and ‘left’ can be very different directions depending on the angle you’re holding your head, and I’d often accidentally enact the wrong gesture due to leaning my head too far backward or forward, or at certain angles. 

This gesture control was in place in the SoundMagic P23BT and our reviewer didn’t mind it there, but those headphones didn’t have those (few) extra features over the previous pair that need to be controlled with gestures too.

• Design score: 3/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Well-balanced audio
• Mids bloated just a little
• Max volume is really, really loud

Tech-wise, the SoundMagic P58BT ANC packs 40mm drivers with support for SBC and AAC. Those are largely in line with other headphones you’ll be considering at this price.

People who’ve used other budget headphones might find the SoundMagic pretty good – music has a lot of detail and clarity, with a broader soundstage than some other similarly-priced gadgets I’ve tested and a commendable lack of peaking at reasonable volumes.

However, at least personally speaking, I wasn’t a fan of the balance of the headphones. The detail of bass and treble is provided at the expense of their energy or power – mid sounds dominate the mix and on certain genres of music, this saps some of the ‘pizazz’.

(Image credit: Future)

I particularly think that bass-heads will be disappointed as lower-frequency sounds lack power, as though you’re watching a bassist play their instrument when it isn’t plugged in. The genres I enjoyed best with these headphones were acoustic-laden folk, singer-songwriter and bluegrass songs, where thumping bass rhythms aren't as important.

I did enjoy listening to the spoken word on the headphones though, as I found the detail provided by them helped convey small nuances in tone and pitch. Podcast-listeners might find these a decent pick.

Bear in mind that the lack of an equalizer means you’re reliant on the default sound of the P58BT ANC – no bass boosting or rock modes here. Because of this, more so than on other headphones, I'd really recommend trying to source a pair to test before you buy them.

• Sound quality: 3.5/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: value

(Image credit: Future)

It’s hard to make a firebrand statement about the cost-value proposition of the SoundMagic P58BT ANC because you’re basically getting what you pay for here.

In terms of audio quality and design, the headphones tick the boxes you’d expect from them, and you see in similarly-priced rivals. 

Dragging the value down a little is the lack of an app, which gives the impression of these being some cheap AliExpress buys, even though SoundMagic is a reputed brand. However I do think the soft carry bag for the phones does tip the scale in the right direction a little.

• Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the SoundMagic P58BT ANC? Buy them if… Don’t buy them if… SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Also consider How I tested the SoundMagic P58BT ANC

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for two weeks
• Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

The testing process for the SoundMagic P58BT ANC took place over two weeks, which includes the set-up, review writing and general usage time. This is the usual amount of time I allocate to headphone reviews.

For most of the testing, I used the headphones connected to my Android phone via Bluetooth, but I also connected them to my phone and laptop using the audio cable for some testing too. I mainly tested using Spotify and several streaming services, with some gaming done to test out that mode. Lots of the testing was done in my office, and on various walks, bus rides and train journeys to and from it, but I also used them at home and in other everyday environments.

My history of review-writing at TechRadar spans over five years, and I've been covering tech for even longer. I've tested loads of similarly-priced headphones (including one mentioned in the 'also consider' section), as well as a range of other gadgets. 

I mentioned earlier that I used the SoundMagic alongside another pair of headphones; this was a pricier model and it wouldn't be fair to compare them.

• First reviewed in September 2024

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Govee Floor Lamp 2: one-minute review

The Govee Floor Lamp 2 is a bit of an enigma in Govee’s lineup. It’s both smaller and cheaper than the Govee Floor Lamp Pro, warranting a cheaper price tag. However, despite the obvious dearth in some features, the Floor Lamp 2 delivers support for Matter, the latest in smart home connectivity. As such, despite being cheaper and less capable than its big brother, it’s arguably a much better choice for smart home connoisseurs, and one of the best smart lights for HomeKit users who value its integration with Apple Home.

The Govee Floor Lamp 2 is incredibly similar to the Floor Lamp Pro in terms of assembly, design, and the user experience of the app both models share. 

Out of the box, you’ll have to contend with assembling the lamp from its constituent parts. That means screwing together three metal strips to the base of the lamp using the brackets and screws provided. It’s not a complex job, but it’s definitely fiddly and requires a bit of patience.

Despite being cheaper than the Floor Lamp Pro, I was surprised to find that the overall material feels a bit more premium, save for the base which is a bit shiny and plasticky for my liking. The connector that links the flexible lighting tube to the cabling in the base is also much easier to join up, and feels more rugged and durable. Having seen Govee’s silver and black offerings, I much prefer the darker finish of this lamp compared to my Govee Floor Lamp Pro’s silver color. 

The more expensive Govee Floor Lamp Pro boasts a Bluetooth speaker. That feature is lacking in the Floor Lamp 2 and is the main significant difference between the two models. 

(Image credit: Future)

The Govee Floor Lamp 2 is controlled by Govee’s app, available on both iPhone and Android. Like the Floor Lamp Pro, it supports both Alexa and Google Home, but crucially also comes with Matter support. That means you can use it with pretty much any smart home ecosystem, most notably Apple Home. As I’ve mentioned in my Floor Lamp Pro review, the Govee design app is not exactly a masterpiece, but it is highly functional. As soon as you turn the lamp on and open the app, you can add the new device and connect it to your home Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz only) with ease. Govee’s Floor Lamp 2 controls let you control the light emitting from the base and the stem separately, with a slider for brightness. There are also settings and controls for color, scene, finger sketching your own patterns, and even for rhythmic light shows set to music, powered by a built-in microphone. There’s also a timer functionality so you can set your lamp to cycle on and off, perfect for use beside a nightstand. 

(Image credit: Future)

In theory, Matter support means you can easily add your Govee Floor Lamp 2 to Apple Home. However, I found the process wasn’t seamless and took several attempts. Govee says that you should attempt to connect your lamp using Matter within 15 minutes of powering the lamp on for the first time. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to reset the lamp and try again. It took me four or five attempts and a good 10 minutes to get the Govee Floor Lamp 2 added to my Apple Home network. I encountered a couple of different errors regarding the network, but eventually it worked.

Once connected, you can use it like any other HomeKit smart light, including through Siri where you can issue commands for powering on or off, brightness, and color. Matter support is a huge boost to the Floor Lamp 2 and a big advantage over the more expensive Floor Lamp Pro. It also gives you access to all the other joys of HomeKit, such as automation. Your Govee Floor Lamp 2 can be connected to motion sensors or anything else you can think of in the Internet of Things. 

(Image credit: Future)

While the Floor Lamp 2 isn’t quite as bright as the Floor Lamp Pro, it still puts out a respectable array of light. Combined with its reduced height, it’s noticeably dimmer than the Pro but still very ambient and pleasant. It would be well-suited to smaller rooms such as an office or a guest bedroom but lacks the extra power of its larger, more expensive stablemate. That being said, it puts out more than enough light to illuminate most spaces.

Thanks to the app, the combination of lighting on offer is pretty much limitless, you can choose block colors, scenes, or a simple warm light for reading. The Govee Floor Lamp 2 comprises a cylindrical base and a tall strip of light, designed for wall-washing. It’s not a directional light per se and is more suited to providing ambiance and atmosphere, decorative rather than practical. 

(Image credit: Future)

For quick use and convenience, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 comes with its own remote that can be used to quickly control power, block colors, brightness, and the temperature of your light without messing with your phone or trying to summon Siri without waking anyone, a most welcome addition.  

To sum up, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 is considerably cheaper than its “Pro” counterpart but offers much of the same lighting functionality. It doesn’t have a built-in speaker like the larger version, but does offer a vital connectivity advantage thanks to Matter support. While the build quality might not be the best on the market, and the fiddly assembly is a drawback, it’s a sturdy lamp with plenty of punch. 

(Image credit: Future) Govee Floor Lamp 2: specs Govee Floor Lamp 2: price & availability

• List price: $149 / £149 (about AU$220)
• Often available at a discount

The Govee Floor Lamp 2 is available from Govee’s website in the US and the UK. It’s priced at $149/£149, however, it’s routinely discounted on the official website to $119 or £109. It’s also available on Amazon in both the US and the UK with the same list price and similar discounts. That’s considerably cheaper than a Philips Hue Signe Gradient lamp, and even cheaper than Govee’s own alternative, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro. The lamp is available in black (as tested here) and silver.

Should you buy the Govee Floor Lamp 2? Buy it if...

You’re limited on space

This lamp is a lot smaller than Govee’s Pro lamp, both in terms of height and footprint

You’re a HomeKit user

Unlike Govee’s Floor Lamp Pro, this model supports Apple Home through Matter

Don't buy it if...  Govee Floor Lamp 2: also consider

Not sold on the Govee Floor Lamp 2? Here are two more options to consider.

How I tested the Govee Floor Lamp 2

• I used the Govee Floor Lamp 2 for several days
• I used it in various places in my home
• I comprehensively tested all of its features including the app

I've used the Govee Floor Lamp 2 for two weeks in multiple locations around my home. I tested all of the different lighting options and used its features including the remote control.

I used the Govee app to connect the lamp up to my home Wi-Fi network and also used the lamp through the Apple Home app to test Matter support. 

I have five years of smart home journalism experience and have extensively tested a broad range of smart home products including smart lights, plugs, speakers, and more. I have also tested other smart lamps in this specific product category field, notably the Philips Hue Signe Gradient and the Govee Floor Lamp Pro, which has helped to inform my review.

First tested September 2024

Asus ROG Tessen: Two-minute review

The Asus ROG Tessen is an excellent mobile controller that’s well-suited for FPS gaming in spite of some small setbacks. Its overall design is mostly superb, with durable metal rear paddles and a unique folding mechanism that makes it even easier to take on the go. Its tactile face buttons and d-pad are satisfying to use, though the latter is definitely better suited for fast-paced competitive games than any retro titles or traditional platformers, even if it is on par with the feel of some of the best PC controllers.

While not utilizing Hall effect technology, its thumbsticks perform well and the triggers are a highlight - delivering a quick but satisfying motion that makes every match of Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile that much more enjoyable. Throw in some pretty RGB lighting (which is unfortunately controlled by a rather underwhelming app) and compatibility with most mobile phone cases and you have a very strong overall package.

Even so, there are a few areas with room for improvement. The more angular design of its grips won’t be for everyone and I found that they could often be a little uncomfortable during longer sessions, digging into the palms of my hands. It’s by no means the worst, but it is one of the few areas where the comparable Backbone One 2nd Gen takes a clear lead.

There’s also the fact that the Asus ROG Tessen only officially supports Android despite being a wired USB-C controller. I’m sure there’s some nitty gritty technical reason why this is the case, but it’s still disappointing now that iPhone 15 (and soon iPhone 16) series phones use the connector standard. The lack of a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones is also a notable, and mildly annoying, omission. Hopefully, a small hardware revision will be able to remedy these complaints in the future.

Overall, the Asus ROG Tessen is still remarkably close to being a best-in-class mobile controller at its price range. If you’re willing to look past these few minor frustrations, it offers a very capable and enjoyable mobile gaming experience.

(Image credit: Future) Asus ROG Tessen: Price and availability

• $109.99 / £109.99 / AU$179
• Available via Asus and Amazon
• Slightly more expensive than the Backbone One

The Asus ROG Tessen costs $109.99 / £109.99 / AU$179 and is available directly from Asus or at online retailers such as Amazon. It comes in slightly more expensive than the Backbone One 2nd Gen which costs $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99. This price seems quite fair given the additional features found on the Asus ROG Tessen though, such as the rear paddles and folding mechanism.

That said, this controller does not offer any iOS support, so those who often switch devices would be better off saving the cash and picking up a Backbone One 2nd Gen instead. I would also recommend that those who can stretch for the $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95 Razer Kishi Ultra do so, as that controller is significantly more comfortable, offers iOS support, and features Hall effect components - though loses in terms of portability due to its much larger size.

Asus ROG Tessen: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Asus ROG Tessen: Design and features

• Great overall look and feel
• Folding mechanism
• Fits most phone cases

Much of the Asus ROG Tessen looks and feels premium. It has a very similar design to most telescopic mobile controllers, though with the addition of two hinges on its extending portion. These allow the controller to be folded cleanly in two for greater portability. As a result, I had no trouble fitting the Asus ROG Tessen in a rucksack and could even cram it into the large pockets of my cargo jeans. Despite its compact form factor, there’s still plenty of space for a full phone case when you’re using the controller which is very convenient.

It is a tad unfortunate that, due to the orientation of the mechanism, the thumbsticks are left sticking out when the controller is folded, making it easy to catch them on your bag if you’re not careful.

The controller has pleasantly springy triggers with a good level of travel and shoulder buttons that are clicky and responsive. Thumbsticks are on the smaller side and have little friction, though I found them to be smooth and perfectly comfortable to use. The face buttons and d-pad are mechanical with a very pronounced tactile click. They’re enjoyable to press and the shallow travel distance of the d-pad is ideal for quickly organizing your gear in a battle royale like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.

It’s not perfect in games that require extensive use of the d-pad for movement, though, and I soon found myself missing the softer, more spongy d-pad of the Backbone One 2nd Gen after a few hours of Dead Cells. On the back of the controller, you’ll find two rear paddles, both made of aluminum and sporting a pleasant grippy texture. They’re easy to press and well-positioned and the use of metal gives them a more premium feel.

In addition to the standard home, menu, and start buttons, the Asus ROG Tessen features a dedicated button to open the Armoury Crate software. This is, unfortunately, extremely basic, with an ugly UI and few features beyond button remapping and the ability to configure the bright RGB strips located on the bottom of each grip. These lighting elements, on top of a few subtle printed graphics and plenty of different textures, lend the controller quite a distinctive aesthetic - which is appreciated.

(Image credit: Future) Asus ROG Tessen: Performance

• Best for fast-paced games
• Compatible with native titles and cloud gaming
• Grips can be uncomfortable

The Asus ROG Tessen is a fantastic fit for fast-paced games, particularly first-person shooter (FPS) titles. I was impressed with its snappy responsiveness in both Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile. The use of a wired connection also eliminates any potential latency and facilitates pass-through charging via a USB-C port on the bottom of the right-hand grip.

I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the thumbsticks, which have more than enough motion for navigating tight corners in Asphalt Legends Unite and power through dungeons in Zenless Zone Zero.

As previously mentioned, the d-pad is very shallow so can be quite harsh on your fingers if you’re playing very d-pad-centric titles. In addition to native games, the Asus ROG Tessen performed well when it came to cloud gaming, with full compatibility with Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The rear paddles are easy to reach and can be fully customized through a range of possible inputs. My only real complaint with the Asus ROG Tessen is that the very angular shape of its grips can be uncomfortable over extended playing sessions. Spending a few long train journeys with the controller, I found that they uncomfortably dug into the palms of my hands after just a few hours which wasn’t ideal.

This won’t be a problem if you intend to play in shorter bursts, but could be a very compelling reason to choose another product if you love to pour hours into mobile games at a time.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Asus ROG Tessen? Buy it if...

You value FPS performance
With its lovely tactile buttons and handy remappable rear paddles, the ASUS Rog Tessen is a great fit for playing fast-paced FPS games on your phone.

You want some premium features
Although similarly priced to the Backbone One 2nd Gen, the Asus ROG Tessen sports some premium features like RGB lighting and its remappable rear inputs.

Don't buy it if...

You play for very long periods
The biggest issue with the Asus ROG Tessen is its quite angular grips, which can be uncomfortable over long play sessions. Consider an alternative like the Razer Kishi Ultra if you want to game for hours with ease.

Also consider

Not fully sold on the Asus ROG Tessen? Here are two very strong alternatives to consider.

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The Backbone One 2nd Gen is a small revision of the original Backbone One design. Like the Asus Rog Tessen, it’s compatible with most phone cases but has more comfortable grips and offers iOS support.

Read our full Backbone One 2nd Gen review

Razer Kishi Ultra
The Razer Kishi Ultra is the definitive mobile controller if you have the budget. Incredibly comfortable with full-size console controls, RGB lighting, rumble effects, and more, it’s easily the leader in the mobile controller space.

Read our full Razer Kishi Ultra review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Asus ROG Tessen

• Tested for over a month
• Tried with top mobile games
• Directly compared to other mobile controllers

I tested the Asus ROG Tessen for over a month, using it as my main Android gaming controller. I paired the controller with a Samsung S23 Plus and played a wide variety of games. This included native mobile titles like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Vampire Survivors, Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition, Diablo Immortal, Asphalt Legends Unite, Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and more.

I also tried the controller with various game streaming services, such as Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming. On Amazon Luna, I played Watch Dogs Legion, Mighty Switch Force Collection, River City Girls, and Star Wars Outlaws while Xbox Cloud Gaming saw me enjoy a few hours of Forza Horizon 5.

During my time with the controller I relied on a pair of Beats Solo 4 and Beats Studio Buds+ headphones for audio and compared my playing experience with my hands-on testing of many other mobile controllers such as the Backbone One 2nd Gen, Turtle Beach Atom, Scuf Nomad, and Razer Kishi Ultra.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

Leica MP: two-minute review

If there's one antidote to today's digital imaging with its instant gratification and AI-powered editing trickery, it's analog. And if you want a double dose of the old school, a fully manual rangefinder, such as the Leica MP, will do the trick. 

Part of Leica's famed M-mount, the MP isn't as old as it looks, being released as recently as 2003, and it's one of few Leica cameras still being produced today and is therefore available new.

It's arguably the best premium film camera that you can buy new today, but like most Leica's, its price is eye-watering, being available from the Leica stores and leading retailers for $5,995 / £,5080 / AU$10,190, and that's without a lens. I had the MP with the 28mm f2 Summicron-M APSH lens which is around the same price as the camera. Gulp.

Suppose it's the retro camera experience you're after, and the same 35mm film format hits the spot. In that case, you can find alternative analog cameras elsewhere, secondhand, for a mere fraction of the cost of a Leica MP.

You don't even need to buy analog to bag the retro look, even the likes of Taylor Swift have been spotted with the cheap Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV, one of our favorite mirrorless cameras for beginners.

But Leica is more than just the retro look. It's an aspiration. That famed red dot means something, whatever depth the admirer's connection is. In the case of the Leica MP, it also means a premium "Handmade in Germany" analog camera that runs as smooth as butter.

As a rangefinder, the MP is an altogether different camera experience to your cameraphone or one of the best mirrorless cameras. 

Learning the exposure triangle is necessary; how shutter speed, aperture, and the ISO of the loaded film interplay. You can download a free light meter on your phone to take a light reading and adjust shutter speed or aperture accordingly based on the film's ISO, or purchase a dedicated light meter if you want to avoid your phone altogether and be assured that you've bagged the correct brightness in your photo, even if you won't truly know until the developed film is returned. (The MP does also have an LED gauge built into the viewfinder that indicates how much you need to brighten or darken your exposure settings based on its evaluative metering.)

Beyond the exposure triangle, it's the manual focus experience of a Leica rangefinder, such as the MP, that is as challenging as it is addictive. This is a far cry from 2024's best autofocus systems – there's no rushing with a rangefinder, and together with its lens system that's limited between focal lengths of 21mm to 135mm, it's unsuitable for many genres of photography.

You won't be able to nail sharply focused, shallow depth of field portraits of people or animals on the move, unless you get really, really lucky.

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Outside of working with near-infinity focusing and a closed aperture, say f/11, where ultimately everything is just about in focus, your subjects will need as much patience as you while you manually rock the focus back and forth to line up the split image in the marked out central area of the viewfinder to nail sharp focus.

Taking a picture with a rangefinder is slow, purposeful, and frustrating but ultimately a wonderful creative process for those who persevere. It's not a camera for all the time, but it is a camera that could just renew your love for photography. Sadly, however, with the Leica MP, most people are priced out of enjoying the experience.

Leica MP: Specs Leica MP: Price and availability

• Body only: $5,995 / £,5080 / AU$10,190
• Many lenses and accessories to choose from

The Leica MP was launched in 2003 and is one of the few Leica analog cameras that is still available to buy new. On the Leica store, it costs $5,995 / £,5080 / AU$10,190.

Lens choice is decent, if costly, with the lower end of the price range close to the price of the MP camera itself. There are third party lens makers such as Thypoch that have created Leica M-mount lenses that cost a mere fraction of the price. with a number available for under $1,000 / £700. 

The MP is also compatible with a host of Leica accessories, ranging from leather cases to viewfinders that are dedicated to specific lens focal lengths.  

Leica MP: Design

• Stunning all-metal build
• Can be bought new and its mechanics are reliable
• Supported by a range of Leica M lenses

Leica cameras are expensive, but the build quality of these "Handmade in Germany" devices is undeniable. Every mechanical component runs as smooth as butter, from the film crank to move onto your next photo, to the film rewind mechanism once the roll is done. 

You'll need to insert a tiny CR 1/3N battery to power the camera's evaluative exposure metering, which is displayed in the viewfinder as a too-bright / too-dark scale and is linked to the ISO setting on the camera's rear ISO dial (the new Leica M11-D digital rangefinder's design pays homage to this). However, as a fully manual camera, you'll need to adjust the shutter speed and aperture yourself. I always use a separate light meter with a Leica just to be doubly sure I've set the exposure correctly. 

But you'll need to insert a roll of 35mm film first. Leica's design ethos here is simple and reliable; a fully metal twist lock on the underside must be unscrewed to open up the camera's underside, and you remove the entire bottom plate to gain access to the film's holder. Inserting the film thereafter is a tad fiddly but in truth, once you've done it a couple of times, it's pretty easy. 

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

I only tested the Leica MP with a 28mm f2 lens, which again, is a gorgeous bit of kit, offering a generous manual focus grip, handy focus distance scale, and an aperture ring. With Leica you get the whole package; a lens and camera built to high standards and with a complimentary aesthetic. 

There's little to say about the camera's external controls. You've got the shutter speed dial on the top, the beautiful film crank that reveals its brass innards through the scuffs picked up over time and heavy use, a shutter button that can accept a screw-in cable release, plus the ISO dial on the camera's rear. The aperture is adjusted on the attached lens. 

For me, it's the experience of manually focusing with a rangefinder that is everything about the MP: it's as frustrating as it is addictive. For all the will and the practice in the world, you won't be able to nail sharp focus on a moving subject when focusing closely and with a wide aperture and therefore shallow depth of field. 

Sure, you can improve your hit ratio and speed at which you can obtain sharp focus, but ultimately, the Leica MP is a camera that slows you down, and in today's fast-paced world, it's cathartic. 

If you're taking portrait pictures, too, that extra moment it takes to get your MP's settings correct can open up your subject as they relax and give you a window to their soul – you're in it together. Or, the slow process just makes them feel super awkward instead, or you miss the moment. It can go either way. 

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman) Leica MP: Performance

• Superbly sharp lenses on offer
• Reliable mechanics
• Shutter speed maxes out at 1/1000sec which is limiting in bright light

One benefit in choosing the MP over another Leica is that it's still available new, and with that comes certain reassurances that you may not be afforded when buying secondhand should you run into any issues. However, I wouldn't expect that of the MP – it's a super-reliable camera that should last you a lifetime.

Naturally, the quality of the photos produced by an analog camera is determined by the lens attached, your shooting technique, and, of course, your film choice. 

The Leica MP enjoys a range of excellent albeit eye-wateringly expensive lenses, like the 28mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH that I had for this review. If money is no object, you can pick up a range of Leica M prime lenses that cover the focal range of 21mm to 135mm.

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The photos above were made with a roll of Ilford HP5 film, ISO 400. 

Next time I use a Leica analog camera, I'd really love to try a 50mm f/1.4-type lens and some of the other lenses for portraits, but the wide angle lens I had for testing is similar if a tiny bit tighter to the field of view of your phone's main camera and an excellent documentary lens.

Here lies the 'Leica quality' that fans talk about. Sure, you'll struggle to beat Leica's sharpness in the analog game, but if you're expecting the clarity you get from one of today's best digital cameras, you might have to think again. One thing that digital can try with all its might yet never quite achieve, however, is the film look. 

You aren't buying an analog Leica for its outright image quality over a digital counterpart such as the Leica M11. No, you're buying it because it's film that you want to explore, including its imperfect quality. Plus, it's a rewarding hobby, if you can stomach the ongoing costs of film and development. 

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The above photos were made with a very out of date Fujifilm Superior X-Tra ISO 400 roll of film. It's best practice to use a film within date, but you can get some whacky one-of-a-kind effects. Sadly on this occasion, besides a purple-ish hue, the risk didn't pay off – many of the photos came out underexposed. 

There are very real limits to the Leica MP, namely its maximum shutter speed which is just 1/1000sec. If you're shooting in bright light and with a wide aperture – like I wanted to shoot at f2 with the 28mm lens – you'll need an ISO 100 film or even slower. However, ISO 400 is a more versatile film speed if you're going to be shooting in mixed lighting. Once the film roll is inserted, you're locked in, you can't switch ISO for every photo like you can with a digital camera. 

Should you buy the Leica MP? Buy it if... Don't buy it if...

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman) How I tested the Leica MP

• Regular use over the course of two weeks
• Paired with the 28mm f2 Summicron-M APSH lens
• Both color and black and white film developed

Leica loaned me the MP together with the 28mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH lens for two weeks, during which time I photographed everything from sweeping vistas to busy London street scenes. I have shot with both color and black and white film, usually sticking with versatile ISO 400 films. 

I sent the films to a lab to be developed and was provided with standard-quality digital scans to assess image quality. 

• First reviewed September 2024

PowerA OPS v3 Pro: One-minute review

The PowerA OPS v3 Pro controller makes a strong case with a variety of desirable features. Those include Hall effect sticks with novel ‘quick-twist’ tech, six remappable buttons, micro switches in the face buttons and d-pad, and the brand’s patented Lumectra RGB lighting.

It’s a solid effort on paper, but there are a few things that hold the OPS v3 Pro back from becoming one of the best PC controllers out there. The gamepad simply falls short in many of its design aspects. Its remappable buttons on the rear of the controller feel awkwardly placed, and the ones at the top jut out just a little too broadly. Elsewhere, the micro switch face buttons aren’t particularly tactile, and the relatively low trigger lock sensitivity prevents the highest setting from working across most games I tested.

It’s definitely not all bad news, though, and there’s still plenty to like about the OPS v3 Pro. As ever, I’m a huge fan of PowerA’s customizable Lumectra lighting. The quick-twist thumbsticks are intuitive and a genuinely great addition, allowing you to play with taller shafts without the need to swap them out entirely. Furthermore, the clicky d-pad and bumpers are a delight, and that 30-plus hour battery life seriously impresses.

A bit of a mixed bag overall, then, but if you’re looking for a sub-$100 / £100 PC controller, the PowerA OPS v3 Pro still offers plenty of great features to offset those negatives.

(Image credit: Future) PowerA OPS v3 Pro: Price and availability

• $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179
• Cheaper than other controllers with comparable feature sets
• Available at PowerA in the US and Amazon in the UK

The PowerA OPS v3 Pro launched in August 2024, and is available to purchase for $99.99 / £99.99. In the US, it can be bought directly from PowerA, whereas UK shoppers will need to rely on Amazon to secure the gamepad. In Australia, JB Hi-Fi is your best bet.

In terms of price, the OPS v3 Pro is significantly cheaper than other controllers with comparable feature sets. Those include the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro ($199.99 / £199.99) and the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 ($179.99 / £159.99). 

The relatively lower price point of PowerA’s controller naturally comes with some caveats, such as lesser build quality overall and a lack of polish on features like the trigger locks and textured grips. However, those looking for a competent ‘Pro’ level controller with a robust feature set will find one here.

PowerA OPS v3 Pro: Specs

(Image credit: Future) PowerA OPS v3 Pro: Design and features

• Innovative quick-twist thumbsticks
• Textured grips feel quite rough
• Lumectra RGB is still very impressive

There’s plenty to like about the PowerA OPS v3 Pro’s design. One of the controller’s headline features is its ‘quick-twist’ thumbsticks. This lets the player raise or lower the height of the stick’s shaft without needing to swap it out entirely. It’s a really handy solution that makes the controller a great option for folks who value no-fuss customization.

As was the case with the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch, the v3 Pro also features the brand’s bespoke Lumectra RGB lighting. Lumectra lets players do a few fancy things with their RGB preferences. By holding the dedicated ‘LED’ button on the rear of the gamepad, you can cycle through six different RGB zones - the d-pad, face buttons, left and right sides of the controller, and both thumbsticks) and apply different colors and patterns to each. You can be quite reserved with Lumectra, or go buck wild with various RGB flavors should you choose, and I’ve always been a fan of it because of this. Above all, it’s fun to mess around with.

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of features, you’re getting the usual ‘Pro’ controller setup. Micro switch face buttons and d-pad, Hall effect thumbsticks, six remappable buttons, three-stage trigger locks and textured grips. The rear of the gamepad has buttons dedicated to Lumectra customization and remappable button input assignment, as well as a three-way switch that lets you swap between 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-C connectivity. A 3.5mm headphone port rounds off the feature set in terms of design. It is worth noting here that the OPS v3 Pro is strictly a PC controller and won’t work on consoles. For platform-specific pads, consider browsing our guides to the best PS5 controllers or the best Xbox controllers instead.

While there is plenty to like here, the PowerA OPS v3 Pro is hampered by a few key design weaknesses. For one, the textured grips - while usually welcome on a controller like this - feel very rough to the touch. This, along with the awkward placement of those rear remappable buttons (they’re slightly misaligned with where your fingertips naturally rest) lead to a slightly uncomfortable play experience. While it doesn’t render the v3 Pro unusable, you may want to consider a more standard Xbox Wireless Controller or even a GameSir T4 Kaleid for longer gaming sessions from a comfort perspective.

While hit and miss on design aspects, then, one thing that does boost the v3 Pro’s value is the inclusion of a charging stand. Much like the 8BitDo Ultimate, the v3 Pro’s stand is incredibly convenient; simply hook it up to your PC via USB-C, magnetically attach the gamepad to the top and you’re good to go. Charge time is a little slow at 3-4 hours from empty to full, so we’d recommend an overnight charge to avoid waiting.

PowerA OPS v3 Pro: Performance

• Sublime d-pad and bumpers
• Top notch 30-hour battery life
• Micro switch face buttons miss the mark

Much like the PowerA OPS v3 Pro’s overall design, performance has a number of hits and misses, too. The controller cannot be faulted on battery life; during my two weeks testing the controller - which included around two to three hours of gaming across most days - I never once needed to charge it. PowerA touts battery life of around 30 hours, and this appears to be accurate in my experience.

In terms of individual buttons and such, the d-pad and bumpers, powered by micro switches, are sublime. They have the perfect amount of clicky tactility and are simply a joy to use, especially with competitive games that often require rapid inputs. Games I tested that fit this criterion include Guilty Gear Strive, Final Fantasy 14 Online, and Fortnite. I found the controller to be a good fit for all three. Plus, with a 1,000Hz polling rate when wired to PC (and 500Hz via 2.4Ghz wireless), it’s fantastically responsive on its target platform. 

(Image credit: Future)

Other areas of the gamepad are a bit of a letdown when it comes to overall performance. For one, while there are three stages of trigger lock, the lowest sensitivity setting (with the shortest trigger press) failed to work across all games tested. The trigger press simply didn’t register at this setting. And for the other two, there really isn’t much difference. 

As a result, I think you’d be better off leaving the trigger lock settings entirely default. This is a shame, as the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro’s trigger lock settings are similar - with three distinct settings - and work beautifully on PC and console. It’s things like this that firmly cement the OPS v3 Pro as the more budget option with decidedly less polish.

Another problem area lies with the micro switch face buttons. While perfectly responsive, there’s a slight bump on the way down as you press the button. While certainly not a huge issue, it does take away much of the tactility and thus the novelty of having micro switch-based buttons.

Should I buy the PowerA OPS v3 Pro? Buy it if...

You’re looking for a good value PC controller
Controllers with this kind of feature set tend to push well above $100 / £100. The OPS v3 Pro comes in at just under that, making it relatively more affordable than its ‘Pro’ level competition.

You’re after a versatile and customizable PC controller
Fully customizable Lumectra RGB, delightful quick-twist thumbsticks and half a dozen remappable buttons make for a highly versatile controller.

Don't buy it if...

A top-quality level of design is a must-have in your controllers
Between awkwardly placed remappable buttons, rough textured grips and face buttons that feel slightly off, there are a lot of smaller frustrations with the OPS v3 Pro that build up to an experience that’s not as satisfying as it could be.

Also consider...

If the PowerA OPS v3 Pro isn’t quite doing it for you, we’ve got a couple of other options that we’ve tested and reviewed for your consideration below.

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro
This is the absolute best premium PC and Xbox controller you can buy right now. It’s much pricier, but it makes up for all the OPS v3 Pro’s shortcomings with more satisfying tactile feedback, better build quality and compatibility with Xbox.

For more information, read our full Razer Wolverine V3 Pro review.

GameSir T4 Kaleid
It’s a cheaper option and doesn’t have nearly the same number of features as the OPS v3 Pro. However, this is my favorite budget-friendly PC controller, with sublime-feeling Hall effect thumbsticks, tactile micro switch buttons and a gorgeous translucent build complete with RGB lighting.

For more information read our full GameSir T4 Kaleid controller review. 

How I tested the PowerA OPS v3 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the PowerA OPS v3 Pro across a wide variety of games on PC, including some of the best fighting games like Guilty Gear Strive, Tekken 8 and the newly-released Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. Here, I found the superbly responsive d-pad and bumpers to be a perfect fit for this genre. Elsewhere, I made sure to test a wide range of titles, including Fortnite, Fall Guys, Final Fantasy 14 Online and Elden Ring.

One aspect that surprised me most about the OPS v3 Pro was its ultra-resilient battery life. During my two weeks with the gamepad, from full charge, I never once had the top up, which leads me to believe that PowerA’s estimates of 30 hours is absolutely doable here.

During my testing of the PowerA OPS v3 Pro, I integrated it into my overall gaming PC setup which includes the Razer Fujin Pro gaming chair, an AOC Gaming 24G2SP monitor and Razer BlackShark V2 X wired headset.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

Hisense PX3-Pro: two-minute review

Hisense has been has been responsible for some of the best ultra short throw projectors, and the Hisense PX3-Pro is among its latest. The PX3-Pro has a daunting task following up on the Hisense PX2-Pro, but Hisense has pulled it off with some key upgrades. 

The new Hisense PX3-Pro differs in design from the PX2-Pro, but under the hood, it gets an upgraded projection system that’s much brighter at 3,000 lumens and also boasts a 1080p/240Hz mode. This feature turns it from an exceptional ultra short throw (UST) projector into a speed demon of a gaming projector – Hisense even bills it as the "world's first designed for Xbox UST projector." And with rich color, strong contrast, and Dolby Vision HDR support, the PX3-Pro ranks up there with the best 4K projectors when it comes to picture performance. 

While the PX3-Pro’s built-in sound isn’t quite as impressive as its picture, it at least has the volume level to match the visuals, and Hisense offers plenty of ways to connect to better speaker systems. All of this comes at a higher price than its predecessor, but it seems well worth the extra expense. 

Hisense PX3-Pro review: price and release date

• First available: October 2024
• Price: $3,499 / £2,499
  

Availability of the Hisense PX3-Pro is set to begin in mid-October 2024. It is priced at $3,499 / £2,499, a marked increase over the lower brightness PX2-Pro, which launched at $2,999 in June 2023. Like the rest of the Hisense PX series, the PX3-Pro doesn’t come with a projection screen. 

The Hisense PX3-Pro comes with a full-size remote control and features the Google TV smart TV platform for streaming (Image credit: Future) Hisense PX3-Pro review: Specs

The PX3-Pro features dual HDMI 2.1 ports and supports gaming at 1080p/240Hz (Image credit: Future) Hisense PX3-Pro review: design and features

• Futuristic-looking design
• All-in-one capability plus flexibility for different setups
• Streaming and gaming benefit from hardware and software upgrades

Where the Hisense PX2-Pro was a simple under-the-hood refresh of its predecessor, The PX1-Pro, the new PX3-Pro sees some bigger changes both to its internal components and its outward appearance. The design has a stylistic resemblance to its predecessors, but it gives off more of a proper futuristic vibe than the prior models with their retro-futuristic looks. 

The whole unit is done up in gray and silver surfaces of all types: matte, shiny, smooth, and coarse. It features large grilles on either side for air intake and exhaust – generating 3,000 lumens creates some heat even when using lasers. The front also gets a perforated grille for the built-in speakers. At either side of the grille are vertical slots in shiny housing that have standby lighting built in, so when the projector is turned off, these illuminate the mirrored finish inside. This may appeal to some, but I found it a little tacky compared to the PX2-Pro’s subtler design.

Style aside, perhaps the most critical design change is the projector’s size. It’s a little wider and taller than its predecessors, but not as deep front-to-back. That combined with a shift from a 0.25:1 throw ratio to a 0:22 throw ratio means the PX3-Pro can sit closer to a wall, protruding into the room less, and still provide a massive picture.

The PX3-Pro sits on four height-adjustable feet, which helps get the picture aligned with a screen. It also offers digital image correction and adjustable focus, letting you dial in everything perfectly.

Around the back, you’ll find three HDMI ports, including one with eARC. There’s also a high-speed USB type-A port (and another on the right side), and both and optical digital and 3.5mm audio output. With Google TV onboard, the PX3-Pro can tap into plenty of streaming services, including Netflix, and has both Wi-Fi 6E and Ethernet network connections. 

The Hisense PX3-Pro has comprehensive high dynamic range support, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Its built-in speakers support Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced for DTS, though audio is best passed on to an outboard sound system. Unlike its predecessors, the PX3-Pro offers Active 3D support (requires optional 3D eyewear). 

There are still a few features the PX3-Pro could have benefitted from. Optical image adjustments beyond focus would be a welcome addition, especially zoom, though I’ve never seen that feature in a UST projector. A cover would be a more reasonable one, as dust can gather quickly on top of UST projectors.

• Design and features score: 4.5/5

The PX3-Pro has exceptional color, along with powerful contrast in dim lighting conditions (Image credit: Future) Hisense PX3-Pro review: picture and sound quality

• Exceptional color and brightness
• Crisp 4K picture with comprehensive HDR support
• 240Hz mode is a perk for gamers

The Hisense PX3-Pro builds on a strong picture quality foundation. The PX2-Pro offered stunning color from its tri-chroma projection system and the PX3-Pro takes that up a notch with a notably brighter picture, rated to reach 3,000 lumens. For some content, like cartoons and sports, that’ll make a very presentable picture even with high ambient room lighting. It also gives the PX3-Pro plenty of latitude in dim lighting conditions, with a bright enough picture that it can call for some dimming of the laser in a dark room.

While the projector has powerful contrast as is, a High Dynamic setting for Laser Luminance can further enhance its picture. I’m normally wary of settings like this that adjust the picture based on the content being displayed as they tend to have noticeable artifacts, but the PX3-Pro managed it admirably, with imperceptible transitions. The only odd behavior I noted was a sudden brightening when white subtitles appeared onscreen during dark scenes. Otherwise, this played out well for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, helping to punch up the bright scenes while avoiding pumping up black levels in dark ones.

The PX3-Pro’s comprehensive HDR support made the latest seasons of The Rings of Power in HDR10+ and The Avengers: Endgame in Dolby Vision both look fantastic. The wide color gamut of the triple-laser projection system played a big part in this, giving the PX3-Pro simply astounding color. One downside of this is that rainbows, a regular artifact of DLP technology, can seem a little more pronounced.

The PX3-Pro serves up a big, bright 4K picture ranging from 80 to 150 inches. While it’s possible to project images beyond these sizes, the focus range is limited and you may end up with a softer image. 

For gamers, the Hisense PX3-Pro has something extra special in store. In addition to simply switching to a game mode with lower input lag, the projector can swap over to a 1080p/240Hz mode. This sacrifices some picture detail but provides buttery smooth visuals, and the DLP system has minimal ghosting. The gameplay is highly responsive and a big perk. Though the projector will also display 4K 120Hz signals, it doesn’t appear to display every frame but rather skips every other one as checked with Blur Busters’ frame skipping tool. 

Audio on the PX3-Pro isn’t half-bad either. Its 50W Harman Kardon-designed speakers can get loud enough to match the size of the pictures the PX3-Pro projects, and the sound has an impressive range with booming bass, though it doesn’t get deep into sub-bass territory. What it really lacks is the spatial aspect. The stereo separation isn’t very wide, and there are no side, rear, or height channels. This means that even though the projector supports Dolby Atmos and Imax Enhanced for DTS, it’s best used with external speakers.

• Picture and sound quality score: 4.5/5

The PX3-Pro's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future) Hisense PX3-Pro review: value

• High price but a compelling picture
• Versatility adds to its value

The Hisense PX3-Pro doesn’t come cheap at $3,499. Its price puts it a ways above its predecessor and sets it up against others like the Epson Home Cinema LS800. It also raises the question of whether you should instead opt for a big TV since you can get an 83-inch OLED like the LG C4 for not too much more.

But the PX3-Pro brings a lot to the table. It has enough brightness and detail to comfortably stretch its 4K picture to massive proportions. The PX3-Pro also supports 3D content and a wide range of HDR formats, has a 240Hz refresh rate mode, and has Google TV built-in (with a fast enough processor to run it smoothly). There’s little question that the PX3-Pro UST offers a lot, and it’s a worthy rival to TVs and other projector types. 

• Value score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Hisense PX3-Pro?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if... Don’t buy it if…  Also consider...

Epson LS800
The Epson LS800 uses a 3LCD laser light source to beam a stunningly bright 4,000 lumens image. This makes it a great option for daytime sports viewing and it also has good built-in sound. 

Read our full Epson LS800 review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Hisense PX3-Pro

• Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
• Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
• I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Hisense PX2 Pro at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with standard definition and 4K HDR streamed content, and PC gameplay. 

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer. 

I measured the Premiere 9’s input lag in milliseconds using a Leo Bodnar tester with the low latency mode switch on.

First reviewed: September, 2024

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Armari decided to provide us with something a little different for its £4,500 workstation entry this year. Instead of the classic black box like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Magnetar PrMM16R9 is small – very small. Yet it packs in the same workstation-grade components found in more conventional systems.

The Magnetar uses a Phanteks Evolv Shift XT chassis, which is a quarter to a third smaller in every dimension than other cases this month. The physical appearance with angled corners is stylish, but the infinity mirror on the front is mesmeric, looking like a lit passageway extending unfeasibly into the front of the case. This is a chassis you’ll want to display on your desk as a statement rather than hiding it below. Yet it still sports a 240mm liquid-cooling system for the CPU and an 850W PSU. Although there’s not much room for extra storage in a case this small, the only avoidable downside is that there are no USB or audio ports on the front.

There was a hope that this system could be supplied with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, but this member of the new 9000-series wasn’t quite ready for testing at the time of writing. Instead, Armari sent this system with the previous-generation 7950X, but it will ship the final version with the 9950X for the price quoted above. The 7950X provides the same 16 cores as the 9950X, running at a base 4.5GHz with a 5.7GHz boost, whereas the 9950X will have the same boost frequency but an improved core design.

Armari partners the Ryzen 9 with a hefty 96GB of 5,600MHz DDR5 RAM, supplied as two 48GB modules. This takes up both DIMM slots on the Asus ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi motherboard, but you probably won’t want more in a small system such as this one.

Despite its size, the PrMM16R9 has room for a dual-width graphics card, in this case the AMD Radeon Pro W7800. It could, apparently, take an even wider accelerator such as the triple-width W7900. The W7800 sports 4,800 Stream Processors and 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering 576GB/sec of bandwidth.

(Image credit: Future)

Another surprising inclusion for such a diminutive system are the two storage drives. The main one is a 2TB Crucial T705 NVMe M.2 device, with a PCI Express 5 interface. This delivered 8,413MB/sec sustained reading and 7,792MB/sec writing using CrystalDiskMark 8. Then there’s a secondary 2TB Kioxia Exceria Pro NVMe drive running at PCI Express 4 speeds and providing 7,095MB/sec reading alongside 3,218MB/sec writing speeds.

Although the Magnetar’s AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is the previous CPU generation now, it packs a punch. An overall score of 729 in the PC Pro media benchmarks still beats the InterPro’s Core i9-14900K CPU, with solid results of 289 in image editing, 692 in video encoding and 901 in multitasking. The multi-CPU render result with Maxon Cinebench 2024 of 1,991 is also slightly faster. The Blender Gooseberry frame took 283 seconds, which surpassed all the other systems in the £4,500 class. Considering the performance of the 12-core Ryzen 9000 series used by Scan, with the 9950X in this system instead of the 7950X, the results would be very competitive indeed.

The AMD Radeon Pro W7800 performs well. In SPECviewperf 2020, results of 230 in 3dsmax-07 and 757 in maya-06 show excellent 3D animation modelling ability. And 169 in catia-06, 238 in creo-03 and 600 in snx-04, with a decent 438 in solidworks-07, imply capable CAD and engineering abilities. The AI inference score of 24,623 in the Geekbench ML, 12,617 with LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL, and Blender Gooseberry frame time of 145 seconds are about what we’d expect from this GPU.

With our review sample relying on a previous-generation AMD Ryzen, the Armari Magnetar PrMM16R9 couldn’t win this Labs test; although the upgrade will be at no extra cost by the time you read this, we can’t confirm the performance until we try it. But this is still a great-looking compact system that punches way above its size. It has plenty to commend it to anyone looking for a stylish yet powerful desk-friendly workstation.

This review first appeared in Issue 361 of PC Pro.

We list the fastest PCs and workstations.

JBL 104-BT: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The JBL 104-BT are great speakers if you get them for the right reason. If you’re looking for the best computer speakers for general use, you’ll be very happy with these, thanks to a warm-leaning yet full frequency range that lends itself well to music listening as well as gaming and streaming (as long as you don’t need any real sub-bass).

They’re not quite as immersive as the best gaming headsets, but they’re more than immersive enough. However, reference monitors they are not.

If you’re trying to put together a home studio, you want monitors that give you an accurate representation of what you’re working on. If you have speakers that have somewhat of a boost in the low-mids as these do, then when you go to listen to your music on other speakers or headphones, you’ll realize that you compensated for that boosted area and have a track that’s lacking in that same frequency range.

Keep that in mind when going through this review as these are very enjoyable to listen to, are relatively affordable, and come with the appropriate amount of features (minus one or two). That’s why you should consider them – not for music production.

JBL 104-BT: Price and availability

•  How much does it cost? $149.00 / £199.99 / AU$289.00 
•  When is it available? Available now 
•  Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK and Australia 

The JBL 104-BT aren’t the cheapest computer speakers out there, but they’re pretty affordable at $149.00 / £199.99 / AU$289.00. Considering the sound quality, that’s pretty good value as well. Of course, for that price, the JBL 104-BT should include a sub out at the very least.

As far as alternatives go, the Edifier MR4 are worth a consideration. They go for slightly less at $129.99 / £109.99 / AU$179.99, and they actually work a bit better for reference speakers, but also miss out on that low-end.

If you’re looking for a pair of computer speakers for reference work, the Vigilant Audio SwitchOne I reviewed back in 2022 are still a fantastic option, since they use passive radiators on the side to fill out that low end. Of course, they retail for a bit more at $249 (£255 / AU$471).

If you want a subwoofer and are willing to spend a bit more, however, the Kanto Ora, with a price tag of $349.99 / AU$699.95 (about £287), are really, really good. They work fairly well as reference speakers as well, though they have a slightly scooped mid-range. 

• Value: 4.5 / 5

JBL 104-BT: Specs JBL 104-BT: Design

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Before we dig in much more about why they’re good for certain things and not for others, let’s discuss the JBL 104-BT’s design. These speakers come in either a matte black or matte white colorway, with the one I received for testing coming in black.

They stand at a little under ten inches tall and six inches wide (they have a depth of almost five inches), which is fairly diminutive for a pair of speakers. Sure, you can find smaller, but they’re probably going to have a thinner or brighter sound.

They both contain a 4.5-inch driver and a 0.75-inch soft dome driver for the highs, though I can only see the larger one through the front grille. Both speaker boxes are ported on the back as well to improve bass response.

Since these are powered speakers, one of them is a little heavier at 4.54 lbs compared to the other’s weight of 3.81 lbs. While they connect to each other with basic red and black speaker wires, the one with the power amp also allows ⅛-inch aux, RCA, and TRS balanced inputs, not to mention Bluetooth connectivity.

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JBL 104-BT backside port selection (Image credit: Future / James Holland)Image 2 of 2

Controls on the front of the JBL 104-BT (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

While most of the inputs are on the back, the aux input is on the front along with a headphone out and the controls, including a backlit volume knob and an input selector. There’s also an LED indicator when you have something connected via Bluetooth.

Unfortunately, there’s no sub out – a fateful omission as we’ll discuss later. And, though far from a deal breaker, there’s no physical digital connectivity like USB. Considering the digital-to-audio converters, or DACs, that come in computers and laptops vary quite a bit, it would have been a nice inclusion.

JBL 104-BT: Performance

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

As far as the sound quality goes, it’s worth repeating that these are solid sounding speakers that are pleasing to listen to, but are not appropriate for music production work, podcasters possibly notwithstanding.

Since there’s no subwoofer or sub out, you’re limited on the low end. The JBL 104-BT only goes down to 60Hz (a low note on a standard bass is 41Hz for reference). This means that anything that needs that low end to really come alive – hip hop, EDM, or games and movies with massive amounts of explosions – are going to feel a bit truncated. That doesn’t mean you won’t feel some of the impact of those 808 drums or the rumble of whatever’s happening in the latest Nolan movie. You just won’t feel all of it.

That said, there’s a boost in the low-mids to compensate for that. This boost is probably the biggest deterrent for using these speakers as reference monitors. However, it adds a richness and fullness to any audio that also makes these speakers very pleasing to listen to. There’s also plenty of punch and immediacy to what you’re hearing, so that while you won’t feel your bones shaking from subwoofer-level rumble, there’s still a visceral element to the sound.

The rest of the mids sit nicely in the mix, while the high-end is present in a pleasing way. The high-end isn’t too sharp and it isn’t too muted either.

Where I’m actually most impressed with the JBL 104-BT is its sound imaging, and by extension, the soundstage. The soundstage with speakers are all about placement so you can affect how wide something sounds just by how far apart the speakers are. Still, these speakers did a good job of making you feel that separation of audio elements that are only on the left or right side, not to mention moving around.

However, what really jumped out at me was the center channel. The JBL 104-BT is a stereo speaker system with just two speaker boxes. But, with every stereo speaker system, you really have the left, the right, and the center, even if it’s not represented by its own physical speaker.

Good speakers, along with good speaker placement, are able to make that center audio – usually dialogue or vocals – sound like it’s floating right in front of you instead of sounding like part of it is coming from one speaker and part of it is coming from the other.

With the JBL 104-BT, that center channel felt like it was right in front of me to the point that I kept checking the speakers on the laptop to make sure they weren’t also getting in on the action (they weren’t).

Considering these retail for around $150, what you’re getting is pretty remarkable as long as you use them to elevate your everyday audio experience. If you’re using them for music production, you’ll probably like the way they sound, minus that low-end, but you’re going to have a hard time creating music that sounds good on other systems. If you keep that in mind, these are an easy pair of speakers to recommend.

Should I buy JBL 104-BT Compact Desktop Reference Monitors? Buy it if...

You want great sound for general use

The sound quality will elevate whatever media you’re consuming at least a level, if not two, as long as you don’t care about a big low end. The low-mids, in particular, are very rich sounding.

You don’t have a lot of desk space

The JBL 104-BT are able to offer quite a bit without taking up too much space, so if you have a small or cramped desk, then these speakers might be for you.

You want immersion without breaking the bank

You don’t have to spend a lot to get a great soundstage and sound imaging with these speakers, particularly the way they’re able to recreate the center audio channel.

Don't buy it if...

You need reference level audio

Despite the name, the frequency range isn’t appropriate for music production work. Besides the fact that the low-end is weak, the rest of the frequency range isn’t flat the way it should be.

You need a subwoofer

There’s no subwoofer or way to connect one, so there’s no way to get any rumble, whether you want it for movies, games, or music.

Also Consider

Edifier MR4 studio monitors

While the Edifier MR4 don’t have any digital input including Bluetooth or the ability to connect a subwoofer, they still sound great, especially for the price.

Read our full Edifier MR4 studio monitors review

Kanto Ora Reference Desktop Speakers

The Kanto Ora Reference Desktop Speakers are a bit more expensive, but they come with a subwoofer and sound fantastic. They also come with USB-C connectivity. Just be aware the mid-range is a little scooped if you plan to use them for music production.

Read our full Kanto Ora Reference Desktop Speakers review 

How I tested the JBL 104-BT

•  Used regularly for a couple weeks
• Tested with all sorts of games and music
• Tested different forms of connectivity

I used the JBL 104-BT Compact Desktop Reference Monitors regularly for a couple weeks. I used them to listen to all sorts of music as well as play a number of games including Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Hitman, and Battlefield 2042.

After using these speakers, it’s clear that they are great for general use, but not ideal for reference work, i.e. music production, despite the accessible price tag.

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 July 2024

DJI might be the market leader in consumer drones, but when it comes to action cameras the company remains leagues behind GoPro – at least in the public consciousness. That won’t be the case for long though if it keeps turning out products like the Osmo Action 5 Pro.

Even if nobody should get too excited about the ‘Pro’ moniker – this is currently the only model in the range, so there’s no ‘amateur’ model as yet – the Action 5 Pro is a very impressive action camera, and I had a lot of fun reviewing it. Not only is its image quality superb (in daylight, at least – and even at night it’s still better than a GoPro), but it has long-lasting battery life, effective image stabilization, a rugged lightweight build, two beautifully color-rich OLED screens, and genuinely brilliant compatibility with the DJI Mic 2.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

And while it isn’t as mod-friendly as the recent GoPro Hero 13 Black, the Action 5 Pro’s quick-release magnetic mounting system works with all manner of accessories, from helmet and bike mounts to extendable selfie sticks and mini tripods. It can even be used as a webcam.

This versatility means it’ll suit everyone from food vloggers to divers to mountain climbers, and the sheer range of improvements over the Osmo Action 4 suggests that DJI is deadly serious about surpassing the likes of GoPro and Insta360 to establish itself as the leading action camera brand. There’s still a long way to go if that’s going to happen, but if we keep getting cameras like this, it’s a clear possibility.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: release date and price

• Priced at $349 / £329 / AU$599 for the Combo bundle
• Available from September 19 2024

The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is available to order now, priced at $349 / £329 / AU$599 for the Standard Combo bundle, which includes the camera, one battery, one protective frame, one quick-release adapter mount, one curved adhesive base, one locking screw, one rubber lens protecter, one glass lens cover, one anti-slip pad and one USB-C to USB-C cable). There's also an Adventure Combo bundle, which is priced at $449 / £409 / AU$769 and includes all of the above plus a mini quick-release adapter mount, one battery case and one 1.5m extension rod.

DJI has priced the Action 5 Pro aggressively: it’s $50 cheaper than the GoPro Hero 13 Black and Insta360 Ace Pro. Given the specs and performance, which I’ll get into below, that’s impressive. (You can read more about how the Action Pro 5 compares to GoPro's latest in our GoPro Hero 13 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro article.)

Additionally, a wide range of optional accessories, each sold separately, is available alongside the Action 5 Pro, including mounts, extension rods, GPS units and microphones.

• Price score: 4.5/5

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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: design and handling

• Small, lightweight and sturdy build
• Quick-release magnetic mounting system
• Waterproof to 20m without a case
• Front and rear OLED touchscreens

When it comes to rugged reliability, the Osmo Action 5 Pro feels reassuringly well made. The camera itself is small, lightweight (145g) and sturdy, with few protruding parts and a removable, replaceable cover to help prevent damage to the surface of the lens.

It also comes with a frame to further protect the camera body from impact and, while use of this is optional, it adds little to the weight or size of the setup, and leaves buttons and the USB-C chamber fully accessible. In other words, you might as well leave it on all the time. The frame also features mounting points for horizontal and vertical mounting options, allowing you to quickly detach and reattach the camera to magnetic mounts and change orientation for 16:9 or 9:16 shooting as required.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro key specs

Sensor: 1/1.3” CMOS
Video: Up to 4K/120fps
Photo: 40MP
Screens: 2 x OLED touchscreens
Video modes: Standard, Slo-Mo, SuperNight, Hyperlapse, Subject Tracking
Connectivity: USB-C 3.0, Wi-Fi 6.0, Bluetooth
Weight: 145g

The Action 5 Pro supports the same ‘fingers’ mounting method as GoPro (which means it should be compatible with hundreds of third-party and GoPro-made mounts) while maintaining the magnet-and grip-based quick-release system that previous DJI action cams have used. This setup meant I could unclip the Action 5 from one mount and attach it to another in seconds, rather than having to fuss around with screws and the like. During my review I used a few different mounting systems, including DJI’s own extendable selfie stick and a trio of bike-friendly mounts the company sells. Being able to quickly switch between them all is a godsend.

DJI has buffed the camera’s case-free water resistance even beyond the Osmo Action 4’s impressive 18m depth. The company says the Action 5 can go to 20m (or 65 feet) without a dive case, and 60m with one. That’s double the case-free depth of a GoPro Hero or Insta360 Ace Pro. I wasn’t able to fully test this out myself, but can confirm that it'll take a dunk in the ocean without any ill effects.

The Action 5 Pro also supports a wider range of operating temperatures than its close rivals too, working all the way from -4F / -20C to 113F / 45C. If you’re looking for an all-weather, all-environment consumer camera, this is about as hardy as they come. DJI’s Care Refresh protection plan is available for the camera too, which ensures that you can get a repair or replacement (up to two on a one-year plan, or four on a two-year plan) if the camera suffers accidental damage.

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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The controls are simple, with only two physical buttons on the camera: a power/mode button on the side and a large shutter/video button on the top. Other settings are accessed either through the touchscreen menus, which are accessible on both the front and rear screens, or via the DJI Mimo mobile app and a paired smartphone. Having tried both methods, I don’t have a preference; both work well and suit different shooting situations, although those with larger fingers might prefer the app due to the small size of the Action 5’s touchscreens.

The screens are in general excellent, though. Now upgraded to OLED, they’re sharp, clear and colorful, and having one on each side of the camera means that properly framing and composing images and videos never feels like a chore; no matter whether you’re self-shooting or filming something in front of you, there’s a screen right there.

• Design score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: features and performance

• 1950mAh battery
• 47GB of on-board storage plus microSD slot
• RockSteady, RockSteady+ and HorizonSteady image stabilization
• 48kHz Bluetooth recording via DJI Mic 2

DJI makes some bold claims about the Osmo Action 5 Pro’s battery life, saying that a single fully charged 1950mAh battery allows the camera to record up to four hours of video. That’s a 50% improvement over the Osmo Action 4, and DJI says it’s managed this due to the more power-efficient 4nm processor, improvements to battery capacity, and a ‘new algorithm’ that optimizes energy use.

Keen to put these boasts to the test, I set the camera up to record continuously in two video modes: first, 4K at 60fps with RockSteady image stabilization on; then 1080p at 30fps with all stabilization turned off. With the former, a full battery lasted just under two hours – not bad given the relatively high-performance settings. With the latter, it lasted a shade under four hours, just as billed, which is really strong. I should also say that, while the camera was a bit warm to the touch after its two-hour 4K/60fps recording session, it never overheated to the point where it stopped recording.

The Action 5 Pro features a USB-C 3.0 port for in-camera battery charging and file transfer (it also allows the camera to be connected to a computer and used as a plug-and-play webcam). There’s Wi-Fi 6.0 for fast wireless file transfer of up to 80MB/s, which is a big improvement on the Wi-Fi 5.0 of the Action 4; it can also be used for livestreaming, in conjunction with the Mimo mobile app.

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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

On the subject of the Mimo app, while I won’t get too much into it in this review for reasons of space, it’s the same app you may have used with older DJI cameras. It’s basically a great remote control for the Osmo Action 5 Pro, giving you not only access to all the settings and controls but the ability to compose and review your photos and videos on a much larger screen than the camera’s own display. It also lets you share your content quickly via social media and messaging apps.

The camera comes with 47GB of built-in storage (enough for about 80 minutes of 4K/60fps or three hours of 1080p/30fps video), as well as a microSD card slot for expansion. That’s a nice setup in my opinion, as users on the more casual side of things can rely on the internal storage, while the more demanding, heavier users can supplement that with extra cards to ensure they never run out of space.

There are three types of electronic image stabilization on board, as well as the option to turn it off (which, as I’ll get into, you may have good reason to do at times). RockSteady is the basic level; RockSteady+ ups the ante at the cost of a larger crop to the frame; and HorizonSteady keeps the video aligned horizontally (to a point) while applying an even larger crop. They’re all very effective at smoothing and/or levelling video, and I have no complaints about them – even with the crops applied, the field of view remains quite wide.

The camera also embeds non-stabilized videos with gyroscope data, allowing you to stabilize clips yourself in post-production (if you’re wondering why you might do this, it conserves battery life while giving you more control over how stabilization is applied). I tried this using the free GyroFlow plugin for DaVinci Resolve 18 and it works brilliantly (you can see the results in my sample videos). For some reason, you need to select the ‘Wide’ field of view when recording though – the stabilization won’t work if you’ve shot using other settings.

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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

A new feature that social media creators will love (but the rest of us probably won’t touch) is the ability to track and frame a subject (with a TikTok-friendly 9:16 frame) as it moves around in the camera’s field of view. This seems to work with humans only (my cat didn’t register a response), but it does a good job of recognizing someone and keeping them framed. The output 9:16 video then crops out the rest of the frame.

The final feature worth mentioning is the camera’s superb compatibility with the DJI Mic 2. You can wirelessly link up to two DJI Mic 2 transmitters with it via Bluetooth and have them record pristine 48kHz audio, which I found a great way to record clean, clear voiceover or vlog audio, even in windy conditions. It’s the only action camera that currently allows this – other cameras that support the Mic 2 will only support a 16kHz sampling rate, which won’t sound as clear.

• Features and performance score: 5/5

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: image and video quality

• Video up to 4K/120fps
• 4K SuperNight mode for low-light shooting
• 10-bit, D-Log M and HLG color profile options

The Action 5 Pro uses the same size 1/1.3-inch sensor as the Action 4, but I found its image quality is a clear step above, with strong dynamic range (DJI claims up to 13.5 stops), and beautifully clean colors and excellent detail in good daylight conditions. Rather than wax lyrical about the image quality, I’ll let you watch the embedded videos (below) and see for yourself. I shot most of the footage here in 4K/60fps using the ‘flat’ D-Log M color profile, color-correcting in post-production with Davinci Resolve 18.

The one exception is the 4K SuperNight sequence, which doesn’t allow D-Log M shooting and limits 4K clips to 30fps; I’ve left this footage untouched to demonstrate how it looks direct from the camera. I wasn’t blown away by SuperNight, and when shooting at night in future I’d be tempted to dial the resolution back to 1080p as the 4K footage doesn’t look particularly sharp. But it does a serviceable job of providing clearer images in low light – a situation where action cameras traditionally struggle.

The fact that the Action 5 Pro doesn’t shoot 5.3K or 8K footage doesn’t bother me much, as in my experience 4K is plenty of resolution for an action camera. That being said, those who like cropping their footage might find the extra detail offered by rival cameras like the GoPro Hero 13 Black or Insta360 Ace Pro handy.

Aside from low-light shooting, the one area where DJI could make improvements in the future is by implementing GoPro-style lens mods. The ability to shoot macro images or insert ND filters could add some extra flexibility to what’s already a very impressive action camera.

• Image quality score: 4/5

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: testing scorecard Should I buy the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro? Buy it if...

You want great reliability
Waterproof to 20m, freeze-proof to -25ºC and offering up to four hours of battery life, the Osmo Action 5 Pro is unlikely to let you down.

You own a DJI Mic 2
The pristine 48kHz recording compatibility between this tiny wireless mic and the Action 5 Pro is a game-changer for live voiceover recording. You can even link two mics.

Don't buy it if...

You want crystal-clear night-time footage
DJI’s SuperNight mode may produce better low-light video than most action cameras, but it’s still grainy and lacking in detail compared to video from a mirrorless camera.

You want super high-res footage
4K is fine for 90% of users, but those who need more should look at Insta360 and GoPro’s higher-resolution alternatives.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: also consider

GoPro Hero 13 Black

GoPro’s flagship is a polished performer, recording excellent 5.3K video and supporting a wide range of accessories – including the auto-detected Lens Mods that dramatically widen its creative options. It also features built-in GPS, and finally supports the faster magnetic mounting system already used by rival action cam makers.

Read our GoPro Hero 13 Black review

Insta360 Ace Pro

The Ace Pro is something of a resolution master, offering 8K video (at 24fps) and 4K slow-mo at 120fps from a 1/1.3-inch sensor. Video enthusiasts won’t like the lack of log recording options, however. Design-wise, it sports a large 2.4-inch flip-up touchscreen, eschewing the dual-screen setup favored by GoPro and DJI.

Read our Insta360 Ace Pro

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) How I tested the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

• A week of vlogging and biking
• Paired with DJI Mic 2
• Footage edited using DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.6

I spent a week using a pre-release version of the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, capturing vlog-style videos using the including extendable selfie stick and, at times, a paired DJI Mic 2 lavalier microphone. I used DJI’s road cycling mount kit to attach the camera to various points on my bike. I also tested battery life by allowing the camera to continuously record until the battery died.

I recorded video at different resolutions and frame rates, using different color profiles and video modes, and with the various forms of stabilization on or off. Footage was later edited on my PC using DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.6 software, which I used to color-grade and stabilize some clips.

First reviewed September 2024

Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been waiting a long time for a smart light brand to release a truly smart wake-up light, and it’s no surprise that Philips Hue is first with its beautiful new Twilight smart light. 

While most smart lights offer some form of wake-up or circadian functionality, and many smart home hubs also allow you to turn your regular smart lights into bona fide wake-up lights, the Philips Hue Twilight is first to thoughtfully incorporate wake-up functionality into the design and software from end-to-end, cementing it as one of the best smart lights I’ve ever tested.

Standing at 12.9-inches / 33cm tall, the Twilight lamp is an exercise in design mastery from Philips Hue. Available in either a black or white casing, the unit’s rounded stem is footed by a cork base, and tapers towards the head of the lamp, which is shaped like an upturned cup. It’s a slick and chic device that looks wonderful in either color – and while it might not be for everyone, it’s a major step up in aesthetics from Hue compared to some of its previous designs, such as the Philips Hue Go Table lamp and Hue Bloom.

On the top of the head are two programmable buttons that by default trigger automations and cycle through six different scenes, offering both “press” and “press and hold” controls. Through the Philips Hue app, you can change how the buttons and the lights behave, presenting a fantastic level of customizability. 

Behind the frosted-encased rear panel sit the LED lights. It isn’t the most attractive look, but since the rear of the light will in all likelihood be wall-facing, it isn’t a dealbreaker. The LEDs point slightly upwards, which enables them to spray a wonderful cone of light up walls – plus they also feature separate strips that can create gradient lights using Hue’s new Gradient ColorCast technology. The head also contains another set of independently controllable direct LED lights, and can be rotated 90 degrees to the left and right – a nice touch for those who enjoy reading in bed.

(Image credit: Future)

The part of the design I wasn’t so impressed by is the 2.4 x 1.9 x 3.1-inches / 6 x 4.8 x 8cm (h x w x d) power supply. If your plug socket is directly behind your bedside table, you’ll likely need your table to be sitting further away from the wall to account for the Twilight’s very proud plug.

However, when it comes to the light itself, I’d go as far as to say this is the best I’ve seen from Hue – and given the bar is pretty high, I’m very much impressed. Hue claims it can be dimmed to 0.5% brightness, and while I couldn’t easily measure that, what I can say is that dimming proved incredibly smooth, with a near-imperceptible transition between the light's lowest brightness and fading out completely.

According to Hue, there’s more than just some buttons and software that make Twilight well-suited for use as a wake-up light. The night-time scenes that come included as defaults for both manual and in-app control omit blue light, which suppresses melatonin, while its wake-up scenes are attuned to emulate sunrise.

In addition to its natural light settings, the Philips Hue Twilight smart light is also able to reproduce the full range of colors you’d expect from a Hue device, meaning you can also set the mood with some beautifully vibrant scenes. In addition, the rear light is fully programmable, so you can also create custom gradients to match other gradient lights such as the Hue Signe.

The Twilight integrates easily into the Hue app, with both Bluetooth and Hue Bridge connectivity on offer – but here lies one of the biggest issues I have with the product: its limited functionality when paired via Bluetooth. For some reason, the two light sources can’t be controlled in conjunction with one another in this configuration, and many of the automations aren’t available.

Price and availability Image 1 of 3

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(Image credit: Future)

• List price: $279 / £249 

The Philips Hue Twilight smart light will set you back $279 / £249, and is available in both black and white colorways. Compared even to Philips Hue’s own alternatives, such as the Hue Go portable table lamp (list price: $159.99 / £139.99), that’s one frighteningly expensive lamp.

It’s a running issue with Philips Hue. While its smart lighting is arguably some of the best – if not the best – on the market, such a lofty price tag is tough to swallow. In Twilight’s defense, both its design and performance are top-tier – with the exception of my gripes with its plastic casing, limited Bluetooth functionality and large power supply. I have the same opinion about the Hue Go portable table lamp. Given that there are a wealth of more affordable smart lights on the market, some competitive pricing from Philips Hue feels in order.

Specs table Score card How I tested

• I used the Philips Hue Twilight lamp as my main wake-up light and bedroom lamp for two weeks 
• I tried all of its various presets and features 
• I used it both with and without a Hue Bridge 

(Image credit: Future)

I used the Philips Hue Twilight for two weeks as my main bedroom light, testing all of its wake-up and wind-down presets, morning and night, to see how effectively they helped to regulate my sleep schedule.

I paired it both via Bluetooth and also through my Philips Hue Bridge to compare its feature set and functionality in various connectivity modes. I controlled it through my smart home speakers to see how responsive it was, and tested the various color options to see how vibrant of a payoff the lights delivered.

I’ve been testing smart home technology for over two years, filling my home with abundant smart lighting and devices from the likes of not only Philips Hue, but some of the biggest competition across smart lighting. 

Origin EON17-X v2: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Gaming laptops typically come in two different flavors: the lighter variant that requires some performance compromises, and the desktop variant that is about as mobile as a large turtle. The Origin EON17-X v2 is the latter.

For many, these desktop replacements are the best gaming laptops for them. While heavy, they’re still much easier to fold up and transport than an actual desktop. You just wouldn’t want to carry it around on your back all day. Yet, they still have the bona fide internals to allow playing AAA games on higher settings with ray tracing and all that jazz. Unfortunately, it shares some of the drawbacks of these types of computers with its loud fans and issues with thermal efficiency, not to mention it blows hot air out its sides around where one would most likely have their hand when using an external mouse.

On the bright side, it comes with a large, sharp, and vibrant screen like the best 17-inch laptops. And like some of those bigger models, the Origin EON17-X v2 gets up there in price. Depending on what you’re looking for – especially if you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop with an HD UV printed lid – the Origin EON17-X v2 might be the gaming laptop for you.

Origin EON17-X v2: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

•  How much does it cost? Starting at $3,400.00 (about £2,610.00 / AU$5,120.00)
•  When is it available? Available now 
•  Where can you get it? Available in the US 

Though the basic configuration listed on the Origin site for the EON17-X v2 is discounted down to $2,480 at the time of writing, it generally starts at $3,400.00 (about £2,610.00 / AU$5,120.00). Even if that’s one of those deals where it’s constantly discounted so most are never paying that price, this is still an expensive computer. That said, $2,400 is a much more accessible price and an easier one to swallow.

Even that basic configuration is plenty powerful as well. It comes with an Intel Core i9 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a 1440p screen with a 240Hz refresh rate.

If you want to max out the configuration, which has that same i9 CPU, an RTX 4090 GPU, 64GB RAM, 8TB SSD with an additional 8TB SSD and a 4K screen with a 144Hz refresh rate along with one of the preconfigured UV printed lids, the price is going to be $5,681 (about £4,360 / AU$8,550). Now, those massive SSDs both add on a lot price-wise, specifically $824 for the main 8GB SSD and an additional $930 for the additional 8TB SSD.

The review configuration here is a happy medium as it keeps the Intel Core i9, RTX 4090, and 4K screen, and pairs that all with a more modest but still very robust 32GB RAM as well as a 2TB SSD and an additional 2TB SSD. That will set you back $3,913 (about £3,000 / AU$5,890) give or take (there are multiple options for the same configuration of hard drives at slightly different price points). Of course, it’s discounted at the time of writing to $3,098.

Origin is not the only game in town for these sorts of desktop replacement laptops that are more than likely to be very powerful, very loud, and very stationary. The MSI Titan 18 HX is another such computer. It starts at an even pricier $4,999.99 / £4,379.98 / AU$6,999 and comes with an Intel Core i9, RTX 4080, 64GB RAM, and 2TB SSD, along with an 18-inch screen with a 2400p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The one thing it does have over the Origin is that that screen has HDR1000 on hand. Still, it starts at an even higher price point for a similar package.

If you’re willing to compromise, particularly on screen resolution, the Acer Predator Helios 18 starts at a much more palatable $1,699.99 (about £1,339 / AU$2,576). Of course, the specs are more modest as you get an Intel Core i7, 4060 GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and an 18-inch 1200p screen with a 165Hz refresh rate. 

• Value: 4 / 5

Origin EON17-X v2: Specs

All models come with an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, but you do have a few ways to customize (and a whole bunch when it comes to the SSDs). The GPU and screen are tied together, so if you get the cheaper Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, the PC will come with the 17.3-inch 1440p screen with the faster 240Hz refresh rate. If you get the 4090 GPU, it will come with a 17.3-inch 4K screen with a still blazing fast 144Hz refresh rate.

As far as RAM goes, you can select from 16, 32, or 64GB. When it comes to SSDs, the options are too numerous to mention here. I’ll only say that you have options ranging from 1 to 8TB for both the main and the additional hard drive. For some sizes, there are multiple options.

Besides the two different screens, there’s one other way to customize the Origin EON17-X v2 externally, and that’s with the HD UV printed lid. For a small upcharge, you can choose from 19 different prints. Or, for a bigger upcharge, you can upload your own design to be printed on the lid. 

Origin EON17-X v2: Design

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

•  Massive in every way, including weight
•  Port selection is great
•  HD UV printed lid is unique

The Origin EON17-X v2 is massive. Yes, that’s to be expected of any computer with a 17-inch display not named LG Gram, but this PC is 16 pounds (despite the fact that a lot of the verbiage online says 7.25 pounds). It’s clearly not meant to be routinely lugged around. It just happens to be more portable than an actual desktop setup. That said – as I’ll get into below – the battery life is good enough that, if you’re actually comfortable carrying around an extra 16 pounds, you can use this on the go.

The upside of the EON17-X v2 being so big is that it comes with a large 17.3-inch display with either a super sharp resolution (4K at 144Hz) or blazing fast refresh rate (1440p at 240Hz). The only thing really missing with the display is any kind of HDR.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

It also has a full-sized keyboard layout thanks to its larger size, which can be customized with Macros and per-key RGB lighting. The touchpad is likewise sizable. Both work well, though the keyboard has enough stiffness that I prefer typing on my MacBook or using an external keyboard. 

The touchpad, however, is very responsive and accurate. Almost enough to use during gaming, though it’s held back by the fact that if you’re pressing down to simulate a right click, you won’t be able to left click. This is a combination of actions needed in games where you would aim before shooting. Otherwise, I was very impressed by the touchpad.

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Backside port selection on the Origin EON17-X v2 (Image credit: Future / James Holland)Image 2 of 3

EON17-X v2 left side ports (Image credit: Future / James Holland)Image 3 of 3

Origin EON17-X v2 right side ports (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The port selection on here is pretty great. Though I don’t like having ports on the back, there are so many that it makes sense. Anything outside of a SD card reader is here. It even has an optical style audio jack to go along with a regular 3.5mm one. And, of course, two thunderbolt 4 ports are on hand as well.

Taking a step back and looking at the whole package, the Origin EON17-X v2 is mostly matte black with an aluminum chassis, and, when open, only really looks like a gaming laptop thanks to its size and the RGB lighting on the keyboard. However, the lid with its HD UV printed design is going to give it away. Regardless of the design, it’s not a look I would personally go for (you can choose a standard black lid), but it’s certainly unique and something that someone would appreciate.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Origin EON17-X v2: Performance

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Powerful performance
• Loud fan
• Gets hot under stress

It’s no surprise that Origin bills the EON17-X v2 as “[its] most powerful laptop ever designed.” Its specs are impressive. It has a top-of-the-line CPU in its Intel Core i9 as well as the most powerful consumer-grade GPU with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (even if you get the 4080, it’s incredibly powerful).

It’s a testament to how ambitious Origin got that you can still run games like Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Hellblade 2:Senua’s Saga and really push the laptop, ending up with 20-30 fps. But, that’s with maxed settings and ray tracing on full blast. Singling out Cyberpunk 2077 for a second, I get 20 fps with everything maxed out at 4K including ray tracing. With ray tracing off, it’s 29 fps. At 1080p with ray tracing off but all the other settings still maxed out, I get 89 fps.

That’s actually pretty impressive. And, with a lot of AAA games, you can get up to 150 - 160 fps in 1080p but still with the settings all the way up.

Also remember that the Origin EON17-X v2 is powering a 4K display (or 1440p one if you go the cheaper-ish route) with a high refresh rate even if you’re not fully utilizing it. And it’s a wonderful display. Its Delta E > 0.25 is incredibly accurate and the color coverage is very wide, specifically insofar that it has an sRGB of 153.5% and DCI-P3 of 108.7%. With those numbers and the powerful internals, I could imagine doing quite a bit of video editing on this machine.

Origin EON17-X v2: Benchmarks

3DMark: Fire Strike: 31284; Time Spy: 17838; Port Royal: 11950

GeekBench 6.3 2979 (single-core); 17014 (multi-core)

25GB File Copy: 11.43

Handbrake 1.8.1: 3:52

CrossMark: Overall: 2217 Productivity: 2085 Creativity: 2407 Responsiveness: 2084

Assassin’s Creed Mirage: (1080p) 131 fps, (4K) 75 fps

Dirt 5: (1080p) 167.5 fps, (4K) 87.83 fps

Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 7:17:36 

Where the Origin EON17-X v2 is not quite amazing is in the fact that its fans are very loud, though you can adjust that in Origin’s Control Center app. I literally could barely hear the maxed out audio of games over it. Strangely, the laptop still got very hot under duress, measuring 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) right above the F10 / webcam key in the middle of the keyboard. 

More distressingly is the fact that while there’s venting on the back and the sides of the computer, a lot of the hot air is getting blown out the sides. Unless you’re using an external keyboard, you probably will have your mouse and therefore your hand right next to one of the side vents.

On the bright side, if you choose to use the speakers instead of external headphones, the audio sounds decent. Not a lot of low-end, but it’s full enough. More importantly for a gaming computer, it actually has a decent soundstage so you can hear what’s supposed to be on the left or the right.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Origin EON17-X v2: Battery life

• Solid battery life for a gaming laptop
• No fast charging

I always say this when I review gaming laptops, but it’s worth repeating. They’re notorious for having, at best, mediocre battery life. So, to test a 17-inch model with very robust specs and have it last a little more than seven and a quarter hours in our web surfing battery informant test is very impressive. Typically, I expect to see two to three hours of battery life in these kinds of machines.

Also worth noting is that the Origin EON17-X v2 does not have fast charging on hand. However, that’s more the purview of Ultrabooks. On the bright side, you do have some customization over how the laptop charges in the Control Center app so you can set it to charge when it’s under 70% and stop at 80. You can also select your own personal parameters. That’s a nice feature if you care about the longevity of the physical battery.

•  Battery life: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Origin EON17-X v2?  Buy it if…

You want an incredibly powerful gaming laptop

The only way to get something more powerful is to go the actual desktop route. Otherwise, the Origin EON17-X v2 is about as performance-heavy as you’ll find in laptop form.

You want to customize your PC

With the ability to choose from an assortment of HD UV printed lids or upload your own design, this laptop can be customized beyond the competition. And, that’s before considering the different options available with the different internal components.

You want good battery life in a large gaming laptop

If you want good battery life in a 17-inch gaming laptop, this machine has the goods. It might not compare to an Ultrabook or even smaller gaming laptops like an Asus ROG Zephyrus, but you’ll be hard pressed to get seven hours out of most mid- to large-sized gaming portables.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget of any kind

Unless you can spend $2,500 on a laptop (and that’s when it’s on sale), you’re better off finding some other pre-built laptop with slightly less robust internal components.

You care about a laptop getting too hot

The heat this thing produces is a pain to deal with, especially when it’s blowing right on your mouse hand. If this is a dealbreaker, there are gaming laptops that handle thermals a little better or at least don’t blow the hot air out the side vents.

Also Consider

If our Origin EON17-X v2 review has you looking for other options, here are two laptops to consider...  

MSI Titan 18 HX

The MSI Titan 18 HX does a lot of what the Origin EON17-X v2 does and adds in HDR1000. It’s powerful with a great display and plenty of ports. It’s, however, even more expensive and you can’t add your own design on the lid.

Read our full MSI Titan 18 HX review 

Acer Predator Helios 18

The Acer Predator Helios 18 proves that, if you’re willing to compromise on some settings, you can get some great gaming done for a much cheaper price. It’s much cheaper while still offering up a very large display. While that display as at a lower resolution, it’s still blazing fast.

Read our full Acer Predator Helios 18 review 

How I tested the Origin EON17-X v2

•  Tested for two weeks
•  Used it for work, gaming, and streaming 
•  Pushed it as hard as possible with demanding games

I used the Origin EON17-X v2 for two weeks, gaming on it primarily, but also typing up most of this review and watching / listening to streaming. I pushed it as hard as possible, running AAA games at various settings including at their max to see how it would respond.

The Origin EON17-X v2 is an interesting machine as it’s for a very select group of people who want as much performance as possible, but still want a single laptop instead of all the individual parts of a desktop setup.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

•  First reviewed September 2024

SuperOps is a diverse RMM and PSA tool that allows businesses and MSPs to manage endpoints, patch them, and also solve ticketing queries. It comes with several project management tools that help you streamline day-to-day work, and it has also recently introduced network monitoring and IT documentation functions.

Founded in 2020, SuperOps is relatively new in the industry. However, it has quickly caught everyone’s eye, owing to its unique technician-based pricing and intelligent AI alerting features. It's also quite easy to set up and has won 17 awards at the recently concluded G2’s Winter 2023 announcement, including badges such as Best Support (small business), High Performer, and Easiest Setup.

In this in-depth SuperOps review, we'll discuss some of its best features, support options, ease of use, security, and, of course, its value for money.

SuperOps: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Superops)

What we liked the most about SuperOps’ pricing is that there’s a plan for distinct needs – PSA and RMM. So, if you only need RMM functions, you can choose the Standard plan at $99/license/month. On the other hand, if you only need PSA functions, you can choose to pay for just that: $79/license/month.

Each license covers 150 endpoints. So, the RMM cost boils down to $0.66/endpoint/month, which is very affordable, making it ideal for large teams with lots of endpoints. Plus, if you have more than 150 endpoints, you can buy an additional endpoints pack at $75 for 150 endpoints per month. 

However, if you’re a small business and have only 20-30 systems, you’d still have to pay $99/month, since there’s no option to add an individual endpoint – you have to purchase the entire lot. So, SuperOps can quickly become expensive for startups and small businesses.

If you’re looking for both PSA and RMM functions, you can get SuperOps’ Pro or Super plan, costing $129/license/month and $159/license/month, respectively.

Even better, there’s also a 14-day free trial, which will allow you to test the tool's various features risk-free before committing.

SuperOps: Features

We'll now discuss the most notable SuperOps features.

Automation

One of the best features of SuperOps is the degree of automation you get with its policy management functions. This lets you set up policies that help you define a framework to monitor all the assets you manage. There are two types of policies: hierarchal and group-based.

A hierarchal policy allows you to create a policy set for an asset on the global level, which can be overridden at a client, site, or device level. You can configure both alerts and patch management for Windows and Mac assets. 

Alerts

SuperOps lets you set up rule-based alerts for events on the client’s device and even configure auto-remediation actions. For example, you can create an alert when the free disk space on a device goes below a specific level. 

(Image credit: SuperOps)

What's more, you can also define the action that needs to be taken: deleting temp files, creating a ticket, or sending an email to a technician. Similarly, you can automate patch management by pre-defining approval configurations and deployment schedules with various conditions.

Schedule actions

We also liked the scheduled actions feature under SuperOps’ policy management. You can schedule scripts to be executed at specific times (once a day, week, or month). While SuperOps offers a handful of default scripts, you can also build a custom script from scratch, either for all your clients, a specific client, or even a particular asset.

Antivirus integrations

Taking security a notch higher, SuperOps lets you connect antivirus solutions with the platform. Currently, there are four antivirus integrations available: Webroot, Bitdefender, SentinelOne, and Emsisoft. 

Once you’ve successfully integrated the two platforms, you can create a policy to manage the antivirus software on the device. Each alert from the antivirus gets created as a ticket so that no security issues fall through the cracks.

Intelligent Alerting

Another feature that deserves special mention is Intelligent Alerting, which is an AI-powered alert mechanism that increases technicians’ efficiency and productivity. When toggled on, Intelligent Alerting deeply understands your client’s device – behaviors, schedules, and routines. 

It then builds patterns and identifies deviations from these patterns. These deviations or anomalies are then flagged as threats, based on their severity and priority. Intelligent Alerting goes a step ahead of traditional alert management. 

Here, you do not need to set up any conditions or criteria. All you have to do is toggle a button and choose the category where you want to enable AI alerts: CPU usage, memory usage, or disk usage. However, a caveat is that the system can take up to 25 days to fully analyze the target system and produce accurate alerts.

SuperOps: Interface and performance

SuperOps features a relatively clean, modern, and customizable home screen. It gives you a snapshot of various performance metrics, such as open alerts, patches, tickets due today, and all pending approvals. 

We also liked the ‘mentions’ widget, which lets you know if any client or team member has mentioned you in a ticket or internal note.

(Image credit: SuperOps)

The best part is that these widgets are completely customizable, and you can view the widget library from the top-right corner of the home screen and choose widgets that are of utmost importance to your role.

Since SuperOps is a multi-dimensional tool, there’s a separate ‘Modules’ tab on a sleek left panel. From here, you can select the function you want to work on: Asset management, client management, tickets, tasks, or projects.

Overall, it can admittedly take a bit of time to get a hang of SuperOps’ interface, especially if you haven’t worked with RMM software before. However, once you learn the ropes, the platform is fairly easy to use.

SuperOps: Security

SuperOps complies with SOC II Type 2, HIPAA, and GDPR to ensure that sensitive business data is handled as per set regulations. 

Plus, the platform is hosted on a dedicated Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) on Amazon Web Services (AWS), which complies with several assurance programs, such as SOC 1/ISAE 3402, SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI DSS Level 1, FISMA, and DIACAP. 

Furthermore, all the data on the website is secured in private subnets and virtual firewalls that allow only pre-established transactions. Plus, SuperOps uses industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption to secure your data.

There are also a lot of security control options you get as a user. For instance, you can enable two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access. You can also set up role-based access rules to ensure users can access only those parts of SuperOps that are necessary for their respective functions.

SuperOps: Support

SuperOps has a very detailed ‘Help Center’ page with numerous articles on various topics, such as client management, policy management, automation, reporting, etc. You’ll also see a live chat option at the bottom of your screen, where you can connect to a human representative instead of a bot – super handy since live chat is often the most effective port of call for troubled users.

There are also a lot of blogs, pre-recorded webinars, guides, community hubs, and podcasts, which give you a comprehensive insight into SuperOps’ functions. 

Moreover, in the unlikely event that you do not find a solution to your queries, you can reach out to the customer support team through a phone call or email address. The customer service team is responsive and will promptly resolve any queries you might have.

SuperOps: Final verdict

SuperOps is an excellent RMM software with extensive automation capabilities at just $0.66/endpoint/month, making it one of the most affordable options out there, especially for medium-sized and large businesses with lots of endpoints. 

Its Intelligent Alerting feature sets it apart from the rest. This feature learns the behavior of the endpoints and sends alerts if it finds any deviation from patterned behaviors, saving a lot of time for technicians. You can also automate patch management, build custom alerts, and set up hierarchical and group policies for asset management.

If you’re looking for a multi-dimensional tool that goes beyond RMM, SuperOps is a perfect pick. You get a dedicated PSA module, where you can manage service tickets, invoicing, quotes, and even manage your ongoing projects. Alternatively, if you want both RMM and PSA features, there are specific plans for that too.

That said, SuperOps can be expensive for startups and small businesses with less than 30 endpoints due to its step-up pricing module – but you can leverage its 14-day risk-free trial to test it out for yourself.

SuperOps: FAQs How much does SuperOps cost?

SuperOps offers dedicated plans for PSA and RMM functions, costing $79 and $99/license/month, respectively. You can manage up to 150 endpoints with each license and even purchase an additional 150 endpoints for $75/month. If you need both PSA and RMM functions, you can go for its Pro or Super plan, costing $129 and $159/license/month, respectively. 

For what purposes can I use SuperOps?

SuperOps is a multi-dimensional business tool that supports various functions such as remote asset management, project management, PSA services, and IT documentation. We liked the platform’s extensive automation function, using which you can streamline functions such as patching, ticketing, scheduling, and more.